Pine Island Eagle

VolumE 46, NumbEr 49

GPICA hears presentations on parks, health care and a brewing battle over the Chiquita Boat Lock

By PAULETTE LeBLANC pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

At its meeting Tuesday, April 4, the Greater Pine Island Civic Association heard presentations from the L e e C o u n t y P a r k s a n d R e c r e a t i o n D e p a r t m e n t , t h e S a m a r i t a n H e a l t h a n d W e l l n e s s C e n t e r a n d M i k e

Hannon, president of the Matlacha Civic Association

Lee County Parks and Recreation Director Mack

Young updated members on the post-hurricane condition of parks on Pine Island Many community areas are still

awaiting FEMA inspections for approval in order to begin repair work Galt Preserve, he said, is partially open The county is currently seeking a location to hold an affordable summer camp, in place of the Matlacha Community Park. Anything with an open floor plan could potentially work to make this happen

Young invited members to attend Lee County Parks and Recreation board meetings online for updates

Doctor Susan Hook, NP, explained the work of the Samaritan Health and Wellness Center, beginning a clin-

ic at the Beacon of Hope on Pine Island The mission, she said, is to care for those who are under insured or uninsured

“It’s going to be very affordable We are a non-profit organization. We are faith-based Christ-centered, but everybody is welcome, it doesn’t matter we just want to take care of people,” Hook said

The clinic is operating at the Beacon every other

See GPICA, page 14

PIE’s Thorpe headed to STEM Camp in Miami

By PAULETTE LeBLANC pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

Pine Island Elementary School 5th-grader Aaron Thorpe is the one elementary student who has been chosen by the county to go to STEM Camp, in Miami, from June 18-25, said his mother, Lisa Soffe.

STEM, which stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics, is a program offered by the Lee County School District

“Two years ago, Pine Island Elementary was granted

See THORPE, page 11

25th Annual Bobby Holloway

Fishing Tournament sees best turnout ever

By PAULETTE LeBLANC pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

The day was perfect, said Ernestine Holloway Squires, concerning the recent 25th Annual Bobby Holloway Jr Memorial Fishing Tournament The event, she said, is broken up almost as though it’s two separate tournaments

“We have the kids, which are the ‘Lil Bobbers. They go out at 8 a m and come back in at 1:30 and then we have their dinner, and do their awards The kids get up and talk and it's just fun And then the adults come in at 3 and they have their dinner We do awards and then we do our raffles,” Squires said

The annual event grants many kids an opportunity

to fish out on a boat with a local guide, as Squires said most of the tournament kids have never had the chance to do these things She is hopeful, for many, the event is an introduction to a world opened up by the water and the outdoors

It’s not uncommon, she explained, for someone to

See HOLLOWAY, page 9

Lil Bobber Capt. Ryan Walsh with “Team Catfishers” at the Holloway Tournament

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY ERNESTINE HOLLOWAY SQUIRES

PHOTO PROVIDED BY LISA SOFFE Pine Island Elementary’s Aaron Thorpe, with teacher Regina Notarianni, was chosen for STEM Camp in Miami

PHOTO PROVIDED

Shopping carts full of donated items collected during the food drive at Winn-Dixie The food, was donated to the Pine Island Food Pantry

Winn-Dixie food drive called a great success

The food drive raised $3,100 worth of food for the Pine Island Food Pantry, he said, which consisted of $15 food bags, raffle proceeds and hot dog wagon sales

In addition, donations of money and items from people’s pantries were made In total, the Food Pantry received 1,219 pounds of food from the event, which

was loaded and delivered by the Matlacha/Pine Island Fire Department

“I am so proud to work on such a caring and generous Island I am very happy that we raised so much for our fellow islanders in need We have our drop box up front year round for donations. We are Pine Island strong,” Loughren said

The Winn-Dixie is located on Stringfellow Road, just south of Pine Island Road, in St James City

Resident begins her own business to help islanders

By PAULETTE LeBLANC pleblanc@breezenewspapers

Real Estate and Adjusting with both her real estate and insurance adjuster licenses in place. She fixes and flips homes in the area, she explained

Martinez said it’s likely she will have to travel where emergency adjusters are needed,

“I’m a very hands-on kind of person After I spoke with my FEMA adjuster I realized I could make a living helping people,”

Thayla Martinez

for 7 years, Martinez was laid off in December, just as she was getting her adjusting license She felt the timing was perfect to launch her new career, so that’s exactly what she did

“I was supervising the analysts in a remote position, and they didn’t need the department anymore so they decided to reorganize They laid me off with a nice package and gave me the option to find another job within the company and I said, no, I think this is a sign, so I’m gonna run with it,” Martinez said

She has been on the island since November 2021, and said she feels she is in exactly the right place Like many

See RESIDENT, page 14

OPINIONS

By ISABELLA McDONNELL Special to The Eagle

Publisher Raymond M Eckenrode reckenrode@breezenewspapers com

Executive Editor Valarie Harring vharring@breezenewspapers com

Editor Paulette LeBlanc pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

Advertising Director Laurie Ragle lragle@ breezenewspapers com

Advertising Sales Charlene Russ cruss@breezenewspapers com

Design & Layout Chris Strine cstrine@breezenewspapers com

Obituaries Debbie Carletti obits@breezenewspapers com

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

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

Web Poll

Previous Web Poll Question: Current Web Poll Question:

To the editor: Yes It is partly true None of us will get out of here alive As we age (which all of us are doing) we become more accepting of this fact. Most adults do not fear death the world will go on functioning much the same as it did before we were born but none of us want to suffer at the end Modern medicine cannot keep us alive forever but physicians can alleviate our pain and suffering with medications if politicians would just stay 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 Prescription pills are available for a dying person to self-administer if/when they decide that the time is right to hasten death and not further prolong their suffering in privacy or surrounded by loved ones. And… there are safeguards in place to protect against being murdered with them by those who might ben-

end of the month

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 O c e a n o g r a p h y L a b o r a t o r y ' s w e b p a g e a t https://optics marine usf edu/projects/SaWS html

G a s b l a d d e r s , c a l l e d p n e u m a t o c y s t s , 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 oxy-

efit from one’s death

The DEA has proposed a rule change preventing doctors from prescribing controlled substances via telemedicine that would have a profoundly negative impact on terminally ill patients. Telemedicine visits with physic 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 COVID pandemic and many dying patients are too sick to travel even for a local doctor visit Fear of terminal suffering and the desire to control one’s own death are the most common reasons for patients to request an “assisted” death Freedom to decide when one has had enough should be respected and involve no one except their physician either in person or via a telemedicine visit The main purpose of introducing “assisted dying” legislation is to provide a “safe and comfortable” death to patients who believe they will otherwise have to endure unbearable suffering at the end of life

gen, 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 a m m o n i u m a r e t i e d t o t h e g r o w t h o f 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 e c o s y s t e m s F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , v i s i t www sccf org

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 Committee but Chairperson Senator 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

In the Florida House, the “Florida End-ofL i f e O p t i o n s A c t ” H B 1 2 3 1 h a s b e e n 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 Info@ChuckClemons com or call his 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

Cape Coral Breeze Athlete of the Week

Operations update for Pine Island Disaster Recovery Center

Facility to remain open until Friday

State and federal partners have announced operational adjustments for residents needing services at the Disaster Recovery Center on Pine Island

The Pine Island Mobile Disaster Recovery Center will continue to run until Friday, April 14, and will then discontinue operation at the end of the day

The mobile DRC on Pine Island is located at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1, 8150 Stringfellow Road, St James City, FL 33956 Hours of operation are

Cat of the Week

9 a m to 6 p m through Friday

New visitors to the mobile DRC have declined to just a handful daily Once the mobile DRC is discontinued, the nearest DRC to Pine Island will be at Lake Kennedy Center, 400 Santa Barbara Blvd , Cape Coral FEMA and SBA hours are 9 a m to 6 p m Monday through Saturday. Closed Sunday.

You can go online to disasterassistance gov or call the

FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 The line is open every day from 7 a m to 11 p m ET Help is available in most languages

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

Applications available for Legion scholarships

If you attended Pine Island Elementary School or reside on Greater Pine Island or have an immediate family member who is a member of the American Legion Post 136, SAL member at Post 136 or Auxiliary member at Post 136, you qualify to apply for scholarships offered by the post

The Legion is interested in students attending 2 or 4-

year programs, colleges, technical or trade schools

Some time exemptions may apply to technical and trade schools that are accredited

Applications can be downloaded from the post website at www post136fl org

Completed applications need to be turned in no later than May 16, 2023

Little Miss

PHOTO PROVIDED

This picture shows a petite, 1-year-old dilute calico kitty. It does not show how sweet, gentle and very food motivated Little Miss is. It also can't show how she likes being talked to and scratched behind the ears. There are a lot of things pictures can't show about our kitties, but they would be happy to tell you. Stop by Helping Paws Animal Sanctuary and meet some of our fur kids Little Miss will be glad to see you! For more information call Helping Paws Animal Sanctuary at 239-283-9100 If you’d rather just donate, our address is 10060 Mallory Parkway E, Unit D, St James City, FL, 33956, or there’s always our website www helpingpawsanimalsanctuary.com

Bottlenose dolphin and red tide

In February, I reported that there was no shortage of bottlenose dolphins in Pine Island Sound after Hurricane Ian ravished our community of Matlacha and Pine Island Fish were plentiful The dolphin had gone offshore for the storm and were happy to be home in their residential waters

As the effects of Hurricane Ian set in, the occurrence of red tide was widespread killing the fish population and the food source for our local dolphins The dolphins were forced to find food in other areas, perhaps offshore, but also in Matlacha Pass I have seen more dolphins in Matlacha Pass on my sunset tour than I see in Pine Island Sound after 11 hours on the water

Marine scientists that have been tracking the Sarasota Bay resident bottlenose dolphin population have discov-

ered that when the dolphins swim in a s t r o n g r e d t i d e t h e y w i l l “ c o u g h ” a n d “sneeze” in ways similar to humans with a bad cold When they are exposed to breathing in an irritant like red tide, they don’t have the protective measures that humans have to filter contaminants out of their lungs They also don’t have access to cold medicine

Even before Hurricane Ian, many nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates, were w a s h e d i n t o t h e w a t e r s o f S o u t h w e s t Florida They come from lawns, agriculture and industry Hurricane Ian added a great deal more of the nutrients in the form of overflowed sewage systems

Slowly but surely our dolphins are coming back They are not as playful as usual They are hungry I’m seeing one, two, maybe three dolphins feeding along the

Dolphin Tales

flats Mostly males

I am not seeing the larger nursery pods of 15-20 female dolphins. These are the moms and the calves, the aunts and grandmothers

I believe they gathered up their pods and went where the food was not contaminated They are nursing moms, weening their young at three years, and teaching them to fish for themselves When the food is contaminated, it is for the safety of the nursery pod to make that move to clean food

Capt. Cathy Eagle has spent over 40 years boating in our local waters As a professional Charter Captain, she specializes in Dolphin and Nature tours Visit CaptainCathy com or call 239 994-2572 Welcome aboard!

Greater Pine Island Elks #2781 sponsoring children for Youth Camp

The Greater Pine Island Elks #2781 will once again sponsor area children ages 9 through 13 to attend the Florida Elks Youth Camp in scenic, Umatilla, Fla All children are welcome!

The island lodge has 11 scholarships for children to enjoy a week of housing in the modern, air-conditioned cabins; meals; swimming; canoeing; aquatic center; campfires; arts and crafts; a rope course; and lots of fun, exercise and fresh air To register a child, simply utilize the online application at floridaelks org/camp A Greater Pine Island Elk will supply their name and member number as the child’s sponsor

The stated weekly cost per child is $220 Those who can afford this reasonable fee are urged to pay; those who cannot will be afforded the same opportunity It is through the generosity of the Florida Elks Association, the Greater Pine Island #2781 and donations from members that tuition-free scholarships are made possible for campers

The Florida Elks Youth Camp is dedicated to enriching the lives of children from the state of Florida The mission is to mold the current generation of youth into adults The camp’s motto is to “inspire, connect and expand ” Kids are inspired through the quality of the

facility, staff and programming Without electronics, they help kids build connections between themselves and their peers, counselors and nature Through all this, the campers have the opportunity to expand their compassion for others, their own self-confidence and their ability and desire to make an impact on the world around them

The camp staff presents a safe camp experience that contributes to each camper’s mental, physical and social growth

The Florida Elks Youth Camp, a project of the Florida State Elks Association, is located on 405 acres of rolling hills, forests, lakes and open space in Marion County It is a unique camping experience for 7 weeks during the summer Camp sessions last from Sunday afternoon to Saturday morning and provide campers with housing, food and, of course, tons of fun!

The Florida Elks are proud that the camp is accredited by the American Camping Association and is re-certified every three years to insure compliance and a safe camping environment for children

Wish to take a virtual tour of the camp? Further inform a t i o n , v i d e o s a n d p i c t u r e s c a n b e f o u n d at www feyc org

The camp schedule is Session 1: June 11–17; Session 2: June 18-24; Session 3: June 25–July 1; Session 4: July 2–8; Session 5: July 9–15; and Session 6: July 16–22

Have any questions? Please call 425-346-7226 or email gpielks@outlook.com.

Verot’s Moreno Breeze

Athlete of the Month

Breeze Staf f Repor t news@breezenewspapers com

The votes are in for the Cape Coral Breeze’s March Athlete of t h e M o n t h , a n d t h e w i n n e r i s B i s h o p V e r o t H i g h S c h o o l ' s

Melanie Moreno

Moreno, a sophomore, helped propel the Vikings to a 4-0 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

Capt. Cathy Eagle

Melanie Moreno

have grown up fishing at this memorial tournament and then come back to help and teach what they know, now as an adult

“It’s wonderful when it comes full circle like that,” Squires said

After all these years, Squires said, it still amazes her to get so much support from the islanders Not only do islanders make this event a priority each year, but each year it seems to grow, she said, as this year presented more people, fishermen and sponsors

“It’s a surprise every year that we pull this off This year we had 99 adult boats and 50 ‘Lil Bobbers,” Squires said.

This year, the entry fee was lower, to encourage anyone who wanted to, to join in the tournament Concerns regarding both the fish and condition of the water due to

Team Dooley -- Shane, Sherry and Summer Dooley and Toby Quick -along with Elsie Stearns of Stearns

C u s t o m B u i l d e r s , w h i c h s p o nsored the first place team, won the event with a total of 95.5 inches. S e c o n d p l a c e w e n t t o S p e n c e r Hobby, which was just 1/2 inch behind with 95 total inches Shane Earhart was third (90 5 inches), Dayron Plana fourth (90 inches) and Coomer/Aune fifth (88 5 inches) The largest snook was caught b y E a r h a r t ( 3 8 i n c h e s ) H o b b y caught the largest redfish (34 inche s ) a n d E l y S o u t h l a n d e d t h e biggest seatrout (26 inches).

red tide were put to rest as the day went on.

“There were so many fish caught We had 348 caught and safely released, as it was a photo tournament So, our waters are coming back and there’s a lot of fish out there,” Squires said

Local fishermen were instrumental in getting mullet for the traditional mullet fry, she said Beloved islander and artist, the late Mel Meo, generally ran the mullet fry part of the festivities, and Squires said they really wanted to see that continue

“I’m in awe of the continuing support from the community I’d like to thank Alden Pines for stepping up and allowing us to have the venue and the neighbors who let us come in and take over the neighborhood I’d like to thank everyone who had a part in this there were hundreds of people that made this happen I’m thankful that

we can carry on this tradition and that we can continue to support the island We overcame a lot of hurdles after the hurricane we really didn’t think this was going to happen that we were going to be able to pull this off, but what is usually months of planning turned into just weeks of planning It was really a miracle that we were able to pull this off just 6 months after a hurricane devastated Pine Island,” Squires said

Kiwanis offering scholarship to island students

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

To qualify, each student must meet the following criteria: Be a resident of Pine Island or have attended Pine Island Elementary School The applicant must either be a senior in high school or a high school graduate either already in a post high school program or going to one The applicant must also need financial assistance

Application forms are available at the following locations: Century 21 Office, 10191 Stringfellow Road, St James City, or Pine Island Public Library or it can be d o w n l o a d e d f r o m t h e K i w a n i s w e b s i t e : PineIslandKiwanis org The deadline for turning in the applications is May 3, 2023 at the Century 21 Office or they may be mailed (postmarked no later than May 3, 2023 to Scholarship Chairman, P.O. Box 111, St. James City, FL 33956

The Kiwanis Club of Greater Pine Island is proud to offer scholarships every year to deserving island students who are furthering their education This is one of the many ways the bluc gives back to the community Please contact scholarship committee chair Carlyn Herring 239850-9613 if you have any questions

Sketchers Sked

The Pine Island Sketchers meet on Tuesdays from 10 a m to noon at different venues around Pine Island from November through April Just bring your art supplies and a lawn chair

There is no charge and beginners are always welcome to participate

■ Tuesday, April 18: Private home at 8241 Main St , Bokeelia, overlooking Charlotte Harbor. The interior is

under construction and not accessible inside, so bring a lawn chair Parking will be available down Seagull Bay Court, at a home #19711 with facilities and another home #19713 Please do not park in other driveways nor behind workers‘ trucks

Waterfront Drive, Pineland From Pine Island Center, drive toward Bokeelia on Stringfellow Road for 5 miles.

Firefighters provide CPR training at the island Food Pantr y

Firefighters from the Matlacha/Pine Island Fire Control District hosted a CPR training class at the Pine Island Food Panty on Thursday, March 23. Seventeen pantry volunteers were trained by Tanner Peer and Mike Baliyue -- helping to keep island residents safe

PHOTO PROVIDED

Turn left at Pineland Road, and go straight until a right turn onto Waterfront Drive At the Tarpon Lodge driveway, please go all the way back to the parking lot If staying for lunch, the Tarpon Lodge requests a two-day count in advance for a group, so please tell or call Denege at 239-282-2618 and leave a message whether you are dining

Pine Island Elementary kindergarten registration begins, Step Up Day set

Pine Island Elementary School is registering all upcoming kindergarten students for the 2023-2024 school year If your child will be 5 years old by Sept 1, 2023, they are ready to start school Please stop by the school office to register them for kindergarten PIE staff encourages all new kindergarteners to be registered for school by May 1

When registering your child for school, please bring the child’s birth certificate, proof of residence, driver’s license and current physical with Florida immunization records to Pine Island Elementary A Lee County School Registration Form will need to be completed also. This form is located online at pie leeschools net or parents can stop by the school office to pick one up.

Once you have registered your child for school, P I E will contact you to

schedule a kindergarten screener with your child on either May 10 or 11

PIE will also be hosting Step Up Day on May 26 from 9-9:45 a m on the school’s campus Step Up Day offers incoming kindergarten students an opportunity to visit the school campus and classrooms to learn more about what to expect next year A welcome packet will be given to each child that attends this event

This is not a drop-off event Parents are required to attend with their child Please call the school to let us know if you plan to attend Step Up Day Administrators, teachers and staff hope to see you there!

If you have any questions about school registration or Step Up Day, please contact Rosie Perez at 239-283-0505.

Pine Island Elementary is located at 5360 Ridgewood Drive in Bokeelia

Island Mahjongg

On April 6, mahjongg players at the St. James City Civic Association enjoyed playing the new 2023 season card New hands are always fun Three players found the new card particularly interesting as t h e y e a r n e d t h e t o p s c o r e s : S u e

Rasmussan - 165, Jerilyn Adin Safran -

Thorpe

From page 1

funding to create a STEM program, but the Matlacha Hookers were the ones who funded it for Pine Island Elementary, so Lee County chose Aaron as a recipient this year,” Soffe said.

The tuition, which is $3,400, she said, was covered by several Pine Island organizations In addition to the donation from the Matlacha Hookers, the cost was covered by the Bobby Holloway Memorial Fund, Pine Island Kiwanis Club, as well as Steven and Susan Hook

Thorpe, who is in his last year at PIE, said he believes he was chosen due to his test scores and hard work, as he has been a straight A student since kindergarten

Thorpe is very thankful for the support of his community in helping him to reach his goals, saying Pine Island has made him want to learn about everything around

155 and Toni Lindsay – 115

As our seasonal friends begin to return to their summer homes, we wish them safe travels and look forward to seeing them again in the fall

SJCCA is located at Fourth Avenue and Lemon Street in St James City

him

“It’s very nice of them to help out I’m thankful for this trip, which can grow my knowledge of science I think it will be really helpful going into middle school,” Thorpe said

An interest in science overall is what led his desire to take part in the STEM program at his school

The following is a letter written by 11year-old Aaron Thorpe:

"Thank you Matlacha Hookers, Bobby Holloway, Kiwanis Club and Mr And Mrs Hook for your donation toward the STEM Pathway Camp this summer I really appreciate your generosity I can’t wait to go and learn all of the new things about science This is going to be fun Thank you, sincerely, Aaron Thorpe"

Lavenders Landing Boat Ramp lanes partially closed for repairs

Lavenders Landing, 7290 Barrancas Ave N W , Bokeelia, boat ramp lanes will be partially closed during the week beginning Monday, April 10, for ramp repairs

Both lanes will be open Saturday and Sunday for weekend use

The left side of the ramp will be closed

GPICA

From page 1

Wednesday (beginning April 5) from 8 a m to 12 p m People are instructed to make appointments through the Beacon of Hope The more people that participate in the program, she said, the more days they will add to the clinic

Quest Diagnostics does the lab work for Samaritan Health and Wellness at very affordable prices, Hook said Diagnostic work, including testing for diabetes, heart disease and cholesterol, can be done for a miniscule amount.

“Radiology Regional helps our patients with low cost, so I can order MRIs, CT scans and they discount for our patients a n d a l l o w f o r t h r e e e q u a l p a y m e n t s instead of one big upfront payment, so that really helps people that don’t have insurance Currently, at Samaritan, we take care of people all over Southwest

Resident

From page 2

islanders, Martinez admits, she’s found her deepest desire is in helping people

“That’s what brings me most of my happiness It just fills up my tank experts say, what brings us the most joy is our ability to help others,” Martinez said.

Conversely, Martinez said she finds it

through Friday, April 14 The right side of the ramp and the entrance off McNeff Road will be closed Monday, April 17 through Friday, April 21; boaters will use the entrance off Barrancas Avenue during this closure Please exercise caution and follow signage when using the ramp dur-

Florida There’s no residence requirement, we don’t ask people for proof of income or any of that It’s a small flat fee for service and if patients can’t afford the small fee, then we work something out financially we have a fund called the 2 Silver Coins Fund, so if the patient says, this is how much I make and they qualify for the fund, they can get four visits at $10 each We really want to help, so anyone you know that lives out here this is gonna be the new little Samaritan on the island,” Hook said

The budget at Samaritan Health and Wellness Center is established in part by the small amount patients pay for service, and the rest is established by grants and donations, she said Hook explained that she is available to speak with any group, as the goal is to let everyone know that the

difficult to let others help her, finding it a much bigger struggle than simply doing for those around her Her focus right now she said is in getting the island back on track since Hurricane Ian

“Rest assured that I will do my part in helping the community regroup and get

ing repairs

Pine Island-area boaters can also use the county’s nearby ramp at Matlacha Park, 4577 Pine Island Road N W

other available boat ramps and the latest

updates from Lee County Government, sign up for the newsletter here: www leegov.com/resources/newsletters.

For more about county Parks & Rec lo catio n s , amen ities an d o th er ev en ts , visit www leeparks org, call 239-5337275 or email leeparks@leegov com

organization is now operating on Pine Island

“People come to us who are really struggling mentally, physically and spiritually We just want people to feel at peace and comfortable not judged in a place where they feel very loved and we know their name That’s what family practice is,” Hook said

The Beacon of Hope is located at 5090 D o u g T a y l o r C i r c l e , S t J a m e s C i t y Contact the Beacon at 239-283-5123.

M C A P r e s i d e n t H a n n o n s p o k e t o members on the Chiquita Boat Lock in Cape Coral Keeping the boat locks, he said, is of the utmost importance to our waters

“We can’t stop, because our water is the worst it’s ever been and they have decided to try to remove the boat lock

again, even though we defeated it in 2019 and 2020 Pretty soon we’ll be putting the l i t e r a t u r e u p o n t h e m a t l a c h a c i v i c o r g webpage so you can study it,” Hannon said, citing the previous case the Matlacha Civic Association won against the City of Cape Coral

T h e l o c k s s l o w d o w n b o a t e r s , h e explained, reasoning that impatience on the part of boaters could cost islanders clean water, protective mangroves and aquatic life.

“We won in 2020 and the petitioners in that case were little Matlacha Civic Association, myself and six other folks, including some brave individuals from St James City, Bokeelia and Cape Coral,” Hannon said

Hannon asked the GPICA board and members to join forces with the Matlacha Civic Association, with financial support of $12,500, to be one of four organizations to fight in a lawsuit against Cape Coral in the potential opening of the Chiquita Boat Lock

Martinez said Trop Prise Real Estate and Adjusting is at 3692 Tropical Point Drive, St James City For more information, call 305-798-4755.

The next meeting of the Matlacha Civic Association is 6 p m , Monday, April 17, at Blue Dog Bar and Grill in Matlacha

Right now, spring fishing is at its best

Despite some windy days, the first full week of April brought warm weather and good fishing

Tarpon was the big news, as fish were hooked in good numbers across the inshore waters Baits included cut bait on bottom, small crabs or pinfish under a float, and large freelined pilchards and thread herring Fish were jumped in 6 to 9-foot depths in Pine I s l a n d S o u n d , b e t w e e n S t James City and Sanibel’s Cspan, and over the falling tide at Boca Grande Pass Sharks a n d l a r g e s t i n g r a y s w e r e caught as well

On the Water

B i g S p a n i s h m a c k e r e l were found around Captiva and Boca Grande passes, the western side of Pine Island Sound and Charlotte Harbor near Bokeelia Often, they were mixed with b l u e f i s h , l a d y f i s h a n d s e a t r o u t S m a l l shiny lures, spoons, shrimp under a float and pilchards were top baits A few blacktip sharks were also hooked around the mackerel

Offshore, king mackerel, with some

w e i g h i n g 2 0 p o u n d s o r better were found in depths from 30-50 feet in Gulf waters from Captiva Pass south to Fort Myers Beach

Finding birds and feeding activity, then freelining a variety of live baits gave t h e b e s t o d d s f o r h o o kups

Limits of red grouper plus a mix of snapper were h a u l e d f r o m d e p t h s between 65 and 90 feet Grouper were caught on squid, sardines and pinfish

L i g h t e r t a c k l e w i t h l i v e s h r i m p , c u t s q u i d a n d pilchards did the trick for snapper

Back inshore, seatrout fishing was at its best as fish were schooled up for the full moon Trout 20 inches and above were common The largest fish were often hooked around oyster bars and shorelines across the Sound, Charlotte Harbor and M a t l a c h a P a s s T h e t r o u t b i t e s h o u l d r e m a i n s t r o n g t h e r e m a i n d e r o f t h e

month

Each warm day more snook are relo-

cating to areas around the beaches, barrier islands and shallow flats Snook up to 30 inches were sight casted off Cayo Costa State Park a few feet off the beach With extremely clear water across much of the area, many anglers chose the challenge of sight fishing Good numbers of snook also came from Blind Pass, around Wulfert Keys, between Demere Key and Pineland, and around Charlotte Harbor

H i g h e r t i d e s b r o u g h t m o r e r e d f i s h hook-ups Reds up to 32 inches fell for cut and live bait, plus a variety of lures. The last couple hours of the incoming water was best for hooking into reds around oyster bars and shorelines across P i n e I s l a n d S o u n d R e d s w e r e a l s o h o o k e d a r o u n d structure around the Gulf passes S e v e r a l a n g l e r s r e c o r d e d a n inshore slam of

snook, redfish, and seatrout while fishing one spot

Spring fishing is at its best, the water is clear and warm, and fish are on the move and hungry I hope everyone gets to take a day or two to get on the water and enjoy it

To keep up on current fishing regulations, you can go to www myfwc comor download the Fish Rules app for the latest rules and regulations

If you have a fishing report or for charter information, contact Gulf Coast Guide Service at 239-410-8576 (call or t e x t ) ; o n t h e w e b a t w w w f i s h p i n e island com; or via email at gcl2fish@ live com

Have a safe week and good fishin’

As a lifetime resident of Matlacha and Pine Island, Capt Bill Russell has spent his life fishing and learning the waters a r o u n d P i n e I s l a n d a n d S o u t h w e s t Florida, and as a professional fishing guide for the past 23 years

Lovegrove to continue ‘Painting Up a Storm’ through this Sunday

Leoma Lovegrove has returned to her Matlacha Gallery The gallery is down to bare wood including walls and floors since Hurricane Ian blew in, but this has not stopped this imaginative artist from creating a new venue out of sticks and stones Every day Lovegrove paints on the debris she picks up from her gallery gardens on Matlacha Island Each piece of art has it's own story

Lovegrove says it reminds her of the show-and-tells she had back in grade school In her youth she was always find-

ing objects to bring in and share with the class after creating art out of it Today, everyone calls it recycling

She wants to hear Ian stories. She explained, “It's the people around me that continues to give me the drive to always move forward with my art ”

Lo v eg r o v e an d h er h u s b an d M ik e look forward to seeing the islanders again and meet newbies from around the globe Large museum-quality art from the “Painting Up A Storm” collection of debris will also be available

Capt Bill Russell

PHOTO PROVIDED

Team Work! Ron and Mary Boltze worked together to win the battle with this big oversized redfish They caught and released it fishing Matlacha Pass with Capt Bill Russell

Artist Leoma Lovegrove continues to paint in her Hurricane Ian-damaged gallery in Matlacha

PHOTO PROVIDED

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