Cape Coral Weekend Breeze

Cape prioritizes needs as it seeks disaster recovery funds

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

In preparation for submitting its Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funding requests, the city of Cape Coral has identified more than $4 billion in unmet needs, a sum far greater than the $1 1 billion thus far allocated to all of Lee County.

Top priorities, listed among various categories, include acquisition of the old golf

The city of Cape Coral has assessed and identified $4 1 billion in unmet needs in areas that include housing; infrastructure and public facilities; storm mitigation; economic development and revitalization; and planning and public services Staff has ranked items of high priority as part of the city’s preparation to obtain Community Development Block Grant Recovery funds.

course acreage for affordable housing; subsidies for utility assessments for low-to-moderate income property owners; emergency water supply wells; a 90,000-square foot-

community recreation center that also could serve as a disaster/evacuation shelter to include kennels; a small business incubator; and land acquisition at Yellow Fever Creek

Mayor John Gunter said it has been a collective effort

“It was definitely going to be a lot more people to get it across the finish line than me It gives us a good baseline to start with. We have over $4 billion identified today,” he said Wednesday

Gunter said if you go back and look at incidences that have this type of funding throughout the nation, HUD has gone back

See DISASTER RECOVERY, 38

Jury recommends death in Cape double homicide

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

The jury in a decades-old double homicide case have recommended a sentence of death for Joseph Zieler

Cape Coral Breeze

Multiple Memorial Day events in and around Cape Coral

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

Each and every year, Americans pay tribute to fallen military members on Memorial Day a time to remember the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice while fighting for our country.

In the veteran-rich community of Southwest Florida, residents have a myriad of opportunities over the holiday weekend to pay their respects and honor those that put it all on the line in the name of freedom, national security and independence

Observed each year on the last Monday in May,

Memorial Day is how America has saluted those that have lost their life while serving in the U S Military since 1868

Events include:

Coral Ridge Coral Ridge Funeral Home & Cemetery in Cape Coral will host its 42nd annual Memorial Day service at 10 a.m. on Monday in the Veterans Honor Garden at 950 Chiquita Blvd S The event is free and open to the public and also available to watch via live webcast

See MEMORIAL DAY, page 7

The same jury found Zieler, 61, guilty on May 18 of first-degree murder in the deaths of 11-year-old Robin Cornell and 32-year-old Lisa Story in May of 1990

The Cape Coral case was considered cold for some time until 2016, when new DNA evidence led to Ziegler’s arrest by the Cape Coral Police Department

Accord to the Office of the State Attorney Twentieth Judicial Circuit, the State presented four aggravating factors during the penalty phase The jury determined that all four of those factors were proven beyond a reasonable doubt, including that the murders were cold, calculated and premeditated, and that they were committed in a heinous, atrocious, and cruel manner

State Attorney Amira Fox stated: “I hope the verdict and sentence recommendation have finally brought some sense of justice and closure to the families of Lisa Story and Robin Cornell I want to thank them for their incredible patience and understanding as we all worked together to bring this case

See DOUBLE HOMICIDE, page 34

Joseph Zieler

Claim report: Damage to Yacht Club’s Main Ballroom set at $25,000

By VALARIE HARRING vharring@breezenewspapers com

A city of Cape Coral insurance claim puts hurricanerelated damage to the Cape Coral Yacht Club’s historic community center at just under $25,000

The building, constructed by the city’s developers and opened to the then-budding community in 1962, incurred no storm surge into the structure, the Feb 8 claim document to the city from Florida Municipal Insurance Trust states

Damage to the building came from rainwater that entered through windows broken by wind from Hurricane Ian There was also wind damage to metal roof facia and the roof edge of the club house; wind damage to the wood fence that surrounds the outside air-conditioning units; gutter damage on the attached locker room building caused by a fallen tree and wind damage to the portico at the front of the building

The adjustment letter states that the main roof had incurred damage from an earlier storm and was already tarped over some portions

The support beams showed age-related stress cracks that may have been exacerbated by Ian however that damage was not determined to be permanent

Cape Coral City Council is expected to receive an update on the Yacht Club at its workshop next week. Interim City Manager Michael Ilczyszyn said during Wednesday’s special Cape Coral City Council meeting that he was prepared with staff to discuss the Yacht Club then but suggested making it a discussion item at the next workshop He has Development Services and Public Works staff and a presentation from Haggerty that he said will “set the record straight of what is being misinterpreted by some members of the community” regarding the Yacht Club

“The front entry driveway Portico sustained wind damage to soffit metal, Gutters along the back side, and metal siding around beams,” the adjustment/scope of damage portion of the letter states “The support timbers under the Portico roof show stress cracks in some areas from age Some of the cracks appear to have opened up due to the strong winds We do not see it as permanent damage, however the Insured may want to have engineering inspect to be certain the integrity of the large beams is intact ”

The letter includes multiple photos documenting the damage cited

The insured limit on the building is $1,897,510. The deductible applied is $94,876 The damage estimate is $24,565, the letter states

Another report puts the market value of the structure at approximately $680,000

The city-commissioned appraisal document for the main building/ballroom facility dated Dec 27 and intended for purposes of compliance with the FEMA 50% Rule puts the market value of the structure at $679,153

The detailed evaluation report prepared by Maxwell∫ Hendry∫Simons, a real estate appraisal and consulting firm, cites a number of deferred maintenance issues

Those issues, based on an April 4, 2022 facility conditional assessment provided by the city, include water leakage, requires re-roof; insufficient gutters and downspouts; the need to replace the electrical system, the plumbing distribution system, two HVAC units and the east hall ceiling It also states the exterior is “not compliant with current hurricane standards ”

The reconstruction estimate for the 13,657-squarefoot building was set at $3,234,063, according to the Maxwell∫Hendry∫Simons appraisal report

Saying the building is damaged beyond repair, the city of Cape Coral is preparing a bid package for the demolition of the Yacht Club in September or October

The city’s website states the boat ramp, beach, marina and all other amenities at the park complex remain closed to the public in the wake of the Sept 28 near- Category 5 hurricane It also addresses the status of the buildings, which, in addition to the community center, includes the Tony Rotino Senior Center

“

D u e t o t h e e x t e n t o f d a m a g e r e c e i v e d d u r i n g Hurricane Ian, the remaining Yacht Club Community Park buildings will be demolished,” the city's website states “Demolition is expected to start in September or October, pending FEMA approval A charity auction has been discussed for some items in the Ballroom, but details are still being worked out ”

The future waterside design and construction, including seawalls, a boat ramp, and a marina, is contingent on federal and state permits City staff is reviewing the design scope for a landside master plan and expects it to come before Council for Council for approval before its hiatus on June 14

On Tuesday the city announced it had discontinued the Cape Coral Yacht Club Community Park special project w e b s i t e w w w C C Y a c h t C l u b c o m a n d e m a i l address ccyachtclub@capecoral gov The latest Yacht Club news can by found by visiting the city website at www CapeCoral gov or by following the city’s social media channels, the city’s Communications Office said in a release sent shortly before noon.

Emails sent to the city’s Communications Office have not been returned

The city denied a May 15 request from The Breeze to tour the facilities

“We are not currently offering tours of the facility for safety reasons,” said Kaitlyn Mullen, senior public information specialist, in a May 16 email

Members of city council reached via email said they had not seen the Feb 8 insurance claim document prior to discussions on the demolition of the building

Councilmember Bill Steinke said he did not receive the Feb. 8 claim letter prior to Council discussion because discussion actually pre-dates the letter

“The initial discussion regarding demolition occurred at our winter retreat in January,” Steinke said via email “The concern at the time regarded public safety and if the

inevitable was that the buildings required demo due to the FEMA 50% rule, the action should be taken sooner than later, although not sooner than a point in time where FEMA assistance would contribute the maximum amount possible ”

Council is aware that there were issues with the Ballroom building that predate the storm, he said, adding this will impact whether repairs can be made or whether the structure will need to be brought up to current codes and standards

“An analysis was conducted over a year ago (that I believe was distributed to the media), well before the hurricane and my election, that identifies serious structural and mechanical deficiencies requiring improvement,” he wrote “You see, it is known by few that the FEMA 50% rule (obviously brought to light by Hurricane Ian), not only applies to storm damage, it also applies to improvements, regardless of cause As repairs and renovations were being considered prior to the hurricane and in conjunction with the GO Bond initiative, this analysis was required to determine if THOSE corrections would break the 50% rule and if so, how that would be dealt with ”

This is key, he said in answer to a question on his position on whether the building should be razed or repaired

“The insurance damages claim has nothing to do with my position,” he said. “My first concern is that we meet our legal obligations with regard to the 50% rule if we take actions outside of that, we put all of our citizens at risk of having their flood insurance premium rise SUBSTANTIALLY (yes, beyond the increases we have already seen) because of credits received by the NFIP that could be lost My second consideration is preserving the historical significance of the Yacht Club while accommodating 5 times more citizens today and 10 times more citizens in the future And finally, receiving as much outside funding as possible for the effort whatever that effort will eventually be There has been no decision on design, components, or layout and as far as I’m concerned, there won’t be until all the facts (data) are on the table We finally got FEMA inspectors on site about a month ago and we are waiting for the receipt of their report Trust that the speed of receiving FEMA’s determinations is just as frustrating if not more as it is for each of our citizens ”

Councilmember Jessica Cosden also said she had not seen the claim document before its contents came to light in media reports

“No, I did not receive the insurance letter until this commotion brought it to my attention,” she said “In the past, we have seen reports/data showing the ballroom is in need of extensive repairs (prior to the hurricane) including structural issues ”

She does not yet have a position on what the city should do about the building

“I do not have an opinion on razing/repairing because I’m waiting on more info,” she said

Cape Coral City Council is expected to receive an update on the Yacht Club at its workshop next week

Interim City Manager Michael Ilczyszyn said during Wednesday’s special Cape Coral City Council meeting that he was prepared with staff to discuss the Yacht Club then but suggested making it a discussion item at the next workshop

He said he has Development Services and Public Works staff and a presentation from Haggerty that he said will “set the record straight of what is being misinterpreted by some members of the community” regarding the Yacht Club

Mayor John Gunter Gunter asking for it to be added to the workshop meeting

Meanwhile, a citizen effort is under way to have the Yacht Club centerpiece building declared historic and so prevent its demolition

Dubbed “the hub and heart” of the community when the Cape’s founders opened it for the public in 1961, the club house should be preserved, according to the group, which has launched a Facebook page, Save the Cape Coral Yacht Club Their email, for those who want more i n f o r m a t i o n o n t h e i r e f f o r t , i s savetheccyachtclub@gmail com

OPINIONS

CAPE CORAL BREE ZE

RAYMOND M. ECKENRODE Publisher

VALARIE HARRING, Executive Editor

CHRIS STRINE, Editor

2510 Del Prado Blvd • Cape Coral, FL, 33904

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

Member Florida Press Association

In memory and with gratitude

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below

We are the Dead Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

Lt Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)

“In Flanders Field” was written by a doctor in the Canadian Army in 1915 to mark the death of a 22-year-old comrade-inarms

Today, white crosses, and blood red poppies, still serve as a reminder of those who died in service to their country

As we begin our three-day weekends, plan our barbecues, trips to the beach and visits with friends and family, let us all pause, if only for a moment, to remember those who did not come home

As always here in veteran-rich Lee County, there are a number of ways to do so, this year including two major Memorial Day services that annually attract hundreds to mark Monday’s solemn holiday and one very special event of note:

In Cape Coral, the largest of the services will again be at Coral Ridge Funeral Home and Cemetery which will hold its 42nd annual Memorial Day service at 10 a m in the Veterans Honor Garden at 950 Chiquita Blvd S

The event is free and open to the public and also will be available to watch via live webcast

Across the river, Memorial Gardens Funeral Home and Cemetery in Fort Myers will host its annual Memorial Day service with a cookout immediately following

The service honoring local and national heroes will take place the Field of Honor at 9:30 a m on May 29, at 1589 Colonial Blvd

Both events will feature various speakers and activities appropriate for the one day America remembers its war dead

Let us highlight one more event this year

A special tribute to those that served on the USS Nimitz will be held here in Cape Coral on Monday

The open-to-the-public event will take place at Brotherhood of Heroes Military Museum & Library and will honor those who died aboard the ship that suffered a flight deck fire that resulted in 14 deaths Forty-nine sailors were injured

The memorial will take place from 11 a m to 2 p m , with ship survivors and local dignitaries present A ship bell will be rung for each of the 14 who perished

More details on these Memorial Day activities and more may be found in today’s Breeze or on-line at capecoralbreeze.com.

We thank those who serve We thank the families of the fallen Such sacrifices should not, will not, go unmarked

Substance use, mental health disorders impact veterans

Millions of Americans celebrate Memorial Day, honoring the memory of those service members who have been lost It is also vital to recognize the millions of veterans who made it home and struggle with substance use, mental health disorders, or suicidal ideation

Substance use disorders in veteran populations are linked to homelessness and suicide

In Florida are over 1 4 million veterans, the third largest veteran population in the nation

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 3 9 million veterans have a substance use disorder or a mental illness

Roughly 12% of these individuals have had serious thoughts of suicide

“Substance use disorders are complex and are influenced by many factors Military life comes with its own set of risk factors and potential causes,” said Michael Leach of Addicted org

Raussin

Guest Commentary

There are common difficulties that veterans face when they leave service This can include financial hardships, difficulty finding employment, or accessing benefits There are significant challenges when transitioning back to civilian life

Veterans are also at a higher risk of experiencing physical, mental, and emotional health concerns Untreated trauma can quickly develop into addiction and mental health problems. This also directly impacts all areas of life

Additionally, there are barriers to accessing some forms of treatment This can include cost and insurance gaps Many communities struggle with inadequate funding Veterans also experience limited access to treatment in rural locations Stigma regarding addiction and mental illness is also a factor

Fortunately, there are options and ways that families can help; consider some of the following:

The Florida Department of Veterans Affairs provides numerous resources to assist veterans and their families

Memorial Day

The Florida Veteran Support Line, 1-844693-5838 is available 24/7, every day.

Other helpful hotlines include the Veterans Crisis Line, 1-800-273-8255, and the Lifeline for Vets, 1-888-777-4443

SAMHSA provides a treatment locator highlighting substance use treatment and mental health resources for veterans

The Department of Veterans Affairs has a VA-Facility locator and resources for homeless veterans

When overcoming financial barriers, families may want to consider combining VA benefits with other forms of health insurance, such as Medicare, Medicaid, or private health insurance, to reduce costs

Family and friends can also make a huge difference by supporting their loved ones Speak to them openly and honestly about their substance use and express concern Help them find treatment Be patient and compassionate about what they are going through Always remember these are treatable problems

Drug and alcohol treatment facilities in Florida are also becoming increasingly better at treating veterans Many programs provide services specifically for veterans, treat cooccurring disorders, and are gender specific, such as men-only or women-only.

Memorial Day is much more than a chance to kick off the summer months It is a day to solemnly honor all the men and women who lost their lives serving in the U S military We must also never forget or overlook the millions of veterans who made it home but are fighting a new battle

Veronica Raussin is a Community Outreach Coordinator for Addicted org, passionate about spreading awareness of the risks and dangers of alcohol & drug use

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

T o t h e e d i t o r : M e m o r i a l D a y i s o b s e r v e d e v e r y y e a r I t w a s t r a d it i o n a l l y o b s e r v e d o n M a y 3 0 b u t n o w o b s e r v e d o n t h e l a s t M o n d a y i n M a y T h i s i s t h e d a y w h e n t h e e n t i r e n a t i o n p a y s t r i b u t e t o i t s a c t i v e m i l i t a r y m e n a n d w o m e n w h o g a v e t h e u l t im a t e s a c r i f i c e f o r t h e p e o p l e o f o u r n o w t r o u b l e d a n d d i v i d e d n a t i o n I t o r i g i n a l l y b e g a n a s a d a y t o r e c o g n i z e f a l l e n U n i o n S o l d i e r s a n d i t w a s e x p a n d e d f o l l o w i n g W o r l d W a r I a n d b e c a m e a n o f f i c i a l f e d e r a l h o l i d a y i n

1 9 7 1 I t ’ s n o t a b o u t p a t r i o t i s m , i t ’ s n o t a b o u t f i r e w o r k s a n d c e l e b r a t i o n s i t ’ s a t i m e o f r e m e m b r a n c e I t ’ s a t i m e t o p a y t r i b u t e p a u s e a n d r e f l e c t u p o n t h e r e a s o n b e h i n d o u r c o u n t r y ’ s g r e a t n e s s

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

L o u W a l k e r C a p e C o r a l

Save the Yacht Club: Don’t destroy the Cape’s cultural landmark

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

I w i s h t o s h a r e t h i s w i t h t h e m a y o r a n d C i t y C o u n c i l :

I a m F U R I O U S t h a t t h e r e i s e v e n a n y t a l k a b o u t t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f t e a r i n g d o w n t h e h i s t o r i c C a p e C o r a l Y a c h t C l u b b u i l d i n g

T h e b u i l d i n g i s i n s u r e d a t o v e r a m i l l i o n a n d t h e s t o r m d a m a g e t o i t i s o n l y $ 2 5 , 0 0 0 M y f a m i l y s p e n t t i m e a t t h i s b u i l d i n g a n d s o d i d m a n y o t h e r s G e t y o u r a c t t o g e t h e r

M y f a m i l y o p p o s e s a n y p l a n t o d e s t r o y t h i s b u i l d i n g I t i s a c u l t u r a l l a n d m a r k E v e r y o n e w h o g r e w u p i n t h e C a p e h a s m e m o r i e s o f e v e n t s a t t h e p u b l i c C a p e C o r a l Y a c h t C l u b b u i l d i n g !

I f a n y o n e t e a r s i t d o w n w e w i l l m a k e s u r e y o u a r e n e v e r e l e c t e d a g a i n !

C A H u g h e s , M S W C a p e C o r a l

Matlacha

water quality issues

To the editor:

Regarding Matlacha and issues with water quality, they nee d t o l o o k i n t h e i r o w n b a c k y a r d b e c a u s e t h a t i s t h e s o u r c e o f t h e i r p r o b l e m

A c c o r d i n g t o t h e C h a r l o t t e H a r b o r N a t i o n a l E s t u a r y P a r t n e r s h i p , t h e S o u t h F l o r i d a W a t e r M a n a g e m e n t D i s t r i c t ( a n d o t h e r a g e n c i e s o r o r g a n i z a t i o n s ) , w a t e r q u a l i t y i n P i n e I s l a n d S o u n d a n d M a t l a c h a P a s s s h o w s e x c e s s l e v e l s o f : › F e c a l c o l i f o r m , n u t r i e n t s , p h o s p h or o u s a n d m e r c u r y P i n e I s l a n d a n d M a t l a c h a h a v e b e t w e e n 4 , 5 0 0 a n d 5 0 0 0 s e p t i c s y s t e m s w h i c h c a u s e m u c h o f t h e p r o b l e m “ P i n e I s l a n d S o u n d h a s d e g r a d e d w a t e r q u a l i t y w i t h 9 5 % o f t h e w a t e r s h e d i m p a i r e d f o r a t l e a s t o n e p a r a me t e r c a t e g o r y N u t r i e n t s i n t h e w a t e r s h e d a r e o f i n c r e a s i n g c o n c e r n , a s t h e d r a f t w a t e r s h e d a s s e s s m e n t l i s t s i n d i c a t e t h a t M a t l a c h a P a s s i s n e w l y i m p a i r e d f o r n u t r i e n t s , l i k e l y a s a r e s u l t o f s t o r m w a t e r a n d s e w a g e / s e p t i c r u n o f f T h e s a m e r u n o f f i s a l s o m o s t l i k el y t h e s o u r c e o f t h e p a t h o g e n c a t e g o r y i m p a i r m e n t s , s p e c i f i c a l l y f o r f e c a l c o l i f o r m ” P i n e I s l a n d a n d M a t l a c h a u s e a c o m b i n a t i o n o f w a s t e w a t e r t r e a t m e n t , i n c l u d i n g a l a r g e r s e w a g e t r e a t m e n t p l a n t i n S t J a m e s C i t y a n d a b o u t 1 1 s m a l l e r p a c k a g e d w a s t e t r e a t m e n t p l a n t s A b o u t o n e t h i r d o f t h e s e h a v e b e e n c i t e d f o r v a r i o u s v i o l a t i o n s , i n c l u d i n g s e w a g e s p i l l s T h e s e s e w a g e p r o b l e m s a r e n o t h i n g n e w t o M a t l a c h a a n d P i n e I s l a n d D a h o d , a C a l u s a W a t e r k e e p e r R a n g e r ,

Veronica

w w w . c a p e c o r a l b r e e z e . c o m

DeSantis is flying Florida into the dark

The governor said it wasn’t his bill, but he was plainly happy to sign it Not long after a few strokes of his pen, he flew off into a new darkness.

The news media promptly found Ron DeSantis in Iowa, where he was campaigning full-tilt for the Republican presidential nomination, having yet to actually announce that he wants it

He left behind in Tallahassee a new law that draws an iron curtain of secrecy over where he and certain other state officials travel and who they might be seeing on their trips and at home

CS/SB 1616, enacted by the ruling Republican supermajority in the Legislature, forbids the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and other police agencies from releasing any records pertaining to those officials’ travels or security arrangements DeSantis is the most conspicuous beneficiary

Those documents have been the public’s go-to resource when governors have failed to post their travel itineraries and visitor logs DeSantis is the most secretive governor yet

The new law also shields, at their request, the comings and goings of the lieutenant governor, elected members of the Cabinet, the chief justice and the House Speaker and Senate President It extends to anyone else they may designate The entire bill is retroactive in its application

So if the public wants to know, for example, who may have provided private corporate air travel to Florida’s public officials, it will be harder than ever to answer that question The failure to report such freebies would break other laws, of course, but there is now one fewer way to expose potential violations of law

The travel secrecy bill, enacted on the fraudulent premise that to disclose where people have been would endanger their future security, is just the worst of the 18 new exemptions from the public records and open meeting laws enacted during the 2023 legislative session That is the most since the 2014 session, when there were 22 The Legislature also renewed nine other exemptions, an action required under the Open Government Sunset Review Act

The Constitution emphasizes the importance of Government in the Sunshine by

From page 4

requiring a two-thirds vote in each legislative house to enact or renew an exemption. But virtually all of the proposed exemptions pass unanimously or nearly so to oblige politicians and bureaucrats who dread sunlight like fictional vampires fear the dawn

Another significant new exemption, in CS/SB 404, shields photos or videos of the killing of children under 18 and of their corpses. The media as a rule doesn’t intend to publish such tragic material, but there are times when investigative journalists and public watchdogs do need to see the photos and videos to determine whether the government has been doing its job On rare occasions, publication serves a public purpose The picture of Emmitt Till, the 14year-old victim of a racist lynching in Mississippi, lying in his coffin, his face grotesquely battered, inspired the civil rights movement His mother had insisted on publicizing the photo to show the world what had been done to her son

Martin Dyckman Guest Commentary

employees or customers over their “health care choices ” That particular new DeSantis legislation is aimed at discouraging masking and vaccination, an issue where the Governor is far to the right of even former President Trump The exemptions would expire when the investigations are complete, but some investigations could be endless and the targets of the complaints could be endlessly harassed in the meantime

In a similar vein, CS/SB 1542 conceals the names of victims in cases studied by the teams that review cases of elder and vulnerable adult abuse The exemption is overly broad and could create an obstacle in monitoring how well or poorly those agencies are doing their jobs

ated by last year’s law that made secret all but the “finalist” stage of a state college or university presidential search Applicants have been gaming that by refusing to be identified as anything but the only finalist

That’s already happened at two of Florida’s major universities: Florida International University and the University of Florida It’s how Ben Sasse, a Republican senator from Nebraska, became the new UF president

More recently, Rep Randy Fine, a stridently right-wing Republican from Brevard County, said he’s been approached about the presidential vacancy at Florida Atlantic University.

Former House speaker and education commissioner Richard Corcoran, who’s now the acting president at New College, is the odds-on favorite for the permanent job there if he wants it

The new law allows a parent not blamed for the death of a minor to view and release a photo or video It also allows a court to order release for good cause such as “the public evaluation of governmental performance ” How that works in practice will tell whether the Legislature did right or wrong

Notably, the new law applies only to public agencies Citizens who take cellphone videos of a fatal incident involving a child under 18 would be free to do what they wish with those videos

As enacted, CS/SB 404 is better than its original version, which prohibited the release of autopsy reports of minors Autopsy reports have been a key resource for journalists investigating the shortcomings of the government agencies tasked with protecting dependent children

Another dubious new exemption (CS/CS/SB 238) covers up complaints against businesses, schools or government agencies accused of discriminating against

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

r e c e n t l y t e a m e d u p w i t h t h e M a t l a c h a / P i n e I s l a n d F i r e D e p a r t m e n t t o t e s t t h e w a t e r i n M a t l a c h a , a f t e r c o mp l a i n t s f r o m r e s i d e n t s w h o s a i d t h e y w e r e g e t t i n g s i c k d u e t o marine toxicity surrounding their homes “I’m currently pulling data for work being done by other organizations,” Dahod said “I’m looking at the water quality data around Pine Island at sampling stations that already exist and I’ve looked at one in Matlacha Pass it has total nitrogen values that are above the limit about half the time It’s failing the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s standards for water quality It’s been failing for years and we haven’t gotten a handle on making it better ”

If you have seen some pictures of a canal in Matlacha: Gross, to say the least

Duncan Russell Cape Coral

Innocuous, perhaps, but facially unconstitutional, is HB 1127, which serves as a virtual blank check to conceal anything the state receives from an interstate commission to license teachers in other states The problem is that it vaguely exempts “other matters as set forth by the commission’s bylaws and rules.” The Constitution does not permit the Legislature to delegate its exemption authority, and it should not get into the habit of writing legislation as loose as this

In the small favors department, nine exemption bills were marked dead on adjournment One of them would have revived an expired law that concealed the home addresses and telephone numbers of certain present and former armed service members, their spouses and dependents The definition was restricted to those who were in special operations or who had access to information classified as secret or higher, but there are a lot of them

Another failed bill would have allowed local governing boards to meet secretly with their attorneys to discuss claims under the Bert Harris Act from land owners claiming that government regulation has depressed the value of their property The Bert Harris Act should be repealed, but at least the 2023 session didn’t make it worse

Something else the Legislature didn’t do, regrettably, was close the giant loophole cre-

Will the truth change your mind?

To the editor:

The relentless outrage and persecution of Donald Trump has plagued America since he announced his candidacy for President The fact that he was a DC outsider was what his supporters chalked this up to We saw him as a person who would in fact drain the swamp but unfortunately the deep state interfered with the will of the people as provided in the Durham report this week The Russia hoax was perpetrated by every democrat on the Hill, the media parroted the same talking points and the democratic base followed along like sheep It took 3 year and God knows how much taxpayer money to tell the American public what so many already knew If you believed what the government was telling you about the outrageous Russia lie, are you angry you were misled? Or do you still hate the DC outsider that exposed the swamp?

Tammy Kurdyla Cape Coral

Agree? Disagree? Weigh in!

State Rep Fred Hawkins, R-St Cloud, was left as the only finalist at South Florida State College after three identified finalists withdrew Hawkins, a second-term House member best known for being Gov Ron DeSantis’s spear carrier for an anti-Disney bill, is qualified only because the school’s trustees waived the requirement for a terminal degree a Ph D or its equivalent He has only a bachelor’s degree

According to the Tampa Bay Times, one of the trustees freely conceded the situation was political

“You have to understand that we are political appointees, and they were all Democrats,” said trustee Louis Kirschner, speaking of the withdrawn finalists “The governor doesn’t appoint all Republican trustees and expect us to select a Democrat ”

The Legislature was warned that the secret presidential search bill would lead to politicians becoming the presidents of Florida’s colleges and universities

That’s probably why they passed it

Martin Dyckman prepared this commentary for The Florida Center for Government Accountability, a nonprofit 501(c)3 dedicated to helping enforce open government laws

This week’s poll question:

What should the city of Cape Coral do with the Cape Coral Yacht Club Ballroom building?

∫ Tear it down as has been discussed It’s time for an upgrade to the park, including this building

∫ It depends on where the city ultimately lands with FEMA’s 50% rules and costs to repair

∫ Preserve it, it’s an historic building that dates back to the Cape’s founding The issues, including cost concerns, are due to neglect of maintenance, not Hurricane Ian

Previous poll question

Should the city of Cape Coral be allowed to remove the Chiquita Lock?

∫ Yes, as proposed 76 8%

∫ I’m not certain 1%

∫ No 22 3%

To tal v o te s as o f pre s s ti me : 8 , 6 1 7

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.

Ceremony set to remember deaths on the USS Nimitz

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

This Memorial Day, a special tribute to those that served on the USS Nimitz will take place at a Cape Coral location dedicated to assisting local veterans

The Brotherhood of Heroes Military Museum & Library on Monday will host an open-to-the-public event honoring those who perished on the ship as well as veterans who were on board the day the vessel saw a flight deck fire that took the lives of 14 sailors and injured 49

The memorial takes place from 11 a m to 2 p m , with local dignitaries present and a ship bell to be rung for each of the 14 that perished Cape veteran and business owner Chris Cammarota is a major organizer of the event, and was aboard the USS Nimitz the day of incident 42 years ago

“There will probably be six or seven of us at the ceremony,” Cammarota said

On May 26, 1981, a Marine Corps EA6B Prowler crashed on the flight deck of the USS Nimitz, an aircraft carrier named after World War II Pacific fleet commander Chester W Nimitz The crash and subs e q u e n t e x p l o s i o n s a n d f i r e e i t h e r destroyed or damaged 19 other aircrafts

“That’s not what it’s really about It’s to honor the deaths of people who served this country, and made the ultimate sacrifice It doesn’t matter (where you served), you served, and you put your life in harm’s way ”

Chris Cammarota,

veteran and event organizer about barbecues and cookouts

The fire was fed by the steady flow of fuel from the punctured tank of a just-refueled aircraft When the fire was believed to be out and orders were given to start the cleanup, a “sparrow” missile warhead detonated, killing two and injuring seven while rekindling the fire It left a 12-inch by 24-inch wide by 3-inch-deep depression in the flight deck Two other warheads detonated after the first explosion

Dennis Driscol, one of the many who died that day, was a member of his and o t h e r s a t t e n d e e s ’ d i v i s i o n , C a m m a r o t a said

“He was a good friend that died that day,” he said “And he was 21 He perished on the flight deck ”

Cammarota will read each of the 14 names, while a veteran rings the ship’s bell

Cammarota said Memorial Day isn't quite about barbecues and cookouts

“That’s not what it’s really about It’s to honor the deaths of people who served this country, and made the ultimate sacrifice,” he said “It doesn’t matter (where you served), you served, and you put your life in harm’s way ”

The Oasis High School JROTC Honor Guard will be present

The museum will be open for tours Cammarota said he enjoys having the youth come out and learn about the importance of history

T h e B r o t h e r h o o d H e r o e s R e s o u r c e Center and Museum is at 4522 Del Prado Blvd

For more information, visit www thebrotherhoodofheroes com

Memorial Day: Many ceremonies in Cape Coral and Fort Myers

From page 1

“The annual Memorial Day observance is our way of saying ‘thank you’ to the men and women who have served and who have sacrificed,” said Coral Ridge director and Air Force veteran Chuck Warren “We hope the families who join us for our remembrance service gain a deeper appreciation for the importance of honoring our military, whether it’s those currently serving or veterans who served in the past ”

The service will bring community leaders and veterans organizations together to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country American Legion Post 136 St James City and Knights of Columbus Assembly 2115 Cape Coral, will serve as Honor and Color Guard; Cape Coral Fire Department with two Crossed Aerial Ladders flying the American Flag as a backdrop; 1SG Juan Cordero, USA (R), will serve as the chaplain; Cape Coral Mayor John Gunter will lead the Pledge of Allegiance and read a Proclamation

Special guests will include the Gold Star Parents and Families; these are individuals who have lost an immediate relative while serving Ann Marie Babos, daughter of a World War II Army veteran, will perform patriotic songs A “Roll Call” of deceased veterans will be read by Warren

Honored participants include: J (Mick) Sheldrake Senior Chief USN (R); Mike Giallombardo, Florida House District 79, Operation Iraqi Freedom Veteran, Chief Warrant Officer in the Florida National Guard; Margaret and Bill Eggers, Gold Star Parents; SGT Michael Lipari, USA (R)

Additional activities will include the opportunity for family members to take a rubbing of their loved ones’ names on the Honor Wall; a Memorial Wreath presentation; a ceremonial fly-over and salute by the Lee County Mosquito Control District; and a Motorcycle Ride-In by the American Legion and Patriot Guard Riders American Legion Post 136 Honor Guard, Gold Star Mothers Association, The Vietnam Veterans of America Firebase Chapter 594, Combat Infantrymen’s Association, the Military Order of the Purple Heart, Boy Scout of America Troop, Cub Scout Pack, Cape Coral Fire Department, Cape Coral Police Department, and the Lee County Sheriff’s

Holiday boating safety and travel.

See page 39

Office, will also participate Warren will speak on the need to honor and provide services for our homeless veterans

“We set out to make sure the homeless veterans are given the respect and honor they deserve,” Warren said “They fought for our country and they defended us. We never want a homeless veteran to ever be forgotten ”

Memorial Gardens

Memorial Gardens Funeral Home and Cemetery in Fort Myers will host its annual Memorial Day service with a cookout immediately following

The service honoring local and national heroes will take place in Fort Myers Memorial Gardens’ Field of Honor at 9:30 a m on May 29, at 1589 Colonial Blvd

The ceremony will include military aircraft fly over, participation from the Guns N Hoses Pipes and Drum Corps of SW FL, Harney Point VFW Post 8463 of Cape Coral, with the keynote addresses delivered by members of the Collier-Lee Honor Flight Wreaths Across America and Mission United a United Way program to serve those who have served, will also participate

Beginning at 8 a m on Saturday, May 27, community members will have the opportunity to place flags on each of the graves of the many veterans resting in the cemetery Interested participants should arrive at the location’s Colonial Family Center at that time to await further instructions

“This is an excellent opportunity for our community to come together to acknowledge our local and national heroes and honor the sacred resting places of our veteran community,” Memorial Gardens officials stated “Together, we will recognize and reflect on the sacrifices made by so many to ensure our freedom ”

For additional information, visit the Fort Myers Memorial Gardens website: www fortmyersmemorial com

American Legion

American Legion Post 90 in Cape Coral invites the public to join them for a Memorial Day “Remember and Honor” ceremony at

noon on Monday, May 29 After the ceremony free hot dogs and hamburgers will be served “Memorial Day is one of the special days when the Post is open to the public without the necessity of being a member’s guest,” officials stated To be held at 1401 S E 47th Street in Cape Coral, the ceremony will include a remembrance of all veterans and a 21-gun salute. Post 90 encourages attendees to bring the whole family, as children can enjoy the ceremony as well Families with active-duty military or veterans are especially encouraged to join When the formal ceremony is concluded a free lunch will be served to all

“This is a great opportunity to learn more about the American Legion and the important work we do to support our community,” officials stated

Guests can also bring a dish to share if they wish Additional information is available at www post90swf org or by visiting its Facebook page

German American Social Club

The German American Social Club of Cape Coral invites the Southwest Florida community to an All-American Country BBQ this Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, which will focus on the grassroots food and patriotic music that distinguishes the United States throughout the world. Given the nature of the holiday, members of the club will honor those who have died in the nation’s wars, paying tribute to U S armed forces members as well as honoring veterans from within the club

The event will be held in the Bavarian Gardens on the grounds of the German American Social Club on Pine Island Road

Beginning at noon, the barbecue festivities will be offered to members and the public until 8 p m , and will feature a variety of barbecue fare, including hamburgers, hot dogs, barbecue chicken, bratwursts, and more

There will be music throughout the afternoon, featuring Cape Coral’s own Boots Band from 3:30 to 6:30

The American Legion Post 90 Cape Coral will provide an Honor Guard and Quilts of

Valor, which will be presented to two of the club’s members at around 2 30 pm

“There’s plenty to look forward to as the community has the opportunity to sit in the shaded gardens with friends and family,” GASC officials stated Tickets are $5 and parking is free Admission is free to active military and veterans with ID as well as to children 12 and younger

The event is being supported by the Insurance Busters group which has been helping Cape Coral residents recover losses incurred after Hurricane Ian last September

Gulf Coast Town Center

On Monday from noon until 2 p m , Gulf Coast Town Center in Fort Myers will host a Memorial Day ceremony to honor those who have lost their lives for their country

The event will feature live performances by Electric Lipstick and Hot Flash

The event benefits the Southwest Florida Military Museum, an organization that seeks to preserve and showcase the military history of the nation

“You can help us honor our heroes in more ways than one, simply by attending this special event,” organizers stated Attendees are encouraged to bring their lawn chairs, as seating is limited

Sun Splash Family Waterpark

Sun Splash Family Waterpark will provide free Military Admission on Monday, May 29, as a thank you to all of the men and women who have served and continue to serve our country in the armed forces

“Memorial Day is a time to honor all those who have served for our country and remembrance of their sacrifice,” stated Sun Splash General Manager Eric Reed “We are glad to take this day and thank all armed forces ”

Active and retired military and veterans will receive a free one-day admission on May 29 when they show a valid Military ID at the ticket booth

Memorial Weekend is also the official kick off to summer Sun Splash will be open daily for the holiday weekend from Thursday, May 25, through May 29. Daily summer hours of operation will begin on May 31

For more information on hours, season passes, admission rates, birthday parties, upcoming events, and directions to the park, visit www SunSplashWaterpark com

District: Cell phone search policy not new to Lee schools

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

School District of Lee County officials have a message for parents concerned about new student code of conduct language providing for a search of student cell phones if there is “reasonable suspicion” of prohibited activity: The legally-allowed practice has been used for years

“What bothered me the most was the press coverage They made it seem like it is a brand new policy (That) Any teacher can grab a cell phone with no reason and look That is definitely not the case,” School Board Chair Armor Persons said this week “Sometimes what is on the phone, knowing right away, can save lives A drug deal going down in school texting back and forth You don’t know what time, what bathroom A shooting plan Maybe looking at a phone you can find out who the other person is If a child is doing something that is against policy, they can take the phone, but cannot look at the phone in that case because there is no reason to look at the phone I am comfortable with having it in there (the code of conduct ) I understand the concerns and if someone does look through a phone inappropriately, we will deal with that The administrator will be in trouble It’s as simple as that ”

In 1985, the Supreme Court ruled in New Jersey v T L O “that school officials do not need to have probable cause or a warrant to search a student Rather, per the Supreme Court, school officials may use a reasonable suspicion standard to initiate a search This includes searches of a student’s locker, backpack and cell phones,” district spokesperson Rob Spicker said in an email

The discussion stemmed around a briefing on the 2023-2024 Code of Conduct for Students Within the policy, under student Search and Seizure and school board policy 4 03, it states that “school personnel may conduct a search of a student, a student’s possessions, a student locker, or any other storage area on school property, including cell phone and other electronic devices without a warrant when school personnel have reasonable suspicion that illegal, prohibited, harmful items, or substance or stolen property may be concealed ”

Board Attorney Kathy Dupuy-Bruno said the student absolutely has an expectation of privacy that is protected by the Fourth Amendment She said the analysis that goes along with that is different from an adult

“A student is based on reasonable suspicion A warrant is not required,” DupuyBruno said

There is a two-pronged approach The first is to be able to justify a search through reasonable suspicion The second part is staying within that scope that initiated the review

“That analysis is very subtle,” DupuyBruno said of the legal analysis “Over the summer, when we do training, we are working with principals, assistant principals and administrators to make sure they understand it.”

Superintendent Dr Christopher Bernier said the Code of Conduct will be addressed during the weeks that they train principals, assistant principals and now athletic directors for professional development Part of that will include Legal 101, which will talk about consistency and the approach to disciplinary responses

Dupuy-Bruno said she understands the concerns

“Nothing allows the school district to pull the cell phone to see what is going on It is narrowly tailored, something that rises to the level,” she said of a circumstance that does not happen on a regular basis

“Under no circumstance would we ever, as part of a screening process, ask to look at a student’s cell phone This is not new policy If it compromises the safety, or operation of the building, then you have the responsibility of an administrator to make sure you do your due diligence and examine those cell phones.”‘

— Dr Christopher Bernier, superintendent of schools

“It’s a very egregious situation that reasonable suspicion rises to that level ” Bernier said anyone who is a school leader has completed a master’s degree in administration. He said there is legal training and administrators have to understand the two- prong test

“Under no circumstance would we ever, as part of a screening process, ask to look at a student’s cell phone This is not new policy,” Bernier said “If it compromises the safety, or operation of the building, then you have the responsibility of an administrator to make sure you do your due diligence and examine those cell phones ”

Bernier said if there is reasonable suspicion with weapons and drugs, they make sure a police officer is with them, as it is vital for administrators and students to have protection

“Just because I walk into a classroom, doesn’t mean the student will comply,” he said “If something were to occur the proper level of law enforcement is present with us ”

An overview of the Code of Conduct was also presented to the school board as there have been changes making it more reader friendly for parents

Student Services Executive Director Dr. Jessica Duncan provided an overview of some of the changes to the Code of Conduct, which will come before the board again for a second briefing She said something that came through loud and clear from stakeholder input is the Code of Conduct is lengthy

With that feedback the proposed Code of Conduct includes QR codes providing parents with the opportunity to dig in deeper within certain areas

Duncan said Priority Marketing is working on a landing page, which will give parents an opportunity to select the Code of Conduct and then different headings for additional information In addition, it will also be available in different languages

“One of the biggest modifications is it no longer will be two separate books,” she said which will be split into two sererate sections, elementary and secondary

The SESIR definitions have also been updated, as well as the reversal of levels to be more aligned with the Department of Education Duncan said all 45 infractions are in alphabetical order with SESIR codes bolded

Definitions for fighting have also been expanded

The second view of the Code of Conduct will come before the board on June 13 before becoming an agenda item on a board action meeting June 27

Board member Debbie Jordan asked how they ensure parents are reading and signing the Code of Conduct, so a few months down the road they are not saying they did not see or sign it

Duncan said it is part of the paperwork at the beginning of the school year

‘Against All Odds’ puts teen moms on road to success

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

A Southwest Florida non-profit started by a Cape Coral resident is working to help teen parents navigate challenges and provide tools for success

Against All Odds, Inc , created by Dayra “Dee” Dominguez, will host the seco n d a n n u a l W o m e n ’ s E m p o w e r m e n t N e t w o r k i n g F o r u m t h i s S a t u r d a y a t Collaboratory in Fort Myers from 1 to 5 p m

The fundraising event is aimed towards helping local teen parents with scholarships and living expenses The day will feature a large guest speaker panel, headl i n e d b y k e y n o t e s p e a k e r S h a l o n d a Washington

A A O p r o v i d e s f i n a n c i a l s u p p o r t , resources, and empowerment for local teen parents With May being Teen Pregnancy Prevention Awareness Month, speakers will touch on topics such as “It’s great to wait,” encouraging attendees to find their passion, and to provide support for those who have had a child at a young age

All funds raised will go towards scholarships for local teen parents, as well as providing support services throughout the year There will be raffle prizes, food, and live entertainment

Dominguez, 43, had her first child at 15 and her second at 17 She and her husband, who have been together for 29 years a n d a r e h i g h s c h o o l s w e e t h e a r t s , a r e together still Both his and her family left her home state when their first child was born They essentially had to fend for themselves

“It’s been difficult, it’s been hard,” Dominguez said “But we’re Hispanic the ‘American Dream’ was just embedded

“I

”

Altrichia Cook Wilcox, founder/president of Mentoring Agency for Maternal Adolescents Inc., one of the speakers for Saturday’s second annual Women’s Empowerment Networking Forum .

in us You have to work hard, purchase a house, your white picket fence, have a family We did all that, we just started super early We’ve been very blessed to be able to work and provide for our kids ”

Dominguez said a “turning point” in her life came when she was diagnosed with uterine cancer at 35 She said up until that point her only purpose was to be the best mother she could be Dominguez, having always wanting to be a nurse, decided to enroll in nursing school and graduated at 40 She has been working for Lee Health for a total of 10 years, and is now a registered nurse working at Health Park in the mother/baby department

“When I graduated from nursing school, I felt the need and the urge to go back and kind of just talk to (teen parents) and let them know, ‘Hey, I’ve been in your seat, but look at me know It took me a long t i m e , b u t y o u c a n s t i l l a c h i e v e y o u r dreams,’” Dominguez said

“I was told that I would never amount to anything by the adults in my life and close

relatives,” she added. “It was a very dark time and (my husband and I) were basically left by ourselves We were secluded from the family for a little bit because we were ‘bad examples ’ So, I wanted to become the mentor and the person that I didn’t have as a teen mom ”

AAO was created as a 501-c3 and at the non-profit’s first event last year, was able to provide three scholarships to local teen moms Dominguez is hoping to be able to provide even more this year She said the

A g a i n s t A l l O d d s , I n c f o u n d e r D a y r a “ D e e ” D o m i n g u e z with husband Mario D o m i n g u e z T h e S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a non-profit will hold a fundraising event at Collaboratory in Fort Myers this weekend aimed towards helping teen parents with scholarships and livi n g e x p e n s e s Tickets for the event are $50 and can be p u r c h a s e d o n E v e n t b r i t e b y searching “Women’s E m p o w e r m e n t Networking Forum.”

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

event isn’t necessarily for only teen moms, but males as well Her husband is getting involved and offering a mentorship for male teen parents as well

“I have all of these resources I have to offer these teens,” Dominguez said “I know there is a need in our community, and I’m just trying to fill that need ”

Being such a young mother, Dominguez

See AGAINST ALL ODDS, Page 33

encourage young mothers, teens, and all of those whom I encounter to adopt the ‘success is my only option’ mantra to defy the odds as a young mom or to simply achieve success

Bid to sunset Budget Review Committee fails

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

The city of Cape Coral’s volunteer Budget Review Committee got a reprieve Wednesday when City Council deadlocked on a motion to disband it.

Councilmembers Tom Hayden, Bill Steinke, Jessica Cosden and Robert Welsh voted against the move to repeal the resolution that established the council-appointed citizen advisory panel in 2015

Mayor John Gunter said his goal is to get more budgetary information out to the community, as well as garner more participation

“What we are saying is we don’t agree with how the (existing) resolution is written and how the budget review committee is performing their work We think there is a different way, or better way possibly. That doesn’t say we can’t come back and come up with a different plan,” he said

Councilmember Dan Sheppard said he believes the city’s various advisory groups, in the past, were an important tool With the implementation of new technology, though, the public now has the opportunity to receive emails when topics are discussed and they can provide their opinion directly to Council

“Technology has changed and this council has learned how to reach out and get more people involved than the (BRC) board,”

Sheppard said “More people can be involved.”

In addition, it would be more valuable for city staff to spend time with individual council members, Sheppard said, adding residents are not contacting the BRC to ask questions, but rather their elected council members

“I wouldn’t want to waste money and time and staff, educating a very small amount of people,” he said of staff time spent with the BRC “I might not be 100 percent correct I am giving you my views When it comes to the budget, I want more time spent with me so I can be educated on the budget. You don’t have to stop your work at all The city is still going to give you all the information you need and you can meet with any particular council person ”

There were arguments on both sides, with some council members wanting to disband the Budget Review Committee, while others thought it important to keep

One suggestion was to hold a forum or town hall so a more citizens could be educated on the budget, allowing for a better use of staff time

Steinke suggested a compromise along those lines

“A forum presentation is the right way to go to get the greatest number of people to see the presentation That large group then hears

that presentation and would contain the members of the Budget Review Committee,” Steinke said “There needs to be a change to the wording in the resolution and what the responsibilities are meeting requirements to match the process of attending the budget review forum and then providing comment to the council after their opportunity to convene and share feelings and perspectives to develop a recommendation to council ”

On the other side, some argued council members should be the ones who comprise the Budget Review Committee

“We all have our opinions. Opinions can lead to misinformation and lead to more problems We want to know the numbers are coming from accurate information,” Cummings said “There is a lot of information coming through emails of numbers that are not accurate ”

She said with more than 100 people in the finance department and an audit team, time should be spent every month teaching Council where the money is going and what they do have

“When we have these committees (they) are taking up our Finance Department time (and there is) not a lot of time for us,” Cummings said “I want to hold myself accountable and make sure I understand the budget I am not trying to be selfish I want to

learn I want to learn what I am voting on We are the ones voting where the money is going for these projects I don’t want to be ignorant on a subject matter that I am not understanding ”

Hayden was very much in favor of keeping the Budget Review Committee, as well as others that are coming before Council on June 7 for possible elimination

Those other boards that could be repealed and deleted include the Golf Course Advisory Board, Nuisance Abatement Board, Waterway Advisory Board, Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, Cape Competes Advisory Board, as well as a change for the Youth Council from an advisory board to a fact-finding board, exempting it from Sunshine Law requirements

“One of the most important responsibilities we have when elected is to listen to citizens It’s a direct connection we have with these committees,” he said, adding that when council members say the Budget Review Committee is a waste of time, it “puzzles me, bothers me and disappoints me ”

Disbanding committees would segregate government away from people and is letting down the very framework of the government, Hayden said

Cape Council supports upping minimum wage for city employees

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers

com

Cape Coral City Council on Wednesday supported a 4 2 percent increase to bring the minimum wage for city workers up to

$15

The proposal now will be brought back at a voting meeting as a resolution Council was given four scenarios for the minimum wage discussion, which included

$15 as the minimum wage, a 4 2 percent increase; $15 11, a 5 percent increase; $16, a 11 2 percent increase; and $17, an 18 1 percent increase

I n t e r i m C i t y M a n a g e r M i c h a e l Ilczyszyn said in looking at all the data and where they are at with speaking to his staff, Human Resources and Finance, the $15 an hour minimum wage could be implemented on July 1, the fourth quarter of the current fiscal year.

That would equate to $712,074 for the General Union, $205,389 for non-bargaining with a total of $917,462 for the total general and non-bargaining employees

Ilczyszyn said his understanding is that labor and management have already met to start identifying positions and the cities for the scope of work and contract for a wage study

“We need to get that issued this month in order to have it prepared for October,” he said, adding that the step they are rec-

ommending is bringing all employees up to $15 minimum wage “The intent is to look at the entire compensation package we have for all employees as well as the market data because that is where we are competing for employees We will utilize that data for negotiations in the next contract and another series of raises ”

Council asked to have two resolutions brought back with a retro pay set at April 1, as well as starting the 4.2 percent increase on July 1, as there was no consensus of w h i c h t o c h o o s e d u r i n g W e d n e s d a y ’ s workshop meeting

Councilmember Bill Steinke was in favor of the retro pay, as there has been no cost of living adjustments involved with a pretty large inflation

“In many salary situations, cost of living adjustments are built in I am recommending we go back to April to make up for the lack of net for discretionary income,” he said

Cape eyes ways to boost code enforcement compliance

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

The city of Cape Coral is looking at stronger code enforcement to keep property owners compliant

Mayor John Gunter said Cape Coral City Council needs to figure out where it wants to be and develop policies, regulations and criteria and then give code enforcement the tools they need to go out there and make sure residents are adhereing

“We are not where we want to be It’s no fault of any one particular person What we have in place now is broken,” Gunter said

Code Compliance Manager Todd Hoagland said the city’s proactive compliance rate was around 50 percent in 2018, which has since raised to 74 3 percent, just shy of the 75 percent goal Code compliance has 30 staff members for a city that is 120 square miles and enforcing more than 900 codes.

“We are constantly working towards that We are out in the

field proactively enforcing,” he said “Together it is going to take a team to approach the issue and address it ”

A presentation was also given Wednesday by Baker Tilly’s Senior Consultant Chris Strom regarding an audit that provided many recommendations Included was aligning standard operating procedures with municipal codes; realigning duties, responsibilities and balanced workloads; training sessions; expectations on how to govern property code ordinances; and updating code enforcement sections

A key message Hoagland shared dealt with the power of education A new brochure has been completed, which is available at City Hall and such places as real estate offices

Hoagland said they are taking a task force approach, which will include the Code Compliance Division staff, Land Development Division, Planning and Zoning Division, as well as Stormwater and Solid Waste in Public Works, arborist and Fire and Police

Councilmember Dan Sheppard told Hoagland that if they

do not have the tools for enforcement, to please educate the council of what is needed, so they can fix it

“How do we design a level of expectation that we can enforce and keep it there?” he said “To come up with a level of expectations only benefits the business and community with value I don’t want to keep spitting in the wind on this ”

Sheppard shared some examples, such as commercial properties putting in landscaping, but a year later the mulch is nonexistent

“To me there should be a requirement If that is a detail that needs to be written, maybe we need to work on that,” Sheppard said “I don’t want to waste your officers’ time I don’t want council members and citizens calling about a business that is looking horrible, but they don’t have the tools to enforce anything Please educate us on the ones that need to be relooked at and adjusted, so we can accomplish these things ”

Post-Ian school repairs continue to move forward

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

The School District of Lee County continues to make progress in the wake of damage left behind from Hurricane Ian Superintendent Dr Christopher Bernier said this week there has been an advertisement for bid regarding demolition of Hector

A Cafferata Jr Elementary School The demolition drawings have been completed and the demolition will be posted next week

There also has been a competitive bid for demolition at the Fort Myers Beach Elementary School, excluding the historical building

Bernier said there is a lot of work that needs to be done before demolition can happen, such as ensuring the proper piping has been done, as well as the electrical and water

capped appropriately

“We are moving as quickly as possible

It’s a complicated issue, especially on Fort Myers Beach,” he said, as they are also preparing for additional structures in case enrollment increases

Bernier said all hurricane-related service requests have been assigned to vendors for pricing and all vendor proposals are due between May 26 and May 31 dependent on trade

His hurricane update during the Tuesday night board meeting also included updates on various schools throughout the district One of those included North Fort Myers High School, which now has a completed roof and a new guard shack

The Sanibel School, which needed paint, due to it taking on a great amount of seawater, as well as new ceiling tiles has made

progress Bernier said the furniture was reestablished, carpets installed and ceiling tiles replaced

Caloosa Middle School also has new tile in the first hallway

As far as bids, Diplomat Middle School and Skyline Elementary School need new roofs. Bernier said the pricing is less than the original estimate of more than $4 million

“As we bid appropriately there is cost savings for each one of the projects We are able to find cost savings,” Bernier said

For instance, instead of replacing a shingled roof at the schools, they are putting in a standard seam metal roof

The board approved Advanced Roofing, Inc for the removal of asphalt shingle roofing systems and flashings with the replacement of a complete new standing seam metal roofing system at Diplomat Middle School for

$3,595,035 40 The construction is scheduled to begin June 2023 and be completed by December 2023

The board also approved CFS Roofing Services, LLC, also for the removal of asphalt shingle roofing system and flashings with the replacement of a complete new standing seam metal roofing system at Skyline Elementary School for $2,879,404 The project is scheduled to begin June 2023 and be completed by December 2023

“We are getting prepared with food service and sheltering We pray every day that those storms A through Z will go somewhere else We have to be prepared We have to be conscious of when we repair those buildings to make them stronger against hurricanes in the future,” Bernier said

C a p e C o r a l B r e e z e w w w . c a p e c o r a l b r e e z e . c o m M a y 2 6 , 2 0 2 3 ■ P a g e 1 4

REAL ESTATE

Options if financing falls through late

Dear Mr Feichthaler:

I intended to close on a new home next week A friend of mine had promised to loan the money I need for the purchase, about $200,000 Yesterday, he called to advise a family member had a serious medical issue arise, and that he no longer could fund the loan I already sold my existing home (also closing next week), but I won’t have enough money to purchase the new property I have already moved most of my items into a moving truck I don’t see any way I can come up with the money, so what can I do to still make this happen?

Dear Matthew:

Your issue is more common than it should be Usually, it is a bank that, for various (and sometimes ludicrous) reasons, will not fund a loan My answer will not cover the possibility of exiting both contracts, as you have indicated a desire to continue with the purchase You do have a few potential options

Matthew P

MAY

April shows what was up is down and what was down is up

In the past year, there has been a complete market reversal in which what was up is down and what was down is up in our not too hot, not too cold Goldilocks market In fact, one year ago we noted the number of closed home sales in Cape Coral in the month of April declined versus the closed sales from April 2021, while median sales prices had huge gains, and remained at record levels

sales price dipped to $400,000 from $405,000 a week ago A total of 36 of the current pending sales are at $1 million and above A week ago, we had 881 pending home sales in the pipeline versus 522 pending sales on Jan 3 of this year A year ago on May 24, 2022, there were 939 pending sales, including 52 homes priced at $1 million and above

Bob

In

First, you could check with the seller to see if they will offer you seller financing, at least in the short term If they have sufficient equity, and you offer an attractive interest rate, they may be willing to loan you the additional funds They would hold a mortgage against the property to secure their loan, and you would likely refinance with a lender once you have time to do so If your credit may not allow for such a refinance, your seller may agree to loan you the funds for a longer period If your seller needs the money now (perhaps they are making a new purchase as well), then this option will not work

Eric P Feichthaler Real Estate Law

Another option would be to ask the seller to allow you to move in now on a short-term lease, until you can obtain financing from another source That would allow you to still make the move, deliver your furniture and other items and complete your sale of your existing home If this is an option, you should aggressively seek a loan from multiple lenders and determine who can meet your needs most quickly If you are having issues with obtaining financing, an inquiry can be made to a mortgage broker

Issues arise on a daily basis where both sellers and buyers have unforeseen issues When these issues do occur, the key is to consider ways to proceed and meet the goals of all parties involved I hope one of the above options works for you

Eric P Feichthaler has lived in Cape Coral for over 35 years and graduated from Mariner High School in Cape Coral After completing law school at Georgetown 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

We also pointed out back then that the number of active listings were increasing, while noting that, “we are seeing what we would call ‘hints’ in the market that the price surge for homes is leveling off, as the buyer frenzy has slowed.” We c o n t i n u e d b y s a y i n g , “ m u c h o f t h e upcoming performance in our housing market will likely hinge on the Federal Reserve’s commitment towards raising interest rates in their attempt to battle the plague of out-of-control inflation,” in what turned out to be the Fed’s most aggressive interest rate hiking campaign in history So what was up a year ago is now down, and fortunately, the numbers that were down after Hurricane Ian are now up On a lot of levels, to borrow a line from a song by The Kinks in 1970, “It’s a mixed up, muddled up, shook up world ”

As of May 22, the number of active listings in the MLS for Cape Coral single-family homes continued to climb, reaching 1,616 homes on the market at list prices ranging from $260,000 to $3 995 million We currently have 378 active listings priced at $400,000 and under, with 18 of these homes priced below $300,000 At the other end of the spectrum, there are 227 homes listed at $1 million and up One year ago on May 24, 2022, there were 763 active single-family home listings in the Cape at prices ranging from $225,000 to $5 995 million At that time, only 123 homes were listed at $400,000 and under, including six homes priced below $300,000 and there were only 139 homes listed for sale at $1 million and above. The current median list price dipped to $530,000 from $538,000 last week, and it is down from $575,000 one year ago, while being up from $509,873 on Jan 3 of this year

There were 857 pending sales in the Cape’s single-family home pipeline as of May 22, ranging in price from $149,900 for a partially built home in need of a new builder to $4 15 million The second lowest priced pending sale was at $215,000 and the current median pending

In the overall Cape Coral single-family home market, there were 493 closed home sales in April, which was 19 8% lower than the 615 closed sales in April 2022, and 2 6% less than the 506 closed sales in March of this year In the first four months of 2023, there were a total of 1,698 closed sales in the Cape’s overall single-family home market, which was 28 1% lower than the 2,363 closed sales in the first four months of 2022

The median sales price in the overall Cape Coral single-family home market was $420,000 in April, or 10 6% lower than the record of $470,000 in April 2022, but up 1 2% from $415,000 in March of this year In the first four months of 2023, the overall median sales price for single family homes in the Cape averaged $413,125 per month, which was 1 9% lower than the average of $421,250 per month in the first four months of 2022

Indirect gulf access canal homes

In the Cape Coral single-family indirect gulf access canal home segment (meaning canal homes with bridges in the canal system), there were 49 closed home sales in April, which was 30% lower than the 70 closed sales in April 2022, and 2% below the 50 closed sales in March of this year In the first four months of 2023, there were 157 closed sales in this segment, or 35 9% below the 245 sales in the first four months of 2022

The median sales price in the Cape’s single-family indirect gulf access canal home segment was $820,000 in April, which was 0 6% below the $825,000 posted in April 2022, but 18 4% higher than the $692,500 in March of this year In the first four months of 2023, the median sales price in this segment averaged $780,625 per month, or 3 7% less than the average of $810,613 per month in the first four months of 2022

Mayhugh Commercial Advisors secures leasing for new Cape Coral shopping center

Mayhugh Commercial Advisors recently secured the leasing for a new 30,000-square-foot retail project in the heart of Cape Coral’s commercial corridor.

The Shops at Del Mar will consist of four single-story buildings with over 370 feet of frontage on the heavily traveled Pine Island Road corridor The shopping center also offers a drive-through unit, ample parking and easy access at the intersection of Southwest Pine Island Road and Southwest 10th Place near Skyline Boulevard

Currently under construction, the new retail center is scheduled to break ground this summer, with an anticipated fall 2024 completion date Individual units are available starting at 1,500 square feet up to 19,000 square feet at a location where daily traffic counts exceed 40,000 vehicles.

“It’s no surprise that even at this early stage, such a high-profile property is already attracting significant inter-

PHOTO PROVIDED

and Geri Quinn Homing

An artist's rendering of the planned Shops at Del Mar shopping center.

See SHOPPING CENTER, page 15

Wright Construction building city’s firefighter training facility

Wright Construction Group is playing the leading role in the construction of a facility, which advances how Cape Coral will train firefighters for future emergencies

Wright Construction Group is building the first fire training facility for the firefighters It also will be used by other fire departments across Southwest Florida to improve training opportunities that are l a c k i n g i n t h e a r e a S w e e t S p a r k m a n

Architects designed the building

The $11 6 million project, located on 6.2 acres and near the Southwest Water Reclamation Facility on Southwest 32nd Street, will include a five-story training tower, a two-story residential structure and classrooms for training Firefighters will be able to train in various scenarios, with controlled flames, smoke and natural gas, while working in various heat-controlled spaces The spaces will include furnishing like what firefighters may encounter during an event, such as motel, hotel, retail, office and residential configurations

T h i s i s t h e f i r s t t i m e W r i g h t Construction Group is building a structure to be able to withstand flames

All materials used at the facility are safe

and non-toxic The fire is created using designed propane fire props This is a clean burning gas like what is used in home grills Smoke is created using a smoke-simulator

It is non-toxic, dissipates quickly and is the same used recreationally in theater performances and concerts Because of the different types of heat-related, smoke and gasfilled environments that will exist, the proper exhaust systems, wall thicknesses and other critical structural and safety features will be built to strict safety standards.

Cape Coral Fire Chief Ryan Lamb made such a facility a priority for his department

Firefighters are required to do 192 hours of company training,18 hours of facility training and six hours of hazardous materials training each year, according to the Insurance Services Office The training also includes six hours of hazardous materials

Because of the shortage of training facilities in the area, Cape Coral struggles to reach the requirement and the impact can mean higher insurance rates for residents Once the facility is completed in the next two years, firefighters will have a much easier time completing the training

“I am really excited about this facility

because there are not a whole lot of them around so having the opportunity to con-

s t r u c t o n e i s v e r y r a r e , ” s a i d S c o t t

Loiacano, project manager for Wright Construction Group “It is unique People will be coming from all over to experience and train at this facility ”

Added Fred Edman, president of Wright Construction Group: “We have a long history with the Cape Coral Fire Department and the City of Cape Coral, building fire stations, so to now be able to build a training facility which allows the firefighters to train year-round is special for us ”

About Wright Construction Group

F o r o v e r s e v e n d e c a d e s , W r i g h t Construction Group has been a builder of choice for many businesses, governmental agencies, schools and other commercial enterprises Specializing in both building a n d c i v i l c o n s t r u c t i o n , W r i g h t Construction offers construction management, design-build and general contracting services to a wide variety of public and private clients The main office is located at 5811 Youngquist Road in Fort Myers For m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , c o n t a c t W r i g h t Construction Group at 239-481-5000

Up and down: How the Cape’s home sales market has fluctuated

From page 14

Direct sailboat access canal homes

In the Cape Coral single-family direct s a i l b o a t a c c e s s c a n a l h o m e s e g m e n t (homes with no bridges in the canals to reach open water), there were 43 closed home sales in April This was 37 7% lower than the 69 closed sales in April 2022, and even with the 43 sales in March of this year In the first four months of 2023, there were 155 closed sales in this segment, or 39% less than the 254 sales in the first four months of 2022

The median sales price in the Cape’s single-family direct sailboat access canal home segment was $748,000 in April, or 1 4 5 % b e l o w t h e $ 8 7 4 , 9 0 0 i n A p r i l 2022, and 11% lower than the $840,000 recorded in March of this year In the first four months of 2023, the median sales price in this segment averaged $736,375 per month, or 15 6% less than the average

of $872,600 per month in the first four months of 2022

Freshwater canal and lake homes

In the Cape Coral single-family freshwater canal and lake home segment, which consists of landlocked canal and lake homes with no boating access to the river or the Gulf of Mexico, there were 52 closed home sales in April This was 25 7% lower than the 70 closed sales in April 2022, and down 5 5% from the 55 closed sales in March of this year In the first four months of 2023, there were 179 closed sales in this segment, which was 29 2% less than the 253 sales in the first four months of 2022

The median sales price in the Cape’s single-family freshwater canal and lake home segment was $496,250 in April, or 9 8% below the $549,950 posted in April 2022, but 1.3% higher than the $490,000 in March of this year In the first four months of 2023, the median sales price in this seg-

ment averaged $504,063 per month, or 0 97% more than the average of $499,213 per month in the first four months of 2022

Dry lot homes

In the Cape Coral single-family dry lot (non-canal) home segment, there were 344 closed home sales in April, which was 14 2% lower than the 401 closed sales in April 2022, and 3 9% below the 358 closed sales in March of this year

In the first four months of 2023, there were a total of 1,199 closed sales in this segment, or 24 5% less than the 1,588 closed sales in the first four months of 2022

The median sales price in this segment was $378,495 in April, or 4% below the $394,350 posted in April 2022, but up 2.4% from $369,450 in March of this year In the first four months of 2023, the median sales price for dry lot homes in the Cape averaged $372,645 per month, or 1 7% more than the average of $366,338

per month in the first four months of 2022

The sales data for this article was o b t a i n e d f r o m t h e F l o r i d a R e a l t o r s Multiple Listing Service Matrix for Lee County, Fla , as of May 22, 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, h o w e v e r , t h e y c o u l d b e u p d a t e d a n d revised periodically, and are subject to change without notice The Quinns are a husband and wife real estate team with the R E / M A X R e a l t y T e a m o f f i c e i n C a p e Coral They have lived in Cape Coral for over 43 years Geri has been a full-time Realtor since 2005, and Bob joined Geri as a full-time Realtor in 2014 Their real estate practice is mainly focused on Cape Coral residential property and vacant lots

Shopping center: Mayhugh Commercial set to handle the leasing

From page 14

est from prospective tenants,” said listing agent Bryan Burchers, a senior advisor at Mayhugh Commercial Advisors “With

several prominent restaurants and grocery stores nearby, and plenty of parking and easy access and frontage on Pine Island Road, we’re confident that this project will deliver in a big way for Cape Coral ”

Mayhugh Commercial Advisors and its team of commercial real estate professionals specialize in brokerage and consulting, property acquisition, property disposition, landlord representation, property manage-

ment, tenant representation and marketing and support

For more information, call 239-2784945 or visit MayhughCommercial com

PHOTO PROVIDED

A rendering of the planned city firefighter training facility on Southwest 32nd Street.

For your consideration: Melochia tomentosa

(Editor's note: The following column was published previously in The Breeze )

By JANETTA FOX news@breezenewspapers com

When looking for a plant to incorporate in my landscape, I wanted to find a drought tolerant native bush that attracts pollinators and would do well facing east I initially did some online research followed by a visit to a nursery specializing in native plants where I found a number of suitable offerings

One that caught my attention, and which I purchased because it checked off all the boxes for me and had a loose rather than compact appearance, is Melochia tomentosa, commonly known as teabush or pyramid bush

Cape Coral Library Art Gallery features Annual Young Artists Show

Changing exhibitions in the Cape Coral Library’s expansive art gallery are sponsored by the Friends of the Cape Coral Library An “Annual Young Artists Exhibit” has traditionally been held in late spring at the library, located at 921 SW 39th Terrace (near the intersection of Skyline Boulevard and Mohawk Parkway, and this year’s exhibition will be open during regular library hours now through June 29

GARDEN CLUB OF CAPE CORAL

While many residential areas in Southwest Florida have soil comprised mostly of sand and landfill, my soil has a clay base After working in compost to amend the soil, I planted my tea bush between two other plants, making certain to space it according to label directions

I tended to its watering needs while the root system was getting established, all the while keeping in mind that my clay soil is much less porous and drains less readily than sandy soil To date the Melochia t has been doing well

If you are in the market for a great attractor of diverse pollinators, including honey bees; native bees; butterflies, such as skippers; and other beneficial insects, the Florida native tea bush may fit the bill for you Small, 5petaled, delicate pink-purple inflorescences, or blooms, cover the bush from early spring to late fall, making for a stunning display The foliage has a fuzzy appearance and bluish-green tint, which contrasts nicely with the green foliage of other plants in the landscape

This perennial bush prefers full sun to part shade and does well in our Southwest Florida planting zone 10 Its pH range: slightly acidic-neutral-slightly alkaline When I had a soil test done at the UF/IFAS Lee County Extension, results indicated that the soil on the east side of my home measures 7 1, which is well within the ideal range

As with many other plants, Melochia t does not appreciate “wet feet ” Therefore, care should be taken to avoid over-watering; otherwise, crown or root rot will more than likely develop Because it is drought tolerant once established, consideration should be given to including the bush among other low irrigation vegetation If sprinklers or soaker hoses are used in those areas for

See GARDEN CLUB, page 28

Projects by students from St Andrew Catholic School are on the hallway walls and in the gallery cases The show a l s o f e a t u r e s t h e w i n n i n g a r t w o r k f r o m t h e 2 0 2 3 “ C o l o r i n g t h e E a r t h ” Children’s Art Contest in t h e a l c o v e a r e a o f t h e gallery Be sure to stop by and be amazed by all of the young talent on display! S t A n d r e w C a t h o l i c School in Cape Coral has been STREAM Certified s i n c e 2 0 1 9 t h r o u g h t h e F l o r i d a C o u n c i l o f Catholic Bishops and the N a t i o n a l C o u n c i l f o r P r i v a t e E d u c a t i o n T h e school holds the distinction o f b e i n g t h e f i r s t p i l o t school in the Diocese of V e n i c e f o r S T R E A M , which is an acronym for S c i e n c e , T e c h n o l o g y , Religion, Engineering, Art and Math The blending and crossover of these subjects supports the mission of “educating the whole child ”

Middle school science t e a c h e r J a m e s L e s s h a s

been with St Andrew for five years and appreciates the opportunity to show off art and posters from his students’ projects that illustrate environmental issues St Andrew Art Teacher Diana Villadolid has been teaching there for 19 years, and original artwork created in her K-8 classes is on display in the gallery

The winning entries from the 17th Annual “Coloring the Earth” Children’s Environmental Art Contest, sponsored by the Friends of the Cape Coral Library and the Cape Coral-Lee County Public Library, is exhibited on the walls of the alcove area in the library gallery The theme

See YOUNG ARTISTS, page 28

June 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 and programs are free to the public:

Adult Programs

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

English Café 10 a m , Fridays, June 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 6 p m , Tuesdays, June 6, 13, 20, 27

See JUNE PROGRAMS, page 31

PHOTOS PROVIDED

Artwork from students at St Andrew Catholic School in Cape Coral

SONIC Drive-In donates to several Cape schools during Teacher Appreciation Month

In honor of May's Teacher Appreciation

M o n t h , S O N I C D r i v e - I n ' s S O N I C Foundation donated $1 5 million to match all public contributions made to requests on DonorsChoose, a national nonprofit that allows individuals to donate directly to public school classroom requests submitted by teachers

As part of SONIC's ongoing Limeades for Learning initiative, the $1 5 million donation matched 50 percent of each donation made to all teacher requests SONIC helped fully fund nearly 15,300 projects from teachers and schools across the country

The following are among the exceptional teachers who received funding:

In Cape Coral, five exceptional teachers from three schools received a combined donation of $199 00, including:

■ Mrs. Fields at Caloosa Elementary S c h o o l f o r t h e p r o j e c t “ C l i m a t e a n d

S c i e n c e T P T C u r r i c u l u m , P l e a s e ” f o r

Grades 3-5

■ Mrs Roberts at Caloosa Elementary School for the project “Sunshine State Readers for Our Entire School” for Grades 3-5

■ Mrs Roberts at Caloosa Elementary School for the project “Sunshine State

Readers for Our Entire School Part 2” for Grades 3-5

■ Mrs Roberts at Caloosa Elementary School for the project “Book Vending Machine Refill” for Grades 3-5

■ Mrs Roberts at Caloosa Elementary School for the project “Sonday System for Our Fifth-Grade Learners!” for Grades 3-5

■ Ms. Shierling at Caloosa Elementary School for the project “Out of This World Supplies” for Grades 3-5

■ Mrs Zarrillo at Oasis Elementary School North for the project “Bookworms Unite!” for Grades 3-5

■ Mrs Jacobs at Skyline Elementary School for the project “Bracelets with Charms for Great Behavior!” for Grades 35

“SONIC is invested in supporting the local communities served by our more than 3,500 locations, and we're proud of the impact we've made over the past 14 years through Limeades for Learning,” said Lori Abou Habib, chief marketing officer of SONIC “We're grateful to all the SONIC guests who joined us in celebrating teachers this month by donating to a classroom request on DonorsChoose, and those who continue to help us support public education by grabbing their favorite SONIC

drink and having a portion of the purchase g o t o w a r d s h e l p i n g a n e a r b y p u b l i c school ” T h r o u g h t h e S O N I C L i m e a d e s f o r Learning initiative, the brand donates a portion of proceeds from every drink, slush a n d s h a k e p u r c h a s e t o t h e S O N I C Foundation, which is used to support local public education. Since 2009, SONIC has donated more than $26 million to funding local classrooms, becoming one of the largest programs to support public education in the U S

V i s i t w w w D o n o r s C h o o s e o r g a n d donate to one or more of the thousands of public school teacher requests seeking support to provide students with educational resources

SONIC, founded in 1953, is one of the largest drive-in restaurant brands in the U n i t e d S t a t e s , w i t h m o r e t h a n 3 , 5 0 0 restaurants in 47 states. SONIC is part of the Inspire Brands family of restaurants For additional information, please visit www sonicdrivein com and www inspirebrands com

Cape’s Barbour named James Madison Fellow

T h e J a m e s M a d i s o n M e m o r i a l

Fellowship Foundation of Alexandria, Virginia, announced last week that it has selected 50 James Madison Fellows for 2023 in its 31st annual fellowship competition. James Madison Fellowships support the graduate study of American history by aspiring and experienced secondary school teachers of American history, American government and civics

A m o n g t h e r e c i p i e n t s i s M e g h a n

Barbour of Mariner High School in Cape Coral Her fellowship, the J Seward J o h n s o n , J r J a m e s M a d i s o n Fellowship, is endowed by the Atlantic Foundation of Princeton, New Jersey

Named in honor of the fourth president of the United States and acknowledged as “Father of the Constitution and Bill of Rights,” a James Madison Fellowship funds up to $24,000 of each Fellow’s c o u r s e o f s t u d y t o w a r d s a m a s t e r ’ s degree That program must include a concentration of courses on the history and p r i n c i p l e s o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s

Constitution

The 50 James Madison Fellows were

selected in competition with applicants from each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the nation’s island and trust territories The fellowships are funded by income from a trust fund in the Treasury of the United States and from additional private gifts, corporate contributions, and foundation grants Recipients are required to teach American history, American government, or civics in a secondary school for at least one year for each year of fellowship support The award is intended to recognize promising and distinguished teachers, to strengthen their knowledge of the origins and development of American constitutional government, and thus to expose the nation’s secondary school stud e n t s t o a c c u r a t e k n o w l e d g e o f t h e nation’s constitutional heritage

Founded by an Act of Congress in 1 9 8 6 , t h e J a m e s M a d i s o n M e m o r i a l Fellowship Foundation is an independent agency of the Executive Branch of the Federal Government Additional information may be found at www jamesmadison gov

Lee County School Board seeks members for five Citizen Advisory Committees

The Lee County School Board is activel y s e a r c h i n g f o r m e m b e r s t o j o i n i t s C i t i z e n s A d v i s o r y C o m m i t t e e s . T h e s e committees meet on a regular basis to provide input, support and advice to the Board

There are five committees on which members of the public may serve:

■ Construction Advisory Committee (CAC)

■ Continuous Systemic Improvement (CSI) Advisory Committee

■ C u r r i c u l u m A d v i s o r y C o m m i t t e e (CUAC)

■ E q u i t y a n d D i v e r s i t y A d v i s o r y Committee (EDAC)

■ Finance Advisory Committee (FAC)

Anyone interested in serving on one of these committees should fill out an online a p p l i c a t i o n a t h t t p s : / / w w w l e e s c h o o l s net/school board/advisory committee inf ormation

School Board members will choose and

approve new members at a future meeting Members serve for two years and may be appointed to serve additional terms on the same committee

In appointing members to the Advisory Committees, the School Board shall make every effort to reflect the diversity of the community population whenever possible

In addition, Board Members will seek to appoint citizens with knowledge and skills that are beneficial to specific committees All advisory committee meetings are open to the public and will be videotaped and uploaded to the District's YouTube channel. Each committee shall be subject to the Sunshine Law

Online applications will be taken continually to be considered for appointments made when vacancies occur throughout the appointment year(s) on each of the committees

For more about the district, please visit https://www leeschools net

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

ARC in need to golf carts, volunteers

By CHUCK BALLARO news@breezenewspapers com

The Animal Refuge Center is looking for new or used golf carts to help transport shelter pets around the property or to make general maintenance tasks easier

ARC is down to one cart after having as many as four Two carts became obsolete and another broke down, said Joy Patton, volunteer coordinator at ARC, necessitating request for donations

“There are about 250 cats and 50 dogs onsite We need to run them to the clinic for checkups. The carts allow us to get the animals back and forth, to do maintenance and landscaping,” Patton said “Our priority would be to get a cart

with a flatbed ”

They would also like a six-seater to provide a mode of transport for taking potential donors around the grounds Monetary donations, to help with the purchase are also welcome

Patton said ARC also is looking for volunteers to help out in the summer in the wake of seasonal residents heading back north

“We’re reaching out to folks to get more people in We are marketing with posters asking if people are bored with retirement and want to help with our many animals,” Patton said “There are also many people in the workforce who come on the weekends ”

County nonprofit thanks supporters

By CRAIG GARRETT news@breezenewspapers com

They came to cheer a nonprofit that helps Lee County school kids succeed

Cheered for the ongoing efforts of The Foundation for Lee County Public Schools, Inc , formed in 1986 and hosting its annual Partners in Education breakfast on Friday, but also cheered Lee County for enduring and surviving a couple of bad years, first with the pandemic, then Hurricane Ian in September

And guests on Friday at the packed Broadway Palm Theatre in Fort Myers also heard the district’s superintendent, Dr Christopher Bernier, reflect on Lee County schools, its board and its achievements His remarks also touched on future strategies in the 100,000-student district

The morning event allowed Foundation executives to thank its advocates and backers, who over the years had given $45 million in donations to support Lee County schools in programs, grants and scholarships

“We wanted to remind you why we’re all here,” the Foundation’s president and CEO, Marshall Bower, said in opening remarks after a Tice Elementary School troupe, the Singing Eagles, performed a short Mickey Mouse themed musical

A trio with Cape Coral High School’s Cape Chorale sang the National Anthem following the posting of colors by a JROTC squad from South Fort Myers High School

The 90-minute event also recognized John E. “Jack”

Thomas, a Fort Myers man who had given nearly $2 m i l l i o n t

Hershey School graduate, Class of ’39 The school originally started in 1909 as a place for orphaned kids Milton and Katherine Hershey funded it with proceeds from their chocolate company Its endowment had since paid the tuition for more than 11,000 graduates Thomas had credited the school for his success Its president, Pete Gurt, on Friday provided a tribute to Thomas, who was orphaned at age 8 Thomas died last September He was 99

“Today is a life-transforming day,” Gurt said of Thomas’s official recognition as a major donor.

Bernier in his second state-of-the-district remarks recounted district accomplishments that included getting Lee County kids back to school weeks after Hurricane Ian’s demolition of Southwest Florida

“Return we did,” he said, adding that the “entire community continues to be in recovery ”

Friday’s event also recognized Jareah Plummer of Bonita Springs High School as an outstanding student volunteer, Tuesday Shannon as the outstanding adult volunteer, and the bravery of Kimmy Hachey, a Bonita Springs elementary student and a leukemia survivor

as guests enjoy the meal

CRAIG GARRETT

Patton said they also are looking for foster parents for cats and kittens. Food and litter are provided and the animals are checked out at the clinic.

“It’s kitten season and we’re looking for people to foster kittens until they come of age, either at three pounds or three months when they get their spay and neutering surgery,” Patton said

To make a donation or for more information, call 239731-3535 and ask for Roxanne, shelter director; or Kurt, head of maintenance

To volunteer, fill out an application online at http://animalrefugecenter com Donations may also be made online or at ARC at 18011 Old Bayshore Road, North Fort Myers

Lee County operations adjust schedules for Memorial Day holiday

Most Lee County administrative operations will be closed Monday, May 29, in observance of Memorial Day The holiday schedule adjustments are as follows: Solid Waste

All garbage, recycling and yard waste collections in unincorporated Lee County, the city of Bonita Springs, the Village of Estero and the Town of Fort Myers Beach will take place one day after the regularly scheduled collection day for the entire week beginning May 29 This means that if the regular collection day is Monday, the collection truck will pick up that material on Tuesday Tuesday’s regularly scheduled pickups will occur on Wednesday and so on for the rest of the week through Saturday, June 3. Regular collection schedules resume on Monday, June 5

Lee County Solid Waste facilities and offices are closed Monday, May 29, in observance of the holiday This includes operations at the Household Chemical W a s t e C o l l e c t i o n F a c i l i t y , 6 4 4 1 T o p a z C o u r t , t h e Resource Recovery Facility on Buckingham Road and the Lee/Hendry Regional Solid Waste Disposal Facility Lee County Utilities

The offices of Lee County Utilities, the Call Center and drive-thru window will be closed Monday, May 29, in observance of Memorial Day. A drop-box is on-site at the front door and another accessible via the drive-thru for payments by check Libraries

All library locations will be closed Monday, May 29 Each branch will resume regular operating hours on Tuesday, May 30 The library is always available online at www leelibrary net/online

Domestic Animal Services

Animal Services, 5600 Banner Drive, Fort Myers, will be open for regularly scheduled hours on Saturday, May 27, which is 8 a m to 4 p m for the Lost & Found Pet Center and 10:30 a m to 3:30 p m for the Pet Adoption Center Animal Services will be closed for the holiday Monday, May 29, but will resume regular business hours on Tuesday, May 30

LeeTran

LeeTran will not run bus, trolley or paratransit service on the holiday, Monday, May 29 Service resumes Tuesday, May 30. Route schedules and maps are at www rideleetran com

Parks & Recreation

Parks, pools and preserves remain open on Monday Offices and recreation centers are closed Monday and will reopen Tuesday, May 30 Check www lee parks org for the list of open locations, hours and amenities

To receive updates from Lee County Government, s i g n u p f o r t h e n e w s l e t t e r a t w w w l e e g o v c o m / resources/newsletters

Lee County to hold public meeting on Cape Coral Bridge

‘Alternatives Workshop’ part of Project Development and Environment Study

The Lee County Department of Transportation, in coordination with the Florida Department of Transportation District One, is conducting an Alternatives Workshop as part of the Project Development and Environment Study for the Cape Coral Bridge

The public is welcome to attend the drop-in style workshop about the study from 5-7 p m , Tuesday, June 20, at Florida Southwestern State College, Lee Campus, U Building, Room U102, 8099 College Parkway, Fort Myers, FL, 33919

The Lee Board of County Commissioners is committed to planning for growth and alleviating congestion The Cape Coral Bridge Project is a priority and has been the subject of several Board workshops

The study is focused on the bridge and roadway approaches from Del Prado Boulevard in Cape Coral to McGregor Boulevard in south Fort Myers (unincorporated Lee County) It is a distance of 2 1 miles To receive fed-

eral funding, the study must include all viable building alternatives for the project, including a “no-build” option, which means leaving it as it is now The PD&E study will conclude with a recommendation as to which alternative will move forward to design Comments provided at the public meeting will become part of the study

The workshop materials will be available on the project website, www capecoralbridgeproject com, following the public meeting People will be able to review the alternatives being evaluated for the PD&E study and provide comments to be included in the study until three weeks after the meeting, which will be July 11

Lee County is distributing a newsletter to property owners and tenants adjacent to the project to increase awareness of the public workshop The county will also use additional community engagement tools, such as its Lee County Government newsletter and social media

Persons who require special accommodations under the

Americans with Disabilities Act or people who require translation services (free of charge) should contact Lee County ADA Coordinator Joan LaGuardia at 239-8396038 or JLaguardia@leecounty gov at least seven days prior to the meeting

The environmental review, consultation and other actions required by applicable federal environmental laws for this project are being, or have been, carried out by FDOT pursuant to 23 U S C §327 and a Memorandum of Understanding dated May 26, 2022, and executed by FHWA and FDOT

This public workshop was advertised consistent with federal and state requirements, Section 335 199, F S , and developed in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and related statutes Lee County solicits public participation without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability or family status

To receive updates from Lee County Government, sign u p f o r t h e n e w s l e t t e r a t w w w l e e g o v c o m / r e s o u r c e s / newsletters

City’s communications office earns award from Florida Municipal Communicators Association

The city of Cape Coral's Office of Communications was awarded and recognized at the Florida Municipal Communicators Association's 2022 Outstanding Awards Program Ceremony May 19

Melissa Mickey, city of Cape Coral Communications Manager, earned the 2022 Rising Star Award, and the city Office of Communications was recognized with an honorable mention for the 2022 Best Web Resource Award

Approximately 60 communicators throughout the state of Florida were nominated for the “Rising Star” award which recognizes a communications professional with less than five years in the government communications

field who demonstrates achievement, excellence and innovation

According to the FMCA, nominees for this award must possess strong leadership potential and show that they are future industry leaders.

C

Office of Communications was established in 2021 and Mickey was promoted to communications manager in February 2022

In her first year, she compiled

the city's first communications team, which lead to an increase in the city's social media following by 231 percent, press releases distributed by 850 percent and online engagement by 1,150 percent She also spearheaded the city's Hurricane Ian crisis communication, coordinating press conferences, radio broadcasts and live interviews with national news channels.

The FMCA is a professional network of individuals who provide communications leadership and support in Florida’s cities, towns and villages

For more about the city Office of Communications, visit https://www capecoral gov/government/city government/city manager/office of communications/index php

Melissa Mickey

County reminds residents and visitors that Causeway Islands are unavailable for Memorial Day activities

In anticipation of Memorial Day, Lee County reminds residents and visitors that the Causeway Islands Park on the Sanibel Causeway remains closed to watercraft, pedestrian and bicycle traffic

The causeway islands are an active construction zone with ongoing repairs and u p g r a d e s d u e t o d a m a g e c a u s e d b y Hurricane Ian Motorists should use caution and some activities are prohibited while the project is underway

The project contractor is driving sheet pile – which will be covered as work is completed – to protect the causeway from future storms The Florida Department of Transportation is coordinating with Lee County, the Federal Highway Administration and permitting agencies for the permanent repairs.

The speed limit has been reduced to 20 mph due to reduced lane and shoulder widths Bicyclists are encouraged to use another form of transportation over the causeway Pedestrians are not permitted on the causeway or Causeway Islands at this time Causeway Island beaches are not open, so do not plan picnics or stopping on the islands

Also, the use of non-motorized vessels for windsurfing or kiteboarding is suspended on the Causeway Islands and surrounding waterways Motorized vessels may not pull up along the shoreline or stop in adjacent channels due to the construction activity Lee County created a video for residents and vis itors on the county’s Y ouTube

channel, https://www youtube com/@Lee CountyFLBOCC/videos. Or visit the video directly at https://youtu be/sl2oPAgaF3I

T h e S a n i b e l C a u s e w a y w a s h e a v i l y damaged by Hurricane Ian, which made landfall in Lee County on Sept 28, 2022 As a part of the Florida Department of Transportation’s Emergency Restoration of t h e S a n i b e l C a u s e w a y , c r e w s c o n t i n u e work on McGregor Boulevard and the S a n i b e l C a u s e w a y f r o m P o r t C o m f o r t Road to Sanibel Island Visit www swfl roads com/SanibelCauseway for additional information

To receive updates from Lee County Government, sign up for the newsletter at w w w l e e g o v c o m / r e s o u r c e s / n e w s l e t t e r s Y o u c a n a l s o f o l l o w L e e C o u n t y Government on Facebook, www facebook com/leecountyflbocc

Child Care of Southwest Florida accepting summer registrations

Child Care of Southwest Florida is accepting new student registrations for the summer term at three of its early learning centers in Fort Myers

Child Care of Southwest Florida provides early learning education to more than 350 children across Lee and Hendry counties The organization accepts children ages 6 weeks through 8 years old, including stud e n t

Prekindergarten program VPK is a statefunded, high-quality early childhood education program that helps students develop a strong academic, social and behavioral foundation prior to entering school

“The summer and spring terms are crucial for 4- and 5-year-olds who will be entering kindergarten next fall,” said Chris Hansen, CEO of Child Care of Southwest Florida “Our centers provide children a safe, nurturing environment to foster development and success in their future learning VPK can ensure students start school on the right foot, and there is still space available at three of our high-quality learning centers ”

Nutritious meals and snacks are included at no additional charge through Child Care of Southwest Florida’s participation in the USDA’s Child Food Care Program

The three locations accepting new student registrations include:

■

Center (3713 Canal St in Fort Myers): 239-337-4995

■ The Children’s Learning Center (37 Barkley Circle in Fort Myers): 239-2671136

■ Joseph H. Messina Children’s Center (4650 Fowler St in Fort Myers): 239278-1148

Child Care of Southwest Florida follows the nationally recognized, researchbased Creative Curriculum for preschool, which builds a safe, supportive learning

environment that develops young minds, strengthens the community and secures the future

Each early learning center is accredited t h r o u g h t h e N a t i o n a l A c c r e d i t a t i o n Commission for Early Learning Leaders and is a Gold Seal Quality Care Program t h r o u g h t h e F l o r i d a D e p a r t m e n t o f Children and Families. Additionally, centers maintain five-star ratings through the Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida

For more information or to register a child, please visit ccswfl org

Summer Reading Program kicks off June 1

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

A jammed-packed schedule of new and returning programs will hit Lee libraries this summer during their annual Summer Reading Program, this year sporting the theme of “All Together Now ”

The theme is interpreted through Acts of Kindness, Lee County Library System Manager of Programming & Community Outreach Manager Melissa Baker said As she is creating the challenges she said she could not help but smile, as she can only imagine the kindness that is going to be spreading this summer

Acts of Kindness include doing trash control throughout your neighborhood, helping someone with their chores, letting someone go before you in line, volunteering your time, donating clothes, leaving an anonymous note of encouragement to saying you’re sorry and remembering to say please and thank you

The program is held for all ages from June 1, through Aug 1 with kick off parties taking place at every branch to celebrate the Summer Reading Program.

The intent of the Summer Reading Program is to encourage school-aged children to continue reading throughout the summer to keep their reading skills fresh In addition to maintaining learning through the summer, Baker said the program is also to promote reading for enjoyment and pleasure

“It’s about instilling that life-long love of reading and getting kids reading for enjoyment,” she said

As part of instilling that love, every child and teen will receive a free book, which they get to choose from the library

“A couple of weeks ago we bought 20,000 copies of books that go out to all of our branches in English and Spanish The kids can choose what they want and take their free book,” Baker said, adding that they can also find more books to check out at the library, log their reading, do Kindness bingo and win fun prizes

A Summer Reading Kick-off Dance Party will take place Thursday, June 1, from 11 a m to noon for ages 2 to 5 years old, followed by a Family Kick-Off with games and

activities from 2 to 5:30 p m for children 6 to 11 years old, as well as a Teen Kick-Off for those 12 to 18 all at the Northwest Regional Library, 519 Chiquita Blvd N North Fort Myers Library, 2001 N. Tamiami Trail, will have a Down the Rabbit Hole Summer Reading Kick-Off party from 2 to 3:30 p m Tuesday, June 6

The following week a Summer Reading Kick-Off Party will be held from 2 to 3:30 p m Thursday, June 8, at Cape Coral Lee County Public Library, 921 S W 39th Terrace

Another Kick-Off Party will be held on the same day from 2 to 5 p m at Pine Island Public Library, 10701 Russell Road

Baker said this year they are doing a soft opening at all of the branches, with regular programming beginning the following week, Monday, June 12

“All summer long you can expect special programs. I am excited about the variety that we are bringing to the community this year,” she said

The Summer Reading Program offers three layers, with the first being the reading challenge, which can be done through READsquared, an app that can be downloaded Participants can complete online mission challenges and activities, as well as log the books they have read to receive points Games will become unlocked at various thresholds

If a participant receives 500 points through reading, or missions, Baker said they are eligible for branch drawings, which are split among birth to 5 years old; kids 6 to 11 years old, teens 12 to 18 years old and adults 18 years old or older.

The winners will be drawn the week of Aug 7 The prizes include board and picture books for birth to 5 years old; 2023-2024 Sunshine State Young Reader Award and Jr Award titles for kids 6 to 11 years old; 2023-2024 Florida Teens Read books and popular titles for teens 12 to 18 years old and popular donated titles for adults 18 and older There also are an assortment of puzzles, science kits, journals and more included in the prize baskets

“They are all really awesome Every branch has the same prize package Pick a branch and participate,” Baker said

For those who would rather do the paper challenge can

drop by a library and pick up the sheet that includes both English and Spanish The paper challenge includes a Kindness Bingo, which is for every age group from Pre-K to adults.

The idea is to complete five tasks in a row, just like a bingo board through various kindness activities Individuals can also read for an hour and mark off one of the Bingo squares

“Once you get a bingo it is equivalent to getting 500 points in READsquare,” Baker said

The special programs are scheduled throughout June and July for youths She encourages individuals to visit leelibrary net/events, as the programs include registration due to their popularity

“Check the online calendar of events and register ahead of time to guarantee a spot. It’s only guaranteed to the start of the show We want to fill the room to capacity If they still have spots they might let you in,” Baker said “These presenters, we block them in groups of 10 programs If it is full at one and you’re willing to drive, there’s always an alternative There are four days of programming for each presenter ”

The schedules differ, too, she said as Northwest Regional Library offers nighttime programs and Cape Coral Library offers more during the day

“I am excited about the variety that we are bringing to the community this year,” Baker said

A new program, Joshua J Superstar Show features comedy, circus stunts and a great deal of audience participation GiGi and Friends, another favorite, features GiGi and her dog SuperZeus The act will feature comedy, magic, dog tricks, sing-alongs and circus

Another fun program features Adams Animal Encounters with Wildlife Biologist Adam Pottruck

A teen program, Bunny Yoga and Mindfulness, will feature both yoga and free roaming bunnies to pet

Other programs include storytellers, dance parties, bubbles and live theater

In addition to the programs, the library branches will have self directed activities and a variety of different crafts during the Summer Reading Program

Garden:

From page 17

irrigation, you can scale back the frequency of application and amount of water flow, thereby preserving precious water resources

A final thought: Sometimes the plant labeling you find in nurseries or big box stores can be misleading In the case of the teabush, the label read 3-5 feet height and spread I probably should have done an internet search to fact-check the label on the container while at the nursery, but I did not think to do so Additional research in the aftermath of purchase indicated that the bush can actually grow to 10 feet without pruning There-fore, my aim will be to keep the bush to a more manageable height and spread through periodic pruning Lesson learned!

Happy gardening!

Janetta Fox is a Lee County Master Gardener volunteer and member of the Garden Club of Cape Coral

Sources:

Conrad, J (2014, November 16). Teabush. Naturalist Newsletter h t t p s : / / w w w b a c k y a r d n ature net/yucatan/melochia htm

Kisida, N (2020, N o v e m b e r / D e c e m b e r ) 2020, Vol 19, Issue 11) What’s this? teabush: abuzz with bees The Garden Bench, volume 19, issue 11. https://sfyl.ifas.ufl. edu/media/sfylifasufledu/m a n a t e e / d o c s / p d f s / m a s t e rgardners/newsletters/Nove mber December-2020 pdf

Ryan, L (2020, October) Falling in love with a new plant friend The Dirt, i s s u e 2 3 , p a g e 1 1 h t t p s : / / s f y l i f a s u f l edu/media/sfylifasufledu/pi n e l l a s / l a w n - a n dgarden/TheDirtOct2020 p df

Artists:

From page 17

this time was Let’s Save the Florida Scrub-Jay!

A panel of judges selecte d 2 0 w i n n i n g c o n t e s t entries (five awards for each of the four age categories: 5-6, 7-8, 9-10 & 11-12), and the artwork has been framed for hanging on the walls of the gallery alcove The awarded art can also be v i e w e d o n w w w c a p efriends org under the “Art Gallery” tab

F o r i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t the library art exhibits, contact Art Gallery chairperson Monica Rahman by email to g a l l e r y @ c a p e f r i e n d s o r g Follow “Friends of the Cape C o r a l L i b r a r y ” o n Facebook

DeSantis declares presidential bid

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

Gov Ron DeSantis announced he was r u n n i n g f o r p r e s i d e n t W e d n e s d a y o n Twitter after he signed a law allowing him to continue serving as governor of Florida while seeking the office

In a fiery speech that began after a long d e l a y d u e t o t e c h n i c a l d i f f i c u l t i e s o n Twitter, DeSantis painted a gloomy vision of the country “going in the wrong direction,” speaking of cities “hollowed out by spiking crime,” of broken borders, and “drugs pouring into the country” while deriding institutions focused on “global warming or gender ideology ”

“We will never surrender to the woke mob,” DeSantis said, in a phrase that he has commonly used during his governorship. DeSantis touted a law and order message and blamed President Joe Biden for declini n g m i l i t a r y r e c r u i t m e n t n u m b e r s

Speaking of global warming and gender ideology, DeSantis said “We need to eliminate these distractions ”

In a message signaling former President Donald Trump, his main competitor in the Republican primaries, DeSantis called on primary voters to reject a “culture of losing that has infected the Republican Party” and said “governing is not entertainment ”

“Law and order must be maintained in American cities We can’t have inmates r u n n i n g t h e a s y l u m , ” D e S a n t i s s a i d

DeSantis said he would “shut down the southern border” and build a wall

In a broadcast with Twitter owner Elon Musk and entrepreneur David Sacks who share many of the views of DeSantis,

DeSantis took questions about some of the issues he has made prominent in Florida, including bans on teaching critical race theory and altering curriculum in schools and limiting which books can be used and read in schools

DeSantis took questions on his war with Disney over taking over control of their special district

“The arrangement had outlived its usefulness,” DeSantis said

“There was really no justification to keep it ”

DeSantis boasted Florida’s economy and the state’s lead in net migration, saying “people were making money hands over

fists because of our business climate ”

On illegal immigration, DeSantis spoke up his efforts to use state law enforcement resources to relocate migrants in Texas to Martha’s Vineyard

DeSantis announced his run for the presidency on the day he signed legislation that will make it much tougher for Florida citizens and environmental groups to sue government bodies over approvals of real

estate developments by making it easier for the groups to be responsible for the attorney fees of the municipalities and developers The bill had been strongly opposed by environmental groups

DeSantis confidently predicted that he w o u l d w i n t h e p r e s i d e n c y a n d t o l d Republican primary voters to set their clocks to noon on Jan 20, 2025 when he said he would enter the White House

Gov. Ron DeSantis

Cape to host Hurricane Preparedness Expo May 31

The city of Cape Coral will host the 2023 Hurricane Preparedness Expo Wednesday, May 31

This inaugural expo will be from 3-7 p m at Mercola Market, 125 S W 3rd Place, Cape Coral Guests can meet with city representatives, local organizations and

businesses who will provide information to help residents prepare for before, during and after a major storm

Among the participants is LCEC You can visit lcec net to download the LCEC Hurricane Guide and begin your storm preparations

This event is open to the residents of Cape Coral and is a free There will be various giveaways to help residents build their 72-hour hurricane kit

For additional information, visit the city’s website at capecoral net

June programs: Cape Coral Lee County Library activities scheduled

From page 17

F r e e i n f o r m a l , c o n v e r s a t i o n s e s s i o n s f o r a d u l t

ESOL/ESL students

Book Discussion: “We All Want Impossible Things”

by Catherine Newman

11 a.m., Wednesday, June 7

Edith and Ashley have been best friends for over 42 years They've shared the mundane and the momentous together, but now the unthinkable has happened Edi is dying of ovarian cancer and spending her last days at a hospice near Ash As “The Fiddler on the Roof” soundtrack blasts all day long from the room next door, Edi and Ash reminisce, hold on and try to let go For anyone who's ever lost a friend or had one Get ready to laugh through your tears

Summer Reading Kickoff Party 2 p m , Thursday, June 8

Join us for a summer bash for all ages that celebrates reading in our community All ages are invited to sign up for the summer reading program and learn about the programs being offered

Children and teens, through age 18, can get a free book, ice pops in the butterfly garden and grab-and-go craft kits

Meet-and-greets with the book character Curious George for children and some activities in the teen zone for the teens will also be available Adults will be able to participate by receiving the first grab-and-go kit of the summer and entering to win branch prizes over the summer.

Crafts at Cape: Garden Fairy Doors

11 a.m., Thursday, June 15

Join us for a fun midmorning craft and create your own fairy door Supplies and Instructions will be provided Space is limited to 20 Registration is required and is guaranteed up to the start of the program

Crafts at Cape: DIY Shadow Box

11 a.m., Thursday, June 22

Create a shadow box from recycled wooden cigar boxes We will be putting our quilling techniques to use as we create paper flowers to design these boxes Supplies and instructions will be provided Space is limited to 20 Registration is required and is guaranteed up to the start of the program

Children’s Programs

Kids Read Down Fines 1 – 2 p.m., Saturday, June 3

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 and come to the Youth Services desk to register

Summer Reading Kickoff Party 2 p.m., Thursday, June 8

Join us for a summer bash for all ages that celebrates reading in our community All ages are invited to sign up for the summer reading program and learn about the programs being offered No registration required

Children and teens, through age 18, can get a free book, ice pops in the butterfly garden, and grab-and-go craft kits Meet-and-greets with the book character Curious George for children and some activities in the teen zone for the teens will also be available Adults will be able to participate by receiving the first grab-and-go kit of the summer and entering to win branch prizes over the summer

Gigi and Friends

11 a m , Monday, June 12

GiGi and her dog SuperZeus celebrate their love of comedy, magic, dog tricks, sing-alongs and circus in this 30-minute performance packed with fun for all Stick around after the show for giveaways and a meet and greet with SuperZeus Registration is required and is valid until the start of the program Please arrive 15 minutes before

the start of the program This program is for children ages 6-11 to attend independently while caregivers wait nearby in the library

Baby Play Date

11 a.m., Wednesday, June 14

Meet new friends and explore sensory activities that promote the development of early literacy skills through free play, games and toys. For babies up to 24 months. Dress for mess No registration is required, but space is limited Tickets are available 30 minutes before the start of the program

Family Build It Afternoon

1 p.m., Saturday, June 17

Various building materials and engineering stations will be located throughout the Youth Services Room Children of all ages will have a chance to use their imagination and engineering skills for this program

Joshua J. Superstar Show

11 a.m., Monday, June 19

The Joshua J Supershow, starring Joshua J Superstar, fuses side-splitting comedy, nail-biting circus stunts and tons of audience participation Josh has performed for Britney Spears, the Today Show, and currently headlines for Disney Cruise Lines Don't miss this opportunity to see a living legend in action Registration is required and is valid until the start of the program Please arrive 15 minutes before the start of the program This program is for children ages 6-11 to attend independently while caregivers wait nearby in the library

Preschool STEAM

11 a.m., Wednesday, June 21

Preschoolers and their families will have the opportunity to explore science, technology, engineering, art and math concepts through activities, stories and crafts For ages 2-5 Dress for mess No registration is required but space is limited Tickets are available 30 minutes before the start of the program

Family Build It Morning

10 a m , Saturday, June 24

Various building materials and engineering stations will be located throughout the Youth Services Room Children of all ages will have a chance to use their imagination and engineering skills for this program

Science Kids with the Reactory Factory

11 a m , Monday, June 26

Join DJ Dan and Dr Reacto of Reactory Factory for a zany show full of science, music and fun You won't believe how much science rocks Registration is required and is valid until the start of the program Please arrive 15 minutes before the start of the program This program is for children ages 6-11 to attend independently while caregivers wait nearby in the library.

Summertime Storytime

11 a.m., Wednesday, June 28

Join us for our weekly family event where we will share stories, music, movement, rhymes and activities For babies and children through age 5 No registration is required but space is limited Tickets are available 30 minutes before the start of the program

Teen Programs

Kids Read Down Fines

1 – 2 p.m., Saturday, June 3

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 and come to the Youth Services desk to register

Summer Reading Kickoff Party

2 p.m., Thursday, June 8

Join us for a summer bash for all ages that celebrates

reading in our community All ages are invited to sign up for the summer reading program and learn about the programs being offered No registration required Children and teens, through age 18, can get a free book, ice pops in the butterfly garden, and grab-and-go craft kits Meet-and-greets with the book character Curious George for children and some activities in the teen zone for the teens will also be available. Adults will be able to participate by receiving the first grab-and-go kit of the summer and entering to win branch prizes over the summer

Bunny Yoga and Mindfulness

2 p.m., Tuesday, June 13

Class begins with a 10-minute vibe check where we introduce mindful breathing and check-in with our bodies a n d m i n d s P r a c t i c e i n c l u d e s v a r i o u s m o v e m e n t s , songs/chants and deep breathing, with the last 10 minutes being full relaxation Bunnies will be free-roaming and you will be able to gently pet and interact with them Dress for comfort For ages 12-18 Registration is required and is valid only until the start of the program Please arrive 15 minutes early to guarantee your spot in the program

Family Build It Afternoon

1 p.m., Saturday, June 17

Various building materials and engineering stations will be located throughout the Youth Services Room Children of all ages will have a chance to use their imagination and engineering skills for this program

Anime Club

2 p.m., Tuesday, June 20

For teens and tweens interested in anime, manga, Japanese culture and other pop culture genres Watch anime with friends and make themed crafts Snacks will be provided This program is for ages 12-18 Registration required Your registration is valid only until the start of the program Please arrive 15 minutes early to guarantee your spot in the program

Family Build It Morning

10 a m , Saturday, June 24

Various building materials and engineering stations will be located throughout the Youth Services Room Children of all ages will have a chance to use their imagination and engineering skills for this program

Adam's Animal Encounters

2 p m , Tuesday, June 27

Learn more about animals living in Southwest Florida with wildlife biologist Adam Pottruck This hands-on, interactive program gives an up-close perspective on wildlife management, rescue and conservation For ages 12-18 Registration is required and is valid only until the start of the program Please arrive 15 minutes early to guarantee your spot in the program

The Cape Coral Lee County Public Library is located at 921 S.W. 39th 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 239-479-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, Florida Relay Service 711, or jlaguardia@leegov com Accommodation will be provided at no cost to the requestor Requests should be made at least five business days in advance

Against All Odds: Women’s Empowerment Networking Forum event

From page 9

knew she didn’t want her surroundings as a youth to be what her own children would experience She and her husband worked hard to get out of dangerous areas and unfavorable living situations

“I didn’t know what the positive side (of life) was, but I knew what the negative was,” she said “I always knew I wanted better for my children than what I had. I didn’t want to become a statistic ”

Being a gifted student, Dominguez utilized her potential and eventually overcame the odds, which is the main reason behind the organization’s name

“I wanted to prove (my doubters) wrong, and that’s why ‘Against All Odds’ is the name, because I feel that my husband and I, we beat all the odds It was not easy We didn’t know what we were doing but we wanted better for ourselves and our children ”

Working in the department she does at Health Park, Dominguez said she sees a lot of teen moms who aren’t aware of resources available to them As a graduate of the Lee Adolescent Mothers Program in Fort Myers, she said it’s tough to be moved to a separate school and miss out on life milestones such as prom

Lakeland resident and founder/president of Mentoring Agency for Maternal Adolescents Inc , Altrichia Cook Wilcox, said she resonates with Dominguez’ efforts, as she, too, was a teen mom, and will share her story at the event

Wilcox became pregnant in her senior year of high school at age 17

“Though I was young, me and my now husband knew that we had to pursue our college education in order to create a solid foundation for our son,” she said.

Wilcox was connected with Dominguez through mutual friends and quickly learned they had a lot in common

“I commend Dee for the amazing work that she is doing to leave her mark throughout Lee County,” Wilcox said “It is not easy to have a heart to help others as it requires funds to operate and host events It takes a special person to keep going, make a difference and help shape the lives of others Even if you cannot attend, the next generation

needs this dose of empowerment to help them as we approach summer Although having a baby at young age d o e s

Sponsoring a teen to attend would make a substantial impact ”

Wilcox attended Florida State University and she raised her son while earning her Bachelor’s degree in 2009 while being part of multiple university programs such as student government She furthered her education by attending Florida A&M University where she received her Master of Social Work, graduating in 2011 with a desire to be a clinician.

“I encourage young mothers, teens, and all of those

whom I encounter to adopt the ‘success is my only option’ mantra to defy the odds as a young mom or to simply achieve success,” Wilcox said

Tickets for the event are $50 and can be purchased on E

For more information on AAO, Inc , visit

againstalloddsinternational org

Collaboratory is at 2301 Jackson St in Fort Myers

Double homicide: 23 years later, guilty verdict for accused killer

From page 1

to closure over the years I also want to thank the Cape Coral Police Department for never giving up on their investigation of this case Due to their diligence and perseverance, it was possible to prosecute this case 33 years after the murders occurred ”

Judge Robert Branning set the case for an evidentiary hearing, known as a Spencer hearing, on June 26 At this hearing the parties can present further evidence and make legal argument as to the sentence The State will be requesting that the Judge impose a sentence of death

In September of 2016, Cape Coral police announced that Zieler had been arrested and charged in the murders and rapes of Cornell and Story at their residence at 631 S E 12th Ave

The bodies of Robin and Story were found in their Courtyards apartment on May 10, 1990 by Robin’s mother, Jan Cornell Both of the victims had been suffocated and sexually assaulted, police reported

The night before, Cornell’s new roommate, Story, had agreed to watch Robin while she visited her boyfriend When Cornell returned home the next morning, she heard footsteps inside the apartment

Upon entering, Cornell found an ironing board open with pictures of her daughter laid out.

According to police, Cornell ran upstairs and discovered Story’s lifeless body in her bed Cornell then ran to Robin’s room, where she found her daughter’s body lying on the floor of the bedroom

Detectives were able to collect and save a sample of DNA from the crime scene

“I hope the verdict and sentence recommendation have finally brought some sense of justice and closure to the families of Lisa Story and Robin Cornell. I want to thank them for their incredible patience and understanding as we all worked together to bring this case to closure over the years.

I also want to thank the Cape Coral Police Department for never giving up on their investigation of this case Due to their diligence and perseverance, it was possible to prosecute this case 33 years after the murders occurred ”

State Attorney Amira Fox

charges were dropped He was found guilty of carrying a concealed firearm, dealing trafficking in stolen property and resisting an officer with violence

Zieler’s only arrest after that was for possession of marijuana; no charges were filed.

On Aug 27 of 2016, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to Lee Memorial Hospital for a shooting victim, identified as Zachary Zieler, 25 He had sustained a gunshot or a pellet gun wound

An investigation revealed that Zachary Zieler and his father, Zieler, became engaged in a physical altercation and the elder Zieler armed himself with a pellet gun At one point, he aimed it at his son and fired the weapon Zachary’s girlfriend drove him to the hospital when he said he was not able to breathe

Joseph Zieler was arrested and charged with aggravated battery person uses a deadly weapon

Then-police chief David Newlan reported in 2016 that Cape detectives were notified of a recent arrestee in the Lee County Jail who matched the DNA sample recovered from the Robin Cornell and Lisa Story crime scene Joseph Zieler was interviewed and a body sample was taken Within days, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement confirmed the matches.

CCPD officials reported that under a 2009 law, anyone in Florida arrested for a felony will have their DNA taken and compared to CODIS Zieler’s DNA matched up to the 1990 sample in the database

According to records, Zieler was arrested in Lee County two months after the mur-

ders for battery and battery on a law enforcement officer or firefighter, but the

Over the years, the crime was featured three times on “America’s Most Wanted ”

Lisa Story

Robin Cornell

C a p e C o r a l B r e e z e w w w . c a p e c o r a l b r e e z e . c o m M a y 2 6 , 2 0 2 3 ■ P a g e 3 6

With tarpon the talk of the town, the only question is where will you look for yours? Obviously Boca Grande Pass comes to mind first, where fish and fishermen are stacked up Other fish have taken to daily coastal excursions sometimes miles off shore, other times a stone’s throw from the surf, mixed in with summer’s beach-bound snook

If your destination is Boca Grande, be aware that special FWC management and gear regulations apply not only in the pass but extending out into the Gulf and also eastward into Charlotte Harbor Save yourself a lot of grief and check out the FWC website that illustrates the boundaries and outlines the special tackle regulations One important rule is, “Fishing with gear that has a weight attached to a hook, artificial fly or lure in such a way that the weight hangs lower than the hook when the line or leader is suspended vertically from the rod is prohibited when fishing for any species year-round within Boca Grande Pass ”

Over the last two weeks

I’ve witnessed some of the largest bull sharks I’ve ever seen in this area and also a few tarpon attacked in Boca Grande Pass, which is typically bad news for a fightweakened silver king If your h o o k e d f i s h c o m e s u n d e r attack during the fight, loosen the drag, free spool, whatever you need to do to give the fish, possibly 25 years old or m o r e , a n o p p o r t u n i t y t o escape

Along the beaches a variety of presentations will interest these tarpon, from dead baits on bottom to live crabs, pinfish, shrimp and whitebaits under floats to stealthy, well-presented flies or a large selection of soft plastic eels and swimbaits.

Get out your sailfish gear as these amazing jumpers and fighters are showing up on reefs as close as 30 miles off the coast where several members of the snapper family are also ready and waiting for your chum Using longer and lighter fluorocarbon leaders ups your catch when fishing for these sharp eyed and tasty fish

Reports of various sized cobia also visiting these nearshore structures and we still have big permit available looking for your crabs to crush

Trophy snook hunters might also want to join the nearshore fleet hooking over 40-inch snook as by-catch

If you’re day beach walking to find your snook and scoring but on smaller fish, change your game and come back at night for an improved shot at a really big linesider Big fish like a mouthful and a large Rapala XRap casts a mile down the beach covering the surf zone on the retrieve Throwing an X-large top-water plug or popper close to the beach at night, especially near a p a s s , c a n a l s o p r o d u c e s o m e l i f e t i m e m e m o r i e s Remember that casting parallel to the beach rather than long casts out into the Gulf work better for snook when beach walking

Go deep to catch your bottom fare before Old Sparky cranks up this month making early out and early back to the dock the safe ticket when heading far out into the Gulf New to the area? Just understand we have some of the worst lightning in Florida and the Gulf can turn from nice to nasty rather quickly Staying to catch “just a couple more” can be a fatal decision

T

MAY

Island Coast’s Mueller selected Breeze Athlete of the Month for May

Voting begins for People’s Choice Athlete of the Year

The votes are in for the Cape Coral Breeze’s April Athlete of the Month, and the winner is Island Coast High School's Jake Mueller

d

f o u r e x t r a - b a s e h i t s A g a i n s t E v a n g e l i c a l

“We were down two and a guy got on and I was just trying to keep the game going, not trying to do too much," Mueller said "It was a 3-0 count and I got the green light, so I said to myself if I get a good pitch, let’s try to crush it I got the pitch and hit it very well ”

Voting for the Cape Coral Breeze Reader's Choice Athlete of the Year starts today.

m e

r i c k , C h r i s M i n t o , J a k e M u e l l e r , C a r t e r S m i

Be sure to cast your vote online at www capecoralbreeze com

PHOTO PROVIDED

FWC: Safely share the beach with shorebirds this holiday weekend

Each spring and summer, shorebirds and seabirds rely on Florida’s sandy beaches for critical nesting habitat Anyone headed to our shorelines this weekend can make a big difference in shorebird and seabird nesting success

Want to help our beach-nesting birds this Memorial Day weekend? Follow these simple shorebird-friendly tips:

Do the flock walk: Give birds plenty of space by walking around flocks of birds, keeping at least 300 feet from nesting birds when possible and staying out of posted areas Getting too close to nesting shorebirds, seabirds and wading birds can cause them to flush from their b r e e d i n g s i t e s , l e a v i n g v u l n e r a b l e e g g s a n d c h i c k s exposed to the elements and predators Egg temperatures can increase to lethal levels after just a few minutes of direct sun exposure. Shorebirds and seabirds nest in shallow scrapes in the sand and their eggs and chicks are wellcamouflaged, making them vulnerable to being stepped on unless people look out for them and walk around flocks of birds

Look for Critical Wildlife Area closures: Be on the lookout for signs designating Critical Wildlife Areas on the beach or coastal islands – these areas are closed to public access to protect high concentrations of wading birds and shorebirds while they nest and raise their chicks Boaters and beachgoers can help nesting birds by keeping distance and noise volumes low near CWAs

Keep pets at home: Even well-behaved dogs frighten shorebirds and can cause them to abandon their eggs and chicks If you bring your dog with you to the shore, go to a beach where they’re allowed and follow all leash laws

Properly stash all trash: Trash and food scraps attract predators, such as raccoons and crows, that prey on shorebird eggs and chicks Litter on beaches and in the water can entangle birds, turtles and other wildlife Beachgoers can help beach-nesting birds and other native wildlife by

FILE PHOTO

properly disposing of all trash, filling in human-made holes in the sand, and removing all personal gear from the beach before sunset Fishing line can be deadly to waterbirds, sea turtles and other wildlife, so be sure to dispose of it properly To find a monofilament recycling station near you, visit mrrp myfwc com

For additional information about beach-nesting birds across the state of Florida, go to MyFWC com/Shorebirds and download the “Share the Beach with Beach-Nesting Birds” brochure Or go to the Florida Shorebird Alliance website at FLShorebirdAlliance org to learn more about how to participate in shorebird and seabird conservation efforts

Where to look for tarpon?

Island Coast’s Jake Mueller was selected as the Breeze Athlete of the Month for May

With residents and visitors alike flocking to local coastlines this Memorial Day weekend, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reminds beachgoers how they can help protect vulnerable beach-nesting birds while enjoying Florida’s coastal habitats

Shorebirds like these spotted on Cayo Costa Island will also be flocking to the beaches across Southwest Florida this long Memorial Day weekend Florida Fish and Wildlife is urging beachgoers to keep an eye out for the little feathered residents, and to share the sand safely with these natives

Cape Coral Breeze Athletes of the Week

Cape Coral Breeze

Athletes Week of the

(Selected by the Breeze Sports staff)

Thanks to the generosity of sponsors, participants of the 2023 Florida Python Challenge have the opportunity to win a share of thousands in cash prizes! The event, which is hosted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the South Florida Water Management

Sponsored by:

District, features an Ultimate Grand Prize of $10,000 sponsored by Inversa Leathers There is also a prize of $7,500 for the Grand Prize Runner Up, sponsored by the Bergeron Everglades Foundation

“This year we’re going to have $30,000 worth of prizes,” said FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto “We want to thank the private sector Without them we couldn’t offer such great incentives ”

Prizes will also be awarded in the professional, novice and military categories courtesy of Edison National Bank/Bank of the Islands and the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida

Under the leadership of Gov Ron DeSantis, the FWC, SFWMD and the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida host the Florida Python Challenge to raise awareness about invasive species in Florida and their impacts The event, which runs Aug 4-13, encourages people to get directly

involved in Everglades conservation through invasive species removal

Visit FLPythonChallenge org to register for the competition, take the required online training, view the optional training opportunities, learn more about Burmese pythons and the unique Everglades ecosystem, and find resources for planning your trip to south Florida to participate in the Florida Python Challenge

Burmese pythons are not native to Florida and they negatively impact native wildlife. This invasive species is found primarily in and around the Everglades ecosystem in south Florida where they prey on birds, mammals and other reptiles A female Burmese python can lay 50 to 100 eggs at a time Since 2000, more than 18,000 Burmese pythons have been reported to the FWC as removed from the environment For more information on Burmese pythons, visit MyFWC com/Python

once famous Indian River Lagoon that lost their vital grasses and their fish, due to bad water quality

bigger issue. A recent TV report quoted a biologist stating that 90% of the important seagrasses in Matlacha Pass are gone

We are quickly suffering the same fate as Florida’s

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

Disaster recovery: Needs list prioritized; other projects in the queue

From page 1

and added more money

“It’s important to show the need first When we get that overall number, that will give us the information we need to go and advocate the additional dollars,” he said “The $1 1 billion (to Lee County) just isn’t enough.”

A memorandum sent to the council by interim City Manager Michael Ilczyszyn, states that the U S Department of Housing and Community Development made a direct allocation of Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funding to Lee County in the amount of $1,107,881

With Council approval, the city adopted the Cape Coral CDBG-DR during Wednesday’s special meeting To be funded for CDBG-DR, there are four requirements, eligible activity, national objective, which benefits low and moderate income persons and households and urgent need, tieback to Hurricane Ian and unmet recovery need

Lee County officials are required to build Implementation and Action Plans, which are subject to program rules that are specified in the Allocation Announcement Notice The county will work with municipalities, community stake holders and residents to design grant eligible programs to ensure the funding is distributed in an impactful way

The action plan is due by Sept 20, and HUD’s 60 day review and comment period will conclude Nov 19 The timeline also includes a 30-day public comment period from Aug 1, through Aug 31

That funding, at least 70 percent, will be used for low to moderate income households, which HUD defines as a family at, or below 80 percent of area median income, according

to Lee County

Mayor John Gunter

According to backup material from the city of Cape Coral, its unmet needs have a price tag of $4,111,827 23 Projects listed include housing; infrastructure and public facilities and improvements; mitigation; economic development and revitalization; and planning and public services

There is an estimated 4,455 homeowners of the 59,297 FEMA registrants that are CDBG-DR eligible and received significant damage, most likely leading to unmet needs

The city’s inspection staff estimated that the average cost of repair $54,540, plus 25 percent contingency, was calculated for properties classified as minor damage, major damage and destroyed

There are also 1,963 renters who fall into the housing unmet needs

The total housing unmet need is $281,101,320 for owners, $133,827,525 for renters for a total of $414,928,845, according to the city

To recover the unmet needs, the city proposes a number of programs, including the Single-Family Home Repair and Hardening Program with an recommended allocation of $98,385,462; Attainable Homeownership Program for a recommended allocation of $235,574,555; Attainable Senior Rental Program with a recommended allocation of

$66,913,763 and the Down payment Assistance Program & Interest Rate Buydown Program for a recommended allocation of $14,055,065

The housing projects and programs includes acquisition and rehabilitation of a “contaminated golf course into compact affordable housing mixed with low commercial and greenspace in a planned mobility hub” for an estimated total unmet need of $40,000,000 The description and scope of work includes masterplan, Laura’s project, as Country Club/Palm Tree Boulevard as alternative routes from Cape Coral Parkway The two stories affordable housing would have commercial development on the lower level

Also included is a Senior Rental Program that would include a development of multifamily rental housing for low and medium income households Acquisition of land, and, or construction of units would be needed

As far as infrastructure the total program estimated costs is $2,394,559,741, which would use FEMA and FHWA Match funding for such projects as roads, bridges, tunnels, transit, pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure and environmental mitigation

One of those infrastructure projects in the backup material includes the project name Community Support - Cape Coral Caring Center for an estimated cost of $400,000

This would be a community building offering all types of emergency assistance after a disaster with such offerings as ice, water, food, phone charging stations and prepared sandwiches

In addition, there is a project that would construct a Community Recreation Center/Shelter of 90,000 square feet with servicing 20,000 square feet of kennels during emergencies and a community center/animal shelter when not in an emergency. This has an estimated cost of $80,000,000

Another infrastructure project listed is a three-level structure to include a two-level garage of 150,000 square feet, and a third level to include a safe room, commercial kitchen and community center for mixed use This project, dubbed the Kennedy Center Parking Garage, Safe Room and Sun Splash Commercial Kitchen/Restaurant, has an estimated cost of $90,000,000

Other projects include the North 1 West Utilities Extension Project, North 1 East Utilities Extension Project, North 3 Utilities Extension project, North 4 Utilities Extension project and the North 5 Utilities Extension Project

There are a total of 28 proposed mitigation projects for an estimated cost of $863,105,358

Fire Chief Ryan Lamb said there were “200 something” projects submitted The projects were ranked from one to five

“Not all the projects that we reviewed made those ranked list,” he said

Lamb said there are different dollars associated with different pots of money

“We are going to continue to seek additional grant funding Fund as much of this as possible,” he said adding that they will politically go and get state and congressional support

“It’s important to show the need first. When we get that overall number, that will give us the information we need to go and advocate the additional dollars The $1 1 billion (to Lee County) just isn’t enough ”

By land or by sea: Be safe this holiday weekend

Officials emphasize preparedness on the water; heavy Memorial Day related traffic expected

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 W h e t h e r y o u p l a n t o h i t t h e r o a d s o r t h e w a t e r w a y s t h i s M e m o r i a l D a y w e e ke n d , l o c a l o f f i c i a l s a r e p r e a c h i n g p r ep a r e d n e s s a n d b e s t p r a c t i c e s t o k e e p a l l t r a v e l e r s s a f e N a t i o n a l S a f e B o a t i n g W e e k r u n s f r o m M a y 2 0 - 2 6 a n d k i c k s o f f t h e s u mm e r b o a t i n g s e a s o n - - a p o p u l a r r e c r ea t i o n a l a c t i v i t y f o r d r o v e s o f F l o r i d a r e si d e n t s a n d v i s i t o r s F l o r i d a i s r e c o g n i z e d a s t h e “ B o a t i n g C a p i t o l o f t h e W o r l d , ” l e a d i n g t h e n a t i o n w i t h m o r e t h a n 1 m i l l i o n r e g i s t e r e d v e ss e l s a c r o s s t h e S u n s h i n e S t a t e A c c o r d i n g t o t h e F l o r i d a F i s h a n d W i l d l i f e C o m m i s s i o n , i n 2 0 2 2 , 5 4 % o f a l l v e s s e l a c c i d e n t s i n v o l v e d c o l l i s i o n . O f f i c i a l s s a i d t h e p r i m a r y c a u s e s f o r t h e a c c i d e n t s w e r e “ i m p r o p e r l o o k o u t a n d o p e r a t o r e x p e r i e n c e ” “ O u r s t a t e i s k n o w n w o r l d w i d e a s a p r i m e b o a t i n g s p o t f o r r e s i d e n t s a n d v i si t o r s U n f o r t u n a t e l y , e a c h y e a r F W C o f f i c e r s r e s p o n d t o f a r t o o m a n y t r a g i c b o a t i n g a c c i d e n t s t h a t c o u l d h a v e b e e n p r e v e n t e d , ” s t a t e d F W C B o a t i n g a n d W a t e r w a y s S e c t i o n L e a d e r , M a j R o b B e a t o n “ T h e r e w e r e h u n d r e d s o f a c c id e n t s r e p o r t e d l a s t y e a r , i n v o l v i n g a l m o s t 2 , 0 0 0 i n d i v i d u a l s . ” I n a n a t t e m p t t o r e d u c e t h e n u m b e r o f b o a t i n g a c c i d e n t s , F W C e n c o u r a g e s b o a t e r s t o p a y a t t e n t i o n , m a i n t a i n 3 6 0d e g r e e a w a r e n e s s a t a l l t i m e s , a n d t a k e a b o a t e r s a f e t y c o u r s e F W C s a i d i n 2 0 2 2 , 7 0 % o f o p e r a t o r s i n v o l v e d i n f a t a l b o a ti n g a c c i d e n t s h a d n o f o r m a l b o a t e r e d u -

“ We k n o w t h a t a n e d u c a t e d b o a t e r i s s a f e r o n t h e w a t e r. E v e r y o n e c a n b e n e f i t f r o m t a k i n g a b o a t i n g s a f e t y c o u r s e , i t m a k e s f o r a s a f e r a n d m o r e e n j o y a b l e e x p e r i e n c e f o r e v e r y o n e o n b o a r d . ”

Maj Rob Beaton, Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission Boating and Waterways section leader

c a t i o n “ W e k n o w t h a t a n e d u c a t e d b o a t e r i s s a f e r o n t h e w a t e r , ” B e a t o n c o n t i n u e d “ E v e r y o n e c a n b e n e f i t f r o m t a k i n g a b o a t i n g s a f e t y c o u r s e , i t m a k e s f o r a s a f e r a n d m o r e e n j o y a b l e e x p e r i e n c e f o r e v e r y o n e o n b o a r d ” A m o n g m a n y d i f f e r e n t t i p s p r o v i d e d b y F W C , b o a t e r s a r e e n c o u r a g e d t o f i n d a n d w e a r a c o m f o r t a b l e U n i t e d S t a t e s C o a s t G u a r d - a p p r o v e d l i f e j a c k e t a t a l l t i m e s w h i l e o n t h e w a t e r T h e y s h o u l d a l s o e d u c a t e t h e m s e l v e s o n t h e d a n g e r s o f i m p a i r e d b o a t i n g A l c o h o l a n d d r u g s c a n i m p a i r a b o a t e r ’ s j u d g e m e n t , r e a ct i o n t i m e a n d o v e r a l l a b i l i t y t o o p e r a t e a b o a t s a f e l y . “ B o a t i n g w h i l e i m p a i r e d b y a l c o h o l o r d r u g s i s d a n g e r o u s a n d i l l e g a l , ” B e a t o n s t a t e d “ F W C o f f i c e r s a r e a l w a y s o n t h e l o o k o u t f o r i m p a i r e d o p e r a t o r s a n d t h e s e o p e r a t o r s w i l l f a c e a r r e s t i f f o u n d t o b e o p e r a t i n g u n d e r t h e i n f l u e n c e o f a l c o h o l o r d r u g s ” F o r a s u m m a r y o f F l o r i d a ’ s r e g u l at i o n s a n d a v a i l a b l e c o u r s e s , v i s i t : M y F W C c o m / B o a t i n g T o r e p o r t d a n g e r o u s b o a t i n g a c t i v i t y , t h e p u b l i c c a n s u b m i t a n o n y m o u s t i p s b y

t e x t i n g 8 4 7 4 1 1 ( T i p 4 1 1 ) w i t h k e y w o r d

“

F W C ” f o l l o w e d b y t h e l o c a t i o n a n d a n y i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t t h e v i o l a t i o n o r c a l l

8 8 8 - 4 0 4 - F W C C ( 3 9 2 2 ) A d d i t i o n a l l y , t h e r e i s a d o w n l o a d a b l e i P h o n e o r

A n d r o i d a p p : “ F W C W i l d l i f e A l e r t ”

H i t t i n g t h e r o a d

A A A - T h e A u t o C l u b G r o u p , a n t i c ip a t e s F l o r i d i a n s t o t r a v e l i n r e c o r d n u mb e r s t h i s M e m o r i a l D a y W e e k e n d , a s t h e y f o r e c a s t n e a r l y 2 4 m i l l i o n t h r o u g ho u t t h e s t a t e w i l l t r a v e l 5 0 - p l u s m i l e s

T h a t n u m b e r i s 1 7 2 , 0 0 0 m o r e t h a n l a s t y e a r a n d n e a r l y 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 m o r e t h a n p r e -

p a n d e m i c 2 0 1 9

A n e s t i m a t e d 2 . 1 m i l l i o n w i l l d r i v e ( 1 3 7 , 0 0 0 m o r e t h a n 2 0 2 2 ) , w h i l e 2 0 8 , 0 0 0 a r e f o r e c a s t t o f l y ( 2 5 , 0 0 0 m o r e t h a n l a s t y e a r ) “ M e m o r i a l D a y w e e k e n d i s t h e k i c ko f f t o w h a t p r o m i s e s t o b e a v e r y b u s y s u m m e r t r a v e l s e a s o n , ” s t a t e d V i c e P r e s i d e n t o f T r a v e l f o r A A A , D e b b i e H a a s “ D e s p i t e v a r i o u s i n f l a t i o n a r y p r e ss u r e s , c o n s u m e r s p e n d i n g i s s t r o n g , a n d A m e r i c a n s s t i l l w a n t t o t r a v e l B e c a u s e o f t h a t , w e ’ v e s e e n d e m a n d c o m e r o a r i n g b a c k , b e y o n d p r e - p a n d e m i c l e v e l s i n

F l o r i d a ” F r i d a y , M a y 2 6 w i l l b e t h e b u s i e s t d a y o n t h e r o a d s , a c c o r d i n g t o I N R I X , a p r o v i d e r o f t r a n s p o r t a t i o n d a t a a n d i n s i g h t s T h e b e s t t i m e s t o t r a v e l b y c a r , d u r i n g t h e h o l i d a y w e e k e n d , w i l l b e i n t h e m o r n i n g o r e v e n i n g a f t e r 6 p m T h e l i g h t e s t t r a f f i c d a y s w i l l b e S a t u r d a y a n d S u n d a y T o a v o i d c o n g e s t i o n , I N R I X s u g g e s t s d r i v i n g d u r i n g n o n - p e a k h o u r s o r u s i n g a l t e r n a t i v e r o u t e s F o r t h e 2 5 t h y e a r , T h e A u t o C l u b

G r o u p h a s p r o v i d e d t h e T o w t o G o p r og r a m W h e n c a l l e d u p o n , T h e A u t o C l u b G r o u p d i s p a t c h e s a t o w t r u c k t o t r a n s p o r t t h e d r i v e r a n d v e h i c l e t o a s a f e l o c a t i o n w i t h i n a 1 0 - m i l e r a d i u s f o r f r e e S i n c e i t s i n c e p t i o n , T o w t o G o h a s r e m o v e d m o r e t h a n 2 5 , 0 0 0 i m p a i r e d d r i v e r s f r o m t h e r o a d T o w t o G o i s a c t i v e f r o m 6 p m F r i d a y , M a y 2 6 , t o 6 a m T u e s d a y , M a y 3 0 F r e e c o n f i d e n t i a l r i d e s a v a i l a b l e t o A A A m e m b e r s a n d n o n - m e m b e r s “ B y p r o v i d i n g t h i s p r o g r a m , A A A g i v e s d r i v e r s n o e x c u s e f o r d r i v i n g u n d e r t h e i n f l u e n c e o f d r u g s , a l c o h o l o r i m p a i ri n g m e d i c a t i o n s , ” s t a t e d A A A s p o k e s p e r s o n M a r k J e n k i n s “ H o w e v e r , w e r e m i n d p e o p l e t o t r e a t T o w t o G o a s a l a s t r e s o r t I n s t e a d , m a k e a d v a n c e d p l a n s f o r a s a f e r i d e h o m e , b e c a u s e y o u d o n o t w a n t t o b e r e m e m b e r e d o n M e m o r i a l D a y a s t h e p e r s o n w h o m a d e t h e f a t a l m i s t a k e o f d r i v i n g i m p a i r e d ” T h e T o w t o G o s e r v i c e c a n b e r e a c h e d b y c a l l i n g ( 8 5 5 ) 2 - T O W - 2 - G O o r ( 8 5 5 ) 2 8 6 - 9 2 4 6

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