Naples police rescue injured owl outside station2 arrested for $1,500 vape theft at Port Charlotte gas station
NAPLES Naples police rescue injured owl outside station Naples police officers took on an unusual task when they rescued an injured owl outside the police department.
PORT CHARLOTTE 2 arrested for $1,500 vape theft at Port Charlotte gas station Two suspects were arrested early Sunday morning after allegedly stealing approximately $1,500 worth of vape products from a gas station in Port Charlotte.
WINK Neighborhood Watch: knife attack, robbery at gunpoint and hit-and-run This week’s segment of WINK Neighborhood Watch features a knife attack, a robbery at gunpoint and a hit-and-run on a bicyclist.
FORT MYERS Former Uber driver convicted of rape to be sentenced Monday Felix Torres, a former Uber driver, was found guilty in December of raping one of his passengers and will be sentenced Monday.
the weather authority Sunnier, less humid day in store with highs in the low 70s The Weather Authority says a pleasant day is in store for Southwest Florida, with much more sunshine than we saw on Saturday.
Web Exclusive: Rachel Cox-Rosen’s Construction Heads-Up As construction may dampen your commute, WINK News traffic anchor Rachel Cox-Rosen knows the best way to traverse the roadways in this web-exclusive feature.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers Police department hosts annual Cops and Joggers 5K FMPD hosted the Cops and Joggers 5K event on Saturday. This unique experience takes attendees through the heart of Downtown Fort Myers.
Purple Heart Army veteran receives new home thanks to charity A Purple Heart Army veteran and his family entered their new accessible home on Saturday, thanks to the charity “Homes for Our Troops.”
CAPE CORAL Rain doesn’t stop crowds at 40th Annual Cape Coral Arts Festival For 40 years, the Cape Coral Arts Festival has drawn crowds from across Southwest Florida, showcasing a blend of small businesses from the region.
CAPE CORAL Sports trading card collecting going through “a generational reboot” The hobby of sports trading card collecting has been on the rise since 2020, especially in Southwest Florida with more card shows.
PUNTA GORDA 11th annual short film festival coming to Punta Gorda The Punta Gorda Englewood Beach Visitor Convention Bureau will host its 11th annual short film festival.
the weather authority Mild, breezy day on tap with more clouds than sun The Weather Authority says a brief line of showers, associated with a cold front, is moving through Southwest Florida Saturday morning.
ESTERO 1 injured after shooting at Coconut Point Mall According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, one person has been injured after a shooting at the Coconut Point Mall on Friday.
CAPE CORAL CCPD cruiser damaged after officer involved crash An officer-involved crash leaves a Cape Coral police cruiser smashed.
PORT CHARLOTTE Sweet’s Diner in Port Charlotte reopens After months of fundraising and rebuilding, this diner, which had a car fly-through it, is back open.
NAPLES Naples police rescue injured owl outside station Naples police officers took on an unusual task when they rescued an injured owl outside the police department.
PORT CHARLOTTE 2 arrested for $1,500 vape theft at Port Charlotte gas station Two suspects were arrested early Sunday morning after allegedly stealing approximately $1,500 worth of vape products from a gas station in Port Charlotte.
WINK Neighborhood Watch: knife attack, robbery at gunpoint and hit-and-run This week’s segment of WINK Neighborhood Watch features a knife attack, a robbery at gunpoint and a hit-and-run on a bicyclist.
FORT MYERS Former Uber driver convicted of rape to be sentenced Monday Felix Torres, a former Uber driver, was found guilty in December of raping one of his passengers and will be sentenced Monday.
the weather authority Sunnier, less humid day in store with highs in the low 70s The Weather Authority says a pleasant day is in store for Southwest Florida, with much more sunshine than we saw on Saturday.
Web Exclusive: Rachel Cox-Rosen’s Construction Heads-Up As construction may dampen your commute, WINK News traffic anchor Rachel Cox-Rosen knows the best way to traverse the roadways in this web-exclusive feature.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers Police department hosts annual Cops and Joggers 5K FMPD hosted the Cops and Joggers 5K event on Saturday. This unique experience takes attendees through the heart of Downtown Fort Myers.
Purple Heart Army veteran receives new home thanks to charity A Purple Heart Army veteran and his family entered their new accessible home on Saturday, thanks to the charity “Homes for Our Troops.”
CAPE CORAL Rain doesn’t stop crowds at 40th Annual Cape Coral Arts Festival For 40 years, the Cape Coral Arts Festival has drawn crowds from across Southwest Florida, showcasing a blend of small businesses from the region.
CAPE CORAL Sports trading card collecting going through “a generational reboot” The hobby of sports trading card collecting has been on the rise since 2020, especially in Southwest Florida with more card shows.
PUNTA GORDA 11th annual short film festival coming to Punta Gorda The Punta Gorda Englewood Beach Visitor Convention Bureau will host its 11th annual short film festival.
the weather authority Mild, breezy day on tap with more clouds than sun The Weather Authority says a brief line of showers, associated with a cold front, is moving through Southwest Florida Saturday morning.
ESTERO 1 injured after shooting at Coconut Point Mall According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, one person has been injured after a shooting at the Coconut Point Mall on Friday.
CAPE CORAL CCPD cruiser damaged after officer involved crash An officer-involved crash leaves a Cape Coral police cruiser smashed.
PORT CHARLOTTE Sweet’s Diner in Port Charlotte reopens After months of fundraising and rebuilding, this diner, which had a car fly-through it, is back open.
Florida panther standing outside of a wildlife crossing. CREDIT: florida-panther-east-collier.jpg, fStop Foundation, Copyrighted, All Rights Reserved – Used by Permission, https://www.fws.gov/banner/florida-panther-east-collierjpg The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says an endangered Florida panther died after a vehicle strike along State Road 29 on Wednesday. According to FWC’s Panther Pulse, the 1-year-old male panther was the 17th reported Florida panther death of 2024. Of the 17 Florida panther deaths in 2024, 13 are the result of vehicle collisions. FWC says that vehicle strikes are the most common cause of death for the State Animal of Florida. The feline was hit on State Road 29 just north of New Market Road in Immokalee. “State Road 29 has always been an area for panther vehicle mortalities since it bisects some of the best panther habitat in South Florida,” FWC said. State Road 29 is a recurring road on which panthers are struck by vehicles. Male panther at the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge. Photo by FWS, 2018. Since 2018, 17 panthers have been struck on State Road 29. In that same span of time Panther Pulse has reported 144 total panther deaths. That means that nearly 12% of all reported panther deaths have happened on State Road 29. RELATED: Endangered Florida panther deaths surpass 2023 total in 5 months RELATED: April: 2024’s deadliest month for Florida panthers with 5 roadkill victims However, of the 144 total panther deaths since 2018, 121 were due to a vehicle strike. This means more than 14% of all panther vehicle strikes happen on one road, State Road 29. “Since 2018, we have documented 13 panther road mortalities on SR29 between US41 and SR82. Ten of those have been on SR29 north of the Panther Refuge,” said FWC. One way wildlife officials try to reduce cars crashing into wildlife is by adding wildlife crossings, underpasses or fencing to an area. “There are 60 wildlife crossings or bridges that have been modified for use by panthers on Florida’s roads,” FWC’s website says. CREDIT: CBS News FWC says these tools have helped on State Road 29 too. “Fencing with wildlife underpasses on SR29 within the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge and south along Big Cypress National Preserve have assisted with preventing enumerable panther vehicle collisions since those features were installed. Areas north of FPNWR are not currently fenced and do not have wildlife underpasses,” said FWC. Panther Crossing is an organization pushing for roads to be safer to keep the endangered species safe. “Panther activity is greatest between dusk and dawn when visibility is lowest. 45 mph nighttime speed zones exist where panthers are known to frequently cross roads,” says the Panther Crossing website. While State Road 29 is a hot spot for Florida panther vehicle strikes, it isn’t the only hot spot. “We’ve documented eight panther vehicle mortalities since 2018 on SR82 at the intersection of Corkscrew Rd. I believe that section of road is slated to have some wildlife underpasses installed along with fencing in the near future,” said FWC. The endangered species faces several threats that may jeopardize its future, including development, feline leukomyelopathy (FLM), and vehicle strikes. There are between 120 and 230 adult Florida panthers left in the wild.