Coastal Breeze News

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by Capt. Carl Kelly In the winter we usually have a few days of fog. So it is timely to review the rules covering vessels in restricted visibility. Some things seem obvious. Remember that safe speed is reduced as visibility is reduced. Maintain a proper lookout. Use radar if you have it, and display your navigation lights, even in the daytime. If you hear a fog signal forward, reduce your speed to bare steerageway and navigate with extreme caution. Do not alter course to port with another vessel approaching forward of your beam as you should always pass port to port. If ... Read More »

by Monte Lazarus Until quite recently most of us on Marco Island did not know that there are TWO kinds of burrowing owls on Marco Island. Oh, sure they look almost exactly alike, but take my word for it – they’re different. The adorable little guys you see in their yellow taped confines are the ones who appear more often and seem to be intent on helping their neighbors. Their look-alikes (LA’s) are not so obvious. That’s because they’re very rarely seen publicly, usually only when the entire group has a meeting. (NOTE: quite properly a group of owls is ... Read More »

by John Patterson Hi Readers! Hope you enjoyed my story last issue. Like my buddy, John I had so much fun re-living our experiences back in the fifties. I have decided to stick around, even though I cannot be with him (I’m in Doggy Heaven), I’m still just behind him in spirit on all his deliveries, and still enjoy our time together. I know some readers will be saying “Who is Flip?” Well, you will have to log onto www.coastalbreezenews.com to read about me. Dr. James B. Bowen, Island Animal Hospital, Marco Island. Dr. Bowen with his wife, Donna, originates ... Read More »

The Marco Island Seafood Festival is a seafood lover’s paradise! The festival boasts a wide variety of seafood vendors, over 60 arts and crafts booths, live entertainment and a kid’s zone to round off a complete weekend of family fun. Last year’s festival drew a record crowd of 9000 people from all over Southwest Florida. “Each year it just keeps getting better,” said organizer Stan Niemczyk. The Marco Island Seafood Festival live entertainment line-up features Marco Island Strummers, Lely Jazz Band, JRobert and Sabrina Williams, Raiford Starke Band, the WholeTones, Andy Wahlburg, Smokin’ Joe & Konnie, Frank Corso’s Spoonful Band, ... Read More »

A Veterans’ Memorial at Veterans’ Community Park is one step closer to reality. Bryan Milk, City of Marco Island Parks and Recreation Director, said specifications are to be completed within the next 30 days and will allow for an open bidding process to begin on the construction. A fundraising committee has been formed which includes Leo Sutera, Steve Stefanides, Carole Roberts, Valerie Simon, Bryan Milk, Keith Dameron, Lee Rubenstein, Dave Belgrade and Jim Lang. They are committed to work diligently to bring the memorial to life. “It is the goal of this committee to have the memorial built by Memorial ... Read More »

by Danielle Dodder As San Marco Road winds toward Goodland it becomes a green stretch of natural beauty. On about 6 acres of land that could have just as easily become more development, a unique learning center may have the chance to grow. The Marco Island Academy signed a temporary lease and is planning to take the first steps towards integrating the natural surroundings into both the school’s design and its curriculum. The mangroves, gopher tortoises and other natural life are what will make Marco Island Academy a living classroom. From its inception, the academy was meant to incorporate Florida’s ... Read More »

By Val Simon The holiday break is over and it is time to get back into a rigorous schedule full force. Tommie Barfield puts an emphasis on the importance of reading. Third grade is the first year students become familiar with what is commonly referred to as ‘Sunshine State Books’. The Sunshine State Young Reader Award program is sponsored by the Florida Department of Education. The program is considered one of the best motivational programs for reading in the country. The goal of TBE, and the Florida Department of Education, is to nurture lifelong readers. Each year, the SSYRA chooses ... Read More »

by Capt. Pete Rapps The Spotted Seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus), also called Speckled Trout, Specs, Trout, or Spotted Weakfish, is a common shallow water fish found in our area of the Ten Thousand Islands. They are closely related to the northern Weakfish (Cynoscion regalis). Even though most of these fish are caught on shallow grassy flats, Spotted Seatrout reside in virtually any inshore waters, from the outside flats to far up our coastal saltwater rivers, where they often move to for shelter during the colder winter months. Contrary to its name, the Spotted Seatrout is not a member of the trout ... Read More »

by Danielle Dodder It is no small feather in your cap to say that you worked to help found a police department, but that’s just the opportunity officer Paul Keys found when he came to Marco in 1999. Like many of the Marco Island Police Department officers, Keys arrived from a big city ‘up North’ and used his hard-earned experience to grow the nascent department. Keys is one of eight founding officers of the Marco PD. “It was a unique opportunity. Police departments don’t just spring up all the time.” When Keys signed up for duty the department was nothing ... Read More »