Cape Coral Weekend Breeze

Economic forecast: Climate sizzling in the Cape

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

Unemployment rates continue to drop while prospective developments continue to rise in Cape Coral

Cape Coral Economic and Business Development Officer Sharon Woodberry on Wednesday shared the EDO’s quarter two report of the 2023 fiscal year during a Cape Coral City Council meeting

Unemployment rates in the city as of February 2023 sit at 2 7%, down from

Construction activity continues to boom in Cape Coral. In regards to retail, 339,333 square feet have been delivered in the past eight quarters, with 132,005 square feet coming in the next eight quarters, and an additional 125,339 square feet proposed in the next eight quarters.

2 9% in January and 3 1% in February of 2022 The 2 7% unemployment rate is also lower compared to Fort Myers (3 2%) and Lee County as a whole (2 8%) The

unemployment rate across the state of Florida as of this past February is 2 5%

W h e n i t c o m e s t o v a c a n c y r a t e s throughout the Cape compared to other

local cities, there is 1 8% for retail, 2 5% for office, and 0 9% industrial

“Your retail vacancy rate is on the very low end for vacancies compared to some of our other cities in Southwest Florida," Woodberry said Cities such as Bonita Springs sit at 4 2% for retail, while Naples and Sarasota each clock in at 3 7%

“For our office vacancy at 2 5%, again we’re on the lower end,” Woodberry said,

See FORECAST, page 12

Boat parking proposal nixed

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

A proposal to loosen parking restrictions on boats and trailers received no support from the Cape Coral City Council Wednesday

The draft ordinance discussed at a morning workshop was brought forward by Councilmember Robert Welsh

The Cape Coral Breeze presents

Harriet’s last brood: ‘It’s been a wild, wild ride’

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

that features the eagle nest off Bayshore Road in North Fort Myers with her siblings in 2012

It proposed to allow parking in the side yards of residential properties, a proposition that has long had supporters and detractors alike

“This has been something I have been looking at for the past two years,” Welsh said

Acreator

of one of the most watched “eyes in the sky” documenting all things eagle life spoke with members of the Cape Coral community this week to share her story and some insight

Co-founder of the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam, Ginnie Pritchett McSpadden, was a guest speaker at the Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife meeting Tuesday at Rotary Park Environmental Center, discussing all things M15, Harriet, and their eaglets, E21 and E22 She started the live camera project

“It’s been a wild, wild ride,” Pritchett McSpadden said of this year’s nesting season, which she said all got a whirlwind start with Hurricane Ian “A couple of days before, the eagles had an amazing foundation for a great nesting season, and by Oct 1, it was completely gone ”

See LAST BROOD, page 8 PHOTO COURTESY OF DICKPRITCHETTREALESTATE COM/SOUTHWEST-FLORIDA-EAGLE-CAM/

Robert

Welsh

With Cape Coral being a boating paradise, and not all residents having waterfront property, he said some residents have difficulty in getting their boat behind their house where such parking is already allowed.

“Twenty years ago that was easy,” he said, as boaters could pull through their side yard, or street behind them to park behind their residence “Our lots have stayed the same size for the past 20 years We have new neighbors, the house is built up on a higher grade It is more difficult to maneuver a boat and trailer behind the rear side of the house ”

The ordinance drafted with the city attorney’s office would have allowed parking for a boat and trailer in the side yard behind a

See PARKING, page 40

Registration now open for voluntary pre-kindergarten

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

Registration is currently under way for both the summer and fall Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program

Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida CEO Susan Block said around 75 percent of eligible children are enrolled in the VPK program throughout the four county coalition of Hendry, Glades, Lee and Collier County

“Hendry, Glades and Lee are providers that start their school year program in August Collier, many providers wait until October,” she said

At the last report, Block said they had 6,644 children in the four-county area with a peak in November with more than 6,900 VPK students During the 2021-2022 year, Early Learning Coalition reported 7,464 children attended 260 different VPK programs in Lee, Collier, Hendry and Glades Counties

“Attending VPK prepares students for the kindergarten experience”" Early Childhood Learning Services Director

Mary Grace Romo said “Students who have had pre-k typically transition to kindergarten ready to learn ”

Florida is among one of the few states in the nation that offers a free pre-kindergarten experience with the idea of pre-

“Attending VPK prepares students for the kindergarten experience. Students who have had pre-k typically transition to kindergarten ready to learn.”

Early Childhood Learning Services Director Mary Grace Romo

pared students being ready for kindergarten

“Those who complete VPK and those that do not is significant in terms of how we measure readiness,” Block said

The first Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten program began during the 2004-2005 school year and has been running steadily ever since

Block said 49 percent of children enrolled in VPK are ready for school, which she said is rather low

“It’s something we really want to encourage families to consider to get their child ready for school,” she said

There are roughly 180 providers in Lee County, with the school district being among those offering locations

For the summer VPK program, the school district’s locations include Sunshine Elementary School, 601 Sara Ave , Lehigh Acres, and the Early Childhood Center, 3650 Michigan Ave., Suite 4, Fort Myers, from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p m

“Each classroom has a one-to-12 adult-child ratio,” Romo said “Opening a classroom is contingent on having 12 students and available teaching staff ”

The district also has a fall program, with two types of VPK programs, with applications currently being taken for the 2023-2024 school year Romo said the district is able to serve 900 students during the fall, depending on filling all teacher vacancies

The summer VPK program consists of 300 hours, while the fall program has 540 hours

The district is looking for teachers with a bachelor’s degree, or hire in early core elementary education with a Florida teaching certificate in pre-k/primary, or preschool birth to 4, she said

“Our Head Start/VPK program is for income eligible families and focuses on school readiness in combination with comprehensive services available for families and children Families who meet low-income requirements, receive the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Social Security Income (SSI), or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families are eligible for Head Start,” Romo said “Head Start offers comprehensive services such as health, social services, mental health, and family engagement ”

The other VPK program is Title I/VPK and is open to families zoned for a Title I school, which also serves families that qualify as low-income

“This program focuses on school readiness and family engagement,” Romo said

The School District of Lee County Pre-K centers include:

Cape Coral

■ Caloosa Elementary Head Start, 620 Del Prado Blvd

■ Skyline elementary Head Start, 620 S W 19th St North Fort Myers

■ J Colin English Elementary Head Start & Early Head Start, 120 Pine Island Road

■ Tropic Isles Elementary Head Start, 5145 Orange Grove Blvd.

Fort Myers

■ Early Childhood Center Head Start, 3650 Michigan

Ave

■ James Stephens early Learning Center Head Start, 1333 Marsh Ave

■ Villas Elementary Head Start, 8385 Beacon Blvd.

Lehigh Acres

■ Harns Marsh Elementary Head Start, 1800 Unice Ave , N

■ Lehigh Elementary Head Start, Early Head Start & Title 1, 200 Schoolside Drive

■ Mirror Lakes Elementary Head Start, Title I & Migrant, 525 Charwood Ave , S

■ Sunshine Elementary Head Start & Title I, 601 Sara Ave

Bonita Springs

■ Bonita Springs Elementary Head Start & Early Head Start, 10701 Dean St., S.E.

■ Spring Creek Elementary Migrant Pre-K, 25571 Elementary Way

Estero

■ Pinewoods Elementary Head Start, 11900 Stoneybrook Golf Drive

The only requirements to participate in the VPK program is the child has to be a Lee County resident and proof of age of the child turning 4 years old on, or before, Sept 1

“The registration process is very simple People can go online and register They can walk into our office for support to move that application along,” Block said

There was an upgrade three years ago to the rules for children whose birthday is late, or have not already completed the VPK program are still eligible, she said

“Its not a mandatory program Families can choose to send their child to VPK There is no charge for the program itself,” Block said “We want VPK children enrolled before the start of the program If a provider has space, they are likely to still enroll a child This is the perfect time of the year to enroll ”

The VPK program, by statute, is developmentally appropriate focusing on pre-academic skills, such as language skills, mathematics, emotional and social skills

“This year, in order to teach VPK, there are certifications surrounding emergent literacy because we know how important that skill set is setting them up for kindergarten,” she said “Those teachers have been trained on how to support the development of emerging literacy skills ”

Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida is the manager of the VPK program, Block said, the administrative arm for the state

“When parents apply, they apply through the online portal They can upload proof of residency and birth and the Coalition approves that request for the VPK certificate,” she said “Parents, or guardians go through specific providers to enroll with a certificate in hand ”

Families can apply for the VPK voucher at www vpkswfl org, or visit the Early Learning Coalition, 2675 Winkler Ave., Suite 300, Fort Myers, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday

Parents can view child’s school library books, checkouts

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

Parents who want to monitor their child’s choice of reading materials from their school library can do so through a program the School District of Lee County began offering a few years ago

Parents recently got an email reminder that the Follett Destiny program enabling them to keep track of what their child check's out from the school library is readily accessible

“You have the opportunity at home, or anywhere, to see what is in your child's library and what they are checking out,” district spokesperson Rob Spicker said “It has not been widely used, but we do encourage parents that are hearing conversations and wondering what is in their child's library and see what they are checking out ”

Parents can log into myapps classlink com/home and type in their child's username and password From there, click on instructional apps and Follett Destiny, physical books, or OverDrive, digital books

Spicker said the child's entire history, which will follow them from kindergarten through 12th grade, can be viewed Books can also be searched by an author, title or simply with a word

Parents, and students, also have access to digital books

“You have the opportunity at home, or anywhere, to see what is in your child's library and what they are checking out ”

Rob Spicker, district spokesperson

throughout the summer, through launchpad's Follett Destiny and OverDrive

“Access doesn't go away during the summer Login and find an ebook and read it,” he said

Through Follett Destiny, parents also can block a book or books

“If you do not want your child to read something you see in their library, you can initiate that process with your child’s school,” Spicker said

Parents also have the opportunity to challenge instructional media, which goes through an official process to initiate a review He said there were a number of challenges last year, but no forms, or challenges have been made this year

“The majority of the challenges have come from community members and not parents,” Spicker said

To comply with the law, the system allows a search available to the public through an individual school’s website

OPINIONS

CAPE CORAL BREE ZE

RAYMOND M. ECKENRODE Publisher

VALARIE HARRING, Executive Editor CHRIS STRINE, Editor

2510 Del Prado Blvd

• Cape Coral, FL, 33904

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

Member Florida Press Association

Fentanyl poisoning: It could be coming to a middle school near you

The last six months have been brutal for the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School District in Texas Nearly a dozen students have overdosed on fentanyl between September and March Three of them died If you’re thinking, Texas has a problem, the truth is far more sobering America has a problem, and it’s killing our children and at younger and younger ages

Make no mistake: Fentanyl is in your backyard And shockingly, it’s not just in your high schools It’s now in the hands of your sixth, seventh, and eighth graders The parent of a 14year-old in the Carrollton community who survived a fentanyl overdose this year said, “I never thought in a middle school there would be drugs like this ” Unfortunately, there are Denial won’t save our children Only aggressive action will

Cape Coral City Council got a look at the city’s economic health Wednesday

The prognosis?

The vital signs monitored look good, not only here in the Cape but in Lee County

Post Ian, post devastating destruction with a rebuild that is projected to take years, that is welcome news

Unemployment rates in the city sit at 2 7% as of February, a bit better than the 2 9% seen in January and better than the 3 1% in February of last year

Unemployment in Lee County is 2 8% as compared to the state average of 2 5%

Put in context, an unemployment rate of 5% or lower is often considered “full employment ”

So on the job front, in terms of work available, the numbers are good

Numbers provided by the city’s Economic Development Office also show a robust business climate

Vacancy rates for retail, office and industrial space are low, sitting at 1 8%, 2 5% and 0 9% respectively, with new construction projects under way or in the pipeline

According to the presentation made by Cape Coral Economic and Business Development Officer Sharon Woodberry, the city has seen the addition of 339,333 square feet of retail space in the last eight quarters, with 132,005 square feet coming in the next eight quarters, and an additional 125,339 square feet proposed after that

In terms of office construction, 50,000 square feet has been added in the past eight quarters with 122,280 square feet proposed in the queue

Industrial space is at 72,600 square feet added in the last eight quarters, with 173,175 under construction.

So a solid job market and additional job growth in the future

Good and good

There’s a truism when talking economic issues, though, and that’s every coin counted has a flip side

Here in Cape Coral, and throughout Lee County, the economic picture is not so buff when it comes to housing

The cost of living has sky-rocketed, particularly in the housing sector

Apartment rentals are now around $2,000 a month and up, with nothing under $1,700

If you are looking to buy a home, “affordable” has been redefined and not for the better unless you are investing or selling

As of April 3, the preliminary number for the median sales price for March was $415,000, according to Bob and Geri Quinn, RE/MAX Realty Team, in a column published by The Breeze

You can still buy a three-bedroom, two-bath home in the Cape for under $350,000 with some builders offering new homes in the northeast and northwest for $325,000

These homes are scarce, though

While listings vary as homes come on the MLS and houses sell, of the 533 active listings in the Cape at $450,000 or less, only 13 were below $300,000, according to the Quinns’ April 7 column

David Magee

Guest Commentary

First, we must warn them about the dangers of this deadly drug (in a way that they can hear) Second, we must do everything in our power to shore up their mental health so they won’t turn to substance misuse to begin with We must talk frankly to children about the dangers of fentanyl and other drugs starting very young Middle school is too late Tell it to them straight: Misuse substances and you may die Explain that people who make drugs add fentanyl to the mix to keep buyers coming back And since this opioid is so lethal and it’s so hard to get the formula right it’s easy to cause overdose If you happen to get the wrong pill (the one with a crumb too much fentanyl), you die Yes, it’s a tough conversation to have with an elementary

Change needs to happen

To the editor:

school child But if you wait until they’re older, they may already have friends who are misusing substances, seemingly with no consequences They may have tried drugs themselves or even be (already) struggling with addiction And it’s impossible to “scare” a person who is addicted into stopping

Plus, we can’t tackle the substance misuse epidemic without also addressing the mental health epidemic The two are intertwined Anxiety and depression rates are higher than ever Suicide ideation is skyrocketing Students are buckling under an avalanche of challenges that undermine their wellbeing Academic pressures. Social media addiction. Poor health habits (And don’t forget the impact of COVID-19 and its aftermath, which exacerbated the problems )

Parents are well aware of these issues We lose sleep over them And when something does go wrong with a child, too often we discover the resources in place to help are overwhelmed, or broken, or so disjointed we can’t navigate them

It’s a huge problem that calls for a systemic solution We must all make changes: communities, schools, families, and, of course, young people themselves But in the meantime, parents play a huge and immediate role There’s a lot we can do to support our children’s mental health and set them up to become resilient adults The key is helping them find what

See GUEST COMMENTARY, page 6

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

We have a problem in Cape Coral that needs to be addressed by an outside source We have, in my opinion, in the upper echelon of city staff, what appears to be a cavalier approach to the utilities projects The economic damage they impart on the residents of Cape Coral is astounding For decades the utilities projects have been used to financially devastate our residents and our economy The city of Cape Coral has a history of financially destroying our residents with the Sewer and Water Utilities The cost of the most recent utilities project North 1 has increased by 75% North 2 was $20,000 North 1 is $35,000 That’s an increase of at least $15,000 per lot or $60 million dollars Even Washington couldn’t create that kind of carnage, to so few, in such a short time

Most residents will not be able to pre-pay the assessments and impact fees The city offers payment plans for 20-, 25- and 30-years The minimum lot size would pay around $100,000 over a period of 20 years with the monthly water bill That would equate to a combined annual expense of at least $5,000 per household I doubt that there is anywhere in the country that charges $100,000 or more for sewer, water and reclaimed water

With more than 4,000 lots in North 1, $400 million will be extracted from the local economy over the next 20 years If we combine SW-4, SW-5, SW6/7 and North 2 which are currently paying assessments the income sucked out of our economy is staggering for a city of 205,000 people

Each and every one of our elected officials stated that they will bring in more economic development when they ran for office That would mean more jobs and more businesses and more revenue Do they really believe that they can bring in economic development while sucking our local economy dry? Companies look at disposable income before they decide to open up shop

I don’t want to hear we have to do it now because it will cost more later. Please don’t tell me the price will be higher because we brought SW 6/7 forward, after a moratorium It was a minimum of $8,700 less than SW-4, six years

later The council took control and made changes that cut cost If this council can’t do the same, the utilities need to be separated from the city

John Sullivan former mayor Cape Coral

We should be ashamed

To the editor:

As I traverse our city on business and pleasure I am abhorred by the amount of garbage, debris and trash I see everywhere

Public property and green space covered with garbage, junk and trash Just look amongst the bushes and trees P r i v a t e p r o p e r t i e s , e s p e c i a l l y r e n t a l p r o p e r t i e s , w i t h garbage trash scattered along the street along with around the homes and duplexes

One neighbor dragged his garbage can right past a bug spray sign on his driveway for weeks until finally the wind blows it into my yard

It is on the streets and medians, canals, empty lots, and especially commercial and retail establishments Go to any quick store and look around the grounds Trash

I frequent a grocery store on Del Prado where that mall is a mess The green space around the parking lot and along the store front is trashed It is worse around the back towards a big box store with junk and trash piled along the building The green space between is covered in trash

They are not the only ones Look around at other big box stores and most other businesses and you will find it Dumpster enclosures full of trash around an empty Dumpster

Check out the approach to the Midpoint bridge and even the bridge itself TRASHED

A lot of this trash makes it into the canals and river I am constantly pulling stuff out of canals The city says they are cleaning up the canals after Ian but all I have heard of is a big hoorah how the contractor is cutting down the little amount of trees and greenery growing along side the canals

See LETTERS, page 6

Housing costs are key to Cape’s economic health

Guest Commentary: Stopping the fentanyl crisis will not be easy

From page 4

they crave most: joy

Our culture steals joy from young people (from all of us, really) There is too much wrong (stress, isolation, peer pressure) and too little right (strong relationships, good health habits, faith) We can improve the odds for our children by engaging them young in conversations on what brings them joy and what steals it from them Rather than telling them what we think they should do, we can ask open-ended questions and truly listen

We can shore up our children’s mental health by giving them a wellbeing “toolbox ” This means instilling habits like getting enough sleep and exercise, limiting social media, and finding something bigger than themselves to believe in When taking care of their bodies, minds, and spirits becomes second nature, they’ll have the resources to create and nurture a lifetime of joy

There is a reason I’m passionate about this subject In 2012, my son Hudson nearly died from an accidental drug overdose in college Thankfully, he made a full recovery But

then, in 2013, I found the body of my precious firstborn son, William, after a fatal (and accidental) overdose I wouldn’t wish the horror of these experiences on any other parent I have dedicated the rest of my life to helping prevent them

Stopping the fentanyl crisis won’t be quick or easy The challenges we face as parents, educators, and community members are truly daunting However, I believe they are not insurmountable What I know is that denial and despair won’t help our children Taking these crucial actions will Our chil-

dren deserve a chance to thrive We deserve the joy of watching it happen

David Magee is the best-selling author and the creator and director of operations of the William Magee Institute for Student Wellbeing at the University of Mississippi He also hosts The Mayo Lab Podcast with David Magee, a one-of-its-kind program for parents aimed at helping students and families find lasting wellbeing

Editorial: The ability to buy a home is the key economic driver

From page 4

What this means in terms of the job market is you need a near six-figure income to buy a $300,000 home, a tad over to bump up to the $400,000 price range

Per capita, income in the Cape is

$34,586

Median household income is $65,282

The not-so-shiny side of the numbers coin the vital sign unaddressed is that would-be homeowners are being priced out of the market in the community where they live and work and not only by home prices but by the escalation in related costs That’s home insurance, flood insurance, taxes, fees and assessments which add to monthly

From page 4

mortgage payments

We point out that renting is now far from “affordable” for many of these reasons as well Housing call it “affordable,” call it “workforce,” call it what you will is the most critical challenge faced here in Southwest Florida where Hurricane Ian blew an already bad situation into the unsustainable Housing, specifically as it applies to the ability to become a homeowner, needs to be our top priority because it is the key economic driver It is the greatest incentive for attracting and retaining a trained, skilled, professional workforce the thing that

I am on the canals a lot by boat and still see trees, boats, limbs, junk, trash and even a trampoline still in the middle of the canal

Don’t get me going on the construction sites that are an absolute mess

I was a construction contractor for years and never did I allow our sites to be such a mess, especially to the point it is bleeding over into the surrounding properties Heck, a site in our neighborhood has been an absolute mess for two years and they have taken over the lot across the street as their dumping and storage spot with heaps of debris, materials and trash

Someone buried the active owl hole, too, so now we see the owl sitting on the pile of debris across the street calling for a mate

These contractors should be ashamed and our city should be ashamed we let them get away with it.

Talk about contractors, what is the good of the mandatory silt fence around a site if it is not maintained? Find a silt fence over a month old that is intact and effective Again, lazy, sloppy contractors don’t want to bother and ignore these silt fences and there is no enforcement

Now I understand we went through Hurricane Ian which made a big mess but using that as an excuse for the mess we live in after six months is playing out

Our town was trashed before There is no excuse except nobody cares and we seem to be content living amongst our own mess Look around you and you will see it It is everywhere

Lloyd James

Cape Coral

Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio?

To the editor:

Branch Rickey, manager of the Dodgers, signed Jackie Robinson on April 10, 1950; integrating Black athletes into the big leagues 73 years ago When Don Drysdale

drives those great economic development numbers because they follow rooftops

A top priority at the state level where our legislators are playing politics while the issue gets a hasty dollar store bandage

A top priority at the city level where “maintaining property values” means fostering high-density rentals while segregating other types of multi-family accommodations and constraining the types of homes that can be built so as to maximize per-lot property taxes is the norm

It is time for a sea-change in thinking Tallahassee to local to better allow the market to drive housing fulfillment Fulfillment that doesn’t require a taxpay-

pitched in game one of the 1965 World Series because Sandy Koufax refused to pitch on Yom Kippur, seven runs were given up in the first three innings, but the fans held their breath and hung in there. Baseball, the American pastime, has had a proud place in innovating tolerance and cultural workplace changes

As robot technology invades the workplace, crashing cars in cities and downing planes from the sky, it should be no surprise that Artificial Intelligence will now call the game itself A human official will still stand behind the plate this season, but is only allowed to parrot the robot generated call in her ear-jack from clever technology Perhaps next year the performative job will be removed altogether, and the electronic scoreboard can simply declare the information on balls and strikes It will be futile and unsatisfying to boo the scoreboard

Public attendance at the games is down year over year this century, so the major leagues have added a clock to speed up the baseball workers and are replacing the umpires with robot technology The fans’ short attention spans is credited as requiring this workplace speed up Wages for players have dropped from 1990 average annual pay of baseball $597,537 to a post employer lock out in 2023 of a minimum annual wage of $563,500 Some kids still say they want to be, when they grow up a sports hero; but fewer than before The glamour and allure of a high salary are available in other entertainment venues A pastime that does not cultivate an interest from the community youth may lack a future

Maybe the wresting of control away from players and making the workers more expendable and cheaper are not crowd- pleasing enticements the MLB public relations firm would have us believe Perhaps the charm of the game was in something other than getting it done quickly, and the sanitized performance of a machine’s function The poetry of a catch by Willie Mayes and his humanity in embracing an injured player from another team, might not be something that can be programed?

My guess is that the game, without the controversy of

er subsidy to attract needed, key personnel like teachers and first responders

Fulfillment that doesn’t mean having residents hoping and waiting for an income-qualified apartment because they can’t rent otherwise, much less buy

Regulations, restrictions and resistance to a redefinition of residential neighborhoods are roadblocks to homeownership. They are the invisible add-ons to cost

The American Dream may not be dead in Southwest Florida

But it’s gasping

It’s time to give it some room to breathe Breeze editorial

the human element, may be merely more brusk and efficient I have a suspicion that what gave the game it's grandeur in our culture may be missed in the ghosting by a machine.

This week’s poll question:

What do you think of the state legislation that would ban most abortions past 6 weeks?

∫ I agree When it comes before him Gov DeSantis should sign it

∫ I think Florida’s 15-week ban is sufficient

∫ Florida’s Constitution guarantees the right of Floridians to privacy in such matters Such legislation flies in the face of this guaranteed right This is a matter between a woman and her health care provider

∫ Abortion should be illegal Period

∫ Other

Previous poll question

What is your reaction to the indictment of President Trump?

∫ The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office took the proper action 63 41% (350 votes)

∫ Innocent until proven guilty Let the process work 18.48% (102 votes)

∫ Politically motivated and inappropriate 13.41% (74 votes)

∫ Other 4 71% (26 votes)

* Re s ul ts are as o f pre s s ti me

Poll results are not scientific and represent only the opinions of Internet users who have chosen to participate Vote at capecoralbreeze com

.

ng @ bre e z e ne w s pape rs c o m A l l l e tte rs and g ue s t o pi ni o ns mus t be s i g ne d and mus t i nc l ude a pho ne numbe r f o r v e ri f i c ati o n purpo s e s Re ade rs are al s o i nv i te d to c o mme nt o n any l e tte r o r e di to ri al o pi ni o n o nl i ne at: c ape c o ral bre e z e c o m

Ellen Starbird Cape Coral

Six-Week Abortion Ban bill protest held in Fort Myers

By DEVON CRUMPACKER news@breezenewspapers com

Demonstrators gathered on the steps of the Old Lee County Courthouse Monday evening to voice their displeasure with a new bill then making its way through the Florida Legislature that would see abortion access severely restricted after six weeks of pregnancy if signed into law

“Government does not have the authority or the right to make those decisions for somebody who can make their own choices,” said Howard Sapp from a megaphone to the crowd. “It makes no sense.”

Sapp, a former air traffic controller and Florida Democrat, is challenging Republican Fort Myers Rep Jenna PersonsMulicka for her state House seat PersonsMulicka is the sponsor of the proposed bill in question, known as HB7 It is currently slated for discussion on the House floor later this week If passed, it will be considered with its companion bill, SB 300, that passed the Senate floor vote on April 3

The so-called heartbeat bill comes on the heels of Florida’s current 15-week abortion ban law, which was enacted just last year The law and others like it have been springing up around the country in response to last year’s U S Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v Wade, which had guaranteed a constitutional right to abortion in America for decades

“Jenna thinks I’m morally incapable of making my own healthcare decisions,” said another speaker, Jesi Cason, to the crowd “Jenna thinks that because she went to a private Christian college and majored in government that she can make my healthcare decisions ”

Cason, a prominent local photographer and activist, described to the crowd how the Republican party has seen an exponential growth in political power in Florida over the past decade or so, with the party now holding the governor’s office, as well as a supermajority in both the House and the Senate She went on to give a grim prediction for Florida abortion rights advocates

“They’re not going to stop,” said Cason

DEVON CRUMPACKER

Jesi Cason, one of the protest’s speakers, addresses a crowd opposed to legislation that would outlaw most abortions past the 6-week mark in Florida HB7 was passed by the House on Thursday amid protests at the Capitol The Senate approved the limit on April 3 The legislation will now go to Gov Ron DeSantis

“You think they’re going to stop with a sixweek ban? They’re not going to stop They’re not going to stop until we have no rights ”

One of the more glaring points of contention between proponents and opponents of HB7 deals with the idea of when a h u m a n h e a r t a c t u a l l y s t a r t s b e a t i n g Persons-Mulicka has said publicly on multiple occasions that a heartbeat can be seen

at six weeks This notion is the basis for enacting a potential six-week abortion ban law However, many medical professionals prefer the term “cardiac activity” to “heartbeat” at six weeks of development, when the heart isn’t fully formed and its pulses are sporadic

“We cannot be afraid to talk to our friends, our families, our neighbors Even if they don’t want to listen,” Cason contin-

ued “We are the majority of this country Sixty-four percent of Americans believe that abortions should be legal in all or most cases ”

C a s o n w a s r e f e r r i n g t o a r e c e n t l y r e l e a s e d s u r v e y f r o m t h e n o n p a r t i s a n r e s e a r c h o r g a n i z a t i o n P u b l i c R e l i g i o n Research Institute that found that 64 perc e n t o f r e s p o n d e n t s b e l i e v e d a b o r t i o n should be legal in at least most cases, while only 34 percent said it should be illegal in most or all cases

“We’re going to be seen as much as we can,” added Sapp before the close of remarks “And we’re going to let people know that this is what we stand for, right here ”

Chants of “Not your body, not your choice” could be heard from blocks away as the demonstration drew to a close

The bill has been added to the House S p e c i a l O r d e r C a l e n d a r o n T h u r s d a y , meaning it has been determined to be of high priority and scheduled for consideration then

The Senate approved the six-week limit on April 3 and the House did so Thursday

According to a summary analysis of the bill, if approved by the House and ultimately signed by the governor, the legislat i o n w o u l d p r o h i b i t p h y s i c i a n s f r o m “knowingly performing or inducing termination of pregnancy” after six weeks with limited exceptions and would affect the dispensation of abortion-inducing drugs in two ways It would limit physicians to dispensing such medications only in person and would prohibit telehealth providers from using telehealth to provide such treatment Current law does not regulate how physicians dispense these abortion-inducing drugs, or the use of telehealth to provide abortions

If signed by the governor, the bill would expand the services offered by the Florida Pregnancy Support Services Program to eligible clients “to include parenting services, nonmedical material assistance, counseling, mentoring, education materials, and classes on pregnancy, parenting, adoption, life skills and employment readiness ”

The legislation also calls for a recurring appropriation of $30 million

Council gets update on a multitude of infrastructure projects

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

Cape Coral City Council received an update on a dozen projects under way in the city during its Wednesday workshop

The first update regarded the SUN Trail network, which is a shared-use non-motorized trail The network is for paved trails statewide for bicyclists and pedestrians

Interim Public Works Director Persides

Zambrano said the SUN Trail was on the news Wednesday, as the governor signed legislation to increase funding for the initiative She said it ties the entire system into a multiuse path through the state

“We are very lucky for the initial segment to be built,” Zambrano said

The first phase of the trail component within the city was completed in February with a ribbon cutting to be scheduled soon The second phase of the project is ready to go out to bid with the grant taking place during fiscal year 2025

“Pretty soon we will start the process for construction of phase two Phase three will be from Del Prado (Boulevard) to 24th Avenue, the last segment through the city,” she said

The first phase utilized a $5 4 million grant, the second phase has a $6 3 million grant and the final, third, phase has a $414,625 grant to complete

The SUN Trail program includes the city’s first multi-use bridge It has also widened Kismet Parkway by a school property at Chiquita Boulevard

The city’s road rehabilitation program has local and major road paving beginning in May of this year and spot paving and pavement preservation this summer The projects are scheduled to be completed by September of this year under budget at $6 5 million

“This program is planned to start resurfacing in May and paving in June and pavement preservation by late summer of this year We are on schedule and under budget,” Zambrano said

The Nicholas Parkway West utilities component is completed with pavement is now being finished

“Nicholas Parkway East is still in progress. It most likely will be delayed. We are meeting with the contractor and trying to fix certain items,” she said

The median landscaping program was also highlighted for the Rose Garden with a completion date set for July under budget of $1,007,012 and Chiquita with a completion date set for June at $545,549

Embers Parkway and Country Club Boulevard, each have consultants selected with the access management component in procurement, followed by the design Embers

Parkway has a price tag of $68,330 and Country Club, which is CRA funded, is $79,560

There was a question about doing the median work in house rather than hiring architects to save money

Interim City Manager Michael Ilczyszyn said there might be a possibility of bringing on a position to do this in-house instead of paying $80,000 per median and then another $80,000 for landscape He said staff will explore if it would be a cost savings to have someone in-house

The presentation also highlighted the sidewalk program, with the ones built in-house mostly completed Zambrano said they received one proposal for the remainder

The sidewalks that are complete include Cultural Park sidewalks, Tropicana Parkway, Ceitus Parkway and El Dorado Boulevard and Skyline Elementary Gator Trails Park and De Navarra Boulevard sidewalks are 75 percent complete

The $750,000 10 Bubble Curtain project is in process as it suffered damage to the electrical components from Hurricane Ian The water works are completed, as well as new installation and the land assessment damages

Other water quality projects include Palmetto Pines Golf Course irrigation, which she said is behind schedule, as the design was

changed by the city for the golf course

“The consultant suffered severe hurricane damage in his business The project is delayed at this moment,” Zambrano said

Other projects:

■ Bimini Basin Mooring Field: design package ready for solicitation

■ Chiquita Boulevard North widening: substantial completion April 14, scheduled final completion May 17 with a contract completion date of June 15 under budget at $1,248,041

■ Hancock Bridge Parkway drainage improvements: the design is in progress with a contract completion of July 2023 at $187,197

■ Santa Barbara Boulevard catch basin maintenance vacuum truck program

■ Temporary trailer installed at Skate Park and City Centrum

■ Cattle Dock Point survey is complete with legal description and sketch complete for parcel, as well as monument corners along meander line complete A historical pin, put in place in the early 1900s was found with preparation of the Historical Society Photograph and documentation pending

■ UEP North-1: recovered existing monuments and surveyed the location with GPS All of the monuments will be barricaded before UEP 1 begins

Eaglet E21’s return home highlight of the season

By CHUCK BALLARO news@breezenewspapers com

For many, the highlight of the most interesting eagle nesting season in history of the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam, things got even more engrossing over was the return of eaglet E21, for five days after it fledged

The eaglet then returned to the nest, allowing the worldwide fans of the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam to celebrate and breathe a collective sigh of relief

For Ginnie Pritchett-McSpadden, cofounder of the eagle cam , it was a very happy occasion for those who keep track of the doings in and around the nest off Bayshore

Road in North Fort Myers

“We were surprised and overjoyed to see him return It’s not uncommon for them to spend some time away from the nest because at their age they haven’t truly learned to use their wings,” Pritchett-McSpadden said of E21’s April 1-5 hiatus “After all that has happened this season, this is a little speck of positive news ”

There was conjecture that M15 knew where E21 was and was helping the eaglet with food There is no evidence of that, nor where E21 was, Pritchett-McSpadden said The homecoming was not incident free Late that night, three owlets flew to the nest and took it over briefly, which was a first.

Usually, they are a blip as they knock the eagles off their perch

“They came into the nest looking for food and they ate a few bites of leftovers. They were there a good 10 to 15 minutes and were unguarded,” Pritchett-McSpadden said “The owls took over a nest in the west pasture that Harriet and M15 built two years ago ”

For the next few weeks, the eaglets will remain at or near the nest as they learn how to fight, hunt for their own food and practice their flying skills

Once they leave, things will get tough for the eaglets: They have about a 50/50 shot of surviving the first year, as their skills have not been perfected.

But the fact they even got this far is amazing their mother, nest matriarch and fan favorite Harriet, went missing before the eaglets fledged, leaving M15 to do the job of two

After that, it is anyone’s guess M15 is a bachelor again and there have been several eagles coming by the nest to intrude and maybe win M15’s heart

“It’s been a whole season of unknowns It’s special to see these eaglets fledge and be successful with a solo parent,” PritchettMcSpadden said “The next hurdle is of and when M15 will return to the nest Will he return to the nest with a mate or will it be an entirely new couple?”

Last brood: Eagle cam co-founder offers overview of nesting season

From page 1

The eagles showed resiliency, rebuilding their nest in six days

All but one of the cameras were wiped out of the nest due to the Category 4 storm, and, at one point, Pritchett McSpadden and her family were unsure if streaming would be possible

“Here we are six months later and it’s just been incredible,” she said “I can’t even imagine that we wouldn’t have been able to watch this had we not acted quickly and got the technology up and running before the nesting season stated We would have never been able to see up-close-and-personal all the tragedy and the heartbreak, but also the success that (E21 and E22) have had this season.”

Pritchett McSpadden also paid tribute to the nest’s matriarch, Harriet, who passed away earlier this year She said she believes Harriet was around 25 to 30 years old, which is the average life span of an adult eagle

“It’s been an emotional season with her passing and we know she’s flying high and free, and she will be missed,” Pritchett McSpadden said “My honest opinion is that as she aged, she passed on her own time I knew going into this season and last season we were on borrowed time, because we knew she was older We’re just so grateful to have those memories and the video footage we do She was an amazing eagle and mother, had so many great instincts she passed along to M15 and the eaglets ”

Lots of questions are still up in the air when it comes to the next chapter, as we are approaching the end of nesting season, which runs from Oct 1 to May 1 each year

“We don’t know what the next season is going to hold and what will happen Will M15 stay in the nest area? Will a new mate come or just have owlets in the nest? Great horned owls? Or will we see one of the offspring come and take over the nest areas? There’s a lot of unknowns and we’re kind of holding out breath together to see what will unfold ”

Growing up in a rural setting, Pritchett McSpadden and her brother had an early appreciation for wildlife and knew once the cameras were installed and streaming they could do something very special with the opportunity the offer a look into the lives of a mated pair dubbed Ozzie and Harriet The cam has continued through the years documenting at first Ozzie and Harriet, then Harriet and new mate M15, and now M-15 alone, raising their broods on the Pritchett Farm

“We saw our first big spike and interest with viewers when (Ozzie) was injured and taken into CROW and rehabbed,” Pritchett McSpadden said “That’s where the first wave of followers from around the world started Once Ozzie passed and M15 took over the nest, we saw another huge wave of people interested in being able to see the new pair and start fresh ”

Some important moments captured on the cam over the years include the loss of life in the nest of E3 and later E14, CROW rescue and rehab, the first-ever successful re-clutch captured in the wild, and the first-ever successful fledge of eaglets by a solo parent, which just occurred this season.

“M15 just being the super dad that he is if you were to have told me two months ago I’d be here telling a happy story, I would have not believed you I was prepared for the worst,” Pritchett McSpadden said “To be able to have (E21 and E22) just soaring the skies right now -- I’m just so proud and so glad with the outcome we had ”

There are also a lot of lessons learned when it comes to seeing Mother Nature play out in real time

“It can be pretty, but it can also be ugly,” Pritchett McSpadden said. “I think I learned real quick the lessons of crisis communication and managing people’s emotions on an online platform We had to dial back a few things and not share as much information because people do get emotionally invested, and so those were some hard lessons to learn, but I think in the end, especially after this season, we’ve been able to explain to people if they can’t handle what they’re watching, they can turn it off and walk away ”

Pritchett McSpadden said the cam runs off of three principals: entertain, engage the community, and educate

“I think we do any time we do something, we want to hit one of those marks,” she said “We try our best in any way that we can to provide information and learning opportunities for all of our viewers

“We’re always evolving and always learning ”

Pritchett McSpadden said she would have never thought the eagle cam would have

grown to what it is today, now in its 11th year of streaming Since its inception, the eagle cam have been viewed more than 20 million times over 190 different countries and is the longest live camera stream running It has been featured on the Today Show, NBC Nightly News, ABC World News, on TV shows and in national publications

“It’s unreal and surreal at times,” Pritchett McSpadden said “We saw it at first as a cool ‘let’s try this and see what happens’ and after that, we started to appreciate the bald eagle so much more

“I was at a wedding reception in 2015 at a local restaurant and I look over, not knowing the other people in the restaurant, and see three different tables had the eagle cam on streaming it ”

Pritchett McSpadden and her family passed by the nest every day as it’s on their property, seeing their activity from afar, but wanted to try their hand at creating an eagle cam Her husband holds a technology degree and her brother is an operations expert Eagle Cam is the first 360 degree live stream camera, giving users the ability to control what they see with the click a mouse (this feature was wiped out by Ian, but is slated to be replaced)

The group, using all of their skills, along with countless volunteers, put together what is now an international phenomenon.

“We wouldn’t be here today if we all weren’t a part of it,” Pritchett McSpadden said

She added she loves meeting people and hearing stories of how and why the eagle cam brought them joy

“Just being able to have those touchpoint and see first-hand how it’s impacted so many people’s lives is really special for us, and a reason we keep it going,” Pritchett

McSpadden said “It just shows how awesome Mother Nature is It’s unscripted and real life It also gives people a break When people want something to escape to, this is the perfect way to do that ”

Combatting the weather in Florida isn’t always ideal when it comes to placing technology 60-feet in the air, but the family is always up to the task The cam was out for five days following Hurricane Ian

“We’ve had lightning strike out office, which has caused power and internet outages,” Pritchett McSpadden said “We like to say we haven’t gone offline, and we try out best to keep it as minimal as possible After the hurricane, I remember trudging out there to try and get it streamed and connected again It was not easy And if we had not kept trying, we wouldn’t have seen what this season is all about Two or three more days we wouldn’t have been able to replace the parts like we needed to ”

For Pritchett McSpadden and her family, their love for the eagles has become unparalleled, and the lack of clarity for what’s on the horizon can be unsettling

“For me to even think it could possibly be the end, is really emotional,” she said “I just can’t fathom it because it’s been a part of my and my family’s lives for so long We love them Being able to tell their story is important ”

Raising awareness in terms of protecting the bald eagle is also a major plight of the cam, especially when it comes to things like rodenticide

“That’s the No. 1 thing I think, is just to be able to show what the bald eagle is,” Pritchett McSpadden said “Everyone is always running around from one stop light to the next or from one place to another, and never have a chance to look up and see or to appreciate what’s around them truly I think if we can slow people down and give them that opportunity in a way they’re already on their phone still, I think that’s the coolest part ”

Pritchett McSpadden and her family are so grateful for the support of the Southwest Florida community and the millions around the world that have tuned in

“Being able to share this nest that’s sixfeet-wide by six-feet-wide to the whole world, and that people can all share in this together and following along is something so rare and unique, that is positive and can bring joy to every home that watches it is the coolest thing,” Pritchett McSpadden said

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

To view the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam, visit www SWFLEagleCam com Connect with this reporter on Twitter: @haddad cj

CJ HADDAD

Co-founder of the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam, Ginnie Pritchett McSpadden, was a guest speaker at the Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife meeting at Rotary Park Environmental Center on Tuesday, discussing all things M15, Harriet, and their eaglets.

Halfway to Oktoberfest celebration this weekend

Saturday and Sunday at the German American Club

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

T h e G e r m a n A m e r i c a n S o c i a l C l u b o f

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B i e r g a r t e n f e s t i v a l s b r o u g h t t o t h e S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a c o m m u n i t y b y t h e

G A S C t a k e p l a c e o n t h e B a v a r i a n G r o u n d s t h i s S a t u r d a y a n d S u n d a y T h e u s u a l c l a s s i c G e r m a n f o o d a n d d r i n k m e n u w i l l b e a v a i l a b l e , a s w i l l m o r e

A m e r i c a n - s t y l e c h o i c e s T h e v a r i a n c e s i n t h e f o o d a n d d r i n k m e n u e x t e n d t o t h e e n t e r t a i n m e n t , a s t r a d i t i o n a l G e r m a n t u n e s w i l l p l a y , a l o n g w i t h a n a w a r dw i n n i n g b l u e s b a n d F r o m 4 t o 7 p m o n S a t u r d a y , t h e m u l t i - a w a r d - w i n n i n g b a n d , “ T h e P i t b u l l o f B l u e s B a n d ” w i l l t a k e t h e s t a g e , l e d b y d y n a m i c f r o n t m a n , g u i t a r i s t a n d s o n g w r i t e r J o s h “ T h e P i t b u l l o f B l u e s ” R o w a n d T h e h i g h - e n e r g y b a n d i s a r e gu l a r o n t h e f e s t i v a l c i r c u i t , k n o w n f o r t h e i r f u n - l o v i n g m i x o f t r a d i t i o n a l a n d o r i g i n a l b l u e s T h e m o r e t r a d i t i o n a l m u s i c a c t s w i l l i n c l u d e M a n n i D a u m , W e r n e r S m o l k a , D u o S u r p r i s e , a n d S e p p D i e b h o l d e r “ W e ’ v e d e f i n i t e l y g o t t e n o u r a b i l i t y t o o p e r a t e b a c k , ” s a i d G A S C P r e s i d e n t S t e v e B a u e r “ O u r f i r s t e v e n t b a c k i n t h e e n d o f F e b r u a r y w a s o u r l a r g e s t a n d m a k i n g u p f o r t h e f a c t w e d i d n ’ t h a v e O k t o b e r f e s t d u e t o t h e h u r r i c a n e T h e f i r s t , a n d n o w , o u r l a s t , w e r e m e a n t t o b e b o o k e n d s o f o u r g a r d e n f e s t s e a s o n I t ’ s g o i n g t o b e v e r y p a r a l l e l t o w h a t w e d i d i n F e b r u a r y W e ’ r e e x c i t e d t o c l o s e o u t

t h e s e a s o n a n d l e t e v e r y b o d y k n o w a n d r e c o n f i r m w e ’ l l h a v e O k t o b e r f e s t t h e l a s t t w o w e e k e n d s o f O c t o b e r ” A c r o w d f a v o r i t e f o r t h e k i d s i n t h e c o l o r f u l f e s t i v a l t r a i n w i l l b e r e t u r n i n g , a n d t h e r e w i l l b e a k i d s ’ c r a f t s c o r n e r a n d f a c e p a i n t i n g , o f f e r i n g f u n f o r t h e e n t i r e f a m i l y T h e l a s t t h r e e f e s t i v a l s i n t h e

B a v a r i a n G a r d e n s w e r e b u s t l i n g w i t h g o o d f o o d , b e e r , c h e e r a n d m o r e T h o s e s e a t e d a r o u n d t h e d a n c e f l o o r a t t h e p a v i l i o n w e r e t a p p i n g t h e i r f e e t a n d r a i si n g t h e i r c u p s B a u e r i s e x t r e m e l y p l e a s e d t o s e e t h e r e s p o n s e o f t h e c o m -

m u n i t y t o t h e c l u b ’ s i n v i t a t i o n t o c e l eb r a t e S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a S t r o n g i n C a p e

C o r a l T h e c l u b ’ s k i t c h e n a n d m a n p o w e r a r e f u l l y u p t o s p e e d , a l l o w i n g e v e r y t h i n g t o b e u p - a n d - r u n n i n g a s n o r m a l H e s a i d r e v e n u e f r o m t h e f e s t i v a l s h a s h e l p e d t h e c l u b s t a b i l i z e a f t e r n o t b e i n g a b l e t o p u t o n e o f t h e l a r g e s t e v e n t s t h e r e g i o n s e e s e a c h y e a r T i c k e t s a r e $ 5 a n d p a r k i n g i s f r e e , a s i s a d m i s s i o n f o r c h i l d r e n 1 2 a n d u n d e r H o u r s a r e o n S a t u r d a y f r o m n o o n t o 8 p m a n d S u n d a y f r o m n o o n t o 7 “ W e t h i n k w e ’ r e g o i n g t o h a v e g o o d w e a t h e r a n d w e ’ v e g o t a m o r e d i v e r s e m e n u a g a i n , ” B a u e r s a i d “ W e ’ l l s t i l l h a v e t h e f a v o r i t e s , a n d i t ’ s g o i n g t o b e a s c l o s e a s w e c a n g e t t o a n O k t o b e r f e s t i n A p r i l a s p o s s i b l e ”

T h e G A S C a l s o h a s a b a r b e c u e p i c n i c p l a n n e d f o r S u n d a y , M a y 2 8 , t o m a r k

M e m o r i a l D a y f e a t u r i n g l i v e c o u n t r y m u s i c F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n o n t h e G A S C

Cape Coral man wins $41 million

Lotto jackpot

A Cape Coral man has won a $41 million Lotto jackpot in the Florida lottery Darren Martini, 57, claimed the jackpot from the drawing held on Dec 24, 2 0 2 2 a t L o t t e r y H e a d q u a r t e r s i n

a l l a h a s s e e , t h e F l o r i d a L o t t e r y announced Wednesday

He chose to receive his winnings as a o n e - t i m e , l u m p - s u m p a y m e n t o f $24,559,932 33

Martini purchased his jackpot-winning Florida Lotto Quick Pick ticket from the Publix at 3015 Pine Island Road southwest in Cape Coral

The retailer will receive a bonus commission of $100,000 for selling the winning ticket

The Florida Lotto drawing, with an estimated $27 5 million jackpot, rolled over Wednesday night

The numbers were 6-9-10-22-26-43

The next drawing is Saturday Florida Lottery game drawings are broadcast on 20 carrier stations throughout the state Winning numbers are available on the Florida Lottery's website, f l a l o t t e r y c o m , o n t h e L o t t e r y ' s f r e e mobile app for iOS and Android users, at any authorized Florida Lottery retailer, and by calling (850) 921-PLAY (7529)

a n d u p c o m i n g e v e n t s , v i s i t w w w g a s c -

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

t o m e m b e r s a n d t h e p u b l i c f o r d i n n e r a n d d a n c i n g e v e r y F r i d a y n i g h t a t 5 3 0 p m

T h e G A S C i s a t 2 1 0 1 S o u t h w e s t P i n e

I s l a n d R o a d

You can also view the drawings online on the Florida Lottery's official YouTube channel

A p r i l 1 4 , 2 0 2 3 w w w . c a p e c o r a l b r e e z e . c o m C a p e C o r a l B r e e z e

Grant program, development projects map now online

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

The city of Cape Coral’s Office of Economic and Business Development recently launched the CapeCompetes Business Incentives and Grants Program, with opportunities available for businesses of all sizes

Now live, businesses can log into the portal to learn about and apply for: Ad Valorem Tax Incentive Program; Business Infrastructure Grant Cap Collaborates - Small Business Partner Program; CreativeCape Arts Incentive Program; and Enhanced Property Value Recapture Grant

According to the city’s website, the Economic & Business Development Team helps developers and investors to acquire, develop and redevelop undeveloped and underutilized properties throughout the city District 2 Councilmember Dan Sheppard hoped the office could put together a detailed list of businesses in the city -- what areas the city is lacking in and what will be needed with the continued build-out He said being able to guide investors with data is a valuable asset to have

“(A list) of all the different wants and needs, where we’re lacking, backing it up with the numbers and statistics, so that when investors come forward that are really excited

“I get the call a lot of times asking the same questions, and I’ve learned that it’s something our local Realtors really look forward to, in terms of being able to talk about the new developments and investments as they’re working to attract commercial in our area.”

Cape Coral Economic and Business Development Officer Sharon Woodberry regarding the city’s online Interactive EDO Projects Map

about investing in Cape Coral, we can literally help steer them in the right direction into developing a project or building a business we need,” Sheppard said “Us having the tools to be able to steer them in other directions, it helps us work with city staff as a Council as working more as a team I think that would be a great tool to help us with our build-out ”

Interactive EDO Projects Map

On Wednesday, the Economic and Business Development Office also unveiled the Interactive EDO Projects Map

This GIS-enabled tool, located at Capecoral gov/EDO projects, shows all ongoing development types other than residential Users can determine the location of

ongoing developments, the name of the developer, and the status of those projects

Economic and Business Development Officer Sharon Woodberry said people often wonder what's going where when they drive by a development in the city This will help people have a better understanding of what they can expect in the future

“I get the call a lot of times asking the same questions, and I’ve learned that it’s something our local Realtors really look forward to, in terms of being able to talk about the new developments and investments as they’re working to attract commercial in our area,” Woodberry said Status labels for projects are color-coded and include:

■ In-review: Staff is reviewing the development application

■ Approved: Review is complete and staff has approved the submittal but are awaiting a condition to be met

■ Issued: A permit has been issued and work can begin

“If you go to any of the parcels, you’ll an opportunity to see what’s actually happening and a description of the project,” Woodberry said “You’ll get the address of the property, who the owner is, the type of zoning associated with it, and a description of what the actual project will be Some of these are projects that you might have to dig a little bit deeper in, but for the most part, when you look at the description category, it’ll give you a great idea and information on what type of project City staff said data is updated daily and projects are removed from the map once work is complete and a certificate of occupancy has been issued or if the project has been canceled

“This is information to help our residents, help (the Council), and our other professionals get an understanding and access to projects that are under way,” Woodberry said Connect with this reporter on Twitter: @haddad cj

Forecast: Construction activity continues to boom in the Cape

From page 1

as Naples and Bonita Springs sit at 5 6% with the lowest other than Cape Coral being Punta Gorda at 2 8% “And our industrial is lower than a lot of our com-

parison cities ”

Of the five cities the EDO drew comparisons with, only Punta Gorda came in with lower available industrial space at 0.5%.

“When you look at our industrial aver-

age, these numbers are very low in terms of our vacancy,” Woodberry said

Comparing vacancy rates in the Cape to Florida’s most populated cities including O r l a n d o , M i a m i , T a m p a , J a c k s o n v i l l e , Tallahassee, and others, Woodberry said: “Again, we are faring much better in terms of our vacancy rates than some of our surrounding cities ”

Construction activity continues to boom in the Cape In regards to retail, 339,333 square feet have been delivered in the past eight quarters, with 132,005 square feet coming in the next eight quarters, and an additional 125,339 square feet proposed in the next eight quarters

“Solid square footage in the pipeline for w h a t ’ s c o m i n g w i t h c o n s t r u c t i o n , ” Woodberry said

When it comes to office construction, 50,000 square feet has been delivered in the past eight quarters but nothing is under construction at this time However, there is 122,280 square feet of construction proposed for the next eight quarters

“Not as much activity for construction in our office space,” Woodberry said

Industrial construction breaks down to 72,600 square feet having been delivered in the past eight quarters, with 173,175 in construction now and zero proposed over the next eight quarters

Projects currently under construction include:

■ U S Post Office: An 18,000-squarefoot space to be at 1441 Southwest 4th Street Completion date to be determined

■ The Waters: 132-unit continued care facility at 2307 Chiquita Blvd South Completion date to be determined

■ Marina Villas at Cape Harbor Phase 1: Located at 5810-5865 Shell Cove Drive, will feature five multi-family buildings with 21 condos in each Completion date is fall of 2023

■ Oasis at Surfside: A 204-unit multifamily housing development at 22002224 Oasis Palm Circle (Phase 2 of 4) Completion date to be determined

■ The Resort At Tranquility Lake Phase 1: A 36 26-acre site at 4100 Burnt Store Road with 144 motor coach sites Completion date is spring of 2023

■ Civitas Apartments: A 96-unit workforce multi-family housing at 105-123 Civitas Court Completion date is summer of 2024

■ Springs at Coral Shores: Feature 308 multi-family units with commercial and retail located at 2915 Southwest Pine Island Road Completion date is spring of 2024

■ E c o l o g i c a l L a b o r a t o r i e s , I n c : A 12,383-square-foot expansion at 2525 Northeast 9th Ave Completion date is spring of 2023

■ Nor-Tech High Performance Boats: A 30,000-square-foot new construction at 895 Northeast 27th Lane Completion date is fall of 2023

■ The Hadley: A 444-unit multi-family development on a 28-acre site to feature fitness center, wellness area, sauna, and mediation room near the intersection of Pine Island Road and Chiquita Boulevard Completion date expected to be in 2024

■ City Mattress: A 10,000-square-foot retail store under construction at 915 Northeast 15th Place Will join other tenants in the 13-acre retail development Cape Coral Commons

■ A c h i e v a C r e d i t U n i o n : A n e w , 4,659-square-foot branch under construction at 3031 Southwest Pine Island Road

■ Victory Park: Currently in permitting, features a 140-acre master planned development with proposed used for medical, retail, multi-family, residential, veteran services, and hotel

Woodberry also mentioned 23 businesses have opened its doors since the last quarter

“It’s a mix in terms of what we’re seeing,” she said “Some of it general merchandise and retail, some construction, and some beauty. We want to give them a welcome ”

REAL ESTATE

No surprise as Cape’s luxury first quarter home sales decline

Mr. Feichthaler,

I recently bought a home with my future daughterin-law jointly I am on title because I provided the majority of the money to buy the house I want to make sure that, if I die, that my half goes to my son, whether they get married in the future or not My daughter-inlaw plans to make this property her homestead How can I make sure my son gets my half?

- Maureen T

Dear Maureen,

M y c l i e n t s i n c l u d e families of every comp o s i t i o n a n d f i n a n c i a l position, but all share a similar goal: the peace of mind knowing their assets go to their loved ones, and to eliminate the need for disputes, courts and lawyers in the future Your question is one shared by many, and it is important to address

Eric P Feichthaler

This week we are taking our first deeper look at the Cape Coral luxury h o m e m a r k e t s i n c e w e w e r e h i t b y Hurricane Ian, with a somber tip of the hat to Robin Leach in our local version of “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous ” We will be featuring a look back at the C a p e ’ s h i g h - e n d s i n g l e - f a m i l y h o m e market segment for the recently completed first quarter of 2023 compared to the first three months of both 2022 and 2021 At this time one year ago, our luxury home market was absolutely booming with a record number of closed sales registered from January through March 2022 For our purposes, the Cape Coral single-family luxury home segment consists of homes that have sold for $1 million and above

price of $3 25 million in the first quarter of this year The median sales price in the Cape’s $1 million-plus luxury home segment was $1 24 million in the first quarter of this year, which was 8 1 percent below the median sales price of $1 35 million posted in the first quarter of 2022 So prices have eased a bit in our luxury market year-over-year in the first quarter

and Geri Quinn Homing

We will begin with a look back to the first three months of last year, when the overall Cape Coral single-family home market posted a scorching hot all-time first quarter record of 1,745 closed sales That topped the previous record of 1,577 homes sold in the Cape during the first quarter of 2021 by 10 7 percent, with most homes in the first quarter of 2022 going under contract with a buyer in just a matter of days after being listed for sale, and often in multiple offer bidding wars at full-price or higher

Real Estate Law

F i r s t , t h e w a y i n which you take title to p r o p e r t y w h e n p u rc h a s e d i s k e y I t appears you and your f u t u r e d a u g h t e r - i n - l a w o w n t h i s p r o p e r t y a s joint tenants with rights of survivorship That means if one of you died while owning it, the surviving owner would take 100% You may be aware that the Florida Constitution provides unique benefits to owners of homestead property, along with their spouses and minor children However, where joint ownership with rights of survivorship is in place, the surviving owner would take title So, if you are married and your husband lived with you in this house as homestead, and you died, he would NOT have any rights to the property. Similarly, if your son marries your co-owner in the

See SHARE, page 15

Mayhugh Commercial Advisors wins four Costar Power Broker Awards

Mayhugh Commercial Advisors has earned multiple awards from CoStar Group, a leading provider of commercial real estate information, analytics and online marketplaces

The company took home two awards - Top Sales Firm and Top Leasing Firm - for closing the highest overall transaction volumes in commercial property sales and leases in Southwest Florida Winners are chosen based on transaction data for deals completed in 2022

Individually, Chase Mayhugh, SIOR, CCIM was honored with two more accolades – Top Sales Broker and Top Industrial Leasing Broker

Mayhugh Commercial Advisors also earned a Power Broker Quarterly Deal for 4th Quarter 2022 Rentokil leased 33,768 square feet at 5869 Enterprise Parkway in Fort Myers

Mayhugh Commercial Advisors was established by Charles E Mayhugh, a lifelong resident of Southwest Florida with over 45 years of experience in listing, selling and the development of commercial, residential and industrial real estate Mayhugh Commercial Advisors and its team of commercial real estate professionals specialize in

By contrast, in the first quarter of this year there have been a total of 1,190 closed home sales in the overall Cape Coral market, which is down 31 8 percent from last year, but up 38 percent from the immediate post-hurricane Ian decline to only 862 closed home sales in the fourth quarter of 2022 This places the current first quarter sales results in our overall single-family home market between the 1,080 closed sales in the first quarter of 2019 and the 1,242 closed sales from the first quarter of 2020, when the COVID-19 shutdowns started taking effect in Florida in mid-March of 2020.

Getting back to our luxury home market, there were 61 closed sales in the first quarter of this year, which was a decline of 47 percent versus the record number of 115 closed home sales in the Cape at $1 million and above in the first quarter of 2022 By comparison, back in the first quarter of 2021 there were 44 closed luxury home sales The highest-priced Cape Coral home sale in the first quarter of 2022 came in at $4 3 million versus the top sales

REAL ESTATE BRIEFS

brokerage and consulting, property acquisition, property disposition, landlord representation, property management, tenant representation and marketing and support

For more information, call 239-278-4945 or visit MayhughCommercial com

CRE Consultants' recent real estate transactions

CRE Consultants has announced its recent local real estate transactions:

∫ Excel Exteriors leased a 5,200 SF industrial space at 905 SE 9th Terrace, Unit A, Cape Coral from R & R Engineering Properties stan stouder, CCIM of CRE Consultants represented the lessor and Phil Deems represented the lessee in negotiating the transaction

∫ Salvation Fitness leased a 5,000 SF industrial flex space at 905 SE 9th Terrace, Unit C, Cape Coral from R & R Engineering Properties stan stouder, CCIM of CRE Consultants negotiated the transaction

∫ Tradecraft Armament US, LLC leased 1,628 SF of industrial space at 13850 Treeline Avenue S, Unit 2, Fort Myers from 13850 Treeline, LLC Randal Mercer of CRE Consultants negotiated the transaction

In

In looking at the makeup of the Cape Coral single-family home market, the 61 closed sales in the million dollar-plus luxury home segment equals a 5 1 percent market share of the total number of 1,190 closed sales in the first quarter of this year This compares to the first quarter of 2022, when the 115 closed million dollar-plus home sales equaled a 6 6 percent market share of the 1,748 overall closed sales in the Cape This was a 22 percent decline year-over-year in market share for our luxury home segment However, the 5 1 percent market share of million dollar-plus home sales in the first quarter of this year was still well above the 2 8 percent market share posted in the first quarter of 2021, when there were 44 closed sales in our luxury home segment out of the 1,577 total first quarter sales in our overall market. For the record, back in 2020 there were only 12 first quarter sales in our luxury home segment which equaled a 0 97 percent market share This market share sales data is another way to illustrate the expansion in home prices since 2020

Next, here is a look at the current number of active listings through the Multiple Listing Service As of Tuesday, April 11, there were a total of 1,461 active listings through a Realtor for single-family homes in the Cape at prices ranging from $240,000 to $4 15 million, with 208 of these listings priced at $1 million and above Looking back one year ago on April 12, 2022, there were a total of 519 active listings in the MLS for Cape Coral single-family homes, with 95 of those listings priced at $1 million and above So in the last 12 months we have seen a rapid expansion in the overall number of homes being listed for sale in the Cape almost tripling, while the number of luxury homes being listed for sale priced at $1 million and

See LUXURY HOME SALES, page 15

CRE Consultants, which provides a full spectrum of commercial real estate and property management services to property owners, investors, landlords, tenants and developers, is located at 12140 Carissa Commerce Court, Suite 102, Fort Myers For additional information, call 29-4813800, or visit creconsultants com

Forbes HOME names Bin There Dump That a Best Dumpster Rental Company

Bin There Dump That, a residential dumpster rental franchise company with locations in the U S and Canada, has been recognized by Forbes HOME as a Best Dumpster Rental Company for 2023 Local entrepreneurs Martin and Ann Wierengo are proud to be part of this success story Forbes Home Improvement editorial team commended “Bin There Dump That” for the “most thorough services included in a residential dumpster rental package, including driveway protection and sweep up after every job ” Forbes Home “Why We Picked It” recommendation provides insight into its selection process

“Admittedly our choice for the best pun in its name, Bin There Dump That offers 21 years of industry experience to clients of its 124 franchise locations Out of our top five

See REAL ESTATE BRIEFS, page 15

Bob

When jointly purchasing home, how do you make sure heir gets a share?

Diocese of Venice, National Development of America break ground on St. Peter Claver Place Apartments

The Diocese of Venice in Florida and National Development of America have broken ground on Phase 1 of St Peter Claver Place Apartments, an affordable housing complex within the Dr Martin Luther King Boulevard redevelopment area

The St Peter Claver Place Apartments will provide affordable housing for qualified residents, those who make approximately 60% of the Average Median Income Phase 1 will provide 136 two-bedroom, two-bath and three-bedroom, twobath rental units and is expected to be complete in early 2024 The monthly rents will range from approximately $600 to $1,300

“The idea for St. Peter Claver Place Apartments started seven years ago from a conversation with the Diocese of Venice and the city of Fort Myers,” said Rick Miller, president of National Development of America, the developer of St Peter Claver Place Apartments “We’re pleased to be in construction now and look forward to delivering quality housing at rental rates that working people can actually afford ”

The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by officials from both sides of the partnership between the Diocese of Venice in Florida and National Development of America, as well as Mayor Kevin Anderson; Councilman Johnny Streets; Councilwoman Teresa Watkins Brown; Michele HyltonTerry, executive director of the Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency; and Marcus Goodson, executive director of the Lee County Housing Authority

“We treasure our partnership with the city of Fort Myers,” said Most Rev Frank Dewane, Bishop of the Diocese of Venice “Throughout Fort Myers, people are in need of hous-

ing and, in particular, rental housing We want to contribute to the residents of our community and help them ”

National Development and the Diocese of Venice embarked on this project seven years ago to address the critical demand for affordable rental housing in Southwest Florida Through close partnership with the City of Fort Myers, Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency and Lee County Housing Authority, National Development of America was able to overcome various market challenges that significantly impacted the development

“Our company started 40 years ago in Fort Myers, and we

are invested in this community We are committed to its residents, and housing is our mission,” said Miller “This is something we want to do and it’s an opportunity to serve the community We are happy to be a part of this ” National Development of America is a Fort Myers-based developer that specializes in affordable and workforce housing The company has developed affordable housing apartment communities throughout Florida, Pennsylvania, New York, and Louisiana, and coordinates general contracting and property management for all of its affordable housing developments Learn more at national-development com

Share: Woman wants son to inherit her 50% of home being purchased

From page 14

future and she died, the same outcome would result – you would own the property, and he would have no rights

Since your goal is for your 50% to pass to your son, you would first need to “break” the joint tenancy You could do this by signing a deed to yourself as 50% tenant in common Now, if either of you died, the 50% would remain with the beneficiaries of that particular owner If you then executed an enhanced life estate deed on your 50%, naming your son as remainderman (beneficiary), your 50% would pass to him on death

It sounds like you all get along very well now, so it is advised to have a discussion what everyone’s goals and objectives are for ownership, homestead and beneficiar-

ies Once that is achieved, a unified plan to meet your wishes can be implemented Another possibility is to place the house in a trust, where everyone’s rights and obligations can be spelled out In the alternative, a partnership agreement could be put in place

I am very fortunate to work with families that get along great and have their goals aligned, and you appear to possess those good relationships With a good written plan that achieves everyone’s goals, you help to continue that harmony into the future.

Eric P Feichthaler has lived in Cape Coral for over 35 years and graduated from Mariner High School in Cape 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 University in Washington, D C , he returned to Southwest

Florida to practice law and raise a family He served as mayor of Cape Coral from 2005-2008, and continues his service to the community through the Cape Coral Caring Center, Cape Coral Museum of History, and Cape Coral Kiwanis He has been married to his wife, Mary, for over 20 years, and they have four children together He earned his board certification in Real Estate Law from the Florida Bar He is AV Preeminent rated by Martindale-Hubbell for professional ethics and legal ability, and is a Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator. He can be reached at eric@capecoralattorney com, or 239-542-4733

This article is general in nature and not intended as legal advice to anyone Individuals should seek legal counsel before acting on any matter of legal rights and obligations

Luxury home sales: Totals in Cape Coral decline over first quarter

From page 14

above has more than doubled

As far as the number of Cape Coral homes currently under contract with buyers as pending sales are concerned, as of April 11 there were 915 overall pending sales ranging in price from $175,000 to $3 9 million in the pipeline waiting to be finalized as closed sales This includes 48 homes under contract at $1 million and above, which equals a market share of 5 2 percent of all pending sales in the Cape So this is just a tick above, and largely in line with the 5 1 percent first quarter market share of closed luxury home sales as noted in the fourth paragraph of this column One year ago on April 12, 2022, there were 1,024 single-family homes in the Cape under contract with buyers as pending sales, with 83 of these pending sales priced at $1 million and above, equaling a market share of 8 1 percent

The highest-priced closed home sale in Cape Coral during the first quarter of this year was for a 4,380-square-foot home built in 2021 on Bayshore Avenue in the Yacht Club area of the Southeast Cape This was a contemporary custom-built home on a direct sailboat access canal located a

From page 14

picks, this company offers the most of what's included in a rental: protective boards under the dumpster so it never touches a driveway, sweeping up after every job, next day

short distance from the river that was listed for sale on Nov 22, 2022, for $3 25 million and it went under contract with the buyer on Dec. 14, with the sale being finalized at full price on Jan 12 of this year The home was sold turnkey in a cash deal and it featured six bedrooms, including a primary suite with a luxurious bathroom and his and hers boutique closets, along with three separate guest ensuites and two other bedrooms, plus two additional bonus rooms The home has 5 full bathrooms and two half bathrooms The gourmet kitchen featured brilliant blue base cabinets with Quartz Calacatta Monticello countertops and crisp white upper cabinets, along with a large center island, and an oversized wine display case The outdoor entertaining space has a covered grill area and multiple seating areas, along with an open air pool and spa, and a new dock

According to the records, the current seller bought this home unfurnished about a year ago for $2 725 million in March 2022 Back then, the home was initially listed for $3 million on Dec 31, 2021, and the price was reduced to $2 875 million on Feb 15, 2022 The previous seller paid $240,000 for the property back in January 2019, when it included a 1,433-square-foot home built back in 1964 A demolition permit was pulled on this property in June

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2019, followed by a permit for new construction in May 2020, and a new pool and spa permit in January 2021

We expect to see the continued total transformation of the Yacht Club area with new homes replacing the older, smaller and severely damaged homes in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian

The sales data for this article was obtained from the Florida Realtors Multiple Listing Service Matrix for Lee County, Fla , as of April 8, 2023, unless otherwise noted It was compiled by Bob and Geri Quinn and it includes information specifically 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 Quinns are a husband and wife real estate team with the RE/MAX Realty Team office in Cape Coral They have lived in Cape Coral for over 43 years Geri has been a full-time Realtor since 2005, and Bob joined with Geri as a full-time Realtor in 2014 Their real estate practice is mainly focused on Cape Coral residential property and vacant lots

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PHOTO PROVIDED

Breaking ground on the apartment project are, from left, Michele Hylton Terry, Most Rev Frank Dewane, Rick Miller, Jeff Miller, Brian Miller, Rachel Leonard, Mayor Kevin Anderson, Councilman Johnny Streets, Councilwoman Teresa Watkins Brown, Marcus Goodman, Matt Miller, John Raymond

City looks to provide paid leave for organ donors, recipients

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

With a small tweak, Cape Coral City Council will vote during National Donate Life Month on whether to add paid leave for organ donors and recipients for city employees

“I think the positive outweighs the cost

The cost of helping someone in a situation l i k e t h i s h a s n o r e l e v a n c e , ”

Councilmember Dan Sheppard said.

I n t e r i m C i t y M a n a g e r M i c h a e l

Ilczyszyn said after an employee, who is suffering from organ failure, asked what the city offers for employees, it became a researching mission of what other cities, counties and states do to provide and do in

this regard

“Some offer the ability for an organ donor to take leave without using their own leave bank,” he said

Ilczyszyn’s proposal is for the city to provide organ donor leave of two weeks, and one week for bone marrow, which he thought was a step in the right direction

HR & Risk Services Consultant for Gehring Group Nancy Duggan said Florida does not have a state policy, so it is not mandated, leaving more flexibility for counties and cities to do what they prefer for their employees as far as leave

The council members were100 percent behind adding paid leave for a donor, or recipient of an organ donation to match the

federal leave of a month

Councilmember Bill Steinke said it would be an attraction for employees to come to the city with a competitive advantage and motivation for a donor He said he would believe there are many people willing, but unable to because of the financial effect on their family

It might “increase the number of people that could donate that might already be motivated to, or motivate those who have not thought about it before,” Steinke said “I would also be in favor in matching what federal looks like ”

Other council members said adding this benefit for employees might help someone save a life

“If you can help someone, or save someone’s life, you should do the right thing and do that I think the number would rise knowing you have an opportunity in the city to support them,” Councilmember Patty Cumming said

Councilmember Tom Hayden said the real true incentive is saving a life whether you are a donor or recipient He said the paid leave lessens the stress, as the cost may not be as high because they are being paid

“This has so many positives to me at all levels It all comes back to saving a life and that is the most important thing to me,” Hayden said

Diplomat Middle School teacher faces additional charges

From Staff Repor ts

news@breezenewsapers com

A Diplomat Middle School teacher arrested this week after he allegedly sent pictures of his genitalia to a student is facing additional charges after a police review of his cell phone

Joseph Michael Reynolds, 30, of Cape Coral, was charged with transmission of material harmful to a minor on April 7, and on Wednesday, was arrested again at his home “as a result of a forensic download of his cell phone, regarding that investigation as new information was developed,” Cape Coral Police Department officials said Reynolds faces additional charges of: penalties relating to reporting of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect; lewd or lascivious

battery victim age 12-16; obscene communication, use computer to seduce, solicit, lure child; obscenity, prohibition of certain acts in connection with obscene, lewd, etc, materials; and possess, control, view child pornography

Officers from the CCPD initially contacted Reynolds on April 7 after they gained information that he had sent the images, a release from CCPD states

“The Cape Coral Police Department’s Special Victim’s Unit was informed by a School Resource Officer of the possible inappropriate relationship between Mr Reynolds and one of his students,” the release states “This investigation revealed that Mr Reynolds provided the student with his phone number to correspond through text, eventually leading to him sending the photo ”

According to the Diplomat Middle School

website, Reynolds teaches social studies He was hired by the district on Oct 25, 2016

P a r e n t s received notice from the School District of Lee County after both arrests as is required by state statute Each listed the charges

“Please know that The School District of Lee County and law enforcement will handle this matter most appropriately,” the parental notification states

Reynolds was transported to Lee County Jail following his second arrest where he remained in custody late Thursday afternoon Bond has been set at $95,000

He has been suspended from his duties with the district, which is conducting an administrative investigation as well

“We hold our teachers to high expectations and do not tolerate the alleged behavior The teacher is suspended and an investigation is underway Upon its conclusion appropriate actions will be taken Due to the ongoing investigation it is inappropriate to comment further,” district officials said via email Thursday in response to a request for comment.

Joseph Michael Reynolds

COMMUNITY

T HE BREE ZE

APRIL

80’s Ladies Night set for May 18 at Palmetto-Pine Country Club

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

Want to turn back the clock for an evening of fun, frills and fashion?

Breeze Newspapers will present 80’s Ladies Night on May 18 from 6-9 p m at Pal Pine Country Club where all things re are front and center

UF/IFAS

Iguanas are one of Southwest Florida’s fourlegged plant and landscape pests

Four-legged plant pests!

By CATHY DUNN news@breezenewspapers com

Lat month we imagined the unhappy scenario of finding a plant, or plants, in distress in your landscape

Distress might be characterized as holes or tears in the leaves, pieces of the plant on the ground, or even a plant that appears to be defoliated overnight Sometimes this damage is caused by non-beneficial insects, and we learned that insect pests can be identified by the type of damage they cause to plants The same is true of wildlife, or what I refer to as four-legged pests; these pests leave characteristic damage that can help you identify, and hopefully develop strategies to control, the responsible animal

T h e w o r s t a n d m o s t

abundant rodent pest in F l o r i d a i s t h e r o o f r a t

GARDEN

(Rattus rattus, a k a citrus rat, fruit rat, black rat or gray rat). These rats were introduced to America on the first ships that reached the New World, and they are the same species that carried bubonic plague around the world These rats are nocturnal and will usually go unnoticed until their favorite fruits begin to ripen

Characteristic damage in fruits such as citrus, papaya, cantaloupe and watermelon is a circular hole approximately the size of a half dollar, with the whole fruit hollowed out In other fruits such as apples, mangos, peaches and tomatoes, large sections of the fruit will be eaten

Smaller fruits such as blueberries, grapes and strawberries will disappear completely causing some gardeners to blame birds for the damage Roof rats also destroy a significant amount of sugar cane in Florida annually

The rats are tree-dwellers by nature, but will also nest in attics, debris piles or hollow trees; they have also been known to burrow in canal banks and under sidewalks

Prevention of these rats is sometimes difficult as they are good climbers and swimmers, but isolating fruit trees away from trees, wires and other tree branches is a good start

Suggestions for roof rat control/prevention are available from UF/IFAS; search for “controlling roof rats” for detailed strategies

Over the past two decades in more rural/urban areas, the white deer population has increased dramatically, leading deer to damage crops, fruit trees and ornamental plantings Deer are herbivores, and will graze on a wide range of plant material including leaves, buds and stems of woody plants, agricultural crops, fruits and grasses

Because deer do not have upper incisors, they cannot bite through plant tissue but must tear or jerk plants, leaving telltale ragged ends on stems and leaves Other signs of deer activity include distinctive tracks, droppings and the height of plant damage, which can be up

See FOUR-LEGGED PESTS, page 18

Attendees will be treated to an entertaining night of shopping, danci n g , s i n g i n g , h o r s d ’ o e u v r e s a n d drinks

“Who doesn’t love to remember a time in our lives that has great memories, and do it with friends?” said B r e e z e N e w s p a p e r s A d v e r t i s i n Director Laurie Ragle “The music will great, the food will be great and the line vendors will make the shopping great ”

Attendees are encouraged to bring a pal for some “girl time” and enjoy an ’80s-themed costume contest, karaoke, and door prizes

Attendees of the 80’s Ladies event will start off by receiving a swag bag of goodies from local businesses There will be lots of small bite foods as well as a cash bar Each attendee gets a drink ticket with their entry

One lucky attendee will go home with a three-day, two-

night travel package, and a $100 gift card to a local business for the lady with the best ’80s attire

“Remember ’80s hair?” Ragle said “The higher the hair, the closer to god ”

Vendors at the event will include: Color Street il Mary Kay, Your CBD Store, Pure mance, Jenmar Skincare, Hotworx and Azul Cosmetic Surgery and Medical Spa More vendors are being added daily

“If you have a business that caters to women, you can be a vendor but tables are running out so call soon,” Ragle said

T i c k e t s a r e a v a i l a b l e a t Brownpapertickets com by searching “80’s Ladies ” kets are $30 in advance until April 28; $35 from April 29 until May 17; and $40 at door on the day of the event

The Breeze also is welcoming a few more vendors to set up at the event Call Ragle at 239-574-3403 or send an email to lragle@breezenewspapers com for details

Palmetto-Pine Country Club is at 1940 Southwest 9th Court in Cape Coral

Connect with this reporter on Twitter: @haddad cj

Gulf Coast Writers Association to host workshop this

Saturday

Group to provide help to those looking to share Hurricane Ian stories

Do you want to record your memories of Hurricane Ian? Then plan to attend Gulf Coast Writers Association’s meeting this Saturday, April 15, at 10 a m , at the Word of Life Church in Fort Myers, for an in-person workshop to help all those involved -- survivors, first aid workers, families and all others who lived through one of America’s worst storms -- develop their stories about the Ian experience

Prose or poetry or whatever the favored writing style, the only rule is that the experience must be true -- or, for essayists and poets, mostly true

Jeanne Meeks and Mary Charles will be conducting memoir workshops at the event They’ll share some of their writing experience and advice, along with some challenging exercises at the meeting, a fast-paced hour in which participants will each develop or refine a story about the Sept 28, 2022, storm

“The stories we write on Saturday will become part of

Keep Lee County Beautiful Inc hosted its 25th Great American Cleanup with volunteers working across the county to help as Southwest Florida continues to rebuild after Hurricane Ian Over 650 volunteers at 27 locations participated in community, beach, roadside and waterway cleanups and removed over 14,000 pounds of litter and debris from the environment

The Keep America Beautiful Great American Cleanup is the nation’s largest community improvement program

Each year, the Great American Cleanup engages millions of volunteers and participants who take action in their local communities to create positive change and lasting impact

“Last year obviously provided new challenges to Lee County Hurricane Ian left an impact on every corner of our county,” said Keep Lee County Beautiful Executive Director Trish Fancher “Over the last six months we have learned that providing opportunities for individuals to get involved to feel like they are able to make a difference in the efforts has been almost therapeutic for many. Keep Lee

the permanent record of Hurricane Ian,” said Mary Charles, GCWA vice president "We’re creating an anthology of storm stories to be printed before the anniversary of Ian’s visit In partnership with the Alliance for the Arts, we intend to have this book on display and for sale during their planned month-long exhibit in September 2023 ”

Because it’s a hands-on workshop, attendance will be in-person only There will not be a Zoom component this time Word of Life Church is at 6111 South Pointe Blvd in Fort Myers

Note: Google maps or your GPS may direct you to the back of the building The entrance to the parking lot is on South Point Boulevard between Quigley Eye Specialists and Buckets Restaurant

Founded in 1995 and incorporated in 2004, the Gulf Coast Writers Association, Inc provides a forum for fellowship, education and information for writers GCWA’s website is https://gulfwriters org/

County Beautiful has hosted volunteers from all over the country simply wanting to help ”

The mission of Keep Lee County Beautiful is to inspire, educate and engage the Lee County community in improving, beautifying and protecting the environment KLCB plans volunteer events and education programs that help to clean, enhance and protect shorelines, beaches and waterways; remove litter and debris from roadways and public spaces; and reduce waste and improve recycling

This year Keep Lee County Beautiful,a private/nonprofit organization with 501 (c)(3) status, celebrated its 34th anniversary serving Lee County Each year KLCB works with over 5,000 volunteers and (pre-Ian) was hosting over 400 community projects a year Keep Lee County Beautiful is truly grateful for all the volunteers and community partners and is proud to be a part of our community working together to make Lee County beautiful Visit www klcb org or call 239-334-3488 to find out how to get involved and support KLCB and their efforts.

Pilot Club of Fort Myers, CCPD to hold shredding event

The Pilot Club of Fort Myers and the Cape Coral Police Department are cooperating in holding a shredding event Saturday, April 29 The event will be held at the Cape Coral Police Department, 1100 Cultural Park Blvd , across from Cape Coral City Hall, between 9 a m and noon

Individuals will be on hand to help drivers unload their boxes to be shredded All shredding will occur on site Proceeds of the event will be donated to the Cape Coal Project Lifesaver Program and the Pilot Club.

Donations of $5 per box to be shredded are suggested There should be no binder clips or paper clips attached to paper being shredded

The Project Lifesaver program is a partnership of the Cape Coral Police Department and the Pilot Club of Fort Myers The club is a major source of income to support the program This is a program where equipment is always in need of replacement due to wear and tear and advancements in technology Individuals who tend to wander wear a personalized wristband that emits a tracking signal

W h e n c a r e g i v e r s n o t i f y t h e C a p e C o r a l P o l i c e Department that the person is missing, a search and rescue team responds to the wanderer’s area and starts searching with a mobile locator tracking system Search times have been reduced from hours and days to minutes

A representative of the police department maintains contact with the individuals

The focus of the Pilot Club of Fort Myers is helping organizations seeking to improve the quality of life for individuals with brain-related disorders through volunteer activities, education, and financial support The club name came from a riverboat pilot who could steer safely through troubled waters The club’s motto is “do more, care more, and be more ”

For additional information about the Pilot Club, contact the president, Patsy Tortora, at 239-437-0766, or rptortora@aol com

Four-legged pests: Insects aren’t the only problems for your garden

From page 17

to 6 feet These signs will rule out most other animal pests There are many control strategies that you can employ to discourage deer, including selective planting, repellents and fencing Specific information is available from UF/IFAS in the publication “Florida’s White-tailed Deer” which is available online

While rabbits are adorable little creatures, they can wreak havoc on your landscape Rabbits generally feed at night, and their damage is easy to identify Their strong teeth result in a clean cut rather than the jagged tears that other animal pests might produce I have had small shrubs practically mowed down overnight, with the adjacent ground littered with cleanly cut branches as if someone had snipped them with scissors Other telltale signs of rabbit presence include digging, tufts of hair and small peasized droppings scattered throughout the garden. To control rabbits, you can try repellents or chicken wire fencing Information on controlling rabbits can be found in the UF/IFAS series: “Managing Nuisance Wildlife in Your Yard ”

Iguanas can cause serious damage to landscapes, consuming plant foliage, flowers and fruit and even damaging hardscapes They leave telltale feces scattered in areas

where they bask in the sun and can also dig burrows under plants and structures Iguanas' favorite plants include squashes, melons, mangos and hibiscus You can protect your plants with cages or enclosures, and by growing plants that iguanas dislike, such as milkweed, citrus and oleander UF/IFAS provides guidelines for capture and removal on their website

And finally, for a bit of whimsy, I’ve recently learned of two other types of four-legged plant pests – or should I say "pets?" Two friends who have recently added hybrid tropical hibiscus to their gardens noticed that buds that were just about to open were being nibbled; they blamed rabbits for the damage But the little pests were soon caught in the act – Lily the cat, and Kirby James the French Bulldog They can’t seem to resist the beautiful flowers – thank goodness they aren’t toxic!

Kirby James with his favorite plants!

SUBMITTED BY ERIN BERGEM

Scientists’ Society of Southwest Florida’s annual dinner to highlight area students and their science fair projects

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

Thirteen students have been invited to attend the Scientists’ Society of Southwest Florida annual dinner to present their science fair projects before its members

President and Scholarship Chair Trudy Sampson said the society holds an annual student/teacher recognition dinner

This year the event will be held at Heritage Palms Golf & Country Club next Thursday, April 20 The dinner meeting is open to the public for $32 per person Reservations and advanced payment can be made at www science-swfl org

The featured speaker is Dr. Derek Buzasi, Whitaker Eminent Scholar, College of Arts and Sciences, Florida Gulf Coast University, whose topic will be “Behind the Veils of Dust and Time: Science with the James Webb Space Telescope,” launched just over two years ago as the successor to the Hubble

“Every year we do this event Our organization judges a lot of science fairs during the year for different schools in Lee County,” she said “We have been doing it for 20 something years, or more ”

Every year, Sampson said they have key teachers who conduct the science fairs and choose some of their best students with their science projects to attend the meeting to present to the society’s board before the meeting starts

“Our members go around and look at the boards It gives members a good opportunity to see what is happening in schools and students (the opportunity) to present their science fair to scientists,” she said “We are encoura g i n g t h e m W e a l s o g i v e t h e m s c i e n c e f e e d b a c k

Everybody loves the annual meeting ”

She said it is a very good experience to help the students with their presentation skills and self-confidence.

This year nine schools will attend the meeting with 13 kids presenting their science fair projects

“I love working with the kids, to see how smart they are and how hard they work,” she said, adding this a reason she enjoys the annual dinner “The teachers are amazing and do all of this work on their own It’s very encouraging, I think, to see the kids doing all of this work ”

Teachers and students:

■ Bonita Springs Middle School for the Arts: Marilyn Stevens and Michael Dougherty

■ Canterbury: Kati Morris and Mehereen Chowdhury

■ Classical Conversation New Hope: Janet Fadayomi and Bridget Springer

■ Community School of Naples: Michael Carpenter and Adrian Deoarine and Michael Carpenter and Josie Byers

■ Dunbar High School: Catherine Griffin and Advaith

Menon

■ Lehigh Acres Middle School: Angela Goicoechea and Anne Levesque and Alejandra Quintana

■ Oak Hammond: Andrew Urnezis and Charlie DellaLuna and Emma Yancy

■ Oasis Elementary North: Christi Llanes and Zoe Molina

■ Oasis Elementary South: Tina Pink and Ava Larson and Aleczander Santos

■ St Andrew: Jim Less and Sephora Esperance

“The best science fair projects are projects where the kids are interested in something,” Sampson said

In addition, two $2,000 scholarships will be given to students

The students include Donatty Lemieux from Cape Coral Technical College and Autumn Pepper Rhodes from Cypress Lake High School

“We used to have them come to our website and fill out this huge form It wasn’t the best way to do it,” Sampson said “We work with the teachers that we have done science fairs in the past We pick one, or two schools and let the teacher and guidance counselor pick the person. They know who is excelling in the field and wants to go to college ”

This is the first year a student was chosen from Cape Coral Technical College in the IT technology field

The Scientists’ Society of Southwest Florida has provided more than $35,000 for STEM education

“Our focus is really middle school to get them excited,” Sampson said “Studies show that is where they get interested in science Our goal is to get kids excited about STEM It is an exciting thing ”

Edison and Ford Winter Estates’ robotics teams win awards at the Florida State Championships

The Edison and Ford Winter Estates' FIRST LEGO

m b l y R e q u i r e d ” a n d “Batteries Included” competed in the Florida State Championship on April 1, at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville “Assembly Required” won third place for the Robot Performance Award with the third highest score at the tournament and third place for the Robot Design Award “Batteries Included” won the Rising All Star Award and the fifth highest robot score

Each team has nine students in fourth through ninth grade from 13 different schools in two counties. The teams practice weekly and work together on innovative projects to prepare for competition The “Assembly Required” team will compete at the FIRST LEGO League World Robotics Festival in Houston, Texas, along with

Pearce Augustenborg, education coordinator and robotics team coach at Edison and Ford Winter Estates, holding the 2023 Florida state Coach and Mentor Award

the top 108 teams from around the World, April 19-22 The teams' coach and education coordinator at EFWE, Pearce Augustenborg, was honored with the Florida State Coach and Mentor Award for the second year in a row

“The teams’ resilience and perseverance have certainly been tested, despite some significant chall e n g e s t h r o u g h o u t t h e s e a s o n , ” s a i d P e a r c e Augustenborg “Hurricane Ian flooded the garage bay in the Edison caretaker's house, so practice was put on hold for a month.”

To help fund the trip to Texas, EFWE is accepti n g d o n a t i o n s T o d o n a t e t o d a y , v i s i t EdisonFord org and select the education option on the donate page, or call 239-334-7419 The roboti c s p r o g r a m i s c u r r e n t l y s p o n s o r e d b y T L C Engineering Solutions, Ronin Riding Club of SWFL, Scientists Society of SWFL, Blue Waters Development Group, Florida Power & Light, Lee C o u n t y E l e c t r

Bank, Matco Tools, ESG Kullen Communities, and AMR Painting

Edison and Ford Winter Estates

Edison and Ford Winter Estates is the internationally known winter home site of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford More than 220,000 visitors walk through the location each year from all around the globe The organization has received many awards, including the National Stewardship Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the N

PHOTO PROVIDED The Edison and Ford Winter Estates robotics team, “Batteries Included,” poses with their Rising All Star Award at the Florida State Championship

Busscher finalist for Florida Related Employee of the Year

The School District of Lee County has announced that James Busscher, building supervisor at Franklin Park Elementary School, is a finalist for Florida School Related Employee of the Year Busscher was named the School District of Lee County’s School Related Employee of the Year in December and entered into the state competition

“It is an honor, privilege and a blessing to be a finalist,” Busscher said “I am truly grateful and happy to have the honor to r e p r e s e n t t h e S c h o o l D i s t r i c t o f L e e County I am just one part of the puzzle that makes Franklin Park great!”

This state program recognizes outstanding education support personnel for the significant contributions they make to their schools and district school systems The program honors one state representative and four finalists The winner will be announced later this spring

Busscher was nominated for the district award by his school administrators for his hard work and dedication to the school, students and staff at Franklin Park Known as “Mr James” on campus, he maintains a safe and clean school while also creating a welcoming environment In addition to serving as building supervisor, Busscher is the co-sponsor of the school’s Young Gentlemen’s Club where he teaches 4th and 5th graders the importance of a strong work ethic and engages them in community service projects

“Our Franklin Park school family is very proud of Mr James Busscher,” said Principal Michelle Freeman. “He goes above and beyond to support all staff, stu-

EDUCATION NOTES

dents, families and community It is a well-deserved honor ”

Busscher began his career with the School District as a head custodian in 2014 Due to his work with students through the Young Gentlemen’s Club and some small group instruction he is considering becoming a teacher

The district has had one recent winner of Florida School Related Employee of the Year In 2014, James Lefko was honored for his work as the food service manager at Bayshore Elementary School

Four finalists announced for FGCU presidential search

F l o r i d a G u l f C o a s t U n i v e r s i t y ’ s Presidential Search Advisory Committee is recommending four finalists be considered by the Board of Trustees for the university’s top position, with final public interviews scheduled May 4

The finalists are:

■ Henry Mack III, Ed D – senior chancellor, Florida Department of Education

■ Neil J MacKinnon, Ph D – executive vice president for Academic Affairs and provost, Augusta University

■ Joseph A “Jay” Morgan, Ph D –president, Morehead State University

■ Aysegul Timur, Ph D – vice president and vice provost for Strategy and Program Innovation, Florida Gulf Coast University

“FGCU’s search committee members have risen once more to the challenge of ensuring our finalists reflect the interests of our various stakeholders and the visions they have for the future of FGCU,” said E d w a r d M o r t o n , t h e c h a i r o f t h e Presidential Search Advisory Committee

and vice chair of the Board of Trustees

“Throughout this year-long process, our committee has approached the task at hand with unparalleled dedication and sincerity, and I am proud of the passion, candor and thoughtfulness they brought to the table ”

Information submitted by each finalist through the application process can be found on FGCU’s presidential search website, www fgcu edu/presidentialsearch All other candidate information will remain e x e m p t a n d c o n f i d e n t i a l , a c c o r d i n g t o

Section 1004 098, Florida Statutes

In the coming weeks, finalists will spend a full day on campus and conduct public forums to engage with students, faculty, staff and community stakeholders FGCU will share the details for public meet-and-greets as they are arranged by executive search firm Greenwood Asher & Associates

Final interviews will take place May 4 during a public meeting of the FGCU Board of Trustees A selection will be made at the conclusion of the meeting, with the president-elect going before the Board of Governors on May 10 for confirmation as FGCU’s fifth president

According to the search timeline, the transfer of duties is expected to take place July 1, following the retirement of President Mike Martin He took office at FGCU in 2017 and is retiring after dedicating more than five decades to higher education

TD Bank donates $150,000 to SBDC at FGCU

to area small businesses to help them recover from Hurricane Ian The contribution will greatly assist the SBDC at FGCU in its mission to help local small businesses grow and succeed

“We are incredibly grateful for the supp o r t o f t h e T D B a n k , ” s a i d D o r i a n Zwierewicz, regional director of the SBDC at FGCU “This donation will make a significant impact in our community, helping us to support small businesses affected by Hurricane Ian and provide essential technical assistance and training opportunities to help them recover and thrive We are honored to partner with TD in this effort ”

The SBDC at FGCU is a member of the Florida SBDC Network, a statewide partnership between higher education and economic development organizations dedicated to providing emerging and established businesses with confidential, no-cost consulting and resources to help them grow and succeed The SBDC at FGCU has served southwest Florida businesses in C h a r l o t t e , L e e , C o l l i e r , H e n d r y , a n d Glades counties since its inception in 1997

"TD Bank is proud to stand with SBDC at FGCU as they work to assist small businesses in the recovery effort following Hurricane Ian,” said Nick Miceli, regional president, Metro Florida, TD Bank “We know that small businesses are the backbone of our communities and we are committed to helping them achieve economic success ”

For more about the SBDC at FGCU, visit www fsbdcswfl org For more inform a t i o n a b o u t t h e T D C h a r i t a b l e Foundation, visit www td com/us/en/about -us/communities/ready-commitment/funding-opportunities/td-charitable-foundation.

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

Cape plants 60 trees at Cultural Park to mark Arbor Day

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

In honor of a day when the world is encouraged to plant trees, the city of Cape Coral, in partnership with two national entities, did that at one local park

With the support of the Arbor Day Foundations Community Tree Recovery program and Verizon, the city planted 60 trees at Cultural Park Wednesday despite rainy conditions

The Arbor Day Foundation named Cape Coral a 2023 Verizon Tree Planting recipient this past January City officials said this will fund the volunteer planting of 60 trees to recover the tree canopy lost to Hurricane Ian

“Our city’s urban tree canopy is a vital component of the city’s green infrastructure,” said city arborist Omar Leon “Replacing fallen or dead trees is part of a sustain-

able urban forestry program and will allow us to continue building a healthy and vibrant tree canopy ”

T h e A r b o r D a y F o u n d a t i o n ’ s C o m m u n i t y T r e e Recovery program, a national program underwritten by FedEx and foundation members, aims to replace trees in communities affected by natural disasters throughout the United States The program has held more than 1,050 events, distributing more than 5 3 million trees since its inception

“We plant trees for many different reasons; they clean the air, purify the water, provide a home for wildlife, etc.,” stated Dan Lambe, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation, in a prepared statement “We can also plant trees to restore hope to a community that is healing We believe in the hope planting a tree provides for the future ”

City begins restoration work on Iwo Jima statue

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

Restoration of Cape Coral's most iconic statue and true piece of American history started this week

Improvements and acts of preservation to the Iwo Jima Memorial at Veteran’s Memorial at Four Mile Cove Ecological Preserve got under way Tuesday, with city officials saying the restoration process is anticipated to take a minimum of six weeks. This is the first time the monument has been rehabilitated since 2011

Officials said work “must” be completed before rain season to ensure the statue cures properly Visitors of the area can expect to see scaffolding and trucks on site

“Cape Coral is proud to be a Purple Heart City and one that honors its Veterans,” said city spokesperson Kaitlyn Mullen via email “We recognize that these monuments are places where our community can gather to pay homage to those who served their country or paid the ultimate price We are proud to ensure these sites are preserved for future generations to enjoy ”

City officials said AGG Restorations is completing the restoration, which is funded by Parks & Recreation and is completed on an annual basis to ensure the monument is well-maintained

The Battle of Iwo Jima spanned from Feb 19 March 26, 1945, where the United States Marine Corps and Navy eventually captured the island of Iwo Jima after thousands of casualties from the Imperial Japanese Army The battle is said to have involved some of the most fierce and bloody battles of the Pacific War of World War II

Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal captured his iconic photo of five United States Marines and a U S Navy corpsman raising the United States flag atop Mount Suribachi on Feb 23, 1945 That image was transformed into a statue thanks to sculptor Felix de Weldon and sits in Arlington, Virginia, dedicated in 1954

The memorial at Veteran’s Memorial at Four Mile Cove Ecological Preserve features just one of three original, one-third-scale models the two others being in Liberty, Virginia and Parris Island, South Carolina

The 20-foot statue was originally placed at the Rose Garden in 1965, commissioned by community founders, Jack and Leonard Rosen, before being moved to North First Bank in 1980 In 1998, it was moved to its current location in Four Mile Cove Ecological Park at 2500 Southeast 24th St , along the then-newly constructed Midpoint Memorial Bridge

Since 2009, Verizon has planted more than 13 9 million trees in 22 countries and 37 states, with a goal to plant 20 million trees by 2030

A s f o r t h e l o c a t i o n o f t h e p l a n t i n g , L e o n s a i d ,

"Cultural Park will be a cultural hub for the city and is set to hold many exciting events in the future Trees provide us with many benefits, including social and cultural benefits Trees build community identity and improve community cohesiveness We hope to see these newly-planted trees contribute to the surrounding community " For more information or to donate to recovery efforts supported by this campaign or others nationwide, visit www.arborday.org/recovery.

Connect with this reporter on Twitter: @haddad cj

City replacing recycling, trash toter containers

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

As the city of Cape Coral continues the process of replenishing trash totes across the community, officials remind residents they are only eligible if their receptacle was lost or damaged during Hurricane Ian

Last Tuesday, city officials started putting together the first shipment of replacement totes (roughly 1,000) to be delivered to residents who had reported a loss or damage Cape Coral Solid Waste Manager Terry Schweitzer said there will be roughly 10,000 replacement totes coming into the city

Based on reported data collected over the last five months from residents via Waste Pro and the city itself, officials were able to create a list of what locations need replacement bins, be it for trash, recyclables or both Totes will be delivered based on collection day

“That way, an area will get all of their carts roughly at the same time,” Schweitzer said

Schweitzer said the total cost for the replacement totes comes in just under $700,000 and will hopefully be reimbursed by FEMA He said all carts should be delivered by the end of April

Schweitzer added it took the five months to get the carts because the city wanted to build a thorough list of those who would need new ones

“It would have been more time consuming to actually go around and poll and look and see where carts were missing or who was missing carts,” Schweitzer said “As people came back from up north, or that had evacuated, noticed they didn't have a cart and reported it It was to build that inventory ”

Both Schweitzer and interim City Manager Mike Ilczyszyn said since the storm, residents have been putting out trash in different kinds of bins/bags, and that that practice will still be acceptable until replacement bins are delivered

“Today marks a point where we can get back to that uniform look that's clean, and really is safer for the residents,” Ilczyszyn said

Residents that would like to report a damaged or missing cart or replacement, as well as abandoned carts in lots or canals, can call 311 or Waste Pro directly at 239-3370800

Connect with this reporter on Twitter: @haddad cj

Sign stolen over 40 years ago returned to Mucky Duck on Captiva

By TIFFANY REPECKI trepecki@breezenewspapers.com

The Mucky Duck on Captiva recently got a surprise in the mail: a sign stolen over 40 years ago

I n t h e l a s t w e e k i n M a r c h , o w n e r

Andreas Bieri stopped by the Captiva Post Office, where there was a large flat package waiting for the Mucky Duck from “ A m e n d s M a k e r ” i n D u r h a m , N e w

Hampshire

“We were all curious, so we said, 'Let's open it up and see,'” he said

Bieri and the postmaster made their way next door to the Bank of the Islands to open the mystery package because the bank has more space What they discovered inside was a surprise to all

It was an old wooden sign that read: “ENGLISH STYLE PUB CLOSED SUN ”

“We were all, 'Wow, look at this This is amazing,'” he said

Included with the sign was a letter that explained the sender's parents had lived on Sanibel in the 1970s and they would occasionally receive visits from their northernresiding teen and college-age children

“'The Duck' was a favorite of theirs,” the sender shared

The sender spoke to Hurricane Ian and the suffering Sanibel-Captiva has experienced because of it, noting that it was wonderful to see “the community spirit gather to raise the phoenix” despite it

“In that spirit, the enclosed perhaps helps to restore a piece of the past to what is now your future,” the sender added

The sender continued that according to the sign's “origin story,” back in the late '70s a restaurant colleague of a sibling, “on a no-doubt well-lubricated night,” thought it was a good idea to acquire a distinctive piece of property from an icon “and the enclosed disappeared from your premises ”

The sender reported that the “property” changed hands over time to the point that they cannot even remember how or when it ended up with their stuff that moved from one residence to another.

“Fast forward some 5 decades, and with the horrid hurricane as context, I read an article about cultural appropriation, e g , the British Museum not returning the Elgin Marbles In that moment, I swore to see the enclosed was repatriated to its rightful

owners,” the sender wrote

“If there's a statute of limitations on receiving stolen property, perhaps it has

passed but this return at least assuages my guilt for harboring what is yours,” the sender added “Keep it away from future knuckleheads!”

Bieri described the saga as “obviously funny” and noted that “these things happen ”

“I thought it was cute It really is,” he said “I wish I could get in touch with them ”

As far as how The Mucky Duck is recovering post-storm, the restaurant has reopened with limited hours and a limited menu There were quite a few things to fix, including gas and electric lines

“It took us four months at least from the storm to get things back in order,” Bieri said “The biggest thing was getting rid of all the sand beneath the building In some places it was 2 to 3 feet high ”

There is still some work to do, like r e b u i l d i n g t h e i r o u t s i d e b a r t h a t w a s destroyed

“We're almost back to normal,” he said “It's not 100 percent, but at least we're getting there ”

The Mucky Duck is at 11546 Andy Rosse Lane, Captiva

Ribbon-cutting April 27 to celebrate Burnt Store Road project completion

Lee County will be holding a ribboncutting ceremony at 10 a m , Thursday, April 27, to celebrate the completion of a priority project to widen and add amenities to 4 5 miles of Burnt Store Road from Pine Island Road north to Van Buren Parkway

The event, which will include comment

The Tier 1 project of the Lee Board of County Commissioners expands the formerly two-lane road to four lanes with a 5foot sidewalk on the west side and a 10-

foot multi-use path on the east

In addition to improving everyday travel for motorists, bicycles and pedestrians, the roadway provides an enhanced evacuation route during hurricane season

The expansion project was completed in three stages, beginning in 2015

lighting and a 5-foot-wide on-road bike lane in each direction

People unable to attend the event can watch it on Facebook Live, https://www facebook com/leecountyflbocc

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

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Lee County Recovery Task Force sets town hall meetings

First session scheduled for Wednesday

The Lee County Recovery Task Force will host a series of 16 town hall meetings from April 19 through May 11 giving residents, leaders and businesses throughout the Southwest Florida community an opportunity to learn about the work of the Recovery Task Force and provide input on what is needed to repair and rebuild more resilient to future hazards residents may face

One of the goals of ResilientLee, the public-facing aspect of the Lee County Recovery Task Force, is community engagement Beginning April 19, the Recovery Task Force will host a series of countywide town hall meetings to engage residents

The meetings are scheduled to last two hours and i n c l u d e f a c i l i t a t e d d i s c u s s i o n s t o e n c o u r a g e p u b l i c

involvement in the recovery-planning process

Meeting dates and times will vary to encourage participation and increase accessibility There will be 14 inperson town hall meetings, one virtual town hall offered in English, one virtual town hall offered in Spanish and five additional in-person town halls with Spanish-language options

The schedule, location details and more information can be found at www resilientlee com Residents can also f o l l o w u s o n F a c e b o o k @ R e s i l i e n t L e e F L , T w i t t e r @ResilientLee, and Instagram @ ResilientLee FL

The Recovery Task Force, led by Commissioner Kevin Ruane, was created as an advisory committee to the Lee Board of County Commissioners in response to the devastating effects of Hurricane Ian, which made landfall Sept 28, 2022

The task force consists of 13 leaders from across the c o u n t y , i n c l u d i n g m a y o r s o f m u n i c i p a l j u r i s d i c t i o n s within Lee County, as well as representatives from the school district, fire, law enforcement and other public agencies Using the Federal Emergency Management Agency National Disaster Recovery Framework, the Recovery Task Force consists of eight branches that bring together public, private, and non-profit sector subject matter experts

To request an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication or a reasonable modification to participate, contact, info@resilientlee com or Florida Relay Service 711 Accommodation(s) will be provided at no cost to the requestor Requests should be made at least five business days in advance

Local economic report: ‘All cylinders are clicking’

The Horizon Council, Horizon Foundation and Lee County Economic Development Office issued a State of the Economy report at the recent annual meeting showin g p o s itiv e g a in s a c r o s s n e a r ly e v e r y measurable economic indicator

The broad overview of Lee County’s economy came after Hurricane Ian’s landfall dealt what could have been a significant setback for the region Instead, the storm had the opposite impact

“Our community is stronger than any storm,” said Sanibel Mayor Holly Smith, president of the Horizon Foundation “We have seen the very best come out across this community ”

Local business leaders presented an o v e r v i e w o f k e y e c o n o m i c i n d i c a t o r s s h o w i n g a c r o s s - t h e - b o a r d g r o w t h f r o m

2021 to 2022:

■ Population: +3 3%

■ Total Employed: +5 1%

■ Median Family Income: +15 7%

■ Number of Businesses: +5 9%

■ Residential Building Permits: +3 4%

■ Sales Tax Collections: +10 0%

■ Bed Tax Collection: +24 7%

“Our community is stronger than any storm. We have seen the very best come out across this community.”

Sanibel Mayor Holly Smith, president of the Horizon Foundation

■ Airport Passenger Traffic: +0 2%

■ Active Business Licenses: +13 5%

Meanwhile, Lee County’s unemployment rate dropped from 4 2% in 2021 to 2 9% in 2022, and builders completed 1 5 million square feet of commercial space in 2022

“ A l l c y l i n d e r s a r e c l i c k i n g f o r L e e County’s economy, and we expect that positive growth to continue into 2023 and b e y o n d , ” s a i d S t e v e n s C o n s t r u c t i o n P r e s i d e n t M a r k S t e v e n s , c h a i r o f t h e Horizon Council “We have an extremely favorable business climate in Lee County, and survey after survey place the region among the 10 most desirable places to live and work in America ”

F o u r i s s u e s w e r e n o t e d a s o n g o i n g challenges moving forward: (1) workforce development; (2) workforce housing; (3) business recruitment; and (4) hurricane

recovery

Also at the annual meeting, which was held Feb 28 at Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre in Fort Myers, four individuals were presented with awards recognizing t h e i r c o m m i t m e n t t o e n h a n c i n g L e e County’s economy:

■ B r i a n H a m m a n r e c e i v e d s p e c i a l recognition for his services as the Lee County Board of County Commissioners liaison to the Horizon Council in 2022

■ Bj Brundage and Russell Schropp were presented The David Barton Legacy Award for their dedicated service as members of the Horizon Council

■ Dilman Thomas was presented with an award of special recognition for his continued support, guidance and leaders h i p i n e n s u r i n g t h a t t h e H o r i z o n Foundation leaves a lasting legacy in Lee County

Additionally, the three organizations recognized top investors that are supporting Lee County’s economic development activities:

■ Visionary Investors: Industrial Dev e l o p m e n t A u t h o r i t y a n d B l u e W a t e r s Development Group

■ Horizon Investors: Lee Health and Wells Fargo

■ C o r n e r s t o n e I n v e s t o r s : B a n k o f A m e r i c a , C o m c a s t / C o m c a s t B u s i n e s s , Cushman & Wakefield, Fifth Third Bank, H e n d e r s o n F r a n k l i n A t t o r n e y s a t L a w , Lake Michigan Credit Union, Regions, Seagate Development Group, Teco and TriCircle Pavers

Leadership succession was announced as Smith was installed as president of the H o r i z o n F o u n d a t i o n , a n d S t e v e n s w a s installed as chair of the Horizon Council Christopher Spiro takes the position of immediate past president and was awarded the coveted “rocking chair ”

For more information, visit LeeCountyB u s i n e s s c o m / H o r i z o n F o u n d a t i o n o r H o r i z o n C o u n c i l F o u n d a t i o n c o m , o r c a l l 239-533-6800

Haitian-American Community Coalition of SW Florida to host Haitian Heritage Family Fun Day May 13 at The Rock Church of Fort Myers

Americans and to give a voice to this “indivisible demographic ”

to 3

, at The Rock Church of Fort Myers, 940 Tarpon St , Fort Myers

The mission of HACC is to promote social justice and human rights for Haitian

A variety of exciting activities have been scheduled, including bounce houses for the children, music and dance performances, and a special presentation by Dr Arthur Boyer on Haitian history

There are currently 20 vendors signed up to participate and provide on-site serv-

ices that day. If you would like to be a vendor, please contact the coalition at 239-202-8955

There is a $100 vendor registration fee

Please make checks payable to Haitian American Community Coalition of SW Florida The mailing address is 3949 Evans Ave , Suite 304, Fort Myers, FL 33901

Sponsorship donations are needed to cover the cost of a pole tent and folding chairs

All of the sponsors will be recognized throughout the event

O r g a n i z e r s a n t i c i p a t e a b o u t 5 0 0 t o 1,000 people will be in attendance for the celebration

Caloosa Trains and Hobbies to open Fort Myers location

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

A popular Cape Coral hobby shop is expanding and will open a location in Fort Myers

Caloosa Trains and Hobbies, Southwest Florida’s Hobby Central, (Future Hobbies, Inc ) this past week announced the opening of a second location at the Shoppes at Pelican Preserve at 10580 Colonial Blvd in Fort Myers

Caloosa Trains and Hobbies of Fort M y e r s , S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a ’ s E x c l u s i v e TRAXXAS dealer, officially opens the doors on its new 1,500-square-foot Fort Myers store, Saturday, April 15, featuring an expansive selection of R/C vehicles, parts, planes, boats, model kits, including

repair and a healthy selection of all gauges of model trains

“I'm very excited, as this new Caloosa Trains and Hobbies of Fort Myers location is a chance to serve customers in Fort Myers and Lehigh and surrounding areas that have been patronizing the Cape Coral s t o r e , ” s a i d C E O / P r e s i d e n t o f F u t u r e Hobbies Inc Vincent Stephen “We're going to make it a little easier for them ”

S t e p h e n a d d e d C a l o o s a T r a i n s a n d Hobbies already serves a large number of Lee and Collier county customers, whom they hope will enjoy the convenience of this second full-service store Customers will have access to well-seasoned brand names like Lionel, TRAXXAS, Hobby R e c r e a t i o n P r o d u c t s , R e d C a t , A m a i n

Hobbies and many others

“It’s perfect complement to our 5,000square-foot Cape Coral store and our 10,000-square-foot indoor/outdoor racing R/C center,” Stephen said

To celebrate its newest location and customers, Caloosa Trains and Hobbies of Fort Myers will enjoy a “We Cover the Sales Tax Week,” April 15 through April 22 Grand opening week also features a live broadcast Monday, April 17, from 69 a m , with 92 5 Fox News’ Drew Steele

During his show the store will be open with special savings and customers can register to win either a TRAXXAS Sledge, an Area 51 LIONEL Train set or a Tamiya motorized tank

Stephen said a lot of people in the hobby world enjoy a hands-on experience,

one that Caloosa Trains and Hobbies can provide in spades

“In our particular industry, people like the feel and touch -- the here and now,” Stephen said “They want to see what they're buying as opposed to going online ”

Future Hobbies, Inc owns and operates C a l o o s a T r a i n s a n d H o b b i e s o f C a p e C o r a l , w h i c h i n c l u d e s t h e f u l l - s e r v i c e hobby store and a 10,000-square- foot indoor/outdoor R/C racing track, located at 1490 N E Pine Island Road in Cape Coral

“The RC Park is located close to the shop and we hold events and races all the time so our customers have a place to go to try out their cars,” Stephen said For additional information, please visit www caloosatrainsandhobbies com

Lee BIA Builders Care announces final lineup for Saturday’s BBQ, Bands & Brew in Fort Myers

Lee BIA Builders Care’s popular BBQ, Bands & Brew fundraising event returns this Saturday, April 15, to Caloosa Sound Amphitheater in downtown Fort Myers, featuring a lineup of live performances, food and fun-filled activities for all ages

Four headliners will take the stage throughout the day, including Blue Wave Rockers at 11 a m , Deb & The Dynamics at 1 p.m., Rocker at 3 p.m. and Alter Ego at 5 p m

The 12th annual event features Southwest Florida’s top pit masters competing for the title of “Best BBQ in Town,” with specialty dishes being served up by Big Boyz BBQ Pit, Big Smoke BBQ, Deep Down South BBQ, Dusty Dogz, Red’s What the Food, S L A B BBQ & More and Tag’s Whiskey Bent BBQ Kona Ice and Wonderland Cookie Dough & Ice Cream are also serving up sweet treats

The event will also feature a lively cornhole tournament and a children’s play area with face-painting, games and more Additional vendors include Bert’s Pine Bay

Gallery, Native Gems & Rock Shop, Porgie Sauce, Sun Bum and more

The 2023 BBQ, Bands & Brew will be held from 11 a m to 6 p m at Caloosa Sound Amphitheater, 2101 Edwards Drive in Fort Myers Tickets are $10 for adults and free for children 12 and under Tickets are available for purchase in advance or at the gate

Proceeds from the event support Builders Care’s mission to provide emergency construction services at no cost to needy and deserving elderly and/or disabled homeowners, and their families, who cannot obtain repairs through traditional means To date, Lee BIA Builders Care has helped more than 500 Lee County households and provided over $5 million in emergency construction services and materials at no cost to families and local homeowners in need Since its inception, the event has raised over $675,000 in support of Lee BIA Builders Care

All Star Equipment Rentals & Sales is returning as presenting sponsor for BBQ,

Bands & Brew Major & Official sponsors include Budweiser, Busey Bank, city of Fort Myers, DiVosta, Del Webb, Juniper Landscaping, Priority Marketing and Pulte Homes Promotions sponsors include Carter-Pritchett Advertising, Fort Myers Magazine, Happenings Magazine, Hell Yeah! 93 7 and WINK Supporting sponsors include Alter Ego, Ardurra, Billy Rollins, Caloosa Sound Amphitheater, Carts MD, Christopher Alan Homes, CocaCola, Cogent Bank, Commercial Property Specialists, Crews Environmental, Cypress Bay Development, DEC Contracting, Denison Parking, Devoted Restoration, Florida Install, Gulfshore Mustang Club, LCEC, LSI Companies, Lahaina Realty, Lennar, Lightning Wireless, Milestone Cabinetry, Nilles Design Group, Plumbing Solutions, Premier Portables, Prestigious Restrooms, Sanibel Captiva Community Bank, Stevens Construction, StarKidzz Gaming Bus, Suncoast Beverage Sales, Taulman Pest Control and Wrightway Emergency Services

To learn more, visit www BBQBands AndBrew com or call 239-938-0056

About Lee BIA Builders Care

The mission of Lee BIA Builders Care is to provide emergency construction services at no cost to needy and deserving elderly and/or disabled homeowners, and their families, who cannot obtain repairs through traditional means. Lee BIA Builders Care offers a full range of no-cost emergency construction services to improve the safety and health for needy seniors and disabled individuals of all ages by enlisting the expertise and donated services and materials of contractors, sub-contractors and businesses Lee BIA Builders Care is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization under the charitable arm of the Lee Building Industry Association Lee BIA Builders Care is headquartered at 6835 International Center Blvd , #4, in Fort Myers Donations can be made online at www LeeBuildersCare org More information is available by calling 239-938-0056

PHOTO PROVIDED Caloosa Trains and Hobbies is Southwest Florida’s Exclusive TRAXXAS dealer

PHOTO PROVIDED

Caloosa Trains and Hobbies carries a number of brand names like Lionel

Logan’s Roadhouse to celebrate grand opening in Fort Myers

First 100 guests in line will receive free Logan’s Roadhouse for a year

A favorite among steak lovers in Florida, Logan’s Roadhouse is growing its presence in The Sunshine State with a new restaurant in Fort Myers – and celebrating its opening The Roadhouse Way!

On Wednesday, April 19, the steakhouse is throwing a party

Located at 5043 S Cleveland Ave , Logan’s will kick off the grand opening festivities at 10:45 a m with a ribbon-cutting ceremony alongside the Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce, as well as performances from the Fort

Better Together announces series of job fairs as par t of Nationwide Day of Second Chances on April 20

Better Together is hosting a series of backgroundfriendly job fairs on April 20 as part of its Nationwide Day of Second Chances The nonprofit is hosting events in partnership with churches across the country – including Florida, North Carolina, Kentucky and Washington, D C – and invites local job seekers and hiring employers to register

To support job seekers who are faced with challenges t o r e - e n t e r i n g t h e w o r k f o r c e , B e t t e r T o g e t h e r ’ s Nationwide Day of Second Chances brings churches, volunteers, businesses and nonprofits together to host a coordinated job fair day that promotes the power of second chances for neighbors facing barriers to employment These barriers can include incarceration, homelessness and lack of transportation or child care

Job fairs will feature employers who are prepared to interview job seekers and offer jobs on the spot Locally, the Nationwide Day of Second Chances will be hosting and event April 20 in Fort Myers, from 11 a m to 2 p m , at Grace Church, 2415 Grand Ave

The church-based job fairs not only connect job seek-

Myers High School drumline and the Bishop Verot Catholic High School Cheer Squad.

Guests are encouraged to arrive early, because the first 100 to dine in will receive free Logan’s for a year That’s a whole lot of juicy steaks and scratch-made rolls!

“Logan’s can’t wait to bring mesquite-grilled goodness and our signature roadhouse charm to the Fort Myers area,” said SPB Hospitality Senior Director of Marketing Kristen Hohl “We are excited to celebrate with the community at our grand opening Bring your family and

BUSINESS BRIEFS

ers with local employers who offer on-the-spot job opportunities, but also provide resources to facilitate stronger connections and more hires Free one-on-one job coaching sessions are made available to job seekers to review resumes and interviewing skills, and additional services, such as free haircuts and clothing, are also encouraged

Job seekers, employers and churches interested in participating in a Better Together job fair for Nationwide Day of Second Chances can visit BetterTogetherUS org /Events/NWDSC for more information on local events and the latest list of participating locations Job seekers may also text “JOBS” to 844-987-3949 to register for an area job fair

Greater For t Myers Chamber’s Leadership NEXT committee to explore FGCU’s Water School on Thursday

The Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership NEXT committee will host a networking program from 5-7 p m , Thursday, April 20, at The Water School at Florida Gulf Coast University

Located in the midst of Florida’s complex freshwater and saltwater systems, The Water School at FGCU is uniquely positioned to explore water-based issues. The

friends to get a taste of The Real American Roadhouse!”

WWGR 101 9 FM Gator Country will be live and ons i t e t o b r o a d c a s t a l l t h e g r a n d o p e n i n g e x c i t e m e n t throughout the day Logan’s is also using the occasion to give back to the area with a check presentation to Community Cooperative

Fort Myers’ new Logan’s Roadhouse – the brand’s second location in Florida – will be open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a m to 10 p m , and Friday and Saturday from 11 a m to 11 p m To learn more or to view the full menu, visit logansroadhouse com

health of waterways impacts surrounding ecosystems, regional and state economies and people who rely on water for life and leisure By taking a leadership role in this vital arena, FGCU acts as a catalyst for change in the Southwest Florida community and throughout the world

Leadership NEXT attendees will hear from Dr Mike Parsons, a professor of Marine Science in The Water School at FGCU and director of FGCU’s Vester Field Station, who will share an overview of The Water School and an update on water quality in Southwest Florida after Hurricane Ian

The chamber program will be held at FGCU’s Water School, located at 10501 FGCU Blvd , S , in Fort Myers, and includes a complimentary drink and light bites Registration is $10 for Chamber members and $15 for future members

Attendees can register in advance at FortMyers org or call 239-332-2930

Leadership NEXT’s annual sponsor is the Florida Gulf Coast University Alumni Association

For additional information regarding chamber membership opportunities or events, please call 239-3322930 or visit www fortmyers org For the latest news and updates, follow the Chamber on Facebook at www facebook com/gfmcc

Conditions are great for a weekend fishing adventure

Ramps and restaurants a little less crowded, tarpon and snook coming on strong and even some much needed rain to freshen things up for hopefully a great weekend, in and offshore

With Saturday’s negative low tide bottoming out just after sunrise to a slow moving high of only 1 2 feet around 2:15, sharp-eyed morning sight anglers might want to take a shot at poling or drifting up on some tailing reds in their favorite skinny water hunting grounds

If I spot feeding groups of twos or threes, I’m going for f i n e s s e l u r e s l i k e a D O A S h r i m p o r a f l y s o f t l y dropped about three feet in front of their line of travel and let it sink If it’s a full s c h o o l o f r e d s , t h e f i s h become very competitive and I’ll probably toss a top water plug just to watch the fun as two or three try to nail it

Mighty Mussels hosting Lee County Spirit Night April 21

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

For the second year, Fort Myers Mighty Mussels is hosting a night dedicated for the School District of Lee County this April

For just $5, Lee County administrators, faculty, staff, teachers and their families, and students can enjoy a game of the Jupiter Hammerheads vs Fort Myers Mussels Friday, April 21, during Lee County

Tickets can be purchased at fevo me/lee

Gates open at 6 p m , with the first p 7 p m , at Hammond Stadium, 14100 Mile Cypress Parkway

Fort Myers Mighty Mussels Media Relations Manager John Vittas said the tickets are less than half the price for Friday games, which are $12.

" I n p r e v i o u s s e a s o n s w e h o s t e d 'Education Day' game in the early afternoon that was a field trip for students, but in coordination with the School District we mutually agreed that it would be even more fun to host a night that would allow not just students, but teachers, administrators and families to attend a fun game at the ballpark," he said

Vittas joked that this way teachers also get to attend as a fan and not as a chaperone

In addition to the game, the fun themed promotion, Princess & Pirates, he said is popular among both minor

See this week’s wrap-ups on page 39

and major league teams

"We will be hosting our own version on the same night as the Lee County Spirit Night Fans who attend the game, most importantly the kids, will be able to have a meet and greet with two princesses and two pirate characters The characters will be available for photos o n t h e s t a d i u m c o n c o u r s e f r o m 6:30–8:30 p m , " Vittas said, adding that there is no additional cost to meet he characters "Fans of all ages are welme and encouraged to dress up for this ight " ith all Friday night games, Lee County ght will have a post-game firework to all of Mighty Mussels games, we pride ourselves on offering an affordable, family friendly experience for fans of all ages Even if you aren’t an avid baseball enthusiast, you’ll not only get to see future Major Leaguers, but you’ll also enjoy an amazing firework show, meet and greet with some princesses and pirates, but most importantly, you can enjoy a memorable night under the lights at Hammond Stadium where you’ll leave not knowing the final score, but talking about the fun you had," Vittas said

Capt George Tunison

For many, spotting tailing fish in the distance, efficiently and quietly closing the distance with your push pole, p u t t i n g y o u r s e l f o r y o u r angler in the perfect position to make the right presentation, then actually fooling the fish with lure or fly is one of inshore anglings greatest thrills and truly addictive challenges

While you’re out there enjoying your day, please give push pole powered skiffs some room. It takes a lot of effort to push a boat, gear, gas and people in the summer heat, especially at my age It’s a big pond with lots of productive spots. Learning to find your own hot spots by reading the water, understanding tides and seasonal movements -- all help make you a much more efficient and successful angler

If you’ve got a bad case of Boca Grande tarpon fever, this Saturday a low tide occurs a 4 a m with a dead high just after noon If you are new to boating and tarpon fishing in Boca Pass, I would highly recommend hiring a guide for your first trip to show you the ropes It can become crowded and quite competitive in the pass with boats drifting through, some fighting tarpon as they go, others motoring back out to the Gulf for the start of another drift through the pass

Be sure to take whatever time necessary to revive a caught tarpon and while doing so it’s always a good plan to have as many sets of eyes on the water as possible to warn you of a grey submarine approaching your position Boca Grande Pass is not, I repeat, a good place to fall out of the boat, especially this time of year as it’s heavily patrolled by some big and nasty razortoothed sea monsters there for their spring tarpon picnic

Using tarpon tackle heavy enough to get the tarpon to the boat quicker than later makes for a faster and much safer release and less unnecessary predation by the numerous sharks

While many wait all year for the spring tarpon fling, I get just as pumped knowing I’ll be chumming shallow water sharks to the back of the boat for some of the most exciting spin and fly tackle fishing of the year A

PREP REPORT

Wednesday GIRLS LACROSSE

District 1A-11

Wednesday's semifinals

Canterbury 5, Fort Myers 2

Bishop Verot 15, Cape Coral 5: The Vikings (8-8) advance to Thursday's district final, while the Seahawks slip to 11-2

Thursday's championship Bishop Verot at Canterbury, 7 p m

GIRLS TENNIS

District 3A-11 at Charlotte High School

Thursday

Cape Coral, Ida Baker, Island Coast, Mariner, North Fort Myers

BOYS TENNIS

District 3A-11 at Cape Coral High School

Thursday-Friday

(Rained out Wednesday)

Cape Coral, Ida Baker, Island Coast, Mariner, North Fort Myers

District 1A-12 at Community School of Naples

Thursday-Friday

(Rained out Wednesday)

Bishop Verot, Oasis

Tuesday BASEBALL

Mariner 10, Cape Coral 8: Xavier Muentes went 2for-3, driving in three runs for the Tritons (5-12) Kelan Jamison and Ryan Kotarski drove in a run apiece Romero Gist scored twice Wyatt Drury cracked a home run for Cape Coral (2-15-2), driving in three runs on a 3-for-5 night Jael Lawton, Alexander Kolasinki and Spencer Simon had an RBI each for the Seahawks The game had to be moved from Cape Coral to Mariner due to burrowing owls at the Seahawks' field Island Coast 11, North Fort Myers 6: Jake Mueller doubled twice, scoring twice and driving in a run for the

Gators (17-2) Isaac Lopez, Emilio Gonzalez, Jordi Guerrero, Davin Hickman and Jason Richardson II had an RBI each The Red Knights (10-9) got a three-run homer from Brady Grados, while Matthew Blasena drove in two more North runs Bishop Verot 2, Manatee 0: Aidan Knaak pitched a seven-inning one-hitter, striking out 11 Manatee batters Jason Bello and Fidel Alviar drove in runs for the Vikings (12-8)

SOFTBALL

Mariner 17, Cape Coral 1 (5 innings): Crimson Lawrence was 3-for-3 with a triple, homer and a single plus a walk, scoring four times and driving in five Mariner runs Katie Campbell homered and doubled, driving in four runs Taylor Cotoni doubled and drove in two runs, and Mia Standard went 3-for-4 with an RBI Lawrence also pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings with seven strikeouts as the Tritons improved to 6-8 For Cape Coral (5-10), Mariah Cruz singled to score Adriana Thornton

Ida Baker 14, Lemon Bay 7: Alyssa Auger was 2-for2, driving in three runs and scoring twice for the Bulldogs (11-4) Julie Nieves homered on a 2-for-4 night with two RBI and two runs scored Alana Hutchinson knocked in two runs, Adriana Przespolewski was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI, while Makayla Nieves 2-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored

North Fort Myers 4, Bonita Springs 1: Mia Lane drove in two runs for the Red Knights (12-1) Kendall Wylie allowed one run on three hits in a complete game, striking out nine batters.

Oasis 17, South Fort Myers 6 (5 innings): Alaina Shugars drove in four runs, and Audrey Doan was 3-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored for the Sharks (6-5) Samantha Clay (2-for-2), Jetta Fisher and Emma Neujahr had an RBI each Oasis had 11 stolen bases, five by Kiaya Sunn

BOYS LACROSSE

District 1A-12

Tuesday's semifinals Community School of Naples 15, Barron Collier 2

See PREP REPORT, page 38

Cape Coral Breeze Athletes of the Week

Cape Coral Breeze Athletes Week of the

(Selected by the Breeze Sports staff)

Sponsored by:

Minto US OPEN Pickleball Championships open Saturday at East Naples Community Park

Over 3,000 players expected to compete April 15-22

The largest and most prestigious event in pickleball since 2016 is back, with an expected record number of world class players and the largest prize purse in US OPEN history An unprecedented 3,043 pickleball players of all ages and levels will head to Naples, Fla , April 1 5 - 2 2 , t o c o m p e t e i n t h e 2 0 2 3 M i n t o U S O P E N

Pickleball Championships powered by Margaritaville

Known as the “Biggest Pickleball Party in the World,” the tournament will be held in East Naples Community Park, one of the largest permanent pickleball facilities in the world with 64 courts, including the Zing Zang Championship Court The event is expected to attract 35,000-plus spectators, and players from all 50 states as well as 29 different countries, ranging in age from 8 to 88

The record number of amateurs players plus the 200 top professionals will play more than 5,000 matches for a US OPEN record prize purse of $125,000

Pickleball players and fans who can’t make it to Naples for the week-long celebration, can watch the men’s and women’s pro doubles finals live on CBS Sports Network on April 22 from 5-7 p m ET The mixed doubles finals will be live streamed on Pickleball Channel at

7 p.m. ET. The tournament will also be streamed daily on Pickleball Channel from April 15-22

P i c k l e b a l l C h a n n e l i s a v a i l a b l e o n Y o u T u b e (youtube com/user/PickleballChannel/videos), Facebook ( f a c e b o o k c o m / p i c k l e b a l l c h a n n e l / l i v e ) a n d PickleballChannel com (pickleballchannel com/live-alt)

T o s u b s c r i b e t o P i c k l e b a l l C h a n n e l f o r f r e e , v i s i t https://www pickleballchannel com/subscribe/

“The US OPEN isn't just another pickleball tournament It’s an immersive pickleball experience as the energy, spirit of community, pure joy and fun are unlike any other pickleball event,” says Terri Graham, the event’s co-founder “The party atmosphere begins on Saturday, April 15th, with the JOOLA Party in the Park and continues through Saturday April 22nd with special events daily including our one-of-a-kind International Flag ceremony with participants from 29 countries from around the world Every year we aim to deliver players and fans the time of their life ”

Nearly 1,000 total gold, silver and bronze medals are up for grabs this year across more than 150 age and skill groups The 200 top professionals competing are headlined by Simone Jardim, Parris Todd, Megan Fudge, Alix

Truong, Kyle Yates, Hunter Johnson, Eden Lica and Rob Nunnery Additionally, many former professional athletes from other sports and celebrities who have been bitten by the pickleball bug will also compete including; former MLB pitcher Kent Mercker, NBA Hall of Famer Rick Barry, former professional tennis players Sam Querrey, Noah Rubin, Gigi Fernandez and JoAnne Russell as well as actor Hunter Sansone (DC’s Stargirl) and singer Anthony Nunziata

The event is an economic boom for Collier County, Fla, resulting in an economic impact of $10.6 million in 2022 The US OPEN will once again benefit two charities: Kiwanis, which services children by fighting hunger, improving literacy and offering guidance as well as St Matthews House, “the main food concessionaire for the US OPEN” - a social enterprise of St Matthews House, which works to fight homelessness, hunger, substance abuse and poverty in Southwest Florida

The Minto US OPEN Pickleball Championships is organized by Spirit Promotions, LLC, a company formed by Terri Graham and Chris Evon in 2015 Information on the Minto US OPEN Pickleball Championships is available on the event’s website as well as social media platforms at www usopenpickleball com and on Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Weekend fishing:

From page 36

50-pound shark in 3 feet of water on a 10-weight fly rod or your big snook outfit, the fish flying across the flats at warp speed melting your drag as it dumps line, is a blast, and something most anglers want to do year after year If you need to, pull anchor to follow the fish, get close and apply maximum pressure to subdue it ASAP Too big?

Having it drag you around for an extended period especially in hot water is bad form and likely to kill these important predators

Weekend beach walkers might find the snook of a lifetime in the surf while pompano anglers will do well around the pass aprons.

Trout, grass flats and corks inshore while red grouper, Spanish mackerel and snapper wait offshore

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

TIDES CHART

From page 36

PREP REPORT

Canterbury 10, Bishop Verot 9: The narrow loss left the Vikings 15-3

Thursday's championship

Canterbury at CSN, 7 p m

GIRLS LACROSSE District 1A-11

At higher seeds

All games 7 p m

Tuesday's first round

Fort Myers 20, Cypress Lake 1

GIRLS TENNIS District 3A-11

Gators sign letters of intent

Several Island Coast student a t h l e t e s s i g n e d l e t t e r s o f intent this week. The students and the schools they will be attending included: Matthew Berry, Cumberlands University; Brendan Cruz, Wisconsin

L u t h e r a n ; B r u n o M o n t r o n d , We b b e r U n i v e r s i t y ; H u r i e l G a r c i a , We b b e r U n i v e r s i t y ; J o s h u a A n d e r s o n , M u s k i ngum University; Christopher S i n g l e t o n , M u s k i n g u m U n iv e r s i t y ; D ' A r i e s S t i t t i a m s , M u s k i n g u m U n i v e r s i t y ; a n d Anthony Belton, West Virginia Wesleyan.

at Charlotte High School Play continues Wednesday Tuesday's results

Singles: #1 Kathryne Jones (IB) d Vaneza TamayoBriceno (CC) 6-0, 6-3; d Morgan Everly (M) 6-1, 6-0 #2

Alexandra Hamilton (IB) d Emily Steiner (SE) 6-4, 6-2;

Hamilton d Kiana Foroughi (BR) 6-3, 6-0 #3 Ella

Peterson (IB) d Elise Meyers (CC) 3-5, 6-3 (10-5); d Lily DiMurro (M) 6-2, 6-2. #4 Petra Mirnaya (SE) d. B r o o k e R o b i n s o n ( I B ) 6 - 0 , 6 - 0 D o u b l e s : # 1 Jones/Hamilton (IB) d Yadira Escutia/Sydney Rust (IC) 60, 6-0; Jones/Hamilton d Katelyn Valencia/Melanie Carlson (PCom) 6-2, 6-2 #2 Peterson/Robinson (CC) d T a m a y o - B r i c e n o / M y e r s ( C C ) 6 - 3 , 6 - 3 ; K a e l y n Carrico/Sophia Clancy (Ch) d Ella Peterson/Brooke Robinson (IB) 6-3, 6-1

PHOTO PROVIDED

Mussels drop first two against at Clearwater

Culpepper impresses in 5-3 Loss to Threshers

CLEARWATER, Fla – C J Culpepper tossed four impressive innings in his Low-A debut Wednesday, but the Mighty Mussels lost 5-3 to the Clearwater Threshers at BayCare Ballpark

Culpepper did not allow an earned run over four innings, surrendering just one hit while fanning two His fastball averaged 94 3 mph and topped out at 97 5 mph

The Mussels (2-3) erased a pair of deficits in a backand-forth game Trailing 3-2 in the top of the seventh, Jorel Ortega walked before stealing second With two outs, Dalton Shuffield reached on a throwing error, chasing home Ortega to tie the game at 3-3

In a tie game in the bottom of the seventh, Jordan Viars walked to lead off the inning against Mussels' reliever Juan Mendez (0-1) After an Otto Kemp single, Jordan Dissin

advanced the runners to second and third on a bunt After a walk loaded the bases, Justin Crawford drove a two-run double to the wall in left center to give Clearwater a 5-3 lead.

Fort Myers managed only five hits in the loss but did draw a season-high eight walks The Mighty Mussels finished 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position and stranded 11 runners

The Mussels were looking to break through with a win against the Threshers Thursday

Mussels’ bats go quiet against Threshers

CLEARWATER, Fla – The Mighty Mussels managed just three hits in a 6-0 loss to Clearwater Tuesday that took only one hour and 58 minutes at BayCare Ballpark

Two of the three Fort Myers (2-2) hits came from Major Leaguer rehabbers, as Jorge Polanco and Alex

Kirilloff both lined singles to center The only other hit came from Jorel Ortega, a well-struck double to the gap in the seventh.

The third Twins’ rehabber, Josh Winder, spun a perfect fifth inning Winder fanned one while throwing 10 of his 14 pitches for strikes

Mussels’ starter Tomas Cleto (0-1) was solid in his season debut, allowing one earned run on three hits over four innings Cleto needed only 40 pitches to complete four innings, with the Threshers’ (3-1) hitters attacking pitches early in the count

Fort Myers will look to even the series at 6:30 p m today The Mussels will turn to RHP C J Culpepper (LowA debut), who will be opposed by RHP Starlyn Castillo Coverage begins at 6:15 p m on the Mighty Mussels Baseball Network

Cape Coral Sail and Power Squadron announces resumption of Safe Boating Classes

America’s Boating Club of Cape Coral, the Cape Coral Sail and Power Squadron, has announced the resumption of its safe boating education program All boating classes were canceled since Hurricane Ian damaged the club’s building on Sept 28, 2022

Repairs to the first floor of the building have been made and classes are resuming on a limited basis. Over the next few months, the club will be offering courses and seminars including Boat Handling, Marine Navigation, Introduction to Charting, Hurricane Preparation, Partner in Command and America’s Boating Course

Starting Monday, May 8, America’s Boating Course –Basic Boating Knowledge will resume its normal schedule America’s Boating Course offers a comprehensive introduction to recreational boating, and is a popular course with new residents and new boat owners alike

This course covers all the required topics that allow students, who pass the final exam, to earn a State of Florida Boating Safety Education I D Card Currently all boaters born on or after Jan 1, 1988, are required by Florida law to have this card in their possession when operating a boat

Legislation is currently pending to change the requirement making all boaters born on or after Jan 1, 1960 to have the I D to operate a vessel If you fall into this category and have never taken a qualified basic boating class now may be the time to do so The Coast Guard has found that in accidents that result in a death, 77% of the vessel operator had not received boating safety instruction

State of Florida Boating Safety Education I D Card certifies that the holder has successfully passed a safe boating class approved by the National Association of

State Boating Law Administrators and is also recognized in all states that have mandatory boating education requirements

America’s Boating Course runs two nights per week, Monday and Wednesday, for three weeks Until work is completed to repair our regular classrooms, all classes will be held in the first floor meeting room of the Cape Coral Sail and Power Squadron, 917 S E 47th Terrace, Cape Coral FL 33904 To reserve your place in an upcoming class, register online at ccsaps org or call our offices at 239-549-9754

For upcoming dates and times for other courses and seminars, check out the monthly publication The Buoys also available on the Cape Sail and Power Squadron website: www ccsaps org

Boat parking: No support on Council for loosening restrictions

From page 1

fence in the front.

“This way it is easier to access and easier to use and reduce some of the regulations on it,” Welsh said “If you don’t want to have the fence, you can still put your boat, or trailer behind your house Park on the side, you have it shielded from the view of the road by parking it behind the fence line I didn’t want to have it restricted Allow access to the side yard for those who cannot navigate their boat, or trailer freely All this is doing is relaxing some of the restrictions because I can see the difficulty in trying to maneuver to the rear of the house It is kind of minor to what the changes are, but I believe it will help the community to bring regulations in order ”

Other council members cited concerns

“This way it is easier to access and easier to use and reduce some of the regulations on it If you don’t want to have the fence, you can still put your boat, or trailer behind your house Park on the side, you have it shielded from the view of the road by parking it behind the fence line I didn’t want to have it restricted Allow access to the side yard for those who cannot navigate their boat, or trailer freely. All this is doing is relaxing some of the restrictions because I can see the difficulty in trying to maneuver to the rear of the house. It is kind of minor to what the changes are, but I believe it will help the community to bring regulations in order.”

Councilmember Robert Welsh, who brought forward a proposal to loosen parking restrictions for boats and trailers

with safety, harming more residents than helping, a pandora box of problems, code enforcement, and decreasing the value of

homes

Councilmember Bill Steinke’s opposition began on the first page where the ordinance draft stated it was in the best interest for public health, safety and welfare He said there is a required setback of 7-1/2 feet on the side of the home from the bedroom, with a 3-foot requirement to get in and out of the house for

public safety officials

“I don’t know of any boat trailers that are 4-1/2 feet wide. It takes away from the safety of a home,” Steinke said, as there is combustible material, the boat’s fuel, right next to a residence

Councilmember Dan Sheppard shared similar comments regarding the side yard He commended Welsh for trying to help citizens and make improvements, but said the side yard scares him

“Most side yards are small and narrow and pitched for drainage A lot of these boats hold 20 to 50 gallons of fuel,” he said, adding this is an extreme hazard

The value of properties was among the issues Mayor John Gunter shared during his comments

“I think our responsibility is to make sure we are increasing the value of our community and not decreasing the value,” he said “If it moves forward, this will surely devalue our community I am not in favor of this ordinance You shouldn’t try to fix something that is not broken We should continue with the ordinance that is already in place ”

Welsh said he does not plan on using any more city time, but rather his own with residents

“I don’t think I need legal anymore on this I thank them for the time we spent on this, on what I felt was good for the community, great legislative items,” he said

Cape Coral Computer Club to meet Wednesday via Zoom

The Cape Coral Comp u t e r C l u b m e e t s o v e r Zoom the first and third Wednesday of each month, w i t h t h e n e x t m e e t i n g scheduled for April 19 from 2-4 p m

T h i s m e e t i n g w i l l b e about “How to determine if Gmail is a scam and Chat GPT Demo” with time for questions and answers

All skill levels are welcome to join

For additional information about the Cape club, please visit its website at https://www capecoralcomputer club/

Southwest Florida Concert Band to perform April 16 at South Fort Myers High

The 45-member Southwest Florida Concert Band will perform an All About the Blues Concert Sunday, April 16, at 2 p m , at South Fort Myers High School, which is located at 14020 P l a n t a t i o n R o a d , F o r t Myers, FL 33912

Join the band as it plays a wide variety from Sousa’s "Who’s Who in the Navy Blue March," to the driving m u s i c o f t h e B l u e s Brothers

Band vocalists will sing the Frank Sinatra medley ‘Ol Blue Eyes and music from the Broadway show " C h i c a g o " f e a t u r i n g j a z z and blues songs Hear the iconic crooner’s song "Blue Moon" and the swinging c l a r i n e t s o l o " W i l d C a t Blues "

With a little bit of "Blue Tango" and the "Tuba Tiger R a g , " t h e p r o g r a m w i l l appeal to everyone

T h e B r a s s M o n k e y s q u i n t e t w i l l m a k e a n a p p e a r a n c e t o S t L o u i s B l u e s i n a n u p b e a t

Dixieland style The show will finish the season with a rousing "Stars and Stripes Forever" featuring our piccolo section

A l l c o n c e r t s a r e f r e e w i t h d o n a t i o n s a c c e p t e d

Infor-mation on the group, o u r s c h o l a r s h i p p r o g r a m , and other performances can be found on the band's webs i t e : w w w S o u t h w e s t

FloridaConcertBand org

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