Cape Coral Weekend Breeze

Residents rally to become Yacht Club ‘stakeholders’

1,500 apply to help determine what ballroom elements have historic value & should be preserved

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

From among 1,500 resident applicants, 12 will be chosen via lottery to become part of the Cape Coral Yacht Club stakeholders group

Twelve residents selected by lottery will be part of a group empaneled to help decide what elements of the historic ballroom should be saved or incorporated into a new structure at the city park. An appointee from the Youth Council and the Cape Coral Historical Museum will bring the stakeholders group to a total of 14 members.

Cape Coral City Council decided this week to have 12 general public members, instead of the six interim City Manager Michael Ilczyszyn initially recommended The group, which will help decide what ele-

GOING GREEN

ments of the historic ballroom should be saved or incorporated into a new structure,

First day was off to ‘a great start’

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

More than 100,000 children headed back to school Thursday and, despite some late buses, the first day of class was off to a great start, public school officials said

“The number is significantly smaller than last year and the delays are 30 minutes or less compared to an hour, or more, last year,” Lee County School District spokesperson Rob Spicker said of to-school transports

The district would like to remind parents that if their child is not currently assigned to a bus, or they want to request a new or different bus stop, they need to call their child’s school to enter the request

“We will collect all the requests for the first two weeks of school and process them all at the same

time Once all the changes are made we notify the bus riders several days in advance of the change taking place so they can be ready for the first day of the new service It is a process, but prevents us from making changes every single day that can be very disruptive based on the requests that come in Instead, we make one group of changes for everyone all at once,” Spicker said

Superintendent Dr. Christopher Bernier said during a Tuesday night meeting that the district was still in need of 67 bus drivers

See BACK TO SCHOOL, page 8

C C P D S c h o o l R e s o u r c e O f f i c e r S Wilcox works the first day of school at Caloosa Elementary School Thursday morning as kids head back to class

also will include an appointee from the Youth Council and the Cape Coral Historical Museum for a total of 14 members

The resident members will be chosen to represent varying years of residency

“My intent is to categorize the residents based on the number of years (they have

See STAKEHOLDERS, page 30

Gas prices hit a record high

Supply issues, weather cause sticker shock at the pump

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

Prices at the pump continue to rise throughout Florida, with a record-high reached recently

According to AAA-The Auto Club, which tracks gas prices all year, average Florida gas prices reached a new 2023 high of $3 84 per gallon, eclipsing the mark of $3 72 set back in April

Last week marked the fourth consecutive week prices have increased at the pump, and the average price of $3 84 per g a l l o n i s 5 7 c e n t s m o r e t h a n w h a t Sunshine State drivers paid on July 4

“Florida gas prices are now the highest since August of last year,” said AAA spokesperson Mark Jenkins, in a release “These surging prices have been driven by a couple of factors Extreme temperatures along the gulf coast has kept refineries from operating at full capacity Globally, oil prices are significantly higher than a month ago, as OPEC production cuts cause global oil supplies to tighten ”

On a somewhat positive note, AAA officials said Florida gas prices are starting to inch lower a few cents per gallon this week. AAA officials stated about half the price per gallon of gasoline is influenced by oil prices Last month, when prices were a bit lower, crude oil was trading just below $70 a barrel Now, AAA officials

See GAS PRICES, page 12

Workshop focuses on departmental budgets

B y M E G H A N B R A D B U RY n e w s @ b r e e z e n e w s p a p e r s c o m C a p e C o r a l C i t y C o u n c i l m e m b e r s h a d t h e i r f i r s t b u d g e t w o r k s h o p T u e s d a y a f t e r n o o n , w h i c h s h o w c a s e d a p r o p o s e d b u d g e t c a l l i n g f o r 5 9 n e w s t a f f i n g p o s i t i o n s t h r o u g h o u t 1 1 d e p a r t m e n t s A d d i t i o n a l s t a f f i n g c a l l s f o r 1 0 p o s i t i o n s f o r t h e P o l i c e D e p a r t m e n t ; t w o f o r B u i l d i n g C o d e ; 1 0 5 f o r t h e F i r e D e p a r t m e n t ; t w o f o r P r o p e r t y M a n a g e m e n t ; t w o f o r c a p i t a l i m p r o v e m e n t , t h r e e f o r P a r k s & R e c r e a t i o n ; t h r e e f o r P u b l i c W o r k s ; o n e f o r S o l i d W a s t e ; 1 0 f o r S t o r m w a t e r ; t h r e e f o r t h e D e p a r t m e n t o f D e v e l o p m e n t S e r v i c e s a n d 1 2 5 f o r W a t e r a n d S e w e r P o l i c e P o l i c e C h i e f A n t h o n y S i z e m o r e s a i d t h e b u d g e t f o c u s e s o n i n c r e a s e d e f f i c i e n c y a n d r e d e s i g n o f r e s p o n s e t i m e H e s a i d t h e C C P D h a s o p e r a t e d w i t h a n o r t h , c e n t r a l a n d s o u t h d i s t r i c t f r o m t h e r i v e r t o t h e s p r e a d e r O v e r t h e l a s t t w o a n d a h a l f y e a r s t h e r e d e s i g n h a s e v o l v e d i n t o a q u a d r a n t b a s e m o d e l t h a t m i r r o r s t h e m a p o f t h e c i t y “ O u t o f 2 8 0 , 0 0 0 c a l l s f o r s e r v i c e w e r u n a y e a r w i l l

The proposed general operating fund budget of $225,242,569, a 4.5 percent increase, calls for 59 new staffing positions among 11 departments

Proposed additional staffing includes 10 positions for the Police Department; two for Building Code; 10 5 for the Fire Department; two for Property Management; two for capital improvement, three for Parks & Recreation; three for Public Works; one for Solid Waste; 10 for stormwater; three for the Department of Development Services and 12.5 for Water and Sewer.

s h o w r e d u c t i o n t o r e s p o n s e t i m e , ” S i z e m o r e s a i d , a s t h e y w i l l h a v e s m a l l e r a r e a s t o r e s p o n d T h e s e c o n d p a r t o f t h e b u d g e t a d d r e s s e s a d d i t i o n a l s t a f f i n g d u e t o t h e s i g n i f i c a n t a m o u n t o f r e t i r e m e n t s t h i s y e a r . S i z e m o r e s a i d j u s t i n t h e r e m a i n d e r o f t h i s c a l e n d a r y e a r h e i s r e p l a c i n g t w o d e p u t y c h i e f s , f o u r c a p t a i n s , s i x l i e u t e n a n t s a n d 1 3 s e r g e a n t s

“ T h e r e a r e a l a r g e a m o u n t o f o f f i c e r s m o v i n g i n a n d m o v i n g u p I t ’ s a g o o d p r o b l e m t o h a v e , ” S i z e m o r e s a i d , b u t i t r e s u l t s i n c e r t a i n n e e d s T w o p o s i t i o n s h e t h o u g h t i m p o r t a n t , a n d t h e r e f o r e s h i f t e d a r o u n d t h e b u d g e t w a s f o r a t r a i n i n g d e t e c t i v e p o s i t i o n t o b e u p g r a d e d t o t r a i n i n g s e r g e a n t , a s w e l l a s a n e w p u b l i c i n f o r m a t i o n s p e c i a l i s t

“ I h a v e a f l e e t o f e n t i r e l y n e w f i e l d t r a i n i n g o f f i c e r s t h a t a r e t r a i n i n g a m a x a m o u n t o f i n f l u x o f n e w p e o p l e A n u p g r a d e t o a s e r g e a n t f r o m t h e t r a i n i n g d e p a r t m e n t f o c u s e s o n t h e m a i n j o b a n d o v e r s e e s t h a t e x p l o s i v e g r o w t h , ” S i z e m o r e s a i d H e s a i d h e a l s o a s k e d f o r t w o p a t r o l o f f i c e r s d e s i gn a t e d f o r c o n t r o l , b u t d e c i d e d t o d e f e r o n e , w h i c h p u t s a s a l a r y b a c k o n t h e t a b l e f o r a p u b l i c i n f o r m a t i o n s p ec i a l i s t “ O n e s w o r n o f f i c e r g o e s b a c k o n t h e s t r e e t n o w W h a t y o u g a i n i s a l o t o f f i s c a l f l e x i b i l i t y , ” S i z e m o r e s a i d

F i r e F i r e C h i e f R y a n L a m b s a i d a m o n g t h e 1 0 5 p o s it i o n s , e i g h t a r e s p e c i f i c a l l y f o r t h e f i r e d e p a r t m e n t T h e o t h e r p o s i t i o n s a r e a p r o j e c t m a n a g e r , s e n i o r f l e e t m e c h a n i c a n d o n e s e n i o r t r a d e s s p e c i a l i s t “ W e h a v e s e e n s i g n i f i c a n t g r o w t h f r o m 4 2 t o 6 2 d a i l y s t a f f , ” h e s a i d , a d d i n g t h a t t h e C C F D h a s a l s o a d d e d n e w f i r e s t a t i o n s “ T h e p r i o r i t y i s t o m a k e s u r e w e a r e g r o w i n g a p p r o p r i a t e l y " H e s a i d h i s b i g g e s t c o n c e r n o v e r t h e l a s t f i v e y e a r s i s t h e 4 3 p e r c e n t i n c r e a s e o f c a l l v o l u m e “ W e c o n t i n u e t o s e e a d e m a n d o n o u r r e s o u r c e s , ” L a m b s a i d

T h e C C F D i s i n n e e d o f a n a d d i t i o n a l r e s c u e t r u c k f o r a c r o s s t h e s y s t e m , w h i c h F i n a n c i a l S e r v i c e D i r e c t o r M a r k M a s o n s a i d t h e y h a v e a r e s e r v e v e h i c l e f o r n e x t y e a r , a s i m p a c t f e e s a r e c o m p l e t e l y u s e d f o r n e x t y e a r

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

a b i - f o l d d o o r

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

C o u n c i l m e m b e r B i l l S t e i n k e s a i d t h e b a y d o o r c o nv e r s i o n w o u l d i m p r o v e r e s p o n s e t i m e a n d b e a s a f eg u a r d i n a w e a t h e r e v e n t , s u c h a s a h u r r i c a n e

“

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

M a y o r J o h n G u n t e r s a i d w i t h o v e r t i m e r u n n i n g a t

$ 1 2 m i l l i o n a y e a r h e w o u l d l i k e t o s e e a b r e a k d o w n f o r t h e l a s t f i v e y e a r s

“

A s s t a f f g r o w s , o v e r t i m e w i l l g r o w , ” i n t e r i u m C i t y M a n a g e r M i c h a e l I l s z y s z y n s a i d “ T h e k e y i s t o l o o k a t o v e r t i m e r e q u i r e d d u e t o m i n i m u m s t a f f i n g W h e n y o u s t a r t t o l o o k a t t h e a t t r i b u t e s , i t i s r e a l l y g o i n g t o t e l l t h e p i c t u r e ” G u n t e r s a i d t h e p u b l i c s a f e t y s e c t o r i s a p r i o r i t y o f C o u n c i l H e s a i d h e i s l o o k i n g f o r w a r d t o g e t t i n g i n f o rm a t i o n o n o v e r t i m e f o r t h e F i r e D e p a r t m e n t “ I a m g u e s s i n g i t w i l l s h o w t h e n e e d f o r t h e t h r e e l i e u t e n a n t s T h e o t h e r c o n c e r n i s t h e o n e p o l i c e o f f i c e r w e l o s t , ” h e s a i d , a d d i n g t h a t h e w a n t s t o m a k e s u r e t h e y a r e g i v i n g p o l i c e a n d f i r e e x a c t l y w h a t t h e y n e e d

G u n t e r s a i d f i r e t r u c k s a r e 4 0 m o n t h s o u t , s o i f t h e y o r d e r n o w t h e y w o u l d n o t g e t t h e u n i t u n t i l t h e f o l l o wi n g f i s c a l y e a r “

Y o u d o n ’ t h a v e t o p a y f o r t h e t r u c k u n t i l i t g e t s h e r e , ” h e s a i d .

G u n t e r a s k e d c i t y s t a f f t o t r y a n d c r a f t a w a y t o i n c l u d e t h r e e l i e u t e n a n t s f o r t h e F i r e D e p a r t m e n t , o n e p o l i c e o f f i c e r f o r t h e P o l i c e D e p a r t m e n t a n d g e t t i n g o n e o f t h e f i r e r e s c u e t r u c k s o r d e r e d i n t o t h e b u d g e t

B u d g e t

T h e c i t y ’ s t o t a l b u d g e t f o r f i s c a l y e a r 2 0 2 3 i s p r op o s e d a t $ 1 , 0 9 0 , 9 8 9 , 1 2 8 , w i t h a p r o p o s e d g e n e r a l o p e r a t i n g f u n d t h a t i n c l u d e s p o l i c e , p a r k s a n d t r a n sp o r t a t i o n a t $ 2 2 5 , 2 4 2 , 5 6 9 , a 4 5 p e r c e n t i n c r e a s e o v e r t h e p r i o r f i s c a l y e a r

T h e p r o p o s e d m i l l a g e r a t e i s 5 3 6 9 4 f o r t h e G e n e r a l F u n d , w h i c h i s t h e s a m e a s t h e c u r r e n t r a t e . O n e m i l l i s e q u a l t o $ 1 o f e v e r y $ 1 , 0 0 0 o f a s s e s s e d t a x a b l e v a l u a t i o n T h e t o t a l t a x l e v y a t t h a t r a t e i s $ 1 3 8 , 2 1 7 , 2 8 2 a n d b u d g e t l e v y a t 9 6 p e r c e n t i s $ 1 3 2 , 6 8 8 , 5 9 1 T h e t o t a l b u d g e t l e v y f o r f i s c a l y e a r 2 0 2 3 w a s $ 1 1 7 , 0 7 3 , 3 8 0 , a 1 3 p e r c e n t i n c r e a s e T h e p r o p o s e d b u d g e t a l s o i n c l u d e s a n i n c r e a s e i n F i r e S e r v i c e A s s e s s m e n t r e v e n u e f r o m 6 2 p e r c e n t r e c o v e r y o f o p e r a t i o n a l c o s t s t o 7 0 p e r c e n t r e c o v e r y ; a 5 p e r c e n t i n c r e a s e i n w a t e r a n d s e w e r r a t e s ; a 5 p e r c e n t i n c r e a s e i n s t o r m w a t e r r a t e s a n d a n i n c r e a s e i n s o l i d w a s t e r a t e s “ T h e b u d g e t i s c o m p r i s e d o f 5 9 d i f f e r e n t f u n d s e a c h o f w h i c h h a s t o b a l a n c e , ” M a s o n s a i d H e s a i d w i t h t h e i n c r e a s e t o 7 0 p e r c e n t , t h e f i r e o p e ra t i o n f u n d w i l l h a v e a p r o p o s e d $ 1 3 m i l l i o n i n c r e a s e i n f i r e a s s e s s m e n t s T h e G e n e r a l F u n d a l s o h a d p r o p o s e d c h a n g e s f o r t h e P o l i c e D e p a r t m e n t s t a f f i n g a d j u s t m e n t s o f $ 1 2 , 5 3 5 a n d a n i n c r e a s e i n l o c a l h a l f - c e n t s a l e s t a x a n d m u n i c i p a l r e v e n u e s h a r i n g o f $ 3 , 0 7 2 , 0 6 2 T h e p r o p o s e d b u d g e t w e n t f r o m $ 2 2 5 , 2 4 2 , 5 6 9 t o a n a d j u s t e d p r o p o s e d b u d g e t o f $ 2 2 8 , 3 1 4 , 6 3 1 f o r t h e G e n e r a l F u n d D i f f e r e n t t h i s y e a r , M a s o n s a i d i s t h e d e l e t i o n o f n e t n e w t a x a b l e v a l u e , w h i c h f o r t h e c i t y i s $ 2 3 4 , 5 2 9 , 4 5 6 H e s a i d t h e d e l e t i o n w a s a r e s u l t o f H u r r i c a n e I a n w i t h h o m e s d a m a g e d d u e t o f i r e , s t o r m s u r g e a n d w i n d “ I f d e l e t e d $ 6 2 6 m i l l i o n o f f t h e b o o k s , i t w i l l l i k e l y c o m e b a c k o n a s n e w v a l u e s o m e t i m e i n t h e f u t u r e , ” M a s o n s a i d T h e d e l e t i o n o f p r o p e r t y , M a s o n s a i d c o u l d h a v e m e a n t a s h e d , o r f e n c e l o s t “ I t ’ s n o t n e c e s s a r i l y a c o n s t r u c t e d h o u s e i n e v e r y c a s e T h e r e w e r e h u n d r e d s o f p r o p e r t i e s f o r d a m a g e t o p r o c e s s a n d t h e y w e n t o u t t h e r e t o r e e v a l u a t e t h e m a n d d e l e t e t h e m f r o m t h e s y s t e m , ” h e s a i d “ I n s o m e c a s e s r e p a i r s h a v e b e e n d o n e a n d i t w o u l d e n d u p b e i n g a n a d d i t i o n t o t h e n e x t t i m e a r o u n d ” I n a d d i t i o n , a f t e r t h e h u r r i c a n e M a s o n s a i d t h e r e w a s a r u l e p a s s e d t h a t p e o p l e c o u l d s u p p l y d o c u m e n t a t i o n t o r e f u n d a n y t a x e s p a i d H e s a i d t h e c i t y i s r u n n i n g $ 2 3 0 , 0 0 0 r e t u r n e d b a c k w i t h a n o t h e r m o n t h t o g o

W i t h t h e d i s b a n d m e n t o f t h e B u d g e t R e v i e w C o m m i t t e e , t h e c i t y p u t t o g e t h e r i n f o r m a t i o n t o s h a r e i n r e g a r d s t o w h a t t h e o v e r a l l b u d g e t l o o k s l i k e i n a n 8 m i n u t e v i d e o t h a t i s a v a i l a b l e o n t h e c i t y ’ s w e b s i t e a t c a p e c o r a l g o v

A s e c o n d b u d g e t w o r k s h o p w i l l b e h e l d a t 2 p m o n T u e s d a y , A u g .

1 5 . T h e f i r s t p u b l i c h e a r i n g i s T h u r s d a y , S e p t 7 , a t 5 : 0 5 p m t o a p p r o v e t h e t e n t a t i v e m i l l a g e r a t e s a n d p r o p o s e d b u d g e t T h e f i n a l p u b l i c h e a r i n g i s s e t f o r T h u r s d a y , S e p t

2 1 , a t 5 : 0 5 p m t o a d o p t t h e m i l l a g e r a t e s a n d b u d g e t

T h e w o r k s h o p a n d h e a r i n g s a r e o p e n t o t h e p u b l i c a n d w i l l b e h e l d i n C i t y C o u n c i l c h a m b e r s a t C i t y H a l l ,

1 0 1 5 C u l t u r a l P a r k B o u l e v a r d

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

Safety first as new school year begins

School safety has been redefined

Yes, the traditional reminders as little feet hit the streets are still current but school districts and law enforcement agencies across the country have stepped up security in a world where locked doors and campus fences almost unheard of just a generation ago are no longer enough

In its back-to-school message to parents this week, the School District of Lee County emphasized a pair of initiatives designed to keep campuses safer from those with ill intent

The district has implemented its Guardian Program which allows the placement of trained, uniformed, armed employees within Lee County Schools as a “force multiplier” in addition to School Resource Officers, long a standard on-campus presence.

The district partnered with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, which oversaw and provided the training, to make this new-toFlorida program happen

The district has also rolled out OPENGATE, a weapons detection system to be installed in every school All students and visitors will undergo a virtual search for possible weapons and other items not allowed on campus

Too much?

We’d like to think so a school employee never having to make an armed response, a weapon never brought on campus is not only the scenario the district and local law enforcement intend, it is exactly the one we all want as well

Back to the traditional, what we, as parents, as residents can do

AAA – The Auto Club Group, released its annual School’s Open Drive Carefully campaign this week

The release offers the following tips for drivers and they are well worth a review as school begins:

■ Slow down. Speed limits in school zones are reduced for a reason A pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling at 25 mph is nearly two-thirds less likely to be killed compared to a pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling just 10 mph faster

■ Come to a complete stop Research shows that more than one-third of drivers roll through stop signs in school zones or neighborhoods Always come to a complete stop, checking carefully for children on sidewalks and in crosswalks before proceeding

■ Eliminate distractions Research shows that taking your eyes off the road for just two seconds doubles your chances of crashing

■ Stop for buses. Motorists are required to stop when approaching a school bus that is stopped with its red lights flashing and STOP arms extended The only exception is on a divided highway with a raised divider

■ Share the road with bicyclists. Children on bicycles are often inexperienced, unsteady and unpredictable. Slow down and allow at least 3 feet of passing distance between your vehicle and a bicyclist

■ Talk to your teen Car crashes are one of the leading causes of death for teens in the United States, and nearly one in four fatal crashes involving teen drivers occurs during the after-school hours of 3 p m to 7 p m

AAA also provides back-to-school safety reminders for bicyclists and students

These additional tips from AAA may be found with this editorial posted to capecoralbreeze com

Take care

Be aware

May the 2023-24 school year be the best one yet for every Lee County student

Fix the Chiquita Lock

Something needs to be done about the Chiquita Lock The lock was designed to prevent Cape Coral’s polluted water from entering the Caloosahatchee estuary. It has fallen into disrepair, is a headache for boaters, and is dangerous for manatees

Since Hurricane Ian, the lock has been broken open, allowing pollutants to flow freely into the Caloosahatchee estuary While the city wants to remove the lock, we should not throw the baby out with the bathwater Instead, the lock should be updated so it can continue to protect the Caloosahatchee estuary without impacting manatees and boaters

Matt

DePaolis

Guest Commentary

T h e S a n i b e l - C a p t i v a C o n s e r v a t i o n Foundation’s mission is to protect and care for Southwest Florida’s coastal ecosystems Inherent in a healthy ecosystem is clean water, which is unfortunately becoming a scarce resource Nutrients from stormwater and wastewater feed massive algal blooms in our marine environments

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) block sunlight from native seagrasses, can decompose creating hypoxic dead zones, and can be toxic to both people and wildlife The Chiquita Lock helps prevent polluted water from entering the estuary and fueling these HABs

The Chiquita Lock was installed after a consent order was issued that required the implementation and maintenance of a spreader system to prevent polluted stormwater from harming the Caloosahatchee estuary

The lock serves as a barrier, raising the water level in the canals until it spills over the southern edge and is naturally filtered through 3,000 feet of mangroves before entering the estuary Even broken open in its current state it is still functioning at a limited capacity

The location of the lock remains a narrow bottleneck that sends some water through the spreader system, keeping the mangroves alive A similar system was built with the Ceitus Boat Lift, and after it was removed in 2007 a massive mangrove die-off occurred Removing the lock would remove this last bit of functionality and likely have

a dramatic impact on the mangroves and estuary

The need for the lock has not gone away The waters within Cape Coral’s canals are still polluted, and if they are allowed to flow freely into the estuary, our environment will suffer The consent order requires the city of Cape Coral to maintain the lock, but it has failed to do so

The lock has proven to be a nuisance for boaters and it has been fatal to manatees, like many of the locks around Florida While this is horrific and must be avoided at all costs, removing the lock will cause greater devastation

Additional pollution in the estuary will impact already depleted seagrass beds, which are a major food source for manatees While 19 manatees were killed in boat lifts across Florida in 2022, another 800 died of starvation Protecting manatees requires protecting seagrass, which means preserving the Chiquita Lock

It is clear that changes need to be made to the lock Instead of removing it, we have an opportunity to fix it so it functions for the benefit of everybody boaters, manatees, and the environment A high-speed, two-way lock could be installed that would drastically cut down wait times for boaters A combination of sensors, manatee exclusion devices, and a lock tender could ensure that manatees are not unwittingly caught in the lock

The Chiquita Lock is a headache for boaters and Cape Coral, and while its removal would have small benefits, the e n v i r o n m e n t a l c o n s e q u e n c e s w o u l d b e d e v a s t a t i n g

Instead, the city should uphold its responsibility to ensure that the spreader system continues to function by fixing the lock and updating it to serve the needs of all stakeholders, boaters, manatees, and all of Southwest Florida’s coastal ecosystems

Matt DePaolis is the Environmental Policy director for the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Purple Hear t Day recognition much appreciated

To the editor:

The City of Cape Coral honored our Purple Heart Recipients in recognition of National Purple Heart Day on Aug 7, 2023 by dedicating a Purple Heart Parking Space at City Hall on Wednesday morning followed by a certificate recognition program at the City Council Meeting later in the afternoon

Recognizing and honoring our combat wounded and killed in action veterans for their “No Greater Love” sacrifices was well received by all our Purple Heart Recipients on that day.

South Cape Coral Parkway displayed Purple Heart Banners on the light poles showing that Cape Coral was a proclaimed Purple Heart City along with banners recognizing National Purple Heart Day on Aug 7, 2023

On behalf of The Bert Kurland Chapter 696 of The Military Order of the Purple Heart (Lee, Collier & Hendry Counties) here in SWFL I want to extend a special thank you to the mayor, City Council and all the city staff who made this such an honorable event Jack Wagner, Commander Cape Coral

Residents paying the price of paradise paved

To the editor:

This is an open letter to Lee County commissioners:

You have demonstrated great zeal in allowing our county to become overrun with developments while at the same time mismanaging it

Your employees, the County Attorney, the Hearing

Examiner, and the County Manager dutifully follow your orders no matter the number of times plans, rules, and regulations are contravened The residents of this county are the ones who suffer, and will continue to suffer, the most

Let’s start with infrastructure You have greatly reduced impact fees which results in newcomers no longer having to cover the costs incurred from their move here; but, at the same time you expect current residents to foot the costs of these new arrivals

You allow all these developments to be built without adequate infrastructure in place Yet, you want us to believe you are doing a great job by scheduling these presently needed infrastructure improvements 10–15 years in the future.

Reminds me of an old adage that says something about putting the cart before the horse

You tout yourselves as being environmentally conscious and consider yourselves to have done an admirable job by requiring some green space in these developments which are being built on environmentally sensitive land You have allowed changes which have permitted a 1,500% increase in density in these same lands

Do you limit the amount of grassed areas which are dependent on abundant watering?

Do you require that plantings consist only of plants native to our climate?

Do you require micro irrigation in planted areas?

Do you require environmentally friendly products to be used in construction? i e low carbon concrete, highly permeable surfaces for roads, sidewalks, and driveways

Do you require Energy Star rated appliances?

Do you require residences to meet Florida Water Star Gold Certification?

See LETTERS, page 6

Member Florida Press Association

How can our aquifers recharge when you blithely allow then to be paved over? Science has shown that salt water intrudes into our aquifers when not allowed to be properly recharged The same science has noted the appearance of many sinkholes in Florida because of poor recharging

Apparently you think that our fresh water supply is infinite and will always be there no matter how you abuse it

I have visited some of the developments where you required littoral plantings These plantings no longer or just barely exist in some of them What are the requirements you put into place to ensure they are there? Who did you designate to enforce/regulate this?

Having looked at the plans for Kingston, I noticed that there are wildlife corridors planned which will allow animals to move through the development However, these corridors seem to dead-end at Corkscrew without any safe way to cross to the other side Is this your way of reducing the panther population?

This is only a very brief overview but it leads one to the perception that one of your best skillsets is collecting campaign funds from developers and then granting them their every wish

Norman Cannon Fort Myers

Media for ms hinder, not enhance, parental rights

To the editor:

I write as one of the team leaders of The Purple Group to speak out for the many others parents, grandparents, teachers, even business owners who agree with our concerns

However, they do not feel comfortable going public with their concerns Why? Because they fear personal and professional repercussions by those with a narrow political agenda What have we come to?

My remarks to the Lee County School Board on Tuesday represent the beliefs of many not there

We wonder why the superintendent asked the school board, whose responsibility it is to make policy, to direct the drafting of a process document the Media Access Form which is the staff’s responsibility The result? A new form that provides NO option for a parent to allow their child full access to all educational materials currently accessible in the media center The NEW form violates parental rights and freedom to direct their child’s education

The original Media Access Form with appropriate choices was one of the process documents presented to the board at a workshop July 26 These were developed with discussion and input over the course of many months at CUAC meetings with comments from community members You tell us you highly value your “Community Partners.” Why then did you override the work of staff and community? We ask you to remove the restrictive, misleading Media Form currently on the website Wait until a well-constructed form is developed by staff

Finally, we are concerned about Teachers who are the heart and soul of the learning environment in any school Staff has clear processes and criteria in place for the districtwide review of all the books in media centers and in teachers’ personal classroom libraries as required by law On July 26 you assured us this review was complete Now it is time for the administration and the board to support teachers assure them you have their back you value them, you support their rights as professionals, as well as parent’s and student’s rights You must speak up to help restore trust in teachers and public education

Madelon V Stewart Fort Myers

Aid to Ukraine necessar y and well watched

To the editor:

American aid to Ukraine is serious, and the accountability mechanisms to make sure it isn’t wasted are just as serious That’s why recent comments by Florida Rep Byron Donalds (R-19) at a town hall are such a head-scratcher. Donalds falsely claimed that after the U S sent aid to Ukraine, “nobody has no earthly idea what was spent on who ”

Rep Donalds is flat-out wrong The U S knows exactly where aid goes, and Ukrainians know that if they allow American weapons, supplies, or money to get misused or lost, they risk losing the trust of Americans and jeopardizing future aid.

Accountability is a matter of life-or-death for Ukraine as it fights for survival In a recent nightly address to the nation, President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated that corruption is tantamount to treason, and that “Ukraine has no more time for that ”

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

But there’s no need to take Ukraine’s word for it The U S has put in place plenty of measures to ensure every bit of aid is accounted for from start to finish

When three of the more than 20 inspectors general responsible for overseeing this aid testified to Congress this year, they declared that no allegations of waste, fraud, or abuse have been substantiated General Christopher Cavoli, commander of EUCOM, echoes their confidence as well

In every major aid package Congress has approved for Ukraine, it has included numerous mechanisms for accountability, and the upcoming supplemental aid it’s preparing to debate will be no different

With just a basic Google search, members of the public as well as members of Congress who are curious about the current U S oversight measures in Ukraine can learn about the “joint workings group on Ukraine oversight,” and even review dashboards where every single report and investigation on fraud is periodically updated and readily accessible

By congressional mandate, the secretary of defense must provide regular reports on the measures taken to track U S aid It also mandates that budgetary support to keep the Ukrainian government functioning properly must be kept in auditable accounts subject to regular inspections from the secretaries of State, Treasury, and the administrator of USAID Congress is also ramping up oversight by properly staffing relevant inspectors general to watch over support to Ukraine, a measure which comes out of the National Defense Authorization Act for 2024

Aid to Ukraine is also conducted in cooperation with other international organizations such as the World Bank and independent accounting firms like Deloitte, requiring, among other things, that the Ukrainian government submit receipts and documentation for how it uses U S aid for verification by independent auditors and U S inspectors

Ukraine also has impressive tech systems, such as the “super app” Diia, which most services such as payroll for government officials, including teachers, health care workers, and first responders, are managed through “There’s a digital trail,” says USAID Administrator Samantha Power “It’s not, you know, some official deciding this or that. It is going directly into the bank accounts in a manner that would have been untraceable in a prior regime ”

The U S also has staff on the ground in Ukraine verifying that what we send gets to the right place Ukraine has to use NATO-standard logistics systems and innovative blockchain technology for real-time tracking of materials, using handheld scanners to physically log the movements of U S equipment making them fully visible to the U S government You can get a visual of the many humanitarian depots we have set up throughout Ukraine, where U S oversight of aid is made even more feasible

The U S embassy in Kyiv is also staffed by dozens of diplomats who all volunteered to risk their lives under Russian bombardment to get serve their country at a critical moment

As conservative journalist Bret Stephens recently wrote in the New York Times after visiting them, “They have the job of overseeing one of the largest U S assistance efforts since the Marshall Plan, ensuring that tens of thousands of individual pieces of American military hardware in Ukrainian hands are properly accounted for ”

The security services of Ukraine made headlines this month for finding out about and then stopping attempts to steal American weapons and sell them on the black market, including by Russian agents This should inspire confidence in Americans that the system is working as it should Ukrainian law enforcement is yet another force watching over American aid, and they’re keeping it in the right hands Ukrainian journalists are another brilliant force providing oversight, constantly investigating and exposing attempted corruption, forcing the government to take action and stamp it out Take, for example, “Dubai Battalion”, a recent investigative documentary led by Ukrainian journalists, which exposed certain “Ukrainian” politicians those who have a tendency to be “pro-Russia” enjoying luxurious vacations while Ukrainians die at the hands of Russia’s terrorist dictatorship

Ukrainians don’t shy away from these topics. For Ukrainians, it is a principle, especially in time of Russian aggression to spend money allocated by the state for its intended purpose, as for them, abuse and corruption is synonymous with Russia’s war

One of the reasons Russia invaded Ukraine was because Ukrainians boldly declared that they wanted to break with the past and move beyond Russian-style corruption Well-aware that corruption represents a link to the “old elite” of the Soviet communist system, Ukrainian people led two revolutions to oust the old elite

Calls for the need to use lustration as one of the effective ways to prevent corruption began to be heard in 2004 after the Orange Revolution Since the Maidan revolution in 2014 which ousted pro-Russia usurper Viktor Yanukovych, a few dozen of the new deputies elected to the Ukrainian government were anti-corruption activists Now more than ever, even

more anti-corruption activists lead Ukraine These activists are not likely to be silenced or bribed

With robust oversight already in place, political will is the key ingredient to ensure accountability. Ukrainians possess this political will They know that abusing American aid puts their dream of finally living in peace at risk

Rep Donalds declared at his town hall earlier this month that he wouldn’t vote for upcoming Ukrainian supplemental aid unless there’s “real accountability measures” included in it He can rest assured that those measures are already in place, and are only likely to be strengthened further Plenty of Floridians look forward to his “yes” vote

Alexandra Zakhvatayev Cape Coral Moral or amoral?

To the editor:

I just read another national negative article on Governor DeSantis, the best governor of any large state in the union He won the last election by 20% So why is Trump and the national press insulting him? Two reasons

First, the Democrats own the national press and they would much rather Trump run than DeSantis In 2020, he lost to maybe the worse candidate ever and in 2022, he was the reason Republicans missed a great opportunity for a wave In 2022, he overrode sure winners in the Republican Party for “I love Trump candidates” which lost The media and Democrats used “I hate Trump” and abortion to win in 2022 The majority chose those two items over curbing inflation, stopping crime in the cities and stopping the catastrophic rise in debt

Now even some Republicans are expressing a dislike for Trump because he insults other Republicans

Second reason is the saddest reason of all America is turning away from Christianity and the morals that they preach Abortion is the best example Pro-abortionists want to have the right to end a young life There is more Democrats are multiplying handouts which gives them more votes College graduates want to be free from debt so they can live a higher life style which is hard to do while paying off the loan If you were an illegal immigrant receiving free food, education, medical and welfare, wouldn’t you like the Democrats? The argument that our ancestors were immigrants doesn’t use the word legal Which they were then I am pro legal immigrant We need immigrants

Debt is a biblical sin Yet just the credit card debt in this country is $1 33 trillion and the national debt has soared to nearly $34 trillion, an unbelievable number Our debt has grown 230% faster than our economy in the last 60 years A family of five now has a national debt portion of almost $500,000 today

Crime is rampant in our Democratically governed cities but those affected still vote for the incumbents even though Americans are unsafe in our land of the free and home of the brave.

There are fewer churches every year in this country Projections say that Christianity is diminishing in America and with it, a moral compass

Conclusion? This country’s majority has made America an amoral society having no sense of right and wrong, only what is personally gratifying and convenient The majority voting for an amoral society are Democrats but not totally Many are locked into their life and don’t take the time to understand government They fall for advertising slogans

Can we trust America to change back? Or have we reached the point of no return? Question is too big for me to answer John

Benedict Cape Coral

This week’s poll question:

Ron DeSantis or Donald Trump?

∫ Ron DeSantis.

∫ Donald Trump

∫ I’m hoping for a different presidential nominee on the Republican side

∫ Doesn’t matter I’m not voting Republican

Previous poll question

What do you think about the latest indictment of Donald Trump?

∫ I have little to no issue with entities pursuing investigations or charges 41%

∫ I think he’s being persecuted. 53.5%

∫ I’m just watching the parade move on by 5%

Student proficiency to be monitored child by child

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

The School District of Lee County is taking a deeper dive into monitoring achievements this year, focusing on individual student data

“What’s different, fidelity in which we are using,” Superintendent Dr Christopher said during Tuesday afternoon’s meeting “We are making that school improvement, strategic plan live It lives in our school improvement plans That has been from my estimation, a missing connection A regular update on how we are performing as a school district, the work being done prior to the school year is starting ”

Bernier said it is easy to say get better, have better performance and we want students to be proficient

“If you don’t help define the path direction and support to do so that is what this is We can do better and our principals are amazing in terms to rising to this They are appreciating this direction because they want to do better and their kids to perform better,” he said

School Board member Jada LangfordFlemings said the school support plans are incredibly cohesive and, more importantly, seems more of a continuum She said the plan really puts an emphasis on every kid matters

“It’s laser-focus on each specific need,” she said.

School Development Executive Director

Dr Marsha Bur said a big difference is they looked at overall data to make sure enough gains were being met Now they look by student in every subject area

“The difference for me is student by student in every area We look at data based on students That is the biggest difference, the shift from overall to each individual kiddo,” Bur said

The district is talking to principals and improvement plans, maybe for the first time, is truly the beginning of that connection

“Plans can be written and placed into a three ring binder and put on the shelf,” Bernier said

He said it’s about a robust monitoring system, which puts executive directors in the schools with individual principals looking at instruction, as well as having discussions as to what they saw and how to align to benchmarks, which is contextual evidence from the classroom

“Our principals have been thirsty for that type of time,” Bernier said of the actionable feedback of what the teams saw when they went from classroom to classroom

The district outlined monitoring systems for elementary, middle and high school students

School Development Executive Director Dr Shanna Johnston said monitoring will look at the foundational reading skills in elementary school through five components with fidelity and full transparency Another big change is the benchmark alignment piece where teacher instruction is matching benchmarks, she said

The reading monitoring for kindergarten through second grade students will monitor areas such as frequency, phonics, comprehension and vocabulary

“At the district level we have not monitored to this degree We are very excited about that,” she said, adding that they are foundation components of reading to make sure each student masters it before addressing the benchmarks for third through fifth graders

The same kind of monitoring will take place for all third graders, as well as fourth graders at a one and two proficiency level

“Our legacy work is to have students ready by grade three,” Johnston said.

For sixth- through eighth-grade students

“The difference for me is student by student in every area. We look at data based on students That is the biggest difference, the shift from overall to each individual kiddo ”

Dr Marsha Bur, School Development executive director

there will be an increase in opportunities to process content through structured academic conversations.

There also will be monitoring for ninthgrade students with the first to take place four weeks into the school year in September The district will identify students who are not achieving in any core subject areas, identify and provide interventions

School Development Executive Director Cheryl Neely said she really believes incorporating reading, writing and talking about content on a daily basis is needed When little small chunks are moved every single day you can move to something more innovative

“My goal this year is to get our children to do the heavy lifting, teachers facilitate the learning Once we do that, it will make it better at all grade levels,” Neely said

School Development Executive Director Clayton Simmons said last year they started the graduation data chats, with all 15 high school principals having a good, solid plan

“Our high schools have a plan for each group of kids and individual name of student,” he said, adding that the district is individualizing the process “that we have in place based on kids they have in front of them ”

Another big component is onboarding ninth grade students with a systematic plan to make sure every student has the information they need to be successful in high school Simmons said they are not waiting to the end of the quarter or semester to provide interventions for students

“We are making sure they have a connection to the school It’s a big push this year,” he said “We are going to track which kids are connected and which aren’t. We will encourage those that are not to ‘lets get connected to the school,’” Simmons said

The monitoring also will take place through the school principals on a quarterly basis After every cycle, the principals will adjust their school improvement plan and systems to ensure they continue to see growth

If the growth is not being seen, they can look at the system and find what needs to be changed

Johnston said they just finished meeting with school principals, which reviewed master schedules in detail, as well as the school improvement plan to ensure systems are in place to meet goals They also talked about teacher placement to ensure they are strategically placed based on the teacher strengths and opportunities.

Bur said the curriculum department began meeting with teachers by content and grade level to go through the process of quarterly benchmark leading and learning meetings

“Schools identify teachers at their buildings to be leaders by grade level and come to meet with content coordinators, curriculum directors and coaches to receive professional development to highlight best practices, benchmark curriculum updates and provide support for improved student learning,” she said

Those teachers then return to the schools to share information with all the teachers on their grade level

There is also a benchmark alignment classroom walkthrough every six weeks for tier one, monthly for tier two, every three weeks for tier three and weekly for BSI

Back to School: Safety and academic achievement top two priorities

“Last year we were arriving 20 to 30 minutes late and middle school students missed their first period of instruction By doing the proximity plan, we are saving over 15,000 miles per day in bus transportation,” he said Bernier said there are always two priorities of equal importance academic achievement and school safety

School safety

New safety measures are in place for the 2023-2024 school year

“We are excited about a lot of things The safety and security, the Guardian Program, the OPENGATE entry technology and other safety enhancements we made,” Bernier said “Our greatest hope is it’s a non impacted year not dealing with former issues of infectious disease, that we don’t have a hurricane (The hope is it will be) a great, awesome '23'24 to move forward without interruption.”

Spicker said the schools that implemented OPENGATE on the first day reported that students responded well and the virtual weapons detection system worked as expected

“The best advice for students and parents is to leave any heavy, or metal objects at home and be ready as they approach the school entry technology with their Chromebooks out,” Spicker said “Each student using the system will use the lessons learned today and the next few days to refine their procedures and then help mentor the next group of schools to introduce OPENGATE on their campus ”

On Friday, Aug 4, the Lee County Sheriff's Office officially finished all the training for the Guardian Program candidates, which included 15 who went through training, with six impacted The Guardians will be

used as force multiplier in addition to the School Resource Officers

They went through 160 hours of training that included firearms, deescalation, tactics and medical Guardians will be uniformed and easily

recognized with their day glow yellow uniforms, Bernier said, adding the bright color will help police officers responding to a building recognize them as Guardians

“Last spring, with support from the School Board, we announced that we would be part-

nering with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office to provide interested and qualifying employees with the required training to participate in the Guardian Program Recently, a graduation ceremony was held for those that successfully completed the training These individuals will be placed in the school and District buildings in which they currently are employed They will be uniformed and armed and will support our School Resource Officers during emergencies,” an email sent to parents read earlier this week

The system will start at 16 campuses The pilot project will continue to roll out into every elementary, middle and high school, large and small, as the district continue to refine the implementation

“By the end of the school year, all schools will have the technology,” Bernier said

He hopes the OPENGATE system will help parents have conversations with children regarding the lengths both the district and school board take to protect students and staff Bernier also hopes it will help young people make better decisions knowing the technology is there regarding items not permitted at school

Change in school assignment methodology: Proximity

In addition to technology, the district has made improvements for transportation as the elementary proximity plan rolls out this year

“While we have less vacancies because there are less numbers of drivers necessary, all drivers are employed,” Bernier said, adding that 15,000 daily trip miles were eliminated

“It’s a shorter range in time when transporting elementary school students,” he said

SEE SCHOOL, page 32

VALARIE HARRING

More than 100,000 children began the new academic year at a School District of Lee County school Thursday.

Resilience, dedication, and excitement for school year ahead

I ’ m e x c i t e d f o r t h e s t a r t o f a b r a n dn e w a c a d e m i c y e a r a t T h e S c h o o l D i s t r i c t o f L e e C o u n t y A s w e g a t h e r o n c e a g a i n , I w a n t t o e x p r e s s m y h e a r tf e l t g r a t i t u d e t o o u r e n t i r e c o m m u n i t y f o r t h e i r u n w a v e r i n g r e s i l i e n c e a n d d e d i c at i o n d u r i n g t h e p a s t y e a r O n A u g 1 0 , w e a g a i n c a m e t o g e t h e r a f t e r f a c i n g t h e c h a l l e n g e s o f a t u m u lt u o u s y e a r m a r k e d b y t h e r e c o v e r y a n d r e b u i l d i n g e f f o r t s f o l l o w i n g t h e d e v a s t a ti n g i m p a c t o f H u r r i c a n e I a n T h e j o u r n e y t o r e s t o r a t i o n h a s n o t b e e n a n e a s y o n e , b u t a s a c o m m u n i t y , w e s t a n d s t r o n g a n d c o n t i n u e t o s u p p o r t o n e a n o t h e r T h i s a c a d e m i c y e a r r e p r e s e n t s a f r e s h s t a r t a c h a n c e t o b u i l d u p o n t h e f o u nd a t i o n o f g r o w t h a n d r e n e w a l t h a t w e e s t a b l i s h e d t o g e t h e r O u r s c h o o l s a r e n o t j u s t b u i l d i n g s ; t h e y a r e s a n c t u a r i e s o f k n o w l e d g e , c r e a t i v i t y , a n d c o m m u n i t y O u r t e a c h e r s a n d s t a f f a r e n o t j u s t e d u c at o r s ; t h e y a r e m e n t o r s a n d g u i d e s , n u r t u ri n g t h e m i n d s a n d h e a r t s o f o u r s t u d e n t s W e w i l l s t a r t t h e y e a r o f f w i t h t w o n e w s c h o o l s , A m a n e c e r E l e m e n t a r y a n d L e m u e l T e a l M i d d l e S c h o o l W e a l s o w i l l o p e n u p t h e e x p a n d e d p o r t i o n t o

L e h i g h A c r e s M i d d l e S c h o o l T h e s e t h r e e p r o je c t s a d d a n a d d i t i o n a l

2 , 0 0 0 s t u d e n t s e a t s t o t h e E a s t Z o n e I n a d d i t i o n , o u r t e a m s c o n t i n u e r e n ov a t i o n p r o j e c t s a t C y p r e s s L a k e M i d d l e a n d R i v e r d a l e H i g h , a s w e l l a s a f u l l r e b u i l d o f F r a n k l i n P a r k E l e m e n t a r y S c h o o l A l l o f t h e s e p r o j e c t s a r e t h a n k s i n g r e a t p a r t t o t h e h a l f - p e n n y s a l e s t a x , f o r w h i c h w e c o n t i n u e t o s h a r e o u r g r a t i t u d e t o o u r c o m m u n i t y f o r a p p r o vi n g A s w e b e g i n t h i s n e w c h a p t e r , I a m p l e a s e d t o s h a r e s o m e i m p o r t a n t u p d a t e s a n d i n i t i a t i v e s t h a t w i l l s h a p e o u r j o u r n e y t o w a r d b e i n g a w o r l d - c l a s s s c h o o l s y s t e m . T h e s a f e t y a n d w e l l - b e i n g o f o u r s t ud e n t s a n d s t a f f c o n t i n u e s t o b e o u r t o p p r i o r i t y I n l i n e w i t h t h i s c o m m i t m e n t , a n d i n a d d i t i o n t o o u r a l r e a d y r o b u s t s a f e t y a n d s e c u r i t y p r o g r a m s , w e h a v e

Dr. Christopher S. Bernier Guest Commentary

i m p l e m e n t e d s i g n i f i c a n t u p g r a d e s a c r o s s o u r c a m p u se s A n e w w e a p o n s d e t e c t i o n s y s t e m , O P E N G A T E , w i l l b e i n s t a l l e d i n a l l o f o u r b u i l d i n g s i n p h a s e s t h r o u g ho u t t h e s c h o o l y e a r I t w i l l a l s o i d e n t i f y o t h e r c o n t r ab a n d i t e m s t h a t a r e n o t a l l o w e d o n s c h o o l p r o p e rt y A l l s t u d e n t s a n d v i s i t o r s t o a d i s t r i c t b u i l d i n g w i l l b e s u b j e c t t o s e a r c h

A d d i t i o n a l l y , w e w i l l b e l a u n c h i n g t h e G u a r d i a n P r o g r a m T h e s e e m p l o y e e s h a v e s u c c e s s f u l l y c o m p l e t e d t h e r e q u i r e d t r a i n i n g w i t h t h e L e e C o u n t y S h e r i f f ’ s O f f i c e T h e y w i l l b e u n i f o r m e d a n d a r m e d , a n d w i l l a s s i s t o u r S c h o o l R e s o u r c e O f f i c e r s d u r i n g e m e r g e n c i e s W e t h a n k y o u f o r y o u r s u p p o r t a t a l l o u r b u i l d i n g s a s w e i m p l e m e n t t h e s e s e c u r i t y m e a s u r e s L a s t s p r i n g , t h e S c h o o l B o a r d

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

t h i s p l a n i s e n c o u r a g i n g a s w e w o r k t o w a r d s o u r g o a l o f g e t t i n g s t u d e n t s t o s c h o o l a n d f r o m s c h o o l o n t i m e T h i s i s n o t a f i x - a l l , b u t i s a s t e p i n t h e r i g h t d i r e c t i o n T h i s y e a r , w e w i l l b e h a v i n g c o n v e r s a t i o n s w i t h o u r c o m m u n i t y a s w e d e v e l o p t h e p r o x i m i t y p l a n f o r m i d d l e s c h o o l s A s w e e m b a r k o n t h i s n e w a c a d e m i c y e a r , I e n c o u r a g e a l l s t u d e n t s t o e m b r a c e c u r i o s i t y a n d e v e r y o p p o r t u n i t y t o l e a r n a n d g r o w I u r g e p a r e n t s a n d g u a r d i a n s t o b e a c t i v e l y i n v o l v e d i n t h e i r c h i l d ' s e d uc a t i o n , a s y o u r s u p p o r t p l a y s a c r u c i a l r o l e i n t h e i r s u c c e s s I t h a n k o u r t e a c h e r s a n d s t a f f f o r t h e i r d e d i c a t i o n a n d r e s i l i e n c e f o r t h e b e n e f i t o f o u r s t u d e n t s

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

D r C h r i s t o p h e r S B e r n i e r i s t h e S u p e r i n t e n d e n t o f S c h o o l s f o r t h e S c h o o l

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

Free autism screening for young children set for Aug. 18 at Golisano Children’s Hospital

G o l i s a n o C h i l d r e n ’ s H o s p i t a l o f S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a , i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h R o n a l d M c D o n a l d H o u s e C h a r i t i e s o f S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a , o f f e r s a f r e e m o n t h l y a u t i s m s p e c t r u m d i s o r d e r s c r e e n i n g f o r t o d d l e r s 1 8 m o n t h s t o f i v e y e a r s o f a g e T h e n e x t s c r e e n i n g w i l l b e h e l d F r i d a y , A u g . 1 8 , f r o m 9 a . m . t o 2 p . m . , a t t h e P e d i a t r i c S p e c i a l i s t O f f i c e , 1 5 9 0 1

B a s s R o a d , S u i t e 1 0 2 , F o r t M y e r s I t i s e s t i m a t e d t h a t o n e i n e v e r y 4 4 c h i l d r e n i s d i a g n o s e d w i t h s o m e f o r m o f A u t i s m S p e c t r u m D i s o r d e r , m a k i n g i t m o r e c o m m o n t h a n c h i l d h o o d c a n c e r , j u v e n i l e d i a b e t e s a n d p e d i a t r i c A I D S c o m b i n e d M e d i c a l c o n s u l t a n t s f o r t h e p r o j e c t s t r e s s t h a t a n e a r l y d i a g n o s i s c a n m a k e a

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

T h e A S D s c r e e n i n g i s c o n d u c t e d b y t h e G o l i s a n o C h i l d r e n ’ s H o s p i t a l o f

S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a T h e s c r e e n i n g s a r e

a d m i n i s t e r e d b y a n A d v a n c e d P r a c t i c e R e g i s t e r e d N u r s e , w h o h a s e x t e n s i v e t r a i n i n g a n d e x p e r i e n c e i n t y p i c a l c h i l d d e v e l o p m e n t a n d d e v e l o p m e n t a l d i s o rd e r s A p h y s i c i a n r e f e r r a l i s n o t r e q u i r e d

T o s c h e d u l e a s c r e e n i n g , p l e a s e c a l l 2 3 9 -

3 4 3 - 6 8 3 8 .

Public meeting on Lee County Civic Center set for Aug. 17

By CHUCK BALLARO news@breezenewspapers com

What to do with the Lee Civic Center? Renovate it? Tear it down and rebuild? Turn it into a mixed-use shopping destination?

These questions have been asked for months, with the county seeking input on what should be done with the countyowned facility on Bayshore Road

And now, residents will get to see the results of that effort.

Lee County Parks & Recreation will host a drop-in style public meeting regarding the Civic Center complex from 6 to 8 p m on Thursday, Aug 17, at the North Fort Myers Recreation Center

A public survey was created in March to garner public input on long-term options for the Lee County Civic Center complex The public meeting will give residents the

Lee County Parks & Recreation will host a drop-in style public meeting regarding the Civic Center complex from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 17, at the North Fort Myers Recreation Center

opportunity to view the survey results and help give further 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 launched a page, www leeg o v c o m / C i v i c C e n t e r , t o p r o v i d e e a s y access to information about the Civic Center, including interactive maps, history, timelines and more in a user-friendly format

The site also includes summaries of recent Board of County Commissioners’

Gas prices: Motorists are

From page 1

state oil is above $80 per barrel Friday’s closing price of $82 81/b is just 45 cents below the 2023 high Officials said this is all primarily due to tightness in the global oil market

The heat has also played a part in the hike of prices, as extreme temperatures in South Florida have prevented fuel refineri e s f r o

Refineries already generate incredible heat while operating When outside temperatures exceed 100 degrees, that can cause breakdowns and equipment failures, not to

actions and 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

The civic center, which opened in 1979 and has hosted the Southwest Florida Lee County Fair, has been slowly falling into disrepair for years The stands inside the complex were condemned several years ago, which limited what events could be held there

L a s t y e a r t h e B o a r d o f C o u n t y Commissioners approved an assessment on

the facility’s 14 buildings

W e s t o n & S a m p s o n c o n d u c t e d t h e study of the Civic Center site at 11831 Bayshore Road and found that the main building would need $15 5 million in reno v a t i o n s , a n d m o r e t h a n $ 2 2 m i l l i o n throughout the facility.

Of that $3 million of the repairs are considered life safety issues and must be addressed immediately Most the fixes will have to be done within the next one to five years

Replacement costs would total more than $53 million, with $42 2 million of that for the main building The maintenance building and the four restrooms were recommended for replacement

T h e N o r t h F o r t M y e r s R e c r e a t i o n Center is at 2000 North Recreation Park Way.

paying significantly more at the

mention things beyond their control like rolling electrical outages and severe weather

“There are some factors that should help alleviate some upward pressure on fuel prices, but one major wild card that could cause them to spike again,” Jenkins stated “Last week’s supply report from the EIA showed improvements in refinery operations Additionally, gasoline demand may soon move lower as students return to school, signaling the end of the busy summer driving season

pump

“ D r i v e r s s h o u l d e x p e c t c o n t i n u e d volatility at the pump during the coming months, particularly as we approach peak hurricane season,” Jenkins continued “The majority of Florida’s gasoline is supplied by refineries along the Texas, Louisiana and M is s is s ippi coas tlines G as prices could spike just based on the mere threat of a hurricane making landfall in this region How high gas prices go from there and for how long would then be based on whether those refineries suffered any long term damage ”

The most expensive metro markets in Florida for gas recently were West Palm Beach-Boca Raton ($3 96), Homosassa Springs ($3 91), and Naples (3 90) The National average price of gas on Sunday was $3.829 per gallon.

Tips from AAA to save gas include: combining errands to limit driving time, shop around for the best prices locally, pay with cash, remove excess weight in your vehicle, and to drive conservatively

REAL ESTATE

Foreign seller should take great care regarding IRS compliance

Mr Feichthaler:

I am a Canadian citizen and I am selling my house I have read about the FIRPTA tax when non-citizens sell property in the U S , and I would prefer not to pay it My sales price is $345,000, and I paid $250,000 for it What can I do to avoid this?

Gordon L

Normal homeowner life cycle impacted by trauma of Ian

Dear Gordon:

C o n g r a t u l a t i o n s o n being one of many Cape Coral property owners from Canada, I hope that o w n e r s h i p h a s t r e a t e d you well As you note, a foreign seller has to do a bit more to sell their property here than U S citizens First, you must o b t a i n a n I n d i v i d u a l

Taxpayer Identification

Number, or ITIN, to be able to sell the property

If you have had business in the U S before, you likely already have one

Eric P Feichthaler Real Estate Law

T h e I R S g e n e r a l l y requires that 15% of the g r o s s s a l e s p r i c e b e withheld from any sale towards potential income tax liability It should be noted that this is not a tax, rather a withholding against the tax When you file your U S return next year, you may receive some or all of this amount back, depending on what your profit is on the sale.

One exception to the FIRPTA withholding rule is the sale of a house for under $300,000 When this occurs, no withholding is required when the buyer is moving in as their primary residence, AND is willing to swear to that through an affidavit You have noted a sales price that is higher than this, so your sale would not qualify for no withholding However, if your buyers are buying this as their primary residence, the withholding can be reduced to 10%

Great care should be taken regarding IRS compliance, as failure to do so can lead to serious financial consequences to both you and your buyer. Based on what you have written above, $51,750 would be withheld and remitted to the IRS Based on the likely, profit would be an amount that would result in a significant refund of that

We continue to see a segment of homeowners looking to put their homes on the market because they feel they are reaching an age where they want or need to move to another state somewhere north of Florida to live closer to their children and grandchildren, or near other relatives This is something we have seen happen as a part of the normal life cycle for a lot of people over the years, especially when they do not have other family members living here

However, this time there is a different feel to this natural phenomenon, as most of these sellers are also citing the impact from Hurricane Ian as the other reason they want to move away Many also mention the growth and crowded roads in Cape Coral and Southwest Florida as another reason for making the move, but we would say from our conversations with potential sellers that on Sept 28, 2022, Ian provided the catalyst to their decision making, with the hassles of dealing with home repairs, large unexpected storm expenses and fighting with insurance companies adding fuel to their desire The emotional and financial trauma caused by the storm, combined with the ever lingering post-storm fallout, including the uncertainty and rising costs of the property and flood insurance markets, is understandably more than some people want to handle at this point in their lives

Fortunately, as some people are choosing to leave our area, we continue to see a lot of new out-of-town buyers still looking to move here Some of these buyers continue to move here from the east coast of Florida, wanting to get away from the overcrowded, fast-paced lifestyle in the greater Miami area, while others are escaping from the high taxes, high crime and various social issues negatively impacting their lifestyle in other parts of the country. Many of these out-of-staters still have the severe COVID lockdowns they experienced in other parts of the country fresh on their minds, and whether you agree or disagree about that topic, they liked the way Florida handled it and they would rather be “stuck” living here than where they lived during COVID

On a national level, we continue to hear the mantra that the real estate market has a massive shortage of available inventory, and that the lack of housing supply is helping to maintain home prices at a higher level than one might expect after mortgage rates have surged higher Because of the run-up in home prices in the post-COVID housing boom and the dramatically higher mortgage financing

costs, many would-be buyers have been forced out of the market because of affordability issues At the same time, many would-be sellers feel “trapped” because their current mortgage rates are so low that they have no desire to sell their existing home to buy a new home at current mortgage rates that are more than twice their current rates, not to mention the generally still high home prices It would also be unlikely that a seller could find a comparable home to rent for less than their current mortgage payment, so the lack of sellers remains a big issue in various parts of the country

Our local market appears to be different from the national market, in that we had a severe shortage of inventory several years ago in the market boom tied to the post-COVID reopening when virtually every home would be sold in a matter of days, if not hours, after coming onto the market Back then we referred to it as a “just in time” inventory as multiple buyers would aggressively descend on every new listing as soon as it hit the market creating a buyers feeding frenzy and bidding wars Today, our inventory of homes on the market in Cape Coral is much higher and growing by the week, as many homes sit on the market unsold for substantially longer periods of time hoping to attract an offer from a buyer Our current market resembles the market’s of 2018 and 2019, when we used to write about an oversupply of overpriced homes and a short supply of “reasonably-priced” homes

In

Today, as with back then, buyers have turned patient and will not overpay for a home Most buyers are telling us they want a clean, move-in ready home that has been well-maintained and preferably updated, at a reasonable price to the current market If a seller prices their home correctly to the market, it will get a brief flurry of showing appointments almost immediately and it will typically receive a solid offer within the first week that it is on the market. A solid offer is usually anywhere from full-price to 5 to 10% below list and negotiated from there As a seller, if you are not getting any showing appointments, the clock is ticking and it will probably require a price reduction to attract interest

Looking at our current market, as of Tuesday, Aug 8, we reached 1,800 active listings in the MLS for Cape C o r a l s i n g l e - f a m i l y h o m e s r a n g i n g i n p r i c e f r o m $210,000 to $3 895 million The second lowest-priced home in the Cape was at $249,900 and the current medi-

Bob and Geri Quinn Homing

Neal Communities donates more than $26,000 to the 24th Annual BIG Backpack Event

Neal Communities, a private homebuilder, and its trade partners raised a record $26,375 as the presenting sponsor of the 24th Annual BIG Backpack Event on July 30

Hosted by the Multicultural Centre of Southwest Florida, the annual BIG Backpack Event provided 2,500 backpacks filled with school supplies and groceries to area families with children ages 5 to 12 More than 200 volunteers, including Neal Communities’ employees and trade partners, assisted with packing supplies and distribution at the event, which took place in a drive-thru at the Fort Myers Skatium

This was the eighth consecutive year that Neal Communities was the presenting sponsor of the BIG Backpack Event, and this year’s dona-

tion was the largest to date collected by the homebuilder With a core belief that “Where You Live Matters,” Neal Communities has given more than $7 75 million to local charities throughout Southwest Florida and is committed to the communities where they live, work and build Other event sponsors this year included the City of Fort Myers, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Lee County School District, CONRIC pr + marketing, HABA, Macaroni KID and Midwest Foods

For more information about the Multicultural Centre of Southwest Florida, visit www MulticulturalCentre org For more information about Neal Communities, visit www NealCommunities com

Trauma of Ian: Normal homeowner life cycle impacted by storm

From page 14

an list price came in at $525,000 A year ago on Aug 8, 2022, there were 1,397 active listings in Cape Coral at prices ranging from $254,900 to $5.995 million and the median list price was at $524,900 Back then, there were 324 homes listed at $400,000 and under versus 418 homes right now, and there were 182 homes listed at $1 million and above a year ago versus 223 homes today

The number of homes currently under contract with a buyer as a pending sale dipped to 764 this week from 786 last week Current pending sales range in price from $150,000 for a small storm damaged home in need of repairs to $2.59 million and the median pending sales price is $395,597 There are 422 pending sales priced at $400,000 and 28 priced at $1 million and above On Aug 9, 2022, there were 707 pending home sales in the

pipeline in Cape Coral at prices ranging from $219,900 to $2 85 million, with 327 of those pending sales priced at $400,000 and under, and 30 priced at $1 million and above.

Based on the preliminary numbers for the overall Cape Coral single-family home market in the month of July, in the first 7 months of this year there have been 3,121 closed home sales, which is down 23 7 percent compared to the 4,088 sales in the first 7 months of 2022 By comparison, back in 2019 we posted 3,159 closed home sales in the first 7 months of that year In the COVID-impacted year of 2020, we had 3,141 sales over 7 months, followed by a record number of 4,246 sales in the first 7 months of 2021 So basically, we have returned to the more normal, pre-COVID seasonal market patterns where sales slow down a bit in the summer months.

For their part, the median sales price for single-family homes in the overall Cape Coral market continues to hang in there They have dropped from the single month record high of $470,000 for our overall market back in April 2022, while treading water in 2023 between $400,000 and $420,000 After the first 7 months of this year, the average median sales price was $414,789 per month, down only 3 5 percent from the average of $430,000 per month in the first 7 months of 2022 By comparison, after the first 7 months of 2019 the average median sales price was $243,305 per month, followed by an average of $254,557 per month in 2020 In 2021, the average median home sales price in the first 7 months of that year jumped to $322,014 per month before surging even higher in 2022, as noted above

The sales data for this article was o b t a i n e d f r o m t h e F l o r i d a R e a l t o r s Multiple Listing Service Matrix for Lee County, FL, as of Aug 7, 2023, unless otherwise noted. It was compiled by Bob and Geri Quinn and it includes information specifically for Cape Coral singlefamily homes, and does not include condominiums, short sales or foreclosures The data and statistics are believed to be reliable, however, they could be updated and revised periodically, and are subject to change without notice The Quinns are a husband and wife real estate team with the R E / M A X R e a l t y T e a m o f f i c e i n C a p e Coral They have lived in Cape Coral for over 43 years Geri has been a full-time Realtor since 2005, and Bob joined with Geri as a full-time Realtor in 2014 Their real estate practice is mainly focused on C a p e C o r a l r e s i d e n t i a l p r o p e r t y a n d vacant lots

IRS compliance: Canadian’s concerns about selling property in U.S.

From page 14

amount It is advisable to speak with an attorney or CPA anytime you are selling as a foreign resident, or as a buyer of real estate owned by a foreign citizen

Eric P Feichthaler has lived in Cape Coral for over 35 years and graduated

from Mariner High School in Cape Coral

After completing law school at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., he returned to Southwest Florida to practice law and raise a family He served as mayor of Cape Coral from 2005-2008, and continues his service to the community through the Cape Coral Caring Center, Cape Coral

Museum of History, and Cape Coral Kiwanis He has been married to his wife, Mary, for over 20 years, and they have four children together He earned his board certification in Real Estate Law from the Florida Bar He is AV Preeminent rated by Martindale-Hubbell for professional ethics and legal ability, and is a Supreme Court

Certified Circuit Civil Mediator He can be reached at eric@capecoralattorney com, or 239-542-4733.

This article is general in nature and not intended as legal advice to anyone Individuals should seek legal counsel before acting on any matter of legal rights and obligations

PHOTO PROVIDED

Neal Communities’ south region team, including, from left, Sandra Sanchez, Carl Thrushman, Steve Wojcechowskyj, Tim Oak, Dan Ciesielski, Ben Gibbs, Lisa Saraf, Kimberly Peterson, Wendi Leatherwood, Laura Strelser, Krystle Atkins and Crystal Morris presented a sponsorship check of $26,375 for the 24th Annual BIG Backpack Event to Leonardo Garcia, the founder of the Multicultural Centre of Southwest Florida and event co-chair

A lovely native wildflower: Carolina wild petunia

By JANETTA FOX news@breezenewspapers com

When looking to include plants in a landscape bed, why not consider one of our native wildflowers, Carolina wild petunia? The plant enjoys sun to part shade and is drought tolerant once established And its savory nectar is certain to attract a variety of butterflies, native bees, hummingbirds and other nectar loving visitors The wild petunia proves much more welcoming in the landscape than its non-native counterpart, Ruellia simplex

Let’s begin with the notso-good associated with the Category I invasive R simplex, or Britton Mexican

Lovegrove provides cover art for GCWA’s Hurricane Ian anthology

G u l f C o a s t W r i t e r s A s s o c i a t i o n I n c , S o u t h w e s t Florida’s 28-year-old meeting ground for writers, editors and their associates, announced this week that Leoma Lovegrove, internationally known artist, has painted the artwork for the cover of " S t o r m S t o r i e s H u r r i c a n e I a n , " anthology of personal experiences du the storm as recounted by local resid and photographers The book is plan for publication on Sept 1

Lovegrove has also contributed h own storm story to the anthology describes the destruction of her hom and businesses on Matlacha

E a r l i e r G C W A a n n o u n c e d t h R o b e r t N M a c o m b e r , w e l l - k n o w author of naval historical fiction, ha written the foreword to the anthology o f s t o r i e s , p o e m s a n d p h o t o s Macomber, a Pine Island resident, had to be evacuated after the hurricane exploded his home I n h e r e s s a y i n t h e b o o k , L o v e g r o v e d e t a i l s t h e s t o r m ’ s destruction and her losses, including her sketchbooks accumulated over 45 years

GARDEN CLUB OF CAPE CORAL

Petunia As a Cat I, the Mexican petunia can and has escaped cultivation, meaning it has spread well beyond home gardens and into natural terrains, where it has crowded out and replaced native species and, in some cases, hybridized with natives

Growing to an erect height of 3 feet, the plant tolerates most soil types, pH and drainage conditions Mexican petunia was a big seller in years past and, to this date, can be found in many a landscape And, if you have ever had these plants in your garden, you know they are extremely difficult to eradicate Just when you think you have been successful, the plants sprout again in defiance of your efforts

The plant reproduces in two ways: through above/below ground horizontal roots known as rhizomes, and, the setting of seeds The plant flowers prolifically, producing numerous seed pods throughout the year These burst open, spreading the easily germinated seeds far and wide So, the chances are good that not only will you see numerous "volunteers" in your landscape over a short time, your neighbors may as well And, as stated previously, the mayhem doesn’t end there Self-seeding + rhizomes = a recipe for ecological distress If you see them for sale at a nursery or elsewhere, you are encouraged to steer clear

It is likely you have seen multiples of non-native Mexican petunia cultivars in big box stores, examples of which include R simplex "Purple Showers," R simplex "Mayan White" and other such sterile varieties in the Mayan series What differentiates these cultivars from the Category I invasive R simplex is that they do not set seeds but, rather, multiply solely by rhizomes Although not considered invasive, these, too, have the ability to dominate the local area if left unchecked

Now for the good part The long-lived perennial Carolina wild petunia provides a welcome alternative to non-native species Being herbaceous, the plant possesses a non-wood stem, attains its full height, flowers and forms seed pods, which then release their seeds, within one season. Each seed pod contains five seeds, unlike the

See PETUNIAS, page 42

“After the Ian wave hit, our home on Matlacha was a total loss,” she says “Part of the house washed out to sea, so all of our personal belongings now reside in the Gulf of Mexico ”

But she vows to be undeterred

“This hurricane has turned me into a category seven,” she said “and with this new energy I will work to get back to square one ”

She added, “What the hurricane taught me, like all of us here in Southwest Florida, is that we can’t give up ‘Always Forward’ was my mom’s lifelong motto They

say moms are always right, and mine surely was I’m adopting her motto as my own Always Forward ”

She now lives in North Fort Myers and has announced plans to relocate her gallery and international headquarters to a 3 000-square-foot historic building on Dean Street in downtown Fort Myers with an opening planned for the first week of January 2024 " S t o r m S t o r i e s - H u r r i c a n e I a n " will be available as a trade paperback and hard cover at local book stores, the gift shop at the Alliance for the Arts and the Alliance’s popular monthy N i g h t M a r k e t , a n d L e o m a Lovegrove’s Art Gallery in downtown ort Myers It also will be available in ther Southwest Florida outlets, includg C o p p er f is h in P u n ta G o r d a an d nnette’s Book Nook on Fort Myers each

I t w i l l b e o b t a i n a b l e o n l i n e f r o m mazon com in e-book, paperback and d cover versions by Sept 1

Pre-publication orders for the e-book Amazon are now being accepted

We welcome Leoma’s eye-popping o r k a n d h e r p e r s o n a l s t o r y , ” s a i d Jeanne Meeks, the south Fort Myers resident and author who heads this special publishing project for GCWA.

Adds Meeks in an up-front Acknowledgment in the book, “The minute I asked Leoma Lovegrove to submit the story of her Matlacha art gallery’s storm damage, she enthusiastically supported our project She has already set her huge social media power into action, pre-ordered books for her new gallery, and donated the beautiful artwork which graces our cover ”

The GCWA’s website is https://gulf writers org/

Cape resident part of 2023 class of ResilienSEA Externship program

Cape

EarthEcho International, the leading nonprofit dedicated to building a global youth movement to protect and restore our ocean planet, has to announced the 2023 class of its ResilienSEA Externship program This inaugural program unites 19 youth, ages 17-20, from BIPOC communities across North America, for a hands-on career development experience

Among the externs is Cape Coral resident and Cape Coral High School student Serenity Washington

The initiative introduces participants to the field of regenerative ocean aquaculture – ocean “farming” that restores coastal habitats while creating both economic and ecological benefits.

The ResilienSEA Externship program is made possible through the generous support of La Mer Blue Heart Oceans Fund and The Estée Lauder Companies Travel Retail division

EarthEcho International recognizes the power of the ocean as a source of solutions to the climate crisis All of humanity is connected to the ocean, but access to the oceans and the opportunity to pursue careers that contribute to ocean-based climate solutions is a privilege that all do not enjoy equally

Through an ongoing, eight-week virtual program, and an in-person convening in San Diego, Calif , this August, the paid ResilienSEA Externship provides participants with an opportunity to learn from and network with professionals in the field of regenerative ocean aquaculture

and seaweed innovation, participate in a hands-on job shadowing experience, and engage in peer learning to build confidence and competence to take action in externs’ home communities, with a focus on using entrepreneurship to tackle ocean health challenges

The other 2023 ResilienSEA externs represent communities in Canada and the United States They include Akhila Mahidhara, Edison, New Jersey; Emilia Fiebel, H o l l y w o o d , F l o r i d a ; I r e d i a O t o a d e s e , F a n n y B a y , B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a , C a n a d a ; I s h a a n i S r i v a s t a v a , Piscataway, New Jersey; Jin Hu, Vancouver, British C o l u m b i a , C a n a d a ; K a s s a n d r a C h a v a r r i a S o s a , Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada; Kendall Ford, Jacksonville, Florida; Lauren Ejiaga, New Orleans, Lousiana; Mugdha Chiplunkar, Duvall, Washington; Natalie Martinez, Corpus Christi, Texas; Nina Shetty, Sammamish, Washington; Nitya Masina, Sammamish, Washington; Rajaa Berry, LaSalle, Ontario, Canada; S a r i k a S a w a n t , G l e n d a l e , A r i z o n a ; S k y e G a r r e t t , C a p i t o l H e i g h t s , M a r y l a n d ; S o f a L a m m o t P é r e z , D o r a d o , P u e r t o R i c o ; S r i n i v a s G o l l a p u d i , U p l a n d , California; and Violet Smith, Columbia, Maryland

For additional information about the ResilienSEA e x t e r n s , p l e a s e v i s i t w w w e a r t h e c h o o r g / y o u t h / resiliensea-externship

For more information about EarthEcho International, visit www earthecho org or follow us on Facebook: www facebook com/earthecho Instagram: www instag r a m c o m / e a r t h e c h o a n d T w i t t e r : w w w t w i t t e r c o m / earthecho

PHOTO PROVIDED

The new North Cape Post Office on Southwest 4th St

North Cape Coral Post Office grand opening and ribbon-cutting Monday

T h e U S P o s t a l S e r v i c e a n d t h e S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a P o s t a l C u s t o m e r Council will conduct a ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday, Aug 14, to commemorate the grand opening of the new Cape Coral North Post Office The event will be conducted in the parking lot and is free and open to the public Refreshments will be provided

Officials scheduled to conduct the 10 a m ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the official grand opening of the Post Office include Richard Fermo, Florida 2 district manager; James Chambers, Fort Myers Postmaster and PCC Co-Chair; Nancy Ros e, manager of Cape Coral N orth

American Legion Post 90 in Cape elects officers

The American Legion, Post 90 in Cape Coral has elected its new board of officers for the 2023-2024 year Keith Berres, C o m m a n d e r ; T e d C l a r k , F i r s t V i c e Commander; John Baker, Second Vice Commander, and Adjutant; Bill Kearns, Finance Officer; Jerry Gray, Chaplain; Robert Noble, Judge Advocate; Lakeshia Penn, Service Officer; Armand LaFleur, Sergeant @ Arms The seven Executive Board members are Lisa Arnold, Harry Finke Jr, Jack Fitzgerald, Joe Lindhorst, B i l l M c K e r n a n , R e b e c c a S e w e l l a n d Dennis Stebbins Located at 1401 S E 47th St , in Cape Coral, the post is growing rapidly along with the city of Cape Coral All the new officers pledged to continue and increase our programs of community, youth and of

course, veteran support Berres, who was r e - e l e c t e d , a l s o u r g e d a l l v e t e r a n s t o become members of Post 90 Berres said, “We will continue to offer programs such as student scholarships, shooting sports sponsorship and student citizenship to Cape Coral’s high schools We also have a new service officer for supporting veteran needs This year we will also start a Women’s Veteran Program "

The Post 90 family will continue fund raising efforts for many veterans and local community needs

For further information or to become a member of the post, contact Clark at 8455 2 7 - 7 9 4 8 , o r v i s i t t h e p o s t w e b s i t e , www post90swf org

Post 90 is open every day from 11 a m You can also visit us on Facebook

Cape Coral Art League shows, events scheduled for September and October

Branch Post Office; and Steve Bello, CEO of Intec Printing and PCC Co-Chair

The Cape Coral North Station is at 1441 S W Fourth St , near the intersection of Pine Island Road and Chiquita Boulevard, in Cape Coral It will serve the 33991 and 33993 ZIP Codes

The 19,946-square-foot facility will have 24-hour lobby access seven days a week, allowing Post Office Box holders to pick up their mail at their convenience There are over 1,100 Post Office Boxes with many available for rent

The facility has four customer service counters and will be open for retail services from 8:30 a m to 5 p m weekdays

T h e C a p e C o r a l A r t L e a g u e h a s announced its schedule for shows and events for the months of September and October The Art League galleries are closed for the month of August but the office will be open on Wednesdays from 11 a m to 3 p m

Open Painting

Wednesdays in September and October from 1-4 p m ; open to the public Student Sundays Sundays in September and October from 1-4 p m , ages 6 – 14; open to the public, pre-registration not required October shows and events

People and Places -- Oct 2 through

Nov 2, 11 a m to 4 p m , Monday through Thursday There will be a Wine and Cheese Reception, Thursday, Oct 5, 5-6:30 p m ; free parking and entry Call 239-7725657 Member Show

H i s p a n i c H e r i t a g e M o n t h a n d Leadership Show, Oct 2-31, 11 a m to 4 p m , Monday through Thursday There will be a Wine and Cheese Reception, Thursday, Oct 5, 5-6:30 p m ; free parking and entry. Call 239-772-5657.

The Cape Coral Art League is at 516 Cultural Park Boulevard, just north of Cultural Park Theatre and the Cape Coral Museum of History

Student access to media materials determined by parental consent forms

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

M o r e l e n g t h y d i s c u s s i o n r e v o l v i n g around the student Media Access form sent to the parents resulted in no changes this week

A motion by Lee County Board member Chris Patricca Tuesday night regarding the form that allows parents to determine what materials their children may check out did not pass as most board members thought the process and form were fine

The board previously determined by consensus which option would be the default if a parent did not fill out the form, a decision made without Patricca and Board member Debbie Jordan present

The three choices parents are:

■ My child has full access to check out books from the school media center, except for books that have been restricted or those that require parent/guardian consent

■ My child is not permitted to check out books from the school media center

■ My child is not permitted to check out books from the school media center that have been formally challenged and r e c e i v e d f o r p o t e n t i a l l y o b j e c t i o n a b l e material, regardless of the outcome

The default, if a parent does not fill out the form, is the third option

Board Attorney Kathy Dupuy-Bruno said the administration is not denying students access to materials She said they erred on the side of caution with the default “ P a r e n t r i g h t s w i l l t r u m p s t u d e n t ’ s rights We are asking parents to tell us what

Options for parents

Parents with children in Lee County Public Schools have three options concerning the materials to which they child has access They are:

■ My child has full access to check out books from the school media center, except for books that have been restricted or those that require parent/guardian consent

■ My child is not permitted to check out books from the school media center

■ My child is not permitted to check out books from the school media center that have been formally challenged and received for potentially objectionable material, regardless of the outcome.

The default option, if a parent or guardian does not fill out the form is:

■ My child is not permitted to check out books from the school media center that have been formally challenged and received for potentially objectionable material, regardless of the outcome

you want us to do,” she said

Patricca’s motion was to “move to direct the superintendent to use the Media Access Form originally supported by staff and the Curriculum Advisory Committee until such time the board can pass a Media Access policy ”

The form was a recommendation by the Curriculum Advisory Committee, which included public input She said it was collaborative work and it was good work, as people on both sides of the issue came forth and praised the work of the committee, resulting in a form that represented the best they could do

“We really rushed through this and landed in a place where I think it will lead to lawsuits filed against us,” Patricca said “Aren’t we doing this backwards here?

Why are procedures written, approved and implemented before policies are created?”

Patricca said “book” and “restriction” should never appear in the same sentence

“ W h a t a b o u t p r o t e c t i n g s t u d e n t ’ s rights? Logically the best way to keep objectionable material out of the hands of children is to restrict access to books Legally that is impossible if you believe in the First Amendment,” she said

Patricca said the restrictive view of the First Amendment violates the constitution She said the option will deny some students the opportunity to receive ideas and information and denies parents the right of whether their own children can receive ideas and information

Board member Debbie Jordan was also not present at the board meeting that dis-

cussed the form, as she was out of town

“What was the purpose of us bringing it up to change the form? They did the work They did their jobs It’s not our job to make the form,” Jordan said

When the consensus was originally given for the Media Access form, Board member Cathleen Morgan was not comfortable with the idea

“It was poor management to bring this to the board just before the start of school during the time of year when board members have time away for vacations We need, as a board, to give this time for all of us to have a conversation Go back to the o r i g i n a l f o r m , ” M o r g a n s a i d o f t h e

Curriculum Advisory Committee and staff “If we want to engage in management of the district’s process, then we have to do a policy ”

B o a r d m e m b e r s J a d a L a n g f o r dFleming and Melisa Giovannelli as well as Chair Armor Persons liked the form that went out to parents

“I believe there is going to be less litigation in this way, especially how things are framed The government is not restricting those rights,” Fisher said of the free, open and transparent choice for parents “This is for the 1 9 percent that we believe it will affect ”

“We are giving rights back to parents and protecting all students,” Giovannelli said “It takes a village and this is part of the village work This form puts the power back to the parents and there is nothing wrong with that ”

We e k ly B R E E Z E R e c ap

Miller takes helm at North Fort Myers Academy for the Arts

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

A Wisconsin native and 14-year educator has become the new leader at North Fort Myers Academy for the Arts

“I always knew I wanted to go into it,” said Principal Andrew Miller who has family members in education “It's very rewarding It's still the best job on earth It's not easy all the time, (but it's about) really helping all the kids of the future If you are really dedicated to the kids, it really does make it all worthwhile ”

Education also runs in his immediate family with his wife being an intervention specialist at another school

The inspiration to pursue a career in education has been something he never questioned Miller attended the University of Wisconsin and moved to Southwest Florida after graduating to begin working for the school district

“My cousin is the principal at Bayshore Elementary School,” he said

Miller just finished his 14th year in the School District of Lee County where he has held multiple roles Miller's career began as a teacher where he spent seven years in both elementary and middle schools Next, he was placed in the assistant principal roles, again both at the elementary and middle school levels Prior to taking the helm at the

academy, he was the assistant principal of curriculum at Cypress Lake Middle School

Miller said it's about taking a lot of time thinking creatively and communicating a great deal with kids, teachers, staff and parents, as they are all one big family

“I am excited to be a part of it in North Fort Myers I want to make sure we are always including everybody in all we do,” he said

When he got the call about his first principal position, he said he was ecstatic

A thorough process began in the spring, which took place over several weeks Miller said part of the process included a profile for each of the schools that were in need of a new principal

“I met with Superintendent Dr (Christopher) Bernier and cabinet and got a call the next week,” Miller said

With working at both the elementary and middle school level, as well as being the curriculum assistant principal over the arts at Cypress Lake Middle School, he believes it was a perfect fit to arrive at the North Fort Myers Academy for the Arts

“It is unbelievable I have met a lot of the teachers so far They have given me a warm welcome,” Miller said prior to the first day of school, adding that he asked them

what makes them proud to work at the school, as well as feedback on some improvements that should be made at the school

Miller has two goals moving forward with the first focusing on helping students get on grade level, or beyond in reading He has a 4-year-old daughter, who he does not expect to be an all star reader, but at the same time does not want to see her struggle either

If a student is in second grade, Miller would like them to read on at least a second-grade level

For that to happen, it starts with rigorous instruction in the classroom He said teachers need to understand the benchmarks, as there are new benchmarks, new curriculum and new tests as of last year

The second goal is to create an environment at the school where everyone wants to be, which includes staff, students and parents He said if a positive environment is created, teachers want to be there, students want to learn and parents want to be involved

The K-8 school has 1,150 students with four classes for each grade level The school offers both before and after school care to help families who might need to drop their child off early, or stay later after school

The Academy for the Arts is at 1856 Arts Way.

continues for missing man Five

new city traffic

Work underway for signal at Del Prado and De Navarra

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

Cape Coral streets are getting five new traffic lights

The signals will enhance safety by controlling traffic flow and so reduce the risk of accidents, officials said

“It will also im-prove traffic efficiency by prioritizing different directions of traffic, which re-duces congestion and delays Overall, these new traffic signals will contribute significantly to in-creased safety and i m p r o v e d t r a f f i c m a n a g e m e n t , ” C i t y P r i n c i p a l

Engineer Pimolmas Tan said in an email

Construction began July 21 on the first light at the intersection of De Navarra Parkway and Del Prado Boulevard The anticipated completion is early 2024 The developer of Entrada will ultimately be responsible for paying for the signal at this intersection, Tan said, as it is part of the agreement with the developer due to the additional traffic from the subdivision

To ensure the safety of motorists and construction crews, Tan said speed limits may be reduced near traffic light construction sites and detours, or lane closures may be in place “ F o r i n s t a n c e , t h e s p e e d l i m i t o n D e l P r a d o Boulevard approaching the De Navarra intersection has been reduced from 50 miles per hour to 35 miles per hour Left turns onto Del Prado from De Navarra will continue to be restricted throughout construction,” Tan said

The second light has an anticipated construction start date in December at Averill Boulevard and Del Prado Boulevard This is anticipated to be finished in the middle of 2024.

h o s e l i g h t s i n c l u d e D i p l o m a t P a r k w a y a n d

Barbara

Boulevard and Embers

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

C a p e C o r a l p o l i c e a r e s t i l l l o o k i n g f o r a m i s s i n g m a n a n d n o w s a y t h e y h a v e a n u n n a m e d p e r s o n o f i n t e r e s t O f f i c i a l s s a i d t h i s p e r s o n h a s b e e n s o m e w h a t c o o p e r at i v e w i t h t h e i n v e s t i g a t i o n , w h i l e n o t b e i n g c o m m u n i c at i v e t h r o u g h o u t C a p e C o r a l P o l i c e C h i e f A n t h o n y S i z e m o r e a t a p r e s s c o n f e r e n c e F r i d a y s a i d B a r r y J a m e s S c h m a l b a c h , 5 6 , h a s n o t b e e n s e e n o r h e a r d f r o m s i n c e t h e e v e n i n g o f J u l y 1 9 n e a r h i s h o m e i n t h e 1 8 0 0 b l o c k o f B e a c h P a r k w a y E a s t S c h m a l b a c h ’ s b o y f r i e n d , C h r i s t o p h e r D a v i s , c a l l e d C C P D o n J u l y 2 2 t o r e p o r t h i m m i s s i n g S i z e m o r e s a i d t h a t D a v i s d i d n ’ t s p e a k o f a n y o n g o i n g s i t u a t i o n t h a t w o u l d r e s u l t i n S c h m a l b a c h t a k i n g o f f , a n d s a i d h e e v e n “ p u l l e d b a c k ” o n h i s c o m m e n t s d u r i n g t h e e n d o f t h e c a l l S i z e m o r e s a i d l a t e r o n i n t h e e v e n i n g o n t h e 2 2 n d , a n o t h e r p e r s o n c a l l e d p o l i c e t o r e p o r t S c h m a l b a c h m i s si n g , e x p r e s s i n g g r e a t c o n c e r n t h a t “ t h i s w a s n o t n o rm a l ” “ B e c a u s e o f t h e s u s p i c i o u s n a t u r e , a n d w i l l f u l d e c e pt i v e n a t u r e o f t h a t p h o n e c a l l , f o u l p l a y w a s s u s p e c t e d , a n d i m m e d i a t e l y b e g a n w o r k i n g o n t h i s c a s e , ” S i z e m o r e s a i d

C C P D a r r e s t e d D a v i s o n a w a r r a n t o u t o f C o l u m b i a , S o u t h C a r o l i n a o n A u g 3

S i z e m o r e s a i d m u l t i p l e s e a r c h w a r r a n t s h a v e b e e n e x e c u t e d a n d d i g i t a l e v i d e n c e h a s b e e n p r o c u r e d a n d a r e b e i n g p r o c e s s e d P o l i c e a r e s e a r c h i n g f o r S c h m a l b a c h i n a “ m u l t i - c o u n t y ” a r e a , w o r k i n g w i t h m u l t i p l e l a w e n f o r c e m e n t p a r t n e r s S c h m a l b a c h ’ s f a m i l y h a s b e e n b r o u g h t u p t o s p e e d o n t h e i n v e s t i g a t i o n , S i z e m o r e s a i d , a d d i n g , “ W e w i l l c o n t i n u e t o w o r k d i r e c t l y w i t h t h e f a m i l y a n d p r o v i d e t h e m a s m a n y u p d a t e s a s w e c a n a n d c o n t i n u o u s l y a s t h e y b e c o m e a v a i l a b l e O u r d e t e c t i v e s c o n t i n u e t o a c t i v e l y p u r s u e a l l l e a d s , a n d p r o c e s s p e r t i n e n t e v i d e n c e i n o u r a t t e m p t t o l o c a t e M r S c h m a l b a c h ” S c h m a l b a c h i s d e s c r i b e d a s b e i n g 6 - f o o t - 3 , w e i g hi n g 2 0 0 p o u n d s , w i t h b a l d i n g b l o n d e h a i r a n d b l u e e y e s A n y o n e w i t h i n f o r m a t i o n r e g a r d i n g t h e d i s a p p e a ra n c e o r w h e r e a b o u t s o f S c h m a l b a c h i s a s k e d t o c o n t a c t C C P D a t 2 3 9 - 5 7 4 - 3 2 2 3 o r s u b m i t a t i p v i a e m a i l t o c c p d t i p s @ c a p e c o r a l . g o v . A n o n y m o u s t i p s c a n b e m a d e b y c a l l i n g C r i m e S t o p p e r s a t

s i n

School supplies donation

On Monday, Orange River Elementary School in east Fort Myers, a Title 1 School, received much needed school supplies from Saint Hilary’s Helping Hands Ministry. Over 75 backpacks, composition books, crayons, school uniforms were donated by parishioners of Saint Hilary’s Episcopal Church. Shown with the donations are, from left, JoAnn Hartley, Elaine Vogel, Ilona Leffingwell, Robin Gretz, Robin Gentile, Lynne Corbett, Angela Blasi and Father Charles Cannon.

Special Pops to host pop-up jewelry fundraiser

The city of Cape Coral's Freida B Smith Special Populations Center (Special Pops) will host a Kendra Scott Jewelry fundraiser event Friday, Aug 18, at 6:30 p m , at Special Pops, 410 Santa Barbara Blvd , in Cape Coral

With the support of Kendra Scott Jewelry and Guardian Angels for Special Populations, the pop-up fundraiser will be free and open to the public, and 20% of the proceeds will go to support Special Populations.

Kendra Scott Jewelry will be available for purchase starting at $55, and the event will include raffle baskets, jewelry for raffle and light appetizers Cash, credit, or debit will be accepted

T o a t t e n d t h e e v e n t , o l e a s e R S V P o n l i n e a t https://www facebook com/events/982911419717696?r ef=newsfeed to attend

Assistant State Attorney named Prosecutor of the Year by MADD

Assistant State Attorney Mara Marzano, of the State Attorney’s Office 20th Judicial Circuit Homicide Unit, has b e e n n a m e d t h e P r o s e c u t o r o f t h e Y e a r , w i t h t h e Outstanding Prosecutor Recognition, the top honor, by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Mara specializes in traffic homicide cases

In 2022, Mara was responsible for prosecuting more impaired driving cases in the 20th Judicial Circuit than any other prosecutor

“I am extremely proud of Assistant State Attorney Mara Marzano for the incredible work she does and her receipt of this well-deserved award Mothers Against Drunk Driving has witnessed Mara’s expertise and skill in handling these complex cases for many years, both in the courtroom and in her relationship with the victims of these cases,” said State Attorney Amira Fox

Mara has successfully prosecuted many traffic homicide and DUI manslaughter cases at trial Her expertise has also assisted with resolving cases pre-trial, helping families avoid the agony that sometimes comes from testimony in the courtroom

“Out of all the cases I have prosecuted, these types of cases, are often the most difficult The families of the victims too, struggle with these crimes that happen in a minute Ordinary people just doing ordinary things, perhaps just driving to work, are suddenly impacted by someone’s poor judgment, which then affects their lives so tragically MADD is so awesome at helping the victims and their families through these difficult experiences,” said Assistant State Attorney Marzano

Also nominated for this honor was Assistant State Attorney Martin Stark, of the State Attorney’s Office Homicide Unit The nominations were received for cases and work done in 2022

PHOTO PROVIDED

Sportsman’s Warehouse in Cape Coral to open Aug. 31

Sportsman’s Warehouse Holdings, Inc , announced this week that it is opening its sixth store in Florida Thursday, Aug 31, in Cape Coral Everyone is invited to the grand opening celebration of the new location at 527 S W Pine Island Road

“With the success of our new stores in Naples and

Tampa Highwoods this year, we are ready to serve the local community in Cape Coral, Florida, too where there are numerous, year-round activities like fishing, camping, h i k i n g , a n d a l l k i n d s o f w a t e r s p o r t s , ” s t a t e s T a r a Clements, Sportsman’s Warehouse regional manager “Still recovering from the damage caused by Hurricane Ian

Pineapple Picasso opens in Cape

Pineapple Picasso, Cape Coral’s newest party spot, has opened at 2612 Santa Barbara Blvd , Suite 2 The unique art studio features open painting, local art and workshops and art classes, along with a few special features like the Splatter Spot and Passion Prints

In the Splatter Spot, guests throw paint to create art

Everyone gets colorful and messy with neon glow-in-thedark paint, blacklights, music, paint blasters and brushes

Owners say the Splatter Spot is a great place for families and friends to create fond memories Pineapple Picasso provides all the necessary supplies for creative, messy fun! Patrons get a poncho, shoe covers, goggles, an 11×14 canvas each, neon glow paint, brushes, squirt blasters, blacklights, dancing lights, music and a takehome box

Passion Prints is couple's art Donning a bathing suit, participants put body paint on each other and roll around on a 36-inch x 48-inch large canvas to create art There are four different packages to choose from

In addition to the workshops and classes, local art from 14 different artists is also available

Pineapple Picasso is open Tuesday through Thursday, 10 a m to 6 p m ; Friday and Saturday, 10 a m to 7 p m ; and Sunday, noon to 6 p m Mondays are Picasso's Day of Rest so the shop is closed

For additional information, call 239-257-1161 or visit https://pineapplepicasso com

Patrons enjoying the Splatter Spot at Pineapple Picasso in Cape Coral. PHOTO PROVIDED

in 2022, we hope to provide this community with the indemand outdoor gear and emergency essentials they need to help them prepare for future storms and also create new outdoor memories with family and friends ”

The new store includes over 21,000 square feet of space packed with over 60,000 items including a number of major brands

Customers will enjoy an easy-in, easy-out experience, award-winning service and everyday low prices backed by a best-price guarantee

The free, grand opening celebration starts at 9 a m Aug 31, and runs through Saturday, Sept 2, attendees can enjoy the following:

■ On each day of the grand opening celebration, the first 200 customers in line will receive a free Sportsman’s Warehouse hat and gift card (one per family).

■ There will also be an in-store sweepstakes to win items like guns, knives, binoculars, a YETI cooler and gift cards

■ Special discounts will be available, and various brand representatives will be at the store with giveaways, product demonstrations and exclusive offers

“Our new Cape Coral location is also looking for outdoor enthusiasts who want to be part of our growing team,” states Clements “You can learn more about these e x c i t i n g c a r e e r o p p o r t u n i t i e s a t h t t p s : / / c a r e e r s s p o r t smans com ”

The store was originally scheduled to open Aug 4 but the opening was rescheduled due to unforseen circumstances

For additional information about the grand opening celebration, please call 239-217-8200 or visit www sportsmans com

Studio Express renovates bus into mobile music studio

Fort Myers business creates studio for Boys & Girls Club of Delaware

A renovated school bus is ready to rock-n-roll - as a totally transformed, state-of-the-art, mobile music studio for the benefit of hundreds of kids with the Boys & Girls Club of Delaware The non-profit’s first in-person peek at the finished product was held recently in Fort Myers when club representatives picked up the keys from local creative design firm, Studio Express

Unrecognizable from its original state, the bus now boasts a shock of electric blue exterior paint, bold graffiti art inside and out (thanks to SWFL rapper/artist KJ-52),

Hamman steps down as president and CEO of Greater For t Myers Chamber

The Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce has announced that Brian Hamman, president and CEO, has stepped down from his role, effective immediately, in order to focus on his family as his father navigates a serious health condition

Hamman will continue to fulfill his responsibilities as Lee County Commissioner for District 4.

“This has been a difficult decision as I’ve valued the relationships that have been built with our members, our s u p p o r t i v e b o a r d o f d i r e c t o r s a n d o u r h a r d w o r k i n g Chamber team,” Hamman said “Serving as the president and CEO of the Chamber has been a blessing in my life, and I’m proud of all that we’ve accomplished in the past year I know that the Chamber will continue to thrive under the leadership of the board and staff during this transition ”

Board Chair Jay Johnson, together with the support of the chamber executive committee, board of directors and member partners, will fulfill the responsibilities of the president and CEO position while the board seeks a permanent replacement In the interim, Hamman will serve in an advisory capacity to support the Chamber and ensure a smooth transition

In the coming weeks, board Vice Chair Jen Whyte will

multi-colored lights, soundproofing, microphones, mixers, speakers and more The jazzed-up upgrade offers a dynamic and engaging space for K-12 kids to discover a broad range of immersive opportunities to create music, videos, podcasts, video games and more! Putting it on wheels means kids at all 42 chapters of the Boys & Girls Club of Delaware will have a chance to check it out

Studio Express, based in South Florida, is known for renovating RVs, buses, and travel trailers into tiny homes and businesses Crafting a fully-functional, mobile music

BUSINESS BRIEFS

assemble and oversee a committee of business-savvy leaders in the national search for the chamber’s next president and CEO

For additional information, please call 239-332-2930 or visit www.fortmyers.org.

Vigilant Guardian Home Watch & Ser vices ear ns accreditation

Vigilant Guardian Home Watch & Services has earned accreditation from the National Home Watch Association

The NHWA was formed in 2009 in order to establish and maintain the highest industry standards for Home Watch and absentee homeowner services throughout the United States and Canada (www nationalhomewatchassociation org) Home Watch is a visual inspection of a home or property, looking for obvious issues, which means that it is a service that “keeps an eye on things” at your vacation or primary home while you are not in residence All principals of NHWA Accredited Member companies are background-checked, insured, and bonded

Owners Tommy and Loretta Cameron are a former dual military couple who served in the U S Navy Loretta has a master’s in business administration, and Tommy has a bachelor’s in cybersecurity

Vigilant Guardian Home Watch & Services serves Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Sanibel/Capita Island and Pine

studio from scratch was a first - but a challenge they seized to collaborate with partners so dedicated to helping kids connect, create and grow.

“We loved that this was a chance to extend so many creative opportunities to kids who need it most,” Studio Express owner/founder Krystle Lopez said “Every child deserves the chance to make the music that’s in their hearts ”

Studio Express is at 2058 Beacon Manor Drive, Fort Myers For additional information, call 239-878-0603 or visit https://studioexpress art/

Island Contact the company at 651-263-4574 or at vigilantguardian-swfl@proton me Learn more from the company website at https://vigilantguardianswfl com/

For t Myers Brewing to host 90s Night

Fort Myers Brewing Company is turning back the clock to party like it’s 1990-something with 90s Night from noon to 11 p m , Saturday, Aug 12

The event will feature craft brews, food trucks, live music and 90s-themed fun In addition to specialty beers on tap, the brewery will feature specialty seltzer cocktails w i t h 9 0 s - i n s p i r e d f l a v o r s i n c l u d i n g P i n a C o l a d a , Strawberry Daiquiri and Miami Vice

Local eats will be served up from Don’t Give Up, South Pizza Co and Tia’s Kitchen throughout the evening, and DJ Nate will perform at 7 p m

Guests are encouraged to come dressed in their favorite fashions from the decade The brewery is also releasing a limited-edition 90s splatter paint T-shirt, available for purchase in the tap room

The brewery’s 90s Night will take place at Fort Myers Brewing Company, 12811 Commerce Lakes Drive, Suite 28, in Fort Myers

For more information, visit Facebook com/FMBrew or call 239-313-6576

Stakeholders: Lottery will pull from brackets determined by residency length

lived) in the city,” Ilczyszyn said

Members will range from 60-year residents to under 10-year residents by 10- year increments

The discussion came after some council members said they would like to be part of the stakeholders group or wanted to appoint members to the group

Florida’s Sunshine, or open meeting, laws put a damper on multiple Council members directly taking part

“If only one of you do that, that is OK,” Ilczyszyn said “But if more than one of you want to do that and the Council wants to allow that, now you have a public meeting It turns the whole thought process of this upside down It's a reasonable request to be on the stakeholders group (There are) ramifications if you want to do that ”

Councilmember Bill Steinke asked to be included, saying his main reason was that the Yacht Club is in his district He said he would like to be involved in hearing what the stakeholder group has to say, as in listening only and not providing feedback

As far as the Council appointing members it would have added eight appointees, taking the group to 18

“In that case, obviously, it is not 100 percent stakeholder lottery Now you have political appointees,” Ilczyszyn said

Councilmember Robert Welsh thought Council should add four appointed members to the stakeholders group, as a lottery group of that many people might render some who do not have anything to do, or know about the Yacht Club.

Councilmember Tom Hayden said it is great that many members of the community wanted to participate, but the panel would not

The Cape Coral Yacht & Racquet Club, constructed by the Cape’s founding developers, was dedicated on June 10, 1962 The state-recognized historic structure is headed for demolition with the city forming a citizen stakeholder group to determine whether there are elements that should be preserved or incorporated into a new building

include members who have invested the most time in the Yacht Club where the legacy of the place is embedded into their character By adding Council-nominated individuals, it would give those people an opportunity to be involved.

“I really don’t want to exclude the people who have really spent the most time in that building for the past 60 years There are some residents (that were) there for the dedication of the Yacht Club,” Hayden said

He said to give those individuals the ability to walk through the building, having one

last embrace with it, would mean a lot to them and provide a little bit of closure of a historical place coming down

“Six people will be chosen that have spent hardly any time in the Yacht Club No history to fall back on, or nothing to remember of what the building meant to many others,” Hayden said “It doesn’t make a lot of sense to send in a stakeholder group that doesn’t understand the meaning of what it was and how it can be included in any new design in the future This particular group may not have a stake in this place at all Keep that in mind

when we run through a lottery Pay attention to the past, as we look ahead to the future as well ”

Ilczyszyn said a stakeholder group is not a Council-appointed board, or committee that has a required amount of seats and is not intended to be a long-lasting group beyond a very specific purpose

“It is not intended to encompass the entire Yacht Club The stakeholder group I pushed out is to specifically deal with the ballroom aspect itself,” he said

The intent is for the stakeholder group to provide input to the architect Kimley Horn on elements the group thinks would be worthwhile to incorporate into the next building as current plans call for the ballroom to be demolished

“It’s purely a list of recommendations,” Ilczyszyn said, adding that it will not get ahead of Council and Council’s decision making “It’s a point of information and consideration based on people that have been here for various times in the community ”

The stakeholders group would go through the ballroom one morning, followed by the group sitting in a meeting room to have a larger discussion of what they saw to keep and what reasons it is of value

“It’s not intended to add any time to the schedule It will merely fit into the schedule,” he said, adding it can be accomplished in a day

Ilczyszyn said the people in his stakeholder group will have to sign a waiver in case something happens, as the building is closed to the public

He said it is important to that the others who signed up to be considered can still come to Council and share their thoughts, as well as send emails

Back to school: Parental involvement welcome at Lee County schools

From page 8

With that, there is a higher percentage of time for high school and middle school students to arrive to school on time, as the district operates on a three-tier system with elementary schools falling into the second tier This will also improve students arriving home on time

Some routes remain uncovered, but the district continues to move people through the human resources pipeline with the hope of getting them started on the first day of school.

Bernier said the after school programs are up and running at the elementary schools Some schools have already started wait lists due to the demand

“They have established a pool of fingerprinted young people to work after school in these programs to eliminate the wait list,” Bernier said, adding that they are reaching out to the local universities to track their talent as well

This year the district will start to explore a proximity plan for middle schools, compressing attendance zones so children can attend schools closer to home

Volunteers needed

Many meet-the-teacher open houses took this week in advance of first day of school on Thursday

“Parents, we want your involvement,” Bernier said, adding that could come with conversations with their child about school, volunteering, or becoming a field trip chaperone

He said by becoming involved it really sends the message to a child the value of public school education

“We encourage (parents) to find opportunities in the school To volunteer and be an

integral part of your child's education,” Bernier said

Post-Ian changes

Almost a year later, the district is still feeling the impacts of the destruction Hurricane Ian left behind

There are still two sites where students will not return to “their” schools Hector A Cafferata Elementary School will remain at the portable campus behind Cape Coral Technical College This month the board will vote on contractors to begin working on the K-8 school in mid Cape Coral

The other school, Fort Myers Beach Elementary School, will not be in its home either Bernier said the tentative plan is to get the students back into their historic building some time this fall

Most maintenance is complete, or nearing completion for other buildings that had hurricane damage He said there are still roofs that need to be worked on, which will be with earnest and great speed

Those who would like to see an update regarding a specific school can visit the district's website, leeschools net, and click on the hurricane icon Here the community can get an updated transparent scorecard with progress of all the work being done

Also to roll out this year is a PSA regarding bike ride and walk safely Bernier said the district has worked with the mayors of Cape Coral and Fort Myers, as well as police chiefs to ensure students are safe to and from school

The district is also promoting the “see something, say something” initiative He said they can put all the technology in place, but they need students and staff to be their eyes and ears

This year the district has added more than 2,000 seats in the neediest area, Lehigh Acres, with the opening of Amanecer Elementary, Lemuel Teal Middle School and additional seats at Lehigh Acres Middle School

“I am excited and thankful for the half penny sales tax Without that money, those buildings are not possible,” Bernier said.

The community can also look forward to the refreshed strategic plan, which focuses on such areas as academic outcomes in reading, writing, math, graduation, discipline, recruitment and retention, operation and mainte-

nance

“Those will have public facing score cards located on the website,” Bernier said “The community will have a score card much like a student report card ”

The school board will discuss the refreshed plan at the Aug 16 board meeting He said they are looking forward to getting that approval and sharing the work at town halls and touring the community

Bernier said he is excited about getting back out and spending time in the community

VALARIE HARRING

Natalie and Alberto Perez walk their daughter Ariela, 6, a first grader at Caloosa Elementary, to school Thursday morning Little brother Alberto, 1, is along for the stroll on Southeast 6th Street

Cape company adds solar to new-home construction

Solar First: Tax credits, power costs, make building with or adding a solar system make ‘cents’

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

A Cape Coral business is looking to pave the way for solar energy in Southwest Florida, and recently completed the first from-the-ground-up solar spec home in the Cape

Solar First, founded and headquartered in Cape Coral by Derek Piotter, is hoping to help local residents save a buck by building their prospective home with solar, or add to an existing structure As Hurricane Ian just proved, being without power for potentially weeks on end, especially in the heat, can be just as dangerous as it is uncomfortable Battery back-up solar systems can continue to keep power circulating even while off the grid

Piotter, born and raised in Cape Coral before leaving the state to pursue other ventures, said he wanted to make a difference in the community he calls home

He was looking into some of the energy-efficient developments that were out there three years ago when Florida had some of the lowest electricity rates in the nation

Piotter said adding solar onto existing homes then wouldn’t have made the difference it would today, so he looked into building new homes equipped to run on solar. If solar is part of new construction, the homebuyer receives a 30% tax credit on the roof supporting the solar system in addition to the standard 30% tax credit that they receive on the solar system Additionally, builders receive a $2,500 tax credit if they build an energy-efficient home

Fast-forwarding years later, Florida no longer boasts minimal energy rates

“After the war in Ukraine, and massive energy increases that we saw, at that point, it became economically viable to add solar to existing homes,” Piotter said “So, it’s been an interesting shift since we’ve been in this market ”

Solar First constructed the first ground-up solar spec home this past April, meaning the house was built and designed for solar power use The home is in the 2000 block of Northwest 45th Place and was sold this year with the homeowner currently occupying the space

“This was the first one that we were developing as a ground-up spec,” Piotter said “With those tax credits, it also allows people to achieve a very large tax credit after they moved in, which can be very helpful to first-time home buyers, or people that are scraping together to get to a down payment on a house Also, to have their energy needs bundled into their mortgage where they can write off interest on the tax with that as well ”

Piotter, a Cape High graduate, found success in other walks of life after graduating college and pursuing business opportunities in New York After that paid off, he felt the calling to come back home

“I realized that I really wanted to return home and build a business in my hometown to truly help where I came from,” he said “When I was in high school, you didn't really have a lot of businesses to look up to locally

“When the economics changed, I realized that building an overall solar business here that focuses on commercial and residential (is something missing) Solar companies would come in and are incentivized to sell to the consumer at an outsized rate, and that sales team disappears to the state they came from ”

Piotter said when solar is sold “incorrectly” it results in a negative experience for the end consumer He wanted to change that

“I want to provide solar with the correct education with the end consumer in mind rather than profits,” Piotter said

He returned to Cape Coral in 2020 and founded the company to help better serve residents

Piotter said now is a great time to look into solar, as the Florida legislature extended the tax credit for solar for an additional 10 years

“At this moment solar has reached an inflection period where the price has come down to such a level that you'll see a traditional payback period in less than 10 years

“There are very few things you can do with your home to offset your bills and provide a way to lock in costs in the future ”

Piotter said banks have even hopped on board to help finance solar systems

While the Sunshine State would be an ideal location to install solar, quite frankly, some just don’t like the way it looks Piotter can sympathize

“Personally, I don’t like seeing solar on the front of a

house,” he said “In Florida, it’s more about blending it nicely with the house For example, I have a black metal roof and the black panels blend in to where you almost don’t notice it It’s important to have a company that listens to what concerns are about appearance and designs a system (to make the individual happy) ”

When it comes to how these panels will hold up in a hurricane, Piotter said he had some concerns as well (despite lab testing), but the proof was in the pudding after Ian, a Category 4 storm

“Everybody would say, ‘Wait until a hurricane, those panels will be flying off.’ I heard that from everybody,” Piotter said “I went to my mother’s house to help her during the actual storm, and when I pulled back up to my house, truthfully, you don’t know what to expect And when I saw every single panel on my house intact, just as described, it was elation It was the ultimate confirmation ”

Piotter said solar panels can actually strengthen a roof

“They act as a bracing system because they anchor into the trusses,” he said “There were cases (with houses with solar) where one side of a roof came off, but the area with the panels are were there and reinforced You wouldn’t expect it, but you see the proof after Our installation team didn’t have one system lost after Ian.”

Perhaps the icing on the cake when it comes to having solar during a storm in the ability to run off the grid when power goes up using a backup battery and mircoinverters,

Solar First, founded and h e a d q u a r t e r e d i n C a p e C o r a l b y D e r e k P i o t t e r, r e c e n t l y c o m p l e t e d t h e f i r s t n e w c o n s t r u c t i o n s p e c h o m e b u i l t t o i n c l u d e s o l a r e n e r g y i n the Cape. The home, in the northwest Cape Coral, retains its curb appeal as the solar panels are unobtrusive from the street.

which Solar First offers customers

“It's a game changer,” Piotter said “And the tax credit applies to the batteries as well ”

Anyone with existing solar without a battery, can still have one installed with a tax credit

“For people who are on dialysis or other medical equipment, it provides continuous power,” Piotter said “Generators are great, but a lot of things can happen with generators as we know And having that backup battery is a huge benefit for people ”

Piotter said at the end of the day, solar isn’t just about going green, it’s about saving green.

“Where people fall on the environmental scale, that’s subjective and can depend on every single person’s wants and needs,” he said “In terms of saving money, everybody out there wants to save money And if you can properly educate the market that solar is an investment and saves them money as opposed to pitching it as an environmental benefit that’s where you can tap into the marketplace

“It was hard before to present an economic case to add solar to the home I think now it’s a combination of tax credits the government has put forth, combined with our staggering increases in electricity costs locally We’ve seen 30 to 40% increases over the last few years. It makes overwhelming sense for people to elect to go solar ”

F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n o n S o l a r F i r s t , v i s i t www solarfirst us or call 239-297-4072

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED

Are you thinking about buying a new boat?

With the high cost of everything these days, be prepared for a bad case of super sticker shock when shopping for your new or well used dreamboat Thinking about finally selling old S S MoneyPit? With season coming and if old faithful is in decent shape, it’s probably worth more than you might think Not long ago I sold my wellcared-for fiberglass flats rig for what I paid for it quite a few years earlier

Now, I think I may be getting BBF again (BBF or “boat buying fever” - a dreaded condition which can magically cancel out all reason and financial common sense in normally very reasonable people, especially men ) If you find yourself talking to you in the mirror trying to convince you that you’ll somehow find a way to replace the tuition money, you definitely have BBF There is no cure, just cold turkey, stripped of phones, credit cards and check books, then confined for a short period till senses are slowly regained Nevertheless, I’m on the hunt again but definitely not looking to empty my already inflation-shrunk piggy bank, be confined, or cause war on the home front

An interesting alternative is going aluminum Fiberglass is heavy, more expensive, needs cleaning and waxing maintenance, and requires bigger and definitely more costly engines to push it, plus more fuel and bigger tow vehicles to pull it down the highway

It’s a safe bet that early on many of us spent time fishing or hunting in riveted Jon boats, but when thinking aluminum hulls in saltwater most would recommend staying away from this construction method and choose only an all welded hull model Getting beat up by a nasty chop on the way home over time loosens rivets starting leaks and corrosion issues

When thinking about an aluminum purchase for seawater, usually the first questions folks like me have is, "What about long-term rust and corrosion issues?"

Interestingly, rust and corrosion are two different animals Rust isn’t an issue with aluminum since it contains no steel or iron to oxidize -- it doesn’t rust Corrosion is a different issue, referring to the wearing away of metal due to a chemical reaction, like being dipped in the brine leading to corrosive pitting and possible eventual failure

Galvanic corrosion

When it comes to boat building materials there’s quite a difference in the aluminum used in your lawn chair frame verses marine-grade aluminum, which is manufactured with special alloys to give it much more corrosion

It’s that time of year once again where shoulder pads are being strapped on, chin straps are being tightened and high school football programs start chomping at the bit to get back onto the field

Friday nights are about to get turned up across Southwest Florida as countless talented teams call the region home after a season shortened by Hurricane Ian

The Breeze will highlight West Zone and other local teams leading into the regular season to give fans an early look at their favorite team We sat down with each head coach and select players a series of questions on what they expect from their program.

Look for continued coverage of local high school programs in The Breeze in upcoming editions as we continue the journey to Friday nights where the lights shine the brightest

Mariner High School

Head Coach: Josh Nicholson (4th year)

2022 record: 5-3 (2-1 District)

Competes in: 3S District 14

Preseason: Aug 18 at Charlotte High School

Week 1: Aug 25 at East Lee County

The Tritons are full of playmakers on both sides of the ball, and head coach Josh Nicholson is hoping to see the fruits of his labor with his first full class of players pay off this year Mariner won its first two and final two games of the year last season, hoping to bring that momentum into the 2023-24 campaign The Tritons hope they can stay healthy, increasing their scoring output with a new playbook and make a push to be a top team in its district

How do you feel as a program heading into the season?

“Good Excited to get started It's been a hell of a ride with these guys since they were freshmen,” Nicholson said “Excited to see what they got and see all the work they put in come together Mariner High School football was not something people were excited about, and it was a challenge I took on, and these guys took on They've been loyal, worked hard and now it's time to execute ”

Expectations from the team on and off the field?

“They know the expectations off the field, and that's going to be the biggest challenge That's really what I'm focused on this year I know they can execute on the field, we've just got to get them to Friday nights They don't know any different than the high expectation I've been holding them to for three years They almost coach themselves Not only are they taking accountability and responsibility for their own actions, but now they're stating to take that leadership and mentorship role with the younger guys We want to develop good, young men, and they've bought into that ”

How do you plan to build off of last season?

“I'll be honest, this year for me, it's time to take a step back The first two years everything I did was to set ourselves up to where these young men can take ownership of the program Now, I can step back and focus on the individual I can talk to these guys about life, what's going on at home, at school, what they want to do with themself You're not going to be playing sports forever -- set yourself up so that in the future, the experience you have from this game benefits you in other ways As far as execution on the field, we need to start scoring some points and we're going to be more aggressive The things we do at practice, if we can convert to the game situation, it's going to be fun to watch ”

How would you describe your coaching style/team identity?

“Tough Physical Disciplined football There's going to

be a lot more throwing the ball and some Xs and Os might be different, but being tough is what sets football apart from other sports Being disciplined is what sets athletes apart from just a general athlete We're always going to have that level of physicality, that's just kind of how I'm built -- especially in the fourth quarter ”

What do you hope to take as a whole from this upcoming season?

“I'm excited to see these guys as my first freshman group, and we have a couple of guys that never played football until they got to high school We've all had our battles and tough conversations. I'm excited to see them come together and mature And talking about what's next and being academically successful for the next level I'm looking forward to not just what happens this season, but next year with this bright group of kids that are going to do great things I'm excited for five and 10 years from now ”

Expected challenges?

“Adversity is the name of the game I got hired in January of 2020, and we know what happened right after that It's always about adapt and overcome Who knows what this year has in store Everything was going smooth last year and then the hurricane came That's life; that's what the game prepares you for We'll be prepared for whatever life has to throw our way, hopefully it's just football-related ”

Players to watch this year?

■ Kelvin Jimenez, TE, 2024

■ Marcus Kelley Jr , S, 2024

■ Clark Daley, LB/RB, 2025

■ Justin Lewis, WR,/FS, 2024

■ Noah Tolbert, LB/QB, 2024

What has the team chemistry been like so far with the team?

“I think our vibe and chemistry has been really good We've been playing all sports with each other -- we're like brothers ” -- Lewis

What do you think will make this group successful?

“We just all need to stay healthy We always had minor injuries that set us back, because we all work as a team If we all stay healthy, it should be something special ” -Kelley Jr

How has the coaching staff pushed you to be your best heading into the year?

“Coach Nicholson knows the right way to approach each player individually He knows how to get each of us to respond and adjusts to get through to us ” -- Daley

Cape Coral High School

Head Coach: Larry Gary (2nd year)

2022 record: 2-6 (0-3 District)

Competes in: 3S District 14

Preseason: Aug 18 vs DeSoto County

First regular season game: Aug 25 vs Ida Baker

Long-time head coach Larry Gary returns for a second season at Cape High after returning last year from time off as a head coach in the area With a team that has a mix of upperclassman and youngsters, the Seahawks are looking to take a step forward this year after a learning process and coaching change last season

How do you feel as a program heading into the season?

“I feel really good,” Gary said “I see a lot of growth And that's what it's all about -- how they improved from last year up to now If I had to pick a word, it would be ‘growth ’”

Capt George Tunison

Mussels, Marauders split first two games of series

Houghton drives in five in 10-5 win over Bradenton

FORT MYERS – Maddux Houghton’s three-run homer capped a seven-run first inning Wednesday, setting the tone in a 105 Mussels’ victory over the Bradenton Marauders at Hammond Stadium

The round tripper extended Houghton’s hitting streak to six games and marked the first time he left the yard since May 5 against Dunedin He tacked on two more RBI on a clutch two-out single in the ninth

In a scoreless game in the bottom of the first, Luke Keaschall walked before Ricardo Olivar and Danny De Andrade singled to load the bases Rubel Cespedes then scorched a two-run double off the base of the wall in right to give the Mussels (50-54, 16-22) a 2-0 lead With runners at second and third, Jay Harry rolled a grounder to second that scored De Andrade to extend the lead to three runs The next hitter was Gregory Duran, who ripped a liner into right for an RBI single that made it 4-0

After a walk to Alec Sayre placed runners at first and second, Houghton launched a three-run homer inside the foul pole in left to bring the Fort Myers’ lead to 7-0

With the same score in the top of the second, Juan Jerez singled while Mitch Jebb and Lonnie White Jr drew walks to load the bases for Bradenton (59-44, 24-14) Garret Forrester then punched a two-run single to right that made it 7-2 Charles McAdoo fol-

lowed with an infield single to short that pushed across another run that made it 7-3

In the bottom of the second, Harry singled and advanced to third on a ground out and wild pitch After a walk to Sayre, an errant pickoff attempt to first allowed Harry to score to extend the lead to 8-3

Bradenton then scratched singular runs across in the third and fourth on groundouts to cut the deficit to 8-5

Both teams drew 10 walks and put several men on base in the later stage of the game, but were not able to cash in until Houghton’s two-run single in the ninth

Despite the walks, the Mussels’ bullpen was able to quiet the Marauders’ bats Relievers Juan Mendez, Jackson Hicks (51) , Ricardo Velez, and Zach Veen combined for 6 1 scoreless innings

Coverage of the series is on the Mighty Mussels Baseball Network

Early Mussels lead evaporates in 13-9 loss to Bradenton

FORT MYERS – The Mighty Mussels dropped the series opener with the Bradenton Marauders 13-9 Tuesday after Charles McAdoo went 6-for-6 with two home runs and eight RBI at Hammond Stadium

Danny De Andrade broke out of a 4-for42 skid with three hits and four RBI Rafael Cruz finished the night with four hits and is now 12-for-27 ( 444) with six extra-base

hits and eight RBI in his last seven games

With no score in the bottom of the first, Ricardo Olivar doubled to left with one out to set up a De Andrade two-run homer that put the Mussels (49-54, 15-22) up 2-0

The blast landed on the top of the berm in left and left the bat at 105 4 miles per hour for his eighth homer of the season

With the same score in the top of second, McAdoo launched a homer off the batter’s eye in straight away center to cut the Marauders’ (59-43, 24-13) deficit to 2-1

After Rodolfo Nolasco walked, Justin Miknis smoked a single to right for his first professional knock On the same play, Rodolfo Nolasco scored the game’s tying run on an errant throw from right fielder

Alec Sayre

Still tied in the bottom of the second, Sayre singled to right with one out The next hitter was Maddux Houghton, who lined a double to left that scored Sayre to give the Mussels a 3-2 lead On the play, Houghton advanced to third, and then scored on a passed ball later in the frame to push the lead to 4-2

Leading off the top of the third, Mitch Jebb singled and Forrester walked to place runners at first and second With one out in the frame, McAdoo cranked a three-run homer to deep left center that gave Bradenton its first lead of the night at 6-5

Still leading by one in the top of the fifth, Jebb led off with an infield single to

short, and Garret Forrester walked to set up runners at first and second With one out in the frame McAdoo lined a single to left center to score Jebb and push the lead to two runs Later in the frame, the Mussels surrendered two consecutive walks with the bases loaded to force in two more to make it 8-4

In the top of the seventh and eighth innings, Bradenton pushed across three more runs on a two-run home run from Omar Alfonzo and an RBI single from McAdoo

In the bottom of the eighth, De Andrade singled and advanced to third on an error and grounder Later in the inning, Rubel Cespedes drove him in with an RBI ground out to second Later in the frame Nate Baez singled and scored on an RBI double off the wall in right from Jay Harry to make it 116

In the top of the ninth, McAdoo stepped up with the bases loaded and muscled a two-run single to left to cap Bradenton’s scoring at 13-6

The performance marked the first time a Florida State League hitter notched six hits and drove in eight this year Moreover, he set the Marauders franchise record for hits in a game

Despite tacking on three more in the ninth on a De Andrade two-run double and Cruz RBI single, the Mussels’ comeback fell short

Kickoff: Mariner, Cape High football teams get ready for season

From page 40

Expectations from the team on and off the field?

“Is to carry themselves with a lot class That means character, setting an example in school as well as out on the ball field And to get that chemistry right as teammates so we can look out for each other It's a family thing It's one of the most important things when it comes to a group of young men trying to play a sport, is unity ”

How do you plan to build off of last season?

“Growth Experience And getting to continue to know the players. Our relationship is so much better now The energy and hard work they put into this sport is phenomenal ”

How would you describe your coaching style/team identity?

“My coaching style is more of a father figure; let them know that I'm going to try and keep them on track the best I know how And I'm not going to lead them astray I want them to stay on track and we talk about staying in our own lane A hardnosed guy, a motivation guy When the energy is down, to get it back up. I expect a

lot of positive energy from them They know they have to refuse to lose and our goal is to win the district ”

What do you hope to take as a whole from this upcoming season?

“We're trying to get it back where it once was Where when we step out on the field, we know our job We don't get away from our job When things get tough, the tough get going And no matter what happens, win or lose, as long as you know you did your very best, in my book you're still a winner ”

Expected challenges?

“Our district I think our competition, you respect them, but want to out-work them Everybody's goal is to win Our goal is to out-work them and expend energy that they can't handle If we can go undefeated in our district, no doubt we'll be on top We work hard to get to the postseason ”

Players to watch this year?

■ Maddox Howerton, TE, 2024

■ Markus Solano, RB, 2024

■ Derrick Oge, 2024, LB

■ Joshua Kelly, 2024, DE

What has the team chemistry been like so far with the team?

“Our team, we've bonded during the off-

New boat: Got a case of ‘BBF?’

From page 40

resistance and strength

To preserve aluminum hulls, a simple coat of paint works wonders but a powdercoated hull is the best option Uncared for hulls often get a white chalky coat of aluminum oxide There are many marine grade paints or coatings available for aluminum hulls Always use sacrificial anodes like zinc but never use magnesium anodes on aluminum in saltwater

Like a fiberglass hull, you can also wax your aluminum hull providing even further protection and a common sense rinse down at the end of the day is always good medicine There are many aluminum cleaning products to remove salt but many still rely on a 50/50 white vinegar and distilled water mix in a spray bottle, applied, then wiped off with a damp rag

Nowadays there are quite a few boat builders building inshore/nearshore saltwater aluminum boats like Ranger The famous fiberglass bass boat company offers a few neat salt grade aluminum models and of particular interest are the all welded aluminum bay boat and skiff line from Xpress Boats and Sea Ark boat builders

Much cheaper to buy, easier to launch, power, pull, pole, troll motor and easier to maintain Take a long look at aluminum when thinking of your new bay boat or skiff purchase this time around as it may be the right choice for you and your skinny piggy bank

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

season and become a big family ” -- Kelly

“Us as a team, we hang out more and spend time together outside of the field There are no little groups, we're always talking to different people We're a family ” -- Solano

What do you think will make this group successful?

“Our confidence is a lot higher this year for sure We have confidence in the scheme, all of the coaches, and us as players. We've all put in the work trying to get better ” --

Solano

How has the coaching staff pushed you to be your best heading into the year?

“They're great They give me confidence to be a better player ” -- Oge

“It's always been bigger than football with our coaching staff They want to help us be the best possible young men and achieve at the next level ” -- Kelly

Connect with Associate Sports Editor CJ Haddad on Twitter: @haddad cj

CAPE CORAL ANIMAL SHELTER

Sissy and Kaz

Looking for a loving home

Sissy (left) and Kaz (right) are two 5 to 7-year-old bff's awaiting their furever home They are the cutest friends ever and would be very sad if they weren't together, so they are a package deal! Sissy and Kaz get so excited to see their human friends, that they get the zoomies to show how much they missed them One last thing, they are not big fans of tiny humans, so kids over the age of 12 or an adult only home would best suit them

Kitty is a 5 to 7-year-old female who would love to find her furever home Kitty (Miss Kitty to some) gets along with her kitty friends of all ages but particularly

enjoys the company of her people She is at the perfect age where she no longer wants to participate in kitten shenanigans, but is more active than those senior cats who like to loaf around all day

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

The shelter is located at 325 S W 2nd Ave , Cape Coral, and hours of operation are Tuesday and Thursday, noon to 5 p m , and Friday through Sunday, noon to 4 p m

IAFM Youth Wing Strikes Again Aug. 27

The India Association of Fort Myers is kicking off its Youth Wing for 2023-24 with a special bowling event for students in 8th-12th grade

The IAFM Youth Wing Strikes Again will be held Sunday, Aug 27, from 5:30-7:30 p m , at HeadPinz, 14513 Global Parkway, Fort Myers

The cost is $20 per youth which includes bowling shoes with pizza, soda and dessert served Children should be dropped off by 5:20 p m

The deadline to RSVP is Friday, Aug 18 To register or for information, visit https://forms gle/AUMGXr KZ5n2bizmT6

Payment must be received for each child at: h t t p s : / / w w w p a y p a l c o m / donate/?hosted button id= WNV8QU5S3WVSS

Petunias:

From page 17

30 seeds each of the invasive R simplex Following a less active period in winter here in Southwest Florida, the wild petunia becomes revitalized in spring and the cycle of life continues on

Also known as Ruellia c a roliniensis, the plant is low growing with an average height and spread to 2 feet It has a preference for s a n d y , a l k a l i n e s o i l , a n d e x h i b i t s l o v e l y , d e l i c a t e blue/lavender blooms spring through fall Although each bloom lasts but a day, you’ll hardly notice because of the p r o l i f e r a t i o n o f b l o o m s throughout the growing season

Attracting a number of nectar-loving visitors, the wild petunia also serves as h o s t t o t h e C o m m o n Buckeye, Junonia coenia, and White Peacock, Anartia jatrophe, butterflies

Interesting fact about the Ruellia genus: The plants are not true petunias So, to answer the question: When is a petunia not a petunia? When it comes under the Ruellia umbrella.

Join me next time when we will explore another of my favorite wildflowers, the n a t i v e b l u e p o r t e r w e e d ( S t a c h y t a r p h e t a j a m a i c e nsis), not to be confused with its non-native Category II i n v a s i v e c o u n t e r p a r t , S cayennensis Until then Happy gardening!

J a n e t t a F o x i s a L e e C o u n t y M a s t e r G a r d e n e r volunteer and a member of the Garden Club of Cape Coral Visit us at gardenclubofcapecoral com

Fill in the blank cells using numbers 1 to 9. Each number can appear only once in each row, column, and 3x3 block. Use logic and process of elimination to solve the puzzle. The difficulty level ranges from Bronze (easiest) to Silver to Gold (hardest).

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