MARCO ISLAND Boater missing after departing from Marco Island A boater has been missing since Monday after departing from Rose Marina in Marco Island and traveling between Sanibel and Stump Pass.
17-year-old arrested after fatal crash on SR-82 A 17-year-old is facing vehicular homicide charges after a deadly crash on State Road 82.
NAPLES Former Israeli ambassador comments on presidential debate Former Israeli Ambassador, Michael Oren spoke with the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples to discuss the war going on, antisemitism and strengthening the relationship with Israel and the American-Jewish community.
TICE 2 scenes see massive deputy response, family says home was tear-gassed The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is not saying much about two connected crime scenes, one of which saw a house raided where one person was taken into custody after he was smoked out with tear gas.
NORTH NAPLES Deadly crash makes Collier deputies crack down on dangerous drivers The Collier County Sheriff’s office said they are targeting aggressive drivers, speeders and red-light runners in an effort to reduce crashes like the one at the Immokalee Road and Logan Blvd. intersection.
PORT CHARLOTTE Port Charlotte teen charged with murder has violent past Polk County charged 17-year-old Collin Griffith with murder after he called 911 claiming his mom fell on a knife during a struggle.
Is someone tracking you with an Apple AirTag? AirTags have helped to solve a life-long problem. Add the Apple devices to your keys and you will always be able to find them. Throw the mini trackers in a suitcase when you fly and you may actually help the airline find them.
Week 3 Band Performances Before we kickoff Week 4 of high school football, let’s check out some of the high school band performances from Week 3.
LEHIGH ACRES New fire station to provide critical help in Lehigh Acres The Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue celebrated the opening of Fire Station 107 on Thursday at the corner of Leonard Boulevard and Owen Avenue South.
LEHIGH ACRES Dump truck flips over in front of 7-Eleven in Lehigh Acres A dump truck flipped over in front of a 7-Eleven, destroying the greenery in front of the station.
SANIBEL 120,000 boulders are fortifying Sanibel Causeway As many as 120,000 boulders are helping rebuild the Sanibel Causeway to ensure that it can withstand severe weather events.
FORT MYERS Game of the Week: Fort Myers Green Wave vs. South Fort Myers Wolfpack After losing to the Green Wave for the last two years, the Wolfpack is hungry to get back in the win column this time.
FORT MYERS 40 Under 40: Local breast surgical oncologist championing women’s health From a young age, Natalia Spinelli wanted to be a doctor, directing her time and talents toward women and breast cancer.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA 2 men arrested for stealing nearly $5K worth of hygiene products in Collier County Collier deputies arrested two Miami men after discovering thousands of dollars’ worth of suspected stolen merchandise in their possession.
MARCO ISLAND Boater missing after departing from Marco Island A boater has been missing since Monday after departing from Rose Marina in Marco Island and traveling between Sanibel and Stump Pass.
17-year-old arrested after fatal crash on SR-82 A 17-year-old is facing vehicular homicide charges after a deadly crash on State Road 82.
NAPLES Former Israeli ambassador comments on presidential debate Former Israeli Ambassador, Michael Oren spoke with the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples to discuss the war going on, antisemitism and strengthening the relationship with Israel and the American-Jewish community.
TICE 2 scenes see massive deputy response, family says home was tear-gassed The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is not saying much about two connected crime scenes, one of which saw a house raided where one person was taken into custody after he was smoked out with tear gas.
NORTH NAPLES Deadly crash makes Collier deputies crack down on dangerous drivers The Collier County Sheriff’s office said they are targeting aggressive drivers, speeders and red-light runners in an effort to reduce crashes like the one at the Immokalee Road and Logan Blvd. intersection.
PORT CHARLOTTE Port Charlotte teen charged with murder has violent past Polk County charged 17-year-old Collin Griffith with murder after he called 911 claiming his mom fell on a knife during a struggle.
Is someone tracking you with an Apple AirTag? AirTags have helped to solve a life-long problem. Add the Apple devices to your keys and you will always be able to find them. Throw the mini trackers in a suitcase when you fly and you may actually help the airline find them.
Week 3 Band Performances Before we kickoff Week 4 of high school football, let’s check out some of the high school band performances from Week 3.
LEHIGH ACRES New fire station to provide critical help in Lehigh Acres The Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue celebrated the opening of Fire Station 107 on Thursday at the corner of Leonard Boulevard and Owen Avenue South.
LEHIGH ACRES Dump truck flips over in front of 7-Eleven in Lehigh Acres A dump truck flipped over in front of a 7-Eleven, destroying the greenery in front of the station.
SANIBEL 120,000 boulders are fortifying Sanibel Causeway As many as 120,000 boulders are helping rebuild the Sanibel Causeway to ensure that it can withstand severe weather events.
FORT MYERS Game of the Week: Fort Myers Green Wave vs. South Fort Myers Wolfpack After losing to the Green Wave for the last two years, the Wolfpack is hungry to get back in the win column this time.
FORT MYERS 40 Under 40: Local breast surgical oncologist championing women’s health From a young age, Natalia Spinelli wanted to be a doctor, directing her time and talents toward women and breast cancer.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA 2 men arrested for stealing nearly $5K worth of hygiene products in Collier County Collier deputies arrested two Miami men after discovering thousands of dollars’ worth of suspected stolen merchandise in their possession.
The face of healthcare in Southwest Florida could soon change if Lee Health gets its way. As WINK News has reported for months, Lee Memorial Health System, et al. has worked to change from a public nonprofit to a private nonprofit. On Thursday, Lee County posted a mission agreement draft between the county and the hospital system related to the proposal. The healthcare system first opened its doors in 1916 as a community-centered nonprofit. In 1968, Lee Health began operating as an independent special healthcare district created by the State and governed by an elected Board of Directors. Now, the system wants to convert into a private nonprofit healthcare provider. The Lee Health System operates 6 hospitals in SWFL, numerous specialty and service centers, and employs over 15,000 people. The conversion plan comes after Governor Ron DeSantis and the State Legislature approved House Bill 227 to amend a Florida law to allow the system to convert to a private nonprofit entity. The draft explained, “The County has never had any role in the operation or oversight of the health system, but must now approve the plans to determine if converting to a non-governmental Florida nonprofit entity is in the best interest of Lee County residents.” Lee Health said the conversion would help the system financially, add stability to high-quality care for the community, and ensure that Lee County taxpayers bear no tax burden.Lee Health also claimed the conversion would allow expansion to other areas. “It allows us to do some of the things that we can’t do now, doing things like joint ventures with other physicians, with other organizations, being able to work outside the county. We recognize that 20% of our patients are coming from outside the county,” said Lee Health CEO Dr. Lawrence Antonucci. You can read the process overview here. Dr. Larry Antonucci, CEO and President of Lee Health. The full draft of the agreement can be read here. County Commissioners agreed to publish the draft on the county’s website and did so on Thursday. It must stay active until October 11, 2024, to give the community time to better understand and comment on the draft. During Tuesday’s commission meeting, the commission also questioned Lee Health about how becoming private will help the community. Lee County Commission meeting, August 20, 2024 “I’m trying to understand the need for this. I’m trying to understand where you’re going. Why are we doing this?” asked Commissioner Kevin Ruane. “If we get to October and we have learned things about this that we – through our due diligence – don’t agree with or are really concerned with, then we don’t vote to move forward in October,” added Commissioner Brian Hamman. Lee County Commissioners would still need to sign off before anything becomes official. They are scheduled to vote by or on October 11th. WINK News will bring you any developments as they happen.