Fort Myers Beach Observer/The Beach Bulletin

County’s $1.1B plan offers lifeline for strapped homeowners

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

One of the greatest challenges to the recovery of Fort Myers Beach is the cost t o h o m e o w n e r s t o r e b u i l d d a m a g e d homes Some can afford it, some can’t and some aren’t sure depending on whether their home exceeds the 50-50 rule and would therefore require expensive repairs to raise the elevation, among other costs.

Lee County Assistant County Manager

Glen Sayer made a presentation to the Fort Myers Beach commun i t y t h i s p a s t w e e k a t t h e

D i a m o n d H e a d B e a c h R e s o r t regarding the county’s draft plan for spending $1 1 billion from a U S Department of Housing and Urban Development community block grant that could bring help to those that need it most Under the proposal, moderate- to low-

income homeowners could see up to $450,000 in aid to elevate their homes to meet FEMA codes or up to $250,000 for repairs.

However, what is considered to low- to moderate-income will shut out many, if not most, homeowners on Fort Myers Beach Under income thresholds Lee County proposes, the $1 1 billion in funds would be restricted to those who

make 80% of the median income in the county According to Lee County figures, that would mean $47,700 for a single-person household, $54,500 for a two-person home and $68,100 for a four-person home

According to a U S Census Bureau s t u d y f r o m 2 0 1 7 - 2 0 2 1 , t h e m e d i a n income for a household on Fort Myers Beach was $76,888

Salyer conceded many wouldn’t quali-

See LIFELINE, page 10

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

After spending five nights and more than five days atop the roof of his garage in the face of oppressive heat threatening 100 degrees, Rick Loughrey’s painful

See GARAGE, page 12

NATHAN MAYBERG

The Lovers Key State Park Welcome Center opened Friday for the first time since Hurricane Ian with limited hours from 10 a.m. to 1 p m on Wednesdays through Fridays

Welcome and Discovery Center at Lovers Key Park reopens

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

With limited hours, the Lovers Key State Park Welcome and Discovery Center has reopened for the first time since Hurricane Ian

The welcome and discovery center reopened Friday with limited hours from 10 a m to 1 p m Wednesdays through Fridays

The opening of the discovery center follows the reopening of the park in June The park is open from 8 a m to sunset daily with tram service running from 8 a m to noon bringing visitors to within 800 feet of the beach

Beginning in September, the hours at t h e d i s c o v e r y c e n t e r w i l l e x p a n d t o Wednesdays through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The exhibit hall will be open for visitor use at this time, and will have electricity and air Volunteers will be in the welcome center to answer questions

While the park’s trails have reopened, the boat ramp remains closed for repairs

See LOVERS KEY, page 11

Amy Loughery stands inside the 30-feet high garage she owns with her husband Rick. An agreement reached between the couple and the town, state and FEMA will allow the structure to avoid a costly rebuild which the Lougherys say would have meant the garage being torn down after surviving Hurricane Ian. NATHAN MAYBERG

Glen Sayer

Student art contest opens

Keep Lee County Beautiful, Inc (KLCB) announced the annual "Leave the Scene Clean" art contest for students in grades K-12 has opened This contest is open to all public, private, and home-schooled students across Lee County The goal of the contest is to encourage students to think creatively about how we can all work together to keep our community clean and protect the environment

To participate, students must create an original piece of artwork that visualizes a correct environmental action such as litter prevention, clean-up campaigns, beautification efforts, protecting the environment, and recycling. The deadline for entries is Jan 31, and winners will be announced by mid-February

This is a great opportunity for students to showcase their artistic talents while also learning about the importance of taking care of our environment The artwork will be j u d g e d o n c r e a t i v i t y , o r i g i n a l i t y a n d f o c u s o n t h e e n v i r o n m e n t a l t h e m e

KLCB looks forward to seeing the creative and inspiring artwork from the students of Lee County

The four overall winning illustrations will be enlarged and appear on the side of a Lee County Waste Pro truck and printed on reusable tote bags The overall winning and honorable mention artwork will be on public display during April 2024 in honor of Earth month All winners will also receive a certificate and prize pack

The reusable tote bags featuring the four overall winning illustrations will be available for a small donation and will be distributed to public, private, and home schools to serve as a source of funding f o r s c h o o l e n v i r o n m e n t a l p r o j e c t s Schools keep 100% of the money they

raise to be used toward the projects

Keep Lee County Beautiful greatly appreciates the support over the years and hopes the “Leave The Scene Clean” art contest will continue to serve as an educational tool across Lee County The project is made possible through corporate sponsorships Sponsors include Lee County Solid Waste, The Edison & Ford Winter Estates, C o v a n t

Greenfield Marketing & Media, Ron Jon’s Surf Shop, Southwest Waste and Waste Pro Deadline for entries is Jan 31

Shadow Wood Charitable Foundation gives $371K for Habitat for Humanity

Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties has received a total of $371,000 in grants from Shadow Wood Charitable Foundation.

A grant of $325,000 will directly support Habitat’s Affordable Homeownership Program, which builds new and rehabilitates existing homes and sells them to low-income families through an affordable mortgage Funds will also supplement the nonprofit’s Housing Counseling program, an initiative that offers one-onone support and resources for current and future homeowners seeking to finance, maintain or own a home

D u e t o H u r r i c a n e I a n ’ s s t r u c t u r a l d a m a g e t o Habitat’s main offices, the foundation also provided a $25,000 grant to help relocate its operations An additional $21,000 was granted to its Hurricane Recovery Home Repair Program in order to assist those still affected in the community

Through the program, low-income households in Lee County are able to receive much-needed urgent repairs, such as roof repair or replacement, siding, drywall, painting, and windows and doors The funds will be used to help Habitat achieve its goal of partnering with 100 low-income families to rebuild their homes this year

Since 2004, Shadow Wood Charitable Foundation has donated a total of $3 5 million to Habitat for Humanity to support affordable housing projects in Lee County Shadow Wood residents have also volunteered more than 8,000 hours to assist with the construction of the homes they have sponsored

To learn more about Habitat for Humanity of Lee a n d H e n d r y C o u n t i e s a n d i t s p r o g r a m s , visit Habitat4Humanity org/

OPINIONS

Medicare treatment bias against Alzheimer’s patients must end

P u b l i s h e r R a y m o n d M E c ke n r o d e re cke n ro d e @ b re e z e n ew s p a p e rs c o m

E x e c u t ive E d i t o r Va l a r i e H a r r i n g v h a r r i n g @ b re e z e n ew s p a p e rs c o m

E d i t o r N a t h a n M a y b e rg n m a y b e rg @ b re e z e n ew s p a p e rs c o m

A d ve r t i s i n g D i re c t o r L a u r i e R a g l e l rag l e @ b re e z e n ew s p a p e rs c o m

Advertising Sales

Lyn McElhaney lmcelhaney@breezenewspapers com

O b i t u a r i e s D e b b i e C a r l e t t i o b i t s @ b re e z e n ew s p a p e rs c o m P ro d u c t i o n m a n a g e r R o b B r a i t l i n g r b ra i t l i n g @ b re e z e n ew s p a p e rs c o m S u b s c r i p t

For patients like me in the e a r l y s t a g e o f A l z h e i m e r ’ s , recent years have brought two major breakthroughs One was medical, with the discovery of the first treatments that can actually slow the progression of the disease rather than just ameliorate its symptoms

T h e o t h e r b r e a k t h r o u g h came in July, when the Centers f o r M e d i c a r e a n d M e d i c a i d S e r v i c e s a g r e e d M e d i c a r e would cover one of the treatments, brand-name Leqembi What's disturbing is that this decision did indeed require a breakthrough Had CMS acted within its usual scope of authority, coverage should have been routine

Philip S Gutis Guest Commentary

The FDA granted traditional approval to Leqembi in July after having approved it on an accelerated basis in January The trials c o m p l e t e d i n J u n e d e m o n s t r a t e d t h a t Leqembi produced clinical benefits as predicted by the accelerated approval data in t h i s c a s e , s l o w i n g c o g n i t i v e d e c l i n e i n patients by 27%

We should now be celebrating the arrival of a treatment that reached about 1,800 people per day between January and July this

Char ter Review Commission ineffective as implemented

To the editor:

Web Poll

Previous Web Poll Results

Do you support Rick Loughery and his protest against the town and state decision that would require him to tear down his garage?

∫ Yes, his garage shouldn't come down, 75%

No, the town must follow the codes, 19%

Unsure, 6%

Current Web Poll Question

Should repairing the Fort Myers Beach Pier be a top priority for Lee County?

∫ Yes, one of the most important priorities

∫ Important, but there are many other equally important projects

∫ It's not a top concern of mine

∫ Unsure

Share

I attended the recent Lee County Charter Review Commission meeting and left with a bad taste in my mouth The commission m e m b e r s a r e a p p o i n t e d b y t h e C o u n t y Commissioners and no way represent the demographics of the county Further, the commissioners ask the appointees how they will vote on a subject before approving them to serve

This is a review mandated to take place every eight years The past history of this committee is a running record of doing absolutely nothing When this was brought up and a request to lower the bar to a reasonable level, the idea was quashed

A Deputy County Attorney was adamant, even though this committee is scheduled to run until September, 2024, that this was the last time for a new topic to be introduced. WHY? WHY? WHY?

Watching this spectacle made it easy to understand why the public does not attend However, this is a Catch-22 because not attending further emboldens the politicians,

year before their disease progressed past the point at which Leqembi is indicated

The tragedy is that they didn ’ t T h a t ’ s b e c a u s e C M S , departing from all precedent, refused to provide coverage for Leqembi and treatments like it on the strength of the FDA accelerated approval

That sealed the fate of more than a quarter of a million people Thanks to CMS, they are doomed to experience the disease running its course unimpeded through progressive cognitive decline, dementia and death

Leqembi is one of a group of m o n o c l o n a l a n t i b o d y t r e a tments that fight Alzheimer’s by reducing the buildup in the brain of amyloid plaque deposits, which have long been associated with the disease Another, with which I am personally familiar, is Aduhelm It won FDA accelerated approval in June 2021 and embarked CMS on its course of denying coverage

My diagnosis came after months of feeling that something was wrong with my brain My mind wasn’t right, but I didn’t know what was happening. Hoping for answers, I

scheduled an appointment for a cognitive test as part of a clinical trial for Aduhelm I received a diagnosis of early Alzheimer’s and was accepted into the trial

My expectations were low Because it was a blind trial, for 16 months I didn’t know whether I was receiving Aduhelm or a placebo. As it turned out, I had been receiving the medication After the initial trial ended, I enrolled in an open-label trial extension that allowed me to continue receiving the drug

That made me one of the lucky few The CMS decision to effectively block access to an FDA-approved drug was unprecedented

This CMS decision is unfortunately in line with a disturbing pattern Medicare has demonstrated consistent bias against people living with Alzheimer’s by refusing to broadly cover the most critical components of basic care.

For the first time, we have treatments that can alter the course of Alzheimer’s, slowing its progression CMS should no more hesitate to get them to people in the earliest stages of their disease than hesitate to treat a cancer before it spreads

Philip Gutis, a former New York Times reporter who was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s in 2016, serves on the board of Voices of Alzheimer’s This piece originally appeared in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

if that is possible

This is nothing but a show to make the citizens believe that this county is run fairly and for its citizens

Wake up Lee County citizens and take an active interest This mess can be straightened out but it takes you to make it happen The resignation of the CEO of the Chamber of Commerce is a good example of what can be done with some effort

Norman Cannon Fort Myers

Lions & Tigers & Bears! Oh my!

To the editor:

We are living in frightening times No Democrats were involved in the attempted coup of 2021. All are Republican and none want to spend their remaining years in prison The legal proceedings are not a “witch hunt ” The Georgia RICO charges are the consequences of their misbehavior when they devised a complex plan with the intent that Republican co-conspirators could overturn the 2020 election and stay in power

Based on the 14th Amendment, esteemed conservative scholars are opining that no one

involved in an attempt to overthrow the U S government can ever hold elected office again

Hunter Biden is under investigation for his foreign business dealings Jared Kushner received accepted a $2 billion investment from Arab countries after his father-in-law left office with boxes of government top secrets that he refused to return. Did he sell them?

T h e “ R e p u b l i c a n ” c r i m i n a l e n t e r p r i s e wanted to abolish almost 250 years of our democracy experiment with an attempted coup just like totalitarians in third-world countries and turn our country into a fascist state Our former POTUS has been indicted four times in five months Wrap your brains around that!

We citizens are the guardrails protecting our Democracy The rule of law applies to everyone including our elected officials. Speak out loudly and often against injustice We and future generations will have to live with the consequences of other voters’ ignor a n c e a n d t h e i r v o t e s D o n ’ t a l l o w o u r Democracy to fail because you are too lazy to

our Virtual Newsroom at www breezenewspapers com Letters are due no later than noon Monday All letters and guest columns must be signed and must contain a phone number for verification purposes You also can comment on any letter or editorial opinion online at: fortmyersbeachtalk com

Youth sports: It’s about life skills, not just athletics

Sports and recreation have been core programs since Boys & Girls Clubs were founded in 1906 in Massachusetts

Nationwide, Boys & Girls Clubs have long offered a safe, supervised after-school outlet for youth sports long before AAU, travel ball and “elite” youth teams became popular

The reason sports continue to be an integral part of Boys & Girls Clubs nationwide is not to build up a members’ skills so they can earn athletic scholarships or someday go pro Rather, it’s to build life skills, which allow children and teens to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens

That lesson was on full display during Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County’s second annual FGCU Basketball Clinic for m e m b e r s o f t h e S u m m e r E n r i c h m e n t

Denise Gergley

Guest Commentary

Program Sure, players and coaches from the Eagles men’s and women’s basketball teams ran club members through basketball fundamentals like shooting, dribbling, passing, defense and footwork While those skills are important, head coaches from both programs hoped the children and teens in attendance picked up some other key messages

“We get to teach teamwork, effort, attitude and

enthusiasm, and we just want everyone to have a good time and start to love the game the way we do,” said women’s basketball Head Coach Karl Smesko

“It’s really about work ethic, it’s really about attitude and it’s really about ‘That person looks like me, that player looks like me That could be me some day,’” added m e n ’ s b a s k e t b a l l H e a d C o a c h P a t Chambers “Have some hope, have some dreams and go try to achieve them. If you have a great attitude and work hard, you can achieve that ”

After-school and summer programs at Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County focus on five core areas: education and career, service and leadership, health and wellness, the arts, and sports and recreation. Each program offers life lessons on top of the core programs Ten life lessons from sports include:

∫ Teamwork – The ability to work collaboratively in groups and align with peers to pursue the same goal.

∫ Sportsmanship – The ability to handle defeat, as well as winning graciously

∫ Ethics – The ability to follow rules and avoid cheating, even if the referee won’t notice That’s integrity

∫ Adversity – The ability to stay focused even when things aren’t going your way A bad bounce or missed call cannot steer you off course

∫ Coachability – The ability to listen and take direction, feedback and criticism Even professional athletes recognize they don’t have all the answers.

∫ Discipline – The ability to grind it out when the going gets tough

∫ Leadership – The ability to recognize when it’s time to step up and take charge

∫ Conflict management – The ability to resolve disagreements amicably

∫ Communication – The ability to connect with a diverse audience

∫ Confidence – The ability to believe in your own abilities, skills and knowledge

“I think the biggest part of basketball is knowing that you are going to mess up; you’re going to make mistakes,” said FGCU senior forward Kyle Riemen-schneider, a native of Fort Myers “You just have to keep a good attitude and keep trying your best ”

Denise Gergley is CEO for Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County, which operates seven community, neighborhood and school clubs in Fort Myers, Lehigh Acres, Bonita Springs, North Fort Myers and Cape Coral For more information, please visit bgclee org or call 239-3341886

Empowering women, empowering voters

Saturday, Aug. 26, Women’s Equality Day, commemorates women’s right to vote through ratification of the 19th A m e n d m e n t O v e r t h e l a s t 1 0 0 - p l u s years, much progress has been made in the fight for women’s rights and equality, but there remains much to be done Since 1920, the League of Women Voters has worked to create a more inclusive and equal society and to ensure the rights of all voters

Today, the League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization working to protect and expand voting rights and ensure everyone is represented in our democracy We empower voters and defend democracy through advocacy, education and litigation at the local, state and national levels The League does not endorse or oppose candidates or political parties

Informed citizen participation and voting are at the heart of what we do We are now just over 14 months until the next G e n e r a l E l e c t i o n a n d , t h r o u g h o u t Southwest Florida, the League is committed to providing nonpartisan information about issues in our region

check

Moral choice supercedes

To the editor:

Is amoral a moral word or the opposite of moral? Webster says the opposite

As I contemplate why some people are more moral than others, I know that some people who believe in God and some people who do not believe in God are moral

For the first category there are probably billions of examples how those who believe in God are more moral because of their faith I know a few people personally who were at the bottom of life on

Guest Commentary

In 2023 and 2024, we will be providing the citizens of Charlotte County, Collier County, Lee County, and Sanibel Island opportunities to participate in sessions that cover issues that impact all of us Here are just some of the topics our Leagues are addressing:

Protection and expansion of voting rights in Florida

Privacy in healthcare decisions and reproductive rights

Clean water rights for our citizens

Resiliency in response to natural disasters

Affordable housing and responsible development

Accountability in funding public education

Your vote is your voice Voting is a fundamental right Prepare yourself to vote in 2024

Contact your county’s Supervisor of Elections Office to register to vote or check your registration status: confirm your address, that your signature is cur-

drugs, involved with crime, and been in jail who found a moment when they experienced an instant change involving God and became very moral and responsible adults Those are exceptional cases and give most people great joy

Those who attend church listen every Sunday morning about morality and the reason for being moral You would have to be blind or devoid of thought to think t h o s e l e s s o n s d o n ’ t r u b o f f b u t I acknowledge that there are some who attend church every Sunday but leave the lessons at church as they go home

In regard to those not involved in a faith, many have very fine morals I have a friend who is atheistic and he is one of the most giving moral people that I know He is one I could trust with my life

rent, that your party designation reflects your intent to vote in Florida’s closed primaries

Update your request for vote by mail if you have not done so in 2023 Florida law now requires that you request a vote-bymail ballot every election cycle

Watch for local LWV events and participate to educate yourself about your local candidates and issues.

Use LWVFL resources for persons with completed sentences to regain their right to vote Returning Citizen - League of Women Voters of Florida (lwvfl org)

Use the League’s nonpartisan information to educate yourself on issues important to you and your community and candidates’ positions on important topics

VOTE411 (www Vote411 org) is the League’s “one-stop-shop” for registration and election information All information is received directly from each candidate, and it includes tools to create a personalized sample ballot to inform your vote

Be informed and make your voices

So why are the majority of voters amoral? I can think of two reasons First of all, human nature is to want a free lunch or the easy way out as long as it is legal Morality is not a consideration

Secondly, some make a commitment to a Party If my family told me I was a Democrat I don’t have to think, just do what my family said If I belong to a lobby group then whatever they do is acceptable

But some items are clearly a moral decision Take crime in the cities as an example The politicians have devalued the police and shown preferences for c r i m i n a l s i n f r e q u e n t l y n o t p r e s s i n g charges for crime and not even requiring a bail in many instances Innocents are no longer safe in the cities Property

heard with elected officials and at the ballot box It is up to all of us to defend democracy

More information on League principles, issues, priorities, and resources are a v a i l a b l e o n o u r w e b s i t e s : L W V U S w w w l w v o r g , L W V F l o r i d a www lwvfl org and through local Leagues in Southwest Florida (Charlotte, Collier, Lee County, and Sanibel) whose websites are listed below League community educational events and conversations provide additional opportunities to learn about topics that impact all our lives

J e a n F i n k s , P r e s i d e n t , L W V Charlotte County, www lwvccfl org

Diane Preston Moore, President, LWV Collier County, www lwvcolliercounty org

Sandy Frank, President, LWV Lee County, www.lwvlee.org

C a t h i e K o z i k , P r e s i d e n t , L W V S a n i b e l , https://www facebook com/lwvsanibel

crime has spiked up and there is a big in cr eas e in th e lo s s o f lif e Wh o is responsible for this amoral action? The politicians are Do they warrant being elected again? Absolutely not but voters keep choosing them Is this vote a moral o n e , t h e l o s s o f l i f e e s p e c i a l l y ?

Absolutely yes But the cities are one Party cities so the vast majority make a political vote

M a k i n g a c o m m i t m e n t t o a P a r t y instead of choosing right or wrong has made this country amoral

Our votes often involve a moral decision rather than a political decision Are you moral or political, or both? Can you be both?

John A Benedict Cape Coral

Sandpiper under contract to London Bay

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

The Sandpiper Gulf Resort is under contract to be purchased by London Bay Development Group

Terms of the deal have not been disclosed as the purchase has not yet closed The 63-room resort dates back to the 1960s and has undergone multiple renovations over the years The Fort Myers Beach hotel property is located mid-island at 5550 Estero Blvd

The resort had a consortium of condominium ownership and the majority voted to sell after London Bay made an offer to the condo board

London Bay CEO Mark Wilson confirmed the property was under contract and said the plan was to rebuild the property He said the resort would not be saved “It’s severely damaged,” Wilson said

“It’s under contract We are not through closing,” Wilson said “It’s a great beachfront We love the site It’s prime beachfront It’s too early to talk about what we might be doing with it ”

Though Wilson said he is holding out on discussing specific plans for how the property may be reshaped, he said it will be a “new build ”

Though it incurred damage during Hurricane Ian, the property wasn’t as injured as many others, two condo owners said.

The property would have needed renovations that may have taken a couple years, said property manager Robert Boykin A posting on the Sandpiper’s Facebook page regarding the closure directed guests to the Pink Shell Beach Resort, which Boykin co-owns Boykin said the Pink Shell Beach Resort had a cooperative agreement with the Sandpiper, allowing its guests to use the Pink Shells pool, spa and other amenities

Boykin, who owned one of the units at the Sandpiper, said he would have liked to have held on to the property but the majority of the owners voted to sell “A lot of the owners have been there a long time and are old,” he said “It’s going to take a couple years (to rebuild) and you are

SBA to host Disaster Recovery & Resilience Resource Fairs

The Small Business Association is h o s t i n g t w o D i s a s t e r R e c o v e r y & Resilience Resource Fairs for businesses impacted by Hurricane Ian Advertised as "Your 'One-Stop Shop' for valuable business information and guidance," the e v e n t s w i l l f e a t u r e i n v i t e d p a r t n e r s FEMA, USDA, APEX and SBDC

The first session will be Thursday, A u g 2 4 , f r o m 3 - 7 p m , a t T h e Gathering Place, 2304 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel Light snacks and childcare will be provided.

The second session is Tuesday, Aug 29, from 2-5 p m , at Lakes Regional Library, 15290 Bass Road, Fort Myers

Among the topics to be discussed are disaster recovery funding, access to capital, procurement opportunities, financial l i t e r a c y , e c o n o m i c p r o s p e c t s i n t h e r e g i o n , g o v e r n m e n t c o n t r a c t i n g a n d community economic empowerment

NATHAN MAYBERG

The Sandpiper Gulf Resort, which dates back to the 1960s, is under contract to be sold to London Bay Development. The four buildings at the resort will be torn down for a new development according to London Bay CEO Mark

going to have to put in a few bucks,” Boykin said of the prospects facing the resort’s condo owners

Boykin said he was among a small group of unit owners who wanted to hold on to the units and see through the rebuild, but they were outnumbered

The property has four buildings with 63 units and was known for housing guests on extended stays, with a large E u r o p e a n c l i e n t e l e , u n i t o w n e r a n d R e a l t o r C h r i s Loffreno said “It was a really good rental property,” he said “I wanted to see it get restored and keep the classic look that it had but other owners had different views,” Loffreno said “It’s kind of sad because the character of the beach is changing so much ”

Eric Schieler, another condo owner at the resort, was also looking to rebuild and save the property “We had good momentum and collaboration between owners on developing concepts to give the architecture firm a running start, until an unsolicited offer was made,” Schieler said “The Sandpiper could have been a really special small-scale vintage old Florida experience that's impossible to duplicate today ”

London Bay recently acquired The Outrigger Resort and Charley’s Boat House Grill and Wine Bar on Fort Myers Beach They are in the midst of constructing the Grandview at Bay Beach off Bay Beach Lane on the southern end of the island The Grandview is about 70% complete, according to the company

Lee commissioners approve creation of 23 Community Development positions

STAFF REPORT

The Lee Board of County Commissioners voted this month to approve the immediate creation of 23 new positions within the Department of Community Development to address increasing building permit volumes for the county

Since Hurricane Ian, the county has accepted more than 70,000 permit applications More than 45,000 of those have been identified as hurricane-related

In the same period, 207,056 inspections were requested and 131,323 inspections were completed, of which 108,831 were hurricane-related, Lee County spokesperson Tim Engstrom said

The estimated cost of the 23 new positions and related equipment will equate to a $2 8 million increase over the proposed budget

In February, the Lee County Board of County Commissioners authorized a mid-

year budget adjustment to hire 11 new positions to address permitting demands amplified by recovery following Hurricane Ian There are currently 113 positions in the department

The Town of Fort Myers Beach permitting department was supported by assistance with staff from the state in the early months after Hurricane Ian The state pulled its staff from the town on March 28

ALDI to purchase Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarkets

Southeastern Grocers Inc , parent company of Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery stores, this week announced it has entered into definitive agreements with ALDI and Fresco Retail Group, LLC to effectuate a comprehensive strategic divestiture of its businesses

Under the proposed merger agreement, ALDI will acquire all outstanding SEG capital stock in an all-cash transaction, which encompasses all SEG grocery operations under the Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket banners This includes approximately 400 stores in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida where 75% of the stores are located According to the announcement, following the completion of the sales process,

ALDI will serve the customers and communities of Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarkets through the continued operation of the banners’ existing stores. Officials said the retailer will also evaluate which locations will convert to the ALDI format For those stores that are not converted, ALDI intends for them to continue to operate as Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket stores

Concurrently, SEG has agreed to divest its Fresco y Más operations SEG anticipates that the sale of the Fresco y Más banner will be consummated in the first quarter of 2024 The Fresco y Más banner, including all 28 stores and four pharmacies, will be sold to Fresco Retail Group, LLC, an investment group strategically focused on food and grocery Fresco Retail Group,

LLC plans for all stores and pharmacies in the Fresco y Más banner to continue operating as they are presently

The merger agreement has been approved by the holders of a majority of SEG’s outstanding shares, and the merger is expected to close in the first half of 2024, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions SEG will continue to operate its respective banners and stores in the normal course of business until the transactions are completed

The island Winn-Dixie store is at 9864 Stringfel-low Road, St James City

Locally, the Cape Coral Winn-Dixie store is at 1016 Cape Coral Parkway, E , and the North Fort Myers Winn-Dixie is at 5660 Bayshore Road There are also several other locations across Lee County

Wilson.

7 n W e e k o f W e d n e s d a y , A u g u s t 2 3 , 2 0 2 3 f o r t m y e r s b e a c h t a l k . c o m F o r t M y e r s B e a c h O b s e r v e r

,

f o r t m y e r s b e a c h t a l k . c o m W e e k o f W e d n e s d a y , A u g u s t

Fort Myers Beach Lions announce scholarship recipients

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

The Fort Myers Beach Lions Club have announced the recipients of $1,000 college scholarships for the 2023-24 school year

The organization made donations to the following 10 students this year:

∫ Hannah Velaquez

∫ Christopher Prisco

∫ Luciano Gilberti

∫ Kailyn Haataja

∫ Joseph Uecker

∫ Madison Volpe

∫ Laila MArtinez

∫ Melissa Guerra-Salas

∫ Kacie Faircloth

∫ Breona Ruark

To qualify, students had to live within the Fort Myers Beach 34224 zip code or have a parent who works on Fort Myers Beach

“The scholarships have been a crown jewel for the Fort Myers Beach Lions for many years,” Fort Myers B e a c h L i o n s C l u b S c h o l a r s h i p D i r e c t o r D a r b y

Doerzbacher said

“The Fort Myers Beach Lions are thankful for all the help from the community and restaurants that made the fulfillment of this project possible this year,” Doerzbacher said “We are humbled by the generosity of the Fort Myers Beach Community and their willingness to help us serve others ”

In addition to the scholarships, Doerzbacher said the organization was able to make donations to local charities including the Mound House, Fort Myers Beach Library, Captains for Clean Water, Ostego Bay Foundation, Lions Club International Foundation, SE Guide Dogs, Leader Dogs, Camp Trailways and other Lions entities "that serve those in need "

"I would like people to know that we appreciate what the community has done for us and that we are s t i l l h e l p i n g o u r c o m m u n i t y i n m a n y w a y s , "

Doerzbacher said

Tur tle Time nest data

For t Myers Beach

Nests: 70

Non-nesting emergence: 201

Nests Hatched: 54

Bonita Beach

Nests: 151

Non-nesting emergence: 268

Nests Hatched: 119

N e v e r s h i n e a l i g h t o n o r u s e f l a s h p h o t og r a p h o n a h a t c h l i n g I f y o u s e e a h a t c h l i n g a t n i g h t , “ H a n d s o f f ” l e t i t c r a w l t o t h e w a t e r. I f y o u f i n d a h a t c h l i n g w a n d e r i n g / l o s t i n d a y t i m e , p l e a s e p l a c e i t i n a D RY c o n t a i ne r a n d c a l l 2 3 9 - 4 8 1 - 5 5 6 6 r i g h t a w a y.

Turtle Time volunteers ask that Beach residents and visitors remember to turn off or shield their lights at night, and remind everyone never disturb a sea turtle or nest For more information or to report a nest, please contact Turtle Time, Inc at 481-5566 visit Turtle Time at turtletime org

B y N AT H A N M AY B E R G n m a y b e r g @ b r e e z e n e w s p a p e r s c o m

Monica Schmucker, a leading voice in the effort to rebuild and reopen the Fort Myers Beach Elementary School, has filed to run for the at-large District 7 seat on the Lee County School Board

Schmucker said “the fight” the community put up to rebuild the school is one of the reasons she is running for the school board “That struggle was part of my inspiration to run My passion to fight for what is right for our kids in all of Lee County Schools will be the same,” Schmucker said

The District 7 seat is currently held by Cathleen O’Daniel Morgan, who was the most skeptical of the school board members initially of rebuilding the school after Hurricane Ian Morgan, of Bonita Springs, cited the elementary school’s declining student population over the years as a reason to consider other options than a rebuild Morgan, who has served on the board since 2012, had suggested transforming the school into a charter school or turning it over to the town The elementary school’s population was estimated at 50 after Hurricane Ian, down from about 80 before the storm

A San Carlos Island resident, attorney and former schoolteacher, Schmucker has served as the co-treasurer of the Fort Myers Beach Elementary School Parent Teachers Association for the past five years

“So many people were devastated by the destruction caused by Hurricane Ian, and along with many others, I have been working tirelessly to assist our families and businesses in restoring our community,” Schmucker said “A big part of that is rebuilding and repairing our schools so that our kids and parents can reclaim some normalcy in their lives I’m running for Lee County School Board because I want to continue to be a part of rebuilding and restoring our schools and continue

NATHAN MAYBERG Monica Schmucker is running for the at-large Lee County School District 7 seat

working to make them the best schools in Florida ”

Schmucker also served as a member of the ad-hoc c o m m i t t e e w o r k i n g w i t h t h e L e e C o u n t y S c h o o l District to come up with a plan on rebuilding Fort Myers Beach Elementary School after Hurricane Ian Schmucker earned her law degree from Notre Dame, worked as a schoolteacher in Miami-Dade County and served as a Deputy Attorney General in Indiana

Monica has served as president of the Fort Myers Beach Woman’s Club and chaired the Fort Myers Beach Nuisance Abatement Board She is also on the board of the Notre Dame Club of SWFL and a member of the Lee County Bar Association and Lee County Association for Women’s Lawyers

Schmucker has two children attending Lee County Schools The rebuild of the elementary school is underway and is expected to be completed by November Fort Myers Beach Elementary School students are currently attending San Carlos Park Elementary School

B y N AT H A N M AY B E R G n m a y b e r g @ b r e e z e n e w s p a p e r s c o m T o w n o f F o r t M y e r s B e a c h M a g i s t r a t e M y r n a b e l l e R o c h e , w h o h a s s e r v e d a s t h e t o w n ’ s m a g i s t r a t e s i n c e 2 0 1 8 , h a s a n n o u n c e d h e r i n t e n t i o n t o r e s i g n f r o m h e r p o s t I n a r e s i g n a t i o n l e t t e r s u b m i t t e d l a s t w e e k R o c h e c i t e d “ a c h a n g e i n p e r s o n a l c i r c u m s t a n c e s ” a s t h e r e as o n f o r h e r r e s i g n a t i o n a s C o d e E n f o r c e m e n t S p e c i a l M a g i s t r a t e R o c h e h a s o f f e r e d t o a t t e n d a n d o v e r s e e f u t u r e u p c o m i n g h e a r i n g s v i r t u a l l y u n t i l a r e p l a c e m e n t i s f o u n d . T o w n o f F o r t M y e r s B e a c h M a y o r D a n A l l e r s s a i d R o c h e w o u l d “ s t a y o n v i a Z o o m u n t i l h e r

r e p l a c e m e n t i s f o u n d ” A t t i m e s , R o c h e ’ s t e n u r e h a s b e e n p o l a r i z i n g i n t h e c o m m u n i t y o v e r h o w s h e h a s a r b i t e r e d c o d e e n f o r c e m e n t v i o l a t i o n s . S o m e h a v e c h a m p i o n e d h e r i s s u a n c e o f f i n e s , s o m e t i m e s r e a c h i n g s i x f i g u r e s , t o c o d e v i o l a t o r s t h o u g h o t h e r s h a v e c h a r g e d t h a t t h e a m o u n t o f f i n e s a s t o o p u n i t i v e a n d e x c e s s i v e . T h e t o w n f a c e d a l e g a l s u i t b r o u g h t b y T e r r y P e r s a u d , o w n e r o f S u n s e t B e a c h T r o p i c a l G r i l l , o v e r v i o l at i o n s a n d f i n e s i s s u e d a g a i n s t h i s b u s i n e s s A U S D i s t r i c t C o u r t f o u n d t h a t P e r s a u d ’ s d u e p r o c e s s r i g h t s w e r e v i o l a t e d b y t h e t o w n i n a s p l i t d e c is i o n l a s t y e a r t h a t v a l i d a t e d s o m e

o f h i s c l a i m s b u t s i d e d w i t h t h e t o w n o n o t h e r s L a t e r t h a t y e a r , P e r s a u d w a s f i n e d $ 6 7 0 , 0 0 0 b y R o c h e o v e r t h e a l l e g e d c o d e v i o l a t i o n s . T h e r e s i g n a t i o n o f R o c h e f o ll o w s t h e d e p a r t u r e o f t o w n m a g i st r a t e P a t r i c k N e a l e i n A p r i l N e a l e , w h o w a s h i r e d b y t h e t o w n l a s t y e a r i n p a r t t o b r i n g a m o r e n u a n c e d a p p r o a c h t o t h e t o w n ’ s e n f o r c e m e n t o f c o d e s , n o t if i e d t h e t o w n i n M a r c h t h a t h e w o u l d b e t e r m i n a t i n g h i s c o n t r a c t d u e t o n o t b e i n g a b l e t o “ e f f e c t i v el y p r o v i d e S p e c i a l M a g i s t r a t e s e r vi c e s t o t h e t o w n . ” N e a l e s a i d h i s d e c i s i o n w a s “ n o r e f l e c t i o n o n t h e t o w n ”

County announces Labor Day schedule for services

Most Lee County administrative operations will be closed Monday, Sept 4, in observance of Labor Day i n c l u d i n g p u b l i c t r a n s p o r t a t i o n , c o u n t y o f f i c i a l s a n n o u n c e d T h e county's parks will be open

The county’s Labor Day schedule adjustments include:

LeeTran

LeeTran will not run bus, trolley or paratransit service on Sept 4 Service resumes Tuesday, Sept 5 R o u t e s c h e d u l e s a n d m a p s a r e

at www.rideleetran.com

Solid Waste

All garbage, recycling and yard waste collections in unincorporated L e e C o u n t y , t h e C i t y o f B o n i t a Springs, the Village of Estero and the Town of Fort Myers Beach will take place one day after the regularly s c h e d u l e d c o l l e c t i o n d a y f o r t h e entire week beginning Sept 4 This means that if your regular collection day is Monday, the collection truck w i l l p i c k u p t h a t m a t e r i a l o n

Tuesday, Sept. 5. Tuesday’s regularly scheduled pickups will occur on Wednesday and so on for the rest of the week through Saturday, Sept 9 Regular collection schedules resume on Monday, Sept 11

The Household Chemical Waste C o l l e c t i o n F a c i l i t y , 6 4 4 1 T o p a z Court, will be closed on Saturday, Sept 2, but open from 8 a m to noon the following Saturday, Sept 9

Lee County Solid Waste facilities and offices are closed on Sept. 4.

See SCHEDULE, page 9

Town magistrate announces resignation

Little League ballfield to hold reopening Monday

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

The Town of Fort Myers Beach will hold a Little League ballfield ceremony to celebrate the reopening on Monday, Aug 28 The event will take place from 4 p m to 6:30 p m at the Bay Oaks Recreational Campus

There will be a baseball clinic beginning at 5 p m

The town was awarded a $50,000 grant through Major League Baseball and The Scotts Company LLC to help rebuild the ballfield, the Major League Baseball Office of the Commissioner announced earlier this year

The ballfield suffered damage from Hurricane Ian and

for months part of the field was used for the storage next to the area where large mounds of debris was stored

In a response to a question from Councilmember John King over whether the soil has been mitigated at the site, Hauge said six to eight inches of the field was removed to screen the field for pieces of debris. Hauge said the sod for the new field will go on top of that and will be safe to play on

Jeff Hauge, director of the town’s culture, parks and recreation department, said the area where the ballfields will be was not where most of the town’s debris was stored

Hauge said MLB and The Scotts Company are installing the field this week

“Everything is coming into place,” Hauge said at a town council meeting Monday Hauge said the town is working on installing lights at the property, and has been in touch with two companies on it.

In response to a question from Councilmember Karen Woodson about the town’s pool Hauge said the town’s pool has recently been drained A few companies have looked at the pool as part of the bid process to repair the pool, Hauge said “We’re still working on it, doing our due diligence,” Hauge said

County library system celebrates summer reading

T h e L e e C o u n t y L i b r a r y S y s t e m reported that the annual Summer Reading Program saw thousands of books go into the hands of children and teens, along with outstanding participation from all ages

The program fosters the love of reading and helps prevent summer learning loss by students on school break As part of the effort, nearly 13,000 free books were distributed to youths both in and outside of the system's library branches

Schedule

T h e n a t i o n a l S u m m e r R e a d i n g Program theme, “All Together Now,” e n c o u r a g e d t h e c o m m u n i t y t o s p r e a d kindness and connect with others at their local library The county's branches hoste d p r o g r a m s l i k e A d a m ' s A n i m a l Encounters, where teens learned about wildlife management, Bunny Yoga and Mindfulness, storytelling through puppetry, and magic and science shows

Participants of all ages logged more than 700,000 books read as part of the

From page 8

Solid Waste urges all residents to recycle plastic, metal and glass containers from Labor Day weekend activities

Lee County Utilities

The offices of Lee County Utilities, the Call Center and drive-thru window will be closed on Sept 4 A drop box is on-site at

the front door and another one is accessible via the drive-thru for payments by check

Libraries

All library locations will be closed on Sept 4

online reading challenge Additionally, the offline “Kindness Bingo” challenge had 7,830 people engaging in good deeds and reading The system hosted 10 kickoff events and offered 452 programs and staff visited 100 off-site locations to reach more than 20,000 members of the community

“Library staff engaged with patrons all summer to share the joy of reading,” Director Mindi Simon said “Our staff make a difference in the community that

Domestic Animal Ser vices

Animal Services, 5600 Banner Drive, Fort Myers, will be open for regularly scheduled hours on Saturday, Sept 2 Hours are 8 a m to 4 p m for the Lost & Found Pet Center and 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p m for the Pet Adoption Center Animal Services will be closed Sept 4, but will

have lasting, positive impacts for the youth who participate Our libraries are a great place for families to be together attending programs, borrowing books and movies, using computers and participating in activities ”

Founded in 1964, the Lee County Library System has 13 branches to serve Lee County residents Library programs are always free and open to the public Patrons can sign up for the library email

See SUMMER READING, page 11

r e s u m e r e g u l a r b u s i n e s s h o u r s o n

Tuesday, Sept 5

Parks and Recreation

Lee County Parks & Recreation beaches, parks, preserves, swimming pools and boat ramps are open on Labor Day

Lifeline

From page 1

fy because of the income restrictions but said “I do think a lot of Fort Myers Beach residents will qualify There are a lot of fixed-income residents that are probably going to fall into this category They may have a property that is highly valued but t h a t d o e s n ’ t m e a n t h e y h a v e a h i g h income ”

Retirees who have investment income and pensions would have that counted as part of any evaluation of meeting the income requirements for the aid

For those who have already made repairs, “save your receipts” for reimbursement, Salyer said

While the county is targeting up to 80% of median income, Salyer said that “if there are still funds available and we can show HUD we have satisfied this need, we are prepared to propose going up to 140% of median income ”

However, not all of the $1 1 billion is being earmarked for housing. About 60% of the $1 1 billion will be dedicated to housing, with 32% going to infrastructure such as roads, bridges and water systems

A p p r o x i m a t e l y 5 % w i l l g o t o w a r d s administration, 2% to planning and 1% to public services

Salyer said $350 million is for multifamily housing, $145 million is available for rehabilitation, $30 million for rentals rehabilitation for smaller landlords and $50 million for single-family housing

Meanwhile, the county is estimating there is more than $8 billion in unmet need in the county Salyer and county officials have stressed that they are continuing to advocate for more federal and state funding

Salyer said the $8 billion figure is based on localized verified loss data from FEMA, insurance, our own data, damage assessments, vehicle losses, home losses, i n f r a s t r u c t u r e , b r i d g e s , s c h o o l s L e e County Commissioner Kevin Ruane, R-

“I do think a lot of Fort Myers Beach residents will qualify There are a lot of fixed-income residents that are probably going to fall into this category. They may have a property that is highly valued but that doesn’t mean they have a high income.”

GLEN SALYER Lee County Assistant County Manager

“We’ve had dozens and dozens of businesses that are still closed because they don’t even have a structure to operate out of ”

—JACKI LISZAK

President

may be fixed Salyer said the pier was r e c e n t l y i n s p e c t e d b y t h e F e d e r a l

Emergency Management Agency Lee County Communications Director Betsy Clayton said “county staff continues to work with our disaster recovery vendor and FEMA on the scope of work that would be necessary” to rebuild the pier

Liszak said the pier is a major tourist draw and urged Salyer to make its repair a priority. After Salyer’s presentation at the DiamondHead, Liszak said to him that the condition of the pier, which is currently barricaded off after the platform was destroyed, is keeping tourists away from Fort Myers Beach

District 1, who is leading the county’s Project Resiliency Task Force to identify Hurricane Ian recovery projects, said there could be more than $10 billion needed to rebuild the county He said there were approximately $35 billion in losses countywide to Ian

For t Myers Beach perspective

Fort Myers Beach Councilmember Bill Veach called the plan a “game changer” for Fort Myers Beach “A lot of people have assets on the Beach but not a lot of income,” he said “Unfortunately a lot of people who would have been helped have already left ”

Tw o p r o min en t F o r t M y er s B each voices at the community meeting with Salyer had other concerns they thought needed to be addressed in the county’s plan

F o r t M y e r s B e a c h C h a m b e r o f Commerce President Jacki Liszak and Fort Myers Beach Mayor Dan Allers said m o r e w a s n e e d e d t o h e l p b u s i n e s s e s rebuild in addition to providing help with housing

“The two go together,” Liszak said

“We’ve had hundreds of people who have left our community I think every-

body here knows many people who have left and moved elsewhere who have left here because they can’t find work and can’t find housing,” Liszak said “We’ve had dozens and dozens of businesses that are still closed because they don’t even have a structure to operate out of ”

Allers said “We disagree with the plan ” He said that disaster recovery has been left out of the community block grant spending plan

“What’s very important to us is econ o m i c r e v i t a l i z a t i o n , ” h e s a i d . “ W e employ the most people in the county of low- to moderate-income ” Allers said the town wants economic recovery funds

Salyer said that aid for businesses could be complicated under the HUD program as it would require businesses to employ a certain number of low-wage workers that would need to be tracked “It’s a difficult program to administer,” Salyer said

The Pier

Liszak also had one other concern she believes the county needs to focus on rebuilding the Fort Myers Beach Pier

The pier has been in disrepair since Hurricane Ian with no timetable of when it

“With a pier there, they get out, they take their pictures, they put their hands on their hips and look around and then they go for a walk and they walk down the pier,” Liszak said “They get hungry, they get thirsty, then they go stop somewhere and have a bite to eat. … They stay for a night or two, then it’s happy hour and they go get a cocktail and that’s what happens with the pier Then somebody fishes, then they buy some bait Then they need a fishing pole at the hardware store so they go down there I can’t tell you how important it is for us to get that pier back and get it back fast ”

Salyer said the county “completely understands its economic importance ”

Other concerns raised at the meeting included the rising costs of insurance, which Salyer acknowledged is challenging

“I wish I had an answer on the insurance question,” he said Salyer said discussions are underway regarding rising rates

The draft plan has been approved by the county’s commissioners and will need to be approved next by HUD before being implemented

Fort Myers Beach Chamber of Commerce

NATHAN MAYBERG

Fort Myers Beach Chamber of Commerce President Jacki Liszak speaks at the DiamondHead Beach Resort at a presentation on Lee County's draft plan to spend $1 1 billion of disaster recovery funds from the U S Department of Housing and Urban Development

A snowy egret overlooks the Gulf of Mexico from the ruins of the Fort Myers Beach Pier

Lovers Key

A program schedule is currently being worked on for the fall season

“While the Welcome and Discovery Center made it through the storm with minimal damage, the park has been without electric and water utilities,” said Brian Miller, press secretary for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, which oversees the park.

A generator has been staged temporarily to power the discovery center

“The Welcome and Discovery Center at Lovers Key State Park illustrates the benefits of resilience investments by with-

standing the destructive forces of Ian,” Miller said

The discovery center includes exhibits on the barrier islands and the benefits they provide to coastlines, as well as about v

There is also an observational deck

Lovers Key State Park remains without tap water though the gift shop has cold water, beverages and some merchandise

The park’s concessionaire has paddling equipment, beach chairs and umbrellas available for rent

Summer reading

From page 1 newsletter or view the schedule of events online to see what is happening in the library branches.

The Captiva Memorial Library is open on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 10 a m to 12:30 p m and 1 to 4

From page 9

p m For more information, contact the library branch at 239-533-4890

For more information, visit www.leelibrary net

The Captiva Memorial Library is at 11560 Chapin Lane, Captiva

The For t Myers Beach Obser ver

County commission receives hurricane after-action report

B y C

J H A D D A D

c j h a d d a d @ b r e e z e n e w s p a p e r s c o m N e a r l y a y e a r a f t e r d e v a s t a t i n g H u r r i c a n e I a n c h a n g e d S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a f o r e v e r , t h e L e e C o u n t y B o a r d o f C o u n t y C o m m i s s i o n e r s w e r e p r e s e n t e d w i t h t h e o f f i c i a l a f t e r - a c t i o n r e p o r t T h e L e e C o u n t y H u r r i c a n e I a n A f t e r - A c t i o n R e p o r t p r e s e n t e d o n A u g 1 5 r e v i e w e d t h e c o u n t y ’ s p r e p a r e dn e s s , r e s p o n s e a n d r e c o v e r y e f f o r t s L e e C o u n t y A s s i s t a n t C o u n t y M a n a g e r C h r i s t i n e B r a d y d e t a i l e d t h a t I a n w a s t h e t h i r d c o s t l i e s t h u r r ic a n e t o m a k e l a n d f a l l i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s , t o t a l i n g $ 1 1 2 b i l l i o n i n d a m a g e s S h e s a i d t h e r e p o r t f o c u s e s o n c o u n t y - w i d e o p e r a t i o n s , a n d d o e s n o t c o v e r d e p a r tm e n t - s p e c i f i c o p e r a t i o n s “ I t f o c u s e s o n b r o a d p o l i c y - l e v e l i s s u e s o r o p e r at i o n a l c h a l l e n g e s e n c o u n t e r e d a s a r e s u l t o f H u r r i c a n e I a n a n d d o e s n o t d o c u m e n t d e p a r t m e n t - l e v e l i s s u e s , a d j u s t m e n t s o r i m p r o v e m e n t s t h a t h a v e t a k e n e f f e c t d u r i n g o r a f t e r t h e e v e n t , ” s h e s a i d “ O b s e r v a t i o n s a n d r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s i n t h e r e p o r t a r e i n t e n d e d t o c o nt r i b u t e t o L e e C o u n t y ' s p r e p a r e d n e s s a n d r e a d i n e s s f o r f u t u r e s t o r m e v e n t s ”

T h e r e p o r t d e t a i l s 1 4 d i f f e r e n t “ o b s e r v a t i o n s ” m a d e i n r e g a r d t o t h e c o u n t y ' s r e s p o n s e a n d r e c o v e r y a c t i o n s t a k e b e f o r e , d u r i n g a n d a f t e r I a n . T h e o b s e r v a t i o n s n o t e a c t i o n s m a d e b y t h e c o u n t y , s u c h a s o p e n i n g s h e l t e r s , l e v e r a g i n g r e s o u r c e s , t h e s e n d i n g o f i n f o r m at i o n a n d m o r e E a c h o f t h e o b s e r v a t i o n s c o m e s w i t h r e c o m m e n d at i o n s o n h o w t o i m p r o v e t h e a c t i o n m o v i n g f o r w a r d R e c o m m e n d a t i o n s i n c l u d e t h e c o u n t y c o o r d i n a t i n g w i t h a l l E m e r g e n c y O p e r a t i o n s e c t i o n s a n d c o u n t y l e a d e r s h i p t o d e v e l o p c h e c k l i s t s o r j o b a i d s f o r p e rs o n n e l ; f u r t h e r d e v e l o p i n g a n E O C g u i d e ; c o n t i n u i n g t o e x p l o r e a n d e v a l u a t e s t r a t e g i e s t o c o o r d i n a t e s h e l t e r o p e r a t i o n s ; c o n v e n i n g w i t h o t h e r m u n i c i p a l i t i e s a n d e n t i t i e s t o e s t a b l i s h a d d i t i o n a l b a s e c a m p l o c a t i o n s ; i m p r o v i n g i n f o r m a t i o n s h a r i n g ; a n d m o r e T h e r e p o r t s t a t e s t h a t p o s t - l a n d f a l l , t h e c o u n t y i n it i a t e d U r b a n S e a r c h a n d R e s c u e m i s s i o n s , b r i n g i n g i n t e a m s a c r o s s t h e s t a t e v i a h e l i c o p t e r A f t e r t h e s t o r m , 9 8 % o f t h e c o u n t y w a s w i t h o u t e l e c t r i c i t y a n d n u m e ro u s r o a d w a y s , e s p e c i a l l y t o i s l a n d t o w n s , w e r e v i r t ua l l y i m p a s s a b l e I n t h e f i r s t 3 6 h o u r s a f t e r I a n ' s l a n df a l l , o f f i c i a l s s t a t e t h a t f i r s t r e s p o n d e r s c o n t i n u e d t o

r e s p o n d t o t h e p e n d i n g 7 5 2 f i r e a n d E M S c a l l s r e c e i v e d d u r i n g t h e s t o r m a n d c o n s o l i d a t e d t h e l i s t

d o w n t o 2 6 o u t s t a n d i n g c a l l s d u e t o l a c k o f a c c e s s .

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G u a r d c o m p l e t e d i t s w a t e r w a y a s s e s s m e n t o n O c t 7

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9 1 0 b u s i n e s s e s s u f f e r i n g m a j o r d a m a g e a n d 1 , 8 5 1 s u f f e r i n g m i n o r d a m a g e

T h e c o n c l u s i o n o f t h e r e p o r t s t a t e s , i n p a r t : “ H u r r i c a n e I a n w a s a m a s s i v e i n c i d e n t o n a s c a l e t h a t f e w c o m m u n i t i e s w i l l e n c o u n t e r C o u n t y s t a f f d i d w o r k d u r i n g t h e r e s p o n s e w e l l b e y o n d t h e t y p i c a l s c o p e o f n o r m a l d u t i e s , y e t s e a m l e s s l y e m b r a c e d n e w a n d e m e r g i n g r o l e s a n d r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s T h i s w a s a l s o t r u e o f m u l t i - j u r i s d i c t i o n a l , p r i v a t e s e c t o r a n d n o np r o f i t s t a k e h o l d e r s , w h o w e r e a l l c o m m i t t e d t o w o r ki n g t o g e t h e r t o s u p p o r t t h e L e e C o u n t y c o m m u n i t y ”

To view the full report, visit www leegov com/storm

Councilmember's garage survived Ian but faces demolition

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

Fort Myers Beach Councilmember Bill Veach was an ardent advocate for saving the Loughrey’s garage, arguing that the garage was an accessory structure that only needed a variance to be saved That turned out to be the exact solution to the problem

While victory appears near for the L o u g h r e y s , t h e b e a c h f r o n t g a r a g e o f V e a c h i s f a c i n g d o o m L i k e t h e Lougherys, his home was destroyed by Hurricane Ian as well but his garage, built to the most updated FEMA codes, survived fully intact Due to its location, state building code would require him to raise the 450-square feet garage’s elevation by four feet, Veach said That would cost him “well into the six figures,” he said

Garage

I n t h e d a y s a f t e r Hurricane Ian, Veach was encouraged to rebuild after he saw how well the garage held up After months of working to find a solution, Veach said he is ready to move on “If somebody had told me before the hurricane that my garage (would survive) but would need to be torn down, I would have said ‘You’re crazy ’ I really didn’t see this coming ”

He said a decision to save the Loughrey garage would not lead him to continue trying saving the structure, which housed his man cave and personal belongings

“I’m not willing to spend any more

From page 1

protest against a town and state decision which would have meant the end of his garage, the Fort Myers Beach resident has something to show for it

A framework for an agreement has b e e n r e a c h e d b e t w e e n T o w n o f F o r t Myers Beach and state officials which will allow Amy and Rick Loughery to keep their garage Fort Myers Beach

M a y o r D a n A l l e r s s a i d d i s c u s s i o n s between the parties led to a new option being proposed to the Loughreys to save their Estero Boulevard garage

“We’re happy that they were able to come to the conclusion that it’s safe,” Mr. Loughrey said “That’s why I went up there (to the garage roof) There weren’t enough answers I’m glad we got an answer ”

The couple was faced with the prospect of tearing down the 30-foot structure they spent $100,000 to build four years ago after town and state officials concluded that it was laterally attached to their home despite the fact that the garage survived Hurricane Ian intact and the home was destroyed. They Loughreys maintained all along that the garage was actually a

detached accessory structure connected only by roof flashing material meant to prevent water from accumulating between the home and garage

The agreement is contingent on the town approving the garage as an accessory structure to the new home they are building, which requires a variance The use of the garage would also be restricted Town and state officials had originally concluded that since the structure was considered connected to the destroyed home, more than 50% of the value was damaged and had to be built to new FEMA codes with a higher foundation, a s e c o n d f l o o r a n d b r e a k a w a y w a l l s However, the concrete block garage itself suffered only minimal damage to a garage door

Allers said a proposal from state officials to propose the new option was a g r e e d u p o n b y t h e t o w n ’ s b u i l d i n g department after meeting with state officials and FEMA to ensure the town’s National Flood Insurance Program rating “would not be changed based on a decision made by our building department.”

Weeks earlier, Conn Cole, State of

time on it I want to move on I’m not really a fan of the trailer life,” Veach said F o r h i s o w n s i t u a t i o n , Veach said a state rule is i m p e d i n g h i s a b i l i t y t o rebuild the garage Rather than fight from his perch on the council, he said he had made a decision to rebuild his home and use the space where the garage was to e n l a r g e h i s h o m e t o a duplex Veach said he spent six figures on the 23-feet by 22-feet two-car garage.

The garage was relatively untouched by Ian Veach was able to save old family photographs and important papers Most of his wife Randa’s belongings were lost

F lor ida F loodplain M anager w ith the State Office of Floodplain Management's Bureau of Mitigation for the Florida Division of Emergency Management, had issued a stern letter to the town warning of consequences to its flood insurance rating over the Loughery’s garage

“Should the town choose to disregard the floodplain management regulations in its ordinance and the flood provisions of the Florida Building Code, the town’s good standing in the NFIP (National F l o o d I n s u r a n c e P r o g r a m ) a n d C R S (Community Rating System) could be jeopardized. FEMA is aware of several high profile properties and is watching closely to see if the town brings them into compliance It would be unfortunate if this property were added to their list,” Cole wrote

Messages left with Cole were not returned by press time An automated email reply message Monday stated that he was out of the office this week teaching a class

“There are still a few steps that are needed to be finalized, but I’m happy there was a compromise achieved and the

in the home They didn’t have insurance on the house, which he said would have cost him about $15,000 a year from the time they purchased it 13 years ago. The home had the older Florida architecture and Randa had constructed a garden full of native plants around it Veach said he wouldn’t be able to qualify for any aid to rebuild the home or garage

“We can afford to rebuild,” he said

Despite not being able to save his garage and losing his home to Ian, Veach is not deterred from staying on the island

“We are definitely going to rebuild,” Veach said. “We lost everything. So what’s one more thing? I know people who have had everything wiped away ”

L o u g h e r y s c a n c o n t i n u e w i t h t h e i r rebuilding,” Allers said

Mr. Loughrey said he is just waiting on paperwork from the town to finalize the agreement His next steps will be to go in front of the Local Planning Agency and town council for a variance He wants to move forward with plans for rebuilding his home, which will have to be detached from the garage under the agreement

“We’re excited that a compromise was able to be reached That’s what life is about,” Ms Loughrey said “We’re very pleased ”

Mr. Loughrey said he would have preferred not to have to go on his garage roof for five days and facing the scorching sun He said he wasn’t the only one in town facing issues rebuilding

“It’s not just permitting,” he said “Everybody’s got problems ”

Fort Myers Beach Vice Mayor Jim Atterholt was an early supporter of the Loughreys in their attempts to save their garage “I commend Rick and Amy for their perseverance and am thankful a path could be found to save their garage,” Atterholt said

Bill Veach

Lee County seeks Ian funding feedback

By CRAIG GARRETT news@breezenewspapers com

Sophia Brubaker wondered aloud if a windfall federal aid package would somehow help her and her friends in Sunshine Village in the Iona McGregor district near Sanibel Island The park had lost 144 of its nearly 200 manufactured homes to Hurricane Ian, many owned by fixed-income retirees living their version of paradise she said

Others at that public forum in North Fort Myers were concerned that the $1 1 billion Community Development Block Grant package would instead assist Florida’s undocumented population

Still others at the North Fort Myers Recreation Center quietly absorbed a presentation by Lee County on disb u r s i n g t h e d i s a s t e r r e l i e f p a c k a g e f r o m t h e U S Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD, which is directing the cash to those impacted by the mega-storm that still echoes with tens of thousands of people in Lee County nearly a year later

Speculators and others had urged those in Sunshine Village to sell the land on which their homes had stood before Ian, to accept their losses with insurance buffers or to simply move on, Brubaker said, “but we don’t want to do that We’d like some help,” adding that rebuilding a manufactured home in Sunshine Village would run two or three times the original cost

Lee County soon will dole out more than $1 1 billion in federal aid to those impacted by Hurricane Ian But its staff is first collecting suggestions from locals to include in a detailed commission package on spending to HUD officials A final plan and disbursement dates are yet decided

Last Thursday’s forum in North Fort Myers brought a dozen or so people to observe a short presentation by Jeannie Sutton, program manager for Lee County’s

Lee County’s Hurricane Ian draft action plan is at leegov.com/recovery/cdbg-dr for review and comment through Aug. 31. Comments can be emailed to recovery@leegov.com, mailed to Lee County administration in care of the Office of Strategic Resources, 2115 Second St , Fort Myers, Fla 33901 or provided during one of the public meetings

hope of rebuilding, would get a share of federal disaster assistance

Sutton was also soliciting ideas on how to shift $1 1 billion directly back to eligible homeowners, businesses and towns hit hardest by last September’s near Category 5 storm, a gift she termed as “fairly unusual” in the business of government

u s i n g a n d p u b l i c i n f r a s t r u c t u r e w e r e l i s t e d a s H U D p r i o r i t i e s o n T h u r s d a y A t l e a s t 7 0 % o f t h e $ 1 1 b i l l i o n g r a n t g o e s t o p r o j e c t s b e n e f i t i n g l o w - t o - m o d e ra t e i n c o m e h o u s e h o l d s , f o r e x a m p l e , w h i c h H U D d e f i n e s a t o r b e l o w 8 0 % o f a r e a m e d i a n i n c o m e , o r r o u g h l y $ 6 5 , 0 0 0 f o r a f a m i l y o f f o u r T o w n l e a d e r s f r o m B o n i t a t o C a p e C o r a l h a v e a l s o l o b b i e d f o r a s l i c e o f t h e d i s a s t e r f u n d s

How to apply and where the money goes was not yet decided, Sutton said, who also revisited Lee County’s draft of an action plan on spending disaster funds–developed by a county Recovery Task Force chaired by Commissioner Kevin Ruane The county compiles those suggestions at the town halls or online and forwards them a l o n g s i d e L e e C o u n t y ’ s s p e n d i n g p l a n s b y m i dSeptember It is “quite a long process,” Sutton said of getting a plan together for federal review and ultimate disbursement

Listening intently and hopefully at Thursday’s hearing, Brubaker wasn’t convinced that in the end moderateincome retirees, losing their investments to Ian with little

New scanners on school buses provide tracking for parents

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

Parents now have immediate tracking of what time their child gets on and off a school bus, the bus stop where they exit a n d t h e b u s n u m b e r t h r o u g h a n e w Student Ridership terminal, which was installed on the School District of Lee County's buses

“We are excited about the possibilities and security it is going to offer to parents,” district spokesperson Rob Spicker said

The terminals were installed as another safety measure for students, parents and the district, as it allows immediate tracking to determine where the student is through the WheresTheBus parent app

“As they board the bus, they scan that card through the scanner It beeps and shows the driver on a terminal on the other side, the student's name and identifies if the student is on the correct bus,” he said

Spicker said the terminal will flash red if the student gets on the wrong bus and off at the wrong bus stop When the bus reaches the student's stop, the student has to scan their card as they exit the school bus, which again identifies if the student is getting off at the correct bus stop The parent will be notified of the time they

were dropped off at the stop

“We were never able to allow a parent to track the substitute bus,” he said as the district did not have the manpower to manage the undertaking “If you are concerned about something, you can say 'I am worried about my child on bus 222 ' We can, through the master end, pull up the r e c o r d s o f w h e n ( t h e I D c a r d w a s scanned) and know exactly where (the student got off at a bus stop )”

Another scenario would be if a bus breaks down and students are placed on another bus, parents will now have the new bus number and what time the child boards the bus

Spicker said the new system will give families a peace of mind and security, as they have real time knowledge of which students are on which bus and when they get on and off the bus

In order to receive the notifications, parents must register for the app, which utilizes their child's school ID There is information about the app, as well as the r e g i s t r a t i o n p r o c e s s , a t wheresthebus.com.

The first couple of days of school, the app was spotty as there was an overload of log-ins Spicker said it only goes down for a short period of time, which as of Aug 14 was being worked on and fixed

The School District of Lee County has installed Student Ridership terminals on its buses, which are used to scan a child's ID once they got on and off a bus relaying immediate tracking information The scanner will flash red if the child is not on the correct bus, or gets off at the wrong stop

SCHOOL DISTRICT OF LEE COUNTY

“We’re not saying a healthy portion shouldn’t help the poor,” she said of relief cash, “but what’s left over it’s not going to be a lot of money.”

Lee County’s Hurricane Ian draft action plan is at leegov com/recovery/cdbg-dr for review and comment through Aug 31 Comments can be emailed to recovery@leegov com, mailed to Lee County administration in care of the Office of Strategic Resources, 2115 Second St , Fort Myers, Fla 33901 or provided during one of the public meetings

Remaining public meetings scheduled:

∫ 6 p m Today, Aug 23

City of Fort Myers/Stars Complex, 2980 Edison Ave , Fort Myers

∫ 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 24, Pine Island Elementary School, 5360 Ridgewood Drive, Bokeelia

∫ 5:30 p m Tuesday, Aug 29

City of Sanibel/Big Arts Sanibel, 900 Dunlop Road, Sanibel

Lee County’s Office of Strategic Resources and Government Affairs has prepared a timeline describing t h e n e c e s s a r y s t e p s a n d o t h e r i n f o r m a t i o n a t leegov com/recovery/cdbg-dr This webpage will continue to serve as an informational resource for CDBG-DR activities Interested parties are encouraged to visit this resource periodically for updates.

Recent transactions announced by CRE Consultants

CRE Consultants | Brokerage Services recently announced the following real estate transactions:

∫ Sapphire Commercial, LLC purchased a 3,366-square-foot office building at 12450 Brantley Commons Court, Fort Myers ,from 12450 Brantley, LLC for $690,000 Randal Mercer of CRE Consultants negotiated the transaction

∫ Home Audio & Security Design, Inc. leased 2,122 square feet of industrial space at 13850 Treeline Ave S, Unit 4, Fort Myers, from 13850 Treeline, LLC Randal Mercer of CRE Consultants represented t h e l e s s o r a n d C o r r i e G a t e s o f S V N Commercial Partners represented the lessee in negotiating the transaction

CRE Consultants | Brokerage Services is at 12140 Carissa Commerce Court, Suite 102 Fort Myers, FL 33966 For additional information, please call 239481-3800

Local transpor tation issues

topic of next REIS meeting

H o w i s t r a f f i c c o n g e s t i o n a f f e c t i n g development? How soon will highway improvements provide relief? Where will new traffic corridors take us?

The answers to these and other important transportation questions will be pres e n t e d a t t h e R e a l E s t a t e I n v e s t m e n t Society’s Sept 12 luncheon meeting

R o b P r i c e , d e p u t y d i r e c t o r o f L e e County Department of Transportation, will

Real Estate Briefs

provide a status report on area transportation projects, mass transit and autonomous vehicles Attendees will learn the latest news on priorities and initiatives to expedite construction of major transportation projects, including replacement of major bridges and plans for new traffic routes Price is also expected to provide updates on improvements to I-75, U S 41, and State Roads 31 and 82 Following the presentation, Price will respond to questions of specific interest to the real estate investment and development industry

The meeting is sponsored by Sallee Promotions and will begin promptly at 11:45 a m Sept 12 in the Osprey Room at Pelican Preserve’s Clubhouse, on Treeline Avenue at Colonial Boulevard, one mile east of I-75 exit 136 in Fort Myers Admission is $30 for members and $45 for guests, which includes lunch Reservations are required by Sept 7 and may be made at the REIS web site: www reis-swfl org

Wor thington Realty hires Christophersen as assistant proper ty manager

Worthington Realty has hired Wanda Christophersen as assistant property manager for the growing boutique real estate company, which specializes in residential s a l e s , r e n t a l s a n d d e v e l o p m e n t a c r o s s

Southwest Florida

In this role, Christophersen oversees lease agreements, maintenance requests, p r o p e r t y i n s p e c t i o n s , t e n a n t s h o w i n g s , cleaning schedules and delivery of exceptional customer service to tenants and own-

DOH-Lee lifts blue-green algae bloom alerts

T h e F l o r i d a D e p a r t m e n t o f H e a l t h i n L e e C o u n t y h a s l i f t e d h e a l t h a l e r t s i s s u e d f o r t h e p r e s e n c e o f h a r m f u l b l u eg r e e n a l g a l t o x i n s L a s t w e e k , i t l i f t e d t h e a l e r t i s s u e d o n J u l y 1 7 f o r t h e C a l o o s a h a t c h e e - M c G r e g o r C o l o n i a l P a r k a n d t h e a l e r t i s s u e d o n J u n e 2 3 f o r t h e A b l e C a n a l - C o n n i e A v e n u e N o r t h T h e D O H - L e e r e p o r t e d t h a t f o l l o wu p w a t e r s a m p l e s t a k e n b y t h e D e p a r t m e n t o f E n v i r o n m e n t a l P r o t e c t i o n d i d n o t d e t e c t a l g a l t o x i n s , i n d i c a t i n g t h e p u b l i c m a y r e s u m e w a t e rr e l a t e d a c t i v i t i e s I t n o t e d t h a t i t i s i m p o r t a n t t h e p u b l i c

c o n t i n u e t o e x e r c i s e c a u t i o n a n d g o o d j u d g e m e n t B l u e - g r e e n a l g a e b l o o m s c a n m o v e a r o u n d o r s u b s i d e a n d t h e n r e a p p e a r w h e n c o n d i t i o n s a r e f a v o r a b l e a g a i n T h e p u b l i c i s a d v i s e d t o a v o i d c o n t a c t w i t h t h e w a t e r i f b l o o m s a r e o b s e r v e d T h e l a t e s t s a m p l e r e s u l t s c a n b e v i e w e d o n P r o t e c t i n g F l o r i d a T o g e t h e r . g o v . R e p o r t s y m p t o m s f r o m e x p o s u r e t o a h a r m f u l a l g a l b l o o m o r a n y a q u a t i c t o x i n t o t h e F l o r i d a P o i s o n I n f o r m a t i o n C e n t e r C a l l 8 0 0 - 2 2 2 - 1 2 2 2 t o s p e a k t o a p o i s o n s p e c i a l i s t i m m e d i a t e l y

ers Christophersen brings more than two decades of experience in hospitality management Her previous role was as executive assistant to the general manager and the regional director of Marriott Sanibel Harbour Resort & Spa She also previously served as an executive assistant and human resource manager at The Williamsburg Hotel & Conference Center

Worthington Realty has a nearly 35year history in Southwest Florida’s real estate market, serving homebuyers, renters and investors in residential sales, rentals and development. Its office headquarters are located at 8880 Gladiolus Drive, Suite 102, in Fort Myers For more information, p l e a s e c a l l 2 3 9 - 4 3 7 - 3 3 3 4 , e m a i l i n f o @ w o r t h i n g t o n r e a l t y c o m o r v i s i t

WorthingtonRealty com

Christopher Alan Homes promotes Anderson, adds Meeks

Christopher Alan Homes has announced the promotion of Carissa Anderson to corporate vice president of sales, and that Mike Meeks has joined company as senior vice president of construction

Since joining Christopher Alan Homes e a r l i e r t h i s y e a r a s d i r e c t o r o f s a l e s , Anderson has overseen all sales operations for Southwest Florida and regional emerging markets and managing all aspects of the Christopher Alan Homes customer experience In her new role, Anderson is responsible for leading the company’s sales strategy and establishing strategic partnerships

Anderson has over 15 years of experience in strategic direction, sales execution, marketing and branding She has managed teams at several of the top homebuilding companies in the nation and holds a bachelor’s of science in engineering and technological management from Arizona State University

In his role, Meeks will work collaboratively with each division’s production team

Meeks has over 35 years of experience in construction operations, including product development, purchasing and customer service. Previously, he co-founded and coowned various building companies He has also managed multiple teams at top national homebuilding and development companies

Meeks holds a bachelor’s degree in cons t r u c t i o n m a n a g e m e n t f r o m F l o r i d a International University and a master’s of b u s i n e s s a d m i n i s t r a t i o n f r o m t h e University of Florida and is a certified general contractor

A builder-owned company, Christopher Alan Homes is a Southwest Florida privately owned homebuilder. Christopher Alan Homes is a builder in The Hammocks at West Port and Burnt Store Village, along with Babcock Ranch The company also builds on scattered homesites in Charlotte, Sarasota and Lee counties in Southwest Florida and Melbourne and Palm Bay on Florida’s East Central Space Coast and is planning to open a new division in Tampa later this year For more information about Christopher Alan Homes, visit christopheralanhomes com or call 855-44-MYCAH

n W e e k o f W e d n e s d a y , A u g u s t 2 3 , 2 0 2 3 f o r t m y e r s b e a c h t a l k . c o m F o r t M y e r s B e a c h B u l l e t i n

Smooth reopening for Doc Ford's

Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille, which reopened July 31, has been busy off Fishermans Wharf on San Carlos Island The new look includes fresh paint at nearly every other corner, a new tiki bar, new deck, new docks, new tables and bartops.

NATHAN MAYBERG

WHERE TO GO WHAT TO DO WHO TO SEE

School District to hold careers and conversations event Aug. 31

The School District of Lee County is hosting a Social Lee: Careers & Conversations event on Thursday, Aug 31, from 5:30 to 7:30 p m in Fort Myers

This informational event allows participants to connect with the recruitment team, learn about open positions for the 2023-24 school year and walk through the process of becoming certified to teach in Florida Select candidates may also be offered an interview for potential employment. It will take place at Mission BBQ, located at 12984 S Cleveland Ave in Fort Myers Food will be included To register, visit LeeSchools net/Careers

o f t h e f o l l o w i n g c r i t e r i a :

∫ Hold a valid standard teaching certificate (Florida or out-of-state) OR

∫ Expected to graduate from a college of education by August 2023 OR

∫ Hold a bachelor’s degree in an area where certification can be obtained or any degree major and a passing score on a subject area exam AND

∫ School counselors must hold a master’s degree in the proper area

The District’s efforts to put “The Right Talent in the Right Place” means that new hires will receive the support and necessary resources that will enable them to succeed upon entering the field of education The District offers a competitive and comprehensive compensation plan for its employees, and additional benefits and earning opportunities are also available via advanced degree supplement, summer school, athletic coaching and more Upon hire, a personal benefits selection process will be made available to eligible employees.

Florida Department of Education and Volunteer Florida encourage students to participate in

2023 Hispanic Heritage Month Contests

The Florida Department of Education and Volunteer Florida encourage students to participate in Hispanic Heritage Month student contests with the theme “Celebrating Florida’s Hispanic Heroes and their Contributions to Freedom ” Hispanic Heritage Month is recognized and celebrated in the United States from Sept 15 to Oct 15

“I am proud to honor the contributions and influence the Hispanic cultures have on the United States,” said Volunteer Florida CEO Josie Tamayo “As a Cuban-American, Hispanic Heritage Month is a way to not only celebrate but to educate our future generations on the value of community and serving others.”

“Florida’s Hispanic Heritage Month contests provide students with the opportunity to learn about the many Hispanic Floridians who fought for freedom,” said Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr “I am proud of my Cuban-American heritage and am grateful for the contributions these heroes made I look forward to seeing students’ inspirational and imaginative art and essay submissions ”

All Florida students are invited to participate in academic and creative contests based on this year's theme Students in grades K-3 are invited to participate in an art contest, while students in grades 4-12 are invited to participate in an essay contest Additionally, students, parents, teachers, and principals are invited to nominate full-time educators of all student grades for the Hispanic Heritage Month Excellence in Education Award

About the Student Art Contest

Governor Ron DeSantis and First Lady Casey DeSantis’ Hispanic Heritage Month Art Contest is open to all Kindergarten through third-grade students in Florida Each student will submit original, two-dimensional artwork based on this year's theme Four statewide winners will be selected, and each winner will receive a $100 gift card for school supplies and a 1-year pass to Florida State Parks

About the Student Essay Contest

Governor Ron DeSantis and First Lady Casey DeSantis’ Hispanic Heritage Month Essay Contest is open to all students attending any Florida school in grades 4-12. Six winners will be selected: two elementary school students (grades 4-5), two middle school students (grades 6-8), and two high

school students (grades 9-12) Each winner will receive a 2-year Florida College Plan scholarship provided by the Florida Prepaid College Foundation and a $100 gift card for school supplies.

Contestants must be Florida residents, attend school in Florida in grades 4-12 (including public, charter, private, home or virtual) and able to provide a Social Security Number Each student may enter only one essay, written in English, no longer than 500 words

There are many examples throughout our state’s history of Hispanic-Americans and their contributions to freedom Using your own words, write about a HispanicAmerican who has had an impactful effect whose story should be shared The subject of the essay should be a Floridian

Some examples are:

∫ Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez, Florida’s First Hispanic Female Lt Governor

∫ Adrianna Swearingen, Florida’s 2024 Teacher of the Year

∫ Esteban Bovo, Cuban Exile and Bay of Pigs Veteran

∫ Meredith Sasso, Florida Supreme Court Justice

About the Excellence in Education

Award

Governor Ron DeSantis and First Lady Casey DeSantis’ Hispanic Heritage Month

Excellence in Education Award Contest is open to all full-time educators in an elementary, middle, or high school in Florida Four winners will be selected, and nominations may be submitted by a principal, teacher, parent/guardian, or student Excellence in Education award winners will receive $2,500 from Volunteer Florida.

Contest Entries and Nominating Forms and Guidelines

Student contest forms and educator nomination forms must be mailed to Volunteer Florida or submitted online at www FloridaHispanicHeritage com

Volunteer Florida

Hispanic Heritage Month Committee

1545 Raymond Diehl Road, Suite 250 Tallahassee, Florida 32308

All entries must be received by 5 p m (ET), Monday, Sept. 18.

For more information about the contests, please visit www FloridaHispanicHeritage com

Fort Myers Latin Music Festival set for Sept. 16 at Caloosa Sound Amphitheater

Latin music lovers will rock the day and night away Saturday, Sept 16, when

artists from Cuba, Puerto Rico and South America perform at the first-ever Fort Myers Latin Music Festival at the Caloosa Sound Amphitheater on Edwards Drive in downtown Fort Myers

The family-friendly event will include music, food trucks, and a kids’ zone with four bounce houses and will run from noon to 10 p m

Headlining the music festival will be some of the most well-known artists in Latin music along with rising stars in the music industry Among the performers will be:

∫ Osmani Garcia is a popular Cuban singer and songwriter known for the catchy and upbeat reggaeton and Latin music Garcia participated in the National Festival of Cuba and received several awards He co-founded El Duo de Cristal, which played three domestic Cuban tours with songs reaching number one on the Cuban charts;

∫ Lucy Grau is a Miami-based singer and songwriter who has been dubbed the “Latin Disco Queen” for her soulful and electrifying performances She masters both English and Spanish as she proves in her hits “Last Dance” and “On the Radio” (salsa version), the Donna Summer classics she chose as a rendition to the late singer

∫ The Celia Cruz All Stars is a group of musicians and singers who once played with the legendary “Queen of Salsa,” Celia Cruz Fans call the group “classic Celia” with a funky, contemporary twist

∫ Bianca Leony was born in Miami of Cuban-American parents who made the Latin rhythm part of her soul. Her grandmother Bianca Varela was a renowned

opera singer in Cuba and is the inspiration for Leony’s music

The festival also will feature some rising Florida Latin stars, including Joe Hernandez y su Orchestra Classica, Sessi, Aivy and DJ LEXX

The festival will showcase a variety of L a t i n m u s i c g e n r e s , i n c l u d i n g s a l s a , bachata, merengue, reggaeton, and more, according to organizers

“Attendees can enjoy Latin cuisine, shop for unique crafts and souvenirs and experience the vibrant and colorful atmosphere of the festival,” said organizer Eddie Latour of Nice Guys Productions ” The festival promises to be a fun-filled celebration of Latin culture that will bring people together and create lasting memories.”

The event is presented by Hyundai of Fort Myers with a dozen other sponsors providing support

A portion of the proceeds from the festival will support local non-profit organization Music aLIVE SWFL, formed in O c t o b e r , 2 0 2 2 , i n t h e a f t e r m a t h o f Hurricane Ian to preserve and promote live music in Southwest Florida Music aLIVE SWFL will provide financial assistance, education and other support to local musicians and others that support the live music industry, Latour said

Tickets are $40 presale and $50 at the door Children under age 5 are free VIP tickets cost $150 and include VIP parking, buffet dinner from 3 Pepper Burrito, exclusive walk-in bathrooms, meet and greet with the performers, a VIP tent with shade and a designated area to dance by the stage Tickets can be purchased at https://outertix com/niceguys/20

F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , v i s i t www.niceguysproduction.com.

PHOTO PROVIDED

27th Annual Fall Home & Garden Show coming to downtown Fort Myers Aug. 26-27

Free event to be held at Caloosa Sound Convention Center

On Saturday and Sunday, Aug 26, and 27, the free admission 2023 Annual Fall Home & Garden Show returns to the Caloosa Sound Convention Center, adjacent to the Luminary Hotel, in Fort Myers

“The Home & Garden Show is always a great opportunity to meet with contractors, remodelers and home specialists to help residents,” said Bill Anderson, president of

Expo Management that produces the Home & Garden Shows “During this show, attendees can find experts to address all their home improvement needs under one roof over two days ”

Now in its 27th year, the annual Home & Garden Show features local and regional companies that display and present products and services to homeowners The free

All Aboard the Orient Express at Broadway Palm through Sept. 16

C o m e a b o a r d t h e l u x u r i o u s O r i e n t Express and follow the twists and turns of Agatha Christie’s classic murder mystery, “Murder on the Orient Express,” playing Aug 18 through Sept 16, 2023 This p l o t - t w i s t i n g m a s t e r p i e c e f r o m t h e world’s most popular mystery writer will keep you guessing “whodunit”

This clever adaptation of the Agatha Christie classic boasts glamour, intrigue, suspense, and humor The Orient Express is surprisingly full for the time of the year, but by morning the train is one passenger fewer An American tycoon lies stabbed

to death with his door locked from the inside Isolated and with a killer among them, the passengers rely on detective Hercule Poirot to find the murderer before he or she strikes again

Performances are Wednesday through Sunday evenings with selected matinees Tickets are $60 to $85 with group prices for 20 or more available Tickets are now on sale and can be reserved by calling 239-278-4422, by visiting Broadway Palm com or by stopping by the box office at 1380 Colonial Blvd., Fort Myers.

Leoma Lovegrove 30 Days of Art and Culture Give-Away

T h e R i v e r D i s t r i c t A l l i a n c e ( R D A ) h a s p a r t n e r e d w i t h t h e A l l i a n c e o f t h e

A r t s t o c r e a t e a N E W p r o m o t i o n , 3 0

D a y s o f A r t & C u l t u r e , h e l d t h r o u g h o u t t h e m o n t h o f S e p t e m b e r i n t h e C i t y o f

F o r t M y e r s . 3 0 D a y s o f A r t & C u l t u r e p a r t n e r s m o r e t h a n a d o z e n d i f f e r e n t a r t i s t s , m u s e u m s , t h e a t e r s , c u l t u r a l o r g a n i z a t i o n s , a n d e v e n t s i n F o r t M y e r s t o s h o w c a s e t h e m a n y c u l t u r a l o f f e r i n g s t h r o u g h s p e c i a l p r o g r a m m i n g , d i sc o u n t s , a n d o n e - o f - a - k i n d e x p e r i e n c e s

Kicking off 30 Days of Art & Culture is a special promotion with renowned artist Leoma Lovegrove From September 1 – 30 Lovegrove will create 30 pieces of original artwork to be placed throughout downtown in shops and attractions. Participants will have the opportunity to win this original

artwork through a raffle Each day a new location will be released and participants can enter to win Locations can be found on the RDA website: www explorefortmyers com Lovegrove’s website: www leomalovegrove.store or on Facebook (Downtown Fort Myers and Leoma Lovegrove) Lovegrove plans on opening her new 3,000 square foot studio and gallery on Dean Street in downtown Fort Myers later this Fall Lovegrove is an impressionist-expressionist painter known worldwide for her vivid colorful paintings 30 Days of Art & Culture begins September 1 and runs through September 30 For a complete listing of events, discounts and giveaways visit www explorefortmyers.com.

event takes place from 10 a m to 4 p m on Saturday and Sunday

Attendees can experience the newest inhome improvement products and services inside and out from furnishings, accessories, decorating and remodeling ideas to landscaping and more. Hourly drawings and door prizes will also be given away Expo Management Inc was established

in Fort Myers in 1987 The company has successfully produced 615 events over the past 36 years In 2023, they will operate 24 events in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee

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

Gulf Coast Symphony Musical

T h e G u l f C o a s t S y m p h o n y w i l l b e h o s t i n g o p e n a u d i t i o n s f o r i t s 2 0 2 3 -

2 0 2 4 M u s i c a l T h e a t e r s e a s o n T h e

G u l f C o a s t S y m p h o n y w i l l b e p r o d u ci n g f i v e m u s i c a l s t h i s s e a s o n , f o u r a t t h e M u s i c & A r t s C o m m u n i t y C e n t e r a n d o n e a t t h e B a r b a r a B . M a n n P e r f o r m i n g A r t s H a l l

T h e s h o w s i n c l u d e “ S n o w b i r d F o l l i e s , ” “ N u n s e n s e 2 , ” “ R o d g e r s &

H a m m e r s t e i n ’ s G r a n d N i g h t f o r S i n g i n g , ” “ R o u t e 6 6 ” a n d “ T h e M u s i c

M a n ” T h i s w i l l b e t h e f o u r t h s e a s o n o f p r o f e s s i o n a l m u s i c a l t h e a t e r p r od u c e d a t t h e M u s i c & A r t s C o m m u n i t y C e n t e r , S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a ’ s n e w e s t p e r f o r m i n g a r t s

v e n u e A u d i t i o n s , b y i n v i t a t i o n , a r e b e i n g h e l d f o r l o c a l a n d F l o r i d a - b a s e d a c t o r s a t t h e G u l f C o a s t S y m p h o n y ’ s M u s i c a n d A r t s C o m m u n i t y C e n t e r , 1 3 4 1 1

S h i r e B l v d , i n F o r t M y e r s , b e t w e e n

T h u r s d a y , A u g 2 4 , t o S u n d a y , A u g

2 7 I n - p e r s o n a u d i t i o n s a r e s t r o n g l y p r e f e r r e d , h o w e v e r v i d e o s u b m i s s i o n s

w i l l b e a c c e p t e d f o r t h e s e s h o w s v i a

B a c k s t a g e c o m A l l d a n c e c a l l s a n d c a l l b a c k s w i l l b e s c h e d u l e d s a m e d a y

T h e s y m p h o n y w e l c o m e a u d i t i o n s f o r t h e c h i l d a n d t e e n s f o r " T h e M u s i c M a n , " a s w e l l a d u l t s P l e a s e s e n d a n y q u e s t i o n s t o a u d i -

t i o n s @ g u l f c o a s t s y m p h o n y o r g

A bo ut The Gul f Co as t S y mpho ny

F o u n d e d i n l a t e 1 9 9 5 b y i t s c u r r e n t m u s i c d i r e c t o r a n d C E O , D r A n d r e w K u r t z , t h e G u l f C o a s t S y m p h o n y i s

n o w t h e s e c o n d - l a r g e s t n o n - p r o f i t p e rf o r m i n g a r t s o r g a n i z a t i o n i n L e e C o u n t y T h e G u l f C o a s t S y m p h o n y e n d e a v o r s t o c h a l l e n g e c o n v e n t i o n w i t h i t s r i c h t r a d i t i o n o f u n i q u e a n d i n n o v a t i v e c o l l a b o r a t i o n s a c r o s s m u lt i p l e g e n r e s a n d d i s c i p l i n e s , h i g hq u a l i t y d y n a m i c m u s i c a l p e r f o r m a n ce s , a c t i v e c o m m u n i t y e n g a g e m e n t a n d c o m m i t m e n t t o s o c i a l c h a n g e t h r o u g h a r t s e d u c a t i o n T h e G C S c o m p r i s e s t h e G u l f C o a s t S y m p h o n y , t h e G u l f C o a s t C h a m b e r O r c h e s t r a , t h e G u l f C o a s t J a z z C o l l e c t i v e a n d t h e M u s i c & A r t s C o m m u n i t y C e n t e r ( M A C C ) w h i c h o p e n e d i n J a n u a r y 2 0 2 1 T h e G C S p r e s e n t s o v e r 1 0 0 p r o g r a m s t h a t p r e se n t t h e b e s t i n c l a s s i c a l m u s i c , j a z z , w o r l d m u s i c , d a n c e , o p e r a , f i l m a n d m u s i c a l t h e a t e r . T h e S y m p h o n y p e rf o r m s a t b o t h t h e B a r b a r a B M a n n P e r f o r m i n g A r t s H a l l , a n d i t s m o r e i n t i m a t e 2 7 0 - s e a t t h e a t e r a t t h e

M A C C

F o r a d d i t i o n a l i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t t h e a u d i t i o n s o r t h e n e w s e a s o n , p l e a s e v i s i t w w w G u l f C o a s t S y m p h o n y o r g o r e m a i l q u e s t i o n s t o j u l i e @ g u l f c o a s ts y m p h o n y o r g

American Red Cross of South Florida seeking shelter volunteers

T h e A m e r i c a n R e d C r o s s o f S o u t h

F l o r i d a i s u r g e n t l y l o o k i n g f o r s h e l t e r

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

t o r e s i d e n t s t o l e a r n m o r e a b o u t h o w t h e y c a n h e l p t h e R e d C r o s s c a r e f o r p e o p l e i n t h e c o m m u n i t y w h e n d i s a s t e r s t r i k e s .

T h e R e d C r o s s t r a i n - i n - a - d a y e v e n t

a l l o w s v o l u n t e e r s t o c o m p l e t e t h e b a s i c s t e p s t o b e c o m e q u a l i f i e d f o r t h e i r d i sa s t e r r o l e – a l l i n o n e d a y ! T r a i n i n g w i l l c o n s i s t o f a b r i e f g e n e r a l o v e r v i e w o f t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n , f o l l o w e d b y s h e l t e r i n g

c o u r s e s w h i c h t e a c h t h e f u l l c y c l e o f R e d C r o s s s h e l t e r i n g o p e r a t i o n s T h o s e w h o c o m p l e t e t h e t r a i n i n g w i l l w a l k o u t a s a R e d C r o s s D i s a s t e r R e s p o n d e r , a b l e t o b e d e p l o y e d l o c a l l y o r n a t i o n a l l y ! T h e t r a i n i n g s e s s i o n s w i l l b e h e l d S a t u r d a y , A u g . 2 6 , f r o m 9 a . m . t o 4 p m , i n R e d C r o s s c h a p t e r o f f i c e s l o c a te d i n M i a m i a n d F o r t M y e r s T o r e g i st e r , v i s i t h t t p s : / / v o l u n t e e r c o n n e c t i o n r e d c r o s s o r g / ? n d = v m s p u b l i c f o r m & f o r m i d = 1 3 0 4 3

PHOTO PROVIDED

Murder On The Orient Express cast

First-time festival to benefit history museum seeking volunteers & vendors

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

A first-time festival set to hit Cape Coral this September will celebrate Italian culture, cuisine, and arts

The Cape Coral Museum of History is putting on its inaugural Festa Italiana, honoring the heritage of Cape Coral’s any Italian-American residents The two-part e v e n t w i l l b e h e l d a t t h e G e r m a n American Social Club of Cape Coral on Sept 30, featuring a festival from noon until 5 p m and evening dinner, dance a n d s h o w A l l p r o c e e d s b e n e f i t t h e Museum and its mission

“We want to do fundraising for the museum to keep the history of Cape Coral alive, even though we’re a young city relatively, but still an important one,” said Festa Italiana Chair Mark Fleming “We want to preserve as much of the history as we can, and that takes a lot of time and dollars to do. In order to preserve the articles and items in the museum, it’s a matter of making sure things are preserved in the right way ”

The afternoon to early evening festival will feature food, entertainment, cooking demonstrations, games, contests, vendors and more In the evening from 6 to 9 p m , nationally recognized entertainer Michael D'Amore will perform in the stylings of a true New York Italian crooner Tickets for the events are separate

Tickets

Tickets for the festival are $10, with children 12 and under admitted free Tickets for the dinner, dance and show are $40 Tickets for the show only (7 to 9 p m ) are $20

To purchase tickets for the festival and dinner/concert, or to inquire about being a sponsor or vendor, visit www capecoralmuseum org/festa-italiana Online ticket sales close 9/28/23 Tickets will be sold at the door For questions about the event, contact the museum at 239-772-7037 or email info@capecoralmuseum org

“We wanted to do something fun while spreading the word about the museum and all we do,” Fleming said “We want to bring things to the community that are fun We had success with our recent Brew Fest We want people to get together as a community, and we’re all probably going t h r o u g h s o m e k i n d o f p o s t - t r a u m a t i c stress between COVID and the hurricane It's about having a good time for a good cause ”

Tickets for the festival are $10, with children 12 and under admitted free Tickets for the dinner, dance and show are $40 Tickets for the show only (7 to 9 p.m.) are $20.

Fleming said the museum is looking for vendors and sponsors for the event

“We have a variety of sponsorship opportunities, and we want to make it affordable,” he said “And we have other ideas coming that are sure to be fun ”

To purchase tickets for the festival and dinner/concert, or to inquire about being a sponsor or vendor, visit www capecoralmuseum org/festa-italiana

Online ticket sales close Sept 28 Tickets will be sold at the door. For questions about the event, contact the museum at 239-772-7037 or email info@capecoralmuseum org

The German American Social Club is at 2101 Southwest Pine Island Road

F.I.S.H. of Sanibel-Captiva announces registration open and more for annual 10K

STAFF REPORT

trepecki@breezenewspapers com

F I S H of Sanibel-Captiva reported that its Annual 10K Race 4 F I S H planned for this year has been restructured, including a new title and additional activities, to celebrate the resilience of the islands

The 15th Annual F I S H 10K/5K will be held on Dec 2 beginning at 7:30 a m at The Community House on Sanibel

This year marks the first in-person event in recent years In 2020 and 2021, F I S H offered a virtual race only because of COVID, and the 2022 event was canceled due to Hurricane Ian This year's event will offer a virtual option, but F I S H is encouraging runners to join in-person and enjoy the islands

“

O u r i s l a n d s h a v e b e e n t h r o u g h a l o t s i n c e (Hurricane) Ian, and F.I.S.H. has been here every step of the way,” Executive Director Maria Espinoza said “We want our race event to be joyous and one that not only raises funds for F I S H , but also revels our community and how far we've come since Ian's landfall ”

New this year, the F I S H Race Committee has added a 5K to the day's activities There will also be a kids' race and family fun day, hosted in partnership with the Sanibel Recreation Center on Sanibel

“We feel the 5K will draw additional runners looking to do a shorter race and see it as the perfect opportunity to add other festivities to celebrate our islands,” committee Co-chair Diane Cortese said. “I'm especially excited about this year's event and raising funds for F I S H while bringing folks to our special islands for a fun-filled day ”

Co-chair Leah Winkler noted that this year's event will be “nothing short of spectacular,” while Sanibel Recreation Department Director Andrea Miller encouraged the public to stay tuned for further details

“The Sanibel Recreation Department is excited to partner with F I S H to offer a fun-filled holiday themed event, with something for everyone, at the recreation center,” Miller said “We look forward to bringing the community together again for some holiday joy ”

The registration fees are as follows:

∫ In-person 10K/5K: $45 from now through Sept 25

∫ In-person 10K/5K: $50 from Sept 26 through Dec 1

∫ In-person 10K/5K: $55 on Dec 2

New exhibit opens at Shell Point’s Tribby center

Nearly 60 paintings by 37 regional artists are on display now through Sept. 7 in Fort Myers.

“Fortitude: Works by the Fort Myers Beach Art Association and Sanibel-Captiva Art League” presents paintings created in a wide range of mediums, from delicate watercolors to fabric collages, at the Tribby Arts Center at the Shell Point Retirement Community

According to resident curator Marge Lee, the exhibition is the result of an appeal for display space issued by the Fort Myers Beach Art Association when Hurricane Ian destroyed its gallery The center was among the local organizations that stepped forward to host exhibits for the FMBAA members.

Lee noted that it was important to the center to also include members of the Sanibel-Captiva Art League, as many of its members also were impacted by the hurricane’s destruction

“Because so many artists in the region were and continue to be displaced or impacted by Hurricane Ian, we were uncertain how many artists would be able to respond to call for entries,” she said “But this exhibition of 58 engaging works proves that our local artists have fortitude and are creating excellent work ”

Several themes strongly emerge throughout the body of work on display, including interpretations of the theme fortitude, depictions of popular places in the region, florals, landscapes and more

Collaborations Gallery displays the newest exhibition of the ongoing “Ekphrasis” series, with poems by Bruce Bunch and related paintings of David Tompkins In the Tribby Legacy and Overlook Galleries, “New Horizons: Artworks by Shell Point Glass Artists, Photographers, and Potters” is on display Free of charge, the galleries are open Tuesday

through Saturday from 10 a m to 3 p m

∫ In-person 10K/5K (age 18 and under): $35 from now until Dec 1

∫ Virtual 10K/5K: $50

Race packets will be available for pick up on Dec 1 from 8 to 11 a m at the Sanibel Recreation Center, at 3880 Sanibel-Captiva Road, Sanibel, and from 1 to 6:30 p m at Fleet Feet Fort Myers at the Bell Tower Shops, at 13499 S Cleveland Ave , Unit 209, Fort Myers Packets will also be available on event day Dec 2 at the race site when registration is open from 6:30 to 7:15 a.m.

T o r e g i s t e r , p l e a s e v i s i t r u n s i g n u p c o m / Race/FL/Sanibel/ 10K5KRace4FISH

In addition, F I S H is seeking volunteers for various positions throughout the morning, including cheering on runners and water station assistance Other opportunities include assisting at TCH with set up, registration and clean up, handing out ribbons, award ceremony assistance and assisting at the recreation center for the kids' race and family fun day

“We need many individuals to man driveways and water stations during the race to ensure the safety and health and wellness of our runners. It's a great way to show support for F I S H and our community and can be loads of fun,” committee Member Nancy Craig said “Although the race isn't until early December, we need as many commitments as possible ahead of time ”

I n t e r e s t e d i n d i v i d u a l s c a n c o n t a c t C r a i g a t ncraig64@gmail com or F I S H at 239-472-4775

Also, sponsorship opportunities are available For more information, visit http://fishofsancap org/

F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t t h e e v e n t , c o n t a c t Cortese at Dianerc10@gmail com or Winkler at leahwinkler12 @gmail com

The Community House is at 2173 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel

Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday for consumers

Consumers in Florida can purchase qualifying disaster preparedness supplies exempt from tax during the 2023 Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday, which will run Aug 26 through Sept 8

∫ Dog and cat food if sold individually and the equivalent if sold in a box or case costing $10 or less

∫ Manual can openers, collapsible or travel-sized pet food or water bowls, cat litter pans, pet waste disposal bags, and hamster or rabbit substrate costing $15 or less

∫ Reusable ice, pet leashes, pet collars, muzzles and pads, and pet pads costing $20 or less

∫ Cat litter weighing 25 or fewer pounds costing $25 or less

∫ Laundry detergent and supplies (powder, liquid and pods), fabric softener, dryer sheets, stain removers, bleach, toilet paper, paper towels, paper napkins and tissues, facial tissues, hand soap, bar soap, body wash, sunscreen and sunblock, dish soap and detergents (powder, liquid and pods), dishwasher rinse agents, cleaning or disinfecting wipes and sprays, hand sanitizer, and trash bags costing $30 or less

∫ Portable self-powered light sources and pet beds costing $40 or less

∫ Portable self-powered radios, two-way radios, weatherband radios, gas and diesel fuel tanks, and AA-cell, AAA-cell, Ccell, D-cell, six-volt and nine-volt batteries including rechargeable ones costing $50 or less

∫ Nonelectric food storage coolers and portable power banks costing $60 or less

∫ Smoke detectors and alarms, fire extinguishers and carbon monoxide detectors costing $70 or less

∫ Tarpaulins or other flexible waterproof sheeting, ground anchor systems, portable pet kennels and carriers, dog and cat food weighing 50 or fewer pounds, and over-the-counter pet medications costing $100 or less

∫ Portable generators used to provide light or communications or to preserve food in a power outage costing $3,000 or less

For more information, visit https://floridarevenue.com/disasterprep/Pages/default aspx

The Tribby Arts Center is at 17281 On Par Blvd , Fort Myers

TAMARA CULP

“After the Storm”

WHAT’S HAPPENING

First T.G.I.M. of the season is set for Sept. 4

The Fort Myers Film Festival holds its indie film series T G I M Monday, Sept 4, at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center in downtown Fort Myers Local celebrity judges and attendees get a chance to watch and then weigh in on how they feel about short indie films Doors open at 6:30 p m ; the show begins at 7 p m

Participants are invited to grab a drink and intellectualize with host Eric Raddatz and co-host Melissa DeHaven on the first Monday of every month from September through March Special guests, musical acts and interviews are announced prior to each T G I M The cost is $10 for adults and $8 for students and seniors. .

The annual Fort Myers Film Festival is set for May 22-26, 2024 Screenings, panels, events and gatherings will be held at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center and other venues around town Submissions are now open for the 14th annual event Submit your film at https://fortmyersfilmfestival com/

For tickets and more information, call 239-333-1933 o r h e a d t o t h e w e b s i t e a t https://fortmyersfilmfestival com/

Faces of Pace Celebration & Gala to benefit Pace programs in Lee County on Oct. 21

Pace Center for Girls, Lee will host its Faces of Pace Celebration & Gala on Saturday, Oct 21, from 6 to 10 p m a t t h e C a l o o s a S o u n d C o n v e n t i o n C e n t e r & Amphitheater, at 1375 Monroe St. Fort Myers.

The gala will feature dinner, dancing and live music by Bay Kings Band, as well as a spirited live auction with p r o c e e d s b e n e f i t i n g P a c e p r o g r a m s a n d s e r v i c e s

Recognizing all the Faces of Pace who have played an integral part of the center’s mission to change the lives of girls and young women, the evening will include messages from founding members and alumni of Pace Lee

Presented by B&I Contractors, a range of sponsorship opportunities are still available for the gala, including the Creating Partnerships sponsor at $10,000, Invest in the Future sponsor at $7,500, Focus on Strengths sponsor at $5,000, Honor the Female Spirit table sponsor at $1,500 and in-kind sponsorships

The signature event is led by co-chairs Noelle Casagrande and Lt Angelo Vaughn with honorary chair Sandy Stilwell Youngquist B&I Contractors is the gala’s title sponsor

The fundraising event supports Pace Lee in providing girls and young women an opportunity for a better future through education, counseling, training and advocacy

Programs are based on the belief that all girls and young women, regardless of race, ethnicity or socioeconomic status, should be uniquely cared for, supported and encouraged to become the best versions of themselves through a path of healing and recovery Through Pace Lee, 100% of students improved their academic performance, 100% had no involvement with the juvenile justice system within one year of exiting the program and 95% were either in school or gainfully employed after leaving Pace Lee

F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , v i s i t PaceCenter org/Locations/Lee or call 239-425-2366

For t Myers Mighty Mussels home games

T h e M i g h t y M u s s e l s p l a y h o m e g a m e s a t H a m m o n d S t a d i u m i n F o r t M y e r s t h r o u g h m i dS e p t e m b e r T i c k e t s s t a r t a t $ 1 0 a n d t h e s c h e d u l e f e at u r e s n u m e r o u s p r o m o t i o n s , i n c l u d i n g c o n c e r t s , f o o d a n d d r i n k s p e c i a l s , p o s t g a m e f i r e w o r k s c e l e b r a t i o n s , b e e r f e s t s a n d m o r e F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n o n g a m e s , t i c k e t s o r s p e c i a l e v e n t s , v i s i t M i g h t y M u s s e l s c o m o r c a l l 2 3 9 - 7 6 8 - 4 2 1 0

Wonder Gardens offering enhanced guest experiences for the summer

T h e W o n d e r G a r d e n s i s o f f e r i n g e n h a n c e d g u e s t e x p e r i e n c e s f o r t h e s u m m e r G u e s t s w i s h i n g t o g e t u p c l o s e a n d p e r s o n a l w i t h s o m e o f t h e a t t r a c t i o n s c a n s c h e d u l e a W i l d W o n d e r s A n i m a l E n c o u n t e r H a b i t a t C h a t s p l a n n e d o n T h u r s d a y s a l s o o f f e r n e w a n d a d d it i o n a l e x p e r i e n c e s W i l d W o n d e r s A n i m a l E n c o u n t e r s w i l l a l l o w g u e s t s t o f e e d S u l c a t a t o r t o i s e s , R a i n b o w L o r i k e e t s a n d A m e r i c a n a l l i g a t o r s T h e A n i m a l C a r e a n d E d u c a t i o n s t a f f w i l l l e a d g u e s t s o n a n a d v e n t u r e t h a t l a s t s a n y w h e r e f r o m 3 0 m i n u t e s t o a t l e a s t a n h o u r . E n c o u n t e r s a r e o f f e r e d a t t h e d i s c o u n t e d o f f - s e a s o n r a t e s o f $ 2 0 p e r p e r s o n f o r W o n d e r G a r d e n s m e m b e r s a n d $ 2 5 p e r p e r s o n f o r n o n m e m b e r s , p l u s p a r k a d m i ss i o n G u e s t s m a y v i s i t W o n d e r g a r d e n s o r g t o v i e w a v a i l a b i l i t y a n d b o o k a n e n c o u n t e r f o r 1 1 : 3 0 a m o n s e l e c t d a y s I n a d d i t i o n , W o n d e r G a r d e n s h a s a d d e d H a b i t a t C h a t s a t 1 p m o n T h u r s d a y s H a b i t a t C h a t s a r e a n e w a n d i n t e r a c t i v e w a y g u e s t s c a n l e a r n a b o u t t h e a n i m a l s a t t h e G a r d e n s C u r r e n t l y , t h e e x p e r i e n c e c o m b i n e s a n a l l i g a t o r f e e d i n g d e m o n s t r a t i o n w i t h i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t d i e t , c o n s e r v a t i o n a n d f u n f a c t s . T h e C h a t s a r e o f f e r e d f o r a l l W o n d e r G a r d e n s F o r i n f o r m a t i o n , v i s i t w o n d e r g a r d e n s o r g / p r o d u c t / w i l d - w o n d e r s / o r c a l l

Berne Davis garden tours now available

The Berne Davis Botanical Garden, 2166 Virginia Avenue, Fort Myers, is open for Tuesday morning garden walks from now until October between 9 a.m. and noon. Admission and parking are both free; handicap parking is on Virginia Avenue; regular parking is on Larchmont

The botanical garden is a project of the Fort Myers Lee County Garden Council, whose headquarters are at the Virginia Avenue address The garden is staffed by Garden Council volunteers Those viewing the garden may also just walk the path and enjoy the gardens

The garden is the home of the Lorelei statue that was part of the old Fort Myers Library as well as the Mina Edison Botanical Library Many of the displays in the garden have been provided through the talents and contributions of the 29 local garden clubs, plant societies, and other affiliate members, representing over 1,700 members which comprise the Garden Council

The Fort Myers-Lee County Garden Council was formed in 1957 and now comprises various clubs, societies, and affiliate members in the area The Council is a member of the National Garden Clubs, the Florida

Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium upcoming events

The Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium is at 3450 Ortiz Ave , Fort Myers It sits on 105 acres of wilderness within the city limits In the Nature Center there are over 35 different animals including 3 bald eagles, 2 adult alligators and 2 baby alligators There is almost 2 miles of walking/hiking trails one a 1/3 mile shell path that is an easy walk the other 1 ½ miles that takes you out into the w i l d e r n e s s a r o u n d t h e p r o p e r t y T h e B u t t e r f l y Aviary is stocked with native butterflies, native plants and a Raptor Aviary which houses birds of prey

In addition, the Calusa Nature Center has the only Planetarium within 90 miles of Fort Myers

The Planetarium does 4 different shows per month broke out by even and odd days with 2 shows occurring each day, one at 12:15 p m and the other at 2:15 p m

Between Planetarium shows there is a live animal talk in the Nature Center at 1:15 p m

Upcoming events:

∫ Today, Aug 23, at 7 p m

M o n t h l y P l a n e t a r i u m P r e m i e r e - t h i s m o n t h "Traveling With Light"

"Through the conversation between a child and his mother, planetarium show “Travelling with Light” tackles the importance of light in all areas of our lives The movie presents different scenarios that reveal the complexity of light and its direct influence on our planet "

Tickets are $15 / Members free

∫ Saturday, Sept 9, from 9 to 11 a m

Monthly Nature Explorers Program for children 5 to 11 This month is Predators and Prey

"Predators have ways to get their prey and Prey have ways to not get caught We are going to have fun while learning about the amazing lives of Predators and Prey "

∫ Sunday Sept 10, at 10:30 a m

M o n t h l y S e n s o r y S u n d a y P r o g r a m " W i l d e s t Weather in the Solar System"

"A spectacular journey to witness the most beautiful, powerful, and mysterious weather phenomena in the solar system Find out on which planet it rains diamonds! Audiences will fly through the thick acid clouds of the atmosphere of Venus, g i g a n t i c m a g n e t i c s t o r m s o n t h e S u n , l i q u i d m e t h a n e s h o w e r s o n T i t a n , a n d a n t i c y c l o n e s whirling at hundreds of miles per hour on Jupiter."

The show has been altered to remove loud noises, soften the lighting, and remove abrupt changes t h a t m i g h t d i s t u r b p e o p l e w i t h s e n s o r y i s s u e s Tickets $ 5

∫ Wednesday, Sept 13, at 7 p,m,

Monthly Nature Speaker Series This month Kenny Coogan will be speaking about Carnivorous Plants

" Florida has more native species of carnivorous plants than any other state in the country These plants use appealing scents, leaves, and sticky fluids to trap and imprison insects. Learn why Florida is a hotspot of carnivorous plants "

Presented by Kenny Coogan, author of the book “Florida’s Carnivorous Plants”

Non-members $15 / Members Free

Things get busy with the Friendly Forest celebration, Sept 23 and 24, Haunted Walk beginning in October and Holiday lights in December

Federation of Garden Clubs, and American Public Gardens Association

For additional information about the Council, contact the president, Sylvia Swaartz, President, fmlcgardencouncil@ gmail.com.

Like the For t Myers Beach Obser ver & Beach Bulletin? Read us daily at For tmyersbeachtalk.com!

The Calusa Nature Center is open from 10 a m to 4 p m , Tuesday through Sunday Admission, w h i c h i n c l u d e s a l l o u r p r o g r a m m i n g , a n i m a l s , trails, and Planetarium cost $10 for adults and $5 for children 3 - 12 years of age. Discounts offered for seniors and military

F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , v i s i t www calusanature org/

FWC: Help shorebirds and sea turtles when at shore

T h e F l o r i d a F i s h a n d W i l d l i f e C o n s e r v a t i o n Commission reminded the public that as it enjoys the beaches, everyone can do their part to help sea turtles and shorebirds have a successful season by giving them space, removing beach furniture and trash before leaving for the day, keeping beaches clean and dark, and never disturbing nests

The FWC reported that because the state's shorelines are critical for sea turtle and shorebird nesting, all beachgoers can have a big impact Florida's sandy beaches provide important nesting habitat for several species of federally threatened and endangered sea turtles, including loggerhead, leatherback and green sea turtles, with occasional nesting by federally endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtles The beaches are also critical habitat for imperiled beach-nesting birds, including black skimmers, least terns, snowy plovers and American oystercatchers

Getting too close 50 feet or less to nesting sea turtles can cause them to leave the beach before they complete nesting All species of sea turtles and their nests are protected and should not be disturbed; it is illegal to harm, harass or take nesting sea turtles, their eggs and hatchlings

It is also best to keep at least 300 feet from nesting shorebirds, seabirds and wading birds to prevent them from flushing from their breeding sites, leaving vulnerable eggs and chicks exposed to the elements and predators Shorebirds and seabirds also nest in shallow scrapes in the sand and their eggs and chicks are well-camouflaged, making them vulnerable to being stepped on.

In addition to giving space to sea turtles and shorebirds, beach-goers can help by:

∫ Clearing the way at the end of the day: Properly dispose of all trash, fill in human-made holes in the sand and remove all beach toys and furniture from the beach before sunset Obstacles on the beach can prevent sea tur-

S t i l l m a n y l o s t c a t s o n t h e i s l a n d

By Jo Knobloch Saveourstraysfmb @yahoo com

Founder of Save Our Strays Cat Rescue

a 501c3 organization on Fort Myers Beach

T h e r e a r e s t i l l m a n y l o s t c a t s o n t h e i s l a n d . P l e a s e c a l l w h e n y o u s e e a n y c a t a n y w h e r e s o w e c a n g e t i t a s m a y b e l o n g t o s o m e o n e o n o u r i s l a n d a n d e v e n i f i t d o e s n ’ t s t i l l n e e d s t o b e f i x e d i f n o t a l r e a d y d o n e a n d v e t t e d C a t s c a n b e i n s i d e a n y o f t h e s e p l a c e s t h a t a r e t o r n a p a r t a n d w e w a n t t h e m b e f o r e b u i l d i n g s a r e b e i n g k n o c k e d d o w n s o p l e a s e c a l l 2 3 9 - 8 5 1 - 3 4 8 5 t o r e p o r t a n y s i g h t i n g s o f c a t s a n yw h e r e o n F o r t M y e r s B e a c h a n d S a n C a r l o s I s l a n d a s o u r b e a c h c a t s c o u l d h a v e g o t t e n a c r o s s t h e w a t e r o n s o m e t h i n g o r i n s o m e t h i n g

tles from nesting Trash and other obstacles can also prevent sea turtle hatchlings from reaching the water once they emerge from their nests, as well as entangle shorebirds, turtles and other wildlife Food scraps attract predators, such as raccoons and crows, that can prey on sea turtle hatchlings, as well as shorebird eggs and chicks

∫ Do the flock walk: Steer clear of flocks of birds on the beach and keep an eye out for shorebird eggs and chicks to avoid stepping on them Never enter posted areas Be on the lookout for signs designating Critical Wildlife Areas on the beach or coastal islands as these areas are closed to public access to protect wading birds and shorebirds while they nest and raise their chicks

∫ Lights out: Turn off lights or close curtains after dark to ensure nesting turtles are not disturbed or disoriented as they come ashore and hatchlings will not become disoriented when they emerge from their nests Make sure exterior lighting adjacent to nesting beaches is

Mac and Baby Cakes

MA C i s a f o u r - m o n t h - o l d m a l e t a b b y k i t t e n H e i s

v e r y s w e e t a n d w a s a s m a l l 5 - w e e k - o l d f u r b a l l w h e n h e a r r i v e d a t o u r r e s c u e M a c l o v e s t o p l a y a n d i n t e ra c t w i t h h i s s i b l i n g s H e i s v e r y f r i e n d l y a n d a l w a y s

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

long, low and shielded Avoid using flashlights or cell phone lights and taking flash photos after dark on the beach

Pet owners can also help by keeping dogs at home or on a short leash and far away from wildlife when bringing dogs to pet-friendly beaches Even friendly dogs can be seen as predators by shorebirds, which can cause them to flush and leave their eggs and chicks.

F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t w a t e r b i r d s , g o t o MyFWC com/Shorebirds and download the “Share the Beach with Beach-Nesting Birds” brochure Or go to the F l o r i d a S h o r e b i r d A l l i a n c e w e b s i t e a t FLShorebirdAlliance org to learn about participating in conservation efforts For more information about sea turtles, visit MyFWC com/SeaTurtle or see the FWC's “Be a Beach Hero” brochure

B aby Cake s i s a b l a c k a n d w h i t e f e m a l e i s f r o m a n o t he r l i t t e r a n d i s a l s o f o u r m o n t h s o l d S h e p u r r s a s s o o n a s s h e i s p i c k e d u p S h e l o v e s t o b e h e l d a n d l o v e d a n d i s v e r y p l a y f u l S h e i s g e t t i n g s p a y e d t h i s w e e k a n d w i l l t h e n b e r e a d y f o r h e r f o r e v e r h o m e

If you would like to meet either Mac or Baby Cakes, give us a call at 239-851-3485 to schedule an appointment. We are still in need of volunteers to help in many areas, including feeding, playing with kittens, transporting, fostering as well as other volunteer activities

FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION

SPORTS & RECREATION

Tee it up for GCHS!

Shelter to host second Top Golf Tournament Sept. 17

Grab those drivers and iron golf clubs out of the bag and join the fun for the Gulf Coast Humane Society’s Top Golf Tournament, Sunday, Sept. 17, from 1-5 p m at Top Golf, 2021 Topgolf Way, Fort Myers

No matter how you fair in the tee box, your participation will be a winner for the GCHS shelter animals, with the Top Golf Tournament being one of the shelter’s biggest fundraisers of the year

“Last year, everyone had a great time at the Top Golf Tournament and it became an important fundraiser for the shelter,” said GCHS executive director Gary Willoughby “We are expanding the event this time around to add more enjoyment and hopefully raise more funds for the shelter animals ”

Sign up today here: https://bit ly/47hWpnI or visit https://gulfcoasthumanesociety.org/events/.

This year, there is a new VIP Experience for $1,500 per bay The VIP Experience will include six players with access to comfy couches in each bay, a premium top shelf open bar, exclusive Fajita Fiesta buffet and three hours of unlimited gameplay

But the VIP Experience is limited to 10 bays, so it is urged to potential teams to register as soon as possible

There will be 26 open bays which costs $800 per golf team This package includes six players, access to the Fajita Fiesta buffet and three hours of unlimited golf play.

Each team is also able to register up to two extra

Mighty Mussels Promotional Calendar

guests to join The cost for VIP guests is $100 (which includes the buffet and open premium bar) and $50 for nonVIP (which includes the buffet). There will be plenty of extracurricular fun, including raffle prizes and a silent auction Prizes will also be won by participating golfers

Sponsorships are available for the event Please contact Lori Burke at lori@gulfcoasthumane society org or 239-332-0364 ext 321 for more information

Shoot an ace for the GCHS shelter animals by competing in the Top Golf T o u r n a m e n t ! S i g n u p t o d a y h e r e : https://bit ly/47hWpnI or visit https://gulfcoasthumanesociety org/events/

About Gulf Coast Humane Society:

Gulf Coast Humane Society is a regional organization dedicated to helping companion pets find their forever homes, no matter how long it takes GCHS provides an adoption center, spay-neuter and veterinary clinic, as well as education and awareness to the public about the welfare of homeless pets

GCHS’ mission is to care for companion pets in need by offering safe refuge, providing medical care and facilitating adoptions GCHS promotes the concept the “Adopt, Don’t Shop” and help educate the community about proper and responsible animal care, while providing quality, affordable veterinary care

To learn more about GCHS, visit its website at www gulfcoasthumanesociety org

Offshore Sailing School announces new combo class

The Offshore Sailing School, which has a location at the 'Tween Waters Island Resort & Spa, announced the introduction of its first-ever combination catamaran and monohull cruising course

“Often new students aren't sure which yacht type they would like to learn on,” President and Chief Executive Officer Doris Colgate said “So, they will get 'the best of both worlds' in our new Ultimate Monohull and Catamaran Cruising Course ”

On certain weeks, the school will modify its Fast Track to Cruising course, so students learn to sail aboard a Colgate 26, followed by training on both a 44-foot monohull yacht and a 40-foot catamaran

Applicable to the new course, the Offshore Sailing School is promoting ChristMAST in July with $1,000 savings when two students enroll together for courses

in Florida or the British Virgin Islands during the month of July and take their course between October and December of this year Students will receive textbooks to study in advance, instruction aboard and resort accommodations.

In addition, graduates receive an exclusive discount of up to 15% off of their first charter with the school's charter partner in the British Virgin Islands, The Moorings

To check course availability, contact 239-4541 7 0 0 o r 8 0 0 - 2 2 1 - 4 3 2 6 o r Info@OffshoreSailing com

For more information, visit https://www offshoresailing com/

The 'Tween Waters Island Resort & Spa is at 15951 Captiva Drive, Captiva

San Carlos Bay Sail & Power Squadron America’s Boating Course schedule

America’s Boating Course (8 hr) Sept 9, 8:15 a m

America’s Boating Course (8 hr) Oct 7, 8:15 a m

America’s Boating Course (8 hr) Dec 2, 8:15 a m

For more information call 239-466-4040 or visit

http://www scbps com, Facebook: https://www facebook com/San-Carlos-Bay-Sailboat-and-PowerboatSquadron

Hammond Stadium at CenturyLink Sports Complex is at 14400 6 Mile Cypress Pkwy, Fort Myers

For Mighty Mussels ticket information call 239-768-4210 or visit https://www milb com/fort-myers/tickets/ All giveaways, promotions and event dates are subject to change. All Times ET. Subject to Change.

Wednesday, Aug 23 @ 7 p m

vs Daytona Tortugas

Game Highlight: Dollar Dog Night

Every Wednesday home game, all fans can get $1 hot dogs all game long | Presented By 102 9 BOB FM

Game Highlight: Guaranteed Win Night

We are guaranteeing a Mussels victory! If the Mussels lose all fans in attendance get a free ticket to the next day's game

Game Highlight: Silver Sluggers

It's Silver Sluggers Wednesday! Join our Silver Sluggers Club to get free tickets and parking to each Wednesday home Mussels game | Presented By Amavida

Game Highlight: Ladies' Night

Ladies get 2 for 1 Seltzer's & Wine at each Wednesday Mussels Home Game

Thursday, Aug 24 @ 7 p m vs Daytona Tortugas

Game Highlight: $1 and $2 Beer Night

It's the biggest party in town every Thursday with the Mussels with $1 12 oz cans & $2 draft beers during the game! | Presented By Budweiser, Twin Peaks & Gator Country 101 9

Game Highlight: Miracle Throwback Nights

Every Thursday we're throwing it back to the Miracle days and the Mussels will wear Miracle uniforms! Plus get $1 and $2 beers!

Game Highlight: College Night

All College Students get $5 tickets with Student ID

Friday, Aug 25 @ 7 p m vs. Daytona Tortugas

Game Highlight: Pre-Game Happy Hour

Get 2 for 1 on all Bacardi drinks at the Rusty's bar at Hammond Stadium from 6-7 P M | Presented By Rusty's, Bacardi

Game Highlight: Mascot Olympics

Game Highlight: Friday Fireworks

After each Friday game the Mussels will light up the sky with the best fireworks show in Southwest Florida!

Saturday, Aug. 26 @ 6 p.m. vs. Daytona Tortugas

Game Highlight: Guaranteed Win Night

We are guaranteeing a Mussels victory! If the Mussels lose all fans in attendance get a free ticket to the next day's game

Game Highlight: Bark in the Park

Bring your dog to the game as all dogs get in free and join Lee County Sheriff's Office as they spread the word against Animal Cruelty! | Presented By Lee County Sheriff's Office

Game Highlight: Racing Day

Game Highlight: Cancer Sucks Night #8

In the ongoing battle to fight Cancer the Mussels will partner with area organizations to raise money for the fight | Presented By Budweiser

Sunday, Aug. 27 @ noon vs Daytona Tortugas

Game Highlight: Sunday Brunch

Join the Mussels for Brunch & Baseball! Get an all you can eat Brunch from 11-1 for just $15 with your game ticket

Game Highlight: Kid's Club Sundays

Kids can join the Mussels Sprouts and get tickets to each Sunday home game plus a shirt and access to VIP events for just $33! | Presented By Choice Charter Schools, The Law Offices of Spencer Cordell

Game Highlight: Kids Run the Bases

All kids can run the bases after each Sunday home game | Presented By BRANDT

Game Highlight: Kid's Catch on the Field

All kids can play catch on the field prior to each Sunday home game from 11-11:30

Source: www milb com

Tony’s Tree Service

e e k o f W e d n e s d a y , A u g u s t 2 3 , 2 0 2 3 f o r t m y e r s b e a c h t a l k . c o m F o r t M y e r s B e a c h O b s e r v e r