Authorities are searching for the accused shooter after they say multiple witnesses reported they heard a single gunshot before they found a man dead near a pool of blood The Collier County Sheriff's Office has identified the victim as 32-year-old Jean Stevenson Aristilde sheriff's deputies responded to the 200 block of South First Street about 12:25 a.m Naples Manor murder: Teen accused in Naples Manor murder told authorities victim stole, resold drugs, report says Aristilde lay on the ground "with a pool of blood around him." The incident report indicates Aristilde did not have a pulse The sheriff's office indicated that bystanders reported they heard a single gunshot but did not see anything authorities found the shell casing near Aristilde's feet Adam Fisher, spokesperson for the sheriff's office, said this is the second homicide in their jurisdiction this year The 25-year-old Immokalee Regional Raceway has been granted another season to operate and will close in April to allow the expansion of Immokalee Regional Airport to begin The Collier County Board of County Commissioners unanimously voted Aug 13 to direct County Attorney Jeff Klatzkow to work with county airport staff to coordinate with Quality Enterprises USA Inc which does business as the International Hot Rod Association to formalize an agreement to continue using land for another racing season the county had given notice that it was terminating the raceway’s $2,700 monthly lease and asked it to vacate by Aug whose district encompasses the 1,333-acre airport told commissioners the county has been working on a resolution with the raceway operators and an airport lessee which is under contract for construction on hangars “A negotiation has been agreed upon by the parties to extend the raceway’s operations through next March for nine months,” McDaniel said before the vote has been operating since 1999 on a closed runway at the airport’s northwest quadrant drawing racecar and motorcycle competitors from as far as Canada and California the Hester family moved the track due to airport expansion and they don’t believe they can afford to relocate again signed RTH’s license agreement in April 1999 allowing drag racing and automotive events The popular raceway attracted prominent county families and became a spot for families and father-son teams to race on weekends It’s also known for a monthlong Winterfest which attracts hundreds of vehicles and thousands of visitors and the non-competitive Runday Sunday on the last Sunday of each month The raceway charges $30-$100 entry fees and $10 to watch but admission is free for kids 12 and under who has scouted for other locations but hasn’t found one due to the hefty expense The Hesters’ lease has been amended several times to extend or revise various terms and the most recent three-year agreement expired Jan the airport is home to aerial firefighting and crop-dusting operations the county had sought bids to develop two parcels and commercial hangars next to the drag strip and on one parcel that overlaps the raceway the county approved a lease agreement with Quality Enterprises to develop 31 aircraft hangars on one parcel and part of the parcel overlapping the drag strip a local and international flight school that’s been there since fall 2020 also finished negotiations to develop 12 aircraft hangars on the remaining portion of Parcel E Construction will begin once the raceway is removed Global and the county executed a 40-year ground lease for roughly 141,330 square feet to be used for the construction and operation of aircraft hangars and office space The school’s future plans include developing an aircraft maintenance and a Federal Aviation Administration-approved jet-charter operation The Florida Department of Transportation estimates the airport’s total local economic impact is $50.3 million annually It’s a designated HUB Empowerment Zone and Florida Rural Enterprise Zone which supports economic revitalization in high unemployment and economically disadvantaged areas by offering tax incentives to businesses within the zone Another 60-acre zone has been designated as a Foreign Trade Zone which allows companies to defer duties or taxes until goods are shipped Typical ebbs and flows of the single-family home market do not have much of an impact on the ultra Four restaurant chains and a cake shop will join seven other businesses coming this year to the new Tree Farm.. the May 5 opening of the Hospital for Special Surgery at NCH takes the health care.. Not only has Chef Brian Roland physically and emotionally returned to public life in Southwest Florida after his life-altering tragedy.. Beeline is counting on thirsty folks making a beeline to its new upscale cocktail bar at Mercato in North Naples... The 72-unit Verandas III opened and is fully occupied on Airport Road marking the final phase in the redevelopment of.. John Weber doesn’t get back to Immokalee all that often the 80-year-old is still one of the most popular figures in town Weber and the football team he equally prodded and praised delivered a magical season that captivated the farming community culminating in a Class 2A state football championship “Whenever I’m down there and out to eat or something I always run into somebody who brings up that team,” said Weber who now splits his time between Southwest Florida and Cincinnati Immokalee High School will give everyone a chance to remember by celebrating the 20th anniversary of this unforgettable team during its final regular game with Gulf Coast “I cannot believe it; it really does seem like yesterday,” Weber said “There’s guys on that team I haven’t seen in 20 years so that’s something I’m looking forward to.” Week 9 Roundup: Cape Coral, North, Naples, Estero, South, Immokalee, Oasis, Barron win and along with Naples and First Baptist Academy one of just three Southwest Florida high schools to ever capture an FHSAA football state title Weber freely admits the 2004 squad was not the most talented he coached during his 9-year tenure at the school “They all got along and made very few mistakes.” who had reached the state semifinals the previous season before losing to eventual state champion Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna during which Immokalee surrendered a combined 81 points in losses to Collier rivals Naples and Barron Collier “That’s the worst start we had during my time out there,” Weber said a 45-28 setback to Barron in which the Indians allowed 351 rushing yards Weber gathered his coaching staff for a late-night strategy session “I remember that we got yelled at a little bit after that game and we all deserved it,” said Immokalee athletic director Chris Siner who was the wide receivers and defensive backs coach in 2004 “But you know the great thing about Coach Web he may yell at you one minute then the next minute he’s hugging you.” who also served as the team’s defensive coordinator and the coaches made some alternations to the defense he wasn’t sure how those players would respond to the changes when practice resumed “What happened that week in practice changed the entire year for that ballclub,” Weber said Everybody bought in and from that point on we were just a different ballclub.” PHOTOS: SW Florida high school football Immokalee vs. Lely “It was one of those moments as a team where you can either go right or left,” added Rodelin Anthony We really just bit down and pushed each other for the best.” Immokalee put together a nine-game winning streak that saw them allow just 60 points and posted three consecutive shutouts in the postseason The last of which was a 21-0 blanking of defending 2A champ Chaminade-Madonna at Gary Bates Stadium propelling the Indians into the state championship game Awaiting the Indians was an unbeaten Madison County team Led by first-team Parade All-American linebacker Geno Hayes a future Florida State standout and seven-year NFL veteran the Cowboys finished as state runner-up in 2003 “There weren’t too many people that thought we could win that ballgame,” Weber said That was the perfect position for the Indians who relished the opportunity to prove people wrong and had two weeks to develop a game plan to take down Madison County Weber put in a defensive wrinkle designed to limit the Cowboys’ vaunted Wing-T offense and the team spent countless hours working on blocking punts since Madison County wasn’t adept in the kicking game “One night we worked our punt block so late we had lights on the cars shining on the field,” Weber said The kids thought we were going to stay there all night.” The night before the state championship game at the University of Florida Immokalee coaches started checking players’ rooms at the team’s hotel and found the first few empty “We were like what’s going on,” Siner said “We thought these guys must be out enjoying themselves.” when the coaches knocked on Anthony and fellow Immokalee captain Wiselet Rouzard’s room scoring the game’s opening touchdown after “That was huge because we didn’t want to get behind early,” Weber said try to eat clock and stop their running game.” the Cowboys managed to grab a 15-14 lead on a short field goal with about eight minutes remaining It was Madison County’s only field goal attempt of the season a recruit from the school’s soccer team who had never played organized football prior to 2004 The junior calmly drilled a 42-yard field goal to give the Indians a lead they would not relinquish I knew he had the leg to do it,” Weber said “I thought this was the best opportunity we had to take the lead because if we punted he cleared it by plenty and it was down the middle The most tangible reminder of the Indians’ state championship sits in a prominent position in the school’s trophy case it’s embodied in the players who earned it Among them are collegiate football standouts including NFL alums Javarris James and Brian Rolle current University of Illinois defensive coordinator Aaron Henry and scores of other successful professionals The most familiar to current Immokalee students is Anthony who after attending the University of Nevada-Las Vegas He coached the Indians for four seasons from 2016-19 leading the team to a 12-0 start in 2017 and another state semifinal appearance From 2019: Immokalee football coach Rodelin Anthony steps down after four seasons “I wanted to give back what was given to me,” said Anthony now the school’s assistant principal for curriculum and instruction “I was a kid in the hallways impacted by one of the educators in those hallways and I wanted to have that same effect not just athletically but also academically To remind the kids from our community that they too can go on to do great things They can use where they’re from to motivate them to go where they want to go.” Anthony said the Immokalee community itself played a huge role in the 2004 teams’ success not just with their vocal and unwavering support but because of what being from the town engenders in its residents on bilingual kids who wanted to push themselves in a new country “Everyone on that team had a similar story and we were all able to come together because of those similar stories The community really gave us the DNA to do what we needed to be successful.” — Tragedy struck in Immokalee on Friday when a car crashed into a local business The accident occurred near First Street at the Physical Therapy Center Of Immokalee where witnesses quickly jumped into action to help According to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) is facing two counts of DUI manslaughter and two counts of vehicular homicide Nelson sustained only minor injuries and has been booked into the Collier County Jail said they heard the crash and immediately rushed outside to assist the victims “The adrenaline was so high at that moment they found five people inside — two adults and three children the adult woman in the front seat was pronounced dead at the scene and then we got the second baby out," one of the healthcare workers recalled their attention soon turned to a 13-year-old boy who was in the rear of the vehicle the boy was later pronounced dead at the hospital and that became a priority to be honest," the witness said two people inside the physical therapy business were seriously injured The healthcare workers noted that speeding is a recurring issue in the area “The best thing we can have here on our roads are speed bumps," said one of the workers The Florida Highway Patrol is continuing to investigate the crash Friedman School students Yamilet Perez Aragon and Emma Morris talk about their recent visit with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers led by Assistant Professor Jess Sparks.  corporate social responsibility initiatives led by farm workers and the campaign for fair food in US agriculture For over 20 years, the CIW has pioneered and exemplified Worker-Driven Social Responsibility- based organizing market-enforced approach to the protection of human rights in corporate supply chains.” CIW’s ground-breaking establishment of The Fair Food Program in 2011 has had far reaching impacts on farm workers and retailers in Florida and beyond. Central to the Program are Fair Food Agreements wherein participating growers and buyers - like Walmart and McDonald's — enter a legally binding arrangement to implement the worker-developed and worker-enforced Code of Conduct Jess Sparks, an assistant professor in the Division of Agriculture, Food and Environment at the Friedman School is currently partnering with CIW to collaborate on a worker-driven social responsibility pilot in UK fishing with UK partners Focus on Labour Exploitation (FLEX) and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) Sparks offered the students the opportunity to accompany her while she met with CIW and UK research partners Yamilet and Emma spoke with the Friedman School Communications team about their experience Emma Morris: I first heard about the opportunity to travel to Immokalee from Jess Sparks, who spoke to my Fundamentals of US Agriculture class taught by Nicole Blackstone We had been discussing labor and the factors that encourage immigrant and temporary migrant work in the US food system I had been shocked by the lack of protections given to workers in the food system This is especially precarious for farm work which relies disproportionately on recently immigrated or undocumented individuals and is by nature intense and high-risk work Jess explained that the Immokalee trip would be an opportunity to learn about a social protection program that was created by farm workers themselves and has been successful in fighting against labor abuses and establishing fair working conditions on farms across the US.  Yamilet Perez Aragon: My Agriculture Science and Policy II professor Tim Griffin invited Jess Sparks for a guest lecture where she encouraged us to apply to this opportunity. I was interested because at the time, I had been working on a semester project for another class, Parke Wilde’s Determinants of U.S that was very relevant to the focus of the trip I was writing about the gaps in agricultural guest worker programs in the U.S and how Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) can fill them to improve immigrant farmworker conditions I thought the trip might offer insight in a way that research in literature and data alone could not I was excited to talk to real people who are most affected by these federal labor programs and private sustainability initiatives we were introduced to the team at the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) and learned about the work they do to support agricultural workers They serve as a community information center We learned about their history and the hard work involved in creating the organization we see today but their success is evident in their growth and in the impact they are making on the U.S On a tour of their Modern-Day Slavery Museum, we heard first-hand from some of the people involved in the discovery and prosecution of some of the biggest modern-day slavery cases in the United States Seeing the physical locations of where some of the human rights abuses have occurred was one of the most impactful parts of this experience It left a big impression on me to see how such horrible things can happen and remain hidden for years while we consume the products of their suffering.  This trip gave me insight into the ways and importance of incorporating social considerations into food system improvement efforts I do research on food system sustainability and I think a big part of this is recognizing worker rights and wellbeing as fundamental to sustainable agriculture and food production.    Yamilet: The second day, we went to one of the farms in the Fair Food Program (FFP) and watched a worker-led education session where a group of workers all participated in an interactive lesson about their rights it's important to have trust from the people you are serving so empowering the workers in their own language and in ways they can understand strengthens the connection Sessions like these are also really important as many workers on H2A visas migrate throughout the U.S The seasonality of this work means a farm may have a new group of workers every year and the program on this farm starts from zero again CIW comes back regularly to ensure every new group is informed of the labor rights they have on this farm that they might not have on other non-FFP farms.  Emma: Because the FFP has proven to be such a successful model for both farm workers and food buyers the CIW has begun advising groups in other sectors of the food system to develop their own worker-driven social responsibility programs We shared our time in Immokalee with a group from India and another group from the UK who were working with the CIW on fair food initiatives within Indian sugarcane production and the UK fishing industry This diverse mix of people and backgrounds gave our trip a collaborative and dynamic feel and our meetings covered everything from establishing written contracts to using food or song as mobilization strategies among workers we witnessed the Fair Food Standards Council (FFSC) conduct audits on a farm FFSC goes around to every farm participating in the program and talks to workers and makes sure farms are operating as they agreed to From what I’ve learned in some of my AFE classes Not just anyone can come and enter a farm’s property It was really incredible to witness on-farm audits with worker engagement on such large-scale commercial operations as this one It’s something that we have talked about hypothetically in my program but that I didn’t think I’d get to see for myself on this trip Yamilet: As I looked out into the field and saw workers comfortably talking to the program auditors I felt a lot of hope for what our future could be in a world that values the indispensable contribution of farmworkers to feeding our planet we overlook the hard sacrifice that farmworkers put in from sunrise to sunset They are the foundation that ensures we get to eat every day It is great to see more attention shifting to sustainability in our food systems but it seems much of it has remained limited to environmental concerns or a climate focus We need to maintain a holistic approach to sustainability and give more priority to the people at the most critical stage of our food supply Emma: The owner of the farm that hosted us in Immokalee shared that productivity increased after the Fair Food Program was implemented and his economic prospects improved through greater production and more reliable sales to food companies The economic argument for social protection programs is undeniable and can be an invaluable way to gain buy-in from managers resistant to change Yamilet: CIW was developed by and for workers to protect themselves It came from their recognition that “No one is coming to save me.” We have failed farmworkers Worker-driven social responsibility offers the best model that centers them as we fix the injustices in our food chain together the CIW functions like a community center in addition to a place of work Its physical office building and the people it employs create spaces for local meetings and a radio station providing relevant information and multilingual music Our visit really showed me what a force coalition building can be at creating community and supporting better livelihoods Emma: The CIW and FFP are incredible models for worker-driven improvements to labor conditions in the food system These programs seem to be doing as best they can to protect and give voice to workers they operate within a broader structure that still discriminates against those who are vulnerable and fails to provide good opportunities Improvements are still needed at the policy level to support good housing as well as effective pathways to citizenship for undocumented and or migrant workers seeking to stay in the US These types of changes would help make the food system less exploitative and more humane Yamilet: As someone really interested in policy I was a little doubtful at first of the private sector’s ability to do good for farmworkers on its own Especially because farmworkers’ place so far up the supply chain has sat them away from the center of companies and consumers’ attention after learning about how CIW built this movement from the ground up and used the power of community – I believe we can keep it going Competition and public image are great tools to pressure companies into enacting more ethical practices You can learn more about how you can make a difference by embarking on an education journey with the Friedman School. Our specializations are designed to get to the crux of critical issues and how they impact our world. Start your journey by contacting nutritionadmissions@tufts.edu Confusion over a cancelled event this Saturday at the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge near Immokalee has been resolved with the event now back on again The Save the Florida Panther Day festival is held on the third Saturday in March every year at the refuge.  Officials from the Friends of the Florida Panther Refuge and the U.S Fish & Wildlife Service announced Thursday that the "Save the Florida Panther Day" festival is back on "We are thrilled that we can welcome those who want to visit the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge on the designated day to celebrate the state animal," a release from the organization sent to WGCU Public Media said "We co-host this event with the refuge every year and it is popular with several favorite activities Check in will be at the Roger Roth Work Center on the refuge to celebrate the state animal and explore the special and conserved space set aside for endangered Florida panthers." On Wednesday an email from an official with the U.S Fish & Wildlife Service announced the event listed as The Florida Panther Day Festival at the refuge on state route 29 in South Immokalee The notice simply said “The Florida Panther Day Festival has been cancelled.” The official later elaborated saying that the cancellation was due to a scheduling error and added that since the event was tied specifically to that date no rescheduling would be made for this year and the festival would pick up in 2026 Additionally, a note from National Wildlife Refuge Association posted on the Facebook page of the Friends of the Florida Panther Refuge also said the Save The Panther Day event — basically the same event but supported by the Friends of the Florida Panther organization — at the refuge was canceled: "A directive from the new Secretary of the Department of the Interior stating that the refuge is not allowed to hold events without a two-week notice to his office has forced us to CANCEL the SAVE THE PANTHER DAY event this Saturday "This is one of our largest and most popular events Our partner NGOs were scheduled to be there "The National Wildlife Refuge system celebrates 125 years this weekend and we were thrilled to celebrate that with them "Guests who have a ticket for swamp buggy rides and swamp walks will receive an email about the event cancellation "We are justifiably upset about this directive and having to let down so many fantastic supporters of one of the most special and conserved spaces for the Florida state animal "Please feel free to email us with any questions according to the Friends of the Florida Panther the activities planned will also be available including guided refuge hikes through scenic trails presentations on the ghost orchid and Florida panther archery and a live prescribed fire demonstration WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. We are a nonprofit public service, and your support is more critical than ever. Keep public media strong and donate now Bad news for fans of Def Leppard, Train and Brad Paisley. This weekend’s Harvest Nights Music Festival just got cancelled — a mere four days before the charity concert was scheduled to start The event’s organizers — the nonprofit organization The Charity Pros — announced the news Monday on Facebook and The Charity Pros' website “We are heartbroken to announce that the Harvest Nights Music Festival has been canceled due to circumstances beyond the organizers’ control,” they wrote “We are working closely with Ticket Search and will contact each ticket holder within the next 7 days with instructions on how to access refunds "We appreciate your patience as we work to get everything sorted.” The Charity Pros' vice president of operations/events declined to comment or provide more details when contacted Monday by the News-Press/Naples Daily News He said he might be able to say more at a later date Harvest Nights called biggest concert of the yearOrganizers had called Harvest Nights the biggest Southwest Florida concert event of the year in the John Jimmie Rodeo Grounds on the Seminole Tribe of Florida's Immokalee Reservation It was later postponed to January 2024 "due to the impact of Hurricane Helene and Milton in Southwest Florida,” according to an October Facebook post The outdoor, camping-style festival was scheduled for Friday though Sunday, Jan. 10-12. In addition to the headliners, the fest's eclectic mix of rock, pop and country bands included former Eagles guitarist Don Felder The concert was to benefit Southwest Florida's Guadalupe Center Cancer Alliance Network and The Immokalee Foundation Fort Myers-based nonprofit The Charity Pros raises money for children and children’s social causes It also helps grant wishes for children in its Megan’s Wish program the nonprofit previously brought Matchbox Twenty and former Eagles guitarist Don Felder to Hammond Stadium for a 2023 Hurricane Ian fundraiser They also organized two major fundraising events in 2021: A Hertz Arena concert with rock legends John Fogerty and Foreigner and a virtual fundraiser featuring performances and recorded messages from Fogerty Fogerty was also scheduled to play shows in Tampa and Orlando but those were canceled due to what organizers called "production issues." For more information, visit thecharitypros.org or facebook.com/thecharitypros — Charles Runnells is an arts and entertainment reporter for The News-Press and the Naples Daily News. To reach him, call 239-335-0368 (for tickets to shows, call the venue) or email him at crunnells@gannett.com Follow or message him on social media: Facebook (facebook.com/charles.runnells.7), X (formerly Twitter) (@charlesrunnells), Threads (@crunnells1) and Instagram (@crunnells1) Florida Highway Patrol arrested a Lehigh Acres man in a Jan More: Immokalee man dead after fatal car crash, investigation ongoing They said Deleon was driving a Chevy Silverado on South First Street south of Stockade Road about 10 p.m Deleon was transported to the Collier County Immokalee Jail Center without incident Two people were killed in an Immokalee six-vehicle crash that left another motorist seriously injured around the time traffic was driving south ahead of Hurricane Milton Troopers said all vehicles were traveling east on State Road 82 east of the intersection of Edwards Grove Road when a semitrailer driven by a 24-yearold Immokalee man rear-ended a car Authorities said the initial collision caused the woman's car to rotate and collide with driven by a 57-year-old Largo woman with another Largo man riding as a passenger The Largo motorists' car rotated and collided with a van driven by a 41-year-old Coconut Creek man and the semitrailer that initiated the chain of collisions Charges dropped: Monroe County prosecutors drop charges against Collier Commissioner Rick LoCastro The front of the van then rear-ended a third car Petersburg man with a 4-year-old boy riding as a passenger Troopers said the two Largo motorists died on scene at least 41 people have been killed in Collier County crashes this year Tomas Rodriguez is a Breaking/Live News Reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. You can reach Tomas at TRodriguez@gannett.com or 772-333-5501. Connect with him on Threads @tomasfrobeltran, Instagram @tomasfrobeltran and Facebook @tomasrodrigueznews .A longstanding childcare center in Immokalee is expanding to help address wait lists in the farmworker community Pathways Early Education Center, which opened its doors in 1964 as the first child care center in Immokalee has embarked on a capital campaign to raise $2.25 million The plan is to expand so 30 to 40 more children can enroll Currently the center has capacity for 125 children More: Child care tough to find in Collier, but new projects could bring some relief Population growth throughout Collier County has exacerbated wait lists for early learning slots so kids can get a head start and be ready for kindergarten It is critical because Collier children are falling behind in getting ready for kindergarten the lowest rate since 2018 in Collier and well below the state average today that 51% of children are ready according to the Florida Department of Education Businesses across all sectors benefit by having reliable and productive employees who are not preoccupied knowing their children are in a safe setting and learning including a detailed analysis from the Florida Chamber of Commerce last year Roughly $5.4 billion is lost in economic value annually in Florida when working parents must take time away from work to care for children under 6 according to the state’s top business lobby Pathways is nationally accredited by the National Accreditation Commission for adhering to high early learning standards A wait list at child care centers in Immokalee and elsewhere is common More: Children's museum receives $1.5M from the state for early learning center in Naples “Ninety children came off our wait list last year because they aged off and went to school,” he said There were 183 child-care centers in Collier this spring licensed by the state Department of Children and Families yet capacity figures were not readily available  On top of the educational benefits for children Southwest Florida’s sky-high housing costs often mean both parents often have to work More: NCH Healthcare closing day care center in June; parents scrambling Roughly 30% of Pathways’ students are children of parents in agriculture jobs in the fields or at packing houses The rest are children whose parents are in the service industry The center is open year around for 10-hour days and the children get breakfast Pathways is well on its way to meet the fundraising goal It has received a matching gift of $750,000 from George and Cindy Rusu Family Foundation The couple are residents of Naples and have a philanthropic mindset said in a news release: "The generous support of the George and Cindy Rusu Family Foundation is an affirmation of the transformative work we do and an investment in the future of Immokalee's children."  The goal is to finish the capital campaign by March 31 “The generosity of the community is amazing to me and puts a smile on my face,” he said The plan is a physical expansion of adding 2,500 square feet to the current 12,000-square-foot center The center’s budget is $3 million with $1.8 million of that going to salaries for 35 teachers and staff Hiring would be necessary for adding 40 more kids “We hope to hire 10 more teachers and a curriculum specialist,” he said For more information, visit Pathway’s website at pathwaysearlyeducation.org strategic and hardworking team than the pros at Priority Marketing a nonprofit organization with a mission to eliminate substandard and overcrowded rental housing for farmworker families and low-income families has received a grant for $1 million from The Schoen Foundation to help construct the third 16-unit apartment building.  “We are incredibly grateful to The Schoen Foundation for this extremely generous and inspiring grant” says Arol Buntzman chairman and CEO of the Immokalee Fair Housing Alliance “These funds will help us to provide an additional 16 hurricane-resistant and affordable homes for hardworking families in Immokalee Being able to move out of trailers and shacks that are in appalling condition will be transformational for dozens of children and their parents.”  The Immokalee Fair Housing Alliance is developing a hurricane-safe and affordable community of eight buildings each with 16 apartments for low-income families The first building in the new community is complete and residents are expected to move in by the end of the year A second building is currently under construction the community will house more than 640 people.    the Immokalee Fair Housing Alliance is building two playgrounds a sports field and a community center that will provide space for pre- and after school tutoring Senior living center earns high performing status for both short-term rehabilitation and long-term care The Preserve is proud to announce that its skilled nursing care Cape Coral’s first food truck park is slated to open June 2025  Slipaway Food Truck Park & Marina a one-of-a-kind experience coming soon to Cape Better Together is partnering with New Springs Church to host a community job fair for Coral Springs-area residents on Saturday Sign up for our monthly newsletter to keep up with what we’re doing for our clients and the community We cover a variety of relevant marketing tips and topics to inspire and empower your brand Florida | Georgia | North Carolina | South Carolina | Alabama | Colorado From the Archives: 69 years ago – The first Farm City BBQ was held in ImmokaleeNaples Daily NewsThe Farm City Barbecue is a tradition in Collier County that began when Naples business leaders invited Immokalee farmers to a barbecue after a poor crop year The event was intended to help the farmers’ families not go hungry on Thanksgiving Farm City Barbecue is considered a celebration of the interdependence of farmers and business owners The event brings together people from urban and rural areas of Collier County Proceeds from the event go to support youth leadership development programs in the community there are more than 300 farms on almost 150,000 acres in Collier County Some are large producers that sell wholesale regionally or nationwide and others are just a couple of acres the state’s third-largest grower of annual and perennial flowers The next Farm City Barbecue will be held Wednesday Elected officials will be the “celebrity servers.” Learn more at farmcitybbq.com 1976 – Collier County Commissioners proclaimed “Frank C Day” as a living tribute to one of Southwest Florida’s most respected ecologists the Naples scientist was also honored as the “Scholar of the Everglades” by Florida Governor Reubin Askew 1980 – Fleischmann Park Community Center opened in Naples 2016 – The Collier County Canvassing Board certified the official results of the 2016 General Election Of the 200,707 eligible voters in Collier County From the Archives: Decades of Swamp Buggy racing, celebrations in Naples From the Archives: Front page news from October 1972-1981 Florida condo crisis: Recent storms and new law weigh on Marco Island condo sales The list includes only those players who have played in an NFL game See where it ranks among other top schools in Florida here Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com Writes about football and basketball as a Senior Writer and hosts "The Nick Bartlett S.. Aidin Ebrahimi covers the NBA for SuperWest Sports Spencer McLaughlin contributes videos to SuperWest Sports and is the host of "Locke.. Miller covers College Basketball and College Football as well as Formu.. Writes about track and field and Oregon football as a columnist for Super.. writes about various topics for SuperWest sports Get ready to enjoy some of the last cool weather of the season as a cold front will drop lows into the upper 40s by Friday morning A low-pressure system will work its way across Southwest Florida Wednesday and rain chances will be their highest in the afternoon-to-evening hours according to reports from the National Weather Service "(Wednesday) the rain will be between 3 and 7 pm but really the cold front will be pretty weak by the time it makes it this far south," said George Rizzuto "It will be isolated showers and not a total wash-out situation." Rizzuto said the Naples area may even see lows in the upper 40s Friday morning "It's less common than January and February but it is still possible in March," Rizzuto said "We've gotten a couple of good cold fronts in March in years past." The record low in Naples for March 7 is 43 set in 2010 Cape Coral?Conditions will be similar in Lee County "It's going to be weakening by the time it gets to your area," said Paul Close It's still some rain but it's breaking up as it gets to Southwest Florida." The NWS Ruskin office covers the area that stretches from Cedar Key to Bonita Springs along the west coast of Florida Rain chances are expected to be their highest between 3 p.m "That's when the rain chances will be their highest," Close said Temperatures will drop Wednesday night into the 50s "It will definitely be cooler," Close said of Thursday and Friday morning you'll see mid-to-upper 40s and Saturday it will be in the low 80s," Close said not that it hasn't happened later in the year." The record low for a March 7 in Fort Myers is 40 The fire caused evacuations in some neighborhoods what was supposed to be Southwest Florida's biggest music festival ever Harvest Nights Music Festival was canceled Ticket holders said they're upset because it was called off at the last minute Polo Staber and Gary Morgan spent so they could go to watch their favorite bands Four days before the festival in Immokalee kicked off ticket holders received an email with the news The Charity Pros, in charge of Harvest Nights Music Festival "We must announce the cancellation…due to unforeseen circumstances entirely beyond the organizers' control." Watch Immokalee Community Correspondent Ella Rhoades report below: Morgan said the email came in the nick of time on the last day he could get a refund for his motel reservation and I just had a gut feeling something was happening," he said Morgan and his wife love Train and were about to start the 14-hour car ride from Virginia to see the band play in the festival "It's been a bit of an aggravation," he said Fox 4 Immokalee Community Correspondent Ella Rhoades met with The Charity Pros Director of Operations Brad Maloney last month to talk about festival prepartions. "Nobody's ever seen a production like this down here in Southwest Florida," he said Polo Staber originally bought the tickets for when the festival was scheduled in November but organizers pushed it back after the hurricanes Staber said he couldn't believe it when his wife told him the news Monday I thought my wife was playing a joke on me," Staber said bought Harvest Nights tickets for his wife and the Christmas gift is no longer," he said The Charity Pros didn't say the exact issues that made them cancel the event They posted a statement for ticket holders and the public below: The Charity Pros also didn't mention if they would reschedule the festival "I just don't know if people are gonna trust another festival like this," Kartye said A weekend melee sent one person to the hospital in serious condition launching a search for the attacker after two people involved couldn't identify the subject due to intoxication According to an incident report from the Collier County Sheriff's Office Saturday to a home along North Second Street where they found both victims standing outside the home One of the victims was injured in the upper leg area while the second victim had a laceration atop his left eye which the victim said happened with the suspect punched him in the face The second of the victims told authorities the three of them were inside the home when the suspect began to argue with both victims One of the victims said to take the argument outside Two indicted: Collier County grand jury indicts man, woman for separate Fentanyl deaths The victim who suffered minor injuries refused medical care while the victim with serious injuries was taken to Gulf Coast Medical Center A public records request to the sheriff's office indicates authorities had not made an arrest by Monday afternoon — A technical college in Immokalee is on the cutting edge of a trending industry and students going there are getting to cash in so does the need for heavy equipment technicians if you were a kid or have a kid who loves the big yellow construction trucks you name it — these kids are growing up to work on these machines and keep them running for living and it prepares them for the real world," program instructor Stephen Bridges explained Bridges teaches the Heavy Equipment Services Technician program at Immokalee Technical College, or iTECH. He works with 25 students five days a week in the classroom and in the lab clean and put back together engines for semi-trucks agriculture equipment and equipment that builds roads See what Immokalee Community Correspondent Ella Rhoades saw as she spent a day with the young techs in class: iTECH says 100 percent of the students that come out of this program have found jobs For a small area and a rural area like Immokalee it's hard to get those kind of opportunities Each student lands a job at one of several companies that sponsor the program including Caterpillar and John Deer Talk about demand...Bridges said Caterpillar needs 44,000 technicians and John Deer needs 12,000 Angel Vega Perez could be one of them soon and that's what's going to make you successful It's not just like something to do just because you wanna do it gives each student a scholarship that includes "A training that no one can take away from them," said Foundation CEO Noemi Perez they have that knowledge you know for life." Fla — Imagine a huge herd of cows making its way through the streets of a town – well that was actually the reality at the 2025 Immokalee Cattle Drive and Jamboree Fox 4’s Austin Schargorodski went there to see how this event honors Immokalee’s pioneer roots.Watch the moment the cows took over main street: The cattle herd and ranchers on horseback made their way down Main Street to Roberts Ranch to kick off the event Cattle ranching has been a way of life in Immokalee for generations dating back to the earliest Florida pioneers learning from his mother and grandmother – who once drove cattle into town with her dogs to barter for goods “We’ve been raising cattle for a long time I’m glad Immokalee is keeping their museum alive and events like this going to show people how we used to live back in the day,” said Jumper From alligator wrestling and live music to local vendors serving up Florida favorites the Immokalee Jamboree brings rancher history to life Immokalee Foundation Board Chair Jerry Belle at an activity with Immokalee Foundation students life changed for many in Southwest Florida  Hurricane Irma was devastating to the Immokalee community in particular.. Hurricane Irma was devastating to the Immokalee community in particular As my wife Janet and I lived in Naples and suffered no damage we immediately looked for opportunities to assist those in the neighboring agricultural community A friend suggested we look into The Immokalee Foundation since he knew of our keen interest in supporting education We traveled to Immokalee and met some of the staff and students who enthusiastically summarized the work being done The Immokalee Foundation has been preparing the next generation of leaders through a 100% focus on education and professional development for students in Immokalee—from kindergarten through postsecondary education One hundred percent of the students we support graduate from high school having completed an internship in their field of study; 93% graduate with an advanced postsecondary certificate or degree; and 87% of our alumni work in their chosen field of study My introduction to The Immokalee Foundation kickstarted a cascade of opportunities to get involved I became a mentor to one of the students and joined the Board of Directors my wife Janet and I co-chaired the Foundation's annual Charity Classic Gala fundraiser—three times I gladly assumed the role of Board Chair—a gratifying role that continues today I am often asked: What do you really need to continue the success that you have had over the past 33 years The answer is always the same: money and mentors The money part is obvious: We have operational and strategic needs that can only be met by the financial contributions of our donors and by successfully tapping available grants Because our access to postsecondary scholarships from state-funded Take Stock in Children requires each eligible student recipient to have a mentor My first Immokalee Foundation mentee was a seventh-grade student He was the product of a single mother who was studying to get her postsecondary degree They lived in a trailer for the first ten years of his life She instilled a sense of hard-working discipline in her son which he passionately applied to his studies My mentee graduated from high school as salutatorian of his class and was awarded numerous scholarships he attends FGCU in preparation for pursuing a Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry Returning to Immokalee to work in the local clinic Amazing…but just one example of how The Immokalee Foundation provides life-changing opportunities for motivated students The success of our nationally recognized Career Pathways program is the result of very targeted funding to ensure that these genuinely life-changing programs receive the necessary support within our operational budget the Foundation provides robust programming that prepares students for well-paying in-demand professional careers in Business Management & Entrepreneurship Engineering & Construction Management and Healthcare our annual financial resources limit the expansion of eligible students into the program Since each participating student receives an appropriate postsecondary scholarship we can only provide the number of scholarships we can fit into our annual budget The Immokalee Foundation is at the point where future assurances are needed pushing the expansion of our Planned Giving Program toward the top of our list of needs As part of The Immokalee Foundation's strategic plan we have added a critical new position dedicated to guiding donors through various planned giving options This focus on protecting one's legacy helps make the case for supporters and prospective donors to consider sustainable investment ways to support our mission into the future community partners and passionate supporters for your enduring generosity Though your participation will undoubtedly change a student's life the other life being changed will belong to you About The Immokalee Foundation: To learn more about The Immokalee Foundation, become a mentor, host an intern, volunteer as a career panel speaker or host, donate, or include the Foundation in your will, please call 239-430-9122 or visit immokaleefoundation.org.     Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: