Pine Island Eagle by BreezeNewspapers

VolumE 48, NumbEr 18

YOGAZ pants become all the rage

Island couple creates comfortable clothing option

By PAULETTE LeBLANC pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

Islanders William (Buck) and Barbara Pelton found a new love Just before Hurricane Ian, she had been teaching yoga at quite a few Pine Island locations, including Sweeneys S O S , the St James City Civic Center and the Beacon of Hope Having been influenced by the colors and vibe of the Asian markets they’d visited on their trip, she said, initially planted a seed in the creation of their new online retail company, YOGAZ

“Right after COVID hit, we put our heads together and started thinking about this idea,” Barbara said Where they were located in Minnesota, the Peltons said women they know, who enjoy yoga, were talking about how they couldn’t find anything but leggings to wear, and so began the idea to make a new comfortable design It wasn’t long before they had some of their own designs manufactured

“Because of the markets that we saw in Thailand, and also coming to F

thought this would be a much better place to launch the company and grow it slowly from there and now we’re selling nationwide,” Buck said

Although their business online is booming, he said, they still do most of their business in outdoor markets such as in Cape Coral as well as Fort Myers Beach, Lakes Park and many island markets. They set up as often as five days a week, and as many as seven during season YOGAZ has gained popularity at the Franklin Shops in Fort Myers, they said, where they have been for just over a year

“What’s happening is people are

Peace Day Pine Island to be held Sept. 21

Inaugural event organized to ‘cultivate a culture of peace’

Peace Day Pine Island, an effort to “cultivate a culture of peace Saturday, Sept 21, from 4 p.m., at the St. Jam Civic Association

Hosted by Sacred S

L L C a n d T h e P e a

C o

o bring their loved ones, friends and neighbors

v e r island event

P e a c e D a y P i n e

I s l a n d w i l l f e a t u r e over 40 vendors offering a variety of items including unique jewelry, clothing, art, readings a n d m o r e , a l o n g w i t according to event organ ers, "a diverse variety of nary treats in our food row "

There will be live mu out the day including p y Calypso Magic, Kerri Moore, Dan Cook and others, with emcee Issac Holeva.

A free children's area will include face painting, scavenger hunt and take-home creations

Raffle drawings will be held every hour lued form $30 to $125 nd prize giveaway of a h t s t a y a t t h e h i s t o r i c n Lodge valued at over 0

A food drive to support h e P i n

Pantry will also be held A l l p r o c e e d s f r o m the event will benefit the Matlacha Hookers a n d i t s H o

Education Scholarship Program

, Mobile Healer, the Bears en Apothecary, Karma

Co , MRW Law Group, ustries and Rare Mangos

Jennifer at 239-443-0244 or email sacredsoulsllc@gmail.com. The SJCCA is at the corner of Lemon Street and 4th Avenue in St James City

coming and buying from us at the markets, and they’re taking them home and their friends are seeing them and then we’re noticing online orders from their friends and the word is really spreading,” Buck said

Online orders have increased from an average of one order a month to three or four per day, he said, explaining that they are still growing as they gain more popularity.

“YOGAZ are a new style You have leggings, which are super tight, and

YOGAZ are a new style that are completely different and fit just perfectly People wear them to rock climb, work out, kayak, and say they’re the most comfortable things they’ve ever worn,”

By PAULETTE LeBLANC pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com

According to Jennifer Russell, the “Things to do on Pine Island” Facebook page only started as a matter of necessity

Kevin Russell said the couple have been doing voiceover work for 20-plus years now.

“Kevin is a talent agent and the general manager of the studio I’ve been a voice actress, but prior to that, I came from a news background,” Jennifer said Although the couple grew up in Southwest Florida and their studio is in Bokeelia on Pine Island, they said they’ve been all over the world The realization that their building was much more then they needed prodded the Russells to keep a back room for recording purposes and utilize the rest of the square footage by opening a retail gallery Jennifer said she would describe Kevin as a serial entrepreneur

Marketing Mania, Kevin said, began in 1994, with the couple doing concert promotions and advertising for local businesses More comfortable with his role in promoting others, he’s loathe to talk about himself, but admits his life and work are not about his ego but rather about helping others

“My dad moved us to Cape Coral in 1978 On Saturdays we used to come to Pine Island to the palm farms and we’d buy fruit trees,” Russell said

Calusa Land Trust preparing for 2024-25 preserve maintenance work

Summer is almost over and hopefully by the end of September the temperatures will start to moderate It's time for the C a l u s a L a n d T r u s t t o r e n e w i t s winter/spring preserve work/fun parties on the second Saturday of the month

Work will begin Oct 12 at the WigertBarron Preserve on Barrancas Avenue in Bokeelia The work party begins at 9 a m and goes to noon, with pizza brought in for the crew about 11:45 a m It is a time to share food and conversation with each other

Summer has been good for the invasive plants that CLT volunteers are constantly battling to minimize on the preserves to give the native species room to flourish CLT's focus for the first work/fun party will be removing the new growth of ear leaf acacia, Brazilian pepper and any other invasive plants that the group may come across

If you would like to get involved in helping the small group of volunteers, join i n f o r t h e f i r s t o u t i n g i n O c t o b e r

Volunteers do not have to be a CLT member to participate but if you are not a member and would like to join the CLT, go to the CLT website and hit the join button

The CLT currently have approximately 2,400 acres under its care on the island and is looking to protect any available natural uplands from further clearing

The schedule for this season is as follows:

Oct. 12 - Wigert/Barron Preserve

Nov 9 - Taylor/Willow Lake Preserve

Dec 14 - St Jude Trail

Jan 11 - Fritt’s Park

Preserve

March 8 - Nancy Weir Preserve

April 12 - Calusa Island Preserve

May 10 - Krier Island Preserve

pressing needs of preserves. Notice of CLT work/fun parties are published in the Pine Island Eagle a week or two before

Calusa Land Trust volunteers working at an island preserve

calusalandtrust.org. Come out and join the CLT in October and help it preserve some of the natural beauty of this place many call home

Church of God of Prophecy chicken dinner Sept. 14

The Church of God of Prophecy will be having a chicken dinner Saturday, Sept 14 Dinner will be takeout only, no dine in The price is $10 per dinner -- chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn or green beans, dinner roll and dessert Chicken is fried in peanut oil. Gluten free and baked chicken are available upon request Call your order in to 239-283-2128 as soon as possible, quantities are limited Pick-up will be from 12:30-3 p m T h e c h u r c h i s l o c a t e d a t 1 5 1 4 6 Stringfellow Road, Bokeelia.

Link to Wulkan’s book sales site

Wulkan new bestseller, “High Vibrational Wellness,” or her other publications, visit the following link: https://www ama-

ping PortalEnabled=true

Wulkan is an island resident who has written a number of best selling books She was featured in last week's Pine Island Eagle. To read her story, visit the pineisland-eagle com website or use

bokeelia-resident-writes-newbestseller/

Lainie Sevante Wulkan

OPINIONS

10700 Stringfellow Road, Ste 60 Bokeelia, FL 33922

Phone: (239) 283-2022

Fax: (239) 283-0232

Web: pineisland-eagle com

Publisher Raymond M Eckenrode reckenrode@breezenewspapers com

Executive Editor

Valarie Harring

vharring@breezenewspapers com

Editor Paulette LeBlanc

pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

Advertising Director

Laurie Ragle

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Advertising Sales

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Design & Layout

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Debbie Carletti

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Eagle Editorial Is nothing sacred?

In usual times, the third anniversary of the debacle that was the withdrawal from Afghanistan would have passed this week with fading headlines, fewer local remembrances and continued personal heartache among those who lost loved ones in the final hours of America’s longest war

But these are not usual times, it’s Election 2024 and the times they are achangin’

President Joe Biden on Monday issued a statement on the anniversary of the terrorist

American troops were assisting with evacuation efforts

He again lauded their efforts as well as the efforts of the 20,744 American service members who were wounded, of the 2,461 who did not make it home during the 20year conflict

Vice President and presidential hopeful Kamala Harris’ statement was similar with a couple of political threads woven in, adding “President Biden made the courageous and r i g h t d e c i s i o n t o e n d A m e r i c a ’ s l o n g e s t war.”

Former president and current candidate Donald Trump, meanwhile, made a visit to Arlington National Cemetery at the invitation of Gold Star families to support them in their grief

Photos and video were shared in a campaign TikTok, which stirred up swift contro-

Vote climate

To the editor:

Web Poll

Previous Web Poll Question: Have you been watching/following the Democratic Convention?

■ Yes 29%

■ No 43%

■ Occasionally 21%

■ I’m not interested 7% Current Web Poll Question: Does continuous off-island development along Pine Island Road concern you?

■ Yes, the road is our only access to the island

■ Only when it encroaches too close to the islands

■ Not really

■ It’s gonna happen, what can you do?

your opinion at

com

For the record, last year, 2023, is now officially the hottest year on planet earth since record keeping began in 1850 The warmest day on earth was July 22, 2024 Hurricane Ian, which hit Southwest Florida with the largest storm surge since 1873, resulted in $112 billion dollars in damage While there are still people reading this that believe Climate Change is a hoax, or a cycle, or simply overblown, there is a very powerful group of people who disagree They are called Actuaries and they work for the insurance industry

Florida gets hit by approximately 40% of all hurricanes that land in the United States

warmest ocean waters ever recorded and storm after storm stirring along hurricane

accountants are paying attention Large reinsurance firms, such as Munich-re or Lloyds

versy and a rare U S Army rebuke

What was missing sorely, grievously, unforgivingly missing on this third-year milestone was accountability from the two main principals who share responsibility for t h e s t e p s t h a t l e d u p t o , a n d f o r w h a t occurred, on Aug 26, 2021

Neither President Biden under whose watch our country’s exit left an estimated 15,000-plus American civilians and contractors in harm’s way nor former president Trump who took credit for negotiating the agreement with the Taliban to withdraw the remaining 2,500 or so U S troops in Afghanistan by May 1 of that year have accepted proper accountability for their respective roles in the exit debacle, the details of which are outlined in scathing S t a t e D e p a r t m e n t a n d N a t

Council after action reports

Each continue to blame each other, with President Biden saying his predecessor laid the foundation for failure by leaving no plan in place to accomplish the withdrawal and former president Trump’s TikTok blaming Biden for the “disaster ”

Let us be clear:

There is no “credit” to be taken here.

There is, in fact, enough discredit that it should shame them both:

Letters to the Editor

of London that cover the losses of thousands of smaller insurance companies are raising their rates with every degree of warming They are in the insurance business to make money and storms like Ian, Debbie and the next BIG ONE scare the hell out of them Which brings us to politics While there are still plenty of climate change deniers out there in Congress or running for office they are not on your side Florida already leads the nation in insurance costs with a projected average cost in 2024 of $11,759 annually

e a d y requested a 50% increase for 2025 If you vote for candidates who reject the very idea of climate change you are, in essence, voting for higher insurance premiums. Drill baby drill might mean your gas prices drop a few dollars in the short term, but don’t you think that paying $15,000-17,000 a year for your home insurance policies is a far bigger problem? That’s why you should make sure your c

The withdrawal program under Trump’s Administration was erratic, overly optimistic and, according to some military leaders, unlikely to hit the agreed-upon deadline without grave repercussions

The execution under the newly elected Biden Administration was, yes, a disaster

In addition to the human endangerment and additional loss of life, it allowed the weaponry and cash left behind by the collapsed government to establish, equip and support to the Taliban

Let us today, three years later, turn away from Election 2024 and all of its blamegame rhetoric that has become politics du jour

Let us put the focus where it should be, on the memory of all those who enlisted, all those who served, all those who deployed, all those who were wounded, all those who died

Let us remember:

■ Marine Corps Lance Cpl David Lee Espinoza, 20, of Laredo, Texas

■ Marine Corps Sgt Nicole Gee, 23, of Roseville, Calif

■ Marine Corps Staff Sgt Taylor Hoover, 31, of Utah

change, but that they are willing to do something about it Otherwise drop your coverage and risk everything you have in an overheated world Good luck with that one

Charles Sobczak Sanibel

‘Project 2025’ will destroy democracy

To the editor:

Having just finished the booklet “Project 2025 ” people need to realize that the election of ANY Republican is an avenue to turn Democracy upside down The plan is to provide tax and legislative changes to create more wealth to the richest of the rich, to create a Christian nation of laws that doesn’t allow any other aspect of human nature to legally exist in America You can recall the term “Trickle down economics” created with the election of Ronald Reagan, where tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans would trickle down to help create jobs and growth for the middle class, but in reality nothing trickled down Good-paying middle class jobs disappeared with the tax cuts only benefiting the rich Project 2025 is a regurgitation of the same recipe, with new plans to subject the 95% of Americans to a Republican Dictator in the White House

Take the time to read this plan, to digest the lies which will make you vomit If you v o t e f o r a R e p u b l i c a n y o u ’

destroy American Democracy. David Kenney Cape Coral

Teens’ first jobs must be safe jobs

I n r e c e n t y

S t a n d a r d s A c t w e r e d e s i g n e d t o e n s u r e

j u s t t h a t t h a t c h i l d r e n h a v e s a f e ,

h e a l t h y j o b s t h a t d o n o t s t a n d i n t h e w a y

o f t h e i r e d u c a t i o n a l o p p o r t u n i t i e s A t t h e

U S D e p a r t m e n t o f L a b o r ’ s W a g e a n d

H o u r D i v i s i o n , w e a r e d e d i c a t e d t o m a k -

i n g t h e s e p r o t e c t i o n s a r e a l i t y f o r t h e

y o u n g p e o p l e i n o u r c o m m u n i t y

H e r e i n F l o r i d a , a r e c e n t U S

D e p a r t m e n t o f L a b o r i n v e s t i g a t i o n

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

d r e n u n d e r a g e 1 6 t o w o r k l o n g e r h o u r s

t h a n l e g a l l y a l l o w e d .

U n f o r t u n a t e l y , c a s e s l i k e o u r r e c e n t

F l o r i d a i n v e s t i g a t i o n r e m i n d u s t h a t i l l e -

g a l c h i l d l a b o r i s n o t a t h i n g o f t h e p a s t

From page 4

■ Army Staff Sgt Ryan Knauss, 23, of Corryton, Tenn

■ Marine Corps Cpl Hunter Lopez, 22, of Indio, Calif

■ M a r i n e C o r p s L a n c e C p l R y l e e McCollum, 20, of Bondurant, Wyoming

■ Marine Corps Lance Cpl Dylan R M

e c t i n g t h e m o s t v u l n e r a b l e w o r k e r s i n o u r

c o u n t r y a n d o u r s t a t e –

k i d s W e a r e p r o v i d i n g e d u c a t i o n a n d t r a i n i n g t o p a r e n t s , y o u t h , s c h o o l o f f i c i a l s a n d e m p l o y e r s s o t h a t e v e r y o n e u n d e r -

s t a n d s t h e r u l e s a n d h o w t h e y c a n h e l p p r o t e c t

F l o r i d a ’ s y o u n g e s t w o r k -

e r s B u t t h i s i s n ’ t j u s t t h e

j o b o f t h e D e p a r t m e n t o f L a b o r E v e r y o n e i n v o l v e d

i n a y o u n g w o r k e r ’ s l i f e

c a n p l a y a r o l e i n k e e p i n g c h i l d r e n o u t o f h a r m ’ s

w a y B y s t a y i n g i n f o r m e d

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

o u s j o b s a n d e x c e s s i v e h o u r s , w e c a n

e n s u r e t h a t t e e n a g e r s ’ f i r s t j o b s a r e

g o o d , s a f e j o b s P o s i t i v e , a g e - a p p r o p r i -

a t e w o r k e x p e r i e n c e s c a n a l l o w y o u n g

Eagle Editorial

■ Marine Corps Lance Cpl Kareem Mae’Lee Nikoui, 20, of Norco, Calif.

■ Marine Corps Cpl Daegan WilliamTyeler Page, 23, of Omaha

■ Marine Corps Sgt Johanny Rosario Pichardo, 25, of Lawrence, Mass

■ M a r i n e C o r p s C p l H u m b e r t o Sanchez, 22, of Logansport, Ind

■ M a r i n e C o r p s L a n c e C p l J a r e d

Schmitz, 20, of Wentzville, Mo

■ Navy Hospital Corpsman Maxton Soviak, 22, of Berlin Heights, Ohio

Let us remember, too, all of the 2,448 U S service members who died in service before them, all of the 20,752 service members who were wounded in a war that was launched as a result of an attack on American soil

While the outcome may have not been

p e o p l e t o d e v e l o p s k i l l s a n d l e a r n w h a t i t m e a n s t o

what was hoped for, while the endgame may have ended not with a win or military defeat, but a flipped-over gameboard with pieces still in play, they did their duty when their country called them

And they made America safer as a result W

again for your sacrifice

You are not forgotten

Nicolas Ratmiroff Guest Commentary

Male adolescent bottlenose dolphins

Female bottlenose dolphins give birth to one calf every 2-3 years and form very tight bonds with the females in the nursery pod

Male bottlenose dolphins leave the comfort of their mother and the nursery pod when they are weaned at around 2-3 years old The males form boisterous gangs with other young males and become so unruly that the females actually chase them out of the family pod Females remain with their mothers, grandmothers, and great grandmothers to help raise the calves and to support one another.

Dolphin social structures are very fluid and complex Just as in the human world, pre-adolescence in the dolphin world can be a difficult time The newly weaned males must find one or two males who will be their best friends. This bond of friends is an alliance that may last a lifetime It is essential for survival They look

out for each other, seek out fishing grounds and seek out fertile females

Male dolphins reach adolescence when they become sexually mature which is usually between 7-12 years of age. Females reach sexual maturity between 7-10 years of age Prior to sexual maturity, dolphins engage in play behavior which prepares them for the actual mating which will produce offspring

Playful activity is clearly fun for the dolphins They chase each other, head butt each other, as well as scratch each other with their teeth I often see the rake marks on the dolphins from the scratching activity The actual mating is quick lasting a few seconds and then the male is off to the next mate Dolphins are clearly polygamous!

As the males reach sexual maturity, the small alliances of 2-3 males will join forces

with other small alliances to form up to 14 members who help each other find females to herd and mate with They may even steal females from other male alliances As well, if other alliances try to steal your females, the other males on your team will come in and help you

These “teams” are formed when the dolphins are still young These larger alliances can also last a lifetime Every male is directly connected to between 22-50 other males The stronger the bonds, the more success in attracting females

Capt Cathy Eagle has spent over 40 years boating on our local waters As a professional charter captain, she specializes in dolphin and

call/text 239-994-2572 Welcome aboard!

FDOT: Single lane of traffic to continue during ongoing construction project on Little Pine Island Bridge in Matlacha

BARTOW, Fla –

This weekly report was prepared by the Florida Department of Transportation to inform the public about upcoming road work in Southwest Florida

Pine Island Road Causeway and Bridge Permanent Repairs:

Construction project: As part of the Emergency Restoration of the Pine Island Road Causeway and Bridge, crews will be working in the project boundaries along CR 78 Pine Island Road from west of Little Pine I

Shoreview Drive

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

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

■ Motorists can expect occasional lane closures on the causeway for delivery/removal of materials, transfer

of equipment as crews perform work on the south side

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

■ Since the start of construction with the Little Pine Island Bridge, boaters are asked to be aware of construction equipment and erosion control measures that are in place

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

■ Pedestrians and bicyclists are not permitted within the construction zone

■ Please use caution and watch for workers and con-

struction vehicles entering and exiting the roadway

■ Noise from construction equipment in the area is to be expected

■ Work will continue through the Labor Day holiday weekend, so motorists and boaters are asked to use caution in the area

Drivers are asked to please be patient and plan for additional travel time as traffic flow may be slower than usual in the area.

Travelers can visit www FL511 com or dial “511” from their phone to learn about traffic conditions on major roadways across the state

For additional information about FDOT, please visit its website at https://www fdot gov/

Greater Pine Island Emergency Task Force seeking volunteers

Those in need of help from the Greater Pine Island Emergency Task Force or who wish to volunteer for the organization, please visit Beaconofhopepineisland com and follow the GPIETF portal to the "who we are" or

"online volunteer application" pages

The task force has removed the Social Security request on the application for volunteers Background checks can be performed without that information

Capt Cathy Eagle Dolphin Tales

Nominees sought for annual Golden Apple Teacher Recognition Program

Deadline for submissions is Sept. 20

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

With another school year underway, the community is being asked to nominate outstanding teachers for the 38th annual G o l d e n A p p e l T e a c h e r R

g n i t i o n Program

“It begins every year at the beginning of school We get the nomination forms o u t

n m a n y d i f

d Marshall Bower, president and CEO for The Foundation for Lee County Public Schools

The recognition program nomination forms are emailed to principals and published with copies also sent to the schools

The Foundation get the forms out in every which way they can, as they want students and families to know they can shine a light on an outstanding teacher by nominating them, Bower said

The deadline to submit an application is Sept 20 and can also be done online, at

apple/

Once the deadline is reached, all the teachers who were nominated will receive an email from Bower sharing how the application process works Those nominated teachers are asked to apply into the

Program There are such questions as

information about their background, education and teaching style

Last year, the number of nominations exceeded 3,000

“It has been going up and up over the years I think that is indicative of the fact that our students and families and peers really do recognize we have a great many of really good teachers in the School District of Lee County,” Bower said

He wants the teachers to understand this nomination is the community thanking them for all of their hard work

The teacher applications are then sent to the selection committee, which is comprised of independent individuals from the business and retirement communities

“They review all the applications and then rank them,” Bower said of what he

group

The applications are reviewed right before the holiday season kicks off

“They have to hit the road everywhere from Pine Island to Sanibel Island to east Lee County to Lehigh to all over Cape Coral,” Bower said, as they have to get an idea of what the teachers are like in the classroom

The process eventually narrows the list to the top 100 who will be honored this year, and then reduced again to the top 30 finalists

The 30 finalists then will have visits in their classroom from the selection committee before the final part of the application process a selection committee interview From there the six Golden Apple teachers are selected.

“It’s a year long of honoring them through various types of things breakfast at McDonald’s, social at Chico’s and then honor the top six at the banquet I love the banquet because it shines a light

unique and touching way,” he said

With that said, Bower’s favorite part of the process is surprising the six Golden Apple recipients in their classroom

The students’ reactions is what he enjoys, as their reaction is “we” won, as opposed to “my teacher won,” Bower said

“The teachers all say that, too: ‘I am a winner because of the students ’ It really makes you gratified that we have professionals that want to be there and do their best to turn out future great citizens,” Bower said

Legion Riders Chapter 136 to host 9/11 remembrance ceremony

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

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

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

Sheriff Department will be

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

The ceremony is free and open to the public

Refreshments will be available

White, with ceremonial raising of the flag by American Legion Riders

MCA to hold Hurricane Ian recovery event Sept. 28

The Matlacha Civic Association will be hosting the second annual Hurricane Ian recovery event Saturday, Sept 28, at 6 p m , at the RE/MAX Sunshine office at the corner of Pine Island Road and Island Avenue, Bokeelia

This year’s theme is the butterfly, as the islands are in

recovery and transforming into beauty

There will be live music, recognition of community heroes with the Island Angel Awards, along with a guest speaker Local artists have hand-painted butterflies that will be displayed the night of the event Over 300 LED

butterflies will be lit in honor of our courage, strength and transformation of the islands.

Please join us in this uplifting evening

For more on the MCA, visit https://matlachacivic

Elks National Foundation accepting scholarship applications

The Elks National Foundation has announced the start of the 2025 Elks Most Valuable Student scholarship contest The MVS scholarship is available to high school seniors who are United States citizens Applicants do not need to be related to a member of the Elks

The judging criteria is based on academics, leadership, service and financial need

The application is completed online and must be submitted by the Nov 12, 2024 deadline The 500 national winners will be announced in April 2025

The top 20 national finalists will participate in the Leadership Weekend in Chicago and receive $30,000 s c h o

p s T h

receive $4,000 scholarships.

The Elks National Foundation invested more than $4 million in college scholarships this year MVS scholars, all of whom demonstrate outstanding leadership skills and a commitment to service, are graduating from college at a rate of 90%, a remarkable 30% higher than the national average

This success rate should inspire confidence in your potential to succeed with the MVS scholarship

Since 1931, the Elks National Foundation has helped thousands of students who need financial assistance to

How to appeal FEMA’s decision

If you receive a letter from FEMA and you disagree with FEMA’s decision about your eligibility, you can appeal the decision FEMA might need more information to continue processing your application

Once FEMA has reviewed your application, the results of the inspection and documentation you provided, you will receive a letter explaining:

■ Whether you are approved for assistance

■ How much assistance you will receive

■ How the assistance must be used

■ How to appeal FEMA’s decision

If you are initially not approved for assistance, you may appeal within 60 days of the date of the decision letter

If you have questions regarding the letter or how to appeal, you may visit a Disaster Recovery Center or call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362

1 What to include when you appeal

The letter from FEMA will provide additional information on the types of documents or information that you may need to provide FEMA will also include an optional appeal form that may be used to help provide additional information

When submitting any documentation or information to FEMA, you must include your FEMA application number and disaster number (DR-4806) on every

For appeals by a third party, the applicant or coapplicant must also have a valid Written Consent on file for the third party with authorization to appeal or represent the applicant at the time of inspection.

2 How to submit your appeal

You can submit your appeal and supporting documentation:

■ Online at DisasterAssistance gov Log into your account and upload supporting documents via the Correspondence Upload Center.

■ B y

10055 Hyattsville, MD 20782-8055

■ By fax: (800) 827-8112, Attention: FEMA –Individuals & Households Program

fulfill their dreams of attending college MVS scholars are outstanding students who are at or near the top of their class, active in school and community activities and recognized as leaders by their peers

Applications for the 2025 contest are readily available on the Elks National Foundation's website

To ensure you have all the necessary details, including the application, visit enf elks org/MVS

To learn more about the Elks National Foundation's scholarships, visit elks.org/ scholars, follow the ENF on

Facebook @ElksNationalFoundation

If you want more information about Florida Elks Scholarships and lodge scholarships, contact Greater Pine Island Elks Lodge 2781, Judy Hopkins, ENF Scholarship Chair, at juhopkins@ msn com

September ’s a great month to fish area waters

S e p t e m b e r b r i n g s s o m e o f t h e b e s t f i s h i n g o f t h e y e a r a n d i s o f t e n o v e r l o o k e d i n

S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a W i t h s c h o o l b a c k i n s e s s i o n , s u mm e r v a c a t i o n s o v e r a n d o u r n o r t h e r n f r i e n d s o u t o f s t a t e , t h i s m a y b e t h e t i m e y o u w i l l f i n d t h e l e a s t n u m b e r o f a n g l e r s a n d b o a t s o n t h e w a t e r W i t h t e m p e r a t u r

s t o r

d i c t a b l e a n d e n j o y a b l e . O f c o u r s e , t h i s i s t h e h e i g h t o f

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

c h a n g e s u d d e n l y F i s h a r e

m o r e a c t i v e t h r o u g h o u t t h e

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

d o w n e v e r s o s l i g h t l y

S n o o k g r a d u a l l y e x i t t h e b e a c h e s a n d

G u l f p a s s e s w h e r e t h e y s p e n d t h e s u m -

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

b a r s , s h o r e l i n e s , s a n d h o l e s a n d s t r u ct u r e s s u c h a s r i p r a p , d o c k s , p i e r s a n d

b a i t i s t h e b e s t b e t d u r i n g d a y t i

b r i d g e s T o p - w a t e r l u r e s a r e a g o o d c h o i c e o v e r t h e e a r l y m o r n i n g a n d e v e n i n g h o u r s T h e r e ’ s n o t m u c h b e t t e r t h a n w a t c h i n g a b i g l u n k e r s n o o k e x p l o d e o n a t o pw a t e r b a i t L i v e

i n g f a s t

n y o u t h i n k , a c o u p l e h u n d r e d y a r d s i s a g o o d s t a r t i n g p o i n t . W h i l e s c h o o l i n g t h e y w i l l e a t m o s t a n yt h i n g , b u t i t ’ s i n y o u r f a v o r t o r i g w i t h s o m e t h i n g y o u c a n t h r o w a l o n g d i s t a n c e a s t h e y d o n o t a l w a y s f o l l o w y o u r a n t i c -

i p a t e d p a t h A f e w b a i t s t h a t c o m e t o m i n d a r e m i d t o l a r g e t o p - w a t e r p l u g s ,

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

M o s t s c h o o l i n g f i s h m e a s u r e 2 7 i n c h e s

September is a good month to hook into a big seatrout. Mary Valpie caught and released this one fishing in north Pine Island Sound with Capt. Bill Russell.

a n d a b o v e I f f i s h i n g w i t h l i v e o r n a t u r a l

b a i t , c i r c l e h o o k s a r e t h e w a y t o g o

T r a v e l i n g i n s c h o o l s , r e d f i s h a r e

c o m p e t i n g f o r f o o d a n d s u c k d o w n b a i t

p r e t t y q u i c k T h e u s e o f c i r c l e h o o k s

r e d u c e s t h e c h a n c e o f g u t - h o o k i n g a n d

a l l o w s f o r a h e a l t h y r e l e a s e

S e a t r o u t a r e m o v i n g b a c k i n t o s h a l -

l o w e r w a t e r t o f e e d ; t h i s i s a g r e a t t i m e

t o w o r k a t o p - w a t e r p l u g a c r o s s y o u r

f a v o r i t e t r o u t f l a t s P l e n t y o f s e a t r o u t w i l l b e c a u g h t u n d e r t h e e n d l e s s s c h o o l s

o f b a i t f i s h - - l o o k f o r b i r d s a n d s u r f a c e

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

f i s h g e t b i g g e r , a s t h e w a t e r c o n t i n u e s t o

c o o l o v e r t h e m o n t h

S p a n i s h m a c k e r e l , s h a r k s , s n a p p e r , j a c k c r e v a l l e , b l u e f i s h , p o m p a n o , p e r -

m i t , t r i p l e t a i l , t a r p o n , c o b i a a n d o t h e r s

a r e o n t h e l i s t o f w h a t w e m a y e x p e c t t o

h o o k i n t o o v e r t h e u p c o m i n g m o n t h s

I n s h o r e m a n g r o v e s n a p p e r f i s h i n g

w a s g o o d t h r o u g h t h e s u m m e r a n d

s h o u l d c o n t i n u e i n t o S e p t e m b e r .

S n a p p e r s c h o o l u p a r o u n d s o m e t y p e o f s t r u c t u r e t h a t c o u l d i n c l u d e b r i d g e p i l -

i n g s , d o c k s , p i e r s , o y s t e r b a r s , c r e e k s ,

m a n g r o v e s s h o r e l i n e s , b a r e d g e s o r a n y

t y p e m a n - m a d e o r n a t u r a l s t r u c t u r e

O f f s h o r e , t h e y a r e o v e r a r t i f i c i a l r e e f s a n d l i m e s t o n e l e d g e s . S c a l e d o w n y o u r

t a c k l e w i t h a l i g h t f l u o r o c a r b o n l e a d e r

o f 2 0 p o u n d s o r l i g h t e r a n d s m a l l h o o k s

B e s t b a i t s i n c l u d e s h r i m p ( l i v e o r

d e a d ) , s m a l l p i l c h a r d s o r p i n f i s h a n d a v a r i e t y o f c u t b a i t s C h u m m i n g i s a g r e a t o p t i o n t o a t t r a c t s n a p p e r a n d g e t t h e m f i r e d u p . S n a p p e r i s o n e o f o u r b e s t t a s ti n g f i s h

S h a r k s o f a l l s i z e s a r e r o a m i n g t h e i n s h o r e a n d o f f s h o r e w a t e r s T h e y c o m -

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

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

c r e v a l l e , m u l l e t o r b o n i t o g e t s t h e i r

a t t e n t i o n M a k e s u r e a n d u s e a c o u p l e o f

f e e t o f w i r e l e a d e r , b r a i d , o r s i n g l e

s t r a n d T a r p o n a r e n ’ t i n t h e b i g s c h o o l s l i k e a f e w m o n t h s a g o b u t a r e a r o u n d a n d m a y a p p e a r a n y w h e r e i n s h o r e a n d n e a r s h o r e T a r p o n c a n b e f i n i c k y , t h e b e s t t i m e t o h o o k o n e i s e a r l y m o r n i n g a n d l a t e a f t e rn o o n i n t o t h e n i g h t O f f s h o r e , a f t e r a h o t s u m m e r w a t e r t e m p e r a t u r e s b e g i n d r o p p i n g b r i n g i n g f i s h c l o s e r t o s h o r e i n s h a l l o w e r d e p t h s .

P l u s , p e l a g i c s p e c i e s b e g i n m o v i n g d o w n t h e c o a s t I ’ m n o t s u r e w h a t ’ s g o i n g o n w i t h g a g g r o u p e r s e a s o n , i t a p p e a r s n o w t h a t i t ’ s o n l y o p e n i n g f o r a s h o r t t i m e i n S e p t e m b e r M a k e s u r e a n d

c h e c k r e g u l a t i o n s f o r w h e n i t i s o p e n o r

c l o s e d . S e a s o n s s e e m t o b e a l t e r e d w i t ho u t m u c h n o t i c e A m e r i c a n r e d s n a p p e r s e a s o n h a s o p e n d a y s o n a n d o f f t h r o u g h

S e p t e m b e r A r t i f i c i a l r e e f s t h a t d o t o u r c o a s t , a l o n g w i t h h a r d b o t t o m a n d l e d g e s i n 3 0 t o 7 0 - f o o t d e p t h s a r e g r e a t l o c a t i o n s t o c a t c h a v a r i e t y o f d i f f e r e n t f i s h f r o m s m a l l t o l a r g e , i n c l u d i n g g a g g r o u p e r F o r r e d s n a p p e r , a f u r t h e r r u n t o d e e p e r d e p t h s i s r e q u i r e d , b e g i n n i n g a r o u n d 1 4 0 f e e t a n d d e e p e r S t a y u p t o d a t e w i t h f i s h i n g r e g u l at i o n s b y v i s i t i n g w w w m y f w c c o m A l s o , u p l o a d t h e F i s h R u l e s a p p o n y o u r p h o n e I t h a s c u r r e n t r e g u l a t i o n s a n d s e a s o n s w i t h p i c t u r e s t o h e l p i d e n t i f y f i s h I t w i l l n o t b e l o n g b e f o r e t o u r i s t s e as o n i s u p o n u s w i t h r o a d s a n d w a t e r w a y s b e c o m i n g c r o w d e d T h a t ’ s n o t t h e c a s e f o r S e p t e m b e r , i f y o u w a n t t o s p e n d t i m e f i s h i n g o r j u s t o n t h e w a t e r w i t h o u t a c r o w d , t h i s i s t h e m o n t h S e a s o n w i l l b e h e r e s o o n ! H a v e a s a f e w

PHOTO PROVIDED

Capt. Bill Russell On the Water

Lee Clerk expanding services at Cape Coral office

To better meet the needs of the growing community, the Lee County Clerk’s office has expanded services at its Cape Coral location

As a part of the expansion, couples can now apply for and record marriage licenses in Cape Coral

The new service joins other recently added services, including civil injunctions for protection and evictions

Previously, anyone in Cape Coral who needed these services had to travel to the downtown Fort Myers location

“We are proud to continually expand our services to meet the needs of the communities we serve,” said Clerk & Comptroller Kevin Karnes “As Lee County grows, we

are committed to ensuring our citizens have convenient access to the services they need We know marriage licenses are one of our most popular and asked-about services, and we’re excited to be able to offer that in Cape Coral now ”

The Cape Coral office is on the second floor of the John E Manning Government Complex, at 1039 S E 9th Place It’s open Monday – Friday, 8:30 a m – 5 p m

Wedding ceremonies can be performed at the Cape location, however, anyone interested in getting married at the Clerk’s office’s dedicated wedding room can do so at the downtown Fort Myers location Couples can also

apply for their marriage license and schedule a virtual wedding ceremony online at www leeclerk org/marriage

The Cape Coral branch originally opened around 20 years ago as an additional location for customers to pay traffic tickets It has since grown to offer Cape Coral residents more than a dozen key Clerk services, including the ability to record deeds, mortgages, and other official records Customers can also pay traffic fines, court case fees, probation, and other municipal and county infractions at the Cape Coral branch

For a full list of services, please visit www leeclerk org/CapeCoral

Southwest Florida Council of Scouting America recruiting scouts

The Southwest Florida Council of Scouting America is recruiting the next generation of future leaders Cub Scout Packs are offering informational sessions for girls and boys grades K-5 interested in joining a local pack Scouting America’s Cub Scout program provides youth with opportunities and adventures that allow them to try new things, provide service to others, build self-confidence and reinforce ethical standards

LeeTran to hold

career

Cub Scout Packs in counties throughout Florida’s west coast are inviting parents or guardians and children to learn about Cub Scouts and the various activities, special events, service projects, Pinewood Derby and camping opportunities throughout the year

Each Pack schedules its own weekly and monthly meetings at local churches, primary schools or communi-

fair Sept. 10 in Fort Myers

Lee County Transit, LeeTran, will host a career fair

10 a m to 1 p m Tuesday, Sept 10, at the LeeTran headquarters building, 3401 Metro Parkway The event is open to the public with the hope of encouraging prospective employees to join the LeeTran team

LeeTran offers a diverse range of career opportunities, such as drivers, maintenance technicians, administrative specialists and seasonal roles

Visit the upcoming event to:

■ Learn about available positions: Get the inside scoop on the various roles within LeeTran From driving buses to maintaining the fleet, there’s a position that suits your skills and interests

■ On-the-spot interviews: Attendees will have the

opportunity to meet with hiring managers and participate in on-the-spot interviews

■ Competitive benefits package: Discover the perks of being part of the LeeTran family Opportunities offer competitive benefits, including comprehensive training opportunities, support and more

Transportation is a public service that keeps Lee County moving Potential employees are offered the opportunity to amplify their skills in a collaborative environment through extensive on-the-job training and support

Those interested in joining the LeeTran team who are unable to attend the job fair can visit https://www leegov com/leetran/nowhiring for more information

‘Things to do on Pine Island

He described Pine Island as a unique gem with water access and in 1998, he said they bought their first house on Pine Island

“When we went out looking for homes, we exhausted Cape Coral and then we went to Fort Myers Beach Sitting on a street in Cape Coral, Jennifer said, 'Let’s go look on Pine Island,'” Russell said

During Hurricane Ian, the couple found themselves being utilized repeatedly for the purpose of communication They agree remaining somewhat incognito has helped a great deal, as there may be thousands passing through their Facebook page at any time and the couple hardly wants to leave anything or anyone out worth mentioning on their page, lest they be accused of favoritism The greatest reason for creating the "things to do page," Russell said, was for an extraordinary place like Pine Island to get a fraction of the attention received by local neighbors, such as Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel

“Pine Islanders all want to take care of each other that was evident during the hurricane,” Russell said

From page 1

Buck said

The couple said they are active in the Pine Island community and they plan to stay that way as their business grows

“We’re in demand and it’s great,” Buck said, explaining the struggle to keep their product on hand

The couple said they are having a really good time as a two-person team and have found inspiration in many places, such as their friends, who have taught them to jump in and take chances on the things life sends their way, such as this business

“One thing that makes the YOGAZ unique is the ecofriendly fabric,” Pelton said

For more about the product, visit www yogaz com or email yogi@yogaz com

From page 1

The couple insists the page is about giving Pine Island the exposure that it deserves online

“The whole thing - it’s not about us, it’s about the island It’s about showing its assets and trying to get more people involved in the community,” Russell said

For additional information, visit mktmania com

Southwest-FloridaScouts com or call

239-734-7222

Since its inception in 1910, more than 130 million young women and men have participated in Scouting America’s youth programs, like Cub Scouts, which is dedicated to encouraging girls and boys to make friends, be helpful to others and do their best no matter the outcome

Cub Scouts is a grade-specific program that young people progress through as they get older By achieving certain goals, known as “Adventures,” based on the areas of importance in scouting like exhibiting leadership, spending time outdoors and practicing personal safety, scouts can earn a badge each year of membership

In Cub Scouts, there are opportunities to spend time as a family and to do interactive activities designed to be fun for children, while teaching them about perseverance and developing leadership and problem-solving skills

For additional information on Cub Scouts, please visit the SouthwestFloridaScouts com website or call 239734-7222

Elyssa

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

n g looks amazing in almost any setting. Sitting next to you on the sofa, draped at the foot of your bed or with her fur dancing in the breeze through a window Not only is she a stunning conversation piece, but she will even allow you to pet her How generous! Her royal-ness asks that you not fight over her, just simply come and meet her She's sure to choose you as her companion. For more inform

Animal Sanctuary at 239-283-

donate, our address is 10060 Mallory Parkway E, Unit D, St J

Cape man sets speed record at Bonneville Salt Flats

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

Age is just a number. And the need for speed never dies

Cape Coral resident Bill Wendt, who just celebrated his 85th birthday, recently accomplished a nearly decade-long goal when he set a land speed record at the historic Bonneville Salt Flats

Wendt traveled a blistering 144 4 mph in his ’47 Crosley H-Diesel pickup named “Mighty Mouse,” because its very streamline It’s very, very small It’s the world’s smallest diesel truck ”

The engine he used to set the record in that classification? A 1 5-liter Renault Wendt, the oldest driver in the field of more than 600 at the salts, crushed the previous record of 135 mph

In setting this record, Wendt made two runs with his speeds averaged together, having to qualify to earn a second pass If the average speed met the threshold, he would be the new record holder With a first speed of 144.92, and a second of 144.2, he was in fact the new top speed for the H-Diesel pickup classification.

Wendt said he chopped the top 3 inches, and modified the engine by adding a compound turbo that pushed out 220 horsepower.

“I made it into a Mustang five-speed transmission,” Wendt said of the modifications made “I highly modified the front rear suspension, and reinforced the frame with a big, stout roll cage in it. There’s lots of strict safety rules ”

Being a seasoned racer, Wendt has traveled well over 200 mph behind the wheel of a vehicle

In setting this record, he made two runs with his speeds averaged together, having to qualify to earn a second pass. If the average speed met the threshold, he would be the new record holder

W i t h a f i r s t s p e e d o f 144 92, and a second of 144.2, he was in fact the new top speed for the H-

D i e s e l p i c k u p c l a s s i f i c ation

“It’s very prestigious to hold a record there,” Wendt said “But we were pretty sure we were going to get the record, because we’ve been running good But the l a s t t w o y e a r s , w e g o t rained out We knew with what we had in it, it should run that fast, and it did This is the first time we got to run it real good with that compound turbo ”

The salt flats are a dried salt lake, spanning 23 miles

a c r o s s a t a n a l t i t u d e o f 7,800 feet, which Wendt said is so big and flat you can see the curvature of the earth

“When you're driving on it, it’s like being on a good dirt road,” he said “It’s not like asphalt It’s actual sea salt ” Wendt has been racing

for 70 years, and has always had a passion for the automotive world

“I always liked cars,” Wendt said “Ever since I was a little boy When I was 5 years old, I told my mom I wanted to build race cars and wanted to drive race cars. And she helped me as best as she could towards that goal ”

Tragically, Wendt's mother was murdered before she could ever see him race

“She’s up there watching me race,” he said. “And she saves my life every now and then ”

Wendt grew up in Chicago before moving to Indiana to live with his grandparents He returned to Illinois for school and opened up a welding business Wendt eventually relocated to Texas, where he continued welding and developed a successful business there

All the while, Wendt continued his love of going fast, participating in professional drag racing in Denton, Texas driving funny cars, which he did for 18 years.

“I had a very successful funny car called ‘Smokey Bear,’ that was painted black and white like a Texas police car,” Wendt said “It was always the most popular car wherever I ran ”

Wendt said his first real competitive race car was a ’52 Studebaker V8, which ran in stock class, with Wendt achieving various records

When Wendt first moved from Texas to Florida, he took about a year off before picking it back up, building and racing, along with his best friend and sponsor, David Johnston

“I get to build the cars and drive them,” Wendt said

The long-time Cape resident is also passionate about his hot rods, including his ’32 Ford he bought 67 years ago.

“It’s had 11 engines, two frames, five r e a r - e n d s , t h r e e f r o n t - e n d s , f i v e p a i n t jobs, and three wives,” Wendt said

He also owns a pearl white ’37 Ford Coupe, and his most popular car, which many locals may have seen around town, is his Rat Rod

“It’s very, very popular,” Wendt said “I built it about 19 years ago, and I’ve

CONTRIBUTED

Bill Wendt, who just celebrated his 85th birthday, recently accomplished a nearly decade-long goal when he set a land speed record at the historic Bonneville Salt Flats.

driven it from here to Michigan, and Illinois, and to Texas twice ” Wendt is married to his wife, Cookie, who was a long-time guidance counselor at Mariner High School, and a stand-out r u n n er Wen d t s aid s h e’ s r aced mo r e miles on foot than he has behind the wheel

Wendt says he’s not done modifying, and will continue pushing the limits

“What we're going to do is convert that from a Bonneville configuration, to drag racing, and go to the diesel drag races, and do some match races against big Peterbilts and freight liners It’s going to be fun ”

He races circle track with “vintage midgets” across the state, on dirt tracks and asphalt

PHOTO BY DAVID JOHNSTON

Cape Coral Breeze Athletes

Week of the

(Selected by the

Breeze Sports staff)

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