Cape Coral Weekend Breeze

Cape Coral adds five new water access points

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

T h e c i t y o f C a p e C o r a l h a s p r o v i d e d r e s i d e n t s w i t h f i v e m o r e o p p o r t u n i t i e s t o a c c e s s c a n a l w a t e r w a y s t h r o u g h o u t t h e C a p e A p p r o v e d b y C i t y C o u n c i l , t h e s e n e w f r e s h w a t e r c a n a l a c c e s s p o i n t s a r e o p e r at i o n a l a n d r e a d y t o b e u s e d b y t h e p u b l i c “ T h i s C i t y C o u n c i l i n i t i a t i v e a i m s t o g i v e r e s i d e n t s m o r e a c c e s s t o t h e w a t e rw a y s t h e y l i v e n e a r , ” s a i d i n t e r i m C i t y

M a n a g e r M i k e I l c z y s z y n v i a e m a i l “ T h i s e n h a n c e d a c c e s s p r o v i d e s m o r e r e c r e a t i o n o p p o r t u n i t i e s a n d a l l o w s r e s id e n t s a c r o s s t h e c i t y t o e n j o y e a s y a c c e s s t o o u r c a n a l s y s t e m . C i t y a n d C o u n t y s t a f f w i l l a l s o u s e t h e s e a c c e s s p o i n t s t o

a c c e s s c a n a l s y s t e m s t h a t w e r e n o t e a s i l y a c c e s s i b l e T h e C i t y ’ s E n v i r o n m e n t a l R e s o u r c e s D i v i s i o n t e s t s f o r w a t e r q u a l it y , t h e C i t y ’ s S t o r m w a t e r D i v i s i o n c l e a n s a n d m a i n t a i n s t h e c a n a l s , a n d t h e L e e C o u n t y H y a c i n t h C o n t r o l D i v i s i o n

RemembeRing 9/11

Remembrance ceremony to be held Sept. 11 outside Cape Coral City Hall

D D A D c j h a d d a d @ b r e e z e n e w s p a p e r s c o m

a p e C o r a l o f f i c i a l s a n d f i r s t r e s p o n d e r s a r e i n v i t i n g t h e c o m m u n i t y t o j o i n t h e m i n r e m e m b e r i n g a d a y t h a t f o r e v e r

c h a n g e d h i s t o r y T h e C a p e C o r a l F i r e D e p a r t m e n t , C a p e C o r a l P o l i c e D e p a r t m e n t a n d c i t y o f C a p e

C o r a l w i l l h o l d a r e m e m b r a n c e c e r e m o n y o n

M o n d a y , a t 8 : 3 0 a m T h i s y e a r m a r k s 2 2 s i n c e t e r r o r i s t a t t a c k s o n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s r e s h a p e d t h e p a t h o f t h e n a t i o n m o v i n g f o r w a r d , a n d a d a y w h e n n e a r l y

See 9/11, page 32

IF YOU GO

What: Remembrance Ceremony

When: Monday, Sept 11, starting at 8:30 a m

Where: City Hall Council Chambers, 1015 Cultural Park Blvd , Cape Coral

r e m o v e s i n v a s i v e v e g e t a t i o n "

N e w l o c a t i o n s i n c l u d e :

■ 8 0 2 S o u t h w e s t 7 t h T e r r a c e

■ 1 2 0 8 A c a d e m y B o u l e v a r d

■ 1 8 1 5 S u r f s i d e B o u l e v a r d

■ 8 4 5 G l e a s o n P a r k w a y

■ 7 2 0 S o u t h w e s t 3 1 s t T e r r a c e T h e f r e s h w a t e r a c c e s s p o i n t s a r e o n g r a s s l o t s w i t h a g r a v e l o r d i r t r a m p P a r k i n g i s m i n i m a l , a n d t h e r e a r e n o p u b -

See WATER, page 8

Council taps Ilczyszyn for city manager

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

The Cape Coral City Council unanimously voted to hire Michael Ilczyszyn as city manager

“I have not taken this lightly and won’t take the rest of this opportunity as well Thank you for the support,” said Ilczyszyn, who has been serving as the interium manager since July

C o u n c i l m e m b e r Tom Hayden made the motion Wednesday to allow Mayor John Gunter to begin contract negotiations with Ilczyszyn

Hayden said he had wanted to see Ilczyszyn through one last phase of the budget cycle before moving forward with offering Ilczyszyn a contract

“I believe he has put together a good budget I believe he has exceeded expectations at this point," Hayden said

Ilczyszyn started his career with the city in 2002 as a Water Treatment Plant operator where he most recently served as director. He also previously served as business manager within the City Manager’s Office before returning to Public Works He has a master’s degree in Public Administration

Lee County public schools to stock Narcan

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

School District of Lee County schools will now have Narcan, a lifesaving medication that can reverse an overdose from opioids

S t u d e n t S e r v i c e s E x e c u t i v e D i r e c t o r D r J e s s i c a Duncan said Narcan is something they hope they never have to use, but it is another step to ensure students have access to everything they may need in schools to remain safe

“Narcan saves lives It is medication that rapidly reduces and reverses opioid overdoses from the likes of heroin, fentanyl and prescription medications such as oxycodone and hydrocodone,” Assistant Director for Health Services Wildaliz Colon said “Narcan can quickly restore normal breathing to a person if the breathing has slowed or stopped because of an opioid overdose Narcan should be given to any person who shows signs of an opioid overdose, or when an overdose is suspected ”

Those signs and symptoms include limp body, clammy face, blue fingernails, or lips, slowed breathing, or stopped breathing

Narcan will be used as a nasal spray and can be repeat-

“Narcan saves lives. It is medication that rapidly reduces and reverses opioid overdoses from the likes of heroin, fentanyl and prescription medications such as oxycodone and hydrocodone. Narcan can quickly restore normal breathing to a person if the breathing has slowed or stopped because of an opioid overdose Narcan should be given to any person who shows signs of an opioid overdose, or when an overdose is suspected ”

Assistant Director for Health Services Wildaliz Colon

ed every two to three minutes as needed It does not have any harmful effects on an individual who does not have an opioid in their system

When it is administered, the school is calling 911 and waiting for emergency responders to respond, Colon said “Narcan nasal spray will be used by trained school personnel and any person in good faith who renders emergency care, or emergency treatment for expected opioid overdose is immune from civil liability under the Good Samaritan Act,” Colon said

Senate Bill 544 allows public schools to purchase a supply of Naloxone, a generic of Narcan, from a distributor, or enter into an arrangement to have the medication on

campus

The district is working with Lee Health to provide a nonpatient specific standing order and administration protocol for Narcan The supply will be kept in the school clinic in proper storage School Board members all agreed they are grateful for the district’s forward thinking in providing this medication for the schools

“I think it is a scary topic, but it is a conversation that we have to have,” Board member Melisa Giovannelli said “At this point, I am excited we are going to have this in our schools It’s a touchy subject for people, but it is the reality ”

District continues to tackle busing goals

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

The School District of Lee County continues to dive deeper into busing issues to reach its on-time goal of more than 95%

“We are always going to have avenues of challenges each and every day and rightfully so Not every bus driver comes to work every day Sometimes people get sick Sometimes they have a family obligation and if they are entitled to leave they are expected to take that and take care of their personal

Staff is looking at everything to solve the district’s transportation issues, which include looking at new solutions, officials said

business, but that does put us in a bind,” Superintendent Dr Christopher Bernier said during a Wednesday School Board meeting

Staff is looking at everything to solve the district’s transportation issues, which include looking at new solutions

“I don’t know if I want to announce them here tonight because they are very much in the making, but I think we have to find a way to cover uncovered

routes,” Bernier said “We have to get better into our schools and out of our schools and that includes enhancing our parent pick up and drop off lines and making sure those lines are out of the way of the buses so the buses can be more operationally efficient ”

To have a better understanding of on- time percentages, Bernier is asking the transportation department for not just a breakdown of the total system, but high school, elementary and middle school on time percentages

“Additionally, we are beginning to highlight those school buildings that are above 10 percent and those numbers higher than that That will be a conversation between the chief operations officer, myself and the director of transportation on a weekly basis,” he said

In addition, the district is working with nonprofit organizations, such as the STARS program, Boys & Girls Club and YMCA to restore some bus stops closer to the locations at the board’s request

“We have said, though, to those community partners that this is a one-year only option By this time next year, they will have had to find a different business model,” he said. “But we are not going to bring our students closer to those nonprofit locations at the expense of those students walking back to their neighborhoods We will drop off our students in their neighborhoods and if we have remaining students for those programs, then we will bring them closer to those organizations and make sure they are in a legitimate, or more easy walking distance, to the location, but may not necessarily be door-to-door ”

With transportation continuing to be a challenge, a middle school proximity plan is on the horizon, Bernier said

RAYMOND M. ECKENRODE Publisher VALARIE HARRING, Executive Editor CHRIS STRINE, Editor

2510 Del Prado Blvd • Cape Coral, FL, 33904

• Phone 239-574-1110 – Fax 239-574-5693

Ilczyszyn right choice for Cape’s city manager

Cape Coral City Council kept it in the Cape this week, choosing a long-time city employee for the municipality’s top administrative post

Council unanimously agreed Wednesday to authorize Mayor John Gunter to begin contract negotiations with Michael Ilczyszyn, who has been serving in the role of interium city manager since Feb 17

Councilmember Tom Haden, who made the motion, summed up Council’s position succinctly:

“I believe he has exceeded expectations at this point,” Councilmember Hayden said

We believe Council’s decision was the right one

One, we agree that Mr Ilczyszyn is the right person for the job.

Continuity in leadership coupled with institutional knowledge is what Cape Coral needs

Not only is the city still immersed in post-Ian recovery efforts everything from the funding reclamation process and FEMA requirements to rebuilding challenges but the Cape is in the midst of a building boom and the infrastructure issues that run parallel

Council’s alternative option would have been to begin a nationwide search, a costly process that would have taken weeks and resulted in a steep learning curve before even a well-qualified newcomer could hit his or her stride

Two, Mr Ilczyszyn, a Mariner High graduate, understands the Cape

In looking at our population numbers of 220,000-plus, Cape Coral’s a big city In actuality, we’re a sprawling suburb that, as the city’s efforts to “improve” its parks has painfully illustrated, still embraces its small town roots

But things are changing and changing rapidly

Single-family homes have become unaffordable and a new housing paradigm the proliferation of multi-family complexes, some with commercial components is changing the face of the city New types of market-driven housing options beyond the standard standalone 3/2/2 will change it more

This is the city’s greatest challenge and it’s going to take more than expertise on the part of staff to bring us through the transition from what we historically have been to where we will be at buildout of half a million residents or more

We need understanding at the administrative level as well as at the elected level, though the latter is an editorial for another time

We believe Mr Ilczyszyn has the temperament, the kind of thing that does not find its way into a resume, to lead his team through the angst that is beginning to build

By that we mean, or maybe we just hope, a transparency with the public that has been lacking Sorely lacking from the top down

Three, the intangibles aside, he’s qualified

Mr Ilczyszyn began his career with the city in 2002 as a water treatment plant operator He has served as business manager, assistant director and, most recently, as director within the Public Works Department He previously served as business manager within the City Manager’s office

He has a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies and a master’s degree in Public Administration from Florida Gulf Coast University

Is there room for criticism?

Sure

We’ve yet to see a perfect candidate with any tenure

But he is the right choice right now

Count us among those hoping for a fruitful negotiation. Breeze editorial

Post-9/11 veterans: Get the care you’ve earned and deserve

There is a huge reason why I trust VA for all my health care needs and why I have for over 18 years I feel safe, connected, and know my providers have my best interest at heart and strive to deliver positive health outcomes Further, as I age, I know that VA will be positioned, ready, and capable of caring for me when I need them most The overwhelming majority of veterans who use VA for their care, feel the same way

The Sergeant First Class (SFC) Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act is perhaps the largest health care and benefit expansion in the history of the U S Department of Veterans Affairs Among the many provisions in the law, there is one that I’d like to urgently highlight that directly impacts post-9/11 combat veterans and the opportunity to enroll for VA’s full medical benefits package

David B. Isaacks Guest Commentary

When President Biden signed the PACT Act into law last August, his pen stroke immediately initiated a one-year, VA health care open enrollment period for veterans who meet the following criteria:

Served on active duty in a theater of combat operations during a period of war after the Persian Gulf War or served in combat against a hostile force during a period of hostilities after November 11, 1998

And:

Were discharged or released between September 11, 2001, and October 1, 2013, and not previously enrolled in VA health care

Time is of the essence as the deadline to apply for VA health care without the need for additional eligibility verification is Oct 1, 2023 For some veterans, meeting VA’s income threshold requirements prevent them from being eligible for VA care Applying for care before the deadline eliminates this challenge entirely

To apply for care today and to learn more about the PACT Act, Veterans can visit www va gov/PACT, or visit the closest VA medical center or clinic

One of the primary advantages of VA health care is the comprehensive coverage it offers From preventive care to specialized treatment for service-related conditions, veterans receive high-quality medical attention without the financial burden commonly associated with private health insurance and private health care in general Furthermore, the VA health care system focuses on the unique health challenges faced by veterans, ensuring that their specific needs are met

Back in 2005, after I completed my first VA primary care appointment, I felt the same way as I do now VA health care is about building a lifelong relationship and empowering veterans to access VA throughout their journey of life As a community, it is our duty and responsibility to encourage and support veterans in applying for VA care they deserve nothing less

David Isaacks is a Marine Corps veteran and executive director of the VA Sunshine Healthcare Network (VISN 8) –the network of VA hospitals and clinics located in Florida, South Georgia, Puerto Rico, and the U S Virgin Islands

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Bars in water front parks a bad idea

To the editor:

The city of Cape Coral’s new ordinance on food trucks which established food truck courts may have had good intentions when it was proposed But how is it working out? For the people who run the food trucks it has been a challenge

Listening to the City Council discuss the ordinance it sounded like the food truck courts were going to be on land owned by private individuals The impression was that those sites were ready to open within a short period of time The reality seems somewhat different.

Under construction now is one near the city’s Bernice Braden Park This city park is described as follows, “ located at the foot of the Cape Coral Bridge Bernice Braden Park offers spectacular views of the Caloosahatchee River and is a great place to enjoy the serenity of the environment, go fishing or pull out a blanket and have a picnic ”

Another food court is proposed at Jaycee Park The city description for the park says, “One of Cape Coral’s most popular park destinations, this 8-acre area is a common site for birthdays, family gatherings, and special events, as well as a great place to take a walk at a waterfront park ”

We are being told that adding a food court to both city parks will enhance the visitor’s experience. Patrons of these parks will be able to relax and enjoy a variety of food offerings from those folks who run these micro-businesses

What is mentioned, but not touted, is the fact that each site will include a bar Who do you think is going to make more money at these sites, the food trucks, or the bars?

Both parks are waterfront sites, so also proposed is dockage for 24-plus boats This will allow boaters to stop and sample the food trucks, while sipping a cold one at the bar It seems the city is ignoring the fact that alcohol and boating are not a good combination

According to the Coast Guard, the No 1 factor in boating accidents is operator inattention In other words, the driver of the boat is not paying attention to where they are going The Coast Guard also reports that alcohol is the No 1 contributing factor in accidents that include a death Too many boaters fail to realize that alcohol, when combined with boater fatigue, and heat stress are a deadly combination

Allowing bars to be part of city waterfront parks may not be a very good idea, but they sure can be money makers for those that run the bars Has the city attorney looked at how to prevent the city from facing any potential liability issues from these bars?

Like many of the bad ideas our City Council pushes, it is likely there is no stopping these parks from being transformed and the bars from being built So, I hope that the city will at least consider requiring these establishments, and all other waterfront restaurants and bars in the city, to prominently display material that supports Sea Tow’s Sober Skipper program.

Established in 2015 the Sober Skipper program has worked to raise awareness of the problems associated with boating under the influence (BUI) The program encourages boaters to be, or to designate, a Sober Skipper before every boating trip According to the Coast Guard statistics the typical BUI offender is a male, between the ages of 24-56, who uses an open motorboat that is between 14-26 feet in length, and boats primarily on the weekends

By requiring our waterfront restaurants and bars to encourage the skipper of each boat that frequents them to stay sober, they might be able to help prevent needless accidents on the waters around us

For more information on the Sober Skipper program visit https://www boatingsafety com/page/sober-skipper-program

Boating under the influence is one of the leading contributing factors in recreational boating deaths and 100% preventable The proactive Sober Skipper program asks boaters to be or designate a sober skipper before leaving the dock Join with thousands of people in 50 states and six territories working to eliminate boating under the influence

Visit www boatingsafety com and, while you are there, take the Sober Skipper pledge

Tom Dawson Cape Coral

Who cares?

To the editor:

About 60% of registered voters take the time to vote

Only 25% of those that vote take time to study the candidate’s positions After the election, most people go on with

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: JAYCEE PARK

Jaycee Park improvements

To the editor: I attended the Jaycee Park Improvements information seminar held on Thursday, Aug 31, at the Mercola Market and hosted by the city of Cape Coral and its design consultant The seminar was informal and had numerous plan layouts of the entire redevelopment of Jaycee Park, which is located right on the Caloosahatchee River at Beach Parkway There were also many proposed schematics of the different facilities and tree plantings that are planned for the park

However, I was very disappointed with the redesign of this beautiful park The main concern is the removal of all the Australian pine trees that line the water’s edge These trees are roughly 50-foot tall and provide much-needed shade along the river The city says these trees are invasive and, by city code, any redevelopment of the park will require that these trees be removed I think that the code needs to be changed so that these trees remain I also think that the park should not be redeveloped

The new plan for the park will not have any new trees planted along the water’s edge Instead, the city will plant “native” bushes along the water’s edge. People will not be able to get near the water Just west of the native bushes will be a sitting wall and curved walking path that will mainly be in the sun Who wants to sit there? Farther west are the new tree plantings made up of palms (which provide little shade) and some shade trees There are already shade trees throughout the park

The planned new parking areas are essentially at the western edge of the park directly across the street from the existing condominiums The existing parking areas are along the

internal park roads that parallel the Australian pines along the water Today, picnickers can pull up close to the water and get out their grills and supplies After the redevelopment, picnickers will have to walk about a half block with all their stuff to get somewhat close to the water

I don’t see why we need a bandshell at the north end of the park and a series of food trucks and an open-aired bar at the south end of the park Everything in between is basically the same as today a park, but with a price tag of around $12 million What a waste of citizen money!

As a compromise, I can see a restaurant/bar similar to The Boathouse tucked into a small portion of the park along the river That alternative would only disturb about 10% of the park area All the other “improvements” and associated costs are unnecessary and wasteful, especially the removal of all these beautiful trees

Ken Kendrick Cape Coral

Residents are opposed to Jaycee Park plans

To the editor:

Cape Coral City Council proposed completely changing Jaycee Park from a Neighborhood Park to a Commercial Park before asking its residents what they could tolerate for change

Now they find there is opposition with 5,000 signing a petition so far, 50 phone calls in three weeks, 70 signs and 150 wristbands distributed

Now we find out the city does not have the money for these changes and has proposed borrowing $12 million dollars at

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Lack of 9/11 obser vance dishear tening

4 5% interest paid for by the very people who do not want these changes

We ask that the city slow down its decisions about the park and meet with its residents to find common ground for improvements The park was a gift to the county from a resident over 40 years ago, the deed saying to be used for recreation The city wants to use it as a money-making business Consultants in 2022 wanted more Neighborhood Parks like Jaycee Park scattered about the growing city.

City Council meets Sept 13 at 9 a m to discuss the park

Please attend

Leave Jaycee Park alone

To the editor:

Please, please, leave OUR Jaycee Park alone

Sally Flash Cape Coral

It’s a beautiful family-friendly park, and one of the few green spaces on the river All of us Cape Coral residents can use and enjoy, not just the privileged few who can afford to live on the river.

There are plenty of other places throughout the Cape these food trucks and vendors can utilize, like putting them on Cape Coral Parkway or Del Prado Boulevard by other restaurants

Please don’t rob us residents of OUR City Park WE pay taxes to enjoy

A very concerned voter, (who will looking to clean the slate, come election should this pass) and I’m sure I’m not alone

Kathleen Nicholsen Cape Coral

their lives and expect the elected to perform their job based on the values they ran on But do they? All elected council members ran on being fiscally conservative They all supported the millage rolled back rate last year and wanted to keep other costs and assessments from increasing

So, what is happening this year without an election?

Property tax dollars are being raised by $16.3 million or 13 3% The Fire Service Assessment (FSA) is being increased by $12 7 million or 39 7% Trash collection is being raised by 22 4% The council has approved a plan to add reserves to your trash collection bill that will total $29 3 million over the next four years Plus, the $200,000 remaining from the settlement with Waste Pro is being kept by the city as well, instead of reducing our bill for the hardship we all endured during the pandemic for poor trash service

I believe that I am a fiscal conservative I define that as someone who believes that dollars are better used in my wallet versus giving them to the government to spend for me We are not seeing this philosophy from our elected officials that promised us that behavior last year. The council is approving this month a budget that adds 41 additions to staffing that are not safety related (Police and Fire add another 18 people) They are increasing reserves and adding projects when our city staff still has many pages of unfinished projects that were funded over the last three years Do you see progress in our city that represents these kind of tax increases? The three main resident taxes (Property Tax, Public Service Tax (PST –Electric Tax), and the Fire Service Assessment (FSA) have, in terms of money received by the city, doubled over the last 10 years These three taxes are being increased this year by $26 3 million or 16% although inflation has slowed to an under 7% annual rate. Why the difference?

Budget hearings are taking place on these increased taxes and assessments There does not appear to be any concern from the public for these increases Next year, we will elect four new council members, they will all run as being fiscally conservative, but are they? This tax year proves that no one we elected last year is fiscally conservative and very few residents are taking notice The council has eliminated most volunteer committees to further promote voter apathy Homeowners will receive their property tax bill later this year with a significant increase Most of the increase was not needed, but who cares

Thomas Shadrach

Ousted Budget Review Committee chair Cape Coral

To the editor: Recently the White House explained that the president will travel to Alaska to mark the somber occasion of 9/11 after his Sept 10 trip to Hanoi, Vietnam, where he will meet with Vietnamese leaders to discuss technological innovation and climate change. It will be the first time that a president has not attended any of the observances that have been held annually in New York City, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, or at the White House 9/11 was one of the worst events in our country’s history

The decision to forgo the traditional observance at the attack sites or the White House in favor of other topics raises concerns about the administration’s priorities Seems the President and progressives along with the media want to cancel events that has united Americans

It’s vital to prioritize commemorating the heroes and victims of 9/11 above all else on this day of remembrance Many Americans find it disheartening that the focus appears to have shifted away from honoring the memory of those who perished, and that the consciousness of 9/11 is receding It was a terrorist attack against our country, and everybody should remember it and take precautions and watch out and hope it never happens again

Lou Walker Cape Coral

A need for truth

To the editor:

I love these scorched earth letters where I’m told how great someone is without one fact Florida is now the least liked state for teachers, look it up it’s a FACT! “Woke ideology” means to be awake to the needs of others, informed, thoughtful, and aware of social injustice DeSantis is opposed to “woke” sentiments He has been untruthful about its meaning so repeatedly as to make the word meaningless His own lawyers, however, had to define the term in court while defending DeSantis’s firing over a “woke” official, said, “ It would be the belief there are systemic injustices in American society and the need to address them ”

Republican policies regarding the needs of Americans has been purely undemocratic One hundred and seventeen House Republicans voted to cut Social Security, an old age security plan that we have paid into our entire lives DeSantis drew his own redistricting line to weaken votes considered unfavorable to him (gerrymandering). His minions in the Florida Legislature has given in to his demands for excessive gubernatorial power, even to the degree that DeSantis created his

own private military, accountable only to him His “stop woke act” has stopped or restricted the discussion of race equality, and has negatively impacted African American studies in college Blatant distortion of the truth includes omitting Rosa Parks was black, and teaching that slavery taught slaves trades that could be beneficial to them, when the truth is that slaves were only taught skills beneficial to their white masters. But this isn’t just about racism He has made it easier to ban books in a move called “parental rights” which is nothing more than allowing one set of parents to force their belief system on the rest You may vote for him because you agree with his positions but he’s coming for all of us with more taxes, lower pay, higher prices, higher inflation than the rest of the country, fewer rights, lower quality of life, and more lies! You best realize Republicans are not for lower taxes for most Americans anymore, in fact they gave our tax dollars away to hugely profitable corporate America, and added more to the deficit than Democrats have ever done!

Denise Healey Bokeelia

This week’s poll question:

Would you like to see food trucks in city parks?

∫ Yes

∫ Maybe the larger parks

∫ No

Previous poll question

What do you think of the city’s concept plans for Jaycee Park?

∫ Love it. Can’t wait to see all the new amenities. 10 65%

∫ Some things I like, others I don’t Mostly, it’s OK 1 9%

∫ Some things I like, others I don’t Mostly I don’t 6%

∫ Hate it Maybe a few small upgrades; otherwise leave the park alone 74.5%

∫ Why even offer an opinion It’s a done deal, like it or not 6.9% *479 votes at press time Poll results are not scientific and represent only the opinions of Internet users who have chosen to participate Vote at capecoralbreeze com

ne w s pape r. Oppo s i ng v i e w s are w e l c o me . Le tte rs to the e di to r o r g ue s t c o l umns may be e - mai l e d to v harri ng @ bre e z e ne w s pape rs . c o m. A l l l e tte rs and g ue s t o pi ni o ns mus t be s i g ne d and mus t i nc l ude a pho ne numbe r f o r v e ri f i c ati o n purpo s e s . Re ade rs are al s o i nv i te d to c o mme nt o n any l e tte r o r e di to ri al o pi ni o n o nl i ne at: c ape c o ral bre e z e . c o m.

Maximizing community benefits: Understanding Cape Coral’s FY 2024 City Budget

The City of Cape Coral h a s u n v e i l e d i t s p r o p o s e d budget for the upcoming fiscal year, outlining a strategic plan to improve services and i n v e s t i n t h e c o m m u n i t y Cape Coral is entering FY24 in a solid financial condition resulting from actions taken i n 2 0 2 2 a n d 2 0 2 3 T h e F Y 2 4 P r o p o s e d B u d g e t brings positive news in the wake of Hurricane Ian Our city remains in a solid growth position

The increase in General Fund revenues and expenditures (the primary operating fund for the city and supported by property taxes) is lower than the recent increases in the consumer price index Most of the growth in our budget is a result of our need to expand services to keep pace with the needs of our community This requires the a d d i t i o n o f m o r e s t a f f t h r o u g h o u t t h e organization

Michael Ilczyszyn Guest Commentary

bursement for lost vegetation

T h e c i t y c o n t i n u e s t o a d d r e s s d e f e r r e d m a i n t enance via Operation Sparkle, an effort focusing on updati n g e x i s t i n g p a r k s . S t o r m Football is the first facility to be updated, with Burton Park and Northwest Softball on the list for the upcoming fiscal year We also are establ i s h i n g a n a n n u a l p l a n t o replace our playgrounds with three slated for replacement this year: Jim Jeffers Park, J o e S t o n i s P a r k a n d t h e Youth Center

To enhance our public safety services, the City has added eight police officers and 11 firefighters, plus support staff The additional positions will help improve response times as well as staff and operate the new police and fire training facilities Our Stormwater Fund added a pipe crew, swale crew, and sod crew to help reduce t h e 1 8 - m o n t h b a c k l o g f o r d r a i n a g e improvements and maintenance of our extensive network of stormwater pipes Their work will help alleviate localized street flooding Our Water and Sewer Fund added 12 positions to help address the g r o w i n g n u m b e r o f c u s t o m e r s T h e increase in customers is a result of our continuing utilities extension projects and infill growth where water and sewer are already a v a i l a b l e . T h e a d d i t i o n a l 1 2 p o s i t i o n s include customer service staff and field technicians The additional customer service staff will help reduce wait times for callers and additional field technicians will assist with maintaining and repairing the thousands of fire hydrants located throughout the city Our Solid Waste Fund added a solid waste inspector position to monitor and ensure contractual compliance by our contracted solid waste provider and residents

City Council continues to focus on enhancing the aesthetics of our community by dedicating funding to increase beautification throughout the city including median landscaping We are also funding the replacement of trees and shrubs lost during Hurricane Ian Our federal and state governments do not provide funding reim-

On the transportation side, we are continuing our annual paving program by allocating $7 4 million for road resurfacing We have set aside more than $3 million to i n s t a l l t r a f f i c l i g h t s f o r i n t e r s e c t i o n improvements at four locations This will make our residents’ commute to and from work safer We are also advancing the planning and design for the future widening of Pine Island Road

Our water and sewer extension plan will continue with the upcoming construction of North 1 East and design of North 3 When added to North 1 West, the construction will bring water, sewer and irrigation services to an additional 12,147 parcels in the city Having these services in place will reduce the impact on our groundwater aquifer and provide a reliable source of drinking water In addition, eliminating septic systems will remove contaminants from our environment and protect our groundwater Another benefit of providing centralized water and sewer services in north Cape Coral is the opportunity for commercial businesses to locate to that region.

The city is able to provide the aforementioned service enhancements to our residents and still maintain the current p r o p e r t y t a x m i l l a g e r a t e T h e F Y 2 4

Proposed Budget does include an increase to the Fire Services Assessment, which is necessary to provide life safety services for our growing community As our population increases our provision of service must also increase Our commitment will always remain to provide high-quality services at the most reasonable cost to our residents

The FY24 Proposed Budget allows us to keep this commitment, address immediate needs driven by our current growth and prepare for our future residents and businesses

Michael Ilczyszyn is Cape Coral’s interium city manager

School hurricane days announced

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

Students will now have two full days, rather than two half days of school to a c c o m m o d a t e t h e d a y s m i s s e d d u e t o Hurricane Idalia and will go to school for a half day before Winter Break begins in December

The school district closed schools on Aug 29 and Aug 30 in abundance of caution as Southwest Florida felt the outer bands of Hurricane Idalia.

“We are required by Florida law to have a certain amount of hours of instruction in each semester We felt the best way to meet that legal requirement and still finish the

s e m e s t e r b e f o r e W i n t e r B r e a k w a s t o extend the early dismissal days already in place and use the previously approved hurricane make-up day on Dec 22 as an early dismissal day,” School District of Lee County Spokesperson Rob Spicker said

Those make-up days include:

■ Oct 25, now a full day

■ Dec 21, now a full day

■ Dec 22, rather than a day off, will now be an early dismissal day for students and a workday for all staff

T h e c a l e n d a r c a n b e v i e w e d a t

https://www leeschools net/calendars/instr uctional calendar

8

City changes parking requirements in the South Cape

Minimum parking standards eliminated for properties near public parking lots

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w w w . c a p e c o r a l b r e e z e . c o m 2 0 2 3 ■ P a g e 8

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P a r k & R i d e w i t h 3 9 p a r k i n g s p a c e s ; N e v e r m i n d w i t h 7 4 p a r k i n g s p a c e s ; I g u a n a M i a w i t h 1 7 9 p a r k i n g s p a c e s , B i g J o h n ’ s P l a z a w i t h 3 7 3 p a r k i n g s p a c e s ; C l u b S q u a r e w i t h 4 6 5 p a r k i n g s p a c e s a n d t h e o l d S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a M i l i t a r y M u s e u m w i t h 2 2 0 p a r k i n g s p a c e s “ T h o s e l o t s t h a t a r e i d e n t i f i e d a r e e i t h e r d i r e c t l y a d j a c e n t t o t h e s e s i x c i t y p a r k i n g a r e a s , o r s e p a r a t e d b y a n a l l e y , ” S t r u v e s a i d “ C i t y p a r k i n g a r e a s a r e a r e a s t h a t a r e

e i t h e r o w n e d b y t h e c i t y , o r m a n a g e d b y t h e c i t y T h e s e a r e a s a r e s t r i p e d a n d p r ov i d e p a r k i n g f o r t h e p u b l i c P a r k i n g l o t s i t e s a r e p r i v a t e l y o w n e d a n d t h e y a r e l o c a t e d d i r e c t l y a d j a c e n t t o t h e s e c i t y p a r k i n g a r e a s , o r s e p a r a t e d b y a p l a t t e d a l l e y , ” S t r u v e s a i d

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a p p r o v e d r e s o l u t i o n s f o r a n i n t e r l o c a l a g r e e m e n t w i t h t h e M a t l a c h a / P i n e I s l a n d F i r e C o n t r o l D i s t r i c t t o “ r e s o l v e d i s p u t e s f r o m t h e v o l u n t a r y a n n e x a t i o n o f p r o p e rt i e s , ” a s w e l l a s a u t o m a t i c a n d m u t u a l a i d f o r f i r e r e s c u e s e r v i c e s

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1 0 % o f f i r e i m p a c t f e e s t h e c i t y r e c e i v e s w i t h i n f o u r y e a r s I n a d d i t i o n , t h e c i t y w i l l “ n o t i f y t h e d i s t r i c t o f a n y f u t u r e v o lu n t a r y a n n e x a t i o n s a n d w i l l n o t s e e k i n v o l u n t a r y a n n e x a t i o n w i t h i n S a n d l e w o o d , C a p e R o y a l a n d M a t l a c h a I s l e s ”

Water: City looks to provide additional access to Cape Coral canals

From page 1

C i t y p a r k i n g a r e a s i n c l u d e L e e Tr a n P a r k & R i d e w i t h 3 9 p a r k i n g s p a c e s ; N e v e r m i n d w i t h 7 4 p a r k i n g s p a c e s ; I g u a n a M i a w i t h 1 7 9 p a r k i n g s p a c e s , B i g J o h n ’s P l a z a w i t h 3 7 3 p a r k i n g s p a c e s ; C l u b S q u a r e w i t h 4 6 5 p a r k i n g s p a c e s a n d t h e o l d S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a M i l i t a r y M u s e u m w i t h 2 2 0 p a r k i n g s p a c e s l i c f a c i l i t i e s o n s i t e B o a t t r a i l e r p a r k i n g f e e s a p p l y f o r a l l i m p r o v e d b o a t r a m p s T h e r e a r e n o p a r k i n g f e e s t o u t i l i z e c a n a l a c c e s s p o i n t s A s f o r w h a t w e n t i n t o c h o o s i n g t h e s e n e w l o c a t i o n s , I l c z y s z y n s a i d , “ A c c e s s p o i n t l o c a t i o n s w e r e d e t e r m i n e d b a s e d o n w h i c h c a n a l b a s i n s h a d m i n i m a l a c c e s s ” A d d i t i o n a l a c c e s s p o i n t s a r e p e n d i n g

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u t i l i z e ”

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Cape Coral Mayor’s Scholarship 40th Anniversary Ball to be held Sept. 30

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

A Cape Coral non-profit that helps students further their educational journey is celebrating 40 years

T h e C a p e C o r a l M a y o r ’ s S c h o l a r s h i p 4 0 t h Anniversary Ball takes place Sept. 30 at the Westin Cape Coral The fundraising event will see proceeds turn into more than 10 scholarships for students throughout the Cape

The fundraiser was not held last year due to Hurricane Ian

“We are thrilled to finally be able to do this,” said scholarship fund Director, Lisa Barnes “Nobody expected for last October to go the way it did, and this really shows the resiliency of Cape Coral We just stand right back up and do what we’ve got to do ”

The ball will feature a cocktail hour starting at 5:30 p.m., a silent auction, dinner, dancing, and most importantly, Barnes said, “It’s going to be fun ”

“That’s our goal for the night Is to have a lot of fun and be able to dance and socialize and meet people, all while raising money ”

The Cape Coral Mayor’s Scholarship Fund twoyear and four-year recurring scholarships that have a real impact on the lives of Cape Coral students throughout their post-secondary education Over its 40 years, the fund has awarded more than $700,000 in scholarships, impacting more than 600 students The first two scholarships were awarded in 1983, and from there, the fund and its beneficiaries have grown Barnes said 10 high school seniors, two vocational students, and a public service academy student will

receive scholarships in May.

“Not everybody wants to go to college, but we still want to help those that want to further their education,” Barnes said “We think it’s important to support our students -- whether they’re adult students or high school seniors going into college The more support they feel from the community, the greater chance they have of coming back and bringing their skill set back here to the city of Cape Coral ’

Anyone that wishes to attend the ball, can, Barnes said

“Everybody’s invited to the ball,” she said “We want as many people from the community to come and support us. There’s very few organizations that have been around for 40 years in Cape Coral, and we think this is something to celebrate ”

Tickets are $150 for an individual guest, $200 for individual VIP guest, and $1,500 for a VIP table of eight The deadline to purchase tickets is Sept 26

“We look forward to not only celebrating our 40th anniversary, but the resilience of Cape Coral,” Barnes said “It’s been a rough year for us, but we’ve come very far considering what happened And we want to celebrate that as well ”

S

joanne@capcoralmayorscholarship com

For more information, including ticket purchases, can be found by visiting www capecoralmayorscholarship com

The Westin Cape Coral is at 5951 Silver King Blvd

IF YOU GO

What: Cape Coral Mayor ’s Scholarship 40th Anniversary Ball

When:

Saturday, Sept 30, starting at 5:30 p m

Where: Westin Cape Coral, 5951 Silver King Blvd

Tickets:

Tickets are $150 for an individual guest, $200 for individual VIP guest, and $1,500 for a VIP table of eight

The deadline to purchase tickets is Sept 26

w w w . c a p e c o r a l b r e e z e . c o m 2 0 2 3 ■ P a g e 1 2

Healthy at All Ages Conference set for Sept. 20

S e p t e m b e r 8 ,

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“ T h e g o a l o f t h i s e v e n t i s f o r p r o v i d e r s a n d t h e p u b l i c a l i k e t o a c q u i r e a n i m p r o v e d a w a r e n e s s a b o u t s u b s t a n c e m i s u s e , f r a u d , a n d e l d e r a b u s e i n o l d e r a d u l t s t h i n g s t h a t n o t o n l y h a p p e n b e h i n d c l o s e d d o o r s , b u t c a n b e h a p p e n i n g i n p l a i n s i g h t . A t t e n d e e s w i l l l e a r n h o w t o r e c o g n i z e , p r e v e n t , a n d r e s p o n d t o o u r p a t i e n t s a n d l o v e d o n e s w h o m a y b e a t r i s k o r s t r u g g l i n g ” M e a g h a n P a l u m b o , P a r k R o y a l B e h a v i o r a l H e a l t h S e r v i c e s d i r e c t o r o f B u s i n e s s D e v e l o p m e n t

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o n e o f t h e f a s t e s t - g r o w i n g r e g i o n s i n t h e s t a t e , w i t h m a n y n e w r e s i d e n t s a n d r e t i r e e s d r a w n t o t h e a r e a

“ I n t h e w o r d s o f t h e l a t e J i m m y B u f f e t ‘ I t ’ s 5 o ’ c l o c k s o m e w h e r e ’ d o e s -

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

n

’ t a l w a y s m e a n p a r a d i s e f o r m a n y , l i v i n g w i t h a s u b s t a n c e u s e d i s o r d e r c a n b e a d a r k a n d i s o l a t i n g p l a c e a n d o u r o l d e r a d u l t s c a n b e p a r t i c u l a r l y v u l n e r ab l e t o t h i s , ” s h e s a i d “ L e e a n d C o l l i e r c o u n t i e s h a v e a m u c h h i g h e r a v e r a g e a g e t h a n t h e r e s t o f t h e s t a t e a n d c o u n t r y s o i t i s c r i t i c a l f o r u s t o b e a w a r e o f t h e u n i q u e w a r n i n g s i g n s a n d r e s o u r c e s i n o r d e r t o o f f e r a g e - a p p r o p r i a t e s u p p o r t a n d i n t e rv e n t i o n s i n o u r c o m m u n i t y ” P a l u m b o s a i d i n 2 0 2 2 , 2 2 p e r c e n t o f a d u l t s i n t h e a r e a r e p o r t e d b i n g e , o r h e a v y d r i n k i n g I n a d d i t i o n , i n t h e l a s t t w o d e c a d e s , o p i o i d - r e l a t e d o v e r d o s e d e a t h s i n t h e U S f o r a d u l t s 5 5 y e a r s o l d a n d o l d e r h a s i n c r e a s e d b y 1 , 8 8 6 p e rc e n t “ I n a d d i t i o n t o t h e g r o w i n g r i s k f o r s u b s t a n c e u s e d i s o r d e r s , s t a t i s t i c s f r o m t h e N a t i o n a l C o u n c i l o n A g i n g s t a t e t h a t t h o s e 8 5 y e a r s a n d o l d e r h a v e t h e h i g h e s t

G r i e f a n d l o s s , a s w e l l a s s t a r t i n g n e w m e d i c a t i o n s a n d b e g i n n i n g r e t i r e m e n t a l l c a n l e a d t o t h e p o t e n t i a l o f s u b s t a n c e a b u s e a n d m i s u s e P a l u m b o s a i d s u b s t a n c e m i s u s e a n d a b u s e i s o v e r l o o k e d a n d u n d e r t r e a t e d , a n d h a s a s t i g m a a m o n g t h e p u b l i c , i n d iv i d u a l s a n d p r o v i d e r s i n t h e c o m m u n i t y T h e y n e e d t o g e n e r a t e m o r e a w a r e n e s s a n d e d u c a t i o n a n d h e l p e l i m i n a t e b a r r i e r s f o r t r e a t m e n t s I n a d d i t i o n , i t i s i m p o r t a n t t o i d e n t i f y t h e u n i q u e i n d i c a t o r s o f f r a u d a n d a b u s e a s w e l l . T h e c o n f e r e n c e c o i n c i d e s w i t h N a t i o n a l P r e v e n t i o n M o n t h , a s w e l l a s N a t i o n a l R e c o v e r y M o n t h B o t h t a k e p l a c e i n S e p t e m b e r “ W e n e e d t o g e n e r a t e a w a r e n e s s a r o u n d t h e p r o b l e m a n d h i g h l i g h t a l l t h e r e s o u r c e s t o g i v e p e o p l e t h e h o p e t h e y n e e d , ” P a l u m b o s a i d “ D e p r e s s i o n d o e sn ’ t h a v e t o b e t h e n o r m a l p a r t o f t h e a g i n g p r o c e s s T h e r e a r e r e s o u r c e s a n d s u p p o r t a v a i l a b l e f o r t h a t Y o u d o n ’ t n e e d t o t u r n t o a l c o h o l , d r u g s , o r w h a t e ve r t h e c a s e w o u l d b e T h e r e i s s u p p o r t h e r e i n y o u r b a c k y a r d a n d p e o p l e w h o c a r e a b o u t y o u a n d w a n t t o s e e y o u w i t h a h e a l t h y , h a p p y l i f e a t a l l s t a g e s o f y o u r l i f e ”

REAL ESTATE

Are the monetary policies of the Fed coming home to roost?

(Editor’s note: the following column has been published previously in The Breeze )

Dear Mr Feichthaler:

I share a home in Cape Coral with my partner, but we are not married The home is in my name only I want my partner to be able to live in the property for life, but I want my children to have the property once my partner dies What is the best way to do this?

Kelly E

A funny thing occurred in August and into early September, even before the euphoric celebrations by many economic experts, media pundits and market analysts had come to an end In case you have not been paying attention, there has been a big celebration of what these experts believed was the apparent victory over inflation by the Jerome Powellled Federal Reserve this summer, as the rate of inflation slowed from its record pace of a year ago

Dear Kelly:

Your question comes u p o f t e n f r o m m y clients There are many factors that could influence the advice on meeting your wishes, such as your homestead protections, save our homes savings, existing mortgages and other matters

Generally speaking, the method that will provide you the most confid e n c e i n h a v i n g y o u r wishes met is creating a trust to hold the property When you deed the property to the trust, you will retain all homestead protections and savings

The trust can dictate what occurs should you pass away

In your case, I would anticipate that your partner will be given the right to live at the property for life, with specifics in the trust regarding what your partner’s responsibilities are Typically, your partner would be responsible taxes, insurance and otherwise maintaining the property

If your partner is granted a true life estate in the property through the trust, he or she could claim homestead status in their name When your partner passes, whomever you name in the trust would be entitled to the property, or the value of it, depending on the directions you give in the trust

Planning in a way that avoids increased property tax, income tax or documentary stamp tax is vital. I would recommend you seek legal counsel to review your specific situation, so a tailored plan can be devised to ensure the results you want occur.

Eric P Feichthaler has lived in Cape Coral for over 35 years and graduated from Mariner High School in Cape Coral After completing law school at G e o r g e t o w n U n i v e r s i t y i n W a s h i n g t o n , D C , h e returned to Southwest Florida to practice law and raise a family He served as mayor of Cape Coral from 2005-2008, and continues his service to the community through the Cape Coral Caring Center, Cape Coral Museum of History, and Cape Coral Kiwanis He has been married to his wife, Mary, for over 20 years, and they have four children together He earned his board certification in Real Estate Law from the Florida Bar. He is AV Preeminent rated by Martindale-Hubbell for professional ethics and legal ability, and is a Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator He can be reached at eric@capecoralattorney com, or 239-5424733

This article is general in nature and not intended as legal advice to anyone Individuals should seek legal counsel before acting on any matter of legal rights and obligations

Even though inflation has yet to reach the Fed’s declared ideal target of 2% per year, it had come down enough for many experts to declare the Fed had actually pulled off the elusive miracle of engineering a soft landing in the economy and avoiding the severe recession some have been predicting for the better part of the past two years Some of these experts have been proposing that the Fed should simply raise its long-standing and generally accepted target level for inflation from 2% to 3% and be done with it Kind of an economic “gimme” in a “close enough for government work, horseshoes and hand grenades” type of scenario, if you will

and Geri Quinn

Homing In

through the housing market seems to be growing Locally, as of Tuesday, Sept 5, the number of active listings for Cape Coral s i n g l e - f a m i l y h o m e s i n t h e M u l t i p l e Listing Service bumped up 3 9% to 1,887 homes on the market from 1,817 active listings two weeks ago Current list prices are ranging from $180,000 for a storm damaged home in need of repair to $7 59 million for a newly built home on the river in the Southeast Cape, with the median list price dipping to $519,900 from $525,000 two weeks ago A total of 452 homes are listed for sale at $400,000 equalling 24% of our active listings, and up from 424 homes two weeks ago There were 214 homes in the Cape listed for $1 million and up versus 213 homes two weeks ago

Everything seemed to be going along swimmingly on the surface of the economy this summer based on the official economic data coming out of the nation's capital until the reality set in that the Fed has absolutely no direct control over oil prices In case you have not noticed, oil prices have suddenly spiked higher in August, and earlier this week the Saudis and Russians both extended their production cuts driving oil prices towards $90 per barrel Oil market experts are predicting prices will be back over $100 soon, with higher gas prices to follow Some argue the shift away from America being energy independent a few years ago will continue to come back home to roost in multiple ways, including in the form of very sticky inflation

What does all of this have to do with the housing market? If inflation reignites and spikes higher, the likelihood that the Fed will keep interest rates higher for longer increases, along with the possibility that they may be forced to continue raising rates While a lot of experts have been expecting mortgage rates to start drifting lower this year and into next year, most were not expecting the recent surge over 7% on 30-year fixed rate mortgages With a growing possibility of even higher mortgage rates in the foreseeable future, the risk of an even bigger chill rippling

The number of single-family homes in the Cape under contract with buyers as a pending sale dropped by 7 9% to 687 homes on Sept 5, from 746 pending sales two weeks ago The current price range for our pending home sales ran from $150,000 to $2 299 million on Sept 5, compared to a range of $150,000 to $4 5 million two weeks ago A total of 376 homes are currently under contract at $400,000 and under, down 5 3% compared to 397 homes two weeks ago. The number of homes under contract as a pending sale at $1 million and above dropped by 18 2% to 18 homes on Sept 5, from 22 homes two weeks ago The median pending sales price dipped a bit to $395,777 on Sept 5, from $399,000 two weeks ago

Based on the preliminary sales results for the Cape Coral single-family home market in the month of August, the number of closed home sales will be coming higher than in August of last year This marks the first time so far in 2023 that our sales have come in higher than the same month from a year ago, as the total number of closed home sales through August of this year are running about 20% below the 4,509 closed sales recorded through the first eight months of 2022. Last year’s numbers were supported by a record-setting first quarter, with the peak in 2022 sales reached in March at 686 home sales for the month Even though the second quarter of 2022 topped the first quarter of that year, the monthly sales numbers came in below the March peak with sales drifting lower as the Federal Reserve launched its war on inflation in March

See MONETARY POLICIES, page 15

REAL ESTATE BRIEFS

City per mitting ser vices closed for system upgrades Sept. 14

The permitting counter at Cape Coral City Hall will be closed Thursday, Sept 14, while the EnerGov CSS Portal is offline to receive system upgrades

The online permitting system is expected to be available on Friday, Sept 15 While upgrades are ongoing, residents and contractors cannot submit permit applications, check permit statuses or schedule inspections

Next week, residents with an appointment may visit the City Hall permitting counter Monday - Wednesday, from 7:30 a m to 4 p m The counter is closed on Fridays Appointments are scheduled in 30-minute time slots and can be made through the Q-less virtual line system No walk-ins will be accepted

City Hall is at 1015 Cultural Park Blvd , Cape Coral

Royal Palm Coast Realtor Association donates necessities to victims of Hurricane Idalia

In the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia, Royal Palm Coast Realtor Association stepped forward with a gesture of sup-

port RPCRA donated numerous essential items to the victims of Hurricane Idalia, including supplies such as 50 cases of water, diapers, wipes, paper products, gift cards, tarps, cleaning supplies and baby formula

RPCRA President-Elect Marlissa Gervasoni and board member Que Raphael helped fellow board member Shane Spring shop and pile up Spring’s trailer as he drove to Dixie Gilchrist Levy Association of Realtors in Chiefland, Florida, picking up additional supplies from Stellar MLS along the way

RPCRA expresses its sincere gratitude to all those who contributed to making this donation drive a success

To learn more about Royal Palm Coast Realtor® Association and membership, visit RPCRA org

Sage Communities completes construction on Seneca at Oak Creek

Sage Communities has completed construction on Seneca at Oak Creek, a new 55+ rental community in North Fort Myers that marks the developer’s first project in Southwest Florida

See REAL ESTATE BRIEFS, page 15

Bob

Owner’s wishes can be met by creating a trust to hold property for partner, family

Eric P Feichthaler

Real Estate Law

Lee Clerk to host free class on how to apply for a passport

With the holiday travel season quickly approaching, Lee County Clerk Kevin Karnes is hosting a free online class on how to apply for a passport The webinar will be held from 2-3 p m m, Wednesday, Sept 13, via the online platform Zoom

During the virtual class, participants will learn the process and requirements to apply for a passport so they can begin their travels abroad This includes:

■ Types of forms & applications

■ Required documentation and infor-

mation for adults and minors

■ Time limits

■ Fees and associated costs

■ Turnaround times

September is also Passport Awareness

M o n t h , w h i c h i s a t i

t h e U S

Department of State encourages people to apply for their passport since demand is typically down in the fall and winter months As an official passport acceptance facility, the Lee Clerk’s office processes approximately 8,000 passport applica-

tions a year

The class is free, but registration is required Anyone who would like to attend t

www leeclerk org/seminar

This webinar is part of the “How To” series provided by the Lee Clerk’s office to educate the community about all of the resources available to them Recorded tutorials of past “How To” classes are available at www leeclerk org/howto

The Florida Constitution established

the Clerk of the Circuit Court as a public trustee, responsible for safeguarding public records and public funds Clerk Kevin Karnes is directly elected by and accountable to Lee County residents In addition to the role of Clerk of the Circuit Court, the Clerk is the County Recorder and C l e r k o f t h e B o a r d o f C o u n t y Commissioners, and the Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Auditor for Lee County

Monetary policies: The local impact of the Fed’s interest rate hikes

From page 14

2022 by raising interest rates

The impact of the Fed’s shift away from its era of record low interest rates and “free money” towards sharply higher interest rates and tight money came home to roost in July and August 2022, with the number of closed home sales in the Cape plunging 23% from 622 sales in June to 477 sales in July 2022 They dropped another 11 7% from July to 421 sales in August 2022, as mortgage rates started shooting higher

We were on pace for weak sales again last September before Hurricane Ian barreled through Southwest Florida Closed sales plummeted to a post-Hurricane Ian low of 223 last October before slowly recovering from there. So the sales comparisons for the remaining months of this year will look favorable to last year and

From page 14

The community offers 184 one- and two-bedroom villa residences available in five floor plans ranging from 874 to 1,559 s q u a r e f e e t . E a c h u n i t f e a t u r e s a f u l l kitchen with stainless-steel appliances, cabinetry and granite countertops Each suite offers an in-unit washing machine and dryer, as well as a private, screened-in porch and an option for an attached garage

Residents of Seneca at Oak Creek have access to an Amenity Center that offers a 24-hour fitness center and active fitness room, resort-style swimming pool with barbecue grills, open multipurpose room, library, mailroom and dog park

I n t r o d u c t o r y r e n t a l p r i c e s s t a r t a t

$1,890 per month and include maintenance and unlimited access to social and fitness activities planned by an on-site activities coordinator

Seneca at Oak Creek is located off Bayshore Road, just west of I-75, in North

they are also likely to remain in line or better than the pre-COVID market years of 2017 through 2019.

As far as home prices are concerned, we are seeing split opinions out there with some experts believing the housing market has put in its bottom, while others are predicting a more substantial downturn in home prices As we have noted on a regular basis in this column, in the overall Cape Coral single-family home market, our peak median sales price occurred in April 2022 at $470,000 The peak median list price was $610,000 on April 19, 2022 (based on our weekly market surveys) So far this year, the median sales price from January through July ranged from $400,000 to $420,000 with July coming in right down the middle at $410,000 Based on the preliminary numbers for the month of August, the median sales price weakened a bit, dip-

ping below $400,000 for the first time this year to $396,995 Back in 2022, the median sales price in the Cape’s overall singlef a m i l y h o m e m a r k e t h i t i t s l o w o f $395,000 in January before spending the next 10 months at $400,000 and above, with this past December coming in at $399,995

At this point, median sales prices are taking a much needed respite from the peak prices of 2022, while still remaining well above the price levels reached back in 2021 As far as time on the market for new listings, in most cases it has been taking about 3 to 5 times longer for a home to go under contract with a buyer this year compared to last year, and roughly 5 to 6 times longer than in 2021 We will be watching to see if higher mortgage rates will slow down our market even more

REAL ESTATE BRIEFS

Fort Myers For more information, please visit SenecaOakCreek com or call 239744-3400

Christopher Alan Homes appoints Alicea as corporate plans manager

Jacob Alicea has joined Christopher Alan Homes as the corporate plans manager In his role, Alicea oversees new development plans and products, manages the company’s external design professionals and works collaboratively with the purchasing, construction and marketing teams to deliver Christopher Alan’s promise of building high-quality homes at attainable prices

Alicea has nearly 10 years of experience working with residential construction and technician companies across Florida. His expertise includes project management, technical analysis, construction operations and architectural practices Alicea is also currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree i n c o n s t r u c t i o n m a n a g e m e n t a t t h e

University of Central Florida

A builder-owned company, Christopher Alan Homes is a Southwest Florida’s privately owned homebuilder It is a preferred builder in The Hammocks at West Port and Burnt Store Village, along with Babcock Ranch. The company also builds on scattered homesites in Charlotte, Sarasota and Lee counties in Southwest Florida and Melbourne and Palm Bay on Florida’s East Central Space Coast and is planning to open a new division in Tampa later this y e a r F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t

Christopher Alan Homes, visit christopheralanhomes com or call 855-44-MYCAH

Jerrells joins Stevens Construction

Stevens Construction Inc. has expanded the Fort Myers team with the addition of project manager Matt Jerrells, announced Daniel F Adams Jr , executive vice president/partner

The sales data for this article was o b t a i n e d f r o m t h e F l o r i d a R e a l t o r s Multiple Listing Service Matrix for Lee County, Fla , as of Sept 4, 2023, unless otherwise noted It was compiled by Bob and Geri Quinn and it includes information specifically for Cape Coral single-family homes, and does not include condominiums, short sales or foreclosures The data and statistics are believed to be reliable, h o w e v e r , t h e y c o u l d b e u p d a t e d a n d revised periodically, and are subject to change without notice The Quinns are a husband and wife real estate team with the R E / M A X R e a l t y T e a m o f f i c e i n C a p e Coral. They have lived in Cape Coral for over 43 years Geri has been a full-time Realtor since 2005, and Bob joined Geri as a full-time Realtor in 2014 Their real estate practice is mainly focused on Cape Coral residential property and vacant lots

Bringing more than 28 years of construction experience, Jerrells is an accomplished leader, previously serving as vice president of construction for a regional contractor completing senior living, health care, public works and multi-family projects throughout Florida.

As project manager, Jerrells is responsible for ensuring the schedule and budget goals established in preconstruction are achieved during the construction phase with superior safety and quality

With offices in Fort Myers, Sarasota and Orlando, Stevens Construction specializes in providing construction management, general contracting and consulting services to clients and design professionals Other services include site and design team selection, budgeting, project scheduling, permitting, cost and quality control and warranty service The company builds healthcare, commercial and hospitality facilities For information, visit www stevensbuilds com or call 239-936-9006

Lee school district provides update on its student engagement programs

B y M E G H A N B R A D B U RY n e w s @ b r e e z e n e w s p a p e r s c o m M o r e o p p o r t u n i t i e s a r e b e i n g p r o v i d e d f o r s t u d e n t s i n t h e S c h o o l D i s t r i c t o f L e e C o u n t y t o i n t e r a c t w i t h t h e i r p e e r s t h r o u g h t h e S a n d y H o o k P r o m i s e , P e e r t o P e e r M e n t o r i n g a n d t h e L I S T E N i n i t i a t i v e T h e L e e C o u n t y S c h o o l B o a r d h e a r d a p r e s e n t a t i o n t h i s w e e k t h a t w e n t i n t o d e t a i l , w i t h t h e f i r s t h i g h l i g h ti n g t h e S a n d y H o o k P r o m i s e , k i c k i n g o f f t h i s m o n t h w i t h s c h o o l w i d e a s s e m b l i e s a t a l l s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s S t u d e n t S e r v i c e s E x e c u t i v e D i r e c t o r D r J e s s i c a D u n c a n s a i d t h e w e e k o f S e p t 1 8 - 2 2 i n c l u d e s t h e N a t i o n a l S t a r t w i t h H e l l o W e e k , w h i c h i n c l u d e s S A V E P r o m i s e c l u b s g e a r i n g u p f o r a w e e k o f a c t i v i t i e s S t u d e n t S e r v i c e s T h r e a t A s s e s s m e n t s C o o r d i n a t o r K i m b e r l e y M o l h e m s a i d o n e s c h o o l i s h a n d i n g o u t n a m e t a g s w i t h t h e c h a l l e n g e o f g o i n g o u t a n d s a y i n g h e l l o t o t h r e e s t u d e n t s , o r p e e r s t h a t t h e y d o n o t k n o w

“This is about student achievement in a different way. Really, there is a whole aspect to the support and health of a child This is an opportunity for them to grow and use peer-to-peer mentoring to work to create environments ”

Superintendent Dr Christopher Bernier

T h e f o l l o w i n g d a y t h e y w i l l d e b r i e f a s t o h o w t h e a c t i vi t y w e n t D u n c a n s a i d t h e r e w i l l a l s o b e a Y o u t h L e a d e r s h i p S a f e t y S u m m i t T h e S a n d y H o o k P r o m i s e w i l l f a c i l i t a t e t w o d a y s w h e r e s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s t u d e n t s w i l l l e a r n f r o m e a c h o t h e r o n w a y s t h e y a r e b u i l d i n g i n c l u s i v e c o m m u n i t i e s i n t h e i r s c h o o l s “ I t ’ s a g r e a t o p p o r t u n i t y f o r e a c h o f o u r c l u b m e mb e r s , f i v e s t u d e n t s w i t h a c l u b a d v i s o r , t o c o m e f o r a f u l l d a y , ” M o l h e m s a i d , a d d i n g t h a t a n a d v i s o r f r o m S a n d y H o o k w i l l a l s o b e i n a t t e n d a n c e “ I t w i l l s h o wc a s e w h a t t h e y a r e d o i n g i n t h e i r s c h o o l s ” S o m e o f t h a t w o r k b e g a n l a s t y e a r a t s c h o o l s R i v e r d a l e H i g h S c h o o l w r o t e p o s i t i v e c o m m e n t s o n s t i c k y n o t e s a n d p u t t h e m o n e v e r y l o c k e r t o p r o v i d e a p o s i t i v e s t a r t t o t h e d a y f o r s t u d e n t s A n o t h e r p r o g r a m h i g h l i g h t e d w a s t h e P e e r - t o - P e e r M e n t o r i n g P r o g r a m T h i s i s p a r t o f a n a w a r d r e c e i v e d b y t h e F o u n d a t i o n f o r L e e C o u n t y P u b l i c S c h o o l s , D u n c a n s a i d T w o h i g h s c h o o l s h a v e b e e n s e l e c t e d , I s l a n d C o a s t H i g h S c h o o l a n d L e h i g h S e n i o r H i g h S c h o o l , w i t h t h e h o p e s o f h a v i n g 1 5 t o 2 0 m e n t o r s p e r s i t e T h e y a r e i n t h e p r o c e s s o f c o m p l e t i n g a l l o f t h e p a p e r w o r k a n d n o t i f y i n g p a r e n t s w h o s e c h i l d w a n t s t o

p a r t i c i p a t e s o p a r e n t s c a n e i t h e r o p t t h e m i n o r o u t “ W e w i l l t r a i n m e n t o r s , s o t h e y h a v e t h e a p p r o p r i a t e l i s t e n i n g s k i l l s , ” D u n c a n s a i d , a d d i n g t h a t t h e y h o p e t o e s t a b l i s h a p r o g r a m t h a t t h e y c a n m o v e o n t o o t h e r s i t e s

A s a c o m p o n e n t o f t h a t t h e y h a d t h e L I S T E N

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

G a t e w a y , I s l a n d C o a s t , D u n b a r a n d L e h i g h S e n i o r S t u d e n t s w i l l w a t c h t h e s c r e e n i n g o f t h e m o v i e “ L i s t e n , ” a n d h a v e f o l l o w - u p i n t e r a c t i v e d i s c u s s i o n s a n d a c t i v e l i s t e n e r t r a i n i n g w i t h F i l m D i r e c t o r E r a h m C h r i s t o p h e r “ T h i s i s a b o u t s t u d e n t a c h i e v e m e n t i n a d i f f e r e n t w a y R e a l l y , t h e r e i s a w h o l e a s p e c t t o t h e s u p p o r t a n d h e a l t h o f a c h i l d T h i s i s a n o p p o r t u n i t y f o r t h e m t o g r o w a n d u s e p e e r - t o - p e e r m e n t o r i n g t o w o r k t o c r e a t e e n v i r o n m e n t s , " S u p e r i n t e n d e n t D r C h r i s t o p h e r B e r n i e r s a i d B o a r d m e m b e r J a d a L a n g f o r d - F l e m i n g w a s e c s t a t i c a b o u t t h e p r e s e n t a t i o n a n d t h e o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r s t ud e n t s “ I k e p t t h i n k i n g y e s , y e s , y e s T h e s e a r e t h e t y p e s o f a c t i v i t i e s t h a t s t u d e n t s a r e g o i n g t o g o h o m e a n d h a v e c o n v e r s a t i o n s w i t h t h e i r p a r e n t s , ” s h e s a i d

Coontie - ancient plant becomes a landscape favorite

By SHERIE BLEILER news@breezenewspapers com

The coontie bush is a cycad, the type of plant that was prolific during the age of dinosaurs, 325 million years ago As the only native cycad found in North America, it is native to south Florida and endangered It has long stems that come from the base of the plant with short pointed leaves all along the stem, similar to a fern Yet the leaves are tough, almost like cardboard Coonties (Zamia integ r i f o l i a ) w e r e c o m m o n throughout south Florida f o r h u n d r e d s o f y e a r s

GARDEN CLUB OF CAPE CORAL

Their roots contain a dangerous neurotoxin called cycasin Native Americans learned to soak the toxins out of the root, mash and dry them into flour, from which they made bread Seminole tribes named the plant conti hateka, meaning white root or white bread The Seminoles taught the process to the early settlers near Miami By the 1880s, several processing mills had been built By the time World War I occurred, as much as 18 tons of coontie plants a day were being processed for the military. This wiped out most of the coontie that was available Later on, clearing the land for development wiped out most of the rest Thus, it landed on the endangered list

It has been revived by landscapers, who have found that it is an attractive and durable plant for Florida gardens It gets about 3 feet tall and wide, is drought tolerant and somewhat salt tolerant, making it a great plant for our coastal yards You do not trim it, just like you would not cut a fern’s leaves in half, as it would look ridiculous I have seen coonties in medians, chopped with blunt ends

So plan for its size Even though it starts out small, give it a full 3-4 feet in width. (Plant small, short-lived plants around it for a few years if you like to fill the space ) To trim, cut the lowest, oldest branches at ground level, as they age and turn brown Mature coonties only get new leaves once per year, in May-June This is when I trim my plant of some of the old growth It needs no extra watering after it is a year old and established It needs no fertilizer either as it prefers our natural soils It grows in sun or shade Since it needs so little maintenance, you can understand why it is a popular foundation plant I enjoy my 20-year-old coontie plant because it continually looks great and asks for nothing But there’s more!

Bonus: butterflies! The stunning Atala butterfly, purported to be extinct in 1965 was rediscovered in the keys in 1979 by Roger Hammer, who helped them reproduce

See COONTIE, page 41

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

Latin music lovers will rock the day and night away Saturday, Sept 16, when well-known internationallyacclaimed artists from Cuba, Puerto Rico and South America perform at the first-ever Fort Myers Latin Music Festival at the Caloosa Sound Amphitheater on Edwards Drive in downtown Fort Myers

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

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

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

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

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

■ Bianca Leony was born in Miami of Cuban-American parents who made the Latin rhythm part of her soul Her grandmother Bianca Varela was a renowned opera singer in Cuba and is the inspiration for Leony’s music

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

The festival will showcase a variety of Latin music genres, including salsa, bachata, merengue, reggaeton and more, according to organizers “Attendees can enjoy Latin cuisine, shop for unique crafts and souvenirs and experience the vibrant and color-

ful atmosphere of the festival,” said organizer Eddie Latour of Nice Guys Productions “The festival promises to be a fun-filled celebration of Latin culture that will bring people together and create lasting memories ”

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

A portion of the proceeds from the festival will support local non-profit organization Music aLIVE SWFL, formed in October 2022, in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian to preserve and promote live music in Southwest Florida Music aLIVE SWFL will provide financial assistance, education and other support to local musicians and others that support the live music industry, Latour said

Tickets are $40 pre-sale and $50 at the door Children under age 5 are free VIP tickets cost $150 and include VIP parking, buffet dinner from 3 Pepper Burrito, exclusive walk-in bathrooms, meet and greet with the performers, a VIP tent with shade and a designated area to dance b y t h e s t a g e T i c k e t s c a n b e p u r c h a s e d a t https://outertix com/niceguys/20

For additional information, visit www niceguysproduction.com

Kimmie’s Recovery Zone to host Party in the Park Sept. 23 in Fort Myers

Al and Debbie Kinkle lost their daughter, Kimmie, to an accidental overdose due to heroin laced with fentanyl in December 2015 The Kinkle family turned their grief into p u r p o s e b y s t a r t i n g t w o d i f f e r e n t f u n d s : K i m m i e ’ s Recovery Zone and Kimmie’s Angels

Since 2015, the number of overdoses and overdose deaths have surged due to fentanyl In 2021, the State Department of Health reported 8,093 fatal overdoses in Florida, while the National Center for Health Statistics reported 108,606 overdose deaths nationwide by March 2022 Preliminary numbers for February 2023 reported 105,258 overdose deaths nationwide

Al Kinkle and the KRZ team continue to fight to help prevent other families from experiencing the pain of losing a loved one to addiction Kimmie’s Recovery Zone has provided over 16,000 units of opioid reversal medication in the past three years

Naloxone (Narcan) is a medication designed to rapidly reverse opioid overdose It can very quickly restore normal respiration to a person whose breathing has slowed or stopped because of overdosing with heroin, fentanyl or prescription opioid pain medications Narcan Nasal Spray is a prefilled, needle-free device that requires no assembly and is sprayed into one nostril while patients lay on their back

“I often ask myself what if Kimmie had this nasal spray available,” said Kinkle

Kimmie’s Recovery Zone is local nonprofit supporting the recovery community and those impacted by mental health and Substance Use Disorders

“Recovery is a lifelong commitment,” said Kinkle “The mission of Kimmie’s Recovery Zone is to mobilize resources to offer solutions for long-term recovery for the individual experiencing hardship from mental health and substance use disorders, as well as ease the pain of their family and friends affected KRZ provides services and resources including: wellness programs, narcan distribution, meeting space, peer support, peer training, food distribution, family support, recovery support meetings and KRZ is a referral resource hub "

Kimmie’s Recovery Zone will be hosting a family fun event Party in the Park, emphasizing recovery is for everyone during Recovery Month on Saturday, Sept 23, where it will also be offering free Narcan and training to all those that attend

Party in the Park will run from 10 a m to 3 p m at Lakes Regional Park, 7330 Gladiolus Drive, Fort Myers The event is free

National Recovery Month is an international observance held every September to educate people about how substance use and mental health services can enable individuals and their families to live healthy and rewarding lives All money raised will help Kimmie’s Recovery Zone to continue to provide free education and resources to help individuals and families identify multiple pathways to recovery

Learn more about the upcoming event Party in the Park in September: https://bit ly/RecoveryMonth Event

For additional information, visit www.kimmiesrecoveryzone org

Osmani Garcia Lucy Grau

PHOTO PROVIDED

The coontie bush.

Community Foundation’s ENPYs finalists announced

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

An annual awards ceremony honoring and recognizing those in the non-profit sector takes place at the end of the month

The Community Foundation, founded in Cape Coral, will host the 7th Annual ENPYs Excellence in Nonprofit Performance Yearly awards on Sept 28 at Cape Christian

More than 100 nominees in a myriad of categories have been whittled down to three finalists in each, and their efforts and accomplishments will be on full display at the special event

“It’s really important to us not only that we support the community, but that we’re also recognizing the hard work that local non-profits and their leaders do for this community,” said Community Foundation Development Assistant Alison Aparo “We think that some of those people on the back-end that maybe don’t have their faces out on the front page sometimes get overlooked, so we really find it important to honor those people and recognize what they’re doing ”

To be eligible, individuals or organizations must have a physical presence in Southwest Florida and regularly deliver services to residents in Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry, Glades, DeSoto or Sarasota county Up to three finalists will be selected in each category by a panel of impartial non-local judges to ensure the highest level of integrity and impartiality, and their decision is based solely on what is written by the nominator

Aparo said it’s always fulfilling to see the nominees and winners take joy and pride in their accomplishments A few of the awards are also named after local staples in the Southwest Florida realm, such as Paul Sanborn and Elmer Tabor

“We have people that are very excited to have their hard work recognized,” she said “And it’s a two-for-one when we get to recognize those ‘local legends,’ because those people are doing very important work in the community and their legacy is not only something that not only should be recognized, but can also serve as an inspiration and enhance the honor that we're placing on these leaders. We

believe in that synergy and that inspiration coming off of each other to band together and make the community a better place.”

With Hurricane Ian having blown through the region just about one year ago, many non-profits and leaders have stepped up to help rebuild

“A lot of the non-profits that we worked with, for example those who have received grants from us, a lot of them are putting in a lot of really hard work to rebuild the community both physically and emotionally,” Aparo said “It was such a devastating event, but the silver lining is seeing everyone come together to express their love for the community and rebuild it ”

Award categories and finalists for each include:

■ Nonprofit Employee of the Year (paid staff member): Kate Major, Dianne Summers, Erin Wolfe Belle

■ Nonprofit Executive of the Year (CEO, President, Executive Director): David Brown, Heidi Davis, Megan Rose

■ Next Generation Leader award goes to a dynamic leader who is 18-35 years old staff member (part time or full-time) working for nonprofit organization: Manuela Martinez, Malaina Mote, Falon Tabares

■ Nonprofit Organization of the Year (established more than five years ago): Habitat for Humanity, PACE Center for Girls, SalusCare

■ Connie Ramos-Williams Nonprofit Publicity Award (A resourceful nonprofit that increased their audience

resources): Teresa M Araque, Halle Goldstein, Martha Perez

■ Nonprofit Volunteer of the Year (individual who serves the organization and/or community): Jim and Joan Bajek, Dayra ‘Dee’ Dominguez, Allison O’Reilly

■ Business Partner of the Year (For profit or nonprofit business who supports nonprofits and the community): New Horizons of Southwest Florida, Regions Bank, Sanibel Captiva Community Bank

■ Community Impact Award (Individual who makes a positive impact in Southwest Florida): Dr. Susan Hook, Wanna Horner, Sandra Worth

■ The Elmer Tabor Generosity Award (Recognizing an outstanding philanthropist): Yvonne Hill, Danyale Kinney, Kathryn Klar

■ The Paul Sanborn Service Above Self Award (Citizen who exemplifies the spirit “Service Above Self”): Dr Tom Felke, Ernestine Squires, Jess Walker

■ Dennis Gingerich Ministry Award (The award honors a person who has gone above and beyond the call of duty to serve and support residents in Southwest Florida through excellence in ministry): Ron Inge, Dr Phil Phillips, Wynn Watkins

According to its mission statement, The Community Foundation fosters a healthy and dynamic community where individuals are inspired to support, strengthen and enrich quality of life through generosity and civic engagement The Foundation offers a variety of inventive ways to give generously to a multitude of diverse partners, prioritize needs and best serve its citizens locally, regionally, nationally and abroad

Sponsorship and individual tickets are available for the luncheon that starts at 11 a m For more information on tickets and sponsorships, email Aparo at Alison@capeco-

For more information on the Community Foundation, visit www capecoralcf org

Cape Christian is at 2110 Chiquita Blvd

We e k ly B R E E Z E R e c ap

Fort Myers Beach

to

issue code enforcement letters for unsafe and abandoned structures

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

The Town of Fort Myers Beach will begin sending out letters and creating code compliance cases for homeowners whose buildings are deemed to be unsafe, do not provide inadequate egress, constitute a fire hazard, or which, in relation to existing use, constitute a hazard to safety or health, Town of Fort Myers Beach spokesperson Jennifer Dexter announced Friday.

“As the Town moves forward with the rebuilding of Fort Myers Beach, we are starting to address the properties that have become unsafe structures or that have been abandoned,” said Town of Fort Myers Beach Manager Andy Hyatt “We are sympathetic to the loss of properties and challenges with insurance though we must now address some areas of the Town for the common good and to prevent further losses and harm ”

At a town council meeting last month, Hyatt said that he and Town of Fort Myers Beach Operations and Compliance Director Frank Kropacek had begun driving around the island to take stock of neighborhoods with a

list of buildings in bad shape

According to a statement issued by Dexter, the town’s Code Compliance Division will be surveying the current status of the remaining structures in town to “photograph buildings which are unsafe, do not provide inadequate egress, constitute a fire hazard, or which, in relation to existing use, constitute a hazard to safety or health ”

“The plan will be to require unsafe structures to be repaired or demolished by certain dates in accordance with the Unsafe Building Abatement Code,” Dexter said

Dexter said property owners with structures considered unsafe or abandoned would receive letters

“A code compliance case will be created for each building to require the property owner(s) to receive a building permit prior to Oct 31, 2023, to either demolish or repair the structure ”

Dexter said that “property owners receiving an unsafe building notice must acquire an issued building permit prior to Oct 31, 2023, to either demolish or repair the structure ”

According to the letter sent by Dexter, “property own-

Williamson Brothers, partners purchase Pine Island marinas

By PAULETTE LeBLANC pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

Jimmy Williamson of Williamson Brothers Marine Construction said his company has purchased three Pine Island marinas in a multi-joint ventures process

The first, now St James City Marina and formerly known as Salty Steve’s Marina, was purchased by W i l l i a m s o n B r o t h e r s a n d P h e l a n F a m i l y B r a n d s

Formerly Wallace Bait in St James City was also purchased by Williamson Brothers and Phelan Family Brands The final marina in the trio is Jug Creek Marina, now owned by Williamson Brothers and Mike Verona, Team Davenport Barging, which serves the barrier islands

The intention for the purchase of these marinas began when Williamson Brothers was leasing the yard space from the St James City Marina for the purpose of a staging area, which was needed for the boat transport of laborers and supplies moving back and forth to Sanibel after Hurricane Ian, before the bridge was repaired After the idea of selling the space had been brought up, Williamson said, the company was already in discussion about running out of vacant lots for the use of staging marine construction in Cape Coral, St James City, Bokeelia and Matlacha

“We don’t have vacant lots like we used to, there’s

very few of them that you can drop your pilings on, put them on the barge and go to the job We needed to secure commercial waterfront for that, so that was convenient so that’s what we did,” Williamson said

Grant Phalen of Phalen Family Brands holds part ownership of Pine Island Crab Company, which recently opened a store in the St James City Marina, Williamson explained The docks located there, formerly utilized by recreational fishing and charter guide vessels, will now be utilized only by commercial crabbing and shrimping boats

“Behind that marina you’re going to have a view of nothing but commercial boats, pulling up daily, loading their catch to be processed, boxed and sorted, by Pine Island Crab and sent to the Pine Island Crab Company, at The Center, where they have an office,” Williamson said

The intentions for St James City Marina, he said, is to build additional dock space for popular restaurant Phuzzy’s Boat Shack, as currently there is often not enough space there to dock boats

The plan for Jug Creek Marina, he said, is to carry on the same tradition

ers must demolish or repair their structures and close their permits by requesting and passing all required inspections within 180 days of permit issuance ”

Fort Myers Beach Vice Mayor Jim Atterholt said “a lot of residents expressed concerns about the derelict properties ” Atterholt said the town had been “reticent” to start taking enforcement actions against property owners still rebuilding from Hurricane Ian but said town officials believe the time is right now that town hall has been demolished

“I hope the town is discerning and sympathetic to those who are trying (to address their structures) or who can show they have insurance or permit issues. It's tough out there People are still waiting on insurance checks,” Atterholt said

“It’s not my desire to give a hard time to those who are trying,” he said Atterholt said he didn’t “have a lot of patience” for those who aren’t making attempts to fix their properties or who are absentee property owners but said “for those who have made an effort, I hope we have some grace and patience ”

County Commission extends toll waiver for Sanibel Causeway

The Lee Board of County Commissioners voted to extend the suspension of tolls on the Sanibel Causeway to include Sunday, Sept 17, Saturday, Sept 23, and Sunday, Sept 24, in support of the Island Hopper Songwriter Fest organized by the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau. Lost revenue from the tolls suspension will be covered by Collaboratory

Commissioners voted on Aug 1 to suspend tolls every Sunday through Sept 10 The Collaboratory requested the extension with reimbursement

To receive updates from Lee County Government, sign up for the newsletter at www leegov com/ resources/ newsletters

Contract awarded for expansion of Emergency Operations Center

The Lee Board of County Commissioners voted Tuesday to award a contract for a two-story, 36,873 s q u a r e - f o o t a d d i t i o n t o t h e e x i s t i n g E m e r g e n c y Operations Center at 2675 Ortiz Ave , Fort Myers

During normal operations, the building will house the P u b l i c S a f e t y A d m i n i s t r a t i o n , E m e r g e n c y M e d i c a l Services and a new Emergency Communications Center, with space for Public Safety’s Division of Emergency Communications, Lee County Sheriff's Office Communications, and the Lee County Department of Transportation’s Traffic Operations Center

When activated for an emergency, the Emergency Operations Center will be staffed with key personnel from first-responder agencies, emergency relief organizations, county departments, municipalities, utility companies and other essential agencies

To accommodate the numerous personnel during activation, the new facility will be equipped with technology and equipment, numerous restrooms, showers and sleeping accommodations, an extensive training facility, and additional amenities to contribute to the building’s efficiency and operational requirements

This project is funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and State Appropriation Funds with key support from Lee County’s legislative delegation

Construction is expected to take about 19 months

The Jug Creek Marina in Bokeelia was one of three purchased by Williamson Brothers and its partners.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Registration underway for Lakes Park Fall Festival ‘Scarecrows in the Park’ entries

The Lakes Park Enrichment Foundation and Lee County Parks & Recreation invite businesses, non-profits, groups and organizations to sponsor a “Scarecrow in the Park ” Entries will be exhibited Oct 13-29 in the Children’s Garden at Lakes Park, 7330 Gladiolus Drive, Fort Myers, and

will be a part of the Lakes Park Fall Festival

The theme of the 2023 competition is “Movie Characters ” Pick a movie character and design a single standing scarecrow for display to the 50,000 visitors that enjoy this family-friendly festival Your busi-

EDUCATION NOTES

Baxter named to Dean's List at Mount St. Mar y's University

EMMITSBURG, MD -- Kyle Baxter of Cape Coral is among the 596 students who earned Dean's List honors for the Spring 2 0 2 3 s e m e s t e r a t M o u n t S t M a r y ' s University Students who maintain a 3 4 grade point average or higher are eligible for this honor

Mount St Mary's University is a private, liberal arts, Catholic university in the C a t o c t i n M o u n t a i n s n e a r h i s t o r i c

Emmitsburg, Maryland, with a satellite campus in Frederick, Maryland's second largest city The university offers more than 80 majors, minors, concentrations and special programs for traditional undergraduate students, and more than 20 adult u n d e r g r a d u a t e a n d g r a d u a t e l e v e l p r ograms

The Mount includes Mount St Mary's Seminary, the second oldest in the United States, and the National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, an idyllic shrine for spiritual reflection located on the hill above the university.

Please visit https://msmary edu/

Holloway makes Academic

Achievement List at Geor gia Southwester n State University

AMERICUS, Ga -- Hannah Holloway, a resident of St James City, made the S u m m e r 2 0 2 3 A c a d e m i c A c h i e v e m e n t L i s t a t G e o r g i a S o u t h w e s t e r n S t a t e University and was among 430 students recognized for scholastic achievement

T o b e e l i g i b l e f o r t h e A c a d e m i c Achievement List, a student must previously earn at least 12 credit hours at GSW, be enrolled in 3 to 11 hours of courses, and earn a 3 5 or higher GPA

Founded in 1906, Georgia Southwestern State University, located in Americus, Ga , is a public, four-year unit of the University System of Georgia with approximately 3,000 students Georgia Southwestern offers professional programs of study as well as degrees in the arts, humanities, sciences and graduate programs in b u s i n e s s , c o m p u t e r s c i e n c e , e d u c a t i o n , English, and nursing

Visit www.gsw.edu for additional information

ness, family or organization’s name will be on display showing your support of Lakes Park and the community of Lee County Awards will be presented to the VIP and People’s Choice winners

Youth and school groups are needed for those businesses that sponsor but do not wish to design and build their own scarecrow Youth groups receive $50 for supplies.

The Lakes Park Enrichment Foundation has organized this event for the last 13 y e a r s a s p a r t o f t h e L a k e s P a r k F a l l F e s t i v a l A c t i v i t i e s i n c l u d e a p u m p k i n patch, hayrides, inflatables, and concessions presented by Wheel Fun Rental, as well as the Halloween Express train ride

presented by the Southwest Florida Train Museum

The deadline for registration is Sept 29 For additional information, please visit w w w l a k e s p a r k o r g o r e m a i l s c a r ecrows@lakespark org

The Lakes Park Enrichment Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to assisting the Lee County Parks & R e c r e a t i o n D e p a r t m e n t t h r o u g h p h i l a nthropic and volunteer efforts to enrich Lakes Park and enhance the community’s enjoyment of this natural resource

To receive updates from Lee County Government, sign up for the newsletter here: www leegov com/resources/newsletters

Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife to meet Tuesday at Rotary Park Environmental Center

The Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife will hold a general meeting Tuesday, Sept 12, at the Rotary Park Environmental Center, 5505 Rose Garden Road, Cape Coral

C a r r i e S c h u m a n , P h D , c o a s t a l r e s i l i e n c e m a n a g e r f o r t h e S a n i b e lCaptiva Conservation Foundation will be the featured guest speaker, discussing the “Impact of Hurricane Ian and Climate Change on Southwest Florida’s Ecosystems and Wildlife ”

In her role as SCCF coastal resilience manager, Schuman assists the communities of Sanibel and Captiva in achieving

coastal resilience as they plan for future s t r e s s o r s o f c l i m a t e c h a n g e i n c l u d i n g warming temperatures, sea level rise, and increased precipitation and storm intensity

The evening begins at 6:30 with a meet and greet, followed by Schuman's presentation at 7 p m

At 7:50 p m , the CCFW will hold its general membership meeting. All are welcome to attend

For additional information, please visit ccfriendsofwildlife org or on Facebook: CCFW Friends of Wildlife

Air Pros USA now accepting nominations for its annual Veterans Day Giveaway in Fort Myers area

Air Pros USA will honor local men and women who served or are currently serving in the U S military The HVAC company has launched its 4th annual Air Pros USA

Veterans Day Giveaway to award one veteran or active-duty service member in the Fort Myers area a free air conditioning unit with installation

Ser ving aboard the USS Nimitz

PACIFIC OCEAN -- Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Nickolas Condosta, left, from Fort Myers, and Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Edell Ross, from Houston, deconstruct a bomb skid aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) Nimitz is underway conducting routine operations

T h r o u g h o u t t h e e n t i r e m o n t h o f September anyone can nominate a deserving veteran for Air Pros USA Veterans Day Giveaway by filling out a short application a t h t t p s : / / a i r p r o s u s a c o m / v e t e r a n s - d a ygiveaway/ The deadline to submit nominations is Saturday, Sept 30th The contest is open to active military, retired service members, and veterans who were discharged under general or honorable conditions. All nominees need to own their home in the Fort Myers area

“The Veterans Day Giveaway stands as a c h e r i s h e d a n d t r e a s u r e d t r a d i t i o n throughout our company,” serif Anthony Perera, founder and chief growth officer of Air Pros USA “It serves as a humble gesture of appreciation for their dedication and an authentic reflection of our gratitude for their unwavering commitments The values and ethos of Air Pros USA resonate pro-

foundly with Veterans as we have numerous former and active military in our company and the communities we serve We are honored to be able to give back in this annual tribute ”

Air Pros USA is dedicated to the veterans’ community, instituting this tradition leading up to Veterans Day, by helping those in need This year, the company will host the giveaway in multiple U S cities a c r o s s A l a b a m a , F

For more information and a complete list of official rules for the Veterans Day Giveaway, visit https://airprosusa com/veterans-day-giveaway/

Air Pros USA has more than a dozen metro Service locations including Miami, O r

r

d o Springs, Mobile and Spokane For more information visit www airprosusa com

SCHEA to host Lee Health blood drive Saturday

The South Cape Hospitality & Entertainment Association will be hosting a Lee Health blood drive Saturday, Sept 9, from 11

on Southeast 47th Terrace

Official have indicated that type A- and O- remain critically low, and supply levels for all other blood types are also below normal Please consider making a donation to help our local community Donors will also receive a punch card with complimentary offers from the fol-

n g l o c a l b u s i n e s s e s : B a c k S t r e e t s , BIG8 BBQ, Cape Cleaners, The Dive,

Grill, Genius Computer Repair & Service, Greek Spot; Hair Artistry, Karma a

r

a ' s Pizzeria, Merrick Seafood Company, Nice Guys Pizza, Penny's Coffee Bar, Perk & Brew Coffee Shop Cafe, Rack'em Spirits & Times, Rusty's Raw Bar & Grill, Tiki Hut and Zak's Jewelry

All blood donated will stay local to Lee County, and appointments are available to eliminate wait times Please text Shannon a t 2 3 9 - 9 0 0 - 4 0 2 8 ( M o n d a y - F r i d a y , 1 0 a m to 4 p m ) or email info@southcapeentertainment com to secure your time slot

U S NAVY PHOTO BY MASS COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST SEAMAN PETER MCHADDAD

LadyCakes Bakery offering month-long specials leading up to National Bakery Day Sept. 22

National Bakery Day is a sweet celebrat i o n f o r d e s s e r t l o v e r s , a n d t h i s y e a r

LadyCakes Bakery is making it even more special. For the entire month of September, the Cape Coral bakery is offering specials and giveaways, and introducing an exclusive partnership to honor National Bakery Day on Friday, Sept 22

LadyCakes Bakery, which has been on the Southwest Florida food scene since 2014, is renowned for its custom cakes, desserts and a reputation as one of Florida's top 10 bakeries Its National Bakery Month celebration aims to thank loyal customers and welcome new ones with a variety of tempting specials and giveaways.

Owner Bess Charles said, "It's our way o f a d d i n g e x t r a s w e e t n e s s t o N a t i o n a l Bakery Day, and sharing our love for baking with the Southwest Florida community Our customers are the heart of LadyCakes, and we're delighted to celebrate this occasion with them!"

T h e b a k e r y ' s m o n t h - l o n g s p e c i a l s include discounts on custom orders, assorte d c o o k i e s a n d w e d d i n g c a k e o r d e r s Additionally, customers have the chance to win free cupcakes for a year Each purchase throughout September earns an entry into the giveaway, with the winner receiving a dozen cupcakes weekly for a year

In a fun twist, LadyCakes Bakery is also h o s t i n g a C u p c a k e F l a v o r C o n t e s t Customers can submit their dream cupcake flavor in-store or online, with the winning c r e a t i o n f e a t u r e d i n t h e b a k e r y d u r i n g

Thanksgiving week

U.S.

Adding a scoop of delight to the festivities, LadyCakes Bakery is collaborating with Gazoops Ice Cream and Waffle Bar for a unique dessert creation Aptly named, "Lil' Miss Cupcake," the special treat will feature pieces of LadyCakes' cakes mixed with vanilla ice cream, purple sprinkles, and whipped cream To make things even sweeter, a LadyCakes receipt will get customers a 25% discount on any treat at Gazoops

About LadyCakes Bakery

Founded in 2014, LadyCakes Bakery has been voted one of the top 10 bakeries in Florida and the best bakery in Southwest Florida and Cape Coral for nine consecutive years The bakery is known for its custom cakes for all occasions and serves Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Naples, Bonita Springs, Estero and other Southwest Florida cities For more information, visit www iloveladycakes com

Postal Service is

hiring in Lee and Collier

Apply online at www.usps.com/careers

T h e U n i t e d S t a t e s P o s t a l S e r v i c e , c o ns i s t e n t l y n a m e d o n e o f t h e m o s t t r u s t e d b r a n d s i n A m e r i c a , i s h i r i n g m o t i v a t e d a n d d y n a m i c i n d i v i d u a l s t o h e l p i t " D e l i v e r f o r A m e r i c a " R i g h t n o w , U S P S i s l o o k i n g f o r n e w t e a m m e m b e r s t o j o i n i t i n i t s m i s s i o n o f s e r v i c e t o t h e l o c a l c o m m u n i t y T h e P o s t a l S e r v i c e i s h o s t i n g a n d t a ki n g p a r t i n j o b f a i r s i n N a p l e s a n d B o n i t a S p r i n g s t o f i l l i m m e d i a t e o p e n i n g s f o r p o s i t i o n s i n r e t a i l a n d d e l i v e r y i n L e e a n d C o l l i e r c o u n t i e s : ■ N a p l e s C o c o R i v e r P o s t O f f i c e , T h u r s d a y , S e p t 7 , 1 0 a m t o 2 p m , 1 1 3 0 C r e e k s i d e P a r k w a y , N a p l e s , F L 3 4 1 0 8 ■ Y M C A B o n i t a S p r i n g s , S a t u r d a y S e p t 9 , 1 0 a m t o 2 p m , 2 7 2 0 0 K e n t R o a d , B o n i t a S p r i n g s , F L 3 4 1 3 5 T o a s s i s t p o t e n t i a l a p p l i c a n t s , U S P S p e r s o n n e l w i l l b e o n s i t e t o p r o v i d e d e t a i l e d i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t t h e p o s i t i o n s a n d t o a n s w e r q u e s t i o n s C u r r e n t p o s i t i o n s a v a i l a b l e i n c l u d e : ■ A s s i s t a n t R u r a l C a r r i e r / R u r a l C a r r i e r A s s o c i a t e : C a s e s , d e l i v e r s a n d c o ll e c t s m a i l a l o n g a r u r a l r o u t e u s i n g a v e h ic l e P r o v i d e c u s t o m e r s o n t h e r o u t e w i t h a v a r i e t y o f s e r v i c e s S a l a r y : $ 1 9 9 4 p e r h o u r ■ C i t y C a r r i e r A s s i s t a n t : D e l i v e r s a n d c o l l e c t s m a i l o n f o o t o r b y v e h i c l e u n d e r v a r y i n g r o a d a n d w e a t h e r c o n d i t i o n s i n a s s i g n e d a r e a s S a l a r y : $ 1 9 3 3 p e r h o u r

■ P o s t a l S u p p o r t E m p l o y e e : P e r f o r m s d i s t r i b u t i o n a n d a v a r i e t y o f s a l e s a n d c u st o m e r s u p p o r t s e r v i c e s f o r p r o d u c t s

M a i n t a i n s p l e a s a n t a n d e f f e c t i v e p u b l i c r e l a t i o n s w i t h c u s t o m e r s a n d o t h e r s r e q u i ri n g a g e n e r a l f a m i l i a r i t y w i t h p o s t a l l a w s , r e g u l a t i o n s a n d p r o c e d u r e s c o m m o n l y u s e d S a l a r y : $ 2 0 0 5 p e r h o u r T o a p p l y : G o t o t h e C a r e e r s p a g e , u s p s c o m / c a r e e r s , s e l e c t “ A p p l y N o w ” t o b r i n g u p J o b S e a r c h p a g e S e l e c t “ F l o r i d a ” a s l o c a t i o n a n d h i t “ S t a r t ” ) Y o u c a n n a rr o w s e a r c h b y e n t e r i n g k e y w o r d s s u c h a s y o u r c i t y o f i n t e r e s t o r t h e j o b t i t l e C u r r e n t j o b p o s t i n g s w i t h l o c a t i o n s a n d r e q u i r e m e n t s w i l l a p p e a r J o b p o s t i n g s a r e u p d a t e d w e e k l y ; c h e c k b a c k f o r a d d i t i o n a l o p p o r t u n i t i e s A p p l i c a n t s m u s t b e 1 8 y e a r s o f a g e A l l a p p l i c a n t s m u s t b e a b l e t o p a s s d r u g s c r e e n i n g a n d a c r i m i n a l b a c k g r o u n d c h e c k A p p l i c a n t s m u s t h a v e a v a l i d s t a t e d r i v e r ’ s l i c e n s e , a s a f e d r i v i n g r e c o r d a n d a t l e a s t t w o y e a r s o f u n s u p e r v i s e d e x p e r ie n c e d r i v i n g p a s s e n g e r c a r s o r l a r g e r T h e d r i v i n g m u s t h a v e t a k e n p l a c e i n t h e U S o r i t s p o s s e s s i o n s o r t e r r i t o r i e s o r i n U S m i l i t a r y i n s t a l l a t i o n s w o r l d w i d e T h e P o s t a l S e r v i c e i s a n e q u a l o p p o r t un i t y e m p l o y e r o f f e r i n g a f a s t - p a c e , r e w a r d i n g w o r k e n v i r o n m e n t w i t h c o mp e t i t i v e c o m p e n s a t i o n p a c k a g e s , o n - t h ej o b t r a i n i n g a n d o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r a d v a n c em e n t

MNMW welcomes Cuesta

Markham Norton Mosteller Wright & Co., P.A. recently welcomed Kiara Cuesta as an associate in its tax division In this r o l e , s h e w i l l a s s i s t c l i e n t s w i t h t a x research, preparation, and filing

Cuesta is a Lehman College graduate with a bachelor of science in accounting Her experience includes three years of public accounting and three years with a private organization Her areas of expertise include individual and business taxation and tax research

Markham Norton Mosteller Wright & Company, P A is a public accounting and consulting firm with offices in Fort Myers and Naples Along with traditional tax and accounting services, the firm offers a wide range of other services, including general business consulting, construction business consulting, medical practice consulting, not-for-profit services, family mediation services, forensic accounting, and litigation

s u p p o r t C a l l 2 3 9 - 4 3 3 - 5 5 5 4 o r v i s i t w w w M a r k h a m - N o r t o n c o m f o r m o r e information

Greater For t Myers Chamber’s luncheon to share tips on how to combat bur nout and stress

The Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce’s monthly luncheon will be from 11:30 a m to 1:15 p m , Tuesday, Sept 12, and will share insights on how to combat burnout and stress

During the luncheon, attendees will hear from Melissa Severance, executive, career and leadership coach and owner of Inspire Big Dreams, LLC, speaking on mindful moments to fight burnout and stress

Severance works with executives, entre-

BUSINESS BRIEFS

p r e n e u r s , e m e r g i n g l e a d e r s , t e a m s a n d companies to inspire, motivate and spark action to achieve goals She helps to shift their mindset, develop and implement strate g y , b u i l d s t r o n g e r n e t w o r k i n g a n d employee relationships and increase their leadership skills She has been an innovative human resource leader for over 20 years and utilizes her experience to coach, consult and lead leadership, HR and mindfullness trainings, workshops and webinars.

A d d i t i o n a l l y , M a r l i s s B r o c k i n g t o n , director of lifelong learning education for The School District of Lee County, will speak on a new program from the District’s Adult Education Department The School District of Lee County’s Adult Education Department, in partnership with the Lee C o u n t y E c o n o m i c D e v e l o p m e n t O f f i c e through the FutureMakers Coalition, is offering a free, virtual soft-skills microcredential program using Education Design Lab’s “21st Century Skills ”

The courses are free to all Lee County residents and cover topics like empathy, o r a l c o m m u n i c a t i o n , i n i t i a t i v e , c r e a t i v e problem solving and more This is an opportunity for local businesses to offer free professional development courses to their employees and to collaborate with the District and additional community partners

T h e l u n c h e o n w i l l t a k e p l a c e a t Embassy Suites by Hilton Fort Myers, located at 10450 Corkscrew Commons Drive in Estero. Admission is $35 for Chamber members and $40 for future members and includes lunch

The luncheon is sponsored by HBKS Wealth Advisors To learn more or to register, visit FortMyers org or call 239-3322930 Registration closes Friday, Sept 8

Priority Marketing adds Burch as public relations coordinator

P

Burch as a public relations coordinator to support the firm in executing public relations strategies that align with clients’ overall goals

In this role, Burch drafts, edits and distributes news releases, media advisories, g

e s monthly PR reporting and analytics, pitches story ideas to news media and updates media distribution lists

Priority Marketing’s portfolio of public relations services includes copywriting, media pitching, communications strategy, speech development, crisis communications, media training, event promotion and more

Burch is a 2023 graduate of Florida Gulf Coast University, earning a bachelor of arts degree in communication with a concentration in public relations and minor in marketing

Founded in 1992 by Teri Hansen, APR, Priority Marketing is one of Southwest Florida’s largest full-service marketing, a d v e r t i s i n g , p u b l i c r e l a t i o n s , w e b s i t e development and digital marketing agency For more information, please call 239267-2638 or visit PriorityMarketing com

For t Myers Brewing to host 2023 Oktober fest Oct. 12-15

Fort Myers Brewing Company is gearing up for this year’s four-day Oktoberfest e v e n t , f e a t u r i n g c r a f t b e e r , a u t h e n t i c

G e r m a n f o o d a n d l i v e m u s i c f r o m Thursday, Oct 12, through Sunday, Oct 15, in Fort Myers

Fort Myers Brewing will have a wide variety of festivities for families, friends and pets to enjoy all weekend long A vast selection of locally brewed beers will be on tap, as well as limited-time releases of Fort Myers Brewing’s signature Oktoberfest beers, including the Oktoberfest, a traditional German-style Marzen lager with delicious and balanced malt flavors, PumpQ-Lees, a tasty imperial pumpkin ale, and m o r e t o b e a n n o u n c e d i n t h e c o m i n g weeks.

L i v e p e r f o r m a n c e s w i l l t a k e p l a c e throughout the weekend from headliners including Ben Allen Band, Rock Republic, Briz & Lady, Ralph Curtis and more There will be German-inspired eats from popular trucks such as Currywurst, Grace’s Taste of Poland, Wicked Streatery, The Meat Cottage, Smokin Crow and more The brewery will also host a stein-hoisting competition, a traditional Bavarian endurance contest in which participants must hold a full stein in their outstretched arm as long as possible without spilling any beer

The brewery is also releasing limitededition Oktoberfest swag, including commemorative glasses and T-shirts, available for purchase in the tap room

Oktoberfest will be held at Fort Myers

B r e w i n g C o m p a n y , 1 2 8 1 1 C o m m e r c e Lakes Drive, Suite 28, in Fort Myers

F o r a d d i t i o n a l i n f o r m a t i o n , v i s i t Facebook com/FMBrew or call 239-3136576 Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, as seats tend to fill up quickly

E s t a b l i s h e d i n 2 0 1 3 , F o r t M y e r s Brewing Company was the first microbrewery to open in Lee County Founded b y R o b a n d J e n W h y t e , F o r t M y e r s Brewing carries a signature line of flagship beers in addition to seasonal brews and small-batch specialties

,

S e p t e m b e r

T h e C a p e C o r a l M u s e u m o f H i s t o r y w i l l h o s t a “ G e t I n v o l v e d G e t T o g e t h e r ” b a r b e c u e a t 5 : 3 0 p m o n T h u r s d a y , S e p t

1 4 , a t t h e m u s e u m “ W h e t h e r y o u a r e a n e w r e s i d e n t o r h a v e l i v e d h e r e f o r y e a r s , g e t i n v o l v e d i n C a p e C o r a l a n d t a k e y o u r f i r s t s t e p s t o w a r d l o t s o f f u t u r e f u n ! ” a r e l e a s e f r o m t h e m u s e u m s t a t e s “ W e a r e e x p a n d i n g o u r v o l u n t e e r c o r p s a n d a r e l o o k i n g f o r p e o p l e t o f i l l a v a r i e t y o f r o l e s i n c l u d i n g

w o r k i n g o n o u t r e a c h e v e n t s , e d u c a t i o n , t o u r s , p r o g r a m m i n g , a n d s o m u c h m o r e ” P a r t i c i p a n t s a r e i n v i t e d t o t o u r t h e

m u s e u m “ a n d l e a r n a l l a b o u t o u r u p c o mi n g s e a s o n o f e x c i t i n g e v e n t s a n d f u n ” H o t d o g s a n d h a m b u r g e r s , w i t h a

v e g a n o p t i o n a v a i l a b l e , w i l l b e s e r v e d w i t h b e e r , s e l t z e r s , a n d w i n e a v a i l a b l e

A t t e n d e e s a r e w e l c o m e t o b r i n g a d i s h t o s h a r e

1 3

r e q u e s t e d C a l l 2 3 9 - 7 7 2 - 7 0 3 7 T h e C a p e C o r a l M u s e u m o f H i s t o r y i s a t 5 4 4 C u l t u r a l P a r k B l v d d o w n t h e s t r e e t f r o m C i t y H a l l F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n v i s i t c a p e c o r a lm u s e u m o r g

9/11: Public invited to ceremony to remember those lost in terrorist attacks

From page 1

3 , 0 0 0 p e o p l e t r a g i c a l l y l o s t t h e i r l i v e s T h e c e r e m o n y w i l l i n c l u d e t h e p r e s e nt a t i o n o f c o l o r s b y t h e C a p e C o r a l F i r e a n d P o l i c e H o n o r G u a r d s , a m o m e n t o f s i l e n c e , a n i n v o c a t i o n , a n d r e m a r k s f r o m M a y o r J o h n G u n t e r , P o l i c e C h i e f A n t h o n y S i z e m o r e , a n d F i r e C h i e f R y a n L a m b “ W e m u s t b e v i g i l a n t i n o u r c o m m i tm e n t t o a s s u r e t h a t t h e l i v e s l o s t t h a t f a t e f u l d a y w e r e n o t l o s t i n v a i n , ” s a i d C o u n c i l m e m b e r B i l l S t e i n k e “ T h o s e t h a t s a c r i f i c e d m u s t f o r e v e r s e r v e a s h e r o e s t h a t r e m i n d u s t h a t w h i l e w e a r e t h e s t r o n g e s t n a t i o n o n t h e p l a n e t , w e m u s t r e m a i n a w a r e o f t h e e v i l t h a t e x i s t s a n d , a s a c o u n t r y , b e d e t e r m i n e d t o e l i mi n a t e t h a t e v i l a t a n y o p p o r t u n i t y ”

“We must be vigilant in our commitment to assure that the lives lost that fateful day were not lost in vain Those that sacrificed must forever serve as heroes that remind us that while we are the strongest nation on the planet, we must remain aware of the evil that exists and, as a country, be determined to eliminate that evil at any opportunity

”

m e m o r y a n d r e a f f i r m i n g t h a t “ W e W i l l N e v e r F o r g e t ” “ W h i l e m a n y A m e r i c a n s w i l l n e v e r f o r g e t t h e e v e n t s o f S e p t e m b e r 1 1 , 2 0 0 1 ,

w e n o w h a v e a n e n t i r e g e n e r a t i o n w i t h n o r e c o l l e c t i o n o f t h e e v e n t , ” s a i d C o u n c i l m e m b e r J e s s i c a C o s d e n “ M y c h i l d r e n f a l l i n t h i s c a t e g o r y A l l t h e y k n o w i s w h a t w e s h a r e a n d r e m e m b e r i n h o n o r o f t h e c o u n t l e s s l i v e s l o s t I t i s v i t a l t h a t w e k e e p t h e t r a g e d y o f 9 / 1 1 , a n d t h e s l o w h e a l i n g t h a t f o l l o w e d , i n o u r n a t i o n s c o l l e c t i v e m e m o r y ” T h e c e r e m o n y i s f r e e a n d o p e n t o t h e p u b l i c T h e c e r e m o n y a l s o w i l l b e b r o a dc a s t o n F a c e b o o k L i v e o n t h e C a p e C o r a l F i r e D e p a r t m e n t p a g e ( @ C a p e C o r a l F D ) . C i t y H a l l C o u n c i l C h a m b e r s i s a t 1 0 1 5 C u l t u r a l P a r k B l v d

Lee school board passes $2 billion-plus budget

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

The Lee County School Board approved a budget of more than $2 billion during its final hearing Wednesday night

The budget is $2,777,112,369, which consists of 44% for the General Fund of $1,211,785,645; 38% for the capital fund of $1,048,945,125; 7% for internal services at $203,044,629; special revenue - grants at 5% for $141,046,698, which will increase as grants are received; debt services at 3% for $99,112,911 and special revenue - food services at 3% for $73,177,361

The General Fund is used for the education of students and operating expenses of the district; debt services is the payment of debt; capital funds are used to build schools, buy equipment and provide maintenance services; food service is to support breakfast and lunch for all students; special revenue is federal funds that must be used for specific purpose of the grant and internal service is for insurance costs of the district

The focus of the General Fund is resources for the classroom, reading initiatives at the elementary school level, continuing additional 30 minutes at select elementary and middle schools The General Fund also focuses on the whole child for mental wellness and English learners, students in need of additional interventions and supports as well as recapturing student loss This fund also focuses on employment retention

The capital fund’s source of revenue is from local property tax and half-penny sales tax The major focus in the five year capital plan is safety and security upgrades, maintenance and renovations of existing buildings, technology and new schools The district’s five year capital plan tentatively includes four new elementary schools, three new middle schools, three new high schools, one prekindergarten to eighth grade school, one technical center, one pre-kindergarten center, two additions, three rebuilds and five remodels

“We have numerous new schools that within the five years will be completed or started in the five-year window Those schools reflected the growth that our Planning Department has worked to develop in terms

"I do know that our administration, including (Superintendent) Dr. (Christopher) Bernier is aware that we need to do a better job of paying teachers We are solid on that and I want to make sure the public knows that ”

Board member Sam Fisher

the hours put in and the seven extend far beyond the 3:30 in the afternoon

“I do believe this board is working as hard as we can to make sure that you on the 15th and 30th look down and see that you are valued and what you do matters and that you are impacting lives,” Langford-Fleming said

Millage

of the seats that we need to accommodate the growth that we have seen and projected to see inside of the district,” Chief Financial Officer Dr Ami Desamours said

The Florida Education Finance Program is $932 million in total FEFP revenue with an approximate $42 million anticipated for the Family Empowerment Scholarships Director Kelly Letcher said that is a $77 million increase from the previous year and a $7 5 million increase for the Teacher Salary Increase Allocation

The district is getting $8,933 per FTE and a base student allocation of $5,139,73, which is a $552 23 increase, Letcher said

Robert Daniels, a teacher in the district, talked about the salary schedule as of Aug 2 of this year for every employee of the district during public comment He said when he took it down to classroom teachers it was $266 million in salaries and instructional and support staff was $426 million and administrative salaries came out to $400 million for 418 of them

“When I look at the budget with revenues listed and itemized for instruction there is money there even at the bargain with request made specifically of where is this money going answers could not be provided directly,” Daniels said

He said the math when keeping the $266 million in mind is more than double the amount that is just out there in the wind

“There is enough money to double the teachers salaries by what I am looking at is just not accounted for,” Daniels said

He also said it is stated in the budget that the district revenues went up by 15%, but expenses went up by only 3 1% Daniels said the raises for teachers last year amounted to just about half a percent

“Can we make those numbers square for myself and the other thousands of teachers that are batting in about $55,000 a year before taxes?” he said

Daniels went on to say that he had them funded at $8,300 per student with the $8,900 a new number

“At those numbers the first seven students in each classroom pays for the teacher complete with benefits Where is the money for the other 23 students going as most of us are looking at 30 students in the classroom?” he said

School board said they are doing everything they can to put more money in the teachers’ pockets

Board member Sam Fisher said they are in the middle of bargaining, so they are not allowed to discuss much detail

“I do know that our administration, including (Superintendent) Dr (Christopher) Bernier is aware that we need to do a better job of paying teachers We are solid on that and I want to make sure the public knows that,” he said

Board member Chris Patricca said they are all committed to having a discussion about how to increase revenue to pay teachers more, all staff, including bus drivers, para professionals and food service workers

“There is no money floating anywhere We are as a leadership team I think more committed as ever to make sure we are finding every dollar to put into staff’s pockets,” she said. “We as a team are more committed than we have ever been in making sure teachers are getting everything we can give to you ”

Board member Jada Langford-Fleming said as a former teacher who dedicated 20 years of her life to teaching, she understands

The calculated rollback rate is 4 8844 mills with an approved rate of 5 430 mills, a 11 17 increase over the roll back rate

Letcher said the millage rollback rate is the millage when applied to the current tax roll net for adjustments of new growth would produce the same dollars as received in the previous years

The new tax roll is at $145 billion Letcher said, adding as the tax roll goes up, the millage rate decreases

“This year’s tax roll represents a 8 34% increase over the 2022-2023 tax roll,” Letcher said

One mill is equal to $1 for every $1,000 of taxable property valuation

The approved required local effort of 3 164 mills includes a prior period adjustment of 018 for a total required effort of 3 182, which is a 127 difference from the prior year

The discretionary millage is 748 mills and the capital millage is 1 500 mills for a total of 5 430

The amount to be raised for the required local effort is $443,197,701; $104,183,495 for the basic discretionary and $208,924,120 for capital outlay for a total of $756,305,316

For an average property owner, if they have a $100,000 home last year they would have paid $555 70 on that home Letcher said their new value would have gone up to $108,340 and they would now be paying $588 29, a $32 59 increase

If the homeowner has a Homestead Exemption and Save Our Homes, the rate would have gone up to $103,000, paying $416.78. This year that property owner would pay $423 54, a $6 76 increase

School board continues to tweak compensation for to-be-elected superintendent

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

The Lee County School Board continues to nail down a salary amount for an elected superintendent, with the latest proposal being between $204,000 to $205,000 annually

The board took a consensus to move forward with what the state attorney and public defender is making in terms of the annual salary to determine the salary of an elected superintendent, a new post in Lee County as of the next election. Currently, the superin-

tendent is an appointed contract employee School board member Sam Fisher said he believes that amount is $204,000, or $205,000 Board member Cathleen Morgan suggested that the elected superintendent shall make the highest administrative salary plus a minimum of 15%.

“I would put it at a minimum and leave it at discretionary above that,” she said “The fact that the public voted to elect the superintendent does not speak to me that they assumed, or knew what the salary was ”

Fisher said he gets the 15%, but he is not on board with that decision “I do agree we do need someone that is fantastic It is still an elected position,” he said Leonard Dietzen, an attorney with Rumberger/Kirk, said with 38 elected superintendents and 29 appointed superintendents in Florida, there is not a great deal of information of exactly who is getting paid what for precise salaries

“There is a vast variety of how boards can give elected superintendents additional pay,”

he said

The base amount for an elected superintendent in Lee County is $178,000, which Dietzen said is going to present a challenge “You currently have employees making more than that,” he said “You will have a management issue.”

The board can also provide discretionary funds for an elected superintendent

Board Attorney Kathy Dupuy-Bruno said any discretionary would be job performance related

Three Falls Prevention Awareness health fairs set

Falls Prevention Awareness Week runs annually from Sept 17-23 and Lee Health Trauma Services and Step Smart invite the public to attend free Falls Prevention Awareness health fairs in Charlotte, Collier and Lee Counties

Health fairs will be offered in all three counties with classes on fall prevention and free screenings for balance, vision and hearing:

■ Sept. 18, from noon to 3 p.m., at the Baker Senior Center in Naples, 6200 Autumn Oaks Lane To RSVP,

Gulf Coast Medical Center Skilled Nursing Unit ear ns National Silver Quality Award

Lee Health’s Gulf Coast Medical Center Skilled Nursing Unit has earned the 2023 Silver Achievement in Q u a l i t y A w a r d f r o m t h e A m e r i c a n H e a l t h C a r e Association and National Center for Assisted Living

The program recognizes organizations that meet progressively rigorous standards of performance to further improve the lives of residents and staff in long-term care Silver and Gold-awarded centers have better quality metrics, surveys and staffing satisfaction than the rest of the nation Earning the Silver Achievement in Quality

A w a r d r e q u i r e s a f a c i l i t y t o a c h i e v e t h e B r o n z e Commitment to Quality award prior to moving to the silver level

All three of Lee Health’s skilled nursing locations hold the Bronze Awards. HealthPark Care Center has held the Silver Award since 2022

The Bronze Award is the first of three distinctions possible through the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program, a comprehensive organizational assessment and recognition program for long-term care providers Each application is reviewed and judged against a set of nationally recognized standards for achieving excellence

Located on Plantation Road adjacent to Gulf Coast Medical Center, the 75-bed SNU welcomed its first patients in early 2019 With its opening, the total number of skilled nursing beds in the Lee Health system increased to 205, offering patients access to state-of-the-art rehab

please call 239-325-4444 or 239-351-5550

■ Sept 19, from 10 a m to 1 p m , at the Harold Avenue Regional Park Rec Center in Port Charlotte, 23400 Harold Ave To RSVP, please call 941-624-7200, extension 7326, or 239-351-5550

■ Sept 22, from 10 a m to 1 p m at Shell Point – The Woodlands in Fort Myers, 14441 Woodsong Lane To RSVP, please call 239-454-2272 or 239-351-5550

Classes aim to ensure that seniors and caregivers in the tri-county area can access methods and techniques to

HEALTH NOTES

equipment and high-quality nursing care.

For more about Lee Health and its facilities, visit https://www leehealth org/

Autism screening for young children Sept. 15

Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida, in partnership with Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southwest Florida, offers a free monthly autism spectrum disorder screening for toddlers 18 months to five years of age

The next screening will be held Friday, Sept 15, from 9 a m to 2 p m , at the Pediatric Specialist Office, 15901 Bass Road, Suite 102, Fort Myers.

It is estimated that one in every 44 children is diagnosed with some form of Autism Spectrum Disorder, making it more common than childhood cancer, juvenile diabetes and pediatric AIDS combined

Medical consultants for the project stress that an early diagnosis can make a vast difference for toddlers and their families

The ASD screening is conducted by the Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida The screenings are administered by an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, who has extensive training and experience in typical child development and developmental disorders

A physician referral is not required. To schedule a screening, please call 239-343-6838

reduce the risk of falls and improve safety in their everyday lives

Vision, hearing and balance screenings will be offered so attendees can receive accurate information about their health and any potential risks to help prevent falls

These health fairs are designed to empower the 65 and older population with education and awareness to help combat these numbers

These are free events and registration is required. To learn more, visit www stepsmart org

Florida Blue names new market leader to Southwest Florida

Florida Blue, the state’s Blue Cross and Blue Shield plan, recently announced veteran health care executive Janet Pogar to its West Florida team as a market leader to support the diverse needs of members and businesses in the region

Pogar will develop, lead and execute a local strategy for Florida Blue that includes sales, products, analytics, hospital and provider networks, care management, as well as local marketing and community relations

Pogar oversees Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Hardee, Highlands, Glades, DeSoto, Lee, Collier, and Hendry counties

Pogar joins Florida Blue with more than 30 years of management experience in health care delivery, including developing and supporting a large-scale provider network. She most recently served as regional vice president for Carelon Behavioral Health (formerly Beacon Health Options) and, among other efforts, led the integration of behavioral health into the company’s network Florida Blue, Florida’s Blue Cross and Blue Shield company, has been providing health insurance to residents of Florida for more than 75 years Driven by its mission of helping people and communities achieve better health, the company serves more than 5 million health care members across the state Headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla , it is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association

SEPTEMBER

8,

Harry Chapin Food Bank, Mighty Mussels partner to Strike Out Hunger

This thing tastes soapy! I thought snook was supposed to taste good?

Snook does taste good but most folks recommend that you remove all skin before cooking or the fish will have an unpleasant taste

With snook now open for harvest, make sure your dinner guest is between 28 to 33 inches and only one is allowed per day Remember to fish for and to keep a snook for dinner, you’ll need a recreational saltwater license and a snook stamp

E v e n w i t h j u s t o n e p e r angler per day the harvest numbers will be big considering the number of anglers on the water The upside is that these days more and more anglers understand the value of catch and release and proper handling If you’re lucky enough to catch a big female snook this year, it’s always best to keep her in the water, g e t a l e n g t h m e a s u r e m e n t , then revive and proudly release keeping those big genes in the pool

Although the Boga Grip and other capture and weigh tools are certainly handy, they also can be very hard on fish destined for release Most anglers now know to hold fish horizontally with a hand supporting the body and internal organs Hanging can cause jaw problems as well as internal organ damage The bigger the fish the more important this becomes We all have old photos of our fish hanging vertically from scales, wrapped in dry towels or other fish abusing tactics but now we, well not everyone, have evolved

Tarpon here, tarpon there, tarpon along the coast, in the harbor and river, tarpon in the back country shallows and the juveniles behind my house, that apparently only eat maybe once every few years, still making me crazy Boca Grande has been and still seems to be the most reliable overall spot to try your luck and there’s still time to try a night bridge beast battle at The Sanibel Causeway or Caloosahatchee River bridges

TIDES CHART

at Cape Coral Bridge Day High Tide Height Sunrise Moon Time % Moon /Low Time Feet Sunset Visible Sa 9 High 11:01 AM 1 0 7:11 AM Rise 2:13 AM 32 9 Low 8:26 PM 0 1 7:39 PM Set 4:42 PM Su 10 High 3:44 AM 0 8 7:11 AM Rise 3:08 AM 23 10 Low 6:52 AM 0 7 7:38 PM Set 5:26 PM 10 High 12:30 PM 1 1 10 Low 9:14 PM 0 1 at Matlacha Pass (Bascule bridge Sa 9 High 10:29 AM 2 0 7:11 AM Rise 2:13 AM 32 9 Low 7:52 PM 0 2 7:40 PM Set 4:43 PM Su 10 High 3:12 AM 1 5 7:12 AM Rise 3:09 AM 23 10 Low 6:18 AM 1 4 7:39 PM Set 5:26 PM 10 High 11:58 AM 2 1 10 Low 8:40 PM 0 2

The Harry Chapin Food Bank, the largest hunger relief organization in Southwest Florida, has teamed up with the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels, the single-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins, to Strike Out Hunger Saturday, Sept 9 Half of all ticket sales for the 6 p m game will be donated to Harry Chapin Food Bank

The Mussels are hosting the Bra at Hammond Stadium for the Satu Sunday, the two teams will then c regular season with a noon start

“We can’t think of a better w kick off Hunger Action Month tha partnering with the Fort Myers M i g h t y M u s s e l s t o s t r i k e o u t hunger in Southwest Florida,” said Richard LeBer, the president and CEO of Harry Chapin Food Ban “ P a r t n e r s h i p s l i k e t h i s a r e e s s e toward fulfilling our mission, an grateful for the support of the Mighty Mussels ”

Each ticket purchased at fevo me/hunger to the Sept 9 game will provide 15 meals for families who are hungry Tickets are $10 with $5 from every ticket sale being donated to Harry Chapin Food Bank

At the game, Harry Chapin Food Bank will also launch a “40 Food Drives for 40 Years” campaign with a peanut butter and jelly drive Fans who bring a donation of peanut butter and/or jelly to Hammond Stadium will be entered into a raffle for a variety of exciting prizes, courtesy of Harry Chapin Food Bank and the Mighty Mussels

Harry Chapin Food Bank is celebrating its 40th

anniversary, kicking off the year-long celebration in September as part of Hunger Action Month

For four decades, Harry Chapin Food Bank has worked tirelessly to lead Southwest Florida in the fight to end hunger Founded in 1983 as the Lee County Food Cooperative, the food bank quickly expanded its footprint t o s e r v e t h e l a r g e r S o u t h w e s t Florida community The food bank, t h e n k n o w n a s t h e S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a F o o d B a n k , b e c a m e a member of the Feeding America twork in 1990, before changing its e to Harry Chapin Food Bank of est Florida in 1994. It remains the e d i n g A m e r i c a f o o d b a n k i n Florida apin Food Bank feeds more than le each month through a variety of n programs, including programs that support children, families and seniors

“Over the past 40 years, Harry Chapin Food Bank has led Southwest Florida in the fight to end hunger in our community,” said LeBer “We remain committed to ensuring no one in our region goes hungry We are grateful for our staff, volunteers, donors, community partners and the entire Southwest Florida community for their support of Harry Chapin Food Bank over the past four decades ” Community members interested in hosting a food drive in honor of the 4 0 th annivers ary can contact Lori H a r r i n g t o n , t h e v o l u n t e e r m a n a g e r , a t lharrington@hcfb org

PREP REPORT

Wednesday

Volleyball

Cape Coral 3, Lehigh 1: The Seahawks picked up their first victory (1-3), a hard-fought 24-26, 25-21, 25-23, 2624 duel at Lehigh (2-2)

Boys Golf

At Heron's Glen

Cape Coral 176 North Fort Myers 200, Island Coast 219

Cape Coral: Don Kennedy 37, Brady Fanter 38, Justin Czerniak 45, Zachary Distel 56

North Fort Myers: Cole Warlow 43, Benjamin Uphoff 45, Logan Caldwell 56, Tyler VanDevender 56, Noah Petrick 57

Island Coast: Ryan Mueller 47, Robert Wilenius 56, Cole Weyant 57, Logan Hawkins 59, Johnathan Peterson 62

Tuesday

Volleyball

Bishop Verot 3, Estero 0: A 25-23, 25-19, 25-20 sweep lifted the Vikings to 6-2 on the year

Bonita Springs 3, Cape Coral 0: The Bull Sharks remained undefeated (3-0) with a 25-6, 25-18, 25-22 win against the Seahawks (0-3)

North Fort Myers 3, Mariner 1: The Tritons took the first set, but the Red Knights took over from there, 18-25, 25-20, 25-13, 25-15 North has won three in a row after an 0-2 start, while Mariner suffers its first defeat (3-1)

Community School of Naples 3, Oasis 0: Tuesday's 25-21, 25-11, 25-15 loss left the Sharks 1-3 on the season. CSN improved to 3-1. For Oasis, Sarah Mikulus had 16 digs, while Mia Poskon had 14 digs and six assists Sophia Skala blocked three shots

Boys Golf

At Palmetto-Pine

Ida Baker 296, Mariner 218

Mariner: DJ Dwire 38, Randy Wood 54, Brayden Nagel 63, Gavin Gune 63

Ida Baker: Michael Hutchinson 47, Justin McCann 49, Trip Lee 50, Riley Byrd 50

Girls Golf

Ida Baker vs. Mariner (no team scores)

Ida Baker: Gia Serrano 48, Maggie Paolino 54

Mariner: Jada Kohnmeier 48, Keren Farhart 60

Girls Bowling

Oasis 773, Gateway 207: Katarina Hagler rolled a 267 with nine strikes, Meesa Neujar had a 186 game and Lexi Lenius bowled a 168 for the Sharks.

Bishop Verot 5, East Lee County 0 (forfeit)

Mariner 5, Fort Myers 0: Mariner (543) - Regan Tucker 118, Samantha Contino 120, Malia Araujo 136, Lorelai Schippel 93, Alyssa Jenkins 76

Boys Bowling

Gateway d Oasis, score not available: Charles Bradley led the Sharks with a 141 game, while Nicholas Grande and Jason Pina each rolled a 125

Bishop Verot 5, East Lee County 0 (forfeit): CJ Carranza bowled a 203 for the Vikings.

Fort Myers 5, Mariner 0: Mariner (820) - Chris Smith 203, Bo Laventure 143, Andre Enslin 165, Mike Testa 165, Brady Yount 144

Friday's Football

Ida Baker at Mariner

East Lee County at Island Coast

South Fort Myers at North Fort Myers

Bonita Springs at Cape Coral

Oasis at Canterbury

Bishop Verot at Dunbar

Snook season is open -- know what to do and what not to do

Harry Chapin Food Bank to hold 24-hour packing event Sept. 15-16

Harry Chapin Food Bank, the largest hunger relief organization in Southwest Florida, has announced it will hold its first ever, 24-hour food packing event on Sept 15 and Sept 16 The 24-hour Sort-a-Thon begins at 8 a m on Sept 15, Hunger Action Day at the Fort Myers Distribution Center, 3760 Fowler St in Fort Myers

During this 24-hour event, volunteers will be inspecting, sorting and packing food donations that will be distributed through a variety of Harry Chapin Food Bank programs and partner agencies

Volunteers will work four-hour shifts b e g i n n i n g a t 8 a m o n S e p t 1 5

Community members are encouraged to

form teams to participate in this unique e v e n t A $ 2 5 d o n a t i o n p e r p e r s o n i s encouraged to participate

September is Hunger Action Month, which focuses on how communities can come together to raise awareness about hunger in America and inspire action

According to Feeding America, more than 135,250 people in Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry and Lee counties faced food insecurity in 2021

Community members interested in part i c i p a t i n g i n t h e 2 4 - h o u r S o r t - a - T h o n should contact, Volunteer Manager, Lori H a r r i n g t o n a t l h a r r i n g t o n @ h c f b o r g o r 239-334-7007, extension 141

Cape MOAA chapter breakfast Saturday

Cape Coral Mayor John Gunter will be the featured speaker at the Saturday, Sept 9, breakfast meeting of the Cape Coral C h a p t e r o f t h e M i l i t a r y O f f i c e r s Association of America. A question-anda n s w e r s e s s i o n w i l l f o l l o w G u n t e r ’ s planned remarks

All current, former and retired military officers and spouses are invited to attend

the regular breakfast meeting, which is held at the Cape Royal Golf Club, 11469 Royal Tee Circle, Cape Coral

The breakfast meeting begins at 10 a.m., and costs $12, payable at the door (cash only)

Reservations may be made by contacting Cindy at capecoralmoaa@gmail com or 618-580-2346

Riverboat Jazz Band to perform at Lake Kennedy Center dance Sept. 19

The Riverboat Jazz Band will be performing Tuesday, Sept 19, from 6-8 p m at the Lake Kennedy Center, 400 Santa Barbara Blvd , Cape Coral Doors open at 5:30

The cost is $5 per person -- BYOB and

other refreshments.

The band will be performing at the Lake Kennedy Center the third Tuesday of every month

For additional information, please call 239-574-0575

Raleigh

Looking for a loving home

Raleigh is a 1 to 3-year-old male who is a super friendly guy just waiting for a family to call my own Raleigh is looking for a family that will take him on long walks and new adventures! This handsome hound does require a 6-foot fence and no children in the home under the age of 12 years old

Moki is an 8 to 11-year-old female cat who is in search of her furever “retirement” home She enjoys snuggles o n t h e c o u c h w h i l e w a t c h i n g y o u r favorite daytime soap opera or the “Price

Athlete of the Week

Editor ’s note: Due to unforseen circumstances, one of our Athletes of the Week for last week, Sept. 1, was not included in our weekly feature. Oasis’ Parker Smith was our second Athlete of the Week for the opening week of the Breeze’s annual student athlete recognition feature

is Right ” Moki would enjoy a quiet household where she can spend all her time with her favorite humans

If you are interested in meeting any of the animals available for adoption at The Cape Coral Animal Shelter, please visit its website at www capecoralanimalshelter com for more information

The shelter is located at 325 S W 2nd Ave , Cape Coral, and hours of operation are Tuesday and Thursday, noon to 5 p m , and Friday through Sunday, noon to 4 p m

Snook: Season is open, know the rules

From page 40

Take an 8 to 8 5-foot medium action rod, put on a quality reel with 15-pound braid, add a high quality but tiny SPRO swivel, tie on a 24 to 36inch fluorocarbon leader, and now add the spoon of your choice You now have the deadliest redfish hunting tool on the flats capable of making ultra-long searching casts covering 20% more water in a day than your partner’s shorter outfit After the spoon, my second choice for long distance prospecting would be a heavier top-water plug like a Zara Spook

Other than natural baits, the spoon may be redfish enemy #1, but retrieved too quickly, it spins making fish point and laugh A steady slow to medium retrieve makes the spoon wobble and flash, calling fish in Spinning spoons don’t catch fish but will definitely twist up your line causing big problems

When you can’t see redfish tailing or school-

ing, making the water nervous as they move through the shallows eating anything that moves, then covering lots of water with long, searching casts is the deal Use your shorter spin, bait cast or your fly outfit when up closer mangrove or dock target prospecting, or when presenting to tailing fish

This year change it up and throw something different My favorite top-water redfish plug is the old Arborgast bass and musky classic, the Jitterbug Seems like every redfish state but Florida fishes redfish with bass-style spinnerbaits Try a Strike King Redfish Magic spinnerbait this year or pull one from your bass box Redfish hit spinnerbaits hard, very hard Big fun!

Capt George Tunison is a Cape Coral resident fishing guide You can contact him at 2392 8 2 - 9 4 3 4 o r v i a e m a i l a t captgeorget3@aol com

Coontie: Ancient, decorative yard plant

From page 17

enough to establish a viable colony

Atala butterflies only lay their eggs on coonties Without the plant, there is no butterfly! We now have a few atala butterflies in Cape Coral, at Rotary Park and at the south library in the fenced area outside the back door About the size of a nickel, they are dark blue with light blue spots and a red abdomen Look for them on the flowers of the sweet almond bush

Gardening in our part of Florida is about knowing what has been here, how it provides beauty and how it sustains life unique to our piece of paradise Grow Native!

Sherie Bleiler is a volunteer at the Cape Coral Library Butterfly Garden and a member of

Moki

PHOTO

An Atala butterfly on a sweet almond bush

(Selected by the Breeze Sports staff)

Fill in the blank cells using numbers 1 to 9. Each number can appear only once in each row, column, and 3x3 block. Use logic and process of elimination to solve the puzzle. The difficulty level ranges from Bronze (easiest) to Silver to Gold (hardest).

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