Rachel Cox-Rosen

For the last decade, Ivan Esteves has started his day boarding a Collier Area Transit bus, buckling up and driving away. But these days are long days and turning into long weeks. “Almost 56 hours,” Esteves said, A shortage of bus drivers is taking a toll on drivers like Esteves. Right now, there are 50 […]

People walking their dogs is a common sight everywhere, especially at West Wind Condo Estates in Collier County. Veteran Tim Duffy and his best buddy Abby would ride his scooter with Abby trotting next to him. But not Monday. Instead, Duffy’s scooter sat empty near this memorial for Abby. “It was just an unfortunate accident,” […]

Working in a hospital can be demanding, pandemic or not. One respiratory therapist said she’s been thrust into the frontlines helping the sickest COVID-19 patients continue to breathe. And, it’s not getting easier. COVID-19 cases may be dropping but the NCH Healthcare System had its highest number of deaths on Sunday when seven patients died. […]

Gov. Ron DeSantis hopes to move away from Florida State Assessments to a different testing format, one the Collier County school district has used for a decade. Teachers say there is a better way to measure their students’ success. And students are relieved they won’t have to focus so much on end-of-the-year exams. “We try […]

A family literacy nonprofit called Grace Place for Children and Families in Golden Gate hopes to prevent disadvantaged children from falling behind their classmates through a new partnership with Core Health Partners. They will soon offer free developmental screening, diabetes testing, physical and occupational therapy, and more. The services are offered on-site so it’s convenient […]

A Collier County leader says he’s working to find solutions to an overcrowding problem at a Marco Island boat ramp There is controversy at Caxambas Park & Marina over boat parking and access to the dock. Commissioner Rick LoCastro told us it’s been an overlooked problem for years, and it’s time to address it, but […]

A battle is brewing in Golden Gate Estates over a church. While some neighbors hope for divine intervention, others argue this has nothing to do with the type of project but what might arrive down the road. Dozens of parishioners of Iglesia Pentacostes Peniel gathered to address Collier County Planning Commission while wearing matching shirts, […]

Collier County leaders are putting the blame on commercial boaters for overcrowding at boat parks. Now, they are looking for a solution that those commercial boaters say could hurt their livelihood. If commercial boaters lose access to the water, if they’re suddenly kept from using public boat ramps, they’re out of business. They say they’re […]

There’s a push to create affordable housing in an area of Southwest Florida that is known to be pricey. Hundreds of new apartments could be coming to Collier County very soon. Some of those units will be set aside for teachers and first responders. But, the question from many is if these units will actually […]

An annual highlight for many high school students in Southwest Florida has been postponed. Collier County Public Schools is canceling the homecoming dance to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Homecoming week is close, but there won’t be any homecoming dances at CCPS schools after the school district postponed them all. “Well, I think that […]