‘Shady’: One woman feels misled after federal student loan consolidationHomeless encampments inch closer to neighborhoods
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.
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.
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.
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.
FILE: Travelers wear face masks as a screen shows a video about the proper way to wear a mask at the Beijing Railway Station in Beijing, Friday, Jan. 31, 2020. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein/FILE) China’s Shanghai Composite index plunges 8.7% as markets reopen to news virus outbreak has spread further. ________________________________________________________________________ China’s stocks are about to start trading again. They could nosedive With a significant chunk of China still on lockdown, the country’s stocks are set to begin trading again. They could face a big sell-off as the number of coronavirus cases continues to tick up globally. Stock exchanges in Shanghai and Shenzhen have been closed since January 23 for the Lunar New Year. They’re expected to reopen on Monday. “Given that the market is coming back and needs to catch up, I’d be surprised if the market is not down significantly right at the open,” Bhanu Baweja, global head of emerging markets strategy for UBS’ investment bank, told me. Last week, South Korea’s Kospi — which was open for four trading days — lost 5.7%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng, which was open for three, shed 5.9%. On Friday, the Dow plunged more than 600 points, or 2.1%, in its the biggest drop since August. The latest: The coronavirus outbreak has killed at least 305 people and infected more than 14,300 as it continues to spread in China and beyond. As the situation escalates, so do concerns about the impact on the global economy. China is scrambling to contain the fallout from the virus, and has indicated that it will step in with economic support once the crisis is contained. For now, though, Beijing will focus on preventing any panic, Baweja said. “Once you’ve stabilized the crisis itself, that’s when you think about recovery,” he said. “Think about it: If you write a fiscal check for Wuhan right now, who’s going to spend that money?” Shares of Chinese companies should fall in the meantime. First quarter earnings are all but certain to take a hit, and many businesses remain closed. Tencent, for example, has told its roughly 54,000 employees that it will extend its holidays until February 9. Watch this space: Oil and other commodities have been battered by the coronavirus, with Brent crude, the global benchmark, logging its worst month since November 2018. When those assets start to recover, take it as a sign that investors are starting to move on. The Democratic primary comes into focus With the first big event of the Democratic primary on Monday, investors are starting to titter about US politics again. The latest: Senator Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden are delivering their final pitches to caucus-goers in Iowa. The two men are considered the frontrunners, but Pete Buttigieg or Elizabeth Warren could deliver a surprise. Wall Street would much prefer Biden to Sanders, who has vowed to take on big banks, raise taxes on corporations and the rich, curb stock buybacks and outlaw fracking. Ed Mills, Washington policy analyst at Raymond James, warns that traders may be underestimating the odds that Sanders could prevail. “They’re not convinced he could win the nomination,” Mills told me. “They’re not convinced he could beat Trump. And they’re not convinced, were he to beat Trump, [that] he could enact his agenda.” Should Sanders emerge the winner of the Iowa caucuses, that — coupled with coronavirus fears — could send stocks lower this week, Mills said. The health care, energy and financial services sectors are the most exposed. But he doesn’t expect anxiety on Wall Street to really set in unless Sanders sweeps the early states of Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada. “If he’s three for three, each incremental election would hold more weight,” Mills said. Strategists will be watching closely. Goldman Sachs told clients in a recent note that the contests in the coming weeks “are likely to be important events and a source of volatility” for markets. “The 2020 Democratic primary contest looks very competitive, and market participants have been attuned not only to the outcome of the 2020 Democratic primaries but also to the timing of when the selection of the likely nominee will become clearer,” the investment bank said. Up next Monday: Iowa caucuses; ISM Manufacturing Index; US construction spending; Alphabet earnings; China’s stock markets reopen Tuesday: US factory orders; Allergan, BP, Clorox, ConocoPhillips, Ford, Match Group, Snap and Disney earnings Wednesday: ISM Non-Manufacturing Index; US trade balance; ADP private employment; GM, Carlyle Group, Coty, Merck, Spotify, GoPro, Peloton, Qualcomm and Yum China earnings Thursday: Reserve Bank of India interest rate decision; ArcelorMittal, Dunkin, Estee Lauder, Fiat Chrysler, Kellogg, New York Times, Philip Morris, Twitter, Tyson Foods, Vista Outdoor, Yum! Brands, Activision Blizzard, Baidu, Lions Gate Entertainment, Pinterest, Uber and Wynn Resorts earnings Friday: US jobs report