Town Has to Clarify False WINK Story

After a wildly inaccurate story about cars being towed on Fort Myers Beach, town PIO Nicole Berzin had to send out a press release counteracting the Monday WINK report. The Mayor also went on a rival TV station to try to get the correct information to the public.

On Monday WINK Reporter Asha Patel reported that the town would soon be towing vehicles even as visitors were making their way back to their cars. It was a story without any town council or staff sources or any factual background information. She then told several beach visitors that the town would be changing policy and start towing cars. You can imagine how well that went over with people spending money on Fort Myers Beach. She apparently read a Town Council agenda item related to how payments are made by parking violators – who then scam the town – and turned that into something completely different.

After Town Councilman John King asked the station to retract the false story, Managing Editor Richard Flesh finally told him Tuesday night that, “we are reviewing the story and will get back to you as soon as possible.”

King was interviewed Wednesday afternoon and told the correction would run Thursday afternoon during WINK’s 4PM newscast, 3 days after the false report ran. In addition to the false report running during WINK’s TV newscast, it appeared on the station website for 2 days before being completely removed without explanation.

King says a correction ran at 4:03 Thursday afternoon. There has been nothing posted on the station website as of Friday morning.

To make matters worse for the beach, the story WINK reported received feedback from their followers lashing out at the town for something they have NO PLAN TO DO!!! In fact, this current administration has even eased up on the ticket writing, especially during the slower months when businesses really need customers.

Even NBC2 had to clean up WINK’s mess.

Here’s the press release Berzin sent around Tuesday evening.
The WINK story ran Monday.

On Monday, August 19, 2024, the Town Council rescheduled review  of proposed Ordinance 24-18, which would require payment by cashier’s check or money order of fines  due from owners of vehicles that are immobilized. The Town was made aware a local media outlet  posted a story regarding Ordinance24-18 and the Town would like to clarify that Ordinance 24-18 is  intended to only change the method of payment of fines due as a result of immobilization of vehicles  and does not otherwise amend the existing regulations related to immobilization and towing of illegally  parked vehicles.

Existing language in Section 28-30(c), which is not under for change in Ordinance 24-18, provides “[i]f  the owner or operator has failed to pay or make a satisfactory arrangement for payment by the end of  the next immediate business day after the date of the immobilization, then the immobilized vehicle  will be referred to the county sheriff. The vehicle will then be towed by a designated  town towing company and placed into the impound yard.” No change is proposed to this existing  language. The only change proposed by Ordinance 24-18 is to the “…form of payment of any fines and  charges due to the tow.”and allows payment by cashier’s check or money order.

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