Coastal Breeze News

Coastal Breeze News inadvertently reported the pipe shown as an oil spill watch marker. This is not representative of the marker, in fact these pipes are being used for a ground water study and the public is urged not to disturb this sensitive equipment. Please do not tamper with the flags or piping. Further questions should be directed to Nancy Richie, Environmental Specialist for the City of Marco Island. Check the oil spill update daily at 239-389-CITY. Read More »

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While the Marco Island Fire/Rescue Department works hard answering emergency calls, they know how to use their off-duty time to the fullest. Chris Bowden, a Marco Island Fire Rescue EMT, seen here skim boarding at the beach on Saturday, May 30, was enjoying a high-flying time with his brother, Connor, over the waves. Both compete in the sport of skim boarding and both have a few sponsors, including Zap Skimboards and the local surf shop, JetSet. Chris will be holding a Skim Camp in July and August. He became well known by the community when he  proposed to his fiancee, ... Read More »

Tuesday, May 25, 2010 ….Lely Palms Retirement Community at 1000 Lely Palms Drive in Naples, Florida hosted forty-seven members of the Japan Foodservice Association. Lely Palms Retirement Community has been serving the Southwest senior population since 1984, over 25 years, and showcased  their food services and community to the Japan Foodservice Association members. The members are a cross section of business owners, executives from the hotel industry, franchise and private restaurants. They chose Lely Palms Retirement Community, an HCR Manor Care entity, due to it being a Proven Leader of 97% Resident Satisfaction. In Japan, the children of the senior ... Read More »

The City of Marco Island is actively engaged in the Deep Horizon Spill planning/response effort. The City is: Reviewing and updating the State’s emergency response plan for the Southwest Coast of Florida and providing the updated to Collier County; Monitoring the status, updates and situation reports daily; Monitoring the beach for any impacts related to the oil spill twice daily at 9 am and 3 pm; Communicating with local, state and federal partners; and, Standing ready to respond as needed. Call the City of Marco Island BP Deep Water Oil Spill Hotline for daily updates: 389-CITY (2489). Read More »

Many of Florida’s beach-nesting shorebirds and sea birds have experienced decline as a result of habitat loss and excessive disturbance at nests and colonies. In response, locally, a volunteer program has been initiated via Audubon, Rookery Bay and the City of Marco Island, to help protect shorebirds and their vulnerable habitats, both in the increasing beach pressures and in the face of the ever enlarging BP Deep Water Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The Shorebird Stewards will be out on the Marco Island beach near posted nesting areas, offering educational information, opportunities to view birds and chicks ... Read More »

Dave Gardner, Commander of Marco Island’s VFW Post 6370, is proud to show the architectural designs for the Veterans’ Memorial to be located in Veteran’s Park in Marco Island. The plans, created by architectural firm, Kimley, Horn & Associates, include a secluded circle of concrete, 120 feet in diameter, surrounded in part by trees in which benches will be placed. Loved ones will be able to place names of veterans on plaques that will be displayed here.  Eventually, the veterans would like to see a band shell and events where 200-500 people could gather in this quieter, protected area of ... Read More »

“What does one do in Everglades City during the hot and muggy summer days?” many people ask. “How do you live with the mosquitoes?” There’s a lot to do when you live or come to visit the Everglades City area. In the early morning hours, a fishing trip or boat ride to the outer islands is a wonderful way to start the day in the glades, before the mosquitoes get pesky. (However, so far this year we’ve been lucky with very few mosquitoes.) If you enjoy fishing, hire one of our many experienced guides; or, if you prefer kayaking or canoeing, outfitters ... Read More »

At the beginning Iron Man 2 shows promise of something more than a comic strip re-run. In the opening scene Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.), brilliant, physically fit, self-assured, handsome, is pitted against Senator Stern (Gary Shandling), bloated, unfit, ostensibly corrupt. It’s a senate hearing in which the evil senator is trying to bring down Stark’s concept of using Iron Man’s creation as a key to America’s first line of defense. Anyone who remembers the real-life confrontation of Howard Hughes and the late, unlamented Senator Owen Brewster over Hughes Aircraft’s “Spruce Goose” could draw a direct parallel. Tony Stark holds ... Read More »

We are fortunate enough in our community to have numerous local residents who are truly amazing. Maybe it’s the things they’ve done in their lives, or maybe it’s the hardships they’ve overcome. Almost always,  it’s an acquaintance you’d never guess had lived such a life, or did the wonderful things they still do, because they’re not concerned with being ‘recognized’ for it. Albino Bismonte is one such person. Dr. Al Bismonte, I should say. Al said he was the luckiest member of his family. Why? He was the youngest. When he went to school and chose to become a doctor, ... Read More »

CBN – Lee, we’d like to get to know you and David and are looking forward to having you as part of the Coastal Breeze News team. Where did you grow up and what kinds of training and personal experience led you to becoming cartoonists? Lee: I graduated from the University of Illinois in advertising/graphic design, and worked with advertising agencies for several years before becoming a writer/illustrator for American Greeting Cards in Cleveland, and from there moved to Hallmark Cards in Kansas City. David: Lee is four years older than I am (even though I’m taller), so when I ... Read More »

What is meant by day sailing? For me, it means being able to sail port to port in one day. It could include sailing for a few hours, or to a neighboring port to get a slip for the night or anchoring up for the night, before moving on the next day. From Marco Island you can make a landfall in one day to Panther Key, Indian Key, Everglades City, or Little Shark River to our south, and to our north are Naples and Fort Myers. Certainly, some boats are faster and cover longer distances. The waters to our south ... Read More »

Being a fishing captain and backwater guide, I am fortunate to have a lifestyle and profession and be able to fish anytime during the course of the year. For those of you who do not have the opportunity to fish at will, the best time to fish, of course, is whenever you have the chance! If you do have a choice, though, you should always consider the tides. Three factors that mainly affect the feeding habits of fish are the barometric pressure, water temperature, and the tides. There is not much you can do about the first two; however, you ... Read More »

The Marco Men’s Club annual dinner dance event for the new Board was held on Saturday, May 22 at Hideaway. Members and their wives came to enjoy this social event and to see in-coming president, Bill Sullivan, and others installed in their new roles as officers of the Men’s Club Board. The Club meets on the second Thursday of every month at the Mackle Park Community center at 10:00 AM. They always provide coffee and donuts, and there is always an interesting speaker. On June 10, Jane Watt to talk about the Marco Island Academy and Discovery Center; and at ... Read More »

Marva Sutt will be selling hotdogs, meatball subs, soda, and chips to raise money for the American Cancer Society on June 4, 5, and 6, from 10 AM until 2 PM outside West Marine located at 1085 N. Collier Blvd at Town Center Mall. West Marine will be offering seminars and expert boating advice. Hotdog, Chips and Soda will sell for just $3; Meatball Sub, Chips and Soda just $5. Marva’s marvelous lunch deals have become a tradition. She has been doing this once a year for the past seven years. Last year she made $3,000 from her hotdog special ... Read More »

It’s no secret that jewelry styles and designs tend to follow ladies’ fashion trends. If it goes out of style, sometimes it is only a matter of time before it will be the rage again. Many of today’s fashion statements are actually statements of the past. Lately that would include name pendants, bracelets and even rings. Talk about retro. I have created several pieces for my younger customers here on the island. This is definitely a 70’s thing. Forty years ago it was a lot more involved. To create each piece of personal jewelry it had to be engraved on a ... Read More »

On the nearest tourist brochure there are usually a dozen activities from which to choose, and filling up the day with planned events seems to be what it is all about when one organizes the day or even a vacation. In this busy and goal ridden life we lead there are times when not having a plan of action tends to be just as, or more, relaxing, productive, and fun. Allotting time for a frivolous day outing, heading east onto Tamiami Trail, is possibly just the answer replacing the busy mind with one focused on beauty; and even, spontaneously, recognizing ... Read More »

The 2010 World Cup is being held in South Africa starting June 11th and World Cup fever is already spreading across the globe and, yes, the US is very much a part of it! “Does the US stand a chance?” is a regular question I am asked. Yes! Very much so, and what’s fascinating is that in the same group (Group C) in which they are drawn, are Slovenia, Algeria, and England. I predict that the US will move onto the next round. And I predict theirs will be the largest US viewing audience ever for a sports competition. First, ... Read More »

If you are a typical southwest Floridian tennis player, most of your league matches are played on soft courts. However, it is not uncommon to play on a different court surface. So, if your team travels to facilities that feature hard or grass courts, is your game ready for major changes or do you always play the same style? For example, with the matches being played on faster courts, the service return will be an adventure unless each team spends considerable time on the practice court. First, as the skill levels rise, (especially from 3.0 – 3.5 and higher) the ... Read More »

Janice Ayerson has a degree in commercial art but never had a chance to practice her profession. Instead, she has been in charge of the finances at Taray International Corporation, a worldwide export distribution company owned by Janice and her husband Tarik, for all of the 31 years of the company’s existence. Now Janice finally has an opportunity to express her creative side: Taking advantage of an opportunity to purchase an existing business due to the owner’s retirement, the Ayasuns are now in the embroidery business. Janice recently opened “Sunshine Stitchers” at 1106 ½North Collier Boulevard, at the Chamber of Commerce Plaza. The well-lit, well stocked and tastefully decorated shop features two Tajima ... Read More »