Fort Myers Beach Observer/The Beach Bulletin

VOLUME 38, NUMBER 10

Council approves lagoon boardwalk

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

The newly elected town council has reversed years of past decisions that rejected a special exception permit for a 298-feet boardwalk adjacent to environmentally-sensitive state protected lands in the Little Estero Island Critical Wildlife Area.

T h e T o w n o f F o r t M y e r s B e a c h

Council voted 3-2 Monday afternoon to approve a special exception permit for the boardwalk to cross state lands, a lagoon a n d v e g e t a t i o n a d j a c e n t t o t h e L i t t l e Estero Island Critical Wildlife Area over the objections of the Florida Audubon S o c i e t y a n d t h e r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s o f d e n i a l b y t h e t o w n ’ s p l a n n i n g s t a f f , reversing prior votes by prior town councils to deny the permit Voting in favor

were Mayor Dan Allers, Councilmember John R King and Councilmember Karen Woodson. Voting against the approval of the permit was Vice Mayor Jim Atterholt and Councilmember Bill Veach

The town council forged ahead despite the recommendations of denial by town planning staff who stated the boardwalk did not meet the town's land development code and was inconsistent with its comprehensive

plan, and threatened to impact a sensitive environmental area In addition, town staff said they hadn't had time to completely review new submissions of documents presented by the applicants late last week The walkover, which has been presented as a dune walkover by its applicants but is considered to be a lagoon walkover by its opponents, was first proposed in

See WILDLIFE AREA, page 11

Lynn Hall Memorial Park opens

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

Lynn Hall Memorial Park reopened Saturday for the first time since Hurricane Ian. The Lee County Department of Parks and Recreation reopened the Fort Myers Beach park near Times Square, along with its beach parks at San Carlos Bay-Bunche Beach Preserve and Bonita Beach Park

Lynn Hall Memorial Park has been frequently used by visitors over the past few months to sunbathe and swim despites its official closure

The parking lot and park facilities had been fenced off however there was a lack of signage around the beach

s

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

Capt John “Jay” Gray is well known around Fort Myers Beach for running marathons into his 80s, decorating coconuts on his property for the holidays and holding St Patrick’s Day parties

On Sept 28, Gray lost both of his boats on his Fort Myers Beach property and countless personal effects to Hurricane Ian

Yet more than five months later, the 85-year-old U S Marine still gets emotional talking about the help he received in cleaning and rebuilding his home from volunteers a half a world away

A week after Hurricane Ian shook his home and brought 10 feet of water inside his Fort Myers Beach. property, Gray was more than a bit surprised to meet a group of volunteers from Israel who spent a week helping him clean up his property

They were with Israaid and Rubicon, Israeli humanitarian aid groups that specialize in disaster response

They helped find a box with his belongings that had washed away, finding some old photos and St Patrick’s Day decorations

“That’s probably the most unique thing that ever happened to me,” Gray said

“It just hit my heart,” Gray said

“The first thing we did was raise the American flag and the Marine flag,” he said “They worked from 7 a m to 5 p m at night They took my walls down ”

He recalled one of the volunteers “pulling the tacks out of the rugs going up the stairs.”

Gray has stayed in touch with the Israeli volunteers through emails They shared photos with him from Fort Myers Beach and back in Israel “They were like brothers,” he said

Losing his sailboat, motorboat and many of his belongings has taken a big toll on Gray “We got beat up,” he said “I’ve

See MARINE, page 12

Fort Myers Beach resident Jay Gray with Asaf Bandor, of Israaid. Bandor was part of a group of Israeli humanitarian aid volunteers who helped Gray clean his property and locate personal belongings that had washed away from Hurricane Ian such as this St. Patrick’s Day sign. photo provided

The timing of the reopening coincides with elevated alert levels of red tide being documented by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in the area around Lynn Hall Memorial Park, Little Hickory Island and Barefoot Beach State Preserve in recent weeks Low levels of red tide were reported at nearby Bowditch Point Park on Fort Myers Beach The Town of Fort Myers Beach recently announced it would be using heavy equipment to remove dead fish that have been washing ashore in recent weeks.

“We are thrilled to announce the reopening of our beach park facilities after the devastation of Hurricane Ian It is heartening to hear from our residents and visitors how eager they are to once again enjoy these amenities, and we are grateful for their patience during the rebuilding process,” said Brian Hamman, Chairman of the Lee County Board of County Commissioners “I would also like to commend the county staff for their hard work and dedication in getting these facilities back up and running These efforts have helped to restore a sense of normalcy and community pride to our area ”

See LYNN HALL, page 12

f o r t m y e r s b e a c h t a l k . c o m 8 , 2 0 2 3 ■ P a g e 2

W e e k o f W e d n e s d a y , M a r c h

Publisher Raymond M Eckenrode reckenrode@breezenewspapers com

Executive Editor Valarie Harring vharring@breezenewspapers com

Editor Nathan Mayberg nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

Advertising Director Laurie Ragle lragle@breezenewspapers com

Advertising Sales

Lyn McElhaney lmcelhaney@breezenewspapers com

Obituaries Debbie Carletti obits@breezenewspapers com

Production manager Rob Braitling rbraitling@breezenewspapers com

HB991: Bad for Florida, bad for America

Imagine a world in which newspapers have been bankrupted and shuttered

Imagine that Reddit, the Drudge Report and Red Pill are no more and that social media platforms forbid political discussion of any stripe

Imagine that while some t e l e v i s i o n a n d r a d i o n e w s show still exist, they only feature endless stories about cats and dogs, and fawning coverage of those in power

Imagine a world in which robust political discussion has been cowed into silence, and all government business takes place behind closed doors, and nobody can talk about what might have transpired in this darkness unless they want to end up broke, unemployed and homeless

Block Guest Commentary

This is not the backdrop of some new Netflix drama about a dystopian future in a galaxy, far, far away No This is a possible reality right here in Florida if lawmakers succeed in passing a bill that would lower the threshold for the rich and powerful to sue anybody who says something they don’t like.

H B 9 9 1 i s o f f i c i a l l y c a l l e d t h e Defamation, False Light, and Unauthorized Publication of Name or Likenesses Bill But First Amendment activists like me who have read it call it the “Death to Public Discourse Bill ”

Key supporters of HB 991 want you to believe the legislation is about taming the excesses of the “liberal corporate” media by giving the “little guy” a chance to avenge “bad” coverage But the truth of this bill is all about making it easier for government officials and their rich and powerful allies to use

Poll

Previous Web

Results

What are you most concerned about in regards to rebuilding from Hurricane Ian?

In the wake of Ian, anti-drowning precautions especially needed

To the editor:

H u r r i c a n e I a n d e v a s t a t e d m o s t o f Southwest Florida As we are all rebuilding, f i n d i n g b u s i n e s s e s t h a t c a n r e p a i r o u r house/property is understandably hard

The Lee County government is asking homeowners, if you cannot find a business to replace your pool cage or fence in a timely manner, to put up a temporary fence around your pool or yard to prevent accidental drownings

Florida is one of three states with the most accidental drownings.

Current Web

Question

Should the Town of Fort Myers Beach Council approve a special exception permit for a 298-feet boardwalk over two lagoons, dunes and vegetation near the Little Estero Island Critical Wildlife Area?

∫ Yes

∫ No

∫ Unsure/no opinion

the courts to punish those who criticize them

And despite the belief by s o m e c o n s e r v a t i v e s t h a t HB991 would only affect the New York Times, the Miami Herald and CNN if it were to become law, the reality is no information outlet would be s p a r e d t h e d e p r e d a t i o n s o f p u n i t i v e l a w s u i t s u n d e r i t s p r o v i s i o n s F o x , N e w s m a x , conservative talk radio stations will all feel the sting of this new law as public figures across the political spectrum look to exact their vengeance a g a i n s t i n c o n v e n i e n t n e w s c o v e r a g e a n d c o m m e n t a r y The fallout would just as likely crush Fox’s Tucker Carlson as it would the NYT’s Paul Krugman

More than that, this legislation would also subject bloggers, community groups, average users of social media in short everybody who wants their voices heard to the untold financial and emotional burdens of lawsuits

And the way HB991 is currently written, a story doesn’t have to be wrong and damaging to an official to land a reporter, blogger or housewife Facebooker in court It can merely cast the subject of the story in an unfavorable light

Gov Ron DeSantis called for a new defamation bill, saying he wanted to give the Average Joe a chance to clear their name when the press sullies it But the truth is that defamation and libel suits have never been the tools of ordinary people who often don’t have the means to go to court But these lawsuits have all too often been part of the repertoire of powerful figures seeking to bring their critics to heel

Letters to the Editor

causes of drowning are lack of swimming abilities and no barriers around pools.

The state of Florida and local facilities offer an opportunity to take water safety courses Some have free classes; you can inquire at your local YMCA or your city may have other programs available

There are two free water safety resources offered at www myfamilies com “Eyes on the Kids” and “Water Safety for Kids ” These resources have very helpful information for all ages CPR classes are also highly recommended for all Be safe!

Abiding

Accidental drownings occur primarily in home swimming pools The second-leading

Cindy Hubble

Love Preschool and Childcare Director Cape Coral

We want your opinion

This legislation is hardly a novel move Throughout history, tyrants on the left and the right as well as powerful Robber Barons have often moved to crush the press in order to control messaging And the easiest way to crush the press is to weaponize the law against commentators just as HB991 seeks to do

For those who doubt this could be the rationale of HB991’s supporters, look at recent rules by the state forbidding events that do not “align with the state’s mission” from taking place at the Florida Capitol This pre-vetting of purpose is another clear violation of Floridians’ First Amendment rights to gather and have their voices heard Looking at these measures, one can only conclude that free speech is under attack in Florida.

Contrary to what its supporters will say over the next weeks, HB991 is not good for Florida or Floridians It’s not good for Americans as a whole It would establish a dangerous precedent that impacts all of us by chilling the kind of free discussion that only takes place in free societies

Even conservative Supreme Court justice Samuel Alito noted this in a ruling a few years ago, writing: “The core purpose of the c o n s t i t u t i o n a l p r o t e c t i o n o f f r e e d o m o f expression is to ensure that all opinions on such issues have a chance to be heard and considered ”

So, please protect your freedom of speech by using yours to tell your representatives to throw out HB991

Bobby Block is the executive director of the First Amendment Foundation which was founded in 1985 to advance and protect Floridians’ rights to free speech, open government and public records

Fueling higher costs with record profits

To the editor:

Exxon oil corporation reported to its shareholders record breaking profit of $55 7 billion in 2022 Not problems with supply chain, just rapacious greed motivated the rise in cost at the pump Of course, the cost of gas rose accordingly with these higher pump prices This in turn, made all product from field to market rise in price to meet the additional cost imposed, seemingly without legitimate need beyond avarice You paid more for your gas, but also more for all foodstuffs, etc that rely on a gassed up truck delivering the good to market.

Tax policy can generate revenue, but it can also modify business policy Windfall

See LETTERS, page 5

The views expressed on the Opinions pages are just that opinions. These pages are intended to convey a range of viewpoints; opinions printed on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of this newspaper. Opposing views are welcome. Letters to the Editor or guest columns may be mailed to: Fort Myers Beach Observer, 19260 San Carlos Blvd., Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931; faxed to 239-765-0846; emailed to news@breezenewspapers.com; or posted to our Virtual Newsroom at www breezenewspapers com Letters are due no later than noon Monday All letters and guest columns must be signed and must contain a phone number for verification purposes You also can comment on any letter or editorial opinion online at: fortmyersbeachtalk com

Bobby

Florida Highway Patrol searching for driver in multiple hit-and-run crashes

STAFF REPORT

The Florida Highway Patrol is searching for the driver of a stolen Toyota Prius who was engaged in multiple hit-and-run vehicle crashes early Monday morning, first at McGregor Boulevard and other areas of Lee County with a 2017 Chevrolet pickup truck before allegedly stealing the Toyota Prius in one of the crashes

At approximately 5:56 a m Monday, the Florida Highway Patrol responded to a series of hit and run traffic crashes, first at McGregor Boulevard and later at Daniels Parkway and Interstate 75, the Florida Highway

Patrol stated in an announcement Monday

A white 2017 Chevrolet pickup truck driven by an unknown white male, was initially involved in a hit-andrun traffic crash on McGregor Boulevard The truck fled the scene after damaging another vehicle, the Florida Highway Patrol reported After the collision, troopers determined the same Chevrolet truck began to follow and take aggressive actions in the area of Gladiolus Drive, toward a 2013 Chevrolet Equinox, driven by a 23-yearold female As the Chevrolet truck continued to follow the other driver for several miles, the driver used the C

Keep Lee County Beautiful gives out awards

Keep Lee County Beautiful, Inc celebrated their 3

first annual environmental awards breakfast honoring volunteers of the year Allen and Chery Day, as well as Tunaskin with their business partner award among others

The awards breakfast, sponsored by Wawa, was held at the Riverside Community Center with Marshal Bower the President & CEO for the Foundation for Lee County Public Schools as the Emcee

Last year, Keep Lee County Beautiful educated 1,302 individuals, engaged 4,084 volunteers and organized 233 community cleanup projects As a result, 78,951 pounds of litter were removed, and 800 sea oats were planted

From page 4

taxes; corporations pay more in taxes when gouging, can cull from super-profits funds to the treasury This can affect whether the corporations decide to gouge the public After all, we all hate paying higher taxes If the government were to tax uber profiteering,

The 2022 Environmental Award Winners are:

∫ Outstanding Adoption Group – Julie Yellig

∫ Community Partner – Tunaskin Aquatic Apparel, Inc

∫ Youth Engagement Partner – Lovers Key State Park

∫ Outstanding Site Captain – Trish White-Cape Coral Northwest Neighborhood Association

∫ Business Partner – Coca-Cola Beverages Florida

∫ Marine Debris Improvement – Sarah Burnsed

∫ Hurricane Recovery Champion – Mid Island Water Sports

∫ Volunteer of the Year – Allen & Chery Day

wouldn’t that be a disincentive to the corporation gouging the public? When we fail to impede profiteering from the corporations that control our vital national resources, we miss the opportunity to discourage price gouging If Exxon expected to see a tax offset they would have no self interest to throw

Chevrolet Equinox in the area of eastbound Daniels Parkway and the entrance ramp to southbound Interstate 75, the Florida Highway Patrol reported

In an effort to flee the scene, the Chevrolet truck traveled over the median divider and collided with a 2018 Toyota Corolla A witness, driving a 2010 Toyota Prius, stopped to assist with the crash The driver of the Chevrolet truck exited the vehicle, stole the Toyota Prius, and fled south on Interstate 75

The criminal investigation remains ongoing, anyone with information is asked to contact the Florida Highway Patrol or Crimestoppers

the economy into a tailspin by increasing the price of gas

Lacking a will to impose windfall taxes, far from being a fair distribution of tax burden, becomes a tax to the benefit of oil oligarchy to increase ever higher gas prices

Imposing a tax offset to modify the

Instead, we taxed ourselves with higher gas prices to funnel more wealth to the already well heeled That is the opposite of a progressive tax policy

Ellen Starbird Cape Coral

PHOTO PROVIDED Trish Fancher with Allen & Chery Day who won the Volunteer of the Year Award

London Bay opens sales center for Grandview at Bay Beach

London Bay Development has opened a new sales center for Grandview at Bay Beach, its 11-story, 58unit residential tower under construction on Fort Myers Beach The structure replaces the original building lost during Hurricane Ian

“Like so many other businesses on Fort Myers Beach, we look forward to returning to a degree of normalcy to serve our customers,” said Mark Wilson, London Bay president and CEO. “With the ongoing construction of Grandview during the past several years, our team has become part of this resilient island community and we’re happy to see many of the local businesses and attractions we know well continue to reopen ”

Grandview’s new sales center, at 4530 Bay Beach Lane off Estero Boulevard, is open daily from 9 a m to 5 p m Monday through Saturday and 11 a m to 5 p m on Sunday Interested homebuyers can schedule a visit b y c a l l i n g 2 3 9 - 4 4 9 - 1 6 0 0 o r v i s i t i n g GrandviewBayBeach com

Nearly 70% sold, Grandview weathered the hurricane without compromising the structure, the company stated in an announcement

Grandview remains on target for occupancy this year

The tower’s three- and four-bedroom homes feature up to three-and-a-half bathrooms and dens in 2,400 to over 2,900 square feet

The starting price for the units is above $1 million

The units also offer private elevator access, dedicated parking in the main garage, and smart-home-ready technology with energy-efficient programmable digital thermostats for added innovation and convenience

Grandview’s six exclusive penthouses feature 11foot ceilings and a private two-car garage

Three fully furnished model residences by Romanza

Interior Design and Clive Daniel Home are underway and will showcase the spaciousness of Grandview’s open-concept floor plans The models are expected to open for viewing this spring

Adjoining club and living rooms feature a fireplace, a catering kitchen, bar and distinct gathering spaces flowing to expansive outdoor areas Alfresco amenities include open-air and covered seating destinations, a

The Grandview at Beach is on schedule to open this year on Fort Myers Beach. A new sales center recently opened on Bay Beach Road for the 58-unit, 11-story tower. Units are starting at more than $1 million.

raised spa, firepits and an outdoor kitchen with two built-in grills

Grandview also offers a fitness center and yoga studio with men’s and women’s changing rooms

Lo cated in th e g ated Water s id e at B ay B each ,

Grandview residents also have access to the beach, pool and amenities of the larger community including the planned Bay Beach Commons complex with pickleball, tennis and bocce courts For more information, visit GrandviewBayBeach com or call 239-449-1600

Spirit Halloween gives check to Child Life Professionals of Golisano Children’s Hospital

S p i r i t H a l l o w e e n p r e s e n t e d a

$57,794 check to the Child Life professionals of Golisano Children’s Hospital Feb. 21. The funds were part of the Spirit of Children campaign held last October, when the company also gifted $4,200 in costumes, decorations and crafts – helping to make Halloween fun and the hospital less scary for the children hospitalized during the holiday

The certified Child Life Specialists bring joy and comfort to hospitalized k i d s a n d t h e i r f a m i l i e s t h r o u g h e v idence-based techniques such as medical play and therapeutic disciplines to help normalize the hospital experience. Spirit o f C h i l d r e n h a s g i f t e d m o r e t h a n

$409,150 in donations and in-kind gifts of costumes, decorations and surprises f o r c h i l d r e n s i n c e p a r t n e r i n g w i t h

Golisano Children’s Hospital in 2007

Spirit of Children focuses on making hos pitals les s s cary for children and their families by partnering with Child L i f e D e p a r t m e n t s w o r k i n g t o c r e a t e m o r e c o m f o r t a b l e h o s p i t a l e n v i r o nments With donations raised in Spirit Halloween stores and from vendor partners, they continue empowering Child Life programs and roles, including:

H i r i n g e s s e n t i a l

C h i l d L i f e S p e c i a l i s t s

Purchasing sensory and educational items as well as adaptive toys and medical teaching dolls

Supporting art, music, canine, and horticulture therapy programs

C o n s t r u c t i n g a n d r e n o v a t i n g p l a yrooms, playgrounds, teen lounges and family spaces

“At Spirit Halloween, we are in the business of bringing joy to Halloween celebrations everywhere, but what we’re proudest of are the moments of happiness we can deliver to children at pediatric hospitals,” said Steven Silverstein, President and CEO of Spirit Halloween.

“The work we do and the funds we raise f o r f a m i l i e s g o i n g t h r o u g h d i f f i c u l t times wouldn’t be possible without the generous donations from our guests and vendors If we can make Halloween a bit brighter for the patients, families, and our hospital partners, that is what matters most ”

To learn more about the Child Life program at Golisano Children’s Hospital and ways to make a difference for young patients, visit LeeHealthFoundation.org

/ChildLife PHOTO PROVIDED

NaTHaN MaybERg

■ W e e k o f W e d n e s d a y , M a r c h 8 , 2 0 2 3 f o r t m y e r s b e a c h t a l k . c o m F o r t M y e r s B e a c h O b s e r v e r

Beach Living Town using heavy equipment to remove dead fish

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

The shores of Fort Myers Beach have been littered with dead fish in recent weeks, leading the Town of Fort Myers Beach to use heavy equipment to remove the fish

According to Town of Fort Myers Beach Interim Manager Keith Wilkins, approximately 13 tons of dead fish have been removed from the town's beaches

The Town of Fort Myers Beach announced this past week that staff have “been working on the Beach daily to remove an increasing amount of dead fish that have started washing up daily,” according to a statement issued by town spokesperson Jennifer Dexter stated

Vice Mayor Jim Atterholt said he received complaints from those living on Tropical Shores Way of the difficulty of passing by the Dumpsters behind town hall due to the stench of the dead fish Wilkins said some of the dead fish removed from the beaches were stored behind town hall until they could be transported to a landfill

The increasing numbers of dead fish on the town’s beaches coincides with increasing red tide levels this past month, just a few months after Hurricane Ian struck

“The Town’s Environmental Services Manager started working last week with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) to receive official approval in the form of a permit to use heavier equipment to remove the fish,” Dexter stated

That approval was received on Monday, Feb 27, and the town is using equipment from Lee County that is intended to make cleanup more efficient, Dexter stated

Numerous fish have been spotted floating on top of the waters around Fort Myers Beach and washing ashore.

Last month, the Florida Department of Health in Lee County issued a health alert after waters around Lynn

Hall Memorial Park near Times Square on Fort Myers Beach were tested and found to have alert levels of red tide

Elevated alert levels of red tide are also being documented by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in the area around Little Hickory Island and Barefoot Beach State Preserve in recent weeks Low levels of red tide were reported at nearby Bowditch Point Park on Fort Myers Beach

“An increased level of dead fish washing up with tides can be caused by Red Tide, which is a toxic algae bloom that periodically happens,” Dexter stated

“The Health Department also has an advisory that has been in place since Hurricane Ian about entering the Gulf or any other body of water due to the level of debris that landed in the water after the storm,” Dexter stated

T h e S a n i b e l - C a p t i v a C o n s e r v a t i o n F o u n d a t i o n (SCCF) called upon the Army Corps of Engineers to

The Caribbean’s role in Civil War Author to give presentation at DiamondHead Resort

The Estero Island Historic Society invites the public to a free meeting and presentation on the Civil War’s reach into the Caribbean

T h e m e e t i n g w i l l t a k e p l a c e on Monday, March 13 at 2 p m at the D i a m o n d H e a d B e a c h R e s o r t o n F o r t Myers Beach The first-floor ballroom is accessible by elevator All are welcome to attend at no charge; donations are gratefully accepted. Free parking is available behind Century 21 / Tri-Power Realty a c r o s s t h e s t r e e t f r o m D i a m o n d H e a d Beach Resort

Robert N Macomber, a multi-award winning author, internationally acclaimed lecturer and historian will give the present a t i o n t i t l e d “ B l o o d M o n e y : T h e Caribbean’s Crucial Role in the U S Civil War ” Macomber’s presentation will cover b l o c k a d e - r u n n e r s , C o n f e d e r a t e o c e a n

divert more water south to the Everglades to relieve the waters of Southwest Florida from an overload of nutrients dumped into the local waters from Hurricane Ian.

“When red tide intensifies, it’s not only bad for wildlife and human health, but it is also bad for tourism Sanibel is typically viewed as an escape from the overly developed cities of Fort Myers and Cape Coral,” said S C C F R e s e a r c h a n d P o l i c y A s s o c i a t e L e a h Reidenbach “Although our beautiful island isn’t recovered, red tide is stymying our ability to bring back the tourism economy that many businesses on Sanibel and Captiva depend on ”

Persistent red tide has been blooming in the Gulf of Mexico since October, when it was exacerbated by nutrient pollution from Hurricane Ian, according to SCCF.

“Naturally occurring K brevis tends to bloom by feeding on upwellings of deep ocean nutrients that become mixed in warmer waters near the surface of the Gulf However, when provided with a large supply of man-made nutrients such as nitrogen, the bloom can grow much larger than it otherwise would,” said SCCF Environmental Policy Director Matt DePaolis, adding that SCCF and the University of Florida recently published a study showing this connection

The ongoing red tide bloom has resulted in frequent reports of mild to severe respiratory irritation and fish kills along beaches, and the public is urged to follow all beach closures and red tide advisories and avoid areas with active red tide blooms

“Water managers must send more water south to the Everglades where it is needed, and more water storage and treatment in the Caloosahatchee watershed are absolutely necessary to buffer periods of high and low flows and reduce nutrient loading. Our islands’ economy and our future depend upon it,” Reidenbach said

New underground lines going in at Times Square

raiders, U S Navy shipw r e c k s c a u s i n g i n t e r n ational incidents, and desperate preparations for the final naval battle of the C i v i l W a r M a c o m b e r t a k e s a l o o k a t t h e C a r i b b e a n ’ s r o l e i n t h e Civil War from the war’s beginning to its tumultuous end from Spanish Cuba to t h e B r i t i s h B a h a m a s , F r e n c h M e x i c o a n d t h e Danish West Indies as the scenes of fantastic profits, naval skullduggery, and political intrigue

Those passing through the Times Square area this week can expect to see crews from Florida Power and Light constructing new, underground power lines

The company announced that the work will begin Monday on what it calls "more reliable" underground power lines

According to statement issued by the company with the Town of Fort Myers Beach, sections of the area may be blocked off to ensure safety of the workers Pedestrians are asked to be alert for workers Local roads are not expected to be affected

located at 2000 Estero Boulevard on Fort Myers Beach

Diamondhead Beach Resort is providing their ballroom space at no cost to the E s t e r o I s l a n d H i s t o r i c S o c i e t y Diamondhead Beach Resort has limited parking available and working elevators

The DiamondHead Beach Resort is

NATHAN MAYBERG

PHOTO PROVIDED Robert N. Macomber

■ W e e k o f W e d n e s d a y , M a r c h 8 , 2 0 2 3 f o r t m y e r s b e a c h t a l k . c o m F o r t M y e r s B e a c h O b s e r v e r

Top pitching prospect in minors debuts in Fort Myers

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

The most peaceful game of the major teams sports is speeding up

Baseball, known for a century and a half as the game without a clock, now has its pitchers under a count

In between pitches, they have 15 seconds to throw and 20 seconds if a runner is on base There is 30 seconds between batters Hitters are also on the clock They have to be in the box and ready by the eight-second mark or they will be charged with an automatic strike

It has made for a chaotic spring, with batters striking out without even a pitch thrown

Pitchers who typically need more time to get into their delivery, are speeding up their deliveries The consequences for a game where pitchers are more brittle than ever, are still to be determined

This past week, the Minnesota Twins faced the top pitching prospect in all of baseball when the Phillies visited for a spring training game in Fort Myers at Hammond Stadium

Andrew Painter, who climbed three levels in the minors last year and was virtually unhittable with a 1 56 ERA, 0 89 WHIP and 181 batting average, was human against the Twins hitters

He gave up three hits and a run in two innings of work, striking out one

Two days later, it was reported that Painter was undergoing tests for a sore elbow

That is the violence behind the most peaceful game in team sports injuries, particularly to the elbows and shoulders of its pitchers, continue to be prevalent, more so than ever

Will rushing the deliveries lead to more injuries?

Time will tell

Painter’s outing (before the potential injury news) is what makes spring training so great, the promise and hope of a young prospect in this case a 19-year-old who was being touted at the time as competing for a starting spot in the Phillies rotation That will clearly not be the case now though Painter has also been reported to be feeling better, and the results of the tests have not yet been reported

What the future holds for Painter is uncertain

Against the Twins, Painter threw a fastball that mostly hovered in the 95-96 mph range but topped off at 99 mph when facing Carlos Correa, who singled off him

Painter threw several sliders and a new pitch a cutter that sat between 87 mph and 90 mph Painter developed the cutter in the offseason

“I was just trying to get something that is harder,” Painter said after the game “The slider is kind of sweepy, I am trying to get something I can throw that looks like a

Andrew Painter, the top pitching prospect in baseball, made his first spring training start this past week against the Minnesota Twins in Fort Myers and took questions from a group of reporters afterward. Painter underwent tests for a sore elbow two days later

fastball straight out of my hand that has a little bit of life to it ” Painter said he worked on grips during the offseason at Cressey Sports Performance in South Florida to find something he liked Painter was joined there by New York Mets pitcher Max Scherzer

Last year, on May 1, Painter was in Fort Myers at Hammond Stadium for the first time That day he was with the Clearwater Threshers, the Low-A affiliate of the Phillies He faced the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels, dueling with a rehabbing Sonny Gray Painter would pitch four scoreless innings that day, extending his earned-run scoreless streak to 16 innings to start his professional career Ultimately, that streak would end at 23 innings without giving up an earned run to begin his career

When he was pitching in Fort Myers last year at lowA, did he think he would be starting for the Phillies in spring training one year later?

“No,” Painter said after the game “That wasn’t a thought that came to mind ”

Rising through three levels in the minors is rarely done “It was good It did move quick I never really got settled in at one spot,” Painter said

He learned about the hitters as he went up to each level, not getting as many swings and misses outside the zone “People are going to be more aggressive if they

know you are in the zone. They are going to try and push early,” he said

Painter threw to a 1 40 ERA in low-A, a 0 98 ERA in high-A and a 2 54 ERA in Double-A Painter said he “would have liked to be in the zone a little more” on Monday Painter attended high school in Fort Lauderdale and looked up to Cardinals and Angels slugger Albert Pujols in his youth,

T w i n s M a n a g e r R o c c o B a l d e l l i c a l l e d P a i n t e r “impressive ”

S t a r t i n g f o r t h e T w i n s W e d n e s d a y w a s B a i l e y O b e r , w h o s t r u c k o u t t h r e e a n d a l l o w e d o n e h i t o n 2 3 p i t c h e s i n a n i n n i n g o f w o r k I t w a s h i s f i r s t a p p e a ra n c e o f t h e s p r i n g a n d O l b e r p o u n d e d t h e z o n e w i t h h i s f a s t b a l l r u n n i n g b e t w e e n 9 2 m p h a n d 9 4 m p h O l b e r h a s b e e n w o r k i n g o n g e t t i n g h i s v e l o c i t y u p a t o u c h t h i s s p r i n g H e p i t c h e d t o a 3 2 1 E R A l a s t y e a r i n 1 1 g a m e s

Baldelli said he liked the swings that Olber was getting on his fastball “We got the reactions we were looking for,” he said “He has a unique look to him He always has ” Baldelli said Olber, who returned from a groin injury mid-season to finish his last four starts with a 2.01 ERA, 0,716 WHIP and .151 batting against average, “has been good from first day he got in the big leagues He has never not pitched well ’

Olber finds himself in a slightly-crowded rotation this spring that includes Sonny Gray, Kenta Maeda, Tyler Mahle, Joe Ryan and Pablo Lopez who the Twins traded reigning American League Batting Champion Luis Arraez for

If the towering 6’9 Olber continues pitching the way he has, the Twins may have to think of some creative ways to handle their rotation this spring

T w i n s c a t c h e r R y a n J e f f e r s , w h o w i l l b e s p l i t t i n g t i m e w i t h t h e n e w l y - a r r i v e d v e t e r a n c a t c h e r C h r i s t i a n V a z q u e z , h a d a c o u p l e r e a l l y g o o d s w i n g s i n W e d n e s d a y ’ s g a m e J e f f e r s h o m e r e d i n t h e f o u r t h a n d l i n e d o u t s h a r p l y t o d e e p r i g h t f i e l d i n t h e s i x t h i n n i n g Twins Manager Rocco Baldelli had an injury update, stating that infielder Jose Miranda had some soreness in his shoulder which will keep him from playing the field for at least a week “It was more than just minor soreness,” Baldelli said Miranda, who was a pleasant surprise for the Twins as a rookie last year, went up to Bradenton four days later as a designated hitter against the Pirates, and belted two home runs

After an hour and 15 minutes, four and a half innings had been completed in Wednesday’s game The game would end in the ninth inning in a 4-4 tie after the Twins scored two runs on a wild pitch The time of the game was 2 hours and 32 minutes Right on time

State senate bill would require bloggers critical of state legislators, governor to register with state

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

A c o n t r o v e r s i a l b i l l i n t r o d u c e d b y

Florida State Senator Jason Brodeur (R10) is garnering national attention for proposing that all bloggers who criticize state legislators or the governor’s office would have to register their blog with the state and submit monthly reports or face fines and legal action.

The measure brought enough attention that even former Republican Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich took to Twitter to denounce the bill

“The idea that bloggers criticizing a politician should register with the government is insane,” Gingrich stated “It is an embarrassment that it is a Republican state legislator in Florida who introduced a bill to that effect He should withdraw it immediately ”

U

Seminole County Republican, bloggers would have to register with the state

“Office of Legislative Services or the Commission on Ethics, as applicable, within a specified timeframe ”

Bloggers, defined as those who publish opinions on websites that are not newspapers websites, would be required to file monthly reports to the state or face fines

If a blogger writes about a state elected officer and receives compensation for the post, the bill requires that the blogger register with “the appropriate office” and “file monthly reports” with the state

If the blog post concerns an elected member of the state legislature or an officer of the governor’s executive branch, the report must include the individual or entity that compensated the blogger for the blog post, the amount of compensation received from the individual or entity, regardless of how the compensation was structured and the dates of compensation, the web address for the blog and the date of the blog posts.

The law would empower a magistrate to issue fines of $25 per day per report for

each day late, not to exceed $2,500 per report

If the report in question relates to a post about a member of the Legislature, the report would need to be filed with the Legislative Lobbyist Registration Trust Fund If the report in question relates to a post about a member of the executive branch, the report would be required to be filed with the Executive Branch Lobby Registration Trust Fund.

Jeremy Redfern, deputy press secretary for Gov Ron DeSantis, said in an email “We saw it when the news broke, and our (communications) office is reviewing the bill. Legislation is derived from the legislature, and in recent years, over 3,000 bills are filed each year in Florida As usual, the governor will consider the merits of a bill in final form if and when it passes the legislature ”

A message left with Brodeur seeking comment was not returned.

Brodeur, of Sanford, represents a district outside of Orlando that covers all of

Seminole County and a part of Orange County In a Twitter post Sunday, he stated “Do you want to know the truth about the so-called “blogger” bill? It brings the current pay-to-play scheme to light and gives voters clarity as to who is influencing their elected officials, just like how we t r e a t l o b b y i s t s I t ’ s a n e l e c t i o n e e r i n g issue, not a free speech issue ”

A message left with State Senator Jonathan Martin (R-33), whose district covers Fort Myers Beach and a portion of L e e C o u n t y , w a s n o t i m m e d i a t e l y returned

The bill has been derided online for threatening free speech and the First Amendment of the U S Constitution Some have compared it to a similar law which went into effect in Russia under Vladimir Putin in 2019

State Senator Jason Pizzo (D-37), who represents parts of Broward County and Miami-Dade County, said Monday that the bill is “a perfect example of going too far and not having sensical kind of ideas ”

NathaN Mayberg

Wildlife area From page 1

S i n c e t h e n , t h e a p p l i c a n t s h a v e engaged in numerous lawsuits involving the town, the Florida Audubon Society and the state over the walkover and its impact on the Little Estero Island Critical Wildlife Area

The walkover has been proposed by two limited liability companies registered out of state Texas Holdem LLC and Squeeze Me Inn LLC

Opponents have expressed concern for the impact on state and federally protected bird species which nest in the area and use the habitat where the walkover would go for foraging

Previous councils have twice rejected the permit application multiple times

E d R o o d , t h e p r i n c i p a l o f T e x a s Holdem LLC, unsuccessfully sued the town over the permit denial, under the Americans with Disabilities Act Rood has said he has difficulty walking which may eventually lead him to need a wheelchair Rood spoke at Tuesday’s hearing over the permit without any walking assistance.

Both King and Woodson were elected to the town council this November, with Woodson the recipient of a $1,000 campaign donation from Rood

Town resident Steve Johnson, chair of the town's marine resources environmental task force, said at Monday's council meeting that the boardwalk did not comply with the land development code, as the property is within the town's environmentally critical zone Johnson said the town council's approval was a “political favor” to the property owners

The boardwalk would be within the t o w n ' s e n v i r o n m e n t a l l y c r i t i c a l z o n e , which runs the entire length of the beach and which Johnson said is meant to be a "buffer to prevent structural development f r o m e n c r o a c h i n g o n t o o u r p r i c e l e s s beach "

"No one wants to view an unattractive bridge crossing a pristine wildlife area," Johnson said "It's the proverbial line in the sand really. This is not about being a parent and settling an argument between m y c h i l d r e n w h i c h i s h o w a ( L o c a l Planning Agency) member summed up the situation "

Johnson said the town's comprehensive plan covers dune walkovers, not boardwalks

"If you vote favorably on this resolution, it is your responsibility to fully explain exactly how this case is consistent with the town's land development code and comprehensive plan. That is your responsibility to our community as an elected leader, otherwise your favorable vote is potentially nothing more than a personal opinion or possibly worse just another political favor," Johnson said

Cindy Johnson, of Turtle Time, said "this is not a (dune) walkover This is a large boardwalk "

Johnson said the Little Estero Island Critical Wildlife Area has been a "stressful environment" for nesting shorebirds with multiple red tide events in recent years She noted the low numbers of protected and threatened birds that nest in the state, which are found on Fort Myers Beach "We on Fort Myers Beach have the opportunity to protect these birds," Johnson said

Supporting the walkover permit at Monday's hearing were several neighbors a n d

The Local Planning Agency voted 6-1 last month to recom-

mend approval of the walkover In opposition was former Mayor Anita Cereceda The Local Planning Agency voted to a p p r o v e t h e s p e c i a l e x c e p t i o n p e r m i t although not all of the necessary documents had been provided to the board and town staff recommended denial, citing a failure to be consistent with the town's land development code

Also speaking out against the permit Monday were town resident Barbara Hill and Florida Audubon Society Southwest Florida Policy Associate Brad Cornell Cornell cited the town's own recommendation of denial against the project, for not meeting the town's land development c o d e O p p o n e n t s a l s o p o i n t e d t o t h e destruction of the Fort Myers Beach Pier during Hurricane Ian as an example of the danger a large boardwalk posed to the surrounding environment if another major hurricane were to strike

Cornell said the boardwalk would have an adverse impact on the nesting shorebirds in the critical wildlife area, which includes state and federally protected bird species such as black skimmers, least t e r n s , W i l s o n ' s p l o v e r s a n d s n o w y plovers

C o r n e l l s a i d t h e b o a r d w a l k w o u l d cause harm to wildlife

Cornell cited a federal judge's decision i n r e j e c t i n g R o o d ' s A m e r i c a n s w i t h Disabilities lawsuit against the Town of Fort Myers Beach, quoting the decision which stated "Rood seeks privileged treatment because he prefers that over other beach access options open to him and the public."

Cornell said there are other options to provide Rood beach access other than a 298-feet long boardwalk

Town staff also stated they did not have enough time to review more than 50 pages of material submitted by the applicants late Thursday and early Friday to support their project

Allers was unmoved and said he did not consider that a reason to deny the project

"The staff not having time to review documentation is not an excuse in my book," Allers said

Councilmember Bill Veach said that the applicants supplying documents "after the packet has been out on the Friday before a Monday meeting isn't giving somebody time "

Allers and King framed their support as one of protecting private property rights, while Veach said it was not an issue of private property rights since the property owners needed approval from the state to cross state land as well as town council approval to get an exception from town code

"This is really not that big of an issue for most people on this island," King said in approving the permit "I understand both sides It's very intense for them but the vast majority of people, my constituents now, don't know what this is about and are tired of dealing with it "

During testimony by Rochelle Streker, the Southwest Florida shorebird manager for the Florida Audubon Society, King raised his voice multiple times in demanding answers for an exact measurement of the distance the boardwalk was from nesting shorebirds

"I asked a specific question," King said while interrupting "I can't make it any more clearer Can I get a specific answer? It's not that difficult "

As Streker began to answer, King interrupted again "so the answer is no "

K i n g w o u l d t h e n i n t e r r u p t S t r e k e r again, multiple times, saying at one point "I still have not received an answer."

Speaking in favor of the permit were several neighbors of Rood, who stand to gain access to the boardwalk

N e i g h b o r J o h n C a m e r o n s a i d t h e lagoon should have been filled in "I want to get to the damn beach," Cameron said

Town resident Penny Jarrett worried about the impacts on wildlife and the precedent the decision would have on the town's future

"I see a precedent being set that will continually be used by developers/propert y o w n e r s , a s t h e y g o b e f o r e T o w n Council, to disregard the needs of wildlife and the residents wishes to preserve the f e w r e m a i n i n g n a t u r a l a r e a s o n F o r t

Myers Beach," Jarrett said

Jarrett and opponents said the applicants had other options to gain access to the beach, which did not require the boardwalk

"Their bridge will increase disturbance and predation to threatened species of beach nesting birds, fragment shorebird foraging habitat, forever alter the lagoons, be unsightly in a pristine stretch of beach and set a precedent for more private bridges to be built Keep in mind these properties do have 5 minute beach access by sidewalk or a sand path," Jarrett stated

C o r n e l l s a i d t h e F l o r i d a A u d u b o n Society would be considering a legal challenge to the town's approval of the special exception permit

"Audubon Florida has valued our 12+ y e a r p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h t h e T o w n a n d F l o r i d a W i l d l i f e C o n s e r v a t i o n Commission to protect and monitor the

amazing nature of Little Estero Island Critical Wildlife Area and the nearby nesting and migratory coastal birds that are there year-round in such abundance," Cornell stated "We’re very disappointed the Council chose to grant a privilege to these two private houses that no other Town resident receives beach access through very sensitive habitats for nesting and migratory shore and seabirds That’s w h y t h e T o w n d e s i g n a t e d t h i s a s Environmentally Critical zoning category, which prohibits such large structures "

Cornell called it "unfathomable the Town chose to prioritize granting this exceptional privilege in conflict with the nature of the Town, when there are so many other much higher priorities as Fort Myers Beach pursues rebuilding after Hurricane Ian "

After Monday’s vote by the council, Rood referred to the application's support by the Local Planning Agency last month and in 2019 as a "powerful statement" for the walkover When combined with the town council's vote Monday, Rood said more appointed and elected board members were for the project than were against it

Mr Johnson said the town's vote presented an "ominous view of this town's plan to overlook our land development code regarding future development density and intensity right as the rebuilding of our island is occurring "

Marine

From page 1

never seen anything like this ”

He lost old photos of his family and some documents though he was able to save some documents of his family, which include military papers dating back to the Civil War.

The early days after Hurricane Ian were tough on Gray with no electricity “We were lying on the floor,” he said Gray and his wife Charlotte stayed at a home in Iona during Hurricane Ian which was also flooded

The road to recovery is a long one for Gray as it is for much of Fort Myers Beach

He has no flood insurance He doesn’t expect to

Lynn Hall

replace his boats In the back of his property, a 27-foot boat that washed up on his property is still stuck, waiting to be removed Gray said one of the toughest parts of recovering from Hurricane Ian is when he goes on his morning runs and sees how few people are on the island He used to see many regular faces along the streets of his runs but now notices that some streets may only have a couple homes occupied He usually has more than 30 people over for St Patrick’s Day but isn’t expecting many this year “Nobody is here,” he said Still, Gray is hard at work rebuilding his home and

From page 1

Bowditch Point Park and Crescent Beach Family Park remain closed as work to reopen them continues.

The county has previously expressed concerns about debris and sharp objects on the beach and in the water as it kept the park closed

The county is advising that beach shoes should be worn at all times on the beach and beachgoers should be aware of debris

Residents and visitors are further advised:

Beaches and beach parks have not been

restored to pre-Hurricane Ian conditions

Some amenities such as restroom facilities, piers and walkovers have not been repaired or replaced at this time

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

Beach shoes should be worn at all times

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

Check for any beach or water advisories from the Florida Department of

will stay on the island He likes the water too much

“I’ve been working my butt off,” Gray said “I go to bed with 10 jobs to do and wake up with 11 jobs to do We will get there ”

What Gray misses most of what he lost to Hurricane Ian are the “stuff that can’t be replaced” like the photographs of his children and “things my mother made for Christmas,” he said

“It hits me emotionally,” Gray said “Some people lost it all ”

Health-Lee County at lee floridahealth gov FDOH-Lee on Feb 20 issued a red tide alert for portions of the coast in Lee County

Closure signs are posted where necessary, and www leeparks org has status updates

The entrance to San Carlos BayBunche Beach Preserve, 18201 John Morris Road, will be closed every Tuesday and Wednesday beginning March 7, to allow the state’s licensed contractor to safely remove hurricane debris along the

preserve’s coastline

To ensure safety, the contractors need to keep the road and beach area closed and clear of all pedestrian and vehicular traffic while the debris is moved off the beach

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

The county is ensuring that the many elements of the beach restoration process are being rigorously documented to support full reimbursement through federal funds

PHOTOS PROVIDED

U.S. Marine Capt. John "Jay" Gray at his Fort Myers Beach property with volunteers from the Israeli humanitarian aid groups Rubicon and Israaid after Hurricane Ian.

Jay Gray with a plate from Israel that says "Shalom," meaning peace.

WHERE TO GO WHAT TO DO WHO TO SEE

Folk dance show will close out season at Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall

The Fort Myers Community Concert Association will close out its 2023 season with the Royal National Dance Company performing “Fire of Georgia” March 27 at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall in Fort Myers

The Royal National Dance Company will be making its American debut this season and will be performing “Fire of Georgia,” which illustrates Georgian folk dances, costumes and classical dance elements, acrobatics and stunts

“We are so happy to bring these intern a t i o n a l l y a c c l a i m e d d a n c e r s t o F o r t Myers to round out our 2023 season,”

s a i d C o m m u n i t y C o n c e r t A s s o c i a t i o n President Mary Lee Mann “Dance enthusiasts will love the Royal National Dance Company promoting Georgian folk traditional culture.”

The Royal National Ballet is making its American debut this season The performance, called the “Fire of Georgia,” c o m b i n e s G e o r g i a n f o l k d a n c e s w i t h modern attitude towards the choreography and costumes The company’s program illustrates the variety of the world’s folklore and classical dance elements, acrobatics, stunts and temperament of the male dancers, as well as the graceful steps

of the female dancers

The Fort Myers Community Concert Association, now in its 73rd concert season, is an all-volunteer nonprofit organization founded by Barbara B. Mann in 1949 to bring world-class entertainment to Southwest Florida at affordable prices

The association consists of more than 1,200 members, underwriters and sponsors

Tickets for the March 27 “Fire of Georgia” show cost $25 to $55 and are now on sale at the Barbara B Mann P e r f o r m i n g A r t s H a l l o n t h e F l o r i d a SouthWestern State College campus in

Fort Myers Tickets may be purchased at the box office at 239-481-4849 or online at www bbmannpah com Prices are $55 for orchestra and mezzanine seats, $35 for lower balcony seats and $25 for upper balcony seats

The performance begins at 7:30 p m

T h e R o y a l N a t i o n a l D a n c e Company of Georgia will be performing “Fire of Georgia,” featuring Georgian folk dances and costumes, at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall in Fort Myers on March 27 PHOTO PROVIDED

Junior Achievement hands-on career expo- page 15

What’s Happening - page 16

Sports & Recreation - page 18

Collaboratory invites public to Spring Night Market - page 21

Big

Green

EGGfest

set for April 1 in Bonita Springs

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Eighth annual Bonita Springs Short Film Festival to be held April 22

T h e e i g h t h a n n u a l B o n i t a S p r i n g s S h o r t F i l m F e s t i v a l i s b a c k T h e e v e n t a n d r e d - c a r p e t g a l a w i l l b e h e l d o n T h u r s d a y , A p r i l 2 0 , a t P r a d o S t a d i u m 1 2 T h e a t r e i n B o n i t a S p r i n g s , b e g i n n i n g a t 6 p m

T h e 2 0 2 3 c o m p e t i t i o n t h e m e “ G o o d D e e d s ” w i l l e n c o u r a g e f i l m m a k e r s o f a l l a g e s , s t a g e s , a n d w a l k s o f l i f e , t o p a r t i c i p a t e a n d s h o w c a s e t h e i r t a l e n t o n t h e g i a n t s i l v e r s c r e e n F i l m m a k e r s c a n p i c k a n y g e n r e ( c o m e d y , d r a m a , d o c um e n t a r y , w e s t e r n , e t c ) a n d t e l l a s t o r y t h r o u g h f i l m T h e f e s t i v a l i s n o w a c c e p t i n g f o o t a g e f r o m a n y l o c a t i o n , p a r t i c u l a r l y f r o m S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a , t h o u g h j u d g e s l i k e f i l m s s h o t i n B o n i t a S p r i n g s a n d t h o s e f i l m s w i l l r e c e i v e a d d i t i o n a l p o i n t s T h e f i l m m a k e r m u s t h o l d a l l p a r t s o f t h e f i l m ’ s r i g h t s F a i l u r e t o o b s e r v e t h i s r u l e c a n d i s q u a l i f y t h e e n t r y F o r a n y q u e s t i o n s a b o u t u s i n g s p e c i f i c f o o t a g e , p l e a s e g e t i n t o u c h w i t h t h e A n t o n i o

T h e 2 0 2 3 c o m p e t i t i o n t h e m e

“ G o o d D e e d s ” w i l l e n c o u r a g e f i l m m a k e r s o f a l l a g e s , s t a g e s , a n d w a l k s o f l i f e , t o p a r t i c i p a t e a n d s h o w c a s e t h e i r t a l e n t o n t h e g i a n t s i l v e r s c r e e n F i l m m a k e r s c a n p i c k a n y g e n r e ( c o m e d y, d r a m a , d o c u m e n t a r y, w e s t e r n , e t c . ) a n d t e l l a s t o r y t h r o u g h f i l m .

C o r r e i a , a t 2 3 9 - 4 0 4 - 3 3 7 7 E a c h f i l m / v i d e o m u s t b e 1 m i n u t e t o 1 0 m i n u t e s l o n g , w i t h a n e x c i t i n g s t o r y f o r e v e r y o n e t o e n j o y A w a r d c a t e g o r i e s i n c l u d e B e s t

O v e r a l l , B e s t D e p i c t i o n o f B o n i t a S p r i n g s , M o s t O r i g i n a l , B e s t F i l m

U n d e r 1 8 , B e s t M u s i c a l V i d e o a n d t h e P e o p l e ’ s C h o i c e A w a r d . “ W e a r e v e r y e x c i t e d t o s e e t h e r e s u l t s o f t h i s f e s t i v a l

e s p e c i a l l y a f t e r a l l o f t h e g o o d d e e d s t h a t f i l l e d S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a p o s t h u r r ic a n e I a n , ” s t a t e s A n t o n i o C o r r e i a , t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n ’ s f o u n d e r . C o m p a n y s p o n s o r s i n c l u d e C i t y o f B o n i t a S p r i n g s , H e n d e r s o n F r a n k l i n

A t t o r n e y s a t L a w , B o n i t a P r i n t S h o p ,

B o n i t a S p r i n g s H i s t o r i c a l S o c i e t y , H e a v e n S c e n t F l o w e r s & B o u t i q u e ,

B o n i t a V i d e o , M & M M u l t i M e d i a a n d T L C M a r k e t i n g & C r e a t i v e S e r v i c e s ; I n c F r i e n d s o f t h e F e s t i v a l i n c l u d e C o n n i e & S t e v e M c I n t o s h , G a r y P r i c e , A m y Q u a r e m b a a n d K a t h y M c G r a t h F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t t h e F i l m F e s t i v a l , v i s i t w w w B o n i t a S p r i n g s f i l m f e s t i v a l c o m o r c h e c k t h e B o n i t a S p r i n g s F e s t i v a l F a c e b o o k p a g e , w h e r e t h e r e w i l l b e w e e k l y u p d a t e s C o n t a c t F i l m F e s t E x e c u t i v e D i r e c t o r , A n t o n i o C o r r e i a a t a n t o n i o @ b o n i t a v i d e o c o m

Founded in 1994, Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida (JA) has been impacting the region’s future workforce for over 28 years One of its newest and exciting programs, JA Inspire, aims to launch 10,000 Lee and Collier County middle school students on an interactive career exploration on April 26 - 28, at FGCU’s Alico Arena This will be the largest career expo in Southwest Florida history, with thousands of students scheduled to connect and explore career opportunities with nearly 100 of the region’s top employers and business professionals.

JA Inspire gives students real-world opportunities to envision future career options in Southwest Florida The program includes in-classroom curriculum and a handson interactive career expo Students will review career planning, skills, interests, and job outlooks and then engage with local businesses and learn skills that are in demand at the career fair After the event, students and teachers will debrief to discuss academic choices and career paths

“This program is such a unique way for local businesses to engage and build their future talent pipeline with students from Southwest Florida,” said Angela Fisher, president and CEO of Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida “We are excited to host this event for the first time in-person and can’t wait for businesses in our community to have the opportunity to inspire over 10,000 students from two school districts in person ” Previously, this program was held virtually due to the pandemic

Preparing young students with lessons that promote financial literacy and capability, work and career readiness, and entrepreneurship helps them better transition into adulthood JA Inspire gets students one step closer to finding their passion, earning a college degree, and

achieving career success

Local business leaders across Southwest Florida are encouraged to participate Expo booth space and sponsorship opportunities are available Sponsorships are critical for Junior Achievement to continue providing lifechanging programs to students in our community You can make a difference in the lives of these students by emailing Stephanie Hoffman, Director of Operations at s h o f f m a n @ j a s w f l o r g

o h e l p s u p p o r t J u n i o r Achievement of Southwest Florida and the future of local children, please visit www JASWFL org or call 239225-2590.

About Junior Achievement USA

J u n i o r A c h i e v e m e n t i s t h e w o r l d ' s l a r g e s t o r g a n i z at i o n d e d i c a t e d t o g i v i n g y o u n g p e o p l e t h e k n o w l e d g e a n d s k i l l s t h e y n e e d t o o w n t h e i r e c o n o m i c s u c c e s s , p l a n f o r t h e i r f u t u r e , a n d m a k e s m a r t a c a d e m i c a n d e c o n o m i c c h o i c e s J A p r o g r a m s a r e d e l i v e r e d b y c o rp o r a t e a n d c o m m u n i t y v o l u n t e e r s , a n d p r o v i d e r e l ev a n t , h a n d s - o n e x p e r i e n c e s t h a t g i v e s t u d e n t s f r o m k i n d e r g a r t e n t h r o u g h h i g h s c h o o l k n o w l e d g e a n d s k i l l s i n f i n a n c i a l l i t e r a c y , w o r k r e a d i n e s s , a n d e n t r ep r e n e u r s h i p . T o d a y , J A r e a c h e s m o r e t h a n 2 . 5 m i l l i o n s t u d e n t s p e r y e a r i n 1 0 4 m a r k e t s a c r o s s t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s , w i t h a n a d d i t i o n a l 5 2 m i l l i o n s t u d e n t s s e r v e d b y o p e r a t i o n s i n 1 0 0 o t h e r c o u n t r i e s w o r l d w i d e J u n i o r A c h i e v e m e n t U S A i s a m e m b e r o f J A W o r l d w i d e F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , v i s i t w w w j a o r g L o c a l l y , J u n i o r A c h i e v e m e n t o f S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a p a r t n e r e d w i t h c l a s s r o o m b u s i n e s s v o l u n t e e r s d u r i n g t h e 2 0 2 1 - 2 0 2 2 s c h o o l y e a r t o p r o v i d e n e a r l y 1 3 5 , 0 0 0 h o u r s o f i n s t r u c t i o n t o n e a r l y 1 4 , 8 0 0 s t ud e n t s i n 5 8 9 c l a s s e s t h r o u g h o u t C o l l i e r , L e e , a n d C h a r l o t t e c o u n t i e s F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n o n J u n i o r A c h i e v e m e n t o f S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a , v i s i t w w w J A S W F L o r g , c a l l ( 2 3 9 ) 2 2 5 - 2 5 9 0 o r e m a i l i n f o @ j a s w f l o r g

PHOTO PROVIDED JA Inspire, aims to launch 10,000 Lee and Collier County middle school students on an interactive career exploration on April 26 - 28, at FGCU’s Alico Arena.

Junior Achievement ‘Inspire’ event to unite businesses and students at SWFL’s largest hands-on career expo to date

10,000 students and nearly 100 businesses to participate

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Lee County Band to celebrate the Irish in all of us March 12

Oh, to be Irish just once a year! The Lee County Community Band will celebrate the Irish in all of us on March 12, with its performance of “An Irish Rhapsody,” “ P e n n y w h i s t l e J i g , ” “ M a c N a m a r a ’ s B a n d , ” a n d

“Londonderry Air (Danny Boy) ” The concert will take place at Cape Coral High School beginning at 3 p m All of the band’s concerts are free and open to the public Director Richard Bradstreet also will lead the band in spirited marches, including “The Invincible Eagle;” selections from the Broadway Hit “Oliver,” “American Overture for Band,” “Golden Hits of Elvis Presley,” and a medley of Glen Miller tunes.

Soloists are Norman Jones, Jann Fenn, and Fred Lamb

The band performs six concerts between November and April; all take place at Cape Coral High School, 2300 Santa Barbara Boulevard, beginning at 3 p m The last concert of the season is set for April 23

A legend in Southwest Florida, the 50-member adult band is comprised of career and amateur musicians The original concert band of Lee County, the band and has been entertaining SW Florida audiences since 1885 Persons interested in joining may phone Frances Pace, President, at 239-481-1251.

For additional information, visit www leecounty band org “Like” us on Facebook at Facebook com/ LeeCountyCommunityBand

The Laborator y Theater of Florida

to present ‘Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street’ T

“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” now through March 11

Sweeney Todd, an unjustly-exiled barber, returns to

19th-century London, seeking vengeance against the lecherous judge who framed him and ravaged his young wife The road to revenge leads Todd to Mrs Lovett, a resourceful proprietress of a failing pie shop, above which he opens a new barber practice Mrs Lovett's luck sharply shifts when Todd's thirst for blood inspires the integration of an ingredient into her meat pies that has the people of London lining up and the carnage has only just begun!

Book by Hugh Wheeler, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim Based on the 1973 play of the same name by Christopher Bond

Photography and videography of this production are strictly prohibited.

Don't wait! Reserve your seats early for this thrilling musical!

Performance dates:

∫ March 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, and 11 at 8 p m

∫ March 5 at 2 p m

For more information visit https://laboratorytheaterflorida com/2022-23-season/ or call 239-218-0481

T h e L a b o r a t o r y T h e a t e r o f F l o r i d a i s a t 1 6 3 4 Woodford Avenue, Fort Myers

Illusionist Leon Etienne to per for m two shows at Boys & Girls Clubs in For t Myers

I n t e r n a t i o n a l l y a c c l a i m e d i l l u s i o n i s t L e o n E t i e n n e i s b r i n g i n g h i s M a g i c R o c k s t o u r i n e a r l y M a r c h t o F o r t M y e r s t h r o u g h a p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h B o y s & G i r l s C l u b s o f L e e C o u n t y

E t i e n n e , w h o h a s p e r f o r m e d o n A m e r i c a ’ s G o t T a l e n t , L a t e N i g h t w i t h J i m m y F a l l o n a n d o t h e r s h o w s , i s r e c o g n i z e d f o r h i s o n - s t a g e c h a r i s m a a n d f a s t - p a c e d , h i g h - e n e r g y p e r f o r m a n c e s t y l e H e w i l l b e p e r f o r m i n g t w o s h o w s a t B o y s & G i r l s C l u b s ’ f l a g s h i p P a r k M e a d o w s C o m m u n i t y C l u b T i c k e t s a r e $ 4 5 f o r a d u l t s a n d $ 2 5 f o r c h i l d r e n 1 2 a n d u n d e r P r o c e e d s w i l l h e l p B o y s & G i r l s C l u b s f u l f i l l i t s m i s s i o n t o e n a b l e a l l y o u n g p e o p l e , e s p e c i a l l y

Mound House

grounds open, museum still closed

The Mound House grounds and public restrooms are now open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a m to 4:30 p.m. and the museum store is open Monday through Friday 9 a m to 4 p m The museum and exhibits are temporarily closed and the main museum is tentatively scheduled to reopen in early April

The Mound House, located at 451 Connecticut Street, is the town's oldest home, sitting atop a shell mound constructed by the ancient Calusa tribe

The three acres of grounds, which overlook Estero Bay, is now open to the public Visitors can enjoy the scenic view from the property, which includes native plants, a walking path, picnic tables and an observation pier

The Town of Fort Myers Beach operates the Mound House

"Upon full recovery of the amenities at Mound House, visitors will also be able to enjoy kayak tours and educational events," said Fort Myers Beach Communications Director Jennifer Dexter

Dexter stated that the timetable on the museum opening is April "The museum took on a few inches of water and had some window and roof damage that is requiring repairs," Dexter said

t h o s e w h o n e e d u s m o s t , t o r e a c h t h e i r f u l l p o t e n t i a l a s p r o d u c t i v e , c a r i n g a n d r e s p o n s i b l e c i t i z e n s S h o w s b e g i n a t 7 : 3 0 p . m . o n T u e s d a y , M a r c h 7 a n d W e d n e s d a y , M a r c h 8 a t P a r k M e a d o w s C o m m u n i t y

See WHAT’S HAPPENING, page 17

WHAT’S HAPPENING

From page 16

C l u b , 1 9 0 0 P a r k M e a d o w s D r i v e i n F o r t M y e r s F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n o r t o r e g i s t e r , p l e a s e v i s i t b g c l e e o r g / e v e n t s / m a g i c - r o c k s - e v e n t I n a d d i t i o n t o t h e t w o s h o w s o p e n t o t h e p u b l i c , B o y s & G i r l s C l u b s o f L e e C o u n t y a n d E t i e n n e w i l l b e h o s t i n g f i v e f r e e M a g i c W o r k s h o p s f o r c l u b m e m b e r s i n F o r t M y e r s , L e h i g h A c r e s a n d B o n i t a S p r i n g s “ T h e m a g i c w o r k s h o p s w e w i l l b e d o i n g w i t h s t ud e n t s e m p o w e r t h e m a n d b u i l d t r e m e n d o u s c o n f i d e n c e a n d c o m m u n i c a t i o n s k i l l s , ” E t i e n n e s a i d “ I t a l s o s h o w s t h e m t h e r e a r e e x c i t i n g t h i n g s t o l e a r n t h a t h a v e n o t h i n g t o d o w i t h p h o n e s , T V o r t h e i n t e r n e t ”

A l l y n I n t e r n a t i o n a l S e r v i c e s i s s p o n s o r i n g t h e s h o w s a n d w o r k s h o p s .

G u a rd i a n A n g e l s f o r S p e c i a l P o p u l a t i o n s F a s h i o n S h o w 2 0 2 3 t o b e h e l d M a rc h 1 1 G u a r d i a n A n g e l s f o r S p e c i a l P o p u l a t i o n s w i l l h o l d t h e 1 4 t h A n n u a l F a s h i o n S h o w & A u c t i o n , S a t u r d a y , M a r c h 1 1 , a t 1 0 a m , a t t h e T h e W e s t i n R e s o r t , M a r i n a V i l l a g e , 5 9 5 1 S i l v e r K i n g B l v d , C a p e C o r a l T h e s h o w b e n e f i t s t h e S p e c i a l P o p u l a t i o n s C e n t e r i n C a p e C o r a l a n d f e a t u r e s i t s p a r t i c i p a n t s , w h o w i l l s t r u t t h e r u n w a y d o n n i n g o u t f i t s o f t h e i r c h o i c e a n d p r o f e s s i o n a l h a i r a n d m a k e u p F o r t h e p a s t f i v e y e a r s , t i c k e t s h a v e s o l d o u t T h e d e a d l i n e t o b u y t i c k e t s t h i s y e a r i s M a r c h 6 , a n d t h e y c a n b e p u r c h a s e d o n l i n e a t h t t p s : / / m y s p e c i a l p o p s o r g / s h o p / s p e c i a l - p o p u l a t i o n sf a s h i o n - s h o w - t i c k e t s / o r b y c a l l i n g 2 3 9 - 5 7 4 - 0 5 7 4 T h e e v e n t f e a t u r e s a g o u r m e t l u n c h e o n , l i v e a u ct i o n , s i l e n t a u c t i o n , l o t t e r y t r e e , d i a m o n d d r o p , a n d g a m e s G u a r d i a n A n g l e s f o r S p e c i a l P o p u l a t i o n s i s s e e k i n g s p o n s o r s a n d d o n o r s o f i t e m s f o r a u c t i o n M o d e l s w i l l a l s o b e a v a i l a b l e f o r a r e d - c a r p e t m e e t a n d g r e e t w i t h p i c t u r e s A l l p r o c e e d s h e l p p a y f o r p a r t i c i p a n t s c h o l a r s h i p s , f r e e a n d h e a l t h y l u n c h e s , w h e e l c h a i r - a c c e s s i b l e v e h ic l e s a n d f a c i l i t i e s , d a i l y p r o g r a m n e e d s , a r t a n d g a r d e n t h e r a p y , a n d m u c h m o r e T h e S p e c i a l P o p u l a t i o n s C e n t e r o f f e r s a v a r i e t y o f p r o g r a m s f o r a d u l t s a n d c h i l d r e n w i t h i n t e l l e c t u a l a n d p h y s i c a l d i s a b i l i t i e s . I t s m i s s i o n i s t o p r o m o t e i n d ep e n d e n c e t h r o u g h e x p o s u r e , e d u c a t i o n , e x p e r i e n c e a n d e n c o u r a g e m e n t i n a s a f e , c a r i n g e n v i r o n m e n t

B a i l e y - M a t t h e w s N a t i o n a l S h e l l M u s e u m t o h o s t i n t e r a c t i v e w a l k s t o s u p p o r t n e w p ro j e c t

With the launch of Snail Search of Lee County its new citizen science project the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum is hosting guided Snail Search and Biodiversity Walks

On a walk, an educator will take participants out into the field in Lee County and walk them through the steps of creating a free iNaturalist account a free citizen science app and how to use it

Participants will also have the opportunity to explore the local flora and fauna within the natural area

The purpose of Snail Search of Lee County is to help the Sanibel museum learn more about the availability and location of native and invasive land and tree snails in the area Research conducted on land and tree snails in the area is limited and outdated, and most studies contain no photographs

During the free interactive walks, participants will be given the tools to go out on their own and contribute to the project Walks are expected to last 45 minutes to 1 hour, weather depending

The following walks are scheduled:

∫ March 13 at 1 p m at the Koreshan State Park, at 3800 Corkscrew Road, Estero ($5 per vehicle parking fee)

∫ April 26 at 10 a.m. at the Estero Bay Preserve State Park, at 4940 Broadway West, Estero ($2 per vehicle parking fee)

∫ May 24 at 2 p m at the Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve, at 7751 Penzance Blvd , Fort Myers ($1 per vehicle parking fee)

To register, contact Jorden Falker at jfalker@shellmuseum org or 239-347-5119

For more information, visit https://www shellmuseum org/snail-search

The Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum is at 3075 Sanibel-Captiva Road, Sanibel

Alliance for the Arts to present “The Hatmaker’s Wife”

Theatre Conspiracy at the Alliance for the Arts is proud to present “The Hatmaker’s Wife ” First premiering OffBroadway in 2013, this whimsical and poignant play based on a book by the same title, made its way down to our very own Fould’s Theatre

This bittersweet comedy will have you believing in the possibility of transcending worlds where love and family will always remain the most important aspects of life This sweet and surreal story bends time and space to redefine the idea of family, home, and true love itself

The production is generously sponsored by Janet and Bruce Bunch

Tickets are $25 for members, $30 for non-members and available at ArtInLee org or by calling the box office at 239939-2787. Performances are March 16

Cape Coral Music and Arts Fusion Walk set

for March 10

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

The city of Cape Coral will bring a combination of music and arts to its downtown area Friday night

The city’s Parks and Recreation Department will present the Cape Coral Music and Arts Fusion Walk on Friday, March 10, from 5 to 9 p m along Southeast 47th Terrace

The city invites the community to enjoy a familyfriendly showcase of local musician and artists, going down between Vincennes Boulevard and Southeast 15th Avenue.

“ A f t e r t h e S o u t h C a p e C o m m u n i t y Redevelopment Agency covered utility boxes in Downtown Cape Coral with vibrant, local artwork, we wanted to liven up the area even more and put together a music and art event for the community,” said Senior Recreation Specialist Emily Haeger “We chose 47th Terrace to draw people to the restaurants and small businesses on that street ”

18 and 23

25 at 7:30 p m and March 26 at 2 p m

Hurricane Ian Debris Cleanup Program deadline approaching

The deadline for Lee County residents to apply for the Hurricane Ian Debris Cleanup Program is Wednesday, Mar 29

The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) is accepting applications from private and commercial property owners who need assistance removing lost and displaced vehicles, vessels and other titled property that became derelict as a result of Hurricane Ian.

This program can also provide support in identifying and reuniting vehicles, vessels and other title property lost or displaced due to Hurricane Ian to their rightful owners

For more information, please call 850-961-2002, Monday-Friday 8 a m - 8 p m , Saturday and Sunday 9 a m - 5 p m Assistance is available in English and Spanish To apply visit https://iandebriscleanup com/,

Pace Center for Girls, Lee to host

15th annual Grande Dames Tea April 4

Pace Center for Girls, Lee has announced its 15th annual Grande Dames Tea presented by B Pat O’Rourke, taking place from 1 to 3 p m on Tuesday, April 4 at Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, 1380 Colonial Blvd , Fort Myers

Each year, Pace’s Grande Dames Tea honors women who exemplify the organization’s guiding principles and have made a significant impact through their roles in business, community and philanthropy The inspirational event recognizes the unique perspectives and powerful insights that these women have gained throughout their life journeys, and the importance of passing this knowledge along to future generations With the event’s theme, “The Wisdom of Time – Honoring the Female Spirit,” honorees will share their wisdom during a Q&A session led by the young women of Pace Guests will also enjoy special performances by the Pace girls, and a virtual auction featuring an array of packages from local businesses

The 15th annual event is chaired by Kelly L Fayer along with co-chairs Marlene S. Moulton, M.D., and Kellie Urban. This year’s honorary chair is Pace Lee founder Gail

Artists, designers, and makers with high-quality, handmade, original work are invited to participate in Cape Coral Music and Arts Fusion Walk Acceptable categories are candles, clay, digital, glass, jewelry, leather, living plants, mixed media, paintings, photography, soaps/lotions, and woodwork

“Vendors will offer a wide variety of art and homemade goods, ranging from candles, soaps and lotions, jewelry, fine art, refurbished art, epoxy home decor, and more,” Haeger said

The event will feature three local musicians, spread across 47th Terrace, who will be playing at the same time As guests move through the venue, they will hear three different musical offerings

“Dress for the weather and enjoy a night with neighbors and friends supporting local artists and small businesses while listening to soulful performers play a variety of musical instruments,” Haeger added “There will be no food trucks in attendance We invite all guests to enjoy a meal or drink at the wide variety of surrounding, local restaurants ”

This event section of Southeast 47th Terrace will be blocked off to traffic starting at 3 p m

Some vendor spots are still available, and anyone i n t e r e s t e d i n b e i n g a v e n d o r c a n e m a i l SEClerk@capecoral gov to participate

Markham The 2023 Grande Dames honorees will be announced in the coming weeks

A Friends of Pace table for six is available for $600 Sponsorship opportunities are available, including Golden Teacup sponsor for $7,500, Silver Teacup sponsor for $5,000, Fascinator sponsor for $2,500, Silver Teaspoon sponsor for $1,500 and in-kind sponsorships

Proceeds from the event benefit Pace Lee and its strength-based programs that guide Pace girls in finding their voice and achieving their potential. Programs are based on the belief that all girls and young women, regardless of race, ethnicity or socioeconomic status, should be uniquely cared for, supported and encouraged to become the best versions of themselves through a path of healing and recovery

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit P a c e C e n t e r o r g / L o c a t i o n s / F l o r i d a / L e e / 1 5 t h - A n n u a lGrande-Dames-Tea or call 239-425-2366

Al-Anon, Al-Ateen meetings

Are you concerned with a friend or family member's drinking? Let us help

Call our 24-hour helpline at 941-564-5098 or visit www SouthFloridaAl-Anon org Meetings are held every day in Lee County

Al-Ateen meetings are also offered for ages 10-18

SPORTS & RECREATION

Annual ‘Evening at the Ballpark’ benefit on March 21 to feature Red Sox and Twins legends

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County’s annual Evening at the Ballpark Tuesday, March 21, will include opportunities to meet and mingle with baseball legends from the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins Evening at the Ballpark, which will be held at JetBlue Park, will feature fun baseballthemed activities and games, dinner on the field, an autograph and meet-and-greet session, and panel discussions with former baseball players and staff Hall of Famer Bert Blyleven and radio sportscaster John Gordon are among those confirmed to attend

Proceeds will help Boys & Girls Clubs fulfill its mission: “To enable all young people,

especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens ”

“The Red Sox and Twins have been incredible partners to local nonprofits since they moved their spring training to Southwest Florida during the early 1990s,” said Denise Gergley, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County “So many professional baseball players come from humble beginnings, and their stories serve as inspiration to members of Boys & Girls Clubs who are dreaming big and looking toward the future ”

Major League Baseball designated Boys & Girls Club of America as its official char-

itable partner in 1997

Evening at the Ballpark begins at 5:30 p m March 21 at JetBlue Park, 11500 Fenway South Drive in Fort Myers Individual tickets are $200 each and tables for 10 are $1,500 Sponsorship opportunities also are available

For additional information, please visit bgclee org/events/2023-evening-at-the-ballpark or call 239-334-1886.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County

Established in 1974, Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County serve children and teens through school-based, neighborhood and community club locations

The nonprofit’s mission is to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens Afterschool and summer programs focus on five core areas: education and career, service and leadership, health and wellness, the arts, and sports and recreation

For additional information about the Boys & Girls Club of Lee County, please visit its website at BGClee org or call 239-334-1886

Edison and Ford Winter Estates to host

Vintage ‘Base Ball’ games at Terry Park

On March 26, Edison and Ford Winter Estates will host its annual Vintage "Base Ball" Tournament at historic Terry Park in Fort Myers The teams will play several consecutive games throughout the day in a small tournament format The gates will open at 9:30 a m with the first game starting at 10 a m

Vintage base ball (baseball in the 1860s, was spelled with two words) is played by 1860s rules, which include using wooden bats, no gloves and lemon peel baseballs Players will wear vintage uniforms and the umpires will call the shots the way they did during the time period.

The vintage team roster to date includes the Awkwards Vintage Base Ball of Central Florida, Bradenton Shamrocks Vintage Base Ball Club, the Early Riser BBC of Detroit, Vagabonds Base Ball Club (Fort Myers home team), and the Wyandotte Stars BBC (Michigan) Additional teams may be added and visiting players may join a team for the day

Admission to the vintage base ball tournament at Terry Park will be $5 for adults; kids 18 and under will be admitted free.

The game coincides with major league baseball spring training that is now locally played at JetBlue Park, the Lee County Sports Complex and Hammond Stadium; however, Terry Park was once the hub of baseball’s spring training, and where Thomas Edison was a frequent visitor

History of Terry Park and the Connection to Thomas Edison

In 1921, Dr Marshall Terry, along with his wife Tootie McGregor-Terry, donated several acres of land that had in its earliest days been a cow pasture and later the site of the Lee County fair Lee County government took formal possession of the land, which was a mile east of the City of Fort Myers with the stipulation that “all proper-

ty shall be used as a park and public property ”

Using the specifications put forth by Cornelius McGillicuddy, aka “Connie Mack,” manager and owner of the Philadelphia Athletics, construction of the original ball field began in 1923 and was officially named Terry Park After two years of negotiations between Mack and a committee led by Richard Richards Sr , owner of the Fort Myers Royal Palm Pharmacy, the Athletics agreed to play their spring training games in Fort Myers starting in 1925 Terry Park served as the official spring training home of the Athletics until 1936

The team won the World Series in both 1929 and 1930 Over the next five decades, other major league baseball teams used the ballpark to play their pre-season exhibition games, including the Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Royals and Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Famers such as George Brett, Roberto Clemente, Ty Cob, Jimmy Foxx, and Babe Ruth are just some of stars that graced the fields at Terry Park, helping bring national exposure to the “City of Palms ”

Thomas Edison, world-famous inventor and businessman, was also a die-hard baseball fan. In a 1927 interview, Edison was quoted as saying “Baseball is the greatest

of American games I don’t believe you can find a more ardent follower of baseball than myself, as a day seldom passes when I do not read sporting pages of the newspaper ” Edison decided to visit Terry Park on a few occasions to watch the Athletics play, even seizing one opportunity to participate in the team’s batting practice session

“According to historic documents, Ty Cobb volunteered to pitch to the 80-yearold Edison, who subsequently hit a line drive that knocked Ty Cobb down who was standing half-way between the mound and home plate,” said Matt Andres, Curatorial Registrar at Edison and Ford Winter

See BASE BALL GAMES, page 19

PHOTO PROVIDED

The Vagabonds Base Ball Club is the Fort Myers home team and includes Tom Hottovy, Edison Ford CFO (third from left) and Matt Andres, Edison Ford Curatorial Registrar (fourth from left).

Base ball games

Estates “As a result, Edison and an army of reporters roared with laughter after humbling one the leagues greatest players While Cobb was dusting himself off, the inventor quipped, ‘think you can hit them like that when you’re 80'? A few days later the entire team visited Mr and Mrs Edison at their Fort Myers' estate and toured the property and had lunch with the legendary inventor ”

Presentation at Edison and Ford Winter Estates

For spectators wanting to learn more about the history of spring training and the baseball legends that played in Fort Myers, Edison Ford program manager, Holly Shaffer, will give a presentation on March 24 and March 25 at 11 a m The presentation is included with general admission to Edison and Ford Winter Estates

New Exhibit Planned

In partnership with Connie Mack's family, a new baseball exhibit is planned for the museum at Edison and Ford Winter Estates and is scheduled to open this spring The exhibit will feature original artifacts and photographs on loan from the Mack family, connecting Thomas Edison, Connie Mack and baseball in Fort Myers. The exhibit will also trace the long history of Fort Myers as a Spring Training site, resulting in World Series pennants for every team that trained here longer than two years The exhibit is scheduled to be on display for five years

For more information about Edison and Ford Winter Estates, visit EdisonFord org

PHOTO PROVIDED

Ty Cobb, Thomas Edison, and Connie Mack at Terry Park in 1927

,

W e e k o f W e d n e s d a y , M a r c h

Free book program for Lee pre-schoolers gearing up

First fundraiser is set for March 13, donations needed for the planned silent auction

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers

com

A non-profit tied to a music legend that provides local youth with the gift of reading is now in Lee County

The Lee County Imagination Library, an affiliate of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, is welcoming all children ages 5 and under to enroll in its program that will see a book mailed to their home once-amonth The program is free with the purpose to promote early childhood development, encourage parent-child interaction, enhance children's literacy and better prepare youngsters for kindergarten. All books are age appropriate, and teach colors, numbers and word recognition They include fiction and non-fiction titles, are culturally diverse, and teach children about the world around them.

Judie Baker-Basil is the president of L e e C o u n t y I m a g i n a t i o n L i b r a r y a n d brought the program here with the help of her husband’s music business ties and the Charlotte County Imagination Library family

Baker-Basil received 501(c)(3) certific a t i o n i n m i d - 2 0 2 2 a n d e x p e r i e n c e d delays with Hurricane Ian Now, the program is ready to enroll children and already have more than 1,200 youths signed up.

“Everybody is very excited in the county,” Baker-Basil said “Literacy is extremely important Reading lays the foundation in life That’s what this program is all about ”

There are approximately 37,000 children under the age of 5 in Lee County. Baker-Basil said if you were to compare

Collaboratory

The Lee County Imagination Library, an affiliate of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, is welcoming all children ages 5 and under to enroll in its program that will see a book mailed to their home once-a-month. The program is free with the purpose to promote early childhood development, encourage parent-child interaction, enhance children's literacy and better prepare youngsters for kindergarten

children born to low-income families vs middle income families one would find:

∫ Low-income children are twice as likely to have developmental delays

∫ Sixty-one percent (61%) of lowincome children have no books in their homes

∫ By kindergarten, low-income children are 12-14 months behind in prereading skills

∫ The gap between low- and middleincome students continues to grow and low-income students are 13 times more likely to drop out of school

“By third grade, low-income children are 2- to 2-and-a-half years behind in r e a d i n g s k i l l s , ” B a k e r - B a s i l s a i d . “ B e c a u s e s o m e p a r e n t s o r c a r e g i v e r s work two jobs there is no time to read with their children Let alone interact with them to teach early learning skills Some children don’t even have books in their houses It’s my goal to get a book in every child's hand ”

The Lee County Imagination Library delivers free books to all registered children no matter their income level They are addressed to the child and mailed by the United States Postal Service to their home The Dollywood Foundation provides all the organizational and technical

support, but the Lee County affiliation raises the funds to pay for the books It costs $25 annually for each child to receive 12 books

“What child doesn’t like to get mail in their name? It makes them feel special,” Baker-Basil said

If the house hold has three children under the age of 5, each child will receive an age-appropriate book addressed to them The only information necessary to register is the child’s name, birth date, the parent’s name, a phone number, mailing address and email address Once a child is registered, the first book will arrive in eight to 12 weeks

Baker-Basil volunteers at the United Way, reading to pre-kindergarten children each week She said the ability to read at a younger age is much more prevalent than schooling most parents experienced

“Kindergarten is completely different,” she said “They want you reading before you get there ”

There is no limit to number of children throughout the county who can enroll, and Basil-Baker wants to see the number books coming to youth in Southwest Florida rise.

“There are a lot of families in Lee County that are disadvantaged, and I’d

invites public to Spring Night Market

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like to reach out and help as many as I can,” Baker-Basil said “I will speak to anybody that wants to learn about the program ”

She has already had conversations

a b o u t t h e L e e C o u n t y I m a g i n a t i o n L i b r a r y w i t h R o t a r y C l u b s , K i w a n i s Clubs, and the School District of Lee County

The first fundraiser for the program takes place March 13 from 6 to 9 p m at The Grill at 1951 in Port Charlotte

They are looking for items donated by local businesses for a silent auction

More than 40 items have already been donated and will be available to take home, including Disney tickets, golf and fishing outings, and gift cards to local restaurants The event is in conjunction with the Charlotte County Imagination Library established 11 years ago, that has 40% of youth under 5 registered

Those interested in donating can email Baker-Basil at judie@leecountyimaginationlibrary org

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library originated in Sevierville, Tennessee in 1995 It was started as a tribute to Parton’s father, who could not read Since September 2022, more than 2 million books have been given to children across the United States, Canada, the United K i n g d o m , R e p u b l i c o f I r e l a n d a n d Australia

L e e C o u n t y ' s I m a g i n a t i o n L i b r a r y website is still in the works, but those who would like to register can do so at imaginationlibrary com ZIP codes corresponding to Lee County will be taken care of by Baker-Basil

Symphony to present ‘Forever Plaid’

T h e G u l f C o a s t S y m p h o n y w i l l p e r f o r m “ F o r e v e r

P l a i d ” n o w t h r o u g h M a r c h 1 1 a t t h e M u s i c & A r t s

C o m m u n i t y C e n t e r , a t 1 3 4 1 1 S h i r e L a n e , F o r t M y e r s .

O n e o f B r o a d w a y ' s m o s t p o p u l a r a n d s u c c e s s f u l m u s i -

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