MARYANN BATLLE

• No deputies in Lee elementary schools next year after commissioners reject grant application Updated 05/21/2013 at 7:20 p.m.

  In the weeks after the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting, Lee County officials rushed to reassign deputies to protect local elementary schools. But there will be no deputies in Lee elementary schools next year. Find out why.

• Jim Moore, Lee economic development director, to retire Updated 05/21/2013 at 6:08 p.m.

  Most recently, Moore played a role in attracting Hertz Global Holdings Inc. to Lee, an accomplishment local leaders have touted as a game changer for the region’s economic future.

• Lee County wants more time to mull budget cuts Published 05/20/2013 at 9:06 p.m.

  Lee commissioners will take more time to consider a $15.3 million batch of budget reduction scenarios brought forward by county officials.

• New rules to protect racing greyhounds go in effect this week Published 05/20/2013 at 4:48 a.m.

  An animal welfare rule set to go into effect Tuesday in Florida will require more of that kind of transparency from the state's legal dog racing industry, a group some animal activists say has a long history of opacity.

• Hundreds turn out for Community Day at Artis—Naples Published 05/19/2013 at 8:30 p.m.

  Artis—Naples holds an open house, as both sides weigh in on its recent name change from The Phil.

• South Fort Myers graduate staying true to herself Published 05/17/2013 at 5:47 a.m.

  Brittany Saldivar has worked her high school career with one goal in mind. She wants to cure cancer.

• Parks to close, bus routes eliminated in Lee budget scenario Updated 05/16/2013 at 3:21 p.m.

  Lee County would close several public parks, eliminate a few transit bus routes, reduce services for low-income residents and trim jobs under a $15.3 million budget cut scenario that county commissioners and staff will review at a workshop Monday.

• Estate takes legal action against Bonita Springs over homeless shelter Published 05/15/2013 at 4:39 a.m.

  A land owner is seeking legal action that could force the City of Bonita Springs to issue a development order for a proposed homeless shelter on a six-acre site along Old 41.

• Lee commissioners rework incentive agreement with Bonita-based Source Interlink Updated 05/14/2013 at 5:36 p.m.

  The new FIRST agreement lowers Source Interlink’s job creation benchmark to 50 new jobs and also caps the county’s investment at $250,000, the amount it has already paid to the company for hitting capital investment targets.

• Lee commissioners look to modify incentive agreement with Source Interlink Published 05/13/2013 at 8:59 p.m.

  A taxpayer-funded incentive agreement between Lee County and Bonita-based Source Interlink Companies, Inc., might be modified again to give the company more time to reach its job creation goals.

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