Coastal Breeze News

Sale e Pepe, an elegant yet resort casual restaurant located at the Marco Beach Ocean Resort overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, has received the 2012 Best of Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator magazine. The restaurant is one of just 878 restaurants across 50 states to receive this award in recognition of its top quality wine list. Sale e Pepe has been honored with this prestigious award for seven consecutive years, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012. Since 1981, Wine Spectator has honored the world’s best wine lists. The Best of Award of Excellence recognizes those restaurants offering ... Read More »

The members of the Sailing Association of Marco Island (SAMI) sure do, but in the summer months the heat is strong and the breezes are weak. That doesn’t keep good friends from getting together and enjoying their boats and a little socializing. On June 21 the monthly meeting was catered by Porky’s at the Isles of Capri Community Center and the evening’s speakers described the delivery of a sailing race boat from Bermuda back to its home port in Massachusetts. The next day was to be the beginning of a cruise to Naples Bay and the City Dock, but there was heavy ... Read More »

Alice Zaimes Strong, well known martial arts instructor and Realtor has joined The Golf to Gulf Team at Keller Williams Realty. The team was organized just one year ago and is quite unique in real estate because the team members are selected on the basis of specialization in specific geographic areas as well as past experience which better services the customers coming to Southwest Florida. “I am pleased that Alice Zaimes Strong has joined our team, states Ken Gandy, Broker of Keller Williams Marco Island, “she is a successful Realtor who intensely focuses her efforts on success yet still offers ... Read More »

The community is invited to join the Collier County Sheriff’s Office Marine Bureau and the Collier County Marine Alliance for a pair of great days at the beach during the fourth annual Keewaydin Cleanup. Crews will head out to the island to collect and remove trash on Saturday, Aug. 25 and Saturday, Sept. 8. Participants will enjoy this pristine stretch of coastline while doing their part to keep it clean. On Aug. 25, transportation to and from the island will be provided by the sailing vessel Sweet Liberty, which will depart the Naples City Dock at 8:30 a.m. and return ... 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 6:00 p.m. There is a $45 registration fee and the weekly fee ... Read More »

The Immokalee Foundation 2012 Charity Classic Celebration dinner and auction will take place Friday, Nov. 16 at The Ritz-Carlton, Naples. The theme of this year’s event encourages guests to follow the “Pathways to Success” and better understand the foundation’s mission to provide educational opportunities that make aspirations come true for the youth of Immokalee. The event will provide an opportunity for patrons to underwrite once-in-a-lifetime experiences for children that will help them believe they truly can achieve their dreams. The Fund A Dream auction allows benefactors to support the young people of Immokalee by contributing in a specific and tangible ... Read More »

IBERIABANK (www.iberiabank.com), a 125-year-old subsidiary of IBERIABANK Corporation, concluded a county-wide pet supply collection at the end of June with carts full of cat litter, canned food, dog toys, leashes, cleaning supplies and much more. The Naples Humane Society was the recipient of the company’s “i Gives Back” community outreach program. Associates and clients generously donated much needed pet supplies, and each branch featured a specific dog or cat that was available for adoption through the Naples Humane Society. Of the seven pets featured in Collier County, three were adopted during the month of June including Triple Tail, Zazu, and Ripley. ... Read More »

August 13-17 is Guadalupe Center’s 20th annual shoe and school supply drive for the children of Immokalee. Who doesn’t remember those stressful thoughts on the first day of school: “Will my best friend be in my class? Will I like my teachers (and will my teachers like me)?” For many of us fortunate enough to live or vacation on Marco, the most important question may have been, “What cool outfit should I choose to make the right impression with the other kids?” But for hundreds of children in Immokalee, barely 30 minutes away from Marco who suffer under the terrible ... Read More »

Fiddler’s Creek hosted its first Realtor Invitational Golf Tournament, allowing many of the area’s top agents to experience first-hand the amenities within the luxury master-planned community. Local real estate agents participated in the golf tournament held on the 18-hole, championship Creek Course on July 7th. The invitation-only event was an opportunity for national homebuilders D.R. Horton and Lennar Homes to market their distinctive neighborhoods within Fiddler’s Creek. The format for the Realtor Golf Outing was a handicapped scramble, which was won by the team of Corey Geddis, Scott Henderson and Rich Marquadt. Second place finishers were the Downing-Frye Realty team of Mike Hughes, ... Read More »

Naples Children & Education Foundation – founders of Naples Winter Wine Festival – and Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida delivered 12,000 pounds of food to underprivileged and at-risk children and their families at Golden Gate Elementary on July 26. The food delivery brought the grand total to 1.5 million pounds of food distributed since NCEF’s Lunch Boxes of Love program began in February 2011. Nearly 1,400 people picked up healthy foods including fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, cereal and canned goods. “While NCEF’s Lunch Boxes of Love mobile food pantry was making its latest delivery, the annual Kids ... Read More »

After a week of voting and more than 300 nominations, the name that earned the most votes in the Collier County Sheriff’s Office Name The Service Dog Contest is Lola, Sheriff Kevin Rambosk announced Wednesday. Lola earned 73 “likes” on the CCSO Facebook page, making it the name for a spunky golden retriever puppy in the agency’s service dog program. It was first submitted by John Gray, 24, of Naples. Other top vote-getters included Trinity, Charity, C.C. and Liberty. Sheriff Rambosk came up with the contest concept as a way of further engaging the community with CCSO. “We are constantly looking for ways ... Read More »

Women are invited to a time of interactive Bible study based on the book “Stuck” by Jennie Allen.  The Friday morning seven-week study begins 9 a.m., August 24 in the Fellowship Hall of Marco Presbyterian Church, 875 West Elkcam Circle, Marco Island. So many live stuck.  Stuck trying to seem perfect; stuck in sadness; stuck pursuing stuff to make us happy. The stuck places often go unattended and they shape and manipulate lives.  Learn through scripture and prayer God’s plan to get unstuck Books are $11.00 and will be available the first day of class.  For information call the church at 394-8186. Read More »

Play Connect & Discover with Collier County Parks & Recreation! You can register for our programs and events in person or online.  To register online log onto www.collierparks.com and click the “Register Online Here” button. Registration for fall programs begins Wednesday, August 1, 2012. The Collier County Parks & Recreation Department’s focus is to provide the public, both residents and visitors, with unique recreation experiences.  The department promotes health and wellness, senior activities, family style events and classes for both adults and children. For more information, contact Parks and Recreation Administration by calling (239) 252-4000 or visit www.collierparks.com. Read More »

If you’re ending a relationship and asking questions like ‘How will I heal from this breakup? How do I get over him or her? or How can I keep my heart open and trust again?,’ this book is for you.  Local author, life coach and yoga instructor Laurie Martin has published The Conscious Breakup Guide: Navigating Through the End of Your Relationship, a downloadable audio book or PDF available through her websitewww.smileacrossyourheart.com/blog/shop The document is a personal navigational system through heartbreak. In this fifty-four page guide, Martin shares her wisdom, lessons learned from her personal relationships and client stories, practical exercises and relaxing ... Read More »

Commissioner Jim Coletta was recognized by the Marine Corps League, E. T. Brisson Detachment #013 as the recipient of the “Good Citizenship Award” during the Collier County Board of County Commissioners meeting yesterday. When presenting the award to Commissioner Coletta, Jerry Van Hecke of the Marine Corps League recognized Commissioner Coletta for his many years of community accomplishments. The award is in recognition of Commissioner Coletta’s longtime community involvement in Boy Scouting.  Commissioner Coletta received the Eagle Scout rank when he was 16 years old and has been personally involved in the scouting program for the majority of his life.  Eagle Scout is ... Read More »

This weekly report is prepared by Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to inform the public about upcoming road work in Southwest Florida. Below are the work schedule and lane closure locations for major state road projects. Motorists are urged to drive with courtesy, caution, common sense, and patience as they travel through construction areas. Speeding fines are doubled in work zones. COLLIER COUNTY I-75:   Recreational access area on Alligator Alley: Construction project — Crews are building a recreational access facility that includes a boat ramp and parking lot with fencing and lighting.  Work involves widening and resurfacing the facility’s roadway, ... Read More »

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is reporting that some customers are receiving bogus emails about a package delivery or online postage charges. The emails contain a link or attachment that, when opened, installs a malicious virus that steals information from personal computers. The emails, which claim to be from USPS, include a label with fraudulent information about an attempted or intercepted package delivery and “online postage charges.” Customers are told to click on a link, open the attachment or print the label. USPS has added a red banner to the top of the usps.com home page that draws attention to ... Read More »

The Florida Department of Transportation named Naples Municipal Airport the state’s general aviation airport of the year for 2012. The award recognizes superior achievement in the airport’s safety program; appearance and impression left on users; and management, including innovative programs, service to the public, financial stability and compliance with regulations. Aaron N. Smith, state aviation director for FDOT, presented the award Tuesday during the 43rd Annual Florida Airports Council Conference in Naples. “This airport continues the tradition of providing the local community and state with an airport that is economically self-sufficient while remaining focused on improving safety and security with ... Read More »