Sara Girard

If you or a loved one collect unemployment benefits, or has employees, the Department of Economic Opportunity has several updates you need to be aware of. Work search and work registration waiver might not be extended You may soon have to complete work registration and begin documenting your work searches on the unemployment website CONNECT. […]

The Sunshine State is home to many lawsuits involving homeowners insurance, and lawmakers have a plan to get lawsuits under control. So we looked at what that could mean for insurance coverage. Insurance is designed to help protect homes. But as many people experienced after Hurricane Irma, getting claims paid to satisfaction can sometimes be […]

There is no evidence any sensitive information has been compromised in the recent malware attack on Southwest Florida’s Public Defender’s Office, said Kathy Smith of the 20th Judicial Circuit. However, Smith recommends everyone keep an eye out on their personal accounts. While systems aren’t fully back to normal yet, Smith told WINK News the cybersecurity […]

A cyberattack on the 20th Judicial Circuit public defender’s office website could have a big impact on sensitive information. The public defender’s office was recently hit with a “malware intrusion,” and it’s public website won’t load at this time. But Friday we learned this cyberattack could be worse than a website failure. Sources close to […]

A malware attack has hit the 20th Judicial Circuit Public Defender’s Office, according to Public Defender Kathleen Smith. She confirmed they’re “recovering from a malware intrusion” that started late last week. Malware is software that allows someone to illegally access and or damage a computer system. Smith told me their offices are open and operational […]

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office claims it acted in “good faith” in response to a lawsuit accusing deputies of arresting an innocent man for a crime against a child. The arrest was the result of a misspelling. The real guy deputies were looking for is named Carlos Lobo, but the guy they arrested was Carlos […]

A police department mystery has been closed after four years of waiting. The Gulf Coast Police Benevolent Association says a grand jury investigation of four Fort Myers police officers placed on leave is over. Matt Sellers, the president of Gulf Coast PBA, confirmed this with us Friday. The prosecutor told the officers a grand jury […]

For those claiming unemployment benefits, Thursday, April 1 marks the quarter change process once again, and you might need to take action on your account. If you lost your job at the start of the pandemic, the quarter change turned into another frustrating roadblock many of you felt for first time in April 2020, and […]

The tax break on college debt cancellations in the COVID-19 relief package signed last week by President Joe Biden has removed a potential roadblock to forgiving student loan debt: taxes. The provision won’t count any debt forgiven from December 31, 2020, to January 1, 2026, as income. Under one of the existing forgiveness programs (income-driven […]

People collecting unemployment in Florida can now apply for more money. You can get an additional $100 a week through the Mixed Earners Unemployment Compensation (MEUC) program. You must be considered a mixed earner to be eligible and be on another state or federal unemployment program; however, claimants currently collecting federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) […]