Collier County

A mask mandate failed again in Collier County. Commissioners heard five hours of public comment on Tuesday and most people wanted a mask mandate, but the commissioners decided enforcement would be a problem and voted 3-2 against it. It was a long day for commissioners, who heard around 200 speakers weigh in on what they […]

Collier Youth for Black Lives, an organization focused on the protection and uplifting of black people, was hoping to take the spotlight away from the mask debate at Tuesday’s Collier County Commissioners meeting. “Growing up black here is kind of eye-opening,” said Christopher President, one of the protestors with Collier Youth for Black Lives. For […]

The Collier County Supervisor of Elections is sending out mail-in ballots, but thousands of them have been returned to the elections office as undeliverable. Mail-in ballots are already flying into the elections office in Collier County, and Supervisor of Elections Jennifer Edwards said they’re expecting a record year for vote-by-mail. “As of now, we have […]

Long lines at testing sites in Southwest Florida are a clear sign that people want to know if they have COVID-19. As options for getting tested expand, questions grow about how to best learn if you’re positive or negative for the virus. Most test sites consist of long lines and strangers sticking swabs up your […]

A vaccine is what’s needed during the coronavirus pandemic, but people we’ve spoken to in Southwest Florida are mixed about a future vaccine for COVID-19. In a Facebook poll we shared July 2, we asked, with a coronavirus vaccine in the works, if you would consider getting it when it’s ready. The results: 35% yes, […]

Identity theft can happen anywhere at any time. At the gas pump, at the grocery store and particularly at online retailers, people can be monitoring your activity and waiting to strike. Floridians are even more susceptible to identity theft, ranking second in the country for losses due to identity theft in 2019. “Last year, 2019, […]

Many parents and students alike remember clipping Box Tops off of their groceries and taking them to school. Each clipping could mean a ten-cent donation, resulting in additional funds for field trips, supplies and technology. But a year ago, Box Tops for Education began transitioning from physical clippings to a receipt-scanning app. Receipts must be […]

Tuesday in Collier County, commissioners will decide whether or not to implement a mask mandate for residents. Right outside that meeting members of the Black Lives Matter movement are protesting for different demands. Members of the Collier County Youth for Black Lives want commissioners to also talk about people of color. They’re demanding commissioners reallocate […]

As of Tuesday, much of Southwest Florida is red if you look at the Department of Health”s COVID-19 map, marking much of the area as a “hot spot.” But what does that mean? You hear the word hotspot all the time, and all that means is a particular zip code has registered 300 cases or […]

The discussion over mask mandates continues at the local level for municipalities in Southwest Florida. The City of Bonita Springs, Collier County commissioners and Charlotte County commissioners are all scheduled to discuss mask mandates in their respective communities Tuesday. We spoke to leaders in Bonita Springs Monday ahead of the city council meeting, and council […]