Pine Island Eagle

Celebrating Pine Islanders: Rhonda Dooley

By PAULETTE LeBLANC pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

Pine Island gained both a l o v e r a n d a f i g h t e r w h e n islander, Rhonda Dooley came here in 1974 and married local c o m m e r c i a l f i s h e r m a n , M i k e Dooley She said her love for the island was immediate and runs deep, even today After h a v i n g a l w a y s b e e n o n t h e m o v e g r o w i n g u p , s i n c e h e r father had to follow the next construction job continuously, Dooley admits she never felt grounded, until she moved here

“I stopped making friends because I knew I’d have to move, so, I had this wall up for a long time In school, I wouldn’t even try to talk to people because I knew I was going to have to leave and it was just too heart-breaking When I came to Pine Island, I knew this was my home Now, I feel like I have roots,” Dooley said

In addition to being the wife of a commercial fisherman and mother to son, Shane and daughter, Summer, Dooley found herself knee-deep in a battle to keep commercial fishermen out on the water after the 1995 net ban Currently, she said she has no idea how any young person would even begin to make a living at what was once a thriving local market for commercial fishermen

“There are very few left There’s a few old-timers left in the in-shore fishery on Pine Island With all the restrictions and regulations, we still can’t keep our fisheries

operating Our younger generation can’t make a living doing what their fathers and grandfathers did producing fresh, local seafood in our communities,” Dooley said

Holding onto the solid belief that Pine Island fisherfolk and in fact, the island itself is made up of families feeding families, Dooley said it’s of the utmost importance that islanders keep focused on food production

“Farmers and fishermen, not only feed our communities, but the world,” Dooley said

According to Dooley, in the 1990s, Lee County, and more specifically, Pine Island, had become a top producer of fish for the state of Florida Still holding a good place in the seafood industry for Stone Crab, Blue Crab,

See RHONDA DOOLEY, page 6

THE SCIENCE OF OYSTERS

Calusa Waterkeeper talks building vertical oyster gardens

By PAULETTE LeBLANC pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

On Monday, April 8, the Calusa Waterkeeper sponsored an event at the Saint James City Civic Center, wherein they gave a presentation on the science of oyst e r s a n d h o w t o b u i l d a V e r t i c a l O y s t e r G a r d e n Waterkeeper Susan Dahod offered the presentation to group of Saint James City Civic Association members as well as having a table set up with examples of some o f t h e t h i n g s t h e y d o , Dahod said

“We do sampling, once a month for fecal indicator b a c t e r i a ( F I B ) W e h a d examples of data sheets and bottles and sampling gear along with results from the l a s t c o u p l e o f m o n t h s , ”

Dahod said

Bobby Holloway Jr. tourney results are in

By

PAULETTE LeBLANC pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

Ernestine Holloway Squires described herself as tired but happy after this year’s annual Bobby H o l l o w a y J r m e m o r i a l F i s h i n g T o u r n a m e n t , which she said went very well

“We were in a new location and the venue was beautiful It was nice to be back on the water again,” Squires said.

This year, 85 adult boats and 12 Lil bobber boats registered for the fishing tournament, with approximately 40 kids, Squires said

“We had one little boy who caught his very first fish He was so excited We get a few of those every

See HOLLOWAY, page 2

Mark Allen holds one of his catches.

PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY

PROVIDED A freshly made vertical oyster garden

According to Dahod, the five steps to building an oyster garden are, collecting the oysters from restaur a n t s , b i o - c l e a n i n g t h e m , drilling the shells, assembly of shells with crab trap rope, and then deploying from a dock

“Between low tide and high tide, you want to put a hook on the edge of a dock and then tie your oyster string with another piece of rope so it dangles down in between low and high tide Oysters that are wild will spawn out in the estuary and the baby oysters are attracted to the oyster shells and that’s the point of this garden Eventually, you get baby oysters called oyster spat that will attach and begin to build a shell and grow about one inch per

See VERTICAL OYSTER GARDENS, page 7

Rhonda Dooley

Holloway

From page 1

year and then we get some who’ve never even been on a boat,” Squires said.

She went on to describe how the kids are the heart of this event each year, as they have their own captain’s meeting, dinner and awards and then leave after the tournament with their own swag bag, which includes a commemorative hat and shirt In addition to providing this year’s venue, Jug Creek Marina is planting a mango tree this year in honor of Bobby Holloway, Squires said.

“I have to thank Joe Williamson and his crew, they really went all out The property was just beautiful and everything was perfect it was the perfect location down there I’m grateful and thankful all the support from the island doesn’t go unnoticed. I don’t take it for granted. Through good times and bad times, Pine Island has supported this tournament and stood with us and that means the world,” Squires said

Bobby Holloway Jr. Fishing Tour nament winners

■ First place: Blind Squirrel

■ Second place: Hamilton & Hamilton

■ Third place: Coulda Shoulda Woulda

■ Fourth place: Young Blood

■ Fifth place: Cape Harbor Oyster Bar & Grill

■ 26th place: Curbing in Paradise

■ Pine Island Big Snook: John Kelso

■ Redfish Calcutta: Hamilton/Hamilton

■ Trout Calcutta: Nicole Thomas

■ Last place: The Rooster

At left, the firstplace Blind Squirrel team sponsored by Stearns Custom Builders at the 26th Annual Bobby Holloway Jr Memorial Fishing Tournament

101 fish.

Below, the firstplace Lil Bobber team with Capt. Holt. The kids caught

PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY ERNESTINE HOLLOWAY-SQUIRES

OPINIONS

Web Poll

Previous Web Poll Question:

Will you be voting in the upcoming presidential primary?

■ Yes 68%

■ No 14%

■ No, I’m waiting for the General Election 14%

■ I haven’t decided 4%

Current Web Poll Question:

Have you decided who you will vote for in the presidential election

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Share your opinion at pineisland-eagle com

Why the measles outbreak keeps me up at night

Since the beginning of this year, measles cases have been reported in 11 states spanning both coasts and heartland. The situation warrants enough concern that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a w a r n i n g t o d o c t o r s a b o u t renewed measles risk

Unfortunately, vaccine skepticism is threatening to undo one o f t h e g r e a t p u b l i c h e a l t h achievements of the modern era: the effective victory over this highly contagious and sometimes fatal viral infection, which is particularly dangerous for children and infants

M a n y c h i l d r e n w h o c a t c h m e a s l e s d e v e l o p p n e u m o n i a O t h e r c o m p l i c a t i o n s i n c l u d e brain inflammation and, in rarer cases, subacute sclerosing panencephalitis a deadly neurological disorder

Measles is highly contagious so much so that if one person has it, up to nine out of 10 peop l e a r o u n d t h e m w i l l a l s o become infected if not adequately protected Further, measles is transmitted in the air and can

Accountability is in order

To the editor:

It may be too soon to tell if the FEMA discount will continue or be withdrawn

A s a h o m e o w n e r i n L e e County with flood insurance, I would hope the County can sufficiently defend its position that it was and is compliant with the FEMA rules

If FEMA drops the insurance discount, I will be directly and negatively impacted due to negligence of the County Therefore, I will be looking for a 25% discount in my taxes to offset the 25% increase in my insurance bill, every year, until the County r e g a i n s t h e i r c o m p l i a n c e w i t h

FEMA

I do not know who within the County administration is responsible for FEMA compliance I do feel that accountability is in order Why should I pay the price for someone's malfeasance? That is a lot of

remain in a room where a contagious person has been for up to two hours.

P a r e n t s n a t i o nwide need to take this threat seriously The best way to protect your children from measles, and all preventable infectious diseases, i s t o f o l l o w t h e C D C ' s r e c o mmended immunization schedule.

Guest Commentary

It has been nearly a quarter-century since the United S t a t e s e l i m i n a t e d m e a s l e s meaning there has been no continuous transmission of the disease for 12 months or more

The reason for measles’ dang e r o u s c o m e b a c k i s c l e a r : a decline in vaccination rates in recent years According to one i n v e s t i g a t i o n , a t l e a s t 8 , 5 0 0 schools across the country have vaccination rates below 95%, the level the CDC deems necessary f o r e f f e c t i v e p r e v e n t i o n o f

money out of my pocket Maybe it should come out of theirs?

Art Arway Pine Island

Where’s our hurricane tax relief?

To the editor:

Sometimes it takes a strong woman to clean up the House

As we send in our taxes for 2023, one thing is apparent:

Byron Donalds did not do his most important job our hurricane tax relief. He doesn’t know how “ B y r o n D o n a l d s h a s f a i l e d miserably in his promise to reduce federal taxes with Hurricane Ian r e l i e f . D e s p i t e s e r v i n g i n t h e majority in Congress, Donalds’ Hurricane Tax Relief Act (H R 1494) which he called his ‘ u t m o s t p r i o r i t y ’ h a s l a nguished in committee for over a year ” Kari Lerner, candidate for Congress, Florida District 19.

measles spread

R e s e a r c h h a s s h o w n t h a t t h e decline is linked directly to growing public skepti-

c i s m a b o u t t h e

s a f e t y o f v a c -

c i n e s Y e t t h e

m e a s l e s v a c c i n e i s o n e o f t h e s a f e s t a n d m o s t thoroughly studied public health

m e a s u r e s i n t h e world and has been for decades

T h e b e n e f i t s o f w i d e s p r e a d vaccination are undeniable In 2019 alone, the routine childhood vaccine schedule, which i n c l u d e s t w o d o s e s o f t h e measles vaccine, prevented an estimated 24 million cases of illn e s s i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s Assuming a roughly even distrib u t i o n a c r o s s t h e p o p u l a t i o n , that’s equivalent to preventing an illness in one in 13 people

Make no mistake: measles is dangerous We risk underesti-

Kari Lerner knows how to pass l e g i s l a t i o n a n d s h e p h e r d i t through Congress.

She is a Florida leader, businesswoman and experienced legi s l a t o r w h o g e t s t h i n g s d o n e Watch for her, support her ML Sheehan

St James City The Right to Clean and Healthy Water

To the editor:

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

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

I wanted to help in whatever small way I could I put several v e r t i c a l o y s t e r g a r d e n s ( V O G ) around my dock to help filter the

mating the threat it poses precisely because widespread vaccination has been extremely effective in providing herd immunity.

We haven’t seen measles at its worst in the United States for over a half-century Before the vaccine was introduced in 1963, measles was infecting 4 million Americans annually and killing about 450 Even now, the disease leads to well over 100,000 d e a t h s p e r y e a r w o r l d w i d e , a l m o s t e x c l u s i v e l y i n r e g i o n s with low vaccination rates

Vaccines are a critical tool for fighting off both primary and secondary infections Measles is a fate no child deserves and, thanks to modern medicine, it's one no child needs to face We have the tools to ensure that the elimination of measles is permanent All we have to do is use them

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

toxins out of the water At first, the VOGs were growing lots of life

Then, starting last fall, the VOGs began to die After the latest releases from Lake O, the VOGs now are barren That helps explain why marine life is so desolate now

We have laws to protect our waters which haven’t kept our waters clean We have agencies to p r o t e c t o u r w a t e r s s t i l l o u r waters are not clean We spend a tremendous amount of tax dollars cleaning up what never should have been permitted yet our waters continue to worsen

As someone once said, “Water is life so let’s save the life of water ” You can do your part If you signed the 2024 petition to grant Floridians a Constitutional R i g h t t o C l e a n a n d H e a l t h y Water, you will be getting a new one for the 2026 initiative in the mail Fill it out and get some f r i

Helen W. Boucher

Each of us can do our part to clean up the waters

Mary Kay Robbins-Kralapp Cape Coral

Dark money muddies

Florida’s waters

To the editor:

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

A combination of unrestricted flow of dark money with a closed primary system has compromised the political process by allowing extreme candidates to secure their party’s nomination with a limited field of voters In a truly representative form of government, the people select the candidates

However, a closed primary system, including loop holes for write-in candidates, allows the political party to select a disproportionately small number of voters to cast their votes for the primary candidates

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

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

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

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

Passage of this constitutional amendment allows citizens to hold our Florida Department of Environmental Protection and other state agencies, legally accountable to prevent harm to Florida waters When determining court rulings, “deference shall be given to the best available scientific evidence,” not political influence In cases where regulatory failure causes a violation of the people’s fundamental right, courts can order agencies to correct these failures and remedy water quality problems

Fed up with dirty politicians and dirty water and interested in a proactive and effective approach to implementing a viable solution to ensure the restoration of our precious water resources, please take the time to visit www floridarighttocleanwater org and support the Right to Clean Water Constitutional Amendment campaign Your meaningful support by signing the petition as well as

encouraging others to do likewise will help to overcome the inertia of our policy makers that have failed to “get the water right”

Ray Judah

Former Lee County Commissioner GOP gathering a job well done

To the editor:

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

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

Congressman Madison, currently a resident of Cape Coral, eloquently spoke a b o u t t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f g e t t i n g a l l Republicans out to vote in November to safeguard our traditional values in our country that are being assaulted by the

left He also spoke about abuses in the U S Justice Department He indicated that many Justice Department officials will go after anyone just to get a promotion and to make a name for themselves

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

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

Mr Pollack, being an attorney as well as a talk show host, spoke a little about the criminal accusations against President Trump He also spoke a little about the Veterans for Trump group that he is active in I want to give my wholehearted thanks to our Lee County Republican Chairman Michael Thompson and his friends, for o r g a n i z i n g t h i s e x c e l l e n t R e p u b l i c a n event Bravo for a job well done

Arthur E. Amidano Cape Coral

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

To the editor:

It’s alarming to hear about the number of “hit and run” accidents on the news in

From page 4 See LETTERS, page 6

our area

Some quick research told me that there were 102,568 reported cases in 2021 and 90,000 in 2022 in Florida Of these, 20,000 resulted in bodily harm, of which only 8-10% were solved.

My question is, with statistics that s t a g g e r i n g , w h y d o e s n ’ t t h e s t a t e o f Florida require license plates on both the rear and front of vehicles? Thirty one states have adopted that policy I would think that the odds of catching these offenders would increase if front license plates were also required thereby doubling the odds of witnesses or cameras making identification leading to arrests

Joni Bauer Cape Coral

Deadly Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol?

To the editor:

The only person that died that day was an unarmed protestor murdered by an unrepentant and poorly trained capitol “police officer” that overreacted and shot to kill She was climbing in a window

D i d t h a t d e s e r v e t h e d e a d l y f o r c e employed by this very “special” policeman who has been protected by the Biden “exoneration committee” that refused to prosecute this murderer This was plain and simple homicide or first-degree murder by any standards of the law, but her rights and the rights of her family did not receive the same treatment as George Floyd did

Her name was Ashli Babbitt, and she was an Air Force veteran that was never convicted of a crime George Floyd was a veteran too a veteran criminal and while he certainly did not deserve to die at the hands of a potentially overzealous police officer, neither did Ashli Babbitt No one that breached the capital on Jan 6th was a r m e d w i t h a n y f i r e a r m s , u n l e s s y o u include the undercover FBI agents inciting the riot How can the media, with a straight face, say that this protest was anything more than a protest? The fear of a

group of people that merely occupied that space for a very short time was real but any perceived threat of death to those inside the capitol were only imaginary or concocted after the fact Do you bring posters, signs, and flags when you go to war? No, you bring guns, knives, and M o l o t o v c o c k t a i l s l i k e A N T I F A a n d BLM did when they attacked, looted, and burned businesses but were never convicted of any wrongdoing But the participants of this ridiculous Democratic farce referred to as an “Insurrection” was nothing more than a protest on a piece of real estate to show public discord and voice d o u b t s o v e r t h e 2 0 2 0 e l e c t i o n A r e Democrats the only ones that are permitted to question an election outcome like the Landmark Supreme Court decision on Dec 12, 2000, when Gore challenged the outcome in the Florida ballot count? Was that an “insurrection”? Of course not and neither was Jan 6th Gore felt he had legitimate concerns and voiced them, just like President Trump did

Is it surprising that the Dem leadership has tried to keep this on the front pages of every liberal rag calling itself a newspaper? Of course not They have nothing else to talk about Biden has been a disgraceful failure from day one. His policies have demoralized our citizens, created an inflation nightmare, defunded the police, opened our borders to criminals & terrorist and demonstrated that if you are antiAmerican, anti-constitution, anti-freedom and Pro-communist, then you are welcome into the Democratic Party.

If you want to save our country and return to even a remote semblance of the USA that our fathers, grandfathers, and forefathers fought and died for, you simply cannot continue to support and cond o n e t h e d i s a s t r o u s p o l i c e s o f t h i s Administration

Please stop hating long enough to make an honest, thoughtful, lifesaving, future altering decision that will put our country back on the right track

Max

Christian Saint James City

shrimp and fin-fish like mullet, Dooley said trucks come from as far away as Georgia and Alabama to buy Pine Island fish

“They come onto the island asking for it, and we don’t always have it, because it’s just not available I mean it’s out there but we just can’t really harvest it in the amounts that are needed,” Dooley said

Dooley said her hope is that she helped, in part, to keep the industry alive after the net ban, since her family as well as so many others were dependent on the trade

She and husband Mike, helped many fishermen stick together, she said, at a time when things had become so tumultuous, many fishing families found themselves moving to states like North Carolina, where they could still make a living

PROVIDED

Mike and Rhonda Dooley were both in the WGCU documentary, “MULLET, A Tale of Two Fish ”

D o o l e y e v e n t u a l l y b e c a m e e x e c u t i v e d i r e c t o r o f t h e s t a t e w i d e , F l o r i d a Fishermen’s Federation, which has been dissolved

There is a glimmer of hope on the horizon for the trade, she said, as she recently heard about a commercial fishing industry summit, hosted by the FWC c a l l e d , t h e F u t u r e o f F l o r i d a ’ s Commercial Fisheries, on May 21–22, in St Augustine

“Even though I’m getting old and tired, I still have some fight in me, and I’ll go down fighting,” Dooley said

Vertical Oyster Gardens

year At full size, a normal sized oyster filters between 30 and 50 gallons of water per day They’re very good at cleaning the water that’s the reason you’d want to have an oyster garden, ” Dahod said

Everyone who took an oyster garden home was asked to report back approximately every 3-4 months with a picture and location, to be monitored by Calusa Waterkeeper Approximately 18 people just finished training in March in order to become new Waterkeeper Rangers, she s a i d , s e v e r a l o f w h o m h e l p e d w i t h M o n d a y ’ s w o r k s h o p T h e r e w a s a l s o information on an air sampling system used by the Calusa Waterkeepers to keep track of any toxins in the air, released by the water. According to Dahod, the canals in Saint James City seem to be really good for growing things, including oysters

“The thing about oysters is that they need water temperature above 68 degrees, which is almost all year round here and they also need a salinity range that is not full salt water and not full fresh water, but is a range in parts per thousand which is their target range,” Dahod said

At right, Kristie Cerutti shows her e n t h u s i a s u m d u r i n g l a s t w e e k ’s workshop.

From page 1

At left, Gary Yannone shows off a completed vertical oyster garden.

Below, left to right: Mary Kay Kralpp, Codty Pierce, Maureen L i v i n g s t o n , S u s a n D a h o d , Connie Ramos-Williams

PHOTOS SCREENSHOT FROM CLT FACEBOOK PAGE

Valencia

Cat of the Week Elks summer program open to youngsters 9-13 years of age

This adorable little girl never got the chance to be a kitten and enjoy life She's barely a year old and has already had a litter of kittens and found herself at our shelter Now that her kittens have been a d o p t e d a n d s h e ' s f i x e d , s h e ' s ready for a home where she will have the chance to be someone's baby. Valencia is beautiful, curious, affectionate and well mannered If you are looking for a young kitty, this is the girl for you!

C a l l H e l p i n g P a w s A n i m a l S a n c t u a r y a t 2 3 9 - 2 8 3 - 9 1 0 0 f o r more information If you’d rather just donate, our address is 10060 M a l l o r y P k w y E , U n i t D , S a i n t James City 33956 or there’s always our website www.helpingpawsanimalsanctuary.com

Virtual tour of the camp available at feyc.org

The Greater Pine Island Elks #2781 will once again be sponsoring area children ages 9 through 13 to attend the F l o r i d a E l k s Y o u t h C a m p i n s c e n i c , Umatilla, Florida All children are welcome

The island lodge has 10 scholarships for children to enjoy a week of housing in t h e m o d e r n , a i r - c o n d i t i o n e d c a b i n s , meals, swimming, canoeing, aquatic center, campfires, arts and crafts, a rope course and lots of fun, exercise and fresh air

To register a child, simply utilize the online application at feyc org A Greater Pine Island Elk will supply their name and member number as the child’s sponsor

The stated weekly cost per child is $220 Those who can afford this fee are urged to pay; those who cannot will be a f f o r d e d t h e s a m e o p p o r t u n i t y . I t i s through the generosity of the Florida Elks Association, the Greater Pine Island Elks #2781, and donations from its members that tuition-free scholarships are made possible for campers

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

Kids are inspired through the quality of

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

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

The camp staff presents a safe camp e x p e r i e n c e t h a t c o n t r i b u t e s t o e a c h c a m p e r ’ s m e n t a l , p h y s i c a l a n d s o c i a l growth

The Florida Elks Youth Camp, a project of the Florida State Elks Association, is located on 405 acres of rolling hills, forests, lakes and open space in Marion County, Florida It is a unique camping experience for seven weeks, during the summer

Camp sessions last from Sunday afternoon to Saturday morning and provide c a m p e r s w i t h h o u s i n g , f o o d a n d , o f course, tons of fun

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

Wish to take a virtual tour of the camp? Further information, videos and pictures can be found at www feyc org

For additional information about the c a m p , p l e a s e c o n t a c t J u d y H o p k i n s , t h e i s l a n d E l k s e x a l t e d r u l e r , a t juhopkins@msn com

St. James City’s American Legion Post 136 offers scholarship

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

The scholarship committee is interested in students attending accredited programs, colleges, and some programs for nursing, boat mechanics, technical, trade schools, welding, and construction and others

You can get your applications downloaded from www post136fl org Applications need to be post marked no later than May 16.

Kiwanis scholarship applications available

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

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

The applicant must also need financial assistance.

Application forms are available at the following locations: Century 21 Office, 10191 Stringfellow Road, St James City, or Pine Island Public Library or it can be downloaded from PineIslandKiwanis org

The deadline for turning in the applications is May 1, 2024 at the Century 21 Office or they may be mailed (postmarked no later than May 1, 2024) to Scholarship Chairman, P O Box 111, St James City, Florida 33956

The Kiwanis Club of Greater Pine Island is proud to offer scholarships every year to deserving Island students who are furthering their education This is one of the many ways Kiwanis gives back to the community.

Contact scholarship committee chairs Carlyn Herring 239-850-9613 or Tonya Player 239-203-4682 if you have any questions

Bobby Holloway Memorial Fund now accepting scholarship applications

The Bobby Holloway Memorial Fund is now accepting 2023-2024 scholarship applications

The Holloway Fund gives away nearly $30,000 per year that is raised through its annual fishing tournament, which occurred on Saturday, April 6, at Jug Creek Marina in Bokeelia

This year will kick off a special opportunity for students pursuing vocational or trade school with scholarships available through a special donation The Holloway Fund helps students who are pursuing higher education whether it be through college, trade school, academies or vocational training.

To be eligible to receive a scholarship, students must fill out the application along with two letters of recommendation and an essay on why they feel they should receive the scholarship

In addition, applicants must be residents of Pine Island or attended Pine Island Elementary Applications can be picked up from school counselors, the Pine Island Library or Centennial Bank on Pine Island

All applications, letters and essays should be sent together in one packet to:

BHMF-Scholarship

PO Box 712

St James City, FL 33956

Applications must be submitted by May 10 and must include the essay and both letters of recommendation to be considered

Matlacha Hookers now accepting scholarship applications

Must be postmarked by May 17

The Matlacha Hookers have announced that the organization is continuing its tradition of awarding scholarship grants to deserving and potential students, not only for college, but for trade schools, as well as technical schools, and for continuing education. Since 2003, over $200,000 has been awarded to deserving students by the Matlacha Hookers

The required qualifications to apply for a scholarship include a high school diploma or equivalent and one of the following:

1 Former student of the Pine Island Elementary School

2 Currently a Matlacha Hooker for at least one year

3 Immediate family member is currently a Matlacha

Hooker for at least one year

4 Resident of Greater Pine Island for at least one year

5 E l i g i b l e a n d a p p l y i n g f o r t h e 2 0 2 4 F i r s t Responders Scholarship

Applications are available online at matlachahookers org Simply click on “Hooked on Education Scholarship Application”, print, complete application and submit to address on application; must be postmarked by May 17, 2024

Application hard copies are also available at the Pine Island Library

If you or your business are interested in donating funds for the 2025 Hooked on Education scholarship f u n d r a i s i n g s e a s o n , p l e a s e c o n t a c t t h e M a t l a c h a Hookers at matlachahookers@matlachahookers org

Sea turtle nesting season is here

The majority of turtle nesting takes place between March and October One of our local nesting areas is Cayo Costa Island State Park just west of Pine Island The park was damaged during Ian, but the turtles will still come back Turtles wait decades until they can reproduce and they return to the same beach where they were born to lay their eggs Females can lay hundreds of eggs in one nesting season, yet few will yield hatchlings that survive their first year of life. They lay several nests on the beach but only every two to three years

When the female reaches the beach, she will lay several nests on the beach

She will dig big holes in the sand, lay her eggs and then return to the sea Eggs develop on their own

Once the baby sea turtles hatch, they are on their own to find their way to the ocean Most don’t make it They are eaten right after they hatch or when they are trying to find their way to the water.

Bridge is a challenging game, p l a y e d a t 1 2 : 3 0 p . m . e v e r y

Only about one in 1,000 sea turtles survive to adulthood

Never interfere with hatchlings emerging from nests or crawling along the beach to the water Those that do survive can live to be 50-100 years old

Sea turtles are the live representatives of a group of reptiles that have existed on Earth and traveled our seas for 100 million years Sea turtle journey between land and sea and swim thousands of ocean miles during their l o n g l i f e t i m e s S e a t u r t l e s spend the bulk of their lives in the ocean

Dolphin Tales

Three species of sea turtle nest routinely on Florida’s beaches The loggerhead turtle, the green turtle, and the leatherback turtle Green turtles eat algae, seagrasses, and seaweed. Leatherbacks

Bridge Beat

Wednesday at the Fishers of Men

L u t h e r a n c h u r c h , a t 1 0 3 6 0

eat jelly fish, tunicates, and s e a s q u i r t s , L o g g e r h e a d s eat cabs, conchs, whelks, and horseshoe crabs

Sea turtles are dependent o n b e a c h e s f o r n e s t i n g Uncontrolled coastal development, vehicle traffic on beaches, and other human a c t i v i t i e s h a v e d i r e c t l y destroyed or disturbed sea t u r t l e n e s t i n g b e a c h e s a r o u n d t h e w o r l d F o r example, lights from roads a n d b u i l d i n g s d i s o r i e n t hatchlings away from the sea, and vehicle traffic on beaches compacts the sand, m a k i n g i t i m p o s s i b l e f o r female turtles to dig nests

Turtle feeding grounds such as coral reefs a n d s e a g r a s s b e d s a r e d a m a g e d a n d destroyed by activities onshore, including sedimentation from clearing of land and

Stringfellow Road, Saint James City, near the center of Pine Island.

nutrient run-off from agriculture Beach restoration projects for protecting seaside buildings have also been found to be harmful, through dredging and sand filling

Sea turtles can mistake floating plastic materials for jellyfish and can choke on them when they try to eat them These encounters are often fatal Lost or discarde d f i s h i n g g e a r c a l l e d g h o s t g e a r entangle sea turtles and can drown or render a turtle unable to feed or swim. Trash on beaches can trap hatchlings and prevent them from reaching the ocean

Captain Cathy Eagle has spent over 40 years boating on our local waters As a professional Charter Captain, she specializes in Dolphin and Nature tours Visit CaptainCathy com or call /text 239 9942572 Welcome aboard!

Anyone wishing to play, who likes the c h a l l e n g e i s w e lcome and does not need a partner It c o s t s $ 3 t o p l a y , some of which goes back to winners of the game

Last week’s winners were John Nyhus, 1st place, Kathy Downs, s e c o n d p l a c e , a n d K a r e n McWright, third place This week

John and Judy Nyhus tied for first place and Karen McWright came in third

P I E Kindergarten registration, Step Up Day scheduled

P i n e I s l a n d E l e m e ntary School is registering all upcoming Kindergart e n s t u d e n t s f o r t h e 2024-2025 school year

If your child will be 5 y e a r s o l d b y S e p t 1 , 2024, they are ready to s t a r t s c h o o l P I E e n c o u r a g e s a l l n e w K i n d e r g a r t e n e r s t o b e registered by April 30

When registering your child for school, bring the child’s birth certificate, proof of residence, your driver’s license, and current physical with Florida immunization records to Pine Island Elementary

A L e e C o u n t y S c h o o l R e g i s t r a t i o n F o r m w i l l also need to be completed. This form is located o n l i n e a t p i e l e eschools net or parents can g e t o n e a t t h e s c h o o l office

P I E w i l l a l s o b e hosting Step Up Day on May 28 from 9 to 9:45 a m on the school’s campus S t e p U p D a y o f f e r s i n c o m i n g K i n d e r g a r t e n students an opportunity to visit the school campus and classrooms to learn m o r e a b o u t w h a t t o expect next year A welc o m e p a c k e t w i l l b e given to each child who a t t e n d s P a r e n t s a r e required to attend with t h e i r c h i l d C a l l t h e school to let organizers k n o w i f y o u p l a n t o attend

If you have any questions about school registration or Step Up Day, p l e a s e c o n t a c t R o s i e Perez at 239-283-0505 Pine Island Elementary is a t 5 3 6 0 R i d g e w o o d Drive in Bokeelia

Capt. Cathy Eagle

Same old story with more windy days

Capt.

On the Water

O n c e a g a i n , a windy week, many days very w i n d y C o n d i t i o n s made it difficult f o r i n s h o r e a n g l e r s , n e a r i m p o s s i b l e t o h e a d o f f s h o r e into gulf waters and a rough go for those pursuing tarpon S o u t h a n d s o u t h w e s t winds ahead of t h e c o o l f r o n t b r o u g h t h i g h t i d e s , a l l o w i n g anglers to fish protected waters for snook, r e d f i s h a n d s e a t r o u t A l l t h r e e w e r e hooked along shorelines in Pine Island Sound from Demere Key to Big Jim Creek and further south around Wulfert Keys

Snook reports also came from areas of south Matlacha Pass near the mouth of the river, and Matlacha Pass near the drawbridge Fishing cut bait along shorel i n e s a n d u n d e r m a n g r o v e o v e r h a n g s turned up redfish to 28 inches in areas a r o u n d C a b b a g e K e y a n d t h e I n d i a n Fields area of Matlacha Pass

This is the time tarpon season kicks into full gear Generally, the wind lays down in April allowing for good tarpon hunting When it kicks up, it can make for tough fishing, especially around open water areas such as Boca Grande Pass

and off the beaches where they tend to gather Many anglers choose to anchor up inshore around known tarpon spots and fish live, dead or a combination of both baits Often when conditions are unfavorable, a big chunk of ladyfish or mullet soaked on bottom is the best bait. Catfish tails make good bait as well in a pinch With cut baits, along with tarpon, you are sure to hook sharks and some big stingrays If it’s tarpon you’re after, stick with a 60 to 80-pound mono or fluorocarbon leader If the wind is blowing, the water is stirred up and a fluorocarbon leader isn’t necessary With dead baits on

bottom a mono leader works fine If you want to land a shark, adding a few feet of wire to the end of the leader keeps those razor teeth from cutting the line or leader

One week it’s bound to happen, winds will lay down, weather gets into a stable stretch, allowing fish and anglers to get into a predictable pattern Maybe, this week is the start, let’s hope!

Stay up to date with fishing regulations by visiting www myfwc com Also, upload the Fish Rules app on your phone

It has current regulations and seasons with pictures to help identify fish

Nice cobia. Fishing shorelines near the Sanibel

Causeway

Captain Bryant

Cole hooked into this big cobia on a live bait intended for snook

PROVIDED

, Capt Bill Russell has spent his life f

Pine Island and Southwest Flori-da, and as a professional fishing guide for the past 23 years

Lee Health Bloodmobile at the Pine Island Moose Lodge on Saturday

The Lee Health Bloodmobile will be visiting The Pine Island Moose Lodge at 8903 Stringfellow Road in Saint James City on Saturday, April 20 from 8 a m to noon All the blood collected remains in

Lee Health, which includes the Golisano Children's Hospital of SW Florida, the Regional Cancer Center and the only Trauma Center (which is located in the Lee Memorial Hospital) within a five-

Obituaries

Death Notices

county radius The blood also supports C a p e C o r a l H o s p i t a l a n d G u l f C o a s t Medical Center One in three people will need blood in their lifetime You never know when you or someone you know or love will need blood. So come out and Give the Gift of Life

All donors will receive a free health checkup, cholesterol screening, and gift New studies show that donating blood i m p r o v e s y o u r o v e r a l l c a r d i o v a s c u l a r health Regularly donating blood helps men in particular to reduce the amount of iron in the blood This can reduce the c h a n c e o f h e a r t a t t a c k b y 8 8 % Additionally, regular blood donation can lower the risk of severe cardiovascular

events such as stroke by 33% You also burn 650 calories It's a win-win

Please help us make our goal of 15 units of blood

Requirements for donating blood:

* Weigh at least 115 lbs

* Be at least 16 years old (16 requires parental written consent)

* Be relatively healthy

* Provide photo ID

* Have 56 days between donations

Eat a meal before donating blood and be sure to drink plenty of fluids before and after donation

Questions about donating? Call 3432333

Bill Russell

(Selected by the Breeze Sports staff)

PondDigging-LandClearing WefixDrainageProblems

LaborersWanted 239-543-3700

Cell239-849-5375