Cape Coral Weekend Breeze

www capecoralbreeze com

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

The city of Cape Coral is looking to take part in a single-family housing development program that has funding available in Lee County

C a p e C o r a l C i t y C o u n c i l m e m b e r s agreed Wednesday they would like to pursue the application process for single lot housing units in the Cape

Weekend Edition, April 12, 2024 $1 00

Staff would target city-owned residential lots and leverage Hurricane Housing Recovery Program funding for the initiative This could allow the city to build, or partner to build, single-family homes to a program-required standard and then sell them to households at or below 80% area median income.

T h e d i s c u s s i o n c a m e a s p a r t o f a Hurricane Ian recovery update Housing Coordinator Amy Yearsley said she wanted to gauge Council’s inter-

The Cape Coral Breeze presents Athletes of the Week

— Page 36

To d ay ’ s A d I n s e r t s*

est in a program that has a total of $50 million available

“The minimum number of single-family

Out with the old: Demolition begins

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

Structures at Cape Coral’s Yacht Club

Community Park began to come down Wednesday, a first step city leaders say will lead to a new focalpoint destination

The Tony Rotino Center, named for the city’s longest-tenured council member, was the first major structure to be demolished

Tony Rotino I hope they figure that out ”

Biondi said from a historical point of view, she thinks cities need to have history

“I think the Yacht Club was history The Rosen Brothers gave it to the city for the residents to enjoy as a community center, a beach, places where peo-

See DEMOLITION, page 33

units to be constructed is 10,” she said

The minimum award is $3 million and maximum award is $20 million The maximum subsidy per unit is $300,000

There are two project models within the Notice of Funding Availability new construction for single-family subdivisions and “infill and scattered site development,” the one in which Council indicated interest

“We have an opportunity to talk about a

Cape Coral Caring Center aids families in need

B y C J H A D D A D

c j h a d d a d @ b r e e z e n e w s p a p e r s c o m

O v e r t h e p a s t y e a r - p l u s f i l l e d w i t h h a r d s h i p s , e c o n o m i c d o w n t u r n , a n d a m a j o r h u r r i c a n e , a C a p e C o r a l n o n - p r o fi t h a s c o m m i t t e d t o h e l p i n g t h o s e i n n e e d w h i l e g o i n g a b o v e a n d b e y o n d i n t h e i r s e r v i c e t o c o m m u n i t y . T h e C a p e C o r a l C a r i n g C e n t e r h a s s t o o d f i r m i n i t s c o m m i t m e n t t o s u p p o r t a n d u p l i f t r e s i d e n t s o f L e e C o u n t y a n d t h e C a p e , a n d h a s n o t o n l y m e t , b u t e x c e e d e d i t s m i s s i o n t o a s s i s t t h o s e d e a li n g w i t h e c o n o m i c h a r d s h i p d u e t o u n f o r e s e e n c i r c u m s t a n c e s L a s t y e a r a t t h e C e n t e r , m e m b e r s h e l p e d o v e r 4 , 0 0 0 f a m i l i e s a n d d i s t r i bu t e d m o r e t h a n a s t a g g e r i n g 2 5 0 , 0 0 0 p o u n d s o f f o o d “ T h i n g s a r e s l o w l y g e t t i n g b e t t e r a f t e r

H u r r i c a n e I a n ; w e d o s t i l l s e e p e o p l e w h o a r e s t i l l p u t t i n g t h e i r l i v e s b a c k t o g e t h e r a f t e r l o s i n g e v e r y t h i n g , ” s a i d

C C C C E x e c u t i v e D i r e c t o r J u l i e

F e r g u s o n “ W e d o o u r b e s t t o h e l p o u r c l i e n t s w i t h t h e i r e m e r g e n c y n e e d s a n d w o r k t o g e t t h e m i n t o u c h w i t h o t h e r r e s o u r c e s t o m e e t o t h e r n e e d s ” T h e C a r i n g C e n

It was a sad day for historians and Cape “pioneers ”

“Are they going to name something else for him,” Linda Biondi, vice president of the Cape Coral Museum of History, said of the Tony Rotino Center, or is it just going to go away? “I hope they do something I hope they remember people like

Demolition of the buildings at the historic Cape Coral Yacht Club began Wednesday

The Tony Rotino Center was among the first major structures to go The building was named for the former Cape Coral City C o u n c i l m e m b e r R o t i n o s e r v e d f r o m

1978-1994, a total of 16 years /PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE CITY OF CAPE CORAL

See CARING CENTER, page 29

Cape Council weighs funding options for city’s charter school system

How to balance incoming revenues, continued subsidies discussed

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

With 1,000 children on the waiting list for its academically successful charter school system, the city of Cape Coral is looking at alternative funding sources to keep the municipal system on sound financial ground while mitigating taxpayer subsidies

Mayor John Gunter said at Wednesday’s Cape Coral City Council workshop that they have an obligation, if there is another funding source available, to reinstate an exemption to the tax the city placed on electric bills

Council had repealed the first 500-kilowatt-hour exemption in October 2021 and the change went into effect in April 2022 with the additional tax dollars earmarked for the charter school system The repeal generated $1 3 million in fiscal year 2022, $2 6 million in fiscal year 2023 and is estimated to amount to $2 6 million for fiscal year 2024

“I am a strong supporter of the charter school The decision is what is in the best interest of the community as well,” he said

Other council members agreed that reinstating the exemption was the right thing to do There was a discussion of imple-

menting the “give back” over a certain period of years

“We could certainly do that research for you on whether or not it is possible or not LCEC changed rates in January this year It was $27 then It was a little higher now,” Financial Services Director Mark Mason said of the average cost to LCEC customers within the city limits.

He told Council that there is no shortfall on the charter school system side, but rather on the city’s side

“The shortfall is the net available for capital on our side

The charter school side, by taking advantage of (Local Capital Improvement) funds that comes first It supports them and gives them additional funding, (that could) apply potentially towards teacher salaries and raises,” Mason said

Mason took Council through a presentation that outlined different options to the lease between the city and the Oasis Charter Public Schools

He said there has been a change to Florida statutes regarding how the Florida legislature has directed charter schools to be funded with capital funds

The city’s charter school system was created and began in 2004 with two elementary schools A middle school and high school were added later to create the K-12 experience

“While we were building those buildings, each one of them, the plan, as we built them, the PECO (Public Education Capital Outlay funding that comes in for the state would pay for the debt services associated with those schools,” Mason said “FEFP (Florida Eduction Finance Program) funding (is used to) pay for the operating cost for the system and for many years it did exactly that ”

In 2015-2016 the legislature changed the laws in funding charter schools, which in 2018 left funding limited to $1 5 million

“In 2019 there were some concerns about the operating liability of the charter school system that led to the administration to do some review of the expenses, cost At that time, and still at this time, the current debt services is $3 2 million a year for the four buildings,” Mason said

On Feb 24, 2021, management provided an update on the charter school options that were present at that time The financial forecast indicated at that time if the city’s charter school continued on the same road with its then-current lease

with the city, the system would have depleted its fund balance to zero by 2024

Mason said the lease agreement was restructured from $3 2 million per year to $1 5 million The city provided additional subsidy by assuming the back office, custodial service, and maintenance of the charter school system, a $3 million cost

“The charter school is responsible for paying the actual debt service fund on an annual basis,” he said

Mason said during the 2023 legislative session changes were made to the charter school capital outlet funding local capital improvement “charter capital outlay funding would consist of state funds when appropriated in the General Appropriations Act and revenue resulting from the discretionary millage 1.5 mil levy allowable to school districts for funding charter schools and school districts ”

He said school districts will absorb this in five years

“The calculation for Local Capital Improvement is simple, but it starts with taxable value of the school district,” Mason said “The statute provides for the reduction of current debt service obligation ”

The number is divided by a total of 97,000 students, which is made up of two categories county schools and charter schools within the county

The charter school system will receive $1,953 per student, $26 million for the LCI funds that would be shared with the charter school system,” Mason said “In 2024, the distribution that came was $990,000 ”

He said fundamentally the state has recognized PECO funding by itself is insufficient to fund capital at charter schools

“The education delivery has been impacted by utilizing the FEFP money for funding leases and repairs in the system The legislature has recognized there should be equal funding by capital funding raised by the school district Creating a fair education environment by utilizing funding by the school district was not there before,” Mason said

The LPI funding, Mason said would calculate to be $7 2 million for the charter school system in 2025

“By 2027 in the 80% range, the funding could be redirected and reassigned to something else,” Mason said

There were three options presented to Council The first would be no change to the lease between the city and the charter system, which would keep the city picking up 53% of the cost of the debt service and 100% of the capital expenses

The second option would be to amend the lease between the city and charter school and recover full cost of debt services and 100% of the capital funding expense net of buses and IT capital costs

The third option was going down a different route

“The bigger picture of the charter school system is we have 1,000 kids on the waiting list in the elementary, middle, and high school,” Councilmember Tom Hayden said “That is a lot That is because of the success of the charter school system ” Hayden chose the first option because any other option would put the charter schools back to where they struggled

“We need to put a task force together and put together a 10-year plan for our charter school in terms of space, building, maintenance, lease options We have to have the ability to look at our options and not saddle the charter school system with continued problems they faced before,” Hayden said “That’s the plan that needs to take place moving forward keep it where it is at and look into the future and where we are taking our charter school system ”

The other option that many council members selected was the last option doing something in between the two

OPINIONS

Why

Since the beginning of this year, measles cases have been reported in 11 states spanning both coasts and heartland. The situation warrants enough concern that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a warning to doctors about renewed measles risk

Clarification, please

Cape Coral City Council discussed a pair of possible charter amendments during its workshop this week

The first would amend the section of the city’s governing document that sets base salaries for Council members with increases tied to inflation The proposal would, instead, allow Council to set its own salaries by ordinance

The second would have changed the way voters select council members. Currently, the seats are “at-large,” meaning voters may cast a ballot for each of the seven seats, plus mayor The proposal for single-member districts would mean voters would only be able to cast a ballot in two the mayor’s race and the council seat in the voter’s district only

Council determined that neither proposal was ready to face voter muster in November Most agreed that the former would flame out at the ballot box and, at minimum, needed modifications The latter, brought forward by resident petition, would limit, not enhance, resident representation and so was dropped

We await with interest the city’s still-in-the-works attempt to control its compensation We agree that single-member districts would be a waste of ballot space given that the most consistent complaint at public input is that Council is not listening to residents who currently as they are fond of saying have the ability to vote all of them out

Also floating about, but not yet discussed by Council as a possible charter change, is a citizen petition calling for a referendum to ban Council’s self-awarded “stipend,” which doubled its total remuneration

It will be interesting to see if this one is afforded an opportunity to come before Council for ballot consideration while the board is entertaining citizen initiatives

Let us add one more discussion: Clarification of the city charter provision that defines qualification for office

That provision, S 4 02 - Eligibility - states “Only qualified electors of the City, who have been continuous full time residents of the City for the entire calendar year immediately preceding their qualification for office, as provided in Section 4 05, shall be eligible to hold the office of Council member or Mayor ”

Seems pretty straightforward but then so does the particular provision of the referenced S 4 05 which states a prospective “Council member may have his or her name placed on the ballot as a candidate for Council member for the Council district in which he or she resides ”

The italic emphasis is ours and we flag it because a suspended Cape Coral City Council member is facing felony charges based, in part, on her interpretation of what it means to

See LETTERS, page 27

This week’s poll question:

Should the Cape Coral City Chater be amended to allow City Council set its salary by ordinance?

∫ Yes

∫ No

Vote at capecoralbreeze com

Previous poll question

Is FEMA’s decision to “retrograde” local Community System Rating grades, resulting in the elimination of a 25% discount for National Flood Insurance Policy premiums, justified?

∫ Yes 59%

∫ No 41%

* Total votes as of press time:

Unfortunately, vaccine skepticism is threatening to undo one of the great public health achievements of the modern era: the effective victory over this highly contagious and sometimes fatal viral infection, which is particularly dangerous for children and infants

Many children who catch measles develop pneumonia. Other complications include brain inflammation and, in rarer cases, subacute sclerosing panencephalitis a deadly neurological disorder

Guest Commentary

Measles is highly contagious so much so that if one person has it, up to nine out of 10 people around them will also become infected if not adequately protected Further, measles is transmitted in the air and can remain in a room where a contagious person has been for up to two hours

Parents nationwide need to take this threat seriously The best way to protect your children from measles, and all preventable infectious diseases, is to follow the CDC's recommended immunization schedule.

It has been nearly a quarter-century since the United States eliminated measles meaning there has been no continuous transmission of the disease for 12 months or more

The reason for measles’ dangerous comeback is clear: a decline in vaccination rates in recent years According to one investigation, at least 8,500 schools across the country have vaccination rates below 95%, the level the CDC deems necessary for effective prevention of measles spread

Research has shown that the decline is linked directly to growing public skepticism about the safety of vaccines. Yet the measles vaccine is one of the safest and most thoroughly studied public health measures in the world and has been for decades

The benefits of widespread vaccination are undeniable In 2019 alone, the routine childhood vaccine schedule, which includes two doses of the measles vaccine, prevented an estimated 24 million cases of illness in the United States Assuming a roughly even distribution across the population, that’s equivalent to preventing an illness in one in 13 people

Make no mistake: measles is dangerous

We risk underestimating the threat it poses precisely because widespread vaccination has been extremely effective in providing herd immunity

We haven’t seen measles at its worst in the United States for over a half-century Before the vaccine was introduced in 1963, measles was infecting 4 million Americans annually and killing about 450 Even now, the disease leads to well over 100,000 deaths per year worldwide, almost exclusively in regions with low vaccination rates Vaccines are a critical tool for fighting off both primary and secondary infections Measles is a fate no child deserves and, thanks to modern medicine, it's one no child needs to face We have the tools to ensure that the elimination of measles is permanent All we have to do is use them

Helen W Boucher MD FACP FIDSA Hon FRCPI is Dean and Professor of Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine and Chief Academic Officer at Tufts Medicine This piece originally ran in Salon

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

A modest proposal: Council salaries

To the editor:

As I write this, the Cape Coral City Council will hold a Committee of the Whole meeting on April 10 One of the items to be discussed is a re-write of how the Mayor and Council get paid. Subject to some political pantomime, the proposal would basically allow them to set their own salary Nice work if you can get it I mean, even Marcel Marceau the great French pantomimist himself would have difficulty being so ridiculous

Instead of letting our part-time hired help set their own salaries, why not tie that salary to an independent standard? How about the Council’s salaries being one-third of the Lee County Commissioners’ base salaries (i e , roughly what it is now)? Or, double the base salary of Florida State Representatives (i e, roughly what it is now)? Even, one-tenth what is paid to the President of the United States (i e , roughly what it is now)?

OK, lemme put it this way: would you hire a contractor to replace your roof and then allow him to set the price after he has begun?

(No? Quelle surprise!! I didn’t think so)

Larry Gillis Cape Coral

PS: FYI, I attended the COW meeting on Wednesday I will add that the Cape Coral City Council is a highly important part-time policy-making body, elected directly by The People It is not management The members should be paid appropriately, because as noted in 1 Timothy 5:17, “A workman is worthy of his hire ” With all due respect to Timothy, that still doesn’t mean that the workman gets to fix his own salary A fair independent measure would be so much per each resident of the city

Silence is not golden

To the editor:

It has become apparent that Cape Coral Mayor John Gunter’s support for an official sole city spokesperson and his sharp disapproval towards Council members for speaking out are having a counterproductive effect on the overall functioning and harmony within Cape Coral government

While it is important for leaders to hold individuals accountable for their actions and decisions, the way his criticism is being delivered is causing division and discord among council members Instead of fostering a collaborative and productive environment, the mayor’s approach seems to be silencing voices and stifling healthy debate

It is crucial for our local government to operate in a transparent and open manner, where all Council members feel empowered to express their opinions and contribute to the decision-making process as they were elected to do By trying to keep Council members quiet, we are missing out on valuable perspectives and ideas that could benefit our community

Encouraging open communication, respectful dialogue, and constructive feedback will help cultivate a more positive and effective working relationship among all members and is beneficial to the city and its residents

Lou Walker Cape Coral

Latest Yacht Club redesign

To the editor;

The Cape Coral City Council acts like a bunch of drunken sailors, only they aren’t spending their own money, they are wildly spending ours First, they want to spend $12 million to change the beautiful Jaycee Park into a less-than-beautiful Jaycee Park, over the strong objections of the local homeowners Even the councilman for this district is against the homeowners

Next, the council voted itself a roughly 100% raise to their salaries in the form of a stipend that circumvented the approval of the citizens of Cape Coral

Now they are at it again with the latest plans for the Yacht Club Community Park

I went to the public meeting on the redesign of the Yacht Club area held last Tuesday, April 2, to see the latest design plans and conceptual pictures of the Yacht Club area I was disappointed with the new design and agreed to speak to WINK News I spoke to them for maybe five minutes and the next day, I saw the news report on the meeting My comments boiled down to “It’s a fiasco,” which it is, and the parking sit-

Helen W. Boucher

uation is awful I would like to explain in more detail

People mainly come to this area to go to the only beach in Cape Coral, enjoy looking at the river, swim in the river, and/or go to The Boathouse to eat and drink by the water’s edge People will not go here to go to the beach and then pay to go to the “resort-style” pools proposed in the new design People don’t have to go to this area to go to meetings in the community center The proposed pools and the community center can be located anywhere else The original Yacht Club and pool have essentially outlived their purpose

The Yacht Club was originally built in the 1960s as a meeting place for the residents of this new development that was later incorporated, in part, as the City of Cape Coral. This development was originally a roughly two-square-mile piece of land south of Cape Coral Parkway and east of Coronado Parkway with the Caloosahatchee River forming the east and south sides of this area The developers of this area constructed canals, the marina, the community pool and the Yacht Club building The Yacht Club and pool were basically a sales pitch to entice people to buy tracts of land here New homeowners did not have pools back then and the Yacht Club and pool was a place to come and socialize with other member residents

While I loved the oldness and historical value of the Yacht Club, it is being demolished and I question the wisdom of the city council to build a new community center and pool in the Yacht Club area A new community center and pool are not appropriate at this location

In 2018, Cape Coral citizens passed a $60 million GO bond to fund development of several parks and improve existing parks The Yacht Club area was earmarked for about $17 million of the $60 million bond. The Yacht Club and Tony Rotino Senior Center buildings and pool were never addressed in the GO bond plans Two years ago, before Hurricane Ian hit, the city presented preliminary design plans for the Yacht Club area at an estimated cost of about $40 million Again, these plans did not address the two buildings or the pool

When Hurricane Ian hit, it was a convenient excuse for the city to want to raze both buildings, even though the city’s insurance company said that Ian did only $25,000 damage to the Yacht Club Ballroom and also said the city simply did not maintain the building

The latest plans for this area presented at the public meeting last Tuesday now includes a community center that is about three times the square footage of BOTH buildings to be razed The proposed two “resort-style” pools are about six times the area of the existing pool Finally, the 3-story parking garage proposed two years ago is now a four-story garage with an expanded footprint effectively doubling the car parking capacity

If two years ago, the cost of the redevelopment was around $40 million without addressing the two buildings and pool, then the new price tag will probably be closer to double that amount! How is the city going to pay for this? More aptly, how are the citizens of Cape Coral going to pay for it, and why would they?

Under the latest plan, the city will also basically force visitors to pay to park in the four-story parking garage It will be very inconvenient to patrons of The Boathouse and to the new community center There is no parking near The Boathouse under this design There is no parking near the new community center either Everyone will have to be dropped off at the restaurant or community center and then the driver will have to go back to the garage and pay for parking The nearest part of the garage is about 1,000 feet from The Boathouse If you park in the center of the garage, you are a quarter of a mile from The Boathouse.

The Yacht Club area DOES need another restaurant (or even two) with views of the river and marina It is one of the main reasons for coming to this area This Yacht Club area does not need the pools and the community center to be located here

Here is what I think the city should do: Cease their other bad idea to redevelop the beautiful Jaycee Park at a cost of $12 million and use that money to buy the 140-plus acre defunct golf course off of Palm Tree Boulevard Turn the northern half of this golf course into a quality nine-hole executive course and the southern half into a park Locate the community center and “resort-style” pools here Add other amenities such as pickle ball and tennis courts and a restaurant

The Yacht Club area should be stripped down to its basic amenities: the marina, the beach, the fishing pier, and restau-

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

rants with ground level parking convenient to each amenity Patrons should NOT have to pay for parking The road through this area should be similar to its location now, a big loop, but it should only be one-way traffic with angled parking wherever possible

I sure hope that the Cape Coral City Council sobers up!

Ken Kendrick Cape Coral

The Right to Clean and Healthy Water

To the editor:

I believe water is life I believe keeping water clean should be a part of life

When I first moved here, I was in awe of the marine life that visited me off my dock The wonder of nature was present day and night As time progressed, priorities moved to development at all costs; and our waters deteriorated

I wanted to help in whatever small way I could I put several vertical oyster gardens (VOG) around my dock to help filter the toxins out of the water At first, the VOGs were growing lots of life Then, starting last fall, the VOGs began to die After the latest releases from Lake O, the VOGs now are barren That helps explain why marine life is so desolate now

We have laws to protect our waters which haven’t kept our waters clean We have agencies to protect our waters still our waters are not clean We spend a tremendous amount of tax dollars cleaning up what never should have been permitted yet our waters continue to worsen

As someone once said, “Water is life so let’s save the life of water ” You can do your part If you signed the 2024 petition to grant Floridians a Constitutional Right to Clean and Healthy Water, you will be getting a new one for the 2026 initiative in the mail Fill it out and get some friends/neighbors to join you Each of us can do our part to clean up the waters

Mary Kay Robbins-Kralapp Cape Coral

Dark money muddies Florida’s waters

To the editor:

Florida’s corrupt political system is a microcosm of the demise of our democracy since the 2010 United States Supreme Court ruling on Citizen United that reversed century-old campaign restrictions and enabled corporations to make unlimited campaign contributions

A combination of unrestricted flow of dark money with a closed primary system has compromised the political process by allowing extreme candidates to secure their party’s nomination with a limited field of voters In a truly representative form of government, the people select the candidates However, a closed primary system, including loop holes for write-in candidates, allows the political party to select a disproportionately small number of voters to cast their votes for the primary candidates

Unfortunately, extreme candidates heavily funded by special interests and low voter turnout in the primary, have an easy path to secure their party’s nomination and, as in the state of Florida, a coronation in the General Election. To further exacerbate the problem, a large number of voters (approximately 30%), disenfranchised from their political party, and registered as no party affiliation/Independent voters, are prevented from voting in a closed primary system further narrowing the field of eligible voters

Florida’s water resources are in peril because of the sugar industry’s undue influence at the local, state and federal level of government Decision makers have chosen to align their political fortunes with financial support from the self-serving sugar industry and have abdicated their responsibility to protect and restore our waterways

With an entrenched political system no longer representing the public’s interest, the people have recourse to amend the state constitution to addresses their grievances Such is the case with the Right to Clean Water Constitutional Amendment campaign

Enshrining this fundamental right in the state constitution elevates the protection of Florida waters above a political process in which special interests have a corrupting influence over environmental policy

Passage of this constitutional amendment allows citizens to hold our Florida Department of Environmental Protection and other state agencies, legally accountable to prevent harm to Florida waters When determining court rulings, “deference shall be given to the best available scientific evidence,” not political influence In cases where regulatory failure causes a

violation of the people’s fundamental right, courts can order agencies to correct these failures and remedy water quality problems

Fed up with dirty politicians and dirty water and interested in a proactive and effective approach to implementing a viable solution to ensure the restoration of our precious water resources, please take the time to visit www floridarighttocleanwater org and support the Right to Clean Water Constitutional Amendment campaign Your meaningful support by signing the petition as well as encouraging others to do likewise will help to overcome the inertia of our policy makers that have failed to “get the water right”

Ray Judah

Former Lee County Commissioner

GOP gathering a job well done

To the editor:

Last Saturday at the Word of Life Church in Fort Myers the Lee County Republican Party with Michael Thompson, and friends, sponsored a bonanza of great political pundits and commentators who spoke about a wide variety of political issues. Chairman, Michael Thompson, and friends, tirelessly worked to gather political analyst, Roger Stone, former Congressman Madison Cawthorn, former UFC Champion, Tito Ortiz, National News Political Reporter, Neil W McCabe, and Orlando’s conservative talk show host David Pollack to talk about current important political issues

Mr Stone spoke about the political weaponization of the U S Justice Department He told us how the FBI stormed into his home at 6 a m in the morning with a SWAT team under politically motivated circumstances He said this totally unnecessary abusive governmental act cost the American people $1 1 million dollars Mr Stone also spoke about election integrity issues, border control, and other topics He concluded by stressing the importance of praying to God for our country

Congressman Madison, currently a resident of Cape Coral, eloquently spoke about the importance of getting all Republicans out to vote in November to safeguard our traditional values in our country that are being assaulted by the left. He also spoke about abuses in the U S Justice Department He indicated that many Justice Department officials will go after anyone just to get a promotion and to make a name for themselves

Mr Ortiz, who also is a resident of Cape Coral and owner of Tito’s Cantina Tequila Bar & Grille, spoke about the Jan 6 injustices and how it may have been orchestrated by people in the government He also spoke about how he believed the 2020 election was rigged

Mr McCabe spoke about journalism He told us how true journalism is no longer practiced in Washington, D C or in the mainstream media He told us that journalists just want to be liked and do not want to be called “crazy,” so they write accordingly He also spoke about how polls can be manipulated to provide fake results

Mr Pollack, being an attorney as well as a talk show host, spoke a little about the criminal accusations against President Trump. He also spoke a little about the Veterans for Trump group that he is active in

I want to give my wholehearted thanks to our Lee County Republican Chairman Michael Thompson and his friends, for organizing this excellent Republican event Bravo for a job well done

Arthur E. Amidano Cape Coral

Front license plates would help in hit-and-run IDs

To the editor:

It’s alarming to hear about the number of “hit and run” accidents on the news in our area Some quick research told me that there were 102,568 reported cases in 2021 and 90,000 in 2022 in Florida Of these, 20,000 resulted in bodily harm, of which only 8-10% were solved

My question is, with statistics that staggering, why doesn’t the state of Florida require license plates on both the rear and front of vehicles? Thirty one states have adopted that policy. I would think that the odds of catching these offenders would increase if front license plates were also required thereby doubling the odds of witnesses or cameras making identification leading to arrests

Joni Bauer Cape Coral

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

‘They’ who do not know history...

To the editor:

Do you know the Southwest Florida man who spent the past two years fighting as a soldier with Ukraine’s Armed Forces against Russia?

His name is Jeremy, military code name “ T e n n e s s e e ” w i t h f o r e i g n b a t t a l i o n “Chosen Company,” and back home he’s both a U S national firefighter and a tattoo artist When he came home from war, he found his Fort Myers Beach shop was completely destroyed by Hurricane Ian So with his indomitable heart, he went back to Ukraine and fought

Most people turn a blind eye to injustice, they stand by and watch in tears, they complain about our broken economy as if it were acceptable to complain without the slightest indignation to the colluders of foreign conflict who set catastrophe into motion

But rather than consuming that knockoff plot that’s shoved down our throats by the masses, Jeremy of Fort Myers instead took up arms and fought

Our American-Ukrainian soldier told me, “If we don’t help now, then our sons and daughters will have to pay the price later.” Jeremy also said “Ukrainians will fight with their bare hands if they have to ”

I am firmly aware of this very grave and growing urgency with every day that our country does not deliver on those weapons capability to Ukraine to put an end to Russia’s invasion

Yet the so-called hardliners criticize my zeal to fight back, and typify me as if I’m some sort of accomplice for the American industrial military complex, as if it’s some sort of crime

Meanwhile, they have gone soft as they push for “peace” and “negotiations” that would give our historic enemy of Russia’s state scores of our allied Ukrainian land. So who’s accomplice are “they?”

“They” are the ones who speculate that Russia will not take any other territory in Europe, a prediction which defies modern historical trend, as Russia has insidiously conquered eastern lands since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 They vow their opposition to our country’s role in foreign conflict, yet they fail to recognize it is the vastness of our foreign bases around the world which leverages security in our homeland. They, with that wooden beam in their eye, have themselves long been a part of the problem for why our own nation’s borders are insecure They’re the old dogs who, after a lifetime’s accumulation of p o w e r , c a n o n l y d r e a m o f r e v o l u t i o n because despite appearing so, they know not a single thing on how to act That false libertarianitis who proclaims our country’s isolationism, who espouses free speech and a wide range of factions, yet in t h e s a m e b r e a t h a s h e o p p o s e s t h e weaponization of the justice system he will just as quickly strike at the dissenter’s doorstep It’s nothing personal though just politics

I am not the one who prefers war to peace, nor death to party; not abroad, not at home And I doubt the thousands of veterans of our Purple Heart city fought because they prefer war either Americans just like the Ukrainians just like the Israelis and many other friends of OURS fight because WE want to save our country from living in a world

that’s going to waste

Whatever arena WE decide, whether it be on the front or within the public, only those whose faces are marred by dust and

L e f t : C o m m a n d e r Yu r i ( l e f t ) a n d h i s b r i g a d e o n t h e D o n b a s F r o n t i n

U k r a i n e - S p r i n g 2022. Information on how to support Yuri’s

sweat and blood will know victory

Alexandra Zakhvatayev

Above: Jeremy (left) of Fort Myers returns from fighting war in U k r a i n e t o g r e e t U k r a i n i a n D i a s p o r a who fled war Estero, Florida - March 2024

brigade at myukrainia n b r i g a d e . w o r dpress.com

Debate on boat canopy regulations continues

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

Cape Coral City Council deadlocked on Wednesday on how to move forward with allowing for permanent boat canopy structures

The board decided to bring back its current regulations for a future discussion to address height requirements on metal supp o r t s a n d f r a m e s , a s w e l l a s f a b r i c canopies

“It’s not broke, why fix it,” Mayor John Gunter said at the workshop meeting “What we have is working ”

Councilmember Bill Steinke said he has received some comments from citizens regarding the actual height of their boat canopy during Hurricane Ian

“Many boat owners put their boat in their lift, but because it could only lift so high, because of height restrictions of the canopy, the water lifted it off the bunks,” he said “They tied it to the bunk, it went up and damaged the aluminum framing for their canopy ”

From a previous Council discussion

m a n y c o n c e r n s w e r e s h a r e d r e g a r d i n g allowing a more permanent structure with a roof Concerns included life safety, structural integrity, uplift, projectile and debris, uniformity structures throughout the city and blocking of viewshed to waterways with a more permanent structure

There were three possible directions provided keep the existing regulations;

modify regulations to allow for alternative structures with minimal standards; and modify regulations to allow for alternative structures that would be highly regulated

There were numerous regulations for a timber framed canopy system

City staff said the third option would be the best direction as it would provide flexibility to property owners, but allows the city to maintain a level of uniformity of design and construction throughout the city

There was also discussion regarding an increase in the maximum allowable boat canopy area based on waterfrontage of the property, as well as adding more than one boat canopy on a property, both of which the council wanted to discuss further

Steinke said the only reason he brought the changes forward is to make the current system better and safer a way to harden the structure He said the thought that it only takes 30 minutes to pull a fabric canopy off the frame is assuming that the person is here to do so

“They end up being a parachute grabbing the wind and twisting the metal frames. It’s for the great number of people who are not here to have security of boat and protected structure for their boat on a not to worry basis,” Steinke said “If we have 90 mph winds, those canopies are supposed to come off It’s more for them, than the residents here to pull the canopies off ”

Cape Council supports moving meetings to mornings

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

With the support from all but two of its members, Cape Coral City Council plans to move its voting meetings to a morning start time

The consensus was that city business should take place during business hours

“Meetings during the day is more appropriate,” said Councilmember Jessica Cosden who brought the discussion forward, suggesting a 9 a.m. start time.

Changing the start time for Council meetings has been a topic of discussion in the past, she said, adding it is her understanding that the current 4:30 p m start time was to accommodate council member schedules with full time jobs

“It’s very different now With new pay we should act as full-time employees and should come at 9 I understand there will be people that cannot attend 9 a m meetings, but there are some that cannot attend 4:30 p m meetings Everyone has a different schedule,” she said

Other reasons for an earlier start time

“Meetings during the day is more appropriate.”

Councilmember Jessica Cosden, who brought the discussion forward, suggesting a 9 a m start time

included a reduction of overtime for hourly employees who have to attend the afternoon meetings, more security during the day, and energy efficiency

In addition, Cosden said there are now many other ways for citizens to participate email, phone calls, in-person, e-comments, meeting videos to watch, social media and calling 311 to get problems resolved

Council members Tom Hayden and Richard Carr said they wanted to keep the times as is, 9 a m for workshops and 4:30 p.m. voting meetings.

Carr said he would be in favor of pushing back the voting meeting to start at 5 p m

“I am not opposed to a 9 a m meeting I would support a one night meeting and one

morning meeting,” Carr said, adding he thinks it is important to have an opportunity in the evening for citizens to participate

Hayden said a few days ago he was indifferent, OK with a 9 a m start time He changed his mind

“Citizen input is important It could restrict people coming here to give their voice to issues A 4:30 meeting keeps doors open for more people to be here,” he said

Some council members said they would be there at either time, while others agreed that a business meeting should be held during business hours and citizens could reach out to them to discuss their issues

“Getting it done during business hours makes sense,” Councilmember Robert Welsh

said “When it comes to the actual business for the city, I have no problem moving it to 9 a m to get work done during working hours ”

Mayor John Gunter said he would rather see more individuals in the community reach out to council members and come to City Hall.

“That happens very few and far between as far as citizens coming,” he said “For dayto-day operations, I would support the 9 a m because I know there are other opportunities, better opportunities to reach out to the council and be able to articulate whatever that message may be ”

City Manager Michael Ilczyszyn said staff is required to support Council and its meeting schedule was up to the elected board

“We will be here during the day, at night Our role is to support this legislative body We are here to support you,” he said.

Ilczyszyn said he has talked to all of his directors about the possibility of moving to a 9 a m meeting and they are prepared to make the adjustment

There was a discussion of having a calendar change and bringing it back for a vote by Council

City of Cape Coral, Habitat, to host bulk waste event on May 4

The city of Cape Coral will hold a waste collection event on Saturday, May 4, from 711 a m in the City Hall parking lot, 1015 Cultural Park Boulevard

In addition to the city's longstanding partnership with Lee County’s Solid Waste Department to collect bulk items and household chemical waste the city is partnering with Habitat for Humanity to repurpose gently used bulk items

Residents are encouraged to bring items

that can be donated for reuse No white goods, such as refrigerators or dishwashers, will be accepted

These semi-annual events give residents another way to dispose of large items and a safe and responsible way to dispose of household chemical waste Residents should use the main entrance to City Hall on Cultural Park Boulevard to drop off items Materials for drop-off will be collected from vehicle trunks and truck beds

Proof of residency may be required to drop off items

Photo IDs with a Cape Coral address and Cape Coral utility bills from an active account are acceptable items to prove your residency

Items that will be accepted include:

roof of residency may be required to drop off items

Photo IDs with a Cape Coral address and Cape Coral utility bills from an active account are acceptable items to prove your residency

Items that will be accepted at the event include: drain cleaners and pool chemicals; pesticides/herbicides; liquid paint and thinners; polishes and strippers; fluorescent tubes; electronics; car and boat batteries; automotive oil; gas propane tanks; mattresses; yard waste No white goods will be accepted

Residential bulk item collection is available each week on the same day as solid waste, recycling, and yard waste removal

The next bulk waste event will be Nov 2

Council to continue discussion on compensation referendum

With voter OK, proposed charter amendment would allow board to set its own pay

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

Cape Coral City Council will continue its discussion on whether to place a charter amendment dealing with council compensation on the November ballot

The proposed change, which would allow Council to set its salaries via an ordinance, received mixed results from board members Wednesday, with some saying the proposal, as presented, was unlikely to pass

Others said the clock is ticking and the voters should be given an opportunity to decide.

“If we don’t start this now 2026 we can do it again I don’t see any harm in putting that to a referendum and put it back to the voters hands There wasn’t much public input into the decision made with the stipend This will provide that opportunity to the public and add more transparency,” Councilmember Robert Welsh said Welsh worked up a proposed charter change with City Attorney Aleksandr Boksner

“I tried to accomplish this in the best possible way to get a broad understanding throughout the state of Florida to have a sufficient frame of reference for proposed language,” Boksner said at looking at other municipalities

He said in reviewing all the identified cities, City Council compensation was predominately done by resolution or ordinance through a budgetary process

“What is being proposed in this charter is really not a recreation of the wheel a mirror of others and best practices through other jurisdictions,” Boksner said.

“If we don’t start this now 2026 we can do it again I don’t see any harm in putting that to a referendum and put it back to the voters hands There wasn’t much public input into the decision made with the stipend. This will provide that opportunity to the public and add more transparency.”

Councilmember Robert Welsh

The proposal is limited to 75 words, which is legally required for ballot language

“I have made it a little stricter controlled in a sense in identifying the total salary and compensation that must be done by ordinance,” he said “It shall not take effect until two years later Adopted in 2024, not become effective until November 2026 It limits the ability to alter that and take benefit from it It’s a cooling off period that two-year period of time Yes, some of you will be able to benefit from it and some will not It’s not to provide an immediate gratification on those sitting on the council,” Boksner said

The change would require a vote from Cape voters

He requested a more in-depth discussion at a workshop from Council

“I am up against a deadline Today is probably the day to get an understanding of where you want to see this go,” he said “For the ability to get something together today is a critical point in time to get before electorate in November.”

As tendered, the referendum language for the city charter amendment to the com-

pensation of the mayor and city council members states: “This proposal amends the Cape Coral City Charter by eliminating payment for expenses and requiring the City Council to establish, by ordinance, the total annual salary and compensation for the Mayor and Councilmembers The ordinance shall not be effective until the date of commencement of the terms of the Councilmembers elected at the next regular election, provided that the election date is at least six months after the date of adoption of the ordinance. Shall the above-described amendment to the Charter be adopted?”

Councilmember Jessica Cosden said she thought more control was going to be given to the voters when the idea was first discussed

“The perception takes away control,” she said adding that it will cause confusion and discourse “It wouldn’t pass, it’s basically similar to what we can do now Right now, with the climate, it is not the time to be talking about it at all Right now, I don’t think it is a good idea I think if we do this kind of thing in the future, there needs to be a public input session, not just us making decisions It’s a really big decision ”

Councilmember Tom Hayden said he is a firm believer in letting the voters decide on critical issues like this, as it is their city

“The referendum right now is too ambiguous and not clear It has to be as clear as possible If it is not as clear as possible it presents some challenges for the electorate We have to be very careful of that. I can’t support something that is unclear as what this referendum is,” he said

Hayden said considering the temperature in the city over the stipend, the referendum should include a not-to-exceed amount, or an amount based on voter registration, or population a cap on what the salary might, or might not be

Many other council members shared the same sentiments that they were not in favor of the language that it needed to be clearer possibly adding a cap on compensation

“I don’t agree with this. I don’t think it has a chance in passing,” Councilmember Richard Carr said

Mayor John Gunter agreed that the community would not support the referendum the way it was written as it is too ambiguous

“Some people in the community didn’t like the process and we kind of dictated what our salaries are If that is motivation here in order to try to stipulate what are salaries are this referendum doesn’t do that,” he said. “If anything, it gets us back to where we are already ”

The followup discussion will take place at Council’s April 14 workshop

Achieva Credit Union kicks off Cereal for Summer donation drive

Donations will feed hungry kids over the summer

Achieva Credit Union has begun its Cereal for Summer donation drive to make sure that all children in Lee, Charlotte and Collier counties receive daily nutrition when school is out of session Each Achieva branch across Southwest Florida is accepting healthy, dry cereal donations until May 3.

“No child should ever have to go hungry but many do once school lets out for summer as many rely on free breakfast and lunch at school,” said Achieva’s Market President, Susan Lacey “One in five children live in homes that are food insecure - meaning they do not have enough food at times for an active, healthy life Achieva is deeply committed to our community, and we want to do something to help alleviate some of the financial burdens many families face ”

Donations from Lee, Charlotte and Collier will be distributed to Harry Chapin Food Bank

“Harry Chapin Food Bank is eternally grateful to Achieva Credit Union for spearheading this year’s, ‘Cereal for Summer’ Drive,” said Harry Chapin Food Bank’s Chief Development Officer Stuart Haniff “This campaign is especially critical during the summer months ahead when our children struggle with replacing the free and reduced meals missing when school is out Unfortunately, for them, no school often means no food With Achieva’s

generosity we are able to provide food this summer, the hungriest season of all Because of this drive and our community working together, ‘Cereal for Summer’ will help nourish and sustain our kids now and during the school year ahead ”

To find the closest Achieva Credit Union branch to you, visit https://www achievacu com/Home/Locations

Winn-Dixie drive aids children’s hospitals

Southeastern Grocers Inc , parent company and home of Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery stores, is partnering with eight children’s hospitals across the Southeast to raise essential funds for pediatric health care

Golden Marine restores Gulf Harbour Yacht Club in Fort Myers

Golden Marine Systems played an instrumental role in the recent reopening of Gulf Harbour Yacht and Country Club after the devastation of Hurricane Ian Phase one of the project has been completed, showcasing a selection of 101 slips capable of accommodating boats up to 80 feet in length, just 18 months after the devastating storm

“We consider ourselves incredibly fortunate to have been entrusted with the task of replacing the floating docks at such a prestigious community,” said Mike Shanley, president of Golden Marine Systems “Following the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, the Gulf Harbour Yacht Club members were eager to restore order to their marina, and we wasted no time in getting to work ”

Golden Marine Systems and contractor MidCoast Marine went to work employing the top-of-the-line 950 Series double track for the main sections and 850 Series for

the finger piers, ensuring both durability and functionality

Sixteen-inch GMS adjustable cleats, adjustable pile guides and finger piers were meticulously integrated to provide the finishing touches To ensure convenience, custom utility troughs with removable panels were installed for easy access to utilities

Also included were Endeck Ashwood decking and facia, complemented by heavy-duty D-Fenders for added protection

During the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Dana Snyder of the Gulf Harbour Marina Association said, “Everyone said look how fast their going together, look how fast the utility systems are going up, that’s the engineering capabilities of Golden Marine Systems, and we thank you very much ”

For more information about Golden Marine Systems, at 17611 East St , North Fort Myers, visit www goldenmarinesystems com or call 239-337-4141

provided to local children every day

Now through April 30, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie customers are encouraged to donate $1, $5 or round up their total grocery bill while shopping at their neighborhood stores to support their local children’s hospital Donations will aid each facility’s specialty programs, including family centered support, therapeutic activities, research, child advocacy, pediatric cancer and additional programs that contribute to the recovery of young patients

Funds collected during SEG’s community donation program will be donated to the following eight children’s hospitals to support their specialized care and emergency services:

∫ Wolfson Children’s Hospital (Jacksonville)

∫ Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children (Orlando)

∫ Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida (Fort Myers)

∫ J o h n s H o p k i n s A l l C h i l d r e n ’ s H o s p i t a l ( S t Petersburg)

∫ Nicklaus Children’s Hospital (Miami)

∫ Studer Family Children’s Hospital at Ascension Sacred Heart (Pensacola)

∫ Children’s of Alabama (Birmingham, Alabama)

∫ Ochsner Children’s Hospital (New Orleans)

SEG has raised more than $1 1 million for its local children’s hospital partners since the program’s inception in 2021, and the grocer remains dedicated to serving its neighbors in need across its footprint.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Friends Spring Book Sale promises lots of offerings

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

Book and media lovers will have a bountiful selection from which to choose next weekend, as an annual sale at the Cape Coral Library will turn a new page

Next Friday and Saturday, the Friends of the Cape Coral Library will host its Spring Book Sale, running from 9 a m to 3 p m on April 19 & 20 The large meeting room at the Cape Coral Library will be filled with thousands of quality used books arranged by category There will be lots of fiction for adults and a section for children and teens Attendees can find non-fiction sorted by subject, audio books and music CDs, plus movies on DVD Most items are $1 or $2, with small paperbacks at less than a dollar

The Friends will also highlight a large selection of “special” books (such as those by Florida authors, autographed books, collectibles and more) that are priced somewhat higher, but are still an incredible bargain

“Not only does the public look forward to these book sales, but also our members,” said Friends Publicity Chair Monica Rahman “Our attendees love to sort through the books that are donated, and we separate fiction from nonfiction, and non-fiction are always organized by category It’s a lot of work, and is a big job arranging them, but it’s fun ”

These book sales serve as fundraisers for the Friends, and are usually held each year in April and November Member volunteers thoroughly enjoy opening the cartons of donated books as they arrive in a huge truck from their storage facility, with well over 500 boxes full of selections Members then arrange books by type and category

A special Friends members-only preview sale will be held Thursday, April 18, from 10 a m to 3 p m Nonmembers may join the non-profit organization at the door by paying the annual dues of $15 per family

The sale will feature lots of fiction for adults, and a large section for children and teens Attendees can find non-fiction sorted by subject, such as Art, Crafts, History, Biography, Cookbooks, Gardening and more

“People are usually surprised when they enter our sale, because they just can’t imagine the amount of books we

have,” Rahman said “We try to photograph it, but the room is so big and there are just so many books

“The other thing is, the prices are incredible If people want to buy online, there is a shipping cost attached There’s nothing better than actually being able to touch the book, feel the book, and see what kind of condition it’s in We have great prices even on the ‘special’ books ”

Continuing from last November’s sale, there will be a book craft table, where member volunteers will show off their talents in creating crafts from books

“Some of our crafters take pages from books and they bake different items such as bracelets, which are always a big hit,” Rahman said “We also sell bookmarks Some crafters make little animals out of folded paper, such as little hedgehogs or bunnies It’s amazing to see ”

Proceeds from the event are used to support the Cape Coral-Lee County Public Library branch

“Our mission is to provide direct support to the Cape Coral Library, and enhancements to the library experience,” Rahman said “Most recently, we were one of the sponsors of the online Library Speakers Consortium through which participants can ask questions and interact with acclaimed authors from around the world ”

The Friends fund the Summer Reading Programs at the Cape Coral Library, funds library programs all year for all age groups, organizes exhibits by local artists, organizes and sponsors the annual “Coloring the Earth” environmental art contest, acts as a sponsor for the Southwest Florida Reading Festival, collaborates with the Garden Club of Cape Coral to support the Butterfly Garden at the Cape Coral Library, and more

Payment options at the book sale are cash or personal check only

Donations of gently used resale quality books, CDs and DVDs for the book sales are accepted year-round Call the Friends’ phone message service at (239) 349-2572, and leave a clear message with your phone number.

For more information, visit capefriends org, and follow the group on Facebook

The Cape Coral Library is at 921 Southwest 39th Terrace

Form required for LLCs

l e d t h e “ C o r p o r a t e T r a n s p a r e n c y A c t ” , w h i c h m a y r e q u i r e m e t o f i l e r e p o r t s w i t h t h e g o v e r n m e n t I u n d e r s t a n d t h e r e a s o n f o r t h i s i s t o f i g h t a g a i n s t t a x f r a u d a n d m o n e y l a u n d e r i n g M y s i n g l e r e n t a l c a n ’ t b e s u b j e c t t o t h i s , r i g h t ? - C a r t e r S .

D e ar Carte r:

More about the changes coming to real estate commissions

This week we are going to continue our deep dive into the recently proposed class action lawsuit settlement by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) that would resolve the litigation brought on behalf of home sellers related to the structure of real estate broker commissions We will state right upfront, the current system is not perfect and we think it has some flaws From what we can tell at this point, the newly proposed system resulting from the NAR’s settlement will also not be perfect and it will also have some flaws

Homing In

Eric P. Feichthaler

Real

Estate Law

M a n y o f m y c l i e n t s h o l d r e a l e s t a t e a n d t h e i r s m a l l b u s i n e s s e s i n L L C ’ s o r o t h e r e n t it i e s , a n d t h e y s h a r e y o u r c o n c e r n s A s i f t h e r e a r e n o t e n o u g h h o o p s t o j u m p t h r o u g h t o c o n d u c t a n y b u s in e s s o r i n v e s t m e n t , y o u h a v e h e a r d c o rr e c t l y T h e C o r p o r a t e T r a n s p a r e n c y A c t ( C T A ) h a s b e e n e n a c te d , a n d r e q u i r e s A L L b u s i n e s s e s l i k e y o u r s t o f i l e a B e n e f i c i a l O w n e r s h i p I n f o r m a t i o n R e p o r t ( B O I R ) w i t h t h e F i n a n c i a l C r i m e s E n f o r c e m e n t N e t w o r k ( F i n C E N ) . A b e n e f ic i a l o w n e r i s d e f i n e d a s o n e o w n i n g a t l e a s t 2 5 % o f a n L L C o r C o r p o r a t i o n , o r e x e r c i s e s s u b s t a n t i a l c o n t r o l T h e d e f i n i t i o n e n c o m p a s s e s n e a r l y e v e r y s m a l l b u s i n e s s i n C a p e C o r a l , a s w e l l a s L L C S t h a t h o l d r e a l e s t a t e l i k e y o u r s T h e r e p o r t s t o b e f i l e d a r e n o t t e r r i b l y c o m p l ic a t e d , b u t m u s t b e f i l e o n l i n e t h r o u g h t h e F i n C E N w e b s i t e T h e g o o d n e w s i s t h a t t h e s e r e p o r t s a r e n o t d u e u n t i l t h e e n d o f t h e y e a r , s o y o u h a v e t i m e A l s o , y o u m a y h a v e h e a r d t h e r e w a s a c o u r t d e c is i o n h o l d i n g t h i s A c t u n c o n s t i t u t i o n a l , s t a t i n g t h a t i t “ e x c e e d s t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n ’ s l i m i t s o n C o n g r e s s ’ p o w e r ” S o m e h a v e r e p o r t e d t h a t t h i s c a s e i n v a l id a t e s t h e A c t , a n d t h a t t h e r e p o r t s a r e n o l o n g e r r e q u i r e d T h e c o u r t r u l i n g , h o w e v e r , o n l y a p p l i e s t o m e m b e r s o f t h e N a t i o n a l S m a l l B u s i n e s s A s s o c i a t i o n , w h i c h i s t h e p l a i n t i f f i n t h a t c o u r t c a s e I t i s v e r y , v e r y u n l i k e l y y o u o r a n y s m a l l b u s i n e s s i n C a p e C o r a l i s a m e m b e r o f t h e N S B A T h a t m e a n s , a s o f n o w , t h e r e p o r t i s s t i l l r e q u i r e d F o r m a n y , t h e b e n e f i t s o f h o l d i n g r e a l e s t a t e i n L L C s w i l l c o n t i n u e t o o u t w e i g h t h e a d m i n i s t r a t i v e a n d s e t - u p c o s t s o f c r e a t i n g t h e m , e v e n w i t h t h i s n e w b u r e a u c r a t i c h u r d l e . A s w i t h m a n y s t a t e a n d f e d e r a l r e g u l a t i o n s , f a i l u r e t o c o m p l y w i t h r e p o r ti n g r e q u i r e m e n

See FORM, page 17

This settlement will change the structure of how real estate business is transacted across the entire country in several ways, and if it is approved by the court, these changes are slated to go into effect in July of this year Contrary to a lot of the “inside real estate” thoughts and conversations we are hearing, our past life experiences tend to make us think the real estate industry is about to go through some dramatic changes over the next one-to-five years We think these changes will ultimately lead to lower transaction costs for consumers and a fairly significant reduction in the number of real estate agents No offense intended, but kind of a culling of what has become a massive herd of people who work locally as Realtors

To clarify this point, we acknowledge that there are some really good, hard-working, highly ethical Realtors running solid businesses in our market But let’s be realistic, a lot of people get into real estate here locally because the “barrier to entry” is pretty minimal in that the process to obtain a real estate license is not that difficult and you do not necessarily need to sink a lot of money into the business to get started and established When we experience a “hot market” like we did during the post-COVID boom beginning in the summer of 2020 through the middle of 2022, people pile into the real estate business because they think it is “easy money ” When the market shifts negatively the way it has since June of 2022, and the less established Realtors realize that the so-called “easy money” is gone and the business turns into a grind, a lot of people flee the business We think the upcoming changes will force some people to reconsider their career choice to be a Realtor out of financial necessity

Getting back to the NAR’s settlement, there is a lot of misinformation out there in the media about it and real estate commissions and fees First, many media outlets make it sound like there is a standard 6 percent commission paid to Realtors

when a home is sold However, the amount of any commissions and fees is currently negotiable and it will remain negotiable under the new format There is also a general view in the media and amongst some outside market analysts that the changes are likely to ultimately result in the total amount of future commissions being paid by consumers on real estate transactions to shrink by upwards of 30 percent. The real estate industry insiders are not seeing it that way, but we tend to think things are about to change a lot more than the insiders are willing to admit to Time will tell

Part of this is likely to come down to how much consumers are willing to pay a Realtor, and in a competitive world, how much will Realtors be willing to work for?

In essence, what services will be offered by Realtors, and at what price? What will consumers view as a fair amount of compensation to pay a Realtor for their local knowledge and expertise and what “menu” of options will be available to consumers in the future? The real estate business is likely to evolve in ways that most within the industry choose not to imagine As a case in point, back in the 1990s, as discount stock brokerage firms were making some headway against the “establishment” stock brokerage industry at a time when the Internet, emails, and cell phones were in their infancy, who could have ever imagined investors would someday be able to buy and sell stocks online free of any commissions? Going forward, we think there will be a place and a need for Realtors to be involved in the process of buying and selling homes, but that the “value proposition” of a Realtor may become somewhat watered down in the minds of more consumers as technological advances in the do it yourself information age continues to grow and real estate commissions become more commoditized

Under the new rules in the proposed NAR settlement, sellers will still be able to negotiate the amount of commissions they will pay to the listing brokerage and they will be able to decide whether or not they want to offer any “cooperative compensation” to a buyer’s broker For example, a seller will be able to say they will pay the listing brokerage “x” amount of commission and that they do not want to pay any commission to the buyer’s side For the sake of argument, let’s say that today a seller might agree to pay a 5 percent commission on the sale of their home with 2 5 percent going to the buyer’s broker in the form of cooperative compensation In July, based

See COMMISSIONS, page 17

REAL ESTATE BRIEFS

Windward Tour of Homes to feature four custom water front proper ties in Cape Coral

Windward Construction is partnering with Blue Line Realty of SWFL to host the Windward Tour of Homes, a Saturday, April 13, event allowing potential homebuyers to explore four distinct Cape Coral properties offering innovative architectural and interior designs

The four custom waterfront homes featured in the Windward Tour of Homes include:

∫ 5665 Riverside Drive, Cape Coral (4 BR, 4 BA, 3,164 square feet)

∫ 751 Coral Drive, Cape Coral (3 BR, 3 5 BA, 2,911 square feet)

∫ 5710 Driftwood Parkway, Cape Coral (4 BR, 3 BA, 2,778 square feet – new construction)

∫ 5316 Baypoint Court, Cape Coral (3 BR, 3 5 BA, 2,854 square feet)

Windward Construction, founded in 2012, is recognized for its custom designs that seamlessly blend indoor and outdoor living environments with upgraded finishes being standard features The Cape Coral Construction

Industry Association honored Windward with six awards during the 2024 Builders’ Showcase of Homes and nine awards during the 2023 Showcase of Homes

The Windward Tour of Homes runs from noon to 4 p m on Saturday, April 13 RSVPs or pre-qualifications are not required Property details are available through Blue Line Realty at BlueLineRealtySWFL com or by calling Windward Construction at 239-985-5554

B&I Contractors joins nationwide Construction Safety Week 2024

B&I Contractors and its 980+ employee-owners will participate in the 2024 Construction Safety Week, May 610 Over 70 construction firms across the U S and Canada have come together to promote safety education and awareness This year's theme is "Value Every Voice ” "Safety Week serves as a reminder that safety is not a o n e - t i m e e f f o r t b u t a c o n t i n u o u s j o u r n e y A t B & I Contractors, we prioritize “Safety as one of our Core values”, and Safety Week presents an opportunity for us to reaffirm our dedication to creating a safe workplace for our

See REAL ESTATE BRIEFS, page 17

Bob and Geri Quinn

A new insurance challenge for snowbirds: unregulated surplus line carriers

For years, miles of pristine coastline, mild winters, and yearlong golf have made Florida among the most popular retirement spots in the country Snowbirds flock to the Sunshine State, often purchasing second homes to live here while family and friends shiver in northern climates

Recent legislation, however, could have a significant impact on these homeowners, as nearly 80,000 Florida homes could be taken off Citizens Insurance and moved to what are called “surplus line carriers ”

With insurance costs rising, depopulating the state-run insurance carrier has become a priority However, pushing thousands of homes to surplus line carriers provides a complex set of obstacles that Florida property owners need to be aware of

John Hornbuckle Guest Commentary

Unlike regular insurance companies, surplus line carriers are unregulated by the Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) and their policies often cover risky properties or luxury items that other insurance companies will not Now, they’re expanding into the Florida property insurance market

Surplus line carriers are now allowed to selectively target homes insured by Citizens that are vacant for nine

months yearly This leaves those with vacation homes and or temporary Florida residents at risk, highlighting the importance of consumer advocacy and the crucial role of public adjusters in protecting policyholder rights and ensuring fair insurance settlements

As president of the Florida Association of Public Insurance Adjusters (FAPIA), I believe all Florida homeowners have the right to understand their insurance options. It is important to know if your “second home” qualifies to be taken out of Citizens Gather paperwork and calculate your time and tenant's time at the property You should also confirm how much you are currently paying for Citizens, as homeowners are only required to accept an offer that is within 20% of what they are paying for Citizens’ coverage

If you are forced to accept coverage from a surplus line carrier, there are several things I recommend you prepare for and know before you endure a hurricane season or file a claim.

First, the recent legislation requires surplus line carriers to provide “comparable” coverage when you renew your policy Identify critical numbers in your current policy,

like your deductible, judge these against your surplus lines carrier’s coverage to ensure your needs are covered

Second, the most glaring hole in surplus lines coverage is these carriers are not required to participate in the Florida Insurance Guaranty Association, which pays for damages if your insurer goes insolvent With a surplus line carrier, homeowners are left unprotected

Finally, surplus line carriers, being unregulated, may include contract terms not permitted for regulated carriers, such as clauses limiting policyholders’ rights to hire public adjusters. Their lack of regulation also complicates claim disputes, potentially requiring Floridians to travel, even internationally, to address issues This could mean going as far as New York, Bermuda or London for litigation against these carriers

If you are the owner of a Florida vacation home or one of our welcomed seasonal residents, I encourage you to ask questions in the event your Citizens policy is eligible for takeout Being prepared and knowledgeable can save you both on your monthly premium and in the unfortunate case that you are forced to file an insurance claim

J o h n H o r n b u c k l e i s p r e s i d e n t o f t h e F l o r i d a Association of Public Insurance Adjusters’ board of directors He is a former mayor of Biscayne Park, obtained his public adjuster license in 2011, and is focused on advocacy for insurance consumers

Commissions: New process is likely not perfect, either

From page 16

on the terms of the settlement, the seller could negotiate a listing agreement in which they pay 2 5 percent (or whatever number) to the listing brokerage, while paying no cooperative compensation to the buyer’s side, thus reducing their out of pocket costs The seller will also be able to choose to offer any amount of cooperative compensation to the buyer’s brokerage The wildcard to a seller will be the risk that some buyers might tell their agent to avoid homes where the seller will not contribute anything to offset the buyers costs under the new system

In addition, it will no longer be legal for the listing brokerage firm to disclose the amount of cooperative compensation being paid to a buyer’s broker in the Multiple Listing Service, in an attempt to prevent agents from “steering” buyers towards homes paying them a higher commission However, there will be other ways for a buyer’s agent to find out if a seller is offering any cooperative compensation It will just be a more time consuming process for the buyer’s agent to uncover this information The other significant change to the process is that potential buyers will be required to sign a buyers agreement with a Realtor before the Realtor will be allowed to take the buyer out to show them any homes In this agreement, the buyer will have to commit to paying a commission or fees to the Realtor for their services in the event the seller is not willing to pay any cooperative compensation to the buyer’s agent If the seller is offering compensation to the buyer’s side, it will offset the amount the buyer has agreed to pay So if the seller offers to pay 1 percent to the buyer’s broker and the buyer has agreed to pay 2.5 percent for their agent’s services, the buyer will have to come up with the additional 1 5 percent out of

their pocket If the buyer agreed to pay 1 percent to their agent and the seller was offering 2 5 percent of cooperative compensation, the buyer’s agent would only be entitled to the 1 percent and it would be paid by the seller and not by the buyer

Since a lot of time can be spent in the process of working with buyers that often does not result in them buying a home, the changes requiring a buyers agreement before doing work for a buyer may end up resulting in agents charging the buyer an hourly fee or flat rate for a certain level of work This could be in addition to the buyer committing to pay the agent a commission when they purchase a home This may drive more buyers to choose to deal directly with the listing agent, who will also need to have the buyer sign a buyers agreement before showing them their listing Again, the new process will not be perfect and it will probably lead to some unintended consequences for buyers, sellers, and Realtors

(The sales data for this article was obtained from the Florida Realtors® Multiple Listing Service Matrix for Lee County, FL, as of April 9, 2024, unless otherwise noted. It was compiled by Bob and Geri Quinn and it includes information specifi-

cally for Cape Coral single family 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 Quinn’s 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 44-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 )

o r o v e r 3 5 y e a r s a n d

g r a d u a t e d f r o m M a r i n e r H i g h S c h o o l

i n C a p e C o r a l A f t e r c o m p l e t i n g l a w

s c h o o l a t G e o r g e t o w n U n i v e r s i t y i n

W a s h i n g t o n , D C , h e r e t u r n e d t o C a p e

C o r a l t o p r a c t i c e l a w a n d r a i s e a f a mi l y H e s e r v e d a s m a y o r o f C a p e C o r a l f r o m 2 0 0 5 - 2 0 0 8 , a n d c o n t i n u e s h i s s e r v i c e t o t h e c o m m u n i t y t h r o u g h t h e

C a p e C o r a l C a r i n g C e n t e r , a n d C a p e

C o r a l K i w a n i s H e h a s b e e n m a r r i e d t o h i s w i f e , M a r y , f o r 2 2 y e a r s , a n d t h e y h a v e f o u r c h i l d r e n H e e a r n e d h i s b o a r d c e r t i f i c a t i o n i n R e a l E s t a t e L a w f r o m t h e F l o r i d a B a r , a n d p r i m a r i l y p r a c t i c e s i n r e a l e s t a t e l a w a n d w i l l s a n d t r u s t s H e i s A V P r e e m i n e n t r a t e d b y M a r t i n d a l e - H u b b e l l f o r p r o f e s s i o na l e t h i c s a n d l e g a l a b i l i t y , a n d

EDUCATION

Soft skills fuel workplace success, career advancement

By BRIAN MANGAN Special to The Breeze

Hiring managers can receive dozens, sometimes hundreds, of job applications According to LinkedIn, the average corporate job opening receives 250 applicants

So how can job candidates stand out when many applicants boast strong academic credentials and technical know-how? Soft skills the behavioral and personality traits that define an individual’s character are becoming increasingly important in the workplace

In fact, some well-respected research studies found that 85% of job success derives from people skills, while only 15% comes from technical skills and knowledge

That’s why the U S Department of Labor notes employers are now viewing soft skills as “even more important to work readiness” than performing fundamentals of the job

Until the last decade or so, there really wasn’t an educational setting to master soft skills, or a tactful way to add soft skills onto a professional resume without sounding like you’re boasting

Through funding provided by the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund, a program authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act, The School District of Lee County recently introduced a new program designed to provide adult learners with soft skills microcredentials to help them succeed in the workplace Upskill Village features a series of eight courses that teach behaviors and non-technical skills for adults looking to gain a competitive edge in the job market

Upskill Village courses include:

∫ Oral Communication: Speaking with clarity and precision, as well as recognizing nonverbal cues

∫ Empathy: Understanding others’ perspectives and feelings

∫ Critical Thinking: Reasoning logically and rigorously

∫ Resilience: Learning from experience and adapting

∫ Intercultural Fluency: Operating and communicating in different cultural contexts

∫ Collaboration: Working productively with others toward a common goal

∫ Creative Problem Solving: Solving problems in new ways by thinking differently

∫ Initiative: Identifying needs and responding proactively

For generations, soft skills have been hidden skills Employers often wouldn’t find out that a new employee was a poor communicator or lackluster team player, for instance, until he or she was already hired Successfully completing courses through Upskill Village lets employers know they are getting a well-rounded employee not just someone who looks good on paper, but an individual who thrives in today’s collaborative workplace environment.

Micro-credentials are short, competency-based programs that cover skills not always addressed when pursuing a high school diploma or college degree For individuals without an extensive formal education or decades of successful on-the-job experience, supplementing the education section of their resume with micro-credentials demonstrates to potential employers that they are committed to continuous professional improvement and advancement in their careers

The School District of Lee County received a grant that provides full tuition scholarships for Lee County residents 16 and older who enroll in Upskill Village Proof of residency is required To register, please visit https://bit ly/43iP4ml, email UpskillVillage @LeeSchools net or call 239-939-6310

Brian Mangan is director of adult and career education for The School District of Lee County

‘Leave the Scene Clean’ student artwork on Waste Pro trucks

Keep Lee County Beautiful, Inc has announced its continued partnership with Waste Pro to feature the winning student artwork from the “Leave The Scene Clean” art contest The four overall winning illustrations have been enlarged and proudly displayed on the sides of Lee County Waste Pro trucks The unveiling of the trucks took place during the art award reception at the Edison and Ford Winter Estates In celebration of Earth Month, all of the student artwork will be showcased in the Fort Myers Public Works/Community Development building throughout the month of April

The four overall First Place Winners and their schools are:

∫ Grade K-3 – Antonella DaRosa – St. Francis Xavier

∫ Grade 4-6 – Olivia Baker – Oasis Middle School

∫ Grade 7-9 – Mia De La Cruz Matos – North Fort Myers High School

∫ Grade 10-12 – Jennifer Cedeno – Dunbar 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 35th 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 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” art contest not only highlights the talent of young artists but also promotes environmental awareness and the importance of keeping our community clean and beautiful. The project is made possible through corporate sponsorships Sponsors for the 2024 art contest include Lee County Solid Waste, The Edison & Ford Winter Estates, Covanta Energy, WM, Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, Coastal Waste & Recycling, 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 reusable tote bags benefit KLCB programs and participating schools For more information about this and other KLCB educational programs visit klcb org

Summer VPK registration opens

Registration for Voluntary Prekindergarten is now open for summer programs in Lee, Collier, Hendry and Glades counties. The free educational program is available to 4-year-olds that reside in Florida, regardless of family income

Voluntary Prekindergarten gives children a jump-start by preparing them for school and enhancing their pre-reading, pre-math, language and social skills VPK classrooms are taught by certified teachers with a focus on school readiness and social and emotional well-being By developing the early skills children need to become strong students, they are more likely to be successful in school

To be eligible, children must live in Florida and be 4 years old on or before Sept 1 of the current school year Through Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida, parents can

register their qualifying child to attend 540 hours of preschool during the regular school year, or 300 hours of summertime preschool. In 2022-2023, Early Learning Coalition reported 7,464 children attended 260 different VPK programs in Lee, Collier, Hendry and Glades Counties

To register, families must first apply for a VPK voucher online at VPKSWFL org Individuals can also visit the Early Learning Coalition offices for assistance, located in Fort Myers at 2675 Winkler Ave , Suite 300, from 8 a m to 5 p m , Monday through Thursday, and 8 a m to 11:30 a m on Friday Offices provide free kiosks, and no appointments are needed

To learn more about summer VPK, visit VPKSWFL org or call 239-935-6100

FPL accepting applications for FPL Robotics Scholarship

Florida Power & Light Company has announced that its FPL Robotics Scholarship for 2024 is once again officially open for applicants Designed to empower young minds and cultivate the future leaders in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), this scholarship aims to support one talented student who displays exceptional passion and potential in robotics

"We love this time of year when we get to announce that FPL’s Robotics Scholarship is once again open for qualified high school seniors,” said Sarah Marmion, FPL senior manager of Community Engagement and Educational Programs "Robotics presents an incredible platform for students to develop critical-thinking, problem-solving and teamwork skills, all of which are essential in today's rapidly evolving world We believe that by supporting robotics education, we are investing in the future and cultivating the next generation of STEM leaders "

See FPL, page 20

EDUCATION BRIEFS

Robinson named to Ohio University's Fall 2023 Provost's List

Ohio University Patton College of Education student Faye Robinson of Cape Coral has been named to the university's Fall 2023 Provost's List

At the end of each semester, Ohio University's undergraduate students are evaluated based on their semester GPA and hours to determine placement on the President's List, Dean's List or Provost's List

The Provost's List recognition is shared with high-achieving, part-time undergraduate students who exemplify academic success Qualifying students must possess a 3 5 or greater GPA and between 6 and 11 99 credit hours attempted for letter grades that are used to calculate GPA

In fall semester 2023, approximately 1,800 of Ohio University's part-time undergraduate students qualified for the Provost's List A complete listing is available online Visit www.ohio.edu for more information.

Hill named to the 2023-2024 Winter Term President's list at Oregon Institute of Technology

Cheri Hill of Cape Coral has been named to the 20232024 Winter Term President's list at Oregon Institute of Technology Hill studies Echocardiography

Recipients of the honor achieved a 3 70 grade-point average and above

Founded in Klamath Falls in 1947, Oregon Institute of Technology is the premier polytechnic institution in Oregon Offering bachelor's, master's, and a doctor of physical therapy, Oregon Tech has exceptional programs in engineering, health technologies, business, technology, communication and applied sciences Oregon Tech has a residential campus in Klamath Falls; an urban, industry-focused Portland-Metro campus in Wilsonville; an online campus; and offers degrees at Boeing Seattle and at other sites Visit www oit edu to learn more about Oregon Institute of Technology.

We e k ly B R E E Z E R e c ap

Officials welcome FEMA’s ‘pause’ on action impacting insurance discounts

By VALARIE HARRING Vharring@breezenewspapers com

FEMA’s announcement that it will pause a decision that would result in the loss a 25% discount for most flood insurance policy holders in Lee County was welcomed by local officials Tuesday

“Late Monday afternoon, FEMA advised Cape Coral city leaders that they are allowing us 30 days to clarify any factual misunderstandings and submit new information related to deficiencies identified by FEMA,” Cape Coral Mayor John Gunter said “This is a positive step forward, and we’re committed to making the most of this opportunity to advocate for our community Our immediate focus is to continue engaging with FEMA to ensure we receive clear direction on what efforts they want to see over the next 30 days We’ll be working closely with FEMA to address their concerns and provide any necessary information to potentially change their decision It’s our hope that through this collaborative effort, FEMA will reconsider their decision and allow the city to maintain its hard-earned CRS rating of 5 ”

Last week, the Federal Emergency Management Agency notified Lee County and four of its municipalities, including Cape Coral and Fort Myers Beach, that it was “retrograding” their Community Rating System class from a 5 to a 10, thereby removing benefits residents receive for their National Flood Insurance Program policies

The decision meant that come October, policy holders in the unincorporated areas of the county, as well as in the designated municipalities, not only would lose the 25% discount, but not receive any discount at all

The 30-day “pause” on that noticed action was announced Monday

“We are committed to helping communities take appropriate remediation actions to participate in the Community Rating System and remain in good standing with the National Flood Insurance Program,” FEMA said in a release “Each of the five communities will have an additional 30 days to gather requested documentation to help retain their standing in the Community Rating System ”

Lee County has begun its efforts, officials said Tuesday, adding a joint meeting was held with FEMA officials Monday afternoon

“Lee County Manager Dave Harner and city managers from impacted municipalities Bonita Springs, Cape Coral, the Town of Fort Myers Beach and the Village of Estero met with FEMA representatives late Monday,” the county said in a release

“The county will work with its partners at FEMA during a 30-day extension period, which was granted in the justreceived letter ”

The county also is working to retain its long-established rating.

“The Lee Board of County Commissioners is committed

... “We’ll be working closely with FEMA to address their concerns and provide any necessary information to potentially change their decision.

It’s our hope that through this collaborative effort, FEMA will reconsider their decision and allow the city to maintain its hard-earned CRS rating of 5 ”

Mayor John Gunter

to retaining the Community Rating System (CRS) rating of 5 to maintain the discount available to residents with National Flood Insurance Program policies,” the release states, adding the county is preparing to add ongoing updates for the public to its website, leegov.com.

“In its commitment to transparency, Lee County soon will launch a landing page dedicated to this issue Visitors to the site will be able to review publicly available documentation and other information,” the release states

The city of Cape Coral released last week a detailed report and timeline of its recovery efforts and its interactions with FEMA. The report may be found at capecoral.gov.

“Throughout this process, we’ll remain transparent with our community about developments and actions being taken,” Gunter said “Documents and information on this topic (are) available on our website I want to assure our residents that the City of Cape Coral is committed to doing everything in our power to mitigate any potential impacts on flood insurance rates ”

In retrograding the rating, FEMA cited “the large amount of unpermitted work, lack of documentation, and failure to properly monitor activity in special flood hazard areas, including substantial damage compliance.”

Lee County, Cape Coral and Fort Myers Beach officials all contested the findings, saying their respective staffs have been working closely with FEMA since Hurricane Ian, a Category 5 hurricane that in September 2022 inflicted billions of dollars in damages throughout Southwest Florida County and city officials also called out the agency’s methodology and processes, saying most of the issues raised had been resolved to FEMA’s satisfaction and that the issues remaining were being addressed or still being investigated

Congressman Byron Donalds, joined by U S Rep Greg Steube, and U S senators Rick Scott and Marco Rubio, wrote a letter to FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell last week that urged a reversal of FEMA’s decision to “retrograde” the rating to a 10, the lowest possible, offering no reduction in premiums at all

Teen faces new charges in shooting death of Cape 15-year-old

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

A North Fort Myers teen arrested in connection with the shooting death of Kayla Rincon-Miller is now facing additional charges and has been charged as an adult

The State Attorney’s Office on Monday “direct filed” its case against Thomas Roy Stein, 16, placing him the adult criminal justice system, the agency said Monday.

He has been be transferred to adult custody where he will remain as his case is adjudicated, officials said

Stein was arrested on March 19 and charged as a principal to a murder while engaged in a robbery Additional charges were added Wednesday when he appeared in adult court: one count of homicide without premeditation and three counts of robbery with a firearm, according to jail records

them, blinded the girls with its headlights, and an occupant or occupants jumped out and tried to rob the girls before one fired, striking Kayla in the chest, CCPD officials have said.

Stein was first charged as a “principal” because he was “engaged in the attempt of a robbery and (his) accomplice caused the death of the victim,” the CCPD arrest report states, adding Kayla was shot by someone else

According to the report, one of the witnesses identified him as the driver of the suspect vehicle, the license plate of which was caught on video

The plate came back to a vehicle rented by Stein’s mother

The other two girls were not injured

So far, Stein is the only person who has been arrested in connection with the crime.

Kenneth Savage appointed interim superintendent

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

Dr Kenneth Savage, the chief strategy officer for the School District of Lee County, was sworn into office Tuesday as interim superintendent after the school board voted on a separation agreement with Dr Christopher Bernier on Monday

After the oath of office with Honorable John S Carlin, Savage began his remarks by “giving all glory to my creator ”

“I want to thank my family who has been there to support me both my family and my wife’s family and also my children who give me the inspiration That is what the work is all about, not just my family, my family’s children, every other child, and family out there depending on the decisions we make every day That is the true north of so many people sitting in this room I want to thank the board What a tremendous opportunity of trust that you have given to me to do this the second time around,” he said “I am so grateful for your faith, not just me, but the team we have assembled at this district office ”

Savage said there are teachers out there doing the work they do, changing the lives of the kids that come into the buildings every day

“They are doing the work that really matters All the different support systems we have all work in concert for that magical opportunity to change the lives of these kids in this community and then transform the community,” Savage said, adding that it is an awesome privilege to carry the baton for the next seven months. “Thank you for the support. I am looking forward to the work ahead in making the system the best it possibly can for every student that comes into our buildings ”

Savage also said he is grateful for Bernier’s work and the effort he made to get to know everybody

Savage, who was the interim superintendent after Dr Greg Adkins retired in 2021, will have a salary of $210,700 His previous interim superintendent salary was $209,000

“I am very confident in what you accomplished and excited to move forward with a new day and new superintendent,” Board member Melisa Giovannelli said of the contract

Savage will fill the role as the interim superintendent until a new superintendent is elected by the voters in November

Savage received his bachelor’s degree in May 2001 from Florida State University in education, his master’s degree in August 2006 and his Ed D in May 2019 from the University of Florida in educational leadership

Savage has been the chief operations officer for the district, as well as a school hybrid leadership turnaround principal lead from July 2016 to June 2018 and a school principal and assistant school principal from June 2006 to June 2016

He was also an adjunct professor for the University of Florida from August to December 2019 and a state level executive for the Office of the Chancellor K-12 public schools for the Florida Department of Education from June 2018 to June 2019

The School Board of Lee County approved the separation agreement with Bernier on Monday

It went into effect on Tuesday and keeps him on the payroll for 20 weeks unless he “secures other employment as superintendent, or position at a cabinet-level within the 20weeks ”

Kayla, 15, was walking with two friends, heading to get something to eat after seeing a movie at the Coralwood Mall at around 9:40 p m on March 17

A car pulled up behind

The CCPD has asked that anyone with information regarding the shooting, or anyone with any surveillance videos, to call the department at 239-574-3223 or Crime Stoppers at 1800-780-TIPS (8477)

The board stated that it was not a termination of Bernier, who will serve as an advisor for the interim superintendent for the 20 weeks, according to the agreement

Dr. Kenneth Savage

Single-member district referendum request fails to garner support

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

Cape Coral City Council said thank you but no thank you to a resident-proposed single-member district petition Wednesday

Council members questioned whether there would be any benefit to residents as currently, voters cast a ballot for every member of the elected board where, under the proposed charter change, they would only vote for two the mayor and “their” district council member

“We make decisions for the entire city, not just our particular district,” Councilmember Tom Hayden said “I believe voters should have a right in deciding eight winners because they are making decisions for everybody ”

Hayden said he believes voters do their due diligence to understand what candidates have to offer He said if the city moved to single-member districts, they may only look at their district and not know what other candidates’ platforms may be

With that said, Hayden said he would be

“Until we get to that point where we have equal distribution of infrastructure and amenities it has to be a leadership team, rather than seven individuals looking out for seven locations fighting for the dollars, resources, and assets trying to win for their folks I would not be in favor of looking at single-member districts at this point ”

willing to put it before the voters to decide, a decision with which Councilmember Dan Sheppard agreed

“I think we should let citizens decide There are pros and cons for both,” Sheppard said

John Bashaw, who brought the request for a referendum forward, said he thought the topic of single-member districts was both important and timely

“My ask is really, pretty simple You allow the qualified electors to vote on changing from at-large to single-district voting for council members,” he said “I am not asking you to make the change You are, however, on the critical path to making the change ” Bashaw said at-large voting dilutes the

Councilmemember

Bill Steinke

voting power, as there are 20,000 qualified electors in each of the seven districts

“I live in District 6 In 2024, I am going to be voting in races in Districts 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7 I don’t live in any of those,” he said

Two council members, Richard Carr, and Robert Welsh, said they could entertain a hybrid model, having four at-large council members and four single-member districts

“I would like to entertain what it would look like for a hybrid model,” Welsh said

Other Council members expressed this was not the time to move to single-member districts

“The difference between at-large and single-member has a lot to do with maturity and uniformity of the city Cape Coral is devel-

oped from the outside in a lopsided way Each one of the districts doesn’t have the same infrastructure, same amenities In my opinion, the at-large design breathes more of a ‘we are all in this for the entire city ’ Those (single) district citizens would be expecting that Council member to put their interest above and beyond that is what they are electing them to do,” Councilmember Bill Steinke said

He said district council members having to live in their district is important for geographical diversity

“Until we get to that point where we have equal distribution of infrastructure and amenities it has to be a leadership team, rather than seven individuals looking out for seven locations fighting for the dollars, resources, and assets trying to win for their folks,” Steinke said “I would not be in favor of looking at single-member districts at this point ”

Mayor John Gunter agreed this was not the time to move to a single member district, as the city is only 55% built out

He said his opinion may change once the city is completely built out

FPL: Now accepting applications for robitics scholarship

From page 18

FPL offers this unique opportunity to a deserving high school senior. The scholarship will support the recipient in pursuing higher education in a STEM-related field at an

accredited college or university, ensuring they receive the necessary resources to succeed in their academic journey

The FPL Robotics Scholarship is open to all public and private high school students

across FPL’s service area who have two or more years in a FIRST Tech Challenge or FIRST Robotics Competition Interested students can submit their application here or at FPL com/Education under STEM Grants and

Scholarship

The application period is open until May 15, 2024

To learn more about additional educational opportunities visit www FPL com/Education

Halfway to Oktoberfest set for this weekend

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

As a way to mark the halfway point to its biggest event of the year, the German American Social Club of Cape Coral will welcome the public to its grounds for a weekend of good music, eats, and drink

The Halfway to Oktoberfest at the GASC’s Bavarian Gardens takes place this Saturday and Sunday, providing a feel and taste of German heritage GASC officials say club members are ready to prepare the outdoor gardens and bring the festivities into full swing The event will be held on April 13 from noon to 8 p.m., and April 14 from noon to 7 p m

The Bavarian Gardens were bustling last month, with good beer, cheer and more Those seated around the dance floor at the pavilion were tapping their feet and raising their cups GASC President Erich Kohl is extremely pleased to see the response of the community to the club’s invitation to celebrate the club’s heritage with the fun-loving Southwest Florida community in the Cape Coral gardens

“We’re always excited to have the public with us on our grounds to enjoy our events,” Kohl said “We’re halfway there Six months to go or thereabout ”

A highlight during this weekend’s festivities will be a performance on Saturday by the A’Finnity Band led by Evan Finn -- a southern rock/country band To keep things interesting, the band’s lineup includes some uptempo blues and classic rock GASC officials said this music is designed to keep the audience moving and is familiar to most who hear it

The more traditional music acts will include Manni Daum, Werner Smolka, and Duo Surprise

“We’re doing a combination of music styles,” Kohl said “We’ll hit our American side, and then of course, some of our usual German entertainers there both days as well ”

Southwest Floridians will be able to enjoy two pleasant and fun-filled afternoons of German food, beer or wine, and great tunes and atmosphere

“This weekend’s weather looks great, with people being able to taste all of our different German beers we have to offer,” Kohl said “We have domestics as well We’ll have bratwurst and potato pancakes, schnitzel -- all sorts of goodies and German desserts as well ”

Kids are welcome at the festival, where they will be able to enjoy some fun activities at the Kinder Klub, including a kids’ crafts corner and face painting, offering fun for the entire family

Tickets are $5 and parking is free, as is admission for children ages 12 and younger

The festivities will continue with an AllAmerican Barbecue on May 26 over Memorial Day weekend, which will honor active duty and retired military

The GASC has been brimming with excitement with its jam-packed schedule of events this season Kohl and his team are proud to be able to welcome everyone in Cape Coral and beyond to the German American Social Club of Cape Coral, where he and his members regularly celebrate German Heritage

The club opens its doors to members and the public for dinner and dancing every Friday at 5:30 p m

The club and Bavarian Gardens is at 2101 Southwest Pine Island Road

For more information, visit www gasccapecoral com

Editorial: As Council considers charter amendments, elections-related questions should be on the table

From page 4

“reside” is a district, giving an announced candidate cause to pause as he fears the same fate should he misinterpret what “continuous full time” residency means

Larry Gillis “a homeowner, registered voter, and resident here in Cape Coral since March 2008” when he purchased a home in the southwest Cape, has asked the city attorney’s office and the State Attorney’s Office whether he can lawfully assert in the city’s required “sworn statement” that he has been a “ continuous full-time resident ” as he typically as so many residents do travels out of state to visit “up north ”

In his quest for clarification, Mr Gillis explains he’s typically gone each year for about three months, staying with family or in AirBnBs He did this last year, plans to do so

again this, and so wants to know if that could be interpreted as breaching the “continuous” qualification rule to qualify for city office

“Certainly, I do not wish to falsely swear, thus exposing myself to criminal liability (i e , Perjury) I don’t want to guess at my peril whether I satisfy the requirements of the law

I have resided here for some 16 years I am a ‘snowbird’, but believe myself to be a continuous full-time resident here, in that I do not ‘reside’ anywhere else ” he wrote

The city and State Attorney’s Office, each of which questioned the residency of former council member Patty Cummings with the latter charging her with fraudulent application for a driver’s license and two counts of false swearing in connection with or arising out of voting or elections last November, declined to answer Mr Gillis’s query

Each said public agencies cannot prepare legal opinions for private citizens, and he should seek an opinion from an attorney on his own Fair enough

But let us point out two things

Ms Cummings retained counsel when her residency was questioned Based on legal advice received, she maintained and maintains she met the city’s qualifying rules, violated no other laws, and has pleaded not guilty The case remains pending Her suspension is ongoing

Mr Gillis is a professor of law, licensed in New Hampshire and Massachusetts where he practiced as an attorney for three decades

He questions the clarity of the city’s charter not only for himself but others who may be looking to put their “snowbird” years

behind them and run for office in the city where they declare residency

We’ll not weigh in on Ms Cummings’ case which is much more complicated than an alleged charter violation

But we do agree with Mr Gillis that requirements that lack definitive definition can be confusing and could keep residents from running

Does clarification need to come in the form of a charter amendment?

Or can Council clear this one up as the charter also states “The Council shall be the judge of the election and qualifications of its members ”

We ask Council to ask the necessary questions and take appropriate action It is the proactive thing to do.

Breeze editorial

Sun Splash reports good year

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

The transition of Sun Splash Family Waterpark from city operation to a publicprivate partnership has resulted in more revenue and greater attendance

“Since 2017, one of the things that I continued to push for was to privatize Sun Splash because I knew someone that does that for a living will do that much better than a government entity,” said Mayor J o h n G u n t e r d u r i n g C a p e C o r a l C i t y

Council’s workshop Wednesday “Thank you for all of your hard work and changing the makeup of Sun Splash I think we have an even better amenity today than when we were operating it There is no burden on the taxpayers to have to subsidize it.”

Councilmember Dan Sheppard agreed

“This was a subject that we took a beating on for privatizing it and having professionals of water parks take over Even though it’s an asset to the city, it was a burden to the taxpayer Now it’s nothing but an asset, a better asset A profit for the taxpayer now ”

ProParks President Curt Caffey said for the 2023 season, Sun Splash grew in revenue and attendance He said the goal is to create safe family fun that is sustainable at a value for their guest that is affordable.

“Many families are struggling right now,” Caffey said, adding that the affordability comes from season passes, day visits, and resident passes with additional addons

Last season they were able to provide a longer season, for a total of 169 days, which grew the attendance to 162,872

“The more operating days we provide, the more value to the consumer Our key to

“This was a subject that we took a beating on for privatizing it and having professionals of water parks take over Even though it’s an asset to the city, it was a burden to the taxpayer. Now it’s nothing but an asset, a better asset. A profit for the taxpayer now.”

Councilmember Dan Sheppard

success fun for everyone On a daily basis our team works really hard,” he said of having that repeat experience for attendees “The park doesn’t pick up and move, nor does the consumer ”

With more operating days, the rental income also grew for the city

“We saw a significant increase in the amount of rent We are very pleased to be able to provide this positive trend,” Caffey said

In 2022, ProParks paid $360,000 plus sales tax for the lease payment, compared to $573,342 in 2023 as rent to the city

T h e p r e s e n t a t i o n s h i f t e d t o l o o k i n g ahead into 2025 for the city-owned water park

“We are excited to continue to invest in the park We added over 35 cabanas, improved the kid’s area, refurbishment of water slides, lazy river and food and beverage enhancements,” he said

Caffey said they are also looking forward to adding an additional attraction a wave pool, which will be installed in the fall

Caring Center: Healthy Not Hungry Kids Bag program helps feed children while school is out

From page 1

r d t o b u y g r o c e r i e s W e g i v e f o o d v e r y g e n e r o u s l y a s w e d o n o t w a n t p e o p l e i n o u r c o m m u n i t y t o b e h u n g r y a n d w e k n o w i t i s a r e a l i s s u e W e g i v e a l l t y p e s o f f o o d , p e r i s h a b l e a n d n o n p e ri s h a b l e , i n c l u d i n g f r u i t s , v e g e t a b l e s , e g g s , a n d d a i r y p r o d u c t s W e w a n t t o g i v e p e o p l e a n i c e v a r i e t y o f g o o d f o o d b e c a u s e h a v i n g g o o d f o o d s h o w s e x t r a k i n d n e s s t o p e o p l e w h o a r e h a v i n g a d i f f i c u l t t i m e G i v i n g g o o d , h e a l t h y a s p o s s i b l e f o o d , k e e p s a l l i n o u r c o m m u n i t y h e a l t h y a n d t h a t i s g o o d f o r e v e r y o n e . ”

W i t h t h e c u r r e n t s c h o o l y e a r c o m i n g t o a c l o s e a t t h e e n d o f M a y , t h e C a p e C o r a l C a r i n g C e n t e r e m p h a s i z e s t h e g r o w i n g n e e d f o r c o n t r i b u t i o n s t o w a r d s i t s H e a l t h y N o t H u n g r y K i d s P r o g r a m C o m m u n i t y m e m b e r s a r e e n c o u r a g e d t o s u p p o r t t h r o u g h d o n a t i o n s o f s u p p l i e s o r f i n a n c i a l l y t h r o u g h t h e C e n t e r ’ s w e b s i t e , e n s u r i n g t h a t e v e r y c h i l d c o n t i n u e s t o r e c e i v e t h e n o u r i s h m e n t a n d e d u c a t i o n a l s u p p o r t t h e y d e s e r v e “ S o m e y e a r s a g o , w e r e a l i z e d t h a t o u r f a m i l i e s n e e de d e x t r a h e l p d u r i n g t h e s u m m e r P e o p l e s a w t h e i r e x p e n s e s g o u p i n t h e s u m m e r w h i l e t h e i r i n c o m e s o f t e n g o d o w n , ” F e r g u s o n s a i d “ O n e o f t h o s e b i g e x p e n s e s w a s t h a t c h i l d r e n a r e h o m e f o r t h e s u m m e r a n d h u n g r y a l l t h e t i m e T o a d d r e s s t h i s i s s u e , w e b e g a n t h e H e a l t h y

N o t H u n g r y K i d s B a g p r o g r a m ” B a g s t h a t a r e d i s t r i b u t e d c o n t a i n a s - h e a l t h y - a s - p o s s ib l e , k i d - f r i e n d l y f o o d t h a t a r e d e s i g n e d t o f e e d a c h i l d f o r r o u g h l y o n e w e e k F e r g u s o n s a i d e a c h c h i l d i n t h e f a m i l y c a n r e c e i v e a b a g o n c e i n J u n e , J u l y , a n d A u g u s t w h i l e s c h o o l i s o u t f o r t h e s u m m e r

“ T h i s p r o g r a m i s p r o b a b l y t h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t o f a l l o u r m a n y p r o g r a m s b e c a u s e o u r c h i l d r e n n e e d p r o p e r n u t r i t i o n t o s u r v i v e a n d t h r i v e , ” F e r g u s o n s a i d “ W e e x p e c t t o h a v e a h u g e n e e d f o r o u r H e a l t h y n o t H u n g r y

B a g s t h i s s u m m e r , a n d a r e p r e p a r i n g n o w t o m e e t t h e

n e e d T h i s i s a n e x p e n s i v e p r o g r a m , h o w e v e r , t h e h e a l t h o f o u r c h i l d r e n i s w o r t h i t A h a p p y f a m i l y i s o n e t h a t h a s g o o d f o o d i n t h e h o u s e ”

C C C C o f f i c i a l s s a i d t h i s y e a r a l s o s a w t h e e n g a g em e n t o f s i g n i f i c a n t p a r t n e r s h i p s a i m e d a t e n h a n c i n g t h e

C e n t e r ' s c a p a c i t y t o s e r v e t h e c o m m u n i t y J o i n i n g f o r c e s w i t h t h e R e d C r o s s , t h e C e n t e r h a s b e c o m e a

R e s i l i e n t H u b , f o c u s i n g o n i m p r o v i n g e m e r g e n c y r e s p o n s e f o r f a m i l i e s t h r o u g h o u t L e e C o u n t y

A d d i t i o n a l l y , a c o l l a b o r a t i o n w i t h G o o d w i l l p r o v i d e s c r u c i a l s e r v i c e s d i r e c t l y f r o m t h e C e n t e r t w i c e a w e e k , f a c i l i t a t i n g a c c e s s t o e s s e n t i a l s t a t e a i d p r o g r a m s s u c h a s A c c e s s F l o r i d a , S N A P , a n d M e d i c a i d “ T h e s u p p o r t f r o m o u r c o m m u n i t y i s c r i t i c a l t o m e e t o u r n e e d s , ” F e r g u s o n s a i d “ B u s i n e s s e s , c h u r c h e s , n e i g h b o r h o o d a s s o c i a t i o n s , f a m i l i e s h a v i n g f o o d d r i v e s , a r e w o n d e r f u l a n d a p p r e c i a t e d E v e r y d o l l a r d o n a t e d i s w o r t h a s m u c h a s $ 8 , s o a l l d o n a t i o n s o f a n y s i z e a r e g r e a t l y a p p r e c i a t e d a n d a r e t a x d e d u c t i b l e O u r c o m m u -

Julie Ferguson, executive director

n i t y h a s a l w a y s c o m e t o o u r a i d , a n d w e a p p r e c i a t e i t v e r y m u c h . W e a r e g r a t e f u l t o o u r m o s t g e n e r o u s c o mm u n i t y ” T h e C a r i n g C e n t e r a c c e p t s d o n a t i o n s o f a l l t y p e s o f f o o d , t o i l e t r i e s , c l e a n i n g p r o d u c t s a n d p e t f o o d T h e C e n t e r ’ s m a i n o b j e c t i v e s a r e t o a s s i s t i n d i v i d u a l s a n d f a m i l i e s i n c r i t i c a l n e e d t o h e l p t h e m c o p e w i t h a n e g at i v e e c o n o m i c s i t u a t i o n o n a s h o r t - t e r m b a s i s T h e c e nt e r p r o v i d e s f o o d , e l e c t r i c b i l l a s s i s t a n c e a n d r e f e r r a l s t o o t h e r a g e n c i e s w i t h a d d i t i o n a l r e s o u r c e s f o r i n d i v i du a l s “ A t t h e C a p e C o r a l C a r i n g C e n t e r , o u r c l i e n t s a r e n o t n u m b e r , t h e y a r e i n d i v i d u a l s , a n d e a c h p e r s o n i s t r e a t e d

w i t h k i n d n e s s a n d r e s p e c t , ” F e r g u s o n s a i d “ M a n y

c l i e n t s c o m e i n w i t h t h e w e i g h t o f t h e w o r l d o n t h e i r s h o u l d e r s a n d w e w a n t t o h e l p l i g h t e n t h a t l o a d a n d h a v e t h e m l e a v e o u r b u i l d i n g r e f r e s h e d , s m i l i n g a n d r e a d y t o f a c e t h e w o r l d w i t h a n s w e r s t o t h e i r p r o b l e m s ”

T o m a k e a m o n e t a r y d o n a t i o n o r t o s e e w h a t f o o d s a r e c u r r e n t l y n e e d e d , v i s i t w w w c a p e c o r a l c a r i n g c e nt e r o r g , o r c a l l 2 3 9 - 9 4 5 - 1 9 2 7

T h e C a p e C o r a l C a r i n g C e n t e r i s a t 1 4 2 0 S o u t h e a s t 4 7 t h S t “ T h e s u p p o r t f r o m o u r c o m m u n i t y i s c r i t i c a l t o m e e t o u r n e e d s . B u s i n e s s e s , c h u r c h e s , n e i g hb o r h o o d a s s o c i a t i o n s , f a m i l i e s h a v i n g f

Funding: Council hears update on Ian recovery

From page 1

city application for the development of scatter-site single-family homes,” Yearsley said, adding city staff would target cityo w n e d r e s i d e n t i a l l o t s a n d l e v e r a g e H u r r i c a n e H o u s i n g R e c o v e r y P r o g r a m unprogrammed funding

The homes would be required to incorporate hazard mitigation measures and green building standards and comply with the CDBG-DR Affordable Single-Family Program guidelines

The homes would then be sold to househ o l d s a t o r b e l o w 8 0 % a r e a m e d i a n income

“Right now, on our surplus list for affordable housing, is 12 (lots),” Yearsley said.

Because the city does not have any large tracts to develop, staff is looking at the scattered site single-family option

“We can do it ourselves, serve as the developer We could potentially go out and say we are looking for a partner to come in and do the program with us,” she said

Recovery

Discussion also included assistance provided to the city in the wake of Hurricane Ian, which was presented by Financial Services Director Mark Mason.

There have been 92 total project worksheets created with a potential of reimbursable value of $109 7 million, he said

Fifty-six project worksheets have been submitted to FEMA for review totaling $72 million and 36 project worksheets under development by staff for submission to FEMA totaling $36 million Mason said there are 17 projects obligated, totaling $27 million and 14 projects have been paid by FEMA with cash receipts totaling $26 million.

“There has been very little out of pocket cost for these particular projects,” he said

Mason said 37 turnkey projects have been completed and funded by insurance totaling $3 9 million

“We are talking about a lot of buildings,” he said “We picked up deductibles and submitting for reimbursements from FEMA ”

Mason said the $51 million zero percent interest loan was received from the Florida D i v i s i o n o f E m e r g e n c y M a n a g e m e n t , which he said they refunded themselves for the debris work

“We will reimburse the state back for $51 million,” he said

Mitigation

The presentation also dove into the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program with Emergency Management Director and Fire Chief Ryan Lamb providing an update

He said 20 projects have been submitted

“We can do it ourselves, serve as the developer. We could potentially go out and say we are looking for a partner to come in and do the program with us.”

Amy Yearsley, Housing coordinator

for roughly $162 million

“We expect awards to start coming in this month, or next month,” Lamb said

Two of the projects highlighted included a wind retrofit generator for Fire Station 6 and Lake Kennedy Center and generators for critical lift stations Other projects included hardening of the Cape Coral Police Department headquarters, expansion of the Emergency Operations Center and hardening of City Hall

T h e C D B G - D R N o t i c e o f F u n d i n g Availability for recovery and resiliency planning, multi-family rental rehabilitation, public facilities and critical infrastructure were discussed

The plans a total of $4,124,733, submitted included:

■ North Cape Coral Drainage Basin Alternative Restoration Plan: $2,558,750

■ Disaster and Cost Recovery Plan: $400,000

■ Communications Plan: $300,000

■ C a p e C o r a l P a r k w a y C o r r i d o r Resilience Planning Study: $565,983

■ B u s i n e s s C o m m u n i t y R e s i l i e n c y Plan: $300,00

“All of our projects scored over the minimum threshold We’ve tentatively been awarded all five projects pending approval of county commissioners,” Lamb said

The public facilities include four prop o s e d p r o j e c t s a t $ 8 1 m i l l i o n T h o s e include a disaster shelter and community r e c r e a t i o n c e n t e r p r o j e c t ; S o u t h C a p e m o b i l i t y h u b ; C a p e C o r a l P o l i c e Department sub-stations and City of Cape Coral Non-Profit Capital Program

“The shelter would be in function during a gray sky system,” Lamb said of the 9 0 , 0 0 0 - s q u a r e - f o o t p e t - f r i e n d l y s h e l t e r that could accommodate 4,500 people during an event “Blue skies recreation center and resilience hub for community meetings ”

There were three proposed projects for critical infrastructure totaling $110 million Lamb said there is $129 million available across all Lee County for projects The p r o j e c t s i n c l u d e e m e r g e n c y w e l l s a n d small-scale RO system for essential city facilities; weir rehabilitation upgrade or replacement program and UEP main line development, all in low moderate-income areas

The versatile Jatropha Broadway Palm announces 32nd Season

Jatropha is a genus of flowering plants in the spurge family with more than 170 species of succulent plants, shrubs, and trees Many jatropha plants are native to the Americas, and the species has been used in Central America, Mexico and the Southwestern United States for basketmaking, tanning and dye production During the early 2000s the Jatropha curcas was even considered as an oil crop for biodiesel production

GARDEN CLUB OF CAPE CORAL

In Southwest Florida you are probably most familiar with Jatropha as an evergreen shrub or small tree that blooms almost continuously with abundant red flowers, attracting butterflies and hummingbirds to the garden Most Jatropha are considered Florida Friendly Landscape plants and are extremely low maintenance and drought tolerant The constant show of blooms and easy maintenance make this flowering shrub a welcome addition to any Southwest Florida landscape Care should be taken with the placement of the shrubs, as the sap and berries are toxic if ingested I have observed that all forms of Jatropha in my gardens will shed leaves in cooler weather, but once temperatures begin to warm a new flush of leaves will appear

As tropical evergreens, Jatropha need to be planted in areas where the temperature rarely goes below 40 degrees Jatropha are not salt tolerant and require well-drained soil; they perform best in full sun to encourage optimal blooms, although they will tolerate partial shade The shrub has slender stems and multiple trunks and will reach about 15 feet with an equal spread when left unpruned but can be pruned and trained to one central trunk to create a more tree-like appearance The Jatropha is commonly used as a specimen plant, but if planted three feet apart and pruned to maintain growth it can serve as a privacy screen or hedge You can even plant Jatropha in a large pot or planter for use on your patio or lanai as a beautiful blooming shrub

The most common Jatropha that I have observed in Southwest Florida is the Jatropha integerrima This shrub is native to Cuba and the West Indies and is also called peregrina, spicy Jatropha or firecracker The shrub has a fascinating mix of six-inch long leaves that take 3 separate forms: oval, fiddleshaped and lobed; all three leaf shapes can be present on one plant While the leaves provide an interesting contrast, the beautiful upright clusters of 1-inch-wide red blooms are the most notable feature of the shrub These blooms are favorites of monarch, swallowtail, and zebra longwing butterflies, as well as hummingbirds

Another Jatropha that can be found in Southwest Florida is the Jatropha multifida, also known as the coral plant This plant is native to Mexico and has a distinctly tropical look, with finely divided fan shaped leaves up to 12” across that look like the marijuana plant! The flowers on this Jatropha are coral-pink in color and are arranged in flat-topped clusters held on long stalks above the foliage The blooms appear throughout the year, especially in hot weather This Jatropha is a rapidly growing shrub or small tree with a single trunk, with a spreading crown and a typical height of 6-10 feet

My personal favorite Jatropha Is the Jatropha podagrica, a succulent plant native to the tropical Americas The gray-green swollen base of the plant has a bottle-like appearance, which has influenced the many names assigned to this plant, including Gout Plant, Gout Stalk, Guatemalan Rhubarb, or Buddha Belly The plant’s lobed leaves emerge from the top of the plant and radiate around the base; flowers are bright coral (and more rarely yellow) in color and form seed pods after blooming These seed pods change from green to a blackish hue and when ripe erupt and spread seeds up to 13 feet away; once you plant this Jatropha in your garden, you’ll have lots of ‘volunteers’ to cluster in your gardens or give away!

Jatrophas are reliable, attractive, and low-maintenance plants Their beautiful red blooms are a welcome year-round feature in any garden and are appreciated by hummingbirds and butterflies alike The unique “Buddha Belly” variety provides an interesting feature for the landscape, and it readily self-seeds, furnishing additional plants that can be massed in your beds or given away to fellow gardeners Jatropha are readily available at area garden centers, and I encourage you to consider incorporating these colorful plants in your landscape plan!

Cathy Dunn, Lee County Master Gardener Volunteer Garden Club of Cape Coral Member

Broadway Palm has announced its 32nd Season which includes eight main stage productions, five productions in the Off Broadway Palm, four Children’s Theatre productions and five concerts

Individual tickets will go on sale June 1

“This past season has been nothing short of Beautiful, along with Creepy and Kooky We cannot wait to bring on the Razzle Dazzle during our 32nd S e a s o n w i t h a n e x t r a o r d i n a r y l i n e u p o f a u d i e n c e favorites and Broadway hits," owner Will Prather said Broadway Palm’s main stage opens on Aug 16, and runs through Aug 9, 2025 Show prices range from $65 to $95 with group and children’s prices available Performances are Wednesday through Sunday evenings with selected matinees and Tuesday evenings The main stage productions include:

∫ Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap (Aug. 1 6 – Sept. 2 1 )

In a blend of suspense and humor, the renowned Queen of Crime, Agatha Christie, crafts a captivating murder mystery. At a secluded countryside guesthouse, seven strangers find themselves snowed in Their predicament takes a chilling turn when a police sergeant arrives on skis, revealing there’s a killer among them As suspicion mounts, each guest unveils their murky past, adding layers of intrigue to the unfolding drama

∫ CHICAGO: The Musical (Sept .2 7 – Nov. 9 )

Set amidst the razzle-dazzle decadence of the 1920s, CHICAGO is the story of Roxie Hart, a housewife and nightclub dancer who murders her on-the-side lover Desperate to avoid conviction, she dupes the public, the media, and her rival cellmate, Velma Kelly, by hiring Chicago’s slickest lawyer to transform her malicious crime into a barrage of sensational headlines Hear favorites All That Jazz, Cell Block Tango, Razzle Dazzle, Roxie, and more! Don’t miss the longest-running American musical in Broadway history!

∫ A Christmas Carol: The Musical (Nov. 2 2 – Dec. 2 5 )

E b e n e z e r S c r o o g e a n d h i s i n f a m o u s “ B a h , Humbug!” take the stage in this beloved musical Scrooge is visited by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future to show him cheerful memories from his past, cruel realities from his present, and the very likely future. Scrooge learns important lessons about his impact on the lives of others, especially Bob Cratchit and his ailing son, Tiny Tim This classic story captures the essence of the holidays and is perfect entertainment for the entire family

∫ Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story (Dec 3 1 – Feb 1 5 , 2 0 2 5 )

More than 50 years after “the music died”, the story of this true rock and roll icon comes to life in this musical journey through Buddy’s impressive rise to fame Buddy’s original sound and dazzling talent are highlighted with live renditions of his greatest hits You’ll be dancing in the aisles and cheering for more when you hear over 20 Buddy Holly hits, including Maybe Baby, Every Day, Peggy Sue, That’ll Be the Day, Oh Boy!, and Rave On; plus Ritchie Valens’ La Bamba and The Big Boppers’ Chantilly Lace

∫ Crazy For You (Feb 2 1 – April 5 , 2 0 2 5 )

This Tony Award-winning musical comedy follows Bobby Child, a young banker who dreams of being a star Sent to foreclose on a failing theater, Bobby falls for the theater owner’s daughter To win her heart and save the theater, Bobby disguises himself as a famous Broadway producer; but confusion and hilarity ensue when the real producer shows up, along with Bobby’s f i a n c é e . G e r s h w i n ’ s h i t s i n c l u d e I G o t R h y t h m , Embraceable You, Someone to Watch Over Me, and more!

∫ Waitress (April 1 1 - May 2 4 , 2 0 2 5 )

The heartwarming musical of Jenna, a small-town waitress with a talent for baking pies Trapped in a loveless marriage, Jenna finds solace and strength in her pies and dreams of a better life When she unexpectedly becomes pregnant, Jenna embarks on a journey of selfdiscovery, supported by her quirky coworkers and a new doctor in town With a stirring score by Sara Bareilles, Waitress serves up a story of resilience, friendship, and the pursuit of happiness

∫ Legally Blonde: The Musical (May 3 0 – June 2 8 , 2 0 2 5 )

Ohmigod You Guys! Based on the iconic movie, this ultimate tribute to girl power follows the journey of sorority girl Elle Woods to the Harvard halls of justice Watch as she tackles stereotypes, chauvinism, elitism, and scandal in pursuit of her dreams With the help of new friends, Elle realizes her potential and proves that self-discovery never goes out of style! Packed with memorable songs, this musical is so much fun, it should be illegal!

∫ Annie (July 3 – Aug 9 , 2 0 2 5 )

Everyone’s favorite orphan is back in this classic musical As part of a publicity campaign for Oliver Warbucks, Annie and her dog Sandy are placed in the lap of luxury However, Annie’s stay turns out to be much more than anyone bargained for as she works her way into everyone’s hearts! The only thing standing in her way is the cruel and bitter Miss Hannigan The popular score includes It’s the Hard-Knock Life, Easy Street, Little Girls, and Tomorrow.

The Off Broadway Palm Theatre is Broadway Palm’s second performance venue The Off Broadway Palm’s season begins Oct 10, 2024 and runs through May 24, 2025 Ticket prices range from $55 to $70 Performances are Wednesday through Sunday evenings with selected matinees and Tuesday evenings The Off Broadway Palm productions include:

∫ Barefoot In The Park (Oct. 1 0 – Nov. 1 6 )

Newlyweds Paul and Corie return from a six-day honeymoon only to be greeted by a surprise visit from Corie’s eccentric mother During dinner with their atticdwelling neighbor Velasco, they attempt matchmaking where chaos ensues, as everything that can go wrong, does go wrong

∫ Another Night Before Christmas (Nov 2 8 – Dec 2 5 )

‘Twas the night before Christmas And there’s a “burglar” in the house – but his eyes twinkled, and his dimples were merry A cynical social worker is about to have her humbug attitude turned upside down in this charming musical comedy You’ll be reminded of the true meaning of Christmas while you laugh ‘til you jiggle like a bowlful of jelly

∫ Caught In The Net (Jan. 1 4 – Feb. 2 3 , 2 0 2 5 )

The sequel to Run for Your Wife finds taxi driver John Smith still keeping his two families living separately, both blissfully unaware of each other However, his teenage son from one family and daughter from the other have met online and made a love connection! The situation spirals hysterically out of control as John tries to juggle the truth

∫ Savannah Sipping Society (Feb. 2 8 – April 1 3 , 2 0 2 5 )

This laugh-a-minute comedy follows four Southern women who are drawn together by fate They turn weekly happy hours into a mission to renew the enthusiasm for life they’ve lost through the years Their raucous humor and collective strengths see them through unexpected challenges; and to their surprise, they realize it’s never too late to make lifelong friends

∫ Half Baked (April 1 8 – May 2 4 , 2 0 2 5 )

Two retired brothers and their wives move to Florida to open a cafe When the business starts failing and they run out of cash, they take drastic action, including murder for life insurance money and baking cannabis into the appetizers to ‘stimulate’ business But when an old boyfriend and a loan shark show up, things get complicated and hilarious!

I n d i v i d u a l t i c k e t s f o r B r o a d w a y P a l m ’ s 3 2 n d

Season, the Off Broadway Palm’s Season, Broadway Palm’s Children’s Theatre, and Broadway Palm’s Concert Series will be on sale June 1st Broadway Palm offers a Season Subscription discount of $20 off per ticket, discounts for groups of 20 or more, as well as discounts for children under 12 years of age For more information visit BroadwayPalm com, call (239) 2784422 or stop by the box office at 1380 Colonial Boulevard in Fort Myers

To view Broadway Palm’s Annual Concert Series visit www flguide com/events/

Demolition: City’s replacement plans call for new two-story community center; resort-style pools

From page 1

ple could gather and meet and just enjoy the atmosphere,” she said

A resident of 34 years, she said she remembers the Yacht Club being such a cool place to go sit on the pier, watch families fish, swim at the pool, and take classes, sit with a cup of coffee in the morning, or watch the sunset

“I think those days are gone, but not forgotten,” Biondi said “These things are our history We have no history in the city because they keep knocking it down Other places, they rebuild them because that is their history We are such a young city This is our history It will be gone ”

According to city spokesperson Kaitlyn Mullen, the structural demolition began April 10 and is expected to take about two to three weeks The additional time will be to demo building pads and foundations

“Demolition is anticipated to take about a month and a half it should be done around the end of May,” Mullen said

According to the Yacht Club demolition construction schedule, the structural demolition will conclude on April 23, followed by 10 days of demo building pads and foundations

The schedule includes backfill and compaction of foundations and the pool, final grading, removal of the temporary fencing on May 16 and May 17, survey of data collection for record as-build, and miscellaneous asphalt patching as needed

According to the schedule the substantial completion and owner walk through will take place on Friday, May 24

In February, the city of Cape Coral awarded a near $1 million contract to clear most of the acreage, including the demolition of the historic ballroom building

The “piggyback” contract was awarded to Winter Haven-based Johnson-Laux Construction LLC in the amount of $987,716 04 with work to be completed in 60 days

Cape Coral City Council has agreed to go coastal for the new design of the planned community center to replace the Yacht Club ballroom, heralded by historians for its midCentury design

The majority of the elected board opted for a “coastal vernacular feel” during their March workshop

There were three design options on the table: The preferred option one with its Key West vibe; option two, intended to evoke the design of the current historic structure; and option three, a more modern look that received no support

The revised Community Center floor plan now includes a total of 47,000 square feet, with the majority being on the first floor for 27,250 square feet and the remainder, 19,750, spread out on the second floor The prior planned square footage was 37,000 square feet 20,000 square feet on the first floor, and 17,000 square feet on the second

The revised first-floor plan includes additional meeting space, storage and a small loading and receiving area on the side of the building There is also more functional space on the pool deck and water

The second floor is largely the same in terms of use The ballroom has been shifted out and there is a large open area looking over the multipurpose room on the second floor

The city has not yet said how much the new facility to include a resort style pool, children’s pool, four-story parking garage, two new piers and upgraded grounds and marina will cost

The Cape Coral Yacht & Racquet Club, built by the then-budding community’s developer, was dedicated on June 10, 1962.

Estimates have put it as high as $100 million with talks of a public-private partnership in the works to, perhaps, offset some of the costs, likely to be funded with revenue bonds

Biondi asked what happens now how many years will it take to build?

“How much is it going to cost to go down there, park, go to the resort style pool?” she said “Will the pier be built soon to continue to fish and what is that going to cost?”

Biondi said the plan will be quite beauti-

ful, but she did not think the riverfront site, dedicated by the community’s developers as a public meeting place and park, was meant to be a resort

“It is not going to be the same Everything there is not going to be the same The ambiance of the area is going to change and will continue to change You learn from then,” she said of history “That is how people grow They grow from their history and learn from their history.”

Time to get your gear and boat ready for chasing silver kings

Like Southwest Florida weather, local tarpon action is starting to heat up in the usual locations like Captiva Pass, Boca Grande, deep spots in Charlotte Harbor, the Sanibel Causeway Bridge, and a few other angler favorite locations but you still have some time before it’s in full swing That being said it’s obviously time to get your gear and boat ready for the action if chasing silver kings is your thing

Newbies have lots of q u e s t i o n s e s p e c i a l l y about tarpon gear rather than boats because tarpon can be taken from s h o r e , f r o m k a y a k s , 5 horse powered Jon boats, skiffs, bay boats, basically anything that can float you to the action

Gear could mean fly r o d s , u l t r a - l i t e u p t o heavy spin or conventional tackle, depending on your favorite style of fishing and size tarpon you intend to pursue, as well as your skills and experience as an angler

Many veteran anglers take great pride in catching big fish on light tackle and trying for record line class catches with the same outfits The record books are filled with some rather amazing lite line catches like the 735 pound black marlin caught on 6 pound line or a jumbo 1,051 pounder taken on 20 How about the record 1,542 pound great white shark taken on 30 pound line?

During the 1990’s, George Hogan Jr set three line class world records for tarpon with a 106 pounder on 2 pound test, a 128 5 pounder on 4 pound, and a 139 14 pound fish on 6 pound test The current all tackle tarpon record of 286 9 pounds was caught in 2003 by Max Domecq

Each year I have a blast but limited success trying to fool the most hard to catch, frustrating tarpon of all; juvenile tarpon on ultra-lite sized fly and spin tackle from my seawall If you’re trying for an adult size tarpon on really lite line hit the beaches where the lack of underwater obstacles ups your chances for success

Before you spool up 800 yards of 4 pound test to challenge a 150-pound silver king for line class records, bragging rights or ego, lets first look at the downside, number one being the unnecessary death of a decades old valuable sportfish

Hooked and long played tarpon have several enemies such as hot water, prolonged fighting time, and ever present hungry sharks that shadow tarpon schools always looking for an easy meal Long, exhausting fights in

See SILVER KINGS, page 35

Bohanon Foundation nets $20,000 from fishing series

Dozens of anglers took to the waters of Southwest Florida recently to raise thousands of dollars in the 2nd Annual Red Grouper Bash as part

o f t h e O f f - D u t y F i s h i n g S e r i e s

$ 2 0 , 0 0 0 r ais ed in th e ev en t w as d o n a t e d t o t h e T o m m y B o h a n o n Foundation, which supports young student-athletes in Lee County

Forty-five boats took part in last month’s event at Moss Marina on Fort Myers Beach. The winner of the bash was Jess Mesmer, with a combined two-grouper weight of 35 pounds Mesmer also won the Calcutta group paying out $25,500 for first place and a Calcutta reel

The Off-Duty Fishing Series was founded by Ryan Joyce, Alec Dilallo and Michael Werner as a way to give back to the Fort Myers Beach community after the devastating effects of Hurricane Ian Overall, $40,000 was raised at this year’s tournament

“We’re sincerely appreciative of the support Ryan, Alec and Michael have given us the past couple of years,” said Foundation Co-Founder Tommy Bohanon “Their generosity helps the Foundation make a positive impact on the lives of so many young people in the community ”

A b o u t t h e T o m m y B o h a n o n Foundation

The Tommy Bohanon Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting young athletes reach their highest potential on and off the playing field Former NFL fullback Tommy Bohanon returned to

his hometown in Southwest Florida to pursue his vision of ending generational poverty for at-risk youth The foundation funds annual scholarships, sports equipment grants to local high schools, youth football camps, semi-

nars and programs, as well as funding for other local nonprofits For more i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t t h e T o m m y B o h a n o n F o u n d a t i o n , v i s i t T o m m y B o h a n o n F o u n d a t i o n o r g o r call 239-671-0441

Mighty Mussels’ win streak snapped

CLEARWATER, Fla – Maddux

H o u g h t o n a n d B r a n d o n W i n o k u r h o m e r e d t o h i g h l i g h t a n o t h e r M u s s e l s ’ c o m e b a c k , b u t t h e Clearwater Threshers responded in the eighth to win 8-7 at BayCare Ballpark

Fort Myers (3-2) trailed 5-1 going into the seventh before the bats caught fire Yohander Martinez led off with a s i n g l e t o l e f t b e f o r e A n g e l D e l Rosario beat out an infield hit to put two men on The next batter was H o u g h t o n , w h o l i f t e d a t h r e e - r u n homer into the seats in left to make it 5-4 Byron Chourio followed by lining a triple to the wall in left center Three batters later, Winokur cranked a two-run shot inside the left field pole to give the Mussels a 6-5 lead

Still up by that margin in the top of the eighth, Rafael Cruz dropped a single into right After a walk and a Del Rosario bunt single loaded the bases, Houghton grounded out to third to score Cruz and extend the lead to 7-5

Up by two, Fort Myers turned to closer Xander Hamilton (0-1) in the eighth After quickly retiring the first two batters, Hamilton clipped Dakota Kotowski with a pitch Nikau Pouaka-

Grego then walked to put two men on With two outs and two on, Luis Caicuto popped up a ball into shallow right field Houghton dove to try and make the catch, but the ball rolled behind him Both runners scored to tie the game 7-7 The next batter was Trent Farquhar, who ripped a single into center to give Clearwater an 8-7 lead

The Threshers built their initial lead by scoring five runs on nine hits against Fort Myers' starting pitcher Ty Langenberg Reliever Wilker Reyes bridged the gap by tossing two scoreless innings before Clearwater regained the lead against Hamilton

The Mussels’ loss snaps their threegame winning streak Wednesday would have marked their fourth consecutive come-from-behind win

Mussels erase two deficits to beat Threshers 5-4

C L E A R W A T E R , F l a – T h e M i g h t y M u s s e l s e r a s e d a p a i r o f deficits Tuesday, breaking a 4-4 tie in t h e e i g h t h i n n i n g t o d e f e a t t h e Clearwater Threshers 5-4 on Opening Night at BayCare Ballpark

With the game tied in the top of the eighth, Mussels’ (3-1) center fielder Angel Del Rosario drew a leadoff walk against Clearwater (2-2) reliever Drew Garrett (0-1) Del Rosario then stole second before Byron Chourio also walked Garrett threw the next pitch to the back stop, allowing the runners to advance to second and third Rayne Doncon promptly drove a sacrifice fly to center to give Fort Myers a 5-4 lead

The Mussels’ bullpen did the rest Danny Moreno (1-0) spun two scoreless innings, fanning two Lefty Kade Bragg entered for the ninth and put down the Threshers in order on just 10 pitches to earn the save

The Mighty Mussels battled back from a pair of deficits in a tight game played in front of 4,490 fans Down 1-0 in the third, Rafael Cruz drilled a double to the fence in right center with one out Del Rosario then singled

Capt. George Tunison

Above, Fishing teammates show off one of their catches at last month’s Off-Duty Fishing Series which raised $20,000 for the Tommy Bohanon Foundation At left, Tommy Bohanon netted $20,000 for his foundation PROVIDED

Wednesday Baseball

Bishop Verot 5, Tampa Catholic 3: Owen Rardin doubled twice, driving in two runs, and Maddix Simpson also had two RBI Bryan Bello cracked a solo home run for the Vikings (16-4)

Softball

Mariner 6, Port Charlotte 1: Mia Standard was 4-for4 at the plate, scoring three Tritons runs Gabi Winters had two RBI and struck out 11 Port Charlotte batters as Mariner improved to 10-6.

Beach Volleyball

Mariner 3, Bonita Springs 2: The Tritons upped their record to 5-6, taking the final pairing by a 2-1 score

Girls Lacrosse

District 1A-11

First round

Wednesday

Canterbury 18, Gateway 1

Thursday

Cypress Lake at Cape Coral

Semifinals April 15

Canterbury at Fort Myers

CL/CC at Bishop Verot

Boys Lacrosse

District 1A-12

First round

Wednesday

Bishop Verot 22, Aubrey Rogers 3: The Vikings (144) advance to face either Naples or Canterbury in the semifinals

Barron Collier 17, Estero 6

Thursday

Cypress Lake at Community School of Naples

Naples at Canterbury

Semifinals April 15

Barron Collier vs. CSN/CL winner

Bishop Verot vs. C/N winner

Boys Tennis

Oasis 5, Gateway Charter 1: Michael Abreu, Ayden Hay, Tyler Feichthaler and Landon Jackson earned singles wins, and the Sharks picked up their fifth victory due to a Gateway Charter forfeit

Charlotte 4, Mariner 3

Singles: Mason Whitesides (C) d Karl Schott 6-0, 6-0 Kieran Kurkimilis (M) d Alexander Walsh 6-4, 6-4 Jacob Chupka (C) d Fabio Ronda Vigoa 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 11-9 Damien Gleason (M) d Aleix Davis 6-4, 6-0 Julian Salcedo (C) Ryan Hunter 7-5, 3-5, 10-8 Doubles: Whitesides/Walsh (C) d Ronda Vigoa/Schott 81 Kurkimilis/Hunter (M) d Chupka/Jonathan Le 9-7

Tuesday Baseball

Sarasota Riverview 6, Island Coast 3: Jaylen Torres had two hits and two RBI for the Gators (11-8) Karter Long also had an RBI

South Fort Myers 5, North Fort Myers 1: Logan Divet hit a home run for the Red Knights (6-11)

Oasis 9, Golden Gate 1: Tanner Goff worked six innings, striking out 11 while allowing a single unearned run Jayden Shrider, Grayson Medico, Noah Pinney and Brandon Bova-Cipolla had an RBI each for the Sharks (9-5)

Mariner 5, Palmetto Ridge 4: Trenton Taylor had a two-RBI single, and both Xavier Muentes and Jacob Gorra had an RBI The game was part of the Battle of The Border at Terry Park

Softball

Mariner 6, Cypress Lake 0: Gabi Winters struck out 17 batters over seven innings to lead the Tritons (9-6). Winters also hit a solo home run Mia Standard had two hits, an RBI and three stolen bases

Ida Baker 9, Barron Collier 1: Makayla Nieves homered, doubled and drove in three Bulldogs (9-6) runs She was 3-for-4 overall, scoring three times Laurynn Mayberry had a two-run double

North Fort Myers 10 Bonita Springs 0 (5 innings): Taylor Stewart, Azzylnn Gomes and Mia Lane knocked in two runs each for the Red Knights (13-2) Jordyn Prado held Bonita Springs to one hit, striking out seven in five innings

Bishop Verot 11, LaBelle 1: Abby Goff smacked a three-run triple for the Vikings (12-1), while Crimson Lawrence and Lillie Layne had two RBI each Payton Breadmore struck out nine LaBelle batters

DeSoto County 7, Oasis 2: Jetta Fisher had three stolen bases and scored a run for Oasis Maddie Simison also scored

District 2A-16

Flag Football

South Fort Myers 14, Ida Baker 0: The Bulldogs (61) suffered their first loss of the season in the district semifinals South advanced to Thursday's district final

District 1A-19

North Fort Myers 21, Dunbar 0: North (5-3) upended 7-3 Dunbar and will take on top-seeded Riverdale on Thursday for the district title

Riverdale 21, Mariner 0: The Raiders (10-0) ended Mariner's season at 2-6

Mussels: Charlee Soto has strong outing against Tampa Tarpons

From page 34

to left to move Cruz to third After Del Rosario stole second, Chourio plated Cruz on a ground out to make it 1-1 The next batter was Doncon, who delivered a sacrifice fly to left to give Fort Myers a 2-1 lead

After Clearwater tied the game with a pair of hits in the fourth, Kehden Hettiger gave them the lead with a two-run double in the fifth

With the Mussels trailing 4-2 in the sixth, Chourio walked before Doncon singled Two batters later, Brandon Winokur drilled a two-run triple to the right field corner to tie the game 4-4.

Mussels’ starting pitcher Cesar Lares was solid in his Low-A debut, allowing three runs on four hits over 4 2 innings He struck out five and walked two while throwing 77 pitches Nolan Santos pitched the Mussels out of a pair of jams in the middle innings to keep the game close Doncon, Pasqualotto lead Mussels past Tarpons 5-2 to claim series

The Tarpons struck first for the third time in as many games, but five unanswered runs by the Mighty Mussels was enough to secure the series win to open the season

Tampa (1-2) scored twice in the first inning off of Fort Myers’ (2-1) starter Tanner Hall The lead did not last as the Mussels immediately forced a tie in the bottom of the frame just two batters into the game Byron Chourio led off with a single before Rayne Doncon followed with a 388-foot blast into the left field berm, tying the game at 22 Doncon’s home run was the first long ball of the season for the Mussels

With one out in the bottom of the second, Angel Del Rosario connected on a single to left field, recording a hit in his first at bat in a Mussels’ jersey Catcher Wilfri Castro followed with an RBI double to left, putting Fort Myers ahead 3-2 Chourio then pulled a base hit through the right side of the infield to put the Mussels ahead by two Chourio led the team with six hits in the series, recording multi-hit games in all three contests

The Mussels added another insurance run in the fourth Castro singled to left and came around to score on a 98 9 mph double off the bat of Doncon who drove in three of the five Fort Myers runs

Paulshawn Pasqualotto (1-0) pitched the bulk of the innings for Fort Myers as the piggybacker out of the bullpen He went five shutout innings, allowing just two hits while striking out three to earn the win His 88 pitches were by far the most thrown by a Mussels pitcher in the series Pasqualotto then handed the ball back to the bullpen for the final six outs as lefties Wilker Reyes and Samuel Perez

shut the door on the Tarpons Neither reliever allowed a hit and Perez earned his first save of the season after throwing 9 of his 11 pitches for strikes in a spotless top of the ninth For Perez, the save was the tenth of his career.

In total, Mussels’ pitchers yielded just four hits on the day, with just one coming after the fourth inning Mussels bounce back to even series against Tarpons with 6-4 win

All nine starters reached base as the Mighty Mussels used a balanced offensive attack to pick up their first win of the season, defeating the Tampa Tarpons 6-4

Charlee Soto, the Twins’ No 7 prospect, made his professional debut and was solid through three innings of work, allowing two earned runs to score while picking up three strikeouts The 18-year-old flamethrower ended his outing with back-to-back strikeouts and threw 28 of his 45 pitches for strikes

The Tarpons (1-1) opened the scoring with two runs in the top of the second, striking first for the second time in as many nights Coby Morales led off the inning with an infield single and came around to score on an error by Yohander Martinez Jackson Castillo scored the second run for Tampa, coming across on a ground out off the bat of Daury Arias, putting his team ahead 2-0

In the third, Tampa extended its lead to three with an RBI infield single from Enmanuel Tejeda

Fort Myers (1-1) got on the board in the fourth as Brandon Winokur and Carlos Aguiar executed a double steal with Aguiar taking second and Winokur swiping

home, making the score 3-1

The Mussels’ offense found its groove in the fifth, as the offense connected on three hits and scored twice Byron Chourio led off the inning with a 104.1 mph triple into the right center gap Rayne Doncon drove in Chourio with a base hit up the middle to make it a 3-2 Tarpon lead Jose Rodriguez then connected on a 104 9 mph ground-rule double to put two in scoring position Winokur followed with a shot down the left field line but a full extension diving catch from Morales robbed him of extra bases and held the Mussels to a sacrifice fly, tying the game at 3-3

In a tie game in the bottom of the sixth Poncho Ruiz singled with one out Two batters later, Isaac Pena connected on an RBI single up the middle plating Ruiz Tarpons center fielder Jackson Castillo let the ball roll under his glove, allowing Chourio to follow Ruiz and score all the way from first on the base hit to make it 5-3.

The Tarpons got a run back in the top of the seventh, cutting the Mighty Mussels’ lead to one on an RBI infield single from Tejeda

Fort Myers brought across a big insurance run in the eighth Ruiz led off the frame with a single and came around to score on Doncon’s second RBI hit of the game, putting the Mussels ahead 6-4

The Mussels bullpen was lights out, as Jeremy Lee (10), Nolan Santos and Xander Hamilton combined to allow just one run over six innings while striking out 11 Tarpons Lee earned the win after pitching four innings of relief and striking out six. Santos struck out the side on 14 pitches in his lone inning and Hamilton picked up a pair of strikeouts to record his first save of the season

Silver Kings: Best plan is heavier line, rods

From page 34

warm Florida waters are a recipe for immediate or delayed death following a release due to stress and internal chemical reactions. Weakened fish are often just shark food especially in Boca Grande where unfortunately it’s common to reel in huge tarpon heads with the shredded remains deep in a big bull or monster hammerheads belly This happens so frequently, that animal rights groups have been known to protest tarpon fishing especially in Boca Grande

The best plan is to use heavier line and rods to get the fish in rather quickly rather than exhausting it with an hour long battle or more possibly killing it or turning it into a shark snack which also allows you to get back in the game quicker and put multiple silver kings in the air when the bite is on I typically opt for 50 to 80 pound

braided lines with fluorocarbon leaders using a medheavy to heavy action spinning rod Big tarpon typically call for a 12 weight fly rod outfit

With the snook population moving to our coastline sand walkers do well fishing plugs and topwaters early or at night with sight casters using the sun to sight fish them in the surf zone

Offshore crews are waiting for calming winds to get out to the 100 foot depths to feed baits to bottom dwellers while nearshore numbers should provide solid action for a number of reef species Bonus king mackerel, permit, and cobia are also looking to play

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

Cape Coral Breeze Athletes Week of the

(Selected by the Breeze Sports staff)

Help Wanted

:A 4-)6-: 477316/ .7: ) ,-41> -: ,:1>-: ,)A; 8-: ?--3 "-:.-+< 27* .7: ) :-<1:-- 77, ,:1>16/ :-+7:, :-9=1:-, )44 7: <-@< ):3-< :-;-):+0 )6)4A;<; A-):; 7. ?7:3 -@8 )+0-47: ,-/:-- 7: -9=1> )4-6< :-;=5- <7 -5)14 )66) /14):,1+76;<:=+<176 +75 14):,1 76;<:=+<176 )87:)4

Wanted To Buy

(+ 9><0< %0,6 <=,=0

6<9 >B

08 08 >B< ?0;B=3482 .97

77316/ <7 *=A !8-6 *7? *7)< 7. /77, >)4=-

Garage Sales

Power Boats

77316/ <7 *=A !8-6 *7? *7)< 7. /77, >)4=-

Boat Trailers

B );A47), *7)< <:)14-: 4* 4151< @+-44-6< 6-? <1:-; $+7<<A )6>);

Dock Space

Rental/Sales

.77< ! % ! '1,- -67=/0 .7: ) )< -;< )6, +47;-;< .77< +)6)4 <7 /=4. 16 )87:)4 7 *:1,/-; 7: 47+3; 8:1>)<075- 16+4=,-; -4-+<:1+ )6, ?)<-: 144

Annual Rentals

-, )<0 *-)=<1.=44A ,-+7:)<-, )6, .=:61;0-, 4)6)1 67 8-<; 67 ;57316/ 8-: 576<0 7: & $

REDBARN

Estate/DemolitionSale Sat,April13-Sun,April14 8amto3pm 1053SW57thSt (OffCapeCoralPkwyatSkyline toElDorado,followsigns) Tearingdownabeautiful homefullofTommy BahamaStyleFurniture& HomeDecor.King,Queen &TwinSets,Sectional Sofas,LanaiFurniture, RaisedPanelDoors,Fans, LikeNewAppliances, Cherrycabinetsw/Granite Bathroomvanities& Fixtures,AlmostnewA/C, PoolHeater,PoolPumps, ElectricShutters,Dock w/Lift,KayakDock, Shrubs&Trees,Pavers, Rock&Stones,Youwill beamazedatallthe lovelyitems.

BringMeasurements& Tools Pictures: facebook.com/redbarnestate anddemolitionsale

Classic & Antique Autos

Fill in the blank cells using numbers 1 to 9. Each number can appear only once in each row, column, and 3x3 block. Use logic and process of elimination to solve the puzzle. The difficulty level ranges from Bronze (easiest) to Silver to Gold (hardest).