Deputies investigating deadly crash, unrelated shooting in Collier County

Questions remain after a deadly crash killed two women while a shooting injured one person in Collier County as the new year began. Two women, just 20 and 22 years old, lost their lives in an overnight crash. Emotional moments rushed through the crowd like waves as loved ones came to the site where the […]

Deputies investigating shooting at Collier County Waffle House

The Collier County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a shooting at a Waffle House near Collier Boulevard and I-75. Deputies say they got a call about the shooting shortly after 5 a.m. Sunday morning. Collier County EMS says they transported one person to the hospital with an abdominal injury. The sheriff’s office says the incident has […]

Southwest Floridians share their New Year’s resolutions

A big part of stepping into a new year is setting a list of resolutions and goals, and people in Southwest Florida are sharing their resolutions. WINK News spoke to people whose goals ranged from making a lot of money in 2023 to living healthier and using social media less. If you would like to […]

Where do we grow from here: Southwest Florida’s rising rent

The cost of living skyrocketed this year as Southwest Florida continued to grow and as it works to rebuild after Hurricane Ian. As we prepare to close out 2022, WINK News decided to take a look back at the past year’s crazy rent prices and revisit a series we did seven years ago called: “Where […]

naples zoo

Eko the tiger not forgotten one year after being killed at the Naples Zoo

It has been one year since deputies were forced to shoot and kill a tiger who bit a man in an unauthorized area at the Naples Zoo. Eko was just one of nearly 300 Malayan tigers worldwide, a species the Naples Zoo has funded to save for more than 20 years. Now, employees have healed, […]

Sex offender trespassing in Golden Gate home found by deputies on toilet

A registered sex offender was arrested Tuesday afternoon after deputies say he broke into a man’s Golden Gate home and was found using the toilet before being detained. According to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, James Hobby, 43, was arrested after deputies went to a home on 45th Terrace Southwest at around 3:30 p.m. in […]

3 months after Ian, Vanderbilt Beach continues to rebuild

Much of Vanderbilt Beach was swallowed in Hurricane Ian’s storm surge. Wednesday, three months after Ian roared ashore, there is progress. One neighborhood has gone from destruction to construction. “We’re looking forward, you know, to getting it rebuilt,” said Maha Ghazzi, of Vanderbilt Beach. “We’re seeing improvement daily, with the cleanup efforts and some of […]

East Naples artist restarts career with help of anonymous WINK viewers

An artist in East Naples who lost all her supplies during Hurricane Ian and no longer had a way to make a living received much-needed help from anonymous strangers who saw her plight on WINK News. Kaata Mrachek’s life work was destroyed by the floodwaters that swept through her mobile home in Moorhead Manor. Her […]

Most Wanted Wednesday: Featuring some of SWFL’s most wanted suspects; Dec. 28

This weekly WINK News segment features fugitives from justice right here in Southwest Florida. This is your chance to help out the community and give the tip that gets these people off the street. These suspects need to be found – and you can help. If you have seen them, reach out to Crime Stoppers […]

Construction begins at Habitat for Humanity Kaicasa subdivision in Collier County

One of the largest affordable communities built by Habitat for Humanity is in Southwest Florida. After many years in development, construction at the long-anticipated Habitat Collier subdivision of Kaicasa is officially underway. The neighborhood had its first wall-raising. The home will soon be occupied by a family. Volunteers, staff and people from the community came […]