Man arrested after hours long standoff in Cape CoralSanibel school parents seek timeline on school reopening
CAPE CORAL Man arrested after hours long standoff in Cape Coral A man is in custody following an hours-long stand-off with Cape Coral police.
SANIBEL Sanibel school parents seek timeline on school reopening A school board meeting to discuss damage at the barrier islands’ schools took place on Tuesday in Lee County.
MARCO ISLAND Marco Island police chief gets no confidence vote from union Marco Island Police Chief Tracy Frazzano has received a vote of no confidence from the police union.
Nonprofit organization tests water quality in Charlotte County One local non-profit is working to keep track of Charlotte County’s water quality.
SANIBEL Building Resilience: How Sanibel businesses recover from hurricanes Operating in Sanibel is difficult enough; however, when mother nature interferes, recovering can become a monumental feat.
FORT MYERS BEACH Getting the help you need from FEMA Jeff Keenan has been out of his condo on Fort Myers Beach since Hurricane Ian.
FORT MYERS Cold Case Solved: Man sentenced for 2004 murder of Lee County man A family is now able to have closure after a cold case was solved 20 years after it happened.
MATLACHA The Blue Dog Bar and Grill reopens on Matlacha The Blue Dog Bar and Grill on Matlacha has reopened after being damaged by two back-to-back Hurricanes.
SWFL homeowners investing in water filtration systems After hurricanes Helene and Milton, many homeowners are turning to the trend of adding water filtration systems to protect their plumbing and improve their water quality.
GROVE CITY Boat stuck in Grove City backyard after Hurricane Milton One Charlotte County community is still picking up from Hurricane Milton. The Grove City community is just south of McCall Road.
FGCU FGCU basketball player helps treat others during Peru mission trip FGCU power forward Michael Duax went to Peru on a mission trip in the offseason to help give medical care to those in the country.
WINK NEWS Collier County Public Schools mourns death of student According to the letter, a number of resources will be offered to students in the affected school.
FORT MYERS Vitamin B1 may help Alzheimer’s patients; locals involved in national study Could a vitamin supplement help stop the progression of Alzheimer’s disease? It is a tantalizing proposition and one being studied in SWFL.
FORT MYERS 2 men wanted for theft at Bealls in Fort Myers The Southwest Florida CrimeStoppers are asking for the public’s help in identifying two men wanted for stealing from a Bealls in Fort Myers.
FORT MYERS G.O. bonds: A measure to fund city parks A go bond, or general obligation bond, is a way to raise money from taxpayers for projects that are meant to improve people’s quality of life.
CAPE CORAL Man arrested after hours long standoff in Cape Coral A man is in custody following an hours-long stand-off with Cape Coral police.
SANIBEL Sanibel school parents seek timeline on school reopening A school board meeting to discuss damage at the barrier islands’ schools took place on Tuesday in Lee County.
MARCO ISLAND Marco Island police chief gets no confidence vote from union Marco Island Police Chief Tracy Frazzano has received a vote of no confidence from the police union.
Nonprofit organization tests water quality in Charlotte County One local non-profit is working to keep track of Charlotte County’s water quality.
SANIBEL Building Resilience: How Sanibel businesses recover from hurricanes Operating in Sanibel is difficult enough; however, when mother nature interferes, recovering can become a monumental feat.
FORT MYERS BEACH Getting the help you need from FEMA Jeff Keenan has been out of his condo on Fort Myers Beach since Hurricane Ian.
FORT MYERS Cold Case Solved: Man sentenced for 2004 murder of Lee County man A family is now able to have closure after a cold case was solved 20 years after it happened.
MATLACHA The Blue Dog Bar and Grill reopens on Matlacha The Blue Dog Bar and Grill on Matlacha has reopened after being damaged by two back-to-back Hurricanes.
SWFL homeowners investing in water filtration systems After hurricanes Helene and Milton, many homeowners are turning to the trend of adding water filtration systems to protect their plumbing and improve their water quality.
GROVE CITY Boat stuck in Grove City backyard after Hurricane Milton One Charlotte County community is still picking up from Hurricane Milton. The Grove City community is just south of McCall Road.
FGCU FGCU basketball player helps treat others during Peru mission trip FGCU power forward Michael Duax went to Peru on a mission trip in the offseason to help give medical care to those in the country.
WINK NEWS Collier County Public Schools mourns death of student According to the letter, a number of resources will be offered to students in the affected school.
FORT MYERS Vitamin B1 may help Alzheimer’s patients; locals involved in national study Could a vitamin supplement help stop the progression of Alzheimer’s disease? It is a tantalizing proposition and one being studied in SWFL.
FORT MYERS 2 men wanted for theft at Bealls in Fort Myers The Southwest Florida CrimeStoppers are asking for the public’s help in identifying two men wanted for stealing from a Bealls in Fort Myers.
FORT MYERS G.O. bonds: A measure to fund city parks A go bond, or general obligation bond, is a way to raise money from taxpayers for projects that are meant to improve people’s quality of life.
A school board meeting took place on Tuesday in Lee County, and one item on the agenda was a discussion about the damage at the barrier islands’ schools, and concerns regarding buses and reopening dates. WINK News has reported on parents of Sanibel School students who are frustrated that their children once again have to attend class off the island. It’s the same thing parents dealt with after Hurricane Ian. Some parents want answers about bus routes, citing issues with students being stuck on hours-long bus rides. They went as far as writing a letter to Governor DeSantis for help and attended Tuesday’s school board meeting. WINK News anchor Annette Montgomery spoke with some parents who said they still haven’t received answers from the district. The parents say it’s simple; they just want to know how bad the damage is to their child’s school and a timeline for when students can return. The school district couldn’t give an answer to the second question, but for the first one, they said, “Inspections revealed damage that must be addressed.” However, parents said that if these types of emails continue, their children will no longer attend school in Lee County. For some Sanibel school parents, like the Fields, this isn’t their first rodeo with Lee County Schools, but they’re prepared for it to be their last. “I would have thought that they would have learned after Ian, but unfortunately, that’s just not the case,” said Jesse Field, the father of two students at the Sanibel School. “I’m getting the feeling that this is something that we’re going to have to deal with every year if a hurricane comes in. It’s unfortunate because the barrier islands get left behind, and I don’t really understand it,” he said. After reaching out to the district, the school board and even the mayor and city council, parents went a step further. “I immediately went to DeSantis because I knew dealing with a school board, same school board from Ian, that if we didn’t say something or do something, or ask our governor for some help, then it won’t get done timely,” said Erin Field, “He built the causeway back in three days. He could probably figure out a couple rooms at Sanibel.” It’s not just an issue of where these children are going to school but also of the ride there and back. “Friday, they ended up going out to Sanibel. They never stopped at the bus stop, so then they had to turn around and come back. So both days, they were on the bus for over two hours,” said Cheryl Thompson, grandmother of a Sanibel School student. The school district of Lee County said the bus stop locations have not changed. However, the regular bus driver has been out sick, and sometimes, there are greater delays when a substitute bus driver is present. Parents told WINK if this continues, they’ll be bussing their kids to another district. The district told us the following email was sent to parents on Oct. 18: Dear Sanibel School Staff and Families, We hope that your children were warmly welcomed into their temporary space. The students and staff at Heights Elementary School are happy to host you during this transitional period. We share your desire to get our students back to The Sanibel School. This communication is to provide you with an update on the progress. Although not always visible to the naked eye, inspections have revealed damage to certain parts of the school that must be addressed. Remediation efforts are underway, and we are finalizing the scope of work for permanent repairs. Our primary goal is to ensure a safe return to campus as soon as possible. While long-term repairs will continue, we are working on short-term stabilization and safety measures that may allow students and staff to return to portions of the campus while the work progresses. To ensure this is done safely, we will conduct Indoor Air Quality Tests in the buildings under consideration for occupancy (Buildings 7, 10, 11, and 12). Additionally, we will install fencing to clearly separate the active construction zones from areas being used by students and staff. These precautions will help maintain a safe environment while the repairs continue. We will continue to provide you with updates on the remediation and safety work and a possible date for a return to campus. Thank you again for your continued patience and understanding as we take precautions for the health, safety, and welfare of our staff and students. Sincerely, The School District of Lee County