Naples Daily News

Naples —Graham Ginsberg carried his response to “kick a Jew day” to North Naples Middle School on Thursday afternoon.Though the signs he displayed said “I’m a Jew ...” and “Kick me?,” that wasn’t his message.The 47-year-old Naples resident shared his dream with the handful of people who stopped, spoke with and supported him for continuing his protest against religious prejudice in Collier County ... Full Story »

The case against Joseph Shook may hinge on a ragged bundle of duct tape and a red shovel.Prosecutors rested their case Thursday, following a day devoted to their hardest evidence in the homicide trial. Witnesses linked Shook to a crucial piece of duct tape found at the crime scene, and one connected him to the purchase of a shovel that may have been used to dig a grave.The defense will begin its ... Full Story »

To report a crime or suspicious activity in your neighborhood, call the Naples Police and Fire Department at 213-4844, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office at 774-4434, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office at (239) 477-1000 or the Marco Island Police Department at 389-5050.A quick-thinking deputy helped nab two Naples men accused of trying to steal televisions from Lee County Target stores.Troy J ... Full Story »

Naples —Kim Bowers of Kings Lake regularly rides the bus but believes a proposed transfer station at Radio Road and Davis Boulevard is premature. That is, despite two years of debate.“They never asked passengers ‘Would you use it if it was available?’” Bowers said at a Thursday night meeting of some 45 East Naples residents and Collier County officials.“It’s a totally unnecessary expense for the ... Full Story »

Naples —The Collier County Health Department is calling on healthy adults younger than 65 to seek out the H1N1 vaccination against the swine flu.The call also is going out to elders 65 and older with an underlying medical condition to come to a vaccination clinic, starting Saturday or in the coming weeks.The health department is now expanding the scope of at-risk populations for vaccinating ... Full Story »

A Naples bank has a new lease on life.The Royal Palm Bank of Florida has been infused with $11 million in capital by its owners.Mercantile Bancorp Inc., the bank’s parent company in Quincy, Ill., announced the multimillion investment on Thursday as part of a multi-level recapitalization plan to reduce debt and strengthen itself. Neither bank has accepted any federal dollars set aside for ... Full Story »

A special magistrate in Fort Myers has really gotten a Lee County commissioner’s goat.Actually the goats in question belong to Todd McGee, owner of the last private piece of Mound Key. McGee fenced his 9 acres and started running goats on the land early this year.Mound Key is a 175-acre island in the middle of Estero Bay. Archeologists believe it was the center of civilization for the Calusa ... Full Story »

Naples —The price of the Naples Daily News off the rack is going up by 25 cents.The single-copy price of the daily newspaper will increase from 50 to 75 cents for the Monday through Saturday editions.The price of the Bonita Daily News is also increasing by a quarter to 50 cents.The changes will take effect Saturday. Sunday prices remain the same: $1.50 in Collier County and $1 in Lee County.“The ... Full Story »

Naples —After less than nine months at the helm, Bill Wendle is no longer leading the Collier Building Industry Association.“It was by mutual agreement with David Aldridge,” Wendle said Thursday afternoon.Aldridge, who will replace Tom Lykos as association president at the Dec. 12 installation dinner, headed up United Construction and now, Aldridge Construction, in Collier County.Thursday ... Full Story »

GATES completes Ave Maria School of Law renovationsGATES announces that it has completed the renovations for the Ave Maria School of Law. The project, consisting of four buildings totaling 70,000-plus square feet, was completed by GATES ahead of schedule and under budget.The renovation project, designed by architect Jason P. Tramonte transformed the existing spaces into a law library with study ... Full Story »

Naples —Education briefs for the week of Nov. 30, 2009.Golden Gate High students put twist on traditional balletA twist on a holiday classic ballet is about to take center stage. The world premiere performance of The Nutcracker Goes POP!!! will be held at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5 and at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6 at Golden Gate High School, 2925 Titan Way.Kids Act, in conjunction with Golden Gate High ... Full Story »

Naples — Christmas in Naples — or at least one of the city’s most popular holiday traditions — has been postponed.Downtown Naples Association officials Thursday decided to postpone the annual Fifth Avenue South Christmas Walk. The event — originally scheduled for Thursday evening — is when the Fifth Avenue Christmas tree is traditionally lit.Event organizers cited bad weather for the reason why ... Full Story »

Naples —Eighth-grader Lorena Mita can fondly recall her Albanian grandmother’s cooking.Majd Ibrahim, 12, told his class mates that when he can’t sleep, his grandmother will wake up and they will cook together.For Pine Ridge Middle School consumer science teacher Sandy Brock, recipes not only carry memories, but history.That is why Brock has developed a semester-long project for her consumer ... Full Story »

Naples —Collier County must do more to shrink its carbon footprint if it is to meet a recommended target for cutting its contribution to global warming, an audit of the county’s greenhouse gas emissions shows.The audit, based on 2007 data and paid for by the Conservancy of Southwest Florida and Collier County Audubon Society , recommends a 10 percent cut in the community’s carbon footprint by ... Full Story »

Naples —The Collier County Health Department will begin administering the second dose of vaccines to Collier County elementary school children today. Since the district’s first clinics began at schools on Oct. 27, more than 16,000 Collier County students received the H1N1 vaccine at school.It has been recommended that children under 10 receive two doses of the vaccine. The schedule is as follows ... Full Story »

Naples —Facing the threat of losing their home, Rex and Sarah Fritchey traveled many miles for a face-to-face meeting with their lender.On Wednesday, the couple drove from Lehigh Acres to North Naples to take advantage of a free workshop sponsored by Florida’s Chief Financial Officer, Alex Sink, and the state’s Department of Financial Services. The Fritcheys, both 71, hope to modify their ... Full Story »

Naples —A standoff between the Collier County Sheriff’s SWAT team ended with a North Naples man in jail Wednesday night.Jean Dorval, 28, of the 2400 block of Bear Creek Drive was arrested and charged with aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer.According to Collier Sheriff’s officials, deputies responded to a call in reference to a man destroying the inside of his home at 3:30 p.m ... Full Story »

Naples —Arthrex Inc. has won an appeal in federal court over a patent infringement lawsuit filed by a competitor, reversing a $23 million judgment stemming from a trial last year in an Oregon, the Naples-based medical device manufacturer said Wednesday.The favorable ruling means that no injunction is pending against Arthrex’s SutureTak or PushLock products, anchors used during arthroscopic ... Full Story »

Joyce and Cauthen form new partnershipRick K. Joyce and John Cauthen recently partnered and formed the ecological consulting and land management firm, Forestry Resources Ecological Inc.With a background in ecological restoration as chief executive officer of Forestry Resources, Cauthen noted that Forestry Resources Ecological will specialize in natural area management and the control, removal ... Full Story »

ESTERO —A judge’s decision could mean a big box store at the intersection on Three Oaks Parkway and Corkscrew Road in Estero.Twentieth Judicial Circuit Judge Jay Rosman ruled Nov. 24 that there was no competent substantial evidence to support either of two previous zoning denials by Lee County commissioners, one on Sept. 15, 2008, and the second on March 3, 2009.“The only testimony against the ... Full Story »

Naples —Keep up the good work.That’s the message Naples City Council sent to City Manager Bill Moss on Wednesday during his annual performance review.“I am glad he is here,” said Councilman Bill Willkomm, who in 2007 voted against hiring Moss. “If we revoted (to hire him) today, I would vote for him. I think he has been a phenomenal asset to the community.”But Moss will not be rewarded for his ... Full Story »

Naples —Connecting will be mandatory.But Naples City Council on Wednesday decided not all new customers will have to connect to the city’s irrigation water system.Naples City Council voted 5-2 to make connection to the city’s irrigation water system mandatory for new construction and substantially remodeled homes. The policy change will not affect those people who purchase an existing home ... Full Story »

Naples —The calendar is stuffed like a stocking full of holiday events from tree lightings to parades.The first and possibly biggest event is Thursday’s Christmas Walk on Fifth Avenue South with tree lighting and entertainment. All the buildings are decorated.“There’s Christmas lights up and down the street,” said Michele Klinowski, senior vice president of the Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce ... Full Story »

Naples —The performance of a top Naples official will be the subject of discussion during Wednesday’s Naples City Council meeting.Council members are expected to conduct Naples City Manager Bill Moss’ annual performance review.Moss received kudos from City Council last year during his review. Council last year voted 6-1 to give Moss a 5 percent salary increase, which bumped his salary up to ... Full Story »

LEE COUNTY —Like a ship “cast adrift toward a waterfall,” Joseph Shook faced imminent ruin as his divorce finalized in July 2007, jurors in the Alva man’s homicide case were told Tuesday.Unemployed and expected to obtain and share a second mortgage with his estranged wife, the 35-year-old father of three turned to force where words failed, prosecutors told jurors.“He realized it was now or never ... Full Story »