Fort Myers Beach Observer/The Beach Bulletin

VOLUME 37, NUMBER 48

Town council votes to waive permit fees for 90 days

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com T

h e T o w n o f F o r t M y e r s B e a c h

Council voted Monday to approve the waiving of permit fees relating to work necessitated by Hurricane Ian.

The waiving of permit fees will be allowed for those who have received approval for building permits up to 90 days since Hurricane Ian, which will run

through Dec 27

Vice Mayor Jim Atterholt said the intent of the fee waiver was to be in concert with the Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District, which waived its fees for 90 days

Mayor Dan Allers said the fire depart ment’s waiver of fees was for accepted permits and approved permits so as to not have a flood of permits applied for near the 90th day.

“The last thing I think we want to do is have 2,000 permits come in on that 90th day and everyone expecting they are going to have their permit fees waived,” Allers said

Allers said the waiver on permit fees was intended to provide some relief to property owners “It’s not just an open door policy,” Allers said

T o w n o f F o r t M y e r s B e a c h

Councilmember Bill Veach had expressed concern about the waiving of the fees, as it could potentially cost millions of dollars in revenue it will be losing in other bud geted revenue items including construc tion permit fees and parking meters “This is not our money This is the taxpayers’ money,” Veach said

New manager hired

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers

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

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

Curfew hours changed

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

The Town of Fort Myers Beach has changed its curfew hours, following action by the town council Monday and consulta tions with the Lee County Sheriff's Office

The new curfew hours for those cross ing the Matanzas Pass Bridge on the north end of Estero Island have been changed to 8 p m to 6 a m

F o r t h e B i g C a r l o s P a s s B r i d g e entrance and exit on the south end, resi dents can enter and exit from 8 p m to 6 a m , Fort Myers Beach Communications Director Jennifer Dexter said

Dexter said contractors will need to continue to adhere to the 7 p m to 7 a m curfew at the Big Carlos Pass Bridge exit and entrance

The reason for the difference between the Matanzas Pass Bridge curfew hours and Big Carlos Pass Bridge curfew hours is that the City of Bonita Springs is main taining a curfew of 7 p m to 7 a m Bonita Beach faces similar debris issues to Fort Myers Beach

In an email, Dexter said "residents should be prepared to show proof of resi dency if they are traveling on and off the island during the curfew hours "

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

Rising water at Lake Okeechobee due to Hurricane Ian and Hurricane Nicole have led to the U S Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Jacksonville District a n n o u n c i n g i t w i l l r e s u m e r e l e a s e s f r o m L a k e Okeechobee to the Caloosahatchee Estuary from the W P Franklin Lock and Dam (S 79) at a fourteen day average pulse release of 1,200 cubic feet per second

The releases began Saturday Water from the lake will only be released in amounts needed to supplement local basin runoff to meet the target of 1,200 cubic feet per second, and the target is consistent with the recom mendation from the South Florida Water Management District for this week, the U S Army Corps of Engineers announced

“Lake Okeechobee has risen three feet in the past seven weeks due to Hurricanes Ian and Nicole,” said Col James Booth, Jacksonville District commander “We had paused our releases for Hurricane Nicole and have not made releases since the storm Based on conditions in the lake, we must begin releases to help manage lake levels We have worked together with our partners and stakeholders to understand how lake releases could affect conditions in the Caloosahatchee River Estuary at this time We are making our decision looking ahead toward next wet season and are developing a seasonal strategy where we aim to manage lake levels by making beneficial releases to the extent pos sible To curtail the high volume releases that our plan calls for right now, we are going to utilize our make up release tool which allows us to make releases at lower lev els and bank the volume not released "

“As conditions in the estuaries recover and our sched ule goes into dry season mode, releases will be continued using the available volume of banked water Our intent is to release this volume at beneficial levels in the dry sea son We are committed to transparency throughout the

implementation of make up releases,” the U S Army Corps of Engineers stated in an announcement

Lake Okeechobee was reported to be at an elevation of 16 3 feet on Friday, about 94 feet higher than 30 days ago, and 0 3 feet higher than it was on this day last year

Red tide returns to Lee County Tax bills will include extensions for discounts

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

The Florida Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has doc umented the resurgence of red tide in waters off Fort Myers Beach and Lee County fol lowing tests this month

The Florida Department of Health in Lee County has issued a health alert for the pres ence of three red tide blooms in Lee County Alert levels, also considered to be “medium levels” of red tide, were found at Lynn Hall Memorial Park on Fort Myers Beach, New Pass at Lovers Key State Park on Fort Myers Beach on Nov 16 A cautionary level of red tide was found at Bonita Beach Park.

Red tide was observed in 13 different samples throughout Lee County over the past week The highest concentrations were off of eastern Sanibel and northern Captiva

The Florida Department of Health in Lee County is alerting the public to exercise cau tion in and around Lee County coastal waters at this time and to stay away from the water Town of Fort Myers Beach officials are also urging residents not to go into the water due to pollution from Hurricane Ian and dangerous objects in the waters. Since Hurricane Ian, environmental observers have been expecting a resurgence of red tide

Reports of fish kills suspected to be relat ed to red tide were received over the past week in Southwest Florida from Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee, and Collier coun ties over the past week

The Florida Department of Health in Lee County is cautioning residents and visitors to take the following precautions:

∫ Do not swim in waters with dead fish

∫ Those with chronic respiratory prob lems should be especially cautious and stay away from this location as red tide can affect your breathing

∫ Do not harvest or eat molluscan shell fish or distressed or dead fish from this loca tion If caught live and healthy, finfish are safe to eat as long as they are filleted, and the guts are discarded Rinse fillets with tap or bottled water

∫ Wash your skin and clothing with soap

and fresh water if you have had recent con tact with red tide

∫ Keep pets and livestock away and out of the water

∫ Residents living in beach areas are advised to close windows and run the air conditioner, making sure that the A/C filter is maintained according to manufacturer's specifications

∫ If outdoors near an affected location, residents may choose to wear masks, espe cially if onshore winds are blowing

Is red tide harmful?

Red tide, known scientifically as K bre vis, produces potent neurotoxins (brevetox ins) that can be harmful to the health of both wildlife and people Wind and wave action can break open K. brevis cells and release toxins into the air

People in coastal areas can experience varying degrees of eye, nose and throat irri tation during a red tide bloom Some indi viduals with chronic respiratory conditions like asthma or chronic lung disease might experience more severe symptoms Red tide toxins can also affect the central nervous system of fish and other marine life, which can lead to fish kills and increased wildlife strandings or mortalities Eating contaminat ed seafood can cause neurotoxic shellfish poisoning in humans Symptoms include nausea and vomiting; tingling of the mouth, lips and tongue; and slurred speech and dizziness

To report fish kills, contact the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute at 1 800 636 0511 or at https://myfwc com/research/saltwa ter/health/fish kills hotline/

"Fish kills and respiratory irritation are almost certain at these high levels," said Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation Marine Lab Director Dr Eric Milbrandt “We also found areas on the higher end of medium near South Seas Resort,” Milbrandt said

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

Starting next week, tax bills will be mailed out by the Lee County Tax Collector’s Office for the 2022 period There will be payment extensions available for property owners whose homes were destroyed or rendered uninhabitable, as well as an extension on discounts for all property owners

The Lee County Tax Collector’s Office announced extensions for all property tax payers for the 4% discount for those who pay their 2022 tax bills before Dec 31 and a 2% discount for those who pay in February and 1% in March before the March 31 deadline

For those whose homes were rendered uninhabitable or destroyed, the deadline for tax payments will be extended to May 31 In addition to the 4% discounts through Dec 31, those property owners will also be eligible for a 3% discount for taxes paid in January, 2% for taxes paid in February and 1% for March, according to Lee County Tax Collector Noelle Branning

To qualify for the additional extensions, property owners whose homes or business es were uninhabitable or destroyed must notify the Lee County Property Appraiser’s Office of the damage The office can be contacted through their website at Leepa.org. Property owners can provide detailed explanations of the damage and length of time their property has been unin habitable or if it has been totaled

“We want everybody to contact us at our website and upload photos We want to have it processed as soon as possible,” Lee County Property Appraiser Matthew Caldwell said

“The communication is critical to the process,” Branning said “We really need property owners to be communicating with the property appraiser’s office so they know what the overall community impact looks like ”

The property appraiser will also be reassessing properties in January and will be using information provided from proper

ty owners of damage from Hurricane Ian. Caldwell said property owners who suf fered damage during Hurricane Ian should notify the department of hurricane damage regardless of whether the property was left uninhabitable in order to update assess ments

The relief is part of declarations made by Governor Ron DeSantis through an executive order last month regarding prop erty tax relief for those in counties most impacted by Hurricane Ian

DeSantis has stated a special session will be called next month for additional property tax relief That special session could include further tax relief Property owners whose home or business was unin habitable for 30 days or more due to Hurricane Ian, could receive a property tax refund of up to an amount equal to three months, Caldwell said

Caldwell said his office will be follow ing up with property owners who are seek ing the discounts and extensions for homes reported to be uninhabitable or destroyed. Aerial photographs taken by his office will aid in the process through Caldwell acknowledged that his office won’t be able to tell in all cases from the photographs if there was water or flooding damage inside without property owners alerting his department

The state currently has a statute on the books that will go into effect next year to provide tax relief for those whose proper ties were destroyed or rendered uninhabit able by a catastrophic event. Branning and Caldwell said the state legislature could make that retroactive to this year to provide tax relief, as DeSantis has requested

Branning said tax bills will be mailed out on Nov 23 and property owners should expect to receive them after Thanksgiving The bills will also have mailers explaining details and instructions regarding the pay ment extensions and discounts

The Lee County Property Appraiser’s Office can also be reached at 239 533 6100.

FILE PHOTO

For those still following along, on Monday the council voted to accept a con t r a c t f o r t h e t w o n e w m a n a g e r s a t $20,000 a month with the firm of H2 Solutions headed by new Town of Fort Myers Beach Manager Chris Holley, who will be replaced on the ground and sand of Fort Myers Beach in January by his coun terpart Keith Wilkins The two will be working in concert together per the terms of their contract, of which $5,000 a month is intended to be used towards housing The duo, who have previously s e r v e d a s m a n a g e r s o f t h e C i t y o f Pensacola, will be hired for a period of up to six months during which the town will continue to pay the contract of former Manager Roger Hernstadt up until April 20, 2023 per the terms of his contract and resignation letter

The moves arrive nearly two months since Hurricane Ian wiped out a portion of the island, killed at least 14 people, took down scores of homes, erased businesses and has left years of work to rebuild a town that has faced down three major hur ricanes in as many decades.

Tasked with the rebuild is Holley, who was formerly the executive director of the Florida Association of Counties, and who was brought to the town through connec tions with state legislators and the gover nor’s office as well as his experience t h r o u g h H u r r i c a n e M i c h a e l i n t h e Panhandle

Fort Myers Beach Vice Mayor Jim Atterholt said Monday he believes those connections will be crucial to the town receiving the assistance it needs from the state government

“They (H2 Solutions) have an excel lent legislative background,” Atterholt said “We’re going to have a legislative package to the Florida legislature that is going to ask for significant help and it’s critical that we have people who under stand the importance of that process and also have the relationships in place, which they do, to make that possible On the FEMA side, they have a lot of expertise working with FEMA and the various con tractors that work with FEMA because if we don’t do exactly what FEMA wants, we are not going to get reimbursed ” Hernstadt, who had also extensive e x p e r i e n c e h a n d l i n g h u r r i c a n e s , w a s granted his resignation by the council on Monday a week after tendering his resig nation Hernstadt, whose home burned down one day after Hurricane Ian, had b e e n t o w n m a n a g e r s i n c e 2 0 1 7 a n d through Hurricane Irma He also worked in Miami Dade County during Hurricane Andrew when he said he recouped more than $50 million for the county that FEMA had attempted to claw back Holley said he was contacted by Rep Adam Botana (R Bonita Springs) about

Permit fees

the manager’s position Botana represents Florida’s 80th district, which includes Fort Myers Beach, in the state legislature Holley said he believes he was recom mended to Botana through the office of Gov Ron DeSantis “I think he got my name from the governor’s office,” Holley said

Holley said his experience dealing with disasters range from Hurricane Michael to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill His gov ernment experience includes stints as Okaloosa County Manager, deputy man ager in Collier County, community servic es director in the City of Naples and eco nomic director for Gulf County

H o l l e y , w h o i s 7 0 y e a r s o l d , a n d Wilkins (age 65) worked together in Pensacola, where each served as City of Pensacola administrator Their firm is cur rently working on a managerial search for J e f f e r s o n C o u n t y W i l k i n s h a s a l s o worked in environmental consulting for engineering, environmental services and water resources

Holley said his job would include fill ing positions and deciding who the town may not want to keep “Who do you want on the bus and who needs to get off the bus?”

“Both of these people are incredibly seasoned,” Atterholt said “They have plenty of clients They could be else where They could be doing other things ”

A t t e r h o l t s a i d h e w a s “ e x t r e m e l y impressed with the tone and their willing ness to serve and their whole attitude in which they are approaching this situation I think they will be great partners for this community ”

Holley will work in Fort Myers Beach

From page 1

“It’s not a revenue stream for the town,” Veach said Veach said the fees paid for town staff and the town’s permit process was more detailed than the fire department’s permitting process.

Veach asked Monday as to which per mit fees would be waived, and if that would extend to variance requests or those putting in a new pool Veach said variances should not be included

Councilmember Karen Woodson said the waiver should be restricted to proper ty owners affected by Hurricane Ian “I would rather see it that it is strictly for the

cleanup and rebuild of the destruction after Ian and not something that was already in the motion, in the planning ” Woodson said it can take months for some permits to be approved.

U n d e r t h e r e s o l u t i o n p r o p o s e d b y A l l e r s , o n l y p e r m i t s r e q u e s t e d a f t e r September 28 could be granted a fee waiver

N e w T o w n o f F o r t M y e r s B e a c h Manager Chris Holley said there could be a rush of permit requests before the dead line and pressure on staff to approve the permits quicker Holley said the town

through the end of the year until Wilkins takes over on the ground in Fort Myers Beach “We will be working collabora tively,” Holley said Holley will be going back to the Panhandle in Port St Joe after the new year

The plan is for the two to help conduct a search for a new manager

Holley, who has degrees from Florida State University and the University of South Florida, said one of his priorities as the interim manager would be to recruit a new manager for the town from around the state by networking with other man agers On Monday, the council approved p a y i n g H o l l e y ’ s m i l e a g e t o a t t e n d a Florida League of Cities legislative con ference

“Whoever comes in, it’s a challenging job You have to find somebody who is up for the challenge There is no (town) hall,” Holley said

I n a d d i t i o n t o f i n d i n g a m a n a g e r , Holley said the town needs to fill the vacant position of finance director and said the town’s head of payroll has given notice that they intend to leave Holley thinks the town could probably use an insurance risk manager

Holley said he will also be focused on helping with the cleanup of debris and “to make sure the permitting process and redevelopment process is as smooth as you can ”

T h e p r o s p e c t i v e m a n a g e r s a i d h e would also work with the state legislature to communicate the needs of the town so that it gets the resources it needs and the r e i m b u r s e m e n t s d u e f o r t h e c l e a n u p effort Holley said that could require him to go to Tallahassee to the state capitol to

remind people “you are still in the ditch ”

“Our governor, our state legislature knows the devastation that has taken place,” Holley said

Holley calls Port St Joe, a city near P a n a m a C i t y a n d P e n s a c o l a i n G u l f County, home Holley said Gulf County was hit “as bad as Fort Myers Beach” by Hurricane Michael though he said it is “less populous” and didn’t sustain “the level of damage dollar wise ” Every struc ture that was built in the 1970’s or before that was on the ground was washed away by that Category 5 hurricane, he said

“It’s a very difficult process, it’s a very emotional process The loss of the charm, of the history, of the structures is very dif ficult,” Holley said “Unfortunately you can not go back ” Holley said the recovery is an “endurance effort It gets better every day ”

Councilmember Bill Veach said he was concerned about the process in which Holley and Wilkins were presented to the council as managerial options by Allers Veach said Thursday he remains con cerned that the managerial search is “not a transparent process ” Veach said that under the town’s charter and policies and procedures, the mayor doesn’t have any e x t r a a u t h o r i t y t h a n a n y o t h e r c o u n cilmember

A day before Hernstadt’s resignation and the decision by the town council to suspend him with pay pending a replace ment, Allers met with 14 state legislators at Bayfront Bistro on Fort Myers Beach Allers said he had received assurances from state, county and federal officials that somebody could step in to replace Hernstadt quickly

should consider extending the permits after 90 days “so staff isn’t under pres sure” to approve the permits

Allers said he didn’t want a rush of permit requests. Allers suggested that per haps permits applied for before the 90 day deadline that needed more work after the 90 day deadline “if they didn’t have all their ducks in a row” wouldn’t be granted the waiver

Holley said “it would be more of a problem to put pressure on (the building department) to issue every permit they are going to get versus processing them

the normal way ”

Without having a chance to speak with the building department yet, he said he was more worried about having property owners mad at their staff because they couldn’t process them in time “We’re going to have a bunch of mad residents,” he said

Holley said he supported a waiver of fees for permits applied for before the 90 day deadline

PHOTO PROVIDED

New Town of Fort Myers Beach Manager Chris Holley (left) with Fort Myers Beach Vice Mayor Jim Atterholt

d ve r t i s i n g D i re c t o r L a u r i e R a g l e l rag l e @ b re e z e n ew s p a p e rs c o m

Tell Corps not to fuel red tide with releases

S o u t h w e s t Florida was recently devas tated by the recent impacts of Hurricane Ian Rainfall and runoff has inundated the Gulf of Mexico with huge amounts of nutrients This is coinciding with a red tide bloom and the S a n i b e l C

Guest Commentary

O b i t u a r i e s D e b b i e C a r l e t t i o b i t s @ b re e z e n ew s p a p e rs c o m P ro d u c t i o n m a n a g e r R o b B r a i t l i n g r b ra i t l i n g @ b re e z e n ew s p a p e rs c o m

S u b s c r i p t i o n s 1 y e a r, $ 6 2

C i rc u l a t i o n ( 2 3 9 ) 5 7 4 1 9 3 6 C l a s s i fi e d / D i s p l a y A d ve r t i s i n g ( 2 3 9 ) 5 7 4 1 1 1 0

t i o n Foundation has been watching the counts of Karenia brevis rise in the Gulf Two weeks ago we saw the first fish kills on Sanibel and Captiva Captains For Clean Water and the SCCF are partnering to monitor and better understand this latest bloom This has included joint sampling efforts and a letter to the U S Army Corps of Engineers expressing our concern about pro

posed water releases from Lake Okeechobee.

The deluge from Ian and Nicole dumped massive amounts of water onto Florida, which has resulted in Lake Okeechobee rising to over 16 feet While this is a large increase from its pre storm levels, the lake is not so high that the Corps should risk exacer bating the red tide bloom that we are currently experiencing Research pub lished this summer by the SCCF and our partners at the University of Florida demonstrates that human made nutrients released into the Caloosahatchee can further fuel red tide Lake Okeechobee is full of legacy nutrients and releasing this water into the Caloosahatchee estuary now is too large of a risk

Please take this opportunity to tell the Corps and Jacksonville District Commander Col James Booth that the Caloosahatchee estuary and surrounding areas of the Gulf need time to heal following Hurricane Ian and we need to do everything we can to minimize the impacts of this red tide bloom

To send an email, visit https://p2a co/wVMwhRp

Letters to the Editor

The following letter was addressed to the Lee County School District School Board:

Save Beach Elementar y

To the editor:

Dear Lee County School Board member

I am a resident of Fort Myers Beach and an avid supporter of the Beach School The Beach School is an integral part of our small island community Us islanders are hearing that you are debating the merits of reopening the Beach School I offer the following for your consider ation: FMB is….

A small island community

Web Poll

Current Web Poll Question

Do you approve of how the Town of Fort Myers Beach Council handled Manager Roger Hernstadt's resignation?

∫ Yes, the council was right to accept his resigna tion and then suspend him with pay before accepting his resignation again this week

∫ No, the council should not have suspended him with pay and should have allowed Hernstadt to resign in April and to be available for consultation as he initially requested

∫ No, the council should have allowed Hernstadt to resign immediately as he subsequently requested but kept him on for consul tation and not suspend him with pay ∫ Unsure/no opinion

An economic engine for the county

A quirky cultural gem known far and wide FMB provides an outsized amount of tax revenue to Lee County

Part of the charm of FMB is the quirky small beach community nature of the island Enabling young island families and island workers to send their children to the Beach School known for being part of a loving supportive close com munity is integral to keeping the beach special

Over the years many island workers have shared that they choose to work on the island in order to send their children to the Beach School The town warmly embraces the Beach School That island wide commitment is abundantly demonstrated by the person hours and financial support the many beach based businesses and 501c3 organizations provide to the beach

school and its families

Current enrollment numbers belie future projections The opening of the FMB Margaritaville resort, which will employ more than 300, will likely lead to significant increase in student enrollment at the Beach School FMB has a strong sense of community. We are a tourist destination and a small town Us islanders need the island school to maintain our strong community And Lee County needs us

Ellen Vaughan Fort Myers Beach

The following letter was sent to the Lee County School District Board of Education:

Loss of school would hur t community

To the editor:

Our historic beach school is a vital part of the fabric of our society. It is especially impor tant for the well being of our children, and to give them a sense of place and community I understand that the devastation brought by Ian was not limited to Fort Myers Beach, but the devastation on the beach is near total Nearly every school child on the beach has lost their homes, some are living in campers, others have moved away from their friends and community Losing their school and the teachers that they love would add more trauma to their already

We want your opinion

Thank you for taking action to protect our wildlife, waters and local economy!

devastated lives

The Town of Fort Myers Beach has a his tory of supporting the school and the chil dren We have been running an after school program for the kids and the adjacent Bay Oaks recreation center with the vast majority of the program costs coming from the tax payers of the Town The town is planning a children’s section to the new Bay Oaks recre ational center building being planned We are also taking proactive measures to create workforce housing that could be used for families, and the Margaritaville resort will bring workers to the Town and their children would be eligible to attend the school

I ask you, what can our community do to keep our school We have scores of volun teers that are ready and willing to glove up and help clean out the school. We have the Beach Kids foundation that has raised ample money for scholarships and can be engaged to fundraise for the school We have a com munity that would be diminished if we lose our school I realize the formidable task you have ahead of you after Ian Tell us how we can help get our school back and restore that bit of normalcy to our traumatized children, their families , and our community Put us to work We are ready

Veach Town of Fort Myers Beach

Matt DePaolis is the environmental policy director for the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation Founded in 1967, the SCCF's mis sion is to protect and care for Southwest Florida’s coastal ecosystems For more infor mation, visit www sccf org

Advertising Sales

Bill

Matt DePaolis

RALPH ARWOOD/CALUSA WATERKEEPER

Shrimpers, maritime industry find support following hurricane

Weeks have passed since Hurricane Ian made landfall, yet the images of destruc tion are still so vivid barren slabs of concrete or splintered pilings where busi nesses and homes once stood, piles of household items stacked on the curb, crumpled cars tossed on their roofs by powerful storm surge

The images that stand out to me are faces of our Southwest Florida residents who lost their homes, belongings and livelihoods The storm affected everyone, from millionaires living in beachfront mansions to working class people and retirees O n e g r o u p e s p e c i a l l y i m p a c t e d b y I a n a r e s h r i m p e r s a n d c o m m e r c i a l f i s h e r m e n T h e i r v e s s e l s w e r e t o s s e d , t u r n e d a n d c a t a p u l t e d o n t o l a n d A n d t h a t ’ s w h e r e t h e y w i l l r e m a i n u n t i l s p e c i a l i z e d c r a n e s c a n s a f e l y h o i s t t h e m b a c k i n t o t h e w a t e r , w h e r e t h e y b e l o n g a s s u m i n g t h e y c a n s t i l l f l o a t

Guest Commentary

Leaders of local nonprofits have been surveying our community and supporting those who need help. On a recent visit to Fort Myers Beach, I had an opportunity to speak with some shrimpers and commercial fishermen who rode out Ian on their boats They showed me pic tures and videos shot as the eye wall passed, waves crash ing with unimaginable force and 16 feet of storm surge rising so high that nearby roofs were barely visible

When asked what they need, though, the men weren’t focused on personal items

“We’re hoping to get back in the water so we can go fishing,” Richard Browne said “We desperately need to get back on the water ”

In the meantime, shrimpers and fisher men cannot earn a living They take great pride in catching wild caught fish and “Gulf pink” shrimp, which then makes their way to local restaurants and super markets They worry that further delays c o u l d l e a d r e s t a u r a n t s t o s e r v e m o r e imported and farm raised products damag i n g t h e l o c a l e c o n o m y . T h e y w a n t Southwest Floridians to have fresh, local caught seafood on their dinner plates

Although these shrimpers and fisher men spend much of their time at sea, they a r e s t i l l a p a r t o f o u r c o m m u n i t y Community Cooperative identified this group as one needing extra support, recent ly partnering with The Joel Foundation to offer long term recovery assistance and set up pop up distribution centers like one near Matanzas Harbor There, shrimpers, fishermen and Fort Myers Beach resi dents could receive hot meals, water and essential items like hygiene and cleaning supplies, canned goods and shelf stable foods, pet food, baby products, tarps and direct assistance to help with bills

Led by Billy and Alexis Joel, the foundation donated $250,000 to Community Cooperative’s Lee County Strong Hurricane Relief Fund The donation is support ing relief and rebuilding efforts in Southwest Florida for those impacted by the storm, for children and school pro

grams, and the local maritime community.

“When we were looking for an organization to donate to, we really wanted to speak with someone directly who had boots on the ground,” Alexis Joel said “They were really doing everything, from helping people rip out their drywall to doing Meals on Wheels ”

Joel visited Southwest Florida a week after Ian made landfall to survey the damage

“It’s a beautiful area, but it’s also the epicenter of the shrimping industry, a lot of commercial fishing,” Joel said “They’re going to need help for a long period of time ”

The dedication of shrimpers and fishermen effective ly saved their vessels from being severely damaged, effectively saving Southwest Florida’s shrimping and fishing industry, which along with tourism and agricul ture are the region’s economic pillars

I a n d e p o s i t e d m a n y c o m m e r c i a l f i s h i n g v e s s e l s onshore, some just feet from the water Now, these hard working captains, crew and ship owners must wait Joel offers a sense of hope and optimism

“ T h e r e a r e p e o p l e r o o t i n g f o r y o u , ” J o e l s a i d “Hopefully we can bring a little bit of awareness and peo ple can try to donate whatever they can time, food, money and help them get back on their feet ”

To support Community Cooperative’s Lee County S t r o n g E m e r g e n c y R e l i e f F u n d , p l e a s e v i s i t CommunityCooperative com/LeeCountyStrong or call 239 332 7687

Stefanie Ink Edwards is the chief executive officer of Community Cooperative It is a nonprofit that provides innovative food, education and social service programs For more information, visit CommunityCooperative com

Working better together for families after Ian

The volume of what we’ve all accomplished together in the last month since Hurricane Ian strikes me with awe. In just three weeks, Better Together staff, volunteers and supporters knocked on 10,000 doors, delivered sup plies to 6,500 families, covered more than 440 roofs and served more than 5,500 warm meals But more than the numbers, it’s the individual stories that warm my heart

After losing theirs to the storm, Kat and Nellie got shoes Rosa got her front door Little Anderson got to the dentist Mary now has her insulin and a fridge full of gro ceries Patricia’s roof is covered Better Together’s mission is to strengthen families and prevent the need for foster care We help families work through crisis every day Homelessness, addiction, a medical emergency. Without a support system, a crisis can break a family apart Hurricane Ian put thousands of families in crisis; some were on the edge of crisis even before the storm hit Our outreach has allowed us to con nect with families in need of that support system

When parents needed time to get back on their feet, host families stepped up to provide temporary housing for their children Knowing that their kids had the care they needed, parents and guardians could focus on fixing their homes and securing their financial situations to maintain a safe environment for their children

Volunteers and supporters joined us from near and far The Church of Hope in Ocala, a new Better Together partner, drove $20,000 worth of supplies to Southwest Florida More than 300 volunteers and four food trucks showed up in one day to help the Suncoast Estates com munity Volunteers continue to help us take supplies to

families in key areas of need, particularly to those in underserved communities A group from North Carolina also brought supplies Barbecue Masters for Disasters set up shop in the parking lot of Suncoast First Baptist Church mid month and con tinued serving free breakfast and dinner into November

Livelihoods across Southwest Florida were impacted by Hurricane Ian, and find ing new jobs can be especially challenging for people facing barriers to employment, like lack of transportation or child care Our Hurricane Relief Job Fair helped about 100 Southwest Florida job seekers c o n n e c t t o d o z e n s o f e m p l o y e r s a n d resources

Guest

Florida Department of Children and Families Secretary Shevaun Harris walked with us on several occasions to knock on doors and find out what families really need In mid October, 25 churches and the state joined us to talk about how we can help each other

Commentary

It has been humbling that people noticed our work F l o r i d a F i r s t L a d y C a s e y D e S a n t i s n a m e d B e t t e r

Together one of the first five organizations to receive funding from the Florida Disaster Fund, awarding each nonprofit $400,000 to help in recovery Norman Love Confections chose Better Together as the beneficiary of its special chocolate collection, its #SWFLStrong Florida B o x , w i t h 5 0 % o f e v e r y p u r c h a s e t h r o u g h e a r l y

Letters

From page 4

Clean water is the best way to ensure personal & environmental health

To the editor:

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

C o l l i e r a n d L e e W e h a v e a p r o b l e m P l e a s e c o n s i d e r c o n t i n u i n g f o r a n e x t r a m o n t h n o t s p r a y i n g l a w n f e r t i l i z e r T h e r e d t i d e b l o o m s a r e e n c o u r a g e d b y t h i s r u n o f f f e r t i l i z e r T h e A r m y C o r p o f E n g i n e e r s w i l l s t i l l d u m p r u n o f f o n u s O u r w a t e r w a y s a r e n o w p o l l u t e d w i t h I a n d a m a g e . D o u b l i n g u p w i t h r e d t i d e p o l l u t i o n i s d a n g e r o u s T h e s t a t e h a s n o t c l e a r e d t h e t o x i n s a n d r u i n e d b o a t s o u t o f t h e w a t e r y e t M e a n w h i l e L a k e O t o x i c d i s c h a r g e s w i l l c o n t i n u e d o w n t h e C a l o o s a h a t c h e e a n d w e c a n e x p e c t t h e r e a c t i o n t o t h e

November supporting our mission

Such generosity will help our impact go further and be more meaningful. It will help families like that of Nymisis, who lost everything in the storm and is living in a tent with her three children while con tinuing to work and find a permanent home

To our volunteers, our church partners, community partners and supporters, we have so much gratitude When families feel overwhelmed and without hope, you show up You say yes

And we’re just getting started

Hurricane recovery needs are shifting from simple deliveries of food and water to the hard work of helping families get back on their feet We must love our neighbors, not just in the crushing days after a storm, but in the weeks and months ahead as families need support to recover Together, we can do this

Join us as we work to create solutions for families and children who need our support now more than ever

Megan Rose is CEO of Better Together, a non profit organization that helps parents and families. To help families in your community, get help or donate to the relief fund, visit bettertogetherus org or call 239 470 2733

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

R e s p i r a t o r y i n f e c t i o n s a m o n g c h i l d r e n a r e f i l l i n g t h e n o r t h e r n s t a t e s ' h o s p i t a l s w i t h n o n f a t a l v i r a l i n f e c t i o n s , a n d 7 5 % o f t h o s e c h i l d r e n t h a t r e q u i r e h o s p i t a l i z a t i o n a r e u n v a c c i n a t e d f o r f l u , a n d C O V I D . W e k n o w t h a t t h e r e c a n b e m o r e t h a n o n e i l l n e s s i n f e c t i n g t h e l u n g s a t t h e s a m e t i m e R e d t i d e , C O V I D a n d t h e f l u i s w o r s e t h a n a s i n g l e f a c t o r a l o n e W e d o n o t k n o w w h a t e f f e c t t h e r e d t i d e d i s c h a r g e p l u m e s w i l l h a v e y e t C l e a n w a t e r i s t h e b e s t w a y t o

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

U r g e y o u r l o c a l s t a t e a n d c o u n t y r e p r e s e n t a t i v e t o s t o p t a k i n g m o n e y f r o m t h e s u g a r i n d u s t r y t o p r o t e c t F l o r i d a ’ s f u t u r e f r o m a g r i c u l t u r a l w a s t e B u t t h e r e e x i s t s n o w a n e f f e c t i v e f l u a n d C O V I D v a c c i n e a v a i l a b l e t o u s . P l e a s e c o n s i d e r v a c c i n a t i n g y o u r c h i l d r e n b e f o r e t h e h o l i d a y s C h e c k w i t h t h e i r d o c t o r P l e a s e l i s t e n t o y o u r c h i l d r e n ' s p e d i a t r i c i a n

Ellen Starbird Cape Coral

5 ■ W e e k o f W e d n e s d a y , N o v e m b e r 2 3 , 2 0 2 2 f o r t m y e r s b e a c h t a l k . c o m F o r t M y e r s B e a c h O b s e r v e r

Stefanie Ink Edwards

Megan Rose

Debris removal

NATHAN MAYBERG

This debris is currently stacked up between the Bay Oaks Recreational Campus and Fort Myers Beach Elementary School

Fort Myers Beach Art Association shines again

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

The Fort Myers Beach Art Association lost their home of more than 50 years off Donora Boulevard and Shell Mound Boulevard to Hurricane Ian but they have found a temporary home at the Alliance for the Arts in Fort Myers.

The Alliance for the Arts, off McGregor Boulevard, has been showcasing the artwork of the Fort Myers Beach Art Association as part of a show that runs through Monday, Nov 28

The show features mostly art completed before Hurricane Ian and features a large amount of plein art taken of familiar places on Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel and Matlacha

Many Fort Myers Beach Art Association mem bers lost works of art in their homes and inside the gallery

Association members have been working inside studio place provided by the Alliance for the Arts

The association is raising funds for a new space to call home Proceeds from the sale of art at the show will go to that endeavor

On Dec 3, the Fort Myers Beach Art Association will have mini masters for sale outside the Alliance for the Arts and other larger artworks The Alliance for the Arts will also be hosting an arts and crafts show under tents There will be about 20 local artists and craftsmen, Alliance for the Arts Gallery Manager Emily Radomski.

Radomski said the Alliance for the Arts "kind of adopted" the Fort Myers Beach Art Association "We're trying to help how we can because were lucky," Radomski said

NATHAN MAYBERG

Fort Myers Beach Art Association member Julie Nusbaum working on watercolors on yupo paper at the Art Alliance studio in Fort Myers.

"Matlacha" acrylic painting by Dana Enders.

"Matlacha Community Boat Ramp" pastels by Tamara Culp

"Matlacha Bold" pastels by Tamara Culp

"Bonita Bills" oil painting by John Rizza

"Castaway Cottage" acrylic art by Laura Black

"Remembering Times Square" watercolor by Lois Ostrov

"Shimmering Sunset" by Mina Bobel.

"The Sanibel Stoop" acrylic art by Dana Enders.

"Twilight" acrylic art by Mina Bobel.

"Wading Egret" oil on linen, by Julia Tamblyn.

"Moon" water media by Julia Tamblyn

"Paddling Around" watercolor by Helen Kinkin

"Sanibel Sandcastle" oil on canvas by Christine Woodring

"Gifts from Fort Myers Beach" shell collage by Beverly Silvia

"Wading Rosies" watercolor by Carol Baskin.

"The Shoe Gallery" oil on panel painting by Carol Goodling

STAFF REPORT

There will be 500 p e o p l e i m p a c t e d by Hurricane Ian w i t h f r e e s e a t s w h e n Lynyrd Skynyrd head lines a benefit show at Hertz Arena in Estero Dec 1

The Hallberg Family, of Naples, purchased the t i c k e t s a f t e r c o n c e r t organizers Boots in the S a n d I n c w o r k e d w i t h l o c a l n o n p r o f i t g r o u p s , c h u r c h e s , l o c a l l a w enforcement agencies and first responders to identify ticket recipients. J o i n i n g L y n y r d S k y n y r d w i l l b e m u s i c i a n s Gavin DeGraw, Ted Nugent, Ira D e a n , B r i a n K e l l e y , T r a c y Lawrence, RaeLynn and John Rich Naples comedian Jim Breuer will host the festivities

The event is produced by Live Nation and Ira Dean for Boots on the Sand, Inc Proceeds from the concert will be directed to the Florida Disaster Fund through Volunteer

Tickets on sale for the Southwest Florida Symphony’s Holiday Pops

The Southwest Florida Symphony, the only profession al orchestra in Lee County and fourth oldest orchestra in the state, is excited to announce tickets are available for its annual Holiday Pops The concerts, called The “SWFLSO Christmas Show!” will feature regularly featured locally beloved guest artist, returning from Philadelphia, Andrew Lipke

Under Andrew Lipke’s direction, the orchestra will explore what makes beloved holiday hits so timeless through new twists on old classics The performance will feature a mash up of the Nutcracker themes blended with traditional favorites and new lyrics

The audience will also have an opportunity to sing along as the Southwest Florida Symphony performs the “12 Days of FLORIDA Christmas ”

Concerts will be held:

∫ Dec. 11 at 4 p.m.: The Gulf Theater, 900 W Marion Ave , Punta Gorda

Music Festival Orchestra, in addition to touring the coun try with the critically acclaimed Led Zeppelin tribute band Get The Led Out He has produced dozens of records for local and regional artists and released five solo albums

To purchase tickets or learn more, visit swflso.org/tick ets/

About

Southwest Florida

Symphony

∫

Dec 12 at 7 p m : The Village Church at Shell Point, 15100 Shell Point Blvd , Fort Myers

∫ Dec 13 at 7 p m : First Presbyterian Church, 9751 Bonita Beach Rd SE, Bonita Springs

The Southwest Florida Symphony is excited to be joined by Andrew Lipke, a Philadelphia based instrumen talist and composer, for these performances Lipke, who was born in South Africa and attended The University of

The Arts, is a critically acclaimed and sought after arranger, producer, composer, performer and educator He has performed as a vocalist with several prominent American orchestras, including the Indianapolis Symphony, North Carolina Symphony and Colorado

The Southwest Florida Symphony made its debut as a community orchestra on April 15, 1961, playing in schools and community centers, with a roster of only 24 volunteer musicians Today, the symphony boasts a roster of 70 world class musicians, and is Lee County’s only fully professional orchestra The Southwest Florida Symphony’s 62nd year continues the orchestra’s tradition of artistic excellence as newly appointed Music Director Maestro Radu Paponiu leads his inaugural season of spec tacular performances Maestro Paponiu, the sixth music director in the organization’s history, also serves as the associate conductor and youth orchestra director for the Naples Philharmonic in addition to guest conducting with orchestras throughout the United States and Europe

For more information about the Southwest Florida Symphony, upcoming season performances and subscrip tion and ticketing information, visit swflso org or call 239 418 1500

Magic of Santa’s Wonderland continues through Dec. 24 at Bass Pro Shops in Fort Myers

Bass Pro Shops is proud to invite families to the beloved tradition of visiting Santa Claus this holiday sea son during the annual Santa’s Wonderland experience The festivities run through Saturday, Dec 24

Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s will help millions of happy families experience Santa across North America this holiday season. Photo sessions began Nov. 6. Reservations are recommended and can be made at www basspro com/santa

Throughout the holiday season, visitors will have the opportunity to:

• Visit Santa and get a FREE printed 4×6 photo

• Reserve a spot to see Santa up to a week in advance through digital reservation system

• Enjoy holiday themed games and receive festive giveaways

• Send their holiday wish list to the North Pole via mailbox

Bass Pro Shops is at 10040 Gulf Center Dr., Fort Myers

PHOTO PROVIDED Andrew Lipke, guest artist.

PHOTOS PROVIDED

‘Joy to the World!’ Lee County Band Christmas Celebration to be held Dec. 11

The legendary Lee County Community Band will pres ent its annual Christmas concert on Dec 11 This fun filled, free program begins at 3 p m at Cape Coral High School.

The band will perform a variety of sacred and secular music, including traditional carols and beloved holiday songs that will rekindle the wonder of Christmas from years past The program includes “Santa Baby,” with vocalist Jan Fenn; “White Christmas,” “Celtic Bell Carol,” “Hallelujah Chorus,” “Feliz Navidad,” and “‘Twas the Night Before ”

The 50 member adult band presents six concerts between November and April Programs reflect the band’s well earned reputation for lively, upbeat music and promise an entertaining mix of old favorites, energetic marches,

beloved patriotic tunes, Broadway and Silver Screen hits, solos with vocalists Norman Jones and Jan Fenn, and a sing along Additional concert dates are Jan 8, Feb 5, March 12, and April 23

Band members are musicians from all walks of life who reside in Lee, Collier, and Charlotte Counties The band wel comes new members every year Persons interested in join ing may phone Frances Pace at 239 691 3115

Lee County Community Band concerts are free of charge

(donations accepted), and open to the public All concerts will be at Cape Coral High School, 2300 Santa Barbara Blvd , Cape Coral, one block north of Veterans Parkway, beginning at 3 p m

An institution in Southwest Florida, the band enjoys a large, loyal, and enthusiastic audience at every concert Plan to arrive early for best choice of seating

For additional information, visit www leecountyband org

The Music Hub to present ‘A Very Rowdy Christmas’ holiday concert Dec. 17 at Fort Myers Brewing

Local musicians are coming toge er to support a local nonprofit’s h day toy drive by presenting “A V Rowdy Christmas” (A Totally N Rowdy Event) concert on Saturd Dec 17 from 6 to 9 p m at Fort My Brewing Company

Wreath Auction to be held at Edison and Ford Winter Estates Advance, online registration required

Edison and Ford Winter Estates is partnering with the Fort Myers Woman’s Community Club for its annual wreath auction, which will be held on Dec 2, from 6 9 p m Dozens of handmade, unique holiday wreaths will be auctioned, with the proceeds benefit ting restoration and preservation efforts at the Estates The event is sponsored by Riverview Wealth Partners of Raymond James; Francine A Payson, Senior Vice President, Wealth Management; and Tarek Z Salhab, Senior Vice President, Investments

The auction will take place in the river pavilion, along the Caloosahatchee River Guests will be able to stroll the decorated grounds during Holiday Nights, and appetizers and a cash bar will be available

“The auction is a way for anyone to help preserve the legacy of Thomas Edison,” said Mike Flanders, President and CEO at Edison and Ford Winter Estates “This year more than ever, we need the com munity’s support to help us restore the gardens back to their magnificent beauty ”

Tickets for the wreath auction are $20 (includes Holiday Nights admission) per person and may be purchased at EdisonFord org Advance, online regis tration is required by Nov 28 Space is limited

Edison and Ford Winter Estates is at 2350 McGregor Blvd , Fort Myers

A production by The Music H the free, family friendly Christm spectacular will feature multiple l music acts including Irish pub s and showband The Rowdy Bar along with special guests Shee Brook and Chris Bepko The sho will also spotlight lively performan es by students of the Naples Schoo of Irish Dance as well as a specia solo sung by concert emcee and 96 9 WINK FM on air personality Maggie Potts

The Christmas spirit will come alive with a big, old fashioned Christmas carol sing along and free photo opportunities with Santa and Mrs Claus Fort Myers Brewing will also be pouring an array of specialty holiday brews and several local food trucks will be serving up food onsite

A t t e n d e e s a r e e n c o u r a g e d come in their most festive attire a t o b r i n g d o n a t i o n s o f n e w , unwrapped toys to benefit the Lewis P T a b a r r i n i C h i l d r e n ’ s M u s i c Outreach Foundation’s annual toy d r i v e , b r i n g i n g h o l i d a y c h e e r t o children in need across the region Additionally, all contributions to the musicians’ tip jar that evening will go directly to the Foundation, which provides musical instrument group lessons through the School of Rock Fort Myers to local children who are unable to afford lessons In 2021 22, the organization provided over 300 hours of music education to d e s e r v i n g k i d s w h o o t h e r w i s e

wouldn’t have the resources to be exposed to music at all “Our Christmas concert will be packed with great entertainment and holiday spirit it’ll be just as much fun for the adults as it is for the kids,” said Slim Gillian, chief visionary of The Music Hub “Our nonprofit benefici ary for the show has a special place in our hearts, and we’re excited to shine the spotlight on their work As artists and musicians, we all had people in our lives to help foster our love of music, and the Foundation is doing the same for dozens of children who oth erwise wouldn’t have access ”

“A Very Rowdy Christmas” is pre sented by Dorcey Law Firm Additional event sponsors include Worthington Realty, FrontLine Cyber Solutions, MudBugs Cajun Kitchen, Builders Glass of Bonita, York Services, The Treasure Chest, Adam’s Glass Services & Repairs, Lacy McClary Studio & Gallery, Gibson Pro Service and Cadence Music

The holiday festivities will be held at Fort Myers Brewing Company, 12811 Commerce Lakes Drive, Suite 28, in Fort Myers For more informa tion and latest event updates, visit TheMusicHubUS com

PHOTO PROVIDED

Lee County Band

by Nov. 28

PHOTO PROVIDED Holiday wreaths will be available for auction at Edison and Ford Winter Estates

Event to support local toy drive fo children in need

The SWFL premiere of ‘SISTAS: the Musical’ to open

Theater of Florida

A f t e r Grandma’s death, the women in the family clean out h e r a t t i c a n d unpack love and m e m o r i e s T h e y sing hit tunes that trace the history of Black women, from the trials of t h e 1 9 3 0 s t h r o u g h t h e g i r l groups of the ’60s to the empowerment of the ’90s.

Nominated for the 2012 Tony for Best New Musical and just months off its Off Broadway run, this uplifting hit show highlights the musical journey of a multigener ational African American family Featuring songs such as “Oh Happy Day,” “Stormy Weather,” “Strange Fruit,” “Stop! In the Name of Love,” “R E S P E C T , ” “I Will Survive,” “Single Ladies,” “We are Family” and more, this musical will lift your spirits and leave you singing all the way home

This show replaces “Ain’t Misbehavin’: The Fats Waller Story” and is included in the Season 14 pass Those holding tickets to “Ain’t Misbehavin'” will have those automatically exchanged for identical tickets (in the same seats and on the same night of the week) for “SISTAS: the Musical ”

Artistic Director Annette Trossbach says, “Audiences are going to love this show The music is iconic, the actors are so talented, and the set is beautiful Songs like these often mark milestones in our own lives: we all remember what was playing in the background of special moments like our first dance, our first kiss, and special gatherings with friends and family The journey of this show isn’t just the music, but how that music has been the soundtrack to our own lives.”

Director Sonya McCarter says, “The Oxford English Dictionary defines sisterhood as ‘the feeling of kinship with and closeness to a group of women or all women ’ That feeling of kinship can’t be forced or coerced; it has to live and breathe organically and does not require familial ties “SISTAS: the Musical” explores the bond of sisterhood: the good, the bad, and the ugly It takes us

on a journey through time using music and song as a vehicle to reflect on lessons that should be passed on to the next generation It reminds us of what’s important: togetherness and love even when we don’t agree It cel ebrates what it means to be a woman in all her cultured, frustrated, enlightened, steady, vulnerable, and sophisti cated glory. My hope is that you leave reminded of the need to cultivate that very special relationship that exists within a sisterhood Gather your sisterhood and come cel ebrate the women who have impacted your life!”

Directed by Sonya McCarter, “SISTAS: the Musical” f e a t u r e s M y r t l e O c t o b e r ( S i m o n e ) , M a k a y l a D a v i s (Roberta), Simone Farrell (Gloria), Julissa Jean Bart ( T a m i k a ) , a n d C h e l s e a F l e e m a n ( H e a t h e r )

Choreography by Isabel Isenhower and music direction by W Earl Sparrow

Playwright Marcic says, “Ultimately, “SISTAS: the Musical” is a story of family, of the history that binds us, and of the love we share that transcends our differences. It is a joyous celebration of strong women ” “SISTAS: the Musical” is sponsored by Art Zupko

Rehearsal space sponsored by Winged Foot Title

Performance dates: ∫ Dec 16, 17, 28, 29, 30 at 8 p m ∫ Dec 18 at 2 p m

Jan 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14 at 8 p m ∫ Jan 8*, 15 at 2 p m

Special Events: ∫ H a l f p r i c e p r e v i e w nights: Dec. 14, 15 at 8 p.m. ∫ Staging Teen Success Through Theater: Dec 17 at 8 p m ∫

Post performance talk back: Jan 8

Tickets are $37 each or $15 for students with valid student IDs There are half priced pre views on Nov 2 and 3 at 8 p m and a new Thursday night special ticket price of $30 each for adults. For tickets, please call the box office at 239 218 0481 or online at www labora torytheaterflorida com

Notes on your visit

While masks are encour aged, they are not currently required

Photography and videogra p h y o f t h i s p r o d u c t i o n a r e strictly prohibited Thank you for your cooper ation and your support of The

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W a n t t o b e o n e o f t h e s h o w c a s e d a r t i s t s ? A r t i s t A p p l i c a t i o n s a r e a v a i l a b l e n o w , w i t h t h e e a r l y b i r d p r i c i n g o f $ 2 5 P r i c e s w i l l i n c r e a s e a f t e r N o v 2 8 , a n d a l l a p p l i c a t i o n s m u s t b e s u b m i t t e d b y 5 p m M o n d a y , D e c 1 2 . A l o t t e r y d r a w i n g w i l l b e h e l d o n M o n d a y , D e c 1 9 , 2 0 2 2 b o t h i n p e r s o n a n d o n l i n e

F r i n g e F o r t M y e r s i s a p a r t n e r s h i p b e t w e e n A l l i a n c e f o r t h e A r t s a n d t h e B r o a d w a y P a l m D i n n e r T h e a t r e a n d i s p r o u d l y s p o n s o r e d b y B r u c e & J a n e t B u n c h

F r i n g e F o r t M y e r s k i c k s o f f o n J u n e 1 , 2 0 2 3 w i t h t h e f u n a n d f r e n e t i c T e a s e r S h o w , w h e r e e a c h p e r f o r m a n c e g r o u p g e t s 2 m i n u t e s t o s e l l y o u o n t h e i r s h o w a n d h o w t h e y d o i t i s u p t o t h e m ! O v e r t h e n e x t 4 d a y s w e w i l l p l a y h o s t t o 3 0 p e r f o r m a n c e s o n 4 d i f f e r e n t s t a g e s a t t h e A l l i a n c e f o r t h e A r t s a n d B r o a d w a y P a l m D i n n e r T h e a t r e .

A f t e r t h e f i n a l c u r t a i n , F r i n g e F o r t M y e r s w i l l h o s t o u r f i r s t F r i n g e a w a r d s c e r e m o n y c e l e b r a t i n g t h e a r t i s t s t h a t m a k e F r i n g e a n i n c r e d i b l e e x p e r i e n c e T h e A l l i a n c e ' s y o u t h t h e a t r e w i l l a l s o o f f e r K i d s F r i n g e , w h i c h w i l l o p e r a t e a f a m i l y f r i e n d l y p e r f o r m a n c e w i t h i n F r i n g e F o r t M y e r s

The Laboratory Theater of Florida will present the southwest Florida premiere of Dorothy Marcic’s “SIS TAS: the Musical ” The show runs from Dec 16 through Jan 15

y e r s B e a c h O b s e r v e r

Sistas: (L R) Simone (Myrtle October), Tamika (Julissa Jean-Bart), Roberta (Makayla Davis) and Gloria (Simone Farrell) PHOTOS PROVIDED

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

Holiday Nights to open Nov. 25 at Edison and Ford Winter Estates

On Friday, Nov 25 at 6 p m , Edison and Ford Winter Estates will kick off the 47th annual Holiday Nights cel ebration with a tree lighting ceremony Guests will have an opportunity to participate in the countdown with Dave Elias from NBC 2 when the Christmas tree on the Ford property is lit with thousands of animated lights choreo g r a p h e d t o h o l i d a y m u s i c F e m a l e v o c a l i s t s , t h e American Sirens, will perform shortly after the tree light ing The event is sponsored by Florida Power & Light, Bob Dean Supply, Sunbelt Rentals, and TriCircle Pavers

This year’s theme is “Holidays on the Riverfront” and will incorporate water and nautical elements Holiday Nights will run nightly through Jan 1, except Christmas Eve and Christmas night Guided Holiday Tradition Tours will be offered at 6 and 7 p m every night except opening night or visitors can choose to meander at their own pace on a self guided tour. Inside the Homes tours will be offered on Nov. 30, and Dec 7, 14, and 21 at 6:30 p m for a special up close look at the homes’ decorated interiors

Several new light displays are being installed this year When visitors enter the riverside of the property, they will walk through a new lighted tunnel This will set the stage and lead guests to the new fountain tree with animated lights The tree that will be used for the tree lighting ceremony is also new and incorporates animated lights choreographed with music

The family oriented event includes the Children’s

Cape Coral Art Center ’s annual Holly Daze Fine Art Sale to begins

Members

Ar tist applications being accepted

Hosted by the Alliance for the Arts and Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre Fringe Fort Myers will take pl 4 With 30 perfo four stages, ther one person show and music, magic comedy and mor applications are c ly being accepted the early bird pric $ 2 5 ; p r i c e s w i l i n c r e a s e a f t e r N o v 2 8 A l l a p p l i c a t i o n s m u b e s u b m i t t e d b Dec 12 at 5 p m

A lottery drawing will be held on Dec 19 both in person and online Fringe Fort Myers is sponsored by Bruce and Janet Bunch For more information or to apply, visit https://www artinlee org/fringe artist application/

Tree Trail, which features dozens of trees decorated with handmade ornaments from Lee County school children Santa and Mrs Claus will be visiting on Sunday evenings from 6 8 p m through December 18 The “Wild Wizard” (Edison’s nickname) will conduct science experiments on Tuesday nights at 6 p m through December 20

There will also be music on several nights Strolling carolers will sing on Dec 7 and 16, the Fort Myers Symphonic Mastersingers will perform on Dec 14, and a tenor saxophone player will perform Dec 16 23 An antique circus car (a Calliope) with a built in pipe organ will be played from 6 8 p m on Dec 5 Curators will be on hand to answer questions about the car, which is a modified 1914 Model T Ford

Guests can shop multiple vendor booths during the new Holiday Market on December 11 from 4 9 p m The Museum Store and Garden Shoppe will be open until 9 p m every night of Holiday Nights and will be stocked with unique gift items for that hard to buy for loved one Refreshments will be available for purchase on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings and Dec 19 23 and Dec 26 27

Holiday Nights tickets for adults are $20, teens (13 19) $10, children (6 12) are $2, and Edison Ford mem bers get in free Guided Holiday Tradition Tours are $30 for adults, teens are $25, children $18, and $10 for Edison Ford members Inside the Homes Holiday Tours are $50 Lee County residents with identification will receive $5 off Holiday Nights admission on Sunday nights To purchase tickets or view the nightly schedule, visit the website at www edisonford org

Edison and Ford Winter Estates is at 2350 McGregor Blvd , Fort Myers

Wonder Gardens offering photos with Santa

The Wonder Gardens in Bonita Springs will offer photos with Santa on Nov 26 in the decorated French styled solarium Twelve time slots are available for the day from 11 a m to 2 p m

For $65, each family gets 15 min utes to take as many pictures as they want with Santa

The Wonder Gardens will have a photographer who will email edited images.

“It’s our pleasure to again offer area families an opportunity to experience the wonder of the holidays while creat ing memories,” Retail and Communications Manager Sarah Williamson said “Fundraisers like these also help us to continue to improve the 86 year old attraction that receives no government support to care for the plants, reptiles and birds that make Wonder Gardens special ”

The price of the photo session does not include admission to the park

The Wonder Shoppe, the attrac tion’s gift shop, is available without admission charge and includes ani mal themed, locally produced and holiday gifts, including products that support wildlife.

To schedule a photo session, con tact Williamson at sarahw@wonder gardens org

For more information, visit won d e r g a r d e n s o r g o r c a l l 2 3 9 9 9 2 2591

The Wonder Gardens is at 27180 Old 41 Road, Bonita Springs

Alliance to present ‘Not On My Walls’ exhibit

The Alliance for the Arts is accepting artwork for its White E l e p h a n t s t y l e e x h i b i t i o n o f unwanted art, “Not On My Walls,” that will be on display from Dec 1 31 at 10091 McGregor Blvd , Fort Myers

It will open with a tacky holiday reception on Dec 1 from 5 to 7 p.m., judged and hosted by Marc Collins and Stephanie Davis They w i l l a w a r d o n e p i e c e t h e “Crowning Jewel” award, along with a free membership to the alliance Light refreshments will be provided Tickets for the reception are $10

Those interested in participating can drop off their unwanted art work on Nov 28 between 9 a m and 5 p m Each person may donate up to five pieces. A $10 entry fee will apply, and you will receive one reception ticket Artwork should be priced to sell at a flat price of $25, $50, $75 or $100 Art that does not

sell should be picked up on Jan 2 before 5 p.m.

All of the sales will be “cash and carry,” meaning that purchasers can take their piece home with them when they buy it All the proceeds

ALLIANCE FOR THE ARTS

generated from the sales of the art work will benefit the alliance.

F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , v i s i t https://www artinlee org/event/not onmywalls/

PHOTO PROVIDED

The homes and gardens at Edison and Ford Winter Estates are decorated with thousands of lights.

IMAG announces its Winter Camps

The IMAG History & Science Center announces its day camps for students o v e r t h e W i n t e r S c h o o l Break. This year, IMAG STEAM Camps are bring i n g s c i e n c e , t e c h n o l o g y , engineering, art, and math to life for campers What’s more, campers also get to choose two clubs to attend (one in the morning and one in the afternoon) for s p e c i a l i z e d a c t i v i t i e s i n smaller group settings

IMAG STEAM Camps are scheduled for the first week of the Winter break, Monday, Dec 26 through Friday, Dec 30, and the second week, Monday, Jan 2 through Friday, Jan. 6. During the first week of c a m p s , c l u b s i n c l u d e M a v e r i c k ’ s T o p F l i g h t Club, New Year’s Party, Egyptian STEM Club, and G i n g e r b r e a d E n g i n e e r s Club. During the second w e e k o f c a m p , c l u b s include Winter Chemistry Club, Winter Physics and Engineering Club, Winter Snack Artists, and Winter FabLab Club In addition to their clubs, campers also enjoy the museum, experi e n c e o u r l i v e a n i m a l e n c o u n t e r s , s e e s c i e n c e shows and a 3D movie, get up close with sea life in our T o u c h T a n k , a n d m u c h more Camp IMAG camps are inspiring, fun, and educa tional for your child. For more information and to register for camp, please visit theIMAG org

Registration open for camps at Edison, Ford estates

The Edison and Ford Winter Estates in Fort Myers offers educational programs for grade school children throughout the year Day camps are held when Lee County schools are closed and camp is h e l d d u r i n g t h e s u m m e r m o n t h s

Registration is open for camps during the 2022 23 school year Camps take place in the “living labora

tory,” where Thomas Edison and Henry Ford made history No experience is required to participate Each camp is designed for students currently in grades K 5, unless otherwise noted Campers must bring their own lunch and snacks All camps run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The scheduled camp offerings include: ∫ D e c 2 2 2 3 : S i m

Science

The engineering camp is focused on the six simple machines: wheel and axle, wedge, lever, screw, ramp, and pulley Campers will engage in engineering chal lenges that relate to each simple machine A l l a c t i v i t i e s d e m o n s t r a t e h o w e a c h machine applies a mechanical advantage to make work easier Cost is $90 for member and $100 for non members

∫ Dec 26 30: Designing the Future (Engineering and Design)

In the design and innovation camp, campers will learn how to manage “the p r o b l e m s p a c e ” w i t h a n e n g i n e e r i n g design process In addition to solving engineering challenges, campers will also l e a r n s i m p l e c o m p u t e r a i d e d d e s i g n (CAD) and get to work with 3 D printers and 3 D pens Cost is $160 for member and $185 for non members

∫ Jan 2 6: The Four Forces of Flight (Rockets and Flight)

The camp focuses on the four forces of f l i g h t : l i f t , g r a v i t y , d r a g , a n d t h r u s t

Activities include paper airplane design, foam rockets, and water rockets all tied to concepts of Newton’s Laws of

Motion and the forces of flight Cost is $160 for member and $185 for non members

∫ M a r c h 2 0 2 4 : C r e a t i v e C o d i n g (Grades 2 5 only)

The camp is only for grades second through fifth, as it requires basic literacy skills Campers will learn Scratch and other “word block” coding Essentially, it is a code crash course Campers will work to create a finished program that can be a story, game, or an interactive card to a family member or friend Campers will learn the basics, such as “if/else” state ments, with the main focus on learning how to use variables Cost is $200 for member and $230 for non members

∫ April 7 (Good Friday): STEAM Explorers

In the camp, campers will learn about science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics, along with history Cost is $45 for member and $50 for non mem bers

For more information or to register, visit EdiAonFord org

The Edison and Ford Winter Estates is at 2350 McGregor Blvd , Fort Myers

When school is out, camp is in!

PHOTOS PROVIDED

Science shows

ABOVE: Bubbles out of control

LEFT: Hands-on fun.

Engineering solutions

Magic Chefs

F o r t

Red Sox seeking singers for Spring Training National Anthem

Auditions to be held at JetBlue Park Dec. 7 and 8

If you think you have what it takes to sing the national anthem in front of a crowd of 10,000 people, the Boston Red Sox want you to audition for them for 2023’s Spring Training season at JetBlue Park

The Red Sox are currently looking for new talent to fill approximately 18 spots to perform the National Anthem for the upcoming 2023 Spring Training sea son in Lee County

Auditions will be held at JetBlue Park, located at 11500 Fenway South Drive in Fort Myers, on Wednesday and Thursday, Dec 7 and 8 from 4 to 6 p m All ages are welcome to audition

Reservations must be made in advance by contact ing Liah Lasval at llasval@redsox com or by calling 239 226 4735 to reserve a timeslot If anyone is unable to attend these dates, he or she may contact Lasval about submitting an audio recording Space is limited.

The 2023 season is the Red Sox’ 12th at JetBlue Park at Fenway South located at 11500 Fenway South Drive in Fort Myers The team will launch the s e a s o n w i t h a g a m e a g a i n s t t h e N o r t h e a s t e r n University Huskies and will play 18 home games and 16 away games, including 32 Grapefruit League games against seven American League teams and four National League teams Red Sox Spring Training is presented by CVS Health

For the first time since 2017, a World Baseball Classic exhibition game will be played at JetBlue Park on Wednesday, March 8. The Red Sox opponent for the World Baseball Classic matchup will be announced at a later date

Game times and ticket sale details for the 2023 S p r i n g T r a i n i n g s e a s o n w i l l b e f i n a l i z e d a n d announced at a later date

FWC to hold public meeting

T h e F l o r i d a F i s h a n d W i l d l i f e C o n s e r v a t i o n Commission will meet on Nov 30 and Dec 1 at 7:30 a m at the Bluegreen’s Bayside Resort and Spa in Panama City Beach; the meeting is open to the public There are opportunities prior to the meeting to provide comments Also, time is allotted for public speakers dur ing the meeting Public speaking is organized using a reg istration process and time limits

Additionally, at the end of the second day on Dec 1, the commission will provide no more than one hour for public comment on items not on the agenda Those peo ple who wish to offer comments during this period will be asked to ensure their comments are not related to any agenda item

A d v a n c e c o m m e n t s c a n b e s u b m i t t e d a t https://myfwc wufoo com/forms/s1g2xh6f009a30i/?utm content=&utm medium=email&utm name=&utm sou rce=govdelivery&utm term=campaign or by mailing the F W C C o m m i s s i o n e r s , 6 2 0 S o u t h M e r i d i a n S t r e e t , Tallahassee, FL 32399

The deadline for submitting advance comments is Nov 23 at 5 p m

For the full agenda and links to background reports, go to MyFWC com/Commission and select “Commission Meetings ” Follow at Twitter com/MyFWC (@MyFWC) and sign up for news updates at MyFWC com Live cov erage may be available via the Florida Channel at TheFloridaChannel org

Flag football game scheduled to raise funds for students, educators and teachers

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

An event scheduled next month came to bring the community together throug while raising funds for students, educa through a Hurricane Ian relief fund

The Hurricane Ian Relief Flag Footb will be held at 8 a m Saturday, Dec High School, 3800 Edison Ave , Fort M

“As a teacher at The Sanibel School, blessed with the outpouring of support f nity and strangers near and far,” tourna Joe Camputaro said “I felt that it would forward and serve as a goodwill ambass program that I have implemented with my fifth grade students at our school titled, Blueberry Ambassadors.”

Camputaro, a 2021 Golden Apple recipient, is an advocate of the work that the Foundation for Lee County Public Schools CEO and President Marshall Bower does for the students and educators of the county

“I have also served as league coordi nator for various adult intramural leagues through the School District’s employee wellness program When I returned home from evacuating the hurricane, I shared my vision with employee wellness and the foundation Both were incredibly supportive and let me run with the ball, so to speak, to organize this tournament Since its inception, many individuals from the foundation and the school district, including full support and endorsement of district leadership, have made this possible,” he said

Participation is $10 per person and will go towards the Foundation for Lee County Public Schools Hurricane Ian Relief Fund Those interested must register by 11:50 p m , D e c 1 , b y v i s i t i n g h t t p s : / / p l a y p a s s com/HurricaneIanFlagFootballFundraiser

Additional donations are encouraged, but not required

“There is no max number for registration The tourna ment will be 7 vs. 7 adult only (18 plus years or older) to play There is a men’s division and a co ed division Teams can have as many players on their roster as they

wish, however only seven players can be on the field for their respective team during the game,” Camputaro said

He said the event would not be possible without the incredible support of the School District of Lee County, the Foundation for Lee County Public Schools and those who are volunteering for the tournament

“In order to ensure all funds go directly to the Hurricane Ian Relief Fund, myself, our officials and any one else who is helping us on the 3rd are volunteering their time to bring our community closer and support our a m a z i n g S c h o o l D i s t r i c t e m p l o y e e s a n d f a m i l i e s , ” Camputaro said

To make donate to the fundraiser, scan the QR Code or visit https://thefoundationforleecountypublicschools n e t w o r k f o r g o o d c o m / p r o j e c t s / 1 7 2 8 4 0 f l a g f o o t b a l l hurricane ian relief fundraiser.

F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , v i s i t h t t p s : / / p l a y p a s s c o m

/HurricaneIanFlagFootballFundraiser

Local Red Sox Foundation scholarship applications are now available online

$80,000 in scholarship funds to be awarded

The Boston Red Sox Foundation will once again be awarding $5,000 scholarships in the spring of 2023 to one deserving student from each of the 15 public high schools in Lee County

Again this year all Lee County charter and ALS schools are also included with one $5,000 scholarship also being awarded to a student from this category for a total of 16 scholar ships worth $80,000.

Applications are now open and available at https://www redsoxfoun dation org/leecountyscholarship/

The deadline to apply is Jan 13, 2023 All applications should be sub mitted to flscholarships@redsox com

“The Red Sox are great partners with the School District of Lee County, and we sincerely appreciate their con tinued commitment to our students,”

said Superintendent Dr Christopher Bernier “I encourage our seniors to apply for this scholarship Selecting just one student from each high school will not be easy, but I look forward to meeting the selected recipients "

The scholarships are for academi cally talented students who have shown a commitment to community service and are pursuing a two or four year degree at any college or university.

Scholarship funds are raised annual ly from proceeds of the Red Sox annu al Swings for the Sox Golf Tournament To date, the Swings for the Sox has raised more than $497,000 for local charities and specifically $437,175 for the scholarship program

Due to Hurricane Ian this year’s tournament was cancelled

“The Red Sox Foundation contin

ues its commitment to providing the funds for these scholarships,” said Brennan Whitley, senior manager Florida business operations for the Boston Red Sox “Our 11th annual Swings for the Sox golf tournament was cancelled but we are proud to still be giving more money for these schol arships for deserving students ”

The Red Sox Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the official team charity of the Boston Red Sox The foundation’s primary focus locally is in serving the health, education, recreation and social service needs of children and families across Southwest Florida The Red Sox Foundation is one of the most success ful in all of Major League Baseball

For more information about the Red Sox Foundation, please visit its website at www redsoxfoundation org