Cape Coral Weekend Breeze

County approves safety repairs to Civic Center

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

The aging Lee County Civic Center will undergo some immediate repairs while the county decides the long-term fate of the facility

Although the Lee County Board of County Commissioners voted on making immediate health and safety repairs to Civic Center buildings, the elected board asked staff to prepare an agenda item for their next meeting to further the discussion on the county-owned property on Bayshore Road in North Fort Myers

Although the Lee County Board of County Commissioners voted on making immediate health and safety repairs to Civic Center buildings, the elected board asked staff to prepare an agenda item for their next meeting to further the discussion on the county-owned property on Bayshore Road in North Fort Myers It’s long-term fate has yet to be decided

“There are so many scenarios and it’s hard to make a motion on the fly,” Board

Chair Brian Hamman said after a lengthy conversation and multiple motions made “I would definitely support a motion to direct staff and make comments and prepare a motion to come back to our next meeting ”

The motion that passed unanimously confirmed authorization for county administrators to make life and safety repairs to the Civic Center, the Tinsley Pavilion,

See CIVIC CENTER, page 12

Trump indictment sparks strong local reaction

By VALARIE HARRING vharring@breezenewspapers com

Reaction to the 34-count indictment against former President Donald Trump and his responding not-guilty plea has largely split along party lines here in Lee County

Cape Coral Breeze

Final event of season to be held Saturday night

IF

GO:

Republican leaders question both the propriety and veracity of the felony counts filed against Trump by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office after presentation to a grand jury

Democrats point out that the grand jury found there was cause to proceed with the case, which alleges that Trump falsified business records while in the act of violating campaign finance laws in a hush-money scheme ahead of the 2016 presidential election

And the Libertarian Party rep points out that while many members disapproved of Trump, there are questions aplenty in the unprecedented and seemingly weak indictment based primarily on the testimony of a “convicted liar ”

What: Cape Coral’s final Bike Night

When: Saturday, April 8, from 5 to 10 p m

Cape

Bike Night of the season goes down this Saturday night along Southeast 47th Terrace from 5 to 10 p m fea-

See BIKE NIGHT, page 32

“There are few of us (if any) Libertarians who approve of Trump when President due to his frivolous spending, anti-2A actions and statements, not firing Dr Fauci, while also funding Big Pharma during the insane Lockdown era The current indictment, when weighed against his previous behavior, seems a bit minuscule in stature Yet, a former President faces charges, so let us analyze,” said Michael Higgins, chair of the Libertarian Party of

See TRUMP, page 32

Assessment testing season is approaching

MEGHAN BRADBURY

news@breezenewspapers com

The Florida Assessment of Student Thinking FAST testing season for pre-k through 10th grade students is fast approaching for students

Pushed back because of Hurricane Ian, FAST will be administered starting May 15

There are brand new curriculum and assessments for elementary, middle and high school English language arts and math

“We were originally earlier in the window as a district,” Elementary Teaching and Learning Director Dr Bethany Quisenberry said of the testing schedule “We adjusted it to the end of the window to give our students more time ”

Students in pre-k through eighth grade will take a FAST test in math Students from pre-K through 10th grade will take the FAST English language arts assessment

“The end-of-the-year assessments are written to the Florida Best Standards We focus on Florida Best Standards throughout the school year,” she said “All of our instructional guides and assessments they take throughout the school year are written the way they are asked to the end-of-year assessments ”

Pushed back because of Hurricane Ian, Florida Assessment of Student Thinking tests will be administered starting May 15 Students in pre-K through eighth grade will take a FAST test in math Students from pre-k through 10th grade will take the FAST English language arts assessment

Students took a mid-year assessment in January and, based upon those student scores, level one and two, additional resources for intervention were pushed out

Quisenberry said at the elementary grade level they found that students are behind in math and science With FAST assessments they were able to dig into the data and look at specific benchmarks, which revealed that targets missed have not yet been taught.

“That was very positive We have built the plans in to ensure they were taught,” Quisenberry said, adding the district will make up that time before the end of the year assessment

For high school, mathematics were behind the benchmark, as students lost time from the hurricane

“There were definitely more benchmarks not instructed upon Mathematics we still had greater needs,” Quisenberry said

She said it might be tutoring after school, intervention groups during the day, as well as additional support from teachers

“Right now one of our biggest focuses is pacing. We missed a lot of days with the hurricane It pushed our pacing behind, especially in subjects like math and science,” Quisenberry said, adding that teachers have worked on plans to ensure they are on pace to meet all the benchmarks by the date of the end of year assessments

Secondary Teaching and Learning Director Candace Allevato said the FAST English Language Arts assessment goes through 10th grade, as it is their graduation requirement

“A lot of families are hearing the Department of Education (saying it is a) hold to harmless year Our sitting 10th graders right now, they need to pass this assessment for graduation purposes,” she said “We are down to five weeks that they are in school.”

It is important that students show up and give their all in class, Allevato said

Unique to high school, students do not take the FAST math test, as they have end-of-course exams, such as algebra and geometry, as well as biology and U S history

Intervention for high school students comes in many forms, one of which is Back on Track Allevato said students can recover credit, engage in after hours with teachers, both

face-to-face and virtual hours Students are able to work on specific needs with teachers and subject areas

District wide, students have the ability to participate in Connect with Lee from 3:30 to 7:30 p m Monday through Thursday with a certified teacher

“That will be absolutely something families can take advantage of when they get into state assessment season,” Allevato said.

Quisenberry said the FAST state assessments are unique in a positive way, as parents can see scores immediately through the FOCUS parent portal There is a Florida Department of Education tab next to the child’s name, which will take the parent straight to the state portal

For those looking outside the district for additional help there are various options

Among them is Sylvan Learning, which has a location in Cape Coral Director Caoilfhionn Dolley said although parents and their children can walk-in, a phone call is easier, as an appointment can be set up to go over concerns and needs before setting up an individualized plan that meets their need

“What we like to do is help give them confidence A lot of what happens with kids is testing anxiety They don’t know how to approach the testing,” Dolley said “What we try to do is be proactive The more familiar with testing, the more they understand what is on the test and the more they have time to prepare The more prepared they feel, the less anxious they are going to be ”

She said some of that confidence can be built in asking a teacher for a study guide and learning if the test is either multiple or short answer questions The more familiar students are, the more confidence they have when they sit down for a test, Dolley said.

“You don’t want to start prepping two weeks before the test Your body goes into flight-or-fight mode,” she said Sylvan Learning utilizes a study skills program that focuses on either a visual, or tactile learning strategy

“The most popular age we start getting is third grade Third and up would be the most popular age that we do,” Dolley said

For more information, visit www sylvanlearning com

City to host Earth Day cleanup event

Cape residents invited to sign up for what organizers hope will be biggest effort ever

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

Cape Coral residents can play a hand in helping keep the city clean, especially in the now in the wake of Hurricane Ian

The city of Cape Coral will host a city-wide Earth Day clean-up event on April 22 and is looking for the community to get involved

“The city manager wanted to host a clean-up event where all residents could come together and volunteer for a couple of hours to help get us back to being the clean city we were before the hurricane,” said city spokesperson Kaitlyn Mullen in an email “We aim to make this the largest community clean-up effort our City has seen ”

Earth Day takes place each year on April 22 with the first recognized support for environmental protection first held in 1970

Those who would like to join in on the city’s Earth Day event can register online and select the fire station close to their neighborhood and download the Cape Coral 311 app From there, gather your family, friends, and neighbors on Earth Day, and work at a comfortable pace to clean up areas that need it the most The city encourages participants to take photos and share them on social media using #CapeCoralCleanup23

“We all live in this City and want our residents to take pride in their neighborhoods and the place they call home,” Mullen said “Together, we can make a difference by improving our community’s environmental quality and

overall aesthetic ”

Once the job is finished, participants will gather bagged trash in one location and log it in the Cape Coral 311 app for the city to collect and dispose of

“Our City has come a long way in recovering from Hurricane Ian,” Mullen added “The storm blew around a lot of paper, cardboard, and plastic, and as you drive throughout the City, you can still see remnants of what Ian left behind There’s no better way to contribute to a cleaner and healthier community than by volunteering to help clean up what was left in the wake of the storm ”

Volunteers of all ages are welcome to take part in the clean-up, and any individual, family, school, group, place of worship, business or government entity can coordinate or participate An adult must accompany all participants under the age of 16 at all times

City officials said the Cape would greatly benefit from residents putting forth the same mindset and efforts as they do on Earth Day on a regular basis

“We have one Earth, and it’s essential for us all to do our part to ensure it’s taken care of,” Mullen said “Much like you don’t spend one day a year taking care of yourself or loved ones, we want our residents to be environmentally conscious year-round and help keep our City a beautiful, healthy place for all living things ”

To register, visit www capecoral gov and find the Community Events page under the “Things To Do” tab

Connect with this reporter on Twitter: @haddad cj

OPINIONS

CAPE CORAL BREE ZE

RAYMOND M. ECKENRODE Publisher

VALARIE HARRING, Executive Editor CHRIS STRINE, Editor

2510 Del Prado Blvd

• Cape Coral, FL, 33904

April marks National Child Abuse Prevention Month let’s keep SWFL’s children safe in our community

Member Florida Press Association

New look, same Breeze

Yes, your Breeze is shorter

But outside of some inches off the bottom and the elimination of the fold, you’re not missing a thing

We welcome you to the new “compact-size” Breeze a little shorter, a whole lot thicker and still packed cover-tocover with all of the local news, sports, features, advertising, coupons and more that you have come to rely upon from your community newspaper

Why change our format from the familiar to, well, something new?

Simply put: It was time

Time for a more modern, reader- and advertiser-friendly size

Time to reaffirm our continuing commitment to the Cape where we have been your source for local news for more than 60 years

Time, again, to listen to what our readers, and advertisers, are asking for: An easy-to-read print product and an advertising vehicle that gives those who are looking to share their message the greatest impact for dollars that currently are hard to come by

We heard you, and we thank you for the input

For those who are familiar with our sister weeklies, the Fort Myers Beach Observer, the Island Reporter and Sanibel Captiva Islander and the Pine Island Eagle, you’ll recognize our “new” format immediately all of our community papers have long been the size of today’s Breeze

We have, in fact, discussed the conversion for years

The time just never felt quite right

But in the wake of Hurricane Ian, in the reality of these inflationary times, becoming more efficient on our press to trim some costs while publishing a better paper for readers and advertisers alike just made a whole lot of sense

Our core mission remains our commitment to you: To be the primary provider of local information in the communities we serve

We’re the same Breeze you know and love The only thing missing is the fold

∫ Other

• Phone 239-574-1110 – Fax 239-574-5693 This

Breeze editorial

question:

A staggering 1 in 5 children in the U S will be abused by the time they are 18 With April being National Child Abuse Prevention Month, the Children’s Advocacy Center of Southwest Florida is educating the community and raising awareness about how to help prevent child maltreatment The initiative is rooted in communities working together to serve children and their families in meaningful and impactful ways that provide families with what they need to thrive through both calm and challenging times

For over 40 years, the CAC has worked to improve the lives of children and their families through a coordinated response to child abuse and neglect by offering them a safe environment in which to heal We have provided thousands of children with free abuse determination services, pet therapy, therapeutic counseling, parenting education, advocacy, and prevention programs in Lee, Hendry, Glades, and Charlotte Counties

Julie Boudreaux

educators or law enforcement One of the CAC’s community outreach programs, Kayla’s Club, utilizes the Monique Burr Foundation’s prevention education program, empowering youth with safety rules and strategies to prevent, recognize and respond appropriately to bullying, cyberbullying, child abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and digital dangers. We recently implemented the program in local schools, and six students have already spoken up about incidents of abuse and bullying

These are just a few examples of the hundreds of lives impacted by various CAC programs In Southwest Florida, we can contribute to this nationwide initiative and minimize the likelihood of child maltreatment, but first, we must address vulnerabilities by utilizing evidence-based approaches that genuinely support families By investing in our community, we can create a safer environment for children, youth, and families, leading to improved outcomes

Previous poll question

Are public parks and recreation amenities, including sports fields and courts, beaches, boat ramps and piers, important to you? ∫ Yes

In 2022 alone, the CAC Family Alliance Program provided nearly 2,130 therapy hours to victims of abuse serving over 300 adults and children The Child Protection Team worked with over 1,500 children by providing forensic interviews and medical exams The Community Outreach Programs trained over 100 individuals on abuse prevention education, in hopes of extending knowledge throughout Southwest Florida on the signs and symptoms of abuse and how to report it

According to the Children’s Bureau of the U S Department of Health and Human Services, in 2021, about 17% of child abuse reports were made by friends, neighbors, and relatives, and the rest were made by professionals such as

Witch

Ultimately, National Child Abuse Prevention Month is not only about bringing attention to the issue of child maltreatment but also about taking steps to prevent it Taking action to reduce the likelihood of child abuse is a critical step toward creating a better future for our community Together, let’s keep children safe across SWFL and end child maltreatment For more information contact the Children’s Advocacy Center of Southwest Florida on our website: cac-swfl org or call 239939-2808

Julie Boudreaux is the CEO for the Children’s Advocacy Center of Southwest Florida

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

T o t h e e d i t o r : M s P a t t i C u m m i n g s h a s b e e n t h e v i c t i m o f a w i t c h h u n t . T h e m a y o r a n d c o u n c i l c o n t i n u e t o m o v e i n t h e w r o n g d i r e c t i o n H i r e a l a w y e r t o w a s t e m o r e o f o u r t a x p a y e r d o l l a r s t o i n v e s t i g a t e ? W h a t h a p p e n e d t o t h e c o u r t o f l a w ? I n n o c e n t t i l l p r o v e n g u i l t y Y o u h a v e a r i g h t t o k n o w y o u r a c c u s e r s

I d o n o t l i k e a n o n y m o u s l e t t e r s W i l l t h e r e a l p e r s o n p l e a s e s t a n d u p ?

R i g h t l y s o , G o v D e S a n t i s h a d n o c o m m e n t o n t h i s i s s u e A s l o n g a s s h e l i v e s i n C a p e C o r a l t h a t i s f i n e R e s i d e n c y - r e q u i r e d d i s t r i c t s h a v e f a i l e d A l l t h e c o u n c i l m e m b e r s v o t e o n a l l t h e i s s u e s f o r t h e v o t e r s L o u N a v a r r a C a p e C o r a l

Clean the city’s stor m drains

T o t h e e d i t o r : W h a t I h a v e n o t i c e d w h i l e t r a v e l i n g a r o u n d C a p e C o r a l i s t h a t a g r e a t m a j o r i t y o f o u r s t o r m s e w e r s a r e c l o g g e d w i t h d e b r i s f r o m H u r r i c a n e I a n A s w e h e a d i n t o t h e r a i n y s e a s o n , t h e o b v i o u s i s t h a t t h e y w i l l b e i n c a p a b l e o f h a n d l i n g r a i n w a t e r s w h i c h w i l l l e a d t o f l o o d i n g o f o u r r o a d w a y s a n d t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f b a c k i n g u p i n t o o u r r e s i d e n c e s T h i s i s s o m e t h i n g t h a t s h o u l d b e a d d r e s s e d i m m e d ia t e l y O t h e r w i s e , w e w i l l i n c u r f l o o d i n g a n d s t o r m d a ma g e t h a t c o u l d b e p r e v e n t e d J o h n J D e P a o l i s C a p e C o r a l

Don’t block fire hydrants

T o t h e e d i t o r : W e a r e i n t h e d r y s e a s o n a g a i n a n d s o m e o n e n e e d s t o s e e t h a t t h e f i r e d e p a r t m e n t h a s a c c e s s t o f i r e h y d r a n t s m e a n i n g p r o h i b i t i o n s o n o b s t r u c t i n g f i r e h y d r a n t s m u s t b e e n f o r c e d W i t h a l l t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n g o i n g o n t h e s e h y d r a n t s a r e b e i n g b l o c k e d b y t r u c k s , c a r s , e q u i p m e n t a n d o t h e r

i t e m s T h e s e c o m p a n i e s k n o w t h e y c a n ’ t o b s t r u c t h y d r a n t s b u t a p p a r e n t l y n o o n e i s e n f o r c i n g t h e v i o l at i o n . G a r y B o n g e r s C a p e C o r a l

The sky is falling…. and we’re all going to die!

T o t h e e d i t o r : Y e s I t i s p a r t l y t r u e N o n e o f u s w i l l g e t o u t o f h e r e a l i v e A s w e a g e ( w h i c h a l l o f u s a r e d o i n g ) w e b e c o m e m o r e a c c e p t i n g o f t h i s f a c t M o s t a d u l t s d o n o t f e a r d e a t h t h e w o r l d w i l l g o o n f u n c t i o n i n g m u c h t h e s a m e a s i t d i d b e f o r e w e w e r e b o r n b u t n o n e o f u s w a n t t o s u f f e r a t t h e e n d . M o d e r n m e d i c i n e c a n n o t k e e p u s a l i v e f o r e v e r b u t p h y s i c i a n s c a n a l l e v i a t e o u r p a i n a n d s u f f e r i n g w i t h m e d i c a t i o n s i f p o l i t i c i a n s w o u l d j u s t s t a y o u t o f o u r p r i v a t e m e d i c a l d e c i s i o n s P r e s c r i p t i o n p i l l s a r e a v a i l a b l e f o r a d y i n g p e r s o n t o s e l f - a d m i n i s t e r i f / w h e n t h e y d e c i d e t h a t t h e t i m e i s r i g h t t o h a s t e n d e a t h a n d n o t f u r t h e r p r o l o n g t h e i r s u f f e r i n g i n p r i v a c y o r s u r r o u n d e d b y l o v e d o n e s A n d t h e r e a r e s a f e g u a r d s i n p l a c e t o p r o t e c t a g a i n s t b e i n g m u rd e r e d w i t h t h e m b y t h o s e w h o m i g h t b e n e f i t f r o m o n e ’ s d e a t h T h e D E A h a s p r o p o s e d a r u l e c h a n g e p r e v e n t i n g d o c t o r s f r o m p r e s c r i b i n g c o n t r o l l e d s u b s t a n c e s v i a t e l e m e d i c i n e t h a t w o u l d h a v e a p r o f o u n d l y n e g a t i v e i m p a c t o n t e r m i n a l l y i l l p a t i e n t s T e l e m e d i c i n e v i s i t s w i t h p h y s i c i a n s h a v e b e c o m e c o m m o n s i n c e t h e C O V I D p a n d e m i c a n d m a n y d y i n g p a t i e n t s a r e t o o s i c k t o t r a v e l e v e n f o r a l o c a l d o c t o r v i s i t F e a r o f t e r m i n a l s u f f e r i n g a n d t h e d e s i r e t o c o n t r o l o n e ’ s o w n d e a t h a r e t h e m o s t c o m m o n r e a s o n s f o r p a t i e n t s t o r e q u e s t a n “ a s s i s t e d ” d e a t h F r e e d o m t o d e c i d e w h e n o n e h a s h a d e n o u g h s h o u l d b e r e s p e c t e d a n d i n v o l v e n o o n e e x c e p t t h e i r p h y s i c i a n e i t h e r i n p e r s o n o r v i a a t e l e m e d i c i n e v i s i t T h e m a i n p u r p o s e o f i n t r o d u c i n g “ a s s i s t e d d y i n g ” l e g i s l a t i o n i s t o p r o v i d e a “ s a f e a n d c o m f o r t a b l e ” d e a t h t o p a t i e n t s w h o b e l i e v e t h e y w i l l o t h e r w i s e h a v e t o

Sargassum will not impact regional shores

By ISABELLA McDONNELL

As Southwest Florida continues to endure the aftermath of Hurricane Ian and the effects of red tide, another potential issue has entered the news cycle Reports of a large patch of Sargassum algae forming in the Atlantic create new worries It is similar to red tide in that it can cause negative health effects and dissuade tourism

The formation of large patches is a relatively new issue, observed and studied since 2011 Small islands of floating algae have been observed offshore for centuries, but have recently increased over a hundred-fold The unusually large blooms can now be monitored via satellite Currently, this year’s bloom is twice as wide as the United States Last year, a record 22 million metric tons of Sargassum coated the Atlantic

As of now, Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation

Marine Lab scientists believe it is unlikely that the seaweed will affect the Southwest Florida coast The east coast of Florida is very likely to be impacted due to the Gulf Stream acting as a conveyor belt, running right next to the coast The algae has already begun washing ashore in Key West, and more is expected in the Keys before the end of the month

GUEST COMMENTARY

The Loop Current is far from Sanibel and Captiva It would take many days of a strong west wind for clumps to reach the islands Satellite images of the bloom can be found on the University of South Florida's Optical Oceanography Laboratory's webpage at https://optics marine usf edu/projects/SaWS html

Gas bladders, called pneumatocysts, cause the algae to float on the surface Offshore, the algae provide important habitat for many animals including juvenile sea turtles Many creatures find temporary and permanent homes within the leaves It serves as a nursery for young species, a resting place for seabirds, and a lifelong habitat for a variety of fish species

Nearshore, the algae can have a negative effect on coral reefs and seagrass beds by shading the seafloor from sunlight When the algae washes ashore, there are few solutions Beaches can be covered in 5-6 feet of rotting algae Using machinery to remove the algae can be fatal to sea turtle and

shorebird nests and can worsen shoreline erosion

When the algae decomposes without oxygen, or anaerobically, this can lead to the release of hydrogen sulfide gas and you may smell rotten eggs Should you encounter the algae, walking through or touching the algae is not recommended

High levels of nitrate, phosphate, and ammonium are tied to the growth of Sargassum, red tide, and other harmful algae blooms Researchers from Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute found that nitrogen levels had gone up by 45% in the area where sargassum forms since the 1980s

Runoff from river basins is believed to be a major contributor to the blooms Even those far from the coast are urged to limit fertilizer use in order to stop these issues from continuing to worsen

Isabella McDonnell is a research assistant for the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation's Marine Laboratory Founded in 1967, the SCCF's mission is to protect and care for Southwest Florida’s coastal ecosystems. For more information, visit www sccf org

SCCF provides legislative update on Week 4

By SANIBEL-CAPTIVA CONSERVATION FOUNDATION

As we approach mid-session, this week will likely be the last week for subcommittee meetings virtually closing the door after that on bills that have not yet been heard or are not moving in committee

Water quality

SB 1258 Use of Phosphogypsum passed 9-0 through the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee last week The bill authorizes demonstration projects and studies around the use of incorporating this by-product of phosphate mining into road bed construction According to the EPA, phosphogypsum can emit the radioactive gas, radon, and also contains other radio-active elements such as uranium, thorium and radium

The argument for using this by-product of the fertilizer industry is that it would provide a much needed aggregate for road bed materials and would be contained under asphalt in the road construction process While there were no legislators that opposed the bill outright, there were some that

From page 4

endure unbearable suffering at the end of life

We should all ask our elected officials and DEA to please not make the end of life harder for terminally ill patients Do not burden them and their families with even more pain and suffering Do not implement restrictive rules that serve no humane purpose Contact DEA 571-776-2840 or email dea gov

Currently, in the Florida Senate, is SB864 the “Death with Dignity Act” bill that was assigned to the Health Policy C o m m i t t e e b u t C h a i r p e r s o n S e n a t o r Colleen Burton has not scheduled it for review Her website states that she works to “preserve conservative values ” She can be contacted and reminded that death is not conservative or liberal Google her name for contacting her by an email link Her office number is 850-487-5012 to call to request SB864 be put on the Health policy agenda for review

GUEST COMMENTARY

would like to see the study process completed before demonstration projects commenced Of particular concern is any potential leachate that may occur once the layer of confining asphalt cracks or erodes from weatherization and wear

The identical House version, HB 1191, passed 14-0 in the House Infrastructure and Tourism Appropriation Subcommittee with similar comments Both bills have one more committee stop before the bill reaches their respective House and Senate floors for a full vote

Growth management/land use

SB 540 Local Government Comprehensive Plans also passed the Senate Judiciary Committee by a vote of 83 This is the very bad bill that adds the provision for prevailing party’s attorney’s fees to citizen’s challenges of local government comprehensive plans In addition to the previous reasons for opposing the bill, such as ignoring already

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

In the Florida House, the “Florida Endof-Life Options Act” HB 1231 has been assigned to the Healthcare Regulation subcommittee but Chairperson Representative Chuck Clemons has not scheduled it on the a g e n d a f o r r e v i e w E m a i l h i m a t I n f o @ C h u c k C l e m o n s c o m o r c a l l h i s office 352-681-1664 to request he put HB 1231 on the agenda

In support of assisted dying, a Death with Dignity group exists in Florida If you want the “freedom” to decide for yourself how and when you will end your life, consider checking out this organization and supporting their efforts to help you at deathwithdignity org

Lynn A Hagedorn MD Cape Coral

Your tax dollars at work

To the editor:

Tax season is upon us The Grand Old Party of Republican monopoly in Florida prides itself on not taxing the wealthier T h e y s h o u l d g e t f u l l m a r k s f o r t h i s

existing protections for avoiding frivolous lawsuits and freezing citizen involvement in their local growth management process, bill sponsor Sen Nick DiCeglie added a bad amendment to eliminate some elements of comprehensive plan review and to expedite the already limited state review process Testimony from 1000 Friends of Florida gave an example of the havoc the amendment would impose in South Florida and on specific areas of Everglades restoration in particular The amendment and the bill still passed with promises to look at future improvements to the amendment

The similar House version, HB 359, is headed for the House floor after passing all of its committee stops Any amendments will have to be reconciled between the houses, but the bill will surely be a veto target if it passes

Visit the 2023 SCCF Legislative Tracker at https://www sccf org/our-work/environmental-policy

Founded in 1967, the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation's mission is to protect and care for Southwest Florida’s coastal ecosystems For more information, visit www.sccf.org.

accomplishment The insurance corporations are now largely exempted from having to pay out to citizens in Florida for contracted liability protection, and our drinking water continues to deteriorate due to the generous contribution of pollution from the pesticides and fertilizer of the generous GOP donor class You tax dollars are used to hide the horror of dead fish with “beach cleaning ”

At the federal level our GOP continues to decry “wasteful” government spending, including the $117 billion of uninsured losses the federal government could reimburse in Lee County from Hurricane Ian That money could have gone to Floridians in Federal tax rebates for those who took l o s s e s d u e t o t h e h u r r i c a n e A f t e r Hurricane Irma you were able to write off your losses in the following tax season, but Congress dropped the ball on this deduction for Ian

Perhaps as the Florida GOP delegation to Congress continues to advocate for “ c u t s ” i n s p e n d i n g f o r p r o g r a m s t h a t

affect other Americans, we in Lee County c a n a n t i c i p a t e a m a g n a n i m o u s groundswell from our fellow Americans to send $117 billion in money our way while our legislators hold up the debt ceili n g w i t h p e t u l a n t b u t u n a r t i c u l a t e d demands Perhaps

Other tax increases that occurred under the watch of the Republicans this year?

Those of you with a job and children, lost the higher offset on your tax liability for Earned Income Credit To me that constitutes a tax increase on working parents If you used a standard deduction in 2021 and you donated $600, you could have written that off Now you are taxed on that money, and the charitable donation is not a tax offset To my thinking that constitutes a tax increase If you are not one of the richest persons in American, you may wonder how much tax help you are getting R e m e m b e r i n A p r i l , y o u c a n n o t v o t e i f y o u a r e n o t r e g i s t e r e d t o v o t e E l l e n S t a r b i r d C a p e C o r a l

o n the Opi ni o ns pag e s are jus t that o pi ni o ns . The s e pag e s are i nte nde d to c o nv e y a rang e o f v i e w po i nts ; o pi ni o ns pri nte d o n thi s pag e do no t ne c e s s ari l y re f l e c t the v i e w s o f thi s ne w s pape r. Oppo s i ng v i e w s are w e l c o me . Le tte rs to the e di to r o r g ue s t c o l umns may be e - mai l e d to v harri ng @ bre e z e ne w s pape rs c o m A l l l e tte rs and g ue s t o pi ni o ns mus t be s i g ne d and mus t i nc l ude a pho ne numbe r f o r v e ri f i c ati o n purpo s e s Re ade rs are al s o i nv i te d to c o mme nt o n any l e tte r o r e di to ri al o pi ni o n o nl i ne at: c ape c o ral bre e z e c o m

Cape residents prepare for fight to keep Hunter’s Run Golf Course green

By DEVON CRUMPACKER news@newspapers com

Developers have withdrawn a proposed change to Cape Coral’s Future Land Use Map that would have seen the demolition of Hunter’s Run Golf Course and the rise of multiple four-story multi-family apartment buildings The move to withdraw the proposal came after an uproar from community members surrounding the golf course

“The problem with greenspace is, once you take it away and put up buildings, it’s gone,” said Barbara DeSouza, a resident of the Hunter’s Run neighborhood “And you can’t get it back ”

DeSouza, with roughly 250 other concerned citizens, were in attendance at a community meeting organized by Keep our Parks and Rec, a local organization created in response to the proposed amendment that would allow the land occupied by Hunter’s Run Golf Course to be rezoned from parks and recreation to multi-family housing

“We’ve gained over 300 followers on our Facebook page in only 48 hours And it’s a private page,” said Charlie Pease of Keep our Parks and Rec, a Cape resident who lives in the Hunter’s Run neighborhood and spokesperson for the organization

However, despite the organization's growing popularity and the developer’s move to withdraw its original proposal, Keep our Parks and Rec members have no illusions about the fight being over

“I knew they withdrew it last Wednesday,” said Pease to a packed audience at New Hope Church, where the group met Monday evening “But they’re bringing it back ”

Pease was referring to an anticipated filing of an amended ordinance proposal, as the developer’s original proposal failed to get the recommendation of the city's planning staff The reasons set forth in the recommendation for denial included the plan’s failure to align with the city's Comprehensive Plan, and concerns about the health, safety and welfare of the community, as well as concerns over land suitability, traffic, and city infrastructure

“They’re going to put all the retention basins in there,” said Warren Wilgus, another community member in attendance at the Monday meeting “They’re going to fill all over So, are we now going to be in a flood zone, costing people thousands of dollars in flood insurance?”

Other attendees, like Edward Castillo, worried about the potential for crime and property value loss

“I’m going to touch on the subject of property loss for everyone in this neighborhood,” said Castillo “Someone else’s gain is a whole

neighborhood’s loss ”

Privacy was also a topic of concern, with attendee Sheryl Scalamero adding, “I don’t want to have somebody build a four-story building overlooking our pool I already have an issue in a bathing suit ”

Burrowing owls may also present a problem for developers, according to Michele Mold of Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife

“You guys have three owl burrows,” said Mold to the crowd “Not one, but three So that’s three pairs One was (found on GPS) before I arrived and we found the other two ”

Attendee Al Camp pointed out a notion many in the room agreed with: “There aren’t enough affordable golf (courses) in the Cape And Hunter’s Run is one of them.”

Pease, who emceed the event, questioned the process

“I want to talk about politics for a second,” said Pease “Because here’s what actually happened in my opinion, in our opinion ”

Pease said the developer's original zoning ordinance proposal was placed on the Planning and Zoning Commission’s meeting agenda so the commission could make a recommendation to City Council Council could then have the final vote at a regular meeting, which in this case was already scheduled for April 19

That was awfully quick with little room

for public input, Pease contends

“They were trying to ram this through, before we could have a voice,” said Pease “Politicians don’t do something like this unless they have the votes lined up Period They believed this was a done deal ”

Before ending his comments, Pease touched on a few further arguments backed by Keep our Parks and Rec, such as exploring using Cape Corals GO Bond to purchase the Hunter’s Run property In 2018, Cape Coral voters approved a $60 million expansion of the city's parks and recreation amenities The approved 15-year general obligation bond will fund major parks and recreation improvements throughout the city However, Pease noted that this option was unlikely.

Pease also pointed out that the old Cape Coral golf course, a 175-acre green space, was abandoned for more than a decade and sat run-down and overgrown for years without being rezoned out of parks and recreation

Pease then floated the idea of purchasing the Hunter’s Run Golf Course as an equity group, amongst those members in attendance at the Monday meeting, to which he received a large applause He also thanked Cape Corals Friends of Wildlife as being instrumental in their efforts to support the green effort

A representative for the developers, Joe

Mazurkiewicz of BJM consulting and a former Cape Coral mayor, was also given time on stage to speak to the crowd And while he said he was on the same page as Pease for the most part, he denied any backdoor deals happening between the developers and City Council

“There no was backroom deal made This did not get expedited This has been in the planning process since before the hurricane It came up like every other case that comes up.”

Mazurkiewicz went on to explain why the original proposal and its enactment ordinance was voluntarily withdrawn from the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting agenda by the developers, stating that the developers were going to have to adhere to similar demands made during past zoning disputes

“You are going to have to meet the same demands (the city) made for the other developments,” said Mazurkiewicz “Linear parks around the outside, have a hundred-foot setback, enhance buffering around the outside ”

Before his five minutes were up, Mazurkiewicz managed to ruffle a few feathers as well

“This project will not survive as a golf course That’s clear Golf courses are a thing of the past in Southwest Florida,” Mazurkiewicz said to guffaws

“You folks want to keep it a golf course, God bless you,” Mazurkiewicz said “You want to make it Parks and Rec I understand that the owner approached the city about selling it to the city and the city had no interest in it ”

Mazurkiewicz also got candid about the need for multi-family homes in Cape Coral

“I’ve been doing land interest in Cape Coral since 1985,” he said “The last thing we need in Cape Coral are single-family homes We need some other residential offerings ”

Before the meeting closed, District 5 Cape Coral City Councilmember Robert Welsh gave some remarks, thanking the crowd for its input

“I wanted to hear from all of you tonight As your representative, I wanted to hear what your thoughts were I wanted to speak with the developer I also wanted to help you best represent your voice through City Council,” said Welsh “After reviewing everything, and seeing how the community has come out against this, I tend to agree with you guys right now ”

During the final words of the meeting, Pease reiterated the underlying theme of the night: “We will not compromise on this issue,” he said, adding that it’s not just about our neighborhood “This is a citywide issue ”

Keep Our Parks & Rec brings its message to Cape Council

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

Developers may have pulled their request for a land use change, but a sea of green still filled the Cape Coral City Council Chambers Wednesday as residents shared their concerns about the possibility of a multi-family apartment building being built on the Hunter’s Run Golf Course

One of those speakers was Charlie Pease, of Keep Our Parks and Rec He asked Council to make the opinion publically to keep the Hunter’s Run Golf Course designation so as to keep its parks and recreation forever

After many speakers, Councilmember Robert Welsh told attendees that he is against any sort of change in the zoning.

“I don’t know what the other council members will say, or do I will do what I can to advocate for this community,” he said

There were many other residents that spoke about the importance of green space,

Mayor John Gunter to those providing input at Wednesday’s Cape Coral City Council meeting

both for a safe place for their children to play and ride their bikes, as well as wildlife to call their home

One resident said it was simple thousands of cars versus kids in the road, the car wins every time

Karen Jones, another resident of the Hunter’s Run Golf Course community, said green space is incredibly important, not just in terms of recreation and activity, but for the beautification of the neighborhood She expressed great concern for her granddaughter being able to play in the front yard

“The influx of thousands of cars coming through day, or night, (it will) no longer be a safe place for my granddaughter I am strongly opposed,” Jones said

Scott Wolfe asked why a beautiful recreation park would be turned into an apartment complex in the middle of an established neighborhood

“We have a very nice quiet neighborhood with very understandable traffic. People see people and slow down It is a very safe environment,” he said

Mayor John Gunter thanked everyone for

their emails and for attending Wednesday’s meeting

“There is a process for this type of a zoning change If an applicant comes forward they are entitled to that process,” he said “We can’t give you the decision you are looking for today On the face of it, I certainly do not support it when you look at the location of the golf course where you have to literally go through a maze to go back to it The majority of these multi-family facilities are on a main thoroughfare That is the main reason I wouldn’t support it. It’s not a good fit for me ”

Gunter said the proposal could come before Planning and Zoning again in the future, and then would come before the Council for a decision

“Our city recognizes how important parks are and how important green spaces (are),” he said “We will see where the process takes us Stay engaged and we do hear you ”

DEVON CRUMPACKER

Charlie Pease of Keep our Parks and Rec, a Cape resident who lives in the Hunter ’s Run neighborhood and spokesperson for the organization, speaks at Monday’s grass roots protest of a land use change that would allow for development of the golf course acreage.

“Our city recognizes how important parks are and how important green spaces (are). We will see where the process takes us. Stay engaged and we do hear you.”

‘Walk, Wiggle, Wag & Run’ fundraiser to support Cape Coral animal shelter

Members of the community and their dogs can walk, wiggle, or run, as well as show off a talent next weekend, all in support of Cape Coral’s animal shelter

On April 15, the Cape Coral Animal Shelter will host “Walk, Wiggle, Wag & Run,” a timed 5K, fun walk, and family friendly event to benefit the animals As an added bonus, you can bring your dog

The newest of the shelter’s Signature Series events, Walk, Wiggle, Wag & Run is an event intended to raise vital funds to help the homeless, unwanted, and neglected animals that find themselves in care of CCAS

The day begins with the timed 5K fun with dogs welcome Next will be a 1-mile dog friendly “strut” around the neighborhood and CCAS campus Participants are asked to register to run and/or walk and also seek sponsors to raise money for the shelter Teams are encouraged and there will be prizes for the top fundraiser and the top fundraising team

“We have combined two of our signature events (Walk Wiggle, Wag and our 5K Run) in order to make it a whole day of fun and festivities for the whole family,” said CCAS Executive Director Liz McCauley “Of course, it is a fundraiser and now more than ever we need donations As we all struggle to rebuild after the hurricane, donations are down and expenses are up Every dollar we raise makes a different in the lives of the animals we save.”

The day will also feature music, vendors, food trucks, and activities for the whole family The run starts at 8 a m , the “strut” starts at 11 a m Tours of the shelter will also be available

“We have something for everyone,” McCauley said “For our runners, not only is this a timed event but one of the few where your pup can join you For those who

enjoy a nice stroll, we have our 1-mile walk, with or without your pups Or you can come by and enjoy food and merchandise from over 35 vendors ”

T h e a f t e r n o o n h i g h l i g h t w i l l b e a P e t Talent/Costume Contest starting at 1p m where pets are encouraged to show off their talents and cuteness Dogs are welcome and must be on a standard leash (Retractable leashes are not allowed )

“We have several categories where you can enter your pet to win awesome prizes,” McCauley said “This will be very fun to watch, too Music is provided by DJ Bollea who is always entertaining and you are welcome to tour the shelter and see our adoptable animals looking for a forever home ”

The mission of the Cape Coral Animal Shelter is “to engage a special bond between people and animals by means of adoption services, medical care, education, and training for the prevention of cruelty and abandonment ” The shelter provides a safe place where animals can remain in their care until they are placed in qualified, forever homes

“CCAS brings hope to South Florida’s homeless dogs and cats by understanding their needs and bringing an increased level of awareness to the intolerance of a n i m a l a b u s e i n o u r c o m m u n i t y , ” s a i d P a m e l a Aubuchon, chair of Walk, Wiggle, Wag & Run and CCAS Board vice president “This family-friendly, dog friendly even allows each of us to be part of our mission of making a difference for the animals of our community ”

Those interested in participating in the run, talent contest, or sponsorship, can visit www capecoralanimalshelter com to register The event includes a team challenge, so corporate participation is encouraged There will be prizes for the top fundraising teams and individuals

IF YOU GO:

What: “Walk, Wiggle, Wag & Run”

When: Saturday, April 15

Where: Cape Coral Animal Shelter, 325 SW 2nd Ave , Cape Coral

Registration:

Those interested in participating in the run, talent contest, or sponsorship, can visit www capecoralanimalshelter com to register

Civic Center: County to invest $375,000 to make critical repairs

Davidson House, the horse, beef and swine barns, as well as the grand pavilion The motion also included that the 100th year fair will take place there next year, and the 4-H program will remain solvent and in good shape

Assistant County Manager Marc Mora said the issues that need to be addressed include exit signs, evacuation lights, trip hazards, fire detection and suppression systems and code compliance, such as electrical The costs are coming out of the existing county budget with a completion date of April 14, providing 4-H use of the buildings

The estimated priority one repairs for the Civic Center are $375,000 and will take six to eight months to complete

Assistant County Manager Christine Brady said they want to prioritize Tinsley Pavillion and the Davidson House, then focus on the barns and the grand pavilion

“We will use staff in house and those funds needed, we have been able to identify within our existing budget,” she said “The three barns and grand pavillion fall within county authority to use the existing budget to make those fixes The Civic Center, $375,000, does not fall under our authority to make those life safety (repairs) By fixing that it will make it open and available for use, not long-term fixes.”

Another aspect of the conversation dealt with the management agreement with the Southwest Florida & Lee County Fair Association, something that has been in place for 27 years The management agreement with the association, by its own terms, would expire at sunset Sept 30, 2023 with no further action needed

“It costs us about $50,000 a month to

maintain that property In that period of time that cost us about $16 2 million Yes, we all agree that the property could use some updating, particularly the Civic Center, but imagine you have a 45-yearold building made of metal that sits in Florida sun all the time It cost us a lot of money to keep that building running We put an additional $4 million in various improvements out there all on county land,” fair association Secretary Tom Knafel said “We have done considerably more than what we are required to do "

The board built the Tinsley Pavilion for $200,000 They also put in a new horse arena for $150,000, Knafel said,

“All we are really asking, we have tried to be good stewards of the property for a very long time A good partner does things that are not in the agreement because it is the right thing to do and that is what has been done by the fair board for 27 years,” he said

The next steps are decision points related to the Civic Center and the current agreement they have in place with the fair board, Brady said

“In good faith, I am trying to let the tenant have some ability to talk to us,” Commissioner Kevin Ruane said. “When it sunsets Sept 30 we can do whatever we want to do There is no more agreement whatsoever We have complete autonomy What I am trying to achieve in good faith is to not have them feel abandoned The only thing we are contractually obligated to do is the fair ”

There was discussion on extending the sunset 12 more months for the fair association, which ultimately did not receive full support County Attorney Richard Wesch said extending the agreement until 2024

removes the singular ability of the county to direct and control the future physical improvements on the property

“If you extend the agreement, those types of repairs would be subject to negotiation with the Fair Association,” he said Fair Board Director Randy Crone said it is the county’s facility, they just help manage it

“It sunsets on the 30th Even if you do a new agreement, it is still your building, you can fix it We want it fixed This is your property, your building, we are never going to tell you not to work on it This is about the community, what is good for the community,” he said

Commissioner Mike Greenwell said with an extended agreement it would not allow the county to take the operation of the facility over

“The staff’s job is still to negotiate with the fair board to run the fair The facility will be taken back over by the county, so we can make repairs,” he said of the Sept 30 sunset date “The life issues are not the only repairs that need to be made When the fair is there, all the bright lights take your attention away from what is wrong We should have the control of the facility to make sure it is safe for our community.”

County Manager Roger Desjarlais said this is not a new discussion, as it started a couple of years ago when the Lee County Civic Center conversation was prompted by the late commissioner Frank Mann

“It is old, worn out, 100 acres of incredibly valuable property,” he said, adding that they need to continue along the process of redevelopment in the not-so-distant future

Desjarlais said Lee County has not invested in the property over time, which,

in retrospect they should have He said it is not a criticism of the Fair Association, as no one really contemplated the Fair Association and a business model that is unable to afford repairs and upgrades necessary

“It needs to be in the hands of local government with some way to manage it to redevelop property and replace and fix buildings to current standards,” Desjarlais

Greenwell said the contract states the fair association is to maintain the facility in good condition

“It really wasn’t the county’s obligation to do it,” he said, adding that the association should return the facility back to the county in the condition they received it “That obviously will not happen It takes leadership to step up and say we can no longer allow a county facility to be the condition it is There is a real issue out there that has to be addressed addressing a building 40 to 45 years old ”

Greenwell said the Lee County Civic Center is in very poor condition that does not live up to the standards of a Lee County facility

“I have been out there buying animals and supporting the community There is not enough seating out there for the buyers to even have a seat We do a lot for the ballfields We do a lot for our youth in this county, but we have not done a lot for our 4-H program It’s an embarrassment for me to see that facility in the condition it is in,” Greenwell said “They deserve better than that Our community deserves better than that They deserve a state-of-the art facility It is time to stand up and do something better ”

Lee Civic Center complex at the Crossroads

By CHUCK BALLARO news@breezenewspapers com

For Bobbi Harrison, a fifth-generation Floridian who's lived in North Fort Myers since 1968, there are a lot of great memories associated with the Lee Civic Center, from concerts to high school graduations and, of course, the Lee County Fair

What the future holds for the next generations, though, is as yet undetermined as the Lee Board of County Commissioners last week voted to take over the facility, citing concerns over the safety of the buildings

The county has closed all the buildings at the more than 100-acre Bayshore Road facility It will be surveyed for future discussion

“I don’t want to see it go It’s been a staple here, and next year is the 100th fair and that kind of blows everything out of the water,” Harrison said “Are we having a fair and where is it going to be ”

But permanent closure, at least in its current configuration, could be a possibility

Last weekend’s Florida Gun Show was the last event at the big old building, at least for a while and perhaps ever as the county, which owns the building, decides what to do next with the aging facility

The Southwest Florida and Lee County Fair Association has run the property over the past 25 years, pouring millions of dollars into its upkeep But it’s been running the grounds on a year-by-year basis the past couple years and its latest deal expires in September

Mike Peak, president of the fair board, said they support anything the county will do to improve the facility

“We knew this was coming a year ago when they voted to fund the studies of the buildings that they would be making decisions,” Peak said “I applaud them, whatever they want to do. That’s great for the community and the board feels that way ”

The Lee Civic Center opened in 1979 and hosted a myriad of events from rock concerts to pro wrestling to the circus

However, when the stands were condemned nearly a decade ago, it severely limited what the big building can do It could only do floor shows like the gun show, home shows and

FILE PHOTO

Fair Manager Fran Crone, who has run the fair for the Southwest Florida & Lee County Fair Association for more than a decade, stands before one the memorabilia boards at the Lee County Civic Center The fair will celebrate its 100th anniversary next year, and the Lee County Board of County Commissioners says that milestone will again be marked on the Civic Center grounds off Bayshore Road in North Fort Myers

events during the fair

Meanwhile, the rest of the grounds are aging as well, with Whaley Hall being severely damaged by Hurricane Ian last year The county must now decide what to do next, either renovate or replace It is expected to cost around $15 5 million to renovate the Civic Center building and $42 2 million to

rebuild it The renovation of the entire complex will be around $22 million, with replacement being more than $53 million

This is not the first time the Civic Center’s future has been explored In 2021, when the fair association was up for another contract, it got competition from Kitson & Partners, which has been developing Babcock Ranch on the Charlotte side of the Charlotte-Lee County line

Kitson & Partners proposed buying the Civic Center property, pairing it with the 62 acres it owns adjacent to the site, and building a large-scale development off Bayshore Road where it ends at SR 31

After hearing the outcry from residents, the county cancelled the Invitation to Negotiate and extended the fair contract by another year

Last year, the BOCC approved an architectural and structural assessment of the buildings, which has led to this moment

Peak said they don’t need the Civic Center to hold the fair, whether that means at the current location or somewhere else

“It’s nice to have it, but we don’t need it to do the fair or a reduction in the things we do,” Peak said “We can bring in a portable for the fair office during the fair The main thing would be the bathrooms, which I think are usable ”

The Lee County Board of County Commissioners discussed options during its meeting on Tuesday at the Old Lee County Courthouse

They decided the aging Lee County Civic Center will undergo some immediate repairs while the county decides the long-term fate of the facility

The Lee County Board of County Commissioners agreed to authorize more than $300,000 in immediate health and safety repairs to Civic Center buildings, but also asked staff to prepare an agenda item for the elected board’s next meeting to further the discussion on the county-owned property on Bayshore Road in North Fort Myers

The county meanwhile, is accepting public input Lee County residents are invited to participate in a survey to share ideas about the features and amenities important to a reimagined Lee Civic Center

Go to www leegov com/CivicCenter for the survey and related information

APRIL

Local market holds as economic and geopolitical turmoil grow

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

Dear Mr. Feichthaler:

I recently moved here from Wisconsin and had a will done there several years ago I named my three kids as beneficiaries I have read your columns about Enhanced Life Estate Deeds and want to make sure I avoid probate However, one of my children has helped me a lot, both emotionally and financially, so I want to give the Cape Coral house to my daughter If I have you prepare a life estate deed and it conflicts with my will, does this create a problem and put it right back into probate?

Karissa S

Dear Karissa,

People move from all over the country to Cape Coral, many of whom have a similar question

The good news is your Wisconsin will, so long as it was signed with the formalities required in Wisconsin, will be recognized in Florida So, from an initial standpoint, if your beneficiaries, personal representat i v e s o r o t h e r w i s h e s haven’t changed, then you are not required to execute a new will

Eric P Feichthaler

Real Estate Law

T h e L a s t W i l l a n d T e s t a m e n t a d d r e s s e s assets that are in your estate My goal for clients is to eliminate the need to look at the will for most assets by titling them to pass directly to beneficiaries As discussed in prior columns, the Enhanced Life Estate Deed is ideal to convey real property to heirs without any need for probate or court intervention It should be noted that nearly any financial account can be similarly titled, so probate can be avoided on financial accounts

When beneficiaries are specifically indicated on a life estate deed, they will own the property, subject to any existing liens like mortgages, with the recording of a death certificate The property in this case will pass outside the will, so your provisions in the will do not apply to the transfer Keep in mind there are some exceptions, for instance you cannot bypass your spouse or minor children on homestead property In most instances, though, the life estate deed will work as described, and your property would not need to have any probate proceedings

Although new documents are not always required when residents relocate to Florida, it is a good idea to review what was done to ensure it continues to serve your wishes Also, advance directives like powers of attorney can be significantly different in Florida than other states, and may require updating In your case, the Florida life estate deed you are considering will benefit your helpful daughter once signed and recorded

A number of economic and market pundits have been forecasting clear blue skies ahead based on the belief that the recent banking “turmoil” would force the Jerome Powell-led Federal Reserve to abandon its “higher interest rates for longer” fight against inflation in favor of a more stimulative “lower interest rates sooner” policy This group of pundits believed that the high levels of inflation had not only been contained, but that inflation was well on the way to significantly lower levels They also viewed last month’s sudden banking crisis as being “contained” and limited to nothing more than some pesky turmoil

Bob and Geri Quinn Homing

With oil prices reaching 16-month lows several weeks ago, the inflation picture was indeed looking much brighter until the OPEC nations shocked the system by announcing production cuts earlier this week causing oil prices to spike higher With talk of oil prices potentially moving back towards $100 per barrel, inflation concerns reignited and could end up forcing the Fed to go back to its “higher interest rates for longer” policy This, combined with other factors, seems to be leading to the growing economic risks of Stagflation and the possibility of deeper recession In addition, some economists are expecting tighter lending standards and the potential for a debt crisis to lead to a contraction in the availability of credit for businesses and consumers Several prominent people, including the CEO of banking giant JP Morgan Chase, Jamie Dimon, have been expressing their views that the banking crisis is far from over, which would seem to indicate that we are likely in for a bumpy landing

Locally, we continue to see some bright spots in the Cape Coral real estate market as the number of overall closed home sales continues to rise based on the preliminary numbers for the month of March Although the number closed single-family home sales in the Cape are down substantially from a year ago when there were 686 closed home sales in March 2022, versus 465 so far this March (this number will likely be adjusted higher as more end of the month sales are reported), sales have made an impressive move higher from the post-Hurricane Ian low of 223 sales last October.

Also of note, the number of closed home sales in the Cape this March have hit their highest level since there were 477 sales posted last July as the impact of the

Mayhugh Commercial advisors

wins CREXi Platinum Broker Award

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n g t o n , D C , h e returned to Southwest Florida to practice law and raise a family He served as mayor of Cape Coral from 2005-2008, and continues his service to the community through the Cape Coral Caring Center, Cape Coral

See CONFLICT, page 15

In

Federal Reserve’s aggressive interest rate hikes and its war on inflation started taking their toll on our market prior to Ian stunning our area on Sept 28 Our alltime single monthly high for closed home sales in Cape Coral occurred in April 2021, when 739 sales were booked For their part, median sales prices for single-family homes in the Cape have been flattening out at levels that are well below last year’s best month, which was in April when the median sales price topped out at $470,000 for our overall market The preliminary number for the m e d i a n s a l e s p r i c e t h i s M a r c h i s $415,000, and if this number holds, it will mark the first time since April 2020 that a median sales price for a given month came in lower versus the same month from the previous year One year ago, in March 2022, the median sales price in the Cape’s overall single-family home market was $420,000 Unless there is a huge upside spike in median sales prices for closed sales this April, we would expect to begin seeing somewhat weaker and more negative year-over-year median sales price comparisons for the next several months. Some of the weakness in median sales prices is due to the continued below market sales prices of storm-damaged homes

Some additional good news showed up in the pending sales numbers, which experienced a late-month surge in March Two weeks ago we noted a slight dip in pending sales based on our weekly market survey, but as of April 4 there were 920 pending sales for Cape Coral single-family homes, up 8 2% from the 850 pending sales on March 21 Three months ago on Jan 3, there were only 522 pending sales in the pipeline So we have had a solid “season” from January through March, as our market continues to establish its equilibrium in the aftermath of the scorching hot post-COVID market boom, higher interest rates and the post-Hurricane Ian recovery

About one year ago on April 12, 2022, there were 1,024 Cape Coral homes under contract as pending sales, including 83 homes at $1 million and above Today, the 920 pending sales range in price from $175,000 to $3 9 million, with 51 homes under contract with a buyer at $1 million and above, and 582 homes or 63 3% of our market at $450,000 and under The median pending home sales price in the Cape is at $410,000 (the same as two weeks ago)

Shifting over to the number of active listings in the MLS for Cape Coral single family homes, there were 1,439 homes available on the market as of April 3, which was down 2 8% from the 1,481 active listings two weeks ago,

See LOCAL MARKET, page 15

REAL ESTATE BRIEF

C h a s e M a y h u g h , S I O R , C C I M o f M a y h u g h C o m m e r c i a l A d v i s o r s w a s n a m e d C o m m e r c i a l R e a l E s t a t e E x c h a n g e I n c P l a t i n u m B r o k e r f o r 2 0 2 2 , r e c o gn i z i n g t h e h i g h e s t p e r f o r m i n g b r o k e r s o n t h e C r e x i p l a tf o r m P l a t i n u m B r o k e r A w a r d s a r e p e r f o r m a n c e - b a s e d , r e c o g n i z i n g t h e t o p o n e p e r c e n t o f c o m m e r c i a l r e a l e s t a t e b r o k e r s o n C r e x i ’ s n a t i o n a l p l a t f o r m . N o m i n a t i o n i s b a s e d o n h i g h e n g a g e m e n t , h i g h p r o p e r t y s e a r c h s c o r e , u s e a n d k n o w l e d g e o f C r e x i ’ s m a r k e t i n g p o r t a l , d e a l s c l o s e d o n C r e x i , a s w e l l a s n u m b e r o f l e a d s p e r l i s t i n g , t o t a l l i s t i n g s a n d t o t a l v a l u e

C r e x i i s c o m m e r c i a l r e a l e s t a t e ’ s f a s t e s t - g r o w i n g m a r k e t p l a c e , d a t a a n d t e c h n o l o g y p l a t f o r m I t b r i n g s 2 3 92 7 8 - 4 9 4

5

o r v i s i t M a y h u g h C o m m e r c i a l c o m

For t Myers Brewing to host National Beer Day celebration today

Fort Myers Brewing Company is celebrating National Beer Day from noon to 11 p m , today, April 7, featuring specialty beer releases, food and live music

On tap for National Beer Day is Fort Myers Brewing’s Hazy 5 and Last in Lime, a salt and lime Mexican lager, as well as a Best Florida Beer 2023 fourmedal winning flight of High 5 IPA, OYA Double IPA, Red Tape Amber Ale and Barrel-Aged Brown N’ Out, which recently earned state recognition at the 2023 B e s t F l o r i d a B e e r P r o f e s s i o n a l Champion-ships

Throughout the day, guests can enjoy dishes from four local food trucks includi n g C o s i t a s G o u r m e t , F a r m e r ’ s C o r n , King’s Taco’s & Burritos and Mobstah Lobstah, as well as live music by Hot Buttered Nuggets – performing at Fort Myers Brewing for the first time – at 7 p m

Festivities will be held at Fort Myers Brewing Company, 12811 Commerce Lakes Drive, Suite 28, in Fort Myers

For additional information, please visit Facebook com/FMBrew or call 239-3136576

Sanibel Captiva Community Bank promotes Neeld

Sanibel Captiva Community Bank has promoted Sharon Neeld to senior vice president and director of loan servicing and administration Neeld is based in the bank’s operations center at its Bridge Branch, located at 9311 College Parkway, Fort Myers She is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the bank’s loan servicing and administration for both residential and commercial loans Neeld and her team manage all administrative aspects of loans from the time the proceeds are dispersed to the borrower until the loan is paid off

Neeld has more than 40 years of financial experience, including over 35 years in loan administration and servicing. She joined the bank in 2017 as vice president of loan servicing and has been a Cape Coral resident since 2012

Founded in 2003 and celebrating its 2 0 t h a n n i v e r s a r y , S a n i b e l C a p t i v a Community Bank has six open locations

throughout Lee County

Sanibel Captiva Community Bank’s team members provide customized individual and business banking services and specialize in residential and commercial lending The bank offers free personal and business checking, deposit accounts with competitive interest rates, instant issue debit cards and a full array of digital banking products and services

T o l e a r n m o r e , p l e a s e v i s i t www SanCapBank com

Viles & Beckman law fir m offering Summer Inter nships

Fort Myers law firm Viles & Beckman LLC is offering paid Summer Internships for college students interested in the legal profession, and who are looking for a r e w a r d i n g a n d e d u c a t i o n a l e x p e r i e n c e working in one of the largest, local pers o n a l i n j u r y l a w f i r m s i n S o u t h w e s t Florida. The firm is offering two Legal Administrative Internships and one Legal IT/Tech Internship

L e g a l A d m i n i s t r a t i v e I n t e r n s c a n expect to learn about the Client Intake process, Case Management, and Legal Filings Legal IT/Tech Interns will learn about software specific to the legal field, N e t w o r k M a n a g e m e n t , a n d A P I Integration All interns will have the opportunity to work in a fast-paced law firm helping clients with a variety of legal issues.

Applications for Summer Internships at Viles & Beckman should be submitted a t h t t p s : / / v i l e s b e c k m a n b a m b o o h r c o m / careers Applicants must be currently enrolled in or pursuing a degree in prelaw, legal studies, or a related field

A p p l i c a n t s s h o u l d i n c l u d e a r e s u m e , cover letter, and references The Cover Letter should contain the following: What you think it takes to be a great Legal Intern, and How our Core Values speak to you personally Core Values can be found on the Application Page using the link above to a p p l y S u m m e r I n t e r n s h i p s a r e p a i d opportunities and will be offered MayAugust The deadline to apply is April 30, 2023

Headquartered in Fort Myers, Viles & Beckman is a personal injury law firm that represents people who have been injured or harmed by the actions or negligence of others The firm handles cases

that span the gamut of personal injury claims, including car accidents, slip and fall injuries, premises liability, product liability, burns from defective products, nursing home abuse, and more The attorneys at Viles & Beckman have over four decades of legal experience and are dedicated to advocating for their clients as if each and every client was an immediate family member

Province Proper ty Group ear ns accreditation

Province Property Group has earned accreditation from the National Home W a t c h A s s o c i a t i o n T h e N H W A w a s formed in 2009 in order to establish and maintain the highest industry standards for Home Watch and absentee homeowner services throughout the United States and Canada (www nationalhomewatchassociation org)

Home Watch is a visual inspection of a home or property, looking for obvious issues, which means that it is a service that “keeps an eye on things” at your vacation or primary home while you are not in residence All principals of NHWA Accredited Member companies are background-checked, insured, and bonded

Province Property Group serves Fort M y e r s , C a p e C o r a l , S a n i b e l , E s t e r o , Naples, Naples Park, and Fort Myers Beach You can reach them at (239-7229276 or at info@provinceproperty.net.

L e a r n m o r e f r o m t h e i r w e b s i t e , a t www provinceproperty net

Greater For t Myers Chamber’s April 11 luncheon to share legal tips for navigating stor m damage insurance

The Greater Fort Myers Chamber of C o m m e r c e ’ s m o n t h l y l u n c h e o n f r o m 11:30 a m to 1:15 p m , Tuesday, April 11, will share insights on navigating insurance policies, claims and storm damage protection for businesses and homes

R e f l e c t i n g o n s i x m o n t h s a f t e r

H u r r i c a n e I a n i m p a c t e d S o u t h w e s t Florida homes and businesses, Harvey Cohen, owner, founder and president of Cohen Law Group, will discuss “Facing

S t o r m D a m a g e – A H o m e o w n e r ’ s Guide,” providing strategies to safeguard businesses and homes from the devastating effects of storms

With years of experience in handling insurance policy topics and representing homeowners who suffered hurricane damage to their homes, Cohen has handled thousands of insurance claims and has built a reputation as a go-to attorney for legal cases pertaining to the restoration industry He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Florida and l a w d e g r e e f r o m S t e t s o n U n i v e r s i t y College of Law. He handled thousands of criminal cases as a state prosecutor for the State Attorney’s Office before branching out as a solo practitioner He has since grown his firm, Cohen Law Group, to over 75 attorneys and 220 employees

The chamber luncheon will take place at Embassy Suites by Hilton Fort MyersE s t e r o , l o c a t e d a t 1 0 4 5 0 C o r k s c r e w Commons Drive in Estero Admission is $25 for Chamber members and $35 for future members and includes lunch

To learn more or to register, visit FortMyers org or call 239-332-2930

White retur ns to Henderson

Franklin, Star ns & Holt

Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P A , has welcomed back seasoned litigation lawyer Robert White to the firm He has over a decade of experience representing insureds on various issues, such as motor vehicle crashes, premises liability, and construction defects

White is admitted to practice in all Florida and Alabama state courts He earned his law degree from Mississippi College School of Law and his undergradu a t e d e g r e e f r o m t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f A l a b a m a W h i t e m a y b e r e a c h e d a t robert white@henlaw com or by phone at 239-344-1237

Henderson Franklin, having been in business since 1924, provides a range of l e g a l s e r v i c e s t o t h e c o m m u n i t i e s o f Southwest Florida, including business and tax planning, estate planning, family law, b u s i n e s s a n d c i v i l l i t i g a t i o n , e m i n e n t domain, intellectual property, workers' c o m p e n s a t i o n , e m p l o y m e n t l a w , r e a l estate, and land use and environmental law Henderson Franklin has four offices in Fort Myers, Bonita Springs, Naples and Sarasota (by appointment)

To learn more about White or the H e n d e r s o n F r a n k l i n f i r m , p l e a s e v i s i t www henlaw com

Local market: Economic and geopolitical turmoil continue to grow

From page 14

but up 177% from the 519 active listings a year ago on April 12, 2022 Current list prices range from $240,000 to $4 231 million, with the median list price edging higher to $529,900 from $524,900 two weeks ago and up from $509,873 back on Jan. 3 of this year One year ago on April 12, 2022, the median list price was $595,500 on the way to its peak of $610,000 on April 19 of last year (based on our weekly market survey)

There are currently 523 active home listings in the Cape at $450,000 and under, with 13 of these listings priced below $300,000 At the other end of the spec-

trum, there are 202 homes listed for more than $1 million, with only 17 of these homes priced above $2 5 million Back on Jan. 3 of this year, there were 151 Cape Coral homes listed at $1 million and above, and one year ago on April 12, 2022, there were only 95 home listings in the Cape at $1 million and above Our million dollar home listings really started to increase after the market hit its peak and economic concerns grew as the Fed raised rates

We continue to see increased interest in Cape Coral real estate from out-of-town b u y e r s s e a r c h i n g f o r h o m e s o v e r t h e Internet While some of these potential buyers are looking to buy a home now, many are telling us they are monitoring our

market hoping to see prices come down Homes that are priced properly to the current market for their age, location, square footage and condition are likely to see immediate showing activity and will tend to get a competitive offer fairly quickly Most buyers that we are coming across are still looking to find a home that has already been updated and remodeled and that is in move-in ready condition

The sales data for this article was o b t a i n e d f r o m t h e F l o r i d a R e a l t o r s

Multiple Listing Service Matrix for Lee County, Fla , as of April 3, 2023, unless otherwise noted. It was compiled by Bob and Geri Quinn and it includes informa-

tion specifically for Cape Coral singlefamily homes, and does not include condominiums, short sales or foreclosures

The data and statistics are believed to be reliable, however, they could be updated and revised periodically, and are subject to change without notice The Quinns are a husband and wife real estate team with the RE/MAX Realty Team office in Cape Coral They have lived in Cape Coral for over 43 years Geri has been a full-time Realtor since 2005, and Bob joined Geri as a full-time Realtor in 2014 Their real estate practice is mainly focused on Cape Coral residential property and vacant lots.

Conflict: Problems with will from another state and life estate deed

From page 14

M u s e u m o f H i s t o r y , a n d C a p e C o r a l Kiwanis He has been married to his wife, Mary, for over 20 years, and they have

four children together He earned his board certification in Real Estate Law f r o m t h e F l o r i d a B a r H e i s A V Preeminent rated by Martindale-Hubbell for professional ethics and legal ability,

and is a Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator He can be reached at e r i c @ c a p e c o r a l a t t o r n e y c o m , o r 2 3 9542-4733

This article is general in nature and not

i n t e n d e d a s l e g a l a d v i c e t o a n y o n e

I n d i v i d u a l s s h o u l d s e e k l e g a l c o u n s e l before acting on any matter of legal rights and obligations

COMMUNITY

By ANN BLOCK news@breezenewspapers com

Whatever you plan to call these fascinating flowering plants, Vinca or periwinkle, they are sure to delight! Hurricane Ian wiped out all my periwinkles It was exciting to see their little heads pop up only weeks after the Sept 28th hurricane and here it is April and they are prettier than ever

V i n c a / p e r i w i n k l e (Catharanthus roseus) is a perennial in zones 9-11

The name Catharanthus comes from the Greek for “ p u r e f l o w e r ” M a n y flowering colors include red, purple, white, pink and lavender Some varieties have a light and dark pink center They grow 6-8 inches tall They thrive in full sun to partial shade However, I have found that they grow bigger and stronger in sun

These everblooming flowering plants here in Zone 10A are amazing and I highly recommend planting in your gardens for pops of color In other parts of the country, they are annuals but here, in "Paradise," they are perennials Periwinkles make an excellent ground cover and they have “adventitious roots” so you’ll have many beautiful volunteer plants Some of your plants will last 5 to 10 years Great to use for garden borders, ground cover or in containers Foliage is dark green and shiny with five petal blooms They are native to Europe, Northwest Africa, and Southwest Asia

Periwinkles are an excellent plant for heat and known for their drought tolerance If your plant becomes too leggy, just cut back and that process will make your plant bushier Their flowers are rabbit proof and few insects eat them

Periwinkle plants perform extremely well in our sandy soil Caring for this plant is minimal Make sure you do regular hand weeding around all your plants in your garden Apply fresh mulch as needed to keep the moisture in Definitely, a favorite of mine in my subtropical garden

See PERIWINKLE, page 31

Rotary Club Cape Coast Gold Coast honors essay winners at luncheon

By CHUCK BALLARO news@breezenewspapers com

Every year, the Rotary Club Cape Coral Gold Coast asks eighth-graders from Oasis Middle School to write an essay explaining a problem they have and solving it using something called the “four-way test ”

Last Friday, the top three essay writers were invited to the Rotary’s weekly luncheon at Gulf Coast Village to receive their awards and to read their essays to the Rotarians

The Four-Way Test is what Rotarians use world-wide as a moral code for personal and business relationships and was developed more than 90 years ago by a businessman from Chicago who was trying to save his company from bankruptcy

The test asks four questions:

Is it the truth?

Is it fair to all concerned?

Will it build goodwill and better friendship?

Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

Students were asked to use the test in situations they find themselves in Often the topics center around things they see as a problem such as bullying or the use of social media This year was no exception, despite not having as many contestants this time around

“The hurricane set things back and the students weren’t using the teaching methods used during the pandemic and they were regearing themselves back into the classroom,” said Dale Arvay, the Rotarian who puts the contest together “Doing things for extra credit was off the table for a lot of them ”

As there were fewer entries this year than in previous years, the top two entries, from winner Alex DeWolfe and

runner-up Piper Sheldon, applied the test to social media

DeWolfe used the test to make people’s experience on social media much better

“If social media is used correctly, it isn’t a problem. I don’t think a lot of people are doing that,” DeWolfe said “I was excited to hear I won because I thought there would be better writers than me ”

Sheldon said she believes some kids are using social media irresponsibly and not for positive benefits

“They use the internet to pick on people or point out things that someone doesn’t want pointed out,” Sheldon said “They can use it to shout out something good in school or for an achievement ”

The third-place winner, Kyla Olivo, used the test to explain how she deals with dyslexia

“I’ve struggled with it my whole life and some teachers don’t take it seriously. I just wanted to put my story out there,” Olivo said “We can do the same things, it’s just a little more difficult ”

Arvay said the batch of essays they got were all quite good with attention to detail

“The comments we got from the judges were things like they were very particular, got on topic right away, they were of general interest like social media and misinformation being the big problem,” Arvay said

Rotary president Lisa Musial thought the essays were wonderful, especially the one regarding dyslexia

“They don’t talk about learning disabilities in the classroom I was really moved by that The other two were point on with social media,” Musial said “I think with the hurricane people were more concerned about getting their lives back together It’ll come back next year, I’m sure ”

MOAA monthly breakfast Saturday at Cape Royal Golf Club

The monthly breakfast meeting of the Cape Coral Chapter of MOAA will be held on Saturday, April 8, beginning at 10 a m at the Cape Royal Golf Club, 11469 Royal Tee Circle, Cape Coral

All current, former, and retired military officers and spouses are invited to attend the regular breakfast meeting, which costs $12, payable at the door (cash only) Reservations are required and may be made by contacting capecoralmoaa@gmail com or 618-580-2368

MOAA is a national organization of military officers that supports the interests of military members of all ranks -- past, present and future Regular membership is open to all current and former officers, and associate membership is available to all who support our armed forces

Information about the Cape Coral Chapter of MOAA may be obtained by contacting the chapter president, Michael Beard, karmic0812@gmail com or 786-3008445

PHOTO PROVIDED Colorful periwinkles

PHOTO PROVIDED

The Rotary Club Cape Coral Gold Coast essay winners

Gulf Coast Writers Association, Alliance of the Arts collecting stories about local Hurricane Ian experiences

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

Gulf Coast Writers Association, Inc, and the Alliance for the Arts are working together to help the community share their Hurricane Ian experience either through an oral, or written story, which will be shared d u r i n g t h e o n e y e a r a n n i v e r s a r y t h i s September

Mary Charles with Gulf Coast Writers Association, Inc, said when she was meeting with her association, she mentioned she w a n t e d t o d o s o m e t h i n g r e g a r d i n g Hurricane Ian

“I began to write about it for my own therapy,” she said, which led her to asking the other members if there was any interest in putting it out to the public to collect stories “I learned almost immediately that the Alliance for the Arts had a similar initiative ”

Gulf Coast Writers Association and the Alliance for the Arts decided to collaborate Both would harvest the stories, with one being verbal stories and the other written

“Our job would be to put together an actual book We would collect the stories and publish a book in time for the anniversary,” Charles said. “We said let us be responsible for the printed book ”

Those who would like to provide an oral submission can call 239-744-3047, a line dedicated to the project by the Alliance for the Arts, and leave a three-minute story anonymously If more time is needed, the storyteller can call back and continue The oral submissions will continue to be col-

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

A l l i a n c e a l s o h a s a n o n l i n e f o r m a t https://www artinlee org/stormstories/

Both the published book and oral subm i s s i o n s w i l l b e s h o w c a s e d d u r i n g a month-long exhibit, and listening booth, at the Alliance for the Arts during September

In addition, artworks inspired by Hurricane Ian will be featured by Florida artists and documentary-style photography by Kinfay Moroti

Charles said so far they have received a dozen stories, with some in poetry form She said some are really dramatic accounts individuals with water up to their necks in their homes, not knowing if the water was going to continue to climb Another story was from seasonal residents who were away when the hurricane hit, which offered a different perspective as they learned about the impact through the internet and on TV during the storm

“We have a few dozen We want a few dozen more,” Charles said

The book is intended to provide an opportunity for people who experienced Hurricane Ian to share their experience, while becoming published writers as a result of having written their stories

“Everybody has the opportunity to tell their story and have it published in some form Gulf Writers will have a committee to look at each story and help by offering editing advice We will back them up with the editing and that makes people feel a little more comfortable,” Charles said

There are no fees, age restrictions, or a word count limit to participate Submissions should be made at www gulfwriters org by April 30

“We just want people to tell as much as they are willing to and feel comfortable telling and sharing it with their immediate neighbors and county and maybe further,”

Charles said

Although six months have passed since Hurricane Ian left a path of destruction, the impact is still very close to the surface for many This was apparent when Charles conducted a memoir workshop in her community, leaving many sharing their stories still in tears

“People need to get it out,” Charles said “As important as getting published, (it's about) getting it out All of this has really been stressful for so many people Getting it down on paper, or doing a three-minute barf, I hope it will be therapeutic ”

Charles said she has extended an invitation to other writer groups around the state to also put together a book with public submissions, as Hurricane Ian damage went beyond Southwest Florida

Those who have questions can email Charles at mary@marycharles com

City launches inaugural Hurricane Preparedness Art Contest

The city of Cape Coral has announced its inaugural Hurricane Preparedness Art Contest Students who live in Cape Coral and are currently enrolled in kindergarten through 12th grade are encouraged to create and submit artwork with a theme of “Hurricane Preparedness ”

Artwork should be submitted online by Saturday, April 15 Three winners will be selected and honored at a City Council meeting

The winning pieces will be displayed throughout the city and may be used as a

Each entry must be original in concept, design, and execution and may not violate U.S. copyright laws.

For

complete list of rules and guide-

ralfl/2023%20HURRICANE%20ART% 20CONTEST pdf

Accepted mediums are as follows:

■ Paintings: oil, acrylics, watercolor, etc

■ Drawings: colored pencil, pencil, ink, marker, pastels, charcoal

■ Collages: must be two dimensional

■ Prints: lithographs, silkscreen, block prints

■ Mixed Media: use of more than two mediums such as pencil, ink, watercolor, etc

■ Computer-generated art

■ Photographs

Pieces will be judged on relevance to the theme, creativity, and quality

EDUCATION

Four students’ winning ‘Leave The Scene Clean’ contest artwork to be displayed on Waste Pro Trucks

Keep Lee County Beautiful Inc. has once again partnered with Waste Pro to showcase the winning student artwork from the “Leave The Scene Clean” art contest The four overall winning illustrations were enlarged and appear on the sides of Lee County Waste Pro trucks The Waste Pro trucks were revealed at the award reception held at the Edison and Ford Winter Estates The students and their families were overjoyed to see their artwork on the various trucks The artwork is exhibited in the Caretaker’s House at the estates and the month-long student exhibition is open in honor of Earth Month

The four overall first place winners and their schools are:

Grade K-3: Sofia Garcia Vaca – Veterans Park

Two of the “Leave The Scene Clean” art contest winners were from Cape Coral schools The Grade 4-6 winner was Dianna Davis from Oasis Middle School, far left Earning first place in the Grade 7-9 category was Mia De La Cruz Matos from Caloosa Middle School, left. The students’ artworks will be on display in the Caretaker ’s House on the Edison and Ford Winter Estates grounds and on Waste Pro trucks PHOTOS PROVIDED

Academy for the Arts

Grade 4-6: Dianna Davis – Oasis Middle School

Grade 7-9: Mia De La Cruz Matos – Caloosa Middle School

Grade 10-12: Ace Sotelo – Cypress Lake High School

The overall winning artwork will also be printed on reusable tote bags available in the fall The bags will be available for a $5 donation each and through participating Lee County Schools, who retain all proceeds collected with the funds being used to support on campus environmental projects

This year marked the 34th annual “Leave The Scene Clean” Art Contest and KLCB would like to thank all the teachers, parents and students who participated The contest drew hundreds of entries from local students, representing public, private and home schools in Lee County Students were asked to visualize a correct environmental action and transfer that mental picture into a work of art

EDUCATION NOTES

Submitted work was judged on artistic execution and originality as well as environmental theme, such as litter prevention, recycling, community cleanup and protecting the environment

The “Leave the Scene Clean” project is made possible through corporate sponsorships Sponsors for the 2023 art contest include Lee County Solid Waste, The Edison & F o r d W i n t e r E s t a t e s , C o v a n t a E n e r g y , C o c a - C o l a Beverages Florida, Greenfield Marketing & Media, Ron Jon’s Surf Shop, Southwest Waste and Waste Pro.

KLCB is a private non-profit organization dedicated to educational litter prevention programs and responsible solid waste management Proceeds from the sale of the environmental reusable tote bags benefit KLCB programs and participating schools

For more information about this and other KLCB educational programs visit klcb org

Bishop Verot Catholic High School names

Har mon new Director of Development

h

h

h o o l r e c e n t l y announced, after an extensive national search, a new Director of Development has joined the Verot family Jordan Harmon will lead Bishop Verot’s development and fundraising efforts as the school continues to see record enrollment and growth He brings with him several years of development experience in an educational setting at the collegiate level, having served as a development director, assistant athletic director for development and deputy athletics director for competitive excellence and championship resources for Austin Peay State University

While Harmon is a native of Tampa, he grew up in St Louis, Missouri He attended Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee, where he played baseball and received his B A in finance and master of science in management He and his wife, Reagan, have relocated to the Ft Myers area and are looking forward to working with the Verot community and beyond

Bishop Verot Catholic High School is a co-educational institution in the Diocese of Venice, Florida It is fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and a member of the National Catholic Education Association Founded in 1962, Bishop Verot has earned a reputation for excellence through its commitment to reli-

gious mission, academic achievement and service to the community The school currently enrolls over 800 students in grades 9-12 Bishop Verot’s college preparatory curriculum includes honors courses and an Advanced Placement (AP) program

Hodges

University wins two gold national marketing awards

Hodges University’s marketing team earned two gold national awards in the 2022 Collegiate Advertising

See EDUCATION NOTES, page 38

We e k ly B R E E Z E R e c ap Council approves Hudson Creek development

By CHUCK BALLARO news@breezenewspapers com

Despite concerns by the hearing examiner, concerns over traffic and the lack of infrastructure there currently, Cape Coral City Council on Thursday unanimously approved the Hudson Creek development in the northwest part of the city at a special meeting at City Hall

Council voted 8-0 on an ordinance to have the entire planned development property rezoned to Mixed-Use Planned Unit Development (MXPUD) The land uses had been a combination of Mixed-Use, Single-Family, SingleFamily-Multi-Family and Open Space

The Hudson Creek Planned Unit Development (PUD) will be about 1,732 acres, 700 of which will be preserves and wetland areas, located east of Burnt Store Road, north of Jacaranda Parkway and west of Chiquita Boulevard

Hudson Creek will have a maximum of 3,500 dwelling units and up to 2,500 single-family homes, a maximum 800-bed assisted living facility, a maximum 3,000 student university, up to 425,000 square feet of retail and restaurant uses, 150,000 square feet of office space and 500 rooms of hotel space

The project isn’t without concerns, the hearing examiner asked for a continuance or denial on the grounds it does not fulfill that purpose and intent in several significant areas

Traffic was also a concern There will be four access points to the development, from Burnt Store Road, Chiquita Boulevard, Jacaranda Parkway and Wilmington Parkway According to a preliminary traffic study, the project will produce 3,855 morning and 5,864 afternoon peak hour trips

City cuts ribbon for Gator Trails Park

By CHUCK BALLARO news@breezenewspapers com

Even before city dignitaries arrived to cut the ribbon on the new Gator Trails Park, there were dozens of people in the racquet area waiting to play pickleball

Pickleballers are a fanatical bunch and they love having a court designed for the sport instead of making due with a makeshift tennis court or basketball court

The two pickleball courts were among the most popular attractions for the park with a ribbon-cutting and cookout Friday after a soft opening The neighborhood park at 3612 Garden Blvd will serve those living in the northwest section of the city

Formerly known as Gator Circle Park, the park got a $2 1 million upgrade as part of a voter-approved initiative It has been re-opened for nearly a month and features, in addition to two new two pickleball courts, a tennis court, a playground, zip line, pavilions, shade structures, multi-use paths and a basketball court.

It was set to open in January, but was delayed because of the damage caused by Hurricane Ian

For Mayor John Gunter, it has been a busy month of groundbreaking and ribbon-cuttings He said the city has worked as a team to bring residents the amenities that make a city great

“We have a City Council that has a commitment to fulfill the promise we made to residents to complete the GO Bond projects,” Gunter said “We asked you to vote for these projects Even though our economic times find us where we are today and we’re going to exceed that amount We are here to fulfill our promise we made to you ”

District 7 Cape Coral City Councilmember Jessica Cosden said the new park will be the perfect place for her family to come and enjoy, just like the upgraded Del Prado Linear Park, which also is in her district

“I know the families here in Gator Circle are eagerly awaiting the opening Parks are a vital part of every city They encourage our residents and visitors to exercise and explore nature,” Cosden said “Parks build healthy stable communities and Gator Trail will do just that ”

It will be a great thing for the pickleballers who played on while the ceremony was happening Jim Thomas was wearing his pickleball lovers' shirt and was thrilled to have a court to call home

“I love this park They cleaned it up and made it nicer and it looks beautiful I’ve played pickleball several times on the courts already A group of people play Monday, Wednesday and Friday and everyone is real courteous,” Thomas said “I really enjoy seeing the kids on the zip line It’s really cool ”

In 2018, Cape Coral voters approved a $60 million expansion of the city’s Parks and Recreation amenities The approved 15-year general obligation bond will fund major parks and recreation improvements throughout the city The plan called for upgrades to 17 existing parks, seven new neighborhood parks, three new community parks and a $5 7 million environmental park

Members of Cape Coral City Council and other city dignitaries cut the ribbon on the new Gators Trails Park on Friday

CHUCK BALLARO

In the public hearing, only one speaker, Gary Jenkins, who lives in unincorporated Lee County, warned there could be some negative consequences with the development, especially traffic, even as he said he wants that land developed

“There are going to be potentially 3,500 homes on a half-mile stretch down a two-lane road That’s a lot of traffic,” Jenkins said, a 50-year resident of the county “I’ve seen great things happen I built my dream house here and I want to see more dream houses There are a lot of dreams and Cape Coral has been a dream ”

Ryan Lamb said the development will likely require a new fire station be built and Councilmember Robert Welsh asked if the city would have to pay any money to have water and sewer installed when the UEP is ready to go in, the answer to which was no

Soldier from Cape among 9 killed in helicopter accident

The army has identified the nine 101st Airborne Division soldiers who died in a helicopter accident near Fort Campbell, Kentucky, Wednesday evening while taking part in a planned training exercise

Among them is Warrant Officer 1 Aaron Healy, 32, of Cape Coral.

The others are Warrant Officer 1 Jeffery Barnes, 33, of Milton, Florida; Cpl Emilie Marie Eve Bolanos, 23, of A u s t i n , T e x a s ; C h i e f W a r r a n t Officer 2 Zachary Esparza, 36, of Jackson, Missouri; Sgt Isaacjohn

G a y o , 2 7 , o f L o s A n g e l e s , C alif o r n ia; S taf f S g t J o s h u a C Gore, 25, of Morehead City, North Carolina; Staff Sgt Taylor Mitchell, 30, of Mountain Brook, Alabama; Chief Warrant Officer 2 Rusten Smith, 32, of Rolla, Missouri; and

S g t . D a v i d S o l i n a s J r , 2 3 , o f Oradell, New Jersey

Fort Campbell provided the service records for each of the soldiers

Here is Healy’s:

Born in Florida, on March 18, 1991, Healy enlisted in the Army from Cape Coral, Florida, in 2010 Healy attended basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, then Army O r d n a n c e S c h o o l a t A b e r d e e n P r o v i n g G r o u n d i n Maryland Upon graduation, he was assigned to the 563rd Aviation Support Battalion at Fort Campbell, Kentucky In 2016 Healy was assigned to the 725th Support Battalion at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska He was then assigned in 2019 to the Wheel Maintenance Training Department in Fort Lee, Virginia In 2021 Healy attended Warrant Officer Candidate School and Aviation Training at Fort Rucker, Alabama, and was subsequently assigned to the 101st Airborne Division Healy served as an Aeromedical Evacuation Pilot for the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division since 2022

Healy deployed to Afghanistan in 2011 to 2012 and in 2014 in support of the International Security Assistance Force

He graduated from the Combat Lifesavers Course; Wheel Vehicle Recovery Course; Basic and Advanced

Warrant Officer 1 Aaron Healy

Cape Coral Car Show donates $60,000 to the Cape Coral Caring Center

Take a bright red Ferrari, park it next to the muscle of a champagne-colored 1961 Corvette and what do you get? A $56,000 check made payable to the Cape Coral Caring Center

But there’s more After the check was p r e s e n t e d r e c e n t l y b y C a p e C o r a l C a r Show organizer Phil Deems to Cape Coral Caring Center Executive Director Julie Ferguson, another generous donor gave an additional $4,000 to increase the total amount to $60,000 It is the most ever raised at the car show, one of the biggest fundraisers of the year for the Cape Coral Caring Center

The car show, which took place for the first time at Mariner High School in north Cape Coral, attracted over 300 classic cars and thousands of spectators who gazed at the rows upon rows of history, ate, sipped on refreshments and also gave generously to the Cape Coral Caring Center

“We are so appreciative to our friends at

Cape Coral First Cape Coral First was a part of the founding of the Cape Coral Caring Center, 33 years ago,” said Julie Ferguson, Executive Director of the Cape Coral Caring Center “I am so thankful for the commitment to making sure the show is successful Phil Deems and his fabulous crew of volunteers spend countless hours all year long making sure everything goes smoothly They are serving the Lord, by making sure we are able to meet the emergency needs of our local community ”

About the Cape Coral Caring Center

The center’s main objectives are to assist individuals and families in critical need to help them cope with a negative economic situation on a short-term basis The center provides food, electric bill assistance and referrals to other agencies with additional resources for individuals For more information, go to capecoralcaringcenter org or call 239-945-1927

Family Initiative launches weekly programs, activities to reach families with children on the autism spectrum

Family Initiative has launched additional programs and playgroups for children and families diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder

“By listening to the children and families we serve, Family Initiative has created new programs that address the needs of their entire family, including siblings, as well as expanding our reach to new parents looking to support their child’s growth,” s a i d D a v i d B r o w n , p r e s i d e n t a n d c ofounder of Family Initiative

“Through peer programs, children, young adults and their caregivers can find connection, compassion and understanding With innovative clinical services, families have access to evidence-based support and expertise so they can feel empowered and confident in their child’s care ”

For children with sisters or brothers with ASD, Family Initiative now offers a Sibling Group on Mondays from 4:30-6 p m at the Autism Support Center, 734 S W 4th St , in Cape Coral The Sibling Group was created to offer a space just for them - a place to come together with other siblings who walk a similar journey This group offers a little fun and a little conversation-whatever they feel like they need each week-most times a little of both The weekly drop-in program is open to anyone who has a sibling with an Autism diagnosis

On Tuesdays from 4:30-6 p m , Family

“By listening to the children and families we serve, Family Initiative has created new programs that address the needs of their entire family, including siblings, as well as expanding our reach to new parents looking to support their child’s growth.”

David Brown, president and co-founder of Family Initiative

Initiative offers FI Creates, a unique and engaging class offered weekly to allow participants the opportunity to explore their creative side Programs include art, music, dance and yoga The cost is $40 and the class is held weekly and rotates between Family Initiative's Autism Support Center, 734 S W 4th St , Cape Coral or Christ Community Church, 4050 Colonial Blvd , Fort Myers

On Wednesdays from 4:30-6:30 p m , the Teen Group offers teenagers ages 1419 years old a place where everyone can be themselves, where they can talk and hangout with peers without worrying about knowing the “right way” to engage These six-week cycles are focused on developing those social skills through a combination of clinical engagement and super fun activities for teens For the last session of every cycle, the group ventures into the community for a fun outing The group meets at Family Initiative's Autism Support Center, 734 S W 4th St , Cape Coral

A new Young Adult Group is being offered for adults ages 20-30 to provide a

space for them to come together and share their experiences while having fun The Young Adult Group will talk about life, w o r k , r e l a t i o n s h i p s a n d a n y t h i n g e l s e important to the crew Plans include a community outing each month to put into practice all the things discussed throughout each cycle The group meets at Family Initiative's Autism Support Center, 734

S W 4th St , Cape Coral

F o r i n f a n t s , F a m i l y I n i t i a t i v e ’ s n e w

Baby & Me class is held on the second and fourth Saturday of the month from 10-11 a m This program is focused on preparing children for daycare or preschool, for those looking for an opportunity for their little ones to learn to play with others while learning the best way to support their child’s growth Activities include explori n g , c r e a t i n g , s i n g i n g , a n d d a n c i n g - a l l things that help young ones learn language, social skills, and develop their sensory syst e m s B a b y & M e i s h e l d a t F a m i l y Initiative's Autism Support Center, 734 S W 4th St , Cape Coral

Free Autism Screenings are offered on

Saturdays by appointment In the first three y e a r s o f l i f e , b a b i e s a r e g r o w i n g a n d c h a n g i n g s o m u c h f r o m d a y t o d a y Developmental milestones set a course for this growth, and when your child does not meet these, it can cause stress and anxiety For parents or guardians with concerns about your child’s development, Family Initiative is here for you Free Autism Screenings are offered each month to identify and intervene early to help link you with any support you may need These screenings are designed for children 1-3 years old and do not provide a diagnosis

In addition, Family Initiative's ASD Social Skills Playgroup, its hallmark prog r a m , c o n t i n u e s S a t u r d a y s a t C h r i s t Community Church from 1-4 p m The playgroup provides a unique, safe, fun, and supportive environment for children to connect with their peers to develop socialization skills, friendships, and a social netw o r k t h r o u g h f u n a c t i v i t i e s F a m i l y Initiative’s team of experienced Applied B e h a v i o r A n a l y s i s a n d O c c u p a t i o n a l Therapy clinicians offer a high level of skill and can support each child’s unique n e e d s w h i l e p r o m o t i n g p o s i t i v e s o c i a l interaction in a fun, supportive, and safe environment

To register or for more information, call 2 3 9 - 9 1 0 - 0 7 1 2 o r e m a i l i n f o @ f iflorida org

Eagle Cam founder McSpadden to speak at Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife meeting Tuesday

SWFL

The Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife will host Southwest Florida Eagle Cam founder Ginnie Pritchett McSpadden at their April 11 meeting

McSpadden, co-founder of the live cam that has logged nearly 20 million views w o r l d w i d e , w a s b o r n a n d r a i s e d i n Southwest Florida She started the live camera project, which features the eagle nest off Bayshore Road in North Fort Myers, with her siblings in 2012

Growing up in a rural setting, the sib-

lings had an early appreciation for wildlife and knew once the cameras were installed and streaming they could do something very special with the opportunity the offer a look into the lives of a mated pair dubbed Ozzie and Harriet

The cam has continued through the years as first Ozzie and Harriet, then Harriet and new mate M15, and now M1 5 a l o n e , r a i s e d t h e i r b r o o d s o n t h e Pritchett Farm McSpadden has also authored two chil-

dren’s books about Harriet and the bald eagles She was inspired to write books for her new family and all young kids around the world that could read, watch and learn from the bald eagle species She hopes the book series provides another touch point to educating and protecting these beautiful raptors for many years to come

The Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife monthly meeting will be held at the Rotary Park Environmental Center, 5505 Rose Garden Road, Cape Coral

The meeting will open at 6:30 p.m. with a meet & greet McSpadden will speak at 7 p m A Membership Meeting will follow, beginning at 8 p m

All are welcome and invited to learn about the organization's activities and how you can be a part of preserving wildlife in Southwest Florida

Seating is limited and CCFW suggests early arrival

For additional information about the CCFW, visit ccfriendsofwildlife org

Cape Car Show organizers present the check to the Cape Caring Center.

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Volunteers provide valuable assistance through VITA

United Way program helps residents prepare income tax returns

Special to The Breeze

news@breezenewspapers com

After retiring and moving to Florida eight years ago, Bill Greggs was looking for ways to keep busy, so he reached out to United Way and learned about VITA, U n i t e d W a y ’ s V o l u n t e e r I n c o m e T a x Assistance program

Having managed his family taxes for many years, Greggs felt this was a great way to help others After studying and taking the test, Greggs became an IRS-certified volunteer On Mondays and Saturdays from January through April, Greggs and dozens of other volunteers are meeting with individuals and families, providing them with quality tax services – free of charge

“The average tax return costs a taxpayer nearly $300; this money can instead buy g r o c e r i e s o r h e l p w i t h t h e r e n t , ” s a i d Greggs “We make the process very easy and double check all the filings We see everyone from teenagers who have landed their first jobs and are filing for the first time, to families, to seniors who may need help filing We help with tax credits including childcare credits and many people are surprised by their big refunds Most of all, they are just very grateful for the help ”

For the past four years, Greggs has been

serving as a site coordinator responsible for organizing the schedules for more than a dozen volunteers who provide the services at no cost at one of 25 sites in Lee, Hendry, Glades, and Charlotte Counties to individu a l s a n d f a m i l i e s m a k i n g l e s s t h a n $66,000 per year and self-employed persons with expenses less than $35,000 showing no business loss, depreciation, or employees

I R S c e r t i f i e d V I T A v o l u n t e e r s h e l p clients claim valuable tax credits they’ve earned, like the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit which lift millions of hard-working Americans out of poverty each year This program is a valuable resource during the 2023 filing season for many who struggle with having enough means to meet their financial obligations

Gene Lohr is another retiree-turned-volu n t e e r f o r U n i t e d W a y H e m o v e d t o Southwest Florida from South Carolina in 2018 After reading a story in AARP about volunteering during retirement, Lohr connected with United Way’s VITA program, took the training and tests, and has been volunteering for five years now

“I have done my own taxes all my life and previously served on the United Way board in South Carolina I thought, this is something I can do to give back,” said

Lohr “Taxes can be complex Some folks don’t have computers and others may find it overwhelming or have made mistakes trying it on their own With our doublereview process, we bring peace of mind Many people come back year after year and we get to know them To be honest, I worked more than 40 years before retiring, and I consider this volunteer role the best job I’ve ever had ”

Lohr and other VITA volunteers are t r a i n e d e x t e n s i v e l y a n d m u s t c e r t i f y through the IRS annually VITA services are not only free, but they are also a reliable and trusted source for preparing tax returns In addition, all tax returns are reviewed by at least one other preparer before they are submitted, which helps maintain accuracy rates higher than 97 percent

“Despite many challenges last year, over 7,000 individuals and families were served by our dedicated volunteers, which resulted in a $13 Million impact to our local economy,” said Jeannine Joy, United Way President and CEO “This year they are United More Than Ever to continue to serve our local community.”

Tax Season appointments are officially open and United Way of Lee, Hendry, and Glades’ free tax filing assistance program

is ready to assist Southwest Florida resid e n t s k e e p m o r e o f t h e i r h a r d - e a r n e d money.

T a x p a y e r s w h o p r e f e r a n o c o n t a c t option can e-file themselves free of charge with MyFreeTaxes com or they can let virt u a l V I T A v o l u n t e e r s f i l e t h e i r r e t u r n online through GetYourRefund org/uwlee

It is simple and secure, while offering online assistance with the process Tax filers answer simple questions about their situation and securely upload photos or PDFs of their tax documents The VITA team remotely prepares the tax return, speaks with the tax filer to review their return, and files the return with the tax filer’s consent.

To locate the most convenient VITA site and schedule an appointment visit: UnitedWayLee org/freetaxprep or call the United Way 211 Helpline by dialing 2-1-1 or 239 433 3900 It is suggested that clients bring both their 2020 and 2021 tax returns to this year’s appointments

United Way of Lee, Hendry, and Glades is a volunteer driven organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for all people in our community This is accomplished through fundraising, fund distribut i o n , c o m m u n i t y b u i l d i n g , v o l u n t e e r advancement, and information and referrals For more information, please call U n i t e d W a y a t 2 3 9 4 3 3 2 0 0 0 o r visit UnitedWayLee org

Lee County Master Gardeners to hold rain barrel workshop April 22

Rain barrels are a great way to reduce stormwater runoff and save water for a dry spell In this workshop led by Lee County Master Gardeners, residents will learn how

to make and install a rain barrel to use at home

The Rain Barrel Workshop will be held Saturday, April 22, at Rotary Park, 5505

Rose Garden Road, Cape Coral Advance registration and payment is required as a limited number of barrels are available

The cost $50 per barrel (The class fee includes a pre-assembled rain barrel ) For more information or to register call Rotary Park, 239-549-4606

PHOTO PROVIDED

Cape Caring Center receives donation from ‘Team Catch the Vision’

The “Team Catch the Vision” from Raso Realty and Florida Mortgage Trust presented a $6,500 check to the Cape Coral Caring Center just in time for Easter meals - these are proceeds after expenses for the 12th Annual Catch the Vision Event. On hand for the check presentation were, from left, Kara Holleran of Florida Mortgage; Julie Ferguson, executive director of the Cape Coral Caring Center; Gloria Tate, a Realtor with Raso Realty; and Linda Biondi, a Realtor with Raso Realty.

Harry Chapin Food Bank receives $1 million Feeding America grant

Southwest Florida, this week announced it received a $1 million grant from Feeding America and the Walmart Foundation The three-year grant will allow Harry Chapin Food Bank to expand its retail rescue program as part of its overall Partner Agency

P r o g r a m a n d p r o v i d e m o r e S o u t h w e s t Floridians with access to nutritious food

Harry Chapin Food Bank’s retail rescue program provides a significant amount of food for the food bank Each week, the food bank and its partner agencies collect shelfstable and perishable food, including produce, frozen meat and baked goods, from retailers across Southwest Florida

Currently, 30 of Harry Chapin Food Bank’s partner agencies are retail-enabled

The grant will allow the food bank to procure additional equipment, materials and supplies for its partner agencies across the region, enabling more to participate in the program

Feeding America is the largest hungerrelief organization in the United States, with a network of more than 200 food banks, 21 statewide food bank associations and more than 60,000 partner agencies, food pantries and meal programs The organization also supports programs that prevent food waste and improves food security among the people it serves

Founded in 1979 as an internal corpo-

Walmart Foundation works to create opportunities so people can live better. Walmart and the Walmart Foundation accomplish this through grants to thousands of organizations that share this mission

The grant runs through Dec 31, 2025

Harry Chapin Food Bank estimates the grant will allow the food bank to add, at m i n i m u m , b e t w e e n 2 0 a n d 3 0 r e t a i lenabled agencies to the retail rescue program

About Harry Chapin Food Bank

Harry Chapin Food Bank, a member of Feeding America, is the largest hungerrelief organization in Southwest Florida The food bank rescues food that would otherwise go to waste and distributes it to children, families and seniors who are hungry through a series of food distribution programs that feed more than a quarter of a million people each month

Harry Chapin Food Bank distributed $61 5 million worth of food in fiscal year 2022 Through our food distribution programs, we supplied 34 7 million pounds of food and other grocery items, including 12 million pounds of fresh produce The food is the equivalent of 29 million meals distributed to those who are hungry

Harry Chapin Food Bank is a United Way partner agency For more information or to make a gift, call 239-334-7007 or visit harrychapinfoodbank org

70th anniversary Annual Hibiscus Show and Plant Sale April 29 at First Assembly of God in Fort Myers

Florida’s largest, oldest and best attended hibiscus show will be held Saturday, A p r i l 2 9 P r e s e n t e d b y t h e J a m e s E Hendry Chapter of the American Hibiscus Society, this year marks the 70th anniversary of the Annual Hibiscus Show and Plant Sale

The show/plant sale is held from 1-3 p m at the First Assembly of God, Sherrick H a l l , 4 7 0 1 S u m m e r l i n R o a d ( n e a r C o l o n i a l B o u l e v a r d ) , F o r t M y e r s , F L

33919

Admission to the show/sale is free, and visitors will be treated to a display of hundreds of exotic tropical hibiscus blooms that are entered into competition by growers from all over the State of Florida, vying for top honors and Best in Show awards In addition, there will be 54 varieties of tropical hibiscus plants for sale, along with fer-

tilizer, pots and pruning cutters

M e m b e r s o f t h e J a m e s E H e n d r y Chapter will also be available to answer questions and provide growing advice and tips

“We are looking forward to another excellent show featuring blooms from the premier growers in Florida," stated Beth Meehan, president of the James E Hendry Chapter “This is the best opportunity for Southwest Florida residents to see a wide v a r i e t y o f b e a u t i f u l t r o p i c a l h i b i s c u s blooms, and to purchase these plants to enjoy in their own landscape And visitors can also buy fertilizer and tools and speak with our knowledgeable members to learn more about how to grow these beautiful plants!”

The show and sale is being sponsored by generous donations from BGI Premium

Plant Foods, Donna Sublett in honor of W

Garden Center, Edison National Bank,

Visitors to the show and sale will also have the opportunity to join the James E Hendry Chapter of the American Hibiscus Society; this is the best way to learn more about how to grow the hybrid tropical hibiscus plant The JEH Chapter meets monthly at the Berne Davis Botanical Garden at 2166 Virginia Ave , Fort Myers, on the second Sunday of each month (October to April) at 1:30 p m

Pictures of the 54 varieties of hibiscus plants that will be available for purchase at the show/sale are available at the chapter website at www hendrychapterhibiscus com

Community Cooperative sets date for 2023

C o m m u n i t y C o o p e r a t i v e r e c e n t l y announced the return of the Empty Bowls fundraiser presented by Florida Power & Light, in partnership with Lee County School District The event will take place on Saturday, April 29, from 11 a m to 2 p m , at Centennial Park in downtown Fort Myers

“We are excited to host this event in effort to raise awareness about the hungerrelated challenges that many schoolchildren face in our community, and what better way to do so than through art created

by Lee County School District ” says Stefanie Edwards, CEO of Community Cooperative

The event will feature family-oriented activities and performances by Lee County school children Admission to the event is free for kids and $10 for adults 18 years and older and includes soup and a unique handcrafted ceramic bowl crafted by Lee County students while supplies last All event proceeds will benefit Community Cooperative

For information on the event, visit

Empty Bowls fundraiser

www CommunityCooperative com/Event s or call 23-332-7687, extension 125

Since 1984, Community Cooperative has worked to effectively eliminate 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 With a dedicated team of volunteers, board of d i r e c t o r s a n d s t a f f , C o m m u n i t y

Cooperative stays committed to its core

responsibility to collect and distribute resources through a strong and viable network of community partners Community Cooperative is an exemplary steward of the resources entrusted to it and serves clients with compassion and integrity Through collaboration and ongoing education, Community Cooperative supports and strengthens those whose lives have been affected by hunger and homelessness, ensuring that they have access to the resources necessary to transform their lives with dignity

PHOTO PROVIDED Tahitian Trace Vermont hibiscus

Periwinkles: Beautiful

From page 17

Beautiful flowers, easy to grow, minimal care and long lasting Flowers are popping up every day of the year What more could we want to make a joyful garden!

I wanted to give you some information about this plant in other parts of the world. Believe it or not, this plant is grown elsewhere as an ornamental and medicinal plant It is the source of the drugs vincristine and vinblastine which are used to treat cancer In the wild, this plant is an endangered plant due to habitat destruction It is also widely cultivated and naturalized in subtropical and tropical areas

flowers are easy to grow with minimal care

Spring Native Plant Sale April 22 at Rotary Park in Cape Coral

A Spring Native Plant Sale will be held Saturday, April 22, from 9 a m to 1 p m , at Rotary Park at 5505 Rose Garden Road in Cape Coral

Visitors to the sale can shop from a variety of native trees, shrubs, flowers, grasses, butterfly plants, and tropical edibles, too

such as Bangladesh, Malaysia, India, Pakistan and Australia And it has so well adapted to Western Australia that it is list-

Plant experts will be on hand to answer questions and help you choose the right plant for the right place Come early for the best selection

For additional information about the sale or the city park, please visit Rotaryparkinfo@capecoral gov or call 239-549-4606

ed a noxious weed! What an incredible plant!

Giving this beautiful “Catharanthus

Roseus” flowering plant a try you will not be disappointed

I would like to leave you with this … written by Julie Moir Messervy “I have found, through the years of practice, that people garden in order to make something grow; to interact with nature; to share, to find sanctuary, to heal, to honor the earth, to leave a mark Through gardening, we feel whole as we make our personal work of art upon the land ”

Happy gardening!

Ann Block is co-president of the Garden Club of Cape Coral

Trump: Party leaders weigh in on unprecedented action by Manhattan DA

From page 1

Lee County in response to a Breeze query

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“Alvin Bragg Jr , the Prosecutor on this case, is a popularly elected official of Manhattan (88% D, 12% R) who graduated at Harvard He is known to be astute and diligent when dealing with cases,” Higgins wrote. “This indictment however, contains 34 felony charges which are all 1 paragraph recreated 34 times lacking information on dates, names, or chain of events o t h e r t h a n d e s c r i b i n g t h e c r i m e o f Corporate funds being used to pay off a C a m p a i g n d e b t ( p r e s u m a b l y S t o r m y Daniels hush money and Karen McDougal kill story) Keep in mind this case was in front of Federal Attorney General Merrick Garland 3 years now and he never brought forward charges So why would NYC?”

A conviction may be hard, he added “ A n i n d i c t m e n t a g a i n s t t h e f o r m e r President of the United States is unprecedented, especially in the middle of a Presidential campaign The Prosecutor’s main witness is a convicted liar This does note bode well (or) seem like a strong case for a Judge and Grand Jury to weigh upon The Prosecutor may be accused of interfering with the 2024 Presidential Election Trump could easily claim he mismanaged Corporate funds to save his narrative rather than it be politically motivated I believe it will be hard to convict Trump, even with an Manhattan jury ”

Higgins reiterated his reasoning

“This 1 paragraph repeated 34 times is vague indictment, seems like a weak case due to the circumstances forementioned, and will likely help the former President look stronger in the end if he wins The pending Mar-a-Lago case may be more

challenging, even though Hillary Clinton, Obama, and Joe Biden have allegedly mism a n a g e d c l a s s i f i e d d o c u m e n t s w i t h o u t prosecution themselves but hey, ‘What difference does it make?!’”

The one glimmer?

“The one positive we can all gather from this indictment is it setting a new standard for arresting bad politicians in high places no matter who they are,” Higgins said

Kari Lerner, chair of the Democratic Party of Lee County, said simply that laws apply to everyone regardless of position held or achieved

“No one is above the law, the grand jury found cause to bring charges,” she said when reached by phone Wednesday “It was not a political party; the grand jury looked at the evidence and there was evidence to indicate that crimes were committed ”

Republican leaders, though, call foul, saying not only is the pursuit of the case politically motivated, but that it hits at the underpinning of democracy

“Manhattan District Attorney Braggs is undermining our democracy and American principles by using his office to press felony charges against a former Republican President past the statute of limitations,” said Olivia Erfman-Tenzel, president of the Southwest Florida Young Republicans via email in response to a Breeze query

“The indictment of President Trump is clearly an effort by the democratic establishment to undermine the Republican Party in the 2024 election Their tactic is to attack our American values and our own c i t i z e n s b y w e a p o n i z i n g t h e F B I a n d

She added this is not only an attack on Trump.

“Deploying federal and state agencies to attack political opposition is a page out of t h e a u t h o r i t a r i a n p l a y b o o k , ” E r f m a nTenzel wrote “Millions of Americans have fled authoritarian regimes to seek a life where freedom of speech, religion, and assembly, are fundamentally protected A life where you can disagree with your government and not be incarcerated for it

“We must take these actions against President Trump seriously because it is a direct attack on every American and the freedoms we sadly have taken for granted.”

Congressman Byron Donalds, R-19, a strong supporter of Trump who represents most of Lee and Collier counties, accused Bragg of making criminal prosecution a political act

“In the U S we DO NOT turn the criminal justice system against political opponents,” Donalds stated on Twitter where he also remarked that “today is an infamous day in American history” on Tuesday, the day Trump appeared for his arraignment on the charges of falsifying business records in the first degree

“I am NOT Impressed by DA Bragg’s indictment This is a man who ran for Manhattan DA on getting Donald Trump, not safe streets in New York City His political mindset is tainted & he is trying to become a star as the one who arrested Trump,” he tweeted

Tara Jenner, vice chair Lee County Republican Executive Committee, said understanding how the grand jury process works puts the indictment in context

“First off, an indictment by a grand jury is brought down when a prosecutor presents his case,” she said when reached by phone Wednesday “And the defense has no option of presenting any information and the prosecutor has no obligation to pro-

vide any exculpatory information, either

So it’s extremely one-sided and just think about it they don’t have to tell you about any exculpatory information at all.”

While the grand jury indicted, this does not mean the prosecution proved its case That will be determined only at trial

“In this country you’re innocent until proven guilty and the full burden is on the prosecutor,” she added

She said she read the indictment documents and the lack of specificity related to the charges is especially concerning as is the redundancy of the 34 counts

“It says nothing,” Jenner said, adding there are some serious questions concerning statute limitations, among other things.

“In my mind it is coming across as politicizing the judicial system, which is tantamount the election tampering,” she said “The timing is circumspect why now, what’s going on now?”

Trump will be in Fort Myers on Friday, A p r i l 2 1 , a t t h e C a l o o s a S o u n d & Convention Center where he will be the keynote speaker at the LeeGOP’s 2023 Lincoln Reagan Dinner

This is neither a campaign event nor a fundraiser for the former president, Jenner emphasized

O t h e r s p e a k e r s w i l l i n c l u d e C o n g r e s s m a n B y r o n D o n a l d s , Congressman Greg Stube, Roger Stone and Michael Thompson

The event sold out but, through some reorganization of seating, an extra row of tables has been added and at press time there were some tickets remaining

Visit LeeGOP org for tickets or additional information on the Lincoln Reagan Dinner, an event held by local Republic P a r t y o r g a n i z a t i o n s n a t i o n a l l y a s a fundraiser for their respective events and activities

Nathan Mayberg contributed to this report

Bike Night: Set for Saturday

From page 1

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C o n n e c t w i t h t h i s r e p o r t e r o n

Twitter: @haddad cj

D i s t r i c t a t t o r n e y ’ s o f f i c e s a c r o s s t h e Nation ”

80th Commissioning Anniversary Celebration for USS Intrepid Aug. 16 at museum in New York City

Search under way to find former crew members and their personal memorabilia

Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023, will mark the 80th anniversary of the commissioning of USS Intrepid (CVS-11), the World War II-era Essex class aircraft carrier that is now the centerpiece of the Intrepid Museum in New York City To mark the occasion, the Intrepid Museum is putting out a coast-tocoast “all call” for Intrepid former crew members, to be reunited in a special 80th Commissioning Anniversary Celebration on board their ship

The museum is also seeking and accepting donations of personal artifacts and memorabilia from former crew members and their families Each item added to the collection helps the museum perpetuate, honor, express and interpret Intrepid’s stories of service, and to fulfill its mission to

honor, educate and inspire millions of people each year

To learn more about this commemoration and for registration information, former crew members and their family members can visit intrepidmuseum org/80 or email fcm@intrepidmuseum org

The homecoming will feature a special ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of Intrepid’s commissioning on Wednesday, Aug 16, honoring former crew members from all eras of the carrier’s service, who will reunite and share stories of their tours of duty The museum will host a special former crew member dinner event that evening and guided tours of the ship For some former crew members, this will be the first time they have been aboard their beloved

ship since the completion of their service. While the museum recognizes the ship’s commissioning anniversary every year, the 80th celebration promises to be the largest gathering of former crew members since the 75th anniversary in 2018

Intrepid’s 80th Commissioning Anniversary Celebration is open to the public, and will feature events specifically tailored for former crew members and their families, as well as opportunities for members of the public to interact with our visiting former crew members.

Now a national historic landmark, the aircraft carrier Intrepid (CVS-11) was one of the most successful and stalwart ships in U S history Nicknamed “The Fighting I” by its crew, Intrepid served in the Pacific

IMAG History & Science Center to provide free admission to active-duty military personnel from May 20 through Sept. 4

Participating in the National Blue Star Museums Program, the IMAG History & Science Center will provide free admission for our nation’s active-duty military personnel and their families this summer f r o m A r m e d F o r c e s D a y , M a y 2 0 , through Labor Day, Sept 4

The IMAG is making admission free for all who are currently serving in the U n i t e d S t a t e s M i l i t a r y i n c l u d i n g t h e

Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, as well as members of

the Reserves, National Guard, U.S. Public Health Commissioned Corps, and NOAA C o m m i s s i o n e d C o r p s A c c o m p a n y i n g active-duty military, admission is also free for up to five family members

Blue Star Museums is a collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and participating museums across America This year’s Blue Star participants include fine art, science, history, and children’s museums as well as zoos,

aquariums, gardens, and more. For a complete list of participating museums, visit arts gov/bluestarmuseums

The IMAG History & Science Center is lo cated at 2 0 0 0 C r an f o r d A v e , F o r t Myers The museum is open Monday through Saturday, 10 a m to 5 p m , and Sunday, noon to 5 p m , but closed on Tuesday

For additional information about the museum, please visit theIMAG org or call 239-243-0043

during World War II, surviving five kamikaze attacks and one torpedo strike Intrepid later conducted submarine surveillance in the North Atlantic during the Cold War and served three tours of duty off Vietnam It was also one of the primary recovery vessels for NASA during the Mercury and Gemini missions, and retrieved astronauts Scott Carpenter, Gus Grissom and John Young after their respective orbits and splashdowns in the Pacific

About the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum

The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum is a private non-profit, educational institution featuring the legendary aircraft carrier Intrepid, the space shuttle Enterprise, the world’s fastest jets and a guided nuclear missile submarine The Museum is one of the world’s most unique cultural institutions illuminating the intersection of history and innovation through the people who lived it and the technology that made extraordinary accomplishments possible

The mission of the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum is to promote the awareness and understanding of history, science and service through its collections, exhibitions and programming in order to honor our heroes, educate the public and inspire our youth

Connect on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, and tour the Museum virtually on Google Arts & Culture

Pioneer Club of Lee County to hold Pioneer Picnic April 29

Local high school graduation classes of 1973, others to be recognized at annual event

The Pioneer Club of Lee County is celebrating the 74th anniversary of its founding in 1949 by R A Henderson, Jr

The Pioneer Club was formed to honor those living persons who had been residents of old Lee County for 50 or more years The initial meeting was held in 1950 at the Lions Park on Cleveland Avenue in Fort Myers

The Pioneer Picnic is a social organization comprised of many of the old families of Lee County who get together annually to catch up on one another’s lives and to have lunch together

T h e P i o n e e r P i c n i c t r a d i t i o n a l l y i s h e l d t h e l a s t Saturday in April of each year This year’s annual picnic will take place on Saturday, April 29, at the Lee County Civic Center – Tinsley Pavilion which is located off Bayshore Road in North Fort Myers

Registration and visiting begin at 10 a m , lunch will be served at noon followed by presentations and a raffle at 1

Epiphany Episcopal Church Easter Week ser vice schedule

Epiphany Episcopal Church in Cape Coral has announced its church service schedule for Easter Week 2023 as follows: Good Fridays Service will be at noon, Friday, April 7 Easter Virgil Service will be Saturday, April 8, at 7 p m , and Easter Sunday Holy Eucharist Service will at 8 a m and 9:30 a m , Sunday April 9

All are welcome to this very friendly church located at 2507 Del Prado Blvd , S , Cape Coral, FL 33904 Any questions should be directed to the church office at 239-574-3200

Easter Sunrise Ser vice planned at Lovegrove Galler y in Matlacha

The annual Easter Sunrise Service in Matlacha with Pastor Michael J Silberg will be held at 6:45

p m

The Classes of 1973 from Alva High School, Bishop Verot High School, Cypress Lakes High School, Dunbar High School, Evangelical Christian School, Fort Myers High School, North Fort Myers High School and Riverdale High School will be recognized at the picnic as celebrating their 50th class reunions Also recognized at the picnic will be the eldest pioneer man and woman born in Lee County; the couple married the longest (both spouses need to be in attendance); pioneer who traveled the longest distance to the picnic; and the eldest person in attendance

Approximately 1,200 invitations are mailed out for the picnic of which two-thirds are sent to residents and the remainder to those people who live out of the area There are normally 600-700 people in attendance

Barbecue chicken or pork, baked beans, coleslaw, rolls, chocolate chip cookies and iced tea or lemonade are avail-

RELIGION NOTES

a m , April 9, at Lovegrove Gallery & Gardens, at 467 Pine Island Road, N W , Matlacha Gallery doors open at 6:15 a m Those attending are urged to bring a flashlight

After the short sermon, guests will all gather on the gallery docks to watch the sunrise over the canal-lined mangroves

Coffee and pastries will be available immediately following RSVPs would be appreciated: sales@leomalovegrove com or text 239-938-5655

During the service, Leoma Lovegrove will be painting

At right is Pastor Michael Silberg at a previous Easter Sunrise Service at the Lovegrove Gallery & Gardens in Matlacha.

PHOTO PROVIDED

able to the attendees for $10 per plate

The eligibility requirement for membership is that the person was a resident of Lee County prior to 1973 Please email pioneerleecounty@gmail com to receive registration information or you may registerthe day of the picnic There are no membership dues

Through the generosity of the Edison and Ford Winter Estates, free admission on that weekend is given to the members of the Pioneer Club by presenting their membership card to the Edison and Ford WinterEstates (general admission) Friday, Saturday and Sunday, April 28-30 An invitation has also been extended to the members of the Pioneer Club to visit The IMAG History & Science Center (general admission) and the Shell Factory/Nature Park (general admission) Friday, Saturday and Sunday, April 28-30

Lee County Band to present April in Paradise concert April 23

The Lee County Community Band will present April in Paradise, its last concert of the season, at 3 p m , Sunday, April 23, at Cape Coral High School

Under the baton of Richard Bradstreet, the band will be in top form as it performs D i x i e l a n d , l i v e l y m a r c h e s , p a t r i o t i c f a v o r i t e s , B r o a d w a y h i t s , a n d m o r e Selections include “Dixieland Front and Center!;” “Nobles of the Mystic Shrine,” a march by John Philip Sousa; Highlights from Jersey Boys; “In the Miller Mood;” “Frenesi,” featuring vocalist Jan Fenn; “Love Is , ” featuring vocalist Norman Jones; and “Come Fly with Me,” featuring

vocalist Fred Lamb

I n a d d i t i o n t o c o n c l u d i n g t h e L e e County Band’s 137th concert season, the April 23 program will serve as a bittersweet moment for the 60-member ensemble, as it bids farewell to emcee and vocalist Norman Jones, who has served in this r o l e f o r 4 3 y e a r s ; a n d t o l o n g - t i m e Bradstreet and his wife, Sara, band librarian Music teachers and owners of a music store in Norwalk, Ohio, the Bradstreets moved to Southwest Florida in 1978, opened Educators’ Music in Cape Coral, and began entertaining local audiences as a

duo – he on percussion and she on piano and organ They joined the Lee County Band in 1979; he played trumpet (and other instruments as needed, including trombone, French horn, baritone horn and drums), and she played clarinet Later, Sara switched to bassoon, her current instrument Richard accepted the baton as director in 2003 and is retiring after the April 23 concert

Southwest Florida’s original concert band, the Lee County Band has been regaling regional audiences since 1885, and enjoys a large, loyal, and enthusiastic audience Plan to arrive early and enjoy this

final concert of the season Admission is free; donations are welcomed

The band will resume rehearsals in October, and its first performance of the 2023-24 season will be in mid-November Concerts take place at Cape Coral High School at 3 p m ; the school is at 2300 Santa Barbara Boulevard, one block north of Veterans Parkway

For more information, please phone

3115; or visit us on Facebook at Lee County Community Band or on the web at www leecountyband org

Caldwell guest speaker at Fort Myers Republican Women’s Club meeting April 18

Matt Caldwell, Lee County Property Appraiser, will be the featured speaker during the April 18 luncheon of the Fort Myers Republican Women’s Club He will provide the attendees with an update on Southwest Florida’s Hurricane Ian relief and how it affects property values The

luncheon is held in the Helm Club at The Landings, South Fort Myers

The public is invited to attend the luncheon A social hour begins at 11:15 a m

T h e n o o n l u n c h w i l l b e f o l l o w e d b y Caldwell’s presentation A question-andanswer session follows the presentation

The luncheon cost is $20 Reservations are required by Thursday, April 13, and may be made by contacting Diane Kinser at Social lady@yahoo com or Tina Laurie, 239-489-4701

2023 FMRWC membership is available at $25 Associate members (men) may join

at $15 Checks may be paid at the luncheon meeting or sent to Tina Laurie at 5260 S Landings Drive, #407, Fort Myers, FL 33919

Additional information about the club may be obtained by contacting Tina Laurie, 239-489-4701

Friends of the Cape Coral Library to hold Book Sale Fundraiser April 20-22 in the meeting room

For three days in April, the large meeting room of the Cape Coral Library located at 921 S W 39th Terrace (near the intersection of Mohawk and Skyline) will be filled to the brim with thousands of quality used books arranged by category for the Friends of the Cape Coral Library Book Sale Fundraiser

The sale, which is held in the meeting room of the library, starts Thursday, April 20, from 10 a m to 3 p m , for Friends' Members Only Preview Sale (Non-members may join the FOCCL at the door for only $15 per family.)

The sale for the public will be held Friday, April 21, and Saturday, April 22, from 9 a m to 3 p m

There will be lots of fiction for adults and sections for children and teens Find non-fiction sorted by subject such as Art, Crafts, History, Biography, Cookbooks, Gardening and more Find audio books and music CDs, plus movies on DVD Most items are $1 or $2, with small paperbacks at less than a buck!

In addition, a wonderful selection of “Special” books will be highlighted These specialty items (including works by Florida authors, autographed books, collectibles and more) are priced somewhat higher, but are still an incredible bargain! Proceeds from the event are used to support the Cape Coral Public Library branch

Pay by cash or personal check only: Credit cards are NOT accepted

To donate Books: Donations of gently used resale quality books, CDs and DVDs for our book sales are accepted

Books displayed for an earlier sale at the Cape Coral Library.

year-round Call the Friends’ phone message service at 239-349-2572, leave a clear message with your phone number, and someone will return your call

For additional information about the book sale, visit www capefriends org and follow Friends of the Cape Coral Library on Facebook

Bastien joins staff at Physicians’ Primary Care of Southwest Florida

Physicians’ Primary Care of Southwest Florida has announced that Claribeth Bastien, NP, MSN, PNP-C, has joined Cape Coral Pediatrics, seeing patients in Cape Coral and other PPC locations in Lee County Bastien is a graduate of the Cox College of Nursing and Healthcare where she earned her bachelor's degree in nursing S he completed a mas ters of nurs ing from the

University of South Florida in 2020 Most recently, Bastien worked at Florida Cancer Specialists and Advent Health

“This is a remarkable opportunity I'm very excited to be working with Lee County children and their parents,” remarked Bastien “Physicians' Primary Care has a great team and I can't wait to make an impact ”

Bastien is now seeing patients at Cape Coral Pediatrics, 1261 Viscaya Parkway, Suite 101, in Cape Coral She will also be providing services at the PPC Olympia Pointe Pediatrics location in Lehigh Acres

For more information or to book an appointment, visit ppcswfl com or call 239-574-1988

PHOTO PROVIDED

From page 20

Awards Competition

The Collegiate Adver-tising Awards program is an elite, national program recognizing higher education organizations for excellence in communications, marketing, advertising and promotions of their schools The 2022 CAA program received entries from the United States and Canada, representing small community colleges to large schools and universities

Hodges University won a Gold Award in the TV Advertising Series category for its series of four TV commercials, written and directed by the Hodges University marketing team, and filmed and produced by WINK-TV and WXCW-TV

Hodges University earned a gold award

EDUCATION NOTES

i n t h e c a t e g o r y o f w e b s i t e f o r i t s Hodges edu website

Submissions were reviewed and scored by a national panel of industry experts, with a possibility of 100 total points

Gold awards received a judges’ score of 95 to 99 (top 5% in the nation); silver awards earned 90 to 94 (top 12% in the nation); and bronze awards earned 85 to 89 (top 16% in the nation)

H o d g e s U n i v e r s i t y i s a r e g i o n a l l y accredited, private nonprofit institution founded in 1990 With a campus in Fort M y e r s , H o d g e s p r o v i d e s f l e x i b l e d a y , e v e n i n g a n d o n l i n e c l a s s e s t a u g h t b y world-class faculty for undergraduate and graduate degrees More information about H o d g e s U n i v e r s i t y i s a v a i l a b l e a t Hodges edu

Oasis High School to host Camp Invention June 12-16

Camp Invention, a nationally recognized, nonprofit summer enrichment program, is coming to Oasis High School the week of June 12-16

A program of the National Inventors Hall of Fame, in partnership with the U n i t e d S t a t e s P a t e n t a n d T r a d e m a r k Office, Camp Invention challenges children in grades K-6 to tap into their natural curiosity and use their creativity to solve problems Through hands-on activities, Camp Invention promotes STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) learning; builds confidence, leadership, p e r s e v e r a n c e a n d r e s o u r c e f u l n e s s ; a n d encourages entrepreneurship - all in a fun

This year's Wonder program encourages children to be confident in their ideas and explore their innovativeness though handson activities including:

Catching Air: Taking a confidencebuilding ride through physics, engineering and art, children design and build their own skate park

Invention Celebration: Campers take on the role of event planners as they throw a party celebrating creativity and innovation.

MimicBot: Children show their unique style when they transform a robot that mimics sounds into a one-of-a-kind animatronic stuffie

Pop-Up Venture: Big ideas come to life as campers design their own mini pop-up business

Visit invent org/camp to register

Warmer temperatures mean snook and tarpon are biting

Humidity and snook go together like a plate full of muskrat salad and cornbread I’ll gladly take the snook and salad but thoughts of yet another steam bath summer make me feel sticky already Twenty-two years here, and still waiting for my blood to “thin out” so I can finally “get used to it ”

But again, heat means big snook biting and the biggest meanest tarpon of the year already biting in the Keys, others already swimming north past the 10,000 Islands with many eventually gathering in Boca Grande Pass, others continuing to move further north, then westward Who knows what drives some to stay and some to move on but they seem to have it figured out since fisheries biologists say they’ve been at it for about 120 million years Just when you thought you knew everything about tarpon, did you also know that Michelangelo i n c l u d e d a t a r p o n i n h i s Sistine Chapel ceiling painti n g m a s t e r w o r k p a i n t e d i n 1510?

The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels season got underway Thursday night at Hammond Stadium. Last year's FSL First Half Champs look forward to another season of high-level baseball in Fort Myers. Pictured from left are starting pitcher Zebby Matthews, Twins' No 16 prospect shortstop Daniel De Andrade and No 27 ranked prospect catcher/outfielder Ricardo Olivar

Mighty Mussels ‘excited’ about season

first season of full affiliate ball ”

Capt George Tunison

Google states that there are 13 species of snook worldwide with new species still being identified like the fairly recent find in Brazil Florida plays host to five of these species and statewide they are o n t h e m o v e , w i t h m a n y already beachside preparing for their summer fling with the rest of the gang on the way

Just before the recent full moon we did really well on a night dock trip on the Caloosahatchee using suspending and sinking MirrOlures around the pilings and DOA glow color shrimp skipped back into the darkness under the structure, which resulted in some hard strikes and close quarter epic battles, some of which were simply unwinnable even with the fairly heavy equipment we were using

With all the newest lures to pick from, new anglers are often overwhelmed by the selection and miss out on some timeless snook producers like the old style sinking MirrOlure, which is deadly, especially around dock and bridge structure This is a lure with zero built-in action, lip or wiggle, but looks alive if manipulated properly by the angler Cast to pilings then let it sink downward on a tight line to near bottom, then a few rod tip flicks, mend line, then repeat that sudden twitch and fall dance till out of the strike zone Don’t be in a hurry to retrieve it, slow and subtle near bottom is key while the lure flashes and appears to be and easy meal for a hungry 40-inch dock monitor

When dock fishing at night you’re obviously looking for active fish but really looking for that one dock among many that tonight has all the right combination of food, current, structure, depth, even lighting, to attract them there

If you can find live bait in the 10 to 12-inch size, put one under a float and do a slow dock run pitching the bait to the pilings with a slow underhand lob, or pitch it right up against the seawall, where big snook and jacks often trap their meals

Use the trolling motor and very slowly and quietly night troll the miles of Cape canals dragging a large mullet or ladyfish under a float behind you Have

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

The first pitch of the 2023 Mighty Mussels season took place last night at Hammond Stadium, welcoming back the boys of summer once again for a season of high-level baseball

As the Single-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins, the Mussels were last year's Florida State League First Half Champions, with this year's roster featuring 10 players selected in the 2022 MLB Draft, as well as 20 players already with experience at the Low-A Minor League level

Brian Meyers, the reigning FSL Manager of the year, is back for his third season at the helm He led the Mussels to a 129-113 record over his first two seasons, including the 2022 FSL West First Half Championship Meyers is also playing a major role in the development of more than 30 Twins' prospects who have earned promotions to High-A Cedar Rapids

“I'm real excited to be back in Fort Myers It's just a great community for baseball,” Meyers said “The fan support over the past couple years has been great.”

This year's group of youngsters looking to make a name for themselves are headlined by a solid rotation and prospects in the field The club's highest ranked prospect at No 16 by MLB Pipeline is shortstop Danny De Andrade

A unique combination in a catcher/outfielder is No 27 ranked prospect by MLB Pipeline, Ricardo Olivar Key bats from the 2022 First Half Championship team are back, including IF Mikey Perez, IF Rubel Cespedes and OF Carlos Aguiar

“It's an exciting roster,” Meyers said. “When you look up and down, we have some guys that have had some experience with us last year, so you get some veterans guys back who can help guide the young bucks along who it's their

Olivar was named Florida Complex League Most Valuable Player, pacing the league with a 1 047 OPS over 40 games last season, batting .349 with 20 extra-base hits before earning a promotion to the Mussels

The 21-year-old Venezuelan native signed as a free agent to a Minor League deal in 2019 and is excited to showcase his skills in Fort Myers this summer

“I'm very excited to start with the Mussels this year after having a successful season last year,” Olivar said through hitting coach Rayden Sierra “This year, the focus is the same, same mentality, just trying to do what's been working and I thank God for the success and plan to stay humble, keep working, and have another successful season ”

As for Olivar's approach at the plate, where in 2022 he had 20 extra-base hits and posted a 1 013 OPS, he said, “It's something that starts way before I show up to the ballpark I try to have positive thoughts and prepare myself and go through my routine Whether things go my way or not, I try and appreciate the moment and understand I won't have success all the time ”

Olivar doesn't just stick out as an impressive bat, he has the unusual talent of playing both catcher and outfielder Not only does he have the burdensome task to learn the tendencies of each pitcher on the staff, he has to work on tracking down fly balls and relay alignments He said he likes both positions equally

“I try to make sure my legs stay healthy,” Olivar said “If I show up and see I'll be catching, I'll meet with the pitchers and pitching coaches to make sure we have a solid plan to go about the day ”

As for how much we'll see Olivar at each position, Meyers said: “It's going to be a balance I think one of the

See MIGHTY MUSSELS, page 43

Verot’s Moreno Breeze Athlete of the Month for March

Breeze Staf f Repor t

news@breezenewspapers com

The votes are in for the Cape Coral Breeze’s March Athlete of the Month, and the winner is Bishop Verot High School's Melanie Moreno Moreno, a sophomore, helped propel the Vikings to a 40 Orange Bowl Tournament record with her bat, driving in 11 runs and smashing two homers throughout the tournament

“I knew going into this weekend I had to provide some

offensive support,” Moreno said during her nomination week “I've been in a slight slump and my team needed me I hope to continue my success supporting and helping my team in anyway possible My job as a player on this team is to sacrifice myself for the better of the team. We plan to just keep taking it game by game and focus on the big picture ”

Voting for April's Athlete of the Month will open toward the end of the month Stay up to date on capecoralbreeze com

CJ HADDAD

Cape Coral Breeze Athlete of the Week

Cape Coral Breeze Athlete Week of the

(Selected by the Breeze Sports staff)

Wednesday WEIGHTLIFTING

Justin Davis of Bishop Verot won his w e i g h t c l a s s i n O l y m p i c l i f t i n g o n Wednesday in the Region 1A-4 competition at Frostproof Middle/Senior High School

Only the top lifter in each class at region is guaranteed a spot in the FHSAA state championships April 14-15 The rest of the field is selected on an at-large basis

Those at-large selections had not been posted by the FHSAA as of Thursday morning.

The Vikings' Jack Wilson (154-pound class) finished second in both the traditional and Olympic lifts

Bishop Verot came in second out of 22 schools in Olympic lifting, with Riley Bowe fourth at 199, Sonna Tokotaha third at 238 and Wyatt Whalen second in unlimited

Wilson and Davis (third) were the only Verot lifters to post top-five results in traditional Region 1A-4

At Frostproof Traditional T

Mooney 31, 2 Cardinal Mooney 24, 3

Sponsored by:

PREP REPORT

Gulf Shores 23, 4 Frostproof 16, 5 American Heritage 15, 6 St Stephen's 14, 7 Avon Park 13, 8 Gulliver Prep 12, 9 Bishop Verot 11, 10 Somerset Canyons 9

Wilson (BV) 440 169: 3 Justin Davis

(BV) 440 238: 6 Sonny Tokotaha (BV)

495 Unlimited: 6 Wyatt Whalen (BV) 590

Olympic

T e a m ( 2 2 s c h o o l s ) : 1 C a r d i n a l

Mooney 36, 2 Bishop Verot 28, 3 Coral

Shores 27, 4 Bradenton Christian 22, 5

Cardinal Mooney 20, 6. Imagine School

North Port 15, 7 Pine Crest 13, 8 St

Stephen's 12, 9 (tie) Village Academy 7, St Edward's 7

I n d i v i d u a l : 1 5 4 p o u n d s : 1 J a c k

Wilson (BV) 340 169: 1 Justin Davis

(BV) 410 183: 6 Ty Kolaczwnski (BV)

370 199: 4 Riley Bowe (BV) 355, 6

Jimmy Rose (BV) 335 238: 3 Sonny

Tokotaha (BV) 410, 7 Eddie Nolan (BV)

340 Unlimited: 2 Wyatt Whalen (BV)

500

SOFTBALL

Mariner 8, Riverdale 2: Cheyenne

W a d d e l l h i t a g r a n d s l a m , a n d K a t i e

Campbell homered, doubled, scored three

times and had two RBI for Mariner (5-8).

Taylor Cotoni was 2-for-3 with two RBI Crimson Lawrence gave up two unearned r u n s o v e r f i v e i n n i n g s , a n d W a d d e l l pitched two scoreless innings in relief

Lemon Bay 18, Island Coast 0 (3 i n n i n g s ) : T h e M a n t a R a y s n o - h i t t h e Gators (3-9) for three innings

BOYS TENNIS

Oasis 4, North Port 3: Eric Feichthaler and John Vezzola won their singles matches for the Sharks (6-4) Tyler Feichthaler joined his brother for a win at No. 1 doubles, and Vezzola teamed at No 2 doubles for another victory

BOYS LACROSSE

Bishop Verot 19, Key West 4: The Vikings finished the regular season 14-2, with district tournament play coming up next week

BEACH VOLLEYBALL

Estero 4, Mariner 1: T h e T r i t o n s slipped to 4-6 at the hands of 9-1 Estero

Tuesday BASEBALL

Battle of the Border

At Terry Park, Fort Myers

M a r i n e r 1 0 , C a p e C o r a l 7 ( 1 0 innings): The Tritons (4-11) scored three times in the top of the 10th inning for the win Sam Guth's sacrifice fly was followed by Landon Johnston's RBI single and Ryan K o t a r s k i ' s r u n - s c o r i n g d o u b l e T h e Seahawks (2-14) led 7-4 until the top of the seventh, when Mariner posted three runs to send the game into extra innings DJ Dwire's double led to two runs scoring, then Romero Gist brought Dwire home Cape's Jael Lawton had a big night at the plate, going 4-for-5 with a double and three runs scored. Alexander Kolasinski was also 4-for-5, scoring twice; and Justin Czernak was 3-for-6 with two RBI Bryan C a l d e r o n a l s o h a d t w o R B I f o r t h e Seahawks

North Fort Myers 4, Fort Myers 1: D y l a n N e S m i t h w o r k e d f i v e s h u t o u t innings for the Red Knights (10-7), allowing three hits and one walk Blake Busbee and Matthew Blasena drove in a run each for North

Other games

O a s i s 1 0 , E a s t L e e C o u n t y ( 6 innings): Jacob Fowler held the Jaguars to one hit while striking out 10 over six

See PREP REPORT, page 42

CCCIA Spring Classic set for May 5 at Coral Oaks Golf Course

The Cape Coral Construction Industry Association will be holding its Spring Classic Friday, May 5, at the Coral Oaks Golf Course, 1800 N W 28th Ave , Cape Coral

The entry fee is $125 for individuals and $500 per foursome, and includes greens fees, breakfast, lunch, snacks and beverages

There will also be prizes for games, raf-

From page 41

fles and a 50/50 drawing

Sponsorships for the event are also available

Check-in is at 7:30 a m with a shotgun start at 8:30 a m

additional information, please call 239772-0027, email info@cccia org or visit www

org

PREP REPORT

innings The Sharks (6-3) were led on offense by Brandon Bova-Cipolla, who doubled, tripled, scored twice and had two RBI Alex Garay and Noah Pinney both tripled and drove in two runs, Pinney and Gabe Gair scored two runs each

, Bishop Verot 0: Owen Rardin had two hits for the Vikings (11-8).

SOFTBALL

Oasis 7, St John Neumann 6: The Sharks (5-5) rallied from a 4-2 deficit to lead 7-4, then held off a Neumann rally in the bottom of the seventh Alaina Shugars and Jetta Fisher had an RBI each for Oasis, and seven different Sharks scored the team's seven runs

Cape Coral 18, Gateway 4 (6 innings): Jessica Ratliff was 3-for-4, scoring three times and driving in two runs to lead the Seahawks (4-9) Marina Beaulieu tripled

Isabel Watts and Mariah Cruz scored two runs each

Bishop Verot 9, Charlotte 0: Victoria Ash struck out seven for the Vikings (132) Meanwhile, Camryn Feast had a huge

night at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a three-run homer and six RBI in all She a l s o s c o r e d t w i c e M e l a n i e M o r e n o knocked in two runs, and Rosalie Riley scored three times

GIRLS LACROSSE

Cape Coral 15, Cypress Lake 2: The Seahawks (11-1) won their sixth in a row with one regular-season game remaining Bishop Verot 26, Gateway 2: The Vikings (7-8) closed out the regular season with a dominating performance

BOYS TENNIS

Mariner 4, Charlotte 3

Singles: Mason Whitesides (C) d Karl Schott 6-0, 6-1 Noah Jennings (C) d Kieran Kurkimilis 6-1, 6-3 Noah Riascos (M) d Alexander Walsh 6-2, 6-0 Damien Cleason (M) d Jacob Chupka 6-4, 6-4 Robert Preston (M) d Evan Bowser 6-4, 61 Doubles: Whitesides/Jennings (C) d S ch o tt/G leas o n 8 - 1 K u r k imilis /P r es to n (M) d Gabriel Fink/Aksel Phatak 8-2

GIRLS TENNIS

Charlotte 6, Mariner 1

Singles: Morgan Everly (M) d Halayna Roberson 7-5, 6-1 Sophia Bender (C) d Sophia Vianest 6-0, 6-4 Sophia Clancy (C) d. Lily DiMurro 6-2, 60 Kenalll Carrico (C) d C y n t h i a P e r e z 6 - 1 , 6 - 1 K a e l y n C a r r i c o ( C ) d Emma Tuescher 6-3, 7-5 Doubles: Roberson/Bender ( C ) d E v e r l y / P e r e z 9 - 7 Clancy/Kendall Carrico (C) d DiMurro/Vianest 8-4

Late Monday BEACH VOLLEYBALL

Mariner 4, ECS 1: The Tritons improved to 4-5. Bishop Verot 5, Fort Myers 0: Verot is 13-2 on the season

TIDES CHART Mighty Mussels: Excited about new season

From page 40

keys for him is finding what his better position is now that we're in affiliate ball and can test it a little differently And as you see throughout the game, the more versatility you have -- if you have a bat that profiles well, it's going to give you more options to stay in the lineup Managing his workload is going to be another thing It's very tough to go out and catch nine innings and go out and play the outfield the next day It's nice to have that flexibility, but we definitely want to keep his health at the forefront so that we can play a good season."

Part of the starting rotation behind opening night starter Cory Lewis is righty Andrew Morris Morris was selected in the 4th round of the 2022 Draft out of Texas Tech and made his Mussels debut in the FSL playoffs and tossed three scoreless innings

Snook and tarpon:

From page 40

patience, go slowly and don’t be surprised if a leg-long snook takes the bait as you float it close by a dock or a scary big tarpon suddenly hits the night sky Think 80pound leaders

Besides the typical gear used for any night trip, folks that love using lures should include a pair of lightweight, clear lensed glasses in their kit to protect their eyes during the nights fishing

Snook harvest closes on May 1 this year so if you enjoy the taste then this is your month to bring home a dinner guest

Kind winds means big and tasty snapper, grouper, kings, cobia, Spanish, found from just outside the passes out to the horizon in deep water. Permit are still available on nearshore structure

Capt George Tunison is a Cape Coral resident fishing guide You an contact him at 239-282-9434 or via email at captgeorget3@aol com

“It's great to start here from the beginning,” Morris said “It's obviously a beautiful place to play, so I'm really excited to be here and get going ”

The 21-year-old logged 88 1 innings at the college level in 2022, delivering a quality start in the NCAA Regionals This year he said he's working on adding velocity to his slider and has added a splitter to his arsenal of pitches

“Hopefully that'll be working here,” Morris said of the new pitch

Joining him in the rotation is Twins' 8th round pick Zebby Matthews The 6-foot-5 North Carolina native appeared in two games for the Mussels towards the end of the 2022 year and led the Southern Conference as Western Carolina with 122 strikeouts

“I just go out here and compete every day Try and do my job, which is to get hitters out however I can do that -just help the team win,” Matthews said

This offseason, Matthews has added a new slider and change-up to the to the mix

“The new slider gives me more movement on the pitch, a little slower than my previous slider, so it will play well off the fastball,” Matthews said “The change-up to lefties will be a big help I'm ready to compete and get the season going ”

De Andrade, as a unanimous Top-20 prospect in the organization, is ready to take on any role the team needs

“I just prepare myself to be out on the field and contribute to the team and his teammates in whichever way they need me,” De Andrade said through Sierra. “If they see me as a leader, I'm ready for it, if not, whatever comes I'll be ready ”

In the FCL last year, De Andrade showed his bat-to-ball prowess and solid skills as a defender In 204 plate appearances, he held just a 15% strikeout rate and hit 242 with 23 RBI as an 18-year-old

“Danny is a rock-solid shortstop,” Meyers said “He's a quiet kid, humble kid, who goes out and plays hard He's not going to wow you with flash, but he's a steady, levelheaded kid who really enjoys playing the game, has a real competitive fire to him The intangible things he brings to the table at his age is impressive ”

Key members off the field that are making history are Asja Morello, the team's assistant trainer and Sarah Szuba, the club's strength and conditioning coach The pair become the first female staff members in Fort Myers franchise history, and Morello was born and raised in the city, having graduated from Riverdale High School

“I think it's great for the game that there are more women involved,” Meyers said “The fact that they are really, really good at their job as well Their personalities and ability to connect with the guys -- they did it last year in the complex (league), and certainly being given the opportunity here is special ”

Meyers and the Mussels family hope an evening or afternoon out at the ballpark will be a way to help residents take their minds off of the ongoing aftermath of Hurricane Ian

“To go through Spring Training without any hiccups from a facility standpoint, and for us to start on time, (we've all worked hard) to bring entertainment and an even more sense of normalcy for everyone ”

The Mussels are home for a three-game set with Dunedin until Saturday night before heading on the road They will be back home on April 18 through 23

For tickets, schedule, and a full list of the jam-packed promotional schedule, visit www mightymussels com

Hammond Stadium is at 14100 6 Mile Cypress Parkway in Fort Myers.

Connect with Associate Sports Editor CJ Haddad on Twitter: @haddad cj

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