Moving toward downtown revitalization

The snowball rolling downhill toward Bonita Springs Old 41 revitalization is growing and rolling without assistance, working its way toward reality. Even members of the City Council who had opposed previous revitalization efforts supported a move Monday to bring the first major redevelopment project ...

Supersize Your RSS

With the release of Windows Vista later this month, RSS is getting ready for its close-up. This collection of tips -- for newbies and old news-reader junkies alike -- will show you how to get the most out of your news feeds. By Scott Gilbertson.

First Old 41 revitalization project gets the nod

When part-time Bonita Springs resident James Halverson heard of the city's plans to revitalize the Old 41 corridor, he wanted a piece of the action. Now, he has the first development of Bonita's new downtown.

Man Survives Fall From 17th Floor

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- A man crashed through a double-paned window in a hotel on Saturday and plummeted 16 floors - but survived when he was caught by a roof overhang....

Population of exotic pythons explodes in preserves

Deborah Jansen plopped the white plastic trash bag onto the grass and reached inside to reveal its contents: a Burmese python, flattened the night before along U.S. 41 East. Blood dripped from the snake?s mouth as Jansen, a wildlife biologist, uncoiled the snake to its full length and measured from mouth ...

Builders gasp at county's proposed impact fee

Collier County builders have a simple response to the county's proposal to charge new construction a fee to pay for affordable housing: Let's talk.

Had Too Many? Ask Fla. Police for a Ride

SHALIMAR, Fla. (AP) -- Residents in this Panhandle town can call the police for a ride home if they have had too many drinks. The new service was posted in the town's online newsletter Jan. 2, according to the Northwest Florida Daily News. The Shalimar police will take residents who are too drunk to ...

Rezoning sought for King Richard?s Family Fun Park

Parents and kids who thought a popular Southwest Florida amusement park wouldn?t close in the name of redevelopment are now finding out that plans are moving ahead for the site to become a new residential neighborhood.

Georgia Bank Robbed Two Days in a Row

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. (AP) -- Lt. Steve Rose of the Sandy Springs Police Department summed it up well, "It's weird." He was talking about two robberies at the Wachovia Bank in Sandy Springs that happened two days in a row. "That's the first time I've seen anything like that within 24 hours of each other," ...

Rich Girl Gets Wrong Color Car

Poor girl!

Lee housing market to stay soft

Expect Lee County's housing prices to stay soft for another 12 to 15 months before the market turns around, consultant Michael Timmerman told the...

Google?s Answer to Filling Jobs: New Algorithm

Google is starting to look for well-rounded candidates, like those who have published books or started their own clubs.

Realtors looking for an upswing in 2007

After a rocky year in 2006, local Realtors expect the market to smooth out in 2007. They?re seeing signs of improvement. Phone calls and showings for homes have picked up over the past two months. Pending sales improved slightly in November.

Woman Tells Cop She Bought 'Bad Crack'

HAWTHORNE, Fla. (AP) -- A North Carolina woman was arrested after complaining to a police officer that the crack cocaine she had just purchased wasn't very good, authorities said....

New NYC Taxis to Have TV and Tracking

NEW YORK (AP) -- New York's next generation of cabs is coming - complete with TV. The new features - designed to help riders pass the time, pay the fare and even find their lost umbrellas - are expected to start hitting the streets within two weeks....

Scraping by on $150,000 a year

If she thought it would really fix her family's finances, Amy Schuett would make it her New Year's resolution to squeeze every bit of extra spending from the family budget.

Nintendo to replace straps for 3.2 million Wii remotes

The reception of Nintendo?s Wii video game console has been enthusiastic ? too enthusiastic, apparently, for the straps that are supposed to keep the game controllers in the hands of players.

World's Tallest Man Saves China Dolphins

BEIJING (AP) -- The world's tallest man saved two dolphins in northeast China by reaching inside of them with his 3-foot arms to remove plastic they had swallowed, state media and an aquarium official said Thursday....

Man Pulls 7-Foot Python From Toilet

SYDNEY, Australia (AP) -- An Australian wildlife worker pulled a 7-foot python out of a septic tank Wednesday after a plumber found it hiding in a woman's toilet, officials said....

Dinner With La. Gov. Goes $1 at Auction

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Call it a sign of the times for Louisiana's embattled governor: A chance to dine with Gov. Kathleen Blanco fetched a winning bid of $1 at a recent fundraising auction hosted by a group of business leaders....