Coastal Breeze News

The efforts involved in a successful campaign have never been so evident as the recent results of, not only the grand opening of the Marco Island Historical Society state of the art and most beautiful and gorgeous museum, but of the Marco Island Art League, Center for the Arts Project Rescue triumph. For many volunteers of the various community endeavors, the passion of the project doesn’t suddenly end once the goal is met. There is always something more to do. Unfortunately, the numbers of volunteers and the interest within the community do actually wane. There always seems to be something ... Read More »

Most of my loyal readers know that I’m primarily a goldsmith, but I am also an entrepreneur and also run a gift and clothing boutique on the island with my wife and there is no more joyful experience than dealing with the public. Please don’t misunderstand the slight sarcasm. I have worked with the public from the tender age of fourteen in my home town pumping gas, checking the oil and tire pressure, and cleaning the windshield in the dead of winter (when there were full service gas stations!) I also worked two days a week learning the jewelry trade ... Read More »

As so many writers have said of Goodland in the past, “As if we need another excuse for a party.” Well guess what? It was Independence Day – an excuse for the whole nation to party! So Goodland did and we did it right! While our little corner of the world grows quieter as summer begins, there was plenty of noise in our town on the Fourth! The festivities began at Stan’s Idle Hour, the first restaurant as you head into Goodland. If you’ve ever been there on a Sunday, you know the day begins with an extended version of ... Read More »

Brittney Van Sandt is the great niece of Ellen and Frank Hall, my Goodland neighbors. Brittney, who lives in Homer, Alaska, completed Culinary School in Anchorage and then came to Tampa to take the required safety and seamanship course for tugboat crews. During her visit to Goodland, she told me, “I will be purchasing provisions, planning menus, and cooking three meals a day, plus a snack for a crew of ten.” Each ‘hitch’  (time aboard the boat) is six weeks long. By the time I arrived in Homer in late May, she had already been hired, done her ten-day trial ... Read More »

Taking leave of the Everglades, the wide open spaces, the freedom which that long straight road beckons opening to seemingly unknown vistas, Jeane’s Jaunts heads to North Naples to the Naples Philharmonic Center for the Arts with excitement and enthusiasm. It was at the Phil in Naples when I first realized I loved the ballet. That was the time, nineteen years ago, when I had to pay my youngest son, Michael, who was then fifteen, $10 to come with me and an extra $10 to wear a tie. My hope that he would at least love the experience turned out ... Read More »

by Emilio Robau Boy Scouts from Marco Island Troop 234 enjoyed the benefits of their year long fundraising campaign this summer by participating in a 13-day intermodal van, plane, raft and foot powered backpacking trek to Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park. The Troop flew to Denver, camped on the road at Curt Gowdy State Park, and established a base camp at Colter Bay Village in Grand Teton National Park on the shores of Lake Jackson. Their first hiking experience consisted of a seven-mile strenuous round trip 1400 ft elevation gain hike from the base of the Teton ... Read More »

From the opening bars of the background music it’s clear that “Knight and Day” is not serious. Rather, it is a spoof of just about every secret agent/thriller-diller/action movie ever made. Roy Miller (Tom Cruise) is a teaspoon of James Bond (the Sean Connery and Daniel Craig editions), a tablespoon of Jason Bourne (Matt Damon), a dash of Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen) and a soupcon of countless other heroes, including MacGyver. Roy is pursued by (a) foreign agents, anxious to get their mitts on a new, tiny, incredibly powerful battery that will shake the world; (b) a secret government agency ... Read More »

by Ronald Kessler Published by Doubleday, New York The only biography written about her with the full cooperation of the President and the First Lady, this is a candid portrait of the real Laura Welch Bush. This is not a book about politics. It is a book about a woman who never aspired to have the fame and prestige that was bestowed upon her, but accepted the baton with grace and fortitude. If you liked Laura Bush before, you will love her after this book.  Always presented as calm and graceful, it was fun to read about her growing up ... Read More »

Mackle Park was alive with patriotism this week as Camp Mackle celebrated the Fourth of July by “visiting” the United States of America.  The week started with a Pancake Flip where campers tested their skills at catching flipping hot cakes with their plates.  This event was complete with butter, syrup, and, of course, music.  Once the campers’ bellies were full they intently listened to a presentation given by a Park Ranger from Collier-Seminole State Park who educated the campers on Florida history and the Seminole culture in Southwest Florida.  In the afternoon, the campers began what would become a week-long ... Read More »

Tract K is the last undeveloped residential parcel of land, and many concerned residents want it preserved. Citizens supporting a Marco Eagle Sanctuary are in agreement with the 2010 MICA survey and suggest the community use be for a planned park. To this end, these citizens are developing plans to keep this parcel of land as a green park, and to protect a pair of bald eagles who have maintained an active nest on Tract K for the past three years. Bald eagles are a protected species in the State of Florida and the United States. The Florida Fish and ... Read More »

“It’s like a heat wave,  burnin’ in my heart, I can’t keep from cryin’. It’s tearin’ me apart.” …. That’s the song in my head as we are right now smack dab in the middle of our 90 hottest days of summer. We have to be smart and pay attention to what our bodies are telling us so we can douse the fire of the sun and help cool the lyrics of the song, “Heatwave,” that was originally performed by Martha and The Vandellas in 1963. Out here on the water, we have a different environment than back on land. ... Read More »

International soccer Well, for the non-soccer fans the World Cup is over. All you have to do is wait another four years (a mixed response, no doubt!) My personal experience over the recent weeks is  that  friends, colleagues and strangers want to talk about the game of soccer (do you mean football?) One great tournament. One great show, Africa the Rainbow Nation. International soccer games go back a long way. One of the most memorable ones is England v Germany in 1915. The story appeared in the Times newspaper in 1915, headed “The greatest legacy must surely be the message ... Read More »

As much as I enjoy taking photographs, when I travel I don’t want to carry more than one piece of equipment, nor do I want to take up valuable packing space with various lenses and other paraphernalia. Therefore, all I use is a point and shoot camera, albeit one with various settings and a decent zoom. If you own a digital point and shoot camera, there are things you can do to improve your photographs. The first recommendation is to read your manual. I’m sure most of you just smiled and thought, “that’s not going to happen.”  Today’s digital point ... Read More »

On Thursday, July 8th, the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, Sea World and Fish and Wildlife Commission released seven Kemps Ridley sea turtles at the Calusa Marina.  All were from Mississippi originally – 2 were rehabbed by Conservancy and the other 5 by Sea World.  They were not oiled wildlife rescue, but had hook and line injuries.  They were taken by boat out to Gullivan Key (about 5 miles south of Goodland) in the Ten Thousand Islands and released.  Since this area has the lowest chance of oil impact, the release happened here.  The FWC biologist said there will probably more wildlife releases in ... Read More »

  The following information was released from Captain Dave Baer of the Marco Island Police Department: On July 3rd 2010 at approximately 0221 hours Police Officers from the Marco Island Police Department were dispatched to the Crazy Flamingo located at 1035 North Collier Blvd in regards to a reported armed robbery. Officers were on the scene in less than thirty seconds. Responding Officers established a perimeter and spoke to the two employees that reported the robbery. The employees stated that at approximately 0215 hours a male dressed in all black, with his face covered entered the restaurant and told the ... Read More »

Every year for the past twenty years, Florida cattleman Hal Phillips, a third generation cattleman, has left the Phillips Ranch in Morriston and come to Marco Island for the annual Florida Cattlemen’s convention. For the past fifteen years he has taken a fishing trip with Captain Bubby Hail. This week with his wife, Debbie, and sons, Harrell, 11, and Charles, 7, Phillips says, “This is the best day we’ve ever had!” The Phillips family got to keep twenty-seven fish. Capt. Hail reports, “These days we’re getting the best catches of  tarpon, grouper, shark, and Spanish mackerel.” See more photos in ... Read More »

At the Marco Island History Museum, ancient history is alive. Larger than life Calusa Indians stare down at you from the tile mural as you walk up to the museum entrance. The tile manufacturer agreed to replace the present tiles with brighter, more vibrant tiles. Once the more colorful tiles are on the wall, the colors will stay true for one hundred years. Would you like to see your name or the name of a loved one on the wall of the museum? Sponsor a mural tile for only $100. Your name will be engraved on a plaque on the wall ... Read More »

When Carole, our lovely managing editor, asked if I could write a story about the new water system in Isles of Capri, I said, “Sure no problem.” As I hung up the phone I had second thoughts. I mean I am not a beat reporter. I endeavor to write interesting stories, always looking for the humor in any situation. What’s funny about a new water system? Pipes, water, digging trenches, does not exactly make for riotous belly laughs or even a smile. Wow?was I wrong. However, the underlying theme of Coastal Breeze News, is that the readers of this paper ... Read More »

The once-a-month beach clean-up by local businesses, a program organized by Kevin Donlan, Chairman of the City of Marco Island’s Beach Advisory (BAC) and manager of Publix, continued this past Sunday, June 27th. Last month, Publix employees scoured the beach for trash. This month it was Rick’s Island Salon and Spa’s turn! Rick Popoff, owner, had about twenty-five people — staff, family and friends, meet at the South Beach access to walk north to Tigertail Beach collecting garbage and debris on the beach.  The participants all had on t-shirts with bright orange sunbursts that read “Rick’s Island Salon and Spa: ... Read More »

“The Community Association Managers of Marco Island (CAMMI) is dedicated to furthering the profession of community association management through education and networking.” CAMMI’s mission statement is one more piece of evidence of the high quality of Marco Island residents’ working and being involved within the community. Sharing the history of the organization, Bill Homes, President of CAMMI, said, “This group was formed so that we would not have to go off Island for our twenty hours of continuing education. We pay dues to CAI (Community Association Institute). They, in turn, come to Marco to allow us to do our continuing ... Read More »