Coastal Breeze News

For many travelers, Holland begins and ends in Amsterdam, as tourists tend to take advantage of all the cultural and social amenities offered by the hustle and bustle of a large city. However, if you really want a more genuine Netherlands experience, less diluted by tourists such as yourself, head east, either by efficient train or by bicycle to a smaller city such as Hengelo. It was October when we arrived and there was a chill to the air from the North Sea. Gloves, scarves, and warm clothing, and an occasional umbrella were needed. Hengelo is located in the Twente ... Read More »

If you are considering selling your home (or condo), things are looking up. But before you commit to listing with your cousin, an in-law or some other realtor, make sure that they have gone beyond getting a license. Of course if it’s your son or daughter you’re probably committed. Also, a spouse or ‘significant other’ is an absolute. A real estate license does not qualify a person to give you the best representation. And in the real estate fraternity there are many license holders that haven’t got a clue. However, in all fairness to my fellow realtors, there are also ... Read More »

I don’t usually mention the previous month’s weather in a current fishing report.  However, the weather this past January was so severe that it made a definite impact in the fishing world in southwest Florida. The frigid temperatures caused many species to leave the area, at least temporarily.  There was also a huge and noticeable fish kill because of the exceptionally low temperatures. Because of this significant fish kill, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Department elected to close our snook season to give the snook a chance to rebound.  This decision is supported by all of us who want to ... Read More »

Can you imagine a better combination in time for Valentine’s Day, than flowers and chocolates? When those confections are the well-known, handcrafted Norman Love Chocolates, according to Nancy Carrington, it’s even more exciting. Nancy is owner and president of Marco Island Florist, and has been aware of Norman Love Chocolates for many years. The union, in time for Valentine’s Day, will enable the Marco Island Florist location to pair their lovely flowers with the handcrafted white, milk, and dark chocolates. “I am a firm believer in partnering with local businesses and contacted Norman Love to explore the possibility and I ... Read More »

Sidewalks are designed for the purpose of allowing pedestrian traffic to be separated from vehicular traffic. This includes people walking, children riding bicycles, parents pushing baby carriages, and wheelchairs. The City receives frequent complaints concerning sidewalk obstructions: a sidewalk obstruction is anything which blocks the sidewalk.  Most frequently, the obstructions are trees or hedges growing across the sidewalk, or vehicles parking on or across the sidewalk.  The code requires the sidewalk to have a clearance zone equal to the width of the walkway up to a height of 7 ½ feet. Tree branches, bushes, hedges, and even grass growing across ... Read More »

Now that we have your attention by showing off our rather brawny Fire/Rescue Staff at work putting out a dumpster fire in Olde Marco, we’d like to entice you to join us in our next edition where we will showcase an exclusive look at a new feature: Fitness on the Force. If you think their job is easy, add to it all the equipment they have to carry around in clothing and helmets, as well as safety requirements — and don’t forget the hoses! How do they do it — and remain smiling? We wondered too. We’ll share some fitness ... Read More »

Have you ever been out with friends, and trying to decide where to go for dinner, but no one will agree?  You ask a few questions, you suggest a compromise and  guess what?  You’ve just successfully mediated a dispute. Mediation sounds like such a ‘legal’ term, but it’s not just something that is used around the courthouse.  In an economy such as we have today, disputes are more common, tempers flare, and small issues loom much larger and darker.  Mediation tones things down in just about any environment. Rival teachers in a school district, opposing groups in your church, neighbors ... Read More »

Keeping the space in our chest open and spacious is important for many reasons. There are just as many reasons for its being closed in the first place: one daily activity of slouching over a computer with our heads forward is the most obvious problem in our lives today. Reading books, watching TV, any activity where you are not focusing on your positioning, can be an issue for closing in the heart center. With that being said, almost all of our activities are forward-focused, unless we are working for Cirque du Soleil. In this fast-paced world, we may find we ... Read More »

At the last City Council meeting on February 1, Angelo Ubertaccio was recognized as an outstanding employee for 10 years of valuable service to the City’s Public Works Department. Marco Island Firefighter Raymond Ladurini, about to be deployed to Iraq, was also recognized. The Coastal Breeze News will be undertaking to send parcels to Ray and his troop on an ongoing basis while he is in Iraq, and we invite those interested in participating to stay tuned for lists of appropriate items that may be dropped off in our offices in the Shops of Olde Marco. Some agenda items that ... Read More »

I had a different message planned for this space, but I was so influenced by something that happened this afternoon that I feel compelled to write about it. First of all, I admit that I am like many other full time residents who suffer a love/hate relationship with “The Season”. We love to see our friends return to the Island for what seems a few short months. We love to see our local businesses receive a boost, and there’s something energizing about beaches and sidewalks full of walkers strutting their stuff early in the morning. It’s great to live in ... Read More »

The day was cool and cloudy but the feeling was hot and determined as 90-plus golfers at the Hideaway Beach Club once more set out to Chip Away at Cancer, in their annual fundraiser. “Let’s Kill Cancer” was the cry, as one organizer, Bill Dean led the charge to the 9-hole golf course where honorariums marked each hole, saluting cancer survivors or lost loved ones. Hideaway Golf professional Heidi Papoosha, assistant Michael O’Brien, and visiting PGA Head golf Professional Kristy Gleason, from the Kingswood Golf Club in Wolfeboro, NH added some extra challenges, allowing the players to bet against them ... Read More »

This isn’t your old edition of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. This is 1890s London, and a 21st century Holmes and Watson as never before read or seen. Gone is Basil Rathbone,  the urbane, suave Holmes and his deerstalker hat. Gone, too, is Nigel Bruce, the bumbling, fumbling, avuncular Dr. Watson.  But perhaps we’ve come full circle, for it was Watson who nearly died while serving in Afghanistan.   The transition, by Director Guy Ritchie, is neatly done.  London is sleazy, filthy, overrun with unfinished monster projects, including the Tower Bridge, rats, and lots of ... Read More »

February is the month for romance and Valentine hearts, so who would have thought an alligator would make headlines as warm-hearted?  This cold-blooded reptile is a topic for St. Valentine’s Day?  You bet!  The American Alligator (Alligator missippiensis) that we see in the Everglades, and occasionally in the canals of Marco Island, like all crocodilians, has a four-chambered heart, a trait shared with mammals and birds. Most reptiles, lizards, snakes and turtles, have 3-chambered hearts, but the more complex heart structure in the alligator allows a lower metabolic state, enables it to dive for long periods and indicates it might ... Read More »

Councilman Wayne Waldack recently addressed the issues of blocked sidewalks following a resident’s requesting that this ordinance be changed. The appellant felt that being able to park cars in driveways, blocking sidewalks, would not inconvenience those forced to walk around them and would provide additional parking spaces on the island. Waldack pointed that sidewalks are for pedestrian traffic and not for the  exclusive use of a property owner.  Intentionally or unintentionally blocking a sidewalk, he said,  might violate various laws (possibly federal, state and local).  “There is also the issue of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)”, said Waldack. “Many ... Read More »

Captain James V. Picone of the Marco Island Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol (an Auxiliary of the United States Air Force) was awarded the Commander’s Commendation by Civil Air Patrol’s Florida Wing Commander, Colonel Christian Moersch. The award was presented to him by the Marco Island Squadron Commander, Lt. Col. Lee Henderson. Picone received this prestigious recognition for “outstanding duty performance in connection with a Homeland Security multi-state, multi- agency mission.” Such missions are one of the key contributions Civil Air Patrol volunteers make in protecting our country. During an extensive mission, a joint task force operation involving ... Read More »

One of the primary duties of a tennis coach is to either coach or view doubles competitions several times each week. Recently I have seen numerous CTA – USTA adult doubles and mixed doubles matches along with several national junior doubles events.  In our new world, the most stunning change in doubles is the emergence of the groundstroke; the one up, one back formation is rising in today’s doubles game.  This trend is not what I prefer but it is worth noting as it is so radically different from the early years of the doubles era.  The good news for ... Read More »

Valentine’s Day is observed on February 14 in the USA and in many countries around the world. How and when did this tradition start? There are many different beliefs about this. Some authorities trace the tradition to an ancient Roman festival called Lupercalia to ensure protection from wolves. During this festival young men struck young women with strips of animal hide and women believed that this made them more fertile. Others link it to an old English belief that birds chose their mates on February 14th. Many others connect the event with one or more saints of the early Christian ... Read More »

Haiti Relief Fundraiser The Hilton Marco Island Beach Resort & Spa hosted a silent auction fundraiser in the Grand Ballroom on Wednesday, January 27, lending a helping hand to victims of the Haitian earthquake. Mullet Festival The 26th Annual Mullet Festival kicked off Friday, January 29, at Stan’s Idle Hour Restaurant in downtown Goodland. Everglades City Seafood Festival The 37th Annual Everglades City Seafood Festival was held February 5 – 7, with over 100 vendors and a choice of blue crabs, lobster, shrimp, catfish, stone crabs, and fresh fish. Photos by Ed Bridle. Marco Bay Yacht Club – Presentation of ... Read More »

The good news is: Lowe’s plans to break ground and start construction of their new store behind Shops of Eagle Creek at 951/Collier Blvd. and U.S. 41 East around mid-February.  First, Lowe’s will do site preparation, relocate utilities, and build a temporary road to accommodate Eagle Creek’s rear gate traffic to Price Street.  The Lowe’s people, who keep in contact with Jim Lackey of Eagle Creek, said it would take about seven months to construct the building and two months to install shelving, provide inventory, and hire and train personnel.  I think everyone in the area will be excited to ... Read More »

I had an epiphany the one night at a public meeting (never too old to learn): I realized that I don’t dislike anyone. Most people do what they do because they believe they are ‘right’; they have morals or some way of governing themselves. I don’t always like WHAT people do and I suspect you don’t either. But are we always capable of separating the ‘who’ from the ’what’?  Aye, there’s the rub and that’s where problems begin. If you believe you are what you eat, then how can you separate what a person thinks and does from who he ... Read More »