Cape Coral Weekend Breeze

Lee County battened down as Helene blew past

A c c o r d i n g t o t h e 1 1 a m u p d a t e o n

T h u r s d a y f r o m t h e N a t i o n a l H u r r i c a n e

C e n t e r , “ A s i g n i f i c a n t i n c r e a s e i n f o r -

w a r d s p e e d i s e x p e c t e d d u r i n g t h e n e x t

2 4 h o u r s O n t h e f o r e c a s t t r a c k , H e l e n e

w i l l m a k e l a n d f a l l i n t h e F l o r i d a B i g

B e n d r e g i o n ( T h u r s d a y ) e v e n i n g A f t e r

N a t i o n a l H u r r i c a n e C e n t e r

l a n d f a l l , H e l e n e i s e x p e c t e d t o t u r n n o r t

Last weekend for the Shell Factory & Nature Park

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

With the 2024 General Election less than six weeks away, vote-by-mail ballots will soon hit mailboxes And for those who haven’t yet registered, the deadline is rapidly approaching

According to the Lee County Elections Office, the first domestic vote-by-mail ballots will be sent out on Oct 1, and new requests will be sent within 48 hours of being received

The deadline to register to vote, or to change party affiliation, is Oct 7

“We encourage everyone to be prepared and well-informed,” said Supervisor of Elections Tommy Doyle on why now is the time to get registered or request a mail ballot

“Eligible individuals should register to vote or check their registration status ahead of time to ensure they can participate in the upcoming election ”

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers

com

After this weekend, another “old Florida” attraction will be no more

After 27 years of struggle to make her dream profitable, Pam Cronin made the most difficult decision of her life closing the Shell Factory & Nature Park

“The most difficult I have ever made in my life, and I have made some pretty tough ones,”

she said of her decision “This one affected staff, animals, the community It made a difference in a lot of people and animals’ lives We are still reeling from it We are trying to make really good decisions ”

See SHELL FACTORY, page 15

Pam Cronin stands in front of the Shell Factory sign pre-Hurricane Ian. FILE PHOTO BY VALARIE HARRING

The deadline to request a Vote-by-Mail Ballot is Oct 24, which is only a few weeks away A Vote-by-Mail ballot may be requested for specific elections, or for all elections through the end of the calendar year of the next scheduled general election A Vote-by-Mail ballot request for a voter may only be made by the voter, the voter’s legal guardian, an immediate family member of the voter or the voter’s spouse, or by a designee for a voter with a disability

“We always encourage voters to be

City manager performance deemed ‘above average’

Cape Council awards Ilczyszyn a 9% bump in pay

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

Cape Coral City Council gave City Manager Mike Ilczyszyn an overall “above average” evaluation and a 9 precent raise at his annual evaluation last week

Ilczyszyn received a collective and overall 4 3 out of a possible score of 5

“As a city manager, Mike has successfully brought several important open issues to a close, like purchasing the old golf course and breaking ground on Festival Park He has a knack for communicating with citizens on even the most basic requests, which I greatly appreciate,” Councilmember Jessica Cosden wrote on her evaluation “He anticipates issues with policy decisions and gives council the necessary guidance His work on the FY25 budget his first as city manager was exceptional He was presented with big challenges, such as NFIP, which he handled with proficiency and grace Expansion of the communications department has been a game changer.”

He received an average total of 4 6 for individual characteristics, 4 3 for professional skills and status, 4 2 for relations with elected members of the governing body; 4 2 for policy execution, 4 2 for reporting, 4 7 for citizen relations, 4 for staffing, 4 3 for supervision, 4 5 for fiscal management and 4 4 for community

Mayor John Gunter in his evaluation, listed two areas he feels need additional intention to make the community better code enforcement and commercial development zoning regulations to broaden zoning implementation for smart commercial growth throughout the city

Councilmember Tom Hayden also filled out the evaluation that targeted areas as most critical for improvement accountability amongst staff

“The fire department miscommunication on salary issues is something where he needs to put a process in place so that such an issue never happens again,” Hayden wrote

Ilczyszyn filled out a self-evaluation which highlighted areas of strengthens and improvements, as well as accomplishments

“As I reflect on the past year in my role as city manager, I am proud of the progress we’ve made in several key areas, particularly in fiscal management, community engagement, and human resources,” Ilczyszyn wrote to Council

That self-evaluation also touched upon major project accomplishments, which stemmed around the purchase of the Old Golf Course, opening the “world class” tennis and pickleball facility at Lake Kennedy, Festival Park groundbreaking, Fire Station 13 completion, as well as progress on public safety training facilities, additional funds for road resurfacing and sidewalk installation

“While I am proud of our achievements over the past year, there are areas where I see room for improvement,” he wrote “One of these areas is enhancing internal comm

While progress has been made, I believe further efforts to

break down silos will lead to even greater efficiency and innovation

c z y s z y n wrote that he plans on continuing to refine the city’s longterm financial strategy with

knowledge between administration and Council regarding all aspects of revenues and expenditures

He recognized the executive team he works alongside, as well as middle management which is tasked with carrying out the strategic vision and the front-line supervisors who break down the vision and accomplish the goals Ilczyszyn also thanked the employees who perform their work with a public service ethic.

“I am humble to lead this team and grateful for everything they have helped us accomplish over the past year,” he said

The special meeting to discuss his evaluation was held the afternoon of Sept 18 in the Conference Room and so was not televised on CapeTV

Ilczyszyn gave himself a 4 8 for fiscal management and community; 4 6 for individual characteristics, citizen relations and professional skills and status; a 4 4 for relations with elected members of the governing body, supervision, and staffing; a 4 2 for policy execution and 4 for reporting.

“He is a true public servant; he lives it daily He has passion and love for his community and always strives for the best He has a positive impact on everyone he comes into contact with, his goals seems to always be ‘how can I help?’ He is a magnet for respect His leadership skills are building great relationships throughout the city and lifting the spirits of all our city employes,” Councilmember Dan Sheppard wrote in his evaluation

FSW to hold Fall Open House for prospective students Oct. 15

Florida SouthWestern State College will host PreView FSW, its Fall Open House, Tuesday, Oct 15, from 3-7 p m , at the FSW Fort Myers Campus, 8099 College Parkway

Prospective students, their families and the community are invited to attend to experience live, interactive demonstrations from FSW’s dynamic academic programs Attendees will learn about FSW’s bachelor’s degree programs, connect with knowledgeable faculty and staff, and explore the diverse student resources and organizations that make FSW a vibrant, supportive community Faculty, staff and current students will be available to answer questions about academic programs, financial aid, student support services, study abroad, honors programs and campus life

In addition to gaining valuable information, attendees will have the chance to win a $1,000 scholarship, enjoy free food, participate in giveaways and receive tickets to the next FSW Buccaneers home game For more information or to register, visit www fsw edu/openhouse

Mike Ilczyszyn

CAPE CORAL BREE ZE

RAYMOND M. ECKENRODE

HARRING,

t t h e s i t e w i l l b e s o l d , a d e c i s i o n o w n e r P a m C r o n i n s a i d i s “ T h e m o s t d i f f i c u l t I h a v e e v e r m a d e i n m y

l i f e ”

C o u n t u s a m o n g t h o s e w h o w i l l m i s s t h e a t t r a c t i o n w i t h a l l o f i t s O l d F l o r i d a k i t s c h W h e r e e l s e i n L e e C o u n t y c a n y o u t a k e a t o t d o w n a t r o p i c a l g a r d e n p a t h a n d e n c o u n t e r l i f e s i z e d i n o s a u r s t o w e r i n g o v e r h e a d ?

W h e r e e l s e c a n y o u s i t o n a p o l a r b e a r o r g i a n t a p e f o r a p h o t o o p ? P l a y a r o u n d o f m i n i - g o l f , r i d e a z i p l i n e

o r a b u m p e r b o a t ? V i s i t h u n d r e d s o f r e s c u e d a n i m a l s a n d b i r d s o r s h o p a t “ t h e l a r g e s t s h e l l r e t a i l s t o r e i n t h e w o r l d ” f o r a s o u v e n i r o r t r e a s u r e

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

T o m m y ’ s t o t i p a b r e w i n m e m o r y o f T o m , w h o h a d a

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

d e c a d e s - o l d a t t r a c t i o n h e b o u g h t i n 1 9 9 7 a l i v e b u t r e v i -

t a l i z i n g t h e 1 8 - a c r e “ t o u t i s t t r a p ” c a m p u s t o m a k e i t a

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

I n t h a t , P a m a n d T o m s u c c e e d e d

B u t t i m e s d o c h a n g e a n d e v e n t s l i k e p a n d e m i c s a n d a

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

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

h a r d a n d s o m e t i m e s h e a r t b r e a k i n g

W e t h a n k t h e C r o n i n s a n d a l l o f t h e i r e m p l o y e e s

t h r o u g h t h e y e a r s f o r t h e i r h o s p i t a l i t y .

W e t h a n k t h e m f o r t h e m e m o r i e s

T h e y , t o o , w i l l b e m i s s e d

B r e e z e e d i t o r i a l

Why everyone should be Mad About Hunger

Did you know that in the United States, one in eight households and one in six households with children are struggling with food insecurity? That’s a staggering 40% increase since 2021, as reported by the Food Research & Action Center

For 40 years, Community Cooperative has been at the forefront of the fight against hunger and homelessness in Southwest Florida Our commitment and hard work have made a profound difference in the lives of countless individuals and families But we need the community’s help to continue this crucial mission!

At Community Cooperative, our impact to Southwest Florida in 2023 included:

- 113,000 Meals on Wheels delivered to elderly, disabled, and ill clients who are homebound

Stephanie Inks Edwards

Guest Commentary

- 54,000 individual people provided with essential assistance

- 265,000 meals cooked and served at Sam’s Community Cafe and Kitchen

- 2 million pounds of emergency food distributed to those in need

- 41,000 hours generously donated by over 2,000 active

Vote Dan Sheppard

T

:

volunteers

Despite significant effort, the challenges have been mounting The pandemic and Hurricane Ian intensified the demand for our services, and while emergency donations throughout those events have dwindled, the need in 2024 is greater than ever Food costs have surged nearly 16% since 2022, and with the rising cost of living and lack of affordable housing, our community’s need for support is skyrocketing Feeding America reports that two-thirds of food banks are struggling to keep up with the increased demand

Many people are aware of Community Cooperative as the Soup Kitchen, but we do so much more.

Every day, our dedicated team begins their work at 4:45 a m , preparing over 1,000 meals This includes delivering Meals on Wheels to 32 routes across Southwest Florida, serving breakfast, lunch, and snacks to six partner schools, and preparing a hot midday meal for anyone in need Our volunteers and staff also run mobile food pantries to reach the farthest corners of our region and manage the Community Market at the Community Cooperative where clients can pick up food for their families

GUEST COMMENTARY, page 6

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

I am a small business owner in Cape Coral, probably the largest small business owner in the Cape based on business value and acreage that has done many major property improvement projects over the past five years Councilman Dan Sheppard has been extremely instrumental in helping us navigate the city process to understand the best way to get things done

Councilman Sheppard’s wisdom and guidance to the challenges we faced trying to bring more investment to improve citizens’ lives should be appreciated for what it is he cares about the City he lives in.

Dan has helped several other business owners and residents solve problems and issues to make the city a better place to live Based on his pragmatic approach and assistance we support and endorse Dan Sheppard for City Council

He also declined the stipend that other council members were all too happy to accept without conditions or a vote from citizens Dan Sheppard cares about our city and deserves your vote in November

Chris Scuderi Cape Coral

Real people, not politicians

To the editor:

I am reaching out to every voter in Cape Coral, to please help take our city back from this out-of-control mayor and council The handling of the Jaycee Park neighborhood community, the first-ever arrest of a citizen at a council meeting (which led to a $100,000 settlement), and their crowning achievement, quietly doubling their salary with no discussion or citizen vote These are just some of the lowlights of Mayor Gunter and his council I implore you now, to please vote this election like Cape Coral depends on you It truly does!

Five council seats are up for election Five strong citizen voices that can take the power back from this mayor and his quiet stooges on council

Laurie Lehmann, District 2, and Deborah McCormick, District 3, are two grandmothers and longtime residents They respect our city’s history and our long-standing tradition of citizen input, through our volunteer citizen advisory boards They know that community effort, helped make Cape Coral the city we love The city that made you decide to move here with your family They are running for office to listen to you as residents, advocating for your neighborhood quality of life

Charlie Pease, District 5, and Rachel Kaduk, District 7, are two “Cape Coral kids” who grew up here. They left to get their professional education and training, then came back to the city they love, to raise their families They are bringing their skills, youth, and energy to be the voices for the young families in

our city Charlie and Rachel are running for office to make Cape Coral the great place they grew up in They will be the strong voices and advocates for the young people and their concerns

The fifth anti- mayor Gunter vote is the most important A 4-4 split voting council changes nothing! We will be left with the hated stipend and no hope of reinstituting our citizen advisory boards Those boards give “We the people” direct access to the city’s data and staff It allows for complete transparency They are made up of Cape Coral-loving volunteers, who are only doing it to make our city a great place to live Richard Carr, District 4, is that vote

He was appointed AFTER the hated stipend vote He recognized how unfair this was to the taxpaying citizens In fact, he was the only member on council to immediately refuse the stipend money that doubled their pay Richard is a 30-year resident and is not a politician He is a retired Fort Myers police officer of 20 plus years on their force He has extensive degrees and training in law enforcement and administration He knows what the oath of office means “To protect the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of Cape Coral ”

His opponent, Jennifer Nelson, was elected once before to the District 4 council seat. While in office, she pushed for homeless shelters in our city As someone with a daughter in Los Angeles, I can attest that has proven to be a money pit for the taxpayers everywhere it has been tried The current federal government is using them to house immigrants who crossed the border illegally, which has forever changed cities across America Please, don’t let that happen to Cape Coral!

Five open seats Five strong citizen advocates to take our city back from this tyrant mayor and tone-deaf council Lehmann, D2; McCormick, D3; Carr, D4; Pease, D5; and Kaduk, D7 All five personally vetted as real people, not politicians They are committed to putting we the people back in control of Cape Coral government As a 34-year resident and former councilman I once again urge you to please vote this election like our city depends on you, it truly does! Kevin McGrail Cape Coral

Vote Sheridan Chester

To the editor:

Vote for Sheridan Chester for Lee County School Board District 7 at large

Sheridan’s top priorities include: Realistic living wage for our teachers, hire and retain qualified, dedicated educators for our students, maintain a safe environment for our students and teachers and practice responsible fiscal management

T

children Comprised of mostly non-educators, the current board has failed to stem the drastic teacher shortage, has gone beyond state mandates to remove books from classrooms, and

LETTERS, page 6

rejects a culture of tolerance and inclusion This in a district that has a 60% minority enrollment

The current 10-year plan sees significant student growth which may require10 new schools However, Sheridan knows that the severe teacher shortage along with high expenses and low wages in the county are forcing people to leave As a school board member, Sheridan will ensure that the new 10year plan clearly takes into account the actual circumstances

Sheridan Chester is a master educator, a dedicated public servant who has been teaching the children of Lee County for 23 years, as a middle school substitute teacher, the last two years teaching GED Chester was twice named “Teacher of the Year for Middle School ”

Lee County School Board needs at least one representative who has taught in our schools Sheridan knows what our students and families need and is superbly prepared to deliver Dennis Raube Fort Myers

Vote NO on Amendment 1

To the editor:

When everything is political, a society is in heaps of trouble Just ask the Romans! Our Founders were careful to keep some of our foundational institutions nonpartisan: public health, the judiciary, public education and the military, to name some of the most important What we have seen in recent years, however, is a dedicated, well-funded effort by the far-right MAGA movement to politicize institutions that have traditionally, and for good reasons, been nonpartisan

The Trump administration succeeded in politicizing the CDC, with the result that today receiving a vaccination is a political statement Who among us doubts that the Supreme Court has become a political institution, with decisions based not on evidence or what’s best for the country, but on narrow political agendas? Some justices don’t even strive for the appearance of neutrality anymore

Now public education is in the crosshairs Under the false flag of “parental rights” the MAGA movement has persuaded school boards to ban books, embrace censorship and curtail the First Amendment rights of teachers and students Now, with Amendment 1 on the ballot in November, they want to make elections for school board, hitherto nonpartisan contests, into partisan affairs This is a thoroughly bad idea that should be rejected by voters

But what could be wrong with a school board candidate indicating a political perspective about educational issues by indicating party alignment? The danger is in the details Florida is a closed primary state where only registered members of a political party can vote in the primary and can only vote for candidates from their party There are roughly four million NPA (No Political Affiliation) voters in Florida who would be excluded from voting in a closed primary School board elections, especially in Lee County, are often decided in the primary Partisan school board elections will disenfranchise large numbers of voters

Nonpartisan school boards are likely to be moderate and open to collaboration and compromise, not driven by narrow political agendas Partisan board members may make decisions not based on advocacy for teacher and student welfare but based on the “party line.” Such decisions could lead to polarization and discontent among parents Politically charged environments create fear and division which are not conducive to good educational outcomes

Legislation passed in 2023 permits candidates from outside our county to run for our local school board They need to move only if they are elected Non-resident partisan candidates are likely to be unfamiliar with our specific needs and goals and may choose to focus on narrow political agendas rather than local priorities Public education has been nonpartisan for generations; there’s no need to change that now Please vote NO on Amendment 1

Ray Clasen Cape Coral

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

When you vote, remember Jan. 6, 2021

To the editor:

Jan 6, 2021 was the closest day in my 68 years that our nation came under a direct and violent attack from within our political systems Joe Biden clearly received the most electoral votes in the 2020 election, and after 60 courts across the nation rejected the losing candidates’ challenges, Trump still refused to accept defeat

After lying to the country numerous times since the election, Trump held a rally near the White House, stirring hatred and more lies about the election being stolen His incendiary words stoked the crowd to march to the Capitol and violently enter the chambers to stop the count of Americans’ votes Dozens of police officers were injured trying to protect the building, but the hate-filled crowd overran the building, causing the members to secure themselves in safe quarters Even with his supporters chanting “Hang Mike Pence,” Trump sat in his dining room and refused to act despite his aides calling for him to speak up

This is treason anyway you want to look at it We cannot allow this convicted felon to get anywhere near the White House again You may not support Harris for President, but you cannot give your vote to a traitor to the Constitution Vote for America, not a traitor!

Dave Kenney Cape Coral

Running on hope

To the editor:

I would like to respond to a letter titled “Vote for Hope” in last week’s column

The writer wrote in great detail the attributes that she feels our current vice-president possesses, and why she should be our next President

In the interest of space, I will only comment that indeed, Kamala Harris is running a campaign of HOPE!

She hopes you won’t remember the last 3-3/4 years the Democrat party has been in charge of our country

Scott Dary Cape Coral

Time for a leader to bring us together

To the editor:

As an Italian American I was horrified by the recent lies being spewed about many of my friends in the Haitian community It was not so long ago that we Italian Americans were the subject of the same treatment

I used to work for a Republican who left the party as it changed. He is now an Independent. I feel the same way; this is not the party it was, gone is the common sense and decency I now fear for our democracy

If Trump had not egged on an angry crowd of MAGA followers possessing weapons with lies on Jan 6th Officer Sicknick would not have been assaulted “Two men who were arrested for assaulting Sicknick are alleged to have sprayed three officers, including Sicknick, in the face with bear spray The medical examiner’s release said Sicknick was sprayed with a chemical substance at about 2:20 p m He collapsed at about 10 p m and was transported by D C Fire and Emergency Medical Services to a local hospital where he died the next evening around 9:30 p m ” CNN

Officer Sicknick could have been my Dad For those of us with family who have served in law enforcement and protected this democracy this is personal We need someone in office who will bring this nation together and move us forward

Catherine Angela Imbriano Hughes Cape Coral

No joy in Harris’ tar get issue

To the editor:

Why is abortion the main issue Kamala Harris speaks about? Abortion is death You cannot have joy with death She never mentions birth control or adoption, only death

Early pregnancy tests boast how early you will know if you

are pregnant why not have FREE pregnancy tests available You would have 2 months to test, period This would end the “How many weeks” debate once and for all Then, if death is your only option, you could proceed sooner rather than later

Keep this in mind when you hear her speak, joy does not go along with death, unless death is your joy

Debbie Zalesky Cape Coral

America is near the breaking point

To the editor:

As we reviewed the Democratic party, we learn that Democrats too often focus on special-interest groups rather than America For example, the effort to pay student loans by Joe Biden had nothing to do with the success of America and clearly appears to be an effort to use taxpayer money to buy votes

Paying student loans would open up a massive controversy and be an add of major proportions to a socialistic approach to government

America’s future depends upon action to stop the increase in debt and reduce what is already a dangerous amount, having grown from $10 trillion to $36 trillion in only 16 years. Today there is no plan in place to even reduce the rate of debt growth

America’s future depends to a large degree on the reduction of the illegal immigration of 15 to 20 million people including terrorists, criminals, people with no work skills and dependents in the last four years Border patrols cannot keep up with the quantity of undocumented immigrants invading the border The chaos also make it much easier to smuggle drugs Every time such an immigrant is assimilated into our country, a law is broken When enough people to populate New York City are allowed into the country in one presidential term imagine, in 10 terms we might double our population One can only suspect that the purpose is to gain a large majority of the votes somewhere down the future or to increase the fraudulent votes now

Our loss of jobs and manufacturing companies to China and other countries robs us of money Our trade imbalance with China along with our technology as a gift has elevated them to the No 2 country in the world They have used that position to seek the total takeover of Southeast Asia which they are signaling with some very aggressive moves Trump’s Tariffs which Biden/Kamala kept are necessary and the extra product costs that might cause is worth the money to keep jobs, keep the manufacturing of critical items such as computer chips and military weapons and keep America as a world leader One cannot expect something for nothing Are we concerned about our pocket books or America?

Another frightening characteristic of recent Democratic presidents is their timidity They often start wars but don’t finish them and communicate weakness which encourages our enemies and terrorists to be aggressive, not only enslaving and killing many people but endangering Americans at home and overseas

America’s voters have reached the point that Socrates predicted for a democracy Once voters understand that they can receive more and more from the government by their vote, democracy will die Buying votes is purely a socialistic action Certainly, it seems everyone has their hand out and the Democrat’s answer is to tax the rich more when they already pay 90% of the taxes There comes a time when enough is enough You can only bend a branch a certain amount and then it will break We are near the breaking point and the effort to buy votes and the desire by voters for a free lunch has to stop or we will turn into an Argentina, a bankrupt nation with no impact in the world

My book on Democrats will be published soon No problem finding enough to write about

Guest Commentary: Oct. 15 fundraiser will help feed the hungry

From page 4

Our Social & Education Resources Center helps people with a safety net by providing life-saving services to meet the most basic needs for our neighbors going through crises

We could not help our community without the important components outlined in our name: Community and Cooperative, which means mutual assistance in working toward a common goal Cooperative fundraising, food

donations and volunteering is what supports our neighbors To keep providing these vital services, we need to grow our support network

You can make a tangible impact by attending or sponsoring our upcoming fundraisers including our Becoming Cosmopolitan: Mad About Hunger event on Oct 15, and our annual Soup Kitchen Benefit each spring Your participation and support will directly provide the resources we need to

continue our work.

As one of our founders, the late Sam Galloway, passionately stated, “We need to serve food, and that’s what our charge is Serve food to hungry people That’s something I want to see go on and never stop, because hunger is never going to stop ” Please join us in this urgent mission Your support is critical to ensuring that we can continue to serve those who need us most Together, we can make a difference and keep

Sam’s fight against hunger and homelessness going

Stefanie Ink Edwards leads Community Cooperative as its CEO For information on upcoming events, volunteering opportunities, donations, and other ways you can get involved, please visit CommunityCooperative com

John Benedict Cape Coral

Candidates vie for Superintendent of Schools

Voters to decide post previously appointed by the Lee County School Board

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

For the first time since the 1970s, Lee County voters will elect the superintendent for the School District of Lee County

L e e C o u n t y v o t e r s a p p r o v

t h e c h a n g e f r o m appointive post to elected office via a referendum in November of 2022 with the first race to be determined on Nov 5

The measure, which was placed on the ballot by the State Legislature and was opposed by the School Board of Lee County, passed with 62 15 percent of the voters in favor, making the superintendent’s post another elected constitutional office in Lee County as of the 2024 General Election

The existing system of having the superintendent appointed by the School Board had been approved by Lee voters in 1974

The elected superintendent will serve a four-year term

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Republican Denise Carlin and Democrat Victor Arias

“This is the first time in 50 years that we get to elect a superintendent The voters in Lee County overwhelmingly voted in November 2022 to have an elected superintendent They demanded a change, and we have to get this right We need to have someone in the role of superintendent that has the knowledge, background, and experience to get the job done,” Carlin said Arias said a change in direction is needed

“If we want to improve student achievement, retain/ recruit educators and have parents more actively participate in the education of their children, we cannot continue to direct the school district in the same direction and expect a different result Also, we have to bring the parents, students and educators closer together to improve student achievement,” he said

Carlin, a Lee County resident of 55 years, was an educator for the Lee County School District for 32 years, serving as a teacher, an assistant principal, a principal,

and a district administrator including chief of staff, said Lee County voters were unhappy with superintendents being appointed by the school board

“They wanted a superintendent that represented the conservative values of this community and who is accountable to the voters, not subservient to the school board While the average tenure of an appointed superintendent is two years, the elected superintendent will have a four-year term, which will provide stability of leadership to our school district If elected, this four-year term will allow me the time required to accomplish my top priorities: ensuring safe and secure schools, improving stu-

recruitment, ensuring fiscal responsibility, and empowering parents as our partners in education,” she said

Arias, who has lived in the county for more than 24 years, is the owner and managing attorney of The Arias Law Firm He said the elected superintendent position will be beneficial because the superintendent will be accountable directly with the voters

“In the past, the elected board members appointed the superintendent by doing local and national searches After the local and national searches were made, most of the selected and appointment superintendents worked for the school district for a short time period As a result, this lack of stability in the superintendent’s position impacted the school district negatively,” Arias said Student achievement is among the first things Carlin said she will tackle, as it is an all-time low in the district She said the literacy rate of 10th graders is 46%, which means that fewer than half of the district’s 10th grade students are proficient in reading and writing

“Of the 10 largest school districts in Florida, only two d i s t r i c t

“Improved student achievement starts with having the best teachers educating our students Throughout this past school year, the school district has been short over 200 teachers I will immediately go to work on improving student achievement by ensuring that all classroom t e a c h

Benchmarks My administration will also implement a comprehensive teacher retention and recruitment plan, which includes improving teachers’ compensation and improving working conditions by ensuring effective structures of support for student behavior ”

Carlin said while teachers do not go into education to get rich, their pay must be competitive with their neighboring school districts

“Right now, that is not the case Therefore, we will improve teachers’ compensation to ensure that it is competitive with other Southwest Florida school districts I will reduce our top-heavy district administration and reallocate those dollars to support students in classrooms and teachers’ compensation,” she said “My administration will ensure that effective structures of support for student behavior are in place, as too many teachers are leaving because the district’s support systems are inadequate to support students’ behavior I will also ensure that school leaders and teachers understand that we will instruct students using the Florida Benchmarks, which are approved by the Florida Department of Education ” Arias said to improve student achievement, he would immediately bridge the gap between parents, students, and teachers

“I believe there is a disconnect between parents, students, and teachers One example, the school district invested in a program called Focus for the parents to have access to the teachers and student reports This program has a lot of potential; however, the majority of the parents do not have access or were not taught how to use it I would improve the access to the Focus system and create locations at schools and other public places for them

See SUPERINTENDENT, page 9

Superintendent:

From page 8

to learn how to properly access their child’s reports,” he said “Another example, currently, parents and their children, are waiting in long lines, in the hot sun waiting to register their children to attend school I would immediately make changes and have the parents wait inside a building and sit on chairs while they wait their turn to register As a result of these long lines, in the hot weather, this perpetuates the problem of parents continuing to lack of knowledge of how to access Focus Program, and in addition, creates poor attendance their children ”

Teacher retention is another area in which the candidates are looking to improve

Arias said he would build and strengthen partnerships with local businesses and schools

“As the superintendent, I would build and strengthen partnerships with local businesses, FGCU, FSW and add more resources to teacher training programs within the school district I am a business owner in Cape Coral for over 20 years and I believe that with my unique experience both within the school system and private business, I can bring all parties parents, students and educators together and get better results from the school system,” he said

Carlin also touched on the need to improve the classroom environment

“While teachers’ pay is an issue, working conditions are also important Our school district has one of the highest rates of violent and disruptive student behavior in the entire state When teachers cannot teach due to these types of disruptions, students cannot learn When teachers cannot teach or do not have a productive work environment, they leave In 2022, the district had 678 teachers leave the district The record before that was just under 500 teachers leaving in a single year My administration will implement effective structures of support for student behavior, as teachers cannot teach, and students cannot learn in a disruptive learning environment,” she said

Victor Arias

Seat sought: Superintendent of Lee County Schools Party: Democrat Age: 63

&

Education: Occupation: Attorney

Arias Law Firm, P A;

applicable to the office you are seeking: Former

than seven years with the

District and the St Lucie

combined; trained educators and other employees on school issues such as student discipline, school policies, and labor law

Length of residence in county: Since February 1999

Campaign website: www victor-arias com

1) Why are you running?

My interest in becoming Superintendent of Lee County Schools stems from my love of our children, and our community!

Our Lee County community is one of the most valuable parts of all our lives It is where we live, work, play, worship, sing, dance, fellowship, and where we raise our children! As we raise our children, EDUCATION is one of the most important training tools needed by parents and guardians to instill in the lives of our children An EDUCATION is the glue that mends their wonderful brains to all the various resources, information and school subjects they must learn in order to achieve

2) Top three issues.

Denise Carlin

Seat sought: Superintendent of Lee County Schools Party: Republican Age: 57

applicable to the office you are seeking: Served the School District of Lee County for 32 years as a teacher, an assistant principal, a principal, and a district administrator, including chief of staff serving in the No 2 position in the district, which included responsibilities for the daily operations of the district and oversight of the district’s $2 5 billion budget, in partnership with the Superintendent of Schools

Length of residence in county: I have lived in Lee County for 55 years

Campaign website: www DeniseCarlin com 1

Superintendent of Schools to provide a high-quality education for every student I want to make our school district the best in the nation for academic excellence and college and career readiness and to ensure that our students have effective teachers in every classroom This past school year, the school district had some of the lowest student achievement rates out of the top-10 l

deserve better In my administration, we will focus on our core mission of teaching and learning; and student achievement will improve

2) Top three issues

I am committed to safe and secure schools, increased student achievement, and fiscal responsibility

Eagle stars return home, nesting season underway

By CHUCK BALLARO news@breezenewspapers com

Southwest Florida’s most popular eagle family has returned home from summer vacation a little early to get ready for its next clutch of eaglets

M15 and F23 are entering their first full year as mates and their second season on the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam, and they have been busy working on the nest, bonding, and eventually more offspring

Season 13 of the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam, which will have the theme “New Season, New Opportunities” originally scheduled for Oct 1, has started a little early with the eagles’ early work, according to Ginnie PritchettMcSpadden, founder of the eagle cam

“We turned the cameras on early We’ve seen so much activity in the nest with the eagles bringing in sticks that we turned them on early,” Pritchett-McSpadden said “We’re already seeing some amazing work ”

F23 was spotted from time to time over the summer, while M15 returned home on Aug 24 and has gone to work fortifying their nest on the Pritchett Farm along Bayshore Road in North Fort Myers

Currently, the two are usually seen in the early morning in the nest, as well as before sunset The rest of the day they find cooler places to hang around They will spend more time in the nest as fall progresses.

Pritchett-McSpadden said the pair has fully bonded and been together for a year The result has been a more efficient unit, though there are times when they disagree

“The conversations they have when they bring in the stick is so funny to watch They each have a way they want to do things,” Pritchett-McSpadden said

With the early work on the nest and the fact M15 and F23 are a new couple, it may be possible that their eggs may be laid early This usually happens in mid to late November, which means hatching occurs around the holidays

“This is some new territory for us because this will be the first full season they’re together as a pair,” PritchettMcSpadden said “There might be a different timeline

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SOUTHWEST FLORIDA EAGLE CAM M15 and F23 are entering their first full year as mates and their second season on the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam, and they have been busy working on the nest, bonding, and eventually more offspring To watch 24/7, visit dickpritchettrealestate com

We’re all watching and waiting to see ”

The 13th season of the eagle cam will feature a camera with a new angle of the nest They tried it last year, only to have the eagles cover it up a few weeks in.

“This year we raised it a couple feet so now we have two cool views of the nest The second camera is a side angle to see better images of hatching and the eaglets,” Pritchett-McSpadden said

Last season, one of the eggs hatched prematurely and

the eaglet didn’t make it The cause of the hatching is not known The other eaglet successfully fledged PritchettMcSpadden said this is nature at its best and worst

“We’ve had seasons where one egg hasn’t hatched. Unfortunately, it’s the truth of nature, but we’ll see what the season brings,” Pritchett-McSpadden said

To watch the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam, visit dickpritchettrealestate com

National Night Out set for Oct. 1

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

Cape Coral police will once again take part in a nationwide initiative to grow stronger bonds between officers and the community.

On Oct 1, the Cape Coral Police Department will participate in its secondannual “National Night Out” which, according to organizers, is a community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make neighborhoods safer, more caring places to live

“Simply stated the goal or purpose of National Night Out for the Cape Coral Police Department is to strengthen police and community partnerships,” said CCPD Captain Matthew Campion. “This event ties into the overall Community Policing philosophy which requires the active building of positive relationships with members of the community that we serve ”

The event will take place at Cultural Park from 5 to 7 p m , where residents can meet CCPD officers and enjoy games and music

Of the second-time event, Campion said, “We did not know what to expect last year, (and) we were surprised by the support we received from the community Attendees can expect to meet their local police officers, interact, ask questions, and see some of the police equipment The kids can participate in games, enjoy the music and some food thanks to the support of our community sponsors ”

The National Night Out campaign started in 1984 with a suburban police officer in Philadelphia The event has grown over the years, as officials with the campaign state millions of neighbors take part in National Nights Out across thousands of communities from all fifty states, U S territories and military bases worldwide

“It is very important for us to have a

IF YOU GO: What:

National Night Out

When:

Tuesday, Oct 1, from 5 to 7 p m

Where:

Cultural Park, 528 Cultural Park Blvd

strong, positive relationship with the community,” Campion said “Strong communal partnerships assist in building trust and legitimacy It is about treating people with dignity and respect, on both sides of the police/citizen relationship ”

In this day and age, Campion said events like this are a chance for residents to get to meet and see local officers face-to-face, and maybe get to know the person behind the uniform

“We need to emphasize the importance of getting to know your local police officers,” he said “Getting to know the person behind the badge helps minimize negative perceptions that often exist Face-to-face interactions help humanize both the law enforcement profession and the people we serve ”

The event is open to the public and free to attend

For more information on National Night Out, visit www.natw.org.

Cultural Park is at 528 Cultural Park Blvd

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

Island Hopper Songwriter Fest swings over to Fort Myers Beach

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

The Island Hopper Songwriter’s Festival will bounce over to Fort Myers Beach this weekend to cap off a weeklong-s worth of country music sounds culminating in the Pink Shell Beach Resort and Marina Pool Party on Sunday with country music star Scotty McCreery

Dozens of musicians will be taking the stage at venues across Fort Myers Beach beginning Friday and right on through Sunday at local restaurants, hotels, eateries and watering holes

The star of the weekend will be McCreery, who is known for his hits “I Love You This Big,” “This is it,” “Five More Minutes,” “The Trouble With Girls” and “Cab in a Solo ” He won the 10th season of American Idol in 2011

“We are super excited this year’s because it’s the 10th anniversary,” said Miriam Dotson, communications manager for the Lee County Visitor and Convention Bureau The bureau puts on the festival in partnership with BMI which supplies most of the artists, many of whom are from Nashville

The parade of music for this year’s festival is bulked up on country artists though there is a mix of other genres Local musician Sheena Brook and the British group Essex County are among the familiar faces returning to the Island Hopper

While most of the shows will be free across 20 different venues, there will be 10 ticketed events this year

They include the pool party finale at the Pink Shell with McCreery “People jumped on tickets pretty early (for the McCreery show),” Dotson said “That’s a good sign.”

One of the other special ticketed events on Fort Myers Beach will be “Music on the Mound” on Saturday, Sept 28 The show starts at 2:30 p m and will be headlined by Grammy Award winning songwriter Tim James James is known for writing the Toby Keith chart-topper “My List,” the Bucky Covington Top 10 hit “It’s Good To Be Us,” and the Lost Trailers hit “Holler Back ” His other writing credits include the Trace Adkins single “All I Ask For Anymore,” which was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Country Song of 2009, and the 2010 Billboard song of the year “Love Like Crazy” by Lee Brice

The event will also help benefit the Mound House, which is on the National Register of Historic Places for

The Pink Shell Beach Resort on Fort Myers Beach is gearing up for another Island Hopper Songwriter Fest pool party (as seen at last year's concert) this Sunday with country music star Scotty McCreery

the location of a historic home which sits on top of a nearly 2,000-year-old shell mound built by the ancient Calusa tribe a

“I personally love the Mound House,” Dotson said “It’s one of our hidden gems ” Dotson said the pool party show at Pink Shell Beach Resort is an attraction for concertgoers who may not be country music fans “There is some pop crossover,” Dotson said “You can hang out in the pool It’s looking great ”

One of the aims of the Island Hopper is to infuse the area’s local hotels, restaurants and other business establishments with new visitors during a slow period in the tourism season.

“The idea is to try and get people out of the area to visit and stay overnight,” Dotson said “Wake up on the

Cape resident seeks injunction to stop city’s plans for Jaycee Park

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

A Cape Coral resident has filed for an injunction against the city in hope of stopping its plans for Jaycee Park

Peter Wiggin filed his petition with the Lee County Clerks of Courts late last week

“I request an extended injunction against Cape Coral City Council, or the mayor’s office stopping any action to be taken at Jaycee Park This is to allow all federal and state agencies to respond to my request for independent impact studies on the local microenvironment, involving land, sea, and air,” Wiggin wrote in the petition. “Therefore, I would encourage the courts to approve this injunction until responses are obtained from the certified mailed requests for intervention of the affected agencies or true impact studies can be performed ”

The petitioner’s emergency motion includes a letter to Lee County Clerk of the Courts Kevin Karnes as well as a variety of attachments

The emergency motion seeks “an injunction against the Cape Coral City Council preventing the removal or harming of the Jaycee Park Australian pine windbreak as it a critical infrastructure protecting the Beach

“I request an extended injunction against Cape Coral City Council, or the mayor ’s office stopping any action to be taken at Jaycee Park. This is to allow all federal and state agencies to respond to my request for independent impact studies on the local microenvironment, involving land, sea, and air ”

Peter Wiggin, in the petition

Parkway neighborhood ”

“Cape Coral City Council has no idea what a massive windbreak does, or what harm, or catastrophes they may cause by rushing into such a destructive scheme It is too dangerous and damaging to the environment to remove the Australian Pine Windbreak at Jaycee Park," the petition states "The Cape Coral City Council has repeatedly suggested that they are required to remove Australian Pines from development sites This is categorically a false and misleading statement ”

Wiggin declined comment, saying he was going fishing at his fishing hole at Jaycee Park

beach and stay on the beach ” Dotson said September is the slowest month of the year for Lee County tourism

“This is a big event that we work on year-round,” Dotson said

The Fort Myers Beach venues that will be offering free shows Friday, Sept 27, through Sunday, Sept 29, are Bayside Veterans Park, DiamondHead Beach Resort, Margaritaville Beach Resort, Yucatan Beach Stand Bar & Grill

The musicians for the Fort Myers Beach swing of dates will include the likes of Kurtis John, known for his hits hit singles “Pictures Of You” and “Stay Beautiful ” T o v i e w t h e c o m p l e t e s c h e d u l e , v i s i t https://www islandhopperfest visitfortmyers com/schedule

‘Classic Car Fest at Cultural Park’ resumes Oct. 19 with ‘Trunk or Treat’

“Classic Car Fest at Cultural Park” will return Saturday, Oct. 19, with a “Trunk or Treat” from 10 a m to 1 p m A family costume parade around the park will be held at 11:30 a m

The public is invited to enjoy a morning of classic vehicles, music, food trucks, merchant vendor village, hands-on activities and free museum tours! The free event provides a chance for visitors of all ages to gather and engage with history

No reservations are necessary for the public, but are encouraged for planning purposes

To register a vehicle for the show, or to sign up to be a craft or food vendor, keep an eye on the Cape Coral Museum of History website at capecoralmuseum org/ or contact the museum at 239-772-7037 Future Classic Car Fest dates include: Nov 30Small Business Saturday, Feb 15 - Heart Health Month and April 12 - Spring Fling

FILE PHOTO

The Shell Factory and Nature Park, a

established in 1938 and operated by the Cronin family as a family destination for the last 27 years, is closing Far left, owner Pam Cronin poses with a polar bear and palm trees, a popular photo op site; above, the dinosaur path has been a must-see for generations of kids; at left, a sloth, one of the 400-plus animals in the Nature Park; and below, some of the thousands of shells at sold at the “

VALARIE HARRING

Shell Factory: Last weekend set for Sept. 27-29; 18-acre site to be sold

The decision to close the attraction and sell the 18-acre site “between the 41s” in North Fort Myers has been considered for a while

“The Shell Factory has not been profitable in the 27 years that I owned it It was an absolute passion for my late husband He was a major developer in Lee County and created so many memories for so many people The Shell Factory was his last hurrah He wanted it to be the last thing he was remembered for,” she said

After her husband, Tom, died, Cronin said they opened Tommy’s Outdoor Cafe the addition of another 100 seats She said he was a beer- drinking, smoking Irish man

“We tried to live up to his legacy It was extremely popular,” Cronin said

The old-Florida kitschy tourist attraction was established in 1938 in North Fort Myers In 1997, the Cronins took over the property at 16554 N Cleveland Ave when it was under foreclosure

Improvements, upgrades and a new philosophy that put locals high into the visitor mix gave the attraction new life

The old “tourist trap” turned into a family destination that included not only “the largest shell retail shop in the world,” but amusement-style rides, arcade games, miniature golf, a Christmas Shop, expanded nature park with more than 400 animals, and a pair of restaurants

Finding someone who could keep that going was a first choice among sale options

“We have worked diligently,” Cronin said of trying to find someone who would buy the property and operate it as is an attraction, or some variation

Efforts were unsuccessful

“It would take a major cash infusion to continue it on,” Cronin said

The original building on the property was built in 1954

The attraction, like many businesses, weathered Hurricane Irma and then suffered damage in Hurricane Ian

“It is just financially inconceivable to move on and continue to put millions of dollars in it for renovations,” she said “The people we have spoken with approached us, or approached them buying it and operating it as an attraction are not available ”

The final days of operation are from 11 a m to 4 p m today through Sunday, Sept 27-29

The property will be put on the market very soon Cronin said it was very important to her to have a conversation with staff before it was listed for sale

“There will be buyers We have had many people contact

our real estate attorney,” she said

Cronin said they are continuing to have conversations with staff 92 employees as they really want to try to help them find new positions

“We have had amazing community partners and support trying to help us relocate these people,” she said.

“CareerSource has been phenomenal They were there when we made the announcement to our staff They had private meetings with the staff I am amazed at what a wonderful organization they are and how they really try to help relocate people that need new positions ”

Community support did not stop there Chris Scuderi, of Gator Mike’s also reached out

“He is such a great community citizen,” Cronin said “He wants to try to help with relocation for as many of our staff members as possible He reached out and he is fabulous ”

The list of people reaching out to help where they can continues to expand.

“We are so excited that people are wanting to help and step up” Cronin said

Another goal is to rehome the Nature Park’s animals The United States Department of Agriculture and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission have been instrumental in helping them relocate animals, as well as providing information of nonprofit organizations that can help

“We have had so much input from so many people,” Cronin said “We will have stories in the very near future about what is happening with each of them ”

The Nature Park began after the Shell Factory was a showcase for the Octagon Wildlife Animal Sanctuary when they experienced difficulty doing fundraisers. The Shell Factory stepped up and built some habitats, had the sanctuary bring out some animals with 100% of the proceeds going directly back to Octagon

“Eventually we found out as the children started coming in that they were pretty afraid of getting 10 feet from a tiger,”

Cronin said “We started adding more smaller animals ”

This evolved into an educational phase complete with field trips

“We leaned more toward environmental education and that’s what we did,” she said “Then we really started working with Florida Fish and Wildlife and it evolved from there ”

A great number of the animals that reside at the Nature Park were donated through estates and from families that could no longer take care of them

“It’s a wonderful situation and that is why we are so adamant of making sure every one of these lovely creatures has a home that is as loving and supportive as they had with us,” she said

Karen Schneider, the Nature Park director, has been amazing Cronin said Schneider and her staff have made sure the animals are cared for and the habitats were clean day and night The animals are 100% loved, she added

“By the middle or end of next week we will have some great information about what is happening with them and where they are going,” she said last Friday “I am sure that we will have fabulous stories to share, and it will touch everyone’s hearts ”

Cronin has thanks for their community partners and everyone who has worked so hard to help them

“I have never worked on a project in my life that had more unbelievable community support came out of the woodwork and helped with so many things. They helped the Shell Factory The messages have been phenomenal I am touched that so many people cared about what we have been doing for 27 years,” Cronin said

Over the years there have been many stories that have left an everlasting imprint on her heart One is of individuals picking a pearl from a huge clam shell with oyster shells in it

Cronin said mostly women would come in and pick a pearl some going three or four generations strong She said she heard many stories “when your mom was little, she picked a pearl and wears it as a necklace now ”

“There are so many fabulous stories like that It’s amazing,” she said

Another that has stood out was when an agency brought them a wallaby that was about 2 years old The animal had lived in a dog crate her entire life and was not in good health The caring staff worked with this creature and eventually won her trust, started hand feeding her, and taught her how to hop

This wallaby was eventually put with another, and a little joey was born a little while later

“Those are the stories that kept us doing it raising money and trying to make the animals happy,” Cronin said

What role, if any, should the city play regarding affordable and/or "workforce" housing?

Primary ElEction - District 2

❑ laurie lehmaNN

The city needs to be involved to make sure that there is affordable and/or workforce housing People that work here in Cape Coral should be able to live here in Cape Coral Now that we have fire and police training facilities, the city has made an investment in future employees and the city needs to maintain the investment by having them work here in Cape Coral The city should have a subsidy program for city trained first responders They take care of the citizens and we need to take care of them via affordable quality housing

DerriCk DoNNell Der rickDonnell.com

The term “affordable” itself evokes different meanings from different people We must understand that the market is the primary driver of this issue However, yes, we need “attainable” housing in our city We should come to a consensus of what “attainable” means to us here in Cape Coral Our next steps would happen simultaneously in that then we should strategically develop policies for the construction and placement of the homes within our city while seeking “nostrings-attached” funding opportunities from both the state and local levels to help defray costs to this particularly important endeavor The same methodology should be applied in seeking workforce housing

Each week through the General Election, The Breeze will ask the candidates for Cape Coral City Council an issue-related question In the interest of fairness, each candidate is limited to the same amount of space, about 100 words, for their response

❑ DaN shepparD (iNCumbeNt)

The local government should not intervene in Cape Coral’s housing market Developers are already meeting the demand for workforce housing through competition, providing diverse options for various income levels Allowing the American free market to operate encourages innovation and ensures housing availability without added costs The cost of rent in Cape Coral has dropped 1 36% from January 2023 to January 2024, with further drops on the horizon City intervention through new regulations or zoning requirements would only disrupt this process and inflate housing prices Therefore, the city should refrain from playing any role in affordable or workforce housing.

Primary ElEction - District 3

I’d like to see tax credits and abatements given to development and property management companies that build affordable housing complexes in our city I find it downright sad and disappointing that our construction, trade, and single moms (as I was once a working single mom) are unable to find affordable housing in our city. We need to prioritize the people of this city, and find them decent housing at fair prices

Primary ElEction - District 4

riCharD Carr (iNCumbeNt) VoterichCar r.com

The city can and should play a role in the availability of affordable housing Whether it’s referred to as low-income or workforce housing matters less than ensuring its affordability and accessibility for those in need While there are programs for individuals meeting specific income guidelines, the thresholds are often too low, leaving some unable to qualify despite needing assistance As I’ve stated before, I support developer incentives to include affordable housing in new construction projects, but I do not support lowering standards to cut costs Well-planned lowincome housing can seamlessly integrate into neighborhoods while maintaining the overall integrity of our city

Important dates

∫ General Election: Tuesday, Nov 5

∫ Deadline to register to vote or change party affiliation: Oct 7.

∫ Mail ballots: First vote-by-mail ballots will be sent out on Tuesday, Oct. 1; new requests will be sent within 48 hours of being received

∫ Early Voting: Monday, Oct 21, through Saturday, Nov 2, from 10 a m to 6 p m daily Visit lee vote/Early-VotingInformation/Early-Voting-Dates-and-Locations for locations

The city should play a vital role in workforce housing as we are required by the state of Florida to insure that housing costs, including taxes and insurance, are not higher than 30% of the average annual gross income for households in our city The city should be advocating and collaborating with our state and federal governments to partner on creating policy and zoning changes that support this housing A great example our city has is our Senior Affordable Housing Complex that was completed in 2022 and located in our CRA Habitat for Humanity has been refurbishing and building homes in our city for years as they offer comprehensive housing for those families in need in terms of the build/refurbishing of an existing property, the financial literacy piece, and the mortgage financing They include requirements for the financial sustainability and the property upkeep Workforce housing is an increasing problem as our city grows and younger families move here, lowering our average age demographic ❑ JeNNifer

Resources

NelsoN

NelsonforDistrict4 com

The Lee County Supervisor of Elections posts all city-election related documents, including campaign reports at lee.vote.

Lee vote also offers a wealth of elections-related information concerning registration, voting, dates and candidate lists and documents

Information on the Constitutional amendments appearing on the ballot may be found at lee.vote/Election-Information/ProposedBallot-Measures

∫ The League of Women Voters, Lee County offers electionrelated information on its website, my.lwv.org/florida/lee-county.

the Week Q

What role, if any, should the city play regarding affordable and/or "workforce" housing?

primAry election - district 5

❑ Joseph KilRaine Kilr aineforcape com

My general bias is less government However, we do have a significant affordable-work-force housing (AH) challenge Cost burden is a basis for indicating AH needs, (e g cost under 30% average median family income (AMI) being affordable over 30% - burdened Recent studies pegged Cape overall at 34% burdened (single-family homes -53%/apartments28%) The City implemented a four-year pilot program in 2018 with eligibility under 120% AMI (todays AMI is $89,000, 120% is $112,000 for family four size adjusted) Council recently approved a limited similar “single-family” program & green-lighted scoping a “multi-family program” which I support Both intend to incentivize rapid construction by deferring impact fees while rentals are at market-rate (not section 8) Supply-demand dynamics are hoped to eventually lower market rates

Each week through the General Election, The Breeze will ask the candidates for Cape Coral City Council an issue-related question In the interest of fairness, each candidate is limited to the same amount of space, about 100 words, for their response

If quality housing that’s affordable can be achieved through grant support and sustainable government programs that help lower home costs for hard-working, qualifying residents and public service workers who face being priced out of our community, then the city of Cape Coral should pursue those avenues We should continue to participate in programs such as the State Housing Initiative Partnership Program to assist qualifying residents with down payment assistance and other housing-related services. We also need to collaborate to ensure that any subsidized multifamily developments are well-planned to proactively prevent unintended negative impacts on surrounding homes and property values

❑ Rachel KaduK

R achelK aduk com

I think that the city should work with the local building industry to see what can be done to help provide more affordable housing, here are a few of my suggestions 1- City to waive impact fees on homes that fall under the affordable guidelines (established guidelines would be needed) 2- Build smaller homes, not everyone needs a 3/2 home, smaller home = lower price 3- Build zero lot line homes, think of a duplex where you would purchase one side of it With it being a new home, insurance is going to be much cheaper, and with mortgage rates starting to fall I think you should be able to get a reasonable payment

In most scenarios, it’s best to let the free market do what it does We have seen artificially inflated housing prices Doing nothing can lead to workforce shortages Because of that, I do believe in finding opportunities to alleviate those affordability problems This could be grant programs, federal funding for down payment assistance, additional homestead exemptions, include a provision that X% of new tax dollars from Tax Increment Financing in certain districts be paid into a housing trust to build new affordable units, or if large developments come, possibly a percentage of units/dollars be set aside for workforce housing

ABout cApe corAl cit y council

Cape Coral has a city manager/council form of government A Council-appointed, contract city manager runs the day-to-day operations of the city. Cape Coral City Council is an elected eight-member board comprised of a mayor and seven council members who set policy and are accountable to the voters. The mayor may live in any district. Council members are elected “at large” meaning while candidates must live in the district they seek to represent, the seats are filled via non-partisan, citywide elections. Every registered Cape voter, no matter their party affiliation or city address, may cast a ballot in every race in both primary and general elections

Each week first through the primary and then through the General Election, The Breeze will ask the candidates for Cape Coral City Council an issue-related question In the interest of fairness, each candidate is limited to the same amount of space, about 100 or so words, for their response

■ Week 1, published July 5:

Why are you running? What are your top three issues?

■ Week 2: published July 12:

Should the stipend approved by Cape Coral City Council in addition to member salaries be retained, rescinded or modified?

■ Week 3, published July 19:

How will you weigh projects with a potential citywide benefit but also a perceived neighborhood impact?

■ Week 4, published July 26:

How would you define your position on public-private partnerships?

■ Week 5, published Aug. 2:

How would you build consensus to accomplish your objectives?

■ Week 6, published Aug. 9:

What is your first impression of the city’s working budget for the next fiscal year?

■ Week 7, published Aug. 16:

What are your views on “accessory dwelling units?

■ Week 8, published Aug. 30:

What should be done with the old golf course acreage?

forums & informAtionAl sessions

■ Week 9, published Sept 6:

Where do you see the city in terms of overall employee compensation, i e wages and benefits? What, if any, changes should Council consider?

■ Week 10, published Sept. 13

What, if anything, should be done to address transparency

■ Week 11, published, Sept. 20

Should members of Council comment on issues outside of scheduled meetings? Should Council appoint a single spokesperson for media and other inquiries?

■ Week 12, published Sept. 27

What role, if any, should the city play regarding affordable and/or “workforce” housing?

When: Saturday, Oct 5, 10-11:30 a m

Registration: 9:30 a

❑ Michael david haRpeR

C a p e C o r a l B r e e z e w w w . c a p e c o r a l b r e e z e . c o m S e p t e m b e r 2 7 , 2 0 2 4 ■ P a g e 1 8

Island Coast named ‘Best Key Club’ in Florida

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

s o r , C a s e

B r o w n - B a r k e r , s a i d a b o u t t h e r e c o g n i t i o n “ I h a v e b e e n f a c u l t y a d v i s o r s i n c e 2 0 1 5 a n d w

s k i n d o f t h r o w n i n t o t h e r o l e b y m y t h e n p r i n c i p a l a n d h a d z e r o i d e a w h a t I w a s d o i n g , b u t b e c a u s e o f t h e w o n d e r f u l s u p p o r t o f s e v e r a l a m a z i n g K i w a n

K e y C l u b f a c u l t y a d v i s o r s , I w a s a b l e t o l e a r n v e r y q u i

a n d w e d i d B e c a u s e o f i t w e w o n B e s t K e y C l u b o f t h e

Y e a r , ” s h e s a i d

B r o w n - B a r k e r s a i d e v e r y y e a r i s a l e a r n i n g e x p e r i -

e n c e S h e l o v e s h e l p i n g s t u d e n t s i n K e y C l u b l e a r n h o w

t o l e a d , w h i l e w a t c h i n g t h e m f a l l i n l o v e w i t h h e l p i n g

o t h e r p e o p l e

W h e n K e y C l u b f i r s t b e g a n a t I s l a n d C o a s t H i g h

S c h o o l , t h e y w e r e l o o k e d a t b y o t h e r s c h o o l s i n t h e d i st r i c t r a t h e r p o o r l y , B r o w n - B a r k e r s a i d “ T h e n s e e i n g u s n o w a n d h o w f a r w e c o m e , a l s o s h o w s t h e s t u d e n t s t h a t i f y o u w o r k h a r d e n o u g h a n d y o u w a n t s o m e t h i n g b a d e n o u g h , g o o d t h i n g s d o c o m e

y o u r w a y , ” s h e s a i d

T h e K e y C l u b w a s c h a r t e r e d a t t h e h i g h s c h o o l o n

PHOTO PROVIDED

The Island Coast High School Key Club volunteers at the Gulf Coast Village memory unit.

F e b 2 2 , 2 0 0 8 , a n d w a s s p o n s o r e d b y t h e K i w a n i s C l u b o f C a p e C o r a l . T h e m o t t o f o r t h e K e y C l u b i s “ C a r i n g : O u r W a y o f I i f e ” a n d , s i n c e I C H S i s t h e o n l y t i t l e 1 H i g h S c h o o l i n t h e W e s t Z o n e , t h e K i w a n i s C l u b o f C a p e C o r a l f e l t i t w a s n e c e s s a r y t o g e t o u r s t u d e n t s i n v o l v e d i n h e l p i n g o u r h o m e , s c h o o l , a n d c o m m u n

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COMMUNITY

Everywhere daisies!

By ANN BLOCK news@breezenewspapers com

Did you know that there are over 20,000 species of daisies growing all over the world in a wide range of colors I have chosen a few bright cheerful daisies to share with you to brighten up your gardens in Southwest Florida. These are easy to grow in our Zone 10. First a little about the daisy they are in the Asteraceae family of plants, a group known for blooms with disc-shaped, flat blooms with petals that project outward This group

i n c l u d e s c h r y s a n t h e m u m s , z i n n i a s , s u n f l o w e r s a n d asters

A few tips when grow-

i n g y o u r d a i s i e s i n o u r

zone: grow in a sunny spot, water every week, use compost and mulch and prune

w h e n y o u s e e a l e g g y appearance You can also deadhead the spent flowers which I usually don’t bother doing

GARDEN CLUB OF CAPE CORAL

Here are a few that do really well in our Zone 10

■ B u t t e r d a i s e s ( p i c t u r e d a b o v e ) k n o w n a s Melampodium divaricatum They are small with yellow flowers with dark gold centers that resemble sunflowers These are annuals in other parts of the country but here in Southwest Florida are perennials Butter daisies are quick growers that can grow to 24 inches Mine have only reached about eight inches

■ Livingstone daisy, dorotheanthus bellidiformis, has cheerful flowers that thrives in our sandy soil The flowers come in orange, yellow, pink red and white blooms. They grow to six inches and need full sun exposure

■ Mexican daisy, Damianita daisy or Chriysactinia Mexicana, is a fragrant, drought tolerant flower growing with beautiful yellow or orange petals Bugs generally are not interested in it but butterflies and bees love it!

■ Curly leaf daisy, Arctotis Revoluta, thrives in our heat and offer a cheery touch of color to our gardens They grow up to two feet with a bright yellow flower

■ Blue daisy, Felicia Amelloides, is a fun, low maintenance flower that attracts pollinators including butterflies and bees They need full sun and are a wonderful periwinkle blue

■ Blanket flowers, Gaillardia, come in gorgeous shades They are called blanket flowers because they have a tendency to spread across your garden Each plant can spread up to 20 inches They love full sun like all the other daisies mentioned

■ Cape daisy, Osteospermum or African daisy, is colorful choice They come in purple, pink, blue, yellow and white and will grow up to three feet Their flowers have two layers of petals up to four inches wide Their petals close up at night or anytime the sun isn’t shining

■ Gerbera daisies, Gerbera Jamesonii, also go by Veldt daisies In 2013 the National Garden Bureau named that year the “Year of Garbera.” They noted the

‘Last of the Red Hot Lovers’ now playing at The Belle Theatre

Production runs through Sunday at Cape venue

Get ready for an fantastic evening of laughter! Neil Simon’s beloved comedy, “Last of the Red Hot Lovers,” is now on

Sunday, Sept 29, featuring Southwest Florida performers Louis Monaco, Gerrie Benzing, Donna Richman and Madison Tripp

This timeless play explores the humorous yet poignant escapades of Barney Cashman, a middle-aged man yearning to break free from the mundane routine of his life

Set in the vibrant 1960s, the story follows Barney as he attempts to fulfill his

responsibilities as a husband and father With a stellar cast bringing Simon’s sharp wit and relatable characters to life, audiences will be treated to an engaging exploration of love, desire, and the comedic misadventures that come with it

The Belle Theatre is at 2708 Santa Barbara Blvd , Suite 135, Cape Coral

www TheBelleTheatre com, by calling 239-323-5533 or at the box office

Cape Coral Social Club Ghosts & Goblins Dinner Dance Oct. 5

Group’s monthly event to be held at the German America Social Club

The Cape Coral Social Club Ghosts & Goblins Dinner Dance will be held next Saturday, Oct 5, at the German American Social Club on Pine Island Road in Cape Coral

The dance is open to the public -- all are welcome -and music will be provided by Kim Jenkins

The menu is a choice of one: sliced apple jack pork loin or Monterey white fish in lemon butter sauce or vegetarian baked ziti All will be served with rolls and butter; Caesar salad; rice pilaf; corn medley; apple pie; and soft drinks, coffee or water

No BYOB! A cash bar will be available

Payment is required by Tuesday, Oct 1: $32 for mem-

bers and $37 for guests (cash or check) Please note, the cost is $35 or $40 when using a credit card

Payments can be made at Farmer Joe’s on Pine Island Road, at Family Hardware on Southeast 47th Terrace in south Cape, on the web at www.capecoralsocialclub.org or by contacting Judy at 239-699-0123 Please indicate your entrée choice and table seating preference; a singles’ table will be available

No refunds for cancellations Checks preferred

If you have question about the Cape Coral Social Club or the monthly dinner dances or the organization’s o t h

@ gmail com

Lee County Domestic Animal Services asks residents to ‘Wait Until 8’

Kittens younger than eight weeks must be bottle-fed if taken from their mothers

Kitten season is still in full swing and Lee County Domestic Animal Services needs your help Well-meaning people sometimes find kittens outside and attempt to help by bringing them to shelters However, they often don’t realize that most kittens brought to shelters, especially those who are less than eight weeks old, will need to be bottle fed to survive

To help address underage kittens being brought into the shelter, Animal Services encourages citizens to “Wait Until 8” - eight weeks of age, that is This is when kittens

can eat independently and care for themselves

Animal Services also needs help fostering underage kittens until they are big enough for adoption

Animal Services currently has a shelter full of adorable adult cats and kittens ready for their homes Adoption fees are waived through Sept 30 with an approved application

Visit www LeeLostPets com for more information of fostering or adoption Find Lee County Domestic Animal Services’ social media sites on Facebook or Instagram @leeanimalservices

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

PHOTO PROVIDED

The cast of “Last of the Red Hot Lovers” includes Gerrie Benzing, Madison Tripp, Louis Monaco and Donna Richman.

160-unit affordable housing community for older adults coming to North Fort Myers

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

A

G r o u p , a n d B i r d s o n H o u s i n g P a r t n e r s T h e r e w i l l b e 4 1 o n e - b e d r o o m a n d 3 1 t w o - b e d r o o m

u n i t s f o r t h e f i r s t p h a s e

T h e c o n s t r u c t i o n i s p r o j e c t e d t o t a k e 1 4 t o 1 5

m o n t h s s t a r t t o f i n i s h T h e y a r e h o p i n g t o o p e n u n i t s b y

t h e e n d o f n e x t y e a r w i t h t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f e a r l y 2 0 2 6

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a n d o l d e r w h o e a r n 6 0 % o r l e s s o f t h e a r e a m e d i a n i n c o m e E i g h t u n i t s w i l l b e s e t a s i d e f o r t e n a n t s e a r n i n g

3 3 % o f A M I o r b e l o w , l e a v i n g 6 4 u n i t s f o r t e n a n t s

e a r n i n g 6 0 % A M I o r b e l o w

A l l a n s a i d t h e y w e r e a l s o a b l e t o r e c e i v e a d d i t i o n a l

c o m p e t i t i v e f u n d i n g f o r t h e r e m a i n i n g 8 8 u n i t s t h r o u g h

t h e c o u n t y “ L e e C o u n t y h a s b e e n g r e a t , ” h e s a i d

Hermosa North Fort Myers, at 16320 N Cleveland Ave , will have a total of 160 units constructed in two phases The first will include 72 units in one four-story residential building, the second will offer 88 units. Construction is projected to take 14 to 15 months start to finish. They are hoping to open units by the end of next year with the possibility of early 2026.

T h e s e c o n d p h a s e , 8 8 u n i t s , w i l l c o n s i s t s o f 5 6 o n eb e d r o o m u n i t s a n d 3 2 t w o - b e d r o

o l d s e a r n -

p e c t

o b e c o m p l e t e d i n e a r l y 2 0 2 6 H e r m o s a N o r t h F o r t M y e r s w i l l h a v e a l a r g e c l u bh o u s e w i t h a f i t n e s s c e n t e r , b u s i n e s s c e n t e r a n d s w i mm i n g p o o l F r e e A d u l t L i t e r a c y P r o g r a m a n d R e s i d e n t A s s u r a n c e C h e c k - i n P r o g r a m w i l l a l s o b e i n c l u d e d

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

Affordable housing: Similar project also planned for Cape Coral

From page 20

RENDITION PROVIDED BY REVITAL DEVELOPMENT GROUP

The second phase of Hermosa North Fort Myers at 16320 N Cleveland Ave will offer 88 units The community for older, income-qualifying adults will include a clubhouse with a fitness center, business center and swimming pool

e m o g r a p h i c s , a l l a t d i f f e r

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e t o p r ov i d e s i g n i f i c a n t d i s c o u n t s t o t h e m a r k e t T h e p r o j e c t s i n t h e w o r k s r i g h t n o w a r e f o r i n d i v i d u a l s a n d f a m i l i e s w h o a r e e x p e r i e n c i n g h o m e l e s s n e s s a n d d e v e l o p m e n t

d i s a b i l i t i e s A l l a n s a i d h e h a s a p p l i e d f o r f u n d i n g t h r o u g h H U D

f o r d e v e l o p m e n t o f a f f o r d a b l e h o u s i n g , w h i c h i s c o nn e c t e d t o H u r r i c a n e I a n ’ s r e c o v e r y e f f o r t s O n e o f t h o s e p r o j e c t s i n c l u d e s 1 2 1 u n i t s , a l l d e d i -

c a t e d t o h o u s e h o l d s e a r n i n g 7 0 % A M I o r b e l o w , f o r o l d e r a d u l t s T h i s p r o j e c t , c a l l e d A v a S q u a r e , w o u l d b e l o c a t e d i

s s –

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e -

o f F o r t M y e r s c l o s e r t o I - 7 5 a n d M a r t i n L

h e r K i n g B o u l e v a r d H e s a i d t h e y w o u l d l o v e t o g e t a l l o f t h e m a p p r o v e d “ T h e r e i s a n e e d e v e r y w h e r e a n d e v e r y d e m o g r a p hi c , ” A l l a n s a i d , a d d i n g h e i s h o p e f u l a n d o p t i m i s t i c t o f i n d o u t g o o d n e w s b y t h e e n d o f O c t o b e r “ T h e r e a r e a l o t o f g r e a t p r o j e c t s p r o p o s e d . H o p e f u l l y a l o t o f d e v e lo p m e n t w

HEALTH Understanding sunshine and its role in skin cancer

We all appreciate the great outdoors and soak in the sun from time to time After all, sunshine is one of the primary reasons we live in Florida.

We don’t all get skin cancer, though Every individual has a distinct genetic profile, and over a lifetime, has a different history of sun exposure

Certain individuals with lower risk factors might get away with greater periods of sun exposure Meanwhile, someone who spends the same amount of time outdoors could develop basal or squamous cell carcinoma, the two most common types of skin cancer often caused by sun exposure, or possibly melanoma, a rare and dangerous type of skin cancer that causes the most skin cancer-related deaths

Guest Comment

Everyone – regardless of their genetic disposition – is at risk of developing skin cancer It’s estimated that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer at some point in their lives There are certain risk factors out of our control: individuals with lighter skin color, blue or green eyes, blond or red hair, skin that burns easily, freckles, large number of moles and a family history are more likely to develop skin cancer Older age is also a factor

The No 1 contributing factor to skin cancer, though, is something entirely within our control – exposure to harmful UV rays that are strongest on sunny, summer days

As with all cancers, one factor that vastly improves an individual’s outcome is an early diagnosis Unlike cancers that affect interior parts of the body, skin cancer almost always presents itself on the outside That’s why individuals should complete a monthly ABCDE Self Check:

A – Asymmetry Skin cancers, including melanoma, are typically asymmetrical shapes, whereas moles are circular or oval

B – Border. Cancerous spots tend to have uneven edges or borders

C – Color. Moles are typically medium brown or dark brown A melanoma can contain varying hues of brown, black or tan, or even red

D – Diameter and Darkness. Large spots or a spot that is darker than surrounding moles indicate a need for further evaluation

E – Evolving Cancerous spots tend to change size, shape, color or elevation over time They also can be itchy, crusty or bloody

If any of the ABCDEs present a cause for concern, schedule an appointment immediately with your primary care physician or board-certified dermatologist. For many types of skin cancer, outpatient surgery to remove the cancer is often the first step However, radiation therapy is an exceptional treatment option for more aggressive forms of basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma High-powered energy beams can be precisely focused on cancerous cells, sparing impacts to surrounding tissue and minimizing potential side effects often associated with cancer treatment

Be smart when heading outdoors Lather on your sunscreen, grab a hat and try to avoid outdoor activities when the sun is at its strongest between 10 a m and 4 p m Also, use technology to your advantage and set a recurring event on your smartphone calendar for the first day of every month –make that your ABCDE Self Check day

Dr Alan Brown is a board-certified radiation oncologist with Advocate Radiation Oncology and sees patients at the practice’s Cape Coral, Fort Myers and Bonita Springs cancer treatment centers Visit AdvocateRO com for more information

Local educator and AFib survivor joins nationwide health equity effort

The American Heart Association believes that everyone everywhere deserves the opportunity to live a full, healthy life Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is a common heart condition that can lead to serious complications like stroke, and addressing it is crucial for improving overall health outcomes Recognizing this, one Southwest

Association’s Leaders of Impact initiative This initiative aims to remove barriers to equitable health for the residents in Southwest Florida by raising critical funds and increasing awareness

As the American Heart Association celebrates 100 years of lifesaving service in 2024, it highlights the significant impact of health inequities Issues such as uncontrolled high blood pressure rates, tobacco use, lack of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation, limited access to healthy food and life expectancy gaps can affect up to 80% of health outcomes By addressing these inequities, the Leaders of Impact initiative strives to create a healthier future for all

“The American Heart Association is continuing the pursuit of a world free of cardiovascular disease and s

Leaders of Impact,” said Jessaca Rodriguez, executive director of development and community health at the American Heart Association “This program allows Southwest Florida leaders and stakeholders to be a part of the solution to change health outcomes and raise the profile of ways that we can create healthier lives right here at home In Southwest Florida, we are proud to announce 2024 Leader of Impact Nominee, Thomas Pritchard, physical education teacher at Canterbury School, Fort Myers’ College-Preparatory School ” Leaders of Impact, a nationwide initiative, launches in more than 150 cities across the country on Oct 17 At the beginning of the campaign, hundreds of volunteer nominees nationwide will take part in a seven-week competition to improve their local community health

throughout the program leveraging their collective influence to educate their communities on the symptoms and warning signs of heart disease, raise critical dollars to help fund lifesaving research and advocate for the health and well-being of all

“At the American Heart Association, our future is about improving yours We are thrilled that these lead-

AFib survivor, has joined the American Heart Association’s Leaders of Impact initiative.

ers have joined us in our relentless efforts to advance health and hope for everyone, everywhere but especially in Southwest Florida,” said PJ Bimonte, service operations manager at Arthrex and volunteer board chair for the American Heart Association in Estero “We are committed to removing barriers to equitable health through community work, supporting groundbreaking scientific research and advocating for healthy policies The Leaders of Impact nominees are playing a pivotal role in driving change and ensuring that all people have the opportunity to live healthier lives ”

For additional information about the Leaders of Impact Initiative or to support this year’s nominee, Thomas Pritchard, please visit SWFL Leader of Impact Nominee

For more about the American Heart Association, please visit heart org, Facebook, X or by calling 1-800AHA-USA1

HEALTH BRIEFS

Free autism screening Oct. 18 at Pediatric Specialist Office in For t Myers

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, Oct 18, 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 They say early intensive behavioral intervention can make an immense difference not just in the development of the child, but in their families as well

The ASD screening is conducted by the Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida The screen-

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

Chronic

Disease

Self-Management Program

for adults being offered Lee Health’s “It’s All About You” Chronic Disease

Resource Program with the SMRC, is offering a research-based Chronic Disease Self-Management program for the community

The program is designed for people 18 years of age or older with chronic health conditions to help them learn ways to better manage their chronic conditions and the symptoms that often accompany chronic health conditions Participants will receive a complimentary copy of the book, “Living a Healthier Life with Chronic Conditions ”

The workshop is held once a week for six weeks and it is free

Workshops will be offered Wednesdays beginning Oct 16, from 9-11:30 a m in person held at Heights Center, 15570 Hagie Drive, Fort Myers

For more information or to register, please call 239424-3121

Dr. Alan Brown

PHOTO PROVIDED

ACT’s biggest fundraiser of the year approaching

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers.com

Abuse Counseling and Treatment, Inc , is gearing for its biggest fundraising event of the year

The 35th annual Arts for ACT Gala and Auction will return this year after being put on hold last year due to Hurricane Ian

It is set for Saturday, Oct 5, at the Caloosa Sound Convention Center, 1375 Monroe Street, in Downtown Fort Myers This year's theme is “The Swans" Gala and Auction ”

“It’s a black-and-white ball We have a live and silent auction, a raffle, dinner, and dancing,” said ACT CEO Jennifer Benton. “It is a fun event.”

The live auction will be led by auctioneer Scott Robertson Prizes include luxury trips, hotel stays and art from award-winning artists

Registration, cocktails, and the silent auction will begin at 5 p m , followed by dinner at 6 p m The live auction will begin at 7 p m , followed by dancing to The Original Studio 54 Band

T i c k e t s a r e $ 1 5 0 a n d c a n b e p u r c h a s e d a t https://event gives/artsforact2024

The event typically attracts about 500 people and is ACT’s largest fundraising event Benton said with them missing last year, this year marks a critical year to do the event.

“As we grow in clients, we have to continue to serve those with services Money has been tight this year because of the hurricane Last year really has hurt,” Benton said The tough year came from the repairs needed from Hurricane Ian

“That cost us You have to have a good roof, even if the insurance company is not going to pay,” Benton said “We have a thrift store and a gallery downtown Our gallery flooded from the river We had to do all the repairs for our gallery That was down for nine months from income The store was closed a bit because of the damage. We lost income because of the hurricane from those It really has been a tough time ”

If You Go:

What:

35th annual Arts for ACT Gala and Auction

When: Saturday, Oct 5

Registration, cocktails, and the silent auction will begin at 5 p m , followed by dinner at 6 p m

The live auction will begin at 7 p m , followed by dancing to The Original Studio 54 Band

Where:

Caloosa Sound Convention Center, 1375 Monroe Street, Downtown Fort Myers

Tickets:

Tickets are $150 and can be purchased at https://event gives/artsforact2024

All proceeds from the event will go to ACT services

“We are still here We operate 24 hours a day all of our services,” she said “We have to raise money for this event It is critical ”

This month marks 46 years that ACT has served the community Lee, Hendry, and Glades Counties by helping victims of domestic violence and children, survivors of sexual assault and human trafficking

Both the gallery and thrift store operating now for 20 years are other ways the community can support the organization

Second ACT Thrift Store, at 12519 South Cleveland Ave , Fort Myers is open from 10 a m to 6-8 p m Monday through Thursday, from 10 a m to 6 p m Friday and Saturday and from 11 a m to 5 p m Sunday

The store has clothing, shoes, household items, furni-

ture, linens, and bathroom accessories and more

This store also supports clients who are residing at ACT’s residential facilities They receive free vouchers to shop there or receive job-skills education by working at the thrift store

Arts for ACT Gallery is another opportunity for the community to support ACT The gallery is at 2265 First Street, in Downtown Fort Myers, in front of the Arcade Building It is open from noon to 8 p m Monday through Saturday, and from noon to 6 p m Sunday

For more information about the gallery, visit www

foractgallery com

F

www actabuse com, or call (239) 939-2553 ACT's 24hour crisis hotline is (239) 939-3112

From page 1

t l y , b u t w e e x p e c t m o r e b a n d s o f w i n d a n d r a i n ( T h u r s d a y ) a f t e r n o o n “ H e l e n e f o r o u r c o m m u n i t y h a s m o r e

b e e n a n e x

e n c o u r a g e t h e c o m m u n i t y t o b e p r e p a r e d e

c o m m u n i t y

L e e C o u n t y o f f i c i a l s a n d E m e r g e n c y

M a n a g e m e n t e n c o u r a g e d a l l r e s i d e n t s t o

s t a y h o m e , i f p o s s i b l e , t h r o u g h o u t

T h u r s d a y , a s H e l e n e ’ s b a n d s o f i n c l e m e n t w e a t h e r c o n t i n u e d t o b r i n g h e a v y r a i n a n d s t r o n g , g u s t y w i n d s E v e n

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

T h e L e e C o u n t y E m e r g e n c y

O p e r a t i o n s C e n t e r w a s f u l l y s t a f f e d

T h u r s d a y a t a L e v e l 2 , w i t h n e a r l y a l l s e a t s f i l l e d i n P l a n s a n d O p e r a t i o n s

P u b l i c S a f e t y p a r t n e r s , i n c l u d i n g f i r e a n d

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s t r o n g w i n d s T h e D e p a r t m e n t o f

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e x p e c t e d t o h a v e a t r o p i c a l d e p r e s s i o n a n d p o s s i

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O f f i c i a l s r e c o m m e n d e d m o n i t o r i n g

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N a t i o n a l H u r r i c a n e C e n t e r

C a p e C o r a l o f f i c i a l s e n c o u r a g e d r e s i -

d e n t s t o f o l l o w t h e C i t y o f C a p e C o r a l

G o v e r n m e n t o n F a c e b o o k f o r c u r r e n t ,

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b o o k c o m / C i t y o f C a p e C o r a l a n d o n l i n e a t

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r e s o u r c e s

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

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

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n a d o a l e r t s V i s i t w w w l e e g o v c o m / h u r -

r i c a n e / h e l e n e a n d s c r o l l t o t h e b o t t o m o f

t h e l a n d i n g p a g e

F o r t M y e r s B e a c h

F o r t M y e r s B e a c h E m e r g e n c y

M a n a g e m e n t c o n t i n u e d t o m o n i t o r t h e

T r o p i c a l S y s t e m i n t h e N o r t h w e s t e r n

C a r i b b e a n a s i t m o v e d t o w a r d F l o r i d a

O f f i c i a l s s a i d g i v e n t h e c h a n g e s i n t h e

o b s e r v a t i o n s a n d f o r e c a s t m o d e l s , t h e y

Posse Arena sustains damage as Hurricane Helene approaches

By CHUCK BALLARO news@breezenewspapers com

The eye of Hurricane Helene may have been significantly to the southwest of Southwest Florida but the effects of the storm was already being unleashed on Lee County

Residents believe was a tornado that ripped through a rural area in North Fort Myers and did significant damage to the Lee County Posse Arena

The arena saw its bleachers twisted and thrown throughout the grounds and an entire side of one of its structures torn apart

Officials at the arena had not checked out the damage as of Thursday morning, but it is believed to be substantial enough to place its two biggest events, the Cracker Day Rodeo and the PRCA Fort Myers Rodeo in January and February, in jeopardy

Bobbi Harrison, advisor of the Lee County Junior Posse

and longtime volunteer who lives near the arena, said contrary to what weather officials said was a straight-line wind, those who live in the area believe it was something different

“I have people who live near me that heard noise similar to what we heard when we had the tornadoes from Ian,” Harrison said

Harrison said the bleachers on the east side were picked up, twisted the thrown into the arena itself and in the warmup pen, and end of the three-sided concreate building on the east side that was either pushed or sucked out

Harrison said that while crews are working in the area and people are being attended to, they are not going to go there and assess the damage A worker for LCEC did take some photos and sent them to arena officials

“We’re just trying to stand down until the electric crews and fire departments are done because apparently, there

were homes along Palm Creek Road that were damaged,” Harrison said “There are power lines down and I don’t have power at my house ”

As for the future of the Cracker Day Rodeo and the PRCA Fort Myers Rodeo in January and February, Harrison said until they assess the damage, they cannot answer that question The Cracker Day Rodeo was cancelled in 2018 after Irma wrecked the arena

Harrison said that whatever damage was done, it will be very expensive to fix However, they have received outpouring of support from members and the community

“The aluminum bleachers are a very expensive commodity We’re a non-profit, so that affects us Where the funds will come from to replace them, we’re not sure,” Harrison said “We need to figure out what the help might be, what we can input to it and the help we can get from the community ”

BUSINESS

BUSINESS BRIEFS

Southwest Florida Inter national Airpor t’s traffic numbers for August announced

During August, 614,531 passengers traveled through Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers This was an increase of 2% compared to August 2023 Year-to-date, passenger traffic is up 16%

The traffic leader in August was Delta with 163,035 passengers Rounding out the top five airlines were Southwest (104,941), American (100,181), United (92,144) and JetBlue (50,564)

Southwest Florida International Airport had 5,423 aircraft operations, an increase of 2% compared to August 2023 Page Field saw 12,999 operations, which was a 19% decrease compared to August 2023

Southwest Florida International Airport served more than 10 million passengers in 2023 and is one of the top 50 U S airports for passenger traffic For more information, visit flylcpa com or facebook com/flyRSW Ross Mor tgage Corporation celebrates 75 years

Ross Mortgage Corporation, a trusted full-service residential mortgage lender licensed to lend in 18 states, is celebrating 75 years in the business Over the past seven decades, Ross Mortgage has helped tens of thousands of first-time homebuyers realize the American Dream of homeownership

In recognition of this significant milestone, the company is launching a special promotion offering $750 off closing costs for eligible first-time homebuyers who apply for a mortgage during the anniversary year

The special promotion launched in August 2024 and is available through Dec 31, 2024 To be eligible, individuals must be first-time homebuyers, defined as those who have not owned a home in the most recent three years, and must apply for a mortgage by Dec 31, 2024, and close on that mortgage by June 30, 2025

Ross Mortgage has a strong presence in Florida, with a branch in Fort Myers This branch has been pivotal in helping Florida residents navigate the homebuying process and achieve their dream of owning a home The knowledgeable teams at these locations are dedicated to providing personalized service and expert guidance to first-time homebuyers throughout the state

The Fort Myers office of Ross Mortgage is at 9001 Daniels Parkway, Suite 203 Call 248-968-1800 for more information, or visit www rossmortgage com

Greater For t Myers Chamber’s Oct. 8 luncheon to feature repor t on 2025 legislative session

The Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce will host its monthly luncheon from 11:30 a m to 1:15 p m on Tuesday, Oct 8, sharing insight on the 2025 legislative session

During the luncheon, attendees will hear from Florida Senator Jonathan Martin who will engage members in an educational, nonpartisan discussion on what they can expect for the upcoming legislative session

Martin has been serving as a member of the Florida Senate for the 33rd district since 2022 He began his career in public service as an assistant state attorney in the 20th Judicial Circuit, serving in Hendry County from 2008 to 2009, Glades County from 2009 to 2013, and Lee County from 2012 to 2014

The Oct 8 luncheon will take place at The Plantation Golf & Country Club, located at 10500 Dartington Drive in Fort Myers Admission is $35 for Chamber members and $40 for future members and includes lunch Attendees must register for the event by Friday, Oct 4; walk-ins will not be accepted

The event will also feature a nonprofit spotlight to share about Valerie's House and its mission to help children and families work through the loss of a loved one together. Since 2016, Valerie's House has been a dedicated children's grief center in Southwest Florida, providing compassionate support for grieving families

For additional information regarding membership opportunities or events, please call 239-332-2930 or visit www fortmyers org

SCHEA’s Save Second Base Pub Crawl to benefit Partners for Breast Cancer Care

The South Cape Hospitality & Entertainment Association’s Second Annual South Cape Save Second Base Walking Pub Crawl will be held Saturday, Oct 5, from 7-11 p m Residents and visitors are invited to this 21+ charity pub crawl and enjoy drink samples at various South Cape hotspots All proceeds of the event will benefit Partners for Breast Cancer Care

Each attendee will be provided a passport to have stamped at all seven participating locations

Be sure to enter the grand prize drawing for a breast cancer awareness-themed cooler, sponsored by Yuengling Flight To do so, completed passports can be dropped off at a participating location

All-inclusive tickets are just $15

Those who are unable to attend the pub crawl can still win two tickets to the Key West Express! Enter to win by purchasing a ticket to the Save Second Base Walking Pub

Crawl Each ticket purchase is an entry to the drawing You do not need to be present to win The winner will be randomly selected by Monday, Oct 7 To participate in the event, get tickets o n l i n e v i a E v e n

e a t https://www.eventbrite.com.

Check in begins at 6 p m at Big John's Plaza on Southeast 47th Terrace Have your picture taken at the official Save Second Base photo booth located at Big John's Plaza and you'll automatically be entered in the Photo Booth Contest (prize is 4 tickets to the South Cape Spooktacular Pub Crawl on Oct 19)

Participating locations include BackStreets Sports Bar, Cruisers, Dixie Roadhouse, Hooked Island Grill, Monkey Bar Steak & Seafood, Ralph's Place and Rusty's Bar & Grill

For additional information, visit the SCHEA website at SouthCapeEntertainment.com

Lee County Port Authority receives Florida Airports Council environmental award

The Florida Airports Council presented the Lee County

Environmental Award at its annual conference held recently in Miami This award recognizes a FAC member airport for promoting, implementing or undertaking an environmental project or program that has a positive impact on the Florida Aviation System

The award was given to Southwest Florida International Airport for its innovative and adaptive management of the Airport Mitigation Park

LCPA was recognized for its efforts to maintain and enhance the 7,000-acre Airport Mitigation Park by demonstrating a balance between environmental and ecological benefits The multi-year project is eliminating invasive species and exotics in a sensitive habitat, while preserving and enhancing local wetlands of regional significance in Southwest Florida

The Airport Mitigation Park was established in 2003 to compensate for the impact of long-term development of Southwest Florida International Airport Located four

miles southeast of RSW, the Mitigation Park lands are among the most pristine and environmentally sensitive in the region with plants and wildlife species protected by state and federal agencies The site includes the Imperial Marsh, the largest freshwater marsh in Lee County, and extends from the headwaters of the Imperial and Estero River watersheds through the Flint Pen Strand; ultimately, connecting to the Everglades

The Florida Airports Council is an association of publicly owned and operated airports, airport professionals, experts in the fields of airport design, development and improvement, as well as aviation trades that support the airport industry in Florida. For more information, visit floridaairports org

Southwest Florida International Airport served more than 10 million passengers in 2023 and is one of the top 50 U S airports for passenger traffic No ad valorem (property) taxes are used for airport operation or construction For more information, visit flylcpa com or facebook com/flyRSW

Hooters of Fort Myers to host weekend events Oct. 4-6

Hooters of Fort Myers is the place to be during the weekend of Oct 4-6 The restaurant is hosting several events including the 2025 Hooters Calendar National Launch Party (Friday, Oct 4), Self Help International’s Iowa Party (Saturday, Oct 5) and Hooters and Hounds Pet Adoption Event (Sunday, Oct 6) Plus, attendees will have the opportunity to meet Miss Hooters International and the 2025 Hooters Calendar Cover Girl plus more calendar girls at these events

The just-released 2025 Hooters Calendar will be available for purchase during the National Launch event on Friday from 7-9 p m at Hooters of Fort Myers The event is open to the public All 200 ladies in the calendar work at Hooters Restaurants all over the country One dollar of every Hooters Calendar sold supports the Kelly Jo Dowd Breast Cancer Research Fund benefiting the V Foundation for Cancer Foundation Research as part of the “Give a Hoot” fundraising efforts in October

On Saturday, Oct 5, from noon to 8 p m , join Self Help International for the Iowa party in honor of Hooters of South Florida founder Dave “Lags” Lageschulte, a Waverly, Iowa, native Lags passed away in 2014, but his legacy and generosity endure To celebrate his life, all auction proceeds and 5% of beverage and food sales will be donated to Self Help International, a charity Lags passionately supported in its mission to alleviate hunger in Nicaragua and Ghana Watch both Iowa football teams live under the tent showcase. The event will feature a silent

auction, Busch Light specials, grilled corn on the bob and special merchandise at Fort Myers Hooters

Then on Sunday, Oct. 6, from 10 a.m. to noon, Fort Myers Hooters is partnering with Lee County Domestic Animal Services, Gulf Coast Humane Society, Big Hearts for Big Dogs Rescue and Cape Coral Animal Shelter for a Hooters and Hounds Pet Adoption event Adopt a dog at the event and receive a $25 Hooters gift card Hooters and Hounds is a fun-filled event for the community to come out and adopt a furry friend The event also gives the agencies the opportunity to educate the community and bring awareness on their programs

“We are thrilled to host events to raise funds and awareness for these important causes at Fort Myers Hooters It is our priority to give back. We look forward to giving our Southwest Florida community the opportunity to meet this year’s 2025 Hooters Calendar Girls, “said Hooters of South Florida Director of Marketing Kristi Quarles Hooters of Fort Myers is located at 4411 Cleveland Ave , in Fort Myers Hooters of South Florida owns and operates 15 locations For more information about South Florida Hooters and their charitable outreach please visit w w w H o o t e r s F l o r i d a c

m o r f o l l o w

a t T w i t t e r @HootersFlorida, Instagram @SouthFLHooters TikTok @southflhooters, and Facebook https://www facebook com/hootersflorida/ or for Fort Myers Hooters updates visit Instagram @HootersFortMyers

The Cape Coral Hooters is at 3120 Del Prado Blvd., S.

Mail ballots: 5 Cape City Council seats up for grabs in November

From page 1

proactive and request a Vote-by-Mail Ballot,” Doyle said “It’s an insurance policy against unexpected life events, especially now during the hurricane season ”

The Early Voting period for the General Election runs from Oct. 21 through Nov. 2, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

There are numerous local races on the ballot, including

five Cape Coral City Council races and the newly created constitutional office of elected superintendent of schools

“Local elections have a direct and lasting impact on our lives,” Doyle said on the importance of voting “They’re vital because voters elect the leaders who will shape our communities at all levels ”

Doyle added that currently, the office is conducting poll worker training and thoroughly testing all voting equipment to ensure everything is working properly ahead of the election

“We are always dedicated to enhancing our operations,” Doyle said. “Since the last major election, our Vote-by-Mail Department has undergone significant renovations We have expanded the office area to increase efficiency and better accommodate the growing department ”

Races on the General Election Ballot include:

■ City of Cape Coral City Council (nonpartisan, atlarge - everyone votes)

District 2- Candidates Laurie Lehmann and Dan Sheppard (incumbent)

District 3- Candidates Derrick Donnell and Deborah Lee McCormick

District 4- Candidates Richard Carr (incumbent) and

Jennifer Nelson

District 5- Candidates Joseph Kilraine and Charlie Pease

District 7- Candidates Michael Harper and Rachel Kaduk

■ Lee County School Board

District 7- Candidates Vanessa Chaviano and Sheridan Chester

■ District Superintendent of Schools- Denise Carlin (REP) facing off against Victor Arias (DEM)

■ Lee County Sheriff- Candidates Carmine Marceno (REP, incumbent) and write-in Michael Hollow (WRI)

■ Board of County Commissioners

District 3- Candidates David Mulicka (REP) and writein Jake Cataldo (WRI)

District 5- Candidates Mike Greenwell (REP incumbent) and Kizzie Fowler (DEM)

■ Lee Memorial Health System Board of Directors

District 5- Candidates Daniel Alder, Kathy Bridge-Lines, Joseph R Gambino

■ United States Senator- Candidates Rick Scott (REP, incumbent ), Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (DEM) and three other challengers

■ Representative in Congress

District 19- Candidates Byron Donalds (REP incumbent) and Kari L Lerner (DEM)

■ State Representative

District 79- Candidates Mike Giallombardo (REP incumbent) and Denise McCleary (DEM)

Constitutional Amendments (60% approval to pass)

Amendment No 1- Partisan Election of Members of District School Boards

Amendment No 2- Right to Fish and Hunt

Amendment No 3- Adult Personal Use of Marijuana

Amendment No 4 - Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion

Amendment No 5- Annual Adjustments to the Value of Certain Homestead Exemptions

For more vote-by-mail information, visit www lee vote/Vote-by-Mail/Vote-by-Mail-Information

For Early Voting information, visit www lee vote/EarlyVoting-Information/Early-Voting-Dates-and-Locations

There’s hungry fish out there for inshore anglers

With many snook heading east away from the beaches and now working the bushes, points, docks and oyster bars, plus good numbers of fall redfish competing for the same cover, folks that enjoy inshore lure and fly casting cover have lots of hungry targets to try and fool

T h e r e a r e s e v e r a l

t h i n g s t h a t m a k e a

S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a inshore angler successful, like a good understanding of the tides and h o w w e a t h e r a f f e c t s them and the fish, seasonal fish location and a p p r o p r i a t e l u r e s e l e ctions, quiet boat management skills and accurate casting Mastering freshw a t e r b a s s t e c h n i q u e s , like pitching and, to a lesser extent, flipping, to the most important one of all, skipping, which automatically puts you light years ahead of the don’t-want-to-get-hung-up “edge angler ”

Recreational harvest of snook in Southwest, Charlotte Harbor management regions to open

Tuesday, Oct 2, in the Charlotte Harbor and Southwest management regions The harvest season in these two management regions will remain open through Nov 30 This includes all Florida state and inland waters within these management regions

The regional management zones are part of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s holistic management approach for Florida’s most popular inshore fisheries Through this approach, seven metrics are used to evaluate the fishery by region, allowing the FWC to be more responsive to local concerns

Charlotte Harbor

Open season: March 1 – April 30 and Oct 1 – Nov 30

Closed season: Dec 1 – end of February and May 1 –Sept 30

Bag limit: One fish per person per day

Slot limit: 28–33 inches total length

Boundaries: The northern coastal boundary is at 27°04 727’ north latitude, near the Venice Municipal Airport, and the region extends south to 26°15 227’ north latitude, near Vanderbilt Beach Road in Collier County Includes all waters of the Caloosahatchee, Myakka, and Peace rivers and their tributaries Does not include Lake Okeechobee

about regional regulations, snook permits and maps It also includes snook annual reviews, which provide summaries of key findings from the annual evaluation of management metrics for each region

Novice anglers don’t realize that huge fish hunt, hug and rest right on the very edge of the shore often belly to the bottom, way back and under the lure-snagging stuff Ever cast a great looking shoreline spot with no luck and then get hung up? You motor in with the electric and as soon as you touch the bushes or the sand, a jumbo snook or fat red suddenly rockets out past the boat These are the fish Mr Edge Angler never gets a shot at but Mr Skip Master definitely will Learning to pitch a lure or bait to the edge of cover or to accurately pick apart open cover like the whole length of a blown down tree, pitching is a fine technique Learning to make a quiet near splash-less entry ups your game even further, but if the fish are 10-15 feet back under the unforgiving mangroves and there’s only 6-8 inches of open space below the branches, then skipping is the only way to see if they want to play Skipping or skip casting not only gets you in fishy territory but it can also provoke reaction strikes from neutral or negative fish

The angler can skip lures with a bass-style bait-casting reel, spinning reel or fly rods Once again, let’s look at the basic technique, which is, of course, based on skipping a flat stone low across the water’s surface

George Tunison See INSHORE ANGLERS, page 34

TIDE CHART

Southwest

Open season: March 1 – April 30 and Oct 1 – Nov 30

Closed season: Dec 1 – end of February and May 1 –Sept 30

Bag limit: One fish per person per day

Slot limit: 28–33 inches total length.

Boundaries: The northern boundary is at 26°15 227’ north latitude, near Vanderbilt Beach Road in Collier County, and the region extends through the Florida Keys to the Monroe/Miami-Dade county line Includes all waters of Everglades National Park

To learn more about recreational snook regulations, visit MyFWC com/Snook This page includes information

Florida is the “Fishing Capital of the World” largely because of careful resource management and the conservation efforts of Florida’s ethical anglers This powerful alliance has helped to restore or sustain several valuable fisheries, including snook, redfish and spotted seatrout As the number of anglers continues to grow, it becomes more important than ever to land and release those fish that may not be harvested in as good a condition as possible Releasing a fish safely with minimal harm is key to helping it survive and helps ensure fish populations remain sustainable for future generations To learn more about best f i s h h a n d l i n g a n d c a

MyFWC com/FishHandling

Voting begins for Breeze Athlete of the Month

Breeze Staf f Repor t news@breezenewspapers com

Voting for the Cape Coral Breeze Athlete of the Month for September is now open

There were a number of top performances from studentathletes in our coverage area to start the new year and now it’s up to readers to decide who will earn top honors for the month

Nominees for September include:

■ Emma Best, Senior, Cape Coral Seahawks: In the Seahawks’ victorious opening meet against Ida Baker, the senior swimmer had four first-place finishes in the 200 medley relay, 100 butterfly, 100 breaststroke and 400 medley relay

■ Gervaris Leaphart, Senior, Island Coast Gators: The senior running back had himself a day in a 27-0 win over Evangelical Christian Leaphart rushed for 191 yards and four touchdowns, including a school-record 95-yard score in the third quarter.

■ Frederick Harley Jr , Senior, Oasis Sharks: The Sharks running back has helped lead the team to a 2-0 start to the season, totaling five touchdowns in those games Overall, the senior has tallied 146 rushing yards with four rushing scores, and 38 receiving yards with a touchdown

■ Jazlyn Forbes, Junior, Oasis Sharks: Forbes helped lead the Sharks to an overall win at the Lehigh Lightning Invitational Forbes, who holds the state’s best time after two weeks, crossed the finish line in 18:19 7 That time was more than a minute better than the second-place finisher

■ Reed Verblaauw, Senior, Ida Baker Bulldogs: The senior accounted for all three of the Bulldogs' touchdowns in a loss to Estero Verblaauw had two receptions, both for scores, totaling 138 yards, and broke off a 72-yard run in

the fourth quarter

■ Alejandra Figueroa, Junior, Cape Coral Seahawks: The junior swimmer had two individual first-place finishes at a tri-meet, being tops in the 100 freestyle and 100 backstroke She was also part of the Seahawks' winning 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays

■ Angel Cruz, Junior, Mariner Tritons: Cruz earned his first cross country gold medal by winning the King’s Invitational at Southwest Florida Christian on Saturday The junior took an early lead and won the race with a time of 16 minutes and 30 seconds, 45 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher

■ Jayden Reyes, Junior, Cape Coral Seahawks: The two-way player came up with big plays on both sides of the ball for the Seahawks in a win over Estero. Reyes collected three receptions for 94 yards and a touchdown, while also recording two interceptions, including a 60-yard picksix

■ Skye Persechino, Sophomore, Oasis Sharks: The young stand-out captured two individual first place finishes, and was part of two first-place relay teams vs Charlotte High School The sophomore was tops in the 200 freestyle and 100 butterfly, and swam with the wining 200 medley relay and 400 free relay teams

■ Jayden Boyd, Junior, Cape Coral Seahawks: Boyd helped the Seahawks to a 36-14 win over Bonita Springs with a pair of explosive plays. The junior returned a kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown, and also scooped up a fumble and took it for a 27-yard score He added two carries for 44 yards

Athlete of the Month nominees are comprised of the Breeze’s staff-selected Athletes of the Week for that respective month

To vote, visit www capecoralbreeze com and click the “Vote Now” icon on the homepage

Capt

FILE PHOTO

A local angler with a big snook.

Tuesday Volleyball

Ida Baker 3, Mariner 0: The Bulldogs swept the match, 25-9, 25-10, 25-13

Addison Kalbhenn and Madison Autrey made 10 kills each and Taylor Foster made 33 assists for Ida Baker

East Lee County 3, Island Coast 1: ELC won by scores of 25-19, 23-25, 2514, 25-18

B

Vikings swept the match, 25-18, 25-20, 25-21 to improve to 13-6

Girls Swimming

Cape Coral 124, North Fort Myers 20 200 medley relay: Cape Coral (Ale

Dayanna Franklyn) 2:09 07 200 free:

Sabrina Lara (CC) 2:08 72 200 IM: Ale

Figueroa (CC) 2:30 34 50 free: Dayanna

Franklyn (CC) 27 54 100 fly: Emma Best (CC) 1:05 78 100 free: Dayanna Franklyn (CC) 59 18 500 free: Sabrina Lara (CC) 5:39 81 200 free relay: Cape Coral (Sabrina Lara, Ale Figueroa, Ava Romine, Emma Best) 1:56 01 100 back: Ale Figueroa (CC) 1:09.86. 100 breast:

relay: Cape Coral (Ale Figueroa, Alexa

4:13 87

Boys Swimming

Cape Coral 117, North Fort Myers 53 200 medley relay: Cape Coral (Aayden Dugan, Jaidon Albers, Hayden Tedhams, M

Hayden Tedhams (CC) 2:01 75 200 IM:

Aayden Dugan (CC) 2:09 25 50 free:

Jacob Terry (NFM) 24 53 1 meter diving: Reily Rountree (CC) 251 25 100 fly:

Aayden Dugan (CC) 58 83 100 free:

Jacob Terry (NFM) 54 21 500 free:

Hayden Tedhams (CC) 5:06 75 200 free

relay: North Fort Myers (Jonathan Rua, Jaejune Lee, Michael Nerhring, Jacob

Nerhring (NFM) 1:15 30 100 breast:

Marco Guba (CC) 1:16 71 400 free relay: Cape Coral (Aayden Dugan, Marco Guba, Mack Menassa, Hayden Tedhams) 3:45 13

Boys Bowling

Bishop Verot 3, Mariner 2: Seamus

Murray bowled a 224 Aaron Fountain

rolled a 205 and Nolan Wagner a 203 as the Vikings remained unbeaten (8-0)

Girls Bowling

Bishop Verot 4, Mariner 0: For 8-0 Verot, Mia Gasperini rolled a 147 while Sophia Smith bowled a 135

Boys Golf

Mariner 178, Ida Baker 206, Lehigh, NTS At Coral Oaks Golf Club

M

Taylor 43, Alex Young 48, Justin M 52

Ida Baker: Tommy B 40, Michael V 53, Tripp L 55, Max M 58 Lehigh: Matthew Smith 76

Inshore anglers: Hunting hungry fish in Southwest Florida waters

From page 33

Open the bail of your spinning reel and pin the line to the spool with your index finger Hold the rod tip down to the surface

at your side, and with the rod slightly behind you, bring it sharply forward keeping the tip inches from the water’s surface the whole cast Release the line on the end of the forward movement, and if you’re

Daisies: Colorful garden additions

From page 19

pleasing shape and glorious colors to be irresistible to gardeners These plants grow wonderful flowers making them perfect in your home as cut flowers!

We are lucky to have so many daisies to choose from Ready your garden for these cheerful plants and add a kaleidoscope of color and fun

I’d like to leave you with garden inspiration from Luis Barragan: “A garden must combine the poetic and the mysterious with a feeling of serenity and joy " Happy gardening!

Ann Block is Past President of the G a r d e n C l u b o f C a p e C o r a l V i s i t www gardenclubofcapecoral com and like us on Facebook

timing is right the lure should jet forward and skip low across the surface If you smash the lure into the water two feet in front of you and it sinks, that simply means your timing is wrong Stand on the dock, the shoreline, boat or home pool and practice

Now that you got that, let's take it up another notch This time instead of a flat forward sidearm cast, try holding the rod down again to your side and pointed at the water. Then in one motion lift the rod a couple of feet or so and quickly make a clockwise circle with the lure hanging from the leader before bringing the rod forward and letting go of the line, causing the lure to shoot forward What the extra step does is to load the rod giving the lure extra speed

and better skipping performance

Good skippers can skip forward and back handed with both hands A perfect “skip” won’t really hop and skip but rather glide over the water’s surface creating a mini-rooster tail along its surface path as it jets along 20 feet back under that dock

Fortunately, if this is as clear as mud, simply turn on YouTube and learn from the many pro bass anglers putting lures far back under tight structure usually with bait-casting reels and educated thumbs

Capt George Tunison is a Cape Coral resident fishing guide You can contact him at 239-282-9434 or via email at captgeorget3@aol co

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