Fort Myers Beach, Florida

After 30 years with the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, and 20 years at the agency’s helm, Sheriff Don Hunter officially signed out for the last time on Monday.

City Council’s meeting began for the first time in months without a cement wall between City Hall and neighbor Andrew Guidry’s physicians’ office. With parking once again open and shared between City Hall’ and its neighbor, as decided in a December meeting, Council began Monday afternoon addressing a new dispute between the city and three contracting firms regarding bids on sewer construction.

Officials say South Florida saw an “average” amount of rainfall in 2008, as a drought was offset by a deluge caused by Tropical Storm Fay.

The committee selecting companies to work on the new Red Sox spring training complex has pared the list of design groups to five.

A big decision is looming that could have a major impact on businesses in Downtown Fort Myers. Fort Myers City Council members are trying to decide whether to allow people under the age of 21 into downtown bars.

A San Carlos Park car wash handles dirty cars everyday, but no car wash could handle what an RV dumped down the drain. Left to clean up the mess, the owner of the car wash tried to find out who was responsible.

Charlotte County Sheriff’s detectives are asking the public if they saw anyone loading up cattle into a trailer alongside I-75 in Charlotte County early Monday morning.

A few months ago, the transportation problem was very specific in Southwest Florida. High gas prices were putting the pinch on middle class families and retirees alike. Then, -a-gallon gas gave way to a full-blown recession, and the economy thrust thousands of at-risk residents into financial quandaries of broader consequence than keeping the gas tank full. Now, the faltering economy is passing on a larger burden to agencies that provide non-profit or grant-driven transportation assistance.

Biologists with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission found 337 manatee carcasses in state waters in 2008, an increase over 2007 but below the five-year average, the agency’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute reported this afternoon.

Biologists with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission found 337 manatee carcasses in state waters in 2008, an increase over 2007 but below the five-year average, the agency’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute reported this afternoon.

Biologists with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission found 337 manatee carcasses in state waters in 2008, an increase over 2007 but below the five-year average, the agency’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute reported this afternoon.

The only place to go from rock bottom is up.Certainly, Southwest Florida retailers, Realtors, restaurants and others whose businesses struggled because of a shaky economy in 2008 hope that 2009 brings better news. A summary of five of the top businesses stories from the past year:

Charlotte County Sheriff’s detectives are asking the public if they saw anyone loading up cattle into a trailer alongside I-75 in Charlotte County early Monday morning.

Two weeks ago, Nick Alajajian was walking the halls of Naples High School. Last week, he was playing alongside some of the nation’s other top prep players at the Army All-American game. Tomorrow, he officially becomes a Florida Gator.

The NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes jerseys worn by Florida Everblades players on January 3 are now available for auction on-line at eBay. Each jersey worn during that game will be up for bid from January 5 – January 15.