WE DERIDE THEM DECRY AND THEM, denounce them, and most of us would like to think that we are above them. We are talking conspiracy are theories here, which the intellectual equivalents of a bloody, three-car pileup on a busy highway.
After a three-year hiatus, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has reprised its Python Challenge for 2016, encouraging hunters to capture as many invasive Burmese pythons as possible between Saturday, Jan. 16, and Sunday, Feb. 14.
No sooner had Donald Trump emitted his latest flatulence than my air conditioning went out.
After two Boston toughs beat up a homeless brown immigrant and mentioned the candidate as their inspiration, Mr. Trump assumed an Aryan sneer and called them “passionate” Americans who “love this country (and) they want this country to be great again.”
NFL quarterbacks fear Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison. So should participation trophies, the ubiquitous trinkets given to children for merely showing up and rounding out the rosters of local sports leagues.
In most parts of the country, it is state fair time again, but not so in Florida.
We of the endless summer have no need to fear an early frost and gather our rosebuds while we may. Plenty of time for that, so February seems as good as any month to have our state fair.
PACE Center for Girls has more than 30 years of experience serving girls who are deemed at-risk for juvenile delinquency. Their histories include physical and sexual abuse, school failure, substance abuse, family instability, poverty … the identical risk factors for girls to become victims of sex trafficking.
Spend a day at the beach with the Collier County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday, Aug. 29.
That’s when the CCSO Marine Bureau will hold the seventh annual Keewaydin Cleanup. Transportation will be provided by the sailing vessel Sweet Liberty, which will depart from Naples City Dock at 8:30 a.m. and return from the island around 12:30 p.m.
Cecil speaks
Here’s where Collier County Sheriff’s Office traffic-enforcement deputies will be the week of Aug. 31-Sept. 4:
Monday, Aug. 31
Glades Boulevard and Palm Drive: Red-light running
Immokalee Drive and North 15th Street: Red-light running
Old 41 Road and Tamiami Trail North: Speeding
The Jewish Congregation of Marco Island welcomes Rabbi John Spitzer to lead High Holy Day services for the year 5776. Following his ordination from the Hebrew Union College in 1973, Rabbi Spitzer served as an associate rabbi for Congregation Shaare Emeth in St. Louis, Mo., before moving to Temple Israel in Canton, Ohio, in 1981, where he served for 27 years.
PACE Center for Girls-Collier at Immokalee needs a few good volunteers to help out at Love That Dress!, the nonprofit’s major fundraiser coming up Wednesday evening, Sept. 2, at the Naples Grande.
The Greater Naples YMCA, in partnership with the Rotary Club of Immokalee and the 1-by-1 Leadership Foundation, hosts the first Naples Gus Macker Basketball Tournament on Sept. 19-20 at Golden Gate High School.
¦ Greater Naples Delta Gamma alumnae meet for Girls’ Night Out from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 27, at Bio Tuscan Grille in Waterside Shops. September gatherings are as follows: Coffee klatsch from 9-11 a.m. Monday, Sept.
Youth Haven is getting ready for season by partnering with six community organizations in the next six weeks.
Getting back to school means it’s also time to get into scouting. Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida invites girls to join the fun for the new membership year. The following “Troop Building” events are designed to inform families about the opportunities scouting provides for trying new things, making new friends, gaining confidence and building leadership skills.
The fourth annual Creating a Future for Adults with Autism conference presented by Adonis Autism is set for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, 625 111th Ave. N. in North Naples. This year’s programs will focus on options for improving health, increasing independence and entrepreneurship.
Most of us have had our share of challenges and sorrows.
Maybe you didn’t receive unconditional love from both your parents throughout the formative years of your childhood.
Or maybe you didn’t grow up in a home in which your parents showered each other — or your siblings and you — with affection.
It’s 69 degrees and cloudy at the beach, with a humidity level of 83 percent and no breeze. You see a dog locked in a truck with the sunroof open but all the windows rolled up. There’s no sunshade blocking the windshield, and the dog doesn’t appear to have water. He’s barking frantically.
Our community is embarking on a journey to improve the wellness of every resident, and NCH is leading by example. The journey is called the Blue Zones Project, and NCH leadership is vital for its success.
Caregiver spouses of stroke survivors are at an increased risk of mental and physical health issues that can continue for years, according to research in the American Heart Association journal Stroke.
FOR YOUNGER FLORIDIANS WHO AIM TO farm today — a moment in American time when roughly 50 percent of our fruits and 35 percent of our vegetables are imported, along with a significant amount of beef — the path to the future can fork suddenly, just as it did for Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz.”
Florida Weekly writers and designers won nine awards in the 2015 Society of Professional Journalists Sunshine State Awards competition. The awards were announced Aug. 14 at the SPJ annual conference in Miami.
The contest is open to all professional print, broadcast and online journalists in the state of Florida.
Let’s start with what we know: There is no such thing as equality.
You and I, for example, are never going to be equal. There’s a good chance that I am both uglier and more cheerful than you are, and you are both smarter and more practical than I am, although usually not at the same time (it depends on the challenges of the moment).
A school in a neighborhood is like a grandfather clock. An invisible pendulum swings silently back and forth, as the minutes tick away, though the house it inhabits is still and silent. Hidden gears are at work advancing the track of time. The weight of summer starts its slow unwind, the gravity of fall waning the number of summer days.
Donald Trump is given to superlatives, so let’s do him the honor of pronouncing him the most fabulous whiner in all of American politics.
By Trump’s own account, he’s the baddest, smartest thing going, except if you ask him a challenging question, in which case he kicks and screams and demands to know how anyone could treat him so unfairly.
The Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce Visitor Information Center has set up temporarily at the chamber’s administrative offices at 2390 Tamiami Trail N. The move is precipitated by the expiration of the organization’s lease on its Fifth Avenue location.
As chief correspondent of weird and mostly useless news here at Florida Weekly, I am pleased to present this item to you courtesy of the Collier County Sheriff ’s Office: Albert Benarroch, Marco Island resident and owner of Benarroch’s Affordable Landscaping Service & Design, made off with more than $13,000 in county property in June.
Here’s where Collier County Sheriff’s Office traffic-enforcement deputies will be the week of Aug. 24-28:
Monday, Aug. 24
Solana and Goodlette-Frank roads: Speeding
U.S. 41 North and Pelican Bay Boulevard: Speeding
Pine Ridge and Livingston roads: Red-light running
The Jewish Federation of Collier County hosts a picnic for all Jewish families and individuals of all ages from 1-3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 23, at Vineyards Community Park. Light refreshments will be served, but guests are encouraged to bring their own picnic lunch. Bring soccer balls or basketballs, Frisbees and volleyballs as well as a bathing suit and towel for the water play area.
The Jewish Congregation of Marco Island welcomes Rabbi John Spitzer to lead High Holy Day services for the year 5776. Following his ordination from the Hebrew Union College in 1973, Rabbi Spitzer served as an associate rabbi for Congregation Shaare Emeth in St. Louis, Mo., before moving to Temple Israel in Canton, Ohio, in 1981, where he served for 27 years.
AARP offers classes to help older drivers learn about new traffic laws, refresh their driving skills and reduce their risk for tickets and accidents. Drivers over age 55 might be eligible for a discount on auto insurance.
Pets of the 1 percent
Accompanied by neighbors, friends and family, they came in droves to Community School of Naples, some in their original uniforms, to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the iconic V-J Day “Kiss” in Times Square.
The Collier County 100 Club is looking back on its 30-year mission of repaying those who risk their lives — and lose their lives — to protect the lives of everyone in the community.
¦ Naples Buckeyes, aka the Ohio State Alumni Association of Naples, welcomes any fan, friend, supporter and alumni of OSU to join its activities. Members gather for happy hour from 5-6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 20, at Seasons 52. RSVP to Sandy Ritchie by calling 287-4936 or emailing sritchie44@yahoo.com.
¦ The Pilot Club of Naples and Gulf Coast Runners host the Labor Day weekend John Clay 5K on Saturday morning, Sept. 5, at Lowdermilk Park. A 2-mile walking course is an option. Registration is $18 before Aug. 24, $23 Aug. 25-Sept.4, and $25 on race day ($10 for ages 18 and younger).
Smartphone applications and wearable sensors have the potential to help people make healthier lifestyle choices, but scientific evidence of the effectiveness of mobile health technologies for reducing risk factors for heart disease and stroke is limited, according to the American Heart Association.
The Identity Fraud Institute at Hodges University has been established as the research, education and victim assistance hub for identity theft and fraud-related issues throughout the state of Florida. The institute offers free, 30-minute consultations for victims of identity fraud once a month at Hodges campuses in Naples and Fort Myers.
The American Foundation on Suicide Prevention has endorsed Naples author Deena Baxter’s “Surviving Suicide: Searching for ‘Normal’ with Heartache and Humor.” The book that was published last year is listed on the AFSP website as a resource for families.
The following is excerpted from the AFSP’s review of the book:
Chief Medical Officer Dr. Frank Astor and I were reminded recently in a most unforgettable way — that what matters most, for most of us, is the children.
EVERYONE’S A PHOTOGRAPHER THESE days. There were 800 billion pictures taken around the world last year according to one estimate. About 100 billion of those snapshots were uploaded to Facebook. Kids’ first days at school. Cats. Last night’s vegan dinner fajitas. Selfies in line at the theater. More cats.
A number of ancient cultures believed that mushrooms were created by thunderbolts.
One look at a Florida yard after several weeks of almost non-stop rain would lead one to believe our distant ancestors may not have been that far off the mark.
“Until the lion tells his side of the story, the tale of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.”
— African proverb
On the ledger of global outrages, the killing of Cecil the lion outside of a Zimbabwe national park should barely register.
I’m deeply worried about the Democratic Party.
Its champions complain bitterly about the buying of America by two of the richest men on earth, David and Charles Koch, but possible Democratic Party tactics now strike me as even more suspect than the Koch money train.
“It’s a little bit late in the day for men to object that women are getting outside their proper sphere.” So said Marjorie Stoneman Douglas, a woman who knew of which she spoke. Born in 1890, she became a Florida transplant while still a young woman, beginning a career as a journalist for the Miami Herald when the city had fewer than 5,000 residents.
I am grateful that in my youth I had the opportunity to learn music, to perform on stage with my peers and to be exposed to the arts. I believe these activities contribute to the development of a healthy imagination and self-esteem.
The Florida Airports Council has awarded Naples Municipal Airport the 2015 J. Bryan Cooper Environmental Award (General Aviation Airport) for its water management system improvements and taxiway extension project.
¦ The Naples Press Club has awarded $1,000 Terrence J.
Naples Municipal Airport invites the public to visit the Museum of Military Memorabilia for two special exhibits this month.
‘Doc, it hurts when I do that’ (‘Then Don’t Do That’)
Ran’dell Busch, 27, was in serious condition after being shot on July 26 near the corner of 18th Street and Emmet Street in Omaha, Neb.. He was also shot in 2014 around the intersection of 18th and Emmet, and in 2012 was shot in a scuffle after running from the corner of 18th and Emmet.
Lighthouse of Collier, a nonprofit serving the blind and visually impaired and their caregivers, holds a brown bag lunch from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the third Tuesday of every month at Lighthouse headquarters, 2685 Horseshoe Drive S. The next lunch is Aug. 18.
Although the old wives’ tale about carrots being good for your eyesight has been debunked, University of Florida researchers have found a link between healthy eating and another of the five senses: hearing.
Iberiabank and Physicians Regional Healthcare System kick off a new season of Health Plus lectures on Tuesday, Aug. 18, at the Marco Island branch of the bank. Guest speaker will be orthopedic surgeon H. Kurtis Biggs, D.O., founder of the Joint Replacement Institute in Naples. Dr. Biggs completed his fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation before entering private practice.
I’m a great believer in “managing by walking around,” as opposed to being desk- and email-bound. I’m particularly keen on making rounds on weekend mornings, when things are ordinarily less hectic and our physicians, nurses and other caregivers are slightly more relaxed and have more time to talk.
¦ The Pilot Club of Naples and Gulf Coast Runners host the Labor Day weekend John Clay 5K on Saturday morning, Sept. 5, at Lowdermilk Park. A 2-mile walking course is an option. Registration is $18 before Aug. 24, $23 Aug. 25-Sept.4, and $25 on race day ($10 for ages 18 and younger).
The fourth annual Creating a Future for Adults with Autism conference presented by Adonis Autism is set for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, 625 111th Ave. N. in North Naples. This year’s programs will focus on options for improving health, increasing independence and entrepreneurship.
Dr. Anton Richart of Naples Premier Dentistry offers free dental care on the last Friday of each month for seniors in need who are without dental insurance. Free services include fillings, extractions, root canals, cleanings and x-rays; crowns, partials and bridges repairs are subject to minimum lab fees. For more information, call 591- 1000. ¦
Home Care Assistance Naples holds a job fair from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14, at the agency’s office in Park Shore Plaza, 3605 Tamiami Trail N. The agency is hiring for live-in and hourly shifts. Applicants who are hired will receive Starbucks gift cards. For more information, call 829-6356 or visit homecareassistancenaples.com. ¦
How hard can it be to feed a cat? You just set down a bowl of dry food and go, right? Wrong. Feline experts would prefer that you feed cats on a schedule, measure their food so they don’t eat too much and switch them to canned food for a healthier diet.
This week’s adoptable pets are from Brooke’s Legacy Animal Rescue, an all-volunteer, foster home rescue organization. For more information, call 434-7480, email Admin@BrookesLegacyAnimalRescue.org or visit brookeslegacyanimalrescue.com.
“THIS IS A VERY BIG PLACE, AND I do not know how it works, nor how I fit in. I am a member of a fragile species, still new to the earth … We are only tentatively set in place, error prone, at risk of fumbling, in real danger at the moment of leaving behind only a thin layer of our fossils …”
Civility in politics is more than an art form. A wise lawmaker appreciates procedural rules in support of an orderly, legislative process. Protocols for conduct sustain a mannerly decorum when passions erupt. The first threshold to prevention of intemperate speech is common courtesy. Parliamentary procedures are the ways and means to manage the chaos inherent in the legislative process.
The von Arx Wildlife Hospital at Conservancy of Southwest Florida has been put in an interesting position: Despite meticulous planning on the part of organization executives, the number of patient admissions has already exceeded 2014’s total of 2,110 animals. So far this year, the hospital has seen an influx of small mammals that have pushed the patient count to 2,421.
A stunning indictment has been handed down in Cincinnati, focusing attention again on police killings of people of color. Hamilton County Prosecutor Joseph T. Deters announced that University of Cincinnati Police Officer Ray Tensing has been charged with murder, for the July 19 shooting death of Samuel DuBose, a 43-year-old African-American man.
It turns out that everything we’ve heard about the evils of states and localities defying federal law is wrong.
So long as a jurisdiction is sticking its thumb in the eye of the federal government on behalf of illegal immigrants who have been arrested and jailed, defiance of federal authority is progressive and commendable.
Remember when I wrote that love letter to summer a few months ago? I take it back.
I take it all back.
We’ve finally hit that point where summer sucks. Among my chief complaints: the heat, childcare, the lack of hurricanes, the heat, everybody else’s constant vacations, scheduling, the heat, the rain and me.
Here’s where Collier County Sheriff’s Office traffic-enforcement deputies will be the week of Aug. 10-16:
Monday, Aug. 10
U.S. 41 East and Catalina Drive: Aggressive driving
Pine Ridge Road and Forest Lakes Boulevard: Red-light running
Livingston Road and Marsala Way: Speeding
Mangoes in the news
AARP offers classes to help older drivers learn about new traffic laws, refresh their driving skills and reduce their risk for tickets and accidents. Drivers over age 55 might be eligible for a discount on auto insurance.
Consumer sentiment among Floridians fell slightly in July to 89, down less than a point from June, according to the latest University of Florida consumer survey. Of the five components that make up the index, one increased and four decreased.
Friends of the David Lawrence Center can help its crisis stabilization services during happy hour from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 13, at HobNob.
Enjoy half-price drinks and complementary appetizers in exchange for any of the following from the DLC wish list: New, plain T-shirts, non-hooded sweatshirts, sweatpants, socks, underwear/ boxers and flipflops in adult sizes.
The Center for Nonprofit Excellence at Hodges University offers workshops and non-credit certificates in governance, operations and management for executive directors and staff as well as board members. Workshops are $35 each and can be attended on a onetime basis; attendance at four workshops in the same category is required in order to earn a certificate.
Sixteen-year-old Sherlanda Auguste was in the operating room but was too short to see the procedure taking place at Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare a few weeks ago. Someone gave her a stool to stand on so the 5-foot-tall Immokalee high school student, a Take Stock in Children Pathways to Success scholarship recipient from The Immokalee Foundation, could witness the cardiovascular surgery.
The sight of a Rolls-Royce convertible triggers a mixture on envy and lust usually reserved for celebrities. It’s not just because a superstar is often driving one, but also because this marque has an international reputation for being the finest rare gem on wheels.
The brain’s effect on other parts of the body has been well established. Now, a group that includes two University of Florida Health researchers has found that it’s a two-way street: Body fat can send a signal that affects the way the brain deals with stress and metabolism.
¦ The Naples Orchid Society invites all orchid aficionados to its next meeting and workshop Thursday, Aug. 6, at Moorings Presbyterian Church. Doors open at 6 p.m. for a workshop by member Bill Overson about repotting Catasetinae orchids. Judging for the plant competition will be at 7 p.m., and the program starts at 7:30 p.m.
“Driving Like Crazy in Search of Normal,” a presentation about how to regain your anchorage when your personal world spins off its axis, takes place from 4-5 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12, at Project HELP headquarters, 3123 Terrace Ave. in Naples.
With the launch of weekly breastfeeding support groups, the Florida Department of Health in Collier County is working to promote breastfeeding as a vital health activity and encourage breastfeeding-friendly hospitals, childcare facilities, workplaces and communities.
Collier County Public Schools reminds parents that children must meet immunization requirements before they can attend Florida schools.
Students entering or repeating seventh grade must have documentation of a “Tdap” booster, which protects against whooping cough, diphtheria and tetanus. All students in grades 7-12 must have documentation of a “Tdap” booster.
The next support group meeting for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America takes place from 5-6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 6, at Naples Regional Library, 650 Central Ave. Gastroenterologist Raymond
Phillips will welcome questions from all in attendance. The group will also meet from 5-6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3, at the library. For more information, call 649-1336. ¦
