Cape Coral Weekend Breeze

Early forecast: 6 hurricanes predicted in ’23

major hurricanes prognosticated

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

near you to make this an active season for you.”

Following seven straight years of predicted “above-average” activity, top hurricane forecasters feel the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season will buck the trend R e s e a r c h e r s a t C o l o r a d o S t a t e University, now in its 40th year of forecasting the upcoming hurricane season, are p r e d i c t i n g a s l i g h t l y b e l o w - a v e r a g e Atlantic hurricane season, which starts June 1 CSU is forecasting there will be 13

Michael Bell, professor in the Colorado State University Department of Atmospheric Science

named storms, six hurricanes, and two major hurricanes Last year, CSU predicted 19 named storms, including nine hurri-

Event set for Saturday at Cultural Park

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

Aday celebrating a multitude of cultures is set for this Saturday at Cultural Park in Cape Coral

The city of Cape Coral will host the inaugural Cape Coral Culture Fest from noon to 5 p m The event is free and geared towards all ages

City officials said they will celebrate different cultures through live music, performances, international food, a variety of vendors, and more

The aim of the event is to connect residents with the community and explore sights, sounds, and flavors from around the world

“Our goal with Culture Fest is to celebrate each other and break down barriers that may be

See CULTURE FEST, page 20

IF YOU GO:

What: Cape Coral Culture Fest

When: Saturday, April 22 from noon to 5 p m

Where: Cultural Park, 528 Cultural Park Blvd

More information:

For more information, visit www capeculturefest com

canes and four major CSUps Meteorology Project team anticipates the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season to be below average due to a number of factors, but uncertainty still remains Often used to paint a picture of the upcoming season is the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) whether the waters

See HURRICANE, page 8

New food truck rules go into effect April 25

By DEVON CRUMPACKER news@breezenewspapers com

A new Cape Coral food truck ordinance that encourages the businesses to “stay mobile” is set to go into effect next Tuesday, April 25

Once enforced, food trucks in the city will no longer be allowed to stay parked at their service locations overnight They also won’t be allowed to provide seating for customers And they won’t be allowed to connect to nearby brick and mortar businesses to draw electricity or running water The ordinance will lay out certain zones where food trucks aren’t allowed to park as well

“If you have wheels, you’re supposed to be mobile,” said Cape Coral City Councilmember, Tom Hayden, to the Breeze. “And this ordinance defined that ”

Hayden voted in favor of the ordinance when it was approved 6-2 by City Council back in January In his eyes, food trucks had an unfair advantage over brick and mortar establishments

“What we were seeing throughout the city was: we had food trucks that had permanently established themselves in various spots throughout the city,” said Hayden “It allowed them an advantage over the brickand-mortar restaurants that have to follow a

See FOOD TRUCKS, page 17

“It takes only one storm

but slightly below averages season with 13 named storms, 2

Weapons detection systems to be installed in schools

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

A $3 2 million weapons detection system will be installed in Lee County schools next year as another safety measure for students and staff

The groundbreaking weapons detection system, OPENGATE, was approved by the School Board of Lee County at its April 11 meeting The approval was to piggyback the Interlocal Purchasing System for Technology Solutions Products and Service to Communications Technologies, Inc from April 11, through April 10, 2024 The system has a price tag of $3,221,372,45, which is funded through sales tax dollars

The system allows for fast and automatic screening, no removal of backpacks, bags, or purses and easy walk through flow, officials said

Safety, Security & Emergency Management Executive Director David Newlan said OPENGATE is a good thing that will come to fruition for the 2023-24 school year.

“You have to do your due diligence to make sure you choose the right (system) to fit our needs and our district,” he said

The system is a good fit for the district because of the

“That’s what students want, to feel safe in their schools. This is another layer that we are going to do to our current procedures to make sure we are going to keep our students and staff safe ”

David Newlan, executive director of Safety, Security & Emergency Management for the School District of Lee County

way it was designed, Newlan said It has good mobility, as it is easy to maneuver The system is 25 pounds and can be set up in 30 seconds, he said

The system is not a metal detector, which would require individuals to take everything out of their pockets, purses, backpacks, as well as taking off their watch That would not be conducive in a school environment where you have 2,000 students walking through, Newlan said

“It allows them to walk through as they normally would,” he said, adding that sometimes you may not know you are walking through a detection device “It will be in every school. Every school in Lee County will have a weapon detection device ”

The device detects contraband by its formation and shape

“It makes more sense for our type of environment We are trying to make sure our kids are safe It’s another layer

of security to keep students and staff safe,” Newlan said

There will be a slow roll out of OPENGATE starting at the beginning of next school year It will not all happen at once, as there needs to be training and the ability to work out issues to ensure it is smooth for staff to use

The number of systems at a given school will depend on the school’s design, how it is set up, as well as the population of the school

“We will look at the school itself We are protecting all of our schools,” Newlan said

He said he has received positive feedback from students, parents and staff regarding the system.

“That’s what students want, to feel safe in their schools,” Newlan said “This is another layer that we are going to do to our current procedures to make sure we are going to keep our students and staff safe ”

Opponents file for hearing on city’s request to remove the Chiquita Lock

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

Local non-profit organizations and residents have teamed up again and filed a petition for an administrative h e

Environmental Protection’s Notice of Intent to issue an permit to the city of Cape Coral for removal of the Chiquita Lock

The Matlacha Civic Association, Inc , Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation, Calusa Waterkeeper, along with residents Daniel Carney, James Collier, Keven Sparks and Kathleen Walsh, filed the petition on Wednesday challenging the notice of intent for an Environmental Resource Permit from FDEP to the city, contending the application “fails to meet any of the standards required under Florida Law.”

The petitioners also state that preliminary to any hearing, that FDEP “engaged in a fatal due process error in issuing the (Notice of Intent),” which was signed by FDEP Director of District Management for the South Florida District, Jennifer Carpenter

The Matlacha Civic Association, with the support of local organizations and individuals, defeated the first effort by the city to remove the lock on the South Spreader Waterway in 2019-20

President of the Matlacha Civic Association, Attorney Michael Hannon, said in the first proceeding, a Florida Administrative Law Judge concluded that removal of the lock would damage the mangroves and further impair the waters of the Matlacha Pass He said the new effort to remove the Chiquita Lock is based on promises by the city of Cape Coral to start several new projects to improve the quality of water that flows into the South Spreader They are once again, this time with more backing, challenging the city

“The fact that two renowned organizations that protect our waters have joined us as petitioners in this case, reflects how seriously our residents view the importance of clean water,” Hannon said

When reached for comment, city of Cape Coral officials stated they do not comment on pending litigation.

The petitioners argue that the city’s proposal will not improve water, and at the same time violate a Consent Order binding dating back to the ’70s

During the decade, predecessors to the DEP stopped the digging of canals in the mangrove wetlands along the Matlalacha Pass Aquatic Preserve by developers of the Cape From that came the largest fine ever levied for environmental crimes, managed wetlands were deeded to the state, and a water detention system for the canals designed to curb further damage

Enforcement action was resolved by Consent Order No

“The fact that two renowned organizations that protect our waters have joined us as petitioners in this case, reflects how seriously our residents view the importance of clean water ”

Attorney Michael Hannon, president of the Matlacha Civic Association

15 in 1977, to govern the operation of the canal system thereafter The goal of Consent Order No 15, which is still in effect today, is “to restrict destruction of the mangroves a n d t o p r o v i d e a d d i t i o n a l c o n t r o l a n d t r e a t m e n t o f stormwater discharges” and “to be a freshwater system designed to retain and treat the stormwater runoff and then to provide uniform discharge of the stormwater into the adjacent mangrove ” The Consent Order requires the maintenance of both the Chiquita Boat Lock and the Ceitus Boat Lift Barrier on the south end of the North Spreader Waterway Hannon said Cape Coral has refused to maintain both spreader waterways as required by the Consent Order

Cape Coral was allowed to remove the Ceitus Boat Lift Barrier many years ago

“As a result, Matlacha Pass is polluted and the mangroves along the North Spreader are dying,” Hannon said “Evidence of the damage to the mangroves on the north presented at the 2019 hearing was dramatic ”

Petitioners state the city has only offered one reason for the removal quoted, and that’s to allow boaters to navigate the Spreader Waterway without having to wait for operation of the lock They add there is no environmental purpose served by the removal on the lock, and will in-turn cause “significant environmental damage ”

The city’s proposed program put together by Brown and Caldwell includes two stormwater improvement projects; environmental monitoring for small tooth sawfish; enhancement to mangrove, upland, and subtidal habitats along the waterway, and removal of the Chiquita Boat Lock and the associated northern upland pad from the terminus of the waterway The city states these actions “will result in environmental improvements and increase the sustainability of the Waterway system and the adjacent natural areas ”

Petitioners argue other than the removal of the lock, no Environmental Resource Permit is necessary to carry out the program, and state that the request is an “illegitimate vehicle to seek amendment of Consent Order No. 15 without proper notice of any proposed amendment to affected parties ”

See CHIQUITA LOCK, page 20

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

Hunger in our land of plenty

Efforts to put food on local tables got a big boost this month with a $1 million grant from Feeding America and the Walmart Foundation

The grant, to be paid over three years, will allow the Harry Chapin Food Bank to expand its “retail rescue” program Through the initiative, the hunger-relief organization and its partners collect donations of various types of food everything from shelf-stable non-perishables to meat and produce from retailers across the five counties the food bank serves

The food then provides, literally, millions of meals

The Harry Chapin Food Bank estimates it feeds more than a quarter million people per month in Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties and its annual numbers illuminate a serious problem here in Southwest Florida

“Harry Chapin Food Bank distributed $61 5 million worth of food in fiscal year 2022,” the organization’s website states “Through our food distribution programs, we supplied 34.7 million pounds of food and other grocery items, including 12 million pounds of fresh produce The food is the equivalent of 29 million meals distributed to those who are hungry ”

If you’re a part-time resident getting ready for your trek “back north,” or if you are just feeling generous and would like to share your stocked up BOGOs, you can add to the effort

The food bank’s next big drive is less than a month away In partnership with United Way and the National Association of Letter Carriers, the 31st annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive is set for Saturday, May 13

Residents can leave donations of non-perishable food items next to their mailboxes on May 13 or drop them off at any post office before the 13th

Or, to address the issue of food instability in another way, there are a pair of events coming up to aid those who are hungry and homeless

The Community Cooperative is asking businesses and residents to “help spread the love” by donating any brand of peanut butter, almond or alternative nut better, and any flavor jelly or jam (in plastic jars, please) to its PB&J drive The effort continues through April 24

The community also is invited to come out and enjoy a bowl of soup, live entertainment and food truck offerings at the cooperative’s family-friendly Empty Bowls fundraiser, set for 11 a m to 2 p m , on Saturday, April 29, at the Alliance for the Arts at 10091 McGregor Blvd

Admission, which will include a bowl of soup and a handcrafted ceramic bowl made by Lee County students, is $10 for adults, free for children

For more information on the Peanut Butter & Jelly drive, email Janelle@CommunityCooperative com or visit communitycooperative com where monetary donations also are accepted

For more information or to make a donation to the Harry Chapin Food Bank, visit harrychapinfoodbank org

In the wake of Hurricane Ian, in the current housing crunch, the need is great.

Collectively, as a community, we can make a difference

Lee schools gearing up for 2023-24

The school year is coming to an end Proms, plays, concerts, and award ceremonies are all in full swing, reminding us that summer break is just around the corner As the Class of 2023 prepares to walk across the graduation stage, I will be honored to stand alongside this tenacious group of students, celebrating all they have accomplished Teachers and staff are organizing End-of-the-Year field trips and parties Parents and families are planning for summer school programs and vacations The School District is preparing for the school year 2023-2024 with many moving parts to consider

Recently signed House Bill 1, contains a comprehensive package of innovations that promote parental involvement and customized K-12 education in Florida The legislation empowers parents to guide their children’s education by providing for an Education Savings Account for every student in the K-12 system Incorporating recommendations from the Florida Association of District School Superintendents, the bill also takes the first step towards reducing onerous and excessive regulations on public schools Now law, HB 1 will further cement Florida’s position as the nation’s leader in school choice

W Giovannelli Guest Commentary

all of those local concerns with the Legislature for potential fixes before July 1, 2026

I want to thank all the teachers, bus drivers, administrators, paraprofessionals, and all professional support staff for all their hard work I also want to thank Dr Christopher Bernier as he approaches one year of service for his leadership Everyone worked so hard during these trying times and faced many obstacles: Hurricane Ian, staff shortages, sickness, and student struggles

I invite members of the community who wish to join our workforce to register for the upcoming Spring 2023 Talent Recruitment Fair to be held at the Lee County Public Education Center on Saturday, April 29 This event will provide candidates the opportunity to interact with on site Principals and Department hiring managers

Additionally, the School District is pleased to announce the results of the Elementary Level Student Enrollment Proximity Plan. Families should log into their FOCUS accounts to see the latest student elementary school assignment information We ask for your continued patience and understanding as the work continues to accommodate students in settings that will foster his/her highest learning potential

HB 733, Middle School and High School Start Times, would change the earliest start time for middle and high schools, including charter schools, beginning July 1, 2026 No middle school could start before 8 a m , and no high school could start before 8:30 a m The Senate heard its version of the bill for the first time this week, and it was reported favorably by the Education Pre-K 12 Committee Fortunately, the bill has a three-year planning period built into it, which will allow each district to look at its operational needs and capacities, engage the local community, and ultimately share

I am hopeful that the 2023 school year will bring about an increased sense of normalcy as our community continues its recovery efforts from Hurricane Ian

As an elected school board member, one of my duties is to listen to the community I pledge to continue to listen to all the parents, students, community members, and our staff Please know that your voice matters Everyone is valued, and know that I will continue to respect those whom I was elected to serve

Melisa W Giovannelli, School Board Member, District 2

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Utility expansion costs hinder affordable housing in Cape Coral

T o t h e e d i t o r :

W i t h t h e C a p e C o r a l C i t y C o u n c i l g o i n g a h e a d w i t h t h e U t i l i t i e s E x t e n s i o n , t h e y a r e a t t e m p t i n g t o k i l l t h e g o o s e t h a t l a i d t h e g o l d e n e g g , M o s t n e w h o m e b u y e r s c a n n o t a f f o r d a n a d d i t i o n a l $ 3 1 2 p e r m o n t h p l u s a n a d d i t i o n a l $ 1 0 0 p e r m o n t h u t i l i t y b i l l N o r c a n m o s t e x i s t i n g h o m e o w n e r s i n t h e e x p a n s i o n a r e a T h e r e a l i t y i s t h i s i s a t a x o n t h e f e w t o b e n e f i t t h e m a n y W e c o n t i n u e t o h e a r a b o u t a f f o r d a b l e h o u s i n g i n o u r a r e a a n d o u r c i t y c o u n c i l c o n t i n u e s t o a d d a d d i t i o n a l c o s t s m a k i n g a f f o r d a b l e h o u s i n g u n o b t a i n a b l e S i n c e I h a v e n o t h e a r d o f a n y c i t i z e n s o r c i t i z e n s g r o u p s c l a m o r i n g f o r t h i s e x p a n s i o n o n e w o n d e r s w h o b e n e f i t s f r o m t h i s . P e r h a p s l a r g e a p a r t m e n t c o m p l e x e s ? L a r g e c o n d o m i n i u m c o m p l e x e s ? I n d u s t r i a l e x p a n s i o n ? O f f i c e c o m p l e x e s ? R e t a i l s t o r e e x p a n s i o n s ? N o n e o f t h i s c o n t r i b u t e s t o a f f o r d a b l e h o u s i n g S i n c e t h i s t a x s e e m s t o b e n e f i t a l l o f C a p e C o r a l , p e r o u r c i t y c o u n c i l , p e r h a p s a m o r e e q u i t a b l e w a y w o u l d b e t o t a x A L L p r o p e r t y o w n e r s i n C a p e C o r a l , n o t j u s t t h e f e w t h a t u n f o r t u n a t e l y l i v e i n t h e e x p a n s i o n a r e a S o m e t h i n g t o t h i n k a b o u t

H o w a r d D i e t z C a p e C o r a l C a p e C o r a l i s o n t h e w ro n g p a t h t o t a k e o u t t h e S o u t h S p re a d e r l o c k T o t h e e d i t o r S o m e t i m e s y o u r e a l l y c a n ’ t b e g i n t o u n d e r s t a n d w h y c i t y g o v e r n m e n t s s u c h a s C a p e C o r a l w a n t t o d o t h i n g s t h a t r e a l l y d o n ’ t m a k e s e n s e W e j u s t w e n t t h r o u g h a h o r r i f i c h u r r i c a n e . I t h a s n ’ t r a i n e d m u c h s i n c e t h e h u r r i c a n e a n d t h e C a p e ’ s c a n a l s a r e l o s i n g w a t e r C a p e C o r a l n o w w a n t s e v e r y o n e t o c u t d o w n o n w a t e r u s a g e t o m a k e u p f o r t h e l a c k o f r a i n T h e m a n g r o v e s a r e i n s e v e r e d a m a g e f r o m t h e h u r r i c a n e a n d l a c k o f f r e s h w a t e r M o s t o f t h e m l o o k r e d a n d b u r n t f r o m a d i s t a n c e a n d n o t g r e e n a n d h e a l t h y

S o w h a t d o e s t h e c i t y f a t h e r s w a n t t o d o t o h e l p t h e m a n g r o v e s w i t h f r e s h w a t e r ? Y e s , y o u g u e s s e d r i g h t i f y o u s a i d r e m o v e t h e l o c k s f r o m t h e s o u t h s p r e a d e r Y o u a s k i s n ’ t t h e f r e s h w a t e r s u p p o s e d t o b e h e l d b a c k f r o m t h e l o c k s t o h e l p s p r e a d f r e s h w a t e r t o t h e m a n g r o v e s ? Y e s O n e w o u l d t h i n k t h a t g e t t i n g t h e h e a l t h o f t h e e s t ua r y a n d m a n g r o v e s b a c k w o u l d b e t h e f i r s t o r d e r o f b u s i n e s s f o r a l l o u r e l e c t e d g o v e r n m e n t o f f i c i a l s E v i d e n t l y t h a t d o e s n ’ t s e e m t o w o r k w i t h C a p e C o r a l d e c i s i o n m a k e r s T h e y a r e m o r e c o n c e r n e d t h a t ’ s t h e f i r s t o r d e r s o f b u s i n e s s s h o u l d b e t h e r e m o v a l o f t h e s o u t h s p r e a d e r l o c k f o r t h e s a f e t y o f a f e w b o a t e r s t h a n a b o u t t h e h e a l t h o f t h e w a t e r s t h a t w e a l l w a n t t o e n j o y . C a p e C o r a l C o u n c i l s h o u l d b e n o m i n a t e d f o r a B u d b e e r c a n L e o A m o s M a t l a c h a

L e e C i v i c C e n t e r & p re s e r v i n g f a r m i n g i n L e e C o u nty

To the editor: T h a n k y o u C o m m i s s i o n e r M i k e G r e e n w e l l f o r t r y i n g t o p r o t e c t a n d r e s u r r e c t t h e L e e C o u n t y C i v i c C e n t e r T h e L e e C i v i c C e n t e r h a s a l o n g a n d f a m o u s h i s t o r y I t h a s d r a w n m a n y f a m o u s s i n g e r s t h r o u g h o u t t h e y e a r s S e e i n g c o n c e r t s t h e r e w i t h G a r t h B r o o k s , W i l l y N e l s o n , A l a b a m a , F a b i a n , H a n k W i l l i a m s J r , R u s h , C h r i s L e D o u x a n d m o r e i s a t r i b u t e t o t h i s g r e a t v e n u e W e a l l n e e d a l l o f y o u t o s u p p o r t a n d m a k e t h e c i v i c c e n t e r f l o u r i s h a g a i n l i k e o l d t i m e s a n d b r i n g b a c k c o n c e r t s a n d m o r e e x p o s t o t h e c e n t e r a n d t o k e e p t h e f a i r t h e r e T h e f a i r i s v e r y i m p o r t a n t t o t h e r u r a l c o m m u n i t y a n d t h e i r w a y o f l i f e T h e c i v i c c e n t e r n e e d s n e w b l e a c h e r s e a t s a s t h e y h a v e b e c a m e o u t d a t e d a n d n o t u s a b l e f o r m a n y y e a r s a n d n e v e r r e p l a c e d P l e a s e e m a i l y o u r c o m m i s s i o n e r s a n d t e l l t h e m t o f u n d n e w c h a i r s a n d u p d a t e a n e w , m o r e m o d e r n s t a g e w i t h n e w a d v a n c e d l i g h t i n g , e t c i n c l u de d W e c o u l d h a v e h i g h - c l a s s a c t s , c o n c e r t s a n d p l a y s

Member Florida Press Association

Melisa

As autism diagnoses rise, community outreach - and acceptance - is critical

The recent announcement of an increase in autism spectrum disorder among U S children comes at an significant moment: April is Autism Acceptance Month, a campaign to shift public perspective on autism from mere awareness to wholehearted acceptance, inclusion, understanding and compassion

New research by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that in 2020, among 8-year-olds, one in 36 (or nearly 3%) had autism That’s compared to one in 44 from 2018

Many suggest this rise illustrates the impact of increased screening and greater awareness nationwide But even with that caveat and the limitations of now threeyear-backward looking data set there’s no denying that more individuals and families are navigating the world of autism each day

On the flip side, researchers have also found that the pandemic’s 2020 arrival coincided with a decline in autism evaluations a disconnect that reinforces the critical need to reach more families where they live, work and play

Here in Southwest Florida, our team at the Cape Coral-based, nonprofit Family Initiative, through compassion and innova-

From page 4

tion, is working to redefine autism programs and clinical services We offer a familycentered approach that includes evidence-based services, practical training and compassionate support, and are the first organization in the region with an on-site campus dedicated to supporting individuals and families impacted with autism spectrum disorder

Early intervention remains a core priority; each month, we offer free autism screenings for children 1-3 years old

David Brown

Guest Commentary

So does ensuring that our services are available to all in need, including low-income families and communities of color The new CDC research, based on studies of children in 11 communities across the country, found a 30% increase in autism spectrum prevalence among Asian, Black and Hispanic children from 2018-20; the prevalence among white children was 14 6% higher

c o m e t o o u r c i v i c c e n t e r i f w e c a n o n l y r e c l a i m a l l o f t h e 7 , 5 0 0 s e a t s w h i c h t h e b u i l d i n g i s capable of holding

Where can we get the money to reclaim this building? One fund we could use is the Conservation 20/20 money Renovate the seven lakes on the civic center grounds for kids, oldsters and others to fish Make oak plantations and plant many other trees and shrubs to make the grounds truly green Stock some quail Make space for individual and community gardening In other words, make it a green park with a renovated rodeo grounds, horse arenas and modern facilities for the fair

Another way is to petition an industrial group, cooperate headquarters, etc to sponsor the center like Hertz does for the Everblades to help keep the arena staff going. Make the center available for an NBA or an NHL team Make sure the seats could be moved within each other to have enough room for gun shows, RV shows, fishing shows , etc on the civic center floor

The civic center needs to host the county fair for the second hundred years This means the developers, builders, planners must think rural for Alva, Buckingham, Bayshore, Olga, rest of DRGR and even parts of the Babcock Ranch How do they think rural? It is quite simple All developments will be 10- and 5-acre parcels suitable for horses and livestock Are you listening developers?

Why is the gem of rural royalty, the Lee County Civic Center, so highly important to rural life in Southwest Florida?

One of the main reasons is the vast 4-H community and Future Farmers of America that uses it throughout the year with the county fair being one of its high points The members work diligently throughout the year raising everything from gerbils to steers and horses so they can exhibit them in the fair, winning ribbons and receiving handsome checks at the livestock auctions Equine competitions, too The members benefit greatly learning to raise their livestock daily, riding their horses and handling their charges and how to care for their animals in sickness in health A way of life that is so beneficial to our world in Lee County Our commissioners need to recognize this and keep our county truly rural. Preserve our wonderful civic center for future generations to come for all of Lee County Otherwise the farming community will move out of Lee County It is not just the Lee Civic Center but also the wonderful carnival that goes along with the fair

By gender, researchers found prevalence in 4% of boys compared to just 1% of girls Does that mean that girls are less likely to be autistic than boys? Not necessarily I would argue that gender bias may be impacting girls in meeting the disorder’s original diagnostic criteria accounts for much of that disparity This false narrative can be a self-fulfilling prophecy of sorts: the relatively few girls diagnosed on the autism spectrum get less support Girls’ earlier maturation can make them better at masking their diagnosis, further compounding the dilemma

There’s also a glaring need for programs aimed at teens and young adults, allowing them to be themselves and find acceptance This spring, we are expanding our programs for such cohorts while also bolstering our offerings for parent and sibling support Autism is a lifelong journey; the overwhelming majority of adults with autism spectrum disorder, even those with a college

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

A special note for Commissioner Mike Greenwell for his enduring approval for the civic center and his recognition and support of our rural lifestyle in Lee County I can only hope he will change his developments to rural ones

In summary, Mr Commissioners and Lee County planners encourage all of our great building industry to only build ranches and farms in our rural areas of Lee County No houses plastered next to each other or apartments stacked up to many stories upon each other Stop this by commission denials and law edicts Support a modern civic center with all the different facilities for all clubs tenants and expos to make this wonderful fairgrounds and civic center facility a proud area and we can all use for the next hundred years The 4-H clubs, rural community and residents of Southwest Florida will thank you all

Oh, yes, please stop the RV park in Alva Obviously that is not a rural entity

(I am a past 4-H club member who learned so many life skills from this great organization that preaches and teaches )

Carl Veaux Cape Coral

Many thanks

T o t h e e d i t o r :

O n b e h a l f o f t h e B o a r d o f C a p e C o r a l F r i e n d s o f W i l d l i f e ( C C F W ) , I w o u l d l i k e t o e x p r e s s h o w m u c h w e a p p r e c i a t e t h e B r e e z e N e w s p a p e r ’ s 2 0 2 3 B u r r o w i n g O w l F e s t i v a l W i l d l i f e & E n v i r o n m e n t a l E x p o s i t i o n s p o n s o r s h i p Y o u r g i f t w i l l h e l p m a k e i t p o s s i b l e f o r C C F W t o a c h i e v e i t s m i s s i o n o f p r e s e r v i n g w i l d l i f e i n t h e c i t y o f C a p e C o r a l T h e u n i q u e , f l a t , s a n d y e a r t h h e r e a t t r a c t s t h e b u rr o w i n g o w l , c l a s s i f i e d a s “ T h r e a t e n e d ” u n d e r t h e F l o r i d a E n d a n g e r e d S p e c i e s L a w A t t h e s a m e t i m e , h u n d r e d s o f p e o p l e a r e m o v i n g t o t h e C a p e , a n d c l a i mi n g t h e l a n d w h e r e t h e a n i m a l s t h r i v e I t i s u p t o o r g a ni z a t i o n s a n d i n d i v i d u a l s t o s a v e t h e s e c r e a t u r e s f r o m e x t i n c t i o n A p o r t i o n o f t h e p r o c e e d s f r o m t h e f e s t i v a l w i l l g o t o t h e p u r c h a s e o f w i l d l i f e h a b i t a t

A n o t h e r p a r t i c u l a r l y i m p o r t a n t m i s s i o n o f C C F W i s t o e d u c a t e t h e p u b l i c a b o u t w i l d l i f e a n d t h e e n v i r o nm e n t T h e a n n u a l B u r r o w i n g O w l F e s t i v a l i s o u r m a i n

Agree? Disagree? Weigh in!

education, remain unemployed As these children grow up, so do their plans and their dreams

When it first started, Autism Acceptance Month was known by another name: Autism Awareness Month Simple awareness, though, isn’t enough With growing diagnoses of autism spectrum disorders, the data supports what we at Family Initiative have long realized: We are not the “other,” but instead your friends, neighbors, children, classmates, co-workers, church parishioners, community volunteers and more

We’re fortunate to enjoy robust support from the local community and want to also share details about two signature upcoming events

On Saturday, April 22, we are hosting a family-friendly cornhole tournament at 10 Twenty Five in downtown Fort Myers One week later is our annual Autism Acceptance Awards and Gala on Saturday, April 29 For additional details on these events, visit FIFlorida org

David Brown is the co-founder and president of Family Initiative, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting children and families with autism

e d u c a t i o n a l e v e n t . T h e 2 0 2 3 F e s t i v a l w a s a s p e c t a c u l a r s u c c e s s T h r e e h u n d r e d p e o p l e a t t e n d e d t h e f i r s t B u r r o w i n g O w l F e s t i v a l N e a r l y 3 , 0 0 0 f l o w e d t h r o u g h t h e e n t r a n c e t h i s y e a r I m a g i n e t h e d e l i g h t o f o u r c h i l d r e n , g r a n d c h i l d r e n , a n d f u t u r e g e n e r a t i o n s w h e n t h e y s e e t h i s t i n y , f r a g i l e c r e a t u r e f o r t h e f i r s t t i m e I f t h i s d r e a m b e c o m e s a r e a li t y , i t w i l l b e d u e , i n p a r t , t o t h e g e n e r o s i t y o f b u s i n e s se s s u c h a s y o u r s W i t h a p p r e c i a t i o n , L o r i H a u s - B u l c o c k C o r r e s p o n d i n g S e c r e t a r y C a p e C o r a l F r i e n d s o f W i l d l i f e

This week’s poll question:

Are you concerned about housing costs?

∫ Yes, I’m afraid I won’t be able to buy

∫ Yes, I’m afraid I won’t be able to rent if I need to move

∫ Not really. There are options affordable out there.

∫ No I own and look forward to increasing values

∫ Other

Previous 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

* 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

Letters, guest opinions, comments welcome

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

.

Bride’s heirloom lost — and found

Waste Pro driver works with family, Lee County, to help recover missing bracelet from trash

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 A n e w C a p e C o r a l b r i d e ’ s “ s o m e t h i n g b l u e ” f o r a t i m e b e c a m e h e r “ s o m e t h i n g m i s s i n g , ” b u t t h a n k s t o s o m e h e l p f r o m a l o c a l W a s t e P r o d r i v e r , a f a m i l y h e i rl o o m i s s a f e a n d s o u n d O n t h e m o r n i n g o f h e r w e d d i n g , B r i t t a n y T h o m p s o n w a s g i v e n h e r g r a n dm o t h e r ’ s s a p p h i r e b r a c e l e t b y h e r f a t h e r , t o w e a r a s h e r “ s o m e t h i n g b l u e ” o n h e r b i g d a y T h e p i e c e o f j e w e l r y i s v e r y s p e c i a l t o h e r , a s s h e n e v e r m e t h e r g r a n d m o t h e r , a n d j u s t r e c e n t l y r e c o n n e c t e d w i t h h e r f a t h e r a f e w y e a r s b a c k A f t e r t h e f e s t i v i t i e s a n d c e l e b r a t i o n h a d d i e d d o w n f o l l o w i n g t h e r e c e p t i o n , T h o m p s o n ’ s h e a r t d r o p p e d a s s h e r e a li z e d h e r p r e c i o u s g i f t h a d l e f t h e r w r i s t T h e n e x t m o r n i n g , s h e b e g a n r e a c h i n g o u t t o f r i e n d s a n d f a m i l y f o r p h o t o s f r o m t h e e v e n i n g , t r y i n g t o p i e c e t o g e t h e r w h e n a n d w h e r e t h e b r a c e l e t m a y h a v e b e e n l o s t S h e d i s c o v e r e d t h e m o s t l i k e l y p l a c e w a s i n a p h o t o - o p a r e a , s u r r o u n d e d b y f a u x h a y a n d f l o w e r s . “ T h a t ’ s w h e n I n o t i c e d o n e p h o t o h a d ( t h e b r a c e l e t ) o n , o n e h a d i t o f f , ” T h o m p s o n s a i d “ I p i e c e d i t a l l t o g e t h e r a n d f i g u r e d i t w a s i n t h a t a r e a ” T h o m p s o n w a s m a r r i e d o n A p r i l 2 , a n d t h e v e r y n e x t m o r n i n g , c a l l e d t h e r e c e p t i o n l o c a t i o n t o s e e i f t h e y h a d f o u n d t h e b r a c e l e t w h i l e c l e a n i n g u p U n f o r t u n a t e l y , s h e w a s t o l d e v e r y t h i n g f r o m t h e n i g h t b e f o r e h a d g o n e o u t t o t h e t r a s h a n d , t o m a k e m a t t e r s m o r e d i r e , i t w a s t r a s h d a y . T h o m p s o n a n d h e r h u s b a n d r u s h e d d o w n t o t h e v e n u e a n d a s t h e y p u l l e d u p , s a w t h e W a s t e P r o t r u c k o n - s i t e T h o m p s o n q u i c k l y w e n t o v e r t o o n e o f t h e t r a s h c o n t a i n e r s , o p e n e d t h e l i d , a n d f o u n d i t h a d a l r e a d y b e e n c o l l e c t e d “ I w a s f r e a k i n g o u t , ” T h o m p s o n s a i d “ M y h u s b a n d k n o c k e d o n t h e t r u c k d o o r a n d w a s t a l k i n g t o t h e W a s t e P r o d r i v e r , a n d h e w a s t r y i n g t o h e l p u s o u t a n d g a v e u s a n u m b e r t o c a l l ” T h o m p s o n c a l l e d , a n d w a s m e t w i t h a r o a d b l o c k . “ T h e y w e r e t e l l i n g u s t h a t t h e p l a c e w a s c l o s e d , ” s h e s a i d T h e W a s t e P r o d r i v e r w h o h a d c o ll e c t e d t h e g a r b a g e , J e f f S n e l l , w e n t b a c k o n h i s r o u t e w h i l e t h e n e w l y w e d s w e n t i n s i d e t h e v e n u e t o s e a r c h “ W e l o o k e d a l l o v e r a n d d i d n ’ t f i n d i t , ” T h o m p s o n s a i d “ A n d a s w e w e r e a b o u t t o l e a v e , t h e t r u c k d r i v e r c a m e b a c k ” S n e l l a s k e d t h e T h o m p s o n s i f t h e y h a d a n y l u c k r e a c h i n g s o m e o n e , n o t i n g h i s t r u c k w a s f u l l a n d r e a d y t o d u m p T h o m p s o n e x p l a i n e d t h e y w e r e n o t a b l e t o g e t i n c o n t a c t w i t h a n y o n e , s o S n e l l t o o k m a t t e r s i n t o h i s o w n h a n d s a n d r e a c h e d o u t t o h i s s u p e r v i s o r , A n t h o n y D a n a l e w i c h S n e l l p a s s e d a l o n g t h e T h o m p s o n s ’ i n f o r m a t i o n , a n d m a d e n o p r o m i s e s a b o u t t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f h a v i n g t h e t r a s h d u m p e d t o l o o k t h r o u g h , b u t t o l d t h e m t o k e e p t h e p h o n e c l o s e b y W i t h i n t h e h o u r , t h e T h o m p s o n s g o t a c a l l s a y i n g t h e t r u c k w a s d u m p e d i n a L e e C o u n t y s i t e i n B u c k i n g h a m , a n d o f f t h e y w e n t t o s e a r c h “ ( S n e l l ) w a s h a p p y h e c o u l d h e l p , ” D a n a l e w i c h s a i d “ H e i m a g i n e d h i s o w n w i f e l o s i n g s o m e t h i n g l i k e t h a t a n d h o w d e s p e r a t e i t w o u l d m a k e t h e m f e e l t r y i n g f i n d i t ” T h o m p s o n a n d h e r h u s b a n d b e g a n f r a n t i c a l l y s e a r c h i n g t h r o u g h t h e m o u n d

o f t r a s h , a n d j u s t w h e n h o p e w a s a l l b u t l o s t , T h o m p s o n n o t i c e d a s h i m m e r o f l i g h t “ W e w e r e t o l d h o w t h e t r u c k w a s d u m p e d , w e s h o u l d b e l o o k i n g t o w a r d s t h e b o t t o m o f e v e r y t h i n g , ” T h o m p s o n s a i d “ W e w e r e t r y i n g t o f i n d a n y t h i n g t h a t l o o k e d l i k e i t w a s f r o m t h e v e n u e t h a t n i g h t W e s t a r t e d r i p p i n g o p e n g a r b a g e b a g s , a n d t h a t p o i n t , w e w e r e s t a r t i n g t o g i v e u p a l l h o p e a n d w e r e t i r e d S u r e e n o u g h , I s a w s o m e h a y s t i c ki n g o u t o f t h e g a r b a g e b a g s a n d s a w t h e s u n f l o w e r s a n d h a y f r o m t h e v e n u e , a n d I s a i d , ‘ T h i s i s i t T h i s i s w h a t w e ’ r e l o o k i n g f o r ’ I k e p t p u l l i n g s t u f f o u t a n d i n o n e o f t h e h a n d f u l s , t h e r e i t w a s ” H e r r e a c t i o n w a s t o b e e x p e c t e d e c s t a t i c a n d e m o t i o n a l “ I w a s c r y i n g I w a s e x c i t e d I w a s h a p p y , ” T h o m p s o n s a i d “ I e v e n a s k e d ( D a n a l e w i c h ) , ‘ C a n I g i v e y o u a h u g ? ’ I w a s j u s t s o g r a t e f u l a n d b l e s s e d T h e w h o l e t i m e I ’ m s i t t i n g t h e r e p r a y i n g a n d h o p i n g w e f i n d i t T h e r e ’ s s o m e p e o p l e u p i n h e a v e n l o o k i n g o u t f o r m e ”

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

Top left: Brittany Thompson, a new Cape Coral bride, saw her “something blue” for a time become her “something missing,” but thanks to some help from a local Waste Pro driver, a family heirloom is safe and sound

Above: On the morning of her wedding, Cape Coral's Brittany Thompson was gifted her grandmother's sapphire bracelet by her father, to wear as her "something blue" on her big day Later that evening, she discovered the bracelet was gone, but eventually got it back thanks to the help of Waste Pro and Lee County.

Left: The bracelet.

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED

Lee County was kind enough to carve out a section of the disposal facility for us to safely dump the load so that we could search through it So, it really was a nice partnership between Lee County, our driver, and Brittany and her family It was an amazing chain of events ’

‘

B i l l J o n e s , Wa s t e P r o D i v i s i o n v i c e p r e s i d e n t

f a m i l y h e i r l o o m “ H e l p i n g p e o p l e i s s o m e t h i n g w e d o a t W a s t e P r o , ” D a n a l e w i c h s a i d “ W e a r e t h r i l l e d t o b e p a r t o f t h e s t o r y w i t h s u c h a h a p p y e n d i n g W e f o u n d t h e p r o v e r b i a l n e e d l e i n t h e h a y s t a c k o r i n t h i s c a s e , t h e b r a c e l e t i n t h e g a r b a g e t r u c k ”

S n e l l , w h o h a s b e e n s e r v i n g t h e a r e a f o r 1 3 y e a r s , w a s r e l i e v e d w h e n h e h e a r d a b o u t t h e b r a c e l e t b e i n g f o u n d , a n d D a n a l e w i c h s a i d t h i s i s n ’ t t h e f i r s t t i m e h e ’ s s p r u n g t o a c t i o n t o a s s i s t r e s i d e n t s “ A l t h o u g h i t d o e s n ’ t h a p p e n t h a t

o f t e n , t h i s i s t h e t h i r d t i m e s o m e t h i n g l i k e t h i s h a s h a p p e n e d d u r i n g ( S n e l l ’ s )

c a r e e r , a n d t h e m i s s i n g i t e m s w e r e f o u n d e a c h t i m e ” W a s t e P r o D i v i s i o n V i c e P r e s i d e n t B i l l J o n e s s a i d , “ A t W a s t e P r o , w e r e a l l y

t a k e p r i d e i n t h e f a c t w e ’ r e p a r t o f o u r c o m m u n i t y H a v i n g ( S n e l l ) r e a c t t h a t w a y i s n o t a s u r p r i s e H e ’ s j u s t t h a t k i n d o f g u y H e j u s t w e n t a b o v e a n d b e y o n d a n d d i d a g r e a t j o b ”

J o n e s a l s o g a v e k u d o s t o L e e C o u n t y , a s t h e c o u n t y o w n s t h e d i s p o s a l f a c i l i t y w h e r e t h e t r u c k w a s d u m p e d “ L e e C o u n t y w a s k i n d e n o u g h t o c a r v e o u t a s e c t i o n o f t h e d i s p o s a l f a c i l it y f o r u s t o s a f e l y d u m p t h e l o a d s o t h a t w e c o u l d s e a r c h t h r o u g h i t , ” J o n e s s a i d “ S o , i t r e a l l y w a s a n i c e p a r t n e r s h i p b e t w e e n L e e C o u n t y , o u r d r i v e r , a n d B r i t t a n y a n d h e r f a m i l y I t w a s a n a m a zi n g c h a i n o f e v e n t s ”

C o n n e c t w i t h t h i s r e p o r t e r o n T w i t t e r : @ h a d d a d c j

County begins to hone direction for Lee Civic Center

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

The Board of County Commissioners inched forward Tuesday as the elected board continues to determine the fate of the Lee Count Civic Center complex

“Today, I don’t think the conversation is about the past, or what should have, or maybe should not have had happened, but I think it is about that most people believe that this property really does need to be r e d e v e l o p e d , ” C o u n t y M a n a g e r R o g e r Desjarlais said “No one on this team, and I know no one on the county commission, wants to close down that property in its entirety ”

Desjarlais said they want to make sure the Civic Center’s events that are currently on the schedule will take place to the fullest extent possible

However, there are some repairs that have to happen before the events can take place

“What we can't tell you today is the exact amount of time and the exact cost for those repairs I don’t think it will take very long,” Desjarlais said, adding county staff can report back at the next meeting in two weeks.

The recommendation approved was to support the continuation of the 4-H program at the facility off Bayshore Road in North Fort Myers; possibly enhancing the opportunity for more access; supporting the 100-year anniversary of the fair in 2024 with staff coordinating terms and conditions with the Fair Board; preparing a transition plan for assuming day-to-day operations of the Civic Center property, and presenting community engagement feedback regarding long-term options

T h e m o t i o n p a s s e d , w i t h

C o m m i s s i o n e r s C e c i l P e n d e r g r a s s a n d

Ray Sandelli opposing

Assistant County Manager Christine Brady told the commissioners that repairs h a v e b e e n c o m p l e t e d a t t h e T i n s l e y

P a v i l l i o n , D a v i d s o n H o u s e , t h e t h r e e b a r n s a n d t h e G r a n d P a v i l i o n , w h i c h allows 4-H to continue to use the facilities The facilities, construction and management team, Brady said, continue to work on a plan for the actual Civic Center building

Assistant County Manager Marc Mora said nine electrical deficiencies have been cited as either a code violation or a life safety issue They range from simple fixes such as reinstalling panel covers to comp l i c a t e d e l e c t r i c a l w o r k , s u c h a s t h e replacement of the Civic Center’s main switch of the circuit breaker

In addition, there are concerns with the parking lot light poles, as some have

“I am trying to fix it for the community and make it better. We have a wonderful piece of property to build a nicer facility for our constituents and children. To continue to manage the property in the way it is run, is not fair ”

Commissioner Mike Greenwell

e x p o s e d l i v e w i r i n g t h a t n e e d s t o b e replaced, capped and covered with an estimated cost between $17,000 to $22,000

M o r a s a i d t h e r e c o m m e n d e d c o d e repairs and life and safety issues have an estimated cost of $300,000

“I live in that community I have lived here my whole life,” Commissioner Mike G r e e n w e l l s a i d a b o u t m o v i n g t o F o r t Myers when he was 4 years old “All I am trying to do and trying to get the county to work with is making the 4-H program at the level it should be at When you go there and see the facility it is embarrassing I have personally stood there and bought animals because I couldn’t sit down It’s time to take care of the children like we do with the ballfields and soccer fields ”

Greenwell said there will always be a fair as long as he has a vote and the Southwest Florida and Lee County Fair Association and its Board of Directors, which has been operating the day-to-day operations of the county-owned facility, has the opportunity to continue to run that fair, as all they have to do is negotiate an agreement

“I am trying to fix it for the community and make it better We have a wonderful piece of property to build a nicer facility for our constituents and children To continue to manage the property in the way it is run, is not fair,” Greenwell said Pendergrass shared his concerns about hiring staff and running the Civic Center after the contract with the fair board expires on Sept 30, especially during events He said the county provided an estimate of around $688,000 for one year f o r s u p e r v i s o r s a l a r i e s , m a i n t e n a n c e salaries and operating equipment Based on his analysis, the county would have to have equipment, with a cost up to a million dollars for the first year to run the facility

He had concerns regarding verbiage of “maintaining planned events to the most extent possible ”

One of the events that may be affected

is the Araba Shrine Circus, scheduled for May 12, at the Lee Civic Center Don Wells, reporter for Arraba Shrine said during public comment that with Lee County closing the main building it will put them in a terrible position as they cannot reschedule the circus

“Our only option to honor the commitment is to have an outdoor circus at the mercy of the weather and hot sun The cost of the circus is $20,000 The owner of the circus offered to provide a tent for $15,000 We just cannot afford that,” he said

County staff said they believe they can have the electrical components taken care of, so the circus could take place at the Civic Center

P e n d e r g r a s s r e a d a n a s s o r t m e n t o f events starting on Oct 2 that ranged from a Riverdale class reunion, gun show, vari o u s m e e t i n g s , R V s h o w s , H o m e a n d Model Show, craft shows and a Senior Expo that will take place on the grounds

“Would you be able to provide enough staff to run all of these events without cancelling? What happens is those events get cancelled and at the end of the day we, as the board of county commissioners, will get blamed for them cancelling?”

Pendergrass said “I want us to have a plan, a financial plan and a construction plan of what we are going to do A master plan of what the facility is going to look like on top of health and safety features. What is it going to cost us?”

Deputy County Manager Dave Harner said Parks and Recreation will ultimately oversee the Civic Center He said they have on-call and event coordinators who can work events

“Our goal is to work on a transitional plan and work with the fair board to make sure nothing is missed in the process,” he said Pendergrass said after the fair board contract sunsets all the events would be on the county to park cars, run the shows, man the restrooms, clean the place, open and unlock the doors

“Collecting parking, maintaining restrooms, the cost that the team gave you for maintaining the facility is to maintain the o u t s i d e o f t h e f a c i l i t y , ” H a r n e r s a i d , adding that Parks & Recreation does parking for events all the time “On calls would be coming from the revenue that it generates bringing in revenue to offset those on call We can also partner with other nonprofit entities to split the profit, so they can get a percentage and we can get the percentage.”

Greenwell said they are assuming that they would receive some income from the scheduled events to offset some costs

“So anything we book in the future w o u l d a l s o o f f s e t a n y c o s t s f o r L e e C o u n t y t a x p a y e r s w o u l d h a v e t o p a y because we would be able to utilize those funds to run the facility,” he asked “We are not putting a burden on the taxpayers for a million dollars ”

Harner said they will generate revenue, but ultimately when it comes to Parks & Recreation, they generate 18 percent of revenue to cover their cost

Desjarlais said all the repairs that have to be done are necessary and have to be paid for no matter what

“I am confident that we can have the majority of those events, assuming those paying for the events still want to do that,” he said

O t h e r c o m m e n t s f r o m t h e b o a r d included not having a financial model of the Civic Center, or a financial report of events being held, revenue collected and the lack of a sinking fund There were also s t r o n g f e e l i n g s o n k e e p i n g t h e C i v i c Center as a rural niche, as well as putting out a request for management of the facility, which would go through a procurement process

Commissioner Kevin Ruane said he struggled with not having any historical information and the lack of a financial model of what took place in the last 20odd years

“All of the events have to have some form of revenue,” he said, adding that t h e y c a n o n l y s p e c u l a t e r e v e n u e a n d expenses Ruane asked to have a future workshop, as the commissioners were only spitballing at the dais

“We do a great job in a workshop environment,” he said, adding that discussions can be had about short-term and longterm plans for the Civic Center “This building has deteriorated over 23 years We have the ability to have a workshop and come up with a conclusion before Sept. 30. (We can) have a workshop and come up with a solution before the contract expires ”

Hurricane: ‘Below average ’ storm season predicted for 2023

From page 1

in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean are warmer or cooler, typically referred to as El Nino (warmer) or La Nina (cooler)

“Current neutral ENSO conditions look fairly likely to transition to El Nino this summer/fall,: states CSU researches in the report “However, there is considerable uncertainty as to how strong an El Nino would be, if it does develop Sea surface temperatures in the eastern and central Atlantic are much warmer than normal, so if a robust El Nino does not develop, the potential still exists for a busy Atlantic hurricane season ”

CSU researches stated that when waters in the eastern and central tropical and subtropical Atlantic are warmer than normal, it tends to force a weaker subtropical high

a n d a s s o c i a t e d w e a k e r w i n d s b l o w i n g across the tropical Atlantic “ T h e s e c o n d i t i o n s l e a d t o w a r m e r waters in the tropical Atlantic for the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season,” CSU officials stated “The anomalously warm eastern and central tropical and subtropical Atlantic favor an above-normal season ”

The CSU team bases forecasts on a statistical model, as well as four models that use a combination of statistical information a n d m o d e l o u t p u t f r o m t h e E u r o p e a n

C e n t r e f o r M e d i u m - R a n g e W e a t h e r Forecasts, the UK Met Office, the Japan Meteorological Agency, and the EuroMediterranean Center on Climate Change These models use 25 to 40 years of historical hurricane seasons and evaluate conditions including: Atlantic sea surface temperatures, sea level pressures, vertical wind

shear levels (the change in wind direction and speed with height in the atmosphere), El Nino (warming of waters in the central and eastern tropical Pacific), and other factors

CSU said that thus far, the 2023 hurricane season is exhibiting characteristics similar to 1969, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2012, 2014 and 2015

“Our analog seasons exhibited a wide range of outcomes, from below-normal seasons to hyperactive seasons,” said Phil K l o t z b a c h , r e s e a r c h s c i e n t i s t i n t h e

Department of Atmospheric Science and lead author of the report “This highlights the large uncertainty that exists with this outlook ”

C S U p r e d i c t s t h i s y e a r ’ s h u r r i c a n e activity will be about 80% of the average season from 1991–2020 By comparison,

2022’s hurricane activity was about 75% of the average season Last year’s season will be most remembered for its two major hurricanes: Fiona and Ian, which made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane in Southwest Florida, resulting in more than 150 fatalities and $113 billion in damage

“It takes only one storm near you to make this an active season for you,” said M i c h a e l B e l l , p r o f e s s o r i n t h e C S U Department of Atmospheric Science

T h e C S U t e a m w i l l i s s u e f o r e c a s t updates on June 1, July 6 and August 3

The Tropical Meteorology Project team also includes Alex DesRosiers, a PhD candidate in the same department Bill Gray, who originated the seasonal forecasts, launched the report in 1984 and continued to author them until his death in 2016

Tribute set to honor soldier who died in service

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

An evening to pay homage to a fallen hero who died in a training exercise takes place this Saturday at a venue he grew up loving

A tribute and benefit race in honor of Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Aaron Healy takes place at Cape Coral BMX starting at 6 p m The evening includes a tribute to Healy, presentation of colors, flag ceremony, race, and food All proceeds will be donated to benefit the Healy family

Healy, 32, a Cape Coral native, was one of nine 101st Airborne Division soldiers who died in a helicopter accident near Fort Campbell, Kentucky on March 29 while taking part in a planned training exercise

The event is being organized by Cape resident Layla Viernes and her husband, a veteran himself of the 101st Airborne Division They reached out to Cape BMX to put together an evening to honor the life of Healy Viernes’ children practice and race at Cape BMX, and Healy’s wife’s aunt, Lisa White, is also involved with the track

“The main reasoning (we wanted to put this together) is because we’re a military family,” Viernes said “When we heard about it, we were waiting to see for a little while for the city to come out and possibly do something in honor of him -- if it was a vigil, memorial, service at a park, something But nothing came about of it ”

Viernes said after some time passed, her husband was determined to do something in Healy’s memory

“This is a Cape Coral resident that was born and raised here, went through the whole school system,” Viernes said “Both him and his wife were Ida Baker graduates and it was heartbreaking to know our community wasn’t pulling together for the sake of a hometown

hero So that’s when me and my husband starting pondering ideas on how to create this ”

Viernes reached out to Cape Coral BMX Director Nick Jones, gathered ideas, presented the event to the track director, and got the green light

“Being that Cape Coral is a Purple Heart City, there was no way Cape Coral BMX would turn down an opportunity to honor our veterans,” Jones said “The fact that Aaron was a former BMX rider was just a bonus for us We hope others in the community continue to honor him ”

Viernes added: “We just want the our community -- Cape Coral and Lee County -to know he won’t be forgotten And there are organizations out there that have stepped up to make this happen ” The tribute is open to the public starting at 6 p m , with an authentic Hawaiian meal being offered ($10) and practice for those that wish to take part in the benefit race ($20)

At 6:30, the Ida Baker JROTC will present colors, a pastor will deliver an invocation, and Guns ’n Hoses Pipes ’n Drums of Southwest Florida will play “The Army Goes Rolling Along,” “Taps,” and “Amazing Grace ” A folded and encased American flag will be presented to Healy’s parents by the Viernes family A parade lap will take place in remembrance of Healy, with the U S Army flag and 101st Airborne Division flag displayed The race will start at 7:15

During Hurricane Ian, the track’s flag pole was destroyed, and this week, will be relocated and dedicated in Healy’s name.

“We’re encouraging the public to come to show their respects and honor our fallen solider and resident that lived here and grew up here,” Viernes said “We want the community to let the Healy family know that their

son, husband, and father has not been forgotten ”

Funds raised through the race, food, and silent auction goes 100% to the family Silent auction items and gift baskets have been put together by local businesses and family and friends from across the country

“It’s not just a local thing here, it’s family and friends from all over the U S taking part,” Viernes said.

According to the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) Office of Public Affairs, Healy enlisted in the Army from Cape Coral in 2010 Healy attended basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina then Army Ordnance School at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland Upon graduation, he was assigned to the 563rd Aviation Support

Battalion at Fort Campbell, Kentucky In 2016 Healy was assigned to the 725th Support Battalion at Joint Base ElmendorfRichardson, Alaska. He was then assigned in 2019 to the Wheel Maintenance Training Department in Fort Lee, Virginia In 2021

Healy attended Warrant Officer Candidate School and Aviation Training at Fort Rucker, Alabama and was subsequently assigned to the 101st Airborne Division Healy served as an Aeromedical Evacuation Pilot for the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division since of 2022 He had been promoted to Chief Warrant Officer 2 the day the accident occurred

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

He graduated from the Combat Lifesavers Course; Wheel Vehicle Recovery Course; Basic and Advanced Leader Courses; Air Assault Course; Technical Transportation of HAZMAT Course; Cadre Training; Common Faculty Development-Instructor Course; Warrant Officer Basic Course; UH72A Aviator Qualification; Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape School (High Risk); Initial Entry Rotary Wing School UH-60M Track

Healy’s awards and decorations include the Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal; Army Achievement Medal; Army Good Conduct Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Star; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Noncommissioned Officer

Professional Development Ribbon; Army Service Ribbon; Overseas Service Ribbon; NATO Medal; Combat Action Badge; Army Aviator Badge; Air Assault Badge; Driver and Mechanic Badge

Cape Coral BMX is at 1410 S W 6th Place

Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Aaron Healy

Canal cleanup continues in the Cape

B

,

A p r i l

The northwest Cape is one of the last areas that are getting done due to a slight delay with the U S Army Corps of Engineers, due to jurisdiction issues pertaining to freshwater

l a s t a r e a s , a s f a r a s f r e s h w a t e r g o e s , b e c a u s e t h e C o r p s m o d i f i e d t h e i r p e rm i t , ” h e s a i d T h e c i t y h a s b e e n w o r k i n g w i t h t h e N a t i o n a l R e s o u r c e C o n s e r v a t i o n S e r v i c e f o r a g r a n t a p p l i c a t i o n , w h i c h h a s n o t b e e n c o m p l e t e d b u t i s i n t h e p r o c e s s . H e s a i d h e u n d e r s t a n d s a n y g r a n t m o n e y f o r

c a n a l s w o u l d b e i n f r e s h w a t e r o n l y Z o n e s 2 , 5 , 7 , 8 a n d 1 2 s t i l l h a v e s o m e f r e s h w a t e r c a n a l w o r k l e f t

“ W e h a v e n ’ t h a d a l o t o f r e q u e s t s f o r a c t i o n f o r t h o s e c a n a l s , ” S c h w e i t z e r s a i d T h e u p d a t e c a m e a f t e r a c i t i z e n s p o k e a b o u t t h e d e b r i s t h a t s t i l l r e m a i n s i n t h e c a n a l b y h e r h o m e , a s w e l l a s d e b r i s c o l -

l e c t e d t h a t h a s n o t b e e n p i c k e d u p y e t S c h w e i t z e r s a i d i f t r a s h t o t e s t a k e n o u t o f c a n a l s a r e p u t o n a v a c a n t l o t , o r r i g h t o f w a y , W a s t e P r o w i l l n o t p i c k t h e m u p H e a d v i s e s p e o p l e t o p u t t h e t o t e s u p s i d e d o w n a n d c a l l 3 1 1 t o p u t i n a r e q u e s t t o h a v e t h e m p i c k e d u p S c h w e i t z e r a l s o p r o v i d e d a n u p d a t e a b o u t t o t e d e l i v e r y t o r e p l a c e t h o s e d a ma g e d o r d e s t r o y e d b y H u r r i c a n e I a n R e p l a c e m e n t i s g o i n g w e l l a n d h e e x p e c t s i t t o b e w r a p p e d u p b y W e d n e s d a y

Council looks to reclassify city’s deputy attorney position

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

After a lengthy discussion that took many turns, the Cape Coral City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to reclassify a position to deputy city attorney and not create another full time position

Mayor John Gunter pulled the consent agenda item, as City Attorney Dolores Menendez will be out on extended leave

“I think one of the avenues to resolve that, so we have a point person in the city attorney’s office to run day to day operations,” he said is to have deputy city attorney “One of the things we have to keep in mind is that the city attorney is a pretty important part of our hierarchy ”

Gunter said the city could either add an additional full-time employee position and have five assistants and one city attorney, or reclassify Assistant City Attorney Brian Bartos, as the deputy city attorney He said

“I would want to make sure we keep the pulse on the amount of work that is being handled there

The truth of it is we will have one person down until a city attorney is recruited and hired as our current attorney takes an extended leave I am OK having a deputy I think we should have a deputy ”

Councilmember Bill Steinke

that there is money in the FY23 budget for the city attorney’s office due to open positions they have had that would not be an additional impact on the budget

Councilmember Bill Steinke said was in absolute support of changing the job classification rather than adding another fulltime position

“I would want to make sure we keep the pulse on the amount of work that is being

handled there The truth of it is we will have one person down until a city attorney is recruited and hired as our current attorney takes an extended leave I am OK having a deputy I think we should have a deputy,” Steinke said There was a great deal of conversation around a sliding pay scale of $138,000 to $230,000, with council members wanting to negotiate the salary range, which took

shape at $171,000 after initially having a range between $138,000 to $180,000, before redirecting their thoughts to not include a salary range

Bartos said by making a recommendation to the city attorney in regards to the salary, it could be a potential violation of the charter for the salary setting

“I will do the job. I am doing the job now,” Bartos told the council members after a discussion that began at the beginning of the meeting and continued towards t h e e n d o f t h e m e e t i n g “ $ 1 8 0 , 0 0 0 , $171,000, I don’t care I am only here nine more months You can do a recommendation, but I don’t want you to get in trouble with the charter Leave it up to Dolores and she will make the recommendation I will talk to Dolores ”

Menendez and Bartos are each retiring

REAL ESTATE

Amended tax returns can be filed even though deadline has passed

Mr. Feichthaler,

I, like millions of others, filed my income tax return this week prior to the deadline With the damage caused by the hurricane, the income tax bill was a tough pill to swallow. One of your clients is my neighbor, and he said you told him that there is a way to claim a deduction from the hurricane, even if I had minor damage? He also said he received a refund of $6,000 as a result Is it possible I could claim this deduction, and is it too late now that April 18 has passed?

George and Elizabeth F

First quarter Cape home sales down sharply versus 2022

One year ago in this column we were providing the numbers for what was a record-setting first quarter in sales for the then red-hot Cape Coral single-family home market, while noting that we were seeing early indications that our market was softening Last April we started to see the attitude of home buyers shift from a highly competitive “panic buying” mode, to one of patiently making offers below list price as more sellers started making price reductions In the first quarter of 2023, sales are down sharply versus a year ago, but rebounding from the post-Hurricane Ian low points in the fourth quarter of last year as sales prices remain soft

D e ar Ge o rg e and Elizabeth,

The median sales price in the overall Cape Coral single-family home market was $415,000 in March, which was down 1 2% from the $420,000 posted in both March 2022, and in February of this year

In the first quarter, the median sales price averaged $411,666 per month, or 1 6% above the average of $405,000 per month in the first quarter of 2022, but down 0 8% from the average of $415,000 per month in the fourth quarter of 2022

Indirect gulf access canal homes

One year ago on April 19, 2022, there were 547 active listings for single-family homes in the Cape through a Realtor in the MLS at list prices ranging from $259,900 to $5 995 million, with a median list price of $610,000 There were only 68 homes priced at $400,000 and under back then, to go with the 103 homes in the Cape listed at $1 million and above At that time, there were a total of 998 single-family homes under contract with buyers as pending sales, with 77 of those pending sales at $1 million and above

Homing In

In the Cape Coral single-family indirect gulf access canal home segment (meaning homes with bridges in the canal system), there were 50 closed sales in March, which was 24 2% lower than the 66 closed sales in March 2022, but 35 1% above the 37 sales in February of this year In the first quarter of 2023, there were 108 closed sales in this segment, which was 38 3% less than the 175 closed sales in the first three months of 2022, but it was 54 3% above the 70 closed sales in the fourth quarter of last year.

Eric P Feichthaler Real

Estate Law

Like you, my family continues to navig a t e t h e t a s k s o f repairing our roof and other damage, making insurance claims, and w a i t i n g f o r i n s p e ctions Even though tax time is never pleasant, t h e I R S r e g u l a t i o n s r e g a r d i n g d e d u c t i o n s that can be taken as a result of Hurricane Ian have led to very beneficial results for nearly a l l o f m y c l i e n t s , including your neighbor T h e m e d i a h a s reported many times that there is the potential to deduct out-of-pocket expenses relating to the hurricane if you itemize, and that is the way to obtain a benefit While there is a potential benefit to deducting these expenses, the alternate procedure to determine deductible losses has provided much more benefit to residents of Cape Coral, as well as the rest of Lee County

The IRS looks first to see what the value of the property was immediately before and after the hurri-

See TAX RETURNS, page 15

Stevens Construction to build new Island Cow restaurant on Sanibel

Stevens Construction has been awarded the construction management services of The Island Cow, located at 2

Adams, Stevens Construction executive vice president

Stevens Construction is building a 5,754-square-foot restaurant with indoor and outdoor dining, and a commercial kitchen with a walk-in cooler and freezer To complement the Sanibel location, The Island Cow will feature Florida-style details such as a metal roof with a thatched roof entryway, outdoor tiki bar, indoor/outdoor bar and vibrant colors The new The Island Cow is 1,000-squarefoot larger than the original building that perished in an after-hours fire in 2022

Stevens Construction is currently working through the preconstruction, providing budgeting, project scheduling and cost-savings suggestions as the design progresses Southview Studios is the architect of record and Haley Ward, Inc is the civil engineer

Construction of The Island Cow is slated to begin in August and be completed in spring 2024

With offices in Fort Myers, Sarasota, and Orlando, Fla , Stevens Construction specializes in providing con-

In our current market as of Tuesday, April 18, there were 1,468 active listings in the MLS at prices ranging from $235,000 to $3 995 million, and the median list price was $535,000 Of these 1,468 current home listings, 343 of them are priced at $400,000 and under, to go along with 215 homes listed at $1 million and above A total of 925 Cape Coral homes are currently under contract as pending sales at prices ranging from $175,000 to $4 15 million, including 425 homes pending at $400,000 and under, and 49 homes under contract at $1 million and above The median pending sales price was $415,000 which is 22 4% below the current median list price, indicating some continued downward pressure on sales prices

In the overall Cape Coral single-family home market, there were 499 closed home sales in March, which was down 27 3% from the 686 homes sold in March 2022, but up 33 8% versus the 373 sales in February of this year In the first quarter of 2023, there were 1,197 closed sales, which was 31 5% below the 1,748 homes sold in the first three months of 2022, but up 38 9% from the 862 sales in the fourth quarter of 2022

REAL ESTATE BRIEFS

struction management, general contracting and consulting services to clients and design professionals Other services include site and design team selection, budgeting, project scheduling, permitting, cost and quality control and warranty service The company builds healthcare, commercial and hospitality facilities For information, visit www stevensbuilds com or call 239-936-9006

Wor thington Realty

e l D a v i s , S u s a n a D a v i s a n d B r i a n R o d g e r s , w h o w i l l t a k e t h e h e l m o f t h e n e a r l y 3 5 - y e a r r e a l e s t a t e c o m p a n y F o u n d e d i n 1 9 8 9 , W o r t h i n g t o n R e a l t y h a s a l o n g h i s t o r y i n S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a ’ s r e a l e s t a t e m a r k e t a n d h a s e a r n e d a r e p u t a t i o n f o r t r u s t w o r t h y l e a d e r s h i p a t L e x i n g t o n C o u n t r y C l u b i n F o r t M y e r s a n d s u r r o u n d i n g c o m m u n i t i e s , w h e r e i t s t e a m s e r v e s h o m e b u y e r s , s e l l e r s a n d r e n t e r s w i t h s p e c i a l i z e d k n o w l e d g e a n d e x p e r t i s e i n d e v e l o p m e n t , h o m e s a l e s a n d l e a s i n g P u r c h a s e d f r o m P r i n c i p a l J o h n G n a g e y , t h e a c q u i s i t i o n f o l l o w s t h e p a s s i n g o f c o m p a n y f o u n d e r a n d p a r t n e r J e f f D a r r a g h

W i t h m o r e t h a n 4 5 y e a r s o f c o m b i n e d i n d u s t r y e x p e -

The median sales price in the Cape’s single-family indirect gulf access canal home segment came in at $692,500 in March, which was 20 2% below the $867,450 posted in March 2022, and 17 1% lower than the $835,000 in February of this year In the first quarter, the median sales price in this segment averaged $767,500 per month, or 4 8% below the average of $805,817 per month in the first quarter of 2022, and 2 8% less than the average of $790,000 per month in the fourth quarter of last year

Direct sailboat access canal homes

In the Cape Coral single-family direct sailboat access canal home segment (meaning no bridges in the canals to get out to open water), there were 41 closed sales in March, which was 43 1% lower than the 72 sales in March 2022, but 28 1% above the 32 sales in February of this year In the first quarter of 2023, there were 110 closed sales in this segment, which was 40 5% below the 185 sales in the first quarter of 2022, while coming in 83 3% above the 60 closed sales in the fourth quarter of last year

The median sales price in the Cape’s single-family direct sailboat access canal home segment came in at $820,000 in

See HOME SALES, page 15

r i e n c e , t h e n e w l e a d e r s h i p t e a m e n v i s i o n s b u i l d i n g u p o n W o r t h i n g t o n R e a l t y ’ s e s t a b l i s h e d m a r k e t r e p u t at i o n a n d w o r k i n g a l o n g s i d e t h e c o m p a n y ’ s s u c c e s s f u l b r o k e r a g e a n d s a l e s t e a m s t o b r i n g t r u s t e d e x p e r t i s e a n d a p e r s o n a l i z e d , c o l l a b o r a t i v e a p p r o a c h t o t h e S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a r e g i o n

A s p r e s i d e n t f o r W o r t h i n g t o n R e a l t y , D a v i s b r i n g s c o n s i d e r a b l e e x p e r i e n c e i n s t r a t e g i c p l a n n i n g , i d e n t i f yi n g f u t u r e g r o w t h t r e n d s , o v e r s e e i n g t h e p r o p e r t y d u e d i l i g e n c e p r o c e s s , r e s e a r c h a n d m a r k e t i n g

A s W o r t h i n g t o n R e a l t y ’ s c h i e f f i n a n c i a l o f f i c e r ,

D a v i s , C P A , b r i n g s e x p e r t i s e i n o v e r s e e i n g t h e f i n a nc i a l , a c c o u n t i n g a n d r e g u l a t o r y r e p o r t i n g f o r i n v e s t o r s , l e n d e r s a n d j o i n t v e n t u r e p a r t n e r s h i p s

C h i e f O p e r a t i n g O f f i c e r R o d g e r s b l e n d s i n n o v a t i v e t h i n k i n g a n d v e r s a t i l e l e a d e r s h i p i n m a n a g i n g n e w d e v e l o p m e n t s , r e a l e s t a t e s a l e s a n d p r o p e r t y m a n a g em e n t W o r t h i n g t o n R e a l t y i s a b o u t i q u e r e a l e s t a t e c o m p an y s p e c i a l i z i n g i n r e s i d e n t i a l s a l e s , r e n t a l s a n d d e v e l o pm e n t , p r e d o m i n a n t l y w i t h i n L e x i n g t o n C o u n t r y C l u b i n F o r t M y e r s a n d s u r r o u n d i n g c o m m u n i t i e s F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , p l e a s e c a l l 2 3 9 - 4 3 7 - 3 3 3 4 o r e m a i l

info@ftmyersrents com

Bob and Geri Quinn

Builders Care, Christopher Alan Homes reveal no-cost home rebuild for Fort Myers homeowner

A Fort Myers homeowner received the life-changing gift of a total home rebuild thanks to a partnership between nonprofit Lee BIA Builders Care and Southwest Florida homebuilder Christopher Alan Homes

Nancy Jackson, a third-generation Fort Myers native, lived in her residence for more than 20 years, but the home’s condition was deteriorating Dilapidated flooring, leaky plumbing, faulty electrical and many other issues throughout the home presented significant safety and accessibility concerns for the homeowner Rather than remodel, Builders Care and Christopher Alan Homes requested permission to demolish the entire structure and began the process of rebuilding a new, accessible home that will provide Jackson with greater safety and comfort for years to come.

Work was completed in less than six months, and community partners came together on April 14 to reveal the newly completed house and welcome Jackson to her new home

“I’m so blessed I never imagined I’d be in a home like this I love it so much,” Jackson said “I’m so happy that everyone did this for me I thank God for it ”

In January, project partners celebrated the halfway point of the project, gathering to write special messages on the framework of the new home so the Jackson family will always be surrounded by the community’s well wishes, words of encouragement and blessings In the months that followed, Christopher Alan Homes and Builders Care collected donations of home goods from the community to provide Jackson with essentials she needs to be comfortable in her new home

“There is no better feeling than seeing Nancy in her new home that now offers the accessibility and comfort she des-

perately needed for many, many years,” said Crystal Stouten, executive director of Lee BIA Builders Care “We are so thankful to Christopher Alan Homes and the many incredible community partners who stepped up to make this dream a reality for this homeowner who needed our help ”

The entire project was completed at no cost to the homeowner, thanks to the generous support of Christopher Alan Homes and their trade partners

“A home is something deeply personal It’s more than just shelter and a place to sleep at night – it’s a place where mem-

ories are made and families share lives together,” said Ian Schmoyer, president and CEO of Christopher Alan Homes “We’re so honored to be a part of this new home build for the Jackson family and glad we were able to contribute in a meaningful way ”

A d d i t i o n a l p r o j e c t p a r t n e r s i n c l u d e d A d v a n c e d Aluminum Design, Burgess Construction Consultants, Cardinal Roofing, Caloosa Cooling, Carrigan Brothers, T h e C o n c r e t e F i r m , D a v i s S u r v e y i n g , D J T r u s s e s Unlimited, Drywall Authority, E-Atlantic, Emser Tile, ESP, Florida Engineering, Florida Paints, Gator Electric, The Great Indoorz, GoodDeals Appliances, H & O Diaz, Holt’s Stucco & Plastering, Honc, Installed Building Products of Fort Myers, Island Garage Doors, Massey Services, Master Brands, Moen, Norris Furniture & Interiors, Parson’s Landscaping, PEG, PGT, Preferred Materials, Professional View Photography, RLC, Schlage, Statewide Cabinets, Suncoast Contractor and SunMac Stone Specialists

Since 2005, Lee BIA Builders Care has helped nearly 500 individuals and families by providing A/C repairs, wheelchair ramps, roof replacements, remodeling projects and other critical repairs that allow deserving elderly and/or disabled homeowners, and their families, to live safely and comfortably in their own homes Projects are made possible through generous donors and community partners who provide labor and materials to bring a project into reality

To learn more about Builders Care and its mission, please visit LeeBuildersCare org

For more information about Christopher Alan Homes, visit ChristopherAlanHomes com or call 855-44-MYCAH

Tax returns: Amended reports can be filed following home appraisal

From page 14

cane It is clear from anecdotal data that the highest prices occurred on contracts signed right before interest rates commenced their sky-high climb These contracts happened to close right before the hurricane After the storm, these higher rates, combined with damage incurred and people selling for significantly lower prices, provides the evidence needed that home values went down during this time The IRS will seek to have proof of these through a professional Realtor or appraiser preparing a report showing the change My clients have seen an average decline of 12%

So, for a home with $500,000, the potential deduction from taxable income is $60,000 The next step is to offset this amount by any insurance proceeds received You noted you had minor damage, so it may be safe to assume you made claim, given the high deductibles you would endure from a claim However, allow me to estimate you received a $10,000 payment from your insurance company So far, your net loss is $50,000

The next task is to determine your adjusted gross income, or AGI, for 2022 The IRS states you cannot claim the loss for the first 10% of your AGI So, if you made $60,000 last year, after other deductions and exclu-

sions, you cannot claim the first $6,000 of losses Now, your net deduction amount is $44,000

With the above facts, you would deduct $44,000 from your $60,000 AGI amount. Assuming an average tax rate of 20%, you would be entitled to a refund of $8,800, above and beyond what you would already have received This strategy can lead to excellent results for homeowners in Cape Coral and beyond Generally speaking, the higher the value of your property, and the lower your insurance payments received are, the greater the benefit

As you said, many people have already filed their tax returns However, amended returns can be filed once the appraisal is attained and the forms are completed to be submitted to the IRS So, it’s not too late! Potentially even better news is that this deduction can be taken in the loss year (2022) OR the prior year (2021) So, if you were in a higher tax bracket in 2021, you may have an even greater benefit

The final note is the 10% AGI floor rule A vote by Congress to remove this floor is required The last time t h i s w a s d o n e w a s f o r H u r r i c a n e I r m a i n 2 0 1 7

Considering the scope of this storm, the removal of the 10% AGI limitation should be the bipartisan issue of the year If it is removed, all those who already filed for the deduction can file an amended return to obtain the benefit

from that removal

It has been a refreshing change to see people surprised in a positive way at tax time, and I hope you will benefit from the tax rules on casualty losses.

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

Home sales: Totals are down across Cape Coral compared to 2022

From page 14

March, which was 16 2% below the $978,000 in March 2022, but up 19 3% versus the $687,500 in February of this year

In the first quarter, the median sales price in this segment averaged $725,833 per month, which was down 16 7% from the average of $871,833 per month in the first quarter of 2022, and 1 5% below the average of $736,667 per month in the fourth quarter of last year

Freshwater canal and lake homes

In the Cape’s single-family freshwater canal and lake home segment, which includes landlocked waterfront homes with no boating access to the river or Gulf of Mexico, there were 54 closed sales in March This was 14 3% below the 63 sales in March 2022, but 31.7% above the 41 sales in February of this year In the first quarter of 2023, there were 126 closed sales in this segment, which was 31 1% below the 183 sales in the first quarter of 2022, but 26% above the 100 sales in the fourth quarter of 2022

The median sales price in the Cape’s single-family fresh-

water canal and lake home segment came in at $492,500 in March, which was up 0 5% from the $489,900 posted in March 2022, but 12 1% below the $560,000 in February of this year In the first quarter, the median sales price in this segment averaged $507,500 per month, beating the average of $482,300 per month in the first quarter of 2022 by 5 2%, but coming in 1 7% below the average of $516,067 per month in the fourth quarter of 2022

Dry lot homes

In the Cape’s single-family dry lot (non-canal) home segment, there were 354 closed sales in March, which was 25 9% lower than the 478 sales in March 2022, but 35 1% above the 262 sales in February of this year There were 850 closed sales in this segment during the first quarter, which was 28 4% below the 1,187 sales in the first quarter of 2022, but up 34 3% from the 633 closed sales in the fourth quarter of last year

The median sales price in the Cape Coral single-family dry lot home segment was $371,495 in March, which edged 0 4% higher from the $370,000 posted in March 2022, but it

was down 3 4% from $384,714 in February of this year In the first quarter, the median sales price in this segment averaged $371,285 per month, or 4% above the average of $357,000 per month in the first quarter of 2022, but 1 8% below the average of $377,997 per month in the fourth quarter of last year

The sales data for this article was obtained from the Florida Realtors Multiple Listing Service Matrix for Lee County, Fla , as of April 17, 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

PHOTO PROVIDED

Fort Myers homeowner Nancy Jackson, front, with the Lee BIA Builders Care Board. Lee BIA and Christopher Alan Homes built a new accessible home for Jackson and her family

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A p r i l

Cape Coral Earth Day cleanup set for Saturday

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To take par t:

■ Register online (as an individual or team) and gather your friends, neighbors, and cleaning supplies

V i s i t w w w c a p e c o r a l g o v a n d f i n d t h e Community Events page under the “Things To Do” tab

■ Work at your own pace to clean up the areas near you that need it most

■ Gather your bagged trash in one location, and download the Cape Coral 311 app for Apple or Android

■ Log your trash for the City to collect and dispose of

A reminder: Please do not visit your local fire station to participate in the Cape Coral Clean Up The stations are used for registration and tracking purposes only Gather your cleaning supplies and hit the streets

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Food trucks: Operators having difficulty as new regulations go into effect

From page 1

different set of guidelines because they aren’t mobile ”

Cape’s food truck ordinance was drafted to mirror Lee County’s ordinance, which was enacted in January of 2022 Prior to the adoption of this ordinance, there were no operational standards in place for food trucks in Cape Coral

For Retta Crank and her food truck, Tia’s Kitchen, adapting to the new rules won’t be an issue

“Quite honestly, most everything on that list, we already check off,” said Crank of the list of regulations that comprise the ordinance “So it’s not even going to be a change for us ”

Tia’s Kitchen is based out of the Iona neighborhood, in South Fort Myers, but they regularly set up shop at Scotty’s Bierwerks in Cape Coral Crank appreciates working alongside breweries since the pairing makes so much sense: one just serves food, the other just serves beer

“They provide the seating They provide the drinks We provide the food And then we leave the place as clean as we came,” said Crank

However, despite being on wheels, not all food trucks are as mobile as Tia’s Kitchen Some have been in their current location for years now

“We have a contract with the gas station that we’re here with and they provide the power and water for us and the parking spots,” said Yonny Parra, co-owner of Paraiso Tropical Food Truck, at 4715 Del Prado Blvd

One of his bigger concerns has to do with depending on a generator for all their power, as is now a requirement under the new ordinance

“We leave our truck hooked up (to power) every night,” said Parra “For our food For our beverages Where would we put all our food Where would we put all of our drinks?”

Parra is going to try to comply with the ordinance while continuing to do business in the Cape But he also doesn’t know where he’s going to go He said his current location won’t be viable anymore after the ordinance goes into effect And he hasn’t found a new location yet

“It’s been hard,” said Parra “We’ve been looking for places to go, but some areas are not available because of zoning ”

Lack of notice added to the scramble

Parra said he only got word of the ordinance after the media contacted him for comments He said never heard from the city directly

Robert Flores, the operator of Cubanex, a family-owned food truck at the BP gas station at 2231 Del Prado Boulevard is facing a similar challenge

“We can’t move We don’t have anywhere to put it,” he said

He and a small crew of employees have been serving Latin American, Mexican and Cuban food for three years at the location that is popular among workers at the Coralwood Center and numerous other “regulars ”

Robert Flores, the operator of Cubanex, a family-owned food truck at the BP gas station at 2231 Del Prado Boulevard, fears the restrictions to go into effect next Tuesday could force him out of business. He’s hoping the city will offer operators a reprieve while a solution is sought.

He pays for the space and recently invested $3,000 in a better power connection, soon to become useless as the city ordinance prohibits utility hookups and requires generators in their place

Flores said they are good neighbors and they, like restaurants that lease their locations, pay the same taxes

“They just expect us to pack our stuff and go,” he said, adding a rental storage facility with power, if one could even be found, would be a significant add-on cost

“Just say I was to do it I would have to eliminate two of my best employees They have families as well ”

Flores added that the city enacted the restrictions without a viable solution for the businesses the regulations would affect Saying they can move nightly is all but impossible; saying there are plans for a food truck court to be built in a couple of years doesn’t help those in business here now

“We don’t have two years to wait to reopen,” Flores said “We love this community, we love Lee County, we were here after Ian We’re serving food to people who enjoy it It is not fair to us ”

Flores said a half dozen food truck operators, some of whom have been at their locations for years, have retained an attorney to hopefully gain some breathing room as the impact of the ordinance is that they are being forced out of business

Ralf Brookes, a Fort Myers based attorney who is certified in city, county and local government law, said Thursday he plans to appear before city council

“We’re trying to navigate the rules,” Brookes said in a telephone interview

“There are a lot of food trucks in Cape Coral and we’re going to need more time We’re hoping the city can work with us to make some adjustments to the rules,” he said, adding many operators were unaware of the

Moratorium on self-storage facilities approved

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

Cape Coral City Council unanimously approved a nine-month moratorium for selfstorage facilities on Wednesday

The moratorium, which represents a pause with staff not processing any new site plans for storage facilities, applies to all zoning districts in the city and will be effective until Jan. 19, 2024 This pause will allow staff and the council to develop regulations that govern storage facilities proponents said

The moratorium also allows owners that bring forward a site plan after March 15 to request a vested rights of determination, Planning Team Coordinator Mike Struve

said He said there are two such projects that might request the vested rights of determination in the future

Struve said the applicant can file an application, pay the fees and, based on his evidence, can approve the project,which would allow them to continue on through the permitting process

Cape Coral has an estimated 1 5 million square feet of existing self-storage facilities, which Struve said is about 11 percent of the total amount of commercial and industrial space that exists in the city

There are 1,633,661 million square feet of storage units in permitting, or are under construction

ordinance until it had passed

“Unfortunately, there wasn’t a lot of knowledge in the food truck community about the rules We’re trying to play catch up on the rules and the implications on food trucks We’re just saying it is impractical in some aspects ”

The two opposing votes on the ordinance came from council members Patty Cummings and Jessica Cosden, with each predicting a serious impact on these local businesses

“I did not support the food truck ordinance because I felt it was excessive to ask food truck owners to move their trucks every night,

instead of allowing them to remain on property,” Cosden said via email “Dump trucks and semi trucks can be parked overnight on commercial property, but not food trucks This is overregulation and will harm business owners And the people of Cape Coral will likely lose some of their favorite food spots ”

One possible solution for those food trucks that have grown accustomed to a less mobile form of business is the food truck courts that were also created as a result of the ordinance, proponents of the measure have said. The courts will allow food trucks to stay in a defined, specific space, so long as they are selected to be part of that court

According to Hayden, land on Cape Coral Parkway where the Aubuchon model home used to sit will soon be turned into one of these food truck courts Plans are for the privately developed court to be open by 2025

“That will be a food truck court when it’s finished,” said Hayden “So food trucks will be able to park there on that property if they’re chosen to be part of that court ”

As far as enforcement goes, city of Cape Coral Code Compliance Manager Todd Hoagland told The Breeze that his office’s goal for enforcing the mobile food vendor ordinance would be no different from enforcing any other code violation

“We work to obtain compliance through cooperation,” said Hoagland via e-mail “We first educate the violator with a warning Then, if not corrected in a reasonable time, (we) may issue a Notice of Violation, Notice to Appear, or civil citation to the mobile vendor and/or the property owner allowing the operation ”

For a full rundown of the ordinances regulations, visit: https://www capecoral gov/newdetail T3 R801 php

VALARIE HARRING

Valerie’s House helps grieving wife,

mother,

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A p r i l 2 1 ,

journey

on Cape Coral widowed mom of four works through heartbreaking tragedy to finish law degree for self and family

B y D E V O N C R U M PA C K E R n e w s @ b r e e z e n e w s p a p e r s c o m “ I h a d t o k e e p m o v i n g O r e l s e I j u s t w o u l d h a v e l a i d t h e r e I h a d t o k e e p m o v i n g f o r w a r d , ” s a i d R o c h e l l e P i t t s f r o m t h e f r o n t s t e p s o f a l a r g e , o l d F l o r i d a h o m e i n D o w n t o w n F o r t M y e r s , k n o w n a s V a l e r i e ’ s H o u s e R o c h e l l e w a s t h e r e t o b e s w o r n i n a s a n a t t o r n e y , h a vi n g j u s t p a s s e d t h e F l o r i d a b a r B u t s h e w a s t h i n k i n g b a c k o n w h a t i t t o o k , i n t h e f a c e o f i m m e n s e t r a g e d y , f o r t h e w i d o w e d m o t h e r o f f o u r t o g e t t o t h a t p o i n t J u s t b e f o r e C h r i s t m a s , i n D e c e m b e r , 2 0 2 0 , R o c h e l l e ’ s h u s b a n d , J e s s e P i t t s , d i e d a f t e r a c a r c r a s h o n h i s w a y h o m e f r o m w o r k . H e w a s 3 2 y e a r s o l d . R o c h e l l e w a s 3 0 T h e c o u p l e h a d t h r e e c h i l d r e n t o g e t h e r t w o g i r l s a n d a b o y a n d R o c h e l l e w a s p r e g n a n t w i t h t h e i r f o u r t h , a g i r l R o c h e l l e w a s a l s o d a y s a w a y f r o m b e g i nn i n g h e r f i n a l s e m e s t e r o f l a w s c h o o l a t A v e M a r i a S c h o o l o f L a w H e r h u s b a n d ’ s h e a l t h y o r g a n s h e l p e d s a v e t h e l i v e s o f f o u r o t h e r s o n C h r i s t m a s d a y t h a t y e a r , a s h e w a s a b l e t o d o n a t e h i s h e a r t , l i v e r a n d k i d n e y s B u t , f o r R o c h e l l e , a b l e a k n e w r e a l i t y w a s b e g i n n i n g t o s e t i n A n d p r o c e s s i n g i t a l l w a s n e a r l y i m p o s s i b l e S h e h a d w a i t e d b y h i s s i d e f o r t h r e e d a y s a s h e l i e i n a h o s p i t a l b e d o n a v e n t i l a t o r , w a i t i n g f o r t h e o r g a n r e m o v a l p r o c e d u r e S h e a l r e a d y k n e w t h e r e w a s n o t h i n g e l s e t h e d o c t o r s c o u l d d o f o r h i m a t t h a t p o i n t S t i l l , s h e s t a y e d w i t h h i m t h o s e t h r e e d a y s S h e l a i d n e x t t o h i m S h e h e l d h i m S h e p l a c e d h i s h a n d o n h e r b e l l y t o f e e l t h e i r u n b o r n b a b y A n d t h e n , e v e n t u a l l y , i t w a s o v e r A n d i t w a s j u s t R o c h e l l e a n d h e r k i d s S h e c o u l d n ’ t s l e e p G u i l t w r a c k e d h e r c o n s c i o u s H e r l i f e d i d n ’ t s e e m r e a l I t w a s a h o r r i b l e d r e a m E v e r y t h i n g w a s c o m i n g a t h e r a l l a t o n c e , a n d s h e n e e de d a w a y o u t , a p l a n S o , i n a m o m e n t o f d e s p a i r , a t s i x i n t h e m o r n i n g , c r y i n g , s h e c a l l e d h e r o l d b o s s , A l l a n P a r v e y I t w a s P a r v e y w h o g o t R o c h e l l e i n t o u c h w i t h V a l e r i e ’ s H o u s e F o u n d e d i n 2 0 1 6 b y A n g e l a M e l v i n , V a l e r i e ’ s H o u s e p r o v i d e s o p e n - e n d e d p e e r s u p p o r t g r o u p s a n d a c t i v i t i e s f o r c h i l d r e n a n d f a m i l i e s i n h o p e s o f h e l p i n g t h e m h e a l a f t e r a s i g n i f i c a n t l o s s i n t h e i r l i v e s I t s e e k s t o p r o v i d e a s e n s e o f c o m m u n i t y a n d a p l a t f o r m f o r i n d i v i d u a l s t o c o m e t o g e t h e r , s h a r e , a n d m e n t o r e a c h o t h e r t h r o u g h t h e i r g r i e f “ I t ’ s a p l a c e w h e r e p e o p l e c o m e t o n o t f e e l a l o n e , ” s a i d M e l v i n o f V a l e r i e ’ s H o u s e “ G r i e v i n g f a m i l i e s c a n c o m e t o g e t h e r h e r e , a n d b o n d , a n d b e c o m e f r i e n d s ” M e l v i n w a s i n s p i r e d t o f o u n d V a l e r i e ’ s H o u s e a f t e r e x a m i n i n g h e r o w n e x p e r i e n c e w i t h g r i e f , h a v i n g l o s t h e r m o t h e r , V a l e r i e , t o a c a r a c c i d e n t w h e n s h e w a s j u s t a y o u n g g i r l “ I n F o r t M y e r s , w e d i d n ’ t h a v e a n y t h i n g l i k e t h i s b a c k i n 1 9 8 7 , ” s a i d M e l v i n o f V a l e r i e ’ s H o u s e t o t h e c r o w d o f f r i e n d s a n d f a m i l y g a t h e r e d f o r R o c h e l l e ’ s s w e a r i n g i n c e r e m o n y “ B u t w e ’ r e n o t a l o n e a n y m o r e ” R o c h e l l e s a i d s h e i m m e d i a t e l y t o o k t o t h e V a l e r i e ’ s H o u s e s t y l e o f c o p i n g w i t h g r i e f S h e s a i d t h e r e ’ s n o p l a c a t i n g , o r p a t r o n i z i n g a t V a l e r i e ’ s H o u s e . G r i e v i n g p e o p l e a r e a l l o w e d t o f e e l t h e i r f e e l i n g s . P h r a s e s l i k e , y o u ’ l l f e e l b e t t e r , o r t i m e w i l l h e a l i t a r e n ’ t p a r t o f c u rr i c u l u m . “ I t w a s v e r y v a l i d a t i n g , ” s a i d R o c h e l l e “ I f I f e e l l i k e c r y i n g , I ’ m g o i n g t o c r y I ’ l l c r y r i g h t n o w i f I w a n t t o ” V a l e r i e ’ s H o u s e a l s o r e p r e s e n t e d a s m a l l s l i c e o f n o r m a l c y f o r R o c h e l l e a n d h e r f a m i l y “ I n e e d e d t o f i n d p e o p l e t h a t w e r e s i m i l a r a g e s , a n d p e o p l e t h a t a c t u a l l y u n d e r s t o o d g r i e f , ” s a i d R o c h e l l e “ I t w a s t h e o n l y p l a c e w e c o u l d g o a n d f e e l n o r m a l ” R o c h e l l e a l s o c r e d i t e d l a w s c h o o l a n d h e r l e g a l s t u di e s i n g e n e r a l f o r g i v i n g h e r l i f e s o m e s t r u c t u r e d u r i n g a t i m e w h e r e e v e r y t h i n g s e e m e d s o c h a o t i c “ I n e e d e d s o m e o n e t o t e l l m e , ‘ H e y y o u n e e d t o b e ( i n c l a s s ) a t 8 a m ’ I n e e d e d i t t o f u n c t i o n I n e e d e d t o b e r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t h i n g s ” R o c h e l l e w e n t o n t o f i n i s h l a w s c h o o l a n d p a s s t h e F l o r i d a b a r e x a m , s t u d y i n g a n y m o m e n t s h e c o u l d S h e w o u l d l i s t e n t o l e c t u r e s i n h e r c a r o n h e r w a y h o m e f r o m w o r k S h e w o u l d l i s t e n t o m o r e s t u d y m a t e r i a l w h i l e s h e m a d e d i n n e r f o r h e r k i d s S h e w o u l d s t a y u p u n t i l a l m o s t m i d n i g h t S h e w o u l d e v e n t e a c h h e r k i d s t h e l a w a s a t y p e o f s t u d y e x e r c i s e o n d a y s a n d n i g h t s s h e w a s n ’ t a b l e t o f i n d a b a b y s i t t e r

DEVON CRUMPACKER

Rochelle Pitts thanks friends and family gathered in attendance at Valerie’s House for Rochelle’s swearing in ceremony. She will go to work at Aloia, Roland, Lubell & Morgan, PLLC, as an associate attorney specializing in personal injury law. The firm’s co-founder and senior partner, Ty Roland, was among those was at the ceremony to mark Pitts’ next step on the road forward after a devastating family tragedy

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

Rochelle Pitts, of the aid offered to her and her children at Valerie’s House following the death of her husband, Jesse Pitts, who died after a car crash on his way home from work while she was carrying their youngest of four

B e f o r e t h e c e r e m o n y c a m e t o a c l o s e , R o c h e l l e c o nf i r m e d h e r i n t e n t t o k e e p c o m i n g t o V a l e r i e ’ s H o u s e S h e h a s n o i l l u s i o n s a b o u t e v e r f u l l y g e t t i n g o v e r t h e t r a g e d y t h a t b e f e l l h e r f a m i l y B u t s h e k n o w s V a l e r i e ’ s H o u s e c a n h e l p w i t h t h a t , e v e n i f i t ’ s a n o n g o i n g b a t t l e T h a t ’ s w h y s h e w a n t s t o b e t h e r e t o h e l p o t h e r s w h e n t h e s i t u a t i o n a r i s e s “ E v e n i f w e g r o w i n o u r j o u r n e y , w e w a n t t o k e e p c o m i n g b a c k t o h e l p t h e n e x t f a m i l y t h a t c o m e s t h r o u g h t h o s e d o o r s , ” s a i d R o c h e l l e

DEVON CRUMPACKER

Rochelle Pitts on the steps of Valerie’s House after being sworn in as an attorney by Judge Robert Branning

We e k ly B R E E Z E R e c ap Cooperative agreement made to fight truancy

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

With chronic absenteeism around 30 percent for students, the Lee County School Board approved a cooperative agreement last week to tackle the issue

The agreement, which was unanimously passed by the board on April 11, is between the school board, Fort Myers Police Department, Cape Coral Police Department, Department of Juvenile Justice, Lutheran Services of Florida, Children's Network of Southwest Florida, Lee County Sheriff's Office and the Office of the State Attorney - 20th Judicial Circuit

“We are very thankful for our commu-

nity partners that are willing to help work with us to ensure every student has the opportunity to be as successful as they possibly can,” Social Work Services Coordinator Paul Milford said “We encourage everyone to have these conversations with families and echo the importance of good attendance at school ”

Milford said the school district has had an informal partnership with these agencies since 2014

“We have been working in concert with several stakeholders to address truancy,” he said

According to Florida statutes, habitually truant occurs when "the child has accumu-

lated 15 unexcused absences within 90 calendar days with or without the knowledge of justifiable consent of the child's parent or legal guardian "

According to Florida statute, Milford said there are several interventions that schools and districts have to take to mitigate truancy Some of those include the school social worker working with the student and family and developing a plan with the family to improve attendance

He said in certain cases when they have exhausted all interventions and support they can, the district partners with the Lee County Sheriff's Office and Lutheran Services of Florida step in to help families

Iwo

Work began this week to clean, repair and restore the Iwo Jima Memorial statue at Four Mile Cove Ecological Preserve in Cape Coral, top. AGG Restoration is conducting the work, which is expected to take at least six weeks. Above are some of those involved in the project, including Cliff Ullman of AGG Restoration, left, and Donald Meeks, right The last time the monument was rehabilitated was in 2011 Eco Park is located at 2500 S E 24th St , just north of Veterans Memorial Parkway

avert court action

Chronic absence occurs when a student misses 10 percent or more of school It is the No 1 indicator of academic success and, once high school is reached, whether a student will graduate “We are highly vested in making sure students are present to reach their academic goals and academic potential,” Milford said “We have an invested interest in making sure students are reaching their highest potential and are successful, productive members of our community.”

With chronic absenteeism and truancy increasing, the district decided to formalize the partnerships to help address the issue

DeSantis signs six-week abortion ban legislation

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

Gov Ron DeSantis has signed legislation that effectively bans most abortions in Florida at the sixth week of pregnancy

The Heartbeat Protection Act, which prohibits abortions once a fetus has what the legislation's proponents define as a detectable heartbeat, passed the House 7040 late Thursday afternoon amidst prochoice protests DeSantis signed the bill around 11 p m Thursday after returning from an out-of-state GOP event

Seven Republicans voted against the bill as did all Democrats The measure previously passed the Senate 26-13, largely along party lines.

“We are proud to support life and family in the state of Florida,” DeSantis said “I applaud the Legislature for passing the Heartbeat Protection Act that expands prolife protections and provides additional resources for young mothers and families ”

Protests continued Friday, with Nikki Fried, chair of the Democratic Party and former state Commissioner of Agriculture, calling the measure “draconian ”

“Last night, behind closed doors, Ron DeSantis signed into law a ban on abortions before Floridians even knew that he was back in the state of Florida,” Fried said at a demonstration in Tallahassee “And signing a bill that would ban abortions before many women know that they are even pregnant ”

She added, “This new extreme ban comes almost one year after Ron DeSantis signed the former abortion ban which has already put women's lives at risk and forced patients to leave the state to seek the care that they need Under the new ban victims of rape and incest will have to provide official documentation proving that a crime was actually committed against them before they can seek the care that they need I'm going to repeat that Victims of rape and incest will have to provide documentation ”

The bill was presented in the House Thursday by Rep Jenna Persons-Mulicka (R-78), whose district covers a large part of

Lee County in and around Fort Myers The legislation had the full support of the Lee County delegation, including PersonsMulicka; Rep Mike Giallombardo (R-79), whose district encompasses Cape Coral; Rep Adam Botana (R-80); Tiffany Esposito (R-77); and Spencer Roach (R76) A week earlier, Sen Ben Albritton (R27), Sen Jonathan Martin (R-33) and Sen Kathleen Passidomo (R-28) each voted in support

Persons-Mulicka said the bill would reverse 50 years of a “culture of abortion ” There were more than 82,000 abortions in Florida last year, according to the Florida Agency of Health Care Administration

“Today, we have the opportunity to lead,” Persons-Mulicka said “We have the opportunity to lead the national debate about the importance of protecting life and giving every child the opportunity to be born and find his or her purpose. For the past 50 years, we have had a culture grow in this nation - a culture of abortion for any reason at any time A culture that was created by seven men on the Roe v Wade court who got it wrong, who gave women a false choice This culture has led to the loss of millions and millions of American lives ”

Persons-Mulicka said “this culture refused to discuss that abortions can have serious repercussions on the women who undergo the procedure ”

“At six weeks time, a heartbeat is detectable and there is no greater evidence of life than a heartbeat ”

According to a summary analysis of the bill, the legislation will prohibit physicians from “knowingly performing or inducing termination of pregnancy” after six weeks from the first day of the woman’s last menstrual period, with limited exceptions

It 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

PHOTOS PROVIDED

Jima Memorial restoration begins

Cultural Fest: A day to celebrate a multitude of cultures

From page 1

around us,” said senior recreation specialist Emily Haeger. “By creating a welcoming event for all, we believe it will make our community stronger ”

The event is rain-or-shine, and attendees are encouraged to bring chairs to enjoy performances on the main stage

Event performances scheduled include:

Performance, Kobayashi Dojo, Cultural Park Theater Performance, Danza AztecaNaples, Albanian American Organization of SWFL, Middle Eastern Performances, and Polynesian Luau

“The performances include interactive a u d i e n c e m o m e n t s a n d e v e n f i r e breathers,” Haeger said

Food trucks scheduled to be on-site include Kings Tacos & Burritos, Greek S p o t G O , D u d l e y ’ s B B Q , P a r a d i s e Smoothie & Bubble Tea, Buddha Bachi Express, Pryceless Island Grill, Cuban Connection, and The Gelato Truck

There will be more than 20 booths selling art, jewelry, international clothing, drink ware, and more There will also be beer offered from six different countries

“We wanted to show just how diverse our residents are in Cape Coral,” Haeger added “Most vendors and performances are, in fact, residents of Cape Coral and Southwest Florida We chose the month of April because it is Diversity Month in America ”

Cultural Park is at 528 Cultural Park B l v d F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , v i s i t www capeculturefest com

Chiquita Lock: City has submitted plan it says will address water quality

From page 2

Petitioners also state that in the Notice of Intent, FDEP acknowledges the potential adverse impact of the removal of the lock

“The Department has determined that the proposed activity, because of its size, potential effect on the environment or the public, controversial nature, or location, is likely to have a heightened public concern or likelihood of request for administrative proceedings,” FDEP stated in the notice

Petitioners state the removal of the lock will cause the same environmental hazards that first caused action back in the ’70s

“The removal of the Lock will alter the natural flow of water and allow direct flow of polluted canal waters into protected natural resource areas utilized by Petitioners, thus directly affecting their use and enjoyment of the water and natural resources of the area including Matlacha Pass Aquatic Preserve, San Carlos Bay, and the waters of Sanibel, Captiva, and Pine Islands,” the petition states “Petitioners allege that removal of the Chiquita Lock will have the effect of impairing, polluting, or otherwise injuring the air, water, or other natural

resources of the state, including manatees and the habitat of the smalltooth sawfish ”

Petitioners stated the most recent data o n p o l l u t i o n o f t h e C a l o o s a h a t c h e e Watershed is evidence that FDEP and its constituents are failing to protect local waters Estimates of pollutant loading have increased dramatically from Cape Coral major outfalls during the past five years, as reported in the Cape Coral MS4 reports c o m p a r i n g 2 0 1 4 / 2 0 1 5 t o 2 0 1 9 / 2 0 2 0

Total nitrogen, the parameter FDEP attributed to verified nutrient impairment in the Caloosahatchee estuary, San Carlos Bay, Pine Island Sound, and Matlacha Pass State Aquatic Preserve, increased from 251,148 pounds per year in the 2014/2015 to 927,703 pounds per year in 2019/2020, a 267 percent increase

The recent 2022 Caloosahatchee River FDEP BMAP (Basin Management Action Plan) 5-Year review indicated that total n i t r o g e n l o a d i n g h a s s i g n i f i c a n t l y increased since the BMAP was adopted in 2012 and that nitrogen load reduction allocations to stakeholders will need to be increased by 1,938,241 pounds per year for total maximum daily load attainment

Cape Coral is one of the BMAP stakeholders required to reduce total nitrogen loading

The review reports that Cape Coral has only one project for nutrient improvement in process and one project in the planning stage Petitioners state the reported 5-year average of total nitrogen load is actually 5,177,800 pounds-per-year, which is an increase of 1,218,239 pounds-per-year over the predicted starting load Petitioners believe current projects will not meet the 20-year milestone currently projected for the BMAP

The petitioners state that FDEP’s Nikki Morgan reported at the Caloosahatchee River and Estuary and Everglades West Coast Basin Management Action Plans (BMAPs) Annual Meeting that FDOH does not know why measured loading of total nitrogen is higher than what was modeled

“In other words, the modeling on which the BMAP system is predicated bears no relation to quantitative analysis,” the petitioners state “To the extent the City of Cape Coral relies on its ‘compliance’ with the BMAP process, the argument carries no

quantitative weight ”

Hannon said the city has “claims” they are doing a great job meeting their BMAP requirements, but that the BMAP is a decade old “and bears no relation to reality ”

Hannon said Cape Coral should use taxpayer dollars and grants to build highspeed locks at both Chiquita and Ceitus, then implement best practices to maintain those waterways

The Chiquita Boat Lock is a water detention barrier across the South Spreader Waterway in Cape Coral The purpose of the Chiquita Lock is to separate the canal waters of the southern end of the city from the navigable waters of the United States at the Caloosahatchee River The Chiquita Lock and the South Spreader Waterway were constructed over 30 years ago by the early developers of Cape Coral to remedy a C l e a n W a t e r A c t e n f o r c e m e n t a c t i o n brought in 1977 by the predecessor of F D E P , t h e F l o r i d a D e p a r t m e n t o f

Environmental Regulation

C o n n e c t w i t h t h i s r e p o r t e r o n Twitter: @haddad cj

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May programs at Cape Coral Lee County Public Library

Next month’s roster of activities at Cape Coral Lee County Public Library offers topics for all ages The following activities are free to the public:

Adult Programs

Naturalization Program (Bilingual: English/Spanish)

5 p.m., Monday, May 1

A U S Citizenship and Immigration Services officer will explain the naturalization process The presentation will address the eligibility requirements for naturalization, how to apply, what to expect at the interview and how to prepare for the citizenship exam Free study materials and resources will be provided and a question and answer session will follow This program will be live-streamed from the branch for attendees to watch and interact with the presenter virtually

Un funcionario de los Servicios de Ciudadanía e Inmigración de los Estados

Unidos (USCIS, por sus siglas en inglés) explicará el proceso de naturalización La presentación incluirá una explicación de los requisitos de elegibilidad para la naturalización, cómo presentar una solicitud, q u é e s p e r a r e n l a e n t r ev i s t a y c ó m o prepararse para el examen de ciudadanía

Se proporcionarán materiales de estudio y recursos gratuitos y se realizará una sesión de preguntas y respuestas Este programa será transmitido en vivo en la biblioteca Los asistentes podrán ver e interactuar con el funcionario virtualmente.

English Café 6 p m , Tuesdays, May 2, 9, 16, 23, 20 10 a m , Fridays, May 5, 12, 19, 26

Free informal, conversation sessions for adult ESOL/ESL students

Book Discussion: “The Hacienda” by Isabel Cañas

11 a m , Wednesday, May 3

Mexican Gothic meets Rebecca in this debut, supernatural suspense novel Set in the aftermath of the Mexican War of Independence and the execution of her f a t h e r , B e a t r i z a c c e p t s D o n R o d o l f o Solórzano’s proposal of marriage and is whisked away to his remote country estate where she is faced with a malevolent presence linked to his first wife’s death

Download Drop-In

11 a m , Thursdays, May 4, 18

Receive personalized help downloading e-books, movies, music and more from Overdrive/Libby and Hoopla, two of Lee County Library System’s largest online content providers Bring your fully charged digital device for this hands-on help session Note: Please bring any passwords you may need for downloading apps Kindle users will also need an Amazon account and their password for accessing it

Public Speaking Workshop

Session 1: 10 a m , Wednesday, May 10

Session 2: 10 a m , Wednesday, May 17

A n x i o u s a b o u t s p e a k i n g i n p u b l i c ? Many people are These workshops will offer techniques, hints and a practical handout so that you will be more comfortable as a public speaker The workshops are conducted in a casual style and include a combination of lectures and discussions along with group and individual exercises i n a f r i e n d l y f o r m a t R e g i s t r a t i o n i s

required

Crafts at Cape: Painting with Wool

11 a m , Thursday, May 11

Learn a new craft with painting with wool This is a felting technique that uses

wool fibers and a felting needle to layer and “paint” embellishments for pieces that are bursting with color This will be a follow along class Supplies will be provided Space is limited to 20 Registration is required

Crafts at Cape: Blind Bag Craft

11 a.m., Thursday, May 18

Join us for a fun midmorning craft

D i f f e r e n t c r a f t s w i l l b e d i s t r i b u t e d i n brown paper bags Grab a bag, follow the instructions and show us what you made All instructions and supplies will be provided Space is limited to 20 Registration is required

Children’s Programs

Preschool Storytime

11 a.m., Tuesday, May 2

For ages 3-5 Children attend this program independently while parents and caregivers wait nearby First come, first served Space is limited. Please arrive early and pick up a ticket at the Youth Services desk

Toddler Tales

11 a m , Wednesday, May 3

For ages 18-36 months and caregivers

Toddlers and caregivers move and groove during this interactive storytime First come, first served Space is limited Please arrive early and pick up a ticket at the Youth Services desk

Baby Rhyme Time

10 a.m., Thursday, May 4

For babies up to 18 months Babies and caregivers wiggle and giggle in a supportive environment First come, first served Space is limited Please arrive early and pick up a ticket at the Youth Services desk

Lego Club

4 p.m., Thursday, May 4

Join us for a short story and brick-building activities Lego bricks provided for use during this program

Kids Read Down Fines

1-2 p.m., Saturday, May 6

Children and teens can earn a $2 credit on overdue fines for every 15 minutes they read in the designated area for a total of $8 in one session Please bring your library card.

Let's Grow Yoga for Littles: Ages 0-2

10 a m , Monday, May 8

Let's Grow Yoga uses breathing techniques, movement and chanting/singing to channel energy throughout our bodies This interactive program is for children up to 2 years with a caregiver Registration is required, and class size is limited to 15 children

Mother's Day Greeting Card Craft

3:30 p.m., Thursday, May 11

Children are invited to create special cards that celebrate the important women in their lives All materials provided No registration required For children ages 5-8 and their accompanying caregiver

Sunflower Storytime

10 a.m., Saturday, May 13

Join us for a storytime all about sunflowers featuring songs, stories, fingerplays and a take home craft This program is for children ages 2-5 with a caregiver Please arrive early and pick up a ticket at the Youth Services desk.

Let's Grow Yoga for Littles: Ages 3-5

10 a m , Monday, May 15

Let's Grow Yoga uses breathing techniques, movement and chanting/singing to

See CAPE LIBRARY, page 30

Garden Club of Cape Coral awards 2023 Merit Scholarships

The Garden Club of Cape Coral recently granted three Cape Coral high school seniors a total of $7,050 through its Merit Scholarship Awards Program These awards are given annually to local students who excel academically and in their environmental efforts as active members in our community

The 13th annual awards in memory of club co-founder Marty Ward were granted to Reina Diaz of Island Coast High School, Eric Feichthaler of Oasis High School and Chase Qurollo of Cape Coral High School. They were selected because of their academic achievements, leadership and hands-on participation in horticulture, agriculture, hydrology and natural resources, as well as commitment to continue with their efforts in conserving our precious environment for the future

In addition, the fourth annual award in memory of Donna Conway, funded by the Conway family and friends in 2020, was also presented to Diaz due to the constant dedication throughout her four years in high school to the study of agricultural sciences and the creation of raised gardens and hydroponic systems around several schools in Lee County

Conway was a long-time member of the club who initiated the club’s main fundraiser “March in the Park,” which has been held annually since 2009

Thanks to the precious support of club members and the community, 52 awards ranging in value from $250 to $2,500 have been presented to graduating seniors since the program was established in 2011 The value of the awards is determined by the relevance of each student’s course of study, extracurricular activities, community involvement and future commitment to the environment

Besides being a senior and a Cape Coral resident, applicants must present two references, academic history, active participation in horticultural or environmental projects, and a 250-word personal statement Applications open in January, with a submission deadline in February, award notifications in March and presentations usually at the GCCC April meeting

GCCC meets on the second Wednesday of September through May at 5:45 p m at Palmetto Pine Country Club, 940 S W 9th Ct Guests are welcome Website: www gardenclubofcapecoral com

Meet the 2023 awarded graduating seniors:

Reina Diaz, 18. Growing food is her passion. She holds two certificates in agriculture sciences from the Island Coast High School Academy of Natural Resources As Lee County’s first leading academy, this four-year program focuses on environmental studies and sustainability by inte-

Trantina awarded degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic

DAVENPORT, Iowa-- Zachary Trantina of Cape Coral graduated with a doctor of chiropractic degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic's Florida Campus in Port Orange on March 24

Palmer College of Chiropractic, the first and largest college in the chiropractic profession, has campuses in Davenport, Iowa; San Jose, California; and Port Orange, Florida

PRIDE Cape Coral offering scholarship to Cape Technical College

In partnership with Greg Bagwell and Steve Bell, PRIDE Cape Coral has announced its first scholarship opportunity This scholarship will cover 100% of tuition to The Cape Coral Technical College for the 2023/24 school year The dollar amount of the scholarship is dependent upon the program chosen, and the scholarship is available for current Southwest Florida students Program information can be found at capecoraltech edu

To apply, all students need to do is write an essay detailing what PRIDE means to them Please include your impact on the LGBTQ+ community, and how the community has impacted you This essay should be emailed to info@pridecapecoral com

In order to qualify for the scholarship, students must:

■ Be accepted to Cape Coral Technical College

grating agriculture, aquaculture, hydroponics and alternative energies That’s where Reina had the opportunity to learn and teach others about raising tilapia, growing herbs and vegetables, and harnessing renewable energy through solar panels “My passion for agriculture has grown upon witnessing the dedication, hard work, time, and effort being contributed to my school's agriculture program with the help of students, my agriculture teacher, our principals, and district environmental education advisors,” she said Florida Gulf Coast University and the University of Florida are the first two schools she plans to attend in her ambitious road to achieve the ultimate degree in agribusiness Reina is passionate about supporting sustainable agriculture, particularly in more urban areas, and to educate the next generation on important environmental aspects “I have always loved to teach others, so I’ve also considered a career as a botany professor or agribusiness manager ” Reina truly honors the adage, “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime ” Fueled with passion and knowledge, she was awarded the Academy of Natural Resources Student of the Year not once but twice Reina definitely has what it takes to achieve her goal of nurturing the world

YouTube channels, math tutor and instructor, dedicated volunteer, captain of two varsity teams, officer in different clubs and societies and once intern for the city of Cape Coral Engineering Department are some of the roles Eric has assumed in his last four years at Oasis High School Eric truly embodies the modern version of a renaissance young man His achievements excel in quantity and quality His love for Yellowstone motivated him to explore all 63 U S National Parks (yes, each one) and share his experience through an illustrated book and two YouTube channels that today have over 7,000 subscribers His commitment to Kiwanis Key Club, among other local organizations, made him the recipient of the Congressional Award Gold Medal with over 600 hours as a volunteer of public service. Already accepted at the prestigious Georgetown University, Eric wants to pursue a degree in environmental sciences since loving and understanding nature is what constitutes his true north “Learning about, visiting and protecting America’s national parks has been an important part of my life for 10 years, and I plan to pursue a career in which I can find ways to protect these incredible, unique environments,” explains Eric His long list of awards, recognitions and achievements are a testament of his indelible and indefatigable determination to protect our natural resources

Eric

Feichthaler Jr , 18 Avid explorer, honors student, published author and songwriter, creator and host of two

EDUCATION NOTES

■ Submit an essay on why they should be chosen

■ Be a Lee County resident between the ages of 16-25

■ Volunteer 50 hours for PRIDE Cape Coral

All submissions must be submitted by May 31, 2023 There will be one student chosen for this scholarship, and one runner up in the event that the winning student isn't accepted to their program of choice Winners will be chosen and notified by June 30, 2023

For more information about PRIDE Cape Coral, visit www pridecapecoral com or follow @pridecapecoral on Facebook and Instagram

Lee County Supervisor of Elections announces winners in 6th Annual Arts Vote Contest

Lee County Supervisor of Elections Tommy Doyle recently announced the winners of the 2022-2023 Arts Vote Contest:

■ 1st Place “Best Artwork”: Alayna Calkins (Cypress Lake High School)

■ 2nd Place “Most Original Artwork”: Nisa Balbaloglu (North Fort Myers High School)

■ 3rd Place “Most Creative Artwork”: Haley Allensworth (Cypress Lake High School)

The Lee Elections “Arts Vote” Contest allows students at participating high schools to unleash their creativity and talent to promote voting, patriotism, and civic engagement

To support local schools and the arts, the Lee County

Chase Qurollo, 18. His positive attitude certainly helps him understand the ebbs and flows of life, literally Hurricane Ian destroyed in the blink of an eye all the efforts and countless hours he put into building mats to test bioremediation techniques in the ponds at Cape Coral High School However, and despite the obvious disappointment, his passion and spirit are still standing “I am a faithful man that does not falter or deter when faced with a challenge,” observes Chase with a big smile Fishing might have taught him patience as well as his love for capturing nature (an elusive model, indeed) as an award- winning environmental photographer Chase explains that “photography is my way of showing that the environment is beautiful and worth protecting ” Chase believes in the need to adopt a technocentric approach to restore the equilibrium of our ecosystems, like in the case of his high school project, which aimed to imitate natural processes to remove excess nutrients from bodies of water The next step is moving to Orlando this fall to pursue a degree in environmental engineering at the University of Central Florida His academic achievements as well as perfect attendance throughout his four years of high school certainly highlight Chase’s unyielding decision to be an environmental steward

Supervisor of Elections presented the winning school, Cypress Lake High School, with $500 Winners received a gift card and a certificate of appreciation for participating in the contest

The contest began Nov 17, 2022, and ended on March 31 Doyle and staff selected the winning pieces from 45 entries; nine from Cypress Lake High School and 36 from North Fort Myers High School

School district to host Spring Talent Recruitment Fair

The School District of Lee County will host its Spring 2023 Talent Recruitment Fair Saturday, April 29, at the Lee County Public Education Center, at 2855 Colonial Blvd , Fort Myers

Principals and department hiring managers will interview and hire teachers, school psychologists, speech-language pathologists, school social workers, and school counselors for the 2023-24 year

Teaching candidates eligible to attend must meet one of the following criteria:

■ Hold a valid standard teaching certificate (Florida or out-of-state)

■ Expected to graduate from a college of education by August

■ Hold a bachelor’s degree in an area where certification

See EDUCATION NOTES, page 27

PHOTO BY CARMEN SPRAGUE

Garden Club of Cape Coral 2023 awarded students, from left, Chase Qurollo of Cape Coral High School, Reina Diaz of Island Coast High School and Eric Feichthaler Jr. of Oasis High School.

Busscher named Florida School Related Employee of the Year

Franklin Park Elementary building supervisor honored Wednesday in Tallahassee

The School District of Lee County announced this week that James Busscher, b u i l d i n g s u p e r v i s o r a t F r a n k l i n P a r k Elementary School, is the Florida School Related Employee of the Year Busscher was chosen as a finalist less than two

weeks ago and introduced as the winner at Wednesday’s awards ceremony in the State Capitol

“I am very thrilled and humbled to be n a m e d t h e F l o r i d a S c h o o l R e l a t e d Employee of the Year,” Busscher said

EDUCATION NOTES

From page 26

can be obtained or any degree major and a passing score on a subject area exam

To determine if a bachelor's degree can lead toward certification, visit the Florida Department of Education at https://www f l d o e o r g / t e a c h i n g / c e r t i f i c a t i o n / g e n e r a lc e r t - r e q u i r e m e n t s / s u b j e c t - a r e a - k n o w ledge stml If the degree major does not equate to a certification area, potential teachers can register to take a subject area exam

Applicant registration is open now through April 21 To register, visit https://apply leeschools net and apply for “Pool-Spring Teacher Recruitment Fair,” Job ID 20230133 Applicants can create an account or sign into their existing School District Careers one

For information, contact Careers@lee schools net or 239-337-8676

Hodges University launches Workforce Readiness

One of the most consistent answers that organizations of all sizes say they need are professionals with specific skills Hodges University is answering that need with its Workforce Readiness initiative

Workforce Readiness is all about offering quick training that can range from a few weeks to four months At the end, the student earns a certificate of completion, along with the knowledge and skills needed to fill a workforce gap

Those online areas include insurance, real estate, robotics, EV Tech, automation, renewable energy, technology, criminal justice, software development, and more There are also computer programming bootcamps

In the area of healthcare, Hodges University offers on-campus EMT training in seven weeks, and one-campus foundations of dental assisting in six weeks More programs are coming in the near future for phlebotomy and certified nursing assistant

For more information, visit Hodges edu and click on Workforce Readiness on the home page; or call 239-598-6161 or email: gontek@hodges edu

Hodges University is a regionally accredited, private nonprofit institution founded in 1990 with over 14,000 graduates With a campus in Fort Myers, Florida, Hodges provides flexible day, evening, and online classes taught by world-class faculty for undergraduate and graduate degrees More information about Hodges University is available at Hodges edu

“This award is for my students and our Franklin Park family ”

This state program recognizes outstanding education support personnel for the significant contributions they make to their s c h o o l s a n d d i s t r i c t s c h o o l s y s t e m s Busscher was nominated 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 has always known has special Mr Busscher i s , ” s a i d P r i n c i p a l M i c h e l l e F r e e m a n “Now the State of Florida has confirmed it. Mr Busscher is the epitome of the person that goes over and beyond to help others ” 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 other 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.

Cape Republican Club to meet April 25 at Palmetto-Pine Country Club

What does the future of the Republican Party look like? How does the next generation of conservatives view the most pressing issues of the day?

These are just some of the questions the Cape Coral Republican Club will talk t h r o u g h w i t h a p a n e l o f y o u n g Republicans as they share with what led

them to be conservatives and what excites them about the future

As a reminder to all members, dues renew with the new year and can be paid either in person at the meeting with cash or check payable to CCRC, or mailed to the club at PO Box 100996, Cape Coral, FL 33910 The club does not accept credit

cards Annual dues are $35 per member and run on a calendar year

When RSVPing for a guest members must provide names so the team checking people in can put them on the entry list If you or a guest are not on the entry list, you may be denied entry due to limited space

Country Club at 1940 S W 9th Court in Cape Coral Doors open at 6 p m and the meeting begins at 6:30 p m

Members are free and guests are $5

Cape Library: Programs, events and activities scheduled for May

From page 25

channel energy throughout our bodies This interactive program is for children 3-5 years with a caregiver Registration is required, and class size is limited to 15 children

STEAM Club

3:30 p.m., Thursday, May 18

For ages 5-11. Be ready for fun experiments and projects as we explore the world o f S T E A M : S c i e n c e , T e c h n o l o g y , Engineering, Art and Math Dress for mess and please arrive on time Registration is required and is guaranteed until the start of the program only

Teen Programs

Anime Club

4:30 p.m., Monday, May 1 F o r t e e n s a n d t w e e n s i n t e r e s t e d i n anime, manga, Japanese culture and other pop culture genres Watch anime with friends and make themed crafts For ages 11-18 No registration required All supplies provided

Kids Read Down Fines

1-2 p.m., Saturday, May 6

Children and teens can earn a $2 credit on overdue fines for every 15 minutes they read in the designated area for a total of $8 in one session Please bring your library card

Library Teen Talk

3:30 p m , Tuesday, May 16

For ages 12-18 Socialize, snack and form new friendships at this exciting teen program We will be creating magnets while talking about what you want to see in your library's teen space No registration is required All supplies provided What the Craft? Cardboard Creations

4 p.m., Thursday, May 25

For ages 11-18 Test your engineering skills by creating something out of cardboard using specialty tools and screws Come with ideas, or get creative when you get here No registration required All supplies are provided while they last

Study Hall at the Library

2 p.m., Wednesday, May 31

Need a quiet place to study for upcoming exams? Come to the library where there is more than just studying going on Every 30-45 minutes, we will have a short brain break that could be a mini dance

party, fast-paced games, Zen coloring and more A variety of snacks will be provided each hour. For ages 13-18. No registration required

The Cape Coral Lee County Public

L i b r a r y i s l o c a t e d a t 9 2 1 S W 3 9 t h Terrace in Cape Coral For more information about a program or to register, please call the library at 239-533-4500 Check the Lee County Library System’s website at www leelibrary net to find out about programs at other locations Call the host library, or Telephone Reference at 239479-INFO (4636), for more information about a specific program.

To receive updates from Lee County

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

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Lee County will not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities in its services, programs or activities To request an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication or a reasonable modification to participate, contact Joan LaGuardia, 239-533-2314, F l o r i d a R e l a y S e r v i c e 7 1 1 , o r j l ag u a r d i a @ l e e g o v c o m A c c o m m o d a t i o n will be provided at no cost to the requestor Requests should be made at least five business days in advance.

Spring Native Plant Sale Saturday

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

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

P l a n t e x p e r t s w i l l b e o n h a n d t o answer questions and help you choose the right plant for the right place Come early for the best selection

For additional information about the s a l e o r t h e c i t y p a r k , p l e a s e v i s i t Rotaryparkinfo@capecoral gov or call 239-549-4606

BREE ZE COMMUNITY

APRIL

Dealing with citrus pests Inaugural Stones & Bones Festival Saturday at Tarpon Point Marina

By KATHY WOODLOCK news@breezenewspapers com

There are many pests that affect citrus trees in both the commercial groves and in the dooryards of homeowners Two of the more serious pests are the Asian citrus psyllid and the citrus leafminer

By EMMA RODRIGUEZ news@breezenewspapers com

The inaugural Cape Coral Stones & Bones Festival, presented by Pinchers Crab Shack and Texas Tony’s Rib & Brewhouse, comes to Cape Coral Saturday from 11 a m to 9 p m The event address is 5971 Silver King Blvd , at Tarpon Point Marina

Attendees will be able to enjoy stone crabs and awardwinning barbecue from the two restaurant chains

Admission to the festival is free

Live music will be available for the duration of the event Naples-based solo artist Mattie Jollie will play from 11 a m to 1:30 p m , Mike Imbasciani & his Bluezrockerz

will have the stage from 2-5 p m , and The Police cover band Zendatta will play from 6-9 p m

GARDEN CLUB OF CAPE CORAL

The Asian citrus psyllid is responsible for transmitting the disease called citrus greening from tree to tree Use of insecticides to control the psyllid vector is a major component of greening management strategies in Florida and elsewhere There is good evidence that reducing psyllid populations via insecticides application not only slows the rate of greening but also reduced the severity of the disease once established

The psyllid feeds on the leaves produced in spring resulting in curling and distortion of the young leaves due to toxins present in saliva It is easy to spot the notch where the psyllid has entered the leaf

Broad spectrum foliar sprays targeting adults are most effective when used prior to the presence of a new flush which usually occurs in spring A once-a-year application of a product containing imidacloprid drench is useful Citrus growers should be aware that most i n s e c t i c i d e r e c o m m e n d e d f o r p s y l l i d c o n t r o l h a v e restrictions on the pesticide label due to the impact these products may have on pollinators

Planning ahead to control psyllids prior to the presence of the bloom will help reduce the need to apply pesticides during the bloom period and prevent bees and other pollinators from being hurt

Leafminers are not vectors of citrus canker but set the tree up for the disease Adults of the citrus leafminer are tiny moths that hide within the canopy during the day and emerge at night to lay eggs individually on young, expanding leaf flushes The egg first appears as a tiny dew drop, usually alongside the midvein on the underside of an unexpanded leaf The larva emerges directly into the leaf tissue, mining first along the midvein then back and forth at it make its way to the leaf margin where pupation occurs The visual effect are tunnels in the middle of the leaf The damage to the leaf allows the citrus canker to invade the leaf Populations of leafminers build rapidly on the spring flush The summer period of high leafminer damage coincides with the rainy season when canker spread is most likely Spraying with copper every two weeks is the recommended treatment for leafminer problems

There are a number of other pests that affect citrus trees These include aphids, white flies, mites, scales, chewing insects like grasshoppers, katydid and caterpillars Many of these come along with other problems When treating with copper and other insecticides, these pests are usually taken care of The most important task is to apply only enough insecticides to treat the pest but leave the good guys alone Following the label recommendations is so important

It is close approaching the no fertilizer ban in Lee County which starts on June 1 We have a few days left in May and if you haven’t applied a good citrus fertilizer recently do so now Follow the recommendation on the back of the bag

Kathy Woodlock is the Past President of the Garden Club of Cape Coral, a Master Gardener/citrus consultant and NGC Flower Show Judge

Pioneer Picnic returns this weekend

By CHUCK BALLARO news@breezenewspapers com

Is there a friend you haven’t been in touch with for years? Want to reminisce about some of the happiest times of your life with someone you went to school with? Then we have the event for you

The Pioneer Club of Lee County will hold its annual Pioneers Picnic Saturday, April 29, at the Lee Civic Center’s Tinsley Pavilion, located off Bayshore Road in North Fort Myers Registration and visiting begin at 10 a.m. with lunch at noon, followed by presentations and a raffle at 1 p m

Theresa Clements, publicity director for the club, said they are expecting a bigger turnout this year despite the questions of whether the Lee Civic Center would even be able to hold it

“We were wondering whether the pavilion would be able to hold it after what happened with Ian The pavilion is fine,” Clements said “We have had lots of inquiries from people coming up on living here for 50 years and joining the picnic There’s been a lot of support and interest ”

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

It was founded in 1949 by R A Henderson Jr and was formed to honor those living persons who had been residents of old Lee County for 50 or more years The initial meeting was held in 1950 at the Lions Park on Cleveland Avenue in Fort Myers

The classes of 1973 from Evangelical Christian School, and Alva, Bishop Verot, Cypress Lake, Dunbar, Fort Myers, North Fort Myers, and Riverdale high schools will be recognized at the picnic as celebrating their 50-year class reunions

Riverdale will also be celebrating its 50th year as will Evangelical Christian, which both started in 1973, Clements said

Last year’s event honored the high school classes of 1970 through 1972, as the picnic was cancelled for two years because of the pandemic

Also recognized will be the eldest pioneer man and woman born in Lee County; the couple married the longest

“It’s such a lovely thing. It’s an annual gathering of people that is important for the legacy and history of Lee County It’s southern hospitality that turns into a family reunion ”

Theresa Clements

(both spouses need to be in attendance); the pioneer who traveled the longest distance to the picnic; and the oldest person in attendance

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

Clements said the event serves as kind of an annual high school class reunion, where people who haven’t seen each other for years can reunite and catch up or reminisce about their high school days

Clements said she was in a family with 11 children, all of whom went to Fort Myers High School, and whose friends overlapped. All have something to remember about an area that has changed so much

“It’s such a lovely thing It’s an annual gathering of people that is important for the legacy and history of Lee County,” Clements said “It’s southern hospitality that turns into a family reunion ”

You don’t have to preregister and there are no membership fees to join, Clements said The eligibility requirement for membership is that the person was a resident of Lee County prior to 1973

Barbecue chicken or pork, baked beans, coleslaw, rolls, chocolate chip cookies and iced tea or lemonade are available to the attendees for $10 per plate.

As a bonus, free admission on that weekend is given to the members of the Pioneer Club by presenting their membership card to the Edison and Ford Winter Estates, IMAG History & Science Center and the Shell Factory & Nature Park (all general admission) on Friday, Saturday and Sunday

To receive registration information, you can e-mail pioneerleecounty@gmail com, or you may register the day of the picnic There are no membership dues

Gulf Coast Village to host free spring informational events

Gulf Coast Village, a continuing care community in Cape Coral, will host a series of free informational events during April and May These events give seniors and their family members an opportunity to learn about continuing care options that will best suit their lifestyle and health needs

The April “Mix and Springle” event will be held on Wednesday, April 26, at 2 p m This event will give prospective residents and their family members a chance to learn about residency opportunities at Gulf Coast Village and mingle with other perspective residents as well as current residents There will be complimentary light refreshments served

On Thursday, May 4, at 11 a m , a lunch and learn

event will give attendees an overview of the 10 best things about Gulf Coast Village This event will discuss the benefits of moving to a continuing care community and will include a complimentary lunch

After Hurricane Ian this past September the need for hurricane planning has become even more clear, which is why on Wednesday, May 24, at 11 a m , the lunch and learn event will discuss hurricane preparation The Gulf Coast Village team will be joined by a special guest from the WINK-TV Weather team to discuss how to put a proper hurricane plan in place as we prepare to enter hurricane season A complimentary lunch will be served

Registration is required for the Spring events, to register visit GulfCoastVillage org/RSVP

It’s a good time to fish for redfish, mangrove snapper

The weekend looks fishy with area high tides around 3 in the afternoon and lots of water for wily redfish to take advantage of their way back and under the sticks, mangrove hidey holes Lure them out by their noses with cut bait or impress your buddy by demonstrating your sidearm lure skipping skills skipping a soft plastic, mere inches off the water’s surface, way back and under the jungle snags often provoking an instantaneous reaction strike by a chunky red or surprised snook

When you get that strike, don’t ruin that pro cast by instantly and instinctively lifting your rod upwards to set the hook which, of course, will result in a near guaranteed limb-lost fish Keep the rod tip in the water and set the hook with a low side sweep set, keeping the rod tip in the water and fighting the fish that way until you’re clear of snags

Some really big mangrove s n a p p e r , s o m e o v e r 1 0 pounds, are still waiting for y o u r b a i t s a r o u n d y o u r f a v o r i t e o f f s h o r e n u m b e r s with red grouper as by-catch If you’ve never tasted fresh snapper, by all means do so as it's one of the best eating fish around While you’re out there, watch for kingfish to troll around with plugs or spoons, or entice with big live bait

Fished the Keys Bahia Honda Bridge area with friends recently and enjoyed some incredible tarpon action on a variety of baits and lures. This spring hot spot should be on every early season Southwest tarpon hunters list as bridges, channels and near-by flats host tons of fish and, of course, monster sharks like those that plague Boca Grande silver king anglers Hogy eels in the daytime and large Bomber lures with single replacement hooks around the bridges at night provided explosive action

If you want to get in on the Keys action but don’t have a boat or the experience, it’s not a problem as there are local guides available based right at the bridge where you’ll be fishing, so there’s no long boat ride which means more time fishing In fact, there are so many tarpon that some outfitters give free trips if you don’t hook up and fight a silver king Two really good guide services I’ve used in the past can be reached at 800-241-1975 and 352-419-2935 They fish both day and night trips

The Bahia Honda Bridge is about 2 5 hours south of Miami If you need your tarpon fix even earlier, Key West harbor offers fantastic tarpon opportunities

This is a hot month for tarpon action in the 10,000 Islands as the fish move north Locally Boca Grande already has lots of fish showing up while other tarpon are appearing in totally random locations, so network with other anglers and bait shops for the latest hot areas or scout your traditional hot spots if Boca tarpon angling isn’t your cup of tea

Traditionally, early season spots would include offshore of Sanibel or Knapps Point, the Sanibel Causeway Bridge, inside Pine Island Sound near York up past Chino islands, Captiva Rocks and Captiva Pass are time tested tarpon haunts Never discount fishing along the coast from right off the beaches to miles offshore

I haven’t started my tarpon river fishing but I’m looking forward to it as it gets hotter, especially at night R e m e m b e r e v e r y C a l o o s a h a t c h e e b r i d g e f r o m t h e

See GOOD TIME, page 33

Tommy Bohanon Foundation holds 5th annual Playmaker’s Tailgate Party

Charity event raises $215,000 for programs benefitting SWFL at-risk youth

The Tommy Bohanon Foundation, a local non-profit, is fulfilling its aspirations to change the lives of at-risk youth in the Southwest Florida community and surpassed its fundraising goal by raising approximately $215,000 at the 5th annual Playmaker’s Tailgate Party in late March

“We are so thankful for everyone who came out to support an amazing cause. We were hoping to raise $200,000, and by exceeding that we can have an even greater impact on the children in need in our community,” said former NFL player Tommy Bohanon, founder of the Tommy Bohanon Foundation “Every year we strive to grow as an organization and in our community Our mission is to ensure that kids throughout SWFL receive the opportunity to partake in programs that will help them become more well-rounded individuals ”

At the March 31 Playmaker’s Tailgate Party, held at the Ranch Concert Hall and Saloon, the Tommy Bohanon Foundation hosted a silent and live auction that raised approximately $215,000, which will go directly to programming, scholarships and grants for local children Community leaders such as the Mayor of Fort Myers, Kevin Anderson, UFC Fighter Tito Ortiz and various business leaders attended the event

At the event, $10,000 scholarships were awarded to

Wednesday BASEBALL

three high school seniors, Sophia Cabrera, Olivia Cabrera, Fedrick Harris, and one recurring scholarship to Sofija Valancius, $40,000 over four years, to help them achieve success in continued education Sophia will be attending Samford University and majoring in journalism with a public relations concentration, Olivia will be attending the University of Florida or Auburn University and majoring in nutrition sciences on the pre-med track, Fedrick plans to join the United States Army while pursuing a degree in psychology with an emphasis on both public and mental health and Sofija will be attending the University of Notre Dame majoring in finance

Sponsors, called “playmakers,” were Nor-Tech HiPerformance Boats, Lee County Sheriff's Office, Victory Layne Chevrolet, Cartwright and Sons Cabinetry, Lee Drywall, Titan Contracting LLC, Raymond Building Supply, Advanced Seamless Gutters, Personal Touch Catering, Florida Install, Taylor Carpet One Floor & Home, Arthur Printing, Pott’s Sports Cafe, CONRIC pr + marketing, Patriot Home Shutters, Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Garramone Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, Baystate

See CHARITY EVENT, page 33

PREP REPORT

Bishop Verot 8, Port Charlotte 1: Fidel Alviar was 2for-4 with 3 RBI for the Vikings (16-8) Grayson Carpenter had two hits and two RBI Bishop Verot's Jason Bello and Timothy Lawson combined for 15 strikeouts. Trevor Welch had three hits, while Bello, Lawson and Andrew Hanlon had two hits each

SOFTBALL

Mariner 19, Oasis 3 (3 innings): Katie Campbell homered, doubled and drove in five Tritons (11-10) runs She also scored twice and stole a base Mia Standard scored three times and had two RBI, Taylor Cotoni had two RBI and scored twice, and Mariah Wooldridge had two RBI and two runs scored as well After a slow start, Mariner has won seven of its last nine games For the Sharks (7-9), Eva Selfridge, Emma Neuhahr and Jetta Fisher drove in a run each

GIRLS LACROSSE

Region 1A-3

Friday's first round Bishop Verot at St Stephen's Episcopal, 7 p m

TRACK AND FIELD

District 2A-12

Girls and boys

Friday

Field events at Bishop Verot

Saturday

Running events at Estero

District 3A-11

Girls and boys

Saturday at Dunbar

Tuesday

SOFTBALL

Mariner 9, Bonita Springs 6: Crimson Lawrence struck out 10 batters, while driving in two runs for Mariner (1010) Cheyenne Waddell doubled twice, scored twice and drove in two runs Mia Standard doubled and had two RBI, and Katie Campbell homered and scored twice

North Fort Myers 6, LaBelle 5: The 17-2 Red Knights held off a challenge from LaBelle (14-5) as Liliana Hertzog drove in two runs Kendall Wylie tripled and had an RBI, while holding the Cowgirls to two hits and two earned runs She struck out nine Cape Coral 15, East Lee County 0 (3 innings): Kesia Gonzalez homered, going 3-for-3 with three runs scored and

5 RBI for the Seahawks (7-11) Marina Beaulieu was 3-for3 with a triple and three RBI Kiersten Lacombe scored three runs, and Adriana Thornton had two RBI and two runs scored Neumann 7, Oasis 3: Charlee Turney was 3-for-4 for the Sharks (7-7) while Eva Selfridge had two hits. Emma Neujahr and Jazney Wilson each drove in an Oasis run Bishop Verot 2, Fort Myers 1: Victoria Ash held Fort Myers to one run while striking out 10 Sarah Yamrick and Melanie Moreno each had two hits and an RBI for the 18-3 Vikings

BASEBALL

South Fort Myers 6, North Fort Myers 4: Thomas Eisminger, Garry Kamphouse and Matthew Blasena drove home a run each for the Red Knights (10-10) Eisminger and Kamphouse also scored a run each, while Blasena and Jakob Wagner had two hits each.

Island Coast 10, Ida Baker 0 (5 innings): Mason Blackburn doubled, driving in three runs for Island Coast (19-2) Hunter Fretwell also had two RBI Emilio Gonzalez and Jordi Guerrero scored two runs each Kevin Martinez pitched five shutout innings, allowing two hits

Cape Coral 13, East Lee County 1 (5 innings): Lucas Habash doubled twice, scoring twice and driving in two runs for the Seahawks (4-17) Alexander Kolasinski had two hits and two RBI Justin Czerniak doubled and scored twice On the mound, Bryan Calderon allowed a run on a hit, striking out 13 and walking four

BOYS TENNIS

Region 3A-6

Tuesday's first round

Naples 4, Cape Coral 0

Sing les: Michael Ritchey-Kline (N) d Ty Lendino 6-0, 6-4 Rey Pozsonyi (N) d Franklin Lewandowski 6-0, 6-1 Carlos Correa (N) d Marco Guba 6-0, 6-1 Spencer Carley (N) d Eduardo Figueroa 6-0 6-0 Jack Tucker (N) led Homer Figueroa 6-4, 4-3 Barron Collier 5, Ida Bake r 0

GIRLS TENNIS

Region 3A-6

Tuesday's first round

Barron Collier 4, Ida Baker 1

Region 3A-6

Tuesday's first round

St. Stephen's Episcopal 6, Oasis 1

Late Monday

BEACH VOLLEYBALL

Canterbury 5, Mariner 0: Mariner is 4-9.

Bishop Verot 4, Estero 1: Bishop Verot is 15-2

Capt George Tunison

Cape Coral Breeze Athletes of the Week

Cape Coral Breeze

Athletes

Week of the

(Selected by the Breeze Sports staff)

Sponsored by:

Charity event: Bohanon Foundation holds Playmaker’s Tailgate Party

From page 32

Financial, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Specific Care Chiropractic, The Ranch

Concert Hall & Saloon, Bright Ideas

Trophies Awards, The Thomas Family Charitable Trust, Little Star 4D Ultrasound, Pioneer Print & Graphics, Custom Pools by Design, LCEC, Goliath Fishing, The Mackey Team Air Condition and Heating, My Shower Door, Wilbur Smith Attorneys at Law, Millennial Brewing Company, Quattrone & Associates Inc , and Barry Goettemoeller RE/MAX

Titan Contracting has been recognized as the Tommy Bohanon Foundation’s Premier Event Sponsor for being its largest sponsor, a contributor since 2020

Comedian RC Smith was the host, giving a short comedy show before carrying out the activities for the night The event was catered by Personal Touch Catering,

Wonderland Cookie Dough & Ice Cream and Nothing Bundt Cakes, feeding the 250 attendees dinner and dessert, including several local business leaders from various industries who donated to the cause

The Tommy Bohanon Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting young athletes to reach their highest potential on and off the playing field Former NFL fullback, Tommy Bohanon, returned to his hometown in Southwest Florida to pursue his vision of ending generational poverty for at-risk youth The foundation funds annual scholarships, sports equipment grants to local high schools, youth football camps, seminars and programs, as well as funding for other local nonprofits For more information about the Tommy Bohanon Foundation, visit TommyBohanonFoundation org or call 239-671-0441

Good time: Redfish, mangrove snapper, tarpon and more are biting

From page 32

S a n i b e l C a u s e w a y u p r i v e r p a s t F o r t Myers, all the way east holds tarpon at one time or another and nighttime is the magic

time to catch them, using a variety of techniques to suit any angler Tarpon, especially female tarpon, can live long lives over 50 years with a 63year-old captive specimen the record hold-

er The world record all tackle weight is 286 9 pounds Snook season closes May 1 so if a barbecue is planned your guest can’t be less than 28 inches or more than 33 inches

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

PHOTO PROVIDED

Tommy Bohanon, far right, next to his wife Katie Bohanon; Sofija Valancius, middle; and Sofija’s parents, at left

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