The Naples Press - May 23, 2025

 Collier Commission OKs plans for 423 homes near Picayune Strand State Forest

Naples family has strong ties to new pope

By Therese McDevitt terry.mcdevitt@naplespress.com

Around the world, Catholics and non-Catholics alike reacted with stunned surprise to the news on May 8 that an American had been named Pope following the death of Pope Francis in late April. In a move that shocked many who had expected an Italian cardinal to be named, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of Chicago was anointed as the 267th Pope, the spiritual leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics. The new Pope took Leo as his papal name, becoming Leo XIV. Among those surprised by the news was Naples businessman and former Congressman Francis Rooney, who also previously served as Ambassador to the Holy See (the Vatican) under President George W. Bush from 2005 to 2008. Rooney is the former chairman of Manhattan Construction and the current chair of Rooney Holdings based in Naples. He and his wife, Kathleen, are parishioners at St. Ann Catholic Church in Naples.

First American Pope, but also ‘Pan-American’ Rooney, like many others with inside knowledge of the Vatican, was convinced that the next Pontiff would be Italian — or at least would not be American. He described the Conclave of Cardinals, during which the Pope is cho-

Wildfire season unites neighbors, changes lives

By Ed Scott ed.scott@naplespress.com

Living on acreage in unincorporated Collier County means being close enough to “the city” to get one’s nails done professionally, but rural neighbors might not notice your manicure right away.

Residents along and near Le Buffs Road, south of Beck Boulevard and the Interstate 75 toll plaza and east of Collier Boulevard, have lived there for decades. Few things will spark them to move — including a devastating wildfire.

Three wildfires have rolled through the neighborhood since about 2009, neighbors said. One in early March

2017 that destroyed four homes was especially memorable. Some neighbors were reluctant to comply with a mandatory evacuation, preferring to stay and do what they could to protect their homes. But the residents eventually left, with and without their farm animals. Some felt pushed out. They managed to save important documents, however.

Firefighters found one resident in his pond with his mouth just above water while the fire was burning through. Another said faith in God was an important factor in surviving wildfires.

The fire zig-zagged, rambling past some homes and engulfing others, a

Clearing begins for new charter school

Q: I see land has been cleared just west of 951 on the south side of Vanderbilt Beach Road. What is going in there? – Martha McKee, Naples

A: The clearing of trees on four residential properties on Seventh Avenue Northwest recently began for a Collier County public charter school on the south side of Vanderbilt Beach Road west of Collier Boulevard.

The new site for Mason Classical Academy is about 11 miles north of the MCA South Campus that the charter school leases for kindergarten through sixth grade at 3073 Horseshoe Drive S. in Naples; and about 6 miles away from the MCA North Campus it owns for grades 7-12 on the former Hodges Universi-

ty campus at 2647 Professional Circle in North Naples. When the new school building is completed next year, MCA plans to relocate its South Campus to the new 17-acre site off Vanderbilt Beach Road.

The project’s site development plan proposes a 1,500-student school for kindergarten through eighth grade. The proposed two-story school will have 109,282 square feet of gross floor area. The 30-foottall school will have 55,125 square feet on its first floor and 54,157

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Holiday offers opportunities to reflect Americans pause on Monday to remember the men and women who served this country, and died to preserve our freedom. Collier County offers opportunities to honor those heroes. A public Memorial Day ceremony is hosted at 10 a.m. Monday by Hodges Funeral Home at Naples Memorial Gardens, 525 111th Ave N, Naples, preceded at 9:30 a.m. by a patriotic music concert from the Pine Ridge Middle School Symphonic Band. Collier County commissioner Dan Kowal will speak. The event includes a color guard, fallen soldier ceremony and remarks from the Collier County Veterans Council, who work with Hodges Funeral Home each year to sponsor the ceremony. A cookout for attendees, sponsored by the family of the late World War II veteran Ronald E. Cook, follows the ceremony. Those attending are asked to bring seating. For those who want to find a private perspective for Memorial Day reflection, there are two locations: Charlie C. Anthony Park, 1500 5th Avenue N. — the tree-lined city park is named for Anthony, a Naples resident who died fighting in the Vietnam War — and Freedom Park, 1515 Golden Gate Parkway, Naples. Its 13-foot-tall, 40-foot-wide memorial American flag of engraved blocks stands on a granite base in the shape of the United States, with a paver walkway that holds the names of deceased veterans and first responders.

Tesla service center opens in East Naples

On May 9, Tesla Inc. opened its nearly 45,000-square-foot regional service and sales center at 4555 Radio Road, a quarter-mile west of Livingston Road in East Naples. Although the electric car company has operated a showroom at Waterside Shops in North Naples since December 2016, the service center is its first in Collier County. The Radio Road location features an indoor service area with at least 20 bays, plus a showroom and office space. Store hours are 10 a.m.7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon-6 p.m. Sunday; service hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Hodges honored for lifetime of service

Thelma Hodges, considered one of the most influential figures in Naples’ history, has been bestowed with numerous titles and awards over the years, including NCH’s Pioneer Nurse and 2025 Grand Marshal of the 76th annual Swamp Buggy Parade. In a ceremony on May 7, Naples Mayor Teresa Heitmann presented the 96-year-old with the key to the city. “A key to the city is a very symbolic gesture of honor and

appreciation, acknowledging someone very significant for their contributions to the city and to the county and to all of Naples,” Heitmann said. “And it’s very appropriate that this is National Nurses Week and she’s probably one of the best nurses … that we have had.” Heitmann read a proclamation detailing how the former Thelma Teresa Rapa, a registered nurse from Massachusetts, arrived in Naples in 1955 with her sister, Geri, and friend Angeline Calitri, after NCH recruited them to open a new hospital.

Ethics commission declines investigation

The Florida Commission on Ethics has dismissed a complaint against the county Domestic Animal Services’ director, branding it legally insufficient. The commission made its decision April 30, noting it didn’t investigate, and its decision was limited to questions of jurisdiction and whether the complaint was adequate to allege a violation of the state Code of Ethics or other laws, and whether it was based on personal knowledge or information other than hearsay. Among allegations was that a $100,000 private donation intended for DAS was redirected to Humane Society Naples, DAS Director Meredith McLean’s former employer, which oversees DAS as part of a public-private county contract. The complaint noted emails between a private donor, McLean and HSN CEO Sarah Baeckler, who left the Humane Society in January, provide that evidence. (HSN was renamed Patty Baker Humane Society Naples last month.)

Program will help renters after hurricanes

Collier County commissioners have approved a new program that will provide up to $25,000 to renters affected by past and future hurricanes. Rental assistance will now be available to residents and families who were ineligible for funding under other state and federal programs, including those who live in manufactured homes. The program covers residents affected by hurricanes Ian, Milton and Helene and future disasters. County commissioners on May 13 unanimously voted to approve the new program, which will use Affordable Housing Fund money, and to add another $125,000 to its budget. In May 2023, commissioners accepted $957,820, its first State Housing Initiatives Partnership Program Housing Recovery Program award, and a second round the next month, $630,700 to cover residents and households affected by Hurricane Ian who earned less than 120% of

the county’s area median income ($104,300). For more information, go to bit.ly/cchurricanerentassistance

Demolition to begin on government office

More than two years after it was destroyed by Hurricane Ian, the Collier County Tax Collector’s Office on Marco Island is moving toward demolition and construction. County commissioners on May 13 unanimously awarded a $2.5 million contract to Cape Coral-based Vantage Construction Services LLC to build a new office at 1040 Winterberry Drive. The contract includes a $100,000 contingency fee in case of unforeseen problems during construction. Vantage Construction was the lowest responsible, responsive bidder among seven, according to a memo to commissioners by Facilities Management Project Manager Michael Levy. Since January 2024, the county has leased temporary space for tax and DMV services at a former Fifth Third Bank building at 650 E. Elkcam Circle. In addition to taxes, the office offers a partial Florida Driver License Service, without driver’s tests.

Teen’s e-bike death spurs petition to rename park

A mother dreams of having a Collier County park renamed after her 14-yearold son, who died in an e-bike crash this spring. The Clayton Miller Park Petition was created to change 1.2acre Willoughby Acres Park on Mentor Drive in North Naples to Clayton Miller Memorial Park at Willoughby Acres, his favorite park. Miller, who was wearing a helmet, was killed March 15 at Lakeland Avenue and Madison Drive in Willoughby Acres, when he rode his e-bike through a stop sign and was hit by an SUV.

“I’m doing this for his mother so Clayton’s name can live on,” said Brandon Reiff, who started the petition. Under county policy, County Manager Amy Patterson must receive 1,000 signatures by registered county voters before she can consider a renaming request. The petition has more than 1,000 signatures, but Reiff said some didn’t list an address and others aren’t registered voters. There also are two GoFundMe pages — bit.ly/ claytongofundme and bit.ly/4dtd3ei — to help his family with funeral costs and other expenses. Collier and its cities, through the Metropolitan Planning Organization, had been researching and working on updating bicycle, e-bike and pedestrian laws, and after the accident, county commissioners amended the county’s laws to increase safety. To sign the petition, go to: bit.ly/ claytonmillerpetition

City will fight ruling on drag show

By Harriet Howard Heithaus harriet.heithaus@naplespress.com

The first publicized blow in the fight

The initial event, in which drag participants fought a police raid at the Stonewall Inn, sparked two days of rioting and led to the rise of gay rights groups across the country. This one will be fought in courtrooms, and no one is sure where it will end.Naples Pride’s stand was a federal lawsuit insisting on the right to continue drag shows on Cambier Park’s stage during its annual Pride Fest and contesting what the suit called “grossly disproportionate” fees for security. Both complaints were part of a discrimination lawsuit filed against Naples City Council and

its police department April 10, seeking a preliminary and permanent injunction. Pride filed the suit through the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida Foundation, and won those two segments of it, at least for now, in a temporary injunction granted on May 12 by U.S. District Court Judge John Steele. “We didn’t file this lawsuit to ruffle any feathers, but we weren’t being heard in any other forum,” said Callhan Soldavini, an attorney who is on the board of Naples Pride. “So we had to move it in front of a judge to make this decision.”Pride Executive Director

Cori Craciun said the group would defend the shows, which she said were condemned by people who had never seen them, and were tarred by the use of inaccurate, but loaded, words such as “predatory” and “grooming” and “lewd.”“Drag is part of our history,” she said, referring to the Stonewall uprising.“We did send an email to the city council that we are open to work with them,” Craciun said, via email, after the verdict. But the group received no response. Last Friday, four days later, Naples City Council voted unanimously to challenge the decision in U.S. Court

Protesting bear hunts in Florida

of Appeals. So Naples Pride will find itself back in court. Whether the U.S. District Court of Appeals will hear that appeal before Pride’s annual festival June 7 isn’t known, but the Naples Pride Fest is moving forward, according to Craciun.

Killing income

The drag show is one of the most lucrative parts of the festival, helping it bring in up to 5,000 visitors annually. When it was moved indoors in 2023 and limited to adults only, at

By Aisling Swift aisling.swift@naplespress.com

With a $301,800 county code enforcement lien against his Oakes Farms warehouse in East Naples, mega grocer Alfie Oakes couldn’t sell it without a clear title.

Oakes, who also owns Seed to Table, Food & Thought and other businesses, tried for years to settle the case, but it dragged on for five years due to issues with the Collier County attorney.

The two-story 18,271-square-foot warehouse, at 4176 Mercantile Ave. in Airport Industrial, is listed for $6.5 million and features office space, a break room and restrooms, a warehouse, cold storage on two floors, a parking lot and a generator to ensure uninterrupted power during outages. It was built in 2008 but has been

renovated with numerous upgrades.

Oakes’ landuse attorney, Rich Yovanovich, told the Board of County Commissioners on May 13 that closing with a buyer is set for May 27, so they have to settle the lien. He said he’d met with Jaime Cook, development review director; Jamie French, growth management department head; and Tom Iandimarino, code enforcement director; a day earlier and they came up with “the right fine.” Staff also met separately with commissioners.

A February 2020 complaint alleged there were unpermitted improvements to the half-acre lot, in-

cluding a parking-lot expansion and alterations to the stormwater swale.

A county investigation also found that a recorded conservation easement, initially required under the approved 2005 site plan, had been “inadvertently disturbed.”

“When the property was first developed by a previous property owner in 2005, it was required,” Cook told commissioners. “The board removed this requirement on industrial-zoned parcels about six years later.”

In 2011, commissioners approved a change to the land development code to remove a native-vegetation retention requirement for industrial-zoned parcels. Oakes, who purchased the property in 2012, repeatedly tried to settle the case, but a contribution to Conservation Collier wasn’t feasible. In September 2022, the county’s Special Mag-

istrate imposed a $120,511.90 lien, which accrued daily.

This February, commissioners unanimously voted to vacate the property’s easement.

Since fines wouldn’t exist if the county vacated it due to the code change, Yovanovich initially suggested a $111.90 settlement representing already-paid lien costs. But county staff suggested $242,711.60, 10% of the property’s appraised value, a policy used “when enforcement efforts have been diligently pursued and compliance achieved, particularly under financial duress or changed circumstances.”

That was the settlement listed in the publicized agenda, but after staff asked commissioners to discuss it, Oakes got a better deal: $5,000.

Board Chair Burt Saunders told See OAKES FARMS, Page 4A

By Aisling Swift aisling.swift@naplespress.com

Collier planning commissioners recommended amending the county’s growth-management plan to develop 423 homes, including affordable townhouses, on a citrus grove near Picayune Strand State Forest.

Fifteen percent of the townhouses in the Sabal Palm Road Residential Subdistrict — 63 twoand three-bedroom townhouses — will be sold as income-restricted, similar to Habitat for Humanity homes; a first for Collier County. The Planning Commission voted 4-1, with Commissioner Paul Shea voting nay, on April 17 to recommend the Board of County Commissioners approve SWJR Naples I LLC’s amendment to allow a community of owner-occupied homes on 169.19 acres on the south side of Sabal Palm Road, about 1.4 miles east of Collier Boulevard. Shea cited environmental concerns, contending it’s not compatible with surrounding areas.

“The affordable housing component really will serve those major employers in the area and help provide some necessary housing for those employees,” certified planner Wayne Arnold of Q. Grady Minor & Associates told planning commissioners.

Within a 10-mile radius, he said, there are three major hospitals, 15 schools and “dozens of major employers,” including retailers, Publix, shopping centers and home improvement stores, the county government center, Naples City Hall, 15 sheriff’s, fire and EMS stations and the Naples Police Department, as well as hotels and country clubs.

A report by Cormac Giblin, the county’s director of Housing Policy & Economic Development, noted the University of Florida Schaumburg Center for Housing reports there are 51,368 cost-burdened households countywide and 25,687 spend more than 50% of their monthly income on housing expenses, so this will help address Collier’s continued need for affordable housing.

The recommendation tentative-

Naples: Going places faster than ever

Impact is Naples’ middle name.

Stuff doesn’t just happen by chance. Even today, when growth surges to the urban area’s east and north, a big impact still can be made by individual projects.

Granted, it’s harder to effect change these days than when Naples was smaller and had more room and opportunities to develop. Not only were there more chances to expand goods and services, but there was a time when pioneering philanthropic and entrepreneurial individuals and companies could exert multiple influences, such as the Hodges family staking flags on business (funeral services), as well as medicine (NCH and its predecessor, Naples Community Hospital) and higher education (Hodges University).

Naples was the oyster for those who gave as well as took.

The Lutgert family, for example, saw chances for investment in business (real estate and insurance) and infrastructure such as Golisano Children’s Hospital and other children’s specialty services via the Naples

That’s so Naples

Jeff Lytle

Winter Wine Festival. Florida Gulf Coast University nurtures all of that and more.

The Wynn family left a mark in retailing via specialty groceries and hardware, all the way from Old and East Naples to Ave Maria, Estero, San Carlos Park and Golden Gate.

So these days, the biographies of visionary families touch on contributions that molded Naples from scratch and keep evolving.

Serial philanthropists Jay and Patty Baker set the bar by singling out causes such as the arts and medicine — and giving enough to make a difference — a lesson introduced by the Kapnick family when planting and fortifying Naples Botanical Garden.

The impact of that is on a par with the late Myra Daniels tutoring on the arts being run like a business at the

From page 1A

sen, as being similar to American political conventions or to the U.S. Congress.

“There are different blocs with different people, different views, and they get in there and they start to discuss things with each other,” Rooney said. “And sooner or later, just like in Congress, the consensus arises on who is going to get the most votes. I think in this case there were a lot of Italians [Cardinals] who were speaking pretty openly about wanting to have an Italian Pope after having had an Argentine Pope and a Polish Pope.

“I know there were several strong candidates, who I know well, from Italy that were in the mix. And maybe the fact that there was several of them is what impeded any of them from getting to the 89 votes. I don’t know.”

Rooney said he thinks the recent hit movie Conclave made the sacred process of the gathering of cardinals to select a new leader of the Catholic Church “seem a little more secular than it really is.”

“I don’t know what goes on in there, obviously none of us do,” Rooney said. “I think there’s a lot of praying to the Holy Spirit involved there and discussing directions of where the Church might go in light of the world that we’re living in right now.”

The former Vatican ambassador said he thinks Pope Leo — who has dual U.S. and Peruvian citizenship after serving in various roles in Peru for almost 20 years — can make important inroads for the Church in Latin America.

“The church has been a little bit stalled-out in Latin America,” Rooney said. “I know everybody thinks Latin America is all Catholics, but it’s not. Six countries in Latin America now have a majority non-Catholic population. And I know that, from personal experience in Panama and in Guatemala, there are huge evangelical Christian segments. So, I think that having a Pope who’s partially from the Latin world, who speaks Spanish, will help, and I hope he will spend more time in Latin America.

“Pope Francis really kind of ignored Latin America, even though he was Argentinian. And I’m hoping that Pope Leo will spend time there and enthuse those congregations to be more active Catholics and maybe even bring a few others back into the fold.”

A long family friendship

— and a visit to Naples

The Rooneys have known Pope Leo, or “Father Bob” as they previously called him, since their children attended a school staffed by priests from the Augustinian order to which he belongs.

“Our kids went to an Augustinian school in Tulsa, and we’ve always been very involved with the Augustinian order,” Rooney said. “When I was on the [Augus-

Naples Philharmonic.

FYI, The Phil and Botanical Garden are two of the long list of civic contributions spearheaded by newcomers from Chicago. They came, they saw, they wanted to grow what attracted them there.

The marquee of civic progress courtesy of Chicago goes on to include The Naples Pier, Naples YMCA, Port Royal, Park Shore and the Third Street shopping district.

Now, Naples grows beyond the traditional city limits and expansion showcases the scope of growth via apartments (as opposed to condos) and restaurants and stores that would have been shooed away as excessive only a few decades ago. That was the case big time when Livingston Road opened north/south to Imperial and Three Oaks parkways. Not only did you not always know where you were, exploring strange territories, but you got to those places faster than ever.

Go for a drive these days and you encounter signs of growth that simply were not there the last

tinian] board in the late ’90s, Father Bob became head of the Midwest Province of the Augustinians, and as such, he would come down to a lot of our board meetings, almost all of them. I took several Augustinians from the school up to watch his investiture when he became head of the Midwest Augustinians.

“Then a few years later, lo and behold, we went to Rome [to serve as Ambassador] and there he was. He was already over there, because he had been promoted to be the head of all the Augustinians. We actually had dinner with him the third night we were in Rome.”

The new Pope has other ties to Southwest Florida, as well, with an older brother in Port Charlotte. And last year he visited Naples and had dinner at the Rooneys’ home while here for a retreat.

“I did a lot of things with the Augustinians for the three years we were in Rome, and we’ve stayed in touch,” Rooney said. “In fact, he came — with the former headmaster of the school — to our house in Naples last year. They were down here for an Augustinian retreat and came for a nice two-hour visit.”

A steady, calming influence

Rooney said he has high expectations that his old friend will make “a great Pope.”

Asked what traits he thinks Pope Leo possesses that will make his Papacy a success, Rooney described him as “very steady and very careful” in character.

“He’s very articulate and he’s judicious about when he speaks and what he speaks about, and I think all of those are really important communication skills and behavioral skills to have in the Pope,” Rooney said. “He will inspire confidence in other people.

“By nature, he’s a very calm, careful person. We just had a Pope [Francis] who could fly off the handle now and then and say some zingers. I think that Pope Leo will be much more measured in delivering his messages like he has been so far [since becoming Pope]. And he’ll be equally as effective and get his message across, and maybe even in a better way, than some of his predecessors have.”

Rooney said he thinks the Pope, at age 69, can also help the Church connect more with young people.

“First of all, as Popes go, he’s very young, and I think that will be a way to build a bridge to younger Catholics. He’s been involved with schools his whole life, so he is used to dealing with young people, and those are all really important characteristics,” Rooney said. “I think his manner of speaking and his gestures are very calming, very reassuring, very warm. And I think that people are really enthused about that kind of person.

“I have great hopes for his leadership in the world, with communication, with enthusing Catholics, enthusing non-Catholics, with the ‘blocking and tackling’ of being Pope in the world. I think he’ll be fantastic.”

time you looked.

Topping such a list would be a giant remake of the Naples Beach Hotel, rising in place of the icon cobbled from smaller, original pieces between that area and the pier since 1946.

The forthcoming rentals, condos, dining spots and stores will dwarf the predecessor, which still was big enough to launch Naples’ tourism industry and nurture the up-and-coming host community’s social and civic scene.

It hosted global dignitaries and local weddings with pride and style.

It hosted fundraisers for charities to uplift our quality of life that the hotel created.

The new version of the hotel looks forward to history repeating itself on a grander scale.

New versions? Explosive development — and a fresh, West Indies look to go with it — sets the pace for density and architecture along U.S. 41 East and Immokalee Road. The parts of town that people regard as “Naples” these days are actually a hybrid. And things can happen so quickly

From page 3A

DRAG SHOW

Naples City Council’s request, attendance dropped.

In 2024, Pride Fest had barely half of its previous attendance. According to Pride officials, parents who brought their children to the festival, including to see the show, did not want to split up the afternoon and be away from them.

Further, according to Craciun, moving the drag show indoors had not stopped protestors, who picketed Pride Fest in 2024, as well.

Its lawsuit also pointed out that the city’s security fees for Pride Fest, as calculated by the police department, have been rising significantly, from $3,867 in 2022 to $15,520 by 2024, quadrupling in three years.

For 2025, the estimated security fee was nearly doubled, to $30,697.50. That is $10,152 higher than the $20,545 security fee required of the Cars on Fifth benefit for St. Matthew’s House in 2025. Cars on Fifth showcases high-end cars and vintage autos and drew more than 20,000 people this year.

Further, the $30,000-plus police estimate assumed the drag show would be offsite in an indoor space, with only adults attending. Should Pride decide to hold the show outdoors, the security fee would be $44,160.

The police department has defended its security estimates as necessary to protect an event that it has deemed controversial and a potential target, given the propensity for violence against the LGBTQ+ community elsewhere.

Giving protestors control

Judge Steele agreed the police “should be making those determinations to ensure that every special event is protected by enough security personnel and adequate protocols in conformance with best practices.”

But he also agreed that the city police department’s estimated security fee was unreasonably high — in effect, a barrier to staging the festival. It amounted to

From page 3A

OAKES FARMS

staff to “make sure that whatever fee is assessed is what would normally be assessed under all these circumstances.” Cook pointed out the board’s policy only allows staff to recommend 10% of the appraised value.

“The property owner did attempt to come into compliance by requesting both to amend the site development plan and to vacate the conservation easement,” she said. “What the property owner is requesting now is what would be required of any other property owner that clears without first obtaining a permit, which is double the application fee.”

Oakes already paid a $2,500 application fee, she said, so he’d have to pay another $2,500 for an after-the-fact application fee to settle it. She called it a “unique code enforcement case,” noting that out of 1,795 industrial-zoned parcels countywide required to have a conservation easement when developed, this is only one of two with the easement — and staff supports the settlement.

“This is a unique case and we’re trying to do what’s fair, so it doesn’t matter where they live, who they

in those hot districts that people can get confused. Unless you study headlines, you may think an NCH project is another by Physicians Regional or Chicago’s Northwestern Medicine. And more than one tourist and/ or theater-goer had a deja vu experience while keeping track of new performing arts centers raising their curtains as a new Four Corners.

Ditto for early childhood learning centers, the daycare centers of today and tomorrow.

Though there is enough need to go around, every project is capable of an impact.

One of them making national headlines, in fact, started as a dot on the civic landscape. Just after 9/11 thrust together immigration and terrorism, Collier County authorities were out front with a program that now imprisons and evicts foreigners whose offenses go beyond border infractions.

Jeff Lytle has been covering and commenting on Southwest Florida since 1979.

what is known as a “heckler’s veto,” according to the injunction, to levy security fees that would erase any income from Pride Fest.

“What the City cannot do is assess against an event organizer the portion of additional fees attributable to the event’s controversial nature. Naples Pride may eventually succeed in challenging a portion of the fee that was assessed here.”

What the City would have to do, under the injunction’s reasoning, is reduce the fees by the amount that would be assessed because of those concerns, which it said amounted to censorship on freedom of speech.

Outside influence

The City has chosen instead to fight the decision. It has been offered pro bono help from Liberty Counsel, a conservative organization based in Maitland that defines its mission as supporting what it sees as Christian causes. Amicus curiae — “friend of the court” informational — briefs were filed by Liberty and America’s Future, Inc., a Washington, D.C.-based group that claims to act to preserve American values and strengthen the role of religion in society.

City Council’s announcement after a two-hour closed door session on May 16 said it would consider legal representation support from such outside groups.

Those mentioned include:

• The Alliance for Defending Freedom, which defines itself as “an alliance-building legal ministry advancing the God-given right to live and speak the truth.”

• Becket. That may refer to the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, a nonprofit, public-interest legal and educational institute, which defines as its mission “to protect the free expression of all faiths.”

They would face Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP, a New York law firm handling the suit on behalf of Naples Pride. Most of the 26 speakers on both sides at the May 16 meeting after city council announced its decision were from outside Naples — residents of Collier and Lee counties. But both the ramifications and the costs are likely to fall on city residents.

are, what their name is or anything like that,” Commissioner Rick LoCastro said, noting he was one of the commissioners who pushed for a resolution to tighten up fines. “A lot of times, the amount of dollars builds up just automatically while it’s trying to be worked out. … Any dollars that we collect go back to the taxpayers.”

Vice Chair Dan Kowal, whose district covers the property, noted Collier realized it was futile to require the easement, so it no longer exists. Commissioners unanimously approved the settlement, which Yovanovich said would be paid immediately.

In an interview afterward, LoCastro said he asked to meet with staff to answer questions and they met with all commissioners separately a day earlier.

“[Staff] all said the same thing — that they were recommending $5,000 because of several things that weren’t done correctly on both sides and regardless of who the property owner was, they would be recommending a $5,000 penalty rather than the fees that incrementally added up over time automatically while they were trying to figure out the issue.”

In a telephone interview, Saunders said he asked staff what they’d charge Oakes based on all the circumstances involving an easement that’s no longer required, and they all agreed it should be $5,000.

property records show. The parcels are in an “E” or Estates zoning district, where the Collier County land development code allows educational facilities, subject to review and approval through a conditional use process.

Although site demolition was approved, the construction permit is still under review. Vertical construction will begin as soon as the permit is in hand for the school building, which is targeted for completion near the end of March — in time to be ready for the 202627 academic year, said Ben Ezzard, director of construction for general contractor Southcrest Management, a family-owned company in Kissimmee that has built numerous charter schools.

The new MCA school is proposed to be built on the north-central part of the property with a three-lane, one-way drive off Vanderbilt Beach Road tracing the perimeter of the acreage. A large on-site parking lot is planned south of the school, which will provide more than 150 parking spaces. Two outdoor basketball courts are planned in the center of the property and a soccer field will be located west of the courts, plans show.

Meanwhile, vertical construction began last fall on a one-story, 24,700-square-foot building with a gymnasium and additional classrooms at the MCA North Campus near Immokalee Road and Interstate 75. The freestanding addition is targeted to be ready for the upcoming school year, Ezzard said.

Plans show a full gym with bleachers, a halfcourt gym, a fitness/weight room, male and female locker rooms, a band lab, four class-

From page 1A

too-late lesson for some on disposing of brown or dead yard debris. One resident had previously invited a local firefighter to inspect property and give tips for how to keep it safe from wildfires. That home was saved.

“Get rid of this. Get rid of that,” the man remembered.

‘They couldn’t control it’

Through Jim Kurth’s experience with this fire, he could teach a masterclass in what to do and not do before a fire invades a rural community, and the importance of friends and family when rebuilding after massive losses.

Kurth moved to Collier County from Ohio after high school. He has lived on 2.5 acres on Le Buffs Road since 1976, drawn to the relatively inexpensive “swampland.” A garage door installer by trade, he finished his first home there after Jim Walters Homes built the shell.

The March 2017 fire, his first experience up close with a Southwest Florida wildfire, claimed that home and three others in the neighborhood. The ordeal lasted several days. He’s not certain how it started, either a campfire or an out-of-control prescribed burn.

“I knew it was coming because they couldn’t control it,” Kurth said. “So I moved a lot of stuff out of here that I had.”

The fire went across Collier Boulevard about

rooms, restrooms, a lobby, concessions area and office and storage spaces on property the charter school purchased for $2.25 million in February 2022. The property is directly across from the main entrance to the North Campus building that MCA acquired in June 2021 for $10.5 million.

Mason Classical Academy is a tuition-free school chartered by the Collier County School Board. Operating in Collier since August 2014, MCA initially focused on kindergarten through sixth grade before offering middle and high school grades starting in the 2016-17 academic year.

MCA founder Kelly Mason, chair of the Collier County School Board, previously was president of MCA before she resigned her charter school role in late March. Executive Director David Hull, who oversees MCA’s day-to-day operations, could not be reached for comment.

BURN BAN IN EFFECT

The Board of County Commissioners authorized a burn ban in Collier County, effective Feb. 11 of this year.

For more information, call 311 or 239.252.4311.

For questions regarding irrigation restrictions, call 239.252.2380 or visit the South Florida Water Management District website (sfwmd.gov) and search for Landscape Watering Restrictions.

an eighth of a mile (two football fields) south of his property.

“I thought I was OK, so I moved my stuff back,” Kurth said, and got on with his life. But when he returned from a medical appointment the next day, he “seen black smoke out there.” He watered the porch of his stilt home. His metal roof gave him false hope for a positive outcome. But “it didn’t do much good.”

Kurth said he didn’t have much time to think and react.

As the smoke got closer, Kurth called his son and son-in-law. When they arrived, Kurth could see “the orange from the flames in the back yard. It was that fast moving.”

While the young men were trying to evacuate a boat on the property, deputies “came flying in and said, ‘You are out of here now.’” Engulfed

New retail center

Q: Can you see what’s going on and in at the corner of Airport-Pulling Road and Golden Gate Parkway? Thank you. – Dana Giles, Naples

A: Halstatt Real Estate Partners broke ground March 4 on Poinciana Plaza, which includes a 10,000-square-foot retail strip and a 2,500-square-foot freestanding Starbucks drive-thru.

Expected to be finished near the end of 2025 at the intersection of Airport-Pulling Road and Golden Gate Parkway in Naples, the project will include about 5,000 square feet dedicated to dining. This includes an end-cap restaurant space which features an expansive outdoor patio, said Jenna Rambaud, director of marketing and public relations for Halstatt.

“We are currently in discussions with several restaurant concepts. While no one be-

pine trees in the front yard were all the visual evidence they needed to obey that order. He took some photographs of a burning pine tree but otherwise did not have time to do anything, save anything.

“I was hoping that everything was going to be OK with the house,” Kurth said. “I had been here for that long (40+ years). Everything I owned was here.”

When deputies moved residents to a gas station to watch from there, Kurth said, “You could tell it was bad.” But he still harbored hope.

Some residents returned to their property against deputies’ orders. (One even shimmied across a water pipe over a canal.) When Kurth “snuck around and came in, there wasn’t nothing left.”

The heat caused the foundation to burst and explode. The once-vaunted metal roof was lying on the foundation. There was “nothing left” of three or four vehicles except metal. The home was constructed on 12x12 stilts; after the fire, there wasn’t “a toothpick of wood” anywhere.

“It was devastating,” he said. “I could not breathe and I had trouble talking about it. You don’t know where to go from there.”

On top of everything else, Kurth learned after the fact that he hadn’t purchased homeowner’s insurance for the home that burned after he paid off his mortgage.

“I had this idea that I didn’t need it,” he said. Kurth’s daughter, Shenna Zurbrigg, talked about watching her father deal with so much loss.

sides Starbucks has signed, we’re enthusiastic about introducing new dining options to the area, which we believe has a strong and growing demand for quality food and beverage offerings,” Rambaud said.

The development of Poinciana Plaza marks the final phase for Poinciana Professional Park, a 102,000-square-foot office complex on the eastern edge of the city of Naples. The professional park is home to Halstatt, Barron Collier Companies and other businesses.

Halstatt is a family-owned investment firm headquartered in Naples. Its network of affiliated firms manage capital across a broad range of assets, including a number of family office and institutional investors.

Halstatt has deep ties to Collier County. Halstatt CEO Katie Sproul is the great-granddaughter of Barron G. Collier, the county’s founder and namesake. The Sproul family has been instrumental in development in Florida for more than 50 years.

“Breaking ground on this new retail center represents not only the culmination of our vision for Poinciana Park but also an exciting new chapter for the community,” Sproul said. “We have been intentional in designing this development to bring in a diverse mix of retail and dining options that will serve as both a convenience and a destination for those who live and work in the area.”

Halstatt anticipates welcoming tenants to Poinciana Plaza’s highly visible storefronts by the first quarter of 2026. Naples-based Build LLC is the general contractor of the retail center, designed by MHK Architecture.

The “Tim Aten Knows” weekly column answers local questions from readers. Email Tim at tim.aten@naplespress.com.

“That was difficult,” she said. “I do remember him having a little bit of sadness of things. He kept (saying), ‘Oh, I have that,’ and then realizing he didn’t have it anymore after the fire. That was hard to see.”

Rebuilding was a three-year project. Kurth said a number of friends responded during his time of need. Zurbrigg said the community reacted positively to a GoFundMe page set up for him and a fundraiser at a local Elks Lodge. Zurbrigg’s company — then called House Doctors and now Remodeling Contractors — Scott Marcotte Construction (founded in 1999 in Naples) and “a kitchen guy” did a lot of the work. Marcotte installed the roof trusses and sheeting for Kurth’s new home, framed the inside walls and “managed the build.”

“It worked out great,” Kurth said. “People came together and helped me out a lot. Friends did.”

“It was just something to help out your neighbors … hoping that if something catastrophic like that happened to you, that somebody would help you” Marcotte said. “They lost everything but the clothes on their back and their vehicle, because they left.”

During years of new construction, doing a little bit at a time, Kurth lived in a “cheap motor home” on his property. Now 68, he finished rebuilding his home in 2020 and lives there today.

“I’m back in the same spot, a nice house,” he said. Now able to talk about it. But these days the yard is clear of fire-inviting debris.

Building bone strength with latest bio-hack

By J.C. Amodea

In a series of movements, members of modern studio OsteoStrong perform a set plan of push and pull exercises using the Spectrum system of specially built machines. The Spectrum system, described as the ultimate biohack, is a cutting-edge technology designed by John Jaquish, a biomedical engineer. These machines are not typical gym equipment. They are specifically engineered to apply a controlled amount of force that strengthens the body’s foundation, its skeletal system. This force is safe and effective, and it’s advertised as what makes the Spectrum system unique and beneficial for bone health.

Jaquish, a biomedical engineer, developed the protocol and machines for his mother, who had severe osteoporosis and did not want to take medications. He reasoned that if her bones were deconditioning, they could be reconditioned. His method, known as osteogenic loading, involves stimulating osteogenesis, which is the formation of new bone tissue, through the application of a specific and safe amount of force. This force triggers the body’s natural response to build new bone tissue, thereby improving bone density, muscular strength, balance and overall health with demonstrated results.

Once considered a concern only for elders, monitoring bone health is essential for everyone 30 and older. “At 30, you hit peak bone density that decreases as we age,” said Mackenzie McMahon, operating owner of the Naples OsteoStrong franchise that opened in 2021. “Women lose bone health quicker than men once they hit menopause. So, a bone scan is recommended around age 50, and a systematic series of exercises, such as with Spectrum machines, will help optimize bone health.”

The science, sessions and Spectrum McMahon explained that bodybuilders and gymnasts constantly put weight-bearing loads on their bodies, and gymnasts are known to have the highest bone density. Jaquish wanted the average healthy adult to get the same benefits as a gymnast without the risk

of injury. His machines are designed for optimal osteogenic loading and are developed around the movements in a gymnast’s landing environment.

No-sweat, no-pain sessions are individualized 15-minute segments performed once weekly, compared to hours spent in a traditional gym. A commitment of 18 months on average is predicted to reap results.

“Each of four machines is designed to build bone and muscle growth in a different part of your body,” McMahon said. “The first is for the upper body — wrist, elbow, shoulder, clavicle and pectoral muscles. With the first and second machines, you are pushing against them; nothing moves on the machines as they are static movements. The third machine focuses on the deep abdominals and the rib cage, and the fourth on the back muscles, improving posture, reducing pain and increasing grip and forearm strength.”

Results-driven data McMahon noted that the study results showed a dramatic improvement in bone scores. “A 2023 study published in the Jour-

OSTEOSTRONG

What: Osteogenic loading circuit training that improves bone density, muscular strength and balance

Where: 2343 Vanderbilt Beach Road, #618, Naples (Shoppes at Vanderbilt)

Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday; 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday; 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday and Saturday

Memberships: Month-tomonth, depending on modalities added; for free trial session, call for appointment

Contact: osteostrong.me or osteostrong.com or 239.350.4550

nal of the Endocrine Society examined 140 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis,” McMahon said.

“Participants who engaged in weekly 10-minute OsteoStrong sessions for nine months experienced statistically significant improvements in lumbar spine bone mineral density and trabecular bone scores. Specifically, the average T-score improved from -2.27 to -1.93, indicating a shift toward healthier bone density levels.

“Additionally, a 2024 Australian study involving 39 postmenopausal women reported an average 118% increase in force generation and a 188% improvement in leg strength after nine months of weekly OsteoStrong sessions. These gains are significant, as increased leg strength is associated with reduced fall risk and improved longevity.”

Other add-on methods

McMahon added: “Additional modalities complement the benefits of our core osteogenic loading program for a well-rounded approach to improving bone health, posture and overall vitality.” They are:

• Red light therapy rooms support skin health and collagen production and reduce inflammation.

• NormaTec compression boots promote circulation, reduce swelling and aid in muscle recovery.

•PureWave PEMF mat therapy boosts cellular repair, improves circulation and reduces stress.

• BioCharger enhances energy, mental clarity and recovery through electromagnetic waves.

• Vibration therapy used before and after sessions primes muscles and supports recovery.

‘I had grown new bone’

Some members who had a bone scan before starting the protocol and are re-tested six months later have shown improvements in bone density scores, while others could cancel knee surgeries due to increased joint strength. Some members regained joint strength post-surgery.

Member Kitty Shipshock was diagnosed with osteoporosis and prescribed medication by her physician. She said, “I was highly allergic to the prescription. A friend recommended OsteoStrong. It works, and my last DEXA scan showed that I had grown new bone in every affected area.” Melina Bilic, a member for 18 months, said that in addition to the Spectrum machines, which increased her bone density within a year, she uses the PEMF mat and other biotech services at the studio. “My skin looks better and healthier from using the redlight therapy, and I get instant results from using the BioCharger, depending on what is happening to me that day.”

Monthly bone scans

Also available at OsteoStrong is a newto-the-area Radiofrequency Echographic Multi-Spectrometry radiation-free bone scan. This advanced ultrasound technology provides more accurate results than a DEXA scan, which only takes a picture of bones. A REMS scan reveals T-scores, the bones’ fragility rate and the bone quality that is building, providing a comprehensive assessment of bone health.

ly goes before the Board of County Commissioners on May 27. This vote only involves amending the county’s growth-management plan. If county commissioners greenlight that, state Department of Commerce approval is required. Plans to rezone the agricultural land for a plannedunit development of town homes and single-family homes still must go before planning and county commissioners, when the unit breakdown will be finalized. South Naples Citrus Co., an orange grove and retail nursery, has operated on the land since the 1970s.

SWJR Naples I LLC is headed by developer Jon Rubinton, who was involved in Mangrove Bay, Treviso, Bonita Bay and other communities over several decades. Other project team members include transportation planner Trebilcock Consulting Solutions, Q. Grady Minor & Associates, Turrell Hall & Associates environmental consultants and BlueShore Engineering, the civil engineer.

The agricultural parcel is bordered on the west and south by a conservation easement in the Hacienda Lakes community; mostly agricultural land on the east; and Picayune Strand State Forest to the south.

“Groves are not what they were,” Arnold said, adding the grove is

still operating. “The citrus industry has been decimated, and I think long-term citrus is probably not the most viable use for the property.”

The plans originally called for 450 homes, with 110 townhouses and 340 single-family homes, prompting county staff to initially recommend denial due to density and open space concerns. However, the developer agreed to eliminate 27 units to decrease density, resulting in 2.5 units per acre; add two amenity centers for homes and townhouses; and increase open space from 55% to 60%.

“We’re not getting everything that we had asked for,” County Planning & Zoning Director Mike Bosi said of not getting a reduction

to 1.5 units per acre. “But we’re comfortable with the density reduction, with the increase in open space and the public benefits that are being provided for.”

The income-restricted homes will go to qualified buyers at income levels between 80% and 120% of Collier’s area-median income, which is $104,300. That will be audited by the county’s Community & Human Services Division.

Land-use attorney Rich Yovanovich explained the only way to achieve increased density by amending the growth-management plan is by providing another public benefit, selling income-restricted homes or a transfer of development rights, which allows

property owners to sell development rights from their land to a developer who can use those rights to increase a development’s size on another parcel.

SWJR must maintain the affordable-housing restriction for 30 years. If an owner wants to sell a home before that, it should be offered to another income-qualified buyer. Yovanovich said a homeowner can earn only 5% appreciation yearly and any further profits will be split between the seller and county, which will use it for affordable-housing programs.

State regulations dictate AMI sales prices by room. Collier’s median condo sales price is $466,000 — higher for new homes — and these would be sold for less.

REAL ESTATE

Trend: Homebuyers now in the doghouse

By M. Melanie Pefinis

A lot of factors go into choosing a home beyond square footage and number of bedrooms. Consideration of the school zone, perhaps. Proximity to work or friends. And according to the National Association of Realtors, how appropriate the home will be for furry friends.

Nearly 70% of consumers told their Realtor that the pet policies legislated by a community were considered in their choice when looking for a home. When selling a home, Realtors can also inform sellers of how to show their home in the best light to attract buyers who might not have an animal-friendly household.

More households have pets — 85 million — than have children (33 million). In March, the Naples Area Board of Realtors hosted a seminar to familiarize Realtors with assisting buyers who use service animals. A new trend is emerging in which the influence these fuzzy friends have on home ownership is palpable.

“Oh yeah,” said Mike Shoaff, who works for REMAX Hallmark Naples and who — thanks to his beloved Maggie — is just one of the 65 million Americans who own dogs. “I have come across this many times. People tell me up front that the existence of a pet figures into their home choices.” Community policies regarding fences and size/weight restrictions should be considered when looking at neighborhoods. Some communities might also charge a pet fee, which should be included among estimated expenses.

“The majority of communities are pet-friendly,” Shoaff said. “But when you get into condos, there are often policies in place with the HOA that might put a limit on what you can own.”

HOAs set regulations for a community. Being aware of what guidelines are in place is a good way to assure you don’t walk away disappointed while searching for a home.

Even HOAs which do allow pets often have rules that Fido, or his owner, might find limiting.

“The big issue is the HOA fencing policy,” Shoaff said. “Several clients have told me that it is a big minus for them if the community does not allow for a fence to accommodate their pet. Some communities do not allow any fences, even electronic fencing.”

It is not only in buying homes that the paw patrol influences domicile decisions; Spot and

Mittens also are a factor when renovating or redecorating a home. With a third of millennials owning a pet, their recent foray into home ownership is having an effect. Many even bring their pets when originally touring homes to see what changes need to be made to make them totally comfy.

Reconfiguring a living space to accommodate a four-legged companion is a burgeoning trend. There is even a term coined referring to décor with doggies in mind: Barkitecture. Special flooring, particular landscaping and other alterations are being applied by millennial owners to make their pets more “at home” at home.

Most flooring experts recommend finishes with special sealants to prevent scratches. Tile is also a better option than rugs, which are tougher to clean.

Technology now allows home owners to con-

Week of May 12-16

SALES

G8RVET LLC purchased 5,288 square feet of retail space at 2535 Northbrooke Plaza Drive in North Naples from D & D Realty LLC for $2.25 million. Clint L. Sherwood, CCIM, and John R. Cheffy of Investment Properties Corp. represented the seller, and Matt Stepan and W.T. Pearson of Premier Commercial represented the buyer.

trol heat, cooling systems, lighting and appliances to keep their pets snuggly when owners are away from home.

It was long believed that evidence of the presence of an animal threatened the sale of a home, but according to NAR, that theory has shifted. Not only are buyers not deterred by signs of pets, more now say that as long as structural damage is not apparent, but evidence of previous pets is also a positive factor.

REMAX Canada has collaborated with that nation’s largest pet products retailer, PetValu, to assist home owners, buyers and sellers with the various considerations of having pets in the household. This looks like a trend that is here to stay.

Considering how big a part our pets play in our home life, being “in the dog house” no longer seems like such a bad thing.

Pelican Bay Blvd., Suite 401, in North Naples from PB Building 5811 LLC

Clint L. Sherwood, CCIM, and Rob Carroll, CCIM, MAI, of Investment

Properties Corp. represented the lessor and lessee.

Network Minds leased a 4,000-square-foot office space at 6634

Willow Park Drive, Suite 201, in North Naples from Karate Center

Building LLC. Dave Wallace, CCIM, SIOR, and David Wallace of CRE Consultants represented the lessor and lessee.

ROC Venture Group LLC leased an 879-square-foot office space in the 1100 on 5th building at 1100 Fifth Ave. S., Suite 410, in Naples from 1100 5th Ave LLC. Dave Wallace, CCIM, SIOR, and David Wallace of CRE Consultants represented the lessor and lessee.

ASK A REALTOR

With each issue of  The Naples Press that includes a real estate page, we will ask real estate professionals questions about issues of the day. For this edition, we spoke with Antonios Skartsilas, who is affiliated with the Fifth Avenue Office of Coldwell Banker.

Q: What factors should I consider when pricing my home for sale in today’s market?

A: Pricing a home correctly is one of the most critical steps in ensuring a successful sale, and this is a question I hear often from clients. The Naples real estate market is dynamic, influenced by several key factors that I guide my clients through to set a competitive yet realistic price.

First, we look at comparable sales — recently sold homes in your neighborhood with similar size, features and condition. These “comps” provide a baseline, but adjustments are often needed for unique attributes such as upgrades or lot size.

Second, current market conditions play a huge role. Is it a seller’s market with low inventory, allowing for a higher price, or a buyer’s market where competition demands restraint? I analyze active listings and pending sales to gauge buyer demand and pricing trends.

Third, timing and seasonality matter in Naples, where winter months often see heightened buyer activity due to seasonal residents. I also consider the home’s condition and presentation — small updates or staging can significantly affect perceived value.

Overpricing risks prolonged market time, which can lead to lower offers, while underpricing may leave money on the table. My approach is to combine data-driven analysis with a deep understanding of local buyer preferences, ensuring the price attracts serious offers while maximizing your return. I work closely with my clients to explain these factors and tailor a strategy that aligns with their goals, whether they’re aiming for a quick sale or top dollar.

A native of Philadelphia, Antonios Skartsilas lived in Maui, Hawaii, before moving to Naples in 2020. Fluent in both Greek and English, Skartsilas can assist clients of all backgrounds. He can be reached for inquiries at 215.554.1884 or antonios.skartsilas@cbrealty.com.

Ongoing events

‘Prodigal Son’

Various times through June 1 at Joan Jenks Auditorium in the Golden Gate Community Center, 4701 Golden Gate Parkway, Naples. Written by John Patrick Shanley, who wrote the Pulitzer Prizewinning play, Doubt, Prodigal Son was born from his own experience as he tells the story of a young man on the verge of salvation or destruction. $35. thestudioplayers. org or 239.398.9192

Everglades exhibition

10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, noon-4 p.m. Sundays through Sept. 21 at The Baker Museum, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd., Naples. “Entangled in the Mangroves: Florida Everglades Through Installation” features the work of nine Florida-based artists who explore the critical importance of the Everglades through diverse media. $10, $5 students or full-time military with ID, $1 for SNAP benefits visitors. artisnaples.org or 239.252.2611

Those historic little homes

9 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays through June 7 at the Marco Island Historical Museum, 180 S. Heathwood Drive, Marco Island. Marco Island Historical Society presents “The Florida House,” a trip back in time to 1960s Marco Island. See the homes the Mackle Brothers envisioned as the latest and greatest Florida architecture for Marco. Free. colliermuseums.com

‘Eternally Curious’

9 a.m.-5 p.m. through June 29 at Naples Botanical Garden, 4820 Bayshore Drive, Naples. Tanya Trinkaus Glass displays her garden-centered artwork in an exhibition. The event is free for members and included with garden admission ($27 for non-members). naplesgarden.org or 239.643.7275

Cunningham & McCabe

exhibition

Various times through Aug. 3 at Naples Art Institute, 585 Park Street, Naples. Photographs showcased from Imogen Cunningham and Robert McCabe that reflect nature and its beauty. $10 for members and $15 for non-members. naplesart.org or 239.262.6517

‘Miami to Marco’

Collaborative

Various times through July 1 at Marco Island Center for the Arts, 1010 Winterberry Drive, Marco Island. In La Petite Gallery, art from Thomas C. Keller is displayed through May 27 and art from Matt Fazio will be displayed through the month of June. There will be a reception at 5:30 p.m. June 10. Free admission. marcoislandart.org

This weekend (May 23-25)

All-American sounds

7:30 p.m. May 22-23 at Artis— Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd., Naples. A star-spangled concert with the Naples Philharmonic, with Manuel López-Gómez, conductor; Ben Davis, vocalist; and the Naples Philharmonic Chorus and Youth Chorus, Jeffrey Warner and Barbara Sletto, directors. The program features works by American composers such as John Philip Sousa, George Gershwin, Irving Berlin and more in a patriotic concert. $29-$67. artisnaples.org or 239.597.1900

CALENDAR

GET COZY WITH CLASSICAL

MAY

28-31

AROUND TOWN

The Naples Philharmonic’s longstanding spring community treat — free chamber concerts — begins next week. Music lovers can hear favorites including the Beethoven Quartet No. 3 and Dvôrák’s String Quartet No. 2 along with favorites-to-be such as George Walker’s aptly named String Quartet No. 1, “Lyric,” and Brian Raphael Nabors’ Until Dawn for Wind Quintet.

• 4 p.m. May 28, Headquarters Regional Library, 2385 Orange Blossom Drive

• 7 p.m. May 28, Trinity-by-the-Cove Episcopal Church, 553 Galleon Drive

HOT TICKET

of the Naples Philharmonic, assistant principal violinist Patrick Neal, left, and assistant principal cellist John Marcy are shown in a season chamber concert; many of the orchestra’s musicians bid farewell to the season in a free chamber series beginning this weekend.

• 2 p.m. May 29, Naples Regional Library, 650 Central Ave.

• 4 p.m. May 29, South Regional Library, 8065 Lely Cultural Parkway No. 9005

• 7 p.m. May 29, Vanderbilt Presbyterian Church, 1225 Piper Blvd.

• 2 p.m. May 30, Naples United Church of Christ, 5200 Crayton Road

• 7 p.m. May 30, Norris Community Center, 755 Eighth Ave. S.

• 7 p.m. May 31, Artis—Naples, Ubben Signature Event Space, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd. Find the complete programs on the artisnaples.org website, and don’t forget to reserve your seat.

Water lily pond walk

9:30-11 a.m. May 23 at Naples Botanical Garden, 4820 Bayshore Drive, Naples. See Hot Ticket.

Montéz de Durango & Patrulla 81

Beginning 9 p.m. May 23 at Dimensions Event Center, 2634

U.S. 41 E., Naples. Mexican regional music by two groups, including the internationally known Montez de Durango, which specializes in the duranguense genre of music. This is one of its first concerts without its lead singer, Beto Terrazas, who died of cancer March 28. $55, $125 cabaret seating. Tickets at dimensioneventc.com

Learning among the lilies

9:30-11 a.m. May 23 at Naples Botanical Garden, 4820 Bayshore Drive, Naples. Discover how to capture your experiences in nature with your smartphone camera, then wade into the Water Garden for an up-close and personal view of the garden’s waterlilies with the Curator of Special Collections. Beginners will get a crash course in macro photography and learn about the waterlily collection from Garden experts. $65 members/$85 non-members. Reservations online. naplesgarden.org or 239.643.7275

Double blues dose

7 p.m. May 23 at Norris Community Center, 755 Eighth Ave. S., Naples. Albert Castiglia, three-time Blues Music Award winner, and blues/rock recording artist Alex Lopez and his band The Xpress with their British-infused blues rock along with pop and funk.

$30 advance, $35 day of show; $40 VIP seating in front with gift bag. maremilticketspice.com or 360.878.3474

Family Wonder Days

9 a.m.-2 p.m. May 24- 25 at Naples Botanical Garden, 4820 Bayshore Drive, Naples. Family Wonder Days brings a weekend full of activities, games and scavenger hunts for the whole family. Guests can explore the Garden with activity guides, available in English, Spanish or Haitian Creole at six activity stations around the garden.

Next week (May 26-29)

There’s also live music 10 a.mnoon from Moonstone Riders on May 24 and Amy Cyr on May 25. Admission: $27, $12 ages 4-17, free 3 and younger. naplesgarden.org or 239.643.7275

Free Chamber concerts Various times May 28-31. Performances around town by members of the Naples Philharmonic. See Featured item, this page.

Art after hours

6-9 p.m. May 28 at The Baker Museum, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd., Naples. Award-winning photography, the audio art of “Obra Sonora,” Magritte and more — it’s all free Wednesday evening. There’s live music, food available at the outdoor café and docent tours. Free. artisnaples.org

Next weekend (May 30-June 1)

Naples Jazz Society concert 1-3 p.m. May 31 at Norris Community Center, 755 Eighth Ave. S., Naples. Light and lively jazz as the Naples Jazzmasters bring both familiar standards and some forgotten gems. Freewill offerings accepted. thenaplesjazzsociety.com

Pro-Am orchestral evening

7 p.m. June 1 in Hayes Hall at Artis—Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd., Naples. Musicians from the orchestra team up with talented volunteer musicians from the community in a performance of Wagner’s Overture to The Flying Dutchman and segments from Bizet’s Carmen Suites No. 1 and 2. Free, but tickets required at artisnaples.org or 239.597.1900

COVER STORY

No more dog days

Local arts venues have so much going on they’ve announced summer seasons

By Harriet Howard Heithaus harriet.heithaus@naplespress.com

At one time, yes, Naples snoozed through summer. That was about 40,000 people ago, before its niche as a winter-only home exploded. While both have always had some summer events, this year the county’s major venue, Artis—Naples, and Marco Island Center for the Arts, announced summer seasons for the first time. They join the perennials of local theater productions, one of which was actually added to June intentionally.

“We’ve got people here all summer, and we thought they would appreciate entertainment meant for them, too,” explained Mark Danni, executive director of TheatreZone. He booked the final musical of its season in June this year, a contemporary mystery musical version of the film Ghost.

Here’s a listing of what’s happening to make summers great again:

Artis—Naples

All events are at Artis—Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd. All events are in the Daniels Pavilion unless otherwise noted. Tickets are available at artisnaples.org or at 239.597.1900. There are size limitations on bags of 14 by 14 by 4 inches. Other security requirements are found under “Safety and security” on the website.

Naples Philharmonic Pro-Am: 7 p.m. June 1 in Hayes Hall. Members of the Naples Philharmonic community musicians team up in a special collaboration featuring music from Wagner’s Overture to The Flying Dutchman and Bizet’s Carmen. Free, but tickets are required.

Stomp!: 7:30 p.m. June 3-4 in Hayes Hall. This internationally performing percussion show, going strong 30 years after it debuted, creates rhythmic sensations using garbage cans, hubcaps, brooms, bottles and other everyday objects. $53-$83.

Music Makers Youth Symphonia Camp Concert: 7 p.m. June 6. Student musicians who have attended summer camp offer their finale concert. Free but tickets required.

Music Makers Youth Chorus Camp Concert: 7 p. m. June 13. Student vocalists from the Artis—Naples summer camp sing in recital. Free but tickets required.

Festival of Great Organ Music: 3 p.m. June 15 in Hayes Hall. Local organists including church music directors show their virtuosity on the four-manual Casavant Frères organ in the 30th annual Festival of Great Organ Music. $25

Meditations Among the Mangroves: 9:30 a.m. June 17, July 15 and Aug. 19 in The Baker Museum. The meditation series — so popular with the Obra Sonora exhibition in the Baker Museum — continues amid the naturally contemplative works of Entangled in the

by Laurie Lyons, founder and director of Zen & the Arts. $20.

Music Makers Youth Chamber Camp Concert: 7 p.m. June 20. Student musicians who have attended summer camp for chamber music performance offer their finale concert. Free but tickets required.

Art After Hours: 6-9 p.m. June 26, July 30 and Aug. 27 at The Baker Museum. See the exhibitions, including docent tours for the novice; enjoy live local music and stop in at Heidi’s Place, which is open during the events. Free.

Music Makers Youth Jazz Camp Concert: 7 p.m. June 27. Student musicians who have attended summer camp offer their swingin’ finale. Free but tickets required.

Make-and-Take: Art and the Environment: 2 p.m. July 8 and Aug. 1 in the John and Jeanne Rowe Performance and Learning Center at The Baker Museum. A family workshop provides kids with an opportunity to make their own artwork using some of the styles and techniques from a featured exhibition at The Baker Museum. Free admission to the workshops

CeCe Teneal’s Divas of Soul: 6 and 8:30 p.m. Aug. 19. Vocalist CeCe Teneal channels icons including Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Whitney Houston and beyond in this lively performance that embraces everything from soul to pop, disco and more. $50.

TheatreZone

Ghost: The Musical: 7:30 p.m. June 5-7 and 12-14 and 2 p.m. June 7-8 and 15, in the G&L Theatre at The Community school of Naples, 13275 Livingston Road. The blockbuster love-after-life story with murder and a second plot foiled by devotion from beyond and an authentic medium, played by Whoopi Goldberg in the film, has been turned into a musical, and TheatreZone is premiering it in Southwest Florida. It’s one with chops: the songwriters are Dave Stewart, founder of Eurythmics, and Glen Ballard, composer of “All I Need” and “Man in the Mirror,” among others. There’s a talkback June 12. $50-$85. theatre.zone or 888.966.3352

Grand Piano Series

at Quidley & Company Fine Art Gallery, 375 Broad Ave. S, Naples. The 2023 winner of the Prix Serdang Swiss prize and a third-place winner at the Leeds competition, Lanyi has been a featured artist all over Europe and on the East Coast of the U.S. He plays a program of Beethoven, Bârtók and Chopin. $60. grandpianoseries. org or 469.333.3231

The Naples Players Sweeney Todd : Various times June 25-July 27 in the Kizzie Theatre at Sugden Community Theatre, 701 Fifth Ave. S., Naples. The Naples Players bring back the thriller Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. It’s Stephen Sondheim’s noir musical of a down-and-out team who finds an unusual way to fill the meat pies they sell. $42-$57. naplesplayers.org or 239.263.7990

therapist. Academy Award nominee Chazz Palminteri directs — and gets to play the therapist, too. $40.

The Swingset: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 28 and 29. This original work by Kristyn Estes, who also stars, follows the misadventures of a couple who move into what they think is their idyllic Florida retirement home. But they soon learn there’s monkey business going on they hadn’t planned for — and one of them thinks it’s a great idea. $40.

Youth productions Never underrate the talent of teens. There’s never been a youth company with a summer production whose goal hasn’t been to outshine the adults’ summer offerings. And they often succeed.

The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical: Various times June 27-29 in the Struthers Theatre at Gulfshore Playhouse, 100 Goodlette-Frank Road, Naples. What’s a guy to do when he’s the half-son of a Greek god, an honor he never asked for, and also the prime suspect in the theft of a sacred lightning bolt that is fomenting a divine war? The Conservatory Teens of Gulfshore Playhouse star in this Broadway musical with an original score. $25. gulfshoreplayhouse.org or 239.261.7529

Beetlejuice Jr: 2 p.m. July 19 and 7:30 p.m. July 20-22 in the Price Theatre at Sugden Community Theatre, 701 Fifth Ave. S., Naples. Based on the hit film starring Winona Ryder and later a Broadway musical, the TNP Academy production follows Lydia Deetz, a teen grieving her mother who now learns she has both spirits and a demon in her house. She needs to find a supernatural way out of the chaos. $25. Limited seating. naplesplayers.org or 239.263.7990

All That Jazz: 6 and 8:30 p.m. July 9. Cool jazz is just what a hot summer needs, and you can snap your fingers to it with the Naples Philharmonic Jazz Orchestra and singer Kenny Washington. $50. Shades of Bublé: 6 and 8:30 p.m. July 24. It’s hard not to sing along, but resist you must when the trio Shades of Bublé takes the stage with harmonic perspectives on Michael Bublé’s best hits — “Feeling Good,” “Home,” “Haven’t Met You Yet” and more. $50. The Bob Band: A Bob Dylan Tribute: 6 and 8:30 p.m. Aug. 7. The legendary songs of Bob Dylan return to life in a concert that channels his work from folk and rock to gospel and blues. $50.

Narrative Musicales: 3 p.m. July 16 and Aug. 13 in the Ubben Signature Event Space at The Baker Museum, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd., Naples. Konstantin Soukhovetski of the Grand Piano Series brings some enlightening, and fun, history of musical stories. In July he tackles the (R)Evolution of Opera and beyond, from scenarios in the Medici court to Broadway itself. Soukhovetski intersperses this lively history with piano arrangements from La Bohéme, Phantom of the Opera and more. In August, it’s the outsize musical influence of two contemporaries, Rachmaninoff and Scriabin, and how these two composers reshaped Russian romanticism in completely different ways. $46. Tickets through artisnaples.org or 239.597.1900

Ariel Lanyi, piano: 4 p.m. July 31

Comedy coming Marco Island Center for the Arts is making the hot months hilarious with its first full summer season: comedy specials and two plays targeting the funny bone. All are at the Arts Center Theatre, Marco Town Center, 1089 N. Collier Boulevard. Tickets at marcoislandarts.org or 239.784.1186

Larry Venturino’s Summer Comedy All-Star Lineup: 7:30 p.m. June 13, July 18 and Aug. 15. Three triple-threat comedy acts bring together national touring comedians — and local talent, as well — to turn up the laughter quotient in your life. $30. Stage 2 Improv: 7:30 p.m. June 28 and Aug. 2. Prepare to be pulled into the laughs with Stage 2 Improv’s assortment of skits, games and songs, with a different cast and theme each time. $21.80. Erma Bombeck: At Wit’s End: 7:30 p.m. July 24-25 and 3 p.m. July 26-27. She may have been at wit’s end, but comic writer Erma Bombeck never lost her ability to paint a wild scenario and add a snappy rejoinder. $40. Till Death Do Us Part … You First!: 2 and 6 p.m. Aug. 6. An encore presentation of the one-man show by sad sack Pete Fogel, who is being forced to remember all the reasons his marriages and romances have been flops, prodded by the offstage voice of his

Pirates of Penzance: 7 p.m. July 25-26 and 2 p.m. July 27 at the Wang Opera Center, 2408 Linwood Ave., Naples. Opera Naples Youth Summer Opera Workshop presents the classic Gilbert & Sullivan operetta with its giddy pirates, its potentially doomed sweethearts and a British Navy that no one should allow on the high seas. $28, students $13. operanaples.org or 239.963.9050

Roald Dahl’s Matilda JR. The Musical: Various times July 25-27 in the Struthers Theatre at Gulfshore Playhouse, 100 Goodlette-Frank Road, Naples. Gulfshore Youth Academy offers this musical tale of a young girl with talents far beyond most, and how she empowers her friends to stand up to the adults who are mistreating them. $25. gulfshoreplayhouse.org or 239.261.7529

Ride the Cyclone: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 2, 2 p.m. Aug. 3 in the Glass Theatre at Sugden Community Theatre, 701 Fifth Ave. S., Naples. Six Canadian high school students tragically perish in a roller coaster accident. Awaking in a mysterious limbo, they are offered a second chance at life, but only if they can prove they deserve it in this story of thoughtful change. This is a special student-driven production — a collaboration of college students who are studying different areas of theatre and current Naples Players interns. $25. naplesplayers.org or 239.263.7990

Sweeney Todd Teen: 2 p.m. Aug. 9 and 10 and 7:30 p.m. Aug. 9 in in the Kizzie Theatre at Sugden Community Theatre, 701 Fifth Ave. S., Naples. The Naples Players Teen Academy presents the hauntingly engrossing Stephen Sondheim musical of two starving entrepreneurs who find a grimly novel way to start a thriving meat pie business. $25. naplesplayers.org or 239.263.7990.

A new boat with a new view

By Randy Kambic

There’s a lot more that goes on at All Water Excursions, in North Naples, than meets the eye.

Unseen from the turnoff on Tamiami Trail are its marina and boat launch on the Cocohatchee River, affording ultra-convenient access to many meandering tributaries and a two-mile path to the Gulf. And speaking of vision, the outfitter now offers a whole new vantage point to observe nature and wildlife, and also continues to facilitate “waterful” experiences throughout the region, not just in this estuary paradise.

Its fleet of 40 kayaks, 10 standup paddleboards, three pontoon boats and two canoes was greatly expanded upon in April, when 16 one-seat and eight two-seat GoBoat craft were added. Users sit several feet higher than they do in kayaks and can focus more on the wonders of nature by leaving paddles behind. The inflated, oval-shaped boats are easily steered left or right by turning the turret of the 12-volt, five-speed, battery-operated craft.

“It’s ideal if someone has a sore shoulder or just wants to totally relax on the water,” AWE President Jay Stemen said. “The response has been tremendous.”

First established at Vanderbilt Beach Marina in 1993, AWE moved to its present location nine years ago. The company also provides dolphin eco sunset tours, often to Wiggins Pass Beach or on the Intercoastal Waterway up to Bonita Beach; party boat fishing; shelling excursions;

special events; boat storage; and more.

“The water is browner [at the marina starting point] due to the tannins of the mangrove leaves that leach into the water,” said Jackie Emery, manager and one of two tour guides. “It gets lighter as you go out toward the Gulf due to more salinity of the water.”

Capt. Dave LeTourneau touted some of the many applications of the company’s pontoons: “Tours, go to a restaurant, eco-trip, shelling … you name it.”

He enjoys identifying some of the many fish that populate these waterways to customers including mangrove snapper, snook, red drum and mullet, the latter often seen jumping out of the water.

Additionally, AWE is the official outfitter for guests of the Perry Hotel, which opened in March directly across the river. It’s provided the

same service for Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa, and Hyatt Vacation Club at Coconut Cove, for 23 years.

Emery said dolphin and manatee sightings generate the most excitement on tours and that GoBoats afford more close-up views of mangroves for passengers to “gain an appreciation of their unique habitat.”

George Spears, a seasonal Naples resident from Ontario, has been storing his kayak at AWE for four years and heading out to the Gulf four days a week. “It’s my exercise,” he said. “It’s idyllic. It’s perfect for me. You are in a city one minute and then immersed in nature the next.”

AWE also is a nerve center in organizing water recreation events throughout our area, from Marco Island to Fort Myers Beach. Stemen collaborates with other area outfitters and vendors to amass enough craft to handle large groups. AWE’s three pontoons, along with 12 boats from others, once ferried nearly 400

BEHIND THE ARTIST

By J.C. Amodea

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, musician, vocalist and composer Ricky Howard is most comfortable with his guitar slung around his body. It has become an extension of his persona.

Performing more than half a century, he is as comfortable on stage as he is relaxing at home, and knows how to communicate his music to his audience with verve. Howard relocated to Southwest Florida in 2005 and infused the music scene with his personal jazz, rock and blues brand.

With a mother who was a folk singer and accompanied herself on guitar, music filled his home.

“My parents’ record collection was very eclectic, from jazz, folk and big band to pop,” Howard said; that would eventually permeate his every fiber and lead to a career in the industry. What were the twists and turns in his musical journey? We asked.

The Naples Press: When did you start playing gigs, and at what type of events?

Ricky Howard: I started playing when I was 14 or 15. I performed many types of gigs in New York bars and nightclubs, at weddings and bar mitzvahs and in venues from Carnegie Hall and Radio City to major northeast hotels in Atlantic City. In Florida, most notably, I have performed at Artis—Naples, Daniels Pavilion and Arts Bonita Performing Arts Center.

TNP: Who has most influenced you in developing your style and sound?

RH: You’d need an entire page to list my influences, mainly jazz greats Kenny Burrell, David Gilmour and Wes Montgomery and Latin rock legend Carlos Santana.

TNP: What are some of the bands you have developed over the years?

RH: WHAPP!!, original Frank Zappa-inspired rock; Iguazu, Latin jazz; The

A sit-down with musician Ricky Howard

Speedbumps, rockabilly (the rockabilly sound kicked off early rock with a blend of blues, gospel and country stylings during the ’50s); The Incorrigibles, rock; and Mudbone, a blues and funk band (a mix of jazz, Latin, reggae and zydeco).

TNP: How long have you been composing and recording music?

RH: I’ve been composing and recording original music since the ’70s. Search for Ricky Howard on Soundcloud to listen to my various musical projects. My songs are often played online at US 41 radio (which hosts the music of Southwest Florida artists).

TNP: You are a resident artist at Arts Bonita Performing Arts Center. How has that benefited you and your music, and have you produced shows at that venue?

RH: Being a resident artist at Arts Bonita allows me to expose my music to an appreciative and welcoming audience who are there to hear my music. I have produced “Guitar Fest,” “Latin Guitar Summit,” “Acoustic Unplugged,” “Classic Soul” and “Motown,” four The Incorrigibles band shows (the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s music), three jazz shows and two blues shows. At that venue, I have performed with many incredible guest artists, such as Danny Sinoff, Susie Hulcher, Josh Rowand, Rachelle Coba, Zach Bartholomew, Chuck Bergeron and Michael Cady.

TNP: How do audiences connect with an artist’s music?

RH: People connect with music if it’s real and if it makes them feel something, whether happy, sad or peaceful. Just like any art form, music is like life in that it has rhythm and harmony. But for me, the most important thing

employees to and from the Hyatt Regency and Big Hickory Island for a corporate party.

“It’s all about making things happen,” Stemen said. “We spread the wealth around.”

Stemen also is engaging area communities to make AWE a part of wellness programs for their residents. The first in this initiative is with nearby Kalea Bay.

“It’s a win-win for everyone,” he said. “We can bring craft to them or they come to us or both.”

Even after more than three decades, he still relishes creating pivotal customer experiences.

“Introducing kids to kayaking for the first time … they see their first dolphins,” he said. “I never tire of seeing these moments.”

AWE and other Naples outfitters include:

• All Water Excursions 239.594.0213 allwaterexcursionsmarina.com

Adventure Paddle Tours 844.372.3353 adventurepaddletours.com

• Extreme Family Fun Spot 239.396.4543

is that it brings joy. I love to make people and myself happy through my music, and that’s what I hope my audience feels when they listen to me play.

TNP: What have been the greatest challenges and disappointments you have faced in your career?

RH: The greatest challenges have been staying relevant, keeping working, keeping people interested in my music and attending performances, and constantly bettering myself as an artist. I have had many disappointments, but that is true for anyone in any career. Artists want to be appreciated, and when you feel you’re not appreciated, even though it hurts, you move on. But I’ve always found a way to keep going, to keep creating and to keep sharing my music.

TNP: What is your advice for a musician getting started in music?

RH: Not to brag. Instead, show what you can do and let your playing do the talking. Be yourself, work hard, play your fingers to the bone and be humble and friendly. It’ll take a little time, but you’ll make friends who will become colleagues. Play whatever you want and play the music in whichever genre suits you best. If you’re going to make a living, then play covers; if you don’t care about making a living, play original tunes. Learn about the area you will be playing and ask questions. Talk to other musicians and folks in the service industry, like servers, managers and agents; get to know your audience and find out what they want to hear.

TNP: You’ve enjoyed a long career; what’s ahead for you?

RH: At this point in my life and career, I want to enjoy playing and making good music with my friends and colleagues. Since I no longer dream of “making it,” I want to focus on composing and recording for my own sanity; I get great satisfaction from making people happy.

For more information about Ricky Howard, email rikfingers@comcast.net

SPORTS

Proud dad commences writing about Rebecca

Among the many lessons life has taught me over the years (lessons that sure feel rough as they are happening) is that no matter what valleys life can deliver, absolutely no one can take your education away from you.

So if you’d allow this humble scribe to be a tad indulgent, this moment we share is dedicated to the Class of 2025, of which there is a very special member. My daughter, Rebecca Wasson, walked across the stage this week as a newly installed graduate at Aubrey Rogers High School — proud strides in cap and gown that made me think about her life’s first steps and all the steps in between.

Fatherhood is interesting like that, especially when being the father of a daughter. This graduation almost perfectly coincides with Rebecca’s 18th birthday coming up June 6, dovetailing emotions of commencement and budding adulthood into all kinds of wistful joy within her old man.

I’ve tried very hard to provide for and counsel and fret about and love on this kid now for going on two decades. As I expressed in a column I penned celebrating her birth, it isn’t like these kids come with an instruction manual. You just gotta kind of figure it out as you go along and hope for the best.

That journey hasn’t been ideal for Rebecca or her old man. Life’s valleys, etc. Her interscholastic journey has taken her through several schools, but she has remained as happy-go-lucky as ever — even when dad packed up and chased his ESPN dream to Connecticut without her,

only to return a year later to begin anew yet again.

Along the way, Rebecca bloomed much like the rest of this Class of 2025 has, chasing her own dreams and experiences. Back in 2007, I said I would encourage her to play sports. Her journey took her a slightly different route, earning varsity letters at Aubrey Rogers as part of the band’s auxiliary team, and she is set to begin a journey running cross country as an NCAA athlete at Saint Leo in the fall.

This fills a dad with pride, of course, but I am even more proud of the fact that Rebecca has matured out of a decidedly testy stage of adolescence and into a confident, determined young lady. Back when this journey began, I would inwardly scoff at the more seasoned parents who would say all that time would pass in the blink of an eye — but man, the time between wide-eyed Rebecca crushing “wamelon” and “chippos” in her oversized Super Steve T-shirt and the current version who juggles two jobs and a bright educational future really did happen quick.

She is still my short stack, after all, but now I feel like I have to share Rebecca with her expanding world — which is both perfectly normal and shockingly tough to fully embrace.

Letting them go explore the world isn’t easy, as my fellow moms and dads in grandstands watching their babies walk across stages this week

will also attest. But we can also probably remember how filled with hope and promise and confidence and gusto we were when we walked across those same stages several thousand moons ago.

It is called commencement, after all, a word that actually means the beginning instead of the end.

The Class of 2025 took those first steps across those stages this week in the beginning of a new journey into the world, one that will be filled with tremendous peaks and treacherous valleys. We all filled it with pomp and circumstance and hugs and tears, but all we really wanted to do was just hold on for a smidge longer before they wander off on their own journey and away from the insulated nest. Is that pride that ran down my cheeks this week? Yes. It got dusty there in spots, and I offer no apologies. Because I am infinitely proud of Rebecca and the rest of the Class of 2025 for finishing one step of their life’s journey and striding confidently into the next steps.

So again, forgive me for using this valuable space for a column not really about sports, and is pretty much directed at one person. My kid accomplished a pretty cool thing this week, and she is hungry to get back in line for more of life’s infinite buffet. Congratulations, Rebecca. Congratulations, Class of 2025. You earned this moment. We can’t wait to see all the moments that lie ahead.

Gulfshore Sports with David Wasson airs weekdays from 3-5 p.m. on Southwest Florida’s Fox Sports Radio (105.9 FM in Collier County) and streaming on FoxSportsFM.com.

Up to the task: Henderlong relishes key role with FC Naples

By Randy Kambic

Karsen Henderlong fully accepts the responsibility, expectations and pressure that come with being a forward striker for FC Naples, the city’s first-ever pro soccer team.

“I like it,” he said recently. “I’m relied on. I go into every game knowing that’s my role.”

He also realizes there’s no post-game praise for near-misses.

“It comes with the position,” he said. And blending instinct and experience in choosing when to pull the trigger is part of the continual challenge, as well.

“It’s a game of split-second decisions,” he said. “I may only get one or two good opportunities to score in a given game. Through the years, a lot of the decision-making comes naturally. Maybe one more touch, get past the defender …” Judging by his performance so far in the squad’s inaugural season, he’s been making great choices. He has notched eight goals, five in league matches, to help propel FC Naples to a 7-4-2 overall record and, at press time, third place in USL League One at 4-3-2. His fast start earned Henderlong league Player of the Month honors for March.

“You have to have a lot of confidence,” he said. “Getting my first goal against Madison [in FC Naples’ first-ever win on March 15] helped. ‘I’m going to keep doing it!’” What he said to himself at that point came to fruition later in the same match. After accepting a pass from midfielder Ian Cerro, Henderlong’s left-footed blast found the back of the net. His most satisfying goal so far?

“Against Richmond [at home on April 12 in a 2-1 FC Naples victory],” he said. “I started at midfield, did a 55- to 60-yard sprint [to get in position to receive a pass from forward Andrés Ferrin to

score.] It defines the team’s determination.”

A native of Valparaiso, Indiana, Henderlong grew up in a soccer family. Three of his mother’s siblings played soccer in college. His favorite player while growing up was Thierry Henry, one of the greatest-ever players for Arsenal in the English Premier League who also represented France in World Cup play.

“I liked that he scored a lot of goals!” Henderlong said.

As a true Hoosier, he also enjoyed playing basketball as a youngster, and relates the confidence he thrives on in soccer to it.

“May have a few misses, but getting the first one through the hoop helps,” he said.

Henderlong joined FC Naples after his first professional season with Indy Eleven in the US Championship League, bringing a proven goal-scoring ability. A standout at Indiana University, he earned a first-team All-Big East

selection in 2021. He played a key role in its 2022 NCAA College Cup run, tallying 32 goals across 91 collegiate matches.

At 6-foot-3, his leaping ability in heading the ball is part of his skill set. Using his stout, 192pound frame in gaining and keeping control of the ball toward making shots is another.

“I work on my strength in the gym,” he said.

The team’s roster represents 12 nationalities.“We have a mix of many styles,” he said regarding his teammates. “Everyone has slightly different styles. With FC Naples, it’s mostly about speed, hard work, dedication and commitment. If you don’t have it, it won’t work. We work for each other as a team.”

This teamwork, especially with Ferrin and midfielders Jayden Onen and Chris Heckenberg, keeps increasing via practice and games. “We have more than 20 guys that have never played with each other [before this season.] If you haven’t played with someone, you don’t know what they will do in certain situations. I’m learning more and more what they want to do and what I can do.

“We talk during games, as well. We’re getting more trust [with each other], trust that they’ll put me in a good position and trust in me that I’ll score.”

Regarding FC Naples Head Coach Matt Poland, Henderlong said, “He’s brought us together as a team. Every coach has a different training approach. We work and play as a team.”

On how the community has rallied around the team: “The support from fans has been great. We appreciate it.”

Notes As he received a red card near the end of FC Naples’ match against Portland Hearts of Pine last Saturday, Henderlong will be ineligible to play in FC Naples’ next home game at 8 p.m. this Sunday, May 25, against Union Omaha.

COMICS & PUZZLES

1. ACRONYMS: What phrase does the acronym URL stand for?

2. MOVIES: What is the name of the ghost that haunts the girls' bathroom at Hogwarts ("Harry Potter" series)?

3. HISTORY: Which decisive battle ended the Revolutionary War?

4. LITERATURE: What is the pseudonym of the author Eric Arthur Blair?

5. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: Which of the national parks is the most visited in the United States?

6. TELEVISION: Which medical series is based at Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital?

7. GEOGRAPHY: What is the capital of Denmark?

U.S. STATES:

65

THE NAPLES PRESS CROSSWORD

74

76 ____ Fring, ‘‘Breaking Bad’’ antagonist

79 Spots for lavalier mics

81 Hebrew greeting