Kamala Harris and Donald Trump face off at the presidential debateVoters react to presidential debate
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump face off at the presidential debate Former president Trump and vice president Harris just wrapped up their first and likely only debate before Americans go to the polls.
CAPE CORAL Voters react to presidential debate The voters WINK News spoke to said they had their minds made up before the first question could drop, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t still excited to watch.
NORTH FORT MYERS Caught on Video: man ignites North Fort Myers house on fire We spoke with the mother of the family that lives in the home. She said both her husband and her 6-year-old son were in bed when she saw an orange glow coming from the front window; then, she saw flames.
Siblings left homeless after fire in Collier County A family is recovering from the flames after a lawnmower fire in Collier County left three siblings homeless.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral says they’ll help neighbors forced to vacate but community still has questions We’ve reported on the plans by Cape Coral to acquire 19 acres east of Bimini Basin, and how it will force the families currently living in those properties out.
Collier County commissioners oppose Amendment 3 This comes less than 24 hours after former President Donald Trump told the world he would vote for Amendment 3.
PHILADELPHIA Florida political analyst weighs in ahead of presidential debate Tonight may be the only chance viewers will get to see Kamala Harris and Donald Trump together on the debate stage.
LEHIGH ACRES Renewed call for guardrails following fatal Lehigh Acres canal crash A car flying into a canal, killing a 47-year-old man, has many raising the question of how it can be stopped from happening again.
Charlotte County Schools reflects on Guardian program 1 year later Charlotte County is getting a better idea of how armed people in its schools are doing. Last school year was the first entire year Charlotte County Schools had the guardian program in place.
PUNTA GORDA Public notice of pollution submitted for the Peace River There are reports of chemicals, oils and contaminants polluting the Peace River Botanical & Sculpture Garden.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers neighbors work to stop parking lot A city sees a warehouse just south of Palm Beach Boulevard as a spot they can use for a brand new parking lot, but the people who live in the neighborhood are telling the city to think twice.
NAPLES Collier middle school student arrested for carrying knife A Manatee Middle School student has been arrested after a knife was found in his backpack at school.
FORT MYERS Suspect arrested in Papa Johns armed robbery A man has been arrested in connection with a robbery of a Fort Myers pizza shop.
TALLAHASSEE New ruling could ban lab grown meat production in Florida A federal judge will hear arguments next month about whether he should block a new Florida law that bars the production and sale of “cultivated meat” in the state.
Seconds save lives: New trial for diagnosing stroke Now, doctors are testing another drug to help people who suffer a different kind of stroke that floods the brain with blood.
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump face off at the presidential debate Former president Trump and vice president Harris just wrapped up their first and likely only debate before Americans go to the polls.
CAPE CORAL Voters react to presidential debate The voters WINK News spoke to said they had their minds made up before the first question could drop, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t still excited to watch.
NORTH FORT MYERS Caught on Video: man ignites North Fort Myers house on fire We spoke with the mother of the family that lives in the home. She said both her husband and her 6-year-old son were in bed when she saw an orange glow coming from the front window; then, she saw flames.
Siblings left homeless after fire in Collier County A family is recovering from the flames after a lawnmower fire in Collier County left three siblings homeless.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral says they’ll help neighbors forced to vacate but community still has questions We’ve reported on the plans by Cape Coral to acquire 19 acres east of Bimini Basin, and how it will force the families currently living in those properties out.
Collier County commissioners oppose Amendment 3 This comes less than 24 hours after former President Donald Trump told the world he would vote for Amendment 3.
PHILADELPHIA Florida political analyst weighs in ahead of presidential debate Tonight may be the only chance viewers will get to see Kamala Harris and Donald Trump together on the debate stage.
LEHIGH ACRES Renewed call for guardrails following fatal Lehigh Acres canal crash A car flying into a canal, killing a 47-year-old man, has many raising the question of how it can be stopped from happening again.
Charlotte County Schools reflects on Guardian program 1 year later Charlotte County is getting a better idea of how armed people in its schools are doing. Last school year was the first entire year Charlotte County Schools had the guardian program in place.
PUNTA GORDA Public notice of pollution submitted for the Peace River There are reports of chemicals, oils and contaminants polluting the Peace River Botanical & Sculpture Garden.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers neighbors work to stop parking lot A city sees a warehouse just south of Palm Beach Boulevard as a spot they can use for a brand new parking lot, but the people who live in the neighborhood are telling the city to think twice.
NAPLES Collier middle school student arrested for carrying knife A Manatee Middle School student has been arrested after a knife was found in his backpack at school.
FORT MYERS Suspect arrested in Papa Johns armed robbery A man has been arrested in connection with a robbery of a Fort Myers pizza shop.
TALLAHASSEE New ruling could ban lab grown meat production in Florida A federal judge will hear arguments next month about whether he should block a new Florida law that bars the production and sale of “cultivated meat” in the state.
Seconds save lives: New trial for diagnosing stroke Now, doctors are testing another drug to help people who suffer a different kind of stroke that floods the brain with blood.
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.