Local officials hail Trump victory
By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers
com
The election of Donald Trump back to the presidency Tuesday included more than 2 5
County voters
Trump captured 63% of the electorate in Lee County, improving on his showing in 2020 when he earned 59% of the county vote
“He’s going to not only make America great again but he’s going to restore America’s greatness on the global stage.”
Michael Thompson, Lee County Republican Party
Trump became the first Republican in 20 years to capture the popular vote in a presidential election, earning 72 million votes (51%) compared to 67 million votes for Vice President Kamala Harris The ascension of Trump marks the first time since 1892 that a president was elected to
The Cape Coral Breeze presents Athletes of the Week Page 30
non-consecutive term Lee County Republican Party Chair Michael Thompson said the election of former president Donald Trump Tuesday was a five-year mission for him and hundreds of local GOP volunteers in Lee County who have been working to get the 45th president back into office since before his 2020 loss to President Joe Biden and
5 new council members prepare to take office
By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers
com
The Cape Coral City Council dais will have a new look in the wake of the 2024 General Election
Among the five seats up for grabs with three total incumbents running and two council members termed out Districts 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7 will all have new representatives
There are some are familiar faces, though
Each of the new council members is eager to get to work, and The Breeze followed up with them following its election night coverage
All five were asked the same three questions, as they provided insight into what they plan to accomplish moving forward
District 2
Laurie Lehmann was voted the new Cape Coral City Council District 2 representative, d ef eatin g in cu mb en t D an S h ep p ar d b y a 10,000-vote-plus margin Lehmann received
Among the five seats up for grabs with three total incumbents running and two council members termed out Districts 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7 will all have new representatives. There are some are familiar faces, though.
48,787 votes (56 51%) Sheppard earned 37,540 votes (43 49%)
Q: What’s next for you, and how do you plan to hit the ground running?
A: “I plan on hitting the ground running and I know I have a lot to learn I plan on doing a lot of learning, a lot of studying I’m not taking the stipend I want to have it rescinded And I’m going to work on that ”
Q:What issues are you going to address first?
“The stipend Jaycee Park I want to see the city finish projects before we start more F o r e x a m p l e , t h e Y a c h t C l u b h a s b e e n demolished and leveled, so let’s get the Yacht Club done before we go any further We need to finish projects before we start
other ones ”
Q:How do you plan on being available to residents and their concerns?
“Residents know they can always get a hold of me via my personal phone number And I will have a council phone so they can reach me that way I’m always accessible One of the things I’m going to do is have monthly town hall meetings for District 2, either at Sands Park or Camelot Park, and I have already set a date for the first one; Dec 7 I’m not sure yet on which park on the time, but that will be quickly forthcoming If citizens are having an issue or there’s a problem, they can let me know ” See VICTORY, page 7
See COUNCIL, page 6
Laurie Lehman
Derrick Donnell
Jennifer Nelson
Joseph Kilraine
Rachel Kaduk
Cape Elementary students enjoy Florida Crunch event
School-grown sweet potatoes the star of Health Living Collaboration tasting celebration
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
T h e c a f e t e r i a a t C a p e E l e m e n t a r y S c h o o l c a m e a l i v e
T h u r s d a y a s s t u d e n t s s a n g a n d s w a y e d t o t h e s w e e t
p o t a t o s o n g a s p a r t o f a F l o r i d a C r u n c h e v e n t T h e e x c i t e m e n t q u i c k l y b e c a m e c o n t a g i o u s a s k i d s c h a n t e d t h e i r f r i e n d s ’ n a m e s t o t a k e t h e m i c r o p h o n e a n d
s i n g , w h i l e o t h e r s s a t , o r s t o o d s w a y i n g w i t h t h e i r h a n d s i n t h e a i r s i n g i n g t h e t u n e s a s w e l l
S t u d e n t s h a d t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o l e a r n a b o u t g r o w i n g
s w e e t p o t a t o e s , w h i l e a l s o p a r t i c i p a t i n g i n t h
f r o m C a p e C o r a l s c h
P a u l s a i d i
n e w v e g e t a b l e t h e y c o u l d t r y
S w e e t p o t a t o f r i e s a r e
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- s o
c e d f o o d T h
e a r n a b o u t f o o d o r i g i n s , t h e g r o w t h p r o c e s s , a n d t h e i
United Way drive kicks off
Hendry, and Glades cele-
Pacesetter contributions along with early Alexis de Tocqueville Society giving (individuals who contribute
Keel Club giving (individuals who contribute $1,000-
make this possible “We
campaign for Lee County,” said United Way B
Humphreys “Funds raised through this annual campaign play a critical role in helping nearly 100 partner agencies in providing key services to individuals and families across our region, and we're proud to unite our community once again to support their needs ” Event sponsors included
MEGHAN BRADBURY
Elementary , sings the sweet potato song with
Pinellas County PSE Specialist Lisa Pineda.
CAPE CORAL BREE ZE
RAYMOND M. ECKENRODE Publisher
VALARIE HARRING, Executive Editor
CHRIS STRINE, Editor
2510 Del Prado Blvd • Cape Coral, FL, 33904
• Phone 239-574-1110 – Fax 239-574-5693
Member Florida Press Association
District policies align with Florida’s Fairness in Women’s Sports Act
As a School Board Member for the School District of Lee County, I’m grateful to connect with you to address questions, share updates, and celebrate the many accomplishments of our District One topic that comes up frequently is our policies regarding student athletics, including questions about team participation and facility use
girls students who identify as female but were assigned male at birth are currently not permitted to participate in girls’ sports teams
Cape Coral residents will see five of our neighbors sworn in to serve on the city’s elected board on Nov 20
Three are political newcomers and two are familiar faces though neither of the latter two was an incumbent
Laurie Lehmann, Derrick Donnell, Jennifer Nelson, Joseph Kilraine and Rachel Kaduk were elected respectively to Cape Coral City Council seats 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7.
Ms Lehmann, Mr Kilraine and Ms Kaduk are new faces but have business and/or community involvement in the Cape, good things to bring to the seats to which they were elected on Nov 5
Dr Donnell and Ms Nelson are seasoned vets, having served on Council before
Added to the current Council makeup Mayor John Gunter and council members Bill Steinke and Keith Long the existing and incoming reps will be part of a new board with great challenges ahead multiple infrastructure projects, at least two of which have been controversial; growth and its impact on housing, commercial development and city infrastructure, especially roads; and, of course, how to pay for it all while also dealing with burgeoning personnel costs
For newcomer and tenured vet alike, we wager the issues and the controversies to be resolved in the immediate future and long-term are going to be a greater challenge than they envisioned when they decided to run but we believe this board will listen to the residents, something all of the incoming members have promised
Here we usually offer some general advice to those new to elective office, some reminders to those who have a term under their belts
First, Council is not intended to be a full-time job, despite the current board’s determination to classify and compensate it as such With all five incoming members saying they will revoke the council-approved stipend that doubled the paychecks of current board members, we suggest they resist the urge and the pressure to make the positions full time
See EDITORIAL, page 27
The conversation around transgender athletes in school sports is ongoing, and we recognize that this is a complex and sensitive topic that affects students, families, and communities in meaningful ways In Lee County, our District’s policies align with Florida law, specifically the Florida Fairness in Women’s Sports Act (SB 1028), which has been in place here for three years This state statute is designed to create and maintain equitable athletic opportunities, outlining guidelines that our District follows
Under this law, students must participate on sports teams and use locker room facilities corresponding to their biological sex as designated at birth This means that transgender
Many thanks
To the editor:
What
∫
∫
not my presidential candidate of choice but the voters have spoken
∫ Not
∫ Other
*
The objective of SB 1028 is to ensure that female athletes can showcase their talents, strength, and dedication in a competitive environment that supports them It also aims to create opportunities for these athletes to gain recognition, earn college scholarships, and benefit from the physical and personal growth that athletics offers While perspectives on this topic can vary, there are many community members that support this policy, believing it helps preserve fair competition
Our commitment as a School District is to follow all state laws while fostering an inclusive environment where all students feel valued and respected We know that each student brings unique strengths to our schools, and we continue to seek ways to support everyone’s well-being and growth
Armor Persons represents District 5 on the Lee County School Board
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
I’m so grateful to my campaign team, my family, and friends for all you did to help me across the finish line My Mom, my daughter and my husband put up with long hours after full work days and never complained
I had incredible endorsements from our State Representatives Mike Giallombardo, Jenna Persons-Mulicka, and Adam Botana Our Realtors, our builders, the Hispanic vote, our police and our fire all put their trust in me
Thank you to our local restaurants for hosting my many meet-and-greets with your amazing culinary talents
Most of all, thank you to all of the residents who put their trust and belief in me I’m excited to get to work quickly for each and everyone of you
All my best,
Jennifer Nelson
District 4 council member elect
A new direction for the Cape
To the editor:
Congratulations to all of the newly elected members to the Cape Coral Council Now let’s get to work on issues that have been sidelined or slowed by parks development Parks are important, but development should not be at the cost of moving our city ahead with more important items Traffic needs to be better controlled through lowering speed limits and installing roundabouts that keep traffic moving instead of detaining traffic at stop lights that need constant “re-timing ” Roundabouts, while slowing traffic, keep it moving. This actually saves time So slightly slower is much safer and time is saved not waiting at lights
All of our major arterials that have residential access need to have speed limits reduced We need left turn lanes in the boulevards to free up the through lanes and keep traffic moving
Flooding needs to be controlled This means the 60-40 code of paved/permeable soil needs to be reviewed on a house-by-house basis and houses that are in violation need to be brought into compliance With more construction, we have less permeable soil to absorb rainfall Retention basins near all flooded roadways need to be developed to catch and release rainfall instead of using our roads as a retention basin Parking by contractors and even police on boulevards damages the landscape, compacts the soil and increases flooding Get the vehicles off the boulevards! It looks trashy and devalues neighborhoods Increased maintenance and redesign of storm sewer and canal maintenance needs to be moved to a top priority instead of reduced as in past years We cannot be hamstrung by the inefficiencies or old habits that appear to bottleneck these projects The city needs to either get this design and repair work in progress soon or contract it out
Our police force is compassionate and has a light touch when working with the citizens, but it’s time they realized that the other citizens also need to have protection from noise, disturbances, and speeding We need more proactive enforcement of issues that are quality of life issues Full-time residents should not have to put up with speeding, aggressive driving, noise, school bus passing, blocked sidewalks, roads blocked by service companies Our code enforcement also needs to bring into compliance many violators in a proactive manner One house with non-compliant storage, trash, or design elements affects the values of all the homes on the same block It is time to think of the other homeowners, not the single house that wants to make their home a permanent parking lot or rental nightmare The citizens shouldn’t have to make a complaint The city should be proactive
Sewer and water infrastructure in the northwest and northeast need to be completed within the next three years and not at the ridiculous cost that is proposed The longer a project goes on, the costlier it becomes Get several contractors on it with a performance bonus for under time and budget incentives
Development of light industry needs to be aggressively sought and brought to the Cape If the city wants to play real estate developer, let’s build an industrial park instead of cramming more condos and apartments downtown where the roads and the bridge are already overburdened with traffic Millions of dollars spent to purchase land in another county to provide irrigation, or for land speculation in the “downtown” area could be used to get these issues on track and completed within a couple of years We need better paying jobs right here and light industry will provide those jobs locally
Our city needs to transition from a sloppy retirement community to an actual vibrant city that produces more than a good time This is a top down management wake up call To the new council, this is the challenge Let’s get it done!
Congratulations
Jaycee Park
what cost?
To the editor:
J Caplin Cape Coral
I saw some of The Breeze articles about the erosion prevention project at Jaycee Park around 1999-2000 so I reached out to Lee County and found out more about the Visitors Convention Bureau Resilient Coastlines project here at what’s now Jaycee Park
It’s a very effective living Shoreline project for which you can find examples and details on the Army Corp Engineers website And really great diagrams that would be perfect for a new article
Armor Persons Guest Commentary
Online auction added to fundraiser for Boathouse employees
By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com
An online auction on GiveButter com has been added as a component of a fundraising effort for the staff of the Boathouse Tiki Bar & Grill,
The auction features a variety of gift cards and baskets from local businesses including Lobster Lady, Big8 BBQ, Noela Chocolates & Confections, Perk & Brew, Back Streets, Bayside Burger & Beer, Bubba's Roadhouse & Saloon, Cigar Bar, Front Porch Social, No 3 Craft Bar, Vixens Cabaret, Stones Throw, The Dek, Ralph's Place, Wicked Dolphin, Key West Express and lots more
Organizers also are accepting donations for its “It's a Beautiful Day at the Boat House” fundraiser through GiveButter com for those who prefer to contribute that way
Every dollar raised will go straight to those affected, helping them through this challenging time, organizers said
The main component, the South Cape Hospitality & Entertainment Association
“It’s a Beautiful Day at the Boathouse Pub Crawl ” is set for Saturday from 7 to 11 p m
All proceeds from the walking pub crawl event will benefit the employees of the Boathouse, which suffered a devastating fire on Oct 17
“SCHEA decided to put on this pub crawl to help out the Boathouse crew after the fire that left over 100 employees without work,” said SCHEA spokesperson Shannon Quinn “It’s all about showing up
“Coming out to support this cause is a great way to have fun and make a real difference. It’s a chance for the community to rally together, show support for Boathouse employees affected by the fire, and help get them back on their feet Plus, you get to enjoy a night out with friends, meet new people, discover South Cape businesses and feel good knowing you’re making a positive impact right here in the community ”
Shannon Quinn, SCHEA spokesperson
for our local community, supporting those who suddenly found themselves out of a job, and proving that we’ve got each other’s backs This is a chance for everyone to come together, have some fun, and make a difference for the Boathouse family ”
Attendees can support the Boathouse by coming out and enjoying a drink and appetizer sample at participating locations on Nov 9
“Coming out to support this cause is a great way to have fun and make a real difference,” Quinn said “It’s a chance for the community to rally together, show support for Boathouse employees affected by the fire, and help get them back on their feet Plus, you get to enjoy a night out with friends, meet new people, discover South Cape businesses and feel good knowing you’re making a positive impact right here in the community ”
Tickets are $20 in advance ($25 day-of) and include an event wristband, passport of locations to be stamped for eligibility to win the grand prize, a tiki-themed drink and
appetizer sample at each location, eligibility to win prizes and raffle, entry into the photo booth contest, and more Quinn said to expect lots of entertainment, live music, dancing, singing, and good times
Locations, and their samples, include:
■ BackStreets Sports Bar - Koolaid & Coconut Shrimp
■ Cruisers - Pumpkin Apple Cider & Pumpkin Bars
■ The Dive - TBD
■ Dixie Roadhouse - Liki Tiki & TBD
■ Hooked Island Grill - Pineapple Express & Famous Cuban Egg Roll Bites
■ Monkey Bar - Funky Monkey & Cheese Curds
■ Paradise Pizza - Sangria & Pizza
■ Rack’em Spirits & Time - TBD & Fried Chicken Bites
■ Ralph’s - TBD
■ Rusty’s Raw Bar & Grill - Wild Berry Lemonade & Caribbean Sweet Chili
Check-in time for this 21-plus event is from 6 to 7:30 p m at Big John's Plaza
(near Pinch-a-Penny), with late check-in until 10 at the same location
T-shirt sponsorers for the event include
BackStreets Sports Bar, No 3 Craft Brews & Beer Bar, Dixie Roadhouse, Genius Computer Repair & Service, High Tide Social, Hooked Island Grill, Lobster Lady, Nice Guys Pizza, Ralph's Place, Rusty's Raw Bar & Grill, Zak's Jewelry, Profiles, Titos Cantina Tequila Bar & Grille and The Dek
On Thursday, Oct 17, employees of the Boathouse discovered a fire shortly after closing, calling it in at 9:40 p m A large “fuel load” that included a fully re-stocked bar, and especially windy conditions that night, fed the fire was which was tackled by land and water
The popular eatery at the Cape Coral Yacht Club on Driftwood Drive had reopened following Hurricane Milton just the day before
Owner Zak Kearns told The Breeze in a prior interview he has plans to reopen the Boathouse Tiki Bar & Grill The restaurant was essentially rebuilt after Hurricane Ian two years ago with all new tiki huts, electric, plumbing, fixtures Kearns said they are compiling data, putting things together and determining what the Boathouse can be and what he wants it to be
Tickets for the pub crawl are available on Eventbrite by searching, “South Cape ‘It’s a Beautiful Day at the Boat House’Pub Crawl ”
Council: A majority of board’s eight seats were filled by voters Tuesday
From page 1
District 3
Derrick Donnell was the leading votegetter in District 3 and will once again serve on City Council where he previously served from November 2007 to November 2015 He earned 44,801 votes (53 34%), defeating Deborah Lee McCormack who earned 39,194 votes (46 66%)
Q:What’s next for you, and how do you plan to hit the ground running?
A: “My next step is to meet with the city manager and get caught up on the ‘State of the City ’”
Q:What issues are you going to address first?
A: “The first issue is to determine how to end the stipend We then need to establish a process by which we can reinstate the volunteer committees ”
Q:How do you plan on being available to residents and their concerns?
A: “I am hoping to establish certain dates and times for town halls or virtual question-and-answer sessions ”
District 4
F o r m e r D i s t r i c t 4 c o u n c i l m e m b e r Jennifer Nelson, who served from 2017 to 2022, will once again represent the district as she was the top vote-getter in the race, with 43,548 votes (51 08%) She narrowly defeated incumbent Richard Carr, who was appointed to the seat after Gov Ron DeSantis suspended former council member Patty Cummings in November 2023 Carr finished with 41,709 votes (48 92%)
Q:What’s next for you, and how do you plan to hit the ground running?
A: “I have meetings set up with the city attorney and city manager to get up to speed on a few items and current priorities for the remainder of our parks and other projects.”
Q:What issues are you going to address first?
About Cape Coral Gover nment
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
A: “The stipend will be the first thing addressed by having it placed on an agenda
increases discussed and voted on by council to be placed on the ballot for vote by our residents ”
Q:How do you plan on being available to residents and their concerns?
A: “Via phone, email, in person meetings and social media.”
District 5
In District 5, the top vote-getter and new council member is Joseph Kilraine, with 44,551 votes (52 98%) Kilraine
39,434 votes (47 02%)
Q:What’s next for you, and how do you plan to hit the ground running?
A: “On day one, the process begins to rebuild trust, drive resident interaction and respect, forcing transparency in all matters, k
n g clarity for accountability, pursuing financial sustainability, and eliminating waste and unneeded endeavors ”
Q:What issues are you going to address first?
A: “Drive resolutions for ending the stipend, returning residents to key committees, calling for interactive town-hall meet-
ings, monthly council reporting on key measures akin to businesses, year-to-date, variances, full-year projections, corrective actions To provide project updates such as the North Cape potable water aquifer, North Recycle plant project, North UEP project by area, Parks and Rec including the GO Bond, Yacht Club, Jaycee Park To exercise unwavering principled leadership Cleansing the consent agenda of hidden elements Promoting full disclosure and ‘straight talk’ common-sense leadership uniting ‘we the people’ for a great Cape future ”
Q:How do you plan on being available to residents and their concerns?
A: “I plan on inviting anyone to contact me via phone, email, etcetera, and will c a r v e o u t f a c e - t o - f a c e m e e t i n g t i m e s Additionally, I hope to hold two-way interactive forums frequently ”
District 7
In District 7, the top vote-getter and new District 7 council member is Rachel K a d u k w h
Q:What’s next for you, and how do you plan to hit the ground running?
A: “I ran with a focus on infrastructure Sitting in traffic on Del Prado this morning really keeps me passionate about our need for an innovative initiative for our infras t r u c t u r e . I p l a n t o w o r k w i t h o u r Southwest Florida delegation to fight for the appropriations needed for a direct access point to I-75 I am pleased to see that this was an item on the agenda for a COW meeting back in September I have so much to learn, and I am really going to be listening to our constituents Right now, I must read, read, read, and learn, learn, learn ”
Q:What issues are you going to address first?
A: “I think first and foremost we will be addressing the stipend. Our residents do not agree with how this came about with no public discussion I believe in a transparent government We need to look at what volunteer committees we want to reinstate or new committees we would like to form For example, do we want a committee for the use of the old golf course and what that will look like? We really need to focus on the Yacht Club We moved lightning fast with Jaycee Park Let’s keep that same momentum for our wonderful Yacht Club ”
Q:How do you plan on being available to residents and their concerns?
A: “I would like to host periodic Town Halls, which are likely to be held quarterly I will be sure to use social media, the newspaper, and other forms of communication to get this information out to the residents to attend when the dates and locations are confirmed I love meeting people and will happily carve off time to meet with residents as much as I can We need to restore trust with our citizens and Council, and I hope to respond as soon as possible to everyone. I am deeply humbled that the residents chose me to represent them on Council ”
Giallombardo re-elected in State House District 79
6 9 0 7 p e r c e n t , w h i l e h i s D e m o c r a t i c o p p o n e n t , D e n i s e M c C l e a r
o t 2 9 , 4 5 4 v o t e s , 3 0 9 3 p e r c e n t I n 2 0 2 2 , G i a l l o m b a r d o w o n h i s s e a t w i t h o u t c h a l l e n g e , “ T h a n k y o u t o t h e v o t e r s o f D i s t r i c t 7 9 f o r y o u r u n w a v e r i n g s u p p o r t I t h a s
b e e n a n h o n o r t o s e r v e y o u o v e r t h e p a s t f o u r y e a r s , l i s t e n i n g t o y o u r n e e d s
a n d r e p r e s e n t i n g y o u r v o i c e s Y o u r t r u s t h a s g i v e n m e t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o
l l o m b a r d o g o t 6 5 , 7 6 7 v o t e s ,
c o n t i n u e m y s e r v i c e a s a m e m b e r o f
t h e F l o r i d a H o u s e o f R e p r e s e n t a t i v e s , ”
G i a l l o m b a r d o s a i d i n a F a c e b o o k m e ss a g e t o
Victory: Local GOP expects Trump to deliver as president
ever since
“It paid off,” Thompson said
“We cleaned house last night across the board ” Thompson said all of the candidates nominated by the party won from local school board races to the Lee County Schools Superintendent’s race to county commissioner races and up to state legislative seats
“ W e ’ r e o n c l o u d n i n e r i g h t now,”Thompson said
Thompson, who was elected as party chair two years ago, intends to step down in December
“I was only here to get President Trump elected ”
Now that Trump has regained the presidency, Thompson said his work is done
“He’s going to not only make America g r e a t a g a i n b u t h e ’ s g o i n g t o r e s t o r e America’s greatness on the global stage,” Thompson said
Thompson said he expects Trump to bring down gas prices, the price of groceries and revitalize the nation’s energy sector
“The economy’s going to get better,” he said
State Sen Jonathan Martin, a Fort Myers Republican who represents most of Lee County in District 33, was re-elected Tuesday with 66% of the vote
“I think it’s clear that the direction the Democrats, Biden and Harris has taken the country has been refuted by the voters,” Martin said “A few years ago, it was a lot less expensive to live in this country, especially in Florida ”
Martin believes Trump will improve the economy and other pressing issues
“Donald Trump has a plan to address issues overseas, address the economy, address our security on the border,” Martin said “He has a much more clear plan on how he was going to move the economy forward and keep the country safe ”
“America is undergoing a huge re-alignment and the Republican Party is now a multi-ethnic, multiracial coalition of hard-working Americans who love their country. Now it’s time to get to work and put the interests of Americans first. I look forward to working with Vice President-elect Vance, and Republican majorities in Congress to secure the borders, strengthen our communities, lower costs and bring good jobs back to America As we turn the page on the last four years, I urge my Democrat colleagues to put aside their grievances and join us in doing what is right for our great country ”
Martin said the voters who elected Trump showed a “complete disagreement to how he was portrayed in the media ”
Cindy Banyai, a Democratic political c o n s u
Tuesday for a seat on the City of Fort Myers Council and who has previously run for Congress, said she was proud of the
“unsurprised” by the results of the presidential election.
“We knew it was going to be a turnout election and we didn’t turn out,” Banyai said of Democratic voters nationally “I’m very worried about how things are going to turn out I am worried about people who are going to get wrapped up in the mass deportations ”
Banyai said she is concerned for the health of women and those whose lives could be put at risk by not being able to get abortions in time or suffering miscarriages due to the state’s six-week abortion law ban. An amendment on the state ballot which would have protected abortion rights and superceded the six-week ban failed to pass due to the measure only receiving the support of 57% of voters The measure needed 60% of voter support to pass
Trump ascended to the presidency with 295 electoral votes compared to 226 votes for Harris as ballots continued to be counted in Arizona and Nevada Wednesday night
He narrowly reversed the Democratic
, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin that Biden scored in 2020 Biden dropped out of the presidential race in summer paving the way for Harris to capture the party’s nomin
Convention in Chicago
“America is undergoing a huge re-alignment and the Republican Party is now a multi-ethnic, multi-racial coalition of hardworking Americans who love their country,” Florida Republican Sen Marco Rubio said in a statement “Now it’s time to get to work and put the interests of Americans first I look forward to working with Vice P
majorities in Congress to secure the borders, strengthen our communities, lower costs and bring good jobs back to America As we turn the page on the last four years, I urge my Democrat colleagues to put aside their grievances and join us in doing what is right for our great country.”
Sen. Marco Rubio
Michael Giallombardo
Veterans Day Parade steps off Saturday
By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com
Cape Coral’s thank you to its rich veteran population is back again this year, as the city’s Veterans Day Parade is to step off onto Cape Coral Parkway on Nov 9
Marching down the parkway starting at 11 a m right around the same time and date the armistice was signed 106 years ago marking the end of World War I Southwest
Florida’s proud military and veteran community will be on full display as American flags are to be waved, red, white and blue garb worn, and military gear proudly displayed
The route travels along the parkway on the south side heading west, from Cape Coral Street to Chester Street The Veterans Day celebration is a cooperative effort of the City of Cape Coral Parks and Recreation and local community volunteers
“Nothing is like honoring the people who have spent a proportion, if not their whole lives, to protect and defend this country,” said Cape Coral Special Events Coordinator Todd King “A lot of the pride of being a Purple Heart City and knowing our community has a lot of veterans a lot of people that have served and served faithfully, it’s an honor for us ”
Veterans Day is a designated national holiday to honor all of the men and women who have served across all spectrums of the United States Armed Forces, and to commemorate their sacrifice to ensure the freedoms we have today as Americans.
Numerous local veterans and organizations representing various branches of the military will fill Cape Coral Parkway, along
with countless members of the community who want to show their support
“It’s interesting how each year the parade moves through the aging of our veterans, from one world conflict to another,” King said “And when you’re down to the last few World War II veterans, it makes it extra special to recognize them, even if that’s just one more time We let them know that what we have here today is because of them ”
Participants in this year’s parade include: American Legion Post 90, American Legion Riders Chapter 136, American Red Cross, Americanas Bastoneras, Ancient Order of Hibernians, Blue Star Mothers Gulf Coast Chapter 12, Brotherhood of Heroes, Cape Coral Fire Department, Cape Coral High school JROTC, Cape Coral Police Department, Cape Coral Park Rangers, City of Fort Myers S T A R S, Cub Scout Pack 34, Cub Scout Pack 761, Disabled American Veterans Chapter 108, Drill Sergeant Construction, LLC, Dunbar High School JROTC, Gateway High school Band, Girl Scouts of Gulf Coast Florida, Guns & Hoses, Ida S Baker High School JROTC, Island Coast High School JROTC, Knights of Columbus Assembly 2115, Korean War Veterans of SW Florida Chapter 155, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Mariner High School JROTC, Naples Young Marines, National Society of the DAR, Oasis High School JROTC, Practical Defense Weapon Training, Punishers LEMC, Riverdale High School JROTC, Southwest Florida 10-13 Club, United States Coast Guard Auxillary Flotilla 9-10, United States Naval Sea
See VETERANS, page 9
Veterans: Holiday events include a parade, a run, and a ruck
From page 1
Cadets, United States Submarine Veterans Barb Base, USS Nimitz CVN-68, VFW Post 8463, and Women Veteran Warriors
Local businesses and organizations that support veterans also will take part
Restored vintage military vehicles motoring down the parkway to patriotic music alongside veterans is sure to drum up a feeling of pride
“As our VFW groups march by, along with various veteran organizations, we just want to let them know how much we appreciate their sacrifice and service,” King said “Anything that’s centered around us as a nation, us as a community, us honoring people that have served in conflict and not in conflict these are our favorite events It’s something we can do to say ‘thank you ’”
King said the parade, which usually takes place on Nov 11, had to be moved due to the School District of Lee County having classes as a hurricane make-up day The city wanted to ensure that local schools could still take part
“We always enjoy the participation of the JROTC,” King said
This year’s Grand Marshal is CCPD Officer Jefferey Karau At just 17, he enlisted in the Minnesota Army National Guard with his parents’ blessing, and attended basic training during the summer of his junior and senior years of high school After graduating, he completed his Advanced Individual Training and earned his Military Occupational Speciality as a Fire Direction Center operator for field artillery
In 1993, he began his career at Prairie Correctional Facility in Minnesota, where he rose through the ranks and was promoted to sergeant, and then to lieutenant in 1997 He then transferred to Huerfano County
Correctional Center in Colorado, where his dedication and leadership skills earned him promotions to captain, training manager, ultimately Chief of Security, a role he held from 2000 to 2005, all while serving with the Army National Guard
After a brief hiatus, in 2006, he transitioned to the U S Army Reserve, and in 2010, he was activated and served as the training NCO for Basic Combat Training at Fort Benning In 2012, he was promoted to Sergeant First Class and transferred to the 388th Engineer Company in West Palm Beach In October of 2013, he selflessly made the decision to forgo his position as a Combat Support Equipment Platoon Sergeant to serve in Afghanistan He was medically retired in late 2015 after 25 years of dedicated service Karau relocated to Cape Coral where he joined CCPD He currently serves as a motorcycle officer
The parade runs until 1 p m , and parking can be found at Big John’s Plaza, 1215 Cape Coral Parkway E ; the old Military Museum parking lot, 4280 Leonard Street; Iguana Mia Parking Lot, 1027 Cape Coral Parkway E ; and Club Square, 4635 Southeast 10th Place
Road closures will be in place for the Veterans Day Parade from 8 a m to 2 p m Saturday
Midpoint Madness/ Veterans Day 5K
The Midpoint Madness/Veterans Day 5K
Run/Walk will close the Midpoint Bridge from 6 to 9 p m on Veterans Day, Nov 11
The race starts at 6:30 p m
The 3 1 mile night race begins and ends at the Fort Myers side of the Midpoint Bridge, taking runners out and back to finish at Royal Palm Square Proceeds to benefit the Fort Myers YMCA financial assistance program
Motorists are encouraged to use the Cape Coral Bridge or the U.S. 41 and Business 41
bridges as alternate routes Lee County Department of Transportation has placed message boards to alert motorists of the closure
For information about the annual Veterans Day event, contact the YMCA of Southwest Florida-Fort Myers at ymcaswfl org Pre- and post-race activities will be at Royal Palm Square at the base of the Midpoint Bridge in Fort Myers at 1400 Colonial Blvd The race begins at 8 a m To sign up to enter the race, visit runsignup com
For more information about the Lee County Department of Transportation, visit leegov com/dot or email traffic concerns to LeeTrafficTOC@leegov com For questions regarding the bridge closure, call 239-5339400.
Home Base Florida
In honor of Veterans Day, Home Base Floria will host a Veterans Day Ruck to pay tribute to those who have served The event will be held at the Kleist Health Education Center on Nov 11 at 7 a m
A ruck is a walk or march with a weighted backpack, symbolizing the gear carried by military personnel
“It’s a way to challenge yourself physically while reflecting on the sacrifices made by our veterans,” Home Base officials said
All fitness levels are welcome, as participants can carry as much or as little weight in their ruck/backpack
The ruck will begin at 7:30 a m , following a scenic route with moments for reflection along the way Refreshments will be available before and after the event
Organizers ask participants to wear comfortable attire and sturdy shoes Rucks will be provided if you plan to carry weight To register, visit homebase org/getinvolved/events/.
Carlin excited about school superintendent win
By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com
With nearly 70% of the vote earned Tuesday night, Denise Carlin will take the helm of the School District of Lee County as the first elected superintendent since the 1970s on Nov 19
“I am over-the-moon excited,” Carlin said Wednesday morning “It’s such a great day I am very excited about getting to work I am very honored and humbled about the vote that came forward last night ”
Carlin received 247,929 votes, 68 08% and her opponent, Democrat Victor Arias, received 116,227, 31 92%
She will serve a four-year term
Carlin said it is very exciting to be the leader of the School District of Lee County; it’s like she is going home
“I have worked with so many of our team members There are certainly some new people there to get acquainted with,” she said “I have had great working relationships with employees on our team. I can’t wait to get to work on Nov. 19. After I’m sworn in It’s game on, get to work and get the party started ”
Carlin, 57, a Lee County resident of 55 years, was a former educator for the Lee County School District for 32 years and former chief of staff
Carlin has five priorities once she takes office ensure safe schools for children and staff, improve student achievement, improve teacher retention and recruitment, fiscal responsibility, and empowering parents to be true partners in education
Carlin said no parent should ever have to worry about their child’s safety while they are school They should have peace of mind while they are at school.
She said she is committed to fiscal responsibility learning to live within the budget
“We are going to live like we do with our own personal budget,” Carlin said, adding that they are going to treat “taxpayer dollars as precious ”
She said empowering parents is vital, as they need them actively engaged and involved
“We can’t do this job by ourselves We need parents they are the child’s first teacher If we engage them, their children are going to be successful,” Carlin said
“We are not going to settle in Lee County. We are going to put a highquality teacher in front of every child We are going to improve those working conditions, so we don’t lose those teachers.”
Denise Carlin
She heard many things on the campaign trail from the voters
“They were not shy, that was for sure,” she said “We had some really great conversations ”
The first thing a high-performing school district where children are ready for the world after graduating from high school, equipped with proficiency in all academic areas, soft skills and being good citizens in order to be successful in their careers
Another topic: Getting back to the basics, the core mission, educating children
The teacher shortage was another topic, as residents want the shortage eliminated Although there is a national teacher shortage, a high-performing school district such as the School District of Lee County, cannot operate on average
“We are going to roll up our sleeves and eliminate that before the end of the school year,” Carlin said of the more than 200 teacher vacancies
There are a few ways in which to fill those vacancies
She said it is important that teachers have planning time, so they can plan those high-quality lessons they are looking for
Instead, Carlin said teachers are running around covering classes, which is nobody’s fault
“We are not going to settle in Lee County We are going to put a high-quality teacher in front of every child,” she said, so
teachers can catch a breath. “We are going to improve those working conditions, so we don’t lose those teachers ”
Carlin has met with teachers after school, and during the summer to have a better understanding of why teachers are leaving the profession Those conversations resulted in two answers: teacher pay and extraordinary student behavior challenges in the classroom
Carlin said nobody gets into the teaching profession to be rich but they do want a sustainable wage
“We are going to have a serious conversation about our budget and go line by line through the budget to find money to improve teacher pay,” she said “That is very important ”
This is the first thing she plans to tackle once sworn into office.
As far as behavior challenges, Carlin said it is important to provide mental health training on how to deal with behavior challenges
Other areas Carlin will address are student achievement, which falls hand-in-hand with filling teacher vacancies She said it’s about making sure the Florida Benchmarks, which are approved by the State of Florida and the Florida Department of Education, are occurring in the classrooms
Another huge priority of Carlin’s is getting out there and into the schools to see first-hand what is occurring She said she will speak with teachers, principals, parents, and students, so she can get her finger back on the pulse of what is occurring
Carlin said it is important to see if what the public is saying is aligned with what she is seeing in schools If there is a disconnect, she said it’s important to set forth an action plan
Lee County voters approved the change from appointive to elected office via a referendum in November of 2022
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
We
Cape Coral voters usher in new City Council
By CJ HADDAD
cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com
The highly-contested Cape Coral City Council races were decided Tuesday night in the 2024 General Election, with an allnew dais, featuring some familiar faces, set to govern in the near future
Five seats were up: Districts 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7, featuring two incumbents vying for re-election (with a third losing in the primary)
While candidates must live in the district they seek to represent, Cape Coral City Council races are non-partisan, citywide races, meaning every registered Cape voter, no matter their party affiliation or city address, could cast a ballot in every race
District 2
Laurie Lehmann will serve as the new Cape Coral City Council District 2 representative, defeating incumbent Dan Sheppard by a 10,000-vote-plus margin Lehmann received 48,787 votes (56 51%) Sheppard earned 37,540 votes (43 49%)
“I held a watch party tonight to say thank you to everybody that has worked on my campaign and help me get though I could not have done it alone This was very much a team effort with a lot of help from a lot of people,” she said “It's wonderful to see the support from Cape Coral residents They like what I stand for They know they're going to be heard I've been fighting for the citizens for years, and now
I'm going to have some clout fighting for our citizens They are the most important (Once in office), I want to stop the stipend and want to revisit this Jaycee Park disaster and see what we can do about it to modify the whole thing so both citizens and council are all content with what we're doing ”
District 3
Derrick Donnell was the leading votegetter in District 3 and will once again serve on City Council He earned 44,801 votes (53 34%), defeating Deborah Lee McCormick who earned 39,194 votes (46 66%)
“I'm excited to be back to serve the citizens of Cape Coral,” Donnell told The Breeze “I certainly appreciate all the support that I got, but we've got a lot of work to do And I look forward to getting us back on track as far as bridging the gap and disconnect that I've heard of over and over again between the citizens and City Council And the perception that they're not being listened to -- it's not a perception, it's reality We're going to work hard at that, and get down to the central issues that face us That being the UEP infrastructure, the traffic -- we've just got a lot of work to do, and I'm looking forward to it and I'm ready ”
District 4
Former District 4, former council member Jennifer Nelson will serve once again as she was the top vote-getter in the district, with 43,548 votes (51 08%) She
narrowly defeated incumbent Richard Carr, who finished with 41,709 votes (48 92%)
“It feels so good,” Nelson told The Breeze of being voted back on to City Council “I feel so blessed that our residents have supported me, and I just feel like they understand me I feel that the residents realized the job I did before and wanted me back I know that people were upset with incumbents but I feel our residents were supportive of me I had so much positive feedback at the polls over and over again I listen to the residents When I was on council previously, I met with residents, talked to them and voiced their concerns on the dais and tried to get consensus, and I feel they saw that ” Carr, who was appointed to the seat after former council member Patty Cummings was suspended from office, told The Breeze, “I’m disappointed that I couldn’t reach enough residents to earn their support in the general election This has been an unforgettable experience, and I’ll carry it with me into the future I’d like to thank all the candidates for their hard work and dedication to our city, and I wish them the best moving forward During the transition, I will continue to serve our city to the best of my ability until Ms Nelson takes office later this month ” District 5
In District 5, the top vote-getter and new council member is Joseph Kilraine, with 44,551 votes (52 98%) Kilraine
defeated Charlie Pease, who earned 39,434 votes (47 02%)
“I feel great about the result and the support from the residents,” Kilraine told The Breeze “My sole purpose is to unite Cape Coral, from the City Council to the residents It's time to get to work and start moving forward on infrastructure, as well as focusing on the right things.”
District 7
In District 7, the top vote-getter and new District 7 council member is Rachel Kaduk who earned with 43,155 votes (53 34%) Kaduk defeated Michael Harper, who received 37,751 votes (46 66%)
“We did it,” Kaduk told The Breeze “I want to thank all of you for the support you've shown me throughout this campaign I’m deeply humbled to have earned your trust and your vote This election was never about me – it’s about all of us coming together to make our city a better place Together, we will tackle the challenges that lie ahead and I promise to be a voice for every resident, to listen, to collaborate, and to make decisions that prioritize the well-being of our residents
“I also want to thank my team, my family, and all of the volunteers who worked so hard This victory is just as much yours as it is mine
“Let’s continue to move forward with hope, determination, and a commitment to making our city a place we can all be proud of ”
Incumbents sweep Lee County and state races
Marceno, Greenwell, Mulicka, Giallombardo, Botana, Martin, Donalds win
By NATHAN MAYBERG nmaybeg@breezenewspapers.com
In county and state races across Lee County, it was a red sweep as the two-too n e v o t e r r e g i s t r a t i o n h e l d b y Republicans was evident in nearly all countywide races
County voters overwhelmingly ret u r n e d L e e C o u n t y S h e r i f
C
m i n e Marceno to office as well as two Lee County commissioners
Lee County District 5 Commissioner M i k e G r e e n w e l l d e f e a t e d D e m o c r a t Kizzie Fowler after winning a tight primary when challenged by Republican
A
r Greenwell earned more than 66% of the
vote with all precincts reporting
Republican David Mulicka handily won election as District 3 Commissioner over write-in candidate Jake Cataldo Mulicka, owner of Honc Destruction and husband of State Representative Jenna Persons-Mulicka, won a Republican primary in August over Matt Thornton Marceno was recording better than 90% of the vote despite a write-in challenge from former Lee County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Michael Hollow. Hollow had challenged the ethics of a contract Marceno had engaged in with a social media consultant among other allegations Marceno has denied any impropriety
Republican State Representative Mike Giallombardo defeated Democratic challenger DEM Denise McCleary with more than 69% of the vote with all precincts reporting
Sanibel, easily won re-election to keep
Michel Schlayer Early tallies showed him earning more than 68% of the vote.
Martin, who represents Fort Myers Beach and most of Lee County in District 33, also coasted to victory with 65% of the vote
Donalds, who represents most of Lee County and Collier County in District 19, was cruising to victory Tuesday night over Democrat challenger Karie Lerner Early tallies showed Donalds winning in a landslide, carrying 65% of the vote
In a statement on his victory, Donalds said, “Serving our Southwest Florida community in the halls of Congress has been the greatest honor of my life. Thank you to the people of Collier County and Lee County for entrusting me with two more years as your representative Our national needs real leadership, our federal government needs reform and the American people deserve leaders that will put them first ” Elections results are unofficial until certified
District 7
District 5
District 4
District 3
Laurie Lehman Derrick Donnell Jennifer Nelson Joseph Kilraine
Rachel Kaduk
District 2
From page 4
They just use multiple steps of natural materials and how they all work together to greatly reduce erosion and reduce storm surge, flooding and high winds in neighborhood
Regardless of the Australian pines’ invasive nature, they were an effective windbreak and absorbed so much salt and brackish water, it saved native plants which are harmed or killed by saltwater And those shallow roots combined with a deep roots forming another layer of mesh like rip rap to hold the soil in place They were actually shored
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
up as a part of this environmental project!
Without the neighborhood’s windbreak and soil retention our homes are now at much greater risk of flooding storm surge, erosion and high winds and we are still in hurricane season
As of the time I submitted this letter, the project still did have permits from the South Florida Water Management District
All this damage is being done by with no other approvals and the damage is starting to hurt people and endangered wildlife
The sawdust is so thick that it’s hard for some people to breathe and it’s landing on the river where it creates a huge increase in algae
blooms and other hazards for wildlife there
That includes smalltooth sawfish and manatee often seen just offshore There were even signs at Jaycee Park directing anyone fishing there to release smalltooth sawfish if they were hooked
There are other hazards with the sidewalks and traffic that a city official says will take weeks to address, but that’s another story
Citizens had warned and questioned at every city council meeting and every other opportunity about all the hazards and everything they saw that could go wrong They’ve been around a while and have seen things like this happen
But their questions were never answered and the concerns were never addressed and now we’re seeing just the first results
Sadly I think as the destruction continues this can be a weekly topic of the next unexpected impact this project is going to have to devastate this neighborhood and have a huge impact on our city budget and resources because of the unnecessary environmental emergencies and flood damage that potentially will cost nearby seniors their homes, or worse
Heather O’Connell Cape Coral
‘It’s Floriduh, Man’ hopes to see air time
Prospective television series highlighting odd-couple friendship now in
By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com
A new television series with the hopes of being picked up by a major network or streaming platform that dotes on the charm and uniqueness of the Sunshine State began shooting last week in Southwest Florida
“It’s Floriduh, Man” took its first steps in Collier County over last weekend, preparing scenes and advertisem e n t s f o r t h e c o m e d y s e r i e s d e v e l o p e d b y Writer/Executive Producer John Sokolich
Other than top-billed cast, the series includes local actors and community members that came together to provide staffing, vehicles, and even reptiles for the filming The series is directed and produced by Kat Sokolich, who also owns the production company, Catastrophic Films Tara Sokolich also serves as assistant director and executive producer
“It’s about friendship, and an odd couple with the backdrop of Florida and the crazy stuff that happens down here,” John said
According to the series synopsis, Raymond, a polished professional, encounters Oscar, a disheveled hitchhiker from his past, on his way to a high school reunion Their unexpected reunion spirals into a comedic and surreal adventure filled with bizarre antics, as Oscar’s erratic behavior contrasts sharply with Raymond’s stable yet unremarkable life
The creators say despite initial skepticism, Raymond grows to appreciate Oscar’s resilience and kindness, leading to a renewed, albeit chaotic, friendship The series sets a quirky tone, blending comedy and drama while hinting at deeper themes of friendship and redemption against the eccentric backdrop of Florida
“It evolved into like a series of unfortunate crazy events along the way,” Tara said “As the episodes have been written, it’s become more deep They build off each other, but it's comical ”
John met Oscar Costa (Oscar) and Abel Cepeda (Raymond) on a project Kat was working on a number of years ago He said the differences in the two sparked an idea in his mind
“These guys were like the odd couple,” John said of Costa and Cepeda “It was like a typical Florida man talking to a businessman, and that’s really where this whole thing got its start I was like, ‘I’ve got to write something for these two ”
While the “Florida Man” moniker has gained nationwide recognition for debauchery and crime, John said his vision for the show wasn’t necessarily that
“In Oscar’s case, he’s just a fun-loving, easy-going guy, who just happens to have things happen to him because he’s so kindhearted,” he said “It’s not like the ‘crazy’ Florida Man, it’s just some bad decisions while trying to be lovable at the same time.”
John, Kat, and Tara call Southwest Florida home, and thought it would be a good place to kick off the series and garner local interest
PHOTO PROVIDED
Luka Hanlein (director of Photography), Kat Sokolich (director), Bubba the Alligator.
“We want people to support it and get excited, and what better place than our backyard?” John said “There’s really nothing that I’ve seen in all my years living here of anything like this happening in this local area,” Tara said “Getting local businesses to be a part of it is something we want to do It helps them while they’re helping us ”
A commercial was shot this past weekend as the project’s proof of concept, with the next steps being f u n d r a i s i n g t o s h o o t t h e
pilot There are 10 episodes written thus far for what would be the first season of the show
As for how the trio hopes to see the community gets
behind the project?
production
“We’re trying to be authentic with this,” John said “Not the sensationalized headlines you see a lot of times when it comes to Florida Man
“This show is about friendship It’s about growing and growing pains and living life We’re hoping that rings a bell here locally and spreads out ”
Kat added that many series and shows out there currently sort of poke fun at the Florida way of life and culture
“With this, we want people to have pride in the community around them,” she said. “We want to convey why people love Florida, and why it’s unique, and why there’s no place like Florida ”
At the heart of the show is the bond and development between Oscar and Raymond, and their journey along the way, whatever antics may arise
“Some of the best friendships are ones where people aren’t necessarily the same,” John said “Where there’s differences in personalities and life Where they’re both from Florida, you can see both sides of the coin Raymond is a real estate agent, and Oscar is a free soul And they come together and have their lives collide It’s a comedy of errors in some cases, but the show sums up the human experience with these two together ”
The project’s proof of concept is hopeful to be released in early 2025, with the pilot coming in either late ’25 or early 2026
“We’d really like this whole project to not just be something that we’re working on, we’d like it to be something the community gets involved in so we can all help each other,” John said
Once the commercial is in the can, the group will be shopping the show around to various entities both locally and in Los Angeles
For more information on the show, visit www itsfloriduhman.com or find it on various social media platforms including Facebook and X
COMMUNITY
UF/IFAS PHOTO
Hurricane recovery – again!
By CATHY DUNN news@breezenewspapers com
For the past two years, I have written about hurricane recovery; the first time shortly after Ian devastated our area in September 2022, and then last year as a reflection on the lingering effects in our gardens after Ian’s rampage This year we have endured the effects of three hurricanes: Debbie, Helene and Milton And as I write this article, forecasters are tracking a potential storm in the Gulf that is projected to pass to our west, ultimately becoming a Cat 2 hurricane named Rafael This recent history suggests that hurricanes are going to continue to be a constant factor in our lives here in Southwest Florida
As a dedicated gardener, I’m always wondering what
c a n w e l e a r n f r o m o u r
e x p e r i e n c e s w i t h t h e s e storms? My gardens were much more decimated by
I a n t h a n b y a n y o f t h e
GARDEN CLUB OF CAPE CORAL
s t o r m s t h i s y e a r , a n d cleanup chores from Ian extended for three months There were many shrubs and annuals that I had to completely remove, and areas that were once in shade were now in full sun I lost many ferns and other shade-loving plants that had been sheltered by palms or large shrubs that were destroyed Many small trees had to be staked and replanted, but I wanted to save them if I could, and they all survived I evaluated my garden design and used this opportunity to remove some shrubs that I had decided were not my best choices as a novice Florida gardener, so that was one positive result of Ian’s wrath I noted that some plants survived significantly better than others; chiefly bromeliads, ixora, low shrubby palms, arboricola and crepe myrtles By the next spring, the gardens were recovering, though looking a bit spare
When I reflected on my gardens a year after Ian, I was still satisfied with my decision to continue to re-stake my dwarf poinciana trees with each windstorm, and I had added more bromeliads because of their hearty survival and low maintenance I was very happy that I had removed several large bougainvillea plants and clusia shrubs, because the plants that I chose to replace them were doing well and were much better suited to my garden design My pool deck was ringed with large mixed containers that were very heavy and impossible to move prior to Ian; several blew over and broke during Ian, scattering dirt and plants everywhere I purchased large, wheeled saucers that made it easy to move these large pots in preparation for future storms One year later, palms had sprouted new fronds, most of the empty spaces in the garden had been filled, and I was feeling pretty good about the resilience of my plantings
This year, as Helene approached, I conducted some proactive pruning on tall plants that had grown robustly during the summer months; I trimmed the dwarf poinciana trees back so that their long branches wouldn’t whip in the wind and cause the trees to blow over as they had in previous storms I staked plants that were prone to wind disruptions and moved potted plants into the lanai for protection No sooner had I completed my
Garden tours to resume at Cape Coral Museum of History
By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com
The community is invited to attend the Cape Coral Museum of History’s garden tour next Wednesday to learn about Florida friendly landscaping, and what to plant to attract butterflies to your space
The tour will be held Nov 13 and will continue the second Wednesday of each month through April, at 544 Cultural Park Blvd There is no charge for the tour and individuals can attend any time between 1-4 p m
Due to Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton, tours were not conducted in October
Carolyn France said the garden did fairly well following the storm, with only some limbs down and general clean-up across the garden. The burrowing owls are still there and the butterflies are beginning to come back
“We are on the road to recovery,” France said
Atala butterflies, which were once thought to be extinct in the United States, have found the museum’s garden Thanks to butterfly enthusiasts they have acquired eggs and caterpillars over the years, which established a colony, she said
The tour is led by a Lee County master gardener
“We are the ones that maintain the garden,” she said Those who take the tour will learn what plants are host and nectar plant for butterflies In addition, attendees will have the chance to see what mature Florida native plants look like, as well as Florida friendly plants.
“They can see how big they are going to get if they
gardens at the Cape Coral Museum of History.
plant them in their garden,” France said. “We generally talk about the Florida friendly landscape program and what it entails and needs ” For more information, call 239-772-7037
Mini golf fundraiser to benefit Melody Lane Performing Arts Center to be held Saturday
By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com
A mini golf fundraiser is being held for the Melody Lane Performing Arts Center this weekend at Tropical Breeze Fun Park The event is from 5 to 9 p m Saturday, Nov 9
A portion of the proceeds from mini golf and jelly ball will be donated to support Melody Lane's competition dance team costs of convention, competition and travel
fees
Attendees can grab a bite to eat, enjoy a beverage and play to win some prizes Skew U Food Truck will also be at the fundraiser
Prizes include Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre tickets, a $500 hotel discount voucher and gift baskets with gift certificates
Tropical Breeze Fun Park is at 234 Santa Barbara Blvd in Cape Coral
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Lear n about Florida’s sea tur tles at Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife meeting Tuesday
Brittnay Laster, MSc, education and outreach coordinator for the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife will discuss sea turtles at the next meeting of the Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife meeting Tuesday, Nov 12
Sea turtles are one of the most charismatic marine animals on the planet This program aims to provide information on all seven species of sea turtles, their conservation status, which are most common in Southwest Florida, threats turtles currently face and CROW’s role in getting them back into the wild
CROW is currently unable to treat sea turtles due to the loss of the sea turtle facility from Hurricane Ian
The CCFW general meeting will be held at Rotary Park, 5505 Rose Garden Road Doors open at 6:30 p m for sign-in and networking Laster's presentation will begin at 7 p m , followed by the CCFW business meeting All are welcome
Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife is an all-volunteer organization whose mission is to preserve and enhance the habitats of protected wildlife species and to educate the community about Cape Coral’s wildlife resources If you are interested in donating to support Cape Coral’s wildlife, joining or volunteering, please visit our website ccfriendsofwildlife org or call 239 980-2593
USA Dance to host ‘Tribute to Our Veterans’ donation program Sunday
USA Dance Inc , Chapter #6123 of Cape Coral will hold a "Tribute to Our Veterans" donation program featuring Sonia Raymond, curator at Brotherhood of Heroes in Cape Coral, Sunday, Nov 10, from 4-7 p m at Rhythm in Motion Dance Studio, 912 Del Prado Blvd , S
The cost for the party, which is open to the public with an RSVP, is $10 per person Donations of canned goods and other items (toothbrushes and tooth paste were suggested) will be accepted
Contact Carol Davis, chapter president, at 239-5657947 or email dancingtala@gmail com
Just
for Fun Dog
Show
set for Nov. 16
Calling all dog lovers! The ultimate, tail-wagging extravaganza Just for Fun Dog Show is returning to Rotary Park on Saturday, Nov 16, from 3-5 p m
Previously held during the "dog days of August," this popular show hosted by the city of Cape Coral has been moved to November when the temperatures should be more comfortable for furry little friends and their owners! Sign your pooch up in advance for $6 per category or on the spot at the show starting at 2 p m Spectators are free!
For details, contact Rotary Park at 239-549-4606
Wind-blown palm trees during a hurricane
PHOTO PROVIDED Atala butterflies, once thought to be extinct, have found the
Chaviano readies to address teacher, parent concerns
Wins District 7 seat on the Lee County School Board in first run for elected office
By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com
The first time entering the political arena, Cape Coral resident Vanessa Chaviano was elected as the new District 7 school board member Tuesday night
Chaviano received 204,476 votes, 69 22%, while Sheridan Chester received 90,935, or 30 78%
S h e s a i d s h e w a s s t i l l p r o c e s s i n g t h e v i c t o r y Wednesday morning
“I am grateful and honored It’s my first time running as a candidate, getting into the political arena,” Chaviano said, adding that she has been a part of the community volunteering and coaching for a long time “It’s nice to see that support ”
She said she greatly appreciates everyone who supported her Chaviano wants the voters to understand she is a voice to understand what is happening in the schools
“We can’t fix what we don’t know,” Chaviano said “We are there to set policy, work with an elected superintendent, which is an administrative function ”
She said it’s about making the best district where students, families and teachers are happy and proud
“I will be working with the board and the now elected superintendent and communicate and create transparency and make sure we are all on the same page,” Chaviano said
The District 7 at-large and non-partisan district provides all voters countywide with the opportunity to cast a ballot Cathleen O’Daniel Morgan, who has served in the district 7 seat since November 2012, did not seek reelection
Chaviano, 40, a 25-year resident of Lee County, is in marketing operations at LIV Digital Marketing She has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and criminal forensics, a master’s degree in criminal forensics, behavioral analysis, and business administration
There are many issues on her radar to tackle once she is sworn into office Nov 19
“Our
teacher pay, recruitment is huge We are losing great teachers in our district to our sister districts north and south because of pay.”
“Our teacher pay, recruitment is huge,” she said. “We are losing great teachers in our district to our sister districts north and south because of pay ”
With that improvement, Chaviano said it will help improve student achievement It will help increase their ranking among large districts in Florida
“The goal is to be there at the top,” she said, adding that when they focus on teacher and staff pay it will put the right teachers in the classroom
Another issue is championing the district’s career and trade schools
“We need to invest in our workforce here Cape Coral was originally a retirement community We are seeing that demographic change now. This city has grown so much after COVID,” Chaviano said, adding that there are multiple paths of success that are not necessarily college “We have three vocational schools here to champion our trades ”
There are multiple possibilities, she said of HVAC, plumbing and electrical
“Without those things we would be camping It is crucial and it is very important They are very well-paid trades that are much needed There is so much here in Lee County to invest in them (students) here and continue to keep growing our city and our county moving forward,” Chaviano said
The concerns she heard on the campaign trail included teacher pay, behavior and discipline, and bringing parents back into the fold
“The first teacher in the child’s life is the parent guiding and creating a foundation Times have changed parents are working if not one, but multiple jobs,” she said adding the parent figure may be a caregiver, guardian, or grandparent “So much different is going on and we need to bring them back into the mix, so the child can be the best they can be ”
Chaviano encourages parents and guardians to use the district as a resource, as they want students to be successful
“They are supported, and Lee County is a great place to be We are no longer a sleepy town,” she said, adding that there are opportunities on the horizon
Chaviano is an appointed member for the site section committee, and equity and diversity advisory committee for the School District of Lee County She is also a board member and member of the government affairs committee for the Cape Coral Chamber of Commerce, as well as a coach for Pop Warner Youth Football Youth Cheer, Cape Competes stakeholder member and president of Leading Latina, Inc
“I came back into cheering this year I have been coaching since 2006 through the Pop Warner program,” she said, adding that she also focuses on academics in addition to the sport “I love working with the various groups and seeing our kids grow and find that confidence in themselves and working with other kids and personalities on a team to figure out how to come together to build a routine ”
Vanessa Chaviano
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EDUCATION
Lee School District awarded $450,000 grant from Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation
By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com
Support continues to flood into the School District of Lee County, providing for gardens at school campuses across Lee County
The district recently was awarded a three-year $450,000 grant from the Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation
“Sprouts Healthy Community Foundation reached out to us They gave us, originally, a $25,000 grant around the time when the new store on College Parkway was opening,” Healthy Living Collaboration Chair Leisha Roy said
The money went towards a garden at Heights Elementary School, which has a student garden club.
“We did a full garden build for them 20-tower hydroponic system with solar irrigation, six raised beds, a lot of different fruit trees ”
From there, communication continued with Sprouts to share what is happening in the district and what can be done to promote long-term sustainability
“We were all doing all this garden stuff in addition to our regular jobs,” Roy said “We were doing this like crazy no dedicated position from the district, just extra work ”
Long-term sustainability requires boots on the ground and additional manpower because the lack can quash even the most enthusiastic of efforts
“Then, whatever happens, the garden goes to the wayside, and it’s not sustained,” Roy said “Our goal is to have our school gardens literally part of the school To maintain it just like you do your arts, academics It is a very important living classroom hands on stuff ”
All of this was shared with the foundation at a scheduled meeting
“I don’t know if we were expecting what they offered We are the only public school district that has ever been awarded a grant of this size $450,000 over a three-year period That money is dedicated to having a position at the district That is all you do Healthy Living Collaboration from the time you start in the morning until you leave in the evening,” Roy said
This money will help the expansion, development and maintenance of school gardens.
In the last two weeks three brand new garden builds have taken place Caloosa Middle School completed on Oct 21, Paul Lawrence Dunbar Middle School completed on Oct 30, and Bonita Springs Middle Center for the Arts completed on Oct 23 Tortuga Elementary School also received a new garden
There are 80 gardens in the district, which range from
PROVIDED
butterfly and pollinator gardens to big agricultural programs where they are harvesting their crops and serving it in the cafeteria
Environmental Education Resource teacher Susie Hassett said Monday they were on the Cape Coral High School campus helping the culinary class put together hydroponic towers and raised beds She spoke with students about different methods of container gardening that are beneficial and how to conserve water.
“They hydroponic towers will grow 24 plants in a space that you could normally grow one It’s totally automated and on a solar panel Part of the purpose is to get food into the cafeteria on student menus use the foods they are growing,” Hassett said of the herbs, vegetables, and fruit
Since Cape Coral has a few long-standing gardens, the schools have become mentors to other gardens across the county Island Coast High School the largest garden in the county and Trafalgar Middle School have flourishing gardens
Island Coast High School has had its garden in its current location since 2008 It has raised beds, 200 different hydroponic towers and an aqua pond system to grow tilapia
Trafalgar Middle School has in-ground gardening, raised beds and hydroponic towers Hassett said they provide food to Community Cooperative, as well as have a farm share where families can come and take home a bag of
food They are also putting food into their cafeteria zucchini bread, eggplant pizza, rainbow glazed carrots, kale chips and collard greens
“They are pretty innovative It’s fun for the kids to eat what they have grown,” she said “Every kid in the school goes through one semester of working in the garden, so they understand the process of how to grow food and where it comes from They tend to value the food and the waste is less because of that ”
Gardens in Cape Coral schools include:
■ Caloosa Elementary: Pocket refuge and containers
■ Cape Elementary: raised beds and containers
■ Gulf Elementary: raised beds and permaculture, chickens
■ Hector Cafferata: raised beds and permaculture
■ Patriot: pollinator garden
■ Pelican: raised beds
■ Skyline: raised beds and pollinator gardens
■ Trafalgar Elementary: raised beds
■ Caloosa Middle: raised beds, pollinator, hydroponic towers
■ Gulf Middle: Hydroponic towers, containers, permaculture
■ Mariner Middle: raised beds, containers
■ Trafalgar Middle: in ground, hydroponic towers, raised beds, containers, permaculture
■ Cape High: raised beds, hydroponic towers, permaculture
■ Island Coast High: Hydroponics, aquaponics, raised beds, pollinators, permaculture
“There are a lot of different community partners involved in helping us be successful,” Roy said, adding they have a wait list for schools that wish to have a garden at their campus “We’ve had several schools that had full builds due to Rotary grants ”
Hassett said during COVID they started the Healthy Living Collaboration When the schools shut down in March, all the schools with gardens still had food growing and plants ready to be planted
“We harvested the food and put it into the feeding lines and gave away the seedlings to grow at home We gave away 5,000 plants,” Hassett said
From there, many school district departments came together and started organizing school gardens as the vehicle to benefit all different aspects of student health and wellness
Ding Darling Friends of Wildlife currently has the pocket refuge grants open, for which schools can apply until before Thanksgiving for a garden
Bayshore Elementary may be renamed; Cape Technical College, Cafferata projects move forward
By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers
com
Stakeholders want to rename Bayshore Elementary School “Bayshore Academy” in recognition of it becoming a K-8 school
North Region Associate Superintendent Cherise Trent shared information about the Bayshore Elementary School name change with the Lee County School Board this week
Lee Count Principal Ben Ausman got together an ad-hoc committee where several possibilities for a new name were discussed Bayshore, The Bayshore School and Bayshore Academy, followed by a survey sent to stakeholders The results were then reviewed by committee members and a final recommendation was presented
Trent said Bayshore Academy received 46 7% of the votes The name was considered because they want Bayshore to be the center for learning with rigorous academics, while giving an opportunity for what the academy can be
“A center for higher, or rigorous learning that’s what they wanted their focus to be,” Trent said
Although board member Armor Persons was all for Bayshore Academy, the name gave other board members pause
“When I saw academy academy of what? What does that define? For the future Is that telling the true story of who they are at this moment,” Board member Debbie
Jordan said
Board member Chris Patricca said she was not sure it met the requirements of their policy
Superintendent Dr Ken Savage said “academy,” for Bayshore, means higher education, with a focus on higher expectation achievement standpoint
“Not like an arts academy The academic being the focal point,” Savage said
Patricca said if that’s the case then every school in the district should be an academy, as they are all academically focused
“Academic excellence should be the focus We should name every one of our schools an academy,” she said
Construction Projects Management Director Scott Reichenbacher said the Bayshore K-8 expansion is in the first phase with a 30% design schematic set of drawings with an estimate The architecture estimate is $38 million, and the contractor estimate is $42 million The budgeted amount is $50,000,000
The current scope is a new two-story classroom, new gymnasium building, central energy plant and sports field restoration The student stations after the expansion are 1,262 seats, or an addition of 606 seats
Reichenbacher said the 60% estimate will be received on Dec 2
Other school updates:
Wednesday’s school board workshop also touched upon
Cape Coral Technical College and Hector A Cafferata Jr Elementary School
Cape Coral Technical College is at a 60% design with an estimate of $20 7 million from the architect and $22 9 million from the construction manager
Reichenbacher said they are preparing the bid to put out for the demolition of the old Hector A Cafferata building
He said the school will be knocked down in January and completed by April 1 to allow for the construction of the Cape Tech expansion work
On Nov 19, the 90% design will be completed for the college
“That is about where we draw the line, about what the cost of construction is going to be,” Reichenbacher said “We are moving forward with original design and budget planned.
The presentation also included the Hector A Cafferata Jr K-8 rebuild District staff is having monthly meetings, and the project is moving forward
“There are minor adjustments to the campus for the flow of the school, areas in front of the administrative office,” he said “The job is moving forward - $124 9 million approved ”
The substantial completion for the school is Aug 1, 2026
PHOTO
Caloosa Middle School recently had a new build for a garden last month
Lee School District weighs changes to student enrollment plan
By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com
A modified student enrollment plan came before the Lee County School Board Wednesday for its first formal consideration Student Enrollment Director Soretta Ralph provided an
w h a v e a F l o r i d a G u l f C o a s t U n i v e r s i t y c o l l e g i a t e p r o g r a m I s l a n d C o a s t w i l l b e a s c h o o l c h o i c e f o r s u b z o n e t h r e e i n t h e W e s t Z o n e “ T h e y a r e g o i n g t o h a v e t o r a n k i t f o r t h e u p c o m i n g s c h o o l y e a r , ” s h e s a i d o f t h e d i s t r i c t ’ s s c h o o l c h o i c e
y s t e m T h e E a s t Z o n e , w h i c h i n c l u d e s B a y s h o r e , w i l l h a v e g r a
r H i g h S c h o o l R a l p h s a i d t h e y w i l l b e r a n k e d i n s u b z o n e o n e a n d t w o F a m i l i e s t h a t l i v e i n s u b z o n e t h r e e , o r f o u r c a n r a n k D u n b a r H i g h S c h o o l a n d s u b m i t a w a i v e r , w h i c h w i l l e l i m i n a t e t r a n sp o r t a t i o n b e i n g p r o v i d e d D u n b a r H i g h S c h o o l i s a n a v a i l a b l e o p t i o n f o r a w a i v e r f o r s t u d e n t s r e s i d i n g i n s u b z o n e t h r e e , a n d E a s t
L e e C o u n t y H i g h S c h o o l i s a l s o a n a v a i l a b l e o p t i o n v i a a w a i v e r f o r s t u d e n t s r e s i d i n g i n s u b z o n e o n e T h e p r e s e n t a t i o n a l s o h i g h l i g h t e d i s l a n d s c h o o l s F o r t M y e r s B e a c h , S a n i b e l S c h o o l , a n d P i n e I s l a n d
E l e m e n t a r y S c h o o l R a l p h s a i d t h e y h a v e t a k e n t h o s e s c h o o l s o u t o f t h e r a n k i n g s i n t h e d i f f e r e n t z o n e s F a m i l i e s c a n c h o o s e t h e s e i s l a n d s c h o o l s b y w a v i e r b y e m a i l i n g s t u d e n t e n r o l l m e n t @ l e e s c h o o l s n e t “ W e a r e e n r o l l i n g u p c o
Lawrence Kearney NSDAR to meet Nov. 19; reservation deadline is Wednesday
The Lawrence Kearney National Society Daughters of the American Revolution meeting will be Tuesday, Nov 19, hosted at Palmetto Pines Country Club, which is located off Skyline Boulevard at 1940 S W 9th Court, Cape Coral
A social gathering will be at 11 a m , followed by lunch at 11:30, with a guest speaker at noon
The speaker this month is Travis Taylor from the Centers for Independent Living, focusing on new technology available to help those in need with living a comfortable, independent life
Lunch menu items this month are:
1 Chicken Pasta Salad with Tortellini
Pasta, berries, spinach, cucumber, carrots, broccoli, tossed in a poppy seed or balsamic dressing (please state your dressing choice) 1a. Vegetarian dish will be the above menu items minus the chicken
2 Chicken Philly with sauteed onions, peppers and cheese served with chips
3 Grilled Ham and Cheese with seasonal fruit
4 Open-faced Turkey with mashed sweet potatoes and green beans
Members wishing to attend, please contact robelmont08@gmail com with lunch choices by Nov 13, meal cost is $30
Potential members and others interested in attending, contact lkregistrar@gmail com
Editorial: Cape Coral Council members serve an important role
From page 4
The key is not encampment in a city hall office or any office, for that matter
It is being available and staying connected with residents and taxpayers
Bring the same dedication to reviewing the issues each of you demonstrated during this election cycle and continue to carve out time to listen to input from supporters and critics alike and you will have a foundation for serving our city well
Two, if you have committed to a “fulltime” presence at City Hall, we will not criticize either the choice or the dedication
We will, however, re-offer one key caution that is bedrock: Resist the temptation to become enmeshed in the city’s “corporate culture ” Incoming council members, those who have business backgrounds, those who have served before, no doubt know exactly what we mean Still, let us stress this because we firmly believe it is a trap that, while easy to see, is also oh-so-easy to fall into anyway
A council member’s role is not that of administrative supporter or staff advocate Those who work for the city have, in fact, appropriate and adequate advocacy. This includes the unions to which they pay dues, their supervisory personnel, the city’s own employment policies and practices and, if all that fails, the Florida Public Employees
Relations Commission
City Council is not part of that process, at least not in the “team” or “corporate family” sense
According to the city’s own organizational chart, “the people” are at the top of its structural hierarchy Below that is the mayor and the other seven members of the Cape Coral City Council, followed by the top tiers of the city administration, including the city attorney, the city auditor and the city manager Next are all of the city departments, which report directly to the city manager
The city manager reports to Council and Council reports and is answerable to “the people” the stakeholders who elected them, the stakeholders who work or have businesses here, the stakeholders who own property and pay taxes in the Cape, the stakeholders who have a vested interest in how our city shapes its future, how and where the city spends our money,
Put another way, City Council is a board of directors that reports and is responsible to the stockholders in the billion dollar “business” they oversee in terms of policies, planning, expenditure and revenue decisions
That means hard questions, strict scrutiny and measured decisions to benefit our entire community not because “there are problems with staff,” or because staff or the city
manager’s recommendations are to be doubted, but because that is Council’s job Council’s only job
We’ll add one more cautionary admonition again this year as transparency, and its perceived lack, is an issue most of those running highlighted themselves
While Council may be likened to a board of directors, there are two things that differentiate elected boards here in Florida One, City Council is a public board whose business virtually all of its business must be conducted publicly, i e “in the Sunshine ”
This can be a hard concept, especially for those with private-sector honed consensusbuilding skills But like it or not, deem it an ethical obligation or an impediment to “getting things done,” Government-in-theSunshine is a mandate, not an option We urge both new and seated members of Council to take their Sunshine training to heart and err, if they err at all, on the side of both caution and those who trusted you with their vote
Summed up succinctly, the public is not just entitled to be part of policy and expenditure discussions throughout; they are legally entitled We suggest the members of our newly configured elected board embrace that concept and keep it in mind should any “oneon-one” briefing involving staff take on the
hue of a sales pitch someone thinks best not be made during public discussion and debate
To those who have served and are leaving City Council, special thanks our deep gratitude to Councilmember Richard Carr, who stepped into the breach and agreed to serve as the District 4 council member after Gov Ron DeSantis suspended former council member Patty Cummings last year; District 2 Councilmember Dan Sheppard; and District 5 Councilmember Robert Welsh They accomplished much
Thanks as well as District 7 Councilmember Jessica Cosden, who served our city well for nine years and term-limited out, and District 3 Councilmember Tom Hayden, who opted not to seek re-election despite his devotion to the city
Your service is much appreciated
Thank you all
Our welcome again to our new board members
May your tenure be as successful as your campaigns, may your service for the next four years be as happy for you as hearing the election results come in Tuesday night and may our community come together in support of the voter mandates you all have received
Breeze editorial
‘Superman power set gang?’
Over the years I’ve often seen unusual ways “experienced” anglers hook and fight fish with spinning, bait casting and fly equipment I’ve had half a dozen members of the sky high, “superman power set gang,” which resulted in the anglers going overboard backwards on hook-ups I always get a kick out of the upside down and reverse reeling, spinning rod and reel club, which always reminds me of that magazine cover of President Bush at Boca Grande fishing with his spinning reel on top, winding backwards
Recently I fished with a member of the power crank association This group gets hooked up, panics, then points the rod at the fish and starts non-stop power reeling
They completely forget the rod is used to fight the fish in conjunction with the reels drag and continue to madly reel
n o n - s t o p , w h e t h e r t h e drag is slipping or not I set the drags on all reels before giving it to the
Capt George Tunison
v i s i t i n g a n g l e r t o f i s h with, and with the inexperienced, ask them to never touch it
The latest finally noticed a redfish had eaten a dead shrimp The expensive rod combo sliding briskly along the boat's deck toward the water was his clue His first move was to grab the rod and instantly lock down the drag to stop it from slipping He then pointed the rod at the fish and started power cranking Being a smaller redfish, he had little trouble and without missing a beat cranked it right up, redfish nose flush to the rod tip, slung it over the side and onto the deck where he proudly held it down with his shoe. Obviously, my earlier 10minute tutorial about rod pumping, drag usage and proper fish handling had gone in one ear and out the other
Fly rod abusers usually begin their fishing careers with standard spin equipment often learning bad habits that they carry over when trying fly fishing Mostly they are members of the superman power set club which means on the strike the rod is instantly snapped back behind the head resulting in a dangerous arc pushing the rod to its limits
The other group I call the weight-lifters Let me explain For years I’ve hosted a two-hour, total beginners saltwater fly fishing school (Please email for course info) After completing his course, “Dr Jones”
‘SUPERMAN?’,
TIDE CHART
Cape Coral High’s Lynn captures state bowling title
By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com
A Cape Coral bowler made school history last week in Orlando, as he became the first state champion in Seahawks history
Senior Daniel Lynn bowled over his competition in the FHSAA State Championships, capturing the top prize and finishing his high school career as the best in the state
Lynn, who was ranked No. 12 in a field of 16, took down six opponents on his way to the title, including the No 1 ranked bowler in the state
“It was just a surreal experience,” Lynn said “Me knowing that I had won, was like a dream come true It's something I would've wished to do as a kid ”
Included in those wins was a 2-1 victory over No 1 seed Lincoln Moyer of Edgewood, and a 2-1 semifinal win against Mariner's Trey Lemus Lynn topped Francis Johnson of Orlando East River 2-0 in the championship matchup
“I'm very proud of Daniel, and his team who helped in supporting him and stayed by his side for the whole journey,” said Seahawks bowling coach Lamar Bryant “It was a progression of four years of hard work and goal setting ”
Lynn said his love for the sport started when he ventured to the local lanes with his father when he was younger He said his dad used to bowl at a high level
“He had introduced me to the sport, and taught me how to bowl,” Lynn said “I was seeing it all over TV, and I thought to myself, ‘Imagine doing this as a job Something
that you go do for fun with your family and doing it as a competitive thing ’
“I just started to practice and I got really good, and I've been in love with it ever since ”
Last year, Lynn finished fourth overall in the state, and was determined to improve and work hard to achieve the ultimate goal of being a state champion
“It was all hard work and dedication,” Lynn said of his journey “I would always be at the bowling alley no matter what -- whether we had practice that day or not Even after practice was over, I'd stay and bowl I'd just try my best to perfect everything and be the best I could be ”
Lynn said heading into the state championships at Boardwalk Bowl Entertainment Center, he knew he had to go out with a bang
“I knew no matter what, nobody wanted it more than me,” he said “And nobody was going to outwork me I was going to do my absolute best to bring the title home ”
Lynn defeated Johnson in the final, rolling a 280 in the first match, and 213 in the second, winning by a combined pin score of 493 to 447
As for bringing home the school's first state championship in bowling, Lynn said, “It feels amazing It's been an honor to represent Cape Coral High School doing what I love, and doing it to the best of my ability I'm hoping I made everybody proud back home ”
Lynn said he and Moyer have competed in tournaments
See LYNN, page 29
Foster selected Breeze Athlete of the Month
The votes are in for the Cape Coral Breeze’s October Athlete of the Month, and the winner is Ida Baker High School's Taylor Foster
During her nomination week, Foster helped lead the Bulldogs to a 6A District 12 semifinal volleyball win over Palmetto Ridge In the 3-2 decision, the junior collected 40 digs, 35 assists, four kills and three aces
“I knew we had a huge chance to win, and it was a close game with lots of ups and downs,” Foster told The Breeze “But over-
all, I think that shows how strong we are as a team and kept our momentum going throughout I am incredibly proud of how this team has played and improved throughout the season. This is a huge step to an even better season next year, and I think our bond and determination helped with how we played ”
Voting for November's Athlete of the Month will open toward the end of the month
Stay up to date with Athlete of the Week selections on capecoralbreeze com
PREP REPORT
Wednesday
Boys Soccer
Mariner 5, Palmetto 0: Justin Medero scored a hat trick and Gabriel Garcia made four assists as the Tritons improved to 2-0 Neil Zela and Myles Rios had a goal each, while Federico Butrago earned the shutout in goal
Girls Soccer
Bishop Verot 5, Naples 1: Katie Pelfkowski had two goals and an assist, and Lila Dinkel also scored twice for the Vikings (2-0) Scoring Verot's fifth goal was Alyvia Mueller Caroline Pelfkowski, Gianna Fabrizi and Jillian Haataja contributed assists
Tuesday
Boys Soccer
Mariner 9, Island Coast 0: Gabriel Garcia, Gabriel Tatta and Richard Sandoval scored two goals each for the Tritons in a match called in the first half Thomas Castano, Neil Zela and Justin Corbalan added a goal each Aiden Mace earned the shutout in goal
North Fort Myers 1, Aubrey Rogers 1, tie: The Red
Knights and Patriots opened the session with a draw Golden Gate 5, Cape Coral 0: Cape is 0-2 to begin the new season Lely 5, Ida Baker 1: The Bulldogs slipped to 1-1
Girls Soccer
North Fort Myers 7, Aubrey Rogers 0: Hannah Busenback lit up the net with five goals as the Red Knights cruised to a win to open the season Kenlee Dominguez scored twice and made three assists Caelyn Lewis made two assists, and Sofia Devita and Jaelyn Hofer had an assist each
B i s h o p V e r o t 2 , C a r
Pelfkowski led the Vikings with a goal and an assist Kamryn Fowler also scored, and Jillian Haataja made an assist
Mariner 10, Island Coast 0: Carly Paz scored a hat trick and Kelsi Longabardi had two goals and two assists as Mariner rolled in its season opener Sophia Finn scored twice Caroline Orth had a goal and made three assists Kailey Schwander and Audriana Lopez added Tritons goals Lopez and Avery Amaral contributed assists Lely 2, Ida Baker 1: The Bulldogs are 0-1-1
Daniel Lynn
Taylor Foster
Registration underway for 2025 Lee County Senior Games
Lee County Parks & Recreation welcomes all senior athletes to participate in the 2025 Lee County Senior Games, which feature social, recreational and competitive activities
Registration is open Register at www leeparks org/register or call 239-533-7275 Registration is $15 per event
Participants must be 50 years or older by Dec 31, 2025, and qualifying event top finishers will be eligible to compete at the state level in the 2025 Florida Senior Games
The games will be held Jan 24 through March 9 with eight sports in various locations throughout the county.
The Florida Games Series Qualifier events include: Table Tennis, Archery, Pickleball, Basketball Shooting, Basketball 3V3, Swimming, Tennis and Billiards
Participants will receive one shirt that will be distributed at event site Medals will be presented to the first-, secondand third-place finishers of each event
For a complete event schedule and additional informa-
tion about the Lee County Senior Games, please visit www.leeparks.org.
For additional details about Lee County Parks & Recreation locations, amenities and upcoming events, please visit www leeparks org, call 239-533-7275, or email leeparks@leegov com
Stay connected on social media by following Lee County Parks & Recreation on Facebook and Instagram
Lynn: Seahawk becomes Cape High’s first state bowling champion
From page 28
outside of high school play, and he knew it was going to be a hard-fought match
“But like I said, nobody wanted it more than I did And I knew how badly I wanted it,” he said “I knew it wasn't
going to come easy, and I was going to have to work my absolute hardest to win ”
Lynn plans on bowling in college next year, with the hopes to go pro after He's undecided on where he'll attend school next year, but will study business
Looking back on his four years, Lynn said what he'll
take away most is the memories made with his counterparts
“My team and the chemistry we have, and the friends along the way is what I'll remember most,” he said “The coaches as well It's been an honor and it's been great ”
‘Superman?:’ Anglers demonstrate unique styles when reeling in fish
From page 28
was anxious to get out on the water, which we did the following week He arrived with a beautiful, brand new 8 weight $900 Sage rod and high end reel Luckily the fish cooperated and soon he boated a few Spanish mackerel, but on the next cast, tied into a heavyweight, high-speed bonito that dove straight to the depths, peeling drag Panicking, he locked the drag that I had pre-adjusted and with the rod tip already underwater, lifted with all his might till the rod took on a horseshoe shape and basically exploded When fighting deep-running big fish on fly
rods, the rod is held in a near horizontal position lifting with the butt section of the rod, or with even bigger game, pointed at the fish using the reel's drag to do the work till the fish can be somewhat controlled, saving the rod
Despite very low concentrations of red tide along Lee County, early November fishing is red hot Shallow juvenile tarpon, redfish, snook, trout, pompano and killer bluefish are all eating well Never pass up hot spot oyster bars! Pass, to-close-to-the-coast bonito and Spanish macs are looking to fight, with delicious tripletail of various
sizes hiding under anything floating, be it wood, plastic buckets, trash or crab trap floats Gag grouper come in close in the fall, even up to mangrove shorelines, surprising redfish and snook anglers Near- and offshore shore numbers provide various snapper and grouper action along with cobia and migrating tarpon opportunities while others are kingfish ready
Overall a great month to fish!
Capt George Tunison is a Cape Coral resident fishing guide You can contact him at 239-282-9434 or via email at captgeorget3@aol com
Hurricane recovery: Learning from our experiences with past storms
From page 20
cleanup from Helene than we started to hear rumblings about a possible storm forming in the Caribbean As it became apparent that this was going to be a major hurricane, I felt confident that I had done all that I could to minimize damage in my gardens
Three weeks later, I’ve completed the major cleanup after Milton. Two of those dwarf poinciana trees that I had devoted so much effort to save were removed – I finally admitted defeat! I lost many palm fronds between both Helene and Milton, and some of my shrubs were almost defoliated As I’ve raked up dead leaves and clipped off dead branches, I’ve noted new green leaves beginning to emerge, and my bromeliads are all just where I planted them! I know, based on the aftermath of Ian, that Mother Nature is resilient, and that given time, the gardens will
renew themselves once again
Each storm imparts a bit more knowledge on how to live in paradise and prepare for what now seems the inevitable stormy weather Is it discouraging? Yes, there are moments when I say, “not again” and wonder how many times I can rebuild But somehow, I remain resilient as well; if we’ve been granted the gift of a long life and good health to continue working in the garden, we know
that this is all part of the cycle that we continually endure, and we proceed with faith in the future! C
Volunteer, Garden Club of Cape Coral member, and President of the James E Hendry Hibiscus Chapter Visit w
Facebook page!
Cape Coral Breeze Athletes
Week of the
(Selected by the
Breeze Sports staff)
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Garage Sales
SavonaNeighborhood Semi-AnnualGarageSale (offDelPrado)
Friday11/8-Sunday11/10
ManyFamiliesParticipating ForUpdatesortoSignupcall 239-841-4664
orfollowusonFacebook: SponsoredbytheColeTeam RemaxNauticalRealty
ThePreserve
SatNov9th,9am-2pm 14750HopeCenterLoop, FtMyers,FL33967 Allproceedsgoto EmployeeApppeciation. Food&Drinksavailable
Recreation Vehicles
Power Boats
Cape Coral
Donna R. Mikkelesen, 87, of Beloit, WI, passed away on Saturday, November 2, 2024. Daley Murphy Wisch & Associates Funeral Home and Crematorium, 2355 Cranston Rd., Beloit, WI, is entrusted with final care.
James Staniel Branyon, Jr., 55, of Cape Coral, passed away Monday, November 4, 2024. Mullins Memorial Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Cape Coral, is entrusted with final care.
Patricia Jon White, 81 of Cape Coral, passed away on October 31, 2024. Arrangements are by Coral Ridge Funeral Home, Cemetery and Cremation Services, Cape Coral. Please visit www.coralridgefuneralhome.com for additional information.
North Fort Myers
William Davies Tracy, 85, of Fort Myers, FL passed away November 5, 2024. Arrangements entrusted to Lee County Cremation Services-Fort Myers.
Dale Karen Russo, 87, of Cape Coral, passed away Saturday, November 2, 2024. Mullins Memorial Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Cape Coral, is entrusted with final care.
Edwin Chaparro, 58, of Cape Coral, passed away Sunday, October 27, 2024. Mullins Memorial Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Cape Coral, is entrusted with final care.
Robert Joseph Profeta, 73, of Cape Coral, FL passed away on November 4, 2024. Arrangements entrusted to Fuller Metz Cremation and Funeral Service. www.fullermetz.com
Jose Israel Pena Alvares, 92 of Cape Coral, passed away on October 29, 2024. Arrangements are by Coral Ridge Funeral Home, Cemetery and Cremation Services, Cape Coral. Please visit www.coralridgefuneralhome.com for additional information.
Walter Thomas Dowd, 76 of Cape Coral, passed away on November 4, 2024. Arrangements are by Coral R idge Funeral Home, Cemetery and Cremation Services, Cape Coral. Please visit www.coralridgefuneralhome.com for additional information.
Eliza Anne Jones, 93, of North Fort Myers, passed away Monday, November 4, 2024. Mullins Memorial Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Cape Coral, is entrusted with final care.
Donald Allen Fitch, 63, of Cape Coral, FL passed away November 2, 2024. Arrangements entrusted to Lee County Cremation Services-Cape Coral.
Kyra Marlys Harwood, 23, of Cape Coral, Florda passed away October 15, 2024. Arrangements entrusted to Lee County Cremation Services-Cape Coral.
Eva Migdalia Guevara, 89 of Cape Coral, passed away on November 2, 2024. Arrangements are by Coral Ridge Funeral Home, Cemetery and Cremation Services, Cape Coral. Please visit www.coralridgefuneralhome.com for additional information.
Stanley E. Krause, 81, of Cape Coral, FL passed away on October 31, 2024. Arrangements entrusted to Fuller Metz Cremation and Funeral Service. www.fullermetz.com
Fort Myers
Donald Peter Kirisits, 57, of Cape Coral, passed away Sunday, November 3, 2024. Mullins Memorial Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Cape Coral, is entrusted with final care.
Henry Bonbrake Rinick Jr, 91 of Cape Coral, passed away on October 31, 2024. Arrangements are by Coral Ridge Funeral Home, Cemetery and Cremation Services, Cape Coral. Please visit www.coralridgefuneralhome.com for additional information.
Laurie Marie Mack, 48, of Cape Coral, Florida passed away November 3, 2024. Arrangements entrusted to Lee Conty Cremation Services-Cape Coral.
Veronia Mary Fields, 85 of Cape Coral, passed away on November 3, 2024. Arrangements are by Coral Ridge Funeral Home, Cemetery and Cremation Services, Cape Coral. Please visit www.coralridgefuneralhome.com for additional information.
