FORT MYERS March Madness spurs vasectomy surge March Madness has become more than just a basketball tournament; it’s also a popular time for men to undergo vasectomies.
2 dogs dead in structure fire on Husky Lane; 2 vehicles destroyed The South Trail Fire Department is responding to a structure fire on Husky Lane in Lee County.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers boxer wins WBC featherweight world title Former FMPD officer and Police Athletic League coach Tiara Brown beat Skye Nicolson in the WBC featherweight world championship.
cape coral New charges added in Cape Coral theft, shooting; 2 more teens arrested The Cape Coral Police Department has announced more charges against two teenagers allegedly involved in a string of thefts that led to a shooting.
Sea Love Candle Bar & Boutique opens at Coconut Point in Estero Tina Smagala had spent about three decades working in corporate human resources and communications in various industries, and she was looking to try something else for a change.
Perkins Restaurant & Bakery to close in Estero The only Perkins Restaurant & Bakery in south Lee County is closing April13, and the question now is what’s going to take its place.
Changes coming to Social Security identity verification The Social Security Administration is changing how people can verify their identity for retirement, survivors, or family benefits.
the weather authority Warm and breezy this Thursday afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking a warm and breezy Thursday with conditions that may increase the risk of brush fires this afternoon.
NAPLES NCH Naples uses actors to prepare medical staff for emergencies NCH is taking medical training to an innovative level by providing real-life simulations for doctors and nurses.
ESTERO FGCU police wrangle 6-foot gator on busy campus boardwalk A 6-foot alligator made an unexpected appearance at Florida Gulf Coast University, causing a commotion on a busy boardwalk.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers City council faces backlash over ICE partnership The Fort Myers City Council’s partnership with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been a point of contention
NAPLES Collier County teen hospitalized after protecting friend from dating violence incident A 17-year-old hero is fighting for his life in the hospital after a violent incident in Collier County.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers fire officials urge honesty to aid investigations, ensure safety The Fort Myers Fire Department is urging the community to be open and honest during fire investigations.
WWII veteran recalls life as a woman in war While many are familiar with the stories of men who served in World War II, the women who served also played a crucial role in shaping history.
Most Wanted Wednesday: Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for March 26, 2025 WINK News is back with Most Wanted Wednesday, spotlighting some of Southwest Florida’s most sought-after criminals. This initiative, in collaboration with Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers, aims to aid law enforcement by sharing crucial information about individuals they are trying to locate. This week, authorities are searching for Arquesha Brown in Fort Myers. The 47-year-old was […]
FORT MYERS March Madness spurs vasectomy surge March Madness has become more than just a basketball tournament; it’s also a popular time for men to undergo vasectomies.
2 dogs dead in structure fire on Husky Lane; 2 vehicles destroyed The South Trail Fire Department is responding to a structure fire on Husky Lane in Lee County.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers boxer wins WBC featherweight world title Former FMPD officer and Police Athletic League coach Tiara Brown beat Skye Nicolson in the WBC featherweight world championship.
cape coral New charges added in Cape Coral theft, shooting; 2 more teens arrested The Cape Coral Police Department has announced more charges against two teenagers allegedly involved in a string of thefts that led to a shooting.
Sea Love Candle Bar & Boutique opens at Coconut Point in Estero Tina Smagala had spent about three decades working in corporate human resources and communications in various industries, and she was looking to try something else for a change.
Perkins Restaurant & Bakery to close in Estero The only Perkins Restaurant & Bakery in south Lee County is closing April13, and the question now is what’s going to take its place.
Changes coming to Social Security identity verification The Social Security Administration is changing how people can verify their identity for retirement, survivors, or family benefits.
the weather authority Warm and breezy this Thursday afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking a warm and breezy Thursday with conditions that may increase the risk of brush fires this afternoon.
NAPLES NCH Naples uses actors to prepare medical staff for emergencies NCH is taking medical training to an innovative level by providing real-life simulations for doctors and nurses.
ESTERO FGCU police wrangle 6-foot gator on busy campus boardwalk A 6-foot alligator made an unexpected appearance at Florida Gulf Coast University, causing a commotion on a busy boardwalk.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers City council faces backlash over ICE partnership The Fort Myers City Council’s partnership with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been a point of contention
NAPLES Collier County teen hospitalized after protecting friend from dating violence incident A 17-year-old hero is fighting for his life in the hospital after a violent incident in Collier County.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers fire officials urge honesty to aid investigations, ensure safety The Fort Myers Fire Department is urging the community to be open and honest during fire investigations.
WWII veteran recalls life as a woman in war While many are familiar with the stories of men who served in World War II, the women who served also played a crucial role in shaping history.
Most Wanted Wednesday: Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for March 26, 2025 WINK News is back with Most Wanted Wednesday, spotlighting some of Southwest Florida’s most sought-after criminals. This initiative, in collaboration with Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers, aims to aid law enforcement by sharing crucial information about individuals they are trying to locate. This week, authorities are searching for Arquesha Brown in Fort Myers. The 47-year-old was […]
Lee County is leading the nation with a new pilot program in emergency management, making it the first county in the country to take such a proactive step. “It’s a way for us to use metrics to display where we’re at in a time of a disaster,” said John Schultz, Chief of Emergency Management for Lee County. Schultz expressed his excitement about the program. “When I saw the program, I immediately thought, this could be used in our community, and, you know, a community that’s very resilient because we’ve had storms here,” said Schultz. The program uses a simple color-coded gauge system: red for bad, green for good. It indicates conditions like communication outages, power loss and road closures to better enhance disaster impact. “No communication. Your water treatment plan is out. No one has any power. Those would be all things would be in the red,” said Schultz. The program, funded by a grant from the Department of Homeland Security, aims to provide real-time data during disasters using community lifelines. These lifelines cover safety and security, food, hydration, shelter, health and medical, water system, energy (power and fuel), communications, transportation and hazardous materials. It allows officials to monitor and communicate the status of these critical areas during emergencies. “We just got the software deployed. We’re still going through the training with it. We meet weekly with the developers,” Schultz said. The program is not intended to be used daily but becomes crucial during disasters like hurricanes, wildfires or cyberattacks. “We have a great team at my office, and we’re kind of looking at things. How do we innovate? How do we do things differently, and how do we get community?” Schultz said. Although the program is still in its early stages having been deployed only a few weeks ago, Schultz anticipates it will be ready for the Lee County public by the beginning of hurricane season with a nationwide rollout in April 2025.