Pine Island Eagle by BreezeNewspapers

VolumE 48, NumbEr 16

Celebrating Pine Islanders: Cathy Eagle

By PAULETTE LeBLANC pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

Captain Cathy Madigan Eagle said she is a "woman of the water," as she wants to continue giving boat tours until she is 90. Often finding herself in Matlacha Pass, Pine Island Sound, Boca Grande Pass and Captiva Pass, she is a woman who loves what she does and does what she loves

“ I ’ m e v e r y w h e r e o u t t h e r e , ” E a g l e said

She explained that she has lived all along the coastline at this point, although her family first embarked this way in 1978 when her parents bought a home on Matlacha Island Her hometown, Sault Saint Marie, on the Canadian border, is jack-knifed on I-75, she said

“ W h e n m y p a r e n t s s t a r t e d c o m i n g here, in the 1960s, it was U S 41,” Eagle said

Shortly after Eagle’s parents bought their home, she and her husband visited,

by flying into Fort Lauderdale and renting a car in order to drive over to the island For the first time in her life, Eagle fell a

g through the water just outside the open

Matlacha Pass, she said she could not believe her eyes

“So I moved here in 1979,” Eagle said.

Since her parents were snowbirds, they would not be down until December that year Eagle said she and her husband stayed at her parent’s home in the meantime Eagle said she waited tables, at what she believes is now the Blue Dog Bar and Grill, or just near there in Matlacha

“When I look at my 45 years here -- it

See CATHY EAGLE, page 8

Capt. Cathy Eagle with her charter boat Wings to Fly

Island firefighters battle blaze in St. James City

Early Thursday morning, units Capt150, E-151, E-152, E-153, E-154, PI-

Island Fire Control District responded to a structure fire in St James City off Harpoon Lane

Upon arrival around 1:30 a m , crews found a fully engulfed travel trailer within feet of a mobile home According to a report from the M/PIFCD, firefight-

ers quickly sprung into action and extinguished the fire and were able to prevent major damage to the mobile home

The mobile home fortunately only sustained exterior damage

The quick response and action from the first arriving engine prevented any further spread to neighboring structures. No injuries were reported and the cause is currently under investigation

First week of school rolls out smoothly, district reports

New

regional associate superintendents are taking a hands-on approach this school year

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

As with the start of every school year the challenges almost solely fall upon transportation and the drop-off and pickup lines at schools

“The first couple of weeks parents need to be patient and let them iron it out,” Regional Associate Superintendent Chuck Vilardi said of getting families to understand the process

Parents should give the schools at least two weeks for those lines to become better, and buses to roll smoother With that said, Vilardi said, if there are any major issues with transportation, the parents should contact their school’s principal, so they can get the issue corrected right away

“Buses are rolling out much quicker each and every day My principals are reaching out to me,” he said, adding that they are trying to manage the process and if certain schools are having problems, they are taking care of the problems “I hope everyone enjoyed the first week of school Get rest this weekend and I look forward to a smoother next week ”

Vilardi took on the new position of the Regional Associate Superintendent a K-12 model this year, which oversees 22 schools in Cape Coral and Pine Island.

“The responsibilities are to be superv i s i n g t h o s e p r i n c i p a l s , h e l p i n g t h o s e schools and communicating with those schools,” he said “The hope is to communicate better and build better trust and take action quicker ”

The idea is to have a better streamline of communication, as well as helping principals understand the current trends in education, coaching them and becoming a model for newer principals

“The goal for this year increase student achievement, increase trust, accountability and communication,” Vilardi said

Another goal is closing the achievement gap that COVID caused, he said Vilardi said those COVID years really affected those who are in fourth and fifth grade now as they missed some of the foundational years in education The district is looking at the skills missed and what interventions can be put into place to meet those needs

Vilardi said they are looking at every piece of curriculum, so they can increase learning and engagement The district is looking at clientele in each region and gathering information to determine what the curriculum is going to look like

See FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL, page 7

The early morning fire off Harpoon Lane. PHOTO PROVIDED

PHOTO PROVIDED

Kiwanis Club to hold first Labor Day Bash

The Pine Island Kiwanis Club is hosting its 1st Annual Labor Day Bash at the St James City Civic Center Monday, Sept 2, from 11 a m to 4 p m The club is hoping this will become a family island tradition

The goal for the event is to raise funds for a new park canopy at the St James City Kiwanis Park

Island Bikeworks and others are raffling off four bikes Bikeworks will also

sponsor a safety bike rodeo, with T-shirts

bike techs on hand to fine tune bikes but kids should bring their own bikes

There will also be donut eating contests, a water balloon toss, team/individual potato sack race and games for the kids There will be awards for the contests

The cookout will help the Kiwanis raise some funds and the club will take

donations The Sheriff's rob dog has been invited to attend and the American legion will provide cotton candy

The Hookers are helping out with a game booth for the kids Matt Lee and Rudy Cox will provide music

The club is still looking for sponsors and vendors ($20) For vendor/sponsor

.com.

Volunteers are always welcome to help

with activities, including parking The c

land1965@gmail com

Donations can be made to Kiwanis Club of Greater Pine Island, PO Box 111, St James City, FL, or you can call Tonya Player at 239-203-4682 for information

The St, James City Civic Center is at 3300 Fourth Ave , at the corner of Lemon Stree, in St. James City.

September programs set at Pine Island Public Library

Next month’s roster of activities at the Pine Island Public Library offers topics for children and teens The following programs are free to the public

Adult Programs

Reading is "Doggone Fun"

1 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 21

Enjoy a Saturday afternoon reading to registered therapy dogs at the library

Choose to read your own story, or we can provide one for you You and your family will spend quality time reading to these furry friends in small groups Families will be given access in 10-minute intervals, so plan to enjoy the library while you wait

Children’s Programs

Family Storytime

10:30 a m , Thursday, Sept. 5, 12, 19, 26

For children through age 5 years and caregivers Families with young children enjoy a variety of stories, songs, rhymes and movement

Reading is "Doggone Fun" 1 p m , Saturday, Sept 21

Enjoy a Saturday afternoon reading to registered therapy dogs at the library

Teen Programs

Reading is "Doggone Fun" 1 p m , Saturday, Sept 21

Enjoy a Saturday afternoon reading to registered therapy dogs at the library

County Government, please sign up for

sources/newsletters

with Disabilities Act, Lee County will not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities in its services, programs or activities To request an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication or a reasonable modification to participate, contact Raphaela Morais-Peroba, 239533-8782, Florida Relay Service 711, o

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

The Rotary Club of Fort Myers recently awarded the Beacon of Hope $30,000 to further help with recovery for Pine Island residents after Hurricane Ian On hand for the presentation were, from left, Patricia Bell of the Rotary Club of Fort Myers, Carlyn Herring of the Beacon of Hope, Joanne Thale-Lembo of the Beacon of Hope and Kelsey Mitchell, Rotary District 6960 District Governor

PHOTO

OPINIONS

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Public safety is top priority in Lee County

e r g e n c y

M e d i c a l S e r v i c e s . N e x t y e a r ’ s b u d g e t w i l l i n c l u d e $ 3 1 5

m i l l i o n f o r t h e S h e r i f f ’ s O f f i c e , a n i n c r e a s e

o f $ 3 8 m i l l i o n f o r 7 5 n e w p o s i t i o n s , t e c hn o l o g y u p g r a d e s , a n d c o m p e t i t i v e w a g e s

A d d i t i o n a l l y , t h e c o u n t y i s i n v e s t i n g

$ 1 6 m i l l i o n i n f o u r n e w a m b u l a n c e s t a t i o n s i n t h e C e n t r a l , S o u t h e a s t , N o r t h a n d

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

y e a r , h a s a p p r o v e d 3 4 n e w p o s i t i o n s

A s c h a i r m a n o f t h e C o m m i s s i o n , I h e a r

c i t i z e n s ’ c o n c e r n s a b o u t c o d e e n f o r c e m e n t a n d i l l e g a l d u m p i n g T h e b u d g e t w e w i l l

a p p r o v e i n S e p t e m b e r i n c l u d e s f o u r n e w p o s i t i o n s i n c o d e e n f o r c e m e n t R e l i e f f r o m t r a f f i c c o n g e s t i o n i s a n

o n g o i n g e f f

t h a t i n c l u

n e w r o a d s ,

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

e n s u r i n g l i g h t t i m i n g o p t i m i z

s t r a f f i c f l o w T w o o f t h e c o u n t y ’ s t o p t r a n s p o r t a t i o n p r i o r i t i e s s h o u l d s p e l l r e l i e f f o r m a n y c o m -

m u t e r s

Context is important

To the editor:

In a recent contribution titled, “Hispanic Vote and Three Republican Presidents,” the author indicated that Trump had used the words “poisoning the blood of our country” when, according to the author, referring to immigrants entering the U S legally or illegally Apparently, all Hispanics are not conservative nor are they all above using an out of context statement like this one to falsify a point

Web Poll

The statement the contributor is referring to was made by Trump during the third debate with Clinton on 10/19/16 and was specifically referring to the heroin streaming across our border via the illegals crossing it The contributor likely knows Trump was not referring to Hispanic people as “poisoning the blood of our country” but, nonetheless has applied it out of context to support just another lie that t h e l i b e r a l s o c i a l i s t d e m o c r a t s w o u l d undoubtedly support

The comparison the author made between Trump vs Reagan and Bush is another red herring. Reagan and Bush upheld the rule of

The county is widening and connecting Alico Road to State Road 82 at Sunshine Boulevard, providing another w a y f o r L e h i g h A c r e s motorists to get to and from s o u t h L e e C o u n t y T h i s improvement also will provide much-needed relief to Gunnery Road, Daniels Parkway and Colonial Boulevard And the Three Oaks extens i o n n o r t h f r o m A l i c o t o Daniels will relieve congest i o n o n o t h e r n o r t h - s o u t h roadways

A d d i n g l a n e s t o t h e s o o n -

t o - b e r e p l a c e d C a p e C o r a l

B r i d g e a n d e x i s t i n g M i dp o i n t B r i d g e w i l l h e l p w i t h m o r n i n g a n d a f t e r n o o n t r a f f i c a c r o s s t h e

C a l o o s a h a t c h e e R i v e r

T r a n s i t c o n t i n u e s t o p r o v i d e M o b i l i t y o n

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

L e h i g h A c r e s t o a u g m e n t f i x e d b u s r o u t e s

A n d t h e c o u n t y ’ s c o m m i t m e n t t o l a n d

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

B o a r d w i l l b e a s k e d t o p u r c h a s e a 4 1 - a c r e

t r a c t i n N o r t h F o r t M y e r s o f f M o o d y R o a d

F i n a l l y , i t h a s b e e n o n e o f m y m a j o r

g o a l s a s y o u r c o u n t y c o m m i s s i o n e r t o r e v it a l i z e t h e L

Letters to the Editor

law and millions of illegals including criminals and terrorists were not invading our border when they were campaigning for president, unlike the current unlawful and disgraceful illegal open border policy of the Biden/Harris administration These “methods” of publishing intentionally misleading information to sway the opinions of those who aren’t willing to take three minutes to totally debunk it, are typical of the leftist tactics who will do or say anything to win

By the way, the majority of Hispanics supported Clinton over Trump in 2016, 78% Clinton, 6% Trump according to the Pew Research poll a month before that election Max Christian, St. James City

Lee Health Conversion: Benefit or detriment to Lee County residents?

To the editor:

Based on my review and research of the Lee Health Conversion Proposal, I believe it to be detrimental to Lee County citizens

I filed this Notice of Objections to our duly

n t y C i v i c C e n t e r a n d i t s s u r r o u n d i n g p r

elected Board of Lee County Commissioners regarding the Lee Health Conversion Plan from a Public Hospital to a Non for Profit Private Hospital

My Objections:

The citizens of Lee County will no longer be the primary stakeholders and shareholders of Lee Health per Florida Statutes and its Charter which has been the case since 1968

The citizens of Lee County will not be allowed to vote for Board Members to represent the public interest versus private generated agendas and initiatives

Lee Citizens will be barred from governance per the Sunshine Amendment (FS 112, 119), there will be no requirement for advertised meetings/agendas and or open meetings/public comments, no financial disclosure of board members will be required nor will citizens be able to make public records requests which holds Lee Health to be transparent, accountable and responsible as to their organization and operations

I find it disingenuous and objectionable that Lee Health’s primary reasons for wanting to convert rests on fiction rather than facts Lee Health falsely claims that conversion will allow them to expand their market share outside the county

Fact: Lee Health is currently providing health and rehabilitative services in Charlotte, Collier and Hendry counties

Lee Health purports that conversion will enable them to increase their profit margin

Fact: Lee Health’s profit margin as a public hospital is recognized as being healthy and is run effectively and efficiently by US News

received by the Governor the Sterling Award

Mike Greenwell

(

Road

CERT Update Hurricane season is here. Are you prepared?

Matlacha/Pine Island Fire Control District Community Emergency Response Team will be providing a series on disaster preparedness for islanders )

By NARCISSUS E. MAGTURO and KAREN TITOLO CERT team members

Welcome to your CERT team’s series of Disaster Preparedness articles

Series Re-Cap!

Below are some of the key points from the series

Before the storm:

1 Prepare your Emergency supply kit A comprehensive list, in both English and Spanish, can be found in the Lee County All Hazards Guide available at

ment/plan/ahg Include insurance and vital records in your kit, and/or store them electronically Remember to check your kit often and rotate the non-perishable food in your kit

2 Prepare and practice your Family Emergency Plan Be sure all family members know who to call or where to gather if you become separated Choose your emergency point of contact to be someone outside of the disaster area in case communications are restricted within the affected area. Let family and friends in other locations know your evacuation plans

3 If you are considering using a Special Medical

Registration can be done online at www leeEOC com or by calling Lee County Emergency Management at 239-533-0622 If you registered in a previous year, keep in mind you must update your information every year

4 Pre-program your NOAA or other emergency radio to WGCU-90 1 FM, the Southwest Florida affiliate of the Florida Public Radio Emergency Network,

and to NOAA Channel 4 (162 475 MHz) for Fort Myers

5 The free Lee County “LeePrepares” app, available through both the Apple and Android stores, provides information on preparing for and recovering from all types of disasters; features include information on active evacuations and EOC activation level, shelter information, ability to sign-up for the AlertLee notification system for telephone, text, and/or email alerts

6 M/PIFCD has an app through which you can receive local department updates during emergency

Weather Service Search "MPIFCD" in the app store to find it!

Ahead of the storm:

1 Pine Island and Matlacha are in evacuation Zone

2 If Emergency Management issues an Evacuation Order for your zone, you are strongly encouraged to leave the area for your safety Emergency services may not be available to assist you until long after the event has passed

3. If you are sheltering in place, expect the power to be out, and the likelihood that you may be under a “boil water” notice, if not without water entirely

4 If you evacuate, ensure your home is safe before you leave

5 Should evacuation orders be raised, LeeTran will provide free transportation to a shelter from six locations on Pine Island and Matlacha:

■ Fire Station #3, 14861 Stringfellow Road

■ Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Catholic Church, 12175 Stringfellow Road

■ Pine Island Shopping Center, 9864 Stringfellow

■ Flamingo Bay, Stringfellow Road and Curlew Road

■ First Baptist Church, Oleander Street and Eighth Avenue

■ Matlacha Community Park Boat Ramp, 4577 Pine Island Road

6 Service animals and pets are allowed in all shelters

7 If you plan to use a Special Needs shelter, make arrangements for a caregiver or friend to accompany you This is a requirement of Lee County

8 No registration is required for pets to be in a shelter with you. Remember to bring your pet’s Go-Kit.

9 Check with Station #1 for sand and sandbags

After the storm:

10 Stay tuned to local media and Lee County Public Safety / Emergency Management social media for reentry information

11 Have a valid form of identification in case it is needed for re-entry

12 Safety First! Call utilities to report hazards such as broken gas or water mains, downed power lines, or overturned gas tanks

13. Tarps may be available from the county at Station 1 Call for availability

Stay safe this hurricane season!

Have questions about this article? Interested in volunteering with our CERT team? You can contact the M/PIFCD, station #1, at 239-283-0030, MondayFriday 7:30 a m to 4:30 p m

(After they appear in print, each of the CERT Updates is posted on The Eagle website at pineislandeagle.com.)

Dolphin vs. shark

A group of researchers

f r o m F l o r i d a A t l a n t i c

U n i v e r s i t y h a v e b e e n studying sharks and dolp h i n s o f f t h e c o a s t o f

B i m i n i i n t h e B a h a m a s

Bimini is just 55 miles off the coast of Miami It’s part of the 700 islands that make up the Bahamas and i s t h e c l o s e s t p o i n t t o mainland U S

T h e r e s e a r c h e r s , D r

M i k e H e i t h a u s a n d D r

Valerie Paz, have discovered that nearly one third of the dolphins found in t h i s a r e a s h o w s i g n s o f shark attacks The team is studying the Atlantic spotted dolphin and the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin

Dolphin Tales

The researchers use a non-toxic gel bite pad and a life-sized dolphin decoy to collect bite impressions from bull sharks, tiger sharks and the great hammerhead The bite impressions are comp a r e d t o s c a r s p h o t o g r a p h e d o n t h e Bimini dolphins

While foraging for food, some dolphins break away from the pod to crater feed This is a dangerous time for shark a t t a c k s a s t h e d o l p h i n g o e s s o l o

Swimming in pods protects them from the shark predator Dolphins are fast, intelligent and their brain to body mass is second only to humans Echolocation is their super power But when they are alone, they are most vulnerable

When a dolphin breaks away to crater feed, the dolphin will execute a rapid 9 0 - 1 8 0 d e g r e e t u r n a n d t h e n d i v e , thrusting its rostrum into the sand to obtain its prey by echolocation. The dolphin dives headfirst into the sand and remains upright while it forages This is when the shark takes its aim

There are at least a dozen species of

sharks off of the east and w e s t c o a s t o f F l o r i d a including 10 types of hamm e r h e a d s h a r k s a l o n e

They hang out in the shallows of the Bahama banks

Baby dolphins, when separated from their mothers, are particularly vulnerable to these huge sharks Tiger sharks and bull sharks are a m b u s h p r e d a t

r s t h a t sneak up on their prey

The peduncle of the dolphin is the bullseye for the shark It is just above the tail fluke and is the power source for the dolphin and also where the base of the s p i n a l c o r d i s C o m i n g from below and behind is the best way for a shark to attack a dolphin because if the dolphin can see the shark, the dolphin has the advantage The dolphins’ ability to communicate and send out a distress signal is paramount

Bull sharks and dolphins hunt in the same area along the Bimini coast Given the chance, the sharks will attack a dolphin which has wandered from the pod

The dolphin offers a really rich meal with lots of meat and blubber

When it comes to humans, the tiger shark is second only to the great white shark with attacks Weighing nearly a ton, they will eat just about anything from tires, to turtles, to dolphins and humans Once they get a hold of their prey, they shake and with their curved teeth with striations, they can cut right through

Captain Cathy Eagle has spent over 40 years boating on our local waters. As a professional charter captain, she specializes in dolphin and nature tours V

s i t C

239-994-2572 Welcome aboard!

Deadline this Friday for entries for Beacon of Hope’s ‘Paint the Attic’ fundraiser

The Beacon of Hope is holding a fun and friendly competition for local artists to participate in this summer The “Paint the Attic” fundraiser is an opportunity to p a i n t a w e l c o m i n g 6 - f o o t

mural on the front of the Beacon of Hope’s building which reflects the heart of its island home

All local artists on Pine Island and Matlacha are encouraged to submit an entry

Interested artists can request a contest application from the Beacon and submit it along with the $35 application fee and miniature rendering of their mural on an 8 5-inch by 11-inch sheet of paper

The winning entry will be selected by The Beacon Of Hope Board members. Submissions can be dropped off at the Beacon of Hope’s Attic thrift store located

at 5090 Doug Taylor Circle during normal hours of operation by the Aug 23 c

Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p m , and Saturday, from 10 a m to 3 pm

The winning entry will be selected by Aug 30

For additional information about the contest, please call 239-283-5123, email kdavis@beaconofhopepineisland com or visit www beaconofhopepineisland com

American Legion Riders Chapter 136 to host 9/11 remembrance ceremony

To commemorate the 23rd anniversary of 9/11, the city of Cape Coral will hold a

Sept 11, on the front lawn outside of the Pine Island American Legion at 4106 Stringfellow Road, MM2, St James City, beginning at 8:30 a m

The ceremony will include the presentation of colors by the American Legion Honor Guards, a moment of silence, an

Austin White, with ceremonial raising of the flag by American Legion Riders. The M

County Sheriff Department will be honored

Please join the legion members and guests as “We remember!”

The ceremony is free and open to the public Refreshments will be available

Free Labor Day Hot Dog Social at St. Johns Episcopal Church

St John’s Episcopal Church at 7771 Stringfellow Road in St James City is holding a free Labor Day Hot Dog Social Saturday, Aug 31, from 11 a m to 1 p m

Capt. Cathy Eagle

Volunteer training Aug. 28-29 at Pine Island Elementary

Pine Island Elementary has announced that school has started and it needs volunteers!

V o l u n t e e r t r a i n i n g w i l l b e h e l d a t t h e s c h o o l

Wednesday, Aug. 28, at 9 a.m., and Thursday, Aug. 29, at 2:30 p m

Anyone who would like to volunteer at the school can attend either of the volunteer training sessions and complete a volunteer application available in the school office

If you plan to attend a training session, please contact the school at 239-283-0505 by Tuesday, Aug 27, to reserve a spot Please bring your driver’s license to signin at the school office when entering the campus P I E staff looks forward to seeing all returning and new volunteers this school year

P I E is at 5360 Ridgewood Drive, Bokeelia

Little Pine Island Bridge project update provided

BARTOW, Fla – This weekly report was prepared by the Florida Department of Transportation to inform the public about upcoming road work in Southwest Florida Pine Island Road Causeway and Bridge Permanent Repairs: C

Restoration of the Pine Island Road Causeway and Bridge, crews will be working in the project boundaries along CR 78 Pine Island Road from west of Little Pine Island Bridge (Bridge No 120111) to West of Shoreview Drive

■ Phase 1 of construction on Little Pine Island Bridge has begun The bridge is reduced to one lane as part of the Phase 1 construction plan The bridge will remain one lane through the duration of Phase 1 Temporary signals are placed on both ends of the bridge and variable message signs are in place to alert drivers

■ The Little Pine Island bridge has been reduced to a single lane width of 12 feet through the duration of Phase 1

■ Motorists can expect occasional lane closures on the causeway for delivery/ removal of materials, transfer of equipment as crews perform work on the south side

■ Motorists are reminded not to block driveways or entrances and to follow all posted signage throughout the construction zone

■ Since the start of cons t r u c t i o n w i t h t h e L i t t l e Pine Island Bridge, boaters are asked to be aware of construction equipment and e r o s i o n c o n t r o l m e a s u r e s that are in place

■ Please be alerted to construction equipment in the construction zone To maintain safety, motorists should find alternate parking areas.

■ Pedestrians and bicyc l i s t s a r e n o t p e r m i t t e d

zone

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

D r i v e r s a r e a s k e d t o please be patient and plan for additional travel time as it may be slower than usual in the area

Centennial Bank provides lunch for P.I.E. teachers

Centennial Bank provided an annual lunch for the teachers of Pine Island Elementary School

This year, Salty Girls served their lobster bisque, Caesar salad and fruit Special day planners were also made for the teachers One lucky teacher will win an Amazon Gift card by checking their planner “We are so blessed to have such a great school in our back yard on Pine Island,” Elsie Stearns of Centennial bank said

First week of school

As of Thursday afternoon, Vilardi was able to visit 18 of the 22 schools he oversees, 19,256 students He planned on visiting the remaining four schools Friday Every week he will be in the schools at least two to three times a week Vilardi said the real key is that the schools are closer together and if a problem arises, he is only right up the road

“I saw a lot of kids really happy and teachers happy to be back,” he said, adding that it was neat to see the engagement in classrooms “There were smiling parents

From page 1

dropping off the kids, too ” Vilardi is entering his 32nd year in education

“I grew up in Cape Coral Graduated in Cape Coral as well It is an honor to be able to serve my community,” he said, adding that although he misses having his students, he now has the opportunity to help even more

Lee County Animal Services to host lecture videos for dog and cat owners

Services will host a video lecture for dog and cat owners by renowned certified

Bollen As a shelter behavior specialist,

across the country in the design and implementation of comprehensive behavior programs to address the behavioral health of the shelter animals during their stay.

Bollen offers many educational semi-

including her two-day “Shelter Behavior

Cathy Eagle

Seminar,” which covers all aspects of shelter behavioral care She is a nationally recognized speaker at animal welfare conferences.

Behavior problems are the No 1 reason for owner relinquishment to shelters Many of the problematic behaviors that pet owners struggle with are normal cat or dog behaviors that are misunderstood These videos will discuss the most common problematic behaviors in pets and provide owners with ways to resolve them

The sessions will be held at the following dates and times:

From page 1

started on Matlacha Island and went to U s e p p a I s l a n d a n d e n d e d u p n o w i n Matlacha Isles,” Eagle said

One of the great privileges in her life, she said, has been the opportunity to sit and write about her boat tours, with a

■ Friday, Aug 30 10 a m for dog owners; 11 a m for cat owners

■ Saturday, Aug 31 10 a m for dog owners; 11 a.m. for cat owners.

All sessions are free to the public, and those attending will receive a goodie bag for their pet F

www LeeLostPets com or call 239-5337387 (LEE-PETS).

To receive updates from Lee County Government, sign up for the newsletter at

Facebook, www facebook com/leecountyflbocc

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Lee County will not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities in its services, programs or activities To request an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication or a reasonable modification to participate, contact Raphaela Morais-Peroba, 239533-8782, Florida Relay Service 711, or

requester Requests should be made at least five business days in advance

wildlife, especially the dolphins

The Eagle features Eagle's "Dolphin Tales" column

“Whenever I go out to Miceli’s, Blue D o g , Y u c a

Captain Cathy shirts and people stop me, even in the grocery store, and say ‘thank you so much for your work,’ because they enjoy what I’ve written on the wildlife,” E

received texts from British snowbirds in England

Eagle said as a full-time charter captain she finds herself bringing people from around the world on her boat and introducing them to the island community, its history and its way of life Most notably something which has empowered her is that she has made a successful occupation,

she said, in an industry generally dominated by men

“I grew up on the Great Lakes, with four brothers I tried to do everything they did and was never led to believe there was anything I couldn’t do,” Eagle said

Her greatest wish for the island, after being here for 45 years, she said, would be to never again receive a direct hit from a storm

“I run these tours all the time, and I’ve never seen such devastation like there was after Ian the empty spaces where my friends had their homes and businesses I used to brag about how protected we were h e r e i n M a t l a c h

islands, but not after that Every day, we’re seeing businesses and homes coming back, and making progress,” Eagle said

A Mel Meo painting of Elsie Stearns on shopping cart in the bank

‘Stock the Box’ food drive at Centennial Bank continues until the end of August

Centennial Bank’s “Stock the Box” food drive for the Pine Island Food Pantry continues until the end of August

The drive began after the bank’s shred company provided a number of un-needed boxes, so employees began using the boxes to collect food for the Food Bank

T h e F o o d B a n

s l o

L a d y o f Miraculous Medal Church at 12175 Stringfellow Road Contact the church at 239-283-0456 for Food Bank information.

Centennial Bank is at 5551 Sunset Lane, St James City The bank can be contacted at 239-283-1618

FWC: Report all wild turkey sightings

T h e F

Commission is asking Floridians to report all sightings of wild turkeys between now and Aug 31 This includes hens (with or without poults) and bearded turkeys

“Our goal is to reach 5,000 observations by the end of August, and we’re about 80% of the way there,” said J

Management Program Coordinator “This survey is important for determining wild turkey nesting success, poult survival, and population distribution and abundance, and is used to manage Florida’s wild turkey populations for future generations ”

Florida’s annual summer wild turkey survey is part of a broader multi-state initiative aimed at better understanding the reproductive success and abundance of wild turkeys

This information is crucial for FWC biologists to manage and sustain healthy wild turkey populations for years to come

For more information about the effort and to start reporting, please visit MyFWC com/Turkey

Grand opening for new Goodwill store on Pine Island Road in Cape set for Monday

Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida will holding a grand opening at the new west Cape Coral store Monday, Aug 26, with a grand opening at 8:30 a m

The first 100 customers at the new store at 1499 S W Pine Island Road, will receive a $10 Goodwill Gift Card, which can be redeemed only at the Goodwill Southwest Florida locations in Lee, Collier, Charlotte and Hendry counties The card cannot be exchanged for cash, check

or credit, and

Saturday, 9 a m to 7 p m , and Sundays from 10 a m to 7 p m

Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida is located at 5100 Tice St., Fort Myers.

For additional information, visit Goodwill's website at https://goodwillswfl org/

Assistance request, volunteer opportunities for Greater Pine Island Emergency Task Force are available on Beacon website

Those in need of help or who wish to volunteer, please visit Beaconofhopepineisland com and follow the GPIETF portal to the “who we are” or “online volunteer application” pages

The task force has announced the removal of the Social Security Number request on the application for volunteers Needed background checks can be performed without that information

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY ELSIE STEARNS

Summer fishing continues with hot but quiet week

With local schools back in session plus the heat of summer, it was a quiet week on the water Despite hot days, the weather and tides were favorable for the few anglers that ventured out

Full moon tides brought high water heading into the weekend giving good oppor-

shorelines and oyster bars

Cut bait out-fished live bait and artificials with cut blue

getting the attention of redfish up to 28 inches The best action came over the last half of rising water in Pine Island

islands, and islands south of Flamingo Bay

action continued with action c

and Gulf passes, up the eastern shore of Charlotte Harbor and oyster bars outside Bull Bay Baits included gold spoons, pilchards, pin and pig fish

Keeper-size mangrove snapper are still abundant across the inshore waters although many have relocated If you have been on the water in the past couple of weeks you have no doubt noticed water quality is disturbing in some areas Many fish have moved from areas with poor water to better water The best bet to find snapper, or any fish for that matter, is to find good water. Matlacha Pass was downright disgusting, but it may be improving slowly Mangrove snapper were taken on small baits including jigs and shrimp, small pilchards and pinfish, plus cut bait fishing around shorelines, oyster bars and docks, including the Bokeelia Fishing Pier Fishing around the slack tide also worked for snapper around Redfish and Captiva passes

Seatrout and ladyfish were caught near the fish shacks and Rocky Channel in the Sound drifting grass flats. Anchoring around Rocky Channel with a fresh chunk of lady fish soaked on bottom hooked sharks and stingrays, including bull sharks up to six feet

All smiles after a successful fishing trip

This crew took home a catch of large American red snapper fishing Gulf waters with Capt. Scotty Darna of Salty Boy Charters out of Jug Creek Marina.

visiting www myfwc com

Also, upload the Fish Rules app on your phone. It has current regulations and seasons

with pictures to help identify fish

If you have a fishing report or for charter information, please contact us at Gulf Coast Guide Service at 239410-8576, on the web at www fishpineisland com or email us 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 around Pine Island and Southwest Florida, and as a professional fishing guide for the past 23 years

28th Annual Fall Home & Garden Show coming to downtown Fort Myers in September

Whether you’re looking to spruce up your home for the coming holidays or need to tackle that home improvement project you’ve been putting off, the newest home products and services can be found at the 28th Annual Home & Garden Show in downtown Fort Myers

This free event will take place Saturday and Sunday, Sept 21-22, from 10 a m to 4 p m , at Caloosa Sound Convention Center (formerly Harborside Convention Center) adjacent to the Luminary Hotel

The show features local and regional companies with a wide array of exhibitor booths showcasing products and services from leading brands in home improvement,

smart home technology, renewable energy solutions and more

Exhibitor door prizes will be available Also, attendees can register to win a cruise/vacation giveaway

For more information about the Home & Garden Show, contact David Pardi of Expo Management at 239205-6139, email fldave@expomanagementinc com or visit expomanagementinc com

Capt. Bill Russell On the Water

PHOTO PROVIDED

Elyssa

This 8-year-old beauty is very much a princess She asked us to let you know that her

b e a u t i f u l c a l i c o c o l o r i n g looks amazing in almost any setting. Sitting next to you on the sofa, draped at the foot of your bed or with her fur dancing in the breeze through a window. Not only is she a stunning conversation piece, but she will even allow you to pet her How generous! Her royal-ness asks that you not f i g h t o v e r h e r, j u s t s i m p l y come and meet her She's sure to choose you as her companion. For more infor-

m a t i o n , c a l l H e l p i n g P a w s Animal Sanctuary at 239-2839 1 0 0 . I f y o u ’ d r a t h e r j u s t donate, our address is 10060 Mallory Parkway E, Unit D, St J

F L , 3

site www helpingpawsanimalsanctuary com

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has released its 20242025 manatee and sea turtle decals These vibrantly illustrated decals can be placed o n w a t e r c r a f t a n d v e h i

t a c k l e boxes and laptops

N e w , w a t e rp r o o f d ecals featuri n g o r i g i n a artwork are leased ever in July and able for a $5 donation at your local tax collector’s office Donations for decals go directly to funding manatee and sea turtle research, rescue and management efforts

efforts to protect sea turtles that resulted in record numbers of loggerhead and green sea turtle nests in 2023 Everyday actions such as keeping beaches clean and free of debris, removing recreation-

m e n t a t t h e f beach visits

d k e e p i n g beaches dark at night can p r o t e c t n e s t i n g sea turtles and hatchlings from l i f e - t h r e a tn

T h i s y e a r ’ s d e c a l s e m p h a s i z e t h e

i m p o r t a n c e o f c o n s e r v i n g

F l o r i d a ’ s w a t e r w d

b e a c h e s f o r m a and sea turtles:

“ P r o t e c t Y o u

W a t e r w a y s , P r o t e c t T h e i r

H o m e ” p r ovides a reminder that manatees are found t h r o u g h o u t F l o r i d a ’ s w a t e rw a y s i n c l u d i n rivers, bays, can a n d c o a s t a l Keeping track of

ns s year’s deconveniently display the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922), where you can report a dead, injured, entangled or sick manatee or sea turtle You can also contribute to manatee and sea turtle conservation through purchasing

k e e p i n g F l o r i d a ’ s w a t e r w a y s clean can prevent manatees from ingesting and becoming entangled in marine debris and waste

“A Generation of Protection Brings

R e c o r d R e s u l t s ” h i g h l i g h t s F l o r i d a ’ s

nse plate at your ocal tax collector’s office

or the

decals are unavailable at your tax collector’s office, or to view and collect decals from previous years (19922023), type “decals” into the search bar at MyFWC com

for Best in its Organization and Operations and sustainable service to its community

Lee Health bemoans as fact that not g o i n g p r i v a t e h i n d e r s i t s r e c r u i t m e n t efforts Fact: According to Lee Health’s Consulting Firm Kaufman, it states in its report on page 54, by going Private will hinder recruiting efforts Note because of the loss of sovereign immunity per Lee Health’s conversion plan it will undoubtedly cause increased malpractice insurance costs that will result in a rise in patient costs.

Fact: Lee Health introduced a new funding plan called the Lee County Local P

County Board of County Commissioners Meeting on July 30 Lee Health never brought up the LCLPF in their public hearings/final vote, nor in their submitted and draft Proposal Covenant Documents

The purpose of the Lee Health’s plan according to Dr Raymond Kordonowy, a physician is “basically a work around to r

allowed to disband its Public District Charter.”

The bottom line is that Lee Health’s p l a n h a s s a d d l e d a n d b u r d e n e d t h e Commissioners with another task

This new task is that the Commission must come to terms with them; reviewing and considering how to keep their promise to provide “in perpetuity a safety net for t h e P u b l i c ” ( D r K o r d o n o w y , A u g u s t , 2024)

It is evident that the Commission “is now being instructed to start collecting levies from health care providers “(Dr Kordonowy, 2024) Does collecting levies

Letters to the Editor

mean taxes, fees, charges?

It should be noted that the legality of the Lee County Local Participation Fund is now being reviewed by the Federal Office of the Inspector General

The Lee County Commission will meet on Tuesday, Aug 20, at 9:30 a m to discuss the review of its staff findings regarding Lee Health’s Proposal

Steve Maxwell, MPA, EdD Sanibel

Medicare fundamentally sound

To the editor:

I recently read the guest commentary by Sally C Pipes, “Medicare Doomsday Clock ticks toward midnight” and I was disgusted Using the word “doomsday” is a scare tactic intended to alarm seniors

She also uses the term “Ponzi scheme,” which also is inflammatory and inaccurate Medicare has worked well for patients and doctors for 59 years and will continue to do so

Ms Pipes correctly points out that in 2023 Medicare had a shortfall of $12 billion That sounds like a lot, until you do a little research and learn that the total Medicare budget is $821 billion, something she failed to mention in her guest commentary This is deliberately misleading.

If you do the math, Medicare in 2023 was 98 5% funded by the tax revenue it took in In other words, the shortfall only r e p r e s e n t e d 1 5 % o f t o t a l

Medicare is not going to go broke Some reforms are needed, but the system is stable Additionally, economists have noted that, after years of steady increases, annu-

al spending per beneficiary has leveled off in recent years, something the author fails to mention

Of course, we should strive to continually reform Medicare, and we should try to root out fraud, waste and abuse For instance, the Wall Street Journal recently reported that home health nurses were generating multi-thousand dollar bills on a single home health visit by padding the patients’ diagnoses lists The total cost of these? About $15 billion We always have room for improvement

And if you see a name brand drug advertised on TV, you can be sure it is expensive The costs run into the thousands, tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands per year So there is fat there that can be trimmed But we don’t have to blow up the system to do it

Ms Pipes has never been to medical school, never cared for patients and doesn’t talk to dozens of Medicare patients every day as I and my fellow Lee County physicians do She did not attend medical school, nor did she earn a Ph.D. in economics as far as I can tell She holds only an honorary degree from Pepperdine

Ms Pipes told us the sky was falling in the 2010s in her numerous treatises on the evils of Obamacare She claimed that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) would somehow ration care In fact, it has done the

insurance to millions of working adults

These are people with too much income to qualify for Medicaid, but who don’t earn enough to pay the $1,000 monthly premiums for conventional health insurance

The ACA has kept people healthy And it has allowed entrepreneurial folks to leave their large employer (and its health insurance) and to go out and open a small business People aren’t necessarily stuck in their jobs because they want to keep their health insurance This is good for the

folks are able to get coverage and not

worry about going bankrupt if they get sick and need hospitalization. Her doom and gloom predictions were wrong then, and they are wrong now

The sky is not falling Medicare may need some continual tweaks, but fundamentally the system is sound

Dr. Scott Crater Fort Myers

Impact of unhealthy water on real estate industry

To the editor:

There are 1.5 million Realtors in the U S with the highest volume of 216,493 in the state of Florida (March 2023) Lee County agents listed 598 properties, sold 204 at an average price of $445,644 (June 2023-June 2024, Lee County Realtors Association Website) Greene Economics, LLC published a study Dec 20, 2023, estimating that Lee County property value losses could be up to $3 8 billion with an associated $21 4 million in lost property tax revenue if the area experiences another large-scale algal bloom like 2005/6 and 2018

During 2018, the Greene study also reported that residential real estate located within one mile of a waterway experienced a 25% loss in value due to unhealthy waterways Given the high risk to our government in the form of property tax revenue and the high risk to the real estate industry, one would think that local governments and Realtor associations would be working 24/7 to ensure the health of Florida waterways! All those who care about property values should take immediate action by making a donation and/or obtaining a petition (https://www floridarighttocleanwater org/donate), signing it and mailing it in This action will help ensure the health of our waterways, our property values and taxes, and the security of the real estate industry

Whitney Taylor Cape Coral