Pine Island Eagle by BreezeNewspapers

WEEk of JaNuarY 17, 2024 FLIER INSIDE

Something new? SWFL & Lee County Fair re-branded as Southwest Florida Ag Expo — INSIDE pINEISlaND-EaglE.com

VolumE 47, NumbEr 37

The front of the Salt & Poppy boutique, left, and a sample of some of the items you wil find in the new store, below. PHOTOS BY PAULETTE LEBLANC

Salt & Poppy boutique to open Thursday New shop owned by actor and stand-up comedian Kevin Farley with his wife, writer and director Michelle Wendt By PAULETTE LeBLANC

pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com

In an endeavor to become a part of the Pine Island community, stand-up comedian Kevin Farley and wife, director and Emmy Award-winning writer Michelle Wendt, are opening specialty store, Salt & Poppy, in Bokeelia on Jan. 18. The couple met in New York, Wendt said, while she was directing a musical she wrote, in which Farley was cast. After closing the chapter on a global pandemic and a ghastly hurricane, Farley and Wendt are now putting down roots as islanders, and opening a new chapter as retail store owners. Salt & Poppy is not a place you just run through, said Wendt, as she is hoping people find joy in the See SALT & POPPY, page 14

Water quality tops discussion at GPICA meeting By PAULETTE LeBLANC

pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com

Calusa Waterkeeper Emeritus John Cassani was invited to give a presentation on the Basin Management Plan at the January meeting of the Greater Pine Island Civic Association. Cassani began by saying it has been his experience that Pine Islanders are typically more informed on issues pertaining to water quality than anyone. There are two BMAPS available in Lee County, he said. One is called the Everglades Westcoast and the other is the Caloosahatchee BMAP, both addressing low dissolved oxygen and nutrients as a causative agent. “(Caloosahatchee BMAP) started out as the Estuary— Caloosahatchee Estuary BMAP and in 2019 — it was pretty much consensus to include the rest of the impaired water bodies in the fresh water river — that would be upstream of the Franklin Lock, so they now call it the See WATER QUALITY, page 8

Calusa Land Trust’s 48th Annual Meeting Sunday at Fritts Park The 48th Annual Meeting of the Calusa Land Trust will be held Sunday, Jan. 21, beginning at 1 p.m., at the land trust's Fritts Park on Beach Daisy Lane in Bokeelia, the entrance to which is just north of the fire station and south of the Palms of Pine Island trailer park. The meeting is open to all. Attendees will be briefed on the care of the Land Trust’s 2,400-plus acres of preserved land, continuing Hurricane Ian challenges and pending restoration plans for 2024 and beyond. Also available will be the Calusa Clothesline (to buy CLT T-shirts, jackets, hats and other merchandise.) The newly published seventh edition of “The Nature Lover's Guide to Pine Island” will also be available for purchase. There will be socializing with old and new friends, raffles and a deli spread buffet feast. The membership will also vote on new directors. Up for re-election are Carolyn Murphey, Judy Ott, Frank Potter, Joan Rosenberg, Cheryl King, Marty Kendall and John Kendall. If elected, they would join four continuing directors -- Robert Ballard, Carol Mullin Joe Perry and Les Smith. Additional nominations will be accepted from the floor. For information, call John Kendall at 239-283-8175.

Athlete of the Week.........15 Cribbage Corner..............10 On the Water......................7 insidetoday Cat of the Week.................6 Island Mahjongg...............8 Tides................................10 Classifieds & Obituaries

Week of Wednesday, January 17, 2024 n Page 2 pineisland-eagle.com Pine Island Eagle

Re-brand for Southwest Florida & Lee County Fair: Ag Expo changes focus, will bring back fair favorites By MEGHAN BRADBURY

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The Southwest Florida & Lee County Fair, a tradition for generations, has been rebranded this year as the Southwest Florida Ag Expo to put the spotlight on the youth. Event spokesperson Miriam Dotson of the Visitor & Convention Bureau said they are super excited to rebrand the fair this year with the Ag Expo, set for Feb. 29 through March 10, and it will be a full 10 days of exciting events featuring 4-H, dubbed incredibly important, as the program involves the youth, education and activities. Other fair favorites will be included as well. “There will be a midway with rides, creative living events — quilting, knitting and crafting,” Dotson said, as they want to pay attention to the arts as well. Lee County Parks & Recreation Operations Manager Lisa Weaver said after speaking with members of the community after the county took over the fair operation, their interest was apparent — showcasing the youth and livestock portion while highlighting the agricultural community. Although there will be midway rides and food, the whole event is for the kids who are really working hard on their projects and showing off their animals, she said. The change and rebranding of the beloved fair at its centennial has occurred because Lee County Parks and Recreation

is leading the efforts this year. Weaver said they have the best experts in all fields pulling together to make this year’s event the best it can be. “It’s a different type of event that we are really excited to put on for the community. The best and brightest of Lee County is really working on this,” she said. “We are committed to putting on a quality event that is fun, educational and safe. It provides some things that are new and different and the same nostalgia. It is going to be a great time.” The expo will also feature exhibits with animals, including steer, swine and horses, as well as a petting zoo, live entertainment and different featured days over the 10 days. Dotson said the expo is also about the traditional events and activities. Reithoffer Shows Inc, which does numerous events in the state of Florida, is bringing a couple of rides that have not been showcased in the circuit yet to the expo, Weaver said, adding they have been a really good partner, and they are excited to bring something new to the community. “That is the whole real reason — to showcase these kids, so they feel like the

VIPs of the event,” Weaver said. Another new component of the expo is work to expand parking and overflow parking, which in the past has been one of the biggest challenges. “We are working on providing additional overflow parking across the street on 31. We are really excited to be able to offer that. All parking on both sides will be free, no parking charges,” she said. Promotional nights will include: Opening Day, Thursday, Feb. 29, gates open at 4 p.m. for $1 gate admission. ■ Sensory Friendly Day, Friday, March 1, gates open at 4 p.m. From 4-6 p.m., ■

sensory friendly $0 gate admission and at 6 p.m. regular gate admission. ■ Moonlight Magic, Friday, March 1, and Friday, March 8, from 8 p.m. to midnight, $30 admission, which includes ride wristband. ■ Community Night, Monday, March 4, gates open at 4 p.m. Free admission with three canned food items for Harry Chapin Food Bank, $5 gate admission, $25 ride wristband. ■ Senior Day, Wednesday, March 6, gates open at 4 p.m., regular admission, and $5 for 50 years old and older, $25 ride wristband. ■ Latin Day, Sunday, March 10, gates open at 11 a.m., regular admission and $40 ride wristband. The expo will be held at the Lee County Civic Center Complex, 11831 Bayshore Road, North Fort Myers. For additional information, please visit www.swflagexpo.com, or follow its Facebook page, SWFL Ag Expo.

Matlacha Civic Association to hold membership meeting/pot luck Sunday The Matlacha Civic Association will hold its next membership meeting at 4 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 21, at the gazebo in the Matlacha Community Park on Pine Island Road behind Blue Dog Bar and Grill. The meeting will be pot luck. Please bring a dish, your beverages, a lawn chair and party hat. In the event of inclement weather, we

will move to the Blue Dog Bar and Grill. The agenda includes updates on Olde Fishhouse and Marina, Hooked Restaurant and other commercial developments in town. The new officers have a fun-filled calendar for the new year, and MCA will announce a new website courtesy of new board member Judd Payne of Bikeworks.

Holloway graduates from Georgia Southwestern State University AMERICUS, Ga. -- Hannah Holloway of St. James City graduated from Georgia Southwestern State University during the

Fall 2023 Commencement Ceremonies held on Thursday, Dec. 1,4 in the Convocation Hall of the Student Success Center. Holloway earned a bachelor of arts in English with teacher certification summa cum laude. A total of 465 students graduated in the ceremony, during which Georgia's State School Superintendent Richard Woods delivered the commencement address. Each ceremony was streamed live and recorded on GSW's YouTube channel. Photos from the day can be found via links at gsw.edu/graduation. Founded in 1906, Georgia Southwestern State University is a public, fouryear unit of the University System of Georgia with approximately 3,000 students. Georgia Southwestern offers professional programs of study as well as degrees in the arts, humanities, sciences and graduate programs in business, computer science, education, English, and nursing. Visit www.gsw.edu for more information.

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OPINIONS 10700 Stringfellow Road, Ste. 60 Bokeelia, FL 33922 Phone: (239) 283-2022 Fax: (239) 283-0232 Web: pineisland-eagle.com Publisher Raymond M. Eckenrode reckenrode@breezenewspapers.com Executive Editor Valarie Harring vharring@breezenewspapers.com

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Editor Paulette LeBlanc pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com Advertising Director Laurie Ragle lragle@.breezenewspapers.com Advertising Sales Charlene Russ cruss@breezenewspapers.com Design & Layout Chris Strine cstrine@breezenewspapers.com Obituaries Debbie Carletti obits@breezenewspapers.com Subscriptions 1 Year $52 To Pay For Your Subscription P.O. Box 151306 Cape Coral, FL 33915 Circulation (239) 574-1936

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The Eagle is published every Wednesday Customer service hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., except major holidays. Letters to the editor must be typed or handprinted. Your name and phone number must be affixed to the copy. In the event of an advertising error, we are responsible only for the first incorrect insertion of the ad itself. We are not responsible for any credit or reimbursement after 30 days from publication. Postal Information: Bulk rate postage paid at Fort Myers, FL Postmaster. Send address changes to the Pine Island Eagle. Permit # 521.

Web Poll Previous Web Poll Question: Do you make New Year’s resolutions? ■ Yes, every year. 0% ■ No, never. 69% ■ Sometimes. 23% ■ It depends on if I feel I really need to set an accomplishable goal. 8%

Current Web Poll Question: In the past have you attend the Southwest Florida & Lee County Fair? ■ Every year. ■ Occasionally. ■ Once or twice. ■ Never. ■ What fair? Share your opinion at pineisland-eagle.com

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Bridging Futures: Crucial need for expanding career and technical programs in Lee County Public Schools Lee County, Florida, known for its stunning beaches and vibrant communities, is also home to a growing need for a diversified and skilled workforce. In recent years, the importance of career and technical education, or CTE, programs in public schools has gained considerable recognition nationwide. Lee County is no exception, as it faces the imperative task of preparing its students for the challenges of a rapidly evolving job market. Expanding CTE programs within the public school system is not merely an option but a strategic move towards nurturing a workforce that can thrive in the 21st Century economy. Meeting the Demand for Skilled Workers: One of the primary reasons to expand CTE programs in Lee County is the increasing demand for skilled workers in various industries. By providing students with handson training and practical skills, these programs bridge the gap between traditional classroom education and the real-world demands of the workforce. With the expansion of technology-driven professions, such as healthcare, information technology, and advanced manufacturing, CTE programs offer a pathway for students to develop the skills that employers are actively seeking. Fostering Local Economic Growth: Lee County's economic landscape is diverse, encompassing tourism, agriculture, healthcare, and technology. Expanding CTE programs aligns with the needs of the local economy, ensuring that graduates are equipped with the skills required by indus-

tries driving the community's growth. By producing a workforce tailored to local demands, the county can attract new businesses, stimulate economic development, and create a sustainable cycle of growth.

Building a Competitive Advantage: As the global job market becomes increasingly competitive, Lee County can gain a competitive edge by nurturing a workforce with diverse skills and expertise. CTE programs focus on industry-specific training, ensuring that graduates possess a unique set of skills that make them highly sought after by employers. This not only benefits the individual students but also elevates the county’s reputation as a hub for skilled professionals, attracting investment and fostering innovation.

Reducing Unemployment and Underemployment: A well-developed CTE infrastructure in Lee County schools can address the issue of unemployment and underChris N. Patricca employment among graduates. By offering specialized training and certification programs, students are better prepared for immediate entry into the workforce upon graduaConclusion: tion. This not only reduces the time spent job Expanding career and technical programs hunting but also contributes to a higher in Lee County, Florida, public schools is a employment rate, benefitting both individustrategic investment in the future of both the als and the community as a whole. students and the community. By meeting the Diversifying Career Pathways: demands of the evolving job market, fosterNot all students aspire to pursue a tradi- ing economic growth, and providing diverse tional four-year college degree, and CTE pro- career pathways, the county can position grams provide an alternative pathway to suc- itself as a leader in preparing students for cess. Expanding these programs in Lee success in the 21st Century workforce. The County public schools ensures that students implementation of comprehensive CTE prohave a variety of career options, fostering a grams is not just an educational initiative but sense of inclusivity and accommodating a vital step towards building a stronger, more diverse talents and interests. By acknowledg- resilient community. ing the importance of vocational skills, the education system can empower students to Chris N. Patricca, School Board Member, pursue careers that align with their passions District 3 and strengths.

Guest Commentary

Letters to the Editor Left-hand lane legislation a dangerous proposal To the editor: I am voicing my concern about the proposed Florida law SB 258 / HB 317. I have served as a law enforcement officer for over three decades and saw my share of traffic collisions and related fatalities during my long career. I have also enforced traffic laws and have been a certified traffic collision investigator. From my experience, I feel strongly that this is an unsafe law that should not be passed for the sake of all Floridians. This law will increase injuries, deaths and traffic congestion on our Florida Highways. The following are the reasons why this law should not be passed:

1) It will increase congestion and traffic: This law will restrict the use of the leftlane roadway by reducing the current 2-lane roads into 1-lane roads. This will take away HALF of the lanes for vehicle throughput. This will create immense traffic and congestion, and crunch all traffic caused by semitrailer trucks, work trucks, cars, and motorcycles into one lane. This will bottleneck the flow of traffic and reduce the effectiveness of the highway design by 50%! Common sense would dictate that the more lanes there are for the vehicles to flow through, the better traffic flow and safety will be. By restricting left lane usage, all the vehicles will be on the right side and it will cause more traffic, safety hazards, swerving, passing, and other horrible side-effects resulting

We want your opinion The views expressed on the Opinions pages are just that — opinions. These pages are intended to convey a range of viewpoints; opinions printed on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of this newspaper. Opposing views are welcome. Letters to the Editor or guest columns may be mailed to: Pine Island Eagle, 10700 Stringfellow Road, Ste. 60, Bokeelia, FL 33922; e-mailed to pineisland@ breezenewspapers.com; posted to our Virtual Newsroom at www.breezenewspapers.com or faxed to 283-0232. All letters and guest columns must be signed and must contain a phone number for verification purposes. You also can comment on any letter or editorial opinion online at: pineisland-eagle.com

in more collisions and fatalities between cars and semi-trucks. 2) It will numerically increase highspeed maneuvers, accidents, and fatalities: By exponentially increasing the number of high-speed lane maneuvers on the highway, it will statistically increase the number of high-speed accidents. Similar laws in other states cause aggressive drivers to drive more erratically by driving in and out of traffic for the whole duration of their highway journey. 3) It rewards aggressive drivers: Aggressive drivers regularly speed above the speed limit, swerve in and out of traffic, cut people off, bully others, and in some incidents, challenge others to fight amidst “road rage.” These unsafe and aggressive drivers already cause numerous accidents and deaths on the highways. Aggressive drivers drive faster to pass multiple vehicles at once, causing highly dangerous situations. Passing drivers have to drive at speeds 10-20 mph greater than the speed limit in order to overtake other vehicles on the right side of the road, and then cut in front of new traffic, including heavy semiSee LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, page 9

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Pine Island Eagle

Week of Wednesday, January 17, 2024 ■ Page 6 pineisland-eagle.com Pine Island Eagle

Cat of the Week

Pine Island Road resurfacing, utility installation in Matlacha to continue BARTOW, Fla. – This weekly report is prepared by the Florida Department of Transportation to inform the public about upcoming road work in Southwest Florida. Below are the work schedule and lane closure locations for major state road projects. Pine Island Road Causeway and Bridge Permanent Repairs Construction project: As part of the Emergency Restoration of the Pine Island Road Causeway and Bridge, crews will be working in the project boundaries along CR 78 Pine Island Road from west of Little Pine Island Bridge (Bridge No. 120111) to West of Shoreview Drive. CONTINUED: The contractor will be resurfacing and working on ground utility installation on the north side of the causeway. Crews work on desilting and drainage on the shoulders west of Matlacha Pass Bridge. Please be alerted to construction equipment in the con-

struction zone. To maintain safety, motorists should find alternate parking areas. Please use caution and watch for workers and construction vehicles entering and exiting the roadway. Crews are maintaining two-lane traffic on causeway. Motorists can expect occasional delays due to flagging operations for delivery/removal of materials, transfer of equipment. ■ Pedestrians and bicyclists are not permitted within the construction zone. ■ Noise from construction equipment in the area is to be expected. ■ Please be patient and plan for additional travel time as it may be slower than usual in the area. As a reminder, travelers can visit www.FL511.com or dial “511” from their phone to learn about traffic conditions on major roadways across the state. If you know before you go, you can plan accordingly and save time and money.

Beacon of Hope offering GED classes Grayson This little guy has been through a lot. Grayson and his mother were both found injured and curled up on someone's porch. Grayson's leg was broken and his mother, GrayC, had a bad bone infection in her leg. Grayson had to be in a cage for 6 weeks and GrayC recovered after a round of antibiotics. They both still limp but it may be from habit more than injury. Grayson runs, climbs and plays like a typical 10-month-old kitten. GrayC is content just to be lazy and safe indoors.Both kitties are sweet and deserve a chance at a fur-ever home. They don't need to be adopted together so if you have room for either of them, please call Helping Paws Animal Sanctuary at 239-283-9100.If you’d rather just donate, our address is10060 Mallory Parkway, E., Unit D, St James City, FL, 33956,orthere’s always our websitewww. helpingpawsanimalsanctuary.com

If it is time to get your life in order and make plans to get your high school diploma, the Beacon of Hope can help you through the process. The Beacon’s GED class meets on Tuesday and Thursday, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Participants can get their diploma in 3 months or in a year depending on how much they want to study and achieve. Students must take four subjects: (1) Math, (2) Language Arts, (3) Science and (4) Social Studies. These are the four classes students have to pass to get

their diploma. The Beacon has a teacher for each subject so participants will have an individual teacher for each class. Participants will have good individual attention for each subject, according to Beacon officials. If you have any questions or want more information, please call Mary Lou Martin, the director of the GED program, at 239565-7012, or the Beacon of Hope at 239-283-5123. You may also come to the classroom at the Beacon on Tuesday or Thursday and meet with Mary Lou.

Sinclair named to Troy University Provost’s List TROY, Ala. -- Sarah Sinclair of Matlacha Isles has been named to the Provost's List at Troy University for the Fall Semester/Term 2 of the 2023-2024 academic year. The Provost's List honors full-time undergraduate students who are registered for at least 12 semester hours and who have a grade point average of at least 3.65. Troy University is a public, historic, international university with 22,500 students and 154,000 alumni.

Students choose Troy for its quality academic programs, reasonable costs and availability of financial aid, outstanding faculty and flexible in-class and online class offerings. Students on the Troy, Ala., campus enjoy a traditional college experience, while adult students are the centers of attention at campuses in Dothan, Montgomery and Phenix City, Ala., as well as at locations around the world and online. For additional information, visit www.troy,edu.

On the Water

As a lifetime resident of Matlacha and Pine Island, Capt. Bill Russell has spent his life fishing and learning the waters around Pine Island and Southwest Flori-da, and as a professional fishing guide for the past 23 years.

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Once again, the weather hampered fishthe cold. When the water temperature drops ing efforts over the past week. Although and turns other fish off, the sheepshead bite conditions were tough, fish were caught is often at its best. Fish were caught around around the inshore waters. oyster bars in Matlacha Pass south of the Shallow draft boats fared well by avoidpowerlines and in creeks and under docks ing the winds and seeking shelter of creeks, near the mouth of the Caloosahatchee canals and small bays. A variety of fish, River. They were also hooked from docks including sheepshead, redfish, black drum, and other structure from Shell Creek up the mangrove snapper, ladyfish, seatrout and coast from Sanibel north to the Placida snook, were hooked while tossing shrimp Railroad trestle. and shrimp imitation baits around docks, I hope soon the weather settles to give oyster bottom, shorelines and drop-offs. anglers better fishing options. Offshore Several reports of good seatrout action fishing is good when weather allows, we came from Pine Island Sound with fish up just need a stretch without the wind. Capt. Bill Russell to 19 inches caught while fishing 3 to 6Inshore, less wind allows boats to range foot grass flats or sand holes and trenches. further and cover more areas, not having as The best bite was over the incoming tide many anglers fishing the same sheltered while casting a host of small lures or live areas. shrimp suspended under a cork along the Keep up to date with fishing rules and in your area by transition from grass to sand drop-offs. regulations Noted areas included south of Cabbage Key, west of visiting www.myfwc.com for all current Florida and Panther Key, and east of Buck Key. Bonnethead sharks federal fishing regulations. Also, upload the Fish Rules up to 4 feet were also roaming these areas. app on your phone. It has current regulations with picThe sheepshead bite was consistent for anglers brav- tures to help identify fish. . ing adverse weather. As most know, sheepshead thrive in

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Dealing with another week of bad weather

Pine Island Eagle

PHOTO PROVIDED

Red grouper season is open and some big ones are being caught when weather allows boats to make the run into gulf waters. This big one was caught west of Captiva Pass fishing with Capt. Scotty Darna of Salty Boy Charters out of Jug Creek Marina in Bokeelia.

Cape GroundOwl Day Feb. 2 The Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife will host the 6th Annual Ground-Owl Day Friday, Feb. 2, at 10 a.m., at the Pelican Baseball Complex. The public is invited to celebrate Cape Coral’s official bird and then find out of spring is coming. “Will the burrowing owl see her shadow?” The Pelican Sports Complex is at 4128 Pelican Blvd., Cape Coral. For more about the Friends of Wildlife or Ground-Owl Day, visit ccfriendsofwildlife.org.

Week of Wednesday, January 17, 2024 ■ Page 8

PHOTO PROVIDED

Pine Island Eagle

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Calusa Waterkeeper Emeritus John Cassani speaking at the January GPICA meeting at Pine Island United Methodist Church.

Water quality From page 1 Caloosahatchee Watershed BMAP … it includes all the impairments all the way up to the lake,” Cassani said. When a water body does not meet state water quality standards and no longer supports its designated uses, the Clean Water Act requires the states to restore those waters, he said. The Caloosahatchee Estuary was verified impaired with Chlorophyll A, he said. The TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Load) which sets the restoration targets, was adopted by the state in 2009. The BMAP process measures success based on presumptions about projects that will reduce the pollutant load in question, Cassani said. “If a local government like Cape Coral does a project to improve water quality in the context of total nitrogen, then the state has a magic formula for saying, ‘Well then we’re gonna give you so many pounds of total nitrogen load reduction credits.’ That’s where it begins to fall apart,” Cassani said. When success is measured mostly by load reduction credits from projects, he said, the net change is going unchecked, such as the increase in nitrogen over time, as a result of things such as urbanization, additional agriculture and landscape change. In most cases, the amount of total nitrogen is going up. According to Cassani, the state sets the bar low enough that something pretty serious would have to happen for the state to pay attention. “The DEP just came out with a press release that said, ‘We’ve achieved 80 percent of our load reduction credit’ — how’s that possible? It just flies in the face of their own data,” Cassani said. In the recent Chiquita Lock hearing, Cassani said, the only way the DEP could

have issued the permit for the lock removal was to do compensatory mitigation that exceeded 58,000 pounds of nitrogen per year. In order to meet the compensatory mitigation, Cassani said, the city of Cape Coral would have to come up with projects equaling 58,000 pounds. They came up with enough to equal approximately 20,000 pounds, he said, adding that the majority came from the previously earned BMAP credits. “If you look at the scope and intent of the water quality trading rule — this is an actual rule in Florida — it’s supposed to be bringing credits to the BMAP—projects that help the BMAP go forward. In this case, they subtracted what they consider excess BMAP credits for total nitrogen and applied it to this permit application to remove the Chiquita Lock permanently,” Cassani said. To watch this meeting in its entirety, please visit the GPICA Facebook page, or to read the minutes, visit GPICA.org GPICA Board of election nominations may still be made at next month’s meeting, Feb. 6, however, nominations made will not be on the ballot. N GPICA Board Elections — nominations made by GPICA nominating committee; members may also make nominations from the floor or via email to info@GPICA.org. Those nominated must be members in good standing (current in your dues) for six months prior to nomination. The next GPICA meeting will be held at Pine Island United Methodist Church 5701 Pine Island Road, NW, Bokeelia and livestream starting at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 6. The main speaker will be Robert Ballard of the Calusa Land Trust.

Island Mahjongg It was a group of 16 for mahjongg today, Jan. 11. We are happy to have Jeanne playing again and to welcome Gretchen Bennett and Pat Hynds to the group. Top scorers were Judy Burchianti with 175 points, Sue Rasmussen with 155 and Peggy Finley with 130 — great scores today. We play mahjongg every Thursday.

Starting Jan. 18, we will happily be back at SJCCA on Lemon Street in St. James City. Play will be from 1-4 p.m. A huge thank you to the Moose Lodge for taking us in. We will miss all the new friends we made there and the delicious food you serve. For additional information about mahjongg, please call Carolyn on 239233-7682.

From page 4 trucks, causing hard breaks, collisions and traffic jams. With this law, drivers will be forced to act even more aggressively and cause more drivers to become “aggressive drivers.” It encourages them to drive more radically on the roads to execute passes, believing they have the right of way. These unsafe drivers will even try to “enforce” the law themselves by cutting people off or doing “break checks” to intimidate other drivers to move over to the right side, causing more accidents and confrontational incidents. This will increase the “road rage” confrontations and the whole situation will endanger many senior drivers.

Beacon offering free tax preparations starting Feb. 2

To the editor: It was very concerning to read the other day that about one half of migrants walking illegally into our

Pine Island Eagle

Free tax preparation by IRS-certified volunteers is available again on Pine Island. Tax returns will be prepared at the Beacon of Hope on Fridays beginning Feb. 2 until April 5 by AARP Tax Aide volunteers. Appointments will be hourly from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Please stop by the Beacon office on any Monday, Wednesday or Thursday to make an appointment and pick up a packet of materials which are needed for the appointment. If you have questions, please call the Beacon office at 239-283-5123. The Beacon of Hope is located at 5090 Doug Taylor Circle, St. James City.

Illegal border crossings should be bipartisan concern

country last year had criminal convictions. Tens of thousands of them had serious convictions such as murder, sexual assault, human trafficking, and kidnapping. President Biden and his Democratic Party are allowing this to happen. This should be a bipartisan issue, but it is the Republicans who are calling the alarm. Sadly, the Democrats do not care about the safety of our country. They have no problem with criminals coming into our country to terrorize our citizens because it benefits them to allow them in. Most of these people, if allowed to vote, will vote Democrat. Ask yourself: Would the Democrats allow this to happen if these people were inclined to vote Republican? I doubt it. The borders would be sealed. Arthur E. Amidano Cape Coral

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4) We already have a sufficient law in place: We already have a “Left Lane Law” in place, Florida Statue 316.081(3), which states that “a driver may not continue to operate a motor vehicle in the furthermost left-hand lane if the driver knows that he or she is being overtaken in that lane from the rear by a motor vehicle traveling at a higher rate of speed.” There is no need to create another, redundant law by creating a more restrictive, unsafe left lane law (SB 258 / HB 317). The solution is to enforce the current existing left lane law. If there is a vehicle driving in the left lane going too slowly, then police should cite the slow driver under the current law. We should not create a new, bad law that will empower aggressive drivers and have horrible ramifications statewide! Our great state of Florida is well known as a

“Free State” and frequently boasts about protecting its citizens’ freedoms. We should not unnecessarily infringe on our citizens’ rights by creating frivolous laws that restrict freedom and endanger more people. We already have an effective law in place to address this traffic concern. All we need to do is enforce it. I hope our Florida legislature considers all the negative impacts that will be placed on their constituents before they vote on this terrible law. Jeffrey Oh Naples

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Letters to the Editor

Week of Wednesday, January 17, 2024 ■ Page 10 pineisland-eagle.com

Student open enrollment begins this month By MEGHAN BRADBURY

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The Student Open Enrollment period begins this month with high school kicking off first next week, followed by elementary and middle school later this month. “It is critical that students new to kindergarten, rising to middle school and entering high school take this opportunity to submit their rankings for the school assignment lottery,” said Rob Spicker, spokesperson for the School District of Lee County. “It is even more critical for middle school families at a school outside of their proximity zone complete the continuation form before Jan. 25. Missing this window of opportunity means they will be assigned to a school without their input.” The district’s website, leeschools.net, has level specific pages to guide parents through the school assignment process. “As long as their applications are in before 4 p.m. on Feb. 29 they have the same chance as another student of being assigned to their first-choice school,” Spicker said. The Student Open Enrollment process

can be completed through a FOCUS Parent Portal account, at https://www.leeschools.net/our_schools/f ocus. The school assignments will be released in early April. The window for elementary school open enrollment is from Jan. 26, through Feb. 29. “For incoming kindergarten parents, this is their opportunity to rank the schools in their attendance zone for the school assignment lottery,” Spicker said. “First, if they have not done so already, they must register their incoming student with the Student Enrollment Office.” Registration can be managed entirely online by creating, or logging into their FOCUS Parent Portal. “Parents who want to visit Student Enrollment in person to register need to make an appointment,” Spicker said. “Register now if you have not already so that you have plenty of time before the Student Open Enrollment deadline to submit your choices for the school assignment lottery.” Once a student is registered, parents use their FOCUS Parent Portal to rank the schools in their proximity zone and sub-

mit them for the student assignment lottery. “The deadline is 4 p.m. on Feb. 29. There is no benefit to submitting an application early and no penalty for submitting one on the last day. All applications are processed at the same time after the end of Student Open Enrollment,” Spicker said. The Open Enrollment for middle school is also from Jan. 26, through Feb. 29, but includes a new proximity-based student assignment plan. All middle school parents will receive an email from the district explaining to them what actions, if any, need to be taken. “Students who are attending a school outside of their new proximity zone need to complete a Middle School Continuation form by Jan. 25 to acknowledge they will stay in their current school next year and will provide their own transportation,” Spicker said. “If they need transportation, they instead select to enter the student assignment lottery for a seat in a school in their new zone.” The Middle School Continuation Form can be found in the FOCUS Parent Portal. “It is important that parents read that email and respond appropriately, so they do not miss the opportunity to stay in their current school or rank the schools they prefer in their new zone,” Spicker said. “Current fifth graders in an elementary school should us the interactive map on

our website to confirm what schools are in their proximity zone and use their FOCUS Parent Portal to rank their choices for the school assignment lottery between Jan. 26 and Feb. 29.” Approximately 4,500 students who are currently attending a middle school are not in their new proximity zone. Open enrollment also includes the middle school art program applications, which will be accepted Jan. 16 through Jan. 26. Spicker said the application requires two letters of recommendation and an audition. The three academies for the arts schools are Cypress Lake, North Fort Myers and Veterans Park. The applications are available on the schools’ websites. High school open enrollment is from Jan. 16 through Feb. 29. The advanced program applications will be accepted from Jan. 16 through Jan. 26. “Advanced programs in high school are Arts, IB and Cambridge/AICE. Students first complete the Student Open Enrollment Choice Application form in FOCUS. Staying in FOCUS they then must fill out the Advanced Program application,” Spicker said. “Arts programs will require an audition. Students will receive notice if they are accepted into the program and confirming that acceptance will automatically enroll them in that school. High schools are placing this information on their website.”

Pine Island Eagle

‘Island in Transition’ program today at Randall Research Center Friends of Pine Island is offering the program “Island In Transition” at the Randall Research Center today, Jan. 17, at 1 p.m. Annisa Karim, operations manager, will conduct the presentation in the center's classroom. She will discuss the history of our island in transition ... from the Calusa civilization (drawing on her expertise) to the 1940s (using historical photos) to the present.

Karim will follow up her lecture with a short tour. Seating is limited to 40 guests, so registration is required. Please email authortalkpilibrary@gmail.com or text 515314-1226 with your name and the number wishing to attend no later than Jan. 14. Parking is limited; carpooling is encouraged. The classroom is not climate controlled so please dress accordingly. There is no charge for this program, but donations to the center are always welcome.

Cribbage Corner Cribbage Results from Jan. 11: 1st Place — Randy Brooks (perfect 8 wins) 2nd Place — Ken Amid 3rd Place — Judy Schuitema 4th Place — Joel Schuitema 5th Place — Dennis Gettys Turkey of the Week — John Nyhus (perfect 0 for 8) Cribbage is played Thursday evenings at 6:30 at the St. James City Civic Center, located at Fourth Avenue and Lemon Street. Come and have some fun and bring a friend!

Page 11 ■ Week of Wednesday, January 17, 2024 breezenewspapers.com

Pine Island Eagle

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Pine Island Eagle

Week of Wednesday, January 17, 2024 ■ Page 14 pineisland-eagle.com Pine Island Eagle

First Baptist Church of Pine Island offering free women’s exercise classes The First Baptist Church of Pine Island is offering free exercise classes for women Tuesdays from 11 am until noon in the fellowship hall beginning Jan. 23, for 10 weeks, with the last class March 26. You do not need to pre-register; just come whenever you can! The classes feature aerobic and stretching exercises

using videos. Any woman is welcome to attend, regardless of age. The exercises can be modified to fit anyone’s level of exertion. Sometimes hand-held weights and stretchy bands are used, but they are not necessary; the exercises are still good without the weights or stretchy bands. First Baptist Church of Pine Island is at 5653 Avenue

Salt & Poppy From page 1 unique quality of the store where you can find everything from pet supplies to genuine Kevin Farley merchandise. “There’s a convenience in having a store that’s a unique boutique—a little bit of everything. It’s not a hardware store, it’s not a general store. Salt & Poppy is a place where you can get something for your kids, your dogs and maybe even some candy,” Wendt said. Years of spending time as kids with their parents vacationing in Sanibel and Captiva brought the couple down south as adults, where they decided on Pine Island shortly after Covid. “Once I found Pine Island, I thought this is the coolest place — it felt the most like us — artsy, bohemian, different — unique,” Wendt said. Calling Pine Island home now reminds them both of vacations from their time as youths in south Florida, and the two are very excited about their choice to be part of the tight-knit Pine Island community, as Farley admits he loves Pine Island. “Most of my time is spent on the road doing standup, so this will be a chance for me to do something new — to set roots and be a part of Pine Island. When I do come off the road, the island is a quiet place to relax. For me this place offers me a chance to decompress. I’m interested in making the store a place that people

can enjoy. I just want people to come to the store for unique kinds of gifts — things you won’t find anywhere else,” Farley said. Family plays an important role in the lives of these Alden Pines residents, as Farley, who is the brother of the late actor Chris Farley, also enjoys time with Wendt’s son Leo, who is currently a busboy at Tarpon Lodge and a varsity football player at Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers. Wendt said Leo really enjoys being at home more than anything and insists the family is adapting to life on the island as they are becoming a clan who never wants to leave the island unless it’s absolutely necessary. “We used to find ourselves leaving Pine Island for every little thing and now we’re wondering, what do we need to do, to never leave the island? So that has changed for both of us,” Wendt said. Salt & Poppy is at 10502 Stringfellow Road, #5501, Bokeelia. For additional information about the boutique, call 310-567-4546. Salt & Poppy boutique owners Kevin Farley and Michelle Wendt PHOITO PROVIDED

D, Bokeelia, across from Pine Island Elementary School, near the center of Pine Island. For additional information, please contact Marilyn McManus by phone 239-282-9148, text at 239-2331839 or email mcmanus1@netsync.net; or Alice Sisler at 239-282-9140 or email at allievs@comcast.net.

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Pine Island Eagle

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Pine Island Eagle

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New Installation Includes Permit 2 Year Warranty Rain Bird Contractor

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Pine Island Eagle

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