Speakeasy in downtown Fort Myers honors local historic figuresCaught on camera: Man steals money from tip jar in Estero
DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS Speakeasy in downtown Fort Myers honors local historic figures Everything inside the Escondido Lounge whispers an authentic speakeasy, from the dim red lights to the fancy vintage glasses.
ESTERO Caught on camera: Man steals money from tip jar in Estero A business manager feels violated after a man took money from a tip jar on Tuesday.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral ranked 13th for establishing small businesses A blog set out to find the top U.S. cities where aspiring business owners can thrive in 2024, Cape Coral was named 13th.
NAPLES Minimally invasive balloon procedure for sinus issues Battling a sinus infection is bad enough, but contending with chronic sinus infections can be a real problem.
Most Wanted Wednesday: Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for November 13, 2024 Here are some of Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for November 13, 2024.
ESTERO Car crashes into restaurant window in Gulf Coast Town Center Authorities are investigating after an SUV crashed into a restaurant at the Gulf Coast Town Center in Estero.
WEST PALM BEACH Trump picks Sen. Marco Rubio as his Secretary of State President-elect Donald Trump named Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida as his nominee for secretary of state on Wednesday.
Lehigh Acres man arrested in connection to cockfighting A Lehigh Acres man has been arrested after deputies found he was running a cockfighting ring near his home.
WINK NEWS Atlanta Dream hires long-time FGCU coach The Atlanta Dream has hired longtime FGCU coach Karl Smesko to lead the team as he steps down as head women’s basketball coach of the Eagles.
Duo arrested in Collier County for bank jugging The Collier County Sheriff’s Office has arrested two men who stand accused of bank jugging, stealing thousands of dollars in cash from a victim.
PUNTA GORDA 2 accused of trafficking narcotics after reckless driving stop in Punta Gorda A man and woman have been arrested for allegedly possessing trafficking amounts of drugs after deputies stopped them for reckless driving in Punta Gorda.
HCA Florida Fawcett Hospital purchases land in Bonita Springs Charlotte County’s HCA Florida Fawcett Hospital purchased a 4.3-acre site on Bonita Beach Road in Bonita Springs, according to Lee County property records.
NORTH PORT North Port woman wins $1M prize playing scratch-off A woman in North Port won $1 million from a scratch-off game.
FWC rescues baby manatee from shallow area in Caloosahatchee River A baby manatee found in the shallows of the Caloosahatchee River is recovering after the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission transported it for care to SeaWorld.
Seacrest volleyball celebrates fourth straight state title The Seacrest Country Day School volleyball team celebrates its fourth straight state championship.
DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS Speakeasy in downtown Fort Myers honors local historic figures Everything inside the Escondido Lounge whispers an authentic speakeasy, from the dim red lights to the fancy vintage glasses.
ESTERO Caught on camera: Man steals money from tip jar in Estero A business manager feels violated after a man took money from a tip jar on Tuesday.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral ranked 13th for establishing small businesses A blog set out to find the top U.S. cities where aspiring business owners can thrive in 2024, Cape Coral was named 13th.
NAPLES Minimally invasive balloon procedure for sinus issues Battling a sinus infection is bad enough, but contending with chronic sinus infections can be a real problem.
Most Wanted Wednesday: Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for November 13, 2024 Here are some of Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for November 13, 2024.
ESTERO Car crashes into restaurant window in Gulf Coast Town Center Authorities are investigating after an SUV crashed into a restaurant at the Gulf Coast Town Center in Estero.
WEST PALM BEACH Trump picks Sen. Marco Rubio as his Secretary of State President-elect Donald Trump named Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida as his nominee for secretary of state on Wednesday.
Lehigh Acres man arrested in connection to cockfighting A Lehigh Acres man has been arrested after deputies found he was running a cockfighting ring near his home.
WINK NEWS Atlanta Dream hires long-time FGCU coach The Atlanta Dream has hired longtime FGCU coach Karl Smesko to lead the team as he steps down as head women’s basketball coach of the Eagles.
Duo arrested in Collier County for bank jugging The Collier County Sheriff’s Office has arrested two men who stand accused of bank jugging, stealing thousands of dollars in cash from a victim.
PUNTA GORDA 2 accused of trafficking narcotics after reckless driving stop in Punta Gorda A man and woman have been arrested for allegedly possessing trafficking amounts of drugs after deputies stopped them for reckless driving in Punta Gorda.
HCA Florida Fawcett Hospital purchases land in Bonita Springs Charlotte County’s HCA Florida Fawcett Hospital purchased a 4.3-acre site on Bonita Beach Road in Bonita Springs, according to Lee County property records.
NORTH PORT North Port woman wins $1M prize playing scratch-off A woman in North Port won $1 million from a scratch-off game.
FWC rescues baby manatee from shallow area in Caloosahatchee River A baby manatee found in the shallows of the Caloosahatchee River is recovering after the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission transported it for care to SeaWorld.
Seacrest volleyball celebrates fourth straight state title The Seacrest Country Day School volleyball team celebrates its fourth straight state championship.
After hurricanes Helene and Milton devastated much of the Southwest Florida coast, people lost their way of living. On Tuesday, WINK News anchor Taylor Wirtz heard stories of people who triumphed in the face of disaster and are just starting to get back to their jobs. The Wyvern Hotel in Punta Gorda reopened this week; it sits near the Peace River and U.S. 41. It took some patience and a big team effort to get back to the jobs they love. However, as the staff told WINK, they aren’t just a team, they’re a family. For guests on the Wyvern Hotel’s rooftop restaurant, Perch 360, this is just another Wednesday, but for the hotel’s staff, it’s a big day. Matt Nemec, the Wyvern Hotel’s Director of Business Development, said, “Everybody’s got a smile on their face right now.” Ever since Helene and Milton, most of their hourly employees have been losing out on about a month’s worth of wages. Alicia McMahon, Wyvern Hotel’s Food & Beverage Director, said, “I have a couple of people that are single parents, you know, and they have kids that they have to take care of and they have to feed.” Their managers said it’s kept them up at night, worried. “If we don’t take care of them here, you know, who will?” said McMahon. Nemec said, “It hurts a lot when you know you just don’t have anything to give them.” Elizabeth Hayden, a bartender and server, was one of more than 50 people out of work. She said it was scary not knowing when she would get her next paycheck. Hayden shared with WINK, “It was just, you know, wondering what’s the next step? Do we still have a job? Where do we go after this?” But with the hotel having reopened its doors to guests on Tuesday and the Perch 360 restaurant on Wednesday, she said things are looking up. “We’re working again, but it’s also like a reuniting, like a family party,” she said. Managers told us it was a team effort to reopen. “My food and beverage people were willing to come in and help, you know, clean rooms, scrub floors, get rid of water, do anything that they had to do,” McMahon explained. And while it will take some time before all staff can return and everything is back to normal, they’re celebrating every victory right now. Nemec said, “We’ve all cried together, you know, we laugh together. We work really hard together, and, yeah, I think that’s what families do.” The Skydeck at the Perch 360 restaurant is open seven days a week for food, music and drinks. Managers said they hope everyone will come by to support their staff and watch Punta Gorda return to life from their rooftop.