Pine Island Eagle

GPIA hands out supplies to islanders

Materials provided thanks to donation from Lions Club

By PAULETTE LeBLANC pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

On Wednesday, Aug 9, at the Pine Island United Methodist Church, the Greater Pine Island Alliance handed out supplies to islanders in need Executive D i r e c t o r E r i n L o l l a r - L a m b e r t s a i d t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l Lions Club reached out to the GPIA asking if the island g r o u p c o u l d u s e s u p p l i e s W i t h t h e i r o w n b u d g e t , $10,000 worth of drywall and insulation was delivered to the residents of Pine Island to use as needed

“It’s a great collaboration We are definitely hoping

to work with them in the future It took us 32 minutes to give away all $10,000 in supplies, so the need is still very great on the island GPIA is working hard with all of our collaborators to continue to bring supplies to the island,” Lambert said

Fort Myers Lions Club President Jim Brown, who said he comes to Pine Island to fish on occasion, came to the giveaway event and reported that the event went like clock work. The money to fund the event, he said, came from the Lions Club International Foundation, which is a national organization

F.I.S.H.’s 23rd annual Back to School Basket Brigade for kids a huge success

Special to The Eagle pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

Aspecial

thanks to everyone for participating in the 2023/2024 F I S H (Fellow Islanders

S p e n d i n g H e l p ) B a c k t o S c h o o l B a s k e t Brigade Fair This program provides clothing, gym shoes and gift cards for students whose families anticipate having difficulty in providing new items for the upcoming school year A total of 198 children were registered for the program this year

F I S H continued last year’s fair format but moved the program inside Wesley Hall at United Methodist Church, which featured many health and wellness products and services available in Southwest Florida to our island children In addition to receiving their clothing and gift cards, each child received hygiene products, including new toothbrushes and toothpaste from the Greater Pine Island Food Pantry

Families were encouraged to bring their kids and walk through the stations with the opportunity to learn

about the variety of services and resources offered by Lee Health School supplies and vitals health check was offered by the Matlacha/Pine Island Fire Department

The Lee County Sheriff’s Community Response Unit provided backpacks and school supplies for all children as well as brought their Community Outreach ice cream truck for all attendees to enjoy In addition, Project Hope shared information on community resources, Beacon of Hope shared their services to all the families and Samaritan Health & Wellness Clinic and Dr Sue shared her services of primary care services and mental health counseling Samaritan Health & Wellness is located at the Beacon of Hope every other Wednesday by appointment only

“They have grants and they have disaster relief, so, i m m e d i a t e l y a f t e r t h e h u r r i c a n e , L i o n s C l u b International was pumping money into this community,” Brown said

The event, he said, is a direct result of the involvem e n t o f t h e l o c a l L i o n s C l u b T h e L i o n s C l u b International is concerned with world humanitarian outreach, which is then filtered down to the local Lions Club, which focuses on community needs

“They are, in fact, the boots on the ground They see what needs to be done and they go after it,” Brown said

The appeal of the Lions Club, Brown said, is in its

Gulf Coast Writers Association set to publish ‘Storm

Stories

— Hurricane Ian’

By PAULETTE LeBLANC pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

A collaborative effort to tell “Stories of Survival, Heroism and Humanity” has come together in “Storm Stories Hurricane Ian ”

W i t h t h e o n e - y e a r

a n n i v e r s a r y o f H u r r i c a n e

I a n m a k i n g l a n d f a l l i n

S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a a pproaching, the Gulf Coast

W r i t e r s A s s o c i a t i o n , i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h t h e Alliance for the Arts, will release a commemorative book complied from 83 s u b m i s s i o n s , i n c l u d i n g p o e t r y a n d l o n g n a r r atives

The book’s cover art was done by renowned artist Leoma Lovegrove, who lost both her home and gallery in Matlacha to Ian The foreword was written by award-winning novelist Robert Macomber, who was among the evacuees from Pine Island

“In this collection of stories, you will read of that storm’s profound effects on the people and places of this coast, told by those who endured it,” Macomber said “I am proud to be part of this literary endeavor, for the heart of it is a powerful, vivid story about the better angels of human nature, which emerge when least expected and most needed ”

Lovegrove said working on the project was cathartic

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

Taking on this art project was very personal “When Hurricanes Ian hit, I eased my stress by painting

Centennial Bank provides lunch for Pine Island Elementary staff

Centennial Bank recently provided lunch for the staff of Pine Island Elementary School

“Centennial Bank provided lunch for entire PIE staff We are very grateful for Centennial Bank’s continued support of Pine Island Elementary,” Principal Dr Tom Millins said

“We are very grateful for the unique and amazing staff at Pine Island Elementary, and all they do for the youth on Pine Island,” Pine Island bank branch manager Elsie Stearns said

The school year at PIE and across the district officially began Thursday

Sign-ups begin for

Pine Island Fall Ball players, volunteers

In-person baseball registration runs through Friday at Phillips Park

Online sign-ups have started for Pine Island Fall Ball 2023, which runs from Sept 11 to Nov 17 To sign up, visit https://pineislandyouthbaseball sportngin com/register/form/536125586

Those wishing to participate can also sign up in person Aug 14-18, from 5-7 p m , at the Phillips Park concession stand

The cost is $40 per child and sponsorships are available Please inquire to sponsorpibaseball@gmail com

T-ball is for players age 4-6, Rookie 7-9 years old and Majors 10-12

Each child will need a bat, baseball helmet, gloves and cleats. Rookie and Major players are also require to have a protective cup

Coaching positions, team parents and concession stand volunteer sign-ups can be done in person or message our Facebook page

Pine Island Youth Baseball has a new website at www piybb org

Phillips Park is at 5675 Sesame Drive, Bokeelia, just west of The Center behind Matlacha/Pine Island Fire Control District Station #1

Correction

The telephone number for Waterzway Work Boats was incorrect in the Aug 2, 2023, edition of the Pine Island Eagle The correct phone number is 352-4233425 The Eagle regrets the error

PHOTO PROVIDED

The staff at Pine Island Elementary enjoying lunch provided by Centennial Bank.

OPINIONS

Fix the Chiquita Lock

Publisher Raymond M Eckenrode reckenrode@breezenewspapers com

Executive Editor Valarie Harring vharring@breezenewspapers com

Editor Paulette LeBlanc pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

Advertising Director Laurie Ragle lragle@ breezenewspapers com

Advertising Sales Charlene Russ cruss@breezenewspapers com

Design & Layout Chris Strine cstrine@breezenewspapers com

Debbie Carletti obits@breezenewspapers com

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

The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation’s mission is to protect and care for S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a ’ s c o a s t a l e c o s y s t e m s 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 t o x i c t o b o t h p e o p l e a n d w i l d l i f e T h e

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

T h e l o c a t i o n o f t h e l o c k r e m a i n s a n a r r o w b o t t l e n e c k that sends some water through the spreader system, keeping the mangroves alive A similar s y s t e m w a s b u i l t w i t h t h e Ceitus Boat Lift, and after it was removed in 2007 a massive mangrove die-off occurred R e m o v i n g t h e l o c k w o u l d remove this last bit of functionality and likely have a dramatic impact on the mangroves and estuary.

Matt DePaolis Guest Commentary

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

Letters to the Editor

Web Poll

Praising the back to school support on Pine Island

To the Editor: On August 5, the Fellow Islander Sending Help (F I S H ) headed up a very successful and well attended Back to School clothes drive event for the Pine Island school students Over 200 island kids received school clothes, supplies, personal hygiene items and gift cards in

preparation for school starting on Aug 10

The day before the event, we realized that some additional bilingual support might be needed A call was made to a Beacon of Hope v o l u n t e e r a n d i s l a n d r e s i d e n t L i n d a

Armando Perez He is also a volunteer at the Beacon of Hope, a Matlacha Hooker scholarship recipient, attends Florida Gulf Coast

19 manatees were killed in boat lifts across Florida in 2022, another 800 died of starvation P r o t e c t i n g m a n a t e e s r e q u i r e s p r o t e c t i n g s e a g r a s s , w h i c h 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 b o a t e r s a n d C a p e C o r a l , a n d w h i l e i t s removal would have small benefits, the environmental consequences would be devastati n g I n s t e a d , t h e c i t y s h o u l d u p h o l d i t s responsibility to ensure that the spreader system continues to function by fixing the lock and updating it to serve the needs of all stakeh o l d e r s , b o a t e r s , m a n a t e e s , a n d a l l o f Southwest Florida’s coastal ecosystems

M a t t D e P a o l i s i s t h e E n v i r o n m e n t a l P o l i c y d i r e c t o r f o r t h e S a n i b e l - C a p t i v a Conservation Foundation

U n i v e r s i t y a n d d o e s l a n d s c a p i n g i n h i s “spare time ” On Saturday, Armando was scheduled to do some landscaping work at Linda's She contacted Armando and he immediately agreed to help at the F I S H event and Linda rescheduled his Saturday commitment

Armando showed up to "pay it forward' and happily assisted with any bilingual needs of the event along with Luis and Ruth Ramos and Matlacha Hooker Carolyn Ryzanych

This is a great example of how things work on this Island Coordination and support from FISH, Beacon of Hope, Matlacha Hookers and individual residents - All with the goal of making a positive difference in our community

Thanks to all!

Lorie Tidwell Matlacha Hooker Bokeelia

Residents paying the price of paradise paved

To the editor:

This is an open letter to Lee County commissioners:

Y o u h a v e d e m o n s t r a t e d g r e a t z e a l i n 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

PHOTO PROVIDED

F I S H volunteers at the Back to School drive giveaway

Resilience, dedication and excitement for school year ahead

I’m excited for the start of a brand-new academic year at The School District of Lee County As we gather once again, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to our entire community for their unwavering resilience and dedication during the past year.

On Aug 10, we again came together after facing the challenges of a tumultuous year marked by the recovery and rebuildi 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 t i n g impact of Hurricane Ian The journey to restoration has not been an easy one, but as a community, we stand strong and continue to support one another

This academic year represents a fresh start a chance to build upon the foundation of growth and renewal that we established together. Our schools are not just buildings; they are sanctuaries of knowle 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 teachers and staff are not just educators; they are mentors and guides, nurturing the minds and hearts of our students

We will start the year off with two new 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 Lemuel Teal Middle School We also will open up the expanded portion to Lehigh

From page 4

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

Acres Middle School These three projects add an additional 2,000 student seats to the East Zone In addition, our teams continue renovat i o n p r o j e c t s a t C y p r e s s Lake Middle and Riverdale 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 Elementary School All of these projects are thanks in great part to the half-penny sales tax, for which we continue to share our gratitude t o o u r c o m m u n i t y f o r approving

As we begin this new 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 updates and initiatives that w i l l s h a p e o u r j o u r n e y toward being a world-class school system

Dr Christopher S Bernier Guest

Commentary

The safety and well-being of our students and staff continues to be our top priority In line with this commitment, and in addition to our already robust safety and security programs, we have implemented

the horse

significant upgrades across o u r c a m p u s e s A n e w weapons detection system, O P E N G A T E , w i l l b e installed in all of our buildings in phases throughout the school year. It will also i d e n t i f y o t h e r c o n t r a b a n d items that are not allowed on school property All students a n d v i s i t o r s t o a d i s t r i c t building will be subject to search

Additionally, we will be l a u n c h i n g t h e G u a r d i a n Program These employees have successfully completed the required training with t h e L e e C o u n t y S h e r i f f ’ s Office They will be uniformed and armed, and will assist our School Resource Officers during emergencies We thank you for your support at all our buildings as we implement these security measures

L a s t s p r i n g , t h e S c h o o l B o a r d approved a new student enrollment plan for elementary school known as proximi-

Letters to the Editor

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?

D o y o u r e q u i r e e n v i r o n m e n t a l l y friendly products to be used in construction? i e low carbon concrete, highly

permeable surfaces for roads, sidewalks, and driveways

D o y o u r e q u i r e E n e r g y S t a r r a t e d appliances?

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

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

ty Preliminary data on the impact of this plan is encouraging as we work towards our goal of getting students to school and from school on time This is not a fix-all, but is a step in the right direction This year, we will be having conversations with our community as we develop the proximity plan for middle schools

As we embark on this new academic year, I encourage all students to embrace curiosity and every opportunity to learn and grow I urge parents and guardians to be actively involved in their child's education, as your support plays a crucial role in their success I thank our teachers and staff for their dedication and resilience for the benefit of our students I ask our comm u n i t y t o c o n t i n u e s u p p o r t i n g a n d encouraging our students to achieve their highest potential Together, we will create a thriving educational community where knowledge is celebrated and everyone feels safe and supported

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 Superintendent of Schools for the School District of Lee County

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?

H a v i n g l o o k e d a t t h e p l a n s f o r Kingston, I noticed that there are wildlife corridors planned which will allow animals to move through the development However, these corridors seem to deadend 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 skill sets is collecting campaign funds from developers and then granting them their every wish

Norman Cannon Fort Myers

Islanders pick up supplies being handed out by representatives of the Greater Pine Island Alliance. The supplies were purchased with funds donated by the Lions Club.

Supplies

From page 1

ability to offer him an opportunity to serve To see a need and to be able to address it and take care of it is something he has found that’s been lasting “Many times, the Lions Club member is rewarded just as much as the person we are giving the service to,” Brown said

Lions Club First Vice District Governor, Florida District 35I, Patty Strong, who has been in the Lions

Club for 18 years, said she was hooked after the first meeting she attended “I’m going to die a Lion, and I’m going to die with a smile on my face,” Strong said Strong said she is very interested in re-building a Lions Club on Pine Island, which has been lost since approximately 2020, with the passing of the former president

GCWA invites public to attend contest winners’ reading Aug. 19

The Gulf Coast Writers Association Inc , Southwest Florida’s 28-year-old meeting ground for writers, editors and their associates, invites the public to attend its meeting Saturday, Aug 19, from 10 a m to noon, at which the winners of its 2023 writing contest will read from their winning works

Awards in the adult section were made to persons 18 years and older in three c a t e g o r i e s : N o n f i c t i o n , Poetry, and Fiction Of the n i n e w i n n e r s , e i g h t a r e expected to be reading in p e r s o n a n d o n e w i l l b e reading remotely via Zoom Awards were made in the youth section (ages 11-17) in one all-inclusive category. One of the youths is expected to be reading in person

The readings will take place at GCWA’s monthly meeting at the Word of Life Church, 6111 South Pointe Blvd , in south Fort Myers The readings will be the featured part of the meeting and are expected to begin at 10:30 a m

Founded in 1995, the G u l f C o a s t W r i t e r s Association Inc provides a forum for fellowship, education and information for writers, editors and associates Based in Fort Myers, t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n a t t r a c t s members from throughout Southwest Florida, including Naples, Bonita Springs, Estero, Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Sanibel and Punta Gorda At monthly meetings, speakers and workshops offer expert advice on such topics as writing techniques, publishing, and marketing

GCWA monthly meetings are open to the public

There is no cost to attend GCWA monthly meetings for members and first-time guests; subsequent visitors pay $5 GCWA’s website is https://gulfwriters org/ Follow GCWA on X (Twitter): @GCWA SWFL

Sept. 28

Matlacha Civic Association to hold Ian Remembrance Ceremony

Matlacha Civic Association will be hosting an Ian Remembrance Ceremony Thursday, Sept 28, at 6:45 p m , at the RE/MAX Sunshine office at the corner of Pine Island Road and Island Avenue

There will be Color Guard from the Pine Island American Legion Post 136, the Trafalgar Middle School Choir, Community Hero Awards along with guest speakers sharing their stories Luminaries have been handpainted with care by island artists and will be lit in memory of those lost in the storm

Please join us in this memorable moment

PAULETTE LEBLANC

Shark harvest

Sharks, more than any other species in the ocean, have been portrayed as the most ruthless and fearsome

c r e a t u r e i n t h e s e a

H o w e v e r , s h a r k s p l a y a vital role in sustaining our marine ecosystem. Without

s h a r k s , o c e a n l i f e a s w e

k n o w i t w o u l d c e a s e t o exist The biodiversity in our local waters is directly linked to these predators Our ecosystem hinges on the health of sharks as a species Sharks are one of our planet’s oldest species w i t h f o s s i l s d a t i n g b a c k over 400 million years

A l m o s t a t h i r d o f a l l shark species are endangered

Capt Cathy Eagle

Dolphin Tales

Over a billion people on this planet r e l y o n s e a f o o d a s t h e i r m a i n f o o d source The fishing industry provides over 780 million jobs globally In regard to sharks, more than 145 nations participate in the trade of shark products

Approximately 100 million sharks are slaughtered annually for their fins, meat, livers and gills

Shark oil is made from the liver and used in supplements such as fish oil and cosmetics Shark cartilage is sold as a supplement for joint support and as an immune booster to fight cancer

Shark fin soup has been considered a symbol of wealth in China since the Ming Dynasty It was a dish that only the wealthy could afford When the Chinese

middle class grew rapidly, the soup became a standard d i s h s e r v e d t o i m p r e s s g u e s t s T h e d e m a n d i s expanding into other Asian countries and cities around the world The top consumers of shark fin soup are China, Malaysia and Thailand

S h a r k p o p u l a t i o n s a r e declining around the world There are many who are eager to supply the shark fins to meet the demand

A g a i n , m o r e t h a n 1 4 5 nations participate in the t r a d e o f s h a r k p r o d u c t s Fins can bring in hundreds of dollars on the market with the average being about $450 per pound A bowl of shark fin soup can cost up to $100

In regard to recent accounts of shark attacks, according to AccuWeather, you are more likely to be struck by lightning than attacked by a shark The chances of b e i n g s t r u c k b y l i g h t n i n g a r e 1 i n 500,000 compared to 1 in 3 75 million odds of a shark attack So, get on and in the water and have fun! But if you hear thunder, take cover. It is storm season.

Captain Cathy Eagle has spent over 40 years boating in our local waters As a professional Charter Captain, she specializes in Dolphin and Nature tours Visit CaptainCathy com or call /text 239 994-2572 Welcome aboard!

Church of God of Prophecy to hold Chicken Dinner Sept. 9

The Church of God of Prophecy will be h a v i n g a n o t h e r C h i c k e n D i n n e r o n Saturday, Sept 9 Dinner will be takeout only, no dine in The price is $10 per dinner of fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn or green beans, dinner roll and dessert Call your order in to 239-283-

2128 as soon as possible, quantities are limited.

Pick-up is from 12:30-3 p m Chicken is fried in peanut oil Gluten free and baked chicken available upon request

T h e c h u r c h i s l o c a t e d a t 1 5 1 4 6 Stringfellow Road, Bokeelia

21st Annual Blessing of the Animals Sept. 30

T h e 2 1 s t A n n u a l Blessing of the Animals w i l l b e h e l d S a t u r d a y , Sept. 30, from 11 a.m. to 1 p m , under the oaks at S t J o h n ’ s E p i s c o p a l Church, 7771 H Stringf e l l o w R o a d , S t J a m e s City

Hosted by the Rev Bill G i l m o r e , v i c a r o f S t John’s Episcopal Church, t h e b l e s s i n g w i l l a l s o i n c l u d e t h e R e v J a c e k Mazur, pastor of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Catholic Church; the Rev K a y l e e V i d a , p a s t o r o f Pine Island United Methodist Church; and the Rev T o m H a f e r , p a s t o r o f

Fishers of Men Lutheran Church

All animals welcome -please remember to bring your owner More details will follow

Good offshore fishing continues

Another week of calm seas was good for long offshore runs targeting American red snapper Limits of red snapper were boxed from depths beginning around 160 feet Boats also scored with limits of yellowtail snapper, plus a f e w m u t t o n s a n d s c a m p g r o u p e r A m b e r j a c k s a n d other fish were hooked over artificial reefs, but a large presence of sharks often made it impossible to get a fish b o a t - s i d e i n o n e p i e c e S e v e r a l l u c k y a n g l e r s a l s o h o o k e d i n t o b l a c k f i n t u n a , dorado and wahoo in Gulf waters

Capt Bill Russell On the Water

Several captains report a good pompano bite in Pine Island Sound near the Gulf passes Bouncing pompano jigs in various colors along bar drop-offs over the incoming tide worked best. Over the slack or slower tides, mangrove snapper up to 15 inches were caught in and near the passes while bouncing the bottom with shrimp, pilchards and small pinfish

Mid-Pine Island Sound produced redfish along mangrove shorelines over the rising tides Cut pinfish, ladyfish and blue crabs fished on bottom hooked redfish to 28 inches

A l s o i n t h e

s o u n d , s e a t r o u t

a n d m a n g r o v e

s n a p p e r w e r e located in deeper

s a n d h o l e s a n d

sand bar drop-offs on the lower tides

In Matlacha Pass, a mix of seatrout, ladyfish, jack crevalle and small sharks were caught a short distance off the channel from markers 68 to 76 Several

r e d f i s h u p t o 2 6 i n c h e s were caught and released by kayak anglers in the Indian Fields area of the p a s s o v e r t h e i n c o m i n g tides

F i s h i n g a r o u n d

B o k e e l i a i n C h a r l o t t e Harbor continues to produce sharks from 2-5 feet Look for them in depths from 4 to 8-foot drop off bar edges and over grass/sand mottled bottom These same areas turned up a few seatrout to 20 inches, grey trout, ladyfish, mackerel, cobia and bluefish.

From shore, the Bokeelia Fishing Pier has reopened with reports of redfish, seatrout, black drum, mangrove snapper, snook and sharks caught from the pier F r o m t h e M a t l a c h a B r i d g e , a n g l e r s hooked into jack crevalle, mangrove snapper, sharks and stingrays

Stay up to date with fishing regulations b y v i s i t i n g w w w m y f w c c o m A l s o , upload the Fish Rules app on your phone It has current regulations with pictures to help identify fish.

If you have a fishing report or for charter information, contact Gulf Coast Guide Service at 239-410-8576 (call or text); on

PHOTO PROVIDED

A big tasty yellowtail snapper caught in Gulf waters while fishing with Capt Scotty Darna and Salty Boy Charters out of Jug Creek Marina

the web at www fishpine island com; or via email at gcl2fish@ live.com.

Have a safe week and good fishin’

As a lifetime resident of Matlacha and

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

Cape Coral Hospital Auxiliary Board of Directors to present educational program

The Cape Coral Hospital Auxiliary invites the public to attend an education program presented by the auxiliary board of directors The event is at 10 a m , Aug 17. The program will feature five speakers from Lee Health, sharing the history

and work of Lee Health in Cape Coral and giving an update on the latest growth and health improvements in the community There is no cost to attend and no preliminary registration is required.

S p e a k e r s w i l l i n c l u d e M i c h a e l W u k i t s c h , c h i e f p e o p l e o f f i c e r f o r L e e H e a l t h ; C h e r r i e M o r r i s , c h i e f p h y s i c i a n a n d o p e r a t i o n s executive for Cape Coral Hospital; Candace Smith, ch ief n u r s in g an d o p er atio n s ex ecu tiv e f o r C ap e C o r a l H o s p i t a l ; H e a t h e r K i n g e r y , I C U n u r s i n g d i r e c t o r f o r C a p e C o r a l H o s p i t a l ; a n d t h e R e v Denise Sawyer, director of spiritual services for Lee Health

The Aug 17 program is at 10 a m in the auxiliary meeting room off the main l o b b y o f C a p e C o r a l Hospital The public will need to obtain a visitors pass Attendees are encouraged to arrive early.

The Cape Coral Hospital Auxiliary is comprised of community members who donate their time to make a difference for patients, their families and hospital team members

Y o u c a n l e a r n m o r e a b o u t L e e H e a l t h a t www LeeHealth org

Macomber receives Gold Medal for ‘Code of Honor ’ novel

Local author Robert N Macomber has earned another Gold Medal, this time for his 16th novel in his “Honor Series,” titled “Code Of Honor ” Within this historical fiction thriller, Macomber covers the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905

Here's an excerpt from the recent Florida Authors & Publishers Association newsletter and congratulatory letter

Ceremony was held in Orlando on Aug 5

“The FAPA President’s Book Awards recognizes book publishing excellence and creativity in design, content, and production for authors, illustrators, cover designers, and publishers This contest isn’t limited to Florida; it is open to anyone worldwide, as long as the book is written in English We hope to encourage entries from all who share our complex and wonderful language Publishers, librarians, educators, and other professionals in the industry from Florida and throughout the United States volun-

teer as judges Three judges read each entry, and their scores determine the finalists Gold, silver, and bronze medals are awarded based on each book’s score and the range of scores in each category Competition is very tight Congratulations again to all of our winners Earning a medal is a remarkable accomplishment and a testament to each winner’s skill and talent ” -- Robert C Jacob III, FAPA president

For more information about Macomber and a list of his books, please visit his website at https://www robertmacomber.com/

Island Mahjongg

We had six players at mahjongg on Aug 10 Top scorers were Paula Bruckner with 95 points, Judy Burchianti with 110 and Mary Ann Harms with an amazing 240 Well done ladies!

Play continues every Thursday from 1-4 p m As we are not able to play at the St James City Civic Center, please email carolyn13153 @gmail com if you would like to join the fun!

Obituaries

PHOTO PROVIDED

Island author Robert N. Macomber with his Gold Medal and novel “Code of Honor.”

Basket Brigade

Darcy Conner, FISH Basket Brigade Chair, said she would like to thank the many islanders and corporate sponsors who donated and adopted children in this year’s program This year was unique Since Hurricane Ian, we have seen families move away but then we also saw a greater need for those that had never asked for outreach before This year it was all about making sure all the kids have a sense of normalcy going back to school and

From page 1

starting their year off right

“It’s only with the continued generosity of our islanders that we can continue to implement this program, year after year as a collaborated effort with many of the nonprofits of the island With everyone excited to participate during the Holiday Basket Brigade, we see many opportunities to offer additional resources to our islanders moving forward,” Conner said

Pine Island F I S H is a 501c3 non-

Mobile Food Pantr y on the island Friday

Community Cooperative's Mobile Food Pantry will be in the Pine Island United Methodist Church parking lot this Friday, Aug. 18, from 10-11:30 a.m. Participants will need to park and show their ID at registration. Please bring your own bags. The church is located at 5701 Pine Island Road, across from the fire station near the four-way stop at The Center.

profit and all-volunteer association of neighbors organized to help those living in t h e M a t l a c h a a n d P i n e I s l a n d Communities Pine Island F I S H offers the following services: non-emergency transportation to medical facilities, grocery stores, pharmacies, banks, etc. to those with no access to transportation; mobility equipment lending: wheelchairs, w

needs: emergency financial assistance for rent, utilities, medical costs, etc ; respite r e s o u r c e i n f o r m a t i o n a n d i s t h e l e a d a g e n c y i n t h e P i n e I s l a n d “ B a s k e t Brigade” programs There is no charge for FISH services, however, equipment and monetary donations are welcome. For more information about the organization, or if you would like to donate or volunteer, visit www pineislandfish org

PHOTO PROVIDED

PHOTO PROVIDED BY DARCY CONNER Steven Hook. left, and Darcy Conner, the F.I.S.H. Basket Brigade chair, with a $2,000 donation from the Bobby Holloway Jr. Foundation.

up a storm, and Ian about knocked the wind and paint brush right out of me I did this project because my paintings tell my story the best I offered the art before they encouraged me to write my story I struggled through the writing It was hard to express myself with words It’s much easier to paint,” Lovegrove said

GCWA secretary and project leader Jeanne Meeks describes the project as a labor of love

It began at post-Ian meeting after the executive committee decided there were enough stories to gather and compile an

entire book

With four acting editors and the Alliance for the Arts partnership, the book received the 83 narratives

“Our whole purpose was to give people a voice to get off their chests, the effects of having been through the storm, whether it was the flooding or the aftermath whatever they went through,” Meeks said

The book runs the gamut, from submissions from those who took cover from the storm in their attic to those who experienced insurance issues post storm

Although most stories in the book are

St. John’s Episcopal Church to host island Remembrance Service

St John's Episcopal Church will be h o l d i n g a c o m m u n i t y R e m e m b r a n c e

Service Thursday, Sept 28, at 6:30 p m

Everyone is invited to come together and pray:

■ For those who lost their lives.

■ For those who lost their businesses

■ For those who lost their homes

■ For those who lost their pets

■ For those who lost their livelihoods

■ For those still struggling

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

St John’s Episcopal Church is at 7771 Stringfellow Road, St James City

from novice writers, some are published authors The editorial process was performed by members of the GCWA in an effort to clean up any mistakes, without losing the original voice and tone conveyed by the writers, Meeks said

As one of the four editors, Meeks admits there are several stories that she found particularly poignant, including a story about a man who stepped outside his Bonita Beach condo and was swept away by the storm surge and knocked into nearby mangroves, where he had to hang on for several hours

“There are several like that it just breaks your heart where they didn’t have enough money to replace things they’re just relying on neighbors and friends,” Meeks said

Meeks went on to note Macomber’s forward is quite interesting, as he talks about being evacuated from Pine Island, becoming a refugee himself

Another storyteller acted quickly by

going out immediately to shovel mud out of the homes of others and help to replace their rooftops, she said.

“A couple of months later, he was still helping a family get a car and get a place who were displaced by the storm He solicited the help from his community up in Ohio, to sponsor this family and make sure they had what they needed because they’re hard-working people, who just had bad luck The disaster hit everybody from very poor to rich people and it’s no less devastating,” Meeks said

Although she didn’t take an exact count of how many writers in the book are from the GCWA, Meeks approximated that quite a few are current members.

“Some people dropped off stories to the Alliance and some only did it over the telephone somehow recording their voices for the stories So, that’s a different experience taking somebody’s voice and transcribing it into a story,” Meeks said

Cat of the Week

The 400 to 500 hours spent passing out flyers and stopping people to ask for stories on Hurricane Ian paid off, generating good participation in the group’s first book project

“Storm Stories-Hurricane Ian” will be available as a t r a d e p a p e r b a c k a n d h a r d cover at local book stores; the gift shop at the Alliance for the Arts (artinlee org); at the Alliance’s popular monthly Night Market, and at Leoma L o v e g r o v e ’ s A r t G a l l e r y , n o w i n d o w n t o w n F o r t Myers

Ar thur

This handsome boy is hoping to be the center of your world. Arthur was very scared when he first came to us, but time and kindness has turned him into a lap cat. He enjoys following the volunteers around, but the moment a lap is available, he’s in it Arthur prefers to be petted on his head, which makes us curious a b o u t h i s h i s t o r y a n d i f s o m e o n e h u r t him He’s approximately 2 years old and is hoping to be your best friend For more information, call Helping Paws Animal Sanctuary at 239-283-9100. If you’d rather just donate, our address is 10060 Mallory Parkway, E., Unit D, St James City, FL, 33956 or there’s always our website www helpingpawsanimalsanctuary com

It also will be available at other Southwest Florida outlets including Copperfish in Punta Gorda and Annette’s Book Nook on Fort Myers Beach as well as online from A m a z o n c o m i n e - b o o k , p a p e r b a c k a n d h a r d c o v e r versions

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

The book is expected to publish in September 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 m e e t i n g s a r e open to the public and take place monthly on every third Saturday from 10 a m to noon at the Word of Life Church, 6111 South Pointe Blvd , in south Fort Myers The first meeting is free