SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Preparing and securing boats for severe weather Many boat owners are rushing to tie up their boats as they prepare for Tropical Storm Helene. Experts recommend securing your boat because if you don’t, it can be dangerous to other properties, people, and law enforcement if they have to go out in the water to retrieve it during the storm.
Biden approves emergency declaration for Florida President Joe Biden has approved an emergency declaration for Florida for Tropical Storm Helene.
DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS Downtown Fort Myers prepares for Tropical Storm Helene With heavy rain, flooding in downtown Fort Myers is as common as fish in the Caloosahatchee. With the looming threat of Tropical Storm Helene, we want to know what people downtown are doing to prepare.
CAPE CORAL Man arrested in Cape Coral for domestic violence A man in Cape Coral has been taken into custody for multiple domestic violence battery charges and resisting officers without violence.
SANIBEL Sanibel couple who found love during Ian prepares to weather out Helene on island Our area knows all too well what can be lost in a storm, but one Sanibel couple that lost nearly everything in Hurricane Ian found love.
New scoliosis treatment at Lee Health showing success Scoliosis is an abnormal curve of the spine often picked up in childhood. Doctors screen for it because if it’s left untreated, it can cause serious issues later in life.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach woman prepares for Tropical Storm Helene For the last two years, WINK News has been the place to tell you about the highs and lows of what it has been like to rebuild on Fort Myers Beach.
SANIBEL Strengthening the Sanibel Causeway to withstand intensifying storms Today, the work continues to build back a better, stronger and more resilient causeway.
SANIBEL Tracking Tropical Storm Helene on Sanibel Island On Sanibel Island, loss has taught these resilient islanders priceless lessons.
How LCEC is preparing for Tropical Storm Helene The Lee County Electric Cooperative is monitoring Tropical Storm Helene and says they have a strong restoration plan in place to restore electricity as quickly and safely as possible in case of scattered outages.
Tropical Storm Helene forms in NW Caribbean Sea The Weather Authority is now monitoring Tropical Storm Helene, as tropical storm watches have been issued throughout our area.
CAPE CORAL Man accused of breaking into Cape Coral home, stealing car A man has been arrested after allegedly breaking into a Cape Coral home and stealing multiple items, including a car.
SWFL schools affected due to Tropical Storm Helene As Tropical Storm Helene approaches, schools across Southwest Florida are responding.
CHARLOTTE COUNTY Charlotte County declares state of emergency, orders evacuations, opens shelters The Charlotte County Commission declared a local state of emergency due to Tropical Storm Helene on Tuesday.
Lee County Property Appraiser to move into long-vacant downtown Fort Myers office For more than half a decade, a large part of a 63-year-old office building has been sitting half vacant in downtown Fort Myers, a relic from when it first opened as the Inter-County Telephone & Telegraph Company in 1961.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Preparing and securing boats for severe weather Many boat owners are rushing to tie up their boats as they prepare for Tropical Storm Helene. Experts recommend securing your boat because if you don’t, it can be dangerous to other properties, people, and law enforcement if they have to go out in the water to retrieve it during the storm.
Biden approves emergency declaration for Florida President Joe Biden has approved an emergency declaration for Florida for Tropical Storm Helene.
DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS Downtown Fort Myers prepares for Tropical Storm Helene With heavy rain, flooding in downtown Fort Myers is as common as fish in the Caloosahatchee. With the looming threat of Tropical Storm Helene, we want to know what people downtown are doing to prepare.
CAPE CORAL Man arrested in Cape Coral for domestic violence A man in Cape Coral has been taken into custody for multiple domestic violence battery charges and resisting officers without violence.
SANIBEL Sanibel couple who found love during Ian prepares to weather out Helene on island Our area knows all too well what can be lost in a storm, but one Sanibel couple that lost nearly everything in Hurricane Ian found love.
New scoliosis treatment at Lee Health showing success Scoliosis is an abnormal curve of the spine often picked up in childhood. Doctors screen for it because if it’s left untreated, it can cause serious issues later in life.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach woman prepares for Tropical Storm Helene For the last two years, WINK News has been the place to tell you about the highs and lows of what it has been like to rebuild on Fort Myers Beach.
SANIBEL Strengthening the Sanibel Causeway to withstand intensifying storms Today, the work continues to build back a better, stronger and more resilient causeway.
SANIBEL Tracking Tropical Storm Helene on Sanibel Island On Sanibel Island, loss has taught these resilient islanders priceless lessons.
How LCEC is preparing for Tropical Storm Helene The Lee County Electric Cooperative is monitoring Tropical Storm Helene and says they have a strong restoration plan in place to restore electricity as quickly and safely as possible in case of scattered outages.
Tropical Storm Helene forms in NW Caribbean Sea The Weather Authority is now monitoring Tropical Storm Helene, as tropical storm watches have been issued throughout our area.
CAPE CORAL Man accused of breaking into Cape Coral home, stealing car A man has been arrested after allegedly breaking into a Cape Coral home and stealing multiple items, including a car.
SWFL schools affected due to Tropical Storm Helene As Tropical Storm Helene approaches, schools across Southwest Florida are responding.
CHARLOTTE COUNTY Charlotte County declares state of emergency, orders evacuations, opens shelters The Charlotte County Commission declared a local state of emergency due to Tropical Storm Helene on Tuesday.
Lee County Property Appraiser to move into long-vacant downtown Fort Myers office For more than half a decade, a large part of a 63-year-old office building has been sitting half vacant in downtown Fort Myers, a relic from when it first opened as the Inter-County Telephone & Telegraph Company in 1961.
Construction to the Sanibel Causeway began one week after Hurricane Ian destroyed it. The storm battered and washed away large chunks of the causeway. Emergency repairs were completed on Oct. 19, 2022. Today, the work continues to build a better, stronger, and more resilient causeway. The reason is simple: to prevent another Ian washout. The causeway is a vital link between Sanibel Island and the mainland. Without it in the days after Ian, people used boats to travel back and forth. “It was severed in seven places,” said Richard Johnson. The Sanibel Causeway after Hurricane Ian. CREDIT: FDOT Johnson is a long-time Sanibel resident. You may know him from Bailey’s General Store and he’s also the mayor. “The approaches were completely washed away,” he said. RELATED: 120,000 tons of boulders are fortifying Sanibel Causeway He knows what a lifeline this roadway is, and now, big boulders will fortify it. “Those armor stones are the key,” said Janella Newsome with the Florida Department of Transportation. “They’re more dense; therefore, they’re going to help with the resiliency, particularly when there’s a storm surge,” Newsome said. In total, 120,000 tons of granite armor stone are placed where the land meets the water atop steel sheet piles that are driven 50 feet into the ground and locked together. A weighty solution with a high-tech twist. “The excavators have GPSs on them, so they can detect specifically where the rock is, kind of determine how much it weighs and know where to put it exactly, so, yes, there’s a method to the madness,” Newsome added. This is reinforcing the frontlines for years to come. The FDOT portion of the project is expected to be complete by the end of the year. After that, Lee County plans to add recreational amenities, including parks.