Cape Coral Weekend Breeze

Rainy season opens with soggy

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

It’s often said when it rains, it pours, and that’s certainly been the case for Southwest Florida this past week

If residents were wondering when rainy season would start, it’s here It seems Mother Nature has made up for lost time, dumping heavy amounts of precipitation across Lee County and other local areas, putting an end to a county-wide burn ban

and causing flooding in many areas G

declared a state of emergency due to severe weather that has impacted areas of South

Widespread, heavy rainfall has seen cumulative totals of 10 to 15 inches of rain in some areas, with cars wading through areas

of Cape Coral this past week

Other parts of South Florida reported more than 25 inches of rain

“Preliminary reports indicate that the rainfall and flooding has affected and may continue to impact the operational capabil-

major interstates, state and county roadways, airports, schools, and other critical

By CJ HADDAD

cjhaddad@breezenewspapers

sixth annual tallying of the Cape Coral’s official city bird, and the numbers are

During the Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife’s

burrowing owl census, which is made possible by volunteers and the Cape Coral Park and Recreation Department, a total of 5,098 owls were accounted for CCFW officials said the total is 884 more burrowing owls counted in 2023, which is attributed to conservation efforts by the city, community members, and the non-profit organization dedication to protecting the city’s T H E N U M B E R S A

Fort Myers man convicted on two counts of first-degree murder

Wade Wilson

Federal judge blocks new financial disclosure requirements

By VALARIE HARRING vharring@breezenewspapers com

Cape Coral City Council members have been notified that they need not file a state form requiring much more financial information than when they ran for office

A federal district court judge from the Southern District of Florida on Monday issued an order blocking the implementation of state legislation that added municipal officials to those required to fill out Form 6 with the State Commission on Ethics

Judge Melissa Damian on June 10 issued a preliminary injunction, finding for some 170 elected officials statewide who contended that the legislation “improperly compels disclosure of financial information from elected officials and candidates, which, otherwise, would not have been disclosed, and thus, burdens speech in violation of the First Amendment ”

Prior to this past legislative session, municipal officials were required to file Form 1, which sets the reporting benchmark for assets and liabilities at $10,000

Form 6 required of virtually all of the state’s elected officials including the governor, lieutenant governor; all cabinet members, legislators, state attorneys, public defenders,

Southern District of Florida Judge Melissa Damian on June 10 issued a preliminary injunction, finding for some 170 elected officials statewide who contended that the legislation “improperly compels disclosure of financial information from elected officials and candidates, which, otherwise, would not have been disclosed, and thus, burdens speech in violation of the First Amendment ”

clerks of circuit courts, sheriffs, tax collectors, property appraisers, supervisors of elections, county commissioners and elected superintendents of schools calls for “full and public disclosure of financial interests ” Reporting individuals must disclose their net worth and the value of each asset and liability in excess of $1,000 Form 6 also requires that the disclosure “must be accompanied by either a copy of the filer’s most recent federal income tax return or a sworn statement that identifies each separate source and amount of income that exceeds $1,000 ”

Cape Coral City Attorney Aleksandr Boksner wrote in an email to members of Council Tuesday, explaining the ruling, which effectively blocks implementation Senate Bill 774 as the first reporting deadline approaches

“ the Court has concluded that the Defendants have failed to establish that there was any serious consideration of a less intrusive means to address the identified interests,” Boksner wrote “The Defendants have not demonstrated the need for SB 774’s heightened disclosure requirements for municipal elected officials and candidates by showing that the disclosure requirements previously in place (Form 1) were not adequate

“Equally important, the District Court Judge concluded that Defendants have not demonstrated a relationship between the interest of protecting against the abuse of the public trust and SB 774’s fulsome financial disclosure requirements sup-

port or justify the need for requiring municipal elected officials and candidates to comply with the Form 6 requirements when Form 1, a less intrusive method, is available and has not been shown to be ineffective or inadequate

“In conclusion, SB 774’s Form 6 disclosure requirements on municipal elected officials and candidates unconstitutionally compels content-based speech, and that any continued or prospective enforcement, for even minimal periods of time, constitutes a per se irreparable injury, which is a violation of the First Amendment ”

As a result of the preliminary injunction, council members are not legally required to file their respective Form 6 by the July 1, Boksner wrote.

Neither the city nor any members of the Cape Coral City Council were party to the lawsuit challenging the disclosure legislation

The legislation was sponsored in the House by Rep Spencer Roach, R-District 76 as HB 37

The filing change from Form 1 to Form 6 had bipartisan support, passing in the House with 113 yeas and 2 nays In the Senate, SB 774 passed 35-5

Gov Ron DeSantis signed it into law on May 11

Cape Council to hold special meeting

B y M E G H A N B R A D B U RY

n e w s @ b r e e z e n e w s p a p e r s c o m C a p e C o r a l C i t y C o u n c i l w i l l h o l d a s p e c i a l m e e t i n g

M o n d a y r e g a r d i n g a w a t e r s u p p l y f a c i l i t i e s p l a n t o c o rr e s p o n d w i t h 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 p l a n T h e r e q u e s t i s t o “ a m e n d t h

t h e u p d a t e d w a t e r s u p p l y f a c i l i t i e s w o

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

Words to live by

New residents and even us old-timers love Florida weather.

Unfortunately, Mother Nature does not always love us back

As welcome as the start of rainy season always is, it can give a glimpse of the dark side of living in the Sunshine State, especially for those who think they can “drive in anything ”

Here in Southwest Florida, the elevation is both low and flat and the drainage, well, let’s just say that relying mostly on swales and retentions ponds to drain and retain the natural “sheet flow” that comes from heavy regional rains and hurricanes is not the most efficient of systems

Does it work?

Yes it does

Does it work quickly enough to prevent short-term street flooding, standing water in front of your house along the roadway and unexpected puddles of surprising proportion here and there?

It does not At least not always

This is why inches of hard rain over a short duration can cause dangerous driving conditions and threaten low-lying areas resulting in the occasional state of emergency such as the one declared for South Florida Wednesday night by Gov Ron DeSantis

The governor cited something that can happen throughout the rainy months heavy downpours can cause temporary flooding serious enough to impact “the operational capability of critical infrastructure, including major interstates, state and county roadways, airports, schools, and other critical infrastructure ”

With the “critical infrastructure” of Southwest Florida’s easily inundated roadways in mind, the Cape Coral Police Department recently listed some rainy season driving tips on its Facebook page

If you can’t wait out the rain and give the streets some time to drain as they will do, here’s a few:

■ Turn your lights (but not your hazard lights) on

■ Take it slow

■ Avoid sharp turns and hard breaking

■ Stay focused.

■ Do not use cruise control, which can cause hydroplaning

Let us add a perennial:

■ Do not drive through standing water It can be deeper than you think

Words to live by

Literally

Take care

Be aware

And drive safe if drive you must do when Mother Nature pours it on

Agree? Disagree? Weigh in! Letters, guest opinions, comments welcome

The views expressed on the Opinions pages are just that opinions. These pages are intended to convey a range of viewpoints; opinions printed on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of this newspaper. Opposing views are welcome. Letters to the editor or guest columns may be e-mailed to vharring@breezenewspapers.com.

All letters and guest opinions must be signed and must include a phone number for verification purposes. Readers are also invited to comment on any letter or editorial opinion online at: capecoralbreeze com

JUNE 14, 2024

i

p u b l i c a c c

s s t o c o u r t r

s , e s s e n t i

n e r s a n d d

s r u p t i n g t h

r e a l e s t a t e m a r k e t A l l F l o r i d a c o u n t i e s n o w p r o v i d e f r e e P r o p e r t y A l e r t n o t i f i c a t i o n s

, b u t i t d o e s n o t p r ev e n t f r a u d u l e n t d e e d s f r o m b e i n g f i l e d W h i l e t h e s e n o t i f i c a t i o n s e r v i c e s a r e b e n e f i c i a l f o r e a r l y d e t e c t i o n , t h e y o p e r a t e a f t e r t h e f a c t L e e C o u n t y h a s p u t i n p l a c e p r o a c t i v e m e a s u r e s t h a t

o r j u s t i c e a n d f a i r n e s s A s t h e C o u n t y R e c o r d e r , i t a l s o s a f e g u a r d s r e c o r d s s u c h a s m o r t g a g e s a n d m a r r i a g e l i c e n s e s , p r ot e c t i n g t h e a r e a ' s l e g a l h i s t o r y a n d t h e p r o p e r t y r i g h t s o f i t s r e s i d e n t s d a t i n g b a c k t o 1 8 8 7 T h e C l e r k o f C o u r t s a l s o o v e r s e e s t h e c o u n t y ' s f i n a n c e s , a c t i n g a s t h e C h i e f F i n a n c i a l O f f i c e r t o a u d i t , i n v e s t , a n d w i s e l y m a n a g e s u b s t a n t i a l t a x d o l l a r s , e n s u r i n g f i s c a l h e a l t h a n d r e s p o n s i b l e u s e o f t a x p a y e r f u n d s I n a d d i t i o n t o f i n a n c i a l m a n a g em e n t , t h i s r o l e i n c l u d e s s e r v i n g a s t h e C l e r k t o t h e B o a r d o f C o u n t y C o m m i s s i o n e r s , w h e r e i t m a i n t a i n s i m p o rt a n t r e c o r d s a n d m i n u t e s , p r o m o t i n g t r a n sp a r e n c y a n d a c c o u n t a b i

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Any way to take a buck

T o t h e e d i t o r : R e g a r d i n g y o u r a r t i c l e “ U t i l i t y b i l l a r r e a r s s u r p r i s i n g

s o m e C a p e p r o p e r t y o w n e r s ” ( J u n e 6 , 2 0 2 4 ) I a m c o nt i n u i n g t o w o n d e r w h a t e l s e t h i s c i t y w i l l c o m e u p w i t h t o g a r n e r f u n d s f o r t h e i r o v e r s p e n d i n g a n d c a r e l e s s b u d g e t d e c i s i o n s I h a v e a n i d e a : L e t ’ s s u p p o s e J o h n Q C i t i z e n b u y s a u s e d c a r a n d o w n s i t f o r a n u m b e r o f y e a r s O n e d a y “ J o h n ” r e c e i v e s a l e t t e r f r o m o u r e s t e e m e d C a p e C o r a l

c o u n c i l p e r s o n s t h a t s i x y e a r s p r i o r t o h i s p u r c h a s e o f

t h e v e h i c l e , t h e p r i o r o w n e r r e c e i v e d a p a r k i n g t i c k e t h e

f a i l e d t o p a y W e l l , g u e s s w h a t ? W e h a v e l e g i s l a t e d a n e w o r d i n a n c e w h e r e b y t h i s o v e r d u e f i n e i s n o w Y O U R

r e s p o n s i b i l i t y ! S o u n d s l u d i c r o u s ? ? O f c o u r s e H o w e v e r , t h i s i s t h e

b a s i s f o r t h e i r t r a n s f e r r i n g a p a s t u t i l i t y b i l l f

Removal of Chiquita lock would benefit manatees — and Cape taxpayers

To the editor:

Mr. DePaolis of the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) says in a WINK News interview on June 11,“It’s unfortunate that the judge found this way ” Perhaps Mr DePaolis had not read the judge’s order when he made that statement

The judge took copious notes throughout the hearing She was extremely professional in the hearing, and unbiased in her rulings Judge VanWyck has been an administrative law judge for almost 12 years At one point there were 90 people watching the proceedings via Zoom

Additionally, Mr DePaolis stated “based on my conversations with the experts and some of the data that I’ve seen, it seems like there is a real risk of increasing our nutrient pollution to the Caloosahatchee estuary ”

The “experts” Mr DePaolis refers to are probably Kevin Erwin and John Cassani, the petitioner’s experts whom the judge addressed in the order Interesting that Mr DePaolis was never called as an expert by the petitioners in the hearing

As to the “experts” for instance

“Mr Erwin’s testimony appeared designed to support Petitioners’ allegations that the ERP violated Consent Order No. 15, which has been determined to be irrelevant in this proceeding ”

“In addition to the voluminous water quality data, the evidence adduced at hearing included actual observations of marine species, such as barnacles and the smalltooth sawfish, living in the SSW These species cannot survive sustained periods of freshwater That evidence contradicted Mr Erwin’s testimony that barnacles and similar marine species were not located in the SSW because it was not ‘salty enough to support marine species ’”

“The extensive set of salinity data collected within the SSW going back over three decades contradicts Mr Erwin’s testimony The considerable water quality data demonstrates that the SSW is not, and has never been, freshwater ”

“Prior to his testimony, Mr Erwin had not reviewed any of the salinity data for the SSW His testimony on this issue was neither credible nor reliable ”

As to Mr Cassani

“More importantly, Mr Cassani presented no substantive testimony or other evidence, including any analyses, that these nitrogen reduction projects and activities would not reduce the amounts of nitrogen specified in Specific Condition 13 or otherwise were insufficient to offset any increase in downstream loading that would occur from the Lock removal To the contrary, he admitted during cross examination that the nutrient reduction projects more than offset any increase in load caused by removing the Lock ”

“Mr Cassani - Tellingly, he failed to include in his report the water segment (WBID 3240A1) immediately downstream of the Lock, and which is not verified impaired for any nutrient or nutrient related parameter During cross-examination, he apologized for this ‘oversight ’”

The taxpayers are tired of this never-ending assault by the petitioners and their qualified representative At this point this is nothing more than a frivolous attempt to BS the media and the handful of their supporters

Most telling is the question as to why the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation continues, despite their mission statement, to continue supporting this frivolous action notwithstanding the findings and facts in the order?

Apparently, the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation does not care about manatees In this regard, Judge VanWyck states

Michael R Davis Guest Commentary

Breeze editorial

“With respect to threatened and endangered species, the Lock is a well-known danger to manatees Since 2005, there have been eight manatee deaths attributable to the Lock, as confirmed through necropsies. To prevent future manatee deaths, the FWC supports the Project, and specifically, the Lock removal component of the Project ”

The management and board of directors of the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation should be ashamed of themselves To continue supporting the killing of manatees is unconscionable

The petitioners and their qualified representatives have tried to say that a dual lock would solve the manatee issue However, there was no evidence whatsoever introduced by the petitioners during the hearing to prove and support their allegation No expert testimony was offered

Extensive expert testimony was put on by the City of Cape Coral Some of the most qualified experts in the country The support for removal of the lock was unprecedented

It is my hope that the city can recover from the petitioners, their qualified representative, and SCCF the fees and expenses the taxpayers have incurred in this frivolous litigation Cape Coral taxpayers are disgusted at the waste of tax dollars perpetrated by this group

We had over 1,700 people sign the petition “Remove the lock – Save the Manatee,” yet the city and its taxpayers are held hostage by this small group of people who offered no substantive evidence that removing the lock would harm the environment

You can review the judge’s order at https://doah state fl us/alj/, case number 23-001786/Docket

Dennis Costello Cape Coral Friends of the Manatee Cape Coral

Bring the budget review committee back

To the editor:

Having sat through a day and half of discussion on the FY25 budget I am dismayed by the council’s lack of push back to the city administration’s funding requests They have approval from the council for an 11% increase in our water bill, $16.2 million increase in property tax dollars, adding 61 city employees, and suggesting an increase of 3% to the Public Service Tax to provide surplus revenue to be able to buy debt to fund multiple capital projects There is never a thought by the city manager and finance director to reduce costs, they only know how to request the council to authorize more taxes, assessments, and fees

With three Council members seeking election this year, it is hard to believe they are letting the city administration submit a proposed budget with these increases without a concern After increasing revenue last year by tax and assessment increases of $30 million, I am shocked that they are allowing these types of increases again Without a Budget Review Committee to challenge and dig deep into the budget, the city administration can simply bully their way through with a council lacking time and financial experience

City administration will submit a proposed budget next month with the blessings of the council with these increases The city and the council have an unbelievable and insatiable appetite for more and more money through tax and assessment increases to our residents It’s time to elect five council members with a conservative, less-government-is-better attitude to save our city and have the public as the focus for what they do

Zeroing out the 61 new employees will allow the city to have the resources to finance the lavish Yacht Club facility they desire and more

Let’s see what their priorities will be Bring back the Budget Review Committee and the other volunteer boards so we can keep the city expenses and plans in check!

Thomas

Shadrach chair of the former Budget Review Committee

What does clean water mean?

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

T h e b e a c h e s w e r e a l w a y s a s a f e a n d a w o n d e r f u l p l a c e t o v i s i t o n a h o t s u m m e r d a y W e c a n t u r n b a c k t h e c l o c k ! I b e l i e v e w e A L L h a v e t h e r i g h t t

i g n a t u r e s !

D a n C a r n e y

C a p e C o r a l

Where in the nation is Byron Donalds?

T o t h e e d i t o r : C i t i z e n s o f F l o r i d a H o u s e D i s t r i c t 1 9 d e s e r v e b e t t e r t h a n B y r o n D o n a l d s W e d e s e r v e a r e p r e s e n t a t i v e w h o w o r k s f o r o u r c o n c e r n s a n d o u r i n t e r e s t s F o r 1 5 m o n t h s , w e h a v e

n 1 5 m o n t h s a g o , y e t h e h a s n o t d o n e t h e r e a l w o r k t o g e t t h a t l e g i s l a t i o n m o v e d o u t o f c o m m i t t e e f o r a v o t e I n s t e a d o f p r i o r i t i z i n g t h e H u r r i c a n e I a n R e l i e f B i l l a s p r o m i s e d , D o n a l d s i s s p e n d i n g h i s t i m e t r a v e l i n g a c r o s s t h e U . S . , a t t e n d i n g R e p u b l i c a n g a t h e r i n g s i n W i s c o n s i n , a n d s e r v i n g a s a p r o p i n N Y C S i t t i n g i n t h e C i g a r C o d e b a r i n

P h i l a d e l p h i a d r i n k i n g c o g n a c a n d s m o k i n g c i g a r s w i t h R e p H u n t f r o m T e x a s i s n o t m a k i n g a p r i o r i t y o f t h e i s s u e s a n d c o n c e r n s o f o u r d i s t r i c t ; r a t h e r , i t i s m a k i n g

a p r i o r i t y o f h i s p e r s o n a l p o l i t i c a l a m b i t i o n s

D o n a l d s a n d 2 5 y e a r s o f R e p u b l i c a n m a j o r i t y i n t h e H o u s e h a v e f a i l e d o u r d i s t r i c t W e h a v e a b e t t e r c h o i c e

t o r e p r e s e n t o u r d i s t r i c t i n C o n g r e s s : K a r i L e r n e r , a

b u s i n e s s w o m a n a n d a m o d e r a t e e l e c t e d i n a r e d d i s t r i c t w i t h a p r o v e n t r a c k r e c o r d o f r e p r e s e n t i n g h e r c o ns t i t u e n t s L e r n e r i s a r e p r e s e n t a t i v e w h o w i l l a c t u a l l y d e f e n d y o u r f r e e d o m s y o u r h e a l t h c a r e c h o i c e s ,

Vote Denise McClear y for the Florida House of Representatives

To the editor:

Voting for Denise McCleary will bring sanity to the Florida House of Representatives

Denise is running to represent Cape Coral (District 79) She will stop the nonsense that has been coming out of Tallahassee, such as CRT, Don't Say Gay, abortion bans, and approving radioactive waste to be put on our roads As a veteran, Denise fought for this country and our democracy McCleary says “I want veterans like me, and everyone in our community, to be respected, taken care of, and be able to enjoy the beautiful area that we have here in Florida ”

Cape Coral is an important part of Lee County and residents deserve to have their voices heard People here are still struggling with claims from insurance companies after Hurricane Ian They are now facing cancellation of insurance and premiums that have been doubled in costs Veterans and older Floridians are living off their Social Security and with increasing costs they may have to leave the state It’s clear our representatives in the Florida legislature are not working for us

Denise served in the Army National Guard with tours during Operation Desert Storm and Enduring Freedom She served as the Chief of Audit Operations with the New Jersey National Guard McCleary will apply her military logistical, operational, and ethical standards to fight for the people in her district from Tallahassee

Denise McCleary is an active member of her local Veterans of Foreign Wars post She served as a post Quartermaster, District Quartermaster, and has received many awards

Dennis Raube Fort Myers

i v e o f h o w t h e a v e r a g e v o t e r f e e l s a b o u t o u r s t a t e g o v e r n m e n t ’ s h a n d l i n g o f t h e e n v i r o n m e n t S o m e w e r e w o r r i e d a b o u t a c c e s s t o d r i n k i n g w a t e r , o t h e r s w e r e c o n c e r n e d a b o u t h a r m f u l a l g a e b l o o m s T h e f i s h e r m e n w e r e o f c o u r s e w o r r i e d a b o u t t h e d e a t h o f u n t o l d n u m b e r s o f f i s h d u e t o r e d t i d e o r d y i n g a l g a e k i l l i n g f i s h b y u s i n g u p a l l t h e o x y g e n i n t h e w a t e r S o m e o f t h o s e t h a t o u t r i g h t r e f u s e d t o s i g n t h e p e t i t i o n w e r e w o r r i e d a b o u t g o v e r n m e n t r e t r i b u t i o n ! ! O t h e r s j u s t d i d n ’ t w a n t t o g e t i n v o l v e d O n e d e m o g r a p h i c s t o o d o u t w i t h a l m o s t u n a n i m o u s s u p p o r t o f t h e R i g h t t o C l e a n W a t e r p e t i t i o n I t w a s g e n e r a l l y r e g i s t e r e d v o t e r s o v e r t h e a g e o f 5 0 ! T h e s e c i t i z e n s h a v e l i v e d l o n g e n o u g h t o r e m e m b e r w h e n t h e w a t e r w a s c l e a n a l m o s t e v e r y w h e r e t h e y w e n t i n S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a T h e y w e r e n o s t a l g i c a b o u t h u g e g r a s s f l a t s i n t h e C a l o o s a h a t c h e e R i v e r , d o l p h i n s , t a rp o n a n d m a n a t e e s w e r e r e g u l a r v i s i t o r s t o t h e c a n a l s

New England Independent to a Florida Democrat

To the editor:

When I bought my home here, Florida enshrined a citizen’s right to privacy in the State constitution, legalized medicinal marijuana, and supported a $15 minimum working wage. Since then, legislators systematically passed bills to erode the people’s collective decisions, claiming the USA is not a Democracy but a Representative Republic (to excuse their disregard for our wishes) We are not children to speak only when spoken to Elected officials serve voters not themselves or a Supermajority that prevents a range of thought and discussion

I became a Democrat seeing Florida’s 25-year supermajority’s efforts to

1) Reverse freedoms for reproductive health care (despite our Supreme Court's definition as a right of privacy)

2) Hamper book availability, and flying flags of my choice

3) Revamp standardized school tests to hide sinking educational standards

4) Expand development leading to Florida’s worst water pollution standards in the USA

5) Mismanage conservative fiscal policy turning Florida into the most expensive state in the nation

6) Scare tourists from visiting Florida because it is unsafe for women of reproductive age and those with Latino heritage

7) Reject Federal funds costing Florida residents tax credits because local elected officials refuse to meet the attached higher federal standards

8) Invest in dirty energy and discard efforts to invest in our largest natural clean resources: Sunshine and Gulf breezes

9) Disregard the history of my neighbors and blame their struggles on laziness, not structural racism

10) Dismantle Social Security and Medicare, undercutting many of the state’s residents and our local economy

Karyn Edison Fort Myers

All American suffer because of immigration crisis

To the editor:

On Monday, May 27, we as a nation, honored the sacrifices of those Americans whose “No Greater Love” afforded to all Americans the freedom so many of us enjoy today Unfortunately, so many of our politicians and some Americans on both sides of the aisle act as though they are the heroes of this nation, even though they have no concept of the true meaning of sacrifice

AARP estimates that 39 million American older adults are threatened by poverty Yet, our borders are open to illegal immigration allowing more than 11 million such immigrants into our county, with 59% to 71% using one or more of our major welfare programs, thus draining benefits from Americans who may be threatened by poverty On Jan 1, 2024 California granted Medicaid to all immigrants regardless of how they entered in their state. Medicaid is a joint federal and state program paid for by American citizens Yet, many of our American citizens who are struggling today with inflation at the highest level in 41 years, may not qualify for assistance

In reading a May 31 Cape Coral Breeze letter to the editor, I was taken back on how a writer tries to justify immigrants breaking the law in this nation, while many of our United States of America citizens suffer Condoning more than 11 million breaking our immigration laws borders on being an accessory to these criminal acts

And stating that, when taking a longer/broader view on immigration saying those who cross our borders illegally expand the labor force and economic growth; improve the health of Social Security and Medicare funds; reduce inflation and creates new businesses and jobs, is ludicrous

This makes many of our U S citizens questioning these open-door policies Our own citizens are struggling to survive in a nation that many of them built and preserved though their sacrifices Many answered our nation’s call when asked, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country ” And now we watch both our young and older citizens struggle to keep their heads above water, while those who broke our nation’s laws to enter acquire free assistance while being in our country illegally.

Really!

Now let us examine some facts The cost of illegal immigration to the American taxpayer is nearly $151 billion each year Illegal immigration, and the children subsequently born here aka “anchor babies,” cost taxpayers an

See LETTERS, page 7

page 4

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

T h i s p r o g r a m r e q u i r e s t h a t a n y p e r s o n l i s t e d o n a p r o pe r t

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

o t h e N a t i o n a l I n s t i t u t e s o f H e a l t h ( N I H )

U s i n g j u s t o n e s t a t e a s a n e x a m p l e , w e k n o w i l l e g a l i m m i g r a t i o n c o s t T e x a s t a x p a y e r s o v e r $ 8 5 0 m i l l i o n e a c h y e a r a s r e p o r t e d i n 2 0 2 1

T e x a n s a l o n e p a y b e t w e e n $ 5 7 9 m i l l i o n a n d $ 7 1 7

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

u n c o m p e n s a t e d c a r e a s a r e s u l t o f i l l e g a l i m m i g r a t i o n

O t h e r c o s t s r e l a t e d t o s e r v i c e s f o r i l l e g a l i m m i g r at i o n ?

T e x a n s p a i d $ 1 5 2 m i l l i o n f o r h o u s i n g f o r j u s t o n e

y e a r T e x a n s p a y b e t w e e n $ 6 2 m i l l i o n a n d $ 9 0 m i l l i o n f o r i n c l u s i o n i n t h e s t a t e E m e r g e n c y M e d i c a i d p r o g r a m

T e x a n s p a i d m o r e t h a n $ 1 m i l l i o n f o r t h e F a m i l y

V i o l e n c e P r o g r a m t o p r o v i d e s e r v i c e s f o r o n e y e a r

T e x a n s p a y b e t w e e n $ 3 0 m i l l i o n a n d $ 3 8 m i l l i o n p e r

y e a r o n p e r i n a t a l c o v e r a g e t h r o u g h t h e C h i l d r e n ’ s H e a l t h I n s u r a n c e P

r t s r e f l e c t a c o m m i t m e n t t o e n s u r i n g t h a t o u r r e s id e n t s ’ p r o p e r t y r i g h

This week’s poll question:

What do you think of the administrative law judge’s recommended order that could green light permitting for the removal of the Chiquita Lock?

∫ I agree. The lock should be removed.

∫ I disagree. The city should replace the lock.

∫ No opinion either way Vote at capecoralbreeze com

Previous poll question

What do you think of the prospect of the city partnering with the YMCA to bring a $40 million facility, including a pool, to Cape Coral?

∫ I’m excited I’d love to see a Y come to the city52%

∫ I’d be happier if the plan did not involve the use of city-owned park land. - 13.5%

∫ I’m opposed to public-private partnerships - 26%

∫ No opinion either way - 9%

* Total votes at press time: 89 votes Percentages are “rounded ’ Poll results are not scientific and represent only the opinions of Internet users who have chosen to participate

Farm-to-table freshness offered at Blossom & Brie

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

A working farm has opened its restaurant for the community to enjoy fresh farm-totable dining in a breathtaking environment nestled in North Fort Myers

“We have a unique experience happening here,” Blossom & Brie Chef Wesley Robbins said “From our locally-sourced ingredients to the grass-fed cattle and our innovative and sustainable farming niques, we are able to delive truly farm-fresh, Florida mea that pleases every taste ”

Weekday lunches from 11 a m to 2 p m are offered Tuesday through Friday Dinner began on May 30 and continues Thursdays through Saturdays from 5:30 to 8:30 p m June 8 marked the beg ning of brunch, which wil served from 10 a m to until 2 p m

trying to make some improvements for the farm,” Rodney said

The 86-acre farm in North Fort Myers is named after Blossom, the donkey family matriarch, and Brie, the Jersey dairy cow

Some improvements include a pole barn, which will serve larger events, as the restaurant is able to seat just under 100 people The new dedicated wedding space got under way the last week of May and will be locatt off the patio facing the rida sunsets on the west side f the property

Some of the farm-to-table menu items includes the Smoked Red Wattle Pulled Park sandwich with Uncle Bubby’s Sweet Heat BBQ sauce, smash burgers featuring grassfed and finished ground beef, and the Florida Farm Bowl using greens grown on the farm

“We just started our lunch service last week,” Stacey Poole said the last week of May

Reservations are not required for lunch, although those who have a party of seven or more are asked to let them know ahead of time, so they can have a table big enough to accommodate them Reservations for dinner and brunch are required and can be done on their website

The restaurant is closed on Sunday and Monday

Stacey and her husband Rodney were customers of Rosy Tomorrows the property now named Blossom & Brie for the past several years before it closed During those visits, the couple fell in love with the setting, as it triggered fond memories of their time spent at their grandparents’ farms during their childhood

Rodney said they sold another business and were on the hunt for a wedding venue when Rosy Tomorrows was listed and became available

“We closed on the property in September of last year We’ve been working diligently

Stacey said they just finished the farmhouse, which will be used as the bridal suite, so brides can get ready and have space to gather before the wedding on the property

Blossom & Brie will also d Freight Farms a 40shipping container to the p p y As of press time, Rodney said they were waiting on LCEC to set up the electrical panel, so the gardening can begin

The shipping container will produce clean vegetables with no pesticides or herbicides year-round The first to grow – lettuce

“We are super excited about getting going with that,” he said “The capacity of production is just amazing It’s such a great way to have quality produce ”

Rodney said they can grow as much as they want in the controlled environment as it is hydroponic and aeroponic

Another benefit of having Freight Farms is the produce will be protected against harsh weather and animals that want to eat what is grown

Robbins, who is Stacey’s brother, has close to 30 years of experience as an executive chef She said he has worked at the highest end of it, to the most intimate and large events providing a wide range of experience

“He is really excited about it and the opportunity to create what he wants to create and make it fresh This has been a real treat for us to finally be able to work with him,” she said

Rodney said they hired him because they think he is the best. He said Chef has been really amazing

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BLOSSOM & BRIE

Blossom & Brie, a working farm restaurant, is now open in North Fort Myers

Blossom & Brie: Now open

From page 8

Blossom & Brie began with wine dinners, which created quite the following

“Chef can make the simplest of things taste so different What we can’t source from the farm, we source from local providers local produce and other providers in the Fort Myers area He sources the highest quality ingredients for everything,” Stacey said “It’s really refreshing to come and taste something so fresh and delicious and thoughtful He really has come up with some great creations ”

The working farm has a variety of animals, with more being born all the time

Rodney said they have roughly eight cows, 50-plus red wattle heritage breed pigs, 150 chickens, 25 ducks, three donkeys, and about 40 lambs and sheep He said they have had 27 calves, 17 lambs and four litters of pigs

“We had 16 lambs and we thought we were done. Two months later, on Easter morning, we had another baby lamb He is really special to us Baby Rizz,” Rodney said

Stacey said he is the whitest, brightest little lamb

Rodney said they have an excellent team in place farm hands who have been at the farm for 10 years

“They know the animals and farm Without their help, it would be a real challenge,” he said

The beef is harvested on the farm, just like it has historically been done, as well as pigs The farm also uses fresh pasture-raised eggs

The couple intends to work with schools in the area for field trips to the farm this fall Stacey said there are so many kids that visit the farm with their parents that had no idea where food comes from, as well as never visiting a working farm

Individuals are encouraged to visit Blossom & Brie, enjoy an excellent farm-to-table meal, see some animals, and take in the vast beauty the farm entails

Rodney said individuals can feed some of the animals, such as the “Guardians of the Farm” the three donkeys that scare away predators, but at the same time are the sweetest animals In addition, dairy cows are near the restaurant and the birthing shed gives individuals the opportunity to see piglets and a baby lamb

“We will have another couple litters of piglets here soon in the next couple of weeks,” Rodney said

Stacey encourages individuals to sign up on their website for updates, as special events will be shared, such as the special menu for fathers they had the day before Father’s Day

“That all gets announced on social media and our website Keep up to date on following us, and come and see us,” she said For information call (239) 385-0415, or visit BlossomandBrie com The farm is at 8250 Nalle Grade Road in North Fort Myers

Stacey and Rodney Poole have opened a restaurant, Blossom & Brie, on their working farm, offering the community an opportunity to enjoy fresh farm-to-table dining in a breathtaking environment nestled in North Fort Myers

Blossom & Brie. Above, Chef Wesley Robbins. PHOTOS COURTESY OF BLOSSOM & BRIE

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE CAPE CORAL FIRE DEPARTMENT CCFD officials said “this sweet girl” was rescued from a Cape canal by Ladder 1 Wednesday morning She had the best of outcomes she was reunited with her people

CCFD rescues two pets from canals

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

The Cape Coral Fire Department had a busy week saving a couple four-legged residents from canal waters

An orange cat was first rescued from a canal near Viscaya Parkway and Southwest 21st Avenue, as firefighters brought the feline into their truck and to Lee County Domestic Animal Services Thankfully, she was able to reunite with her owners shortly thereafter

On Wednesday, it was a dog that was rescued from a canal in the area of Southeast 5th Place and Southeast 47th Terrace Once again, firefighters brought the pup onto their

engine, and reunited her with her owners

CCFD officials said these calls for rescue came in from concerned residents in the area that spotted the animals in the water

“Pets are like family to many people so being able to reunite loved ones is very rewarding,” said CCFD spokesperson Andrea Schuch

With the Cape boasting 400 miles of canals, many of which sit behind homes, officials offered home owners some tips to make sure their furry friends are safe if they escape or when roaming around the backyard

See RESCUE, 13

... and after

CCFD Truck 2 rescued an unhappy cat from a Cape canal on Tuesday It was chipped and wearing a collar and was brought to the Viscaya Prado Veterinary Hospital The fluffy tabby also had a happy outcome and went home with its people

Before....

Rescue: Cape dog and cat returned to their owners

From page 12

“We recommend whenever your pets are outside that they are supervised and to always double check gates are secured,” Schuch said “And if your pets gets out, start letting people in the area know so they can keep an eye out and hopefully find them quickly, especially if they are in a potentially dangerous situation ”

While most dogs are natural swimmers, that may not always be the case depending on breed.

And you’d be hard-pressed to find a feline that enjoys taking a dip

PetSmart officials offers the following tips for pets and water safety, whether that be a canal, pool, or other body of water:

■ Know your dog Some breeds are better suited for water than others Breeds with short snouts, including pugs, English bulldogs and Boston terriers, aren’t built for swimming and will likely be better off on dry land

■ Never throw a dog into a body of water

■ Never leave a dog unattended around water. (Be sure to fence in your pool if you have one )

■ If you have a pool, show your dog how to get out using the steps The two of you

should practice exiting the pool together until your dog understands where the exits are and how to get out if they accidentally fall in

■ Swimming is tiring, and a pooped pooch is more susceptible to drowning It’s up to you to get your dog out of the water every so often for a rest

■ Invest in a doggie life vest and take a dog CPR class

■ Don’t let your dog drink swimming water Lakes and rivers can host parasites and algae, pool water is chlorinated, and ocean water is salty; none of these are good for your dog Keep a dish of fresh water available for your pet

■ Rinse off dogs after swimming to get rid of chlorine and salt water, which can dry their skin Dry their ears afterward, too, to help prevent infection

Executive Director at the Cape Coral Animal Shelter, Liz McCauley, said the best way to prevent a pet from entering the water is having the proper barricade in place

“A fence is the best way to keep animals from going into a canal and, of course supervising them when they are outside,” she said

Judge’s recommended order could lead to Chiquita Lock removal

By CJ HADDAD

cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

After a years-long petition and countless hearings, the Chiquita Lock could possibly be removed

An Administrative Law Judge on Monday issued a Recommended Order that will authorize the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to issue an Environmental Resource Permit to the city of Cape Coral for the removal of the lock

This most recent development follows the conclusion of the Final Administrative Hearing pertaining to a group of local petitioners' challenge surrounding the issuance of the ERP to the city, which concluded on Dec 20, 2023, after a multi-week evidentiary hearing

“After careful consideration of all relevant factors and submissions, the ALJ has now issued the attached Recommended Order in favor of issuing the City’s ERP for the removal of the Chiquita Boat Lock, concluding that the ERP meets the applicable standards set forth under Florida Law and the Florida Administrative Code,” city officials stated in a release “The City acknowledges the favorable determination by the ALJ within the Recommended Order and is presently evaluating critical next steps surrounding this matter As part of the evaluation process, the City is exploring all poten-

tial option(s) for the expeditious removal of the Chiquita Boat Lock ”

The challenge was filed by the Matlacha Civic Association and other parties who oppose the water retention device’s removal The petitioners contend the application “fails to meet any of the standards required under Florida Law ”

Michael Hannon, president of the Matlacha Civic Association and the attorney representing the challenging parties, told The Breeze he hopes the order does not come to fruition and is halted

“The current opinion by the Administrative Law Judge is only a Recommended Order,” Hannon said “The Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection, Shawn Hamilton, has the final say for the Department

“We are confident that either Mr Hamilton or the Florida District Court of Appeal ultimately will deny the application That is so because the Recommended Order ignores the obvious: Cape Coral's pollution of the

increased under Florida's regulatory process

“The Florida permitting process recently was ruled unconstitutional by a federal court in Washington, D C The Depart-ment's own data confirms its process is bro-

A flag on a monument at Four Mile Cove Ecological Preserve in Cape Coral

City to mark Flag Day today

Ceremony to be held at Four Mile Cove Ecological Preserve

By CJ HADDAD

cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

For the second consecutive year, the city of Cape Coral is celebrating Flag Day and offering residents a way to properly dispose of damaged flags

The event takes place today, June 14, at Four Mile Cove Ecological Preserve starting at 9 a m The event is free and open to the public as city leaders will pay homage to the U S flag

"The Flag Day event was created to bring the community together to honor and show respect for our nation’s flag," said city spokesperson Kaitlyn Mullen "It also fosters a sense of patriotism and unity among Cape Coral residents "

A flag drop-off station will be available for residents to respectfully retire any American Flag that is no longer suitable for display

"The City of Cape Coral recognizes the importance of properly retiring the American Flag," Mullen said

"That’s why we offer a free flag drop-off box outside of City Hall. At Friday’s event, residents can bring any worn-out or damaged flags to ensure they are retired with dignity "

The Flag Day celebration will include a presentation of colors by the Cape Coral Police Department Honor Guard, an invocation, the national anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance The Mayor Pro Tem and a representative from the Military Order of the Purple Heart will offer a few remarks on our nation’s flag and the significance of this holiday

It was on June 14, 1777, that the Continental Congress approved the design of America's national flag More than 100 years later, in 1916, President Woodrow Wilson marked the anniversary of that decree by officially establishing June 14 as Flag Day

Four Mile Cove Ecological Preserve is located at

Memorial Parkway, in Cape Coral

ken, and the ALJ apparently believed she lacked the power to face these facts at her level of authority ”

Calusa Waterkeeper Emeritus John Cassani, in testimony at the trial on the removal of the Chiquita Boat Lock, attempted to expose major failings in the FDEP which allow the city of Cape Coral to “continue polluting the waters of Matlacha Pass and the Caloosahatchee River without adverse consequences,” he added City officials in their release, continued to state, “The Chiquita Boat Lock removal project is of significant importance to the City, and the City remains committed to ensuring that all necessary steps are taken to address any adverse environmental concerns or impacts while also meeting the needs of the community ”

According to public records, the city has paid attorneys handling the Chiquita Lock case $1,038,804 from September 2020 to September 2023. Additional fees in the six-figure amounts will be incurred from experts, and additional attorney costs from October to December

The lock is a barrier across the South Spreader Ordered by the state in 1977 as part of a Clean Water Act enforcement action, it was designed to separate the canal waters of the southern end of the city from natural

See CHIQUITA LOCK, page 39

City OKs contract with firm to create plans for sports fields at Oasis High School

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

Cape Coral City Council approved a contract with Avalon Engineering Inc last week to create conceptual plans for the Oasis School's sports fields

“I embrace the idea of having full control of the facility,” Councilmember Dan Sheppard said of the school authority “You need to spend a lot of time on a business plan You have to get involved in the design How to design the complex to generate money for our school. You have to look at the business opportunity, money opportunity ”

The approved resolution was a not-to-exceed amount of $297,054 49

The request for proposal was issued March 15, with four firms submitting proposals

City Manager Mike Ilczyszyn said City Council approved $800,000 in fiscal year 2023 for the design of the facility, leaving about $500,000 appropriated funds

The council held a joint meeting with the City of Cape Coral Charter School Authority Governing Board last week to discuss the facility Council agreed the school should have full control of the facility – that the city should pay for it with the school system paying it back with debt services

Board member Charlie Pease said he believes the preference is an exclusive use facility with the allowance of renting the facility

“At the end of the day, I believe that the city should fund this up front and the charter school should pay the entire debt service The full control of that facility should be in the hands of the school and superintendent,” he said

Chair Kristifer Jackson said they are built for the city and part of the city.

“I don’t want to take us apart from the city Do we want to have priority use, absolutely Our sports program is growing exponentially Our sports are becoming recognized, and we are doing great things,” he said “To

Qualifying to run for city office ends today at noon

t s f o r D i s t r i c t 2 , 3 , 4 ,

5 , a n d 7

C i t y r e s i d e n t s h o p i n g t o s e r v e o n t h e e i g h t - p e r -

s o n e l e c t e d b o a r d m u s t b e a r e g i s t e r e d e l e c t o r o f t h e

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

r e s i d e n t o f t h e c i t y f o r t h e e n t i r e c a l e n

c e d i n g t h e i r q u a l i f i c a t i o n o f o f f i c e , a n d m u s t r e s i d e i n t h e d i s t r i c t i n w h i c h t h e y a r e s e e k i n g o f f i c e

C a p e C o r a l C i t y C o u n c i l r a c e s

C o u n c i l m e m b e r s a r e e l e c t e d a t - l a r g e m e a n i n g v o t -

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

d i s t r i c t i n w h i c h t h e y l i v e T e r m s a r e f o u r y e a r s ,

a n d m e m b e r s a r e l i m i t e d t o t w o c o n s e c u t i v e t e r m s

A s o f l a t e T h u r s d a y a f t e r n o o n :

I n D i s t r i c t 2 , a s e a t c u r r e n t l y h e l d b y D a n

S h e p p a r d w h o i s s e e k i n g r e - e l e c t i o n , h e a n d C r a i g

U n r o e h a v e q u a l i f i e d L a u r i e L a h m a n n h a s

a n n o u n c e d

I n D i s t r i c t 3 , t h e s e a t i s h e l d b y T o m H a y d e n w h o h a s a n n o u n c e d h e w i l l n o t s e e k r e - e l e c t i o n ,

D e r r i c k D o n n e l l , D a n i e l J L u d l o w , D e b o r a h L e e

M c C o r m i c k a n d C h a d B r u e n i n g h a v e q u a l i f i e d I n D i s t r i c t 4 , i n c u m b e n t R i c h a r d C a r r i s r u n n i n g

f o r r e - e l e c t i o n a n d h a s q u a l i f i e d a s h a v e W i l l i a m

M a t t h e w s a n d R o b e r t J S u t t e r F o r m e r D i s t r i c t 4 c o u n c i l m e m b e r J e n n i f e r N e l s o n h a s a n n o u n c e d

R o b e r t W e l s h i s s e e k i n g r e - e l e c t i o n i n D i s t r i c t 5

a n d h a s q u a l i f i e d t o r u n a s h a v e J o s e p h K i l r a i n e a n d

C h a r l e s P e a s e I n D i s t r i c t 7 , J e s s i c a C o s d e n h a s t e r m e d - l i m i t e d

o u t a n d s o c a n n o t s e e k r e - e l e c t i o n . M i c h a e l D a v i d

H a r p e r a n d R a c h e l K a d u k h a v e q u a l i f i e d

T h e t o t a l c o s t f o r q u a l i f y i n g f o r C a p e C o r a l C i t y

C o u n c i l c a n d i d a t e s i s $ 5 1 9 1 9

c a l e n d a r y e a r p r e c e d i n g t h e i r q u a l i f i c a -

t i o n o f o f f i c e , a n d m u s t r e s i d e i n t h e d i s -

See QUALIFYING, page 16 C

Oppor tunities to meet the candidates

A slew of opportunities to meet and hear from potential Cape Coral City Council members will take place in the coming months

Those scheduled to date include:

■ On June 18, Mercola Market of Cape Coral will host a “Meet Your Local Candidates” event from 5:30 to 7:30 p m , hosted by 92 5 FOX News Radio

This event will be an interactive forum designed to promote transparency, dialogue, and informed decision-making as we approach the primary elections, organizers said

It will be free to attend and includes light refreshments

Marcela Market is at 125 Southwest 3rd Place

■ The Brotherhood of Heroes Resource Center and Museum will host a candidate meet-and-greet event on June 26 from 6 to 8 p.m.

Organizers state this will be a great opportunity for residents to meet with candidates in the upcoming election, and ask questions

Light refreshments will be provided

The Brotherhood of Heroes is at 4522 Del Prado Blvd S

■ On July 23, the Cape Coral Chamber of Commerce will host a 2024 Candidates HobNob at the Kiwanis Club of Cape Coral

The free and open-to-the-public event will run from 5:30 to 8 p m , where attendees can meet the 2024 city, county, state, and federal candidates

There will be a straw poll conducted by the Lee County Supervisor of Elections

To RSVP, visit www capecoralchamber com

The Kiwanis Club of Cape Coral is at 360 Santa Barbara Blvd

■ The Cape Coral Construction Industry Association will host Cape Coral City Council candidates at its monthly dinner meeting on Aug 8

D i s t r i c t 5 a n d h a s q u a l i f i e d a s h a v e A m a n d a

The meeting will run from 5:30 to 8 p m and takes place at Cape Cabaret at 4725 Vincennes Blvd

For more information, visit wwww cccia org

Council takes first look at FY ’25 budget at two-day workshop

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

With the recent preliminary property appraisal values released, Cape Coral city officials expect an additional $7 5 million in the fiscal year 2025 budget than what was initially planned

The final topic of discussion from the Cape Coral City Council’s two-day budget workshop last Thursday and Friday took a brief glance at the next steps in the fiscal year 2025 budget process

Mark Mason, financial service director, said the recent milestone regarding the budget was the release of the preliminary property appraisal valuations

The next step will be receiving the certified taxable value

Preliminary property appraisal values are designed for planning purposes to give governing bodies an idea of where they stand from a prospective revenue standpoint, he said

Typically, major shifts are not seen from the June 1 preliminary to July 1 official numbers, although, Mason said, the proper-

The proposed millage rate is 5 3694, the current rate, with a 70% cost recovery for fire services, also the current level

ty appraiser has warned them that the number of properties that have been damaged or destroyed by the hurricane may reflect larger changes than what has been experienced in the past

“At this point, the city of Cape Coral had the largest taxable value change within the county,” Mason said

He said the preliminary taxable value is slightly higher than originally forecasted at 10 26%, which will provide an additional $7 5 million from what was initially planned

Cape Coral saw its estimated overall just valuation dip 1 83%, compared to last year’s 7 28% Total just property valuation went from $45,992,287,269 to $45,151,544,000, a total decrease of $840,743,269, according to the Lee County Property Appraiser’s preliminary report released last week

In terms of taxable valuation, overall

property valuation, though, increased from $26,262,275,412 to $28,956,229,000, an increase of $2,693,953,588

The estimate for new construction just for Cape Coral is $1,613,038,527 compared to 2023 final roll of $1,007,852,062 The estimate for new construction taxable for 2024 is $75,485,534 compared to 2023 final roll of $967,591,566.

The 2025 budget needs to be balanced expenditures need to be balanced to the city’s revenue, Mason said In addition, city staff wants to make sure they are within the strategic plan and meeting expectations of Council and public

The proposed millage rate is 5 3694, the current rate, with a 70% cost recovery for fire services, also the current level

One mill is equal to $1 for every $1,000 of taxable property valuation

The recovery rate is funded through a

fire services assessment, which is separate from and additional to property taxes

The ad valorem budget went from $132,688,591 in fiscal year 2024 to $140,961,948 in fiscal year 2025

The fiscal year 2025 staffing proposal includes a total of 61 additional employees 53 within administration, six for the city attorney and two for the city auditor Those staffing positions fall within fire, fleet, ITS, parks and recreation, police, property management, solid waste, stormwater and utilities Mason said one of the things to be mindful of was the governor, as of the workshops, had not yet signed the state budget meaning it had not come out yet, which puts a question mark on state forecasting revenues numbers He said the actual results are generally seen in late July, early August

The city manager will distribute his proposed budget to Council in July, followed by budget workshops in August and the fiscal year 2025 budget public hearing in September

Qualifying: Ballot for local races shapes up as deadline approaches for candidates to make it official

From page 15

l i f i e d . I n D i s t r i c t 3 , B i l l R i b b l e h a s q u a l if i e d I n a t - l a r g e D i s t r i c t 7 , V a n e s s a M e l b i s C h a v i a n o h a s q u a l i f i e d S h e r i d a n C h e s t e r a n d J o s h u a D M o l a n d e s h a v e a n n o u n c e d A l l o f L e e C o u n t y ’ s c o n s t i t u t i o n a l o f f i c e s a r e u p t h i s e l e c t i o n y e a r .

A l l h a v e a n i n c u m b e n t s e e k i n g r ee l e c t i o n N o n e h a d a c h a l l e n g e r a s o f p r e s s t i m e S u p e r v i s o r o f E l e c t i o n s : I n c u m b e n t

T o m m y D o y l e ( R E P ) h a s q u a l i f i e d

L e e C o u n t y S h e r i f f : I n c u m b e n t

C a r m i n e M a r c e n o ( R E P ) h a s q u a l i f i e d

L e e C o u n t y T a x C o l l e c t o r : I n c u m b e n t N o e l l e B r a n n i n g ( R E P ) h a s q u a l i f i e d

C l e r k o f t h e C i r c u i t C o u r t a n d

C o m p t r o l l e r : I n c u m b e n t K e v i n K a r n e s

( R E P ) h a s q u a l i f i e d .

P r o p e r t y A p p r a i s e r : I n c u m b e n t M a t t

C a l d w e l l ( R E P ) h a s q u a l i f i e d

C a n d i d a t e s c a n s u b m i t c o m p l e t e d q u a l i f i c a t i o n d o c u m e n t s b y v i s i t i n g t h e

C a n d i

a

e - L i s t s

Plant this fun flower –vinca/periwinkle

By ANN BLOCK news@breezenewspapers com

Whatever you plan to call these fascinating flowering plants, vinca or periwinkle, they are sure to delight! Back in 2022, Hurricane Ian wiped out all my vincas It was exciting to see their little heads pop up only weeks after the Sept 28 hurricane and here it is June 2024 and they are prettier than ever They have “reseeded” again and again with no maintenance

Vinca/periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) is a perennial in Zones 9-11 The name Catharanthus comes from the Greek for “pure flower ” Many flowering colors include red, purple, white, pink and lavender Some varieties have a light and dark pink center They grow 68 inches tall They thrive in full sun to partial shade However, I have found that they grow bigger and stronger in sun

T h e s e e v e r b l o o m i n g flowering plants here in Zone 10A are amazing and I highly recommend planting in your gardens for pops of color In other parts of the country, they are a n n u a l s b u t h e r e , i n “Paradise,” they are perennials Periwinkles make an excellent ground cover and they have “adventitious roots” so you’ll have many beautiful volunteer plants Some of your plants will last 5 to 10 years Great to use for garden borders, ground cover or in containers Foliage is dark green and shiny with five petal blooms They are native to Europe, Northwest Africa and Southwest Asia

COMMUNITY GARDEN CLUB OF CAPE CORAL

Jehovah’s Witnesses at an earlier convention at Hertz Arena in Estero This year ’s convention at Hertz Arena will be held next weekend.

Jehovah’s Witnesses returning to Hertz Arena for convention June 21

Jehovah’s Witnesses will present their 2024 “Declare the Good News!” convention series beginning the weekend of June 21 at Hertz Arena in Estero The free event is expected to draw more than 18,000 attendees over the course of four weekends – fueling the city’s economy with local spending at stores, hotels and restaurants Last year, nearly 13 million people attended more than 6,000 threeday conventions worldwide

“We are excited to once again work with city officials in Estero to host our conventions,” said Rudy Romero, a local spokesperson for Jehovah’s Witnesses “These conventions are a highlight of the year for thousands of people who need to experience some positivity in their lives, and we are happy to enjoy the program in this welcoming and hospitable city ”

The convention will present Bible-based videos, discourses and interviews on topics such as:

■ Why We Don’t Fear Bad News

■ Use the Good News to Defeat Bad News

■ “Everlasting Good News” In What Sense?

Cape Coral resident Brett Williams said he is looking forward to being at the convention with his family

“When I’m there I feel everyone’s loving embrace, even from those I may not know,” said Williams

His wife Megan said she feels the same

“Conventions are a special time for us, and we all feel so happy ”

Saturday spotlights a baptism of candidates from surrounding communities, while a two-part video feature will captivate the audience on Friday and Saturday mornings

To learn more about this free convention and to find a Jehovah’s Witness location near you, please visit jw org > About Us > Conventions

Periwinkles are an excellent plant for heat and k n o w n f o r t h e i r d r o u g h t t o l e r a n c e I f y o u r p l a n t becomes too leggy, just cut back and that process will make your plant bushier Their flowers are rabbit proof and few insects eat them

Periwinkle plants perform extremely well in our sandy soil Caring for this plant is minimal Make sure you do regular hand weeding around all your plants in your garden Apply fresh mulch as needed to keep the moisture in Certainly a favorite of mine in my subtropical garden

Beautiful flowers, easy to grow, minimal care and long lasting Flowers are popping up every day of the year What more could we want to make a joyful garden!

I wanted to give you some information about this plant in other parts of the world Believe it or not, this plant is grown elsewhere as an ornamental and medicinal plant It is the source of the drugs vincristine and vinblastine, which are used to treat cancer. In the wild, this plant is an endangered plant due to habitat destruction It is also widely cultivated and naturalized in subt r o p i c a l a n d t r o p i c a l a r e a s s u c h a s B a n g l a d e s h , Malaysia, India, Pakistan and Australia And it has so well adapted to Western Australia that it is listed a noxious weed! What an incredible plant!

Giving this beautiful “Catharanthus Roseus” flowering plant a try you will not be disappointed

I would like to leave you with this written by Julie Moir Messervy “I have found, through the years of practice, that people garden in order to make something grow; to interact with nature; to share, to find sanctuary, to heal, to honor the earth, to leave a mark. Through gardening, we feel whole as we make our personal work of art upon the land ” Happy gardening!

Ann Block is Past President of the Garden Club of Cape Coral Visit www gardenclubofcapecoral com and like us on Facebook

VA to hold exclusive events for women veterans in Bay Pines and Cape Coral

The Bay Pines VA Healthcare System will hold exclusive outreach events for women veterans on Saturday, June 29, from 10 a m to 2 p m The events will take place at the C W Bill Young VA Medical Center located at 10000 Bay Pines, Blvd , Bay Pines, Fla , and at the Lee County Healthcare Center located at 2489 Diplomat Parkway, East, in Cape Coral

The events are being held to inform and educate women veterans about gender-specific medical and mental health services available to them through VA, enroll them for VA’s medical benefits package, assist with disability claims, and more All women veterans and their loved ones are encouraged to attend at no cost

“The bottom line is this we are not your grandfather’s VA,” said Kris Brown, interim executive director, Bay Pines VAHCS “We have made significant strides in tailoring programs and services to women veterans, and we are extremely proud of these advancements I encourage Central, Southwest Florida women veterans to come out, learn more and enroll in VA care – we offer the best, most comprehensive care for veterans bar none ”

Women veterans represent the fastest growing population of VA users in the nation The Bay Pines VAHCS cur-

rently serves about 11,000 women patients Nationally, nearly 1 million women trust VA for their medical and mental health care, or 11 percent of all VA users

To learn more about women veterans health services and how to apply for care, please visit: www va gov/health -care/health-needs-conditions/womens-health-needs/

About the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System

The Bay Pines VA Healthcare System provides level 1a, tertiary care and is headquartered in Bay Pines, Fla Opened in 1933, the C W Bill Young VA Medical Center is situated on 337 acres on the Gulf of Mexico approximately eight miles northwest of downtown St Petersburg

In addition to the main hospital, the healthcare system operates seven outpatient clinics in the cities of Bradenton, Cape Coral, Clearwater, Naples, Port Charlotte, Sarasota, St Petersburg, and Sebring The healthcare system provides a full range of medical, surgical, psychiatric, and extended-care services in outpatient, inpatient, residential, nursing home/community living center, and home care settings for veterans residing in 10 counties in central, Southwest Florida ranging from Pinellas County to Collier County

Vineyard Community Church to old Dadfest 2024 Sunday

Vineyard Community Church in Cape Coral will hold Dadfest 2024 this Sunday, June 16 The specials Father's Day event will feature a classic car show and family fun from 8:30-12-30 p m at the church at 923 S E 47th Terrace in South Cape Activities include a free steak and eggs breakfast for dads and free continental breakfast for the whole family Also included

will be a free obstacle course and bounce houses, along with free raffles including two sets of NFL and NBA tickets. Vineyard Community Church's Sunday morning services are at 9 and 10:45 a m For more information about the church or Dadfest, please call 239-549-8075 or visit capevineyard com

PHOTO PROVIDED

EDUCATION

JUNE 14, 2024

School Board seeking advisory committee members

The Lee County School Board is actively s h ing for members to join its Citizens Advis Committees These committees meet on a regu lar 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

■ Curriculum Advisory Committee

■ Equity and Diversity Advisory Committe

■ Finance Advisory Committee

■ Strategic Planning and Accountability Advisory

Noetzel named to University of Rhode Island Spring Dean's List

KINGSTON, RI -- The University of Rhode Island recently announced that Abigail Noetzel of Cape Coral has been named to the Spring 2024 Dean's List Students named to the Dean's List represent nearly all of Rhode Island's cities and towns, all six New England states, New York and New Jersey, and many other states and countries.

To be included on the Dean's List, full-time students must have completed 12 or more credits for letter grades which are GPA applicable during a semester and achieved at least a 3 30 quality point average Part-time students qualify with the accumulation of 12 or more credits for letter grades which are GPA applicable earning at least a 3 30 quality point average

Founded in 1892, URI now enrolls more than 18,000 students and offers more than 200 degree programs across nine schools and colleges As a land- and sea-grant institution, URI is a key driver of economic development in Rhode Island To learn more, visit: uri edu

Pawline named to Spring Chancellor's Honor Roll at the University of Mississippi

UNIVERSITY, MS -- Sophia Pawline of Cape Coral was named to the University of Mississippi's Spring 2024 Honor Roll lists

Pawline, majoring in freshman studies, was named to the Chancellor's Honor Roll, which is reserved for students who earn a semester GPA of 3 75-4 00

To be eligible for honor roll designation, a student must have completed at least 12 graded hours for the semester and may not be on academic probation during the semester

The University of Mississippi, affectionately known as Ole Miss, is the state's flagship university Its 16 academic divisions include a major medical school, nationally recognized schools of accountancy, law and pharmacy and an Honors College acclaimed for a blend of academic rigor, experiential learning and opportunities for community action

Ole Miss' main campus is in Oxford

Dougher ty named to Mercer University Spring President's List

MACON, Ga – Mercer University recently announced the President's List and Dean's List for the spring 2024 semester Inclusion on these lists requires students to meet rigorous GPA standards specific to the college or school within the University

Cape Coral, Florida

Shannon Dougherty, a senior from Cape Coral attending the Mercer School of Business, was name do the President's List

Founded in 1833, Mercer University is a comprehensive center of undergraduate, graduate and professional education The University enrolls more than 9,100 students in 12 schools and colleges – liberal arts and sciences, law, pharmacy, medicine, business, engineering, education, theology, music, nursing, health professions, and professional advancement – on major campuses in Macon and Atlanta, medical school sites in Macon,

C mittee

Information about each committee is available n the School District’s website at https://

ry committee information Anyone interested in serving on one of these committees should fill out an online application School Board members will choose and approve new members in September Members serve for two ars and may be appointed to serve additional s on the same committee

In appointing members to the Advisory Committees,

EDUCATION BRIEFS

Savannah and Columbus, and at regional academic centers in Henry and Douglas counties For more about the university, visit https://www mercer edu/

Graves named to Spring Dean's Honor Roll at the University of Mississippi UNIVERSITY, MS -- Christopher Graves of Cape Coral was named to the University of Mississippi's Spring 2024 Honor Roll lists G

Administration, was named to the Dean's Honor Roll, which is reserved for students who earn a semester GPA of 3 50-3 74

To be eligible for honor roll designation, a student must have completed at least 12 graded hours for the semester and may not be on academic probation during the semester

The University of Mississippi is the state's flagship university with16 academic divisions, including a major medical school, schools of accountancy, law and pharmacy and an Honors College

Devito-Spiro recognized on Geor gia Souther n University's Spring Dean's List

STATESBORO, GA -- Georgia Southern University recently recognized approximately 3,460 students on the Spring 2024 Dean's List Austin Devito-Spiro of Cape Coral has been named to the list for excellence in academics To be eligible for the Dean's List, a student must have at least a 3.5 grade point average and carry a minimum of 12 hours for the semester

Doctoral/R2 institution founded in 1906, offers approximately 155 different degree programs serving more than 26,100 students through 10 colleges on three campuses in Statesboro, Savannah, Hinesville and online instruction Visit GeorgiaSouthern edu

White named to Missouri State University's spring dean's list

SPRINGFIELD, MO -- Each semester, students at Missouri State University who attain academic excellence are named to the dean's list

For undergraduate students, criteria include enrollment in at least 12 credit hours during the spring semester and at least a 3 50 grade point average on a 4 0 scale

Trinity White from Cape Coral made the list, and was among more than 4,800 students named to the spring 2024 dean's list

Missouri State University is a public, comprehensive university system with a mission in public affairs For more information about MSU, visit www missouristate ed

Araujo, Robinson and Sawyer named to UMGC Dean's List

ADELPHI, MD -- More than 15,000 University of Maryland Global Campus students were named to the Dean's List for the spring 2024 term To be eligible for the honor, a student must complete at least six credits during the term, earned a grade point average of at least 3 5 for the term, and maintained a cumulative GPA of 3 5 at UMGC

Students from Cape Coral receiving the honors were

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 audio recordings are uploaded to the School District’s website 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

Joshua Araujo, Faye Robinson and Casy Sawyer University of Maryland Global Campus was founded more than 75 years ago specifically to serve the higher education needs of working adults and military servicemembers. Today, UMGC is the largest provider of postsecondary education in Maryland and continues its global tradition with online and hybrid courses, more than 175 classroom and service locations worldwide, and more than 135 degrees and certificates backed by the reputation of a state university and the University System of Maryland For more information, visit umgc edu

Silver man graduates from Manchester University

NORTH MANCHESTER, IN -- Dylan Silverman of Cape Coral graduated with a bachelor of science in business management and accounting from Manchester U n i v e r s i

Commencement was May 18

Silverman was among nearly 250 students who received degrees from Manchester

The list of 2024 conferred graduates includes students who finished requirements in December 2023, January 2024 and May 2024

Manchester University, in North Manchester and Fort Wayne, Ind , offers more than 70 areas of undergraduate study, four master's programs, a professional doctorate in pharmacy, and a dual degree in pharmacy and pharmacogenomics to about 1,300 students from 21 states and 9 countries. Visit https://www.manchester.edu

Marino recognized on Geor gia Souther n University's Spring 2024 President's List

STATESBORO, GA -- Georgia Southern University recently recognized approximately 2,280 students on the Spring 2024 President's List Joseph Marino of Cape Coral has been named to the list for excellence in academics

To be eligible for the President's List, a student must have at least a 4 0 grade point average and carry a minimum of 12 hours for the semester

G e o r g i a S o u t h e r n U n i

Doctoral/R2 institution founded in 1906, offers approximately 155 different degree programs serving more than 26,100 students through 10 colleges on three campuses in Statesboro, Savannah, Hinesville and online instruction Visit GeorgiaSouthern edu

McIver graduates from Newman University

WICHITA, Kan - Newman University officials have announced the students who completed the requirements to earn a degree at the close of the 2024 spring semester

Among the graduates is James McIver of Cape Coral who received a bachelor of business administration in finance

Newman University is a Catholic university named for St John Henry Newman and founded by the Adorers of the Blood of Christ for the purpose of empowering graduates to transform society Newman meets the needs of traditional first-time students, returning adults and graduate students through more than 40 undergraduate and graduate programs

For more information about Newman University, visit newmanu edu

Dads get free admission to Sun Splash Father’s Day weekend

D

Waterpark during Father’s Day weekend

The promotion runs from 10:30 a m –6 p m Saturday and Sunday, June 15-16

Dads will get a special gift (while supplies last) and have the chance to participate in Father’s Day themed

Olympic style games with the chance to win special prizes Dad can also enjoy special prices on Craft beers and cocktails and snacks

Sun Splash Family Waterpark is Southwest Florida’s largest waterpark with slides, pools, flumes, interactive kids play area with fun for all ages

The park is at 500 W Lake Kennedy Drive, Cape Coral, and is now open daily for summer

For details on special events, admission rates, and d i r e c t i o n s t o t h e p a r k , v i s i t www.SunSplashWaterpark.com.

Rainy season: Public safety warning for motorists do not to drive through standing water

From page 1

infrastructure throughout these counties,”

D e S a n t i s ’ e x e c u t i v e o r d e r s t a t e s

“Additional rounds of heavy rain and thunderstorms are forecasted for South Florida for the next several days which will further exacerbate ongoing flood conditions over already impacted and vulnerable metropolitan areas ”

The National Weather Service issued a flood watch on Wednesday that was to run until Thursday at 8 p m

Officials state that “flooding caused by excessive rainfall continues to be possible ”

The alert also stated that “Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations Flooding may occur in poor draining and urban areas Storm drains and ditches may become clogged with debris ”

Rains are expected to continue through the weekend

Bernie Rayno, AccuWeather Chief OnAir Meteorologist, in a statement said, “Torrential downpours from a large area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms have already flooded several areas in the Sunshine State

“It’s like a garden hose Instead of it being on spray, it’s on stream, bringing

“Torrential downpours from a large area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms have already flooded several areas in the Sunshine State

“It’s like a garden hose Instead of it being on spray, it’s on stream, bringing heavy rain in one area That’s why we’re seeing so much rain in Fort Myers and Sarasota ”

Bernie Rayno, AccuWeather chief on-air meteorologist

heavy rain in one area That’s why we’re seeing so much rain in Fort Myers and Sarasota ”

Lee County officials this week said staff members are in regular communication with partners at the National Weather Service in Tampa Bay and are monitoring the tropical moisture and forecast

“The county encourages residents to monitor NWS’ website and social media and to listen to local media outlets meteorologists’ reports,” officials said Department of Transportation crews are working throughout unincorporated Lee County, officials said, monitoring any potentially blocked storm grates and areas with localized flooding, addressing both DOT monitors and adjusts weirs as necessary during rainfall events such as this

State Farm officials, who said Thursday that the agency has already received hundreds of claims coming from batch of storm, offered South Florida drivers tips to help avoid flood damage to vehicles:

■ Do not drive into water pooled on the road, the depth is not known and could be deeper than appears

■ If your vehicle stalls, DO NOT attempt to restart it, as your engine may be damaged Leave it immediately and seek higher ground

■ Stay off roads until flood waters have subsided, and do not park your vehicle near bodies of water, rivers, streams and washes

If your vehicle has been exposed to flood water, follow these insurance/claim tips to help limit the damage to your car

after flood/water exposure:

■ Do not start a flooded vehicle until it has received a thorough inspection by a qualified mechanic This will cause more damage if there is water in the engine

■ Record the highest level of water exposure on your flooded vehicle

■ Start drying out your vehicle as quickly as possible, and contact a towing service to get it back to higher ground

■ File an insurance claim Contact your agent or insurance company and advise them that your vehicle has been flooded The sooner the vehicle can be evaluated and dried out, the less damage the vehicle will sustain

Florida drivers are encouraged to check with their insurance agent to ensure adequate coverage for your vehicle, including Comprehensive Coverage Comprehensive is the coverage that kicks in to repair or replace a covered vehicle damaged by rising flood waters

Cape Coral residents can sign up for weather alert updates on city special events

School Board of Lee County members attend state School Board and Superintendent Conference

School Board of Lee County Chair Sam Fisher, and members Melisa Giovannelli, Chris Patricca, Debbie Jordan, and Armor Persons recently joined more than 375 school board members, superintendents, and education leaders at the Florida School Board Association/Florida Association of District School Superintendents Annual Summer Conference for three days of leadership development, networking, and training

Speaker “The outcome is highly inspired district leaders,

who are better prepared to navigate the changes and challenges of today’s districts, with a renewed sense of passion and excitement for their responsibilities,” a release on the confernece states

“Attending the FSBA meeting was a productive and educational experience for our board,” said School Board Chair Sam Fisher “It provided an opportunity to interact with board members from across the state, allowing us to

Additionally, we gained valuable insights from speakers on topics such as legal updates, charter schools, and safety and security ”

The conference also included a panel discussion, Decades of Dedication: Insights and Wisdom from our Veteran School Board Superheroes This session featured a panel of veteran school board members, each with more than two decades of experience They shared their insights, reflecting on past experiences, and discussed current challenges facing Florida's school boards Panelists included Andy Griffiths (Monroe), Patty Hightower (Escambia), Bev Slough (St Johns), and Jerry Taylor (Suwannee )

Owls: Annual count tally of threatened species and official city bird up 884 more than in 2023

From page 1

wildlife

“CCFW is very encouraged by this year’s burrowing owl count, which demonstrates that conservation efforts by the city and the community are working,” said CCFW spokesperson Janet Windisch “But we know that the owls and their habitat are very vulnerable to threats posed by human activities, climate change and more, so we cannot relax our efforts

“It is also important to note that the census was conducted a few weeks earlier this year because nesting season is happening earlier This should allow us to include more juveniles in the count before they leave their nests Further analysis of the data will clarify how this impacted the number of owls counted ”

More than 100 volunteers turned out to help count burrowing owls on May 18

CCFW officials said the city, along with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, has gone to great lengths to institute and enforce regulations to protect the owls and their burrows The city collaborates with CCFW on the Burrowing Owl Festival, the owl census, and other

“CCFW is very encouraged by this year ’s burrowing owl count, which demonstrates that conservation efforts by the city and the community are working. But we know that the owls and their habitat are very vulnerable to threats posed by human activities, climate change and more, so we cannot relax our efforts.”

Janet Windisch, CCFW spokesperson

events to educate the community about wildlife conservation CCFW members care for the burrows throughout the city, raises funds to purchase land to be used for owl habitat, and puts on many events throughout the year to educate and raise awareness of the wildlife in Cape Coral

But most important, officials said, is the contribution from the community

“So many neighbors love the owls and watch over the adorable creatures in their neighborhood, reporting new burrows and concerns to CCFW’s hotline,” Windisch said “And increasingly, generous residents are installing ‘starter burrows’ in their yards to encourage owls to move in.”

As for what the census information provides, Windisch said it gives important

data and information that will guide future conservation efforts

“For example, we will learn how the burrowing owl population is distributed throughout Cape Coral, are the owls gravitating towards a certain part of the city or towards certain types of land, how effective are efforts such as starter burrows and purchase of land for conservation,” she said “Comparing results year to year will give insight into the effect of weather and climate ”

In addition to tallying the number of owls, census volunteers recorded the number of burrows, number of juveniles and adults, eye color (yellow or dark), and location Officials said it may take a while to analyze all the data in comparison with

previous years, but the results will provide important information about how the owls live and how well conservation efforts are working

As for how community members can help the burrowing owl population continue to thrive, CCFW offered the following tips:

■ Keep watch over the owls in your neighborhood Report new burrows and any concerns about burrowing owls or their nests to CCFW

■ Don’t use rat poison Burrowing owls (and other species) eat rodents and consumption of rodents compromised with poison is deadly for the owls

■ Consider putting a “starter burrow” in your yard They are great neighbors and they consume rodents and insects providing nature’s pest control

■ Attend the burrowing owl festival and other CCFW events to help raise funds and awareness of burrowing owls

Those interested in a starter burrow for your yard, or are looking for more information on the non-profit, visit CCFW’s website at ccfriendsofwildlife org or call 239 980-2593

Pine Island business owner creates Santa Life Foundation charity

By PAULETTE LeBLANC pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

After an extremely trying time in his life, Bear’s Den Apothecary owner David Delli Paoli found help in an interesting and unusual place and decided to pay it forward

“I had gone through a bad breakup just after losing my father to cancer and my dog of 15 years It was my first holiday season without them and at that point I had nothing It was a struggle financially and mentally My mind went to some really dark places and I thought about hurting myself,” Paoli said

After taking a friend’s request to play Santa Claus that Christmas season, Paoli ended up doing two appearances- a move he now admits saved his life. As an entertainer who has experience both as a musician and a stand-up c

“Neighborhood Santa” to his repertoire and filed to become a 501(c)(3) charity organization

“When I looked into it, I discovered that Santa Claus makes too much money I’m not saying it isn’t worth it, because a great Santa is priceless, but some of these guys are charging $500 an hour obviously most guys aren’t

making that though,” Paoli said

The idea, he said, is to be the most authentic Santa possible, including donning a real beard He longs to keep the magic alive, which, he said, is what saved his life Now Paoli finds himself with a true calling to help others have a wonderful holiday season

“My whole thing is keeping the magic alive The magic kept me alive so I want to keep it alive for other people,” Paoli said

He explained that now he is able to give his time voluntarily, playing Santa at various places, such as the Shell Factory, while a good friend, who is a photographer, also volunteers his time, taking pictures of people with Paoli as

Santa “I bought a couple of printers and we print the pictures out right there,” Paoli said

He went on to say the only donations accepted are for photo paper and supplies needed to keep playing Santa for folks Paoli’s aspiration is to be more than just a local Santa stop, but eventually to provide necessities such as food and clothes to islanders With headquarters currently at his shop, he is hoping to bring the holiday season to life for folks who are in need of the magic provided by Santa.

Apothecary) is at 5507

Bokeelia, FL 33922 Call 239-601-7628

Guilty: Jury convicts Fort Myers man in the 2019 deaths of two Cape Coral women

From page 1

T h e f a m i l i e s e x p r e s s e d t o m e t h e i r g r a t i -

t u d e f o r t h e h a r d w o r k o f o u r t e a m ”

M e l t o n w a s f o u n d d e a d i n h e r h o m e

o n O c t 7 , 2 0 1 9 , t h e s a m e d a y R u i z w a s

r e p o r t e d m i s s i n g O n O c t 1 2 o f 2 0 1 9 , R u i z ’ s b o d y w a s f o u n d i n t h e a r e a o f

N o r t h w e s t 4 t h A v e n u e a n d N o r t h w e s t

1 s t S t r e e t i n C a p e C o r a l .

S i z e m o r e , i n h i s s t a t e m e n t , c o n t i n u e d , “ T h e j u r y r e t u r n e d a v e r d i

“While this verdict does not bring Diane and Kristine back, it does bring justice to their families.”

Gulf Coast Village’s Remarkable Women in History summer series continues on July 11

Storyteller Nan Colton returns to Gulf Coast Village, Cape Coral’s only life plan community, to bring to life the story of Harriet Beecher Stowe

The performance will take place at 1:30 p m Thursday, July 11, in Gulf Coast

V

Santa Barbara Blvd , in Cape Coral

1 3 3 3

Following the presentation, group tours will be offered to those interested in viewing the life plan community’s campus

The show will be the second installation of the senior community’s Remarkable Women in History summer series, “Unveil the Past: A Summer Portrait Series ”

Beecher Stowe was a celebrated 19th century author and fighter for women’s rights, best known for her best-selling abolitionist work “Uncle Tom’s Cabin ” Her literary prowess transcended storytelling and became a powerful instrument for social change

Colton, a storyteller and actress, will present Beecher Stowe’s story as a onewoman show, highlighting the years that

Current and prospective Gulf Coast Village residents are invited to enjoy the onewoman show

Gulf Coast Village is sponsored by

Volunteers of America National Services

As a life plan community, Gulf Coast Village provides seniors with all levels of senior living, including independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing and rehabilitation, memory care, home care and home health in a complete continuum on its award-winning campus

Seating is limited, so reservations are

required To RSVP, please call 239-5108712 or visit GulfCoastVillage org/RSVP by June 27

If you are unable to attend “Unveil the Past: A Summer Portrait Series” but would

GulfCoastVillage org/Contact to schedule a consultation

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Summer Dance set for Saturday Rhythm in Motion

Dance Chapter #6049 will host a Summer

Dance Saturday, June 15, from 7-9 p.m., at Rhythm in Motion, 912 Del Prado Blvd , Cape Coral

Music will be provided by DJ John Defino and snacks will be provided

The cost is $20 per person or $35 per couple No RSVPs required

Collaborator y invites public to Summer Night Market June 21

Collaboratory is inviting the public to its Summer themed Night Market, to be held from 6-9 p.m., Friday, June 21, at Collaboratory’s campus at 2031 Jackson St , in downtown Fort Myers

Supporting local artisans and entrepreneurs, this free event will include tours, resident partners and will also feature live music by The Line Up Band Food trucks will include South Pizza Co

and Between the Bunz and more than 20 vendors will be on site

To R S V P , please visit collaboratory org/events

To learn more about Collaboratory or to get involved, call 239-274-5900 or visit www collaboratory org

Fuller Metz, Har vey-Engelhardt collecting wor n American flags F

&

Services and Harvey-Engelhardt Funeral and Cremation Services will be holding a Flag Day Event Friday, June 14, from 9 a m to 2 p m

Both locations will be collecting worn, torn and tattered American flags Those who bring a flag for retirement will receive a new flag for free

F u l l e r M e t z C

& F

Services is at 3740 Del Prado Blvd , S , Cape Coral (239-542-3161)

Harvey-Engelhardt Funeral and Cremation Services is at 1600 Colonial Blvd ,

BUSINESS

BUSINESS BRIEFS

Canedy winner of Advanced Hurricane Technology’s 2024 Hero Giveaway

Advanced Hurricane Technology has announced that Denise Canedy is the winner of this year's Hero Giveaway Canedy is a dedicated nurse with 50 years of service, noted for her tenure at Lee Health where she worked in the ICU, including during COVID

This year's giveaway includes the installation of hurricane rolldowns, accordions or screens, ensuring that Canedy’s home will be safeguarded against future storms This gesture is part of AHT's ongoing commitment to giving back to those who have dedicated their lives to serving others

Canedy moved to Lee County in 1998 and has since been an integral part of the local healthcare system Tragically, she lost her husband to Hodgkin lymphoma at the young age of 38 Hurricane Ian severely damaged her home on Fort Myers Beach, which has led to the postponement of her retirement to repair her home

“Denise embodies the spirit of a true hero serving on the front lines of healthcare and enduring personal hardships with immense strength We are honored to provide her with our top-tier hurricane protection solutions to secure her home,” said Jaime Zabala Jr , president and coowner of AHT

Visit https://advancedhurricanetech com/

SWFL Inc. to hold first Insurance

Summit

SWFL Inc will host the first-ever Insurance Summit Tuesday, July 16, from 8:30-10:30 a m , at the Caloosa Sound Convention Center in Fort Myers

This Insurance Summit will present the latest insights and developments in the world of property and casualty insurance Professionals from across Florida will offer their expertise on legislative insurance bills, provide important updates, and explain how they impact the Southwest Florida region.

Keynote presentations, interactive panel discussions and networking opportunities will be available as discussions of critical topics include legislative developments and regulatory updates

Tickets can be purchased at swflinc com/2024-insurance-summit For inquiries or if interested in sponsorship opportunities, please contact Katy Johnson, SWFL Inc 's Events and Programs manager, at Katy@SWFLinc com

Arby's Foundation supporting local communities through donations to youth organizations

The Arby's Foundation is dedicated to giving back to its communities across the country, and throughout 2024, it will donate $4 5 million to organizations that support childhood hunger, youth leadership and career readiness initiatives Of the total donation amount, $1 million will go toward No Kid Hungry, $500K to Folds of Honor and $3 million to support hundreds of other local community groups throughout the U S

In Fort Myers, the Arby's Foundation donated $1,200 to Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida

“Giving back to communities through local grants and our nonprofit partners is an integral part of what we do,” said Rita Patel, Arby's Brand president “We also know that for many kids, summer is the hungriest time of year That's why in addition to our local grants, we are launching a summer match campaign with No Kid Hungry ”

From May 21 through the end of July, Arby's Foundation will match up to $250,000 on all donations to No Kid Hungry, a national campaign run by Share Our Strength, a nonprofit working to solve problems of hunger and poverty in the U S and around the world The Arby's Foundation believes reliable access to meals is ground zero for a child's success and is proud to support this important initiative this summer - a time when children and communities need additional resources when school isn't in session To donate, visit nokidhungry org/ arbysfoundation to have their contribution matched through July

To learn more about the work the Arby's Foundation is doing throughout the year, visit foundation arbys com

White to sign copies of newest book at Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille on Sanibel

New York Times bestselling author Randy Wayne White is visiting all four Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille locations this month to sign copies of his newest book in the Doc Ford series

The book signings mark the June rel of “One Deadly Eye,” the 27th myst thriller following the escapades of mar biologist – and possible super-secret cov government agent – Doc Ford and frien on Sanibel Island

With previous book-signing stops in S Petersburg and on Fort Myers Beac White will stop by the Doc Ford’s at 250 Island Inn Road, Sanibel, this Saturday June 16, from noon to 3 p m

Copies of “One Deadly Eye” will be available for purchase at each location

At each event, White, who co-founded the restaurants with HM Restaurant Group, talks about his writing process at each stop

Harrity, a partner with HM Restaurant Group, the parent company of Doc Ford’s and Dixie Fish Company “Fans love the ambiance of Doc Ford’s and feel a real connection with the book and the author whenever Randy visits It’s

like stepping into one of his novels ” White, a long-time resident of Southwest Florida, bestowed the Doc Ford name to the popular restaurants w

Sanibel restaurant in 2003. A favorite for locals and visitors alike, Doc Ford’s offers food with a unique balance of flavors inspired by the Caribbean Rim Menu items pay homage to White’s book titles and characters

Set on Sanibel during a deadly hurricane, “One Deadly Eye” blends the reality f Hurricane Ian in 2022 with fiction as he beloved protagonist tries to thwart a iminal brotherhood, capture a serial killer d locate a missing Russian diplomat durg the 12 hours of chaos following the ssing of the storm’s eye.

“The greatest threat of all, though, is a ce that cannot be escaped – a Category e hurricane that, minute by minute, melds of the past with Florida’s precarious e ”

HM Restaurant Group owns and operates

Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille Open daily from 11 a m to 10 p m , the restaurants are renowned for delivering a legendary guest experience

Better Together, Christ Community Church to host job fair in Fort Myers on June 27

Better Together is partnering with Christ Community Church to host a community job fair from 11 a m to 2 p m , Thursday, June 27, in Fort Myers

Registration is now open for hiring employers and job seekers to participate in the June event The church-based job fairs not only connect jobseekers with local employers who are ready to hire, but also provide resources to facilitate stronger connections and more hires Free one-on-one job coaching sessions are available to job seekers to review resumes and interviewing skills, and additional services will be available onsite.

The community job fair is part of Better Together’s “Better Jobs” program, which has helped 42,000 applicants connect with employment opportunities across 22 states At job fairs hosted by Better Together, two-thirds of

attendees get a job interview, and 1 in 4 receive a job offer on the spot Some 70% find work within six weeks T

Community Church, at 4050 Colonial Blvd in Fort

“JOBS” to 844-987-3949

Churches interested in hosting a Better Together job fair can visit BetterTogetherUS org for more information Better Together is a nonprofit organization that helps parents going through a hard time keep their kids out of foster care, find work and address the root causes of their struggle so that they can reunite as a family with the tools and support system to thrive For more information, visit BetterTogetherUS org

SWFL Inc. announces 2024 INCredible Awards winners

SWFL Inc recently hosted its annual INCredible Awards celebration and announced its 2024 award winners Finalists were selected from several dozen applica-

Charlotte counties

“Southwest Florida is full of optimism, energy and resilience - and it is all thanks to businesses like yours that put in the hard work and effort day in and day out,” said Tiffany Esposito, president and CEO of SWFL Inc “I cannot express enough gratitude for your investment and commitment to the continued growth and well-being of our region ”

University was awarded the INCredible Award, which is given to a graduate of Leadership SWFL who exemplifies the values of the program by demonstrating leadership, community stewardship, and a desire to continue learning and growing professionally The Innovation Award celebrates a small business that creates unique and forwardthinking solutions to address the needs of its clients and was presented to d3 Creative Studio

The Nonprofit of the Year Award recognizes a nonprofit organization that is seen as a leader in the nonprofit sector FMB Strong was selected as the winner, among a long list of nominees for its efforts dedicated to supporting our community in Fort Myers Beach They have provided much-needed supplies through food pantry donations,

ensuring that no one goes hungry in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian Today, they continue to make a meaningful impact on our community

SWFL Inc. began presenting the Small Business of the Year Award in 2001 to recognize local businesses that go above and beyond to give back to the community This year, the award was presented to Christopher Alan

Homes

The Veteran-Owned Business of the Year Award celebrates a veteran-owned business that has demonstrated strong business performance and exemplifies significant contributions to Southwest Florida Sunset Builders and Maintenance Inc earned the award for not only its dedication to supporting veterans but the local community

The SWFL Citizen of the Year was presented to Nicole McHale She continues to lead Community Housing & Resources charge toward a brighter future by reimagining affordable housing She received a standing ovation as she accepted the award

SWFL Inc is the region’s only Five-Star Accredited Chamber of Commerce serving businesses in Lee, Collier, and Charlotte County Its services are designed to help the Southwest Florida business community connect through networking, advertising opportunities, and educational workshops

Contact SWFL Inc at https://www swflinc com/contactus/ for additional information

Fort Myers native serves aboard Navy warship in Mayport

By Senior Chief Mass Communication

Specialist John Osborne, Navy

Of fice of Community Outreach

MAYPORT, Fla - Petty Officer 3rd

Class Mark Jean Baptise, a native of Fort Myers, serves aboard USS Lassen, a U S Navy warship operating out of Mayport, Florida

Jean Baptise graduated from Fort Myers High School in 2022

The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Fort Myers

“I learned early on that even if you are in a bad situation, you have to keep going,” said Jean Baptise.

Jean Baptise joined the Navy two years ago Today, Jean Baptise serves as a machinist's mate

“I joined the Navy to see different countries,” said Jean Baptise "I also wanted to get my mechanical engineering degree and the Navy was a good way to pay for college ”

A Navy destroyer is a multi-mission ship that can operate independently or as part of a larger group of ships at sea The ship is equipped with tomahawk missiles,

MILITARY NEWS

torpedoes, guns, and a phalanx close-in weapons system

More than 300 sailors serve aboard Lassen Their jobs are highly specialized, requiring both dedication and skill The jobs range from maintaining engines to handling weaponry along with a multitude of other assignments that keep the ship mission-ready at all times, according to Navy officials

With 90% of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America

“We will earn and reinforce the trust and confidence of the American people every day,” said Adm Lisa Franchetti, Chief of Naval Operations “Together we will deliver the Navy the nation needs ”

Jean Baptise has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service

“My proudest moment so far has been getting promoted to the rank of petty officer third class,” said Jean Baptise.

Jean Baptise serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world, and around the clock, promoting the nation's prosperity and security

“Serving in the Navy fills me with a sense of pride,” said Jean Baptise "We go wherever we are needed and when the enemy sees us, they know who we are The first time I witnessed that, I felt a great sense of patriotism "

Jean Baptise is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible

“I want to thank my mother, Michelle, and my recruiter,” said Jean Baptise "My mother has always supported me She wasn't keen on the idea of me joining, but she knew it would provide me with opportunities My recruiter was honest with me and even managed to get me an enlistment bonus of $20,000 "

Jean Baptise hopes to become a naval officer in the future

“My goal is to get my degree and earn a commission,” added Jean Baptise “If I get the commission, I will serve 20 years.”

VCA rebuilds Sanibel Animal Hospital destroyed by Hurricane Ian

V C A A n i m a l H o s p i t a l s , t h e g l o b a l leader of comprehensive veterinary services and part of Mars Veterinary Health, this week announced the reopening of VCA Sanibel Animal Hospital

The state-of-the-art hospital, spanning 4,100 square feet, has been reconstructed after the original 960-square-foot location was impacted by Hurricane Ian in 2022 The hospital will offer the most extensive set of services for pet owners on Sanibel Island

Founded in 1965 as Coral Veterinary

Clinic, the clinic joined the VCA family in 2017 The hospital provides advanced veterinary care offerings to cats and dogs that were not available at the previous location including dentistry, surgery, medical occupancy, grooming, ultrasound, cold laser, radiology and more

“As one of the former owners of Coral Veterinary Clinic, the rebuilding of our Hospital is a testament to VCA’s focus on care – for patients, clients, our Associates and communities,” said Jennifer Nichols, hospital manager, VCA Animal Hospitals

“Support from around VCA at the time of Ian helped us activate satellite hospitals surrounding the island to provide care for affected pets and made sure our Associates had immediate supplies and assistance With community at the center of everything we do, we celebrate our new facility with a stronger and renewed commitment to delivering world-class medical care for pets and personalized experiences for pet owners ”

Periwinkle Way, Sanibel The hours of

operations are 8 a m to 6 p m , Monday to Friday, and 8 a m to 3 p m , on Saturdays

The hospital joins four other VCA facilities surrounding the Sanibel Island community: VCA Baywood and VCA Chiquita in Cape Coral and VCA Coral Animal Hospital and VCA Miracle Mile in Fort Myers

To learn more about VCA Sanibel Animal Hospital’s story and the hometown care they provide, visit https://vcahospitals com/sanibel

T o l e a r n m o r e a b o u t V C A , p l e a s

visit

com

Cape Coral Art League announces upcoming schedule

T

announced its schedule of classes and activities for the months of June and July They include: Open Painting

■ Wednesdays, September through July, from 1-4 p m Open to the public Student Sundays

■ Sundays, October through June, from 1-4 p m Ages 6 – 14 $20 cash or check only Open to the public, pre-registration

not required, just come 15 minutes before class starts

Gift Shop

■ Open Monday through Thursday, from 11 a m to 4 p m

Gallery shows, classes, and workshops begin again in October This year the CCAL's silent auction will be during the month of December

For artists planning projects for upcoming exhibits, the schedule for the 2024-

2025 season:

■ October - Garden Variety

■ November - Express Yourself

■ January - Water Wonderland

■ February - Wild About Wildlife

■ March - Simply Red

■ April - Celebrating Color

■ May - Florida Life

NOTE: The Art League is closed during the month of August

The Cape Coral Art League at 516

Cultural Park Blvd , Cape Coral, is an independent community of local artists who support, encourage and inspire each other through classes, workshops, exhibits and open painting sessions The league is a place to explore your artistic side, learn from exceptional educators, make new friends and enjoy fellowship For additional details, please phone the Art League at 239-772-5657 or see capecoralartleague org

Petty Officer 3rd Class Mark Jean Baptise

PHOTO BY MASS COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST 1ST CLASS JOSIAH TROMBLEY

Hope no one was caught in an open boat while fishing Wednesday morning, but I did spot a handful of diehards standing along Burnt Store Road fishing the weirs in the torrential downpour looking for a big snook drawn to the food items dropping over the little dams

Actually you never know what might bite there A friend actually caught a grouper there, another, a peacock bass In 2012 I released an over 7-pound largemouth, all on the “saltwater side” during a rainy period Watch the highway traffic as fishing fever-distracted, on-foot anglers are hard to see in the downpour

Weather permitting, go a little deeper to get that red snapper bite

Most reports say 140160 feet is the hot zone where boats are also seeing quite a few small schools of mostly peanut or juvenile mahi-mahi or dolphin fish Expect to also encounter red grouper, which closes to harvest at the end of the month, as well as various larger snapper species that don’t see as much fishing pressure Wahoo and sailfish have also been reported out this far

George Tunison

Mahi live their short lives at warp speed, reaching sexual maturity in just months, swimming up to a reported 60 mph and growing to 40 pounds in only a year’s time at up to two inches a week, then dying at a ripe old age of just 4-5 years old In 1998, a Florida angler fishing in the Bahamas bagged an 88-pound specimen establishing a new world record that still stands An amazing, high jumping and quite beautiful gamefish, great on the plate when freshly served

What’s red snappers' favorite bait? Not enough space here to print the many opinions, but live baits, pinfish and cigar minnows are highly regarded while squid, bonito strips and most other cut baits all take their share of these hard fighting, beautiful, mild and sweet tasting, oh so delicious fish

If your boat isn’t safe 50 miles out and beyond, don’t worry as there are several near-shore structures offering everything from grouper, snapper, cobia, permit, huge bonus snook and sharks Helen's, Belton Johnson, Mary’s, Pace’s and quite a few other reefs and structures

Cape Cyclones U-17 soccer team looks to continue successful season

Squad, now 28-2-6, headed to two out-of-state tournaments

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

A Cape Coral boys soccer team will be representing its city in a pair of tournaments this month and next, taking on top competition from around the country

The Cape Coral Cyclones U-17 squad has had quite the season, which has lasted nearly an entire calendar year The team has amassed a record of 28-2-6, netting 161 goals and conceding just 27 over 36 games

The young men will travel to Texas to compete in the Southern Regional Presidents Cup this weekend, followed by a trip to Colorado in July, where they will compete for the National Premier League championship after being the best the Sunshine State has to offer

“It's been an amazing year playing with all these guys I couldn't ask for anything else,” said 16-year-old Tyler Kerr, who attends Oasis High School and is one of the team's top scorers “I'm excited that we've come this far We all play together well, and the chemistry is on ”

Since winning the NPL Florida championship at the end of April, the Cyclones have been hard at work to prepare for tough competition, as well as the elements they'll face at more than 5,000 feet above sea level in Denver

Cyclones Coach Tony B has worked these young men

to the core, resulting in tip-top conditioning They've even used altitude masks to mimic conditions for the tournament in July

“They're a very fit team,” Tony said “They've had an outstanding season ”

The Cyclones have been making their mark across Florida and beyond since last July, having exhibited their talents in a showcase in North Carolina, an Elite Clubs National League showcase going 2-0, and semifinalists in a showcase at Disney to open the season

“They're a very talented bunch of lads,” Tony said, who is at the helm with this group for the first time, and a Cyclones coach for three years “In terms of raw talent, they're really a talented team Sometimes getting talented teams to be cohesive can be a challenge, but this team -- I'd like to see a team that has worked as hard as them The physical conditioning they've done has been very, very high-level ”

Conditioning is the name of the game for the Cyclones, having played with either only 11 young men, or one or two subs along the way to qualify for these upcoming tournaments

See CAPE CYCLONES, page 39

German American Club to host watch parties for European Cup and Copa America soccer matches

The German American Social Club of Cape Coral, home of the Cape Coral FC Bayern Munich Fan Club and Cape Coral Oktoberfest, will be opening the doors to its Edelweiss Hall for European Cup and Copa America soccer viewing parties this summer

Club members and soccer aficionados alike will be able to come together, wearing their favorite national team or club jersey, and enjoy watching the upcoming matches with like-minded soccer buffs Kick-off time for the first game between Germany and Scotland is today, June 14, at 3 p m , with doors opening at 2:40 p m

The match is being played at Allianz Arena in Munich

The club will offer bar food and German specialties, such as pretzels, Schnitzel, potato salad, etc , for all Germany matches, plus themed meals and snacks to reflect the other nations competing on a particular match day

Today's meals will include UK favorites such as shepard’s pie and fish & chips, plus German favorites such as bauernwurst, schnitzel, apple strudel or plum cake

The next watch party will be Germany vs Hungary Wednesday, June 19, at noon, followed by Switzerland vs Germany on Sunday, June 23, at 3 p m

Depending on how the German team advances during the championship matches, additional dates will be added

The Copa America matches are being held at the same time, and the German American Social Club will be hosting watch parties for all USA games, too Currently, watch parties are scheduled for matches to be held on June 23 (USA vs Bolivia, 6 p m ), June 27 (Panama vs USA, 6 p m ), and July 1 (USA vs Uruguay, 9 p m )

Doors to the Edelweiss Hall will open 20 minutes before each match

PHOTO PROVIDED

The Cape Coral Cyclones U-17 soccer team.

Cape Cyclones: Soccer team looks to continue success at pair of out-of-state tourneys

From page 38

“Our conditioning is brutal,” Kerr said “But as the year has gone on, we've gotten used to it, and it helps us be able to move the ball fast ”

Their fitness level shows, as throughout the entire season they have been successful in moving the ball through the thirds and boast a 62% possession rate in matches

The Cyclones will bring 14 members to Texas, where some teams have 20-plus.

“They're a team that definitely overcomes adversity They actually thrive on it,” Tony said “I treat them as if they were an academy player, and push them very hard physically ”

The team plays with an unusual threeback system, which is an unusual formation, but the team seems to play it to a tee, and has led to an output of scoring

To qualify for Denver, in the final game, they went up against St Pete down two in the goal differential The Cyclones went on to win the match 8-1 They've averaged 4 4 goals-per-game this year, and 21 2 shots on goal

“I don't know too many players on our team that haven't scored,” Tony said. “We get it from all areas ”

Rudy Lopez, a 16-year-old striker that attends Mariner High School, said while it's been a long season, it's one that has been fruitful

“We made it all the way, and now we're able to show our skills at these two tournaments,” he said “And it's a great group I love this group. Everybody works hard and is able to lock in when we need to ”

Lopez said their 3-5-2 formation allows them to put pressure on a lot of teams and find the back of the net

As for what it's going to take to reach the pinnacle, Tony said it's all about putting in the work

“They're going to get pushed physically even harder,” he said “The altitude is a big deal They are going to suffer physically, so they've got to put in four weeks of hard work ”

What sets this group apart is the lack of e g o a n d i n d i v

squad

“There's no cliques within the team,” Tony said. “A lot of humor, a lot of banter with the boys But our discipline has been phenomenal this season ”

Lopez said he and his teammates are excited to show the rest of the country what a group from Cape Coral can do on a big

stage

“I love going out of state and playing teams that haven't seen us all year,” he said “We're going to show that we're the best, and we're going to put on for this city, this state We're the fittest team out there Teams can be more skilled than us, but we'll work hard to the end. We're definitely the most fit team out there ”

Reed Verblaauw, a 17-year-old Cyclone and Ida Baker student, said one of the team's biggest assets is that they know each other like the back of their hand

“We've learned how each other plays, and have pushed each other to become better players,” said the central defensive midfielder “Our chemistry with one another is next level We've been playing with each other for a while now

“We find each other and know where we're going to be It's kind of like muscle memory ”

Verblaauw said he's proud to bring the name of Cape Coral to a national stage

“It's a growing town, but a small town, and it's uncommon to reach this point and compete with these big teams,” he said

It's not cheap to take part in these tournaments, as well as travel The team has been raising funds, painting houses and

hosting events to help curb expenses

“This is the sport of the world but unfortunately, it's expensive when you're playing at this level,” Tony said “They've

from playing this sport breaks my heart

These are once-in-a-lifetime experiences.”

“I couldn't be prouder of these boys,” Tony said “They do phenomenal I'm very happy I took this on And they've reacted Sixteen to 17-year-olds could be doing anything else than running 15-minute VO2 max drills where at the end they want to vomit They've all gotten themselves into phenomenal shape ”

The team has started a GoFundMe to help raise money for their trips Those interested in donating can search "Cape Coral Cyclones" on the website's home page

The team is also hosting a fundraiser at Torched Bar & Grill on June 22 from 5-8 p

includes buffet-style food and appetizers, and two drink tickets There will be a 50/50 raffle as well

Torched Bar & Grill is at 2408 Surfside Blvd in Cape Coral

Variety of species: It’s a good time for anglers to test the waters in Southwest Florida

From page 38

are all in range of today’s fast bay boats with common sensed, weather savvy captains at the helm Actually some like Helen’s are only 5 miles off Captiva Pass

The Power Poles are only 5 miles out of Boca and several others all under 20 miles

Check the FWC and other internet sources

for the GPS coordinates and structure info as you will be fishing over sunken boxcars, barges, concrete, steel structures and other items which host a huge variety of game fish at one time or another

If you’re new to offshore reef and structure fishing, now’s the time to really learn how to use and understand the information your electronics are providing, as well as

Sports fields: City to build facilities at Oasis

From page 14

continue growth, we need continued priority access ”

Depending on the cost of the project, the debt would range from $700,000 to $1.1 million a year

“Does the school have that money available, if the city builds the structure and the school pays the debt,” Mayor John Gunter said

According to Mark Mason, city financial services director, the school system can pay the debt service with Local Capital Improvement (LCI) funds, which is revenue resulting from the discretionary 1 5 mil levy allowable to school districts for funding charter schools.

Vice Chair Karen Michaels agreed that the facility has to be solely used for the school utilizing LCI funds to pay for the debt She said the school should have the ability to lease out the facility on single-use occasions

“As far as funding, if the school can han-

dle it, I am all for the city funding it and letting them pay it back,” Councilmember Robert Welsh said of the school authority

There was also discussion of who would handle the maintenance once a facility was built The council agreed that the school authority should hold the responsibility

“The school wants facility for exclusive rights I even agree, but with that comes responsibility With that responsibility comes maintenance,” Gunter said “I am being honest and up front I would roll the cost of design into debt service Maintenance should be their responsibility ”

Ilczyszyn said with the approval they will engage the consultant to begin the design Once they think the facility design and permitting is complete, they can determine what budget year to appropriate the funds – either through a budgeted amendment for 2025, or in the 2026 budget

The arrangement would be put into a resolution to calculate everything that has been discussed to be transparent

Chiquita Lock: Removal of structure in Cape

From page 14

waterways including the Caloosahatchee

Located approximately 2 75 miles from the Sanibel Causeway Bridge, the lock provided boaters with a way through the barri-

e r a n d s o p r o v i d e d g u l f a c c e s s f r o m

Camelot Canal and Southwest Spreader Waterway into the Intracoastal Waterway via the river

Citing damage and safety issues, the city has kept the lock open since Hurricane Ian

The bid to removal the device, though, dates back years before the Sept 28, 2022, storm

The city lost a previous challenge to its

bid to remove the structure in 2019 and then resubmitted its permit request with the addition of a number of mitigation projects

together by Brown and Caldwell includes two stormwater improvement projects; environmental monitoring for small tooth s

, upland, and subtidal habitats along the waterway, and removal of the Chiquita Boat Lock and the associated northern upland pad from the terminus of the waterway The city states these actions “will result in environmental improvements and increase the sustainability of the Waterway system and the adjacent natural areas ”

mastering other vital skills like knowing where, when and how to anchor, which can make a huge difference in your fishing success Two of the most important things for the newbie offshore captain to remember is knowing when to stay in port and also knowing when to head in In the quickly changing Gulf summer weather, staying to catch just a couple more can doom you and your passengers that you’re responsible for

A 22-foot bay boat quickly gets smaller and smaller as the offshore wind and waves get bigger

Although you might encounter moving coastal tarpon off the beach to a few miles

out, or on the inside along the ICW through Pine Island Sound down to Estero Bay, the main body is still attending the big tarpon bash at Boca Grande, with better coastal or beach chances when turning north out of Boca

One thing for sure, from ankle deep to the horizon, it’s a good time of year to be a multi-species angler here in Southwest Florida

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

CORAL ANIMAL SHELTER

Looking for a loving home

Togi is a 1 to 3-year-old male. He may be small, but his heart and personality are huge Togi is a handsome little guy with a contagious smile and a sweet disposition He lives for belly rubs, long walks in the park and cuddle sessions on the couch If you're in need of a furry friend who will keep your spirits high and your heart full, look no further he is your guy!

Delicata, a 3 to 5-year-old female, is an affectionate lady with a lot to say – her meows are just her way of chatting with you! She has raised a beautiful litter of kittens who are now off on their own adventures, and it’s her turn to find a lov-

ing forever home. If you’re looking for a sweet companion who will shower you with love and keep you entertained with delightful chatter, she is your girl

If you are interested in meeting any of the animals available for adoption at The Cape Coral Animal Shelter, visit its website at www capecoralanimalshelter com for additional information

The shelter is located at 325 S W 2nd Ave , Cape Coral, and hours of operation are Tuesday and Thursday, noon to 5 p m , and Friday through Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. Please call 239-573-2002 for additional information

Delicata

CAPE

Religious $.'308-/;/3- 4;+3' 94 #9 :*+ 54891+ '3* '79>7 -7+'9 /3 ;/79:+ '3* 7/). /3 2/7')1+8 3+'7 0/382'3 4, +8:8 .7/89 ,'/9.,:1 /39+7)+8847 4, '11 <.4 /3;40+ >4:7 85+)/'1 5'7943 '-+ /3 9/2+ 4, 3++* $4 >4: .';+ 7+)4:78+ ,742 9.+ *+59. 4, 2> .+'79 '3* .:2(1> (+- 94 <.42 4* .'8 -/;+3 8:). -7+'9 54<+7 94 )42+ 94 2> '88/89'3)+ +15 2+ /3 2> 57+8 +39 '3* :7-+39 5+9/9/43 3 7+9:73 5742/8+ 94 2'0+ >4:7 3'2+ 034<3 '3* )':8+ >4: 94 (+ /3;40+* #9

Garage Sales

Manufactured Homes

Power Boats

â