Lewis Boulevard in Clewiston closed after semi-trailer carrying palm trees loses loadJuvenile and 18-year-old arrested for stealing, burglarizing multiple cars in DeSoto County
CLEWISTON Lewis Boulevard in Clewiston closed after semi-trailer carrying palm trees loses load Lewis Boulevard in Clewiston from U.S. 27 to 13th Street is closed this morning while crews remove trees from the roadway.
ARCADIA Juvenile and 18-year-old arrested for stealing, burglarizing multiple cars in DeSoto County A juvenile and an 18-year-old have been arrested after allegedly stealing several cars and burglarizing them in DeSoto County.
IMMOKALEE Immokalee man arrested for child porn possession An Immokalee man has been arrested and charged on ten felony counts after allegedly being in possession of child pornography.
ESTERO Caught on Camera: Teen catches alligator while fishing for Peacock Bass A 15-year-old teenager from Estero bit off more than he could chew while fishing for Peacock Bass as a hungry alligator chased after the fish and him.
Gainsville Streaming Now: Gov. DeSantis holds news conference in Gainsville Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to hold a news conference in Gainsville.
The Weather Authority Hotter and drier Wednesday with a few inland storms this afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking a mild and drier Wednesday morning with rain expected inland this afternoon.
Cape Coral City Council to discuss repairs for yacht club pier The Cape Coral City Council will discuss and possibly decide upon three options to repair the damaged yacht club pier.
LEHIGH ACRES Kitchen fire causes substantial damage to a home in Lehigh Acres The Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue responded to a kitchen fire at a Sunset Boulevard home on Tuesday night.
FORT MYERS Lee County making changes to fix bus issues In the past, the Lee County School District struggled to find enough bus drivers.
NAPLES Naples man gets original Bob Ross paintings appraised Bob Ross took this blank canvas in a small studio in Muncie, Indiana, and transformed it into a beautiful masterpiece.
Lee Schools board considers full-day phone bans The biggest talking point in a Lee County School District safety presentation wasn’t about violence or drugs, it was about phones
PORT CHARLOTTE Fallen officer ceremony in Charlotte County commemorates those who lost lives in line of duty The emotional ceremony was held at the William R. Gains Veterans Memorial Park in Port Charlotte.
SAN CARLOS PARK Lee County couple suspected of drugging and sexually abusing child Neighbors say a home in San Carlos Park was just another house before Tuesday.
PINE ISLAND FDOT asking you if bike and pedestrian lanes should be added to busy road The Florida Department of Transportation is asking you if bike and pedestrian lanes should be added to the busy road.
Food drive for mental health awareness While someone may look healthy, they may be fighting a real inner battle.
CLEWISTON Lewis Boulevard in Clewiston closed after semi-trailer carrying palm trees loses load Lewis Boulevard in Clewiston from U.S. 27 to 13th Street is closed this morning while crews remove trees from the roadway.
ARCADIA Juvenile and 18-year-old arrested for stealing, burglarizing multiple cars in DeSoto County A juvenile and an 18-year-old have been arrested after allegedly stealing several cars and burglarizing them in DeSoto County.
IMMOKALEE Immokalee man arrested for child porn possession An Immokalee man has been arrested and charged on ten felony counts after allegedly being in possession of child pornography.
ESTERO Caught on Camera: Teen catches alligator while fishing for Peacock Bass A 15-year-old teenager from Estero bit off more than he could chew while fishing for Peacock Bass as a hungry alligator chased after the fish and him.
Gainsville Streaming Now: Gov. DeSantis holds news conference in Gainsville Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to hold a news conference in Gainsville.
The Weather Authority Hotter and drier Wednesday with a few inland storms this afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking a mild and drier Wednesday morning with rain expected inland this afternoon.
Cape Coral City Council to discuss repairs for yacht club pier The Cape Coral City Council will discuss and possibly decide upon three options to repair the damaged yacht club pier.
LEHIGH ACRES Kitchen fire causes substantial damage to a home in Lehigh Acres The Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue responded to a kitchen fire at a Sunset Boulevard home on Tuesday night.
FORT MYERS Lee County making changes to fix bus issues In the past, the Lee County School District struggled to find enough bus drivers.
NAPLES Naples man gets original Bob Ross paintings appraised Bob Ross took this blank canvas in a small studio in Muncie, Indiana, and transformed it into a beautiful masterpiece.
Lee Schools board considers full-day phone bans The biggest talking point in a Lee County School District safety presentation wasn’t about violence or drugs, it was about phones
PORT CHARLOTTE Fallen officer ceremony in Charlotte County commemorates those who lost lives in line of duty The emotional ceremony was held at the William R. Gains Veterans Memorial Park in Port Charlotte.
SAN CARLOS PARK Lee County couple suspected of drugging and sexually abusing child Neighbors say a home in San Carlos Park was just another house before Tuesday.
PINE ISLAND FDOT asking you if bike and pedestrian lanes should be added to busy road The Florida Department of Transportation is asking you if bike and pedestrian lanes should be added to the busy road.
Food drive for mental health awareness While someone may look healthy, they may be fighting a real inner battle.
Credit: Shared with WINK News. As the fire in Collier County grows Friday, employees at NGALA Wildlife Preserve in Golden Gate Estates are devising a plan to protect their animals. These are people who know what it’s like dealing with fire near the preserve. During the Collier County fires in 2017, owner Donavan Smith of NGALA was injured by the flames while protecting a rhino that could not be evacuated. Right now, Smith is taking a breath after moving animals. He told us it’s unnerving, having been burned so badly he needed skin grafts. Now, an over 8,600-acre fire is getting too close to the animals he dedicates his life to once again. Smith drove through fire in 2017 to rescue a rhino in the preserve. “What are you gonna do, you know?” Smith said. “You got to do, you got to keep them safe.” Smith saved the rhino back then, but he spent weeks in a burn center afterward. Right now, his wounds are healed, but the fire is back. “I wake up every day, and I’m like, ‘God, if I’m not supposed to be doing this, please let me know because you’ve got my attention,” Smith said. “Diamonds are forged under pressure, so we’re figuring it out.” Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, there are only three or four people who could help get dozens of animals out of harm’s way. Even under normal conditions, Smith says it’s a huge undertaking to transport one giraffe. “The last place you want to be with a giraffe or rhino is stuck in traffic somewhere we can’t move,” Smith said. Luckily, Friday, all the animals were able to return to the preserve, as the fire moved further away. “Through everything we’ve been through, faith and passion carry you a long way,” Smith said. Smith said the preserve move about 45 animals when they needed to. That did not include fish and venomous snakes that stay at NGALA. They worked to brush soot and ash off those animals Friday. And, for now, Smith says, no animals are hurt at the preserve. And, this time, no people either. They hope that’s the way it stays. “It’s simple passion and perseverance,” Smith said. “Bullheadedness can be a strength and a curse. It got me burnt, but, ultimately, it saved what we love. And we’re just gonna keep doing it until we can’t do it any longer.”