FGCU softball pitcher making a name for herselfSurrendering-pets trend at Gulf Coast Humane Society concerns
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.
GOLDEN GATE Collier commissioners approve agreement for golf complex in Golden Gate Collier commissioners unanimously approved a long term lease and operating agreement to reopen the Golden Gate golf course Tuesday.
PUNTA GORDA Motorcyclists ride in SWFL to help veterans battle suicide A group of veterans from the American Legion are grabbing their helmets and boots for a motorcycle ride to bring awareness to the staggering rates of suicide among veterans.
SARASOTA Alleged sexual abuse victims of Port Charlotte priest comes forward Father Riley worked at three churches in Charlotte County and another in Naples. On Friday, new allegations emerged from a news conference in Sarasota.
PORT CHARLOTTE Port Charlotte priest accused of sexual abuse appears in court A priest accused of sexually abusing four altar boys in Iowa nearly 40 years ago returned to Charlotte County court.
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.
GOLDEN GATE Collier commissioners approve agreement for golf complex in Golden Gate Collier commissioners unanimously approved a long term lease and operating agreement to reopen the Golden Gate golf course Tuesday.
PUNTA GORDA Motorcyclists ride in SWFL to help veterans battle suicide A group of veterans from the American Legion are grabbing their helmets and boots for a motorcycle ride to bring awareness to the staggering rates of suicide among veterans.
SARASOTA Alleged sexual abuse victims of Port Charlotte priest comes forward Father Riley worked at three churches in Charlotte County and another in Naples. On Friday, new allegations emerged from a news conference in Sarasota.
PORT CHARLOTTE Port Charlotte priest accused of sexual abuse appears in court A priest accused of sexually abusing four altar boys in Iowa nearly 40 years ago returned to Charlotte County court.
CBS News photo A big question during the post-recession economic recovery was why companies weren’t sharing more of their profits with employees in the form of raises, especially after the Republican-led Congress moved to slash corporate taxes. Although President Donald Trump said last year that the cuts would lead to a pay bump for workers, new research suggests that raises may remain elusive in 2019. About 70 percent of corporations say they plan to boost worker pay by 3 percent this year, according to compensation-data company PayScale. That’s in line with the raises employers have offered in recent years and is only slightly ahead of the U.S. inflation rate of roughly 2 percent. The upshot: At a time when corporate profits remain healthy and the economy on track for another solid year of growth, pay gains for most workers will be modest. The findings are based on a PayScale survey of about 7,000 corporations. Two major factors are keeping a lid on raises, said Lydia Frank, vice president of content strategy at PayScale. First, companies are increasingly using profits to repurchase their own stock — that benefits shareholders more than workers, with spending on such buybacks reaching a record $1 trillion last year. Second, a growing number of companies expect the U.S. to face another recession in the next year or two, and so are looking to curb spending. “It’s been a little confounding, why wages haven’t increased as much as you would expect given the robust economy,” Frank said. “And now there’s a lot of uncertainty going into this year” about an economic slowdown. Despite that robust economic growth, workers’ “real wages” — what people take home after inflation — fell 1.3 percent last year. PayScale’s data differs somewhat from federal labor figures on wages because of differences in how the research firm crunches data. For instance, PayScale tracks workers who switch jobs, while the U.S. Department of Labor tracks a set of fixed jobs. Recession planning About 1 of 5 companies told PayScale they are already starting to prepare for a recession, including delaying capital spending, dialing back on hiring and making layoffs. Most businesses also said that retaining key employees is a concern. With unemployment at its lowest rate in years and healthy job growth, workers have more opportunities to shift jobs — and many are doing just that. About 20 percent of workers who quit their jobs left for better pay elsewhere, while about the same share quit for a more attractive title, the survey found. Better benefits and perks Rather than offer fat pay raises, companies are boosting benefits and perks as a way to hire and retain employees, PayScale found. Forty-four percent of employers plan to offer remote work options this year, up from 39 percent last year, the study found. Other benefits that companies say they plan to add include a four-day workweek, education or tuition reimbursement, unlimited paid time off, and flex time. “Even if you are in a head-to-head competition, with companies offering the same type of base pay, the only way to differentiate yourself is around benefits or your mission,” Frank said. “That’s where you see this benefits race.” Some companies are also relying on bonuses and what PayScale calls “variable pay” to attract workers or keep top talent in place. Roughly two-thirds of companies say they’ll use bonuses to keep demand workers from departing for competitors. Where the big raises are Although most workers are likely to see only muted wage increases in 2019, some will enjoy much larger pay hikes, PayScale found. Last year, about 40 percent of employers handed out raises of at least 10 percent for a few jobs within their organizations, which tended to be for in-demand roles like IT positions. “If you are in a super-competitive job with a skill-set that’s hard to find, you have more of an ability to negotiate,” Frank said.