Pine Island Eagle by BreezeNewspapers

WEEK OF NOVEMBER 29, 2023 FLIER INSIDE

A look back... Some news highlights from the summer months on the islands — INSIDE PINEISLAND-EAGLE.COM

VOLUME 47, NUMBER 30

DOT official, county traffic engineer weigh in on possible changes at Stringfellow/Pine Island Road intersection By PAULETTE LeBLANC

pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com

The upcoming Thursday, Dec. 7, public informational meeting at the Pine Island Elementary School cafeteria from 5-7 p.m. is a step forward in the process of evaluating the intersection at Pine Island Road and Stringfellow Road. Some possible changes at the intersection include a traffic light, a roundabout or possibly leaving it as is, since there are currently no safety concerns, according to DOT Deputy Director Rob Price. “At the request of some citizens out there, and also through our normal process, where we evaluate intersec-

tions for possible improvements based on safety issues and congestion issues, we took a look at that intersection—we hired consultants to do the study, and part of that study was to evaluate…do we have any major safety issues? Can an intersection benefit from some improvement of some sort? And then, if so, what are those improvements? And can you kind of give us an idea of what the comparisons are with existing conditions versus what could happen with an improvement?”, Price said. The viable alternatives to the current four-way stop are adding a roundabout or traffic signal, he said, adding the community’s feedback at the meeting, or online, is of

major importance. “We’re really interested in the feedback of the residents and the citizenry out in Pine Island, to see what they want us to do,” Price said. Lee County Traffic Engineer Jillian Scholler said a roundabout generally offers some operational benefits due to a slightly lower delay, and has increased safety over a traffic signal. “When you go through a roundabout you are traveling at a lower speed, so any crashes that happen in a roundSee INTERSECTION, page 15

GPIA provides update on island recovery Habitat for Humanity discusses its efforts post Hurricane Ian By PAULETTE LeBLANC

pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com

day, in addition to purchasing some of Winn-Dixie’s food bags to give to the Food Pantry. Kiwanian Cindy Bickford said she was impressed, though not surprised, that the first thing Crotty grabbed on her run were items for other people. “At the end, she had a few dollars left, so I ran with her and we got canned goods for the Food Pantry. It was about $40 over, but Kiwanis covered that,” Bickford said.

The Greater Pine Island Alliance had its monthly meeting Nov. 21, where co-founder Aaron Bareda announced 350 sheets of drywall and just under 200 rolls of insulation were given away in partnership with the Lions Club International, at First United Methodist Church. There will be another giveaway on Dec.12 at 8:30 a.m., he said, to help survivors get back in their homes. “This will be our third giveaway in conjunction with the International Lions Club,” Bareda said. He reminds those who have specific needs to visit the GPIA website and sign up early, if possible. He also announced the American Red Cross has finalized a grant to the organization for $85,000, in an effort to make sure the GPIA has an office building. A memorandum has been signed with Catholic Charities and all paperwork has been filed, he said. “Catholic Charities has very generously donated $100,000 to this island. The majority of that is towards skilled labor. As we’re all in different phases of recovery, one of the things we’ve realized is — for a lot of us — we did muck and gut pretty darn well and all the islanders helped each other deal with muck and gut and we had great volunteer groups out, but at a certain point in reconstructing your home — I know mine included — you need some skilled labor,” Bareda said. A large portion of the grant from Catholic Charities, designated for skilled labor, allowed the GPIA to begin helping those who need to build or to rebuild. One Hurricane Ian survivor will see Christmas with her children back in their completed home, Bareda said, choking back tears. Executive Director Erin Lollar-Lambert reminded everyone Lee County Commissioner Kevin Ruane and his family spearheaded GPIA’s commitment as well as

See SUPERMARKET SWEEP, page 20

See RECOVERY, page 16

PHOTO PROVIDED BY CINDY BICKFORD

From left are Dan Loughren (store manager), a Winn-Dixie staff member, Marty Crotty (runner) and Kiwanians Tonya Player, Kathleen Donnelly-Marquis and Cindy Bickford.

Island Kiwanis Club holds another Supermarket Sweep at Winn-Dixie By PAULETTE LeBLANC

pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com

The Pine Island Kiwanis Club has teamed up with Winn-Dixie to host the fourth annual Supermarket Sweep. The winner, retired fire captain Rich Crotty, let his wife, Marty, perform the actual run through the store. “I’m just excited that my husband was able to help the Kiwanians and hopefully I’ll be able to help a few people on the island with what I’m able to do here,” Crotty said. Her plan for the winning run, she said, was to help out some families with groceries for the Thanksgiving holi-

Athlete of the Week.........17 Dolphin Tales.....................6 Local Tides......................20 insidetoday Cat of the Week...............14 Letters to the Editor..........4 On the Water......................8 Classifieds & Obituaries

Week of Wednesday, November 29, 2023 n Page 2 pineisland-eagle.com

Matlacha Hookers elects new 2024 Board of Directors The Matlacha Hookers Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established in 1998, has announced the election of a new Board of Directors for the year 2024. The incoming board, led by Madam President Linda Bohacek, Vice Madam Carolyn Ryzanych, Treasurer

Deb Syring, Secretary Monca Kochel, and Chaplain Anna Van Kirk, along with a dedicated team of directors, is poised to continue the organization's longstanding commitment to supporting the Greater Pine Island Area. With a membership of over 200 indi-

for Hurricane Ian relief towards the sustainable growth and support of our community's invaluable local businesses and non-profits. This commitment reflects our unwavering dedication to the greater good of the Greater Pine Island Area.” The newly elected Board of Directors includes Donna Trusik, Tracy Chapple, Kelly LaMagna, Joyce Boyer serving as the 1-year director, Lorie Tidwell and Darcy Conner. For more information about the Matlacha Hookers, Inc. and its initiatives, visit www.matlachahookers.org/.

Velma Gifford joins Century 21 Sunbelt

PHOTO PROVIDED

Meals provided for needy families Winn-Dixie store manager Dan Loughren reported last week that the store had partnered with Maria Ramirez from Creative Coast Preschool to provide a Thanksgiving meal for four needy families on the island.

Pine Island Eagle

viduals, the Matlacha Hookers has been a beacon of hope and support, especially during challenging times like Hurricane Ian. In response to the devastation caused by the hurricane, the organization launched a successful GoFundMe campaign for relief efforts. Moreover, the Matlacha Hookers continued their fundraising efforts, emphasizing the revitalization and restoration of locally-owned businesses and non-profits in the Greater Pine Island Area. “Community resilience is at the heart of our mission,” stated Bohacek. “We are dedicated to leveraging the funds raised

Velma Gifford is the eral successful commercial newest sales agent at fishing enterprises. Century 21 Sunbelt. Despite A graduate from North being new to the real estate Fort Myers High School, business, her connection to Gifford earned her master’s this area runs deep, hailing degree in educational leaderfrom Pine Island with roots ship from the University of extending five generations in South Florida, dedicating 36 Southwest Florida. years to public school teachThe story of her family ing and school administrabegins with pioneers settling tion in both Lee and Cayo Costa Island in the late Charlotte counties. She is Velma Gifford 1800s. Her grandfather, now embarking on a new Jesse Padilla, later moved from Cayo adventure in real estate. Costa to Pine Island in the early 1900s, For more about Century 21 Sunbelt, where he and my grandmother, Velma call 239-283-1100 or visit centuPadilla, raised their family and ran sev- ry21.com

Page 3 n Week of Wednesday, November 29, 2023 breezenewspapers.com

Pine Island Eagle

Week of Wednesday, November 29, 2023 n Page 4 pineisland-eagle.com

OPINIONS

Is the time really right to incorporate Pine Island? 10700 Stringfellow Road, Ste. 60 Bokeelia, FL 33922 Phone: (239) 283-2022 Fax: (239) 283-0232 Web: pineisland-eagle.com Publisher Raymond M. Eckenrode reckenrode@breezenewspapers.com Executive Editor Valarie Harring vharring@breezenewspapers.com Editor Paulette LeBlanc pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com Advertising Director Laurie Ragle lragle@.breezenewspapers.com Advertising Sales Charlene Russ cruss@breezenewspapers.com Design & Layout Chris Strine cstrine@breezenewspapers.com Obituaries Debbie Carletti obits@breezenewspapers.com Subscriptions 1 Year $52 To Pay For Your Subscription P.O. Box 151306 Cape Coral, FL 33915 Circulation (239) 574-1936 Classified Advertising (239) 574-5644

Pine Island Eagle

Report your news to PINEISLAND-EAGLE.COM

Display Advertising (239) 283-2022

The Eagle is published every Wednesday Customer service hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., except major holidays. Letters to the editor must be typed or handprinted. Your name and phone number must be affixed to the copy. In the event of an advertising error, we are responsible only for the first incorrect insertion of the ad itself. We are not responsible for any credit or reimbursement after 30 days from publication. Postal Information: Bulk rate postage paid at Fort Myers, FL Postmaster. Send address changes to the Pine Island Eagle. Permit # 521.

Web Poll Previous Web Poll Question: What improvement should be made to the Pine Island Road/Stringfellow intersection? n A stoplight. 7% n A roundabout. 71% n Nothing. 19% n Other. 3%

Current Web Poll Question: Have you noticed an increase in seasonal traffic on the islands or around the area? n Yes, everywhere. n Off the islands, yes. n Not on the islands. n Nowhere, yet, but soon I’m sure. Share your opinion at pineisland-eagle.com

During the November meeting of the Greater Pine Island Civic Association, attendees heard summaries of two development proposals. One was three-plus acres at the corner of Maria Drive and Stringfellow Road; the second was focused on 19-plus acres south of Judith Road and north of Sweeney’s SOS at Birdsong Lane. Although it wasn’t entirely clear from the presentation, it appears that the developer of the 19-acre parcel plans to build 20 singlefamily homes with another 17 duplexes on 30 lots and would likely sell the two commercial properties along Stringfellow Road. According to the project engineer, the proposed density and uses are already approved by the county and the developer is seeking a development order, which will allow construction to begin. While the GPICA is still fact-finding about this development and where it stands in the approval process, it nonetheless raises the question of whether incorporation is the correct next step to protect Pine Island’s unique coastal-rural character.

Guest Commentary This is a question that the GPICA has been grappling with since at least 2016, when, after challenges by developers and worries of costly lawsuits, the Lee County Commission revised the Pine Island Plan to allow greater building densities than under the earlier Plan. Later that year, the city of Cape Coral moved to annex six parcels covering 5.47 acres in Matlacha, including D&D Tackle and adjoining properties. Under Cape rules, the annexation would have allowed them to add additional boat ramps, a marina and buildings up to eight stories tall. Until then, the Greater Pine Island Civic Association had been opposed to incorporation. However, fearing the loss of support by the Lee County Commission for protecting Pine Island and worried about the Cape’s encroachment, the GPICA board began discussing options; ultimately, the board asked its membership whether it wanted to investigate incorporation. In a standing-room only

meeting at the Elks Club, the membership voted overwhelmingly in favor and the board moved forward to develop a feasibility study and undertake the other steps necessary to learn whether we were positioned to incorporate. In addition to commissioning a feasibility study, the board polled residents on whether they supported incorporation, created a draft charter and polled members of our legislative delegation as to whether they would support bringing the issue to a vote in the Florida House and Senate — all steps that are required for incorporation under state law. (You can view more on this background on our website www.GPICA.org/incorporation.) While our poll indicated strong support for incorporation, the issue was not wholly embraced by the community and those in disSee INCORPORATE, page 18

Letters to the Editor Additional weekend boat trailer parking for Pine Island Commercial Marina information To the editor: At the Nov. 7 Greater Pine Island Civic Association monthly meeting, the Upper Captiva Carriage Club LLC provided a introductory information discussion with reference to our proposed rezoning request of 9101 Stringfellow Road. at the northwest corner of Stringfellow and Maria Drive. During the monthly meeting we discussed adding overflow parking for vehicles with boat trailers using the Lee County Commercial Marina on weekends. If you are fortunate enough to live on the water with your boat on a lift, boat trailer parking is not that important to you. Local land-locked boaters that trailer our boats to different ramps through the Southwest Florida area, all realize parking at boat ramps is a premium in short supply. There was some confusion about our intensions so to clarify, our request is to convert the existing commercial clam processing plant, to a private parking area with 35 parking spaces for vehicles with boat trailers and 75 vehicles only parking spaces on our property. Vehicle parking will be offered to Barrier Island homeowners, service providers for the islands, and charter guests for local

guides using the marina. All parking spaces will be reserved and paid for online by registering and becoming a member of UCCC. There is no fee to become a member. There will be 10 $15 boat trailer spaces reserved only for members with a Pine Island ZIP code on their driver’s license. All other spaces will be on first-come first-serve basis. Standard daily parking fee is $20 a day. When you reserve your space, you will receive a gate code for access and know before you leave your house which numbered space you will park in. Put your bicycle, escooter, skateboard or jogging shoes in the back of your truck and use them to trans back and forth from the marina and recover your vehicle and trailer at the end of the day. Take a nice jog, or you can Uber or local taxi. You will still be responsible for the boat ramp fee at the marina as it is a separate fee from parking, but the Commercial Marina accepts the $60 Lee County Annual Parking Pass. To expedite the process into a seamless event we encourage and will ultimately require our boat trailer members to purchase the Lee County Annual Parking pass. The pass is an outstanding deal and good at all three Pine Island county-owned boat ramps and many other parks and ramps throughout Lee County. The UCCC property will have a large native very private lush green border around

We want your opinion The views expressed on the Opinions pages are just that — opinions. These pages are intended to convey a range of viewpoints; opinions printed on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of this newspaper. Opposing views are welcome. Letters to the Editor or guest columns may be mailed to: Pine Island Eagle, 10700 Stringfellow Road, Ste. 60, Bokeelia, FL 33922; e-mailed to pineisland@ breezenewspapers.com; posted to our Virtual Newsroom at www.breezenewspapers.com or faxed to 283-0232. All letters and guest columns must be signed and must contain a phone number for verification purposes. You also can comment on any letter or editorial opinion online at: pineisland-eagle.com

the entire perimeter. Passersby will enjoy a native green screening but will be prevented from gazing on to the property. We are requesting limited and lower lighting heights as much as we can deviate or wavier code. There will not be any retail to advertise on property, so our request is for minimal informational directional signage only. The Commercial Marina is surrounded by important conservation lands that recently provided natural mangrove protection that minimized storm surge during Ian. Those vital lands are not available acreage for more additional parking. We feel our site, at the corner of the only north-south thoroughfare on the island, is congruent with Lee County’s long-term plan, by locating the Commercial Marina at the western end of Maria and our location on the eastern end. Our location is the closest to the marina with direct access to the primary commercial logistical artery on the island. Our goal is to provide island homeowners and the many service providers, contractors, workers, charter guides and weekend recreational boats a safe and secure private parking alternative. Currently on Upper Captiva there are 320+ homes, 700+ total homesites, 14 active building permits and 74 under plan review. Since the pandemic, real estate sales of both lots and existing homes have skyrocketed on the island. There are many Pine Island businesses and resident workers that sail to the outer islands every day where they ply their various trades, and services but spaces to legally park their vehicles is very limited. The Commercial Marina now has 9 trailer spaces, Lavender Landing has 23. There are more boats on Pine Island on boat trailers than in boat houses on lifts. We propose a responsible alternative parking solution that blends into the Pine Island landscape and provides more Pine Island resident access to enjoy the incredible Pine Island Sound environment Chuck Wainright Fort Myers

Page 5 n Week of Wednesday, November 29, 2023 breezenewspapers.com

Pine Island Eagle

Week of Wednesday, November 29, 2023 n Page 6 pineisland-eagle.com Pine Island Eagle

Dolphin breath Dolphins are mammals, not fish, therefore they breathe air using their lungs, just as humans do. An average dolphin can hold its breath underwater for 8-10 minutes but must consciously surface to breathe. Dolphins have a blowhole on the top of their head which serves as the dolphin’s “nose.” The blowhole is a slightly recessed, crescent-shaped muscular flap located on the dorsal side of the animal in the center of a swollen part of the head called the melon. The opening and closing of the blowhole is controlled voluntarily by the dolphin. One of the disadvantages of being a mammal living in the sea is that dolphins cannot completely sleep or they would drown. If dolphins went into a deep unconscious sleep, they would stop breathing and suffocate or drown. Therefore, dolphins are half awake and half asleep. When the left brain sleeps, the left eye rests. In two hours, the right brain sleeps and the right eye rests. Dolphins have very regimented routines that make them one of the most intelligent species on the Capt. Cathy Eagle planet. When a dolphin surfaces for air, it first exhales and then inhales fresh air through the blowhole. It only takes a fraction of a second. If you are close by, it is easy to hear a dolphin’s “blow” at the surface. In fact, I often hear dolphin exhaling before I see them. The blow is the sound you hear, and the spray of water you see, when the dolphin forcefully breathes out, clears away any water resin on top of the blowhole. Often, when the light is just right, you will see the spray of the dolphin’s exhale of water in the distance. The water spray is not coming from the dolphin’s lungs; it is just water sitting on top of its head around the blowhole. But it is a true sign of a dolphin sighting. Until recently, it was thought that dolphin could not breathe through their mouth. In 2016, scientists discovered a New Zealand dolphin with a damaged blowhole who had learned to breathe through the mouth. The behavior, never before documented, is spotted in a Hector's dolphin in New Zealand. However, I believe that I witnessed mullet, a fish with gills, breathing through their mouths after a bad bout of red tide.

Dolphin Tales

Captain Cathy Eagle has spent over 40 years boating in our local waters. As a professional Charter Captain, she specializes in Dolphin and Nature tours. Visit CaptainCathy.com or call /text 239 994-2572. Welcome aboard!

2023 Pine Island FISH Basket Brigade efforts under way The 2023 Pine Island FISH Basket Brigade is well under way, and we are gearing up to bring holiday joy to families in need within our community. Over the years, our program has grown significantly, thanks to the incredible support and generosity of individuals like you. In 2022, we proudly served 125 families and over 300 children. This year we have approximately 200 families needing assistance. The increase in growth shows how vital this program is to the children and families of Greater Pine Island. But we cannot do it without you. This year, we are returning to the Giving Tree model, where adopters can select a child's "ornament gift wish" from trees placed throughout Greater Pine Island. Adopters will then shop, wrap, and return gifts by December 8th to the same location where they picked up their ornaments or drop off at Fire Station 1 or any of the locations below: Ornament Pickup Locations: n Matlacha: Blue Dog Bar & Grill n Bokeelia: Fire Station 1 or OLMM Catholic Church n St. James City: United Methodist Church, Pine Island Community Church, St. John Episcopal Church or the VFW. As a reminder, this year's distribution location is at the Fishers of Men Lutheran Church, located at 10360 Stringfellow Road, St. James City, FL 33956 (just south of Center on the east side of the Stringfellow). The distribution will take place on Saturday, Dec. 16, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. For those who wish to contribute to the brigade but cannot adopt, we accept all donations to Pine

Guest Commentary Island FISH, P.O. Box 357, Matlacha, FL 33993, with "Brigade" written in the memo line. Donations can also be made online at pineislandfish.org. If you would like to learn more about our organization or have specific questions about the Basket Brigade, please visit our website at www.pineislandfish.org or contact Darcy Conner at 954-816-9779 or Carolyn Ryzanych 707-291-0310. Thank you for your ongoing support and commitment to making the holiday season brighter for those in need. Together, we can make a difference in our community. Pine Island FISH (Fellow Islanders Sending Help), is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and all-volunteer association of neighbors organized to help those living in the Matlacha and Pine Island Communities. Pine Island FISH offers the following services: Nonemergency transportation to medical facilities, grocery stores, pharmacy, bank, etc. to those with no access to transportation; mobility equipment lending: wheelchairs, walkers, etc., assistance with special needs: emergency financial assistance for rent, utilities, medical costs, etc., respite information for family caregivers and a list of providers that serve our island communities, and is the lead agency in the Pine Island “Basket Brigade” programs. There is no charge for FISH services, however, equipment and monetary donations are welcome. For more information about the organization, visit the website at www.pineisland fish.org.

Advent service Dec. 13 at OLMM Islanders and visitors are encouraged to join an ecumenical Advent service and sing along with the collaborative voices from the choirs of Pine Island United Methodist Church, St. John’s Episcopal Church, Fishers of Men Lutheran Church and Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Catholic Church, accompanied by Rev. Dr. Lorna Lee “Rocket” Curtis on the organ and piano. The special event will be held Wednesday, Dec.

13, at 6 p.,m., at Our Lady of Miraculous Medal Church, at 12175 Stringfellow Road, Bokeelia. Refreshments will be available in the Parish Life Center after the service. Please bring a plate of cookies or treats to the Life Center before the service to share with all. Please bring a non-perishable food item in support of the Pine Island Food Pantry so no one will go hungry this Christmas season.

Next month’s roster of activities at the Pine Island Public Library offers topics for all ages. The following programs are free to the public.

Adult Programs Santa in Paradise at the Pine Island Public Library Noon, Saturday, Dec. 2 The Pine Island Public Library is ready for Santa to visit and we hope you are too. Families will enjoy holiday crafts and children will receive a free book. Santa will be at the library from 1 p.m. - 2 p.m., so arrive early. Space is limited. Sponsored by the Friends of the Pine Island Public Library.

Download Drop-In 3:30 p.m., Wednesdays, Dec. 6, 13 Receive personalized help downloading e-books, movies, music and more from Overdrive/Libby and Hoopla, two of Lee County Library System’s largest online content providers. Bring your fully charged digital device for this hands-on help session. Note: Please bring any passwords you may need for downloading apps. Kindle users will also need an Amazon account and their password for accessing it.

Island Page Turners Book Discussion Group: Charles Dickens 2 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 20 Read a book by, or about, Charles Dickens and meet for a lively discussion. The library will help with book suggestions and a monthly book display.

Children’s Programs Santa in Paradise at the Pine Island Public Library Noon, Saturday, Dec. 2 The Pine Island Public Library is ready for Santa to visit and we hope you are too. Families will enjoy holiday crafts and children will receive a free book. Santa will be at the library from 1-2 p.m., so arrive early. Space is limited. Sponsored by the Friends of the Pine Island Public Library. Help Me Grow: Books, Balls and Blocks 10:30 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 7 For families with children through age 5. Children will participate in

Teen Programs Santa in Paradise at the Pine Island Public Library Noon, Saturday, Dec. 2 The Pine Island Public Library is ready for Santa to visit and we hope you are too. Families will enjoy holiday crafts and children will receive a free book. Santa will be at the library from 1-2 p.m., so arrive early. Space is limited. Sponsored by the Friends of the Pine Island Public Library. Download Drop-In 3:30 p.m., Wednesdays, Dec. 6, 13 Receive personalized help downloading e-books, movies, music and more from Overdrive/Libby and Hoopla, two of Lee County Library System’s largest online content providers. Bring your fully charged digital device for this hands-on help session. Note: Please bring any passwords you may need for downloading apps. Kindle users will also need an Amazon account and their password for accessing it. Gift Wrapping Party 10 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 16 With the holidays making schedules See LIBRARY, page 15

Pine Island Eagle

Gift Wrapping Party 10 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 16 With the holidays making schedules extra tight, let's have fun and get those presents wrapped together. Wrapping paper, ribbon and tape will be supplied, while supplies last. Enjoy light refreshments, music and a movie.

Holiday Preschool Playdate 10:30 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 14 Meet up with preschool friends old and new while developing early literacy skills through free play with games, toys and music. At this playdate we will have fun with holiday crafts and activities.

breezenewspapers.com

Marbled Ornaments 9:30 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 9 Create festive ornaments using marble pour painting techniques. All supplies will be provided. Registration is required.

games and activities while parents complete a screening to ensure that their children are developmentally on track. Parents will also be provided with resources for activities they can do at home with their children. In partnership with Healthy Start of SWFL/Help Me Grow.

Page 7 n Week of Wednesday, November 29, 2023

December programs set at Pine Island Public Library

Week of Wednesday, November 29, 2023 n Page 8 pineisland-eagle.com Pine Island Eagle

What will December bring? Two times I look forward to each fishing Crazy-style jigs have also gained a lot of popyear. First, when the water warms after winularity over recent years. Popular colors are ter and bait schools return to our waters. And white, pink and yellow. Sheepshead and pomsecond, when the water cools to the point pano have small mouths, so it is important to bait fish vacate our inshore waters as we use a small hook. If you are unsure of the size, approach the end of the year. I love fishing stop in at your local tackle shop and let them live bait most of the year, but it’s a lot of hook you up and give you some pointers. work and time consuming netting them, not Seatrout are moving off to mention the mess you start the day with. the shallow grass flats to deeper protected During the cooler months, most fish prefer areas as temperatures drop with arriving cold easier to catch shrimp. fronts. Deep areas around oyster bars, creeks, December is the month we make the canals and potholes are good areas to target. transition and shrimp become the primary During mild or warmer stretches trout move diet for most fish. Apart from mullet (a pure back over shallower areas. Live shrimp and Capt. Bill Russell vegetarian), there are not any fish I can think DOA shrimp under popping corks are deadly of in our coastal waters that won’t eat a baits drifted over flats. shrimp. When the water temperature drops to Redfish are located around oyster bars, the point that bait fish are scarce, then shrimp deeper creeks, hard bottom shorelines and becomes the go to bait. structure such as dock pilings. Over the past Cooler weather gives a big boost for month anglers caught good numbers of smallcatching sheepshead as the larger ones move inshore and er redfish around oyster bars and creeks. December should over near-shore reefs. Look for them around structure, bring more of the same. Larger reds can be sight fished on including dock and bridge pilings, rock jetties along the the lower tides over shallow flats adjacent to deeper water. beach, oyster bars and most near-shore artificial reefs and This is best done wade fishing, from a kayak, canoe or a hard bottom in the gulf within sight of land. Seasoned shallow water skiff. Again, shrimp is the best bait, either anglers fish shrimp on a jig head or a small, very sharp the real thing or artificial and fly imitations. hook with just enough weight to reach the bottom. If you Snook season is closed beginning Dec. 1. They can get don’t mind fishing in the cold, this is your fish. The colder lockjaw when the mercury drops, but warm weather in the better for sheepshead. Unlike sheepshead from the between fronts can get them on a good bite. They are catch northern states, ours are excellent on the table. and release only through the winter as they do not tolerate Pompano are similar to sheepsheads in the fact that they cold well. Still fun to catch but get them unhooked and will not eat any type of baitfish, they feed primarily on back in the water quickly. small crustaceans and mollusks, including shrimp, crabs, Offshore, we can expect hook-ups with a mix of species sand fleas, oysters, barnacles, etc. Small nylon jigs tipped around near-shore reefs, ledges and hard bottom. Bottom with a piece of shrimp are deadly for pompano when slowly bounced over a hard or sand bottom. Silly Willy or See DECEMBER, page 14

On the Water

PHOTO PROVIDED

Fish for dinner! John Lewandowski and his buddies scored with a mess of trout for dinner. Look for good trout fishing to continue through December. They were fishing Matlacha Pass with Capt. Bill Russell.

Volunteer Docent Kevin Lollar, left, leads a group of visitors on a walking tour of the Calusa Heritage Trail. PHOTO PROVIDED

breezenewspapers.com

Since the devastating impacts of Hurricane Ian, staff and volunteers at the Randell Research Center have worked tirelessly to mitigate safety hazards on the trail. On Jan. 11, a small portion of the trail was opened to the public. As of Friday, Dec. 1, a larger portion of the Calusa Heritage Trail will be accessible for the public. Specifically, a platform on Brown’s Mound, the Randell Mound stairway and the walkway to Smith Mound will be open. While the footbridge is still in disrepair, staff has opened an interior service road to allow the public to access the site on foot. “We’ve been working hard to bring the trail back to what it was. We encourage people to come out and revisit the trail they love so much or discover it for the first time,” Annisa Karim, operations manager, said. The Randell Research Center is planning for another year of guided walks, speakers, Harbor History tours, public outreach and more research. Each March (Archaeology Month), several organizations participate in a collaborative effort to educate people about the archaeology and ethnography of the indigenous peoples of Southwest Florida. Randell Research Center staff will once again take the lead on these, “Calusa Coast” events, she said. To learn more, visit Randell Research Center’s Calusa Heritage Trail at 13810 Waterfront Drive, Pineland. The trail is open from sunrise to sunset every day. The Visitor Center with gift shop and classroom is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday – Saturday (through May 25). Guided tours will be available starting in January. The requested donation to visit is $7 for adults, $5 seniors, $4 students. For more information call: 239283-2157. Visit FloridaMuseum.ufl.edu/RRC for information.

Page 9 n Week of Wednesday, November 29, 2023

Larger portion of the Calusa Heritage Trail to open Dec. 1

Matlacha Holiday Lighted Boat Parade scheduled for Dec. 10 Pine Island Eagle

The Matlacha Holiday Lighted Boat Parade will be held Sunday, Dec. 10. Boats shall gather on the south side of Matlacha Bridge at 5:30 p.m. The parade starts at 6 p.m. The parade will go north under the bridge along the shoreline of Matlacha. All boaters are welcome to participate in the parade. All participants should embrace the joy of the holidays. Please refrain from political signs or references. Best viewing is from the bridge or along the shoreline of Matlacha. For questions, call Rick at 269-330-0274 with the Yacht Club of Matlacha.

Week of Wednesday, November 29, 2023 n Page 10 pineisland-eagle.com Pine Island Eagle

Lighting of the Christmas Tree in Matlacha scheduled for Dec. 7 Matlacha's holiday tradition will continue this year with the Lighting of the Christmas Trees. Santa and Mrs.Claus will make their magical appearance while residents enjoy mingling, snacking on homemade cookies and "rock around the Christmas trees.”

Winners of the Cutest Pet Contest announced The Beacon of Hope has announced that the winner of the Cutest Pet Contest have been chosen. According to the Beacon, selecting the winners was difficult, as there were so many cute ones. The winners are: Dog Contest - Oreo - owned by Michelle Nebergall Cat Contest - Zelda - owned by Hart and June Kelley "Other" Contest - Fiona (FeFe) - a bird owned by Charlie Butler The funds from this contest are going to the Beacon's Transportation Program, which takes people to medical appointments and treatments anywhere in Lee County. Funds from Giving Tuesday are also going to this program. For more information about the Beacon of Hope, located at 5090 Doug Taylor Circle, St. James City, please visit https://beaconofhopepineisland.

Don't forget to wear your Ugly Christmas Sweater or T-shirt. This year, A. Gonzalez Nursery and Landscaping of Pine Island will provide a 25-foot royal palm which local elves have decorated. The event is fun for everyone to

celebrate the season. Come and enjoy the festivities on Thursday, Dec. 7, at George Williamson's lot, at the corner of Pine Island Road and Island Avenue in Matlacha.

Bloodmobile to visit Moose Lodge Dec. 9 The Lee Health Bloodmobile will be visiting The Pine Island Moose Lodge at 8903 Stringfellow Road in St. James City Saturday, Dec. 9, from 8 a.m. - noon. All the blood collected remains in Lee Health, which includes the Golisano Children's Hospital of Southwest Florida, the Regional Cancer Center and the only Trauma Center (which is located in the Lee Memorial Hospital) within a 5-county radius. The blood also supports Cape Coral Hospital and Gulf Coast Medical Center. One in three people will need blood in their lifetime. You never know when you or someone you know or love will need blood. So come out and “Give the Gift of Life!” All donors will receive a free health checkup, cholesterol screening, and gift. New studies show that donating blood improves your overall cardiovascular health. Regularly donating blood helps men in particular to reduce the amount of iron in the blood. This can reduce the chance of heart attack by 88%. Additionally, regular blood donation can lower the risk of severe cardiovascular events such as stroke by 33%. You also burn 650 calories! It's a win-win! Please help us make our goal of 20 units of blood. Requirements for donating blood: n Weigh at least 115 pounds n Be at least 16 years old (16 requires parental written consent) n Be relatively healthy n Provide photo ID n Have 56 days between donations Eat a meal before donating blood and be sure to drink plenty of fluids before and after donation. Questions about donating? Call us at 343-2333

Page 11 n Week of Wednesday, November 29, 2023 breezenewspapers.com

Pine Island Eagle

pineisland-eagle.com

Week of Wednesday, November 29, 2023 n Page 12

Page 13 n Week of Wednesday, November 29, 2023 breezenewspapers.com

Pine Island Eagle

Week of Wednesday, November 29, 2023 n Page 14 pineisland-eagle.com

Macomber to speak to Cape Friends of Wildlife Dec. 6 Noted author to present ‘The President and the Devilfish,’ about President Theodore Roosevelt trip to SW Florida Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife will present author and historian Robert N. Macomber Wednesday, Dec. 6, at Rotary Park, 5505 Rose Garden Road, Cape Coral. Macomber's topic will be “The President and the Devilfish." In his presentation Macomber will share the story of how the most famous conservationist of the nation's presidency, Theodore Roosevelt, visited the islands of Southwest Florida in 1917 on an expedition to obtain a large devilfish (Giant Coastal Manta Ray) for the Smithsonian Institution. Learn of what else Robert N. Macomber

was going on in Roosevelt's life right then, of his motley crew, his instant love for the islands, the actual hunt and what happened afterward. This was the last great outdoor adventure of Roosevelt's life, and his legacy lives on along these islands in some beautiful ways. Macomber is a multi-award-winning author, internationally acclaimed lecturer, former Department of Defense consultant, commentator for TV and film, adventurous expedition leader and an accomplished seaman. He was named “2020 Florida Writer of the Year” by the Florida Writers Association.

The evening begins at 6:30 with a social gathering, followed by Macomber's presentation at 7 p.m. The author will hold a book signing at 7:45 p.m. You can learn more about Macomber at https://www.RobertMacomber.com.

December From page 8 dwellers like sheepshead, snapper, flounder, grouper, grunts, pompano and permit are a good possibility. Also, Spanish and king mackerel, bonito or false albacore, barracuda, sharks and cobia are likely to get in on the action at any time. As the craziness of the holiday season is upon us, a day on the water is a great way to get away from the crowds. We should see days with great weather and fishing opportunities in between cold fronts to close out year. Stay up to date with fishing regulations by visiting Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission at: www.myfwc.com. Also, upload the Fish Rules app on your phone. It has current regulations with pictures to help identify fish. If you have a fishing report or for charter information, contact Gulf Coast Guide Service at 239-410-8576 (call or text); on the web at www.fishpine island.com; or via email at gcl2fish@ live.com. Have a safe week and good fishin’. As a lifetime resident of Matlacha and Pine Island, Capt. Bill Russell has spent his life fishing and learning the waters around Pine Island and Southwest Flori-da, and as a professional fishing guide for the past 23 years.

Pine Island Eagle

Cat of the Week

Henry Those big blue eyes and innocent expression help Henry get away with a lot at the shelter. He came to us with a permanent head tilt. Since we don’t know his history, we can only guess what caused it. Some think he had an inner ear infection, but I like to think he accidentally ate a skink. Our sweet Henry would never have eaten it on purpose. That mean old skink probably forced Henry to chomp him up. If I’m going to be completely honest, Henry probably should be an only cat. The other cats complain that he is a bit of a bully, but all it takes is one look at that sweet face and I melt. Henry is a 3-year-old flame point/Siamese mix. He loves to watch out the window, especially now that we have a peacock that likes to visit. If you are looking for a best friend, he will have you wrapped around his paw in no time. Call Helping Paws Animal Sanctuary at 239-283-9100 to meet this adorable kitty. I f you’d rather just donate, our address is 10060 Mallory Parkway, E, Unit D., St. James City, or there’s always our website at www.helpingpawsanimalsanctuary.com

about are lower speed, lower severity crashes, so roundabouts do see benefits in the safety realm over a traffic signal,” Scholler said. A roundabout, however, leaves a bigger footprint,

Library From page 7 extra tight, let's have fun and get those presents wrapped together. Wrapping paper, ribbon and tape will be supplied, while supplies last. Enjoy light refreshments, music and a movie.

Open mic nights are returning to the St. James City Civic Center on the first Fridays of the month, starting Jan. 5, from noon to 4 p.m. The St. James City Civic Center is located at 3300 4th Ave. Organizers are looking for local musicians to take the stage… and folks to enjoy the music. Sound equipment will be provided. The open mic events will be held rain or shine and can be held inside the building. Food will be available on site. Coolers are welcome. All tips go directly to the St. James City Civic Association to rebuild and repair our Civic Center facility. Contact Myra Watson at 717-817-1512 or Denise Huber at 208-2902512 for additional information.

Pine Island Eagle

Open mic returning to SJCCA Jan. 5

data and the intersection is safe. We do not find a need to go out there and address a safety issue right now. Based on the crash history that we’ve seen, it doesn’t rise to the level of us taking immediate action. There is some congestion there that has caused us to look at this along with our typical evaluation of an intersection like this. We’re really interested in public feedback in this particular case…we want to do what the community ultimately wants, so that’s a big reason we’re having this meeting,” Price said. There will be comment cards available at the meeting, where an alternative of choice can be checked. If anyone is unable to attend the meeting, the comment card will be on the website www.PineIslandStringfellowIntersection.com through Dec. 18. Pine Island Elementary School, 5360 Ridgewood Drive, Bokeelia, FL 33922

breezenewspapers.com

The Pine Island Public Library is located at 10701 Russell Road in Bokeelia. For more information about a program or to register, please call the library at 239533-4350. Check the Lee County Library System’s website at www.leelibrary.net to find out about programs at other locations. Call the host library, or Telephone Reference at 239-479INFO (4636), for more information about a specific program. To receive updates from Lee County Government, sign up for the newsletter at www.leegov.com/ resources/newsletters. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Lee County will not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities in its services, programs or activities. To request an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication or a reasonable modification to participate, contact Joan LaGuardia, (239) 533-2314, Florida Relay Service 711, or jlaguardia@leegov.com. Accommodation will be provided at no cost to the requestor. Requests should be made at least five business days in advance.

costs more and would require right-of-way acquisition, she said. Price further pointed out one of the benefits of a roundabout is very minimal long-term maintenance costs. “That’s one of the things we look at when we decide whether we want to build a roundabout or traffic signal is, return on investment and we look at long term costs— traffic signal, you’re paying for power, you’re paying for maintenance of different devices…roundabout is pretty standard and there’s a lot less maintenance required long term,” Price said. Every possible alternative to improve safety and efficiency was considered for the intersection, he said, leaving the conclusion that the only viable options are leaving the four-way stop as is, constructing a traffic signal, or building a roundabout. “We evaluate all of our intersections. We look at crash

Page 15 n Week of Wednesday, November 29, 2023

Intersection From page 1

Week of Wednesday, November 29, 2023 n Page 16 pineisland-eagle.com Pine Island Eagle

Recovery From page 1 funding, in part, the endeavor to get St. James City resident, Rhea Jennings and her children back into their home. In 9 days, the house was rebuilt with the family living in a trailer for over a year, Lambert said. Jennings attended the meeting with her three children to say thank you to everyone involved. “I think a lot of our stories are kind of similar in the sense that there was some skepticism — we were all, kind of, on island time — right? And then something happened so catastrophic and it changed our lives and none of us really know where to begin…there’s nothing like living next door to your house and having your children say, I miss being home,” Jennings said. She went on to explain the GPIA’s integral part in getting her family approximately a year ahead of schedule on the rebuilding of her home. “We were in a camper, getting ready to have a baby…it was so overwhelming. Now we’re home,” Jennings said. GPIA case manager Tracy Wentz said there are currently 89 open cases through the GPIA, with 11 cases closing, due to survivors getting back into their homes. “We partner with the United Way to help with furniture and household items, so if you’re in need of those household items — mattresses, furniture — please go to the website and request the help. We’re able to help with that,” Wentz said. Bareda said in terms of funding, none of the $1.1 bil-

lion allocated to Lee County is expected before February 2024 at the earliest. When projections are made, such as replacing mobile homes with modular homes, it is all to be done under this assigned funding. Representatives of Habitat for Humanity attended the meeting to give a presentation on their involvement with Pine Island post Hurricane Ian. Director of Home Resilience and Preservation Daniela Rambhajan said the passion for those they help, is discernable in GPIA members and serves as a reminder of why this kind of work is important. Habitat for Humanity has a hurricane recovery home repair program, that has completed approximately 80 repairs since the program began, she said. “We are responsible from the initial assessment — putting together scopes of work — we have professionals in the construction field, we call them our construction supervisors — that go out to assess a home once we receive an eligible application. We put together a scope of work, we look at the damage caused by the storm, we review it with the homeowner, because we know as part of their recovery, we want to make sure the homeowner is on board — if they have any questions on their scope of work, any additions, or things they want to exclude. We talk it over and make sure they understand what the repairs and the plan when complete will look like. Once we get approval from the homeowner, we’re able to

assign funding,” Rambhajan said. Once funding is assigned, a final scope of work is put together including hard estimates, agreed upon by the homeowner, before contracts are signed with Habitat for Humanity, she said. Some basic eligibility requirements include, all property owners being included on the application as an applicant or co-applicant. The home must be the principle residence as evidenced by a homestead exemption, available assistance for repairs on mobile or manufactured homes will depend on whether the property land is owned or leased, the household must meet income guidelines, all adults in the household must pass a criminal background check, the homeowner must have owned the home prior to Hurricane Ian and the damages must have been caused by the storm, the home value must not exceed $481,176, property taxes and mortgage payments must be current. The homeowner will never sign a contract with Habitat for Humanity without knowing the extent of the scope of work and the total amount of the lien, which will be explained in its entirety, she said. For additional information, please visit: GPIALLIANCE.ORG Habitat for Humanity can be contacted at Habitat4humanity.org or 239-652-4663. First United Methodist Church is at 5701 Pine Island Road, Bokeelia, FL 33922

Page 17 n Week of Wednesday, November 29, 2023 breezenewspapers.com

Cape Coral

Athletes of theWeek

(Selected by the Breeze Sports staff)

Pine Island Eagle

Breeze

Week of Wednesday, November 29, 2023 n Page 18 pineisland-eagle.com Pine Island Eagle

Incorporate From page 4 sent eventually drowned out other voices. The once-collegial discussion devolved into accusations, name-calling, physical threats, distorted facts and so much dissension and derision that the GPICA board eventually tabled the idea. Ultimately, the Cape’s move to annex the Matlacha properties failed, and the community moved on. The GPICA Board focused on other community issues — including working on development issues through more direct communications with county staff and our district commissioner, septic-to-sewer conversion, traffic and water quality concerns. Fast forward to 2022. Development has continued on the Island and residents have had little ability to oppose it. The Lee County Commission is in a pro-development phase and, even if it weren’t, thousands of island parcels were approved for development even before the original Pine Island Plan was put in place. The Cape has also come back — this time annexing eight parcels on the east and west sides of Veterans Memorial Parkway at the intersection with Pine Island Road. Owners of parcels on the west side of Veterans are planning a massive development that will include a hotel, homes and businesses valued at more than $200 million. The lots that the Cape annexed also fall within the boundaries of the Matlacha/Pine Island Fire Control District and the Greater Pine Island Water Association, potentially impacting services that both provide. The annexation had the potential to cause an increase in rates to those remaining in the water and fire

districts, as those of us who remain will pay costs already incurred by the districts for financing capital projects that allow them to provide services to the nowannexed properties. n The Greater Pine Island Water District has their franchise to provide services to the properties in place through 2050, which provides protection for the next 27 years. n In September, the Matlacha/Pine Island Fire Control District signed a 10year interlocal agreement with the Cape about the properties already annexed and about future voluntary annexations. (Read the agreement on our website, www.GPICA.org). At the time the Cape was annexing those properties, Pine Islanders once again worried about protecting our community, and residents raised the idea of whether incorporating would protect us. Some of our members began urging the board to take up the issue of incorporation again. With trepidation, the board agreed to invite a representative from the Florida League of Cities to discuss the incorporation process with our membership during our October 2022 meeting — basically starting from scratch. With Ian hitting us at the end of September, that meeting never took place, and the GPICA Board rightly redirected its focus on post-Ian recovery. More than a year later, the drumbeat of incorporation is sounding again. The GPICA Board has discussed the pros and cons of the issue at length, and while all members of the board serve because we want to protect Pine Island, at

this time we are skeptical about even beginning the incorporation discussion again. Perhaps the biggest reason is the weakening of Home Rule in Florida this past legislative session. In Florida, Home Rule is enacted through our state Constitution and allows cities and counties to enact local laws and rules without approval of the state. One of the biggest arguments that GPICA has made for incorporation in the past has been the need for self-governance — particularly for the right to implement development rules in our community that balance the rights of property owners to develop their land, while also keeping Greater Pine Island as the coastal-rural community that drew many of us to the Island. It’s the reason we led the development of the Pine Island Plan in the first place. During the 2022 Legislative session, however, Florida’s lawmakers passed numerous laws weakening the ability of local governments to set their own destinies by having control of their zoning regulations and land use. Perhaps the biggest threat to Home Rule and Smart Growth was SB 540/HB 359 — which was signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis and took effect on July 1, 2023. It allows winning parties in a lawsuit to recover attorneys’ and other legal fees. This law effectively stifles residents’ and even small local governments’ abilities to oppose development (or perhaps even implement zoning regulations) for fear of multi-million-dollar judgements if they lose their cases. In fact, it’s the reason the GPICA did not join as a party to the Chiquita Lock Lawsuit being waged by the Matlacha Civic Association (even

though our membership voted to support it in a limited financial way). A judgement against GPICA could effectively bankrupt us. Friends of the Everglades called this law the worst environmental law in the 2023 session and “a death knell for smart growth in Florida.” Then there is SB102/HB627, which also took effect in July. While it’s designed to expand affordable housing opportunities in the state by providing incentives and tax breaks, it also came with a measure that preempts local governments from limiting building heights and densities for affordable housing projects. Another bill — SB 170/HB 1515 — that took effect Oct. 1 dictates that local governments must halt the enforcement of an ordinance if a single lawsuit challenges that law or ordinance until the court case is decided. The GPICA has other concerns with moving forward on incorporation as well: n It would be a costly effort. In 2017, we spent more than $50,000 and other incidental costs on mailings and the feasibility study. That price would likely be even higher today. To our north, Save Siesta Key has been working for more than three years to incorporate Siesta Key and has raised at least $250,000 for the effort. n It requires human capital. Currently, the GPICA Board has seven members, including some who are able to take a more active role than others. (Our bylaws call for up to 11 members). While we’re working to recruit new board members, we just don’t have the capacity to take on such a huge effort right now, especially See INCORPORATE, page 20

Page 19 n Week of Wednesday, November 29, 2023 breezenewspapers.com

Pine Island Eagle

Week of Wednesday, November 29, 2023 n Page 20 pineisland-eagle.com Pine Island Eagle

Supermarket Sweep From page 1 In the end, every winner has always given something back, which is very typical for Pine Island, she said. The idea originally for the event came from another group of Kiwanians who came for a meeting from another state and said they had done a Supermarket Sweep to raise funds. Bickford recalls thinking that might be a great event for the Pine Island Kiwanis Club to take on. Local Kiwanians were counting on Winn-Dixie store manager Dan Loughren, who is always ready to help out the community in any way possible, and together, they’ve turned this event into an annual

tradition. By loaning the store for the game, in this case, before it was even open for business, Loughren helped set the stage for another Supermarket Sweep event, with more than just one winner. “Winn-Dixie is proud to help a great organization like the Kiwanis Club in any way we can and we love being a part of the Supermarket Sweep. I believe this is the fourth one that we’ve done,” Loughren said. Bickford looks forward to future runs where islanders help one another win with what she describes as an easy and fun idea.

“It doesn’t take a ton of people to run it. You just have to sell your tickets and that’s really it. I think we made over $2,500 profit. We do pay for the groceries and still, we made over $2,500 just by selling the tickets for $10 a ticket,” Bickford said. The run is planned for the Monday before each Thanksgiving holiday, she said, so winners can count on some free groceries for their table, and in Pine Island, usually for others as well. Supermarket Sweep “runner” Marty Crotty.

Incorporate From page 18 when the issue is not embraced wholeheartedly by the community. Not only would we need donors to help raise funds for incorporation, we also would need more active and engaged volunteers. n Pine Island today is very different from Pine Island prior to the storm. Our previous feasibility study showed that we were a donor community to Lee County — that is, we pay more tax revenue than we receive in services. Would that hold true today, post Ian? It’s a question we

would have to explore more. n Incorporation requires the support of our own legislative delegation and then passage by both the Florida House and Senate and the governor’s signature before the issue would come back to Islanders for a final vote. State lawmakers don’t seem supportive for more incorporated communities at this time. For instance, the straw poll conducted by Save Siesta Key of their residents cost $30,000, and while it showed over-

whelming community support for incorporation, the issue did not move out of committee during the 2023 legislative session — even though their local delegation supported it. That effectively killed the possibility of an incorporated Siesta Key until at least the 2024 legislative session. n Lee County could actively stand in the way. To create a “government light” form of governance, an incorporated Pine Island would be required to contract for services from Lee County or private providers. What would happen if Lee County declined or if they increased costfor-services beyond the town’s budget? During our last conversation with former Lee County Manager Roger Desjarlais in 2019, he indicated that contract services would be more costly for us than what Lee County’s most recently incorporated community — Estero — paid. He also suggested that the county could try to force us to take over the island’s recreation facilities at our own cost. For these reasons and others, the

GPICA Board is reticent to take up the issue of incorporation at this time. However, we feel that our role as the island’s main venue for civic engagement means that we should continue to provide a forum for discussion of all issues affecting Islanders. That’s why we’ve invited Lynn Tipton, director of FLC University for the Florida League of Cities, to join us for our December meeting. Lynn will provide an overview of the incorporation process and discuss the current climate in the state for incorporation. We hope you can join us for the meeting. n When: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 5 n Where: The Pine Island United Methodist Church Nadine Slimak, Vice President, GPICA Board of Directors, with Deborah Swisher-Hicks, President; Michael Sweeney, Treasurer and Board Members Sue Dahod, Tim Heitz, Shari Perkins and Scott Wilkinson

Page 21 n Week of Wednesday, November 29, 2023 breezenewspapers.com

Pine Island Eagle

Week of Wednesday, November 29, 2023 n Page 22 pineisland-eagle.com

Craft Shows

Garage Sales

Boat Lifts & Docks

CUSTOM DOCKS & BOAT LIFTS North Fort Myers COMMUNITY CRAFT FAIR THE HERITAGE

Indoor Craft Fair Saturday 12/2, 8am - 1pm (Rt 41N. 1 mile past the Shell Factory) Bake Sale Door Prizes All Day Long Raffle for 3 CASH Prizes

62,,30( 55 9)69 9 #(; ,* 5+ (4 5665 /90:;4(: /6<:,/63+ .66+: >64,5B: *36;/05. :/6,: 4<*/ 469,

Recreation Vehicles ), !! &*D=

% , ' >033 64, $6 '6< $6 #,, ; !<0*2 (:@ #(3,

' $# ( '%$( %05*,A

Pioneer Village Craft Fair 17200 Pioneer St. NFM Sat, Dec 2nd 8am-12noon

In The Rec Hall

Help Wanted

A 6*(3

Power Boats ), !! $ ('

HAWLEY CONSTRUCTION OVER 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE ALL IN LEE COUNTY. FREE ESTIMATES www.marinedocks.net

Call (239) 561-8074 CBC026058

Air Conditioning

(;, (;;,5+(5; 5,,+,+ 05 (7, 69(3 -69 ( ( >,,2,5+ :/0-; (33 -69 469, 05-694(;065 +09,*;065:

7=: ?C

A+ RATED - ANGIES LIST

Installation & Repair Licensed & Insured FAMILY OWNED SINCE 1981 LEE#LSO200031 CAPE#06938 Sanibel #S11-000923

Full Service General Contractor

TOMáS CONCRETE, INC àn Tractor Service

Specializing in

24óHOUR SERVICE NO OVERTIME CHARGES FAMILY OWNED/OPERATED Lic#CAC1817070

(239) 573-2086

30 Years Experience Veteran Owned

239-560-5448 bestorcontracting.com Licensed & Insured License #CGC1532266

Stucco - Landscape Curbing Spray Crete - Keystone

Fill & Dirt Grading

BackHoe - Grading - Fill Top Soil - Rock - Bush Hogging Pond Digging - Land Clearing We fix Drainage Problems

.=:7?>17C

239-543-3700 Cell 239-849-5375

Contractors

Free Estimates on Replacement Systems

& =>58->1=

E(:; ':57 E 577 5<> E <-0593 E'4177 '>:91 E <:=5:9 :9><:7 E!:> /<1-31 ":A593 E <5@1A-C= &:-0= E =;4-7> %->/4 '1-7 E ?7@1<> %5;1= E!-90 71-<593

E 9@-=5@1 B:>5/ &18:@-7

E :71= -7:93 '1-A-77=

E':7?>5:9= >: ;::7593 A->1<

!5/19=10 9=?<10 AAA /-8;5:97-90=/-;1 /:8

âNo Bull - Just Quality Work You Can Trustã

Pets & Supplies 465;/ 63+ 4(3, /<:2@ 40? 7<77@ ;6 9,/64, 66+ >0;/ 20+: 7,;: 6=,: ;6 73(@ -,;*/ *(9 90+,: 56>: )(:0* *644(5+: 66205. -69 9,;09,, 69 >692 -964 > -,5*,+ @(9+ 6; ( *9(;, +6. 9,/6405. -,, (7,9: /,(3;/ *,9;0-0*(;, :<7 730,+

Residential ¯ Commercial New Construction Remodels ¯ Repairs Room Additions

Free Estimates

239-707-0654 Bonded - Lic CBC058576 - Insured

CLASSIFIED 574-1110

<11 =>58->1=

!5/

9=?<10

Painting

BulldogBuildersInc.com

Ultra Plumbing & Drain Cleaning, Inc Plumbing Installations Service and Repair 24/7 Emergency Services Drain Back-Ups Pipe Bursts Residential & Commercial Honest - Professional Affordable Veteran & Senior Discounts Free Estimates

239-203-7047 Facebook and Instagram @ultraplumbingservice Licensed & Insured Lic#CFC1430549

One-Man Painting Company Interior & Exterior Detail Oriented Tidy and Personal

(5; (:; &1=/<119 %::7 '/<119 &1;-5< &1=/<119 -90 &1;-5< 2:< -9 22:<0-.71 %<5/1 -77 :< ,:?< <11 =>58->1

!5/19=10 -90 9=?<10

No Job to Large or Small

#D' ' & # & % &

And Always Free Estimates References Furnished

%&$"%( %&$ '' $# ! ' &*

Thank You In Advance

!5/19=10 9=?<10

(239) 339-7361

âNo Job Too Smallã

Laborers Wanted

INSTANT REBATES AVAILABLE óAir Purification Systems óHigh Efficiency Systems óDuct Cleani ng

*Additions *Remodels *Renovations

19 ?C= @1<C>4593 /:8

':225>= ?>>1<= :A9=;:?>= E%<1==?<1 +-=4593 E%-59>593 E -<;1> E!-859->1 7::<593 E(571 #1A &1;-5< &13<:?>593 E :8;71>1 +::0A:<6593 E ::< +590:A &1;-5< E*59C7 19/593

Screening

Residential/Commercia l

Concrete Slabs Drives Patios Sidewalks

' % ), :?=1= &1-7 =>->1

New Installation Includes Permit 2 Year Warranty Rain Bird Contractor

A 6*(3

Wanted To Rent

' % :< :70 '57@1< :=>?81 1A17<C :.

!1> 81 ;?> 8C C<= :2 1B;1<519/1 >: A:<6 2:< C:?

C o n c r e t e ' $# ( '%$( Contractors

&$+ 5= 45<593 - ;-<> >581 +5707521 5<=> &1=;:901< <;0,: 05*3<+, 9,:765+05. ;6 058<090,: ()6<; :0*2 051<9,+ >03+30-, (**69+05. ;6 " &B: 7630*0,: *669+05(;, ;9(5:769;(;065 6- >03+30-, 3+,93@ 4(5 >0;/ >,33 ),/(=,+ +6. ;6 -964 /6:70;(3 6=,9:,, (+40::065 366205. -69 ( 73(*, ;6 30=, ?*,33,5; 796*,:: (5+ ;9(05 =63<5;,,9: 9,-,9,5*,: (33 3,(:, :,5+ @6<9 3,;;,9 6- 05;,9,:; 9,:<4, (5+ ;/9,, 796-,::065(3 9,- ,9,5*,: ;6 ,**( &,/4,0,9 9(*;0*, (5(.,9 (; )>,/4,0,9 *96>*3050* 69.

Wanted To Buy

Plumbing

+5775-8 &5914-<> -90C8-9

q FREE ESTIMATESq q

WE BUILD QUALITY DOCKS

Handyman

% , ' >033 64, $6 '6< $6 #,, ; !<0*2 (:@ #(3, %05*,A

Pine Island Eagle

q q AFFORDABLEq qq

Steve

& '( " ( '

#:A 5<593 B;1<519/10 '/<119 9=>-771<=

Plants & Trees q q AFFORDABLEq qq

Sprinkler Systems & Irrigation qq q q AFFORDABLEq

q FREE ESTIMATESq q

New Installation Includes Permit 2 Year Warranty Rain Bird Contractor A+ RATED - ANGIES LIST

Installation & Repair Licensed & Insured FAMILY OWNED SINCE 1981 LEE#LSO200031 CAPE#06938 Sanibel #S11-000923

q q FREE ESTIMATESq

New Installation Includes Permit 2 Year Warranty Rain Bird Contractor A+ RATED - ANGIES LIST

Installation & Repair Licensed & Insured FAMILY OWNED SINCE 1981 LEE#LSO200031 CAPE#06938 Sanibel #S11-000923

<8-90:D= (<11 '1<@5/1 $904 $9,,: #;<47 ",46=(3 6; 3,(905. (5+:*(705. ",:0+,5;0(3 644,9*0(3

#:A $221<593 %-@1< 9=>-77->5:9

0*,5:,+ (5+ 5:<9,+ % ! % ! !!

! #' #')& +$& &' $"% $* & $"" & ! & ' #( !

! & ($ '" !! (& +$& '()"% & "$* ! ) ( (&) ' &* +$$ %% & ' &*

& '( " ( '

Tony’s Tree Service

breezenewspapers.com

+ #( ($ ,$)& (& ), !! " $& + ( * & ,$) #

Page 23 n Week of Wednesday, November 29, 2023

Tree Service

(<11 &18:@-7 (<11 (<588593 '>?8; <590593

Pine Island Eagle

pineisland-eagle.com

Week of Wednesday, November 29, 2023 n Page 24