Cape Coral Weekend Breeze

Busy flu season

Students’ first day on Hector A. Cafferata Elementary temporary campus set for Dec. 19

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

With the Hector A Cafferata Elementary School portable campus complete teachers began to make the transition into the classrooms this week

The portable campus was completed this week, Superintendent Dr Christopher Bernier said B o

Office Coordinator Adam Molloy will be subbing in a kindergarten class while the teachers transition to their new classroom Friday

I am looking forward to the opportunity to grow as an educator ” he said

The students will begin their first day at their new campus on Dec 19 and longterm considerations for the elementary school campus in Cape Coral will be presented in January District spokesperson Rob Spicker said the move onto the portable campus began on Dec 5 and goes through next Friday

It s very structured to limit the impact on teaching and learning as staff set up the new space, he said Following Hurricane Ian the students

from Cafferata were split between two c a m p u s e s w i t h t h o s e i n k i n d e r g a r t e n through second grade attending Hancock Creek Elementary School and third fourth and fifth grade students attending Pelican Elementary School

The temporary campus is located on adjacent Cape Coral Technical College property on Santa Barbara Boulevard with a perimeter fence separating the elementary school from the college campus

Bernier also spoke about the recovery efforts for Fort Myers Beach Elementary School, which recently included a town h a l l w i t h t h e b e a c h c o m m u n i t y H e thanked the community for their voice as

it helps the district every time there is interaction with Fort Myers Beach residents

“It was difficult because they are hurti n g s o b a d l y B o a r d m e m b e r C h r i s Patricca said of the town hall That was really difficult She said she still thinks about one specific parent which keeps her up at night The first thing I think about in the morning is this parent, Patricca said “This burly bearded guy who cried when he talked about this school and hope to have his 2-year-old go there some day

City moving out of crisis mode with EnerGov permitting

By CHUCK BALLARO news@breezenewspapers com

In April residents and contractors were wondering if the city of Cape Coral would ever be able to issue permits, with the way the c i t y s n e w p e r m i t t i n g s y s t e m , EnerGov, was, or wasn t, working

It seems that the city has slowly but surely been weathering that storm as well as the real storm created by Hurricane Ian that produced a rash of emergency permits

On Wednesday at the regular City Council meeting at City Hall Matt Grambow special projects manager briefed council on just how far the city has come in making EnerGov easier to use to the city and for those seeking permits

Insurance Busters serving meals at German American Social Club

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

One group that arrived imminently after the storm

By CHUCK BALLARO news@breezenewspapers

Grambow said that by Monday all disaster-related permit toggles will be live, meaning that customers would be able to apply for any of the emergency permits and not pay permit fees Also going live would be pushbutton permits for residential air conditioning, emergency electric, residential fencing, garage doors and roofing

The city has continued its work flow restructuring and finally hired an administrator for the system after a lengthy search

Also changing in the new year will be at the permitting counter S t a r t i n g T u e s d a y J a n 3 t h e counter will be open from 7:30 a m to 4 p m Monday through Thursday

The purpose is to address an u n b a l a n c e d a l l o c a t i o n o f s t a f f resources 83 percent of permits a r e b e i n g a p p l i e d f o r t h r o u g h EnerGov, and half the permit technician hours are dedicated to the remaining permits applied for at the counter

I n 2 0 2 2 t h r o u g h N o v 3 0 more than 48 000 permits were issued, with the busiest times being early May, when the city was getting through the backlog of permits caused by the launch of EnerGov

years in

cent of the more than 110 000 veterans the Bay Pines VA system s e r v e s e a c h y e a r w e a t h e r i n g COVID-19 and two hurricanes in the process

Justina Wells assistant director of the Bay Pines VA system which

10 years and being excited for what the future holds Health care has changed a lot over the last 10 years There have been a lot of innovations that have happened specifically in the VA ” Wells said During the pandemic we began the use of Telehealth services and it's provided a big help ” The opening of the Cape Coral

facility on Diplomat Parkway a decade ago expanded the VA's ability to provide health care to veterans

It became apparent we would have to expand our footprint to meet the needs of those we serve " said Paul Russo director of the Bay P i n e s s y s t e m W e o p e n e d t h e facility to replace the outpatient clinic in Fort Myers

T o d a y , t h e L e e C o u n t y

Healthcare Center services 35 per-

Keynote speaker David Isaacks director of the Veterans Integrated Service Network said the greatest challenge and greatest opportunity now is to build a system that will meet the needs of American veterans tomorrow as well as today "

“That was why this facility was created To care for veterans of all eras to include those returning from conflicts all over the world and the growing population of women veterans ” Isaacks said

Lee Health reports high number of influenza cases stresses need for vaccinations

Cape school severely damaged by Hurricane Ian

“That was why this facility was created To care for veterans of all eras to include those returning from conflicts all over the

and the growing population of women veterans

David Isaacks, director of the Veterans Integrated Service Network

2nd Annual ‘The Holidays are a Drag’ event set for Monday

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers

Miss Cape Coral Pride 2020 Alyssa Lemay will be hosting and performing throughout the event The night also features performances by Alexia Cicconni Chloe Cicconni KeKe Monroe and Sizzy Griddles

Each of them will provide a festive individual show, Quinn said Forget to buy that special someone a gift for the holidays? There will be raffles including a 50/50 PRIDE Cape Coral will also be selling merchandise, and all proceeds are to directly benefit PRIDE Cape Coral Inc a 501c3 organization

PRIDE Cape Coral has partnered with Cruiser s Lounge to create a safe space that is inclusive and welcome to all 21-plus in the community ” Quinn said

Cruisers will serve up appetizers, with selections including shrimp cocktail, rumaki, bacon mango chutney

Raffle

Everglades CVB, Nice Guys Pizza, Rusty s Raw Bar & Grill, Tuxedo Car Cleaning, Wicked Dolphin, and Zak's Jewelry

Quinn added, We encourage the community to support PRIDE to continue building awareness and extending inclusivity Let’s celebrate living openly and authentically ”

This is a private and ticketed event Tickets are available online via Eventbrite or at the door (if available) on a first-come first-serve basis Table seating is also on a first-come, first-serve basis -- so please try to arrive with your group Tickets are $35 to $40 (depending on time of purchase) and include admission and appetizers This is 21plus event and may include some adult content and language Refunds will be honored up to seven days prior to the event and tickets are transferable

For more information on PRIDE Cape Coral, visit www pridecapecoral com

Lee Health reports higher than normal number of flu cases for this time of year

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

Local health officials report they are seeing a higher number of flu cases for this time of the year than normal The influenza season begins each year in early October bringing runny noses coughs congestion and other lessthan-ideal symptoms For some immune-compromised, it can be a more serious time of year

Lee Health began collecting data Oct 9 and that first week there were 76 total cases between Acute Care Hospitals and Ambulatory records Numbers began to rise in November, and by the week of the 20th, a total of 683 individuals were diagnosed with influenza locally

“Locally we are seeing an increase in cases earlier in the year ” said Dr Mary Beth Saunders Lee Health’s System Medical Director of Epidemiology Traditionally, our numbers rise after the Christmas holiday

It is not too late to get your influenza vaccine

Over the last two weeks flu numbers have remained higher than usual for this time of year with 1 305 total cases in that timespan according to Lee Health

Saunders said the best way to prevent contracting the flu is to become vaccinated, wear a mask, wash your hands for 20 seconds with soap and water, or use an alcoholbased hand gel

Lee Health officials said as Southwest Florida gets busier with seasonal residents returning to assess their homes and disaster recovery workers coming to our region to help with recovery efforts, it s especially important this year to get a flu shot

Lee Health recommends that everyone 6 months old and older get vaccinated each year for influenza You can visit a Lee Health provider to receive your flu shot or a local pharmacy

Please visit www leehealth org for additional information

Dr Mary Beth Saunders, Lee Health’s System Medical Director of Epidemiology

M

Partnerships bring sweet dreams for children of Southwest Florida

H u r r i c a n e I a n d a m a g e d a l o t i n S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a , b u t i t d i d n t t o u c h o u r s p i r i t o f c o m m u n i t y I n t h e t w o m o n t h s s i n c e t h e s t o r m , w e v e e x p e r ie n c e d t h e b e s t i n h u m a n i t y – n e i g h b o r s h e l p i n g n e i g hb o r s s t r a n g e r s h e l p i n g s t r a n g e r s a n d b u s i n e s s e s h e l p i n g a n y o n e w h o n e e d s a l i f t L o n g s t a n d i n g p a r t n e r s h i p s p r o v e i n v a l u a b l e d u r i n g t i m e s o f c r i s i s , a n d U n i t e d W a y o f L e e , H e n d r y a n d G l a d e s h a s b e e n t a p p i n g i n t o i t s v a s t n e t w o r k d a i l y O n e r e c e n t e x a m p l e i n v o l v e d m u l t i p l e p a r t n e r s T h e S c h o o l D i s t r i c t o f L e e C o u n t y h a s i t s p u l s e o n f a m i l i e s a c r o s s t h e c o m m u n i t y T e a c h e r s g u i d a n c e c o u n s e l o r s a n d s o c i a l w o r k e r s h a v e b e e n s p e a k i n g d i r e c t l y w i t h s t u d e n t s a n d p a r e n t s , l e a r n i n g t h a t m a n y a r e d i s p l a c e d I n f a c t , t h e n u m b e r o f s t u d e n t s e x p e r i e n ci n g h o m e l e s s n e s s s p i k e d f r o m 1 4 0 0 b e f o r e t h e s t o r m t o a t l e a s t 3 6 0 0 a f t e r t h e h u r r i c a n e I t s b e e n a n a r o u n d - t h e - c l o c k e f f o r t t o t r y t o e n g a g e w i t h t h o s e f a m i l i e s , g e t t h e m t h e s u p p o r t t h e y n e e d a n d c o n n e c t t h e m t o r e s o u r c e s i n t h e c o m m u n i t y s o t h e s e s t u d e n t s c a n b e s u c c e s s f u l i n s c h o o l ” s a i d P a u l M i l f o r d t h e S c h o o l D i s t r i c t s c o o r d i n a t o r o f s o c i a l w o r k s e r v i c e s A l t h o u g h s c h o o l r e s u m e d i n m i d - O c t o b e r s o c i a l w o r k e r s a n d c o u ns e l o r s l e a r n e d t h a t m a n y s t u d e n t s h a v e b e e n s l e e pi n g o n s o f a s o r f l o o r s b e c a u s e t h e i r b e d s w e r e f l o o d e d o r d a m a g e d T h e S c h o o l D i s t r i c t r e a c h e d o u t t o U n i t e d W a y , w h i c h t h e n r e a c h e d o u t t o R o o m s T o G o , a F l o r i d a - b a s e d c o m p a n y w i t h a h i s t o r y o f g e n e r o s i t y a f t e r n a t u r a l d i s a s t e r s R o o m s T o G o h a s w o r k e d w i t h U n i t e d W a y o f L e e , H e n d r y a n d G l a d e s i n t h e p a s t , s o w h e n t h e y c a l l e d f o r m a t t r e s s e s t o h e l p k i d s w h o w e r e s l e e p i n g o n t h e f l o o r w e w e r e m o r e t h a n h a p p y t o a s s i s t ” s a i d J a n i s A l t s h u l e r s e n i o r v i c e p r e s id e n t a t R o o m s T o G o W e a r e g r a t e f u l f o r t h e g r e a t w o r k U n i t e d W a y d o e s , f o r i t s q u i c k r e s p o n s e a n d t h o u g h t f u l p r o c e s s o f a c q u i s i t i o n a n d d i s t r i b u t i o n W e a r e g l a d t o d o o u r p a r t t o h e l p t h e c o m m u n i t y r e c o v e r a n d r e b u i l d ” R o o m s T o G o c o m m i t t e d t o p r o v i d i n g 1 0 0 0 m a tt r e s s e s T h e n , U n i t e d W a y b e g a n s e a r c h i n g f o r a p a r t n e r t o p r o v i d e b e d f r a m e s I n s t e p p e d A m a z o n , w h i c h o f f e r e d a c o r r e s p o n d i n g n u m b e r o f p l a t f o r m f r a m e s N e x t U n i t e d W a y t a p p e d i n t o t h e S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a E m e r g e n c y R e l i e f F u n d t o p r o v i d e b l a n k e t s s h e e t s a n d p i l l o w c a s e s O n c e t h o s e i t e m s w e r e s e c u r e d , s c h o o l s t a f f b e g a n s e n d i n g m e s s a g e s t o i m p a c t e d f a m i l i e s , i n v i t i n g t h e m t o s e l e c t a n a p p o i n t m e n t t i m e t o p i c k u p i t e m s T h e S c h o o l D i s t r i c t o f f e r e d s p a c e f o r a d i s t r i b u t i o n e v e n t a n d j u s t d a y s l a t e r t r u c k s a n d S U V s f l o w e d t h r o u g h t h e l i n e a s a p p r e c i a t i v e p a r e n t s p i c k e d u p n e w b e d s f o r t h e i r c h i ld r e n A t t w o d i s t r i b u t i o n e v e n t s b e f o r e T h a n k s g i v i n g , p a r e n t s a l s o w e r e h a n d e d a b a s k e t f u l l o f f o o d a n d s n a c k s t o m a k e t h e i r h o l i d a y m e a l a s u c c e s s O n e o f t h o s e p a r e n t s w a s R o n i P r i c e o f S a n C a r l o s P a r k D u r i n g t h e h u r r i c a n e h e r c e i l i n g c a v e d i n f l o o di n g e v e r y t h i n g i n s i d e h e r h o m e S h e i s t e m p o r a r i l y l i vi n g e l s e w h e r e , b u t w o r r i e d a b o u t f u r n i s h i n g h e r h o m e o n c e r e p a i r s a r e c o m p l e t e d “ I t ’ s l i k e s t a r t i n g o v e r w i t h t h e t h i n g s y o u w o u l d n e e d t o m o v e i n t o a n e w p l a c e – b e d s c o u c h e s m a tt r e s s e s T V s b l a n k e t s P r i c e s a i d I m t h a n k f u l t h a t U n i t e d W a y i s o u t h e r e h e l p i n g u s o u t b e c a u s e w e r e a ll y d o n e e d i t a n d i t s s o m u c h a p p r e c i a t e d W e k n o w t h e n e e d i s f a r g r e a t e r t h a n 1 0 0 0 m a tt r e s s e s F a m i l i e s n e e d c l o t h i n g f o o d t r a n s p o r t a t i o n f i n a n c i a l a s s i s t a n c e a n d m o r e a n d U n i t e d W a y w i l l c o nt i n u e s e r v i n g a s a c o n d u i t t o c o n n e c t f a m i l i e s w i t h t h e r e s o u r c e s t h e y n e e d U n i t e d W a y a n d t h e S c h o o l D i s t r i c t o f L e e C o u n t y a r e p l a n n i n g a n a d d i t i o n a l m a t t r e s s a n d s u p p l y d i s t r i b ut i o n e v e n t o n D e c 9 P a r e n t s i n n e e d o f a s s i s t a n c e a r e e n c o u r a g e d t o s p e a k w i t h t h e i r c h i l d ’ s s c h o o l c o u n s e l o r o r s o c i a l w o r k e r t o r e g i s t e r t o a t t e n d J e a n n i n e J o y i s p r e s i d e n t a n d C E O f o r U n i t e d W a y o f L e e H e n d r y a n d G l a d e s C o u n t i e s F o r m o r e i n f o r m at i o n a b o u t t h e S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a 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 U n i t e d W a y L e e o r g / h u r r i c a n e - i a nr e l i e f - f u n d

Agree?

The v i e w s e x pre s s e d o n the Opi ni o ns pag e s are jus t that o pi ni o ns The s e pag e s are i nte nde d to c o nv e y a rang e o f v i e w po i nts ; o pi ni o ns pri nte d o n thi s pag e do no t ne c e s s ari l y re f l e c t the v i e w s o f thi s ne w s pape r Oppo s i ng v i e w s are w e l c

By CAL THOMAS

Congressional lame duck quackery GUEST COMMENTARY

There is little Republicans and Democrats in Congress agree on these days, but spending (and borrowing) money is as nonpartisan as it gets House Democrats apparently have decided to leave their majority with a spending spree They'll do it the way they usually do In a script familiar to an extortionist and to the public because we ve seen it before, Democrats can be counted on to threaten a government shutdown if Republicans don't go along with their plans to spend more money we don't have Never mind that for the next few w e e k s D e m o c r a t s s t i l l h a v e a H o u s e m a j o r i t y Republicans (and much of the major media) will still be blamed should a shutdown occur Remember previous threats about retirees not getting their Social Security checks and closed signs at national parks? It's all theatrics Dec 16 is the “deadline” for the expiration of funding the government and don't you know that Democrats will be hauling out their Scrooge and Grinch metaphors if Republicans don t do their bidding Not all GOP members have clean hands when it comes to spending and pork for their districts A majority of their caucus voted last week to restore earmarks which they once eliminated but the temptation to succumb to these spending perks appears to have been too seductive It always is when they re spending other people's money to perpetuate their careers

A Wall Street Journal editorial notes, Democrats want to stuff all 12 of Congress's annual overdue spending bills into a giant ‘omnibus’ to finance the government through September 2023 According to their media note takers the failure to pass an omnibus bill will result in one of two scenarios: a government shutdown, or the ruin of federal agencies forced to maintain spending at current levels

Heaven forbid that the government should restrain itself when it comes to spending at current levels which of course are raised nearly every year giving us a $31 trillion-dollar debt and counting

Where are the Republican leaders who will teach Americans we can't go on like this? Ronald Reagan was the last Republican president to warn against debt Since

Free lunch beats all

To the editor:

members of Congress can't restrain themselves when it comes to spending what is needed is an outside auditor to go through every federal program and recommend what should be cut or eliminated Because Congress would have to approve of such an approach and then approve spending reductions that seems as unlikely to happen as their voting for term limits

Warnings about overspending and high taxation are ignored The Founders gave us a Constitution that established boundaries beyond which government cannot go They repeatedly advised against excessive and ongoing debt That government has long exceeded constitutional limits is why it has become so dysfunctional in so many areas The Founders understood human nature and its tendency to excess absent controls In 1793, George Washington said “No pecuniary consideration is more urgent than the regular redemption and discharge of the public debt: on none can delay be more injurious or an economy of time more valuable John Adams put it more succinctly: There are two ways to enslave a nation One is by the sword The other is by debt ”

The federal government is taking in a record amount of r e v e n u e b u t s p e n d i n g m o r e t h a n i t r e c e i v e s a n d Democrats want to spend even more Why is Congress deaf to the warnings of the Founders? They aren't deaf They have covered their ears and eyes and don't want to hear it to their everlasting shame and the harm they are passing down to future generations

R e a d e r s m a y e m a i l C a l T h o m a s a t

tcaeditors@tribpub com Look for Cal Thomas' latest book “America's Expiration Date: The Fall of Empires and Superpowers and the Future of the United States” (HarperCollins/Zondervan)

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

I spent 40 years in Minnesota and now almost 7 years in Florida What a contrast a very blue state with a state that is turning bright red First of all, I recently calculated the cost of government per person in both states The cost per person in Florida is 1/2 that of Minnesota I heard that Florida is 40% the cost of New York state so there are worse What has all of this money wrought in Minnesota? Reading the St Paul Pioneer Press this week is frightening A pending nurses strike is scheduled for this month in the metro area This at a time when there are nurses stretched to the limit not even being able to take time off when their children get sick The two big reasons for the strike are the lack of adequate staffing and money Overwhelmed nurses cannot respond for hours sometimes to help a patient Also, the nurses would like an increase of 22% and the hospitals are offering 14 5% over three years Using the current inflation rate the value of our dollar in that time will drop by over 27% so the hospitals are only offering about 1/2 the amount to stay even with inflation in a job that is urgent and understaffed Minnesota education has dropped significantly due to essentially closing the schools for as much as two years for some children Taking a child that missed 4th and 5th grade and thrusting them into the 6th grade doesn t work well but Minnesota s education system has almost never improved The scores are lower from year to year even though a mammoth amount of the state’s money is thrown into education

Very alarming was an article about the conservative’s impatience with the Blue state overriding personal liberty and spending money for special interest They are very concerned about the state slowly taking away basic freedom, even freedom of religion For that reason, guns have been purchased to the point that sometimes it is hard to find ammunition to go deer hunting It is no surprise that the more liberal government gets the more guns are bought Under Obama the market skyrocketed Under Biden it is worse Crime in the cities have skyrocketed after three days of protest that destroyed 1 500 businesses The government first tried to cut back on police and use Black Lives Matter ideas but the increase in crime and light sentencing has caused many policemen to leave and now crime has jumped in every category Carjacking has mushroomed to 600 cars in one year The police force is too stretched to find the criminals and the extreme left billionaires have financed the campaigns of liberal attorneys for city positions so that most of the crimes are not prosecuted and if found guilty sentences are very light, not enough to threaten any career thief

Of course, the Blue politicians keep getting elected because so many people benefit by their largesse that they would not vote another way Some of the benefits are for health care or food but much of it is for a free lunch setting aside the foundational idea that made America what it is; a system that makes everyone responsible to work and make a living

This system is in a suicide cycle meaning it will keep getting worst as it feeds itself Ironically in the city that excels in all of the aforementioned problems, the voters reelected those who brought this disaster To no one s surprise Ilhan Omar, a famous Squad member, represents Minneapolis in congress and 12 of the 13 city council members as well as the Mayor are Democrats The 13th member belongs to the Green Party

I hope that there will be more Floridas in America but the last election suggested that there will instead be more Minnesotas Free lunches beat all

Lake O and red tide

To the editor:

Red tide is present along our coastline and it has been documented that discharges from Lake O, while not the cause exacerbate the situation

The U S Army Corps of Engineers just announced that they are increasing the discharges from Lake O into the Caloosahatchee but not into the St Lucie River

WHY?

Could it be that Rep Mast is much more pro-active and vocal than Rep Donalds?

But all of this begs the question when will enough ever be enough?

When will they stop playing political football with this and stop prioritizing big sugar and agriculture and place the priority on the citizens of Florida whom they swore an oath to?

And last but definitely not least when will they start addressing the root causes of our water problems instead of throwing reputation-enhancing multi-million-dollar bandaids that are designed to make the public think they are reacting to these areas of concern but do not cure or eliminate the problems

At some point I hope the citizens of this state that they treat as mindless will catch on

Please do not judge me

To the editor:

Do I abandon my home?

Or do I stay to protect it?

Will the storm really come?

Or will it take a turn?

My head spins as I listen to the reports

They do their best to keep us informed But theirs is not an easy job

It is a fluid process

Constantly changing Mother Nature is a force to be reckoned with I decide to stay I have my reasons

The impending doom is frightening I prepare my home And stock up on supplies I have done all that I can Now I wait Then comes the news

It is heading straight for me I am stuck here now I must wait it out I will hunker down with my friends We will comfort each other Maybe it will not be as bad as predicted It is here now And it is bad

I watch cars float into the street I watch the water enter my building

I am frightened When the storm passes I view the devastation I am saddened I am exhausted It is unbearable I am told to evacuate It is unsafe to stay I grab what I can fit into a small suitcase I am trucked out of my city

My son waits in a safe area, To take me to his home I feel fortunate to have a place to go Not everyone does But what comes next?

Will my home be standing when I return? Will my city ever be the same? Where will I live?

I am grateful to have survived

But unless you have lived through this It is impossible to understand how it feels And when people say, you should have left, I think but for the grace of God, there go you So give me your prayers

Give me your empathy

Give me your kindness

But please do not judge me Lisa Andrews

CAPE

John Benedict Cape Coral

Norman Cannon Fort Myers

Jeannine Joy Guest Commentary

Eagle resigns from Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Secretary post

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

Cape Coral native Dane Eagle announced he will be r

Opportunity Secretary

In a letter to Gov Ron DeSantis, Eagle showed his gratitude for the opportunity His official last day will be Dec 30

“Serving in your administration has been the honor of a lifetime, and I am deeply grateful for this opportunity, Eagle wrote At this point in my life, however, my responsibility to my growing family is of the utmost importance ” E

September 2020 after his bid for the 19th Congressional District was slimly dashed in the Republican Primary by eventual winner Byron Donalds

Eagle took over as head of the DEO when the department faced a large backlog in unemployment insurance claims stemming from the pandemic He wrote to DeSantis When I joined your administration in September 2020, the state s unemployment rate was 8 7%, which was quickly rebounding from the 13 9% rate a few months earlier due to the global pandemic

“These economic headwinds also contributed to a growing crisis with the state s reemployment assistance

system operated by DEO requiring a n a l l - h a n d s - o n - d e c k e f f o r t t o secure funding to modernize the system and swiftly help hard-working Floridians get back on their feet ”

Eagle formerly served as the state House majority whip from 2016 to 2018 and majority leader from 2018 to 2020 He was also v i c e c h a i r o f t h e H o u s e A p p r o p r i a t i o n s C o m m i t t e e f r o m 2018 to 2020 He won election to t h e F l o r i d a H o u s e o f Representatives in 2012 in the then-new 77th District He was re-elected to the House in 2014 and 2018 (he could not run again in 2020 due to term limits)

announced over a hundred million dollars for infrastructure and workforce development projects across the state which will help create countless jobs to support our growing economy DeSantis on Twitter shared kind words for Eagle amidst his upcoming leave

“Thank you Secretary Dane Eagle for your outstanding service to Florida s businesses and workforce DeSantis wrote Under your leadership at Florida DEO, you helped to strengthen our communities and nationleading economy We wish you the best in your next endeavors ”

Dane Eagle

Eagle also touted the work done by the administration when it comes to Hurricane Ian relief efforts

“We have responded to multiple disasters including Hurricane Ian which devastated my home community, and awarded over a billion dollars in long-term disaster recovery funds to homeowners and communities across Florida ” Eagle wrote “We led the nation in fully obligating over half-a-billion dollars to assist homeowners and prevent foreclosures in record time we awarded bonus payments to over two hundred thousand first

Eagle ended with his own kind words for DeSantis and members of the administration

These are only a few of the many examples of how, under your leadership, the exceptional people at DEO are assisting in advancing Florida’s economy by helping citizens businesses and communities thrive ” Eagle wrote

“Your leadership has made all aspects of Florida’s executive branch a well-oiled machine that promotes efficiency over bureaucracy, and the citizens of Florida are the ultimate beneficiaries of this success I have no doubt that Florida and DEO will continue to excel under your bold leadership Again thank you for this extraordinary opportunity but most importantly thank you for keeping Florida free

Boots on the Sand benefit concert draws thousands, raises over a million

By CHUCK BALLARO news@breezenewspapers com

A sold-out benefit concert for victims hardest hit by Hurricane Ian last Thursday at Hertz Arena brought stars from the country rock and country-rock music genres

The Boots on the Sand benefit concert featured Lynyrd Skynyrd as the main act with support from Ted Nugent Gavin DeGraw Tracy Lawrence Brian Kelley John Rich, Raelynn and Ira Dean, who helped put the event together

Rich said he has friends in the area who had loved ones lose everything and that he saw what happened on TV

Huge crowd turns out for Holiday Festival of Lights

By CHUCK BALLARO news@breezenewspapers

eral times with Elsa and Anna singing their signature songs

There were also face-painters courtesy of Cape Christian Church, with many kids leaving there looking like cats tigers and other interesting work

Peggy McManus a new resident who spent her first hurricane in a closet watched as her kids got painted and said she was happy everyone has come together

People can enjoy their lives now They lost so much and yet everyone is giving back ” McManus said “We can have fun and forget about it for a night at least ”

“Nobody had really put on a giant event to raise money for all the people who got hit so hard Rich said They put the call out to me and all these people and decided to do something big for these people and we jumped at the opportunity This is our shot to make a difference ”

The event was put on by a non-profit organization Boots on the Sand, which was put together to help those in need after the storm Jennifer Parisi helped organize the show with her boyfriend, Dean, and said she was excited to see the hard work from so many people in such a short period pay off

“We did a year’s worth of planning in six weeks but obviously, it was a relief concert so we had to pull it together quickly, Parisi said We re thrilled, we sold the place out, everybody is so excited to be here and we can’t wait to have a wonderful evening ”

Commerce of Cape Coral the event has been a holiday staple for decades bringing community support the holiday spirit and family fun for everybody

People got to take that sled ride, but also see the Christmas tree lit up, complete with fake snow; watched numerous performing groups entertain on stage; and of course got to see Santa taking photo ops under the tree

Chamber President Donna Germain said it was great to see all the people come out, a sign that everyone wants to start getting the nightmare of Hurricane Ian behind them

“This is one of our favorite events that we do Everybody needed this It’s nice to see the families out They say it s a larger crowd than last year Germain said We definitely needed some holiday cheer to take people s minds off the recovery

The event couldn t go in without the help of volunteers Germain said and there were numerous groups and organizations that helped in that cause

We ve been giving away free cotton candy and free popcorn and slime We also have a gift card giveaway, said John Solaroli, pastor at the Faith Generation Church which brought more than 60 members “We want to let people know we’re in the community and we also help with the slide ”

Among the entertainers was the Hot Flashz, a 50+ dance troupe that does events all over the area There was also a show from the movie Frozen that ran sev-

City dignitaries such as Mayor John Gunter and several council members were there to light the tree Councilmember Patty Cummings went with her family and left it saying it was an amazing evening

“I loved Santa Claus came in on a fire truck I loves the tree lighting I loved the snow so much I played in it ” Cummings said “It brought joy to my heart to watch everyone smiling and laughing and to see all the small businesses here doing well

Elmer Tabor, a Cape Coral pioneer, was thrilled to be able to hold this event as a way for people to get their troubles off their minds

“This is super special because of everything the city has gone through with the hurricane, and maybe people have been stressed out We really needed this event bad, Tabor said To see the crowd and the smiles on everyone’s faces it’s getting the holiday spirit and the community back together ”

Above, Stacey Hofer rides down the snowy hill with daughter Noami during the Holiday Festival of Lights Saturday Below, from left,

a Munoz, 6, sit with Santa and Mrs Claus during the festival

Tim Cartwright helped organize the charity that had to get its 501c3 set up in six weeks when it takes six months to file with the IRS

They couldn t pull this off without an existing 501c3 charity, so we lent our charity to them so we could pull this concert off ” Cartwright said “We put a special account together for them and special accounting set up

Lawrence, who has performed in Florida countless times, said he has a lot of friends here, including Dean, and living in Texas knows what dealing with hurricanes are like

“The country music scene shares in everything we do We ve done a lot of things for each other and it s a great community, Lawrence said I see a lot of blue tarps on a lot of houses and there are a lot of people struggling and it will take years for everything to come back ”

Dean deflected the credit to those who did the leg work for sponsors getting the performers together and all the other things needed to put on a show

All I did was see the devastation and I saw nobody was doing anything I ve been really blessed in the music industry to have great friends ” Dean said “I started making calls and all I could do was bring them here These people need a show to forget about their problems

All donations went to Volunteer Florida, The Florida Disaster Fund, the Community Foundation of Collier County, Collaboratory of Lee County and others They had a goal of $1 million which was met before the first note was played through donations and an online and live silent auction

Most of the acts took the stage for about three or four songs, with a highlight being Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno coming onstage during Nugent’s set for a bow

But it was Skynyrd who many came to see and they gave an hour s worth of all or their all-time hits that nearly everyone knew by heart such as Sweet Home Alabama and Freebird

Fans were happy to see their favorite performers come together for a good cause

“It’s exciting to see these people step up There’s a lot of devastation here but everyone moved in, so it s nice to see people put something like this together, Ryann Cinderich said

“As soon as they put tickets on sale that was how I was going to help ” said Gina Shultz of Fort Myers who did fairly well during the storm but whose neighbors not so much There are so many great artists here tonight, it s amazing I came to see Skynyrd and the others were amazing

CHUCK BALLARO

City Council approves new land use district

BURST classification set for development within the Burnt Store Road District

By CHUCK BALLARO news@breezenewspapers com

During its penultimate regular meeting of 2022 Wednesday

The council voted 8-0 to create the Burnt Store Road District future land use c

BURST

The Burnt Store Road Corridor and surrounding areas will play a major part in future growth of this part of the city both commercially and for residential

Permitted uses for the BURST include retail office office/warehouse light manufacturing institutional multi-family residential, single-family residential attached uses (3+ units) larger scale commercial retail and government uses such as parks

and public facilities New residential uses permitted in the BURST may only be developed within a mixed-use building

In other business, in a discussion that w a s s e t a s i d e d u r i n g l a s t w e e k s Committee of the Whole meeting council discussed the revisions of Chapter 2 and Chapter 19 in the Code of Ordinances regarding fees imposed at time of payment regarding Utility Capital Expansion Fees and water and sewer utilities

City Council also got an update on r e c o v e r y f r o m H u r r i c a n e I a n A l v i n H e n d e r s o n , E m e r g e n c y M a n a g e m e n t Director, said there has been talk regarding bringing in FEMA trailers for people in need of temporary housing Henderson said those FEMA trailers would not be permitted in Special Hazard Zone areas but said he would like to see those temporary housing units located on

people’s property so they can stay local be able to fix and look after their homes and work with the contractors to get their homes repaired in flood prone areas We re hoping FEMA might loosen those rules based in past practices we re aware of ” Henderson said

The city has asked for reimbursement o n s e v e r a l p r o j e c t s , i n c l u d i n g o n e Tuesday The city has not received its first bill yet but expects one soon Terry Schweitzer said as of Wednesday 3 8 1 , 7 5 6 c u b i c y a r d s o f c o n s t r u c t i o n debris has been picked up more than 1 4 million cubic yards of vegetation has been collected and in the canals 24,476 cubic yards has been removed

The city is collecting 120 units per day of debris, down from an average of 180 as there is now less debris to pick up There are 12 canal crews working and the city is looking to add other crews as the holidays

approach C i t y M a n a g e r R o b H e r n a n d e z s a i d there will be an event Friday led by city employees at Keep Lee County Beautiful where they will go into the high-visibility corridors and do litter and debris removal

Mayor John Gunter warned that time may be running out soon on residents to have their debris removed by the city, and will revert back to the homeowner and business to remove the debris

It s key to make sure that notification is made because we’re 70 days into this process which I would say we’re halfway through this, and there will come a time when that service will cease, Gunter said “They need to take the opportunity that’s there now

Hernandez said the city will amp up notification of everyone that the third pass for hurricane debris removal will be the final one, and that if the debris is not hurricane related, they will not pick it up

P&Z approves mobile food vendor ordinance

City Council expected to address issue in January

By CHUCK BALLARO news@breezenewspapers com

The Cape Coral Planning & Zoning commission on Monday approved in a split vote new regulations on mobile food vendors that will make it mandatory of them to be mobile I n a 5 - 2 v o t e , P & Z a p p r o v e d t h e amendments in the code that would mirror the regulations Lee County has on food trucks

City Council gave city staff a level of comfort regarding the proposed code in April during a Committee of the Whole meeting that would mimic those of the county The revisions were presented to council at a COW meeting in September one of which allows for fines to be levied for non-compliance

Except for ice cream trucks this new code will treat mobile food vendors alike They will need to stay mobile leaving a job site at night and removing any gear Seating areas will not be allowed Ultimately, this code will eliminate “food-truck based outdoor restaurants ”

some of which have been parked in the same location for years

However a new use Mobile Food Court w a s p r o p o s e d t o a l l o w F o o d T r u c k P a r k s ” w h i c h w o u l d r e q u i r e f u l l s i t e improvements onsite bathrooms parking sidewalks, etc , to accommodate regular a n d l o n g e r - t e r m d e p l o y m e n t o f f o o d trucks

The mobile food court was something vendors seemed to like Annette Barbaccia, representing those vendors said there was great interest in something like that

It includes things for safety and functionality but allows for flexibility that is r e q u i r e d f o r a n o r d i n a n c e l i k e t h i s ” Barbaccia said There are more than 35,000 food trucks nationwide, creating $2 7 billion in revenues and it’s become a huge source of employment and appeals to all age groups, especially the younger population ”

N o t e v e r y o n e w a s p l e a s e d J e r o m e Steforik said mobile food vendors have become a necessity, especially in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian

Do you realize how many families rely on these food vendors? Not only for the people who want to eat but for those who brought them, Steforik said These people are trying to support their families and a lot of them have kids they need to care for Why can t they have food trucks?

C o m m i s s i o n e r A n t h o n y B e n n i e h a d concerns with compliance and some of the regulations that could force food trucks out of business

“You can have a food court on two acres and 10 trucks and get rent from them It goes from a small family business to something controlled by who has the most money ” Bennie said “I know we can’t have chaos but once we get into that regulatory mode, it becomes a backwards way of putting someone out of business ”

Commissioner Ken Fioretti had the same fears that the regulations were too severe

The ordinance calls for the elimination of semi-permanent trucks, which serve as brick-and-mortar restaurants However, the idea of grandfathering trucks currently

parked was shot down Bennie and Fioretti voted to reject the ordinance

T h e o r d i n a n c e w i l l g o t o t h e C i t y Council for approval in January

In other business, the P&Z board unanimously approved an ordinance to reinstate a previous parking program for part of the South Cape District known as PILOP (Payment in Lieu of Parking) a voluntary program that would allow developers to pay a fee for each parking space below the minimum required for a development that cannot be provided

The board also voted 6-1 to approve and ordinance to allow drive-thru facilities i n t h e S C o n s i t e s a l o n g D e l P r a d o Boulevard with frontage on secondary streets Drive-thru facilities will continue to be prohibited on sites with frontage a l o n g p r i m a r y d e s i g n a t e d s t r e e t s a n d except for sites along Del Prado Boulevard, on all other sites involving secondary streets Fioretti voted against the ordinance City Council must give final approval of these ordinances before they go into the books

EnerGov: City moving out of crisis mode with permitting system

From page 1A

and November with all the emergency permits being sought Seven of the 10 busiest days this year happened after Nov 14, Grambow said

City Manager Rob Hernandez praised city staff for being able to get through the significant challenges the city faced this

year with EnerGov from the system itself to the customers

Our employees worked really hard and their numbers matched and surpassed those of the county even though they had more resources ” Hernandez said “These people have taken a lot of abuse from the industry I m troubled by what they have to take every day at the front counter

talking

At the end we’ll

we’ve

Mayor John Gunter said the difference between February and now are like night and day The industry standard is how long it takes to get a permit That s all they re

about

be better off than

ever been in the 15 years I ve been involved in that department I m very optimistic and I see light at the end of the tunnel, Gunter said

After starting as an online business, Just Lovelee Boutique opens brick and mortar store in Cape

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

In a changing retail world due to the pandemic and here locally Hurricane Ian some business owners are branching out to the Interwebs to share their products with a broader audience

L i s a M u i a , o w n e r o f J u s t L o v e l e e

Boutique in downtown Cape Coral got started nearly 3 years ago selling her inventory to an online live audience Her arena of choice is an online platform called CommentSold

With the COVID pandemic causing many storefronts to close selling online became more popular than ever Her success on CommentSold has turned into a brick-and-mortar location on Southeast 47th Terrace

Just Lovelee is a one-stop-shop for women's fashion apparel and more The business offers sizes from small to 3X and have a variety of shoes, jewelry, accessories, handbags and home goods

We take pride in that we have a full size run and can cater to every body type ” Muia said

Online Muia hosts live shows where potential buyers can see first hand how a certain piece looks rather than relying on an image

“I created my online boutique with the notion that I was going to make shopping easy for women who hated online shopping, like myself, she said I hate spending hours at a time looking for something through stock photos and then getting it in the mail and the quality is not what it appeared or it doesn't fit right ”

Muia said live selling has been an extremely effective tool for her business, and has helped build trust with a customer base She said each item for sale gets modeled so the customer can see how the materials fall

We tell them how it fits We tell them how it feels And then they re able to ask questions right there on the platform, Muia said

When an individual decides they want to purchase the item being shown they simply have to comment sold and the product is added to their cart

She added that being able to engage w i t h c u s t o m e r s i n r e a l t i m e o n CommentSold is an invaluable tool The platform also allows her to expand her potential consumer base from Southwest Florida to the entire country

I have customer from all over, which is really, really cool, she said I'm now trying to grow my customer base here in Florida ”

Muia said she's heard positive feedback from those who have come to her shop

A lot of people, the one thing they say when they come into my store is, Thank you so much for opening up a store here in Cape Coral we're in such need of retail and small boutiques exactly like yours ’” B e i n g a S t a t e n I s l a n d N e w Y o r k

Muia

small

able to comment during the live video to either ask questions or secure an item quickly

She said CommentSold and its team have been tremendously helpful in getting her business to where it is today

“It's not an easy business and it is competitive but I have a group of people at CommentSold that guide me along the way, and it's so easy for people to shop with us, Muia said The technology behind the app is incredible ”

Chief Product Officer for CommonSold Andrew Chen said “We learn a lot from our clients We build the tools and capabilities to match what they need for their business while providing the knowledge they don’t have All our products come from years of testing into what makes live selling successful but if the retailer doesn t know how to entertain an audience, then those tools don t mean much That s why the knowledge element provides so much value ”

E v e n i f y o u m i s s a l i v e s t r e a m

CommentSold users are able to re-watch a show and still comment on the item to purchase it You can even find a specific item you're looking for in the show by searching for keywords

M u i a ' s a d v i c e f o r b u s i n e s s o w n e r s potentially looking to enter on online realm?

I t h i n k w i t h o u t a p l a t f o r m l i k e

CommentSold it's going to take so much longer and a lot more work in order to make your business successful ” she said They literally give you the tools you need t o r u n a n o n l i n e , l i v e - s e l l i n g ( s h o w ) Without it, I don't know where I would be We've grown tremendously over the past 2 1/2 years ”

This weekend Just Lovelee is hosting a men s event encouraging men to come to the boutique with a shopping list and photo of their significant other

up

as the one she has created She moved to Florida 5 years ago and d e c i d e d t o b r i n g a s l i c e o f h o m e t o Southwest Florida

“I knew that I wanted to create a space where people could go to shop and get different pieces for affordable pricing, she said Muia got started on CommentSold after doing some research on the best way to sell her products and loved the idea of being

“And we will do all the shopping for them ” Muia said “They get to sit back while we give them some option

The men s event is today, Dec 9, from 10 a m to 8 p m ; Saturday, from 10 a m to 7 p m ; and Sunday from 11 a m to 4 p m Regular store hours are Tuesday through Saturday 10 a m to 7 p m and Sunday 11 a m to 4 p m

Just Lovelee Boutique is at 1113 S E 47th Terrace For more Information, visit www jusstloveleeboutique com

Bay Pines VA: Facility in Cape Coral celebrating 10th anniversary

From page 1A

the building being built

“I

native,

grew

surrounded by

boutique shops such

Isaacks said veterans will accept no less than the best customer service and this couldn t be done without the staff and volunteers to work daily

One of them is Rich Collins, a retired

worked as a volunteer from the beginning and who gave an eloquent speech about working to serve his fellow veterans The Winkler facility was about the size of three basketball courts Here, everything is open bright and says welcome to the

veterans ” Collins said “The equipment works the staff is smiling I get more from these veterans than I can ever hope to give Susan Purnell, whole health coach who has also been here from the beginning, gave an employee's perspective as she saw

used to drive by here every day when

was slowly being built When I saw Old Glory flying, it was the most exciting thing ever, said Purnell, an Air Force veteran “That was my future work home and it made me want to cry

PHOTO PROVIDED

Lisa Muia, ower of the Just Lovelee Boutique, outside of her Cape shop

Lee School Board agrees to continue conversation about Guardian Program

u

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

The School Board of Lee County after a lengthy discussion, agreed to have further conversations about the Guardian Program and what it would entail to implement in the School District during an executive session to be held next month

“I think this might be our third briefing o

Giovannelli said I have been advocating for it since 2019 because there is no price on safety I would hate for an incident to h a

guardian

Before the School Board members discussed their thoughts on the Guardian Program, Safety, Security and Emergency Management Executive Director David Newlan provided background information He said the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act was created to make Florida schools safer and keep firearms out of students' hands, which s t

shooting on Feb 14 2018

Newlan said the Coach Aaron Feis Guardian Program was established in 2018 and named after the coach who was killed after trying to stop the gunman at the school The Guardian Program he said is to take down the active threat which are roles filled by school employees who volunteer for an additional role, or hired personnel

In order to participate in the Guardian Program individuals must pass psychological and drug screenings and complete a minimum of 144 hours of training Newlan said that includes 12 hours of diversity training and 132 hours of firearm safety and proficiency training

“The guardian must complete an 85

percent pass rate of firearm and proficiency training ” he said

The presentation also went into Senate Bills 7026 and 7030 For Bill 7026, Newlan said the guardian does not have the same authority and power of law enforcement except to stop an active assailant For Senate Bill 7030 the sheriff s office has to implement the program and provide training

N e w l a n s a i d w h e n s p e a k i n g w i t h

Sheriff Carmine Marceno he is in support of a Guardian Program and would support the School District He said he has also spoken with the police department chiefs and they are open and in support of listening to what type of program will be brought forward

As far as funding Newlan said there is a Guardian Grant available for the sheriff, which covers instructor training costs, weapons and range fees, uniforms, a onetime $500 stipend as well as such items as portable radios administrative costs recurring costs of recertification training and insurance

Out of the 3,785 schools in Florida, there are 2,997 law enforcement officers assigned to schools and 1 384 guardians assigned Furthermore 46 districts use the Guardian Program in their schools and 23 districts currently do not have a Guardian Program

I do support the Guardian Program

Yes we are meeting the expectations but why not exceed them An additional layer of security is really important I want our security to be the best in the state, Board member Jada Langford-Fleming said Newlan said staffing needs will be based on the Guardian Program design the district chooses That might take the route of using either existing employees and/or creating a new position He said they will also have to discuss the liability insurance and legal coverage for negligence

“We have to decide as a Guardian Program how firearms would be carried What type of firearm, what type of holster and the location, he said Board member Debbie Jordan had concerns

“I am not saying I am against this We have to look at every little detail The guardians will become the employees of the district We would be their employer We control them and tell them ‘Here is your uniform here is your gun ’” she said

If the guardian is a teacher Newlan said the idea is for them to stay with their class and classroom

What is my purpose then if that person is down the hallway? To me that does not make sense Maybe I am not seeing it right If that individual is supposed to be with our children and a specific place it defeats the purpose, Jordan said Board Chair Armor Persons said his

through the door the guardian's duty is to protect

It s an extra layer of security of deterrence is what it is, he said A teacher who volunteered for this I would not see him ever leaving the room They are there as a deterrence ”

The Guardian Program would be a force multiplier, as the School Resource Officers will remain as they are a vital part of the school's community

“It would be in concert with the SROs we already have The SRO provides immediate access to armed law enforcement, Superintendent Dr Christopher Bernier said The board will also have to determine if the guardian would wear a uniform to help identify them or be more discreet

It s simply a process to better understand where we are as a board right now, Bernier said, adding that they were looking for direction in preparation to potentially bring it back as a vote “Any type of development would move into shaded sessions because of safety and security

B o a r d m e m b e r C a t h l e e n O ' D a n i e l Morgan said if they move ahead with the Guardian Program she believes they have to make certain that they understand where staff and families are on the program

Families may choose not to send their c h i l d r e n ( t o t h a t s c h o o l ) , i f w e h a v e guardians that are visible Staff members may choose not to teach in a school if a g u a r d i a n i s n o t d i s c l o s e d a n d i s a n unnamed individual who is armed in the school We have to have extensive engagement with families and staff about what would be tolerable acceptable and expected and all that would have to be written into policy ” O'Daniel Morgan said

Hurricane Ian recovery legislative requests discussed by School Board

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

The Lee County School Board this week began the conversation of its legislative priorities, which includes three asks in business and finance to address post Hurricane Ian recovery efforts

The post Hurricane Ian recovery legislative requests which have not been approved yet include a "special allocation to provide state funding in replacement of up to 100 percent of loss of property tax funding due to hurricane impacts

In addition, the request also includes a special allocation to provide funding to mitigate the issuance and interest costs associated with a line of credit made necessary because of the delay in the receipt of property tax revenues due to the impact of the hurricane ” T

increase the total project cost threshold of construction projects that require professional services on a continuing contract, from a limit of $4,000,000 to a limit of $15,000,000 for Hurricane Ian related recovery projects ” Robert Stewart with Gray Robinson P A said there are a host of issues that Florida s legislators are going to have to deal with Our ask, Lee County is in a very unique and important position coming into the legislative session due to the impacts from Hurricane Ian We have the standard legislature asks, Stewart said, adding that there is also an education aspect of quality and taking care of the kids “You also have the added challenge of the storm and the very real and present need coming out of that O

include increasing student achievement safety teacher certification and retention and school facilities utilization S t e w a r t s a i d l e a d e r s h i p h a s t a l k e d about property insurance and property tax issues He said housing is a key issue they want to see this year with a lot of focus on infrastructure There is a new committee in the House for infrastructure, Stewart said, as well as a fiscal policy committee created in the Senate

“There will be another budget surplus this year ” he said “That will be impacted heavily by the storm There is significant dollars that goes into infrastructure rehab, hardening, resiliency and repairs from the storm The state is going to have a surplus even with that To be in the position that Lee County is in right now to ask for significant funds We are standing ready and excited to get to work alongside you as we

begin a new legislature year ”

School Board Chair Armor Persons said he recently attended a round table discussion with the House majority leader and the head of Commerce, as well as the Cape Coral mayor and some Lee County commissioners

“They were very much aware of our needs, he said, adding that the discussion enabled him to share the district's needs The one thing they did say was this was going to be a multi-year recovery ”

Persons said he believes the legislature s ask is a very good one as it also mentions specifically the labor force with technology He said Florida probably has the only governor in the United States that is pushing the fact that you do not have to go to college to be a success

“I am not saying I am against this We have to look at every little detail The guardians will become the employees of the district We would be their employer We control them and tell them ‘Here is your uniform, here is your gun ’”

School Board member Debbie Jordan

S PORTS

Weather’s nice and a variety of fish are biting

Taking a look at today s FWC Red Tide Map shows most areas along our coast and inshore to be problem free with some patches reported off Boca Grande as well as some high concentrations still lingering around Sarasota Red tide isn t the only water problem to worry about locally as who knows what else may still be in the hurricane soup so by all means still treat all on the water cuts small or big, asap When s the last time you updated or at least checked out your first aid kit? Take a few minutes and make sure you’re well stocked Nice to have when you need it

Don t put away your tarpon sticks just yet as reports keep coming in of continued activity in the 20-foot hole areas of Charlotte Harbor, as well as the mouth of the Myakka River where ladyfish and old reliable catfish chunks are getting the interest of some hungry high spirited holiday tarpon Till we get a really cold blast, an early December tarpon hunt might pay off

Are these fish just late in migrating south or just resident river fish just fattening up? I vote for river fish Others have reported coastal fish this past week and in Boca Grande Pass Before heading out give Fishing Frank s a call for an up-to-theminute report as they are usually a great source of info concerning the upper harbor Peace and Myakka River tarpon information (941-625-3888)

Nothing like the sight of a triple digit weight chrome missile flying out of the water and the soon to follow back and arm straining tug of war, but I also get a huge kick out of hunting for and catching small tarpon in the Capes miles of canals with lite tackle spinning and fly rods Lite meaning little 15 inchers to 40-inch acrobats and sometimes much bigger fish get in the act The PGI canals a little north of here also offer some fine juvenile tarpon fishing and right now some huge canal tuna (jack crevalle) as well Hunting canal tarpon is usu-

ally a challenge requiring patience and research If they aren t showing themselves in your canal then go into scout mode which means sitting and watching at other spots and asking friends/tackle shops if they see them in their waterways Over the years I ve discovered areas along the Northwest Spreader Canal that “often” hold tarpon of varying sizes especially this time of year I m fortunate that these guys show up in my canal 3-4 times a year and then simply vanish again

Now that you’ve paid your dues and found areas of activity here comes the hard part -- getting them to eat an artificial lure Juvenile tarpon are well known to be very picky, frustrating anglers tossing lures

Experience has taught going small is the right tactic when it comes to gear line leader and lures Basically I’m fishing a 6foot lite spinning rod and small matching reel with 8 to 10pound braid and 3 to 4-foot-long 12 to 20-pound test fluorocarbon leaders

My go-to lure year after year is a simple, short-skirted pompano jig in white or chartreuse For flies a little 1 75-inch Puglisi Micro Minnow pattern in translucent is my number one choice This week I ve had some success with DOA s 2 75-inch shrimp and smaller Vu Du 1 75inch shrimp

Best jig retrieve is a boring, medium speed straight line retrieve a couple of feet below the surface Be ready as your line often goes momentarily limp or light feeling as they track it then suddenly inhale it from behind Be a line watcher and set the hook quickly if anything doesn t look or feel right Lite winds blue skies and the inshore reds trout and pompano are biting Nearshore reefs to 100-foot depths and beyond there s a hungry fish waiting for you this holiday season

Capt George Tunison is a Cape Coral resident fishing guide Contact him at 239-2829434 or captgeorget3@aol com

Wednesday

Boys Basketball

Lehigh 84, Bishop Verot 44:

Lehigh's Kionus Walters scored 30 points as the Lightning defeated Bishop Verot in Vikings coach Matt Herting's 750th career game “We are a little short-handed and not playing very well right now ” Herting said Also we are pretty small, so that s tough too They pressed us all game We turned it over a ton If you can handle defensive pressure it will be fine ”

Ethan Tipton led the Vikings with 17 points Verot (0-2) also faced Lehigh (3-2) in Herting's 600th game as a basketball coach

Boys Soccer

Oasis 4, Dunbar 1: A week after losing to Dunbar, the Sharks (6-3) evened the score by beating t h e T i g e r s T y l e r K e r r s c o r e d twice and made an assist Mario Acosta had a goal and two assists, and Matthew Zea also scored

Tuesday

Boys Basketball

Oasis 58, Island Coast 55: Earning their third win in a row the Sharks (3-1) got the decisive scores with two seconds to play J a x o n M c A r d l e - S y k e s m a d e a layup and was fouled adding the free throw for the final margin McArdle-Sykes had 12 points in all Zach Louzao scored 13 for

PREP REPORT

Oasis Gateway 94, Ida Baker 59:

T h e E a g l e s ( 3 - 0 ) k e p t t h e

Bulldogs winless (0-4) East Lee County 59, North Fort Myers 51: Undefeated East L e e ( 5 - 0 ) d r o p p e d t h e R e d Knights to 1-3

E C S 5 8 , C a p e C o r a l 5 4 :

Gavin Williams scored 30 points for Evangelical Christian (1-3) The Seahawks lost for the first time (2-1)

Mariner 66, Riverdale 38: The Tritons (2-5) kept Riverdale winless at 0-4

Girls Basketball

Estero 47, Oasis 27: Brynn Stambaugh led the Sharks (3-3) with 10 points

LaBelle 60, Island Coast 25: LaBelle (5-2) left the Gators with a 3-4 record

South Fort Myers 62, Bishop Verot 49: Playing their first road game the Vikings slipped to 4-2 Cape Coral 39, Lehigh 32: The Seahawks improved to 4-2 at the expense of Lehigh (6-2) Riverdale 48, Mariner 43: Mariner is off to a 1-4 start

East Lee County 46, North Fort Myers 28: East Lee won its first game of the season (1-5) against North (0-6)

Boys Socce

B i s h o p V e r o t 3 , P Ridge 2: Raul Blandon p Vikings (1-2-2) to their

Flag football fundraiser champs

tory with a goal and an assist A n t o n i o P o r t e s a n d C h r i s t y a n Fevrier Sildor also scored and Abraham Magallanes made two assists R i v e r d a l e 4 , M a r i n e r 3 : Lucas Tarra scored twice for the T r i t o n s ( 2 - 3 - 2 ) w i t h M a x i m o Gorosito adding the team s third goal

Ida Baker 7, Island Coast 1: The Bulldogs improved to 2-4 Anthony Morales More scored his fifth goal of the season for the Gators (2-4-1)

Girls Soccer

B i s h o p V e r o t 4 , P a l m e t t o Ridge 3: Alyvia Mueller had a hat trick scoring three of the Vikings' four goals Verot improved to 2-21 M a r i n e r 8 , R i v e r d a l e 0 : Stephanie Saracione scored two goals and made an assist and Carly Paz had two goals to lead the Tritons (6-2) Ryleigh Acosta S a r a h P a d d o c k a n d G l o r i a Quintanilla each had a goal and an assist, Kensi Longabardi scored and Kira Wilson contributed with an assist

Ida Baker 8, Island Coast 0: Baker raised its record to 2-3 North Fort Myers 5, Cape Coral 0: Brianna Sullivan had a goal and an assist for North (5-0-

Capt George Tunison

The Hurricane Ian Relief Flag Football Tournament Fundraiser, presented by Employee Wellness and the Foundation for Lee County Public Schools, Inc , was held last Saturday, raising $775 The inaugural event, held at Dunbar High School in Fort Myers, featured eight teams and over 70 participants Emerging as the champions was the GasEmOut team, above The Dynasty team came in second PHOTO PROVIDED

CCFD’s annual holiday safety campaign underway

T

annual Keep the Wreath Green fire safety campaign is underway For the 10th year, Cape Coral firefighters have placed a wreath illuminated with green bulbs at Fire Station 4 located at 2007 Santa Barbara Blvd If a preventable fire such as cooking smoking, holiday decorations, candles, etc , occurs between Dec 1 and Jan 1, one of the green bulbs will change to red

Though fire safety should be a yearround priority particular precautions need to be taken during the holiday season, and the Keep the Wreath Green campaign serves as a reminder of this With the hectic holiday season it is easy for families to become complacent about fire safety

“As everyone gets busier during the holidays, we often become rushed, distracted or tired, said Fire Chief Ryan W Lamb That s when home fires are more likely to occur ”

With the additional use of decorative lighting live Christmas trees increased cooking activities and the burning of candles, the risk of fire in homes increases Fortunately, with a little added awareness and some minor adjustments to holiday cooking and decorating the season can remain festive and safe for everybody

Decorations

Choose holiday decorations carefully using those only made of flame-resistant,

flame-retardant or non-combustible materials

K e e p d e c o r a t i o n s a w a y f r o m h e a t sources Of the fires that began with decorations nearly half occurred due to the decoration’s proximity to a heat source

Keep decorations away from windows and doors that might be needed as a means of escape

Candles

Keep candles at least 12 inches away from decorations or other combustible materials Two of every five home decoration fires are started by candles

N e v e r l e a v e c a n d l e s u n a t t e n d e d Extinguish them when you leave the room

Use sturdy candle holders that won’t tip over

Lights

Use only lights listed by an independent testing laboratory and pay close attention to the manufacturer s instructions for use

Closely inspect all holiday lighting before use to insure all wires bulbs and connections are in a safe condition Discard any lights with exposed wires, broken insulation, cracked or missing bulbs, or other defects

Use clips not nails to hang lights so the cords do not become damaged

Turn off all light strings and decorations before leaving home or going to bed

Christmas trees

Before purchasing an artificial tree be sure it is identified by the manufacturer as fire-retardant

When choosing a live Christmas tree, look for signs of freshness by lightly pulling branches through your closed fist Fresh trees should retain their needles during this test

Have the tree lot operator provide a fresh cut by removing 1-2 inches from the base of the trunk

Immediately place the tree in water and add water daily Keep a close check on the dryness of the tree and remove the tree when needles easily fall off

Make sure the tree is not blocking an exit and is at least 3 feet away from any heat source like fireplaces, space heaters, radiators, candles, heat vents or lights

Cooking

Unattended cooking is the leading cause of U S home fires and home fire injuries

After Thanksgiving Christmas Day and Christmas Eve are the peak days for home cooking fires When frying, grilling or broiling, stay in the kitchen Keep anything that can catch fire away from the stovetop and turn off the stove when you leave the kitchen even if it s for a short period of time

When simmering, boiling, baking or roasting food, stay in the home and check on it frequently; use a timer as a reminder if necessary

Create a kid-free zone” of at least 3 feet around the stove and areas where hot food and drinks are prepared or carried

Smoking

Ask smokers to smoke outside Use large deep ashtrays and wet cigarette butts with water before discarding Keep matches and lighters up high away from children

Ensure there is a working smoke alarm on each level of your home and practice fire escape plans with all family members and holiday guests

Free public transportation available for attendees of state food-assistance event

Hurricane-impacted residents in Lee also can use phone to participate

Lee County Government and the School District of Lee County are collaborating to provide free public transportation to the state s Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) event happening this weekend at the Lee Civic Center in North Fort Myers

Lee County residents should pre-register online at MyFLFamilies com/DSNAP When the event occurs 7 a m to 5 p m , Friday through Sunday those who want to ride a bus can visit one of 15 pickup points

throughout the county to ride the free shuttle to the site The buses will be LeeTran vehicles on Friday and school buses on Saturday and Sunday

All participating buses will be identified with a “D-SNAP” sign and will provide transport to and from the designated pickup points

It s important that shuttle-bus riders note the number of the bus they take to the Civic Center as they will have to ride that same numbered bus to return to the correct pick-

up point The 15 pickup point locations include six stops on Pine Island, which does not typically have traditional LeeTran service Other points include Coconut Point Mall, Constitution & US 41 Fort Myers Beach Park & Ride Sanibel Tanger Outlets Edison Mall Rosa Parks Transfer Center two Publix locations (Lehigh Acres at Homestead Road, and Cape Coral at Santa Barbara and Pine Island Road) Cape Coral Transfer Center and Merchants Crossing

A map of the pickup points with street addresses and scheduling information is also at available www leegov com/leetran/dsnap

Schedules for the shuttles will vary, depending on the number of buses available and traffic conditions

On Saturday and Sunday school buses are expected to circulate in 30-minute intervals

Shuttle riders can call LeeTran customer service at 239-533-8726 to check the status of a D-SNAP vehicle

County closing two Hurricane Ian debris drop-off sites

Lee County announces closure of two Hurricane Ian debris public drop-off sites

Two public drop-off sites for Hurricane Ian storm debris will close at 5:30 p m today Dec 9 The sites are:

■ Brooks Park 50 South Road Fort Myers

■ Mosquito Control, 1840 Gunnery Road, Lehigh Acres

These sites opened to residents less than a week after Hurricane Ian made landfall in Southwest Florida to allow free disposal to those who chose to self-haul storm debris

More than 4,600 people have visited

the two sites but both sites are now closing due to diminished use The Brooks Park site initially saw days with more than 100 visitors and then averaged 66 people per day Last week that average dropped to 38 T h e M o s q u i t o C o n t r o l s i t e w h i c h accepted only vegetative debris, saw an average of 28 people a day with a recent daily average of 12 Lee County’s remaining two sites will continue to operate through Wednesday Dec 21 They are: ■ S a n C a r l o s U t i l i t y S i t e , 1 8 0 7 8 Cypress Point Road, Fort Myers

■ Shell Factory 2805 N Tamiami Trail North Fort Myers

Lee County s Hurricane Ian Debris w e b s i t e , w w w l e e g o v c o m / d e b r i s , p r ovides information to residents with features such as a one-stop location with tips data timelines photos videos and other important information about Hurricane Ian debris collection efforts

On the site, residents can learn how types of debris are classified and how they should be separated at the curb accordingly R e s i d e n t s c a n t r a c k L e e C o u n t y s progress in collecting debris from unincor-

porated areas and learn about the process for getting debris collected from private or gated communities or from commercial property

For Hurricane Ian response updates and additional information check www leeg o v c o m / s t o r m o r f o l l o w L e e C o u n t y G o v e r n m e n t o n F a c e b o o k , w w w f a c ebook com/leecountyflbocc

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

Serving meals: Insurance Busters providing free meals in the Cape

From page 1A

They got set up with a spot at the American Legion in Port Charlotte and while in the area began looking for other spaces they could set up areas to help feed residents and drove by the GASC I t h o u g h t i t w o u l d b e p e r f e c t , Townsend said He reached out to the club over social media and the two organizations eventually met at a local fundraising benefit After speaking and naturally ironing out any skepticism, the group got the green light to set up shop We don't want anything from them except a place to feed people ” Townsend said

repairs they've had to make Insurance Busters also hired an engineering firm that did repair drawings for their entry portico

The building was red-tagged after the storm due to the entry portico having significant uplift and the four columns that held it up were compromised

They actually paid the engineer fee for us ” Bauer said

The drawings have been submitted to the city and have been waiting for three weeks to be approved Bauer said

In the meantime we ve cleaned up our Beer Garden area, he added

All of the fallen trees and debris have been cleared, and the site was even used as a staging area for out-of-town linemen trucks resorting power to the area Now volunteers are working on the outbuildings -- outdoor kitchen and bar areas They have had temporary roof repairs done on the big hall and the last step is getting the portico finished

Those donations have been helping pay for (repairs), Bauer said A lot will be covered by donations We only have one day left of work to do once the permit is approved ”

What's not going to be covered by donations is the $50 000 spent clearing the Beer Garden area of massive amounts of debris

Insurance Busters are at GASC every day serving hot brisket, smoked brisket, burgers, dogs, sides and more They get all of their supplies from Sam's Club and are paid for by the organization's founder Cal Spoon

They’ve set up a triangle around areas damaged the most to get people fed and have served thousands per day in some locations

to

added They said they would put a bucket out and a n y d o n a t i o n w o u l d g o 1 0 0 % t o t h e German American Club in exchange for just being able to occupy the parking lot We're just working on an emergency-basis after the storm as you would A ‘you help me I help you ’ It’s gone really well ” Bauer said donations collected have really helped the club fund some of the

Townsend said at the GASC, they have plenty of food to serve and would love to see more residents turn out to get a free meal People can stop by from 11 a m to 2 p m each day

“We don't care who you are or what you d o , i t s f o r e v e r y b o d y a n d a n y b o d y , Townsend said If giving somebody a hot meal and an ice-cold drink can put a smile on somebody's face and kind of take the weight off their shoulders for 30 minutes- I can t tell you how many people that just want to talk and vent and have a shoulder

Townsend said Bauer said the club is looking to put on an Oktoberfest-style major event either the last weekend of February or first weekend in March He hopes to have the building open for normal operations by Dec 16

Toys are also being collected at the food distribution site, all to be donated to local children

They are, of course, available to help with insurance claims

“The difference with us is when we come in to the area that had destruction is we feed, Townsend said We do not advertise our business We don't go out seeking clients for at least the first month

We just come in and feed everybody Once all the dust has kind of settled, the groups that come in to volunteers to feed leave There's still a lot of people especially on Pine Island that don't have power We're getting to those residents every single day We're letting them take what they need for lunch and dinner

“Anybody that comes up and wants to speak with us about their insurance claim we're there to help them But we're there first to feed

The club, as of now, has granted permission for Insurance Busters to be on site until Jan 18 They will be away starting Dec 17 to go home for Christmas but will be back Jan 3

However long they are at the GASC, they will keep serving the area when their time there is done

“We plan on being here for at least two or three years ” Townsend said

For additional information please visit www InsuranceBusters net

The GASC is at 2101 S W Pine Island Road in Cape Coral

Every day that is what gets me out of bed and motivates me

The discussions have begun with federal and state registers for historic places

Bernier told the board He said they are using 3D camera footage to converse with construction facilities regarding items

There was also an update about The Sanibel School provided during the recovery update Bernier said they are dealing

with some power issues that still need to be dealt with in regards to equipment for the school before they can officially welcome students and staff back on the campus With that said, the district anticipates the school to open in January 2023

Bernier finished his update on a holiday note sharing that there have been 450 Salvation Army angel tags adopted so far to provide a really wonderful Christmas for a lot of young people impacted by the storm "

GASC President Stephen Bauer

Meal containers being prepared by the Insurance Busters team

PHOTOS PROVIDED

A sign welcoming area residents to the meals being offered by the Insurance Busters team at the German American Social Club in Cape Coral

‘Tis the season: Lovely plants for gifting

By JANETTA FOX news@breezenewspapers

com

The holidays are upon us and if you find yourself at a loss when it comes to gift-giving why not consider a living gift one that the recipient can enjoy for years to come? There are a few holiday houseplant standards such as Norfolk Island Pine, Kalanchoe, Amaryllis and Paperwhite Narcissus, with some needing a bit more attention from the owner than others Apart from these one of my personal favorites is the tried and true African Violet or Saintpaulia ionantha

Violets of differing colors and textures

mother

GARDEN CLUB OF CAPE CORAL

African Violet is easy to care for given the proper light and moisture So what’s not to love?

To increase humidity which the plant greatly appreciates, place the pot on top of pebbles in a tray As with many other houseplants, water when the soil surface is dry to the touch and, then, give the plant a nice drink Go slowly with watering making certain to avoid getting any on the leaves Keep in mind that if you overwater you can be pretty much assured that root rot will result

These plants enjoy bright light for up to 12 hours a day, but not direct sunlight You ll know if the plants are getting too much light because the leaves will start to look washed out taking on a greenish-yellow tint Too little light and leaves will appear thin and dark green In either case you can remedy the situation by moving the plants to another location and they should rebound nicely

There are specific potting mixes for African Violets which takes the guesswork out of what soil mixture is best to use Definitely a plus in my mind!

For gift-giving you could also consider a plant that brings with it a lovely scent and can also be added to a variety of dishes Rosemary In addition to its flavorpacked qualities when formed into a topiary the design can add a nice festive touch to the holiday season Rosemary prefers a sunny location and can be kept on the dry side, with watering perhaps only once a week indoors After the holidays it can either remain indoors

Adios, Ian

Concert ends hurricane season, thanks first responders

By CRAIG GARRETT news@breezenewspapers com

I t w a s a w a v e g o o d - b y e t o

Hurricane Ian and a thank you to first responders in the front lines of the storm last Saturday in downtown Fort Myers

An outdoor salute at the Caloosa S o u n d A m p h i t h e a t e r i n t h e R i v e r District also raised cash for hurricane relief and was for a traditional burning of a hurricane warning flag, the title sponsor of the celebration said

This year felt like a really proper s p o n s o r s h i p ” s a i d B r i a n C a s s e l l c h i e f f i n a n c i a l o f f i c e r f o r S t o r m Smart the Fort Myers-based hurricane protection firm and Saturday’s host sponsor

It has been a tough year and we wanted people to recover, added John McEnroe, Storm Smart s sales engineer and the event s organizer “And have some fun while recognizing the first responders ”

Saturday’s party was about music refreshments and friends under an ideal Florida sky of oranges blues and pinks The Caloosa Sound Amphithe-

ater is an extension of the Luminary Hotel a performance venue of the downtown high-rise The acoustics of Saturday s performers radiated in warm waves in a postcard setting, making it doubly hard to imagine/recall that a hurricane j u s t w e e k s e a r l i e r h a d a r r i v e d i n Southwest Florida including the very ground on which partiers stood The downtown in fact was still recovering from storm surge washing through the area Total damages were in the billions The death toll was pinned at around 150 in Florida, most along the southwest coastline, officials had said But that devastation was set aside for a few hours of music and thankfulness

Burning hurricane flags was modeled on a Key West celebration, where locals end the season around Dec 1, a sort of burning Ian in effigy, McEnroe said

“We’re trying to bring the community together ” he said of the overall

CRAIG GARRETT

The concert was held at the Caloosa Sound Amphitheater in the River District in Fort Myers

retired at the concert

Cape

finds

way to treat those in need on Pine Island after Ian

By PAULETTE LeBLANC pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

was determined to provide medical care even after she boated to the island and saw the damage left by Hurricane Ian After the storm, Gustin said, before FEMA or any medical relief teams arrived on the island, with the help of Island Tactical owner Jay Sanderson she made trip after trip in order to care for those in need

The next day after the storm I ended up going out to the island by boat pretty much every day I did I would leave in the morning around 7:30 and come home around 8 or 9 ” Gustin said Gustin who lives in Cape Coral said she and Sanderson always had a different boat to get to the island and always found a way to get back home Each day they loaded up a boat with supplies such as g

doing wellness checks in the first two

days she explained but soon found that it wasn t enough With the blessing of the CEO of Millenium I was able to open up our office despite having no electricity no water no air conditioning we turned it into an emergency clinic ” Gustin said After making an emergency clinic sign out of plywood, people were coming in non-stop, she said Linda Overbaugh, h e r m e d i c a l a s s i s t a n t w h o l i v e s i n Bokeelia agreed to help without question never leaving Gustin s side she said Together they picked up the ceiling, which had caved in on the floor of the waiting a

a a n d p

o c e e d e d t o t r e a t v a r i o u s patients with multiple issues from children with acute bronchitis to laborers who d fallen from ladders sustaining deep lacerations

We cared for whoever came in it was a long journey we just never left ” Gustin said adding that the help she received from locals as well as Sanderson

was crucial in allowing her to do this They provided a generator to our office, they ended up giving us endless supplies of gasoline and checked on us probably

five or six times a day Amazing locals

units We had medical disaster relief come in and set up Starlink so we had internet access for everybody eventually ” Gustin said

Several people helped to tarp the roof she said, due to quite a bit of sustained water damage

Overall, Gustin admits she s met many amazing people who have likely become a permanent part of her life as a result of working together through the disaster Once islanders realized they were open, they showed up to volunteer non-stop, she said

“They gave us a list with names and if someone needed something off-site they would give us the address and I would go out personally and do whatever needed to be done whether they had a laceration, or needed medication or a shot of antibiotics I was even going by boat to pick up medicines for patients and bringing them back because the pharmacy wasn t open, Gustin said

Through every facet of the hurricane response effort Gustin admits she found it difficult to take a break explaining that even after returning home as late as 10 p m , the island lingered on her mind, finding it was all she could think about It has made us stronger We re that much closer because of this I honestly feel that I could count on any person on this island and I hope they know that they can count on me as well We are Pine Island strong, Gustin said

Nurse Practitioner Kristin Gustin of Pine Island Millenium Physicians Group

Millenium

PHOTO PROVIDED Cape resident

Hurricane Ian

Meet Santa at Church of the Brethren in NFM

By CHUCK BALLARO news@breezenewspapers com

There won’t be a parade this year but that doesn’t mean the North Fort Myers Civic Association isn’t going to make the h o l i d a y s s p e c i a l f o r

n Palmona Park

The NFMCA invites the public to come to the Church of the Brethren at 1691 Pacific Ave Saturday for the North Fort Myers Santa event from 4-7 p m

The event will feature Santa and Mrs Claus for Christmas wishes and photos, multiple selfie stations, a live nativity, cups of hot cocoa cookies crafts and much more with all kids under 19 receiving a gift

T h e

a parade, with Santa s sled, fire trucks and gifts for all the neighborhood kids

However with Hurricane Ian and all the debris still along the road (and with the sled damaged in the storm), it would have been difficult, if not impossible for the vehicles to make the turns needed “We attempted to drive through there but we couldn’t round the corners that had debris So we had to make it more stationary, but safer, because with the debris, we

don t want the kids on the road, said Christy-Lee Iwanow, NFMCA vice president

The idea was to have a little block party Iwanow said There will be multiple backdrops for people to take their selfies the All-Superior Auto trucks will be there, and p e r h a p s a n a p p e a r a n c e f r o m C o u n t y

Commissioner Brian Hamman and the Grinch who Iwanow promised would have a heart

Members of the church will also put on a live nativity, where they will be singing and putting on a good show, Iwanow said “We expect Santa to come in on a fire truck It’s going to be like a Christmas festival ”

The event would not be possible without sponsors and volunteers The NFMCA budget had some money put aside for that, and many people have donated unwrapped new toys at several locations including North Fort Myers High School

Any leftover presents will be donated to the Living Word Ministries, so they will not go to waste

For additional information please go to nfmcivic com

JetBlue is helping disaster response nonprofit Cajun Navy Ground Force serve s

Hurricane Ian with the donation of $4,000

Southwest Florida

In the month after Ian's devastating landfall Cajun Navy Ground Force served 18 000 families provided 80 000 hot meals and distributed more than $10 million in supplies to hard-hit neighborhoods in Southwest Florida, including Fort Myers Beach North Fort Myers and Pine Island The organization recruited and coordinated hundreds of volunteers near and far assisting with over 50 house cleanups and more than 350 wellness checks

Now more than ever families are in desperate need of resources and we are honored to be that lifeline in their time of need said founder Rob Gaudet of Cajun Navy Ground Force We are so grateful for JetBlue's generous support in helping us meet the growing needs for vulnerable communities across Southwest Florida as they recover from Hurricane Ian ”

As part of its B6 Community Relief and Recovery Fund, JetBlue matched a $2,000 donation made by its crewmembers and customers granting a total donation of $4 000 to Cajun Navy Ground Force The fund was created by JetBlue to support immediate and long-term needs for communities during disaster and emergency response situations with the purpose of directing donations to accredited organizations that provide on-the-ground assistance in impacted areas

In addition to the funds, JetBlue donated four travel certificates for Cajun Navy Ground Force to use for furthering its mission each one providing a free roundtrip flight on JetBlue from any city to any city Cajun Navy Ground Force mobilizes a team of support to deploy to communities in crisis and organizes emergency services, supplies and resources to families in need Founded in 2016 the nationally recognized organization has responded to the

of

“without

Care

prehensive

term care services for seniors who prefer to stay in the comfort of their own home and have the ability to do so with the assurance that future living arrangements are secured and covered under their membership, should their health care needs change

Dear Mr Feichthaler:

I am a single woman and I own a lot in Cape Coral that I placed in my trust I had a partner I have been seeing for over 10 years and I considered him my spouse for all purposes I added him to the deed as a joint tenant with full rights of survivorship, so that if I died, the lot would be his (worth over $200,000 in current real estate market) Unfortunately he passed away last month after a short illness I didn’t get along well with his family and neither did he We basically never heard from his kids from a prior marriage Sure enough, last week I get a call from one of them saying they now own the lot I was very careful to note that there was a right of survivorship on the deed so they can’t be right Right?

Dear Amy: F i r s t , m y c o n d olences on the loss of your partner This must be especially difficult considering the hurricane impact It is heartening to see so many people in our community that plan ahead to take care of loved ones as you have Your goal of having your partner have financial security i f y o u p a s s e d w a s a noble one

Amy T

A positive note as Cape home sales climb off October low

As we sifted through the preliminary single-family home sales numbers in Cape Coral for the month of November, the good news was the number of closed home sales were up 28 6 percent over the post-Hurricane Ian depressed number of only 220 sales in October Even though this was just a baby step in the right direction, it looks like we may have put in a bottom for post-storm closed home sales However the combined number of closed sales in the months of October and November will be the lowest recorded since back in 2012 and 2013

We continue to see a decent amount of interest from serious out-of-town buyers searching for homes over the Internet, with some of these buyers looking to buy now while other interested buyers tell us they are monitoring the price action in our market to see if lower prices and better deals are on the horizon We are also being bombarded daily by telephone solicitations text messages emails and direct snail mail solicitations from investors looking to scoop up storm damaged distressed properties, or any homes that have been sitting on the market unsold, at bargain basement prices

As far as home prices are concerned they are now coming under some pressure from the as is clearance sales of storm damaged homes being sold at big discounts The preliminary median sales price in the Cape dipped to $400 000 in November as our market seems to be going through a shake out period This is bringing the median sales price back down to this year s previous monthly lows for median sales prices from back in January ($396 000) and February ($400 000) but we are still holding above the $378,525 registered in November 2021 On a positive note, as shown in the data below, the median list price has been holding firm after weakening from its highs earlier this year

Real Estate Law

Unfortunately, good i n t e n t i o n s d o n o t a l w a y s l e a d t o g o o d results From the information you presented your wishes for the property will not come to fruition based on the deed you prepared The reason for this is how you held the property in your trust Trusts can be an excellent tool both to manage assets after passing as well as avoiding probate However, like a corporation, trusts do not die like a person can, which means there can be no “survivor” in a joint tenancy where a trust is involved Because your trust was a 50% owner of the property when you added your partner this would automatically create a tenancy in common meaning each owner has an undivided 50% interest in the property For your half, whatever the trust says regarding disposition of the property would control for the portion you own However the other 50% would be held by your partner (now his estate) which would require probate to descend to the legal owners If he had a will that named you, the property should be all yours after probate However, if he had no will, the 50% will likely be split amongst his children in equal shares The end result would be you owning 50% with the other 50% being held by his children

Every situation is unique, and there may be more information you have that could lead to a different result Your situation serves as a warning to anyone considering preparing their own deeds to accomplish goals Whether your home or an investment real estate represents a very large asset that should be managed carefully Based on what you have written, I would have recommended an Enhanced Life Estate deed,

Moving forward we are expecting the number of home sales to remain much lower than we have seen since the second half of 2020, when the record setting post-COVID lockdown housing boom took hold We also think home sales will find their new post-Ian equilibrium level and stabilize in 2023, as the storm recovery continues With the beaches closed and an even more limited supply of available rental properties than normal this will likely be an abnormal tourist season with the crowd of out-of-town storm workers squeezing out would-be vacationers As evidence of this we would point to media reports from the Pink Shell Resort on Fort Myers Beach where they are hoping to open a section of rooms soon so storm-related workers have a place to stay, while indicating it will probably be two years before they are back open for their regular vacationing tourists

The other big wildcard for our market will be from the outside influences of the U S economy which is widely expected to suffer from a recession in 2023 The expert predictions about inflation, interest rates and the potential severity of a looming recession are all over the place Trying to compare the current business and economic cycle to past cycles and recessions is probably a fool s game as the Fed is trying to unwind its unprecedented easy money zero percent interest rate policies that have been in place for most of the last 12-plus years in order to try to rein in inflation It is anybody s guess how this will ultimately play out, but there are some pretty serious people out there who are predicting a very rough ride for the economy the job market and the housing market next year

This brings us to the topic of local real estate market predictions, some of which are trying to compare the recovery process from Hurricane Ian to past hurricane recoveries It is easy to look back at Hurricane Charley in August 2004 and Irma in September 2017 and then track the post-hurricane real estate booms following those storms Taking these storms as examples of this is what the real estate market does after a hurricane hits” and

extrapolating that expectation to our current situation is likely to be a bit of a stretch this time around The first thing we would note is the differences in the type and level of storm damage from Charley Irma and Ian Irma’s big surprise was mostly tied to costly seawall damage to around 1,000 properties in the Cape and some roof and pool cage damage Charley was far worse than Irma with a lot of roof and pool cage damage, power poles snapped in half, tree damage and some lengthy power outages in some parts of the Cape But neither of these storms scored a direct hit on the Cape For its part, Ian added a life-changing catastrophic storm surge to the equation at a time when our housing market was already slowing down, inflation was running rampant at 40-year highs and with the economy appearing to be teetering towards a recession On top of that the Florida property insurance market is currently in a deepening crisis while flood insurance rates are rising, and the FEMA 50 percent rule is complicating matters as people try to rebuild These are completely different dynamics on every level compared to Charley and Irma which leads us to believe that the pace of the real estate market in this storm recovery process is likely to be different We hope our analysis of the situation is wrong Here is a snapshot of our current market as of Tuesday Dec 6 where there were 1 326 active Cape Coral singlefamily homes listed for sale through a Realtor in the Multiple Listing Service at prices ranging from $225,000 to $4 999 999 The median list price was $500 000 which is the same level it was at on Nov 22 when there were 1,320 active listings with the lowest priced home at $240,000 A total of 537 homes, or 40 5 percent of the active listings are priced at $450 000 and under with 367 of these at $400 000 and under including 14 homes priced below $300 000 At the other end of the spectrum there are 140 homes in the Cape listed at $1 million and above There are currently 555 pending sales in the pipeline at prices ranging from $170 000 to $1 699 900 A total of 372 homes or 67 percent of the pending sales are priced at $450,000 and under, with 275 of these at $400,000 and under, including 29 homes priced below $300 000 There are only 16 home sales pending at $1 million and above in the Cape equalling 2 9 percent of the 555 homes under contract with a buyer

Just over a year ago on Nov 29, 2021, there were only 521 active listings in the MLS for Cape Coral single-family homes at prices that ranged from $255 000 to $5 995 million The median list price was $508,000 a year ago before running up to its peak of $610,000 on April 19 of this year (based on our weekly market surveys) so we have completed a “round trip” with the current median list price back down to $500 000 A year ago there were only 67 homes in the Cape listed at $1 million and above, and we had 1,035 pending sales in the pipeline with 38 of these pending sales priced at $1 million and above

The sales data for this article was obtained from the Florida Realtors Multiple Listing Service Matrix for Lee County Fla as of Dec 6 2022 unless otherwise noted It was compiled by Bob and Geri Quinn and it includes information specifically for Cape Coral single-family homes, and does not include condominiums, short sales or foreclosures The data and statistics are believed to be reliable however they could be updated and revised periodically and are subject to change without notice The Quinns are a husband and wife real estate team with the RE/MAX Realty Team office in Cape Coral They have lived in Cape Coral for over 43 years Geri has been a full-time Realtor since 2005 and Bob joined Geri as a full-time Realtor in 2014 Their real estate practice is mainly focused on Cape Coral residential property and vacant lots

compliance period of 99 years If Hermosa s project is not awarded funding by F l o r i d a H o u s i n g L e e

Housing Trust Fund in support of an application with the Florida Housing Finance Corp for a 72-unit multifamily affordable housing complex on U S 41 in North Fort Myers

estate and development market

The real estate summit explores the latest market trends

Housing

The Hermosa project was selected through a competitive solicitation process The anticipated construction cost is more than $21 million dollars with construction commencing in mid-2024 Lee County s $500 000 loan would be less than 2 4% of the total construction financing

data, research and fact-based analysis and how they will impact the big picture for homeowners homebuyers real estate professionals and the region as a whole in 2023 The area s leading voices in real estate will present facts and extensive market knowledge to lead a state-of-theindustry discussion

Speakers for Market Trends 2023 include: ∫ Land new home sales and development expert Randy Thibaut founder of LSI Companies

Residential real estate expert Denny Grimes president of Denny Grimes & Team at Keller Williams Realty

Commercial real estate expert Justin Thibaut, CCIM, president and CEO of LSI Companies

Sponsorship opportunities are now available at the Platinum ($10 000) Gold ($5 500) and Silver ($2 850) levels and include varying levels of recognition in the Market Trends data book, marketing materials, during the event and more For more information, email info@markettrendsswfl com

Tickets for Market Trends 2023 are $50 for general a d m i s s i o n a n d i n c l u d e a c o m p r e h e n s i v e d a t a b o o k Reserved and VIP tables ranging from $600 to $1,200 are also available for groups of eight to 10 people T o

Despite good intentions, land owner could lose share of property

Eric P Feichthaler

Bob and Geri Quinn Homing In

Lee County Commissioners authorize funding commitment for North Fort Myers affordable housing

Spirit of Giving Holiday Event

‘Tis the season of giving and the Children’s Advocacy Center of Southwest Florida kicked it off with its Spirit of Giving Holiday Event on Nov 19 The CAC highlights this time of year by collecting holiday gifts and donations for the children and families they serve across Southwest Florida The sponsorships for the event will help bring joy to the children and families CACSWFL serves in the Southwest Florida community

The event was held at the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this season Will Prather, Broadway Palm owner and executive producer, sponsored the event to help make an impact locally “I wanted to give back to the community that has been there for me and Broadway Palm over the years ” says Prather “I’ve selected a partner for each of our productions this season

Epiphany Episcopal Church of Cape Coral announces

Christmas Service schedule

The Epiphany Episcopal Church of Cape Coral has announced its Christmas Service schedule for 2022

and what better partner during the holiday show than Children’s Advocacy Center? This organization does so much for our community, and I am thrilled to be a small part of their season of giving this year

The CAC is hosting two programs to collect gifts for at-risk families for the holidays Adopt-A-Family and Toy Drive donations can be made Monday- Friday 8 a m and 5 p m until Dec 16 at the following locations:

■ Children’s Advocacy Center 3830 Evans Ave Fort Myers

■ Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, 1380 Colonial Blvd , Fort Myers,

■ Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P A, 1715 Monroe St , Fort Myers,

■ Markham Norton Mosteller & Wright 8961 Conference Dr Ste 1 Fort Myers

■ Seed & Bean Market 1520 Broadway Circle #107 Fort Myers and

■ Cape Coral Police Department 1100

Cultural Park Blvd Cape Coral

Hurricane Ian brought abundant stress into the lives of Southwest Florida families Children are no exception, as their routines have been disrupted due to displacement from their homes and schools, dealing with family financial stress and school being out of session As the aftermath of Hurricane Ian still impacts SWFL this holiday season donating is more crucial than ever Donating to the CAC will bring holiday joy to children in the community

The CAC sponsors include Bobby Nichols Fiddlesticks Charity Foundation; Storm Smart; Office of the Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno; Florida Gulf Coast University Marieb College of Health and Human Services; CRS Technology Consultants; Barraco & Associates; B&I

RELIGION NOTES

renewed passion for this live event

All are welcome to this warm and friendly church located at 2507 Del Prado Blvd Cape Coral For more information contact the church at 239- 574-3200

Living Nativity Diorama retur ning to Messiah

Contractors; Merrill Lynch-Clinger Sizemore and Associates; Iron Ridge Insurance Services; Seed & Bean Market; Dr Martin & Betteann Sherman and John & Christine Pearson

Since 1981, the Children s Advocacy Center of Southwest Florida, Inc has worked to improve the lives of children and their families through a coordinated response to child abuse and neglect offering them a safe and friendly environment in which to heal CAC provides abuse determination services pet therapy, therapeutic counseling, parenting education, and prevention programs in Lee, Hendry, Glades, and Charlotte Counties All services are provided free of charge

For more information please call 239939-2808 or visit cac-swfl org CAC is a United Way Partner Agency

to the experience V i s i t t h e L i v i n g N a t i v i t y D i o r a m a today Dec 9 and Saturday Dec 10 from 7-9 p m , at Messiah Lutheran Church, 2691 N E Pine Island Road, in Cape Coral The entrance is on Corbett Road For more information call the church office at 239-995-0133

On Sunday Dec 11 at 4 p m

special C

Saturday, Dec 24, the Christmas Eve Service will be at 6 p m and consist of Holy Eucharist Rite II with the church choir in attendance The Christmas Day Service will be at 9:30 a m with Holy Eucharist Rite II and choir

Lutheran Church

in Cape

After three years the Living Nativity Diorama is returning to Messiah Lutheran Church on Pine Island Road in Cape Coral But even though there have been many obstacles like COVID, participation and even Hurricane Ian, the congregation at Messiah has responded this year with a

The long tradition which begun in 1988 has been a much-awaited event each year for people in the area Hundreds of cars come each year to drive through the scenes that depict the events leading up to the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem and show the life of the people of the time through live actors There will be live music to add

Adios, Ian: Concert in Fort Myers

event Eating barbecue as his dog Jack sniffed at passersby Dan Murphy watched the festivities

‘Tis the season: Plants as gifts

or be planted outdoors in a sunny location with good drainage, and in an area that provides enough space for the herb to spread Left unchecked Rosemary can grow to 6 feet with a similar spread which is why some gardeners prefer to grow it as a container plant

Finally, if you want to gift a plant that is a little out of the ordinary, you could consider an air plant There are so many varieties of Tillandsia you may find it difficult to limit your selections and may even find that you will want to gift yourself one of these beauties So, be prepared!

Depending on the species, an air plant will prefer more or less light and more or

less scheduled water applications Too often it seems air plant owners mistakenly believe these lovelies live on air alone Definitely not the case Left to their own designs as houseplants they will surely fade away When gifting an air plant or any plant for that matter, a nice touch would be to include care instructions

A final thought: Prior to gifting a plant, consider who you are gifting it to Though it may seem unbelievable not everyone is a plant person Until next time Happy gardening and gift-giving!

Janetta Fox is a Lee County Master Gardener volunteer and member of the Garden Club of Cape Coral

Sources: A i r P l a n t - t i l l a n d s i a (n d ) UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions Retr ieved fr om h t t p s : / / g a r d e n i n g s o l ut i o n s i f a s u f l e d u / p l a n t s / houseplants/air-plants html B r o w n S y d n e y P (November 2020) African violets UF/IFAS Extension R e t r i e v e d f r o m h t t p s : / / e d i s i f a s u f l e d u / publication/MG028 R o s e m a r y t o p i a r i e s (n d ) UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions Retrieved from h t t p s : / / g a r d e n i n g s o l utions ifas ufl edu/plants/edib l e s / v e g e t a b l e s / r o s e m a r ytopiary html

CROW’s Taylor to speak at Cape Friends of Wildlife meeting

the Rotary Park Environmental Center 5505 Rose Garden Road, Cape Coral Taylor first joined CROW in 2019 as the conservation education and marketing intern Now she holds the title of education and outreach director where she oversees activities and program happenings at the Visitor Education Center in addition to giving daily presentations and guided hospital tours

o

T

d L

e County educating the public about wildlife and their roles in our ecosystem health Each year she works to expand CROW s

events and designing education content for summer camps Her overall goal is to educate people on the importance of wildlife conservation and the work done at CROW

Though she is a native Floridian, Taylor graduated from Maryville College in East

Tennessee with a bachelor of science in biology During her college years, she also played soccer and softball As the education and outreach director at CROW, she has been able to combine her passion for animals with her enjoyment of working with young minds

The meeting starts at 6:0 p m with a meet-and-greet and snacks, followed by Taylor's prevention at 7 p m A general membership meeting will close out the meeting at 8 p m All are welcome

For additional information email ccfwowl@gmail com

C R O W ’s R a c h e l Ta y l o r h o l d s Sydney right At left is a burrowing owl, one of CROW’s many patients

PHOTOS PROVIDED

Fort Myers Brewing announces Winter Wonderland on Dec. 15-18

The

The main event of the weekend is Winterfest on Dec 17 featuring specialty

beers a food truck rally and special holiday concert Fort Myers Brewing is hosting The Music Hub’s production of A Very Rowdy Christmas (A Totally NonRowdy Event), featuring live shows by The Rowdy Bards, Sheena Brook and Chris Bepko The free, family-friendly holiday concert also features lively perf o r m a n c e s b y s t u d e n t s o f t h e N a p l e s School of Irish Dance a special solo by

Death Notices

Music

Winter

CROW's Rachel Taylor will be the guest speaker Tuesday, Dec 13, at the Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife meeting at

Fort Myers Brewing Company has announced the return of its popular winter celebration Winter Wonderland which will take place Dec 15-18 in Fort Myers

annual event features four days of beer releases, food truck rallies and live entertainment for families, friends and pets to enjoy all weekend A wide selection of Fort Myers Brewing’s ales stouts and lagers are on tap along with the brew-

ery’s signature holiday stout Keg Nog Food truck rallies will feature popular trucks such as Easy Cheesy The Nosh Truck Wicked Streatery Kings Tacos & Burritos and Mobstah Lobstah Live performances will take place throughout the weekend, including shows by Briz & Lady, Claire Liparulo and Jeff Lyons

Maggie Potts and a big old-fashioned Christmas carol sing-along In addition donations of new unwrapped toys are being collected to benef i t t h e L e w i s P T a b a r r i n i C h i l d r e n s

Outreach Foundation s annual toy drive

Wonderland will be held at Fort Myers Brewing Company 12811 Commerce Lakes Drive Suite 28 Fort Myers