36th critically endangered Florida panther death in 2024; struck by vehicle in Lee CountyIncreasing humidity, rain chances this weekend
36th critically endangered Florida panther death in 2024; struck by vehicle in Lee County A vehicle in Lee County claimed the life of a critically endangered Florida panther, marking the 36th death recorded in 2024.
the weather authority Increasing humidity, rain chances this weekend The Weather Authority is tracking increased humidity and higher rain chances this weekend.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral homeowner suing LCEC over damage from Milton A Cape Coral homeowner is taking Lee County Electric Cooperative to court after losing their home in Hurricane Milton.
CHARLOTTE HARBOR Local barbershop to hold fundraiser for fallen Charlotte County Sergeant Pioneer Cuts Barber Shop in Port Charlotte will donate 100 percent of the proceeds from every customer who comes in on Saturday.
CAPE CORAL Fire ignites in Cape Coral garage Authorities are responding to a house fire that ignited Friday night at a home in Cape Coral.
NAPLES Ciro Dominguez: wrap up of first year as Naples police chief Chief of Naples Police Department Ciro Dominguez started his law enforcement career at the NPD in 1982.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Where does the money go? $85 Million donation boosts non-profits in SWFL Last month billionaire Tom Golisano gave 41 of our non-profits a total of $85 million.
PORT CHARLOTTE FWC making progress in removing boats; neighbors aren’t convinced Derelict boats are still scattered in places like North Fort Myers, Fisherman’s Village in Punta Gorda or the Port Charlotte Beach Park.
A look back on some ‘miracle moments’ from 2024 Throughout the year, Wink News anchor Amanda Hall introduced us to dozens of kids persevering through illnesses and injuries. They’re our “Miracle moments.”
Updates on repairs to wall damaged by I-75 plane crash in February A grim reminder of a tragedy that hit Southwest Florida may soon go away.
Breast cancer treatment side effect for women of color Women undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer often face many side effects. One, called neuropathy, causes extreme pain and research shows it happens more often to Black women.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Top 5 influential medical stories of 2024 This past year saw several major milestones, some of which involved a great deal of money- that impacted the health of our community.
BONITA SPRINGS Fire Station 27 in Bonita Springs reopens after Hurricane Milton Fire Station 27 has reopened in Bonita Springs, showing more signs of recovery following the damage from Hurricane Milton.
FORT MYERS Donating artificial trees to help families in need If you’re thinking of throwing away that artificial tree you have and going green in the future, don’t bring it to the curb.
NORTH FORT MYERS LCSO: missing endangered 80-year-old North Fort Myers man found safe A man who was reported missing in North Fort Myers has been located safe.
36th critically endangered Florida panther death in 2024; struck by vehicle in Lee County A vehicle in Lee County claimed the life of a critically endangered Florida panther, marking the 36th death recorded in 2024.
the weather authority Increasing humidity, rain chances this weekend The Weather Authority is tracking increased humidity and higher rain chances this weekend.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral homeowner suing LCEC over damage from Milton A Cape Coral homeowner is taking Lee County Electric Cooperative to court after losing their home in Hurricane Milton.
CHARLOTTE HARBOR Local barbershop to hold fundraiser for fallen Charlotte County Sergeant Pioneer Cuts Barber Shop in Port Charlotte will donate 100 percent of the proceeds from every customer who comes in on Saturday.
CAPE CORAL Fire ignites in Cape Coral garage Authorities are responding to a house fire that ignited Friday night at a home in Cape Coral.
NAPLES Ciro Dominguez: wrap up of first year as Naples police chief Chief of Naples Police Department Ciro Dominguez started his law enforcement career at the NPD in 1982.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Where does the money go? $85 Million donation boosts non-profits in SWFL Last month billionaire Tom Golisano gave 41 of our non-profits a total of $85 million.
PORT CHARLOTTE FWC making progress in removing boats; neighbors aren’t convinced Derelict boats are still scattered in places like North Fort Myers, Fisherman’s Village in Punta Gorda or the Port Charlotte Beach Park.
A look back on some ‘miracle moments’ from 2024 Throughout the year, Wink News anchor Amanda Hall introduced us to dozens of kids persevering through illnesses and injuries. They’re our “Miracle moments.”
Updates on repairs to wall damaged by I-75 plane crash in February A grim reminder of a tragedy that hit Southwest Florida may soon go away.
Breast cancer treatment side effect for women of color Women undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer often face many side effects. One, called neuropathy, causes extreme pain and research shows it happens more often to Black women.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Top 5 influential medical stories of 2024 This past year saw several major milestones, some of which involved a great deal of money- that impacted the health of our community.
BONITA SPRINGS Fire Station 27 in Bonita Springs reopens after Hurricane Milton Fire Station 27 has reopened in Bonita Springs, showing more signs of recovery following the damage from Hurricane Milton.
FORT MYERS Donating artificial trees to help families in need If you’re thinking of throwing away that artificial tree you have and going green in the future, don’t bring it to the curb.
NORTH FORT MYERS LCSO: missing endangered 80-year-old North Fort Myers man found safe A man who was reported missing in North Fort Myers has been located safe.
Health is one thing that money can’t buy but investments in health are a different story; 2024 saw several major milestones, some of which involved a great deal of money that impacted the health of our community. WINK News health and medical reporter Amy Oshier takes a look back at 2024’s five most influential medical stories. It’s said that health is a great equalizer. All people get sick, everyone gets injured. It’s part of life that we can’t avoid. The same can’t be said for the availability of quality care. This year, there were a lot of moves and milestones that changed the healthcare landscape in Southwest Florida. Number 5: Gains in Treating Alzheimer’s Disease It’s estimated nearly 7 million Americans are currently living with this condition, but new drugs offer great promise. In July, the IV medication Kisunla was approved. Experts believe this may be the game-changer we’ve waited for: clearing plaque in the brain. Bonita Springs grandmother Ivone Nascimento got one of the first doses in the country. Number 4: Expansion of NCH The expansion of NCH is part of the system’s goal of becoming a destination for care. In February, after three years of negotiating, the Naples city council gave the green light for NCH to move ahead on a $200 million expansion to build a world-class heart center downtown. “Feb. 7, 2024. This will be an iconic day for us, for our community and for the future of healthcare here in Collier County,” said Robert Cubeddu, president of the NCH Rooney Heart Institute. Number 3: Sale of Charlotte County Shorepoint Hospitals In November, the system announced it planned to sell hospitals and related businesses in Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda and Cape Coral. The buyer is Adventhealth with a $265-million price tag. The new company says it will announce future plans once the sale is finalized next year, but we do know Shorepoint Punta Gorda will not reopen, as catastrophic hurricane damage was ultimately too much. Number 2: Major change for Lee Health After six decades of serving as a public non-profit, Lee Health went private. In October, county commissioners voted in favor of the conversion to private not-for-profit. The largest health provider in Lee County, Lee Health, is a nearly $3 billion organization with 16,000 employees. It was one of the largest public nonprofits in the country. The change in business model provides more flexibility and opportunity for expansion while still serving as a safety net. Number 1: The Proton Beam Therapy Machine Finally, our top health story of 2024 could one day benefit any one of us in Southwest Florida. It’s the arrival of a cancer superpower. The multi-ton proton machine was delivered to its home in November. It is placed inside a building designed to house the massive accelerator that spins particles and extracts protons to kill cancer. Southwest Florida Proton is one of only 36 centers in the United States offering this advanced therapy. These stories make up some of the biggest collective medical moments, all impacting lives in Southwest Florida in 2024. Adding an honorable mention, nonetheless noteworthy, is the huge donation to nonprofits made by Tom Golisano. A well-known philanthropist, Golisano announced $85 million in gifts back in November. That money goes to 41 groups with many millions going to local hospitals and health causes.