Pine Island Eagle

Now open

Chamber ribbon-cutting ceremony held at Sweet Floret Cakery in Matlacha

GPIA utilizes Camp Noah to educate island youngsters during Spring Break

By PAULETTE LeBLANC pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

Camp Noah was offered to Pine Island youngsters during Spring Break by the Greater Pine Island Alliance when GPIA Founder Aaron Barreda and Executive Director Erin Lollar Lambert were asked to speak on long-term recovery at a conf e r e n c e h o s t e d b y t h e A m e r i c a n R e d Cross A c c o r d i n g t o G P I A E x e c u t i v e A d m i n i s t r a t o r J a n i n e H a r b i n s k y , w h o

Monday, March 18, until Friday, March 22 Much of the camp was focused on resilience in the wake of a disaster, such as Hurricane Ian, and preparedness in going forward

“They’ve been meeting in small groups and telling us their stories each day They have a mental health coordinator on site as well For the younger children, a lot of it is drawing pictures and telling us what happened during the disaster,” Harbinsky

said The children were given backpacks c a l l e d “ P r e p a r e d n e s s P a c k s ” c o m p l e t e with supplies, such as a first aid kit, hand sanitizer, water bottle, toothbrush, toothpaste, flashlight, whistle and games, in an effort to teach them to feel more confident and comfortable to handle a possible storm in the future, she said Lollar-Lambert emphasized the importance of having the camp running parallel with Lee County School District’s Spring

Matlacha Pier reopens

Damage caused by Hurricane Ian repaired

By PAULETTE LeBLANC pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

As of 9 a m , Wednesday, March 13, the pier in Matlacha Community Park has officially re-opened, since its closure due to damage caused by Hurricane Ian in 2022

Matlacha Civic Association President Carol Scott said members would have liked a ribbon-cutting ceremony to commemorate the occasion, but the moment did not present itself That notwithstanding, Scott expressed gratitude on the behalf of Matlacha and Pine Island residents who have waited with bated breath for the re-opening

“People came up here and opened it

up and everyone was so excited It did not take long for people to get on that pier We had fisher-people and other people were walking their dogs on it taking pictures It was fun,” Scott said Matlacha Park itself is a place destined for family excursions, Scott said,

See MATLACHA PIER, page 17

The repaired Matlacha Pier is now open, above At right, Kathy and Rodger Herrin with granddaughter Kinder on the Matlacha Pier.

PHOTOS

BY CAROL SCOTT

Break vacation, in an effort to provide child-care for parents who are financially unable to take vacation or time off while their kids are on break

“GPIA is doing this in collaboration with the American Red Cross We have about 20 volunteers from the community, which is outstanding The St James City Civic donated the location to us the Civic Center is not charging GPIA to use

See CAMP NOAH, page 14

Matlacha Park and Boat Ramp parking lot to close for maintenance

Temporary closure April 1-2

Lee County Parks and Recreation has announced that the Matlacha Park and Boat Ramp at 4577 Pine Island Road in Matlacha will be closed temporarily from Monday, April 1, through Tuesday, April 2, for scheduled parking lot maintenance and repair

The park is scheduled to reopen at dawn Wednesday, April 3 Signs have been posted to alert patrons of the upcoming closure

The temporary closure is scheduled following Spring Break for local schools and the Easter holiday, which traditionally marks the end of peak winter visitor season

During the closure, Pine Island-area boaters can still use the county’s nearby ramp at Lavender’s Landing, 7290 Barrancas Ave N W , Bokeelia, seven days a week

For additional information about Lee County Parks and Recreation locations, amenities and special events, please visit www leeparks org, call 239-533-7275, e m a i l l e e p a r k s @ l e e g o v c o m o r v i s i t leeparksandrecreation on Facebook and Instagram

To receive updates from Lee County Government, sign up for the newsletter here: www.leegov.com/resources/newsletters Follow Lee County Government o n F a c e b o o k , w w w f a c e b o o k c o m / l e ecountyflbocc

From the Firehouse Programs, activities planned for April at Pine Island Public Library

We have exciting news! The new “Rebuilding Together” sign has been installed at Station 4 in Matlacha The original sign lasted quite a while, but needed to be replaced Thank you to everyone that took the time and provided us with feedback a while back with the survey. We are still rebuilding and we are all in this together as a community!

Fire Chief Ben Mickuleit

April's roster of activities at the Pine Island Public Library offers topics for all ages The following programs are free to the public

Adult Programs

Download Drop-In

3:30 p m , Wednesdays, April 3, 10, 17

R e c e i v e p e r s o n a l i z e d h e l p d o w n l o a d i n g e - b o o k s , movies, music and more from Overdrive/Libby and Hoopla, two of Lee County Library System’s largest online content providers Bring your fully charged digital device for this hands-on help session. Note: Please bring any passwords you may need for downloading apps Kindle users will also need an Amazon account and their password for accessing it

Self-Care Sugar Scrubs

9:30 a.m., Saturday, April 20

At this program, we will be making a simple sugar scrub for you to enjoy the next time you need a little DIY relaxation and pampering All supplies will be provided Registration is required

Island Page Turners: Book Discussion Group

2 p m , Wednesday, April 24

World Book Day is April 23 What is your favorite book? Who is your favorite author? Read or reread your favorite and discuss it with the group

Children’s Programs

Family Storytime: Day or Night?

A Total Eclipse Storytime

10:30 a.m., Thursday, April 4

Join us for a totally good time as we celebrate the total eclipse Stories, games, crafts and activities revolving around the sun and moon will be provided along with some light refreshments Don't forget to pick up a pair of special eclipse glasses, while supplies last, so you can view the eclipse April 8

Family Storytime

10:30 a.m. Thursdays, April 11, 18, 25

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

Kids and Teens Create: Sidewalk Art

2 p.m., Saturday, April 20

Enjoy an afternoon of creativity by decorating the sidewalks using chalk or sidewalk paint Bring your designs to life using different techniques with the tools provided Bring your friends and enjoy a light refreshment while you work on your masterpiece

Teen Programs

Kids and Teens Create: Sidewalk Art

2 p m , Saturday, April 20

Enjoy an afternoon of creativity by decorating the sidewalks using chalk or sidewalk paint Bring your designs to life using different techniques with the tools provided Bring your friends and enjoy a light refreshment while you work on your masterpiece

The Pine Island Public Library is located at 10701 Russell Road in Bokeelia For more information about a program or to register, please call the library at 239533-4350 Check the Lee County Library System’s website at www leelibrary net to find out about programs at other locations Call the host library, or Telephone Reference at 239-479-INFO (4636), for more information about a specific program

To receive updates from Lee County Government, sign up for the newsletter at www.leegov.com/resources/ newsletters

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Lee County will not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities in its services, programs or activities. To request an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication or a reasonable modification to part i c i p

-

4 , Florida Relay Service 711, or jlaguardia@leegov com

Accommodation will be provided at no cost to the requestor Requests should be made at least five business days in advance

Church of God of Prophecy Chicken Dinner April 13

The Church of God of Prophecy will be having a chicken dinner Saturday, April 13 Dinner will be takeout only, no dine-in The price is $10 per dinner - chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn or green beans, dinner roll and dessert

Chicken is fried in peanut oil Gluten free and baked chicken available upon request

Call your order in to 239-283-2128 as soon as possible, quantities are limited Pick-up will be from 12:30-3 p m

The church is located at 15146 Stringfellow Road, Bokeelia

Corrections

The article “GPICA introduces new board members, hears presentations on annexations, water quality” published March 13 Eagle had some information that needs clarifications or corrections.

The organization that made the water quality presentation to the GPICA was the Charlotte Harbor E s t u a r i e s V o l u n t e e r W a t e r Q u a l i t y M o n i t o r i n g Network or CHEVWQMN for short The organization has been in existence for over 25 years and samples 10 sites around Pine Island on the first Monday of the month within one hour of sunrise

CHEVWQMN welcomes volunteers and the sampling does not require science knowledge and training takes about an hour with the sampling process taking about two hours each month The group currently needs volunteers for seven of the Pine Island sites and interested volunteers can contact either Abrianna Sadler at Abrianna Sadler@FloridaDep gov or 941575-5861; Arielle Taylor-Manges at Arielle Taylor Manges@FloridaDep gov or 941-575-5781; or Judy Ott at Judy a ott52@gmail com or 239-229-6899

For more information, on the internet search for “charlotte harbor volunteer water monitoring” or visit the link: https://www pineisland-eagle com/2024/03/

sentations-on-annexations-water-quality/

OPINIONS

As the U S Army Corp of Engineers works through the effects of a strong El Niño climate pattern throughout the south Florida area, we want our partners and stakeholders to know that we are here, and we are listening As we strive to balance equally important interests, we continue to encourage our partners and stakeholders to make their voices heard

We began releases from Lake Okeechobee on Feb 17 when seasonal conditions are normally dry and water levels are expected to recede These lake releases helped start the normal winter/springtime recession on the lake Water levels must continue to come down before the beginning of both the wet season and the Atlantic hurricane season, good for both the ecology of the Lake and the safety of the citizens in the communities around the lake Lower lake water levels provide flood risk management as well as decrease the probability of large releases occurring during the summer, which is also the peak of algal bloom season

We understand the current lake releases are stressful for the Caloosahatchee and St Lucie estuaries and adjacent communities

We know from our consistent engagement with stakeholders that water quality remains one of your significant concerns As such, it is also one of the principal considerations integrated into our decision-making as we

Parents must register Kinder gar tners for next school year at Pine Island Elementar y

To the editor:

Parents of children entering Kindergarten at Pine Island Elementary School for the 2024-25 school year: If you have not done so already, please register your child for school as soon as possible

Come to Pine Island Elementary School and ask for the Information Specialist This will help ensure that the school has the correct number of teachers in place for the start of next school year Please call 239-2830505 with questions

Thank you

Dr. Michael R. Galbreath Principal, Pine Island Elementary School

strive to balance the multiple p r o j e c t p u r p o s e s f o r L a k e Okeechobee water management

We understand the impact water clarity has on recreation and tourism Looking towards the summer and peak algal bloom months, we are committed to doing everything within our authorities to help the State of Florida manage its water quality challenges When possible, we will avoid releases when the r i s k o f b l u e g r e e n a l g a l blooms is high, to mitigate potential health concerns

While we cannot control Mother Nature, we continue t o b e f o c u s e d o n m o v i n g water through this interconnected system in the most beneficial way practical including delivering a record amount of water from Water Conservation Area (WCA) 3-A to Everglades National Park (ENP) in the past year

We thank our partners in the State of Florida for working with us to advance and invest in long-term solutions with ecosystem restoration projects that are underway to restore the Everglades and limit releases into

Unconscionable apology from 'pathetic' Biden

To the editor:

After Biden confused the name of murdered nursing student Laken Riley with the head coach of USC’s college football program, Lincoln Riley, in the SOTU address, the mother of the slain student called him “pathetic” in an online post

The accused murderer crossed into the U S at the Texas border in 2022 illegally According to Title 18, it is a crime to cross the borders of our country illegally, punishable by a fine or imprisonment, not to exceed 6 months, or both.

When a law is broken by an individual(s) it is an illegal act Biden got the name of the victim allegedly murdered by Jose Ibarra wrong but in referring to this individual as an

Florida’s other estuaries

This year alone, we anticipate awarding $3 1 billion in new construction contracts to k e e p t h e s e E v e r g l a d e s r e s t o r a t i o n p r o j e c t s m o v i n g forward and to ensure they a r e o p e r a t i o n a l a s s o o n a s possible, providing additional water storage and increased water flows where needed for restoration, and reduce dama g i n g f l o w s t o t h e Caloosahatchee and St Lucie Rivers

We will continue to seek public participation and feedback to our operations and future plans, and we will continue to do our best to balance the project purposes of Lake O k e e c h o b e e u n d e r t h e c u r r e n t L a k e Okeechobee Regulation Schedule and the f u t u r e L a k e O k e e c h o b e e S y s t e m s Operations Manual (LOSOM)

That is our mission, and we will continue to execute it, walking side-by-side with our stakeholders and partners in Florida

Brig Gen Daniel Hibner, Commander, South Atlantic Division, U S Army Corps of Engineers

“illegal” in the SOTU address he, was 100% correct Biden apologized for using the term “illegal” and said he should have used the term “undocumented ”

This is not the behavior of a leader, much less the president of the United States. His “handlers” were not happy with his comment and made him walk it back with an apology He did not apologize for his policy of an open border that allowed this criminal into our country so that he could allegedly brutally murder the daughter of Allyson Phillips but he did apologize for calling an “illegal" an “illegal ” Biden and all those who support the open border policy of this administration have her blood and the blood of thousands of Americans on their hands

We are suffering this behavior so that the Socialist Democratic Party can flood enough illegals into “Blue States” in order to influence the Census which includes all people in the area, legal and illegal, thereby creating more representation in the legislatures for the enablement of complete and total control of our “Democracy” and the ultimate demise of the last real bastion of freedom on this planet Biden is “pathetic” in so many ways, but the people that support and condone this behavior are even worse

Max Christian,

St. James City

Sweet Floret Caker y ribbon-cutting held

The Greater Pine Island Chamber of Commerce recently held a ribbon-cutting at Sweet Floret Cakery at 4618 Pine Island Road in Matlacha. Among those on hand for the ceremony were Larry Solinger, GPICC, past president; Cynthia Welch, GPICC administrator; Brian Crowley, GPICC board member; and Jodi Tusty, owner Sweet Floret Cakery. For more information, call 239-677-1985.

Pine Island Moose Easter drive-thru Saturday

The Pine Island Moose Lodge Easter drive-thru children will be held Saturday, March 30, from 10 a m to noon at the Lodge 1954, 8903 Stringfellow Road, St James City

The Moose would like to make this a community

event, to include all local organizations, businesses or any islander who wants to decorate a vehicle or table for the local kids (and dogs)!

If you have any questions about participating, please contact Annie Bokros, 989-614-0835

Pine Island Sketchers schedule for April announced

Pine Island Sketchers meet on Tuesdays from 10 a m to noon at different venues on Pine Island from November through April Participants are asked to just bring their art supplies and a lawn chair There is no charge and beginners are most welcome For more information, contact Laurey at 239-834-5039

■ April 2: St Jude Harbor, a Calusa Land Trust preserve From Pine Island Center, take Stringfellow Road south towards St James City for about 6 miles Turn left onto Laratonda Road (where the St Jude Harbor sign is located), and turn right onto Stabile Road, then left onto Crestwell Court for car parking

■ April 9: The Waterfront Restaurant, 2131 Oleander S t , S t J a m e s C i t y F r o m P i n e I s l a n d C e n t e r t a k e Stringfellow Road south to St. James City about 7 miles, and the parking lot is on the right side of the road

■ April 16: Lazy Flamingo Restaurant, 16501-B, B o k e e l i a F r o m P i n e I s l a n d C e n t e r t u r n r i g h t o n Stringfellow Road north, 7 miles toward Bokeelia Turn left at the Four Winds Marina sign; go all the way to the end of the driveway and park at the restaurant

■ April 23: Pine Island Library and Museum, 5728 Sesame Drive, Bokeelia From Pine Island Center turn right onto Stringfellow Road, turn left onto Sesame Street, (first street on left), turn right onto Russell Road, and take it one block to the parking lot

■ April 30: The Tarpon Lodge, 13771 Waterfront Drive, Pineland. From Pine Island Center, go north toward Bokeelia on Stringfellow Road for 5 miles Then turn left onto Pineland Road and follow the road at Waterfront Drive At Tarpon Lodge, park way back or park across the street at the Calusa Heritage Trail

Church of God of Prophecy to hold Easter Sunrise Service

The Church of God of Prophecy's Easter Sunrise Service Sunday, March 31, will be held at 7 a m , with Morning Worship at 11 a.m.

Bokeelia For more information, contact the church at 239-283-2128

PHOTO

Breeze Athlete of the Week on one-week hiatus due to local schools’ Spring Break

Breeze Staff Repor t news@breezenewspapers com

While high school student-athletes enjoyed Spring Break last week, our Athlete of the Week program is taking a week to recharge as well

Despite that, here are some of the top performances from student-athletes in our area from the week before!

Our Athlete of the Week program will resume next week

Baseball

I s l a n d C o a s t 1 6 , L e h i g h 2 : ( 5 i n n i n g s ) : J o r d i Guerrero doubled, tripled and drove in four runs for the

Islanders input sought for Lee County community needs assessments

Have you been impacted by COVID-19 and/or Hurricane Ian? Are you experiencing economic instability? We want to hear from you!

Visit the Beacon of Hope Friday, March 29, from 11 a m to 4 p m It's ope to the public and all are welcome

Please join the Beacon in this community outreach event to make your voices heard The Beacon urges everyone to join us and participate in the community needs assessment underway in Lee County

T h e c o m p a n y i s w o r k i n g w i t h L e e C o u n t y Department of Veteran & Human Services They are tasked by Lee County to identify funding for unincorporated areas of Lee County The importance is to get everyone's voice heard. This will determine how much funding we will get for greater Pine Island

Got questions? Please contact Necole Holton at survey@ebsleaders com

FDOT provides update for Pine Island Road work

BARTOW, Fla – This weekly report is prepared by the Florida Department of Transportation to inform the public about upcoming road work in Southwest Florida Below are the work schedule and lane closure locations for major state road projects

Pine Island Road Causeway and Bridge Permanent Repairs

Construction project: As part of the Emergency Restoration of the Pine Island Road Causeway and Bridge, crews will be working in the project boundaries along CR 78 Pine Island Road from west of Little Pine Island Bridge (Bridge No 120111) to West of Shoreview Drive

Motorists can expect traffic shifts and flagging operations as crews continue installing utilities throughout the causeway.

Please be alerted to construction equipment in the construction zone To maintain safety, motorists should find alternate parking areas

Motorists can expect occasional delays due to flagging operations for delivery/removal of materials, transfer of equipment

Crews are maintaining two-lane traffic on causeway.

■ Pedestrians and bicyclists are not permitted within the construction zone

■ Please use caution and watch for workers and construction vehicles entering and exiting the roadway

■ Noise from construction equipment in the area is to be expected

■ Please be patient and plan for additional travel time as it may be slower than usual in the area

For additional information, visit the FDOT project web page at https://www swflroads com/project/4519372 or email at shana overhulser@dot state fl us

Gators against the Lightning North Fort Myers 12, Cape Coral 2 (5 innings): Jakob Wagner hit two home runs on a 3-for-3 night, scoring four times and collecting four RBI Mariner 13, South Fort Myers 2 (5 innings): PJ Marino went 2-for-3 with a home run, double, two runs scored and three RBI.

Softball

Island Coast 17, South Fort Myers 2 (3 innings): Taylor Sheene had a home run and six RBI to lead the Gators (12-4) She had two hits and scored three times

Sheene allowed one earned run in three innings pitched

Girls tennis

Oasis 7, Bishop Verot 1: Sophia Abreu and Sophia Pollard won their singles matches and then teamed for a doubles win for the Sharks Emily Feichthaler won a third set tiebreaker in singles and then teamed with Cecilia Menendez to win at No 2 doubles

Flag football

Ida Baker 12, Island Coast 0: Liliana Porcelli was 10-of-15 passing for 110 yards and two touchdowns as the Bulldogs won their fourth game in a row

PHOTO PROVIDED

St. James City Boat Club makes donation

A sizable donation was presented to Jim Wentz of Pine Island FISH, from Mike Smith, Judy Burt and members at the March meeting of the St James City Boat Club A big thank you goes out to all the club members for their support

Mahjongg Scores

St. James City Civic Association to host free CPR Class Monday

The St James City Civic Association is h o s t i n g a f r e e A m e r i c a n R e d C r o s s Hands-Only CPR Class Monday, April 1, at 11 a m , at the St James Civic Center at 3300 Fourth Ave , at the corner of Lemon Street in St James City

This free lifesaving skills class is available to teenagers and adults of all ages

It’s easy to learn You can increase the chance of someone surviving a cardiac emergency by taking a free American Red

Cross 30-minute class

More than 350,000 cardiac arrests occur outside a hospital each year Learn how to deliver lifesaving CPR care without rescue breaths and be prepared When y o u i m m e d i a t e l y p r o v i d e H a n d s - O n l y CPR, you can increase the chance of survival

For more information or questions, p l e a s e c o n t a c t C e n a H a m b y a t c e n acooks@gmail com or 954-683-2195

SJCCA Schedule

St James City Civic Association has a n n o u n c e d t h e f o l l o w i n g u p c o m i n g events and activities:

Wednesday, March 27

■ “Palm Tree Flag” -- Paint with Kellie, 1-4 p m The cost is $35 and prepayment is required Call Kellie at 440-

t k e llie0707@gmail.com

Thursday, March 28

■ Ping Pong -- 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m

Monday, April 1

■ American Red Cross Hands-Only CPR Class -- 11 a m (See related article above for details )

Tuesday, April 2

■ Shuffleboard -- 9-11 a m

■ Ping Pong -- 9 a m to 12:30 p m

■ Golden Brush -- 1-4 p m

■ Dominos -- 6-8 p m

Mahjongg is played Thursdays from 14 p m at the St James City Civic Center at Fourth Avenue and Lemon Street For more information call Carolyn on 249233-7682

Mahjongg was played at the Moose Lodge this week Sixteen players enjoyed the wonderful food and hospitality It was a delight to welcome BJ to play with us again whilst she is visiting Pine Island Top scorers were Terry Wilbur with 145 points, Carolyn Crosby with 140 and Paula Bruckner and Sue Rasmussen, both with 125

■ Mahjong -- 1-4 p m

■ Cribbage -- 6:30-8:30 p m

Friday, March 29

■ Shuffleboard -- 9-11 a m

■ Saturday, March 30

■ Garage Sale -- 8-11 a m

Additional details, contacts and ticket sales are available at sjccapi org or by calling the Civic Association at 239283-0242.

All activities are held at St James City Civic Association at 3300 Fourth Ave , at the corner of Lemon Street in St James City

Beacon of Hope activities scheduled for April

The Beacon of Hope has scheduled the following activities for the month of April

■ Samaritan Health and Wellness, a primary care clinic, is now open at the Beacon every other Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. This clinic provides care for the uninsured and underinsured The cost is $50 Help is available if needed People of all ages are welcome Mental health services are also available Call 239-3607520 to make an appointment

■ C a s e M a n a g e r s a r e a v a i l a b l e o n M o n d a y , Wednesday and Thursday They can help with government programs and economic issues Call to make an appointment

■ Beacon Bites (our meals on wheels) are available Call if you need to sign up

■ Transportation to medical appointments and treatments is available to anywhere in Lee County Please call and reserve 48 hours before your appointment.

■ GED classes are on Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a m to 2 p m

■ ESOL classes are held every Tuesday and Thursday at 6 p m

■ T h e F o o d B a n k i s p r e s e n t l y o n h o l d T h e Emergency Pantry is available on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday

Bridge Beat

Bidge is a challenging game and is played at 12:30 p m every Wednesday at the Fishers of Men Lutheran Church, located at 10360 Stringfellow Road, St James City, near The Center of Pine Island Anyone wishing to play and likes the challenge is welcome and does not need a partner It costs $3 to play, some of which goes back to three winners

Last week’s winners were Karen, McWright, first place; Mary Tobias, second place; and Sherry Karge, third place

Cat of the Week

Kitty

Not the most original name, but this sweet girl has plenty of other amazing qualities to m a k e u p f o r i t K i t t y i s a n 11 - y e a r - o l d declawed tabby with lots of snuggles to give She's tolerant of the other kitties, but much prefers the company of humans. She will readily trade you purrs for any petting you can spare. If you have room in your heart for this gentle soul, please call Helping Paws Animal Sanctuary at 239-283-9100. If you’d rather just donate, our address is 10060 Mallory Parkway, E , Unit D, St James City, or there’s always our website www helpingpawsanimalsanctuary com

■ Blood pressure screening is available every Wednesday from 1-2 p m and Saturday morning from 9-10 a m

■ The Veteran’s Support group meets on the first Friday of every month from 9 a m to 12:30 p m Call 239-283-5123 to make an appointment

■ F u n d r a i s i n g C o m m i t t e e –Monday, April 15, at 10 a m

■ Strange Arrangement – Monday, 6-7:30 p m A musical experience

■ Pine Island Boy and Cub Scouts will be meeting Wednesday evenings at 6 at First United Methodist Church

■ Girl Scout Troop will meet on Friday nights at 6

■ The Attic (Thrift Store) is o p e n M o n d a y t h r o u g h F r i d a y from 9 a m to 3 p m Saturday h o u r s a r e 1 0 a m t o 3 p m Donations are accepted until 2:30 p m unless they get overloaded

Every Tuesday is 50% off clothing, shoes and similar items; 50% off “almost everything” will be on Tuesday, April 2, and Tuesday, April 23

The Beacon of Hope, 5090 Doug Taylor Circle, St James City is open Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 9 a m to 5 p m Computers, fax and printer are available for use Case Managers are available at these times, as is the Grants Manager For more information, call 239-283-5123

Fishing up and down with the weather

It wasn’t the best week on the water as the weather again played a factor. Rain or wind hampered anglers much of the week with a few decent days mixed in

Seatrout was the best bet inshore as fish up to 24 inches were hooked throughout the inshore waters

On the Water

Sand bar drop-offs, grass flats and sand holes were a good place to look in P i n e I s l a n d S o u n d a n d a r o u n d o y s t e r b a r s a n d channel edges in Matlacha Pass The better bite was over the incoming water on a host of baits includi n g s h r i m p , p i l c h a r d s , spoons, DOA and other p a d d l e t a i l s , a n d c h a r -

treuse/white Clouser flies

Several anglers’ trout f i s h i n g i n t h e S o u n d hooked into extra large bluefish for our waters

Larger bluefish are common in the northeast, but most of ours run smaller, so it’s exciting to hear of several blues in the 30-inch range They are hard fighting fish with lots of sharp teeth, let’s hope the trend of large blues continues

For snook and redfish, they were found in the usual places, with good action at times and temperamental at t i m e s A n g l e r s w o r k i n g shorelines in the Sound and Matlacha Pass hooked into both casting a variety of lures including top water, sub-surface lures, spoons and soft paddle tails Live bait anglers

targeted sand or potholes, island points and structure Tarpon reports, despite the weather, were on the rise again Fish were located around Captiva and Boca Grande passes, and between the Sanibel Causeway and the powerlines As more filter in each day, they are likely to show up anywhere and eat anything It’s common to hook one, usually for a short time, on light tackle trout fishing It’s a surprise and an adrenaline rush, at least for a few seconds until they part ways Spanish mackerel were caught outside the Gulf passes, mixed with big ladyfish over the incoming tides Spanish and king mackerel, plus a few cobia were hooked over artificial reefs in 25 to 50-foot depths in Gulf waters. Overall, much of the week was windy, regulating many anglers to inshore waters It’s hard not to notice the decrease of inshore water quality plus the increase of undesirable sea grass and in areas the lack of turtle or eel grass growing Generally, we have our clearest and best-looking water of the year from January through April, until the water warms, and summer rains kick in Dumping water from Lake Okeechobee is no doubt a factor, and an unusual amount of rain this winter doesn’t help However, you have to believe out-of-control development and lack of planning for proper infrastructure is playing a big role. If you have been here for a long time, you know it’s been getting worse year after year I don’t have the answer, but it’s hard not to notice Mother Nature is very resilient, but we have to give it a chance

Stay up to date with fishing regulations by visiting www myfwc com Also, upload the Fish Rules app on your phone It has current regulations and seasons with pictures to help identify fish

As a lifetime resident of Matlacha and Pine Island, Capt Bill Russell has spent his life fishing and learning the waters around Pine Island and Southwest Flori-da, and as a professional fishing guide for the past 23 years

They're here! Tarpon numbers are on the rise across our waters. Ron Smits from Bokeelia hooked into this big tarpon on cut bait fishing near St. James City with Steve Buss.Pine Island Sound with Capt. Bill Russell

Capt Bill Russell

PHOTO

Hookers Bag ‘n Tag, breakfast April 13

The 2024 Bag ‘n Tag and Breakfast will be Saturday, April 13, at the Pine I s l a n d M o o s e L o d g e o n S t r i n g f e l l o w Road

The Hookers’ “world famous” Pancake Breakfast will be served from 8-11:30 a m , and the Bag ‘n Tag Sale will run from 8:30 a m until 2 p m

All proceeds benefit the "Hooked on Education Scholarship Program" for qualified individuals seeking higher education

What is the Bag ‘n Tag? The Matlacha H o o k e r s r e u s e , r e c y c l e a n d r e p u r p o s e donated items of gently worn clothing, h o u s e h o l d g o o d s , d e c o r a t i o n s , s m a l l appliances, tools and sports equipment by h o s t i n g t h e B a g ‘ n T a g e a c h y e a r Participants can purchase a brown paper

grocery bag for $5 and fill it with as many clothing items as they can fit into the bag Savvy shoppers can walk away with items valued well over $100 for their $5 investment

C h e c k o u t i n t h e H o o k e r s ' C h i c B o u t i q u e t e n t f o r o n e - o f - a - k i n d i t e m s priced to move, including jewelry All other items are tagged with suggested prices.

Donations are accepted at the American Legion on Stringfellow Road and bags o f c l o t h i n g o r s m a l l e r i t e m s c a n b e dropped off at Trader’s Hitching Post in Matlacha

For information or to donate large items, please contact Carolyn at 707-2910310 or Teresa at 239-738-5008

Haitian Heritage Family Fun Day May 11

T h e H a i t i a n - A m e r i c a n C o m m u n i t y Coalition of SW Florida is commemorating Haitian Heritage Month by hosting a H a i t i a n H e r i t a g e F a m i l y F u n D a y

Saturday, May 11, from 11 a m to 3 p m , at The Eglise De Dieu la Foi Chretienne (Church of God Christian Faith), 2841 Fowler St , Fort Myers The mission of HACC is to promote social justice and human rights for Haitian Americans and to give a voice to this “indivisible demographic ” To learn more about us, please visit our website: https://www

Mahjongg Scores

Mahjongg was played at t h e M o o s e L o d g e t h i s w e e k S i x t e e n p l a y e r s enjoyed the wonderful food and hospitality It was a delight to welcome BJ to play with us again whilst she is visiting Pine Island

Top scorers were Terry W i l b u r w i t h 1 4 5 p o i n t s , Carolyn Crosby with 140 a n d P a u l a B r u c k n e r a n d Sue Rasmussen, both with 125.

M a h j o n g g i s p l a y e d Thursdays from 1-4 p m at the St James City Civic Center at Fourth Avenue a n d L e m o n S t r e e t . F o r information call Carolyn on 249-233-7682

haitiancoalition com/

There are currently more than 20 vendors scheduled to participate F o r a d d i t i o n a l i n f o r m a t i o n , c a l l B e a t r i c e J a c q u e t - C a s t o r a t 2 3 9 - 8 7 85898, Ilomise Alexandre at 239-2978839, Guerline Chery at 423-615-2019 or Jessica Victorin Antelo at 239-3086638

P i n e I s l a n d E a g l e p i n e i s l a n de a g l e . c o m W e e k o f W e d n e s d a y , M a r c h 2

Camp Noah

From page 1

the facility for the week That’s helpful because we do breakfast, lunch and two snacks a day,” Lambert said

W i t h m o n e y d o n a t e d b y H o n c Industries to cover food costs, the GPIA is able to make use of the full kitchen at the St James City Civic Center to make warm b r e a k f a s t s f o r t h e c a m p e r s e a c h d a y , Lambert said, combined with lunches provided by some local business owners, such as Horse Eyed Jake’s, Salty Girls Island Café, Street Eatz & Ale, Publix and the Eagle’s Nest

“Tonya Player, Eric Whiteman and Greg Brown have been coming in every

morning at 7 a m to help Aaron (Barreda) and I cook breakfast I think one of the most impactful things to me has been that all the children’s parents have been telling us every morning how meaningful this has been and every day when they go home they’re telling their parents what they’ve learned So from the standpoint of GPIA, as we’re trying to rebuild resiliency in our community, watching it have a substantial impact on the youth of Pine Island shows how this community always comes together to help those in need,” Lambert said.

Barreda spoke on the unique aspects of

PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY ERIN LOLLAR-LAMBERT

Instructors work with young islanders during Camp Noah, above and left, which was held last week during Spring Break

having Camp Noah on Pine Island a year and a half after Hurricane Ian

“We know that we have families and some of our children are still living in trailers and are still displaced from their primary residences The age-group in elementary school being 5 years old to about 11 for kids who are 5 and 6, it’s been about a year and a half so they were 3 or 4 and so at that age, they were completely affected by the storm and being displaced as this is a very formative time A program like this in conjunction with the American Red Cross, building resiliency, can really help shape and make a difference in kids lives When they come in and they’re excited to show up, that really makes all the difference I think about all

the adults and volunteers it’s just amazing to watch and see their excitement,” Barreda said

"Disaster affects everyone differently, and nowhere is this more apparent than with children To support the continued r e c o v e r y o f c h i l d r e n o n G r e a t e r P i n e Island affected by Hurricane Ian, we’re proud to connect the Greater Pine Island Alliance with Camp Noah, a summer camp for children affected by disaster A g r a n t p r o v i d e d b y t h e A m e r i c a n R e d Cross enabled dozens of Greater Pine Island children to attend Camp Noah and receive its programs and services for free," said Robbie Sofaly, MSW, FPEM D irector, H urricane Ian Long-Term Recovery for the American Red Cross

P i n e I s l a n d E a g l e p i n e i s l a n de a g l e . c o m W e e k o f W e d n e s d a y , M a r c h 2

Fishermen line the Matlacha Pier, which reopened March 13

Matlacha Pier

bringing joy to the island for many years

“It was fun and joy and now it’s fun and joy again The children’s section of the park has a little pirate ship and they’ve just done a beautiful job with it the restoration turned out to be very nice,” Scott said

According to Scott, restoration of the park equipment and the re-opening of the

From page 1

pier leaves the kayak launch next on the agenda for Matlacha Park

“It’s quite nice that we’re getting back to normal after 18 months I don’t think any of us were expecting this much devastation from a hurricane,” said Scott

Matlacha Community Park is at 4577 Pine Island Road in Matlacha

Cribbage Corner

Cribbage is played on Thursdays at 6:30 p m at the St James City Civic

C e n t e r a t F o u r t h A v e n u e a n d L e m o n Street

Results from Thursday, March 21:

1st Place - Judy Schuitema

2nd Place - Dennis Gettys

3rd Place - Rick Parrott

4th Place - Pam Placek

"Lamb of the Week" - Ken Amid C r i b b a g e i s p l a y e d w e e k l y o n

Thursday evenings at 6:30 at the SJCCA, at Lemon Street and 4th Avenue in St. James City

Deadline May 1 to submit applications for island Kiwanis Club scholarships

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 following 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 financial assistance

Century 21 Office, 10191 Stringfellow Road, St. James City, or the Pine Island P u b l i c L i b r a r y , 1 0 7 0 1 R u s s e l l R o a d , Bokeelia, or they can be downloaded from t h e K i w a n i s w e b s i t e a t P i n e I s l a n d Kiwanis org

The deadline for turning in the applications is May 1 at the Century 21 Office or they can be mailed (postmarked by May 1) to Scholarship Chairman, P O Box 111, St James City, FL 33956

Please contact scholarship committee chairs Carlyn Herring at 239-850-9613 or Tonya Player at 239-203-4682 if you have any questions.

P i n e I s l a n d E a g l e p i n e i s l a n de a g l e . c o m W e e k o f W e d n e s d a y , M a r c h 2