JOANNA CHAU

The Christmas season is a joyous time, a season for family, love, gift giving and charity.

Michael Hickey’s new book, “Get Goodness,” came in the midst of sin and scandal. Double-dealing bankers, promiscuous politicians and high-profile crooks dominated the headlines in 2009 when Hickey got word from University Press about its interest in publishing his book. ...

On a day set aside by the United Nations to support human rights, dozens of protesters picketed Saturday in North Naples, demanding better wages and improved working conditions.

The annual Jewish film festival on Marco Island has expanded its offerings to include a wry baseball comedy, "The Yankles," and a poignant tale of Polish homecoming, "100 Voices: The Journey Home." The second film is a free offering to ...

The project's local booster, Naples diver and fisherman Mike Taworksi, is moving forward with plans to submerge another ship in the same location. He is looking at two that are docked at a naval yard in Philadephia — the USS ...

Phil McKee lost his main source of income — stock dividends that came from his inheritance — when the stock market collapsed. Unable to modify his home loan, McKee stopped paying Bank of America the monthly mortgage payment. The bank ...

The road to expansion on Bonita Beach Road is garnering mixed feelings from businesses. Construction started in September to widen the road from four lanes to six between Old 41 Road and Lime Street.

For die-hard bargain shoppers, Black Friday comes early this year. Several local shopping and outlet malls are opening at midnight or earlier on Thanksgiving along with several big box and department stores.

In "Breaking Dawn Part 1,&#34 the newest film in the tale of teen love, vampires and werewolves depicts the first half of the fourth and final book in the "Twilight" saga. It includes the wedding of Bella Swan and her ...

It takes certain qualities to lead an organization. Leadership requires dedication, flexibility and a knack for inspiration. The eight former and current Marco Island Women’s Club presidents honored Wednesday all shared those essential characteristics.

“At-large gives a macro approach to things instead of a micro approach,” Ginsberg said. “As cons, it is more expensive, and there racial issues.” “What we need to concentrate on is how such a change would ma

Maria Wassef is synonymous with birthdays around St. Matthew’s House. Wassef, the founder of Maria’s Birthday Wishes for the Homeless, brings cupcakes to the Naples shelter every Monday to celebrate its weekly birthdays.

The theme for this year’s dinner and fundraiser was “Affirming America’s Promise.”

Cooler weather signals the start of season in Naples. And as the crowds draw near, downtown Naples welcomes them with its October CityFest, a celebration filled with events and activities spread among five downtown districts — Fifth Avenue South, Crayton ...

The North Collier Recycling Center is open after a scrap with residents of two communities. On Sept. 15, the contested 3,600-square-foot North Naples drop-off center opened its doors.

Shoppers received more than bargains at Costco Saturday night. They were treated to cake, freebies and a showcase by local organizations and law enforcement agencies at the warehouse club’s fourth annual “Heroes Night.”

Matthew Giresi gave up renting movies months ago. He is not alone. Giresi has joined the millions who have changed their movie habits, switching from rentals to streaming, an instant viewing method provided by an industry geared towards on-demand movies, ...

As stone crab season approaches, Blake Weeks spends most of the day scrapping and cleaning out the barnacled traps leftover from last year. He and the rest of his crab catching crew will go through over 20,000 traps, pulling out ...

Miranda Norris loves to share her passion for delicious foods, especially the healthy kind. During her “Healthy Cooking: Simply Vegetables” class on a recent Tuesday, the talk drifted from the sweet sugar yams exude when roasted in the oven to ...

Thousands attended the Marco Marriot Beach Resort’s first Marco Island Charity Beach Music Festival last year, raising a considerable amount for several local charities. Through proceeds from festival ticket sales, a silent auction and a golf tournament held that same ...

The last thing Lisa Kelly Boët expected was students photographing her trash. But that’s what Florida Gulf Coast University students Natasha Gascon and Melissa Rodriguez were doing Wednesday at Boët’s Naples restaurant, Bamboo Café, 755 12th Ave. S., Naples.

Sarah Bombard fell in love with horses the first time she laid eyes on them. Her mother, Cindy Bombard, described her daughter’s initial experience with them as “pure excitement.” “Her face just lit up,” Bombard recalled. “She was so happy. ...

After a long stall, cars may again speed through the track on the edge of Golden Gate Estates.

St. John’s Episcopal Church in Naples is blossoming with the addition of a new ecological rain garden with all kinds of good motivation behind it. The garden will serve as a model, the city of Naples hopes, for similar gardens ...

When Khatuna Chkuaseli came to Marco three months ago, she spoke very little English. Coming from Georgia, an Eastern European country thousands of miles, two seas and an ocean away from the U.S, she also had certain ideas about American ...

During the summer months, the von Liebig Art Center’s hallways and classrooms fill with the sounds of children laughing and teens chattering. Starting at 9 a.m., they rush in to the center with lunch bags in hand for art classes ...

Collier County will finally get a permanent bus transfer station in East Naples. Collier commissioners voted at a meeting in late July to set aside the final amount of money needed for construction of the project on the grounds of ...

While most 2-year-olds are afraid to even stick their faces in the water, Kayleen Fagan swims and dives in the pool as if she’s been doing it for years. But the tiny paddler with sandy hair and a big smile ...

Part-time Ave Maria resident Tony Schweikle is a movie industry veteran who has worked as a production and location manager for several Hollywood films.

A push for a new Interstate 75 interchange in Golden Gate Estates has received key endorsements from emergency response agencies.

Jovenise Benjamin has never missed a day of school. Her perfect attendance started back in Haiti, her birth country. It continued after she enrolled in American public school at age 7. “It really bothers me when I miss school,” said ...

Pencils, crayons, markers and notebooks are basic necessities found in the backpacks of students everywhere. But for some children on the islands of St. Lucia and St. Vincent, acquiring those supplies is the one thing standing in the way of ...

Malena Rose Marcase started singing “How Much Is That Doggie in the Window” at two years old around the house. Now, at age 15, she belts the national anthem to sell-out crowds at sporting events across the Midwest. Malena, a ...

Pat Berry, Pattie Ziesig and Jean Rowles share a love for community theater. That passion has inspired them to start a new theater group on Marco called The Island Players. “I’ve always enjoyed the arts and had fun with it,” ...

Laura Severyn, 20, grew up reading the Potter books and watching the films. She has never missed a movie and always wears her favorite Harry Potter shirt to the show. “I’m really looking forward to this movie,” said Severyn, a ...

William Franklin Tiley can work a room like no other. He goes from group to group in the packed room, hugging and engaging everyone in conversation. Tiley mixes with the men by talking about sports and mingles with the women ...

Emily Boxma belted out her solo as is if she was a veteran of the stage on Saturday night. But her performance as Christine Daae in the Marco Players’ Theater Camp’s rendition of “Phantom of the Opera” was only Emily’s ...

While some middle schoolers lace up their cleats or put on their dance shoes after school, the students at Pine Ridge Middle School strapped on goggles, flippers and an air tank. Science teacher David Langenmayr started the Marine Environmental Enrichment ...

Patrons at the Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Club’s concert series can enjoy everything Naples is known for to the sound of big bands playing jazz, soul, R&B and funk. The free concert series kicks off June 25 and runs ...

As 7 a.m. approaches, the line of people in front of Parkway Life Church grows longer. They all stand bleary-eyed and half asleep as they anticipate their turn to pick up food. But these are not the homeless or destitute ...

Lynn M. Holley has only been on the job for a week, and she is already drawing a crowd. On Tuesday, the newly minted executive director of the Marco Island Center for the Arts, welcomed about 60 attendees, a record ...

Fresh out of college, many theater majors have big dreams of playing a coveted role in a major Broadway production. Lora Lee Gayer, however, did it.

Get Growing: Plant remedies, Beekeepers workshop, kid terrariums and fruit tree sale

Naples and its surrounding areas are more known for its beaches and snowbirds than its vibrant indie music scene. But two upcoming music shows prove that independent music thrives in the land of sand, surf and tourists. The second annual ...

Sixth grader Christelle Garcon dreams of going to space one day. For now, she will have to settle for sending spiders in her place. As part of Mary Jane Slaughter’s Manatee Middle School earth and space science classes, Garcon and ...

Home Front briefs for Lee and Collier counties.

The centerpiece of Lakes Regional Park soon will get a long-awaited cleanup.

Students at East Naples Middle School are learning more than just reading comprehension. After a tsunami hit Sri Lanka several years ago, East Naples Middle reading teacher Carol Williams raised $1,000 with her students to supply a rebuilt school through ...

Charlie Funk is a die-hard soap opera fan. He started watching daytime dramas at age 7 with his mother. For the last 20 years, he has attended soap star fan events, amassing about 300 pictures with celebrities and more than ...

Yoga instructor Kiersten Mooney teaches about 50 students a day at her Naples studio. But the Monday after Easter, Mooney along with 11 other yoga teachers from around the country taught more than 1000 guests at the annual White House ...