Fertilizer restrictions are in effect for Lee County residentsHere’s the rundown of traffic following the Caloosahatchee Bridge closure
LEE COUNTY Fertilizer restrictions are in effect for Lee County residents The Lee County government is reminding homeowners and professional landscapers to stop fertilizing for the month of June.
WINK NEWS Here’s the rundown of traffic following the Caloosahatchee Bridge closure Traffic was lighter than expected as motorists rearranged their normal commutes following the Caloosahatchee Bridge closure.
CAPE CORAL Death Investigation at Cape Coral home The Cape Coral Police Department is conducting a death investigation after discovering one dead person and another injured.
THE WEATHER AUTHORITY Scattered rain and storms for your Monday afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking a slightly cooler Monday, with scattered rain expected to develop throughout the afternoon and evening.
NORTH FORT MYERS LeeTran closes several bus stops near Caloosahatchee Bridge LeeTran has temporarily closed several bus stops due to the Caloosahatchee Bridge pedestrian walkway project.
CAPE CORAL Trial set to begin for man accused of killing 2 Cape Coral women A man accused of killing two Cape Coral women in 2019 is set to appear in court for trial.
FORT MYERS Navigating your way around the Caloosahatchee Bridge closure this workweek WINK News helps you navigate your way around the Caloosahatchee Bridge closure. It will remain closed through August 11.
Lee County Man accused of pointing a gun toward a juvenile faces several charges Lee County Deputies released new details about Canuto Alvarado’s arrest. He’s accused of pointing a gun at a child.
NAPLES Pursuit ends with man jumping into retention pond; suspect arrested A hot chase with law enforcement ended with a man jumping into a retention pond near the Naples Airport.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA A purrfect companion; June is shelter cat adoption month Cuddle up with the purr-fect companion this summer! June is National Adopt-a-cat Month.
Preparing for hurricane season with Florida sales tax holiday It’s time to shop until you drop, but it’s not your everyday kind of shopping. With the start of the 2024 hurricane season, it’s time to prepare for any upcoming storms.
LEHIGH ACRES Authorities respond to vehicle fire in Lehigh Acres Authorities in Lehigh Acres responded to a vehicle fire Saturday afternoon.
GOLDEN GATE CCSO investigates stabbing in Golden Gate The Collier County Sheriff’s office is investigating a stabbing in Golden Gate.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA The Weather Authority: Some rain makes its way back into the forecast Sun and clouds for your Sunday with an increased chance of rain.
NORTH PORT Interstate 75 reopens after brush fire forces closure North Port brush fire led to evacuations and temporarily closed 75.
LEE COUNTY Fertilizer restrictions are in effect for Lee County residents The Lee County government is reminding homeowners and professional landscapers to stop fertilizing for the month of June.
WINK NEWS Here’s the rundown of traffic following the Caloosahatchee Bridge closure Traffic was lighter than expected as motorists rearranged their normal commutes following the Caloosahatchee Bridge closure.
CAPE CORAL Death Investigation at Cape Coral home The Cape Coral Police Department is conducting a death investigation after discovering one dead person and another injured.
THE WEATHER AUTHORITY Scattered rain and storms for your Monday afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking a slightly cooler Monday, with scattered rain expected to develop throughout the afternoon and evening.
NORTH FORT MYERS LeeTran closes several bus stops near Caloosahatchee Bridge LeeTran has temporarily closed several bus stops due to the Caloosahatchee Bridge pedestrian walkway project.
CAPE CORAL Trial set to begin for man accused of killing 2 Cape Coral women A man accused of killing two Cape Coral women in 2019 is set to appear in court for trial.
FORT MYERS Navigating your way around the Caloosahatchee Bridge closure this workweek WINK News helps you navigate your way around the Caloosahatchee Bridge closure. It will remain closed through August 11.
Lee County Man accused of pointing a gun toward a juvenile faces several charges Lee County Deputies released new details about Canuto Alvarado’s arrest. He’s accused of pointing a gun at a child.
NAPLES Pursuit ends with man jumping into retention pond; suspect arrested A hot chase with law enforcement ended with a man jumping into a retention pond near the Naples Airport.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA A purrfect companion; June is shelter cat adoption month Cuddle up with the purr-fect companion this summer! June is National Adopt-a-cat Month.
Preparing for hurricane season with Florida sales tax holiday It’s time to shop until you drop, but it’s not your everyday kind of shopping. With the start of the 2024 hurricane season, it’s time to prepare for any upcoming storms.
LEHIGH ACRES Authorities respond to vehicle fire in Lehigh Acres Authorities in Lehigh Acres responded to a vehicle fire Saturday afternoon.
GOLDEN GATE CCSO investigates stabbing in Golden Gate The Collier County Sheriff’s office is investigating a stabbing in Golden Gate.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA The Weather Authority: Some rain makes its way back into the forecast Sun and clouds for your Sunday with an increased chance of rain.
NORTH PORT Interstate 75 reopens after brush fire forces closure North Port brush fire led to evacuations and temporarily closed 75.
In this Thursday, March 28, 2019 photo, Wanda Gomez, a survivor of domestic violence, poses in her home, in Miami, Fla. According to Gomez, 12 years have passed since she was nearly stabbed to death by an ex-boyfriend. Following her assault, she was advised by authorities to quit her job and leave her home. She lost her ability to make a living and provide a safe living environment for her family. Gomez said she could have benefited from a bill currently making its way through Florida Legislature. If passed, the law would grant victims of domestic violence the right to receive unemployment compensation. According to data, 41 states across the U.S. provide unemployment benefits to victims of domestic assault. (AP Photo/Ellis Rua) Reflecting on her assault 12 years ago, 41-year-old Wanda Gomez said she did not know if she was going to make it out alive. She had been stabbed multiple times by an angry ex-boyfriend, she said. Her attacker, who was also a co-worker, had been kicked out from her home after he was accused of sexually assaulting Gomez’s school-aged daughter. With her assailant at large, authorities advised Gomez, a mother of seven who made $13 an hour as a demolition worker, to leave her home and quit her job out concerns for her safety. “You don’t have many choices,” said Gomez who was placed in a shelter, and later transitional housing roughly 30 miles away from her home in Miami due to her lack of financial resources. “It’s between your life or your job.” Gomez is one of the many women across the U.S. who are forced to quit jobs due to domestic violence. Survivors of domestic violence qualify for unemployment benefits in 41 states. But in Florida – which averages over 117,000 reported cases of domestic violence per year – there is no unemployment compensation for domestic violence victims. That could change soon under a bill being considered by the Florida Legislature that would provide a financial safety net to victims in need. The bill, which has support in the House and Senate, would add victims of domestic violence to those eligible to receive benefits under the current unemployment law. Victims would receive compensation for a period up to 12 weeks. Victims would need to prove that they voluntarily left their job as a direct result of domestic violence. It would also require victims to demonstrate that a reasonable effort was made to maintain their employment, such as requesting to be transferred to another location. The legislation, proposed by Democratic lawmakers Rep. Dotie Joseph of Miami and Sen. Audrey Gibson of Jacksonville, would have a limited impact on private business owners. Funds to pay for the measure would pool from taxes employers pay per employee. “It cost practically nothing to fix a problem that will have a huge impact on those that need it,” Joseph said to a House Committee. “It is my sincere prayer that no one has to use this law, but if God forbid they do, we have a little help for them.” The bill also calls for measure to make workplaces safer. More than half of female victims are harassed by partners while at work, according to the Women’s Legal Defense and Education Fund. In 2010, an armed man killed his wife and three female co-workers, wounding three others at a Miami-area restaurant. “You really don’t want the violent partner showing up in the workplace,” said Joseph. Marcia Olivo, executive director of Miami Workers Center, an organization that works closely with survivors of domestic violence and helped lawmakers shape the bill, said victims often stay in abusive relationships for financial reasons. Compensation is the difference between “life and death” for survivors, she added. Miami-area victims in particular are increasingly finding themselves hostage in abusive relationships due to low wages and rising rents, said Jasmen Rodgers, who works at the center. Tethered by her inability to work, Gomez said her abusive relationship caused her to lose everything. Physicians diagnosed her with post-traumatic stress disorder, and her children were placed in foster care by the state. “I’d wake up screaming,” said Gomez. “I saw him everywhere.” It took her three years to regain stability and put her family back together. She now works as a parking lot attendant in Miami and advocates for social causes as a Spanish-language community radio host. Gomez, who is in favor of the bill, said victims are merely in need of a bit of assistance during a time of crisis. “Unemployment is not going to be for life,” said Gomez. “It’s for a short term that you can (use) to get (your life) back together and find another job.”