Naples Police blotter blog

The Naples Police have unveiled a new blotter blog to provide information about recent crimes and arrests. It’s here, if you’d like to view it.

Annual Meeting recap and thanks

Our Annual Association meeting was a great success! Thank you to all the neighbors who attended; it was a great pleasure to see you!

Thanks also to Orchid Dr. resident Bob Sitta, who gave us some interesting history of the neighborhood, which turns 55 in April; to NPD Master Officer Keith Mason, who gave us some information about Naples crime and tips on how to protect ourselves, as well as thanks to his captain, Capt. Adams, who also attended; to Naples Councilman John Sorey, who gave us some information about what’s on the city’s agenda and answered some questions; to City Manager Bill Moss, who reminded us about why Naples is such a great place to live; and to City Planner Robin Singer, who told us about a neighborhood planning process that’s currently underway.

Thanks also to all the 2008-2009 Board Members who were able to attend.

We hope to see many or all of you again for the Spring Picnic, held annually in April at Lowdermilk Park!

MLK Day events in the City

The City of Naples has two official MLK Day events planned, if you’re interested in attending, or would just like to know where the traffic will be. They are a parade (from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.), and a MLK Day celebration (immediately following the parade), in Cambier Park until 4 p.m.

Naples City Planning Questionnaire

The City of Naples is in the process of updating its existing neighborhood action plans, which were originally created in 1996.

You can participate in the updating of these plans by filling out a planning questionnaire, which asks about specific concerns for the city and for your neighborhood.

Don’t forget! Annual meeting on Sunday!

Don’t forget! The Annual Coquina Sands Association meeting will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Sunday at the Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Club in the Sunset Terrace (Gulf side).

Light refreshments are provided, as are two complimentary cocktails. There is also a cash bar. This is a free event for Coquina residents.

See you soon!

Safety tips

Here are some safety tips provided by Coquina’s Community Liaison, Officer Keith Mason.

Holiday tips:

• Store gifts before you go away on a holiday trip.  Don’t display holiday gifts where they can be seen from a window.
• If you go out for the evening, turn on lights and a radio or television so the home appears occupied.  If you are out of town don’t leave lights on 24 hours a day.
• Participate in Operation Identification, mark your belonging with a unique identification number.  Mark new gifts with your number and record the serial numbers.
• Avoid leaving boxes from purchases out at the curb well ahead of trash pick-up dates.

Vacation tips:

• Notify the police department of your vacation by completing a vacant home form accessible through www.naplespolice.com
• Stop deliveries of mail and newspapers.
• Have a trusted neighbor look after your home.
• Give your house the lived-in appearance to help discourage burglars.
• Leave drapes in the normal position, use automatic timers to turn on/off lights in different room at different times especially in bathrooms.  Turn the bell to your phone down to low.
• Have a neighbor park in your driveway.

Recent break-ins

Officer Keith Mason, Coquina’s community liaison, has asked the following information be shared with the neighborhood. His email was dated Dec. 20.

Last night we had a residential burglary on Palm Circle W. This is the fourth burglary in the past few weeks. Two have occurred in Lake Park, one in Coquina Sands and now this one. The suspects are entering either by force or through unlocked doors. Jewelry and cash has been the target in these burglaries.

Please encourage residents to lock their doors, windows and if they have an alarm to set it. It seems the time frame the burglaries are occurring is during the early evening hours, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Any suspicious activity, strange vehicles in neighbors driveways or stranger walking the neighborhood should be reported to the Naples Police Department, not through my desk phone or email. Main number to the Police Department is 213-4844 or in an emergency, 911.

As some of you know, the Coquina burglary Officer Mason is referencing occurred on Banyan Blvd., while the owners of the home were away.

Coquina Sands has a Neighborhood Watch program, which is headed by Mike Zimmerman. If you are interested in learning more or participating, email him at napleszim@aol.com

Annual Meeting to be held at the Naples Beach Club

The Coquina Sands Association hopes you’ll join them for this important neighborhood event: The annual Coquina Sands Association meeting, to be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 18 at the Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Club in the Sunset Terrace.

During this meeting, board members for the 2008 year will be elected, and committee reports will be given. We’ll be recognizing Officer Keith Mason for his work to our community, and a special guest, to be announced in December, will also speak.

In addition to accomplishing neighborhood business, the free meeting is a great opportunity to enjoy light refreshments with members of the community. The Association provides two complimentary cocktail tickets, and a cash bar also will be available.

We look forward to seeing you all at this special event!

Tentative date set for Annual Beach Party

The Coquina Sands Association has set a tentative date for the Annual Beach Party, which is held at the pavilion at Lowdermilk Park. It will be Sunday, April 5, from 2 to 5 p.m.

More details will be released soon!

A Coquina community directory: Yes or No?

Would you be interested in the Coquina Sands Homeowners Association working to put together a Coquina Sands community directory?

The directory would include resident names, addresses, emails and telephone numbers, and would be distributed to the Coquina community. It would be intended as a way for Coquina residents to better know and contact their neighbors.