Gas station stores in Lee, Collier counties become havens amid Hurricane Ian’s havoc
Hurricane Ian’s aftermath in Lee and Collier counties means driving through inundated streets despite a gas shortage, shopping only with cash at the few stores open, staying away from damaged electric poles, and finding boats stuck in unlikely areas.
People trapped, 2.7M without power as Ian drenches Florida
Hurricane Ian destroyed a cross-section of Florida, trapping people in flooded homes, forcing patients from nursing homes and hospitals, cutting off a popular barrier island and obliterating a historic waterfront pier. Nearly 2.7 million people lost power as rain fell and waters rose.
Florida man pleads guilty to $2.6M COVID-19 relief fraud
Daniel Joseph Tisone, 35, of Naples, pleaded guilty Monday in Fort Myers federal court to wire fraud, bank fraud, illegal monetary transaction and possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, court documents show. He faces up to 60 years in federal prison at a hearing scheduled for Dec. 5.
Trapper, wildlife officer hit python jackpot in Big Cypress
A python contractor and a Florida wildlife officer hit the motherlode in Big Cypress National Preserve Monday night, finding two female Burmese pythons, nearly 20 hatchlings and nearly 100 hatched and unhatched eggs amid efforts to rid Florida of the invasive species.
Florida man faces charges after allegedly grabbing kid from Walmart shopping cart
A Naples man is facing child abuse and false imprisonment charges, after Collier County Sheriff’s deputies say he approached a three-year-old child and removed the child from a shopping cart in a Walmart parking lot on Sunday.
The other vaccine issue: Routine childhood shots post ‘alarming’ decline during pandemic
“There is a segment of our population that is becoming very anti-vaccine,” said Dr. Lisa Gwynn, president of the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. “It’s a whole new era for us as pediatricians.”
sun-sentinel.com2 men were flying to get tacos when small plane went down in Everglades
Jose Ecarri says he and his pilot friend were flying from Tamiami to Arcadia to grab some tacos on Tuesday when the engine of their small plane failed and they landed in a remote area of the Florida Everglades — miraculously unscathed.
Officials: Florida panther struck and killed by vehicle
FORT MYERS, Fla. – An endangered Florida panther has died after being struck by a vehicle. Wildlife officials say the remains of the 1-year-old male panther were found Sunday on Alligator Alley in Collier County just a few miles east of the toll plaza. On Friday, officials say the remains of a male panther cub were found on private land near the Collier County landfill. Florida panthers once roamed the entire Southeast. Up to 230 Florida panthers remain in the wild.
Global digital payment firm ACI Worldwide Corp. moving to Miami-Dade
Global digital payment firm ACI Worldwide Corp. moving to Miami-DadeWritten by Jesse Scheckner on March 2, 2021AdvertisementA global digital payment firm currently headquartered in Collier County will get more than $360,000 in state and local incentives to move to Miami-Dade, with vows to spend millions on its new world headquarters and create 180-plus high-paying jobs. County commissioners Tuesday unanimously approved the incentives for ACI Worldwide Corp., which plans to hire 182 full-time equivalent employees earning an average $180,000 per year. Through 2032, Miami-Dade said ACI’s capital investment will generate nearly $305,000 in property tax revenues for the county. For every 50 jobs created, ACI is eligible for an additional 0.15% kickback from its capital investment through the Qualified Target Industry Tax Refund program. Of the $189,000 the company is to receive through that program, Miami-Dade will pay $37,800.
miamitodaynews.comMiccosukee police officer dies after being ejected in single-vehicle rollover crash
COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. – A Miccosukee police officer died in a single-car crash in Collier County. Authorities said 43-year-old Officer Horacio Dominguez was traveling west on I-75 at Mile Marker 51 when his right rear tire suffered a blowout. Dominguez was ejected from his vehicle during the crash and was pronounced dead at the scene. According to Miccosukee police, Ofc. He is survived by his wife and young daughter.
Department of Elder Affairs Announces Collier County as New Dementia-Caring Community
TALLAHASSEE, FL — Recently, the Florida Department of Elder Affairs (DOEA) announced Collier County has joined the Dementia Care and Cure Initiative (DCCI) as the 15th DCCI Task Force and Dementia-Caring Community in Florida. DCCI implements a statewide effort to become more dementia-caring to support those living with dementia, their families, and their caregivers. Governor DeSantis has taken important steps to ensure individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) get the care they deserve. “Bringing DCCI to Collier County has been a passion of mine for several years,” said Tammy DeCaro, the Executive Director of Barrington Terrace. As Executive Director of Barrington Terrace, I am proud to serve alongside Dr. Faffer in uniting community leaders with one common goal – making Collier County a Dementia-Caring Community.”
thewestsidegazette.comAs COVID-19 vaccine nears, data on religious exemptions show neighborhoods where efforts could meet resistance
Children with religious exemptions from vaccinesData from the Florida Department of Health shows the number of religious exemptions for children 4-18 years old per Census tract. Use this map to look up how many children have religious exemptions in your neighborhood. NOTE: To look up your address, select your county below first. Alachua County Baker County Bay County Bradford County Brevard County Broward County Calhoun County Charlotte County Citrus County Clay County Collier County Columbia County DeSoto County Dixie County Duval County Escambia County Flagler County Franklin County Gadsden County Gilchrist County Glades County Gulf County Hamilton County Hardee County Hendry County Hernando County Highlands County Hillsborough County Holmes County Indian River County Jackson County Jefferson County Lafayette County Lake County Lee County Leon County Levy County Liberty County Madison County Manatee County Marion County Martin County Miami-Dade County Monroe County Nassau County Okaloosa County Okeechobee County Orange County Osceola County Palm Beach County Pasco County Pinellas County Polk County Putnam County Santa Rosa County Sarasota County Seminole County St. Johns County St. Lucie County Sumter County Suwannee County Taylor County Union County Volusia County Wakulla County Walton County Washington County
sun-sentinel.comWildfire in southwest Florida grows over 8,500 acres; interstate has reopened
COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. – Forestry officials are still battling a dangerous and fast-moving brush fire in southwestern Florida that has grown even larger Friday to 8,600 acres. The portion of Interstate 75 (Alligator Alley) that was closed has reopened. Multiple residences in Collier County have been reported as destroyed or damaged. Agencies from Broward and Miami-Dade counties are sending firefighters to Collier to help battle the wildfire. A map of evacuation areas can be seen here from Collier County Emergency Management:Map of Evacuation Zones for the #36thAveSE fire.
Crash with injuries closes stretch of Alligator Alley in western Broward County
BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. - A crash shut down the southbound lanes of Interstate 75 early Friday in western Broward County. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, there was a crash with injuries near mile marker 48 along the stretch of I-75 known as Alligator Alley, not far from the Collier County line. A view from Sky 10 showed a mangled mess of debris on the shoulder and an SUV with severe front-end damage on a flatbed truck. The boy was airlifted to Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale. Copyright 2018 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.