Pine Island Eagle

Islanders create special art for Matlacha’s Ian Remembrance Ceremony

Information gathering meeting for Disaster Recovery Funds held at Pine Island Elementary

By PAULETTE LeBLANC

pleblanc@breezenewspapers

com

A resident participation meeting was held Thursday, Aug 24, at Pine Island Elementary School to receive public comment and input on the Draft Action Plan for the $1 1 billion Community Development Block Grant –D i s a s t e r R e c o v e r y F u n d s r e c e i v e d f r o m t h e U . S .

Department of Housing and Urban Development

Assistant County Manager Glen Salyer said HUD has a process which needs to be engaged before Pine Island r e c e i v e s f u n d s a l l o c a t e d f o r L e e C o u n t y ( h t t p s : / / w w w h u d g o v / p r o g r a m o f f i c e s / c o m m p l a nning/cdbg-dr)

“We’re going through their specified process right now to put together an eye-level spending plan and that plan is

going to encompass lots of housing assistance, some infrastructure, rebuilding, some planning, some public services, by way of case management for Ian-impacted households and mental behavior health capacity building

it’s going to be a while before we know exactly what lands in Pine Island proper,” Salyer said

Although there have been no detailed program design plans yet for damaged or destroyed mobile homes to be replaced or converted to modular homes, CDBG-DR Program Director Jeannie Sutton said there are currently no HUD regulations prohibiting the replacement or conversion of these homes

“We do anticipate being able to serve households that have mobile homes,” Sutton said

Salyer also reported $239 million will be recommend-

ed for critical public infrastructure projects This will be open to proposal by eligible applicants which will go through a scoring process to be ranked and awarded by the Lee County Board of County Commissioners

“We don’t know what projects will come of that money, but we do have a lot of funding for public infrastructure,” Salyer said

CDBG-DR funds may be spent on a limited number of eligible activities related to impacts from Hurricane Ian that include housing, infrastructure, economic revitalization, public services and planning At least 70% of the grant must be used for projects that benefit low-to-moderate income households, which HUD defines as a family at

See DISASTER RECOVERY FUNDS, page 16

SEG:

No immediate

changes expected for

The cover of the Breeze Newspapers commemorative book “Ian ” The book is available for pre-order by visiting capecoralbreeze.com.

BREEZE GRAPHIC

Breeze Newspapers to release ‘Ian’

Hardcover book features first-person accounts, crowd-sourced hurricane-related photos

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

On Sept 28, 2022, Hurricane Ian forever changed the landscape and lives throughout Southwest Florida

The Breeze Newspapers, which worked through n u m e r o u s c h a l l e n g e s t o k e e p r e a d e r s u p - t o - d a t e throughout the storm and aftermath, have put together a commemorative book documenting and storytelling through the eyes of those who lived it

The 128-page book features stories, first-person accounts and more than 100 photographs

Photos were crowd-sourced, which truly makes this a community project

“Although this is a book we hoped we’d never have

to publish, we’re incredibly proud of how it’s turned out, providing a fitting record of those terrible days and weeks in picture and word, but maintaining the spirit of resilience that we’ve all witnessed as our communities h a v e b e g u n t o

Newspapers Publisher Ray Eckenrode said

The book’s title is simply “Ian ”

“We thought about trying to be creative or clever with the title, but it didn’t take long to realize the power that one word now holds in Southwest Florida,” Eckenrode said

Pistella wrote in the book: “Hurricane Ian brought

See ‘IAN,’ page 16

island Winn-Dixie Announcement made last week that ALDI was purchasing Southeastern Grocers’ stores

According to Southeastern Grocers, the company that oversees the Winn-Dixie stores across Southwest Florida and the southeastern U.S., there are no plans, for now, concerning the island Winn-Dixie's converting to ALDI

It was announced last w e e k t h a t S o u t h e a s t e r n Grocers was selling its W i n n - D i x i e s t o r e s a n d Harvey's Supermarkets to ALDI The merger agreement for the stores, according to the announcement, is expected to be close in the first half of 2024

In it's statement, SEC said, “Nothing changes today We remain committed to conducting our business as usual until closing our proposed transactional agreement Our dedication to our associates, customers and communities remains unchanged, and we will continue to provide the same level of quality and value that our customers have come to expect

“We understand that ALDI does not intend to convert all of our stores ALDI’s current plan is to continue operating Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket stores with the same level of care and focus on quality and service as they also evaluate which locations will convert to the ALDI format to better support the neighborhoods they will now serve ALDI will share more information as it becomes available ”

The island Winn-Dixie store is at 9864 Stringfellow Road, St James City To contact the store, please call 239) 283-4404

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

Statements from Calusa Waterkeeper and SCCF in wake of their withdrawals from challenge to Cape’s bid to remove Chiquita Lock

Statements from Calusa Waterkeeper, SCCF, in wake of withdrawals from challenge to Cape Coral's bid to remove Chiquita Lock

A pair of environmental organizations have withdrawn from a multi-entity challenge to the city of Cape Coral's bid to remove the Chiquita Lock

Calusa Waterkeeper, Inc on Thursday and the SanibelCaptiva Conservation Foundation on Friday issued statements that say the organizations remain committed in their opposition to the removal of the water control device intended to prevent pollution from entering state waters but the city's threat to recoup its escalating legal fees is made the potential financial risk too burdensome for a non-profit

“The Calusa Waterkeeper Board of Directors has made the difficult decision to withdraw as named petitioners challenging the removal of the Chiquita Lock in Cape Coral.

“This decision was made not on the merits of the case, but over a technical argument of when our organization became a 'notified party,' and thus began the window for f i l i n g t h e c h a l l e n

Administrative Hearings

“The challenge to the permit will continue with other named petitioners

“The City of Cape Coral hired an outside legal firm that specializes in cases and tactics that quash citizen involvement in local government affairs Their strategies of 'papering' the case, running up fees (on the taxpayers’ dime), and intimidating the non-profit organizations and individual citizens have partially worked

“However small the probability that the citizen petitioners may lose the case and be burdened with paying the opposing side’s legal fees, the Calusa Waterkeeper board could not expose the organization to that potential monetary risk

“The law firm representing the City of Cape Coral and Florida Department of Environmental Protection have assigned no less than six attorneys to this case to both overwhelm the citizen petitioners with various motions and filings while also running up the time and cost of their activities This is another example in a long line of systematic efforts to diminish and discourage citizen initiatives by those in power throughout the state of Florida

"Despite our decision to withdraw, and despite the outcome of this challenge, Calusa Waterkeeper remains opposed to the removal of the Chiquita Lock Removing this control structure will have negative impacts on the water quality (increased stormwater and nutrient loading) and surrounding habitat (degrading the mangrove fringe

) i n t h e Caloosahatchee River and Matlacha Pass, among other concerns brought forward by the petitioners

“The city’s latest request to remove the lock should be denied on many of the same grounds it was denied a few short years ago in Administrative Law Judge Francis Ffolkes’ December 2019 ruling

“The fact that the City of Cape Coral refused to take ‘no’ for an answer and immediately doubled down their spending on more outside consultants and law firms to try to reframe the same action again, should alarm its residents Similarly, anyone who cares for our environment s h o u l d b e e q u a l l y a l a r m e d a s t o w h y t h e F l o r i d a Department of Environmental Protection continues to approve and aid in these activities

“An improved, higher capacity lock has been discussed multiple times within the City government over the last few decades In our view, an upgraded lock remains the 'win-win' solution to this issue A new modern lock can be engineered to both safeguard the water quality and groundwater table in the area, while also improving conditions for safe and convenient navigability for both marine wildlife and boaters

“It’s time for the City of Cape Coral to step up and maintain the south spreader system as it was designed; to detain and treat stormwater runoff before being discharged into the estuary Nutrient laden stormwater runoff contributes to the growth of harmful algal blooms such as red tide and blue-green algae

“It is the mission of Calusa Waterkeeper to protect and restore the Caloosahatchee River from Lake Okeechobee to the coastal waters Informing the public on the potential harm to water quality and estuarine habitat by the removal

See STATEMENT, page 7

Lovegrove promotion featured during 30 Days of Art and Culture

Special event runs through month of September in Fort Myers

The River District Alliance has partnered with the Alliance of the Arts to create a new promotion, 30 Days of Art & Culture, held throughout the month of September in the city of Fort Myers 30 Days of Art & Culture partners more than a dozen

different artists, museums, theaters, cultural organizations and events in Fort Myers to showcase the many cultural offerings through special programming, discounts, and one-of-a-kind experiences

Kicking off 30 Days of Art & Culture is a special promotion w i t h r e n o w n e d a r t i s t L e o m a Lovegrove From Sept 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 The locations can be found o n t h e R D A w e b s i t e : w w w e x p l o r e f o r t m y e r s c o m ; Lovegrove’s, website: www leomalovegrove store or on Facebook (Downtown Fort Myers and Leoma Lovegrove)

Lovegrove plans on opening her new 3,000-squarefoot studio and gallery on Dean Street in downtown Fort Myers later this fall Lovegrove is an impressionistexpressionist painter known worldwide for her vivid colorful paintings

30 Days of Art & Culture begins Sept 1-30 For a complete listing of events, discounts and giveaways visit www explorefortmyers com

The RDA produces more than 27 family friendly free events in downtown Fort Myers Monthly Art Walk is held the first Friday of the month; the monthly Music Walk is held the third Friday of the month. The RDA also hosts the annual Downtown Tree Lighting Event, New Year’s Eve Celebration, St Patrick’s Day Block party and July 4th Fireworks. The River District Alliance promotes, enhances, encourages and serves the common interest of downtown Fort Myers

Leoma Lovegrove

OPINIONS

There are multiple efforts under way to aid in the recovery of Southwest Florida’s hospitality-related businesses

Publisher Raymond M Eckenrode reckenrode@breezenewspapers com

Executive Editor

Valarie Harring vharring@breezenewspapers com

Editor Paulette LeBlanc pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

Advertising Director Laurie Ragle lragle@ breezenewspapers com

Advertising Sales Charlene Russ cruss@breezenewspapers com

Design & Layout Chris Strine cstrine@breezenewspapers com

obits@breezenewspapers

Just shy of one year since Hurricane Ian wiped out Fort Myers Beach, devastated Sanibel, Captiva and Matlacha, and whacked Cape Coral and Fort Myers, many of our tourism-reliant enterprises continue to struggle

Various entities and indeed many businesses themselves have rallied in the wake of Hurricane Ian, first pulling together to aid those who looked to regroup or rebuild and now to let locals and visitors alike know there are opportunities again to “Savor the Shores ”

Last month, the Lee Board of County Commissioners waived tolls on the Sanibel Causeway for six Sundays in support of the c a m p a i g n o r g a n i z e d b y t h e L e e C o u n t y Visitor & Convention Bureau to “encourage residents to enjoy access to local restaurants and attractions during the off-season ”

“Savor the Shore encourages residents to visit impacted coastal areas, eat at a local restaurant, shop, go to the beach and participate in activities,” officials said in a release promoting the program “The VCB is committed to supporting the business community’s recovery by creating awareness and encouraging people to spend locally and

make a difference in the local economy ”

The multi-week effort is being boosted via print, radio and television promotions as well as through community efforts such as the SanCap Chamber’s “Savor SanCap” initiative in conjunction with the VCB effort

“We really hope to motivate more people to come out to the islands for Sunday shopping, visiting attractions, lunch and dinner,” SanCap Chamber President and CEO John Lai said “Anything we can do to help our businesses, we’re giving it a shot ”

The Sunday toll waiver continues through Sept 10 with the county set to consider an extension to Sept 24

T h e F o r t M y e r s B e a c h C h a m b e r o f Commerce has a similar message.

“We’re Still Rebuilding, but we’re ready for you!” the chamber website invites

“Like a phoenix from the ashes, Fort Myers Beach businesses are rising up, ready to welcome you back to our island with accommodation, food and fun!

“A lot of rebuilding remains to be done, but we still have the sunshine, our sugar sand beach and the spectacular sunrises and sunsets our island is famous for So please come see us, and support our community as we

build back better than ever!”

A n d o n e m o r e f r o m t h e P i n e I s l a n d Chamber:

“Come for a day, you will want to stay ”

“Pine Island and Matlacha suffered many losses due to Hurricane Ian However, Island businesses and residents are resilient and strong and many of our businesses have already re-opened, and others are opening soon Please plan to include us in your travels We are here and welcome you to explore our wonderful island ”

Let us add one more point to that fourpronged approach: All of us are looking for little bit of normalcy: Dinner and a sunset A beverage and a shared appetizer or two A shopping stop at a unique hometown business to pick up an item or two

All of the things we took for granted a year ago

For more information about Savor the Shore, visit visitfortmyers com or check out the various chamber websites where listings of open businesses and more may be found: Sanibel-captiva org/, fortmyersbeach org, or pineislandchamber org #SWFLStrong #SavorTheShore

To the Southwest Florida community, the emotions surrounding the quickly approaching one-year anniversary of Hurricane Ian and the destruction left on our community are apparent Heroes have risen in this time of devastation, and they deserve recognition for their continued impact since the storm

The Charity Pros understands the need to support our local heroes, and we want to honor the unsung heroes of our community as just that a community We will be hosting an incredible event at Hammond Stadium at 6 p m on Oct 7 The Hurricane Heroes AllStar Concert will honor the local heroes that have helped carry Lee County through the aftermath of Hurricane Ian

The event will be headlined by Matchbox Twenty, a rock band that just came off of a 54-stop tour that sold out at major amphitheaters and arenas nationwide Opening for Matchbox Twenty is Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member Don Felder, formerly of the Eagles Red Hannah will be the opening band and perform an all-star set, as well as country music star Jay Allen Matty Jollie and Sheena Brook, a survivor of Hurricane Ian on Fort Myers Beach, will make special appearances throughout their performances in the concert Several of these artists have a personal tie to Fort Myers Beach, which makes this event even more special

T h e C h a r i t y P r o s w i l l h o n o r s e v e r a l unsung heroes of Lee County at the concert

T h e f i r s t h o n o r e e i s S h e r i f f C a r m i n e Marceno and the Lee County Sheriff's Office Sheriff Marceno and the LCSO maintained law and order throughout Lee County, coordinated with outside agencies, saved lives

through search and rescue miss i o n s , a n d l e d t h e c o u n t y t h r o u g h t h e i m m e n s e c h a llenges that Hurricane Ian proposed F o r t M y e r s B e a c h M a y o r Dan Allers will also be honored for his efforts in immediately aiding the Fort Myers Beach community He was elected just two short months after Ian hit, and he has taken on a challenge like no other in leading the redevelopment and recovery of Fort Myers Beach After the storm destroyed his golf cart business, Mayor Allers donated the building at 820 Buttonwood Drive to house the most crucial d i s t r i b u t i o n s p o t o f e s s e n t i a l survival supplies

The location has become home to Fort Myers Beach Strong, a registered 501(c)(3) organization I first heard about the 820 Buttonwood location from Ed and Kim Ryan of Beach Talk Radio, the voice of Fort Myers Beach These heroes made it their mission to update listeners about the dire need of beach residents continuously Their viewership rose from 8,000 listeners to 80,000 during the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, and Beach Talk Radio broadcasted live seven nights a week in the aftermath of the storm Ed and Kim raised more than $300,000 for residents and businesses of Lee County and hosted several significant events on the beach to benefit the struggling community

The following heroes who will be honored

are Pastors Shawn and Mallie C r i t s e r f r o m B e a c h B a p t i s t Church From the very next day a f t e r t h e s t o r m h i t t o n o w , Beach Baptist has utilized its campus as a resource for hurric a n e r e l i e f F r o m b e i n g a Central Resource Center (CRC) and a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) for FEMA to transforming into a standalone resource center, Beach Baptist has been at the forefront of the recovery process Beach Baptist continues to serve the community with groceries, supplies, bus passes, gift cards, and pastoral counseling They were also a critical part of t h e e x e c u t i o n o f t o y d r i v e s , including The Charity Pros Please note that community church services are offered each Sunday in the resource tent Beach Baptist is alive and well

Last but certainly not least are Doug Miller and Amy Eldridge of FK Your Diet Their business was founded to help local foster kids, with 5% of their revenue going toward local agencies supporting them When Hurricane Ian struck, though, they switched their focus to helping not only foster children and families, but also anybody affected by the storm

In the last 10 months, the couple has provided more than 500,000 meals, countless a m o u n t s o f f u r n i t u r e , b u i l d i n g s u p p l i e s , clothing, and much more to those affected

Manatee rescue

On Wednesday, Aug 9 , I t u r n e d m y t r u c k w e s t o u t o f M a t l a c h a Isles in the early afternoon and found myself b e h i n d a S e a W o r l d A n i m a l R e s c u e T e a m

truck The truck turned south at the four corners and headed west onto Maria Drive where there is a commercial seaport, however, it veered right onto property that clearly was private

Capt Cathy Eagle

I w i t n e s s e d y e t a n o t h e r r e l e a s e o f a healthy manatee involving a coordinated effort between SeaWorld and t h e F l o r i d a W i l d l i f e C o m m i s s i o n (FWC) It is rare to see a manatee w i t h o u t p r o p e l l e r s c a r s , b u t t h i s young female, void of any propeller scars, was released.

Dolphin Tales

N o t a n e a s y f e a t c o n s i d e r i n g female manatees tend to be larger than males and this female probably weighed 1,000 pounds

T h e a g e o f t h e m a n a t e e w a s unknown as it can only be determined by the annual growth rings in i t s e a r b o n e s N e c r o p s i e s ( n o nhuman autopsies) can determine age

It can also be approximated by birth date if known and by size Manatees can live to be 60-plus years old and are classified as calves, subadults,and adults I would guess this was a subadult

Release locations are determined based on where the manatee was initially rescued

This young female was rescued at Cabbage Key during the 2018 horrible bout of red tide Red tide acts as a neurotoxin in manatees, giving them seizures that can result in drowning

A manatee suffering from the effects

of red tide may experience a lack of coordination and experience

i n v o l u n t a r y m u s c l e twitches and seizures

Releasing this mana t e e n e a r h e r r e s c u e location provides the b e s t o p p o r t u n i t y f o r her to thrive as she is already familiar with the location of grass flats for feeding, fresh water for drinking and warm water sites during the winter There have been at least three t o s e v e n m a n a t e e s h a n g i n g o u t a t

Cabbage Key this summer, which gives her a community to connect with High risk manatees (she was not) are often tagged to allow monitoring of their progress in the wild. This is not a chip like dogs and cats have It is a belt that fits around the manatee’s main body where it meets the tail Using a buckle and nylon webbing allows for a custom fit to the girth of the manatee The buckle also acts as the point of attachment for a 4 to 5-foot-long flexible tether The length of the tether is designed to allow the tag to float and transmit and receive radio signals Manatees feed on the sea bed so the length is necessary It is also designed to avoid entanglement It is strange to see this apparatus trailing a manatee It looks like it is entangled!

Captain Cathy Eagle has spent over 40 years boating in our local waters As a professional Charter Captain, she specializes in Dolphin a n d N a t u r e t o u r s V i s i t CaptainCathy com or call /text 239 994-2572 Welcome aboard!

DL Havlin wins silver medal from Florida Authors and Publishes Association

The 2023 Annual Florida Authors and P u b l i s h e r s A s s o c i a t i o n P r e s i d e n t ’ s Book Awards recognized “The Grave with G r e e n e r G r a s s ” b y D L H a v l i n , i n t h e Mystery/Suspense of Adult Fiction, as a silver medal winner

H o s t e d b y t h e F l o r i d a A u t h o r s a n d P u b l i s h e r s A s s o c i a t i o n , t h i s p r e s t i g i o u s national award program was open to books published between 2021 and 2023 The j u d g e s f o r t h i s n a t i o n a l c o m p e t i t i o n a r e librarians, educators and publishing professionals

The FAPA President’s Book Awards recognizes book publishing excellence and creativity in design, content and production for a u t h o r s , i l l u s t r a t o r s , c o v e r d e s i g n e r s a n d p u b l i s h e r s T h i s c o n t e s t i s n ’ t l i m i t e d t o Florida; it is open to anyone worldwide, as long as the book is written in English

“The Grave with Greener Grass” is an adult fiction, published by TouchPoint Press

The novel tells the story of Sly Harrell, an archeologist, espionage agent and business owner, gets more than he bargains for when he accepts a mysterious woman’s offer for adventure and riches Sly is promised a split of the treasure if he can crack the code of an ancient Florida family and their burial rituals Embarking on a thrilling adventure to unearth danger, suspense and much more, Sly encounters deceit and romance while attempting to escape with the treasure and his own life intact.Can Sly locate the fortune and stay alive in the process?

“I wish to congratulate all of our winners. Our book awards program is vital to the publishing industry because it serves to recognize excellence and creativity not just for authors, but for publishers and everyone involved in creating the book It also serves as a tremendous boost of confidence for beginning authors who win This year, we had the finest quality books in recent memo-

PHOTO PROVIDED

Author DL Havlin with a copy of his n o v e l “ T h e G r a v e w i t h G r e e n e r Grass,” which earned a silver medal from the FAPA.

ry The competition was exceptionally close and scores were unusually high. Our judges had a difficult time narrowing down the finalists Earning a medal is a remarkable accomplishment and a testament to each w i n n e r ’ s s k i l l a n d t a l e n t , ” s a i d F A P A ’ s President Robert Jacob

T h e F l o r i d a A u t h o r s a n d P u b l i s h e r s Association is an organization for authors, publishers, illustrators, editors, printers and other professionals involved in the publishing industry Its mission is to provide inform a t i o n , r e s o u r c e s , p r o f e s s i o n a l d e v e l o pment, and networking opportunities to the writing and publishing community throughout Florida, the United States, and the world

For additional about the association, visit www myFAPA org

of the Chiquita Lock structures is not easy, but it is our duty ”

SCCF issued the following release:

“SCCF Remains Committed to Keeping Chiquita Lock

“ T h e S a n i b e l - C a p t i v a C o n s e r v a t i o n F o u n d a t i o n (SCCF) has withdrawn as a petitioner from the legal challenge to stop the removal of the Chiquita Lock in Cape Coral

“SCCF was forced to step away from the legal challenge due to issues of whether or not the parties had received adequate notice prior to filing our petition Although it is unclear whether SCCF would have been able to remain in the challenge, the City of Cape Coral used the threat of running up massive attorneys’ fees paid for by Cape Coral taxpayers to make continuing the challenge too dangerous to our non-profit organization

“We are disappointed that we are not able to continue as a petitioner However, we remain committed to our position that the lock should remain in place and to our mission to protect and care for Southwest Florida’s coastal ecosystems,” said SCCF CEO James Evans

“While unable to remain in the legal case, SCCF believes that the merits of the case are strong and will continue to monitor the ecology and water quality in the areas impacted by the project

“The Chiquita Lock remains the last backstop in preventing polluted water from entering the estuary from the south spreader system If the lock is removed, it will likely result in a further decline of water quality and impacts to the surrounding mangrove ecosystems

“We believe that the City of Cape Coral should honor the agreement formed in the original consent decree and repair the lock to ensure that its pollution is remediated, manatees are protected, and the spreader system continues to function,” said Evans

“SCCF’s Marine Lab will continue to monitor water quality in the area to ensure that all pollution is accounted for, the appropriate parties are held responsible, and fish and wildlife habitat, including oysters, seagrasses, and mangroves, are protected into the future ”

The city of Cape Coral does not comment on pending

or ongoing litigation

“Due to the fact that we do not comment on active legal matters we will not be responding at this time; however,

we will address the statements made in the future,” the city's Communications Office said via email in response to an emailed request

Calusa Waterkeeper area test results

FIB (fecal indicator bacteria) results are back from the Calusa Waterkeeper testing efforts for Aug 19. The Waterkeepers were successful in collecting 32 samples along with 7 new sample sites. Of the 32 sites sampled, 15 passed while 17 failed the threshold of 35 MPN/100ml New sites included Fritt's Park kayak launch, 387; Yellow Fever Creek upstream, 78; Bayline Drive/ Old Bridge canal, 90; Powell Creek at Marianna Bridge, 58; Powell Creek at Sunrise Drive boat ramp, 16; Caloosahatchee Creek kayak launch, 73; and Russell Park launch site, 5. For more information on Waterkeeper testing, results and a interactive map with FIB sample site locations including historical data can be found at https://calusawaterkeeper org/monitoring/

Island artists paint luminaries for Ian Remembrance Service

mony is supported by local businesses, including CW Fudge Factory, which supplied the blank luminaries

Beacon of Hope September activities

Partners for Breast Care will be at the Beacon of Hope Tuesday, Sept 26, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. (for those without insurance) There will be a breast exam, education on breast health and a prescription for a free mammogram If you don’t have transportation, the Beacon will drive you to your appointment Call 239-4548583 to make an appointment

Samaritan Health and Wellness, a primary care clinic, is now open at the Beacon every other Wednesday from 8 a m to noon This clinic provides care for the uninsured and underinsured The cost is $50 and help is available if needed People of all ages are welcome Mental health services are also available Call the Beacon at 239-283-5123 to make an appointment

■ Coffee Klatch – We have all been affected by Hurricane Ian in countless w a y s T h e B e a c o n o f H o p e w a n t s islanders to know it is here to support them The Beacon hopes islanders will join the gathering of conversation, coffee and support. The Beacon is providing a safe space to share, be heard and connect w i t h o t h e r s t o l i f t s p i r i t s a n d h o n o r islanders' strength and resilience as everyone moves forward This meeting will restart in the fall Watch for the date For questions, call Ronda at 231-383-1302

7:30 p m Lessons given A musical experience

■ Spanish class – Tuesday evenings at 6

■ Wellness Committee – Next meeting will be Monday, Sept 18, at 10 a m

■ F u n d r a i s i n g m e e t i n g – M o n d a y , Sept 18, at 9 a m

■ Grants Committee meeting – To be announced

■ Homelessness Committee – To be announced.

■ Pine Island Boy and Cub Scout T r o o p w i l l b e m e e t i n g W e d n e s d a y evenings at 6

■ Girl Scout Troop will meet on Friday nights at 6

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

■ ESOL classes are held every Monday from 7 p m at the Beacon and every Thursday from 6-8 p m

The MCA Ian Remembrance Cere-

All are welcome to attend the ceremony Thursday, Sept 28, at 6:45 p m at the RE/MAX office located on Pine Island Road near Island Avenue

■ The Food Bank – On hold until S e p t e m b e r T h e E m e r g e n c y P a n t r y i s available when we are open.

■ Blood pressure screening is held e v e r y W e d n e s d a y f r o m 1 - 2 p m a n d every Saturday morning from 10-11 a m

■ The Veteran’s Support group meets on the first Friday of every month from 9 a m to 12:30 p m Call 239-283-5123 to make an appointment

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

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

■ Strange Arrangement – Monday 6-

■ The Attic (Thrift Store) is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p m They will be closed on Wednesday Saturday hours are 10 a m to 3 p m Donations are accepted until 2:30 p m unless occasionally they get overloaded Every Tuesday is 50% off clothing, shoes, a n d s i m i l a r i t e m s 5 0 % o f f “ a l m o s t everything” will be on Sept 5

The Beacon of Hope, located at 5090 Doug Taylor Circle, St James City, is open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, from 9 a m to 5 p m Computers, fax and printer are available for use. Case managers are available at these times Call and make an appointment The Beacon of H o p e t e l e p h o n e n u m b e r i s

-

5123

Church of God of Prophecy Chicken Dinner set for Sept. 9

PHOTO PROVIDED

The luminary painters are, sitting, from left, Billie Young, Marie Cahill and Lindy Terry; and standing, Rachel Godbout, Carol Scott, Jenna Lombardo and Patty Smith.

Community gathering at Pine Island Elementary Sept. 20

Pine Island Elementary School is hosting a community event Wednesday, Sept 20, at 9:30 a m in the school cafeteria. The main goal of the event will be reconnecting community organizations and PIE

Principal Tom Millins understands the importance of building relationships and forging bonds with the students, island families and the community This bond is critical for the continued success of PIE

“This is my fourth year at PIE, but previous years have been impacted by essentially two years of COVID and then Hurricane Ian, which put a damper on properly reaching out to the community organizations Although these groups were restricted from our campus, they continued to support the school," Millins said

The community event is an opportunity to reconnect with these island groups and share things such as academics, safety, recognitions and the day-to-day school life of an elementary student The event will include

Millins: New year at PIE off to great start

Pine Island Elementary School opened its doors Aug 10 to nearly 240 students Principal Tom Millins said that the year is off to a wonderful start

“It was so nice to see all the students ready to get back into the swing of things for the 2023-2024 school year,” Millins said.

He said that he is excited to start the year without any COVID restrictions and hopes any hurricanes will stay away from the Pine Island community and Lee County

PE Coach Jeff Nelson agreed that he is glad to be back and is looking forward to a great 2023-2024

overall school operations, safety, school and district initiatives

The superintendent of the School District of Lee

school year

The teachers returned from summer break on Aug 2 and spent the next 8 days preparing for the upcoming school year during pre-service week The pre-service week consisted of curriculum updates, school safety and school process and procedures.

PIE’s second grade teacher Ms Mindy Manguson said it’s great to be back on campus spending time with the students, staff and community

Millins and the entire staff at PIE looks forward to another successful year

County, Dr Christopher Bernier, will also be sharing some district initiatives

Millins will be reaching out to community organizations in the next week and is hoping to contact as many community members as possible and welcome everyone Pine Island Elementary is at 5360 Ridgewood Drive in Bokeelia Contact the school at 239-283-0505

Volunteer training starts today at school

Pine Island Elementary has announced that the school has started and it needs volunteers! Volunteer training will be held at PIE today, Aug 30, at 9 a m , and Thursday, Aug 31, at 2:30 p m School officials are hoping anyone who would like to volunteer at the school will be able to attend one volunteer training session and complete a volunteer application available in the school office

If you plan to attend a training session, please contact the school at 239-283-0505 by Friday, Aug. 25, to reserve your spot Please bring your driver’s license to sign-in at the school office when entering the campus P I E staff looks forward to seeing all returning and new volunteers this school year! You make a difference

Pine Island Elementary is located at 5360 Ridgewood

Cat of the Week

Ar thur

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

Lee County adjusts operations schedules for Labor Day

Most Lee County administrative operations will be closed Monday, Sept 4, in observance of Labor Day The county’s Labor Day schedule adjustments include: Solid Waste

All garbage, recycling and yard waste collections in unincorporated Lee County, the City of Bonita Springs, the Village of Estero and the Town of Fort Myers Beach will take place one day after the regularly scheduled collection day for the entire week beginning Sept 4 This means that if your regular collection day is Monday, the collection truck will pick up that material on 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 Monday, Sept 11

T h e H o u s e h o l d C h e m i c a l W a s t e Collection Facility, 6441 Topaz 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 o f f i c e s a r e c l o s e d o n S e p t . 4 . T h i s i n c l u d e s o p e r a t i o n s a t t h e H o u s e h o l d Chemical Waste Collection Facility, the R e s o u r c e R e c o v e r y F a c i l i t y o n Buckingham Road and the Lee/Hendry Regional Solid Waste Disposal Facility

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 Each branch will resume regular operating hours on Tuesday, Sept 5 The l i b r a r y i s a l w a y s a v a i l a b l e o n l i n e a t www leelibrary net/online

Domestic Animal Services

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 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

LeeTran

LeeTran will not run bus, trolley or paratransit service on Sept 4 Service resumes Tuesday, Sept 5 Route schedu l e s a n d m a p s a r e a t www rideleetran com

Parks & Recreation

Lee County Parks & Recreation beaches, parks, preserves, swimming pools and boat ramps are open on Labor Day. Check www leeparks org for the list of open locations and amenities

Recreation centers and administrative offices are closed Sept 4 and reopen on Tuesday, Sept 5

Lee County reminds residents and visitors that the Causeway Islands Park on the S a n i b e l C a u s e w a y r e m a i n s c l o s e d t o watercraft, pedestrian and bicycle traffic due to the active construction zone

T h e c o u n t y a s k s p a r k p a t r o n s t o remember no alcohol is permitted in county parks

Visit www leeparks org for more information

Annual Blessing of the Animals Sept. 30

T h e 2 1 s t A n n u a l B l e s s i n g o f t h e

Animals will be held Saturday, Sept 30, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., under the oaks at St John’s Episcopal Church at 7771 H Stringfellow Road, St James City

Hosted by the Rev Bill Gilmore, vicar of St John’s Episcopal Church, the blessi n g w i l l a l s o i n c l u d e t h e R e v J a c e k

M a z u r , p a s t o r o f O u r L a d y o f t h e Miraculous Medal Catholic Church; the Rev. Kaylee Vida, pastor of Pine Island United Methodist Church; and the Rev Tom Hafer, pastor of Fishers of Men Lutheran Church

All animals welcome -- please remember to bring your owner

Island Mahjongg

Six players gathered for an afternoon of mahjongg Thursday, Aug 24

Winding up on top with a whopping 1 7 0 i s S t e p h a n i e L a H i n e s K a t h y R i c h a r d s o n n o t f a r b e h i n d w i t h 1 0 5

Tying for 3 rd are Peggy Finley and

Jerilynn Safran with 90.

Play continues every Thursday from 14 p m As we are not able to play at the St James City Civic Center, please email carolyn13153@gmail com if you would like to join the fun!

Idalia will bring unsettled weather to area

Anglers are having a fun time hooking into sharks across the i n s h o r e w a t e r s A v e r a g i n g 2 - 4 feet, they are a blast on light spinning tackle, especially for kids Look for them over grass flats from 4-6 feet A live pinfish, pilchards or a chunk of cut ladyfish or mullet will get their attention when drifting or anchored up A foot or so of light wire attached to a circle hook will keep them on the line Many are blacktips, they are extremely fast and often very a c r o b a t i c o n c e h o o k e d L a r g e r s h a r k s a r e a l s o r o a m i n g t h e inshore waters and are abundant over reefs in gulf waters

S e a t r o u t w e r e p l e n t i f u l although a good number are running under the 15-inch minimum size They were caught over grass bottom from 3-7 feet deep in Pine Island Sound south of Captiva Pass on either side of the channel, off of Red Light Shoals in the southern sound, and between Mondongo and Boca Grande Pass If the grass wasn’t too bad, sub-surface twitch baits and DOA paddle tails worked well Live pilchards, shrimp, small pinfish and grunts hooked trout up to 21 inches Jack crevalle, bluef i s h , m a c k e r e l , l a r g e l a d y f i s h a n d , o f course, sharks were caught as well

Capt Bill Russell On the Water

larger snook and redfish

w e r e h o o k e d a l o n g

m a n g r o v e s h o r e l i n e s and oyster bars on high water and under docks on the falling tides

T a r p o n h o o k - u p s were reported in southern Pine Island Sound

a n d C h a r l o t t e H a r b o r They were often rolling t h e s u r f a c e o n c a l m mornings Cut ladyfish, mullet, live pinfish and s m a l l c r a b s g o t t h e attention of a few over t h e c o o l e r m o r n i n g hours S p a n i s h m a c k e r e l a n d l a d y f i s h w e r e caught off the gulf side of the Sanibel Causeway while casting small spoons and jerk baits in 4-7 feet of water between the B and C spans The best fishing was around actively feeding birds

As I write this, Tropical Storm Idalia is gaining power to the south Forecasted to move to the north off our coast, weather and fishing conditions won’t be the best for a few days As long as Idalia stays far away from us, I think we’re all good with that

Snook fishing remains steady along the coast Fish averaging from 20-25 inches were found along the surf of Sanibel, Captiva and Cayo Costa islands Larger fish were in the surf as well, but the little guys far outnumbered them and way more aggressive on the baits On the bayside of the barrier islands and around the passes,

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

If you have a fishing report or for charter i n f o r m a t i o n , c o n t a c t G u l f C o a s t G u i d e Service at 239-410-8576 (call or text); on the web at www fishpine island com; or via email at gcl2fish@ live com

Who says you need a boat! Not when you have the Bokeelia Fishing Pier Chase Lopez caught and released this tarpon while fishing from the pier last week

Have a safe week and good fishin’

As a lifetime resident of Matlacha and Pine Island, Capt Bill Russell has spent

his life fishing and learning the waters around Pine Island and Southwest Florida, and as a professional fishing guide for the past 23 years

PHOTO PROVIDED

Disaster Recovery Funds

or below 80% of area median income For example, in Lee County a single-person household would qualify at $47,700 or less per year, whereas the limit for total household income is $68,100 per year for a family of four.

Sutton said, in an effort to clarify any confusion regarding the availability of funds, the hope is that applications will be available in early 2024, but as the Lee

From page 1

wind, rain, and ultimately destruction to Southwest Florida Ian also took everything from some homes, possessions, places of work, and even loved ones But what Ian didn’t take from the people of Fort Myers Beach, Pine Island, Sanibel, Captiva, and Cape Coral was their spirit.”

Pistella put together the book, combing through hundreds of staff and contributed photos and recounting personal stories of l o c a l r e s i d e n t s g a t h e r e d b y B r e e z e

Newspapers reporters and editors

“At first it was difficult to go through all the photographs and read the stories,” Pistella said “I started my career on Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel, so both islands mean a great deal to me and seeing the

From page 1

County Manager’s office continues to go through the required HUD process, applic a t

process is complete

Communication is a priority, Salyer said, which, he added, can only be ascertained by having an on-island presence to make the public aware of their options

T h i s c o u l d b e a c c o m p l i s h e d b y s u c h means as having mobile-application units,

destruction made me really sad But as I w e n t o n , e v e r y o n e ’ s s t r e n g t h a n d resilience really came through to me I tried to tell that story with the photos I chose and the way I presented them I put the book together with love, and I hope that our readers sense that.”

The book is available for pre-order by visiting capecoralbreeze com and clicking on the “store” link at the upper right of the home page The book also is in the “stores” of the websites for Breeze sister p u b l i c a t i o n s o n F o r t M y e r s B e a c h , Sanibel/Captive, Pine Island and North Fort Myers

The book is $30 for in-person orders, and $36 for mailed copies

direct mailers or door-hangers as assistance programs are being rolled out

“We’ll have to do everything possible to get the word out, so people are aware of the opportunity for assistance,” Salyer said.

The CDBG-DR webpage will continue to serve as an informational resource for CDBG-DR activities Interested parties are e

The hardcover book is expected back from the printer by the end of September, and mail orders will go out right away

The Breeze will announce when in-person orders are available for pickup at its office

recovery/cdbg-dr for updates

The CDBG-DR Project Table can be found at https://www leegov com/recovery/Documents/Lee%20County%20CDB

G-DR%20Project%20Table pdf

Comments can be emailed to recovery@leegov com, or mailed to Lee County Administration in care of the Office of Strategic Resources, 2115 Second St , Fort Myers, FL, 33901

at 2510 Del Prado Blvd

The book was made possible with the help of four community sponsors: LCEC, Schiff Realty, Edwin Pickett Allstate and Travis Jewelers

Hurricane Heroes

To this day, Amy and Doug still provide meals for people who turn up at the restaurant, regardless of whether they can p a y T h e y a l s o d e l i v e r t h o u s a n d s o f pounds of groceries and supplies to some of the hardest-hit areas each week FK

Your Diet distributed truckloads of hurricane supplies that The Charity Pros were transporting down from Pensacola They also assisted in the delivery of toys to children that lost everything during The Charity Pros for Kiddos Toy Drive

T h e p r o c e e d s f r o m t h e H u r r i c a n e Heroes All-Star Concert will go towards M u s i c a L I V E S W F L , t h e L e w i s P

T a b a r r i n i C h i l d r e n ’ s M u s i c O u t r e a c h Foundation, scholarships for the School of Rock, and The Charity Pros “Megan’s

From page 4

Wish” program. The event also welcomes sponsorship packages; if you are interested in being a sponsor, please contact megan@thecharitypros org Tickets are going fast, so be sure to purchase yours at www TheCharityPros org

Megan Maloney is the co-founder and president of The Charity Pros, a 5 0 1 ( c ) ( 3 ) n o n p r o f i t o r g a n i z a t i o n t h a t advocates and supports children’s programs focused on health, child protection, p o v e r t y , e d u c a t i o n a n d e q u a l i t y . T h e Charity Pros partners with community events and produces fundraisers including concerts, festivals and expos to support community causes For more information, visit www TheCharityPros org

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