Early voters cast their ballots ahead of the 2024 electionMarco Island’s police chief under fire amid union criticism
DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS Early voters cast their ballots ahead of the 2024 election Early voting is currently underway in southwest Florida. Signs urging people to vote are everywhere, and long lines of voters show that people are taking notice and casting their ballots in the presidential election
MARCO ISLAND Marco Island’s police chief under fire amid union criticism The future of the Marco Island Police Department is hanging in the balance as its Chief of Police faces criticism.
NAPLES Pedestrian killed in crash on Tamiami Trail in Collier County A fatal crash occurred late Tuesday on Tamiami Trail, near Vanderbilt Beach Road in Collier County, resulting in the death of a pedestrian.
MANASOTA KEY Monitoring Red Tide in Charlotte County All eyes were on the Gulf waters Tuesday afternoon, where daily testing is underway to determine whether red tide is killing fish in the waters off Charlotte County.
NAPLES WINK Exclusive: First look inside a new Naples theater It’s curtain up in Naples for a newly renovated theater right downtown. People on the inside hope it will be a big part of the city’s future. In a WINK News exclusive, we get a first look inside.
matlacha Matlacha struggles to recover after hurricanes; wants answers and plan of action Is Matlacha forgotten? People in Matlacha still have questions following a civic association meeting Monday night that focused on rebuilding the island after recent storms.
CAPE CORAL Oasis Gator girls win first county crown For the first time in program history, the Oasis Middle School girls’ basketball team went undefeated and the history making didn’t stop there.
ARCADIA DeSoto County school resource officer becomes key in solving case A trusted school resource officer’s connection with students becomes the key to a difficult case.
FORT MYERS SWFL job seekers and employers feeling strain post hurricanes The recent hurricanes that hit Southwest Florida is having an impact on not only the number of people looking for jobs but also employers
NORTH FORT MYERS LCSO steps in to help Shell Factory animals relocate after closure For 86 years, the Shell Factory served the people in North Fort Myers. It gave the community a chance to experience nature up close, but it closed down last month.
FORT MYERS New flight delay refund policies you should know If you plan to fly soon, you should know your rights because some big changes in the airline industry just went into effect.
NAPLES Gov. DeSantis campaigns in Naples against Amendment 4 Gov. Ron DeSantis held a press conference in Collier County where he made his case on why Floridians should vote against Amendment 4.
MIAMI Heat guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. talks second season and Mexico City game Miami Heat second year standout guard Jaime Jaquez spoke with WINK News about his growth from his rookie season and the game in Mexico City.
PUNTA GORDA Punta Gorda Airport expansion adds space and amenities for flyers The Punta Gorda Airport is expanding to create a higher quality place for travelers with more space and modern upgrades.
Heart-kidney health connection Vital organs work together to keep the body healthy, and that connection runs deep. When one isn’t working properly, it can negatively impact the other, leading to more health complications.
DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS Early voters cast their ballots ahead of the 2024 election Early voting is currently underway in southwest Florida. Signs urging people to vote are everywhere, and long lines of voters show that people are taking notice and casting their ballots in the presidential election
MARCO ISLAND Marco Island’s police chief under fire amid union criticism The future of the Marco Island Police Department is hanging in the balance as its Chief of Police faces criticism.
NAPLES Pedestrian killed in crash on Tamiami Trail in Collier County A fatal crash occurred late Tuesday on Tamiami Trail, near Vanderbilt Beach Road in Collier County, resulting in the death of a pedestrian.
MANASOTA KEY Monitoring Red Tide in Charlotte County All eyes were on the Gulf waters Tuesday afternoon, where daily testing is underway to determine whether red tide is killing fish in the waters off Charlotte County.
NAPLES WINK Exclusive: First look inside a new Naples theater It’s curtain up in Naples for a newly renovated theater right downtown. People on the inside hope it will be a big part of the city’s future. In a WINK News exclusive, we get a first look inside.
matlacha Matlacha struggles to recover after hurricanes; wants answers and plan of action Is Matlacha forgotten? People in Matlacha still have questions following a civic association meeting Monday night that focused on rebuilding the island after recent storms.
CAPE CORAL Oasis Gator girls win first county crown For the first time in program history, the Oasis Middle School girls’ basketball team went undefeated and the history making didn’t stop there.
ARCADIA DeSoto County school resource officer becomes key in solving case A trusted school resource officer’s connection with students becomes the key to a difficult case.
FORT MYERS SWFL job seekers and employers feeling strain post hurricanes The recent hurricanes that hit Southwest Florida is having an impact on not only the number of people looking for jobs but also employers
NORTH FORT MYERS LCSO steps in to help Shell Factory animals relocate after closure For 86 years, the Shell Factory served the people in North Fort Myers. It gave the community a chance to experience nature up close, but it closed down last month.
FORT MYERS New flight delay refund policies you should know If you plan to fly soon, you should know your rights because some big changes in the airline industry just went into effect.
NAPLES Gov. DeSantis campaigns in Naples against Amendment 4 Gov. Ron DeSantis held a press conference in Collier County where he made his case on why Floridians should vote against Amendment 4.
MIAMI Heat guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. talks second season and Mexico City game Miami Heat second year standout guard Jaime Jaquez spoke with WINK News about his growth from his rookie season and the game in Mexico City.
PUNTA GORDA Punta Gorda Airport expansion adds space and amenities for flyers The Punta Gorda Airport is expanding to create a higher quality place for travelers with more space and modern upgrades.
Heart-kidney health connection Vital organs work together to keep the body healthy, and that connection runs deep. When one isn’t working properly, it can negatively impact the other, leading to more health complications.
The future of the Marco Island Police Department is hanging in the balance as its Chief of Police faces criticism. The police union gave Chief Tracy Frazzano a vote of no-confidence last week, and on Tuesday Marco Island’s city manager is meeting with union members to see the evidence that led to their decision. WINK News reporter Maddie Herron went to the meeting to see what this could mean for the future of the department. It means there is a clear distrust between many officers and their police chief Tracy Frazzano. As for those documents, the union didn’t hold back, ultimately calling for the chief’s removal. Johnathan Gray, the president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 95, said, “Everyone is, I don’t want to say, walking on eggshells, but everyone is concerned, but also hopeful in that there are some changes made.” But just what that change may be is up to Marco Island city manager Mike McNees. “This is about the operation of our department. The union members have strong feelings, and certainly, the chief does too. We have to sort through all that and get to the truth,” McNees said. After a vote of no confidence towards police chief Tracey Frazzano, the union outlined how they felt in 17 pages, and presented to the city manager in a closed meeting Tuesday afternoon. Its opening line reads: “This outline to provide clarity on the claims of chief Frazzano lacking in integrity, respect, professionalism, and the overall direction in which she is leading the department.” The union raised concerns about hiring bias, document forging and poor operational decisions. Serious claims–some of which Frazzano previously addressed in a 2023 interview with WINK News when similar accusations popped up. “It has been unfounded, not substantiated,” Frazzano said. McNees said, “We’ve all got some work to do. I encourage her to read it closely. And frankly, I said, I suggest that she go through there and figure out what’s in there. Does she feel like is true? You know, what can be addressed in that way, but we’ve all got to read it much more closely.” After she met with the city manager this afternoon, we reached out to Chief Frazzano for comment and have not heard back. City manager McNees told WINK he will continue to break down the union’s 17-page document with his team tomorrow.