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SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) -Florida Fish and Wildlife officers have arrested a Collier County man for five misdemeanor charges related to violations against endangered or threatened species. Officials say the incident occurred on Jan 9, on Marco Island. Officers say Renardo Stewart accelerated and ran a golf cart through a flock of black skimmers resting on the beach. Marco Island Police Department detained Stewart and he admitted to driving the golf cart through the flock of birds. The black skimmer is protected by the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. It is also protected as State Threatened by Florida’s Endangered and Threatened...

A Pennsylvania woman on vacation in Florida took a tip from two dolphins to save a lost Doberman Pinscher that got stranded on a sandbar. When Audrey D'Alessandro and her husband, Sam, walked out of their home on Marco Island, near Naples, Fla., to go fishing, "we saw these two dolphins, and they were splashing and making this big commotion" in a canal behind their vacation home, she said. Although it is not uncommon to see dolphins swimming through the canal on their way to the Gulf of Mexico, Audrey D'Alessandro said that this time, "they were just there, in...

One might expect young teenage boys who played on the playground not too long ago, could still believe in the old finders, keepers rule. That wasn’t the case on Tigertail Beach a few weeks ago when four teenage boys saw a small red object near the water’s edge. “We all saw it at about the same time. I thought it was a mini Doritos bag ... We all guessed it was something different,” said Kyle Coenen. Kyle, 18 of Franklin, Wis. was vacationing with his family and three friends from school, all of Franklin. Kyle, Brad Stankowski, 19, Jason Kaczkowski,...

Category Three Major Hurricane Wilma is barreling toward the Southwest Florida coastline. The storm is packing wind speeds of 125mph, moving NW at 20mph, with an enormous eye 65 miles in diameter. Landfall is anticipated shortly in Collier County between 6:00 and 7:00AM ET. Storm surge flooding of 9 feet to 17 feet is possible along the coast near and to the south of where Wilma makes landfall. Storm surge of 5 to 8 feet is predicted for the Keys. The storm has spawned tornados throughout the Florida peninsula since yesterday evening. The following links are self-updating: Public Advisory Currently...

Saudi Arabian man accused of molesting girl wanted on new charge Saturday, June 7, 2003By CHRIS W. COLBY, cwcolby@naplesnews.com A Saudi Arabian man charged with sexually molesting a 12-year-old girl on Marco Island is wanted for arrest on a new set of charges that prompted a barrage of criticism of state prosecutors by the man's attorney. Jerry Berry, attorney for Farouk Murad, 66, complained prosecutor Steve Maresca reneged on an agreement to add a new lewd and lascivious molestation charge, a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison, to one Murad already faces in the July 2002 sexual...

Title says it all. Hicham Rhazouani a Muslim exchange student (do a search on Marco Island Rape), who was arrested and charged with the rape of an 11 yr old girl and breaking and entering has been given the green light and is presently back home in his palace back in Morocco. How you ask? 3 weeks ago an ambassador from Morocco arrived locally and before you knew it...DNA became inconclusive and Hicham was free to go home once his papers and travel arrangements were made. Still not angry? The Marco Island Hilton where Rhazouani was employed on a stay...

Saudi Arabian man accused of molesting girl fails to show in court Tuesday, August 13, 2002 By JANINE A. ZEITLIN, jazeitlin@naplesnews.com A frustrated mother shot off cell phone calls in the halls of the Collier County Courthouse on Monday after a Saudi man charged with sexually molesting her 13-year-old daughter didn't show for court. With little luck, she tried to find out why. Farouk Murad Dr. Farouk Murad, 66, a former Saudi Arabian government official and United Nations adviser, was listed on Monday's arraignment docket. But Assistant State Attorney Steve Maresca said Jerry Berry, Murad's criminal lawyer, filed a not-guilty...

SHOCKER! Farouk Murad the former U.N. employee accused of aggravated battery and assault on a minor in a Marco Island Hilton was a no show in court this morning after promising authorities he was going to show up. Murad's attorney entered a not guilty plea for him. The mother of the girl was quite angry she wasn't notified and spent the morning looking for him and to no avail NOTHING. The Naples Daily News will be doing a story on this due for release after midnight. Murad had reportedly offered a money settlement before leaving the country but it was...

Friday, July 19, 2002 By JANINE A. ZEITLIN, jazeitlin@naplesnews.com Marco Island police and Collier County court officials are at odds over who was to blame for the swift departure of a Saudi Arabian government official from the United States this week after his arrest on charges of sexual assault of a Marco girl. Court officials say Collier Circuit Judge Ted Brousseau had no way of knowing Dr. Farouk Murad, 66, was a flight risk when the judge set a $50,000 bond Sunday. Brousseau didn't seize Murad's passport. The only address listed on police reports of Murad's arrest was a post...

Man accused of sexually assaulting girl out on bond Tuesday, July 16, 2002 By VICTOR A. HILL, vahill@naplesnews.com A man police say sexually molested a 12-year-old girl and held her against her will Saturday at a resort on Marco Island was released on bond Monday afternoon, despite a recommendation from Marco police that bond be denied. Collier County Circuit Judge Ted Brousseau set a $50,000 bond for Farouk Murad, 66, at a hearing Monday and Farouk posted $50,000 in cash Monday afternoon, Collier County sheriff's officials said. Murad was charged early Sunday with lewd lascivious battery-sexual act with a person...

MFH? How are you? What is the latest with the Marco Island rape ? Are you ok? All of these things are being answered in this post with the exclusive news as of tonight. So here it goes. I thank all of you for your support and kind thoughts and prayers.All of one other person on here knows exactly what was and has been going on with me. But I feel a little bit more confident in speaking now. As of 6-27-02 the I.N.S. made a clean sweep of the Marco Island Hilton Resort and Spa. All visa's for visiting...

CNN BREAKING: Report: Saudi Arabia diplomat confirms nationals held in Morocco June 15, 2002 RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) -- A Saudi diplomat has reportedly confirmed for the first time that three men detained in Morocco for allegedly planning attacks on U.S. and British warships are natives of the kingdom. Al-Eqtisadiah, a Saudi daily, on Saturday quoted Abdul Aziz al-Khojah as saying a Saudi investigative team has arrived in Morocco to follow ongoing investigations into the three Saudis. Moroccan officials identified the three men as Saudis earlier this week when they confirmed their arrests. The three, who were taken into custody...