Fort Myers Beach, Florida

It’s the touchy issue always brought up by residents when talking about upcoming Collier County projects — the Vanderbilt Beach Road extension. But how did the project fare in 2008?

It’s the touchy issue always brought up by residents when talking about upcoming Collier County projects — the Vanderbilt Beach Road extension. But how did the project fare in 2008?

It’s the touchy issue always brought up by residents when talking about upcoming Collier County projects — the Vanderbilt Beach Road extension. But how did the project fare in 2008?

A man barricaded himself inside his Cape Coral home Sunday night.

Quail West is humming along. The two championship Arthur Hills golf courses are open. The golf shop is fully stocked. The resort-style clubhouse is busy with activities, from bridge games and bocce to dinner dances and wine tastings. The clay tennis courts are ready for play. Though its most recent developer has fallen on hard times, not much else has changed at the high-end North Naples community with multimillion-dollar estate homes on oversized lots. Home prices are anywhere from .5 million to more than million.

Quail West is humming along. The two championship Arthur Hills golf courses are open. The golf shop is fully stocked. The resort-style clubhouse is busy with activities, from bridge games and bocce to dinner dances and wine tastings. The clay tennis courts are ready for play. Though its most recent developer has fallen on hard times, not much else has changed at the high-end North Naples community with multimillion-dollar estate homes on oversized lots. Home prices are anywhere from .5 million to more than million.

In the summer of 1923, Collier County’s first sheriff patrolled the sprawling wilderness, larger than the state of Delaware, with his wife and his dogs. There were no paved roads and no electric lights. Bootlegging was rampant. A trip from Everglades City to Immokalee took days. The agency has come a long way from its beginning as a one-man show. Over the past 86 years, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office has grown up with the county it protects, developing a proud and colorful history all its own.On Tuesday, nearly 86 years later, Collier County will swear in a new sheriff, the county’s seventh, when longtime lawman Kevin Rambosk takes the baton from Sheriff Don Hunter, who has held the job 20 years.

In the summer of 1923, Collier County’s first sheriff patrolled the sprawling wilderness, larger than the state of Delaware, with his wife and his dogs. There were no paved roads and no electric lights. Bootlegging was rampant. A trip from Everglades City to Immokalee took days. The agency has come a long way from its beginning as a one-man show. Over the past 86 years, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office has grown up with the county it protects, developing a proud and colorful history all its own.On Tuesday, nearly 86 years later, Collier County will swear in a new sheriff, the county’s seventh, when longtime lawman Kevin Rambosk takes the baton from Sheriff Don Hunter, who has held the job 20 years.

Monday will be the last full day for two sheriffs in Southwest Florida.

Chad Pennington waited in front of his end zone, the last line of defense for the Miami Dolphins.

Mike Smith and Tony Sparano performed so brilliantly as rookie head coaches it was almost impossible to separate them.

Florida legislators begin their search Monday for areas to carve .3 billion from the current state budget.

A man was rushed to Lee Memorial Hospital after someone shot him.

Southwest Florida residents looking for some fresh produce found a wide variety of just that — and more — in local farmer’s markets across Collier County on Saturday. Third Street South Farmer’s Market is from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Saturdays at the parking lot behind Tommy Bahama’s, 1201 Third St. S. North Goodlette Farmer’s Market is free and open to the public from 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays through April 1. The farmer’s market at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 3901 Davis Blvd., opens from 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays through April.

Like the rest of the world, Southwest Florida will have both eyes on the economy in 2009. With that in mind, the Daily News has its focus on these dozen people to shape the news in the new year: