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BILL BARNETT

023 is a special year for my wife Chris and myself. Although of food on hand and be prepared to be snowbound and they were.
we moved to Naples within months of each other, we each We spoke with our family daily and they all did well, but it was a
2had been previously married. The year was 1973, which makes snowstorm that won’t be forgotten for a long time. If you haven’t
2023 fifty years for each of us living in Naples, Florida. In my 50 guessed, we are avid Bills fans and their scheduled home game last
years I have always been a resident of the City of Naples, and we week had to be moved to Detroit because of too much snow. They
got married in 1985, so Chris has been a City resident for a lot of made it there and the stories about how they got there were great.
years as well. Lots of help from neighbors and fans all over the City, they all made
Just a very brief synopsis if I could turn the clock back right now it. They played their game, barely won, and flew home. Then turned
as you read this to what an average day in January 1973 might be like. around and went right back there for Thanksgiving and won again
U.S. 41 (Tamiami Trail) was two lanes. There was no Park Shore or and went right back home. Someday they will all have stories for
anything North. The area being developed was the Moorings and that their grandkids!
was as far North as it went with Ketch and Starboard Drive being at What is my guess for 2023 politically in the City of Naples?
the end. The population was approximately 5,000 people, including This is just my opinion which doesn’t mean a lot, so don’t hold me
the entire County. Sidewalks were at to it. Our City Council elections will
a minimum and Fifth Avenue South be in February or March of 2024 and
was the Main Street with a pharmacy, the current Mayor and three Council
a few retail stores, a bank, and a few members will have terms that are
office buildings. Wynn's grocery expiring. I think that in late Spring of
store which was tiny then, not like this year you will start to hear rumblings
today, and two very good restaurants, about potential Mayoral Candidates
Piccadilly Pub and St. George & the and Council Candidates. Whether
Dragon. No malls! Lots of beautiful the current Mayor decides to run for
uninhabited beaches and Port Royal another term is just a flip of the coin at
had started developing in 1969 so it this time. Although the City looks very
was fledgling. Great fishing with a few good and the City employees have done
local guides who had grown up here. a great job making Naples look good
Yes, you guessed it, Naples, Florida, after the hurricane, it’s what you don’t
was a dot on a map and was definitely see that is worrisome. It will take years
undiscovered. I could fill many pages and take you through the years to rebuild from the damage caused by Hurricane Ian.
and I might just do that in a future article because it’s been a while Once again, I’ll say it, although 2023 is a Centennial year, I just
since I’ve done that and it’s fun writing about and more fun to read. am not comfortable with all kinds of celebrations and events going
I would definitely be remiss if I didn’t talk about my favorite on with many of our local residents who have lost their homes and
Buffalo Bills and the recent blizzard that they had. Also try and have nothing to celebrate. Sure, have a few recognitions that it is a
remember as you read this that we write our articles for Life in Centennial year and wait a year for some of the bigger celebrations.
Naples at least a month in advance and sometimes a little longer. One thing that’s a sure bet, they won’t listen to me but there will be
As I write this article it’s shortly after Thanksgiving. We spend our those who read this that will understand where I’m coming from.
summers about thirty miles from the City of Buffalo as my wife is I say this every year at this time, remember if you have company
from Buffalo and a lot of her family still lives there. We have many in town and you’re going out to one of our phenomenal restaurants,
nephews and nieces there and although living in the Buffalo area of make a dinner reservation or you’ll be shut out!!!!!!!!
course you’re used to snow and sometimes a lot of it, but never like
Okay, A Happy Healthy New Year especially
this. In Orchard Park where a few of them live they had a record of
77 inches of snow. I think the kids loved it the first day, but that got for all of those who really need one!
old fast. All residents were warned to have at least three full days Bill Barnett, Former Mayor
I do respond to e-mails at: mayornaples@gmail.com

8 Life in Naples | January 2023