At the eighth hour of their meeting Monday, the Town of Fort Myers Beach Council voted unanimously to move forward an ordinance that would reverse a ban passed by a previous council on electric bikes on sidewalks.
The new ordinance, which still requires a second public hearing, would limit the speed of electric bikes on sidewalks to 10 miles per hour. How that will be enforced is still being worked out. The current
measure would allow law enforcement to issue warnings and potentially citations.
The new ordinance amends a 2018 ordinance which prohibited electric bikes on sidewalks due to safety concerns involving pedestrians.
The measure is controversial in a town where some say pedestrians are often startled by electric bikes that can pass by within inches without any warning. There was also a recent incident of an accident involving an electric bike on a sidewalk that did not involve pedestrians.
The new ordinance would require bicyclists on electric bikes to yield to the right of way of pedestrians, give an audible signal before passing a pedestrian on the sidewalk, and to slow down to idle speed (the lowest speed to which a bike can operate at about one to three miles per hour) if they approach pedestrians on the sidewalk. The new proposed language of the new ordinance also states that electric bikes are not permitted on the sidewalk if they endanger the lives of pedestrians.
Bicyclists would also be required to
By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers.com
The Fort Myers Beach Lions Club Shrimp Festival takes off this weekend as it expands from the shrimp crawl phase of shrimp specials at more than a dozen restaurants into a weekend-long shrimp boil along with a parade, 5K run, pageant and arts and crafts fair this Saturday. The festivities
continue Sunday with a blessing of the shrimp fleet at Erickson and Jensen off Shrimp Boat Lane, an arts and crafts fair, the continuation of the shrimp boil and shrimp crawl, and then closes out with a shrimp eating contest. It’s all part of a celebration of the crustacean that has been going on for more than 70 years to recognize
The Fort Myers Beach Lions Club Shrimp Festival Parade will take place Saturday along Estero Boulevard beginning at Fort Myers Beach Elementary School down to the base of the Matanzas Pass Bridge. The bridge will close at 9 a.m. for the 5k run which will precede the parade.
operate on the same side of the street and sidewalk and in the same direction as motor vehicles.
The town’s Public Safety Committee, an advisory committee to the town council, voted two weeks earlier to call on the town council to reverse the 2018 ordinance that bans electric bikes on sidewalks. The committee also voiced support at the meeting for banning Lee County’s free seasonal tram shuttle service for the public from the town.
Town extends beach renourishment project into April
By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers.com
The beach renourishment project on the Town of Fort Myers Beach that was supposed to have been completed by January ahead of the Feb. 15 start of shorebird nesting season is now projected to last until April and potentially impact sea turtle nesting season.
An announcement by Fort Myers Beach Public Information Officer Nicole Berzin in an advisory sent out this past week declared that the project is expected to wrap April 15, which is the start of when Turtle Time begins monitoring.
The announcement also stated that the town had been given a “one-time only” extension into the shorebird nesting season for its beach renourishment project on the southern segment of the project within the Little Estero Island Critical Wildlife Area from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
The DEP issued the approval to the town in a letter that was dated Feb. 24 according to documents provided by the town in response to a Sunshine Law request. That was nine days after shorebird nesting season began and after contractors working for the town had spent days working close to shorebirds on the southern segment of the project.
Meanwhile, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said an incidental take permit request filed by the town in January for the project’s potential impact on shorebird nesting was still under review as of this past weekend.
Town of Fort Myers Beach Manager Andy Hyatt, Town Environmental Projects Manager Chadd Chustz and Fort Myers Beach Mayor Dan Allers have not addressed questions as to why the town did not prioritize the southern segment where nearly all of the shorebird nesting takes place at the beginning of the project rather than until the end. The
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Continued support of Ukraine is important to U.S. security
On Monday, Feb 24, 2025, the day that marked three years of Putin’s brutal full-scale invasion in Ukraine, I along with my husband and three children took the opportunity to meet with the office of Congressman Byron Donalds in Washington, D.C .as a part of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America.
During the meeting we discussed continued support for Ukraine with Rep. Donald’s staff.
Some of the key issues made clear to us was the Congressman’s concern about aid gone accounted for. As a huge proponent of military aid to Ukraine, I have never shied away from the issue of accountability. In fact, I have been outspoken on proactive transparency measures in Ukraine well before Russia’s full-scale invasion, and you can read my 2018 article for the Borgen Magazine titled “Preventing Corruption in Foreign Assistance to Ukraine” and again in 2023 for The Breeze titled “Aid to Ukraine Necessary, and Well Watched.” And while Rep. Donalds’ staffer cited claims such as those made by Tucker Carlson who asserts that weapons are being sold on the black market, I let the staffer know these are not credible reports, especially given the fact that no source has backed them up. The fact is, it is quite impossible to sell American weapons on the black market, and I know this through first-hand knowledge of my volunteer work not only with U.S. military budget analysts with Protect Ukraine Now, but also with humanitarian military affairs organizations such as Ukraine Defense Support, in which I have had the opportunity to raise thousands of dollars in our own community to ship non-lethal military aid directly to Ukraine’s front lines. Through this work, I have also had the opportunity to meet defense contractors within Rep. Donald’s very own constituency who ship heavy artillery and munitions to Ukraine. Both myself and my friends in both Ukraine’s and our US defense industry can
Guest Commentary
assure the American public, those are solid defense logistical chains.
Nevertheless, I explained to Rep. Donald’s staffer my personal belief that the inherent wastage in government spending does not outweigh our national security interest for Ukraine is a matter of national security interest, as it is not only our moral obligation to defend smaller countries who wish to align with American’s principles in freedom and democracy, but also, our defense obligation, as punctuated by the ‘90sera Budapest Memorandum. Ukraine as a sovereign nation should be able to pursue a cooperative partnership with the United States, irrespective if it contradicts the Russian regime’s objectives, as Russia has actually been declared a top security threat to our nation. It is counter to U.S. policy to abandon Ukraine, which has been a key defense ally since the 1940s, when they helped the allies defeat Nazi Germany, as well as during the fall of the Soviet Union where the Ukrainians were a critical intelligence source for the CIA. Since 2014 the U.S.-Ukraine defense alliance was further solidified as we provided the Ukrainians military training in both Ukraine and in later years, the U.S. And In 2017 we began our lethal assistance, where President Trump himself was the first to send the Ukrainians American-made javelins. Our defense partnership continues strong under Ukraine-NATO interoperability, as well as American defense stakeholders building industry partnerships, not to mention, Ukraine’s active defense measures provide critical military lessons for both U.S. and European defense alliances.
These are lessons which should be acted upon, such as, Ukraine’s innovative SEAD tactics which use “long range” drone technology which were developed in spite of the fact that the U.S. has already provided long-range weapons to Ukraine but, are not able to be used
Letters to the Editor
years ago.
Support the right to clean water
To the editor:
quirement that bicyclists stop for pedestrians, 0%
∫ I do not support a ban on electric bikes on the beach, but support a ban on electric bikes on the sidewalk, 17%
∫ I do not support a ban on electric bikes on the beach or the sidewalk, 16%
Current Web Poll
Do you support the vote by the Lee County Board of County Commissioners to stop adding fluoride into drinking water supplied by Lee County Utilities, including for Fort Myers Beach?
∫ Yes, I don’t believe fluoride is necessary to be added to the water.
∫ No, fluoride helps protect against tooth decay and is needed in the water.
∫ Unsure/no opinion.
Just 10 years ago our canal in Fort Myers had schools of mullet, sheepshead, and mangrove snapper. Mullet fishermen used to come with their boats and nets and haul up lots of mullet. Nice-sized redfish were common, and I once hooked, but did not catch, a tarpon. These were all exciting moments that I will never forget. But these moments are now rare, and I can only imagine how wonderful the waters used to be 30 or more
As quoted in the Feb. 16 Views section of the regional daily, “The Spanish called the land La Florida for it lush landscape…The natural environment (was) a unique example of the magic to be found in the New World.”
The current dismal state of our waters was also described earlier in the same Views section by John Cassani in his article “Mismanagement Destroying Florida’s Coastal waters.” The title pretty much tells it all.
Despite high levels of public money spent
to their full capacity due to the utter hypocrisy of the U.S. ban on long-range strikes — restrictions which I strenuously implore to be lifted by our American politicians.
Geopolitically, western naval superiority is critical in the Black Sea region, which is enshrined in U.S. defense policy but which is now extremely insecure due to the entire Russian occupation of Ukrainian territory which can be characterized as a landbridge feeding Russian and North Korean infantry into Crimea, starting from the Donbas-Luhansk region (where my great friend Commander Yuri is currently stationed), all the way down to the Black Sea ports.
This is precisely why Ukraine must regain all of its territory. Any peace deal should involve the rejection of Russian occupation, as well as security guarantees which are necessary to achieve long-lasting peace in Ukraine. And this does not necessarily need to be Ukraine’s NATO entry — it can mean a country/any group of countries that will sign a defensive pact/guarantee. As a global military leader, the U.S. must be a part of Ukraine’s defense.
Since Congressman Byron Donalds is a good friend of President Donald Trump, I asked his staffer to ensure my message gets not only to the Congressman, but to the president himself.
Many know I have been critical of Rep. Donalds over the years, just as he has been critical of U.S. support to Ukraine. However, important issues require us to have tough conversations, and I was honored to have the opportunity to meet with Rep. Donalds’ Office to promote a working relationship and on behalf of my family and friends, I offer our sincere gratitude to his staff for this very special privilege to advocate for our U.S. national security interests in the war in Ukraine.
Lastly, I want to thank the Cape Coral Breeze for helping me give voice to our people during these very difficult past years. It means the world...
—Alexandra Zakhvatayev, a resident of Cape Coral, was proud to represent Florida during the “Ukrainian Days” advocacy event as part of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America”
on restoration of waters, without proper regulation and enforcement, it is not money well-spent. His conclusion: the Florida Right to Clean Water petition “may be the only hope for meaningful reform.” If you go to https://bit.ly/FRTCW-petition, you can print out a pre-filled petition that only needs your signature and mailing. You can then become part of the solution. Please help us make our waters better.
Mary Tracy Sigman Fort Myers
Alexandra Zakhvatayev
Rep. Donalds announces run for Governor
By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers.com
U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, a Naples Republican whose district includes most of Lee County as well as Collier County, announced this past week that he is running for Governor of Florida.
Donalds made his announcement following an endorsement from President Donald Trump a week earlier for the governorship, which will be up for election in 2026.
Donalds hasn’t been endorsed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is term-limited, and who said he would support his wife Casey DeSantis for Governor.
During a press conference, DeSantis said Donalds
“hasn’t been a part of any of the victories we have had here over the left over the past year. He’s just not been a part of it. He’s been in other states campaign- ing doing that and that’s fine. But OK well than deliver results up there. That’s what I want to see,” DeSantis said.
Elected this past November to a third term in Congress, Donalds made his announcement on Fox News with Sean Hannity.
Donalds, a New York native, said “I got to Florida when I was 17-years-old off of a Greyhound bus with just a trunk full of clothes. Over the rest of my time in Florida, I built a family, I built a career, 17 years in financial services. I joined the Tea Party movement, was in the Conservative movement. I was able to serve four
years in the state legislature, four years in Congress. Now is the time to now take the mantle and lead our state into the future,” Donalds said.
“Now is the job is to keep the best state in the country the best state in the country.”
Donalds said in response to questions from Hannity that his agenda would include tackling the state’s insurance costs. Donalds cited his professional background in banking, insurance and financial services as a way to bring the stakeholders “to the table.” Donalds said he wants to stabilize the costs of insurance in the state. Costs for insurance across the board have risen in recent years particularly for homeowner’s insurance, flood insurance and car insurance. “We have an insurance problem in this state,” Donalds said.
Donalds said he wants to make Florida the “financial hub of the world and to make Florida the most “business-friendly” state in the country.
The former financial services advisor said he wanted to take the lead on cryptocurrency. “I would even consider having crypto being a part of the state’s financial portfolio,” Donalds said.
Donalds also cited his support for clean water and the environment on his appearance with Hannity.
Donalds has also long denied that the state’s endangered Florida panther is facing an existential crisis and has supported lifting protections for the panther while environmental groups have been fighting developments in Donald’s district in Collier County, including one near the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge, and the Kingston project in Lee County that they say could put the species in jeopardy.
Donalds previously ran unsuccessfully for Speaker of the House. As Congressman, he has made himself a close ally of President Donald Trump and attended his trial in New York last year.
After Hurricane Ian, Donalds said he would seek a supplemental bill to aid Fort Myers Beach though such a bill never passed in the House.
Donalds could not be reached for comment.
FILE PHOTO
Congressman Byron Donalds (left), whose district includes Fort Myers Beach and most of Lee County, meets with constituents in Cape Coral after Hurricane Ian in 2022. Donalds announced this past week that he will be running to be Governor of Florida.
BUSINESS
Wahoo Willies opening early Saturday for shrimp fest brunch
Steak and eggs breakfast this Sunday, old school favorite returning
By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers.com
Wahoo Willies, which is currently offering shrimp specials as part of the Fort Myers Beach Lions Club Shrimp Festival through Sunday, will also be opening up an hour early on Saturday ahead of the shrimp festival parade.
“We will open an hour early and will serve brunch from 8-11 on that day (Saturday, March 8),” Wahoo Willies General Manager Bill Ignatti said. “We have an amazing zesty shrimp bloody Mary and bottomless mimosas. Sunday morning when available we will have a steak and eggs meal (with home fries) while it lasts,” he said.
Down Old San Carlos Boulevard, Wahoo Willies Tiki Bar & Grill continues to expand their menu. On Saturdays and Sundays, the restaurant offers a regular brunch from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. featuring pancakes, Belgium waffles, bagels, eggs and bacon, omelettes and salads.
Ignatti said the restaurant is also bringing back an old school beach favorite to their menu. “We are bringing back the legendary prime rib we served at Charley Browns and Charley’s Boat House and Grill for 30 plus years,” Ignatti said. “We are serving it Wednesday
through Saturday. It will be ready by 5 p.m, and will be available until sold out.”
Other updated and expanded options at Wahoo Willies includes the New York strip steak, which Ignatti said comes with homemade redskin mashed, green beans and mushroom marsala sauce and topped with crispy onion straws.
The seafood pizza is comprised of a garlic butter base with a four-cheese blend, shrimp and scallops with tomato, red onion, jalapenos and cilantro. There is also an option for remoulade drizzle.
Ignatti also highlighted the whitefish Reuben. The catch of the day will rotate between grouper, hogfish, triggerfish and tripletail. Another new highlight is the stuffed shrimp featuring seven large shrimp, baked with crabmeat stuffing and garlic butter and served with rice and green beans.
The menu at Wahoo Willies also includes locally caught fresh shrimp appetizers, fish sandwiches, southern fried chicken sandwiches, chicken kabobs and fish and chips.
Wahoo Willies has live music on hand “day and night every day,” Ignatti said.
The normal hours for Wahoo Willies is from 9 a.m. to
Wahoo Willies will be having a special brunch Saturday for the Fort Myers Beach Lions Club Shrimp Festival, followed by steak and eggs Sunday morning. The restaurant is also bringing back the prime rib from Charley’s Boat House and Grill.
10 p.m. on Saturdays (8 a.m. this Saturday), 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sundays, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays.
Cottage Food competition a tasty addition to Ag Expo
By Meghan Bradbury news@breezenewspapers.com
A Cottage Food division – the first in the state –has been added to the Southwest Florida Ag Expo this year.
“The Cottage Food competition is the first in the state. That is the really cool piece – Cottage Food is new to the state as far as being part of an ag ricultural expo,” said Jennifer Hagen, University of Florida/IFAS Extension Lee County Family & Consumer Sciences agent, adding she wants to “introduce people to some of the opportu nities to improve their life.’”
Cottage Food was created in 2011 by the state as an agricultural enterprise for small farms to create other products to increase revenue.
“It came around as a way for small farms to be able to create value added products to help sustain them year-round above and beyond the crops they were growing,” Hagen said.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services does not require a license or permit for Cottage Food opera tions, as well as not being inspected by any state government entity. The gross sales for cottage food operations cannot exceed $250,000 annually.
Hagen said an exemption was created in state statute that production of certain types can be made in an individual’s home for sale to the general public.
“It’s an exemption to having to follow commercial safety regulations,” she said.
The product for cottage food may not be time or temperature controlled. According to Cottage Food Operations “this means the final product may not be a food product that requires time/temperature control for
safety to limit pathogenic microorganism growth or toxin formation; an animal food that is raw or heat-treated; a plant food that is heat-treated or consists of raw seed sprouts, cut melons, cut leafy greens, cut tomatoes or mixtures of cut tomatoes that are not modified in a way so that they are unable to support pathogenic microorganism growth or toxin formation; or garlic-in-oil mixtures that are not modified in a way so that they are unable to support pathogenic microorganism growth or toxin formation.”
The types of cottage food that can be produced include loaf breads, rolls and biscuits; cakes, pastries and cookies; candies and confections; honey; jams, jellies and preserves made from high acid-fruits only; fruit pies and dried fruits; dry herbs, seasonings and mixtures; homemade pasta; cereals, trail mixes and granola; coated or uncoated nuts; vinegar and flavored vinegars; popcorn and popcorn balls and nut butters including almond, peanut and Hagen said it is items that do not have to be refrigerated or baked and has a shelf life.
“Cottage food does not require you to have any food safety education and training,” she said.
In the past, at traditional fairs there were some sorts of bake-off competition, or a section that has pickles, salsa, and canned foods. She said the products were submitted
and judges tasted and sampled the products.
“I wanted to change it to be more of a food-related entrepreneurship program,” Hagen said.
Miriam Dotson, Southwest Florida Ag Expo spokesperson, said the Cottage Food division opens the door to learn about where food comes from.
“A lot of people over the years have shown this desire to be healthier and learn about food,” she said.
Dotson is excited about the entrepreneurial element.
“This is going to help you. We want to see people succeed,” Dotson said about food safety and handling.
Hagen said she wanted Cottage Food to be a division providing an outlet for people who are interested in food entrepreneurship – food for sale and learning the ins and outs while receiving food safety training ahead of time.
Those who participate in the new Cottage Food division are required to take one virtual class before they submit a product at the expo.
“I want you to know the basics of food handling, washing your hands — it’s about a 30-minute class to go over the basic state program, Cottage Food,” Hagen said, adding that they will then be released.
She said they can cook such things as sugar cookies and enter them into the expo. From there, Hagen will look at the entry to make sure the cookies are packaged correctly, labeled with the name, address and the statement that shares “made in a cottage food operation that is not subject to Florida’s food safety regulations.”
“I want them to have food safety knowledge. They present their items, I tell them what they have done right, improve on and (provide) assistance. That is part of the judging,” she said. “Did they follow the right procedure to be able to sell the food to the general public and be successful.”
The Southwest Florida Ag Expo runs through March 9 at the Lee County Civic Center complex, 11831 Bayshore Rd., North Fort Myers.
For more information, visit www.swflagexpo.com.
NATHAN MAYBERG
BEACH LIVING
Traffic safety firm starts work, town releases contract
By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers.com
AWP Safety, an Ohio-based road construction safety firm with an office in Fort Myers, has begun working for the Town of Fort Myers Beach, directing traffic downtown after signing a contract with Town of Fort Myers Beach Manager Andy Hyatt.
Workers employed by the firm have been attending to the Fifth Street, Estero Boulevard and Old San Carlos Boulevard intersection in front of Times Square, and the busy Crescent Street and Estero Boulevard intersection in front of Margaritaville Beach Resort.
The firm agreed to terms with Hyatt on a contract last month despite the town council not voting on the contract.
Town Manager Andy Hyatt executed the contract with the new firm on Feb. 18 without a town council resolution to hire the new firm. Under state of emergency resolutions the town council has been continuingly passing since Hurricane Ian, the town manager has wide authority to approve contracts without resolutions. The contract was signed the dame day as the town council meeting in which the contract was discussed.
The town again passed resolutions extending the state of emergency on Monday.
According to a contract provided by the town through a Sunshine Law request, the firm will charge the town a minimum of $930 a day for two officers.
There will be three-person teams deployed throughout the town each day. That would equal $1,395 a day for three officers. According to the terms of the contract, the town will be billed twice the daily rate on weekends which would equal $2,790 per day for Saturdays and Sundays.
Fort Myers Beach Manager of Operations and Compliance Tom Yozzo told the town council that personnel from the new firm will be working on the island from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Yozzo said the town will rely on a Florida Highway Patrol officer at the base of bridge who is handling any u-turns. Yozzo said the firm will be “filling gaps” with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
A Sunshine Law request sent last month to the town for its existing contract with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office for traffic duties, was not filled as of press time
An employee with AWP Safety, wearing a Fort Myers Beach “Ranger” vest, directs pedestrian and vehicle traffic at the busy intersection at Estero Boulevard, Fifth Street and Old San Carlos Boulevard in front of Times Square and Lynn Hall Memorial Park.
Tuesday.
The town in the past has relied on the Lee County Sheriff’s Office to direct traffic and has contracted with the office for additional resources on the island. Allers said he wanted to bring in a new security firm that town management could be in control of.
Allers asked Hyatt at last week’s meeting if the town’s contract with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office will be shifted to Crescent Street and Estero Boulevard.
Hyatt said the original contract with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office was for that intersection. Allers said he thinks the light there is “doing its job.”
According to the other terms of the town’s contract with AWP Safety, which runs through April 31, the town would also have to pay the firm $50 an hour for overtime after eight hours on site. The contract also defines overtime as night work which is billed at one and a half times the per-hour rate.
Yozzo said he will also be creating a designated Uber space on Third Street where the town has a right-of-way.
The new traffic officers have beem provided with radios by the town and town gear that says “Rangers” on them. Yozzo said he will be training six employees from
the firm to handle the traffic, who will be deployed in three-person teams.
Allers said he wants the personnel at Old San Carlos Boulevard and Fifth Street around noon, when he said traffic “starts to back up.”
Yozzo said he is also hiring new personnel to assist with traffic.
Councilmember Scott Safford said he also wants a parking spot for DoorDash, a food delivery service, or a 15-minute parking space for where people can pull in to park to grab something quick from a local business without needing to pay the town’s $5 an hour parking meter rate. The town council voted in 2022 to raise its parking meter rates from $3 an hour.
Vice Mayor Jim Atterholt asked Yozzo if the town could have video cameras at the intersections to monitor. Yozzo said the town would have to look into that with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
“Do you envision that to be for internal use only or could somebody from the public kind of tune in to see what traffic is like,” Atterholt said. Yozzo said part of that camera system could be for internal use and some of it could be for the public.
The impetus to hire the new firm started last month at a town council meeting, when Councilmember Karen Woodson complained about waiting in traffic for more than an hour. Allers suggested the town hire a security firm to which the town’s director of compliance and operations Frank Kropacek said he had already met with a security firm to discuss hiring them to handle traffic. Allers told Kropacek that he had his support to move forward with hiring such a firm.
As for town management’s method of hiring the traffic firm without a resolution from the town council, Atterholt said the town manager “has the authority to initiate certain contracts as long as they remain below a certain dollar threshold. I do strongly support doing everything reasonably possible to help ease the traffic congestion. This firm will temporarily supplement both the Town staff and Sheriff’s deputies until we get through season— it is an all hands on deck approach to move traffic that has my full support.”
CHLOE LAFORCE Shrimp festival princess assist with kids shrimp run
The Fort Myers Beach Lions Club Shrimp Festival princesses hit the beach this past weekend to assist with the kids shrimp run.
NATHAN MAYBERG
Santini Plaza art bazaar happening in March
STAFF REPORT
The Fort Myers Beach Art Association will hold its first art bazaar since before Hurricane Ian, at an event scheduled for March 16 at Santini Marina Plaza on Fort Myers Beach.
The bazaar, or clothesline sale, “will raise funds for our student programs,”
Hours daily 7 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Fort Myers Beach Art Association member Michele Buelow said. “They were held on our lawn (at the old gallery), once on the library lawn, and at Santini Marina Plaza. Now that things are getting back to the new normal, we are holding the event at the plaza once again.”
Discover the incredible history of the Calusa, the original stewards of Southwest Florida, on this 30-minute guided outdoor tour at Mound House. Learn how this powerful and innovative Indigenous society thrived across the region for centuries, leaving an enduring legacy still visible today with their shell mounds. Explore how the Calusa shaped their environment and uncover the stories revealed by archaeologists through hands-on activities such as an atlatl demonstration. The price is free for Mound House Members and $15 for the public. Price includes museum admission. No reservations required.
Kayak Tours
∫ Wednesday-Saturday 9 - 11 a.m.
Discover the natural beauty of Florida on a guided kayaking tour of Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve. Visit places only a kayaker can go as you glide over seagrass beds, and paddle through a timeless landscape of native flora and fauna. Kayak Tours included two hour guided experience, kayak, paddle, lifejacket, and museum admission. Secure footwear required, and bottled water
Fort Myers Beach Art Association artists from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the sidewalk in front of the stores at the plaza.
Artists will be selling original artwork, both framed and unframed, as well as some cards.
“Commissions will go to our student programs such as the Student Scholarship Awards given this month to seniors at Cypress Lake Center for the Arts,” Buelow said.
Mound House Calendar
strongly recommended. Mound House Members: $15, Public: $45. Register at MoundHouse.org.
Sunset Kayak Tours
∫ Fridays two hours before sunset. Check MoundHouse.org for times and availability.
Immerse yourself in the breathtaking beauty of a guided Sunset Kayak Tour. Paddle through a pristine landscape as golden hour transforms the Estero Bay into a picturesque wonderland. Your journey concludes at the historic bayside Mound House, where the sun sets behind the museum, creating a stunning backdrop for an unforgettable evening. Kayak Tours included two hour guided experience, kayak, paddle, lifejacket, and museum admission. Secure footwear required, and bottled water strongly recommended. Mound House Members: $15, Public: $45. Register at MoundHouse.org.
Birding and Brunch
∫ Saturday, March 15
9 – 11:00 a.m.
Mound House and Audubon of Southwest Florida (ASWF) are calling all bird and brunch enthusiasts for a guided bird walk on Fort Myers Beach! Enjoy a light breakfast from Mom’s Restaurant and friendly conversation at Mound House’s picturesque grounds before the guided birding walk. Whether you are an avid birder or are just starting out—all levels are welcome at this begin-
“This sale will be a great way to replace art that was taken by the hurricane. The art will be beautiful any varied.”
ner-friendly program. Learn the basics of birding, including how to identify common Florida birds, learn how to use binoculars, and spot key habitats. Pre-registration is recommended. Join us for just $15 (general admission) or $10 for Mound House members, with museum admission included! Register at MoundHouse.org.
A special thank you to Mom’s Restaurant for being a Gold-Level sponsor of this
Community ConversationsResilient Southwest Florida: Working Together to Create a Stable Future.
∫ Wednesday, Feb. 26
6:30 - 8 p.m.
For millennia, Southwest Florida has served as a locus for human use and settlement. Cultural sites that have survived through this time help provide a link between past use of these areas and modern use. Unfortunately, hurricanes Milton, Helene, and Ian had a devasting impact on archaeological sites and cultural resources in Southwest Florida. This talk will provide an overview of the impacts of these storms on the region and offer models of partnership and community engagement that can help us all work together to protect these sites for the future. The program is free for Mound House Members, and $5 for the public. Register at MoundHouse.org.
PARADISE AWAITS ON ESTERO BAY
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Baz shines for Rays in Spring Training debut
Rays 5, Twins 5
Caminero hits two homers at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers
By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers.com
Shane Baz returned to Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers on Sunday for the first time since his rookie year four years ago when he faced the Twins in the same place for his Spring Training debut and he showed why some think he is among the most talented pitchers in the game. Over three scoreless innings, Baz struck out two and allowed two hits in his first start this spring.
Four years ago, Baz showed up at Hammond Stadium with a cannon to face the Twins in the first Spring Training appearance of his young career. The right-hander had arrived in Tampa from Pittsburgh with future All-Stars Tyler Glasnow and Austin Meadows in a trade that sent Chris Archer the Pirates.
The Texas-born flamethrower lit up the radar gun that day. First at 97, then 98, 99 and 100 one pitch after the other. Baz, about as stoic as a pitcher could be for a 22-year-old making his first big league appearance in Spring Training game, did it almost effortlessly. Almost too effortlessly it seemed with not even that much of a windup. He would rapidly progress through the minors that year and get called up to the majors where he was impressive enough to be called upon to start in the playoffs after just three starts in the majors in which he looked almost unhittable. Baz would not make an appearance
in Spring Training in 2022 or 2023 due to arthriscropic surgery on his elbow and ultimately Tommy John surgery.
Last year, he started the year on the injured list due to an oblique injury, which he called a “freak” injury that was “just bad luck.”
After returning to the majors midway through the season last year, Baz proved again why he was selected as the 12th pick in the first round of the MLB Draft out of high school by the Pirates.
And why some of his fellow major leaguers consider him to be one of the most talented pitchers in baseball.
He posted a 3.06 ERA with a 1.06 WHIP while opposing batters hit just .200 against him.
On Sunday, a relaxed and composed Baz didn’t appear to be trying that hard as he opened up the game with just smooth and easy 95 mph fastballs to Matt Wallner who fouled off the first couple of pitches. Then, like in 2021, the radar gun started jumping. First to 97 as Wallner fouled off another and then on the eighth pitch to Wallner: 100.6 mph for ball four after a 3-2 count.
“I didn’t feel like I reached back on that pitch,” Baz said after his outing. “That’s definitely a good sign for right now. I don’t have to panic,” he said. “I crossed that bridge.”
Baz didn’t appear to be trying to much to overpower the Twins as much as trying to get his first start of the spring out of the way and get his work in but his clearly natural competition instincts took over at some points.
Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers did his
Rays pitcher Shane Baz pitched three scoreless innings in his Spring Training debut against the Twins in Fort Myers on Sunday while striking out two.
best to get to Baz. Over a 10-pitch at-bat, Jeffers fouled off seven of his pitches including three sharp curveballs and four of his fastballs clocked between 95 and 96 mph. Baz refused to give in and eventually got Jeffers to fly out to the opposite field in deep right on a slider.
“He’s good. He has good stuff,” Jeffers said. “He’s always had good stuff. For him, it’s whether he can stay healthy. He’s one of the better young pitchers in the game when he is healthy. I hit it well but he got the out. I like having battles like that.”
Jeffers has a similar fire for competition as Baz. “I felt like I saw it well today,” Jeffers said. “I thought my twostrike approach was pretty good today. He’s got really good stuff. He’s been one of the most highly-regarded pitchers in the game when he is healthy. He has always been good.”
Jeffers also hit a sacrifice fly in the fourth off Rays reliever Keyshawn Askew to put the Twins on the board.
Baz remembers clearly making his Spring Training debut in Fort Myers four
See SPRING TRAINING, page 19
NATHAN MAYBERG
Council moves food truck park forward to second hearing
By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers.com
The food truck park proposed on seven-tenths of an acre just seven and a half feet from the pool of the Pelican Watch condo property on Fort Myers Beach, was approved for a second hearing by the town council Monday after a marathon hearing that ran more than six hours.
The park, which requires a commercial planned development ordinance that will include deviations from the land development code on the town’s setback rules, had been approved by the Local Planning Agency in a 4-3 vote with 27 conditions.
The hearing Monday brought out many opponents from the 48-unit beachfront Pelican Watch condo association. They objected to the closeness of the food truck park to their pool, the noise thhey say would result from live music inside the beer garden at a building that would be constructed on the property adjacent to their pool, traffic concerns, potential littering, trespassers, the potential devaluation of their condo properties and even the impact to local brick-and-mortar businesses. Some expressed worries about vagrancy and other activities they say could result from the alcohol sales there.
Kirk Banarian, an owner at Pelican Watch, said the deviations that would allow the entrance to be closer to Estero Boulevard than the existing code could become a safety issue. “Do we really want food trucks?” Banarian said.
Councilmember Scott Safford said he was concerned about the parking situation that would result from the food truck park. Safford said the developers need a plan to keep customers of the food trucks from parking on the side streets.
Pelican Watch is located on prime beachfront property in the heart of the island just south of the busy downtown business district.
The applicants would require a deviation approved by the town council from the Local Development Code that requires a 15 feet setback, in order to allow them to build
“It’s really unfair to the residents of the island who have helped sustain the island,”
—Pelican Watch condo unit owner Vince Todd
closer to the edge of neighboring residential properties at distances between seven and a half feet to 10 feet.
The proximity of the park to Pelican Watch is due, in part, to the complex land arrangement on the property line that tethers the closely-grouped lots between Cottage Street and Estero Boulevard.
The Pelican Watch building’s pool is surrounded by a fence. Opposite that fence is a house being built by another property owner. Also on the same side of the fence within seven and a half feet would be the food truck court with a building that would be able to house live music that could potentially be on from morning to night. On the other side of the pool is the Pelican Watch parking lot.
James Hotka is proposing the park as part of Empire Holding Corp., an Indiana corporation. The park would be built over where a home used to sit and that was destroyed by Hurricane Ian, with the parking lot constructed where restaurants have previously stood in the past.
Randy Briesath, president of the Pelican Watch Condo Owners Association, called the live music proposed by Hotka inside a building that Briesath described as a beer garden as his greatest concern.
At Monday’s meeting, the developers proposed limiting the number of days and hours the live music would take place, while also restricting the music from having any percussion without receiving a special permit.
Vice Mayor Jim Atterholt said the live music compromise was a “significant” concession.
Briesath sees the expanded parking lot in front of their property and near the beach access as another potential problem that will lead to more foot traffic around their property and more vehicles passing through their garage when motorists search for parking.
Vince Todd, an owner at Pelican Watch since 1981,
said was the first to close on his condo at the development.
“It’s really unfair to the residents of the island who have helped sustain the island,” Todd said.
Todd said Pelican Watch is “one of the few” condo buildings back together since Hurricane Ian.
Todd said owners have lost three sales since the food truck park was proposed.
The town’s planning staff, as part of a recent trend, recommended approval of the project with 27 conditions, citing what they believe is less intensity than is allowed at the site. The Pelican Watch Condo Owners Association has argued that the project will actually be more intense than the previous restaurant and house that was there.
In the past, town staff would automatically deny most projects needing deviations from the local development code or that were inconsistent with the town’s comprehensive plan. That has changed in the past year as projects such as Seagate Development Group and the Pink Shell Beach Resort and Marina hotel project won the endorsements of town staff, responding to a development-friendly town council, in their proposals with deviations needed from the town’s Local Development Code.
The food park proposal is occurring just as the Pelican Watch Condo Owner’s Association is working on repairs to its pool that was damaged by Hurricane Ian. The condo association invested approximately $10 million into repairs on their property after Hurricane Ian (only about half of which was covered by their insurance) in order to open up last year with the early second wave of condo reopenings on the island. The condo association is $2.85 million in debt for the renovations it has undertaken since Hurricane Ian after they had to repair all of their plumbing, electric and elevators on the ground level.
The town council voted unanimously to move the project to a second hearing though with additional conditions and issues they want to see addressed before granting final approval.
See FOOD TRUCK PARK, page 13
Sunday, March 16, 9 am-3 pm
Southwest Florida Ag Expo underway
By JOHNATHAN MINEHAN news@breezenewspapers.com
The Southwest Florida Ag Expo opened Thursday, bringing all the traditional exhibits, fair food, rides — and crowds — to the Lee County Civic Center.
The ceremonial ribbon-cutting kicked off an 11-day revolving schedule of fun-filled entertainment and activities that will run through March 9 at the old fair grounds off Bayshore Road in North Fort Myers.
Among those attending opening weekend were Kassie Kelly 22, and Braxton Ruhstorfer 25, who turned out Friday night which offered Moonlight Madness with unlimited ride wristbands.
“What I love most about the fair is the unique variety of foods you can find there,” Kelly said. “Typically, you have to wait for the fair to arrive in town to enjoy them, such as peanut butter and jelly hotdogs, which I found quite unusual.”
In addition to the assortment of food choices was diverse entertainment and music as well as livestock demonstrations and exhibits, all of which Ruhstorfer enjoyed.
“My favorite part of the fair would be the atmosphere and how it takes different aspects of culture from food, music and the live shows,” Ruhstorfer said. “I would say that the fair could add a bit more live shows. Porkchop Revenue was very entertaining for families and educational on pigs.”
Livestock exhibits, demonstrations and contests —
Food truck park
“The No. 1 concern I heard from the neighbors was the potential for live music 12 to 8 seven days a week,” Atterholt said. Atterholt said he conditioned his yes
including wheelbarrow decorating, hay bale decorating and various booth competitions — put the ag in the expo. The Porkchop Review and Barnyard Crew was among the expo’s shows and attractions.
As a first-time attendee, Ruhstorfer had some advice to share.
“Make sure you ride all the spinning rides before you eat,” Ruhstorfer said. “Check out the entire fairground before you decide what you would like to eat because there are so many options in every direction, and if you’re looking to do a lot of rides purchase a wristband,” he said.
Kelly also had a suggestion for organizers for next time.
“I think it would be wonderful to include more local food vendors and trucks at next year’s fair,” Kelly said. “This would not only support local businesses but also give us a chance to discover the delicious options available in our community.”
Terry Olian, 22, attended with several friends.
“My favorite part of the fair has essentially been the rides and being able to get onto them and ride with my friends,” Olian said. “Usually, at almost any fair I go to, I get the funnel cakes; you have to get at least one funnel cake there.”
He was among the veteran attendees.
“I’ve been to the fair a few times. I’d probably say about eight, and I’ve been going to all the county fairs in Cape Coral/ Fort Myers for years,” Olian said. “Just hanging out with those friends or family members makes
From page 12
vote on the concession by the developers of limiting the days, times and types of music.
Safford said he agreed and said he
it a ton of fun.”
Spencer Bradley, who was working the Eudora Wildlife petting zoo, was also a return participant.
He likes the energy the expo brings to families.
“Well, we’ve been coming here for about a decade, and we’re always looking forward to coming back,” Bradley said. “I know it’s a little cheesy, but I loved most all the families enjoying themselves. I’m here for a day off, whether it’s a weekday or weekend, and everyone wants to come out having fun.”
With all the food at the fair, Bradley had a favorite.
“I know that everyone loves a funnel cake, but I like the deep-fried Oreos,” Bradley said.
Would would Bradley like to see for maybe next year?
“Every fair needs a good pig race,” Bradley said. “They’re always fun, and they’ve got a good show.”
This year’s silver sponsors include Creel Tractor Company, Reithoffer Shows, and Lightning Wireless Solutions.
Promotions, including special entry days with and without ride wristbands, will continue through Sunday.
Overflow parking will be used during peak times during the Ag Expo. LeeTran shuttles will transport attendees back and forth to the Lee County Civic Center.
The Lee County Civic Center Complex is at 11831 Bayshore Rd., North Fort Myers.
For more information visit swflagexpo.com.
needs to see “progress” on a parking plan before he could vote for final approval.
Councilmember Karen Woodson, who said she visited the Pelican Watch prop-
erty, said the buffers need to be expanded so that the building and food trucks are distanced further away from the pool.
Town From page 1
town also left the segment of the project for Leonardo Arms, which has faced the worst threats from beach erosion on the southern section of the island, until just recently.
On Monday, the Town of Fort Myers Beach Council approved a change order for contractor Ahtna Marine and Construction Company to the $21.7 million project, by adding another 14 days which will add another $631,000 in cost. This was the second change order the town has approved for the project. More change orders will likely be needed based on the town’s expanding timeframe for completing the project.
Chustz, who requested the change order, told the town council on Monday that the company had previously been given an extension of 24 days due to delays caused by Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. Chustz had also previously said the contractor was experiencing equipment issues that contributed to delays on the project.
At Monday’s town council meeting, town councilmembers offered no questions as to the impact on shorebirds, shorebird nesting season or the potential for the project to go into turtle nesting season.
The contractor, which was approved by the council for the work in May, was supposed to have completed the project in 180 to 195 days. Work was expected to begin in June at the time of the awarding of the bid.
A bid protest was filed last year by Callen Marine, which had put in a bid of $37.19 million but argued that Ahtna
See TOWN, page 17
A large group of royal terns, gulls and willets gather together on Feb. 15, the first day of shorebird nesting season on Fort Myers Beach along the shoreline near a sandbar at the southern segment of the town’s beach renourishment project. The Fort Myers Beach Council and Florida Department of Environmental Protection have approved extending the beach renourishment into shorebird nesting season. The DEP approved a “one-time only” extension of the town’s permit, similarly to a “one-time only” extension of a permit issued by the agency to the town for last year’s sand haul project into shorebird nesting season near Carlos Pointe on the southern end of the island.
NATHAN MAYBERG
the local shrimp industry that fueled the growth of Fort Myers Beach. The festival dates back to the 1950s.
For the Fort Myers Beach Lions Club that puts on the event each year, this weekend’s festivities will help support its community efforts that include scholarships, providing leader dogs for the blind, supporting local food banks and providing free eye exams to Lee County students and vouchers for glasses.
“The Fort Myers Beach Lions Club Shrimp Festival is the primary fundraiser for our club,” said Fort Myers Beach Lions Club President Drew Yelle.
“All the money raised in the event goes back into the community, supporting our charitable giving. Lions International challenges each club to focus on vision, diabetes, childhood cancer, environment, hunger and local youth. Our Fort Myers Beach club is aligned with those goals,” Yelle said.
The Matanzas Pass Bridge will close from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday to make way for the 5K run and shrimp festival parade.
The 5K run will start at 9 a.m. from in front of Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille and the course will take runners up the Matanzas Pass Bridge and onto Estero Boulevard past Key Estero Shops and back again.
The parade will follow at 10 a.m. from the Fort Myers Beach Elementary School to the base of the Matanzas Pass Bridge. The Fort Myers Beach Lions Club is still looking to add floats for those interested in participating in the parade. For more information on how to participate and partake in this year’s Fort Myers Beach
page 1
Lions Club Shrimp Festival Parade, 5K Run or shrimp-eating contest, visit https:// fortmyersbeachshrimpfestival.com/.
A shrimp boil will follow the parade off Old San Carlos Boulevard. The shrimp boil will be repeated on Sunday starting at noon until the shrimp runs out. This is the first time the shrimp boil is taking place since 2022, before Hurricane Ian.
The Queen’s Pageant will take place Saturday at the Bayside Veterans Park from 1-2 p.m.
An arts and crafts fair will be held on both Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. along Old San Carlos Blvd. and between First Street and Third Street.
On Sunday, March 9, the blessing of the fleet begins at 11 a.m. at the shrimp docks on Main Street on San Carlos Island following a 10 a.m. church service.
The festival will culminate with a shrimp-eating contest Sunday, March 9, at The Whale at 2 p.m. A closing ceremony and free concert will run from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Bayside Veterans Park.
The restaurants participating in this year’s shrimp crawl with shrimp specials are DiamondHead Beach Resort, The Island’s Pancake House, Hurricane Tina’s, Lah de Dah at Margaritaville, Lani Kai Island Resort, La Ola’s, License to Chill at Margaritaville, Nervous Nellie’s, Parrot Key Caribbean Grill, Petey’s Upper Deck, The Rude Shrimp, Sandy’s Bottom’s Bar & Grill, Snug Harbor Waterfront Restaurant, Smokin’ Oyster Brewery and Wahoo Willies.
Wahoo Willies is also opening an hour early on Saturday for a special brunch from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.
For a full festival schedule, visit https://
fortmyersbeachshrimpfestival.com/schedule/
For a full list of the restaurants participating in the shrimp crawl with shrimp specials and their addresses visit https:// fortmyersbeachshrimpfestival.com/event/ shrimp-crawl/.
“We are proud to be a part of our wonderful local community and very much appreciate the generosity of our friends and neighbors across the country that feel the connection to Fort Myers Beach,” Yelle said.
Council
From page 1
Lee County owns Estero Boulevard, which is where the trams travel.
The county’s ownership of the town’s main road also led to questions at Monday’s town council meeting as to whether the town needs the county’s approval or permission to restrict the electric bikes and enforce the ordinance on the sidewalks. Town counsel Nancy Stuparich said that would be worked out before the second reading and hearing of the ordinance, which will be held
Fort Myers Beach Vice Mayor Jim Atterholt said “I would normally not be a big fan of this because of the pedestrians on the sidewalks but the traffic is so horrific. Desperate times require desperate measures.”
Atterholt said the town “should at least give this a try.”
Atterholt said bicyclists are being yelled at.
“There is a situation now where people are yelling at people on a bike or electric bike because people think that is illegal,” he said.
Councilmember John King said he
“I would normally not be a big fan of this because of the pedestrians on the sidewalks but the traffic is so horrific. Desperate times require desperate measures.”
—Fort Myers Beach Vice Mayor Jim Atterholt
likes that the new ordinance will allow code enforcement officers to issue citations. He would like the new ordinance to be a trial and re-evaluated in a year or so.
Councilmember Scott Safford said his question is “what a fine is going to be.” Safford said the fines should show “we are serious.”
Safford said “the higher the ticket is, the better this whole thing will work.”
Fort Myers Beach Mayor Dan Allers asked Safford how much he wants the fines to be.
The current ordinance calls for fines of $50 for violators.
Safford said “Fifty dollars doesn’t seem very high to me.”
Atterholt said “we have to think about what we are fighting for.”
Atterholt said somebody going 15 miles per hour in August when the streets are empty is not as serious as somebody passing an elderly couple and their dog.
Safford said he didn’t want to issue “exorbitant fines” for those who go 12 miles per hour but wanted it to be enough to deter “recklessness” and threats to public safety.
Fort Myers Beach Compliance and Operations Director Frankie Kropacek said he believes the issue is not with those on the island most of the time, but those who are vacationing or visiting. Kropacek said if there is an accident, enforcement of a citation would need to be handled by Lee County Sheriff’s Office. That wouldn’t be an issue the town’s code enforcement could handle, he said. Kropacek said the
town could issues citations for violating the ordinance.
Atterholt asked Kropacek if enforcement officers would be able to use discretion as to when to issue a warning and when to issue a violation.
Allers said by the time code enforcement or law enforcement was able to respond to a violation, that person “would be long gone.”
Stuparich said the town council and staff could return to the next council meeting and iron out more details ahead of the next public hearing.
Councilmember Karen Woodson said signage is the key for her. Allers said the town would require approval from Lee County.
During public comment, the microphones for the public stopped working.
A date for when the second reading or hearing was not immediately announced.
A poll of Fort Myers Beach Observer readers last month found that 60% of respondents wanted to continue the ban on electric bikes on sidewalks. Town From page 15
Marine and Construction Company didn’t have the necessary equipment on hand to complete the project in time. The company accused Ahtna Marina and Construction Company of not being responsive to the bid terms.
The town council rejected the bid protest. The majority of the funds for the town’s beach renourishment project are covered by Lee County Tourist Development Tax dollars and FEMA.
Chustz said if the firm didn’t complete the project in time they could potentially face fines from the town.
Ahtna Marine and Construction Company did not respond to an email seeking comment by press time.
Neither the town, Ahtna Marine and Construction Company or the DEP have commented on video of the contractors moving and dumping sand around hundreds of shorebirds gathered on and around a sandbar on Fort Myers Beach near the Little Estero Island Critical Wildlife Area at the start of shorebird nesting season Feb. 15, and whether it constitutes “harassment.” The FWC has also not directly addressed questions of whether the activities either constitute “harassment” or dissuade the shorebirds from nesting. Audubon Florida has deferred questions to the FWC.
A week after the activities there was little shorebird activity observed for the stretch of the southern end of the island from Big Carlos Pass to Leonardo Arms.
The FWC received an application on Jan. 24 from the Town of Fort Myers Beach seeking an Incidental Take Permit for beach-nesting shorebirds (American oystercatchers, snowy plover, black skimmer and least tern) at a recent shorebird breeding site on Fort Myers Beach.
The DEP has not addressed questions submitted by the Fort Myers Beach Observer since requests including a Sunshine Law request for documents submitted Feb .11. DEP spokesperson Nikki Clifton said this past week that the department was still “working on a response.”
In an announcement last week, Town of Fort Myers Beach Public Information Officer Nicole Berzin said the “The Town of Fort Myers Beach has received authorization from the Florida Department
A black skimmer flies by a group of royal terns, willets and gulls assembled near a Fort Myers Beach sandbar on the first day of shorebird nesting season on Feb. 15 as contractors hired by the town moved and dumped sand nearby for the town’s beach renourishment project. The contractors were given approvals by the town council and DEP to continue working into shorebird nesting season.
of Environmental Protection (FDEP) in consultation with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to extend the construction window for the south segment of the Beach Renourishment Project to April 1.”
That segment includes the Little Estero Island Critical Wildlife Area (LEICWA), which is home to several threatened bird species that nest on the island as well as other threatened and protected bird species such as roseate spoonbills, Wilson’s plovers and herons.
“This extension is required due to project delays from a number of unavoidable factors, which included impacts from Hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton during the Summer of 2024 after the project commenced,” Berzin said.
Chustz did not respond to requests for comments on the approvals or how it will impact the local nesting shorebird population
Berzin said the town would conduct “daily monitoring of bird nesting activity, posting and notifying FWC of any active nests once they are observed. The combi-
nation of these avoidance measures and minimization of impacts to bird nesting activities constitutes avoidance of take in accordance with FWC Imperiled Beach Nesting Bird Guidelines.”
Berzin’s statement regarding take does not indicate whether the town is no longer seeking incidental take permits as they had sought last month and she did not respond to emailed questions regarding the take permits.
Chustz has said that the town and contractor have bird monitors on site.
Video taken by residents nearby have shown contractors with equipment going up and down the shoreline.
Berzin said the “one-time only extension of the environmental construction window for the restoration of the southern end of Estero Island is in the public’s interests, as it will increase protection from future storm events and sea level rise, create a sustainable habitat for marine turtle and shorebird species, and protect the recreational use of this shoreline.”
The south segment of the beach renourishment work is expected to be completed
by mid-March, and the central segment is expected to be completed by the first week of April. All beach construction activities will cease on or before April 15, Berzin said.
Once completed, the beach renourishment project will cover approximately 6.5 miles of what the town considers to be “critically eroded” beach with about 949,000 cubic yards of new sand.
The last beach restoration project took place in 2011.
Since Hurricane Ian, the town has embarked on two other projects related to addressing its eroded beaches, including a sand haul project and an emergency berm that was installed after Hurricane Ian.
Lee County is funding up to $9.2 million of the project with tourist development tax dollars.
According to the town’s consultant on the project, FEMA will fund up to 90% of the northern section of the project - which is up to 56,000 cubic yards of sand (or about 6% of the total sand).
NATHAN MAYBERG
FORT MYERS
Community Thrift Store
15501 Old McGregor Blvd. Fort Myers, FL 33908
Fort Myers CVS
15550 San Carlos Blvd. Fort Myers, FL 33908
Gavin’s ACE Hardware
16025 San Carlos Blvd. Fort Myers, FL 33908
Gulf Point Square
15660 San Carlos Blvd. Fort Myers, FL 33908
Love Boat Ice Cream
16475 San Carlos Blvd. Fort Myers, FL 33908
McGregor Bar & Grill
15675 McGregor Blvd. Fort Myers, FL 33908
Pickles Pub
15455 Old McGregor Blvd. Fort Myers, FL 33908
Walgreen’s
15601 San Carlos Blvd. Fort Myers, FL 33908
Walters Automotive
15135 McGregor Blvd. Fort Myers, FL 33908
FORT MYERS BEACH
Chamber of Commerce
100 Lovers Lane, Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931
CVS Store
7001 Estero Blvd. Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931
Bonita Bill’s
702 Fisherman’s Wharf, Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931
Diamond Head (Lobby)
2000 Estero Blvd. Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931
Doc Ford’s
708 Fisherman’s Wharf Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931
FMB City Hall
2731 Oak St. Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931
Lahaina Realty
6035 Estero Blvd. Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931
Lani Kai
1400 Estero Blvd. Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931
Lighthouse Restaurant/Bar
1051 5th St. Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931
Loffreno Real Estate Inc, 7317 Estero Blvd. C1, Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931
Matanzas Inn
414 Crescent St. Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931
Nervous Nellies 1131 1st St. Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931
Parrot Key
2500 Main St. Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931
Pincher’s Crab Shack
18100 San Carlos Blvd. Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931
Pink Shell Resort
275 Estero Blvd. Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931
Post Office
200 Carolina Ave. Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931
Santini (Marina) Plaza
7205 Estero Blvd., Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931
Sea Gypsy 1698 Estero Blvd., Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931
Snook Bight Marina/Junkanoo’s
4765 Estero Blvd. Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931
Summerlin Café
11370 Summerlin Square Drive, Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931
Sunflower Café 11410 Summerlin Square Drive, Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931
Sunset Grill
1028 Estero Blvd. Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931
(News box out front)
Snug Harbor
645 San Old Carlos Blvd., Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931
Parking Lot BOX
Tina’s Dive Bar
19051 San Carlos Blvd. Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931
Wahoo Willie’s
645 San Old Carlos Blvd., Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931
Wal-Mart
17105 San Carlos Blvd. Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931
7/11
7120 Estero Blvd., Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931
Rays, Red Sox showcase future arms in Dobbins, Seymour
By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers.com
For those who look forward to Spring Training each year to see the new faces and future stars, Wednesday’s game between the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays was a heavyweight fight in front of a packed house at JetBlue Park at Fenway South in Fort Myers.
On the mound for Boston was Hunter Dobbins, their best pitching prospect, making his first Spring Training appearance of his career against Ian Seymour, the top pitching prospect for Tampa Bay. Seymour was making the first Spring Training start of their career.
Both proved they have the stuff to start in the majors and handle big league pitching though they will both likely start the season in Triple-A.
Over two innings, Dobbins allowed just one hit while striking out three. Seymour kept the Red Sox hitless over his two innings while striking out two and walking one.
When it comes to pitching prospects, minor league statistics are one thing but seeing the arms up close against major league pitching is like Florida to Greenland.
Both arms arrived Wednesday as advertised. Dobbins is a hard-throwing right hander who was able to blow by hitters with a 97 mph fastball while showing plus offspeed stuff featuring a big 12-6 curveball, sharp cutter at 88-90 mph and a quality changeup clocking between 81 to 83 mph. His sinker was at 91 mph. Dobbins also features a splinker – a sinker and split finger fastball combo popularized by Pirates phenom Paul Skenes.
Dobbins’ first pitch of the ballgame led to a broken-bat flyout by Josh Lowe. After sending the Rays
See SHOWCASE, page 24
Red Sox pitching prospect Hunter Dobbins is congratulated by Manager Alex Cora after sending down the Rays in order in the first inning Wednesday in Fort Myers. It was the first Spring Training start of his career.
Spring training From page 11
years ago against the Twins.
“That was a fun time,” Baz said. “My heart was beating out of my chest.”
Baz knew he would be entering the game that day as a reliever. “I couldn’t sit still,” he said.
On Sunday, Baz was thankful for being healthy again and pitching in Spring Training again. “My body feels good. That’s all I could ask for,” he said.
Baz said he was getting used to the tempo of pitching in games again. Baz was referring to the pitch clock pitchers are subjected to nowadays, with 15 seconds to throw after each pitch. It is clear that many of the pitches thrown are rushed by the pitchers as Major League Baseball seeks to speed up games.
Of his two strikeouts Sunday, both were swings on his wicked curveball. It’s one of the best curves in the game and one that he can throw at 84 mph like he did to send down Twins shortstop Carlos Correa.
“It’s come a long way,” Baz said of his curveball. “It came around in 2022 after not throwing it a ton before that. It’s been a good feel pitch for me. Behind the count and ahead of the count.”
Baz said his delivery has changed a bit since he first came up to the big leagues in 2021. “I would say it was a little more upright, especially in my finish. I finished a lot more upright. Now I am just trying to get through my pitches a little better. It’s just made a lot of my offspeed a lot better. Driving the ball down as opposed to being more upright on my finish,” Baz said.
The righty said he is using his legs more. Baz said he is “staying back better which is a constant battle, staying over the rubber as long as long as you can. Your body wants to go. The longer I can stay over the rubber the better.
My command is best when my body is quiet.”
The Rays put up four runs in the first three innings thanks to two home runs hit by infielder Junior Caminero off Twins pitcher Chris Paddack.
The 21-year-old Caminero is quickly turning heads in Spring Training. A phe-
nom in the making, his three homers in Spring Training have all been hit particularly hard. His hot hitting has carried over from the Dominican Winter League where he batted .424 over 10 games. This spring, he is carrying a 1.446 on-base plus slugging percentage.
“That kid is ridiculous,” Baz said. “I don’t think those at-bats were pitched badly at all. He was fighting his at-bats just waiting for his pitch. The kid is something different.”
Baz said Caminero’s send homer, an opposite field blase, “sounded different.”
“Every swing has intent behind it,” Baz said. “He’s not trying to flip a single anywhere. He’s trying to drive the ball.”
Rays Manager Kevin Cash said Baz “looked very ready” to him. “It took him a little bit last year (after returning from the oblique injury). He looked very similar to what we saw last year.”
The Twins were able to put some runs on the board once Baz left the game Sunday.
Carlos Correa and Trevor Larnach took Rays reliever Kevin Kelly deep on backto-back at-bats in the fifth off a couple of sweepers left in the zone.
Don’t start calling the Twins the sweeper killers just yet. Twins Manager Rocco Baldelli said the team is not focusing on any training targeting sweepers though he said “the guys are working on related things with the competitive preparations for the games. That means doing difficult things before the games, honing on pitch recognition and how to attack breaking balls.”
Baldelli said the team is also working on playing a “smaller version of the game” of more line drives and base stealing to prepare for the early part of the season when it won’t be as easy to hit home runs in the northern and midwestern ballparks during the colder months.
Baldelli liked what he saw from Paddack Sunday. “Paddack had a good outing today. Gave up a couple homers on fastballs to a good fastball hitter. That’s a pitch that Paddack normally relies on
for lots of important at-bats to get outs,” he said.
“Overall, I think he looked good. He looked strong. His velo, his arm strength is in a good spot right now. He’s mixing things up. He’s working on things out there. I think he looks very comfortable,” Baldelli said.
As for that good fastball hitter that took Paddack deep twice, Baldelli said Caminero “hit balls as hard as anyone. He is a good hitter.”
For his part, Caminero said he is learning a lot from the veterans around him after his first season in the big leagues. “I just trust a lot of the veteran guys. They talk to me about the ins and outs. I trust all of them,” he said. The third baseman said he looked up to Padres third baseman Manny Machado growing up.
Jeffers, who caught Paddack Sunday, said the righty “looked pretty good. I thought he would want to locate his fastball a little bit better today. He wasn’t able to get it down like I think he would like to. Overall, I think it was a good outing for him.”
Paddack said he shook off Jeffers a
couple times in order to throw the fastball against Caminero, which didn’t work out.
“I tried to beat him with my heater and I didn’t,” Paddack said of his facedowns with Caminero. “He humbled me a little bit. There were multiple times I had him set up for something else and I shook off twice.”
Paddack said he is “still learning” in his seventh season.
Paddack likes the velocity on his slider this spring and said he is been working on a new grip for his slider which is showing good results. He said the sharpness of his curveball was the “most positive thing of the outing.”
Paddack said he kept busy in the offseason throwing for the first time in his recovery from injury and to prepare for this season. “I didn’t put down the baseball, football. Kept the elbow and shoulder moving all offseason. I feel great. It’s a small sample size of what is to come.”
The Twins added two runs in the bottom of the ninth to end the game in a 5-5 tie.
NATHAN MAYBERG
Freedmen Estero island Historic Society to hold discussion on post-Civil War era in Florida
Did you know that more than 61,000 freed slaves lived in Florida at the end of the Civil War? How were they assimilated into the economy and society? What role did coastal Southwest Florida play?
Join multi-award-winning author and internationally acclaimed lecturer Robert N. Macomber to learn about what happened to the 61,745 former enslave individuals in Florida at the end of the Civil War.
You’ll hear about tremendous efforts by U.S. Army officers, church missionaries, and volunteer doctors to assimilate those individuals into society as productive citizens. You’ll learn about what worked and what didn’t, the special fact-finding mission to our coastal area of Southwest Florida, how some Floridians tried to thwart the effort, and the legacies of that turbulent time which echoed into the 1960s. This is a little-known but very important part of Florida’s fascinating history.
Robert N. Macomber is a multi-award winning author, internationally acclaimed lecturer, former Dept. of Defense consultant, commentator for TV and film, adventurous expedition leader, and an accomplished seaman. He was named “2020 Florida Writer of the Year” by the Florida Writers Association.
If You Go:
What:
Slaves To Citizens - The Freedmen’s Bureau in Florida 1865-1872
Presented by Robert N. Macomber, Historian and Award-winning Author
When: Monday, March 10 at 2 p.m.
Where: Fort
Robert N . Macomber
Shell show and shell festival to feature all things shell
By TIFFANY REPECKI trepecki@breezenewspapers.com
Shell lovers will have the chance to celebrate everything shell related at two upcoming events.
Presented by the Shellcrafters and Sanibel Community Association, the 88th Annual Shell Festival will take place on March 6-8 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at The Community House on Sanibel. Just across the Sanibel Causeway, the Sanibel-Captiva Shell Club will host the 2025 Sanibel Shell Show on March 6-7 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and March 8 from 9 am to 4 p.m. at the Marriott Sanibel Harbour Resort & Spa.
Annual Shell Festival
The 88th Annual Shell Festival will feature a mix of shells and shell art, crafts and local art vendors, shell artistic displays with a People’s Choice Award, live mollusk tanks and more for the whole family.
“It’s to bring everyone together,” Cheri Bailey, a member of the Shellcrafters group and one of the event co-chairs, said. “This one is actually going to be a throwback to the original one from the ‘30s.”
There will be about two dozen vendors with shell-related items, arts and crafts, and more.
“Vendors from in and around the islands,” she said. “They’ll have their wares and crafts for sale.”
There will also be various individual shells and bags of shells available.
“We’re going to have shells that have been donated and found on Sanibel and around Sanibel,” Bailey said. “We’re also going to have fossils for sale.”
Artistic exhibits will be on display for attendees to vote on for the People’s Choice Award.
“It’s all shell related,” she said of the entries, noting that first, second and third place will receive ribbons. “It’s an opportunity for people to bring in their artwork and have the community vote on it.”
A Shellcrafters member will provide a shell crafting demonstration.
“We’ll have a lady there who will be making shell flowers,” Bailey said, adding that the member will make two or three different kinds and there will be books available on how to make shell flowers.
The Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium and students from The Sanibel School will have live mollusk tanks set up for attendees to learn more about the creatures that make seashells.
“Everybody raves about it,” she said. “They really love it.”
There will be a children’s area, which will include face painting and a bunny petting zoo.
“All of that will be outside,” Bailey said.
Attendees can bid in a silent auction, with over 30 goodies up for grabs.
“We’ll have local artwork from the community, pieces donated by artists,” she said, noting that there are baskets from local businesses, one vintage and one modern mirror from the Shellcrafters, and more.
“Some of those are collector shells,” Bailey added.
There will be raffle tickets available for purchase to win prizes, including daycation passes at the Sundial Beach Resort & Spa, items from businesses like The Magic Bus Ice Cream & Caffeine, a quilt from the Three Crafty Ladies, a trip on the Hemingway Water Shuttle on Marco Island and more.
“All kinds of stuff,” she said.
Attendees can fill their bellies with options from food trucks such as Pilar’s Empanadas Argentinas, Sweet Dreams and Vesuvius Wood Fired Pizza. There will also be a hot dog stand set up on-site.
“All of the festival type stuff,” Bailey said. “Homemade lemonade, cotton candy.”
Local artist and J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge Supervisory Refuge Ranger Toni Westland designed the logo for this year’s event, which will be available on shirts and hats.
The Sanibel-Captiva Kiwanis Club is the presenting sponsor.
She thanked it and the additional supporters, as well as the volunteers helping out.
SHELLCRAFTERS/THE
Admission is a $5 donation. It comes with a small bag of shells and a buy one, get one 50% off admission coupon for the shell museum.
The proceeds will benefit The Community House.
The community is encouraged to come out.
“It’s bringing us all together to rebuild and start a new chapter,” Bailey said. “And to continue the legacy of The Community House and the Sanibel Shellcrafters.”
For more information, visit the Sanibel Shellcrafters page on Facebook or https://sanibelcommunityhouse. net/.
The Community House is at 2173 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel.
Sanibel Shell Show
The 2025 Sanibel Shell Show will feature a juried show with scientific and artistic exhibits and awards, shell and shell craft vendors, a live mollusk display, a youth scavenger hunt and more for all ages.
“The fundamental mission of the club is to expand the knowledge of our members and the community about the field of mollusks and the environmental conditions of the world they live in,” Shell Club President Laurie Jansen, who is also event co-chair with club Membership Chair Kathy Hofstad, said.
“As part of that, we raise funds and give them out as grants and scholarships,” she added.
The proceeds will benefit different causes and organizations not only on Sanibel and Captiva, such as the shell museum and Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation
(SCCF), but for other educational research in Southwest Florida. Grants go toward education and research in the fields of conchology and malacology, including supporting university research of mollusks and water quality, as well as for conservation and water quality projects.
There will be hundreds of exhibits on display between the scientific and artistic divisions, with shell enthusiasts from across the United States and from Canada, Europe, New Zealand, India, Japan and the Caribbean competing in categories. It is the most prestigious, competitive shell show in the country.
“It’s interesting to see what types of things people bring,” Jansen said.
The scientific division focuses on single specimen shells and multiples of shells. There are 85 entries this year covering about 27 classes. In the artistic division, there are 148 entries covering two categories: hobbyist and professional. There will be sailor’s Valentines, lamps, needlecraft and more.
“Within the artistic and scientific, every one of the classes has the opportunity to win first, second or third place. It is all based on judging,” she said. “We also give out trophies and special awards.”
Attendees will also have the opportunity to browse 20-plus vendors showcasing about 70 tables worth of merchandise, including specialty and specimen shells for crafting and shell-oriented items, like jewelry and clothing.
“Items can range from tables of specimen shells from
See SHELL SHOW, page 24
COMMUNITY HOUSE
Artist and J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge Supervisory Refuge Ranger Toni Westland designed the logo for the 88th Annual Shell Festival on March 6-8 at The Community House on Sanibel.
WHAT’S HAPPENING
Educational Summer Camps offered at Edison and Ford Winter Estates
Edison and Ford Winter Estates (EFWE) is offering several summer camp options for children in kindergarten through fifth grade. Students are separated into groups according to grade level (K-2 and 3-5). The camps are educational and focus on science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM), and incorporate fun activities. Campers get to invent, design, build, and learn in the same location where famous inventors Thomas Edison and Henry Ford invented some of the world’s best-known products. Summer camp starts on June 9 and runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
Most of the camps are available for both age groups; camps for younger students are less complex. Summer camp is sponsored by Captains for Clean Water, Scientists’ Society of Southwest Florida, and TriCircle Pavers.
PROVIDED Camp IMAG Lego Engineers.
IMAG announces its Super-Spectacular Spring Break Camp
When School Is Out, Camp Is In!
The IMAG History & Science Center announces its Super-Spectacular Spring Break Camp: Monday, March 17 through Friday, March 21, at the IMAG in Fort Myers and STEMLab in Estero. When school is out, camp is in. IMAG Camps bring inspiration to life for campers with science, technology, engineering, math, and art. This week of camp promises to be super-spectacular with live animal encounters, museum explorations, interactive science experiments, Scienceon-a Sphere shows, and tank-time at the StingRay Bay Touch Tank for campers to discover the wonders of sea life.
In addition, Camp IMAG has many special activities planned for campers including a St. Paddy’s Slime Experience, Shamrock Suncatcher Workshops, Meet the Tortoises Time, Fossil Digs and Pellet Dissections, Ooops-or-Ahhh Egg-Drop Challenges, and the IMAG Aerodynamics Lab where inspiration takes flight as campers let their imaginations soar with rockets. What’s more, campers will enjoy decorating T shirts and more camper activities.
Camp IMAG camps are inspiring, fun, and educational for your child with hands-on activities, explorations, events, and fun. For more information and to register for camp, please visit: theIMAG.org.
Scholarships Available
Support from private donors and sponsors make it possible for the Estates to offer one scholarship for each camp. A committee will determine scholarship eligibility based on financial need so that underprivileged children can experience camp. The deadline to apply for a scholarship is two weeks before the desired camp. Parents or guardians can apply through the website at https://www. edisonfordwinterestates.org/education/camps/.
Throughout the year, other camps and classes are offered when Lee County schools are closed, including one-day camps and spring and winter break. Edison Ford members receive a discounted rate. For registration and additional information, visit edisonford.org.
‘Speak of Love Tour’ featuring Grammy Winning Recording Artist, David Phelps concert event to be held March 7
In support of his brand new recording, which releases Aug. 30, the unmistakable sound of multi-Dove and Grammy Award-winning recording artist, David Phelps, will be featured at the First Assembly of God, 4701 Summerlin Road. This exciting concert event begins at 7 p.m., and will also feature popular comedian, Mickey Bell.
This “Speak of Love Tour” stop will feature songs from Phelps soon-to-be-released Speak of Love recording. His seemingly endless vocal range, which extends more than three octaves, coupled with his gift for communicating a song, moves audiences from all walks of life, crossing generational and stylistic barriers. With multiple platinum-selling recording projects, Phelps is credited among today’s most spectacular voices. Event information may be obtained by visiting www. davidphelps.com.
‘Start Spreading the News’ with Liza and Frank~Live Band
On March 16, at 7 p.m. at Cape Cabaret in Cape Coral, join Tony Sands as Frank Sinatra and Whitney Grace as Liza Minnelli as they share some of the legendary singers’ greatest hits at Cap Cabaret in Cape Coral, Florida. Whitney performs “Cabaret,” “All That Jazz,”, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” and MORE! Tony croons with “Come Fly With Me,” “You Make Me Feel So Young,” “My Way,” and more of Frank’s great standards. Together they sing many duets including the show-stopping “New York, New York!” For tickets, go to the Cape Cabaret website, or visit the Cape Cabaret, 4725 Vincennes Blvd., Cape Coral.
For tickets visit https://capecabaret.com/shows/.
Gardening Classes offered at Edison and Ford Winter Estates
Edison and Ford Winter Estates (EFWE) is offering gardening classes for new and experienced gardeners looking to explore many tropical plant varieties and learn about the care and uses of those plants. Classes are designed to include the latest information on pests and products recommended for sustainable and Florida Friendly gardening. Both classroom instruction and onsite garden observations are included.
Registration is open for the following classes.
∫ Plant a White Garden
March 18, 1:30 p.m.
White gardens were all the rage with the arrival of the Arts & Crafts movement that redesigned homes and gardens, and Vita-Sackville West’s white garden at Sissinghurst in England set the standard. While many northern plants will not survive in Florida, the concept can be recreated with appropriate species. This class will cover plant choices and design ideas to create a sub-tropical white sensation on a lanai, balcony or garden. Cost: EFWE members: $45; non-members: $60
∫Shade Gardening
March 22, 10 a.m.
This class will teach how to brighten a dark corner of a garden or shaded balcony with a striking array of foliage, form and texture. A palette of tropical and sub-tropical plants that thrive in a low-light environment will be dis-
Religious Services
Services at Beach Baptist Church
Beach Baptist church at 130 Connecticut St., Fort Myers Beach Service at 10:30 every Sunday
All are welcome, we are pet friendly!
239-463-6452
https://beachbaptist.org
Services at St. Peter Lutheran Church
St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church in America at 3751 Estero Boulevard, Fort Myers Beach
Outdoor Services under the tent
Every Sunday 9 a.m.
All are welcome, we are pet friendly
239-463-4251
stpeterfmb@gmail.com www.stpeterfmb.com
YouTube - St Peter Lutheran Church Fort Myers Beach FL
In cooperation with former Chapel by the Sea and Beach United Methodist Church.
Services at St. Raphael’s Episcopal Church
St. Raphael’s Episcopal Church welcomes the public each Sunday at 10 a.m. for services in its parish hall at 5601 Williams Drive in Fort Myers Beach.
For more information regarding services, contact 239-463-6057 or email office@straphaelschurch.org
cussed. Seasonal options, as well as perennial choices, and how to place a tree or two to create a shady spot will all be covered. A garden tour of the shady enclaves at the Estates is included. Cost: EFWE members: $45; non-members: $60
∫ABCs of Tropical Fruits
April 15, 1:30 p.m.
This time of year is a good time to plant fruit trees. Participants will learn about avocados, bananas, and citrus. This class will cover recommended varieties to grow in Florida soils, how to plant, how to prune, and how to develop the healthiest and most productive trees. The class will also cover how to recognize common diseases and pests and address any issues. What citrus greening is, how to recognize it, and how to choose and grow citrus will also be covered. The discussion will continue in the fruit groves, following the classroom presentation. Cost: EFWE members: $45; non-members: $60
Classes are held in the air-conditioned Fort MyersLee County Garden Council building next to the Estates (enter across from the Estates’ parking lot on Larchmont Avenue). Wearing comfortable walking shoes, sunscreen, and a hat is recommended, along with bringing drinking water. All participants will receive a 20% discount coupon good toward plants in the Garden Shoppe. Printouts of the teaching materials are provided. Registration at EdisonFord.org is required for all classes.
‘Taste of Love Goes Hollywood’ — A Star-Studded Evening to Benefit Special Equestrians!
Mark your calendars for a night of glamour, excitement, and culinary delights at “Taste of Love Goes Hollywood.” An exclusive wine and food extravaganza supporting Special Equestrians. Join us on Sunday, March 23, from 5-9 p.m., at The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon, 2158 Colonial Blvd., Fort Myers, for an unforgettable evening where you can shine as a star for a worthy cause.
Tickets: $125 each. Sponsorships are available for those looking to support in a larger way.
Purchase tickets or sponsorships online by visiting TOL2025.givesmart.com.
PHOTO
PET PALS
By ISABELLE WELLS Co-founder
I bring the dogs to the dog park
streets adjacent to the park. It is the case of this beautiful young pitt. He is very sweet, had no microchip, was good with the small dogs and people. Someone called the 911 and a few minutes later Domestic Animal Services came and picked him up. What started as a lost dog, could be the end for him. He will stay between 3 to 5 days at the shelter and if for any reason he is getting nervous, show any reactivity or nip at the veterinarian, he will be euthanized. He is gorgeous and you can see he is very well taking care for. We think he is from the neighborhood behind the park. He was put on social media and next door. He is not neutered and might be the reason he escaped. At the end of the day it is sad that this poor guy maybe put down. A few weeks ago it was the case for two Chows also found at the park. Luckily their young owners came back and claimed them. When I contacted the shelter I was told they were really bad and if not taken back they would end up killed. Being a pet parent is a big responsibility and because the lack of spay and neuter many pets get euthanized every day. If you know anything about this big guy please call or text Isabelle at 239-281-0739. His time is running out.
Update:
Last week we brought you the story of little Marcie. Today she is doing better and better every day. Will be up for adoption soon
Boey the cutest little guy around!!! Love that furry hair. He was born 11/19/2023, weighs 10 pounds, and is so sweet. He is fostered right now at Heather’s house with two cats. He is a good boy working on his potty training. Boey is a gentle soul. He loves everyone, other dogs and cats. Just a perfect little pet. Call or text Isabelle at 239-281-0739.
By Jo Knobloch Founder
of Save Our Strays Cat Rescue a 501c3 organization on Fort Myers Beach Saveourstraysfmb@yahoo.com Bentley and Raven
A silent auction is being planned for Thursday, March 13, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. To be held in the walkway where the book nook is located in Santini plaza. There will also be a 50/50 drawing. Come and join the fun and bid on some very nice items and support the local Fort Myers Beach feline rescue. Baskets of donation items are welcome to be donated. Call 239-851-3485 if you wish to donate a basket or an item which must be new not used and also if you could volunteer to help at this fundraiser.
and therefore the owner could not be
He is very affectionate, playful and a very sweet cat.
Cheddar
Cheddar is a 1- to 2-year-old orange tabby male who was rescued on the south end of fort Myers Beach. He had no microchip
located.
in Bonita Springs on East Terry pretty much every day. Somehow many dogs are left either behind there or wondered from one of the
down in order in the first inning, his only one mistake was a second inning pitch that Curtis Mead hit on a 3-1 count out of the park. Mead has exploded this spring for the Rays. His two hits Wednesday raised his average this spring to .889. He also stole a base in the game. His homer off Dobbins equaled the number of home runs he hit all season last year in 122 at-bats.
Of the three strikeouts Dobbins induced on the day, all three were on swings. The first was on an 83 mph slider to Jonathan Aranda which was a foul tip, the second was on a 97 mph four-seam fastball to Jonny DeLuca and third was on a 96 mph fastball to Jonathan Aranda which was also a foul tip.
For Seymour, the hardest he threw on the day was 93 mph. But overthrowing is not Seymour’s game. His fastball sat between 89 and 92 mph while he kept Boston hitters off balance with a heavy diet of changeups shifting between 81 and 84 mph. His offspeed pitches had good movement that was difficult for the Red Sox hitters to square up.
Seymour started the game by striking out Red Sox All-Star Jarren Duran swinging and sent down Boston’s prized new third baseman Alex Bregman looking on an 84 mph changeup after getting him to foul off a 93 mph fastball and 81 mph changeup.
Triston Casas almost took Seymour out of the park, flying out to the left field warning track on a 92 mph fastball.
Seymour said he felt his pitches were “very polished right now. I was able to command everything,” especially for his first game of Spring Training. “I felt I located everything pretty well today,” Seymour said.
Seymour, whose minor league brilliance was delayed by Tommy John surgery in 2022, was not phased by who he had to face Wednesday as evidenced by his strikeouts of Duran and Bregman to start the game.
“Once you are out there, it just feels like the game you have played for your whole life. Especially just from a competitive standpoint. I don’t really care who is in there. I am just going to come at you.”
Rays Manager Kevin Cash said Seymour’s “compete level is as good as anyone we have.”
Cash hadn’t seen much of Seymour before Wednesday’s game. He made just two appearances in relief during Spring
Shell show
NATHAN MAYBERG Rays southpaw Ian Seymour threw two scoreless innings against the Red Sox at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers on Sunday while striking out two. Seymour went 9-4 with a 2.36 ERA and 0.95 WHIP while striking out 162 batters in 145 innings over 25 games in Triple-A. Hitters batted just .187 against him.
Training last year.
Cash said he likes Seymour’s “fastball-changeup mix” and how the hitters had difficulty reacting to his offspeed pitches. “It’s an offspeed game.”
After Seymour exited the game, Bregman came up to the plate in the third inning against minor leaguer Yoniel Curet and flew out to the warning track about a foot away from hitting the wall and received a loud ovation from the Boston faithful in Fort Myers. Triston Cases fol-
From page 21
all over the world — there are craft shells. There’s some really fun items,” Hofstad said, adding that there will be jewelry vendors, all types of shell art, various sailor’s Valentines, shadow boxes and mosaics, even a vendor of tropical fabric.
For the first time, there will be an educational and environmental exhibit area. It will be a space where attendees can learn about mollusks and the organizations that support them. Captains for Clean Water, the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife, Conchologists of America, Florida Gulf Coast University and SCCF will have booths, and there will be information about careers within the field and education.
“This is really a whole new area that we’ve been able to expand on,” Jansen said. “We thought it was important to help people understand that it’s real animals that are alive that create these shells.”
There will be live mollusk tanks from
the shell museum, plus activities for youths. A scavenger hunt will have participants seeking out features across the scientific and artistic exhibits, and they can interact with a model of a lighthouse with a marine lab to learn about marine ecosystems and sea life.
“The scavenger hunt is something that has always been part of the show over the many years. This year, we were able to expand upon that,” she said, adding that there will be coloring stations with coloring sheets and word search games and puzzles for youths to take part in. “A variety of things.”
A shell-fie station will offer the chance to take fun photos with props.
There will be a silent auction featuring about two dozen items, including artwork from artists like Susan Lloyd and Constance Miller, shelling tools from the Historic Bait Box, seashell apparel from A Little Adventure, gift certificates from
lowed Bregman by taking the Double-A starter out to the deepest depths of dead center field which was somehow caught by DeLuca near the 420 feet mark.
In the fifth inning, the Rays’ 21-yearold third baseman Junior Caminero opened up the game with a bases-loaded triple which cleared the bases and put the Rays up 4-1. Caminero would be thrown out one batter later by Trevor Story at home on a sharp throw off a grounder hit by Aranda. The Rays scored five runs in
Billy’s Rentals and Marriott, and more.
“They range in anything from a few jewelry items, quite a few specimen shell options, some shelling tools and several beautiful donated artistic pieces,” Hofstad said.
Tickets for a 50/50 raffle will be available, with half of the winnings to support the cause.
The club’s Artistic Chair designed the logo for this year’s event, which will be available on unisex shirts — in white, light blue and heather gray — and souvenir pins in a round or rectangular shaped option.
In addition, the club will have shelling bags and tote bags with charms.
“We are also selling shells that have been donated to the club,” she said. “Specimen and craft shells.”
Laurie and Bill Harkey are the junonia sponsor and Gussie Ross is the golden olive sponsor, with additional supporters
the inning, three of them earned, off lefty Justin Wilson.
The Rays went on to win 8-2.
After the game, Cash lauded Mead’s start to the spring with eight hits in his first nine at-bats. “He has had a really solid start to camp,” Cash said. “We know it’s in there.” Cash also thinks highly of Caminero, who he called a “special player.” Cash said Caminero looks “even better this offseason.”
helping to sponsor the event through their generosity.
Admission is an $8 donation for adults. It comes with a bag of locally collected shells and a buy one, get one 50% off admission coupon for the shell museum. The community is encouraged to come out.
“It’s just outstanding, all of the variety of things we have available for people to see,” Jansen said. “Whether lovers of collecting shells or creating things with shells, we have something for everyone.”
For more information, visit the Sanibel Shell Show group on Facebook or http:// sanibelshellclub.com or contact info@ sanibelshellclub.com.
The Marriott Sanibel Harbour Resort & Spa is at 17260 Harbour Pointe Drive, Fort Myers.
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