Coastal Breeze News

On Saturday February 25, join the Marco Lions for a pancake breakfast at the United Church on Barfield Drive. Hours are 8:00-11:00 noon and you may buy tickets from any Marco Lion for $5.00 or at the door for $6.00. If pancakes are not your favorite thing, we will also be serving scrambled eggs. This is our big spring event, so please come out to support the important work of this group. Read More »

Board of County Commissioners Vice Chair Jim Coletta, District 5, was among three Collier County Commissioners who traveled to Tallahassee last week to participate in the Florida Association of Counties (FAC) Legislative Day followed by individual meetings with legislators and top state officials. Following a morning briefing with FAC legislative staff and guest speaker Senate President Mike Haridopolos, Commissioner Coletta met with House Speaker Dean Cannon where he explained a project that continues to be on the county’s state and federal legislative priority lists: the Everglades Boulevard/I-75 Interchange. “This interchange is a critical public safety need,” said Commissioner Coletta. “We have identified ... Read More »

Lisa Trebilcock, local author, mother of two and former newspaper journalist, has released a children’s book about life in Naples, FL. “N is for Naples” features clever rhymed verses and engaging illustrations to depict the many opportunities for family fun in the greater Naples area – including the beach, wildlife and area attractions. “N is for Naples” has just been released by Mascot Books and is available at the soon-to-open Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples, Horse of a Different Color gift shop in Venetian Village, and at other local businesses and attractions. The first book signing is scheduled for Thursday, ... Read More »

Effective Monday, February 20, 2012 Collier County’s South Regional Library located at 8065 Lely Cultural Parkway begins outside construction. Please enter the library from the south entrance as the north entrance will be closed for the next two weeks. The outside Book Drops have been roped off. For your convenience please return all materials after hours in the two drops that have been placed at the east side of the building under the drive through overhang. The library is open Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. The work will ... Read More »

It’s not too early to start thinking about volunteering for the annual Letter Carrier Food Drive, which will be held on Saturday, May 12. This is the largest one-day food drive in the nation; locally food collected is donated to the Harry Chapin Food Bank. If you would like to volunteer to assist letter carriers in picking up food donations on the carrier routes please contact Debi Mitchell, 239-573-9638. If you’d like to help the Harry Chapin Food Bank pre-sorting donated food at a Post Office location, contact Bedzaida Bryen at the food bank, 239-334-7007, ext. 141. Seasonal visitors are encouraged to ... Read More »

We did not know it was human trafficking. We only knew that my friend’s daughter, Sandy, had attended a job fair at a well-known hotel. An employer told her that she could have the job, if she would go immediately with the other new hires and the staff to a training session. The company would provide transportation. She barely had time to go home, pack and leave her mother a note. She had just turned 18. What followed was a parent’s nightmare. With the help of the Houston Better Business Bureau, the Texas Attorney General’s staff, the FBI and the ... Read More »

Arts & Craft Festival plus Strawberry Treats Friday and Saturday February 24 & 25 9:30a.m. – 4:30p.m. · Artists and Crafters from across the country · Enjoy fresh strawberry pie at the Wesley booth     Nearly New Rummage Sale Saturday, March 3, 2011 8:30a.m. – 12:00 noon We are accepting donations* for the rummage sale. Drop off: Thursday, March 1st between 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. Friday, March 2nd between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. If you need to donate your items immediately, please call Marsha at 389-6713 to make arrangements. *No clothes, shoes or large appliances included in the sale The ... Read More »

Naples wildest gala will be more thrilling than ever this year featuring a fabulous wildlife presentation performed only at ZOObilee 2012 on March 10. During the evening sponsored by Fifth Third Bank, you’ll experience a sensational culinary safari prepared by a collection of Naples most beloved chefs, exciting music and entertainment – plus a live and silent auction with chances to win a trip to Africa with Naples Zoo Director David Tetzlaff. (David’s departure is nearly sold out. A second departure to Africa will be hosted by his brother and the Zoo’s Director of Conservation Tim Tetzlaff.) Don’t Miss the Naples Zoo’s Most Exciting ZOObilee Ever! Tickets now on ... Read More »

Sun-N-Fun Lagoon will reopen weekends through May 27. Come back and jump into the fun at Sun-N-Fun Lagoon. Sun-N-Fun Lagoon Water Park Facility Attractions: One waterslide drops into Sunny’s Lazy River Five water slides take you to a drop pool Heated family pool Tadpole Pool, a children’s activity wading water area with a fish slide and more Turtle Cove, a pool for ages 5 – 12 years old with lily pads and ropes for climbing Sunny’s Lazy River, 1200 feet long All pools except Tadpole wading area are heated Cost: The park is offering a special discount this year to Collier County residents ... Read More »

Discover a natural treasure on the corner of Marco Island. The Friends of Tigertail Beach are hosting “Discover Tigertail” at 400 Hernando Drive on Saturday, March 3 from 10 a.m. until noon. Admission is free. Browse through these information stations at your own pace: “Everything You Want to Know about Loggerhead Sea Turtles” with Marco Island’s own Turtle Lady, Mary Nelson “Shelling 101” with shell enthusiasts Joan & Burt Robbins “Birds of Tigertail” with Beverly Anderson, Research Specialist – Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve “Meet the Creatures of the Lagoon” with Conservancy of Southwest Florida Volunteer Naturalists Carole Talkowski, ... Read More »

Resource management staff at Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (RBNERR) have released plans for prescribed burns this month. Weather permitting, prescribed fires will commence around 9 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 14 through Feb. 24 along Barefoot-Williams Road, near the KOA Campground and Artesia neighborhood in East Naples. Residents of adjacent areas will see and possibly smell smoke from the fire, and fire activities may temporarily inconvenience boaters in the area as well as motorists along Barefoot-Williams and also possibly Tower Road. Fire personnel will contact residents in the area to ensure their safety while traveling near activity areas and will carefully ... Read More »

Carol Greenberg and 70 friends from Southwest Florida gathered on Monday, February 13, 2012, to make about 200 no-sew blankets for Meals On Wheels recipients. Most of these blankets were delivered to St. Vincent de Paul Meals On Wheels program so that the meal recipients would receive a blanket “made with love” on Valentine’s Day. “We make blankets at Christmas for children, so we thought we would do the same for Valentine’s Day for shut-ins,” says Carol Greenberg. “These were made with love and prayers for those who receive the blankets.” The blankets were distributed during daily delivery of meals ... Read More »

Do you remember the song “Oh what a night” by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, that’s what it was at San Marco church Bingo on Thursday night February 9. There were all kinds of winners that evening, never so many prizes have been given before in one night. The first picture shows Sally Matje a $500 instant Bingo pull tab winner with the lady in blue from the Columbiettes that sold her the ticket Barbara Prigge. There were many othersinstant Bingo pull tabs winners also, too numerous to mention. Picture 2shows Jean Cloutier from Chokoloskee the winner of the ... Read More »

The Calusa Garden Club’s annual flower show, Art in Bloom, was held on February 4 and 5. The Club’s floral designers interpreted Fiber Art designs created by artisans from Maine, who also attended the event. Over 500 people attended the event and many took the opportunity to vote for The People’s Choice Award. Connie Lowery took first place, using pink and blue flowers with green ferns and black leaves and stems to interpret a work by Maine artisan, Katherine Harding. Peggy Grass won second place when she designed a whimsical vertical interpretation which followed the lines of fiber art artisan, ... Read More »

On Monday evening, February 13, Charlette Roman presented a program, “Marco’s Natural Magic,” to approximately 130 guests at the Marco Island Historical Museum. The presentation was sponsored by Marco Island’s Calusa Garden Club. Decorations were floral arrangements made by the Club in the afternoon Ms Roman took the guests on a virtual tour of our local surroundings – the ABC Islands, Jolley Bridge sandbar, Kice Island, Sand Dollar Spit, and Tigertail Lagoon. Her beautiful pictures of these areas and their inhabitants led to many oohs and aahs from the audience. Preceding the program a reception was held, with refreshments supplied ... Read More »

The ongoing success of the Marco Island Squadron is the result of hard-working members combined with skilled leadership. As a result the current commander Lt Col Ray Rosenberg has been promoted to Commander Group-5 Florida Wing, Civil Air Patrol. Group-5 encompasses the southwest Florida area from Sarasota, Sebring and south to Naples and Marco Island; it includes eleven Civil Air Patrol Squadrons. Rosenberg who had led the Squadron since 2010 accomplished a great deal, including the growth of both senior membership and the cadet program, while providing vital services to Marco Island, and Southwest Florida. During his command the Squadron ... Read More »

Wine Tasters of Naples will host its third annual charity event, titled “Under the Napoli Moon”, April 28, 6 P.M. at The Players Club at Lely. The theme of the event will be Italian-inspired and include wine tasting, Italian themed buffet, live music featuring The Songs for All Seasons Band along with other local guest entertainers, and a live and silent auction. Admission fee is $95 per person and is open to current members and guests as well as all residents of the community. Checks can be made payable to The Community Foundation of Collier County and mailed to Dan ... Read More »

Historic Everglades City is buzzing on Saturday, March 10, with something for everyone. Art-in-the-Glades opens at 10:00 a.m. in McLeod Park (next to City Hall on the Circle) where the playground is a diversion for kiddies while adults browse among arts & craft stalls. Live music will entertain all ages. For information, phone 695-2905. Then, at 1:00 p.m. the Everglades Homes Tour starts. You can visit historic private houses, open to the public especially for this event. Included are some of oldest buildings in Collier County, dating from the early 1920s when Everglades City was the county seat and headquarters for the completion of the Tamiami Trail. For tickets, seewww.evergladeshistorical.org. Finally, ... Read More »

Friendship Day was held this morning, Tuesday, February 14, at Collier Child Care Resource’s NCEF Center for Early Childhood Education at Edison State College Collier Campus. Parents and children enjoyed a breakfast provided by the child care center. The breakfast was held to thank parents and supporters of the center. Read More »

The Marco Island Foundation for the Arts (MIFA) will award scholarships to deserving students who reside on Marco Island, have demonstrated excellence in visual, literary or performing arts, and intend to study (or continue study) one of the arts at the college level. Up to 3 scholarships will be awarded, each a maximum of $1000. Scholarships will be awarded to students who are graduating from high school, or have completed one or more years of study at the college level. Applications are available from high school guidance counselors, MIFA’s website: www.marcoarts,org. Completed applications must be sent to Marco Island Foundation ... Read More »