Coastal Breeze News
By Carol Glassman As Chabad Jewish Center celebrated the grand opening of its doors with modest pomp and ceremony on Sunday, January 15, strains of the famous Fields of Dreams quote, “If you build it they will come” reechoed throughout the afternoon. Over the past year, the recently acquired property at 1789 Mandarin Road has slowly been transformed into a vibrant facility, a blossoming preschool for the arts, an active summer day camp for the children, a Hebrew school, and an adult learning center. What is even more miraculous, is that most of the labor was undertaken by friends and ... Read More »
Monthly Archives: January 2012
Goodland festivities
GOODLAND LIFE Natalie Strom [email protected] As a former Buzzard Queen at Stan’s annual Mullet Festival, I feel as though it is my duty to inform the uninformed about this one-of-a-kind event. Not to be outdone, the annual Goodland Boat Parade is approaching fast on the Mullet Festival’s heels. Don’t forget about the Goodland Civic Association’s Pancake Breakfasts and the Goodland Garage Sale that are also just around the corner. Let me start by explaining the Mullet Festival, now in its 28th year. No… it has nothing to do with the “business in the front/party in the back” haircut but it has ... Read More »
Sea Life… as it is!
ALL THAT GLITTERS Richard Alan [email protected] I mentioned in my last article that going back to basics just wasn’t working in this economy. But here on Marco Island or Southwest Florida, for that matter, the love of basic sea life jewelry hasn’t wavered. (No pun intended.) The love of the ocean is why people flock here. Those who visit for the first time are amazed by the beauty of the beaches and the joy of living life by the shore. Personally, I was astounded by the abundant fish and wildlife that the Ten Thousand Islands offer. My first years here were ... Read More »
Wayne Bryan and the USTA
READ MY TIPS Doug Browne [email protected] If you have time and a lot of patience, and perhaps some perseverance, tennis coach/author Wayne Bryan (father of successful twins Bob & Mike) offers a number of strong opinions about the United States Tennis Association and college tennis. To be fair, I am an acquaintance of Mr. Bryan and I have spent considerable time talking tennis with him over the past ten years or more. He is a refreshingly honest, passionate man who has earned the privilege of offering keen insights about the state of the game today. Wayne Bryan’s book, “Raising Your Child ... Read More »
February fishing in the 10,000 Islands
FOLLOW THE FISH Capt. Pete Rapps [email protected] As January passes, we shall see some small changes in fishing. We were lucky not to be hit with many cold fronts in January. Hopefully the mild winter temperatures continue and the coldest temperatures of the winter will now be behind us. Water temperatures will continue to hover in the low 60’s. Morning air temperatures should average in the low 50’s, and warm up into the mid 70’s by the afternoon. Keep an eye on your tide charts because we have some extremely low tides around the next full and new moons. More specifically, ... Read More »
One of my favorite quotes
CHEF’S TABLE Chef Anne Feinman [email protected] “Food is so primal, so essential a part of our lives, often the mere sharing of recipes with strangers turns them into good friends.” ~ Jasmine Heiler In reflecting on this quote, I have two very special friends who have shared recipes with me, and now, I would like to share them with you, our Coastal Breeze readers. The first is a recipe that I have been using here at our restaurant, Mangos Dockside Bistro, at The Esplanade….yes, I thought it was quite the fit! Moist and delicious and our customers call out for more, ... Read More »
Bad knees
Q. I have bad knees. Can Pilates help to strengthen them? A. There are many things that can lead to “bad knees”: injury, arthritis, infection, degeneration and (rarely) tumors. Sometimes, misalignments of the joints above and below the knee are to blame, as well as years of overuse and abuse. But all is not lost. After getting the green light from your physician, seek out a knowledgeable and experienced Pilates instructor who can customize a workout specific to your needs. Movements done on the Pilates equipment can be a great way to not only assess an injury, but to treat ... Read More »
HEALTH ISSUES WHEN TRAVELING
SPEAKING OF TRAVEL Vickie Kelber From some of our travels I have learned what it can be like to experience illness on a trip, how to negotiate various needs, and what to do to try to stay healthy while preparing for unforeseen events. Back in the 90s, just after the “Iron Curtain” came down, we visited Prague and my husband became very ill. All afternoon, I urged him to go to a doctor, but you know men! Finally, at 2:00AM he broke down and wanted to see one. We were staying in an apartment and our contact person was not ... Read More »
Q&A with Simba
ASK SIMBA 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, For the last few years I have been trying to update my father to the Millenium. With computers, cell phones, texting, Blu-Ray, etc. on the market the world of electronics has become much more innovative. ... Read More »
Mighty Canopus rises
SOUTHERN SKIES By Mike P. Usher [email protected] Canopus is the second brightest star in the entire night sky after Sirius, located in the constellation Carina, the keel. It is visible throughout the southern United States but only in Florida does it rise high enough out of the horizon murk to show how bright it truly is. Tonight it will grow still brighter as it rises and crosses the meridian just before 10:00PM. Canopus is also the star with the greatest intrinsic brightness in our corner of the Galaxy; from 312 light years away it still reaches -0.65 magnitude and is ... Read More »
LET’S GET NUTS
ART UNCOVERED Tara O’Neill Oh, let’s get nuts. There are so many artistic goings-on in this peculiar area all the time that I’ve decided to pluck the next few days (randomly) out of the calendar to inspire you to get out there and see how many you can experience before you become over-stimulated. Not that that’s a bad thing. Remember to nap. January 28, Saturday, Chalk Art 2012 Festival: a good half-mile of 5th Ave. South, Naples, 8:00AM-5:00PM. A street painting extravaganza sponsored by the Naples Pelican Bay Rotary Club to help provide scholarships to area students. According to festival chairperson, ... Read More »
Preparing for a long voyage at sea
CRUISING LIFE Frances Diebler [email protected] Before I continue taking you south through the Caribbean Island chain to the North Coast of South America, I would like to discuss some of the requirements I consider necessary to prepare yourself and your boat for such a long trip aboard. First and foremost, from my perspective and experience, is to prepare yourself and your crew. In our case, my husband was the skipper and I was the crew. We took all of the classes necessary for long term offshore sailing; Advanced Piloting, Navigation and Weather from the United States Power Squadron. We had taken ... Read More »
SPIES AT THE MARCO ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY
A former special agent will be presenting a revealing insider’s look into modern day spies at an upcoming lecture to be held at the Marco Island Historical Society in conjunction with the Renaissance Academy. U.S. Espionage: Stories of Betrayal will be held on Thursday, February 23 from 10:00am to 11:30am. Thomas Eastwood, retired Department of Defense agent, will talk about U.S spies from 1977 to the present. Who were they? Why did they do it? The program will provide insight as to how these spies got caught and will talk about possible spies who are still in operation. Mr. Eastwood’s ... Read More »
A Young at Heart Volunteer
If you saw Bill Schlee working out at your gym, you would never guess his age. Bill turned 100 on January 25, 2012. Since retiring to Naples, Bill has volunteered with Collier Harvest and now with St. Vincent de Paul Society Naples District Council for the past four years, collecting baked goods from the local Publix for the Meals on Wheels program. When asked why he volunteers, Bill’s response is, “I am charity oriented. I feel like I should do some good for someone who doesn’t have as much as I do.” Bill has had a full life. The father ... Read More »
Conservancy of Southwest Florida hosts annual meeting, elects new chair and board members, honors outgoing board
Environmental activist Fabien Cousteau is keynote speaker The Conservancy of Southwest Florida hosted more than 700 members at the organization’s annual meeting held on Jan. 17 at Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club. In addition to board elections and the Board of Directors’ annual report to members, the meeting featured keynote speaker Fabien Cousteau, an ocean explorer, environmental activist, filmmaker and grandson of world-renown ocean explorer Jacques Yves Cousteau. In addition to sharing highlights of his family’s underwater adventures, Fabien Cousteau spoke to members about his recently launched “Plant-A-Fish Initiative” aimed at promoting mangrove restoration. “If we invest in nature, ... Read More »
Commissioners oppose closing the Fort Myers Distribution Center
The Collier County Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday, Jan. 10 voted to oppose the U.S. Postal Service plan to consolidate or close the Fort Myers Processing and Distribution Center which would have a $40 million economic impact on the five counties served, including Collier County. District 3 Commissioner Tom Henning is leading the effort for this cause and is appreciative of the support of his fellow commissioners. Commissioner Henning said the loss of jobs to our community would be hard felt. “The U.S. Postal Service has said there is a potential of losing 400 jobs in the Southwest Florida ... Read More »
“YOU HAVE ME CONFUSED WITH AN OLD PERSON: TOPICS AND TIPS FOR HEALTHY AGING IN YOUR ISLAND HOME
SENIOR BRIDGE PRESENTS “YOU HAVE ME CONFUSED WITH AN OLD PERSON: TOPICS AND TIPS FOR HEALTHY AGING IN YOUR ISLAND HOME Join Linda Cramer, President of the Florida Geriatric Care Managers Association and National Association of Care Managers Fellow, for a lively presentation and discussion about how to maintain the active lifestyle you love. Learn about physical, social, and emotional changes associated with increased age, how to manage them, and the resources available to live where you want to live for as long as you desire. Linda Cramer will be presenting on Thursday, February 2nd from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 ... Read More »
Raymond James Financial, Inc. announced today that it has entered into a definitive stock purchase agreement to acquire Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc. and related affiliates from Regions Financial for $930 million, expanding both its private client wealth management and capital markets businesses. “While our preference is generally organic growth, we have used strategic mergers to grow throughout our history when the timing and pricing are right and, most importantly, when there is a strong cultural fit and clear path for integration,” said Raymond James CEO Paul C. Reilly. “This merger reflects those tenets. Morgan Keegan private client and capital markets professionals are well-respected in the industry for their capabilities and client-service orientation. Bringing them to Raymond James and working with their excellent management teams represents a major step toward achieving our vision of being the premier alternative to Wall Street.” The combined businesses of Raymond James and Morgan Keegan will create one of the country’s largest full-service wealth management and investment banking firms not headquartered on Wall Street. “Given the associated assets and scale, this acquisition creates significant future earnings power,” added Reilly. Key acquisition highlights include: • Morgan Keegan, with an anticipated $700 million tangible book value at closing, has demonstrated stability and profitability across economic and market cycles. • The addition of Morgan Keegan’s more than 1,000 private client financial advisors increases Raymond James’ advisor count to more than 6,000, bringing meaningful additional scale to Raymond James’ already robust platform and representing one of the largest retail franchises in North America. Together, the firm expects its financial planning, high-net-worth and retail front-end support systems to drive greater financial advisor productivity. • The combined fixed income units bring together complementary products, services and client relationships to forge an even more formidable Fixed Income Capital Markets department. Bulwarked by Morgan Keegan’s outstanding Public Finance group, the merged firm’s advisory and underwriting fixed income practice offers an impressive origination capability to serve municipal and taxable issuers, and rise to a combined league table ranking of eighth. • The addition of Morgan Keegan equity capital markets professionals will further strengthen Raymond James’ award-winning equity research and investment banking platform. “I have known and respected Allen Morgan, as well as succeeding members of Morgan Keegan’s management, for over four decades,” offered Executive Chairman Thomas A. James. “Raymond James and Morgan Keegan share many of the same values, including a commitment to put the interests of our individual, corporate and governmental clients first. We share the same family environment and I look forward to joining our two families to provide even better service to our clients through an expanded list of products and advisory services.” Raymond James and Regions will maintain a strategic referral relationship and are committed to continuing the high level of client service to which Morgan Keegan clients are accustomed, including working together to ensure a seamless transition. As part of the merger, Morgan Keegan CEO John Carson will join Raymond James Financial as president and will oversee Fixed Income and Public Finance. Other senior leaders from Morgan Keegan will be joining the firm in roles to be determined. “We are excited to be joining Raymond James. I see it as a firm that provides the resources of a major Wall Street firm while maintaining the client-first culture of a regional,” noted Carson. “I am confident the expanded services and deep expertise at Raymond James will benefit our clients and allow us to continue providing the highest levels of service.” “Raymond James is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2012,” Reilly continued. “This merger represents an investment for the future, building on our strong heritage through disciplined growth that will allow us to continue to compete in an increasingly challenging marketplace and, as always, provide the best possible service to advisors and clients.” The firm is committed to maintaining a large presence in Memphis, Tenn., where it has had retail and institutional offices for years prior to merging with Morgan Keegan, which is based in the city. Raymond James’ Fixed Income and Public Finance businesses will be centered in Memphis, and the firm intends to continue to operate a regional support center there. Raymond James was advised by J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and represented by Morrison & Foerster LLP. The transaction is expected to close on or about March 30, 2012, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary conditions. The company will conduct a conference call for investors and analysts January 12, at 8:15 a.m. ET. Visit raymondjames.com/presentations for live audio and access to the presentation slides. The subjects to be covered may include forward-looking information. Questions may be posed to management by participants on the analyst call-in line, and in response the company may disclose additional material information. About Raymond James Financial, Inc. Raymond James Financial (NYSE-RJF) is a Florida-based diversified holding company providing financial services to individuals, corporations and municipalities through its subsidiary companies. Its three principal wholly owned broker/dealers, Raymond James & Associates, Raymond James Financial Services and Raymond James Ltd. have approximately 5,400 financial advisors serving 2 million accounts in 2,400 locations throughout the United States, Canada and overseas. In addition, total client assets are approximately $268 billion, of which approximately $35 billion are managed by the firm’s asset management subsidiaries. To the extent that Raymond James makes or publishes forward-looking statements (regarding management expectations, strategic objectives, business prospects, anticipated expense savings, financial results, anticipated results of litigation and regulatory proceedings, and other similar matters), a variety of factors, many of which are beyond Raymond James’ control, could cause actual results and experiences to differ materially from the expectations and objectives expressed in these statements. These factors are described in Raymond James’ 2011 annual report on Form 10-K, which is available on RAYMONDJAMES.COM and SEC.GOV. In addition to those factors, the following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking or historical performance: the possibility that regulatory and other approvals and conditions to the transaction are not received or satisfied on a timely basis or at all; the possibility that modifications to the terms of the transaction may be required to obtain or satisfy such approvals or conditions; changes in the anticipated timing for closing the transaction; difficulty integrating Raymond James’ and Morgan Keegan’s businesses or realizing the projected benefits of the transaction; the inability to sustain revenue and earnings growth; changes in the capital markets; and diversion of management time on transaction related issues. For more information, please contact Steve Hollister at 727-567-2824. Please visit the Raymond James Press Center at raymondjames.com/media. TO ACQUIRE MORGAN KEEGAN & COMPANY
Raymond James Financial, Inc. announced today that it has entered into a definitive stock purchase agreement to acquire Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc. and related affiliates from Regions Financial for $930 million, expanding both its private client wealth management and capital markets businesses. “While our preference is generally organic growth, we have used strategic mergers to grow throughout our history when the timing and pricing are right and, most importantly, when there is a strong cultural fit and clear path for integration,” said Raymond James CEO Paul C. Reilly. “This merger reflects those tenets. Morgan Keegan private client and capital ... Read More »
Hodges University announces Fifth Annual Diversity Festival
The 2012 Hodges University Diversity Festival will return to the Sugden Regional Park in Naples on March 3. The Festival, which runs from 1pm – 7 pm, will bring together a broad array of vendors, entertainers and local artisans representing the cultural diversity of the Naples and Ft. Myers communities. The Festival will feature local high school marching bands, drummers, singers and dance performers from our diverse communities; an arts and crafts area, as well as a Fine Art gallery and several multi-cultural heritage exhibits. Local restaurants will provide a vast array of multi-cultural food samples for a small fee, ... Read More »
We’ve Changed Our Name
Years ago we were known as Vision, Inc. and were dedicated to improving the life of blind and visually impaired people in Collier County. Several years later our group was renamed the Collier County Association for the Blind, nicknamed See-Cab, but our mission did not change. Now we have a new name which describes our mission better: Collier Association for the Visually Handicapped, or CAVI. The reason is that the county never had anything to do with our organization and it was misleading people to include their name in ours. CAVI meets twice a month at the Golden Gate Community ... Read More »
