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N O V. 8 - 1 4 , 2024
3A | SEEKING SAFETY
5A | A CALLING OF CARE
5B | SHEDDING LIGHT
bike lanes throughout Collier County
of Naples physician Dr. Deborah Houk
conversation about dementia to Naples
Bicyclists, pedestrians seek safer roads,
A photo exhibition aims to bring a
Compassionate care fuels the life
ELECTION 2024
Tim Aten Knows
SCOTT WINS SENATE RACE; More new tenants coming ‘DID IT BEFORE MIDNIGHT’ Tim Aten
to local retail centers
Q: Is a bowling alley coming to Green Tree shopping center or is that just a rumor? — Jarrod Feintuch, Naples Q: Any plans for the old space of the Green Tree Sweetbay? It’s been vacant for years! — K.H., North Naples A: Something big is in the works for the long-vacant former Sweetbay Supermarket in Green Tree Center, but it’s not time yet for a big reveal of a future tenant for that former grocery store on the southwest corner of Airport-Pulling and Immokalee roads in North Naples. “We’re still working on the big tenant,” said Jack Crifasi of Crifasi Real Estate, which manages and leases Green Tree Center. “We’ve got all kinds of different players that want to go in there, so we’ll just have to see how it goes, but it’s looking pretty good for the big tenant, a lot of good uses. I think we’ll definitively have somebody signed in the next couple of months. I’d say it’d probably [be] before the end of next year when somebody gets in there. It’s a possibility.” Crifasi met this year with owner representatives of the Beacon Bowl about the longtime North Naples bowling alley possibly leasing the space after closing this summer, but nothing came of it, he said. Nevertheless, a bowling alley or some other kind of sports or entertainment use such as indoor See ATEN KNOWS, Page 6A
Supporters of Senator Rick Scott cheer as his victory against opponent Debbie Mucarsel-Powell is announced at an election watch party in Bonita Springs. Photo by Liz Gorman
Incumbents prevail in county commission races By Aisling Swift
Republican county commissioners Burt Saunders and Rick LoCastro won by a landslide, while Republican Rick Scott of Naples easily defeated Democrat Debbie Mucarsel-Powell in their U.S. Senate race Tuesday. Former President Donald Trump won most votes for president statewide — including 65.9% in heavily Republican Collier County — but the presidential race between Trump and Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris was too close to call. Scott, Florida’s former governor, won 55.66% of the vote to Powell’s 42.74%.
Rick Scott
“I want to thank God that for once, we did it before midnight,” Scott said during a televised victory speech at Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa in Bonita Springs. “This is a team event. Together, we get to celebrate a great victory tonight. There’s a lot of people to thank. There’s a lot of people that knocked on doors, made phone calls, did text messages. We had a lot of people that just busted their butts.” Constitutional Amendment 5, which will allow See ELECTION, Page 7A
NAPLES SHOPPING
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COASTLAND CENTER GIVEN TIME TO CLEAN UP MALL PROPERTY By Aisling Swift
Once the top shopping draw in Collier County, 48-year-old Coastland Center mall in Naples has fallen into disrepair and its management company faces at least $42,500 in fines that continue to accrue for failing to maintain the 36.2-acre property.
Fines assessed at a January hearing for trash, debris, weeds, overgrown and dead vegetation and crumbling asphalt had accrued at $250 daily from May 8 to Oct. 24 after a Feb. 7 order demanded that three violations be fixed, one within 45 days and others within 90 days. Mall management was ordered to cut grass and weeds that exceeded eight inches, trim bushes and vegetation that encroached onto sidewalks and remove dead plants to come into compliance with its 2016 land-
scape plan. Landscapers added mulch and cleaned some areas within 45 days, but other violations remained. “It wasn’t the team ignoring the violations or not trying,” said Rick Jackson, Coastland Center’s general manager, noting that management had gone through several hurricanes and three landscapers. “The lender was controlling our budget and we See COASTLAND, Page 8A
THE WEATHER AUTHORITY Zach Maloch
Matt Devitt