Lawmaker: Gyrocopter pilot flew 30 miles in restricted space

WASHINGTON (AP) – A Florida postal carrier steered his small gyrocopter through protected Washington airspace for 30 miles to the U.S. Capitol, tracked by the nation’s top security agencies, which feared harming tourists on the National Mall if they tried to shoot him down, senior lawmakers said Wednesday. Doug Hughes, 61, is “lucky to be […]

FSU’s Fisher: Winston’s free-food caper isolated incident

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) – Florida State athletic director Stan Wilcox says the school will investigate Jameis Winston’s comments that the ex-Seminoles quarterback believed he had an understanding with an unidentified grocery store employee that led to last year’s much-publicized crab legs shoplifting incident. In a statement Wednesday, Wilcox says Winston’s comments were new details to […]

France seeks possible accomplice to planned church attack

PARIS (AP) – Investigators are searching for possible accomplices in the planned attack on a church uncovered when the suspect apparently shot himself by accident, France’s prime minister said Thursday Manuel Valls told France Inter radio that the would-be attacker could have had a support network. The 24-year-old Algerian computer science student was arrested Sunday […]

HS baseball: Bishop Verot beats Dunbar 10-0

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Bishop Verot scored three runs in the first inning en route to a 10-0 win over Dunbar in the District 4A-11 Semifinal. The Vikings will play Labelle for the District Championship on Friday.

FDLE arrests four in connection with elaborate theft ring

LEE COUNTY, Fla.- Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents raided a North Fort Myers storage unit Wednesday to uncover an theft ring. Four suspects are now under arrest. Only WINK News was there as FDLE agents raided the storage facility on Littleton Road. Agents sorted through everything from trucks to purses, to VHS tapes. FDLE […]

Collier County jury awards mother of injured teen $60 million

COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. – A jury awarded $60 million to the mother of a teenager who was paralyzed in a car crash in 2003. Court documents obtained by WINK News show the owners of Spectators Sports Pub, a bar in North Naples, was negligent when bartenders served then 19-year-old Angela Crowe drinks one evening in […]

Local third grader creates reusable trash bag

LEE COUNTY, Fla.- A local third grader’s love for the beach is now nationally recognized for her efforts to save it. Disney loved her idea so much, they gave her $500 to help turn it into reality. Nine-year-old Elinor Rienzo created a reusable, personal sized trash bag that gives people a place to put their trash when no garbage […]

FMB Film Festival honors local heroes during open ceremonies

FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla.- The Fort Myers Beach Film Festival kicked off the 9th annual event Wednesday afternoon by honoring local law enforcement and first responders. The opening movie for the festival is called Heroes Behind the Badge – Sacrifice and Survival. Heroes Behind the Badge – Sacrifice and survival takes a powerful real life […]

Wawa set to open first stores in SWFL

LEE COUNTY, Fla.- A new chain is hitting Southwest Florida and customers are excited. Three Wawa stores are opening Thursday. You can go to a Wawa to fill up the tank, but it’s the sandwiches and atmosphere that really draw in customers. “We saw the growth in the market place, we saw the number of […]