Pine Island Eagle

FruitScapes growing back stronger than before

By PAULETTE LeBLANC pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

Stephen Cucura said although they had to close FruitScapes for a couple of months after Hurricane Ian, recovery is going very well and he is happy to announce that they have decided to build back stronger than they were before He and his business partner, Jesus Avalos, have co-owned FruitScapes fruit market for 15 years (since 2008).

“We were so vulnerable before We lost the experience of Hurricane Charley after several years, you forget the damage a real hurricane can do. We kind of lost track of that memory and after this one hit, we decided, if we’re gonna rebuild, we’re gonna have to rebuild stronger,” Cucura said

Put simply, he explained, the infrastructure has to be stronger, such as reconstructing the nursery’s greenhous-

es and keeping the current trees short and stout, so they can resist high winds

According to Cucura, they may have overdone them-

selves, as they now have more trees, perhaps, than they should, but he feels that it’s better to have an overabundance of trees rather than a lack, to keep customer satisfaction in their stock.

F r u i t S c a p e s w a s r e p r e s e n t e d a t t h e r e c e n t MangoMania Event, as Cucura and others gave presentations on the known history of mangoes on Pine Island Cucura coordinated the seminar group, he said, which included 5 separate presentations

“I could go on for a day just talking about mangoes in general, but I wanted to concentrate on the history of mangoes in Pine Island There’s a lot to know about mangoes if you do it for a living Mangoes have been grown in Pine Island for over 100 years that we have documentation to prove but mangoes have probably been

See FRUITSCAPES, page 16

Waterzway Work Boats helping clean local waters

By PAULETTE LeBLANC pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

I s l a n d e r J o h n M e e k s h a s o w n e d a n d o p e r a t e d Waterzway Work Boats for 6 years now After Hurricane Ian, Meeks, a disabled veteran, said he came in on the backside of clean up, sometime in late January

“I have 2 little machines, and basically what we do is remove materials like doors, windows, sheds anything that blew in the water, we were trying to remove We can see stuff a lot of people can’t see,” Meeks said

The type of machines Meeks owns makes it much easier to locate and remove anything that may be polluting

Sugar Sand Beach RV Resort recovering after Hurricane Ian

By PAULETTE LeBLANC pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

Brantingham of Sugar Sand Beach RV

Resort said after Hurricane Ian they were able to assist the Coast Guard, as well as the Cajun Navy, in getting supplies out to the island by using the resort as a hub

“As soon as we were done helping the community, we were able to get back in and start doing recovery on own property and I’m happy to say that we’ve come a long way and it’s nearly complete We’re still renovating the interior and finishing up our seawall and dock,” Brantingham said

Immediately following the storm, she said, there

were locals who needed somewhere to go This encouraged the resort to open its doors, which they did, although the resort was not yet fully operational

“At that time, we didn’t even have the power and water back on the island yet we had people boondocking with generators, just to give them a place to set up until the road was open,” Brantingham said Finally back to water, power and full utilities, she

See RESORT, page 14

PHOTO PROVIDED FruitScapes’ fruit varieties on display.

The Sugar Sand Beach RV Resort in Matlacha

PHOTO PROVIDED

PHOTO PROVIDED BY JOHN MEEKS

A Waterzway Work Boats employee removing a portable toilet from a canal

See WATERZWAY WORK BOATS, page 16

Florida radio station Sunny 106 3 recognized Matlacha Hookers Vice Madam Julia Gaylor with its 2023 Outstanding Woman Award on July 14 Gaylor was selected to receive this honor for her generous and tireless work following Hurricane Ian

She is a well-known volunteer in the greater Pine Island and Matlacha communities She emerged as perhaps the most prominent contact, with the ability to connect resources to those who needed them most Her tenacity and communication was critical in the early days following Ian, and continues to be integral to the rebuilding effort She reached out to individuals, local and national businesses and political leaders to organize help for those in need

Gaylor's efforts included organizing 10 building supply distributions valued at over $100,000 to nearly 750 Pine Island residents Much needed supplies included drywall, insulation, supply bins, electrical outlets, wire, nails, screws, plywood, primer, drywall mud, tape, batteries and bedding

She also organized and participated in m a n y r o a d a n d c o m m u n i t y c l e a n - u p s , including the Pine Island Road corridor f r o m P i n e I s l a n d C e n t e r t o t h e Y u c a t a n r e s t a u r a n t , a n d m u l t i p l e t r a s h pickups on Stringfellow Road and its many

R e s i d e n t p a r t i c i p a t i o n m e e t i n g s throughout unincorporated Lee County and in municipalities are planned in August to receive public comment and input on the Draft Action Plan for the $1 1 billion Community Development Block Grant –Disaster Recovery funds received from the

U S Department of Housing and Urban Development

The Draft Action Plan will be published at www leegov com/recovery/cdbg-dr for review and comment beginning Aug 1 through Aug 31, 2023 Comments can be emailed to recovery@leegov com, mailed

to Lee County Administration in care of the Office of Strategic Resources, 2115 Second St , Fort Myers, FL, 33901, or provided during one of the public meetings

CDBG-DR funds may be spent on a limited number of eligible activities related to impacts from Hurricane Ian that include housing, infrastructure, economic revitalization, public services and planning At least 70% of the grant must be used for p r o j e c t s t h a t b e n e f i t L o w - t o - M o d e r a t e Income households, which HUD defines as a family at or below 80% of Area Median Income For example, in Lee County a sing l e - p e r s o n h o u s e h o l d w o u l d q u a l i f y a t $47,700 or less per year, whereas the limit for total household income is $68,100 per year for a family of four

T h e L e e B o a r d o f C o u n t y

Commissioners at a regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday, Aug 1, is expected to v o t e t o a p p r o v e t h e D r a f t C D B G - D R Action Plan Publication for the public comment period, which begins with these resident participation meetings spanning Aug 2 through Aug 29 After public input has been received, Lee County will submit the Action Plan to HUD for review and approval

Public meeting are:

■ 5 : 3 0 p m , W e d n e s d a y , A u g 2 , Bonita Springs City Council, 9101 Bonita Beach Road Bonita Springs, FL 34135

■ 6 p m , Thursday, Aug 3, Cape Coral City Council, 1015 Cultural Park Blvd , Cape Coral, FL 33990

■ 5:30 p m , Thursday, Aug 10, North Fort Myers Recreation Center, 2000 N Recreation Park Way, North Fort Myers, FL 33903

■ 5:30 p m , Tuesday, A u g 1 5 , T o w n o f F o r t M y e r s B e a c h /

D i a m o n d H e a d B e a c h Resort, 2000 Estero Blvd , F o r t M y e r s B e a c h , F L 33931

■ 5:30 p m , Wednesday, Aug 16, Veterans Park, 55 H o m e s t e a d R o a d , L e h i g h Acres, FL 33936

■ 5:30 p m , Tuesday, A u g 2 2 , T h e H e i g h t s Center, 15570 Hagie Drive, Fort Myers,

OPINIONS

America’s killing field

We’re not afraid that Lee County kids and teens have access to drugs

We are terrified

The spector of what’s on the streets and readily available is the stuff of nightmares

Eagle Editorial

Publisher Raymond M Eckenrode reckenrode@breezenewspapers com

Executive Editor Valarie Harring vharring@breezenewspapers com

Editor Paulette LeBlanc pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

Advertising Director Laurie Ragle lragle@ breezenewspapers com

Advertising Sales Charlene Russ cruss@breezenewspapers com

Design & Layout Chris Strine cstrine@breezenewspapers com

While youth drug experimentation dates back to when members of our editorial board were growing up more years ago than any of us want to admit, there is a difference now

A deadly difference

In the “tune in, turn on, drop out” era, a parent’s worst fear was “radicalization” or arrest for little Susie or Johnny

Those ’60s and ’70s kids who came away largely unscathed grew up to be the parents whose worst fear for their child was addiction as “hard drugs” became more prevalent

Today?

A parent’s worst fear is death

Death from an overdose

Death from a single poison-laced pill

No matter your views on drug use a crime, a personal choice or anything in

between the numbers portray a painful reality that got its kickstart in the ’90s with the first wave of the opioid crisis It started with prescription pills, then heroin use as the government tried to rein in the catastrophe its policies and lack of oversight created, now cartel-created pill knock-offs We mean that literally.

From 1999 to 2021, the number of docu m e n t e d o v e r d o s e d e a t h s i n t h e U S climbed from fewer than 20,000 bad enough to a staggering 106,699 with synthetic opioids, primarily fentanyl, surging in 2014 from a blip to the top cause of drug-related deaths

“Opioid-involved overdose deaths rose from 21,089 in 2010 to 47,600 in 2017 and remained steady through 2019 This was followed by a significant increase in 2020 with 68,630 reported deaths and again in 2021 with 80,411 reported overdose

Letters to the Editor

Abuse reports on its website, nida

citing Centers for Disease Control statistics

The hard number?

More than 932,000 people nearly 1 million died from a drug overdose in the time period cited

The CDC puts the number now at 187 deaths per day

That’s 68,255 per year

Most are adults

But too many far too many are children

The Georgetown University Health Policy Institute in April cited a report that found “unintentional drug overdoses have accounted for more than 9 in 10 poisoning deaths among adolescents ages 10-19 since 2016, and that overdose deaths increased by 114%

Web Poll

Previous

Those awarded grants from the Matlacha Hookers included AdPrint Craft, Calusa Bug Spray, Creative Coast Preschool, Franks’ Bobcat Services, Kinetic Touch Massage & Wellness, Matlacha Gallery and Gifts, Nauti Tiki Seasonings, Premier Growers Inc., Sacred Souls, Sweeney’s SOS, Salty Girls Island Café and Trader's Hitching Post.

Matlacha Hookers present first 12 business grants

To the editor:

Current

■ Yes

■ No, not right now

■ Never

■ Other

Share your opinion at pineisland-eagle com

T h e M a t l a c h a H o o k e r s i s a 5 0 1 c 3 woman’s charitable non-profit organization Our organization has had members from Matlacha and the Greater Pine Island area, as well as Cape Coral, North Fort Myers and For Myers, for over 25 years

We are proud and honored to announce t h a t t h e f i r s t s e t o f g r a n t w i n n e r s w a s announced, and several checks were given o u t o n M o n d a y , J u l y 1 0 , 2 0 2 3 , a t t h e American Legion

The response from the Greater Pine Island Community is always amazing We want to

express a big thank you to all the businesses that applied for the grants as well as our volunteers who helped make this grant project run smoothly

We are so thankful that more than 15 Pine Island area businesses applied for the first set of grants

Here is the list of the 12 grants that are awarded to businesses in alphabetical order: AdPrint Craft, Calusa Bug Spray, Creative Coast Preschool, Franks’ Bobcat Services, K i n e t i c T o u c h M a s s a g e & W e l l n e s s , M a t l a c h a G a l l e r y a n d G i f t s , N a u t i T i k i Seasonings, Premier Growers Inc, Sacred Souls, Sweeney’s SOS, Salty Girls Island Caf , Trader's Hitching Post F i n a l l y , t h a n k y o u t o t h e M a t l a c h a

H u r r i c a n e C o m m i t t e e t o o u r M a t l a c h a Hookers, who made this grant process a success

Please mark your calendars for the second set of Hurricane Ian Grants, which will open a g a i n f o r 1 0 G r e a t e r P i n e I s l a n d a n d Matlacha Businesses and new, this time, 5 Non-Profits that are not nationally or stateaffiliated, again on Sunday, Monday, Aug 14 through Sept 28, 2023, the first year anniversary of Hurricane Ian

More information about the criteria to qualify and how to apply for a grant will be posted in the second week of August by our organization You can visit our website, matlachahookers org, our Facebook page or find it in the Eagle Matlacha

Hookers Matlacha/Pine Island

What’s Biden going to do next

To the Editor:

O l e S n a k e E y e s J o e B i d e n a n d h i s Democrat colleagues have found a new way to spy on people that go on a summer vacation or move temporarily

Probably also put on by the Blue States to rack up some state income tax money from visitors in their states

While everyone is affected by the latest increase in postage stamps that buys and peels a stamp or may have licked the glue on a letter to be mailed, no one really knows why the postage went up

Yep, it was Biden, who wanted the extra money to fund his new campaign of spying and taxing you by using the Post Office Seems the cost of the stamps increase was to have the USPS be able to pay to send out notices to every bank, Social Security and any other state government agency that might be trying to get your money on where you are and what you’re doing this summer in their state

Of course, when you hit the road again be sure to take plenty of cash for gas, because you’ll never know what ZIP Code the USPS

PHOTO PROVIDED

Local news is good for business

It’s no secret that recent years have been tough on small businesses and on newspapers A bipartisan bill, the “Community News & Small Business Support Act,” that has been introduced in Congress would offer relief to both newspapers and local businesses For too many newspapers, help can’t come soon enough Economic challenges have resulted in too many communities seeing their local newspapers being forced to lay off staff, cut back on publication days or worse yet close. On average, two newspapers are closing each week That hurts local businesses and residents in the long (and short) run However, despite the challenges, what remains true is that local newspapers make a difference in their communities

Dean Ridings Guest Commentary

But, don’t just take my word for it Let’s look at the numbers and why America’s Newspapers has been pushing for the “Community News & Small Business Support Act” to be introduced

A recent national study of 5,000 Americans over the age of 18 was conducted by the independent research firm Coda Ventures for America’s Newspapers, and provides compelling evidence of the importance, relevance and vitality of today’s newspapers in the American media landscape

Readers told us that their local newspaper makes a difference The study shows that 79 percent of Americans read/use local news “to stay informed” about their cities, counties and communities They also said they rely on their local paper to feel connected to their community, to decide where they stand on local issues, to find places and things to do, to talk with people about things happening in the community, because they find it enjoyable/entertaining and to be a better citizen

And, contrary to popular belief, readers across all age

groups turn to local newspapers and their digital products to stay informed about their communities

Readers also told us they need more local news from their community paper As one survey respondent in California said, “Our paper keeps getting smaller I would like to see more news items, what’s happening in town, what’s new in politics, etc And they need to be quicker to respond to breaking news ”

All of that takes a committed, local staff something the legislation introduced by Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) and Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA1) will help to make happen

So, what would this legislation mean to your local community?

Local businesses with fewer than 50 employees would receive a five-year nonrefundable tax credit of up to $5,000 in the first year and up to $2,500 in the subsequent four years based on their spending level with local newspapers and local media

Our study showed that six out of 10 American adults use newspaper advertising to help them decide what brands, products and local services to buy Newspaper readers also are almost twice as likely to purchase products from a number of important advertising categories than nonnewspaper readers, including: automobiles, trucks and SUVs; home furnishings; home improvement products and services; and home services like pest control, plumbing, heating, etc

With this legislation, we expect to see more businesses being able to afford to advertise to consumers, which in turn helps communities thrive

For local newspapers, a five-year refundable tax credit would help them hire more journalists to bring you more news! It’s a win-win for local communities

Newspapers would receive a tax credit to be used for the compensation of journalists The credit would cover 50% of journalists’ compensation in the first year and 30% of compensation in the subsequent four years This tax credit would only be available to local community papers with fewer than 750 employees and, if they don’t invest in their newsroom, they don’t get the credit

And these tax credits are only available to local newspapers National newspaper outlets are not eligible

The importance of local newspapers and local business is the reason Reps Tenney and DelBene introduced the legislation. We are most grateful for their support.

We need your support, as well, to encourage legislators to enact this legislation Please contact the offices of your senators and representatives in the U S Congress and encourage them to add their support to this legislation These tax credits aren’t permanent; they will sunset in five years But, these critical five years will allow the newspaper industry the time needed to address the challenges that it is facing from Big Tech, which often uses newspapers’ content without compensation, as well as o t h e r t e c h n o l o g i c a l a n d m a r k e t c h a l l e n g e s V i s i t www usa gov/elected-officials for the contact information for your legislators.

More local reporting means more access for hometown news that citizens like you rely on And stronger newspapers mean stronger advertising vehicles for local businesses

On behalf of its approximately 1,700 newspaper and Solutions Partner companies, America’s Newspapers is committed to explaining, defending and advancing the vital role of newspapers in democracy and civil life We put an emphasis on educating the public on all the ways newspapers contribute to building a community identity a n d t h e s u c c e s s o f l o c a l b u s i n e s s e s L e a r n m o r e : www.newspapers.org

Dean Ridings is the CEO of America’s Newspapers

Fire stations and equipment Ian damage update

By BENJAMIN MICKULEIT Matlacha/Pine Island Fire Chief

It’s been nearly 10 months since Hurricane Ian impacted our community Your fire district has been working without skipping a beat to protect our community Not only did our stations endure water and wind damage, but so did some of our fire equipment

From the Firehouse

We are approximately 80% complete in repairing what was damaged Some of those damages include replacing station roofs, siding, mitigating water damage, replacing signage, replacing equipment, etc

Fire personnel at the main station (Station 1) located at The Center are still operating out of a single-wide trailer until Station 1 is completely fixed All the repairs are expected to be completed within the next few months Funds to cover the repairs to the stations and equipment were covered by the district’s insurance We are rebuilding together as a community

Dolphin eyesight and echolocation

The bottlenose dolphin’s eyes are located laterally, with one on either side of the head. The eyes are capable of functioning independently which allows the dolphin to look in two different directions at once They can see forward, backward and to the side but they can’t see up This why they chase tiny fish belly side up (known as "snacking") They exhibit the same behavior when riding in the wake of my boat They turn on their backs and sides to see who is riding in the boat!

The dolphin’s eyeball has an oval shape and the lens is positioned to prevent even the weakest ray of light from escaping the retina They have a double slit pupil allowing for similar visual acuity in air and water

Pine Island Road causeway and bridge permanent repairs continue

As part of the emergency restoration of the Pine Island Road causeway and bridge, the Florida Department of Transportation has announced that motorists can expect temporary, intermittent lane closures with flagging operations along Pine Island Road from west of Little Pine Island Bridge (Bridge #120111) to west of Shoreview Drive

■ Crews are working seven-day weeks, including weekends, to complete driving sheet pilings on the south of the roadway Work is expected to last approximately two months

■ A lane shift remains in place east of the Matlacha Pass Bridge Eastbound traffic has shifted to the westbound lane, and the westbound traffic has shifted to the

newly paved, temporary lane

■ Pedestrians and bicyclists are not permitted within the construction zone.

■ Noise from construction equipment in the area is to be expected

■ Please use caution and watch for workers and construction vehicles entering and exiting the roadway

■ Please be patient and plan for additional travel time as it may be slower than usual in the area

For additional information about the Pine Island Road project or any other roadway work in the area or across the state, please visit the FDOT project web page at https://www swflroads com/project/451937-2 or email at PineIslandinfo@qcausa com

Dolphin Tales

T h e l e n s e s a n d t h e cornea in a dolphin’s eye naturally auto-correct for the difference in refraction of light underwater a n d a b o v e t h e surface They have special muscles in the eye that are able to change the shape of the lens to adjust between seeing an object below water versus seeing an object in the air Without this adaptation a dolphin would be nearsighted above the water

Their high sensitivity to blue light also means they have great vision at depth and low-light conditions However, dolphins lack the cones that enable color vision, so they are likely to be color blind If they have any color vision at all it is likely to be limited to colors in the blue/green spectrum

When a dolphin’s vision isn’t accurate enough, dolphins use sound to sense their environment Dolphins have echolocation. Echolocation allows dolphins to "see" much further than the eyes can It is believed they can "see" an object the size of an orange from over 80 meters away using echolocation

Dolphins produce a series of clicks which produce sound waves just below the blowhole and are emitted through the melon (forehead) With echolocation the dolphin can determine the shape, size, density, distance, speed and direction of the object

The high frequency clicks allow the dolphin to interpret the echoes as 3D images of their surroundings When the clicks reach their target, such as a fish, they bounce back to the fatty deposits in the jawbone and are directed up to the inner ear. This is when the dolphin is able to interpret these echoes as a 3D image

Captain Cathy Eagle has spent over 40 years boating in our local waters As a professional charter captain, she specializes in dolphin and nature tours Visit CaptainCathy com or call 239 994-2572

Matlacha Hookers blood drive at PIUMC

The Matlacha Hookers are joining forces with the Pine Island F I S H Basket Brigade on Saturday, Aug 5, for a blood drive at the United Methodist Church at 5701 Pine Island Road, across from M/PIFD Station #1, from 10 a m until 3 p m Look for the Big Red Bus

As a thank you for your pint donation, you will receive a $20 E gift card and swag bag from OneBlood All donors receive a wellness check that includes blood pressure, temperature, iron count, pulse and cholesterol screening

Space is limited and donors are encouraged to schedule appointments online

Please visit www.ONEBLOOD.org/donate-now and use sponsor code 10492

For more information contact DJ 239-910-3829

Capt Cathy Eagle

Island Remembrance Service set for Sept. 28

St John's Episcopal Church will be holding a community Remembrance Service Thursday, Sept 28, at 6:30 p m Everyone is invited to come together and pray:

■ For those who lost their lives

■ For those who lost their businesses

■ For those who lost their homes

■ For those who lost their pets

■ For those who lost their livelihoods.

■ For those still struggling

The service is being hosted by the Rev. Bill Gilmore, vicar of St John’s Episcopal Church, and will include the Rev Jacek Mazur, pastor of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Catholic Church, the Rev Kaylee Vida, pastor of Pine Island United Methodist Church and the Rev Tom Hafer, pastor of Fishers of Men Lutheran Church

St John’s Episcopal Church is at 7771 H Stringfellow Road, St James City For additional information, contact the church at 239-283-5439

Kindergarten registration continues at island school

P i n e I s l a n d E l e m e n t a r y S c h o o l i s r e g i s t e r i n g a l l upcoming kindergarten students for the 2023-2024 school year If your child will be 5 years old by Sept 1, 2023, they are ready to start school Please stop by the school office to register them for kindergarten

When registering your child for school, please bring the child’s birth certificate, proof of residence, driver’s license and current physical with Florida immunization records A Lee County School Registration Form will need to be completed also This form is located online at pie leeschools net or parents can stop by the school office to pick one up If you have any questions about school registration, please contact Rosie Perez at 239-2830505.

Pine Island Elementary is located at 5360 Ridgewood Drive in Bokeelia

Franks’ Bobcat Ser vice donation to PIE

Everyone at Franks’ Bobcat Services is proud to stand with the Pine Island Moose Lodge 1954 during the 4th of July fund raising event, for the benefit of Pine Island Elementary School Hundreds of Pine Island community residents enjoyed a day filled with music and fun Because of them, Franks' Bobcat Service was able to present the school with a check for over $3,000 to help with classroom expenses for the upcoming school year. This is our second 4th of July fundraiser for the elementary school and we look forward to making this an annual event. Thank you to everyone that helped to make the event a HUGE success.

PHOTO PROVIDED

The Beacon of Hope on Pine Island has announced its programs and activities for the month of August

■ Samaritan Health and Wellness, a primary care clinic, is now open at the Beacon every other Wednesday from 8 a m to noon This clinic provides care for the uninsured and underinsured The cost is $50 and help is available if needed People of all ages are welcome Mental health services are also availa b l e C a l l t h e B e a c o n t o m a k e a n appointment

■ Coffee Klatch – We have all been affected by Hurricane Ian in countless w a y s T h e B e a c o n o f H o p e w a n t s islanders to know it is here to support them The Beacon hope islanders will join the gathering for conversation, coffee and support The Beacon is providing a safe space to share, be heard and connect with others to lift spirits and honor islanders' strength and resilience as everyone moves forward This meeting will be on hold for the month of August It will re-start in the fall Watch for the date Any questions call Ronda at 231-383-1302

■ The Food Bank – On hold until September The Emergency Pantry is available when The Beacon is open Wellness Committee – Next meeting will be Sept 18 at 10 a m

■ Blood pressure screening is held every Wednesday from 1-2 p m and every Saturday morning from 10-11 a m

■ The Veteran’s Support group meets on the first Friday of every month from 9 a m to 12:30 p m Call 239-2835123 to make an appointment

■ Beacon Bites (our meals on wheels) is available Call if you need to sign up

■ Transportation to medical appointments and treatments is available to anywhere in Lee County Please call and reserve 48 hours before your appointment.

■ Strange Arrangement – Mondays 6-7:30 p m Lessons given A musical experience

■ Fundraising meeting – Monday, Sept 18, at 9 a m

■ Grants Committee meeting – To be announced

■ Homelessness Committee – To be announced

■ Pine Island Boy and Cub Scout Troop will be meeting Wednesdays at 6 p m

■ Girl Scout Troop will meet on Fridays at 6 p m

■ GED classes are on Tuesday and Thursday, from 9 a m to 2 p m

■ E S O L c l a s s e s a r e h e l d e v e r y Monday at 7 p.m. at the Beacon and every Thursday from 6-8 p m

■ Partners in Breast Care will be here in September - date to be announced

■ The Attic (Thrift Store) is open Monday through Friday from 9 a m to 3 p m It will be closed on Wednesday Saturday hours are 10 a m to 3 p m Donations are accepted until 2:30 p m unless occasionally its gets overloaded Every Tuesday is 50% off clothing, shoes and similar items Fifty percent off “almost everything” will be on Aug 15, and Sept 5

The Beacon of Hope, located at 5090 Doug Taylor Circle, St James City, is open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, from 9 a m to 5 p m Computers, fax and printer are available for use. Case managers are available at these times Call and make an appointment The Beacon of Hope telephone number is 239-283-5123

Beacon announces activities for August Island Mahjongg

W e w e r e a s m a l l group of five players for mahjongg on Thursday, July 27

It was good to welcome Kathy Richardson back.

T o p s c o r e r s f o r t h e day were Mary Halbleib with 55 points, Jerilynn Adin Safran with 85 and Kathy Richardson with 95 M a h j o n g g i s p l a y e d f r o m 1 - 4 p m e v e r y Thursday For now we are not playing at the St James City Civic Center, s o p l e a s e c a l l C a r o l y n

-

8 2 t o f i n d out where the group will be playing on Thursday Aug 3

Public meeting to discuss future of Lee County Civic Center complex Aug. 17

Lee County Parks & Recreation will h o s t a d r o p - i n s t y l e p u b l i c m e e t i n g r e g a r d i n g t h e C i v i c C e n t e r c o m p l e x from 6-8 p m Thursday, Aug 17, at the North Fort Myers Recreation Center, 2 0 0 0 N o r t h R e c r e a t i o n P a r k W a y , North Fort Myers

A p u b l i c s u r v e y w a s c r e a t e d i n March to garner public input on longterm options for the Lee County Civic Center complex The public meeting will give residents the opportunity to view the survey results and help give input on the future of the complex

The meeting will be a drop-in format so residents can attend at whatever time is convenient for them to view presentation materials and interact with staff

Lee County has launched a landing page, www leegov com/CivicCenter, to provide easy access to information about the Civic Center, including interactive maps, history, timelines and more in a u s e r - f r i e n d l y f o r m a t . T h e s i t e a l s o includes summaries of recent Board of C o u n t y C o m m i s s i o n e r s ’ a c t i o n s a n d links to videos so residents can watch the Board discussions A virtual comment card will be available on the Civic Center landing page for one week following the meeting for those who were not able to attend

F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t L e e County Parks and Recreation locations,

Lee County has launched a landing page, www leegov com/ CivicCenter, to provide easy access to information about the Civic Center, including interactive maps, history, timelines and more in a user-friendly format.

a m e n i t i e s a n d s p e c i a l e v e n t s , v i s i t www leeparks org, call 239-533-7275, e m a i l l e e p a r k s @ l e e g o v c o m o r v i s i t @ l e e p a r k s a n d r e c r e a t i o n o n F a c e b o o k and Instagram

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

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Lee County will not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities in its services, programs, or activities To request an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication or a reasonable modific a t i o n t o p a r t i c i p a t e , c o n t a c t J o a n L a G u a r d i a , 2 3 9 - 5 3 3 - 2 3 1 4 , F l o r i d a Relay Service 711, or jlaguardia@leegov com Accommodation will be prov i d e d a t n o c o s t t o t h e r e q u e s t o r Requests should be made at least five business days in advance

the activities available at Sugar Sand Beach RV Resort.

Resort

From page

said, they are well on the road to recovery

The property is currently set up for guests with a lounge area, shower and bathroom, with a laundry facility as well as a kitchenette

Brantingham said they are interested in working closely with the Greater Pine Island Chamber of Commerce, as well as local artists of all kinds, including musi-

cians, in order to keep the island traditions, and the spirit for which it’s known

“We love our locals and we want you to come down and enjoy another little slice of paradise,” Brantingham said Sugar Sand Beach RV Resort is at 11200 Porpoise Point Road, Matlacha F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , c a l l 2 3 9 - 6 7 63880

Eagle Editorial

From page 4

in 2020 ”

T h e r e p o r t , f o u n d a t c c f g e o r g e town edu, cited CDC data “showing that the median number of adolescents dying of a drug overdose each month rose by 109% from July-December 2019 to the same time period in 2021, and that deaths involving illicitly manufactured fentanyl increased by 182% ”

T h e r e a r e , u n f o r t u n a t e l y , n o e a s y answers the just-say-no ship sank long, long ago

But there is information out there for adults looking for ways to have conversations with their kids

Drug Free Lee is among the organizations that offer resources and information

With the first day of school set for Aug 10, they have gathered a handful of local speakers to take part in their “Virtual Backpack for Parents” event, which will b e s t r e a m e d t h r o u g h t h e S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a P r e v e n t i o n P a r e n t s F a c e b o o k page

The four short sessions will be posted at noon on the scheduled days but parents

can view at their convenience

The sessions are:

■ Tuesday, Aug 1: Opioids What You Don’t Know Can Kill You(r Kids!): Guy Blanchette, Drug Free Collier

■ Wednesday, Aug 2: Vaping in Plain Sight, Emmanuelle Perez, Tobacco Free Hendry

■ T h u r s d a y , A u g 3 : P r e v e n t i o n R e s o u r c e s a t Y o u r F i n g e r t i p s , D i a n e Ramseyer, Drug Free Charlotte

■ Friday, Aug 4: Talking and talking Back About Drugs, Mary Fischer, Drug Free Lee

Drug Free Lee’s mission “is to reduce substance abuse in Lee County by raising a w a r e n e s s o f p r e v e n t i o n r e s o u r c e s t h r o u g h c o l l a b o r a t i o n , e d u c a t i o n a n d inspiration ”

They offer a wealth of information, including a comprehensive list of prevention, support, treatment and mental health care options at drugfreelee.org

We thank them for their efforts

Drugs have become America’s killing field

And too many kids have been led to the slaughter

August means steamy weather, storms

O n t h e w a t e r a r o u n d S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a i n

August means dealing with steamy hot weather and the possibility of daily thunderstorms Fishing can be good for the month if you don’t mind working around the heat and weather

Summer days give us flat calm seas over the morning hours, perfect for running o f f s h o r e A m e r i c a n r e d snapper season closed the first of August, but there are other fishing options, with many not far from land Our c o a s t l i n e i s d o t t e d w i t h man-made artificial reefs, many well within sight of land with GPS coordinates available to the public If you are an inshore angler, it’s a nice change of pace to make a short run offshore, especially during the heat of summer when the inshore water temperatures are so high

Capt Bill Russell

On the Water

You will catch a lot of undersize trout in between the larger fish

Mangrove snapper fishing is a good choice throughout the inshore and near shore waters They gather around s t r u c t u r e w i t h g o o d w a t e r movement; this could include any of the Gulf passes, docks and jetties, bridges, piers, and natural or man-made reefs

F o r b a i t , l i v e s h r i m p , pilchards and small pinfish is the ticket, plus small pieces of cut bait

S n a p p e r h a v e e x c e l l e n t vision, a small circle hook with 3 feet or longer of 10 to 20-pound fluorocarbon leader will put the odds in your favor Snapper are hard fighting for their size and are one of the absolute best tasting fish in our waters If you have visitors over the summer, snapper can make a great target and reward you with a fine dinner

The hot days of August are a good time to catch a mess of tasty snappers. Randy Dalton and gang did just that while fishing Pine Island Sound with Capt Bill Russell

Fishing around the reefs, you never k n o w w h a t y o u m i g h t h o o k i n t o

Everything from tasty snapper to huge goliath grouper call the reefs their home

To get the most out of the day you want an assortment of tackle that can manage the fish you target and any surprise guest. Obviously with snapper you do not need super heavy tackle, the lighter the better for the best action. But, if you want to attempt to pull a big goliath grouper from his home you will need a rig extra heavy, were talking 200 to 400-pound line And many times, that’s not heavy enough

In between snapper and goliaths is the possibility of Spanish and king mackerel, cobia, permit, barracuda, snook, grouper, sharks of all sizes, plus many other species

A common method is to anchor up, deploy a chum bag and fish several different line class rods and baits for a variety of fish

Inshore, seatrout fishing is good through the summer Look for larger trout over areas of open water where shallow sand bars transition to deeper grass flats from 36 feet deep with good water movement

Schools of small baitfish concentrate in these areas Trout, plus Spanish mackerel, bluefish, ladyfish a n d s h a r k s a r e located around the bait. Diving pelic a n s , t e r n s a n d gulls often give up t h e l o c a t i o n o f s c h o o l i n g b a i t

Good numbers of snook are roaming the surf along the gulf beaches throughout the summer and are a sight fishermen’s dream Most snook are under 26 inches, but there are much bigger fish mixed in Pilchards, herring, small pinfish, 1/8 or 1/4-ounce white bucktail jigs, and a variety of small white flies are top baits Look for the fish right off the edge of the beach in the surf or near any type of submerged structure. R e m e m b e r s n o o k a r e c a t c h - a n - r e l e a s e only, quickly return them to the water Snook, like most fish, are most active early and late in the day over the summer months

Whatever type of fishing or water activity you choose, be smart, keep hydrated, and watch those thunderstorms

Stay up to date with fishing regulations by visiting www myfwc com Also, upload the Fish Rules app on your phone It has current regulations with pictures to help identify fish

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

As a lifetime resident of Matlacha and Pine Island, Capt. Bill Russell has spent his life fishing and learning the waters a r o u n d P i n e I s l a n d a n d S o u t h w e s t Florida, and as a professional fishing guide for the past 23 years

PHOTO PROVIDED

growing in Pine Island for 300 or 400 years Really the only commercial production of mangoes in the United States is in South Florida You can’t grow them commercially anywhere else in the continental U.S. You can grow them in South Texas, Arizona, California, but commercially it’s not viable Also, mangoes are one of the most drought-tolerant fruit trees that you can grow They can withstand over 9 months of drought once they’re established, they can live for well over 9 months without a drop of rain, ” Cucura said Cucura said they realized how many friends they have in the neighborhood, as other islanders have been helping out and sending business their way

“Even competitors have been sending us contacts and their customers, to try to get us back on our feet again It’s been a very encouraging recovery never would

have thought there was this much generosity out there We never asked for any help because we knew we could do it on our own, but, with help, it’s definitely stronger a

them even boated back to the island to do whatever they were able to do to keep the business going

FruitScapes is at 12870 Stringfellow Road, Bokeelia For additional information about the business, please call 239-237-6657

Waterzway Work Boats

the local waterways, he said Once pollutants are gathered, they are then placed on barges and shipped out These machines, he said, are predominantly run on vegetable oil, rather than gasoline

“We’re the eco-friendly way to clean the waterway,” Meeks said

Simply cleaning up from Hurricane Ian has basically been a full-time job in itself, Meeks admits, saying his customers have been very patient, as they have been working approximately 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, for almost 6 months now

“We were not just trying to do cleanup, we were actually trying to help people as we went along There was always someone with something floating down the middle and we always try to help if we can,” Meeks said

The average job for Waterzway Work Boats includes the cleaning of lakes ponds and canals, Meeks said In addition, they try to clean up evasive vegetation by removing it, which makes up much of their normal workday There is also debris removal, if necessary, such as when trees may be blocking a canal In addition to private land owners, which comprises most the its clientele, the company is also called to do some government work, Meeks said

“We also have cleaned up red tide at different times

From page 1

We have been deep in red tide cleaning up dead fish We’re here to help in any of those capacities,” Meeks said

While working hard to clean up local waterways, Meeks said, they try not to use unnatural chemicals of any kind, although he said, there are times, the use of some chemicals is necessary

“We’re not a big spray company We try to do removal without using chemicals Chemicals have a place it’s just that we don’t use a lot of that. I know people who do that for me if somebody requests it But we can do anything we’d like to get into re-planting But most of all we use our machines, because they’re specialty machines,” Meeks said

Meeks admits, although this is his business, the biggest goal for his company is being a servant to the island, which he said is very personal and taken with a great deal of seriousness

“A lot of people lost everything and any way we can help we’re going to try to help Just being a good servant is what I think is important,” Meeks said

Waterzway Work Boats' home office is at 5871 Porpoise Road, Bokeelia For more information, call 1352-765-3808

From page 4

has given out and whether they changed it or didn’t change it

It really is a guessing game on what Biden will come up with next Good Ole Snake Eyes Joe, why don’t you sit back and a have a Bud Light and try not to spy on everyone f

The team at FruitScapes in Bokeelia

will continue to serve as an informational r e s o u r c e f o r C D B G - D R a c t i v i t i e s

Interested parties are encouraged to visit w w w l e e g o v c o m / r e c o v e r y / c d b g - d r f o r

updates

L e e C o u n t y ’ s O f f i c e o f S t r a t e g i c Resources and Government Affairs has prepared a timeline describing the necess a r y s t e p s a n d o t h e r i n f o r m a t i o n a t

w w w . l e e g o v . c o m / r e c o v e r y / c d b g - d r . T h i s webpage will continue to serve as an informational resource for CDBG-DR activities Interested parties are encouraged to visit this resource periodically for updates

T h e L e e B o a r d o f C o u n t y Commissioners received a staff update and presentation June 27 To view the meeting video, visit the county’s YouTube channel,

Cat of the Week

Ar thur

This handsome boy is hoping to be the center of your world. Arthur was very scared when he first came to us, but time and kindness has turned him into a lap cat He enjoys following the volunteers around, but the moment a lap is available, he’s in it Arthur prefers to be petted on his head, which makes us curious about his history and if someone hurt him He’s approximately 2 years old and is hoping to be your best friend For more information, call Helping Paws Animal Sanctuary at 239-283-9100. If you’d rather just donate, our address is 10060 Mallory Parkway, E., Unit D, St. James City, FL, 33956 or there’s always our website www.helpingpawsanimalsanctuary.com

www.youtube.com/@LeeCountyFLBOCC /videos and search for the date The agenda and presentation can also be found online at www leegov com/bocc/meetings/agendas

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Lee County will not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities in its services, programs or activities To request an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication or a r e a s o n a b l e m o d i f i c a t i o n t o p a r t i c i p a t e , contact Joan LaGuardia, 239-533-2314, F l o r i d a R e l a y S e r v i c e 7 1 1 , o r j l ag u a r d i a @ l e e g o v c o m A c c o m m o d a t i o n will be provided at no cost to the requester Requests should be made at least five business days in advance

This is a notification regarding Lee

C o u n t y ' s A c t i o n P l a n f o r C o m m u n i t y

D e v e l o p m e n t B l o c k G r a n t D i s a s t e r Recovery Funds (CDBG-DR), provided by the Department of Housing and Urban D e v e l o p m e n t ( H U D ) a s a r e s u l t o f Hurricane Ian in 2022 To request translation of this notice or to request interpretation services for any of the public meetings regarding CDBG-DR, please email recovery@leegov com or call 239-533-2315

The Lee County website is equipped with options for language selection If you are having trouble accessing any web content, please contact Sam Westen at 239533-2112 or swesten@leegov com To request a reasonable accommodation for an a l

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