Fort Myers Beach Observer/The Beach Bulletin

Council will keep millage rate flat

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

T h e T o w n o f F o r t M y e r s B e a c h

Council has tentatively decided not to raise the town’s property tax rate this year, determining to keep the rate flat at 99 mills, which equates to $99 per $100,000 of assessed property value

The town’s new finance director Joe Onzick and new town manager Andy

Hyatt had initially proposed a town budget which would have raised the millage rate from .99 mills to 1.12 mills though after discussions with council, alterations were adopted

Onzick said revenues were down $3 2 million and expenses were up more than $300,000 over the past year Onzick said there had been a $1 7 million drop in property tax revenue since Hurricane Ian,

a 40% reduction The town’s overall property tax valuation has dropped from $4.4 billion to $2.7 billion due to the loss of property in Hurricane Ian

past year as well as plans in the budget to expand the town’s permitting staff

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

The Fort Myers Beach Elementary School was the scene of heavy machinery Thursday as work on the demolition of the outer buildings began The historic school building will be

See BEACH ELEMENTARY, page 13

Demolition began on the outer buildings of the Fort Myers Beach Elementary School this past week. The demolition is expected to be completed by next month when renovations of the historic building will begin.

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY LEE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT

There was also

$1

million loss in parking meter revenue

include additions in personnel and an increase in insurance costs The increase in personnel includes additions over the

The proposed budget would utilize funds from the American Rescue Plan and tap into two loans to help make up for the shortfall a community disaster loan and a portion of the state’s $11 9 million bridge loan

Onzick had also proposed the town

See MILLAGE, page 12

Council replaces Herin as attorney

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

T h e T o w n o f F o r t M y e r s B e a c h

Council voted Monday at a special meeting to replace the town’s longtime attorn e y J o h n H e r i n J r with Vose Law Firm, which is based out of Winter Park

H e r i n , w h o h a d been the town’s attorney for seven years, was lauded just weeks ago for his efforts by parents for his efforts in drafting an interlocal agreement with the Lee County School District to reopen the Beach Elementary School

John Herin Jr

Herin was ousted months after two of the town’s new council members began efforts to solicit new legal counsel without any official actions by the town counc i l C o u n c i l m e m b e r s J o h n K i n g a n d Karen Woodson, who were elected by running against the previous town council and town management, had sought new counsel and were joined Monday in replacing Herin by Mayor Dan Allers and Vice Mayor Jim Atterholt Allers had voted against renewing Herin’s contract last year though there were never any issues raised publicly about Herin’s service to the town at the time

Woodson and King had clashed with Herin at previous council meetings over what they saw as a need to speed up the approval of permits for a boardwalk adjacent to the Little Estero Critical Wildlife Area which is the source of a lawsuit f i l e d a g a i n s t t h e t o w n b y F l o r i d a Audubon for the council’s approval of a special exception permit which had been denied previously under former councils.

School, which is on the

Registrar of Historic Places, will be renovated with an expectation of reopening for classes in November.

The town ultimately began a request for proposals process in which only two firms applied to be the town’s counsel Herin and his Miami-based firm of Fox Rothschild LLP, and Vose Law Firm of

See COUNCIL, page 12

OPINIONS

8 ,

W e e k o f W e d n e s d a y , J u n e

E x e c u t ive E d i t o r Va l a r i e H a r r i n g v h a r r i n g @ b re e z e n ew s p a p e rs c o m

E d i t o r N a t h a n M a y b e rg n m a y b e rg @ b re e z e n ew s p a p e rs c o m

A d ve r t i s i n g D i re c t o r L a u r i e R a g l e l rag l e @ b re e z e n ew s p a p e rs c o m

Advertising Sales

Lyn McElhaney lmcelhaney@breezenewspapers com

O b i t u a r i e s D e b b i e C a r l e t t i o b i t s @ b re e z e n ew s p a p e rs c o m

a r, $ 6 2 C i rc u l a t i o n ( 2 3 9 ) 5 7 4 - 1 9 3 6 C l a s s i fi e d / D i s p l a y A d ve r t i s i n g ( 2 3 9 ) 5 7 4 - 1 1 1 0 Customer service hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a m to 5 p m , except major holidays Letters to the editor must be typed or hand printed Your name and phone number must be affixed to the copy In the event of an advertising error, we are responsible only for the first incorrect insertion of the ad itself We are not responsible for any credit or reimbursement after 30 days from publication Postal Information: Third class postage paid at Fort Myers Beach, FL Permit 521 Postmaster: Send address changes to the Beach Observer 19260 San Carlos Blvd Fort Myers Beach FL 33931 The Observer and Bulletin is published every Wednesday 19260 San Carlos Blvd Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931 Phone: (239) 765-0400 Fax: (239) 765-0846 Web: fortmyersbeachtalk com

Google “deed theft scams in Florida” and you will find that the real estate market is not only hot for those looking to buy or sell

It’s a market ripe for property thieves who use forged documents and identity theft to transfer title and then sell or mortage homes or lots they do not own

While such transfers are obviously not legal, they cause both legal and financial problems for the true property owner as once such a deed is recorded, “it appears valid, and others may purchase the property from the fraudster or the third party named as guarantee in the deed in the belief that such person owns and has the right to sell the property,” according to an analysis of recently approved legislation designed to address the problem starting with a pilot program to launch here in Lee County

Thanks to the efforts of Lee County Clerk of the Courts Kevin Karnes, who realized how easy it was for sophisticated scammers to steal properties because existing state law tied the hands of such officials when it came to recording deeds, it’s going to become a whole lot less easy

The “Title Fraud Prevention Through Identity Verification Pilot Program” will be tested here in Lee County for two years after

Community Redevelopment: Public input is important to outcome

To the editor:

It’s a bit ironic that South Seas Resort at the end of Sanibel and Captiva is asking for a full re-write of the Development Code without a pro-active public dialog process It is one of the most vulnerable land parcels in the region and has always prided itself on the scale and sense of place compared to more urban resorts After two major storm events and an expensive acquisition, the new owner now feels they need more density and intensity to improve their business model

which Mr Karnes will make a recommendation to legislators whether the program that allows clerks to require specific identification should be expanded statewide

The pilot program, among the provisions of HB 1419, was passed unanimously by both the State House and Senate and signed by Gov Ron DeSantis last Wednesday

Mr Karnes said this week that the law gives the Lee County Clerk’s Office the ability to require government-issued IDs from anyone who records a deed before that deed is processed

“We can turn over that information to law enforcement and do a better investigation,” he said in an interview with The Breeze “It gives law enforcement a starting point ”

include any sort of identification

∫

No

∫

Why do commercial landowners always need more? The best answer is more means more value for them but what about the community? What about the risk of the next storm? What about traffic? What about a sense of place? It is a tiresome march with powerful conversations by special interests with time to lobby our officials

Fort Myers Beach is in the same position

A consistent pattern of commercial owners asking for more is being lobbied by consultants, owners, and the Town’s land planners M o s s M a r i n e , M a r g a r i t a v i l l e , B a p t i s t Church, Times Square, hotels etc etc It will

r e v i o u s l y , t h e C l e r k ’ s O f f i c e w a s

required to accept and record

a

Letters to the Editor

be endless Southwest Florida is popular and now ripe for the picking.

There is no question our community is experiencing a reset but where is the public dialog opportunity to discuss options, trade-offs, and incentives for creating the next Fort Myers Beach? How do the residents feel? What about the existing comp plan that has served our needs since incorporation? More intense means more traffic on our fragile vulnerable island

It seems the biggest need is affordable workforce housing and incentives that have a chance at getting something done. If modest changes to the development code can facilitate this while moderating additional intensity and building back a sense of communitythen we will have been successful All new development will be stronger, nicer (hopefully) and elevated More intense land use is a quality that needs to be balanced with community vision

There are national facilitators with broad experience to help this process perhaps before we proceed piecemeal with every landowner idea for “more”, we should have a public workshop for input Community Heart and Soul (https://www communityheartandsoul org) has a successful model for helping

want your opinion

Meanwhile, property owners here and statewide have another protection in place they can sign up for a free notification service that will alert them whenever an instrument purporting to convey title, such as a deed, is recorded in the county’s official records

While the service does not prevent the recording of the deed, it lets the property owner know they may need to contact an attorney or law enforcement to report the fraud as well as take other steps to undo the fraudulent conveyance, including filing for a court-ordered “quiet title ”

We urge anyone who owns property to t a k e t h a t p r o t e c t i v e s t e p V i s i t leeclerk org/fraudalert

Observer editorial

communities through this process and has grants to help a real need.

Our community leaders in the county and the Town have an opportunity to be constructive leaders for managing this reset I hope they do

Doug Speirn-Smith Fort Myers Beach

Please: Facts before speculation

To the editor:

Do you ever notice how some people complain based on speculation or non-factual information? It’s frustrating to see how much time some individuals spend spewing hate or making life difficult for those around them. We only have a short time on this earth compared to the hundreds of years our species has been around It’s important to add a positive spin and make life better for the majority Self-hatred contributes nothing If you disagree, that’s OK, but let’s focus on finding solutions to problems instead of continuing to speculate. Take the time to find out the facts before jumping to conclusions

Don Apking Cape Coral

∫

No, there will be a hung jury

Unsure

Share your opinion at fortmyersbeachtalk.com

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 mailed to: Fort Myers Beach Observer, 19260 San Carlos Blvd , Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931; faxed to 239-765-0846; emailed to news@breezenewspapers com; or posted to our Virtual Newsroom at www breezenewspapers com Letters are due no later than noon Monday All letters and guest columns must be signed and must contain a phone number for verification purposes You also can comment on any letter or editorial opinion online at: fortmyersbeachtalk com

Volunteering changes lives

Most of us have heard people say something along the lines of “I get more out of it than they do” when talking about the volunteer experience Some will even couch that statement with “I know it sounds cliche, but ” as if others may not believe the genuine feeling they get from their belief

However, it’s a statement that should be celebrated without an ounce of shame, because it highlights the truth about the volunteer experience

When we volunteer, we can find common ground with others we may have perceived as different from ourselves We discover new passions and gifts that can be shared with others We realize that serving someone in need often happens in a positive atmosphere

John Kleindienst

Guest Commentary

Feeling personally fulfilled, refreshed or excited about lending a hand to someone else is more than just gratifying Those feelings are also catalysts that will bring you back for more.

If volunteering were a drag or unfulfilling, people wouldn’t have done it amid a pandemic more than 23% of the U S population did, according to an

From page 4

Freedom

To the editor:

Yes Floridians have “freedom” but only to the extent that you agree with and follow the dictates of our part-time governor who is keeping his day job fighting against the “woke” educated population of Florida and the rest of the country

AmeriCorps report The impact made by those 60 7 million Americans helped others better handle or face their circumstances during a difficult time

W i t h D A V ( D i s a b l e d A m e r i c a n Veterans), the charity I represent, service to others is why we exist We’re committed to helping make whole those forever changed by their time in the military A huge part of how we do that is through selfless volunteers who give their most valuable resource: their time

Our volunteers come from all walks of life and backgrounds Some are DAV members; others are friends and supporters of the veteran community All make a difference in veterans’ lives

One thing our volunteers help with is r

Department of Veterans Affairs Through this program, we provide no-cost rides to veterans who otherwise wouldn’t have access to lifesaving and critical VA medical appointments When COVID-19 hit, we lost many of these drivers as the country effectively shut down But even as things are largely back to normal,

Letters

while running full time for the POTUS job He picks costly legal fights with women, progressive parents, citizens who just want to vote, Disney, the LGBTQ community, immigrant workers, other governors and he is costing Florida taxpayers tons of money as well as the respect of the rest of the country Nobody likes a bully for very long Especially one

many of our Transportation Network vehicles remain idle, waiting for volunteers to get behind the wheel

Every vehicle that doesn’t move means a veteran isn’t getting a needed ride or paying expensive transportation fees for each necessary trip So if you are willing and able to drive veterans to their appointments, even if you have just a few hours a month, go to driveforveterans org to sign up or get more information

But the DAV Transportation Network is just one opportunity we offer volunteers We have many other ways to be involved, both in VA medical facilities and right in your community You can learn more about those at volunteerforveterans org

Volunteering changes lives and not just those on the receiving end If you choose to raise your hand to give your time, I hope you’re able to say you got more out of it than the people you’ve served It’s a wonderful gift you receive in exchange for that most precious resource

John Kleindienst is the national director of volunt a r y s e r v i c e s f o r D A V a n d a n a c t i v e v o l u n t e e r Kleindienst is a U S Marine Corps veteran who served from 1996 until he was medically discharged in 2003 as a result of service-connected injuries Learn more about DAV’s resources for veterans at dav org

who “never backs down ” And believes that might makes right And that his political power is unlimited

He has amassed a huge war-chest of cash, however his large donors are seemi n g l y n o w h e a r i n g f r o m t h e i r w i v e s , daughters, sisters and mothers Do not give money to a politician who takes away women’s rights to control their own per-

sonal lives Being anti-abortion is a religious concept to very few Americans

Most of us see abortion as clearly an economic issue for women and their families

We feel that it is irresponsible to have more children than you can nurture, feed, educate and not raise in poverty If the anti-abortion folks truly cared about chil-

See LETTERS, page 7

Property fraud pilot program to launch in Lee

e w s @ b r e e z e n e w s p a p e r s c o m

A program designed to protect against property theft will be launched here in Lee County

The “Title Fraud Prevention Through Identity Verification Pilot Program,” is an e f f o r t i n i t i a t e d b y L e e C o u n t y C l e r k Kevin Karnes and state lawmakers, to help combat property fraud

Karnes said the idea was born shortly before his first year as the Lee County Clerk of Courts when he realized how easy it was for criminals to steal properties Existing law prevented clerks from taking proactive measures, so his top priority became getting the law changed to make sure an individual’s most valuable asset was not being stolen from underneath them

Kevin Karnes

“It wasn’t law enforcement’s fault They did not have information Criminals personate homeowners The criminal got what they needed and got the money and went on to the next victim,” Karnes said

HB 1419, sponsored by Rep Will Robinson and Sen Jennifer Bradley, makes it more difficult to file fraudulent deeds in Lee County The pilot program, which passed unanimously with both Florida legislative chambers, goes into effect July 1

Karnes said the bill that was passed creates a quicker avenue in the court system to get your property back

“It’s very rare for an idea like this to come to fruition in the first time presented to the legislature I am excited to be the first in the state to see if it works,” he said

T h i s p r o g r a m a u t h o r i z e s t h e L e e County Clerk to pilot-test the program for two years After two years, he will present a formal recommendation to legislators whether the program could then be expanded to all 67 clerks in Florida

Lee County is the first in the state to launch the pilot program He said the law gives them the ability to accept government-issued IDs to anyone who records a deed at the Lee County Clerk’s office before the deed is processed

“We can turn over that information to law enforcement and do a better investigation,” Karnes said. “It gives law enforcement a starting point ”

With an ID, it provides a photograph of all parties on the deed with an address and name, which he said will allow law enforcement to follow the “breadcrumbs” better Previously, the Clerk’s office was required to accept and record a document if it met statutory requirements, which did not include any sort of identification

It is considered property fraud when someone illegally records fraudulent documents with forged signatures to make it appear as if they are the legal owners of a property. Both vacant lots and homes are susceptible Once a thief claims ownership, they illegally rent,

or sell the property to an “unsuspecting customer ”

Karnes began tracking property fraud throughout the legislative cycle, which resulted in at least 15 reported incidents to his office in Lee County, and 92 reported to his office statewide

“That was just during the legislative session. It was an indication of a growing trend in the community It is the responsibility of the local government to do what we can to protect homes,” Karnes said

That protection is part of his passion, as an individual pays a lot of money for a home, creates memories in that home and pays taxes on that home

“A criminal can take advantage of the system and steal it from someone,” Karnes said

The Lee Clerk of Courts offers a free service for homeowners to help prevent property fraud from happening Individuals are encouraged to fill out four fields at leeclerk.org/fraudalert. Within 24 hours of a deed, or other land record is recorded with the Clerk’s office using their name, or business name, the service notifies the individual

Karnes said it is another tool to give homeowners a piece of mind, as well as providing homeowners the ability to contact law enforcement more quickly He said what they have found in most cases is homeowners do not know they are victims of fraud until they do not receive their property tax bill in November

There are around 550,000 parcels of land in Lee County with only 50,000 signed up for the free service

“There are private solutions out there, but they charge for that service,” Karnes said

District works to increase number of small business vendors

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

The School District of Lee County is working to increase small business participation in district contracts

The Small Business Enterprise Policy was adopted at the end of 2021 to create the Small Business Enterprise Program Business Services Executive Director Susan Malay said the program was established to increase competition with local small business on major construction contracts; create jobs and foster economic growth

A partnership was established with Florida Gulf Coast University to set the thresholds to define small, establish a certification process and share standards and gather feedback The district worked with the Regional Economic Research Institute

to establish a threshold for the number of employees in a small business and the Small Business Development Center to establish a threshold in the annual revenue of a small business

Malay said with a threshold of 20 employees as the size factor of measuring small businesses, they would hit 93 percent of the businesses in Lee County that are under 20 employees

As far as the revenue threshold, the cap for measuring small business revenue would be $10 million for the most recent three years with recertification every three years

A small business would also have to be in business for at least two years

"Our partners at FGCU have agreed to administer the certification process They are currently doing this assisting by looking at books, taxes and looking at business plans," she said "Part of our registration process of vendors closely aligns with FGCU "

Board member Jada Langford-Fleming shared concerns about constraining a small business to 20 employees, especially in the past year with many businesses hiring more people to get the work done post hurricane

"I support this small business ideal It was the backbone of what our country was built on," she said

B o a r d m e m b e r M e l i s a G i o v a n n e l l i agreed that the Small Business Enterprise Program is going to be a healthy opportunity and healthy competition

"I am hoping more local," she said about the businesses "I am all about feeding our local economy."

The district will continue community engagement regarding the program, as well as continue partnership with FGCU for the vendor certification process In addition, the next steps include identifying and soliciting prime contracts for small business bidding and establishing mandatory small business subcontracting goals for certain large projects

SBA capital disaster loans available through June 29

T h e U S S m a l l B u s i n e s s Administration encourages small businesses in Florida with economic losses due to Hurricane Ian that occurred from Sept 23 through Nov 4, to apply for w o r k i n g c a p i t a l d i s a s t e r l o a n s b e f o r e the June 29 deadline

Small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and private nonprofit organizations in the following counties are eligible to apply: Alachua, Bradford, Brevard, B r o w a r d , C h a r l o t t e , C l a y , C o l l i e r , DeSoto, Duval, Flagler, Glades, Hardee, H e n d r y , H e r n a n d o , H i g h l a n d s , Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola,

P a l m B e a c h , P a s c o , P i n e l l a s , P o l k , P u t n a m , S a i n t J o h n s , S a i n t L u c i e , Sarasota, Seminole, Sumter and Volusia

“To serve the economic interest of the community, we have an extended application timeframe of nine months which enables businesses to assess the effects of the disaster before applying for working capital loans As the June 29 deadline is approaching, we urge potential applicants to take action right away,” said Kem F l e m i n g , d i r e c t o r o f S B A F i e l d Operations Center East in Atlanta T h e s e f e d e r a l E c o n o m i c I n j u r y Disaster Loans are for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the business did not suffer any physical damage

The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates of 3 04 percent for small businesses and 1 875 percent for p r i v a t e n o n p r o f i t o r g a n i z a t i o n s , w i t h terms up to 30 years The SBA determines eligibility based on the size of the applicant, type of activity and its financial resources Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition These working capital loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred The loans are not intended to replace lost sales or profits Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via the SBA’s secure website at DisasterLoan

A s s i s t a n c e s b a g o v / e l a / s / a n d s h o u l d apply under SBA declaration # 17645 Disaster loan information and application forms may also be obtained by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (if you are deaf, hard of h e a r i n g , o r h a v e a s p e e c h d i s a b i l i t y , please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services), or by sending an email to Disaster CustomerService @sba gov Loan applications can be downloaded from the SBA’s website at sba gov/disaster Completed applications should be m a

Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155

Fire District receives new rescue trucks

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

The Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District received two new rescue trucks this past week. The trucks were approved by the fire control district board two years ago

T h e c o s t f o r e a c h v e h i c l e w a s a p p r o x i m a t e l y

$330,000 “including the needed equipment such as stretchers, radios,” Fort Myers Beach Fire Department Acting Fire Chief Scott Wirth said

“Long lead times for the chassis were the primary driver for the long lead time Nonetheless, we’re excited to get these units outfitted and in service,” Wirth said

Meanwhile, Wirth said the department is “actively working” with the Federal Emergency Management Agency “to finalize their determination on the status of Fire Station 31” which was battered by Hurricane Ian. The station on Donora Boulevard had been set to be replaced with a new station at the former Topps supermarket lot That lot has turned into a temporary town hall with multiple trailers

The department has been working out of its San Carlos Boulevard station and Lenell Road station since the closure of the Donara Boulevard station due to the damage from Hurricane Ian “We hope to have a determination from FEMA in the coming weeks” regarding Station 31, Wirth said

The department lost a fire engine, an ambulance, and its new UTV ambulance in Hurricane Ian, Wirth said. “Our front-line response units are one fire engine, one ladder truck, one ambulance, and one Battalion Chief ”

Since Hurricane Ian, the district’s call volume is down by about 60% “so losing the third engine isn’t impacting our workload too terribly,” Wirth said “Overall, the District is doing well, emergency responses are down but fires and other hazardous condition-type calls are up a bit The Life Safety Branch is processing more permit applications but getting them turned out quickly ”

County reports on schedules for upcoming holiday

Most Lee County administrative operations will be closed on July 4 in observance of Independence Day

The county's holiday schedule adjustments are as follows:

∫ Domestic animal services

Lee County Domestic Animal Services, at 5600 Banner Drive, Fort Myers, will be closed on July 4. It will resume regular business hours on July 5

∫ LeeTran

LeeTran will not run bus, trolley or Passport service on July 4 Services will resume on July 5 Route schedules and maps are available at www rideleetran com

∫ Parks & Recreation

Lee County Parks & Recreation offices and recreation centers will be

From page 4

dren rather than zygotes we would not have close to 100K homeless children living on the streets in Florida

According to the CDC: “Nearly all abortions in 2020 took place early in gestation: 93 1% of abortions were performed at less than 13 weeks’ gestation; a smaller number of abortions (5 8%) were performed at 14–20 weeks’ gestation, and even fewer (0.9%) were performed at greater than 21 weeks’ gestation Early medical abortion is defined as the administration of medication(s) to induce an abortion at less than 9 completed weeks’ gestation, consistent with the current Food

Sandelli will not seek re-election

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

L e e C o u n t y D i s t r i c t 3

closed on July 4 and will reopen on July 5 Parks, pools and preserves will remain open on July 4 For a list of open locations, visit www leeparks org

The county asks park patrons to remember that no alcohol is permitted in county parks It also reminds residents and visitors that the Causeway Islands Park on the Sanibel Causeway remains closed to watercraft, pedestrian and bicycle traffic due to the active construction zone

∫ Solid waste Garbage, recycling and yard waste collections in unincorporated Lee County, city of Bonita Springs, village of Estero and town of Fort Myers Beach will take place one day after the regularly

See HOLIDAY, page 11

Commissioner Ray Sandelli, RBonita Springs, said he will not seek re-election in 2024

"

I a m g o i n g t o m i s s t h i s tremendously," he said "I am looking forward to every day trying to make it a little better," he said of his remaining time on the Lee County Board of County Commissioners S a n d e l l i , w h o s e d i s t r i c t includes Fort Myers Beach, was appointed to his seat by Gov Ron DeSantis in 2019 to succeed the late Commissioner Larry Kiker Sandelli won an election to the seat in 2020

Ray Sandelli

"It was certainly not an easy decision (not to run again) I was flattered when the

Letters

and Drug Administration labeling for mifepristone (implemented in 2016) In 2020, 51 0% of all abortions were early medical abortions ”

The current governor won his last e l e c t i o n b y b u l l y i n g t h e o t h e r s t a t e Republicans into accepting his gerrymandering of the state (more lawsuits to follow….). Hopefully he will be out of a job in the near future but meanwhile we voters have the power to change at least one of his dreadful policies T

Florida voters believe that women should make their own decisions about their own healthcare without interference from bully

politicians With just 900K petitions we can get legal abortions on the 2024 ballot in Florida and back in the hands of responsible women and their doctors “ F l o r i d i a n s P r o t e c t i n g F r e e d o m ” i s a grassroots organization campaign devoted to obtaining enough signatures to qualify putting abortion on the 2024 ballot Their “ A m e n d m e n t t o L i m i t G o v e r n m e n t Interference with Abortion” seeks to further codify that right into Florida law by creating a constitutional amendment that explicitly blocks the implementation of laws that prohibit, delay, or restrict abortion access If you are registered to vote in Florida, you can print, fill out, and mail in

governor appointed me," Sandelli said Sandelli, who is 75, said he would be 80 at the end of another term. "I just feel like it's time f o r m y w i f e a n d I t o spend some time with our kids going forward " Sandelli is a managing p a r t n e r w i t h C R E Consultants, a commercial real estate and prope r t y m a n a g e m e n t f i r m His decision not to run again comes at a time when the county is expected to receive approximately $2 billion in federal funds from the U S Department of Housing and Urban Development to help the county rebuild from Hurricane Ian

your own petition form You can also get friends and family to sign petitions too Fill in the blanks carefully and completely or risk having your petition rejected

No abbreviations or initialed corrections

Put women’s rights and abortion on the ballot by supporting the campaign Go to t h e w e b s i t e w w w f l o r i d i a n s p r o t e c tingfreedom.com.

Print and Complete the petition Mail it to the address

FORT MYERS BEACH FIRE CONTROL DISTRICT

Beach Living

Annual catch-and-release contest to be held at Moss Marina

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

Everybody’s favorite free fishing contest is moving back to Fort Myers Beach this Fourth of July weekend

After 30 years of Fourth of July fishing contests at Bonita Bill’s on San Carlos Island, the event is moving to Moss Marina

The catch-and-release contest will be held Saturday, July 1, at the Fort Myers Beach marina due to the loss of the docks of Bonita Bill’s “The docks are gone,” organizer Joan Semmer said She thanked Moss Marina for being “kind enough to host it for us” this year

Registration starts at 8:30 a m at Moss Marina, which is at 450 Harbour Court The fishing begins at 9 and runs through Hot dogs will be served for lunch at noon There will also be watermelon supplied by Mom’s Restaurant and cookies and potato chips donated by Bonita Bill’s Waterfront Café and Tiki Bar.

“I’m just so awed at the generosity and kindness of the community,” Semmer said

Those participating need to bring their own poles and bait

There are trophies for the most catches and largest catches, among other categories

The well-attended event features prizes every year for every participant including fishing poles, trophies and other goodies The Fort Myers Beach Tarpon Hunters Club and First Citizens United Bank donated funds for the prizes

Semmer said the party room at Bonita Bill’s where

lunch is usually served is also being remediated Semmer said that extra prizes stockpiled there from previous fishing contests, were lost in Hurricane Ian “We lost everything, our scales, measuring sticks ”

Across the street from Bonita Bill’s, the Ostego Marine Science Center was flooded Semmer said her grandson was able to save some of the fish from the tanks She also saved two turtles She is awaiting a contractor to patch the roof

Before the fishing contest was held at Bonita Bill’s, Semmer used to organized fishing contests at the Fort Myers Beach Pier This will be the first time the Fourth of July fishing contest returns to the island since before 1992

If You Go:

What: Fourth of July fishing contest

When: Saturday, July 1 at 8:30 a.m. to noon

Where: Moss Marina, 450 Harbour Court, Fort Myers Beach

Cost: Free, must bring own fishing pole and bait

Bonita Bill’s owner Bill Semmer, who used to fire his mini cannon to start the annual event, died earlier this year His grandson Bill will be shooting off the cannon in his place, Ms Semmer said

Exploring the waves

NATHAN MAYBERG

Nortons, of Minnesota, recently purchased a vacation home in Cape Coral "We are loving the weather," Norton said

For t Myers Beach

Nests: 55

Non-nesting emergence: 152

Nests: 114

Non-nesting emergence: 206

Jacky Norton takes her daughter Amaiya out into the Gulf of Mexico waters during a trip to Fort Myers Beach a

Bonita Beach

FILE PHOTOS

9 n W e e k o f W e d n e s d a y , J u n e 2 8 , 2 0 2 3 f o r t m y e r s b e a c h t a l k . c o m F o r t M y e r s B e a c h O b s e r v e r

Elected superintendent will change school board dynamic

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

The School Board of Lee County was advised this week of what little control it will have over an elected superintendent

Florida School Boards Association Chief Executive Officer Andrea Messina said in her 23 years now being associated with school districts statewide, this is the first time a district has switched from an appointed to an elected superintendent, which led to an examining some changes to provide the support the district needs for the transition

Lee County voters approved the change via a referendum in November of 2022

The measure, which was placed on the ballot by the State Legislature and was opposed by the board, passed with 62 15 percent of the voters in favor, making the superintendent’s post another elected constitutional office as of the 2024 General Election

The existing system of having the superintendent appointed by the School Board had been approved by Lee voters in 1974

The elected superintendent will serve a four-year term

Among the of 13,568 school districts in the country, two states have elected superintendents with 37 school districts in Alabama and 38 in Florida electing their top administrator That equates to 99 923 percent of superintendents being appointed and 077 percent elected, Messina said

As a result of the voter mandate, the qualifications will change for an elected superintendent The only qualifications will be that they must live in the district and be a registered voter in the county

“We have seen in some counties it can be anything from a doctorate degree to someone who has a GED Anyone can get elected to that position,” Messina said

As with other constitutional officers, only the governor can remove or terminate them from office for malfeasance

“They cannot be dismissed by the board for failure to carry out duties or violation of board policy,” Messina said “We have seen some elected superintendents resign

Among the of 13,568 school districts in the country, two states have elected superintendents with 37 school districts in Alabama and 38 in Florida electing their top administrator That equates to 99 923 percent of superintendents being appointed and 077 percent elected

for any number of reasons When that happens the governor has the right to fill that position until the next election ”

Under previous governors they have also seen boards appoint someone as an interim until the governor assigns a superintendent if one is not appointed in a timely manner

“That is where we see the most contention in elected superintendent districts,” she said “When a superintendent is not carrying out board policy, or violating board policy, the board has no way to force a superintendent to comply with policy other than court We have seen lawsuits Board members against superintendents, superintendents against boards We have seen some court cases, or filings It’s never a good outcome The board cannot force a superintendent to do certain things They can suggest it Remind of a policy (If the superintendent) violates policy, they have no disciplinary teeth ”

An elected superintendent is accountable to the voters

“The superintendent must raise money, campaign and be elected,” she said, adding that the senior staff has a vested interest one way or another in the outcome of an election “It will affect the dynamic of senior leadership, it always does ”

The salary of an elected superintendent is specifically tied to Florida legislative compensation formula using very specific methodology

The base salary of an elected superintendent is based on the county population with three additional options

There is a special qualification salary of $2,000 after a successful completion and retention of a certification program. Messina said every year the superintendent can get an additional $2,000

Another option is a performance salary incentive between $3,000 to $7,500 after a successful completion of a two-phased chief executive officer leadership development certification

“As long as they continue to develop professionally, (it’s a) recurring salary,” she said

The last option is a district school board approved salary, a discretionary salary, which requires a majority vote

The board agreed that they need to come together and come up with some sort of salary before an election takes place

Messina also highlighted some of the items the school board will no longer need with an elected superintendent, such as a job description and performance goals She said an elected superintendent also does not have any formal leave or formal vacation

“Sometimes we have seen elected superintendents who take leave when wanted whether it’s convenient or not,” Messina said

With that said, she said they have some outstanding elected superintendents across the state.

“Most of them are salt-of-the earth people Hard- working people,” Messina said “Ninety-nine percent of the people that get elected are professional and do an outstanding job in their district I want to be very clear about that ”

Messina also shared that an elected superintendent may also have their own legal council, which might want to be addressed in a separate policy

“Put down some guidelines How are we going to address it? Put a measure in place before shortcomings appear that you will know what to do,” she said

She encouraged the board to think about an orientation or transition for a newly elected superintendent, as they might get someone who does not have any experience in education In addition, the board was encouraged to schedule a protocol workshop to develop expectations of one another, communication with one another

State budget funds school district’s Hurricane Ian recovery

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

The Framework for Freedom Budget, which was signed by Gov Ron DeSantis, fully funds the School District of Lee County’s Hurricane Ian Recovery appropriation requests and other legislative priorities in an amount of $21 5 million

Board member Debbie Jordan said everything they have asked for, they received

She said district officials traveled to Tallahassee multiple times to speak to local representatives, but also to representatives from different districts to share their wishes before legislative sessions began

“When we were up there we felt good because they understood what we were going through with Ian We are still in recovery Knowing we have the financial stability with the hurricane and having the funds that we need to grow our CTE (Career and Technical Education) programs and technical college is an economy driver. The entire community will benefit from that,” Jordan said

“Florida continues to lead the nation on all fronts, and we have laid the groundwork for generations of success,” DeSantis said in a prepared statement “Through this year’s budget, we have cemented an economic framework, which supports Florida’s families, business owners, and students in the pursuit of a prosperous future ”

Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, Sen. Ben Albritton, Sen. Jonathan Martin, Rep Jenna Persons-Mulicka, who also serves as the Lee County Delegation chair, Rep Mike Giallombardo, Rep Spencer Roach, Rep Adam Botana, and Rep

“The School District of Lee County is very appreciative of all of the bills, which our local Legislators sponsored in this year ’s Session. In addition to much-needed hurricane relief, the Lee County Legislative Delegation championed bills increasing school safety, career and technical education expansion, after school programs, and per student funding We are grateful that the Legislature passed these bills and that Gov DeSantis signed them into law, which made the Legislative Session a huge success ”

Tiffany Esposito comprise the Lee County’s Delegation

Jordan said Passidomo has always been about the technical colleges

“We do understand the need for the workforce and making sure we have something for everybody. Everybody will not go to college,” Jordan said, adding that offering programs at technical colleges will get those students workforce ready

A little more than $17 5 million was granted for the school board’s appropriation request, which was sponsored by Martin and Persons-Mulicka The fully funded monies are for the district’s documented, non-reimbursable, hurricane related capital losses

The appropriation requests for the non-reimbursable operational losses were also submitted and will be addressed by a grant made available by the legislature for school districts impacted by Hurricane Ian and Hurricane Nicole

“The School District of Lee County is very appreciative of all of the bills, which our local Legislators sponsored in this year’s Session,” School Board Chair Armor Persons said in a prepared statement “In addition to much-needed hurricane relief,

School Board Chair Armor Persons

the Lee County Legislative Delegation championed bills increasing school safety, career and technical education expansion, after school programs, and per student funding We are grateful that the Legislature passed these bills and that Gov DeSantis signed them into law, which made the Legislative Session a huge success ”

The 2023-2024 state budget also includes:

∫ $2,500,000 for safety and security technology to be installed in schools for the purpose of maintaining safe and secure learning environments for students and staff

This was sponsored by Martin and Esposito

∫ $1,244,000 to expand the CTE programs at Cape Coral Technical College to include Automotive Service Technology, Marine Service Technologies, HVAC-R, Welding Technology, and other construction-related and building trades programs

This was sponsored by Martin and Roach

∫ $250,000 to provide expanded after school activities to ensure students are provided with a safe and secure after school environment, which was sponsored by Martin and Botana

In addition, the Framework for Freedom

Budget also raised the per student funding by $405 to a record per student investment of $8,648 in the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP) The total FEFP funding for K-12 public school system is $26 8 billion.

Other investments include:

∫ $1 1 billion in funding, an increase of $252 million to provide salary increases for new and veteran teachers and other eligible instructional personnel

∫ $1 6 billion in funding for early childhood education, including more than $427 million for Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten

∫ $635 million to support workforce education programs

“On behalf of our Board, staff, students, and families, we are extremely grateful to the Lee County Legislative Delegation and Gov Ron DeSantis for understanding our unique needs and then supporting our requests all the way to approval in the state budget,” Lee School Superintendent Dr Christopher Bernier said in a prepared statement “The investment in our District will ensure our schools, students, and staff see a full recovery from the damage caused by Hurricane Ian With the legislators’ help and the Governor’s signature, we will also be able to expand our program offerings to our students and make our campuses safer ”

There are also two Back-to-School sales tax holidays scheduled, one in the fall and one in the spring with an estimated savings of $160 million on school supplies The holidays will cover clothing up to $100, school supplies up to $50, learning aids and jigsaw puzzles up to $30 and personal computers and accessories up to $1,500

Bereaved mother wants to make skilled swimmers aware of rare drowning risk

Lost son to ‘shallow water blackout;’ an often fatal faint that can affect divers, competitive athletes

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

Water may be the most powerful natural element in the world, and no matter your proficiency, there should always be precautions taken

Various tragedies have taken place with skilled swimmers and divers, including in Cape Coral recently with a 21-year-old

Jonathan Wade Hurtley, a lifelong Marco Island resident, passed away last month due to what’s called Shallow Water Blackout. Hurley, an avid swimmer who learned to swim independently at just 2 years old, had been engaged in a routine water workout in a gym pool, exercising his lung capacity on May 19 He didn’t have a spotter watching him, lost consciousness while under water, and never recovered On May 22, he passed away

According to officials with Shallow Water Blackout Prevention, a non-profit organization, SWB is an underwater “faint” due to a lack of oxygen to the brain brought on by holding your breath for long periods of time Without immediate rescue, the swimmer quickly drowns SWB is most common among physically fit swimmers, spear fishermen and free divers.

Officials state most dangerous risks for SWB are repetitive, competitive prolonged breath-holding laps with little rest in between, especially if intentional or unintentional hyperventilation has occurred

“I have now learned that SWB is a silent killer There i s n o s t r u g g l e , ” s a i d J o n a t h a n ’ s m o t h e r , M i c h e l l e Hurtley “It often happens to the strongest swimmers that are trying to challenge their own abilities, which was certainly the case with Jonathan However, it also happens when kids are playing in the pool and trying to see who can swim farther without taking a breath By the third or fourth attempt at the game, the body stops reacting and the drive to take a breath disappears, and they pass out If someone doesn't notice immediately, it can be too late Seconds not minutes count with SWB ”

In Florida, oceans, rivers, lakes, pools, and other various bodies of water are easily accessible, prevention is the key to having a safe experience

The non-profit’s top prevention tips include: never hyperventilate, never ignore the urge to breathe, never swim alone, and to never play breath-holding games

“Never swim alone,” Hurtley urged “Especially if you are trying to challenge yourself I don’t mean to make sure just other people are around, like was the case with Jonathan. I mean to make sure you have a spotter watching you specifically Jonathan had been an avid swimmer, swimming without assistance since he was 2 years old; but we had never heard of this ”

According to Shallow Water Blackout Prevention, SWB may be the leading cause of swimmer death

“The number of deaths that can be attributed to SWB is not fully known, as these deaths are often misdiagnosed as traditional drowning,” officials state “When coroners rule a SWB death as ‘drowning’ only, it masks the real problem of the prolonged breath-holding and the contributing factors of hyperventilation, competitive, and repetition Adding to the confusion, as mentioned above other causes besides drowning, can lead to death from breath-holding or hypoxia For this reason, SWB is not well known or understood by many of those who are most at risk ”

Drowning deaths in general happen at an alarming rate for Florida residents According to the CDC, Florida ranked fifth in the U S for unintentional drowning deaths with an age-adjusted rate of 2 2 per 100,000 population, behind Alaska (4 19), Hawaii (3 55), Montana (2 68), and Louisiana (2.52) for all ages in 2020 according to CDC national injury data

According to the Florida Department of Health, from 2018 to 2020 combined, Florida was ranked the highest in the U S for unintentional drowning death rate among children ages 1 to 4 years (6 24 per 100,000 population) FDOH states that Florida had the highest unintentional drowning death rate of 3.19 per 100,000 population among children younger than 9 years compared to other states according to CDC data Annually there are enough children under the age of 5 lost to drowning (50 in 2019, 60 in 2020, and 75 in 2021) to fill three or four preschool classrooms according to Florida CHARTS.

In addition, Florida was ranked third in the U S for unintentional drowning death rate (2 02 per 100,000 population) among children ages 0 to 17 years of age, behind Louisiana (2 77), and Oklahoma (2 2) in 2020, stated FDOH

For adults 18-plus, Florida was ranked forth in the U.S. for unintentional drowning death rate (2.38 per 100,000 population), behind Alaska (5 43), Hawaii (4 32), and Montana (3 53), during the same year

For more information on SWB, visit www shallowwaterblackoutprevention org

Coast Guard rescues four people, dog off Sanibel

The U S Coast Guard reported that a Station Fort Myers Beach boat crew responded to and rescued four people and their dog from a vessel that was taking on water on June 21 south of Sanibel

At about 7:45 p m , the crew of the sailboat North Wind called for help via VHF Channel 16 and reported to Sector St Petersburg watchstanders that their vessel was taking on water from the weather In addition, they reported that their sails were torn and their rudder was broken.

The weather on scene was 4-5 foot seas and 20-25 mph winds

The group was rescued and brought back to Station Fort Myers Beach with no injuries reported

“It's really important for people to check weather reports before going out on the water during Florida's rainy season,” Station Fort Myers Beach Petty Officer

Holiday

From page 7

scheduled collection day following the July 4 holiday If the regular collection day is Monday, pickup will be as scheduled Tuesday's regularly scheduled pickups will be on Wednesday Wednesday's

2nd Class Dean Marandos said “It's even more important to have working safety equipment on board such as flares and an

emergency position indicating locator beacon ”

The U S Coast Guard reported that a

PHOTOS PROVIDED

safety information marine broadcast was issued for the anchored sailboat to warn boaters of the hazard to navigation

Jonathan Wade Hurtley

State legislators announce funding for clean water projects

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

Rep Jenna Persons-Mulicka, R-78, was joined by members of Lee County’s state legislative delegation, county lawmakers and other local politicians Friday at Riverside Community Center in Fort Myers to announce planned water infrastructure projects that were funded in the latest legislative session as well as other funding for Lee County to recover from Hurricane Ian

At a press conference overlooking the Caloosahatchee River, Persons-Mulicka spoke of $125 million for water infrastructure projects in the Caloosahatchee and St Lucie basins which she said would “help ease the cost of building modern wastewater and stormwater infrastructure to help prevent against local water quality challenges like Red Tide and harmful Blue Green Algae blooms ” PersonsMulicka said the newly-passed state budget includes local infrastructure improvements for water quality, stormwater management, water treatment and septic to sewer conversion projects

Persons-Mulicka, whose district covers Fort Myers, said the state budget signed last week by Gov Ron DeSantis allocates funds for projects in Lee County from “hurricane recovery to infrastructure and resiliency to water quality and numerous community initiatives.” The state legislature approved a $350 million funding package for hurricane recovery throughout the state

State Sen Jonathan Martin, R-33, said the state budget includes more than $694 million for Everglades restoration projects which will help Lee County’s estuaries and tourism Those funds include $58 million for restoration strategies,

Millage

more than $356 million for the comprehensive Everglades restoration plan, $64 million for the Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir project, more than $96 million for protection for northern Everglades estuaries and $50 million for project components to reduce harmful discharges to estuaries

Martin, whose district includes most of Lee County, said “this budget is a continuation of what we have seen with Gov DeSantis His focus on making sure that our environment is taken care of because our environment is important to every component of our lives here in Southwest Florida, to our personal lives to tourism, to development, most importantly to the quality of our lives ”

"We have to make sure the water coming out of Lake Okeechobee is good for our estuaries, good for our neighbors, good for our health and good for tourism,” Martin said

From page 1

eliminate the $210,000 last year’s council had put into the budget for the Lee County Sheriff’s Office to provide expanded community policing Onzick also suggested the town reduce funds set aside for lighting for Estero Boulevard which may not be needed now that the state’s budget would fund lighting on Estero Boulevard for the town

Vice Mayor Jim Atterholt said he had discussed the budget with Onzick ahead of the meeting and believed it wasn’t the right time to raise taxes

“Things will get better In fact, I think they will get demonstrably better We will recover from a revenue

From page 1

Winter Park, in Orange County Vose

Law Firm was hired two years ago to replace the longstanding law firm representing the City of Naples

The town hired the Tallahassee-based firm of Nabors, Giblin & Nickerson at a cost not to exceed $25,000 to vet the law firms though as of Sunday they had given no report to the town nor had they yet submitted a bill for services, according to the t o w n ' s c o n t r a c t s m a n a g e r F r a n k Kropacek. "The process is still unfolding," Kropacek said

In a request for whether the town had received such a report, Fort Myers Beach Mayor Dan Allers initially referred questions to Town of Fort Myers Beach Manager Andy Hyatt who didn't respond to a message seeking comment After the town had voted to replace Herin, Allers said he did receive a vetting report on June 20 though he did not respond to a request for a copy of the report as of press time. Fort Myers Beach Councilmember Bill Veach said no such report had been given to him

standpoint,” Vice Mayor Jim Atterholt said

“I hate to raise the millage rate for people who are suffering,” Councilmember Bill Veach said Town Councilmember John King had moved to keep the millage rate flat at 99 mills, though Fort Myers Beach Mayor Dan Allers said the town should leave itself some flexibility in case the town ran into unforeseen budgetary issues,

“We don’t know what the next couple of months brings,” Fort Myers Beach Mayor Dan Allers said Allers said that if the town utilizes the state loan, it will have to pay it back though it hopes to get those funds reimbursed

Atterholt had previously stated he didn’t see a reason to replace Herin unless a qualified, local attorney was found On Monday, Atterholt joined the majority of the council in voting for Vose Law Firm

Atterholt said the town “needs an attorney with a sense of urgency about helping to get people back into their homes and businesses That is the primary reason I supported making a change ”

Asked how the new attorneys would facilitate the ability of residents to get back in their homes faster, Atterholt said “as much as state law will allow, the Town needs to examine ways to speed up and streamline our permitting process We can do this through changes in our ordinances and Land Development Code, additional staff to process the permits and empowering the staff with the authority to grant minor administrative variances We need a town attorney who is proactive and anticipatory in eliminating any hurdle that needlessly slows the permitting process.”

The town’s small permitting staff has been facing a large number of requests for

Rep Tiffany Esposito, R-77, whose district includes part of Fort Myers, Estero, Buckingham and Lehigh Acres, said “We have red tide simmering and blue-green algae showing up in local canals The best way to minimize harmful algal blooms of all types is to stop feeding them That’s how we will continue to repair our seagrass and our fisheries and that’s how we will continue to stop the health risks associated with exposure With these state investments that we’ve seen this year, we can build resilient water infrastructure without leaving home and businessowners to bear that cost There are far too many people in this region with failing septic tanks and it’s creating a significant impact on our water quality as we know ”

Esposito said local estuaries can’t handle the hurricane flooding the area witnessed during Hurricane Ian

Atterholt said he thought there was enough cushion from the town’s use of the American Rescue Plan funds and additional balance from the loans to keep the town safe Atterholt said the town could consider an alternative to the bridge loan which doesn’t have an interest rate in the first year but which would go up substantially after the first year

Council ultimately adopted a tentative budget which wouldn’t raise taxes by a vote of 4-1, with Allers dissenting

permits, with many of the applications not meeting state building code guidelines at a time when the town lost the staff the state had previously supported the town with to buttress its permitting review department months ago

Following Monday's meeting, Herin called his replacement “inevitable I had a good long run If the council wants to move on, that’s their prerogative "

Councilmember Bill Veach, who had been Herin's main supporter on the council, did not attend the vote Veach had cited Herin's institutional knowledge that was being lost Herin was also considered well versed in state municipal codes and case law

Allers said he was slightly concerned about how the town will handle its litigation that is ongoing with a new attorney

“I'm sorry we are going to be losing some institutional knowledge,” Allers said before his vote to support hiring Vose Law Firm to replace Herin.

Veach said "I worry about losing more of our institutional knowledge by casually

removing competent key staff I feel the downside makes it more difficult to hire competent replacements and puts a chill on our recovery Residents and businesses need certainty to make decisions on their future

V e a c h , w h o w a s u n a b l e t o a t t e n d Monday's meeting due to a previously scheduled engagement before the special meeting was rescheduled, called Herin an "effective, if long-winded, communicator and he answers the phone whenever he was not engaged, frequently on Sundays before meetings The new legal team seems competent and hopefully will serve the town well, and I wish John well in his future endeavors"

H e r i n , w h o a t t e n d e d m o s t c o u n c i l meetings, some of which ran up to seven hours, as well as Local Planning Agency meetings and magistrate hearings, said "I wish the community nothing but the best going forward "

PHOTOS PROVIDED

State Sen Jonathan Martin

State Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka

The outer buildings of Beach Elementary School are being torn down due to damage from Hurricane Ian The Lee County School District has approved a two-phase plan for restoring the historic building and replacing the outer buildings as enrollment increases

Beach Elementary

remediated and renovated after the demol i t i o n i s c o m p l e t e d f o r a s c h e d u l e d November opening. The reopening of the school is part of a two-phase approach taken by the school board that will include opening up the historic building at first a n d t h e n e x p a n d i n g c o n s t r u c t i o n t o accommodate more students as enrollment increases

"The outer buildings were damaged beyond repair by Hurricane Ian and are being torn down and the land prepared for possible future use," Lee County School District spokesperson Robert Spicker said "Demolition is required to be completed by July 14 At the same time, we are

From page 1

developing the plans to renovate the historic building and have a pre-bid meeting w i t h p o t e n t i a l c o n t r a c t o r s n e x t w e e k .

Renovations are scheduled to start in August with students enrolled in Fort Myers Beach Elementary expected to return to their campus in November "

The contract for the demolition of the outer buildings was approved by the Lee C o u n t y S c h o o l B o a r d J u n e 1 3 T h e

$81,000 contract was awarded to Naples

Excavating

Fort Myers Beach Elementary School students are expected to return to San Carlos Park Elementary School beginning Aug 10 when school starts

LEE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT

Three-flippered sea turtle nests on Sanibel

The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation reported that Nubbins is a special sea turtle who staff had the joy of encountering in May as she laid her eggs on Sanibel Named for her missing rear flipper, Nubbins was tagged last year by sea turtle biologist Savannah Weber while she was a graduate student with Florida State U n i v e r s i t y ' s M a r i n e T u r t l e R e s e a r c h , E c o l o g y a n d

Conservation Group

Led by Dr Mariana Fuentes, the MTRECG team conducts in-water monitoring in a sea turtle foraging habitat off the coast of Crystal River to determine the sea turtle population structure Each turtle encountered gets measured, weighed and tagged Skin samples are also collected for stable isotope analysis, which can reveal information about the turtle's diet and habitat

The surveys in the foraging area help assess sea turtle population size, life stage structure and habitat use to improve their conservation and management. As part of a project by PhD candidate Ian Silver-Gorges, the group has also put temporary underwater cameras on the backs of loggerhead turtles to investigate short-term behaviors such as foraging, boat avoidance, and interactions with other turtles and species The camera stays attached for three to four hours before it separates and transmits a radio signal that the group can follow for retrieval Nubbins was one of the turtles outfitted with a camera

The SCCF reported that Nubbins was observed nesting on Sanibel on May 24 during a routine nighttime survey Since 2016, it has conducted night surveys from May 1 through Aug. 1 each year to tag and collect data on nesting sea turtles Over 1,000 sea turtles have been encountered since the program's inception, providing insight into population dynamics, temporal and spatial nesting patterns, and habitat use

“Sea turtles typically exhibit site fidelity to their foraging habitats, which means they migrate to and from the same general foraging area between nesting periods,” Weber said “Thanks to SCCF and MTRECG's collaborative survey efforts, we now know where this loggerhead turtle forages and nests ”

Obituaries

After this nesting season, Nubbins will likely migrate back to the Crystal River foraging area where she will stay for two to three years until she is ready to nest again.

“Nubbins is a very special turtle indeed, and I feel so lucky to have encountered her twice first at her foraging grounds as part of FSU, and now at her nesting site as part of SCCF,” Weber said

The SCCF added that as of June 16, sea turtles had laid over 630 nests on Sanibel and Captiva so far this season, including 15 green sea turtle nests.

For more information about the SCCF's sea turtle prog r a m , v i s i t h t t p s : / / s c c f o r g / w h a t - w e - d o / p r o t e c twildlife/sea-turtle-program/

SANIBEL-CAPTIVA CONSERVATION FOUNDATION Nubbins

WHERE TO GO WHAT TO DO WHO TO SEE

2023 Red, White & BOOM

Fort Mye rs Mi ghty Muss els to hol d thre e nights of fi re work s a t gam es this wee k

STAFF REPORT

The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels are hosting an I n d e p e n d e n c e D a y W e e k e n d F i r e w o r k s

Spectacular on July 3 that caps a multi-day celebration with promotions and two other nights of fireworks

The July 3 postgame fireworks show, produced by Pennsylvania-based Pyrotecnico, is expected to last at least 12 minutes and feature thousands of colorful pyrotechnics launched just beyond the right field fence

“It will be the biggest fireworks show in the history of Hammond Stadium – hands down,” Mighty Mussels

President Chris Peters said

The July 3 game caps a weekend celebration that also includes postgame fireworks shows on Friday, June 30 and Sunday, July 2 Killebrew Root Beer, Estero Bay Chevrolet and Lee County Solid Waste are sponsoring the three fireworks shows

All weekend, Mighty Mussels players will be wearing custom red, white and blue patriotic jerseys, which will be auctioned after the game to support Keep Lee County Beautiful, a nonprofit organization focused on improving, beautifying and protecting the environment

Hammond Stadium’s culinary team will be serving up

Fourth of July staples like hot dogs, bratwursts, cheeseburgers and chicken tenders, along with Philly cheesesteaks, chicken sandwiches and pizza by the slice. Mighty Mussels staff also will be serving freshly squeezed lemonade, ICEEs, Dippin’ Dots and a ballpark favorite among children soft serve ice cream in a Mighty Mussels keepsake helmet Concession stands also feature a large selection of draft beers and craft beers from breweries across the country

“Other than Opening Night, our Independence Day Weekend celebration is probably the most anticipated

See MIGHTY MUSSELS, page 17

4th Family Fun Community Cookout to feature games, pool party and more

By TIFFANY REPECKI trepecki@breezenewspapers com

The islands community is invited out to a free event to celebrate the Fourth of July holiday

The city of Sanibel's Recreation Department will host the 4th Family Fun Community Cookout on July 4 from 11 a m to 2 p m at the Sanibel Recreation Center on Sanibel Free and open to the public, it will feature games, a magician, pool party, an inflatable obstacle course, face painting, music and more.

Gabby Cooper Angeles, program coordinator with the Sanibel Recreation Center and Recreation Department, explained that the annual parade and fireworks display are not taking place this year due Hurricane Ian, so the city council asked staff to organize an alternative event to mark the holiday

“It's free to the community,” she said “Anyone can come, off-island or on-island ”

“There's a lot of stuff going on,” Angeles added Games like three-legged races, corn hole, and a javelin throw with a pool noodle will be held in the gymnasium. The winners will receive a goodie bag with a holiday-themed bracelet, necklace and more

“Just some fun games in the gym with prizes,” she said

The gymnasium will also feature an inflatable obstacle course

“We will have a craft room set up,” Angeles said, noting that the supplies will be provided by the Children's Education Center of the Islands and Saint Michael & All Angels Episcopal Church

“We'll have one of the rooms full of balloons,” she added

A magician will roam the grounds before switching to silt walking and then to balloon artistry.

“We'll have two staff members doing Fourth of Julythemed face painting,” Angeles said

At the pool, attendees can enjoy pool games with more prizes

The Sanibel Fire and Rescue District will be on site with one of its trucks Families can tour the apparatus and the fire hose will be set up for youths who want to try their hand at being a firefighter

Also taking part will be Hubbard Farm with its rescue animals

“It's a rescue out of Naples,” she said “They will be smaller animals like baby chickens, bunnies.”

Husband-and-wife duo The Keys will provide live entertainment from 11 a m to 1 p m

“They're local,” Angeles said “They kind of play a little bit of everything ”

Attendees can satisfy their hunger with free treats, including pizza by Island Pizza, hot dogs from Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille, ice cream by Boops By The Bubble Room and popcorn from the center

The event sponsors are CECI, Doc Ford's, F I S H of Sanibel-Captiva, Kingfisher Vacation Rentals & Real Estate, IntuneHealth, Island Pizza, Publix, Saint Michael & All Angels and Sanibel fire district.

The community is welcome to come on out and enjoy the day

“It's important to keep supporting Sanibel in the recovery process,” she said “There may not be the parade and fireworks this year, but there will be a lot of fun stuff available for those of all ages ”

“Enjoy time and the holiday with family, friends and

If you go

What

4th Family Fun Community Cookout When July 4 from 11 a m to 2 p m

Where Sanibel Recreation Center, 3880 Sanibel-Captiva Road, Sanibel

Details

Free and open to the public

neighbors,” Angeles added

For more information, call the center at 239-4720302 or 239-395-1860.

The Sanibel School is at 3840 Sanibel-Captiva Road, Sanibel

Cape Coral to hold 2023 Red, White & BOOM

The City of Cape Coral is proud to host the largest single-day event in Southwest Florida- Red, White, & Boom

The free event is held July 4th on Cape Coral Parkway at the foot of the Cape Coral Bridge Music entertainment begins at 5 p m , with headliner, Dylan Scott, performing at 8 p m

The American Fireworks Spectacular, a musically synchronized fireworks display, begins at 9:30 Music can be heard from the stage and on Cat Country 107 1 FM, which can also be accessed in the iHeart Radio app

To ensure everyone’s safety, please remember no pets, fireworks, or outside alcohol are allowed

For more information, please visit www capeboom com or call 239573-3128 during regular business hours Be advised, BOOM Zone tickets are sold out

Priority Business Solutions Freedom 5K & Servpro Kid's Fun Run

Independence Day will commence with the Priority Business Solutions Freedom 5K & Servpro Kid's Fun Run, held by the Chamber of Commerce of Cape Coral

The Freedom 5k begins at 7 a m and features an out-and-back course running over the Cape Coral Bridge Participants can pick up their race t-shirts and chip-enabled bibs before the race or the day of Veterans receive a discounted registration fee and commemorative challenge coin

The Kid's Fun Run will be held after the 5k is complete and is geared toward children 12 and under

Registration is available online at https://runsignup com/Race/FL/ CapeCoralFreedom5KRunWalkKidsFunRun

Mighty Mussels

homestand of the season,” said John Martin, majority partner of the Mighty Mussels. “You can catch a baseball game with your family, enjoy a burger or hot dog and stick around to watch fireworks light up the night sky It doesn’t get any more American than that ”

Mighty Mussels tickets start at $10 and a r e a v a i l a b l e a t M i g h t y M u s s e l s c o m Gameday promotions for the upcoming homestand against the Lakeland Flying Tigers include:

Wednesday, June 28 (First pitch: 7 p m )

∫ Dollar Dog Night: Hot dogs cost just $1 at the concession stand

∫ Guaranteed Win Night: Fans receive a free ticket to the next home game if the Mighty Mussels lose

∫ Silver Sluggers Night: Senior club members get free tickets and parking to all Wednesday home games.

∫ Ladies Night: Women get 2-for-1 seltzers and wine at the game

Thursday, June 29 (First pitch: 7 p m )

∫ Miracle Throwback Night: Players will wear throwback Fort Myers Miracle uniforms

∫ College Night: Students can purchase $5 tickets at the box office with a

From page 15

valid ID

∫ $1 & $2 Beer Night: 12-ounce cans are $1 and 12-ounce drafts are $2.

Friday, June 30 (First pitch: 7 p m )

∫ Fireworks: The Mighty Mussels’ pyrotechnics team will light up the sky after the final out

∫ Pregame Happy Hour: Purchase 2for-1 Bacardi drinks at Rusty’s Bar from 6-7 p.m.

Saturday, July 1 (First pitch: 6 p m )

∫ Bark in the Park: Leashed dogs are welcome at Hammond Stadium

∫ Guaranteed Win Night: Fans receive a free ticket to the next home game if the Mighty Mussels lose

∫ Giveaway: The first 500 fans will receive Pit Viper Mussels sunglasses

∫ Cancer Sucks Night: The Mighty Mussels are partnering with area organizations to raise awareness and support for cancer research.

Sunday, July 2 (First pitch: 6 p m )

∫ Fireworks: The Mighty Mussels’ pyrotechnics team will light up the sky after the final out

∫ Kids Club Sunday: Children 14 and under can join the Mussels Sprouts and get free tickets to Sunday games and a Tshirt

∫ Kids Catch on the Field: Children can play catch in the outfield an hour before first pitch. Monday, July 3 (First pitch: 6:30 p m )

∫ I n d e p e n d e n c e D a y F i r e w o r k s

Spectacular: The Mighty Mussels are hosting the “biggest fireworks show in the

history of Hammond Stadium” after the final out

∫ Patriotic Jersey Auction: Fans can bid on custom red, white and blue jerseys t o h e l p s u p p o r t K e e p L e e C o u n t y Beautiful

Head under the sea with Disney’s ‘The Little Mermaid’ at Broadway Palm

This summer, Broadway Palm is going under the sea with Disney’s "The Little Mermaid" playing July 7 through Aug 12 This full-scale, stage production is based on the popular 1989 animated film of the same name that quickly became a Disney favorite

Theatre goers of all ages will enjoy watching the Disney classic THE LITTLE MERMAID come to life on stage! Take a dive into a magical kingdom where the beautiful mermaid, Ariel, longs to leave her ocean home to live in the world above When Ariel falls in love with the human Prince Eric, she makes a bargain with the evil sea witch, but the bargain isn’t what it seems You’ll see all your favorite characters and hear the irresistible songs including "Under The Sea," "Kiss The Girl," "Part Of Your World" and more!

Performances are Wednesday through Sunday evenings with selected matinees Tickets are $55 to $85 with group prices available There is a summer special and tickets for anyone 16 and under are just $30 including the meal Tickets are now on sale and can be reserved by calling 239-278-4422, by visiting BroadwayPalm com or by stopping by the box office at 1380 Colonial Blvd , Fort Myers

The Laboratory Theater of Florida Education to present the SWFL premiere of 'She Kills Monsters: Young Adventurers Edition'

The Laboratory Theater of Florida’s award-winning education department will p r e s e n t t h e S W F L p r e m i e r e o f Q u i Nguyen’s "She Kills Monsters: Young Adventurers Edition," July 13- 16

A g n e s r e d i s c o v e r s h e r r e c e n t l ydeceased sister in a magical game of Dungeons and Dragons She slashes her way through orcs, dragons, and cheerleaders and learns there's more to her sister than she ever knew This funny and imaginative play is a universal story of honoring those we've lost

The Laboratory Theater of Florida takes a "whole actor" approach to acting In addition to physical theater, stage combat, voice modulation, blocking, stagecraft, and scene study, students also learn the basics of set design, lighting instruments and design, costuming, stage makeup, stage management, and theater etiquette and best practices And, of course, theater games

"Quality education in theater includes valuable lessons in communication, teamwork, organization, and responsibility - as well as specific skills on all elements of theater In this, our 15th year, I am proud of the high standard of education Lab Theater offers Our campers are going to have a blast with the show and learn so many skills that will help prepare them for the world," says artistic director Annette Trossbach

n Michael Kennedy are returning as the

Weymouth says, “one of the Lab’s priori-

ters to highlight the importance of telling authentic stories that resonate with our campers We work with them to shine a light on their dreams, fears, and emotions in a way that all audiences, not just teen audiences, can identify with No matter your age or gaming ability, you’ll be rooting for Agnes, Tilly, and their friends through the goofy shenanigans of She Kills Monsters ”

P a u l a S i s k , t h e L a b ’ s D i r e c t o r o f Education, adds, “As a teaching theater, I love that the education team continues to find fresh and creative plays, like She K i l l s M o n s t e r s : Y o u n g A d v e n t u r e r s Edition, for our campers I am excited to watch our students master the complexities of this comedic romp through the fantasy world created in a Dungeons and Dragons campaign ”

This camp is sponsored by a grant from The School District of Lee County and Art Zupko

Performance dates:

∫ Thursday, July 13 at 8 p m

∫ Friday, July 14 at 8 p m

∫ Saturday, July 15 at 8 p m

∫ Sunday, July 16 at 2 p m

For more information or to purchase t i c k e t s v i s i t w w w L a b o r a t o r y T h e a t e r Florida.com.

The Laboratory Theater of Florida is at 1634 Woodford Ave , in the Fort Myers River District PHOTO PROVIDED

ties when picking summer camp shows is to choose plays with teenage main charac-

PHOTOS PROVIDED

PET PALS

Help us make a difference

By ISABELLE WELLS

Co-founder of the Find a Home, Give a Home

pet rescue organization of Fort Myers Beach

Sometimes I feel like a dog biting its tail It is going to be a very rough time for all the pets in general and many locally are losing their lives for the same reasons Too many of them are left running around and reproducing There are so many strays and owner surrenders that shelters are overwhelmed. This is the time to support and help us make a difference We are posting dogs in shelters right here

Many stay in cages for months and many are euthanized as there are not enough homes for them A city council in Naples decided to switch their budget to help people instead of their city shelter, making it a kill shelter and allowing for euthanasia I can tell you that it didn't go very well So I say: instead of euthanizing why don't you go and stop the breeding!! Go to the source instead of killing thousands of pets. Of course euthanizing might be easier and quicker but it comes at the cost of so many innocent lives

Thanks for considering adopting I have four shelter pets at home and I would not have it any other way!

Two great dogs having a hard time at the shelter. Both are in danger. If you can help please contact Isabelle at

via text or phone

Canyon is a 1-year old brindle neutered Florida Curr 45 pounds He is an absolutely calm and wellbehaved dog outside the kennel and gently walks on a leash and knows commands. However, once inside the cage, he immediately starts jumping up and down and circling incessantly.

Chance is in a shelter and is not doing well!!! Chance is a 7-year-old neutered brown hound mix that came into the shelter as stray 57.4 pounds. He gets along with the staff and other dogs here, but he is so anxious in his cage that he constantly paces all day long, never relaxing He enjoys his time outside, but the shelterl environment seems to be causing him stress and anxiety

Follow us on Facebook at Find A Home Give A Home Pet Rescue and see all the amazing pets we saved these past few months

Please note our new PO Box #864, Bonita Springs, Fl 34133

You can also make a donation at www.findahomegiveahome.com using the donation tab using PayPal

Please make sure you do it through “Friends and Family” so there is no fee and all the donation comes to us directly.

Fosters and feeders still needed

By Jo Knobloch Saveourstraysfmb @yahoo com

Founder of Save Our Strays Cat Rescue

a 501c3 organization on Fort Myers Beach

Unfortunately we are not getting any volunteers for fostering and or feeding which is making it very difficult to keep rescuing cats and kittens who desperately need saved, vetted and adopted If you have space to foster one or two cats or kittens or can spend a few minutes feeding the strays who made it through Ian, please call the rescue at 239-851-3485 Your help would be most appreciated Also need volunteers to come play with the kittens once or twice a week It is very entertaining and free

We always need kitten food wet and dry, Fancy Feast Wet Kitten and Iams Healthy Kitten or Purina One Healthy Kitten Bins are in both Pet Supermarket stores we work with

Also with the 4th of July coming up next week, please make sure your pets, both dogs and cats are inside when any fireworks are going on in your neighborhood. The animals are all traumatized from Ian and thunder, lightning, heavy rains and wind plus loud noises are very scary for them as it is for us humans who rode it all out Several cats are still missing and they have been through enough Please call if you see any strays

Happy 4th Keep safe!

Taz

Taz is a male gray and white kitten and has a sister who looks very much like him They both have very unique designs on their foreheads that are tabby striped He is very playful, loves to run and is a very active boy who would love to have a family to love him and his sister if possible Both will be at the pet supermarket store off San Carlos Blvd. at Majestic Palms Blvd. in the plaza behind Fifth Third Bank starting this week if you would like to stop and see them

Reuben

Reuben is an orange male tabby kitten 5 months old He is full of vim and vigor and loves to be around people Very playful He had no toys at all where he used to live and is enjoying all the ones he has now Very sweet boy needing a forever home

W e e k o f W e d n e s d a y , J u n e 2 8 , 2 0 2 3 n P a g e

f o r t m y e r s b e a c h t a l k . c o m 2 0

Boys & Girls Club of Lee County

Summer Enrichment Program

S u m m e r E n r i c h m e n t P r o g r a m : W e e k d a y s f r o m 7 : 3 0 a m t o 6 p m , J u n e 1 2 - A u g u s t 4 , o f f e r e d a t l o c a t i o n s i n B o n i t a S p r i n g s , C a p e C o r a l , F o r t M y e r s a n d L e h i g h A c r e s S u m m e r C a m p s a r e a v a i l a b l e f o r a g e s s i x t h r o u g h 1 8 a n d i n c l u d e f i e l d t r i p s , S T E M p r o j e c t s , a r t s a n d c r a f t s , g u e s t s p e a k e r s a n d m u c h m o r e F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n o r t o r e g i s t e r , v i s i t

B G C l e e o r g o r c a l l 2 3 9 - 3 3 4 - 1 8 8 6

LARC to host Career Camp for students ages 14-21

L e e A s s o c i a t i o n f o r R e m a r k a b l e C i t i z e n s ( L A R C ) w i l l h o s t C a r e e r C a m p s f o r s t u d e n t s a g e s 1 4 - 2 1 i n J u n e a n d J u l y S t u d e n t s m u s t b e c u r r e n t l y e n r o l l e d i n s c h o o l a n d h o l d a n I n d i v i d u a l i z e d E d u c a t i o n a l P l a n ( I E P ) o r 5 0 4 P l a n ( S e c t i o n 5 0 4 o f t h e R e h a b i l i t a t i o n A c t ) . “ M a n y s t u d e n t s a r e i n t e r e s t e d i n j o b s b u t d o n ’ t k n o w w h e r e t o s t a r t , ” s a i d A n g e l a K a t z , L A R C ’ s E x e c u t i v e D i r e c t o r “ P a r t i c i p a n t s w i l l e x p l o r e c a r e e r s a n d g a i n t r a n s f e r a b l e s k i l l s i n h i g h - d e m a n d i n d u s t r i e s T h e y w i l l d e v e l o p a r e s u m e , p r e p a r e f o r i n t e r v i e w s , a n d m o r e ” T h r e e 3 0 - h o u r c a m p s w i l l b e h e l d ; J u n e 2 6 - 3 0 , J u l y 1 0 - 1 4 , a n d J u l y 2 4 - 2 8 C a m p s a r e M o n d a y –F r i d a y f r o m 9 a m – 4 p m , w i t h a 3 0 - m i n u t e b r e a k f o r l u n c h S t u d e n t s m u s t b r i n g l u n c h S n a c k s w i l l b e p r o v i d e d T h e c a m p s w i l l b e h e l d a t L A R C ’ s F o r t M y e r s h e a d q u a r t e r s a t 2 5 7 0 H a n s o n S t r e e t . E n r o l l m e n t i s f r e e o f c h a r g e t o q u a l i f y i n g p a r t i c i p a n t s E v e r y s t u d e n t t h a t s u c c e s s f u l l y c o m p l e t e s a l l f i v e d a y s o f C a r e e r C a m p w i l l r e c e i v e a $ 5 0 g i f t c a r d , l u n c h , a n d a c e r t i f i c a t e o n t h e l a s t d a y o f c a m p T h e p r o g r a m i s a n a f f i l i a t e o f t h e F l o r i d a D i v i s i o n o f V o c a t i o n a l R e h a b i l i t a t i o n ( V R ) T h i s c a m p i s a p a r t o f p r e - e m p l o y m e n t t r a n s i t i o n s e r v i c e s , w h i c h i n c l u d e j o b e x p l o r a t i o n , w o r k p l a c e r e a d i n e s s , w o r kb a s e d l e a r n i n g ( j o b s h a d o w ) w i t h a l o c a l b u s i n e s s , a n d p o s t - s e c o n d a r y c o u n s e l i n g a n d t o u r I n t e r e s t e d i n d i v i d u a l s s h o u l d c o n t a c t t h e i r V o c a t i o n a l R e h a b i l i t a t i o n c o u n s e l o r o r t h e i r l o c a l V R o f f i c e f o r a referral Visit www rehabworks org/studentyouth/student-youth html or call (239) 278-7150 for more information

T o l e a r n m o r e a b o u t L A R C , v i s i t w w w l a rc l e e c o u n t y o r g o r c o n t a c t A n g e l a K a t z , E x e c u t i v e D i r e c t o r , a t 2 3 9 - 3 3 4 - 6 2 8 5 x 2 1 0 o r a n g e l a k a t z @ l a rc l e e c o u n t y . o r g .

Broadway Palm Children’s Theatre presents ‘How I Became A Pirate’

B r o a d w a y P a l m C h i l d r e n ’ s T h e a t r e p r e s e n t s t h e m u s i c a l , “ H o w I B e c a m e A P i r a t e . ” U r g h ! G e t r e a d y t o s e t s a i l w i t h B r a i d B e a r d ’ s p i r a t e c r e w p l a y i n g s e l e c t e d m a t i n e e s t h r o u g h J u n e 3 0

“How I Became A Pirate” tells the tale of Jeremy Jacobs as he gets invited to join Braid Beard’s pirate crew, he thinks the pirate life is for him Until he realizes that the simple things in life, like a kiss and a warm tucking in at night, are those that are most important Set sail for a fun-filled journey as Jeremy learns that the most important things in life are worth more than buried treasure

Broadway Palm Children’s Theatre presents fulls c a l e p r o d u c t i o n s t h a t a r e g r e a t f o r a l l a g e s .

Performances are matinees with lunch at noon and show beginning at 1 p m The chef’s special buffet includes children’s favorites like pizza, chicken nuggets, french fries, pasta and more

Ticket prices for the buffet and the show are only $25 for all ages Group rates are available for parties of 20 or more Tickets are now on sale and can be reserved by calling 239-278-4422, by visiting www Broad wayPalm com, or by stopping by the box office at 1380 Colonial Boulevard in Fort Myers

Kid's Floral Design Workshop offered at Edison and Ford Winter Estates

Edison and Ford Winter Estates is partnering with floral designer, Anita Singh, to offer a Kid's Floral Design

Workshop. The class will be offered on July 8 at 10 a.m. The workshop is for children ages six and up Children will be instructed on basic flower care and design ideas

Singh has been creating floral arrangements for more than 20 years and also makes jewelry and creates other types of art While her designs are original and many of her techniques are self-taught, she is a certified floral designer through Penn Foster College

The workshop is for children only and will last approximately 60 to 90 minutes All materials and flowers will be provided Each child will be able to take their floral creation home Registration is required at least 48 hours before the class starts at EdisonFord.org. The workshop is $50 per child for Edison Ford members and $60 per child for non-members

Edison and Ford Winter Estates is at 2350 McGregor Blvd , Fort Myers

Premier Mobile Health Ser vices to hold pair of Community Health Fairs

P r e m i e r M o b i l e H e a l t h S e r v i c e s h a s s c h e d u l e d a p a i r o f C o m m u n i t y H e a l t h F a i r s t o i n c l u d e f r e e s c h o o l p h y s i c a l s a n d b a c k p a c k g i v e a w a y s

T h e s e e v e n t s w i l l b e h e l d i n t w o l o c a t i o n s i n J u l y :

∫ S a t u r d a y , J u l y 2 2 , f r o m 9 a m - n o o n a t M t H e r m o n M i n i s t r i e s , 2 8 5 6 D o u g l a s A v e , F o r t M y e r s

∫ S a t u r d a y , J u l y 2 9 , f r o m 9 a m - n o o n a t P i n e M a n o r C o m m u n i t y C e n t e r , 5 5 4 7 1 0 t h A v e , F o r t M y e r s T h e y a n t i c i p a t e s e r v i n g a t l e a s t 5 0 0 f a m i l i e s f r o m l o w - i n c o m e a n d u n d e r s e r v e d c o m m u n i t i e s P r e m i e r w i l l p r o v i d e f r e e m e d i c a l s c r e e n i n g s f o r c h i l d r e n a n d w i l l g i v e a w a y b a c k p a c k s f i l l e d w i t h s c h o o l s u p p l i e s f o r c h i l d r e n I n a d d i t i o n , t h e y w i l l o f f e r f r e e m e d i c a l h e a l t h s c r e e n i n g s f o r a d u l t s i n c l u di n g b l o o d p r e s s u r e s c r e e n i n g , b l o o d s u g a r t e s t i n g a n d H I V t e s t i n g T h r o u g h t h e s e h e a l t h f a i r s , t h e y i n t e n d t o b r i n g b a c k - t o - s c h o o l h e a l t h s e r v i c e s t o t h o s e f a m i l i e s t h a t n e e d i t t h e m o s t D o n a t i o n s a r e w e l c o m e T h e r e a r e m a n y w a y s t o d o n a t e s c h o o l s u p p l i e s T h e y c a n b e d r o p p e d o f f a t t h e P r e m i e r M o b i l e H e a l t h S e r v i c e s w a l k - i n c l i n i c a t 1 0 6 7 6 C o l o n i a l B l v d , S u i t e # 2 0 , F o r t M y e r s , 3 3 9 1 3 I t e m s c a n a l s o b e p u r c h a s e d f r o m o u r A m a z o n W i s h L i s t h t t p s : / / a c o / 2 h V I h Z H M o n e t a r y d o n a t i o n s c a n b e m a d e o n t h e w e b s i t e a t : h t t p s : / / p r e m i e r m o b i l e h e a l t h o r g / d o n a t e /

T h e m i s s i o n o f P r e m i e r M o b i l e H e a l t h S e r v i c e s i s t o p r o v i d e a c c e s s t o q u a l i t y h e a l t h c a r e s e r v i c e s t o t h e m e d i c a l l y v u l n e r a b l e a n d t o t h o s e w h o a r e a t m o s t r i s k o f d e v e l o p i n g a n d e x p e r i e n c i n g l o n g t e r m i l l n e s s e s a n d h o s p i t a l i z a t i o n A s a 5 0 1 ( C ) 3 t a x - e x e m p t o r g a ni z a t i o n , t h e y p r o v i d e s e r v i c e t h r o u g h d o n a t i o n s a n d g r a n t s

F o r a d d i t i o n a l i n f o r m a t i o n c a l l 2 3 9 - 2 8 8 - 7 9 4 9

For t Myers Mighty Mussels home games

T h e M i g h t y M u s s e l s p l a y h o m e g a m e s a t H a m m o n d S t a d i u m i n F o r t M y e r s t h r o u g h m i dS e p t e m b e r T i c k e t s s t a r t a t $ 1 0 a n d t h e s c h e d u l e f e at u r e s n u m e r o u s p r o m o t i o n s , i n c l u d i n g c o n c e r t s , f o o d a n d d r i n k s p e c i a l s , p o s t g a m e f i r e w o r k s c e l e b r a t i o n s , b e e r f e s t s a n d m o r e F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n o n g a m e s , t i c k e t s o r s p e c i a l e v e n t s , v i s i t M i g h t y M u s s e l s c o m o r c a l l 2 3 9 - 7 6 8 - 4 2 1 0

Wonder Gardens offering enhanced guest experiences for the summer

T h e W o n d e r G a r d e n s i s o f f e r i n g e n h a n c e d g u e s t e x p e r i e n c e s f o r t h e s u m m e r G u e s t s w i s h i n g t o g e t u p c l o s e a n d p e r s o n a l w i t h s o m e o f t h e a t t r a c t i o n s c a n s c h e d u l e a W i l d W o n d e r s A n i m a l E n c o u n t e r H a b i t a t C h a t s p l a n n e d o n T h u r s d a y s a l s o o f f e r n e w a n d a d d it i o n a l e x p e r i e n c e s

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Summer Activities

Family owned and operated since 1986, Captiva Cruises has helped Southwest Florida locals and guests experience the region’s waters for nearly four decades, exploring unique destinations and hidden gems that are often only reached by boat All cruises are led by U S Coast Guard-licensed captains, guiding passengers in encountering Southwest Florida and providing educational insights on the region’s unique ecosystems and native wildlife From start to finish, excursions help passengers encounter true Florida

C r u i s e s o f f e r a v a r i e t y o f f u n e x p e r i e n c e s f o r a l l a g e s , s a i l i n g t o d e s t i n a t i o n s i n c l u d i n g :

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Al-Anon, Al-Ateen meetings

Are you concerned with a friend or family member's drinking? Let us help.

Call our 24-hour helpline at 941-564-5098 or visit www SouthFloridaAl-Anon org Meetings are held every day in Lee County

Al-Ateen meetings are also offered for ages 10-18

The For t Myers Beach Obser ver & Beach Bulletin welcomes news from our community!

Send

Guest Author to speak at Edison and Ford Winter Estates

On July 6, at 10 a m , author, Alexandra Rimer will talk about h e r n e w l y p u b l i s h e d b o o k , "Seduced by the Light," at Edison and Ford Winter Estates. The presentation is free and open to the public, and will be held in the S o u t h F l o r i d a W a t e r Management District building at 2301 McGregor Boulevard, Fort Myers, FL 33901 (next to the Estates)

The book is a biography about M i n a M i l l e r E d i s o n ( T h o m a s Edison's wife) The author draws o n a c c e s s t o E d i s o n f a m i l y diaries, memoirs, and letters and writes from the perspective of the inventor's wife Books will be available for purchase and signing

Rimer has been an Assistant E d i t o r a t t h e T h o m a s E d i s o n P a p e r s a t R u t g e r s U n i v e r s i t y since 2005 She is the co-recipient of the Eugene S Ferguson P r i z e ( P a p e r s o f T h o m a s A Edison) from the Society for the History of Technology. She is a frequent lecturer on Mina Edison at the Thomas Edison National H i s t o r i c P a r k i n W e s t O r a n g e , N e w Jersey

In addition, the Estates' volunteer, Jan MaGirl who has played the role of Mrs Edison for many years will give a brief presentation about Mina Edison Estates' volunteer managers will be available to

Mural proposals being

The Alliance for the Arts in Fort Myers Bloom & Wallace Digital Arts Lab to provid for the public of all ages and abilities to expl skills in writing, filmmaking, podcasting, dig computer generated paintings, photography created music, e-books, 3D design, editing a creative applications It will commission an artist group to paint a mural in the front corne lab. Artists are asked to submit proposals fo an approximate 9-foot wide mural to be com pleted in July The selected artist will be awarded a stipend of $1,000 The deadline to submit a proposal is June 26 For more info mation, visit https://www artinlee org/express

answer questions for anyone interested in volunteering For more information about the Estates, call 239-334-7419 or visit www edisonford org

Edison and Ford Winter Estates is at 2350 McGregor Blvd , Fort Myers

Berne Davis Garden tours now available

Tours to continue through September

The Berne Davis Botanical Garden, 2166 Virginia Avenue, Fort Myers, is open for Tuesday morning garden walks from now until October between 9 a m and noon Admission and parking are both free; handicap parking is on Virginia Avenue; regular parking is on Larchmont

The botanical garden is a project of the Fort Myers Lee County Garden Council, whose headquarters are at the Virginia Avenue address The garden is staffed by Garden Council volunteers. Those viewing the garden may also just walk the path and enjoy the gardens

The garden is the home of the Lorelei statue that was part of the old Fort Myers Library as well as the Mina Edison Botanical Library Many of the displays in the garden have been provided through the talents and contributions of the 29 local garden clubs, plant societies, and other affiliate members, representing over 1,700 members which comprise the Garden Council.

The Fort Myers-Lee County Garden

PHOTO

G a z e b o a t t h e B e r n e D a v i s Botanical Garden.

Council was formed in 1957 and now comprises various clubs, societies, and affiliate members in the area The Council is a member of the National Garden Clubs, the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs, and American Public Gardens Association. For additional information about the Council, contact the president, Sylvia Swaartz, President, fmlcgardencouncil@ gmail com

PROVIDED

Community Concert Association announces 2024 Season; tickets now on sale for five rare performances

I n t e r n a t i o n a l l y - a c c l a i m e d p e r f o r m e r s f r o m t h e Ukraine, Spain, Bulgaria and Canada will headline the five concerts planned for 2024 by the Fort Myers Community Concert Association.

Tickets are now on sale for the five-performance season, which organizers say brings the best in symphony orchestras, song and dance to Southwest Florida All performances will be at the Barbara B M a n n P e r f o r m i n g A r t s H a l l o n t h e F l o r i d a SouthWestern State College campus in Fort Myers

“We are so happy to continue with a full slate of performances for our 2024 season,” said Community C o n c e r t A s s o c i a t i o n P r e s i d e n t M a r y L e e M a n n

“Community Concert Association members and guests w i l l l o v e s e e i n g t h e K y i v V i r t u o s i S y m p h o n y Orchestra from the Ukraine as well as our other artists from around the world ”

All five concerts are included in one ticket price, which ranges from $165 for prime orchestra and mezzanine seats to $155 for other orchestra and mezzanine seats, $85 for lower balcony seating and just $65 for upper balcony There is limited $165 orchestra seating still available, Mann said

For membership information, visit www fortmyers c o m m u n i t y c o n c e r t s o r g o r e m a i l MLMannConcerts@aol com Tickets to individual performances are not available at this time

The five performances all begin at 7:30 p.m.:

∫ Canadian Brass – January 7, 2024 Since its formation in 1970, the Canadian Brass has been playing for audiences throughout the world with a repertoire that ranges from Bach and Handel to Joplin, Gershwin and Ellington The group has received a combined total of 24 Grammy and Juno nominations and played Carnegie Hall, toured China and performed before five prime ministers

∫ Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra

January 16, 2024 Officially named Bulgaria’s national orchestra in 1945, The Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra has roots going back to 1892. The orchestra has long established itself as one of Bulgaria’s leading cultural institutions and has garnered substantial world-wide recognition The Philharmonic’s repertoire comprises works from the entire historically available range of music from classical to contemporary opuses, including performances of numerous works by Bulgarian composers

∫ G r e a t V o i c e s f r o m O p e r a t o B r o a d w a y –February 5, 2024 Concerto Soloists Internationale returns to the Community Concert Association with all new music, featuring popular highlights from grand opera to Broadway to pop performed by international soloists from four continents with a live on-stage orchestra and an emcee

∫ Barcelona Flamenco Ballet – March 7, 2024

Known for its outstanding and unforgettable productions, the Barcelona Flamenco Ballet offers an innovative combination of both traditional and more modern and contemporary flamenco dance set to musical styles ranging from classical to jazz to conventional flamenco

∫ Kyiv Virtuosi Symphony Orchestra – March 19, 2024 Years of friendship and collaboration between a group of talented Ukrainian laureates and world famous conductor and cellist Dmitry Yablonsky led to the creation of the Kyiv Virtuosi Symphony Orchestra During this year’s “Tour of Freedom,” the orchestra will be joined by MultiPiano, a unique piano ensemble ranging from one piano with four hands to several pianos in a variety of multi-hand combinations

The Fort Myers Community Concert Association, now in its 74th concert season, is an all-volunteer notfor-profit organization founded by the legendary Barbara B Mann in 1949 to bring world-class entertainment to Southwest Florida at affordable prices The association consists of more than 1,200 members, underwriters and sponsors Performers brought to Fort Myers in the past by the association include The Israel Ballet, The Boston Brass, Violin Virtuoso Itzhak Perlman, Cleveland Orchestra, Vienna Boys Choir, Pianist Andre Watts, Violinist Joshua Bell with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields and many others

PHOTOS PROVIDED

Canadian Brass

Barcelona Flamenco Ballet

Kyiv Virtuosi Symphony Orchestra

Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra

SPORTS & RECREATION

FWC proposes changes for snook management

At its May meeting, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission posed new management regions regulation changes for snook Th proposed new regions would allow the FWC to better capture local differences in the fishery

T h e p r o p o s e d r u l e c h a n g e s would:

∫ Establish nine management regions for snook

∫ M a t c h c u r r e n t G u l f o r Atlantic coast regulations within n e w r e g i o n s , e x c e p t f o r t h e Charlotte Harbor

∫ C h ar lo tte H ar b o r : M atch current Gulf coast regulations, and implement a two-fish vessel limit and include September in the summer season closure.

Staff will continue to gather input the proposed rules ahead of a planne rule hearing at the commission's October

Fort Myers

Mighty Mussels Promotional Calendar

meeting Submit a public comment on snook nal management by visiting FWC com/SaltwaterComments

For the full May agenda and links

t o b a c k g r o u n d r e p o r t s , g o t o

M y F W C c o m / C o m m i s s i o n a n d select “Commission Meetings ”

Those who cannot attend can foll o w c o v e r a g e a t

T w i t t e r c o m / M y F W C (@MyFWC) and sign up for news updates at MyFWC com Check the Florida Channel for possible l i v e v i d e o c o v e r a g e a t

TheFloridaChannel org

For current recreational snook r e g u l a t i o n s , v i s i t MyFWC com/Marine and click on

“ R e c r e a t i o n a l R e g u l a t i o n s ” a n d

S n o o k . ” T h e p a g e i n c l u d e s t h e ok annual reviews, which provide a ary of the snook fishery status in each proposed management region

DDWS reports on refuge programming and more

The “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge provided the following updates for the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel:

∫ Free Summer Programs will run from now through Aug 5 For more information, visit https://www dingdarlingsoc i e t y o r g / a r t i c l e s / f r e e - r e f u g e - p r ograms

∫ Art in the Wild Day will take place on Oct 21-22 at the refuge For

more information, visit https://www dingdarlingsociety org/articles/art-in-thewild.

∫ Photo-artist Niki Butcher will mount an exhibition of her work in January and February in the refuge's Visitor & Education Center

∫ The “Ding” Darling Lecture Series will return to the refuge from January through March For more information, visit https://www dingdarlingsociety org/art icles/lecture-series

∫ Nature Wellness @ Ding will return to the refuge and beyond on Jan 18-21

∫ The “Ding” Darling Day Conservation Carnival will be held on April 20 at Lakes Park in Fort Myers For more information, visit https://www dingdarlingsociety org/art icles/ding-darling-days

∫ The 12th annual “Ding” Darling & Doc Ford's Tarpon Tournament will take place on May 10 For more information, visit https://dingdarlingsociety org/articles/tarpon-tournament-1

Hammond Stadium at CenturyLink Sports Complex is at 14400 6 Mile Cypress Pkwy, Fort Myers

For Mighty Mussels ticket information call 239-7684210 or visit https://www milb com/fort-myers/tickets/ All giveaways, promotions and event dates are subject to change. All Times ET Subject to Change

Wednesday, June 28 @ 7 p m

vs. Lakeland Flying Tigers

Game Highlight: Dollar Dog Night

Every Wednesday home game, all fans can get $1 hot dogs all game long | Presented By 102 9 BOB FM

Game Highlight: Guaranteed Win Night

We are guaranteeing a Mussels victory! If the Mussels lose all fans in attendance get a free ticket to the next day's game

Game Highlight: Silver Sluggers

It's Silver Sluggers Wednesday! Join our Silver Sluggers Club to get free tickets and parking to each Wednesday home Mussels game | Presented By Amavida

Game Highlight: Ladies' Night

Ladies get 2 for 1 Seltzer's & Wine at each Wednesday Mussels Home Game

Thursday, June 29 @ 7 p.m. vs. Lakeland Flying Tigers

Game Highlight: $1 and $2 Beer Night

It's the biggest party in town every Thursday with the Mussels with $1 12 oz cans & $2 draft beers during the game! | Presented By Budweiser, Twin Peaks & Gator Country 101 9

Game Highlight: Miracle Throwback Nights

Every Thursday we're throwing it back to the Miracle days and the Mussels will wear Miracle uniforms! Plus get $1 and $2 beers!

Game Highlight: College Night

All College Students get $5 tickets with Student ID

Friday, June 30 @ 7 p m

vs Lakeland Flying Tigers

Game Highlight: Pre-Game Happy Hour

Get 2 for 1 on all Bacardi drinks at the Rusty's bar at Hammond Stadium from 6-7 PM | Presented By Rusty's, Bacardi

Game Highlight: Friday Fireworks

After each Friday game the Mussels will light up the sky with the best fireworks show in Southwest Florida! | Presented By Killebrew Root Beer

4-13

More than $30,000 in prizes up for grabs in 2023 Florida Python Challenge set for Aug.

Thanks to the generosity of sponsors, participants of the 2023 Florida Python Challenge have the opportunity to win a share of thousands in cash prizes! The event, which is hosted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the South Florida Water Management District, features an Ultimate Grand Prize of $10,000 sponsored by Inversa Leathers There is also a prize of $7,500 for the Grand Prize Runner Up, sponsored by the Bergeron Everglades Foundation

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

Prizes will also be awarded in the professional, novice and military categories courtesy of Edison National Bank/Bank of the Islands and the F i s h & W i l d l i f e F o u n d a t i o n o f

Florida

Under the leadership of Gov. Ron DeSantis, the FWC, SFWMD and the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of F l o r i d a h o s t t h e F l o r i d a P y t h o n Challenge to raise awareness about invasive species in Florida and their impacts The event, which runs Aug 4 - 1 3 , e n c o u r a g e s p e o p l e t o g e t directly involved in Everglades conservation through invasive species removal

Visit FLPythonChallenge org to register for the competition, take the required online training, view the

optional training opportunities, learn more about Burmese pythons and the unique Everglades ecosystem, and find resources for planning your trip to south Florida to participate in the Florida Python Challenge

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

Saturday, July 1 @ 6 p.m. vs. Lakeland Flying Tigers

Game Highlight: Guaranteed Win Night

We are guaranteeing a Mussels victory! If the Mussels lose all fans in attendance get a free ticket to the next day's game

Game Highlight: Bark in the Park

Bring your dog to the game as all dogs get in free and join Lee County Sheriff's Office as they spread the word against Animal Cruelty! | Presented By Lee County Sheriff's Office

Game Highlight: Pit Viper Sunglasses Giveaway

The first 500 fans will receive Pit Viper Mussels Sunglasses! | Presented By Lee County Solid Waste |

First 500 Fans

Game Highlight: Cancer Sucks Night #5

In the ongoing battle to fight Cancer the Mussels will partner with area organizations to raise money for the fight | Presented By Budweiser

Source: www milb com/

Organization seeking former USS Intrepid

The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum reported that Aug 16 will mark the 80th anniversary of the commissioning of USS Intrepid (CVS-11), the World War II-era Essex class aircraft carrier that is now the centerpiece of the New York City museum

To mark the occasion, the museum will put out a coast-to-coast “all call” for Intrepid former crew members to be reunited at a special 80th Commissioning Anniversary Celebration on board the ship

T h e m u s e u m i s a l s o s e e k i n g a n d accepting donations of personal artifacts and memorabilia from former crew members and their families The museum noted that each item added to the collection helps it perpetuate, honor, express and interpret Intrepid’s stories of service, and to fulfill its mission to honor, educate and inspire millions of people each year

The museum reported that the homecoming will feature a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of Intrepid’s commissioning on Aug 16, honoring former crew members from all eras of the carrier’s service, who will reunite and share stories of their tours of duty It will host a special former crew member dinner event that evening and guided tours of the ship For some former crew members, it will be the first time they have been aboard their ship since the completion of their service While the museum recognizes the ship’s

crew members

commissioning anniversary every year, the 80th celebration promises to be the largest gathering of former crew members since the 75th anniversary in 2018

The museum added that the Intrepid’s 8 0 t h C o m m i s s i o n i n g A n n i v e r s a r y Celebration is open to the public, and will feature events specifically tailored for former crew members and their families, as well as opportunities for members of the public to interact with the visiting former crew members

Now a national historic landmark, the aircraft carrier Intrepid was one of the most successful and stalwart ships in U S history Nicknamed “The Fighting I” by its crew, it served in the Pacific during World War II, surviving five kamikaze attacks and one torpedo strike It later cond u c t e d s u b m a r i n e s u r v e i l l a n c e i n t h e North Atlantic during the Cold War and served three tours of duty off Vietnam It was also one of the primary recovery vessels for NASA during the Mercury and Gemini missions, and retrieved astronauts Scott Carpenter, Gus Grissom and John Young after their respective orbits and splashdowns in the Pacific

To learn more about the commemoration and for registration information, former crew members and their family members can visit intrepidmuseum org/80 or contact fcm@intrepidmuseum.org.

Registration open for next Honor Flight

C o l l i e r - L e e H o n o r F l i g h t announced that the nex Flight Flight No 25 set for Sept 30 Milit veterans from Collier an Lee counties are invited to apply for consideration for the free event

In addition, CollierL e e H o n o r F l i g h t i s seeking volunteers to serve as Guardians fo the veterans during t journey Guardians acc pany and support the ans, ensuring their com safety

Collier-Lee Honor Flight's mission is to provide free air transportation to local veterans, enabling them to visit the memorials in Washington, D C , that are dedicated to honoring their service and sacrifices

“ T h e s e t r i p s s e r v e a s a p o i g n a n t reminder of the valor and dedication displayed by our veterans,” officials reported

During the Honor Flight, surprises of recognition and honor are introduced, ensuring that each veteran feels appreciated throughout the day

“It is our firm belief that these brave

men and women deserve nothing our utmost gratitude dmiration,” CollierHonor Flight originaDebi Lux said C o l l i e r - L e e H o n o r F l i g h t p r i o r i t i z e s i t s m o s t s e n i o r h e r o e s Wheelchairs are provided for veterans to s s u r e t h e i r c o m f o r t nd safety

“When I got out of the y in 1967, I had to y uniform because of War protestors,” Sgt Richard Erschik, who took part in Honor Flight No 24, said “This Honor Flight experience made me proud, again, that I wore one ”

The support for the trips is made possible by military and non-military volunteers

Companies and individuals are sought a s H o n o r F l i g h t s p o n s o r s . T h e y w i l l receive prominent and continuous mention and recognition on the website and a token of appreciation for their contribution

F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , v i s i t https://www collierhonorflight org/ or call 239-777-9295

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