FORT MYERS Phase 2: $1 billion RSW expansion project begins The Lee County Port Authority will begin Southwest Florida International Airport’s Terminal Expansion Phase 2, a more than $1 billion project.
PUNTA GORDA Sen. Rick Scott to survey damage in Charlotte County Florida Sen. Rick Scott is set to visit Charlotte County, receive a briefing on Hurricane Helene, and survey the damage.
The Weather Authority The Weather Authority: Scattered rain and storms return for your Tuesday The Weather Authority is tracking rain and storms throughout this Tuesday afternoon and into your evening commute.
PUNTA GORDA Punta Gorda man dies after fire is sparked by Helene’s flooding Hurricane Helene was not kind to Charlotte County, and on Monday night, people are picking up the pieces and grieving the loss of a neighbor.
SANIBEL Sanibel businesses work to recover after Helene There’s no “Going back to normal” on Sanibel after Ian, but Helene isn’t stopping people as they work towards a “New normal.”
MATLACHA Sisters fly to Matlacha to help father rebuild after Hurricane Helene’s destruction Hurricane Helene has affected people not just in southwest Florida but also people across the country.
Recovery efforts at Sugar Sand Beach RV Resort Almost everyone on Matlacha and Pine Island is focused on the same thing: Recovery.
MANASOTA KEY Cleaning up Manasota Key after Helene Hurricane Helene caused severe flooding that seemed to spare no one on Manasota Key. Two families share their cleanup stories with WINK News.
PUNTA GORDA Historic District in Punta Gorda recovering after Helene So much of Southwest Florida continues to recover in the aftermath of Helene, especially in areas on the coast.
Florida Blue and NCH reach an agreement Naples Comprehensive Health (NCH) and Florida Blue have until midnight on Monday to reach a deal on a new contract.
Fort Myers Beach cleans up after Helene For many, Fort Myers Beach has been the epicenter of hope and recovery after Ian. Now people are looking back at the island town again after Hurricane Helene.
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 Phase 2: $1 billion RSW expansion project begins The Lee County Port Authority will begin Southwest Florida International Airport’s Terminal Expansion Phase 2, a more than $1 billion project.
PUNTA GORDA Sen. Rick Scott to survey damage in Charlotte County Florida Sen. Rick Scott is set to visit Charlotte County, receive a briefing on Hurricane Helene, and survey the damage.
The Weather Authority The Weather Authority: Scattered rain and storms return for your Tuesday The Weather Authority is tracking rain and storms throughout this Tuesday afternoon and into your evening commute.
PUNTA GORDA Punta Gorda man dies after fire is sparked by Helene’s flooding Hurricane Helene was not kind to Charlotte County, and on Monday night, people are picking up the pieces and grieving the loss of a neighbor.
SANIBEL Sanibel businesses work to recover after Helene There’s no “Going back to normal” on Sanibel after Ian, but Helene isn’t stopping people as they work towards a “New normal.”
MATLACHA Sisters fly to Matlacha to help father rebuild after Hurricane Helene’s destruction Hurricane Helene has affected people not just in southwest Florida but also people across the country.
Recovery efforts at Sugar Sand Beach RV Resort Almost everyone on Matlacha and Pine Island is focused on the same thing: Recovery.
MANASOTA KEY Cleaning up Manasota Key after Helene Hurricane Helene caused severe flooding that seemed to spare no one on Manasota Key. Two families share their cleanup stories with WINK News.
PUNTA GORDA Historic District in Punta Gorda recovering after Helene So much of Southwest Florida continues to recover in the aftermath of Helene, especially in areas on the coast.
Florida Blue and NCH reach an agreement Naples Comprehensive Health (NCH) and Florida Blue have until midnight on Monday to reach a deal on a new contract.
Fort Myers Beach cleans up after Helene For many, Fort Myers Beach has been the epicenter of hope and recovery after Ian. Now people are looking back at the island town again after Hurricane Helene.
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.
Airports are busy now, as travelers are flying for the holidays, but with safety precautions ramped up. The need for hand sanitizer, for instance, has led to relaxed regulations on the amount of fluids passengers can bring aboard a plane: Instead of only being able to take on small bottles, you can now bring a larger 12 oz. bottle. The American Automobile Association says more families tend to use these last two weeks of the year for longer vacations, but that may not be the case in 2020. The travel agency projects 3 million Floridians will travel by airline, a 4.5 million passenger decline from the end of 2019. Still, the airports and highways are expected to be busier than normal, as many are seemingly willing to take their chances catching or spreading the virus despite hygienic safeguards in order to reconnect with loved ones. “It was definitely a sense of ‘are things open?'” said traveler Alexa Hash. “And then a sense of ‘has it calmed down enough?’ Essentially it’s not going to be completely over, because it is a pandemic, but you definitely can’t stay away for too long. I know it sucks, but… I honestly don’t know, I really want to go home. I want to see them, to be honest.” Doctors and medical experts continue to stress wearing your mask and social distancing, if you feel you must travel.
Pfizer and BioNTech will supply the U.S. with an additional 100 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine under a new agreement. The drugmakers said Wednesday that they expect to deliver all the doses by July 31. Pfizer already has a contract to supply the government with 100 million doses of its vaccine. Pfizer’s vaccine was the first to gain approval from the Food and Drug Administration and initial shipments went to states last week. It has now been joined by a vaccine from Moderna, which was developed in closer cooperation with scientists from the National Institutes of Health. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below: The U.S. government is close to a deal to acquire tens of millions of additional doses of Pfizer’s vaccine in exchange for helping the pharmaceutical giant gain better access to manufacturing supplies. A person with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the deal is under discussion and could be finalized shortly. The person spoke on condition of anonymity to describe ongoing deliberations. Pfizer’s vaccine was the first to gain approval from the Food and Drug Administration and initial shipments went to states last week. It has now been joined by a vaccine from Moderna, which was developed in closer cooperation with scientists from the National Institutes of Health. Moderna’s vaccine comes under the umbrella of the government’s own effort, which is called Operation Warp Speed. That public-private endeavor was designed to have millions of vaccine doses ready and available to ship once a shot received FDA approval. But another deal with Pfizer would move the nation closer to the goal of vaccinating all Americans. A law dating back to the Korean War gives the government authority to direct private companies to produce critical goods in times of national emergency. Called the Defense Production Act, it’s expected to be invoked to help Pfizer secure some raw materials needed for its vaccine. Pfizer already has a contract to supply the government with 100 million doses of its vaccine under Operation Warp Speed, but government officials have said it’s more of an arms-length relationship with the company and they don’t have as much visibility into its operations. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said last week that the government was negotiating with Pfizer for more doses, but details provided Tuesday about the company’s desire for better access to supplies are new. Earlier, U.S. officials had said they were discussing the purchase of another 100 million doses of Pfizer vaccine for delivery as early as the middle of next year. Those details and timing may have changed. Pfizer said in a statement that “we continue to work collaboratively with the U.S. government to get doses of our COVID-19 vaccine to as many Americans as possible. The company is not able to comment on any confidential discussions that may be taking place with the U.S. government.” The vaccine from Pfizer and German pharmaceutical BioNTech immediately raised hopes of taming a pandemic that has killed nearly 320,000 people in the U.S. and hobbled much of the national economy. Health care workers and nursing home residents topped the list as local TV stations across the country began broadcasting scenes of the first vaccinations. Some polls show skepticism about getting vaccinated may be easing. After early failures with testing, Trump administration officials are hoping to write a very different ending with vaccines. Operation Warp Speed has financed the development, manufacture and distribution of millions of doses, with the goal of providing a free vaccine to any American who wants one. Operation Warp Speed is on track to have about 40 million doses of vaccine by the end of this month, of which about 20 million would be allocated for first vaccinations. Distribution of those doses would span into the first week of January. Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two shots to be fully effective. The New York Times first reported the new details of negotiations between Pfizer and the Trump administration.
A man died after crashing his SUV Tuesday afternoon. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the 32-year-old Cape Coral man was traveling northbound on the inside lane of US-41 around 4:20 p.m. when his SUV traveled off the roadway to the right, colliding with a traffic barrel and traveling over an embankment. It then collided with a dirt pile on the shoulder of the road and became airborne. The SUV landed in a ditch east of US-41. The driver was transported to a local area hospital in critical condition. He was pronounced dead late that same night. The Florida Highway Patrol no longer releases the names of those involved in crashes, citing Marsy’s Law.
Technology helped nab a man who is accused of exposing himself to a jogger. Monday, Naples Police Department arrested Michael McLean for exposing himself. Police say they were able to catch him after reviewing recordings from traffic cameras. According to NPD, police responded to the area of Anchor Rode Drive and Crayton Road. McLean was previously arrested for indecent exposure in South Carolina, and there are other cases linked to him in other states for the same thing. “My wife sometimes walks the dogs by herself too, and that’s ridiculous,” Steve Buth said. Buth has lived in the Moorings area of Naples for 14 years and says this could have all too easily happened to his wife. “Goes right along with the whole year, just a bizarre year,” Buth said. According to NPD, a woman was running along the road when she noticed a man driving by. He pulled up to the woman and asked her, “which way was downtown.” That’s when investigators say the victim noticed McLean did not have any pants on and was touching himself before he drove away. Traffic cameras helped police track down the suspect. Police reviewed them to find the car involved, and a few days later the license plate recognition cameras caught McLean in the same area. “It’s good to hear that sometimes things like that work out, you know?” Buth said. McLean is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday.
It’s been a tough year for many trying to make ends meet. With Christmas days away, families are still trying to put food on the table. There were long lines at Community Cooperative’s mobile food pantry in Lehigh Acres Tuesday. It meant close to 400 families would be able to put a Christmas dinner on the table Friday. Community Cooperative packed two trunks full of food, but the need was so great, that wasn’t enough to feed all the families in the drive-thru line that stretched all around Veterans Park. More than nine months since the pandemic started, food pantry lines still have high demand. The Community Cooperative event was no exception. “A lot of them are having a hard time, lost their jobs, are short on money this year,” said Rebecca Busby, a food programs manager for Community Cooperative. Families in need waited in this line. The line stretched as far as the eye could see. “It’s been about the same all year round,” Busby said. “Since we started bumping up our mobile food pantries in July since COVID, it’s been staying pretty steady through the year. We are feeding — we used to do 1,000 families a month. Now, we’re doing at [3,000] to 4,000 a month.” Community Cooperative volunteers such as Riley Newburg picked up turkeys, onions and tomatoes for those waiting in line and packed them into the cars of families. “It was nice to help people who needed food who can’t get it,” Newburg said. “It’s a part of giving,” Matt Newburg said. “The holidays are just a part of helping other people to not go hungry.” Hundreds of families experiencing food insecurity were helped for the holidays, but some still left without. “It is typical to run out of food here in Lehigh, Matt Newburg said. “The Lehigh and Cape Coral locations are usually line down for miles and miles, and usually, we can’t even get to the end of the line, especially this month,” Busby said. The event in Lehigh Acres was the last food pantry for the year through the Community Cooperative in the area. The organization’s mobile food pantries kick back up Jan. 8, 2021 in Cape Coral. Community Cooperative seeks volunteers for Meals on Wheels With the growing need for meals to be delivered to homebound neighbors who can’t shop or cook for themselves, Community Cooperative has returned its Meals on Wheels services to five days per week and seeks volunteer drivers to serve throughout Lee County. Anyone interested in helping, how to donate or to learn about volunteer requirements and opportunities can visit the Community Cooperative website. For information about volunteering for Meals on Wheels, you can call 239-337-1055.
Saturday, Cape Coral Police Department arrested suspect Christopher Logan Fritz, 49, after he was accused of trying to break into two homes in Cape Coral. According to CCPD, police were in the 700 block of SE 35th Street near Country Club Boulevard in Cape Coral, where neighbors reported a man banging on homes and trying to get inside them. Christopher Logan Fritz, 49. Credit: Lee County Sheriff’s Office. A homeowner, who did not want to interview on camera, told us he woke up to noise, thinking it was an animal knocking on the glass door to his lanai and walked out to find a man with a bloody gash on his face on the other side trying to get in. He and his fellow neighbors were shocked to learn the man accused of doing it lived a few houses down from them. The homeowner told us he went and got his gun when he saw the bloodied man on the other side of his glass door. The neighbor says, when the suspect saw the gun, he put his hands up until police arrested him. Neighbor Michael Phelps was unsettled to learn about Fritz’s arrest, activity uncommon for the neighborhood. “I know the gentleman. I’ve talk to him several times, seems like an all-right guy,” Phelps said. “It kind of disturbed me because, you know, I’ve been here for 18 years. It’s a quiet neighborhood. We don’t have stuff like this.” Police say Fritz tried to get into another home on the same street before they arrested him. The victims say he was banging on their glass door bloody and partially naked. Phelps said he was at work Saturday night, but he believes Fritz also tried to get into his home while his wife was asleep. “My wife had told me that somebody tried to get in our front door, and of course, my dog was going crazy on him, and she was in the back room,” Phelps said. “She heard the door slam, so she knew it was somebody.” A neighbor’s security camera caught police searching the area with flashlights around the time of the reported burglaries. Neighbors in the area say they are not used to police activity where they live, so they hope this is the last time something like this happens. “When something like this happens, it worries you,” Phelps said. “It worries you about the state of what’s going on around here.” “I’m sure it’s out of the ordinary because it doesn’t sound like anybody that would do something like that all of the time,” neighbor Kathy Mullen said. Neighbors told us Fritz moved into the neighborhood a few months ago from Kentucky. They think he was drunk when he tried breaking in. Investigators say Fritz had a gun with him at the time and a concealed carry license for Kentucky. Fritz bonded out of jail and faces two counts of armed burglary and a charge for criminal mischief (damaging property over $200, under $1,000).
A day after a deal was made, President Donald Trump tweeted a video Tuesday addressing the $900 billion COVID-19 relief package passed by Congress. He says he does not accept the contents of the legislation and asks Congress to send him a “suitable bill.” “Among the 5,000 pages in this bill, which nobody in Congress has read because of its length and complexity,” Trump said in the video. “It’s called the COVID relief bill, but it has almost nothing to do with COVID.” The president said he was unhappy with the $600 that will reportedly be allocated for Americans who will receive stimulus checks. “I’m asking Congress to amend this bill and increase the ridiculously low $600 to $2,000 or $4,000 for a couple,” Trump said. pic.twitter.com/v9Rdjz6DNu — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 23, 2020 The president detailed the millions to billions of dollars allocated for individual foreign countries in the relief package, sharing his displeasure with Congress. He went on to express unhappiness for how restaurants in the country were treated in relation to the stimulus package. “Despite all this wasteful spending and much more, the $900 billion package provides hardworking tax payers with only $600 each in relief payments, and not enough money is given to small businesses and in particular restaurants, whose owners have suffered so grievously,” Trump said. “They were only given a deduction for others in business in restaurants for two years. This two-year period must be withdrawn, which will allow the owners to obtain financing and get their restaurants back in condition.” The president also said Congress took “forever” to agree on this second stimulus deal, blaming Democrats for blocking legislation during negotiations in the summer and said it was, “in effort to advance their extreme left-wing agenda and influence the election.” “The bill they are now planning to send to my desk is much different than anticipated,” Trump said. “It really is a disgrace.” At the end of the recorded speech, the president said he wants Congress to revise the legislation and suggests his administration could be the one to carry it out when it’s re-submitted. “I’m also asking Congress to immediately get rid of the wasteful and unnecessary items from this legislation and to send me a suitable bill, or else the next administration will have to deliver a COVID relief package,” Trump said. “And maybe that administration will be me, and we will get it done.” In a retweet of President Trump’s video, Speaker Nancy Pelosi responded and blamed Republicans for lack of communication about stimulus money for the reason behind the $600 amount. She said she agrees with his wishes to see a higher amount for individual stimulus money to Americans and is ready to agree to $2,000 by “unanimous consent.” Republicans repeatedly refused to say what amount the President wanted for direct checks. At last, the President has agreed to $2,000 — Democrats are ready to bring this to the Floor this week by unanimous consent. Let’s do it! https://t.co/Th4sztrpLV — Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) December 23, 2020 MORE: CNN – READ: Text of the new $900 billion stimulus bill CBS News – What’s in the $900 billion coronavirus relief bill passed by Congress?
Florida Senator Rick Scott voted no on the $900 billion COVID-19 relief bill, which includes checks for you and help for small businesses. But Scott says the bill is full of wasteful spending and handouts. It’s not a secret that businesses and people everywhere are hurting due to the economic impacts COVID-19 has caused. But, some local lawmakers do not believe a $900 billion bill is the answer. Representative Spencer Roach calls the bill an insult. “This bill is an insult to the American people. and really encapsulates everything that is broken and out of touch with Washington D.C.,” he said. Senator Rick Scott was one of only six Senators who voted no on the stimulus package Monday night. This is a move that State Representative Roach and Representative Byron Donalds support. “There’s no possible way you can go through a 6,000-page bill and really know all the details that are in this monstrosity,” said Rep. Donalds. “Instead of focusing on a relief package, they played politics by trying to jam in pet projects that sacrifice the needs of Americans and put the interest of foreign nations first,” said State Rep. Roach. Those pet projects include funding two new Smithsonian Museums, $2.5 billion for the Space Force and rules about misusing emblems of Smoky Bear. State Representative Bob Rommel says that it is a disgrace. “When you add in money to other countries, billions and billions of dollars to other countries on the back of hardworking Americans, it’s a disgrace,” Rommel said. “You just cant spend money like drunken sailors and fund every program that you think is a worthy cause when the most worthy thing is Americans’ health and Americans getting back to work,” said State Rep. Rummel. The bill does include $600 stimulus payments for most Americans along with other aid for businesses, who were also hit hard by the pandemic. Senator Marco Rubio was one of the bill’s backers and said this money should have been available weeks ago.
The U.S. Postal Service is asking everyone to be patient during the holidays, as it navigates shipping delays across the country. This includes a warning holiday gifts are at risk of arriving late for Christmas. Some USPS employees are working almost 70 to 80 hours a week to get loved ones their gifts on time. But the people we spoke to Tuesday say delays don’t bother them. “We typically don’t see lines on December 22,” said Robert Rhoad, a customer relations coordinator at the Page Field post office. This year was different as many people send off last minute presents. Many said they know, realistically, gifts they are sending won’t make it Christmas Day. “We did send it priority, so it’ll arrive on Monday. Close enough,” said Barbara Carlson, who visited the post office to send her great nieces and nephews gifts. Across the country, Santa’s helpers hustle to reach their goal. They prepare all year for this. “It’s like our Super Bowl,” Rhoad said. The pandemic has made the holidays different for all. “It’s not real safe to go home. Our family is not gathering, so this is the alternative,” Carlson said. There are more mailed presents than ever this year, so when you add in issues they’re seeing with transportation and staffing, USPS says delays are inevitable. “It’s something that’s happening systemically to all packing industries and all shipping industries right now,” Rhoad said. People might be stuck shopping online and talking via Zoom this year, but they say it’s necessary so next year will be brighter. “With everything going on this year, just the fact that we can even come to the post office and mail out to gift, I think is exciting,” said Morgan Samuels, who visited the post office to mail a personalized painting to her friend. The good news is, if you waited to the last minute to send gifts, you still have time. If you go to the post office Wednesday you can get priority mail express next-day shipping. It’s guaranteed to make it under the tree before Santa does, but prepare to pay.