Fort Myers Beach Observer/The Beach Bulletin

Permit now required for temporary structures

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

A permit is now required for the placement of temporary structures in the Town of Fort Myers Beach, Town of Fort Myers Beach Communications Director Jennifer Dexter announced Friday

Dexter said the reason for the new permit requirement was due to an ordinance passed by the town council in June for placement of temporary structures that

some residential and commercial owners are using This also includes FEMA and FDEM temporary structures

The cost of the permit is $100

Dexter said the temporary structures were allowed to be registered in town after Hurricane Ian to “assist property owners to rebuild and to help the town keep track of the number of temporary structures and their locations ”

The new temporary placement permit

requirement applies to currently registered structures for both residential and business properties, and future applications, Dexter said

"Notices are going out now to the property owners who have current temporary structures," Dexter said

According to the ordinance, the temporary placement permit will need to be reapplied for every six months and can not be extended past 18 months unless a hard-

Fishin g of f Big Carlo s Pass Bridg e t o cease ami d constructio n

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

Th e d e c a d e s - l o n g p r a c t i c e o f anglers searching for fish while standing along the railing of Big Carlos Pass Bridge will be brought to a close on Sunday, July 23

The contractor on Lee County’s Big Carlos Pass Bridge replacement project will be installing signs this week to notify the public of the change, Lee County spokesperson Betsy Clayton said in an announcement

The $90 8 million bridge replacement project, expected to be completed in the summer of 2026, will keep Big Carlos Pass Bridge open for vehicle traffic while the 23-feet high draw bridge is replaced with a taller, 60-feet high, vertical, fixed-span bridge No fishing will be allowed from the bridge during the construction

To accommodate the fishermen and a request from former Fort Myers Beach Mayor Ray Murphy, the project’s plans

Anglers who have been casting

July 23 to accommodate the construction of a replacement bridge project being conducted by Lee County. A fishing pier will be constructed underneath the south side of the bridge. The bridge replacement project is expected to last three years.

ship is shown

The temporary unit will be removed from the site within thirty 30 days after issuance of a certificate of occupancy or certificate of use associated with the approved permit, or at the time of the expiration of the permit, whichever is earlier The permit can’t be used for the operation of a short-term rental

Dexter said the original town council

Town hall and Topps lot swap in works

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

Since Hurricane Ian hit Fort Myers Beach and leveled town hall, the town’s administrative offices have been operating out of a group of trailers on the former Topps lot next door owned by the Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District

Now officials with the town and fire district are discussing trading properties

The fire district acquired two parcels at the vacant Topps supermarket lot for $3 99 million three years ago to replace Station 31, which dates back to the 1950’s Despite numerous discussions, the fire district has not moved forward with construction of a new fire station at the Topps lot Station 31 dates back to the 1950’s Located at Donora Blvd and Estero Blvd , Station 31 was considered a total loss after Hurricane Ian

“The town has approached us and we’ve been talking the last few months about what it would look like to actually t r a d e p r o p e r t i e s , ” F o r t M y e r s B e a c h Interim Fire Chief Scott Wirth told the

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OPINIONS Much for which to be thankful for

P u b l i s h e r

R a y m o n d M E c ke n r o d e re cke n ro d e @ b re e z e n ew s p a p e rs c o m

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

P ro d u c t i o n m a n a g e r R o b B r a i t l i n g r b ra i t l i n g @ b re e z e n ew s p a p e rs c o m

S u b s c r i p t i o n s 1 y e

Web Poll

A s w e c l o s e d o u t t h e 2022-23 school year, there was so much to be thankful for We celebrated the graduating Class of 2023, which earned millions of dollars in s c h o l a r s h i p s M a n y h a v e plans to attend colleges and universities, or join the work force or military Not only our seniors, but our entire s t u d e n t p o p u l a t i o n w o r k e d hard to succeed during this past school year

Our students and staff persevered despite the struggles that resulted from Hurricane Ian Nearly 10 months later, r e c o v e r y c o n t i n u e s W h i l e most of our students are back at their home schools, Hector Cafferata Elementary is still working out of portable on Cape Coral Tech property until a new campus is built Fort Myers Beach Elementary students and staff will remain at San Carlos park until their campus renova-

Debbie Jordan

Guest Commentary

t i o n s a r e c o m p l e t e d t h i s

November

T h r o u g h t h e t r a g e d y a n d recovery, we witnessed community members reaching out t o o n e a n o t h e r e x t e n d i n g a helping hand during the most trying of times For the School District of Lee County, the education and safety of our students remains the top priority as we continue our own recovery and plan for the upcoming school year Our team at the district continues to work hard for all of our students and families and have learned to be flexible and adapt to the everchanging world we live in I thank each and every one of our employees, from our food service workers, to bus drivers, teachers, support staff and administrators They each play an important role in the success of our students

The education work continues throughout

Letters to the Editor

Disrespecting our countr y’s laws disrespects veterans who ser ved

To the editor:

It is truly a sad time in the United States of America when undocumented, illegal and those who fraudulently falsify documents for working in my country march and protest that their rights are being violated. It is also truly sad that we have some American citizens symphonizing and supporting these u n l a w f u l a c t s o f i l l e g a l i m m i g r a t i o n Unfortunately, those American citizens have no idea what sacrifices of No Greater Love were made by some of us and our forefathers to protect our nation’s freedom and laws

I was truly appalled in watching the local news when during this recent protest march a Mexican flag was waved and there were a shouts of Viva Mexico Law enforcement, local and federal, should have made arrests and started deportation procedures of those illegally in violation of our laws

I read the letters to the editor from many who condemn the laws and governor of Florida All I ask of your knowledge from divine intervention is to provide, along with your condemnations, a brief Bio of your personal sacrifice (not your father’s or relatives) in contributing to nation building and our freedoms Always remember, I have heard all the excuses of why you did or could not serve your country. It is easy to present an opinion on pen and paper No Greater Love and Sacrifice means writing a check to the United States of America for up to including your life

How sad that this nation built on sacrifice

Yes,

∫ No opinion

changed

the summer Right now, we have thousands of students involved in district-sponsored summer school, camps and programs We offer a wide variety of educational opportunities in science, reading and math to encourage our students to stay active during the summer We also have a number of high s c h o o l e r s c u r r e n t l y p a r t i c i p a t i n g i n t h e Support our Students (SOS) program, which offers them exceptional learning opportunities, cultural arts, career enrichment activities and work experience In addition, we continue to offer the Summer Break Spot program that offers free meals to anyone 18 years old and younger

As the upcoming school year approaches, make sure to seek opportunities to engage with your child's school staff and programs This is a great way to stay informed as well as support the education of your child The first day of school on Aug. 10 will be here before you know it

Enjoy the rest of your summer break

Debbie Jordan holds the District 4 seat on the Lee County School Board

and love has fallen prey to crime out of control and no accountability

May God Bless my America For those of us who fought for it, Freedom has a flavor the protected will never know

Jack Wagner Cape Coral

Do not repeal Climate Policy

To the editor:

The Climate policy must not be repealed, and House Republicans have passed a bill rolling back clean energy tax credits from the Inflation Reduction Act as part of the debt ceiling debate While the proposal would be dead on arrival at the Senate, this is an important opportunity to push back on any plans to dilute or discard climate policy We must get our House representatives by name and thank them or express disappointment with their vote on the bill Climate policy boosts the economy with the U S seeing $40 billion in clean energy investment There are more than 100,000 climate-friendly jobs in the first three months after the IRA became law Applaud any local clean energy investments to make sure we have what it takes to fight for climate justice and better air quality for everyone to live on planet Earth

It’s fiscally irresponsible to roll back climate policy: In 2022, the U S endured 18 separate billion-dollar disasters and extreme weather events cost the U S $165 billion If lawmakers are genuinely worried about the national debt, they should keep the climate provisions of the IRA in place and take further climate action to mitigate the effects of

global warming and improve the lives of their constituents We need to make change for the better of the world with more clean energy and allow more people to admire to places they live in after what’s happening with the wildfires and smoke coming from Canada to the U.S. We must reduce carbon emissions and help conserve more energy for all of us for the better of the world we live in Ashrith Varidhireddy Fort Myers

Disgusted, disappointed, disillusioned and outraged

To the editor:

J o e B i d e n i s n o t h i n g m o r e t h a n a n absolute disgrace to the office of President of the United States of America and has never been anything other than the President of the S o c i a l i s t D e m o c r a t i c P a r t y o f N o r t h America He has said he sold state secrets in a June meeting with Prime Minister Modi of India Was that funny to anybody? He’s turned our border into an open market for drug cartels and human trafficking in his vane attempt to buy votes for his pathetic globalist adventurism and his son is as much of a criminal as his father. He said on public television that you used to be able to buy a “brace” to make a pistol a “gun” and change the caliber of the weapon but under his guidance, this was now illegal First, it was never possible to do anything remotely like this and any 12-year-old that has been to a shooting range with his dad must be laughing hysteri-

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

Government accountability group joins suit against DeSantis over records

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

The Florida Center for Government Accountability joined a lawsuit filed by American Oversight, a national foundation for open records and government accountability, and several of Florida’s advocacy groups, by filing an amicus brief with the Florida Court of Appeals First District seeking to reverse a lower court’s order that allowed DeSantis to block the release of public records by claiming executive privilege

The case, J Doe v Governor Ron DeSantis, concerns an anonymous public record request for records relating to the Governor’s appointments to the Florida Supreme Court When the request was denied, the requester filed suit in civil court, alleging a violation of the Public Records Act The trial judge ruled in favor of DeSantis, based on the Governor’s claim of executive privilege

The appointments of DeSantis to the state Supreme Court have come under scrutiny for the alleged utilization of outside parties to vet the candidates The records requested related to statements DeSantis made in a radio interview in which he said “six or seven pretty big legal conservative heavyweights” were involved The request

4From page 5

cally at this deranged, “I’ll say anything to get a vote” totally ignorant statement

I guess it’s OK to snort cocaine in the Biden White House and anybody that thinks the security team did not know who left it there within two minutes after it was discovered has either never been to the

for records sought communications between DeSantis, his staff and the “legal conservative heavyweights ”

“The claim of executive privilege is unprecedented in F

Accountability (FLCGA) said in its filing “In Florida, courts are not free to create an exemption from disclosure under the Act Judicial precedent has long recognized that only the legislature could create exemptions from disclosure. In 1992, citizens of Florida codified that precedent directly into the Florida Constitution by adopting Art I, Sec 24(c), which mandates a specific process the legislature and only the legislature can use to create exemptions from disclosure Even if the claimed privilege existed at common law, it would yield to Florida’s statutory and constitutional codification of the right of access and to the legislature’s sole responsibility to create exemptions from disclosure ”

Barbara Petersen, FLCGA Executive Director, said “Our constitution is quite clear – only the legislature can create exceptions to the constitutional right of access to public records, and there is no executive privilege exemption The trial court’s decision in support of the

Letters

White House or is a lockstep Socialist Democrat that will always ignore any and all factual negatives on their Pied Piper RFK Jr has a hard road in front of him but will likely gain traction against a proven liar, and soon to be proven thief a n d t r a i t o r , J o e B i d e n , b e c a u s e t h e Socialist Machine will unleash the CIA,

Governor’s assertion of executive privilege flies in the face of our constitutional right of access "

The amicus brief argues that the lower court’s decision “upends decades of jurisprudence ” FLCGA was joined in the amicus brief by American Oversight, Integrity Florida, the League of Women Voters of Florida and its Education Fund The South Florida Sun Sentinel reported that it would also file a brief in support of the appeal, along with the Associated Press. The Tampa Bay Times also stated it would file a brief in support

The initial trial court decision was handed down by Leon County Second Judicial Circuit Judge Angela Dempsey “Access to records about the governor’s decisionmaking process for appointing a member of the judiciary serves a critical role in democracy,” the brief reads “The trial court’s ill-defined and overly broad recognition of an executive privilege opens the door for the executive branch to incrementally increase the scope of the privilege over time ”

A message left with the communications office of DeSantis for comment was not returned

FBI, DOJ, BLM and ANTIFA and any other legal or illegal methods at their disposal to put this very real threat to their total domination of America down, once and for all

B i d e n ’ s i n a b i l i t y t o f o r m u l a t e a n d articulate any coherent thoughts clearly and intelligibly should scare everyone in

our country, but unfortunately, it only petrifies those that did not vote for him

How can anyone believe anything that comes out of Biden’s mouth when he obviously has no idea what he is talking about?

Max Christian St. James City

Farmers Insurance will drop some plans, stop issuing new policies

Associated Press

Farmers Insurance became the latest property insurance company to pull out of Florida on Tuesday despite repeated efforts by Republican Gov Ron DeSantis and the state legislature have made to try to calm the volatile market that is making home ownership less affordable

Farmers informed the state that it is discontinuing new coverage of auto, home and umbrella policies The company said in a statement that the decision affects policies issued through its “exclusive agency distribution channel ” It said there will be no effect on 70% of current policies in Florida

Critics of DeSantis, who is seeking the Republican nomination for president, say he has focused too much effort on divisive cultural issues and not enough on making housing and insurance more affordable The Legislature has grappled with the issue each of the last two years, including a special session in December

Most of the focus has been on shielding insurance companies from lawsuits and setting aside money for reinsurance to help protect insurers The Office of Insurance Regulation sent a letter to Farmers responding to the notice that it doesn’t plan to write new policies

“Florida’s leaders have stepped up to the plate by delivering historic reforms to Florida’s property insurance market to ensure competitiveness and increase consumer choice,” Insurance Commissioner Michael Yaworsky wrote to the company

Yaworsky noted, though, that state’s recent law changes weren’t a factor in Farmer’s decision

“We are disappointed by the hastiness in this decision and troubled by how this decision may have cascading impacts to policyholders,” he wrote

Farmers said in a statement that the decision was based on risk exposure in the hurricane-prone state and that notifications will be sent out to affected policyholders along with advice on replacing coverage The company’s website on Tuesday responded to quote requests for several Florida zip codes by saying coverage wasn’t available and suggesting links to other companies and resources.

At the end of 2022, average annual property insurance premiums had risen to more than $4,200 in Florida, which is triple the national average About 12% of homeowners in the state didn’t have property insurance, compared with the national average of 5%, according to the Insurance Information Institute, a research organization funded by the insurance industry At least six insurers went insolvent in Florida last year

Florida has struggled to keep the insurance market healthy since 1992, when Hurricane Andrew flattened Homestead, wiped out some insurance carriers and left many remaining companies fearful to write or renew policies in Florida Risks for carriers have also been growing as climate change increases the strength of hurricanes and the intensity of rainstorms

Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis reacted to the news by saying "I’ve asked my team to put their heads together in holding Farmers Insurance accountable I want additional scrutiny on this company "

Florida Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book (D-35), of Davie, said "for Farmers Insurance to exit Florida in the middle of hurricane season leaving policy holders high and dry, searching for replacement coverage that is both unaffordable and hard to come by is irresponsible and dangerous The state must do more to solve this quality of life issue for Floridians Costs keep rising and

See FARMERS INSURANCE, page 10

Lahaina Realty partnering with Ohio-based ERA Real Solutions Realty

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

Lahaina Realty, a longtime Realtor on Fort Myers Beach, has announced that it is joining forces with an ERA Real Solutions Realty-affiliated broker in Ohio The companies believe the partnership will be a good referral pattern to attract Ohio retirees

With the announcement, Lahaina Realty will now operate as ERA Lahaina Realty

Lahaina Realty owner Paula Kiker will continue as broker of the local Fort Myers Beach office, helping her team of 30 agents leverage the expanded suite of tools and services now available

“I couldn’t be more excited for this merger,” Kiker said “I have been working with them for nearly 2 years making sure it was going to be a good fit for Lahaina, its customers and for the future of Fort Myers Beach Real Estate is changing, evolving and so is the beach I just felt this was the perfect time to partner with ERA ”

Founded in 1966, Lahaina Realty is among the most established real estate companies based on Fort Myers Beach

ERA broker/owner Jeremy Raby previously acquired

Cape Coral-based ERA Cape Realty, as well as Fort Myers-based ERA Right Choice Realty. The combined company now consists of 10 offices and over 400 agents, who were responsible for $700 million in sales volume in 2022

“Joining forces with Paula and her team has significantly strengthened our referral network in Southwest Florida and provides our expanded company with additional expertise and presence in this market,” Raby said “Our boutique approach allows our high-quality, fulltime agents to consistently achieve a 99 5% customer satisfaction rating, creating a new standard for service excellence in Ohio and Southwest Florida The Lahaina Realty team places that same emphasis on the importance of reputation and high-quality work ethic so we have tremendous synergies working to our advantage to fuel growth ”

The ERA Real Estate network includes more than 40,000 affiliated brokers and independent sales associates and approximately 2,390 offices throughout the United States and 33 other countries and territories, the company stated in its announcement of the deal

DeSantis appoints two local attorneys to judicial nominating commission

STAFF REPORT

Gov Ron DeSantis announced Friday the nomination of two Fort Myers attorneys to the Twentieth Judicial Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission

Paul Giordano, of Fort Myers, is a Shareholder of Roetzel & Andress,

degree and juris doctor from the University of Florida Giordano is appointed from a list of nominees recommended by the Florida Bar for a term ending July 1, 2027

Michael Randolph, of Fort Myers, is an Attorney at Gray Robinson P A

He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and his juris d o c t o r f r o m M e r c e r U n i v e r s i t y Randolph is appointed from a list of n o m i n e e s r e c o m m e n d e d b y t h e Florida Bar for a term ending July 1, 2026.

PHOTO PROVIDED COURTESY OF PAULA KIKER Lahaina Realty recently announced it has partnered with Ohio-based ERA Real Solutions Realty to form a new company known as ERA Lahaina Realty The company will continued to be based on Fort Myers Beach and led by broker Paula Kiker (at center) Surrounding Kiker in the photo (left to right) is ERA’s Casey Reed, ERA VP of Sales Doug Lucas, ERA owner Jeremy Raby, ERA training specialist Jay Luebke.

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Beach Living

FWC asks for MERTF help to address resistance to protecting bird nests

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

T h e F l o r i d a F i s h a n d W i l d l i f e C o n s e r v a t i o n Commission (FWC) recently reached out to the Town of Fort Myers Beach Marine Environmental Resources Task Force (MERTF) to express concern about recent interactions on the island regarding shorebird nests Committee Chair Steve Johnson was recently contacted by Rebecca Schneider, the FWC’s Southwest Florida Regional Species Biologist, who said staff had met “unreasonable resistance from the community.”

Schneider said there are several new nesting sites on the beach this season, which could be due to effects from Hurricane Ian In a letter to Johnson, Schneider said that “while this is extremely exciting for our imperiled species, we have experienced a lack of understanding and unreasonable resistance from the community Given unprecedented workloads, several staff vacancies and an absence of volunteers we have minimal capacity to address these stakeholder issues as they arise ”

Schneider said she is seeking support from the committee to partner with the FWC to help protect birds and the town’s natural resources.

After speaking with Schneider, Johnson said the FWC staff and volunteers are “being harassed ” He said signs “are being ripped down, people are screaming at them ”

While stating that he wasn’t lumping in an entire section of town, Johnson said he thinks the problem is rooted in a certain group on the southern end of the island

“At one point there was a suggestion that there was going to be somewhat of a consortium down there to prevent FWC and Audubon from helping these threatened and endangered species, to be obstructive to them because of the activities that are going down there I don’t know if there is a way we can help this poison from spreading on the south end of the island These birds aren’t taking your land They are borrowing it They are procreating and they are moving on They aren’t staking a deed,” Johnson said “I think the basis of it is unconscionable ”

Johnson said Schneider is encountering resistance from some people when the FWC ropes off areas where the threatened shorebird nests are located

Johnson said the committee’s mandate should be to help the FWC

“We’re here to help mediate issues if we can We’re not an enforcement organization,” he said. “We’re here to help the council ”

Board member Jennifer Rusk said more needs to be done to educate property owners unaware of the environmental issues relating to shorebird nesting

Johnson said MERTF is “tasked with conserving our town’s natural resources and will continue to educate,

Tur tle Time nest data

inform, and provide outreach initiatives to achieve that goal ”

Lisa Thompson, communications director for the FWC’s Division of Habitat and Species Conservation, said that threatened birds species – mainly snowy plovers, are nesting in new locations throughout Fort Myers Beach in response to habitat changes resulting from Hurricane Ian.

The nests have been discovered in “places where nesting habitat exists and is minimally disturbed by beach activities,” Thompson said “As a result of Hurricane Ian, new habitat is available on the entire stretch of Estero Island ” Snowy plovers are protected by the U S Migratory Bird Treaty Act and are considered a threatened species in Florida

“Property owners are not always aware of how common activities, such as walking dogs on beaches and beach-raking, can impact these imperiled species,”

Thompson said

“The FWC works to communicate with the public to promote practices that allow beach-nesting birds to thrive In Fort Myers Beach, staff continue to partner with community members and Town leadership to protect beach-nesting birds and their habitat by posting sensitive nesting areas and providing information so people can avoid impacts.”

Thompson said the FWC’s Southwest regional team has been “working diligently to educate beachfront residents in Fort Myers Beach, as imperiled beach-nesting birds are breeding in new areas this season in Fort Myers Beach than they have in past years due to the change in landscape after Hurricane Ian ”

Thompson said the FWC’s goal “has always been to communicate positively with property owners in the community

When the FWC identifies shorebird nests, they are marked with signs and string that alert beachgoers to the presence of a protected species. The signs and string are set at a distance that is sufficient to prevent take Posting is maintained daily to ensure that it remains in good condition, does not cause impacts to other coastal species (such as nesting sea turtles), and is removed promptly after shorebird nesting is complete

“We recognize and value the strength of the partnership we already have established on the south end of the island and are committed to maintaining that, as well as strengthening understanding and forming positive partnerships with those that may be new to living and working near imperiled beach-nesting birds,” Thompson said “We have already reached out to stakeholders to welcome and encourage them to contact us with any questions ”

Johnson said that MERTF wants to “help our conservation partners and mediate with the community ”

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Lee student test scores drop again

FAST results show declines in number of students reading on-grade level

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

Lee County students continue to lag behind in English Language Arts, according to recent data from the new Florida Assessment of Student Thinking FAST scores

ELA results demonstrate decreases in overall proficiency in six of the eight grade levels tested

FAST is administered to students three times a year, with the May 2023 scores providing an end-of-of-year summative assessment to measure student mastery of benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking (BEST) Standards

There were both increases and decreases in ELA compared to 2022 results of the Florida Standard Assessment (FSA )

∫ Grade 3: 6 points lower

∫ Grade 4: 4 points higher

∫ Grade 5: 2 points lower

∫ Grade 6: 5 points lower

∫ Grade 7: 2 points lower

∫ Grade 8: 3 points lower

∫ Grade 9: 4 points lower

∫ Grade 10: 1 point higher

FAST replaces the one-test annual FSAs, which also measured whether students attained grade level proficiency

“This is raw data with first time test takers,” said School District of Lee County District spokesperson Rob Spicker “Every student took the test for the first time and some are in a better position that others ”

Two things have impacted student learning and so student progress, he said

District teachers strive to help students meet benchmarks and that includes interventions for those lagging, including individualized small group instruction

Small groups provide an opportunity to go deeper and provide instruction on specific areas of instruction based on student progression

That group instruction, though, has been interrupted since Spring 2020 when the pandemic impacted schools, Spicker said, adding students had their learning foundations interrupted, which is impacting their learning now.

“That foundation of learning was interrupted for a year and a half,” Spicker said, adding that impacted older students as well

With that said, last year, 2022-2023 school year, small group instruction recommenced, but was again interrupted when Hurricane Ian swept through the county

“Intense more focus is really how you improve student scores,” Spicker said

Students lost 17 days of instruction after Hurricane Ian

“Then we spent two to three weeks as students returned focusing on students, family and staff's well-being with a reintroduction to learning Students came back to a very different structure and learning intensity. There was a gradual reintroduction to the learning process after Hurricane Ian We were back to where we should be then bam

School district to host Back to School Rush

The School District of Lee County will hold a Back to School Rush on July 22 from 9 a m to 1 p m at the Lee County Public Education Center, at 2855 Colonial Blvd , Fort Myers It is an opportunity for new students to either complete their enrollment or receive required medical screenings Free phys-

icals will be provided by local doctors on a first come, first serve basis The Florida Department of Health will also be on site to provide Tdap vaccines for incoming seventh-graders Attendees can also learn more about Lee Virtual School class offerings and employment opportunities with the school district

it all got interrupted It’s not that we want to use it as an excuse,” Spicker said of the lost instruction, as the focus was on the wellbeing and getting back into learning, which was a new environment for many students with a different intensity “We know it had an impact ”

Spicker said the district will take the raw data that was provided with the FAST test scores and identify the areas of needs for students and then develop strategies to help the students make improvements

“Our goal is to look into the data, understand the trends and use that information to better instruct our students,” Spicker said

There were other challenges as well.

Students who had lower scores may have had more substitute teachers, newer or less experienced teachers, or may have been out of school for a certain amount of time

“That is where we dive into the data, as we look to trends to identify areas of need and develop the individual strategies,” Spicker said

The district also has larger initiatives, districtwide to help ELA scores with such areas as virtual summer school reading programs, elementary students receiving free books for the summer and reading coaches dedicated to third grade students

There also were declines in student performance in other subject areas with a decrease of four points lower for both the Civics end-of-course exam, and U S History EOC

Spicker said in Civics, primarily seventh grade students take the test with some eighth graders as well Eighth graders performed low on some of the other areas and therefore brought Civics down.

Again, the district will dive into the data and look at such trends as what the school situations may have been, and the home life of a student due to hurricane damage

There were also some highlights with the FAST scores, as the district saw significant growth in science proficiency

Spicker said the schools and district staff had a strong collaboration in making instructional efforts in science

“When you look at this year’s schools, the science standards were the same,” he

said, adding there was a familiarity in standards to be taught “The standards were the same emphasis That really helped the results grow in a positive direction.”

According to the district, fifth grade students demonstrated a 2 percent increase in the percentage of students scoring at Level 3, proficient, or above on the Statewide Science Assessment. Eighth grade students also achieved a 2 percent growth in science proficiency, which is measured by the combined results of the Statewide Science and Biology 1 EOC assessments The Biology 1 EOC scores also had a 3 percent increase compared to the previous year

“These results highlight the significant work of our students and the effectiveness of our science curriculum and the efforts of our talented teachers in providing a strong foundation in scientific knowledge,” Dr Christopher Bernier, Superintendent of Schools, said in a prepared statement “We remain committed to fostering a love for science and empowering our students to become critical thinkers and problem solvers in this rapidly advancing world ”

There were two schools that had notable achievements.

The Sanibel School showed a 15 point increase with eighth grade science results, the highest in the district

Edison Park Creative Center for the Arts, also had an increase with their fifth grade NGSSS Science scores overall by 15 points from the 2022 test results to 2023 results, which was the highest for grade 5 science

Other tests:

Student Performance in Mathematics

B E S T End of Course exams for Algebra and Geometry compared to 2022 FSA

∫ Algebra 1 EOC, first-time test takers in grades 12 and below, 2 points lower

∫ Geometry EOC, first-time test takers in grade 12 and below, 3 points higher

∫ Mathematics, Grade 8, outperformed the state average by 5 points

∫ Grade 3: 3 points higher

∫ Grade 4: 2 points higher

∫ Grade 5: 1 point higher

∫ Grade 6: 19 points higher

∫ Grade 7: 6 points higher

∫ Grade 8: 11 points higher

School foundation hosts annual Collegium on Captiva

In partnership with the School District of Lee County, The Foundation for Lee County Public Schools spent a week on Captiva from June 19-24 for the 34th Annual Collegium for the Advancement of Education

Twenty-eight teachers representing several county public schools, five of the six 2023 Golden Apple Teachers, a current district administrator and two previous Golden Apple teachers attended The week was packed with learning, collaborating and teamwork The foundation reported that the purpose was to celebrate and appreciate the hard work and dedication of the community's teachers, while also giving them an opportunity to learn about and acquire new skills and strategies to better engage their students in the learning process. The partici-

pating educators had opportunities to network and share best practices with other teachers and business partners

“The teachers who attended this year truly represent all of the outstanding educators in the School District of Lee County,” foundation President and Chief Executive Officer Marshall T Bower said “The learning and sharing of best practices and collaboration that took place was palpable Our students are in good hands ”

Each attendee received 40 hours of service learning to be applied to their professional development requirements In addition, they spent their evenings enjoying the beach, socializing at the pool and being wined and dined at restaurants, including Boops By The Bubble Room, Cantina Captiva, RC Otter's Island Eats and The Mucky Duck.

Farmers Insurance

insurers keep fleeing, but there’s no relief in sight."

Book said "Senate Democrats are contin-

From page 6

uing to work with experts to find and propose solutions for everyday people, while pushing the state for action "

“I learned strategies during Collegium, such as not allowing others to 'admire' problems but instead brainstorm real solutions Collegium taught me that a manager who ignores is even more detrimental than a manager who primarily focuses on weaknesses,” middle school teacher Andrina Dennison said “Collegium truly helped me feel more prepared to lead a team of teachers into an amazing new school year ”

Lee County Tax Collector Chief Performance and Innovation Officer Cindy McClung was the lead trainer for the week A previous Golden Apple Teacher, she has over 30 years of experience integrating the Baldrige/Sterling framework and Glasser’s Choice Theory into the workplace

“Working with this group of distinguished educators was a joy. The learning

and networking that took place this week will lead to great benefits for students,” McClung said “The commitment from the foundation and our business community to provide this unique opportunity for teachers to come together to sharpen their craft and to share best practices illustrates the importance our community places on education Collegium is a true partnership, dedicated to building our future ”

The week ended with a celebratory banquet honoring this year's Golden Apple Teachers as they enter the Academy of Teachers and acknowledging the hard work of all the Collegium attendees

The foundation extended its thanks to the sponsors for making the week possible

A request for comment to the office of Gov. Ron DeSantis was not immediately returned

Fort Myers Beach Observer Editor Nathan Mayberg contributed reporting for this article

Board of Elections announces vote-by-mail requests required for 2024 election

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

A change in Florida law means that anybody who voted with a vote-by-mail ballot in the 2020 and 2022 elections, will need to reapply for a vote-by-mail ballot if they want one for the 2024 elections, Lee County Supervisor of Elections Tommy Doyle announced

The Florida legislature approved an elections bill last year which was signed by Gov Ron DeSantis, requiring the new applications

In the Nov 8, 2022 elections, a total of 142,393 vote-by-mail ballots were submitted in Lee County Since Jan 1, only 26,566 people have requested their vote-by-mail ballots for the 2024 elections, according to Lee County Supervisor of Elections spokesperson Vicky Collins

The Presidential Preference Primary for Florida voters is

March 19 for all major parties. The deadline to register to vote or change parties is Feb 20

In its announcement of the new application requirement, Doyle said he wants to "ensure voters are aware that all previous vote-by-mail ballot requests expired as of December 2022 due to the change in Florida law " As a result, voters who plan to vote by mail in 2024 must submit a new request to the office for vote-by-mail ballots for any municipal election, primary, state election or the presidential election.

“The change in the law marks an unprecedented event for our office We have a significantly lower number of vote-by-mail requests compared to previous years,” Doyle said “Our office began a proactive campaign earlier this year ahead of

the 2024 election cycle in our effort to inform voters of this change and ensure voting accessibility for all ”

Under the new state law, all vote-by-mail requests will expire after every general election, Collins said "The law does not allow us to reinstate a request once it is expired A vote-by-mail ballot may be requested for specific elections, or for all elections through the end of the calendar year of the next scheduled general election "

Doyle said that "voting by mail is a safe, secure, and convenient voting method Voters are encouraged to act now and submit their vote-by-mail requests before the 2024 election cycle to ensure their voices are heard "

Vote-by-mail ballot requests can be made online at the Lee County Supervisor of Elections website at www lee vote or in person at any one of the supervisor's branch locations or by calling the supervisor of elections at 239-LEE-VOTE (239-533-8683) New requests are valid through December 2024

Operation Southern Slow Down ‘Kittens on the Catwalk’ to feature GCHS adoptable kittens at Bell Tower July 22

The Florida Highway Patrol announced that it has partnered with other law enforcement agencies in Southwest Florida and four other states with a weeklong crackdown on speeding known as “Operation Southern Slow Down ”

The operation is a joint effort with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and began Monday morning, July 17.

The other states taking part are Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee

In its announcement the Florida Highway Patrol dubbed the effort a week-long “speed enforcement awareness campaign” which is also being conducted with the Florida Department of Transportation and other law enforcement agencies in the state

The Gulf Coast Humane Society kittens are back at Bell Tower and this time they are styling and profiling!

After a successful GCHS Kitten Shower back in May, the first “Kittens on the Catwalk” fashion show and adoption event sponsored by Trader Rick’s for the Artful Woman, will be held Saturday, July 22, from 9 a m to noon at Bell Tower, located at 13499 South Cleveland Ave in Fort Myers

The event will kick off with a virtual fashion show which can be streamed live on Trader Rick's Facebook Page where potential adopters can see some of the GCHS’ adoptable kittens featured on the catwalk! Proceeds from the show and event will benefit GCHS

The doors will open promptly at 9 a m for adoptions at Trader Rick’s for the Artful Woman located in suite 217 at Bell Tower

Adoptions (with an approved adoption application) are first come, first serve so please be sure to arrive by 9 a m Even if you are unable to adopt be sure to come out and support the Gulf Coast Humane Society or shop the morning away at Trader Rick’s for the Artful Woman

If potential adopters have another pet at home, please have an updated rabies certificate along for the adoption To check out all adoptable shelter animals at GCHS, visit www gulfcoasthumanesociety org

Tommy Doyle STAFF REPORT

Swap

From page 1

board of fire commissioners at their last meeting

Wirth said the plan would be for the fire district to acquire town hall, liquidate town hall and then acquire “the other properties we would use to build a fire station separate from an administrative and training facility ”

Wirth said the sale of the town hall by the fire district would allow it to “unlock resources, that would allow us to make sure we can construct our other facilities ” The fire department would then look to acquire property for a fire station on island on a smaller parcel and then acquire property off island for an administrative and training facility

Talks between Fort Myers Beach officials and the fire district are now developing with appraisals by each party before the exchange property takes place

“What we’re working towards is both us and the town are getting current appraisals on our properties, making sure the terms are comparable,” Wirth said Wirth said the new station will be elevated and wants it to have three bays

The current Topps lot comprises 2 14 acres, while the town hall property encompasses three parcels totaling approximately 2.12 acres.

In addition to Station 31, the fire department operates Station 33 at Lenell Road near Santini Plaza on the south end of the island and Station 32 off island on San Carlos Blvd

Board of Fire Commissioners Chair John Bennett said he supports the plan “We have an equal responsibility off island,” he said Bennett said he likes having an onsite training facility which he thinks will save money by not having firefighters travel for training

“My concerns are making sure we have the safeguards, maximizing value,” he said

With the price of land on the island doing what it’s doing, it just seems to make sense to take the rest of it off island into a commercial area ”

Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District Interim Chief Scott Wirth, on building a fire station on island and an administrative building and fire training facility off island

“It’s a lot to chew on A lot of moving parts,” Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District Commissioner Jacki Liszak said

Liszak said the plan to move the administrative building off island makes sense after the department’s experience during Hurricane Ian “We never would have been able to run operations from there on island,” she said

Commissioner Larry Wood said he liked the concept of the smaller station on island “where it’s needed” and the administrative facility off island where the property “may be a little less expensive ”

Wirth said he is considering various properties on island and off island for the acquisition of property, including San Carlos Island Wirth said “with the price of land on the island doing what it’s doing, it just seems to make sense to take the rest of it off island into a commercial area ”

Wirth said the town is awaiting a ruling from the Federal Emergency Management Agency over the damage at town hall, before it is demolished The Town of Fort Myers Beach had put in a request to replace its town hall at a cost of $25 million That request was forward by the state legislators representing the district but did not

make its way into the final budget signed by Gov Ron DeSantis The town will have to apply to the state’s Division of Emergency Management to get reimbursed for the construction of its town hall out of the $350 million in state funds set aside for Hurricane Ian recovery projects throughout the state

The board of fire commissioners authorized the chief to develop a plan to liquidate district-owned property at the former Topps lot and “executive a tentative agreement to sell” conditioned on approval by the commissioners

The commissioners then voted unanimously to allow the chief to proceed with the acquisition of one or more parcels of property, contingent on board approval

Town of Fort Myers Beach Mayor Dan Allers told the town council at the previous council meeting a week earlier that “we have had some initial discussions” with the fire control district over the swap Councilmembers Jim Atterholt, John King and Karen Woodson said they supported pursuing the talks

“It just makes sense, they have no need to build on it (the Topps lot),” Allers said

See SWAP, page 13

FILE PHOTO

Talks between the Town of Fort Myers Beach Council, town staff and the Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District staff and Board of Fire Commissioners would allow for the fire control district to acquire the former town hall (pictured), which it would sell In exchange, the town would acquire the Topps supermarket lot, where it would continue to operate its administrative trailers "and buy us more time," Fort Myers Beach Mayor Dan Allers said.

Permit

From page 1

action in October after Hurricane Ian was for property owners to register a temporary structure and was a temporary emergency directive. “The council has now formalized the placement permit for all current and future RVs or units,” Dexter said

Fort Myers Beach Mayor Dan Allers said he was out of town and referred questions to the town manager and

Bridge

From page 1

include a new fishing pier which will be included underneath the southeast side of the bridge The pier will be approximately 14-feet wide for the majority of the length, with some additional room provided around the bridge piles

The parking lot for the pier, along with access to Lovers Key State Park and the beach that connects with Big Carlos Pass, i s i n t h e e a r l y p l a n n i n g s t a g e s

Approximately 70 parking spaces located under the bridge approach are proposed

The only part of this parking area that has been designed to date are three Americans with Disability Act spaces It is anticipated that the parking lot will have paid parking and restrooms would be provided The hours of operation are still to be determined

Construction on the new Big Carlos

Swap

community development office

Fort Myers Beach Vice Mayor Jim Atterholt said he had "a number of concerns" with the implementation of the ordinance "This ordinance was designed to help folks who are in a very vulnerable situation as a result of Ian and not as a new revenue source There was a desire to track and monitor the placement of the these tempo-

Pass Bridge began last month The county announced that the contractor for the project will begin working in Big Carlos Pass later this month driving pile for the new bridge

The new bridge will continue to provide one travel lane in each direction, along with new bicycle lanes, a six-feet sidewalk along the north side of Estero Blvd and a 10-feet wide shared-use path along the south side of Estero Blvd

The project also includes relocation of existing infrastructure for Lee County Utilities and Bonita Springs Utilities The construction contract also includes creation of an offshore artificial reef using the materials from the old bridge

Drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists are urged to use extra caution when traveling through the work zone and follow posted

rary structures so they can eventually be phased out after the recovery process is complete At the very least, existing temporary structures should be grandfathered, so no fee should be required I plan to raise this issue at the next Town Council meeting "

speed limit signs as the speed limit has been reduced

Both the fishing pier and the parking area would be managed and operated by Lee County Parks & Recreation

B i g C a r l o s P a s s B r i d g e c o n n e c t s Estero Island with Lovers Key and the road leading to Bonita Beach.

The bridge construction will include a travel lane in each direction, bicycle lanes, a six-feet wide sidewalk and a 10-feet shared used path The construction also includes the creation of an artificial reef using the old bridge

The current bridge, which dates back to 1965, has long been a popular spot with local fishermen who walk along the pedestrian path of the bridge and hurl their fishing poles down to the water

The replacement bridge was originally

opposed by many Fort Myers Beach residents before Lee County commissioners voted to approve its replacement in 2018 in a 4-1 vote with the late commissioner Larry Kiker voting against the project Some residents opposed the height of the new bridge and argued that the new construction would back up traffic on the island further There was criticism that the new bridge is only being constructed to accommodate larger luxury yachts

The estimated cost of construction has ballooned in the past two years In 2021, the cost of construction was estimated at between $49 6 million and $56 million Last year, the total project cost estimate went up to $80 million before the latest estimate of $90 8 million The federal government is providing $25 million in funding for the project.

“It would buy us some more time to not uproot the trailers we have in place,” Allers said “I felt it would be a good benefit ”

Councilmember Bill Veach said he

From page 12 See SWAP, page 14

Fort Myers Beach Mayor Dan Allers, on acquiring the former Topps supermarket lot property from the Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District

It would buy us some more time to not uproot the trailers we have in place.”

Trailways Camps offers volunteer opportunities

Trailways Camps is seeking volunteers, whether for a few hours, a half-day or full day It provides resid e n t i a l c a m p i n g e x p e r i e n c e s f o r adults with special needs and respite f o r t h e i r f a m i l i e s / c a r e g i v e r s .

Upcoming camps will be held on Oct 16-19, Nov 13-16 and Feb 12-15, with the “I AM SPECIAL Trailways Camper Reunion set for April 13 Volunteer and camper registration is o p e n y e a r - r o u n d a t w w w t r a i lwayscamps.org. For more information, contact Camp Director Jamie S e n k e l e s k i a t t r a i l w a y s c a m p d i r e ct o r @ g m a i l c o m I n a d d i t i o n , Trailways Camps is seeking volunteers interested in serving the nonprofit organization as advisors, board members, project

Swap

leaders and more For more information, contact founders Sharon and Jerry Miller at RV BG MillerLegacy@gmail com

From page 13

would like to use federal housing grant money to acquire the fire department’s property at the former Topps lot to build workforce housing, while keeping the fire station close to town hall

Allers said while he supported exploring the purchase of property for the town, he said there was a timing issue and didn’t think the grant funding could be acquired quickly enough

Allers said the town has a lease through

November to keep its administrative trailers at the fire control district’s property on the former supermarket lot “We’re borrowing someone else’s property that eventually is going to want that back,” Allers said

“I’m all for acquiring property that we can especially on the Gulf side of Estero Blvd to keep for open parks and things like that,” Allers said

Obituaries

WHERE TO GO WHAT TO DO WHO TO SEE

L ee Coun ty She riff’s Office to h ost Pe t Vaccination Fair at FMB o utreach office July 21

STAFF REPORT

Th e L e e C o u n t y S h e r i f f ’ s

Office will host a pet vaccination fair at its outreach office on the 2900 block of Estero Boulevard on Fort Myers Beach

Friday, July 21

The pet vaccination fair, in conjunction with Lee County Domestic Animal Services, will provide lowcost vaccinations for cats and dogs c o u r t e s y o f S o p h i s t i c o

Construction Available vaccines and services include rabies shots, flu vaccinat i o n , d e w o r m i n g , m i c r o c h i p p i n g and other vaccines

The fair will be held from 9 a m to 1 p m

Appointments must be schedu l e d b y e m a i l i n g L e e C o u n t y

Sheriff’s Office outreach coordinator Barry Kurtz at Bkurtz@sheriffleefl org

If You Go:

What: Pet Vaccination Fair

When: Friday, July 21, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Where: Lee County Sheriff ’s Office outreach office 2900 block of Estero Boulevard, Fort Myers Beach Appointments: Appointments must be scheduled by emailing Lee County Sheriff’s Office outreach coordinator Barry Kurtz at Bkurtz@sheriffleefl org

DDWS, refuge open submissions for annual amateur photo contest

The submission process recently kicked off for the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge's annual contest for amateur photographers who enjoy capturing shots of nature and wildlife

Sponsored by the “Ding” Darling Wildlife SocietyFriends of the Refuge, the 31st annual “Ding” Darling Amateur Nature Photography Contest opened on July 15 Held in conjunction with the refuge's Art in the Wild Day, which is scheduled Oct 21-22, it is open to nonprofessional photographers

All entries must be submitted electronically

The cash award prizes are $300 for first place, $225 for second, and $175 for third

The complete contest rules are as follows:

∫ There is a $25 per person entry fee that provides you with a membership to the DDWS and is used to defray the cost of the contest One fee covers two entries per person

∫ Only amateur (all ages) photographers are eligible to enter (may not possess a professional photographer tax identification number for the sale of photographs)

∫ Photos must be taken at the refuge and have been taken within two years of entry date

∫ Each person may enter up to two photos but is eligible to win only one award

∫ Photos must be submitted electronically via email to ddamateurphotocontest@gmail com Each photo must be a JPEG file of at least 3000 x 2400 or four megabytes Panoramic photos are not allowed

∫ Photos that have won awards in previous DDWS photo contests may not be resubmitted

SCOTT BECQUE

Last year's second place winner was Scott Becque, of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, for “Azure Eye Ring ”

∫ Judging will be anonymous Please do not put your name or anything that will identify you on your photograph

∫ Judging criteria: Technical excellence (sharpness, lighting, composition and exposure); originality/creativity; interest; and ability to be reproduced for publication

∫ Only limited image modifications are permitted Minor manipulation should be used only to produce a more natural looking photograph Cropping is allowed but adding any elements not existing in the original scene will not be accepted Judges, at their discretion, will disqualify any photos that appear to be manipulated beyond these guidelines

∫ All photo files will become the property of the DDWS Photos may be used by the DDWS in any way with appropriate credit given to the photographer

∫ First, second, and third place winners and honorable mentions will be formally announced during Art in the Wild Day on Oct 21 For more information, visit dingartinthewild com

∫ The contest's three judges will include a refuge staff person, professional photographer and member of the Sanibel community

For an entry form and more information, visit dingdarlingsociety org/articles/photo-contests

Entries must be delivered by email to ddamateurphotocontest@gmail com by Sept 15

Entrants can pay by sending a check made out to the “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society, P O Box 565, Sanibel, FL 33957, with a memo “for photo contest" or online at tinyurl com/dingphotofee

The Alliance for the Arts presents

Nonagenarian Joan Sonnenberg: A Retrospective

The Alliance for the Arts held its opening reception for Joan Sonnenberg: A Retrospective on June 16 The free event featured works by Joan Sonnenberg and Christian de Jesus, as well as light refreshments The exhibit will be on display through July 29 at 10091 McGregor Blvd., Ft. Myers

Born in 1930 in Chester, Pennsylvania, Joan Brechin Sonnenberg became interested in art at the age of 5, and this passion has continued throughout her life The 92-year-old artist maintains her lifelong daily art practice and four-mile walks to this day Interested in geometric patterns achieved through multiple reverse etching processes, Joan superimposes and stacks up to ten images on top of each other, creating a complex montage of lines, shapes and patterns She strives to alter and combine abstraction with realism: Capturing marks made over time through human intervention; the mundane, decaying worn objects, dumpsters and wall graffiti She also portrays street people, each imbued with stories to tell She strives to convey the harmonious

coexistence of abstraction and realism, transcending and encompassing both doctrines

Receptions and gallery tours are open to the public and do not require tickets or reservations While the gallery admission is free, a $5 suggested donation keeps the Alliance programming affordable and accessible

Theatre Lobby Gallery: Christian de Jesus

Christian De Jesus is an artist from Fort Myers Florida, who has placed and won in many art shows in the area His medium of choice is acrylic paint on canvas or cardboard, but he also uses clay and spray paints on occasion His art work introduces a deep look into real world things such as life and death His art takes inspiration from artists like JeanMichel Basquiat, David Choe, Andy Warhol, and movies like, Halloween, House of 1000 Corpses, and Girl interrupted Christian hopes to one day open a gallery of his own

Members Gallery: Summer Arts Camps

Our Member Gallery walls will be covered with artwork from each session of Summer Arts Camps participants Each session runs two weeks, with art rotating on the same schedule

About Alliance for the Arts

The Alliance for the Arts is a nonprofit community visual and performing arts center located in the heart of Fort Myers, Florida Since 1975, the Alliance has been committed to transforming lives and improving community through the arts The Alliance campus and galleries are open to the public from 9 a m to 7 p m Tuesday through Friday, and from 9 a m to 1 p m on Saturdays Located at 10091 McGregor Boulevard just south of Colonial Boulevard in Fort Myers For more information, please call 239-9392787, visit us at www ArtInLee org, find us on Facebook, Instagram or follow us on Twitter

Free Back-To-School Vaccination Clinics offered

Premier Mobile Health Services, in partnership with the Florida Department of Health in Lee County, is pleased to offer free back to school vaccinations for school aged children at the following locations, dates, and times:

∫ T o d a y , J u l y 1 9 G l a d i o l u s F o o d P a n t r y - 1 0 5 1 1 G l a d i o l u s D r i v e , F o r t M y e r s , 9 a m t o 1 p m

∫ J u l y 2 0 N e w I m a g e T a b e r n a c l e8 1 P o n d e l l a R o a d , N o r t h F o r t M y e r s , 3 t o 6 p m

∫ J u l y 2 1 C a f e o f L i f e - 2 6 7 2 4

N o m a d D r i v e , B o n i t a S p r i n g s , 9 a m t o

1 p . m . P r e m i e r w i l l h a v e t h e i r m o b i l e m e di c a l c l i n i c o n s i t e d u r i n g t h e s e v a c c i n at i o n e v e n t s t o p r o v i d e p r i m a r y c a r e s e r v i c e s i n c l u d i n g , b u t n o t l i m i t e d t o , c h r o n i c d i s e a s e m a n a g e m e n t , d i a b e t e s t e s t i n g a n d m o n i t o r i n g , b l o o d p r e s s u r e a n d c a r d i a c m o n i t o r i n g , a n d C O V I D 1 9 t e s t i n g P r e m i e r s p e c i a l i z e s i n s e r v i n g m e mb e r s o f t h e c o m m u n i t y t h a t f a l l b e l o w t h e p o v e r t y g u i d e l i n e s B e c a u s e o f t h i s ,

6 7 % o f t h e p o p u l a t i o n t h e y s e r v e r e c e i v e t h e i r h e a l t h s e r v i c e s f o r f r e e o r t h e y a r e g i v e n a s l i d i n g s c a l e T h e s e s e r v i c e s i n c l u d e p r o v i d i n g m e d i c a l s u pp l i e s , b l o o d p r e s s u r e c h e c k s , h e a l t h s c r e e n i n g , l a b o r a t o r y t e s t i n g , l i p i d p a ne l s , b a s i c m e t a b o l i c p r o f i l e s , p r e s c r i pt i o n s , H I V t e s t i n g , S T D s c r e e n i n g a n d T B t e s t i n g F r e e c a r e i s o f f e r e d f o r v i ct i m s o f h u m a n t r a f f i c k i n g , d o m e s t i c v i o l e n c e v i c t i m s a n d f o r t h e h o m e l e s s 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 h e a l t h

c a r e t o a l l T h e y o f f e r 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 n i 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 T h e y a r e c h a n g i n g t h e w a y t h a t h e a l t h c a r e i s d e l i v e r e d i n L e e C o u n t y F o r f u r t h e r i n f o r m a t i o n c a l l 2 3 9 - 2 8 87 9 4 9 o r g o t o t h e i r w e b s i t e a t w w w p r em i e r m o b i l e h e a l t h o r g

Arts Bonita unveils eclectic lineup of summer shows

Arts Bonita, the leading performing arts center in the heart of Bonita Springs, is thrilled to announce an exhilarating lineup of summer shows that will captivate audiences of all ages and entertainment tastes From jazz and Latin rhythms to soulful blues and rock 'n' roll, this eclectic series promises to be a musical journey like no other.

T h e s u m m e r c o n c e r t s e r i e s a t A r t s Bonita will feature an extraordinary array of world-class performers, including renowned artists Loston Harris, Rose Max, Chuck Bergeron, Nanny Assis, Jesse Jones JR, The Blues Beatles, Zachary Bartholomew, and many more These exceptional talents will grace our stage and deliver unforgettable performances throughout the summer

∫ July 21 - Youth Theatre: Bulletproof Backpack, Hinman Auditorium, 7 p m , Students $10, General $20, Reserved $25

∫ July 22 - Youth Theatre: Bulletproof Backpack, Hinman Auditorium, 2 p m & 7 p m , Students $10, General $20, Reserved $25

∫ July 23 - Youth Theatre: Bulletproof Backpack, Hinman Auditorium, 2 p m , Students $10, General $20, Reserved $25

∫ J u l y

Auditorium, 7 p m , Tickets $8

∫ July 25 - Compton & Bennett, A Cracker at the Ritz, Moe Auditorium, 7 p m , Tickets $30

∫ July 29 - Loston Harris, Jazz / Great American Songbook, Hinman Auditorium, 7:30 p.m., Tickets $42 & $49

∫ Aug 5 - Rose Max, Bossa Nova, Moe Auditorium, 7:30 p m , Tickets $35

∫ Aug 7 - Film as Fine Art: The City of Lost Children, Moe Auditorium, 7 p m , Tickets $8

∫ Aug 8 - Compton & Bennett, A Cracker at the Ritz, Moe Auditorium, 7 p m , Tickets $30

∫ Aug 12 - Chuck Bergeron, Jazz, Moe Auditorium,

7:30 p m , Tickets $35

∫ Aug 19 - Nanny Assis, Latin, Moe Auditorium, 7:30 p m , Tickets $35

∫ Aug 21 - Film as Fine Art: The Mayberry Effect, Moe Auditorium, 7 p m , Tickets $8

∫ Aug 22 - Compton & Bennett, A Cracker at the Ritz, Moe Auditorium, 7 p.m., Tickets $30

∫ Aug 26 - Jesse Jones JR, Jazz/R&B, Moe Auditorium, 7:30 p m , Tickets $35

∫ Sept 9 - James “Blood” Ulmer, Blues, Hinman Auditorium, 7:30 p m Tickets $42 & $49

∫ Sept 12 - Compton & Bennett, A Cracker at the Ritz, Moe Auditorium, 7

Auditorium, 7:30 p

m , Tickets $30

, Tickets $35

∫ Sept 15 - The Blues Beatles, Blues, Hinman Auditorium, 7:30 p m , Tickets $42 & $49

∫ Sept 18 - Film as Fine Art: Entertainment, Moe Auditorium, 7 p.m., Tickets $8

∫ Sept 23, Marlow Rosado, Latin, Moe Auditorium, 7:30 p m , Tickets $35

∫ Sept 26 - Compton & Bennett, A Cracker at the Ritz, Moe Auditorium, 7 p m , Tickets $30

∫ Sept 28 - Zachary Bartholomew, Jazz, Moe Auditorium, 7:30 p m , Tickets $35

∫ Aug 7 - Seldom Scene, Bluegrass, Hinman Auditorium, 7:30 p m , Tickets $42 & $49

∫ Aug 10 - Compton & Bennett, A Cracker at the Ritz, Moe Auditorium, 7 p m , Tickets $30

∫ Aug 13 - Elsten Torres, Latin, Moe Auditorium, 7:30 p.m., Tickets $35

∫ Aug 14 - Blair Crimmins & The Hookers, Dixieland/Ragtime, Hinman Auditorium, 7:30 p m , Tickets $42 & $49

∫ Aug 16 - Film as Fine Art: The Elephant Man, Moe Auditorium, 7 p m , Tickets $8

∫ Aug 21 - Chicago Transit, Tribute Band, Hinman Auditorium, 7:30 p m , Tickets $42 & $49

∫ Aug 24 - Compton & Bennett, A Cracker at the

Ritz, Moe Auditorium, 7 p m , Tickets $30

∫ Aug 26 - Zachary Bartholomew, Jazz, Moe Auditorium, 7:30 p m , Tickets $35

∫ Aug 28 - The Travelin McCourys, Bluegrass, Hinman Auditorium, 7:30 p m , Tickets $42 & $49

∫ Aug 29 - Latin Fusion, Latin / Opera, Moe Auditorium, 7:30 p m , Tickets $35

h e G r e a t P u m p k i n , C h a r l i e Brown/Zach Bartholomew, Film/Live Music, Moe Aud., 7 p m , Tickets $35

ABOUT ARTS BONITA (Centers for the Arts Bonita Springs):

Arts Bonita is committed to the cultural enrichment of the community by providing year-round opportunities for artistic expression, education, and appreciation There are two Arts Bonita locations dedicated to the visual and performing arts

The Visual Arts Center, 26100 Old 41 Road, is a 10acre, four-building campus with multiple fine art galleries, fully equipped art studios, a gift shop, beautiful sculpture gardens, and a nature preserve This center offers various classes, including painting, drawing, clay, sculpture, glass, mixed media, and more This center offers unique, year-round art exhibitions and other special events

The Performing Arts Center, 10150 Bonita Beach Road, is a 4-acre, two-building campus, which is home to the 400-seat Hinman Auditorium and Gallery in the R o u n d , t h e 2 0 0 - s e a t M o e A u d i t o r i u m & F i l m Center/Dance Studio, and fully equipped art studios At this diverse center, patrons can enjoy an ongoing array of live concerts, theatre, comedy, film, lectures, youth and adult dance classes, music lessons, and art classes for all ages and skill levels

ARTS FOR ALL Seeking to serve the educational and cultural needs of the diverse community, Arts Bonita offers year-round programming, plus, three top-rated Art Festivals in January, February, and March, which draw hundreds of remarkable artists from around the world to beautiful, historic Downtown Bonita Springs, Florida

Help Bella find a second chance at a nor mal doggie life!

B y I S A B E L L

E W E L L S

Co-founder of the Find a Home, Give a Home pet rescue organization of Fort Myers Beach

M e e t B e l l a , a b r a v e a n d r e s i l i e n t 3 - y e a r - o l d d o g w h o r e c e n t l y c a m e i n t o o u r R e s c u e , d e s p e r a t e f o r h e l p W h e n s h e a r r i v e d , s h e w a s i n a h e a r t b r e a k i n g c o n d i t i o n , t r e m b l i n g w i t h f e a r B e l l a ' s j o u r n e y h a s b e e n f i l l e d w i t h c h a l l e n g e s , b u t w e b e l i e v e s h e d e s e r v e s a c h a n c e a t a h a p p y , h e a l t h y l i f e W h e n B e l l a f i r s t a r r i v e d , s h e w a s c o v e r e d i n m a t t e d f u r , f e c e s , a n d u r i n e S h e s u f f e r e d f r o m s e v e r e s k i n i n f e c t i o n s a n d l a c e r a t i o n s , r e q u i r i n g s e d a t i o n t o s t a r t h e r h e a l i n g p r o c e s s . T h a n k s t o t h e l o v e a n d c a r e p r ov i d e d b y o u r d e d i c a t e d t e a m , B e l l a h a s m a d e t r e m e nd o u s p r o g r e s s o v e r t h e p a s t t w o w e e k s A s s h e h e a l e d f r o m h e r i n f e c t i o n s , B e l l a ' s h a i r b e g a n t o g r o w , r e v e a l i n g a s w e e t a n d p l a y f u l p e r s o na l i t y S h e n o w e n j o y s p l a y i n g a n d p o u n c i n g o n t o y s , c h e r i s h i n g e v e r y m o m e n t l i k e i t ' s h e r f i r s t B e l l a h a s a l s o s h o w n e x c e l l e n t b e h a v i o r w h i l e w a l k i n g o n a l e a s h a n d h a s p r o v e n t o b e f r i e n d l y t o w a r d s o t h e r d o g s a n d s t r a n g e r s

Despite these positive changes, Bella faces one last hurdle on her journey to a normal life She experiences difficulty urinating and often only partially eliminates. Additionally, she drips urine while walking and ends up in puddles when lying down Though diapers have pro-

vided some relief, they require frequent changing to prevent infections and an unpleasant odor

A f t e r c o n s u l t i n g w i t h h e r v e t e r i n a r i a n a n d a s p ec i a l i s t , w e ' v e l e a r n e d t h a t B e l l a m a y h a v e e c t o p i c

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

d i a g n o s i s a n d c o r r e c t i o n B y p r o v i d i n g B e l l a w i t h t h e n e c e s s a r y m e d i c a l s u p p o r t , w e c a n i m p r o v e h e r q u a l it y o f l i f e a n d i n c r e a s e h e r c h a n c e s o f f i n d i n g a l o v i n g f o r e v e r h o m e E a r l y e s t i m a t e s s u g g e s t t h a t B e l l a ' s m e d i c a l c a r e w i l l c o s t u p t o $ 1 0 , 0 0 0 T h i s i s w h e r e w e n e e d y o u r h e l p Y o u r g e n e r o u s s u p p o r t c a n m a k e a l l t h e d i f f e re n c e i n B e l l a ' s l i f e W i t h y o u r d o n a t i o n , w e c a n c o v e r t h e e x p e n s e s o f h e r m e d i c a l t r e a t m e n t a n d g i v e h e r t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o l e a d a f u l l a n d h a p p y l i f e B y c o n t r i b u t i n g t o d a y , y o u b e c o m e a n i n t e g r a l p a r t o f B e l l a ' s i n c r e d i b l e j o u r n e y t o w a r d s r e c o v e r y a n d t r u s t T o g e t h e r , w e c a n e n s u r e t h a t s h e r e c e i v e s t h e c a r e s h e n e e d s a n d h e l p h e r f i n d t h e l o v i n g f o r e v e r h o m e s h e t r u l y d e s e r v e s P l e a s e d o n a t e t o d a y a n d b e a s u p e r h e r o i n B e l l a ' s l i f e Y o u r s u p p o r t w i l l t r a n s f o r m h e r s t o r y f r o m o n e o f h a r d s h i p t o o n e o f h o p e a n d h a p p i n e s s J o i n u s i n g i vi n g B e l l a a s e c o n d c h a n c e a t a n o r m a l d o g g i e l i f e T h a n k y o u f o r y o u r c o m p a s s i o n a n d g e n e r o s i t y Y o u c a n m a k e a d o n a t i o n v i a o u r w e b s i t e w w w . f i n d a h o m eg i v e a h o m e c o m b y s e n d i n g a c h e c k t o t h e R e s c u e t o P O B o x 8 6 4 B o n i t a S p r i n g s F l 3 4 1 3 3

O r g o o n l i n e t o G o F u n d M e u s i n g t h i s l i n k : h t t p s : / / g o f u n d m e / e b 5 2 b 1 1 5

T h a n k s f o r y o u r g e n e r o s i t y a n d s u p p o r t o u r e f f o r t s t o s a v e m o r e p e t s

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.

Stan, Nan and Fran in need of new home

By Jo Knobloch Saveourstraysfmb @yahoo com

Founder of Save Our Strays Cat Rescue

a 501c3 organization on Fort Myers Beach

Stan, Nan and Fran are three Tuxedo siblings that survived Hurricane Ian They swam for their lives and are a very special trio They just turned two years old As walls were falling down, everything they jumped on fell over into the flood waters that were coming in fast They were grabbed up and put on the stairs going to next level They were the lucky ones They were born inside and have only lived inside so this was quite a trauma for them It would be great if all three could stay together and be adopted together as has happened in the past with trio siblings or at least Nan and Fran kept together

They are sweet kittys, very loving and playful. Nan is a little timid but warms up when she feels comfortable with wherever she happens to be They all love to chase the laser light which is a nightly playtime event Call 239 851 3485 if you would like to meet this special trio

We still need volunteers to help in many areas: feeding, transporting, playing with kittens and fostering Please call 239 851 3485 if you have an hour a week you can volunteer

Food is always needed both for adults and kittens

Fancy Feast wet kitten food is needed for kittens as well as Iams or Purina One Healthy Kitten dry food Purina

One tender select chicken is also needed for the adults. Food can be left at either Pet Supermarket store, Beach Store at San Carlos Blvd in Bealls plaza or store on the

corner of College and 41 in Fort Myers We are also in need of medium sized carriers as we lost all in the flood, preferably that open on the top as well as in the front but any are appreciated. Thanks much to all who have donated items We could also use a three tier cage on wheels for the kittens We had one but it too went out in the storm

P a g e

W e e k o f W e d n e s d a y , J u l y 1 9 , 2 0 2 3 n

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

WHAT’S HAPPENING

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 , u n t i l A u g 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

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

Lee County Domestic Animal Ser vices to par ticipate in national

‘Empty the Shelters’ effor t

Lee County Domestic Animal Services and the BISSELL Pet Foundation, a national animal welfare organization dedicated to ending pet homelessness, are excited

Berne Davis garden tours now available

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 Council was formed in 1957 and now comprises various clubs, societies, and affiliate members in the area The Council is a

to announce they will team up with MetLife Pet Insurance for the foundation’s upcoming “Empty the Shelters” waived adoption fee event With the shared goal of helping pets find and stay in loving homes, this collaboration will save lives by expanding the foundation's reach to include more shelters across the country

Animal Services will participate through July 31, at 5600 Banner Drive, offering waived adoption fees for adult dogs and all cats and kitten with an approved application

All interested adopters can find more details online at www leelostpets com

S i n c e t h e 2 0 1 6 i n c e p t i o n o f B I S S E L L P e t Foundation’s “Empty the Shelters,” nearly 158,000 pets at 669 animal welfare organizations in 49 states and Canada have received second chances. An average of 1,200 shelter pets are adopted each day during each quarterly national event Through this partnership and continued support, the foundation is looking forward to reaching more pets in more shelters and communities during this upcoming event

BISSELL Pet Foundation and Lee County domestic Animal Services urge families to do their research about the pet they are interested in adopting, as well as adoption requirements For more information on adopting or donating to “Empty the Shelters,” visit www bissellpetf o u n d a t i o n o r g / e m p t y - t h e - s h e l t e r s a s w e l l a s www.LeeLost Pets.com or call 239-533-7387 (LEEPETS) You may also submit an adoption application

Floral Arranging Class offered at Edison and Ford Winter Estates

Edison and Ford Winter Estates will offer a Tropical Floral Arrangement Workshop on Saturday, Aug 5, from 10-11:30 a m , Floral designer, Anita Singh, will teach the art of tropical floral arranging, including how to choose the right flowers, how to weave Areca Palms and how to put all of the pieces together to create an arrangement

Participants will be able to take their tropical floral arrangement with them to display in their home or office Registration is required for this hands-on workshop All flowers, tools and supplies will be provided No experience is required. Space is limited. Class may be purchased as a gift Cost: Edison Ford members $75; non-members $85

PHOTO PROVIDED

For additional information or to register for classes, visit EdisonFord org

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

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

online Adoption hours are 10:30 a m to 3:30 p m Monday through Saturday at Animal Services, 5600 Banner Drive, Fort Myers, next to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office off Six Mile Cypress Parkway.

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

2 3 9 - 9 9 2 - 2 5 9 1

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

An example of a tropical floral arrangement that guests can learn to make at Edison and Ford Winter Estates in Fort Myers.

Broadway Palm is dying to bring you ‘Murder in Paradise’

Broadway Palm is dying to bring you " M u r d e r i n P a r a d i s e " p l a y i n g n o w through Aug 12 This fun night of murder mystery comedy is an interactive production, wrapped around a four-course meal that is served to your table by the suspects, of course Bring your imagination and appetite it’s comedy to die for!

You’re invited to a very special birthday party! When you arrive, you’ll be given a new name and a new identity for the evening as you are an honored guest During the course of the evening, you’ll witness several crimes, including at least one murder, and it’s your job to figure out

“who dunnit ” There will be a detective to lead the investigation, but you’re free to d o a l i t t l e d e t e c t i v e - w o r k y o u r s e l f Become part of the action or just sit back a n d w a t c h t h e m y s t e r y u n f o l d w h i l e enjoying a fabulous dinner Prizes are awarded to the person that solves, or comes closest to solving, the mystery This fun-filled evening is perfect for the entire family and a unique way to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, or any special occasion!

Performances are Wednesday through Saturday evenings and tickets are $65 each Tickets are now on sale and can be

HGTV Star, John Gidding to speak at Edison and Ford Winter Estates

J o h n G i d d i n g , a n architectural designer, tv host, and author will give a special presentation about his newly p u b l i s h e d b o o k , " A t Home with Nature, a Guide to Sustainable, Natural Landscaping" on Sunday, July 30, at

E d i s o n a n d F o r d

W i n t e r E s t a t e s T h e b o o k p r o v i d e s p l a n s for turning a turfgrass l a w n i n t o a w e l ld e s i g n e d l a n d s c a p e , with the goal of welcoming pollinators and other wildlife, using less water, eliminating pesticides and herbicides, and minimizing fertilizer use

Books will be sold at the event, and Gidding will be available for signing, starting at 10 a m near the Banyan Café at the Estates The presentation will start at noon and will be held in the South Florida Water Management District building at 2301 McGregor Boulevard, Fort Myers, FL 33901 (next to the Estates)

Gidding was previously the host of the H G T V s h o w s “ C u r b A p p e a l , ” “ C u r b Appeal Xtreme,” “Designed to Sell” and more He stars in the popular YouTube show, “In the Room” and is a frequent guest on Rachel Ray He has designed landscapes around the world; a few of his projects include the Brooklyn Bridge Park, Union Square in New York City, the c

University, and a pavili o n f o r t h e 2 0 0 8 Olympics in Beijing.

" A f t e r y e a r s o f i n s t a l l i n g l i f e l e s s lawns, I finally came to the stark realization of their ecological harmever since, I embarked on a journey to promote native planting," said John Gidding "In the pages of my new book, I invite you to join me in this voyage where we understand our relationship with nature, in the context of the history of the North American landscape."

I n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h t h e n u r s e r y , FastGrowingTrees, Gidding is facilitating a donation of trees to be planted in the gardens at the Estates to assist with hurricane recovery Several trees will also be given away to visitors during the event, and some will be donated to other organizations in Lee County

In celebration of Henry Ford’s birthday, the event is free and open to the public (does not include tours, or admission to the museum or laboratory). Register at EdisonFord org to reserve a seat for the presentation Registration also ensures entry in the tree giveaways For more i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t t h e E s t a t e s , v i s i t

www edisonford org

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

PHOTOS PROVIDED

Author, John Gidding will be speaking at Edison and Ford Winter Estates about his newly published book

Annual Sizzle Dining scheduled for Sept. 7-27

Over 50 restaurants from across Southwest Florida set to participate

Sizzle Dining (restaurant week) is an annual, threeweek-long, community-driven event that celebrates the culinary landscape in both Lee and Collier counties by offering 3-course dinners and 2-course lunches at a discounted, set price

Over 20,000 Sizzle meals were sold last year even after losing the last few days because of the hurricane

Held every September, the event includes 50+ of the best restaurants from Cape Coral down to Marco Island and everywhere tasty in between

This year from Sept 7-27, each of the participating restaurants will offer a 3-course prix fixed dinner menu for just $29, $39 or $49, and some restaurants will also offer a 2-course lunch for only $19 or $29. Just pick from the participating restaurants (the website goes live Aug 5), make your reservations directly with each restaurant and enjoy the Sizzle Dining menu

For every Sizzle Dining meal purchased during the three-week event, each participating restaurant will donate $1 directly to Blessings in a Backpack of

Southwest Florida Symphony announces lineup

for 63rd season

T h e S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a S y m p h o n y , L e e County’s only professional orchestra, featuring musicians who have studied at the world’s most p r e s t i g i o u s c o n s e r v a t o r i e s , i s e x c i t e d t o announce an innovative and diverse lineup of p e r f o r m a n c e s f o r t h e 2 0 2 3 - 2 4 s e a s o n A c c l a i m e d m u s i c d i r e c t o r , M a e s t r o R a d u Paponiu leads the orchestra through its 63rd season of classical music’s most celebrated works, many of which are woven with groundbreaking pieces

The symphony opens the season on Oct 21 with Brave New Pops, “R E M Explored” feat u r i n g s e l e c t i o n s f r o m R E M ’ s l e g e n d a r y playlist newly imagined for the orchestra, with R E M ’s Mike Mills performing his eponymous “Concerto for Violin, Rock Band and Orchestra” alongside Grammy-nominated violinist Robert McDuffie

On Nov 4, the orchestra fuses a Masterworks and B r a v e N e w P o p s C o n c e r t , b l e n d i n g c l a s s i c Masterworks with jazz The symphony and Marcus Roberts Jazz Trio will perform a jazz arrangement of “Rhapsody in Blue” by George Gershwin in honor of the piece’s 100th anniversary Also on the program are A a r o n C o p l a n d ’ s i c o n i c “ F o u r E p i s o d e s ” f r o m

“Rodeo,” John Williams’ “Star Wars Suite” and Leonard Bernstein’s “Symphonic Dances” from “West Side Story ” The remaining Masterworks classical concert series will feature extraordinary guest artists such as Time for Three violinist Charles Yang, locally beloved pianist Alexandra Carlson, Southwest Florida Symphony Concertmaster Orin Laursen, and Sphinx Competition winner and cello prodigy Sterling Elliot

The third and final 2023-24 Brave New Pops Concert will take place May 18, 2024, and delight audiences with a nostalgic throwback to the 80s and 90s featuring tunes from the days of music television’s acoustical concerts, with returning guest Maestro Andrew Lipke Additionally, Lipke will present the symphony’s special Holiday Pops program at four venues throughout Lee and Charlotte counties

Season subscriptions and single tickets to select concerts are currently on sale

T o p u r c h a s e t i c k e t s o r l e a r n m o r e , v i s i t swflso org/tickets/

For more information about the Southwest Florida Symphony, upcoming season performances and subscription and ticketing information, visit swflso org or call 239-418-1500

Southwest Florida, a local 501(c)3 charity that feeds local food-insecure elementary students every weekend during the school year

Sizzle Dining promotes local businesses and boosts the local economy by over $2 million.

o www SizzleDining com, look through the available menus, make a reservation to lock in your seats and enjoy

Additional information will be available when the Sizzle Dining website at www SizzleDining com goes live on Saturday, Aug 5

Comedian Josh Blue brings his ‘Freak Accident Tour ’ to Seminole Casino Hotel Oct. 28

Tickets on sale now

GOLD Entertainment presents comedian Josh Blue live in concert as part of “The Freak Accident Tour” at Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee on Saturday, Oct 28 at 8 p m with doors opening at 7 p.m. Advance tickets are on sale now for $49 Additional fees may apply Tickets are available from Ticketmaster or at www moreinparadise com Attendees must be 21 years old Parking is free

After his groundbreaking win on “Last Comic Standing” in 2006, Blue has risen through the ranks to become a wellestablished headliner at venues throughout the world In 2018, Blue crushed his set on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon ” In the same year, he was honored with a performance at the William H Macy Gala at the prestigious Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal, Canada He wrapped up 2018 by recording his fifth hour special, “Broccoli,” at his home club, Comedy Works in Denver. In 2021, following his third-place finish on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent,” Blue hit the road with his “As NOT Seen on TV Tour ” Blue does more than 200 shows a year, continuing to spread laughter and break down stereotypes of people with disabilities His stand-up routine is in a constant state of evolution and his off-the-cuff improvisational skills guarantee that no two shows are alike

J FARLEY PHOTOGRAPHY AND WINSTON-SALEM SYMPHONY R.E.M. Explored

Southwest Florida Symphony

PHOTO PROVIDED Josh Blue

Grammy Award-Winners Mary Chapin Carpenter and Shawn Colvin to perform live Sept. 28 at Seminole Casino Hotel

Tickets now on sale

Mary Chapin Carpenter and Shawn Colvin bring their Grammy Award-winning country and folk music to Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee Thursday, Sept 28 at 8 p m with doors opening at 7 p m Tickets are $59 or $89 from Ticketmaster or at www moreinparadise com Attendees must be 21 years old Parking is free

With hits like “Passionate Kisses” and “He Thinks He’ll Keep Her,” Mary Chapin Carpenter has won five Grammy Awards (with 16 nominations), two CMA awards, two Academy of Country Music awards and is one of only 15 female members of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Over the course of her acclaimed career, Carpenter has sold more than 16 million records In 2020, Carpenter recorded two albums

“The Dirt And The Stars” released in August 2020, and “One Night Lonely,” recorded live without an audience at the legendary Filene Center at Wolf Trap in Virginia -- during the COVID-19 shut down “One Night Lonely” was nominated for “Best Folk Album” at the 64th Grammy Awards in 2022

Shawn Colvin stopped the industry in its tracks with her arresting 1989 debut “Steady On ” The following spring, Colvin took home the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album, establishing herself as a mainstay in the singer-songwriter genre In the ensuing 30 years, Colvin has won three Grammy Awards, released 13 superla-

tive albums, written a critically acclaimed memoir, maintained a non-stop national and international touring schedule, appeared on countless television and radio programs,

had her songs featured in major motion pictures, and created a remarkable canon of work

About Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee

Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee is Southwest Florida’s premier gaming and entertainment destination Located at 506 South 1st Street in Immokalee, Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee is easily accessible to all of Southwest Florida The 51,000-square-foot casino offers 1,400 slots and 41 live table games Dining options include the award-winning 1st Street Deli, Asian fusion restaurant Lucky Mi Noodle House, and the EE-TO-LEET-KE (“The Camp”) Grill Seminole Casino Hotel’s nightlife is highlighted by the Zig Zag lounge, home of the Zig Zag Girlz, “where the party never ends” featuring nightly live entertainment and no last call, as well as the new Corner Bar Additional entertainment and events are held at the Seminole Center, an indoor/outdoor special event center featuring state-of-the-art sound and lighting system The Seminole Casino Hotel is the first upscale hotel to open in or near Immokalee and offers suites and deluxe guestrooms with modern décor and upscale features Seminole Casino Hotel participates in the Unity Card Rewards Program whereby players earn and redeem Unity points at all Seminole Casinos in Florida For more information, call tollfree (800) 218-0007 or visit moreinparadise com or facebook com/SeminoleCasinoHotel/

Tickets on sale for ‘Iolanthe’ presented by Opera Naples Summer Youth Program

Opera Naples, one of Naples’ leading p e r f o r m i n g a r t s o r g a n i z a t i o n s , h a s announced tickets on sale for W S Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan’s popular operetta, “ I o l a n t h e , ” s t a r r i n g s t u d e n t s f r o m i t s

Summer Youth Program Performances are scheduled for 7 p m , July 22, and 2 p m , July 23, at the Saint John the Evangelist Catholic Church at the Pulte Life Center in Naples.

T h e O p e r a N a p l e s S u m m e r Y o u t h Program performances are directed by Robin Frank, the director of education, a n d L o u i s D a l l ’ A v a , a G i l b e r t a n d

Sullivan veteran performer and director

Since its sparkling 1882 premiere, the fantastical satire “Iolanthe” has delighted audiences with its clever combination of romance, humor, political satire and the memorable musical numbers that made Gilbert and Sullivan household names

T w e n t y - f i v e y e a r s a g o , t h e f a i r y

Iolanthe married a mortal – a capital offense under fairy law However, her sentence was commuted from death to lifetime banishment Fast forward 25 years, her half-human, half-fairy son now wishes to marry a mortal but it's a crime punishable by death Left with no choice, Iolanthe sets out to challenge this law

Student tickets are available for $10, and adult tickets are $18 A family fourpack for two adults and two students is available for $50.

To purchase tickets or learn more, visit OperaNaples org Opera Naples Sumer Youth Program provides participants with the opportunity to prepare and perform an entire operetta in the span of two weeks The program aims to challenge and nurture young per-

f o r m e r s , r e g a r d l e s s o f e x p e r i e n c e

Participants also participate in vocal mast e r c l a s s e s a n d w o r k s h o p s f o c u s e d o n vocal technique, acting, improvisation and yoga.

T h e 2 0 2 3 O p e r a N a p l e s S u m m e r Program scholarships have been funded

by the J Aron Charitable Foundation, Inc , Liz and Ed Freher, Sandra and James L a f o n d , T h e l m a a n d B u d N e g l e y , Jacqueline and William Mears, Mary Jane a n d R o b e r t O l i v e i r a , a n d J e n n i f e r Richardson

Dedicated to presenting high-quality opera productions and concerts featuring prominent international performers and directors, Opera Naples is an artistic p o w e r h o u s e S i n c e i t s i n c e p t i o n , t h e c o m p a n y h a s p r e s e n t e d w e l l - k n o w n g r a n d o p e r a s s u c h a s “ L a B o h è m e , ” “ C a r m e n , ” “ F a u s t , ” “ L a T r a v i a t a , ” “ M a d a m a B u t t e r f l y , ” “ R i g o l e t t o , ” “Tosca” and more An advocate of community service and education outreach, Opera Naples has introduced opera to m o r e t h a n 6 0 , 0 0 0 c h i l d r e n s i n c e i t s i n c e p t i o n t h r o u g h v a r i o u s p r o g r a m s , including in-school programs and performances in Lee and Collier counties, t h e R e s i d e n t A r t i s t s P r o g r a m a n d Summer Youth Program The company i s a l s o c o m m i t t e d t o n u r t u r i n g t h e region’s promising young talent through the Opera Naples Academy led by a faculty of revered opera luminaries who offer an immersive program of vocal instruction, lectures and masterclasses The company has earned local, regional and state government support For more information, visit OperaNaples org or contact info@OperaNaples.org.

Elite DNA Behavioral Health holding Back-to-School Supplies Drive

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h i g h l i g h t e r s , p e n c i l b o x e s , s t u d e n t s c i ss o r s , g l u e s t i c k s , w i r e d h e a d p h o n e s , s a n i t i z i n g w i p e s a n d m o r e . C a s h d o n at i o n s a n d g i f t c a r d s a r e a l s o a c c e p t e d f o r s u p p l i e s t o b e p u r c h a s e d b y E l i t e D N A s t a f f I n S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a , t h e d r i v e w i l l b e n e f i t s t u d e n t s i n s c h o o l s a c r o s s L e e ,

C o l l i e r a n d C h a r l o t t e c o u n t i e s t h r o u g h t h e F o u n d a t i o n f o r L e e C o u n t y P u b l i c S c h o o l s , C o l l i e r C o u n t y P u b l i c S c h o o l s a n d C h a r l o t t e C o u n t y P u b l i c S c h o o l s

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PHOTO PROVIDED

Past production of “Iolanthe” performed by Opera Naples Summer Youth Program participants.

PHOTO PROVIDED Mary Chapin Carpenter and Shawn Colvin

SPORTS & RECREATION

Lee County marks Park & Recreation Month with free pool admissions and parking

Lee County Parks & Recreation will offer free pool admission and free parking on Saturday, July 29, and Sunday, July 30, in recognition of National Park and Recreation Month

Lee County Parks & Recreation sites offering free swimming or free parking include:

∫ Parks: Lakes Park, Manatee Park, Hickey Creek Mitigation Park, Caloosahatchee Regional Park, Six Mile C

Preserve

∫ Beach sites: Bowman’s Beach and Turner Beach (north side only of Blind Pass)

∫ Boat ramps: Alva, Matlacha, Davis, Lavender’s Landing and Imperial River

∫ Pools: Lehigh Community Pool, North Fort Myers Community Pool, Pine Island Community Pool and San Carlos Community Pool

Bonita Beach Accesses No 1 and No 10, Bonita Beach Park, Lynn Hall Memorial Park and San Carlos Bay-Bunche Beach Preserve currently offer free parking until further notice These sites were severely impacted by Hurricane Ian and reopened in March with limited

amenities Residents and visitors are encouraged to always wear beach shoes when visiting beach parks Debris continues to wash onshore and quickly may be obscured by sand

Other recreational sites within Lee County that are owned or maintained by other government entities are not included in the free swim/free parking weekend These include: Barefoot Beach, beach access points managed by the Town of Fort Myers Beach, and City of Sanibel sites, including the south side of Blind Pass

The free pool/free parking weekend happens annually

Lee County Commissioners on June 20 voted to approve a resolution designating July as National Park and Recreation Month in Lee County In the resolution, commissioners recognized that Lee County Parks & Recreation touches the lives of individuals, families, groups and the entire community and positively impacts the social, economic and environment quality of the county

For more information about Lee County Parks & Recreation locations, amenities and special events, visit w w w l

leeparks@leegov com

FWC to meet July 19-20 in St. Petersburg

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conser C o m m i s s i o n w i l l m e e t i n p e r s

Wednesday and Thursday, July 19-20, a the Hilton St Petersburg Bayfront, 333 First Street, S E , St Petersburg, FL 33701 The meeting begins at 8:30 a m each day and is open to the public

The FWC is committed to providing opportunities for public input. There are several opportunities prior to the commission meeting to provide comments Also, time is allotted for public speakers at the commission meeting

Additionally, at the end of the second day, July 20, the commission will provid time for public comment on subjects not

Fort Myers Mighty Mussels Promotional Calendar

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

Tuesday, July 25 @ 6 p.m. vs. Palm Beach Cardinals

Game Highlight: Two For Tuesday

All fans get 2 for 1 on Beer, Soda & Hot Dogs! | Presented By Coors Light, 96 KROCK & ESPN Southwest Florida

Game Highlight: Publix 2 for 1 Ticket Tuesdays

All fans can get 2 for 1 tickets to all Tuesday Mussels home games by showing a Publix receipt dated from the previous two weeks at the Mussels box office | Presented By Publix

enda Those people who wish to offer mments during this period will be asked o ensure their comments are not related to any agenda item The deadline for registration to speak on items not on the agenda is 9:30 a m on July 20

For the full July 19-20 agenda and links to background reports, go to MyFWC.com/Commission and select “Commission Meetings ” Those who cannot attend can follow coverage at T w i t t e r c o m / M y F W C ( @ M y F W C ) a n d s i g n u p f o r n e w s u p d a t e s a t M y F W C c o m C h e c k t h e F l o r i d a hannel for possible live video coverage heFloridaChannel org

2023 manatee and sea turtle decals available

T h e F l o r i d a F i s h a n d W i l d l i f e C o n s e r v a t i o n Commission is unveiling its new 2023 manatee and sea turtle decals. New editions of these high-quality collectible stickers are released every July and are available with a $5 donation at your local tax collector’s office All proceeds from the decals help fund manatee and sea turtle conservation efforts

The high-quality waterproof stickers feature original artwork and are designed to look appealing on a vehicle’s bumper or the side of a boat They can also be seen on laptops, water bottles and coolers throughout the state and around the world Collecting them is a fun way for people to support the research, rescue and management efforts that conserve these species and spread the word about the challenges they face.

The decals also spotlight important conservation issues:

The “Healthy Manatees Need Healthy Habitat” decal displays a manatee mom and calf resting in a thriving

submerged aquatic vegetation bed Manatees depend on available forage as they are herbivores that consume a variety of submerged, emergent and floating plants. While boating in Florida’s waterways, you can protect manatee habitat by avoiding shallow grass beds

The “Healthy Turtles Need Healthy Habitats” decal features a green sea turtle in a lush green seagrass bed Green turtles depend on vegetation such as sea grasses and sea weeds as a primary food source These plants need clear, clean water to grow in Florida’s estuaries and lagoons When on the water or at the beach, you can help keep coastal waters clean and clear by stashing your trash and disposing of it

You can also support these species by purchasing a “Save the Manatee” or “Helping Sea Turtles Survive” license plate at your local Tax Collector’s office For additional information about how to get involved, you can also visit the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida’s website at widlifeflorida org

San Carlos Bay Sail & Power Squadron America’s Boating Course schedule

Wednesday, July 26 @ noon vs. Palm Beach Cardinals

Game Highlight: Big Splash

The Mussels welcome area kids camps for a water park experience and a game

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

I t ' s S i l v e r S l u g g e r s W e d n e s d a y ! J o i n o u r S i l v e r S l u g g e r s C l u b t o g e t f r e e t i c k e t s a n d p a r k i n g t o e a c h W e d n e s d a y h o m e M u s s e l s g a m e | P r e s e n t e d B y A m a v i d a

Game Highlight: Ladies' Night

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

Thursday, July 27 @ 7 p.m. vs. Palm Beach Cardinals

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, July 28 @ 7 p m vs Palm Beach Cardinals

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 P.M. | Presented By Rusty's, Bacardi

Game Highlight: Christmas in July

Game Highlight: Teddy Bear Toss Night

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 Estero Bay Chevrolet

Game Highlight: Corona Hard Seltzer Night

Presented By Corona

Source: www milb com/

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