Pine Island Eagle

Like father like son ... Steve Honc named Pine Island’s citizen of the year

Steve

l e c t i o n s Dinner The award, presented by the chamber, is given, by nomination, to one named Pine Island citizen of the year

This year’s win was especially meaningful, as Honc’s father, Dan, has also won the award, back in 2009

“We as a family have always contributed on this island My dad was gen-

erous before I was and now Steve has taken over the reins. When people are in need here, we generally try to accommodate what we can,” Dan said

The Honc name is synonymous with Pine Island, both in business and in island life Although both men have dealt with hurricane recovery on the island, their reach and heritage, they say, goes far beyond being instrumental in helping after a disaster

“I’ve watched my dad lead by example and just kind of followed in his footsteps

Leoma Lovegrove says her love affair with Matlacha will continue

By PAULETTE LeBLANC pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

Although the decision to sell her Matlacha gallery did not come easily, Leoma Lovegrove said both her home and gallery were destroyed when Hurricane Ian hit Pine Island, resulting in more than her heart can bare

“ T w e n t y - e i g h t y e a r s o f w o r k w e r e e s s e n t i a l l y destroyed in three hours At first we had everything cleaned out, and we were like, let’s do this, we can do this but then it just got too depressing to cross over and go by all our friends who lost their homes,” Lovegrove said

Although the desire to rebuild was strong, she said, it was overshadowed by other huge projects she’s undertaken, leaving her without the necessary time it would take to do everything

In an effort to recreate the history of Matlacha, she’s been painting shingles left from the local roofs and either giving them away or selling them

See LOVEGROVE, page 10

and I hope my kids see and understand the things that I do for the community, and obviously I hope one day that they follow in my footsteps and continue our family’s history of leadership on Pine Island and contributing when needed I think, our both being nominated for the Al Mills Award, which is obviously an honor we both appreciate, is evidence of how we love this place We live here, we’ve grown up here, we’re raising children here and we like to give back I think that’s what we want people to know,” Steve said

See HONC, page 9

By PAULETTE LeBLANC pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

A hearing examiner has recommended approval, with conditions, of a requested rezoning that would allow a car lot at the site of the old Greater Pine Island Chamber of Commerce office in Matlacha

Lee County Chief Hearing Examiner Donna Marie Collins issued her recommendation following a Jan 12 public hearing on a proposal to rezone the 1 4 acres at 3640 SW Pine Island Road from an agricultural (AG2) to commercial planned development (CPD) district The request would allow use of the existing 1,250square-foot structure for sales and administrative offices to support vehicle sales and rentals with plans to increase the building to 2,000 square feet.

Collins found that the proposed CPD zoning will not harm environmentally critical/sensitive areas or natural resources and that requested deviations from the Land

See CAR LOT, page 19

PHOTO PROVIDED

An aerial view of the old chamber of commerce building and lot on Pine Island Road

Longtime islander and artist Leoma Lovegrove has announced plans to move her popular gallery off island due to damage from Hurricane Ian. PHOTO PROVIDED

Hearing examiner recommends approval for rezoning to allow car lot, with conditions

Steve Honc

Greater Pine Island Alliance provides update

By PAULETTE LeBLANC pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

The weekly meeting of the Greater Pine Island Alliance on Tuesday, Jan 24, was held at the Fishers of Men Lutheran Church According to co-founder and cochair Jay Sanderson, Lee County Commissioner Kevin Ruane, who has made a priority of coming to every GPIA meeting, was present in addition to various community members

“Commissioner Ruane reported that the state is going to start helping us substantially with reimbursement and funding for shoreline repairs as the state will be voting on their budget soon,” Sanderson said, adding that Ruane has been very proactive in keeping Pine Island on his radar.

FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Bob Fogel, who also meets regularly with the GPIA, Sanderson said, reported working with a few property owners to acquire direct housing In the search for multi-site land use, it’s imperative they work with the county on zoning restrictions, especially waving flood constraints in favor of getting islanders needed temporary housing

“The GPIA is asking that all levels of government communicate more effectively, in that we are able to obtain a broad-sweep waiver for everyone, so each indi-

Hurricane Ian hammers bee population

More than 400,000 hives lost

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

Though Hurricane Ian brought much devastation to infrastructure and property, much of the local wildlife was also greatly impacted by its force

That includes bees According to the University of Florida Entomology Department, up to 400,000 bee hives were lost during Hurricane Ian -- a substantial number that will have impacts on crop pollination nationwide

Mountain Sweet Honey Company, LLC, out of northern Georgia, recently traveled to Southwest Florida to visit beekeepers that were affected, many of whom lost all of their hives due to either flooding or wind. They also brought with them supplies, raised by generous customers, to assist these beekeepers

Mountain Sweet Honey specializes in beekeeping supplies throughout the East Coast and Midwest, and hosts a livestream show titled "Buzz TV " One local beekeeper from the area tuning in commented they had lost all of

See BEE POPULATION, page 5

PHOTO PROVIDED

Pine Island resident Uriia Underhill, who lost all 22 of her hives due to Hurricane Ian, smiles with Mountain Sweet Honey Company CEO Ray Civitts The northern Georgiabased supplier traveled to Southwest Florida to visit beekeepers who lost hives due to either flooding or wind, bring with him roughly $12,000 in beekeeping supplies.

vidual property owner, who wants a trailer on their property doesn’t have to go through the same process that their neighbor did,” Sanderson said

Sanderson credits weekly GPIA meetings for the improved communication between administrations, such as, the Florida Department of Emergency Management, FEMA and, of course, Ruane representing Lee County

“All the decision makers from the local governments are there in one room I really want everyone to know that Commissioner Ruane is fighting for us at the state level,” Sanderson said

Eighty-five participants from kindergarten through fifth grade attended or competed in the Junior Olympics event.

Forty-second Annual Pine Island Kiwanis Junior Olympics event held

By PAULETTE LeBLANC pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

Eighty-five participants from kindergarten through fifth grade attended or competed in the Junior Olympics event Saturday, Jan 21, at Bobby Holloway Memorial Field in Phillips Park

Kiwanis’ main focus is kids, according to Kiwanian Mike Shevlin At every meeting it is emphasized that

See JUNIOR OLYMPICS, page 8

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY JAY SANDERSON Gov Ron DeSantis in Fort Myers encouraging recovery

Commissioner Kevin Ruane at the capital building in Tallahassee.

PAULETTE LEBLANC

OPINIONS

Year-end donations fuel programs & services

N o n p r o f i t s a c r o s s

Southwest Florida rely on the generosity of supporters and philanthropic organizations to fund vital programs and services, and ultimately their missions

Publisher Raymond M Eckenrode reckenrode@breezenewspapers com

Executive Editor Valarie Harring vharring@breezenewspapers com

Editor Paulette LeBlanc pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

Advertising Director Laurie Ragle lragle@ breezenewspapers com

Advertising Sales Charlene Russ cruss@breezenewspapers com

& Layout Chris Strine cstrine@breezenewspapers com

At the end of each year, many organizations make a s t r o n g a p p e a l f o r f i n a n c i a l support This funding is critical to give nonprofits a running start heading into the new year For supporters, year-end donations offer a much-appreciated tax break

T h e G u a r d i a n a d L i t e m

F o u n d a t i o n , 2 0 t h J u d i c i a l C i r c u i t , w a s a m o n g t h o s e Southwest Florida nonprofits making yearend appeals in 2022. The community’s swift response to that appeal evoked many emotions appreciation, joy, gratitude and even a few tears

The focus of the Foundation’s year-end appeal was the story of a young woman in Fort Myers The court had taken away her children because of her poor decisions She had been working hard to regain custody of her children, though, maintaining her sobriety and demonstrating personal accountability She moved into a new home and the court awarded her custody of the children in September

Then Hurricane Ian hit Southwest Florida, obliterating her family’s home and everything in it

Budget cuts for the poor while political sacred cows get more and more

To the editor:

T h o s e i n t h e R e p u b l i c a n p a r t y h a v e p r op o s e d n o f e d e r a l l e g i s l a t i o n t o t r i m a n y f a t o f f t h e b i g g e s t t a x p a y e r b o o n d o g g l e

P e n t a g o n s p e n d i n g i s b y f a r t h e m o s t b l o a te d b u d g e t i t e m r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t h e n a t i o n a l d e b t N e i t h e r S c o t t n o r R u b i o h a s i n s i s t e d , f o r e x a m p l e , t h a t U k r a i n e b o r r o w m o n e y a n d p a y u s b a c k a n y o f t h e $ 1 0 5 5 b i l l i o n w e h a v e s e n t t h e m t o f i g h t a p r o x y w a r w i t h R u s s i a I n s t e a d o u r s e n a t o r s t a r g e t t h e U S p o o r , d e m a n d i n g c u t s t o S o c i a l S e c u r i t y a n d p o u t i n g t h a t t h e O b a m a a d m i n i s t r a t i o n ’ s A f f o r d a b l e C a r e A c t t o t h e i n d i g e n t p r o g r a m b e t r i m m e d A c c o r d i n g t o t h e F r i e n d s C o m m i t t e e o n

“I didn’t know metal could shred,” she said “The home I worked so hard to bring to life is just gone ” T h e f a m i l y ’ s b e l o n g i n g s w e r e s c a t t e r e d t h r o u g h t h e neighborhood Her children only had the clothing on their backs, and days turned into w e e k s T h a t ’ s w h e n t h e Foundation stepped in, providing gift cards so the family could purchase clean clothing a n d o t h e r e s s e n t i a l s T h e Foundation also helped provide something else hope W i t h t h e f u t u r e b l e a k a n d s t r e s s l e v e l s p e a k i n g , t h e mother didn’t turn to alcohol a n d d r u g s I n s t e a d , s h e t u r n e d t o t h e

F o u n d a t i o n a n d a s u p p o r t n e t w o r k t h a t i n c l u d e s v o l u n t e e r c h i l d a d v o c a t e s a n d donors

Response to that story was immediate and impactful People wanted to help her and families like hers, and they wanted to help a local organization with its boots on the g r o u n d p r o v i d i n g h o p e , c o m f o r t a n d resources during a period of incredible need First Horizon Bank offered a $20,000 donation Members of the Foundation’s Board of Directors, which so graciously donate their time and expertise in advisory roles, offered a collective $20,000 match to inspire other c o m m u n i t y m e m b e r s a n d b u s i n e s s e s t o donate And they did, providing another $41,214 in monetary contributions

N a t i o n a l L e g i s l a t i o n w e s p e n t $ 7 8 5 b i l l i o n i n t a x e s f o r t h e P e n t a g o n l a s t y e a r a n d t h e a s k f o r 2 0 2 3 a l o n e i s $ 8 1 3 b i l l i o n G o g g l e s ’ s b e s t g u e s s i s t h a t a c o m p a r at i v e l y p a l t r y s u m o f $ 5 1 b i l l i o n i n f e d e r a l f u n d s w o u l d b e t h e f e d e r a l t a x b u r d e n f o r m e d i c a l t r e a t m e n t f e e p a y m e n t s i n F l o r i d a f o r e x p a n d i n g t o F l o r i d a t h e O b a m a c a r e F e d e r a l g o v e r n m e n t a i d T h e F l o r i d a

H e a l t h J u s t i c e P r o g r a m p u b l i s h e d a f a c t s h e e t i n 2 0 2 0 c l a i m i n g e x p a n d e d

M e d i C A I D ( O b a m a c a r e ) w o u l d g e n e r a t e $ 7 b i l l i o n i n r e v e n u e t o t h e S u n s h i n e s t a t e F l o r i d a h e a l t h p r o v i d e r s w o u l d r e c e i v e , b y t h e i r g u e s s $ 4 3 b i l l i o n p e r y e a r i n F e d e r a l r e i m b u r s e m e n t . S o i f F l o r i d a w o u l d i n p u t $ 7 b i l l i o n o f n a t i o n a l t a x e s a l l o c a t e d i f e x p a n s i o n c o n t i n u e s B y s h a r i n g o u r c o s t s w i t h t h e e n t i r e t y o f U S t a x p a y e r s , w e i n

We want your opinion

A l l t o l d , t h e y e a r - e n d a p p e a l r a i s e d

$81,214 To a small nonprofit, that’s a difference-maker Because Hurricane Ian hit right before the start of high season, the F o u n d a t i o n d e c i d e d t o c a n c e l s e v e r a l fundraising events, including the signature Voices of Hope Gala Proceeds from these events help the Foundation accomplish its mission of ensuring that every abused, neglected or abandoned youth in Southwest Florida has a voice as they navigate the judicial, education and child welfare systems The nonprofit also raises funds that help meet a child’s health, educational and social needs

Now, with another year underway, we need to continue rallying around vulnerable children who simply need people in their lives who care about them Things like an afternoon of mini-golf and ice cream with a volunteer child advocate might not seem like much, but it is to these children A pair of clean socks, shorts and a T-shirt are often taken for granted, but not for the mother and children whose home and livelihood were destroyed

Donations at any time of the year, for any charitable cause, make a huge impact in Southwest Florida We are blessed to live in a community that doesn’t just respond to challenges; we overcome them

J e s s i c a S t a n f i e l d i s E x e c u t i v e D i r e c t o r o f t h e G u a r d i a n a d L i t e m F o u n d a t i o n , 2 0 t h J u d i c i a l C i r c u i t F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , v i s i t V o i c e s F o r K i d s o r g o r c a l l

pineisland-eagle

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

F l o r i d a w o u l d g a i n R e m e m b e r t h i s i s a p r o g r a m t h a t i s p a i d f o r a n d e f f e c t i v e i n m o s t o t h e r s t a t e s S e n a t o r s R u b i o a n d S c o t t h a v e e x p r e s s e d n o a p p e t i t e f o r g a t h e r i n g t a x e s t h r o u g h I R S a u d i t f r o m t h o s e m a k i n g m o r e t h a n $ 4 0 0 , 0 0 0 p e r y e a r E v a s i o n i s p o s s ib l e f r o m t h o s e w h o a r e i n t h e b e s t p o s i t i o n t o h i r e l a w y e r s t o e v a d e t a x p a y m e n t M a n y i s t h e b i l l i o n a i r e w h o p a y s l i t t l e t o n o t a x e s T h e o t h e r b i l l i o n a i r e s i n t h e S e n a t e a r e c o o l t o h a v e t h e i r t a x e s a u d i t e d S o i f t h e r e i s n o a p p e t i t e f o r m e a n i n g f u l l y c u t t i n g w a s t e , n o r r a i s i n g r e v e n u e i s t h i s m e r e l y t h e G O P s u g g e s t i n g w e s t i f f o u r c r e d i t o r s i n s e r v i c e t o a n e l e c t i o n s l og a n f o r a b a l a n c e d b u d g e t ? W h i l e a d v o c a ti n g t a x c h e a t s t o g o u n i n v e s t i g a t e d ? R e p u b l i c a n s d e m a n d a c u t i n s e r v i c e s a n d s u r v i v a l f u n d s a n d t a x a u d i t s w h i l e t h e A m e r i c a n u n d e r e m p l o y e d a r e t r y i n g t o s u rv i v e u n e m p l o y m e n t I t s e e m s t o m e c h e a ti n g t h e S o c i a l S e c u r i t y s e n i o r s o u t o f t h e i r b e n e f i t s ( r e m e m b e r w e p a y o u r o w n S o c i a l S e c u r i t y , i t ’ s l i s t e d a s F I C A o n y o u r p a yr o l l d e d u c t i o n s s t u b ) B u t t h e S e n a t o r s w h o v o t e d f o r t h e d e b t s w h i c h m u s t b e p a i d , n o w w a n t t o d i n e a n d d a s h , r i s k i n g r u i n at i o n o n t h e g o o d f a i t h c r e d i t r a t i n g o f t h e n a t i o n T h e s e p e t t y m e a n i n g l e s s q u i b b l e s f r o m t h e G O P p l a y b o o k c o u l d s e n d t h e U S a n d t h e w o r l d e c o n o m y c a r e e n i n g i n t o a d i t c h

Jessica Stanfield Guest Commentary

Open Mic and Picnic in the Park to be held Feb. 3 at Civic Center

There will be an Open Mic and Picnic in the Park event at the St James City Civic Center Friday, Feb 3, from noon to 4 p m

Organizers are looking for local musicians to take the stage and folks to enjoy the music and picnic in the park!

Bee population

their bees, and CEO Ray Civitts thought they could do something to help

"We didn't know how big of an operation each of these beekeepers had," Civitts said "We wanted to see what we could do We went on the air and asked our customers to join us in helping support these beekeepers "

Between donations and their own contributions, Civitts and partner Bryan Race loaded up a truck and brought roughly $12,000 in beekeeping supplies to Southwest Florida They surprised four local beekeepers with not one, but five new hives each to start the healing process

"Beekeepers tend to think of their honeybees as part of their family," Civitts said "So when they lose family, there's a lot of heartache there because they went through thick-and-thin times with their honeybees only to see them swept away by the hurricane "

One of the recipients of new hives was Pine Island resident Uriia Underhill, who lost all 22 of her hives due to Ian She started her journey in as a beekeeper in 2020 with one hive and it rapidly grew The bees helped to pollinate plants on her and her husband's farm

Her first trip back to Pine Island had to be taken three days after the storm via kayak as the bridge was in tatters

"It was devastation," Underhill said "Some of the bee hives were mangled and thrown places -- ones that we did find It was just wiped clean."

Underhill, who worked to strap down her hives before the storm, said she did find one hive on higher ground she found tipped over when she came back for the first time

"I had my veil and I was trying to sit them up, but I didn't have smoke (to calm them) or anything and they were just going crazy," she recalled "I remember saying, 'I'm trying to help you I'm sorry I'm sorry ' And they either moved on or didn't make it "

Underhill said she plans on coming up with an improved emergency response plan for her bees if (and when) another storm presents itself It can be tough in a storm to find a perfect spot to protect from water and wind

When Underhill was presented and surprised with five new hives, she broke down into tears

"It's just so incredible," she said of

Food will be available on site. Coolers are welcome. Plans are to hold the event on the first Friday of each month Mark your calendar for upcoming dates March 3 and April 7

From page 2

Mountain Sweet Honey's donation "The bees are a mission to the world It's such a bigger calling than just what is here For all the farmers, for the ecosystem on Pine Island -- the bees are a big part of that, and I'm glad to help out in any way I can and be of service

"We hope it gives back to everyone as much as it has to us "

Civitts said Hurricane Ian was detrimental to the bee population in Florida due to flooding, wind and how they are programed

"Honeybees have GPS in their brain, and if you move them 100 feet away, they're still going to go back to where they were originally," he said "If there's nothing there, they will still stay there until there's no hope and practically die there "

He said in a case of a hurricane, when water levels rise to the hive, the bees just move to the top of the hive until they are consumed Or, with moving water, the hive gets knocked over and they also drown.

Civitts said bees need to be moved at least 2 miles in a sealed hive to "reset" their inner-GPS

"These beekeepers had nothing after the storm," Civitts said "Who knows what was in the water, and if that gets into the hive, the bees will not go into it They've had to start over "

Mountain Sweet Honey, along with the hives, will send 10,000 bees and a queen for each hive He said in 3 months as the hives develop, there could be up to 200,000 bees in each hive

Another Southwest Florida resident Mountain Sweet Honey treated was Brad MacKenzie on Sanibel

MacKenzie, operator of Sanibel Honey, lost all 50 of his hives across the island that were part of the community He, with the help of Mountain Sweet Honey, is determined to bring a flourishing bee population back to Sanibel

"People are excited to have their hives back and to have the cross-pollination," MacKenzie said "You have to have bees to have things flower, and you have to have flowers to have bees survive That symbiotic relationship will be helped out by bees being here "

MacKenzie himself was nearly washed away by Ian, as he chose to hunker down His home on 8-foot stilts was taking on 15

All tips go directly to the St. James City Civic Association to rebuild and repair our Civic Center

For additional information, contact Denise Huber at 208-290-2512 or Myra Watson at 717-817-1512

feet of storm surge His situation got to a point where he wrote to his family on his wall in Sharpie

To his girlfriend that evacuated: "Andrea, I was wrong I love you "

He also wrote, "Grayson I love you Mom, Dad, Larry, Alice and Doug, I love you Can't wait to see you all again "

MacKenzie recalled, "Here I was realizing my house isn't going to float And there was no help on the way. If I went out to sea, I wasn't going to be rescued "

Once his own safety was taken care of, he immediately began to think about the bees and wildlife locally MacKenzie said nearly all of the bees on Sanibel have been decimated as their homes were destroyed

"I was concerned about my home and my community, and the community here includes the bees and wildlife that we enjoy and makes Sanibel so special," he said "And it was sad and frightening to know that I was not in the worst place."

MacKenize added it would be nearly impossible to relocate 50 beehives before the storm, and even if he did get them all loaded up to go, there would be very minimal ideal places to take them

All in all, Hurricane Ian's impact on the bee population locally will be felt This could mean a lack of "local" honey sales at places such as farmers markets and community stores

"Florida took a huge hit for future pollination," Civitts said "It comes out to about 15% of the total hives in the U S that were lost due to Ian "

He added flooding out in California recently took a toll on beekeepers out west Canada has lost honeybees at an alarming rate due to spreading virus

"There's going to be a pollination issue this coming spring There are not enough bees to pollinate," Civitts said.

So, how to get things back on track? Patience and good practice

Civitts said by the spring, hives should be able to be split and grow, and again the next year The sad fact is, there's just not enough bees to get everything restarted right away

"When you lost 18 to 19 percent of your bees nationwide, it's not going to happen overnight," Civitts said

His concern in that crops need anywhere from 5 to 30% pollination to grow

"I see food scarcity, which means elevated pricing at the grocery store," Civitts said "We think we're paying high prices now, wait until the end of the summer "

For more information on Mountain Sweet Honey, beekeeping supplies and education, visit www mountainsweethoney com

Connect with this reporter on Twitter: @haddad cj

From left, firefighter/paramedic Frank Vilchez, firefighter/EMT

Zachary Robertson and firefighter/EMT

Brittni Kelbe were presented with a plaque and honored at the VFW on Jan. 19.

Beacon hosting coffee klatch gatherings in

February

Pine Islanders have experienced so much loss and trauma with Hurricane Ian, coupled for many with an increased sense of connection and community

The Beacon of Hope is beginning a Coffee Klatch to help Pine Islanders cope with the emotions islanders have been through and may still be experiencing, like exhaustion, sadness, anger and fear

Mary Lewis Sheehan (nurse clinician, retired), and Nancy Buthman (director

Three M/PIFCD firefighters recognized

The Greater Pine Island VFW Post #4353 and Commander Scott Zilch recently announced this year's winners of the coveted Veterans of Foreign Wars Public Servant Awards for Matlacha Pine Island Fire District for 2022 Three firefighters, firefighter/paramedic Frank V i l c h e z , f i r e f i g h t e r / E M T Z a c h a r y Robertson and firefighter/EMT Brittni Kelbe, were selected for their tireless efforts and outstanding dedication to Matlacha Pine Island Community

Church

During the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, the awardees exhibited exemplary actions which ensured that all the needs were met from coordinating EMS transport to off island locations, helping to allocate resources to the needs and working nonstop to cover all the possible events that occurred

The three were presented with a plaque and honored during the Mexican Lunch Fiesta at the VFW on Jan 19, 2023

of God of Prophecy

Chicken Dinner set for Feb. 11

The Church of God of Prophecy will be having another Chicken Dinner Saturday, Feb 11 Dinner will be curbside pickup only,

Chicken is fried in peanut oil Gluten free and baked chicken available upon request

Pick-up is from 12:30-3 p m

T h e c h u r c h i s l o c a t e d a t 1 5 1 4 6 Stringfellow Road, Bokeelia

BOH), both Pine Island residents, invite islanders to come for coffee and cake while all creating this safe space together

The initial plan is to meet in the Beacon classroom for an hour and a half each Friday morning during the month -Feb 3, 10, 17 and 24 at 10 a m

Please call Mary at 941-404-6567 if you’d like to come or have questions Please leave a message.

Lee County representatives return to the island for February GPICA meeting

Residents with unanswered questions about post-Hurricane Ian cleanup and recovery are invited to attend the February meeting of the Greater Pine Island Civic Association, which will be hosting Lee County staff

The meeting will take place at 6:30 p m , Tuesday, Feb 7, at the Pine Island United Methodist Church, 5701 Pine Island Road, N W , Bokeelia, FL 33922

The meeting will also be livestreamed to the GPICA Facebook page for those who cannot attend in person www facebook com/PineIslandCivicAssociation

L e e C o u n t y C o m m i s s i o n e r K e v i n Ruane, county staff and FEMA and state Division of Emergency Management officials attended the January meeting and provided information on everything from housing to debris cleanup Because residents still had questions at the end of the 2-plus-hour meeting, the GPICA board has invited Lee County staff back for the February meeting. Commissioner Ruane will be meeting with Florida legislators in Tallahassee and is unable to attend

The GPICA will also hold elections for its Board of Directors Current nominees for the three open seats on the board are H e l e n F o x , c u r r e n t b o a r d p r e s i d e n t ; Michael Sweeney, current board treasurer; f o r m e r b o a r d m e m b e r T i m H e i t z o f

Bokeelia; and GPICA member Jette Smith

o f M a t l a c h a T h o s e w h o h a v e b e e n GPICA members for at least 30 days and are in good standing and current in their dues may vote in the election Nominees from the floor will also be accepted before the vote

Other items on the agenda for the February meeting include:

∫ A n u p d a t e f r o m D e v e l o p m e n t Committee Chair Deb Swisher-Hicks She will provide an update on the recent meeti n g b e f o r e t h e L e e C o u n t y H e a r i n g Examiner on the proposal to turn the former Pine Island Chamber of Commerce building on Pine Island Road into a used car lot and what’s next in the process

∫ An update on the proposed self-storage facility behind Publix

∫ An update on a proposed landscape business on Stringfellow Road

∫ GPICA advisor Noel Andress will provide an overview on the Lee County Capital Improvement Plan specifically the projects planned for greater Pine Island

As always, GPICA members and nonmembers are invited to attend the meeting Non-members may also join the GPICA in person before the meeting or online anytime at www GPICA org/join

PHOTO PROVIDED

Beacon of Hope activities for month of February

The Beacon of Hope on Pine Island has scheduled the following activities a n d p r o g r a m s f o r t h e m o n t h o f

February

T h e B e a c o n i s o p e n M o n d a y , Wednesday and Thursday from 9 a m to 5 p m Computers, fax and printer are available for use

∫ Coffee Klatch – Every Friday in February at 10:30 a m at the Beacon Come join us for coffee

∫ Free Tax Preparation by IRS certified volunteers is available again on Pine Island. Volunteers will prepare Federal Tax Returns at the Beacon of Hope offices, located at 5090 Doug Taylor Circle, from 9-1:30 p m on Fridays starting Feb 17 Please call the Beacon at 239-283-5123 to schedule your appointment

∫ There are people at the Beacon on Monday and Wednesday and sometimes Friday morning helping people sign up for Florida disaster relief Call the Beacon to make an appointment

∫ The Food Bank –Every Saturday at 9:30 a m The Emergency Pantry is available when we are open

∫ Wellness Committee – Monday, Feb 13 at 10 a m

∫ T h e V e t e r a n ’ s S u p p o r t g r o u p meets on the first Friday of every month from 9 a m to 12:30 p m Call 239283-5123 to make an appointment

∫ Strange Arrangement – Monday 6-7:30 pm. Lessons given. A musical experience

∫ Funds/Communications meeting

– Monday, Feb 20

∫ Grants Committee meeting – To Be announced

∫ Homelessness Committee – To be announced

∫ Yoga on Mondays from 4-5 p m

∫ Pine Island Boy Scout Troop will be meeting Wednesday evenings at 6

∫ Girl Scout Troop will meet on Friday nights.

∫ GED classes are on Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a m to 2 p m

∫ E S O L c l a s s e s a r e h e l d e v e r y Monday from 7 p m at the Beacon

∫ The Attic (Thrift Store) will be open Monday through Friday from 9 a m to 2 p m Donations are accepted at this time unless overloaded Every Tuesday is 50 percent off clothing, shoes, and similar items

∫ Wellness articles are available on o u r W e b s i t eb e a c o n o f h o p e p i n e i s l a n d c o m T h e s e articles are changed every couple of weeks Past articles are archived to be read at any time

∫ We have blood pressure screenings at the Beacon on Wednesday from 1-2 p m and on Saturday mornings from 10-11 a m

Mahjongg Scores

Ten players gathered on Jan 26 for M

Association Top scorers were Victoria Cuyler in third place with 70 points and Peggy Finley in second place with 155 points But with the high score of

205 was Sue Rasmussen

Mahjongg is played every Thursday from 1-4 p m at SJCCA, located at 4th and Lemon Streets in Saint James City. Come join the fun

Cape Coral Breeze Athletes of the Week

Junior Olympics

From page 2

Kiwanis is an organization dedicated to improving the lives of one child and one community at a time

"We at the Pine Island Kiwanis enjoy doing everything we can for the kids with special focus on Pine Island," he said

Saturday’s event went very well, Shevlin said, noting that there have been over 80 kids for the past several years In light of Pine Island recovery from the recent hurricane, the subject of not having the event, never even came up, he added

“There was no question about doing it We’ve done it every year, through the pandemic and whatever else. For the last three or four years we’ve done it in January instead of December and that’s been a big deal,” Shevlin said

He said holding the event after the holidays seems to work better for the community, as the amount of participants doubled immediately following the later date, and foresees continuing the event in January for this reason

According to Shevlin, dedication has little do with his long-time devotion to the event, saying, “It’s just really fun ”

He credits the kids, parents and everyone else who’s helped with the event for the great turnout and camaraderie.

“It’s fun for the community, it’s fun for us who are doing it there are just not enough kid things that we can all participate in out here I wish we had more,”

Cape Coral Breeze Athletes Week of the

(Selected by the Breeze Sports staff)

Sponsored by:

Shevlin said, adding that Pine Island Kiwanis president, Jayson Ryder, who was present at the event, was, at one time, one of the participants

PHOTO PROVIDED BY JAYSON RYDER PI Kiwanis President shown with 4th grader Kennedy McCaffrey

PAULETTE LEBLANC

Mike Shevlin handing out trophys.

Honc From page 1

H o n c I n d u s t r i e s , b e g a n a s H o n c Construction, under John Honc Sr in Bokeelia in 1955 Of the four Honc companies still in existence, the Honc Industries office is maintained on Pine Island to this day Steve said he feels he’s in good company, as he credits many other Pine Islanders for taking their place in leadership, who’ve offered their skill, talent, ability and generosity

for betterment of the island

“When you watch other people accept that award, you see what they do and you understand their contributions to the community. You don’t ever think that what you’re doing is really that signific a n t , b u t t h e n w h e n y o u ’ r e a w a r d e d something like this, it really is kind of a reminder that your contributions don’t go unnoticed,” Steve said

PHOTO PROVIDED BY DARCY CONNER

Dan and Steve Honc

PHOTO PROVIDED BY STEVE HONC

Lovegrove

From page 1

“I have like 300 of them, so I paint every morning,” Lovegrove said Having set her sights for a new gallery in downtown Fort Myers, the artist admits the most important thing now is getting settled in so she can continue to paint After hearing the news regarding the post-hurricane destruction of her gallery, the Peace River Botanical and Sculpture Gardens in Punta Gorda invited Lovegrove to be their featured artist The news couldn’t come at a better time, since Lovegrove approximates having lost $800,000 worth of inventory

“We were getting ready for this big season -- we would see 1,000 people a day before this hurricane,” Lovegrove said Her work on the island continues, as Lovegrove has plans to refurbish the mural

in the Matlacha Post Office The work, originally scheduled for October, she said, will most likely take place in February

The people of downtown Fort Myers have welcomed Lovegrove with open arms, she said, as she was fortunate to have closed on a condominium there just two weeks before the hurricane, athrough Lovegrove said she’s an island girl at heart who will always be a part of Matlacha

“We still own a home in Matlacha, we’re not abandoning Matlacha I’m actually going to have a little Matlacha corner at my new place in Fort Myers and I’m going to promote the businesses there as well it’s been such a huge part of my life My love affair with Matlacha will continue,” Lovegrove said

“My

Matlacha” by Leoma Lovegrove

February on the water -- seasons begin to change

Were back! Actually, we never left We were here on the island before, during and after Hurricane Ian We all know the devastation and loss Ian brought to our islands and its people. For that I am truly sorry. I never thought in my lifetime I would see a storm cause such destruction to our islands and its people If there is one thing I know about true island people, we are tough as nails and will prevail

It's time to get back to talking about fishing, this is the reason many of us choose this as our home in the first place

As we move towards the close of winter with spring in sight, we have a choice of fishing opportunities over the upcoming month While some fish are completing their spawning duties, others are just beginning February will bring us a few cold fronts followed with a warming trend in between By the later part of the month, cold days should become less numerous followed with a rise in water

temperature Also, the month comes with extremely low tides, you will see where hurricane debris ended up and where new channels and bars formed Go slow and pay attention.

The winter run of sheepshead peaks as the larger fish complete their spawning duties Sheepshead school around structure with a good tidal flow inshore, around the beaches and nearshore They are the one fish that thrive in the cold with the best bite often coming over the coldest days Sheepshead are one of Florida’s tastiest fish and get a good deal of attention from anglers fishing from boat and land Public docks, piers and bridges offer excellent sheepshead fishing for shore bound anglers; however, many were damaged or destroyed from hurricane Ian Nearshore reefs out to 40-foot depths are yielding coolers of big fish on days with calm seas

As the month passes, warming waters and the return of schooling bait fish will mark the beginning to some of the

Capt Bill Russell On the Water

largest seatrout of the year

Large trout are locally known as “gators” or “gator trout” and exceed well over 20 inches, often pushing 30 inches

T h e y a r e m o v i n g o n t o t h e inshore grass flats, as well as oyster bars and deeper holes

Seatrout are sight feeders and prefer water with good clarity

These larger fish are often e g g - l a d e n a s w e a p p r o a c h t h e i r s p a w n i n g s e a s o n a n d should be handled with care and released after a good battle Seatrout are in season

The snook bite should fire off with the return of bait fish and warming waters In my opinion, snook are our top inshore sportfish They strike with meaning, fight hard and have the natural instinct to head to the nearest structure and break off Large or small, they are a blast to catch, full of tenacity and just a cool fish It’s easy to get addicted and catch snook fever Snook are ambush feeders that are found around island points, oyster bars, sand holes near islands and structure such as dock, bridge and pier pilings and riprap

While redfish tolerate the cold, their numbers, size and appetite increase as winter nears its end They range in size from little guys barely a foot long to well over 30 inches While snook have fast blazing runs, dramatic leaps from the water and head for the nearest structure, redfish are in a different category They fight like a bull, not fast but super strong and don’t know the word quit They will fight hard from start to finish Redfish are found in the areas previously mentioned for sheepshead, sea trout and snook, as well as under mangrove overhangs on the higher stages of tides

Anglers also choose to sight-fish reds as they are tailing and pushing wake as they hunt for prey over the shallow flats. Negative low tides offer the best opportunities for sight fishing, particularly early morning, and late afternoon Redfish are once again in season

In the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, fish are on the move as they follow the rising water temperature north King and Spanish mackerel, plus bonito or false albacore are off the coast and often in large schools Watch for feeding birds to locate the hungry fish

Cobia, a local favorite, which is often mistaken for a shark due to its similar appearance, may show up at any time around your boat offshore or inshore Bottom fishing around reefs could yield a variety including sheepshead, various snapper, grouper, permit and flounder to name a few Also, keep an eye open for triple tail sunning on their side around floating objects

The transition from late winter into early spring can

See FEBRUARY, page 19

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Nearshore fishing is good when weather allows. John Lewandowski and crew scored with a nice mess of fish in 40-foot depths west of Captiva They were fishing with Capt Bill Russell

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February From page 12

offer some of the best fishing as days get longer and water temperatures rise Of course, we can expect a couple cool fronts before months end that will affect the bite and fishing conditions for a few days, but spring is just around the corner Some are dealing with a lot trying to rebuild and others were more fortunate and fared better Some have been on the water fishing and boating while others are to busy rebuilding To much stress is not good for anyone and a day on the water or outdoors with nature is the best way to take a muchneeded break and clear the mind

To keep up on current fishing regulations, you can go to www myfwc com or

Car lot

download the Fish Rules app for the latest rules and regulations

If you have a fishing report or for charter information, contact Gulf Coast Guide Service at 239-410-8576 (call or text); on the web at www fishpine island com; or via email at gcl2fish@ live com

Have a safe week and good fishin’

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 Florida, and as a professional fishing guide for the past 23 years

From page 1

Development Code meet the criteria for approval

She also listed recommended conditions for that approval

"The County must administer the zoning process so proposed land uses minimize adverse impacts on adjacent property and protect County's water resources," the recommendation summary states "Conditions must be plausibly related to the project's anticipated impacts, and pertinent to mitigating impacts to public health, safety and welfare The CPD will be subject to conditions of approval designed to address impacts reasonable by anticipated from development "

To that end, "The Hearing Examiner recommends minor revisions to wording of conditions and deviations to improve clarity "

The property, west of the intersection of Veterans Parkway and Burnt Store Road, "is located in a mainly commercial road corridor in a Coastal High Hazard Area," the summary report states

"The proposed site plan is contingent on wetland permitting and may require adjustment at the time of local development order review to maintain consistency with state permits," the hearing examiner remarks summary states.

Hearing examiners provide recommen-

dations to the Lee County Board of County Commissioners on applications to rezone properties

The elected board conducts a second public hearing and makes the final determination

Three members of the public attended the hearing examiner hearing and spoke in opposition to the project, citing concerns related to traffic, environmental impact and proposed project itself

Pine Island American Legion Commander Aaron Bareda was among them

He said he had several concerns regarding the impact of this particular business and location on Pine Island He is especially concerned about potential impact on the environment

“Essentially what the developers want to do is put in a used car lot with a car rental agency, but in order to do that, they’re asking for deviations on every side of the property,” Bareda said

“We’re not anti-business, it’s just the wrong business to put at the entrance to Matlacha If you have to grant so many waivers to be in business, it’s just the wrong business,” he said

The zoning section of the Department of Community Development will schedule a final hearing before the board in the coming weeks

PHOTO PROVIDED