VOLUME 41, NUMBER 8
Fort Myers Beach Library to reopen in March
By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers.com
Two and a half years ago, Hurricane Ian slammed the Fort Myers Beach Public Library with everything it had.
Approximately 9,500 books, DVDs, CDs and other items were destroyed by the 14-feet high storm surge which flooded the first floor of the library. Every book on the first two levels of shelving for every bookcase on the floor was ruined. Despite about $5 million in estimated
damage, the library itself stood strong. About 75,000 books and other items survived despite all the water taken in.
The elevator was shot, its roof was damaged, new flooring, shelves and furniture were needed, but in the scheme of what went on around the island, the library held up better than many of the other buildings on the beach.
Delays in the supply chain to repair its elevator have kept the library from opening until now.
Lizbeth Mullenax, the library’s operations director, said the library will reopen to the public with a grand reopening ceremony scheduled for Sunday, March 16, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The grand ceremony celebration will include food trucks, music, local organizations, and Fort Myers Beach Elementary School students on hand.
More details are expected to be announced this week.
The elevator is finally back up and
Pelican Watch owners object to food truck park in front of their property
By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers.com
Owners within the 48-unit Pelican Watch on Fort Myers Beach are contesting plans for a food truck park directly in front of their prime beachfront property in the heart of the island just south of the busy downtown business district.
The venture is proposed on seven-tenths of an acre just a stone’s throw in front of their property and would sit seven and a half feet at its closest point from a fence surrounding the condo association’s pool.
The proximity of the park to Pelican Watch is due, in part, to the complex land arrangement on the property line that tethers the closely-grouped lots along Estero Boulevard.
The Fort Myers Beach Local Planning Agency, in a 4-3 vote last week, issued a recommendation for the Town of Fort Myers Beach Council to approve a rezoning of land along with deviations from the town’s setback rules in its local development code to allow the food truck park within seven and a half feet of the Pelican Watch pool.
Among the deviations are relief from the town’s setback law that requires 15 feet of setback from the neighboring property. The applicants seek 10 feet of setback for part of the property and seven and a half feet of setback in another section.
The Pelican Watch building’s pool is surrounded by a fence. Opposite that fence is a house being built by another
See FOOD TRUCK PARK, page 20
running. The library had finished most of its repairs in the summer of 2023 but the elevator holdup dragged on — a scenario several of the island’s condo buildings have also been facing.
The library has been somewhat open for the past two years with curbside service for book takeouts available Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information regarding library services call 239-765-8162.
Shrimp festival needs floats
By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers.com
The Fort Myers Beach Lions Club could use a few more floats for the upcoming shrimp festival, said Drew Yelle, who is helping to organize this year’s event.
The festival is so far a little behind the number of floats that have been signed up to participate in the past.
This year’s shrimp festival parade is approaching quickly and is scheduled to take place Saturday, March 8, from 10 a.m. to noon down Estero Boulevard.
The parade will follow a 5K run and will coincide with the return of the festival’s shrimp boil for the first time since before Hurricane Ian. Last year’s shrimp festival did not have the boil though instead there was a shrimp crawl with shrimp specials at participating restaurants across the island.
The shrimp crawl is returning this year with an expanded presence, with 15 destinations announced. The restaurants will be serving special shrimp dishes and specials through March 9.
The Fort Myers Beach Lions Club recently announced the participating restaurants taking part in the shrimp crawl as the DiamondHead Beach Resort, The Island’s Pancake House, Hurricane Tina’s, Lah de Dah at Margaritaville, Lani Kai Island Resort, La Ola’s, License to Chill at Margaritaville, Nervous Nellie’s, Parrot Key Caribbean Grill, Petey’s Upper Deck, The Rude Shrimp, Sandy’s Bottom’s Bar & Grill, Snug Harbor Waterfront Restaurant, Smokin’ Oyster Brewery and Wahoo Willie’s.
For more information on how to participate and partake in this year’s Fort Myers Beach Lions Club Shrimp Festival, visit https://fortmyersbeachshrimpfestival.com/.
The festival dates back to the 1950s. This year’s events kick off with a kids shrimp run at Beach Access 25 off Gulf Beach Road on Saturday, March 1, from
See SHRIMP FESTIVAL, page 20
Randy Briesath, president of the Pelican Watch Condo Owners Association, points to the fence of the association’s pool and where a food truck park would go on the other side. NATHAN MAYBERG
OPINIONS
Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931
Phone: (239) 574-1110
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Previous
Web Poll Results
Do you support continuing the town ban on electric bikes on sidewalks?
∫Yes, electric bikes should be banned on sidewalks and the beach due to safety concerns, 67%
∫ I support a ban on electric bikes on the beach but not sidewalks, 0%
∫ I support a ban on electric bikes on the beach but electric bike should be allowed on sidewalks with either a speed limit or a requirement that bicyclists stop for pedestrians, 0%
∫ I do not support a ban on electric bikes on the beach, but support a ban on electric bikes on the sidewalk, 17%
∫ I do not support a ban on electric bikes on the beach or the sidewalk, 16%
Current Web Poll
Do you support the vote by the Lee County Board of County Commissioners to stop adding fluoride into drinking water supplied by Lee County Utilities, including for Fort Myers Beach?
∫ Yes, I don’t believe fluoride is necessary to be added to the water.
∫ No, fluoride helps protect against tooth decay and is needed in the water.
∫ Unsure/no opinion.
Share your opinion at fortmyersbeachtalk.com
Exciting times for Lee County schools
BY MELISA W. GIOVANNELLI
Dear Lee County Families and Community, Happy New Year! Exciting New Year Ahead. As we turn the page on a new calendar year, I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season filled with joy, relaxation, and cherished moments with loved ones. We’re excited to jump back into the school year and embrace the opportunities that 2025 brings.
This is an especially exciting time for our Lee County schools as we welcome a new school board, including two dynamic new members and our newly elected superintendent. Together, we are committed to fostering an environment of collaboration, innovation, and excellence in education.
We are thrilled to have fresh perspectives and diverse experiences joining our team. Each member brings unique strengths and a shared passion for enhancing our educational community. Their enthusiasm will surely inspire positive changes as we work together to elevate our schools.
We are also proud to announce the election of our new superintendent, who comes to us
What is clean water and why don’t we have it?
To the editor:
I was recently on the banks of the Caloosahatchee River observing the moving water. A stranger walked up next to me and made the observation that the water looked very clean. Looks can be deceiving! Unknown to him recent water testing had revealed a high level of fecal indicator bacteria. The river also carries a very high nutrient load of excess nitrogen and phosphates. As the days grow longer, and the water gets warmer these excess nutrients will be consumed by various forms of algae. The algae seem harmless at first but it out competes healthy aquatic vegetation. The result is no seagrass, starving manatees and dying fish as the oxygen in the water is depleted.
As aquatic creatures die, they decompose, using up even more oxygen, perpetuating the cycle of death. Yes, water can look great and still be very polluted. Clean water has great visibility, high levels of oxygen, low levels of nitrogen and phosphates and minimum algae growth. This allows for healthy beds of seagrass, an incredible amount of aquatic life and even healthier people.
We don’t have clean water because we have not held our elected officials accountable for enforcing laws that are currently in place. Instead, they issue permits granting exceptions to the laws.
YOU can stop this pollution getting the right to clean water on the ballot as an amendment to the Florida constitution. Please go to Floridarighttocleanwater.org, download the
with a wealth of experience and a vision for nurturing a thriving learning environment. Their leadership will be vital in guiding our district towards achieving our shared goals and ensuring that every student reaches their full potential.
As we move into 2025, we’re dedicated to:
∫ Innovative educational practices: We aim to implement new teaching methods that cater to the diverse learning needs of all students.
∫ Community engagement: We believe that collaboration between schools, families, and the community is essential. Expect more opportunities to participate in shaping our educational landscape.
∫ Focus on student well-being: Mental and emotional health remain a top priority as we roll out new initiatives designed to support our students.
As a school board member, I want to take this opportunity to reflect on our accomplishments from the past year. Although there is much more work to do, we are making
Letters to the Editor
petition, sign it and mail it back.
Change the song & dance
To the editor:
News reports once again highlighting the effects of Red Tide on Southwest Florida as a tourist destination. Our Southwest Florida coastline is turning into a year-around giant flourishing Petri dish that is severely tarnishing the area’s reputation.
And this has been happening for several years now. Yet our elected officials are steamrolling ahead approving mega projects.
While I’m not against growth, uncontrolled growth without regards to end results is NOT OK. Our elected officials show up during crises, make statements on how terrible it is and needs to be fixed, but then keep approving deals.
A UCF study found $1.27B loss to SWFL’s economy from just one red tide season in 2018. Health care costs from hospital and doctor visits, beach clean-up activities following fish kills, and losses in tourism revenues are some of the costs associated with these blooms (Florida Department of Health.)
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is reporting that the state of Florida has spent $8 billion since 2019 to restore America’s Everglades and improve the quality of the state’s water resources (FDEP News Release Feb. 3, 2025). Why are algae blooms and red tide not getting better?
Florida Right to Clean Water is a nonpartisan citizen initiative for enforceable right to clean and healthy waters on the 2026 ballot.
strides in enhancing our educational programs, fostering a supportive environment, and strengthening community partnerships.
Our graduation rate set a new high for the school district since standards increased in 2022 at 85.8% during the 2023-24 school year. This is an increase of 0.7% over last year, exceeding the pre-pandemic rate of 83.7% for the 2018-19 school year. The 2019-20 graduation rate was artificially inflated because students were exempt from statewide standardized assessment requirements stipulated in state law.
Let’s come together to make this an outstanding year for our students and community. Your support and involvement are crucial as we embark on this exciting journey. Let’s kick off 2025 with enthusiasm and a shared commitment to excellence in education. I look forward to working alongside each of you as we continue to shape a bright future for our students. Thank you for your support.
Melisa W. Giovannelli holds the District 2 seat on the Lee County School Board.
Go to FloridaRighttoCleanWater.org to explore the many ways to help as an individual, as a group, as a nonprofit, as a business, or even as a local government entity.
Check your voter status
To the editor:
Your voice matters! Are you one of the many voters removed from the Lee county voter list? Are you one of the Lee County voters that must re-register to vote by mail?
To make sure, call the Lee Elections office at 239-533- 8683 or go to www.Lee.vote.
The 2024 Florida Statutes, Title X, Section 101.62 written by the legislature have written guidelines on how to the vote by mail.
Multiple sections cover key points:
∫ Requests
∫ Deadlines to receive a mail ballot for an upcoming elections
∫ Ballots issuance and returns
∫ The issuance of ballots requests
∫ How to return ballots and when to mail ballots back so that the ballots can be counted
∫ Guidelines on how to complete the ballot and how to return the ballots.
Your voice matters.
We the people matter.
Democracy depends on all of us.
If you are a Democrat, Republican, or Independent, call and make sure you are still on the voter rolls.
Democracy depends on YOU!
Kathleen Callard RNBS North Fort Myers
Dan Carney Cape Coral
Dave Bortell North Fort Myers
STAFF REPORT
A community forum will be held Wednesday, Feb. 19, as part of the merger study of the Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District and the Iona McGregor Fire Rescue District.
The forum will be held at 5 p.m. at the Margaritaville Resort on 251 Crescent St. on Fort Myers Beach to gather input from residents about their concerns regarding the proposed merger.
The potential merger, which would require a referendum of residents, was put in motion by State Rep. Adam Botana. Botana originally proposed merging the Fort Myers Beach and Bonita Springs fire districts, before
proposing the Iona McGregor and Fort Myers Beach merger.
Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District property owners are paying for the cost of the merger study along with property owners in the Iona-McGregor Fire Rescue District.
The study was required as part of Botana’s bill to initiate the merger. The study is meant to determine whether the merger would be operationally and financially beneficial to the taxpayers of both districts.
Among the topics to be discussed are community priorities, concerns and whether there is support for the merger.
Boil water notice lifted
By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers.com
The Town of Fort Myers Beach has lifted a precautionary boil water notice on Thursday that had been issued three days earlier stretching from mid-island at Sterling Avenue and Estero Boulevard down to the remaining southern end of the island.
Fort Myers Beach Mayor Dan Allers said the boil water notice issued last week Monday was a result of a water main break at Sterling Avenue and Estero Boulevard. There has been no word from town officials yet on what caused the water main break though there was a lot of work going on in the vicinity by contractors.
The water main break left some residents with no water on the south end of the island on Monday and as far north as the Mound House.
Messages left with Town of Fort Myers Beach Manager Andy Hyatt seeking more information regarding the cause of the water main break were not returned.
The town lifted a boil notice the previous week for Bay Beach Lane after repairs there resulted in a boil water notice that lasted six days.
The Town of Fort Myers Beach issued no less than half a dozen boil water notices last year, some of which were due to the hurricanes and the work of local contractors during the rebuilding of the island from Hurricane Ian.
Free valet parking at Margaritaville Beach Resort will be offered for the event.
For those who choose to attend virtually, it will be broadcasted live on the Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District YouTube channel which can be found at https:// www.fmbfirefl.gov/live-stream-on-youtube. There will be two-way communication so you can submit your questions and receive answers on the spot. For those who cannot attend, you can still send feedback to the District at info@fmbfirefl.gov
District
BUSINESS
Santini filling up storefront space
By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers.com
Santini Marina Plaza owner Yariv Shaked said he is down to just one vacant storefront available for lease since reopening this fall.
The former Sandbar & Grille, a popular restaurant at the plaza, is the lone remaining space Shaked is looking to rent out since he reopened the plaza for the first time after Hurricane Ian.
The plaza incurred heavy damage from the hurricane, leading Shaked to shell out his own funds to repair the plaza while he continues to fight his insurance company over reimbursement.
In the fall, The Islander, Gallery & Boutique and Leani’s Sportswear reopened, followed by Surf Style and Annette’s Beach Book Nook.
More recently, a liquor store opened at the plaza and Gavin’s Ace Hardware is on schedule to open in March. Another retail store close to moving into Santini Plaza is Off the Hook.
Sweet Licks Ice Cream appears to be inching closer to bringing cold deserts back to the southern end of the island.
Also scheduled to open in March is a new coffee shop. By June, pizza is expected to be served at the plaza for the first time since Francesco’s last served a pie before Hurricane Ian. New York Pizza & Pasta, which has a restaurant in Naples, will be taking their place.
One of the plaza’s most popular restaurants, South Beach Grille, is in the planning stages for returning which will bring the plaza one of its anchoring businesses back.
Nesbit Realty and Royal Shell Realty are close to opening offices, Shaked said. A UPS store has submitted plans to the town for reopening. A nail salon and hair salon are also in the permitting stage with the town for
Town welcomes input on manager search Staff
Report
The Town of Fort Myers Beach is asking the public for its input as the town council begins searching for a new town manager to replace the outgoing Andy Hyatt. Hyatt announced last month that he plans to step down from his current position in April.
On the town’s website, the public is invited to submit questions they would like answered throughout the interview process to be conducted by the town council.
To submit input on the manager search, visit the town’s website at https://www.fortmyersbeachfl.gov/ forms.aspx?fid=84
The town also is inviting the public to apply for open seats on the Anchorage Advisory Committee and Public Safety Committee at: https://www.fortmyersbeachfl. gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1544
opening up new businesses, Shaked said. A new breakfast spot is also on the horizon.
Shaked said the town has been helpful with the new businesses in getting permits as the stores work on permits from the town, fire district and the county’s health department.
“The town has been very fair,” Shaked said. “Everybody is supportive.”
This past week, the plaza hosted the Fort Myers Beach
Community Foundation Fashion Show. Next month, the plaza will host an art bazaar from the Fort Myers Beach Art Association and the staging area for the Fort Myers Beach Woman’s Club’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Since the fall, the plaza has been hosted the Fort Myers Beach Market once a week.
Shaked has been working with new businesses to get them in at favorable terms as the island slowly recovers from Hurricane Ian.
“I want everybody to succeed,” Shaked said. “The biggest challenge is getting the condo buildings occupied.” Many of the large condo buildings are still working on repairs. Some have experienced delays in equipment parts for elevators and some are still negotiating insurance claim settlements.
Shaked said he can relate as he is about to go to trial against his own insurance company over his claims on the plaza.
Shaked said he put up a lot of his own money up front on repairs that were not fully reimbursed.
Last year, he also completed the installation of new turtle-friendly lighting in the parking lot and resealed the lot.
Santini Plaza survived Hurricane Ian intact though it needed a completely new roof and all new firewalls. All new windows, separation walls, drywall and electrical outlets were installed. The parking lot has also been resurfaced since. The stores have undergone remodeling and new flooring.
Shaked purchased Santini Plaza for $18.6 million nine months before Hurricane Ian landed in 2022. The plaza, which borders Loggerhead Fish-Tale Marina, dates back to the 1970s when it was built by Leonard Santini
NATHAN MAYBERG
BEACH LIVING
Community Foundation fashion show sets record
By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers.com
Before this past weekend’s Fort Myers Beach Community Foundation Fashion Show began, it was already a record-setting event.
The foundation sold 165 tickets for swag bags to raise funds for the foundation’s efforts around the island and beyond in assisting nonprofit organizations.
That was the most tickets sold for the event since it was started by the foundation as a way to not only support the foundation but bring attention to the glowing clothing lines of Anita Cereceda’s The Islander, Gift Gallery & Boutique, as well as Leani’s Casual and Swimwear at Santini Marina Plaza.
This year’s fashion show was up to the challenge as foundation members took part in modeling the shining outfits of the stores.
Susan Krajewsk, who coordinated this year’s fashion show, said 19 gift baskets were also awarded to those who purchased raffle tickets. Dozens of people lined up at Santini Marina Plaza between the two stores to watch the fashion show.
Those who purchased swag bags received gifts such as jewelry, discounts to local businesses such as Snug Harbor Waterfront Restaurant, Leani’s, The Islander, day passes to the swimming pool at Margaritaville Beach Resort and discounts to The Island’s Pancake House on Fort Myers Beach.
“I was just blown away,” Cereceda said of the turnout to the event. “Everybody was so happy to see each other. Some people hadn’t seen each other in two years (since Hurricane Ian).”
This weekend’s event was the first fashion show by the foundation since before Hurricane Ian in 2022.
“Every time one of these things happen, that is about an event that was big before Hurricane Ian, it brings us one step closer to what our new normal is going to be,” Cereceda said. “We don’t know what that is yet,” Cereceda said of the new normal that Fort Myers Beach will become.
“Whether it’s rebuilding your house or rebuilding with the community, we’re getting there. Sometimes it seems like we’re going at a snail’s pace.”
LINDA SANFORD
Fort Myers Beach Community Foundation member Connie Stillwagon models some clothes at the organization's fashion show outside The Islander and Leani's at Santini Plaza.
NATHAN MAYBERG
Anita Cereceda’s The Islander Gift Gallery & Boutique was bustling after Cereceda helped lead the Fort Myers Beach Community Foundation fashion show Sunday, featuring clothing from her gallery.
NATHAN MAYBERG
Fort Myers Beach Community Foundation President Julie Fite (left) with fashion show coordinator and foundation member Suzie Krajewski.
NATHAN MAYBERG Carrie Smith (right) at Leani’s after the Fort Myers Beach Community Foundation fashion show, which featured a number of outfits from her shop.
Santini Plaza art bazaar happening in March
STAFF REPORT
The Fort Myers Beach Art Association will be holding its first art bazaar since before Hurricane Ian, at an event scheduled for March 16 at Santini Marina Plaza on Fort Myers Beach.
The bazaar, or clothesline sale, “will raise funds for our student programs,” Fort Myers Beach Art Association member Michele Buelow said. “They were held on our lawn (at the old gallery), once on the library lawn, and at Santini Marina Plaza. Now that things are getting back to the new normal, we are holding the event at the plaza once again.”
The bazaar will feature works from Fort Myers Beach Art Association artists from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the sidewalk in front of the stores at the plaza.
Artists will be selling original artwork, both framed and unframed, as well as some cards.
“Commissions will go to our student programs such as the Student Scholarship Awards given this month to seniors at Cypress Lake Center for the Arts,” Buelow said.
“This sale will be a great way to replace art that was taken by the hurricane. The art will be beautiful any varied.”
Mound House Calendar
Calusa Tours
Wednesday-Saturday 11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.., 1 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Discover the incredible history of the Calusa, the original stewards of Southwest Florida, on this 30-minute guided outdoor tour at Mound House. Learn how this powerful and innovative Indigenous society thrived across the region for centuries, leaving an enduring legacy still visible today with their shell mounds. Explore how the Calusa shaped their environment and uncover the stories revealed by ar-
chaeologists through hands-on activities such as an atlatl demonstration. The price is free for Mound House Members and $15 for the public. Price includes museum admission. No reservations required.
Kayak Tours
Wednesday-Saturday
9 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Discover the natural beauty of Florida on a guided kayaking tour of Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve. Visit places only a kayaker can go as you glide over seagrass beds, and paddle through a timeless landscape of native flora and fauna. Kayak Tours included two hour guided See MOUND HOUSE CALENDAR, page 11
Mound House Calendar
From page 11
experience, kayak, paddle, lifejacket, and museum admission. Secure footwear required, and bottled water strongly recommended. Mound House Members: $15, Public: $45. Register at MoundHouse. org.
Sunset Kayak Tours
Fridays two hours before sunset. Check MoundHouse.org for times and availability.
Immerse yourself in the breathtaking beauty of a guided Sunset Kayak Tour. Paddle through a pristine landscape as golden hour transforms the Estero Bay into a picturesque wonderland. Your journey concludes at the historic bayside Mound House, where the sun sets behind the museum, creating a stunning backdrop for an unforgettable evening. Kayak Tours included two hour guided experience, kayak, paddle, lifejacket, and museum admission. Secure footwear required, and bottled water strongly recommended.
Mound House Members: $15, Public: $45. Register at MoundHouse.org. Community Conversations- Resilient Southwest Florida: Working Together to Create a Stable Future
Wednesday, Feb. 26
6:30 p.m-8 p.m.
For millennia, Southwest Florida has served as a locus for human use and settlement. Cultural sites that have survived through this time help provide a link between past use of these areas and mod-
ern use. Unfortunately, hurricanes Milton, Helene, and Ian had a devasting impact on archaeological sites and cultural resources in Southwest Florida. This talk will provide an overview of the impacts of these storms on the region and offer models of partnership and community engagement that can help us all work together to protect these sites for the future. The program is free for Mound House Members, and $5 for the public. Register at MoundHouse.org.
Red Sox open camp with third base controversy
By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers.com
As a Black Sabbath song blasted from the batting cages, the Boston Red Sox opened up their spring training camp this past Wednesday at JetBlue Park Fenway South in Fort Myers.
Perhaps the song was a sign of the controversy about to enter camp days later as the club’s earthquake of a signing of Gold Glove third baseman Alex Bergman to a three-year deal worth $120 million led to questions over whether he or the team’s longstanding All-Star third baseman Rafael Devers would be playing the hot corner this year.
Devers, fresh off a brilliant offensive season hampered by injuries, had to answer tough questions from the media if he would accept a move to another position if asked. Devers was forced to answer those questions due to the signing of Bregman.
“No,” Devers said matter-of-factly to the question of whether he would accept being a designated hitter if asked. First base? “No,” Devers said.
“Third base is my position,” Devers said through an interpreter. “That’s the position I get ready to play every day.”
Pressed again by reporters if he would ever consider a change to another position, Devers reiterated his answer. “No,” Devers said. “I play third.”
Devers has led the Majors in errors committed seven times at third base though his play at the position has often been brilliant.
Despite his injuries last year, he was third in the Majors in double plays turned by a third baseman and second in putouts from third base. He has been in the top five in the Major League in assists, putouts and double plays turned from third base in the last four seasons.
“I work really hard on my defense,” Devers said.
In comparison, Bregman won the Gold Glove in the American League for third basemen after leading the ma-
See RED SOX, page 13
“I will play wherever they want me to,” said Alex Bregman, last
third baseman. The Red Sox recently signed Bregman to a three-year deal worth $120
NATHAN MAYBERG
year’s American League Gold Glove
million.
Red Sox
From page 12
jors in putouts at third base and American League third basemen in assists, fielding percentage and doubles plays turned from third base.
Bregman, who has not been told which position he will play, said Monday “I will play wherever they tell me to play.”
For Bregman, that is easier to say as he has played shortstop and second base at the big league level. At LSU, Bregman played shortstop in all three seasons there.
Told of his league-leading statistics defensively last year, Bregman said he was unaware he had led in so many categories. “My main focus on defense has always kind of been the same to catch the ball first,” Bregman said. “I feel like when I catch the ball first, the throw will take care of itself. For me, it has always been about putting myself in a good position to catch the ball and move my feet and and go from there. I was fortunate to do a good job of it last year.”
For the Red Sox, the signing of Bregman bolsters their defense while giving them options and some insurance as Devers missed 24 games last year at third base and Trevor Story played in just 26 games at shortstop.
“I feel like I have a great opportunity to win here,” Bregman said. “Playing at Fenway is awesome. Playing for a city that not only loves winning but expects to win. I like playing in those pressure-packed environments.” He recalled the excitement of the park during the 2017 playoffs, when Devers hit an inside-the-park home run there. “It’s a historic franchise, a great fan base. These players are motivated,” he said.
Bregman recalled losing to the Red Sox in the 2018 American League Championship Series when Andrew Benintendi caught a line drive he hit to left field to end Game 4 and an Astros’ rally. “I thought we won the game but he had other plans,” Bregman said. The Red Sox would go on to win the World Series that year against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Bregman said he was courted by former Red Sox infielder Dustin Pedroia and other current and former Red Sox players.
Red Sox pitcher Lucas Giolito, returning from Tommy John surgery, gets in some pitches on the first day of Spring Training camp for the club in Fort Myers.
“There are great players, veteran players ready to get after it and compete,” he said.
Red Sox Manager Alex Cora said he expects Bregman to challenge players on the team.
Bregman owns big stats at Fenway Park, batting .375 with a .490 on-base percentage and seven home runs over 21 games at the park. Bregman said his ability to hit
NATHAN MAYBERG
page 13
the back-spin of the ball to left field and hit line drives to right field were keys to his success at Fenway Park. Bregman said his experience going back to LSU and in the playoffs at Houston have helped make him a player who excels in big game situations.
Bregman said his dad Samuel grew up on the lap of Ted Williams, who was the manager of the Texas Rangers when Bregman’s grandfather Stan was general manager there. Bregman said his dad and grandfather instilled a love for the game in him. “They both love baseball,” Bregman said.
Asked about his future with the club, Devers said “This team drafted me. I have been here my entire career.”
Devers said he is open to listening to what the team has to say going forward.
Manager Alex Cora took some tough questions from the media on the day camp opened before the Bregman signing, including one asking about the team leading the American League in errors last year.
Cora said it was frustrating and blamed some of the issues on injuries in the infield. “We have to do a better job catching the job. Last year, whenever we made an error, we paid the price,” Cora said. “The infield, we have to be better.” He likes the way the team’s outfield performed, including Gold Glove outfielder Jarren Duran.
Pitching in the house
Meanwhile, the team’s new pitching additions in Walker Buehler, Garrett Crochet, Aroldis Chapman arrived. Another good sign was seeing Lucas Giolito throwing after returning from
Tommy John surgery last season.
“So far, so good,” Cora said of Giolito. Crochet, an All-Star with the White Sox last season who was acquired in an offseason trade, spoke with the media Wednesday.
The 25-year-old lefty discussed how his usage was limited in the second half after limited innings in the big leagues the year before and Tommy John surgery in 2022, said in a response to a question about injuries that “you can’t prevent them.” He said Tommy John surgery was
a “long road.” The surgery showed him that “you can be the same player if not better” after the surgery.
The emergence of Crochet as an AllStar last year was startling as he hadn’t been a starter in the big leagues in the three seasons that he had pitched in the major previously nor in the minors. He had only started sporadically while playing at the University of Tennessee. Crochet said that last year he was leaning on what he had learned as a starter in college back in 2020.
Crochet spoke about the development of his cutter last year as a key to his success after spending the previous year working on his sweeper. Crochet said
he plans on “fine-tuning” his sinker this spring. His sinker was statistically his toughest pitch to hit last year though not thrown as much. His four-seam fastball was his dominant pitch. Crochet also threw his changeup with more regularity last year as he quickly grew into a versatile starter.
In the first half, Crochet was among the top pitchers in the American League with a 3.02 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 150 strikeouts in 107 innings and a .200 batting average against. While his numbers slid in the second half while being limited in innings, he finished the year with a 3.58 ERA, 1.068 WHIP and 209 strikeouts — all respectable numbers.
Cora is hopeful the Red Sox will see the Crochet that big league hitters faced in the first half.
Cora said Crochet “knows what he wants to do. And you saw a glimpse last year. Hopefully he can continue to get better and be the monster he was last year.”
Cora said he was impressed by Buehler’s performance in the World Series last year, in which he shut down the New York Yankees with six scoreless innings including a win in Game 4 and the last three outs of the World Series to get the save in the deciding Game 5.
“He was huge,” Cora said. “His willingness to pitch when he wasn’t 100% kind of. He was amazing. His stuff in the playoffs caught my attention right away. I love the fact that he wanted the ball in that last game. The last pitch of the season was a great one. He is a good one,” Cora said. “We’re in a good place.”
The Red Sox officially parted with starting pitcher Nick Pivetta, who signed with the Padres this week after a solid season with Boston last year.
NATHAN MAYBERG
Red Sox Manager Alex Cora works with minor league reliever Nathanael Cruz at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers.
NATHAN MAYBERG
Red Sox fans surround the club’s shortstop prospect Kristian Campbell during the first day of full squad workouts at the team’s spring training camp in Fort Myers.
prospect Chandler Simpson (left) batted .355 with a .410 on-base percentage while swiping 104 bases across Double-A Montgomery and High-A
Rays get look at one of baseball’s top hitting prospects
By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers.com
You just never know who you might find or discover at spring training.
An hour up I-75 at Port Charlotte where the Tampa Bay Rays make their Spring Training home, Chandler Simpson was spraying one line drive after another against a pitching machine all over the practice field of Charlotte Sports Park.
Except for diehards Rays fans and prospect watchers, Simpson isn’t a name on the tip of the tongue of most baseball fans but he soon well could be.
Last year, between Double-A Montgomery and Advanced-A Bowling Green, Simpson batted .355 with a .410 on-base percentage. He also helped himself to 104 stolen bases across the two leagues. While the left-handed hitter hit just one ball out of the park over 110 games, he struck out just 43 times, one less than he walked – an unheard of stat in the modern game except for batting champions like Luis Arraez.
Ask Simpson how he became so good at hitting and you think he just stepped out of a DeLorean time machine from Back to the Future. He starts dropping names like Hall of Famers Rod Carew and Tony Gwynn. He says
he watches videos of them talking about baseball and studies footage of their swings. “Anything I can find on YouTube,” he said.
Some of the clues he has picked up on?
“Keep my head down, stay on my back leg, stay short to the ball,” Simpson said.
In an age where hitters swing for the fences and post strikeout numbers that would have embarrassed the legends of an earlier era, Simpson is the ultimate throwback. And he is getting results.
Simpson’s numbers improved last year after hitting
See RAYS, page 17
NATHAN NAYBERG Rays
Bowling Green last season.
.293 between Single-A and Advanced-A Bowling Green in 2023, he moved up to .355 between Bowling Green and Double-A Montgomery. His numbers barely drifted from .364 at Bowling Green to .351 at Montgomery.
How good was Simpson’s season? Nobody in the minors outside of short-season rookie-league hit for a higher average. His .351 batting average in the Southern League at Montgomery was 51 points better than the second-best hitter James Triantos, a Cubs prospect.
Simpson said the Southern League was a “good league of pitchers.” He credited his success to “staying in my approach.”
Almost as impressive as his hitting statistics were his stolen base numbers. Simpson became just the third player since 2012 to steal 100 bases in a minor league season. The last players to do so were Delino Deshields Jr. who stole 101 bases in 2012 and Billy Hamilton, who stole 103 bases in 2011 and 155 bases in 2012.
Simpson said he hasn’t been told where his next assignment will be, though it will likely be at Triple-A Durham.
Bradley gets work in
Getting in a bullpen session this past week was starting pitcher Taj Bradley. Bradley is entering this spring off a sophomore season in which he improved all his numbers from his rookie campaign.
“It went well last year,” Bradley said. “Hindsight is 20/20. It could have been even better for me.” Bradley said he is looking forward to the new season and said the team has “good clubhouse vibes” this spring. He said he expects there to be an adjustment as the team plays in a new stadium in Tampa this year. The team will be play their home games at the spring training facility of the Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field due to damage sustained at the club’s Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg from Hurricane Milton.
“It’s like moving into a new home,” Bradley said. The right-hander is a dangerous arm for the Rays, who can throw one of four pitches in almost any count. Bradley backs up his four-seam fastball with a cutter,
curveball and split-finger changeup.
A 23-year-old Georgia native who didn’t start throwing as a pitcher until his senior year of high school, Bradley said he picked up his split-finger “by accident” while working on different grips. Bradley looked up to slugger Prince Fielder as a young ballplayer who was a first baseman until transitioning to pitcher.
Bradley said the key for him improving last season was his confidence.
His first half was better than his second half. Bradley pitched to a 2.90 ERA in the first half with an opposing batting average of just .208. His numbers ballooned in the second half with him posting a 5.30 ERA and a .260 batting average against. His WHIP increases from 1.1 to 1.3.
Bradley said he is working this spring on “Keeping it simple, being in the zone,” he said. “Everything is coming along. I am improving on consistency. Step by step.”
Rays pitcher Taj Bradley signs his autograph for fans at the team’s spring training camp in Port Charlotte.
As Spring Training opens, Twins counting on staff
By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers.com
Asked what the key to the upcoming season will be, Twins Manager Rocco Baldelli cited the team’s pitching staff, which he believes could be an elite group.
“To be a late-season team,” Baldelli said, “we are going to have to rely on our pitching staff.”
Quietly, the Minnesota Twins staff produced some of the better individual pitching seasons in Major League Baseball last year.
Bailey Ober posted the fifth-best WHIP (walks and hits per inning) for pitchers with 160 innings or more and batters hit just .208 against him — making him the ninth-hardest pitcher to hit against in the big leagues for starters with 160 innings or more.
Pablo Lopez, who went 15-10, was tied with four other pitchers for the third-most wins in the American League. His 1.999 walks per-nine-innings was the ninthbest in the majors.
Joe Ryan was also threatening one of the best seasons in the Majors before being shut down with a shoulder injury. While a 7-7 record might not have seemed elite in another era, his win-loss record hid some of his more top-tier numbers. His 0.985 WHIP placed him in the top five in the majors for those with 135 innings pitchers or more. Hitters batted .217 against him, which put him just behind National League Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale, who was 10th in the majors with a .216 batting average against.
For Ryan, the road was toughest among the starting pitching staff in getting back to spring training. Ryan said he is healthy after working hard in the offseason on strengthening his shoulder. His shoulder is “feeling good,” he said.
See TWINS, page 19
NATHAN MAYBERG
Twins pitcher Bailey Ober posted the fifth-best WHIP (walks and hits per inning) for pitchers with 160 innings or more last season.
Twins pitcher Pablo Lopez (left) was named the club’s Opening Day starter.
Twins pitcher Joe Ryan is returning from an injury-shortened season in which he posted a 0.985 WHIP, which was top-five among starters with 135 innings or more in the majors.
Twins From page 18
Ryan was noted for working on his pitching during the offseason before spring training began. Ryan called it “a normal offseason.”
Before starting his bullpen session Thursday, Ryan meticulously moved the dirt around in front of him to establish his landing spot in the dirt. “A lot of guys are throwing today,” Ryan said. “I wanted to make sure it’s ready for me.”
When he started throwing, Ryan looked as sharp as he has before. While other pitchers took time between pitches, Ryan worked quickly. At one point, he was throwing pitches in a rapid-fire motion almost as quick as the catcher threw it back.
“It feels good to be throwing a ball,” Ryan said after completing running drills. “Obviously it’s a little hot today. It’s just good to be out here and get a nice lather in and throw a bullpen.”
Ryan said his delivery Thursday felt “really smooth.”
Ryan credited his success last year in part to working with the staff. “They keep the information flowing,” he said. During his bullpen session Thursday, staff used electronic software to show him the movement on his pitches.
“I’m just working on staying consistent,” Ryan said. Baldelli said he was not surprised with how well Ryan has bounced back from injury. “It’s the timeline we were hoping for,” he said. Baldelli said Ryan healed quickly and is a durable pitcher. “He has a loose-frame body,”
Ober, the towering 6-foot 9-inch right-hander who is one of the club’s great homegrown successes since being drafted out of the College of Charleston in 2017 and pitching lights out with the Fort Myers Miracle in 2019, is trusted by Baldelli.
Baldelli said Ober is “as reliable as a pitcher arguably we have had the last few seasons.”
Baldelli said Ober has made “tremendous strides throwing.”
Ober said he felt that his season last year “was good overall.”
Ober said he will be working this spring on his mechanics and “to be as consistent as possible and try to have that same mindset going into this year. Just trying to improve every single day, trying to be as good as I was, just keep on trying to add something and just keep on improving. It’s day to day in this sport. You can’t look to far ahead and you can’t look too far behind so you just got to stay present.
Ober considers pitching a craft and wants to perfect his craft. “Pitching is an art and the way you throw is a very dynamic move and there is always ways to improve that and make it more efficient. So just trying to be in tune with how I am feeling and trying to get better,” Ober said.
“You know you are going to have a really good chance to win when he throws,” Baldelli said.
In his first pitch of his spring training bullpen, Ober’s pitch hit the catcher’s mitt like thunder. While Ober has not been known as one of the hardest-throwing pitchers in the majors, his height and reach and the movement on his pitches make him tough to square up. Ober said any increased velocity he gains “is a result of work you put in. It’s the timing of mechanics. If you are on time naturally, your velocity is going to be a tick up. So I am working on the process of throwing and the mechanics on the mound. That is particularly my focus.”
Ober’s control is another one of his leading stats in the game. His 2.17 walks per nine innings last year ranked
him in the top 10 of the American League.
As far as prepping for the season, the North Carolina native and resident said “Nothing crazy. Just hung out with my kids.”
Baldelli named Pablo Lopez the Opening Day starter for the team. Lopez spent his winter in Miami working with “one of my best friends” Astros reliever Luis Contreras. Contreras, like Lopez, is a native of Venezuela.
“We have a good rapport,” Lopez said. “We play catch. Give each other feedback. We have a good thing going. We push each other. It gives plenty of confidence for the upcoming season,” Lopez said.
“Last year in the second half I was able to find a groove in my mechanics. Just continue to harp on those things, those mental cues on the mound,” he said.
Lopez was sixth in the American League last season in strikeouts with 198, while posting a 4.08 ERA. Lopez said he will be working this spring on staying ahead in the count. “When you look at trends, percentages, there are some things you can clean up a little bit. So just clean up on those,” he said.
Baldelli will have some decisions on how the rest of his rotation shakes out. He will be choosing from a group that includes Chris Paddack, who returned from Tommy John surgery last season only to suffer a forearm strain.
Simeon Woods Richardson, whom the Twins acquired when they traded pitcher Jose Berrios to the Blue Jays in 2021, posted a 4.17 ERA last year across 28 starts. The team also called up homegrown prospect David Festa in August last year after Ryan went down. Festa posted a 4.90 ERA while striking out 77 batters in 64 innings.
Food truck park
From page 1
property owner. Also on the same side of the fence within seven and a half feet would be the food truck court with a building that would be able to house live music that could potentially be on from morning to night. On the other side of the pool is the Pelican Watch parking lot.
James Hotka is proposing the park as part of Empire Holding Corp., an Indiana corporation. The park would be built over where a home used to sit and that was destroyed by Hurricane Ian, with the parking lot constructed where restaurants have previously stood in the past.
“I know there is nothing in the town code to allow that,” Hotka said at a public hearing in front of the LPA.
Randy Briesath, president of the Pelican Watch Condo Owners Association, called the live music proposed by Hotka as “the No. 1 issue.”
Briesath said the commercial “intrusion into the neighborhood” can’t be mitigated.
“We have a seven-and-a-half foot proposed buffer to our land,” Briesath said. “The day this place opens is the last day we have peace and quiet at the pool.”
Briesath sees the expanded parking lot in front of their property and near the beach access as another potential problem that will lead to more foot traffic around their property and more vehicles passing through their garage when motorists search for parking.
The town’s planning staff, as part of a recent trend, recommended approval of the project with 27 conditions.
In the past, town staff would automatically deny most projects needing deviations from the local development code. That has all changed in the past year as projects such as Seagate Development Group and the Pink Shell
“The day this place opens is the last day we have peace and quiet at the pool.”
-Pelican Watch Condo Association President Randy Briesath
The condo owner’s association of Pelican Watch invested approximately $10 million into repairs after Hurricane Ian (only about half of which was covered by their insurance) in order to open up last year with the early second wave of condo reopenings on the island. The condo association is $2.85 million in debt for the renovations it has undertaken since Hurricane Ian. “We lost all our plumbing, electrical, elevators, everything on the ground level.”
Their pool is currently still being repaired. Briesath and other owners fear their peace and quiet from the pool and the tranquil beachfront setting of their condos will be ruined by any music next door.
LPA Chair Anita Cereceda picked up on the
live music issue and said she believed it was the most contentious issue surrounding the project.
“Would you agree to no live music and you all control it (as ambient music inside)?,” Cereceda said.
“We could do it through our amplifiers,” Hotka said.
“I don’t even know if we need music.”
Cereceda said live music can be “obtrusive” to neighbors who don’t care for the music.
Briesath said he had meetings with the property owners and their planning representatives The Neighborhood Company. Briesath said he has sked if the food truck court could be placed further away from their pool but was told that wouldn’t work.
Voting in favor of the approving the ordinance for the rezoning was Jim Dunlap, Doug Eckmann, John McLean, Jane Plummer and Don Sudduth.
Voting against was Cereceda, James Boan and John McClean.
The Town of Fort Myers Beach Council will have to approve the ordinance for the proposal to move forward.
Shrimp festival
From page 1
8 a.m. to noon.
This year’s shrimp festival will also include the Queen’s Pageant on Saturday, March 8, at Bayside Veterans Park. An arts and crafts fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, March 9, on Old San Carlos Boulevard. On Sunday, a blessing of the fleet will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Erickson and Jensen Seafood off Shrimp Boat Lane and Main Street on San Carlos Island after services at St. Raphael’s Episcopal Church and St. Peter’s Lutheran Church.
Sunday afternoon will also include a shrimp-eating contest at 2 p.m. at Sandy’s Bottom’s Bar & Grill and a closing ceremony at Bayside Veteran’s Park from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Beach Resort and Marina hotel project won the endorsements of town staff in their proposals with deviations needed.
FILE PHOTO
NATHAN MAYBERG
WHAT’S HAPPENING
Services at Beach Baptist Church
Beach Baptist church at 130 Connecticut St., Fort Myers Beach Service at 10:30 every Sunday
All are welcome, we are pet friendly! 239-463-6452
https://beachbaptist.org
Services at St. Peter Lutheran Church
St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church in America at 3751 Estero Boulevard, Fort Myers Beach
Outdoor Services under the tent
Every Sunday 9 a.m.
All are welcome, we are pet friendly 239-463-4251
stpeterfmb@gmail.com www.stpeterfmb.com
YouTube - St Peter Lutheran Church Fort Myers Beach FL
In cooperation with former Chapel by the Sea and Beach United Methodist Church.
Services at St. Raphael’s Episcopal Church
St. Raphael’s Episcopal Church welcomes the public each Sunday at 10 a.m. for services in its parish hall at 5601 Williams Drive in Fort Myers Beach.
For more information regarding services, contact 239463-6057 or email office@straphaelschurch.org
Gospel music legend, Bill Gaither to kick off ‘Love Like I’m Leaving’ Tour Feb. 21
Multi-Grammy Award winning recording artist, Bill Gaither will kick off the 2025 “Love Like I’m Leaving” Tour this Spring, as he brings his multi-award winning group, The Gaither Vocal Band to 16 cities during February, March, April and May. The first weekend of stops will take place in multiple cities throughout Florida, including the stop at the First Assembly of God in Ft Myers on Friday, Feb. 21.
Taking the stage with Gaither and the Gaither Vocal Band during the Spring 2025 “Love Like I’m Leaving” Tour, featuring Wes Hampton, Adam Crabb, Todd Suttles and Reggie Smith, will be popular female vocalist, Ladye Love Smith, talented male vocalist, Gene McDonald, and newcomer phenom and The Voice winner, Chris Blue, as well as Gaither’s musical entourage, comprised of Kevin Williams, Matthew Holt and Michael Rowsey.
Tickets for the 2025 “Love Like I’m Leaving” Tour are on sale now. Make plans to join Bill Gaither & The Gaither Vocal Band in Fort Myers at the First Assembly of God on Friday, Feb. 21. This exciting evening begins at 7 p.m. To purchase tickets or obtain additional details visit www.gaither.com.
‘Caught in the Net’ at Broadway Palm through Feb. 23
Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre invites you to laugh out loud with its Off Broadway Palm production of Caught in the Net, running now through Feb. 23. This side-splitting farce, written by Ray Cooney, is the uproarious sequel to the hit comedy Run for Your Wife.
The story follows taxi driver John Smith, who is desperately trying to keep his two separate families—and his bigamy—a secret. When his teenage children from each marriage accidentally meet online, chaos erupts, leading to a web of hilarity, mistaken identities, and frantic cover-ups.
Enjoy an afternoon or evening of nonstop laughter in the charming Off Broadway Palm Theatre. Get your tickets now for Caught in the Net by visiting the Broadway Palm website, calling the box office, or stopping by the theatre in person. Show and meal prices start at $65, with show-only options available. Group discounts are also offered for parties of 20 or more.
Show Details
Dates: Jan. 14 – Feb. 23
Location: 1380 Colonial Blvd., Fort Myers
Tickets: Available at BroadwayPalm.com or by calling 239-278-4422
Prices: $55 — $70, with special rates for groups of
Lee County Parks & Recreation summer camp registration
Lee County Parks & Recreation Summer Camp registration opens at 7 a.m. Monday, Feb. 24. 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 who have completed kindergarten through fifth grade. Middle school camps are for sixth through eighth grades. Specialty and special needs camps’ ages vary. Check locations for specific ages.
Summer camp runs for seven weeks from Monday, June 16, through Friday, Aug. 1. The cost for camp is $85 per week per child, an increase from the previous rate of $75. This adjustment allows us to enhance the camp experience by adding more program opportunities, such as an additional field trip at most sites.
For locations, visit www.leeparks.org.
Parents are encouraged to sign up early. Camp registration is ongoing as long as space is available.
Helpful tips from the registration desk:
∫To register for camp at one of the four large recreation centers – Estero, North Fort Myers, Veterans Park in Lehigh Acres or Wa-Ke Hatchee – 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.
∫A household account at www.webtrac.leegov. com is needed to register online.
Motown Group to perform at Edison and Ford Winter Estates
On Friday, Feb. 28, the Collaboration Band will perform Motown hits on the historic Ford lawn, along the Caloosahatchee River at Edison and Ford Winter Estates. The performance is part of the Rhythm on the River concert series. Gates open at 6 p.m. and the concert starts at 6:30.
The Collaboration Band is a gathering of veteran musicians dedicated to the authentic playing of Soul, R&B and Motown music. Each member brings years of experience: Ms. Verceal Whitaker is the former lead vocalist with the Platters; Willie Miller plays drums and provides lead and background vocals; on guitar and vocals, is Steve LaValley; Joshua Townsend provides keyboards and vocals; and Alonzo Smith provides vocals. In addition, there will be three feature artists for this show: Mike Caddy, lead vocalist for the Cleveland Philharmonic; Trez Gregory, former background vocalist for Brooks & Dunn; and Steve E. Geroge, who was inducted into the Iowa Blues Hall of Fame.
Guests should bring a lawn chair and a sweater if the weather is chilly. Food trucks will be on site. No coolers or picnic baskets are permitted. Free parking is available in the main Edison Ford parking lot at 2350 McGregor Boulevard.
Individual tickets purchased in advance are $30 for Edison Ford members or $35 for non-members. Individual ticket holders should bring a lawn chair, as seating is not provided. A VIP seating area may be reserved by the table for $275 (for up to 5 people). The VIP ticket includes the use of a table and chairs. Purchase tickets at EdisonFord.org.
Edison and Ford Winter Estates is at 2350 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers.
FMBrew 12th Anniversary Party set for Feb. 28-March 2
Fort Myers Brewing Company is gearing up for an epic four-day celebration to mark its 12th anniversary from Feb. 28 to March 2. This memorable event promises an unforgettable experience filled with over 50
∫Registration for swimming lessons and other aquatics programs begins Wednesday, March 5.
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 Parks and Recreation locations, volunteer opportunities, or amenities and special events: visit www.leeparks.org, call 239-533-7275, email leeparks@leegov.com or follow Lee County Parks & Recreation on Facebook and Instagram.
To receive updates from Lee County Government, sign up for the newsletter here: www.leegov.com/resources/newsletters. Follow Lee County Government on Facebook, www.facebook.com/leecountyflbocc.
rotating specialty craft beers, Spyk’d Seltzer slushies and cocktails, mouthwatering food trucks, and live music that will keep the parking lot party going allllll weekend long. Indulge in specialty dishes from more than a dozen food trucks, featuring both new and longtime partners such as Detour Diner, South Pizza Co., Yo Samara’s, Don’t Give Up, Wicked Streatery, Chopped, and more! Live performances by local artists including the Ben Allen Band, Rock Republic, Chasing Denver, Matt Walden, Zack Couron, and Taylor Tones will add to the exciting atmosphere, ensuring fun for families, friends, and even furry companions.
Have
a ‘Yappy Valentine’s Day’ at Lee County Domestic Animal Services
Lee County Domestic Animal Services invites you to have a “Yappy Valentine’s Day” by adopting a devoted dog this February. Adoption fees on all adult dogs will be reduced to just $14 from Feb. 1 through Feb. 28.
The reduced adoption fee includes the complete package of services: sterilization, age-appropriate vaccinations, county license, microchip ID, deworming, flea treatment, a heartworm test for dogs, feline AIDS and leukemia test for cats, and a 10-day health guarantee. The adoption package is valued at more than $600.
The adoption center at Lee County Domestic Animal Services is open 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. MondaySaturday at 5600 Banner Drive, Fort Myers, next to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office off Six Mile Cypress Parkway. Available pets can be viewed online at www. leelostpets.com and adoption applications can be submitted online. For more information, call 239-533-7387 (LEE-PETS).
Al-Anon, Al-Ateen meetings
Are you concerned with a friend or family member’s drinking? Let us help.
Call our 24-hour helpline at 941-564-5098 or visit www.SouthFloridaAl-Anon.org. Meetings are held every day in Lee County.
Al-Ateen meetings are also offered for ages 10-18.
PET PALS
Fosters needed
By ISABELLE WELLS
Co-founder
of the Find a Home, Give a Home pet rescue organization of Fort Myers Beach
Please remember purebreed puppies and dogs do help us to save more dogs. Be part of the solution. Help rescues, not breeders and puppy stores. We in rescue spend countless hours saving pets. Veterinary services are not free for us. Thanks for supporting our efforts to save lives.
We always looking for foster!! Call or text 239-2810739 for more information. All donations are welcome. Our address is PO BOX 864 Bonita Springs Florida 34133.
Handsome Archie is a schnauzer-poodle mix also called schnoodle and is looking for his forever home! He is 4/ 1/2 months old. Call or text Isabelle at 239-281-0739.
Please make sure you do it through “Friends
Volunteers Needed
By Jo Knobloch
Founder of Save Our Strays Cat Rescue a 501c3 organization onFortMyersBeachSaveourstraysfmb@yahoo.com
Give us a call at 239-851-3485 if you would like to meet these two special kittens. We need volunteers to come to the rescue on Fort Myers Beach to play with cats and kittens and also help with various duties at the rescue. If you have a few hours a week please let us know as we always need help.
We go through 8 gallons of litter in less than a week and if you could donate any we would most appreciate it. Publix has bogos on litter almost every week. It is now kitten season due to people not spaying their female cats and we already have a 4-week-old litter. Kitten wet food is needed as well as non-scoopable clay litter as kittens cannot have scoopable until they are at least 3 months old. Any donations can be dropped off at Pet Supermarket on College and 41 in Fort Myers or The Book Nook in Santini plaza on south end of Fort Myers Beach.
Don’t forget Ren. She is still looking for her forever home!! She is young and beautiful. Only 40 pounds. Ren is a shepherd mix and is dog friendly.
Ginger is 8 months old. When she came to us she was 40 pounds then when she was groomed she lost 10 pounds. She was matted and in deplorable shape. She is a golden doodle who is learning how to be a dog after being a breeder’s dog. She is luck she got out of there. Fostered on the island. Call or text Isabelle at 239-2810739.
PHOTOS PROVIDED Tricia is a dark Torti shell female kitten and has splashes of peach running through her dark coat which is very unique. She is 7 months old but small for her age. Loves to play and is timid at first but warms up quickly.
is a black and white male 11-month-old kitten. His
mate was unfortunately adopted without him. He is looking for a forever home and is very playful and affectionate.
Ozzie
female
Schools/Instruction
SAN CARLOS BAY SAIL & POWER SQUADRON
IMPORTANT NOTICE !
Fort Myers Beach Power Squadron Again Offering Safe Boating Classes Open To The Public. America’s Boating Course. This boating safety course is designed for individuals operating all types of watercraft. This course covers boating safety, basic navigation aids, and safe boating techniques.
SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION
EARNS YOU A FLORIDA
BOATER ID CARD. The upcoming classes are scheduled for March 29 / April 5, and May 17 & 24, 2025. Each class will last 4 hours per day.
We aim to help new boaters and those new to the area navigate our shallow waters, to local marinas and water-accessible restaurants. Our unique program, LOCAL WATERS/LOCAL CHARTS, offers this service. This class is taught on Saturday mornings for 4 hours. OUR NEXT CLASSES ARE : February 22 and March 22, 2025. To register call 239-466-4040. Leave a message and our registrar will contact you!
Join the fun at: Fort Myers Beach Classroom / Squadron Office located at 16048 San Carlos Boulevard, Fort Myers, Fl.33908. We would love to meet you and answer all your boating questions!
Cemetery - Cremation
Cemetery Burial Plots for Sale
Lee Memorial Park- Ft Myers, FL Garden of Prophecy
Section “C” - Lot 107 -1 or 2
Available immediately
Inspection by appointment
Discounted $7875 Call or text 239-203-7514
Cape Coral, 1427 SW 38th Ter, Fri 2/21 & Sat 2/22, 8am-2pm. Breakfast set (table w/4 chairs), freestanding mirror, couch & chair, Glasstop endtables, sea turtle lamps, floor lamp, dual recliner loveseat, 54” glass top table, 6 cushion chairs, 36” x 72” book shelf, 2 side tables, 2 table lamps, 12” bath storage, Art & Craft shelving /storage, 2 golf club sets, bath & home products, jewelry, patio table w/ umbrella & more.
Cape, 1409 Everest Pkwy, Fri 2/21 & Sat 2/22. Big Sale - Low Prices. Lamps, tables, medical equip/supplies, ladies pull-ups, clothes, fabric, tools, DVD’s, VHS, & Much More!
REDBARN
FabulousEstateSale
Recreation Vehicles
I BUY ALL RV’s
I BUY ALL Boat’s
HH I PAY CASH HH
I will Come To You To See It Quick & Easy Sale. CASH ON THE SPOT! Vince~941-301-9946~Local
Power Boats
For Sale: His & Hers crypts, Coral Ridge Cemetary, Memory 2 South inside. Titled, $12000 ea. Call 239-699-4822 Please leave message Garage Sales BuccaneerEstates CARPORTSALE SatFeb22nd 8:00AM-2:00PM 2210NTamiamiTrail
SatFeb22nd&SunFeb23rd 8amto3pm 1904SE44thSt (OffDelPradoatOrchid) Hugeestatefullof antiquefurnitureandloads ofcollectiblesincluding Vintagepaintingsand prints,afullsetof Victorianfurniture,white leatherstresslesschairs, china,lanaifurniture, clothes,linens,queenbed &muchmore. Donátmissit!
Besuretoseethephotos! Pictures: facebook.com/RedBarnCapeCoral
TrinityLutheranChurch AnnualYard,Plant& BakeSale
SatFeb22nd,8am-1pm 706SW6thAve,CapeCoral (OffNicholas) GreatBargains SomethingForEveryone
