Collier County

The private university in Collier County had reported more cases in its current outbreak but said it will now rely on the state Department of Health dashboard for updates.

The Mater Dei Clinic at the school reported there had been no new testing over 72 hours. Additionally, the clinic reported that the last positive case reported had been on Feb. 2.

The Florida Department of Health in Collier County is providing additional resources at the private college to monitor for suspected measles cases and minimize transmission.

This outbreak joins ones already existing and growing in Texas and South Carolina with hundreds of cases. Those outbreaks are a threat to the United States keeping its measles-free status.

The county commission voted to include the Ten Commandments along with the Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights and U.S. Constitution in historical displays.

Collier County, uses one of the most advanced 911 systems in the U.S., allowing callers to send texts and videos. So-called NG911 systems use modern technology like geotracking, reducing response times and enhancing safety.

Necropsy results revealed that a 263-pound black bear contained the partial remains of 89-year-old Robert Markel, and a preliminary autopsy found that Markel’s cause of death was consistent with a bear attack.

An investigation is ongoing and killing the bears is protocol, the FWC said. If confirmed, it would be the first recorded human fatality caused by a bear in Florida.

The attack occurred just south of Big Cypress Wildlife Management Area.

Big companies are snapping up land along the I-75 corridor, bringing a type of boomtown to Charlotte, Lee and Collier counties. Local leaders believe higher-paying jobs are coming to the area, easing the past dependence on tourism to drive the economy.

The housing gap between communities in Collier County is striking. In Immokalee, almost 40% of homes are owner-occupied, while in nearby Naples, that number is over 80%.

As agriculture gives way to planned developments, many worry the Florida panther is on a path to doom. Environmentalists say planned communities — Kingston in eastern Lee and Bellmar in eastern Collier and both the size of small cities — could hurtle the Florida panther from the Endangered Species List to extinction.