Newspaper Clips - Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Wish you were here: Among the wildlife at Billie Swamp Safari
(Coastal Beat.com © 12/31/2008)
NAPLES — Whether you are coming from Naples and going east or coming from Fort Lauderdale and going west, it’s hard to miss the signs for Billie Swamp Safari. The first time I visited my parents in Southwest Florida, my plane landed in Miami. One of my most vivid memories of that trip is the brutal heat that engulfed me as I stepped out of the airport. After a few weeks of cool Califor

Deputy director hire excites agency officials
(Daytona Beach News-Journal © 12/31/2008)
There is a new face on the economic development front in Flagler County. Gregory Rawls has been named deputy director at Enterprise Flagler, the county's public/private economic development agency. Rawls comes to Flagler County from Desoto County, where he served as director of economic development and tourism. "He is a results-oriented professional who offers a solid background of experien

Tourists swarm the Keys for the holidays
(Florida Keys Keysnet © 12/31/2008)
It may bug the locals and the snowbirds that head south for the winter, but the Keys have experienced a much-needed tourist influx the past week. As late as Tuesday afternoon, U.S. 1 was clogged with visitors heading south to celebrate the new year in the Keys. Florida Department of Transportation traffic cameras showed a bottleneck forming near mile marker 90 on Plantation Key, where the highwa

1,300 new hotel rooms opening in Lee County
(Ft. Myers-WBBH (NBC) © 12/31/2008)
LEE COUNTY: Finding a place to stay is about to get even easier in Lee County. There are over 1,000 new hotel rooms opening within the next year. The increased competition will mean lower rates for guests and a new set of concerns for hotels already struggling to stay afloat. Hotel Indigo is opening soon in Downtown Fort Myers and we found out there are other areas where you can expect to se

Details of Red Sox spring training sites revealed
(Lehigh News Star © 12/31/2008)
Only two of the 13 proposals submitted to Lee County last week for a Boston Red Sox spring-training project offer to donate the 80 acres county officials had requested. Jim Lavender, the county's public works director, said two will offer 80 acres and another offered between 40 and 45 acres. The other developers offered to sell land to the county, some for a discount. "I was encoura

History: The tale of Olde Naples Pier
(Naples Sun Times © 12/31/2008)
When Hurricane Donna rolled over Naples in 1960, most of the pier collapsed. First came the hotel, and then the pier. In January 1888, there was, as yet, no pier. Before it, the Naples Company used the fastest steamship on the coast, Capt. Merritt's Fearless, which the company purchased. This ship, which ran from Punta Gorda to Naples, entered through Gordon Pass and sailed up into

Bob Ardren credited with idea for new Circus Heritage Guide
(Pelican Press © 12/31/2008)
  The Sarasota Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) has unveiled "Sarasota’s Circus Heritage Guide," a new brochure and map highlighting 10 circus-themed destinations throughout Sarasota County. In addition to promoting the historic connections to Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey and the other circuses that once called Sarasota County home, the brochure pays tribute to the l

Out with the 'old council"
(Pensacola News Journal © 12/31/2008)
The countdown is on. Pensacola's current City Council already is referred to as "the old council," and many people are more interested in speculating about what "the new council" will do after it takes office Jan. 12. But a look back will show that "the old council" accomplished a lot, in its own way. Members were involved in decisions going back in some cases to the late 1980s. Soon, however,

Zoo hoping for a bright 2009
(Pensacola News Journal © 12/31/2008)
JAHNA JACOBSON Pelican correspondent The bears may be hibernating and the alligators deep in a winter sleep, but everyone else at the Zoo of Northwest Florida is ready to kick off a new year with new events, renewed passion, and an eye to the future. "We're very excited," said Danyelle Lantz, executive director of the 24-year-old, 50-acre Gulf Breeze animal park. "Looking back at 2008, we are t

Sarasota's 10 Best Florida Getaways
(Sarasota Magazine © 12/31/2008)
If you’re a golf aficionado who likes chilling with the guys, the Guilt-Free Golf package at Amelia Island Plantation is for you. This Jacksonville-area resort boasts 72 holes of championship golf, dozens of tennis courts and pools, a spa, eateries galore and a range of accommodations—from the swanky beachfront hotel to private villas. The package (for four guys) includes daily golf, c

3-year-old ostrich dies at Woodland Park Zoo
(Seattle Times © 12/31/2008) (Registration Required)
A 3-year-old female ostrich died unexpectedly last week, said the Woodland Park Zoo. She was found inside the animal's heated barn. In captivity, ostriches can live up to 50 years. Virtually nothing is known about adult survival rates and longevity in the wild, according to the zoo. A postmortem examination "revealed significant disease in several organ systems," said the zoo, but a final caus

Party Like It's 2009!
(Tampa Tribune © 12/31/2008)
Looking to get out this New Year's Eve? The options are plentiful, of course. Among them: TBPAC's New Year's Eve Party See the musical "Spring Awakening" and/or stay for an after party with live music, cash bar, party favors, a large screen TV featuring the ball drop and a champagne toast at midnight; Maestro's offers special dinner packages. When: 5:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. Where: Tampa Bay Perf

Museums, tourist sites tap historic Obama swearing-in
(Washington Times, © 12/31/2008)
Presidents are "in" again, and that means Washington is a hot spot. With Barack Obama moving into the White House next month and the ongoing celebration of Abraham Lincoln's life, the nation's capital and its many tourism sites have been thrust into the spotlight. As the nation installs its first black president, dozens of exhibits and attractions early next year are touching on the inaugu