Pine Island Eagle

GPIA happy to have high-level advocates

By PAULETTE LeBLANC pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

Representatives from FEMA, as well as Lee County Commissioner Kevin Ruane and Emergency Management Representative Glen Hammers attended the weekly Greater Pine Island Alliance meeting on Tuesday, Jan 31

The GPIA group formed shortly after Hurricane Ian caused so much damage, in an effort to be proactive, should Pine I s l

A c c o r d i n g t o g r o u p f o u n d e r J a y Sanderson, the biggest priority this week was assessing what will be necessary to rebuild the Matlacha Civic Association Center building

“The main building has been completely gutted and is ready for rebuild The smaller auxiliary building still needs to be gutted, so we are working with the county to at least start phase 1 of the rebuild,” Sanderson said, adding that this should be coming quickly in the next few weeks

The rebuilding of the community center building is a big priority for both the GPIA as well as the county, as they are working directly with Ruane’s office, not only to rebuild but to get Matlacha Park cleaned up and get the playground repaired, cofounder Aaron Bareda said

Ruane is set to report back to the GPIA with any financial assistance the state is planning to provide Pine Island

“They’re trying to set their budget He (Ruane) is advocating for us to be part of

that budget … Lee County, too, but specifically Pine Island He’s been able to come into our community and see what our specific needs are so he can speak directly to the greater Pine Island area We’re very f o r t u n a t e t o h a v e t h a t r e p r e s e n t a t i o n We’re not forgotten we want to make sure people know that we do have representation at the highest levels of government People know we’re here and things

See ADVOCATES, page 8

Onofrio D Oro Fine Jewelry Boutique back open after Ian

By PAULETTE LeBLANC pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

It’s taken four months to get back up and running for master jeweler Onofrio D Oro, whose fine jewelry boutique was another small business nearly destroyed by Hurricane Ian He did most of the recovery work himself, he said, tackling the exterior first

Buccaneer Island mobile home park is now open after Hurricane Ian

Island mobile home park owner repairs, reopens four different sites

By PAULETTE LeBLANC pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

Hugh Reid, owner of Tropical Waters in Bokeelia, Fantasy Island in St James City, Buccaneer Island and Dolphins Resort, both in Matlacha, is very happy to finally have all four sites back up and running, since Hurricane Ian hit four months ago

Tropical Waters was the first of the parks to reopen, Reid said, after having b e e n c l o s e d f o r 2 m o n t h s , w h i l e Buccaneer Island and Fantasy Island reopened in January Dolphins resort, which received a lot of local attention,

reopened on Feb 1

Insurance issues were the first thing Reid had to deal with, as the hurricane was classed by local meteorologists as a category 4, which was not covered In order to secure lending, Reid said he was instructed by his attorney to have a plan in place

“I said, my plan is to clean them (the parks) and after I clean them, to get the electrical up, then do the water and sewer, where needed,” Reid said He also said while the sites were

“There were people who wanted to help me, but I was so depressed, I used the work as therapy,” D Oro said

Reworking the exterior was a priority to D Oro, he said, because everything inside the store was ruined and needed much attention, but also because he wanted to uplift the spirits of those who could see the devastation of Matlacha

D Oro lost all the jewelry inside the store showcases, he said, roughly 25 percent in all, including pocket watches from the 1920s, such as a Tiffany platinum pocket watch with diamonds

“I’m a master jeweler, I fix these things and there’s no way to fix this one This one’s gone,” D Oro said

The inside of the store took in 3 to 4

feet of water and mud, rendering the showcases useless until D Oro took them apart, cleaned and rebuilt them, he said The particle board in a showcase is sensitive enough that it can be destroyed by even a droplet of water, he said, which is why they are roughly $1,500 when they are new. Having had 8 showcases, D Oro said, it would have been quite an expense to purchase all new ones to replace them Having a background in construction, he set out to fix whatever he could

“I had the knowledge to do this and it was very therapeutic Every time I accomplished one, it inspired me to do another one, another one, another one, until finally, I was finished,” D Oro said

It was a long four months of blood, sweat and tears, he said, explaining that every electrical tool was ruined by the saltwater, forcing him to begin by purchasing all new tools

“I wanted to take an eyesore and make it nice We need everyone to come back we need all our neighbors to come

See BOUTIQUE, page 10

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY HUGH REID

The Fantasy Island mobile home park in St. James City has reopened.

Master jeweler Onofrio D Oro outside of his repaired boutique in Matlacha.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY ONOFRIO

Swinebowl Music Fest Feb. 12 at Fine Swine

On Sunday, Feb 12, the Greater Pine Island Alliance and Fine Swine will host

James City

This is the first event in the 2023 Fine Swine Music Festival Concert Series

The event will start at 11 a m with live music starting at 12 p m and going until

the Super Bowl kick off Live musical performances will be by Rudy Cox, Deb and the Dynamics and Hard Hitting Blues by Frank Bang

There will be barbecue, food, beer, wine, vip, games, prizes, vendors, 50/50 r

l l squares) and a giant screen TV At 6 p m , the gates will be open to the public for all

to watch the big game on the big screen

The festival is family/kid friendly $12 general admission tickets for the event are currently on sale online at swinebowlmusicfest eventbrite com as well as VIP tickets and shade tents Tickets can be purchased at the gate for $15 on the day of the event with a portion of the proceeds

Mafia

Pine Island Potters’ Guild Valentine’s Day Show Saturday

Be ready for Valentine’s Day with a gift of local art!

T h e P i n e I s l a n d P o t t e r s G u i l d ' s February showing will be held Saturday, Feb 11, at Koucky Studios from 10 a m to 2 p m Avoid off-island traffic and come to the show in the outdoor courtyard of Koucky Studios (there is ample parking).

Visitors can meet island artists and craftsmen and find perfect gifts for your sweethearts in a relaxed and fun environment

The Valentine's showing will feature

the works of Pine Island artisans in various mediums: pottery, jewelry, woodworking, handmade cigar box style guitars, ready-to-wear art, paintings, glass, books, gourmet jams, mustards and hot sauces, local honey and island-themed home décor

There will also be fresh baked goods will be available for a delicious snack or to take home as a special addition to any m e a l L o c a l M a t l a c h a P o p - U p s t o r e s

Traders’ Hitching Post and Bert’s Pine Bay Gallery will be in attendance Each show this season has new artisans setting

up

At 11 a m , check out the raku pottery firing demonstration, featuring the horseh a i r t e c h n i q u e o f p o t t e r y d e c o r a t i o n Chuck Koucky and some of his pottery s t u d e n t s w i l l b e d e m o n s t r a t i n g t h i s method for creating random lines and patterns on the surface of a red-hot raku clay pot using the hair from a tail or mane of a horse

All works by participating artists will be available for purchase This small venue provides a welcoming environment to meet local artists, inquire about their

24th Great Calusa Rubber Duck Raffle March 4

The 24th Annual Great Calusa Rubber Duck Raffle will be held Saturday, March 4, at the Fine Swine Restaurant Hurricane Ian has left us all damaged; p h y s i c a l l y , m e n t a l l y a n d f i n a n c i a l l y

Local preserves have sustained horrific damage to trees, plants, boardwalks, tikis and benches For these reasons, organizers are ready to host a big party, Pine

Island Strong!

The main event Great Calusa Duck Raffle has 3,000 rubber ducks at $10 each, plus 50/50 raffle tickets and the White Elephant sale The first place duck wins $2,000 for its ticket owner and second place wins $1,000. You need not be present to win

Remember, all the net proceeds from

the event go to the Calusa Land Trust to acquire and maintain environmentally sensitive or historically important lands in the Greater Pine Island area Donations are very much appreciated

craft and learn about opportunities in our area for classes and workshops

The Pine Island Potters Guild shows are held on the second Saturday of each month, November through April, from 10 a m to 2 p m , in the courtyard of Koucky Studios, located at 5971 Bay Point Road in Bokeelia, at the corner of Bay Point and Stringfellow Roads, just after Mile Marker 11, on the east side of Stringfellow

For more information about the Potters' Guild Valentine's Day Show and Sale, please call Nancy at 239-233-3003 or email her at nrkdesigns@gmail com

p i n e i s l a n de a g l e . W e e k o f W e d n e s d a y , F e b r u a r y 8 , 2 0 2 3 ■ P a g e 4

Report your news to PINEISLANd-EAGLE.COm

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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

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 Classified Advertising (239) 574-5644 Display Advertising (239) 283-2022 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 The Eagle is published every Wednesday 10700 Stringfellow Road, Ste 60 Bokeelia, FL 33922 Phone: (239) 283-2022 Fax: (239) 283-0232 Web: pineisland-eagle com

C o n c e r n i n g t h e p o s s i b l e , s o m e s a y i n e v i t a b l e , c o l l a p s e o f t h e l o c a l m a r i n e e n v i r o n m e n t u n l e s s s u b s t a n t i a l c h a n g e s a r e m a d e i n a t i m e l y m a n n e r t h e r e i s s o m e g o o d n e w s t o r e p o r t W e “ t h e p u b l i c ” a r e t h e k e y t o i t a l l b y g e t t i n g i n v o l v e d i n a n e a s y t o d o b u t v i t a l s e r v i c e f o r o u r e n v i r o nm e n t a l f u t u r e s t a t e w i d e H e r e ’ s t h e d e a l - - i f y o u l i k e t o f i s h , b o a t , s w i m , s h e l l , s u r f , J e t S k i , r o w o r j u s t s i t o n t h e b e a c h w a t c h i n g i n c r e d i b l e g u l f s u n s e t s , t h e c a l l i s o u t , c i t i z e n s o f F l o r i d a !

W e n e e d y o u r h e l p ! T h e s e d a y s m i l l i o n s a c r o s s t h e n a t i o n f e e l f r u s t r a t e d , i n v i s i b l e , v o i c e l e s s , i n t h e f a c e o f w a s t e f u l a n d i n t r u s i v e b i g g o v e r nm e n t , b i g m o n e y p o l i t i c s , i n c r e d i b l e c o rr u p t i o n , l a w l e s s n e s s a n d n o w a d a y s a p o l i ti c a l l y c h a r g e d m e d i a t h a t t o o o f t e n h e l p s c o v e r i t u p N o s e c r e t t h e e n e m y o f c l e a n w a t e r i s g r e e n m o n e y a n d t h e b i g p o l l u t e r s s p e n d l o t s o f i t e a c h y e a r t o p r o m o t e t h e i r a g e n d a I ’ m s u r e t h e r e a d e r s o f t h i s m o n t h ’ s F l o r i d a S p o r t s m a n M a g a z i n e h a v e r e a d t h e r e c e n t e x t r e m e l y i m p o r t a n t a r t i c l e t i t l e d “ T h e R i g h t t o C l e a n a n d H e a l t h y W a t e r ” I ’ l l g l a d l y b o r r o w a f e w i m p o r t a n t f a c t s t o p a s s o n t o n o n - r e a d e r s

A c c o r d i n g t o t h e a r t i c l e b y S e n i o r E d i t o r B l a i r W i c k s t r o m , t w o m a j o r F l o r i d a p o ll u t e r s , t h e s u g a r a n d p h o s p h a t e m i n i n g i n d u s t r y , s p e n d m i l l i o n s y e a r l y , a s i n $ 1 1 m i l l i o n l a s t r o u n d , e m p l o y i n g t e a m s o f l o bb y i s t s , a l l t o s e r v e t h e i r c o r p o r a t e p r o f i t i n t e r e s t s w i t h F l o r i d a ’ s e n v i r o n m e n t , o u r e n v i r o n m e n t , a l w a y s t h e c a u s a l i t y .

C e r t a i n l y S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a h a s b e e n g e t t i n g t h e b a d e n d o f t h e e a s t w e s t

C a l o o s a h a t c h e e R i v e r s u m m e r f l o w f r o m

c o n t a m i n a t e d L a k e O k e e c h o b e e a n d i t s

Red tide problem getting worse

To the editor:

Get ready for a big problem I was riding my bicycle on Quail Trail, and experienced extremely high levels of red tide, karenia brevis in the air It caused nausea, eye irritation, breathing problems It was very strong It

c o n t i n u e d o n t h e r i d e b a c k t o B o k e e l i a Road I suggest that the backwaters of Big Jim Creek are infested, as the wind was light out of the west Wednesday, Feb 1, it was present in the harbor Larry Brand, professor at University of

o n g o i n g A r m y C o r p s m i sm a n a g e m e n t O n c e a g a i n I a p p l a u d t h e p o s i t i v e e n v i r o nm e n t a l e f f o r t s b y G o v R o n D e S a n t i s b u t n o w i t ’ s t i m e f o r t h e p u b l i c t o g e t s e r i o u s l y i n v o l v e d , g e t t h i n g s m o v i n g a l o n g h e l p i n g m a k e r e a l c h a n g e o r l e a v e n o t h i n g f o r f u t u r e g e n e r a t i o n s P i c k e t ?

M a r c h ? S i t - i n s ? N o , n o t h i n g t h a t s t r e n u o u s T h e p o w e r i s s i m p l y i n y o u r h a n d a n d t h e p e n y o u h o l d i n i t W e t h e v o i c e l e s s h a v e t h e p o w e r t h r o u g h t h e s t a t e p e t it i o n p r o c e s s t o a c t u a l l y c h a n g e t h e s t a t e C o n s t i t u t i o n “ I t ’ s t i m e y e t a g a i n f o r c i ti z e n s t o d o t h e w o r k o u r l e gi s l a t o r s c h o o s e t o i g n o r e , ” W i c k s t r o m s a y s “ W e n e e d t h e R i g h t T o C l e a n a n d H e a l t h y W a t e r w r i t t e n i n t o t h e s t a t e c o n s t i t u t i o n ” T h i s F l o r i d a p e t i t i o n p r o c e s s i s n o t n e w a n d i n t h e p a s t h a s p r o v e d h i g h l y s u c c e s sf u l i n t h e p o s i t i v e m a n a g e m e n t o f o u r e n v ir o n m e n t a n d t h e c r e a t u r e s i n i t t r y i n g t o s u r v i v e t h e p r o f i t b a s e d w a r a g a i n s t t h e m S t a r t i n g i n 1 9 9 4 c o n c e r n e d F l o r i d i a n s c o l l e c t e d n e a r l y a h a l f m i l l i o n s i g n e d p e t it i o n s w h i c h r e s u l t e d i n t h e g r e a t n e t b a n l e g i s l a t i o n A f e w m o r e t i m e s p e t i t i o n d r i v e s l i k e t h i s r e s u l t e d i n o t h e r i n c r e d i b l y i m p o r t a n t c o n s t i t u t i o n a l c h a n g e s i n F l o r i d a ’ s l a w f a v o r i n g o u r e n v i r o n m e n t “ U n d e r t h i s a m e n d m e n t , a p e r s o n , c o rp o r a t i o n , n o n p r o f i t o r o t h e r e n t i t y c o u l d s u e t h e s t a t e f o r h a r m i n g w a t e r b y i n t r od u c i n g p a t h o g e n s , c o n t a m i n a n t s , o r t o x i n s o r d i s r u p t i n g t h e n a t u r a l w a t e r f l o w , p r o c e s s e s , o r f u n c t i o n s , ” W i c k s t r o m

Miami, gave seminars on this, starting 3-4 years ago Carmen Driscoll was a near fatal victim, from Matlacha I am from Florida and have lived in Bokeelia since 1995 My business was on the water, although I am now retired This is the worst outbreak I have witnessed.

Jerry Smith Bokeelia

Suppor t our local burrowing owls

To the editor:

Give a gift on Valentines Day to help save

w r i t e s A t t h e p r e s e n t r a t e o f h a b i t a t l o s s , s t e p s c u r r e n t l y b e i n g t a k e n b y t h e s t a t e o f F l o r i d a f u r t h e r h a m p e r e d b y p o l i t i c s ( s p e l l e d m o n e y i n t e r e s t s ) m a y b e t o o l i t t l e , t o o l a t e T h e p l a n , t o a m e n d t h e s t a t e c o n s t i t u t i o n , t h e F l o r i d a S u p r e m e C o u r t m u s t f i r s t r e v i e w t h e w o r d i n g T o m a k e t h a t h a p p e n , 2 2 3 , 0 0 0 s i g n a t u r e s m u s t b e p r e s e n t e d b y M a r c h 1 , 2 0 2 3 T o q u a l i f y f o r t h e 2 0 2 4 b a l l o t , w e ’ l l n e e d a t o t a l o f 8 9 2 , 0 0 0 s i g n a t u r e s b y N o v 3 0 , 2 0 2 3 T o p r i n t y o u r f o r m , p l e a s e g o t o : f l o r i d a r i g h t t o c l e a n - w a t e r o r g P l e a s e f i l l i t o u t a n d s e n d i t b e f o r e t h e e n d o f t h e m o n t h t o : F l o r i d a R i g h t t o C l e a n W a t e r 1 3 3 0 0 S C l e v e l a n d A v e S u i t e 5 6 F o r t M y e r s , F L 3 3 9 0 7 T i m e i s s h o r t b u t t h e t a s k h a s c e r t a i n l y s h o w n t o b e d o a b l e r e q u i r i n g m i n i m a l t i m e a n d e f f o r t o n y o u r p a r t P l e a s e s p r e a d t h e w o r d , s i g n a n d g e t f r i e n d s t o s i g n t h e n m a i l t h o s e p e t i t i o n s , h e l p i n g m a k e a r e a l a n d l a s t i n g c h a n g e f o r t h e e n v i r o n m e n t a n d f o r w e t h e p e o p l e , g u a r a n t e e d t o u s f o r e v e r b y t h e F l o r i d a c o n s t i t u t i o n

our Cape’s wildlife Noela Chocolate & Confections at 1307 S E 47th Terrace just e a s t o f t h e M e r r i c k S e a f o o d S h o p a n d Restaurant will give Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife $5 for every 16- or 25-count box of chocolates sold To receive this offer just mention CCFW.

Noela chocolates are of five-star quality a n d b e a u t i f u l l y b o x e d a n d p a c k a g e d Promotion will end on Feb 20 Give her chocolate and save an owl

Other unique gifts from CCFW include our Adopt an Owl promotion Get a beautiful Adopt an Owl certificate and different levels yield different additional items from our store It’s a great Valentine gift

C C F R I E N D S O F W I L D L I F E . o r g . f

r t h e

links If you do not see the link for our virtual auction, go to our home page

Editor

Carl Veaux

Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife

Friends of the Pine Island Library program to feature Macomber

Multi-award-winning author Robert N Macomber will reveal the historical facts behind "Code of Honor," the latest in his Honor Series of novels, Tuesday, Feb 28, a t t h e P i n e I s l a n d U n i t e d M e t h o d i s t Church, 5701 Pine Island Road, N W , Bokeelia

Attendees to the Friends of the Pine Island Library presentation will enjoy Macomber's storytelling expertise as he explains the complicated personalities of the influencers and the legacy of the 1904-1905 Russo-Japanese War, which changed America, impacting the nation to this very day

A recent take-away from review in the H i s t o r i c a l N o v e l s R e v i e w m a g a z i n e , where "Code of Honor" earned Editors' Choice recognition A review by Loyd Uglow states: “ Macomber writes with a n e a s y a s s u r a n c e t h a t o n l y c o m e s through deep historical familiarity with the time period and thorough identification with the protagonist. The book is reminiscent of earlier series on fictional n a v a l h e r o e s , s u c h a s H o r a t i o Hornblower, Richard Bolitho, and Jack Aubrey The admiral tells his story in first person, and he comes across well as a believable professional military man of

the period, with his own fears, faults, and talents I just have a new favorite author ”

This event is free, however, please call or text 239-454-9196 to reserve your seat Doors open at 1 p m and the program begins at 1:30 p m Following the program, refreshments will be served during the book signing

Island author Robert N. Macomber, who will be speaking to the Friends of the Pine Island Library.

Registration opens for 2023 Snowbird Zero K Marathon

E a r l y r e g i s t r a t i o n f o r t h e 2 0 2 2 S n o w b i r d Z e r o K M a r a t h o n i s n o w open The Zero K will take place Saturday, Feb 25, and participants who sign up before Feb 10 will be assured of a race shirt and entry into the door prize drawings

This year’s event has moved to the V F W P o s t 4 3 5 3 , 8 1 5 0 S t r i n g f e l l o w Road, St James City, due to the devastation of the Greater Pine Island Elks Lodge 2781

The Elks Lodge 2781 has promoted the Annual Snowbird Zero K Marathon for the past 6 years This event raises funds for the Greater Pine Island Elks’ Hurricane Ian Building Recovery Fund

Participants will have one hour to complete the zero K course while enjoying food and drink and live music. Yard Dog Charlie will be performing from 12-2 p m and Rudy Cox and his band, Jumpin’ Fences, will provide music from 3-6 p.m.

Note to everyone: this event is not just

for snowbirds! It’s a great fun time for everyone who enjoys laughing, eating, drinking and free stuff!

This year more awards for costumes have been added, including first and second places for male and female individuals and first and second places for teams

There will be a costume contest before the race at 2 p m so that everyone can see and enjoy all the hard work participants put into their marathon attire.

This year the obstacle course will be

enhanced As in the past, there will be lots of door prizes, great T-shirts, live music and new this year is the addition of local food trucks Registration materials are available at the VFW for the low price of just $25, additional charges for XX and XXX shirts

call 425346-7226

Two ‘Pine Island Strong’ CLT Work/Fun Parties set for this Saturday

H u r r i c a n e I a n b l a s t e d a l l o f P i n e I s l a n d / M a t l a c h a a n d t h a t i n c l u d e s t h e

Calusa Land Trust preserves Rather than the customary mission of invasive plant eradication during the work/fun parties, the emphasis now must revert to clearing debris from upland trails in order to make them passable

This Saturday, Feb 11, beginning at 9

a m , t h e r e w i l l b e t w o s i m u l t a n e o u s w o r k / f u n p a r t i e s : o n e a t t h e Wigert/Barron Preserve (at the east end of Barrancas Road in Bokeelia) and the other at the St James Creek Preserve (off Stabile Road in the St Jude Harbors subdivision in St James City) For those able to break away from their own clean-up e f f o r t s , y o u r a s s i s t a n c e w i l l b e m o s t

appreciated As an all-volunteer land conservancy, t h e C a l u s a L a n d T r u s t r e l i e s u p o n work/fun parties to accomplish its stewardship mission on over 2,400 acres of its protected land It is recommended that volunteers provide work gloves/clothing,

rakes, pruning tools and a happy spirit CLT will reward participants with cold beverages and trail snacks

For more information, contact Robert Ballard at 239-770-0070 or Les Smith at lesmanatee3355@gmail com

Plight of the manatee

Extinction loomed for these gentle marine mammals just decades ago In response, people rallied and manatee numbers grew, but recent die-offs are concerning Last year, more than 1,000 manatees died, due, in part, to the loss of their main source of food seagrass. This was even before Hurricane Ian

In the event of a natural disaster such as Hurricane Ian, polluted runoff enters our waterways and adds e v e n m o r e n u t r i e n t - r i c h e l e m e n t s t o t h e w a t e r T h e s e n u t r i e n t - r i c h e l ements feed the destructive algae blooms, which block the sunlight necessary for the seagrass to thrive and provide food to the manatees

VFW presents Public Service Awards to Lee County Deputies

T h e G r e a t e r P i n e I s l a n d V F W P o s t # 4 3 5 3 a n d Commander Scott Zilch recently announced this year's winners of the coveted Veterans of Foreign Wars Public Servant Awards for Lee County Sheriff's Department Gulf District for 2022

Three deputies, Sgt William Rounsifer, Cpl Jay Bret, and Sgt David Drum, were selected for their professional work ethic and selfless dedication to duty, which are in keeping with the high standards of the Lee County Sheriff's Office and the VFW

These members worked 14 to 16-hour days for three weeks, post storm, without a day off, overseeing all operatio n s as s o ciated w ith th e p o s t- s to r m ef f o r ts Th ey secured vehicles from private citizens and resources from anywhere they could to complete our mission of life safety and recovery efforts

Capt Cathy Eagle Dolphin Tales

A manatee eats about a hundred pounds of aquatic vegetation each day Our manatees have made it through two winters of low food resources and now a major hurricane They are sure to be extremely stressed and vulnerable to starvation

Hurricanes typically create a great deal of rain and Ian was a major rainmaker This freshwater downpour caused the runoff of nutrient-rich nitrogen and phosphorus from the land which feeds destructive algae blooms These nutrients are from fertilizers for commercial and residential use, such as agriculture and septic tanks Along Matlacha and Pine Island, entire homes, businesses and everything in them ended up in the water, flowing to the passes, our rivers, canals and the Gulf of Mexico leading to the Atlantic Ocean We all know it will take years for Mother Nature and human nature to clean up

We have to be hopeful for these gentle giants’ survival As quoted from National Geographic 01 2023: “Neither predator nor prey, these peaceable creatures are evolutionarily devoid of aggression ”

Capt Cathy Eagle has spent over 40 years boating in our local waters As a professional charter captain she specializes in dolphin and nature tours Visit CaptainCathy com or call 239-994-2572

The logistics, personnel accountability, resource allocation and safety of the public and other members of the Sheriff’s Office were coordinated and controlled by these three members. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office, along with outside law enforcement agencies, had upwards of 130 members working at any given time in the greater Pine Island area, all of which was managed by the awardees

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

Greater Pine Island Elks’ third Annual Charity Car Show to benefit Army of Hope

The Greater Pine Island Elks Lodge 2781 is holding its third Annual Army of Hope Car Show Saturday, Feb 11, at the lodge from 9 a m to 2 p m , to raise funds for the Florida State Elks Army of Hope project

Due to Hurricane Ian, the car show will be held at the VFW Post 4353, 8150 Stringfellow Road, St James City

The Army of Hope is a major state project of the Florida Elks established in 2007 Its mission is to provide aid assistance to the families of deceased, disabled and deployed members of the military The families of Florida active duty military personnel, military reservists, Coast Guard, the National Guard and/or their dependents are eligible An active duty member stationed in Florida with his/her dependents would qualify as a Florida resident

Since its inception, the Army of Hope has raised

$620,208 and distributed $508,591 for families of deployed military members The help members give through the Florida Army of Hope allows the military member to safely concentrate on his/her duties without worrying about the family at home The Army of Hope also assists returning veterans with costs to re-establish their civilian life after deployment

One hundred percent of the proceeds will benefit the Florida Elks Veterans Project – Army of Hope There is no registration fee; prizes will be awarded for classes, people’s choice and Best in Show; there will be DJ music, raffles, and food and beverages

The car show is open to the public to enjoy an afternoon of fun and fellowship

For question or to pre-register your vehicle, please c o n t a c t B o b H o o g s t r a 2 3 9 - 9 8 9 - 1 0 8 4 o r b o bhoogstra812@msn com

PHOTO PROVIDED

From left, Sgt. William Rounsifer, Cpl. Jay Bret and Sgt. David Drum were all presented with a plaque and honored at the VFW on Jan 19.

Cape Coral Breeze Athletes of the Week

Cape Coral Breeze Athletes Week of the

(Selected by the Breeze Sports staff)

Sponsored by:

American Legion Post 136 One Hole Over the Pond event Feb. 18

The American Legion will hold its 13th Annual One Hole Over the Pond event Saturday, Feb 18, from 10 a m to 4 p m

There will be cash prizes for the One Hole Over the Pond for first, second and

Advocates

are moving,” Bareda said.

third place finishers There will be 50/50 drawings throughout the day

B r o t h e r L o v e w i l l p r o v i d e m u s i c a l entertainment from 12-4 p m outside Tickets will be available the day of event Participants can purchase mulligans no

From page 1

GPIA officials are happy to report that there is now a free rural legal services team here to help with unresponsive landl o r d s S p e c i f i c p r o b l e m s h a v e a r i s e n , Bareda said, where permitting is needed from the landlord to move forward If you have a landlord who has seemingly abandoned you and or the property, email Team@GPIAlliance org

The St James City Civic Association is the place to be on Thursday afternoons if you’re looking for lots of laughs and conversation, not to mention competitive mahjongg We meet every week from 14 p m The SJCCA is located at Fourth

FEMA is working to establish a direct housing commercial site, Bareda said, as they are currently working on an environmental study to move the project forward. The site will hold over 100 temporary homes, providing housing for as long as 18 months, he said, with a possible storage facility Amcorp is working with islanders to meet unmet needs through the United Methodist Church and the North American

later than 3 p m

If you would like to donate a basket for the silent auction, please have them no later than Feb 12 so they can prepared, and please remember to add their value All proceeds go to help with our veter-

Lutheran Church.

“They are currently on the ground d o i n g r e b u i l d t e a m s T h e U n i t e d Methodist Church, through Amcorp, has committed to stay on the island three to four years to help rebuild The Lutheran Church has also committed to stay on the island through long-term recovery They will be sending different teams down throughout the year, and are currently doing home rebuilding essentially for free,” Sanderson said

Avenue and Lemon Street in St James City. On Thursday, Feb 2, the three top

Currently, Sanderson said the biggest need is to find volunteer housing, as there are more volunteers than can be housed on Pine Island The GPIA is working with the county and state to identify sites where trailers can be set up to house volunteers There will be some changes to current island comfort stations in the next few

ans The Legion will also have burgers and hot dogs for purchase American Legion Post 136 is located at 4106 Stringfellow Road, St James C i t y F o r a d d i t i o n a l i n f o r m a t i o n , c a l l 239-283-4434

weeks, he said.

For help with any unmet needs, contact case manager Simone Monaco at 855228-3862 or Mary Ryan at the Beacon of hope 727-605-0709

The Beacon of Hope Pine Island has assisted many residents with registering in Unite FL The program has two aspects –housing and other unmet needs Registration for housing under Unite FL will close on Feb 17, 2023, though registration for other unmet needs will continue As Unite FL works through the other unmet needs portion of any registration, applicants may receive a text or email from Unite US requesting consent to share information with an organization so that it may provide assistance It is important during this time that you monitor your email and texts to ensure that your case(s) continue

back, for this to work,” he said of fellow Matlacha businesses “So I’m trying to make it comforting so hopefully people will come and take pictures and stay. Little by little we will come back We have to help one another,” D Oro said

If you are looking for original pieces of jewelry, with original designs, D Oro said, he now has them again, as he describes himself as an artist

“We weathered the storm, I guess you could say I’m just hoping more stores will open up,” D Oro said Onofrio D Oro Fine Jewelry Boutique is at 4600 Pine Island Road in Matlacha For additional information, call 347-720-5128

Onofrio D Oro in his jewelry boutique in Matlacha

Helping Paws Animal Sanctuary to host

Feline Valentine event this Saturday

Kitties just want to have love - and treats!

H e l p i n g P a w s A n i m a l S a n c t u a r y i s h a v i n g a Valentine's event for the many cats in residence Come buy a cat a treat, or find a gift for your loved one

The Feline Valentine event will be held Saturday, Feb 11, from 11 a m to 4 p m , at the shelter location 10060 Mallory Parkway, Unit D, St James City

Take a tour, have a cookie, brush a cat Show your support!

Bridge Beat

Bridge is played every Wednesday from 12:30 to 4 / 4 : 3 0 p m a t F i s h e r s o f M e n C h u r c h , 1 0 3 6 0 Stringfellow Road Everyone welcome For further information, call Mary at 239-286-5165

Results

Fishers of Men, Wednesday, Jan 25 - 1 Karen McWright 2 Kay Winter 3 Donna Reynolds

Fishers of Men Wednesday, Feb 1 - 1 Kay Winter 2 Mary Tobias 3 Kathy Downs Everyone had such a great time!

PHOTO PROVIDED BY ONOFRIO D ORO

Mobile home park

under renovation, there would be no rent charged to the tenants

Reid said the first thing he had to do was to determine what was stable and what had been destroyed The chamber of commerce recommended a demo crew, who Reid said came immediately with crews working on sites simultaneously Tropical Waters Park had residents who were able to do much of the needed work t h e m s e l v e s , h e s a i d . T h e o t h e r t h r e e resorts, he reports, were hardest hit by the storm, with Dolphins Resort taking the longest to reopen

“I was overwhelmed with joy when I found out people wanted to get back to their life,” Reid said

The hardest aspect of this ordeal for Reid was answering phone calls from those in need of a home and not knowing if he would be able to come through for them, he said He compares himself to a football coach, saying as long as he had a playbook, he knew he would be fine and

not panic

From page 1

“The game-plan was formed as soon as the demo started Then I said, now I know what I can do,” Reid said.

Realistically, Reid said, he’d assumed the project of reopening all four sites could take as long as 3 years Although there is still quite a bit of work to be done before it’s business as usual for all the residents of the four parks, it’s only taken four months to reopen.

To those who doubted his intentions to make things right at the parks, Reid quoted Edgar Allen Poe, saying, “Believe half of what you see and nothing that you hear.”

“It all comes down to what kind of person you are I’ve saved parks from being scrapped for condos or shopping centers, because the location was fantastic and I kept them as mobile home or RV communities, that are permanent, because people love their life. The proof is in the pudding and we’ll see in the end,” Reid said

Remote permit office on island remains open

Lee County Department of Community Development has resumed regular weekday hours in the permitting lobby of the downtown Fort Myers office and will continue operating a weekly remote permit office at the Pine Island Public Library to assist those who are rebuilding and repair-

i n g t h e i r h o m e s i n t h e a f t e r m a t h o f

Hurricane Ian

Downtown Fort Myers main office

The permitting lobby for the Department of Community Development, 1500 Monroe St , Fort Myers, is open 9 a m to 4 p m weekdays, with phone availability 7 a m to 4 p m daily County staff request that contractors continue to file for perm i t s u s i n g t h e c o u n t y ’ s online system at www leegov com/dcd

T h e l o b b y p r e v i o u s l y had closed on two Wednesdays in January to allow staff to address a backlog of applications Pine Island

The department opened a w e e k l y r e m o t e p e r m i t office at the Pine Island P u b l i c L i b r a r y , 1 0 7 0 1 R u s s e l l R o a d , B o k e e l i a , Jan 4 to allow residents to obtain permits for repairs to existing buildings damaged by Hurricane Ian

Due to the use of the service by island residents the past three Wednesdays, county staff will continue to b e a t t h e l i b r a r y e a c h Wednesday at least through Feb 15 Hours at the remote permit office are 10 a m to 5 p m

F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , visit www.leegov.com/dcd or call 239-533-8585

PHOTO PROVIDED BY HUGH REID

The Dolphins Resort mobile home park in Matlacha has been repaired, cleaned up and reopened.

A week of good and bad fishing

Like the weather, fishing was all over the place for the week. Good, bad and strong winds that brought miserable days That’s a normal week for winter, you need to pick your days

B e t w e e n f r o n t s b r o u g h t several days with light winds and beautiful weather -- perfect for venturing into the Gulf of Mexico Close to shore or long runs west, both b r o u g h t g o o d f i s h i n g O f course, the long runs bagged larger fish Red grouper and a mix of snapper came from depths between 75 and 100 feet

Bill

On the Water

G r o u p e r w e n t f o r jig/squid combos, sardines and mullet chunks. Snapper took cut sardines and live shrimp rigged with light fluorocarbon leaders

Near-shore, fishing depths from 30 to 5 0 f e e t g a v e u p a m i x e d b a g o f sheepshead, mangrove and lane snapper, plus an occasional keeper red grouper Fish are hanging over ledges, hard bottom and artificial reefs It my take several moves to find the honey hole, watch your bottom machine for a show fish and try several locations and depths Live shrimp rigged with light fluorocarbon leader and a small hook, either a knocker rig or jig head worked best Make sure your bait is on the bottom

Sharks and barracuda were sighted or hooked over many of the artificial reefs offshore

Inshore, a big moon gave u s e x t r e m e l y l o w t i d e s , especially over days with a n o r t h o r e a s t e r l y w i n d Many inshore areas were only accessible to kayaks, canoes, light technical skiff, and wade fisherman during the lows Sea trout up to 21 inches, redfish, snook and l a d y f i s h w e r e h o o k e d i n sand or potholes north and s o u t h o f P i n e l a n d a n d b e t w e e n G a l t a n d R e g l a islands. A few baits include d V u d u s h r i m p , G u l p shrimp and live shrimp on a jig head The best action c a m e o v e r t h e f i r s t f e w h o u r s o f t h e i n c o m i n g water

Seatrout were caught on Berkley Gulp shrimp and live shrimp under popping corks west of Burgess Island and the fish shacks, and between the Blind Pass channel and the north entrance to Roosevelt C h a n n e l . L a d y f i s h a n d a n o c c a s i o n a l pompano were also caught

Anglers caught sheepshead, snook and redfish around structure near Blind Pass and Roosevelt Channel Shrimp fished on or near bottom was the best bet Structure north of Boca Grande Pass yielded similar results on days light winds made it fishable

When the wind blows hard for a couple days our waters become very stirred up and dirty This is more noticeable after the hurricane. It takes a couple days for the sediment to settle Fishing is often slow

Cats of the Week

PHOTO PROVIDED

Randy Dalton and associates, visiting from Tennessee, returned to t h e d o c k w i t h a g o o d m i x o f sheeshead and snapper over a morning trip. They were fishing in 40-foot depths west of Cayo Costa State Park with Capt Bill Russell

for a day or two following a windy front from the north Good news, this front was short-lived

See GOOD AND BAD, page 16

PHOTO PROVIDED

Patsy & Merle

These adorable siblings came to us shortly before the hurricane. Now 6 months old, they a r e s t i l l w a i t i n g a n d h o p i n g someone has room in their lives for one or both of them. It is adopt-one-get-one free... Patsy the torti, is the outgoing one While Merle (gray), is the shy s w e e t o n e B o t h k i t t e n s a r e fixed, up to date on shots and microchipped Stop in and meet them It is pretty hard to resist such cuteness! For more inform a t i o n c a l l H e l p i n g P a w s Animal Sanctuary at 239-2839100. If you’d rather just donate, our address is 10060 Mallory Parkway E, Unit D, St. James C i t y, F L , 3 3 9 5 6 , o r t h e r e ’s always our web-site www helpi n g p a w s a n i m a l s a n c t u a r y Thank you so much!

Capt

Russell

Good and bad

and not very cold, water temperature will rebound quickly into the 70s. I have heard reports of red tide along the outer islands but I have not noticed any signs Let’s hope it stays away

To keep up on current fishing regula-

From page 13

tions, you can go to www myfwc com or 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 a

h w e s t Florida, and as a professional fishing guide for the past 23 years

Obituaries

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