Cape Coral residents react as Tropicana Park construction startsBody camera footage released of deputy involved crash
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral residents react as Tropicana Park construction starts Crews broke ground at Tropicana Park in Cape Coral on Monday, the first step toward the park’s future.
Body camera footage released of deputy involved crash A driver not paying attention to the road slams into several deputy patrol cars.
PUNTA GORDA Tow company denies access to boat owner after Hurricane Milton A woman’s boat sank during Hurricane Milton while she was in Michigan, but the company allegedly will not let her collect her belongings.
CAPE CORAL New billboard asks for help in solving Cape Coral cold case A new billboard towering over a busy Cape Coral intersection asks for your help in solving a 10 year old cold case.
FORT MYERS BEACH FEMA’s deadline forces tough choices for Fort Myers Beach businesses FEMA’s deadline is Monday for temporary structures like shipping containers or trailers to get off the island.
NAPLES Naples tops the U.S. News & World Report list for places to retire in 2025 at number 1 spot If you could pick a place to retire, what city would you choose?
What are the impacts to southwest Florida if the U.S. Department of Education gets eliminated? A lot of changes are in store when President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January. One of those changes is the possible dismantlement of the U.S. Department of Education.
Southwest Florida International Airport How is Spirit’s bankruptcy announcement affecting RSW travelers? Spirit Airlines is heading to bankruptcy court right as we head into the busy holiday travel season, so how would this impact Southwest Florida travelers?
Victim in Collier house party shooting identified, killer still at large WINK News is learning the victim of a fatal house party shooting was a Collier County public school student.
Ultrasound technology shows promise for pain and depression treatment Chronic pain and treatment-resistant depression — both impact millions of people, both can be debilitating and both can leave people feeling hopeless.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral Fire Department launches annual toy drive The Cape Coral Fire Department is collecting toys and gifts for children in need this holiday season.
Bruno’s of Brooklyn opens new downtown Fort Myers location The new Bruno’s of Brooklyn Italian Eatery opens the evening of Nov. 18 at 2149 First St. in Fort Myers.
FORT MYERS BEACH FEMA deadline looms for Lee County: flood insurance discounts at risk FEMA will soon announce whether homeowners in five different areas of Lee County will keep that 25% discount on their flood insurance policies long term.
NORTH FORT MYERS Man wanted for grand theft at North Fort Myers Dollar Tree SWFL Crime Stoppers is seeking information on a man wanted for committing grand theft at a Dollar Tree in North Fort Myers last week.
WINK NEWS 1 dead from e-coli outbreak due to carrots sold in popular grocery stores The Center for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating an outbreak of e-coli linked to tainted carrots.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral residents react as Tropicana Park construction starts Crews broke ground at Tropicana Park in Cape Coral on Monday, the first step toward the park’s future.
Body camera footage released of deputy involved crash A driver not paying attention to the road slams into several deputy patrol cars.
PUNTA GORDA Tow company denies access to boat owner after Hurricane Milton A woman’s boat sank during Hurricane Milton while she was in Michigan, but the company allegedly will not let her collect her belongings.
CAPE CORAL New billboard asks for help in solving Cape Coral cold case A new billboard towering over a busy Cape Coral intersection asks for your help in solving a 10 year old cold case.
FORT MYERS BEACH FEMA’s deadline forces tough choices for Fort Myers Beach businesses FEMA’s deadline is Monday for temporary structures like shipping containers or trailers to get off the island.
NAPLES Naples tops the U.S. News & World Report list for places to retire in 2025 at number 1 spot If you could pick a place to retire, what city would you choose?
What are the impacts to southwest Florida if the U.S. Department of Education gets eliminated? A lot of changes are in store when President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January. One of those changes is the possible dismantlement of the U.S. Department of Education.
Southwest Florida International Airport How is Spirit’s bankruptcy announcement affecting RSW travelers? Spirit Airlines is heading to bankruptcy court right as we head into the busy holiday travel season, so how would this impact Southwest Florida travelers?
Victim in Collier house party shooting identified, killer still at large WINK News is learning the victim of a fatal house party shooting was a Collier County public school student.
Ultrasound technology shows promise for pain and depression treatment Chronic pain and treatment-resistant depression — both impact millions of people, both can be debilitating and both can leave people feeling hopeless.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral Fire Department launches annual toy drive The Cape Coral Fire Department is collecting toys and gifts for children in need this holiday season.
Bruno’s of Brooklyn opens new downtown Fort Myers location The new Bruno’s of Brooklyn Italian Eatery opens the evening of Nov. 18 at 2149 First St. in Fort Myers.
FORT MYERS BEACH FEMA deadline looms for Lee County: flood insurance discounts at risk FEMA will soon announce whether homeowners in five different areas of Lee County will keep that 25% discount on their flood insurance policies long term.
NORTH FORT MYERS Man wanted for grand theft at North Fort Myers Dollar Tree SWFL Crime Stoppers is seeking information on a man wanted for committing grand theft at a Dollar Tree in North Fort Myers last week.
WINK NEWS 1 dead from e-coli outbreak due to carrots sold in popular grocery stores The Center for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating an outbreak of e-coli linked to tainted carrots.
WINK NEWS DEO to remove online option to backdate unemployment claims; must call to request change The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity is removing the online option to backdate your unemployment claim if you have had issues filing. Backdating claims have been a big topic among people filing for unemployment — especially because website issues early on made it so hundreds if not thousands of people submitted claims days or weeks […]
FORT MYERS DeSantis claims billions of dollars paid out for unemployment, while some still wait to be paid A picture of success? The Department of Economic Opportunity is showing that nearly all of the 1.5 million eligible unemployment claims have been paid. Governor Ron DeSantis talked a lot about getting the situation under control, but is it really? While we’re still hearing from people every day, you say you’re missing three, four, five […]
WINK NEWS SWFL jobless rate declines as more return to work; statewide unemployment increases Southwest Florida unemployment rates are going down, while the state’s number is going up as of May 2020. Lee: 14% Charlotte:13.5% Collier: 13.1% Hendry: 11.5% Glades: 7.9% DeSoto: 7.1% Friday, the Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) released new numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Southwest Florida is doing better in other areas of the […]
‘Technology concerns’ may have caused missed unemployment payments, state says The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity said Thursday that 97 percent of unemployment claimants have been paid, but that doesn’t mean they’ve been paid in full. For weeks, you’ve been asking WINK News reporter Sara Girard, “where is my money?” Girard created a Facebook poll, and out of almost 1,500 people in Southwest Florida who […]
TALLAHASSEE Frustrated workers across the state protest failing unemployment system Frustrated workers across the state are protesting the unemployment system. Multiple groups of about a dozen or two people took to the streets to take a stand against Florida’s failing unemployment system. WINK News Investigative Reporter Sara Girard has been following Florida’s unemployment crisis from the start of the pandemic. She spoke with one of […]
WINK NEWS Nationwide unemployment rate drops, but people in SWFL still struggle to find work While bars, restaurants, and other businesses begin to reopen, the possibility of going back to work for many increases. The Bureau of Labor Statistics released a report Friday that shows the nationwide unemployment rate for May is 13.3 percent, down from 14.7 percent in April. The U.S. added 2.5 million jobs in May. Economists estimated […]
FORT MYERS Payments held or missing, unemployment system continues to frustrate people in SWFL Unemployment continues to frustrate countless people in Southwest Florida. While the state’s dashboard says 97% of claimants have been paid their benefits, you say that number is misleading. Paid doesn’t mean paid in full. Thursday, some of you say payments have stopped altogether. If you’re even remotely familiar with the current unemployment system, this will […]
WINK NEWS New virtual unemployment ‘waiting room’ frustrates claimants Florida Department of Economic Opportunity says it has a new feature to help you during your unemployment process, but people using the systems are only describing more frustration. We’ve been getting mixed reviews on what you think of the new virtual waiting room. Some of you say it’s smoother once you actually log on. Others […]
WINK NEWS Unemployment: Judge says he has no ‘authority’ to order state to fix system, make immediate payments A Tallahassee judge said Thursday he cannot order the state to pay people immediately because he doesn’t have the authority, which comes as disappointment for hundreds of thousands unemployed Floridians. Serious, scared, devastated and frustrated — that is how Judge John Cooper described the people waiting to be paid their unemployment benefits and struggling to […]
Emergency hearing outlines unemployment issues, ruling continued A judge in Tallahassee held an emergency hearing Tuesday on unemployment compensation to address an injunction filed on behalf of more than 200,000 unemployed Floridians. The marathon hearing went from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. WINK News investigative reporter Sara Girard live-tweeted what happened. Read her summary: The plaintiffs are demanding the Department of Economic […]