Paul Dolan

1 week ago | winknews.com | Paul Dolan

Southwest Florida's love for boating also brings a safety risk. In 2024, Florida Fish and Wildlife recorded more boating fatalities than the previous year. Lee County ranked as the sixth highest in Florida for boating crashes, with one being deadly. WINK News reporter Paul Dolan hit the docks to talk with local boaters. Capt. Sydnie Collins shared her insights on where she believes boating crashes often occur. "I would think a lot of accidents happen down in that area," said Collins.

1 week ago | winknews.com | Paul Dolan

Beaches in Southwest Florida often face the brunt of tropical storms and hurricanes. On Captiva Island, a group of students from Elmira College in New York is working diligently to restore the sand dunes, crucial natural barriers against storm surges. The students, led by Associate Professor Kelly Smith, are currently taking measurements along the dunes. These measurements will help determine the exact area they need to work with for the restoration process. "Most of the vegetation was destroyed.

1 week ago | winknews.com | Paul Dolan

A black bear was spotted roaming through a Fort Myers town center around midnight Sunday, surprising local residents. Rachel Scott encountered the bear while picking up her 17-year-old son from work early Sunday morning in Fort Myers. “That would be the number one place I would least expect to see it,” said Scott. Despite her surprise, Scott noted that the bear was in no rush. “There was a couple people that were kind of walking around as it was moseying by,” said Scott.

2 weeks ago | winknews.com | Paul Dolan

The first green sea turtle nest of the season has appeared on Sanibel Island, marking a significant moment for local conservation efforts. The Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation is working diligently to protect these nests, especially as different turtle nests emerge across the island. On World Turtle Day, WINK News was there to see how the foundation safeguards the nests.

2 weeks ago | winknews.com | Paul Dolan

Wildlife authorities have voted to move forward with a bear hunt, a topic that has sparked interest and concern in the community. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved a 23-day bear hunt with a 4-1 vote on Wednesday. Steve Ware, the general manager of Sportsman's Warehouse, has decades of hunting experience. "Traditionally, bear in southwest Florida has not been, at least in my experience, hasn't been that big of a deal," said Ware.