Cape Coral Weekend Breeze

Holiday travel expected to be heavy

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers

National travel numbers are also expected to grow from last year though remain slightly lower than pre-pandemic levels according to AAA They estimate 112 7 million American will travel this holiday season, an increase of 3 6 million from last year and the third busiest since AAA began keeping track

in 2000

Despite inflationary pressures, consumers remain resilient and dedicated to travel this year and the holidays will be no different ” stated Debbie Haas Vice President of Travel for AAA – The Auto Club Group

Americans are spending more on travel than any other time in the past two years The good news is the cost for a holiday road trip will be less expensive than anticipated now that gas prices are on the way down ”

Across the board, 90% of holiday travelers will drive to their desired location In Florida, AAA said nearly 5 8 million will take at least one holiday road trip which is 110 000 more than last year and a 2% bump from 2019

The state of Florida provides real-time traffic information at fl511 com Travelers may also download the app

AAA predicts a 14% increase in air travel from last year with more than 7 2 million

Americans expected to take to the skies

Flights and airports will be packed this holiday season, reminiscent of pre-pandemic days, AAA officials said AAA expects that despite high ticket prices the number of people taking holiday flights this season will be similar to numbers in 2019 when 7 3 million Americans traveled by air If the distance is not reasonable to drive, more people are flying to maximize the time spent at their destination ” Haas added “Conversely if the travel distances are reasonable and more than one or two people in the household are taking the trip, it may be more cost-effective to drive rather than buy multiple air tickets and rent a car ”

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By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

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Elementary School, went looking at the Nextdoor app, as she was looking for a way to give back, when she saw Dolan’s thread After learning about the project Baker thought she could help in a bigger way

By MEGHAN BRADBURY

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T h e r e i s a H i g h R i p C u r r e n t R i s k f r o m F r i d a y m o r n i n g

Across the board 90% of holiday travelers will drive to

Elementary School, ranging from kindergarten to fifth grade, decided to join in on the project “When our children knew we were giving back to the community and here in Cape Coral our kids wanted to do more than one and make sure they were beautiful and their handwriting was great, Baker

Students from Gulf Elementary School created nearly 600 handmade cards, which are being distributed to assisted living and nursing facilities in Cape Coral / PHOTOS PROVIDED

Blue Waters Development plans to include veterans component

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Chilly: HOT Teams mobilized

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BWDG officials recently met with key stakeholders in the veteran affairs community, and revealed a collaborative venture that will give veterans access to behavioral health services, expanded healthcare, workforce development and training, employment, and housing opportunitiesat Victory Park in Cape Coral Above, some of the “challenge coins” shared From page 1A

CORAL BREE ZE RAYMOND M ECKENRODE Publisher VALARIE HARRING, Executive Editor CHRIS STRINE, Editor

Holiday miracles

The holidays of Christmas and Hanukkah overlap this year

The eight days of Hanukkah began at sundown on Sunday Dec 18 and continue through Monday Dec 26 the day after Christmas

The holidays have different meanings and they are celebrated with different traditions but they do have something in common: Both mark miracles of faith

For Christians Christmas celebrates the birth of a Savior both supreme gift and supreme sacrifice to provide a path to redemption and reconciliation with God

For Jews, Hanukkah marks the liberation of Jerusalem, the rededication of the holy temple and a single day s supply of pure oil that nonetheless burned for eight days a virtual Festival of Lights

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria )

And all went to be taxed every one into his own city And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife being great with child

And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered

And she brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid

And the angel said unto them Fear not: for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior which is Christ the Lord And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men

Luke 2:1-14

What is the reason for Hanukkah? For our Rabbis taught: On the 25th of Kislev begin the days of Hanukkah, which are eight during which lamentation for the dead and fasting are forbidden For when the Greeks entered the Temple they defiled all the oils in it and when the Hasmonean dynasty prevailed against and defeated them they searched and found only one cruse of oil which possessed the seal of the High Priest, but which contained sufficient oil for only one day's lighting; yet a miracle occurred there and they lit (the lamp) for eight days The following year these days were appointed a Festival with the recitation of Hallel and thanksgiving

Happy

Happy

Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat, 21b

May 2023 be all you hope it to be

Conservancy of SWFL wins its Riverwalk appeal

Managing growth sustainably and preserving Southwest Florida’s remaining healthy wetlands is critical to protecting water quality, the habitats where our unique endangered species live, and for strengthening our nature-based economy

T h a t i s w h y t h e S a n i b e l - C a p t i v a Conservation Foundation among several o t h e r s t a t e - w i d e c o n s e r v a t i o n g r o u p s , j o i n e d t o g e t h e r t o s u p p o r t t h e Conservancy of Southwest Florida s legal efforts to oppose the sprawling 1 000a c r e R i v e r g r a s s d e v e l o p m e n t p l a n i n Collier County’s Rural Land Stewardship A r e a T h i s d e v e l o p m e n t b o r d e r s t h e greater Everglades and contains critical Florida panther habitat

T h e c o n s e r v a n c y a r g u e d t h a t t h e a p p r o v e d d e v e l o p m e n t p l a n f o r Rivergrass did not appropriately address traffic impacts and fiscal neutrality as required by Collier County s comprehensive plan and land development rules The court initially ruled against allowing the conser-

vancy’s arguments to be included in their opposition to the Rivergrass development but the conservancy appealed that decision This month, the conservancy was pleased to announce that the Second District Court of Appeal ruling has confirmed their legal right to present evidence at the Circuit Court level against the Rivergrass Village Development Order with regard to traffic impacts and fiscal neutrality

The SCCF congratulates and supports the conservancy on their diligence to protect the public’s ability to present evidence in challenging these development cases in court with the ultimate goal of protecting our critical natural systems

Matt DePaolis is the environmental polic y d i r e c t o r f o r t h e S a n i b e l - C a p t i v a C o n s e r v a t i o n F o u n d a t i o n F o u n d e d i n 1967, the SCCF's mission is to protect and care for Southwest Florida s coastal ecosystems For more information visit www sccf org

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Holiday greetings from CCFW

To the editor:

First, when it is in the lower 40s this weekend it is easy to pick up the green iguanas and help the Cape get rid of them Visit the FWC website myfwc com for more information on this invasive species

Second, we of the Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife would like to commend and thank Councilmember Jessica Cosden for securing a $100,000 grant to help us with fees associated with the expansion of the city’s utilities Thanks to the council’s unanimous vote we will be able to purchase three more lots with wildlife on them We are advocating a Conservative Committee within the city committee network Please call your council members to support this worthy initiative Also, the CCFW would like to partner with the city to help secure a half a million grant from FWC

Reminder pick up a box of Nolea Chocolates and mention CCFW and they will donate $5 to us For more information on that last-minute gift and Adopt an Owl goodie presents, visit CCFRIENDSOFWILDLIFE org and click on the Adopt an Owl link Carl Veaux, President of CCFW I speak for all the wild animals

Star Chamber politics unacceptable

To the editor:

The Jan 6 committee was a full-blown circus performed by gutless, twisted idiota and only served to damage America! We live in a nation built on a foundation consisting of goodness and greatness The hearings were more of a lynching filled with lies and half truths and were a sickening reminder that power in the hands of maroons is very dangerous!

choses to stay Two hundred judicial vacancies and the refusal of past administrations to hire immigration staff fiats stretching past the limit of asylum visas to 70 000 worldwide per year have backlogged the asylum system Eighty to 90% of those who enter the country asking for “asylum ” when adjudicated turn out to be ineligible But by not hiring judges the backlog swells the ranks of those waiting for a hearing Thus our wealthy can let the hungry in without legal job protections Desperate job seekers for the 80 million full-time jobs arguably undermine wages in the USA There are 335 million people living here legally Many complain the wages on those 80 million jobs are inadequate to the task of living The visa asylum quota is now over 300 000 By law limited to 70 000 per year cap for the our entire country the Bush administration was the first to double that for Afghanistan by non-aggregating Seventy thousand was intended to describe how many our economy could reasonably be expected to integrate Our employment would have to double to keep up with the swelling unaggregated quota In today s Congressional theater on the subject no common ground is found minus chortles over the suppression of wages through cruel work practices aided by this unfair labor competition

There are currently about 200 vacancies in the judiciary branch and we could easily triple our immigration judges

Those judgeships have languished unfunded and unfilled Unsurprisingly the judiciary branch seems impatient about extending the Rule 42 to keep immigrants endlessly waiting in Mexico for an adjudication that can t happen because of the backlog created by Congressional fiat It’s a Catch-22 game that has given the border guards dizzying numbers of arrests Mostly Title 42 is returning adult Mexican male “asylum seekers ”

i e v e a n y c h a r g e s w i l l b e f i l e d

∫ Y e s I ’ m a f r a i d I w o n ’ t b e a b l e t o a f f o r d t o p a y t h e m 83% ∫ Y e s I ’ m a f r a i d m y r e n t w i l l g o e v e n h i g h e r 6% ∫ I w a s b u t t h e l e g i s l a t i o n a w a i t i n g G o v D e S a n t i s c o n s i d e r a t i o n h a s e a s e d m y m i n d 8 5% ∫ N o I t s p a r t o f t h e c o s t o f h o m e o w n e r s h i p 3% ∫ I h a v e a h o m e b u t I d o n ’ t h a v e i n s u r a n c e W h a t h a p p e n s w o n ’ t m a k e a d i f f e r e n c e 0 %

President Trump had America respected around the world There was no inflation No illegals entering our country No illegal drugs pouring in and posing serious dangers Americans experienced a peace and comfort and prosperous lifestyle We felt that we were in good hands and we were!

It was a time of happiness, confidence, prosperity and hope! Envy and greed surfaced and this extraordinary good man was persecuted President Trump was on track to becoming America’s greatest president! His entire focus was on “making America great again!” He took no salary and he labored night and day for all of us!

Shame on those who have chosen to harm this good man

He made promises and kept them and he made us proud!

Every resident has been told by irresponsible idiots If you want to be happy lower your expectations ” The truth is if you want to be great raise them!

Our sons and daughters have fought and died for the preservation of this miracle called democracy and we re not going to give it up! God Bless this great nation!

Let them eat cake

To the editor:

Dick Kalfus Cape Coral

There are 8 billion people on the planet According to the U N Commission on Refugees 1 out of 8 of us are a refugee or displaced persons The feeble plea to immigrants from Vice President Harris, Don t come rings as genuine as Marie Antoinette s suggestion that the peasants eat cake if they have no bread

The Supreme Court has stayed the end of Title 42 a health edict to force “asylum seekers” to stay in Mexico But most undocumented immigrants entered vetted on a visa they simply overstayed Last century the annual US quota was varied but averaged about 164 000 immigrants annually Today we hand out about a million legal visas per year including family, student, and temporary worker visas Ninety percent of all students who enter on a legal visa overstay ICE can barely bother to route the 10,000 immigrants annually processing out of our prisons never mind find anyone not in custody who

The two-party system has few useful answers While the billionaires in the Senate argue to criminalize those entering, it seems to be as business people, they find it lucrative to fill low-wage jobs with people afraid to demand better Even Mar-a-Lago was staffed with undocumented workers The past administrations starting with Bush added 70 000 more annual asylum visas for each country who voted for socialism or lost a war Afghanistan Chile Columbia Ukraine there are now more than 300 000 visas for asylum seekers annually authorized to enter in additional to the US cap of 70 000 asylum visas This in addition to the 1 million annual visas These giveaway visas remain, without sufficient processors hired, unprocessed Thus special demographic constituents can feel heard, while remaining unhelped But more importantly they remain disempowered to participate as citizens

The other party of the wealthy insists on reifying child smuggling blurring the lines of Presidential fiat for children smuggled across the border While insisting on the mantle of lawfulness in all matters not related to immigration the promises to non-citizens of asylum anarchy ring hollow the Democrats assertion of legal rectitude Again the upshot is desperate competition for jobs pitting workers in limbo who cannot access poverty aid legally, against legal residents to see who can bid a job down to the lowest starvation wage Congressional districts swell with “constituents” who cannot hold the officials to heel as undocumented people cannot vote in elections But the disenfranchised swell the Census count adding Congress seats to disenfranchised residents And again, the desperate work so cheaply

Whatever party you claim, recognize that there has never been sufficient tax money allocated for the immigration service to hire more judges to adjudicate claims for asylum visas promised If you want the rule of law in this country you have to start I think with a commitment to using an orderly system Think about that if you believe your political party is at all interested in fixing this There are only rich people holding Federal office The rich don t stay rich by encouraging fair wages Pretending the problem lies outside this vested interest has only confused the debate Telling people Don t come, even if you can say it with a straight face, is not the same as processing the visas promised

Florida Press Association

CAPE

Merry Christmas

Hanukkah

holidays

Breeze editorial

Ellen Starbird Cape Coral

Matt DePaolis Guest Commentary

DeSantis signs property insurance bill

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers

com

Gov Ron DeSantis signed a property insurance bill last week which he said will make the state more welcoming for insurance companies but which critics said would be detrimental to property owners

The controversial legislation was passed during a special session that convened last week

Appearing at a press conference on Fort Myers Beach Friday, DeSantis said this is an issue that has been roiling this state for decades

DeSantis pointed to language in the legislation which would restrict the fees that lawyers can collect on property insurance litigation

DeSantis said that when “the big insurers kind of left 15 years ago 10 years ago these smaller companies the hope was they would do well (Hurricane) Irma came and the claims just kept happening A lot of litigation so you had really significant turmoil that developed not in the immediate aftermath of Irma but two to three years down the line ”

DeSantis said property insurance was a challenging issue for Florida

What is the root cause of that? I think most people that look at it honestly will say that Florida s burdens of litigation and attorneys making so much money is different than what most other states are doing and it caused massive amounts of (rate) increases ” he said

“There is consumer protections there is a bunch of stuff in there, De-Santis said DeSantis said the bill would create more competition

The best thing for a consumer is that if you can go out and make people compete for your business If they have to do that, they are going to give you better customer service they are going to give you better rates They are going to do all that ”

DeSantis said “so many companies have kind of been pushed out of Florida over the last generation, you are basically stuck with maybe one option Then they have no incentive to give you competitive rates and no incentive to even do a good job on customer service ”

Critics have derided the legislation for making it easier for Citizens Property Insurance Co the state-backed insurance company, to push more policy holders off to private companies where rates can be higher

The bill would move policyholders who receive property insurance rate offers within 20% of the rates offered by Citizens Property Insurance Co The previous percentage was 10%

All of the region s local Republican state representatives voted in favor of the legislation Democrats in the state legislature voted against the bill

Florida Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book (D-35) said the “so-called reforms are not going to help anyone except the large insurance companies The Republican leadership has bowed to the insurance interests and did nothing to lower the cost of homeowners insurance As a result Floridians are going to be hurt by these actions ”

Book said “Senate Democrats will continue the fight for a balanced approach to give homeowners the relief they deserve along with the ability to resolve disagreements without clogging the courts and without incurring

enormous personal costs

Book said the legislature had a real opportunity to help regular homeowners and today the GOP-led Florida legislature failed in that mission ” Florida Sen Lori Berman (D-26) said the legislation will make it more difficult for property owners to sue insurance companies by taking away one-way attorney fees, known as assignment of benefit claims

I m not sure it will help consumers, Berman said It will make it more difficult to bring lawsuits and those property owners will have to pay attorney fees out of pocket rather than the insurance companies paying attorney fees when they lose cases over denials, delays and underpayments

Berman said the legislature provided $1 billion to insurance companies in the latest round of legislation following the approval of a $2 billion bill in May

We have seen little impact (on rates) she said

Berman said the legislature had asked for a report from the state insurance commissioner s office on how much of property rate increases were due to litigation, as DeSantis and others in Republican leadership have alleged Berman said legislators were told that report wouldn’t be ready until March

We didn t have the backup data to support that, Berman said “Is (the rate of property insurance in Florida) high because of climate change? Is it high because of excessive compensation to their leadership team?”

Cape Coral Animal Shelter gets ‘thank you’ donation

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

Last

Hector A. Cafferata Jr. Elementary reopens as a modular school

By CHUCK BALLARO news@breezenewspapers com

College

For Kurtz it was a day he looked forward to since Hurricane Ian severely damaged the school on Sept 28 and left the future of the building in peril

It s amazing It s an emotional day, Kurtz said, feelings boiling to the surface briefly It s great to have our whole school family together again It’s been a trying two and a- alf-months but to have everyone back under one roof or multiple roofs is exciting emotional and a great day ”

Assistant Principal Mike Licata said this whole thing has been a process but the school has done the best it can

Our kids are resilient, they are the best kids in the district, and the staff I consider an extended family and we need to be that way in order to do this ” Licata said

Parents dropping off students were clapping and raising their hands in excitement Music was playing and the children all had smiles and were hugging their teachers administration and other students

Students and teachers were reunited after spending the last two-plus months separated on two campuses, Hancock Creek and Diplomat elementary schools, after the Lee County School Board voted on Nov 4 to establish 46 portables next door to the old school

Audrey Kennedy a first-grader was thrilled to be back with her classmates

“It feels good to be back We’re from Cafferata and we get to see our friends again I missed them Audrey said I got to see my best friends and hug them Ethan Torres-Rios and Ian Capellan said they were happy they got all of their toys back after being at the old campus, though they said they missed the old Cafferata

campus

Their teacher Hannah Mack was thrilled to be back and that the new environment isn’t going to impact their teaching ability negatively

We were very eager to be back We were counting down the days since we heard about the timeline, Mack said We saw all the new toys we were missing and we got two new students back who followed their sibs to Pelican and they came back to us today Some of the portables are being used as a cafeteria for food prep and dishwashing The feature building is the 11-plex which will house 11 classrooms The schools are run on three large generators, which use about 130 gallons of fuel every day

While it would have been nice to have three or four more of those, Kurtz said with supply and material shortages and the contractor only being able to do so much with the high demand for them it wasn’t possible

Teachers have spent the last two weeks moving their supplies and reestablishing their classrooms to be ready for students to return, for the third time this year

Mack said it was emotional to return to her classroom but overwhelming to see all the boxes that had to be opened

“It was a little overwhelming at first because it was our third time setting up a classroom But a lot of people came to help and donate their time, Mack said

from

surprised the Cape

Animal Shelter & Veterinary Clinic with new kicks to thank them for their tireless, life-changing work CCAS was one of 15 animal welfare organization recipients nationwide that shared in a donation of 1 000 pairs of BOBS footwear

“We can’t begin to tell you how important t h i s d o n a t i o n o f footwear is to our staff, said Cape Coral Animal S h e l t e r E x e c u t i v e Director Liz McCauley “ C a p e C o r a l t o o k a d i r e c t h i t f r o m Hurricane Ian and several of our staff members had severe damage to their homes and had to throw away clothes Our staff worked tirelessly in the days before and after Ian and they are thrilled to be rewarded for their efforts with s u c h c o o l a n d u s e f u l gifts We are so grateful P e t c o L o v e a n d B O B S f r o m S k e c h e r s a r e e n c o u r a g i n g t h e employees “to continue putting their best foot forward in saving pet lives ”

The giveaway is the latest in BOBS from Skechers and Petco Love s efforts through proceeds of the charitable line, special grant presentations, and adoption events For every purchase of BOBS from Skechers shoes, apparel, and accessories, a donation is made to help save shelter animals' lives nationwide through Skechers' partnership with Petco Love

“Our mission to protect people and animals through compassionate care is only possible through these amazing organizations and we are proud to uplift their efforts through this giveaway, stated Michael Greenberg, president of Skechers, which has donated $9 million to help and save 1 7 million shelter pets in the United States and Canada since 2015 We are grateful for our work with Petco Love, which provides the crucial connections to people making a difference and hope sharing pairs of our popular line can provide powerful encouragement this holiday season ”

Since its founding in 1999 Petco Love has empowered animal welfare organizations by investing $330 million in adoption and other lifesaving efforts and helped find loving homes for more than 6 5 million pets in partnership with Petco and organizations nationwide

“The support from BOBS from Skechers has been vital to fulfilling our commitment to ensure animals across the nation are getting the care they need ” said Susanne Kogut president of Petco Love “By sharing a token of our appreciation providing footwear our hope is to inspire organizations who have been going the extra mile to stay the course in their mission to save pet lives every day

The Cape Animal Shelter is located at 325 S W 2nd Ave

For more information on CCAS including adoptable pets visit www capecoralanimalshelter com

It's the season for giving and recently two national chains teams up to make the season bright for those who keep our local animals safe and healthy

week, Petco Love and BOBS

Skechers

Coral

Hector A Cafferata Jr Elementary School Principal Jason Kurtz had a lot of trouble holding his emotions together Monday as he welcomed students and faculty It had been months since he had seen some of them

home

school

BY CHUCK BALLARO

Top, the new cafeteria at the modular version of Hector A Cafferata Jr Elementary School At right, Hannah Mack teaches her first-grade class during the first day back for class Monday at Cafferata Elementary

PHOTO PROVIDED

BOBS from Skechers as a furry friend looks on

Patriot Elementary students winners of cartoon contest

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e n t a r y S c h o o l w e r e s e l e c t e d a s w i n n e r s o f t h e a n n u a l J N D i n g D a r l i n g N a t i o n a l W i l d l i f e R e f u g e

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By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

R e g i s t r

School District of Lee County s Lifelong Learning program, which kicks off next month with 16 different classes

“The greatest gift we can give ourselves is the gift of learning We don’t realize as adults it is OK to be a beginner at things no matter the age It keeps the mind fresh Get out in the community, make friends, meet people and better yourself ” said Marliss Brockington Adult & Career Education Lifelong Learning Teacher on Assignment Right now I am pushing that it is a good Christmas gift to give Give the gift of learning

T h e L i f e l o n g L e a r n i n g p r o g r a m i s geared for the adult community in Lee County The classes are held for six weeks once a week, for two hours a night, with some beginning as soon as Jan 17

The instructors are all certified and have either been teaching within the school district or in the community for a long

w h o l e T h i s y e a r P a t r i o t E l e m e n t a r y S c h o o l a n d T h e S a n i b e l S c h o o l p a r t i c i p a t e d a n d f i r s t s e c o n d a n d t h i r d p l a c e w i n n e r s w e r e c h o s e n a t P a t r i o t E l e m e n t a r y S c h o o l T h e w i n n i n g s t u d e n t s a t T h e S a n i b e l S c h o o l h a v e n o t y e t b e e n c h o s e n , a s a l l o f t h e e n t r i e s h a v e b e e n l o c k e d i n t h e s c h o o l s i n c e H u r r i c a n e I a n i m p a c t e d t h e i s l a n d W e s t l a n d s a i d T h e S a n i b e l S c h o o l w o n ’ t b e a b l e t o a c c e s s t h e e n t r i e s i f t h e y s u r v i v e d t h e s t o r m u n t i l e a r l y t o m i d - J a n u a r y S h e s a i d t h e r e f u g e i s l o o k i n g a t w a y s t o e v o l v e t h e c o n t e s t i n t h e c o m i n g y e a r s

time W e h a v e a v

and need to brush up on their essay writing skills

o

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h i r i n g process, she said T h e A d u l t & C a

o n o

Lifelong Learning classes includes Hulafit; Ukulele; Let’s Get Fit; Smokin’ Hot BBQ; Microsoft Excel; Microsoft Office Basics; Conversational Spanish; Conversational English; Conversational Portuguese; US Citizenship Test Prep; Academic Writing; Acrylic Painting and Adobe Photoshop

“Conversational Spanish is our most popular ” Brockington said adding that it is offered at both the Lee County Public Education Center and Cape Coral High School

The Academic Writing class is for those adults who might be going back to school

As far as the Smokin Hot BBQ class, Brockington said in the past, it has garnered a great deal of interest She said it is a perfect gift for someone who loves to smoke and barbecue This class is the most expensive $150 as it pays for the cost of the food

The night classes will be held at the Lee County Public Education Center 2855 Colonial Blvd Cape Coral High School 2300 Santa Barbara Blvd and Cypress Lake High School, 6750 Panther Lane

The classes are very affordable, she said, with most of them $50

There is a minimum of 10 students per class for them to run and most can accom-

We are kicking off the second official session in January ” she said adding that they were trying to get the first session off the ground since Lifelong Learners got shut down since COVID I was hired to resurrect the program

T h e p l a n i s t o c o n t i n u e t o g r o w Lifelong Learners with both more classes a n d a d d i t i o n a l l o c a t i o n s B r o c k i n g t o n encourages the community to reach out to her with ideas of a class that will garner a good following

T h o s e i n t e r e s t e d c a n r e g i s t e r a t www leeschools net/llc The deadline to register is the last day prior to the first day of class

For more information, call (239) 9396321, or email marlisskb@leeschools net

Cards: Oasis Middle students also contribute to holiday effort

From page 1A

said “It was for a really great cause ”

The students were given a premade template, so they could sit down and design and create their card The cards were designed with glitter, some added photographs while many others drew pictures

“My older students in fourth and fifth grade told all about themselves, Baker said, adding that no two cards were identical

The project was great as the students tackled a need while learning about empathy in addition to practicing penmanship and writing skills

The kids loved the idea that someone was going to be excited to read the card, she said “The kids enjoyed it so much ”

With Gulf Elementary School students from all over the world teachers encouraged them to write in their native language if they so desired Baker said they were a b l e t o p r o v i d e 3 0 c a r d s w r i t t e n i n Spanish which accommodated Spanishlanguage recipients

We were able to address that need

Baker said, adding that some students also wrote in Russian

A lot of the cards were also personally addressed inside and out which made it more special for the recipient

Hopefully they will know that all the cards were written and took time We were thinking about them ” she said

With such positive feedback from the students Baker said she can see them creating cards a couple times a year each year

The benefits are just unbelievable for everyone involved, she said

In addition to Gulf Elementary School John Ball’s sixth grade class at Oasis

Middle School created almost 100 cards and small Christmas gifts for residents at Woodlands Assisted Living Facility in Cape Coral which will be delivered in time for Christmas Ball said he got involved with the project after he was contacted by Dolan

“He asked me to bring joy to the residents of The Woodlands by having my students and families write holiday cards This is really something that I enjoy doing because it is a wonderful thing to put a smile on someone s face and at the same time I can use this as an opportunity to teach my students about kindness and com-

passion ” he said “I think it is important that we remember our older populations especially during the holiday season I was able to do this for both Thanksgiving and Christmas Ball said he looks forward to sending more greeting cards in the future

Dolan said they are still seeking additional cards and writers who would like to send some holiday cheer In addition, he said they are also looking for 2023 calendars for the residents as many of them enjoy looking at the photos on the calendar as well as large print word search books and coloring books

We d love more volunteer card writers, school groups, church organizations, Boy Scouts and Girl Scout participation ” he said “Populations in our nursing homes and assisted living facilities increase yearly The more cards, coloring books, and small gifts we can deliver mean so much to so many ”

For more information email Dolan at tom dolan38@hotmail com or call 239284-5580

a student at the University of Southern California is the 2022 recipient of the R o b i n L a l l y P r o m i s i n g E n g i n e e r Achievement Award The award gives recipients additional scholarship funding of up to $15,000 per year, as well as an opportunity to direct a grant to their former elementary middle or high school “Cape Coral High School was my academic home for four years Rhim said in a prepared statement I believe that the teachers and bonds I made with them through my high school career fueled my desire to become an astronaut and engineer even more Cape Coral High School w a s a p l a c e o f a c a d e m i c i n c u b a t i o n , allowing me to live a balanced life while having opportunities to pursue my career

T h e B l a c k A m e r i c a n E n g i n e e r i n g

Scholarship Award provided through The Helping Project Corp provides $5 000 a semester, up to $10,000 a year, with an invitation to reapply for up to four years

In addition to funding, recipients are also given the opportunity to participate in a professional mentorship program

T h e H e l p i n g P r o j e c t w h i c h w a s i n s p i r e d a f t e r t h e B l a c k L i v e s M a t t e r

demonstrations, decided to find a way to combat systemic racism, through pathways that provided both long-term effects and diversity in STEM fields specifically in engineering degrees

The Cape Coral High School alum has b e e n p l a c e d o n t h e D e a n s L i s t e a c h semester as well as earning a role as an E n g i n e e r i n g U n d e r g r a d u a t e S t u d e n t

Summer Intern at NASA’s Jet Propulsion L a b o r a t o r y T h e s e a c c o m p l i s h m e n t s earned him the Robin Lally Promising Engineer Achievement Award

B

H

B R

The contest, which began more than 30 years ago, honors the legacy of Ding Darling as a Pulitzer-winning political cartoonist of the last century

The winners this year were chosen from staff at Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge, which is now part of the greater Ding complex

The winners (above and clockwise) include first place Ochun Lopez Valdez, second place winner Karolina Machado and third place winner Brody Howdyshell These three students were chosen from more than 160 entries

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED

modate 20 students We did meet all the requirements for the last session ” Brockington said T h e y b e g a n t h e i r f i r s t s e s s i o n i n September which was disrupted by the hurricane resulting in many students not returning to the remaining classes

dreams Rhim graduated from Cape Coral High School in 2021 with a weighted GPA of 5 3 and continued his education at the University of Southern California to pursue his bachelor

science

Award made possible through a partnership between the Forward Foundation and The Helping Project

Tom

Mamdooh Didi Abdel Rhim,

2022 recipient of the Robin Lally Promising Engineer Achievement Award

Donations for raffles & sponsorships sought

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

Members of the community can enjoy a night in Havana right here in Cape Coral in support of a local school

St Andrew Catholic School will host its Havana Night themed gala event on Feb 11 from 6 to 11 p m at the new Marian Hall in Fort Myers Organizers said they are looking for sponsors and items to raffle and auction off to help raise funds for the school Our goal is to raise money for our school with two initiatives in mind, said St Andrews Director of Development Crystal Melton “First is to enhance campus security and our second is school expansion In the past two years we ve grown by 220 students That's substantial growth for our school and we re a bit specially challenged right now Melton said security upgrades include additional cameras on school grounds security wrapping doors and classroom windows

and the recent addition of an armed security officer

Ticket and sponsorship opportunities are now available Tickets include an appetizer dinner dessert and open bar Entree selections feature tropical chicken, pork carnitas with guava glaze, or vegetarian with island rice and yuca with mojo sauce

Jason “Big Mama” Jones from B103 9 will serve as the deejay for the night There will be both silent and live auctions with a variety of themes, raffles, Latin dancers, and more

Organizers said all are welcome to attend the gala They are hopeful to expand their

reach for a fun night out, and are excited to see festive-themed attire

“We would love for it to be a community event now just a school event ” Melton said We want to bring awareness to our school and the great things that are happening at our school, and we want people to have fun It s been a hard year We haven’t been able to have one of these since the pandemic We just want our guests to have a good time ”

A range of sponsorship opportunities are available, from being a Platinum Sponsor ($5,000) to a Decor Sponsor ($100) Most sponsorships include tickets and prominent display of sponsor title throughout the event

and beyond We have a lot different sponsorship levels, and we want to connect our families with local businesses and have them become part of our community, Melton said

The sponsorship deadline is Jan 25 Melton added that anyone or business interested in becoming a sponsor but do not fancy any of the predetermined packages, can contact her at via email at cmelton@strandrewcs org to work something out

Tickets are $125 each and can be purchased online by visiting www standrewcs org/sacs-gala Sponsorship levels can also be found on the same site

Those interested in donating items can also contact Melton via email cmelton@standrewcs org

Marian Hall is at 5632 Sunrise Drive in Fort Myers next to Bishop Verot High School

Travel: Airport urges arriving early for flights; warns of crowded lots

From page 1A

AAA said other modes of transportation are also rebounding in a big way as travel by bus rail and cruise ship are expected to rise to 3 6 million this holiday season, a 23% increase from last year and nearly 94% of 2019 s volume

Savings at the pump

According to AAA Florida gas prices dropped 12 centsper-gallon last week marking the fifth consecutive week of declining averages

This past Sunday, Florida gas prices averaged $3 04 per gallon, the lowest daily average price since Sept 2021 Sunday’s state average is almost 20 cents less than what motorists paid at the pump last Christmas

The plunge at the pump is the result of falling oil prices which have plummeted primarily due to market concerns about a global economic recession, said Mark Jenkins, public relations manager, AAA - The Auto Club Group Lower oil prices lowers the cost of producing gasoline These low gas prices should hang around through the end of the year unless oil prices unexpectedly rebound

AAA officials said before the downturn in pump prices, the price of oil settled at $92 61 per barrel on Nov 4 Since that time, oil declined by as much as 23% AAA said last week the price of crude increased 5% Friday’s daily settlement of $74 29 per barrel is $3 27 per barrel more than the week before

While that could slow the rate of falling prices at the pump, it s unlikely to be enough to cause a significant increase ” officials said

Best and worst times to travel

AAA said drivers should prepare for delays, especially in and around major metro areas Nationwide, drivers could see travel times increase by up to 25%, according to INRIX, a provider of transportation analytics and insights

According to INRIX the road times travelers will see the most congestion is the Friday before Christmas Dec 27 Dec 28, and Jan 2

INRIX predicts the single-busiest travel day to be Dec 27 Officials said the best way to avoid congestion is by leaving early in the morning or later in the evening

Other tips include:

■ Leave early so you are not in a rush

■ Watch the weather Consider an alternate route or adjust your departure time

■ Never drive distracted Pre-program you GPS and do not use your cell phone while driving

■ Wear a seatbelt and never drive impaired

RSW

The Lee County Port Authority offered tips for those traveling out of Southwest Florida International Airport this holiday:

■ Arrive early Officials expect a busy Christmas and New Year s holiday at RSW and want travelers to plan ahead Passengers are asked to be in line at their security checkpoint at least two hours prior to flight departure

■ LCPA is expecting heavy passenger traffic this holiday season which means the airport is anticipating higher parking volumes Parking lots at RSW may fill up quickly between Dec 16 and Jan 4 Officials cannot guarantee you will find a parking spot Passengers are asked to consider alternative ways to get to RSW, such as being dropped off by friends or family or using commercial transportation LCPA will post parking updates on the airport’s website flylcpa com Facebook Instagram and Twitter throughout the holiday to keep travelers informed on airport parking availability

■ Local roads are extremely busy during the holidays, so allow extra time to get to the airport To avoid congestion, use the I-75 Direct Connect to get to and from RSW

■ If there is inclement weather forecasted at destination or connecting airports travelers should check with their air carrier to see if there are any changes to their flight schedules

■ Visit the Transportation Security Administration s website at tsa gov for tips about what you can and cannot bring through the security checkpoint

For more airport information visit flylcpa com or facebook com/flyRSW

Season of safety

The

CCPD offers tips to prevent distracted driving crashes

The Cape Coral Police Department has partnered with the Florida Department of Transportation to educate our residents on how distracted driving affects our roadways

Distracted driving includes anything that takes the driver's attention away from the vital task of driving

There are three types of distraction:

■ Manual which is taking hands off the wheel

■ Visual or taking eyes off the road

■ Cognitive, which involves taking one s mind off driving

Discussions about distracted driving often center on cell phone use and texting Still other activities such as eating talking to passengers reading adjusting the radio or climate controls, dealing with children, and being fatigued or exhausted can be equally distracting

Driver distraction is a rapidly growing problem as handheld communication devices and other technologies continue to advance

Recommendations:

■ Never talk or text on your cellphone while driving: Though hands-free systems seem helpful, they're not the solution Keep your mind on the road

■ Plan: Know where you are going before you get in the car Program the GPS before you drive Check weather and road conditions beforehand to be prepared

■ Manage your time: Don't be in such a hurry that you

must speed or drive aggressively on the road

■ Scan and look ahead: Look down the roadway to ensure that you are always aware of others on the road Be prepared for the unpredictability of others

■ Concentrate: Think about what you are doing while driving Make sure you are not upset or tired when getting on the road Keep passengers quiet and calm

■ Pull over: If you need to do something that will take your eyes or mind off the road, pull over and stop first Do not reach or lean while driving

■ Slow down: Drive at a safe speed so you can be aware of what other drivers are doing and have time to react

■ Buckle Up: Always wear your seat belt and ensure all passengers are buckled up You are less likely to be distracted or involved in a crash if you and your passengers are secured in your seat

“Our goal is to educate our residents on the dangers of distracted driving ” the department said in a prepared statement “Increased traffic enforcement activities will help us gain compliance, ultimately resulting in safer roadways This specific distracted driving enforcement will help reduce traffic crashes and injuries within the City of Cape Coral It is a collaborative effort to make our roads safer for all who travel This effort starts with all of our residents and visitors :

Myths and facts of impaired driving

Attorney General Ashley Moody asks Floridians to take extra precaution on the roadways this holiday season as the nation recognizes National Impaired Driving Prevention Month

Impaired driving increases during the holidays drunkdriving related deaths spike 116% above the baseline average on New Year s Day

“Myths abound about the ability for intoxicated people to drive safely ” a release from her office states

“Some people may think they’re okay to get behind the wheel when they are really putting themselves and everyone around them in danger, Moody said Myths about driving safely under the influence abound, but the truth is, if you are relying on a myth or quick cure to drive then you shouldn’t Instead arm yourself with the facts and make a plan to avoid ending up in a dangerous situation this holiday season

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Crash Dashboard is reporting more than 5,000 crashes due to driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol the release states This resulted in nearly 600 fatalities because of impaired drivers These numbers are expected to increase during the holiday season based off impaired driving crash statistics from previous years

Common myths associated with impaired driving and facts to debunk the falsehoods:

Myth: Having a high tolerance means it is okay to have a few drinks before driving Fact: Even a small amount of alcohol can cloud thinking, dim vision and slow reflexes

year

In December 2021 there were 35 859 crashes on Florida roadways that took the lives of 325 people and injured 1 524 according to FLHSMV In more than 28% of those crashes, the driver action reported for at least one of the drivers involved was operating a motor vehicle in a careless or negligent manner

“Tragic crashes are unfortunately all too common and often caused by someone who chose to not follow the law ” stated FLHSMV Executive Director Terry L Rhodes We see the heartbreak these crashes cause to families, friends, and communities; but seldom do we hear of the many crashes that are prevented by motorists who are courteous sober and focused on the road and their surroundings These are the drivers that keep us safe and the type of driver all motorists should aspire to be this holiday season and into the new year

According to FLHSMV, in December 2021, there were 917 alcohol-confirmed crashes, 96 drug-confirmed crashes, and 86 drug- and alcohol-confirmed crashes for a total of 1 099 crashes involving alcohol drugs or a combination of

Myth: If the travel distance is short, just drive slowly

Fact: More than half of the crashes that cause injury or death happen at speeds less than 40 mph and within 25 miles from home

Myth: Stimulants like caffeine or even illicit substances enhance driving skills

Fact: While stimulants may increase alertness, they may also impede other necessary driving skills Coffee can wear off quickly and illicit substances can cause hyper-aggression or negatively affect multiple senses Plus using illicit substances may prove deadly, or land the user in prison

Myth: Eating before drinking will keep blood alcohol levels below the legal limit

Fact: Eating can slow the absorption of alcohol and other substances but it does not prevent it Since the effects are not felt as quickly it could lead to intaking more substances causing even worse debilitation once the effects are felt

Myth: If the car isn t moving, then the driver cannot be charged with a DUI

Fact: Florida Criminal Jury Instructions state that actual physical control of a vehicle means the defendant must be in or on the vehicle and have the capability to operate the vehicle, regardless of whether the vehicle is being operated at the time

More information can be found by visiting the Mothers Against Drunk Driving website madd org/florida/

Source: Office of Attorney General Ashley Moody

both in Florida Under Florida law DUI is an offense proved by impairment of normal faculties by any substance or unlawful blood alcohol or breath alcohol level of 08 or above If you see an impaired driver on the road, don t hesitate to contact local law enforcement or dial *FHP (*347)

A call could save a life, officials said

“Please remember to drink responsibly and make good decisions this holiday season ” said Director of FHP Colonel Gene Spaulding in a prepared statement “Not only your life but the lives of others are in jeopardy if you decide to drink or use drugs and drive FHP troopers will be aggressively enforcing impaired driving laws to ensure the safety of the citizens and visitors of Florida ”

FHP will be out in force on the highways to aid motorists and remove dangerous drivers from the road FHP Auxiliary Troopers will also volunteer to augment FHP during the holiday period FHP s increased presence throughout

Florida helps to deter traffic violations and enhances services to motorists who need assistance while traveling ” officials said For more information visit www flhsmv gov

Tow to Go AAA will be working to keep impaired drivers off the road during the year-end holidays The Auto Club Group will activate its Tow to Go program which provides transportation for the would-be impaired driver and their vehicle Tow to Go will be active from 6 p m Dec 23 to 6 a m Jan 2

When someone calls Two to Go AAA dispatches a tow truck to transport the would-be impaired driver and their vehicle to a safe location within a 10-mile radius The service is free for anyone, however AAA asks that it be treated as a last resort

Crash data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that combining cocktails with crowded roads can be deadly According to NHTSA statistics from Christmas to New Year’s in 2020 there were 209 drunk-driving related fatalities nationwide

Tis the season for gathering with friends and family and AAA is proud to offer this service to help everyone make it home for the holidays safely ” said Megan Cooper spokeswoman AAA – The Auto Club Group “The greatest gift you can give this holiday season is your presence so be sure to plan for a safe ride home before the celebrations begin Alcohol, drugs and even prescription medications can affect your ability to drive and cause unnecessary risks for everyone on the roadway If you’re tempted to drive impaired call AAA instead and we’ll transport you and your vehicle to a safe location

For Tow to Go services, call (855) 2-TOW-2-GO or (855) 286-9246

Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles and its division of the Florida Highway Patrol are promoting safety by issuing reminders on how to stay safe on the roads during the busiest long-distance travel period of the

St Andrew Catholic School will host its "Havana Night" themed fundraising gala event on Feb 11 Organizers said they are looking for sponsors and items to raffle and auction off to help raise funds for the school Those interested in donating items can email cmelton@standrewcs org Sponsorship information may be found at standrewcs org/sacs-gala

Source: Cape Coral Police Department

CROW finds temporary home at ARC in North Fort Myers

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

North Fort Myers best-known animal shelter is providing a temporary home for a Sanibel saver of animals of a different sort

The Animal Refuge Center has shared its facilities with the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife in the wake of Hurricane Ian s devastating damage to Sanibel

CROW has set up operations in two of ARC s buildings its former clinic and another that allowed CROW to set up a nursery

Thanks to ARC's generosity and outreach from other centers the big challenge of finding a temporary home for continuing operations was met

CROW staff then worked together to meet the challenge of getting back to work

“Honestly the most rewarding thing for me has been the teamwork ” veterinarian Dr Robin Bast said “We have always been very lucky in having a really solid supportive team at CROW Regardless of whatever challenges we come up against, they rise to the challenge and find positive spins to put on things and lift each other up to help get through this We have a really great team and despite all the challenges that arose from the storm we are still grateful to be able to achieve our mission and thankful for the support of our community

On a personal note, Bast and CROW's associate veterinarian had to deal simultaneously with personal loss both lost their apartments and everything inside “We were dealing with gutting our places and trying to keep patient care going and finding a new place The staff didn t even bat an eyelash in offering to help and really being there for each other, she said of the teamwork Hurricane preparation, evacuation Along with many other organizations in Southwest Florida CROW has a storm preparation plan Bast said they have a plan that is reviewed at the start of every storm season with staff This year, the plan began w

Hurricane Ian began showing potential of impacting Southwest Florida

When the path abruptly changed, Bast said they kicked everything into high gear and began evacuating on Sept 27

The evacuation entailed evacuating more than 150 patients The baby squirrels possums and raccoons went with Bast students on site and a couple of staff members to a hotel in Fort Myers

We rode out the storm there and continued to care for the babies in the hotel They are relatively transportable compared to other patients we had ” she said adding that obviously they were thinking temporarily

The students and Bast stayed in the hotel for about 10 days before they helped the students arrange travel arrangements back home, as CROW no longer had housing available for them

“We needed to get ourselves back and running before we could get back to teaching ” she said

The intensive care and rehab patients were transferred to CROW s partner rehab organizations across the state to the South Florida Wildlife Center and Conservancy of Southwest Florida as well as the Keys

Bast said some of the patients that they did not want to take to the hotel but were close to being released or easily cared for went home with staff members who are certified rehabilitators

Hawks and owls rode out the storm in their garage

After the storm any new patients admitted to CROW went through the BluePearl Pet Hospital in Fort Myers which is a 24/7 dog and cat emergency room Staff would go to BluePearl twice a day and triage any injured or sick wildlife that was dropped off The wildlife was stabilized, treated and kept overnight at the hotel or at a staff member's place before going to the Conservancy

Temporary site

Conversations began about finding a temporary site to get CROW up and running at until it could return to Sanibel

ARC Board Trustee Dr Laura Leinen said in a nice twist of fate they had been talking with the board about how to repurpose the former clinic as ARC s new state-ofthe-art clinic opened over the summer

It was wonderfully vacant when Ian came through, she said “Knowing the position that CROW was in, it was quite fortunate it was emptied out ”

Leinen said she was excited to offer the space to CROW as they have always been friends with the organization and ARC s damage was much more minimal than a lot of other organizations

“It meant that we were in good shape and we could offer to others ” she said “I know they would have gladly done the same thing for us if we were in that situation ” Leinen said she and Bast, both veterinarians, have been connected for a long time in the community We are thinking this is pretty cool We are finally working together ” she said “Robin and I are both passionate about the one health model health of wildlife interconnected with health of people and domestic animals Bast said they moved into the ARC facility at the end of October

“We are now in a position to now actually keep patients and treat them here longer than 24- to 48-hour period ” she said adding that ARC offered two of its buildings for CROW to use the old clinic building, as well as another where there are lots of babies undergoing rehab care The old ARC clinic allows CROW to perform ICU and

surgery as well as do intakes Bast said they did surgery the f i r s t d a y t h e y o f f i c i a l l y h a d everything moved into ARC s building The surgery was on an Eastern cottontail rabbit that had sustained wounds from a dog attack Since then they have done hook removals from turtles, as well as removing an injured eye from a burrowing owl

“Luckily we are in the position now to get back to doing a lot of the things we are able to d o , s h e s a i d W e a r e s o blessed When I first heard we had the possibility of moving the facility out here so we can continue to function it was a huge relief

After the storm, it was hard for the CROW staff to predict how much wildlife would be admitted

Some days we would have 25 to 30 admissions in a day that we would be triaging, and some days one or two, Bast said “Obviously people are very busy and it's hard to get things transported to where they could get help (There was) definitely a lot of animals affected I don't think we are getting slammed with a lot of patients because a lot of them didn't do well ”

O n N o v 1 2 C R O W h a d about a dozen patients in care with half of them being in intensive care

“It's definitely a lot quieter than usual We are all kind of waiting on pins and needles on how red tide is going to turn out this season We are praying it isn't as bad as 2018 after Irma, she said

Sanibel campus There is a lot of clean up to do at the island campus

“It is hard to find words to describe it It is incredibly changed and different than before, Bast said of Sanibel

With that said, the main buildings are all still standing, such as the hospital, student housing and educational center

“From that perspective we did well ” she said

The inside of the clinic had some water on the lower level, but not a great deal The top floor, which houses all the main equipment, such as diagnostic and surgery equipment, did completely fine A great deal of that equipment was able to be moved to the ARC facility with the exception of the X-ray machine

We are able to share the X-ray machine that ARC has in the new hospital, Bast said With an emergency pass still needed to enter Sanibel, several trips to get the equipment were planned ahead of time as not a lot of people were able to go at once

Leinen said ARC's new facility has a large full digital X-ray system, as well as laboratory blood testing equipment, that CROW is able to use

They come over with patients when needed It's such a luxury we have at this point to have the space to accommodate both groups that way ” she said

Although all of the outdoor CROW enclosures sustained some level of damage, the newer ones that were done this year fared really well The older enclosures either need to be completely rebuilt or undergo significant repairs Bast said For this reason CROW is partnering with other local wildlife hospitals for rehab for their bird patients until they can get the enclosures up and running again As far as the student externships they are put on pause until at least January Luckily, housing on-island was not impacted structurally,” she said o

s t u d e n t h o u s

o

Community support Those who would like to support CROW may make a monetary donation by visiting www crowclinic org and clicking on the hurricane relief fund Bast said the donations will help CROW rebuild its enclosures, as well as continue to purchase n e e d e d t o t a k e c a patients

When there is mo access to the island s h e s a i d t h e y w i l l reach out for volunteers who would like to help clean up the campus

Helping wildlife

h i c h w a s

e s

o

d e n t s could not return On the plus side, she said two veterinary interns remain and are getting advanced training in special species medicine The two began in July and so far have had a rough start

They have done an amazing job in terms of helping the students get through it and all of us continue to take care of patients I am super proud of the students we had during

The injured wild hotline remains open a m t o 5 p m d a i l y i n c l u d i n g holidays, by calli n g ( 2 3 9 ) 4 7 23 6 4 4 S t a f f w i l l w a l k t h e c a l l e r t h r o u g h i f t h e wildlife needs to be rescued or how to rescue the animal

Fund

Our volunteers were hugely impacted by the storm as well, Bast said We don't have as many active volunteers able to assist with transport and rescue Anyone interested in that or willing to help if they find an animal can call us to get the help they need ”

Currently, she said all wildlife is being routed to BluePearl before going to CROW at ARC

ARC Leinen said although the main buildings are structurally fine there was damage to their property such as the trees and fencing, as well as damage to some of the dog lodges

ARC is open for adoptions by appointment She said she understands that some are not able to add to their family right now

If you have been thinking about adopting a dog or a cat, and your living situation was not heavily impacted by Hurricane Ian, now is a great time to look for a new friend Saving a pet from us right now is opening up space for a shelter for someone who has to make a decision to relinquish a pet ” Leinen said “If you are in the position it really never has been a better time

ARC also is sorely in need of donations post-Ian

To make a donation to ARC, visit animalrefugecenter com

the storm and super proud of interns They continue to do good work and have a positive attitude and are still wanting to learn despite the challenges Bast said adding that they are receiving great disaster work experience

ALL PHOTOS PROVIDED BY CROW

The first day CROW officially had everything moved into ARC s building surgery was preformed on an eastern cottontail rabbit that had sustained wounds from a dog attack

Dr Robin Bast

SP ORTS

Chilly temps won’t deter all anglers this weekend

Put away your snook rods and break out the ice fishing gear for the predicted Christmas weekend big freeze something a temperature sensitive snook or die-hard angler never wants to hear With daytime temperatures dropping into the 50s, made seemingly colder by cloudy skies and a steady north wind a holiday weekend fishing trip may be challenging for locals with thinned blood ” although visiting T-shirted Midwesterners might find it quite comfortable to be out on the water Funny how time changes things -remembering winter trips breaking ice with our canoe paddles, pushing and straining just to get far enough out on the pond to catch crappies and yellow perch The many times sitting near frozen in a before sun-up duck blind next to a young Lab, both of us shivering in anticipation, both scanning the skies for called ducks coming to our decoys Red nosed frozen feet finger and paws we thought nothing of it A great many decades later plus another 20+ years of Southwest Florida thinned blood now running through me, when it comes to cold weather I’m feeling more and more like my old hunting partner just content to lay by the warm fire anytime it gets below 65 degrees

Fortunately for our snook and anglers this cold snap is predicted to move through rapidly although the inshore fishing may remain tough for a few more days after the holiday as temps slowly warm back to normal and fish recover Hang in there spring tarpon season is just 15 weeks or so away!

If the weather won t stop your weekend trip, remember that cold water does sometime help the angler by concentrating fish in certain areas and if found can really turn into a banner day of fishing Often a day or two before a major change can be productive Just might be worth getting out there today before the snow on Saturday

Our local seatrout like the cooling water but if it cools too much fish drop off the 2 to 3-foot flats and into more comfortable deeper water close by Continued cold will push fish even deeper away from your normal shallow hot spots and into main channels deep canals basins marinas and up creeks

Redfish aren t really bothered too badly by the cold and as long as the refrigerator is full they’ll stick around and keep eating sort of like some relatives I m expecting this weekend Continued cold will also push them up into creeks, canals and deep water areas where they will remain hungry and biting with slow-presented shrimp the bait of choice Cut ladyfish and mullet work almost as well Casters that find live bait messy throw jigs loaded with GULP Shrimp, slowly pulling or short hopping it along the bottom equals redfish creek magic If you’re live bait and casting fan then try a real shrimp on a jig head I like to bite off the shrimp s tail so it doesn t cause spin on the cast and also releases more scent into the water I thread the shrimp onto my jig head hook backwards so the shrimp is slowly hopped along bottom facing away from me The key is – slowlyretrieved YOU TUBE is a great source for shrimp rigging information

This cold snap should move more sheepshead inshore to local structures like bridges and docks and away from our near-shore reefs Gag grouper are still in fairly close and trolling plugs is a great way to find them The same goes for king fish up to 50 pounds which are still in the area Tripletail scattered due to red tides but several cobia reports still came in

As the weather settles near and offshore anglers will return to a large variety of fish swimming from top to bottom

Lots of junk still floating, slow down! Help out folks less fortunate still dealing with Ian and Merry Christmas to all!

George Tunison is a Cape Coral resident fishing guide Contact him at 239-282-9434 or captgeorget3@aol com

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

After coming up just shy four years ago

Philadelphia is the 2022 City of Palms Classic champ

T

Wednesday night at Suncoast Credit Union Arena, defeating Christopher Columbus High School (Miami) 61-44 to hoist the City of Palms Championship trophy

Imhotep put together a defensive masterclass to stop the high-scoring Explorers and never once trailed in the contest Guard and F l o

i t y c o m m i t Rahmir Barno dropped a game-high 21 points and was named tournament most valuable player in an area he'll soon call home

“I just thought that this was about what we always talk about; being a defensive program ” said Imhotep head coach Andre Noble “I just felt that was going to be the tale of the game -- could our defense impact what they do offensively? And we did a really good job We ask our best players to b e o

e tonight

The Panthers came out blazing from the start going on a 12-0 run and finishing the first quarter up 14-6 Their defensive press

Cayden and Cameron Boozer was stout, as they held the pair to just 24 total points Cameron is the No 1 ranked player among

Christopher

sophomore and No 1 ranked player in his class Cameron Boozer, looks to pass during Imhotep's 6144 win in the City of Palms Classic Championship Wednesday night at Suncoast Credit Union Arena Boozer and his twin brother, Cayden were both named to the 2022 All-Tournament Team

CJ HADDAD

Imhotep Charter School guard and FGCU commit Rahmir Barno looks to set the offense during the Panthers' 61-44 win in the City of Palms Classic Championship Wednesday night at Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers Barno was named tournament MVP and scored a game-high 21 points

CJ HADDAD

All-Tournament Team

Justin (Edwards) did a great job on (Cameron) Boozer ” Noble said “And we did a good job with (Cayden) too Rahmir just pressured the ball really well When we re defending like that and not turning the ball over, we're tough

Imhotep kept rolling in the second quarter running its lead up to 20 thanks to scoring contributions from Barno Edwards (a Kentucky commit and ranked No 2 in this year s class) and uncommitted guard Ahmad Nowell The Panthers went into the halftime break with a 26-13 advantage

Christopher Columbus made a run in the third quarter rattling off 12 straight points to make it a two-possession game Every time it seemed as if the Explorers were making headway, Imhotep would make a big defensive play or hit a big shot to cool the waters

“You've got to give it to them ” said E x p l o r e r s h e a d c o a c h A n d r e w M o r a n They came out (and) took everything away from us They pressured us (and) we folded, especially in the first half They executed their game plan We did not We were doing uncharacteristic things

Possessions matter so much, he continued You turn the ball over early, to dig out of a hole that is pretty tough It looked like we were going to do it ”

Though it was outscored the Imhotep 141 0 i n t h e t h i r d q u a r t e r C h r i s t o p h e r Columbus could not muster the pressure to tie or take the lead

Edwards compiled a stellar second half for Imhotep and finished with 16 points six boards and three blocked shots Nowell led the team in rebounding with eight dropped in 12 points and had two steals and assists A 25-17 differential in the fourth quarter

Imhotep thumps Christopher Columbus, 61-44, to claim 2022 City of Palms crown PREP

Girls Basketball

Boys Basketball

Soccer

Games postponed due to winter stor m

of

major winter storm that

up tipoff times for college basketball games while at least a dozen others were canceled or postponed including Omaha at Iowa State and Wisconsin s home game today against Grambling on the men's side Drake's game at Iowa State on Thursday was among the women’s games called off

Boys Soccer

Boys Basketball

6

Mariner (7-6) handed the Jaguars the first loss (8-1) of the season Hagerty 66, Cape Coral 47: In the Robert E Hudley Invitational the Seahawks slipped to 5-3

Coast 57 Riverdale 37: Elijah Felix led the Gators (4-6) with 19 points Korey Babernitch scored 12

Late

Girls

Monday

Soccer

North Fort Myers 8 Riverdale 0: The Red Knights improved to 6-2-3

Capt

Capt George Tunison

sophomores with Cayden comes in at No 15 They are the sons of former NBA AllStar Carlos Boozer who was watching curtsied Both of the twins were named to the

Columbus

Cape Coral Breeze

Athletes of the Week

Cape Coral Breeze

Athletes Week of the

(Selected by the Breeze Sports staff)

Sponsored by:

Tallahassee Fla The Florida Sports Foundation announced its recently commissioned study found the total economic impact of the sports industry on Florida s economy amounted to $146 5 billion in Fiscal Years 2019-20 and 2020-21

The report conducted by the independent research firm Tourism Economics also showed that the billions injected into the economy by sports supported 978,200 part-time and full-time jobs on an annual basis and generated $13 9 billion in state and local taxes

“We applaud the Governor for the extensive steps he has taken to ensure F l o r i d a h a s r e m a i n e d o p e n f o r s p o r t s t h r o u g h o u t h i s a d m i n i s t r a t i o n , s a i d Angela Suggs president and CEO of the Florida Sports Foundation “The findings of this report show the wisdom of the Governor s strategy to prioritize access to golf courses, beaches, hiking trails and other recreational venues ” Amateur and leisure activities were the largest contributors to Florida’s sports

economy over the course of the study This category which includes golf hunting fishing and other recreational activities accounted for $113 6 billion in total economic impact Within the amateur and leisure activities category golf was the largest contributor generating $44 2 billion in impact

A d d i t i o n a l h i g h l i g h t s o f t h e r e p o r t include:

■ Florida s sports industry accounted for nearly 28 1 million non-resident visitors to the state representing 14 percent of all Florida tourism

■ Professional sports accounted for $10 2 billion in economic impact, while college athletics contributed $5 5 billion in impact

■ The efforts of the state's 36 sports commissions supported by the Florida Sports Foundation, generated $24 9 billion in total economic impact

T h e d i r e c t l i n k t o t h e f u l l $ 1 4 6 5 B i l l i o n E c o n o m i c I m p a c t S t u d y i s h t t p s : / / p l a y i n f l o r i d a c o m / w p -

content/uploads/2022/12/Florida-SportsR e p o r t - N e w - F o r m a t - V 2 - 0 8 - 2 6 - 2 0 2 2SMALL pdf

About the Florida Sports Foundation T h e F l o r i d a S p o r t s F o u n d a t i o n a 501(C) 3 non-profit corporation is the official sports promotion and development organization for the State of Florida It is charged with the promotion and development of professional, amateur, recreational sports and physical fitness opportunities that produce a thriving Florida sports industry and environment With a seemingly endless list of sporting ventures and venues, the Florida Sports Foundation strives to promote Florida s unique sports industry The Foundation’s staff is dedicated to serving the needs and interests of Florida s sports community and assists with all questions concerning Florida sporting activities and issues

To create the thriving sports industry a n d e n v i r o n m e n t t h e F l o r i d a S p o r t s

Foundation:

■ Provides grants to support sporting events that bring out-of-state visitors to Florida;

■ Produces and distributes annual golf, fishing and boating and baseball spring training guides for both in-state and out-ofstate tourists; and

■ Organizes the annual Sunshine State G a m e s , a n O l y m p i c - s t y l e f e s t i v a l f o r Floridians of all ages, and the Florida Senior Games State Championships for senior athletes age 50 and over

About Tourism Economics

T o u r i s m E c o n o m i c s i s a n O x f o r d Economics company with a singular objective: combine an understanding of the travel sector with proven economic tools to answer the most important questions facing our clients More than 500 companies, associations and destination work with T o u r i s m E c o n o m i c s e v e r y y e a r a s a research partner

In addition to the toy drive CAC’s spirit of giving turned into the spirit of gratitude during its community holiday event sponsored by Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P A on Dec 10 This holiday party at East United Way House included food trucks crafts a deejay and even Mr and Mrs Claus made an appearance With all the generous donors supporting the toy drive, the CAC was able to distribute over 300 toys to community clients that

day The CAC also set up a Toy Shoppe at its main campus where parents and children chose their favorite toys

Children s Advocacy Center CEO, Julie Boudreaux, thanked donors for their continued support We are so grateful and have a l r e a d y c o l l e c t e d o v e r 2 , 5 0 0 gifts, said Bou-dreaux We have seen so many parents and caregivers get emotional and hug our staff as they are overwhelmed by the generosity of our community Thank you so much for giving toys and other donations to put smiles on the faces of the children we serve ”

Since 1981 CACSWFL has worked to improve the lives of c h i l d r e n a n d t h e i r f a m i l i e s through a coordinated response to child abuse and neglect offering them a safe and friendly environ-

ment in which to heal CAC provides abuse determination services pet therapy therapeutic counseling parenting education and p r e v e n t i o n p r o g r a m s i n L e e , Hendry, Glades, and Charlotte counties All services are provided free of charge thanks to the support of generous donors CAC is a United Way Partner Agency

For more information about CACSWFL or treatment options available please call 239-9392808 If you would like to support the children in Southwest Florida consider making a donation at cac-swfl org and sign up for the CAC newsletter

Santa Claus visits with a small child at the Children’s A d v o c a c y C e n t e r h o l i d a y event on Dec 10

defensively tonight was lights out

in Imhotep's favor saw the celebration

ensure when the clock hit triple zeroes

Imhotep s defense forced 17 Explorer turnover while the Panters kept their number to nine, and collected seven steals as a team They also played clean basketball, with only six team fouls on the night Christopher Columbus only shot four free throws and was held to a 22 2% field goal percentage in the first half

When asked if this is the best his team has played defensively all year Noble said "With this group yes I thought this group

When we don't turn the ball over and we lock up like that it's really hard to score the ball ” he continued “We're never the biggest team but we are tough and going to be tough and grimy and give everything we got, and that's what they did tonight

Barno, who finished with 21 points, four boards four assists and four steals said everything was clicking out there

I was seeing the floor well he said I felt like in the first half I kind of got it going I kind of figured they would start paying more attention and that opened the floor up for the other guys on the team

making those next reads I was just in the flow of the game playing, just letting things come to me ”

Noble praised the unselfishness of his team and that they celebrate the successes of one another He was especially happy for Barno to get top honors in a soon-to-be familiar location

“He's definitely one of the team leaders ” Noble said of Barno “I feel like this was just a culminating of years of work for these guys where they ve been building towards this To see them actually accomplish it, and to see them have this moment, we've worked really hard on the stuff we

do, so I'm really happy for them to have this moment for themselves, especially for (Barno) because this is the city that he's going to play in It's almost storybook for him in that sense ”

Barno added, Just knowing I already have support out here from people cheering me on, it definitely felt good

This was the 49th year of the City of Palms Classic which will celebrate its golden anniversary in 2023

PHOTO PROVIDED

Tis the season for plants

By KATHY WOODLOCK news@breezenewspapers com

According to the Spruce Website there are 22 popular Christmas flowers and plants Many grow only in the northern states but many are perfectly happy in our climate

Plant No 1 is the poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) that has evolved into a symbol of Christmas because of its festive red and green color Poinsettias are subtropical plants that are native to Mexico Overwatering them can be a problem as they are susceptible to root rot Water when the top 2 inches of soil feels dry and make sure the container has adequate drainage Also, poinsettia need lots of bright, filtered sunlight so they don t grow leggy A f t e r t h e h o l i d a y s Poinsettias can be planted in the Cape Coral yard in part sun/shade They will last for years and grow into a nice shrub bloomi n g a r o u n d t h e h o l i d a y season They should be p r u n e d b a c k a b o u t 1 / 3 twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall

GARDEN CLUB OF CAPE CORAL

Plant No 2 is the holly (Ilex Opaca) However, the one we associate with Christmas has a hardiness zone of 5-9 There are a few species of hollies that grow in our Zone 10

Plant No 3 is mistletoe (Phoradendron leuarpum) It has become a tradition to kiss under the mistletoe during the holidays Mistletoe is a parasite that feeds off host trees In order to grow mistletoe, one needs host trees which grow in Zones 5-9

Some species of yew (Taxus spp ) with their vivid red berries and evergreen foliage will grow in Zone 10 Yew shrubs are slow-growing and low-maintenance plants Their sprigs make lovely natural holiday decorations

Ivy (header helix) preferred growth zones are 4-9, however it does well in a pot It is another Christmas plant that symbolizes new growth and brings good luck by warding off evil spirits

Many people opt for a Douglas fir (Pseudosuga menziesii) to be their Christmas tree These trees grow in USDA Hardiness Zones 4-6, so we won t see any of these growing in and around Cape Coral

This brings us to plant No 7 the Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera x Buckley) The Christmas cactus is

See PLANTS, page 8B

Epiphany Episcopal Church to celebrate 60th anniversary

The 60th Anniversary of Epiphany Episcopal Church, Cape Coral will be celebrated on Feast Of Epiphany, Friday Jan 6 at p m All are welcome to join the congregation for The Mass Holy Eucharist Rite II with Choir and for a Pot Luck Celebration in Puffer Hall following the service

This will be a joyous event for all in the community and beyond Please plan to join the congregation and invite family and friends in celebration with the vestry parishioners and Father Eddie Gibbons Rector

Epiphany Episcopal Church is located at 2507 Del Prado Blvd , South, Cape Coral, FL 33904 Sunday Mass Times are 8 a m (Holy Eucharist Rite I) and 9:30 a m (Holy Eucharist Rite II with Choir)

All are welcome to this warm and friendly church

For additional information about the church its servic-

Christmas Service schedule set

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

On 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

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

es or its programs please call 239-574-3200 or visit https://www epiphanyepiscopalchurch org

RELIGION NOTES

First Christian Church Cape Coral to host 3rd Annual Missions Conference

The 3rd Annual Missions Conference at First Christian Church Cape Coral will begin starting Sunday, Jan 8 The theme for the conference is "Expect Great Things From God; Attempt Great Things For God "

The conference will be five nights of missionaries from around the world sharing their heartfelt mission victories experiences and plans for reaching the far corners of the Earth with the Gospel of Jesus Christ They are delivering God's promises and hope in diverse cultures in our cities and overseas

On Sunday, Jan 8, the missionaries will be at all three church services and then each night starting Sunday at 6 p m the pubic is invited to come and experience in person how God is moving in our world through these brave leaders

Keynote speakers include Dr Greg Pruett, president, Pioneer Bible Translators, and Pastor Joe Putting, Tamoka Christian Church There is a personal meet-and-greet time each evening at 6 then starting at 6:30 two missionaries each evening share their stories

Everyone is welcome For more details contact the church office 239-574-7272

First Christian Church Cape Coral is located at 2620 Country Club Blvd Cape Coral FL 33904

PHOTO PROVIDED

Epiphany Episcopal Church on Del Prado Boulevard, South, in Cape Coral

Next month s roster of activities at Cape

Coral Lee County Public Library offers topics for all ages The following activities are free to the public:

Adult Programs

Download Drop-In

11 a m , Tuesdays, Jan 3, 17, 31

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

English Café

6 p m , Tuesdays, Jan 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 10 a m , Fridays, Jan 6, 13, 20, 27

Free informal conversation sessions for adult ESOL/ESL students

Book Discussion:

“The Rose Code” by Kate Quinn

11 a m , Wednesday, Jan 11

Joining the elite Bletchley Park codebreaking team during World War II three women from very different walks of life uncover a spy's dangerous agenda years later against the backdrop of the royal wedding of Elizabeth and Philip

Keller:

Helen

Champion of the Disabled Performance

11 a m , Thursday, Jan 12

Helen Keller is performed by actor Sheryl Faye who brings stories of historical women to life in a unique and memorable way The program is written from Helen s mind s eye The story is told on a taped voice-over as Helen re-enacts her full life from her childhood through her discovery of language when she was 7 years old to the writing of her 12 books She will show how she speaks and reads in Braille, and her story continues through her graduation from college

set

Crafts at Cape: Paper Quilling 11 a m , Saturday, Jan 14

Join us for a fun midmorning craft as we create different designs on a greeting card Quilling is the art of rolled shaped and glued paper that results in creating a unified, decorative design Supplies will be provided Registration is required

Mindful Meditation 2 p m , Wednesday, Jan 18

Learn and practice meditation that can increase happiness, health, positivity and improve all aspects of life Certified reiki master & soul teacher Donna Johnson will be leading the meditation

Deborah Goodrich Royce Author Presentation & Book Signing 2 p m , Tuesday, Jan 24

Meet author Deborah Goodrich Royce as she discusses her latest book “Reef Road Copies of the book will be available for purchase during the book signing after the presentation Registration is required

Crafts at Cape: Canvas Painting 11 a m , Wednesday, Jan 25

Learn step-by-step how to recreate an easy beach painting Perfect for beginners Supplies will be provided Registration is required

Women of '76 Historical Performance 2 p m , Thursday, Jan 26

In this theatrical presentation by performer Rita Parisi, meet some of the women both loyalist and patriot American born and foreign who witnessed and in some cases changed the course of the A m e r i c a n R

required

Children’s Programs

Kids Read Down Fines 1-2 p m , Saturday, Jan 7 Children and teens can earn a $2 credit

desk to register

New Year Dance Party

10 a m , Wednesday, Jan 11

Shake your sillies out at the library Get ready to twist and shout at this special dance party We ll boogie down to pop hits and favorite preschool tunes For ages 2-5

Helen Keller: Champion of the Disabled Performance 11 a m , Thursday, Jan 12

Helen Keller is performed by actor Sheryl Faye who brings stories of historical women to life in a unique and memorable way The program is written from Helen s mind s eye The story is told on a taped voice-over as Helen re-enacts her full life from her childhood through her discovery of language when she was 7 years old to the writing of her 12 books She will show how she speaks and reads in Braille and her story continues through her graduation from college

Preschool Storytime

11 a m , Tuesdays, Jan 17, 24, 31 For ages 3-5 Children attend this program independently while parents and caregivers wait nearby First come, first served Please arrive early and pick up a ticket at the Youth Services desk

Toddler Tales 11 a m , Wednesdays, Jan 18, 25

For ages 18-36 months and caregivers Toddlers and caregivers move and groove during this interactive storytime First come, first served Please arrive early and pick up a ticket at the Youth Services desk

Baby Rhyme Time

10 a m , Thursdays, Jan 19, 26

For babies up to 18 months Babies and caregivers wiggle and giggle in a supportive environment First come, first served Please arrive early and pick up a ticket at the Youth Services desk

Family Storytime

10 a m , Saturday, Jan 21 For children through age 5 and care-

givers Families with young children enjoy a variety of stories, songs, rhymes and movement First come first served Please come to the Youth Services desk to pick up a ticket

Teen Programs

Kids Read Down Fines

1-2 p m , Saturday, Jan 7

Children and teens can earn a $2 credit on overdue fines for every 15 minutes they read in the designated area for a total of $8 in one session Please bring your library card Please come to the Youth Services desk to register

Games Day 4:30 p m , Monday, Jan 23

For ages 11-17 Bring a friend or make some new ones by playing a wide variety of board games A bookmark coloring craft will be provided as well Sponsored by the Friends of the Cape Coral Library

The Cape Coral Lee County Public L i b r a

o c a

s

d a t 9 2 1 S W 3 9 t h Terrace in Cape Coral For more information about a program or to register, please call the library at 239-533-4500 Check the Lee County Library System’s website at www leelibrary net to find out about programs at other locations Call the host library, or Telephone Reference at 239479-INFO (4636), for more information about a specific program

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

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act Lee County will not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities in its services programs or activities To request an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication or a reasonable modification to participate contact Joan LaGuardia 239-533-2314

Alliance for the Arts calls for artists to submit work for the 37th Annual All Florida Juried Exhibition

, ArtInLee org/AllFlorida2023

email

exhibition in March 2023 representing Florida s contemporary artists Awards include $1 000 cash for Best In Show a 2nd place gift certificate $100 cash for 3rd place and Juror s Choice Award(s) of Alliance for the Arts membership(s) Receptions and gallery tours are open to the public and do not require tickets or reservations While the gallery admission is free a $5 suggested donation keeps the A l

l

Local

u t t h i s u n t i l n e x t y e a r , w h i l e o t he r s s a y w e h a d t o a p p l y f o r i t w i t h i n 3 0 d a y s o f m o vi n g i n C a n y o u c l a r i f y w h a t w e n e e d t o d o ? Joanne D

Dear Joanne:

F l o r i d a h o m e s t e a d i s l e g e n d a r y f o r i t s m a n y b e n e f i t s n a m el y f o r p r o p e r t y t a x s a v i n g s a n d p r o t e c t i o n f r o m c r e d i t o r s E s t a b l i s h i n g h o m es t e a d f o r y o u r d o m ic i l e i s f a i r l y e a s y b u t d e a d l i n e s a r e s t r i c t a n d w i l l n o t b e n d F i r s t , y o u m u s t c o m p l e t e t h e p u r c h a s e o f y o u r h o m e a n d h a v e i t i n y o u r n a m e b y D e c e m b e r 3 1 f o r h o m e s t e a d s a v i n g s t o a p p l y t h e f o l l o w i n g y e a r T h e p r o p e r t y a p p r a i s e r w i l l w a n t t o s e e y o u h a v e a F l o r i d a D r i v e r ’ s l i c e n s e w i t h t h i s a d d r e s s , a l o n g w i t h v o t e r r e g i s t r a t i o n Y o u r f r i e n d t h a t s a i d y o u h a d t o a p p l y w i t h i n 3 0 d a y s i s l i k e l y r e f e r r i n g t o t h e r e q u i r e m e n t o f c h a n g i n g y o u r d r i v e r ’ s l i c e n s e t o a F l o r i d a o n e w i t h i n 3 0 d a y s o f m o v i n g h e r e Y o u p u r c h a s e d y o u r h o m e i n A u g u s t 2 0 2 2 F o r t h e h o m e s t e a d e x e m p t i o n t o a p p l y f o r t h e n e x t t a x b i l l , i s s u e d i n S e p t e m b e r 2 0 2 3 , y o u n e e d t o a p p l y b y M a r c h 1 , 2 0 2 3 , f o r t h e h o m e s t e a d e x e m p t i o n I f y o u a r e m a r r i e d b o t h s p o u s e s s h o u l d a p p l y G e n e r a l l y a m a r r i e d c o u p l e c a n n o t h o l d t w o h o m es t e a d s i n F l o r i d a o r o u t o f s t a t e A l s o k e e p i n m i n d t h e r e m a y b e s e v e r a l e x e m p t i o n s t h a t c o u l d a p p l y t o y o u r s i t u a t i o n , i n c l u d i n g s u r v i v i n g w i d o w o r w i do w e r s , d i s a b l e d i n d i v i d u a l s , a n d s e n i o r s w i t h l o w i n c o m e s T h e p r o p e r t y a p p r a i s e r ’ s w e b s i t e w h i c h c a n b e a c c e s s e d a t w w w l e e p a o r g c o n t a i n s a w e a l t h o f i n f o r m a t i o n o n t h e e x e m p t i o n s a v a i l a b l e Y o u c a n a l s o a p p l y f o r t h e e x e m p t i o n t h r o u g h t h i s l i n k , w h i c h i s t h e m o s t e f f i c i e n t w a y t o a p p l y f o r t h e h o m e s t e a d e x e m p t i o n b e n e f i t s R e m e m b e r i n c a s e y o u a r e i n c l i n e d t o r e n t y o u r p r o p e r t y o u t f o r a n y p e r i o d o f t i m e b e w a r n e d ! H o m e s t e a d p r o t e c t i o n s c a n b e l o s t e v e n w i t h a v e r y s h o r t t e r m r e n t a l T h e r e a r e v a r i o u s w a y s i n w h i c h h o m e s t e a d b e ne f i t s c a n b e r e d u c e d o r e l i m i n a t e d i f t i t l e i s n o t h e l d p r o p e r l y A c a l l t o t h e p r o p e r t y a p p r a i s e r o r a n a t t o r n e y m a y b e w a r r a n t e d g i v e n t h e m a n y b e n e f i t s h o m e s t e a d a f f o r d s I w i s h y o u a n d a l l o f o u r r e a d e r s a M e r r y C h r i s t m a s , H a p p y N e w Y e a r , a n d a p e a c e f u l a n d

“Anxious buyers drive November home sales and prices up as the number of closed sales and home prices in the Cape were exploding into their own version of a “bomb cyclone event rivaling this year’s Christmas blizzard up north Now in Southwest Florida the chill in our real estate market is being matched by the cold northern air being felt this weekend, with candy cane hopes that our real estate recession will pass as quickly as the cold fronts this winter

But as you will see in the November numbers shown below, our market has flipped from one of anxious buyers a year ago hoping for a winning bid on their dream home to a growing number of anxious sellers hoping to find a buyer This hot mess in our market began with the Fed raising interest rates at the fastest pace since the early 1980s, only to be made worse by the widespread damage caused by Hurricane Ian

As of Dec 20 there were 1 346 active Cape Coral single-family homes listed for sale through a Realtor in the Multiple Listing Service at prices ranging from $265 000 to $4,999,999 The median list price came in at $499,999 with 27 34 percent, or 368 of the homes, listed for sale in the Cape priced at $400,000 and under, including 16 homes priced below $300 000 At the other end of the spectrum there were a total of 149 homes or 11 1 percent of the active listings in the Cape priced at $1 million and above

There are currently 571 Cape Coral homes under contract with buyers as pending sales in the MLS at prices ranging from $129 999 to $3 25 million with 304 homes or 53 2 percent of the pending sales at $400 000 and under including 27 homes under $300 000 When we bump our search up to $450,000 and under, the number of pending sales jumps to 65 8 percent of our market, while 21 pending sales or 3 7 percent of the Cape’s market is at $1 million and above

By comparison on Dec 20 2021 there were only 507 active listings in the MLS for single-family homes at prices ranging from $249,900 to $5 995 million The median list price was $529,900 a year ago, which was up from $480 000 on Nov 22 2021 and on the way to a peak median list price of $610 000 by April 19 of this year (based on our weekly market surveys) One year ago we had 12 homes on the market for less than $300,000 and 70 homes in the Cape with list prices of $1 million and above, along with 972 Cape Coral single-family homes u n d e r c o n t r a c t w i t h b u y e r s a t p r i c e s r a n g i n g f r o m $179 900 to $4 million

In the overall Cape Coral single-family home market there were 287 closed home sales in November, which was 50 percent lower than the 574 closed sales in November of 2021, but 30 5 percent above the 220 sales in October of this year In the first eleven months of 2022 there were a total of 5 381 closed sales in the Cape’s overall single-family home market or 16 8 percent less than the 6,466 closed sales in the first 11 months of 2021

The median sales price in the overall Cape Coral singlefamily home market was $400 000 in November or 5 7 percent higher than the $378 525 posted in November 2021 but 10 1 percent below the $445 000 in October of this year In the first 11 months of 2022 the overall median sales price in the Cape averaged $426,973 per month, which was 23 6 percent more than the average of $345 348 per month in the first 11 months of 2021

Indirect gulf access canal homes In the Cape Coral single-family indirect gulf access

canal home segment (meaning canal homes with bridges in the canal system) there were 26 closed home sales in N o v e m b e r , w h i c h w a s 5 8 1 p e r c e n t l o w e r t h a n t h e 6 2 c l o s e d s a l e s i n November 2021, but 44 4 percent above the 18 sales in October of this year In the first 11 months of 2022 there were 533 closed sales in this segment or 28 5 percent less than the 745 sales in the first eleven months of 2021

The median sales price in the Cape’s single-family indirect gulf access canal h o m e s e g m e n t w a s $ 8 0 0 0 0 0 i n November, which topped the $755,000 posted in November 2021 by 6 percent, b u t i t w a s 6 9 p e r c e n t b e l o w t h e $859 500 in October of this year In the first 11 months of this year the median sales price in this segment averaged $804,727 per month, or 25 6 percent above the average of $640,545 per month in the first 11 months of 2021

Direct sailboat access canal homes

In the Cape Coral single-family direct sailboat access canal home segment (homes with no bridges in the canals to reach open water) there were 21 closed home sales in November This was 61 8 percent lower than the 55 sales in November 2021, but 110 percent above the 10 sales in October of this year In the first 11 months of 2022, there were 456 sales in this segment or 33 1 percent less than the 682 sales in the first 11 months of 2021

The median sales price in the Cape’s single-family direct sailboat access canal home segment was $625,000 in November, or 24 3 percent below the $826,000 in N o v e m b e r 2 0 2 1 , a n d 3 2 1 p e r c e n t l o w e r t h a n t h e $920 000 in October of this year In the first 11 months of 2022 the median sales price in this segment averaged $863 957 per month or 24 9 percent above the average of $691,675 per month in the first 11 months of 2021

Freshwater canal and lake homes

In the Cape Coral single-family freshwater canal and lake home segment, which consists of landlocked canals and lakes with no boating access to the river or the Gulf of Mexico there were 33 closed home sales in November This was 49 2 percent lower than the 65 closed sales registered in November 2021, but 6 5 percent above the 31 sales in October of this year In the first 11 months of 2022, there were 574 closed sales in this segment, or 19 9 percent less than the 717 sales in the first 11 months of 2021

The median sales price in the Cape s single-family freshwater canal and lake home segment was $450,000 in November, or 3 2 percent below the $465,000 posted in N o v e m b e r 2 0 2 1 a n d 2 1 1 p e r c e n t l o w e r t h a n t h e $570 000 in October of this year In the first 11 months of 2022 the median sales price in this segment averaged $525,855 per month, or 29 4 percent above the average of $406,477 per month in the first 11 months of 2021

Dry lot homes

In the Cape Coral single-family dry lot (non-canal) home segment there were 207 closed home sales in November which was 46 9 percent lower than the 390 closed sales in November 2021 but it was 28 6 percent above the 161 closed sales in October of this year In the first 11 months of 2022, there were 3,786 closed sales in this segment, down 11 6 percent from the 4,283 closed sales in the first 11 months of 2021

Eric P Feichthaler

Estate Law

Bob and Geri Quinn

Home sales fell in November, the 10th consecutive month

LOS ANGELES (AP) The housing market slump deepened in November as sales of previously occupied U S homes slowed for the tenth consecutive month the longest such stretch on records going back to 1999

Existing home sales fell 7 7% last month from October to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4 09 million the National Association of Realtors said Wednesday That s a slower sales pace than what economists had expected, according to FactSet

S a l e s p l u n g e d 3 5 4 % f r o m N o v e m b e r l a s t y e a r

Excluding the steep sales downturn that occurred in May 2020 at the start of the pandemic sales are now at the slowest annual pace since November 2010 when the housing market was mired in the aftermath of the foreclosure crisis of the late 2000s

Still home prices continued to rise last month though at a far smaller rate than just a few months ago The national median home sales price rose 3 5% in November from a year earlier, to $370,700

Nearly a quarter of homes that sold last month fetched more than their asking price, said Lawrence Yun, the NAR's chief economist "We have this strange market where there are fewer buyers and fewer transactions yet due to the limited supply some multiple offers are still happening and homes are still selling reasonably fast Yun said November s housing snapshot is the latest evidence of a deepening rut from what was a blistering sales pace at the start of the year, when mortgage rates hovered near historic lows

The average rate on a 30-year mortgage was slightly above 3% in early January Last week it was at 6 31% more than double the 3 12% average rate a year earlier according to mortgage buyer Freddie Mac

That increase can add hundreds of dollars to monthly mortgage payments and also can discourage homeowners who locked in a far lower rate the last couple of years from buying a new home

Though they've declined in recent weeks, mortgage rates averaged 7 08% as recently as early November

Mortgage rates are likely to remain a significant hurdle for some time as the Federal Reserve has consistently signaled its intent to keep raising short-term rates in a bid to squash the hottest inflation in decades

The federal funds rate now stands at a range of 4 25% to 4 5%, the highest level in 15 years Fed policymakers have forecast that the central bank s rate will reach a range of 5% to 5 25% by the end of 2023

While mortgage rates don't necessarily mirror the Fed's rate increases they tend to track the yield on the 10-year Treasury note The yield is influenced by a variety of factors including expectations for future inflation and global demand for U S Treasurys

See

HOME SALES, page 10B

Cushman & Wakefield | Commercial Property Southwest Florida supports Ian recovery efforts and economic development as region moves forward

Gary Tasman and the team at Cushman & Wakefield |

Commercial Property Southwest Florida a full-service commercial property brokerage based in Fort Myers, have contributed $50,000 to aid in the area s recovery Half the donation will support the Southwest Florida Hurricane Ian Relief Fund an effort of the Collaboratory and United

Homestead: Rules

From page 3B

j o y o u s h o l i d a y s e a s o n A f t e r a y e a r o f i n c r e d i b l e c h a l l e n g e s l e t ’ s l o o k f o r w a r d t o a “ n o r m a l ” 2 0 2 3

lived in Cape Coral for over 35 years and graduated from Mariner High School in C a p e C o r a l A f t e r c o m p l e t i n g l a w s c h o o l a t G e o r g e t o w n U n i v e r s i t y i n W a s h i n g t o n D C h e returned to Southwest Florida to practice law and raise a family He served as mayor of Cape Coral from

Way; the remainder going to Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry counties Since 2007 CPSWFL has helped to shape the landscape of Southwest Florida, and its contributions - both professionally and personally - continue to have great impact on the future of the region

“This community has been so resilient and we are proud to support the efforts of forward-thinking organizations that believe in Southwest Florida and all it has to o f f e r , s a i d T a s m a n , C E O a n d p r i n c i p a l b r o k e r o f

CPSWFL It s important that we don t just build back what was here, but that we build back better and stronger

The Collaboratory formerly the Southwest Florida Community Foundation is all about cultivating regional change for the common good CEO Sarah Owen a selfproclaimed delusional optimist, has a vision for the region a n d i s d e d i c a t e d t o s o l v i n g a l l s o c i a l p r o b l e m s i n Southwest Florida within 18 years Owen was a recent guest on Tasman’s What’s Developing

Southwest Florida podcast Both Tasman and Owen are thinking big They believe the best part of recovery efforts is that the entire community is coming together and everyone from local change-makers to government officials are hearing from the people who live in these hard-hit areas Each has different avenues for effecting positive change through redevelopment and each is passionate and enthusiastic for the opportunity to listen to what the community wants and to be intentional about engaging everyone in the region as a critical component in the process Learn more about these efforts by listening to the full conversation at https://cpswfl com/whats-developingswfl/

CPSWFL is well-known for continued contributions to local and regional nonprofit organizations To see the full list of causes, or to learn more about CPSWFL, please call 239-489-3600 or visit www cpswfl com

For more information about the Collaboratory, please visit https://collaboratory org

Home market: Anxious sellers, buyers

From page 3B

The median sales price in this segment was $370,000 in November, or 9 2 percent more than the $338,725 posted in November 2021, but down 5 4 percent from $391 000 in October of this year In the first 11 months of 2022 the median sales price for dry lot homes in the Cape averaged $380 577 per month or 28 8 percent more than the average of $295,547 per month in the first 11 months of 2021

This article is general in nature and not intended as legal advice to anyone Individuals should seek legal counsel before acting on any matter of legal rights and obligations

From page 3B

at the high-traffic intersection of Del Prado, which serves as the traditional north-to-south connector through the city GMA Architects & Planners’ design features clean modern lines and undulating facades that present a refreshing contrast to the surrounding traditional strip mall and national chain architecture Building A is an 11,790square-foot space envisioned to house five retail or restaurant spaces varying in size from 1 400 to 3 750 square feet and includes an exterior covered patio Its 12 000square-foot sister Building B anticipates another four retail spaces ranging from 1,600 to 4,500 square feet The entrances to both buildings include inviting shaded colonnades Tenants of the center include Firehouse Subs First Watch and Mission BBQ among others

GMA Architects & Planners partners on the project included Thompson Thrift as developer and Heatherwood Construction as contractor

Since 1981 GMA Architects has been a leading Southwest Florida architectural design firm Earning recognition from the American Institute of ArchitectsFlorida Southwest, Florida Home Builders Association and the Lee Building Industry Association, the firm has provided award-winning architectural and interior design services for a broad range of clients in the public and pri-

The sales data for this article was obtained from the Florida Realtors Multiple Listing Service Matrix for Lee County Fla as of Dec 18 2022 unless otherwise noted

Neal Communities employees provide holiday gifts for more than 100 local children through Salvation Army Angel Tree Program and Toys for Tots Toy Drive

If you had walked into the Human Resources offices of Southwest Florida private homebuilder Neal Communities two weeks ago, you might have thought you were in a toy store The office was filled with more than 100 packages for local children who might not otherwise receive gifts this holiday season

Those presents were purchased by Neal Communities employees as part of the Salvation Army Angel Tree program Employees who wanted to participate chose an angel card from the tree and purchased gifts for that child Sixty-two Neal team members joined the initiative which has been an ongoing annual tradition and has provided presents for more than 1,000 children over the years

is

a locally owned and operated private builder During the company s 50-year history, it has built more than 19,000 new homes in

PHOTO PROVIDED Neal Communities employees provided presents for more than 100 children this year through the Salvation Army Angel Tree program (left) and Toys for Tots toy drive (right)

REAL ESTATE BRIEFS

2005-2008,

Weekly classes added for Yoga for the Shelter

The Cape Coral Animal Shelter and ReChargeMe Zone have announced Yoga for the Shelter will add weekly yoga classes from January through April to benefit the pets awaiting their forever homes

Yoga for the Shelter will be held each Wednesday, 5:30-6:30 p m in the Tiki Hut at the Wicked Dolphin Rum Distillery located at 131 S W 3rd Place Cape Coral Saturday classes will continue at The Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village 5951 Silver King Blvd Cape Coral from 9-10 a m

Robin Anne Griffiths, RYT 200 and Founder of ReChargeMe Zone, has scheduled these classes with the shelter receiving 50% of the proceeds The cost for each class is $10 per person $8 for shelter volunteers

Wednesday yoga classes will be held outside under the Tiki Hut Classes will incorporate the benefits from yoga practice to improve strength, balance, flexibility as well as help with stress, relaxation, and sleep Attendees are advised to bring their own yoga mat a large towel or sheet for ground cover water and as an option yoga blocks and strap if desired Prior sign-up is not required, but early arrival is advised for paperwork and set up

The Cape Coral Animal Shelter s mission is to encourage a special bond between animals and people by means of adoption services medical care education and training for the prevention of cruelty and abandonment More information on CCAS can be found at www capecoralanimalshelter com

Wicked Dolphin is a family run distillery which produces award-winning rums available throughout Florida and the Southeastern United States For more information visit www wickeddolphin com

Griffiths is a certified master development coach, personal trainer, behavior change consultant, yoga and meditation instructor ReChargeMe Zone works with businesses private communities resorts and individuals providing fitness and wellness programs to suit their needs For more visit www rechargemezone com

to

Caring Center and the Children’s Advocacy Center of Southwest Florida

This can be a difficult time of year for many families, and Hurricane Ian has only made things harder, says Steve Rye CEO of Mercola “These holiday drives are a way for us to be present for our neighbors in need while bringing our teams together and connecting with local organizations ”

Mercola served as a drop-off site for the annual Merry Givemas Toy Drive, hosted by the Southwest Florida Chapter of Florida Public Relations Association, while also asking its teams to donate to the cause

This is the second year Mercola has held a companywide holiday drive, but the business gives in similar ways throughout the year

The Cape Coral Caring Center supports Cape Coral residents with insufficient resources to maintain a suitable lifestyle For more information about the organization or to donate visit capecoralcaringcenter org or call 239-9451927 The Children s Advocacy Center of Southwest Florida supports the foster care community to help ensure abused and neglected children are placed into safe homes For more information or to donate visit cac-swfl org or call 239-939-2808

Celebrating 25 years in business Mercola is a multisided natural health company founded by physician and New York Times best-selling author Dr Joseph Mercola It empowers people to take control of their health through research-proven health-based information while delivering high quality, biodynamic and organic supplements, foods, textiles and personal care products for your health, home pantry and pet Its retail space Mercola Market of Cape Coral offers seasonal events a full-service café and more Visit mercolamarket com and for the most up-to-date health news and information please visit mercola com

In the spirit of the season Mercola donated nearly 80 canned goods and over 30 toys to local families in need of more than just holiday cheer this year The natural health company s collection was distributed to the Cape Coral

PHOTO PROVIDED

R , CPRC, with toys at the collection bin at Mercola Market

PHOTO PROVIDED

Melody Mendez and Tim Colvin in front of the Cape Coral Caring Center van at the Mercola Market in the Cape

Hope Chest resale store moves to new space in Cape Coral

For nearly 20 years, friends of Hope Hospice have enjoyed shopping at the Hope Chest resale store in North Fort Myers Effective Dec 20 2022 the space will relocate to The Shops at Surfside at 2354 Surfside Blvd , Unit D-105, just off Veterans Parkway near the Sandoval community in Cape Coral Featuring 24 000 square feet of secondhand treasures the new store offers a wide range of gently used clothing high-quality furniture and unique home goods as well as a m p l e p a r k i n g a n d m o d e r n a m e n i t i e s Donations of clothing and household items are accepted at the back of the store

Shoppers can also visit the Hope Chest stores located in South Fort Myers or Bonita Springs Proceeds from all three locations benefit Hope Hospice, a not-forprofit organization providing comforting, compassionate care to people of all ages in life’s closing chapter For store hours information about volunteer opportunities or details about Hope Chest s free furniture pick-up service, please call 239-652-1114 or visit hopehcs org/hopechest/

LCEC CEO to speak at Florida Women in Ener gy Leadership Forum

LCEC CEO Denise Vidal will co-lead a session at the Florida’s Women in Energy Leadership Forum in Tampa on Jan 6 to discuss the collaboration and mutual aid that fueled the post-Hurricane Ian power restoration process in southwest Florida She will be joined by Melissa Seixas President of Duke Energy Florida in a F r i d a y m o r n

Collaboration and Mutual Aid

“Hurricane Ian was the most devastating event we’ve ever experienced personally and professionally ” said Vidal LCEC has more than 400 employees – many of who were without power themselves and worked around the clock to restore power after the storm “We would not be where we are today without the strong support from our partners and friends throughout the country who pitched in to help when it was most needed A f t e r H u r r i c a n e I a n m a d e l a n d f a l l , LCEC accepted aid from more than 50 electric cooperatives and investor-owned utilities including Florida Power & Light and Duke Energy More than 2,500 crews worked tirelessly together to restore power to the affected communities as quickly as possible bringing electricity back to more than 90 percent of the homeowners who could receive power less than 14 days after landfall During the forum, Vidal will also discuss infrastructure improvements that were made since earlier storms and how those improvements along with innovative part-

n e r s h i p s a n d m u t u a l a i d d r a m a t i c a l l y changed the landscape of post-disaster power restoration creating a model for future use

The three-day event in Tampa, beginning on Jan 4, highlights women leaders in the energy industry The annual forum attracts world-class talent for wide-ranging discussions on a variety of energy-related topics

Busey Bank donates temporar y office space to Greater For t Myers Chamber after hurricane

Busey Bank has donated the temporary use of its office space to The Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce while the o r g a n i z a t i o n w o r k s t o r e b u i l d a f t e r Hurricane Ian

The chamber has operated from its office on Edwards Drive in downtown Fort Myers since 2004 The space received extensive water damage due to Hurricane Ian’s floodwaters and reconstruction is estimated to take six months

“When we heard of the damage to the Chamber office, we wanted to help, said Charles Idelson, executive vice president and Florida regional president for Busey Bank “Busey Bank is committed to serving people organizations and businesses in our community and we are glad to offer the use of our space while the Chamber works to get its office up and running once again

Busey Bank is providing the temporary use of its Fort Myers office space to the Chamber at no additional cost so that Chamber staff can continue operations during this time

We are incredibly grateful for our longtime friends and Chamber members at Busey Bank to provide this temporary space while we work to rebuild said Brian Hamman, president and CEO of the Greater Fort Myers Chamber This is a prime example of the passion and impact of Southwest Florida’s business community rallying to help our region recover ”

T h e c h a m b e r s t e m p o r a r y m a i l i n g address is P O Box 62764, Fort Myers, FL 33906 To contact the Chamber, call 239-332-2930 email info@fortmyers org or visit www fortmyers org

Serving Lee County and surrounding areas since 1989, the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce, Inc is a business organization that provides solutions and serves as a catalyst for growing the economy The Chamber represents over 725 prof e s s i o n a l s a n d b u s i n e s s e s t h r o u g h o u t Southwest Florida, empowering, connecting and uniting members through meaningful networking, educational and community- and business-focused programs and events

For additional information regarding membership opportunities or events, please call 239-332-2930 or visit www fortmyers org For the latest news and updates follow

the Chamber on Facebook at www facebook com/gfmcc

First Citizens Bank contributes $300,000 to nonprofit or ganizations

F i r s t C i t i z e n s B a n k i s c o n t r i b u t i n g

$300 000 to nonprofit organizations providing housing, food, clothing and other assistance to Florida residents living in Lee and Collier counties hit especially hard by recent hurricanes The nonprofit organizations receiving support from First Citizens include:

■ Meals of Hope in Collier County Meals of Hope is a food-packing organization that has developed vitamin- and prot e i n - e n r i c h e d o n e - p o t m e a l s d e s i g n e d s p e c i f i c a l l y f o r t h e t y p i c a l A m e r i c a n

palate including chicken noodle soup and macaroni and cheese Meals of Hope has purchased mobile pantries; the bank s contribution will support volunteers and workers as they visit multiple locations each week reaching Hurricane Ian survivors w h e r e t h e y a r e V i s i t www mealsofhope org

■ H a b i t a t f o r H u m a n i t y o f C o l l i e r County and Habitat for Humanity Lee and Hendry Counties As local affiliates of Habitat for Humanity International both organizations work to eliminate substandard housing by constructing, rehabilitating and preserving homes First Citizens c o n t r i b u t i o n w i l l h e l p t h e s e a g e n c i e s respond to short- and long-term catastrophi c h o u s i n g n e e d s f o r f a m i l i e s V i s i t w w w h a b i t a t c o l l i e r o r g a n d w w w h a b itat4humanity org

■ Florida Community Loan Fund This organization expands economic development in low-income and low-wealth communities by providing personal and business lending and investment opportunities First Citizens contribution will help the agency issue zero-percent interest hurricane relief loans to area families Visit https://fclf org

■ Goodwill Industries of Southwest F l o r i d a I n c S o m e 2 0 , 0 0 0 G o o d w i l l vouchers already have been distributed to area residents who suffered severe losses Residents have used those vouchers to shop for clothes and home furnishings for free in Goodwill s retail stores; the bank s contribution will help Goodwill continue that work Visit https://goodwillswfl org

Building on more than a century’s worth of practice investing in its communities First Citizens has pledged to reinvest $16 billion by the end of 2025 in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods and communities To help fulfill this pledge, the bank invests in nonprofit economic-development organizations that support small business development affordable housing and home ownership efforts in historically marginalized neighborhoods

V i s i t F i r s t C i t i z e n s ' w e b s i t e a t

FirstCitizens com First Citizens Bank Forever First®

Szabo to ser ve on Lee County Bar Association’s Executive Council

Henderson Franklin Starnes & Holt P A has announced that managing lawyer Douglas Szabo has been elected to serve on t h e L e e C o u n t y B a r A s s o c i a t i o n s Executive Council His role as a memberat-large will commence on Jan 1 and will coincide with the induction of Spencer C o r d e l l a s t h e n e w L e e C o u n t y B a r Association President Szabo shares, O v e r e i g h t h u n d r e d a t t o r n e y s i n Southwest Florida are members of the Lee County Bar Association

S z a b o b e g a n h i s l e g a l c a r e e r w i t h H e n d e r s o n F r a n k l i n i n 1 9 8 7 a n d h a s served in various leadership roles, includi n g c h a i r o f t h e B u s i n e s s L i t i g a t i o n Department Beyond his administrative duties he has an active bankruptcy practice representing trustees and other creditors in b a n k r u p t c y c o u r t F o r o v e r 3 5 y e a r s , Szabo s passion is handling complex litigation matters helping businesses resolve corporate and partnership disputes trade secret litigation real estate disputes and breach of contract lawsuits In addition may be reached at 239-344-1260 or via email at douglas szabo@henlaw com Henderson Franklin has served the legal n e e d s a n d c o m m u n i t i e s o f S o u t h w e s t Florida since 1924 The firm is the largest locally-based law firm between Tampa and Miami, with over 55 attorneys dedicated to

providing a wide range of legal services in the areas of business and tax planning estate planning family law business and civil litigation, eminent domain, intellectua l p r o p e r t y , w o r k e r s ' c o m p e n s a t i o n , employment law, real estate, and land use a n d e n v i r o n m e n t a l l a w H e n d e r s o n

Franklin operates offices in Fort Myers Bonita Springs Naples and Sarasota (by appointment)

For more information on Szabo or Henderson Franklin, please visit www henlaw com

Local fir m’s attor neys named Super Lawyers

A l o i a R o l a n d L u b e l l & M o r g a n

PLLC attorneys Danielle L Seitz Evan D Lubell, Franklyn J Aloia Jr , Jack C Morgan and Ty G Roland were recently honored on the coveted Florida Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists

Since 2006 the Super Lawyers publication has recognized attorneys throughout Florida for outstanding work in various legal practices in two categories: Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Attorneys are selected through a multiphase selection process involving peer nomination independent research and peer evaluation

The Super Lawyers list recognizes no more than 5 percent of attorneys in Florida, while only 2 5 percent of attorneys are honored as Rising Stars where the requirements are to be age 40 or younger or in practice for less than 10 years

From serious injury and wrongful death cases to construction litigation, estate planning and family law the Aloia|Roland partners are recognized as exceptional trial attorneys and dedicated members of the legal community, and they are no strangers to the Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists Seitz was honored for the sixth straight year in the Rising Stars category for her work as a Family Law attorney Lubell and Roland made the Super Lawyers list both honored in the Personal Injury: Plaintiff c a t e g o r y A l o i a a l s o m a d e t h e S u p e r Lawyers list for the third straight year in the Real Estate category Morgan collected his fourth straight Super Lawyers recognition honored in the Business Litigation category

Aloia, Roland, Lubell & Morgan is a full-service law firm with practice areas in business and real estate law commercial litigation personal injury and wrongful death civil litigation family law estate planning and probate Established in 2004 and led by senior partners Frank Aloia, Jr , Ty Roland Evan Lubell Jack Morgan along with partners Danielle Levy Seitz Jonathan Martin and Scott Hertz the firm has deep roots in Southwest Florida, proudly serving its community Aloia Roland is headquartered at 2222 Second St in downtown Fort Myers Learn more at www LawDefined com or call (239) 791-7950

‘New

Year, New Friend’ networking event Jan 11

The Greater Fort Myers Chamber of C

Leadership NEXT committees are partnering to co-host a “New Year New Friend” n e t w o r k i n g p r o g r a m f r o m 4 - 7 p m

Wednesday Jan 11 at the Gulf Coast Humane Society

The Gulf Coast Humane Society is a private nonprofit animal welfare organization that has served Southwest Florida for more than 75 years providing refuge to more than 3 000 animals each year who are in need of compassionate care

Attendees of the chamber program will hear from Gulf Coast Humane Society E x e c u t i v e D i r e c t o r G a r y W i l l o u g h b y

Community Relations Coordinator Brian Wierima and Events Coordinator Lori Hardacker about the history of the nonprofit, how it navigated through Hurricane Ian and the organization s vision moving forward

The program will include group tours of the Humane Society building and opportunities to learn more about the adoption process

The chamber program will be held at Gulf Coast Humane Society’s location at 2 0 1 0 A r c a d i a S t i n F o r t M y e r s a n d includes a complimentary drink and light bites provided by Chicken Salad Chick Registration is $10 for Chamber members and $20 for future members

CareerSource Southwest Florida ‘Picture

This as a Career’ Poster Contest begins

The always anticipated "2023 Picture This as a Career" Poster Contest is underway The theme is "Picture This As A Career Poster Contest"

Since 2004 CareerSource Southwest Florida has challenged fifth-grade students at Southwest Florida schools to show their creativity and share their future career aspirations through the “Picture This as a Career” Poster Contest

Over 200 fifth graders from Lee Charlotte, and Hendry county schools are participating this year and voting is now open to the public The public is encouraged to visit www careersourceSWFL com and click on the POSTER CONTEST 2023 link You may vote for more than one poster but only one vote per poster, per person, is permitted You can sort through the photo gallery by county/school district and simply click on the VOTE HERE icon There is no cost to vote Voting is open NOW through Jan 31, 2023

“This project exemplifies the wonderful

Mays ear ns degree at Sam Houston State University

HUNTSVILLE, Texas - The following area students received degrees during the 2022 Fall Semester at Sam Houston State University:

■ Jailyn

Additionally,

must have at least a “C” average or above for the previous year have finished two years of junior c o l l e g e o

demonstrate a financial need

The deadline to submit completed applications for a scholarship is March 10, 2023 Applications are available online at

partnership CareerSource Southwest Florida has with our local school districts throughout Southwest Florida as well as the abundance of talent and creativity our fifth-grade students demonstrate each year capturing their career aspirations in written and poster form, said Peg Elmore, president and CEO for CareerSource Southwest Florida

First and second-place winners in each County/District receive a $50 gift card and the teacher who submits the most posters per County/District receives a $100 gift card to help purchase items for their classroom

CareerSource Southwest Florida is the leader in workforce development CareerSource Southwest Florida funds training and provides placement services for job seekers and businesses all at no cost to the participants With offices throughout Southwest Florida trained staff is dedicated to connecting employers with qualified and skilled talent and job seekers with employment and career development opportunities – www careersourceSWFL com

EDUCATION NOTES

Students can submit applications via email, mail, or in person For contact inform

https://lee electionsfl org/Contact-Us

Applications must be submitted to the elections office of the county in which the applicant is registered to vote Each county will select one finalist to send to the FSE Scholarship Committee for consideration The Committee will select four winners from the finalists submitted

For additional information please visit

2 3 9 - 5 3 3 - 8 6 8 3 (LEE-VOTE)

Edison Park volunteer honored as Florida

Commissioner of Education’s Outstanding School Volunteer

The School District of Lee County has announced that Edison Park Creative and Expressive Arts School volunteer Sherri S a m m o n s i s

h e F l o r i d a E d u c a t i o n Commissioner’s 2022 Outstanding School Volunteer Sammons helps students with their math and reading skills five hours a day, five days a week, in Maria Rose s first grade class

“I was shocked overjoyed and excited to be recognized for volunteering at Edison Park, said Sherri Sammons The hugs and smiles from the kids energize me and keep me coming back each day I really had no idea that I was making such a difference in their education until I witnessed

their success with reading and math with my own eyes ”

Sammons started volunteering two had a half years ago by hosting zoom sessions three times a day The class average percentile rank in STAR Reading increased from 69% to 85% during the first semester Now able to volunteer on campus she is known as Miss Sherri, and holds small group or individual work sessions with students

T h e g o a l o f t h e C o m m i s s i o n e r ’ s R e c o g n i t i o n A w a r d s i s t o r e c o g n i z e

Florida school districts and business partners who have shown an endless amount of commitment to students by bringing positive change and implementing bold, innovative approaches to improve the academic performance of students in Florida’s education system and communities This program serves to highlight educational connections that forge strong community and family involvement in Florida school districts and promote student success

An official recognition by the School Board for Sammons Outstanding School Volunteer award is being planned for an upcoming meeting

The Foundation for Lee County Public Schools holds Classroom & School Grants Awards Ceremony

for

B o a

S

d m e m b e

e c t i o n C o m m i t t e e members and sponsors gathered to recognize the recipients for their innovative and creative grant projects that will enhance student learning Over $74 000 has been awarded totaling 41 grant projects funded to educators schools and administrators throughout the School District of Lee County

The Classroom & School Grants program supports teachers and students by funding tools and resources that are normally not included in their budget but are necessary for creating unique learning experiences Teachers submit a grant application to The Foundation for Lee County Public Schools for innovative projects that enhance student learning through hands-on activities and unique perspectives on traditional subject areas Classroom Grant categories include Arts, Health Fitness & N u t r i t i o n , L i t e r a c y a n d Science Technology Engineering & Math (STEM)

This program helps educate and guide students to reach their full potential which, in turn, creates a strong, capable workforce i n o

Foundation

o n ensures the success of our greatest asset, our children

The funding for this program would not be possible without the generous support of G o

d

t U n i o n along with several other financial contribu-

GRAPHIC PROVIDED

A poster from a previous contest

The Foundation for Lee County Public

School Grants Ceremony on Monday Dec 5 at Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre Educators administrators The Foundation

Lee County Public Schools’ Executive

for Lee County Public Schools

Lee County Solid Waste offers tips to help residents boost recycling efforts for holidays

Lee County Solid Waste has tips for the 2022 holiday season to help residents determine what to recycle what can be repurposed and what needs to go in the trash bin

Lee County s waste stream generally increases about 20% during the holidays and perhaps even more this year due to Hurricane Ian, but taking even a few small steps can help reduce the amount of waste generated

Take charge of electronics: Popular each holiday, the latest tech gift often upstages a slower, less capable model Residents can safely and responsibly dispose of old electronics and rechargeable batteries at no charge

■ Take it to the Lee County Household Chemical Waste Facility, 6441 Topaz Court Fort Myers

each month from 8 a m to noon

Recycle the usuals Aluminum and tin cans, glass bottles and jars, plastic containers can be recycled if:

■ The plastic containers are labeled #1 through #7

■ They are empty, clean and dry What about the paper plates, used napkins and plastic utensils?

■ They go in the trash

Wrap it well and then

■ Think about which gift bags boxes tissues and bows you could potentially store and reuse next holiday season

For more information about recycling and waste disposal contact Lee County Solid Waste at 239-533-8000 or visit www leegov com/solidwaste

updates from Lee County Government,

up for the newsletter

www leegov com/resources/newsletters

follow

County

Franklin Park Elementary closed for rebuilding project

tures will be thoroughly renovated

Elementary Franklin Park has a rich history in the Dunbar community It opened as an allblack school in 1958 and was converted into a middle school in 1970 and integrated In 1977 Franklin Park wa renovated and returned to an e

Attendees can register in advance at FortMyers org or call 239-332-2930

Keefe elected stockholder at

Henderson Franklin

Henderson Franklin Starnes & Holt P A , has announced that real estate attorney Colby Keefe has been elected a stock-

holder She relocated to Southwest Florida to join the firm’s Real Estate Department and has steadily worked to distinguish herself as a highly-effective representative for condominium and homeowners associations Keefe is known for providing her clients with clear counsel on a broad range of issues, including the interpretation and amending of governing documents, contracting with vendors, zoning ordinances,

tors The program is also sponsored in part by a major grant from the Consortium of Florida Education Foundation which is

mentary school T h e r e b u i l d o f F r a n k l i n Park pending state approval at the time was one of the promises the District made to voters if the half-cent sales tax was approved in 2018 All but one classroom building and the gymasium will be torn down and laced Both remaining struc-

liability policies collections foreclosures and compliance with applicable state and federal laws such as the Fair Housing Act K e e f e o b t a i n e d h e r u n d e r g r a d u a t e degree at Flagler College and her Juris Doctorate at the University of Georgia School of Law She is based out of the firm s Fort Myers office and may be reached at Colby Keefe@henlaw com or by phone at 239-344-1184

Henderson Franklin has served the legal n e e d s a n d c o m m u n i t i e s o f S o u t h w e s t Florida since 1924 The firm is the largest locally-based law firm between Tampa and

The new Franklin Park Elementary School will open in August 2024 with 5 7 9 s t u d e n t s t a t i o n s f o r k i n d e r g a r t e n through 5th grade and a 100 student c a p a c i t y P r e - K b u i l d i n g I t w i l l a l s o become the District s first true community school

The United Way, Lee Health, FGCU and other partners will be incorporated into the campus to provide community wrap-around services on site Franklin Park Elementary School is located at 2323 Ford St in Fort Myers

Miami with over 55 attorneys dedicated to providing a wide range of legal services in the areas of business and tax planning, estate planning, family law, business and civil litigation, eminent domain, intellectua l p r o p e r t y w o r k e r s ' c o m p e n s a t i o n employment law real estate and land use a n d e n v i r o n m e n t a l l a w H e n d e r s o n Franklin operates offices in Fort Myers, Bonita Springs, Naples and Sarasota (by appointment)

F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n o n K e e f e o r Henderson Franklin please visit www henlaw com

Plants: Holiday treats for home

From page 1B

an unexpected plant for the holiday season lacking the common evergreen needles and brighter red berries However its colorful flowers bloom during Christmastime, coming in shades of pink to red Unlike many succulents the tropical plant needs a fair amount of water to remain healthy Water whenever the top 2 inches of soil feel dry Christmas cactus do very well in USDA Hardiness Zones 10-12, prefer partial sun and loamy moist well-drained soil

Another popular Christmas tree is the blue spruce (Picea pungent) Like the Douglas fir, the blue spruce is found in Zones 2-7

A friend of my mother s called the wonderful amaryllis (Hippeastrum) surprise lily They do very well in the landscape in Zone 8-10 After the plant has bloomed for Christmas, plant it in the yard Leave half of the blue above ground They will produce green leaves all spring an summer and at certain times of the year will bloom They will spread nicely P a p e r w h i t e s (

C h r i s t m a s T h e y a r e n o t m y f a v o r i t e because the fragrance is a little overwhelming All one has to do to grow these for the holiday season is to put the bulbs in a container of water and gravel and wait for them to sprout Likewise they will survive in our Cape Coral landscape That puts us at No 10 Of the remaining 12 many potted plants such as orchids are used as gifts Many others grow only in the northern states One that should be m e n t i o n e d i s t h e N o r f o l k I s l a n d p i n e (Araucariaheterophylla) and it is not a true pine It is often sold in grocery stores as a small shrub with red bows It will grow in the yard in Cape Coral and many people have planted them They become too tall for the architecture of the typical Cape Coral home and do not do well in hurricanes

Enjoy the many plants of the season and enjoy this season with family and friends

Kathy Woodlock is Past President of the Garden Club of Cape Coral a Master G a r d

n d a F F G C F l o w e r S h o w Judge

United Way kicks off 2022-23 fundraising campaign

Pacesetter companies ignite $11.2 million fundraising effort

sponsors included Alta Resources and Publix Super Markets

United Way Board Chair Bob Beville opened the Dec 14 event with a moment of silence for the victims of Hurricane Ian a storm that devastated the community and increased the need for support across the community United Way s mission is to improve the quality of life for all people in our community ” Beville said “That is our mission during blue skies and gray skies The impact of Hurricane Ian on our community was catastrophic The need became urgent

e d t h a t t h e S W F L Emergency Relief Fund a partnership between United Way and Collaboratory already has generated nearly a $5 million

Alzheimer Association vir tual Caregiver Suppor t Group meetings to begin

The Alzheimer Association's virtual Caregiver Support Group will meet from 10-11 a m , the first Monday of every month starting Jan 2 The support group will continue meeting on Mondays until June 3 2024

Support groups create a safe confidential, supportive environment or community and a chance for participants to develop informal mutual support and social relationships They also educate and inform participants about dementia and help participants develop methods and skills to solve problems

T o r e g i s t e r , c a l l t h e A l z h e i m e r Association's 24/7 Helpline at: 800-2723900

impact on the community United Way leaders stressed the importance of core United Way funding that supports more than 260 partner agencies and community initiatives Campaign Co-chairs Sally Jackson and Matt Humphreys spoke about the Power of the Network and the importance of being United More Than Ever, which is this year s campaign theme They took turns describing different ways United Way Partner Agencies collaborated during this critical time of recovery and relief after Hurricane Ian Pacesetter Co-chairs Noelle Branning and Kevin Karnes gave updates about companies and organizations that ran their United Way campaigns early to set the p a c e f o r t h e r e s t o f t h e c o m m u n i t y

Pacesetter giving, along with early Alexis de Tocqueville Society giving (individuals who contribute $10,000+ annually) has put United Way at 53 7% of the 2022-23 campaign goal of $11 186 558 There are currently 155 Pacesetters with 553 individuals who give at the Keel Club level

(donations of $1 000+ annually) including 60 who are Alexis de Tocqueville d o n o r s T h e t o t a l r a i s e d t h u s f a r i s $6,007,182

The top eight Pacesetter companies are:

■ P u b l i x S u p e r M a r k e t s 2 0 2 1$1 100 000

■ Bonita Bay Group - $696,924

■ Carol Beesley s Beesley s Paw Prints - $278,000

■ FineMark National Bank & Trust$215 000

■ LCEC - $200 000

■ Lee Health - $184,255

■ Lee Board of County Commissioners - $159,630

■ O ’ D o n n e l l L a n d s c a p i n g I n c$112 500

A highlight of the Campaign Kickoff was when former Campaign Co-chairs Beth Hendry and John Clinger gave away a two-year Lexus NX lease from Scanlon Auto Group a longtime supporter This marks the 22nd year that Scanlon has donated a vehicle to one generous United Way supporter who contributes at least

HEALTH NOTES

Car twright appointed Lee Health’s vice president of sur gical ser vices

With extensive experience serving in p a s t

c a l s e r v i c e s r o l e s , C h e r i Cartwright, RN, has been selected to serve as Lee Health s new vice president of surgical services

In her new role Cartwright will drive o p e r a t i o n a l e x c e l l e n c e a c r o s s a l l L e e Health surgical services, including inpatient and ambulatory surgery centers, and the engagement and oversight of contracted anesthesia services She will also lead operations of Lee Health’s sterile processing department Cartwright comes to Lee Health from M e r c y H e a l t h S y s t e m i n F o r t S m i t h , Arkansas, where she served as chief nursing officer Prior to her role with Mercy

Health, she was the vice president of surg i c a l s e r v i c e s f o r D u k e L i f e P o i n t Haywood Regional Medical Center in Haywood North Carolina She was also previously the director of ambulatory surg i c a l s e r v i c e s f o r M i s s i o n H e a l t h i n Asheville, North Carolina Cartwright began her role with Lee Health in November

Learn more at www LeeHealth org

Chronic Pain Self-Management Workshops to begin

Would you like to learn how to better manage chronic pain conditions such as a r t h r i t i s , f i b r o m y a l g i a , b a c k p a i n , headaches and more?

Lee Health’s “It’s All About You,”

$240 annually through a payroll deduction This year Anthony Leporatti of The City of Fort Myers was the lucky recipient All money raised through the United Way campaign stays in the local community to help support the local human service network of partner agencies United W a y P

Treatment Children’s Advocacy Center Literacy Council Gulf Coast and Boys & Girls Clubs serve a diverse range of needs in the community In addition to raising funds for human service organizations, United Way pro-

together to focus on issues that continue to improve lives United Way’s mission as a v o l u n t e e r - d r i v e n o r g a n i z a t i o n i s t o improve the quality of life for all people in our community United Way of Lee, Hendry, and Glades was established in 1957 and has raised and distributed more than $210 million since that time

For more information please call (239) 433-2000 or visit UnitedWayLee org

Chronic Pain Self-Management Program a Self- Management Resource Program with the SMRC is offering a research based Chronic Pain Self-Management program for the community The workshop is free and meets weekly for six weeks

Information presented in the virtual workshop can help you become empowered to improve your quality of life Learn how to more easily manage your medications; understand the benefits of exercise; manage symptoms of stress, pain and fatigue; and make smarter decisions related to health eating Participants will also receive a copy of the book “Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Pain”

The sessions will be held on Thursdays beginning Jan 12, from 1-3 p m (virtual session)

Please call 239-424-3121 for more information

mer His rationale: Increased apartment building construction should lead to a pullback in rents which will help lower a key inflation barometer That could pave the way for the Fed to ease up on its campaign to hike rates which "should moderate mortgage rates And if that s the case, I think the housing market will see some steady rebound

in terms of sales activity," Yun said On average, homes sold in just 24 days of hitting the market last month up from 21 days in October the NAR said That's

d a s before the pandemic homes typically sold more than 30 days after being listed for sale

The inventory of homes on the market

declined for the fourth consecutive month Some 1 14 million homes were on the market by the end of November That amounts to a 3 3 months' supply at the current sales pace In a more balanced market between buyers and sellers there is a 5- to 6-month supply

The combination of higher mortgage rates and rising prices continue to keep

many first-time buyers on the sidelines They represented 28% of sales last month, unchanged from October the NAR said By historical standards first-time buyers typically made up as much as 40% or more of transactions

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