Fort Myers Beach Observer/The Beach Bulletin

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

A proposal by Fort Myers Beach officials to build a sewage pumpout station for its mooring field boats received a strong rebuke from neighbors at Tropical Shores Way during a Town of Fort Myers Beach Anchorage Advisory Committee meeting this past week

The town has proposed putting the dock sanitary connection with a boat lift

station and sewage pumps at one of three different locations, though much of the talk has been focused on putting it behind the former town hall at the end of a canal that runs along Tropical Shores Way The

town acquired the land for $1 million in 2022 A proposal to build a restroom facility there to service mooring field users was dropped after sustained opposit i o n f r o m n e i g h b o r s a l o n g T r o p i c a l

A c c o r d i n g t o t h e d e v e l o p m e n t p r op o s a l s u b m i t t e d b y 6 2 0 0 E s t e r o B l v d I n v e s t m e n t s L L C , t h e r e s i d e n t i a l b u i l d i n g w o u l d b e c o m p r i s e d o f a s i ng l e t e r r a c i n g t o w e r t h a t b r e a k s i n t o t h r e e s e g m e n t s a 1 3 - s t o r y , a 1 5s t o r y , a n d a 1 7 - s t o r y s e g m e n t C o m p a r a t i v e l London Bay Development proposal includes 17-story highrise

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“This is not something that we want This is a beautiful, residential area We do not want a pumpout station ” Star Sherwood, who said she and neighbors oppose placing a sewage pump station at the site near Tropical Shores Way Outrigger plans filed As proposed, the project includes 100 hotel units, 50 hotel/condominiums, and 46 multifamily condominium units The Outrigger property on Estero Boulevard. NATHAN MAYBERG

Shores Way two years ago

Two residents on the street were killed during Hurricane Ian and several homes were destroyed

Star Sherwood, who was involved in opposing the mooring facility in 2022, said she and neighbors oppose placing a sewage pump station at the site near Tropical Shores Way

Neighbors blast pumpout station proposal Local rep proposes insurance solution

Bill would switch Citizens from flood to wind coverage

By NATHAN MAYBERG

nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

State Rep Spencer Roach, R-76, has taken a stab at Florida’s property insurance crisis by proposing a bill that would expand the state’s Citizens Property Insurance to provide wind insurance coverage for all homeowners who want to enroll, while taking it out of the flood insurance business

While his bill had a hearing at the current state legislature session, there is no companion bill in the State Senate

That puts the proposal out to the next legislative session at the earliest

Roach criticized fellow Republican legislators who control both chambers, for failing to act quicker to stem the state’s property insurance crisis.

“We are undergoing the worst property insurance crisis we have ever faced,” Roach said “What we are doing is not working ”

Roach said he is thankful to State House Speaker Paul Renner for giving his bill a hearing on the state insurance and banking committee He believes the legislation does have “some traction” and will be the future of wind storm insurance in the state

“I think it will catch on fire,” he said Florida has the highest property insurance rates in the country, with approximately 80% of the nation’s property damage claims Property insurance rates have been

See PUMPOUT, page 22 See DEVELOPMENT, page 14 See INSURANCE, page 19

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rs c o m P ro d u c t i o n m a n a g e r R o b B r a i t l i n g r b ra i t l i n g @ b re e z e n ew s p a p e rs c o m S u b s c r i p t i o n s 1 y e a r, $ 6 5 C i rc u l a t i o n ( 2 3 9 ) 5 7 4 - 1 9 3 6 C l a s s i fi e d / D i s p l a y A d ve r t i s i n g ( 2 3 9 ) 5 7 4 - 1 1 1 0 Customer service hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a m to 5 p m , except major holidays Letters to the editor must be typed or hand printed Your name and phone number must be affixed to the copy In the event of an advertising error, we are responsible only for the first incorrect insertion of the ad itself We are not responsible for any credit or reimbursement after 30 days from publication Postal Information: Third class postage paid at Fort Myers Beach, FL Permit 521 Postmaster: Send address changes to the Beach Observer 19260 San Carlos Blvd Fort Myers Beach FL 33931 The Observer and Bulletin is published every Wednesday Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931 Phone: (239) 574-1110 Fax: (239) 574-5693 Web: fortmyersbeachtalk com Report your news to FORTMYERSBEACHTALK COM OPINIONS Share your opinion at fortmyersbeachtalk com Previous Web Poll Results Do you support the Town of Fort Myers Beach Council encouraging the Lee County Board of County Commissioners to raise its parking rates at Bowditch Point Park and Lynn Hall Memorial Park from $2 an hour to $5 an hour? ∫ Yes, 24% ∫ No, 76% ∫ Unsure, 0% Current Web Poll Results Should the Lee County Board of County Commissioners expend more funds to expand the size of the Fort Myers Beach Pier? ∫ Yes ∫ No ∫ No opinion/unsure W eb P oll Ag Expo to showcase Lee County’s youth Mike Greenwell Guest Commentary Must submit new request if you plan to vote by mail T h e M a r c h 1 9 P r e s i d e n t i a l P r e f e r e n c e P r i m a r y w i l l b e h e r e s o o n I f y o u p l a n t o v o t e b y m a i l i n t h i s y e a r ' s e l e c t i o n s , y o u m u s t s u b m i t a n e w r e q u e s t I e n c o u r a g e y o u t o a c t n o w ! V o t i n g b y m a i l i s t h e m o s t c o n v e n i e n t w a y t o c a s t y o u r v o t e V i s i t w w w . l e e . v o t e t o r e q u e s t y o u r m a i l b a l l o t . T o c o n t i n u e p r o v i d i n g s u p e r i o r e l e c t i o n s e r v i ce s , w e i m p l e m

O u r v e n d o r , R e i t h o f f e r S h o w s , k n o w s h o w t o m a k e i t f u n E n j o y t h e l i v e e n t e r t a i n m e n t , g a m e s , r i d e s a n d t h e f o o d y o u l o v e I t w i l l b e a g r e a t t i m e f o r t h e w h o l e f a m i l y W e ’ v e e v e n g o t y o u c o v e r e d w h e n i t c o m e s t o p a r ki n g , a s t h e B o a r d o f C o u n t y C o m m i s s i o n e r s h a s i n v e s t e d i n i m p r o v i n g y o u r e x p e r i e n c e a t t h e L e e C o u n t y C i v i c C e n t e r C o m p l e x w i t h a r e s u r f a c i n g p r o je c t f o r t h e p a r k i n g l o t a n d p e r i m e t e r L e e C o u n t y h a s m a d e a n e w w e b s i t e s o y o u c a n l o a d u p o n i n f o r m a t i o n b e f o r e y o u h e a d t o t h e A g E x p o . W e a l s o h a v e a F a c e b o o k p a g e d e d i c a t e d t o s h a r i n g a l l t h e o f f e r i n g s Y o u c a n e v e n b u y t i c k e t s o n l i n e a h e a d o f t i m e t o a v o i d w a i t i n g i n l i n e s D o n ’ t f o r g e t t o t a k e a d v a n t a g e o f t h e o n l i n e s a l e s o f t h e M E G A P A S S i n a d v a n c e f o r $ 2 5 I t i n c l u d e s g a t e a d m i s s i o n a n d w r i s t b a n d f o r u n l i m i t e d m e c h a n i c a l r i d e s o n o n e d a y o f y o u r c h o i c e ( S a l e e n d s F e b 2 9 ) W e h a v e s o m e e x c i t i n g p r o m o t i o n a l n i g h t s a n d t h e m e s , i n c l u d i n g M o o n l i g h t M a d n e s s o n e a c h o f t h e A g E x p o ’ s S a t u r d a y n i g h t s V i s i t w w w s w f l a g e x p o c o m o r v i s i t F a c e b o o k f o r S W F L A g E x p o a t w w w f a c e b o o k c o m / s w f l a g e x p o t o d a y J o i n m e i n c o n g r a tu l a t i n g o u r y o u n g p e o p l e w h o w i l l b e s h o w c a s e d a n d c o m e e n j o y t h e S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a A g E x p o w i t h y o u r f r i e n d s a n d f a m i l y C o m m i s s i o n e r M i k e G r e e n w e l l i s c h a i r m a n o f t h e L e e B o a r d o f C o u n t y C o m m i s s i o n e r s H e r e p r e s e n t s D i s t r i c t 5

a u d i t s y s t e m c e r t i f i e d b y t h e s t a t e o f F l o r i d a t o v e r i f y e l e c t i o n r e s u l t s T h i s s y s t e m a l l o w s u s t o s c a n 1 0 0 % o f t h e b a l l o t s u s e d i n a n e l e c t i o n a n d c o m p a r e e l e ct i o n r e s u l t s f r o m V o t e - b y - M a i l , E a r l y V o t i n g a n d E l e c t i o n D a y t o e n s u r e t h e a c c u r a c y o f o u r t a b u l a t i o n s y s t e m . T h i s w i l l f u r t h e r s t r e n g t h e n o u r e l e c t i o n p r o c e s s a n d p r o v i d e g r e a t e r a s s u r a n c e t o v o t e r s F l o r i d a h a s t h e s t r i c t e s t e l e c t i o n l a w s i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s t o p r e v e n t v o t e r f r a u d M y t e a m a n d I , t o g e t he r w i t h t h e S u p e r v i s o r s o f E l e c t i o n s a c r o s s t h e s t a t e , w o r k d i l i g e n t l y t o u p h o l d t h e s t a t u t o r i l y m a n d a t e d v o t e r r e g i s t r a t i o n a n d e l e c t i o n p r o c e d u r e s t h a t w o r k t o p r e s e r v e t h e i n t e g r i t y o f t h e e l e c t i o n p r o c e s s A s y o u r S u p e r v i s o r o f E l e c t i o n s , l e t m e a s s u r e y o u t h a t m y t e a m a n d I r e m a i n c o m m i t t e d t o s a f e g u a r d i n g t h e i n t e g r i t y o f e l e c t i o n s i n L e e C o u n t y b y c o n t i n u i n g t o c o n d u c t a c c u r a t e , s e c u r e a n d t r a n s p a r e n t e l e c t i o n s A s y o u r t r u s t e d s o u r c e f o r e l e c t i o n i n f o r m a t i We welcome your opinion

SCCF: Lake O releases threaten estuarine life

On Feb 17, faced with large amounts of projected rainfall, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began releasing water from Lake Okeechobee The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation reported that the releases were deemed necessary due to the elevated height of the lake which had reached over 16 3 feet and the risk of the lake continuing to rise with the start of the wet season

“Normally, winter is the dry season in South Florida, a time that water managers are able to lower the lake by sending water south into the Everglades Agricultural Area, and through the natural processes of evapotranspiration,” SCCF Environmental Policy Director Matt DePaolis said “But this year, as projected, an El Niño brought large amounts of rainfall that prevented the usual dry season drawdown ”

The SCCF reported that despite repeated requests from it and other advocates to try to bring down the lake earlier in the season, releases were withheld, and the lake rose dangerously high

“While we understand the lake needs to be lowered, care must be taken to not sacrifice the northern estuaries,” he said

As of Feb 17, the Corps was releasing the maximum flows from the lake possible under LORS08 the current release management schedule which is an average of 4,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) west to the Caloosahatchee Estuary and 1,800 cfs east to the St Lucie Estuary It also decided to “pulse” the water out of lake, which means the Corps aims to average 4,000 cfs over 14 days, starting with releases of 6,500 cfs and tapering them down to zero for a period of four days.

“This is the announcement we were afraid we were going to get, especially concerning the amount of water we have received in the Caloosahatchee water basin While the USACE will be releasing 4,000 cfs from the lake, by the time it travels down

the river, these flows will have been augmented with basin runoff to much greater rates After the rains this weekend, we’re already seeing flow rates of over 7,300 cfs at the beginning of the Caloosahatchee estuary prior to the Lake Okeechobee releases reaching our waters,” DePaolis said on Feb 21

The SCCF reported that the releases are coming at a precarious time for the estuary

∫ Many important fish species such as menhaden, sheepshead and tarpon are in important stages of their life cycle

∫ Oysters are making gametes in anticipation of their spawn that will begin to occur in April

∫ Seagrasses are still slowly recovering from previous storms, algal blooms and releases

“All of these organisms and more could be detrimentally impacted by large, sustained releases,” he said “It will be imperative that the USACE work with stakeholders to understand the full ramifications of their decisions and adapt them to changing estuary conditions ”

DePaolis explained that for “pulse” releases to work, appropriate recovery times must be incorporated into the planning To protect the oyster spawn, it will be necessary to end the releases prior to the spat arriving He added that to protect communities and environments, the Corps must be responsive to any change in conditions that signal a potential risk of red tide

“In addition to careful planning and responsive management, the Corps must utilize every means to lower the lake possible, including storing water in the storm water treatment areas and canals that have capacity south of the lake, to distribute the burden of the releases,” DePaolis said

The SCCF reported that it will continue to engage with the Corps to provide recommendations to protect the health and safety of the estuaries

Lake Okeechobee flows take about seven days to reach the mouth of the Caloosahatchee, so the recent increased flows have been due to basin runoff Water clarity and color depends on many factors

Asher joins Margaritaville as marketing, communications manager

M a r g a r i t a v i l l e B e a c h R e s o r t F o r t M y e r s B e a c h announces the appointment of Marin Asher as its marketing and communications manager With a rich background in digital marketing and a deep-seated passion for p r o m o t i n g S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a a c c o m m o d a t i o n s a n d attractions, Asher brings over two decades of industry experience to her new role

In her position, Asher will serve as a pivotal member of the marketing team, collaborating closely with various d e p a r t m e n t s t o d e v e l o p c o m p r e h e n s i v e s t r a t e g i e s that align with the resort’s goals and positioning She will play a crucial role in driving awareness and reve n u e a c r o s s a l l c h a n n e l s A s h e r w i l l a l s o o v e r s e e

internal and external communications in the earned media space and contribute significantly to the resort’s digital presence

Asher’s journey in promoting Southwest Florida began over 20 years ago when she led the sales and publication of several tourism guides Her transition into the digital realm of marketing has equipped her with invaluable insights and skills that are poised to elevate Margaritaville Beach Resort’s marketing efforts to new heights.

As an avid boater and a devoted enthusiast of Fort Myers Beach and the Margaritaville lifestyle, Asher embodies the spirit of relaxation and adventure that the resort encapsulates She expresses her excitement about joining the Margaritaville team, stating, “Watching the resort’s progress over the last couple of years has been truly inspiring I am incredibly honored to be a part of Margaritaville’s story a beacon of hope for the island I can’t wait to share with the world that we are open and ready to start issuing our guests their ‘license to chill ’”

Additionally, Asher is deeply committed to empowering women in her community. As a seven-year board member and current president of Our Mother’s Home of Southwest Florida, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering young mothers in the foster care and human trafficking systems

Report your business news to THE OBSERVER:

Do you have an interesting feature story worthy of print or know of someone who has accomplished something that needs to be noted in a local paper? Send an email to: nmayberg@breezenewspapers.com and plug your angle.

Doc Ford's Rum Bar & G r i l l e e m p l o y e e s recently participated in a beach cleanup along the Fort Myers Beach shore organized by the Tu n a s k i n B e a c h Keepers Club PHOTOS PROVIDED

Doc Ford’s employees clean up the beach

n t e e r a n d s u p p o r t p a r t o f s u c h a n i m p o r t a n t i n i t i a t i v e i n o u r c o mm u n i t y , ” s a i d J o e H a r r i t y , a p a r t n e r w i t h H M R e s t a u r a n t G r o u p , w h i c h o w n s a n d o p e r a t e s D o c F o r d ’ s a n d D i x i e F i s h C o m p a n y o n F o r t M y e r s B e a c h “ T h i s i s t h e f i r s t y e a r D o c F o r d ’ s h a s p a r t i c i p a t e d i n t h i s b e a c h c l e a n u p e v e n t , a n d w e p l a n t o c o n t i n u e p a r t i c i p a t i n g a n d s u pp o r t i n g T u n a s k i n A q u a t i c A p p a r e l ’ s m i s s i o n i n f u t u r e b e a c h c l e a n u p e v e n t s ” I n 2 0 1 6 , T u n a s k i n A q u a t i c A p p a r e l c r e a t e d B e a c h K e e p e r s C l u b a n d h e l d i t s f i r s t b e a c h c l e a n u p e v e n t o n F o r t M y e r s B e a c h , w h e r e 8 6 p e o p l e p a r t i c i p a t e d T h i s m o n t h , o v e r 3 5 0 v o l u n t e e r s h e l p e d c l e a n u p F o r t M y e r s B e a c h a n d t h e B e a c h K e e p e r s C l u b r a i s e d $ 5 , 0 0 0 i n d o n a t i o n s f o r K e e p L e e C o u n t y B e a u t i f u l D o c F o r d ’ s a l s o d o n a t e d 3 5 0 m e a l s f o r t h e v o l u n t e e r s w h o p a r t i c i p a t e d i n t h e e v e n t T h e e m p l o y e e s c l e a n e d u p v a r i o u s t r a s h o n F o r t

M y e r s B e a c h , i n c l u d i n g a f l a t s c r e e n T V

Marin Asher

P a g e 7 n W e e k o f W e d n e s d a y , F e b r u a r y 2 8 , 2 0 2 4 f o r t m y e r s b e a c h t a l k . c o m F o r t M y e r s B e a c h O b s e r v e r

Beach Living

the princess for the Fort Myers Beach Lion's Club Shrimp Festival Queen's Pageant gathered for a Sunday social and judging

Bill's Waterfront Cafe on Fort Myers Beach Sunday.

Bay

Princess Jorja

Princess social takes on special meaning

By NATHAN MAYBERG

nmayberg@breezenewspapers

com

As a group of princesses aspiring to be the queen of the Fort Myers Beach Lion’s Club Shrimp Festival gathered at Bonita Bill’s Waterfront Cafe for a social, the event will have a special meaning this year for many of the princesses and their sponsors This is the first year of the pageant since before Hurricane Ian, which uprooted an untold number of lives on the island and impacted the lives of some of the princesses and their sponsors

For pageant organizer Tracey Gore, whose experience during Hurricane Ian included helping to push for the recovery of shrimp boats along the waterfront while working to repair her own home, this year’s pageant will take on a personal meaning This is the first year that Gore’s uncle, the late Bonita Bill’s owner Bill Semmer, wasn’t around for the festival Semmer normally would sponsor three entrants of the shrimp festival’s queen pageant through his businesses and family’s foundation a tradition his family is continuing

“He was my biggest supporter,” Gore said “He loved the Fort Myers Beach Lion’s and the shrimp festival and what they do for our community When the Lions asked me to do the pageant this year, I knew it was important for our community ”

Gore was able to recruit 10 princesses for this year’s pageant, along with the help of generous sponsors

The group of aspiring queens gathered at the meeting room at Bonita Bill’s Waterfront Cafe on Fishermans Wharf Sunday afternoon for a social that including a lunch provided by the restaurant.

“It’s an opportunity for them to get to know each other,” Gore said The princesses met with judges who asked them questions about their biographies and their sponsors

Among those in attendance were former Shrimp Festival Queen Chloe LaForce, who assists Gore and the princesses

“I love it,” LaForce said “It did so much for me,” she said of the event

Her sisters Emma and Gracie are participating again this year after finishing second and third in 2022

Princess Gracie Stam, who is sponsored by Bonita Bill's, said she quickly signed up for another rendition of the event after learning it would be returning.

“I enjoyed it so much,” she said “All the girls are wonderful I love representing Fort Myers Beach after all the island has been through ”

Her own family went through quite a lot during the hurricane, with the flooding totaling her family’s personal vehicles and much of the equipment and vehicles of the family’s business, The Property Medic Their home suffered flooding

All

contest at Bonita

From left to right is: 2022 Shrimp Festival Queen Lilleigh Putt, Princess Sarah of Holiday Watersports, Princess Sophia of Storm Smart, Princess Gracie Stam of Bonita Bills, Princess Emma Stam of The Property Medic, Princess Samantha Lozano of San Carlos Island Marina, Princess Katie Weber of Miss Island Water Sports, Princess Amber of Semmer Electric, Princess Emily of Ostego

Foundation,

of Miss Douglas Brooke Homes and Princess Kayley Edwards of the Fort Myers Beach Mosquito Control District.

Below: Princess Sophia, of Storm Smart (left) and Princess Gracie, representing Bonita Bills. PHOTOS BY NATHAN MAYBERG

Social

From page 8

damage to furniture and appliances on the first floor A boat washed up in their backyard and the family lost their own boat and personal watercraft

“We are still here,” Gracie said

During the hurricane, Gracie and her sister Emma helped volunteer to bring assistance to those in need on and off the island

“The next morning, we were helping people who came over the bridge,” she said. “We were passing out water and sandwiches ”

“It was like nothing I have ever seen,” Gracie said

Gracie’s father Randy Stam said he lost more than a dozen vehicles and much of his equipment for the family’s business in Hurricane Ian though he has since regrouped and rebuilt his operation

“We have our lives A lot of people lost that,” he said

For Princess Sophia Zeinner, a sophomore at Southwest Florida Christian Academy, Fort Myers Beach “looks so much better” since the hurricane

“They have done so much,” she said Zeinner said she assisted Gracie in the

cleanup of a home after the hurricane Zeinner is sponsored by Storm Smart, a company that has worked on the post-hurricane rebuild

One of their judges is Rose Ressa, who lost her home to Hurricane Ian, but is looking to return

“It’s nice to see the event is taking place this year,” Ressa said

Fellow judge Barb Hire said the pageant and festival “holds a special place for us ”

Darby Doerzbacher, Lion’s Club treasurer, and one of the organizers of the shrimp festival, said the club is thankful for the community support “We are so grateful that the community came out and said we have to have a shrimp festival and stepped up You have no idea how grateful we are ”

The support from the community has surprised Doerzbacher

“It’s amazing how everybody grabbed a hold of the shrimp festival and made it happen,” she said

The shrimp festival will be happening at a time when the Fort Myers Beach shrimp fleet is still recovering One of longtime shrimp suppliers along the waterfront, Trico

Shrimp Co , closed its doors for good last fall

Gore said only about 10 of the 45 shrimp boats in operation before Hurricane Ian, are back in the water and working Gore, whose family works in the shrimp industry, said the business remains tough with the pressures from foreign shrimp suppliers and the price of fuel

Chris and Ginger Weber, owners of Mid Island Water Sports, are sponsoring their daughter Katie in the shrimp festival Their business remains “in a pause” since Hurricane Ian, Mr Weber said Before Ian, the couple helped supply beach chairs and watersports vehicles from their base in front of the Wyndham Garden Inn before it was leveled by the storm

They have been in business for 33 years

“We will be available when the time comes,” Mr Weber said “We are being very patient.”

Currently, they are renting out beach furniture and cabanas as part of a smaller operation near the Gull Wing, one of the few condo buildings to have reopened on the island since Hurricane Ian

“I’m seeing some regular tourists returning,” Mrs Weber said

This year’s shrimp festival will run from March 9-10 with a parade, shrimp-eating contest, 5K run and a blessing of the shrimp fleet in addition to the pageant While there won’t be a shrimp boil this year, there will be shrimp specials at more than a dozen participating restaurants

For more details on the festival and the schedule, visit https://fortmyersbeachshrimpfestival com/schedule/

“The true locals need some tradition and a sense of normalcy after Hurricane Ian, the losses, and just so much change to our little islands in general,” Gore said of the queen pageant “I think the community needs it ”

To vote for the people's choice award for the Fort Myers Beach Shrimp Festival Queen Pageant and donate to the Lion's Club, visit the Fort Myers Beach Lion's Club Shrimp Festival website at:https://fortmyersbeachshrimpfestival com/product-category/peoples-choice-vote/queens-pageant/

For more information on the shrimp festival and schedule, visit www fortmyersbeachshrimpfestival com

Above:Fort Myers Beach Shrimp Festival Queen's Pageant judges Rose Ressa (left) and Barb Hire

Right: Fort Myers Beach Shrimp Festival Queen's Pageant organizer Tracey Gore (left) with former queen and pageant volunteer Chloe LaForce.

PHOTOS BY NATHAN MAYBERG

f o r t m y e r s b e a c h t a l k . c o m W e e k o f W e d n e s d a y , F e b r u a r y 2 8 , 2 0 2 4 n

o r t M y e r s B e a c h O b s e r v e r

How

do we make Fort Myers Beach green again?

Wow what a struggle we’ve been having! Lots of people, both residents and commercial business owners, were replanting their landscapes in 2023 and then Hurricane Idalia flooded their properties with salt water in August Then the wind and high tides in December caused additional flooding in some areas of the island

So first I’d like to confirm that native plants are the best way to make Fort Myers Beach green again However, it does take many months before newly planted vegetation can withstand salt water intrusion

For those looking to reduce or completely replace their turf grass lawns, I’d suggest trying some native ground covers such as match weed (with white flowers resembling clover), sunshine mimosa (with purple flowers), sea purslane (with pink flowers), or porterweed (with blue flowers) These plants can handle full sun to partial shade Peperomia (with green flowers) can be grown in the completely shady areas around your yard All of these plants will eliminate your need to water and fertilize your lawn once they are established

I advise against replacing your lawn with rock or artificial grass To maintain the rock without “weeds” growing in it,

owners need to continuously p u l l t h e m o u t b y h a n d . Spraying with chemicals to i n h i b i t p l a n t g r o w t h o n l y adds to the water pollution problem The artificial grass breaks down into microplast i c s ; w h i c h e v e n t u a l l y w e breathe in, is eaten by birds or our pets while searching for food or playing with toys, or it washes into our waterways to be consumed by the marine life there

Privacy hedges can be created with native shrubs such as silver buttonwood or green buttonwood, Florida privet, wild coffee, American beautyberry, firebush, or Simpson s t o p p e r T h e s e p l a n t s c a n also be used as individual specimens in your yard

Column

Before purchasing any trees, please make sure you investigate how large the tree will grow in terms of height and diameter of its foliage. Some native trees to consider are Bahama Strongbark, coral bean, Jamaican Caper, mahogany, seagrape and

varnish leaf

Then there is the native plants that can increase the color palette of your landscape either by the flowers they produce or the butterflies they attract

Some possibilities are beach verbena (with purple flowers), tropical sage (with flowers in red, pink or white), spiderwort (with blue flowers), scorpiontail ( w i t h w h i t e f l o w e r s ) o r golden creeper (with yellow flowers)

If you intend to grow herbs or vegetables, they need to be in raised beds or pots with new topsoil

If you are living in a c o n d o , a p a r t m e n t o r mobile home, you may propose to the governing board that native vegetation would promote a healthier environment; free of the chemicals from fertilizer, pesticides and herbicides. Another option is that you ask to adopt a tree or small section of the landscape to incorporate some native vege-

tation

The native plants I’ve listed here in this article are only suggestions and there are many more to choose from Handouts from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), the Florida Native Plant Society (FNPS), the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF), the local Estero Island Garden Club, and more are available every other Friday at the Marine and Environmental Resources Task Force (MERTF) information booth at the farmers market in Times Square The next date the information booth will be there is February 16th, March 1st and March 15th

The health of our Fort Myers Beach ecosystem is a responsibility all of us share

Rose Larkin is on the Marine and E n v i r o n m e n t a l R e s o u r c e s T a s k F o r c e which is an advisory board to the Town Council of Fort Myers Beach She is also a Lee County Master Gardener Volunteer and a member of both the Florida Native Plant Society and the Estero Island Garden Club

MERTF award recognizes manatee rescue effort

T h e M a r i n e & E n v i r o n m e n t a l R e s o u r c e s T a s k F o r c e ( M E R T F , p r onounced murph) is an advisory board for the Town Council of Fort Myers Beach

The board meets at 10 a m on the second Wednesday of the month at Bay Oaks Rec Center

MERTF awards “Murphy” awards to people who are seen demonstrating good

environmental stewardship MERTF would like to recognize Ryan Stanley with Holiday Water Sports, Lee C o u n t y S h e r i f f ' s O f f i c e d e p u t i e s , F o r t M y e r s B e a c h F i r e D e p a r t m e n t , F W C Wildlife Responders and the many civilian locals and guests who were present and assisted with the rescue of a young manatee at the north end of Fort Myers Beach on

Feb 8

Though the overall outcome with this specific case was not a happy one, the conduct and community effort to help the manatee as best we could, was nothing short of amazing MERTF member Rob Howell and Ryan were the first to arrive on scene Howell is a trained FWC marine mammal responder and rescuer, and immediately called FWC for guidance and to notify them of the situation Even as a marine mammal responder, touching manatees is NOT allowed without permission from FWC staff Once permission was granted, Howell and Ryan Stanley pulled it higher onto the sand and out of the surf Then it was on to making sure that the animal was as safe and calm as possible, including making sure it was breathing continuously Manatees breathe as a reflex when water leaves their face. With the help of a wonderful bystander timing breathes, we were able to maintain breathing every 2 minutes With aid from our Lee County Sheriff deputies, crowd control was maintained, and the manatee was moved up higher on the beach due to the rising tide Manatees do not need to be submerged in the water and kept wet and in this case, the sun probably felt good on its back as the reason for i t s s t r a n d i n g w a s d u e t o c o l d s t r e s s Manatees cannot live in water under 70

degrees for very long Once the FWC rescue team arrived, they were joined by the F M B F i r e D e p a r t m e n t , L e e C o u n t y Deputies to quickly lift the manatee onto a carrier and with every department working together, the manatee was safely placed into the FWC rescue vehicle and onto the hospital Due to the circumstances, and w i t h e v e r y o n e h e l p i n g t o t h e b e s t o f their ability, it was a great example of our community coming together Everyone worked toward the common goal of providing this animal the best care possible, and that is exactly what happened

Rose Larkin Guest

Team effort recognized

P a g e 1 1 n W e e k o f W e d n e s d a y , F e b r u a r y 2 8 , 2 0 2 4 f o r t m y e r s b e a c h t a l k . c o m F o r t M y e r s B e a c h O b s e r v e r

f o r t m y e r s b e a c h t a l k . c o m W e e k o f W e d n e s d a y , F e b r u a r y 2 8 ,

Beach Elementary earns reliability certification

The Fort Myers Beach Elementary School is among 21 School District of Lee County schools to have achieved Level 1 Certification in Marzano High Reliability Schools™

The school district recently announced the certification

Level 1 certification means these schools have created a “Safe, Supportive, and Collaborative Culture,” which is the foundation for improved student achievement and effective day-to-day school operations The five-level Marzano High Reliability hierarchy and framework transform schools into organizations where teachers and leaders take proactive steps to ensure student success

Teacher leaders and school leaders opted into a six-day High Reliability Schools Academy over the 2022-2023 school year to collect data, analyze data, and develop an action plan to fulfill each indicator for Level

1 The Level 1 Certified Schools join a cohort of 11 previously Level 1 certified schools in the District and 672 Level 1 Certified schools across the United States Representatives from the District and the 21 schools were honored this week by Marzano Resources at the High Reliability Schools Summit in San Antonio, Texas The schools achieving Level 1 Certification are:

∫ Buckingham Exceptional Student Center

Principal Dr Vicki Gohagen-Mosley

∫ Allen Park Elementary

Principal Melissa Booth

∫ Colonial Elementary

Principal Eric Washington

∫ Colonial Elementary

Principal Eric Washington

∫ Fort Myers Beach Elementary

Principal Dr Traci Kohler

∫ Franklin Park Elementary

Principal Dr Mia German

Second grade teacher Jenna Nunamaker helps instruct students at Beach Elementary School students The school recently earned Level 1 certification in Marzano High Reliability Schools

∫ Gateway Elementary

Principal Cherry Gibson

∫ Harns Marsh Elementary

Principal Cynthia Hernandez

∫ Lehigh Elementary

Principal Jackson Morgan

∫ Mirror Lakes Elementary

Principal Amy Bobak

∫ Patriot Elementary

Principal Elizabeth Feliciano

∫ Pelican Elementary

Principal Clint Garlick

∫ Spring Creek Elementary

Principal Jillian Fiora

∫ Tortuga Elementary

Principal Jennifer Shonak

∫ Bonita Springs Middle Center for the Arts

Principal Melissa Layner

∫ Mariner Middle

Principal Dr Mason Clark

∫ Three Oaks Middle

Principal Forrest Walker Jr

∫ Trafalgar Middle

Principal Leigh Ann Cain

∫ The Alva School

Dr Nathan Shaker

∫ East Lee County High

Principal Tony Allen

∫ Lehigh Senior High

Principal Darya Grote

∫ North Fort Myers High

Principal Debbie Diggs

The School District of Lee County is also proud to recognize four teachers for achieving High-Reliability Level 1 Certification

High Reliability Level 1 Teacher

Certification means that educators understand and implement a model of instruction, engage in deliberate practice related to growth goals, and monitor the impact of instruction on student achievement

The four teachers are:

∫ Anastasia Graflund, Professional Development

∫ Laura Jordan, Caloosa Elementary

∫ Katie Marquis, Professional Development

∫ Mindy Stoddard, Professional Development

The High Reliability Teacher Program encourages and celebrates teacher effectiveness. The multi-level certification process recognizes the advancement of a teacher's pedagogical skills and knowledge in the effective use of instructional strategies, student learning, and feedback To achieve Level 1 Certification, teachers must submit a variety of tasks that are scored by current and retired educators with proven success in improving instruction

Certification is determined by Marzano Resources analysts in cooperation with school data teams Using the HRS framework and indicators, schools can drive sustained, positive, and significant impacts on student achievement by synthesizing multiple complex initiatives into one harmonious system

Town Hall trailers to open Monday

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

The Town of Fort Myers Beach Town Hall trailers will open Monday at 2731 Oak St The old trailers next to the former town hall at 2545 Estero Boulevard will no longer be in use

The new trailers will open at 7:30 a m on Monday, March 4, the town announced The March 4 town council meeting will be held in the town's chambers at this location

In November, Town of Fort Myers Beach Manager Andy Hyatt approved a $1.4 million contract with Boxx Modulars for the trailers The trailers are meant to be a temporary replacement for the town hall, which was destroyed by Hurricane Ian The lease is for up to four years The town council hasn't engaged in any discussions about building a new town hall since the town entered into the contract

Over the summer, the town began being billed $41,258 90 from the Texas firm SLS for its trailers after the

Florida Division of Emergency Management informed the town it would no longer be covering the costs of the trailers, located on property owned by the Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District Under the new agreement with Boxx Modular, the town will pay $22,695 monthly for rental costs over four years plus additional costs for installation, construction and dismantling of the trailers near the Bay Oaks Recreational Campus Hyatt entered into the contract with the firm on Sept. 29 with a lease date to begin Nov. 30.

The town did not engage in a bid process for the trailers Under the town's current state of emergency the town council has extended, the town's procurement policy can be bypassed for certain contracts

The new $1 4 million town hall trailers will open M o n d a y a t O a k S t r e e t , n e a r t h e B a y O a k s

Recreational Campus The trailers replace the town's former trailers next to the former town hall.

NATHAN MAYBERG

TOWN OF FORT MYERS BEACH GOVERNMENT PHOTO

f o r t m y e r s b e a c h t a l k . c o m W e e k o f W e d n e s d a y , F e b r u a r y 2 8 , 2 0 2 4 n P a g e 1 4

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

Outrigger From page 1

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t i v e m o d e s o f t r a n s p o r t a t i o n b y p r o v i di n g b i c y c l e , g o l f c a r t a n d e - s c o o t e r p a r k i n g , a c c e s s t o w a t e r t a x i s h u t t l e s , a i r p o r t s h u t t l e s , a n d p u b l i c t r a n s p o r t at i o n v i a t h e F o r t M y e r s B e a c h t r o l l e y a n d t r a m , ” t h e p r o p o s a l s t a t e s “ P e d e s t r i a n t r a f f i c w i l l a l s o b e e n c o u ra g e d t h r o u g h t h e d e s i g n o f s t r e e t l e v e l

l a n d s c a p i n g a n d s h a d i n g o f w a l k w a y s , p u b l i c p l a z a a t t h e e n t r a n c e t o t h e p u bl i c b e a c h a c c e s s a n d l i n e a r p a r k , a n d s e a t i n g a n d s h a d e d a r e a s i n t h e p a r k a s w e l l ” T h e O u t r i g g e r w a s o n e o f t h e m o r e p o p u l a r h o t e l s o n F o r t M y e r s B e a c h , p r o v i d i n g g u e s t s a n o l d F l o r i d a e x p e r i -

e n c e w i t h r e a s o n a b l e r a t e s a n d a c c e s s t o a w i d e - o p e n b e a c h a r e a a l o n g w i t h a t i k i h u t , b a r , r e s t a u r a n t a n d p o o l t h a t w a s a c c e s s i b l e b y t h e p u b l i c T h e O u t r i g g e r w a s c o n s t r u c t e d i n t h e 1 9 6 0 s a n d w a s t o t a l e d b y H u r r i c a n e I a n L o n d o n B a y a c q u i r e d t h e p r o p e r t y a n d C h a r l e y ’ s B o a t H o u s e a n d G r i l l a c r o s s t h e s t r e e t f o r $ 3 8 m i l l i o n A p u b l i c p r e s e n t a t i o n b y L o n d o n B a y l a s t m o n t h d r e w a m i x e d r e s p o n s e o f s u p p o r t e r s a n d t h o s e w h o a r e c o nc e r n e d a b o u t t h e h e i g h t a n d d e n s i t y o f t h e p r o j e c t A n u m b e r o f r e s i d e n t s w e r e c o n c e r n e d a b o u t t h e p l a n s f o r t h e d o c k a n d c a n a l a c r o s s t h e s t r e e t a n d s t a t em e n t s f r o m t h e d e v e l o p e r t h a t t h e y a r e c o n s i d e r i n g t h e u s e o f w a t e r t a x i s w h i c h i s m e n t i o n e d i n t h e s u b m i t t e d p l a n s T h e p r o j e c t w i l l r e q u i r e r e v i e w f r o m t o w n s t a f f w h o w i l l m a k e c o m m e n t s t h e d e v e l o p e r s a n d t h e i r c o n s u l t a n t s w i l l l i k e l y n e e d t o a d d r e s s b e f o r e t h e a p p l ic a t i o n i s h e a r d b y t h e T o w n o f F o r t M y e r s B e a c h L o c a l P l a n n i n g A g e n c y A c c o r d i n g t o t h e d e v e l o p m e n t p r op o s a l s u b m i t t e d , a r c h i t e c t u r a l r e n d e ri n g s w i l l b e p a r t o f t h e C o m m e r c i a l P l a n n e d D e v e l o p m e n t z o n i n g p a c k a g e f o r c o n c e p t u a l c o m p l i a n c e r e v i e w b y s t a f f a n d t h e L P A a n d t o w n c o u n c i l d u ri n g p u b l i c h e a r i n g s T h e T o w n o f F o r t M y e r s B e a c h C o u n c i l w o u l d n e e d t o a p p r o v e a z o n i n g c h a n g e f o r a C o m m e r c i a l P l a n n e d D e v e l o p m e n t

NATHAN MAYBERG

The canal and mangroves behind Charleys Boart House and Grill which London Bay Development purchased along with the Outrigger.

P a g e 1 5 n W e e k o f W e d n e s d a y , F e b r u a r y 2 8 , 2 0 2 4 f o r t m y e r s b e a c h t a l k . c o m F o r t M y e r s B e a c h B u l l e t i n

Love brings good vibrations

Beach Boys to perform March 8 at Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

Legendary Beach Boys singer and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Mike Love doesn’t hesitate when asked how the 82-year-old is going to play back-to-back shows with the Beach Boys in Fort Myers on Thursday, March 8

“It really is no problem I do my meditation every day,” Love said over the phone from Maui, where he has been touring with the Beach Boys. Love cited his routine of regularly going to the gym, doing pilates and keeping a vegetarian diet to helping him keep in shape

“I just have to do my beauty rest,” Love said

There was only supposed to be one Beach Boys show at the Barbara B Mann Performing Arts Hall but the concert was selling so good, another show was added Love is not worried about the extra work “We have a great crew that sets everything up,” he said

Love and the Beach Boys will be bringing a set more energetic than most bands a fraction of their age that typically runs two hours and features most of the Beach Boys hits. The band is celebrating the 50th anniversary of their greatest hits album “Endless Summer” which featured the early surf rock sounds of “Surfin’ Safari” and “Surfin’ USA” to their California fantasy hits “California Girls,” “I Get Around” and “Fun, Fun, Fun,” to their renowned classic “Good Vibrations ” The set also features the post-Pet Sounds era hits like “Do it Again,” right into hidden gems from their ’70s material all the way up to their No 1 hit “Kokomo” and beyond

Love partially credits his longevity in the music business to his background running cross-country track in high school. One of his former high school classmates, local resident Craig Owens, will be in attendance at the show “We used to run five miles a day together in the mornings,” Love said He attributed his hard work ethic more than six decades into his music career to his father who ran a sheetmetal business, waking up at 5:30 a m and worked six days a week and long hours “He was quite an inspiration,” he said

The Beach Boys these days consists of Love, cofounder of one of the most consequential American music groups of the 20th Century, keyboardist Bruce Johnson (who began replacing founder Brian Wilson on tour in 1965) and a backing group that include several l o n g t i m e c o

n Christian Full House actor John Stamos has made special appearances on the tour, playing drums He has periodically made appearances with the group since the 1980s

Sad news

Love’s tour with the Beach Boys coincides with recent news that co-founder Brian Wilson was diagnosed with dementia and an application has been made to put him into a conservatorship after his wife died due in part to his difficulties getting around.

“It’s a sad thing,” Love said Love said he doesn’t know how serious it is but it makes it further unlikely as to whether the two will ever reunite for a show Love hasn’t performed with Wilson since a 2012 reunion tour in which Love and Wilson were joined by guitarists Al Jardine and David Marks for a 50th anniversary tour of their founding

“It was great We started out to do 50 dates but ended up going for 70,” Love said Though there had been great hopes the Beach Boys would continue to perform with all of the surviving original members, Love and Johnson would go on their own tour under the Beach Boys moniker (which Love controls) while Wilson, Jardine and Marks ended up touring as part of a separate tour

Love doesn’t know if they will ever all play again

The surviving Beach Boys last gathered together last year for a tribute show they attended but didn’t perform in Love said the band members discussed playing again though nothing transpired

The dozen years that has lapsed between all of the band reuniting is a continuation of an acrimonious past in which Love and Wilson have sometimes sparred Love filed a lawsuit in the 1990s to gain credits for

songs he helped write the lyrics for

The ‘Love Doctor’ touch

Nearly all of the Beach Boys hits have some touch from Love He provides the lead with his signature high-pitched and rapid delivery on hits like “Fun, Fun, Fun,” “California Girls,” “409” and “Surfin’ Safari” but even when he isn’t, he makes impressions with his ability to serve the baritone background notes or smaller, memorable exchanges like on “Good Vibrations” with the lyrics “Got to keep those lovin’ good vibrations happenin’ with her ” On some songs like the underappreciated classic “Good to my Baby,” Love will exchange leads with Brian Wilson and do the baritone notes and harmonies It’s a formula that led to the Beach Boys selling tens of millions of records despite deaths and inner turmoil

Remembering Carl and Dennis

Beach Boys co-founder Carl Wilson died in 1997 at the age of 51 from lung cancer. Love said Carl started smoking at an early age though he gave it up a couple years before he died While Brian Wilson and Mike Love got most of the headlines over the years for the Beach Boys, it was Carl who provided the band their rock and roll sound with his Chuck Berry influences on guitar, Love said “He gave us that rock and roll element,” he said He came to the forefront of the group with his lead vocals on “Good Vibrations” and “God Only Knows ”

“He had an amazing voice,” Love said “He was a great guitar player ”

Early on, Carl provided the guitar chops for the group with his neighbor David Marks Both joined the group when they were just 14 Marks would leave the group in 1964 after Love said the group’s manager Murray Wilson (father of Brian, Carl and Dennis) quarreled with him and his parents “He was railroaded out of the group by my uncle Murray,” Love said

That led to Al Jardine, part of the original lineup, returning to the band Jardine would provide lead on “Help me Rhonda ”

Carl would lead the group’s musical direction after his brother Brian began withdrawing from the group at the end of the 1960s. Love’s son Christian handles the Carl Wilson parts during the shows Brian Eichenberger handles the falsetto notes of Brian Wilson

“We loved the do-wop, Everly Brothers, Chuck Berry, Four Freshman,” Love said of the band’s early

influences The band even got to do a show with the Everly Brothers once Drummer Dennis Wilson died in 1983 at the age of 40 after drowning “He had a ton of energy,” Love said Unfortunately, he was addicted to alcohol and drugs, Love said “He couldn’t shake it He would go to rehab for a night (at a time) It doesn’t work that way He had a very addictive personality,” Love said

Discovery

Love credits his discovery of transcendental meditation under Maharishi Mahesh Yogi on a 1968 trip to India with Beatles guitarist George Harrison with keeping him on the straight and narrow and away from the drug culture that consumed some of his bandmates

“It’s lifestyle choices you know Some people didn’t choose the right path and they are not with us anymore Some people chose to do things that were harmful to themselves mentally and physically,” Love said

He said that he, Jardine and Johnston were able to avoid the pitfalls.

Love wrote a song about his time in India with Harrison called “Pisces Brothers,” which he performs on tour

‘Two bands’

The Beach Boys were able to be one of the most prolific bands in rock history in part by actually being two bands After Brian Wilson largely withdrew from touring in 1964, he spent his time in the recording studio working on records with The Wrecking Crew a cadre of session musicians responsible for many of the greatest hits of the 1960s. On the “Pet Sounds” hit “Wouldn’t it be Nice,” for example, there were at least 18 musicians playing different instruments on the song Much of the Beach Boys material from 1964-1968 was with musicians from the Wrecking Crew adding instrumentation

On “California Girls,” Leon Russell handled piano duties as part of a backing group of a dozen instrumentalists that included legendary drummer Hal Blaine, bassist Carol Kaye and Al De Lory on the memorable organ notes “Hal Blaine was the nicest guy you ever want to meet,” Love said

“We were really two bands,” Love said. That setup allowed the Beach Boys to tour while Wilson worked on laying down the instrumentation for many of the

The first set of the Beach Boys performance at the Barbara B Mann Performing Arts Hall starts at 3 p m on Friday March 8 The second set goes off at 7:30 p m The Barbara B Mann Performing Arts Hall is located on the campus of Florida Southwestern State College at 13350 FSW Parkway in Fort Myers /PHOTO CREDIT: JIM TROCCHIO

Red Sox: Gioilito aces spring debut

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

Everything went as well as it could possibly go for the debut of Lucas Giolito in a Red Sox uniform Sunday against the Twins at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers

Boston’s free agent acquisition threw two hitless innings, showcased a sharp mid-90’s fastball while mixing in changeups and hard sliders for strikes to keep Twins hitters off balance.

Giolito struck out one and walked one over 27 stress-free pitches, being as about efficient as possible

His only close call was a two-out dribbler down the third base line in the second inning from Yunior Severino that Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers charged at to easily throw out the young infielder

With his work done for the day, Giolito walked off the field and flipped his glove in the air, feeling good about getting off on the right foot in front of a full house of the Red Sox faithful in a game against their fellow Fort Myers spring competitors

Devers was feeling so good about his defensive gem that he went out the next inning and clobbered a pitch from Twins reliever John Stankiewicz with two on into the left-centerfield top deck above the Green Monster for his first home run of the spring, putting the Red Sox up 5-0

The franchise player and fan favorite received a warm applause before his fist at bat and a louder one after the homer with the crowd almost in awe of his loud moonshot

If the Red Sox can play this kind of ball, they could be able to improve off last year’s season in which they finished at the bottom of the division

Giolito said he was surprised by the energy at JetBlue Park “The crowd was awesome I’m not used to spring training crowds like that,” Giolito said

Red Sox Manager Alex Cora has given Giolito high marks for the velocity on his fastball this spring Giolito said he has been working on his slider grip and throwing it with a sharper break and harder in the mid-to-late ’80s “I think it’s a good move for me,” Giolito

Giolito said his delivery has “changed a lot” over his career in the majors “This season is really getting back to basics A huge focus was staying compact and hiding the ball and I feel like I’m doing that well. I’m going to continue to hammer that in while also being able to keep my weight back and drive down the mound

Beach Boys

properly,” he said

Giolito got a strikeout on Sunday on a h i g

Rodriguez.

Giolito threw a no-hitter in 2020 and had a no-hitter against the New York Yankees through six innings when he was pulled due to a high pitch count Giolito said the key is “getting into a really good

From page 16

songs. “We wouldn’t have as much of a volume of songs” without the Wrecking Crew, Love said

Genius of Brian Wilson

On Brian Wilson, Love said “He had an uncanny ability to hear all the parts simultaneously in his head He would deal all of my low parts and Al’s parts Very complicated harmonies, he could hear them all in his head He had an uncanny ability of harmonies and chord progressions ” In recording sessions, Wilson would deal out horn parts and bass parts on the fly to more than a dozen musicians assembled at a time all while in his early 20s.

Staying hip

Love is still giving off good vibrations these days When asked about the famous David Lee Roth cover of “California Girls,” Love laughs and says he enjoyed the Van Halen singer’s version “What a video,” he said On this tour, Love and the Beach Boys show anoth-

L e f t : B o s t o n R e d S o x L u c a s Giolito, signed in the off season as a free agent, threw two hitless innings against the Twins Sunday in his spring debut

Below left: National Baseball Hall of Fame hitter and legendary Red Sox outfielder Jim Rice walks off the field before the start of Sunday's game with the Twins at JetBlue Park in F o r t M y e r s . R i c e i s a r o v i n g instructor with the Red Sox during spring training.

Below right: Former Boston Red Sox All-Star and now spring ment o r D w i g h t E v a n s s u r v e y s t h e scene from the Boston Red Sox dugout before Sunday’s game

PHOTOS BY NATHAN MAYBERG

Giolito said “it would be sick to throw another

Devers and Red Sox infielder Trevor Story on a couple tough groundballs

“It’s good to see that early, that solid defense behind us That’s going to help us big time,” he said

Game notes

Red Sox offense: Nick Sogard homered for the Red Sox in the seventh inning and Blaze Jordan had two hits and scored two runs for Boston

T w i n s o f f e n s e : T w i n s o u t f i e l d e r Trevor Larnach, fighting in camp for a spot in the outfield, had two hits

er side to the group by covering “Rockaway Beach” by the legendary punk rock band The Ramones

“That song rocks,” Love said

The first set of the Beach Boys performance at the Barbara B Mann Performing Arts Hall starts at 3 p m on Friday March 8 The second set goes off at 7:30 p m The Barbara B Mann Performing Arts Hall is located on the campus of Florida Southwestern State College at 13350 FSW Parkway in Fort Myers

“People still love our songs We love doing them,” Love said I look forward to doing the concerts, and touring The concerts generate so much happiness in the audience. For the older fans, it brings a lot of memories and for our younger fans they experience a lot of joy ”

Beach Boys singer Mike Love will bring the latest reincarnation of the Beach Boys to the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall March 8.

PHOTO CREDIT: UDO SPREITZENBARTH

e

f o r t m y e r s b e a c h t a l k . c o m W e e k o f W e d n e s d a y , F e b r u a r y 2 8 , 2 0 2 4 n P a

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

T h e F r i e n d s o f t h e M o u n d H o u s e w i l l h o l d a f u n d r a i s e r M a r c h 2 2 t o s u p p o r t t h e h i s t o r i c F o r t M y e r s B e a c h p r o p e r t y T h e f u n d r a i s e r , t i t l e d “ A r t f u l I n t e r s e c t i o n 4 0 ” w i l l b e h e l d a t t h e M o u n d H o u s e , t h e f i r s t g a l a h e l d b y t h e n o n p r o f i t o r g a n i z a t i o n s i n c e b e f o r e H u r r i c a n e I a n T h e f u n d r a i s e r w i l l b e g i n a t 5 : 3 0 p m o n t h e M o u n d

H o u s e g r o u n d s a t 4 5 1 C o n n e c t i c u t S t “ L a s t y e a r w e w e r e c o n s c i o u s o f h o w r e e l i n g a n d t r a u m a t i z e d i s l a n d e r s a n d b e y o n d w e r e b y I a n , ” F r i e n d s o f t h e M o u n d H o u s e P r e s i d e n t E l l e n V a u g h a n s a i d T h e M a r c h 2 2 f u n d r a i s i n g g a l a w i l l f e a t u r e a “ l o v el y s t r o l l i n g s u p p e r , ” a l s o k n o w n a s “ h e a r t y h o r s d ' o e uv r e s , ” V a u g h a n s a i d T h a t w i l l b e f o l l o w e d b y a l i v e a u c t i o n T h e e v e n t t i t l e , A r t f u l I n t e r s e c t i o n 4 0 , “ i s a n o d t o t h e b e a u t i f u l p r e c i o u s j e w e l o f t h e i s l a n d t h a t i s t h e M o u n d H o u s e , ” V a u g h a n s a i d U p f o r a u c t i o n w i l l b e w o r k s o f a r t a n d “ e x p e r i e n c e s w i t h o u r F o r t M y e r s B e a c h T o w n C o u n c i l o r s , ” V a u g h a n s a i d T h e M o u n d H o u s e h o s t e d a s m a l l - s c a l e c o n c e r t l a s t i a l s u p p o r t t o t h e M o u n d H o u s e f o r p r og r a m i n g a n d p r e s e r v a t i o n “ W e a r e h o p e f u l g u e s t s a r e i n a g e n e r o u s m o o d s a s t h e y b i d o n a u c t i o n i t e m s , ” V a u g h a n s a i d T o p u r c h a s e a t i c k e t , v i s i t h t t p s : / / m o u n d h o u s e o r g / f r i e n d s - o f - t h e - m o u n d - h o u s e /

Mound House volunteer Cherie Smith holds up the artwork of former Town of Fort Myers Beach Councilmember Joanne Shamp, which was bought by Gayle Crabtree Pergoli at the 2022 strolling supper gala auction to benefit the Friends of the Mound House. The gala returns March 22 at the Mound House. File photo

FMB Art Association supports art for youth

The Cypress Lake High School Art Department hosted an awards reception as p a r t o f t h e F o r t M y e r s B e a c h A r t Association student scholarship show

Special thanks went to Bev Silvia, FMBAA chair of the event, and the High S c h o o l V i s u a l A r t s F a c u l t y P a t r i c i a B o n w e l l , E l o d i e C o t t o n , M a r g u e r i t e Petcher, Tim Smith, and Principal Angela Roles

The judging team for this year’s recipients for the scholarship awards consisted of Renée Chastant and Annie Wainwright

The annual Student Scholarship Show showcases the work of the talented high school students at Cypress Lakes High School

To encourage development of the arts in our community, FMBAA awards three scholarships annually to seniors for their artistic pursuits Joan Zeoli, president of FMBAA, presented Certificates of recognition and awards

This year’s recipients are:

∫ First Place-Emily Morris

∫ Second Place-Christina Beccara

∫ Third Place- Ella Morley

P a r t o f t

r

t

s B e a c h A r t Association mission is “to encourage art instruction of children and junior artists ”

Visit the website at www fortmyersbeachart com ###

On Feb. 20, Fort Myers Beach Art Association President Joan Zeoli ( s e c o n d f r o m l e f t ) , a s s i s t e d b y

Michele Buelow (far right), presented a check for $2000 to be used for t h e a r t p r o g r a m a t F o r t M y e r s B e a c h E l e m e n t a r y S c h o o l

Principal Dr Traci Kohler (far left) and Art Teacher Virginia (Jenny) Farley (second from right) were on hand to accept the check.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Insurance

From page 1

rising in Florida since Hurricane Ian and many homeowners are still struggling to recoup losses

S e v e r a l m a j o r c o n d o b u i l d i n g s o n hard-hit Fort Myers Beach, for example, remain entangled in litigation with their carriers over shortfalls in insurance reimbursements from Hurricane Ian damage

Roach said at least two insurance carriers in the state have announced rate increases of more than 50%

“Some people are paying more for their premiums than their mortgages,” he said

M a n y h o m e o w n e r s h o l d i n g f l o o d insurance have struggled to be reimbursed for claims from the hurricane that are blamed on wind damage

“Florida needs universal wind storm coverage,” Roach said

C a l i f o r n i a a n d T e x a s h a v e s i m i l a r state-run wind storm insurance programs

The aim of the legislation is for the state to handle wind claims and move t h o s e w i t h f l o o d i n s u r a n c e t h r o u g h Citizens, the property insurer of last resort in Florida, to the National Flood Insurance program or to private insurers

“ T h e N a t i o n a l F l o o d I n s u r a n c e Program is really the best deal around,” Roach said. “Almost 100% of the people I heard from were satisfied under the National Flood Insurance Program but nobody had anything good to say about their homeowners insurance policies ”

There have been several bills floating i n t h e s t a t e l e g i s l a t u r e t o d e a l w i t h aspects of the property insurance problem Tax exemptions, a bill to limit coverage to what is owed on a home and an expansion of Citizens Property Insurance

“My residents are ready with the torches and the pitchforks. They have a right to be angry.”

State Rep. Spencer Roach, R-76, who says Florida is in “the worst property insurance crisis we have ever faced

have been proposed.

The bill proposed by Roach, Florida House Bill 1213, has some bipartisan support and is co-sponsored by Rep Hillary Cassel, D-101 Under the legislation, anybody in Florida could obtain wind coverage through Citizens

While Roach thinks premiums would initially be high, they would be lowered as the pool expanded

In addition, Roach said he thinks private insurers would benefit by having an increased pool of property owners seeking flood insurance

“Private insurers would make a fortune,” he said

Roach said he is concerned that under the current insurance climate, “fly-bynight” companies are collecting premiums and “paying extreme amounts to executives” but are under-capitalized and then go belly-up when a hurricane hits, unable to pay out claims Some of those involved in such companies, reappear after the hurricane under different business names, he said

“It’s criminal," Roach said “It’s a ponzi-scheme ”

Business and personal

For Roach, the insurance issue is also personal

His North Fort Myers home took in more than two feet of water from Hurricane Ian flooding as well as damage to his roof He says he lost almost everything he had

“Every piece of furniture, every piece of clothing was gone,” he said

His carrier, UPC Insurance, initially left him “high and dry” after it was unable to pay out his claim and went into receivership Roach was eventually paid by the state on his claim

He noted that many residents still have tarps on their roofs and trailers in their driveway as they await reimbursements

“Most homeowners don’t have $20,000 to put on a new roof and wait for insurance ” Roach said some insurance companies are waiting homeowners out as payouts are challenged, hoping property owners will “take pennies on the dollar or sell your house ”

A lot of residents didn’t have any insurance at all Property owners who had houses worth $600,000 only received $37,000 in money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, he said That is the

maximum offered by FEMA, he said

“A lot of people in my neighborhood were seniors who paid off their home and dropped their flood insurance They lost everything,” Roach said “It’s been hard ”

Costs and inaction

Under some estimates, the cost to expand Citizens Insurance to handle wind insurance property claims would be in the billions while repurposing the state away from flood insurance.

Roach said a proper financial analysis hasn’t yet been completed He thinks the state’s involvement in wind insurance will lower the cost of premiums

“It certainly would be lower than it is now ”

Meanwhile, Roach is surprised by the inaction of his fellow legislators and his party He said his colleagues are taking a “wait-and-see approach ”

“I haven’t seen any other attempt to address this issue,” Roach said. “The Republican party is tone deaf if you don’t address this issue ”

Roach noted that state legislators have passed favorable legislation to assist property insurance companies in the state, shielding them from litigation and making it harder for companies to be sued, and providing companies with a bailout after Hurricane Ian

“I’m not aware of a single insurance carrier whose premium has gone down,” he said.

“My residents are ready with the torches and the pitchforks,” Roach said “They have a right to be angry ”

Lee County pivots to host Ag Expo

By MEGHAM BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

The Lee County Parks & Recreation Department has assumed operations of the Lee County Civic Center and so has organized the Southwest Florida Ag Expo which opens Thursday and runs through March 10

“They tasked us to pick up the operation and run with it,” said Lee County Parks & Recreation Operations Manager Lisa Weaver “October of this past year was when the department assumed operation of the Lee Civic Center complex We were directed to pick up the Ag Expo.”

The effort to rebrand the Southwest Florida & Lee County Fair into a “youth showcase” quickly became an all-hands-on deck county effort

In addition to the Lee County Parks & Recreation Department, Procurement Management, Risk Management, County Attorney’s Office, Sports Development, Human Resources, Facilities Construction Management, Information Technology, Communications & Community Engagement, Visitor & Convention Bureau, Public Safety, Animal Services and LeeTran are working together to put on the event, now officially called the Southwest Florida Ag Expo

Weaver said it was recognized by all levels of the organization, that the Lee Civic Center facility and site off Bayshore Road in North Fort Myers is one that the community loves

“It’s an event that has nostalgia and brings the community together It’s a fun project to get involved with,” she said

When the county assumed operation of the site on Oct 1 the work began from replacing animal pens to running fiber cables to use WiFi and conduct business

Related story

Ribbon-cutting ceremony set for at 3:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 29, at t h e L e e C o u n t y C i v i c C e n t e r

Complex Gates open at 4 p m

See Page 24

In addition to rerunning the cables, the parking lot resurfacing was just approved to provide safer day-to-day operation

“Every day we are doing more on this property The majority is completed or is in completion,” she said “Step one was what do we need to put back into the site to operate every single weekend to big events ”

The primary focus became the livestock component, as the 4H kids to take part in the Ag Expo have been working on their projects since last year

“The goal was to provide as little of an interruption and make it a seamless transition,” Weaver said “Once that kind of got set

up and handled we moved into a larger event ”

She said they purchased 160 swine and goat pens, which are utilized year-round Cages for poultry and rabbits had to be purchased as well

“We had 319 birds,” Weaver said

Bleachers, tables and chairs were also purchased for the grounds something else that will be used year-round.

“Every weekend, but maybe Christmas weekend, since Oct 1, there has been an event on the property,” Weaver said “From an entire county perspective administration to commissioners it is such an asset to the community It was very important to assume operations and keep it here for the community long-term ”

The next component was to figure out the rides and the concessionaires that have been there for years as part of the Southwest Florida & Lee County Fair as well as the Creative Living component From there, the county moved into the event layout and marketing

“We are really proud of it and excited,” Weaver said “It was a big undertaking of all the departments ”

One of the most eye-opening things over the last full year was the amount of community engagement the county received for the Lee Civic Center property

Weaver said the property is not just isolated to one area, but is of interest to residents from around Lee County.

The property provides an opportunity for the agricultural side to learn how the industry works

“It’s such neat property that is very unique in the area,” Weaver said “Proud to have it and provide it back to the community ”

Livestock Show events include:

• Thursday, Feb. 29

6 p m Goat Agility Show

• Friday, March 1

6 p m Goat Costume Contest

7 p m Feathers Fun Costume Contest

• Saturday, March 2

11 a m Performance Horse Show

2 p m Goat Showmanship Contest

6 p m Beef Breeding Show and Showmanship Competition

6 p m Feathers Showmanship Competition

• Sunday, March 3

11:30 a.m. Goat Show & Awards

1 p m Feathers Awards –Showmanship and Show

• Wednesday, March 6

6 p m Swine Show and Showmanship Competition

6 p m Fur Showmanship Competition

• Thursday, March 7

6 p m Steer Show and Showmanship Competition

7 p m Fur Awards –Showmanship and Show

7 p m Horse Costume Contest

• Friday, March 8

5 p m Steer Grooming Show

6 p m PeeWees of SWFL & 4-H Cloverbud Awards

6:30 p m Horse Speed Show

7 p m Small Animal Auction

• Saturday, March 9

Noon Fur Fun Costume Contest

2 p m Fur Fun Show - Agility

2 p m Market Animal Auction (Steer & Swine)

6 p m Horse Fun Show

• Sunday, March 10

11 a m Horse Awards

Southwest Florida Ag Expo to showcase youth involvement

Fair favorites, including rides, midway & entertainment, return as county-rebranded celebration returns to its roots

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

The Southwest Florida & Lee County Fair, a tradition for generations, has been rebranded this year as the Southwest Florida Ag Expo to put the spotlight on area youth

It's an exciting change, said event spokesperson Miriam Dotson of the Visitor & Convention Bureau

Set for Feb 29, through March 10, the Ag Expo will feature 4-H, a program involves the youth, education and activities with 373 participants this year

4-H has a long and rich history in Lee County

A Cattle Club, the first 4-H club in Lee County was established on Pine Island in the 1920s.

Lee County hired the first 4-H agent in 1972

Lee County Parks & Recreation Operations Manager Lisa Weaver said after speaking with members of the community after the county took over the fair operation their interest was apparent showcasing the youth and livestock portion while highlighting the agricultural community

The event is intended to spotlight the kids who are working really hard on their projects and showing off their animals, she said

“That is the whole real reason to showcase these kids, so they feel like the VIPs of the event,” Weaver said

“It is going to be a good show,” Weaver added “Many of them show multiple animals ”

Other fair favorites, including the midway, will be included as well

Reithoffer Shows Inc , which does numerous events in the state of Florida, is bringing in some rides that have not been showcased in the circuit yet, Weaver said, adding they have been a really good partner, and they are excited to bring something new to the community

There also will be skills exhibits featuring a variety of artisans

“There will be a midway with rides, creative living events quilting, knitting and crafting,” Dotson said as they want to pay attention to the arts as well.

Live entertainment also will return

This year's lineup includes The Del Prados; One Man

Another new component of the expo is work to expand parking and overflow parking which, in the past, has been one of the biggest challenges

“We are working on providing additional overflow parking across the street on 31 We are really excited to be able to offer that All parking on both sides will be free, no parking charges,” Weaver said

The expo will continue the mega passes, $25, which can be purchased until Feb 29

“That is your gate admission, as well as unlimited rides for one single day,” Weaver said

General gate admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children 4 to 11 years old and free for children 3 and younger

Promotional nights will include:

n Opening Day, Thursday, Feb 29, gates open at 4 p m for $1 gate admission

n Sensory Friendly Day, Friday, March 1, gates open at 4 p m From 4-6 p m sensory friendly $0 gate admission and at 6 p m regular gate admission

n Moonlight Magic, Friday, March 1, and Friday, March 8, from 8 p.m. to midnight $30 admission, which includes ride wristband

n Community Night, Monday, March 4, gates open at 4 p m Free admission with three canned food items for Harry Chapin Food Bank, $5 gate admission, $25 ride wristband

n Senior Day, Wednesday, March 6, gates open at 4 p m , regular admission, and $5 for 50 years old and older, $25 ride wristband

n Latin Day, Sunday, March 10, gates open at 11 a m , regular admission and $40 ride wristband

The expo will be held at the Lee County Civic Center Complex, 11831 Bayshore Road, North Fort Myers

For more information visit swflagexpo com, or follow its Facebook page, SWFL Ag Expo

“We recommend people bookmark the website We will continue to add more information – entertainment lineup, pass information, tickets will all be available on the website,” Weaver said, adding to also check Facebook, as they will be pushing information out there as well

Band with Marc Dobson; Tadpole the Clown; Jurassic Kingdom Lockdown; the Moogician; Cowboy Camp with Les McDowell; Michael Felk’s Tinsmithing Show; Kids Foam Zone & Gameshow; Porkchop Revue; Pirate Man Down; Agricadabra Magic & Hypnosis Show and Roger Arahamson the Giant Bowl Turner and Reggie Delarm East Knoll Pottery

John Rice and rabbit Rex wearing a red, white and blue costume./PHOTO PROVIDED

f o r t m y e r s b e a c h t a l k . c o m W e e k o f W e d n e s d a y , F e b r u a r y 2 8 , 2 0 2 4 n P a g e 2 2

Pumpout

From page 1

canal,” Sherwood said “This directly affects us again ” Sherwood said the description of the site by the town as being off Chapel Street is “interesting” as the canal that the town would utilize for the pumpout station actually runs along Tropical Shores Way

“Our canal was heavily damaged by the hurricane and by the companies that took the debris out of the canal and ripped out all of the mangroves at the end of the property that the town owns as you well know at the end of our canal,” Sherwood said

Sherwood, who was part of opposition to the 2022 proposal for a mooring field upland facility, asked why the town doesn’t continue to rent out pumpout station services or find another provider rather than expend additional funds on building the station

Sherwood said the pumpout station would affect neighbors and residents of Tropical Shores Way who live at the end of the canal

“This is not something that we want This is a beautiful, residential area We do not want a pumpout station,” Sherwood said Sherwood said the canal is home to w i l d l i f e , i n c l u d i n g m a n y b i r d s , w h o would be impacted

The town’s plans include cutting into mangroves there and would require excavating and the installation of a seawall There would also need to be canal dredging

The mangroves, Sherwood said, “protected our home from the hurricane ”

F o r t M y e r s B e a c h B u l l e t i n

The sewage from the pumpout boats would be pumped into Lee County sewer lines, according to town Harbormaster

Austin Gilchrist Gilchrist said the town pumps out the boats once a week There would also be a boat lift

The town currently hooks up to Pink Shell Beach Resort and Marina to pump out waste from the boats at the mooring field Gilchrist said the town has been using a truck about once a week to haul the waste

“We’re trying to get away from that,” he said

The pumps for the station that would be used have “no smell” and would have a low impact with low noise, Gilchrist said “I want to have something that we maintain,” he said.

Vice Mayor not in support of Tropical Shores Way site

Vice Mayor Jim Atterholt has been against using the Tropical Shores Way site He pushed for the new pumpout station to be located near Bay Oaks, away from the residential neighborhoods where the facility generated opposition in 2022 Jim Atterholt asked town staff if it was possible to continue using the private companies and also asked town staff to appeal to Lee County for use of a site that would be less impactful to town residents

Atterholt said the town’s acquisition of the lots near Chapel Street and Tropical Shores Way for the mooring field facility in 2022 was done without consulting the neighbors

“The neighborhood weighed in loud and clear that they were strongly opposed to that They did it in a very appropriate way and were extremely engaged in the process,” Atterholt said The council subsequently voted against the proposal, he said “Even though this is a much lesser,

intrusive proposal, there is a lot of concerns, there is a lot of legacy issues here ”

Atterholt said the proposal is “really intrusive” to the neighborhood which he said “took some big hits as a result of the storm ”

Mooring Field Hotel

T o w n o f F o r t M y e r s B e a c h Environmental Projects Manager Chadd Chustz said the facility is needed to service the town’s mooring field, which he referred to as an 89-room “hotel” for boats that rest along Matanzas Pass off the island According to Chustz, the mooring field systems are operational with 45 boats situated at the mooring field last week

Chustz said he is concerned about leaving the waste on boats for several days which could lead to a greater possibility of leakage or a spill

The proposal would include cutting into mangroves and the installation of a seawall There would also need to be canal dredging for “mooring facilities,” Chustz said

Chustz said the pumpout vessel holds about 1,000 gallons of black water and needs to be pumped out every week Chustz said the town currently spends $650 a month for the pumpout vessel and an additional $375 a week to pump it out Chustz said a portion of the pumpout cost is reimbursable

Other sites being considered by the t o w n a r e a t B a y O a k s R e c r e a t i o n a l Campus and a right-of-way at a canal at Virginia Avenue

The Virginia Avenue site and Bay Oaks site would also require the cutting into of mangroves

Committee opinion

Anchorage Advisory Committee Chair Sam Lurie asked several questions regarding the Bay Oaks site, including whether the town would need to rezone the property there

Chustz said he didn’t know if a zoning change would be required there

The site behind the former town hall, near Tropical Shores Way, would require a zoning change

Chustz said he was being asked by the town’s engineering consultants to move quickly to identify a site in order to apply for state and federal government funding for the project this year. He asked the committee for a site preference

Anchorage Advisory Committee member Chris King said a cost and feasibility study was necessary before she could make an opinion Atterholt advised the committee against naming a preferred site until the committee met with residents in the locations proposed

King said she would like deadlines to be set to gather input from neighbors

Lurie said he wanted to see an aesthetic plan first.

“There are only so many hours in the day,” Chustz said

Gilchrist said there could be survey drawings made available

Committee member Ted Lawwill said staff should reach out to residents regarding plans

The committee approved a resolution advising town council to reach out to residents in the neighborhoods where the sites would be situated in order to gather feedback and to conduct a cost and feasibility study

The Guilty Pleasure Band brings down the house down on New Year's Eve on

Beach The band

Park concert series set to return this

f o r t m y e r s b e a c h t a l k . c o m W e e k o f W e d n e s d a y , F e b r u a r y 2 8 , 2 0 2 4 n P

Ribbon-cutting ceremony set for opening day of 2024 Southwest Florida Ag Expo

Public invited to attend and then enter Opening Day for only $1

The public is invited to attend an official ribbon-cutting ceremony at 3:30 p m , Thursday, Feb 29, at the Lee County Civic Center Complex, 11831 Bayshore Road for the opening day of the 2024 Southwest Florida Ag Expo. Gates will open at 4 p.m., following the ceremony The ceremony will feature brief remarks by Lee County Commissioners and other officials

The Ag Expo celebrates the work and accomplishments of Southwest Florida youth active in 4-H, FFA and more while offering fun, food and rides for the entire community

L e e C o u n t y C o m m i s s i o n e r s e a r l i e r t h i s y e a r announced county staff would operate the Ag Expo at the Civic Center Commissioners are committed to maintaining the popular experience Whether you go for the ani-

mal exhibitions, the steer auction, the mi or the sweet and savory treats, Lee Co one and all to the Ag Expo from Feb 29 March 10

The county invites ribbon-cutting cer emony attendees to plan to stay after the ceremony and celebrate Opening Day, which features $1 admission and $1 ride tickets as the promotion for Feb 2 9 T h r o u g h o u t t h e 1 1 - d a y e v e n t , themed promotions are offered, such as Community Night, Senior Day and Latin Night Learn more about the promotiona nights at www.swflagexpo.com. Tickets promotional nights are only offered a gate General Admission tickets can be p chased online

Also available for online purchase now is the $25 MEGAPASS It includes gate admission and a wristband

d mechanical rides on one day of your your MEGAPASS early; sales end when Expo begins at 4 p m Feb 29

General gate admission is $10 for adults nd $5 for children ages 4-11 Children 3 and under are free Retired and active military receive free gate admission all day, every day Must present Military ID, service members only

T h e c o u n t y h a s c r e a t e d a w e b s i t e a n d s o c i a l m e d i a c h a n n e l f o r t h e A g E x p o T h e c o m p l e t e s c h e d u l e o f e v e n t s , e c i a l p r o m o t i o n s , t i c k e t i n g a n d p a r k i n g o r m a t i o n i s l i s t e d a t w w w . s w f l a g e xo m , o r v i s i t F a c e b o o k f o r S W F L A g a t w w w f a c e b o o k c o m / s w f l a g e x p o k m a r k t h e w e b s i t e a n d f o l l o w t h e F a c e b o o k p a g e , a s e v e n t d e t a i l s a n d i n f o r m a t i o n w i l l c o n t i n u e t o b e a d d e d

Fort Myers First Assembly to host Gaither ’s Moments To Remember Tour stop on March 9

M u l t i - G r a m m y A w a r d a n d D o v e

A w a r d - w i n n i n g r e c o r d i n g a r t i s t B i l l Gaither will kick off the Moments To Remember Tour this spring, as he brings his group, The Gaither Vocal Band, to Fort Myers First Assembly Saturday, March 9, at 6 p m

For nearly half a century, Gaither has been a musical trailblazer His reputation as a performer, songwriter and mentor for

newly-discovered artists is known worldwide His beloved series of Homecoming CDs and DVDs continues to top the sales charts and attract an ever-increasing audience Honors and accolades have flowed his way in bunches, including his most r e c e n t G r a m m y n o m i n a t i o n f o r B e s t

Roots Gospel Album of the Year for the Gaither Vocal Band Shine recording

Taking the stage with Gaither and the

G a i t h e r V o c a l B a n d , f e a t u r i n g W e s Hampton, Adam Crabb, Todd Suttles and Reggie Smith, will be popular female vocalist Ladye Love Smith and male v o c a l i s t G e n e M c D o n a l d , a s w e l l a s Gaither’s musical entourage, comprised of Kevin Williams, Matthew Holt and Michael Rowsey

The 2024 Spring Tour affords Gaither,

who turns 88 in March, the opportunity to continue to share the message he has been proclaiming for more than six decades

Tickets for the 2024 Gaither Moments

To Remember Tour stop at Ft Myers First Assembly, located at 4701 Summerlin Road, on are on sale now To purchase tickets or obtain additional details, visit www gaither com

LCDAS reduces adoption fee for the month of February

Lee County Domestic Ani S e r v i c e s ( L C D A S ) k n o w you can adopt true love and cats and dogs are ready for yo to take home this year Fro Feb 1 through Feb 29, a adoptions will cost $14 with an approved application

The reduced adoption fee includes the complete package of services: sterilizatio a g e - a p p r o p r i a t e v a c c i n a c o u n t y l i c e n s e , m i c r o c h i p , worming, flea treatment, a heartworm test for dogs, feline AIDS, and leukemia test for cats, and a 10-day health guarantee The adoption package is valued at more than $600

The staff and volunteers at LCDAS are waiting to help you find your perfect match Make lans to visit the shelter at 5600 anner Drive, Fort Myers, next o the Lee County Sheriff’s Office off Six Mile Cypress Parkway Adoption hours are from 10:30 a m to 3:30 p m

Monday through Saturday All ts available for adoption are at LeeLostPets com Adoption pp available online or in person

For more information, call 239-533-7387 (LEE-PETS)

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

Raccoon clutching its young takes top honor in Six Mile Cypress Slough’s annual photo contest

A relatively new photographer, Grace Waller had just spotted a bright red northern cardinal in the trees at Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve and was looking to take its picture Then a moment in nature intervened, and Waller instead captured what some might consider the photo of a lifetime

“I heard a noise in the tree followed by the mother raccoon popping out of it,” Waller said “I snapped off some photos as she sat on top of the tree for a minute or so, then she ducked her head back into the tree I thought the moment of seeing her was over until she pulled her head back out of the tree, but this time carrying the baby in her mouth ”

Waller’s photo of that moment was the Grand Prize winner in the Friends of Six Mile Slough Preserve 2024 Photo Contest, open only to amateur photographers Waller and 20 other photographers were honored Sunday, Feb 18, in a ceremony at the Slough’s Interpretive Center

Waller, who was born and raised in the Cape Coral-Fort Myers area, says she took up photography as a hobby just last year, which also was the first time she visited the Slough “I had such a great experience on my first visit that I continued to go on the weekends and during the holidays when the weather was nice and cool.” The winning photo was taken on Christmas Eve while she was testing out a new lens, little more than a month before the photo contest deadline

The photo contest is conducted by the Friends of Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve, a nonprofit organization that offers support to the Slough’s mission, staff members and volunteers The contest has been held annually since 2010

In addition to the Grand Prize winner, 1st-, 2nd- and 3rdPlace awards are given in five different categories: Animals, Birds, Plants & Landscapes, Youth, and Staff Ten other photos received honorable mentions Six photos were selected to be used as the images on postcards that will be sold in the Slough’s “Friends Corner” nature store later this year. Other postcards are currently available

The winning photos will be posted on the Friends website, www sloughpreserve org, and already can be viewed in the Intrepretive Center at the Slough The Center is open

from 10 a m to 4 p m every day except Mondays Admission to the Center and the Boardwalk is free with paid parking, which is $1 an hour or $5 for an entire day

A total of 244 photos were entered by 103 different photographers This year, for the first time, the contest was entirely digital

Here are the other 2024 winners:

∫ Animals: 1st Place Michael Krause, 2nd Place Kristina Mintz, 3rd Place Christian Rehm

∫ Birds: 1st Place Damon Bell, 2nd Place Michael Krause, 3rd Place Peter Darcy

∫ Plants & Landscapes: 1st Place Linda Normoyle, 2nd Place Ron Lindensmith, 3rd Place Jason Walsh.

∫ Youth: 1st Place Max VanGrouw, 2nd Place Max Vangrouw, 3rd Place Dahveed Storey

∫ Staff: 1st Place Sabine Vandenhende, 2nd Place Sabine Vandenhende, 3rd Place William Greene (Staff entries are not eligible for the Grand Prize )

The contest was judged by Rick Bauer, Jason Boeckman, Carol Matthai and Dr Jose Padilla

In selecting Waller’s photo as the top picture in the entire contest, the judges wrote: “The judges loved everything about this image and felt it encapsulated so much about the spirit of the Slough The protective embrace of the parent raccoon. The outstretched paw. The vertical action as the pair climb the tree together The elements all combined wonderfully for this perhaps once-in-a-lifetime photograph ”

Membership levels in the Friends organization start at $10 for students and $25 for individuals More information about membership and the photo contest is available on the Friends website at www sloughpreserve org

Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve has more than 3,500 acres of wetland ecosystem, with a boardwalk trail and Interpretive Center Animals like otters, alligators, turtles, wading birds, and more live at the Slough year-round Others, like migrating birds and butterflies, use the Slough as a feeding area or a winter home. The Slough is managed by the Lee County Department of Parks and Recreation and is open daily from sunrise to sunset

Heights Foundation to Host Wine Tasting with Clay Mauritson, Mauritson Wines

The Heights Foundation will host a wine tasting with Clay Mauritson of Mauritson Wines on Thursday, March 14 from 5:30 p m – 7:30 p m at The Heights Center’s Rooftop Terrace, 15570 Hagie Drive, Fort Myers, 33908 Admission is $50 per person and includes a tasting and appetizers by Chef Gloria Jordan of Jordan’s Wine Bar and Cellar. Guests will explore a selection of Mauritson’s small-lot handcrafted wines and have the opportunity to purchase Gina Birch of Sunny 106 3 will host the event

Clay Mauritson is the sixth generation in a family of grape growers Born and raised in the Dry Creek Valley, he was destined for the wine business In 1998, Mauritson produced his first bottling of Dry Creek Zinfandel under the Mauritson label and, in

2002, he began devoting his efforts fulltime to the Mauritson Family Winery project His winemaking philosophy is simple: You need exceptional fruit to make exceptional wine This is where the advantage of having a family heritage of grape growers becomes obvious:

About 300 acres of Sonoma County family vineyards and strong relationships built over the years with other growers have given Mauritson access to some of the best fruit that Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley and Rockpile have to offer Devoted to making exceptional wines, Mauritson is on his way to becoming one of California's foremost young winemakers

Seating is limited To reserve a spot, visit www heightsfoundation org/winetastingor

contact Meghan Madden at -239-482-7706 or email meghan@ heightsfoundation org

About the Heights Foundation and the Heights Center

The Heights Foundation works to build strong, self-sufficient families in the Harlem Heights neighborhood Our mission is to support education and wellness, promote family and community development, and provide the benefits of enrichment and the arts The Heights Center, supported by The Heights Foundation, is a place for Education, Opportunity, and Enrichment Heights Early Learning serves more than 85 babies through 4 years old The Heights Center serves 163 children in AfterSchool and 153 children in SummerCamp The

Harlem Heights Community Charter School serves 200 children from kindergarten through fifth grade

Harlem Heights was originally settled as a rural agricultural community

Approximately 780 children live in a mixture of single-family homes and multi-family apartments Demographically, the population is approximately 70% Hispanic, 20% African-American, and 8% Caucasian The poverty rate for children in Harlem Heights is more than twice the county average, with family income 40% below the county average As a result, families cannot easily access family support services in downtown Fort Myers and benefit greatly from programs within the neighborhood

PHOTO BY GRACE WALLER

at Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve

WHAT’S HAPPENING

21st Annual Sam Galloway, Jr. & Friends

Soup Kitchen Benefit to be held March 7

Join us at the Sam Galloway Ford dealership on Thursday, March 7, for the 21st Annual Sam Galloway, Jr & Friends Soup Kitchen Benefit

The annual Sam Galloway, Jr. & Friends Soup Kitchen Benefit is an integral part of our annual fundraising Our outreach programs including Sam’s Community Café, Mobile Food Pantries, Growing Healthy Kids & Families, Meals on Wheels, and Social Services & Education Resources are vital to tens of thousands of people We are a key support organization to a community and fundraising dollars are what keep our doors open!

Our mission of alleviating hunger and homelessness is more important now than ever and as we enter 2024 the need will not go away For 40 years the Southwest Florida community has kept our doors open with its generous and unwavering support and we are committed to serving and supporting our community as long as there is a need

We are excited to gather again for this signature event to raise money to continue fighting hunger and homelessness in Southwest Florida!

Questions? Call 239-332-7687 ext 101 or email Jade@CommunityCooperative com

19th Semi-Annual Spring Home & Garden Show to be held March 8

& 9

On March 8 and 9, the 19th Semi-Annual Spring Home & Garden Show will be held at the New Hope Event Center off Davis Boulevard in Naples.

“Attendees will find a great opportunity to meet with contractors, remodelers and home specialists to help residents with all their home décor, supply and remodeling needs,” said Bill Anderson, president of Expo Management that produces the Home & Garden Shows “During this Naples show, attendees will find experts to address all their home improvement needs under one roof over two days ”

Now in its 19th year, the semi-annual Spring Home & Garden Show features more than 60 local and regional companies that display and present products and services to homeowners. The event takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p m on Friday and Saturday

Attendees can experience the newest in-home improvement products and services inside and out from furnishings, accessories, decorating and remodeling ideas to landscaping and more Hourly drawings and door prizes will also be given away

Expo Management Inc was established in Fort Myers in 1987 The company has successfully produced 624 events over the past 36 years In 2024, they will operate 24 events in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee

For more information about the Home & Garden Show, contact David Pardi, General Manager of Expo Management at 239-205-6139, email fldave@expomanagementinc com or visit expomanagementinc com

Charity run retur ns to Cape Coral March 16

An annual charity race and fun run to benefit colorectal cancer patients in Southwest Florida is returning to Cape Coral

Partners in Care will host its 13th annual Scope for Hope 10K Run, 5K Run, 2-Mile Walk and Kid’s Fun Run at 8 a.m. on Saturday, March 16, at Jaycee Park, located at 4215 S E 20th Place

All money raised will benefit the locally based, nonprofit foundation and will be used for colorectal cancer education, screening and treatment in Southwest Florida Colorectal cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in the country

Registration is open now Entry fee is $30 for adults and $20 for youth 17 years of age and under Children under 5 years of age are free Late registration within 10 days or less of the event will cost an additional $5, and participants must register in advance

All participants will receive a lanyard as a participation award, and the first three male and female finishers in the 10K and 5K timed runs in each age category will receive a lanyard pin All Kids’ Fun Run participants will receive a ribbon Strollers and pets are allowed only in the 2-mile

walk

Partners in Care offers payment for a variety of expenses that aren’t covered by medical insurance, including gas or transportation services, respite care at home or in a healthcare setting, medical supplies or equipment, childcare, lodging or food during treatment, and more, as well as cancer screenings

The foundation has expanded from its Florida origins to 18 states, with more than 8,000 patients supported through its programs over the past 16 years and more than $1 million in financial assistance provided

Each spring since 2012, the foundation also hosts a charitable 5K run and 2-mile walk to benefit local head and neck cancer patients in California, Colorado, Florida, North and South Carolina, Washington state, West Virginia and (new this year) Texas, in partnership with other local nonprofits Free head and neck cancer screenings are offered at many of those events

For more information about the Cape Coral race, to sponsor or to register, visit Partners in Care

4th Annual Airing of the Quilts

Spring Fair to be held March 16

Join Saint Hilary’s Episcopal Church, Saturday, March 16, for the 4th Annual “Airing of the Quilts Spring Fair,” one of Lee County’s largest outdoor charitable quilt shows! Dozens of quilts will be hung between the oak trees in in the front yard of the church.

To view the quilts in advance please visit www loveinablanket com

Located at the corner of McGregor & Colonial Boulevards, Saint Hilary’s is pleased to offer this free family event with the proceeds going towards the Local Outreach Ministry in their own community Along with the quilts, there will be Craft Vendors, Farmer’s Market Vendors, Concessions, A Ministry Fair, a Spring Hymn Sing and Church Open House

Free Onsite Parking

Nice Guys Production and Seminole

Casino to present Fakefest April 20

Get ready to rock and roll as Nice Guys Production and Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee present Fakefest, an electrifying outdoor tribute concert event featuring some of the best tribute bands in the nation, on Saturday, April 20, from 2 to 10:30 p m Fakefest also will feature food trucks and craft vendors Admission and parking are free

Prepare for an unforgettable musical journey with a lineup that includes top-tier tribute bands, each paying homage to iconic rock legends:

∫ Kid Kentucky and the American Badass Band (Tribute to Kid Rock): Kid Kentucky and the American Badass Band embody the spirit and energy of Kid Rock's iconic performances With a charismatic frontman and a powerhouse ensemble, they deliver a high-octane show that captures the essence of Kid Rock's rebellious rock and roll style

∫ Hardwired (Tribute to Metallica): Hardwired is a tribute band dedicated to the legendary metal pioneers, Metallica With precision and passion, they recreate the thunderous sound and electrifying stage presence that Metallica is known for Brace yourself for a headbanging experience that will transport you back to the golden era of metal.

∫ Lovesong (The Cure Tribute): Lovesong takes you on a nostalgic journey through the haunting and melodic sounds of The Cure With meticulous attention to detail, they recreate the post-punk and new wave vibes that define The Cure's unique musical landscape, ensuring an immersive experience for fans old and new

∫ Razors Edge (AC/DC Tribute): For those about to rock, Razors Edge delivers an authentic AC/DC experience that will leave you thunderstruck With electrifying performances and the iconic riffs that define AC/DC's signature sound, Razors Edge pays tribute to one of the greatest rock bands in history.

∫ The Linkin Park Tribute (Tribute to Linkin Park): The Linkin Park Tribute honors the genre-blending legacy of Linkin Park, seamlessly blending rock, hip-hop and electronic elements Prepare for an emotional and powerful performance that pays tribute to the late Chester

Mound House Calendar

Stories Beneath Our Feet Exhibit Reopens

The Mound House announced that the "Stories Beneath Our Feet" exhibit has partially reopened After being completely submerged in saltwater by Hurricane Ian in September of last year, the town has completed the necessary repairs to the exhibit to reopen the area to visitors While there is still work to do to enhance the visitor experience with new museum components, the exhibit will be open at the same hours as the rest of the Mound House museum, Wednesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Included with price of admission

Eco-Kayak Tours

Wednesdays and Saturdays 9 a m to 11 a m

Explore the winding mangrove creeks and go places only a kayak can go on this guided eco-tour of Estero Bay This beginner friendly tour allows you to experience and learn more about the natural beauty of a mangrove estuary and the history of the area Mound House kayak tours are conducted in accordance with Florida Society for Ethical Ecotourism guidelines All paddling and kayak safety equipment is provided Ages 12 and up Weather permitting Maximum of 12 paddlers per tour Shoes required; water strongly recommended Mound House members save at $20 per person, regular price $50 per pers o n M u s e u m a d m i s s i o n i n c l u d e d R e g i s t e r a t MoundHouse.org.

Shell Mound Tours

Wednesday – Saturday, 10 a m to 2 p m

Discover the archaeology and history of the site and learn what clues were uncovered about this 1,600-year-old shell mound. This hands-on tour will explore the environmental and cultural history of the s i t e a n d f e a t u r e r e p l i c a a r t i f a c t d e m o n s t r a t i o n s Mound House members save with free tours, and regular price is Museum Admission + $5 No reservation required.

Caloosa Car vers Retur n

The Caloosa Carvers, a group of local woodcarvers who have made accurate replicas of Calusa wooden artifacts for use in Mound House exhibits and programs, have returned to carving these replicas on the grounds of Mound House This is a free program, and no reservations are required Simply stop by, chat, and learn more about wood carving between 9:00 a m and 11:30 a m on the first and third Saturday of each month now through April

The Mound House is located at 451 Connecticut St on Fort Myers Beach

Bennington and the groundbreaking sound of Linkin Park

∫ Still Alive (Pearl Jam Tribute): Still Alive captures the essence of Pearl Jam's raw and emotional performances With a dedication to authenticity, they bring to life the timeless grunge sound that defined an era Get ready to be transported back to the '90s with Still Alive's homage to one of Seattle's most iconic bands

Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee is at 506 South 1st St , Immokalee

Al-Anon, Al-Ateen meetings

Are you concerned with a friend or family member's drinking? Let us help

Call our 24-hour helpline at 941-564-5098 or visit www SouthFloridaAl-Anon org Meetings are held every day in Lee County

Al-Ateen meetings are also offered for ages 10-18

New app a great way to enjoy your 4-legged friend

n i t y t o e n j o y some time off leash.

We will be using it also for some meet and greed during an adoption

Franklin the little Boston

If you are a Boston lover he is the guy for you. He is red and white and was born last May. He loves people, other dogs and even cats! Very polite and sophisticated. Great addition to your family.

In need of wet and dr y food

h o o c o m W e a r e i n n e e d o f k i t t e n w e t a n d d r y f o o d a s w e h a v e a l o t o f k i t t e n s a n d t h e y e a t a l o t A n y d o n a t i o n s c a n b e d r o p p e d o f f a t t h e r e s c u e o n E s t e r o B o u l e v a r d o r a t P e t S u p e r m a r k e t a t C o l l e g e a n d 4 1 i n d o n a t i o n b i n i n t h e f r o n t o f s t o r e W e a l s o n e e d v o l u n t e e r s t o h e l p a t t h e r e sc u e E v e n a n h o u r o r t w o a w e e k w o u l d b e h e l pf u l P l e a s e c a l l 2 3 9 - 8 5 1 - 3 4 8 5 i f y o u c a n v o lu n t e e r B e o n t h e l o o k o u t f o r p r o p e r t i e s b e i n g b o a r de d u p C a t s a r e b e i n g l o c k e d u p b e h i n d t h e s e b o a r d e d u p p l a c e s w h e t h e r i t b e h o m e s o r r e s o r t s S p a c e s h o u l d b e l e f t a t t h e b o t t o m o f a t l e a s t 4 o r 5 i n c h e s s o a n i m a l s , e s p e c i a l l y c a t s , c a n g e t o u t T h e r e a r e s t i l l m a n y d o m e s t i c c a t s o u t t h e r e l o s t f r o m h o m e s t h a t w e r e d e s t r o y e d a n d o w n e r s h a d l e f t t h e i s l a n d T h e y w e r e u s e d t o l i v i n g i n s i d e s o n a t u r a l l y t h e y w i l l l o o k f o r s h e l t e r

Playful, sweet Hailey

Hailey was found as a stray and was brought to the shelter. She is friendly with people and other dogs but no cats. She is only 11 months and 37 pounds. Stunning!

SPORTS & RECREATION

Community Foundation, Town of Fort Myers Beach to hold pickleball tourney March 16 at Bay Oaks

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

The Fort Myers Beach Community Foundation was looking for an activity to bring the community together and found the growing popularity of pickleball a suitable choice inside the refurbished Bay Oaks Recreational Campus

A tournament will be held Saturday, March 16, in two separate divisions one for beginners and another for advanced players The first tournament will run from 9 a m to 11 a m while a second tourney in the afternoon will run from 12:30 p m to 2:30 p m

The cost to enter is $40

“The foundation was looking forward to some ideas to bring community back to the community,” said Joy Sullivan, of the Fort Myers Beach Community Foundation “We were looking for something to get the name out there for Bay Oaks and the Community Foundation ”

The games will be played “queen of the court” style, with teams switching teammates each game There will be two players on each team with a maximum of 32 players and eight games played altogether, Sullivan said

The games will last 15 minutes each or until the first team reaches 11 points (whichever comes first), according to the rules posted on the registration site There will be a five-minute break between games

Sullivan, who sits on the Bay Oaks Recreational Campus Advisory Board, said the tournament is being called the “Dinky Pickleball Tournament” after a pickleball move called a “dink ” A dink is a soft shot hit on a bounce over the bet intended to land just over the net in order to create an awkward return volley from the opponent

Prizes will be awarded to the top three finishers with trophies and gift cards to Rude Shrimp Each entrant will receive a free sweat towel

A food truck will be on site for the day, with sandwich-

To enter the

tournament, visit

Lee County Parks & Recreation summer camp registration open

T r a d i t i o n a l c a m p s a r e f o r c h i l d r e n w h o h a v e c o m p l e t e d k i n d e r g a r t e n t h r o u g h f i f t h g r a d e M i d d l e s c h o o l c a m p s a r e f o r s i x t h t h r o u g h e i g h t h g r a d e s S p e c i a l t y a n d s p e c i a l n e e d s c a m p s a g e s v a r y ; c h e c k l o c a t i o n s f o r s p e c i f i c a g e s S u m m e r c a m p r u n s f o r e i g h t w e e k s f r o m J u n e 1 0 t h r o u g h A u g . 2 . T h e c o s t f o r t r a d i t i o n a l a n d m i d d l e s c h o o l c a m p s a r e $ 7 5 p e r w e e k p e r c h i l d S p e c i a l t y c a m p s v a r y ; c h e c k l o c a t i o n f o r p r i c e F o r l o c a t i o n s v i s i t w w w l e e p a r k s o r g P a r e n t s a r e e n c o u r a g e d t o s i g n u p e a r l y C a m p r e g i s t r a t i o n i s o n g o i n g a s l o n g a s s p a c e i s a v a i l a b l e P a r e n t s w i l l b e a b l e t o r e g i s t e r f o r s u m m e r c a m p a t W a - K e H a t c h e e R e c r e a t i o n C e n t e r t h i s y e a r T h e c e nt e r w a s c l o s e d l a s t s u m m e r a n d i s c u rr e n t l y c l o s e d f o r b u i l d i n g r e n o v a t i o n s f r o m H u r r i c a n e I a n d a m a g e s I t i s s e t t o r e o p e n b e f o r e s u m m e r c a m p b e g i n s H e l p f u l t i p s f r o m t h e r e g i s t r a t i o n d e s k :

∫ T o r e g i s t e r f o r c a m p a t o n e o f t h e i t i e s a n d o t h e r s p ec i a l e v e n t s , p l e a s e v i s i t w w w l e e p a r k s o r g , c a l l 2 3 9 - 5 3 37 2 7 5 o r e m a i l l e e p a r k s @ l e e g o v c o m

T o c e l e b r a t e s p r i n g t r a i n i n g a n d

Thomas Edison's love of baseball, Edison and Ford Winter Estates is holding a special event to showcase a new exhibit that highlights some baseball legends who once played at Terry Park The event will take place Friday, March 1, from 5:307:30

Cornelius McGillicuddy, aka “Connie Mack,” was the manager and owner of the Philadelphia Athletics He provided the specifications to build Terry Park, which

o p e n e d f o r s p r i n g t r a i n i n g i n 1 9 2 5

The Mack and Nolen families graciously loaned the Estates key artifacts to create a new baseball exhibit entitled “Fanatics: Edison, Mack, and Baseball in Fort Myers ” On March 1, the public is invited to come to the event and meet Connie Mack, III, see the new exhibit, listen to baseball presentations, and tour the museum and botanic research laboratory There will also be kids' activities and food and beverages will be available for purchase

Admission to the event is $10; however, Edison Ford members and children 12 and younger will be admitted free The riverside of the property will not be open during the event For more information about the Estates, visit EdisonFord org

About Edison and Ford Winter Estates Edison and Ford Winter Estates is the internationally known winter home site of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford More than 220,000 visitors walk through the location each year from all around the g l o b e T h e o r g a n i z a t i o n h a s r e c e i v e d m a n y a w a r d s , i n c l u d i n g t h e N a t i o n a l Stewardship Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the N a t i o n a l G a r d e n C l u b s ’ H i s t o r i c Preservation Award The property is an o f f i c i a l p r o j e c t o

f “

S a v e A m e r i c a ’ s Treasures," a Florida Historic Landmark and a National Register Historic Site The Edison Botanic Laboratory is a National Historic Chemical Landmark The site is open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas from 9 a m to 5:30 p m and u n t i l 9 p m d u r i n g t h e m o n t h o f December for Holiday Nights

Motorists alerted about double home games during Spring Training

Spring Training is back, and Lee County’s Traffic Operations Center reminds motorists to be prepared for increased traffic near the stadiums at game time, especially when the Minnesota Twins and the Boston Red Sox take to their respective fields at the same time on the same day

This year, DOT advises motorists to avoid the Daniels Parkway corridor on the afternoon of three specific dates this season

∫ Sunday, March 3, is the first double home game of the 2024 spring training season The Sox will host Toronto Blue Jays at JetBlue Park and the Twins will host Tampa Bay Rays at Hammond Stadium

∫ Saturday, March 16, is the second double home game for 2024 The Sox will host its Spring Breakout

Prospect match with Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox prospects at JetBlue Park and the Twins will host the Tampa Bay Rays at Hammond Stadium

∫ Sunday, March 24, is the third double home game for 2024 The Sox will host Atlanta Braves at Jet Blue Park, and the Twins will host Baltimore Orioles at Hammond Stadium.

The three games start at 1:05 p m The peak traffic congestion is anticipated to between the hours of 11:30 a m and 1 p m , and then again between 3:45 and 4:30 p m

The DOT operations center has special programming for traffic-signal timing to help keep vehicles moving. The county’s traffic specialists also coordinate with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the

Boys & Girls Clubs to host ‘Evening at the Ballpark’ March 14 at JetBlue Park

Red Sox hall of famers and current players highlight fundraising event

B o y s & G i r l s C l u b s o f L e e C o u n t y ’ s a n n u a l E v e n i n g a t t h e Ballpark event will be held March 14 at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers and include a Baseball Legends Panel with some of the game’s greatest athletes

The event starts with appetizers, drinks, activities and games on the concourse, along with autographs from current players on the Boston Red Sox roster and photos with World Series trophies Then, guests m o v e o n t o t h e w a r n i n g t r a c k a t JetBlue Park, where they can bid on dozens of auction items, including s i g n e d b a s e b a l l m e m o r a b i l i a Following dinner on the outfield grass, the Baseball Legends Panel will feature an engaging dialogue with Major League Baseball greats who will offer insight into baseball a generation ago and unfiltered perspectives on today’s game

In 2023, Evening at the Ballpark attracted nearly 150 supporters and featured a pair of legendary pitchers i n M i n n e s o t a T w i n s g r e a t B e r t Blyleven and Red Sox star Luis Tiant, along with autographs from

three active Red Sox players: Kutter Crawford, Adam Duvall and Rob

Refsnyder

“Last year, we sat under the Green Monster and listened to Bert and Luis telling captivating stories about t h e i r p l a y i n g d a y s , ” s a i d D e n i s e

Gergley, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs o f L e e C o u n t y “ E v e n i n g a t t h e

Ballpark is a literal field day for baseball fans in Southwest Florida You don’t get many opportunities to enjoy dinner on the outfield grass and ask questions directly to players you idolized growing up ”

Proceeds from Evening at the Ballpark support Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County’s impactful Afters c h o o l P r o g r a m a n d S u m m e r Enrichment Program, which focus on five core areas: education and career, service and leadership, health and wellness, the arts, and sports and recreation Boys & Girls Clubs operates eight community, neighborhood and school programs in Lee County

Evening at the Ballpark will be held from 5:30 to 9:30 p m on Thursday, March 14 at JetBlue Park, 11500 Fenway South Drive in Fort

Myers Event tickets are $200 each, or $1,500 for a table with 10 seats, and include appetizers, drinks, games, dinner, raffle items, a silent auction, autographs and the Baseball Legends Panel Event sponsorships are still available. For more information or to r e g i s t e r , p l e a s e v i s i t b g c l e e o r g / e v e n t s / j o i n - u s - f o r - a nevening-at-the-ballpark

About Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County E s t a b l i s h e d i n 1 9 7 4 , B o y s & Girls Clubs of Lee County serve children and teens through school-based, neighborhood and community club locations The nonprofit’s mission is to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens Afterschool and summer programs focus on five core areas: education and career, service and leadership, health and wellness, the arts, and sports and recreation For more information, please visit BGClee org or call 239334-1886

baseball teams

The Boston Red Sox train at JetBlue Park, 11500 Fenway South Drive, Fort Myers, and the Minnesota Twins train about six miles away at the Lee Health

S p o r t s C o m p l e x , 1 4 1 0 0 B e n C P r a t t / S i x M i l e Cypress Parkway, Fort Myers

For emergency or non-emergency questions about the traffic signal operation, contact the TOCK at LeeTrafficTOC@leegov com or call 239-533-5762

F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t t h e L e e C o u n t y D e p a r t m e n t o f T r a n s p o r t a t i o n , v i s i t www leegov com/dot

For more information about Spring Training in Lee County, visit www.leegov.com/parks/athletics/spring -training

Million Dollar Day for Scouting March 14

The general public is invited to enjoy breakfast, support scouting and hear keynote speaker Danny Kanell, a former FSU standout and NFL quarterback, at the Million Dollar Day for Scouting event Thursday, March 14

The Million Dollar Day for Scouting is about celebrating the positive effects the Scouting Movement is having in local communities Over 500 business and civic leaders are expected to attend this prestigious event where the positive impacts of scouting’s values-laden programs will be emphasized

Kanell is a college football analyst and is currently the host of "Dusty and Danny in the Morning" on Sirius XM and he is a member of the Florida State University Hall of Fame His athletic expertise spans both the collegiate and professional level in multiple sports. After playing quarterback at Florida State for four years, he was drafted into the NFL by the New York Giants in 1996 and played for the Atlanta Falcons and the Denver Broncos until 2004

The Million Dollar Day for Scouting events will be held simultaneously at several locations starting at 7:30 a m:

∫ Fort Myers -- Marian Hall at St Cecilia Catholic Church (5632 Sunset Drive)

∫ Bradenton -- Manatee Performing Arts Center

∫ Sarasota -- Marina Jacks

∫ Naples -- Royal Poinciana Golf Club

Each will have its own emcee and program. Kanell's presentation for the groups will be via Zoom:

To register to attend the event, please visit https://donations scouting org/#/ council/088/event/491/register?origin=Traditionalor

Women to tackle inshore saltwater fishing at ‘Ladies, Let’s Go Fishing’ Gulf Coast University

T h e p o p u l a r “ L a d i e s , L e t ’ s G o Fishing!” University returns to the Gulf Coast March 23-24, 2024 for their saltwater inshore fishing seminar weekend at Bass Pro Shops Fort Myers Hosted by the n o n p r o f i t L a d i e s L e t ' s G o F i s h i n g Foundation, the event offers classroom i n s t r u c t i o n , h a n d s - o n f i s h i n g activities, conservation, networking and optional guided boat fishing No equipment or experience is required

Perfect for women, men and teens who want to learn local fishing, this “NoYelling School of Fishing” offers an immersive fishing educational experience on Saturday from 9:30 am to 4 pm The s e s s i o n s b e g i n w i t h p r e s e n t a t i o n s b y

C a p t a i n B a r r y N i c h o l l s “ C u d a ” o n inshore/backcountry fishing, equipment usage and conservation In the afternoon are hands-on fishing skill practice for releasing, dehooking/conservation, knot tying, lure usage, fly, spin and net casting, fish fighting techniques and more conducted by local guides

On Sunday, participants can opt to fish from flats charters

Bass Pro Shops is located at Gulf Coast Town Center, 10040 Gulf Center Dr , Fort Myers, FL 33913.

Registration of $89 Early Entry, $99 Regular and $55 each for mothers bringing teens includes instruction, use of equipment, hands-on training, fundraisers

and gifts worth $20. No equipment or experience is necessary Class size is limited Sunday inshore fishing is additional R e g i s t r a

www ladiesletsgofishing com

Upcoming 2024 LLGF events, with optional or included fishing are:

∫ March 2, 2024 Freshwater Bass Seminar South Florida Dania Beach, FL

∫ March 23-24 South Gulf Coast Saltwater Weekend Inshore Seminar Fort Myers, FL

∫

Lauderdale, FL

∫ May 17-19, 2024 Keys Fishing Learning on the Water Islamorada, FL

∫ Sept. 20-21, 2024 Guy Harvey Outpost Bass Seminar & Tournament Camp Mack, Lake Wales, FL

∫ Oct 18-20 2024 Keys Saltwater W e e k

Islamorada, FL

∫ Nov 23-24, 2024 St Augustine S

Resort Additional: Several Virtual Meetings and more events in the works Bimini Bahamas, Costa Rica and Azores

facebook com/ladiesletsgofishing

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