Adopt a Mangrove event helps protect Sanibel’s shorelineCommunity comes together to help Bokeelia fish house
Adopt a Mangrove event helps protect Sanibel’s shoreline Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation invited you to adopt your very own mangrove tree. The program allows volunteers to adopt and grow mangrove seedlings to help the island’s storm surge defense.
BOKEELIA Community comes together to help Bokeelia fish house The owner of Capt’n Con’s Fish House recently said she didn’t think they would be able to keep their doors open.
Fort Myers Beach couple remains positive ahead of heavy rain Fort Myers Beach is projected to receive inches of rain on Saturday, a little over a week after Helene. A Fort Myers Beach couple remains positive despite losing so much during Helene.
Lee County School District announces Helene makeup days Hurricane Helene canceled school days across Southwest Florida, and now schools are making up for the lost days.
PORT CHARLOTTE Neighbors worried about future rain in Port Charlotte Flooded streets and road closure signs. These aren’t from a hurricane. Just an afternoon rain shower.
Charlotte Sheriff opposes Amendment 3 A highly debated topic that is going to be on the ballot in the state of Florida this November is Amendment 3, which would legalize recreational marijuana.
CAPTIVA Sanibel and Captiva picking back up after Helene It’s a race against the clock for all of Southwest Florida as communities pick up from Hurricane Helene. Rain is in the forecast again.
FORT MYERS BEACH A village helps a man rebuild on Fort Myers Beach With Helene on our minds, it’s hard to miss the impact Hurricane Ian still has on so many people two years later.
Charlotte County says they don’t have drainage issues in Port Charlotte A community left water logged over and over again is ready for it to end.
Bank of America says outages have been fixed Bank of America said an apparent glitch that caused widespread outages has been fixed.
TICE Second woman dead after September stabbing in Tice A second woman is dead after a stabbing. It happened on Sept. 20 on Montgomery Avenue in Tice.
VILLAS WINK News Game of the Week: Oasis at ECS Our WINK News Game of the Week brings us to Evangelical Christian School as the Sentinels host the Oasis High School Sharks.
FORT MYERS WINK News Player of the Week: Bishop Verot QB Carter Smith Our week six Wink News player of the week is one of the best in Lee County and the country: Bishop Verot High School quarterback Carter Smith.
FEMA offering disaster survivor assistance for those impacted by Helene If your home flooded during Hurricane Helene, you’re probably gutting the drywall and drying everything out as best you can, but what else do you need to do to get the help you need?
FORT MYERS Lee Health using newer screening methods to find early lung cancer Lee Health doubled the number of robot screenings to look for early stage lung cancer.
Adopt a Mangrove event helps protect Sanibel’s shoreline Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation invited you to adopt your very own mangrove tree. The program allows volunteers to adopt and grow mangrove seedlings to help the island’s storm surge defense.
BOKEELIA Community comes together to help Bokeelia fish house The owner of Capt’n Con’s Fish House recently said she didn’t think they would be able to keep their doors open.
Fort Myers Beach couple remains positive ahead of heavy rain Fort Myers Beach is projected to receive inches of rain on Saturday, a little over a week after Helene. A Fort Myers Beach couple remains positive despite losing so much during Helene.
Lee County School District announces Helene makeup days Hurricane Helene canceled school days across Southwest Florida, and now schools are making up for the lost days.
PORT CHARLOTTE Neighbors worried about future rain in Port Charlotte Flooded streets and road closure signs. These aren’t from a hurricane. Just an afternoon rain shower.
Charlotte Sheriff opposes Amendment 3 A highly debated topic that is going to be on the ballot in the state of Florida this November is Amendment 3, which would legalize recreational marijuana.
CAPTIVA Sanibel and Captiva picking back up after Helene It’s a race against the clock for all of Southwest Florida as communities pick up from Hurricane Helene. Rain is in the forecast again.
FORT MYERS BEACH A village helps a man rebuild on Fort Myers Beach With Helene on our minds, it’s hard to miss the impact Hurricane Ian still has on so many people two years later.
Charlotte County says they don’t have drainage issues in Port Charlotte A community left water logged over and over again is ready for it to end.
Bank of America says outages have been fixed Bank of America said an apparent glitch that caused widespread outages has been fixed.
TICE Second woman dead after September stabbing in Tice A second woman is dead after a stabbing. It happened on Sept. 20 on Montgomery Avenue in Tice.
VILLAS WINK News Game of the Week: Oasis at ECS Our WINK News Game of the Week brings us to Evangelical Christian School as the Sentinels host the Oasis High School Sharks.
FORT MYERS WINK News Player of the Week: Bishop Verot QB Carter Smith Our week six Wink News player of the week is one of the best in Lee County and the country: Bishop Verot High School quarterback Carter Smith.
FEMA offering disaster survivor assistance for those impacted by Helene If your home flooded during Hurricane Helene, you’re probably gutting the drywall and drying everything out as best you can, but what else do you need to do to get the help you need?
FORT MYERS Lee Health using newer screening methods to find early lung cancer Lee Health doubled the number of robot screenings to look for early stage lung cancer.
Flooding is no surprise to the people living by the Peace River, especially those in Charlotte Harbor. But people’s livelihoods turned upside down once again as floors were covered in muck and a bit of history was ruined by Hurricane Helene. WINK News reporter Camila Pereira was in Charlotte Harbor these past few days, she talked with people about their fears and worries before they felt the impact and then after, as residents took in everything they had lost from the storm. For one long-time Charlotte Harbor resident, Robert Hill, it was his historic home. He showed us his now hollow home, which waw once full of life for decades, as it sat marked as “unsafe to live in” by the county crews after it took in water Thursday night. “This foundation was built in 1940, it used to be a post office,” Hill said. “1940…no 1960,” he cried. “So anyway, I’m going to have to, my wife and I will probably have to find someplace to live because I doubt we’ll be able to fix it,” he explained through tears. It was the first time this home had taken in water in 18 years, so the storm surge caught the Hills by surprise. “It destroyed pretty much everything we got in there,” he said. “Clothes, TVs, refrigerator, washer, dryer, dishwasher. These piers came floating from the other side. Two of them went through the front door and broke down my front door.” The storm surge also caught John by surprise, a Charlotte County local who found his boat Friday morning above ground. “A buddy of mine called me this morning,” he said. “I was over by the boat club, the Punta Gorda Boat Club, looking for [the boat] where I left her, and she wasn’t there. And he was on this side of the bridge and said I think I found your boat. He sent me pictures, and sure enough, that was my boat.” And for Randall and Shawna, who said they were on their boat when it all happened, were pulled in by John’s boat’s anchor all the way from Punta Gorda to the other side of the river. A witness told WINK he saw it all happen and helped them get to safety after the two called fire crews over. “I thought we were still out in the water,” Randall said. “We were up to over our knees of water up here and walked with the firemen up to the hill to make it safe,” said Shawna. WINK News reporter Camila Pereira then asked them if this was their home and what was next for them. “Yeah,” said Randall. “Oh, I don’t know…literally I don’t have anywhere to go.” Flooded roads and debris everywhere. And for many like the Hills, a home with a lifespan cut short. “I think I’ll find a place a little farther away from the water though,” Robert said. “Maybe a small little pond…The beat goes on, I guess.” Robert said he and his wife had a friend they can stay with for now. As for Randall and Shawna, they also said they had a place to stay in the meantime.