Senior Airman surprises cousin on Aubrey Rogers softball senior nightPolice: 15-year-old injured after accidentally shot in the leg
NORTH NAPLES Senior Airman surprises cousin on Aubrey Rogers softball senior night Aubrey Rogers senior pitcher and infielder McKenzie Vargas surprised by her Air Force cousin for Senior Night.
BONITA SPRINGS Police: 15-year-old injured after accidentally shot in the leg Lee County deputies say the teen was accidentally shot in the leg.
PUNTA GORDA Exclusive: Brother and best friend of accused pedophile priest speak out Riley’s brother reached out to WINK on Friday, saying people aren’t getting the full story.
IMMOKALEE Caught on video: Huge gator crosses Immokalee neighborhood Fridays in Florida are for gators
FORT MYERS FGCU softball pitcher making a name for herself One season in FGCU, freshman pitcher Allison Sparkman is already ruffling feathers in the circle.
Surrendering-pets trend at Gulf Coast Humane Society concerns An large amount of pets are being surrendered by their owners. About half of the dogs at the Gulf Coast Humane Society are surrender dogs.
Students benefitting from millions in sales tax dollars So far, the voter-approved half-cent sales tax has brought in $507 million for the Lee County School District.
PORT CHARLOTTE ‘Shady’: One woman feels misled after federal student loan consolidation It takes some people decades to pay off their student loans. One woman’s last payment was in sight until she took a gamble she said she was told to take.
FORT MYERS Homeless encampments inch closer to neighborhoods Law enforcement has swept multiple encampments, cleaning the trails of mess and muck left behind, and some of these encampments are right in our backyards.
BIG CYPRESS PRESERVE What changes if Big Cypress National Preserve becomes a Wilderness Area? America’s first nationally designated preserve is in Southwest Florida’s backyard, and it is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Method to treat IBD being used for other health issues Trying to get treatments for the brain when fighting neurological diseases like epilepsy and ALS is a challenge.
FORT MYERS NTSB report reveals new details in helicopter crash after Hurricane Ian The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its final report on a helicopter crash that occurred in Iona, Florida, shortly after Hurricane Ian.
NAPLES Memorial celebrates the life of John Passidomo Hundreds of friends and family gathered for a memorial at Baker Park in Naples.
‘Latinos in Action’ empowers all students to succeed WINK News talked with teachers who are a part of the program, helping kids reach their full potential.
Immokalee ‘The eyes always draw me in’; Immokalee portrait artist turns dark times into color One of Southwest Florida best portrait artist, Martha Maria Cantu, almost gave up art. Now she’s on the forefront of the city of Immokalee, to make her community filled with color.
NORTH NAPLES Senior Airman surprises cousin on Aubrey Rogers softball senior night Aubrey Rogers senior pitcher and infielder McKenzie Vargas surprised by her Air Force cousin for Senior Night.
BONITA SPRINGS Police: 15-year-old injured after accidentally shot in the leg Lee County deputies say the teen was accidentally shot in the leg.
PUNTA GORDA Exclusive: Brother and best friend of accused pedophile priest speak out Riley’s brother reached out to WINK on Friday, saying people aren’t getting the full story.
IMMOKALEE Caught on video: Huge gator crosses Immokalee neighborhood Fridays in Florida are for gators
FORT MYERS FGCU softball pitcher making a name for herself One season in FGCU, freshman pitcher Allison Sparkman is already ruffling feathers in the circle.
Surrendering-pets trend at Gulf Coast Humane Society concerns An large amount of pets are being surrendered by their owners. About half of the dogs at the Gulf Coast Humane Society are surrender dogs.
Students benefitting from millions in sales tax dollars So far, the voter-approved half-cent sales tax has brought in $507 million for the Lee County School District.
PORT CHARLOTTE ‘Shady’: One woman feels misled after federal student loan consolidation It takes some people decades to pay off their student loans. One woman’s last payment was in sight until she took a gamble she said she was told to take.
FORT MYERS Homeless encampments inch closer to neighborhoods Law enforcement has swept multiple encampments, cleaning the trails of mess and muck left behind, and some of these encampments are right in our backyards.
BIG CYPRESS PRESERVE What changes if Big Cypress National Preserve becomes a Wilderness Area? America’s first nationally designated preserve is in Southwest Florida’s backyard, and it is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Method to treat IBD being used for other health issues Trying to get treatments for the brain when fighting neurological diseases like epilepsy and ALS is a challenge.
FORT MYERS NTSB report reveals new details in helicopter crash after Hurricane Ian The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its final report on a helicopter crash that occurred in Iona, Florida, shortly after Hurricane Ian.
NAPLES Memorial celebrates the life of John Passidomo Hundreds of friends and family gathered for a memorial at Baker Park in Naples.
‘Latinos in Action’ empowers all students to succeed WINK News talked with teachers who are a part of the program, helping kids reach their full potential.
Immokalee ‘The eyes always draw me in’; Immokalee portrait artist turns dark times into color One of Southwest Florida best portrait artist, Martha Maria Cantu, almost gave up art. Now she’s on the forefront of the city of Immokalee, to make her community filled with color.
A wildfire broke out near U.S. 41 and Estero Boulevard in Lee County Friday afternoon. (San Carlos Park Fire Department) FORT MYERS, Fla. Wildfires burned through four Southwest Florida counties on Friday. The first scorched 150 acres in the Big Cypress Seminole Reservation and Big Cypress Natural Preserve, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Fire Management Division said. The reservation has a Hendry County address while the preserve is in Collier County. Firefighters from Bonita Springs and Estero assisted with the morning fire. A second brush fire ignited Friday afternoon around 1:09 p.m. on Oil Well Road in Punta Gorda, which burned 302 acres and threatened several homes, the Florida Forest Service said. It was 95 percent contained by 7:00 p.m. “Right now my heart is in my stomach,” said Sherry Johnson, who lives near the impacted area. “I’m not concerned about my house. I’m concerned about my critters. That’s my concern is that they’re okay. Nothing else matters because (her house) can be replaced but they can’t.” Evacuations were lifted Friday night for homes on Bass, Valhalla and Catfish roads, as well as residences on North and South Jack Road, the Florida Forest Service said. Oil Well Road was closed Friday afternoon due to the fire. A third fire burned about 114 acres in San Carlos Park near U.S. 41 and Unique Circle, the San Carlos Park Fire District said. It was 100 percent contained by 7 p.m., the forest service said. #LeeFire is 114 acres and 100% contained, all operations are normal and firefighters will be mopping up #wildfire #FLfire — Caloosahatchee FC (@FFS_cafc) March 17, 2017 An evacuation order was in place for homes along the south side of Unique Circle until about 5:40 p.m. WINK Weather meteorologist Zach Maloch captured flames and smoke from the San Carlos Park fire: U.S. 41 Southbound between Sanibel Boulevard and Hickory Drive was closed for several hours before reopening just before 6 p.m. North Collier Fire & Rescue assisted with the fires in San Carlos Park and in the Big Cypress Seminole Reservation and Big Cypress Natural Preserve. Brush Fire in Punta Gorda Friday afternoon About 150 acres were scorched as of Friday afternoon during a wildfire inside the Big Cypress Seminole Reservation and Big Cypress Natural Preserve. (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Fire Management Division) A wildfire broke out near U.S. 41 and Estero Boulevard in Lee County Friday afternoon. (Lauren Sweeney/WINK News) A wildfire broke out near U.S. 41 and Estero Boulevard in Lee County Friday afternoon. (Lauren Sweeney/WINK News) A wildfire broke out near U.S. 41 and Estero Boulevard in Lee County Friday afternoon. (Lauren Sweeney/WINK News) A brush fire was discovered in San Carlos Park near U.S. 41 and Unique Circle. The blaze was one of three across Southwest Florida Friday afternoon. (Channing Frampton/WINK News) A brush fire ignited Friday afternoon on Oil Well Road in Punta Gorda, one of three that occurred across Southwest Florida on Friday. (Kristi Gross/WINK News) A wildfire broke out near U.S. 41 and Estero Boulevard in Lee County Friday afternoon. (Channing Frampton/WINK News) A wildfire broke out near U.S. 41 and Estero Boulevard in Lee County Friday afternoon. (San Carlos Park Fire Department) A wildfire broke out near U.S. 41 and Estero Boulevard in Lee County Friday afternoon. (San Carlos Park Fire Department) A Punta Gorda wildfire burned more than 100 acres Friday afternoon. (Sam Jones/WINK News) A Punta Gorda wildfire burned more than 100 acres Friday afternoon. (Sam Jones/WINK News) A wildfire broke out near U.S. 41 and Estero Boulevard in Lee County Friday afternoon. Lee County was under a red flag warning until 6 p.m.: #LeeCounty is under a Red Flag Warning from 2 pm to 6 pm. #OnlyYou #fireprevention pic.twitter.com/EIVfA8hgGq — Caloosahatchee FC (@FFS_cafc) March 17, 2017 The three fires occurred as Collier continues to recover from a 7,230 acre wildfire inside the Picayune Strand State Forest last week that destroyed four homes, forced evacuations and closed I-75 along Alligator Alley. #LeeWilliamsRdFire 7230 acres and 95% contained #FLfire #wildfire pic.twitter.com/hLoOBU0ukI — Caloosahatchee FC (@FFS_cafc) March 16, 2017