Cape Coral mourns loss of dedicated police volunteerRare right whales spotted near Cape Coral, experts urge caution
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral mourns loss of dedicated police volunteer Stanley Maliszewski, a dedicated volunteer for the Cape Coral Police Department for over 20 years, has passed away.
CAPE CORAL Rare right whales spotted near Cape Coral, experts urge caution Two critically endangered right whales made a rare appearance near Cape Coral, swimming into Southwest Florida waters.
FORT MYERS Storm surge VR from NOAA shows hurricane danger to teach safety NOAA has introduced a groundbreaking virtual reality simulation called “Weather the Storm,” designed to immerse people in the experience of a hurricane’s storm surge safely.
LEHIGH ACRES FWC officers arrest Lee County woman for illegal deer possession The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has arrested a woman after she allegedly mutilated a deer and kept it as a pet.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers City Council unanimously approves ICE, FMPD partnership The Fort Myers City Council reconvened for a special meeting to vote on the Fort Myers Police Department’s partnership with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Port Charlotte Bowland sells, new owner plans upgrade Bowland on Harbor Boulevard in Port Charlotte has been sold to New York-based Bowl 360, which will continue to operate it as a bowling center with plans to upgrade the facility with modern, state-of-the-art technology and entertainment.
Market Trends shift to buyer’s market for Southwest Florida homes The Southwest Florida housing market has shifted, and if you’re thinking about selling, you had better hurry or put it off altogether if you bought after 2020, said Denny Grimes.
NAPLES Naples enhances Vedado Way Beach with ADA upgrades for accessibility Naples is making efforts to enhance accessibility at Vedado Way Beach by adding ADA-compliant amenities set to begin in April.
Animal safety bill passes Florida senate, on pace to governor’s desk Florida lawmakers just passed a major hurdle in the Senate as the push for Trooper’s Law to become ratified continues.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers City Council to reconsider ICE, FMPD partnership The Fort Myers City Council faces a critical decision as they are set to reconvene and vote on whether the Fort Myers Police Department should partner with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Road closures in Collier County for Sgt. Flanagan’s funeral procession There will be a funeral procession Friday morning for Collier County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Alan Flanagan.
Tim Aten Knows: Prime Social Reserve rooftop restaurant plans October launch in Naples Prime Social Reserve rooftop restaurant and lounge plans an October launch on Fifth Avenue South in downtown Naples.
WINK News Photos of the Week (3/14 – 3/20) Welcome to WINK News Photos of the Week, where we highlight memorable moments from Southwest Florida throughout the week.
THE WEATHER AUTHORITY Cool and sunny for your Friday plans The Weather Authority is tracking a pleasant Friday afternoon with cool and breezy conditions expected.
Edison and Ford Winter Estate to hold historical baseball presentation Baseball enthusiasts in Fort Myers are in for a treat. The Edison and Ford Winter Estates will host a special presentation on Friday.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral mourns loss of dedicated police volunteer Stanley Maliszewski, a dedicated volunteer for the Cape Coral Police Department for over 20 years, has passed away.
CAPE CORAL Rare right whales spotted near Cape Coral, experts urge caution Two critically endangered right whales made a rare appearance near Cape Coral, swimming into Southwest Florida waters.
FORT MYERS Storm surge VR from NOAA shows hurricane danger to teach safety NOAA has introduced a groundbreaking virtual reality simulation called “Weather the Storm,” designed to immerse people in the experience of a hurricane’s storm surge safely.
LEHIGH ACRES FWC officers arrest Lee County woman for illegal deer possession The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has arrested a woman after she allegedly mutilated a deer and kept it as a pet.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers City Council unanimously approves ICE, FMPD partnership The Fort Myers City Council reconvened for a special meeting to vote on the Fort Myers Police Department’s partnership with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Port Charlotte Bowland sells, new owner plans upgrade Bowland on Harbor Boulevard in Port Charlotte has been sold to New York-based Bowl 360, which will continue to operate it as a bowling center with plans to upgrade the facility with modern, state-of-the-art technology and entertainment.
Market Trends shift to buyer’s market for Southwest Florida homes The Southwest Florida housing market has shifted, and if you’re thinking about selling, you had better hurry or put it off altogether if you bought after 2020, said Denny Grimes.
NAPLES Naples enhances Vedado Way Beach with ADA upgrades for accessibility Naples is making efforts to enhance accessibility at Vedado Way Beach by adding ADA-compliant amenities set to begin in April.
Animal safety bill passes Florida senate, on pace to governor’s desk Florida lawmakers just passed a major hurdle in the Senate as the push for Trooper’s Law to become ratified continues.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers City Council to reconsider ICE, FMPD partnership The Fort Myers City Council faces a critical decision as they are set to reconvene and vote on whether the Fort Myers Police Department should partner with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Road closures in Collier County for Sgt. Flanagan’s funeral procession There will be a funeral procession Friday morning for Collier County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Alan Flanagan.
Tim Aten Knows: Prime Social Reserve rooftop restaurant plans October launch in Naples Prime Social Reserve rooftop restaurant and lounge plans an October launch on Fifth Avenue South in downtown Naples.
WINK News Photos of the Week (3/14 – 3/20) Welcome to WINK News Photos of the Week, where we highlight memorable moments from Southwest Florida throughout the week.
THE WEATHER AUTHORITY Cool and sunny for your Friday plans The Weather Authority is tracking a pleasant Friday afternoon with cool and breezy conditions expected.
Edison and Ford Winter Estate to hold historical baseball presentation Baseball enthusiasts in Fort Myers are in for a treat. The Edison and Ford Winter Estates will host a special presentation on Friday.
Have you ever tried to buy something online only for your credit card to be surprisingly declined? It turns out, your card may not have an issue. You might be encountering a scam that could cost you hundreds of dollars. Bette Johnson fell victim to such a scam. “I went on the site, I went to order it, and when I hit the enter button, it said that there was an error, so I needed to do it again, and I did that, and it happened again,” said Johnson. Three attempts later, she was out over $600 for a supposed $39.95 purchase. “There was an ad for skin tag removal, and I did not do the research I should have. Because I did the research afterward and found out that the doctor that was advertised never, never agreed to this. She was not a part of it,” Johnson said. This is one of the most common online scams: the fake card decline. Bryan Oglesby from the Better Business Bureau explained how these scams work. “You may receive a text message or an email with a sale going on from a company that you know and trust, but it could be a fake ad, and it sends you to a website where it looks like it’s that company, but the URL is off by a few letters, and you’re actually doing business with a fake website,” Oglesby said. Big-name companies like Amazon and AAA have many imposters. “I’ve tried to think so many times, ‘How can you resolve this? How can you make this go away?’ It’s not going to happen,” said Johnson. Oglesby advises consumers to be alert. “If a certain company you know and trust is advertising a sale, go directly to that company’s website on your own. Look for that sale on their website, and then if they have a sale, you can make the purchase directly through that,” he said. He also encourages people to report suspicious activity. “BBB Scam Tracker is a tool where consumers can be a citizen hero, report these scams, help warn others, and then we can collect this data, and we can report on the latest scams happening in our marketplace,” said Oglesby. Johnson hopes others don’t have to feel the pain she did. “I think when you get scammed like that, it’s a horrible, horrible experience. However, it wakes you up,” she said. The Better Business Bureau recommends using a credit card for online purchases instead of a debit card, as it adds an extra layer of protection. Additionally, they suggest regularly checking charges on your credit card. If your card ever gets declined when making an online purchase, stop and call your bank immediately before trying again.