LAURA ARCHAZKI-PACTER

As students grudgingly head back to class following the holiday break, organizers of the Third Annual Sunshine Steak Cook-Off are preparing and hoping for a record-breaking turnout of steak aficionados.

‘Tis the season for bright holiday lights, sweet memories and merry music. And there was plenty of festive memories made this past Black Friday evening at the Village on Venetian Bay.

The tax-free weekend means certain items under $75 will be charged without state sales taxes at retailers, including clothing and footwear, along with school supplies priced less than $15. Tax-free items also exclude certain sporting goods.

Pens, pencils and paper. Backpacks, belts and blouses. Shoes, shirts and socks. Calculators, colored pencils and composition books.

There are many world record holders who beat all odds to swim the longest distance, run the fastest, blow the biggest bubble gum bubble, and stomp grapes as quickly as possible. But a local man aims to break a world ...

There were many happy landings this past Saturday at the Naples Municipal Airport as thousands arrived to see airplanes, classic cars and military memorabilia at the inaugural Fly-in/Cruise-In show to benefit student learning at Lorenzo Walker Institute of Technology and ...

Dara Perini builds up her Pine Ridge Middle School students confidence every day during her math classes. But most recently, she built more than just math skills as a teacher in the classroom. Perini challenged all of the school’s students ...

Not long after many people — both near and far — celebrated the Chinese new year and the beginning of the year of the dragon, hundreds turned out at Mercato this past weekend to participate in Asia Fest 2012, nibbling ...

Students at Gulf Coast High School who recently spent some time acting like presidents, prime ministers and ambassadors proved they know a thing or two about the debates and politics that occur everyday at the United Nations.

It often comes as a surprise when a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease arrives for patients. Oftentimes, many neurological symptoms of the disease are passed off as simple signs of aging. For some patients, there are tremors, some have smaller handwriting, ...

Ziggy Dick’s Barbecue Cook-Off and Festival this past weekend tantalized barbecue lovers’ tastebuds. Although North Carolina and Texas boast that they hold claim to the most flavorful styles of barbecue, Ziggy Dick’s competitors offered up their own signature barbecue recipes ...

These days, sometimes all it takes to get free stuff is a little bit of blood. And since many people were willing to share it by the pintloads, they were lucky enough to earn tickets to see a movie.

Edison State College hopes to “recession proof” graduates, with the addition of three new certificate programs, according to Charlotte Rhine, coordinator for continuing education.

Are you a cat lover? We’re not talking about your typical garden variety house cat. No, we’re talking about loving and protecting endangered Florida panthers. This Saturday’s Florida Panther Festival, hosted by Collier County Parks and Recreation at North Collier ...

Summer is usually a time for children to kick back and relax with friends. But for campers at Sanibel Sea School, their very last week of summer vacation involved researching habits of spawning tarpon, just off the shores of Sanibel ...

The show and the music must go on, even when the economy is in a downward spiral, so band directors at Collier County high and middle schools are finding new ways to get instruments into the hands of their students. ...

When Angela Coffey sent an urgent email out to her friends and colleagues, she didn’t know who would reply. Of the many emails she sent throughout her years, this one was the hardest for her to compose.

Cost-cutting measures in education programs in Florida are pushing parents to search for more savings in local stores for school supplies.

Enduring training each day on high speed bicycles, 40 firefighters and public emergency personnel from across the United States will trek from North Naples Fire District to Station 10 in New York City in memory of emergency responders who perished ...

At first glance it would be difficult to stitch together Catherine Rabbito’s true colors. Her loving and focused mindset is shown in the five hours a day dedicated to creating her crochet masterpieces. Each of Rabbito’s crocheted works has complementary ...

For James-Steven Farnsworth, playing the violin has been a lifelong pleasure. Farnsworth gained a love for the instrument from watching his mother create music through the years. The violin veteran of 45 years is known to inspire audience members to ...

“Meow” is an often heard cry at the local animal shelters. In fact, it is being heard a bit too much as literally dozens of cats and kittens have almost overtaken the two facilities, say the shelter administrators at the ...

Boom, pop, fizz! For many Collier County residents, the sounds and lights of fireworks on Independence Day are as traditional as apple pie, hamburgers, hot dogs, and a picnic on the beach with family. Yet choosing how to celebrate with ...

On a sunny Friday morning in East Naples, more than 30 members of the community, alongside residents and leaders of St. Matthew’s House, gathered to celebrate the newly planted Garden of Hope. What started out as a community vegetable garden ...

It is no surprise to Homer Helter that his friend Rudi Dekkers finally penned a book. “I would like to think I had a hand in encouraging him to write it. He would come into my store after the attacks ...

Students at local schools are on waiting lists. Not for admission to college, but for e-readers at the school library. E-readers recently arrived to Pelican Marsh Elementary School, where students in third through fifth grades are checking out e-books via ...

Just last month, Joplin, Mo., a bustling Midwestern town with more than 50,000 residents, faced one of the most devastating tornadoes in recent history. Residents had a 20-minute warning from first sounds of emergency sirens.

It is difficult to imagine what life may be like for military wives and mothers left behind to tackle family challenges. There are daily tasks of maintaining a home, keeping children involved in studies, and after-school activities — not to ...

In today’s economy, many businesses are tightening their purse strings. But for Virginia Bryant and her design label ANON, an instant idea in her artist studio transformed her abstract art into wearable and functional one-of-kind hand bags.

The 2nd annual Stand Up Paddleboard Luau Races were held at Bayfront Marketplace and Marina in Naples on Saturday. Proceeds from the event benefits the Special Olympics Collier County.

“See the lights, see the party, the ball gowns, see you make your way through the crowd to say hello,” Taylor Swift sings in her record hit “Love Story.” Images of prom night can easily be related to this simple ...

On a warm evening in Naples, residents and economists gathered inside Hodges University to discuss the economic impact of the Everglades restoration on the economy of Southwest Florida. The panel discussion appropriately titled, “What’s the Everglades Worth to You?,” highlighted ...

When Marykate O’Connell saw many winter visitors throw away extra food before returning to their northern homes, she rolled up her sleeves and started the first-ever Snowbird Food Drive at North Naples Fire Department. Because of her efforts, many needy ...

For allergy sufferers in Southwest Florida, the high pollen counts are nothing to sneeze at. And this allergy season is one of the worst so far for high pollen counts stemming from local trees, flowering plants and grasses.

How do you ensure a great turnout for your fundraiser? A hot button local cause, and an elegant, familiar venue are a great start. Throwing in a wine tasting doesn’t hurt, either. The Marco Eagle Sanctuary Foundation held Nest Fest ...

The words “I can’t” aren’t in Joey DiBernardo’s vocabulary. As the owner of Joe’s Diner restaurants, his passion for serving fine food and fully embracing each day inspire his staff and customers. DiBernardo humbly admits he does it for his ...

Many Green Market visitors are nuts for Oxanna and Daniel Baracaldo’s natural exotic jewelry business. The Baracaldos have carved quite a clever niche for themselves. They branched out in 2002, by carefully shaping sustainable palm tree nuts, also known as ...

All time high records were broken at the recent Relay for Life community event at Gulfview Middle School. Not just in fundraising to benefit cancer research, but in record breaking numbers of blood donors who came out in support of ...

Imagine if your dog had a dire emergency at 3 in the morning. At first glance, it looks like a respiratory infection, but soon his muzzle swells to a point where he can barely breathe. Realization sets in. It will ...

When Scott Shook saw his first football game as a child, with his Dad, Harry, he was immediately hooked on one of America’s most historical football teams, the Massillon Tigers, from Massillon, Ohio. “I began to write about sports at ...

If you like spending time on the links and you also like salty french fries and juicy Big Mac’s, then there’s a good likelihood that you’re going to love the upcoming charity golf tournament for the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile. ...

In just a week and a half since opening Kountry Spot on the east side of Wilson Plaza in Golden Gate Estates, owner Laura Heineck has seen plenty of delighted customers. A huge crowd gathered there Saturday afternoon to celebrate ...

Most parents are perfectly satisfied with a few children or several at most. But not Doris Swesey. Along with being the biological mother of four, the 86-year-old Naples resident and her husband Harold opened their hearts and doors to literally ...

Are you ready for brushfire season? That is the question Golden Gate Fire District is posing to every resident within its response area. Battalion Chief Bill Moyer hopes community members will join forces with Golden Gate firefighters, International Association of ...

In mid to late spring, local gardeners wonder why plants are half eaten in landscapes. There may be holes on fresh herb leaves and tomato plants, or even petals chiseled away by bugs on newly planted perennials. On a larger ...

The game against super bug bacteria is beginning as local students head to the gyms for spring training. This is not a game of chance. Rather it’s a matter of life and death. But school officials in Collier County say ...

While surfing big waves may not be possible every day in Southwest Florida, stand-up paddle boarding is fetching more fans of all ages here on a daily basis. Whether someone is 8 or 88, local businesses are experiencing a surge ...

Richard Wynns was a social and outgoing teenager. He earned his black belt in karate, and achieved multiple honors all before the age of 16. But there was a darkness that overcame him just before he graduated from Cypress Lake ...

Car burglaries are on the rise in Collier County, but the statistic that is most surprising is how easy many vehicle owners are making it for the culprits. You see, in the past two years, the vehicles in an average ...

There’s no growling heard as the one-year anniversary for the anti-tethering ordinance passed in Collier County. But has the ordinance worked to curb the number of dogs chained outside for too long? According to officials in Collier County and the ...