New details emerge confirming state investigation into Heritage Insurance Linemen get superhero sendoff as they help with Helene recovery
NORTH PORT New details emerge confirming state investigation into Heritage Insurance WINK News is breaking new details on a criminal investigation into an insurance company where customers claim they were left with wrecked homes after Ian and no money to rebuild.
LABELLE Linemen get superhero sendoff as they help with Helene recovery Local linemen get superhero sendoff as they head North to help with Helene recovery efforts in other states
FORT MYERS Man arrested after Fort Myers police confiscate nearly $1M and almost 700g of fentanyl The Fort Myers police department has arrested a man in connection with a large-scale drug operation.
PORT CHARLOTTE Animal shelter in Charlotte Harbor devastated by Helene is seeking support Dogs looking for homes have had their temporary home taken away by the storm surge of Hurricane Helene.
FORT MYERS Dean Park residents continue dealing with flooding issues after Helene Dean Park in Fort Myers looks different than it did a week ago. Couches, tables, mattresses, and an assortment of people’s possessions litter the neighborhood leftover from Hurricane Helene.
LEE COUNTY Heritage Farms community recovering from Hurricane Helene Just like Hurricane Ian, Hurricane Helene sent water into homes in the Heritage Farms community, sending people back into clean up mode.
FORT MYERS BEACH Cleaning up after Helene on Fort Myers Beach Hurricane Helene brought havoc to Florida, especially on Fort Myers Beach. Residents were forced to evacuate, and homes even flooded. It also triggered anxiety from Hurricane Ian.
SANIBEL Blind Pass Condominiums struggling after Helene It’s being considered a punch in the gut. Neighbors were almost finished recovering from Hurricane Ian when Hurricane Helene rolled by the coast.
Verizon customers affected by service outage Verizon Wireless is experiencing a widespread outage across the country that is affecting customers in Southwest Florida.
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) Supplies arrive by plane and mule to North Carolina as Helene death toll reaches 121 Desperate residents isolated by washed-out roads and the lack of power and cellular service in western North Carolina lined up Monday for fresh water and a chance to message loved ones that they were alive, days after Hurricane Helene tore through the Southeastern U.S. and killed more than 100 people.
FORT MYERS $1 billion RSW expansion project to begin Tuesday The Lee County Port Authority will begin Southwest Florida International Airport’s Terminal Expansion Phase 2, a more than $1 billion project.
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.
NAPLES ‘That was the last flight out of Fort Myers’; Local man airlifted to NCH for emergency surgery Hurricane or not, medical emergencies do not wait. A Lee County man learned that after being airlifted before Hurricane Helene to get life-or-death treatment at NCH in Naples
NAPLES Deputies searching for missing Collier County teen The Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Collier County Sheriff’s Office are searching for a teenager who was last seen in South Naples and reported missing a week ago.
NORTH FORT MYERS Shell Factory in North Fort Myers closes A landmark in the Southwest Florida community for decades has officially closed its doors over the weekend.
NORTH PORT New details emerge confirming state investigation into Heritage Insurance WINK News is breaking new details on a criminal investigation into an insurance company where customers claim they were left with wrecked homes after Ian and no money to rebuild.
LABELLE Linemen get superhero sendoff as they help with Helene recovery Local linemen get superhero sendoff as they head North to help with Helene recovery efforts in other states
FORT MYERS Man arrested after Fort Myers police confiscate nearly $1M and almost 700g of fentanyl The Fort Myers police department has arrested a man in connection with a large-scale drug operation.
PORT CHARLOTTE Animal shelter in Charlotte Harbor devastated by Helene is seeking support Dogs looking for homes have had their temporary home taken away by the storm surge of Hurricane Helene.
FORT MYERS Dean Park residents continue dealing with flooding issues after Helene Dean Park in Fort Myers looks different than it did a week ago. Couches, tables, mattresses, and an assortment of people’s possessions litter the neighborhood leftover from Hurricane Helene.
LEE COUNTY Heritage Farms community recovering from Hurricane Helene Just like Hurricane Ian, Hurricane Helene sent water into homes in the Heritage Farms community, sending people back into clean up mode.
FORT MYERS BEACH Cleaning up after Helene on Fort Myers Beach Hurricane Helene brought havoc to Florida, especially on Fort Myers Beach. Residents were forced to evacuate, and homes even flooded. It also triggered anxiety from Hurricane Ian.
SANIBEL Blind Pass Condominiums struggling after Helene It’s being considered a punch in the gut. Neighbors were almost finished recovering from Hurricane Ian when Hurricane Helene rolled by the coast.
Verizon customers affected by service outage Verizon Wireless is experiencing a widespread outage across the country that is affecting customers in Southwest Florida.
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) Supplies arrive by plane and mule to North Carolina as Helene death toll reaches 121 Desperate residents isolated by washed-out roads and the lack of power and cellular service in western North Carolina lined up Monday for fresh water and a chance to message loved ones that they were alive, days after Hurricane Helene tore through the Southeastern U.S. and killed more than 100 people.
FORT MYERS $1 billion RSW expansion project to begin Tuesday The Lee County Port Authority will begin Southwest Florida International Airport’s Terminal Expansion Phase 2, a more than $1 billion project.
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.
NAPLES ‘That was the last flight out of Fort Myers’; Local man airlifted to NCH for emergency surgery Hurricane or not, medical emergencies do not wait. A Lee County man learned that after being airlifted before Hurricane Helene to get life-or-death treatment at NCH in Naples
NAPLES Deputies searching for missing Collier County teen The Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Collier County Sheriff’s Office are searching for a teenager who was last seen in South Naples and reported missing a week ago.
NORTH FORT MYERS Shell Factory in North Fort Myers closes A landmark in the Southwest Florida community for decades has officially closed its doors over the weekend.
CLEWISTON Child found gun, accidentally killed sibling and injured self in Clewiston, DCF reports The Department of Children and Families has released information on a shooting in Clewiston that killed one child and injured another. According to DCF, the shooting was accidental where a 5-year-old sibling found a loaded weapon in a vehicle which discharged, fatally injuring their 4-year-old sibling. The shooting occurred on Friday in a Subway parking […]
WINK NEWS Fred: What you need to know For the latest weather update click here. All Tropical Storm Watches in SWFL have been canceled. Can’t find a copy of the WINK Hurricane Guide? You can download a copy here. LEE COUNTY Southwest Florida International Airport: As Fred approaches, you’ll want to confirm the status of your flight as the weather deteriorates. See the […]
FORT MYERS Studying storm surge and sea-level rise to plan for the future Floridians know the sight of sea-level rise all too well. It comes with crashing waves and rough seas. “Sea-level rise is something that’s happening at a global scale. We know that sea level is rising, we know that sea level has risen in the past. And we know that it’s going to continue to rise […]
HENDRY COUNTY Supporters of principal accused of paddling student show up to school board meeting Exclusive video of a 6-year-old paddled at Central Elementary School in Clewiston took center stage at The School Board of Hendry County meeting Tuesday night. Hendry County District Schools does not allow corporal punishment. Dozens of people showed up wearing “Central Strong” T-shirts and told us they supported the principal who was recorded paddling a […]
WINK NEWS Most Wanted Wednesday: We feature some of SWFL’s most wanted suspects; Oct. 27 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 […]
WINK NEWS Burn ban issued for Lee County A burn ban was issued Tuesday for all of Lee County. The ban will be in effect for 30 days and means there can be no open burning, including campfires, bonfires, trash burning, or fireworks. Bans are also in effect for Charlotte, Collier and Hendry counties.
CLEWISTON Demanding answers after 6-year-old paddled at Hendry County school There is a demand for answers from a school district in Southwest Florida that has been silent. A WINK News exclusive story has been seen on national news and around the world — a 6-year-old girl paddled by her principal as punishment at a Hendry County elementary school. The child’s mom told deputies it was […]
SOUTH FORT MYERS Joint task force nabs 27 accused drug traffickers and associates in SWFL The State Attorney’s Office hosted a joint press conference to announce a joint task force nabbed 27 accused drug traffickers and their associates in Southwest Florida in operation “WOOT-DE-WOOT”. Along with the arrests, approximately two pounds of Fentanyl, more than 1,000 grams of cocaine, almost $200,000 of cocaine, and many more drugs, along with $146,037 […]
FORT MYERS 2 drivers killed in Hendry County crash Two drivers died after their cars crashed in Hendry County early Tuesday. The Florida Highway Patrol says a car driven by a 24-year-old man from Naples was traveling south on SR-29, approaching Sears Road around 12:46 a.m., when he crossed into oncoming traffic and collided with a car driven by a 47-year-old man from Arcadia. […]
CLEWISTON A look at what’s next in the Hendry County school paddling case Hendry County District Schools has not released any information related to the student paddling at Central Elementary School in Clewiston since WINK News first reported about the video recording of it. We do know corporal punishment is banned in Hendry County school district schools. To get the perspective of a career educator, we spoke to […]