CAMPAIGN CENTRAL Tim Walz and JD Vance face off in VP debate WINK News is campaign central, and on Tuesday night, all eyes are focused on the debate stage in New York, where the vice presidential candidates are facing off in their only debate.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte County couple rescued from rooftop by stranger Hurricane Helene battered Charlotte County with heavy rain and wind, and many neighbors watched as water flooded into their homes.
CAPE CORAL WINK Investigates: For the first time, Beattie Development owner Paul Beattie speaks out during liquidation after allegations On Tuesday for the first time, Paul Beattie, owner of Beattie Development, who a lot of people say owe them a lot of money, is speaking out.
FORT MYERS Local Rabbi and Israeli soldier speak on Iran missile attack Israeli authorities said Iran launched dozens of missiles at the country.
PORT CHARLOTTE “It was just a monster in disguise,” Port Charlotte couple cleans up after Helene Wesley and Karen Wingate will never forget what they had for dinner September 27th.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA IRS announces tax relief for those affected by Helene The IRS has just announced tax relief for people affected by Hurricane Helene.
FORT MYERS BEACH How the Fort Myers Beach community is handling Helene’s aftermath One storm hit Fort Myers Beach, but the damage is as different from block to block as the stories their homeowners tell
SOUTH FORT MYERS Submerged car in Fort Myers neighborhood has people worried A submerged car has neighbors worried that their pond will become polluted. One neighbor told WINK News that the vehicle has been in the pond since Hurricane Helene.
Collier County expands mosquito control district The Collier Mosquito Control District is expanding to different areas, and new tools are being used to keep the mosquito population under control as more standing water remains following Hurricane Helene.
CAPE CORAL Memorial benches being removed from Jaycee Park in Cape Coral After years of discussions, the City of Cape Coral will start to remove items from Jaycee Park as part of ongoing improvements.
ST. JAMES CITY How residents of St. James City are coping after Helene Once known for sunsets and dolphins, the tiny island community of St. James City is once again cleaning up after a hurricane.
CHARLOTTE HARBOR Charlotte County woman and dog rescued from home during Helene Amidst the rising waters of Hurricane Helene, a woman and her dog sought safety atop the kitchen counter inside their Charlotte County home.
NAPLES After 60 years in River Park, neighbors moving out because of Hurricane Helene Southwest Florida is still feeling the impacts from Helene, and a Naples community got the brunt of the storm.
ESTERO SWFL 12-year-old swimmer earns statewide recognition Last season Kallen Garnier-Chan achieved a national ranked top three time in the 800 and 1000 meter freestyle.
NORTH PORT Family continues legal battle with Heritage Insurance A husband and wife will not quit the fight with their homeowner’s insurance.
CAMPAIGN CENTRAL Tim Walz and JD Vance face off in VP debate WINK News is campaign central, and on Tuesday night, all eyes are focused on the debate stage in New York, where the vice presidential candidates are facing off in their only debate.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte County couple rescued from rooftop by stranger Hurricane Helene battered Charlotte County with heavy rain and wind, and many neighbors watched as water flooded into their homes.
CAPE CORAL WINK Investigates: For the first time, Beattie Development owner Paul Beattie speaks out during liquidation after allegations On Tuesday for the first time, Paul Beattie, owner of Beattie Development, who a lot of people say owe them a lot of money, is speaking out.
FORT MYERS Local Rabbi and Israeli soldier speak on Iran missile attack Israeli authorities said Iran launched dozens of missiles at the country.
PORT CHARLOTTE “It was just a monster in disguise,” Port Charlotte couple cleans up after Helene Wesley and Karen Wingate will never forget what they had for dinner September 27th.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA IRS announces tax relief for those affected by Helene The IRS has just announced tax relief for people affected by Hurricane Helene.
FORT MYERS BEACH How the Fort Myers Beach community is handling Helene’s aftermath One storm hit Fort Myers Beach, but the damage is as different from block to block as the stories their homeowners tell
SOUTH FORT MYERS Submerged car in Fort Myers neighborhood has people worried A submerged car has neighbors worried that their pond will become polluted. One neighbor told WINK News that the vehicle has been in the pond since Hurricane Helene.
Collier County expands mosquito control district The Collier Mosquito Control District is expanding to different areas, and new tools are being used to keep the mosquito population under control as more standing water remains following Hurricane Helene.
CAPE CORAL Memorial benches being removed from Jaycee Park in Cape Coral After years of discussions, the City of Cape Coral will start to remove items from Jaycee Park as part of ongoing improvements.
ST. JAMES CITY How residents of St. James City are coping after Helene Once known for sunsets and dolphins, the tiny island community of St. James City is once again cleaning up after a hurricane.
CHARLOTTE HARBOR Charlotte County woman and dog rescued from home during Helene Amidst the rising waters of Hurricane Helene, a woman and her dog sought safety atop the kitchen counter inside their Charlotte County home.
NAPLES After 60 years in River Park, neighbors moving out because of Hurricane Helene Southwest Florida is still feeling the impacts from Helene, and a Naples community got the brunt of the storm.
ESTERO SWFL 12-year-old swimmer earns statewide recognition Last season Kallen Garnier-Chan achieved a national ranked top three time in the 800 and 1000 meter freestyle.
NORTH PORT Family continues legal battle with Heritage Insurance A husband and wife will not quit the fight with their homeowner’s insurance.
WINK NEWS Lee Health, SharePoint Health in Port Charlotte on lock down Hospitals and healthcare systems from across Southwest Florida are preparing for Hurricane Ian. As of 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Lee Health hospitals and Lee Health Coconut Point are locked down. The entrances to the hospital have been locked for the safety of patients and staff. Lee Health is urging the public to shelter in place […]
COLLIER COUNTY Collier County has declared a State of Emergency Collier County has declared a State of Emergency. Declaring an emergency allows the county to enforce emergency operations and act quickly if the course of the storm changes. This was declared early Sunday after the Board of County Commissioners held an emergency special meeting. Despite the declaration, there are no evacuation orders and the Bureau […]
COLLIER COUNTY Collier County Emergency Management held a press conference on storm preparedness The Collier County Bureau of Emergency Management held a press conference on Saturday. WINK News spoke with Dan Summer who is the director of the Collier County Emergency Services and Emergency Management. Summers spoke at the press conference, he encouraged SWFL residents to get ready for the storm. “Don’t take anything for granted. We want […]
Naples student becomes national merit scholarship semifinalist A Naples high school senior is a national merit scholarship semifinalist and the first ever for Village School of Naples. Joseph Weaver, 18, took the PSATs like thousands of other seniors. But, unlike thousands of others who took the standardized test, Joseph scored in the top one percent nationwide. “My PSAT score was a 1490,” […]
GOLDEN GATE ESTATES Older homes face flooding concerns in Golden Gate Estates People with older homes in Golden Gate Estates that are living in areas with newly constructed homes are blaming builders for their flooding concerns. Newer homes are being built higher, which means there is less of a chance they will flood, but it’s forcing all the water down to the lower homes. That’s exactly why […]
MARCO ISLAND Marco Island preparing for potential storm impacts Marco Island’s city manager did not mince words when he let residents on the island know they need to prepare for the possible storm next week. The city manager said to lock everything down, figure out what arrangements need to be made, and batten down the hatches. City leaders told WINK News they’re trying to […]
GOLDEN GATE Baseball Coach Charlie Maurer hired at St. John Neumann A former Barron Collier baseball coach, whose firing upset parents and students, now has a new job. Charlie Maurer has been hired as head coach at St. John Neumann High School in Golden Gate. Athletics Director Damon Jones said he was very excited to have Maurer coaching the baseball team. Maurer found out in August […]
NAPLES Lawsuit against Artis-Naples firing three unvaccinated musicians Three musicians who used to be in the Naples Philharmonic were fired for not getting the COVID-19 vaccine and are now suing Artis-Naples in federal court. Florida state law is on the musicians’ side, as Gov. DeSantis preached against vaccine mandates throughout the pandemic. DeSantis even provided workers with religious exemptions from such mandates, which […]
IMMOKALEE Seminole Casino increases wages and holds job fair A casino is hoping to hit the jackpot and score new employees after a big pay increase. The Seminole Casino just upped the ante by raising their wages from $8 to $11 higher than Florida’s minimum wage. The Seminole Casino in Immokalee has seen a lot of people stop by looking for a job since […]
NAPLES In Collier County, students need permission to check out some books Three books known for their sexual content are sparking outrage at one Collier County school. The books “19 Minutes,” “Sloppy Firsts,” and “The Bluest Eye” will remain in the high school library, but students will need their parents’ permission to check out the books. Alethea Shapiro and her daughter are close. Shapiro thinks books like […]