‘The eyes always draw me in’; Immokalee portrait artist turns dark times into colorCollier commissioners approve agreement for golf complex in Golden Gate
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.
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.
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema prepares for opening at Mercato The newest movie theater in Southwest Florida opens April 29, and it does so with an array of entertainment offerings that go beyond the usual options across the region.
Let’s Waffle opens in Cape Coral Let’s Waffle is one of two businesses the Feix family launched locally, with the FMS Florida Boat Tours and Limousine Service owned and operated by Feix’s husband, Alexander.
Planned Punta Gorda hotel, pub, brewery faces construction delay Kevin Doyle, owner of Celtic Ray Public House Irish pub in downtown Punta Gorda, and his partner, S4 Global Investments, were found in violation of the city’s exposed soils code.
Three Sisters Spring Toast the manatee released by FWC, SeaWorld and Casey DeSantis near Crystal River A manatee named Toast was released back into the Florida waters after a final medical evaluation from wildlife officials.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral Man arrested and charged with over 90 counts of fraud The Cape Coral Police Department arrested a man for allegedly stealing items from a business and then pawning them.
Man accused of pulling gun on someone ordering at Collier County Dunkin’ Donuts drive-thru A man has been arrested after allegedly pulling a gun on someone ordering at a Dunkin’ Donuts drive-thru in Collier County.
League Club of Naples awards record $683K in grants to Collier, Lee nonprofits At a mid-April breakfast event, the 35 area nonprofit agencies—chosen from a record number of applicants—were awarded grants from the women’s volunteer organization in areas ranging from arts education, to fighting hunger and homelessness, to providing bikes and wheelchairs to children in need
Tim Aten Knows: Chick-fil-A drive-thru proposal faces criticism in Naples Chick-fil-A is proposing a drive-thru restaurant at the site of the former Red Lobster restaurant on U.S. 41 in Naples, but the project is facing early criticism.
Man convicted for murder of 17-year-old girl will be in court for resentencing A convicted man will be in court for resentencing for a murder that he committed as a teenager almost 20 years ago.
NAPLES Friday’s Furry Friends: Holly, Slim For this week’s Friday’s Furry Friends, WINK visits the Collier County Domestic Animal Services to showcase two adorable animals ready to be adopted.
FORT MYERS Caught on Camera: Dust Devil spotted spiraling in Fort Myers A dust devil was spotted and recorded by a WINK News viewer on Hanson Street in Fort Myers.
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.
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.
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema prepares for opening at Mercato The newest movie theater in Southwest Florida opens April 29, and it does so with an array of entertainment offerings that go beyond the usual options across the region.
Let’s Waffle opens in Cape Coral Let’s Waffle is one of two businesses the Feix family launched locally, with the FMS Florida Boat Tours and Limousine Service owned and operated by Feix’s husband, Alexander.
Planned Punta Gorda hotel, pub, brewery faces construction delay Kevin Doyle, owner of Celtic Ray Public House Irish pub in downtown Punta Gorda, and his partner, S4 Global Investments, were found in violation of the city’s exposed soils code.
Three Sisters Spring Toast the manatee released by FWC, SeaWorld and Casey DeSantis near Crystal River A manatee named Toast was released back into the Florida waters after a final medical evaluation from wildlife officials.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral Man arrested and charged with over 90 counts of fraud The Cape Coral Police Department arrested a man for allegedly stealing items from a business and then pawning them.
Man accused of pulling gun on someone ordering at Collier County Dunkin’ Donuts drive-thru A man has been arrested after allegedly pulling a gun on someone ordering at a Dunkin’ Donuts drive-thru in Collier County.
League Club of Naples awards record $683K in grants to Collier, Lee nonprofits At a mid-April breakfast event, the 35 area nonprofit agencies—chosen from a record number of applicants—were awarded grants from the women’s volunteer organization in areas ranging from arts education, to fighting hunger and homelessness, to providing bikes and wheelchairs to children in need
Tim Aten Knows: Chick-fil-A drive-thru proposal faces criticism in Naples Chick-fil-A is proposing a drive-thru restaurant at the site of the former Red Lobster restaurant on U.S. 41 in Naples, but the project is facing early criticism.
Man convicted for murder of 17-year-old girl will be in court for resentencing A convicted man will be in court for resentencing for a murder that he committed as a teenager almost 20 years ago.
NAPLES Friday’s Furry Friends: Holly, Slim For this week’s Friday’s Furry Friends, WINK visits the Collier County Domestic Animal Services to showcase two adorable animals ready to be adopted.
FORT MYERS Caught on Camera: Dust Devil spotted spiraling in Fort Myers A dust devil was spotted and recorded by a WINK News viewer on Hanson Street in Fort Myers.
Credit: WINK News. There’s a big new push to crack down on annoying robocalls from overseas, calls that may be using your own number. The Federal Communications Commission has approved new rules that won’t stop the calls, but will allow the FCC to go after perpetrators making scam calls and texts from overseas. “You feel so helpless because you have no control over where your phone number is going,” Beverly Figueroa said. Foreign scammers hijacked Figueroa’s cell number through a technique called “spoofing” that made it appear as if she was calling countless potential victims. Hundreds of those potential victims called angrily called Figueroa until she changed her number. In a unanimous vote Thursday, the Federal Communications Commission made it illegal for foreign callers to spoof a U.S. number, with the hope it will prompt phone companies to block more calls and texts and give law enforcement new tools to go after scammers. “We’re confident that the FCC, exercising the authority that we have, will be able to stop some of these problems we have before they materialize,” FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said. Robocalls are the number one complaint that comes to the FCC. In June, the calls flooded phones at a rate of nearly 1,700 a second, 1.8 Billion of them from scammers. But CNET’s Roger Cheng says this is far from the end of robocalls. “The additional enforcement powers can only help, but that said, these scammers, these robocall folks, are smart people,” Cheng said. “They have been able to continually outwit and really advance and upgrade their game.” A phone scam cost Elfriede and Mike Flavin more than $80,000. A caller posing as a lawyer with a Tennessee number convinced the couple in their late 70s their grandson had been arrested and if they sent cash the charges would disappear. “This is an evil, evil scam that preys upon the emotional connection that grandparents have for their grandchildren,” the Flavins’ daughter, Erika, said. “And it’s just it’s absolutely horrible.” Once someone falls for one of these phone scams there’s rarely anything that can be done to recover the money. The FCC has told phone companies they need to adopt new technology that can determine if a call is legit by the end of the year, but for now those scam calls will keep rolling in. Robocall statistics in Florida The number of consumer complaints received in years 2016 through 2019 are as follows: 2016: 17,343 2017: 19,693 2018: 23,091 2019 to date: 6,933 Year-by-year case details from 2016 through 2019 2016: 16 enforcement cases assessing $435,000 in fines. $49,000 in fines were collected. Outstanding fines are sent to either our legal department for further action or to collections. 2017: 29 enforcement cases assessing $224,000 in fines. $132,000 collected 2018: 16 enforcement cases assessing $347,500 in fines. $56,000 collected 2019: 13 enforcement cases assessing $855,500 in fines to date. $14,500 collected so far Enforcement cases against businesses accused of making robocalls involve claiming violations and issuing fines. Unpaid fines rollover into the following year if a business doesn’t pay up after being found guilty. Fine amounts for these cases increased in 2019 Businesses being indicated for violations may claim spoofing, and there is an appeal process for those businesses who wish to argue against a violation claim against it. Per Florida Statutes Chapter 120, allowing the business the opportunity to request an informal hearing (in which the business is not disputing the facts of the case) or to request a formal hearing (in which the business is disputing the facts of the case). MORE: FTC, Law Enforcement Partners Announce New Crackdown on Illegal Robocalls