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D E C . 1 3 - D E C . 1 9 , 2024
3A | UNDER INVESTIGATION
4A | BACKER OF BOOKS
10B | 'SO PROUD'
fired and under investigation for grand theft
kids with more than 2 million books
semifinal but finish a stellar year at 11-3
A former Naples stormwater supervisor is
Golden Eagles fall short in playoff
Joanne Wyss has connected Collier
VIVISTIM DEVICE
Tim Aten Knows Tim Aten
Two new eateries coming to East Naples Q: Do you know why La Rosa Pizza in East Naples closed? — Tracy Caldwell, East Naples
NCH OFFERS STROKE PATIENTS HOPE FOR BETTER MOBILITY
By Jean L. Amodea
As they were dining out one evening in November 2023, John and Susan Morrison didn’t realize that their lives were about to change. “Susan went to the ladies’ room, returned to the table and sat down.
A: After operating La Rosa Pizzeria for more than 15 years, owners Bill and Alda Rosa decided to sell their local business and restaurant space last year because of their age and many years of working tirelessly in the restaurant industry, said their son, Bill T. Rosa. “Bill, my dad, wanted to thank Southwest Florida for 15 great years of meeting so many great individuals,” Rosa said. Bronx-raised Rosa had operated the local pizzeria since 2008 in the retail strip known as Pelican Larry’s Plaza along the north side of Davis Boulevard. Declining health prevented him from maintaining the grueling lifestyle necessary to own and operate a mom-and-pop place. New owners renovated the 1,584-square-foot end unit and converted the restaurant into a breakfast-lunch spot at 7785 Davis Blvd., Suite 108. The longtime restaurateurs, who operate a similar family restaurant in Michigan, hope to launch their new restaurant — GG Brunch Haus — near the end of the year in the Naples area. After looking at a few commercial units for sale, Albana Hoxha knew immediately that the former pizzeria was the right place to buy. The restaurant features a cozy interior and patio dining around an outdoor fountain in an adjacent courtyard. See ATEN KNOWS, Page 8A
Suddenly, she put her head down hard; we knew something was seriously wrong. We called an ambulance, and she was transported to the Naples Comprehensive Health hospital. We got a quick evaluation and found that she could not receive the tPA injection since she was on blood thinners,” Morrison said.
A strong clot-busting medication, tPA is ideally given within three hours of the onset of stroke to dissolve the blood clot and restore blood flow and oxygen to the brain. “Susan was observed for three days. She was totally out of it, and she could not do much of anything — she could not walk, talk or move
her arms. We brought her home on hospice care, and for several days, we could only move her by using a lift. The first thing we did was to get her awake where she could function,” he added. Susan Morrison then underwent See VIVISTIM, Page 6A
Visions of sugar plums?
A young boy smiles to the crowd from a parade float Dec. 3 on Fifth Avenue South in Naples. The city got into the holiday spririt, celebrating Christmas with its annual parade. See Page 4B for more photos. Photo by Liz Gorman
COLLIER COUNTY COURTS
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CHEF CRUSHED BY CAR LIFT SETTLES LAWSUIT; RECOVERY WILL TAKE TIME By Aisling Swift
Three years after plunging down an elevator shaft and getting crushed by a car lift at Ferrari of Naples during a grand opening event, award-winning Southwest Florida Chef Brian Roland has settled his lawsuit involving eight defendants.
“The settlements are strictly confidential and the family has asked for privacy regarding this issue,” RoBrian Roland land’s attorney, Dena Sisk Foman of West Palm Beach, said of Ro-
land, now 45, his wife and 3-year-old daughter. “They want to focus on putting the pieces of their life back together.” The popular chef, who founded Crave Culinaire in 2012, was catering a grand opening party on Dec. 4, 2021, at Ferrari of Naples, at 11291 Tamiami Trail N., when he fell through a 22-inch gap in the car lift, plunged to the ground floor and
was crushed when the lift moved downward. Court records and depositions show a series of alleged missteps and mistakes by numerous defendants led to the accident, which caused severe injuries, including a brain injury, broken bones and organ damage that will continue throughout See ROLAND, Page 8A
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