SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Therapy dogs comfort children in the courtroom Pups are on patrol to help kids and people in tough situations. The dogs travel to hospitals and schools for therapy sessions to relax people.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral police arrest man in Fuegoz Lounge shooting A man was arrested in connection with a shooting outside a Cape Coral lounge that left two women injured, police said Wednesday.
Close friend of fallen sergeant Elio Diaz speaks out WINK News reporter Claire Galt spoke with Neal Gamillio and his powerful story about the fallen sergeant.
NORTH FORT MYERS Single mom gets home renovated as a Christmas gift Home for the holidays has a new meaning for Erica Tague and her three children. Her home was renovated for free as a Christmas gift.
NAPLES $2,300 worth of stolen clothing recovered; 2 arrested in Naples Two people were arrested Saturday in Naples after authorities say they used bags lined with metal to disable store security systems and steal more than $2,300 worth of clothing.
BABCOCK RANCH Dodging pet scams during the holidays Many are welcoming new pets into their homes this holiday season; however, for some people, the only thing they’ll find sitting under their tree is a scam.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers auto shop raises money for family of slain deputy A Fort Myers auto shop is raising money for the family of a Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office deputy who was killed on Sunday.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Most Wanted Wednesday: Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for December 18, 2024 Here are some of Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for December 18, 2024.
NAPLES Naples cancels fireworks celebration Setting off fireworks feels like a normal part of any big holiday, especially when ringing in the new year, but if you are going to be in Naples to ring in 2025 they won’t be a part of your celebration.
Avoiding mayhem during the holiday season Nothing like the holiday season to bring out the latent perfectionist in all of us.
FORT MYERS Grant for nontraditional students offered at FGCU One Southwest Florida native is trading in her cap and gown for a ruler and chalkboard, ready to begin a new chapter in her life.
Procession for Charlotte County sergeant killed in line of duty A procession will commence Friday following the funeral and honors for the Charlotte County sergeant who was killed in the line of duty.
Housing planned on site of closing Fort Myers junkyard after $2.8M public-private deal On Dec. 17, Megen Construction bought 5 acres for $1.25 million, including 3312 Edison Ave. and 2419 Henderson Ave.
Mayon Asian American Restaurant opens in Charlotte County For his fourth eatery, Chris Lansdale wanted to do something different.
LEE COUNTY Sarasota man pleads guilty to attempting to engage in sexual activity with minor in Lee County A Sarasota man has pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual activity with a minor from Lee County.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Therapy dogs comfort children in the courtroom Pups are on patrol to help kids and people in tough situations. The dogs travel to hospitals and schools for therapy sessions to relax people.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral police arrest man in Fuegoz Lounge shooting A man was arrested in connection with a shooting outside a Cape Coral lounge that left two women injured, police said Wednesday.
Close friend of fallen sergeant Elio Diaz speaks out WINK News reporter Claire Galt spoke with Neal Gamillio and his powerful story about the fallen sergeant.
NORTH FORT MYERS Single mom gets home renovated as a Christmas gift Home for the holidays has a new meaning for Erica Tague and her three children. Her home was renovated for free as a Christmas gift.
NAPLES $2,300 worth of stolen clothing recovered; 2 arrested in Naples Two people were arrested Saturday in Naples after authorities say they used bags lined with metal to disable store security systems and steal more than $2,300 worth of clothing.
BABCOCK RANCH Dodging pet scams during the holidays Many are welcoming new pets into their homes this holiday season; however, for some people, the only thing they’ll find sitting under their tree is a scam.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers auto shop raises money for family of slain deputy A Fort Myers auto shop is raising money for the family of a Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office deputy who was killed on Sunday.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Most Wanted Wednesday: Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for December 18, 2024 Here are some of Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for December 18, 2024.
NAPLES Naples cancels fireworks celebration Setting off fireworks feels like a normal part of any big holiday, especially when ringing in the new year, but if you are going to be in Naples to ring in 2025 they won’t be a part of your celebration.
Avoiding mayhem during the holiday season Nothing like the holiday season to bring out the latent perfectionist in all of us.
FORT MYERS Grant for nontraditional students offered at FGCU One Southwest Florida native is trading in her cap and gown for a ruler and chalkboard, ready to begin a new chapter in her life.
Procession for Charlotte County sergeant killed in line of duty A procession will commence Friday following the funeral and honors for the Charlotte County sergeant who was killed in the line of duty.
Housing planned on site of closing Fort Myers junkyard after $2.8M public-private deal On Dec. 17, Megen Construction bought 5 acres for $1.25 million, including 3312 Edison Ave. and 2419 Henderson Ave.
Mayon Asian American Restaurant opens in Charlotte County For his fourth eatery, Chris Lansdale wanted to do something different.
LEE COUNTY Sarasota man pleads guilty to attempting to engage in sexual activity with minor in Lee County A Sarasota man has pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual activity with a minor from Lee County.
WINK NEWS 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 […]
FORT MYERS 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 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 […]
WINK NEWS 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 […]
WINK NEWS 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. […]
WINK NEWS 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. […]
WINK NEWS 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 […]
FORT MYERS 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 […]
WINK NEWS Survey – One year later: Education in Southwest Florida during a pandemic While students have faced extraordinary obstacles to education over the last year, WINK News is setting out to learn how our kids, and next generation, are holding up. Complete the survey below and watch WINK News for an upcoming story. *If you don’t see the form above, click HERE.
FORT MYERS 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 […]