Hotel living after Ian washes away homes

Homes were washed away during Hurricane Ian and many people can’t afford rent prices, so they’ve turned to hotels without anywhere else to go. But, because so many people are looking for places to stay, hotels can quickly get crowded. Chris Murawski is one of those people looking to make a hotel room his temporary […]

Lee County learning lessons from Bay County’s Michael recovery

At times, coming back after Hurricane Ian may seem insurmountable. But each day, as Southwest Florida continues its recovery, there are stories of hope. There are more businesses reopening and people making progress on their homes and lives. In 2018, Category 5 Hurricane Michael wiped out parts of the panhandle, delivering a devastating blow to […]

septic tank

Septic tanks affected in SWFL after Hurricane Ian

Septic tanks are all over our community, and many WINK News viewers may have a septic tank at their homes and not even realize it. And because they’re underground, if they get damaged, it could dramatically affect the water quality in Southwest Florida. WINK News spoke with the Southwest Environmental Septic Service, who said, “Everything […]

Habitat For Humanity first home wall-raising since Hurricane Ian

Habitat For Humanity is still, despite Hurricane Ian, helping families find homes through its affordable homeownership program. Volunteers with Pelican Landing and The Colony in Bonita Springs came out and helped future homeowners Itzel Garcia and Jorge Mong as they raised the walls to see their future home. “I’m very grateful, I mean, it’s a […]

WINK News ride along as Hurricane Ian debris cleanup continues in Lee County

WINK News was allowed to ride along as crews went out in Lee County to clean up the mess Hurricane Ian left behind. The site has already handled 3,000,000 cubic yards of debris. And it’s not just from Lee County, surrounding cities have contributed a fair amount to the pile. CrowderGulf project manager, Barry Lund, […]

Removal of shrimp boats begins near Fort Myers Beach waters

Shrimp boats that were damaged during Hurricane Ian were removed from San Carlos Island on Friday. It was a bittersweet moment for shrimpers who could finally see just how badly they were damaged. The first boat, the Double E, was finally lifted after being thrown onto its side during Hurricane Ian. Wayne Romano has worked […]

What is and isn’t allowed at voting sites?

There are just four days left to submit your ballot for the 2022 Election. WINK News has received a lot of questions about what is and isn’t allowed at voting sites. One of them was from Lori in North Fort Myers, who emailed WINK News and said she saw “an old beater can in the […]

Suspects steal U-Haul trailer from North Fort Myers storage facility

Deputies are looking for unknown suspects who stole a U-Haul trailer from a storage facility in North Fort Myers on Oct. 23. According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, a U-Haul trailer was taken from iStorage Self Storage at 14251 N. Cleveland Ave. by the suspects/vehicle depicted in a surveillance video posted to the Southwest […]

Deputies looking for 2 men involved in shooting at Shores Bar & Grill

Deputies are looking for two men they say were involved in an early Saturday morning shooting at Shores Bar & Grill in Fort Myers Shores. According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the two men were caught on video leaving Shores Bar & Grill, located at 12156 Palm Beach Blvd., on motorcycles. LCSO did not […]

Dispossessed island residents ask when, if FEMA housing will arrive

A woman who rode out Hurricane Ian on Matlacha while her home in St. James City flooded now lives in a tent on her front lawn, and she is one of several blaming FEMA for dragging its feet on providing temporary housing for people in affected areas. “Foam mattresses that you get at Costco; it […]