Ave Maria
LATEST NEWS
Driver arrested for DUI after Immokalee crash
IMMOKALEE, Fla. — The Collier County Sheriff’s Office reports that a driver was arrested for DUI after crashing just one street away from his home in Immokalee. Lucas Lopez-Juarez, 22, was taken into custody and is now being held at the Naples Jail Center. According to witnesses, the...
Dialum buys land for new glass manufacturing plant in Ave Maria. See how many jobs
Ave Maria will soon be home to another large manufacturer. On Tuesday, Barron Collier Cos. announced the sale of a 10-acre plot in the burgeoning town to Dialum, a Chilean-based glass manufacturer. The manufacturer specializes in glass processing for commercial and residential applications. The new plant would serve as its...
A Dad, A Deputy, A Difference
Deputies rush to the scene where a teenage boy is out of control. They try negotiating, but the boy won’t speak to them. They try approaching, but the youth turns violent, throwing things and taking a swing at the officers. The typical response might be for officers to tackle the teen, perhaps use a taser or, if they felt threatened […] The post A Dad, A Deputy, A Difference first appeared on Fort Myers Florida Weekly.
Saw palmetto berry bandits facing harsher punishments
A new law is cracking down on saw palmetto berry bandits, who are known for stealing the berries and selling them by the pound. Saw palmetto berries are a valuable resource that grows in Southwest Florida. Now, Florida is pushing a new law that should keep the berries safe with...
Benderson Development acquires retail center in Naples
A prominent retail center in central Naples recently changed hands. In late June, Benderson Development acquired Carillon Place, a 250,000-square-foot retail center on the southeast corner of Airport-Pulling and Pine Ridge roads. Benderson purchased the more than 25-acre property from Site Centers, formerly DDR Corp. and Developers Diversified Realty Inc., a real estate investment trust based in Beachwood, Ohio.
Human remains in 1978 unsolved homicide probe linked to Florida woman
The Collier County Sheriff's Office said Tuesday they have identified the victim in a decades-old homicide, hoping to find her accused killer. The remains of Joan Shirley Joyce, who was born in 1936, were found in 1978 in a shallow grave. ...
Habitat for Humanity completes East Naples subdivision
Habitat for Humanity of Collier County marked the final home closings last week for its latest affordable housing community, Whitaker Woods in East Naples. With the last eight homes purchased, the community is now fully occupied with 125 families. The final step is for Habitat to hand the community’s management responsibilities over to its residents. The organization will work with community members to establish a community association and elect members into leadership positions on the board. The neighborhood will then be responsible for its own management, working closely with a professional property management company to maintain community standards. Collier County Housing Operations department data shows nearly 60% of the jobs in the county pay less than $45,000 annually, and more than 50,000 people commute into Collier County each day for work. Habitat Collier receives about 28 inquiries for each home it can fund, build and sell.
Is Publix open on the Fourth of July? Here's which Collier grocery stores are open
The Fourth of July falls on a Thursday this year and although some stores will be closed for the holiday, there will be some grocery stores open with modified hours for anyone who needs to grab a last-minute pack of hot dogs. Here’s which grocery stores are open on the...
Living paycheck to paycheck? In SW FL more people are struggling with everyday bills
Not everyone is living their best lives in Naples or Fort Myers. Forget the notion that locals in Collier County often dine out at fine restaurants and live in gated communities with perfectly manicured lawns. A new report shows 42% of households in Collier County live paycheck to paycheck, according...
6 Collier County food trucks perfect; 2 restaurants, 2 food trucks fail inspection
You can use the database to search by county or by restaurant name. Florida's restaurant owners are not required to post restaurant inspection results where guests can see them. So every week, we provide that information for you. Here's the breakdown for recent health inspections in Collier County, Florida, for...
AI robot dogs, robo-trucks invade local construction sites; few skilled humans to fill jobs
The giant cranes that seem to increasingly dot the Collier County horizon tell you all you need to know about the construction boom that has followed 2022's Hurricane Ian. And all the redevelopment spurred by the devastation is supplemented by surging home, hotel and commercial building and new ongoing massive projects, such as the five-star Four Seasons complex and Great Wolf Lodge, the biggest resort in Naples. That Great Wolf matches Atlanta for the largest indoor water park in the Southeast.
Let the fireworks fly: Collier County ends burn ban after deluge of rainfall
Collier County has extinguished its burn ban. The ban applied in all unincorporated areas, outside of city limits. While it didn't prevent the sale of fireworks, they couldn't have been used while it remained in effect. State law limits fireworks to three days a year: July 4, New Year's Eve...
Gov. Ron DeSantis Names Graci McGillicuddy to Florida Women's Hall of Fame
Gov. Ron DeSantis recently announced the selection of Sarasota resident Graci McGillicuddy to the 2024 Florida Women's Hall of Fame. Each year, the Governor selects three nominees from recommendations presented by the Florida Commission on the Status of Women. This prestigious honor recognizes women who have made significant contributions to the state of Florida and its residents through their professional and philanthropic endeavors. Graci McGillicuddy is the co-founder of the All Star Children’s Foundation, a Sarasota-based child advocacy center that combats child abuse and provides a safe place for foster children. She has dedicated her life to advocating for the rights and welfare of abused children. Her commitment extends to public service roles on various state councils and nonprofit boards where she contributes to arts, mentoring, and child abuse prevention initiatives. In 2022, she was recognized by The KNOW Women as a member of their “100 Women to Know in America” and was honored with the “Spirit of Service” Award by the Florida Senate in 2009. In 2008, McGillicuddy spearheaded a $6 million capital campaign to build a state-of-the-art Child Protection Center in Sarasota. She is currently a Lifetime Director of the Child Protection Center after serving many years as board chair and a board member. The induction ceremony will take place later this year, celebrating the accomplishments of McGillicuddy and two other outstanding women—May Mann Jennings, and Penny Thompson—each of whom has significantly contributed to the betterment of Florida.
The Florida Bar honors JBA’s Shoup with Cassedy Award
Jacksonville Bar Association Executive Director Craig Shoup received the Marshall R. Cassedy Sr. Award, presented June 21 by The Florida Bar 2023-24 President Scott Westheimer at the Bar’s annual convention in Orlando. The award, established in 2012, honors a voluntary Bar executive or Florida Bar staff members who has...
FWC participating in Operation Dry Water; heightened BUI enforcement, education on dangers of impaired boating
Operation Dry Water is a year-round national effort to educate recreational boaters about the dangers of boating under the influence of alcohol or drugs. A heightened enforcement during the holiday weekend of Thursday through Saturday, July 4-6, will see Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and other law enforcement partners focusing efforts on Boating Under the Influence detection and enforcement. The mission of Operation Dry Water is to reduce the...
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.