Pine Island Eagle

Doctor Watson’s Spirits opens at Calusa Cay

By PAULETTE LeBLANC pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

It was quite a relief for Beth Durling, owner of Doctor Watson’s Spirits of Pine Island, to finally have moved into the new location at Calusa Cay The store began in the Winn-Dixie plaza on the island in 1984, Durling explained, after her father, a big fan of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson, applied for and won the liquor license, by lottery

“To this day, liquor licenses are drawn based on population increase You either buy one that is a resale market or you have the opportunity to buy one in a state lot-

tery,” Durling said

For years, her brother Richard entered her father in the state lottery for a liquor license, she said, and her father won The license was originally intended for a Holmes and Watson-themed restaurant and lounge, but instead landed on Doctor Watson’s Spirits package store Talk about moving the store began some time ago, when it was thought perhaps another liquor store might open near the center

Durling said it really wasn’t on her radar at first because Pine Island Elementary is too close to have a store in the Calusa Cay Shopping Plaza that sells alcohol,

Sharing what she knows with everyone -- free of charge

MOTI president and Kiwanian Hartshorne teaching painting classes

By PAULETTE LeBLANC pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

Pine Island Kiwanian Karen Hartshorne believes it is important to share everything she has In addition to serving Pine Island through the Kiwanis Club, she also volunteers and is the president of the Museum of the Islands (MOTI) In fact, she teaches children free painting classes right inside the museum and encourages them to sell their work for a fair price

At one point, Hartshorne even invited pro-baseball player Bill Lee to come and paint right along with the children

“I went to Louisiana State University and I took Drawing I and they moved me into the graduate pro-

gram because I told them I did not want to get a degree they let you do that at LSU So I went straight into the graduate program to painting and drawing, had an overall 4 0 in everything I took and that’s my education,” Hartshorne said

While living in Hawaii, Hartshorne taught painting to the nuns and patients at the Hanson’s Disease Colony of Kalaupa’a in Molokai She said she always teaches free of charge because she never wants the cost of doing something to get in the way of people reaching their goals and potential, and because that’s what she was taught when she was young

See SHARING, page 7

but when she learned the plaza would be requesting a variance for retail stores, she quickly got on board

“It was almost a no-brainer, because someone was going to go in there, and if it wasn’t me, it was going to be someone else,” Durling said

It was at that point she said she called the developer, told them who she was and threw her hat in the ring If anyone was going to open there, it should be them, she said, since they have been on the island for so many years What Durling describes as a very slow process,

See DR. WATSON’S SPIRITS, page 10

Elks Lodge #2781 to host Flag Day

Ceremony June 14

O

Protective Order of Elks Lodge #2781 will hold its annual Flag Day Ceremony The Elks have celebrated the holiday since the early days of its organization In 1907, the BPOE Grand Lodge designated June 14 as Flag Day

T h e e v e n t w i l l b e g i n w i t h t h e “ P r e s e n t a t i o n o f Colors” and opening remarks by Exalted Ruler Judy Hopkins of Greater Pine Island Elks 2781 This event is open to the public and will begin at 11 a m , at the VFW Post 4353, 8150 Stringfellow Road, St James City

Many people may not know that Flag Day has been an important part of the Elks’ culture even before it was adopted as a day of national observance. Flag Day is an Elks patriotic tradition, and allegiance to the flag of the country is a requirement of every Elks member The Pledge of Allegiance is cited at the beginning of every Elks Lodge meeting

In 1907, the B P O Elks Grand Lodge designated by resolution June 14 as Flag Day The Grand Lodge of the Elks Order adopted mandatory observance of the occasion by every Elks Lodge in 1911, as it is still honored today

The Elks prompted President Woodrow Wilson to

See FLAG DAY, page 10

PHOTO PROVIDED BY KAREN HARTSHORNE Karen Hartshorne with two young art students she is teaching

PHOTO PROVIDED

The flags that will be used by the Elks for the Flag Day Ceremony Wednesday, June 14

Elks Lodge purchases Stop the Bleed kits for PIE

The Greater Pine Island Elks lodge #2781 purchased Stop The Bleed kits for the Pine Island Elementary School from its charitable trust fund Stop to Bleed encourages teachers to be trained, equipped and empowered to help in a bleeding emergency before professional help arrives

Stop the Bleed is one of the nation’s largest public health campaigns Its goal is to save lives by training people across the country how to stop traumatic bleeding

The program Stop the Bleed trains the public to provide first aid for severe bleeding, whether caused by a shooting or an accident, and some parents want to see it in their children’s schools Corporal Wilfred Rivera keeps a bleeding control kit in his car in case of an emergency

“With this kit, I could save somebody’s life,” he

explained “I might even be able to save two people’s lives ”

The kit contains supplies designed to stop severe bleeding, like gauze, pressure dressing and a tourniquet Rivera wanted to see these kits at Pine Island Elementary school, along with staff members who are trained to use it, so he reached out to the Greater Pine Island Elks #2781 to purchase the kits for the school

“I would like to see and know that at least a certain percentage of the staff have had training to respond to a

Holding the donated Stop the Bleed kits are, from left are Cpl Wilfred Rivera; Judy Hopkins, Exalted Ruler; PER Jack Rovaldi; PER Everett Goodwin III; and Pine Island Elementary Principal Dr. Tom Millins.

serious accident or a traumatic injury like a school shooting,” he said

Stop the Bleed classes provide that type of training

Stop the Bleed is a national initiative to teach anyone who wants to learn how to stop serious bleeding, buying precious time until emergency crews arrive Rivera, Pine Island Elementary Safety Officer, is an instructor

See STOP THE BLEED, page 14

Island Kiwanis Club to host two Family Pool Parties this summer

The Kiwanis Club of Pine Island is thrilled to be hosting its Family Pool Parties again this summer The parties will be held June 10 and Aug 5 from 11 a m to 1 p.m. Kiwanis will cover entrance fees to the Pine Island Community Pool and have free hot dogs, watermelon, chips, cookies and drinks while supplies last

The Pine Island Kiwanis Club meets Wednesdays at 8 a m at the Pine Island United Methodist Church in Wesley Hall Breakfast is at 7:30 a m Guests are welcome to come learn more about the club's activities sup-

porting the children of Pine Island

The Pine Island Community Pool is located in Phillips Park at 5675 Sesame Drive, Bokeelia, just west of The Center. For additional information about the Community Pool facility, which is under the direction of the Lee County Parks and Recreation Department, please call 239-283-2220

For more information about the Pine Island Kiwanis or the Family Pool Party, please call Tonya Player at 239-203-4682

PHOTO PROVIDED

OPINIONS

10700 Stringfellow Road, Ste 60 Bokeelia, FL 33922 Phone: (239) 283-2022 Fax: (239) 283-0232

Web: pineisland-eagle

Publisher Raymond M Eckenrode reckenrode@breezenewspapers com

Executive Editor Valarie Harring vharring@breezenewspapers com

Editor Paulette LeBlanc pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

Advertising Director Laurie Ragle lragle@ breezenewspapers com

Advertising Sales Charlene Russ cruss@breezenewspapers com

Design & Layout Chris Strine cstrine@breezenewspapers com Obituaries Debbie Carletti obits@breezenewspapers

DeSantis – the right man for Florida

To the editor: Ron DeSantis won by the largest vote majority for Florida governor since 1982 when Bob Graham won his election

Bob Graham was a different kind of Democrat from those of today He was a great negotiator and understood compromise and fairness He had integrity and it was on display in his daily routine which included his “workday” program where he would work 100 days a year with the citizens he represented in their particular job

Governor Graham did not have to deal with COVID or ANTIFA or Black Lives Matter He delivered solutions for Florida without dividing our state and he did not teach h i s c o n s t i t u e n t s t o t o t a l l y h a t e a l l Republicans He governed before Obama’s & Biden’s Globalism, “One World Order” and “Wokeness ” He, unlike today’s Democratic politicians, did not subscribe to Sol Alinsky’s “rules for radicals” and he believed in the United States Constitution

He did not make up lies about his opponents to seek an advantage nor did he believe in the mantra of the Dem party of today to “win at any cost ” He won by his actions and his deeds and not by empty promises or fostering hatred against his opponents

Governor DeSantis has governed much the same way but in a different time Most Democrats will never vote for him for the simple reason that he is a Republican and they have all been taught to hate and despise any and all Republicans since 2008

The Eagle is published every Wednesday

Letters to the Editor

only rationale for their vote

Would DeSantis make a great president?

Maybe so, but he’s definitely been a spectacular governor

Max Christian St James City

Maybe a lesson in civics is necessar y

To the editor:

Vivek Ramaswamy believes our country needs to redevelop civic pride by instilling civics in schools as well as in adult education

We should all look at the civics test that all new U S citizens must pass I agree with Vivek Ramaswamy after reading a recent letter written by a Cape Coral resident The letter writer mistakenly believes presidents pass bills when our Constitution clearly states all spending bills must originate in the U.S. House of Representatives Therefore, the increase in national debt the letter writer spoke of originated with Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House from 2007 to 2023

Kevin McCarthy is the current Speaker of the House effective 1/7/2023 The current U S House passed a bill to increase the debt limit and to slow the growth in federal spending A basic civics class would have told the Cape Coral writer that it is now the responsibility of Chuck Schumer and the U S Senate to pass a comparable bill and then send it to t h e H o u s e a n d S e n a t e C o n f e r e n c e Committee The process of passing bills is an elementary concept in U S civics that is required in order to have an informed opinion

Mike Downing St James City

His ideals, his incredible resume, his evenhanded fairness will never see the light of day in the Socialist Democratically controlled m e d i a T h i s s a m e “ m a i n s t r e a m m e d i a ” propped up Andrew Gillum in his narrow loss to Gov DeSantis Gillum seemed to have the MO of the favorite candidate profiles of the Democratic Party of today.

Web Poll

Question:

Gillum did not possess any of the characteristics of a governor or a statesman or even a person you would trust to babysit your children or grandchildren, but the mainstream media did such a hit job on Gov DeSantis and ignored or hid the facts of the real Andrew Gillum, that he almost won an election that he should have lost in a landslide

Wouldn’t it be nice if Democrats could put aside their “vote early and vote often” “win at any cost” attitude and take a close look at who the candidates are in a race and decide their choice on the merits of that individual instead of only their party affiliation?

One look at our current president and it’s clear nobody that voted for him thought he would make our country a better place Their hatred for the other guy and their loyalty to a party that has betrayed our country was their

Talk about wasted money

To the editor:

Gary Lane wrote, honestly, in a recent issue of The Breeze, that he’s a boater and wants the Chiquita lock removed because it’s a pain to deal with He mentions the anecdotal environmental evidence he and his wife have observed and it’s nice to hear the manatees like the canal he lives on and they don’t have red tide or algal blooms

The letter writer goes on to complain about the cost to the taxpayers of Cape Coral, in operating and maintaining such an old structure, which leads to my “What?!?!?”

What did the City of Cape Coral spend to purchase the parcels of unincorporated Lee County land west of Burnt Store Road a few years ago? What are they paying Lee County in taxes on those parcels each year?

What could be done with all that money that’s just sitting there while the city waits to sell it to some “deserving” developer (who will probably buy it at a loss to the city) and make a pile of loot in the end?

What’s in it for you, the taxpayer in Cape

We want your opinion

Coral? Certainly not tax relief!

It seems that you citizens of Cape Coral believe if projects are “implemented” and some problems “eliminated” that you should get what you want, and shouldn’t have to abide by previous commitments, even if there was no improvement in the overall environmental situation

Dan Herfurth Matlacha

Local bans or not, fer tilizer use affects our waterways

To the editor:

Because most decisions made at the broadest level can best reflect the feedback from the people most affected, granting local authority some autonomy just makes good sense Local control or home rule is generally preferred for governing decisions that affect the locals the most But DeSantis’ GOP legislature passed a broad swath of legislation ranging from anti local control, to just plain disrespectful of Floridians

Locally we have lost the right to rent control; virtually the only mechanism that keeps housing affordable They have also passed a state law that overruled our local ordinance that prohibited fertilizing your lawn in the spring to prevent dangerous toxins from exacerbating red tide in our water Talk about fixing something that was not broken!

Red tide is a neurotoxin (neuro for brain, toxin for poison) As we see the remaining few panthers in the wild unable to walk straight, do we really think more toxins in the water are good for the local wild life? Is there anyone in Southwest Florida that thinks we need more smelly slime in our water? Only those in the slash and burn real estate market, who need neon green curb appeal to flip the property, could see a profit from the rest of us choking from impassable Cape Coral canals

Please refrain from using fertilizer during the spring and summer, when your water ways are the most vulnerable

Ellen Starbird Cape Coral

From the Firehouse

Hurricane season is here, the M/PIFCD will be ready

With another hurricane season upon us, your fire department is ready again to protect and serve our community Crews once again will be preparing the department's equipment and stations to be ready for this year’s hurricane season Follow us on Facebook @MPIFCD for important information.

Hurricane Ian taught us many lessons, but the most important one was that our community is resilient and never gives up

Fire Chief Ben Mickuliet

Hurricane season is here, are you prepared? CERT Update

(Editor’s note: In the coming weeks, the Matlacha/Pine Island Fire Control District Community Emergency Response Team will be providing a series on disaster preparedness for islanders )

By NARCISSUS E. MAGTURO and KAREN TITOLO, CERT members

Welcome to your CERT team’s series of disaster preparedness articles

What you can do now! Part II.

1 Collect and assemble a disaster supply kit This is useful whether you shelter in place or need to evacuate Prepare supplies for home, work, pets and vehicles.

1 Plan for a minimum 3-day supply

2 1-gallon of water per day person and pets, if you are planning to shelter in place or evacuate to another location that is not a county shelter

3 Non-perishable foods Don’t forget a can opener

4 Personal items, clothing, pillows, blankets, toiletries, important papers, cash and credit cards

5 Medical supplies, including medications and medical equipment.

6 Safety equipment - battery-operated radio, flashlight, extra batteries, charging cords for cell phones

7 F u e l , v e h i c l e s a

e n e r a t o r s

During hurricanes like Irma and Ian, there was a shortage of available fuel locally Fill up before forecasted storms arrive Operate generators outside the Home

8 . A c o m p r e h e n s i v e l i s t , i n b o t h English and Spanish, can be found in the Lee County All Hazards Guide available a t w w w l e e g o v c o m / p u b l i c s a f e t y / e m e rgencymanagement/plan/ahg

2 Learn where to seek shelter from all types of hazards

1 All county emergency shelters are off-island

3 Identify the community warning systems and evacuation routes

1 K n o w y o u r e v a c u a t i o n z o n e Matlacha and Pine Island are Zone A

2. Should evacuations be raised, they include which zones are under evacuation News and emergency media outlets will continually update the zones under evacuation

3 The free Lee County “LeePrepares” app, available through both the Apple and Android stores, provides information on preparing for and recovering from all types of disasters; features include information on active evacuations and EOC

activation level, shelter information, ability to sign-up for the AlertLee notification system for telephone, text, and/or email alerts, links to special needs registration, a full family disaster plan and emergency supply list, and ASL disaster preparedness

videos

4 WGCU-90 1 FM is the Southwest Florida affiliate of the Florida Public Radio Emergency Network It will stay on the air during power outages and continue broadcasting information you need to stay safe

5 NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards (NWR) is a nationwide network of radio stations broadcasting continuous weather information and associated alerts directly f r o m t h e n e a r e s t N a t i o n a l W e a t h e r Service office Fort Myers information can be found on Channel 4 (162 475 MHz)

6 . E m e r g e n c y A l e r t S y s t e m & Wireless Emergency Alerts - This Federal emergency alert system may be used by State and Local authorities for emergencies; the emergency alert system sends messages on radio and TV; the wireless emergency alerts are sent via phones

Next time we will cover information for evacuating

Did you prepare your family emergency plan? If you did, practice and maintain it Even talking through your plan at the beginning of hurricane season is helpful

Below is the summary list of actions you can take now, ahead of a storm, to be prepared Use this list as a reminder each week of actions you can take now to be better prepared

1 Make an emergency plan (article #1)

2 Know your warnings and alerts (this article) 3 Register

with Lee County if

l n e e d s - o n l i n e a t w w w . l e e E O C . c o m o r b y c a l l i n g L e e County Emergency Management at 239533-0622; pre-registration is required1

4 Review important documents

5 Strengthen your home

6 Get tech ready

7 Help your neighborhood

8 Gather supplies

Have questions about this article? You can contact the M/PIFCD, Station #1, at 2 3 9 - 2 8 3 - 0 0 3 0 , M o n d a y - F r i d a y , 7 : 3 0 a m to 4:30 p m

Lee Health Bloodmobile at Moose Lodge June 17

The Lee Health Bloodmobile will be visiting the Pine Island Moose Lodge at 8903 Stringfellow Road in St James City Saturday, June 17, from 8 a m to 12 p m

All the blood collected remains in Lee H e a l t h , w h i c h i n c l u d e s t h e G o l i s a n o Children's Hospital of Southwest Florida, the Regional Cancer Center and the only trauma center (which is located in the Lee Memorial Hospital) within a 5-county radius

The blood also supports Cape Coral

H o s p i t a l a n d G u l f C o a s t Medical Center.

One in three people will need blood in their lifetime You never know when you o r s o m e o n e y o u k n o w o r l o v e w i l l n e e d b l o o d S o come out and Give the Gift of Life!

All donors will receive a free health checkup, cholesterol screening, and gift New studies show that donating blood i m p r o v e s y o u r o v e r a l l c a r d i o v a s c u l a r

h e a l t h R e g u l a r l y d o n a t i n g blood helps men in particular to reduce the amount of iron in the blood This can reduce the chance of heart attack by 8 8 % A d d i t i o n a l l y , r e g u l a r blood donation can lower the risk of severe cardiovascular e v e n t s s u c h a s s t r o k e b y

33% You also burn 650 calories! It's a win-win!

P l e a s e h e l p u s m a k e o u r g o a l of 20 units of blood

Requirements for donating blood:

■ Weigh at least 115 lbs

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

■ Be relatively healthy

■ Provide photo ID

■ Have 56 days between donations

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

Questions about donating? Call us at 343-2333

Naval Marine Mammal Program

For over 60 years, the U S N a v y h a s t r a i n e d b o t t l e n o s e dolphins as well as sea lions to perform military-related tasks Currently, there are about 70 dolphins in the Marine Mammal Program The program is based in San Diego, California A number of the dolphins come from the Gulf of Mexico Dolphins are trained to cond u c t s u r v e i l l a n c e , d e f e n d against enemy swimmers, and l o c a t e u n d e r w a t e r m i n e s , a m o n g o t h e r t a s k s C u r r e n t technology can’t match the dolp h i n ’ s r e m a r k a b l e a b i l i t i e s They are incredibly intelligent w i t h t h e m o s t s o p h i s t i c a t e d sonar known to science

Capt. Cathy Eagle Dolphin Tales

The marine mammals are trained very similarly to service dogs They receive positive reinforcement with treats and praise for completing more continually complex tasks Naval dolphins are trained in the open sea Dolphins send out focused, high-frequency clicking and buzzing sounds that bounce off objects The returning sound waves can then be picked up by the dolphin’s inner ears, generating information that’s transmitted to the brain and interpreted This must be how they know my boat, my engines and my voice We have become friends They know me

Dolphins can be outfitted with cameras to scope out enemy submersibles and swimmers When Naval dolphins encounter a swimmer while on duty, they are trained to

first notify their handler, then return to the swimmer with a tagging device so the trespasser can be located and apprehended Dolphins are also trained to find objects that resemble either floating or buried mines, then to return to their handler and touch a disk or ball with their nose

The handler then gives the dolphin a weighted buoy or an a c o u s t i c t r a n s p o n d e r t o t a k e back to the potential mine and mark its location

I n 2 0 0 3 , d u r in g th e I r aq War, a team of nine dolphins r e p o r t e d l y h e l p e d t o l o c a t e m o r e t h a n 1 0 0 m i n e s a n d booby traps at the port of Umm Qasr, allowing it to reopen to naval traffic after just a week

The Marine Mammal Program has been criticized as unethical However, the program contends that the dolphins have excellent medical care and living conditions They work with the Navy in the open sea where they could easily swim away Navy officials have considered replacing the dolphins with underwater drones. However, drones do not match the sonar capabilities of the dolphin

Capt Cathy Eagle has spent over 40 years boating in our local waters As a professiona l C h a r t e r C a p t a i n , s h e s p e c i a l i z e s i n D o l p h i n a n d N a t u r e t o u r s V i s i t CaptainCathy com or call /text 239 9942572 Welcome aboard!

Sharing From page 1

“I always like to do free classes I was always told by my grandmother that my talents would be taken away if I d i d n ’ t s h a r e t h e m I a l w a y s remembered that,” Hartshorne said, laughing

In case anyone wants to learn to knit, Hartshorne said she teaches that age-old skill as well, currently at the library She said she saw knitting needles and a bunch of yarn at a thrift store and bought them, because she refuses to let anything get in her way It seems from children to 90 year olds, there isn’t a person on Pine I s l a n d w h o c a n ’ t l e a r n s o m e t h i n g from Hartshorne, free of charge, as she volunteers her time to teach people just about anything imaginable

“I’m fortunate that my husband makes enough money that so that I can just volunteer,” Hartshorne said

While growing up, Hartshorne said her family had very little money, which meant she had to forgo many activities This began in her a desire to make a way for anyone who wishes to partake in whatever they care to take on, such as painting, knitting or jewelry making

“Because I didn’t get to do it, I wanted to let the kids here do it Cost should never get in the way I’ll find a way,” Hartshorne said When she needs things, she said, they just seem to appear at the right time, such as the Kiwanis Club giving her $500 to supplement art supplies for the children’s art classes

“I have all kinds of surprises in

See related news item, page 17

e m , ” H a r t s h o r n e s a i d , explaining that she will have a comic book pad, for comic strip making as well as acrylic paints for the kids

Hartshorne said although she is teaching children, she teaches them to draw on a college level Even as young as 8 years old, she said they have no problem understanding concepts such as negative space

“It’s often about the way we look at things, so a lot of it is just teaching them how to see I encourage them to use both of their hands I tell them, you have two, use both of them,” Hartshorne said

There are generally no age requirem e n t s f o r a n y t h i n g s h e t e a c h e s Hartshorne usually allows each individual’s attention span to guide the way, saying if they can’t pay attention, they’re not old enough She said she would like to have an exhibit for the children in the library, allowing them to speak about their individual pieces with whomever comes to the exhibit

“We have a critique at the end of every class The children all have to put up what they’ve been working on, in the front, and they discuss their pieces then we teach them constructive criticism, ” Hartshorne said

If you have a question about painting, knitting or jewelry making, email Karen Hartshorne at giftshop@museumoftheislands com

June programs set at Pine Island Public Library

Next month’s roster of activities at the Pine Island Public Library offers topics for all ages The following programs are free to the public

Adult Programs

Summer Reading Program

Kickoff Party

2 p m , Thursday, June 8

Families can participate in a communit y a r t p r o j e c t , s i g n - u p f o r S u m m e r Reading to win prizes and enjoy frozen yogurt Supplies are limited First come, first served

Tech Help: One-on-One Help

3:30 p m , Wednesdays, June 14, 28

Need help with a laptop, tablet or ereader? Are you looking to gain basic computer skills? We can help Bring your fully charged device and any passwords for a 15-minute, one-on-one technology session

Kindness Rocks!

9:30 a.m., Saturday, June 17

Join us for a fun morning of painting rocks and shells to inspire acts of kind-

ness Paint your choice of rock or shell with beautiful art, beloved memories of the island and supportive messages for the community Supplies will be provided

Registration is required

Children’s Programs

Pine Island Summer Art Program

10 a m , Wednesdays, June 7, 14, 21, 28

Pine Island Public Library is excited to c o l l a b o r a t e w i t h t h e M u s e u m o f t h e Islands for the Pine Island Summer Art Program, designed for children and teens, ages 8-18 Attendees will learn about different painting techniques and supplies will be provided, while supplies last Children and teens must be able to attend independently Space is limited Tickets are required and available only at the Pine Island Public Library

Summer Reading Program

Kickoff Party

2 p.m., Thursday, June 8

Families can participate in a communit y a r t p r o j e c t , s i g n - u p f o r S u m m e r Reading to win prizes and enjoy frozen yogurt Supplies are limited First come, first served

Summer Storytime: Fire Safety Program

10:30 a m , Tuesday, June 13

O u r f r i e n d s f r o m t h e Pine Island Fire Station 1 will be visiting during storytime to share fire safety awareness They will also show us the gear they wear to keep them safe and bring the fire truck for a visit

Adams Animal Encounters

2 p m , Thursday, June 15

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 Space is limited A ticket is required for attendance Tickets are only available at Pine Island Public Library

Summer Storytime: Pet Safety Program

10:30 a.m., Tuesday, June 20

T h e L e e C o u n t y D o m e s t i c A n i m a l Services will join us for storytime to share their Pet Safety Program Come and learn how to keep your furry friend safe, happy and healthy

IMAG History and Science Center

2 p.m., Thursday, June 22

Step into our lab and meet our resident mad scientists Watch as they make crazy chemical concoctions that fizz, bubble, c h a n g e c o l o r a n d e v e n e r u p t Recommended for grades K-6 Space is limited A ticket is required Tickets are o n l y a v a i l a b l e a t P i n e I s l a n d P u b l i c Library

Summer Storytime: Pool Safety Program

10:30 a.m., Tuesday, June 27

The lifeguards from the Pine Island Community Pool are joining us for a w a t e r s a f e t y p r o g r a m S t o r i e s , s o n g s , games and crafts will also be offered at this fun filled event

Science Kids with the Reactory Factory

2 p.m., Thursday, June 29

J o i n D J D a n a n d D r R e a c t o o f Reactory Factory for a zany show full of science, music and fun You won't believe how much science rocks Space is limited A ticket is required Tickets are only available at Pine Island Public Library

Teen Programs

Pine Island Summer Art Program

10 a.m., Wednesdays, June 7, 14, 21, 28

Pine Island Public Library is excited to c

i t h t h e M u s e u m o f t h e Islands for the Pine Island Summer Art Program, designed for children and teens, ages 8-18 Attendees will learn about different painting techniques and supplies will be provided, while supplies last Children and teens must be able to attend independently Space is limited Tickets are required and available only at the Pine Island Public Library

Summer Reading Program

Kickoff Party

2 p m , Thursday, June 8

Families can participate in a communit y a r t p r o j e c t , s i g n - u p f o r S u m m e r Reading to win prizes and enjoy frozen yogurt Supplies are limited First come, first served

Tech Help: One-on-One Help

3:30 p m , Wednesdays, June 14, 28

Need help with a laptop, tablet or ereader? Are you looking to gain basic computer skills? We can help Bring your fully charged device and any passwords for a 15-minute, one-on-one technology session

Summer Reading Program Teen

Fridays: Friendship Challenge

1 p.m., Friday, June 16

Build new friendships while creating a cool brick sculpture and making friendship bracelets Or, stop by and checkout our gaming system

Summer Reading Program Teen

Fridays: Beat Summer Boredom

1 p.m., Friday, June 23

Bring your friends and learn a new board game A variety of games will be available to choose from Like art? Rock painting will also be offered Make one to keep and one to share

Summer Reading Program Teen

Fridays: Let the Games Begin 1 p.m., Friday, June 30

Video gaming will be on hand along with a selection of board games, card games and a beading craft

The Pine Island Public L i b r a r y i s l o c a t e d a t 1 0 7 0 1 R u s s e l l R o a d i n Bokeelia For more information about a program or to register, please call the library at 239-533-4350 C h e c k t h e L e e C o u n t y Library System’s website at www leelibrary net to find o u t a b o u t p r o g r a m s a t o th er lo ca tio n s . C a ll th e host library, or Telephone R e f e r e n c e a t 2 3 9 - 4 7 9 -

I N F O ( 4 6 3 6 ) , f o r m o r e information about a specific program

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Lee County will not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities in its services, prog r a m s o r a c t i v i t i e s . T o request an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication or a reasonable modification to participate, c o n t a c t J o a n L a G u a r d i a , (239) 533-2314, Florida Relay Service 711, or jlaguardia@leegov com

Dr. Watson’s Spirits

was finally celebrated with a party and ribbon cutting on Memorial Day weekend

“The grand opening was so heartwarming, because everyone was happy to have us back The store is so pretty and so much nicer than the other one,” Durling said

In addition to an aisle which holds over 40 feet of whiskey, scotch and bourbon, Durling, a staunch believer in buying and

Flag Day

From page 1 recognize the order’s observance of Flag Day for its patriotic expression, but it was not until 1949 when President Harry Truman, himself a member of the Elks, made the proclamation that thereafter, June 14 would be a day of national observance for the symbol of our country

The ritual for the occasion is an elaborate one and it is quite generally conducted as a public ceremonial It is designed to be informative as well as inspirational; and the colorful pageantry provided lends itself admirably to the achievement of these objectives

“The purpose of this service is to honor our country’s flag and to celebrate the anniversary of its birth,” Hopkins said Officers of the lodge will read a brief history of each of the 8 flags as they are displayed by the Mariner High School

From page 1

selling local, wants to let folks know that if there is something in particular anyone wants, she will be happy to order the item and stock it for them, in fact, she said, she is known for carrying special orders

Thrilled with the move and the attitude of both her staff and customers, Durling said the differences between the island and a big city are varied and numerable

“Our customers are so kind and have been so patient with our opening so

many of them brought boxes and bubble wrap in and offered to help us move The love they have for us is incredible that’s just the type of people on Pine

Island the kind of people that look out for each other and take care of each other,” Durling said

Junior ROTC

“The evolution of the American flag marks the progression of the government o f t h e A m e r i c a n p e o p l e , ” H o p k i n s said “From the founding of Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607 until 1775, the flag of England was our flag Then, in 1775, the P i n e T r e e F l a g w a s a d o p t e d f o r t h e colonies ”

The second flag to be displayed is the “Don’t Tread On Me” flag also known a s t h e “ s n a k e ” f l a g T h e t h i r d f l a g includes the white cross of St George

“In 1777, Congress decided that a more suitable banner was required for the new country and determined that a flag of 13 alternating red and white stripes with a blue field in the corner containing 13 w h i t e s t a r s w o u l d b e established,” Hopkins said “It is said that

Betsy Ross suggested that the stars be five-point instead of six points This is known as the Betsy Ross flag

“The next flag is a flag that not only added two stars but also two stripes This is the flag that was flown over Fort McHenry in the War of 1812 Francis S c o t t K e y w r o t e t h e ‘ S t a r S p a n g l e d Banner’ from a prison ship in the harbor while watching this flag,” according to Goodwin

The flag design stayed the same from 1818 until 1907 Between those years, 28 new stars were added representing 28 new states

In 1907 the 46-star flag was created to include the state of Oklahoma Four years later, the nation’s seventh flag, the 48-star flag was created Finally in 1959, Alaska and Hawaii were added creating the 50-

star flag we fly today At the conclusion, 8 flags representing the history of the United States will be on display

“Our flag is at once a history, a declaration and a prophecy,” Hopkins said “It represents the American nation as it was at its birth It speaks of what it is today and affords an opportunity for the future to add other stars to the glorious constellation The Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks is the first and only fraternal body to require formal observance of Flag Day "

Please join the Elks in celebrating our flag Light refreshments will be served a f t e r t h e c e r e m o n y . E v e r y o n e i n t h e Greater Pine Island community is invited to attend

PAULETTE LEBLANC

At left, owner Beth Durling cuts the ribbon to open the new location of Dr. Watson’s Spirits at Calusa Cay. At the grand opening are, above, from left, Maria Sontag, Grayson Bliss, Ernie (no last name given), Beth Durling (owner), Matt Adams, Emily Seidel and Charles Fisher

Cats of the Week

Tigger & Roo

Is anyone looking for a bonded pair? These two are about 11 years old and have been at the shelter for around 4 years now. Both have been adopted out separately, but ended up back with us We think they just want to stay together Tigger, left, is the playful giant, while Roo is the smaller cuddly one They are both sweet affectionate kitties, that want to meet you As always, it’s adopt one get one free! Call Helping Paws Animal Sanctuary at 239-283-9100 for more information If you’d rather just donate, our address is 10060 Mallory Parkway E, Unit D, St James City, FL, 33956, or there’s always our website www helpingpawsanimalsanctuary.com

Stop the Bleed

“We plan for the worst-case scenario, so the worst-case scenario is an active shooter situation,” he said. “A lot of this came out of mass casualty events like Sandy Hook It takes a little bit for first responders to get into places like that

From page 2

so the more people that we teach how to just hold pressure or do simple techniques to stop the bleeding, the better off we are.” For additional information about the Greater Pine Island Elks #2781, please call 239-283-4388

Island Mahjongg

Despite the small number of players, w e h a d a n e n j o y a b l e a f t e r n o o n o f Mahjongg on June 1 Top scorers were Bonnie Kellen with 105 points, Mary Ann Harms with 115 and Toni Lindsay with 155

If you are looking to learn a new game

or just want to brush up existing skills, come and join us every Thursday 1-4 p m at St James City Civic Association, located at Fourth Avenue and Lemon Street

You will be sure of a warm welcome and great company!

PHOTOS PROVIDED

Full moon kicks off the month of June

The week brought a full moon with strong tides, high water and for the most part, decent weather

The height of tarpon fishing or tarpon season occurs o v e r t h e J u n e f u l l m o o n With full moon falling on a S a t u r d a y , l o a d s o f a n g l e r s had a chance at hooking a silver king While tarpon were reported along the beaches and Pine Island Sound, Boca Grande Pass got most of the a t t e n t i o n T a r p o n w e r e hooked on the usual baits i n c l u d i n g p i n f i s h , s a n d p e r c h , t h r e a d h e r r i n g a n d crabs over the mornings and mid-day Over the afternoon falling hill tides, small pass crabs were the go-to bait in and around Boca Grande Pass.

On the Water

The best snook bite came along the Gulf islands Snook up to 32 inches were caught and released on live baits and small white lures fishing structure inside the passes and the surf on the Gulf side Seatrout and a few reds were caught as well

A n g l e r s f i s h i n g f o r d i n n e r b o x e d seatrout up to 19 inches in Pine Island Sound fishing a grass/sand mixed bottom between the intracoastal waterway and Redfish or Captiva passes Small blacktip s h a r k s , l a d y f i s h a n d S p a n i s h m a c k e r e l were hooked form the same areas

Over the morning incoming water, redfish were targeted under mangrove overhangs on the eastern side of Pine Island Sound and across Charlotte Harbor around Turtle Bay Fish up to 26 inches were

hooked on pinfish, cut sardines and chunks of blue crab

B o a t s h u n t i n g g r o u p e r and snapper found success beginning around 75 out to around 140 feet As usual, the deeper the water the bigger the fish American red snapper season for federally permitted for hire reef fish vessels opened on June 1 R e c r e a t i o n a l r e d s n a p p e r s e a s o n o p e n s J u n e 1 6 P e r m i t t e d g u i d e s r e p o r t a good start to the season with a good number of big snapper taking live and cut bait

Anchoring up current of artificial reefs in 40 to 50foot depths with chum bags deployed attracted a variety of fish including Spanish mackerel and sharks. Several cobia and permit were sighted or hooked around reefs at the same depths

To keep up on current fishing regulations, you can go to www myfwc com or download the Fish Rules app for the latest rules and regulations

If you have a fishing report or for charter information, contact Gulf Coast Guide Service at 239-410-8576 (call or text); on the web at www fishpine island com; or via email at gcl2fish@ live com

Have a safe week and good fishin’

As a lifetime resident of Matlacha and Pine Island, Capt. Bill Russell has spent his life fishing and learning the waters around Pine Island and Southwest Florida, and as a professional fishing guide for the past 23 years

PHOTO PROVIDED

Matt Sewell and his kids had a great day catching red snapper and grouper on the Gulf of Mexico. They were fishing with Capt. Scotty Darna of Saltyboy Fishing Charters out of Bokeelia.zq

Capt. Bill Russell

MOTI presents Art in the Library

MOTI will be holding free art classes on Wednesdays during June and July, from 10 a m to 1 p m , at the library, next to the museum:

■ Parent or guardian must stay on premises

■ Bring your own art supplies, artist quality

■ Bring something you are working on, or an inspiration piece such as a photo, or object. A still life will be set up for those without one

■ Ages 8-17

■ No pre registration, first come first in

■ Wear something you don't mind getting paint on

■ Classes are each Wednesday beginning June 7 ending July 26

■ Bring lunch, or a snack and something to drink

The library opens at 10 a m and will be handing out tickets to young artists as they arrive The classes will be in the conference room at the library The Kiwanis Club of Pine Island has donated money to supplement the art supplies so that students in the classes may explore different techniques, and a variety of materials There will be a critique at the end of each class so that the students can discuss their piece, with the group using “constructive criticism ” At the end of July, it is hoped their will be an art exhibit and reception at the library

Classes are taught by Karen Hartshorne, MOTI president Email her with any questions giftshop@museumoftheislands com

Lee County officials lift burn ban

Lee County’s burn ban that has been in effect since March 10 has been lifted

Recent rainfall and anticipated additional precipitation led the county to not renew the ban

The county coordinated with the Lee County Fire Chiefs’ Association and the Florida Forest Service, both of which support the expiration of the burn ban

Officials still encourage residents who need to burn to do so responsibly and follow rules for burning Information is avail-

of municipalities should also check their city’s website in case more restrictive rules exist

County officials will continue to monitor conditions

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

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