FGCU head women’s basketball coach steps downFSW women’s basketball returning to NJCAA Tournament for first time in five years
FGCU FGCU head women’s basketball coach steps down After only one year leading the Eagles, FGCU head women’s basketball coach Chelsea Lyles is stepping down.
FORT MYERS FSW women’s basketball returning to NJCAA Tournament for first time in five years The FSW Buccaneers women’s basketball team is playing in the NJCAA Tournament for the first time since 2020.
Surgeons using virtual reality technology New technology from virtual reality video games and popular apps like GPS is making its way into operating rooms, transforming the way surgeries are performed.
ESTERO FGCU to hold advocacy workshop for families of children with disabilities Families of children with disabilities, this is for you.
Port Authority approves extra $346.7M to finish terminal expansion project at RSW Not everyone gets a second chance, but the Lee County Board of Port Commissioners granted it to the original companies contracted to build the Terminal Expansion Phase One project at Southwest Florida International Airport. The project is now more than four years behind schedule and hundreds of millions of dollars over budget.
FORT MYERS K-9 assists Fort Myers police in drug bust A Fort Myers Police Department K-9 helped police find a drug-filled car.
CLEWISTON Suspect wanted for attempting to break into truck in Clewiston The Clewiston Police Department is searching for a suspect captured on surveillance video attempting to break into a truck.
Charlotte Co. home inventory expected to decrease during summer February’s inventory for single-family homes and condos in Charlotte County soared to heights not seen in years, but some sellers are expected to pull their homes off the market after Easter, an area Realtor said.
FORT MYERS Lockdown lifted at HealthPark and Golisano Children’s hospitals The Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to an incident near HealthPark and Golisano Children’s Hospital, which caused a multi-hour lockdown of the hospitals late Sunday.
Join Big Brothers Big Sisters in SWFL; 351 kids need mentors Youth mentorship, Big Brothers Big Sisters, is actively recruiting mentors to help children in the community.
idaho Gov. DeSantis campaigns for congressional budget changes in Idaho Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis joined Idaho Gov. Brad Little for a news conference regarding proposed amendment changes to the congressional budget.
NAPLES Philanthropist Jay Baker donates $5M to Humane Society Naples Naples philanthropist Jay Baker donated $5 million to the Humane Society during its Pet Lovers Gala on Friday.
1 killed in Cape Coral crash; Santa Barbara Blvd. closed for hours A person was killed in a crash at the intersection of Santa Barbara Boulevard and Southeast 24th Street.
FORT MYERS Commissioners to hold special meeting on RSW Expansion Project Lee County commissioners will meet Monday to discuss a contract extension for Manhattan Construction, the company in charge of the Southwest Florida International Airport expansion project.
THE WEATHER AUTHORITY Warmer-than-average day ahead this Monday The Weather Authority is tracking a temperature increase to start your workweek.
FGCU FGCU head women’s basketball coach steps down After only one year leading the Eagles, FGCU head women’s basketball coach Chelsea Lyles is stepping down.
FORT MYERS FSW women’s basketball returning to NJCAA Tournament for first time in five years The FSW Buccaneers women’s basketball team is playing in the NJCAA Tournament for the first time since 2020.
Surgeons using virtual reality technology New technology from virtual reality video games and popular apps like GPS is making its way into operating rooms, transforming the way surgeries are performed.
ESTERO FGCU to hold advocacy workshop for families of children with disabilities Families of children with disabilities, this is for you.
Port Authority approves extra $346.7M to finish terminal expansion project at RSW Not everyone gets a second chance, but the Lee County Board of Port Commissioners granted it to the original companies contracted to build the Terminal Expansion Phase One project at Southwest Florida International Airport. The project is now more than four years behind schedule and hundreds of millions of dollars over budget.
FORT MYERS K-9 assists Fort Myers police in drug bust A Fort Myers Police Department K-9 helped police find a drug-filled car.
CLEWISTON Suspect wanted for attempting to break into truck in Clewiston The Clewiston Police Department is searching for a suspect captured on surveillance video attempting to break into a truck.
Charlotte Co. home inventory expected to decrease during summer February’s inventory for single-family homes and condos in Charlotte County soared to heights not seen in years, but some sellers are expected to pull their homes off the market after Easter, an area Realtor said.
FORT MYERS Lockdown lifted at HealthPark and Golisano Children’s hospitals The Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to an incident near HealthPark and Golisano Children’s Hospital, which caused a multi-hour lockdown of the hospitals late Sunday.
Join Big Brothers Big Sisters in SWFL; 351 kids need mentors Youth mentorship, Big Brothers Big Sisters, is actively recruiting mentors to help children in the community.
idaho Gov. DeSantis campaigns for congressional budget changes in Idaho Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis joined Idaho Gov. Brad Little for a news conference regarding proposed amendment changes to the congressional budget.
NAPLES Philanthropist Jay Baker donates $5M to Humane Society Naples Naples philanthropist Jay Baker donated $5 million to the Humane Society during its Pet Lovers Gala on Friday.
1 killed in Cape Coral crash; Santa Barbara Blvd. closed for hours A person was killed in a crash at the intersection of Santa Barbara Boulevard and Southeast 24th Street.
FORT MYERS Commissioners to hold special meeting on RSW Expansion Project Lee County commissioners will meet Monday to discuss a contract extension for Manhattan Construction, the company in charge of the Southwest Florida International Airport expansion project.
THE WEATHER AUTHORITY Warmer-than-average day ahead this Monday The Weather Authority is tracking a temperature increase to start your workweek.
Florida has one confirmed case of measles in Miami-Dade County, and according to health officials, the most effective way to prevent measles is the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine. So, what do vaccination rates look like in our Southwest Florida counties? WINK News examined data gathered by Florida Health Charts and found that vaccination rates for kindergarten students declined in Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties from 2021 to 2023. In 2021, 94% of Lee County kindergarten students were vaccinated, compared to 93% for the state of Florida. Lee County’s numbers dropped to 92% in 2022 and 91% in 2023. Immunization Levels in Kindergarten for Lee County. CREDIT: Florida Health Charts In Collier County, 93% of kindergarteners were vaccinated in 2021, around the same percentage as the state of Florida. The county’s percentage dropped to 90% in 2022 and 88% in 2023. Immunization Levels in Kindergarten for Collier County. CREDIT: Florida Health Charts Charlotte County had the highest percentage of kindergarteners vaccinated, at 96% in 2021. That percentage decreased to 90% in 2022 and stayed there in 2023. Immunization Levels in Kindergarten for Charlotte County. CREDIT: Florida Health Charts So why have vaccination rates declined? WINK News spoke with Dr. Mary Beth Saunders with Lee Health about the drop-off in vaccinations. “Unfortunately, since COVID, we’ve seen a significant decrease in childhood vaccination,” said Dr. Mary Beth Saunders, the System Medical Director of Epidemiology for Lee Health. “With that decrease in vaccination of younger children, you’re going to see one of the most vulnerable populations be at higher risk for measles. This is very concerning.” In Florida, parents can exempt their children from immunizations by citing medical or religious reasons. The move allows unvaccinated children in public schools. WINK News has contacted Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties for a full breakdown of exemption numbers. Each county acknowledged our requests and will respond at a later date.