Deputies investigate burglary at Royal Arcade in South Fort MyersLee County school superintendent candidates to debate over hot button issues
South FORT MYERS Deputies investigate burglary at Royal Arcade in South Fort Myers The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a burglary at the Royal Arcade in North Fort Myers.
Lee County school superintendent candidates to debate over hot button issues Candidates competing for the Lee Count School Superintendent title will face off to discuss issues and possible solutions.
The Weather Authority The Weather Authority: Hotter with scattered storms on this Wednesday The Weather Authority is tracking a hotter Wednesday ahead; scattered storms are expected throughout the day.
Teenage boys suspected of car stealing spree According to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, two 16-year-old boys have been connected to 5 stolen cars and 28 vehicle break-ins.
naples Negotiations between NCH and Florida Blue could impact SWFL residents A high-stakes healthcare negotiation is hanging in the balance as Naples Comprehensive Health (NCH) and Florida Blue are at odds over how to handle the rising cost of health.
Cape Coral’s Darrion Jones ready to go from Seahawk to Jayhawk Cape Coral senior safety Darrion Jones reflects on his time in high school and looks ahead to playing for the Kansas Jayhawks in college.
Preserving paradise: protecting our water quality There’s a local effort underway to protect what many believe is our most precious resource: our water.
NORTH FORT MYERS What will happen to the Shell Factory’s animals after it closes? The Shell Factory in North Fort Myers is set to close after nearly ninety years of business. The owner plans to sell the property, but what will happen to the hundreds of animals?
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New details about Lee County man arrested for animal abuse A newly updated Lee County Sheriff’s Office arrest report details a troubling past for a new animal abuse arrest of a Lee County resident.
EVERGLADES CITY Museum of Everglades opens Python Hunters exhibit A new exhibit gives us a closer look at how bad the Burmese python invasion really is. The exhibit opened on Tuesday in the Museum of the Everglades.
NORTH FORT MYERS Habitat for Humanity receives $50 million grant for over 200 new homes The Lee and Hendry County non-profit applied for a grant back in April, and on Tuesday, the Lee County Board of Commissioners approved them for $50 million.
FORT MYERS BEACH Matanzas Pass Bridge shrimp boat makes it under on 3rd attempt The Florida Department of Transportation has reported that the Matanzas Pass Bridge was hit again by the same passing shrimp boat that struck it a day before.
PORT CHARLOTTE Neighbors upset over constant flooding in Port Charlotte A couple living in Port Charlotte says they’ve been dealing with flooding issues for years, every single time it rains.
LEHIGH ACRES Roundabout approved for intersection at Gunnery Road and Buckingham Road Lee County officials are looking to improve safety and make traffic smoother with a roundabout at the intersection of Gunnery Road and Buckingham Road.
Local man falls victim to rare Guillain-Barré syndrome One day, a local man was happy and healthy, and the next day, he was paralyzed and needed breathing and feeding tubes. That’s how fast Guillain-Barré syndrome can strike.
South FORT MYERS Deputies investigate burglary at Royal Arcade in South Fort Myers The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a burglary at the Royal Arcade in North Fort Myers.
Lee County school superintendent candidates to debate over hot button issues Candidates competing for the Lee Count School Superintendent title will face off to discuss issues and possible solutions.
The Weather Authority The Weather Authority: Hotter with scattered storms on this Wednesday The Weather Authority is tracking a hotter Wednesday ahead; scattered storms are expected throughout the day.
Teenage boys suspected of car stealing spree According to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, two 16-year-old boys have been connected to 5 stolen cars and 28 vehicle break-ins.
naples Negotiations between NCH and Florida Blue could impact SWFL residents A high-stakes healthcare negotiation is hanging in the balance as Naples Comprehensive Health (NCH) and Florida Blue are at odds over how to handle the rising cost of health.
Cape Coral’s Darrion Jones ready to go from Seahawk to Jayhawk Cape Coral senior safety Darrion Jones reflects on his time in high school and looks ahead to playing for the Kansas Jayhawks in college.
Preserving paradise: protecting our water quality There’s a local effort underway to protect what many believe is our most precious resource: our water.
NORTH FORT MYERS What will happen to the Shell Factory’s animals after it closes? The Shell Factory in North Fort Myers is set to close after nearly ninety years of business. The owner plans to sell the property, but what will happen to the hundreds of animals?
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New details about Lee County man arrested for animal abuse A newly updated Lee County Sheriff’s Office arrest report details a troubling past for a new animal abuse arrest of a Lee County resident.
EVERGLADES CITY Museum of Everglades opens Python Hunters exhibit A new exhibit gives us a closer look at how bad the Burmese python invasion really is. The exhibit opened on Tuesday in the Museum of the Everglades.
NORTH FORT MYERS Habitat for Humanity receives $50 million grant for over 200 new homes The Lee and Hendry County non-profit applied for a grant back in April, and on Tuesday, the Lee County Board of Commissioners approved them for $50 million.
FORT MYERS BEACH Matanzas Pass Bridge shrimp boat makes it under on 3rd attempt The Florida Department of Transportation has reported that the Matanzas Pass Bridge was hit again by the same passing shrimp boat that struck it a day before.
PORT CHARLOTTE Neighbors upset over constant flooding in Port Charlotte A couple living in Port Charlotte says they’ve been dealing with flooding issues for years, every single time it rains.
LEHIGH ACRES Roundabout approved for intersection at Gunnery Road and Buckingham Road Lee County officials are looking to improve safety and make traffic smoother with a roundabout at the intersection of Gunnery Road and Buckingham Road.
Local man falls victim to rare Guillain-Barré syndrome One day, a local man was happy and healthy, and the next day, he was paralyzed and needed breathing and feeding tubes. That’s how fast Guillain-Barré syndrome can strike.
WINK News is staying on top of a story developing near Lehigh Acres and seeing what the county is doing to help the flooded community. As WINK spoke to homeowners on Wildcat Drive, they told us they want help from the county. RELATED: Wildcat Dr. near Lehigh Acres has more problems than just flooding What we found from our calls is Lee County wants to help, but it’s going to take some work before they can start talking about fixes. WINK News anchor Claire Galt did some research into the roadblocks standing in this community’s way. “Wildcat Drive is my home,” said resident Sean Burlarely. “The river to my home, which I probably need an airboat to get to.” Burlarely said he’s used to driving his souped-up Jeep through knee-deep floodwaters like the kind that Tropical Storm Debby left behind. “It continues to get worse because people continue to mismanage the road … We really need somebody like the Board of County Commissioners to step in,” explained Burlarely. The problem is they can’t. Wildcat Drive is a private road. Lee County Commissioner Brian Hamman told WINK, “Florida law prohibits us from spending taxpayer dollars on private roads, and we don’t want to break the law.” Hamman said the road needs paving, and the county has tried to work with the community to get it done. “They would contract with the county to get the road paved, and then they’d pay for it through their property taxes, like an assessment. [B]ut the residents, unfortunately, have not taken that path,” said Hamman. Now, the most the county can do when the rain comes is ensure emergency vehicles can get to people who need help. “That’s our primary concern, and that has been deemed passable,” Hamman said. Hamman said the path to paving the road is still on the table. He told WINK it’s the solution. Burlarely said he and some of his neighbors are willing to give it a try. “We’ve got to get somebody who knows how those laws work, and it’s probably a delicate thing, but that’s where we’re headed now,” said Burlarely. For neighbors to contract with the county, more than 50% of them would have to vote to do it and accept the property tax assessment.