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3A | LOTS TO BID ON
3B | ARTS VISIONARY
5B | NEXT FOR NORRIS
auction lots offer unattainable prizes
has ‘such a clear passion for the arts’
as busy as the last, but with more variety
Naples Winter Wine Festival’s anniversary
Community center’s new look every bit
Our own award-winning Harriet Heithaus
WA R R I O R H O M E S O F C O L L I E R
Tim Aten Knows Tim Aten
Publix to demolish, rebuild Naples store Q: Years ago, you reported that the Publix at Neapolitan Way here in Naples was going to go under renovation. Obviously, it’s been some time since then, but it has yet to happen. I’ve heard rumors now that it’s going to close down for renovation in November. I’m wondering if there is any truth to that. It’s definitely much needed! —Mariana Lara, Naples A: Two days after Thanksgiving, the 38-year-old Publix supermarket in Neapolitan Way Plaza will close, to begin a Naples redevelopment project that has been planned for years. The supermarket and the adjoining vacant retail space that previously was home to PetPeople and Hallmark stores will be demolished and replaced by a new, larger Publix within the same footprint. Publix recently sparked confusion by posting on its online page for the Naples store that it is “permanently closing soon.” That’s because the Florida-based supermarket chain is retiring store number 172 and launching replacement store number 1782. The existing store will close at 7 p.m. Nov. 30. What Publix is not able to communicate about is precisely when demolition will begin and when the new supermarket is targeted to open. “As you can imagine, there are a number of variables that factor into the timeline for store openings. To ensure we are sharing the most accurate information with
Greg Tinsley, left, veteran peer specialist of Warrior Homes, listens to veterans at Warrior Homes of Collier's Alpha House in July. Photo by Liz Gorman
COUNTY TO LEASE 2 HOMES TO VETERANS PROGRAM By Aisling Swift
Warrior Homes of Collier, which has a waiting list of homeless veterans, just added two homes to its four-home inventory after Collier County commissioners unanimously agreed the county should rent two vacant East Naples homes to the non-profit veterans group. The Board of County Commissioners on Nov. 12 approved an initial one-year lease for two vacant, county-owned homes near Bayshore Park that had been used by the county to temporarily house employees. Warrior Homes will pay $1,000 monthly per bedroom under the lease, which has annual options to renew, allowing it to house six more veterans. “That will bring the number of beds we have up to 39 beds, which is just
phenomenal in trying to address this issue,” Thomas Buckley, Warrior Homes’ board treasurer, told commissioners. “We recognize that it could be just a temporary or an interim lease, but we have people right now that are ready to move in. … Our goal is to end homelessness in Collier County.” Warrior Homes, founded 10 years ago by veteran Dale Mullin as Wounded Warriors of Collier County, assists men and women veterans who need housing, mental-health support and access to higher education. The number of homeless veterans in Collier is now 30 to 40, but there were 90-95 until Warrior Homes created four residences over the past five years. Commissioner Rick LoCastro, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel, noted the lease agreement came a day after Veterans’ Day — the same morning the See HOMES, Page 8A
See ATEN KNOWS, Page 7A
C O U N T Y ' S B E D TA X R E V E N U E
COLLIER NEARLY DOUBLES TOURISM MARKETING EFFORTS TO $11.45 MILLION By Aisling Swift
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1 Collier County will dramatically increase its tourism spending this fiscal year, increasing it to $11.45 million, to remain competitive with other markets after hotel occupancy dipped and then two hurricanes hit. The Board of County Commissioners on Nov. 12 unanimously approved the Tourist Development Council’s enhanced marketing funding request of up to $5.45 million to remain competitive and to promote tourism after tourism-development tax collections dipped about $250,000.
“We’ve obviously had to address negative perceptions with storms, but we’ve also had to address negative perceptions with red tide, the economy, certainly the pandemic … and hurricanes, hurricanes, hurricanes,” county Tourism Director Jay Tusa said before the vote. The money comes from the county’s 5% bed tax — revenues from hotels, Airbnbs and other rentals of six months or less. Although they’re tourism funds, commissioners’ approval is needed to add to the already approved $6 million tourism budget. The two votes involved up to $390,000 from TDC Disaster Recovery Fund, which has $1.5 million in reserves. That will be used for emergency hurricane recovery marketing to address negative
perceptions after hurricanes Helene and Milton in September and October. Up to $5.06 million in operating reserve funds from the TDC Promotion Fund will be used to enhance tourism marketing. Commissioner Rick LoCastro, the TDC’s chair, called the additional spending an investment and made both motions. In September, the TDC urged Tusa to boost marketing and advertising due to waning occupancy rates over the summer, noting it had surplus funds, $12.2 million in reserves. The next month, Tusa presented a plan that was approved by the TDC, which then held an emergency meeting to See TOURISM SPENDING, Page 4A
THE WEATHER AUTHORITY Zach Maloch
Matt Devitt