For a Lehigh lineman, pigskin and pigs are passed down passionsFort Myers woman swims across the North Channel for Multiple Sclerosis
LEHIGH ACRES For a Lehigh lineman, pigskin and pigs are passed down passions Lehigh lineman Jeremiah Rugama’s two passed down passions are football and showing pigs and steers.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers woman swims across the North Channel for Multiple Sclerosis A woman is making a name for herself as the first Floridian to complete a 21-mile swim across the North Channel, from Ireland to Scotland, to raise awareness for Multiple Sclerosis.
Truck in canal after hit-and-run crash on I-75; at least 1 injured A crash in Collier County has caused major backups on I-75 in both directions near Immokalee Road.
SANIBEL Sanibel is being proactive in face of potential tropical system Whenever there is tropical activity, our barrier islands face the biggest threat, and Sanibel is preparing for whatever is brewing in the Caribbean.
PUNTA GORDA Punta Gorda homeowners blame nearby demolition for damage A demolition project is apparently demolishing more than it should.
Miracle Moment: Pep rally held for cancer patient It’s all the makings of a pep rally, but this isn’t Riverdale High School. It’s Golisano Children’s Hospital.
Potential Tropical System 9 forecast to become Cat 3 hurricane before landfall The majority of computer models are currently showing landfall in either the Big Bend or Panhandle of Florida Thursday into early Friday.
FORT MYERS Homelessness is changing in Lee County Homelessness doesn’t look like it once did, with people working two or three jobs at a time and still not able to support themselves or their families.
FORT MYERS BEACH How Fort Myers Beach is preparing for potential tropical system WINK News’ coverage of the potential tropical system has our attention on the Island community of Fort Myers Beach.
Bonita Springs officials warn residents to prep for storm The city of Bonita Springs is monitoring Potential Tropical System 9 in the Northwestern Caribbean and wants residents to be prepared for heightened tropical activity.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral transformation 2 years after Hurricane Ian’s destruction The worst-hit areas of Cape Coral have transformed from ravaged to revitalized following Hurricane Ian’s destruction.
DeSantis issues state of emergency for parts of SWFL due to tropical activity Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has issued a state of emergency in multiple counties, including Charlotte, Collier and Lee counties.
How will Fed rate cut impact SWFL real estate? On Sept. 19, Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. officials said the standard fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.09%, the lowest since February 2023.
FORT MYERS 2 iPhones stolen from package at Lee County home A man was caught on camera stealing a package containing two iPhones.
NORTH NAPLES 1 hurt in crash involving Publix semi-truck, SUV in North Naples One person has been injured after a semi-truck and an SUV collided leaving the SUV on its side this morning.
LEHIGH ACRES For a Lehigh lineman, pigskin and pigs are passed down passions Lehigh lineman Jeremiah Rugama’s two passed down passions are football and showing pigs and steers.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers woman swims across the North Channel for Multiple Sclerosis A woman is making a name for herself as the first Floridian to complete a 21-mile swim across the North Channel, from Ireland to Scotland, to raise awareness for Multiple Sclerosis.
Truck in canal after hit-and-run crash on I-75; at least 1 injured A crash in Collier County has caused major backups on I-75 in both directions near Immokalee Road.
SANIBEL Sanibel is being proactive in face of potential tropical system Whenever there is tropical activity, our barrier islands face the biggest threat, and Sanibel is preparing for whatever is brewing in the Caribbean.
PUNTA GORDA Punta Gorda homeowners blame nearby demolition for damage A demolition project is apparently demolishing more than it should.
Miracle Moment: Pep rally held for cancer patient It’s all the makings of a pep rally, but this isn’t Riverdale High School. It’s Golisano Children’s Hospital.
Potential Tropical System 9 forecast to become Cat 3 hurricane before landfall The majority of computer models are currently showing landfall in either the Big Bend or Panhandle of Florida Thursday into early Friday.
FORT MYERS Homelessness is changing in Lee County Homelessness doesn’t look like it once did, with people working two or three jobs at a time and still not able to support themselves or their families.
FORT MYERS BEACH How Fort Myers Beach is preparing for potential tropical system WINK News’ coverage of the potential tropical system has our attention on the Island community of Fort Myers Beach.
Bonita Springs officials warn residents to prep for storm The city of Bonita Springs is monitoring Potential Tropical System 9 in the Northwestern Caribbean and wants residents to be prepared for heightened tropical activity.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral transformation 2 years after Hurricane Ian’s destruction The worst-hit areas of Cape Coral have transformed from ravaged to revitalized following Hurricane Ian’s destruction.
DeSantis issues state of emergency for parts of SWFL due to tropical activity Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has issued a state of emergency in multiple counties, including Charlotte, Collier and Lee counties.
How will Fed rate cut impact SWFL real estate? On Sept. 19, Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. officials said the standard fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.09%, the lowest since February 2023.
FORT MYERS 2 iPhones stolen from package at Lee County home A man was caught on camera stealing a package containing two iPhones.
NORTH NAPLES 1 hurt in crash involving Publix semi-truck, SUV in North Naples One person has been injured after a semi-truck and an SUV collided leaving the SUV on its side this morning.
Homelessness doesn’t look like it once did, with people working two or three jobs at a time and still not able to support themselves or their families. One place is stepping in to help, the Lee County Homeless Coalition held a news conference on Monday. WINK News reporter Amy Galo was there as it happened to find out how the community could help. You hear it all the time: Every little bit counts, and in the case of the coalition, that’s especially true. It operates on state and federal funding but those come with income restrictions. Donations, on the other hand, are considered unrestricted funding. And that lets the coalition help people who fall into gaps, people like your next-door neighbor. Michael Overway, Executive Director of the Lee County Homeless Coalition said, “I think typically, the folks that we had been accustomed to serving would be the folks that most people would refer to as chronically homeless, right? They’ve been out in the streets a long time.” Well, what if I told you our local teachers, nurses and police officers are now joining the population? “Those are folks who are typically above the income bracket that we would normally serve, but here they are, you know, living on the streets,” explained Overway. Something which preschool teacher Jessica Vivas can attest to, “We were a two income household, and things were just getting too rough, you know.” Vivas and her husband, who worked as a manager at AT&T were forced to live out of their car back in 2023, with a two-year-old, and another child on the way. “It was so challenging, like thinking about, like, okay, what’s going to be our next step? Where are we going to live in a few months? Sometimes trying to figure out what we’re going to eat for dinner,” she explained. But then her husband reached out to the Lee County Homeless Coalition which helped them find a home and got them into some of the coalition classes. “We learned so much with just, you know, our daily basis of life, with how we’re going to face it,” said Vivas. “When you break that wall down and being able to be open about receiving help, that’s what can change your life. 360.” In the last two years, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Lee County skyrocketed from $850 to $2500. Add Hurricane Ian to that and the face of homelessness has forever changed. Overway said, “We used to say that almost tongue in cheek before: ‘Hey, your neighbor could be homeless.’ Well, now they are.” And as homelessness increases in our community… “We’re seeing a lot more senior citizens and a lot more single parents than we ever have before,” he said. Getting ahead of it is key. “On average, it costs us about $3500 to keep a family stably housed, right? To rapidly rehouse someone is averaging closer to $10,000 per family,” he explained. This means that if you’re sitting at home right now, unsure how you’ll raise enough money for next month’s rent, the Lee County Homeless Coalition wants to hear from you. “Call us. We’ll try and help you right before you fall into homelessness,” said Overway. For more information on the Lee County Homeless Coalition, click here.