Southwest Florida veterans honored during round trip honor flightPath to freedom: From Cuban prison to NCH operating room
PUNTA GORDA Southwest Florida veterans honored during round trip honor flight Veterans from Southwest Florida made a round trip to Washington, DC, and back in honor of their service.
NAPLES Path to freedom: From Cuban prison to NCH operating room It’s rare that a serious heart condition is a blessing, but that was the case for a Naples man. The surgery he received at NCH saved his life in more ways than one.
SANIBEL Changing landscape after hurricanes Many of you know what saltwater surge does to your homes after surviving hurricanes Ian, Helene and Milton. It’s highly corrosive and destructive. It also has a similar impact on plants and wildlife, but that’s not all bad news.
Former FGCU basketball player talks Karl Smesko joining WNBA Las Vegas Aces guard Kierstan Bell made a lot of memories playing at FGCU. From winning ASUN championships to playing for one of the winningest coaches in the sport Karl Smesko.
LEHIGH ACRES Suspicious fire sparks at Lehigh Acres church Daycare services at one church are canceled after a small fire at Victory church in Lehigh Acres.
State of Florida sues FEMA for ‘conspiracy to interfere with civil rights’ The State of Florida is suing the Federal Emergency Management Agency for “conspiring to interfere with civil rights,” according to an official complaint filed by Florida Attorney General Ashely Moody.
WINK NEWS Game of the Week: Cape Coral Seahawks vs. Immokalee Indians The Seahawks are undefeated on the road and the Indians have never lost on home turf. Friday night only one will advance to round two.
Disaster assistance available for Charlotte County residents Charlotte County residents affected by hurricanes Ian, Helene or Milton can now apply for disaster assistance from local resources through Community Organizations Active in a Disaster (COAD).
Great Wolf Lodge celebrates grand opening with Rob Gronkowski Pack your trunks. We’re taking you to the grand opening of the Great Wolf Lodge resort in Collier County.
BOCA GRANDE Lee County issues red tide alert near Boca Grande Pass The Florida Department of Health in Lee County has issued a health alert for the presence of red tide near Boca Grande Pass.
LEHIGH ACRES Lehigh Acres parent arrested after allegedly assaulting school bus driver A Lehigh Acres parent is facing charges accused of assaulting a school bus driver. Neighbors told WINK News it began with a screaming match Friday afternoon.
CAPE CORAL Cape police believe retail burglaries are linked Detectives believe a man is linked to multiple burglaries in Southwest Florida.
ESTERO Driver charged with DUI after crashing SUV into restaurant in Gulf Coast Town Center The driver of an SUV that crashed into a restaurant at the Gulf Coast Town Center in Estero has been charged with DUI.
Tesla issues sixth Cybertruck recall in a year, over 2,400 vehicles affected Tesla stock might be up, but their Cybertrucks have another recall for their drivers to deal with.
Great Wolf Lodge celebrates grand opening, economic impact in Collier County With pomp, circumstance and an appearance from retired NFL player Rob Gronkowski, Great Wolf Lodge celebrated both its grand opening and its economic impact for Collier County.
PUNTA GORDA Southwest Florida veterans honored during round trip honor flight Veterans from Southwest Florida made a round trip to Washington, DC, and back in honor of their service.
NAPLES Path to freedom: From Cuban prison to NCH operating room It’s rare that a serious heart condition is a blessing, but that was the case for a Naples man. The surgery he received at NCH saved his life in more ways than one.
SANIBEL Changing landscape after hurricanes Many of you know what saltwater surge does to your homes after surviving hurricanes Ian, Helene and Milton. It’s highly corrosive and destructive. It also has a similar impact on plants and wildlife, but that’s not all bad news.
Former FGCU basketball player talks Karl Smesko joining WNBA Las Vegas Aces guard Kierstan Bell made a lot of memories playing at FGCU. From winning ASUN championships to playing for one of the winningest coaches in the sport Karl Smesko.
LEHIGH ACRES Suspicious fire sparks at Lehigh Acres church Daycare services at one church are canceled after a small fire at Victory church in Lehigh Acres.
State of Florida sues FEMA for ‘conspiracy to interfere with civil rights’ The State of Florida is suing the Federal Emergency Management Agency for “conspiring to interfere with civil rights,” according to an official complaint filed by Florida Attorney General Ashely Moody.
WINK NEWS Game of the Week: Cape Coral Seahawks vs. Immokalee Indians The Seahawks are undefeated on the road and the Indians have never lost on home turf. Friday night only one will advance to round two.
Disaster assistance available for Charlotte County residents Charlotte County residents affected by hurricanes Ian, Helene or Milton can now apply for disaster assistance from local resources through Community Organizations Active in a Disaster (COAD).
Great Wolf Lodge celebrates grand opening with Rob Gronkowski Pack your trunks. We’re taking you to the grand opening of the Great Wolf Lodge resort in Collier County.
BOCA GRANDE Lee County issues red tide alert near Boca Grande Pass The Florida Department of Health in Lee County has issued a health alert for the presence of red tide near Boca Grande Pass.
LEHIGH ACRES Lehigh Acres parent arrested after allegedly assaulting school bus driver A Lehigh Acres parent is facing charges accused of assaulting a school bus driver. Neighbors told WINK News it began with a screaming match Friday afternoon.
CAPE CORAL Cape police believe retail burglaries are linked Detectives believe a man is linked to multiple burglaries in Southwest Florida.
ESTERO Driver charged with DUI after crashing SUV into restaurant in Gulf Coast Town Center The driver of an SUV that crashed into a restaurant at the Gulf Coast Town Center in Estero has been charged with DUI.
Tesla issues sixth Cybertruck recall in a year, over 2,400 vehicles affected Tesla stock might be up, but their Cybertrucks have another recall for their drivers to deal with.
Great Wolf Lodge celebrates grand opening, economic impact in Collier County With pomp, circumstance and an appearance from retired NFL player Rob Gronkowski, Great Wolf Lodge celebrated both its grand opening and its economic impact for Collier County.
FORT MYERS Where’s the money? Government investigating Fort Myers entrepreneur According to records obtained by WINK News, a young Southwest Florida entrepreneur who made headlines in 2017 with his plans to develop a rundown office complex is now the subject of a government investigation. Florida’s Office of Financial regulation received at least two complaints against Matt Hurley, a 24-year-old who graduated from Cypress Lake High […]
SOUTH FORT MYERS Last-minute COVID-19 testing at CenturyLink causes long lines Hundreds of people waited in line at the CenturyLink Sports Complex COVID-19 testing site on Wednesday. All of them hoping to see a negative test result just in time for Christmas. WINK News Reporter Lauren Sweeney stood in the line herself and said it only took her about 45 minutes. It only took her 15 […]
FORT MYERS Lee County will begin vaccinating those 65 and older on Monday, DOH confirms The Department of Health in Lee County will begin offering the COVID-19 vaccine to those 65 and older as soon as Monday. DOH spokeswoman Tammy Yzaguirre confirmed to WINK News the vaccine would be available. Details on how people can sign up were not provided. Collier and Charlotte counties have not said when they will […]
Man accused of killing Lehigh teen in hit-and-run to be released on reduced bond A man accused of killing a Lehigh Acres teenager with his car and then fleeing the scene will be released on reduced bail. Judge Margaret Steinbeck granted a motion to reduce the bail for Adrian Zurita to $50,000. Zurita, 19, was arrested Sunday for a hit-and-run crash that happened a few days prior near his […]
NAPLES Addiction relapse compounded by COVID-19 ‘Chris’ was doing well on his road to recovery. He’d gotten a job and an apartment and was living a much more healthy lifestyle. But everything changed in March 2020. The isolation and social distancing prescribed to help curb the COVID-19 pandemic gave Chris a reason to turn back to drugs. His is just one […]
WINK NEWS Government puts an end to emotional support animals on planes You won’t have to worry about sharing a flight with a pet peacock anytime soon. After years of debate, the government is putting an end to emotional support animals on planes. In a story we reported in 2017, we exposed how easy it was to bring an untrained animal on a plane. It was as […]
CAPE CORAL The sickening reality of Florida’s medical malpractice laws It was his fifth marriage and her second, but they were together for more than 20 years. Karen Ballard gets emotional just saying her husband Tom’s name. “He was the most amazing man and he was the love of my life,” she said. Tom Ballard died in January, eight months after a surgery that was […]
FORT MYERS When David meets Goliath: Why a local clinic wants to take on Florida’s largest health insurance company Jennifer Voltz describes herself as someone who always fights for the underdog. In 2011, she opened FOCUS to provide speech, occupational, physical, and behavioral therapy to children with developmental disabilities. “These kids need it. It is medically necessary. It is a service. It’s going to help them be able to communicate better be able to […]
FORT MYERS Prosecutor says video of former FMPD captain in massage parlor could not be used in court The case against Jay Rodriguez, a former police captain with Fort Myers Police Department, will not face prosecution because a massage parlor employee could not be located, and there were problems with the origin of video evidence in the case. An assistant state attorney with the Twelfth Judicial Circuit Court filed a lengthy memo in […]
FORT MYERS Council member wants to save City of Palms Park from demolition Councilman Fred Burson of Ward 5 in Fort Myers led the discussion about saving the City of Palms Park from demolition at the Fort Myers Council meeting Mmeeting. Council voted in September to regain possession of the park but only if Lee County paid to tear it down. The park once hosted the Boston Red […]