Cape Coral Weekend Breeze

Hernandez accuses city of discriminatory labor violations Says Council decision to not renew his contract is retaliation; asks

By VALARIE HARRING

vharring@breezenewspapers com

Saying his contract was not renewed because he objected to a series of civil rights violations concerning minority and LGBT employees Cape Coral’s now-former city manager sent the city a damages and settlement letter Tuesday, asking for $550,000, a neutral job reference and a public apology for professionally disparaging remarks made by some council members concerning his employment

The letter on behalf of Rob Hernandez states that as city manager he observed and objected to multiple instances of alleged illegal conduct It is dated Feb 14 and was received by

weekly sports feature continues: The Cape Coral Breeze presents Athletes of the Week Page 15A

CPA Mary Feichthaler says taxpayers whose properties suffered serious damage from Hurricane Ian have the potential to receive significant income tax relief by claiming a casualty loss on their 2022 income tax returns To get the maximum allowed Congress though must designate the losses as a Qualified Casualty Loss

That has not yet happened and she urges all Lee County homeowners to contact their elected officials to encourage them to help those affected recover from the damage suffered by designating Hurricane Ian a Qualified

for $550,000 settlement

members of Council early Wednesday

C o u n c i l v o t e d 5 - 3 t o t e r m i n a t e Hernandez without cause at Wednesday’s 4:30 p m regular meeting Council had voted 5-3 two weeks ago to not renew the city manager s three-year contract

The settlement letter was prepared by attorney Benjamin H Yormak of Yormak Employment & Disability Law based in Bonita Springs

In it, Hernandez alleges the Feb 1 action to not renew his contract was in retaliation for his statutorily protected protestations and a violation of Florida’s Private Whistleblower Act

Ultimately, Mr Hernandez s resist-

ance to the discriminatory views of certain members of City Council contributed to the City Council’s decision not to renew Mr Hernandez’s contract ” the letter states

On February 1, 2023, City Council voted not to renew Mr Hernandez s contract despite a more than favorable performance evaluation less than 90 days earlier and one of the chief reasons given were his poor decisions and performance ’ As seen above, what was being referred to as poor decisions and performance was really Mr Hernandez s continued refusal to engage in discrimination against African-Americans LGBT employees and LGBT citizens of C a p e C o r a l I n s u m b e c a u s e M r Hernandez opposed and refused to participate in such illegal conduct, City Council retaliated by nonrenewing his contract ”

Ceremony to take place Sunday at Eco Park

By CHUCK BALLARO news@breezenewspapers

com

Land off Burnt Store Road that is set to be a luxury RV resort has been temporarily turned into a place for families displaced by Hurricane Ian

T h e F e d e r a l E m e r g e n c y M a n a g e m e n t A g e n c y o p e n e d Tranquility Lakes last week About a third of the available trailers are already occupied with the expectation of the park being close to full in the coming week

Keith Jones, senior spokesperson for FEMA, said FEMA has been placing families in the units

There are 38 eligible households already licensed in as of Thursday

We have five more coming Friday and 48 more pending background checks required by owners, and we’re trying to identify 14 more applicants ” Jones said “The units are there and being installed Once the utilities are installed and deemed ready, we can start putting people in ” Tranquility Lakes is a commercial park FEMA leased all 105 pads so they can put travel trailers on them to provide housing for those in need of temporary housing until they can get back into homes d a m a g e d o r d e s t r o y e d b y Hurricane Ian

The location opened on Feb 9, even though it was planned to open as an RV resort next year FEMA worked with county and city officials to be able to use the location

All the trailers are there now Jones said FEMA communities are set up for 18 months from the start of a disaster With the state of emergency being declared on Sept 28 2022 that means the assistance expires on March 28 2024 before needing an extension

If families still haven t found housing and if an extension is granted families will then have to pay rent at market rate to remain there The hope is their permanent homes are fixed up long before then

The families have to update their status monthly since they are

Charity Walk for the Poor set for Saturday

g r o w i n g n u m b e r o f r e s i d e n t s s t r u g g l i n g i n a n i n f l a t e d e c o n om y T h e i m p a c t o f S V D P h e r e i n t h e C a p e g o e s b e y o n d j u s t m o n et a r y a s s i s t a n c e ; i t s a b o u t g e t t i n g i n d i v i d u a l s b a c k o n t h e i r f e e t a n d p o i n t i n g t h e m i n t h e d i r e c t i o n o f t h e r e s o u r c e s a v a i l a b l e t o t h e m a s w e l l a s p r o v i d i n g s p i r i t u a l s u pp o r t S V D P w o r k s i n c o o r d i n a t i o n w i t h v a r i o u s o t h e r c h a r i t a b l e o r g a n i z a t i o n s t o b e a b l e t o c a s t a w i d e n e t f o r t h o s e t h a t c o m e t o t h e m f o r h e l p

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CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com Apivotal battle that resulted in one of the most iconic images of World War II marks its 78th anniversary this week and will be remembered again locally in Cape Coral The 78th Iwo Jima Anniversary Ceremony will take place this Sunday at Eco Park in front of the Iwo Jima monument beginning at 11:30 a m presented by the Pfc Paul E Ison Detachment 60 Marine Corps League “This is a formal military-style ceremony filled with pomp and circumstance, said Cpl Julie Sturgeon, senior vice commandant for the Ison Marine Corps League and event manager for the ceremony We will honor some of the last World War II veterans combat veterans from every generation and conflict since World War II as well If You Go: What: 78th Iwo Jima Anniversary Ceremony When: Sunday Feb 19 at 11:30 a m Where: Four Mile Cove Ecological Park, 2500 Southeast 24th St See IWO JIMA, page 15A The Iwo Jima statue at Four Mile Cove Ecological Preserve is one of three original, one-third-scale models / FILE PHOTO Tranquility Lakes offers temporary housing post-Ian See FEMA, page 10A The second Annual Walk for the Poor, hosted by the Society of St Vincent de Paul, St Andrew Conference, takes place this Saturday at St Andrew Catholic Church starting at 10:30 a m and ending at 1 p m See WALK, page 7A * To ’ Ad Inserts selected Z p

e s p e c i a l l y f o l l o w i n g h u r r i c a n e I a n O n e h u n d r e d p e r c e n t o f t h e s e m o n i e s a r e u s e d t o h e l p t h e n e e d y w i t h p a y i n g f o r p a s t d u e u t i l i t i e s , f o o d , c l o t h i n g , m e d i c a t i o n s , f i n di n g a j o b b u s t r a n s p o r t a t i o n a n d t e m p o r a r y s h e l t e r ” T h e w a l k i s a n e v e n t h e l d b y n u m e r o u s S t V i n c e n t d e P a u l c o n f e r e n c e s a r o u n d t h e g l o b e , s o S t A n d r e w d e c i d e d i t w a s w o r t h h o l d i n g i n C a p e C o r a l w i t h t h e e 2 0 2 3 W

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City Council tables BURST land use

By CHUCK BALLARO news@breezenewspapers com

The Cape Coral City Council decided Wednesday to punt on an ordinance that would bring a new land use classification to the city

After nearly an hour of debate and with several residents opposed to the change the city council tabled an ordinance that would create a Burnt Store Road District (BURST) land

BURST is intended to encourage mixed-use, commercial, professional, and industrial development on Burnt Store Road The area has been identified as a future economic corridor for Northwest Cape Coral

use for several parcels in the northwest Cape

The ordinance will be brought back to the city council

The area has been identified as future economic corridor for Northwest Cape Coral on April 19

BURST is a city-initiated future land use amendment involving 1206 66 acres for multiple properties in the Northwest part of the city on Burnt Store Road north of Van Buren Parkway

BURST is intended to encourage mixed-use commercial professional and industrial development on Burnt Store Road The area has been identified as a future economic corridor for Northwest Cape Coral

However, while city officials encouraged the transmittal of the change to the state residents who live in the area said “not so fast ”

Resident Christine Casale said “her bubble was about to burst, and that there would be far more problems with the new land use She and other residents said that while they can t stop progress it would destroy their way of life which has been more rural quiet and full of wildlife

Members on the council heeded those words Councilmember Tom Hayden said he didn t feel comfortable making any decisions on the matter until he had more information

So instead of a new land use there was a unanimous vote to continue the ordinance for two months so staff can bring

more to the table I think there are still some variables that need to be addressed there We have several property owners who had some concerns and we need to get it right the first time ” Mayor John Gunter said Sometimes that means having to take a step back

In other business, in another lengthy discussion, Council unanimously approved a mixed-use planned development called Bimini Square in the South Cape the first new development in that area

The owners requested approval of a rezone from the Mixed-Use Bimini District (MXB) to a MXPUD, and approval of a Master Concept Plan for 218 residential units, more than 58 000 square feet of nonresidential uses and a parking garage for the 5 61-acre property according to the staff report Council members praised the idea of bringing in Lee Health, especially Dan Sheppard, though he was concerned about the lack of palm trees, fencing and access on and off of Cape Coral Parkway

Also passed was a companion resolution to approve a tax increment rebate agreement between the Cape Coral Redevelopment Agency, Crown Development, Bimini Square, LLC, Scarlet Investments and the city

The TIF rebate would provide support for the developer to construct and owners to operate the mixed-use project

American Legion to hold Flapjack Fundraiser

The American Legion Riders of Post 90 Cape Coral is sponsoring a breakfast to support Operation Vet Relief and the public is invited

The breakfast will be Sunday morning Feb 19 from 8 to 10 a m at Applebee’s 2228 Del Prado Blvd Cape Coral Tickets are $10 per person and proceeds go to supporting veterans in need Tickets will be sold at the door or are available

at Post 90

Operation Vet Relief helps veterans in need of assistance for housing, food, suicide prevention, counseling and job assistance It is not only a program supported by every American Legion Post in Florida but is also a nationwide effort to help our veterans American Legion Post 90 was founded in April 2001, and membership is open to all veterans The Post offers a full canteen and lunch and dinner and is at 1401 Southeast 47th St in Cape Coral and sponsors scholarships Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops blood drives V A volunteer and national emergency funds programs to assist veterans in need

Visitpost90swf org For more information about becoming a member of the American Legion, call 239 540-8128 or contact alpost90@yahoo com or the Legion PR Officer Ted Clark tedclark12@gmail com 845-527-7948

Lee County asks motorists to use caution at intersection of Pine Island Road and Bur nt Store Road / Veterans Parkway

The Lee County Department of Transportation advises motorists to use caution at the intersection of Pine Island Road and Burnt Store Road / Veterans Parkway

For the next two weeks, intersection improvements will be made that will better the flow of traffic as part of the Burnt Store Road Widening Project

These improvements require temporary lane shifts and partial lane closures Crews will be lengthening the northbound left turn lane and adding an additional northbound through lane at the intersection Crews will temporally shorten the northbound left turn lane at Pine Island Road to construct these improvements

For more information on the project go to www burntstorewidening com For more information visit www leegov com/dot

CAPE CORAL BREE ZE

RAYMOND M ECKENRODE Publisher

VALARIE HARRING, Executive Editor CHRIS STRINE, Editor 2510 Del Prado Blvd • Cape Coral, FL, 33904

Phone 239-574-1110 – Fax 239-574-5693

Member Florida Press Association

Shoot this trial balloon down before it makes any headway

Gov Ron DeSantis puffed up a lead balloon this week saying that perhaps the state should consider replacing Advanced Placement courses with well something else

Maybe the International Baccalaureate program Maybe the Cambridge Assessment program Maybe some other vendor And there s always dual enrollment, which allows qualifying students to take college courses while still in high school he said Tuesday in a press conference in Jacksonville

The comments concerning the nationwide AP program offered and administered through the AP College Board come in the wake of a couple of actions, one blocking an AP course on African American Studies the other upending the direction of the state’s honor college New College of Florida in Sarasota

Any bid to opt Florida out of the College Board s AP program or reallocate its funding elsewhere is more than concerning: It is frightening

The program is a national one recognized by nearly all colleges and universities throughout the U S

In 2021 1 178 256 public high school graduates 34 9% took at least one AP exam, up from 898,134, or 28 6%, as compared to the class of 2011, according to the College Board website, collegeboard org

Of that Class of 2021 total 758 842 or 22 5% scored a 3 or higher on at least one AP exam meaning they not only took what is essentially a college-level class but mastered the subject matter

According to that same report, students from all backgrounds including those with average scores of 1 or 2 are more likely to enroll in a four-year college compared to academically similar students who did not take AP ”

An AP score of 2 means the student is well prepared to succeed in introductory college courses and will perform as well or better in introductory college courses, compared to academically similar college peers” who did not take the AP course the site states

Not only do the courses prepare students for college at top institutions across the country, they actually can provide them with college credits, depending on the course taken and a particular college s AP policy

What types of classes?

More than three dozen AP classes are offered to students nationwide Courses include classes in the arts English, history and the social sciences, math and computer sciences, science, and world language and cultures

Everything from art history and music theory to calculus and Latin

Key here is that this is a nationally recognized and universally accepted offering with 31 states including Florida supporting the program financially to the benefit of the public school students the state educates

It allows participating students to demonstrate a commitment to their education earn college credits skip introductory courses or graduate earlier than they might have had the opportunity not been available to them at the high school level

Let us be clear: There is no comparable, nationwide, academically accepted replacement

Our students should not be left out especially in the “Free State of Florida” where the governor himself has said parents should be in control of their children s education, not bureaucrats and certainly not politicians with an agenda

We know of no public outcry not even a whisper for a statewide opt out of the AP program

We know of no public outcry not even a whisper to legislatively shop for some other alternative which, we point out, any parent can do now as there are schools that offer the International Baccalaureate program and the Cambridge AICE program here in Lee County

This trial balloon needs to be shot down now

We urge parents who are invested in the education of their children, college bound or not, to provide the needed ammunition with loud and vigorous protestation Breeze editorial

Congressional action needed on Ian losses

Hurricane Ian was the most financially devastating hurricane to ever hit Florida and it has caused over $100 billion of damages to homes and businesses Many of us have not received insurance reimbursements and others have only received a fractional portion of losses Taxpayers have the potential to receive significant income tax relief by claiming a casualty loss on their 2022 income tax returns (or their 2021 returns if a special election is made )

The rules involving deductions relating to unreimbursed property damage caused by a casualty loss hinge on what type of casualty is incurred The last major hurricane to impact our area was Hurricane Irma which was given special designation by Congress as a Qualified Casualty Loss As a result, taxpayers adversely impacted by Hurricane Irma were able to maximize their loss

deductions

Mary Feichthaler

Guest Commentary

Unfortunately Hurricane Ian has NOT yet been designated as a qualified disaster by Congress I urge all Florida homeowners to contact their Senator Rick Scott, Senator Marco Rubio, Congressman Byron Donalds to advise them that we need our elected representatives’ help in order to recoup losses from this major disaster A form should be submitted through their websites Casualty losses are determined based on the damaged property s fair value immediately before and immediately after a disaster such as a hurricane Hurricane Ian is the most serious storm to impact our area since Hurricane Irma and the most damaging in Florida history

Unfortunately the tax deductions currently available relating to Hurricane Ian expenses are much less advantageous than those made available after Hurricane Irma Congress designated Hurricane Irma a qualified disaster, which meant that casualty losses would be subjected to only a $500 expense recapture Since Hurricane Ian has not been designated as a qualified disaster taxpayers must deduct 10 percent of their adjusted gross income ( AGI ) plus an additional $100 from the amount that would have been their casual-

Depending on the taxpayers’ adjusted gross income this casualty deduction can result in a tax savings of thousands, possibly tens of thousands, of dollars Please keep in mind that deductions are also reduced by insurance reimbursements but losses are not impacted by actual out-ofpocket repair estimates or payments

However, if Hurricane Ian is designated by Congress as a qualified disaster, the taxpayer s casualty loss deduction would not be impacted by adjusted gross income and would result in even greater tax savings

The casualty loss rules are complicated and require that several steps be followed correctly prior to the deduction of losses caused by Hurricane Ian Damage to business property is also eligible for the deduction The services of an experienced CPA should be sought to help correctly navigate the Internal Revenue Service casualty loss rules I also encourage all Lee County homeowners to contact their elected officials to encourage them to help us recover from the damage suffered by designating Hurricane Ian a Qualified Disaster Below is the telephone contact information for our Florida senators and congresspeople Each of these officials has a form on their official websites through which constituents can send emails

Senator Rick Scott: (202) 224-5274 or

Senator Marco Rubio: (202) 224-3041

Congressman Byron Donalds: (202) 225-2536 Mary Feichthaler is a licensed CPA and has 26 years of experience assisting individual corporate and nonprofit clients in all areas of taxation including income tax compliance and audits sales tax FIRPTA and offers in compromise She has lived in Cape Coral since 2002

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead

To the editor:

A two-lot site assessment in SW-4 with impact fees was around $26 500 the most expensive at the time Council decided to combine SW-6 & SW-7 in order to increase bidding competition and to gain economy of scale The two-lot SW6/7 assessment and capital facility expansion fee was about $16,750 So those numbers indicate that combining and/or enlarging the utility construction areas reduced the unit cost by almost $10 000 or almost 40% That project was done in a financially responsible manner a win for the residents North 2 was $19,382 for a two-lot site So why is North 1 $35,000? Could it be that splitting North 1 into two projects destroyed economy of scale and reduced competition?

The meeting in which the decision was made to split North 1 took place on Oct 13 2021 There is no indication the council had a clue as to why the utilities projects were combined or why the project areas were enlarged It seems they were hell bent on making a change The main focus was about the time it took to finish the roads If council had taken the time to look at the history they would have seen the financial benefit that was gained by increasing the construction areas

We Want It Smaller was the battle cry Right after the presentation, one council member said, I will support splitting the project Another council member who has been around for more than 40 years said “We’re telling them the assessments would be around $20 000 (She had her rose-colored glasses on) Even the price of vacant lots will support that number and it would greatly benefit the contractors Another council person seemed to be more concerned that one area of North 1 might be a few bucks more than the next one That was a serious concern

Not one question about the financial effects of downsizing the project even though one council member owns a construction company No reasonable individual or body would change a process without understanding the details Critical thinking and common sense do not exist in government If this bunch were electricians the fire department would be very busy indeed Our financial services director the city attorney the assistant city manager and the current public works director and other staff were in meetings when it was decided to combine SW-6 and SW-7 and when the decision was made to increase the size of the utility projects Not a peep out of any of them during the meeting and apparently not afterward

If council was given that information and did not change direction then council has been negligent This council seems to be reluctant to ask questions and are inclined to shoot from the hip ” The city manager and staff don’t appear to be concerned that the city council is falling off of the proverbial cliff The end result is $35 000 rather than $19 000 in financial carnage If staff didn t come forward privately or publicly, it should be noted, that withholding information is a serious matter and council needs to deal with it

So there is little mystery as to why the minimum assessments are $35 000 in North 1 vs $19 000 in North 2 Economic conditions dictate that the cost would increase but not by 80% even in today s economic fire storm

I would strongly suggest that council put North 1 on hold just as SW-6 and SW-7 were put on hold until a better more equitable solution for completing the project can be developed

John Sullivan Former mayor Cape Coral

City needs to clean up the mess its canal-cleaning policies wrought

To the editor:

The following letter has been sent to Cape Coral Mayor John Gunter and members of the Cape Coral City Council:

To Whom it Might Actually Concern

My name is David Rorty and I live in district three of Cape Coral on the intersection of the Casanove and King fresh water canals, what once was a beautiful natural setting and a major reason why seven years ago, we bought this home The trees and scrub bush vegetation that once lined the banks of these canals served as buffers to the category 5 winds of Ian and one of the reasons why my home including pool cage were not damaged in the least Those trees and vegetation are now gone The Green Herons, the Great Blue Herons, Anhinga and Osprey habitats are destroyed Not by the storm, but by your poor decisions and with the absolute gall of using my own tax dollars to wreck the environment we at this point still call home

There are sections of the King Canal bank that are stripped bare I inspected these banks after your contractors destroyed it These banks are going to erode very quickly with the first heavy rain Mud and silt will flow into the canal causing further destruction of wildlife and various habitats Then what will you do?

I would applaud the city if you actually did something

intelligent and at least install silt barriers prior to rehabilitating the banks with new trees and ground vegetation/ cover in an effort to control the inevitable erosion thus producing further habitat loss

And now the most egregious of your dimwitted group decisions You are paying these two contracted companies by the cubic yard of brush/trees they collect Can you not see the incentive for these businesses to make as much profit as possible by collecting as many cubic yards as possible? Are you that short sighted and irresponsible to your constituents and use of their tax dollars much less the very environment we all live in?

It is my hope if we still live here to witness it the city will quickly make some intelligent decisions and do what ever it takes to repair the destruction your combined direction is currently causing all over Cape Coral s canal system and its environs Paying these contractors by the cubic yard may have worked well enough for removing heavy building construction debris of destroyed homes and businesses and other infrastructure left by Hurricane Ian but it is an absolutely weak minded, disastrous, and destructive result of a narrow minded contractual agreement when it comes to canal navigation improvement Please give the citizens of Cape Coral a modicum of confidence in your office

From very disappointed citizens

David Rorty Maria Marino

Preser ve the Cape’s quaint character

To the editor:

The Feb 3 2023 issue of the Cape Coral Breeze had so many hot button topics that I may have to write a second letter to The Breeze: another five sets of new proposals are being developed for the Yacht Club Area due to Hurricane Ian s damages; the non-extension of the current City Manager s contract; the need for more water sources to meet the demands of the growing city; and a letter to the editor about the slow progress of the city to complete projects and the Boathouse lease saying it has the exclusive right to food and beverage sales in the Yacht Club area through 2033 I hope this last part is not true

My biggest issue is the Yacht Club area The city has not done any construction in the four years since proposing a plan for the area They insisted on a non-phased approach to the project over a two-year construction period They were going to shut down for two years the beach and pier access, the boat ramp and marina access, and the tennis and racquet ball courts usage At a public meeting a year ago they didn’t even know what they were going to do with the Yacht Club building nor the Tony Rotino Center It wasn’t even part of the plan Now that Hurricane Ian damaged the Yacht Club building and Rotino Center to the level that they have to be razed, the city is starting all over again with new plans for the area I have not been able to find these five new proposals on-line yet

The city recently reversed itself and agreed to a phased approach to whatever new plan they will approve This is finally some good news The Letter to the Editor writer in the Feb 3 issue said the Boathouse will be reopening in March If true they will need a temporary parking area for the public A phased construction should allow temporary parking to be provided somewhere in the Yacht Club area

As for the city manager, I am relieved the city is not extending his contract, mainly because he wanted to go vertical with his plans for Cape Coral Almost all the citizens that I have talked to do not want to see Cape Coral rising vertically with high rise apartment buildings and condominiums We like our city to stay as quaint as possible I am all for more commercial establishments, but not more densely populated neighborhoods With a denser population, Cape Coral will have to widen its main streets, add more traffic lights to access these streets provide more water and sewer facilities and upgrade the electrical power grid Another article in the same issue of The Breeze talked about the need for more potable and non-potable sources of water in the next 20 years I have an idea, tighten up zoning laws and stop allowing large vertical apartment and condo complexes to be built on the Cape Ken Kendrick Cape Coral

Well, bust my balloons

T o t h e e d i t o r : L o o k u p i n t h e s k y ! W h a t a r e t h o s e t h i n g s ? T h e y a r e b a l l o o n s f r o m C h i n a ( J u s t a s k t h e m ) T h e y w e r e s h o t d o w n a s a r o u t i n e Q A / Q C t e s t i n g o u r o w n a b i l i t y t o d e t e c t i n t r u s i o n B e l i e v e t h i s ? I f s o , I h a v e s o m e n i t r o g e n y o u c a n s w a l l o w a n d t a l k l i k e D o n a l d D u c k O o p s a l m o s t w r o t e T r u m p i n s t e a d o f D u c k S o r r y

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We e k ly B R E E Z E R e c ap

City’s economic officer: Opportunities abound

By CHUCK BALLARO news@breezenewspapes

com

There is a lot of residential and commercial growth happening in the city of Cape Coral and with the economic incentives passed by City Council and the voters, there will be even more opportunities in the future to grow and retain business

That is what Sharon Woodberry economic and business development officer for the city told those attending the Cape Coral Construction Industry Association s monthly dinner meeting at Palmetto Pines Country Club last week

Woodberry updated the CCCIA on the economic development happening in Cape Coral and what could be coming down the pike in near future

Woodberry talked a little bit about herself and journey to Cape Coral, where she took the city job last May after leaving her position as Economic Development Director in Youngstown Ohio She then got to the business at hand

She said while the infrastructure needs to catch up with the progress and future progress being made, especially on the main corridors, she is confident growth will continue, especially when you look at the economic indicators showing 2 7 percent unemployment and low vacancy

rates and increased construction values

She added that much of the retail and commercial development is concentrated in one area

A lot of that is concentrated along Pine Island Road, which is where a lot of retail and commercial development is happening We still have some development opportunities there and zoning has been put in place to encourage more commercial ” Woodberry said

Current projects include a new post office The Waters and Marina Village at Cape Harbour Nor-Tech Boats and Ecological Laboratories are looking to expand their businesses in the city

The city is also expanding another area that is badly lacking

We are bringing in more of that multi-family housing and more is coming down the pipeline That is going to be a lot of our construction, Woodberry said We also had apartments coming in and the timing was very good They came in the fall after the hurricane and were very much needed for displaced residents ” Woodberry also talked about the incentive tools the city has brought onboard, such as the ad valorem tax exemptions for commercial activity that she said will bring in jobs and facilitate growth

She also discussed the proposed façade program that

Hundreds attend Drug House Odyssey

By CHUCK BALLARO news@breezenewspapes com

Fifth graders again got an opportunity to see the lifeand-death consequences of wrong choices that can come from the use of drugs or alcohol

For the first time post-COVID the Coalition for a Drug-Free Southwest Florida held its Drug House Odyssey event at the Lee Civic Center which stresses the importance of making the right decision and how drugs and alcohol use isn’t one of them

Fifth-graders from all over Lee County as well as groups and organizations came out for the three-day event, which is presented as a five-act play where teenagers make the wrong choices and face the consequences of their actions

“We’re so happy to be back We will witness the effects of making good decisions and bad decisions We hope this will inspire families to talk about making good decisions, to show how much their parents love them and need them to make good decisions, said Deb Comella, executive director for the Coalition for a DrugFree Southwest Florida

Jonathan Engh chairman of the coalition said as a parent he has seen things like the party that they may have witnessed with their older siblings

The lights really come on with the arrest scene or the car crash and they think ‘I haven’t seen that before ’” Engh said “Research shows that experimentation with drugs begins in fifth grade It’s easier to find the exposure is greater and we re trying to stay ahead of that curve

Among the groups participating included the Florida Highway Patrol the Cape Coral Police Department the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and its Explorers the Bayshore Fire Department Lee County EMS Lee Health and the State Attorney s Office Tom Guthrie, assistant state attorney with the 20th

Circuit Court, played the role of a judge in the play, and was joined by a fellow attorney playing the attorney of the defendant

We were asked to participate and are proud to be here and in the community Hopefully we expose young students to some of what we do and teach them valuable lessons ” Guthrie said

And what did the kids who came for Family Night on Wednesday think?

Maria Zapata, 17, and Dechbara Gonzalez, 12, said the kids learned some valuable lessons that even prescription drugs can get you in trouble

“You have to be careful with narcotics and who you’re driving with and your surroundings ” Zapata said “You might be a good driver but those around you might not be And you may not only hurt yourself, but family and friends I learned you have to make good choices and that you can’t drink while you’re driving or do any drugs ” Gonzalez said “You have to be careful the choices you make ”

While the play is not meant for small children, some went through the scenes and got some good lessons

You should never drink when you re driving I want to be a tornado chaser and I don’t want to make bad choices ” said William Vanwy 8

His younger brother Jay 6 was much more direct Don t do drugs and don t give anybody drugs, said Jay, who wants to be a mechanic when he s an adult I want to make good choices Don’t give them alcohol Just give them water or soda or milk ”

Emergency personnel treat an auto accident victim in one of the performances of the Drug House Odyssey last week

PHOTO PROVIDED

will encourage businesses to dress up their fronts and reduce the appearance of blight particularly in the South Cape Community Redevelop-ment Agency district

There is a lot of opportunity there and it s something we really want to promote more to help make a difference ” Woodberry said “Businesses are looking to come to the area because of the area We don’t think that will be the game-changer We need something that will make us stand out a little bit We hope these incentives will be the difference CCCIA members wanted to know what was going on with Seven islands Bimini Basin and a talked-about second major hospital in the city Bimini Basin is going to be on the Cape Coral City Council agenda Wednesday with the elected board expected vote on tax increment finance funding from the CRA on that project, while Seven Islands has some permitting issues it needs to tend to before development there begins Not much has been said or done regarding a new hospital CCCIA president Jeffrey Gazlay said the meeting was informative and that the city is being proactive

We have always had the struggle of land use and zoning I think we re going in the right direction, Gazlay said “We have to be creative to attract as much business as we can ”

Spring Training begins; pitchers, catchers arrive

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

February in Florida and Lee County has long been the true start of spring for baseball fans from across the nation who have historically flocked here to get their first taste of a new baseball season spelling the true end of winter no matter what any groundhog says

This week pitchers and catchers with the Minnesota Twins and Boston Red Sox organization will begin reporting to Fort Myers for their respective camps at the Lee County Sports Complex and JetBlue Park at Fenway South Next week, full squads will report in what will certainly be a breath of fresh air for an area devastated by Hurricane Ian just a few months ago

It may be hard to believe but it has been three years since there was February Spring Training workouts and camps in full swing in Florida In 2021 camps were delayed due to the covid pandemic In 2022 a lockout by the owners delayed the season

For the Boston Red Sox, pitchers and catchers were set to begin reporting Wednesday, with full squad workouts beginning Monday Feb 20 For the Minnesota Twins catchers and pitchers were expected Thursday Feb 16 with full squad workouts starting Feb 20

The Red Sox and Twins are entering 2023 having had identical 78-84 records last season The Red Sox finished last in the American League East while the Twins finished third in the American League Central division

The Twins had a chaotic offseason in which they appeared to have lost prized shortstop Carlos Correa first to the San Francisco Giants, who had a deal in place to sign him until it fell through over a physical in December, and then to the New York Mets, who backed out of a deal with Correa over the same issue in January

The Twins ultimately re-signed the two-time All-Star to a six-year $200 million deal The club also traded Luis Arraez, the reigning American League batting champ, for Marlins pitcher Pablo Lopez Also traded was third baseman Gio Urshela for Angels pitcher Alejandro Hidalgo The team also signed outfielder Joey Gallo

The Red Sox also had a chaotic offseason when they lost shortstop and fan favorite Xander Bogaerts to the San Diego Padres, who signed the four-time All-Star to an 11-year, $280 million deal

They also did not re-sign their ace lefty Nathan Eovaldi who landed a deal with the Texas Rangers

The team did agree to keep its crown jewel third baseman Rafael Devers on a 11-year $331 million extension

The Red Sox released first baseman Eric Hosmer and signed Dodgers All-Star veteran third baseman Justin Turner The Red Sox also signed outfielder Adam Duvall i n t h e o f f s e a s o n a n d t r a d e d f o r R o y a l s s h o r t s t o p Adalberto Mondesi

The Red Sox will host their first Spring Training game against Northeastern on Friday, Feb 24 Their first game against a Major League Baseball club will be against the Tampa Bay Rays with split squads at JetBlue Park on Sunday Feb 26

The Twins will host their first Spring Training game on Saturday, Feb 25, with split games against the Tampa Bay Rays

With Harriet missing, M15 and eaglets are making do

By CHUCK BALLARO news@breezenewspapes com

It s been more than a week since Southwest Florida s most popular eagle matriarch, Harriet, went missing

Ground searches have thus far been unsuccessful and the longer she is missing the more likely the outcome won't be a good one for those who follow the happenings in and around the nest off Bayshore Road in North Fort Myers on the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam

Meanwhile M15 is alone to care for the eaglets who are now about five weeks old and close to halfway before they fledge

The situation has brought all sorts of other eagles to the area to scope out territory of their own, sometimes even showing up at the nest tree

This is interaction new to the eagle cam

Ginnie McSpadden one of the founders of the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam, said she doesn t know how to answer the big question: Is it possible Harriet will come back? That said, the length of time she has been gone is not good “All signs point to that she is not going to return and our new normal is going to have to be seeing how M15 does

with keeping these eaglets alive, McSpadden said

So far, that, at least, is going well M15 has gone above and beyond to keep the babies alive, having learned an awful lot from Harriet as he is a lot younger than his mate

“His natural instinct is so strong I’m so impressed and wowed by nature because under the circumstances it’s amazing to see what a great job he s doing, McSpadden said

The eaglets have had quite the rivalry, with E21 at times brutally bullying E22 into submission There is always some sibling rivalry especially in the first week or so

Sibling rivalry will increase if there is additional hunger M15 has been Dad of the Year because he s bringing in so much food and putting himself in between the two to give them equal chances to eat, McSpadden said I am in awe He has to be dealing with so much ”

What happens from here is anyone's guess The odds don t appear to be in favor of two successful fledges with a single mate, but that is an unknown Since M15 has to hunt for food, the eaglets are often left alone Intruders have begun to arrive at the nest as they sense the vulnerability since Harriet is gone and are already trying to overtake the nest and it appears bond with M15

I don t know what will happen but it will be a definite learning experience for not only us and our viewers, but for eagle experts and wildlife officials, McSpadden said Eagles have been known to kill the young or throw them out of the nest when they take over a nest If that happens CROW will be on call in the event the eaglets are injured in the fall and intervene

Whatever happens in the nest at that time, McSpadden said that viewer discretion is advised, because the Eagle Cam brings nature at its best and sometimes the worst Eaglets have died and even been eaten for food

If they can’t handle it or it gets too upsetting turn it off and walk away We said that a while ago when eaglets passed away, McSpadden said

Harriet began appearing in the area around 2003 with her then-mate Ozzie They came to the Pritchett farm in 2006 where she has remained ever since M15 arrived in 2015 when Ozzie died McSpadden believes that Harriet is around 30 years old, the typical lifespan of an eagle

I never imagined this day would come because she s been a staple with this project and in our lives for so long that she wouldn’t be around ” McSpadden said

View the nest live at http://dichpritchettrealestate com

Prioritize the Lake Okeechobee Watershed

The recent completion of the rehabilitation of the Lake Okeechobee Herbert Hoover Dike (HHD) was a monumental public works project by the U S Army Corps of Engineers (USACOE) The earthen dam was a safety hazard and required fortification to enhance the USACOE overs i g h t o f f l o o d c o n t r o l i n t h e L a k e Okeechobee watershed Unfortunately the state s jurisdiction over water supply and quality requires a great deal more effort to protect the ecology of the lake and downstream rivers and coastal estuaries High water levels in Lake Okeechobee destroy the wetland vegetation around the perimeter of the lake thereby, eliminating critical natural filtration of surface water runoff and essential fish and wildlife habitat Excessive nutrient pollution from the aprroximately 440 000 acres of sugar cane fields draining into the lake result in toxic algae blooms

The South Florida Water Management District suggests that the newly reconstructed HHD will enhance management flexibility concerning the release of water from Lake Okeechobee The challenge is w h e t h e r t h e w a t e r r e l e a s e d t o t h e C a l o o s a h a t c h e e , S a i n t L u c i e o r t h e

Everglades meets the necessary water quality standards and levels to prevent increase frequenc y a n d d u r a t i o n o f h a r m f u l a l g a e b l o o m s i n t h e c o a s t a l estuaries and sufficient quantity of clean fresh water to rehyd r a t e a n d r e n o u r i s h t h e

Everglades and Florida Bay

O u r e n t i r e s o u t h F l o r i d a ecosystem is in peril and there are a number of meaningful steps that the State Legislature and the South Florida Water

M a n a g e m e n t D i s t r i c t c o u l d i m p l e m e n t t o r e s t o r e t h e

Everglades, Florida Bay and coastal estuaries

1 ) R e q u e s t t h a t t h e U S Army Corps of Engineers conduct a cost benefit analysis for an emergency spillway on the south side of Lake Okeechobee to alleviate pressure on the HHD thereby reducing reliance on the Caloosahatchee and St Lucie Rivers as the relief valves during wet years for massive releases of polluted water discharged to the estuaries on the west and east coast of south Florida

Ray Judah Guest Commentary

2) Coordinate with Florida’s Congressional

D e l e g a t i o n t o s u p p o r t acquisition of 50 000

a c r e s ( 2 0 , 0 0 0 U S

S u g a r a n d 3 0 , 0 0 0 F l o r i d a C r y s t a l s ) o f s u g a r c a n e f i e l d s between the North New River and Miami canals s o u t h o f L a k e Okeechobee for storage, t r e a t m e n t a n d c o nveyance of water to the Everglades and Florida Bay 2014 Amendment 1 f u n d s a v a i l a b l e f o r purchase of conservation lands

3) Coordinate with the Florida Department o f E n v i r o n m e n t a l Protection (FDEP) to include nitrogen in the Lake Okeechobee Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP)

4) Support modification to the Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual that provides equitable water conservation practices for agriculture, utilities and envi-

ronmental releases

5) Implement nutrient numeric standards for water back pumped from the sugar cane fields into Lake Okeechobee to prevent high concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus from entering the lake resulting in harmful algae blooms

6) Implement the 1996 Polluters Pay Constitutional Amendment that requires those causing water pollution within the approximately 700,000 acre Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) to be primarily responsible for paying the costs of the abatement of the pollution Sugar farming occurs on approximately 440 000 acres in the EAA Gov DeSantis has proclaimed Florida to be the Freedom State If that were true, shouldn’t Floridians be free from Big Sugar’s control of state water management policies and free of the toxic brew released from the sugar cane fields destroying the Everglades, rivers and coastal estuaries?

Ray Judah is a long-time clean water activist and former Lee County Commissioner

With 50th anniversary pending, Temple Beth Shalom seeks sponsor support for upcoming book, celebration

B y C J H A D D A D c j h a d d a d @ b r e e z e n e w s p a p e r s c o m A c e n t e r f o r J e w i s h f a i t h i s c e l e b r a t i n g i t s g o l d e n a n n i v e r s a r y w i t h m e m b e r s o f t h e c o m m u n i t y w h i l e h o n o r i n g a l o c a l f r o n t l i n e h e a l t h c a r e e x e c u t i v e T h e J e w i s h C o m m u n i t y C e n t e r o f L e e C o u n t y a l s o k n o w n a s T e m p l e B e t h S h a l o m i n C a p e C o r a l , w i l l r e m e m b e r 5 0 y e a r s o f s e r v i c e t o t h e c o m m u n i t y o n t h e e v e n i n g o f A p r i l 1 T h e t e m p l e h a s c h o s e n L e e H e a l t h P r e s i d e n t a n d C E O D r L a r r y A n t o n u c c i a s i t s 2 0 2 3 H o n o r e e f o r “ h i s u n p a r a l l e l e d l e a d e r s h i p a n d c o n t r i b ut i o n s t o t h e l o c a l c o m m u n i t y ” T h e e v e n t w i l l b e g i n w i t h a c o c k t a i l h o u r , c o m m e mo r a t i v e p r e s e n t a t i o n s , d i n n e r , d a n c e a n d s i l e n t a u c t i o n T h e g a l a w i l l b e h e l d a t T e m p l e B e t h S h a l o m s s o c i a l h a l l a t 7 0 2 S o u t h e a s t 2 4 t h A v e T h e p r o g r a m w i l l i n c l u d e s p e e c h e s f r o m A n t o n u c c i a n d h i s g u e s t s a s w e l l a s m e m b e r s o f T e m p l e B e t h S h a l o m T h e p r o g r a m w i l l e n d w i t h t h e p r e s e n t a t i o n h o n o r i n g A n t o n u c c i B e s i d e s b e i n g a s t e l l a r p h y s i c i a n i n t h e c o m m u n i t y f o r a v e r y l o n g t i m e , h i s a t t r i b u t e s a n d e x p e r i e n c e s p e a k s f o r i t s e l f ” s a i d T e m p l e B e t h S h a l o m S p i r i t u a l L e a d e r B a r r y B u t e n s k y o f A n t o n u c c i “ I n t h e t w o m a j o r m o m e n t s i n t h e c o m m u n i t y s l i v e s s t a r t i n g w i t h C O V I D - 1 9 , g e t t i n g t h e c o m m u n i t y t h r o u g h t h a t , a n d t h e n t o h a v e H u r r i c a n e I a n h i t t h e s h a r e s a s b a d a s i t d i d a n d h i m b e o n t h e f o r e f r o n t o f a l l t h e m e d i c a l f a c i l i t i e s i n L e e C o u n t y k u d o s a n d h a t s o f f t o h i m I t ’ s h i s v i s i o n a n d h i s d r i v e t h a t m a d e t h e c o m m u n i t y c o m e o u t o f t h e r u b b l e t o r e b u i l d H e w a s a m a i n p l a y e r i n t h a t T e m p l e B e t h S h a l o m i s c u r r e n t l y s e e k i n g s u p p o r t f o r t h e i r s p e c i a l c o m m e m o r a t i v e j o u r n a l / b o o k t o b e d i s t r i bu t e d a t t h e e v e n t a n d t o m e m b e r s o f t h e s y n a g o g u e “ I t ’ s a k e e p s a k e ” B u t e n s k y s a i d “ T h e r e c a n b e p e rs o n a l n o t e s f r o m f a m i l i e s O r i t ’ s a n e x c e l l e n t o p p o r t un i t y t o s e n d a c o n g r a t u l a t o r y m e s s a g e a n d / o r h i g h l i g h t y o u r p r a c t i c e o r b u s i n e s s w h i l e r e c o g n i z i n g D r A n t o n u c c i s m a n y c o n t r i b u t i o n s a n d a c h i e v e m e n t s a l o n g w i t h t h e s u c c e s s e s o f T e m p l e B e t h S h a l o m ” T o s h o w i t s a p p r e c i a t i o n T e m p l e B e t h S h a l o m w i l l d o n a t e 5 0 % o f t h e j o u r n a l ’ s p r o c e e d s t o t h e P r e s i d e n t o f L e e H e a l t h s S p e c i a l P r o j e c t s F u n d T h e f u n d p r ov i d e s s t a f f t r a i n i n g , d e v e l o p m e n t a n d c e r t i f i c a t i o n s ,

An early photo of Temple Beth Shalom in Cape Coral from The Breeze photo archive files

r e c r u i t i n g o f k e y p e r s o n n e l , e s s e n t i a l e q u i p m e n t o u t s i d e o f b u d g e t r e s e a r c h f u n d s f o r p h y s i c i a n s p e r s o n a l p r ot e c t i v e e q u i p m e n t f o r s t a f f a n d r e l i e f a i d s u p p o r t t o t h o s e s u f f e r i n g f r o m l o s s W e b e l i e v e i n g i v i n g b a c k , B u t e n s k y s a i d W e w a n t t o g i v e b a c k t o t h e h o s p i t a l T e m p l e B e t h S h a l o m w a s f o u n d e d b y a g r o u p i n

M a r t i n P e a r l s t e i n c o n v i n c e d t h e R o s e n B r o t h e r s t o d o n a t e t h e l a n d a n d $ 5 0 0 0 t o b u i l d a n e w s y n a g o g u e a t i t s p r e s e n t l o c a t i o n S p o n s o r s h i p o p p o r t u n i t i e s s t a r t a t $ 1 8 a n d g o u p t o $ 5 , 0 0 0 F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n o n t h e e v e n t a n d h o w t o g e t i n v o l v e d a s a s p o n s o r , c a l l

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0 D e a d l i n e f o r s p o n s o r s h i p s a r e F e b 2 8 F o r m o r e i n f o rm a t i o n o n T e m p l e B e t h S h a l o m v i s i t w w w t e m p l eb e t h s h a l o m c c o r g C o n n e c t w i t h t h i s r e p o r t e r o n T w i t t e r : @ h a dd a d c j

Walk: Community invited to take part in fundraising event

From page 1A

g i v i n g W e r e s p e c t t h e h u m a n d i g n i t y o f t h o s e w h o g i v e a n d t h o s e w e s e r v e b y b e i n g a h a n d u p n o t j u s t a h a n d o u t W e a r e g r a t e f u l a n d h u m b l e d b y t h e c o m m un i t y s u p p o r t f r o m t h e M a y o r t o o u r P a s t o r a n d e s p ec i a l l y t o t h o s e w h o w a l k a n d / o r d o n a t e T h e W a l k f o r t h e P o o r r e g i s t r a t i o n d o n a t i o n i s $ 1 5 ( o r c r e a t e a t e a m ) w i t h a g o a l t o r a i s e $ 1 5 0 0 0 T h e w a l k t a k e s p l a c e a r o u n d t h e c h u r c h p a r k i n g l o t f o r

h o w e v e r l o n g e a c h p a r t i c i p a n t w i s h e s t o R e f r e s h m e n t s w i l l b e a v a i l a b l e o n s i t e S t A n d r e w C a t h o l i c C h u r c h i s a t 2 6 2 8 D e l P r a d o B o u l e v a r d S o u t h T h o s e i n t e r e s t e d i n l e a r n i n g m o r e , p a r t i c i p a t i n g , o r m a k i n g a p l e d g e c a n v i s i t h t t p s : / / g o r a l l y u p c o m / c a p e s v d p D a y - o f r e g i s t r a t i o n w i l l b e a v a i l a b l e

i m p o r t a n t g i v e n t h e s t r u g g l e s o u r n e i g h b o r s a r e e x p e r ie n c i n g w i t h h i g h r e n t s i n f l a t i o n a n d u t i l i t y r a t e s ” F r i t z s a i d W e w a n t t o c o n t i n u e t o h a v e t h e r e s o u r c e s t o s h a r e t h r o u g h o u t t h e y e a r V i n c e n t i a n s p r o v i d e h o m e v i s i t s t o o u r n e i g h b o r s t h r o u g h o u t C a p e C o r a l s o w e c a n p r a y w i t h t h o s e w e v i s i t r e g a r d l e s s o f t h e i r c h u r c h a f f i l i a t i o n W e t r y t o b r i n g t h e l o v e o f o n e c a r i n g p e rs o n t o a n o t h e r i n n e e d w h i l e b e i n g d i s c e r n i n g i n o u r

Permit required for ‘temporary housing structures’

City of Cape Coral in education mode as residents continue to cope with Hurricane Ian fallout

FEMA: Federal agency looking at second site in Cape Coral

From page 1A s u p p o s e d t o b e m a k i n g r e p a i r s o r d e t e r m i n i n g t h e i r l o n g - t e r m h o u s i n g s o l u t i o n T h e t r a i l e r s a r e o n l y p a r t o f t h e s o l u t i o n W e h a v e p e o p l e i n h o t e l s a n d a p a r t m e n t s t h a t w e f i n d f o r t h e m a n d p a y f o r w h i l e w e l o o k f o r m o r e d i r e c t h o u s i n g , J o n e s s a i d “ W e h a v e t r a v e l t r a i l e r s , m o b i l e h o m e s a n d h a v e c o n t r a c t s w i t h s o m e a p a r t m e n t c o m p l e x e s ” T h e f a m i l i e s a r e a s c l o s e t o h o m e w o r k a n d s c h o o l s a s p o s s i b l e T h e y a r e t r y i n g t o g e t t h e i r h o m e f i x e d a n d m a y b e e v e n t r y t o s e l l i t a n d m o v e , J o n e s s a i d J o n e s s a i d F E M A w a n t s t o g i v e t h e s e f a m i l i e s a s s a f e a n d s e c u r e a p l a c e t o s t a y a s t h e y c a n w h i l e t h e y m a k e t h e i r d e c i s i o n T h i s i s w h y t h e p r o s p e c t i v e f a m il i e s a r e v e t t e d W e d o n t w a n t t o p u t o u r s u r v i v o r s a t a n y m o r e r i s k t h a n t h e y v e a l r e a d y b e e n i n W e v e h a d p r o b l e m s i n t h e p a s t , b u t w e v e c h a n g e d a n d a d a p t e d o u r p r a c t i c e s , J o n e s s a i d “ W e d o n ’ t w a n t b a d n e i g h b o r s ” A s e c o n d s i t e t h a t F E M A i s l o o k i n g a t n e a r C a p e C o r a l C i t y H a l l w a s c o n s i d e r e d W e d n e s d a y d u r i n g t h e r e g u l a r c i t y c o u n c i l m e e t i n g T h e s i t e , w h i c h w o u l d h o u s e 1 8 h o m e s , i s i n a n e x p l o r a t o r y p h a s e F E M A w o u l d h a v e t o d o e n v i r o n m e n t a l a n d i m p a c t s t u d i e s a n d t h e c o u n c i l v o t e d 6 - 2 t o a l l o w F E M A t o d o t h a t M a y o r J o h n G u n t e r w h o v o t e d a g a i n s t t h e p r o j e c t a l o n g w i t h C o u n c i l m e m b e r R o b e r t W e l s h , w a s c o nc e r n e d a b o u t t h e p o t e n t i a l i m p a c t t o t h e r e s i d e n t s t h e r e “ T h e y w e r e s m a l l p a r c e l s a n d h o u s e s s u r r o u n d e d i t I g o t e - m a i l s r e g a r d i n g t h a t a n d s a w s o m e r e s i d e n t s e x p r e s s d i s p l e a s u r e o n t h e n e w s ” G u n t e r s a i d “ W e n e e d t o m a k e s u r e w e v e v e t t e d a l l o u r p a r c e l s I t s s o m e t h i n g w e n e e d , b u t I m n o t s u r e i t s n e e d e d a t t h a t l o c a t i o n

"No formal enforcement actions (Notice of Violation) have been issued for failure to obtain a temporary habitable structure permit City staff continues to educate and encourage residents to apply for the free permit to avoid further Code action "

Hoagland, Code Compliance manager

Cape Council votes to remove city manager

Rob Hernandez let go ‘without cause ’ two weeks after elected board opts to not renew his contract

By CHARLES BALLARO news@breezenewspapers

com

With no public input and little debate

Cape Coral City Council let City Manager

R o b H e r n a n d e z g o w i t h o u t c a u s e

Wednesday Council moved a late add-on to the agenda of its 4:30 p m meeting to the top of the queue and then voted on the addendum: City Manager Employment - Brought forward by Councilmember Long

The vote was 5-3 to terminate his contract without cause V o t i n g i n f a v o r w e r e M a y o r J o h n

Gunter and council members Keith Long Dan Sheppard, Patty Cummings and Bill Steinke, the same five members of the elected board who voted Feb 1 to not extend Hernandez’s three-year contract past its Aug 11 2023 rollover date

Voting against the motion were council members Jessica Cosden, Robert Welsh and Tom Hayden, all of whom had sup-

“We’re going into the budget cycle and the city manager will be working with staff during that time Unfortunately, that puts us in the middle of the cycle and that concerned me I thought it was important to take that into consideration ”

Mayor John Gunter

ported a contract extension two weeks ago Hernandez left his seat shook hands with well-wishers and left saying he had no comment A termination without cause means H e r n a n d e z i s e n t i t l e d t o r e c e i v e f o u r m o n t h s c o m p e n s a t i o n a n d b e n e f i t s accrued Twenty weeks of severance at $22 900 per month would amount to just under $100,000

Accuses: Special meeting

From page 1A

W h e n C o u n c i l v o t e d t o n o t r e n e w

Hernandez’s contract it had no cause to do so the letter states alleging again it is because Hernandez had opposed unlawful employment practices and it was retaliation in violation of whistleblower protections

“Here Mr Hernandez engaged in statutorily protected activity several times over b y r e f u s i n g t o d i s c r i m i n a t e a g a i n s t African-Americans, LGBT employees and L G B T c i t i z e n s o f C a p e C o r a l

Furthermore, there is no dispute that Mr Hernandez suffered adverse employment action and that this occurred in close temporal proximity to his objections to and refusal to discriminate against AfricanAmericans, LGBT employees and LGBT citizens of Cape Coral, the letter states

T h e a c t i o n s o f t h e c i t y v i o l a t e d Florida’s Private Whistleblower Act Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the

set

for

I n a l e t t e r r e c e i v e d b y t h e c i t y Wednesday Hernandez accused council of retaliation in its vote to not renew his contract due to his refusal to follow discriminatory direction from some elected offic i a l s r e g a r d i n g m i n o r i t y a n d L G B T employees

He is seeking $550 000 a neutral job reference and a public apology for professionally disparaging remarks to release the

city from claims that it then terminated him in violation of state and federal law

Reached by cell phone shortly after the v o t e W e d n e s d a y , H e r n a n d e z a g a i n declined comment

Mayor John Gunter said it was in the best interests of the city to terminate him without cause now rather than wait until his contract expires in August in the middle of budget season

“We’re going into the budget cycle and the city manager will be working with staff during that time Unfortunately that puts us in the middle of the cycle and that concerned me, Gunter said I thought it was important to take that into consideration ”

Cape Coral City Council will hold a special meeting at 8 a m on Friday to appoint an interim city manager 

The meeting will be held in Conference Room 220A on the second floor of City Hall at 1015 Cultural Park Blvd

The meeting is open to the public

Friday to appoint interium manager

Florida Civil Rights Act which require the employer to pay an aggrieved employee their backpay “ H e r e M r H e r n a n d e z ’ s p a y w a s $22,900 per month, the letter states, adding that Comparable job opportunities in Southwest Florida are nonexistent

The law also provides for noneconomic damages

“As such Mr Hernandez may well be entitled to $500,000 each in noneconomic damages, the letter states

Finally, upon prevailing at trial, Mr Hernandez will be entitled to an award of his reasonable attorney’s fees and costs which are estimated to be in excess of $115,000

All told, damages as to Mr Hernandez could be in excess of $1,165,000 ”

The letter offers a settlement

“While my client is resolute he wishes to afford the City the opportunity to discuss a p r i v a t e , m o r e a m i c a b l e r e s o l u t i o n

Accordingly, Mr Hernandez will release all claims against the City in exchange for the sum of $550 000 which sum is inclusive of attorney’s fees and costs together with a neutral job reference, a public apology for professionally disparaging remarks

m a d e b y c o u n c i l m e m b e r s ( P a t t y )

C u m m i n g s ( J o h n ) G u n t e r a n d ( D a n ) Sheppard mutual nondisparagement and a non-assistance provision ”

C o u n c i l m e m b e r s C u m m i n g s a n d Sheppard, and Mayor Gunter criticized Hernandez s performance at the Feb 1 meeting at which Council voted to not renew Also voting not to renew were council members Keith Long and Bill Steinke These five members also voted to terminate Hernandez s contract without cause Wednesday afternoon

Voting against termination were council members Jessica Cosden Robert Welsh and Tom Hayden all of whom had supported a contract extension two weeks ago

The letter gives the city a deadline by which to respond or says legal action will result

“Please respond to this correspondence on or before February 24, 2023 if the City would like to discuss resolving this matter amicably Should we receive no response by that date legal action will be initiated ” the letter states in bold

Reached via text message Hernandez declined comment City officials reached for comment also declined

The city has a policy of not commenting on pending or existing litigation

Cape Coral City Council will hold a special meeting at 8 a m on Friday to appoint an interim city manager 

The meeting will be held in Conference Room 220A on the second floor of City Hall at 1015 Cultural Park Blvd

The meeting is open to the public

Sponsors sought for Lee BIA Builders Care’s BBQ, Bands & Brew fundraiser

Lee BIA Builders Care s popular BBQ, Bands & Brew fundraising event is returning on April 15 to a new venue Caloosa Sound Amphitheater in downtown Fort Myers

T h e 1 2 t h a n n u a l e v e n t f e a t u r e s

Southwest Florida s top pit masters competing for the title of “Best BBQ in Town ” as well as live music from local headlining bands numerous vendors and fun-filled activities for all ages including a lively cornhole tournament and a children s play area with face-painting, games and more Jonesez BBQ which was named “Best

BBQ in Town at the last BBQ, Bands & Brew event is returning in 2023 to defend its title

P r o c e e d s f r o m t h e e v e n t s u p p o r t

Builders Care s mission to provide emergency construction services at no cost to needy and deserving elderly and/or disabled homeowners and their families who cannot obtain repairs through traditional means To date Lee BIA Builders Care has helped more than 500 Lee County households and provided over $5 million in emergency construction services and materials at no cost to families and local home-

owners in need Since its inception the event has raised over $675,000 in support of Lee BIA Builders Care

The 2023 BBQ Bands & Brew will be held from 11 a m to 6 p m on Saturday April 15 at Caloosa Sound Amphitheater

2 1 0 1 E d w a r d s D r i v e i n F o r t M y e r s

Tickets are $10 for adults and free for children 12 and under Tickets are available for purchase in advance or at the gate

All Star Equipment Rentals & Sales is returning as presenting sponsor for BBQ,

Bands & Brew Additional sponsorship opportunities range from $525 to $6,500 and include a variety of benefits

A complete lineup of performing artists and vendors will be released in the coming weeks

To learn more about ticket and sponsors h i p o p p o r t u n i t i e s , v i s i t w w w B B Q B a n d s A n d B r e w c o m o r c a l l 239-938-0056

Be prepared before heading out to

fish offshore waters

Finally got that new dreamboat in the water but so far you’ve been staying inshore and even ventured out to fish the local passes You listen as your buddies brag about all the snapper grouper and sheepshead they re catching offshore but won t share GPS numbers with you Simply go to the excellent FWC website which gives you all the Florida reef info you ll ever need using interactive map viewers PDF and Excel files with GPS numbers and other info about each of the numerous locations

Before you head out into the Gulf to collect your first fresh snapper dinner make sure you first consult the weather gurus so you don t get a dangerous or worse surprise on your offshore maiden voyage Have all safety and first aid equipment in good order in easily accessed locations and communication devices charged and ready Have proper reef fishing permits, a working descending device appropriate tackle approved hooks and a knowledge of seasons and size limits Have a basic tool box aboard

Once out there you ll typically drift fish, sometimes troll or anchor If you have little experience with anchors, then do yourself and your crew a big favor and first research and investigate the proper type of anchor to deploy the proper length of rope and chain to have aboard and how best to use it

Learning how to anchor properly so the boat is somewhat staying over the intended target area can be a terribly frustrating and time wasting experience for the new offshore boater and those anchored around them, and can also destroy a lot of valuable bottom habitat during the learning process

Taking an experienced friend or captain along the first time will help shorten your learning and frustration curve

Here again, YouTube videos or Google can be a valuable teaching tool, answering questions like: How much chain do I need for my rope and anchor set-up? The general answer is yes; you’ll need a length of chain to attach to the anchor and one foot of chain for every foot of boat (which can vary with anchor type, bottom content, length of time at anchor, wind, tides and current, even hull design) Practice deploying and setting the anchor alone or with your crew to get the feel of it before heading out to the 100-foot-deep zone the very first time

Inshore this week trout hit well over 3 to 5-foot grassy flats on paddle tail grubs in north Matlacha Trout are scattered from Two Pines north past Pirate Harbor Quietly drift and make long casts and remember to slow down your retrieves Both under- and over-slot redfish ladyfish bonnet head sharks and trout all came to the boat this past week despite the wind, while fishing around both Bull and Turtle Bays

Remember to properly treat any onboard cuts or scrapes immediately

If you really enjoy looking at beautiful watercraft or actually need to buy a new 200-foot super yacht with pool tennis court and helicopter pad, this is your weekend The Miami International Boat Show extravaganza started this past Wednesday and will end on the 19th Held at the Miami Beach Convention Center it's open Friday and Saturday 10-7 Sunday 10-5 Look for boat show specials which can save big bucks Always a great event for boat lovers

The end of the month deadline to make your voice heard is coming quickly! Please go to the floridarighttocleanwater org website and check out the information including the Fort Myers mailing address request then print and sign the petition that will be emailed to you The signed petition has to go in the mail ASAP so it arrives BEFORE March 1 We have a great chance to pass a Constitutional Amendment forever guaranteeing our right to clean water and all you have to do is mail in it Last chance! Please inform a friend and thank you!

Capt George Tunison is a Cape Coral resident fishing guide You an contact him at 239-282-9434 or via email at captgeorget3@aol com

Rematch no repeat: Mariner girls down rival North Fort Myers, 3-0

Tritons advance to today’s state soccer semifinals match

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

The Mariner High School girls soccer team is once again going dancing into the state Final Four after a win over rival North Fort Myers Tuesday night at home

The Tritons (17-4-1) pulled off a 3-0 win over the Red Knights (14-3-3) despite being down four starters they lost to injury in the regional semifinal The defending state champs are again the 5A Region 3 winners making history for the second consecutive season

W e j u s t r e a l l y f o c u s e d o n s t a y i n g together as a team, said Triton head coach

Jami Hagy At halftime, we needed more energy -- (we were) kind of down in the first half The girls talked it up, brought themselves together and came out with a fire in the second half ”

The storylines heading into the match were endless between the two talented squads

North had defeated Mariner in penalty kicks for the district crown just two weeks before, the same as they did last season The script pretty much repeated itself, as the Tritons just as they did on their run to a state title last season dispatched of the Red Knights in the state tournament

Of course it would be no easy task for either side to advance At this point both know each other so well what they do best and how each player works tactically Add in the fact that both teams were missing top players -- especially the home squad -- it would be a battle from start to finish And it was

The Red Knights certainly had the better of the opportunities in the first half, including a one-on-one shot with Tritons' keeper Lataya Simmons, and a free kick inches outside of the penalty box

“You can't miss your opportunities ” said North head coach Nick Erickson “In the first half we have to put one of our chances in the back of the net It's just one of those nights that we weren't able to put one between the pipes ”

After the first 40 minutes and North controlling most of the play Hagy said her team had to find a spark to turn the tide if

they wanted to advance With so many players sidelined fresh faces had to pull together and play important minutes

We kept moving people around, we only had three subs All of our girls off the bench came in, Hagy said The different energy at different times just played out The girls wanted it They gained their confidence throughout the game and I think that's really what did it ” Mariner came out revitalized in the second half and started to pick up its ball control Rather than North entering the half and constantly having to defend, the offensive chances started to come together

In was in the 57th minute when junior and University of Florida commit Ryleigh Acosta continued her stellar state tournament and broke the scoreless tie

Tritons sophomore midfielder Caroline Pelkofski found Acosta with a pass inside the box with her back to the goal Acosta then dribbled to her left, turned and fired a shot across her body that snuck inside the far post

“She's been a Triton for a long time with the family ties and she's just spectacular ” Hagy said of Acosta “She just goes out there with that fire and there s no one here that can keep her out of that goal

In the 72nd minute, Acosta again found

the back of the net this time chipping a shot over the keeper s head for her staggering seventh goal in three state tournament games

It feels really good, Acosta said of r e c o r d i n g a n o t h e r g a m e w i t h m u l t i p l e scores when it matters most “I'm just really happy we pulled through We didn't have the best first half but we came together as a team and did it for our injured players and entire team Mariner tacked on a third and decisive goal with just two minutes left in regulation, as freshman Carly Paz stuck a gorgeous ball with her left foot from 20-plus yards out that found the top left corner of the net to put a stamp on the game

"It's their time to shine ” Hagy said of young players working into the lineup due to injury They ve wanted time all year and this is their chance to step up, and they know it They re doing a great job We overcame (our opponent) with four starters down It was a great team effort in the second half They didn't want to go down yet ” Hagy was also proud of the way her upperclassmen guided the team especially in the final 40 minutes

Our seniors really led the team tonight she said They ve been here all four years, and they want this You could hear them vocally They pushed the underclassmen tonight When we scored (the first goal), you could see that they were motivated at that point It was really nice to see the team come together ” T h e T r i t o n s n o w l o o k t o a S t a t e Semifinal match with the No 1 seed from Region 1, Lincoln (15-2-2), after it defeated Arnold 3-0 Mariner will travel to Tallahassee Friday night to continue its defense of the 5A State Championship

As for how bad this team wants to repeat Acosta said “Really bad Really bad We work really hard We need to come out stronger than our opponent going forward ” Connect with Associate Sports Editor CJ Haddad on Twitter: @haddad cj\

Wednesday BOYS TENNIS

Oasis 4, Ida Baker 3: John Vezzola and

d Karl Schott 6-1 6-0 Luis Cevala (CL) d Kieran Kirkimilis 6-0 0-6 (13-11) Jacob Spiegel (CL) d Robert Preston 6-3, 6-0 Noah Riascos (M) d Sam Lessinger 6-1, 6-0 Damian Gleason (M) d B e n n e t t H o f f m a n 6 - 4 , 6 - 2 D o u b l e s : Kendrix/Preston (CL) d Schott/Kirkimilis 9 - 8 ( 7 - 1 ) R i a s c o s / P r e s t o n ( M ) d Celaya/Hoffman 8-0

GIRLS TENNIS Mariner 4, Cypress Lake 3: Singles: Morgan Everly (M) d Carolina Solomon 63 6 - 4 O r l i G o t t s m a n ( C L ) d L i l y

DuMurro 6-1 6-1 Sophia Vianest (M) d

Bridgitte Maillakakis 6-3, 6-4 Catelyn Holcomb (CL) d Cynthia Perez 4-6, 6-2, 1 0 - 8 E m m a T u e s c h e r ( M ) d D e v i n Haddock 6-2 6-0 Doubles: SolomonGottesman (CL) d M Everly/Perez 8-4 DiMurro/Cara Everly (M) d Maillakakis/ Holcomb 8-2 North Fort Myers 7, Dunbar 0

The Red Knights swept the matches in

Armed Forces Charity Golf Tournament March 4

officers that supports the interests of military members of all ranks -- past, present and future Information about the Cape Coral Chapter of MOAA may be obtained by contacting the Nolan at gnolan0219@gmail com

their season opener BOYS LACROSSE B i s h o p V e r o t 1 9 , E s t e r o 0 : J o s h

Cromisar fired home five goals as the Vikings won their season opener Aiden Feeney had a goal and four assists Scoring two goals each were Brayden Tooley, Todd Long, Jake Rodriguez, Jack Cronin and Trenton Stejskal

GIRLS LACROSSE

Barron Collier 5, Bishop Verot 0: The Vikings were blanked in their first game of the season Cape Coral 12, Golden Gate 3: Ella Bernard had a huge game with four goals and four assists and Emmy Pardo scored four more goals with two assists Mackenzie Scully had two goals and an assist, and Abigail Cudnik had a goal and four assists Savannah Hickson had three saves for the shutout in net

PRESEASON BASEBALL

Riverdale 8, Cape Coral 6 Bishop Verot 10, Ida Baker 0 North Fort Myers 23, Ida Baker 0

Capt George Tunison

CJ HADDAD

Members of the Mariner girls soccer team celebrate another trip to the state Final Four by defeating North Fort Myers 3-0 in the 5A-3 Region Final

North Fort Myers sophomore Lexi Neumann sends a free kick into the box during the Red Knights' 3-0 loss to Mariner in the FHSAA 5A-3 Region

Final CJ HADDAD

Cape Coral Breeze

Athletes of the Week

Cape Coral Breeze Athletes Week of the

(Selected by the Breeze Sports staff)

Sponsored by:

Fort Myers Beach Chamber of Commerce President dines at White House, watches State of the Union Speech up close

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

Fort Myers Beach Chamber of Commerce President received an invitation few will ever get in their lifetimes She was asked by first lady Jill Biden to accompany her as a guest to the State of the Union speech given by her husband President Joe Biden last week at the U S House of Representatives in Washington D C Liszak was also invited to dinner at the White House, which she attended with her husband Scott Safford and sister-in-law Jon Ingle Liszak first met the president and his wife in October when they visited Fort Myers Beach shortly after Hurricane Ian

The Fort Myers Beach Observer caught up with Ms Liszak to catch up on how it all went “It was an amazing evening ” Liszak said “What an honor and a privilege ”

The night began with a visit to the White House, which preceded the State of the Union speech The guests entered from the East Wing of the White House after extensive security checkpoints and we were able to explore the first and second floor A cocktail reception was held in the gallery on the second floor with music by the United States Marine Corps Band, Liszak said

“Throughout the evening the president and first lady were warm engaging and attentive Liszak said They took the time to speak to each guest and really listened to their story

After the State of the Union speech, Liszak met with President Biden “All of the invitees were included in a photo op with the President and when I walked into the room he greeted me warmly and thanked me for coming I, in turn, thanked him for the invi-

tation told him the pleasure was all mine and thanked him for all of the assistance that has been given to Southwest Florida, Liszak said I also reminded him that we still have a long way to go and that we will need his support and funding in the coming months and years ”

Liszak said she communicated to the first lady the help Fort Myers Beach needs with the Federal Emergency Agency and for trailers “Businesses need clarity on FEMA’s rules for trailers so that they can continue to operate in a compliant manner while trying to rebuild their businesses She also delivered a letter from Mayor Dan Allers Liszak has also stated that she would share stories and photos of friends who were impacted by Hurricane Ian Liszak also communicated to the first lady the trouble of rebuilding Fort Myers Beach Elementary School and issues with the Small Business Administration loan process

Liszak described the dinner at the White House as “delicious ” The dinner was held in the State Dining Room on the second floor The dining room was once used by President Thomas Jefferson as an office and became a dining room during the presidency of James Madison according to a history provided by the White House Historical Association

At dinner, were the 25 other invitees of the first lady and their guests Also in attendance was Douglas Emhoff husband of Vice President Kamala Harris There were also various Marine Corp members and other White House staff, Liszak said The room was filled with interesting people from around the world, she said

“By the end of the evening we all felt like old friends ” Liszak said The dinner included a fresh green salad and a flaky crusty

F o r t M y e r s B e a c h C h a m b e r o f Commerce President Jacki Liszak with an official cup from the White House with the presidential seal

chicken pot pie complete with small starshaped pieces of buttery crust on the top followed by a tasty assortment of cookies all served on beautiful White House china

The speech “I am endlessly fascinated by our democratic process and I really enjoyed getting to watch the State of the Union address in person, as a guest in the First Lady s box, Liszak said “I really enjoy watching our political system in process ” Liszak said “It was fascinating to look down on the House floor and

see the interaction and reactions of the Congress and other attendees as the President was giving his speech On occasion, the loud comments and opinions that were shouted out from the floor made some of the attendees uncomfortable however that is how our forefathers intended the process to be Seated in the gallery in a box in the first lady s box in the balcony to the right side of Biden (facing him) Liszak noted there were “a number of lapses in decorum ” One of the most widely reported outbursts was from right-wing Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), who shouted at Biden

“The audience was generally respectful,” Liszak said

“The evening ended with a personal meet and photo shoot with the President after the address and a speedy ride, escorted by Secret Service back to the White House (from the Capitol) ”

“Holy cow do they drive fast ” Liszak said Liszak met back up with her husband and sister-in-law in the Theatre Room at the White House and gave farewell to her new friends She received a gift from the first lady an official cup with the White House emblem

“The first lady was gracious and engaging It was clear that she really cared about the invitees and she was truly interested in them as individuals and interested in the story or platform that they were representing I was honored to have received her invitation to represent our Southwest Florida community, Liszak stated

It was a magical evening, Liszak said Sort of like Cinderella going to the ball except I didn’t lose a slipper ”

Iwo Jima: Ceremony to mark anniversary; honor veterans

From page 1A

as Gold Star Families who will be recognized for the sacrifice of their sons

This year, a flag folding presentation has been added to the ceremony Gold Star Mother Julia Cunningham will present the flag and lay the wreath on behalf of all those who died in service Her son LCpl James B Cunningham, died on Nov 9, 1990 during Operation Desert Shield

The Marine Corps League has commemorated the anniversary of the flag raising at Mount Suribachi since its relocation to Veterans Memorial Park in 1997

That first year, we had over 65 Iwo Jima veterans in attendance, Sturgeon said In 2010, 19 World War II veterans were able to attend In recent years those numbers have dwindled to just a few and each year we contemplate a ceremony honoring only the memory of our World War II veterans from this Greatest Generation

Sturgeon said a handful of World War II veterans will be in attendance to receive special recognition this Sunday It’s important to be able to honor them, as the Greatest Generation population is dwindling

More than 16 million Americans served during World War II Each year we say farewell to more and more of them ”

Sturgeon added “When you consider that this is the 78th Anniversary and do the math, you understand how lucky we are to have any World War II veterans left to honor, and that millions are already gone With the understanding that soon this will become a com-

“More than 16 million Americans served during World War II Each year, we say farewell to more and more of them When you consider that this is the 78th Anniversary and do the math, you understand how lucky we are to have any World War II veterans left to honor, and that millions are already gone With the understanding that soon, this will become a commemorative ceremony only, we would invite everyone to come out and celebrate these heroes while we’re able ”

Cpl Julie Sturgeon, senior vice commandant for the Ison Marine Corps League and event manager for the ceremony

memorative ceremony only we would invite everyone to come out and celebrate these heroes while we re able Sturgeon said the Marine Corps League found a few World War II veterans who haven’t attended in past One Petro Kurkimilis, was a Merchant Marine during World War II and joined the USMC for the Korean War, then returned to an illustrious career in the Merchant Marines as a Panama Canal pilot

The day is of course a look into the battle itself and what the iconic image that resulted from it meant to millions Eco Park is home to a massive Iwo Jima monument, one of three crafted from the original molds created by sculptor Felix de Weldon in 1945

We hope to share insight into the battle and to the Iwo Jima Monument itself, Sturgeon said The monument is truly a treasure

The Battle of Iwo Jima spanned from Feb 19 March 26 of 1945 where the United States Marine Corps and Navy eventually

captured the island of Iwo Jima after thousands of casualties from the Imperial Japanese Army The battle is said to have involved some of the most fierce and bloody battles of the Pacific War of World War II

Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal captured his iconic photo of five United States Marines and a U S Navy corpsman raising the United States flag atop Mount Suribachi on Feb 23 1945 That image was transformed into a statue thanks to de Weldon and sits in Arlington Virginia dedicated in 1954

The Veteran s Memorial at Four Mile Cove Ecological Preserve, which was constructed in 1997 features just one of three original one-third-scale models the two others being in Liberty Virginia and Parris Island, South Carolina

The 20-foot statue was originally at the Rose Garden in 1965, commissioned by community founders Jack and Leonard Rosen before being moved to North First Bank in 1980 In 1997 it moved to its cur-

rent location along the then-newly constructed Midpoint Memorial Bridge It was also restored in 2011

“We as Marines cherish our traditions ” Sturgeon said “The ceremony and our monument represent everything we stand for It is a time to reflect on the sacrifices made by all those who have taken the oath of faithful service to our nation, our people, and our flag

But the ceremony has grown far beyond Marines and World War II veterans Our objective in 2023 is to honor all veterans who have defended our nation in every generation, past to present We also pay tribute all those who made the ultimate sacrifice and countless more currently serving around the globe today We believe in the importance of educating our youth about these sacrifices because they hold the key to our future

Participants include: Detachment 60 of the Marine Corps League Lee County Sheriff's Office with Rifle Salute Cape Coral Police Department with Honor Guard and Guns n Hoses Pipes n Drums, as well as TAPS bugler, CWO4 Gary Marvel State Rep Mike Giallombardo has also pledged his attendance to this year’s ceremony Giallombardo is an army combat veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and currently serving as a Chief Warrant Officer in the National Guard Four Mile Cove Ecological Park is at 2500 Southeast 24th St Connect with this reporter on Twitter: @haddad cj

Classifieds

LOCAL LIVING

Business I Homes I Health I Education I Leisure

Gardening on a BIG scale

By CATHY DUNN news@breezenewspapers com

While our articles are usually centered on the home gardener I thought it would be fun to explore gardening on a BIG scale – the agricultural industry in Florida As you consider agriculture you probably picture citrus groves or cattle grazing in open spaces But in Florida, agriculture is big business; the economic impact of agriculture is second only to the tourist industry, providing more than $160 billion in economic activity annually Florida agriculture provides not only food raw materials and horticultural products but represents 20% of all jobs in our state F l o r i d a i s t h e c o u ntry s number one source o f o r a n g e s t o m a t o e s watermelons grapefruit s u g a r c a n e s n a p b e a n s and cucumbers, and ranks second in production for b e l l p e p p e r s , s t r a w b e rries sweet corn spring potatoes peanuts tangerines and avocadoes

GARDEN CLUB OF CAPE CORAL

In fact South Florida is America s Winter Garden producing 70% of all vegetables consumed in the eastern U S from November through April! Florida s citrus crops generate 70% of the U S citrus supply worth nearly $9 billion annually and employs more than 76 000 Floridians Sugarcane is Florida’s most valuable field crop with annual sales of $1 billion More than 450,000 acres of sugarcane provide 50% of U S sugar cane and 25% of the world-wide supply

Cattle also plays a major role in our agricultural industry; Florida ranks 10th in the production of beef cattle in the U S with sales of over $900 million annually In addition, Florida is home to more than 100,000 dairy cows which produce over 2 billion pounds of raw milk annually with sales in excess of $400 million Most of these dairy products are consumed in-state

See GARDENING page 13B

Chapel by the Sea on Fort Myers Beach to hold farewell ceremony, healing and hope service

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers

com

Chapel by the Sea Presbyterian Church onn Fort Myers Beach took a terrible hit from Hurricane Ian its building utterly destroyed The church hopes to rebuild but before it says goodbye to the old building the congregation has scheduled a healing and hope service on Sunday, Feb 19 Since we were the first church on the island, we want to give the community and our members a chance to say goodbye to what Chapel was and give hope to what it will be in the future Chapel by the Sea Administrator Denise Armstrong said

We have invited the island churches and Peace River Presbytery leadership We were able to recover a few items from the debris ” Armstrong said

The original church bell which was hung in late April 1942 by the 13th fighter squadron of the 53rd fighter group from Page Field, Fort Myers was saved The bell came by way of a Pennsylvania Bell Foundry It was saved from being melted down for bullets as this was during Worls War II

“We also were able to save the center-stained glass window piece from the original Dolphin window that was destroyed in Hurricane Charlie, Armstrong said

Nearly everything else inside the church was lost –bibles, pianos, an organ, chairs, computers, furniture, files, the pulpit

T h e c o n g r e g a t i o n i s c u r r e n t l y w o r s h i p p i n g w i t h Cypress Lake Presbyterian Church in Fort Myers and have a temporary office there

We have about 30 to 40 members worshipping there Armstrong said Some members are starting to come back (for the winter)

Before Hurricane Ian, the congregation numbered about 160 she said The church is still working out financials with its insurance company and adjuster along with the town before it makes a final decision on its future

We don t have any final plans yet but our plan is to rebuild at the island property It may be a smaller footprint but we will have a presence on the beach We want to continue our mission work with AA/ALANON and our other outreach programs ” Armstrong said

We are probably six to eight weeks out before we know what direction we are going to take We will either rebuild, tear down or merge with another church We want to keep a presence on the island Our focus is on the Beach ” Armstrong said

The service this Sunday Feb 19 will begin at 2:30 p m

New beginnings for Hancock Square in North Fort Myers

By CHUCK BALLARO news@breezenewspapers com

L e e C o u n t y C o m m i s s i o n e r B r i a n

Hamman said he has had many great days and some not-so-great days, in office

But perhaps the best day he has had came when he learned the news that an old shopping center in North Fort Myers may soon come down with a pending project in the works

A new company has purchased the 14acre property where Hancock Square stood in September and expressed interest in turning much of the plaza into multi-family homes and apartments

The market value of the property was $2,750,454 as of 2021 It sold for $12 8 million Hamman said he has spoken to the new owners and said there are plans to tear down the old Office Depot building and the buildings to its side This is a great opportunity to improve

“The new owners have a vision for improving the area I believe this will be the catalyst for revitalizing that stretch of 41 Success usually beings more success If they are successful, we ll begin to pique the interest of other people who will make more investments in North Fort Myers ”

commerce in North Fort Myers and the opportunity for nearby businesses to get more customers, Hamman added

They re putting their permits together for a new development there It s exciting

This is something we have waited for a long time more than a decade ” Hamman said This will create the live work and play vision we have for that area

The old grocery store and Irish restaurant were not included in the deal, remaining in the hands of the previous owner Hancock Bridge Square LLC which had

Lee County Commissioner Brian Hamman

bought the plaza in 2013

The plaza was built in 1984 and originally housed a Wal-Mart, Office Depot and many smaller stores

Over time, the market shifted over the bridge resulting in many businesses leaving When the Office Depot left in 2015 that pretty much left the plaza without an anchor

There had been plans to put in mixeduse construction in and around the area, creating something of a downtown feel like Fort Myers has Hamman said this concept

could be the next best thing

The fact we re going to see a developer come in and put apartments behind the stores here now will be a real nice product at market rate that will drive business to the Big Lots plaza next door, the restaurants and the bank in front, Hamman said, adding that maybe those businesses will be enticed to undergo a facelift as well

There is no timeline as to when the buildings will come down or when the a p a r t m e n t s w i l l b e b u i l t H o w e v e r Hamman said this project could be the start of something big in that area of North Fort Myers

“The new owners have a vision for improving the area I believe this will be the catalyst for revitalizing that stretch of 4 1 , H a m m a n s a i d S u c c e s s u s u a l l y beings more success If they are successful we’ll begin to pique the interest of other people who will make more investments in North Fort Myers

Industry Appreciation Awards recognize excellence in business

County for tech-startups

v a l u a t i o n process, 17 companies were selected as finalists across six awards categories Winners were announced in the following categories:

■ Minaya Learning Global Solutions was awarded the Inclusion & Diversity Award The company s strategic learning architects are committed to developing its clients’ number one resource – people Diversity and inclusion has always been at t h e h e a r t o f t h i s m i n o r i t y - o w n e d a n d

woman-owned business In addition to a diverse team of six employees in Fort Myers Minaya has more than 100 diverse contractors working globally all of whom assist clients with their diversity initiatives ■ V e c t r a D i g i t a l r e c e i v e d t h e Technology Award The company, founded in 2017, has kept technology at its core from day one investing heavily in research and development As a result the company has earned its position at the forefront of a r t i f i c i a l i n t e l l i g e n c e - b a s e d t e c h n o l o g y d e v e l o p m e n t – t e c h n o l o g y t h a t V e c t r a Digital is making available to small and large businesses alike

■ My Undercover Agent won Innovator of the Year Based in Cape Coral the real estate tech startup was envisioned, developed and founded by Kari Leftwich-Wolfe in 2016 By developing technology to elevate the real estate industry internationally My Undercover Agent serves as a prime example of the budding ecosystem in Lee

■ H F s c i e n t i f i c w a s a w a r d e d Manufacturer of the Year A leading global producer of instrumentation test kits and c h e m i c a l r e a g e n t s u s e d f o r m o n i t o r i n g water quality in a variety of applications, HF scientific is a leader in its industry and holds many patents for innovative products The company moved its headquarters from Canada to Fort Myers in 1980 was acquired by the leading brand Watts in 2005, and expanded its footprint with the opening of a new state-of-the-art, 35,000s q u a r e - f o o t m a n u f a c t u r i n g f a c i l i t y a n d global headquarters in 2021 ■ S p i r o & A s s o c i a t e s M a r k e t i n g

Advertising Public Relations and Brand Architecture was named Small Business of the Year Under the leadership of Chris Spiro Spiro & Associates has accelerated client performance for 37 years through g a m e - c h a n g i n g m a r k e t i n g a d v e r t i s i n g public relations

Tropical Breeze Fun Park adds new GellyBall game

T r o p i c a l B r e e z e F u n P a r k r e c e n t l y announced the addition of GellyBall, an n e w i n t e r a c t i v e b a t t l e f i e l d g a m e a n d

Target Gallery GellyBall is currently up and running at the well-known Cape Coral mini-golf park

B o b T r i m a r c h i , T B F P s o w n e r explained, We ve been offering laser tag for 7 years and we wanted to give our customers a new and improved experience

We looked around and found GellyBall

It s by far the most exciting new fun park product on the market

GellyBall is similar to laser tag and PaintBall in its game format Interactive games simulate real battlefield missions with games such as Capture the Flag Search Party, Last Man/Team Standing and more Players move from one game to the next in each session There is also a GellyBall target gallery as an alternative to the games where players compete against

opponents hitting targets in a best of 3

games Anyone age 6+ can participate

W h a t d i s t i n g u i s h e s G e l l y B a l l f r o m

Laser Tag and PaintBall is the low-impact

ammo Instead of a no-impact beam of l i g h t o r b r u i s i n g w a l l o p o f

10th Annual South Cape Mardi Gras Trolley Event Feb. 25

The 10th Annual South Cape Mardi Gras Trolley Event is Saturday Feb 25 from 7-11 p m This 21+ nightlife celebration takes guests to 10 locations to enjoy a Mardi Gras-themed night, with drink and appetizer samples at each participating South Cape hotspot (Festive attire encouraged!) Trolley hosts will keep guests entertained along the way with holiday trivia and giveaways!

All-inclusive tickets are just $30 in advance ($25 for DDs)

Each attendee will be provided a passport

BUSINESS BRIEFS

REAL ESTATE

Dear Mr Feichthaler, I think I have found a great deal on a house, but there are questions regarding hurricane damage insurance claims and other issues The seller says I need to sign today or he is going to sell to someone else With a $10,000 escrow deposit required, I am really worried about signing and finding major issues What can I do to protect myself?

Todd B

Tuesday of this week, the Consumer

Price Index numbers for January came in hotter than expected at 6 4 percent and while inflation on the consumer level remains well below the peak rate of 9 1 percent from back in June 2022, it continues to remain sticky at an alarmingly high level This raises the possibility that the Fed will continue to move interest rates a bit higher than many experts are expecting and they will likely need to hold rates at a higher level for a longer period of time in their attempt to bring inflation under control

Dear Todd, A l l p u r c h a s e r s should exercise caution prior to entering a real e s t a t e c o n t r a c t r e g a r dless of the timing This is especially true today a f t e r H u r r i c a n e I a n caused such incredible damage to our city As always the contract is k e y t o p r o t e c t y o u r interests

The standard Florida real estate contract has a provision for Inspection o r “ D u e D i l i g e n c e ” T h e A s - I s ” c o n t r a c t used by the majority of Realtors provides for a certain amount of time f o r y o u a s b u y e r t o determine whether the house meets your needs

During that time you can have a physical inspection ordered, check with the city to determine open permit or code issues and any other research you wish to ensure you have a good deal If you cancel the purchase during the inspection period the escrow deposit should be returned to you You will not be required to present reports or other justification to cancel In fact, you can cancel for no reason at all

With the above said, it is vital that you know what your rights are under the contract First if the contract states you have “0” days for inspection your deposit is typically nonrefundable immediately Also there are other types of contracts used by Realtors, especially if they are based outside Lee County These different types of contracts greatly differ on how inspections work and what rights you have under the agreement Before committing that kind of money I would recommend having a real estate attorney look at the proposal There may be additional protections that should be added based on your unique situation To conclude, an Inspection Period that provides sufficient time for review of the property you are buying is a great way to protect yourself

Eric P Feichthaler has lived in Cape Coral for over 35 years and graduated from Mariner High School in C a p e C o r a l A f t e r c o m p l e t i n g l a w s c h o o l a t G e o r g e t o w n U n i v e r s i t y i n W a s h i n g t o n D C h e returned to Southwest Florida to practice law and raise a family He served as mayor of Cape Coral from 2005-2008, and continues his service to the community through the Cape Coral Caring Center, Cape Coral Museum of History and Cape Coral Kiwanis He has been married to his wife Mary for over 20 years and they have four children together He earned his board certification in Real Estate Law from the Florida Bar He is AV Preeminent rated by Martindale-Hubbell for professional ethics and legal ability, and is a Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator He can be reached at eric@capecoralattorney com or 239-5424733 This article is general in nature and not intended as legal advice to anyone Individuals should seek legal counsel before acting on any matter of legal rights and obligations

CENTURY 21 Sunbelt Realty ear ns

2022 Quality Ser vice Team Award

Realizing that customer service is an integral part of its commitment to professional excellence, Century 21 Real Estate LLC has recognized The Home Team of CENTURY 21 Sunbelt Realty with the 2022 CENTURY 21 Quality Service Team award

The three person-team consists of Tricia Magliola Kristen Cardoso and Lauren Keane

This national award is presented annually to those CENTURY 21 System teams that receive a minimum return rate of 50 percent on their post-transaction client satisfaction surveys sent between Jan 1 and Dec 31 w i t h a m i n i m u m s a t i s f a c t i o n i n d e x o f 9 0 p e r c e n t

Surveys are e-mailed to all customers immediately after the purchase or sale of a home

Collectively the group has more than 18 years of experience in the real estate industry

CENTURY 21 Sunbelt Realty is a full-service brokerage located at 725 Cape Coral Parkway, W , Cape Coral, and specializing in residential luxury properties Century 21 Real Estate has numerous websites to help a n s w e r s p e c i f i c c o n s u m e r n e e d s T h e y a r e h t t p s : / / w w w c e n t u r y 2 1 c o m / r e a l - e s t a t eoffice/profile/sunbelt-realty-10009619 century21 com century21Global com, commercial century21 com, century21 com/finehomes, and century21espanol com

Fulton and Hoffman join Wright Construction Group

W r i g h t C o n s t r u c t i o n G r o u p h a s a n n o u n c e d t h a t i t h a s h i r e d C o l e F u l t o n a s a p r o j e c t a s s i s t a n t H e w i l l b e r e s p o n s i b l e f o r i s s u i n g a n d t r a c k i n g a l l s u b c o n t r a c t s o b t a i n i n g a n d m a i n t a i n i n g s u b c o n t r a c t o r l i c e n s i n g a n d i n s u r a n c e d o c u m e n t a t i o n , a s s i s t i n g w i t h c h a n g e m a na g e m e n t , p r o c e s s i n g a l l s u b c o n t r a c t o r i n v o i c e s a l o n g w i t h m a n y o t h e r p r o j e c t c r i t i c a l t a s k s W r i g h t C o n s t r u c t i o n G r o u p a l s o a n n o u n c e d t h a t M a t t H o f f m a n h a s b e e n h i r e d a s a c i v i l e s t i m a t o r H e w i l l b e w o r k i n g w i t h i n t h e c i v i l d i v i s i o n o f W r i g h t C o n s t r u c t i o n a n d w i l l b e r e s p o n s i b l e f o r a s s e s s i n g p r o j e c t r e q u i r e m e n t s , r e v i e w i n g b i d d i n g d o c u m e n t s f o r c o n s t r u c t a b i l i t y , s o l i c i t i n g s u b c o n t r a c t o r a n d s u pp l i e r b i d s s u b c o n t r a c t o r n e g o t i a t i o n a n d p r o v i d i n g t h e o w n e r a n d d e s i g n t e a m w i t h v a l u e - e n g i n e e r i n g o p t i o n s

As we have discussed on a regular basis with mortgage rates more than doubling last year as the Federal Reserve jacked up interest rates, the most widely accepted opinions about the real estate market indicate that on a national level the housing market is currently in some form of a recession This housing market recession has been marked primarily by a fairly sharp decline in sales, along with median sales prices that have come down from their peak levels in more of a softening price correction

Locally median home sales prices seem to be mimicking the consumer inflation trends in that they are well below their red hot peak levels from last year while remaining sticky and not crashing To illustrate this, the median sales price in the overall Cape Coral single-family home market peaked at an all-time record high of $470 000 in April of last year and has now spent the last three consecutive months (November through January) at $400 000 On a quarterly basis in 2022 median home sales prices averaged $405,750 per month in the first quarter, before reaching their peak at an average of $456 667 per month in the second quarter followed by a decline to an average of $421 667 per month in the third quarter only to finish the fourth quarter at an average of $415 000 per month

One other view that reflects the slowing in home prices is a comparison of the median sales prices for the month of January As noted above the $400 000 posted this January is 14 9 percent below the peak of $470 000 from back in April 2022 but it was only 1 percent higher than the $396,000 from January 2022 Looking back two years ago to January 2021, that month the median sales price was $306,700 for a single-family home in the Cape, so prices appear to be taking a much needed pause but still remain above last year’s levels

As our market shifted from the post-COVID shutdown boom, which began in the second half of 2020, to a rapid deceleration in sales in the second half of 2022, we have seen a dramatic change in our median list prices, active listings and pending home sales These negative market shifts were a direct result of the Federal Reserve aggressively raising interest rates and then they were compounded when Hurricane Ian hit our area on Sept 28

To illustrate the changes in the Cape Coral single-family home market, a year ago on Feb 15, 2022, there were only 416 active listings in the MLS at prices ranging from $225 000 to $5 995 million and the median list price was $582 450 (it hit a peak of $610 000 on April 19 2022 based on our weekly market surveys) A total of 79 homes were listed for $1 million and above, while only 34 homes had list prices of $350 000 and below At that time there were 1 053 homes in the Cape under contract with buyers as pending sales at prices ranging from $200 000 to $3 2 million

Compare that to earlier this week on Feb 14, when there were 1,321 active listings for single-family homes, for an increase of 217 5 percent from a year ago at prices ranging from $265 000 to $4 275 million The current median list price came in at $519 000 and there were 180 homes listed at $1 million and above, or 127 8 percent more than a year ago, and there were a total of 158 homes listed at $350,00 and under, or 464 71 percent more than a year ago As of Feb 14 there were 765 pending home sales in the pipeline which was 46 6 percent higher than the 522 pending sales on Jan 3 of this year but still 27 4 percent below the 1,053 pending sales back on Feb 15 of last year

The other dramatic shift that occurred in our market was the change in buyer attitudes we started to see last

F o r o v e r s e v e n d e c a d e s , W r i g h t C o n s t r u c t i o n G r o u p h a s b e e n t h e b u i l d e r o f c h o i c e f o r m a n y b u s in e s s e s g o v e r n m e n t a l a g e n c i e s s c h o o l s a n d o t h e r c o m m e r c i a l e n t e r p r i s e s S p e c i a l i z i n g i n b o t h b u i l d i n g a n d c i v i l c o n s t r u c t i o n , W r i g h t C o n s t r u c t i o n o f f e r s c o n s t r u c t i o n m a n a g e m e n t , d e s i g n - b u i l d , a n d g e n e r a l c o n t r a c t i n g s e r v i c e s t o a w i d e v a r i e t y o f p u b l i c a n d p r i v a t e c l i e n t s T h e m a i n o f f i c e i s l o c a t e d a t 5 8 1 1 Y o u n g q u i s t R o a d i n F o r t M y e r s F o r m o r e i n f o r m at i o n c o n t a c t W r i g h t C o n s t r u c t i o n G r o u p a t 2 3 9 - 4 8 1 -

5 0 0 0 o r v i s i t w w w w c g f l c o m

CRE Consultants announces recent real estste transactions

C R E C o n s u l t a n t s h a s a n n o u n c e d t h e f o l l o w i n g l o c a l t r a n s a c t i o n s : ∫ L e e M e m o r i a l H e a l t h S y s t e m l e a s e d a n 8 0 0 0s q u a r e - f o o t o f f i c e s p a c e i n M e t r o C o m m e r c e C e n t e r a t

1 1 2 2 0 M e t r o P a r k w a y S u i t e s 2 9 - 3 2 F o r t M y e r s f r o m M e t r o C o m m e r c e C e n t e r , L L C R a n d a l M e r c e r o f C R E C o n s u l t a n t s n e g o t i a t e d t h e t r a n s a c t i o n ∫ C h a p m a n I n s u r a n c e G r o u p , L L C l e a s e d a 2 , 2 7 4s q u a r e - f o o t o f f i c e s p a c e a t 1 3 2 6 C a p e C o r a l P a r k w a y

E , S u i t e 1 , f r o m D o c E d g e o f C a p e C o r a l , L L C R a n d a l M e r c e r o f C R E C o n s u l t a n t s n e g o t i a t e d t h e t r a n s a c t i o n ∫ W h i t s y m s I n c l e a s e d a 1 3 6 0 - s q u a r e - f o o t o f f i c e s p a c e a t 3 8 0 0 C o l o n i a l B o u l e v a r d , S u i t e 1 2 0 , F o r t M y e r s f r o m K o n t u r a R e a l E s t a t e M a n a g e m e n t L L C E n n L u t h r i n g e r , C C I M o f C R E C o n s u l t a n t s n e g o t i a t e d t h e t r a n s a c t i o n C R E C o n s u l t a n t s w h i c h p r o v i d e s a f u l l s p e c t r u m o f c o m m e r c i a l r e a l e s t a t e a n d p r o p e r t y m a n a g e m e n t s e r v i c e s t o p r o p e r t y o w n e r s , i n v e s t o r s , l a n d l o r d s , t e na n t s a n d d e v e l o p e r s , i s l o c a t e d a t 1 2 1 4 0 C a r i s s a C o m m e r c e C o u r t , S u i t e 1 0 2 , F o r t M y e r s F o r a d d it i o n a l i n f o r m a t i o n c a l l 2 9 - 4 8 1 - 3 8 0 0 o r v i s i t h t t p s : / / c r e c o n s u l t a n t s c o m

Commission Chair man Hamman to discuss Lee County priorities and challenges at REIS meeting Lee County's goals and challenges in 2023 will be addressed by Brian Hamman chair of the Lee County

A p r i l a n d M a y , w h e n s e e m i n g l y overnight the number of seriously active buyers dropped off from the frenzied pace in the first quarter of last year Suddenly the buyers who were still in the game became comfortable making below list price offers and they were willing to walk away if the deal did not go their way Instead of paying virtually any price for any home buyers started to price in the cost for repairs updates and remodeling, by subtracting these costs from a sellers list price Many sellers were slow to adjust to this new market reality thinking that the peak prices reached in April 2022 were still in place during the second half of last year In a broad generalization, it is fair to say that most sellers are not getting as much money for their homes as they once thought they would get and it is often taking much longer to get a “good” offer on their home than they expected So what are we expecting for the rest of 2023? First, we have seen a nice uptick in seasonal activity, but as we have noted above the market dynamics have returned to something that more closely resembles our pre-COVID market patterns Based on that assumption a seller probably has a couple more months of season remaining to get their home under contract with a buyer In the past, that has meant that a seller probably needs to get somewhat more aggressive with their pricing to separate themselves from the competition to attract a buyer before the market enters its historical postseason slow down

We are also seeing some buyers making very low offers on homes, hoping for a great deal, while a growing number of “looky-loos” are doing Internet home searches in the background waiting for another housing market crash Many of these buyers are still priced out of our market and will need a larger price correction before being able to afford a home here, so they are on a scouting mission This brings us to the million dollar question about the direction of home prices The expert opinions continue to be all over the place and we think it will ultimately come down to what the Fed does with interest rates and whether we have a mild-to-no recession or severe economic recession Right now, we think it is likely that Cape Coral home prices will remain flat or move somewhat lower in a market correction tied to the recession in real estate In order to see a larger drop or a “crash” in home prices we think it would take a surprise external shock to the economy, such as the start of World War III or China deciding to wreak havoc on our economy by squeezing the supply chain Barring that we may muddle along

Along these lines mortgage giant Fannie Mae recently noted that its financial results in 2022 were indicative of a housing market in transition, as it saw its net profits decline substantially in a shifting housing market In a n e w s r e l e a s e t h i s p a s t T u e s d a y , i t s C E O , P r i s c i l l a Almovodar forecast further economic headwinds for homebuyers in 2023 noting that “housing affordability would remain a challenge for many homebuyers

It is forecasting a 4 2 percent decline in home prices in 2023, followed by another decline of 2 3 percent in 2024 Others are predicting anything from modest gains to severe home price declines

The sales data for this article was obtained from the Florida Realtors Multiple Listing Service Matrix for Lee County, Fla , as of Feb 14, 2023, unless otherwise noted It was compiled by Bob and Geri Quinn and it includes information specifically for Cape Coral single-family homes and does not include condominiums short sales or foreclosures The data and statistics are believed to be reliable, however, they could be updated and revised periodically, and are subject to change without notice The Quinns are a husband and wife real estate team with the RE/MAX Realty Team office in Cape Coral They have lived in Cape Coral for over 43 years Geri has been a full-time Realtor since 2005, and Bob joined with Geri as a full-time Realtor in 2014 Their real estate practice is mainly focused on Cape Coral residential property and vacant lots

Board of County Commissioners, at the Real Estate Investment Society luncheon meeting Tuesday March 14

Hamman’s presentation will focus on the county’s budget, growth management and local priorities in the current legislative session He is also expected to discuss coordination with municipal governments, infrastructure projects and Lee County’s role in managing water resources

Following the presentation Hamman will respond to questions of specific interest to the real estate investment and development industry Hamman was appointed to the Board of County Commissioners in 2014 and represents District 4 which includes portions of Cape Coral and North Fort Myers as well as central Fort Myers He is also president of the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce; chairman of the Board of Port Commissioners, which governs the Lee County Port Authority; and serves on the Metropolitan Planning Organization and Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council

The meeting is sponsored by LSI Companies and will begin promptly at 11:45 a m on March 14 in the Osprey Room at Pelican Preserve s Clubhouse, on Treeline Avenue at Colonial Boulevard, one mile east of I-75 exit 136 in Fort Myers

Admission is $30 for members and $45 for guests which includes lunch Reservations are required by March 9 F o r a d d i t i o n a l i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t R E I S , v i s i t www reis-swfl org

Glenstar Proper ties, Colmnar Holdings developing industrial project in For t Myers

Glenstar Properties known for two decades as a national office and multifamily developer is expanding its recent focus in industrial development with speculative construction at Tri-County 75 a 72-acre industrial park in Fort Myers Glenstar is developing the project in partnership with Columnar Holdings

When complete the four-building campus will offer 818 434 square feet of industrial space at the intersection of I-75 and Luckett Road

Purchasers should exercise caution before entering a real estate contract

Eric P Feichthaler Real Estate Law

Bob and Geri Quinn Homing In

Home prices and inflation have peaked, but remain ‘sticky’

REAL ESTATE BRIEFS

Special podcast for grieving Black families released by Valerie’s House

In honor of Black History Month, Valerie s House has released a special podcast to help Black families grieve the loss of loved ones

“Black families say they often are left without knowing where to go when they have lost a loved one We’re hoping this podcast will reach into pockets of the community that often don t have a voice, said Valerie s House Founder and CEO Angela Melvin

Black Americans are three times more likely than White Americans to have two or more family members die by the time they reach age 30 Melvin said

The current podcast, which began airing Feb 10,

From

In the center of Tri-Country 75, Building 3 presents an industrial product that is the first of its kind in Southwest Florida – a speculative 404,000-square-foot cross-dock warehouse with 36-foot clear heights In November 2022 G l e n s t a r s i g n e d a 2 5 2 8 6 0 - s q u a r e - f e e t l e a s e w i t h Ferguson Enterprises for two-thirds of the building which was the third-largest lease ever signed in Lee County A national distributor of plumbing and HVAC supplies, Ferguson is relocating from its current regional distribution center and will take occupancy in Building 3 once construction is complete in September 2023

The remaining 151 340 square feet available for lease at Building 3 offers 36-foot clear heights, 28 truck docks, two drive-in doors, and parking for 33 trailers and 103 cars Building 2 a speculative 216 412-square-foot wareh o u s e a t 6 1 3 5 T r i C o u n t y C o m m e r c e W a y i s f u l l y enclosed and is scheduled to deliver in April 2023 The building features 32-foot clear heights, 57 truck docks, four drive-in doors and parking for 75 trailers and 233

includes two guests who have lost loved ones

The current Grieve, Love, Heal podcast is the 12th in the Valerie’s House series which was launched in 2019 and can be found on all your favorite podcast apps such as Spotify

REAL ESTATE BRIEFS

cars Glenstar Properties is a Chicago-based national commercial real estate firm specializing in industrial developm e n t , r e i m a g i n e d o f f i c e a n

Tickets on sale for 34th Arts for ACT

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

Now in its 34th year, Arts for ACT, which was pushed back from October due to the hurricane, is set to take place in downtown Fort Myers Saturday March 4

“This is our largest fundraising event every year We normally have it Oct 29 ACT CEO Jennifer Benton said This event is very important to us We have a lot of people who we serve We hope people come out and support it ”

This year's theme “A Night in TV Land ” will include the original Studio 54 Band cocktails a sit-down dinner and a live and silent auction as well as a signature drink sponsored by Millennial Brewing, Dreamsicle Attendees are asked to dress as their favorite TV character from yesteryear

The event will include auctioneer Scott Robertson as well as emcees Jen Stacey and Greg Parker from ABC7 Stephanie Davis and Gina Birch will also be assisting them

Some of the auction items include I Bis You Bis, We All Bis ” by Stephen Blancett which is an acrylic canvas

“Stephen started painting and winning awards for his work at the young age of 7 ” Benton said “His paintings

"I Bis You Bis, We All Bis," an acrylic by artist Stephen Blancett, is among the auction items for Arts For ACT

are in the collection of notable celebrities, and in corporate and private collections around the world

Other auction items include a Haute Couture handbag Behind the Scenes Atelier Tour and Bespoke Champagne tasting experience for

t h e C a l o o s a S o u n d Convention Center March 4 with the pre-show taking

place at 5:30 p m followed by the live auction at 7 p m Tickets are $200 a person which can be purchased until March 2, at https://event gives/artsforact2022 Tickets can also be purchased for tables of 10

“We are looking for a fun time It's really needed We have had a lot of expenses we didn't count on this year because of the hurricane ” Benton said adding that they are seeing more clients than ever due to COVID with people being cooped up for too long The abuse is getting worse and worse ACT (Abuse Counseling & Treatment Inc ) which will celebrate 45 years of serving the community in September assists victims of domestic violence and their children survivors of sexual assault and victims of human trafficking Benton said they have shelters in Cape Coral, Fort Myers and LaBelle with 115 beds combined In addition to the shelters ACT also offers outreach c o u n s e l i n g c h i l d r e n ' s p r o g r a m s a n d t w o a t t o r n e y s through a grant on staff to do injunction protection for victims F o r a d d i t i o n a l i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t A C T , v i s i t www actabuse com Those who need assistance can also call the 24/7 helpline at 239-939-3112

3rd Annual Pj’s and Paws A Night at the Shelter tonight

The Cape Coral Animal Shelter will be hosting the 3rd Annual Pj s and Paws A Night at the Shelter to benefit the animals today, Feb 17

The party will feature 20 representatives of local businesses who will dress in their finest pajamas and spend the night with the animals Participants will be matched with one of the shelter's resident canines or assigned a cat manor and are encouraged to decorate their suite to impress their date

Each will be working toward a goal of raising a minimum of $2 000 through their networks and social media with a goal of raising $40 000 to support the lifesaving work we do Throughout the event there will be Facebook live check-ins and each business/celebrity participating will get a chance to shine in their Pj s and show off their date for the evening

Dolphin Distillery; Jessica Walker Markham Norton Mosteller Wright and Company, P A ; Mitzie L

Jessica Schwebel, Clean Xpert Pros, LLC; Dr Cecilia Fisher Cape Coral Pet Vet; Tina & Charlie Bair Up In Smoke of Cape; Brittany Probeck Galeana Dodge Jeep Fiat; Taylor Petras WINK News; Ashley Hammons Fight Corps; Kasey Carpuso, Pet Dental Center; Diana Nieves and Frances McGinley, Frances Scissor Hands; Nicole Touchette, Century 21 Selling Paradise; Stephanie Ramos

Fundraising Page at https://capecoralanimalshelter networkforgood com/projects/150478-pj-s-paws-2022

The mission of the Cape Coral Animal Shelter is to engage a special bond between people and animals by means of adoption services, medical care, education and training for the prevention of cruelty and abandonment The shelter provides a safe place where animals will remain in shelter care until they are placed in qualified forever homes

Birding tour with McQuades, Warren offered during 21st Annual Burrowing Owl Festival Feb. 25

Ride in an air-conditioned bus with expert birder/photographers Tammy & Dave McQuade and Eary Warren

The tour is offered by Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife in conjunction with the 21st Annual Burrowing Owl Festival - Wildlife & Environmental Exposition Saturday, Feb 25, at Rotary Park in Cape Coral

The McQuades were high school sweethearts have been married for 36 years and are big year birders They have observed over 700 species of birds in the U S in each of the last four years Dave now holds the distinction of being number 1 on e Bird, having the most species ever

photographed in the US: 877 In addition the couple a d m i n i s t e r s t h e S W F l o r i d a B i r d A l e r t G r o u p o n Facebook, and Dave is on the board of the American Birding Association They love to share about their birding experiences and help other birders!

Florida native and Cape Coral resident Eary Warren has a great passion for the outdoors His love of wildlife started at a young age and has stayed with him throughout his life He enjoys sharing his knowledge of Florida flora and fauna with everyone he meets In 2019 Eary and his wife Jennifer set the Florida state Big Year record for most bird species seen in o n e y e a r T h e y a c c o mplished this feat while working full-time with two children Eary also holds the L e e C o u n t y “ B i g D a y ” record He is an administrator of SW Florida Bird Alert on Facebook He can often be found with his binoculars and camera in one of Lee County’s many great parks For additional information visit https://ccfriendsofwildlife org/

PHOTO PROVIDED

Lee County announces phased opening of area beach parks

Lee County plans a phased reopening of beach parks with the overall goal of working alongside local, state and federal partners to progress as quickly as possible, while ensuring safety for the community and the best use of taxpayer dollars

Lee County Natural Resources is overseeing the restoration of the natural elem e n t s w h i l e L e e C o u n t y P a r k s & Recreation is overseeing the beach parks restoration including facilities and amenities

The hurricane damaged Lee County s beaches and the sensitive ecosystems with storm debris, pollution and the removal of healthy safe sand and dune vegetation

The county is ensuring that the many elements of the beach restoration process are being rigorously documented to support full reimbursement through federal funds This involves assessing and inventorying the damages meeting FEMA criteria and participating in FEMA inspections and determining eligibility for public assistance funding

The same goes for beach park facilities, which also were severely impacted Parks & Recreation is following the important p r o c e s s i n v o l v i n g d o c u m e n t a t i o n a n d inspections per FEMA standards to ensure local taxpayer dollars are not depleted on repairs Beach erosion assessments have been completed and transmitted to the U S A r m y C o r p s o f E n g i n e e r s F l o r i d a

Department of Environmental Protection and FEMA

Residents and visitors are advised:

■ Beaches and beach parks have not been restored to pre-Hurricane Ian conditions

■ Some amenities such as restroom facilities, piers and walkovers have not

been repaired or replaced at this time

■ Debris continues to wash onshore and quickly may be obscured by sand

■ Beach shoes should be worn at all times

■ Debris can still be found in near-shore areas such as dunes or mangrove-lined coastlines

■ Closure signs are posted where necess a r y , a n d w w w l e e p a r k s o r g h a s s t a t u s updates

With those cautions in mind the tentative opening plans for beaches and beach parks are:

Early March

■ Dog Beach

■ Boca Grande beach accesses Mid-March

■ A l i s o n H a g e r u p B e a c h P a r k o n Captiva ■ S a n C a r l o s B a y / B u n c h e B e a c h Preserve south Fort Myers

■ Bonita Beach Accesses 1 4 5 6 and

9 Mid-April

■ Lynne

March programs at Cape Coral Lee County Public Library

Next month s roster of activities at Cape Coral Lee County Public Library offers topics for all ages The following activities are free to the public:

Adult Programs

Book Discussion: “One Italian Summer” by Rebecca Serle

11 a m , Wednesday, March 1

The New York Times bestselling author of “In Five Years” returns with a powerful novel about the transformational love between mothers and daughters; set on the breathtaking Amalfi Coast English Café 10 a m , Fridays, March 3, 10, 17, 24, 31

6 p m , Tuesdays, March 14, 21, 28

F r e e i n f o r m a l , c o n v e r s a t i o n s e s s i o n s f o r a d u l t

ESOL/ESL students

Great Decisions Discussion Program 2 p m , Tuesdays

March 7: Politics in Latin America

March 14: Global Famine

March 21: Iran at a Crossroads

March 28: Climate Migration

The Great Decisions Discussion Group is a weekly 8part series focusing on current international issues faced by the United States Each week the discussion group will watch a video on an issue and then engage in stimulating conversation with facilitator Klaus-Peter Voss His experience with world affairs comes from a career spanning over 30 years in education and traveling extensively throughout Europe Africa Australia the United States and Canada

Crafts at Cape: Paint Pouring 11 a m , Thursday, March 9

Acrylic pouring is a liquid painting method in which acrylic paints are poured into each other or tilted onto the canvas to create a unique masterpiece Supplies and instructions provided Registration is required

Download Drop-In

11 a m , Thursdays, March 9, 23

R e c e i v e p e r s o n a l i z e d h e l p d o w n l o a d i n g e - b o o k s m o v i e s m u s i c a n d m o r e f r o m O v e r d r i v e / L i b b y a n d

Hoopla, two of Lee County Library System s largest online content providers Bring your fully charged digital device for this hands-on help session Note: Please bring any passwords you may need for downloading apps Kindle users will also need an Amazon account and their password for accessing it

Meet the Author: Diane Lyn Gasparrini

1 p m , Wednesday, March 15

Meet local author Diane Lyne Gasparrini as she discusses her book A Struggle for the Irish American Dream Copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing Registration is required

Spies and Espionage: Fact versus Fiction

2 p m , Thursday, March 16

Retired special agent and law enforcement executive

Thomas Harwood presents a fascinating and insightful discussion on the motivation of spies and the techniques used to catch them Learn how reality compares to fiction in this unique peek into the realm of espionage and counterintelligence Registration is required

Crafts at Cape: Beaded Jewelry

11 a m , Saturday, March 18

Get creative at this DIY program Participants will be creating two different types of beaded jewelry including a memory bracelet All supplies provided Registration is required

John Russell Magic Show

2 p m , Wednesday, March 22

John Russell specializes in family-friendly magical entertainment

He brings a fresh delivery of classic magic effects to today s audiences This show will be high energy interactive and sure to delight Registration is required

Children’s Programs

Shamrocked Saturday Storytime

10 a m , Saturday, March 11

For children ages 2-5 with a caregiver Celebrate St Patrick s Day and all things green at this special storytime

Space is limited Please pick up a ticket at the Youth Services desk First come, first served

Baby Play Date

10 a m , Wednesday, March 15

Meet new friends and explore sensory activities that promote the development of early literacy skills through free play, games and toys All materials provided For babies up to 18 months with a caregiver Registration required

Preschool Storytime

11 a m , Tuesday, March 28

For ages 3-5 Children attend this program independently while parents and caregivers wait nearby Firstcome first-served Space is limited Please arrive early and pick up a ticket at the Youth Services desk

Toddler Tales

11 a m , Wednesday, March 29

For ages 18-36 months and caregivers Toddlers and caregivers move and groove during this interactive storytime First-come first-served Space is limited Please arrive early and pick up a ticket at the Youth Services desk Baby Rhyme Time

10 a m , Thursday, March 30

For babies up to 18 months Babies and caregivers wiggle and giggle in a supportive environment Space is limited First-come, first-served Please arrive early and pick up a ticket at the Youth Services desk

Kids Read Down Fines

1-2 p m , Saturday, March 11

Children and teens can earn a $2 credit on overdue fines for every 15 minutes they read in the designated area for a total of $8 in one session Please bring your library card

Lego Club

11 a m , Monday, March 20

Drop in for building challenges the whole family will enjoy For ages 5-11 All materials provided

John Russell Magic Show

2 p.m., Wednesday, March 22

John Russell specializes in family-friendly magical entertainment He brings a fresh delivery of classic magic effects to today s audiences This show will be high energy interactive and sure to delight Registration is required

See CAPE CORAL LIBRARY page 11B

Florida SouthWestern State College to hold Open Houses March 1-3

F l o r i d a S o u t h W e s t e r n S t a t e C o l l e g e will host Spring 2023 Open House events at all FSW locations March 1-3

Prospective students, their families and the community are invited to attend to learn how they can move forward with a degree from FSW Faculty staff and FSW students will be available to answer questions about academic programs student s u p p o r t s e r v i c e s , f i n a n c i a l a i d , s t u d y

Marino named to Geor gia

Souther n University's Fall 2022 Dean's List

S T A T E S B O R O , G a G e o r g i a Southern University recently recognized approximately 3 390 students on the Fall 2022 Dean's List Joseph Marino of Cape

abroad honors programs and campus life Attendees will also receive a promo code to apply to FSW for free Spring 2023 Open Houses will be held at the following FSW locations:

■ Wednesday, March 1, 3:30 – 6:30 p m FSW Collier Campus 7505 Grand Lely Drive Naples

■ Thursday March 2 3:30 – 6:30 p m FSW Charlotte Campus, 26300 Airport

Road Punta Gorda

■ Thursday March 2 3:30 –

FSW Hendry/Glades Curtis Center 1092 East Cowboy Way, LaBelle

Myers

For additonal information or to register for one of the FSW Open Houses please visit www fsw edu/openhouse

EDUCATION NOTES

Coralhas been named to the list for excellence in academics

To be eligible for the Dean s List, a student must have at least a 3 5 grade point average and carry a minimum of 12 hours for the semester Georgia Southern University a public Carnegie Doctoral/R2 institution founded in 1906, offers approximately 140 differ-

ent degree programs serving more than 25 500 students through 10 colleges on three campuses in Statesboro, Savannah, Hinesville and online instruction Visit GeorgiaSouthern edu for additiioal information

Fr y ear ns degree from University of Nor ther n Colorado

GREELEY Colo - The following local students were among those who received degrees from the University of Northern Colorado at the end of the fall 2022 semester

Among the students was Stephanie Fry of Cape Coral who graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor of science in dietetics

For additional information about the c l a s s o f f a l l 2 0 2 2 p l e a s e v i s i t https://www unco edu/news/articles/graduation-stories-fall-22 aspx

FAFSA Completion

Workshops at FSW N

Florida SouthWestern State College will host a series of FAFSA Completion workshops this spring from 11 a m to 2 p m in the FSW Library, Building J-206 at the FSW Lee Campus 8099 College Parkway Fort Myers

Workshops will be held Wednesday Feb 22; Thursday, Feb 23; Thursday, March 2; Thursday, March 30; Thursday, April 13; and Thursday, April 20

FSW Financial Aid staff will be available to assist students/families with the application process Bring your 2021 taxes and W2s

For additional information, please visit www fsw edu/financialaid

Florida SouthWestern State College is Southwest Florida’s largest institution of higher education Annually serving nearly 22,000 students globally, FSW offers a v a r i e t y o f n a t i o n a l l y - r a n k e d , c a r e e rfocused academic programs with two- and four-year degrees and professional certifications Study and travel abroad opportunit i e s a r e a v a i l a b l e f o r s t u d e n t s t h r o u g h

FSW s Center for International Education Students are also active in clubs and programs catered to their interests Visit www FSW edu for more

University of Tampa honors Dean's List students from the Fall 2022 semester

The University of Tampa has honored 2,044 students who were named to the dean's list for the Fall 2022 semester Students must maintain a GPA of 3 75 or higher to be eligible for the dean's list

The following Cape Coral students were named to the dean's list:

■ Josiah Meza, of Cape Coral, majoring in Economics BS

■ Hunter Zanni majoring in cybersecurity BS

■ Ellise Holmes, majoring in allied health BS

■ Jacob Chrane, majoring in marine science-biology BS

■ Mia Ecklund majoring in allied health BS

■ Olivia Kelly, majoring in criminology and criminal justice BS

The University of Tampa is a private, comprehensive university located on 110 a c r e s o n t h e r i v e r f r o n t i n d o w n t o w n Tampa The University has about 200 programs of study and serves about 11,000 students from 50 states and most of the world's countries

Hanseatic League of Universities conference

May 14-18 at FGCU

Florida Gulf Coast University is hosting a comprehensive global conference that e x p l o r e s i n n o v a t i o n e n t r e p r e n e u r s h i p rankings and other preeminent topics in higher education

The third annual Hanseatic League of Universities conference is May 14-18 at FGCU and will draw more than 200 presidents chancellors and academic officers from leading universities around the world

The HLU conference attracts forwardt h i n k i n g a c a d e m i c v i s i o n a r i e s w h o a r e sparking a dialogue about how universities can better tie into workforce and communit y n e e d s ” s a i d F G C U P r e s i d e n t M i k e Martin Discussions at this conference will ultimately shape the future of higher education by encouraging more institutions to modernize or refresh their approach to academic instruction ”

See EDUCATION NOTES, page 14B

Ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate grand opening of Faith Generation Church in Cape

Faith Generation Church in Cape Coral will celebrate its official grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a m Sunday service Feb 26 at the William Austen Youth Center 315 S W 2nd Ave Cape Coral FL 33991

Faith Generation has actually been open for three years, opening its doors originally

in February 2020 Due to the pandemic causing so many social changes, church officials decided to wait until now to cut the ribbon An exciting day of music free food refreshments bounce houses GellyBall Shooting Gallery and a free gift for everyone is planned for the grand opening event

Tebow keynote speaker for Southwest Florida Community Prayer Breakfast May 4

to those needing a brighter day in their darkest hour of need Tebow is the author of four New York Times Best S e l l i n g b o o k s i n c l u d i n g T h r o u g h M y Eyes, Discovering Your True Identity, T h i s I s T h e D a y a n d B r o n c o & Friends ” The National Day of Prayer is an annual observance on the first Thursday of May

when individuals of all faiths join in unified prayer for continued blessings on the nation Every year local state and federal observances are held between sunrise to sunset across the nation and attract more than 2 million people Except for 2021, when the event was not held due to the pandemic the Fort Myers community has been honoring the National Day of Prayer since the Community Prayer Breakfast s inception in 1988 To ensure the popular annual prayer b r e a k f a s t c o n t i n u e s a c o r p o r a t i o n S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a C o m m u n i t y P r a y e r Breakfast Inc , was established to organize the annual event The organization is led b y b o a r d m e m b e r s J o h n N o l a n d , C a r l Barraco Gary Trippe and Ron Inge L o c a l b u s i n e s s e s a n d o r g a n i z a t i o n s a n n u a l l y s t e p i n t o s u p p o r t t h e e v e n t t h r o u g h s p o n s o r s h i p s a n d d o n a t i o n s Sponsorships are still available for the 2023 event F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n p l e a s e e m a i l SWFLCommunityPrayerBreakfast@gmail com or call 239-744-7769

Cape Coral Library: In March

Teen Programs

Kids Read Down Fines 1-2 p m , Saturday, March 11 Children and teens can earn a $2 credit on overdue fines for every 15 minutes they read in the designated area for a total of $8 in one session Please bring your library card

Library Teen Talk 3 p m , Wednesday, March 8 F o r a g e s 1 3 - 1 8

Socialize, snack and form n e w f r i e n d s h i p s a t t h i s exciting program for teens

Make buttons and chat with the teen librarian about what you want to see in your library's teen space

Anime Club 4:30 p m , Monday, March 13 F o r t e e n s a n d t w e e n s interested in anime manga and Japanese culture Watch a n i m e w i t h f r i e n d s a n d m a k e t h e m e d c r a f t s F o r ages 11-18 Sponsored by t h e F r i e n d s o f t h e C a p e Coral Public Library

John Russell Magic Show

2 p m , Wednesday, March 22

John Russell specializes in family-friendly magical entertainment He brings a f r e s h d e l i v e r y o f c l a s s i c m a g i c e f f e c t s t o t o d a y s audiences This show will be high energy, interactive a n d s u r e t o d e l i g h t

Registration is required

What the Craft? Acrylic Pouring 4:30 p m , Monday, March 27 Learn about the unique art of acrylic pour painting and get lost in the tranquilit y o f c r e a t i n g v a r i o u s abstract designs For ages 10-13 All supplies provide d S p o n s o r e d b y t h e Friends of the Cape Coral Library

T h e C a p e C o r a l L e e C o u n t y P u b l i c L i b r a r y i s located at 921 S W 39th Terrace in Cape Coral For more information about a p r o g r a m o r t o r e g i s t e r , please call the library at 239-533-4500 Check the L e e C o u n t y L i b r a r y S y s t e m s w e b s i t e a t www leelibrary net to find out about programs at other l o c a t i o n s C a l l t h e h o s t l i b r a r y o r T e l e p h o n

and ribbon-cutting ceremony My heart is for the community and serving people," said lead Pastor John Solaroli “The mission of Faith Generation is simple To introduce people to Jesus and help them discover their purpose in this world Faith Generation is all about real people, doing real life, experiencing a real God in real ways We believe that the c h u r c h s h o u l d e x i s t f o r p e o p l e ” s a i d Solaroli Faith Generation is a non-denominational church in Cape Coral with contemporary worship Solaroli has more than 20 years of ministry experience at one of the top 100 f a s t e s t g r o w i n g c h u r c h e s i n A m e r i c a C a l v a r y F e l l o w s h i p i n M i r a m a r F l a (Outreach Magazine 2015 & 2016)

Cape Coral has a need for churches

Solaroli said As the 8th largest city in the state of Florida, Cape Coral s population continues to grow and even if we filled e v e r y s i n g l e c h u r c h t o c a p a c i t y t h e r e would still not be enough churches for the population

Faith Generation is called to help people find the only true life that can bring lasting satisfaction a life in Jesus Christ

Faith Generation services will be held on Sundays at 10 a m and will provide children s ministry The worship service is open to all

For more information or to register to a t t e n d v i s i t t h e c h u r c h ’ s w e b s i t e a t w w w m y f a i t h g e n e r a t i o n c o m / g r a n d o p e ning or contact Solaroli at 239-687-3161 or e-mail info@myfaithgen com

From page 3B

Florida International Airport please visit flylcpa com or Like Us on Facebook at facebook com/flyRSW

‘Talking Baseball’ topic of Feb 23 Greater For t Myers

Chamber’s luncheon

The Greater Fort Myers Chamber of C o m m e r c e ’ s m o n t h l y l u n c h e o n f r o m 11:15 a m to 1:15 p m , Thursday, Feb 23, will focus on all things baseball ahead of Southwest Florida s Spring Training season

The chamber’s “Talking Baseball” program will feature a panel discussion with senior management from the Boston Red Sox and the Minnesota Twins that covers 2023 spring training industry insights and how Southwest Florida is growing with the game Luncheon speakers include the Red S o x s C h i e f B a s e b a l l O f f i c e r C h a i m Bloom and General Manager of Florida

Operations and JetBlue Park Shawn Smith along with the Twins’ President & CEO Dave St Peter and President of Baseball

Operations Derek Falvey

The luncheon will take place at the Twins Player Development Academy at Lee County Sports Complex, located at 14100 Six Mile Cypress Parkway in Fort Myers Admission is $25 for Chamber members and $35 for future members and includes lunch T o l e a r n m o r e o r t o r e g i s t e r , v i s i t FortMyers org or call 239-332-2930

Home Depot looking to hire more than 100 in For t Myers/Naples

The Home Depot is hiring more than 100 associates in Fort Myers/Naples for

BUSINESS BRIEFS

its busy spring season Flexible, part-time and full-time positions include customer service, sales, store support, freight and merchandising Available positions vary by location The Home Depot is an equal opportunity employer

The company is also hosting a Virtual Spring Career Day event on Thursday, March 16 Attendees will hear from current associates to get an idea of the company’s jobs culture and benefits and learn about local openings

The Home Depot offers a wide range of health and personal benefits for every stage of life, including tuition reimbursement, company performance-based cash bonus p r o g r a m p a i d f a m i l y l e a v e b a c k - u p dependent care 401(k) savings plan with company match, a discounted company stock purchase program and more Growth opportunities at The Home Depot make this more than just a seasonal job – 90% of store leadership started as hourly associates Those interested cab apply online at careers homedepot com

Marlow joins Priority Marketing as media buyer Priority Marketing has added Leigh Marlow as a media buyer to help clients maximize the effectiveness and impact of their advertising dollars In this role, Marlow is responsible for planning annual budgets, negotiating and placing buys, media trafficking and placem e n t m e d i a s p o n s o r s h i p c o o r d i n a t i o n m a n a g i n g m e d i a d e a d l i n e s r e c o n c i l i n g invoices researching media outlets auditing media and maintaining media department records Marlow has nearly 34 years of media buying experience Marlow founded her own company Leigh Marlow Media Services in 1996

planning, negotiating and managing traditional and digital advertising campaigns for numerous businesses, health care organizations colleges and more Prior to that she was a senior media buyer and planner for Trone Advertising where she focused on broadcast, print and outdoor advertising for businesses

Marlow earned an associate of arts degree in business administration from Peace College and a Bachelor of Science d e g r e e i n m a r k e t i n g f r o m M e r e d i t h College For additional information please call 239-267-2638 or visit PriorityMarketing com

Garden Club of Cape Coral’s ‘March in the Park’ March 11

name a few Garden art will include essential and fragrance oils, glass reflections, stepping stones, metal works, fish faces and various planters A garden treasure booth will also

Gardening: Agriculture is big business in Florida and across U.S.

From page 1B

ensuring a fresh supply of goods with minimal transportation costs Almost half of all Florida agricultural land is engaged in cattle production, with 3 2 million acres of pastureland and 1 3 million acres of grazed woodland In addition to housing cattle t h e s e w o r k i n g r a n c h e s p r e s e r v e n a t i v e plant systems and provide valuable wildlife habitats Forestry is also a significant contributor t o F l o r i d a ’ s a g r i c u l t u r a l i n d u s t r y w i t h nearly 17 million acres of forestland in public and private ownership in the state M o r e t h a n 1 2 4 , 0 0 0 F l o r i d i a n s a r e employed in the forestry industry, which infuses $25 billion into the state’s economy annually And the sector of the agricultural industry that we are most familiar with horticulture products that we use in our gardens, is another major contributor to our economy Florida is the second largest producer of ornamental horticulture products behind California Sales of sod nursery products trees shrubs and landscaping s e r v i c e s a m o u n t t o m o r e than $12 billion and contribute 250,000 jobs in the state H o n e y b e e s a l s o c o ntribute $120 million annually to our agricultural profile; Florida ranks 4th in honey p r o d u c t i o n i n t h e U S B e e k e e p i n g i s a l s o a n important aspect of our agricultural system; commercial pollination services are prov i d e d f o r o n e t h i r d o f Florida s crops

D i d y o u r e a l i z e t h a t

Florida produces 90% of the tropical fish that are sold in pet stores around the U S ? O v e r 2 0 0 f a r m s p r o d u c e m o r e t h a n 8 0 0 d i f f e r e n t s p e c i e s o f t r o p i c a l f i s h which generate $120 million in sales each year And our 2,270 miles of shoreline and 11,000 miles of waterways support our thriving seafood industry providing a l m o s t 1 4 0 0 0 j o b s a n d $ 7 3 0 m i l l i o n i n i n c o m e annually

The benefits of agriculture extend beyond the actual crops and products produced by the industry More

than $13 billion in revenues are paid to l o c a l s t a t e a n d f e d e r a l g o v e r n m e n t s through taxes on production and imports And there are intangible benefits provided by Florida agriculture; native plant systems and wildlife thrive on the state s farms,

ranches and forests These resources assist in efforts to conserve wildlife by providing food and habitat for hundreds of species Agritainment combines our two pri-

mary economic forces (tourism and agriculture) to increase the value of farms and agricultural land and to expand recreational opportunities And unlike the northern parts of Florida which utilize the Floridan aquifer, much of the rest of the state relies on superficial aquifers which are fed during the rainy season Our vast agricultural lands and green spaces filter and replenish these water supplies

Are you as surprised as I was to learn about the incredible impact of agriculture in our beautiful state? When we consider agriculture we certainly think of crops and the abundance of fresh produce we enjoy year-round in our markets But as you ve now learned, agriculture in Florida is BIG business, providing not only food but jobs, revenue taxes and a strong ecological base for continued growth

Cathy Dunn is a Lee County Master Gardener Volunteer and a member of the Garden Club of Cape Coral Visit us at www gardenclubofcapecoral com

Poinsettia’s in a Florida greenhouse

Lee County Parks & Recreation summer camp registration to begin

L e e C o u n t y P a r k s & R e c r e a t i o n Summer Camp registration opens at 7 a m

Monday Feb 27

Registration is expected to draw thousands of youngsters to programs outings and activities at the department s traditional camps, middle school camps and specialty camps

Traditional camps are for children that have completed kindergarten through fifth grade Middle school camps are for sixth through eighth grade Specialty and special needs camps ages vary; check locations for specific ages Summer camp runs for six weeks from

From page 10B

C o n f i r m e d p r e s e n t e r s i n c l u d e L y n n

Pasquerella, president of the American Association of Colleges & Universities; Daniel Franklin executive editor of The Economist; and Anjelique Kidjo Beninese

A m e r i c a n s i n g e r - s o n g w r i t e r , p e r f o r m e r and activist

At the conference HLU is releasing its new World’s Universities with Real Impact rankings which highlight institutions that

June 19 through July 28

The cost for traditional and middle school camps are $75 per week per child Specialty camps vary; check location for price For locations visit

www leeparks org Parents are encouraged to sign up early

Each year, the allotted spaces at Lakes Park Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve and Estero Recreation Center fill up well before school ends Camp registration is ongoing as long as space is available

Wa-Ke Hatchee Recreation Center and Matlacha Community Center are closed from Hurricane Ian damages and will not operate a summer program this year Estero

Recreation Center and North Fort Myers Recreation Center will increase their attendance numbers to accommodate patrons who typically attend those sites

To register for camp at one of the three large recreation centers – Estero, North Fort Myers or Veterans Park in Lehigh Acres – obtain a membership first by visiting the location If you currently have a membership at one of these facilities, please make sure it is active by calling or visiting the location selected

EDUCATION NOTES

contribute to society by creating innovative approaches to research and educational programs

The WURI rankings evaluate universities in six categories:

■ Industrial application rather than traditional ways of counting research papers and lecture-type teaching

■ Value-creating startups and entrepreneurship rather than a traditional focus on the number of jobs filled ■ S o c i a l r e s p o n s i b i l i t y e t h i c s a n d

integrity rather than focusing on knowledge and skills for material success

■ Student mobility and openness for collaboration between schools and across national borders rather than an independent closed system ■ C r i s i s m a n a g e m e n t a m i d c l i m a t e change, the COVID-19 pandemic, and other global and local crises

■ Progress during the Fourth Industrial

R e v o l u t i o n t h r o u g h d i g i t a l t e c h n o l o g y artificial intelligence big data cloud serv-

Death Notices

online Registration for swimming lessons and other aquatics programs begins Tuesday Feb 28

Camp sites will participate in countywide initiatives, such as service-learning projects, fitness and wellness programs and National Park and Recreation Month

For more information about Lee County

P a r k s & R e c r e a t i o n l o c a t i o n s c a m p s amenities, and other special events, visit www leeparks org, call 239-533-7275 or email leeparks@leegov com

ices blockchain and other developments

Participants will have opportunities to tour FGCU s 800-acre campus as well as nearby businesses and organizations The conference also includes a performance from Angelique Kidjo

R e g i s t r a t i o n i s a v a i l a b l e o n l i n e a t hlu fgcu edu Tickets are $700 and include all conference workshops and panel discussions, a campus tour, meals, musical performances and site visits to local businesses and organizations

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Call(239)561-8074

CBC026058

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