Paradise Sports Complex working to obtain full liquor licenseFort Myers apartment complex dealing with multiple car break-ins
NAPLES Paradise Sports Complex working to obtain full liquor license Drinks at Paradise Sports Complex, like wine, Coronas, and High Noons, will be expanding soon. The complex is working on obtaining a full liquor license.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers apartment complex dealing with multiple car break-ins A string of car break-ins occurred at the Bay Harbor apartments in Fort Myers. It’s a gated community off McGregor Blvd.
NAPLES The Naples international Film Festival kicks off Hit the lights! The 16th annual Naples International Film Festival kicked off on Thursday night. The festival will continue through Sunday.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte County Sheriff details scene after deputies shoot and kill unarmed man WINK News is working to get the body camera footage of a deputy-involved shooting that left a man dead, but in the meantime, the sheriff is speaking out.
MATLACHA Matlacha restaurant re-opens after Hurricane Milton The Perfect Cup, a Matlacha staple, is now open after being closed in early October due to damage from Hurricane Milton.
Enhancing school safety with Fortify Florida app When we send our children to school safety is always top of mind. Thanks to an app, students can report suspicious activity directly to law enforcement and school officials.
On the ballot: Breaking down Collier School Referendum Collier County voters will see a tax-neutral referendum on their ballot. The referendum aims to shift funds from capital to operating expenses in the Collier County Public School system. It’s a continuation of the referendum currently in place.
Charlotte County Sheriff addresses deputy-involved shooting The Charlotte County Sheriff is speaking out on details behind the shooting of an unarmed man in his driveway by deputies.
NAPLES Naples man facing felony charges related to Jan. 6 riots A day after a Fort Myers Beach man was arrested for allegedly assaulting police during the Jan. 6 insurrection, a Naples man has been arrested on similar charges.
Saving money as mortgage rates go up After the Federal Reserve cut interest rates last month, many thought mortgage rates would drop.
Collier County Invasive Burmese Python jaws larger than previously thought Invasive Burmese Pythons hunt and swallow animals whole. And each slithering creature it eats helps it grow.
NORTH PORT Golf great Gary Player joining SWFL charity tournament Career Grand Slam winner Gary Player is participating in the 2nd Heron Creek Charity Pro-Am to benefit Tunnels to Towers.
IMMOKALEE WINK News Game of the Week: Gulf Coast at Immokalee Our WINK News Game of the Week for Week 10 brings us to Immokalee when they host Gulf Coast for the district championship.
NAPLES Naples restaurant servers stage walkout over pay changes Restaurant servers in Naples staged a walkout to protest changes to their pay structure. The heart of the issue is tips.
Innovative ultrasound treatment for liver cancer Tens of thousands of Americans die from liver cancer each year.
NAPLES Paradise Sports Complex working to obtain full liquor license Drinks at Paradise Sports Complex, like wine, Coronas, and High Noons, will be expanding soon. The complex is working on obtaining a full liquor license.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers apartment complex dealing with multiple car break-ins A string of car break-ins occurred at the Bay Harbor apartments in Fort Myers. It’s a gated community off McGregor Blvd.
NAPLES The Naples international Film Festival kicks off Hit the lights! The 16th annual Naples International Film Festival kicked off on Thursday night. The festival will continue through Sunday.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte County Sheriff details scene after deputies shoot and kill unarmed man WINK News is working to get the body camera footage of a deputy-involved shooting that left a man dead, but in the meantime, the sheriff is speaking out.
MATLACHA Matlacha restaurant re-opens after Hurricane Milton The Perfect Cup, a Matlacha staple, is now open after being closed in early October due to damage from Hurricane Milton.
Enhancing school safety with Fortify Florida app When we send our children to school safety is always top of mind. Thanks to an app, students can report suspicious activity directly to law enforcement and school officials.
On the ballot: Breaking down Collier School Referendum Collier County voters will see a tax-neutral referendum on their ballot. The referendum aims to shift funds from capital to operating expenses in the Collier County Public School system. It’s a continuation of the referendum currently in place.
Charlotte County Sheriff addresses deputy-involved shooting The Charlotte County Sheriff is speaking out on details behind the shooting of an unarmed man in his driveway by deputies.
NAPLES Naples man facing felony charges related to Jan. 6 riots A day after a Fort Myers Beach man was arrested for allegedly assaulting police during the Jan. 6 insurrection, a Naples man has been arrested on similar charges.
Saving money as mortgage rates go up After the Federal Reserve cut interest rates last month, many thought mortgage rates would drop.
Collier County Invasive Burmese Python jaws larger than previously thought Invasive Burmese Pythons hunt and swallow animals whole. And each slithering creature it eats helps it grow.
NORTH PORT Golf great Gary Player joining SWFL charity tournament Career Grand Slam winner Gary Player is participating in the 2nd Heron Creek Charity Pro-Am to benefit Tunnels to Towers.
IMMOKALEE WINK News Game of the Week: Gulf Coast at Immokalee Our WINK News Game of the Week for Week 10 brings us to Immokalee when they host Gulf Coast for the district championship.
NAPLES Naples restaurant servers stage walkout over pay changes Restaurant servers in Naples staged a walkout to protest changes to their pay structure. The heart of the issue is tips.
Innovative ultrasound treatment for liver cancer Tens of thousands of Americans die from liver cancer each year.
Collier County voters will see a tax-neutral referendum on their ballot. The referendum aims to shift funds from capital to operating expenses in the Collier County Public School system. It’s a continuation of the referendum currently in place. The referendum, unanimously requested by the school board, allows voters to authorize the school board to move funds without raising taxes. Read more about the referendum This shift would not impact taxpayers financially and would extend for four years starting in July 2025. Operating funds pay for salaries, instructional materials, and utilities, while capital funds cover debt service and construction. Federal funding does not address all operating costs. The referendum would help address a $22 million loss in federal funding post-covid. Representatives from CCPS sat down with WINK News Reporter Olivia Jean to explain the importance of the referendum. They are legally not allowed to take a stance on the matter. “We as a school district cannot legally take money from the operating bucket and place it in the capital bucket without voter approval. And so that’s why this tax-neutral referendum is on the ballot,” said Chad Oliver, the Chief Communication Officer of CCPS. The voter gets to decide to give CCPS the flexibility to use your money for issues in other buckets. The referendum would authorize up to 0.35 mills. This could generate up to $61 million in the first year, crucial for covering rising costs like insurance. That 61 million can increase and decrease depending on the market. The funds would be used for various operating expenses, including teacher and staff salaries, instructional materials, and utilities. The district faces increasing costs, such as higher insurance premiums, and does not have enough reserves to cover these expenses. CCPS still plans to build two new elementary schools and pay off capital debt by 2026. The district has 60 schools and support sites, 50,000 thousand students and is the largest employer in the county with 7,000 employees. “If we needed it back in capital, it would be have the flexibility to go back in capital too. So it’s just asking the public for some local flexibility in how we’re funding our schools, and that provides us the flexibility to invest in our teachers and our education,” said Lisa Morse, the senior Director of Strategic Engagement & Initiatives at CCPS. Without the referendum, the school board would face difficult decisions about cutting costs or increasing revenue to maintain current operations. With the current referendum in place, the district is slightly dipping into reserves to cover operating expenses. “If a referendum like the tax-neutral referendum doesn’t pass, and the school board doesn’t have the flexibility to move funds from capital to operating, the cuts or the increase in revenue would have to come from somewhere,” Oliver said. If passed, Oliver assured that the school district has enough capital to maintain existing facilities and pay for new schools being built, so the loss here is insignificant. Ballot language: “Beginning July 2025, for up to four years, Collier County public schools shall be provided with continued tax-neutral flexible funding to (a) reduce ad valorem taxes up to .35 mills for capital funding; (b) add up to .35 mills of ad valorem taxes for operating funding; and (c) provide charter schools with their proportionate share. This referendum will support high-quality staff and academic outcomes; all without increasing taxes.” It’s the last item on the ballot. A vote yes means more flexibility in how operating funds and capital funds are used. A vote no means no shifting of funds.