Fort Myers Beach, Florida

You may not have to pay ,000 to see Gov. Sarah Palin in Southwest Florida. Sen. John McCain’s running-mate is expected to make a public appearance in Lee County next Monday.

Starting Wednesday, entry prices at the Sun-N-Fun Lagoon will increase for those who are not Collier County residents. The daily entry fees will be free for children 3 or younger; .50 for individuals shorter than 4 feet; for individuals 4 feet or taller; and, for seniors.

Collier County Sheriff Don Hunter is investigating how the jail mistakenly released an Immokalee man who was being held without bond pending a retrial on cocaine trafficking charges. Sheriff’s employees on Monday blamed the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s Office for the Sept. 25 release, saying the clerk hadn’t notified them about the status of Armando “Snuff” Alcantar, 35, who was sent to the county jail from state prison on Sept. 19 after an appellate court overturned his conviction in August.

Three months ago, Naples City Council refused to pay part of the legal bills its attorney racked up during a dispute over Naples City Dock and mooring fields. Naples City Attorney Bob Pritt will recommend resolving the issue Wednesday by settling an outstanding balance with the law firm of Oertel, Fernandez, Cole and Bryant, P.A.

Walking through the hallways of Seacrest Country Day School, one rarely hears “Hello” anymore. Among some of the younger students, it’s “Ni hao.”
Seacrest Country Day School in East Naples started a program this school year that teaches Mandarin to prekindergarten through third-grade students during the school day. Students in grades four to nine can also learn Mandarin after school as part of a club.

A 31-year-old Golden Gate Estates woman who embezzled nearly ,000 from a title company was sentenced to house arrest and probation after reimbursing her employer. The restitution payment by Shannon DelReal was the first time in the history of the Collier County Economic Crimes Unit that a defendant fully paid up before sentencing, Assistant State Attorney James Molenaar told Circuit Court Judge Fred Hardt on Monday.

A 61-year-old man was jailed Monday after police officers say he stalked a woman and was looking through windows of her Marco Island condominium. Daniel J. Chapple, 591 Seaview Court, Unit A-109, Marco Island, was charged with one count of stalking.

Tuesday, Lee County Commissioners awarded a landscaping contract to a company charging nearly ,000 more than the lowest bidder.

A driver says he nearly died and his Infiniti went in the drink after he was cut off by another driver Tuesday afternoon.

With members of Congress returning to Capitol Hill later this week to take another shot at an economic bailout bill, there are big questions about how long it can wait before major effects are felt locally.

Eight medications used in emergency medical calls are being pulled from Collier County fire trucks with advanced life support. It’s a decision made by the medical director of the county’s Emergency Medical Services amid friction about potential consolidation of EMS with the fire districts.

A young Florida panther was struck and killed by a vehicle in Everglades National Park Monday night.

The two sides in a dispute over expansion of the Naples Sailing and Yacht Club into Naples Bay are asking for more time to hammer out a deal.
The yacht club filed an administrative challenge in 2007 after the state Department of Environmental Protection denied a permit for the club to add 20 slips to its marina at the northern end of Naples Bay south of U.S. 41 East.

A local business is hoping to help the job market by giving out free haircuts.