(Correction: This story has been updated to correct the name of the company that owns WINK, which is Fort Myers Broadcasting.)
Less than a week after WINK News fired its chief meteorologist, Matt Devitt, another member of the WINK News weather team announced her departure in a social media post on Tuesday (Jan. 13).
Meteorologist Nikki Sheaks posted on Facebook she’s leaving WINK News for a meteorologist position with WPBF 25 News in Palm Beach, an ABC affiliate owned by Hearst Television. WINK News is owned by Fort Myers Broadcasting.
“I am so excited to finally get to announce that I’m coming home to South Florida! I am thrilled to be joining the WPBF 25 News weather team as their newest meteorologist! It’s always been the dream to get home and I am so thankful for the journey that finally got me here! My last show on WINK will be January 25.”
With the departure of Sheaks and the firing of Devitt, who announced on his social media on Jan. 9 that he was no longer employed at the Fort Myers CBS affiliate after a decade there, WINK is down to five on its “weather authority” team to cover the weather on its platforms.
Fired WINK News weather expert Devitt makes a plea
On Tuesday (Jan. 13) Devitt went to his social media again to express frustration about not being able to delete his Facebook page associated with WINK News. He said this:
“They’re not allowing me to (Facebook) take my former employer out of my name and “rejecting” my request to.”
Here is his full post on X:
As of Wednesday morning (Jan. 14) the Devitt-WINK News Facebook page with 1.2 million followers was still active.
Who is meteorologist Nikki Sheaks?
According to the WINK News website, Sheaks joined WINK News in April 2023. She is a Miami native and Florida International University graduate. Sheets holds dual degrees in Atmospheric Science and Broadcast Journalism. In March 2023, she earned the Certified Broadcast Meteorologist designation from the American Meteorological Society.
Before joining WINK, Sheaks was a weekday meteorologist in Panama City Beach, covering tornado outbreaks, wildfires, and tropical weather across the Florida Panhandle. Her passion for science reporting also led her to produce in-depth environmental features on issues ranging from recycling to animal rescues. In 2022, she earned finalist recognition from the Florida Association of Broadcast Journalists.
Earlier in her career, Sheaks forecasted live from high-profile events in Colorado, including the Aspen X-Games and the Junior College World Series. She began her broadcast journey behind the scenes as a writer at WSVN in Miami.
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This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: WINK News loses another member of weather team after Devitt firing
Reporting by Mark H. Bickel, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News / Fort Myers News-Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
