High School Football Scoreboard Week 6 Hurricane Helene couldn’t keep all the Friday night lights off in Southwest Florida. Week 6 was a loaded slate included a classic in the WINK News Game of the Week.
BONITA SPRINGS Bonita Springs begins clean up operations On Friday, the Department of Transportation pushed sand off the road on Hickory Island after Hurricane Helene ripped through
MANASOTA KEY Manasota woman recovers after home destroyed by Helene Whipping winds – the sound of Hurricane Helene ripping through Manasota Key, as swells smashed into the island. Even so, Marsha Viglianco stayed to watch from her back porch.
El Jobean residents fighting to recover from Helene In Charlotte County, people living in El Jobean are in recovery mode Friday night. Many were flooded out of their homes, and now they’re figuring out their next steps.
NAPLES Restoration efforts begin in the aftermath of Helene in Collier County Helene gave Naples Beach flash flooding a debris Thursday night.
PUNTA GORDA Punta Gorda couple deals with flooding after Helene A Punta Gorda couple is recovering as the storm surge from Helene went through their dream home.
DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS Flooding affects business in downtown Fort Myers In downtown Fort Myers, the streets may be drying up, but for one business owner on Bay Street, the true struggle is just getting started.
BONITA SPRINGS Damage in Bonita Springs from Helene It seems like nearly every place on the water was left with significant damage. In Bonita Springs, storm surge pushed into the city.
FORT MYERS BEACH Closer look at rescue operations during Helene All across Southwest Florida, we saw stories of bravery and selflessness during Helene.
DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS Neighbors hit with flooding in Dean Park community On Friday, roads in downtown Fort Myers were fairly dry. It’s a stark contrast to Thursday night’s storm surge caused by the outer bands of Hurricane Helene.
ESTERO ISLAND Precautionary boil water notice issued for parts of Estero Island A precautionary water boil notice has been issued for Estero Island on Friday.
SANIBEL Helene aftermath in Sanibel While much of the water has receded, the Sanibel Causeway was closed for several hours Friday morning because city crews were trying to clean up the flooding and debris.
LEE COUNTY WINK News Player of the Week: Riverdale RB Cole Hayes Riverdale running back Cole Hayes rushed for 336 yards and five touchdowns against Cypress Lake to be named the WINK News Player of the Week.
Matlacha resident on difficult road to recovery after Helene Matlacha residents are recovering from Helene’s storm surge on Thursday.
FORT MYERS BEACH Neighbors begin to clean up after flooding on Fort Myers Beach Waking up Friday morning, Fort Myers Beach neighbors had deja vu. The site of debris, the sound of alarms and the unmistakable smell of mud brought back memories of Hurricane Ian.
High School Football Scoreboard Week 6 Hurricane Helene couldn’t keep all the Friday night lights off in Southwest Florida. Week 6 was a loaded slate included a classic in the WINK News Game of the Week.
BONITA SPRINGS Bonita Springs begins clean up operations On Friday, the Department of Transportation pushed sand off the road on Hickory Island after Hurricane Helene ripped through
MANASOTA KEY Manasota woman recovers after home destroyed by Helene Whipping winds – the sound of Hurricane Helene ripping through Manasota Key, as swells smashed into the island. Even so, Marsha Viglianco stayed to watch from her back porch.
El Jobean residents fighting to recover from Helene In Charlotte County, people living in El Jobean are in recovery mode Friday night. Many were flooded out of their homes, and now they’re figuring out their next steps.
NAPLES Restoration efforts begin in the aftermath of Helene in Collier County Helene gave Naples Beach flash flooding a debris Thursday night.
PUNTA GORDA Punta Gorda couple deals with flooding after Helene A Punta Gorda couple is recovering as the storm surge from Helene went through their dream home.
DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS Flooding affects business in downtown Fort Myers In downtown Fort Myers, the streets may be drying up, but for one business owner on Bay Street, the true struggle is just getting started.
BONITA SPRINGS Damage in Bonita Springs from Helene It seems like nearly every place on the water was left with significant damage. In Bonita Springs, storm surge pushed into the city.
FORT MYERS BEACH Closer look at rescue operations during Helene All across Southwest Florida, we saw stories of bravery and selflessness during Helene.
DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS Neighbors hit with flooding in Dean Park community On Friday, roads in downtown Fort Myers were fairly dry. It’s a stark contrast to Thursday night’s storm surge caused by the outer bands of Hurricane Helene.
ESTERO ISLAND Precautionary boil water notice issued for parts of Estero Island A precautionary water boil notice has been issued for Estero Island on Friday.
SANIBEL Helene aftermath in Sanibel While much of the water has receded, the Sanibel Causeway was closed for several hours Friday morning because city crews were trying to clean up the flooding and debris.
LEE COUNTY WINK News Player of the Week: Riverdale RB Cole Hayes Riverdale running back Cole Hayes rushed for 336 yards and five touchdowns against Cypress Lake to be named the WINK News Player of the Week.
Matlacha resident on difficult road to recovery after Helene Matlacha residents are recovering from Helene’s storm surge on Thursday.
FORT MYERS BEACH Neighbors begin to clean up after flooding on Fort Myers Beach Waking up Friday morning, Fort Myers Beach neighbors had deja vu. The site of debris, the sound of alarms and the unmistakable smell of mud brought back memories of Hurricane Ian.
The Cape Coral Economic Development Office reveals that there are six new medical offices planned to go up in that area. These long-awaited projects will help Cape Coral residents find more convenient care. On the corner of Kismet Parkway and Del Prado Boulevard, construction crews are building a new medical clinic. Catherine Allen of North Fort Myers says, it’s about time. “I know that when people go to the emergency room they have to wait forever,” said Allen. Cape Coral’s Economic Development Manager, Ricardo Noguera said that the construction marks the beginning of a medical building boom, of sorts. It’s just one of six new medical offices set to open in Cape Coral. “We are now at 200,000 people. We are more than double the population of Fort Myers so the medical community is taking note and they’re realizing do I want my folks to continue crossing that bridge or do I want to come to my folks? And they’re now coming,” said Noguera. Noguera says he will continue to fight the good fight and get even more medical facilities to come to the area. Encompass Health is set to open on Pine Island Road. The 80-room inpatient rehab hospital will be the first of its kind in Cape Coral. Annie Grove lives in Cape Coral and says they need more full-service hospitals. “I think they’re always needed, extra hospitals, especially with the older generation here,” Grove said. The city projects that all six of the new medical facilities could be open by as early as 2021.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected Republicans’ last-gasp bid to reverse Pennsylvania’s certification of President-elect Joe Biden’s victory in the electoral battleground. The court without comment refused to call into question the certification process in Pennsylvania. Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf already has certified Biden’s victory and the state’s 20 electors are to meet on Dec. 14 to cast their votes for Biden. Biden won 306 electoral votes, so even if Pennsylvania’s results had been in doubt, he still would have more than the 270 electoral votes needed to become president. Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly of northwestern Pennsylvania and other plaintiffs pleaded with the justices to intervene after the state Supreme Court turned away their case. The Republicans argued that Pennsylvania’s expansive vote-by-mail law is unconstitutional because it required a constitutional amendment to authorize its provisions. Biden beat President Donald Trump by more than 80,000 votes in Pennsylvania, a state Trump had won in 2016. Most mail-in ballots were submitted by Democrats. The state’s high court said the plaintiffs waited too long to file the challenge and noted the Republicans’ staggering demand that an entire election be overturned retroactively. In the underlying lawsuit, Kelly and the other Republican plaintiffs had sought to either throw out the 2.5 million mail-in ballots submitted under the law or to wipe out the election results and direct the state’s Republican-controlled Legislature to pick Pennsylvania’s presidential electors.
A Cape Coral woman is behind bars, accused of fraudulently using someone else’s credit card. Police asked the public on Sept. 8 to help them identify the woman after they said she used the credit card at a Walmart. Police asked the public on Sept. 8 to help them identify the woman after they said she used the credit card at a Walmart. (Credit: Provided by CCPD) “Within minutes, she was identified by numerous tipsters as Laken Marie Musker,” police said Tuesday. Musker, 20, faces charges of fraudulent use of a credit card and fraud – using the identity of another person. She also faces charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, and resisting without violence. Musker is currently at the Lee County Jail. No bond amount has been set. Jail records show Musker had previously been arrested three times in Lee County, mostly on drug-related charges.
Buying used designer bags can save you big bucks. But make sure you don’t fall for a scam and receive a fake product. Picking out fakes can be hit or miss, though. Jennifer Johnson owns True Fashionista in Naples. “They are knocked off really well and other times very poorly,” said Johnson. True Fashionistas is a store that sells secondhand luxury goods. “We have a lot of customers who come in here and they would never think to go to the regular retail store to buy a luxury bag because they know they can come here most likely find a bag that’s still at the store,” said Johnson. She has to make sure that the goods they sell are good to go. She usually starts with the stitching. “The stitching should be straight there shouldn’t be a lot of jagged edges it shouldn’t be in zig-zag pattern it should be straight,” Johnson said. Next, check the lining. “Every bag is a little bit different some have a canvas lining some have like an alcantra lining, which is a different fabric,” she said. But it shouldn’t feel like plastic. Also, make sure to look for details. On a Louis Vuitton, search for a serial number. With Gucci, Johnson says one side of the “u” should be wider than the other. Many Chanel products come with a hologram tag. Finally, she uses a top-secret tool to confirm that it is real. If you want to buy privately from someone in Southwest Florida, True Fashionistas will authenticate your bag using that tool and provide you with a certificate.
A Charlotte County man is facing charges after his 1-year-old son drowned in the family’s pool in October. Deputies on Oct. 3 arrived at the home in Deep Creek to find a boy unresponsive after falling into the family pool. They attempted to save the child who was then taken to the hospital, where he later died. “He’s going to have to live with that for the rest of his life,” Barry Bean said. While at the home, deputies say they noticed an overwhelming smell of marijuana. Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office said the child’s mother went to work and the father, Shahzad Nazir Sayed Sr., 26, knowingly went to sleep, leaving the two kids unattended. One of the children was able to open a door to the home and access the pool, where there were no pool safety devices. “Honestly, he should have been awake watching his kid,” Charles Zuza said. “It’s sad how are you just going to let your 1-year-old walk out of the house?” Zuza said. Deputies obtained a video they say shows Sayed conducting drug transactions in front of the children. “That is an absolute tragedy for something like that to happen to somebody that didn’t even have a chance to start their life,” Bean said. Deputies also found narcotics in the common areas of the house and video clips that showed what the father was doing with them. The investigation and the video clips also showed there was no baby gate around the doors or near the pool, which investigators believe could have saved the baby’s life. “The children were able to manipulate and open and access the doors, which ultimately led to this tragic incident,” said Det. Cody Forbus in a CCSO video release. Sayed was taken into custody Tuesday on the following charges: Aggravated manslaughter of a child; Child neglect (2 counts); Possession of a place with knowledge of manufacture of a controlled substance, minor present or residing therein; Possession of a controlled substance; Possession of cannabis over 20 grams; and Possession of paraphernalia.
It’s hard to believe there are only 17 days until Christmas! More and more people are shopping online this year to avoid the coronavirus, but shopping online doesn’t come without risks. The scammers are out there and with people home more during the pandemic, shoppers are spending more time and more money online. Online shopping is expected to be up nearly 50% this year, which means the risks of identity theft will also increase. The Florida Attorney General’s Office is on the lookout and released a guide to protecting yourself while shopping online during the holiday season. “Always be cautious when people ask for your secure financial data, make sure that you are not freely giving out your Social Security number,” said Attorney General Ashley Moody. “If you do have a password, make sure it has many characters, number, symbols – this will help guard against simplistic passwords that are easier to guess or use during identity theft.” Scammers will try and trick you with fake websites, deals too good to be true, exclusive deals to get hard-to-find products, and many others. The goal is always to separate you from your money – and even your identity. Here are some steps you should take to protect yourself: Check the URL in the address bar and look for the lock; Keep electronic receipts; Check gift cards for expiration dates; Confirm charity sites; and Never provide banking information or personal information. With increases in online shopping, the risk is there from the ordering to the delivery to even the returns. Stay on top of your purchases to stay safe. RESOURCES Moody’s Holiday Consumer Protection Guide (pdf) | En español FTC: Hawking in a Winter Wonderland
A sign is now posted next to one of the beach access points on Captiva warning of possible exposure symptoms. This comes as red tide was found just under five miles from the coast. Those who live and vacation on Captiva say it’s hard to beat the weather there this time of year. Chris Neal is visiting from St. Louis. “It feels great. It’s windy. It’s cool,” said Neal. But now, Red Tide is out in the gulf. “I do have some seasonal allergies and a little bit of seasonal asthma, but I haven’t noticed anything,” Neal said. The Lee County Health Department posted a cautionary sign to alert beachgoers at South Seas Plantation Beach access to some of the symptoms they could possibly experience. Mike Parsons is a Marine Science Professor at FGCU’s Water School. “We don’t fully understand when and why they start, otherwise we would be predicting and forecasting them better,” Parsons said. Parsons keeps a close eye on Red Tide blooms and says we have even more to learn. “The other part is we don’t really know how they end,” he said. It’s also too soon to know how long the algae will stick around. “It was a fairly dry year this year considering we didn’t have huge amounts of rain, we did have some,” said Parsons. “And we of course had the Caloosahatchee discharges this past month, so there are some nutrients coming in from runoff and things like that that may help sustain it.” Now we just have to wait and see what the tide brings. If you want to check the latest Red Tide or explore our water challenges and solutions head to our webpage devoted to water quality.
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office now says a man and two women were found dead inside a home in an upscale Bonita Springs community Monday, and their deaths have been ruled a murder-suicide. Original LCSO reports said two people were dead inside the home. Investigators were taking photos all day Tuesday at the home on Harbor Cove Court in Bonita Bay, which is heavily gated and has multiple guards. From across the Imperial River, behind the home, crime scene technicians could be seen working. First responders went to the home Monday at about 12:30 p.m. for a call about a cardiac arrest and found a man dead from a gunshot wound to the head. They called deputies, who then found two women dead in the home. The identities of the deceased have not been released, but the woman who owns the home is a Naples attorney. WINK News emailed the law firm, which replied they can’t comment “for the family’s privacy.”
Thousands of students are struggling to learn in The School District of Lee County. Seventy percent of students in the Lee Home Connect program are not meeting standards, so the District is pushing for those students to go back to in-person learning to get their grades up. The District is calling all families of students in the program to encourage them to go back to brick-and-mortar classrooms at the start of 2021. That’s 16,000 students who have been flagged for not getting good enough grades or being absent for more than seven days. Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered schools to make these calls in November. He said schools in Florida must reopen while calling their closure this spring a mistake. District spokesperson Rob Spicker says they are strongly encouraging struggling students to return to traditional face-to-face instruction, where they are more likely to be successful. “We know students learn best when they are in a classroom with the teacher and everybody is focused,” Spicker said. “And we are giving those students the opportunity to come back to campus, where we believe our safety protocols are working.” Parents can opt out of allowing their kids to return to the in-person classroom by signing a waiver. If students return to school, they could end up with a new schedule or teacher and must wear face mask and social distance. The deadline for parents of students in Lee County schools to change his or her learning options is Dec. 13 for the next semester.
A man appointed to a commission that recommends judicial appointments to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has resigned citing the search warrant served on a former Department of Health employee who has criticized the state’s COVID-19 data. Ron Filipowski announced his resignation from the 12th Circuit Judicial Nomination Commission on Twitter on Tuesday, saying a raid at the home of Rebekah Jones was unconscionable. Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement served the search warrant Monday, saying a computer at Jones’s home was used to hack the Department of Health. Jones refused to let agents in for 20 minutes, the department said. When she did open the door, a camera set up inside Jones’s home filmed the agents as they entered. She released the video on Twitter, though it only shows the first 31 seconds of the raid. Jones was fired in May. State records show she repeatedly violated department policy by speaking to the media without permission. She has questioned the state COVID-19 dashboard that she helped create and has since created her own. Filipowski, a Republican, has been a vocal opponent of President Donald Trump, who is a close DeSantis ally. He served on the commission that recommends judicial nominees for Sarasota, Manatee and Desoto counties. “I no longer wish to serve the current government of Florida in any capacity,” Filipowski said in his resignation letter. The governor’s office didn’t immediately comment on the resignation.