Coastal Breeze News

The Island Parks and Recreation Foundation donates a Waterboy Cooler worth $1,100 to the City of Marco Island Parks and Recreation Department for their camps and children’s sports programs. Pictured are Officer Hector Diaz, who initiated the donation, Mindy Matusiak, Park Supervisor, Terri DiSciullo, President IPRF and Camp Mackle attendees. The cooler enables the staff to continuously hydrate the kids and minimize the use of water bottles. Read More »

Stop by our library on Heathwood Drive this month to see the artwork of Carolyn Burger, a local artist. Each month, a new artist displays artwork at the Marco Island Branch Library in collaboration with the Art League of Marco Island. Carolyn began taking classes at the Art League about ten years ago, and fell in love with painting local scenes. She says she sees so much beauty in the landscape, colorful vegetation, the beach, the water, the birds and the ever changing sky. She is so grateful to live in and paint southwest Florida after her retirement from Ohio ... Read More »

Naples, FL (July 8, 2011) Judy Green, President and CEO of Premier Sotheby’s International Realty, announced today that the firm has sold over $1 billion of real estate during the first half of 2011, marking a critical milestone for the Southwest Florida luxury real estate brokerage. According to Terradatum, a third party research firm that analyzes data in the local multiple listing service, Premier Sotheby’s International Realty sold over $1,030,511,721 during the first half of 2011 in Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Sarasota and Manatee counties. The firm’s three offices in Sarasota county operate as Signature Sotheby’s International Realty. “Our associates’ sales ... Read More »

After 9 successful years in Real Estate, 4 of which were spent with a top Naples/Marco Island team, Kerri Herrity is taking her business to the next level through the Luxury Division of Keller Williams Elite Realty in Naples. “The pulse of the market has definitely moved further north with the addition of popular projects like Mercato and Coconut Point. The Naples venue of KW Elite offers more opportunity for my buyers & sellers, and is a larger, more successful brokerage division. It’s a better fit for my clients and for me, all the way around.” A solid sales performer ... Read More »

Police Chief Thom Carr is retiring after 12 years of dedicated service to the Marco Island Police Department. In honor of Thom’s retirement, a celebration has been planned for Thursday, July 21, 5 – 7 p.m. at the Marco Island Historical Museum located at 180 South Heathwood Drive. Please join us in wishing Thom a fond farewell. Refreshments will be served. Donations are appreciated to cover the cost of the refreshments and clean up. In order to ensure that the proper amounts of refreshments are ordered, PLEASE RSVP BY FRIDAY, JULY 15TH to [email protected] If you have any questions, please ... Read More »

Bring a Friend(s) to Camp Day For: All current Summer Day Camp attendees Where: Greater Marco Family YMCA When: Friday, July 15 Time: 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Friend(s) must be pre registered by July 14 Register friend(s) at Customer Service desk Bring as many friends as you like- Receive a raffle ticket for each friend you bring and win super cool prizes. Come and enjoy water activities, arts & crafts and various sports For more information contact Stephanie Pepper, Family Services Director at 239-394-3144 ext. 203 or email [email protected] Summer Junior Tennis Clinics August 1-August 19 Quick Start Tennis This ... Read More »

Naples area jazz fans will be treated to a second season of open-air performances by some of Naples’ best-known jazz musicians. And this season’s edition, Jazz in the Park, presented by Bayshore Cultural and Performing Arts Center, Inc. (CAPA) and Collier County Parks and Recreation, is free. The concerts are scheduled for 2-4 p.m. on the third Sunday of each month, November 2011 through April 2012 at Sugden Regional Park. Admission is free. Read More »

St. Vincent de Paul Society Naples District Council announces the appointment of Paul Brigham as Executive Director, effective June 1, 2011. In the Naples area, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, with more than 500 volunteers, is well known for providing Meals On Wheels, a Food Pantry, and Direct Assistance programs. Brigham has been with the Naples St. Vincent de Paul Society for nine years. He has served as store manager for eight years, overseeing the thrift store on Davis Blvd in Naples and the thrift store on Bonita Beach Rd in Bonita Beach, and as an Associate Executive Director ... Read More »

Jeff Calhoun, president of Ad Depot, Inc. announced today that after 16 years in the same location, Ad Depot has moved from Park Shore Center to the Offices of Hammock Cove, the new address is 4670 Cardinal Way, Suite 303, Naples FL 34112. “We felt we no longer needed the US 41 frontage and were looking for more of an office feel than a retail storefront,” said Mr. Calhoun. “We live in Lely Resort and also produce The Lely Resort Resident and Guest Guide, so this puts us in a much more central location to service our account base. With ... Read More »

  After careful consideration I have decided to announce my retirement from the Marco Island Police Department. The effective date is pending and is being negotiated with the City Manager, Dr. Riviere. We will be taking into consideration the time needed to insure a very smooth transition and to make sure loose ends are tied up. My tenure with MIPD has been very rewarding and fulfilling, more than I could have ever hoped for in 1999 when I started with the department. As with all jobs there have been positives and negatives but the positives have far out weighed the negatives. It ... Read More »

The odyssey of Dan and JoAnne Shaub began in New York City where they packed their Saab and headed south. Since they accepted the Mission Possible assignment they were off to the six cities nominated to be designated “America’s Most Beautiful” in a contest jointly sponsored by USA Today and Rand McNally.  Marco Island was one of the six nominees, and a group of greeters was on hand to meet them at the Marriott Resort on Monday, June 27. The Shaubs spent two days in Coral Gables, first stop on the “Best of The Road” contest. From there they took ... Read More »

FALL OPENING MARKS NEW TRADITION By Danielle Dodder A projected fall completion of the Judge Jolley Bridge has more than local motorists excited. The prospect of a new bridge has become a challenge Southwest Florida runners have been chomping at the bit to take on, something the city of Marco Island is leveraging to create what they hope will be a cherished annual event. Roger Raymond is a local fitness educator, avid runner and member of the Gulf Coast Runners group. “The challenge of running a new bridge for the first time is always exciting. The uniqueness of it will ... Read More »

Old Glory will be flying, kids will be playing and grown-ups will be celebrating another commemoration of the birthday of our nation’s independence on July Fourth. Second U.S. President John Adams was the founding father who first suggested celebration and fireworks, and we are proud to continue the great tradition that began several hundred years ago. It is especially important to honor our independence even as so many throughout the world yearn for the freedoms so dearly fostered and maintained by Americans throughout the centuries. This year there will once again be spectacular fireworks shot from a barge off the ... Read More »

Dr. Jim Riviere is a city manager from a different mold. His education did not specialize in the elements commonly associated with city management; his background is in the world of business. He is calm, laid-back and amiable. So far his abilities have met all the tests. The city is doing well, and looks superb. So superb, in fact, that Marco Island is one of only six cities nominated to be chosen as the Most Beautiful City in America in a contest sponsored by USA TODAY and Rand McNally. After a year on the job Riviere can point to a ... Read More »

The City of Marco Island Police and Fire/Rescue Departments are offering a Hurricane Preparedness Seminar on July 11th from 6:30-7:30 PM at the Marco Island Community Room. The presenter will be Jim von Rinteln, an Emergency Management Expert. It has been predicted to be a higher than average hurricane season for activity, however, these forecasts cannot predict landfall of storms. Topics to be covered include: What to expect before, during and after a storm:  Should you stay or go?  City services before, during and after a storm.  Preparing for evacuation.  Designing  personal hurricane plans for you and your family.  Evacuation ... Read More »

By Donna Fiala How many of you still wear a flag on your car? It seems we all had them on our car and on our lapel after September 11th, and now we rarely see them, except for Brian & Shirlee Barcic from The Duchess. Well, the 4th of July is fast approaching us. Let us all remember our patriotism and wear the flag! I haven’t taken mine off the car since 2001 except to change to new, fresh flags. By the way, whenever you are finished using the flag on your car because it looks tattered, please take it ... Read More »

By Monte Lazarus There may be nothing in the world more annoying than single minded fanatics who focus on something in everyday life and make a fetish of it. I know because I’m one. It started innocently enough. I was on a cruise some years ago on an anonymous cruise line. Let’s call it “Prince”. Like airlines and other businesses where brand loyalty is extremely important, cruise lines have set up their own loyalty programs. They hook you on their, sometimes ephemeral, awards. It’s taken very seriously by the companies and us goofy consumers. For example, I knew a guy ... Read More »

11 year old, Tia Nielsen of Marco Island, known as the ‘Fireball Fundraiser’ has been selected as a store winner in the Kohl’s Cares Scholarship Program. Tia, was recognized for her efforts and commitment to improving her community. Kohl’s will be featuring Tia on an in-store poster and her nomination is now being considered for a regional scholarship.  Kohl’s Cares, recognizes and rewards young volunteers who help make their communities a better place. Given these uncertain times, Kohl’s Cares Program offers scholarships to stand-out kids so they can continue to do great things. This nomination was for all her work ... Read More »

At a conference held in St. Petersburg, Florida by the Association of Free Community Papers (AFCP) and the Community Papers of Florida (CPF), the annual Awards of Excellence competition winners were announced. Coastal Breeze News was the recipient of 9 coveted awards from that competition! “In total we have earned 15 prestigious awards in the past 18 months from these organizations which set the industry standards. Our publication truly offers a fresh perspective, written by the community, for the community. We are very proud of each of our contributors. Their passion is evident in their work! After the winners were ... Read More »

By Tarik Ayasun I was not yet living in America when on August 28, 1963, a young preacher in Atlanta named Martin Luther King Jr., uttered the following words: “When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men would be guaranteed the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. . . . I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out ... Read More »