Collier County

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.

Health experts testify on the importance of keeping the mineral in the water supply, but "health freedom" backers dominate the public discussion before the commission vote.

Federal authorities have launched an investigation to determine why a private jet tried to make an emergency landing on I-75 in Collier County, colliding with a vehicle and sparking a fiery crash that killed the pilot and co-pilot.

The Naples United Church of Christ hosted a youth mental health community forum for local health care players and mental health experts to show their progress toward a more well community.

Floridians are still picking up what was lost a year ago during Hurricane Ian, a deadly and destructive Category 4 storm. The Collier Community Foundation is one of the leading organizations providing support to Ian victims.

The Sandy Fire broke out Monday at 50 acres in the far eastern part of Collier County. By Sunday morning the fire had spread to 8,398 acres and containment remained at 0%.

The Florida Department of Transportation said it is trying to find money to widen part of I-75 and improve interchanges in a 42-mile stretch of the roadway.