Coastal Breeze News

By Xiomara Martinez HomeX Décor Every bride wants her wedding to be special, but this year’s wedding trends take things a step further by encouraging brides-to-be to incorporate their own style, culture and ethnicity as wedding decor with traditional gowns, cake designs and flower arrangements. Whether it’s using sequins, beads, or luxurious jewel colors to add rich texture to an Indian-or Moroccan-inspired table, mixing fabrics like organza and silk, or choosing an historic landmark, lakeside park or even a beautiful backyard as a setting for the big day, today’s bride has free rein to showcase her glorious personality. From simple ... Read More »

Crystal Manjarres Q. I’ve been considering hiring a personal trainer… what are the benefits? A. I’m so glad you asked! Everyone can benefit from a personal trainer- anyone from a novice to an experienced athlete. Age doesn’t matter either; my husband and I have trained children, teenagers, young adults, middle-aged adults, and mature adults. Like I said before, anyone can benefit! We all have different goals and an experienced and knowledgeable instructor can help you to achieve those goals. A trainer is able to motivate you and help you to get the most out of every workout– unlike when you ... Read More »

By Natalie Strom  The scene at Mackle Park on August 18th looked as if a mini-tornado had just come through. Debris littered the areas surrounding the basketball hoops. There were injured victims everywhere and fires had started at two different locations. Power lines were down and a victim was even found in a tree. This scene was the perfect scenario for the Marco Island Fire Department’s CERT training exercise. Approximately 30 city employees received certificates as Certified Emergency Response Team (CERT) members after the successful completion of this training exercise. To become a CERT member, one must take a 16-hour ... Read More »

Chef Bob Aylwin  As my summer winds down here on Put-In-Bay Ohio, I’m starting to think of the things I will miss the most when I return home to Marco Island; the absolutely incredible sunrises off the bay; the spectacular “Perry’s Monument” that towers over the island; the crisp northern air each night blowing through my bedroom window. Although I’ll miss all of these I believe that I will miss the fresh Lake Erie perch that I have had the pleasure of cooking each and every day. If you have never had Lake Erie perch then you are unfortunately missing ... Read More »

Capt. Pete Rapps Well, there are so many techniques and ways to catch a Snook that the answer is not all that cut and dry. To really be able to effectively target Snook, you have to know their habits, eating patterns, tides, water temperatures, moon phase, and a few other things. They migrate and move around a lot so you have to know where they typically spend time during different times of the year. Since we are now in the middle to end of summer here in the 10,000 islands, I would recommend that you fish the outside points of the ... Read More »

By Coastal Breeze News Staff    400 varieties of corn, 85 kinds of potatoes and a heritage of cultural influences from around the world make Peruvian cooking exotic, at Inca’s Kitchen.  The only thing Inca’s Kitchen hasn’t done to give you an authentic Peruvian experience is replace the luxury SUV’s in the parking lot with a herd of llamas. If servers like ours, named Ximena, who speak perfect English with melodic, mesmerizing Spanish accents, haunting folkloric music from guitar rhythms and flutes called Quenas, made of reeds in different sizes held together by knotted string, so soothing you’re surprised when ... Read More »

Patricia Huff  Again, as in previous issues, I encourage everyone to “get out and get wet.” During Labor Day weekend (September 3 – 5) the annual Muck-About at Clyde Butcher Gallery provides you an educational tour with experienced guides who will lead you behind the Big Cypress Gallery in Ochopee into a mysterious and secretive environment. The natural world of Big Cypress Swamp is a richly diverse wilderness of subtropical flora and fauna found nowhere else in our country. There are not many people who brave the difficult swamps and cypress stands in order to understand the beauty and peace ... Read More »

A Promotion Ceremony was conducted at the CAP hanger (located on the north end of the Marco Island airport) during the regularly scheduled August 15th meeting. The Civil Air Patrol awards individual rank to members based upon length of service and professional development course study. New members with previous military service maintain their active duty rank when they join CAP and they can progress to a higher rank as they complete the required educational and volunteer service requirements. Members with no previous military affiliation begin their advancement as Senior Members and, upon completion of their courses of study and volunteer ... Read More »

Today, Firefighters and Police Officers from the Marco Island Fire Rescue Department and the Marco Island Police Department presented Erynn Chandler, a nurse vacationing from Pittsburg Pennsylvania, a Letter of Appreciation recognizing her heroic efforts in the resuscitation of a 3 year old from a drowning which occurred last week at the Charter Club Condominium on Marco Island. Members of the Marco Island Fire Rescue Department and Police Department did not want her to depart from vacation without us conveying our deepest appreciation and admiration for her heroic life saving efforts that averted a near tragedy and has given this ... Read More »

Family Program to Be Held at The Shell Factory on October 15  The U.S. Postal Service is introducing a special “Forever” stamp, Owney the Postal Dog. The stamp is on sale nationwide. With the Owney the Postal Dog stamp, the Postal Service commemorates Owney, the canine mascot of the Railway Mail Service. Beloved of clerks on mail-sorting trains at the end of the 19th Century, Owney was hailed as a symbol of good luck. Today he is an icon of American postal lore whose story highlights the historical importance of the Railway Mail Service. Developed during the 19th Century, the ... Read More »

Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world, one child and one community at a time. The 94th Annual Kiwanis Convention of the Florida Districts being held at the Marco Island Marriott Resort from August 25 thru August 28, 2011. Over 900 Kiwanis Club members from all over the state of Florida along with their guests will attend this year’s convention. It is the third time in15 years that the convention is being held at the Marco Island Marriott Resort. A busy schedule is planned for the attendees including seminars, luncheons and meetings. The evenings are ... Read More »

Frances Diebler As I mentioned in my last article Part I of the Dominican Republic, we arrive too early to enter the harbor as it was not yet daylight. We did do not like to enter an unknown harbor in the dark, especially if we are not sure that the entrance is lighted and buoyed. We slowed GRENDEL down and just milled about waiting for daylight to come. Even though I had no sleep (just cat naps), here I was defrosting my freezers at 0500. Who said, “Sailors have more fun? The DR coast was the most magnificent we had ... Read More »

Tara O’Neill  Dear me…where shall I begin… Since undertaking the mission of uncovering art and artists for your pleasure, I, personally, am never so pleased as when I uncover a young artist or an art genre that runs well away from the mainstream. Today I’m doubly pleased. NOTE: in Art Speak it’s taboo to use age-related labels; acceptable nomenclature includes emerging, mid-career, acme, dead - too bad. Because Esau [pronounced ee-sa-oo] Rodriguez is young – he graduated Lely High School in 2005 – and when I see so much skill and precision bloom from such young hands, I not only ... Read More »

By Mike P. Usher  Tonight Uranus is rising; by 11 tonight it should be high enough to view with binoculars. The name, as it is usually pronounced, is a source of endless humor to fifth graders; in fact Isaac Asimov called Uranus the “joke planet” in one of his essays. Nowadays, its recommended pronunciation is “your-an-us” which hardly sounds much better. Historically the Ancient Greeks probably made the word sound more like “Ou-ra-nos.” Although the Ancient Greeks had no knowledge of the planet Uranus (it’s so faint and its movement is too slow) they did provide the mythological background. The ... Read More »

Diane Bostick Author: Armor Towles Publisher: Viking July 2011  I’ve got to be honest and tell you that I first read a review of this book in one of the other local newspapers. I don’t remember which one. I have now read it and loved it and figuring that not everybody reads all of the local papers decided to review it myself. Even if you have already read the other review, you might not have realized this is a real keeper. Always the gentleman, even at the age of sixteen, George Washington himself wrote one hundred and ten “Rules of ... Read More »

This column is the opinion of a 3 year old African Grey Parrot named “Simba” who has an extremely high intelligence level. While he does not possess a degree from any college or university, he does have a strong opinion of himself and feels that he is the best candidate to answer the complex questions of today’s discerning pets…and the humans they own…  Dear Simba,  Recently I have had the downfall of our economy hit me pretty hard. I’ve had to get another job on top of the one I already have just to make ends meet and keep a ... Read More »

Alan & Linda Sandlin are happy to announce the addition of Larry Taylor to their team at RE/MAX Results Realty. Larry has been a well known and respected building contractor on Marco Island for many years and a Realtor since 2008. With 40 years of experience and a history of excellence in the construction industry Larry has a wealth of knowledge to help his customers make the right choice. “It has been a long term goal for my wife Robin and I to work together selling real estate and we are very excited to achieve that goal,” Taylor said. Larry ... Read More »

Physicians Regional Healthcare System is pleased to welcome family medicine physician Rhena Ruiz-Novero, M.D. to Physicians Regional Medical Group, a strategic affiliate of the Healthcare System. Dr. Ruiz-Novero earned her medical degree from Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. She completed her family medicine residency at Columbia St. Mary’s in Milwaukee, WI. Dr. Ruiz-Novero is board certified in family medicine. Dr. Ruiz-Novero specialties include: wellness and disease prevention; complete family care for men, women and children; chronic disease management; acute illness and urgent care; weight control and stress reduction. Dr. Ruiz-Novero is located at the Physicians Regional Walden Center location. To ... Read More »

Help your children stay active with the gift of ASPIRE (After school Program for Inspiration, Recreation, and Education). Components of the after school program includes; Homework Assistance, Recreation- Health Enhancement Programs, Arts and Humanities programs and Nutritional Snacks. The Greater Marco Family YMCA stresses its Core Values of Respect, Responsibility, Honesty and Caring in the ASPIRE Program. The after school program meets at the Charter School Veranda and are escorted to the YMCA. Parent pick up will be at the YMCA Clubhouse. Program hours are after school until 6 p.m. There is a $45 registration fee and the weekly fee ... Read More »

Join Us And Play Bingo, Win Cash & Prizes, Support A Worthy Cause. 11 am to 2 pm Open Bingo. Collier County Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired: 11th Annual Bingo Challenge Championships (Naples, FL)–In observance of National Assisted Living Week® September 11th to 17th, the Collier County Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired will sponsor the 11th Annual Bingo Challenge Championships developed as a special opportunity to bring together residents, families and the surrounding community to celebrate *“Forever Proud”. “Forever Proud”, a patriotic theme, was chosen because the first day of National Assisted Living Week begins on ... Read More »