Pine Island Eagle

GPICA introduces new board members, hears presentations on annexations, water quality

By PAULETTE LeBLANC pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

The Greater Pine Island Civic Association held its general monthly meeting March 5 at the First Baptist Church of Pine Island, introducing its new board members and hearing presentations on annexations from Greater Pine Island Water Association General Manager Mikes Maillakakis and water quality from Calusa Land Trust board member Judy Ott and Abriana Sadler of the DEP

The new 2024 GPICA Board members are Deborah Swisher-Hicks, president; Nadine Slimak, vice president; Mike Sweeney, treasurer; Steve Eldridge, secre-

And they’re off...

Thousands of little rubber ducks take to the water at Marker 3 Coastal Cantina Saturday, March 2, for the Calusa Land Trust’s 2024 Rubber Duck Race.

tary; Tim Heitz and Sue Dahod

Maillakakis began by telling members 2023 brought aspects of voluntary annexation to light, via possible changes in the Lee County Charter Commission

“The Lee County Charter Commission is entertaining language to change the charter that allows the county to review voluntary annexations This has been a point of great concern for us in our community because the city of Cape Coral has been annexing in a westward direction,” Maillakakis said

There are upcoming public meetings regarding the new language on voluntary annexation, he explained, s u c h a

Islanders turn out to support CLT’s Rubber Duck Race fundraiser

By PAULETTE LeBLANC pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

Calusa Land Trust president Frank Potter said the attendance at this year’s Rubber Duck Races is in large part a credit to Pine Island’s recovery on the whole The races, held Saturday, March 2, at Marker 3 Coastal Cantina, went off without a hitch, he said, with food, drinks and a welcoming atmosphere

“Marker 3 really did a fantastic job,” Potter said, with joy to have been invited to hold next year’s Rubber Duck Race there again, as appreciation for a job well done was mutual, he said

Major sponsors for the event, said Potter, were the 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 , M i k e

Falkner from JR Wood, Carmen’s Kayaks and at least 20 T-shirt sponsors

“There’s been a lot of support for the Land Trust by the various organizations and businesses on the island,” Potter said

In total, he reports, there were 18 live auction items and 65-plus silent auction items as well as having sold all 3,000 Duck Tickets and all 200 Super Duck tickets, grossing over $35,000 in funds raised, in addition to various spontaneous donations at the event Final inventory from the event is still weeks away, he said That notwithstanding, the show of support from the

See RUBBER DUCK RACE, page 16

Maillakakis encouraged members to attend, if possible The community has done well in the last year, he said, regarding annexations with Cape Coral A priority, he said, is to help protect the customer base

“In the last two years, we’ve been pretty successful at keeping this city at bay,” Maillakakis said.

Maillakakis described the role of the GPIWA regarding annexation, by explaining that when Cape Coral annexes properties, the GPIWA loses that service area, as it becomes governed under the city and therefore has a vested interest in knowledge of these annexations and

See GPICA, page 18

Early voting under way across county

By CJ HADDAD

cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

Members of the Republican Party in Lee County should be prepared to cast their ballots in the Presidential Preference Primary Election, as the early voting period began Saturday

From March 9-16, each day from 10 a m to 6 p m , registered Republican voters in Lee County can cast their ballot at 12 different sites for who they’d like to see represent their party ahead of the March 19 primary date

Florida’s Presidential Preference Primary is a closed primary election that allows voters to vote for the candidate they want to see represent their party in the November presidential election

“We provide all voters with three ways to vote,” said Lee County Supervisor of Elections Tommy Doyle via email “Early Voting, Vote-by-Mail, and Election Day One of the great benefits of Early Voting is that it helps to alleviate Election Day lines

“It’s also important for voters to keep Early Voting or voting by mail as an option Life circumstances can occur where the voter might not be able to go to the polls on Election Day ”

This year, only voters registered with the Republican Party will be eligible to vote in the March 19 election

The Florida Democratic Party nominated Joseph R Biden, Jr., as its sole candidate, and no other contests are on the ballot Therefore, voters registered with the Democratic Party, a minor political party, or no party affiliation will not have a ballot in this election

Doyle said the office has been working hard in readiness for another election cycle

“We’ve been preparing for the upcoming elections for over a year,” Doyle said “Part of this includes running multiple tests on our voting systems to ensure accuracy and that everything is in good working condition

“Currently, we are active with poll worker training and have approximately 2,500 poll workers lined up to work this year’s elections.”

There are even extra precautions being put in place to ensure votes are tallied accurately

“This year, we are implementing another layer to our checks and balances with the introduction of the inde-

See EARLY VOTING, page 18

p i n e i s l a n de a g l e . c o m P a g e 2

‘Donated not Wasted’

W e e k o f W e d n e s d a y , M a r c h 1 3 , 2 0 2 4 n

Lee County’s seventh annual food-rescue campaign begins as seasonal residents head north

L e e C o u n t y S o l i d W a s t e ’ s s e v e n t h

annual “Donated not Wasted” food rescue campaign encourages seasonal residents and visitors to donate unopened pantry items before returning north Since the program’s inception, more than 31,100 pounds of food has been diverted from potential disposal and sent to the Harry Chapin Food Bank – enough food to provide more than 25,900 meals to residents

Join Lee County Solid Waste, Harry Chapin Food Bank, Waste Pro, the Lee C o u n t y L i b r a r y S y s t e m , t h e S a n i b e l Public Library and Lee County Parks & Recreation in this effort to help route food that might otherwise end up in the waste stream to the county’s population of people in need

To help, drop off unopened canned or dry goods from Monday, March 18, to Monday, April 1, at open libraries or Lee

County recreation centers Additional collection containers are at the Six Mile Cypress Slough Interpretive Center and Lee County Solid Waste’s Topaz Court

c i l i t y V i s i t w w w l e e g o v c o m / s o l i d -

waste/donated-not-wasted for the full list of collection sites or call 239-533-8000 for more information

Drop off locations include: Recreation Centers

E s t e r o R e c r e a t i o n C e n t e r , 9 2 0 0 C o r k s c r e w P a l m s B l v d , E s t e r o , F L

33928

■ Veterans Park Recreation Center, 55 Homestead Road South, Lehigh Acres, FL 33936

Library locations

B o n i t a S p r i n g s P u b l i c L i b r a r y ,

10560 Reynolds St , Bonita Springs, FL 34135

■ Captiva Memorial Library, 11560 Chapin Lane, Captiva, FL 33924

■ C a p e C o r a l - L e e C o u n t y P u b l i c Library, 921 SW 39th Terrace, Cape Coral, FL 33914

■ D u n b a r - J u p i t e r H a m m o n P u b l i c

Library, 3095 Blount St , Fort Myers, FL 33916

■ East County Regional Library, 881

G u n n e r y R o a d N , L e h i g h A c r e s , F L 33971

■ Fort Myers Regional Library, 2450 First St., Fort Myers, FL 33901

■ Johann Fust Community Library, 1040 W 10th St , Boca Grande, FL 33921

■ Lakes Regional Library, 15290 Bass Road, Fort Myers, FL 3919

Myers, FL 33903

■ Northwest Regional Library, 519 N. Chiquita Blvd N , Cape Coral, FL 33993

■ Pine Island Public Library, 10701 Russell Road, Bokeelia, FL 33922

R i v e r d a l e P u b l i c L i b r a r y , 2 4 2 1 B u c

k i n g h a m R o a d , F o r t M y e r s , F L 33928

■ S o u t h C o u n t y R e g i o n a l L i b r a r y , 21100 Three Oaks Parkway, Estero, FL 33928

Others

■ Six Mile Cypress Slough Interpretive C e n t e r , 7 7 5 1 P e n z a n c e B l v d , F o r t Myers, FL 33966

■ Topaz Court Solid Waste Annex, 6 4 4 1 T o p a z C o u r t , F o r t M y e r s , F L 33966

■ North Fort Myers Public Library, 0 0 1 N T a m i a m i T r a i l , N o r t h F o r t

Community Cooperative's Mobile Food Pantry at PIUMC Friday

C o m m u n i t y C o o p e r a t i v e ' s M o b i l e

Food Pantry will visit Pine Island Friday, March 15 The pantry will be at Pine Island United Methodist Church, at 5701 Pine Island Road, from 10-11:30 a m

Since 1984, Community Cooperative h a s w o r k e d t o e f f e c t i v e l y e l i m i n a t e hunger and homelessness in Southwest Florida while simultaneously inspiring and supporting sustained positive change in its clients by delivering innovative food, education and social service programs The Mobile Food Pantry helps those in need put food on their tables

In addition to the Pine Island visit, the Mobile Food Pantry will also be at Cape Coral Technical College at 360 Santa B a r b r a

d .

, N . ,

■ Wednesday, March 20, 9-11 a m -VA Healthcare Center, 2489 Diplomat Parkway, E., Cape Coral For veterans and veteran families only

■ Thursday, March 28, 3-4:30 p m -I s l a n d C o a s t H i g h S c h o o l , 2 1 2 5 D e Navarra Parkway, Cape Coral V i s i t h t t p s : / / c o m m u n i t y c o o p e r a t i v e . com/ for any updates or changes

MCA’s Watercolors Fundraiser Gala March 24 at RE/MAX Sunshine office

4 5 4 8 P i n e I s l a n d R o a d , o r o n l i n e at Matlachacivic org

i

a

s e r b e n e f i t s

Tickets are $50 per person in advance and can be purchased at CW Fudge at

Tickets are $60 at the door The ticket cost include food, beer, wine and music by Pipe Dreams

In Florida, many families face a big challenge when it comes to finding quality, affordable child care The Florida Chamber F o u n d a t i o n r e p o r t , U n t a p p e d P o t e n t i a l , shows this problem is costing the state a lot of money about $5 4 billion annually This happens because working parents are forced to step away from their jobs to care for children under the age of 6 It found that 64% of parents with young children missed work or school in the past three months because of child care-related issues.

A s u r v e y o f m o r e t h a n 5 0 0 p a r e n t s showed that most respondents choose where to send their kids based on what they can afford They were spending an average of $730 a month on child care services This reality is echoed across our region of Collier, Glades, Hendry and Lee counties, highlighting a critical need for supportive services

Recognizing the challenges facing lowincome, working families, Florida’s School Readiness Program offers a beacon of hope This program provides high-quality early learning programs and financial assistance to families, ensuring that cost does not prevent children from receiving the quality care and education they deserve But how exactly does this translate into benefits for families in Southwest Florida?

First, the School Readiness Program is designed to support children’s cognitive,

To the

t h a t t h e f o r m e r p r e s i d e n t w a s a w i l l i n g p a r t i c i p a n t i n t h i s e f f o r t ( R e u t e r s , 1 0 / 2 0 / 2 3 ) . O n F e b . 1 0 o f t h i s y e a r , t h e f o r m e r p r e s i d e n t l e t R u s s i a a n d P u t i n k n o w t h a t t h e y c o u l d d o “ w h a t e v e r t h e h e l l t h e y w a n t ” t o a n y N A T O m e m b e r c o u n t r y t h a t d o n ’ t m e e t s p e n d i n g g u i d e l i n e s i n d e f e n s e ( C N N , 0 2 / 1 8 / 2 4 ) I t i s c l e a r t h a t t h e f o r m e r p r e s i d e n t h a s h i g h r e g a r d f o r P u t i n a n d l i t t l e r e g a r d f o r t h e f o u n d a t i o n s o f d e m o c r a c y a n d p e a c e f u l g l o b a l a l l i a n c e s S u p p o

emotional and social development The quality child care centers that participate in the p r o g r a m o f f e r s t r u c t u r e d learning environments where children can engage in activities that stimulate their minds and foster a love for learning These early educational experiences are crucial as research consistently shows that children who attend high-quality early learning programs are m o r e l i k e l y t o d o w e l l i n school, graduate high school and become productive members of society

The program can also provide much-needed financial relief for low-income, working families By subsidizing the cost of child care, parents are able to maintain employment or pursue educational opportunities while knowing their children are in a safe, nurturing environment This is not simply a short-term solution, but an investment into the economic stability of our families, which in turn contributes to a more resilient, thriving community

T h e E a r l y L e a r n i n g C o a l i t i o n o f

Southwest Florida is committed to helping families navigate these challenges and con-

nect with quality child care services that align with their work, school and life schedules We serve as a bridge b e t w e e n f a m i l i e s a n d t h e r e s o u r c e s a v a i l a b l e t h r o u g h F l o r i d a ’ s S c h o o l R e a d i n e s s , providing financial assistance and access to high-quality programs that can change the trajectory of a child’s life

In partnership with parents, child care providers and the b r o a d e r c o m m u n i t y , w e a r e building the foundations for lifelong learning and success b e c a u s e e v e r y c h i l d i n Southwest Florida deserves the c h a n c e t o r e a c h t h e i r f u l l potential

F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n o n School Readiness programs or to apply for c h i l d c a r e a s s i s t a n c e , p l e a s e v i s i t

ELCofSWFL.org or call the Early Learning Coalition office at 239-935-6100

Melanie Stefanowicz is the CEO for Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida, which provides access to high-quality early education services for children in Collier, Glades, Hendry and Lee counties.

Mary Lewis Sheehan St. James City

Dir ty money pollutes clean water promises

To the editor:

The recent excessive releases of the toxic brew of chemicals and fertilizers from Lake Okeechobee smothering the Caloosahatchee, coastal estuaries and Gulf of Mexico is a stark reminder of Florida’s political system controlled by the sugar industry

Big Sugar’s strangled hold of policy makers at the local, state and federal level have prevented implementation of sound water management action to properly store and treat polluted water runoff from the sugar cane fields in the Lake Okeechobee basin

The Caloosahatchee and St Lucie rivers continue to be used as the relief valves for releases from Lake Okeechobee during peri-

ods of high water Our coastal estuaries will r e m a i n v u l n e r a b l e t o t h e d a m a g i n g d i scharges until an emergency spillway is built south of the lake similar to spillways built in reservoirs all over the world.

E l e c t e d o f f i c i a l s a n d m e m b e r s o f t h e

South Florida Water Management District h a v e s t a t e d t h a t t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n o f t h e

Everglades Agricultural Area ( EAA) reservoir is the “holy grail” of Everglades restoration Truthfully, after all the reservoirs are b u i l t p u r s u a n t t o t h e C o m p r e h e n s i v e

Everglades Restoration Plan, there will be a critical need for an additional one million acre feet (325 billion gallons) of water storage to prevent harm to the rivers and estuaries on the west and east coast of Florida. In fact, the C-43 reservoir on the west coast only has capacity to store 10% of the excessive release of water from Lake Okeechobee during the wet season

A minimum of 50,000 acres needs to be p u r c h a s e d i n t h e E A A s o u t h o f L a k e Okeechobee for sufficient water storage and treatment from the lake to the Everglades

The Florida Water and Land Conservation Initiative, aka Amendment 1, approved by the voters in 2014 would be the appropriate funding source for the land purchase.

It has been said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different result Unfortunately, voters repeatedly elect politicians that pay lip service to protecting water

W e e k o f W e d n e s d a y , M a r c h 1 3 , 2 0 2 4 ■ P a g e 6

Things to know, and do, to help prevent colon cancer

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

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

I n r e c o g n i t i o n o f M a r c h a s C o l o n Cancer Awareness month, there are things everyone should know to prevent this potentially deadly disease Screenings for colon cancer can be done to detect it early, which has the best survival rate Knowing what symptoms and risk factors to look out for keeps patients vigilant about their own health

What is colon cancer?

p i n e i s l a n de a g l e . c o m

The colon is the large intestine or large bowel and the rectum is the passageway that connects the colon to the anus Colon cancer causes the cells in the colon or rectum to grow out of control Most colon cancers start as a growth called polyps on the inner lining of the colon or rectum Some of them can change into cancer over time, but not all of them will become cancer and the likelihood of them turning into the disease depends on the type of polyp This can be determined during a screening

There are a variety of reliable ways to

detect colon cancer This is why it’s important to find out if you have a family history of colon cancer to discuss it with your physician and get regular colorectal cancer screenings starting at age 45, as recommended b y T h e U S P r e v e n t i v e

Services Task Force If you have a family history of the d i s e a s e , y o u r p h y s i c i a n may recommend you begin screenings before you turn 45

Colon cancer screenings

Dr Leandro Moraes

Guest Commentary

F i n d i n g c o l o n c a n c e r early means a better chance at recovery Colon cancer screening tests can find precancerous polyps that can be removed before they turn into cancer

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that adults who are 45 to 75 years old be screened If you have a family history or experience any symptoms and risk factors outlined below, discuss with your primary care physician w h e t h e r y o u s h o u l d b e t e s t e d b e f o r e you’re 45 years old If no polyps are found, patients typically don’t need another screening for another 10 years

The Task Force recommends several types of screenings, including stool tests, flexible sigmoidoscopy, a colonoscopy, or

Friends of Pine Island Library to hold Free Zoom Author Talk

P i n e I s l a n d E a g l e

The Friends of Pine Island Library will host a Zoom Author Talk with bestselling author Samantha Silva Thursday, March 14, at 2 p m The event is free, but registration is required to acquire the Zoom link Register at AuthorTalkPI Library@gmail com

Florida author and Friends member Marty Ambrose will talk with Silva, author of the novels “Love and Fury” and “Mr Dickens and His Carol ”

Silva is also a screenwriter who has sold projects to Paramount, Universal and New Line Cinema

CT colonography (virtual colonoscopy) Your doctor can determine which one is r i g h t f o r y o u Y o u c a n schedule your own screening by visiting www leehealth org to learn more

Colon cancer symptoms

Many people with colon cancer do not show sympt o m s r i g h t a w a y . T h e y begin to appear overtime, depending on how big the cancer is and where it’s l o c a t e d i n s i d e t h e l a r g e intestine, which is part of t h e d i g e s t i v e s y s t e m , o r gastrointestinal system

S y m p t o m s o f c o l o n cancer can include:

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

■ Blood in the stool

■ Rectal bleeding

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

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

■ Losing weight without trying

Risk factors associated with colon cancer

If you experience any of the symptoms outlined above and are in a risk category for colon cancer, please make an appointment with your physician as soon as possible If colon cancer is detected at an early stage before it’s spread, there is a five-year survival rate at about 90%, a c c o r d i n g t o t h e A m e r i c a n C a n c e r Society

Risk factors for colon cancer:

■ A family history of colon cancer or polyps

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

■ Some DNA changes that increase the

risk of colon cancer run in families Lee Health offers genetic testing For more information, please contact your physician or visit www leehealth org

■ Inflammatory bowel diseases can increase colon cancer

■ A low-fiber, high-fat diet (However, r e s e a r c h i n t h i s a r e a h a s h a d m i x e d results )

■ Not exercising regularly

■ Diabetes

■ Smoking

■ Drinking too much alcohol

n Radiation therapy for cancer directed at the abdomen

Lifestyle changes to help lower the risk of colon cancer

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

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

D r i n k i n g a l c o h o l i n m o d e r a t i o n o r completely abstaining will help lower the risk The standard is one drink a day for women and two for men

Taking steps to quit smoking will also keep your body healthy

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

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

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

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

Pine Island Elementary recently celebrated reading by inviting guest readers on campus to read to students

The Matlacha/Pine Island Fire Department crew read to kindergarten students Laura Owen from the P i n e I s l a n d P u b l i c L i b r a r y r e a d t o 1 s t a n d 2 n d graders Sarah Mankowitz and Hope Salman from NBC-2 read to kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade classes. Former principal Steve Hook read to 3rd graders Elsie Stearns, the vice president of Centennial Bank of Pine

The Kiwanis Club of Greater Pine Island will again be providing scholarships to Pine Island students as it has for the past 40-plus years

To qualify, each student must meet the f lowing criteria:

■ Be a resident of Pine Island or have attending Pine Island Elementary School

■ The applicant must either be a senior in high school or a high school graduate, either already in a post high school program or entering one

■ The applicant must also need financia assistance

Island, read to her granddaughter’s 4th grade class Local author Bob Macomber shared a book from Jane R Wood titled “Trouble on the St John's River” with 5th graders

Thanks to everyone for sharing their love of reading with PIE students!

Pine Island Elementary School is at 5360 Ridgewood Drive, Bokeelia For additional information about the school, call 239-283-0505

Application forms are available at the following locations: Century 21 Office, 10191 Stringfellow Road, St James City, or the Pine

Cribbage Corner

Island Public Library, 10701 Russell Road, Bokeelia, or they can be downloaded from the Kiwanis website at PineIslandKiwanis org

The deadline for turning in the applications

s May 1 at the Century 21 Office or they can b e m a i l e d ( p o s t m a r k e d b y M a y 1 ) t o Scholarship Chairman, P O Box 111, St James City, FL 33956.

The Kiwanis Club of Greater Pine Island is proud to offer scholarships every year to deserving island students are furthering their ducation This is one of the many ways the b gives back to the community

Carlyn Herring at 239-850-9613 or Tonya Player at 239-203-4682 if you have any questions

e I s l a n d W i n n - D i x i e w i l l a l s o h o s t a c o m m u n i t y c e le b r a t i o n w i t h l i v e m u s i c , g i v e a w a y s a n d m o r e A l l d o n a t i o n s r e c e i v e d d u r i n g t h e e v e n t w i l l b e n e f i t T h e P a n t r y I n D e c e m b e r , T h e P a n t r y p a r t n e r e d w i t h W i n n - D i x i e f o r a h o l i d a y f o o d d r i v e t h a t r e s u l t e d i n o v e r $ 2 , 0 0 0 i n d o n a t i o n s T h e p a n t r y h a s b e e n i n e x i s t e n c e s i n c e 1 9 9 3 a n d i s r u n b y 1 0 0 % v o l u n t e e r s t a f f , a l l d o n a t i o n s g o d i r e c t l y t o t h o s e i n n e e d S i n c e H u r r i c a n e I a n , t h e c l i e n t b a s e h a s i n c r e a s e d b y 5 0 % a n d i s s t i l l g r o w i n g s o t h e n e e d i s g r e a t e r t h a n e v e r T h e p a n t r y a l s o k i n d l y r e q u e s t s a l l S n o w b i r d s t o c o n s i d e r d r o p p i n g o f f e x t r a f o o d b e f o r e l e a v i n g f o r t h e s e a s o n F o o d i t e m s c a n b e d r o p p e d o f f a t t h e p a n t r y o r a t a n y o f t h e P i n e I s l a n d F o o d P a n t r y “ d r o p o f f b o x ” l o c a t i o n s a t W i n n - D i x i e a t 9 8 6 4 S t r i n g f e l l o w R o a d , S t J a m e s C i t y ; O u r L a d y o f M i r a c u l o u s M e d a l C h u r c h a t 1 2 1 7 5 S t r i n g f e l l o w R o a d , B o k e e l i a ; C e n t e n n i a l B a n k a t 5 5 5 1 S u n s e t L a n e , S t J a m e s C i t y ; a n d M a t l a c h a

o s t O f f i c e a t 4 5 4 7 P i n e I s l a n d R o a d , M a t l a c h a

i n n - D i x i e a n d p a n t r y o f f i c i a l s s a y t h a n k y o u a l l i n a d v a n c e f o r y o u r g e n e r o s i t y t h i s E a s t e r s e a s o n

PHOTO PROVIDED

Pine Island Firefighters read to Mrs Frahm’s kindergarten class on March 1

W e e k o f W e d n e s d a y , M a r c h 1 3 , 2 0 2 4 ■ P a g e 8

Capt Bill Russell

On the Water

s h e e p s h e a d , t h e b i t e c o n t i nu e s S h r i m p a n d s m a l l c r a b s t o o k s h e e p s h e a d u p t o 7 p o u n d s a r o u n d d o c k s , s h o r el i n e s a n d s t r u c t u r e a c r o s s P i n e I s l a n d S o u n d a n d C h a r l o t t e H a r b o r F r o m s h o r e , a n g l e r s a t t h e B o k e e l i a F i s h i n g P i e r f o u n d s u c c e s s w i t h g o o d s h e e p s h e a d c a t c h e s N e a r s h o r e , f r o m 2 9 t o 5 0 f e e t y i e l d e d g o o d s h e e p s h e a d r e p o r t s a s w e l l S h r i m p o n k n o c k e r r i g s a n d s h r i m p / j i g c o m b o ’ s b o x e d s h e e p s h e a d , m a n g r o v e a n d l a n e s n a p p e r , p l u s g r u n t s A n d a l o t o f s m a l l g r o u p e r a n d a n o c c a s i o n a l l a r g e g a g w e r e c a u g h t a n d r e l e a s e d F i s h i n g a r o u n d t h e l a r g e r a r t i f i c i a l r e e f s a n g l e r s e n c o u n t e r e d s h a r k s , b a r r a c u d a a n d a m b e r j a c k A g a i n , t h i s w e e k , f o r t h e l a r g e r r e d g r o u p e r a n d s n a p p e r , d e p t h s f r o m 9 0 t o 1 2 0 f e e t a r e p r o d u c i n g b e s t T h e b i g g e s t r e d s w e r e h o o k e d o n p i n f i s h , s a r d i n e s a n d t h r e a d h e r r i n g . T h e s e a t r o u t b i t e c o n t i n u e s t o g e t b e tt e r e a c h d a y O f c o u r s e , t h e r e a r e d a y s l i k e a n y f i s h i n g t h a t t h e b i t e i s o f f b u t l o o k f o r i m p r o v e m e n t m o v i n g f o r w a r d M a n y a r e a l r e a d y c a r r y i n g e g g s a s t h e y m o v e i n t o t h e i r s p r i n g s p a w n a n d t h e a v e r a g e s i z e c o n t i n u e s t o g r o w S e a t r o u t w e r e r e p o r t e d i n t h e S o u n d e a s t o f R e g l a I s l a n d , n e a r F l a m i n g o B a y c h a n n e l , b e t w e e n C a b b a g e K e y a n d C a p t i v e P a s s a n d i n M a t l a c h a P a s s n e a r m a r k e r 6 6 W i t h d a y s g e t t i n g l o n g e r a n d w a t e r t e m p e r a t u r e o n t h e r i s e , i t ’ s t i m e t o P i n e I s l a n d E a g l e

Surprise, surprise

e x p e c t a n y t h i n g a t a n y t i m e M u l t i p l e a n g l e r s f i s h i n g w i t h s h r i m p f o r r e d f i s h o r t r o u t h o o k e d i n t o c o b i a a n d t a r p o n T a r p o n s i g h t i n g s a n d h o o k - u p s a r e b e c o m i n g m o r e c o m m o n , a n d s h a r k s a r e a r r i v i n g i n n u m b e r s W i t h t h e e x c e p t i o n o f a c o o l f r o n t h e r e a n d t h e r e , i t ’ s a g r e a t t i m e t o g e t o n t h e w a t e r S t a y u p t o d a t e w i t h f i s h i n g r e g u l a t i o n s b y v i si t i n g w w w . m y f w c . c o m . A l s o , u p l o a d t h e F i s h R u l e s a p p o n y o u r p h o n e I t h a s c u r r e n t r e g u l a t i o n s a n d s e a s o n s w i t h p i c t u r e s t o h e l p i d e n t i f y f i s h A s a l i f e t i m e r e s i d e n t o f M a t l a c h a a n d P i n e I s l a n d , C a p t B i l l R u s s e l l h a s s p e n t h i s l i f e f i s h i n g a n d l e a r n i n g t h e w a t e r s a r o u n d P i n e I s l a n d a n d S o u t h w e s t F l o r i - d a , a n d a s a p r o f e s s i o n a l f i s h i n g g u i d e f o r t h e p a s t 2 3 y e a r s p i n e i s l a n de a g l e . c o m

PHOTO PROVIDED

Warmer days bring some good fishing

You never know what your going to catch Scott Dehn visiting from Oconto, Wisconsin, caught his first tarpon on a live shrimp while fishing for redfish in Pine Island Sound The tarpon measured 39 inches and was safely released after a quick photo.

GPIA to hold Camp Noah March 18-22 at SJCCA

The Greater Pine Island Alliance, a nonprofit organization focused on Hurricane Ian recovery efforts, is hosting a free spring break camp in March designed to support elementary school-aged children from Greater Pine I s l a n d a n d M a t l a c h a w h o h a v e b e e n a f f e c t e d b y disaster

Camp Noah, a nationally recognized preparedness and resiliency day camp developed by Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota, will take place March 18-22 at the St James City Civic Center The camp provides a safe and caring environment where children build resiliency skills within the familiarity of their own communities using a proven curriculum designed to help children process their disaster and/or trauma experience through creative activities and play

In a safe and supportive setting, children are encouraged to face their fears, grieve their losses, identify and share their unique gifts and talents and plan for an amazing future In addition to arts and crafts, campers will par-

Lee County Parks and Rec to hold island Golden Egg Hunt March 23

The Pine Island 6th-12th Grade Golden Egg Hunt will begin at 10 a m , Saturday, March 23, on the B o b b y H o l l o w a y B a s e b a l l F i e l d a t P h i l l i p s

Community Park, 5675 Sesame Drive, Bokeelia This free event is for middle school and high school-age children

Participants will receive a candy bag and will have the chance to find golden eggs with special prizes. For more information, call 239-533-2501

Cat of the Week

Rambo

Look at those chubby cheeks! Rambo is not only adorable, he is sweet and cuddly as well He loves attention and all the snuggles. Unfortunately for him, he tested positive for FIV. FIV cats are often overlooked because of fear or lack of information. In a nutshell, FIV cats have a compromised immune system. They are not contagious to people or other species FIV can be spread from mother to kitten and through deep penetrating bite wounds Rambo is a lover not a fighter, so that’s not something to worry about He is only 2 years old and has no other health issues Rambo is one of those cats you can’t help but fall in love with He just needs someone to give him a chance. For more information, call Helping Paws Animal Sanctuary at 239-283-9100 or come meet this amazing cat. If you’d rather just donate, our address is 10060 Mallory Parkway E, Unit D, St. James City, FL, 33956, or there’s always our website www helpingpawsanimalsanctuary com

ticipate in skits and other activities designed to support their resiliency

Camp Noah will run from 9 a m to 3 p m March 18-22, with breakfast provided starting at 8:30 a m The SJCCA is at 3300 Fourth Ave , St James City

T h e c a m p i s m a d e p o s s i b l e i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h

Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota and the American Red Cross The camp is free of charge and includes breakfast and lunch.

Volunteers Needed

The GPIA is seeking volunteers to support the camp from 8 a m to 4 p m during camp week Volunteers must undergo background check and take a short online training course

Campers Registration

Camp Noah is free of charge and is open to K-5 elementary school-aged students

Transportation

Transportation may be available to help children attend camp For more information, please call the

The Greater Pine Island Alliance

The Greater Pine Island Alliance is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization with the mission to provide leadership and coordinated management of the long-term recovery efforts for Greater Pine Island and to provide long-term assistance to individuals affected by the disaster who do not have adequate personal resources to meet

3 ,

W e e k o f W e d n e s d a y , M a r c h 1

p i n e i s l a n de a g l e . c o m 2 0 2 4 ■ P a g e 1 0

North Fort Myers High Class of 1974 to hold 50th reunion in April

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

A 50th class reunion has been scheduled for next month for the North Fort Myers High School 1974 graduating class

Martha (Lolly) Crotty said the reunion c o m m i t t e e b e g a n p l a n n i n g a b o u t 1 8 months ago and has reached out to classmates through email and text messages After hearing from about 60 people, they created a Facebook page – North Fort Myers Class of 1974 Reunion, to see if they could find more of their classmates.

The reunion activities will include a tour of North Fort Myers High School at 5000 Orange Grove Blvd at 2:30 p m , Friday, April 26, and a meet-and-greet from 4-7 p m the same day at Brooke’s R e s t a u r a n t a t 4 4 5 0 H a n c o c k B r i d g e Parkway in North Fort Myers A dinner will conclude the reunion activities from 6-10 p m , Saturday, April 27, at Tertini’s, 1901 Crystal Drive, Fort Myers Graduates of 1974 who would like to attend the reunion or asked to reach out

either by phone call or text message to K a r e n ( C u r t i s ) H u s t o n a t 2 3 9 - 4 4 30493, or Crotty at 239-851-4515

The cut-off to RSVP is April 1

Crotty said the tour of the high school has been scheduled because it has been rebuilt since they attended the school

“The only thing that was there when we were there is the gymnasium,” she said “What’s more amazing is when we started there it was a seventh through 12th school – North Fort Myers Junior and Senior High When we were in eighth grade, they were transitioning over to middle school – eighth through twelfth and then ninth through twelfth”

Crotty said they were the bottom class for three years in a row.

“So many of us either went to J Collin English Elementary, or Tropic Isles,” she said

Since their last reunion they have had dinner once a month for those people who still live locally It usually attracts 10 to 12 people, Crotty said

Calusa Land Trust paddling tour this Sunday at Pineland

The “Peter Ordway” Paddling Tour continues this season with this month’s outing to be held Sunday, March 17, at the Pineland site on Pine Island Sound All interested paddlers are invited to meet at 11 a m at the kayak launch area on Waterfront Road

Participants are encouraged to first drop off their kayaks and then park at the R a n d e l l R e s e a r c h C e n t e r p a r k i n g l o t (across the road from the Tarpon Lodge ) The tour will investigate the coastline and perhaps Black Key

It is recommended participants use their beach shoes at the launch site and include a bag lunch and water for a break/comradery time

For those that wish to rent a kayak, Carmen’s Kayaks in Bokeelia (239-333-

7332) will have watercraft available

The Calusa Land Trust is Pine Island’s a l l - v o l u n t e e r l a n d c o n s e r v a n c y , w h i c h sponsors events for public education and enjoyment

T h e p a d d l i n g t o u r s a r e h e l d o n a monthly basis in season Since it is also a fundraising effort, a donation of $20 per person ($10 for CLT members) is requested New membership forms will be available

Reservations are strongly recommended, so please contact Jim Friedlander at 860-608-1158 or jimfri29@gmail com to reserve your spot Also, particularly with the open water in the Sound this is a weather dependent trip; you may wish to contact Jim on Saturday to confirm the event update

SJCCA’s upcoming events and activities

The St Ja m es City Civic Association has announced the following upcoming events and activities:

Thursday, March 14

■ Ping Pong, 9:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.

■ Mahjong, 1-4 p m

■ Cribbage, 6:30–8:30 p m

Friday, March 15

■ Shuffleboard, 9 a m to 11 p m

Saturday, March 16

■ Garage Sale, 8-11 a m

■ Bluegrass Festival, 12-4 p m Come and join in on some great bluegrass in St James City! Suggested donation - $20 to benefit Pine Island Calusa Land Trust

Tuesday, March 19

■ Dominos, 6-8 p m

More details, contacts, and ticket sales are available at SJCCAPI ORG

All activities are held at St James City Civic Association, 3300 Fourth Ave , St James City

,

W e e k o f W e d n e s d a y , M a r c h 1

P

W e e k o f W e d n e s d a y , M a r c h 1 3 , 2 0 2 4 ■

p i n e i s l a n de a g l e . c o m

Pine Island Youth Baseball season begins

The Rookies teams are the Pirates and the Islanders and the Majors team this year is the Reds, in honor of Bobby Holloway Jr

After the ceremonies concluded, the first Rookies game of the season, Pirates vs Islanders, was played All of the players played their best It was an exciting and eventful first game Lee Troost from the Islanders made the first in-field home run of the season! Final game score was 5-4 Pirates

The second game was March 5, Pirates vs Twins, with a score of 3-3 tie game Special shout out to Liam Aiken and Ayden Wheeler for their in-field home runs!

The schedule for upcoming games with the Hancock League are:

March 12 Islanders vs Giants at the Hancock field at 6:30 p.m.; March 13 Reds vs. Phillies at the Bobby Holloway Pine Island Field at 6 p m ; March 26

Pirates vs Giants at Bobby Holloway Pine Island Field at 6 p m ; March 27 Reds vs Phillies at Hancock Field at 6:30 p m ; and March 28 Tball teams vs Yankees Hancock Field 6:30 p m

April and May games to be announced soon Please come out and support your local baseball league

PHOTO PROVIDED Island Youth Baseball action on Bobby Holloway Field at Phillips Park.

Mighty Mussels’ individual game tickets go on sale Friday

The Mighty Mussels kick off the 2024 season against the Tampa Tarpons, Game time is set for 7:05 p m at Hammond Stadium

Tickets to all 66 home games can be purchased at

mighty-mussels.com. For fans looking to purchase tickets in person, they can come to the Mighty Mussels’ front office on the fourth floor of Hammond Stadium between 9 a m and 5 p m from Friday, March 15, through April 4 Hours for box office hours during Mussels’ game d a y s a r e a v a i l a b l e v i a t e a m ’ s w e b s i t e a t h t t p s : / / www milb com/fort-myers

The Mighty Mussels are also set to announce their

full promotional schedule on March 15. Stay tuned to the club’s social media platforms for a countdown of the top promotions in 2024

Mighty Mussels’ season tickets plans, including six and 12-game mini plans are available now by calling 239-768-4210, or by emailing sales@mightymussels com

The Lee Health Sports Complex is at 14400 6 Mile Cypress Parkway in South Fort Myers

With a little less than a month until Opening Night at Hammond Stadium at the Lee Health Sports Complex, the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels have announced that individual tickets will be available beginning at 10 a m , Friday, March 15

r c h

3 ,

0

b r e e z e n e w s p a p e r s . c o m

i n e I s l a n d E a g l e

Rubber Duck Race

community was exceptional, he said

“There were people who were coming up and saying they’d always heard of the Calusa Land Trust and support was made evident by how many people showed up and bought tickets,” Potter said

The CLT has 2,400 acres of preserves in its care, from the Saint Jude Trail in St. James City to Calusa Island, on the northern tip of Bokeelia

“In the middle of the island, we have Taylor Willow Lake Preserve, which got hit hard by Ian we’ve got a trail in there and we’re trying to clear that so people can use that in more of the dry season and that is heavily infiltrated by exotic plants We’re going to have to expend effort and money to take the exotics out of there,” Potter said, explaining the solution will be to build trails and boardwalks

The CLT has a diversity of preserves to work with, Potter said, and things like the Rubber Duck Races allows the organization to do necessary work such as repairing damages from Hurricane Ian

“We have a lot of things on our list to work on and this is our major fundraiser Now we can go back and do the things we really enjoy doing, like managing our preserves,” Potter said

As for the Duck Races, he said CLT volunteers are just happy that so many people showed up in support of the event and organization

Duck Race winner

From page 1

Ready for the race

A b o v e , a l a r g e c r o w d g a t h e r e d along the canal for the start of the Calusa Land Trust’s 2024 Rubber Duck Race at Marker 3 Coastal Cantina. At left, the racing ducks h a v e b e e n l o a d e d i n t o t h e b i n ready for the start of the fundraising race Saturday, March 2

Tritons’ Acosta voted Breeze Athlete of the Month

Breeze’s February Athlete of the Month, and the winner is Mariner High School's Ryleigh Acosta

During her nomination week, the senior stand-out helped the Tritons again return to the FHSAA 5A-3 Regional Championship with an assist in the opening round versus Seminole, and a two-goal, two-assist performance against Naples in the semifinal match

“We felt confident going into the game and felt

ready,” said the University of Florida commit “We had multiple players scoring an assisting on goals, which just speaks to our depth But I’m really happy we came out and got on the scoreboard early ”

Voting for the Cape Coral Breeze March Athlete of the Month will open toward the end of the month

Stay up to date with Cape Coral Breeze and Pine Island Eagle Athlete of the Week selections on www capecoralbreeze com and on social media

Ryleigh Acosta

PHOTO PROVIDED BY JOHN KENDALL

From left, Frank Potter, CLT president; Elsie Stearns, Duck #2374 1st Place $1,000 winner; and Alice Trant, Duck Race coordinator

PAULETTE LEBLANC

Cape Coral Breeze Athletes

Week of the

(Selected by the Breeze Sports staff)

Friends of the Pine Island Library to host author Macomber

Multi-award-winning author of the Peter Wake Honor Series, Robert Macomber, will speak about “The Story Behind FULL NAVAL HONORS” Wednesday, March 20, at the Pine Island United Methodist Church, 5701 Pine Island Road, N W , Bokeelia

GPICA

From page 1

if possible the cessation of those in the GPIWA service area

“The way the Florida statutes are written right now when a voluntary annexation is done, the municipality that’s annexing the property there’s no process, other than the municipality has to accept the person who wants to annex in there’s no safeguards this new language does put in some safeguards so that when that happens, the county’s able to review the voluntary annexation application and then there can be a discussion about how services may be modified,” Maillakakis said

Representing the Water Quality Monitoring Program, CLT ’s Ott began her presentation by explaining the decline of water quality in local estuaries and asking members to consider becoming water monitors, which does not require a degree in science or a career as a scientist Previous Pine Island water monitors, she said, are lawyers, artists and musicians. Organizations such as the GPICA garner help from the community in its ability to protect natural resources, like water, Ott said

“One of the strongest rules we have collectively to help protect our estuaries is the Florida Aquatic Preserve Program,” Ott said

Sadler of the FDEP explained the operating area for the Water Quality Monitoring Program is all the waters from northern Lemon Bay, the tidal rivers in Southern Matlacha Pass, and Pine Island Sound, including Estero Bay

“There are 46 sites throughout these six aquatic preserves…volunteers go out on the first Monday of every month at sunrise to take in water readings and samples,” Sadler said

These sites complement important data on estuaries

Early voting

From page 1

pendent post-election auditing system, Clear Audit,” Doyle said “This system is certified by the state of Florida and allows us to scan 100% of the ballots cast in an election to ensure the accuracy of our tabulation system ”

Voters will find new voting equipment at the polls, as the office recently upgraded its tabulators to the latest

Attendees at the Friends of the Pine Island Library program will enjoy Macomber’s storytelling expertise as he speaks about how he planned and crafted the finale to his 17 book Honor Series.

This event is free, however, registration is required

Doors open at 1 p m

the program begins promptly at 1:30. Refreshments will be served during the book signing

PHOTO PROVIDED

Judy Ott, a Calusa Land Trust board member, discusses current water quality issues in Southwest Florida during the recent Greater Pine Island Civic Association meeting Abriana Sadler of the DEP joined Ott for the water quality update

being collected by other organizations, she said The vast amount of work covered by these 46 sites cannot be done without the help of volunteers

“Obviously we can’t collect for everything, so we focus on things that are important for human health and fish and wild life,” Sadler said.

model from ES&S, to the DS300

Requests for a vote-by-mail ballot can be made for all elections through 2024 Doyle said he recommends requesting a ballot as an insurance policy

“A voter can still choose to vote in person, even if they have requested a vote-by-mail ballot,” he said Florida law requires voters to provide picture and signature identification when voting in person Picture identification may not be expired

Early Voting sites for the PPP include:

■ Cape Coral Elections Office: 1039 S.E. 9th Ave., Cape Coral

■ Cape Coral Lee County Library: 921 S W 39th Terrace, Cape Coral

■ Northwest Regional Library: 519 Chiquita Blvd , N , Cape Coral

■ North Fort Myers Recreation Center: 2000 N Recreation Parkway, North Fort Myers

Charlotteharborwater com

To see this meeting in its entirety on livestream, visit the GPICA Facebook page

The next meeting of the GPICA is April 2, 2024 6:30 p m

■ Lee County Elections Center: 13180 S Cleveland Ave , Fort Myers

■ Lakes Regional Library: 15290 Bass Road, Fort Myers

■ Housing Authority of the City of Fort Myers: 4224 Renaissance Preserve Way, Fort Myers

■ Fort Myers Regional Library: 1651 Lee St , Fort Myers

■ Estero Recreation Center: 9200 Corkscrew Palms Blvd , Estero

■ East County Regional Library: 881 Gunnery Road N , Lehigh Acres

■ B o n i t a S p r i n g s E l e c t i o n s O f f i c e : 2 5 9 8 7 S Tamiami Trail, #105, Bonita Springs

■ Lehigh Acres Elections Office: 600 Homestead Road, S #9, Lehigh Acres

For more information, visit www lee vote

Bridge Beat

Anyone who plays a

Fishers of Men Church is located near the four-way stop on Pine Island

M/PIFCD Easter Egg Hunt March 23 at Station 1

quality while receiving campaign funding support from local and state-wide PACs and the Florida Chamber of Commerce, that in turn rely on substantial monetary support from Big Sugar

Unfortunately, today’s political arena has regressed to an ideological battleground where our elected representatives are distracted by cultural wars rather than focusing on the hard work of providing responsible stewardship of our precious and diminishing natural resources Clean water is of paramount importance to a healthy marine ecosystem and the life blood of a vibrant and sustainable tourism and real estate based economy

Democracy is not a spectator sport and voters need to put an end to the coronation of politicians aligned with monied self-

serving interests by stepping up and run for public office or support candidates that steer clear of dirty money

Ray

Judah

Former Lee County Commissioner

Elimination of bus stops at daycares could have long-ter m impact on students

To the editor:

I’ve owned a daycare in North Fort Myers since 1970 I would like to express m y t h o u g h t s o n t h e r e c e n t b u s s t o p changes and how they could have longterm effects on our community’s children and their education

This past fall, the Lee County School District made a decision to exclude daycares as bus stops to help solve busing issues Lee County has had in recent years

Due to this change, many daycares were forced to shut down their before- and after-school care, my center included Parents then had to make other arrangements for these hours, but had limited choices Many were receiving subsidized c h i l d c a r e t h r o u g h o u r l o c a l E a r l y Learning Coalition and were also able to leave their child at daycare centers on days when there was no school These families faced the dilemma of paying full price at a public schools, which do not provide care on “no school,” or early dismissal days and most do not accept Early Learning Coalition vouchers for payment, or busing their child home unsupervised

I’m not sure how many children were forced to stay home alone, but I am sure that all of them aren’t going home to do homework and study every afternoon Video games and social media would now be their role model until a parent returns from work.

What impact could this have on a child’s education? Not studying and doing homework leads to low grades and lower t e s t i n g s c o r e s . T h i s c a n a l s o l e a d t o behavioral issues which can have a negative impact on a child’s education

For students to be successful they need supervised time for homework as well as play Daycares provide a safe, nurturing environment for children to grow and learn

Unfortunately, we may not see all of t h e e f f e c t s o f L e e C o u n t y S c h o o l District’s decision for a while Hopefully bus stops at daycares will be reinstated next school year

Mary Wildman Cape Coral

Democracy rests on our vote

To the editor:

Yes Biden is old Four years older than Trump We have two old white men running for the top job in the U S government

One with many years of on the job e x p e r i e n c e w h o s e e c o n o m y i s t h e

strongest in the world The other guy with gold-gilded toilets is facing 91 felony counts who calls the U S a weak thirdworld country who raised our national debt by over $7 trillion in four years

Different universes

Listen to what they say and watch what they do. Mental fitness, moral fiber and facts still matter

Do you pay off your credit card balance every month? If you do, good for you Credit card giants hold more than 9 5 % o f A mer ican ’ s cr ed it car d d eb t Exploitative late fees hurt more than 45 million Millennials and lower wage earners costing workers more than $25 billion a year This week, the Biden administration announced that his administration will regulate large credit card businesses and cap those fees at $8 for issuers with more than a million accounts The estimated $10 billion in savings can then be spent by consumers to buy goods and stimulate our economy Another good example of the conflict between the interests of big business Republicans vs the interest of the workers and what Biden is doing about it

During supply chain issues, corporations raised the cost of American goods but when those issues resolved they did not then reduce the charges to us. Instead they raked in absurd illegal profits and passed on those record profits to their s h a r e h o l d e r s T h i s w e e k , J o e B i d e n announced developing a “strike force” to identify businesses practicing that corporate greed and his intent to protect us from them The only thing protecting future generations from living in poverty is our democratic government “of the people, by the people and for the people” vs a gove r n m e n t u n w i l l i n g t o r e g u l a t e g r e e d y businesses. Biden was a busy man this week

It’s hard work to stay on top of these issues and be informed Make sure you are registered to vote at Lee Vote and then vote like our Democracy depends on it Because it does

Lynn A. Hagedorn. MD Cape Coral

, 2

W e e k o f W e d n e s d a y , M a r c h 1