Cape Coral Weekend Breeze

Demolition of historic Yacht Club to begin

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

The city of Cape Coral has awarded a near $1 million contract to raze the Yacht Club park, including the historic ballroom

T h e “ p i g g y b a c k ” c o n t r a c t , s i g n e d Tuesday, was awarded to Winter Havenbased Jackson-Laux Construction LLC in the amount of $987, 716 04 with work to be completed in 60 days

C i t y C a p i t a l I m p r o v e m e n t s i n t e r i m

The city plans to rebuilt the park with Council approving a concept plan that calls for a two-story event and meeting center, a resort-style pool and separate children’s pool, and four-story parking garage among the new amenities. The pier and yacht basin are to be rebuilt with additional parking for boat trailering. Estimated costs exceed $100 million with the city also considering possible public-private partnerships for some of the amenities.

Director David Hyyti said at Wednesday’s Cape Coral City Council workshop that staff has asked Johnson-Laux to get started

within 30 days He said one of the permits may take longer a final dewater permit to begin the pool demolition

Signature event set for Sunday

By MEGHAN BRADBURY

news@breezenewspapers com

A plethora of signature dishes, beverages and live entertainment will fill Cultural Park this Sunday for the annual Taste of the Cape “Taste of the Cape was created out of a partnership between the Chamber of Commerce of Cape Coral’s Education Committee and the Gulf Coast Symphony Both organizations drew from their passion to provide scholarships and music education programs to local students in our community Through the generosity of our sponsors, volunteers and community attendee, Taste of the Cape has allowed those programs to thrive Over the last 10

years, this event has raised tens of thousands of dollars and benefited hundreds of local students,” said President & CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of Cape Coral Donna Germain

The 10th annual Taste of the Cape will be held from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, March 3, at Cultural Park

“This is a true community event that directly benefits the future of our community, our kids We are truly proud of our staff and volunteers who come together to make this happen each year We have seen some challenges in the last year as businesses

See TASTE of the CAPE, page 9

“We are asking them to start to get the building taken down while waiting for the final permit,” Hyyti said City Manager Mike Ilczyszyn said he was hoping the work would start Thursday with the interior demolition, such as disconnecting the air condition system and properly degassing it, as well as taking down fencing

“I would like to have it start as soon as

See

Ag Expo opens

By MEGHAN BRADBURY and JOHNATHAN MINEHAN news@breezenewspapers com

The Southwest Florida Ag Expo is under way at the Lee County Civic Center Complex in North Fort Myers.

The newly rebranded annual event opened Thursday and runs through March 10

Lee County kicked off the opening with a ribbon cutting and a thank you to those who organized this year’s effort with its emphasis on youth participation

“It takes a team,” said Miriam Dotson, SWFL Ag Expo s p o k e s p e r s o n .

“We’ve had hundreds of county employees come together, they come from different departments, including Parks and Rec

“We’ve had different parts of the county that have been able to show their expertise and more experience in putting on large scale-events and be successful ”

If first reactions are any indication, the effort looks to be a success

“It’s family-oriented. There is a lot of things to do with your family and it’s military day,” said Phyllis Allsworth, who was among the first attendees Thursday afternoon “There is tons of cool stuff to try and every-

Registration for summer VPK classes under way

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

A shorter version of the Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten program will be offered this summer for students entering kindergarten in the fall

Head Start Program Coordinator Tiffany Franklin said one of the requirements for participating in the Voluntary PreKindergarten program is offering it both during the school year and the summer. There is a requirement of 300 hours for students to complete the VPK program

“Typically, the kids that attend the summer program have not attended the school year program It’s a little more intensive in instruction because of less time,” she said

The classes are held from 7:30 a m to 5:30 p m from June 10, through July 29, at the Early Childhood Learning Center, 3650 Michigan Ave , in Fort Myers

The school district has had decent participation with four classrooms and 48 children taking advantage of the summer VPK program in the past The classes are taught by certified teachers

“We are only limited by the number of people we have signed up For example, we do more hiring if we have more

students We hope we will be able to get more kids enrolling,” Franklin said

The School District of Lee County offers transportation to and from the center for the majority of the children. She said it does not matter where the student lives in the district

The school day kicks off with the teachers and students in a greeting circle where they go over such topics as what to expect for the day, how their night was, and introducing themselves to the other students There is a family style breakfast that the kids get to participate in where teachers encourage conversations following the circle time

From there instructional activities take place, as well as going outside to play Franklin said most of their day is based around instruction explicit instruction to hone on certain skills Those skills are learning letters, numbers, colors, shapes, and positional words to help kids with reading

At the end of the day there is a recap of what the kids have learned and what to expect the following day before the students either take the bus home, or their parents pick them up from school

To participate in the summer VPK program, students must be 5 years old by Sept 1, and be registered for kindergarten for the 2024-2025 school year

“Once they meet all the requirements, they go to the Coalition to get the voucher extended to them,” Franklin said, adding that if the voucher was used anytime during the school

year, they will not be able to take advantage of the summer funding for the VPK program

The voucher can be obtained online at www elcofswfl org, or by making an appointment to go in person at 2675 Winkler Ave, Fort Myers

To register for the VPK program, families need to bring their voucher, receipt of enrollment in kindergarten, child’s birth certificate and proof of address to the Early Learning Coalition Childhood Center

The preference is for families to let them know by the end of May if they plan to participate in the program, so they can prepare for the right number of children

The VPK summer program is important because it is the last chance for students to have kindergarten readiness, Franklin said

They hear feedback from many kindergarten teachers, as well as school administration, that there is a very big difference in kids who have attended the VPK program verses those who do not She said the VPK program provides the students with social and emotional skills, as well as number and letter fundamentals

“If a child is not used to sitting for a longer period of time, or (receive) explicit instruction, it is hard for kindergarten teachers to teach that in advance,” Franklin said

For more information call (239) 332-2512 and ask for

Lori Jacobson

Summer enrichment camps offered

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

A high quality, affordable summer enrichment camp is being offered for youths 6 to 18 at six locations throughout Lee County one of which is in Cape Coral with registration currently under way

“We consider ourselves an organization that comes alongside the schools and helps support our students and we support them when schools are out,” Boys & Girls Club of Lee County CEO Denise Gergley said

She said it was important to her when she came on as the CEO to create a strategic partnership with the School District of Lee County

With the school district partnership, they are able to use district resources, such as the school location, classrooms, gym and cafeteria to run their program

“It’s a great partnership I have been here about 3-1/2 years It was the first initiative I worked on It’s important that all of us work together to help students and families,” she said

The program begins on June 10 and runs through July 26 with the Cape Coral l o c a t i o n r e t u r n i n g t o Challenger Middle School at 624 Trafalgar Parkway

The last couple of years there has been a waiting list at this location

The Boys & Girls Club l o c a t i o n s u m m e r e n r i c hment camp runs from June 10, through Aug 2

“We operate on a one-to15 ratio,” she said “We are strategically located, there’s a location in Cape Coral, B o n i t a S p r i n g s , t w o i n Lehigh Acres and two in Fort Myers as well ”

Most locations run from 7 : 3 0 a m t o 6 p m , a l t h o u g h s o m e l o c a t i o n s v a r y T h e c a m p e r s w i l l receive a free lunch and snack daily

It is $59 per week to register

They offer scholarships to families in need, as well as provide sibling discounts

The registration is on a f i r s t - c o m e , f i r s t - s e r v e d basis Gergley encourages parents to sign up as quickly a s p o s s i b l e , a s t h e y f r eq u e n t l y h a v e w a i t l i s t s

From a registration standpoint, the camp will attract a r o u n d 7 0 0 p a r t i c i p a n t s with a daily attendance of around 500

With the camp serving ages 6 to 18, they also offer a t e e n s c l u b w h e r e t h e y focus on specialized pro-

Those who look forward to rides, carnival games and, of course, the annual indulgence of fair fare, are not going to find the newly rebranded Southwest Florida Ag Expo lacking the things that made the old regional fair a staple for generations of Lee Countians

The Ferris wheel and funnel cakes are back as is the live entertainment and all the daily admission specials that attracted crowds to the Lee Civic Center off Bayshore Road in North Fort Myers

The rebranded name, though, is a definite throwback and perhaps commitment to the event’s rural roots and old Lee County, which is disappearing development by development.

After speaking with members of the community it was apparent that showcasing the youth and livestock portion while highlighting the agricultural community was the way to go, Lee County Parks & Recreation Operations Manager Lisa Weaver said in an interview with The Breeze

Based on that input, the county decided to spotlight the youths who take part and upgraded much of the animal husbandry amenities on the former fairgrounds

With the county continuing to look at options for the muchoutdated complex it owns and again operates, the re-focus on the efforts of area youth and programs like 4-H is not a bad thing

It may be a good thing, indeed.

It means, we hope, that the Lee County Commission is listening to public input received although the acreage on which the Civic Center sits is a prime location that at least one developer eyed for shopping and more a couple of years ago when officials began exploring the “what’s next” for the multi-use complex that once was a premier venue for concerts, events, and more

The Southwest Florida Ag Expo opened Thursday and continues through March 10

It looks to be not only a continuation, but another new beginning for an event that has evolved through time and place since 1924.

We thank the former Southwest Florida & Lee County Fair board for its efforts through the decades and we thank Lee County’s Parks & Recreation Department and all others involved for their efforts to make the transformation a seamless one this year

Breeze editorial

This week’s poll question:

Are you in favor of student loan forgiveness as it is currently being implemented.

∫ Yes

∫ No

∫ I might favor some type of forgiveness but any program should be approved by Congress Vote at capecoralbreeze com

Previous poll question

Are politics impacting the education of our children?

∫ Yes, to the better. 1.25%

∫ Yes, to their detriment 97%

∫ No 1 75%

Votes as of press time: 454 votes

Poll results are not scientific and represent only the opinions of Internet users who have chosen to participate

v e n i e n t w a y t o c a s t y o u r v o t e V i s i t w w w l e e v o t e t o r e q u e s t y o u r m a i l b a ll o t T o c o n t i n u e p r o v i d i n g s u p e r i o r e l e ct i o n s e r v i c e s , w e i m p l e m e n t e d B a l l o t T r a x a s e c u r e b a l l o t t r a c k i n g a n d n o t i f i c a t i o n s e r v i c e t h a t p r o v i d e s y o u w i t h a s e r i e s o f u p d a t e s o n t h e s t a t e o f y o u r V o t e - b y - M a i l B a l l o t t h r o u g h e m a i l , t e x t a n d p h o n e a l e r t s d u r i n g t h e e l e c t i o n W h e n y o u s i g n u p f o r t h i s f r e e s e r vi c e , y o u w i l l r e c e i v e n o t i f i c a t i o n s e v e r y s t e p o f t h e w a y f r o m t h e t i m e y o u r b a l l o t i s m a i l e d , t o w h e n i t i s r e c e i v e d a n d c o u n t e d I f a n i s s u e a r i s e s w i t h y o u r b a l l o t , y o u w i l l r e c e i v e a n a l e r t w i t h i n s t r u c t i o n s o n h o w t o r e s o l v e i t T o s i g n u p f o r B a l l o t T r a x a n d c u s t o m i z e y o u r n o t if i c a t i o n p r e f e r e n c e s , v i s i t o u r w e b s i t e a t w w w l e e v o t e I n s t i l l i n g t r u s t i n t h e e l e c t i o n p r o c e s s a n d i n c r e a si n g t r a n s p a r e n c y i n c o n d u c t i n g e l e c t i o n s i n L e e C o u n t y i s p a r a m o u n t P h y s i c a l s e c u r i t y a n d c y b e r s ec u r i t y r e m a i n t o p p r i o r i t i e s i n k e e p i n g o u r e l e c t i o n s s a f e a n d a c c u r a t e

B e g i n n i n g t h i s y e a r , w e w i l l u s e C l e a r B a l l o t a p o s t - e l e c t i o n a u d i t s y s t e m c e r t i f i e d b y t h e s t a t e o f F l o r i d a t o v e r i f y e l e c t i o n r e s u l t s . T h i s s y s t e m a l l o w s u s t o s c a n 1 0 0 % o f t h e b a l l o t s u s e d i n a n e l e ct i o n a n d c o m p a r e e l e c t i o n r e s u l t s f r o m V o t e - b y - M a i l , E a r l y V o t i n g a n d E l e c t i o n D a y t o e n s u r e t h e a c c u r a c y o f o u r t a b u l at i o n s y s t e m T h i s w i l l f u r t h e r s t r e n g t h e n o u r e l e c t i o n p r o c e s s a n d p r o v i d e g r e a t e r a s s u r a n c e t o v o t e r s F l o r i d a h a s t h e s t r i c t e s t e l e c t i o n l a w s i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s t o p r e v e n t v o t e r f r a u d M y t e a m a n d I , t o g e t h e r w i t h t h e S u p e r v i s o r s o f E l e c t i o n s a c r o s s t h e s t a t e , w o r k d i l i g e n t l y t o u p h o l d t h e s t a t u t o r i l y m a n d a t e d v o t e r r e g i s t r a t i o n a n d e l e c t i o n p r o c e d u r e s t h a t w o r k t o p r e s e r v e t h e i n t e g r i t y o f t h e e l e c t i o n p r o c e s s A s y o u r S u p e r v i s o r o f E l e c t i o n s , l e t m e a s s u r e y o u t h a t m y t e a m a n d I r e m a i n c o m m i t t e d t o s a f e g u a r d i n g t h e i n t e g r i t y o f e l e c t i o n s i n L e e C o u n t y b y c o n t i n u i n g t o c o n d u c t a c c u r a t e , s e c u r e a n d t r a n s p a r e n t e l e c t i o n s A s y o u r t r u s t e d s o u r c e f o r e l e c t i o n i n f o r m a t i o n , p l e a s e c o n t a c t m e o r m y s t a f f w i t h a n y q u e s t i o n s o r c o n c e r n s T o m m y D o y l e i s t h e L e e C o u n t y S u p e r v i s o r o f E l e c t i o n s F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , v i s i t h t t p s : / / w w w l e e v o t e / o r c a l l 2 3 9 - 5 3 3 - 8

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Some questions concer ning the planned pedestrian bridge

To the editor:

Looks like another brilliant idea is going to bless Cape Coal, the new “Pedestrian Bridge ” I have a few questions for the planners of this bridge:

1) Why build a pedestrian bridge away from downtown shop and restaurants where those shops need customers?

2) Why would people park their cars at Braden Park, walk across the bridge and go to the welcome center?

3) Are there plans to add an elevator for wheelchair and other handicap-assisted equipment?

4) Who is paying for this bridge?

5) I am sure other people have thoughts and concerns about this bridge idea I, for one as a handicapped person, would not use this bridge due to the planned location that is out of the way from downtown I also feel there would be parking issues that would limit the amount of vehicles to park at the Braden Park site.

Sorry to say, but more planning needs to be thought out Gary Bongers

Cape Coral

Call student loan ‘for giveness’ what it is: Vote buying by Democrats

To the editor:

Once again the recent announcement made by the Biden-Harris Administration regarding canceling another $1 2 billion in student debt for roughly 153,000 borrowers President Biden has now unilaterally wiped away nearly $138 billion in federal student loans for almost 3.9 million borrowers without a single act of Congress despite the Supreme Court’s rejection of the president’s plans That money will get paid back one way or another, higher interest rates, higher inflation rates It is not being “forgiven” but put on the taxpayers

I believe that this decision raises concerns about the long-term implications for our economy and financial system I understand the intention behind providing relief however a majority of the people with student loan debt don’t need the help, they’re higher-income individuals making over $70k per year (Google it) The amount of

money required in all the loan-forgiveness proposals exceeds all the spending on most of the nation’s antipoverty programs over the last 30 years This is also an INSULT to those that work hard, paid back their loans or are paying them back diligently, and those that didn’t go to college and didn’t take out loans.

It is 100% Democrat vote buying

‘Answer’ not at all clear

Lou

Walker Cape Coral

T o t h e e d i t o r : N o r m a l l y I d o n o t r e p l y o r m a k e c o m m e n t t o a n y v i e w e x p r e s s e d i n t h e “ l e t t e r s t o t h e e d i t o r ” e d i t o r i a l s e c t i o n A f t e r a l l , o p i n i o n s v a r y a n d b e i n g a b l e t o e x p r e s s d i f f e r e n c e s i s a b a s i c r i g h t i n o u r s o c i e t y H o w e v e r , o n e r e c e n t l e t t e r w a s s o i n a c c u r a t e w i t h d i sd a i n , a s w r i t t e n , t h a t i t d e s e r v e s a r e s p o n s e . I a m r e f e r r i n g t o t h e l e t t e r o f F e b 3 t i t l e d “ T h e G i f t ” T h e w r i t e r o b v i o u s l y h a s a v e n d e t t a a g a i n s t D o n a l d T r u m p t o w h o m s h e r e f e r s a s “ T h e f o r m e r P r e s i d e n t ” T h e w r i t e r a c c u s e s h i m o f “ b l a t a n t s u p p o r t ” o f R u s s i a ( P u t i n ’ s ) i n t e r e s t T h e l e t t e r g o e s o n t o s a y , t h e “ f o r m e r p r e s i d e n t ” u s e d h i s “ t r e a c h e r o u s p o w e r o f r e v e n g e ” t o b u l l y t h e s p e a k e r o f t h e H o u s e i n t o r e j e c t i n g a b i l l i n C o n g r e s s t o f u n d v a r i o u s f o r e i g n g o v e r n m e n t s T h e l e tt e r s a y s h e d i d i t a s a “ g i f t ” t o P u t i n T h e l e t t e r e n d s w i t h “ W h o w i l l r u n o u r g o v e r n m e n t i f t h e ‘ f o r m e r p r e si d e n t ’ i s s u c c e s s f u l i n h i s r e - e l e c t i o n e f f o r t ? ” T h e l a s t s e n t e n c e p u t s t h i s o v e r t h e t o p a n d i s n o nr a t i o n a l a n d h a t e f u l : “ T h e a n s w e r i s c l e a r , P u t i n . ” I w o n d e r i f t h e w r i t e r r e a l i z e s h o w s h a l l o w a n d o b v io u s l y o n e - s i d e d t h i s l e t t e r i s I t d o e s n o t t a k e a m u c h t o p u t f a c t s f i r s t a n d a b o v e d i s d a i n a n d h a t r e d f o r a p a r t i c u l a r c a n d i d a t e I e n d w i t h t h i s c o m m e n t t o p o n d e r “ W h e n y o u r h a t r e d f o r o n e m a n i s g r e a t e r t h a n y o u r l o v e f o r o u r c o u n t r y , a

Tommy Doyle Guest Commentary

w w w . c a p e c o r a l b r e e z e . c o m C a p e C o r a l B r e e z e

From page 4

School policies are purpose-driven

To the editor:

The most recent issue of The Breeze included a number of opinion letters that contained both confusion and misinformation It would take a book the size of “War and Peace” to address everything but I would like to discuss just a couple of items

One writer just does not understand how our congressman and both our senators cannot vote for a bill that spends billions of dollars since some of it trickles into Lee County Maybe it is because they, unlike some apparently, realize that our country is $34 trillion in debt Yes, that is trillion with a TR We cannot even imagine an amount that large and no one has offered any pathway to get out of debt But one thing is sure, when one finds himself in a hole the first step to getting out is to stop digging. In our case we need to stop spending. Radical idea, perhaps How about we demand our representatives submit a balanced budget each year and live within their means They need to learn to “just say no” to spending more than we have coming into the treasury

Another, a former educator, knows what she is doing and she knows she is being deceptive with the readers The letter inserts the phrase “book banning” deliberately because the writer knows it will elicit a specific response from Americans Book banning brings up images of the Nazis burning books in the streets of Germany including the classic great works of literature, religion and many other great books Gov DeSantis is focused on a very specific area. He does not want young children exposed to pornography in our schools He does not care if high school students read “The Catcher in the Rye,” but he does care if young children are exposed to pornographic material at an early age

Instead of Purple Group people reflexively opposing his efforts, work together to make sure that books that do not belong in the school library are not there and books that do belong there are there There has got to be common ground

And of course, another writer cannot start her letter out without putting out the “don’t say gay” lie When you start with that lie everything you say becomes suspect Apparently the writer does not like the rules or guidelines Lee County has put in place. Well, newsflash, these things are put in place for a reason

I will say the same thing I told my teacher friends a couple of decades ago when multiple layers of standardized testing was added to the curriculum That testing was being added in response to kids graduating who could not add or subtract Who could not speak correct English Who could not write a resume

These guidelines are being added because most Americans don’t want little white children being taught they are oppressors and little black children being taught they are victims of oppression Americans do not want young children being encouraged to question their gender Being encouraged to initiate sexual transitioning without even informing the parents of what is going on Many parents don’t want to see BLM flags in student rooms while at the same time students who wear a T-shirt with the American flag on it are sent home because it offends someone

We are blessed to have many great dedicated teachers We also have a lot of teachers who went through the college education system run by a bunch of left wing, anti Americans professors and many come out radicalized Any teacher who insists on indoctrinating instead of teaching has no business in our classrooms

Keith Lakes

Cape Coral

Reagan would be appalled at today’s ‘Reagan Republicans’

To the editor:

The GOP reveres Ronald Reagan and many of them proudly refer to themselves as “Reagan Republicans ” Personally, I disagreed with Reagan on a whole host of issues, but I respected the man as someone who loved our democracy and would never have considered trashing the Constitution to protect his own power

Reagan would be appalled and ashamed of the behavior of many in today’s GOP. Would he have suffered the likes of Marjorie Taylor-Greene and Matt Gaetz? Would he have taken advice from Jim Jordan and Ted Cruz?

Reagan hated dictators, hated the Soviet Union, and Vladimir Putin is no different than the Soviet autocrats Reagan regularly clashed with If he were alive, I’m sure Reagan would want to punch Tucker Carlson in the face for his fawning interview and unabashed admiration for Putin And as for his suggestion that life in Russia today is better than in the USA; I wouldn’t want to be in the same room when

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Reagan watched that segment How would Reagan have responded to Congressional Republican foot dragging on additional military aid to Ukraine?

You can’t say you love this country when you hate half the people who live here and want to tear down our democracy Ronald Reagan had a conservative agenda, but he understood he had a responsibility to all Americans, not just those who agreed with him

Ray Clasen North Fort Myers

Freedom and Power

To the editor:

Freedom of speech is the freedom to be heard, and most citizens’ freedom to be heard has been reduced as big corporations with deep pockets get the loudest political voice There is no countervailing power

By the 2016 campaign cycle, corporations and Wall Street contributed $34 to political campaigns for every $1 donated by labor unions and all public interest organizations combined (And the richest one-hundredth of 1 percent of Americans accounted for 40 percent of all personal donations )

What have big corporations and the ultra-wealthy received for all their money? Among other things: Lower trade barriers, Deregulation of Wall Street, Deregulation of finance, Weakened unions, Weakened laws against monopolies, Lower taxes and wider tax loopholes for large corporations and the ultra-wealthy, Weakened laws against insider trading

It has been a vicious cycle Each change in laws has ratcheted wealth and power upward, making it easier for the wealthy and powerful to gain further legal changes that ratchet even more wealth and power upward

Even when such actions are illegal, some corporations have chosen to defy the law when the risks and costs of getting caught are less than the profits to be made The list of enterprises that in recent years have made such a calculation, wittingly or unwittingly including BP, Halliburton, Citigroup, and General Motors makes clear that corporate power will infringe on individual liberties if the potential financial returns are sufficiently high

One consequence of this imbalance is the emergence of neo-fascism in America

Is it really so surprising that some who feel they no longer have a voice that the economic and political system is rigged against them prefer a demagogic strongman who will at least shake up the system over a president who appears to personify that system? Donald Trump and the Republicans are not on the side of American workers On the contrary, his one legislative accomplishment during his bonkers presidency was a major tax cut for corporations and the ultra-wealthy.

But Trump sounds tough He says he’ll give voice to Americans who have been left behind He deploys racism, Islamophobia, xenophobia, and misogyny as weapons to make many white, Christian, American males feel more powerful Trump is selling dangerous snake oil Why are there so many buyers? Because they have felt acutely vulnerable, and his snake oil gives them hope of becoming powerful

Stop this move to fascism Fairly tax the large corporations and super rich Restore the American workers’ wealth, freedom and power Vote for Democrats!

Dennis Raube Fort Myers

Teach our children well

To the editor:

An open letter to the Lee County School Board:

Dear Fellow Residents of Lee County, Administration and School Board Members of Lee School District,

One of the most tragic and incomprehensible things about the tragic and incomprehensible beating and subsequent death of Nex Benedict, a non-binary 16-year-old, is that their assailants, fellow students in their Oklahoma HS, did not even know Nex

Where did the hate, the rage, the urge to punish a person different from themselves come from? Some groups are shouting (yes, really shouting) that the schools are indoctrinating students by letting them learn that individuals, families, cultures may be different from their own experience and are worthy of respect We hear that “Don’t Say Gay” laws will “protect the innocence of our students ” The idea, I guess, is that if we pretend that people aren’t different, in a myriad of wonderful and sometimes confounding ways, maybe we can subside back into our comfortable, smug, self-righteous bubble and just hope “they” will go away

Tacitly or actively accepting the notion that learning in school should remain silent on differences is not a way to achieve respect for and acceptance of differences In fact, this

approach can be just as insidious as an active hate campaign. Why? When we choose to look the other way we are sending a terrible message to our young people They learn these silent lessons well

Where does this hate and rage toward “the other” whether the persons be non-binary, from a different culture, a different color or a different religion come from? Logically, not from instruction at school, but, may I suggest, from indoctrination at home, on social media, from sermons at “Christian” and other “houses of worship ” We have heard self-professed “Christians” at School Board Meetings yelling that homosexuality is an “abomination ” How terribly cruel and how terribly false.

What to do? What good educators have been doing for years teach students about the rich diversity that exists in a classroom, in a school, in a community, in the nation, in the world Embrace students’ curiosity about differences, let them learn, open their eyes, open their hearts to a different world view Actively teach them to respect others don’t just mouth platitudes help students learn that because a person, their family, their culture is different from one’s own they need not succumb to blind FEAR and HATE If we all follow this example, we might even learn to LOVE one another and treat others as we wish to be treated

Madelon V. Stewart Fort Myers

More lipstick on the pig of book-challenge laws

To the editor:

I urged my state senator via a letter also containing the points below to reconsider their support for SB 7004 This bill is not a solution; it's a bandage on a fundamentally flawed approach to education

SB 7004 is a bill that, on the surface, appears to offer a reasonable compromise to limit the abuses in book challenges in our schools It would remove the $100 fee for a book challenge and limit challenges to one challenge per person per month However, upon closer examination, it becomes clear that this legislation is akin to putting lipstick on a pig it’s still book-banning, no matter how prettily it’s dressed up It still doesn’t address the fundamental issue of what banning is, what it does, and its consequences

n Book-Banning Disguised as Parental Rights: Let’s call it what it is The book challenges haven’t been about protecting our children; it's about fear-driven censorship catering to one ideology over another and to boost the political agenda of certain individuals As Oliver Wendell Holmes famously stated, “The best test of truth is the power of the thought to get itself accepted in the competition of the market ” By limiting the exposure of our children to diverse ideas and views, we’re not safeguarding them; we’re stifling their intellectual growth and life opportunities

n The Consequences of a Sheltered Mindset: In my nearly five decades of experience in the corporate, consulting, and non-profit worlds and responsible for guiding the hiring, at different stages, from college interns to C-suite executives, I’ve observed firsthand the qualities that distinguish the best candidates and employees Children shielded from differing viewpoints grow up to be less adaptable, less innovative, and frankly, less competitive in the workplace They become drones, ill-equipped for the marketplace for jobs, especially in a global economy.

n Parental Control vs Community Censorship: The simplest and most effective way for parents to manage their children’s reading material is to oversee their child’s library selections personally By removing books from public libraries, school classroom libraries and school libraries, we’re not exercising parental rights; we’re infringing upon the rights of all OTHER parents to make those decisions for THEIR children What happened to the Republican motto of “less government in our lives”?!

n The High Cost of Censorship: The logistical nightmare of reviewing challenged books carries a hefty price tag, not just in direct costs such as salaries for reviewers, but also in the diversion of their hours and resources from more critical educational needs This is a wasteful expenditure that benefits no one and it’s OUR tax dollars being misused

n The Laughingstock of Educational Progress: Florida’s aggressive stance on limiting educational content has already had dire consequences, from teacher retention challenges to making our state a subject of ridicule in educational circles

Lastly, Gov DeSantis’s recent attempts to backtrack on the original book challenge laws highlights the recognition of their overreach and the Pandora’s Box (and quantity!) of frivolous/fringe challenges and their unintended (and expensiveto-tax-payers) consequences

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

From page 6

Instead of modifying a bad law that restricts our children’s access to a broad r a n g e o f i d e a s a n d p e r s p e c t i v e s , t h e Legislature should be working to repeal them and let teachers teach and children learn, unhindered by the misguided and limiting ideology and agenda of a few Harrison Tao Bonita Springs

Whose parental right?

To the editor:

Oh, this is rich!!! Co-founder of the conservative group, Moms For Liberty, known for initiating massive numbers of book bans across the country, feels that our state legislators have gone too far in passing a bill that bans minors under 16 from using social media In a Feb 23, 2024 USA TODAY NETWORK article, by Doug Soul, Tiffany Justice stated that “the restriction doesn’t have an exception for a parent’s permission” and that concerns her “Parents have fundamental rights to direct the upbringing of their children,” she said “You’re not allowed to abuse your children But should the government be controlling whether or not your kids use social media?”

Really? NOW you’re concerned about parents’ rights to make their own decisions for their own children? You didn’t seem worried in the slightest when your group initiated the removal of over 136,000 books from classrooms in Lee County, literally taking away the rights of thousands of parents, students and educators to decide w h i c h b o o k s s t u d e n t s m a y r e a d A n y restriction or removal of books from our school libraries undermines the right of every other parent in this school district to make a choice about what’s right for their child But, I’m sorry Are you now saying that there are different rules when a decision negatively impacts YOUR family?

Y o u c a n ’ t h a v e i t b o t h w a y s , M s Justice Either parents have rights to do what’s best for their own children or they don’t What ye say now?

Jill Pellis

Retired public school principal

The Purple Group Fort Myers

This is what a traitor looks like

To the editor:

The former president directly invited Putin on national TV to enter the 2020 election, and a U S intelligence assessment sent to more than 100 countries found that Moscow was working to erode public faith in the integrity of democratic elections worldwide It is now known that the former president was a willing participant in this effort. (Reuters, 10/20/23).

On Feb 10 of this year, the former president let Russia and Putin know that they could do “whatever the hell they want” to any NATO member country that don’t meet spending guidelines in defense (CNN, 02/18/24)

It is clear that the former President has

high regard for Putin and little regard for the foundations of democracy and peaceful global alliances

S u p p o r t i n g P u t i n m a k e s t h e f o r m e r president a traitor, not simply a felon out on bail.

Mary Lewis Sheehan St James City

Play is an impor tant par t lear ning

To the editor:

I’m a local VPK teacher I’d like to express my thoughts on play in the pre-K classroom Specifically, sensory play activities

What is sensory play? Any activity that involves the 5 senses So all the parents out there, have you ever picked up your child from pre-K/VPK and asked them, “What did you learn today?” I bet the response went something like this “I played ” Maybe they got a little specific, “I played with Play-doh, I painted a picture, I played with sand, I played on the swings ” You’re thinking, “I’m sending my kid to school all day to play??? Why are they just playing ALL DAY? I’m sending my kid there to learn!”

Well guess what, they are learning!

Let’s just look at those few activities mentioned above Modeling dough, painting, sand, swings, these are all examples of sensory play It’s more than just having fun Many things can be learned through sensory play For example fine and gross motor skills, letter and number knowledge, language development are some

But let’s dig a little deeper Exposure to sensory activities directly influences cognitive development Self-regulation is a big one, it can be very soothing to run your fingers through sand or rice or squeeze a handful of slime It invites exploration, it’s an open end play that allows children to investigate smells, textures, sounds, colors, shapes This exploration helps them with problem solving, for example figuring out how to manipulate a squishy toy, or creating a sand art masterpiece Creativity also flourishes, whether it’s through finger painting or modeling dough, the possibilities are endless

I’ll share with you a few sensory play activities in the classroom But parents can do them at home too! Sand and water play, dough for play, sensory bins containing rice or beans and small objects for them to find, rainsticks, instruments, Pop-Its, slime, kinetic sand, shaving cream, cornstarch and water, flashlights, bells, locks, bubbles, swings, ice, tape or contact paper, painting, squishy toys, Slinkys, cooking or baking

These are only a few activities I incorporate into my classroom I have such fun with the children while doing them I’ve only scratched the surface on the subject of play in the classroom There’s so much more So next time your preschooler tells you they played with slime at school, go get some and play with them! They won’t know they are learning But we know!

Brandi Hughley Cape Coral

Agree? Disagree? Weigh in!

Letters, guest opinions, comments welcome

The views expressed on the Opinions pages are just that opinions. These pages are intended to convey a range of viewpoints; opinions printed on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of this newspaper Opposing views are welcome Letters to the editor or guest columns may be e-mailed to vharring@breezenewspapers com All letters and guest opinions must be signed and must include a phone number for verification purposes. Readers are also invited to comment on any letter or editorial opinion online at: capecoralbreeze.com.

Lee Schools adds new career programs

Funded with $1.2 million in state grant funds

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

The School District of Lee County has been able to add two career programs, as well as expand two programs, thanks to a $ 1 2 m i l l i o n W o r k f o r c e D e v e l o p m e n t Grant from the state of Florida

The district chose what schools would benefit from the grant by working with its community partners Florida Gulf Coast U n i v e r s i t y , F u t u r e m a k e r s C o a l i t i o n , CareerSource and local employers.

District Spokesperson Rob Spicker said they identified career clusters with the greatest potential for growth

“We can better meet the current student demand for the programs already in place by expanding them,” he said

As far as the new programs, Spicker said, they collaborated with their public schools and charter schools to identify needs and capacity to implement programs in the clusters identified as indicated

T h e g r a n t w i l l a d d t h e f i r s t Manufacturing Program in Lee County at Gateway High School with the capacity for 150 students in advanced manufacturing The program will focus on such areas as automation technology, its application in manufacturing and engineering and robotics, as well as studying enterprise systems, s a f e t y , q u a l i t y a n d l e a d e r s h i p s k i l l s Students can earn Certified Production

T e c h n i c i a n a n d C o n t r o l s S y s t e m s Specialist certifications

A M e d i c a l L a b o r a t o r y A s s i s t i n g Program will also be initiated at Gateway H i g h S c h o o l , E a s t L e e C o u n t y H i g h School, and South Fort Myers High School with a capacity of 450 students This program will focus on the study of the human body, both structurally and functionally with emphasis on the pathophysiology and transmission of disease, he said

From this program, students can earn certifications as a Registered Phlebotomy Technician, Registered Medical Assistant and Medical Laboratory Technician

The grant will also support the expansion of the Firefighting Academy and Automotive Technician Academy at East Lee County High School, Ida S Baker High School, and South Fort Myers High School There are 357 students who partici p a t e i n t h e A u t o m o t i v e T e c h n i c i a n Academy and 104 in the Firefighting Academy

S t u d e n t s e a r n a F i r e f i g h t e r 1 Certification for the Firefighting Academy

and an Auto Maintenance, Light Repair and Light Vehicle Diesel Engines certificat i o n s f o r t h e A u t o m o t i v e T e c h n i c i a n Academy

The grant is also proposed to help four charter schools Coronado High School, Island Park High School, North Nicholas High School with the expansion of the Medical Responder Program and Donna J B e a s l e y A c a d e m y w i t h i t s E l e c t r i c a l Program

The School District of Lee County offers 16 career clusters for high school students, which includes multiple programs within each to prepare students for occupations that are important to the economic development of Florida Middle school students are offered eight career clusters

“Every high school has at least one program Eighteen middle schools offer at least one program,” Spicker said “Students learn the academic and technical skills necessary for employment in their chosen career cluster and where available, they earn industry certifications These certifications are industry recognized third-party or governing board administered assessment, examination or licensure that measures occupational competency and validates a knowledge base and skills that shows mastery in a particular industry ”

He said whether students are ready to enter the workforce, are continuing onto a post-secondary institution, or joining a military college, the programs prepare students for the future

“We want our high school graduates prepared for their choice of college or career If they are continuing their education, they have the academic background necessary for success If they are entering the workforce, they have the technical knowledge to find a job and succeed in their chosen career There is great value in either path, so we dedicate ourselves to helping students identify which way they want to go and provide them the necessary foundation,” Spicker said “As students approach high school, the options are many and we strongly encourage our middle school students to think about what interests them and match their interests with the programs offered at each high school, so they make an informed decision during Student Open Enrollment Whether looking to learn life skills, prepare for a career or get ready for college, we have a program for every student.”

‘Just be Yourself:’ PRIDE Festival opens Saturday

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

“Just be Yourself,” the sixth annual PRIDE Festival kicks off Saturday for two days of events

“Every year it gets bigger and better,” PRIDE Cape Coral Board Member Melissa Moore said “It was founded by locals in the area a collaborative team of individuals that have a passion for the LGBTQ community. It’s a very diverse board for PRIDE Cape Coral ”

Founder Shelly Walton said PRIDE Cape Coral was started because they thought the time was right

“We wanted to get that started As a mother of a gay son, it was super important to me,” she said, adding that they started in 2019 “We wanted to see some diversity in the community, which we didn’t have ”

The PRIDE Festival will kick off at 3 p m Saturday, March 2 with the PRIDE Cape Coral Parade stepping off at 4 p m Moore said the parade will start on Southeast 47th Terrace

“The parade is a unique element to the event It’s the only PRIDE parade in this area,” Moore said, adding that they are still accepting participation for the parade

Those who participate in the parade include businesses,

“This is an event that really caters to everybody It’s a really great time, positivity, and great energy It’s a positive experience ”

Melissa Moore, PRIDE Cape Coral Board Member

nonprofits, individuals, and leaders of the community showing their support

From 5 to 10 pm there will be live entertainment on the

big stage, as well as street performers The headliner this year will be the sixth season of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars, Kylie Sonique Love Other entertainment includes DJ Mad Mel, as well as performances from local and national drag entertainers There is also a vendor village

There are two options for VIP tickets, one for $25, that includes entertainment meet-and-greet, and the other $125, which includes a meet-and-greet with entertainment, a tent, food and drinks and exclusive viewing during the parade

The official after-party will be held at Cruisers Lounge, 1517 S E 47th Terrace

“It’s a safe place for everybody participating to hang out with like-minded individuals,” Moore said

On Sunday, March 3, the festival will continue with a Drag Brunch in the Street at 10th Place The brunch begins at 11 a.m. with the show starting at 11:30 a.m. Tickets are $45. There will be mimosas, bagels, and other bites to indulge in while watching the entertainment Moore said some of the queens that performed Saturday will be at the brunch

VIP tickets and brunch tickets can be purchased at pridecapecoral com

“This is an event that really caters to everybody,” Moore said “It’s a really great time, positivity, and great energy It’s a positive experience ”

Taste of the Cape: Popular fundraiser features food and music; helps provide scholarships

From page 1

continue to recover, but we are so thankful for all of the support we have received to put on this event We invite our community to come join us, enjoy some great food, music and know they are helping two amazing programs for our next generation,” she said

The attendees this year will enjoy an array of signature dishes from local restaurants Pinchers, Texas Tony’s, Metro Diner, Snowie Florida, Sweet Real, Stones Throw, Thai Delights and Perks & Brew as well as a wide variety of craft beers and fine wines

The food prices are $3 and up, non-alco-

holic beverages $3 and beer, wine and specialty cocktails range from $6 to $8

There will also be performances by local bands, including Gulf Coast Jazz Collective Youth Ensemble, a youth music program made possible from the event’s proceeds

At 11 a m The Collective will perform, followed by the Gulf Coast Jazz Collective Youth Ensemble at 1 p m , Kiki Sanchez and his Salsa Band at 2 p m and The Freecoasters at 4:30 p m

Attendees can purchase VIP tickets for $60 These tickets include a private tent with tables and servers, VIP bathrooms, VIP parking and preferred stage-front seating General

admission tickets are $10 and free for those 12 years old and younger Tickets for both can be purchased ahead of time, or at the gate Local youth are the benefactors of this event Germain said for more than 30 years, the Chamber of Commerce of Cape Coral has hosted its annual Excellence in Education Awards to honor educators and students in our community

“In addition to the awards, we also provide scholarships to our local graduates and celebrate their achievements,” she said

As far as the Gulf Coast Symphony’s music education and community programs –MusicWorks! is an El-Sistema based pro-

gram whose primary goal is to empower children to achieve their full potential through the study and performance of music, Germain said

“The Gulf Coast Youth Jazz Ensemble is a community-based jazz ensemble for students throughout the Southwest Florida region. This ensemble provides performance and learning opportunities outside of the general classroom for those who seek to expand their musical journeys through jazz,” she said

Cultural Park is at 528 Cultural Park Blvd

For more information visit tasteofcapecoral com

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Council, Oasis school board, to discuss use of planned athletic complex

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

Cape Coral City Council will hold a joint conversation with the Oasis Charter School board to discuss use of the planned Oasis Multi-Purpose Athletic Field

A majority of Council agreed the complex will be a public facility not solely dedicated for school use.

Councilmember Richard Carr said the interaction with the board of the city’s charter school system to have their input is extremely important

“I like the idea of having everyone in the room an informal, less formal, round table discussion with their board and us would be beneficial to us,” he said “Their input and their participation is critically important to the success and buy in I would like to have that open dialogue before we finalize any plans for this complex.”

T h e f a c i l i t y w a s d i s c u s s e d d u r i n g Wednesday’s Council workshop The presentation stated that the design elements could include football, soccer, and lacrosse fields, running track, bleachers, locker rooms, pavilions, concession facility and

restrooms

This complex, although utilized by the charter schools, would be open to the public

City Manager Michael Ilczyszyn said he views the school as part of Cape Coral

“The question I have is, do we want their board to provide input, or just you,” he said “They are us; they are part of the city We view them just like we do parks, fire department when building a fire asset How do you want us to incorporate their governing board as input before you all make a plan ”

Mayor John Gunter said the board recommendation is important

He said because of previous discussion as a Council, he sold the complex as a public facility

“What I don’t want to do is put the emphasis on the school We have this as a public facility,” he said

Gunter also suggested talking to potential youth organizations that might use the field to get their input as well

A big concern for Councilmember Tom Hayden was communication

“It’s a priority to have conversation now,” he said “I have no problem having

Enrichment: Camps throughout Lee County

From page 2

graming

“They have their own curriculum, their own special field trips,” Gergley said with such places like Top Golf

The camps are packed with disguise learning to prevent summer learning loss, field trips and guest speakers

Some of the field trips include Sun & Fun, Dave & Busters, Game Time, the m o v i e s , a n d s o m e c l u b s p a r t n e r w i t h Florida Gulf Coast University for a basketball camp

Gergley said the campers work on creative projects STEM and art, which really helps them continue to build their skills and knowledge in a fun interactive way Other activities include reading programs, sports and recreation

“Our mission is to really provide our

The program begins on June 10 and runs through July 26 with the Cape Coral location returning to Challenger Middle School at 624 Trafalgar Parkway. The last couple of years there has been a waiting list at this location

kids with the resources and tools for a safe place to go when school is out To help them reach their full potential,” she said

In addition, Gergley said they are being productive with their time avoiding risky behavior, making positive decisions and being around positive people.

To register, visit www BGCLEE org, c a l l ( 2 3 9 ) 3 3 4 - 1 8 8 6 , o r e m a i l alysha@bgclee org

some kind of joint meeting I would hate to see this turn into some kind of rights battle I just believe this school is probably thinking of this facility a little bit differently We need to get that cleared and clarified as we move forward with this ”

Oasis Charter Schools is a four-school municipal school system offering education for students from kindergarten through high school

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B y M E G H A N B R A D B U RY n e w s @ b r e e z e n e w s p a p e r s c o m T h e c i t y o f C a p e C o r a l i s l o o k i n g a t h o w i t r e g u l a t e s b o a t c a n o p i e s , i n c l u d i n g w h e t h e r t h e c o v e r i n g s a l l o w e d a t r e s id e n t i a l b o a t d o c k s s h o u l d i n c l u d e p e r m an e n t s t r u c t u r e s A l l b u t o n e C a p e C o r a l C i t y C o u n c i l m e m b e r t h o u g h t f u r t h e r d i s c u s s i o n s h o u l d b e h a d a b o u t p e r m a n e n t s t r u ct u r e s , w h i c h w o u l d b e i n a d d i t i o n t o t h e f a b r i c c a n o p i e s a l r e a d y p e r m i t t e d “ I d e f i n i t e l y h a v e s o m e i s s u e s w i t h t h i s o n e , ” C o u n c i l m e m b e r T o m H a y d e n s a i d a t W e d n e s d a y ’ s w o r k s h o p “ S t o r m s u r g e . T h a t b e c a m e a f a c t o r a f t e r I a n . W e s a w a l o t o f d o c k s , b o a t l i f t s d e s t r o y e d b e c a u s e o f t h e s u r g e t h a t c a m e i n t h r o u g h t h e r i v e r a n d c a n a l s ” C o u n c i l m e m b e r B i l l S t e i n k e b r o u g h t t h e d i s c u s s i o n f o r w a r d b e c a u s e i t w o u l d o f f e r s e a s o n a l r e s i d e n t s t h e o p t i o n t o f u rt h e r h a r d e n t h e i r p r o p e r t y “ N o t c o n s i d e r i n g h a r d e n i n g t h o s e a r e a s o n t h e c a n a l s h o u l d b e r e c o n s i de r e d , ” h e s a i d , a d d i n g t h a t t h e r e i s n o d i ff e r e n c e i n t h e v i e w b e i n g b l o c k e d , s o t o s p e a k , f r o m a m o r e p e r m a n e n t s t r u c t u r e t h a t m e e t s t h e c o d e . “ T h e s t r u c t u r e w a s c o n s t r u c t e d s o i t c o u l d w i t h s t a n d t h o s e w i n d s p e e d s P e r m i t t i n g w o u l d b e i n v o l v e d ”

S t e i n k e s a i d w i t h m a t e r i a l s n o t h a v i n g t o b e t a k e n o f f , i t w o u l d h e l p h a r d e n t h e a r e a a n d g i v e r e s i d e n t s p e a c e o f m i n d i n s t e a d o f h a v i n g t o s c u r r y f r o m u p n o r t h t o r e m o v e t h e f a b r i c c a n o p y H a r d e n i n g t h e s t r u c t u r e s w o u l d p r o t e c t t h e v e s s e l s , w h i c h h e t h i n k s w o u l d b e a g o o d e f f o r t C o u n c i l m e m b e r R i c h a r d C a r r s a i d h e w a s n o t o p p o s e d t o t h e p e r m a n e n t s t r u ct u r e a s l o n g a s i t m e e t s F l o r i d a b u i l d i n g c o d e s “ I t h i n k t h e b o a t l i f t c o u l d b e a c c o mm o d a t e d w i t h i n a p e r m a n e n t s t r u c t u r e , ” h e s a i d . T h e c u r r e n t c a n o p y m a t e r i a l a n d d e s i g n c a l l s f o r a r e s i s t a n t f a b r i c m a t e r ia l w i t h a n o p e n d e s i g n t h a t m u s t b e a t t a c h e d a n d e a s i l y d e t a c h e d o n c e w i n d s h i t 7 0 m i l e s p e r h o u r O b s t r u c t i o n o f v i e w a n d s a f e t y d u r i n g a h u r r i c a n e w e r e a m o n g t h e g r e a t e s t c o n -

c e r n s w i t h c o s t a l s o m e n t i o n e d . H a y d e n s a i d a l t h o u g h a p e r m a n e n t s t r u c t u r e w o u l d n o t h a v e a n y s i d e s , w h e n y o u f a c t o r i n s t o r m s u r g e , a p e r m a n e n t s t r u c t u r e m a y c o m e d o w n “ I t h a s t o d o w i t h w h a t w e l o s t f r o m t h e p i e r s a n d e v e r y t h i n g e l s e W e a r e p u t t i n g m o r e p e r m a n e n t s t r u c t u r e i n t o o u r c a n a l s a s o p p o s e d t o a c a n o p y , ” H a y d e n s a i d H e s a i d t h e h e i g h t o f t h e p e r m a n e n t s t r u c t u r e m a y e x t e n d b e y o n d 1 4 f e e t b e c a u s e o f t h e s l o p e s a n d c u r v e s o f t h e r o o f . “ T h e i s s u e b e f o r e w a s s i m p l y t h e b l o c k i n g o f v i e w s f o r o t h e r p e o p l e P u t u p a p e r m a n e n t r o o f s t r u c t u r e t h a t w o u l d b e h i g h e r t h a n t h e c a n o p y a n d p r o v i d e m o r e d e n s e m a t e r i a l t h a t p e o p l e c a n ’ t s e e t h r o u g h , ” H a y d e n s a i d “ I a p p r e c i a t e t h e d i s c u s s i o n I d o n ’ t

k n o w r i g h t n o w I a m c o n v i n c e d t h e c a n o p y w a y i s t h e w r o n g w a y t o g o I t h i n k i t i s t h e r i g h t w a y t o g o b e c a u s e o f s u r g e ” M a y o r J o h n G u n t e r a l s o e x p r e s s e d a s a f e t y c o n c e r n r e l a t e d t o d e s i g n , s a y i n g t h e l a s t t h i n g h e w o u l d w a n t i s f o r p r oj e c t i l e s f r o m a p e r m a n e n t s t r u c t u r e t o s l a m i n t o t h e s i d e o f h i s b o a t M e t a l r o o f s h a v e a h i g h e r r a t i n g f o r r e s i s t a n c e a n d a l u m i n u m s t r u c t u r e s s e e m e d t o b e n d , b u t n e v e r b r o k e f r e e d u r i n g t h e l a s t h u r r i c a n e , h e s a i d S t e i n k e s a i d h e k n o w s a m i n o r i t y o f p e o p l e w o u l d t a k e a d v a n t a g e o f a p e r m an e n t s t r u c t u r e f r o m a c o s t p e r s p e c t i v e H e s a i d t h e y c o u l d p u t p a r a m e t e r s d o w n s u c h a s a m e t a l r o o f b e c a u s e i t i s t h e m o s t r e s i l i e n t “ P r o j e c t i l e i s a l l a b o u t a t t a c h m e n t H o w i s t h a t r o o f a t t a c h e d t o t h a t s t r u ct u r e a t t a c h e d i n t h e b e s t w a y p o s s ib l e , ” S t e i n k e s a i d C o u n c i l m e m b e r D a n S h e p p a r d s a i d a l t h o u g h h e i s n o t a n e n g i n e e r , h e k n o w s t h a t t h e p o s t s t h a t a r e p u t i n f o r a d o c k a r e d e s i g n e d t o h a n d l e p r e s s u r e H e s a i d t h e a m o u n t o f p r e s s u r e d u r i n g a h u r r ic a n e c o u l d c r e a t e m o r e d a m a g e “ W h a t w e a r e d o i n g r i g h t n o w i s t h e p r o p e r m e t h o d I a m l o o k i n g a t t h e s a f et y e n d o f i t , ” S h e p p a r d s a i d

From page 1

possible,” he said “The utilities and the actual deconstructing of the walls, that is going to start after the notice to proceed I have to figure out how to work those timelines ”

As of Thursday afternoon, the city could not provide a time and date as to when the demolition efforts would commence

It is expected to take about 60 days to take down the buildings, get the site cleared up and restored

The Boathouse restaurant and the beach are expected to remain open through the process

The city plans to rebuild the park with Council approving a concept plan that calls for a two-story event and meeting center; a resort-style pool and separate children’s pool; and four-story parking garage among the new amenities The pier and yacht basin are to be rebuilt with additional parking for boat trailering Estimated costs exceed $100 million with the city also considering possible public-private partnerships for some of the amenities

The Yacht Club consultant will come back with updates on architecture and building programming next month to get started with actual full-fledged design with the facilities, Hyyti said

C o u n c i l m e m b e r R o b e r t W e l s h a s k e d f o r u p d a t e s regarding the pier, which was destroyed by Hurricane Ian.

The consultant will go out to further investigate the pilings next week, as jackets were put on some deteriorating places in 2006, Hyyti said

“The first investigation did not remove any jackets,” he said, adding that none of them were damaged to the point to see what former repairs survived

A few of the jackets will be stripped off to look at the repairs to see if they are staying intact Hyyti said they have a high level of confidence that the pilings are good and they can move forward to restore the pier on the existing pilings

The city’s plans to demolish the complex, built by the city’s developers as the Cape’s first public facility, was heavily protested with a concerted effort to save at least the Ballroom, a state-designated historic building

Former city council member Gloria Tate, who grew up in the Cape as a member of one of the city’s “pioneer” families, was a vocal supporter of the save-the-Ballroom effort as was the Cape Coral Museum of History and the Chamber of Commerce of Cape Coral

Tate remains critical of the decision to tear down the Ballroom which escaped Ian largely unscathed although most of the site incurred devastating damage Most of the city’s restoration/repair estimate for the structure is “deferred maintenance” costs

Cape Coral Yacht & Racquet Club dedication, circa June 10, 1962

“We’re spending a million dollars to tear down the only iconic building left in the city of Cape Coral We did get state historic designation and that wasn’t even enough for this Council to save this building,” Tate said “It’s just a very sad day for Cape Coral I have asked many times for them to restore the building and no one is interested in that ”

Tate said the money allocated for demolition could have been better spent restoring the historic Ballroom so designated for its Mid-Century Modern design and its history as well as the pool and park grounds as the public would have been able to return to what has been one of the city’s most popular parks much sooner

“New plans at a cost of $100-$125 million, so the land sits vacant for three years except for the Boathouse and the beach until they get it built In the meantime, a city of 250,000 people has no community center to have events and no pool for our town ”

Her voice grew teary

“I know my heart will break when they bring in the wrecking ball,” she said “My heart will beak in half when they bring that claw in ”

The Cape Coral Yacht Club was built by the community’s founders, Jack and Leonard Rosen, and opened in 1962 when development was in its infancy The riverfront complex included the community center referred to as the Ballroom, pool, tennis courts, fishing pier, beach and, shotely thereafter, a teen center The Rosens gave free family memberships to all homeowners in the community they were developing from scratch

In 1998, the then-sitting City Council designated the Yacht Club a historic and cultural resource through a resolution

The current Council approved the demolition last June

In the wake of Hurricane Ian, Cape Coral City Council has opened discussions on how to give residents options for “hardening” structures routinely installed off docks and boatlifts to protect vessels docked behind homes Councilmember Bill Steinke suggests that allowing for the installation of permanent covers, perhaps made of metal, may be the way to go Currently, the city requires residents to remove fabric canopies once winds hit 70 mph

REAL ESTATE

Son-in-law dilemma

Mr. Feichthaler:

We are 20 year residents of Cape Coral and wish to have our home pass to our children (two grown daughters) upon our passing They are both married, but we are not particularly fond of their husbands We have read in your column that an Enhanced Life Estate Deed avoids probate for our house, but will it also avoid our sons-in-law having rights to the property?

Gertrude and Stanley R

Dear Gertrude and Stanley:

Thank you for reading the column! For many clients, the Enhanced Life Estate Deed is an efficient way to have your property descend your children, avoiding probate and other costs However, because of that efficiency, the property passes to the total ownership and control of your daughters w i t h “ n o s t r i n g s attached ”

In Florida, inherited p r o p e r t y i s c o n s i d e r e d “separate property” from the spouse of the person who inherited it So, as a starting point, the husbands of your daughters w i l l h a v e n o r i g h t o r claim to the home

To keep this property separate, your daughters w o u l d n e e d t o r e f r a i n from adding their spouses to the deed If they sold the property, so long as they kept the funds in a separate account from the marital assets, those f u n d s w o u l d r e m a i n solely to benefit your daughters

Eric P Feichthaler

Real Estate Law

When clients ask if a living trust would benefit them, my first question is whether there is a desire to manage assets after death Unlike the enhanced life estate deed, in a trust you, as grantor, can add as many restrictions and requirements as you wish For example, you could state that the proceeds from the sale would remain in the trust, and only be used to pay certain direct expenses of your daughters for some period of time However, in a situation like yours, I typically counsel clients that a good options is to discuss your goals with your daughters, advise them of the rules relating to separate property, and to rely on them to keep the property separate

Every family’s situation is unique Prior to proceeding with a plan to avoid probate and benefit your daughters, a discussion with an attorney is highly recommended

Eric P. Feichthaler has lived in Cape Coral for over 35 years and graduated from Mariner High School in Cape Coral After completing law school at Georgetown University in Washington, D C , he returned to Cape Coral 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, and Cape Coral Kiwanis He has been married to his wife, Mary, for 22 years, and they have four children He earned his board certification in Real Estate Law from the Florida Bar, and primarily practices in real estate law and wills and trusts 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 239-542-4733

January condo sales results and the perils of rate predictions

In our column one year ago, we provided some predictions that were being made by Lawrence Yun, the chief economist with the National Association of R e a l t o r s B a c k t h e n , Y u n w a s d i scussing the fact that in the January 2023 NAR pending home sales report, the year-over-year number of pending sales in the U S had declined by 24 1% versus January 2022 He pointed out that the sharp rise in mortgage rates in 2022 had created additional affordability issues that eliminated a lot of buyers from the market

m a t i o C a p e C o r a l B r e e z e

Centex com/Sawgrass, call w w w . c a p e c o r a l b r e e z e . c o m

text M a r c h 1 , 2 0 2 4 n P a g e 1 6

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

Yun was also quick to point out his r e l a t i v e o p t i m i s m g o i n g i n t o 2 0 2 3 based on the sudden decline in mortgage rates back in December 2022 and into January 2023, which resulted in a positive market shift with consecutive month-over-month increases in pending home sales in those months He noted that, “buyers responded to better affordability from falling mortgage rates in December (2022) and January (2023),” and he went on to predict that 30-year fixed mortgage rates would continue steadily dropping down to an average rate of 6 1% in 2023, before continuing even lower to an average rate of 5 4% in 2024

Our comment was that we hoped the NAR would be correct in its predictions, but we expressed concerns that the high levels of inflation were likely to prove to be much more “sticky” than most market and economic experts were predicting Based on that, we felt that the Fed was likely to keep a “wet blanket” on the housing market by being forced to raise interest rates higher for longer last year in their ongoing war on inflation

As we all now know, the Fed stuck to its higher for longer mantra on interest rates in 2023, and mortgage r a t e s r o c k e t e d h i g h e r t o t h e 8 % r a n g e l a s t y e a r According to Bankrate and Freddie Mac, the interest rates on 30-year fixed rate mortgages averaged 7% for the year in 2023, and not the steady decline to 6 1% the NAR was predicting We won’t even mention their pre-

In

diction from a year ago calling for an average mortgage rate of 5 4% in 2024, outside of saying "we'll take the over” on that one

We are bringing all of this up because we are seeing something very similar happening again so far this year, with just about every expert expecting substantially lower interest rates this year and focussing on housing affordability based solely on mortgage rates, while mostly ignoring the higher costs for insurance, taxes, HOA and condo association fees, and just about everything else in life

As of Tuesday, Feb 27, there were 422 active condo listings in the Cape through the MLS at asking prices ranging from $149,000 to $3 9 million The m e d i a n c o n d o l i s t p r i c e c a m e i n a t $299,000 The number of active condo listings through a Realtor is up 16 6% from the 362 listings back on Jan 2 of this year, and they are 88% higher than the 224 active condo listings a year ago on Feb. 28, 2023, when the median list price was at $319,950 for Cape Coral condos

Currently, 258 of the 422 active condo listings, or 61% of our market are priced at $325,000 and under, including 46 condo units listed below $200,000 We have a total of 56 condos currently listed for $500,000 and above, including 15 units priced at $1 million or more. One year ago there were only 11 units listed for less than $200,000 in the Cape, while there were 51 condos listed for more than $500,000 with 15 of those units priced above $1 million

As of Tuesday, Feb 27, there were 86 Cape Coral condos under contract as pending sales at prices ranging from $150,000 to $1 299 million, with the current median pending sales price at $265,000 A total of 60 of the 86 pending sales, or 70% of the market, were priced at $325,000 and below with 13 of these units under

Sales are underway at Centex’s Sawgrass, a new Cape Coral community of affordable, low-maintenance townhomes, starting from the low $300,000s With pent-up demand for new construction and affordable homes in Cape Coral, Sawgrass meets immediate buyer needs with several quick move-in home options rivaling rental options throughout the market

A gated multifamily neighborhood planned for 230 townhomes, Sawgrass is located in the Coral Lakes community in northeast Cape Coral It offers three open-concept floor plans -- Adler, Rowan and Sawgrass, featuring three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,636 to 1,816 square feet of living space with attached one- or two-car garages

All townhome pricing starts from the $300,000s

Homebuyers at Sawgrass can until access to two resortinspired swimming pools with sundecks, along with a country club-style clubhouse and fitness center in the established Coral Lakes community, with low homeowner association fees and no community development district fees

239-326-0512,

PROVIDED One of the new townhomes in the Sawgrass at Coral Lakes development

For more information on Centex, a national

Inc

f o See CONDO SALES, page 17

For more about PulteGroup Inc and PulteGroup brands, go to pultegroup com; www pulte com; www cen-

Bob and Geri Quinn Homing

Condo sales: Results from January and the perils of predictions

From page 16

$ 2 0 0 , 0 0 0 . E i g h t p e n d i n g s a l e s w e r e priced at $500,000 and above, with only one of them topping the $1 million mark

On Jan 2 of this year there were 42 pending condo sales in the Cape with the median pending sales price at $284,000 One year ago on Feb 28, 2023, there were 97 pending condo sales in the Cape and the median pending sales price came in at $300,500 Back then, there were 64 units under contract at $325,000 and u n d e r , i n c l u d i n g n i n e p r i c e d b e l o w $200,000 A total of nine units in the Cape were pending above $500,000 a year ago, with the two highest-priced pending condo sales at $1 65 million and $1 795 million

In the overall Cape condo market, there were 27 closed sales in the month of January, which was 3 8% higher than the 26 closed condo sales in January 2023, but 27% below the 37 sales in December

The January median sales price came in at $ 2 8 2 , 0 0 0 f o r th e o v er all C ap e C o r al condo market, which was 22 6% above the $230,000 posted in January 2023, and 5 6% higher than the $267,000 in December The overall monthly supply of unsold condos in the Cape came in at 18 months in January, which was 63 6% higher than the 11 months of supply registered in both January 2023, and in this past December

Gulf access canal condos

In the Cape Coral gulf access canal condo segment, which includes all “saltwater” canal condos, there were 11 closed sales in January This was 37 5% above the eight condos sold in January 2023,

price came in at $310,000 in this segm e n t

$325,000 posted in January 2023, and

December The unsold supply was 20 months in January, which was 42 % more than the 14 months in January 2023, and 100% above the 10 months of supply in December

Direct sailboat access canal condos

In the Cape’s direct sailboat access canal condo segment, which is a subgroup of gulf access condos where boaters have no bridges to go under in the canal system to reach open water, there were six closed sales in January This was 100% more than the three sales in January 2023, but 5 3 8 % l e s s t h a n t h e 1 3 s a l e s i n

D e c e m b e r T h e J a n u a r y m e d i a n s a l e s price was $340,000 in this segment, or % above the $330,000 from January 2023, and even with the $340,000 this past December The level of unsold supply came in at 20 months in January, which was 9 1% below the 22 months of supply in January 2023, but 150% above the eight months of unsold supply in December

Dry lot condos

In the Cape Coral dry lot (non-canal) condo segment, there were 12 closed sales in January, which was 20% lower than the 15 condos sold in January 2023, a n d 3 3 3 3 % b e l o w t h e 1 8 s a l e s i n D e c e m b e r T h e J a n u a r y m e d i a n s a l e s price came in at $212,500 in this segm e n t , w h i c h w a s 1 . 2 % a b o v e t h e $210,000 posted in January 2023, but

3 6% below the $220,500 in December

The level of unsold supply for dry lot condos came in at 18 months in January, which was 100% more than the 9 months of supply in January 2023, and 63 6% above the 11 months of unsold supply in December

As a side note, there were four sales in January for landlocked freshwater canal and lake condos with a median sales price of $266,250 and 12 months of unsold supply

The sales data for this article was o b t a i n e d f r o m t h e F l o r i d a R e a l t o r s Multiple Listing Service Matrix for Lee County, Fla , as of Feb 25, 2024, unless otherwise noted It was compiled by Bob

and Geri Quinn and it includes information specifically for Cape Coral condominiums, townhouses and villas, and it does not include any single-family homes, 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 a n d w i f e r e a l e s t a t e t e a m w i t h t h e R E / M A X R e a l t y T e a m o f f i c e i n C a p e

Coral They have lived in Cape Coral for over 44 years Geri has been a full-time Realtor since 2005, and Bob joined Geri as a full-time Realtor in 2014 Their real estate practice is mainly focused on Cape Coral residential property and vacant lots

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

City breaks ground on Crystal Lake Park

By CHUCK BALLARO news@breezenewspapers com

When finished, Crystal Lake Park is expected to be one of the gems of Cape Coral’s park system, giving those in the northwest corner of the city a place that resembles what you would find on a coastal beach

On Friday, the city invited the public to see the vision it has and to break ground on the project, a project that was pushed back by years because of a pandemic and Hurricane Ian

Hundreds came out to see local dignitaries sing the praises of a new park that will give an underserved area a place to go for recreation and to see the sunset

Kevin Black, chairman for the park committee for the Northwest Neighborhood Association, believes this will be one of the best parks in the city when completed

“This park will have unique amenities that most parks don’t They’ll have walking paths around the lake, the ability to do diving and the beach in the corner,” Black said “You’ll be able to see beautiful sunsets and sunrises over Charlotte Harbor from the hilltop It’s truly an amazing park ”

Melissa Mickey, communications manager for the city, said this is one of the best parts of living in a growing city

“Seeing new projects pop up that are closer to your home or seeing something with amenities that are exciting to you,” Mickey said “This park will have amenities that the other parks don’t.”

The park will also have a shaded picnic area, fitness stations, a fitness playground for kids, and boat, kayak and canoe launch

The park is expected to open in the spring of 2025 at a cost of $17 million, which is much higher than originally budgeted for because of the delays and the sharp increase in costs

District 6 Councilmember Keith Long said he was excited to have a facility like this for the community and his family

“To be able to bring something like this to the neighborhood and give them a place to gather and enjoy everything Florida has to offer is something we’re excited about,” Long said.

In 2018, Cape Coral voters approved a $60 million expansion of the city’s parks and recreation amenities The approved 15-year general obligation bond will fund major parks and recreation improvements throughout the city, according to the city

“These parks bring people together as neighbors They get to know each other and walk together or their dogs together This will be no different,” Black said “It’s a good fit for the area and there’s not much out here ”

City officials and stakeholders turn the dirt during the groundbreaking of Crystal Lake Park on Friday.

North Fort Myers girls soccer team to

25th Southwest Florida Reading Festival Saturday

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

The silver anniversary of the Southwest Florida Reading Festival will showcase 27 bestselling authors in downtown Fort Myers the first weekend of March

“It’s really exciting to plan a milestone event It all starts with the authors,” Reading Festival Coordinator Melissa Baker said “They are the bread and butter of the event every year. It’s why we believe they come out every year to discover new authors, see their favorites and get inspiration behind their books ”

The 25th Southwest Florida Reading Festival will be held from 10 a m to 4 p m , this Saturday, March 2, at the downtown Fort Myers Regional Library campus, 2450 First St

The festival, which was held in Centennial Park the first year, featured Carl Hiaasen as the keynote speaker Over the years the popular event has hosted David B a l d a c c i , S a n d r a B r o w n , J a n e t E v a n o v i c h , S u e Grafton, Debbie Macomber and youth writers Meg Cabot, Jeff Kinney, Lois Lowery, R L Stine, and Rosemary Wells.

Baker said it’s been fun over the years because many authors were just on the cusp of becoming well known when they attended the festival

This year the event will feature Sara Penner, Dan Yaccarino, Matthew Quirk, Mary Kay Andrews, Cara Black, Jane K Cleland, Lee Matthew Goldberg, Irene Hannon, Katherine Howe, Nick Petrie and Viola Shipman

Baker said there are a lot of mystery and thriller authors, as well as nonfiction author Joe Posnanski, who’s latest “Why We Love Baseball,” offers something different for attendees

“I am excited to get a sports writer this year,” she said

Some returning authors include Lisa Unger, Jeffery Deaver, Heather Graham and Charles Todd

“Having them back is really special,” Baker said

There will also be a handful of adult authors who will be live streamed – Heather Graham, Lisa Unger, Mary Kay Andrews, Matthew Quirk, Nick Petrie, Jeffery Deaver and Charles Todd

“Those are going to be on demand viewing throughout the entire month of March They can be watched anytime,” Baker said

Laura Martin, Joe McGee, Jamie Michalak and Dan Yaccarino The teen authors include Elise

CHUCK BALLARO

The marketplace booths at a previous Southwest Florida

Festival.

HEALTH What is colon cancer?

The American Cancer Society estimates that about 106,590 new cases of colon cancer in the United States will present themselves this year, with about 46,220 new cases of rectal cancer

If you exclude skin cancers, colon cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in the United States It is more common in older adults; however, physicians are seeing more young people with the diagnosis

I n r e c o g n i t i o n o f March as Colon Cancer Awareness month, there a r e t h i n g s e v e r y o n e should know to prevent t h i s p o t e n t i a l l y d e a d l y dis eas e S creenings for colon cancer can be done to detect it early, which has the best survival rate. K n o w i n g w h a t s y m ptoms and risk factors to l o o k o u t f o r k e e p s p a t i e n t s v i g i l a n t a b o u t their own health

What is colon cancer?

Dr Leandro Moraes Guest Commentary

The colon is the large intestine or large bowel a n d t h e r e c t u m i s t h e p a s s a g e w a y t h a t c o nnects the colon to the anus Colon cancer causes the cells in the colon or rectum to grow out of control Most colon cancers start as a growth called polyps on the inner lining of the colon or rectum Some of them can change into cancer over time, but not all of them will become cancer and the likelihood of them turning into the disease depends on the type of polyp This can be determined during a screening

There are a variety of reliable ways to detect colon cancer This is why it’s important to find out if you have a family history of colon cancer to discuss it with your physician and get regular colorectal cancer screenings starting at age 45, as recommended by The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force

If you have a family history of the disease, your physician may recommend you begin screenings before you turn 45

Colon cancer screenings

Finding colon cancer early means a better chance at recovery Colon cancer screening tests can find precancerous polyps that can be removed before they turn into cancer

The U S Preventive Services Task Force recommends that adults who are 45 to 75 years old be screened If you have a family history or experience any symptoms and risk factors outlined below, discuss with your primary care physician whether you should be tested before you’re 45 years old If no polyps are found, patients typically don’t need another screening for another 10 years

The Task Force recommends several types of screenings, including stool tests, flexible sigmoidoscopy, a c o l o n o s c o p y , o r C T c o l o n o g r a p h y ( v i r t u a l colonoscopy) Your doctor can determine which one is right for you You can schedule your own screening by visiting www leehealth org to learn more

Colon cancer symptoms

Many people with colon cancer do not show sympt o m s r i g h t a w a y T h e y b e g i n t o a p p e a r o v e r t i m e , depending on how big the cancer is and where it’s located inside the large intestine, which is part of the digestive system, or gastrointestinal system

See COLON CANCER, page 28

Lee Health, DispatchHealth to provide mobile medical care to local communities

Service areas range from Bonita Springs to Babcock Ranch

Through a strategic partnership between Lee Health and DispatchHealth, an expanded range of Southwest Florida residents, stretching from Babcock Ranch to Bonita Springs, can now enjoy the convenience of receiving top-tier, same-day medical care in the comfort of their homes This enhanced service is made possible by adding more providers and an additional mobile unit to DispatchHealth's local fleet

“At Lee Health, when it comes to caring for patients throughout Southwest Florida, we want to ensure we provide convenient ways for them to access the care they need when they need it,” said Kris Fay, chief officer of Community-Based Care at Lee Health “DispatchHealth offers high-quality care in the place where patients feel m o s t c o m f o r t a b l e , a n

e h i c l e w i l l enhance our ability to deliver even more effective, convenient, and affordable medical care to the Lee County community ”

i r s t p a r t n e r e d i n 2021, and in that time they have addressed the needs of over 9,000 local patients At home, those three months of age and older can receive treatment for a wide range of common to complex conditions

Misty Ferreira recently turned to DispatchHealth when she wasn't feeling well She said she appreciated the convenience of not having to schedule an office visit, especially with her kids in tow She also noted the benefit of not worrying about catching something from others during her visit

Ferreira shared her positive experience, saying, “I would use them again ”

From serious health concerns like pneumonia, congestive heart failure, COPD exacerbations and COVID-19 to everyday concerns like strep throat, cuts requiring stitch-

es, dehydration,and more, DispatchHealth is capable of addressing any condition that's not life or limb-threatening K e l l y M c K e n n a , a n u r s e p r a c t i t i o n e r a t

DispatchHealth, said, “Our team is fully equipped with EKGs to identify heart arrhythmias, on-site diagnostics, and a CLIA-certified lab for convenient on-location testing ”

Dispatch Health accepts most major insurance plans, including Medicare Advantage and Managed Medicaid, with services billed similarly to an urgent care visit

P a t i e n t s c a n r e q u e s t a n a p p o i n t m e n t o n l i n e a t w w w D i s p a t c h H e a l t h c o m o r b y c a l l i n g 2 3 9 - 3 0 13730 Services are available seven days a week from 8 a m t o 1 0 p m , i n c l u d i n g h o l i d a y s , a c r o s s B o n i t a Springs, Estero, Fort Myers Beach, Fort Myers, Lehigh Acres, Cape Coral, and Babcock Ranch

To learn more, please visit www leehealth org

Lee Health also offers Lee TeleHealth scheduled video visits and Lee TeleHealth on-demand video visits for $49 Lee Health also recently launched Lee TeleHealth eVisits, an asynchronous messaging-based telemedicine service with no video required E-Visits allow patients to input their symptoms to receive a medical opinion with treatment plans, if necessary, through a messaging service for $29 per visit

If a patient is having a medical emergency, such as a heart attack, stroke, severe injury or pain, or trouble breathing, they should visit the nearest emergency room as soon as possible

Urology Experts and Miranda-Sousa strive to continue to provide quality care

Urology Experts and Dr Alejandro Miranda-Sousa have announced that after the recent end of their partnership with Millennium Physician Group as of Feb. 1, 2024, they remain committed to continuing the delivery of top-notch urological care to the Southwest Florida community, upholding the same high standard of care and service that patients have come to expect

This development signifies a new phase for Urology Experts, one that continues to place the health and wellbeing of its patients at the forefront Examples of its dedication to the uninterrupted care and convenience of patients includes:

Familiar location: The practice will remain operational at its existing locations

Unaltered office hours: The office hours will stay consistent, allowing patients to schedule their appointments as usual without any inconvenience

Familiar staff: The practice's dedicated staff, known

Victoria's

for their personalized care and attention, will continue to serve patients with the same commitment

Accessible communication: Patients, referring doctors, and others with questions or concerns are encouraged to contact the practice at 239-226-2727 The team is ready to provide the necessary information and support

About Urology Experts

As one of the premier Urology centers in Southwest Florida, Urology Experts offers complete diagnostic and therapeutic urology services Dr Miranda-Sousa and his team are committed to working together to find solutions to patients’ unique health concerns Urology Experts’ offices in Fort Myers, and Cape Coral are open Monday to Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. with same- and next-day appointments available Call 239-226-2727 Online at UrologyExperts com

Florida Prevention Parents Facebook Page

The program is presented in partnership with Drug Free Lee, United Way, Florida Department of Children and Families, Central Florida Behavioral Health Network Inc and Prevention Alliance of Southwest Florida

For more about Victoria’s Voice Foundation, please visit https://victoriasvoice foundation/

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Cape Coral Firefighters to conduct CPR classes at Cape Museum of Histor y

T w o f r e e F a m i l y & F r i e n d s C P R Classes taught by the Cape Coral Fire Department will be held at the Cape Coral Museum of History Tuesday, March 5

Two times are available: 10 1 m to 1 p m or 5-8 p m There are 16 spots per class, which is free to the public Sign up today!

Skills are taught in a group environment using the American Heart Association’s r e s e a r c h - p r o v e n p r a c t i c e - w h i l e - w a t c h i n g technique, which provides students with the most hands-on CPR practice time possible Students that participate will receive a certificate of completion for attending the course This certificate does not satisfy any job requirements

To sign up, visit https://capecoralmuseum org/events/

The Cape Coral Museum of History is located at 544 Cultural Park Blvd., north of Nicolas Parkway and south of Pine Island Road in Cape Coral

Free autism screening for children March 22 at Pediatric Specialist Office in For t Myers

G o l i s a n o C h i l d r e n ’ s H o s p i t a l o f S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a , i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h R o n a l d M c D o n a l d H o u s e C h a r i t i e s o f Southwest Florida, offers a free monthly autism spectrum disorder screening for toddlers 18 months to five years of age

The next screening will be held Friday, March 22, from 9 a m to 2 p m , at the Pediatric Specialist Office, 15901 Bass Road, Suite 102, Fort Myers

HEALTH NOTES

It is estimated that one in every 44 child r e n i s d i a g n o s e d w i t h s o m e f o r m o f Autism Spectrum Disorder, making it more common than childhood cancer, juvenile diabetes and pediatric AIDS combined

M e d i c a l c o n s u l t a n t s f o r t h e p r o j e c t stress that an early diagnosis can make a vast difference for toddlers and their families They say early intensive behavioral intervention can make an immense difference not just in the development of the child, but in their families as well

The ASD screening is conducted by the Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida The screenings are administered by an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, who has extensive training and experience in typical child development and developmental disorders

A physician referral is not required To schedule a screening, please call 239-3436838

Diabetes Prevention Program begins March 4

Lee Health will begin its latest Diabetes Prevention Program to help the community learn about a variety of tools that can help prevent or delay the onset of Type 2 Diabetes

The program is designed to help the public learn about modest lifestyle changes that can help cut the risk of Type 2 Diabetes by more than half The year-long program starts Monday, March 4, from 67 p m , at Lee Health Coconut Point with weekly meetings for the first six months, then once or twice a month for the second six months

Seating is limited and registration is required Please call 239-468-0051 for

more information

T h e p r o g r a m , w h i c h i s p a r t o f t h e National Diabetes Prevention Program, led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is covered by Medicare and most commercial insurance

R e g i s t r a t i o n i s r e q u i r e d P l e a s e c a l l 239-468-0051 for more information.

Over $9 million in free medical ser vices provided by United Way WeCare program in 2023

Southwest Florida physicians and medical practices provided over $9 million in pro bono services to patients in need during 2023 through the WeCare program of United Way of Lee, Hendry and Glades

The level of generosity was almost $2 million more than the program provided in 2022

WeCare connects qualifying individuals w i t h m e d i c a l s e r v i c e s f r e e o f c h a r g e t h r o u g h a l a r g e n e t w o r k o f v o l u n t e e r providers and physician corporate entities

More than 300 individual providers and 30 organizations partner with United Way through the WeCare program

In 2023, over 300 patients ages 16-87 were treated by WeCare providers The top five individual providers for 2023 were Dr Tadeu Frantz Ambros, Dr Liliana B u s t a m a n t e , D r . A n t h o n y A n f u s o , D r . Graciela Garton and Dr Samith Sandadi

The top five corporate partners were Lee H e a l t h , F l o r i d a C a n c e r S p e c i a l i s t s a n d R e s e a r c h I n s t i t u t e , A d v o c a t e R a d i a t i o n Oncology, GenesisCare, and Radiology Regional

More than 50 medical offices refer patients to the program with the top three being Family Health Centers, Lee Health,

a n d F l o r i d a C a n c e r S p e c i a l i s t s a n d Research Institute

For more information about the WeCare program and United Way, please visit UnitedWayLee org/WeCare

Lee Health’s ‘It’s All About You’

Chronic Pain Self-Management Workshops to begin March 13

Would you like to learn how to better manage chronic pain conditions such as a r t h r i t i s , f i b r o m y a l g i a , b a c k p a i n , headaches and more?

Lee Health’s “It’s All About You,” Chronic Pain Self-Management Program” a S e l f - M a n a g e m e n t R e s o u r c e P r o g r a m with the SMRC is offering a research based Chronic Pain Self-Management program for the community. The workshop is free and meets weekly for six weeks

Information presented in the workshop c a n h e l p y o u b e c o m e e m p o w e r e d t o improve your quality of life Learn how to mo r e eas ily man ag e y o u r med icatio n s ; understand the benefits of exercise; manage symptoms of stress, pain and fatigue; and make smarter decisions related to health eating Participants will also receive a copy of the book “Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Pain”

T h e s e s s i o n s w i l l b e h e l d o n W e d n e s d a y s ( e x c e p t 4 / 1 0 ) b e g i n n i n g March 13 from 1-3:30 p m at Bayside S e n i o r L i v i n g , 3 5 0 1 H a n c o c k B r i d g e Parkway, North Fort Myers and Thursdays beginning March 21 from 9-11 a m (virtually)

Please call 239-424-3121 for more information or to register

Northwest Regional Library sets March programs, activities

N e x t m o n t h ’ s r o s t e r o f a c t i v i t i e s a t N o r t h w e s t Regional Library offers topics for all ages The following activities are free to the public:

Adult Programs

Tech Tuesdays: One-on-One Help

2 p.m., Tuesday, March 5

Need help with a laptop, tablet, e-reader or other device? Are you looking to gain basic technology skills? We can help with a 15 minute, one-on-one technology help session Registration required

Knit and Stitch

10 a m , Wednesday, March 6

A casual, self-guided group of knitters and crocheters that join together to share projects, ideas and techniques Participants are encouraged to bring their own projects and tools Basic materials and supplies are available for newcomers

Meet Local Author Sandra Gurvis

1 p.m., Thursday, March 7

A c c o m p a n i e d b y c a p t i v a t i n g p h o t o s , l o c a l a u t h o r Sandra Gurvis will delve into the fascinating narratives of her recently published book, “Three Ringling Circus: The History of Sarasota, Florida and the Famous Ringling Brothers ” Copies will be available for purchase

Chess at the Library

5:30 p m , Tuesday, March 12

Enjoy chess at the library in a casual environment Chess boards will be provided, but you can also bring your own All ages and skill levels are invited

Books and Bagels

10:30 a.m., Wednesday, March 13

Do you enjoy robust, engaging book discussions? Join us and share your latest reading recommendations. Bagels and coffee will be served

Tabletop Game Time

5 p m , Tuesday, March 19

Meet up for a monthly board game night featuring

modern tabletop games New games (light to medium weight) will be highlighted each month, but feel free to bring your own games to teach and share New and experienced players are welcome.

Quilt Show with Quilts R Us

11 a m , Friday, March 22

Join members of the Quilts R Us sewing club as they display their latest quilting creations and demonstrate their handiwork

Tea Time Talks

6 p.m., Tuesday, March 26

Do you enjoy robust, engaging book discussions? Join us and share your latest reading recommendations Tea and cookies will be served

Children’s Programs

Kids Read Down Fines

4:30 – 5:30 p m , Wednesdays, March 6, 13

11 a m – Noon, Saturday, March 16

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

Kindness Club

4:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 12

Join us at the library to create kindness in our community Kids can participate in fun activities designed to encourage kindness and help make the world a better place Registration is required

Chess at the Library

5:30 p m , Tuesday, March 12

Enjoy chess at the library in a casual environment Chess boards will be provided, but you can also bring your own All ages and skill levels are invited

Family Storytime

10:30 a.m., Saturday, March 16

For children through age 5 and caregivers Families with young children enjoy a variety of stories, songs, rhymes and movement

Take and Make: A Very Hungry Caterpillar Party

11 a m , Thursday, March 21

Celebrate the “Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle by making crafts, visiting learning stations and more at this hands-on program For children through age 5

LEGO Club

2 p.m., Saturday, March 23

For all ages Drop in for building challenges the whole family will enjoy All materials are provided

Books and Blankets

6:15 p.m., Tuesday, March 26

Join us with your blankies and pajamas for this nighttime edition of storytime Your whole family is invited to this enjoyable, all-ages storytime that encourages the development of pre-reading skills through songs, rhymes,

See NORTHWEST LIBRARY, page 28

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Colon cancer: What you should know to help prevent the disease

From page 19

Symptoms of colon cancer can include:

■ A change in bowel habits, including more frequent diarrhea or constipation

■ Blood in the stool

■ Rectal bleeding

■ Ongoing discomfort in your stomach, such as cramps, gas or pain

■ A feeling that the bowel doesn't empty all the way during a bowel movement

■ Losing weight without trying

Risk factors associated with colon cancer

If you experience any of the symptoms outlined above and are in a risk category for colon cancer, please make an appointment with your physician as soon as possible If colon cancer is detected at an early

stage before it’s spread, there is a five-year survival rate at about 90%, according to the American Cancer Society

Risk factors for colon cancer:

■ A family history of colon cancer or polyps

■ African Americans are about 20% more likely to get colon cancer, according to the American Cancer Society

■ Some DNA changes that increase the risk of colon cancer run in families Lee Health offers genetic testing For more information, please contact your physician or visit www.leehealth.org.

■ I n f l a m m a t o r y b o w e l d i s e a s e s c a n increase colon cancer

■ A low-fiber, high-fat diet (However, research in this area has had mixed results )

■ Not exercising regularly

■ Diabetes

■ Smoking

■ Drinking too much alcohol

■ Radiation therapy for cancer directed at the abdomen

Lifestyle changes to help lower the risk of colon cancer

Making healthy lifestyle changes can help reduce the risk of colon cancer

Eating a balanced diet with a variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grains with n e e d e d v i t a m i n s , m i n e r a l s , f i b e r a n d antioxidants will ensure the body gets the nutrients it needs, and it can potentially help reduce the risk of colon cancer and other diseases

Drinking alcohol in moderation or completely abstaining will help lower the risk The standard is one drink a day for women and two for men

Taking steps to quit smoking will also keep your body healthy

Getting at least 30 minutes of exercise a day is another way to keep your body sharp

While the number of people under age 50 getting colon cancer has been increasing, it is still most prevalent in adults older than 50 years old

If you have an increased risk of colon c a n c e r , a r e e x p e r i e n c i n g a n y p o t e n t i a l symptoms, or would like more information, please make an appointment with y o u r p h y s i c i a n b y v i s i t i n g w w w l e ehealth.org.

Dr Leandro Moraes is a physician with the Lee Health Cancer Institute

Northwest Library: Programs and activities scheduled for March

From page 21

fingerplays and stories

Teen Programs

Kids Read Down Fines

4:30 – 5:30 p m , Wednesdays, March 6, 13

11 a.m. – Noon, Saturday, March 16

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

Art with Alcohol Ink

Tuesday, March 5 & Wednesday, March 6

Grades 9 – 12: 2:15 p m

Grades 6 – 8: 4:15 p m

Create unique art using the magical m e d i u m o f A l c o h o l I n k Y o u w i l l b e amazed at the results

Overbooked: Teen Book Club

3 p.m., Monday, March 11

Discuss what you're currently reading and enjoy light snacks For ages 14-18

Chess at the Library

5:30 p m , Tuesday, March 12

Enjoy chess at the library in a casual environment Chess boards will be provided, but you can also bring your own All ages and skill levels are invited

Tech Free Thursday 2 p m , Thursday, March 14

Let's play like it is 1985 and pretend there is no technology, at least for one day For teens ages 12-18

T h e N o r t h w e s t R e g i o n a l L i b r a r y i s located at 519 Chiquita Blvd , N , in Cape Coral For more information about a program or to register, please call the library at 239-533-4700 Check the Lee County Library System’s website at www.leelibrary net to find out about programs at other locations Call the host library, or Telephone Reference at 239-479-INFO (4636), for more information about a specific program

To receive updates from Lee County

Government, sign up for the newsletter here: www leegov com/resources/newsletters

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Lee County will not disc r i m i n a t e a g a i n s t q u a l i f i e d i n d i v i d u a l s with disabilities in its services, programs or activities To request an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication or a reasonable modification to participate, contact Joan LaGuardia, 239-533-2314, F l o r i d a R e l a y S e r v i c e 7 1 1 , o r j l ag u a r d i a @ l e e g o v c o m A c c o m m o d a t i o n w i l l b e p r o v i d e d a t n o c o s t t o t h e requestor Requests should be made at least five business days in advance

Photo of raccoon clutching its young takes top honor in Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve’s photo contest

A relatively new photographer, Grace Waller had just spotted a bright red northern cardinal in the trees at Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve and was looking to take its picture Then a moment in nature intervened, and Waller instead captured what some might consider the photo of a lifetime.

“I heard a noise in the tree followed by the mother raccoon popping out of it,” Waller said “I snapped off some photos as she sat on top of the tree for a minute or so, then

she ducked her head back into the tree I thought the moment of seeing her was over until she pulled her head back out of the tree, but this time carrying the baby in her mouth ”

Waller’s photo of that moment was the Grand Prize winner in the Friends of Six Mile Slough Preserve 2024 Photo Contest, open only to amateur photographers Waller and 20 other photographers were honored Sunday, Feb 18, in a ceremony at the Slough’s Interpretive Center

Waller, who was born and raised in the Cape Coral-Fort Myers area, says she took up photography as a hobby just last year, which also was the first time she visited the Slough “I had such a great experience on my first visit that I continued to go on the weekends and during the holidays when the weather was nice and cool ” The winning photo was taken on Christmas Eve while she was testing out a new lens, little more than a month before the photo contest deadline

The photo contest is conducted by the Friends of Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve, a nonprofit organization that offers support to the Slough’s mission, staff members and volunteers The contest has been held annually since 2010

In addition to the Grand Prize winner, 1st-, 2nd- and 3rd-Place awards are given in five different categories: Animals, Birds, Plants & Landscapes, Youth, and Staff Ten other photos received honorable mentions Six photos were selected to be used as the images on postcards that will be sold in the Slough’s “Friends Corner” nature store later this year Other postcards are currently available

The winning photos will be posted on the Friends webs i t e , w w w s l o u g

serve org/>, and already can be viewed in the Intrepretive Center at the Slough The Center is open from 10 a m to 4 p m every day except Mondays Admission to the Center and the Boardwalk is free with paid parking, which is $1 an hour or $5 for an entire day

A total of 244 photos were entered by 103 different

Grace Waller ’s grand prize winning photo of a raccoon clutching its young at Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve

Grand prize winner Grace Waller, left, with Slough Friends President Sabine Vandenhende at the awards ceremony

Archaeological Society ‘Calusa Walk’ March 9

The Southwest Florida Archaeological Society is offering a “Calusa Walk” on Saturday, March 9, in Bonita Springs as part of Florida’s Archaeology Month and Calusa Coast 2024 events

Discussions feature Southwest Florida’s Native American history dating back over 8,000 years and first European contacts in the state Learn about the archaeol-

ogy of the first people to live in Bonita Springs. Hear stories of the Calusa, who ruled all of Southwest Florida, including their contact with the Spanish starting in 1513

Learn about the Calusa’s capital on Mound Key in Estero Bay, Ponce De L e o n , P e d r o M e n e n d e z a n d F o r t S a n Anton de Carlos in 1566 Learn about the

end of the Calusa Empire and the origins of the Seminoles and Miccosukee.

Afterwards, guests can enjoy a picnic lunch or eat at one of the nearby restaurants (lunch not included) Also on March 9 in Riverside Park, there is the free Bonita Fest by the GOATs of Bonita from 11 a m to 4 p m

The tour cost per person is $20 with

advance reservation, or $25 the day of the event.

Meet on March 9 before 10 a m at the Liles Hotel in Riverside Park, 27300 Old 41 Road, Bonita Springs, FL 34135

Email info@goexploring com, or call/ text 239-992-6133, to reserve and receive participant notes and details

Poto contest: Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve winners named

From page 29

photographers This year, for the first time, the contest was entirely digital

Here are the other 2024 winners:

Animals: 1st Place Michael Krause, 2nd Place Kristina Mintz, 3rd Place Christian

Rehm

Birds: 1st Place Damon Bell, 2nd Place Michael Krause, 3rd Place Peter Darcy

Plants & Landscapes: 1st Place Linda

Normoyle, 2nd Place Ron Lindensmith, 3rd Place Jason Walsh

Youth: 1st Place Max VanGrouw, 2nd Place Max Vangrouw, 3rd Place Dahveed

Storey

Staff: 1st Place Sabine Vandenhende, 2nd Place Sabine Vandenhende, 3rd Place William Greene (Staff entries are not eligible for the Grand Prize )

The contest was judged by Rick Bauer, Jason Boeckman, Carol Matthai and Dr Jose Padilla

In selecting Waller’s photo as the top picture in the entire contest, the judges wrote: “The judges loved everything about this image and felt it encapsulated so much about the spirit of the Slough The protec-

tive embrace of the parent raccoon The outstretched paw The vertical action as the pair climb the tree together The elements all combined wonderfully for this perhaps once-in-a-lifetime photograph ”

Membership levels in the Friends organization start at $10 for students and $25 for individuals More information about membership and the photo contest is available on the Friends website at www sloughpreserve org

Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve has more than 3,500 acres of wetland ecosystem, with a boardwalk trail and Interpretive Center Animals like otters, alligators, turtles, wading birds, and more live at the Slough year-round Others, like migrating birds and butterflies, use the Slough as a feeding area or a winter home. The Slough is managed by the Lee County Department of Parks and Recreation and is open daily from sunrise to sunset

The first place award in the animal category went to Michael Krause for his “Alligator finishing a meal at Six Mile Cypress Slough.”

PHOTO PROVIDED

Enticing the yellow butterflies

By SHERIE BLEILER news@breezenewspapers com

It was exciting this week to see my first yellow butterfly of the season! Swooping up and down. Darting back and forth It seems like such a random pattern, yet this butterfly has found the only plant in the neighborhood that she can lay her eggs on It’s a privet senna (Senna ligustrina); some call it a cassia The bush is about 5-6 feet tall, with small pointed leaves, and clusters of yellow buds getting ready to open It blooms off and on most of the year The seed pods look like string beans and if they are cut off right after blooming, the bush will bloom again sooner!

T h e s e y e l l o w b u t t e rflies are called sulphurs

GARDEN CLUB OF CAPE CORAL

Although there are many kinds of sulphurs, there are three likely to be seen h e r e T h e l a r g e s t a n d m o s t d r a m a t i c i s t h e o r a n g e b a r r e d s u l p h u r , bright yellow with spots of orange on its forewings and a 3-inch wingspan Slightly smaller is the lemonyellow cloudless sulphur with a few dots on its wings The sleep orange sulphur has just a 2-inch wingspan

The adults live from 2 to 4 weeks, with the goal of finding a mate and laying eggs on any kind of senna bush

There are many plants in the senna family in a variety of sizes Almost identical to the privet senna but shorter is Bahama senna (or cassia) It gets about 3 feet tall and lives three to five years Both shrubs have an attractive oval shape, keep their leaves all year and are frequently covered in yellow flowers They are easy to trim, but usually don't need it. They are native Florida plants, so they grow just fine in our sandy Cape Coral soil However, I have not seen it sold in big box stores You can find it in a nursery that sells native plants or at the plant sales at Rotary Park Often, they are passed along from gardener to gardener

Members of the Garden Club of Cape Coral are having a huge plant sale on March 9 at Jaycee Park, 9 a m to 3 p m , which they call “March in the Park ” Gardeners in the club will bring hundreds of plants they have grown to sell at this event, including some senna bushes

Partridge pea is an even smaller plant in this family, which also attracts the yellow butterflies There are non-native sennas, such as the candlestick plant (Senna alata) These have much larger leaves, dramatic flowers and seem especially attractive to sulphurs Also, desert cassia, native to the Caribbean, grows to be a small 10foot tree with tiny leaves yet similar yellow flowers It

Home Base Florida veterans with Habitat for Humanity volunteers during the recent construction projects

Veterans helping veterans

Volunteers in the Home Base Florida Adventure Series build Habitat for Humanity Homes for fellow veterans

Home Base Florida, a leading nonprofit that provides clinical care, wellness and education to help veterans, service members and their families heal from the invisible wounds of war, recently engaged in two impactful volunteer days with Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties

During the two volunteer days, veterans enrolled in the Home Base Florida Adventure Series, a program that provides free events and activities for veterans, active-duty service members and their families in collaboration with businesses and non-profit organizations, gave participants an opportunity to collaborate and contribute to the completion of two homes for local Southwest Florida veterans

This effort allowed the volunteers to build camaraderie and gave them a sense of purpose as they generously donated their time and skills to support fellow veterans, reflecting their service-oriented spirit that goes beyond their military responsibilities

"Our veterans are always looking for ways to give back

to the community, even though they have already given so much to our country," said Armando Hernandez, senior director at Home Base Florida "Participating in these volunteer days with Habitat for Humanity allowed our veterans to make a direct and meaningful impact on the lives of local veterans in need We are immensely proud of their dedication and generosity "

Past Adventure Series events have included animalassisted experiences, a Red Sox Spring Training game, pizza nights, golf lessons, pickleball, movie nights and much more These experiences foster a sense of camaraderie and unity among the veterans, creating bonds that extend beyond the day's activities

The memories made during these events serve as a reminder of the joy and connection that can be found in shared experiences and support the health and wellbeing of local veterans

For more information about Home Base Florida, visit www homebase org/florida

LARC to host 70th anniversary celebration March 13 in Fort Myers

Citizens will host a 70th anniversary celebration Wednesday, March 13, from 11:30

at Marion Hall on the St Cecilia Catholic Church campus, 5632 Sunrise Drive, Fort Myers Established in 1954, LARC Inc is a training center for success that provides support services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families

n LARLARC's Adult Day Training program is designed to enhance abilities and help individuals live happier, more productive, and independent lives Activities include self-care, daily living skills, and various prevocational and life skill opportunities

"This event marks seven decades of dedicated service to adults with disabilities in our community," said Angela Katz, LARC executive director "LARC, a non-profit organization, has been a beacon of support, empowerment, and inclusivity since its inception We've created countless moments of joy, growth, and resilience together Now, we will unite to honor the journey and look forward to a future filled with even more compassion and progress "

LARC was founded by parents whose children with i n t e l

allowed to attend public schools Today, LARC serves more than 300 individuals annually, and participants range from 14 to 81

LARC's programs include:

In addition, opportunities are provided to increase fine and gross motor activities, communication skills, academic skills, positive behavioral approaches, independent living skills, social skills, and recreation and leisure skills

n LeaLearn, Achieve, Become (LAB) is an on-campus experiential learning environment that transforms traditional program areas into spaces for innovation, vocation, demonstration, and learning Five Labs focus on work and independent living skills, including Lab for Living, Wellness Lab, Smart Living Lab, Vocational Exploration Lab, and Collaboration Lab LARC provided more than 100,000 hours of life skills training last year

n LARLARC recently broke ground on its Commercial Culinary Training Kitchen The commercial kitchen will be utilized to train individuals with disabilities for work in

See LARC, page 32

The cloudless sulphur butterfly.

South Cape St. Patrick's Pub Crawl & Trolley Event tickets on sale

The South Cape St Patrick's Pub Crawl & Trolley Event is Saturday, March 9, from 7-11 p m This 21+ nightlife celebration takes guests to nine locations to enjoy a St Patrick's themed night, with drink and appetizer samples at each participating South Cape hotspot (Festive attire is always encouraged!)

All-inclusive tickets are just $30 in

advance ($25 for DDs)

Each attendee will be provided a passport to have stamped at all nine locations To enter our grand prize drawing, leave completed passport on a trolley or at a participating location The prize is sponsored by Suncoast Beverages

Tickets available online via Eventbrite

Check-in begins at 6 p m at Big John's

Plaza or Dolphin Key Resort (under the front awning)

Guests can have their picture taken at the official St Pat's photo booth located at the Dolphin Key Resort (under the front awning) and automatically be entered in the Photo Booth Contest The prize is four tickets to the Red, White & Booze Trolley Event June 22

Guests can take the trolleys or walk to each location to enjoy Irish-themed drinks appetizer samples

Participating locations are BackStreets Sports Bar, Cruiser's Lounge, The Dive, Dixie Roadhouse, Monkey Bar Steak & Seafood, Rack’em Spirits & Times, Ralph's Place, Rusty's Bar & Grill and Tiki Bar

Reading Festival: Event to be held at Fort Myers Regional Library

From page 18

Bryant, Lamar Giles, Lynn Painter and Natalia Sylvester

“There’s a lot of kids authors, teen authors Several of them are the Sunshine State winners that Florida students will be familiar with,” she said

Baker said she has to give kudos to the recruitment team for getting some really cool authors this year She said she has a handful of staffers that works with publicists to get authors to come, which often begins before the last festival wraps up

“It’s a passion process for a few of the staff members They are doing a wonderful job,” Baker said

In addition to the 27 featured authors, there will be three local writer groups –Florida Writers Association, Gulf Coast W r i t e r s A s s o c i a t i o n a n d 4 H o r s e m a n Publications Baker said they will each have their own list of writers signing books throughout the day to feature local talent

Books A Million will have a tent selling different titles of the authors present Baker said individuals can also bring their own books from home to have the authors

sign

“Purchase isn’t necessary for the book signing,” she said.

In addition to the authors, the event will also feature the library van, festival swag, Too Tall Torrie – the stilt walking balloon artist and food trucks Anniversary Tshirts will be sold, as well as microfiber beach towels

A tradition that will continue this year includes the free book giveaway for children and teens who attend the event Baker said they have provided a free book continuously since the festival began

“Every kid, ever teen can get a free book – all brand new,” she said. “We will have a handful of brail titles for visually disabled attendees, Spanish and bilingual books We have a good variety to suite every taste ”

Baker said they are conscious this is a celebration of reading to promote literacy in the community

“It impacts so many different areas,” she said of literacy “If we can ignite a passion for pleasure reading, it keeps your skills even better ”

The reading festival also sheds a light on library services

“The core purpose shines during the event Everything circles back around to reading,” she said

There will be an early literacy area at the festival – a little reader zone with hands-on STEM games, carnival games a n d r e s o u r c e s f r o m M s H u m b l e b e e Academy

“The more you read to them, the more you talk to them, sing to them, interact and play – it builds the literacy skills and reading becomes second nature,” Baker said

The food trucks will include Pelican’s Snoballs, Jason’s Deli, Donut NV, Dog Town and Big D Barbeque Baker said new this year is a satellite Jason’s Deli booth near the Books A Million tent sell-

ing drinks

Authors Kamilla Benko, Zachariah OHora and Sara Holland sign their books at an earlier Southwest Florida Reading Festival.

There will also be a writing awards presentation for the youth and teen writers at the festival

“The kids that won get called up on stage It’s a nice way to cap out the day for the youth,” Baker said

Attendees are encouraged to download the Southwest Florida Reading Festival app, as it is the best way to plan their day. Baker said the app will curate a list of their favorite author sessions, so they can keep track of where they want to be at that moment

“Most authors are only on stage once,” she said

LARC: Anniversary celebration

From page 31

the hospitality industry In this space, staff will deliver training designed for the food service and hospitality industry

n LARC's Campus Employment allows individuals to explore career opportunities while earning wages LARC partners with local businesses to provide packaging and assembly work, and LARC's Woodshop constructs and sells custom wood products.

n LARC's Community and Employment Support Services provide ongoing assistance to individuals living in their homes, including medical, medication, money management, grocery shopping, obtaining benefits, exploring community resources, and other needs In addition, Supported Employment is a service for individuals who require support services to obtain and succeed in competitive employm

employed through LARC programs

n LARC's residential group homes provide room/board and 24-hour supervision in a person-centered, home-like environment Individuals are provided with life skills training, including meal preparation,

Healthcare management is provided, and individuals are educated regarding overall health and well-being Residents participate in group and individual community i

LARC recently broke ground on a new home that will replace a home in North Fort Myers that Hurricane Ian destroyed

Tickets for the anniversary celebration a r e $ 5 4 a n d i n c l u d e a p l a t e d l u n c h Reservation deadline is Wednesday, Feb 28 For reservations or sponsorship information, contact Nickole Hendra at 2393 3 4 - 6 2 8 5 , e x t e n s i o n 2 2 9 , o r e m a i l Nickolehendra@larcleecounty org

If you cannot attend, contributions to LARC can be made by visiting www.larcleecounty org

LARC offers vocational training, community residential services, and a vast array of other state-of-the-art community inclusion services on a full-time, yearround basis LARC's main campus is at 2570 Hanson Street, Fort Myers LARC a l s o o p e r a t e s t w o R e s i d e n t i a l G r o u p Homes in Cape Coral and Fort Myers

To learn more about LARC and its mission, visit www larcleecounty org or contact Angela Katz at 239-334-6285 x210 or angelakatz@larcleecounty org

BUSINESS

BUSINESS BRIEFS

Breeze Airways to star t nonstop flights to and from Manchester, N.H., in fall

The Lee County Port Authority this week announced that Breeze Airways will inaugurate new nonstop flights between Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers (RSW) and Manchester, New Hampshire (MHT), this fall The RSW-MHT flights will operate twice weekly on Wednesdays and Saturdays starting Oct 2

For Breeze Airways’ news release, please visit https://www flylcpa com/uploads/pagesfiles/4948 pdf For more information or to book a flight, please visit flybreeze com

F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a International Airport, please visit flylcpa com or Like Us on Facebook at facebook com/flyRSW

Horizon Foundation announces slate of officers for 2024

Lee County’s leading nonprofit business organization, the Horizon Foundation, has set its slate of officers for 2024

Heading the foundation is President Mark Stevens, who is president of Stevens Construction. Other officers include:

n Vice President Ryan Carter, Scotlynn USA

n Immediate Past President Holly Smith, former mayor of Sanibel and Sanibel hotelier

n Treasurer Sandy Stilwell Youngquist, Stilwell Enterprises

n Secretary Fred Edman, Wright Construction Group

The foundation’s investors are committed to keeping Lee County’s economy diverse and competitive for everyone The newly appointed officers will play a crucial role in steering the Foundation towards achieving its strategic goals for the year ahead.

The Horizon Foundation was established in 1995-96 to provide a funding vehicle for businesses to invest in Lee County’s long-term economic development and vitality In 2000, the Horizon Foundation received its IRS ruling as a charitable 501(c)(3) organization The foundation raises private-sector money to support efforts of the Lee County Economic Development Office and the Horizon Council to improve the area’s business clim a t e F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , p l e a s e v i s i t L e e C o u n t y B u s i n e s s c o m / H o r i z o n - F o u n d a t i o n o r HorizonCouncilFoundation com, or call 239-533-6800

Achieva Credit Union announces Paws for-a-Purpose donation drive

In honor of National Puppy Day, Achieva Credit Union will host a dog food donation drive called Paws for-a-Purpose beginning today, March 1

Each Achieva branch will accept dog-friendly donations, including any brand of unopened dog food (dry and canned), blankets, towels and sheets and pet safe cleaning supplies

Anyone dropping off donations on National Puppy Day, Saturday, March 23, 2024, from 9 a m to 1 p m , at an Achieva branch will receive a puppy water bottle and a dog treat, while supplies last

In addition, Achieva will match community donations up to 500 pounds

According to PetSmart Charities, 30 million pets in the U S face hunger each year Their recent survey revealed that 66% of pet parents would share some of their food if they were struggling to feed their pet and 83% would forgo their own meals to make sure their pet has enough to eat

Achieva Credit Union welcomes dogs in the workplace and employees are encouraged to bring in their furry friends

Donations from Lee, Charlotte and Collier counties will be distributed to local pet shelters including Gulf Coast Humane Society

Achieva Credit Union was founded in 1937 in Pinellas County Today it is over 25 branches serving more than 194,630 members For more information, visit http://www achievacu com

Achieva Credit Union opens branch on Pine Island Road

Achieva Credit Union has opened its newest Lee County branch at 3031 S W Pine Island Road, in Cape Coral

The free-standing 2,100-square-foot building was built by Bandes Construction Company.

The branch’s phone number is 239-471-3564 Branch hours are Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 9 a m to 5 p m ; Wednesday, 10 a m to 5 p m ; Friday, 9 a m to 5:30 p m ; and Saturday, 9 a m to 1 p m

Drive-thru hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 8:30 a m to 5:30 p m ; Wednesday, 10 a m to 5:30 p m ; and Saturday, 9 a m to 1 p m

The Pine Island branch will offer the community a full range of financial services and products including the latest banking technology, drive-thru lanes, ATM access and a 24-hour deposit drop box In addition, the branch will have experienced certified financial counselors on-hand to help members with their financial needs as well as bilingual capabilities With over 25 active branches and growing, Achieva

Credit Union has been serving communities since 1937 and has more than 190,000 members throughout the state

Achieva Credit Union is not just a financial institution but a partner in the growth and development of the members and local businesses they serve. Small businesses and growing families are the makeup of the Pine Island community Achieva is committed to helping its members thrive by providing tailored financial products and services that meet their unique needs

“This new branch will provide crucial access to financial services and programs for all residents of Cape Coral, North Fort Myers and Pine Island,” said Susan Lacey, Achieva’s market president “This branch is a symbol of our commitment to the future of Lee County We see it as a hub of activity, where individuals and businesses come together to connect, to grow, and to prosper ”

A grand opening event will take place at a later date.

Fore additional information about Achieva Credit U n i o n a n d i t s p r o d u c t s a n d s e r v i c e s , p l e a s e v i s i t www achievacu com

During March, enjoy subs at Jersey Mike’s locations in Southwest Florida and a portion of the purchase will be donated to Golisano Children’s Hospital The month-long campaign culminates March 27 with Jersey Mike’s Day of Giving, when 16 local restaurants will donate 100% of the

PHOTO PROVIDED

The exterior of the new Achieva Credit Union branch on Pine Island Road in Cape Coral.

Love brings good vibrations

Beach Boys to perform March 8 at Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

Legendary Beach Boys singer and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Mike Love doesn’t hesitate when asked how the 82year-old is going to play back-to-back shows with the Beach Boys in Fort Myers on Thursday, March 8

“It really is no problem I do my meditation every day,” Love said over the phone from Maui, where he has been touring with the Beach Boys Love cited his routine of regularly going to the gym, doing pilates and keeping a vegetarian diet to helping him keep in shape

“I just have to do my beauty rest,” Love said

There was only supposed to be one Beach Boys show at the Barbara B Mann Performing Arts Hall but the concert was selling so good, another show was added Love is not worried about the extra work “We have a great crew that sets everything up,” he said

Love and the Beach Boys will be bringing a set more energetic than most bands a fraction of their age that typically runs two hours and features most of the Beach Boys hits The band is celebrating the 50th anniversary of their greatest hits album “Endless Summer” which featured the early surf rock sounds of “Surfin’ Safari” and “Surfin’ USA” to their California fantasy hits “California Girls,” “I Get Around” and “Fun, Fun, Fun,” to their renowned classic “Good Vibrations ” The set also features the post-Pet Sounds era hits like “Do it Again,” right into hidden gems from their ’70s material all the way up to their No 1 hit “Kokomo” and beyond

Love partially credits his longevity in the music business to his background running cross-country track in high school One of his former high school classmates, local resident Craig Owens, will be in attendance at the show “We used to run five miles a day together in the mornings,” Love said He attributed his hard work ethic more than six decades into his music career to his father who ran a sheetmetal business, waking up at 5:30 a m and worked six days a week and long hours “He was quite an inspiration,” he said

The first set of the Beach Boys performance at the Barbara B Mann Performing Arts Hall starts at 3 p m on Friday March 8 The second set goes off at 7:30 p m The Barbara B Mann Performing Arts Hall is located on the campus of Florida Southwestern State College at 13350 FSW Parkway in Fort Myers /PHOTO

The Beach Boys these days consists of Love, co-founder of one of the most consequential American music groups of the 20th Century, keyboardist Bruce Johnson (who began replacing founder Brian Wilson on tour in 1965) and a backing group that include several longtime collaborators of Love including his son Christian Full House actor John Stamos has made special appearances on the tour, playing

drums. He has periodically made appearances with the group since the 1980s.

Sad news

Love’s tour with the Beach Boys coincides with recent news that co-founder Brian Wilson was diagnosed with

See BEACH BOYS, page 35

CREDIT: JIM TROCCHIO

Beach Boys: Legendary band’s latest incarnation to play back-to-back shows in Fort Myers

From page 34

dementia and an application has been made to put him into a conservatorship after his wife died due in part to his difficulties getting around

“It’s a sad thing,” Love said Love said he doesn’t know how serious it is but it makes it further unlikely as to whether the two will ever reunite for a show Love hasn’t performed with Wilson since a 2012 reunion tour in which Love and Wilson were joined by guitarists Al Jardine and David Marks for a 50th anniversary tour of their founding

“It was great We started out to do 50 dates but ended up going for 70,” Love said Though there had been great hopes the Beach Boys would continue to perform with all of the surviving original members, Love and Johnson would go on their own tour under the Beach Boys moniker (which Love controls) while Wilson, Jardine and Marks ended up touring as part of a separate tour

Love doesn’t know if they will ever all play again The surviving Beach Boys last gathered together last year for a tribute show they attended but didn’t perform in Love said the band members discussed playing again though nothing transpired

The dozen years that has lapsed between all of the band reuniting is a continuation of an acrimonious past in which Love and Wilson have sometimes sparred Love filed a lawsuit in the 1990s to gain credits for songs he helped write the lyrics for.

The ‘Love Doctor’ touch

Nearly all of the Beach Boys hits have some touch from Love He provides the lead with his signature high-pitched and rapid delivery on hits like “Fun, Fun, Fun,” “California Girls,” “409” and “Surfin’ Safari” but even when he isn’t, he makes impressions with his ability to serve the baritone background notes or smaller, memorable exchanges like on “Good Vibrations” with the lyrics “Got to keep those lovin’ good vibrations happenin’ with her ” On some songs like the underappreciated classic “Good to my Baby,” Love will exchange leads with Brian Wilson and do the baritone notes and harmonies. It’s a formula that led to the Beach Boys selling tens of millions of records despite deaths and inner turmoil

PHOTO CREDIT: UDO SPREITZENBARTH

Remembering Carl and Dennis

Beach Boys co-founder Carl Wilson died in 1997 at the age of 51 from lung cancer Love said Carl started smoking at an early age though he gave it up a couple years before he died While Brian Wilson and Mike Love got most of the headlines over the years for the Beach Boys, it was Carl who provided the band their rock and roll sound with his Chuck Berry influences on guitar, Love said “He gave us that rock and roll element,” he said He came to the forefront of the group with his lead vocals on “Good Vibrations” and “God Only Knows ”

“He had an amazing voice,” Love said “He was a great guitar player ”

Early on, Carl provided the guitar chops for the group with his neighbor David Marks Both joined the group when they were just 14 Marks would leave the group in 1964

after Love said the group’s manager Murray Wilson (father of Brian, Carl and Dennis) quarreled with him and his parents “He was railroaded out of the group by my uncle Murray,” Love said

That led to Al Jardine, part of the original lineup, returning to the band Jardine would provide lead on “Help me Rhonda ”

Carl would lead the group’s musical direction after his brother Brian began withdrawing from the group at the end of the 1960s Love’s son Christian handles the Carl Wilson parts during the shows Brian Eichenberger handles the falsetto notes of Brian Wilson

“We loved the do-wop, Everly Brothers, Chuck Berry, Four Freshman,” Love said of the band’s early influences. The band even got to do a show with the Everly Brothers once

Drummer Dennis Wilson died in 1983 at the age of 40 after drowning “He had a ton of energy,” Love said Unfortunately, he was addicted to alcohol and drugs, Love said “He couldn’t shake it He would go to rehab for a night (at a time) It doesn’t work that way He had a very addictive personality,” Love said

Discovery

Love credits his discovery of transcendental meditation under Maharishi Mahesh Yogi on a 1968 trip to India with Beatles guitarist George Harrison with keeping him on the straight and narrow and away from the drug culture that consumed some of his bandmates

“It’s lifestyle choices you know Some people didn’t choose the right path and they are not with us anymore Some people chose to do things that were harmful to themselves mentally and physically,” Love said

He said that he, Jardine and Johnston were able to avoid the pitfalls

Love wrote a song about his time in India with Harrison called “Pisces Brothers,” which he performs on tour

‘Two bands’

The Beach Boys were able to be one of the most prolific bands in rock history in part by actually being two bands

See BEACH BOYS, page 36

Beach Boys singer Mike Love will bring the latest reincarnation of the Beach Boys to the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall March 8.

Beach

Boys: Band is celebrating 50th anniversary of its ‘Endless Summer’ album

From page 35

After Brian Wilson largely withdrew from touring in 1964, he spent his time in the recording studio working on records with The Wrecking Crew a cadre of session musicians responsible for many of the greatest hits of the 1960s On the “Pet Sounds” hit “Wouldn’t it be Nice,” for example, there were at least 18 musicians playing different instruments on the song Much of the Beach Boys material from 1964-1968 was with musicians from the Wrecking Crew adding instrumentation

On “California Girls,” Leon Russell handled piano duties as part of a backing group of a dozen instrumentalists that included legendary drummer Hal Blaine, bassist Carol Kaye and Al De Lory on the memorable organ notes “Hal Blaine was the nicest guy you ever want to meet,” Love said.

“We were really two bands,” Love said That setup allowed the Beach Boys to tour while Wilson worked on

laying down the instrumentation for many of the songs “We wouldn’t have as much of a volume of songs” without the Wrecking Crew, Love said.

Genius of Brian Wilson

On Brian Wilson, Love said “He had an uncanny ability to hear all the parts simultaneously in his head He would deal all of my low parts and Al’s parts Very complicated harmonies, he could hear them all in his head He had an uncanny ability of harmonies and chord progressions ” In recording sessions, Wilson would deal out horn parts and bass parts on the fly to more than a dozen musicians assembled at a time all while in his early 20s

Staying hip

Love is still giving off good vibrations these days. When asked about the famous David Lee Roth cover of “California

Girls,” Love laughs and says he enjoyed the Van Halen singer’s version “What a video,” he said

On this tour, Love and the Beach Boys show another side to the group by covering “Rockaway Beach” by the legendary punk rock band The Ramones

“That song rocks,” Love said

The first set of the Beach Boys performance at the Barbara B Mann Performing Arts Hall starts at 3 p m on Friday March 8 The second set goes off at 7:30 p m The Barbara B Mann Performing Arts Hall is located on the campus of Florida Southwestern State College at 13350 FSW Parkway in Fort Myers

“People still love our songs We love doing them,” Love said I look forward to doing the concerts, and touring The concerts generate so much happiness in the audience For the older fans, it brings a lot of memories and for our younger fans they experience a lot of joy ”

Teen to be honored at Make-A-Wish Spring into Action Gala

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

An upcoming Make-A-Wish event will feature a Lehigh Acres youth who has been battling acute myeloblastic leukemia

Caleb Calderon, 13, will be honored at the gala be held from 5 to 8 p m Wednesday, March 6, at Bayfront Inn 5th Avenue in Naples

He received treatment at Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida A couple months ago he had a bone marrow transplant at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami, and is now in remission

“They renewed my bone marrow, so it will always make brand new blood cells, and not cancer cells,” he said “I am feeling better The recovery process has gone well I feel like I have a lot of energy ”

Calderon said he has been battling leukemia for more than a year and it was horrible While at the hospital, they always tried to distract him, so his focus was beyond the hospital walls and cancer

“It still didn’t brush away the thought that I was stuck in a hospital and would be there for a relatively longtime having chemotherapy I was at Golisano for a while After staying at Golisano I was transferred to Miami where the transplant took place,” he said

The young teen stopped attending Harns Marsh Middle School as a sixth grader, after being diagnosed His hope is to return to school at Lehigh Senior High School in the fall

“I have been waiting to finally go back to school again,” Calderon said

Recently he was a recipient of Make-AWish where his bedroom was transformed into an aviator paradise.

“It’s because I really love airplanes I really love aviation I wanted something to be

deeply about airplanes Since I was fresh out of transplant, I really couldn’t fly, so my only other choice was to have a bedroom of airplanes” Calderon said

He was shocked when the door opened to his bedroom because it was better than what he visioned the space to be

“The results were better than what I had expected,” Calderon said. “I originally had a more basic idea for the wish, but Make-AWish decided to turn it to a whole different level ”

His favorite color gold was incorporated into the theme of the bedroom

“I definitely liked how they wrote my name on the wall with the golden airplane,” Calderon said

He also enjoys lying on his bed while looking up at the ceiling, which is painted blue with white clouds

“Whenever I am lying down, I can see up and actually imagine I am in the sky,” Calderon said

Other highlights include a large painting of an airplane taking off from the runway, an airplane propeller coming out of the wall and little golden airplanes painted on the wall

“Whenever I am sitting down, or just generally awake, I look around and feel like I am in an airport, or airplane museum,” Calderon said

He said Make-A-Wish is a great foundation

“I am very appreciative (of them) giving

me the opportunity to see one of my wishes become true and achieve something I really wanted to achieve and have,” Calderon said “I believe that Make-A-Wish should be more well-known around the world They should get a lot more recognition about what they do A lot of people don’t know what they do and the great stuff they are doing for the great patients out there suffering from any kinds of cancer.”

The Make-A-Wish Spring into Action Gala is organized and spearheaded by Renee Manzolillo, Make-A-Wish Southern Florida Chair & Organizer, founder Breakin Boundaries and The Sacred Alignment Community

Tickets can be purchased at wish org/sfla/2nd-annual-spring-action-gala Admission is $88

The event raised $25,000 last year

The hope is to double that this year

Miguel Medina, Make-A-Wish Southern Florida special events coordinator for the Bonita Springs office, and volunteer wish granter, said the vast portion of the event is a silent auction featuring a variety of packages from health and wellness to dining around town Guests will also enjoy d’oeuvres, an open bar and live music with a DJ/violinist

Last year, 150 guests from small to medium-sized businesses and others getting their business off the ground, attended

Medina has had the pleasure of working with Calderon

“He’s basically my little brother at this point He is a special young man Super, super incredible,” he said “To know what he has gone through and see where he is today how much he has overcome he is a strong young man I think the most inspiring thing that I could be a part of That is where I

MAKE-A-WISH, page 38

PHOTO BY DAVE BREITENSTEIN

Caleb Calderon, will be honored at the Make-A-Wish Spring into Action Gala, sees his aviation-themed bedroom for the first time.

Make-A-Wish: Gala & auction helps fund wishes for children, youths who are ill

From page 37

get the most self-satisfaction and gratification of what I do You truly know you are making an impact in the families and wish kids’ lives ”

Medina said he recalled when he walked into Golisano Children’s Hospital for his initial meet and greet with the family to conduct a wish discovery interview Calderon was lying in his hospital bed connected to all the machines you could possibly think of

“You could tell he wasn’t in the best spirits,” Medina said, which changed after the conversation dug into wishes “It was almost like a light switch moment A rush of adrenaline He perked up and all of a sudden ‘I have all these ideas ’”

The conversation began with wanting to visit the best waterparks in the world, eventually edited to an aviation bedroom complete with new furniture, new paint, and hyper realistic model airplanes

“He is very much aware when it comes to aviation He has this really incredible knowledge when it comes to aviation,” Medina said “That was the right wish, and the wish essential for Caleb ”

What was cool about doing his room was connecting with RyAnne Curnow, part of the entertainment from last year’s event

“It goes to show how wishes and the impact of a wish goes beyond specific event and location,” he said

The kids come to Make-A-Wish through referrals, either by the kids themselves, fami-

ly, friends, or medical teams They have two medical outreach coordinators one on the west coast, the other on the east coast, who educate all the medical teams and staff of the referral process

The wish intake coordinator will take all the kids’ wishes and upload them to a shared database for wish grant volunteers to see those in their city and sign up as a wish granter

“Once we do a wish discovery interview, we send all of our notes to the wish coordinator,” Medina said, who is an employee of the Make-A-Wish foundation “The coordinator does work alongside us as wish grantors to make magic happen Once all of that is set and we have everything, the wish granter will do a wish reveal, or wish sendoff for travel-

ing ”

He said they are going on 41 years with more than 14,000 wishes for just their chapter The average wish for the southwest region is $6,000

“Wishes are very fluid We don’t typically turn down a wish solely based on cost,” Medina said

The last fiscal year alone there were more than 800 wishes granted, with more than 200 of those assisting other chapters around the country

“It’s a testament to the success of our regions and our incredibly generous donors All the champions behind our mission to create life changing wishes for children battling critical illnesses,” Medina said

w w . c a p e c o r a l b r e e z e . c o m C a p e C o r a l B r e e z e

Ag Expo: Midway with rides, games & food returns; numerous livestock shows & more

From page 1

one should give the fair a shot ”

The emphasis this year is on the event’s rural roots with a focus on youths and youth programs such as 4-H, a program that in Lee County dates back to the 1920s when the Cattle Club was established on Pine Island

Lee County hired the first 4-H agent in 1972

Lee County Parks & Recreation Operations Manager Lisa Weaver said after speaking with members of the community after the county took over the fair operation their interest was apparent showcasing the youth and livestock portion while highlighting the agricultural community

The event is intended to spotlight the kids who are working really hard on their projects and showing off their animals, she said

“That is the whole real reason to showcase these kids, so they feel like the VIPs of the event,” Weaver said

“It is going to be a good show,” Weaver added “Many of them show multiple animals.”

Other fair favorites, including the midway, have returned as well

Reithoffer Shows Inc , which does numerous events in the state of Florida, is bringing in the rides including some new ones Weaver said, adding they have been a really good partner, and they are excited to bring something new to the community

There also will be skills exhibits featuring a variety of artisans

“There will be a midway with rides, creative living events quilting, knitting and crafting,” said Dotson, also of the Visitor & Convention Bureau

Live entertainment has also returned

This year's lineup includes The Del Prados; One Man Band with Marc Dobson; Tadpole the Clown; Jurassic Kingdom

The emphasis this year is on the event’s rural roots with a focus on youths and youth programs such as 4-H, a program that in Lee County dates back to the 1920s when the Cattle Club was established on Pine Island Lee County hired the first 4-H agent in 1972

Lockdown; the Moogician; Cowboy Camp with Les McDowell; Michael Felk’s Tinsmithing Show; Kids Foam Zone & Gameshow; Porkchop Revue; Pirate Man Down; Agricadabra Magic & Hypnosis Show and Roger Arahamson the Giant Bowl Turner and Reggie Delarm East Knoll Pottery

Another new component of the expo is work to expand parking and overflow parking which, in the past, has been one of the biggest challenges

“We are working on providing additional overflow parking across the street on 31 We are really excited to be able to offer that All parking on both sides will be free, no parking charges,” Weaver said.

General gate admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children 4 to 11 years old and free for children 3 and younger

Promotional nights include:

n Sensory Friendly Day, Today, March 1, gates open at 4 p m From 4-6 p m sensory friendly $0 gate admission and at 6 p m regular gate admission

n Moonlight Magic, Friday, March 1, and Friday, March 8, from 8 p m to midnight $30 admission, which includes ride wristband.

n Community Night, Monday, March 4, gates open at 4 p m Free admission with three canned food items for Harry Chapin Food Bank, $5 gate admission, $25 ride wristband

n Senior Day, Wednesday, March 6,

gates open at 4 p m , regular admission, and $5 for 50 years old and older, $25 ride wristband

n Latin Day, Sunday, March 10, gates open at 11 a.m., regular admission and $40 ride wristband

Livestock Show events include:

n Today, Friday, March 1

6 p m Goat Costume Contest

7 p m Feathers Fun Costume Contest

n Saturday, March 2

11 a m Performance Horse Show

2 p m Goat Showmanship Contest

6 p m Beef Breeding Show and Showmanship Competition

6 p.m. Feathers Showmanship Competition

n Sunday, March 3

11:30 a m Goat Show & Awards

1 p m Feathers Awards – Showmanship and Show

n Wednesday, March 6

6 p m Swine Show and Showmanship Competition

6 p m Fur Showmanship Competition

n Thursday, March 7

6 p m Steer Show and Showmanship Competition

7 p.m. Fur Awards – Showmanship and Show

7 p m Horse Costume Contest

n Friday, March 8

5 p m Steer Grooming Show

6 p m PeeWees of SWFL & 4-H Cloverbud Awards

6:30 p m Horse Speed Show

7 p m Small Animal Auction

n Saturday, March 9

Noon Fur Fun Costume Contest

2 p m Fur Fun Show - Agility

2 p m Market Animal Auction (Steer & Swine)

6 p m Horse Fun Show

n Sunday, March 10

11 a m Horse Awards

Parking

Parking is free for the Ag Expo with overflow parking also available this year

A site at 18871 Old Bayshore Road, about a mile north of the Lee County Civic Center Complex, will be used for overflow parking and equipment staging during the event that continues through March 10

The overflow parking will be used during peak times during the Ag Expo and LeeTran shuttles will transport attendees back and forth to the Lee County Civic Center Complex using Old Bayshore Road, a county-maintained roadway, without using State Road 31

The county also has made improvements and expanded parking at the event site, adding 300 spaces to maximize usage for events

The Lee County Civic Center Complex is at 11831 Bayshore Road, North Fort Myers

For more information visit swflagexpo com, or follow its Facebook page, SWFL Ag Expo

“We recommend people bookmark the website We will continue to add more information – entertainment lineup, pass information, tickets will all be available on the website,” Weaver said, adding to also check Facebook, as they will be pushing information out there as well

If you’ve been dying for a plate of delicious snook fillets, then March is the month to make it happen Starting today you’re allowed to harvest one fish per day in the 28-inch to 32-inch slot with the season closing again on April 30

With warm sun and increasing water temperatures, lethargic adult fish are slowly coming out of the back country, upriver stations, creeks and local canals, all heading to the coastal beaches for their summer jamboree Along the way these fish are hungry looking for baitfish, lures and flies to fatten up on

T a n g l e d m a n g r o v e shorelines, island points t o d o c k s t r u c t u r e a m b u s h s p o t s , y o u ’ l l find hungry snook in all t h e t r a d i t i o n a l p l a c e s N e v e r o v e r l o o k t h e S a n i b e l C a u s e - w a y a s i t ’ s a n e a r l y s e a s o n snook magnet stopping p o i n t f o r b e a c h - b o u n d fish each year as is the Matlacha Bridge and the m a n y d o c k s t r u c t u r e s nearby Favorite snook lures for these bridges during this time of year are anything on the small side that you can bottom bounce Live shrimp on jigs or a DOA Shrimp on a jig fished very slowly making contact with the bottom is a good choice as is casting a DOA TerrorEyz and retrieving it with slow, bottom touching hops Concentrate on slow retrieves and line watching, setting the hook on any unusual line ticks or movement, as huge fish can suck down these smaller offerings and spit them out without you feeling anything at all through the rod

Over the years I’ve found the early spring snooking to be better at night around the Matlacha Bridge and early mornings my choice for the Sanibel Causeway. At night in Matlacha, go into stealth boat mode and slowly, and more importantly quietly, flip and pitch live baitfish, frisky shrimp, a big fly or plastic shrimp imitations into the maze of pilings and dock structures Forty-pound leaders will work but 60 and up gives you a much better shot around crusty sharp structures Again, the stealthy are rewarded as Matlacha night snook in the over 40-inch club are angler educated with a good chance they’ve been caught before when young and dumb

Not long ago our FWC released its annual review of the state of snook in our region showing a good popu-

Fort Myers Florida Warriors win ice hockey state championship

The Fort Myers Florida Warriors ice hockey 10 AU White team are Florida state champions! The team started off the Statewide Amateur Hockey of Florida State Championship held in Wesley Chapel this past weekend with a frustrating loss of 5-2 by the Jacksonville Junior Icemen on Friday, but from that point forward it rallied in its games on Saturday with wins of 9-0 over the Swamp Rabbits and 12-1 over the Florida Bulldogs placing it in the semifinal game Sunday morning for a rematch with the Jacksonville Junior Icemen

The Warriors continued their dominance Sunday morning beating the Icemen 6-0 in the semifinal, placing them in the championship against season rivals the Lakeland Junior Mocs Considered underdogs, the Florida Warriors had never beaten the number one ranked Mocs in four regular season games The championship proved to be a battle of the two top teams with the score going back-andforth until the final two minutes of the game when the Florida Warriors pulled ahead with a two goal lead and held on to win the Championship 6-4

Leading the team were MVPs Logan Lean, Lucas Robey and goalie Griffin Irish The roster is complimented by Wyatt Rohde, Jay LaBrie, Jaxon Taylor, Nash Hanson, Aubrey Reiser, Faustino Landaboure, Jayce Mastey, Grady Elliott, Nolan Lawrence, Brock Fritzsche, and Rowan Cassidy

The Warriors are coached by Brad Fritzsche, assistant coach Dave Rohde, assistant coach Marc Lean and Team

“It's amazing what a group of kids can do when they come together and work as a team. It was fun to watch them grow and progress throughout the season. Their grit and tenacity ultimately paid off and I couldn't be more proud of this team.”

Warriors head coach Brad Fritzsche

Manager Samantha Reiser

“It's amazing what a group of kids can do when they come together and work as a team It was fun to watch them grow and progress throughout the season,” said head coach Fritzsche “Their grit and tenacity ultimately paid off and I couldn't be more proud of this team ”

The Florida Warriors, considered a bit of a misfit team with barely enough players to start the season, ended not only with the Florida State Championship title, but an impressive SAHOF record of 17-4-2 The Warriors also won first place at the MLK O Town Showdown and third place in the Can/Am Fort Myers Challenge Cup

The Florida Warriors is an independent ice hockey club based out of the Fort Myers Skatium Teams include age levels of 8U, 10U, 12U, 14U and 16U For more information about the Florida Warriors hockey program contact Joe Sanders, Director of Hockey, at 941-527-9873 or visit www FloridaWarriorsHockey com

Next event in Calusa Blueway speaker series March 12

“Knowing the Calusa - Turning Anthropology on its Ear” is the third in a series of free Calusa Blueway-related programs and is set for 6:30 p m Tuesday, March 12, at t h e N o r t h F o r t M y e r s R e c r e a t i o n C e n t e r , 2 0 0 0 N Recreation Park Way, North Fort Myers

Anissa Karim from the Randell Research Center/Calusa Heritage Trail will discuss Florida’s first paddlers and the Calusa Blueway’s namesake

“The enduring legacy of the Calusa intricately woven

Wednesday

Softball

into our blueway beckons exploration,” said Calusa Blueway Coordinator Mike Hammond “Navigating from one ancient Calusa site to another, strolling among the mounds, and delving into their historical connection with the water and trails we traverse today promises a captivating journey ”

For more information and directions to the program, contact North Fort Myers Recreation Center at 239-5337200

PREP REPORT

Catania doubled for the Bulldogs (2-2).

Riverdale 5, Island Coast 4: Isaac Lopez and Davin Hickman knocked in runs for the Gators (2-2)

Mariner 6, Port Charlotte 5: The Tritons (1-2) walked off with a run in the bottom of the seventh inning That run came home on the last of five Pirates errors Mia Standard ripped a two-run homer and Stephanie Saracione had two hits, two stolen bases and two RBI Gabi Winters struck out 17 Port Charlotte batters

Baseball

Sarasota 9, Mariner 2: Trenton Taylor and Ryan Kotarski drove in runs for the Tritons (0-3)

Boys Tennis

Canterbury 7, Oasis 0: The Sharks' next match will be Monday against Gateway Charter

Beach Volleyball

Mariner 3, North Port 2: The Tritons took the first three pairings to secure their first win of the year (1-1)

Tuesday

Beach Volleyball

North Fort Myers 5, Cape Coral 0: The Red Knights swept the matches in both teams' season opener.

Baseball

North Fort Myers 2, Ida Baker 0: Thomas Eisiminger had two hits and drove in a run for the Red Knights Jakob Wagner added an RBI Haden Staruk went the distance for the win, holding Ida Baker to three hits North earned its first win of the season (1-3) Santiago Liendo and Cody

Bishop Verot 14, Imagine School North Port 4: A close game through five innings became a rout in the sixth thanks to eight Vikings runs Jason Bello tripled twice and knocked in three runs, while Grayson Rodriguez, Owen Rardin and Braylon Sheffield also had three RBI each Anthony Reitler added two RBI

ECS 10, Oasis 0 (5 innings): The Sharks are 1-2 Jayden Shrider and Brandon Bova-Cipolla had hits for Oasis

Estero 13, Cape Coral 2: Cape slipped to 0-3 to begin the season

Softball

Estero 12, Cape Coral 6: Emma Brannan was 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored for the Seahawks Allie Buice went 3-for-4

North Fort Myers 11, Ida Baker 1 (6 innings): Azlynn Gomes drove in three runs, while Jordyn Prado and Abigail Hynes had two RBI each Mia Lane and Hynes both scored three times

Bishop Verot 9, Charlotte 8: The Vikings scored twice in the bottom of the sixth to rally for the victory Melanie Moreno homered, doubled and had three Vikings RBIs Crimson Lawrence went 4-for-4 in the leadoff spot, scoring three times and driving in a run

Riverdale 19, Island Coast 0 (3 innings): Brianna Netizke had a hit for the Gators

Late Monday

Beach Volleyball

Bishop Verot 5, Venice 0: The Vikings are 1-0

Capt George Tunison

h 1 , 2 0

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Tommy Bohanon Foundation to host annual Playmakers Tailgate Party on April 12

Fundraiser to be held at The Ranch Concert Hall and Saloon

An evening of music, comedy, food and fun on behalf of youth scholarships is on tap at the 2024 Playmakers T a i l g a t e P a r t y , p r e s e n t e d b y t h e T o m m y B o h a n o n Foundation

The annual event is slated for Friday, April 12, from 610 p m , at The Ranch Concert Hall and Saloon in Fort Myers

The event kicks off with a comedy show by R C Smith and will feature live music along with the scholarship award presentation Guests will also have the opportunity to participate in silent and live auctions to benefit local youth athletes

Sponsors include Extreme Florida Roofing, Extreme Painting and Contracting and Extreme Demolition and Land Clearing Sponsorships are still available at the following levels and benefits:

Hall of Fame sponsor - $5,000

n Private table for eight

n Full-page ad

n VIP cocktail party

n Logo displayed at event

n Logo table display

n Premier sponsor for all TBF 2024 events

Player of the Year sponsor - $3,000

n Semi-private table for four

n Half-page ad

n Logo displayed at event

n Logo table display

n Sponsor for all TBF 2024 events

All Pro Sponsor - $1,500

n Tickets for two guests

n Quarter-page ad

n Corporate logo display at PTP

All proceeds from the tailgate party will go towards helping young athletes in Southwest Florida reach their

full potential – both on and off the playing field. Ticket purchases, along with the auctions and raffles, provides the nonprofit foundation with the resources needed to support local youth between the ages of five and 18

Tickets can be purchased at tommybohanonfoundation org/playmakers/

About the Tommy Bohanon Foundation

The Tommy Bohanon Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting young athletes reach their highest potential on and off the playing field Former NFL fullback Tommy Bohanon returned to his hometown in Southwest Florida to pursue his vision of ending generational poverty for at-risk youth. The foundation funds annual scholarships, sports equipment grants to local high schools, youth football camps, seminars and programs, as well as funding for other local nonprofits

Snook: Season in local waters opens today and runs through April 30

From page 41

lation of juvenile fish with bigger fish harder to come by compared to just a decade ago Red tide events and hurricanes all take a toll with poor water quality listed as the

number one issue causing changes in baitfish migration patterns and the loss of more and more vital seagrasses throughout the area without which a healthy ecosystem and fishery can’t exist

When cruising along and chrome fish start jumping

out of the water in your wake, that means you’ve just freighted a school of Florida pompano, one of the state’s tastiest fish Slow the boat and quietly circle back, then wind drift or lightly use the trolling motor while the crew fan casts all around the boat Anglers typically use a variety of jig colors and every pomp expert has his favorite, although most are brightly colored Yellow and pink are good starting points

Offshore you’ll encounter the African pompano which can get quite large Two are allowed per day with a 24inch fork length The season's open year-round and anglers are connecting with them now starting at the 100-foot mark and beyond

Florida’s little pompano season is also open yearround with a daily recreational bag limit of six per harvester and keeper fish have to meet the 11-inch fork length minimum Look for them around the pass edges and shoals

Red grouper are at the 100-foot point, with nearshore reefs still hosting a variety of snappers, sheepshead, grunts and porgies Grey trigger fish harvest also opens today

Inshore, scattered trout, small snook, mostly rat redfish, sheepshead and short cobia will keep you busy. Shark hunters continue to do well while other anglers wait for early season tarpon

S O L U T I O N S U D O K U Cryptoquip Solution: Fill in the blank cells using numbers 1 to 9. Each number can appear only once in each row, column, and 3x3 block. Use logic and process of elimination to solve the puzzle. The difficulty level ranges from Bronze (easiest) to Silver to Gold (hardest).

Yellow butterflies:

From page 31

On any of these senna bushes, caterpillars do eat a few leaves, but it is hardly noticeable I do have milkweed plants for Monarch butterflies Monarch caterpillars sometimes do eat the entire plant down to bare stems! But not those on the senna bushes Why not plant a senna bush? Add these lovely yellow flowers to your neighborhood, and entice the yellow butterflies to your yard!

There are many upcoming garden activities this time of year at Rotary Park:

n Florida-Friendly Yard Tour, March 2, 9 a m to 12 p m

n Butterfly Garden Design, March 8, 1-3 p.m.

n Wild Edibles Walk, March 13, 10-11 a m

n Design a Florida-Friendly Yard, April 12 & 19

Sherie Bleiler volunteers at the Cape Coral Library Butterfly Garden and is a member of the Garden Club of C a p e C o r a l V i s i t w w w g a r d e n c l u b o f c a p e c o r a l c o m Like us on our Facebook page

Cape Coral Breeze

Athletes Week of the

(Selected by the Breeze Sports staff)

Religious

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AnnualRummageSale

5701PineIslandRdNW FriMarch1st&SatMarch2nd 9am-1pm

Lots&LotstoChooseFrom!

REDBARN EstateSale Sat,Mar2-Sun,Mar3 8amto3pm

4432SW14thPl (offChiquitaatSW 45thSt)

BeautifulQueenBedroom Set,Sectionalsofa, console&TV,tables, lamps,officefurniture, lanaitable&chairs, wickersectional,glider, poolstoragebox,table saw,nailgun,power washer,ladders, weedeater&shopvac, toolcabinets,air compressor,planers, weldingtools,dremel, drills,archeryequipment, fishinggear,carving machine,sanders,wood shaper,generator&so muchmore.

Pictures: facebook.com/redbarnestate anddemolitionsale

4-Wheel Drive Vehicles

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Death Notices

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