Author: NFLS

Nordstrom Rack, ‘mini-Mercato’, Chicago chain, new restaurants among arrivals for Estero

Written by NFLS on September 23, 2025. Posted in Naples News.

Nordstrom Rack, ‘mini-Mercato’, Chicago chain, new restaurants among arrivals for Estero Nordstrom Rack, ‘mini-Mercato’, Chicago chain, new restaurants among arrivals for Estero Estero is experiencing a significant surge in retail and dining options, transforming its landscape and potentially drawing shoppers away from more established areas like Naples’ Fifth Avenue South and Third Street South. While Naples boasts iconic shopping destinations and a vibrant culinary scene, the influx of new businesses in Estero presents a compelling alternative,...

Mayan Princess Mari Jimenez

Written by NFLS on September 23, 2025. Posted in Events & Festivals.

Mayan Princess Mari Jimenez: A Naples Teenager Bridges Cultures Seventeen-year-old Mari Jimenez, a vibrant and articulate resident of Naples, Florida, carries a legacy rich in tradition and cultural pride. Her journey, interwoven with the vibrant threads of Mayan heritage and the modern tapestry of American life, is a testament to the power of embracing one’s roots while navigating a diverse world. This week, in a poignant StoryCorps interview with her family friend Genelle Grant, Mari shared her experiences, highlighting her journey to becoming a Mayan Princess and her unwavering...

Gleason-Schwartz Remember 1950’s Life on the Barrier Islands

Written by NFLS on September 23, 2025. Posted in Schools & Education.

Gleason-Schwartz Remember 1950’s Life on the Barrier Islands Gleason-Schwartz Remember 1950’s Life on the Barrier Islands Friends and “sand sisters” 65-year-old Deb Gleason of Sanibel and 67-year-old Diane Schwartz of Englewood share memories of growing up on Sanibel and Captiva in the 1950s. They both collected and sold sea shells to stores and exporters. They both lived through Hurricane Donna in 1960. And they both moved there in the second grade and attended a one-room schoolhouse. Their intertwined stories paint a vivid picture of a simpler time, a stark contrast to...

James and Rachel Bass Talk About Their Interracial Marriage

Written by NFLS on September 23, 2025. Posted in Moving to Naples.

James and Rachel Bass Talk About Their Interracial Marriage James and Rachel Bass, a Cape Coral couple, recently shared their deeply personal story of love, overcoming prejudice, and adapting to life in Southwest Florida as part of this week’s StoryCorps of Southwest Florida initiative. Their candid conversation reveals the complexities of an interracial marriage in a region grappling with its own evolving racial landscape, offering a powerful testament to resilience and understanding. From Different Worlds to a Shared Future James, a successful entrepreneur originally from Detroit, and...

Eunice Wiley Was The First Black Teacher At East Elementary

Written by NFLS on September 23, 2025. Posted in Schools & Education.

Eunice Wiley Was The First Black Teacher At East Elementary Eunice Wiley Was The First Black Teacher At East Elementary By Martha Bireda Seventy years young, Eunice Wiley radiates a quiet strength that belies the monumental challenges she overcame. Her story, one of unwavering determination and quiet dignity in the face of blatant prejudice, is a testament to the enduring power of education and the unwavering spirit of a woman who refused to be defined by the limitations imposed upon her. This is the story of Eunice Wiley, the first Black teacher at East Elementary School in Punta...

Alberita Johnson Talks About Racial Violence & Segregation

Written by NFLS on September 23, 2025. Posted in Schools & Education.

Alberita Johnson Talks About Racial Violence & Segregation Alberita Johnson Talks About Racial Violence & Segregation Alberita Johnson, a resident of Fort Myers, recently shared her powerful and poignant life story at a StoryCorps mobile booth in Fort Myers. Her conversation with her close friend, Genelle Grant, revealed a lifetime navigating the complexities of racial prejudice and segregation, from the integrated, yet still racially charged, schools of 1970s Queens, New York, to the more subtly segregated landscape of Southwest Florida in the 2000s. Johnson’s...