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Full gallery »Sand Sculpting Competition in Fort Myers Beach concludes

  • Sarasota resident Libby Bennett carves away at her Where the Wild Things Are-themed sculpture under the watchful eye of the character Carol during the 23rd annual American Sandsculpting Championship Festival on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, in Fort Myers Beach. Bennett created the sculpture entitled 'Be Still!,' said Max for the Florida State Championship competition which wrapped up Sunday alongside the Master Carve Competition and the Amateur Competition. David Albers/Staff
  • Sarasota resident Lara Hines whittles away at her entry, Something Fishy, in the the 23rd annual American Sandsculpting Championship Festival on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, in Fort Myers Beach. Hines created the sculpture for the Florida State Championship competition which wrapped up Sunday alongside the Master Carve Competition and the Amateur Competition. David Albers/Staff
  • Sarasota resident Lara Hines reacts to the news that a fellow competitor's castle had fallen while working on her entry, Something Fishy, in the the 23rd annual American Sandsculpting Championship Festival on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, in Fort Myers Beach. Hines created the sculpture for the Florida State Championship competition which wrapped up Sunday alongside the Master Carve Competition and the Amateur Competition. David Albers/Staff
  • Sandsculptor Matt Long, of New York, works on his telephone-themed entry, Long Distence!, in the the 23rd annual American Sandsculpting Championship Festival on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, in Fort Myers Beach. David Albers/Staff
  • Reigning solo World Champion sand sculptor Carl Jara, of Cleveland, Ohio, whittles away at his entry, entitled Unravelling, into the Master Carve Competition in the the 23rd annual American Sandsculpting Championship Festival on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, in Fort Myers Beach. David Albers/Staff
  • Audience members take in the work of South Padre Island, Texas sand sculptor 'Amazin' Walter McDonald in the Master Carve Competition during the the 23rd annual American Sandsculpting Championship Festival on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, in Fort Myers Beach. David Albers/Staff


Full gallery »Tropical Smoothie

  • Eva Ward manager of the Tropical Smoothie in Carillon Plaza in Naples measures out ingredients for a smoothie.
  • Andrew Jessen owner of the Tropical Smoothie store at Carillion Plaza in Naples pours a smoothie. The smoothie buisness is booming in Southwest Florida.
  • Eva Ward manager of the Tropical Smoothie in Carillon Plaza in Naples measures out ingredients for a smoothie.
  • Eva Ward manager of the Tropical Smoothie in Carillon Plaza in Naples measures out ingredients for a smoothie.
  • Customers look at menu board at Tropical Smoothie in Carrillion Plaza in Naples. The smoothie buisness is booming in Southwest Florida.
  • Lilliana Porcelli 2 of Naples enjoys a Rasberry Rush at the Tropical Smoothie at Carillon Plaza in Naples. The smoothie buisness is booming in Southwest Florida.

Southwest Florida smoothie cafes like Tropical Smoothie are cashing in during tough times.



Full gallery »The Really Really Free Market in Fleischmann Park

  • Jane Galler, left, of Naples, Hula Hoops at the Really Really Free Market in Fleischmann Park in Naples on Saturday, November 7, 2009. The Really Really Free Market, which will be held at the park on the first Saturday of each month, allows people to give away household items to anyone who needs them. Melissa Plotkin, a Naples resident, led efforts to jump start the event after seeing similar community give aways during a brief stint in the San Francisco Bay Area. Plotkin says she hopes the Really Really Free Market will boost a sense of community in Naples and allow people to pool resources for those in need. Photo by Tristan Spinski
  • Frankie Anne Tester, right, of Naples, hugs Melissa Plotkin, also of Naples, at the Really Really Free Market in Fleischmann Park in Naples on Saturday, November 7, 2009. The Really Really Free Market, which will be held at the park on the first Saturday of each month, allows people to give away household items to anyone who needs them. Plotkin led efforts to jump start the event after seeing similar community give aways during a brief stint in the San Francisco Bay Area. Plotkin says she hopes the Really Really Free Market will boost a sense of community in Naples and allow people to pool resources for those in need. Photo by Tristan Spinski
  • Rebecca Mellman, right, 12, of Naples, hula hoops at the Really Really Free Market in Fleischmann Park in Naples on Saturday, November 7, 2009. The Really Really Free Market, which will be held at the park on the first Saturday of each month, allows people to give away household items to anyone who needs them. Melissa Plotkin, a Naples resident, led efforts to jump start the event after seeing similar community give aways during a brief stint in the San Francisco Bay Area. Plotkin says she hopes the Really Really Free Market will boost a sense of community in Naples and allow people to pool resources for those in need. Photo by Tristan Spinski
  • Shelly Myers, right, of Naples, writes down contact information for her husband, David Myers (not pictured), in hopes of finding him employment as her two children, David, 4, and Brianna, 2, stand by her side at the Really Really Free Market in Fleischmann Park in Naples on Saturday, November 7, 2009. The Really Really Free Market, which will be held at the park on the first Saturday of each month, allows people to give away household items to anyone who needs them. Melissa Plotkin, a Naples resident, led efforts to jump start the event after seeing similar community give aways during a brief stint in the San Francisco Bay Area. Plotkin says she hopes the Really Really Free Market will boost a sense of community in Naples and allow people to pool resources for those in need. Photo by Tristan Spinski
  • People browse the selection of free give away items under the shade at the Really Really Free Market in Fleischmann Park in Naples on Saturday, November 7, 2009. The Really Really Free Market, which will be held at the park on the first Saturday of each month, allows people to give away household items to anyone who needs them. Melissa Plotkin, a Naples resident, led efforts to jump start the event after seeing similar community give aways during a brief stint in the San Francisco Bay Area. Plotkin says she hopes the Really Really Free Market will boost a sense of community in Naples and allow people to pool resources for those in need. Photo by Tristan Spinski
  • Scenes from the Really Really Free Market in Fleischmann Park in Naples on Saturday, November 7, 2009. The Really Really Free Market, which will be held at the park on the first Saturday of each month, allows people to give away household items to anyone who needs them. Melissa Plotkin, a Naples resident, led efforts to jump start the event after seeing similar community give aways during a brief stint in the San Francisco Bay Area. Plotkin says she hopes the Really Really Free Market will boost a sense of community in Naples and allow people to pool resources for those in need. Photo by Tristan Spinski

The Really Really Free Market, which will be held at the park on the first Saturday of each month, allows people to give away household items to anyone who needs them.



Full gallery »Service dog helps autistic teen to overcome boundaries

  • Sven, a Golden Retriever service dog born in Sweden, is helping 18-year-old Aaron Stuart to overcome boundaries linked to his autism. David Albers/Staff
  • Eighteen-year-old Aaron Stuart walks his service dog, Sven, with behavior therapist Beth Mullin during a therapy session on Monday, Oct. 26, 2009, in Naples. The Stuart family acquired the Golden Retriever to help Aaron overcome boundaries linked to his autism. David Albers/Staff
  • Eighteen-year-old Aaron Stuart pets his service dog, Sven, with behavior therapist Beth Mullin during a therapy session on Monday, Oct. 26, 2009, in Naples. The Stuart family acquired the Golden Retriever to help Aaron overcome boundaries linked to his autism. David Albers/Staff
  • Behavior therapist Beth Mullin measures out pumpkin puree with 18-year-old Aaron Stuart as they prepare a meal for Stuart's service dog, Sven, during a therapy session on Monday, Oct. 26, 2009, in Naples. The Stuart family acquired the Golden Retriever to help Aaron overcome boundaries linked to his autism. David Albers/Staff
  • Eighteen-year-old Aaron Stuart prepares a meal for his service dog, Sven, during a therapy session on Monday, Oct. 26, 2009, in Naples. The Stuart family acquired the Golden Retriever to help Aaron overcome boundaries linked to his autism. David Albers/Staff
  • Eighteen-year-old Aaron Stuart prepares a meal for his service dog, Sven, during a therapy session on Monday, Oct. 26, 2009, in Naples. The Stuart family acquired the Golden Retriever to help Aaron overcome boundaries linked to his autism. David Albers/Staff


Full gallery »Cape Romano's infamous dome home

  • Do you recognize this ALMOST FAMOUS hangout and tourist spot? These are the dome buildings built several decades ago at the tip of Cape Romano. Submitted by Mike Housewert Dome Home Stilt Home
  • A popular stop for boaters in the Marco Island/Goodland area is Cape Romano, where a dome home still stands. Once a residence, the home is now falling into the sea, the result of storms and beach erosion that has changed and shifted the tip of the island southeast of Marco. Eric Strachan/Staff 2003
  • Cape Romano's infamous landmark: the former weekend retreat of the John Tosto family, known as the dome house, is collapsing at the island's southern end. LoAnn Halden. Taken in June 2009
  • Cape Romano. Eric Strachan/Naples Daily News
  • Hurricane Wilma took it's toll on the few remaining structures on Cape Romano, completely removing a house on stilts and further damaging 'igloo' structures on the desolate point.
  • Hurricane Wilma took it's toll on the few remaining structures on Cape Romano, completely removing a house on stilts and further damaging 'igloo' structures on the desolate point. Michel Fortier/Staff


Full gallery » Seacrest students experiment with liquid nitrogen

  • Science teacher John Kappotis shows that a tennis ball will not bounce after being frozen in liquid nitrogen during a demonstration for second-graders at Seacrest Country Day School on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009, in Naples. David Albers/ Staff
  • Science teacher John Kappotis explains the contraction and expansion of gases by using a balloon exposed to liquid nitrogen during a demonstration for second-graders at Seacrest Country Day School on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009, in Naples. David Albers/ Staff
  • Seven-year-old Matthew Schaller watches a balloon expand as the gases inside expand after being exposed to liquid nitrogen during a demonstration for elementary students at Seacrest Country Day School on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009, in Naples. David Albers/ Staff
  • Science teacher John Kappotis explains the contraction and expansion of gases by using a balloon exposed to liquid nitrogen during a demonstration for second-graders at Seacrest Country Day School on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009, in Naples. David Albers/ Staff
  • Seven-year-old Saffron Buxton draws a face on a balloon to be exposed to liquid nitrogen to illustrate the contraction and expansion of gases during a demonstration at Seacrest Country Day School on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009, in Naples. David Albers/ Staff
  • Science teacher John Kappotis prepares to shatter a racquetball frozen in liquid nitrogen during a demonstration for second-graders at Seacrest Country Day School on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009, in Naples. David Albers/ Staff


Full gallery »Missing baby found in Florida

  • Rebecca Padgett caresses her niece Shannon Dedrick as Washington County investigator Kenny Brock holds her following a news conference at the Washington County Sheriff's office in Chipley, Fla. Thursday Nov. 5, 2009. Shannon had been missing for five days and was found in a box under her baby sitter's bed. The sitter, her husband and Shannon's mother have been arrested. (AP Photo/Washington County News, Jay Felsberg)
  • Washington County Sheriff Bobby Haddock holds seven-month-old Shannon Dedrick at at news conference at the sheriff's office Thursday Nov. 5, 2009. Shannon had been missing for five days before she was found in a box under her baby's sitter's bed. The baby sitter, her husband and Shannon's mother have been arrested. (AP Photo/Washington County News, Jay Felsberg)
  • This photo provided by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement shows the 2-foot by 3-foot cedar box that law enforcement authorities found seven-month-old Shannon Dedrick in, Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009. The box was under the bed of her baby sitter's bed in Chipley, Fla. (AP Photo/Florida Department of Law Enforcement)
  • This undated file photo provided by the Washington County Sheriff's Office shows Shannon Dedrick. Washington County Sheriff Bobby Haddock said early Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009, that investigators found 7-month-old Shannon Dedrick in a box at her babysitter's home in Chipley, Fla. (AP Photo/Washington County Sheriff's Office)
  • The mother of missing baby, 7-month-old Shannon Dedrick, Crystina Mercer, enters court for her arraignment on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009 in Chipley, Fla.(AP Photo/Steve Cannon)
  • Susan Elizabeth Baker enters the courtroom for her arraignment Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009 in Chipley, Fla. Authorities say the mother of a 7-month old baby, Chrystina Lynn Mercer, gave her to baby sitter Baker early Saturday, then reported her missing about 10 hours later. (AP Photo/Steve Cannon)

Missing in the Florida Panhandle for five days, searchers found the 7-month-old girl lying quietly in a box under her baby sitter's bed.



Full gallery »H1N1 vaccine in Collier County

  • Christina Jonsson-Maas comforts her son Landon Maas, 2, as they both wait to get the the H1N1 vaccine Thursday at North Collier Regional Park. The Collier County Health Department is held its first H1N1 vaccination clinic today for at-risk populations, with more clinics scheduled in East Naples on Friday and one in Immokalee on Saturday. Lexey Swall/Staff as they and Danielle Buck, upper left, and her daughter Violet Buck, 2, wait in line for the H1N1 vaccine Thursday at North Collier Regional Park. The Collier County Health Department is held its first H1N1 vaccination clinic today for at-risk populations, with more clinics scheduled in East Naples on Friday and one in Immokalee on Saturday. Lexey Swall/Staff
  • Christina Jonsson-Maas, upper left, comforts her son Landon Maas, 2, as they both wait to get the the H1N1 vaccine Thursday at North Collier Regional Park. The Collier County Health Department is held its first H1N1 vaccination clinic today for at-risk populations, with more clinics scheduled in East Naples on Friday and one in Immokalee on Saturday. Lexey Swall/Staff as they and Danielle Buck, upper left, and her daughter Violet Buck, 2, wait in line for the H1N1 vaccine Thursday at North Collier Regional Park. The Collier County Health Department is held its first H1N1 vaccination clinic today for at-risk populations, with more clinics scheduled in East Naples on Friday and one in Immokalee on Saturday. Lexey Swall/Staff
  • Christina Jonsson-Maas, center, tries to comfort her son Landon Maas, 2, as she waits to get the the H1N1 vaccine Thursday at North Collier Regional Park. The Collier County Health Department is held its first H1N1 vaccination clinic today for at-risk populations, with more clinics scheduled in East Naples on Friday and one in Immokalee on Saturday. Lexey Swall/Staff as they and Danielle Buck, upper left, and her daughter Violet Buck, 2, wait in line for the H1N1 vaccine Thursday at North Collier Regional Park. The Collier County Health Department is held its first H1N1 vaccination clinic today for at-risk populations, with more clinics scheduled in East Naples on Friday and one in Immokalee on Saturday. Lexey Swall/Staff
  • Families wait in the hallway for the H1N1 vaccination Thursday at North Collier Regional Park. The Collier County Health Department is held its first H1N1 vaccination clinic today for at-risk populations, with more clinics scheduled in East Naples on Friday and one in Immokalee on Saturday. Lexey Swall/Staff
  • Milt Treiser, second from left, waits in line for the H1N1 flu shot Thursday at North Collier Regional Park. Flu shots are being given out from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.
  • Nancy Crafton, left, talks with Angeline Balmat and her son Holland Colburn, 2, after he gets his H1N1 vaccine Thursday at North Collier Regional Park. The Collier County Health Department is held its first H1N1 vaccination clinic today for at-risk populations, with more clinics scheduled in East Naples on Friday and one in Immokalee on Saturday. Lexey Swall/Staff

The Collier County Health Department is held its first H1N1 vaccination clinic today for at-risk populations, with more clinics scheduled in East Naples on Friday and one in Immokalee on Saturday.



Full gallery »Naples stormwater drainage pipes

  • City of Naples engineers are at a loss about how to remove 10 pipes that poke into the Gulf of mexico along the city's beaches to drain the city streets. Michel Fortier/Staff
  • White Ibis search for food in the shallows along Naples beach Tuesday, near one of 10 drain pipes which channel rain water from city streets into the gulf. City of Naples engineers are at a loss about how to remove the pipes that poke into the Gulf of mexico along the city's beaches to drain the city streets. Michel Fortier/Staff
  • Rhode Island resident Brian Beaudette partakes in a bit of surf fishing Tuesday near the 3rd Ave. South beach access point and close to one of 10 city street drains which empty into the gulf. City of Naples engineers are at a loss about how to remove the pipes that poke into the Gulf of mexico along the city's beaches to drain the city streets. Michel Fortier/Staff


Full gallery »Marco City Council candidate Larry Magel hosts first public forum

  • City Council candidate Larry Magel, right talks with John Oberg during Magel's candidate forum Friday night.
  • Al Diaz introduces Larry Magel during Magel’s candidate forum Friday night.
  • Larry Magel
  • Collier County Commission chairman Donna Fiala takes time out of her busy schedule to speak during Marco Island City Council candidate Larry Magel’s candidate forum Friday night.
  • City Council member Chuck Kiester, left talks with Bob Brown, Ad-hoc Utilities committee member during Larry Magel’s City Council candidate forum Friday night.
  • Nancy Brechnitz listens as Marco Island City council candidate Larry Magel answers her question during Magel’s candidate forum Friday night.

Marco City Council candidate Larry Magel hosts first public forum, Friday, Oct. 30, 2009.



Full gallery »Veteran speaks at Golden Gate High School

  • Romy Camargo, Special Forces Chief Warrants Officer, spoke about his service and sacrifice for country while in the U.S. Army to a packed auditorium at Golden Gate High School Monday. Camargo was wounded while serving in Afghanistan and is paralyzed from the neck down. Michel Fortier/Staff
  • ROTC students at Golden Gate High School wave American Flags for Romy Camargo, Special Forces Chief Warrants Officer, who spoke about his service in the U.S. Army to a packed auditorium at Golden Gate High School Monday. Camargo was wounded while serving in Afghanistan and is paralyzed from the neck down. Michel Fortier/Staff
  • Romy Camargo, Special Forces Chief Warrants Officer, U.S. Army, center, takes to the stage at Golden Gate High School Monday where he spoke about service and sacrifice to country after being paralyzed in Afghanistan. Students and community members filled the auditorium to listen to Camargo's story. Camargo's wife, Gaby, right, also came along with last year's speaker, Lt. Col. Scott Mann. Michel Fortier/Staff
  • Students at Golden Gate High School listen to Romy Camargo, Special Forces Chief Warrants Officer, who spoke about his service and sacrifice to country while serving in the U.S. Army on Monday in the school's auditorium. Camargo was wounded while serving in Afghanistan and is paralyzed from the neck down. He was brought in to speak by the schoo's history department to help the students understand why there's a Veteran's Day. Michel Fortier/Staff
  • Leonard 'Taz' Leary of the Vietnam Brotherhood, pumps his fist in the air in support of Romy Camargo, Special Forces Chief Warrants Officer, who spoke about his service in the U.S. Army to a packed auditorium at Golden Gate High School Monday. Camargo was wounded while serving in Afghanistan and is paralyzed from the neck down. Michel Fortier/Staff
  • Golden Gate High School student and ROTC staff sgt. Cindy Rivas, 18, center, thanks Romy Camargo, Special Forces Chief Warrants Officer, U.S. Army, for his service and sacrifice to country Monday after Camargo spoke to students in the high school auditorium. Camargo was wounded while serving in Afghanistan and was brought in by the school's history department to help students understand why there's a Veteran's Day. Michel Fortier/Staff


Full gallery »Bonita Elementary vandalism

  • Bonita Springs Elementary School was vandalized on Halloween night, Saturday, Oct. 31. Broken windows, graffiti and broken equipment totaling thousands of dollars were some of the things carried out by vandals.
  • Bonita Springs Elementary School was vandalized on Halloween night, Saturday, Oct. 31. Broken windows, graffiti and broken equipment totaling thousands of dollars were some of the things carried out by vandals.
  • Bonita Springs Elementary School was vandalized on Halloween night, Saturday, Oct. 31. Broken windows, graffiti and broken equipment totaling thousands of dollars were some of the things carried out by vandals.
  • Bonita Springs Elementary School was vandalized on Halloween night, Saturday, Oct. 31. Broken windows, graffiti and broken equipment totaling thousands of dollars were some of the things carried out by vandals. Greg Kahn/Staff

Bonita Springs Elementary School was vandalized on Halloween night, Saturday, Oct. 31. Broken windows, graffiti and broken equipment totaling thousands of dollars were some of the things carried out by vandals.



Full gallery »Tejano music, dances a big hit with the young and old in Immokalee

  • Jaime DeAnda, center, Roel Joslin, left, and Eduardo Ordonez, right, from Jaime y Los Chamacos, perform on stage in the pavilion at Seminole Casino Immokalee last week. Los Chamacos have performed several times at the Tejano dances in Immokalee, which in the past were held in various halls around town. Lexey Swall/Staff
  • Miami residents Jesse Hernandez and his friend Laura Mendoza spin around the dance floor to the music of La Sombra de Tony Guerrera, a brassy Tejano act big in the 1990s. The Tejano dances is a decades-old Immokalee tradition that brings the Tejano music of the Rio Grande Valley to the dance halls in the rural town east of Naples. In the past the dances were held in various halls around Immokalee but recently have moved to a large pavilion at the Seminole Casino. Lexey Swall/Staff
  • Jaime DeAnda, from Jaime y Los Chamacos dances on stage during a performance at the Seminole Casino Immokalee on October 24, 2009. Jaime y Los Chamacos are a Tejano band from Texas that has played in Immokalee in the past, including a time when DeAnda played in a dueling accordian show. The Tejano dances are a decades-old, Immokalee tradition that brings the Tejano music of the Rio Grande Valley to the dance halls in the rural town east of Naples. In the past the dances were held in various halls around Immokalee but recently have moved to a large pavilion at the Seminole Casino. Lexey Swall/Staff
  • Immokalee residents and visitors from Miami, Clewiston, and other areas in South Florida, take to the dance floor as music is played by Jaime y Los Chamacos, a Tejano band from Texas. The Tejano dances are a decades-old tradition in Immokalee that brings the Tejano music of the Rio Grande Valley to the dance halls in the rural town east of Naples. In the past the dances were held in various halls around Immokalee but recently have moved to a large pavilion at the Seminole Casino. Lexey Swall/Staff
  • A scene from a Tejano dance in Immokalee on October 24, 2009 at the Seminole Casino Immokalee. The dances are a tradition that, for years, has brought the Tejano music of the Rio Grande Valley to the dance halls in the rural town east of Naples. Lexey Swall/Staff Lexey Swall/Staff
  • A scene from a Tejano dance in Immokalee on October 24, 2009 at the Seminole Casino Immokalee. The dances are a tradition that, for years, has brought the Tejano music of the Rio Grande Valley to the dance halls in the rural town east of Naples. Lexey Swall/Staff Lexey Swall/Staff


Full gallery »White flies attack

  • The body of the adult whitefly is yellow in color and the wings are white with a faint grey band towards the middle of the wing; they're extremely small and hard to see. Doug Caldwell
  • This hedge shows the likely aftermath if nothing is done to avert whitefly attack. There are no leaves, and there's dieback resulting in loss of privacy and increased street noise. Doug Caldwell
  • Whiteflies have caused these ficus to drop leaves like a Midwest grove in autumn. Doug Caldwell
  • This ficus leaf shows the whitish, bumpy casing residue of whiteflies as they become adults.

The white fly becomes a pest invading ficus hedges.



Full gallery »Salt Cave

  • Elllie Meven takes part in a Chakra hypno-meditation session at Salt Cave on Wednesday in Naples.
  • Andrea Geresdi, right, hands Naples residents Ellie Meven, from left, Katja Risteen and Tony Fernandez hair nets to wear while they are in the salt cave for a Chakra hypno-meditation. The Salt Cave opened in August and offers salt therapy sessions, yoga, tai chi, meditation, crystal bowl sound healing.
  • Cape Coral resident Andrea Geresdi sits inside a 450-square-foot space that contains 20 tons of blush-colored Himalayan crystal salt on the floor. Her business, Salt Cave, opened in August in a shopping plaza on U.S. 41 in Naples. The business specializes in halotherapy, or salt therapy, that Geresdi says will help with respiratory and skin-related maladies, among others.
  • Andrea Geresdi checks a generator that is used to create an aerosol salt spray of one to five micrometers. The spray fills the salt cave in just a few minutes. As participants breathe, Geresdi said, they absorb all the benefits of the salt, which is effective because it is a natural antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal.
  • Hypnotherapist Val Poulos walks in to the Salt Cave to conduct a Chakra hypno-meditation session Wednesday in Naples.
  • Salt Cave opened in August in a shopping plaza on U.S. 41 in Naples. The business specializes in halotherapy, or salt therapy, that Geresdi says will help with respiratory and skin-related maladies, among others.

The Salt Cave opened in August and offers salt therapy sessions, yoga, tai chi, meditation, crystal bowl sound healing.



Full gallery »Celebration Community Beach Church

  • Craig Milbourn, left, and his wife Terri, pray during a Celebration Community Beach Church service at Cambier Park in Naples on Oct. 18, 2009. The couple say they met during a service at the church years ago. The church's use agreement with the city, which expires in 2010, is up for discussion at Naples City Council and it will be decided if the church can continue to use the public park in a meeting on Nov. 4. Greg Kahn/Staff
  • Senior pastor Gene Scott, right, hugs church member Valerie Pike after she spoke during Celebration Community Beach Church service at Cambier Park in Naples on Oct. 18, 2009. Pike, a member of the chuch for about five years, told other churchgoers why Celebration was the church for her. The church's use agreement with the city, which expires in 2010, is up for discussion at Naples City Council and it will be decided if the church can continue to use the public park in a meeting on Nov. 4. Greg Kahn/Staff
  • Senior pastor Gene Scott welcomes several hundred churchgoers to Cambier Park during Celebration Community Beach Church in Naples on Oct. 18, 2009. The church's use agreement with the city, which expires in 2010, is up for discussion at Naples City Council and it will be decided if the church can continue to use the public park in a meeting on Nov. 4. Greg Kahn/Staff
  • Seasonal resident Pam Witzenburg, right, hugs Lois Sprague, during Celebration Community Beach Church at Cambier Park in Naples on Oct. 18, 2009. The church's use agreement with the city, which expires in 2010, is up for discussion at Naples City Council and it will be decided if the church can continue to use the public park in a meeting on Nov. 4. Greg Kahn/Staff
  • Churchgoers enjoy cake and coffee before the start of Celebration Community Beach Church at Cambier Park in Naples on Oct. 18, 2009. The church's use agreement with the city, which expires in 2010, is up for discussion at Naples City Council and it will be decided if the church can continue to use the public park in a meeting on Nov. 4. Greg Kahn/Staff
  • From left: Clyde Floyd, Lynn Bailey, and her husband Dick, bundle up as temperatures barely reached 60 degrees at Cambier Park in Naples for Celebration Community Beach Church on Oct. 18, 2009. The church's use agreement with the city, which expires in 2010, is up for discussion at Naples City Council and it will be decided if the church can continue to use the public park in a meeting on Nov. 4. Greg Kahn/Staff

Every Sunday senior pastor Gene Scott welcomes several hundred churchgoers to Cambier Park for Celebration Community Beach Church's service in Naples. The church's use agreement with the city, which expires in 2010, is up for discussion at Naples City Council and it will be decided if the church can continue to use the public park in a meeting on Nov. 4.



Full gallery »Houses after the crimes

  • Address: 3351 Bolero Way, Naples, 34105. What happened: 24-year-old Edward Lee Starcher is accused of killing his girlfriend's mother Veronica Moran, 59. Status: The house is vacant and empty of furniture. Neighbors say that prospective buyers have been looking at it, and according to the MLS, it was a pending sale as of September 30.
  • Address: 12221 Eagle Pointe Circle, Gateway. What happened: On Dec. 27, 2005, Fred Cooper broke into the home and shot Steven Andrews in the head, and beat and suffocated Andrews' wife, Michelle. Status: Though the home is currently empty, two families have rented it since the killings, neighbors say. Attempts to reach the owner, Bernarda Isabel Rodriguez, were unsuccessful, but a neighbor said Rodriguez and her husband are moving in soon.
  • Address: 355 Shady Hollow Blvd. E., Golden Gate Estates. What happened: In early March, Gregory Nelson shot and killed his wife, Kristine Gabel, before taking his own life, authorities say. Status: The home is being rented, and is also for sale, said Kenneth Krier, the executor of Gabel's estate. No trespassing signs are posted on the gate in front of the home.
  • Address: 3275 Randall Blvd., Golden Gate Estates. What happened: Four people were killed inside this former marijuana grow house on June 25, 2005. No arrests have been made. Status: Though the home has been lived in since the killings, it has been abandoned for years. Weeds in some places are five feet high, and half-filled garbage cans are lying in the driveway. Attempts to reach the owners, Jose Miranda and Diego Benitez, were unsuccessful.
  • Address: 6641 Sandalwood Lane, North Naples. What happened: Early on Dec. 9, 2007, authorities say Rick Bell killed his wife, Sherri Bell, in the kitchen, before killing himself by carbon monoxide poisoning inside the garage. Before killing himself, authorities say Rick Bell set a trail of hay on fire in the backyard in a failed attempt to burn down the house, barn and garage. Status: Nearly two years later, the house remains empty. The yard is overgrown, and the bushes in front of the house are so tall the house is barely visible.
  • Address: 864 Hampton Circle, North Naples. What happened: Mesac Damas is accused of killing his wife, Guerline Dieu Damas, and five young children in late September. Status: As of September 25, the Collier County Sheriff's Office released the home and is no longer investigating it. It remains unoccupied.

What happens to homes that are the scenes of gruesome murders in Southwest Florida.



Full gallery »Halloween parade at Bonita Springs Elementary School

  • Kindergartner Tony Garrido Giambo, 6, patiently waits for the beginning of the school Halloween parade dressed as Dracula at Bonita Springs Elementary School on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009, in Bonita Springs. David Albers/Staff
  • Math teacher Taylor Locke passes out candy to students during the annual Halloween parade at Bonita Springs Elementary School on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009, in Bonita Springs. David Albers/Staff
  • Kindergarten teacher Beverlee Laney lines up her students to participate in the school Halloween parade at Bonita Springs Elementary School on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009, in Bonita Springs. David Albers/Staff
  • Students file through the walkways between classrooms during the annual Halloween parade at Bonita Springs Elementary School on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009, in Bonita Springs. David Albers/Staff
  • Kindergarten teacher Beverlee Laney assigns Hallie Weegar, 7, as the line leader for the school Halloween parade at Bonita Springs Elementary School on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009, in Bonita Springs. David Albers/Staff
  • Kindergartner Jason Cardona, 6, makes his way through the school campus dressed as a pirate during the annual Halloween parade at Bonita Springs Elementary School on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009, in Bonita Springs. David Albers/Staff

Bonita Springs Elementary School students celebrate Halloween with their annual parade through the school.



Full gallery »Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th anniversary concert

  • Bruce Springsteen, right, and John Fogerty perform at the 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame concert at Madison Square Garden,Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009 in New York. (AP Photo/Henny Ray Abrams)
  • Sting performs with Stevie Wonder at the 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame concert at Madison Square Garden,Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009 in New York. (AP Photo/Henny Ray Abrams)
  • Paul Simon performs during the 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame concert at Madison Square Garden in New York, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009. (AP Photo/Henny Ray Abrams)
  • Stevie Wonder performs at the 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame concert at Madison Square Garden,Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009 in New York. (AP Photo/Henny Ray Abrams)
  • Bruce Springsteen, left, and Tom Morello perform at the 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame concert at Madison Square Garden,Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009 in New York. (AP Photo/Henny Ray Abrams)
  • Bruce Springsteen, right, and John Fogerty perform at the 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame concert at Madison Square Garden,Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009 in New York. (AP Photo/Henny Ray Abrams)

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame celebrated it's 25th birthday with a concert that included all-star collaborations.



Full gallery »Barron Collier football tailgate

  • The Gridiron Club’s pre-game tailgate has claimed the parking lot of Barron Collier high’s football field as it’s very own tailgating playground for years.
  • The Gridiron Club’s pre-game tailgate has claimed the parking lot of Barron Collier high’s football field as it’s very own tailgating playground for years.
  • The Gridiron Club’s pre-game tailgate has claimed the parking lot of Barron Collier high’s football field as it’s very own tailgating playground for years.
  • The Gridiron Club’s pre-game tailgate has claimed the parking lot of Barron Collier high’s football field as it’s very own tailgating playground for years.
  • The Gridiron Club’s pre-game tailgate has claimed the parking lot of Barron Collier high’s football field as it’s very own tailgating playground for years.

The Gridiron Club’s pre-game tailgate has claimed the parking lot of Barron Collier high’s football field as it’s very own tailgating playground for years.




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