SANIBEL Sanibel’s water system faces climate challenges Sanibel Island is facing challenges as it balances its natural beauty with the demands of stormwater management.
FORT MYERS Travel tips ahead of spring break Spring break 2025 has arrived, and tourists are flocking to Southwest Florida.
FORT MYERS Pilot project tackles affordable housing gaps in Fort Myers Affordable housing is a pressing issue in Southwest Florida, driven by a growing population. The Florida Housing Coalition is working to ensure residents can afford a place to live.
ALVA Alva locals voice concerns over Lee County’s housing expansion plan Residents of Alva are grappling with changes as Lee County commissioners approved a significant development project that will transform their rural community.
Crews battling 12-acre brush fire in Charlotte County Crews are hard at work battling a 12-acre brush fire in Charlotte County.
Collier County man caught in $150K bank fraud at Fifth Third Bank Collier County deputies arrested a man accused of impersonating another individual and making fraudulent bank transactions exceeding $150,000.
SANIBEL Discover rare shells at Sanibel Shell Show The nation’s oldest and most esteemed shell show is currently taking place on Sanibel.
Lee County Fighting the bite: Soaring high to battle mosquitoes WINK News anchor Liz Biro had the chance to fly with the Lee County Mosquito Control District to see how they work to battle mosquitoes.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte wrestling ready for state tournament under strong leadership Fresh off of a regional title and a state runner-up finish in the dual team wrestling tournament, the Tarpons are fired up.
CAPE CORAL Managing allergies during peak season Springtime in Southwest Florida brings not only flowers and sunshine but also a wave of sneezes and sniffles.
COLLIER COUNTY One-on-one with FC Naples head coach Matt Poland WINK Sports Reporter Zach Oliveri sat down with FC Naples head coach Matt Poland to talk about the inaugural season.
Economist Jeremy Siegel favors Trump tax cuts, not tariffs During President Donald Trump’s first administration, longtime economic professor Jeremy Siegel received a request to join it as an economic adviser.
miami beach Gov. DeSantis announces safety efforts ahead of spring break Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has announced safety efforts in Florida ahead of spring break.
New cell phone policy for the Lee County School District A new cell phone policy was approved as part of the Code of Conduct at the Tuesday Lee County School Board Meeting.
LEHIGH ACRES Deputies conduct investigation at Lehigh Acres home Residents of Lehigh Acres awoke to an unexpected scene as law enforcement flooded their neighborhood near Gunnery Road and 23rd Street Southwest.
SANIBEL Sanibel’s water system faces climate challenges Sanibel Island is facing challenges as it balances its natural beauty with the demands of stormwater management.
FORT MYERS Travel tips ahead of spring break Spring break 2025 has arrived, and tourists are flocking to Southwest Florida.
FORT MYERS Pilot project tackles affordable housing gaps in Fort Myers Affordable housing is a pressing issue in Southwest Florida, driven by a growing population. The Florida Housing Coalition is working to ensure residents can afford a place to live.
ALVA Alva locals voice concerns over Lee County’s housing expansion plan Residents of Alva are grappling with changes as Lee County commissioners approved a significant development project that will transform their rural community.
Crews battling 12-acre brush fire in Charlotte County Crews are hard at work battling a 12-acre brush fire in Charlotte County.
Collier County man caught in $150K bank fraud at Fifth Third Bank Collier County deputies arrested a man accused of impersonating another individual and making fraudulent bank transactions exceeding $150,000.
SANIBEL Discover rare shells at Sanibel Shell Show The nation’s oldest and most esteemed shell show is currently taking place on Sanibel.
Lee County Fighting the bite: Soaring high to battle mosquitoes WINK News anchor Liz Biro had the chance to fly with the Lee County Mosquito Control District to see how they work to battle mosquitoes.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte wrestling ready for state tournament under strong leadership Fresh off of a regional title and a state runner-up finish in the dual team wrestling tournament, the Tarpons are fired up.
CAPE CORAL Managing allergies during peak season Springtime in Southwest Florida brings not only flowers and sunshine but also a wave of sneezes and sniffles.
COLLIER COUNTY One-on-one with FC Naples head coach Matt Poland WINK Sports Reporter Zach Oliveri sat down with FC Naples head coach Matt Poland to talk about the inaugural season.
Economist Jeremy Siegel favors Trump tax cuts, not tariffs During President Donald Trump’s first administration, longtime economic professor Jeremy Siegel received a request to join it as an economic adviser.
miami beach Gov. DeSantis announces safety efforts ahead of spring break Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has announced safety efforts in Florida ahead of spring break.
New cell phone policy for the Lee County School District A new cell phone policy was approved as part of the Code of Conduct at the Tuesday Lee County School Board Meeting.
LEHIGH ACRES Deputies conduct investigation at Lehigh Acres home Residents of Lehigh Acres awoke to an unexpected scene as law enforcement flooded their neighborhood near Gunnery Road and 23rd Street Southwest.
Following multiple days of allegations and backlash after Lee County’s Supervisor of Elections Tommy Doyle was exposed for inappropriate conduct, his office has responded to allegations that taxpayer dollars paid for the employee’s severance pay. RELATED: Did your taxpayer dollars help cover up Supervisor of Elections affair? On Friday, Doyle sent WINK News a statement confirming allegations of an extramarital affair with a female employee in 2019. An equal employment opportunity complaint was filed by the employee after the affair ended. The former employee received 20 weeks of severance pay. On Tuesday the Supervisor of Elections Office responded to WINK News on whether or not the severance pay was taxpayer dollars. The Supervisor of Elections Office said it was indeed taxpayer dollars and said all Supervisor of Elections payroll is pulled from taxes. The catch is the office said there was no misappropriation of taxpayer dollars. They say the severance was given to an employee who hadn’t been able to work for the elections office for a long period of time due to a medical issue. The office said in the separation agreement, the employee said she was receiving the severance funds in lieu of being placed on unpaid administrative leave. The statement also said the money was not a settlement of a sexual harassment complaint.That complaint ended up being retracted. The Supervisor of Elections Office goes on to say the individual in a written retraction to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) said she made up allegations. The full statement is below: “There was no misappropriation of taxpayer dollars. The payroll funds were issued to an employee who had been unable to work for the SOE Office for a significant period of time due to a medical issue and who had not been medically cleared to return to work when her FMLA leave expired. When the FMLA expired the employee chose the option of receiving the severance pay rather than remaining on unpaid administrative leave potentially indefinitely. In the related separation agreement, the former employee specifically confirmed that she was receiving the severance funds in lieu of being placed on unpaid administrative leave. This was not a settlement of a sexual harassment complaint. The individual who filed the sexual harassment complaint retracted the sexual harassment allegations in a written document she filed with a federal agency, the EEOC. In that written retraction she admitted that the allegations she had made in her complaint were erroneous, that there was no unlawful conduct, that she was not entitled to any form of legal redress, and that she had no evidence that anyone at SOE took any adverse employment action against her.“ We are still waiting to get a copy of the letter to verify this statement. Stay tuned to WINKNews.com, WINK News App, streaming, and on-air for any new developments on this story.