Professional Experience

September 2018 to present: Investigative Reporter at WINK News

Previously worked as a multimedia journalist at WCJB TV20 News, WUFT-TV and WUFT-FM in Gainesville, FL; and as an investigative intern at WPLG Local 10 News in Miami, FL

Member of National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) and Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE)

Awards & Recognition

2019 Excellence in Broadcast News Award for Transportation / Traffic Series reporting, Florida Association of Broadcast Journalists (FABJ) – “Waiting in the Dark”

2019 NATAS Suncoast Regional Emmy Nomination for Education / Schools News reporting– “Waiting in the Dark”

2019 Young Journalist Award for Broadcast, Press Club of Southwest Florida

2019 Sunshine State Award for Multimedia Feature, Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) – “You Are Now Live” (2nd Place)

2019 Excellence in Innovation in TV, Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards, RTDNA – “Locked Out Florida”

2018 Awards for Photo Essay & Short Hard News Feature, Florida Associated Press Broadcasters (now FABJ) College Contest

News Philosophy

“The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.” — Ida B. Wells

Hobbies, Interests & Community Involvement

Sara is a big fan of live theater and performing arts, traveling to faraway places, volunteering, playing roller derby, Gator football, spoiling her nieces and nephews, and cuddling up next to her dog Mickey.

Education

Master’s in Mass Communication and Bachelor’s in Telecommunication News from the University of Florida

Go Gators!

Unemployment system glitch keeps benefits from formerly incarcerated people

UPDATE: The DEO announced June 4 that the chat feature is no longer available. — Another glitch in Florida’s unemployment system is keeping people from their benefits. The Department of Economic Opportunity’s website is accidentally flagging thousands of accounts with holds. The system thinks they’re in jail, but they’re not. “How is this relief package […]

Homelessness in Lee County: Millions of dollars provided, but is it helping?

For the last four years, Vicky Bond has carried her past and her belongings with her, sleeping on a bamboo mat at Lions Park. “I got real depressed, lost my job, lost my apartments and just started living homeless,” Bond said. Alcoholism and unmonitored medications caught up with her, and then, Hurricane Irma hit. “And […]

Cape Coral man suing Lee County Sheriff’s Office after typo leads to wrongful arrest

An innocent Lee County man is suing the Lee County Sheriff’s Office over a typo that led to his wrongful arrest. Carlos Javier Lobos, 44, was arrested in 2018 and accused of child molestation. His lawyer says shortly after the false arrest, the sheriff’s office administratively expunged all records of it. While he was cleared […]

New Labor Department guidance expands unemployment eligibility

The U.S. Department of Labor is issuing guidance to state unemployment insurance agencies that expands the number of instances in which workers may be eligible for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. “Our nation cannot afford to continue compounding the already-devastating effects of the ongoing pandemic-related economic crisis by leaving workers destitute and living in fear for their […]

Top three unemployment system issues plaguing jobless in SWFL, explained

UPDATE: The DEO announced June 4 that the chat feature is no longer available. — Nearly a year into the pandemic, issues continue to plague jobless people across the state. Despite doing exactly what the Department of Economic Opportunity recommends, people like Janna Glassberg are hitting roadblocks. A performer, she’s been unemployed since last March. […]

Scammers steal Collier County couple’s info to apply for unemployment benefits

Scammers are stealing information to apply for unemployment benefits, and it’s happening in Southwest Florida. The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office released a warning Thursday explaining how to avoid these kinds of scams. Meanwhile, a Collier County couple told us they’re getting unemployment checks they never applied for, and they have no clue how it happened. […]

Pandemic Academics: How SWFL students are performing one year later

Whether online or in-person, learning looks different in the age of COVID-19, and parents in Southwest Florida are worried about their kids’ education. How have our kids been coping with the pandemic and performing in school? And what does it mean for their futures? WINK News surveyed parents in our area to gauge what the […]

How to find your unemployment tax documents for filing season

Today’s the first day you can file for your tax refund and experts say you should file early. But tax time is also causing some trouble. Many of you who are collecting unemployment for the first time have encountered issues. WINK News walks you through getting the necessary documents. Many of you are wondering where […]

Florida still working to extend federal unemployment programs, begins paying out extra weekly $300

The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity says it’s started processing the $300 Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) payments which were extended and modified by the Continued Assistance Act, also known as the extension of the CARES Act in the second federal stimulus bill. People collecting unemployment should see these payments hitting their accounts along with […]