Cape Coral Weekend Breeze

Cape manager submits budget proposal to Council

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

The budget presented to Cape Coral City Council members Wednesday shows a proposed downtick in both overall total and the property tax rate while funding 22 new public safety positions, more sidewalks, additional miles of roadway re-paving and money for the purchase of the old golf course property

A 10.18% decrease from the total 2023 budget from $1.095 billion to $984 1 million has been submitted for Cape Coral City Council’s consideration The millage rate to fund the general operations portion is proposed at 5 3126 mills, a decrease from the current 5 3694

The process is just beginning and does not conclude until the final vote from Council, City Manager Mike Ilczyszyn said “I look forward to realigning some priorities or some monetary figures that were

put forward to you all,” he said to the elected board “It’s a balancing act to see what your individual priorities are, taking feedback from the budget workshops, and look-

New fire station will boost response times, provide more coverage

By JOHNATHAN MINEHAN news@breezenewspapers com

For residents of Cape Coral, the city just got safer with the addition of a new fire station.

The traditional “hose uncoupling” for Fire Station 13 took place Wednesday The new station on Northeast 6th Street off Del Prado Boulevard will provide more coverage and allow for quicker response times, officials said

“We’ve got to make sure we keep up with that growth,” Mayor John Gunter said “Today’s event is just to make sure that we’re prepared for

Cape council members Bill Steinke, Dan S h e p p a r d , To m H a y d e n , M a y o r J o h n Gunter and Councilmember Robert Welsh take part in the hose uncoupling ceremony for Fire Station 13 with acting Fire Chief Michael Russell. /PHOTO COURTESY OF CCFD See FIRE STATION, page 39

ing at what the community is requesting and my department heads I look forward to completing another year budget with you all ”

As proposed by the city’s administration, the working budget sits below $1 billion for fiscal year 2024-25, which begins Oct 1

There is a 10 18% decrease from the 2023 budget – from $1 095 billion to

Adjustments to begin Oct. 1; will continue for three years

Lee County reestablishes its veterans advisory committee

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

After more than 10 years of dormancy, a Lee County panel dedicated to enriching the lives of local veterans has been reformed.

Earlier this year, the Lee County Veterans Advisory Committee was brought back thanks to the work of local veterans who want to assist their fellow comrades Each county commissioner appointed two individuals to make up a committee of 10

The reformation of this committee, which was dissolved in 2012, was spearheaded by retired Army Colonel and Army JROTC instructor Steve Epkins

At the newly formed committee’s first meeting last week, Epikins was elected to serve as the chair of the committee, while Chris Cammarota was elected vice chair, and John Thomas secretary

“It makes me feel good that we got something going for local veterans,” Epkins said “I just hope that we’re able to reach out and help We’re looking to educate, assist, support, solve problems things like that for our veterans and surviving spouses and their families ”

Cammarota added, “This is long overdue There’s money

Honoring Veterans

The “Saluting our Heroes ’45 & ’53” event (formerly Spirit of ’45) will be held from 4:15 to 7:15 p m on Aug 11 at Heritage Palms Golf and Country Club in Fort Myers The event is free for World War II and Korean War veterans and their guest Tickets are $50 per person for all other attendees, as the event is open to any and all

The ceremony will include a presentation of National Colors, Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem; POW/MIA service (missing man table), wreath ceremony; World War II and Korean War videos and speeches,

available through the county for veterans, and our job is to make suggestions to the County Commission, and if they like it, they’ll follow through. Whether it’s for homeless veterans, job training, or money for a parade or something like that Veterans need a voice, and I’m just happy to help out and do the right thing ”

The Lee County Veterans Advisory Committee is made up of:

Roger Thriftshauer - Retired Navy rear admiral

John Thomas - Retired Army lieutenant colonel

Armando Hernandez - Served in the U S Marine Corps and senior manager of Homebase Florida

Gerry Harvey - Served in the U S Marine Corps and post commander of the Cape Coral VFW Post

flag folding ceremony; Pipes and Drums to include “Amazing Grace” on bagpipes; honor guard/firing party for three volleys; echo taps and patriotic songs.

Reservations must be made by Aug 1 and tickets must be paid for by Aug 6

To make a reservation or for more information, email Kim Gaide at kimgaide@aol com or call 239-209-6160

Once reservations have been made, a check or money order should be made payable to VFW District 13 Sponsorship opportunities are also available

Stephanie Neurock - served in the Army and works with Congressman Bryon Donalds

Chris Cammarota - served four years in the U.S. Navy and involved in many local veterans organizations

Steve Epkins - retired Army colonel with 22 years of teaching Army JROTC in Florida high schools

Joseph Duhain - current captain in the Florida Army National Guard and professor at FGCU

Tim Cook - retired Navy captain and medical doctor

Dale Spain - retired U S Marine Corps gunny and CEO of Hearts & Homes

Epkins said the committee is still shaping exactly what its goals will be moving forward, and that they will meet once each month The next meeting is Aug 14

One of the ideas Epkins proposed was a book for veterans with a plethora of information on how and where they can receive assistance

“There are answers out there, and people know those answers, but there are those that don’t know where to find them or the organizations that do certain things,” Epkins said “Some kind of book just for veterans, so when (a veteran’s) car won’t start and they need assistance and doesn’t have the money, where can they go? Or if they’re homeless, what do they do?”

Other ideas included a quarterly veteran calendar and newsletter that includes all of the local veterans events taking place over those months

“This next upcoming meeting, we’ll start working on definitive plans and talking about this stuff,” Epkins said. Epkins talked about a “veterans and homeless veterans stand-down,” where veteran groups could gather and assist the needs of the community

“We could do it at a local college or a park,” he said “It could be something once per year where veterans could come and get all the things they need the essentials, or a resume review, or a job. Things like that ”

According to statistics from Lee County Government and state of Florida, there are between 55,000 to 62,000 veterans in the area the fifth largest veteran population by county in the state

Additional topics to be discussed include a committeeorganized Veterans Day and Memorial Day services

All members of the committee had to fill out an application to volunteer their services, and submit it to Lee County Veteran Services Manager Rodney Van Ness

“Our goal is to make things better for veterans and their families,” Epkins said “That’s all I’ve been doing since I retired from JROTC, is working with veterans groups and JROTC.

They hope to be involved in County Commission meetings and will have quarterly updates with Van Ness and county staff

“We want to be an overarching veterans group that's looking to help and support and fix things and make things better,” Epkins said

OPINIONS

CAPE CORAL BREE ZE

RAYMOND M ECKENRODE Publisher VALARIE HARRING, Executive Editor CHRIS STRINE, Editor 2510 Del Prado Blvd. • Cape Coral, FL, 33904

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

Member Florida Press Association

Solutions overdue

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

v i c t i m s s u r v i v e d a n d a S e c r e t S e r v i c e s n i p e r t o o k t h e s h o o t e r o u t i n s e c o n d s Y e s w e a r e a n g r y a n g r y a t a s y s t e m f a i l t h a t l e t a n a r m e d g u n m a n b r e a c h s e c u r i t y a t a r a l l y f o r n o t o n l y a p r e s i d e n t i a l c a n d i d a t e b u t a f o r m e r p r e s i d e n t : M u l t i p l e s h o t s w e r e f i r e d , o n e g r a z i n g t h e e a r o f n o w G O P n o mi n e e D o n a l d T r u m p a s h e s p o k e t o a c r o w d o f s u p p o r te r s S h o t s k i l l e d a r a l l y a t t e n d e e w h o d o v e a t o p f a m i l y m e m b e r s t o s a v e t h e i r l i v e s a n d c r i t i c a l l y i n j u r e d t w o

o t h e r s W h y s h o u l d w e g r i e v e ?

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

d e n t T r u m p ’ s i n j u r y w a s m i n o r ?

W e a n d w e a s a c o u n t r y a r e

A r e w e n o t g r a t e f u l a s i t “ c o u l d h a v e b e e n w o r s e ? ”

W e a r e

B u t t o d a y w e j o i n t h e f a m i l i e s o f t h e v i c t i m s : O f C o r e y C o m p e r a t o r e , 5 0 , a v o l u n t e e r f i r e f i g h t e r

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

o n e s a s s h o t s r a n g o u t

O f J i m C o p e n h a v e r , 7 4 , a r e t i r e e w h o s u f f e r e d “ l i f e a l t e r i n g ” i n j u r i e s

O f D a v i d D u t c h , 5 7 , a M a r i n e C o r p s v e t e r a n n o w

a w a i t i n g m o r e s u r g e r y

O f M r T r u m p , w h o s a w n o t a c a n d i d a t e b l o o d i e d ,

b u t a h u s b a n d , a f a t h e r , s h o t i n w h a t s h o u l d b e t h e s a f e s t

c o u n t r y i n t h e w o r l d

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

e v e r i t i s t h a t a i l s t h e m

W e g r i e v e t h a t t h i

This week’s poll question:

How do you view Donald Trump’s selection of J.D. Vance as his vice presidential running mate?

∫ The choice has my full support

∫ I originally supported a different prospect but with the choice made, I’m in

∫ The second name on the ticket doesn’t matter to me

∫ It has given me pause ∫ Deal breaker.

∫ I wasn’t voting Republican

A message from the city manager

Dear Residents of Cape Coral,

It is with great enthusiasm and a deep sense of responsibility that I share my Fiscal Year 2025 proposed budget, and the details of Cape Coral’s financial roadmap for the coming year Our city is poised for continued growth and prosperity, and this budget reflects our unwavering commitment to enhancing your quality of life while ensuring fiscal prudence

First and foremost, I am recommending City Council lower the millage rate to 5 3126, a decision aimed at lightening the financial load on our residents while maintaining exceptional city services This reduction not only underscores our commitment to fiscal responsibility but also sets us apart as a city that prioritizes affordability without compromising excellence

Guest Commentary

Our proposed budget, nearing $1 billion, is a testament to our city’s robust financial health and growth trajectory Revenue from property taxes will support our operating fund, enabling us to expand vital services to meet the evolving needs of our community Central to this expansion is the addition of new staff across various departments, ensuring we can deliver efficient and responsive services to you, our residents

Public safety remains a cornerstone of our city’s priorities This year, we have increased the size of our police and fire departments to bolster our capacity to protect and serve With strategic investments, we are equipping our first responders with the resources and personnel needed to continue to keep our streets safe and secure

Infrastructure development is another key focus area From fiber and wireless connectivity upgrades to essential water treatment plant expansions, every investment is designed to enhance our city’s resilience and sustainability Notably, this budget allocates $3 5 million the largest amount ever pro-

Put it in writing

To the editor:

posed in a single budget year for expanding sidewalks, promoting safer pedestrian access and community connectivity Additionally, the budget for paving roadways has nearly doubled, with $11 5 million allocated to this crucial infrastructure improvement We are also funding the design of a new wastewater treatment facility in the North Cape to bring much-needed utilities to those businesses and residents

Our commitment to environmental stewardship and community well-being is reflected in our investments in parks, recreation facilities, and beautification efforts These initiatives not only enrich our lives but also stimulate economic growth and preserve our natural resources for future generations

As we move forward, community engagement remains integral to our budget process I invite each of you to participate in the upcoming City Council workshops and public hearings, where your input will help shape our final budget decisions Your voices are critical as we strive to ensure transparency and accountability in every aspect of our governance

Cape Coral is not just a city; it is our home Together, we are dedicated to maintaining and improving our quality of life, making Cape Coral one of the best places to live, work, and play in Florida I am privileged to lead this community forward, and I am committed to serving you with integrity and vision

Thank you for your continued support and partnership as we embark on this journey together For detailed insights into the City’s financial priorities and investments, a complete copy of my FY25 proposed budget is on the City’s website Warm regards,

Michael Ilczyszyn is Cape Coral’s city manager

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Jaycee Park trees

To the editor:

I was overjoyed to read that nearly all of those running for Cape Coral City Council said they would rescind the stipend that the current council enacted to give themselves a raise (July 12, 2024, Question of the Week ) How noble of these individuals! However, most of the voting public knows that no bank will cash a politician’s promise How about these future City Council members go the extra step in convincing a doubting public Let’s say they sign a binding stipulation that if the stipend is still in existence six (6) months after the election, those that did not vote to rescind will tender their resignation(s)

Talk is cheap, as the saying goes Let’s back up their words with guarantees

Steven A Salz Cape Coral

Questions for the candidates

To the editor:

I have a few questions that several residents have expressed an interest in for the Council Candidates

1 How much time do you believe is required as a member of council and are you aware of other meetings in addition to the regular scheduled council meetings?

2 Where do you get information on current issues facing the City UEP, Yacht Club, Traffic etc? Factual or Speculation? Do you speak to City Staff or council?

3 How do you plan to pass your agenda by being negative towards council and the city administration? You are only one vote out of eight and need five to pass any item you mention in your reason for running

4 Do you think this is a full-time or a part-time job?

5 Will you be a proactive or reactive council member?

6, How will you work on your goals to achieve them?

7 Will you be available to emergency meetings that pop up throughout the week?

In last week’s Breeze, one of Cape Coral’s councilmen was defending why the Australian pine trees needed to be cut down He said they were an invasive species of trees This may be true, but these trees were planted around 60 years ago and are around 60 feet tall There must be about 100 of them in Jaycee Park and they provide great shade to the people who visit the park After 60 years in this park, I would say they are not invasive, but are now indigenous to the area

The councilman said that “these trees erode coastlines and choke out other native vegetation that provide critical wildlife habitat ” As for eroding coastlines, Jaycee Park is on the Caloosahatchee River and its entire “coastline” is protected by a band of riprap (rocks) that protect the shore from wave action, not from the “invasive” trees I don’t know if these trees choke out other native vegetation, but what critical wildlife does he want to protect? Squirrels? There are a ton of them there

He also goes on to say that “its wind-driven seeds will only cause more invasive trees to grow and provide continued environmental damage ” Do these seeds go everywhere and are a nuisance and cause environmental damage? I doubt this very much I haven’t seen any Australian pine saplings sprouting up all over Cape Coral What environmental damage? I don’t get it

This city council wants to spend $12 million of our money to redevelop Jaycee Park by removing these Australian pines, and adding a bandshell, a bar, food trucks, two piers and indigenous trees The locals don’t want this redevelopment, yet the city council is moving forward with it It can’t be because of the “invasive” pines Is there an ulterior motive behind this?

On the same page as the councilman’s guest commentary, The Breeze posted the results of the latest weekly poll The question was “Do you use city parks or take part in programs?” The answer to this non-scientific poll was 76.5% of those responding to the question said “No” If that is the case, See LETTERS, page 6 See EDITORIAL, page 8

Donald Apking Cape Coral

Michael Ilczyszyn

Wellness practices can reduce PTSD symptoms

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is a mental health condition that can develop after experiencing a traumatic event Symptoms include intrusive memories, flashbacks, avoidance of triggers, difficulty sleeping, and hypervigilance PTSD often leads to emotional distress, anxiety, and depression

This condition is particularly prevalent among veterans, affecting 11-20% of those who served in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs

By raising awareness, Home Base Florida aims to normalize conversations around mental health among the veteran population This initiative helps individuals feel more comfortable sharing their experiences and promotes a healthier lifestyle through wellness practices Through education and support, we can foster an understanding and supportive environment for those living with PTSD

Wellness practices have been shown to effectively reduce PTSD symptoms

Incorporating exercise, healthy eating, and mindfulness into one’s routine can be powerful tools for managing symptoms Regular physical activity serves as a vital form of self-care and self-regulation, helping individuals better handle stress and emotions

During exercise, endorphins hormones that reduce stress and enhance feelings of pleasure are released Exercise also fosters a sense of mastery, aiding in the man-

From page 4

agement of challenging emotions and situations

Consistent exercise provides multiple benefits for managing PTSD, including:

■ Reducing Stress

Hormones: Exercise lowers stress hormones and boosts serotonin levels, which can improve mood and alleviate depression and anxiety

■ Enhancing

Cognition: Physical activity improves cognitive function, reducing rumination and distorted thinking

Jamie Fernandez Guest Commentary

■ Promoting Better Sleep: Regular exercise supports recuperative sleep, which is crucial for overall well-being

■ Exposure Therapy: Engaging in physical activity can act as a form of exposure therapy, helping individuals confront their fears and experiences in a safe, constructive manner

Nutrition is also a crucial component of wellness for managing PTSD A healthy diet can alleviate common symptoms such as stress, anxiety, and fatigue Consuming a balanced diet rich in protein, fiber, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates helps stabilize mood and energy levels Daily intake of

why redevelop Jaycee Park? Leave it as is Let the 23 5% of the people enjoy the park and walk our dogs there

The only maintenance needed at Jaycee Park is to remove the scrub trees and bushes that have grown out of the riprap area along the river These scrub trees and bushes are not Australian pines either! How about that!

Trees and veterans

To the editor:

fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains provides essential nutrients that aid in regulating PTSD symptoms Additionally, Omega-3 fatty acids and probiotics have been linked to a reduction in PTSD symptoms

Staying hydrated and limiting caffeine and alcohol intake is important, as these substances can exacerbate symptoms Eating meals at regular intervals and avoiding skipping meals helps maintain consistent mood and energy levels. By incorporating these nutritional practices, individuals with PTSD can better manage their symptoms and improve their overall well-being

Mindfulness is another powerful wellness tool for managing the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder It involves being fully present in the moment and observing one’s thoughts and feelings without judgment Like exercise, practicing mindfulness can reduce rumination and worry, which are common in PTSD

Mindfulness helps individuals gain insight into their behavior, enabling them to take control of their thoughts and emotions It also fosters self-compassion and acceptance, which are crucial for those suffering

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Triple-dip taxes for pickleball

To the editor:

I sent the following to members of Cape Coral City Council and then read it into the record at Wednesday’s Council meeting: Council members,

I am writing this letter with my concerns about the expenses associated with Lake Kennedy Racquet Center

from PTSD Additionally, mindfulness allows individuals to manage intrusive thoughts and feelings by observing them without becoming overwhelmed.

Moreover, mindfulness promotes selfcare, which can reduce stress, improve sleep, and alleviate overall PTSD symptoms By integrating mindfulness into their daily routine, individuals with PTSD can enhance their emotional resilience and overall well-being

By understanding PTSD and embracing holistic wellness strategies individuals can manage their symptoms more effectively and improve their quality of life Let’s foster education, support, and positive change

To learn more about how Home Base Florida can support Veterans with PTSD through wellness, visit HomeBase org/Florida

Jaime Fernandez is a US Marine Corps veteran who served three tours in Iraq He is currently a certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and the Wellness Manager for the non-profit Home Base Florida Veteran and Family Care After earning his degree in Human Performance from Florida Gulf Coast University, he worked as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist for the Boston Red Sox before being recruited by Home Base Florida, an official program of the Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital

ately. The only entity benefiting from this arrangement is SFC, it’s not the city and definitely not the residents who in effect will be triple taxed when buying a membership on top of the annual taxes to run it, and the GO bond to build it

Ken Kendrick Citizen of Cape

Coral

I was moved by Mr Hayden’s dissertation as an arborist on Australian pines He forgot the melaleuca paper tree from Australia and the Brazilian pepper tree. All these are still prevalent and dot the Cape Coral landscape I said to the Mayor and council over a year ago to put forth an ordinance to protect the bald cypress trees along Pine Island road which are being destroyed for car washes and storage units, they are state protected It fell on deaf ears of our council

The council is not worried about Australian pines at Southwest 10th Street and Southwest 15th Avenue but seem fixated on Veterans Park Council tore up the Cape Coral Yacht Club against citizens wishes Why is Council obsessed with “doing the right thing” and following the codes and ordinances all of a sudden or is it when it suits their fancy?

The City Council should apologize for the following: Illegally giving themselves a stipend

Dissolving every advisory board and committee

Arresting a citizen for legally speaking at council

Increasing the taxes to cover blunders and lawsuits

Reckless spending and over extended budget which needs an independent budget audit

Following the Cape ordinances when it benefits our selfish aims while code enforcement, utilities, street repair etc are inefficient

Mr Hayden says the group used veterans as a ploy As a veteran, I do not feel that way. These people meant no harm and showed respect to veterans living and dead on the 4th of July

Mr Hayden, you are leaving Cape Coral at the end of your term You are moving out of Cape Coral to Charlotte County where taxes are lower Why are you so concerned with Veterans Park?

My T-shirt reads, “City Council do it our way or no way ” Lou Navarra Cape Coral

I believe when this facility was first proposed over 5 years ago, the intent was to offer a large group of pickleball and tennis courts for the residents of Cape Coral to utilize at no cost At that time there were no dedicated pickleball courts at any city parks Building a large complex would almost guarantee a spot for major tournaments to be held. Those tournaments would offset all operating expenses

Since then, almost every community in our area has quickly built courts Fort Myers had twelve dedicated pickleball courts 4 years ago, Pickleplex now has 24 courts, East Naples over 60 Cape Coral is late to the game and didn’t go the extra step to set itself apart from any of these other places Pictona and GT Bray in Bradenton both have covered courts justifying the fee to play there We do not have a premier facility, as many have referred to

None of these places have the number of personnel proposed to operate Lake Kennedy I don’t know if those numbers have been presented by SFC, but I’ve seen 6 management positions listed by SFC.

My conservative calculations are as follows General manager, Marketing Manager, Operations Manager, Membership Manager, Finance Manager and Sports Programming Manager salaries of at least $350k net, $500k billed to the city That’s not including any part-time employees which will probably add up to another $250k, plus the $220k to SFC Has SFC given the city any specifics for employee salaries?

I don’t know what the cost of utilities will be but I’m guessing conservatively another 20K per month for electric, water and sewer Plus, the cost of insurance that I can’t even speculate on

I’m assuming the additional $360k is for the equipment and furniture, stocking of pro shop and cafe?

With that, the city will be looking at over a million dollars to operate LK

At earlier meetings, the public was told the intent is to have a zero net cost to run Lake Kennedy There is no way that is going to happen, since the operating costs associated with SFC fees and expenses are going to be over $1M annually

The city is basically giving SFC an open checkbook to do with as they please, at the expense of the taxpayers This model is not sustainable and will quickly drain city funds

We were also told that the city can get out of this contract if they think they must I seriously doubt that is an option but would suggest getting out of this one-sided contract immedi-

We were also told that City Council can determine what the fee is to play there If that’s the case, I suggest opening the courts up to city residents at no charge The small impact of the 600-650 projected members fee will have little impact on the overall cost associated with the hiring of SFC to run it Free play will bring large numbers of players, including those who will not be able to afford it, creating goodwill to the community at large and more importantly have a greater economic impact for the city, which we all know was part of the original intent.

Some of you were interested in learning about the pickleball community and entertained meetings with a few of us Hopefully we enlightened you on this unique mindset of the players Many facilities across the country offer large numbers of pickleball courts for all residents and visitors to use at no charge That should be the blueprint for our courts The business model created by hiring a management company will be the downfall of what would be a great asset to Cape Coral

I’m asking for at least one of you to have the courage to pull this item from the consent agenda as it is presented today It deserves more constructive feedback and conversation before deciding on a fee.

I’ve also attached a recent membership survey conducted at Pickleplex As you can see, the pro shop, concession stand and league play are not much of a concern All players really want is nice courts with plenty of players to mix in with

Thank you for your consideration

Thomas Sweeney Cape Coral

Editor’s note: Cape Coral City Council will vote on membership and usage fees at its Wednesday, July 24, meeting The facility is anticipated to open on Aug 1

Calling all voters

To the editor: We have an election coming up this November, but due to Florida election laws, the primary election on Aug 20, 2024 will decide which persons are elected to serve on the Lee County Board of Commissioners

There are three candidates for both District 3 and District 5 At present, the elections are countywide meaning all voters in the county get to exercise their choice

In District 3 there is a write-in candidate, Jake Cataldo, who, in his own words, joined the race to make it a closed primary, to keep the Democrats from voting It would surprise no

See LETTERS, page 8

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

From page 6

one if this candidate drops out David Scott Mulicka, backed by the power brokers in the county is one of the candidates (If the name sounds familiar it is because his father-in-law is on the school board and his wife is a state representative ) The third candidate, Matthew R Thornton, is a grassroots candidate

In District 5 there is a Democrat candidate, Kizzie Fowler Mike Greenwell, backed by the powerbrokers in the county is another candidate The third, Amanda Cochran, is a grassroots candidate

The question in my mind is whether you want to continue with the tried-and-untrue, or, bring in fresh faces with fresh ideas

Fortunately, there is a way for Democrats to participate in the primary If you change your party registration by July 22, you can exercise your choice of candidates in the primary REMEMBER, the primary will decide the election They will be unopposed in the General Election and thus considered elected (You will be able to change your registration back after the primary )

As an aside, I attended a meet-the-candidates night and both power broker backed candidates were no-shows To me that is an insult to the voters of Lee County

Remember, voting is a privilege, a right, and a duty. But, do it in a responsible manner by educating yourself about the candidates and their positions, not just by name recognition and/or a “pretty face ” Norman Cannon Fort Myers

Hateful rhetoric root cause of shooting

To the editor:

Critics and the media are responding with horror, sending hopes and prayers and appeals for peace to Donald Trump after the attempted assassination The Far Left and some media outlets facilitated this act with their rhetoric, political games, and law-fare

Calling Trump a Hitler and dictator saying “it’s time to put Trump in a bullseye” and calling him and his supporters “an existential threat” to democracy, NOW they are claiming all this is unacceptable This is what happens when a political party plus the media wage a 24-hour-per-day fear campaign

Whether it’s COVID, the death of democracy, the “deep state” or whatever, there are way too many mentally unstable people getting lost in these conspiracy theories and they no longer have any grip on reality and will do just about anything and now the progressives are saying the Right and Trump must tone down the rhetoric and they had little to do with causing it

The country must unite against extremism, regardless of which side it comes from We should recognize this as a teachable moment and dial down the hateful rhetoric Peaceful disagreement is a cornerstone of democracy, but violence and hatred should have no place

in our society

America needs to send a strong message to the extremists who have taken over the political dialog and are ruining our country We need to elect responsible and common-sense people who will put the needs of the country and its people first not the party, tone down dialog, right size all areas of government, grow the private sector, and pay down our federal debt

Lou Walker Cape Coral

In Suppor t of Amendment 4

To the editor:

Tell the truth, Gov DeSantis if you can force yourself to do it. You lie about lots of things but your lying about Amendment 4 really gets under my skin I was a practicing OB/GYN physician for 28 years Several of my patients were memorable for many reasons The young woman who was abducted and raped by a stranger when she was a junior in high school comes clearly to my mind today She was able to identify her rapist in a police line-up and he spent three years in prison When he got out of prison he found her and abducted her again He brutally beat and raped her daily for the four months that she was his captive. By the time she escaped she was nearly three months pregnant This young woman had devoted parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins who loved and supported her No one in her family thought that she should not have an abortion

Who do you think you are to impose your religious beliefs on another family? Where are those ‘family values” you tout? Only for your family? Oh Yes You are the one who “never backs down ” And believes that might makes right that your political power is unlimited You apparently see yourself as one who has a God Given Right to bully legislators into restricting women’s rights Your 6week abortion ban took effect May 1, 2024 Thanks to you, some women have already come close to dying because physicians are fearful of going to jail if they treat a woman miscarrying And thanks to the legislators who supported your 6-week ban Sick Save your scare tactics They will not work on the voters affected Namely anyone capable of becoming pregnant or the relatives and friends who know and love them. You are lying when you say that “Amendment 4 is deceptive and dangerous, giving broad abortion approval rights to non-doctor clinical staff, allowing abortions for minors without parental consent and not only legalizing abortion during the first six months, but the entire pregnancy,” Voters in November will remember your lies and what you and your legislators did to try to control women Lynn A. Hagedorn, MD Cape Coral

Editorial: Bipartisan effort is long overdue

From page 4

t h e r e s u l t s o f t h o s e

i n v e s t i g a t i o n s a s w e i g n o r e t h e s p e c u l a -

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

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

T h e f i n d i n g s , t h o u g h , n e e d t o b e m o r e m u c h m o r e t h a n t h e e s p o u s i n g o f s h o u l d - h a v e s , c o u l d - h a v e s , a n d a r e g u r -

g i t a t i o n o f t h e w e - n e e d - t o s t h a t h a v e f o l -

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

t o t h e t a b l e a n d p r i o r i t i z e d

F o r S e c r e t S e r v i c e s n i p e r s a r e n o t a l w a y s t h e r e t o “ n e u t r a l i z e ” t h e s h o o t e r 2 6 s e c o n d s a f t e r t h e f i r s t s h o t i s f i r e d O u r c o u n t r y a v e r a g e s o n e m a s s s h o o ti n g p e r d a y a n d i s o n t r a c k t o e x c e e d m o r e t h a n 5 0 0 s u c h i n c i d e n t s f o r t h e f i f t h y e a r i n a r o w V i c t i m s a n d f a m i l i e s d e s e r v e n o l e s s t h a n t o b e r e m e m b e r e d T h e y , i n f a c t , d e s e r v e m o r e T h e y d e s e r v e d p r o t e c t i o n a n d p r e v e nt i o n B o t h a r e s o m e t h i n g o u r c o u n t r y , t o t h e h e a r t b r e a k o f t o o m a n y , l a c k s B r e e z e e d i t o r i a l

Trumparilla Boat Parade set for July

Community

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

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N o v e m b e r , t h e L e e C o u n t y G O P w i l l

h o s t t h e T r u m p a r i l l a T r u m p B o a t P a r a d e

n e x t S a t u r d a y

A b o a t p a r a d e o f i t s k i n d t o o k p l a c e i n

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u g h o u t F l o r i d

h a v e r e c e n t l y h e l d s i m i l a r e v e n t s l e a d i n g u p t o t h i s y e a r ' s e l e c t i o n O r g a n i z e r s h o p e t h e t u r n o u t i s m o r e o f t h e s a m e , o r e v e n t r u m p s w h a t t o o k

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

l i f t e d , ” s a i d M i c h a e l L e i v a , b o a t p a r a d e

o r g a n i z e r , R e p u b l i c a n E x e c u t i v

A m e r i c a F i r s t R e p u b l i c a n C l u b “ W e

w a n t t o e n c o u r a g e t h e c o m m u n i t i e s t o f e e

t h e i r t r u t h , b y k n o w i n g t h e r e a r e l i k em i n d e d f e l l o w c i t i z e n i n t h e i r c o m m u n it y ” W i t h a 1 0 : 3 0 a m l a u n c h w i t h l i

W i t h t h e r e c

e v e n t ) r e j u v e n a t e s t h a t A m e r i c a n s p i r i t , ”

L e i v a s a i d “ B e i n g o u t t h e r e w i t h a l l t h e

A m e r i c a n f l a g s w a v i n g , i t ’ s s o m e t h i n g

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

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

o u r f l a g W e h o p e t o b e a b l e t o s h a r e t h a t

m o m e n t w i t h e v e r y o n e ”

I n 2 0 2 0 , L e e C o u n t y G O P ’ s T r u m p

B o a t P a r a d e s a w w h a t r e p o r t e d l y w a s n e a r l y 1 0 , 0 0 0 b o a t s t a k e p a r t , w i t h f l a g s a n d b a n n e r s d i s p l a y e d f r o m v e s s e l s

T h e t r i p t o t h e S a n i b e l L i g h t h o u s e w i l l t a k e a p p r o x i m a t e l y a n h o u r - a n d - a -

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

w a k e , a n d m i n d o t h e r b o a t e r s i n t h e w a t e r

Fee plan for Lake Kennedy Racquet Center moves forward

Cape Council expected to approve proposal next week

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

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

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m e m b e r s h i p a n d o t h e r f e e s f o r t h e L a k e

K e n n e d y R a c q u e t C e n t e r n e x t w e e k

C o u n c i l i n J u n e c h o s e t h e s e c o n d p r e -

s e n t e d o p t i o n f o r c e n t e r m e m b e r s h i p

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

$ 2 5 0 a n n u a l m e m b e r s h i p f o r i n d i v i d u -

a l s , $ 3 5 0 f o r c o u p l e s , $ 5 0 0 f o r f a m i l y

a n d $ 1 0 0 f o r j u n i o r s .

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f o r t h e L a k e K e n n e d y R a c q u e t C e n t e r .

T h e r e s o l u t i o n , w h i c h w a s p a s s e d ,

a p p r o v e d t h e d i r e c t i o n C o u n c i l p r e v i o u sl y p r o v i d e d c i t y a d m i n i s t r a t i o n w h i c h

i n c l u d e d s e l e c t i o n o f t h e s e c o n d o p t i o n

f o r r e s i d e n t m e m b e r s h i p f e e s , d r o pi n / g u e s t r a t e s a n d m o r e o p t i o n s f o r t h e

b r a n d t o i n c l u d e t h e C i t y o f C a p e C o r a l i n t h e l o g o T h e c i t y m a n a g e r a d d r e s s e d a c o m -

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

t h e m a n a g e m e n t c o m p a n y o f $ 2 2 0 , 0 0 0

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T o m S w e e n e y “ A f t e r l o o k i n g i n t o i t , t h e r e w a s a P 3

o p p o r t u n i t y t o h i r e a n o r g a n i z a t i o n t o r u n

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A u g

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e r a t e i n c o m e f o r t h e c i t y S i n c e t h e n , a

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c o n t r a c t i t l o o k s l i k e S F C w a s g i v e n a n

o p e n c h e c k b o o k t o c h a r g e t h e c i t y w h a t -

e v e r t h e y n e e d e d t o r u n t h e f a c i l i t y , ”

S w e e n e y s a i d d u r i n g p u b l i c i n p u t

C i t y M a n a g e r M i k e I l c z y s z y n s a i d

Council in June chose the second presented option for center membership fees, which are proposed to include a $250 annual membership for individuals, $350 for couples, $500 for family and $100 for juniors.

There would be no initiation fee for residents and a non-resident initiation fee of $100 would be applied for annual membership, $50 for semi-annual and $50 for monthly membership

The facility would host 16-18 tournaments a year

e s C o m p

o d o s u c h t h i n g s a s h a v e a m a r k e t i n g f i r m a n d a c c o u n t i n g m a n a g e r “ W e a r e b a s i c a l l y u t i l i z i n g t h e i r c o mp a n y f o r t h o s e m a n a g e m

r u n

i t y H e s

t i s a p a s s - t h r o u g h c o s t , a s w h e n t h e y h i r e a t e n n i s p r o , t h e y p a y f o r t h e m “ I f w e d i d n ’ t , w e h a v e t o h i r e t h e m W e a r e g o i n g t o p a y f o r t h o s e c o s t s o n e w a y o r a n o t h e r , ” I l c z y s z y n s a i d T h e m a n a g e m e n t c o m p a n y w i l l p r ov i d e e x p e r t i s e t h e c i t y d o e s n o t h a v e s u c h a s e n t e r i n g i n t o t o u r n a m e n t a g r e e m e n t s , m a n a g i n g t h e f a c i l i t y a n d h a v i n g p u rc h

t h e y e n t e r e d i n t o a f i x e d f e e c o n t r a c t w i t h t h e m a n a g e m e n t c o m p a n y , S p o r t s F a c i l i

Local political leaders react to shootings in Pennsylvania

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

Lee County GOP officials attending the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee expressed thoughts for the families of victims of the July 13 shooting that left a rally-goer dead and three others injured, including former president Donald Trump

In a post on social media platform “X,” Rep Byron Donalds, who serves Southwest Florida, on Saturday wrote: “Pray for President Trump Pray for the Trump Family Pray for our nation Together we will prevail ”

Other convention attendees included Lee County GOP Chairman Michael Thompson and vice president of Lee GOP Tara Jenner, who is running for Republican State Committeewoman in Lee County and will be on the ballot Aug 20

“The Lee County GOP is horrified by the attempted assassination of President Trump,” Jenner told The Breeze. “The death of Corey Comperatore, while protecting his wife and child, is a tragedy beyond words Our prayers are with his family and those others who were injured

“President Trump, despite being hit by a bullet in the ear, came up fighting and stronger than ever Yesterday he arrived at the RNC Convention in Milwaukee in fine form Along with Sen JD Vance, we now have an extremely strong Republican Presidential Ticket for the

November ballot

“A call for Unity, Peace and MAGA is reportedly Trump's new tag line as he calls for a path forward

“We insist upon a transparent and thorough review of the assassination attempt and the system/personnel failures that led to this situation Excuses without corrective action and accountability are insufficient

“We commend Republicans around the nation for rallying behind the President, and the others impacted by this act of violence, for their mature, lawful and measured response

“Now we need to get out the vote on Aug 20th for our important primary and again in November for the general election ”

The assassination attempt on Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania hosted by the then-still-to-be Republican nominee drew condemnation from local Democrats as well

“There is no place for political violence in this country period The Florida Democratic Party unequivocally condemns today’s violence and thanks the Secret Service, law enforcement, and first responders for their swift response,” Jim Rosinus, chair of the Lee DEC, said Trump, while addressing more than 10,000 attendees in Butler, Pennsylvania, was struck in the right ear by a bullet and dropped down behind the podium, while dozens of Secret Service personnel rushed the stage to

New Ms. Oktoberfest crowned

Alexandra Reifschneider set to reign over 2024 festivities

By CHUCK BALLARO news@breezenewspapers com

A l e x a n d r a R e

Oktoberfest for years and was asked last year by some of the members at the German-American Social Club to enter the Ms Oktoberfest

“To be Ms Oktoberfest would be amazing I’m German-American so to represent the club would be amazing,” Reifschneider said

Well, she’s going to be able to experience that feeling after being crowned Ms Oktoberfest Saturday from among four other women at the club's annual pageant at the GASC

Reifschneider will take over for Lisette OrtizTeleweck, who served as Ms Oktoberfest in 2022 and 2023 because the 2022 Oktoberfest was cancelled after Hurricane Ian and the club decided to keep OrtizTeleweck as their queen for the 2023 event

Reifschneider said she is happy to be able to represent the club for its annual two-weekend celebration at the end of October, among other things

“It’s great the be able to help the German-American Social Club They are basically my second family I met my husband here, got married here and it makes me so happy to give back to them,” Reifschneider said Reifschneider grew up in New Jersey and said she didn’t have that community. Then she came to Florida and it all changed

“I had this group of people that invited me with open arms We got to meet people my mom met in her childh o o d a n d s t i l l l i v e i n h e r t o w n t o d a y , ” s a i d Reifschneider, who has visited Germany many times and worked for the German software company “I go to Germany twice a year to make sure everything is good I visit family, go hiking, see the culture and drink lots of apple wine ” Ortiz-Teleweck can give Reifschneider a lot of pointers on how to do her job She said it was an honor to represent the club and bring the community together.

“In the wake of Ian, it was a great privilege to see how people came together afterward It really showed the fortitude of our community,” said Ortiz-Teleweck,

whose mother-in-law was Ms Oktoberfest in 1998 “I didn’t know if I would have the opportunity to do it after the 2022 event was cancelled I was relieved when they said I could be Ms Oktoberfest again ”

Like a lot of events, Oktoberfest has been impacted by world events in recent years In 2020, COVID cancelled the event The 2021 Oktoberfest didn’t have a Ms Oktoberfest per se, but it had all the previous ones represent it The 2022 event was cancelled because of damage done by Hurricane Ian, which devastated Lee County

A record 10 former Ms Oktoberfests came for the pageant this year, which made organizer Teresa Kohl happy

“We’ve been lucky to have nice girls selected and d o a g o o d

Oktoberfest and doing the press, events and everything else,” Kohl said

The only requirement to be Ms Oktoberfest is that you have to be 21 or over You do not have to be German to be crowned

Other contestants this year include Sara Skorak, Lisa Kraft, Sandra Schwarz and Jasmine Pearson, all of whom also had significant German-American cred

Schwarz may have had the best answer to the question “How would you get your friends to come to Oktoberfest?” She answered “By seeing me as Ms Oktoberfest ” That didn’t come to fruition, but Schwarz said she had a good time

“I had a lot of fun and now I hope we have a lot of fun at Oktoberfest I’m here every Friday and every day at Oktoberfest I was here,” Schwarz said “I tried I may try again next year, but I don’t know yet We’ll see what happens ”

Alexandra Reifschneider was crowned Ms Oktoberfest at the German American Social Club’s annual pageant Saturday night CHUCK BALLARO

cover him In what has quickly become an iconic image, Trump, with a smattering of blood across his cheek, held his fist in the air before being whisked away into a SUV and taken away from the scene

Trump took to the social media platform Truth Social and released the following statement in the aftermath of the assassination attempt: “I want to thank The United States Secret Service, and all of Law Enforcement, for their rapid response on the shooting that just took place in Butler, Pennsylvania Most importantly, I want to extend my condolences to the family of the person at the Rally who was killed, and also to the family of another person that was badly injured It is incredible that such an act can take place in our Country Nothing is known at this time about the shooter, who is now dead I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening GOD BLESS AMERICA!”

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, they are still investigating the happenings in Pennsylvania as “potential domestic terrorism ” The shooter has been identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of

See SHOOTINGS, page 38

How

Breeze will ask the candidates for Cape Coral City Council an issue-related question In the interest of fairness, each candidate is limited to the same amount of space, about 100 words, for their response

❑ Laurie LehMann

A project should benefit the majority of the city, however, if there is an impact on a neighborhood it should be examined as to what the perception actually is and what can be done about it. I would listen to the citizens in the impacted neighborhood as to their concerns and opinions, then work on modifying the project to benefit all Listening to the citizens is the only way to learn what is best for all

❑ Craig unroe SaveCapeCor al.com

The first is how will this project benefit the residents of Cape Coral, second is how will it be funded If funds are available without impacting the taxpayers then I'd make a motion to bring it to the floor for residents to decide if they would benefit from it or not

As a 26-year resident, I understand it can be hard to accept change We all have memories/history As our city family grows we must look at necessary adjustments to all infrastructure

First, is there a need for the particular project, will it raise the quality of life for our citizens while ensuring environmental studies are done to protect our wildlife/waterways

Second, is there a way to fund the project without raising taxes; encourage citizen participation for input

Third, will it have positive financial impact citywide; will it be a magnet to encourage investment in the betterment of our city’s future

AbOUT CApE COrAl CIT y COUNCIl

Cape Coral has a city manager/council form of government. A Council-appointed, contract city manager runs the day-to-day operations of the city Cape Coral City Council is an elected eight-member board comprised of a mayor and seven council members who set policy and are accountable to the voters The mayor may live in any district Council members are elected “at large” meaning while candidates must live in the district they seek to represent, the seats are filled via non-partisan, citywide elections Every registered Cape voter, no matter their party affiliation or city address, may cast a ballot in every race in both the Primary and General Election.

All Cape Coral projects will carry the same weight with me Anyone in a council seat should be listening to the people for their likes and concerns for any proposed project, to understand both sides we have the proposed Jaycee Park expansion for example All major projects create traffic issues in many locations of the Cape but, we must realize expansion of our commercial tax base to gain tax revenue while maintaining constant communication with our citizens. We are a community and I feel we should address our problems and growth as a community

Most residents have welcomed the development of projects within commercial corridors Pine Island Road is an example However, when projects are proposed near residential areas, most of our residents are much more discerning Jaycee Park is an example The council must be intentional in communicating projects to the residents as early as possible The residents should have the opportunity to be involved in the process as early as possible After hearing from both the residents and city staff, I will weigh the project by compiling a “plus-minus-delta” tool so I can clearly show and articulate all aspects of the project

The Breeze question of the week is a classic view of what’s happening to Jaycee Park

Whole citywide benefit should always recognize what currently exists. This requires outreach to the neighborhood and its association, if present The Boathouse Restaurant and city gas station is a prime example It went from a small hotdog stand to a destination restaurant for our boating community The huge advantage for non-boaters is the tremendous increase in tax dollars and city gas sales at that location

How will you weigh projects with a potential citywide benefit but also a perceived neighborhood impact?

Weighing citywide projects requires balancing broad benefits with neighborhood impacts Key considerations include water availability, usage impacts, potential negative effects on adjacent neighbors, and buffering possibilities to mitigate disruptions Assessing the level of resident need versus desire is crucial, as is evaluating the financial impacts, both positive and negative for our city Prioritizing transparent communication with citizens and equitable resource distribution will help address these factors I will consider all future development using a similar methodology and remain committed and accountable to all I serve ❑

Breeze will ask the candidates for Cape Coral City Council an issue-related question In the interest of fairness, each candidate is limited to the same amount of space, about 100 words, for their response

RIchaRD caRR (Incumbent)

VoteRichcar r.com

City projects need to be prioritized by citizen benefit, impact to our infrastructure and how we intended to pay for them with no additional impact to the taxpayers being top of mind I would prioritize revenue-generating opportunities that bring other people’s money into our city against infrastructure challenges and make sure whatever growth is involved, is balanced with the current infrastructure in place to support the project vs what is additionally needed ❑ JennIFeR nelson nelsonforDistrict4.com

❑ Jason conzelman Youtube.com/@conzelman4councilman

All projects should start out by immediately looking at what the local impact will be This is the best way to eliminate any potential projects that have such a terrible neighborhood impact, you don’t need to analyze the citywide impact For everything else, it’s not difficult to always make the right choice If you’re receiving a lot of widespread city push back on a specific project, then you may want to reconsider it

If something is great for the city, and you are receiving unforeseen impacts on the surrounding community, time to look again

Other cities have already created methods to prioritize projects and plan for the future The process must include documented public input opportunities to promote resident involvement in strategic planning I would organize a series of community meetings that clearly identify/explain the urgent problems facing the city, followed by detailed reports

problem/need; we should not spend funds unnecessarily or on projects that don’t have public support Let’s conduct a costbenefit analysis and focus on improvements to crucial infrastructure and public services, and quality of life experiences that make living here great for all generations

RobeRt J. sutteR Facebook (facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558157836677)

As an Army Officer, I was trained to think logically using a Course of Action (COA) Analysis matrix when determining the best COA for decision-making You start by turning assumptions into facts and then proceed to factors surrounding the decision Is this project a need or a want, what is the cost build, what is the cost to maintain, what are the risks involved (will this increase our tax base), how many people will this affect, who is benefiting? These are just a few of the questions that need to be addressed Lastly, when needed you can weigh factors to determine the best option

Kilr aineforcape.com

On day one, I’d include resident involvement First, assemble a volunteer advisory group from the neighborhood with the mission to input collaboratively with staff on preliminary scope

Next, broaden at-large public awareness with general public town-halls encouraging two-way conversation which I would personally attend

As the project matures, the preliminary scope would be aired in continuing town-halls and council meetings

Only after consensus is reached on a general scope, after resident input was recognized & valued, would I consider whether movement to a formal project development would be appropriate

We should always ask two key questions:

(1) Is this in the best interest of the public?

(2) What other options might achieve the same goal?

Zoning and future land use maps are very important. When residents buy homes near land zoned single family or designated parks and recreation on the city’s Future Land Use Map, they make major life decisions based on that information Analysis of historical and present utilization of the land is also important In the case of Jaycee Park, for example, an 8-acre well-utilized neighborhood park should NOT be overhauled and commercialized based on these criteria

Cape Coral is currently at 50% build out, now is the time for strategic growth There is not enough park space in the current city plan and it is our duty to plan for the future and preserve green space and acquire more if possible I also see a need to protect our valuable commercial/industrial space Neighborhood impacts are going to happen with any growth, but I am a firm believer in listening and working with neighbors during planning phases, which allows the community to work together Just saying no to a project or growth, isn’t a solution for our future generations

How will you weigh projects with a potential citywide benefit but also a perceived neighborhood impact?

Breeze will ask the candidates for Cape Coral City Council an issue-related question In the interest of fairness, each candidate is limited to the same amount of space, about 100 words, for their response

Rachel KaduK R achelK aduk com

The first thing I would take into consideration would be the safety of all the citizens living in that area, along with how the project could ultimately affect their quality of life While some projects may have a positive benefit to most citizens of Cape Coral, the impact of that project could be a detriment to said neighborhood The city council has the responsibility to educate themselves on the pros and cons of each project and to make the best decisions for the citizens in that neighborhood

We must always listen to the residents Neighborhood town halls in districts will help gauge the interest & concerns of citizens Neighborhood parks are being utilized, which is evidence of the need. I will listen to what people are saying they DON’T want & take that into consideration with projects that were not part of the GO Bond Citywide projects such as the UEP benefits ALL residents because this supports the economic impact of more commercial businesses coming to our area & if you are paying for water currently, more people coming online, should show a decrease in your bill

District 7 is a General Election-only race

p m , d a i l y ∫ Ge ne ral E l e c t i o n : T u e s d a y ,

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F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n o n t h e 2 0 2 4

r a c e s a n d c a n d i d a t e s :

∫ T h e B r e e z e w i l l p o s t a l l o f i t s

e l e c t i o n s s t o r i e s t o o u r w e b s i t e ,

Cape c o ral bre e z e . c o m

∫ T h e L e e C o u n t y S u p e r v i s o r o f E l e c t i o n s ’ s o f f i c e p o s t s a l l c i t y - e l e c -

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

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∫ T h e L e e C o u n t y S u p e r v i s o r o f E l e c t i o n s h a s a w e a l t h o f e l e c t i o n s -

r e l a t e d i n f o r m a t i o n c o n c e r n i n g r e g i st r a t i o n , v o t i n g ,

Races with more than two qualifying candidates are placed on the primary ballot, which this year will be held Aug 20 with Seats 2, 3, 4 and 5 on the ballot.

The two primary candidates receiving the most votes in each race will then be candidates in the City General Election

which also will include the District 7 seat (If there are fewer than three qualifying candidates in any a given race, their names will not appear on the primary election ballot They will appear on the City General Election ballot only )

Voters can cast a ballot in every race

The 2024 municipal election for Cape Coral City Council features five races the seats Districts 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 with the District 7 race to appear only on the General Election ballot While candidates must live in the district they seek to repre-

sent, Cape Coral City Council races are

every registered Cape voter, no matter their party affiliation or city address, may cast a ballot in every race in both the Primary and General Election

Lee County Elections has begun mailing Vote-By-Mail Ballots for the 2024 Primary Election

Lee County Elections began the initial mailing of domestic Vote-by-Mail Ballots for the Primary Election on Tuesday, July 16

Approximately 130,000 Vote-by-Mail Ballots will be mailed to voters who requested one for the Aug 20 Primary Election.

Voters who have not submitted a Voteby-Mail request to the office since the 2022 General Election will need to submit a new request to receive a Vote-by-Mail

Voters who have not submitted a Vote-by-Mail request to the office since the 2022 General Election will need to submit a new request to receive a Vote-by-Mail Ballot for the 2024 elections Requests can be made by calling (239) 533-8683 or online at www.lee.vote.

Ballot for the 2024 elections

Requests can be made by calling (239) 533-8683 or online at www lee vote

Deadline to request a Vote-by-Mail Ballot: 5 p m , Thursday, Aug 8,

Deadline to return a Vote-by-Mail Ballot:

7 p m , Election Day, Tuesday, Aug 20

If you plan to return your ballot in the mail, the Elections Office suggest you do so no later than Tuesday, Aug 13 Hand-delivered ballots may be dropped

off at any of the Lee County Elections Offices, Monday through Friday, from 8:30

returned at an authorized Secure Ballot Intake Station, located at every Early Voting site during Early Voting dates and times Click here for Early Voting dates, times, and locations Track the status of your Vote-by-Mail Ballot at www lee vote

Groups host chances to meet the candidates, offer election-related info

There are a number of forums at which voters can meet the candidates

Among the upcoming opportunities:

Chamber of Commerce Candidates HobNob

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

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

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

To RSVP, visit capecoralchamber com

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

CCCIA monthly dinner

The Cape Coral Construction Industry Association will host Cape Coral City Council candidates at its monthly dinner

meeting on Aug 8

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

For more information, visit cccia org

LWVLee offers information

The League of Women Voters of Lee County is taking an active role in local elections, stressing voter turnout while also providing information issues and candidates

“Elected leaders make the decisions that affect us, our jobs, healthcare, energy costs, education and more Every eligible voter should exercise their right to be heard at the ballot box,” said Sandy Frank, president of the League of Women Voters of Lee County, Inc said in a prepared statement

All eligible voters, including those without a party affiliation, may vote in the Aug 20 election

Ballots will include non-partisan races for Lee County School Board, Cape Coral City Council, Fort Myers City Council and judges Ballots for voters with a party affiliation

will include their party’s candidates

The league also offers the following information and resources:

■ Register to vote: Confirm your address and party affiliation by July 22 to vote in the Aug 20 Election Request your Vote-by-Mail Ballot by Aug 8 Contact the Supervisor of Elections, lee vote

■ VOTE411: Vote411 org by the League of Women Voters Education Fund has non-partisan election information, resources and voter guides. 2024 candidate information will be available mid-July

■ Returning Citizens Voting Rights: Restoration information and assistance is available from League of Women Voters of Florida Call 407-710-5496 or email canivote@lwvfl org For Voter Identification Assistance, contact VoteRiders org 866-432-8683

Visit LWVLee org for more information on candidate forums and to sign up for email updates

❑ Michael david haRpeR

❑

COMMUNITY

Native shrubs: Cocoplum and Walter’s Viburnum

By JANETTA FOX news@breezenewspapers com

Our Florida native shrubs can be welcome additions to any landscape Not only do they provide shelter, food and nesting sites for many of our wild friends, they also help reduce soil erosion and contribute to added curb appeal

T a k e t h e e v e r - s t u r d y C o c o p l u m , a l s o k n o w n a s

Chrysobalanus icaco This hardy perennial has dense foliage, tolerates most soil types and is moderately drought tolerant It is a fast-growing shrub, reaching a height of 15+ feet if left unattended However, the shrub can be maintained at a much shorter height with periodic pruning

Because the Cocoplum is one of the most cultivated plants in south Florida, you have no doubt seen them flourish in many a planting bed, in verges and along roadways, oftentimes planted in groups to form privacy hedges

T h e f l o w e r s a t t r a c t a variety of pollinators and the drupes, or fruits, are

e n j o y e d b y l a r g e r b i r d s And, yes, we humans can enjoy the berries which, in addition to being tempting to look at, are also edible

GARDEN CLUB OF CAPE CORAL

H a v i n g n e v e r t r i e d o n e before, I recently sampled a mature, one-inch purple fruit taken from one of my red-tipped bushes, and found it to have a mild, tasty, slightly sweet flavor There is not much “meat” to be had because the center pit takes up quite a bit of space. Therefore, quite a few “plums” will be needed should you choose to use them to make jams or jellies I recently saw a recipe online calling for 200 of them!

If you feel less height and more spread is preferable, consider the C icaco var “Horizontal” cultivar Although it can reach up to 6 feet in height, the bush can be easily maintained at 2-3 feet, making it excellent ground cover Because of its sprawling habit you will want to provide sufficient spacing between plants Small, lovely white flowers are followed by primarily white, edible drupes Walter’s Viburnum, or Viburnum obovatum “Walter,” is another hardy Southwest Florida shrub that does well in sun or part shade. The sunnier the location the more flowering will occur The plant can grow to 20 feet; however, like Cocoplum, it can be maintained at a manageable height with regular pruning Beautiful clusters of blossoms attract butterflies and other pollinators Birds and other wildlife enjoy the fruits, which turn from red to black when ripe

C icaco and V obovatum can be bothered by pests occasionally, with two of the more common ones being aphids and scale insects For aphids, a burst of water to dislodge them normally does the trick as a least toxic measure If you observe aphids, before dislodging them, check to see if beneficial insects such as lady beetles are present If they are, consider maintaining the status quo, as those insects are predators of the aphids, and will surely be taking care of business Scale insects can normally be controlled with horticultural oil or insecticidal soap If you are unsure as to what may be bothering your plants or the best approach to pest management, email your concerns to extgardener@leegov com A Lee County Master Gardener volunteer will respond to your query

Cocoplum and Walter’s Viburnum are tried-and-true landscape shrubs in Southwest Florida When planted in the right place, they can provide many years of added interest in your landscape

Happy gardening!

Janetta Fox is a Lee County Master Gardener volunteer and member of the Garden Club of Cape Coral Visit us at www gardenclubofcapecoral com

JULY 19, 2024

FWC volunteers and Sea World staff releasing Lacha the manatee in Matlacha last week.

Manatee rehabilitated at Sea World released in Matlacha

Second sea cow returned to the wild the same day in Pineland area

By PAULETTE LeBLANC pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

M

reported last week that Matlacha residents Dave and Sherry Howardson found a manatee floating in their canal off Island Avenue back in April Dave Howardson called Florida Fish and Wildlife with concerns about the manatee, who some locals have named “Lacha” after Matlacha

“I noticed the back of the manatee out of the water early in the morning and then it stayed in the same spot until she was in distress of some sort,” Howardson said.

His call to the FWC was returned promptly, and he was

Farm

and

To help more Floridians prepare for hurricane season, Farm Share, Florida’s largest independent food bank, is partnering with internationally recognized disaster relief nonprofit Global Empowerment Mission to distribute hurricane preparedness supplies in Fort Myers this Saturday, July 20, beginning at 9 a m

This event will provide free hurricane supply kits to 500 families

Locally, the kits will be distributed, while supplies last, at Suncoast Community Health Center, 2241 Case Lane, North Fort Myers

Each participating family will receive a hurricane supply kit that includes non-perishable foods, a can opener, water, socks, toiletries, reusable bags, bug spray and informational pamphlets Households with family pets will also receive a pet supply kit, including pet food and treats (dog or cat), shampoo, and poop bags

Farm Share is teaming up with disaster relief organization Global Empowerment Mission to ensure that Florida families are stocked up on necessary supplies to weather a

told other calls had come in regarding a local manatee in distress, that may or may not have been the same animal

“She was tracked and eventually found in July," Scott said "Once FWC found her, she was taken to Sea World for rehabilitation ”

Last Wednesday, July 10, FWC released Lacha back in Matlacha in the canal behind D & D Bait and Tackle Shop

“They just called me three days ago (Tuesday, July 9) to say they were coming to put it back in the water after rehabilitating it," Howardson said "Apparently, the Sea World folks had another one in the same truck that they were taking through to Pine Island to release ” Scott reported that the second manatee was taken to Pineland Marina to be released

“I never attended this before … it’s very cool. Once she was in the water, Lacha took off,” Scott said

Empowerment Mission

major storm

The distribution event is being made possible by the support of additional partnering agencies, including the Suncoast Community Center of North Fort Myers Event sponsors include the American Red Cross, the National

Health, Amazon, Krisis Flood Bag, and the emergency management office of Lee County

Together, in the aftermaths of Hurricanes Ian in 2022 and Idalia in 2023, Farm Share and GEM successfully delivered more than 70 truckloads of food, water, and supplies within 14 days of the storms making landfall When disasters strike, Farm Share and GEM stand ready to help families in need

http://www farmshare org

For additional information about Global Empowerment Mission, please visit www globalempowermentmission org or visit the mission’s webpage at https://www globalempowermentmission.org/missions/ to see GEM’s work.

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY CAROL SCOTT

More warning signs installed at Blind Pass after drowning

By TIFFANY REPECKI trepecki@breezenewspapers com

Following the recent drowning of a local teen and the rescue of two others at Blind Pass, island authorities have taken additional measures to make the area safer, plus offered tips for beach-goers

The remains of missing swimmer Isaac Breese, 17, of Cape Coral, were recovered on July 4 by the Sanibel Police Department two days after a call came in about three swimmers in distress Over the two days, the SPD, both island fire districts and several area agencies searched for the missing teen

F

another boy and a girl, both about 17 and also local residents

In the days after the incident, the city of Sanibel which has jurisdiction over the Blind Pass Beach parking lot and the beach on the east side of the Blind Pass bridge installed additional signage

Sanibel Public Information Officer Eric Jackson explained that there was a posted “Warning No Swimming Dangerous Current” sign located along the path from the parking lot to the beach

“There was a sign there,” he said “It was marked ”

In response to the incident, however, the city has installed four more signs throughout the area that state the same message as the original one One is now located near the bicycle rack, another is along an unofficial beach path that people created over time through usage, one is situated at the base of the bridge for those crossing over from Captiva and the last one is nearby but farther down the channel

“The city has put in additional signs,” Jackson said “They're all the same, say the

CITY

OF SANIBEL

The city of Sanibel installed additional signage throughout Blind Pass in the days after the drowning of Isaac Breese, 17, of Cape Coral. First responders were able to rescue two other teens in the incident.

same thing ”

Captiva Island Fire Control District Fire

Chief Jeff Pawul explained that Blind Pass is a safety hazard for swimmers because it is a pass It is an inlet, a body of water moving from one side to the other

“Generally speaking, swimming in any type of pass or inlet is not safe,” he said There are several safety concerns in doing so

“The biggest one is the tidal flow that goes through there is so strong it's going to

be difficult to swim whether that's in or out,” Pawul said, noting that the current traveling under the bridge changes direction based on whether it is outgoing or incoming tide

“There's always a lot sea life in those areas and during certain tides of the day, like dawn and dusk, is when a lot of those animals tend to feed,” he added, pointing to recent reports about shark attacks “Hence, why there's all the fishermen on the bridge and the shoreline ”

The islands' fire districts are familiar with the safety concerns associated with Blind Pass

“We have had other fatalities, but it has been awhile,” Pawul said “We've had quite a few rescues ”

“It's definitely not the first time,” he added

In addition to swimmers, people on floating rafts have gotten caught in the curr e n t , a l o n g w i t h p a d d l e b o a r d e r s a n d kayakers On Boca Grande, a boat recently picked up a person on a floatation device

“All these passes and inlets in Southwest Florida have the same danger and risks,” Pawul said

He offered some do's and don'ts if such a situation arises

“If you get caught in any type of current, whether it's a tidal flow or rip current, the first thing you need to do is relax The current is not going to pull you under,” he said, noting that people are a lot more buoyant in saltwater than in freshwater, which is something visitors to the islands may not be aware of

“Don't swim against the current, rather try to swim out of the current,” Pawul said, explaining that people should swim parallel or perpendicular to the shore “Swim right or left to get to calmer water ”

“If you can't, the best thing to do is to conserve energy,” he said “Float and tread water and wave your hands in the air ”

As for Blind Pass, Pawul has reached out to the city in hopes of discussing the situation

Pawul explained that he would like to explore potential additional measures with the city, as it has jurisdiction, to make the area as safe as possible He cited more public education as one option

32nd ‘Ding’ Darling amateur photography contest opens

Monday, July 15, marked the opening of the 32nd annual “Ding” Darling Amateur Photo Contest Deadline for submission is Sept 15, 2024; all entries must be submitted electronically and cash prizes will be awarded to the top finishers

Complete rules for the contest, spons o r e d

e Society-Friends of the Refuge are listed below For an entry form and other contest information, visit dingdarlingsociety org/ photo-contests DDWS will announce winners and award prizes late October 2024

Entries must be delivered by email to d d a m a t

ety org by Sep 15, 2024 Entrants can pay by sending a check to the “Ding"” Darling Wildlife Society, P O Box 565, Sanibel, Fla 33957, with a memo “for photo contest” or online at tinyurl com/dingphotofee

Note you must submit entries electronically To maintain its commitment to the environment, DDWS does not accept photo

contest entries by mail

■ There is a $25 per person entry fee that provides you with a membership to 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 J N “Ding” D a

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@dingdarlingsociety org Each photo must be a JPEG file of at least 3000 x 2400 or 4 megabytes (MB) Panoramic photos are not allowed

■ Photos that have won awards in previous “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society photo

contests may not be resubmitted

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

■ Judging criteria:

1

lighting, composition, exposure)

2 Originality/creativity

3 Interest

4 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 DDWS Photos may be used by DDWS in any way with appropriate credit to the

photographer

First, second, and third place winners and honorable mentions will be formally announced in late October Cash prizes will be awarded: first place $300, second place $225, third place $175, honorable mentions $25

The contest’s three judges include a refuge staff person, professional photographer and a Sanibel resident

About DDWS

As a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, D

Darling National Wildlife Refuge’s mission of conservation, wildlife and habitat protection, research and public education through charitable donations and Refuge Nature Shop profits To support DDWS and the refuge with a tax-deductible gift, v

Ann-Marie Wildman at 239-789-8991 or wildman@dingdarlingsociety.org.

Calusa Waterkeeper to hold Vertical Oyster Garden Workshop July 27

Calusa Waterkeeper invites the public to sign up for its Vertical Oyster Garden Workshop scheduled for Saturday, July 27, from 2-3:30 p m , at the Historic Iona House at the Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium in Fort Myers

This popular community outreach initiative is part of Calusa Waterkeeper’s ongoing efforts to restore water quality in Southwest Florida, a need that has become even more critical due in part to climate change, increased pollution and harmful algae blooms

Oysters play a critical role in maintaining healthy estuarine ecosystems They create habitats for a variety of marine life,

support shoreline protection by providing a base for mangroves and serve as a vital food source for fish, birds, crabs and other animals Remarkably, each oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water per day, significantly improving water quality

The VOG project involves educational and hands-on instruction to create DIY vertical hanging oyster gardens using recycled oyster shells from local restaurants that would have otherwise ended up in landfills These shells are strung onto wires and suspended from docks, providing surfaces for juvenile oysters to attach and grow Prior to stringing, the recycled shells are stored outdoors at the FGCU Food Forest for several

months to eliminate any pathogens

Space is limited to the first 30 registrants A tax-deductible donation to Calusa

requested to cover the cost of time and materials Each guest will get to take their VOG home to hang from their dock

Additional oyster gardens may be purchased at the event for $25 each while supplies last To register, visit calusawaterkeeper org/vogworkshop

For additional information about Calusa Waterkeeper, to donate or volunteer, please c a l l 2 3 9 -

keeper org

About Calusa Waterkeeper Calusa Waterkeeper Inc is a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection, c

Caloosahatchee River and its watershed CWK’s jurisdiction covers four counties in Southwest Florida and encompasses 1,000 square miles of waterways Through advocacy, education, community engagement and science-based programs and research, Calusa Waterkeeper strives to ensure clean water for current and future generations that is drinkable, fishable and swimmable F

Waterkeeper, visit calusawaterkeeper org or call 239-899-1440

August programs at Cape Coral Lee County Public Library

Next month’s roster of activities at Cape Coral Lee County Public Library offers topics for all ages The following activities are free to the public:

Adult Programs

Download Drop-In Featuring BARD Support

11 a.m., Thursday, Aug. 1, 15, 29

R

Hoopla, two of Lee County Library System’s largest online content providers This week we will also be offering support for registered users of BARD, the NLS Braille and Audio Reading Download service which is provided through Lee County Talking Books Bring your fully charged digital device for this hands-on help session Note: Please bring any passwords you may need for downloading apps Kindle users will also need an Amazon account and their password for accessing it

English Café

10 a.m., Friday, Aug. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30

6 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 6, 13, 20, 27

F

ESOL/ESL students

Be Red Cross Ready

2 p m , Tuesday, Aug 6

The American Red Cross will present this course designed to teach people how to prepare for and respond appropriately to disasters likely to occur in their community such as hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes and more

Book Discussion: “Save What's Left” by Elizabeth Castellano

11 a.m., Wednesday, Aug. 7

Starting over in a small beach community on the east coast, Kathleen Deane discovers this picturesque town is not what it seems, but just what she needs, as she finds herself in an all-out war with her neighbors who are building a huge monstrosity next to her tiny cottage

10 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 8

10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 24

machines and learn how to create greeting cards using the Cricut design space Registration is required Each class has a maximum seating of 20 Participants may only register for one class in the series Registration is guaranteed until the start of the program

Spanish Conversation Club

2 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 14

Improve your Spanish fluency by chatting with other adults Join us as we practice speaking with others on a variety of topics, including current events and everyday situations. Intermediate to advanced Spanish-speaking skills are recommended to get the most out of the session

Children’s Programs

Stuffy Storytime Sleepover

10:30 a.m., Thursday, Aug. 22

For ages 2-5 years Bring your second (or third) favorite stuffy to the library for a special morning storytime We will make fairy nightlights for our stuffed ani-

mals and complete other crafts and activities before saying good night Reunite with your friend Saturday, Aug 24, during our Jungle Safari Mini Golf program to discover what exciting adventures your stuffy had during the sleepover All supplies provided while they last

Jungle Safari Mini Golf

10 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 24

Calling all junior safari enthusiasts Play mini golf on the library's 9-hole course There will also be a binocular craft available. For ages 2-5 years. This is a drop-in event with no registration, but space and supplies are limited

Storytime with the Imagination Library

10:30 a m , Thursday, Aug 29

Enjoy stories and playtime with our friend from Lee County Imagination Library and learn about this wonderful program Dolly Parton's Imagination Library is dedicated to inspiring a love of reading by gifting books free of charge to children through age five years Funding is shared by Dolly Parton and local community partners Space is limited to 50 children and a caregiver Tickets will be available 30 minutes before the program

STEAM Club

4 p m , Thursday, Aug 29

Be ready for fun experiments and projects as we explore the world of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) This month’s theme is Magic & M y

Registration is required and is guaranteed until the start of the program All materials provided

Kids Read Down Fines

1 – 2 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 3 5:15 – 6:15 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 21

Children and teens can earn a $2 credit on overdue fines for every 15 minutes they read in the designated area for a total of $8 in one session Please bring your library card Please check in at the Youth Desk

Crafts at Cape: Cricut Cards

SWFL’S Lar gest Indoor Summer Ar ts & Crafts Show at the Charlotte Harbor Event Center July 27-28

SWFL’s Largest Indoor Summer Arts & Crafts Show will be held Saturday and Sunday, July 27-28, from 10 a m to 3 p m , at the Charlotte Harbor Event Center in Punta Gorda

Over 175 vendors participating in this event featuring a huge variety of very talented artists, crafters, artisans and more Vendors will vary each day So check out both days!

Public admission and parking are free

Interested vendors please email Christy Dunn at LLSN@comcast net or visit the website at www llsnevents com

Friends of Cape Coral Librar y to meet July 27

Everyone is invited to the Friends of

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

the Cape Coral Library General Meeting

Saturday, July 27 The morning will begin at 9:30 a m with coffee, tea, light snacks and social time The business portion will start at 10 a.m., with the program to follow

FOCCL General Meetings, which take place in the large meeting room of the Cape Coral Library at 921 S W 39th Terrace, are free and open to the public You are welcome to bring a guest or two

P r o g r a m f o r J u l y M e e t i n g : “ B

We’ve Read”

The traditional July meeting program h

Attendees sit in a big round table set up and take turns talking about books they’ve recently read and would recommend. Each person may describe a couple of books, or more if there’s time

For more information, visit Friends of the Cape Coral Library at www capefriends org and follow us on Facebook

Law at the Librar y Aug. 7

The Lee County Legal Aid Society is again hosting a free legal clinic for area seniors in need of no-cost, limited legal advice on civil matters, including how to cope with contractor fraud and post-disaster insurance claims

The session is Wednesday, Aug 7, from 9 a.m. to noon, at the Fort Myers Regional Library meeting room, 1651 Lee St , Fort Myers, and is open to Lee County residents ages 50 and older

A panel of local attorneys will discuss several topics in civil law of interest to seniors Individuals can then confer with a volunteer attorney for up to 20 minutes on any legal issue, excluding criminal cases A

countylegalaid org or call 239-334-6118 and provide contact information, a brief

sought, and any relevant documents

Saint Hilar y’s Helping Hands Outreach to hold used clothes sale Aug. 10

S

Helping Hands Outreach Ministry is hosting a “used clothes sales (cash $5 by the bag) ”

This fundraising event will be held Saturday, Aug. 10, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30p m , at the farmers market, Saint H

McGregor Blvd, Fort Myers

The ministry is raising funds to purchase uniforms and polo shirts for the underserved PreK to 5th grade children of Orangewood Elementary, Orange River

schools

Reusable bags for the clothing purchases will be provided

For more information about the sale, please call 239-935-1000

Cape Coral Public Library: Programs, activities for next month

From page 30

Teen Programs

Kids Read Down Fines

1 – 2 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 3 5:15 – 6:15 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 21

Children and teens can earn a $2 credit on overdue fines for every 15 minutes they read in the designated area for a total of $8 in one session Please bring your library card Please check in at the Youth Desk Be Red Cross Ready 2 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 6

The American Red Cross will present

this course designed to teach people how to prepare for and respond appropriately to disasters likely to occur in their community such as hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes and more

Teen Thursdays 4 p m , Thursday, Aug 22

Teens are invited to hangout, tinker around and geek out with something new each month

This month we will have codable drones and mini self-driving cars to test out No registration required All supplies are provided while they last Snacks provided

This program is intended for attendees ages 1 1 – 1 8 y e a r

y Please speak with staff if caregiver assistance is needed.

with disabilities in its services, programs or activities To request an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication or a r

contact Raphaela Morais-Peroba at239533-8782, Florida Relay Service 711, or

will be provided at no cost to the requester Requests should be made at least five business days in advance

The Cape Coral Lee County Public L i b r a r y i s l o c a t e d a t 9 2 1 S W 3 9 t h Terrace in Cape Coral For more information about a program or to register, please call the library at 239-533-4500 Check the Lee County Library System’s website at www leelibrary net to find out about programs at other locations Call the host library, or Telephone Reference at 239479-INFO (4636), for more information about a specific program In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Lee County will not dis-

BUSINESS

Creating a budget that works with your lifestyle

Rising inflation and the increasing price of goods, services and housing have made it a challenge for many Southwest Florida residents to save money. In addition to Florida reportedly having the highest inflation rate in the U S at 3 91%, Cape Coral housing costs have rapidly increased and insurance rates across Southwest Florida have risen by 42% in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian Amid these pressures, creating a budget can be essential for you to take control of your finances and save money to achieve your short-term and long-term goals

Everyone’s budget is unique to their financial situation and the trick is to figure out a way to track your own finances in a way that works for you Here are a few steps that Southwest Florida residents can take to create a personalized budget and reach their financial goals:

Step 1: Calculate your net income

The foundation of an effective budget is your net income That’s your take-home pay total wages or salary minus deductions for taxes and employer-provided programs such as retirement plans and health insurance

Column

Focusing on your total salary instead of net income could lead to overspending because you’ll think you have more available money than you do If you’re a freelancer, gig worker, contractor or are self-employed, make sure to keep detailed notes of your contracts and pay in order to help manage irregular income

Step 2: Track your spending

Once you know how much money you have coming in, the next step is to figure out where it’s going. Tracking and categorizing your expenses can help you determine what you are spending the most money on and where it might be easiest to save

Begin by listing your fixed expenses These are regular monthly bills such as rent or mortgage, utilities and car payments Next list your variable expenses those that may change from month to month, such as groceries, gas and entertainment This is an area where you might find opportunities to cut back Credit card and bank statements are a good place to start since they often itemize or categorize your monthly expenditures

Record your daily spending with anything that’s handy a pen and paper, an app or your smartphone, or budgeting spreadsheets or templates found online

Step 3: Set realistic goals

Before you start sifting through the information you’ve tracked, make a list of your short- and long-term financial goals Short-term goals should take around one to three years to achieve and might include things like setting up an emergency fund or paying down credit card debt Long-term goals, such as saving for retirement or your child’s education, may take decades to reach Remember, your goals don’t have to be set in stone, but identifying them can help motivate you to stick to your budget. For example, it may be easier to cut spending if you know you’re saving for a vacation

Step 4: Make a plan

This is where everything comes together: What you’re actually spending vs what you want to spend Use the variable and fixed expenses you compiled to get a sense

Edison and Ford Winter Estates to remain open during construction on McGregor Boulevard

A portion of McGregor Boulevard, including the section at Edison and Ford Winter Estates, is temporarily closed due to construction that began Monday, July 8 The Estates will remain open during the roadwork

Traffic from U S 41 will not be impacted The roadwork is a city of Fort Myers project and is not part of the Estates' master plan

Estates' visitors should enter through the back entrance from Monte Vista Street; the main entrance on McGregor Boulevard will be closed Visitors traveling on McGregor south should turn left on Virginia Avenue, right on Euclid Avenue, then after passing Larchmont Avenue, take a

slight right onto Marlyn Road, then turn right onto Monte Vista, which leads into the Estates' parking lots

Visitors traveling north should turn right on Linhart Avenue, left on Cortez Boulevard, then left onto Monte Vista Street, which leads into the back of the Estates Travelers from U.S. 41/Cleveland Avenue (from the north) should turn right (slight right, not hard right) onto Cortez Boulevard If coming from the south, turn left onto Cortez Boulevard Next, turn right onto Monte Vista Street, and follow into the Estates' parking lots

BUSINESS BRIEFS

Caldwell to speak at REIS meeting

The latest trends in property values in Southwest

Appraiser Matt Caldwell at the Tuesday, Aug 13, luncheon meeting of the Real Estate Investment Society

Caldwell will address the impacts of Hurricane Ian recovery and new development in area communities The program includes insight into real estate markets and tax revenues for local governments and the outlook for the year ahead He is also expected to report on advances in information technology for online mapping and property reports – and how real estate professionals can access and use the information Following the presentation, Mr Caldwell will respond to specific questions from the attending real estate development and investment professionals

Caldwell was elected as Lee County Property Appraiser in 2020 He began his career as a real estate appraiser while a student at Florida Gulf Coast University, then joined Maxwell Hendry Simmons in 2004, where he remains of counsel. He was a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 2010-2018, serving on and chairing several committees including: tax policy, redistricting, insurance and banking, agriculture and natural resources/ public lands, transportation and infrastructure, and oversight of government operations

The meeting will begin at 11:45 a m on Aug 13 in the

Treeline Avenue at Colonial Boulevard in Fort Myers Admission is $30 for members and $45 for guests, which includes lunch Reservations are required by Aug 8 and may be made at the REIS website: www reis-swfl org

Grabowski appointed president and CEO at B&I Contractors Inc

B&I Contractors Inc has announced the promotion of Jason Grabowski to president and chief executive officer In his new role, he will assume overall responsibility for the company's strategic direction, operations and continued growth

Grabowski has been an integral part of B&I's executive leadership team since 2001 With a proven track record of driving operational excellence and fostering innovation, he has played a key role in the company's success and expansion efforts His understanding of the construction industry and his commitment to delivering exceptional value to customers make him uniquely qualified to lead B&I into its next phase of growth and development

Established in 1960, B&I offices are located in Fort Myers, Tamarac, Sarasota and Tampa The employeeowned company specializes in providing mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems for clients in commercial, institutional and industrial industries throughout Florida and beyond To learn more, call (239) 332-4646 Online at www bandiflorida com

Olympia Marketing recognized as a Clutch global leader for spring 2024 Olympia Marketing, a full-service creative agency, recently announced its recognition as a 2024 Spring

Global Award winner for creatives and marketing services on Clutch, the leading global marketplace of B2B service providers Honorees are selected based on their industry expertise and ability to deliver scores that are calculated based on the client feedback from thousands of reviews published on Clutch

“It is an honor for our company to receive this recognition,” said Zachary Allan Katkin, Olympia Marketing CEO “This is all thanks to our client’s support and for providing genuine feedback to our suite of services We hope that with this recognition, we’ll be able to reach more people looking to improve their business’s digital presence ”

Olympia Marketing, founded in 2022 by Katkin, is a full-service marketing and advertising agency, with a digital-first focus Olympia is committed to assisting companies in various niches throughout the country grow and scale through effective, targeted marketing Originally from Southwest Florida, Katkin has been a serial entrepreneur for over 20 years

Visit olympiamarketing com or call 239-308-4011

Geis Development completes Meridian Business Park in For t Myers

Geis Development, a multi-generational and national, family-owned real estate firm, along with its partner Westminster Capital, which manages real estate investment strategies on behalf of private wealth capital across the United States, announce the completion of Meridian Business Park in Fort Myers Located near Southwest Florida International Airport, the business park is ideal for distribution and e-commerce clients with convenient access to Interstate 75

The complex consists of four separate buildings the largest measures 75,000 square feet while the following one totals 60,000 square feet The two smaller structures are both 35,000 square feet Each building is equipped with 21-foot clear-height ceilings and is equipped to handle hazard storage with fully operational safety sprinkler systems

Leases at the business park include:

■ Countertops and More – 22,123 square feet in Building A

■ Frigid Rigid – 39,268 square feet in Building A

■ LiquiGlide – 14,905 square feet in Building B

■ Vivid EV – 7,175 square feet in Building C

■ Concentra – 10,454 square feet in Building C

■ Lehman Pipe & Plumbing – 37,613 square feet in Building D

■ American Products Distributors – 10,452 square feet in Building C

■ Granite Planet – 7,206 square feet in Building C

Meridian Business Park is over 70% leased, with three of the four buildings completely leased Interest in the property is growing due to its location and the influx of businesses into Southwest Florida

Geis Development is also available to design and personalize the tenant build-out to each client’s specifications, adding immense value to prospective tenants to the stateof-the-art industrial park

F o r m o r e a b o u t G e i s D e v e l o p m e n t , v i s i t https://www geisdev com/

Julie Schmelzle Guest

EDUCATION

EDUCATION BRIEFS

Peterson inducted into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi

BATON ROUGE, LA -- Ashlyn Peterson of Cape Coral was recently initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation's oldest and most selective alldiscipline collegiate honor society Peterson was initiated at Nova Southeastern University

Peterson is among approximately 25,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni to be initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year Membership is by invitation only and requires nomination and approval by a chapter Only the top 10% of seniors and 7.5% of juniors are eligible for membership Graduate students in the top 10% of the number of candidates for graduate degrees may also qualify, as do faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction

Phi Kappa Phi was founded in 1897 under the leadership of undergraduate student Marcus L Urann who had a desire to create a different kind of honor society: one that recognized excellence in all academic disciplines

Today, the Society has chapters on more than 325 campuses in the United States, its territories and the Philippines Its mission is "To recognize and promote academic excellence in all fields of higher education and to engage the community of scholars in service to others."

Since its founding, more than 1 5 million members have been initiated into Phi Kappa Phi Each year, Phi Kappa Phi awards $1 3 million to outstanding students and members through graduate and dissertation fellowships, undergraduate study abroad grants, funding for post-baccalaureate development, and grants for local, national and international literacy initiatives For more information about Phi Kappa Phi, visit www phikappaphi org

Pencek graduates from Shenandoah University

WINCHESTER, VA -- Dylan Pencek of Cape Coral was among the 1,247 graduates who received their degrees and/or certificates from Shenandoah University during the 2023-24 academic year

Pencek earned a bachelor of business administration

Shenandoah had 206 August 2023 graduates, 353 December 2023 graduates and 688 May 2024 graduates Shenandoah's 2024 University Commencement took place on May 18 in the James R Wilkins, Jr Athletics and Events Center

Shenandoah University was established in 1875, and is headquartered in Winchester, Virginia, with additional educational sites in Clarke and Loudoun counties. Shenandoah is a private, nationally recognized university with approximately 4,300 students in more than 200 areas of study in six different schools

For more information about Shenandoah University, visit su edu

Schultz, Lowry and Chesley named to University of Tampa Honors dean's list

TAMPA -- The University of Tampa has honored 2,221 students who were named to the dean's list for the Spring 2024 semester Students must maintain a GPA of 3.75 or higher to be eligible for the dean's list.

Among those earning the honor were three Cape Coral residents:

■ Caspian Schultz, a junior majoring in criminology and criminal justice, BS

■ Erin Lowry, a senior majoring in advertising and public relations, BA

■ Meredith Chesley, a sophomore majoring in nursing, BSN-PRE

The University of Tampa is a private, comprehensive university located on 110 acres on the riverfront in downtown Tampa Known for academic excellence, the university has about 200 programs of study and serves more than 11,000 students from 50 states and most of the world's countries

For additional information about the university, visit https://www ut edu/

PROVIDED

The North Fort Myers Civic Association awarded $1,000 scholarships to four local students, including Faith Henry, Trissa Babcock and Brooklyn Davis.

Four students receive scholarships from

North Fort Myers Civic Association

By CHUCK BALLARO news@breezenewspapers com

The cost of a college education is getting more expensive by the day Scholarship funding can be a big help

The North Fort Myers Civic Association, during its monthly meeting at the North Fort Myers Recreation Center last Tuesday, awarded four students with $1,000 scholarships to help put a dent in those costs

This year’s recipients of the NFMCA Scholarship Program are Faith Henry, Nedra Ritch, Trissa Babcock and Brooklyn Davis

Henry, a North Fort Myers graduate, plans to attend Florida SouthWestern College to pursue a nursing degree and become a nurse practitioner

Henry said she was encouraged by her guidance counselor to apply after applying for other grants, which she did not get

“I thought I didn’t get the scholarship, but then I got the call and I was overjoyed and tearing up I also got the Pay It Forward scholarship which was also a surprise,” Henry said “It showed me to never give up ”

Ritch graduated from Mariner High School and plans to attend the University of Central Florida and major in kinesiology and pursue a career in physical therapy

Ritch was already at school and was unable to attend the program

Babcock graduated from Bishop Verot and plans to attend Cumberland University in Tennessee to pursue nursing and be a member of the school’s cheerleading team

Davis graduated from Riverdale High School and plans to attend school to achieve a cosmetology license Davis is the first recipient of the NFMCA scholarship for workforce training

Davis said she was happy to get the award as it will help her jump start her career that she decided on as a senior

“I’ve always been curious about hair and how to keep it healthy It caught my interest and I want to help others feel better about themselves,” Davis said “I’m thankful the community is doing this to help others.”

Christy Lee Iwanow, NFMCA vice president and chairperson for the scholarship program, said the organization saw a need to offer scholarships to those who may not want to go to a four-year university and enter the workforce faster

“Some students have already made up their minds and know the career path they want Allowing them to stay local was part of the original scholarship idea,” Iwanow said “It incentivizes their return to the community and it's everything we stand for ”

See SCHOLARSHIPS, page 47

Florida SouthWestern accepting Fall 2024 applications

Classes are scheduled to begin Aug. 19

Florida SouthWestern State College is still accepting applications for the Fall 2024 semester Fall classes begin Aug 19

Students can choose from 66 degree and certificate programs, including FSW’s newest programs in Supply Chain and Logistics Management, Advanced Medical Assisting, Social Media Communication and Physical Therapist Assistant, which will begin in January 2025 pending accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE)

Despite increasing inflation rates, FSW’s tuition rates

are the same as they were in 2014, and with numerous financial aid, scholarship and grant opportunities, 76% of FSW students graduate debt free

To apply for the Fall 2024 semester or to learn more about FSW’s programs, please visit www fsw edu/admissions

Florida SouthWestern State College annually serves nearly 20,000 students globally, offering a variety of nationally-ranked, career-focused academic programs with two- and four-year degrees and professional certifications Study and travel abroad opportunities are available for students through FSW’s Center for International Education. Visit www FSW edu for more information

PHOTO

Food Truck fest to benefit Pelican Elementary’s STEM program

Goal is to purchase LEGO robotics kits, expand the pollinator garden, and other student enrichment initiatives

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

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

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l i n a t o r g a r d e n o n c a m p u s a n d o t h e r p l a n n e d i n i t i a t i v e s T h e m o n e y i s f o r “ e n r i c h i n g s t u d e n t s ’ l e a r n i n g e x p er i e n c e s , ” S t a m p e r s a i d

T h e g o a l i s t o p u r c h a s e L E G O r o b o t i c s k i t s S t a m p e r p l a n s t o a S T E M c l u b t o g e t s o m e i n t e r e s t t o s e e i f s h e

h a s a n y l i t t l e s c i e n t i s t s “ M y g o a l i s t o h a v e a l o w e r g r a d e S T E M c l u b f i r s t , s e c o n d a n d t h i r d g r a d e r s a n d s o m e t h i n g m o r e

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b e f o r e t h e e n d o f t h e s c h o o l y e a r w i t h s o m e z i n n i a s a n d c o s m o s a d d i n g a p o p o f c o l o r o n t h e b u s l o o p “ G o i n g i n t o t h e s u m m e r , w e p l a n t e d s o m e m o n a r c h b u t t e r f l y p a c k e t s a g o o d v a r i a t i o n I d i d i t M a y 1 , t h e y s a w a l o t o f p l a n t s s t a r t i n g t o g r o w a n d b u d d i n g , ” s h e s a i d I n p a s t y e a r s , t h e g a r d e n h

o s h a r e e x p e r t i s e a n d a r t i f a c t s T h e s c h o o l h a s a l s o h a d a M a r i n e L a b f i e l d t

Girl Scout entrepreneurs embark on once-in-a-lifetime European vacation

A group of Girl Scouts from the Girl

S c o u t s o f G u l f c o a s t F l o r i d a c o u n c i l

embarked on an extraordinary journey to London and Paris in June

Girl Scout Destinations are transformative travel opportunities offered by local Girl Scout councils in collaboration with partners like EF Tours These experiences go beyond typical troop activities, empowering girls to explore the world, develop essential skills and foster meaningful connections with peers from diverse backgrounds.

This trip, organized by Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida, served as an incentive for Girl Scouts who demonstrated exceptional goal-setting and entrepreneurship during the Girl Scout Cookie season By distributing 5,000+ cookies, these young entrepreneurs earned half of their trip expenses Those who distributed 10,000+ cookies over two years had their entire trip fully funded

Highlights of the journey

The Girl Scouts who embarked on this unforgettable journey included Izy S from Cape Coral, Melissa G and Payson G from Parrish, Teresa S and Chloe S from Bradenton, Brooke H and Ava G from Fort Myers, Tabitha G and Bailey G from Fort Myers, as well as Aimee F and Madison K from Venice

These young women explored London and Paris from June 19-27, immersing themselves in rich cultural experiences and forging lifelong memories

In London, the girls savored the elegance of afternoon tea, witnessed the iconic Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace and explored historic landmarks such as Big Ben and the Globe Theater They delved into British culture through visits to Camden Market and sampling traditional snacks, creating memories that cele b r a t e d b o t h a d v e n t u r e a n d c u l t u r a l exchange

They also had the unique opportunity to gather with sister scouts at Pax Lodge in London, one of the five World Centres of the World Association of Girl Guides and

The group from the Gulf Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida council on their recent trip to Europe.

Girl Scouts During their time at Pax Lodge, the girls took part in a pinning ceremony where they received the Pax Lodge pin This pin can only be acquired by a t t e n d i n

y a t P a x Lodge. Each of the WAGGGS World Centres have their own pin

Their journey continued in Paris, where the girls visited the Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower at day and night, and The Louvre They immersed themselves in French culture with visits to Disneyland Paris, the Palace and Gardens of Versailles a n d e v e n p a r t i c i p a t e d i n a n a r t c l a s s inspired by Monet near the Seine, showcasing their creativity and appreciation for the arts

"We are immensely proud of our Girl Scouts who embarked on this unforgettable European adventure to London and Paris,” said Mary Anne Servian, CEO of Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida “Through initiatives like these, we empower our girls to become leaders of tomorrow, fostering

global citizenship and personal growth that extends far beyond their local communities This remarkable journey was made possible by the girls' hard work and dedication during the 2023 and 2024 Girl Scout Cookie seasons, where they set ambitious goals and met them through their cookie sales efforts "

By setting and achieving their goals through the Cookie program, the girls d e m o n s t r a t e d d e t e r m i n a t i o n a n d t e a m -

work Their success not only funded their trip but also reinforced essential skills like g o a l - s e t t i n g , m o n e

m e n t a n d entrepreneurship This European adventure is a testament to their achievements and the transformative power of the Girl Scout experience

Beyond sightseeing, the trip was a catalyst for personal growth and leadership development According to her mother, one girl, Madison K demonstrated remarkable social-emotional growth during the trip and truly came out of her shell by try-

ing new things she normally would shy away from a testament to the values of empathy and support fostered by Girl Scouts

“Participating in a pinning ceremony, taking a tour, and playing games with volunteers from around the world at the Pax Lodge in London, was one of my favorite parts of the whole trip,” Girl Scout Izy S said Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida council has a membership of nearly 3,500 girls in grades K-12, and more than 1,500 adult members GSGCF is chartered by Girl Scouts of the USA and serves girls in 10 c o u n t i e s , i n c l u d i n g M a n a t e e , H a r d e e , Highlands, Sarasota, DeSoto, Charlotte, Glades, Lee, Hendry and Collier The council is governed by a volunteer board of directors who represent the geographic, ethnic and social demographics of the council’s jurisdiction For more information about Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida visit www gsgcf org

Shootings: Local Republican, Democratic leaders react to attack

From page 14

Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, located just over 50 miles from Butler Crooks, who was on the roof of a building just outside of the rally grounds, was killed within seconds by a Secret Service sniper

Updates from the FBI via a release as of the afternoon of July 15 state:

■ FBI technical specialists successfully gained access to Thomas Matthew Crooks’ phone, and they continue to analyze his electronic devices

■ The search of the subject's residence and vehicle are complete

■ The FBI has conducted nearly 100

interviews of law enforcement personnel, event attendees, and other witnesses That work continues

■ The FBI has received hundreds of digital media tips which include photos and videos taken at the scene, and we continue to review incoming tips We encourage anyone with information that may assist with the ongoing investigation to continue to submit it online at tips.fbi.gov or call 1800-CALL-FBI

■ While the investigative work continues, FBI victim services personnel have

Saturday's incident

FBI officials state the firearm used in

the shooting was purchased legally, and that Crooks was “not known to the FBI prior to this incident ” S p e a k i n g i n B u t l e r S u n d a y , F B I

Director Christopher A Wray said, “What we witnessed yesterday was nothing short of an attack on democracy and our democratic process An attempt to assassinate a p

described as absolutely despicable and will not be tolerated in this country I want to start by offering my deepest condolences to all the victims of yesterday’s shooting and their families Our hearts go out to the family of the individual who was killed, the two others who were critically wounded,

and, of course, former President Trump and his family I want to make sure they know and the American people know that the men and women of the FBI are working tirelessly to get to the bottom of what happened "”

Volunteer firefighter and father, Corey Comperatore, 50, was shot and killed during the assassination attempt of Trump

Two others were injured.

arrived in Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention

Creating a budget: Some tips to help take control of your finances

From page 35

of what you’ll spend in the coming months

Then compare that to your net income and priorities Consider setting specific and realistic spending limits for each category of expenses

You might choose to break down your expenses even further, between things you need to have and things you want to have

For instance, if you drive to work every day, gasoline counts as a need A monthly music subscription, however, may count as a want. This difference becomes important when you’re looking for ways to redirect money to your financial goals

Step 5: Adjust your spending to stay on budget

Now that you’ve documented your income and spending, you can make any necessary adjustments so that you don’t overspend and have money to put toward your goals Look toward your “wants” as the first area for cuts Can you skip movie night in favor of a movie at home? If you’ve already adjusted your spending on wants, take a closer look at your spending on monthly payments. On close inspection a “need” may just be a “hard to part with ” If the numbers still aren’t adding up, look at adjusting your fixed expenses

Could you, for instance, save more by shop-

ping around for a better rate on auto or homeowners insurance? Such decisions come with big trade-offs, so make sure you carefully weigh your options

Remember, even small savings can add up to a lot of money You might be surprised at how much extra money you accumulate by making one minor adjustment at a time

Step 6: Review your budget regularly

Once your budget is set, it’s important to review it and your spending on a regular basis to be sure you are staying on track Few elements of your budget are set in stone: You may get a raise, your expenses may change or you may reach a goal and

want to plan for a new one Whatever the reason, get into the habit of regularly checking in with your budget following the steps above

A budget can help you feel more in control of your finances and make it easier to save money for your goals, especially in a time where everything feels more expensive For more Better Money Habits tip from Bank of America, visit https://bettermoneyhabits bankofamerica com/

Julie Schmelzle is senior vice president at Bank of America Southwest Florida

PHOTO PROVIDED

Fire station: No. 13 now open

From page 1

the future

”

Investing in public safety is both a priority and ongoing commitment as the city continues to grow, he added

“We want to make sure that you know we’re the safest city, one of the safest cities, the 16th safest city in the country We recently just got our fire department accredited, which was a goal for me,” Gunter said

There are only 300 firehouses, stations, or departments accredited around the world, and the CCFD is one of them, Gunter said

The new station will play an important role is assisting Stations 2 and 5 in providing district coverage

With the high-rise developments in this part of the city, it is essential to have firefighters on standby to come to the aid of citizens, officials said.

The near $8 million station is 9,161 square feet on a site of 1 25 acres

Councilmember Tom Hayden said

“We know what that means for our community, how much response time and getting into action and scenes getting to fires is so important And I’m glad that we can provide our dedicated firefighters with this new station,” Hayden said “They represent sensible security and reliable resources during times of crisis, especially what we went through almost two years ago ”

The ceremony ended with a flag raising, the Pledge of Allegiance and the symbolic ringing of the bell followed by dispatch announcing the new station

This service area is rapidly developing in both commercial projects and residential projects, and it’s on a major thoroughfare, acting Fire Chief Mike Russell said

“This station is anticipated to operate over 3200 calls a year That represents nearly 11% of our total call volume,” Russell said “We want our neighbors to know that fullyequipped, fully-staffed, and fully-trained firefighters are here for them in their time of need And these firefighters embody the gateway, which means commitment, accountability, professionalism, and excellence ”

Additional stations are planned.

Bell ringer Firefighter Kayla Vetter and Engineer Jordan Mendes /PHOTO COURTESY OF CCFD

City moves forward with design plans for the Yacht Club

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

C a p e C o r a l C i t y C o u n c i l a p p r o v e d design plans for both the Yacht Club and its pier Wednesday

The elected board passed a pair of resolutions:

■ R e s o l u t i o n 1 9 4 - 2 4 t o a u t h o r i z e preparation of the final design and construction documents for the Yacht Club Community Center at a not to exceed amount of $7,316,186 96

■ Resolution that 224-24 for the final design, construction documents and construction services of the fishing pier at the Yacht Club in a not to exceed amount of $386,161 40

Cape Coral City Council passed a pair of resolutions:

■ Resolution 194-24 to authorize preparation of the final design and construction documents for the Yacht Club Community Center at a not to exceed amount of $7,316,186 96

■ Resolution that 224-24 for the final design, construction documents and construction services of the fishing pier at the Yacht Club in a not to exceed amount of $386,161 40

“

Ilczyszyn said “Now we had to deal with the ‘donut hole’ the center portion never intending to deal with ”

removal of buildings the city had not originally planned to remove

The new complex will feature an islandambiance anchored by a two-story community center and resort style pool as well as related amenities.

The ongoing discussion of the city’s decision to rebuild the park by replacing the historic mid-Century “ballroom” with a new resort-style “destination” complex has been fraught with resident protest, including a funeral-style service in advance of the demolition

All of that was captured into design work with an agreement with KimleyHorne and Associates, which City Manager

Michael Ilczyszyn said is the No 1 best qualifying firm for community parks

Ilczyszyn said when the city first started the Yacht Club project, they were primarily dealing with a scope of work that dealt with work at the riverfront beach, the seawall and parking deck.

Then Hurricane Ian swept through the area, and elements were added to the scope of work, as buildings had damage

“We went through a series of public meetings and sessions of council what the community wanted to see,” he said “All of that led to the end selection of architectural design ”

Ilczyszyn said Council chose to do a full rebuild of the pier which includes a design of a new pier that would include such areas as wind loads and static loads Due to the condition of the pilings, they decided not to move forward with partial opening, he said

City looks to Lee County for well drilling oversight

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

The city of Cape Coral will partner up with Lee County to perform well drilling inspections

An interlocal agreement was approved Wednesday night between the city and county to reestablish the well permitting program within the municipality

The city looks to up the level of expertise for the task

City Manager Mike Ilczyszyn said certified well drilling position overtime was

migrated into ordinance inspector positions That migration lost the focus on natural resources, he said

Six months ago he met with the interim development service director and utilities director to try and find a way back to the point where they have the level of profess

drilling

Ordinance inspectors inspect fences and sheds, he said, adding in his opinion, drilling a well into an aquifer needs to be done by someone experienced enough that

can penetrate the layers and make sure they are tapping into the resources adequately

That led to the interlocal agreement with Lee Count, as the county already has staff well drilling inspectors on staff

“That was a quicker way to get to the way of professionalism that we need in this area to protect natural resources,” he said

The county’s well drilling contractors are experienced and licensed who conduct inspections that are managed by a hydrogeologist

Utilities Director Jeff Pearson said all ground water wells are regulated by the

District which has certain rules

He said ultimately the district has the final say as to what depth and nature of construction activities for a new well will be

“The district would definitely be on aboard based on some of the work that is done to show there are deeper production zones that private wells can tap into.

Budget: Town Hall on proposal set for July 25

From page 1

$984 1 million

Ilczyszyn developed the proposed budget using a millage rate of 5 3126 mills $ 5 3 1 2 6 f o r e v e r y $ 1 , 0 0 0 o f t a x a b l e assessed property valuation, a decrease from the 2023 budget of 5 3694

The budget proposes an allocation of more than $242 million to general operations, which includes police, parks, and transportation

This budget calls for 66 new full-time positions 29 funded through the city’s general, or operations, fund

A boost to public safety is among the areas the budget addresses with additions to the fire and police departments. There are fire station upgrades, additional staffing and emergency preparedness initiatives

The boost for fire includes the North

department positions a new rescue unit and a hazmat unit staffing, fire station No 5 rebuild and the replacement of fire station generators

T

includes 12 additional positions eight police officers, a 911 operator and staffing for the Real-Time Crime Center

The budget has earmarked $3.5 million the largest amount ever proposed in a single budget for expanding sidewalks There is $11 5 million allocated to paving roadways, nearly double the current allocation

There are funds for additional pipe and swale crews to address maintenance needs, as well as the design for the North Water Reclamation Facility

There also are fiber and wireless connectivity upgrades, bridge maintenance, and expansions at key water treatment facilities among the items proposed in the 2025 budget

The budget includes investments in park enhancements and shoreline improvements with the most significant investment

$10 4 million for the acquisition of the old golf course, something the city has been working on for nearly two decades

There is $1 6 million allocated to beautification projects

Money also is allocated to the design of a new neighborhood park at Northeast 15th Street, as well as repairing park boardwalks

There will be a town hall on July 25 for the community Individuals can also view it o n C o m c a s t C h

Channel 94 and on the CapeTV YouTube channel

Cape Coral City Council will adopt the final budget in September after two public hearings scheduled for 5:05 p m on Sept 12 and Sept 26

Utility: City says rate adjustments necessary From page 1

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Lee Memorial Hospital’s emergency department receives ENA’s Lantern Award for the first time

The emergency department at Lee Memorial Hospital has been recognized for continually providing high-quality care in a safe environment This is the first time the Emergency Nurses Association has awarded the hospital with the Lantern Award, which recognizes emergency departments that go above and beyond in leadership, practice, education, advocacy and research

Golisano Children’s Hospital’s emergency department and Cape Coral Hospital’s emergency department have both twice received the Lantern Award Gulf Coast Medical Center’s emergency department earned the designation for the first time in 2022

Lee Memorial Hospital’s emergency department is one

Precision Healthcare Specialists adds colorectal sur geons

Dyke, Ravipati and Neale

Doctors Valerie Dyke, Nagesh Ravipati and Jeffrey N e

Colorectal Institute, have joined Precision Healthcare Specialists, an expanding network of physicians that now includes doctors practicing in seven medical specialties

The trio are well established in Southwest Florida and treat all forms of colon, rectal and anal issues, including colorectal cancer

Dyke, FACS, FASCRS, is the chair of surgery at Gulf Coast Medical Center in Fort Myers Her areas of expertise include diagnosing and treating colon and rectal cancer, diverticulitis surgery, laparoscopic surgery, colonoscopy and treatment of benign anorectal disorders like hemorrhoids

Dyke earned a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from the University of Maryland and a doctor of medicine degree from the University of Maryland School of Medicine

Ravipati, FACS, FASCRS, is board certified in general surgery and colorectal surgery, and has experience in clinical settings and instructional roles at the college level He treats all forms of colorectal and anorectal disease, and specializes in robotic surgery

Ravipati earned his medical degree from the Jagadguru Jayadeva Murugarajendra Medical College before completing an internship in general surgery at Chigateri General Hospital in Davangere and residencies in general surgery at Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College and Mayo Clinic Arizona, where he served as chief resident

Neale, FACS, FASCRS, treats all forms of colorectal and anal disorders, including diverticulitis and hemorrhoids, and specializes in surgical management of colon and rectal cancer He performs both laparoscopic and robotic surgery

Neale earned a bachelor of science degree in biology from the University of Ottawa and a doctor of medicine degree from the University of St Eustatius School of Medicine Neale is the surgical lead for the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery program for colorectal surgery, a successful collaborative patient-orientated program initiated by Neale, Dyke, Ravipati and Lee Health in 2016 Dyke, Ravipati and Neale will continue to see new and

7 0 Plantation Road, Suite 2, in Fort Myers, and 2721 Del Prado Blvd S , Suite 210, in Cape Coral For more information, call 239-275-0728 or visit PHSpecialists com

Lee Health Foundation hires Angelus

Isabella Angelus has been hired as donor information specialist to respond to donor inquiries and help process donations for the Lee Health Foundation

Angelus is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree at Florida Gulf Coast University and most recently worked at Marmon Aerospace and Defense in Naples performing business and administrative duties

Lee Health Foundation raises philanthropic dollars on behalf of Lee Health to establish, expand and enhance innovative, lifesaving and preventative programs The foundation provides financial support for all five Lee Health hospitals including Golisano Children’s Hospital as well as many service areas including Lee Health Cancer Institute, Lee Health Coconut Point, The Rehabilitation Hospital, Lee Health Heart Institute, Community Health Clinics and Golisano Children’s Health Center in Naples For additional information about the role of philanthro-

of a record 94 emergency departments across the United States that met the award criteria for the Lantern Award designation this year The Lantern Award is a visible symbol of an emergency department’s commitment to quality, safety, a healthy work environment and innovation in nursing practice and emergency care

“Our teams work hard every day to provide high-quality emergency care to our community and I am proud of them and thrilled that they’re being recognized This award is a testament to the teamwork, passion and dedication our staff provides to each other and their patients,” said Larry Antonucci, M D , president and chief executive officer of Lee Health

HEALTH BRIEFS

py at Lee Health or how to make a difference for healthcare in the community, visit LeeHealthFoundation org or call 239-343-6950

Free youth autism screening Aug. 16

Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida, in partnership with Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southwest Florida, offers a free monthly autism spectrum disorder screening for toddlers 18 months to five years of age The next screening will be held on Aug 16, from 9 a m to 2 p m , at the Pediatric Specialist Office, 15901

When applying, emergency departments share stories highlighting their commitment to care and the initiatives to

Committee The award lasts for a three-year cycle before an emergency department is eligible to apply again

The award will be on display in the Lee Memorial Hospital’s emergency department and in the lobby of the main hospital As a recipient, Lee Memorial Hospital will be recognized in upcoming ENA publications, on the ENA website and during the association’s annual conference held in Las Vegas from Sept 4-7

For more information, visit www leehealth org

Bass Road, Suite 102, Fort Myers

It is estimated that one in every 44 children is diagnosed with some form of Autism Spectrum Disorder, making it more common than childhood cancer, juvenile diabetes and pediatric AIDS combined

The ASD screening is conducted by the Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida The screenings are administered by an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, who has extensive training and experience in typical child development and developmental disorders

To schedule a screening, please call 239-343-6838

Home Base Florida and Shy Wolf Sanctuary partner to provide veterans and animals a chance to heal

Shy Wolf Sanctuary has joined forces with Home Base Florida to provide veterans and military families an opportunity to p

Healing Hearts Program

The collaboration is unique to Home Base Florida’s Adventure Series which supports veterans and their family members through a variety of free events and activities In collaboration with businesses and non-profit organizations, Home Base offers year-round opportunities for veter-

improve their wellbeing Past events have included pizza nights, golf lessons, pickleball, boat cruises, sporting events and much more

Adventure Series participated in an educational encounter with their rescued resident animals who often come from abused, abandoned and neglected situations In a

encounter becomes a restorative setting, where they open to experience forgiveness, courage and unconditional love offering healing for both the veterans and the animals Following the encounter, the veterans assisted in a volunteer project around the sanctuary to help with hurricane preparation by clearing loose debris

While serving, servicemen and women are constantly surrounded and supported by their fellow service members, and losing this close-knit support system can create social challenges after exiting the military

Veterans enrolled in the Shy Wolf Adventure Series participated in an educational encounter with their rescued resident animals who often come from abused, abandoned and neglected situations In a peaceful environment, the animal encounter becomes a restorative setting, where they open to experience forgiveness, courage and unconditional love offering healing for both the veterans and the animals.

leading Many veterans struggle with isolation, depression, post-traumatic stress and anxiety Adventure Series events help veterans build a supportive network of peers with similar experiences These interactions provide opportunities for personal growth and development, to give back to the community and regain a sense of purpose while learning from each other and building lasting friendships Involving families in these activities strengthens family ties and support systems, recognizing that when a Veteran serve, their Family serves as well

For more information about Home Base Florida, visit homebase org/Florida

For additional information about the Shy Wolf Sanctuary, a a501(c)(3) nonprofit facility located in Naples, visit its website at https://shywolfsanctuary org/

Lee County Clerk, Property Appraiser and Tax Collector to host free class on property assessments, collections and disputes

The community is invited to join Lee County’s Clerk and Comptroller Kevin Karnes, Property Appraiser Matt Caldwell and Tax Collector Noelle Branning for a comprehensive presentation on the property assessment, collection and dispute process

The class will take place on Wednesday, July 31, from 2-3 p m , at the Northwest Regional Library, which is located at 519 Chiquita Blvd , North, in Cape Coral

During the presentation, all three officials will thoroughly explain their portion of the process to attendees The Property Appraiser will discuss how property value is assessed; the Tax Collector will review the tax collection process for the property; and the Lee Clerk will explain how to con-

test the property assessments, as well as help safeguard the property with the clerk’s free Property Fraud Alert service

Immediately following the presentations, there will be a question and answer session so attendees can ask the presenters any questions they may have about the property assessment, collection and dispute process

The class is free, but registration is

www leeclerk org

Legal advice will not be provided at the presentation The clerk cannot address any specific case or VAB-related decision or outcome For legal inquiries, property owners may speak with an attorney

SPORTS

Red snapper season is winding down

Check the weather and leave early to take advantage of what’s left of red snapper season which ends on the 31st of this month Anglers still get more chances at a good fight and a delicious meal when the season reopens for three-day weekends from Sept 1 to Nov 30 Kept fish must be at least 16 inches total length and only two can be harvested per angler

Mangrove snapper must be 10 inches in state and 12 inches in federal waters to harvest and are open year round with a five-fish limit per angler Florida state waters are defined as up to 9 miles from shore Federal waters start there and extend 200 miles out in the Gulf of Mexico

Remember before you drop a line on the numero u s S o u t h w

local reefs, make sure to

Survey paperwork up to date along with approved descending tools to save deeply caught reef fish d

Florida state record red snapper that weighed in at 46 5 pounds!

The bad boy of the snapper family is the very a g g r e s s i v e C u b a n o r

Capt George Tunison

u b e r a s n a p p e r w h i c h grows to over a hundred pounds eating whatever it wants, from other fish, crabs to lobsters, and like most snapper species, a taste delight although eating the flesh of larger specimens might bring on a case of ciguatera poisoning Cubera grow large in Florida proven by the current 116-pound state record caught way back in 1979 If you catch one, watch your hands and fingers around those big teeth

A generous 10-fish limit and fish must measure 12 inches total length in both state and federal waters

If you bag a big one, the FWC states; “May possess no more than 2 over 30" per harvester or vessel per day, whichever is less. 30" or larger cubera are not included within the 10 snapper aggregate bag limit ”

It’s certainly prime time for surf snooking, which is a 24-hour sport in Southwest Florida Can’t take the heat, then patrol the beach at night, which allows you to get in range of wise old trophies that might spot you in the sunlight and take off before you can make a cast Keep lure selection simple with a pocketful of bucktail or soft plastic jigs and maybe hang a top-water plug or two on your straw hat

Coastal sight casters like mid-morning sun and an east wind at their backs to make for easy sightings in gentle surf Local mangrove shorelines on both sides of

JULY

Tommy Bohanon Foundation accepting applications for Sports Equipment Grant

Southwest Florida school-based athletic programs again can receive funding or equipment for their athletes through the Tommy Bohanon Foundation Applications

a

Equipment Grant

To complete the application process, applicants must have the following information:

■ Copy of the proposed program’s budget for the 2024/2025 school year

■ A letter from the Athletic Director or a School

acknowledging that the program is requesting funding

■ Information about the coaches/staff who are involved with the athletic program (This information should include years working at the school, experience, position and any special accolades they have received)

■ Any additional information or documents pertinent for the proposed program to be selected as a Sports Equipment Grant Recipient

“We are proud to be able to support these programs through the Sports Equipment Grant,” said Foundation President Tommy Bohanon “Our goal is to remove barriers for kids who might not otherwise have access to these opportunities, helping them to dream big and achieve their goals ”

This initiative is part of the foundation's ongoing efforts to empower youth through sports and ensure that every child can participate, regardless of financial constraints. Over $135,000 has been awarded to nearly a dozen schools since the grant’s inception in 2018

To apply please visit https://tommybohanonfoundation org/sports-equipment-grant/ Grant recipients will be notified by Monday, Sept 9

For additional information about the Tommy Bohanon Foundation or the grant, please call 239-671-0441 or visit https://tommybohanonfoundation org/

About the Tommy Bohanon Foundation

The Tommy Bohanon Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting young athletes reach their highest potential on and off the playing field Former NFL fullback Tommy Bohanon returned to his hometown in Southwest Florida to pursue his vision of ending generational poverty for at-risk youth The foundation funds annual scholarships, sports equipment grants to local high schools, youth football camps, seminars and programs, as well as funding for other local nonprofits F

m y B o h a n o n Foundation, visit TommyBohanonFoundation org or call 239-671-0441

Lee County Parks & Rec offering free pool admission, ramp and beach parking July 27-28

Lee County Parks & Recreation will offer free pool admission and free parking on Saturday, July 27, and Sunday, July 28,

Recreation Month

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

■ Parks: Lakes Park, Manatee Park,

, Caloosahatchee Regional Park, Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve

■ Beach sites: Bonita Beach Accesses No 1 and No 10, Bonita Beach Park, Bowditch Point Park and Lynn Hall Memorial Park, San Carlos Bay-Bunche Beach Preserve, Bowman’s Beach and Turner Beach (north side only of Blind Pass)

■ Boat ramps: Alva, Davis, Imperial River, Lavender’s Landing, Matlacha, and Pine Island Commercial Marina

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

■ 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 18 voted to approve a resolution d

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 and Recreation locations, amenities and special events, visit

leeparks@leegov com or visit leeparksandrecreation on Facebook and Instagram

To receive updates from Lee County Government, please sign up for the newsletter at www leegov com/ resources/newsletters Follow Lee County Government on Facebook, www facebook com/leecountyflbocc

Cape’s Pencek named to 2023-24 Old Dominion Athletic Conference All-Academic Team

WINCHESTER, VA -- The Shenandoah University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics set a new school record with 329 student-athletes on the 2023-24 Old Dominion Athletic Conference All-Academic Team in selections released by the conference on July 11 Dylan Pencek of Cape Coral was among the Hornets to earn the honor.

This year's total is an increase of 33 student-athletes from SU's previous best of 296 set during the 2022-23 academic year

Overall, 3,175 ODAC student-athletes represented their schools on this year's all-academic team, which is a new high for the conference SU ranks second among the 17 institutions featured, with Washington & Lee topping the list with 537 student-athletes With the University of

Lynchburg's 322 student-athletes who met academic team standards, the ODAC had three schools eclipse the 300 mark in one academic year for the first time in conference history

For student-athletes to qualify for the ODAC AllAcademic Team, they must've had a 3 25 GPA or higher for the 2023-24 school year. Of the 329 SU student-athletes on the team, 256 posted a GPA of 3 50 or better, and 46 had a perfect 4 0 GPA Shenandoah University was established in 1875, and is headquartered in Winchester, Virginia, with additional sites in Clarke and Loudoun counties Shenandoah is a private, nationally recognized university with approximately 4,300 students in more than 200 areas of study in six different schools For more information, visit su edu

Mighty Mussels announce partnership with Elite DNA Behavioral Health to honor veterans

The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels have unveiled a new partnership with Elite DNA Behavioral Health for the remainder of the 2024 baseball season This collaboration marks a significant commitment to supporting veterans and strengthening community ties

As part of this initiative, Elite DNA Behavioral Health becomes the official sponsor of 'Free Veterans Tickets,' extending this gesture to all active and retired service members This sponsorship highlights the Mighty Mussels' dedication to honoring the brave individuals who have served our country

"We are thrilled to partner with the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels to launch the 'Free Veterans Tickets' program," said Elizabeth Dosoretz, LCSW, founder and CEO of

Elite DNA Behavioral Health "This initiative underscores our gratitude to veterans and aims to provide them with an enjoyable experience, and one that supports their mental health " Veterans interested in themselves of this oppor

either in advance of a game or on the day of the event By presenting their

receive one (1) complimentary game ticket as a token of appreciation for their service

"Enjoying a night out full of fun and time spent with loved ones boosts energy, happiness and overall well being, which is

especially important for veterans," added Dosoretz "This partnership allows us to emphasize the importance of taking care of one's mental health and participating in activities that bring you joy all in one."

The Mighty Mussels invite fans and supporters ike to join them in celebrathis meaningful partnership witness the exciting games Hammond Stadium ore information about the Mighty Mussels and upcoming games, visit mightymussels com

About Elite DNA Behavioral Health

founded in 2013 by Dosoretz, a licensed

clinical social worker and mother of three, whose goal is to provide accessible, affordable mental health care to everyone Now celebrating 10 years in business, Elite DNA is one of the largest mental health providers in the state, providing in-person and virtual behavioral health services to children, adolescents and adults at more than 30 locations across Florida Services include psychiatry, psychology, medication management, substance use treatment, TMS therapy for depression, occupational therapy, speech therapy, applied behavior analysis and targeted case management services Elite DNA accepts a large variety of insurances, including Medicaid/Medicare and has a self-pay sliding scale for established patients For more information, visit EliteDNA com

New name, same fish: Largemouth bass are now Florida bass

Genetics studies confirmed what many anglers and biologists have believed for a long time – Florida bass are special!

Florida’s most popular freshwater game fish has a new name The American Fisheries Society established the Florida bass as a separate species from the largemouth bass This means that in most of Florida (except the western Panhandle) what was known as a largemouth bass is now called a Florida bass

This name change will affect how the

fish is referred to in regulations and other communications However, it will not affect anglers fishing for this iconic freshwater sport fish

According to the recent research publication by Yale University, the study used advanced genetic analysis and determined Florida bass to be its own species The research also identified the range of Florida bass to be larger than once believed, including not only Florida, but also parts of Georgia, South Carolina and North

Carolina.

The scientific names of these two bass also changed Largemouth bass, previously Micropterus salmoides, is now the scientific name for Florida bass Largemouth bass are now Micropterus nigricans

Understanding and conserving fish species is crucial for sustainable recreational fishing and biodiversity preservation The classification of species plays a key role in these efforts Black basses (Micropterus spp ) are well-known fresh-

water fish and highly popular for recreational fishing This new understanding of black bass diversity, distribution and classification provides a critical foundation for better managing and conserving these important and iconic fish It will aid in ensuring their continued conservation and sustainable use for future generations

To learn more about the Florida bass name change go to MyFWC com, click on “Freshwater Fishing,” select “Black Bass Management” and click on “Florida Bass ”

Red snapper: Local season scheduled to close at the end of July

From page 46

Charlotte Harbor offer small to mid-sized snook with better action closer to the ICW and Gulf side of the harbor Bull and Turtle bays are still prime spots for inshore action

Mixed in with the snook are good numbers of various sized redfish from rats to over-slot fish and are found in shady shorelines and docks, anything to provide a sun

From page 36

Smith earns dean's list honors at University of Tampa

TAMPA -- Aidan Smith of Bokeelia earned dean's list honors at The University of Tampa for the Spring 2024 semester

Smith was a senior majoring in human performance, BS

Students must maintain a GPA of 3 75 or higher to be eligible for the dean's list

The University of Tampa is a private, comprehensive university located on 110 acres on the riverfront in downtown Tampa Known for academic excellence, the university has about 200 programs of study and serves more than 11,000 students from 50 states and most of the world's countries

For additional information about the university, visit https://www ut edu/

block, security and a degree or two of relief from the 90 degree boiling water temperatures September is the unofficial start of good redfish schooling action leading into “ R e d O

Southwest Florida reds

Seatrout are never happy in sauna temperature waters so get out early, way before dawn, and stay quiet in the boat Trophy class or gator trout are one of the hardest

Hughey

local fish to fool For your biggest trout of the year, throw a large top-water plug using a long, limber rod and 10 to 15-pound braided line with the longest leader you can efficiently cast Mullet schools prowling the flats can also contain a lone monster trout feeding on tidbits stirred up by the passing school and always worth a cast or two

Many tarpon are still coastal based, with

EDUCATION BRIEFS

completes IMPACT and enrolls at Troy University

TROY, AL -- Jared Hughey of Cape Coral has completed IMPACT new student orientation and enrolled at Troy University for the Fall 2024 semester at the Troy Campus

The fall semester for the Troy Campus starts on Wednesday, Aug. 14.

Troy University is a public, historic, international university with 22,500 students and 154,000 alumni Students on the Troy, Ala campus enjoy a traditional college experience, while adult students are the centers of attention at campuses in Dothan, Montgomery and Phenix City, Ala , as well as at locations around the world and also online

For more about the university, visit https://www troy edu/

Suncoast Credit Union Foundation donates $22,500 to Learning for Life

The Southwest Florida Council, Boy Scouts of America has announced a charitable gift of $22,500 donation from the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation

The monies will provide character education programs to over 11,000 Lee County Schools students with the Learning for Life program The Learning for Life program focuses on title 1 schools

Suncoast Credit Union, Florida’s largest credit union, founded the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation to promote the education, health and emotional well-being of children in the community Each time a Suncoast member uses their debit or credit card, the credit union donates two cents to the Foundation to fund local initiatives

others spread out north and south along the ICW Tarpon should start moving into Charlotte Harbor during the coming month, staying and feeding till December

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

Since its inception in 1990, the Foundation has raised and donated over $44 million For more information, visit suncoast com or follow Suncoast on social media: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

The 2023-2024 school year Southwest Florida Council’s Learning for Life program served over 11,000 youth Learning for Life is a character education program designed to support schools and community-based organizations in their efforts to prepare youth to successfully handle the complexities of contemporary society Its curriculum prepares students to enhance their self-confidence, motivation and selfesteem and makes academic learning fun and relevant to real-life situations in age appropriate and grade specific material. For more, visit https://www learningforlife org/

Scholarships: Students receive funds from NFM Civic Association

From page 36

The North Fort Myers Civic Association Scholarship Program is dedicated to the memory of Mark Lipton who presented the idea to financially help students within North Fort Myers to go to college or trade

schools and, if possible, to incentivize their return to the local community

Lipton died in 2018 of a sudden illness and was not able to see his vision come to fruition In 2021, the Civic Association awarded its first scholarships and has now awarded 12 in total

Applicants must live in the North Fort Myers area They do not need to attend North Fort Myers High School Grades are important but involvement in the community and extracurricular activities are taken into account as well Ultimately, the program is designed to

give back to the area’s best students in hopes they give back in return when they get older

“We are the voice of the community and work for the betterment of our community

It’s important for our money to stay local and recognize the students,” Iwanow said

Religious

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