Cape Coral Wednesday Breeze

Heading off island

Longtime Matlacha gallery owner Leoma Lovegrove moving business to Fort Myers INSIDE

Cape Council begins talks on FY24 budget

By CHUCK BALLARO news@breezenewspapers com

The Cape Coral City Council winter retreat is the unofficial kickoff of the budget season which will culminate with the ratification of the 2024 budget for the city in September

On Friday, council heard from Finance

D i r e c t o r M a r k M a s o n o n t h e b u d g e t process and with all that is happening in the city and elsewhere due to Hurricane Ian it was obviously the first inning of a nine-inning game Maybe even the first atbat Numerous things impacted this year's b u d g e t e s p e c i a l l y i n f l a t i o n h o u s i n g affordability and energy costs Mason said inflation seems to be cooling down and energy costs aren t quite as outrageous

AT A GLANCE

“This is the starting point The information we have needs more clarity and needs to be revisited I don t want to do anything prematurely

though they have risen again recently Interest rate volatility the cost of labor and increased operating costs are other impacts that influenced the 2023 budget and is expected to do so again

Another impact was the hurricane State Senate Bill 4A will appropriate more than $ 7 5 1 m i l l i o n f r o m t h e G e n e r a l F u n d toward disaster relief in areas affected by Ian and Nicole

As is standard, the three biggest questions council will face is at what level to set the three primary city tax rates ad val-

County seeking donations of coldweather supplies

S e v e r e W e a t h e r O u treach Teams to assist individuals and families experiencing homelessness Blankets, gloves, scarves, hats, socks and hand-warmers can be dropped off at the f o l l o w i n g l o c a t i o n s u n t i l

Friday Feb 3: ■ C a p e C o r a l P o l i c e Department 1100 Cultural Park Blvd accepting items 8 a m to 4 p m , Monday through Friday ■ F o r t M y e r s P o l i c e Department, 2210 Widman Way Fort Myers accepting i t e m s 8 a m t o 4 p m Monday through Friday ■ S o m e L e e C o u n t y S h e r i f f s O f f i c e O u t r e a c h Centers For more information, contact the Community Response Unit at 239-4771 C R U ( 1 2 7 8 ) o r v i s i t w w w s h e r i f f l e e f l o r g / c o mmunity-outreach-centers-2/

At this time Lee County libraries and recreation centers are not accepting donations Severe Weather Outreach Teams are mobilized to specific locations when inland temperatures are projected to drop to 40 degrees or lower for an extended period of time F o l l o w L e e C o u n t y Government on Facebook, www facebook com/leecoun tyflbocc

tion we have needs more clarity and needs to be revisited, Gunter said I don t want to do anything

Mayor John Gunter

orem public service tax and fire service assessment

C u r r e n t l y t h e p r o p e

Hurricane Ian levels plans for Cape Coral Yacht Club

By CHUCK BALLARO news@breezenewspapers com

Plans for a $60 million dollar renovation of the Cape Coral Yacht Club appear to be another Hurricane Ian loss with the city now looking at a total rebuild C a p e C o r a l C i t y C o u n c i l g o t a l o o k

Thursday at options for a completely re-imagined Yacht Club that would make the cityowned complex less like a park and more like a destination complete with a beach, retail and commercial opportunities and the feel of a resort

Its buildings are a total loss and cannot be repaired or rebuilt as previously constructed due to federal regulations for flood-zone structures

The main ballroom building at the historic r i v e r f r o n t p a r k w a s a p p r a i s e d a t T h e $680,000; it needs $520,000 in repair The second building, the Tony Rotino Center, was appraised at $467 000; it needs $350 000 in repairs

Both buildings at the Driftwood Parkway park fall under FEMA s 50 percent rule, which means the city can only repair a structure up to 50 percent of its value if it is in a flood zone Both buildings went well over the limit and since the city can’t raise the buildings to make them flood compliant they will have to come down, council was told Thursday James Pankonin of Kimley-Horn, which are the designers of the project said the vision of the Yacht Club was a “return to its roots as Cape Coral’s premier waterfront venue and that a resort-style atmosphere should be created that plays to its strengths, like its views of the Caloosahatchee River, historic ballroom and fountain a resort-style swimming pool waterfront restaurant marina and beach

Amenities that don’t require a waterfront location, such as the tennis courts a point of contention during the original renovation talks

The Cape Coral Yacht Club buildings are a total loss and cannot be repaired or rebuilt as previously constructed due to federal regulations for flood-zone structures The main ballroom building at the historic riverfront park was appraised at $680,000; it needs $520,000 in repair

The second building the Tony Rotino Center, was appraised at $467,000; it needs $350 000 in repairs

could be relocated to other sites Council pretty much now has a blank canvas with which to work, and Pankonin gave the elected board five rough concepts These included an improved marina and boating access new and maybe multiple piers; better and expanded waterfront access; as many as three restaurants; the possibility for commercial or retail, much more parking and a range of amenities that capitalize on riverfront location As for a pool many on council liked the idea of a resort-style design and rejected the possibility of the Olympic-sized pool, something the city has said it would like to see for nearly a year but not at this location where a resort pool would be more appropriate Councilmember Bill Steinke said he wanted demolition work to start

See CAPE CORAL YACHT CLUB, page 4

James Pankonin of Kimley-Horn talks about the Cape Coral Yacht Club renovation during the City Council retreat

Annex Conference Room CHUCK BALLARO

and then final

See FY24 BUDGET, page 4

City Council to discuss legislative priorities, including grant applications

By CHUCK BALLARO news@breezenewspapers com

The city of Cape Coral is looking to get a share of state money for both Hurricane Ian related expenses and infrastructure projects

To that end the Cape Coral City Council will discuss grant applications, its proposed 2023 state legislative initiatives and the possible hiring of a second lobbying firm at its regular meeting set for 4:30 p m Wednesday Council discussed the subjects during its retreat last week and expressed its wishes for the city to get as much money from the state as it can for hurricane damage and for the ongoing utilities expansion project

At the retreat City Manager Rob Hernandez suggested hiring the additional lobbying firm as he said many larger cities have two or even more to help foster local governmental interests One firm under consideration is Ballard P a r t n e r s , t h e f i r m f o r w h i c h f o r m e r S t a t e Representative and former state Department of Economic Opportunity secretary Dane Eagle has gone to work for following his resignation from the DEO last month

We need to get our priorities straight and we need to look at other opportunities and be ready for them ” Mayor John Gunter said last week “We need to be sure we’re a player and not get tunnel vision over a few items Hernandez assured Gunter that the city was not missing out on grants and other funds, that there are some grants the city is not eligible for He also assured the council hiring more than one firm would not pit the two against the other

Among the proposed legislative priorities are asking the state to provide fiscal relief to municipalities that experienced revenue loss due to Hurricane Ian to ensure that Cape Coral and others have the funding to address critical needs

Others include support for appropriations/ grants for city projects, protection of home rule authority and opposition to unfunded mandates or cost shifts support for state initiatives that address mitigating and preventing harmful algal blooms and continued funding of state and local affordable housing programs for persons with low and moderate incomes

Council is also expected to select outside counsel for its litigation against Waste Pro The hauler is suing the city and wants its contract voided citing the withholding of more than $800,000 in payments

Council also will consider adding an additional meeting to its scheduled for Wednesday March 22 at 4:30 p m following its scheduled workshop meeting

At the Jan 18 council workshop regarding the North 1 West Utility Expansion Project, the final public hearing was listed to occur in M a r c h I n r e v i e w i n g n o t i c e r e q u i r e m e n t s

See LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES, page

Council retreat revisits old projects, intros new

By CHUCK BALLARO

Doug Griffiths he read while at a city managers convention

Besides the typical ones like lack of commercial not knowing your strengths and weaknesses, shutting out the youth and seniors, the top one that stood out was water quality “Communities that don’t have quality water are always failing and won’t be successful ”

said People no longer demand it they expect

Annex which served as a kickoff to

the budget season As a retreat is a kind of indepth workshop, no votes were cast, but lots of discussion was had on the more pressing city topics A s f a r a s w a t e r q u a l i t y w e n t U t i l i t i e s

Director Jeff Pearson warned that there needs to be enough water at buildout in 20 or so years, but that it would be hard to get there without conservation efforts

The city s five water treatment plants will require expansions in the coming years, with the North RO plant slated for that in four years

“The system must be designed for the Super Bowl Halftime Flush, a worst-case scenario We need to do a better job educating residents on the importance of water and conservation ” Pearson said Without conservation 136 million gallons of irrigation water will be needed daily With con-

servation it would be an estimated 93 5 million gallons The city, using its twice a week watering system, is helping in that regard, officials said

But where will the city get the rest of its water particularly drinking water? By 2040 the city will need more than 32 million gallons per day and 48 million by buildout The current permitted capacity is 30 million gallons per day

A l t e r n a t e w a y s i n c l u d e t h e S o u t h w e s t

Aggregate mine in Charlotte County which would cost $50 million to $80 million Aquifer Storage and Recovery wells would cost between $150 million and $320 million, while a desalination plant, a last resort, could cost up to a halfbillion dollars

“Desalination requires a ton on energy and its See OLD AND NEW, page 4

Longtime islander and artist Leoma Lovegrove has announced plans to move her popular gallery off of Matlacha due to damage from Hurricane Ian

PHOTO PROVIDED

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

“Twenty-eight years of work were essentially 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

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 hear-

ing 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

High attrition rates continue to plague Lee County School District

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

The School District of Lee County continues to lose employees at a heavy rate which officials hope to stymie through such things centralized hiring and guest teachers

Human Resources Executive Director Robert Dodig told the school board last week that the district is coming off of a year where it hired the most new school-based instructional staff of 678 employees which was also the year they lost the most employees 929 In fiscal year 2020 there was only a 134 position gap

“To keep up with it we have to do more to reverse the trend with employee termination ” he said

For fiscal year 2021 and 2022, the percentage of instructional personnel turnover is at 29 percent, compared to fiscal year 2020 of 19 percent

It increased in post-COVID year The 29 percent includes not just people that left the district but people that transferred within the district ” Dodig said “Eleven point seven percent in fiscal year 2022 transferred within the district, 17 percent terminated or left employment with the district

Non-instructional personnel turnover was at 34 7 percent for fiscal year 2022 compared to 26 7 percent the year prior

Our benchmark in our strategic plan is 8 percent which we have never met, Dodig said

The district, however, has exceeded the 75 percent mark of converting offers to hires with fiscal year 2021 and 2022 exceeding 80 percent

The critical issue lies among the percentage of teachers separating for non-compliance with credential requirements Dodig said the district s percentage of teachers separation for failing to comply continues the four-year trend below the 3 percent benchmark

One of the current and future strategy developments include enhancements to the insurance and benefits package, as well as centralized hiring within the next six months Dodig said the centralized hiring will take the burden off the schools, as the central office will send five or six teachers that would be eligible to be interviewed to the schoolhouse We are in the process of moving forward with guest

teachers and the possibility of using a company in hiring guest teachers, Dodig said, adding that they are also looking into hopefully expanding their cultural exchange program “We have 20 cultural exchange teachers ”

Superintendent Dr Christopher Bernier said he has been sitting down with teachers to get a climate of their conditions and what they are looking for with the top two being pay and benefits He said people join an organization and business as a sense of purpose and ability to make an impact

“If we can hire 678 but not lose 900 we are fully staffed Certainly teachers are hard to find and support professionals are hard to find Human resources is finding them, Bernier said It has to be about retention and retention is a process that starts on onboarding and continues in our school building We should have more of a focus on what does it take to keep teachers ”

Bernier said the goal is very simple human resources will be effective if they use it as helpful and responsive He said their primary mission is to be helpful and responsive to drawing employees and making them effective

“I really applaud you going and talking to teachers without administrators ” Board chair Armor Persons said We have to listen up and they have to speak up That would solve a lot of problems before they decide to leave We need to be proactive, get some groups together on a regular basis to talk Board member Sam Fisher said it comes down to human element the culture of a school which he said they need to improve upon so talented students come back and teach within the system Board member Jada Langford Fleming agreed that it is about the culture of the school where the kids grew up which encourages them to get into the field of education and return to the district to start their career

I knew there was wonderful teachers that inspired me to go into education It starts from there At the end of the day teachers want to feel valued and what they do matters As a teacher you said the word impact You want to make impacts especially in a career like this Teachers want a personnel connection and want to be seen as professionals, Langford Fleming said

Tommy Bohanon Foundation’s annual Man UP Seminar slated for Feb. 8

L o c a l t e e n s i n u n d e r s e r v e d a r e a s rarely get the opportunity to learn reallife skills or have access to building relationships with local business leaders

The Tommy Bohanon Foundation is holding its annual Man UP Seminar Wednesday, Feb 8, at the Collaboratory in downtown Fort Myers where several local young men will get the chance to learn skills that will help them transition into their careers

“Our goal is to offer education above and beyond what they can get through t r a d i t i o n a l s c h o o l i n g , s a i d T o m m y Bohanon, who co-founded the Tommy B o h a n o n F o u n d a t i o n w i t h h i s w i f e Katie “We spend the entire day forming relationships among the students and business mentors, teaching these young men what they need to know to succeed as working professionals These seminars like everything we do at the foundation, are done with the hope and intention of positively impacting their future and the SWFL community ”

Through experience and knowledge as local business leaders, Aaron Barney, COO of Fort Myers-based Digital Lead P e r f o r m a n c e ; R i c k W i l l i a m s f o r m e r e x e c u t i v e v i c e p r e s i d e n t & C F O o f C O N R I C p r + m a r k e t i n g ; H e n r i k M a r g a r d , C O O o f N o r - T e c h H i -

Performance Boats; and members of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Fort Myers Fire Department will mentor the young men

During the Man UP Seminar students will be able to engage directly with mentors and ask questions as they are guided through various topics, including how to attain scholarships, ace interviews and make a great first impression Students will leave the Man UP seminar knowing how to properly tie a necktie, and the importance of how a man carries himself as it leaves as lasting an impression as his own personal brand in the business world

The Tommy Bohanon Foundation is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to supporting at-risk youth reach their highest potential Its programs and comm u n i t y o u t r e a c h e v e n t s h a v e h e l p e d countless kids in the Southwest Florida area Opportunities to help through volunteering participating or donating can b e f o u n d a t t o m m y b o h a n o n f o u n d ation org For more information, please contact Katie Bohanon at katie@tommybohanonfoundation org

Tommy Bohanon Foundation

The Tommy Bohanon Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting young athletes to reach their highest potential on and off the playing field Former NFL fullback Tommy Bohanon a North Fort Myers High graduate returned to his hometown in Southwest Florida to pursue his vision of ending generational poverty for a t - r i s k y o u t h T h e f o u n d a t i o n f u n d s annual scholarships sports equipment grants to local high schools, youth football camps, seminars and programs, as well as funding for other local nonprofits F o r mo r e in f o r matio n ab o u t th e T o m m y B o h a n o n F o u n d a t i o n v i s i t TommyBohanonFoundation org or call 239-671-0441

Red Sox to host open house at JetBlue Park on Feb. 18

Visitors asked to participate in community blood and food drive

The Boston Red Sox will host a familyfriendly open house at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers Saturday Feb 18 from 11 a m to 3 p m The free event with free parking will include activities for kids such as face painting, inflatables, a magician, scavenger hunt and discounted concessions

In addition to the activities taking place for families the open house will continue a l o n g - h e l d t r a d i t i o n o f h o s t i n g a b l o o d drive, in partnership with One Blood, to help with the ongoing blood shortage in Southwest Florida

Through a partnership with Community Cooperative, the open house will also serve as a canned food drive Visitors are asked

Monday

Girls Soccer District 3A-8

Monday's semifinals St Petersburg Catholic 2, Oasis 2 (STP-C 3-2 PKs): It was a tough way for the Sharks season to end (11-6-1) as the top-seeded Barons (12-2) won on penalty kicks The score was 1-all after regulation, and both sides scored in the second overtime

Cardinal Mooney 1, Bishop Verot 0: Lilly Murnane made 10 saves in the loss by Bishop Verot (5-7-1)

Wednesday's championship

Cardinal Mooney at St Pete Catholic

Boys Soccer

District 5A-11

Monday s semifinals

M a r i n e r 5 , N o r t h F o r t M y e r s 0 :

David Stecher scored twice to lead the Tritons (9-7-5) into the district title match

Frank Garcia Marcel Tovar and Justin Medero also scored for Mariner

Cape Coral 3, South Fort Myers 0: Old rivals will square off once again as the Seahawks (9-7-4) advance to the title match against Mariner

Wednesday's championship

Cape Coral at Mariner 7 p m

District 6A-12

Monday's semifinals

F o r t M y e r s 6 , I d a B a k e r 0 : T h e

Bulldogs' season concludes at 4-12

Immokalee 7, Riverdale 0

Wednesday's championship

Immokalee at Fort Myers

District 3A-8

Tuesday s semifinals

Sarasota Cardinal Mooney at Bishop

Verot

St Petersburg Catholic at Oasis

Wednesday's championship

Semifinal winners

Boys Basketball

Cape Coral 76, South Fort Myers 44:

The Seahawks improved to 12-9, Cypress Lake 62, Bishop Verot 32:

T h e r e s u l t l e f t C y p r e s s 1 5 - 4 a n d t h e

Vikings 2-20

Venice 72, North Fort Myers 56:

Venice (12-9) dropped the Red Knights to 8-14

Sarasota Out-of-Door Academy 55, Island Coast 42: The Gators slipped to 10-12

Girls Basketball

District Tournaments

District 3A-12

At higher seeds

Monday Gateway Charter 57, Oasis 30: Brynn Stambaugh scored 12 points and Emma Osinski 10 as the Sharks season came to an end

Canterbury 39, Community School of Naples 36

Wednesday

Canterbury at Bishop Verot

G a t e w a y C h a r t e r a t F i r s t B a p t i s t

Academy

Semifinal winners

Friday

District 6A-11

At higher seeds

All games 7 p m

t o b r i n g n o n - p e r i s h a b l e food items including meatbased canned soups/stews nut butters, bags or cans of d r i e d b e a n s a n d p e a s , whole-grain cereals, bags of plain rice and pasta barl e y a n d q u i n o a c a n n e d f r u i t s c a n n e d v e g e t a b l e s and more A n y o n e t h a t b r i n g s a d o n a t i o n w i l l h a v e t h e chance to gains tickets to the Red Sox Feb 24 game vs Northeastern University The mission of Community Cooperative is to eliminate hunger and

PREP REPORT

Tuesday

Ida Baker at North Fort Myers

Wednesday Cape Coral at Fort Myers

IB/NFM at Charlotte

Friday, Feb 3

Semifinal winners

District 5A-11

At higher seeds

All games 7 p m

Tuesday

Cypress Lake at Dunbar

Wednesday Island Coast at Mariner CL/D at Port Charlotte

Friday, Feb 3

Semifinal winners

Sunday Boys Wrestling

M a r i n e r ' s M a x i m u s B r a d y a n d

Christopher Minto won their weight classe s i n t h e C o l b y S i n g l e t a r y M e m o r i a l

I n v i t a t i o n a l w r e s t l i n g t o u r n a m e n t a t

Palmetto Ridge High School in Naples

Brady 40-1 a defending state champ beat Fleming Island's Jayce Paridon by a 64 decision in the 126-pound final of the two-day tournament

At 160, two-time state champion Minto decisioned Kendrick Hodge of Somerset 3-

0 The win raised Minto's record to 39-1

Another Triton wrestler Chaos Sanchez (22-11) came in fifth at 195 pounds

Richard Albert (27-4) of Cape Coral was fifth at 120 pounds, and Robert Albert (24-5) sixth at 113 Mariner finished seventh in the team standings and Cape Coral was 12th out of 27 schools Colby Singlet ar y Memorial Invit at ional At Palmetto Ridge High School, Naples Saturday s results Consolation Round 4

106: Isaac Towenko (CC) d Maynor Herrera (I) 5-4 120:

Richard Alber t (CC) d Evan Bozek (Sp) fall 1:55 126:

Ethan Tran (MLA) d Jeremy Velasco

homelessness in Southwest F l o r i d a w h i l e s i m u l t a n eously inspiring and supporting sustained positive c h a n g e i n i t s c l i e n t s b y delivering innovative food, education and social service programs There will also be Red Sox players onsite for autographs and photos JetBlue Park at Fenway South is located at 11500 Fenway South Drive in Fort Myers For more information, call 239-2264783

North Fort Myers 3, Cape Coral 1: The second-seeded Red Knights (11-2-3) advanced into Monday's district title match against Mariner Cameron Fallacara scored Cape s goal Cape s season ended at 12-7 Tuesday's championship North Fort Myers at Mariner, 7 p m

Boys Basketball

Cypress Lake 60, North Fort Myers

50: The Red Knights fell to 8-13 Cape Coral 76, Ida Baker 32: Cape raised its record to 12-9

Oasis 55, SW Florida Christian 51: Friday's win lifted the Sharks above 500 to 8-7 M a r i n e r 7 7 , P a l m e t t o R i d g e 6 6 : Mariner (15-9) picked up a road win against the 16-3 Bears ECS 40, Bishop Verot 38: Jimmy Rose led the Vikings (2-19) with 11 points and eight rebounds

Girls Basketball

O a s i s 5 3 , S W F l o r i d a C h r i s t i a n Academy 31: Brynn Stambaugh scored a career-high 29 points and Emma Osinski added 18 as the Sharks (7-14) dominated SWFC

Boys Wrestling

Colby

4-2 Placement matches

fifth place: Bruce Li (MLA) d Rober t Alber t (CC)

120 fifth place: Richard Alber t (CC) d Jonathan Moder (FBA) 2-1 195 fifth place: Chaos Sanchez (M) d Aurelius Walton (PR) 3-1 Championship matches

Maximus Brady (M) d Jayce Paridon (FI) 6-4 160: Christopher Minto (M) d Kendrick Hodge (S) 3-0

Saturday Girls Soccer District 5A-11

Friday Mariner 9, Cypress Lake 0: Ryleigh

Acosta had four goals and two assists, and Caroline Pelfoski scored four times to pace Mariner (14-3-1) The Tritons cruised into the 5A-11 final where the district's top seed will face rival North Fort Myers Sarah Paddock added three assists, Gloria Q u i n t a n i l l a t w o h e l p e r s , a n d K e y a r a Blissett also had a goal

Tommy and Katie Bohanon

Thousands attend Cracker Day weekend at Posse Arena

By CHUCK BALLARO news@breezenewspapers com

It was a tale of two Cracker Day Rodeos at the Lee County Posse Arena this past weekend, with the first night being chilly and the Sunday performance being warm and sunny Warm or cold the competition at the 62nd Cracker Day Rodeo was hot with thousands coming throughout the weekend to see cowboys and cowgirls rope and ride The rodeo, which serves as the biggest fundraiser for the non-profit organization that is the arena, is a tribute to the Florida ranchers who moved their cattle throughout the state “We survived Ian and we’re bouncing back We are elated people were showing up this weekend It has been amazing ” said Bobbi Harrison, Lee County Posse Arena spokesperson Saturday, we were packed to the gills and everybody had a great time

The youth rodeo was held Friday night under chilly conditions Saturday’s rodeo featured some of the best talent in the country, including legendary barrel racer

Fallon Taylor Sunday s rodeo, which didn t have the bucking broncs Saturday’s rodeo had and wasn’t quite as packed as Saturday still featured some fun events such as the cowgirl trifecta and the buddy pick-up, which lived up to its reputations as the wildest event at the rodeo

Brilee Cochran a high school rodeo competitor from LaBelle who competed in barrels breakaway roping and the trifecta said the latter event gives cowgirls the ability to show they can compete all-around

I came here for the money I m pretty good at goat-tying and barrel racing My b r e a k a w a y r o p i n g n e e d s s o m e w o r k ” Cochran said I like how the rodeo community comes together like a family and competing not against everyone else but

against yourself ”

Caleb Thomason who won the bull riding Sunday said he had studied the bull he rode and wanted his chance at him

A good friend of mine who passed away wanted me to do it I just fell in love with the sport ” Thomason said “It’s not about the adrenaline It seems like more of a job now

One of the things that was different this year was the announcer Tyler Cornett took over from longtime announcer Al Curry after he had served that role for years

Abraham Pickering busts a mutton at the 62nd annual Cracker Day Rodeo at the Lee County Posse Arena on Sunday

“I used to live here in Fort Myers but went to Texas to become an announcer and compete in rodeos and have more work, Cornett said I ve known Al my whole life and he’s done a great job I’m glad to carry the torch ” What wasn’t different was the reaction from the crowd Nikki Midolo of Fort

Myers brought her two sons to their first rodeo Everyone loved it

We have some friends who come here and we wanted to come and try it out I got my clothes from Gypsy Outlaws, a local business,” Midolo said “It’s really cool to see this part of Florida I’ve been here 18 years and never really knew this existed It will be one of many rodeos we attend

The Lee County Posse Arena is the only non-profit equestrian arena in Southwest Florida It was established in 1960 by Lee County Sheriff Snag Thompson and others

“Their objective was to provide a place where kids can come to ride, enjoy themselves and be safe, Harrison said We ve been rolling with all volunteers ever since

The Lee County Posse Arena is at 17401 Palm Creek Drive For more information about the facility please go to www leecountyposse com

Community Cooperative announces February Mobile Food Pantry schedule

Community Cooperative has announced i t s M o b i l e F o o d P a n t r i e s s c h e d u l e f o r

February

The mobile food pantry program is one of Community Cooperative s most innovative ways to bring food and assistance to neighborhoods with high food insecurity and that lack resources

ID is required for all attendees and bringing bags is encouraged with a limit of one mobile food pantry visit per month per household T h e C o m m u n i t y M a r k e t i s o p e n Monday through Friday, from 9 a m to noon for emergency groceries at the main

campus, located at 3429 Dr Martin Luther King Jr Blvd in Fort Myers

If you are interested in financially supporting, volunteering for or have any questions about our Growing Healthy Kids & F a m i l i e s p r o g r a m p l e a s e v i s i t u s a t www CommunityCooperative com or call 239-332-SOUP (7687)

February 2023 Mobile Food Pantries schedule

(For veterans and veteran families only) Wednesday

Wednesday,

(For veterans and veteran families only)

Friday Feb 17 10–11:30 a m

Wednesday, Feb 22

p m

Thursday,

FY24 budget: Council members, staff begin discussions at retreat

From page 1

property valuations reports

Until then council gave city staff the direction to use the current rates for the three taxes as a starting point Council and

staff will then adjust the figures accordingl y a f t e r t h e c o u n c i l g e t s i t s q u e s t i o n s answered

Gunter said everyone needs to recognize the city was hit with a near Category 5 storm and that there will continue to be

expenses there, even if the city will ultimately be reimbursed

“Hurricane Irma was in 2017 and we’re still waiting for reimbursement for that That is something you have to be aware of, Gunter said Also, because of a few

bills that passed, there could be a reduction on ad valorem taxes We don t really know the magnitude ”

Cape Coral Yacht Club: Facility damaged by Ian can’t be rebuilt

ing the buildings

ings

“We are not fixing these buildings so let s remove them To look at empty land is better than watching destruction and I don t want them to be a hazard, said Steinke, who added he would like to see the project done in phases which is now possible since the entire park is being redone instead of its edges

Also, work can start immediately once the permits come in, now that the city can start on seawalls and that they are not keep-

As for cost and a timeline that is unknown Originally, the timeline was 24 months, but if restaurants are added on a pier and if things go more vertical it could be longer

Mayor John Gunter said he was happy the outer footprint hasn t changed much, except for the pier the city lost due to the storm for which they will have to get a permit

But Gunter added he hopes insurance will pay for the damage done to the build-

When you see the damage Ian did and we have to adhere to the 50 percent rule like everybody else, those buildings will be replaced ” Gunter said “We will get some insurance reimbursement for those buildings

It probably won’t pay for a new building, but it will mitigate the costs and with the blank slate we can move the components of the project Hurricane Ian a near Category 5 storm with winds of up to 155 mph made landfall on Caya Costa on Sept 28 Its storm

F o r t M y e r s B e a c h Sanibel Captiva and communities all along the Caloosahatchee and Gulf-access waterfront including Matlacha and Cape Coral's Gold Coast where homes near the Yacht Club complex the city's oldest and most iconic public complex took up to 6 feet of water Receding waters left the area littered with boats of all sizes and homes with inches of muck and soaked possessions and drywall

Legislative priorities: Seeking additional state funding, grants

From page 1

From page 1 March 22 2023 has been identified for placement of the Resolution

Before Wednesday's regular meeting City Council will hold a special meeting at 2 p m in Conference Room 22A at City Hall

Among the new business that will be taken up is identifying a search firm for a new city attorney and the plan on how to hire the person, as well as the extension of

t h e c o n t r a c t o f C i t y M a n a g e r R o b Hernandez C a p e C o r a l C i t y H a l l i s a t 1 0 1 5 Cultural Park Blvd

Old and new: Revisiting projects and introducing proposals for city

From page 1

own power plant Tampa Bay is seeing the problem right now, Pearson said City staff recommended the city purchase the Southwest Aggregate property to p r o v i d e f u t u r e c a p i t a l c o s t a v o i d a n c e diversify the water supply and could provide a solution to three major water issues in the region Council also discussed numerous projects and initiatives some of which have been in the queue for years The old golf course acreage came back as the owners of the property again expressed interest in

From page 3

selling the property to the city before putting it up for general sale

While the cost estimate in 2017 was $13 million it could now cost up to $80 million for costs of improvement officials said The city could use reserves to pay for it (which would drop them to 1 75 months of total operation costs, well below 2 5 month policy) issue debt of $1 1 million for 20 years or a combination of both

C o u n c i l m e m b e r J e s s i c a C o s d e n w a s supportive at first, but said she wasn t anymore Councilmember Bill Steinke said they need to make the best use of the property

We re doing this for beautification and things to do with families We have to be willing to pay the price for what we want to do ” Steinke said “This place was a draw 50 years ago and it can be again ”

The city also talked about privatizing the city-owned golf course, Coral Oaks, and other years-old plans such as D&D Boat Ramp and the Bimini Basin Mooring Field and what such projects could look like

The elected board discussed the legislative priorities for the upcoming 2023 state legislative session, first and foremost legislation that will provide funding to local

PREP REPORT

Cape Coral 3, Cypress Lake 0: Cape improved to 8-7-4 and will now take on South Fort Myers (7-6-1) in the other

Girls Soccer District 3A-8

Thursday

Oasis 8, Gateway Charter 0: Jaclynn Mars scored three times, adding an assist, as the Sharks (11-5-1) advanced to face St P e t e r s b u r g C h r i s t i a n i n t h e s e m i f i n a l s

Ariana Suarez scored twice and made three assists Nevaeh Rogers, Mackenzie Canney a n d A n n a b e l l e L l e w e l l y n s c o r e d , a n d

Ashley Lynn, Samantha Chitu and Erin Vezzola made assists Boys Basketball North Fort Myers 62, Island Coast 29: North s Quentin Wimbush is two points short of 1,000 for his career after a 24-

municipalities impacted by Hurricane Ian

The city also wants state support for m o r e a f f o r d a b l e h o u s i n g i t s p r o p o s e d involuntary annexation proposal environmental sustainability and to protect home rule authority by leaving such decisions as r e g u l a t i o n s f o r s h o r t - t e r m r e n t a l s a n d home-based businesses to local governments not state authority

The proposed Legislative Agenda is on council s regular meeting agenda which will begin at 4:30 p m today at City Hall, 1015 Cultural Park Blvd

point performance against the Gators The Red Knights (7-12) continued their lateseason surge, dropping the Gators to 1011 Levontai Summersett had 12 assists, giving him 882 for his career, and eight s t e a l s f o r t h e R e d K n i g h t s A t a v i o u s

Weaver had 10 rebounds and Tavaris Irons added nine points

Clewiston 76, Cape Coral Christian

26: The Crusaders are 0-6

Girls Basketball

First Baptist Academy 57, Oasis 35: M a c i S t a m b a u g h a n d E m m a O s i n s k i scored 12 points each for the Sharks (614) Brynn Stambaugh added 11 points Lehigh 40, Bishop Verot 34: Josee Fry scored 14 points for the Vikings (14-9) in a loss to 18-3 Lehigh Lemon Bay 73 Island Coast 30: The Gators are 5-12

CHUCK BALLARO

Caleb Butler holds on during the bull riding event at the 62nd annual Cracker Day Rodeo at the Lee County Posse Arena on Sunday

CHUCK BALLARO