Cape Coral Weekend Breeze

Cape Council retains morning meeting time

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

Cape Coral City Council will continue to hold its voting meetings in the late afternoon

A bid to change regular meetings from 4:30 p m to 9 a m failed Wednesday after Council deadlocked 4-4 on the proposal

“I want to point out we have a list of all the municipalities and counties that have a 9 o’clock meeting The majority of our

Coral

“I take in the input and weigh out the variables. A lot of people contacted me and said let’s keep it at 4:30 ”

Councilmember Dan Sheppard, adding that no one contacted him in support of the time change to mornings

More than 60 teachers and students honored at awards ceremony

By CJ HADDAD

cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

It was a night of kudos and recognition in the realm of education Monday night at the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre as more than 60 teachers and students were highlighted for their exemplary accomplishments in and out of the classroom

The 32nd annual Excellence in Education Awards, held by the Cape Coral Chamber of Commerce’s Education Committee and sponsored by the Breeze Newspapers, highlighted the importance of committed educators, and assisted the scholastic endevors of high school seniors’ continuing education

Students and teachers from the elementary, middle, high school and college level were honored, representing the West Zone of the School District of Lee County, which includes Cape Coral and North Fort Myers.

“For the last 32 years, the Chamber of Commerce of Cape Coral has taken great pride recognizing our outstanding educators and students,” said Chamber President/CEO Donna Germain “We also take this opportunity to provide scholarships for our local graduates as they embark on the next step in their educational journey ”

This year’s keynote speaker was intensive See EXCELLENCE in EDUCATION, page 42

tee of the whole, meetings at 9 a m Council members Dan Sheppard, Bill Steinke, Richard Carr, and Tom Hayden voted against the time change for voting meetings

Sheppard said he waivered, as he understands moving the time to 9 a m would be better for business.

Resident input swayed his vote, he said

“I take in the input and weigh out the

Temporary

By CJ HADDAD

cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

Lee County Domestic Animal Services will hold a first-ever event in hopes to better serve animals in its care, while calling for members in the community to be a harbor until they find their forever home

Foster Fest takes place May 11, from 10 a m to 2 p m , at 5600 Banner Drive, where attendees will be able to interact with area rescues to see what fostering opportunities are available

Officials say this is a great way to help LCDAS and its rescue partners, as every foster means an opportunity to assist a homeless pet in need

“One thing we are frequently asked is ‘How can I help?’ by people who are not in the position to adopt or volunteer,” said Karen Frick of Lee County Domestic Animal Services “Fostering is a great way for them to be involved without the permanent commitment of adoption We have invited some of our rescues because they are in need as well The foster-based rescues can only help our shelter if they have the fosters to help them Any way we can help our rescue partners is a win-win for the community ”

The Gulf Coast Humane Society, Cape Coral Animal Shelter, Big Hearts for Big Dogs Rescue, R A I N Rescue, SWFL

G

Humane Society of Naples will be in attendance and visitors will be able to sign up to

Notices for upcoming elections in the mail

B y C J H A D D A D

c j h a d d a d @ b r e e z e n e w s p a p e r s c o m

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

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e n t l y r e c e i v i n g m a i l a n d i s n o t i n a c l o s e d , v a c a n t , o r

t e m p o r a r i l y a w a y s t a t u s “ T h e 2 0 2 4 O f f i c i a l E l e c t i o n N o t i c e i s a n a l l - e n c o m -

p a s s i n g g u i d e t h a t p r o v i d e s i n f o r m a t i o n o n r e g i s t e r i n g

t o v o t e , r e q u e s t i n g a V o t e - b y - M a i l B a l l o t , a n d E a r l y

V o t i n g d a t e s , t i m e s , a n d l o c a t i o n s f o r t h e A u g t 2 0

P r i m a r y a n d N o v 5 G e n e r a l E l e c t i o n s , ” D o y l e s a i d

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“The 2024 Official Election Notice is an all-encompassing guide that provides information on registering to vote, requesting a Vote-by-Mail Ballot, and Early Voting dates, times, and locations for the Aug. 20 Primary and Nov. 5 General Elections ”

Tommy Doyle, Supervisor of Elections

t e n a n c e t o e n s u r e t h e y a r e i n o p t i m a l w o r k i n g c o n d i -

i o n C a p e C o r

i n g a n d t r a i n i n g p o l l w o r k e r s

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f o r t h e u p c o m i n g e l e c t i o n s

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∫ U n i t e d S t a t e s P r e s i d e n t

∫ U n i t e d S t a t e s S e n a t o r

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1 9 )

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∫ F l o r i d a S t a t e S e n a t o r s ( D i s t r i c t s 2 7 a n d 3 3 )

∫ C l e r k o f C i r c u i t C o u r t a n d C o m p t r o l l e r

∫ P r o p e r t y A p p r a i s e r

∫ S u p e r i n t e n d e n t o f S c h o o l s ∫ S h e r i f f

∫ S u p e r v i s o r o f E l e c t i o n s ∫ T a x C o l l e c t o r

C o u n t y C o m m i s s i o n e r s ( D i s t r i c t s 1 , 3 , a n d 5 ) ∫ S c h o o l B o a r d M e m b e r s ( D i s t r i c t s 2 , 3 , a n d 7 )

M a y o r o f B o n i t a S p r i n g s ∫ C a p e C o r a l C i t y C o u

OPINIONS

CAPE CORAL BREE ZE

RAYMOND M. ECKENRODE Publisher

VALARIE HARRING, Executive Editor

CHRIS STRINE, Editor

2510 Del Prado Blvd • Cape Coral, FL, 33904

• Phone 239-574-1110 – Fax 239-574-5693

Member Florida Press Association

Cape Coral roulette

The city of Cape Coral loaded a round in the chamber and gave the cylinder a spin last week, imposing a moratorium on car washes and self-storage facilities despite warnings from the business community that the bans might be, well, illegal

Citing state statutes, including legislation which states that “a county or municipality located entirely or partially within 100 miles of where either Hurricane Ian or Hurricane Nicole made landfall shall not propose or adopt any moratorium on construction, reconstruction, or redevelopment of any property damaged by Hurricane Ian or Hurricane Nicole,” Chamber of Commerce of Cape Coral President/CEO Donna Germain, former mayor and local attorney Eric Feichthaler, and former mayor and governmental issues consultant Joe Mazurkiewicz each urged the elected board not to play legal roulette by approving a pair of ordinances to temporarily halt construction of new facilities to give city staff “breathing space for consideration and adoption of new regulations ”

Also speaking against were property owners, developers and real estate professionals who spoke to the city’s own economic development efforts, free-market philosophy, and the monetary impacts of a pause on projects permittable under current zoning and land use regulations

According to the ordinances, the city will not accept or consider “applications for the issuance of development permits, building permits, site plan approvals, and other official action during the time period that the moratorium is in effect ”

The moratoriums will expire on Jan 17, 2025, “the reasonable period of time needed for staff to study, and determine what remedial legislation and new or amended Land Development Codes are essential” to mitigate what the city says is a proliferation of these types of facilities

An exception allows for the “construction, repair, or rebuilding of self-storage facilities in existence prior to April 17, 2024, for which approved development permits, building permits, site plan approvals, and any other official action by the city have been obtained ”

We are neither legal experts nor litigators and will not weigh in on whether the ordinances will pass muster if an invested property owner or developer opts to file suit.

We do, however, think that a challenge or challenges are likely

In fact, one is currently pending as Council fired its first salvo well ahead of its approval of the moratoriums last week

Hal Arkin, who has lived in Cape Coral for 56 years, and served as a commercial real estate broker for more than 40, was among those who spoke over the course of the two public hearings held before Council

He is a party to a filed suit related to a prior action by Council last July that has impacted property he has said was intended to “be a legacy when he bought it for his wife, kids, and grandkids ”

Sitting as a “quasi-judicial body” that is required to decide any land-use related case based solely only on the evidence and sworn testimony presented at the hearing, Cape Coral City Council rejected a request last August to vacate an “alley” through a commercially zoned block off Burnt Store Road for a planned development.

Vacation of the undeveloped strip bisecting a number of lots on the commercially owned block off Burnt Store Road was needed so as to allow full use of the parcel by unifying four sites separated by the platted, but never constructed, alleyway

All affected utilities signed off on the vacation City staff recommended approval

A hearing examiner recommended approval

No evidence was presented that the vacation request did not meet city requirements for approval

The Council motion for that action, though, failed with 3

See EDITORIAL, page 7

A wish for Florida Waters

I had a lifelong dream A life just to be on, in, and harvest our waters First a kid on the Chesapeake Bay, 27 years in the Florida Keys and in 2014, owning a small waterfront motel in Matlacha, giving boat tours to guests from around the world A place to live the rest of my life fulfilling passions in paradise My dream came true

Then came 2016, first time I learned of Harmful Cyanobacteria Algae The toxic bloom blanketed the Caloosahatchee River and Cape Coral canals I stood on my dock and thought, “If that bloom comes here, my business will be destroyed; I will have to leave ” 2017 saw a reprieve but not for long Summer of 2018 brought the worst Red Tide in history to Southwest Florida Dead sea life blanketed beaches for months Businesses shuttered doors Millions of dollars were lost daily. Laid off employees were forced into lines at food banks My two businesses’ revenue went to zero

Fortunately, I survived the downturn; many businesses did not Many folks were forced away; dreams of paradise lost Watching degradation accelerate, I began a deep dive on the 1000 cuts killing Florida Agricultural pollution flowing into Lake Okeechobee, phosphate mining, failing infrastructure, herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers, and ultimately failed legislative and regulatory stewardship cored in a framework of failure that does nothing until harmful impacts reach a point of no return favoring remediation over prevention I hoped for respite from now perpetual algae blooms No relief came. Lyngbya cyanobacteria blooms grew rapidly covering sea grass beds My backyard was packed with floating algae emitting hydrogen sulfide gases sending neighbors to hospitals Motel guests complained and left Decaying algae sinks to burn all oxygen from the waters overnight and we awoke to major fish kills FWC would bring dead manatees to the Matlacha boat ramp at the end of my canal for pickup

Explaining all this to tourists on my eco-tours became impossible

Being vocal, I was asked to run for office shortly thereafter I discovered the most expedient way to bring effective change “We the People” can create protective laws we want; the petition process to amend local city, county and state constitutions NO POLITICIAN REQUIRED! It has taken several years to help build the 2026 Florida’s Right to Clean Water state constitutional amendment campaign Collecting 900K signatures will end the biggest problem impacting Florida waters We will have the missing tool to hold state agencies accountable for actions allowing harm to our waters and legal standing to bring civil actions “upstream” ending major sources of pollution while shifting remediation from taxpayers’ backs onto the polluters Statewide Clean Water Advocacy organizations will benefit from this new law in achieving their mission statements Ask your favorite groups if they are supporting the amendment; if not, ask Why Not? and How can they Not? The power this law will bring to conservation should be included in every discussion for Florida waters and our “Blue Economy ”

I had a dream, and it’s now a life goal forever lost June 2021 was when I determined, “It’s time to leave ” Fortunate enough to have lived my dream, I now have a wish; I wish for all Floridians to join our 100% grassroots effort with volunteers and organizations supporting the campaign statewide You can be the change for Florida waters Five minutes to print, sign and mail your petition; a few more to share it with friends. For the price of a stamp, we can recapture our dreams of clean waters Please visit floridarighttocleanwater org today to make this new law a reality

Capt Karl R Deigert, is chairman of the Florida Right to Clean & Healthy Waters political action committee for 2026 He maybe be reached at karlrdeigert@gmail com

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Hear tbreaking day for Cape Coral

To the editor:

The Yacht Club Ballroom stood in defiance of all the storms that battered her, they were unable to take her down Our mayor and city council did My heart stopped when I saw the picture on the front page of today’s Breeze They should all be ashamed of themselves; they don’t love this city Bully, bully we get another bar!!

Debbie Zalesky Cape Coral

Cape Council ignores obvious option

To the editor:

Some food for thought

To the editor:

With all the concerns but the future of Jaycee Park, I have a few questions for the planners of the park’s usage:

Will I be allowed to grill my own food at some of the proposed grilling stations or areas?

Will I be able to serve my own drinks such as beer, wine, soda, etc ?

Sit at any open table?

I am sure that the planners addressed these questions, but will the food truck owners want control of what can or cannot be brought into the park? I would think the food truck owners would want total control of the food and drink issue?

I hope we can get answers to these questions Gary Bongers Cape Coral

Council meet ing t ime: Banker’s hours

To the editor:

Back in my old neighborhood, we used to call them “banker’s hours ” You remember: the hours when working stiffs couldn’t be there because they had to work instead

Well, your Cape Coral City Council now has these “banker’s hours” for its public meetings As a result, the most recent meeting of the Council looked like the waiting room of a funeral parlor, with virtually no public in attendance (COW, April 24)

These banker’s hours were instituted because council members did not want to have to look you in the eye when they do what they were gonna do anyway More specifically, they did not want a repeat of that pulsating sea of humanity objecting as the councilors doubled their pay with a “stipend ” (FWIW, they used their “Consent Calendar” to do it It is a clever legislative device: do nothing and the intended action takes place, like their pay raise I mean, Pontius Pilate himself would have loved having a Consent Calendar: do nothing and the Crucifixion takes place anyway He wouldn’t even have to wash his hands )

I think the City Council should go back to having its public meetings at times convenient to us, not them Larry Gillis Cape Coral

Water shor tage war ning issued by the city of Cape Coral

To the editor:

Cape Coral recently issued a water shortage warning for a northern section of the city, and urged citizens in this area to take steps to conserve water In addition, the city imposed a

See LETTERS, page 6

Capt Karl R Deigert Guest Commentary

Protecting your personal information

Every day, you do something to protect yourself.

You lock your door at night You look both ways before crossing the street or pulling out into traffic

But when you think of safety and security, do you think about ways to protect your personal or financial information? Keeping this kind of information safe is extremely important

Identity theft is a common problem and occurs when someone uses your personal or financial information without your permission. Thieves can gather this kind of information in many ways including through the trash, which is why it’s so important to properly dispose of documents that contain information like your home address, Social Security number, birthday, banking and credit card numbers, or anything else identifiable on it

Unfortunately, identity theft continues to

rise

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, at least 1 in 5 people have fallen victim to identity theft in their lifetime

As Lee County’s official record keeper, the Clerk’s Office goes to great lengths to ensure personal information is protected in your public records and we want to help you do everything you can to keep your confidential information at home safe

My office has hosted two free shredding events in the last six months to help community members keep their private information secure In total, we shredded more than 13,700 pounds of confidential docu-

Kevin

Karnes

Guest Commentary

From page 4

one day a week limitation on watering lawns Most of the homes in Cape Coral (CC) north depend upon well water utilizing the Mid-Hawthorn aquifer I live in the northwest section of the Cape, and I’m not surprised by this water shortage given the enormous growth of new home construction in the north, which also involves new well construction The City’s Utility Expansion Program is moving too slow, and north Cape residents may be deprived of drinking water long before any relief from the UEP reaches their area About a month ago, the news media reported that sections of north CC are sinking One theory regarding this phenomenon is that compaction; i e subsidence of the Mid-Hawthorne aquifer is occurring in certain areas because too much water is being pumped out of the aquifer by the wells in the north Cape This compaction can not be reversed regardless of how much rainfall occurs An area of compacted aquifer stays compacted, and the water capacity there may be reduced

A USGS study done in 2001 on aquifer salinity levels in SW Florida saw an increase in salinity intrusion in places within the Mid-Hawthorne aquifer If water capacity of an aquifer area is reduced, salinity concentrations, and those of other elements like magnesium could increase, possibly at levels that would preclude the use of that aquifer area as a drinking water source without treatment The study showed salinity levels in the Mid-Hawthorne aquifer vary throughout the Cape Lastly, all the new home construction in the north comes with new septic systems which pose an additional threat to our drinking water, so if the supply of water is not exhausted by over pumping, it may become contaminated by salt or sewage

On Feb 21, 2024 I attended a Cape Coral Council meeting and presented my concerns (I was limited to 3 minutes to do this), and I gave the Council members a handout outlining this issue The handout also contained some recommendations which were as follows:

∫ The CC Council should immediately impose a moratorium on the issuance of well drilling permits in the north Cape, especially in those areas where the UEP will not be available for several years While such a measure would curtail the rapid expansion of new home construction in the north, a side benefit would be the halting of new septic systems, which pose an additional threat to potable water, associated with such construction

∫ The CC Council should find and support the means to expedite UEP expansion in the north Cape with priority given to residential areas as opposed to business

∫ The CC Council should arrange for a hydrologic study to be done comparing the potential residential growth in the north Cape to the ability of the Mid-Hawthorne aquifer to accommodate such growth with adequate potable water. Such a study should factor in projected future rainfall levels based on historic records

∫ The CC Council should authorize a study, through water sampling of wells in the north Cape, to determine salin-

ments at those events, which we called The Big Shred. We plan on making The Big Shred a semi-annual event, with the next stop in Lehigh Acres this fall (We’ll announce more details on the next Big Shred as we get closer to the date To be the first to know about future events, sign up for our newsletter at w w w l e e c l e r k o r g / s u bscribe.)

If you weren’t able to make it to one of our previous events, there are other ways you can protect yourself

I highly recommend purchasing a small home shredder if you’re able and shred-

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

ity/magnesium levels in different locations along the north Cape’s Mid-Hawthorne aquifer

∫ The CC Council should examine the possibility, extent and source of other areas of aquifer compaction (subsidence) in the Cape

∫ For any future well drilling, the city of Cape Coral should impose a minimum drilling depth requirement to ensure that wells access feasible areas of the Mid-Hawthorne aquifer

The Council is pinning its hopes for a solution to the water shortage problem on the forthcoming wet season I fear this will not be enough to counteract the effect of all the new home construction in the north Cape I am a biologist and not a hydrologist, so I welcome rebuttal on what I have stated here, by experts on the subject

Bruce P. Smith Cape Coral

If I were president

To the editor:

If through some fluke (a very big FLUKE) I suddenly became President of the USA, what would I do. First I would change my name from Miller to WHO? Since that’s what I’d be called Next I would order that we close the southern border completely except for well-inspected vehicles and one gate that would be used to toss illegal border crossers back into Mexico As undocumented aliens in the rest of the country seek financial public support I would arrange for them to be returned to their original countries I would also order that the mass of recent Chinese immigrants be investigated as to who they are and why China sent them here If all they can claim is to be marijuana farmers or something equally destructive, they should be tossed out, too So much for my first day

On the second day I would open up oil and gas production and eliminate bans on their exports. Then, I eliminate half of the Department of Energy and the promotion of EV’s If people want to buy them, they should be free to do so without government subsidy or coercion Speaking of federal departments, I will eliminate the Department of Education entirely Education in this country has only worsened under their leadership

Every woke, DEI and climate change program, particularly as to carbon dioxide, throughout all the offices and departments of the government will be eliminated immediately If staff employed in these programs can’t be put to better use, they can be let go

Top echelons of all alphabet soup departments (FBI, CIA, DOD, EPA etc ) should be let go down to the point that they will be led by employees not focused on politics rather than their originally intended purpose

That should do it for my first week in office By then the Democrats will be screaming for impeachment You get the drift of what I would do in my second week We’ll see if the American people agree

Neil Miller Cape Coral

ding all documents that contain your personal information. Also, the Federal Trade Commission recommends reviewing your bank and credit card statements carefully and often Review your credit reports at least once a year Know your payment due dates and if a bill doesn’t show up when it’s supposed to call the company and inquire

In addition to protecting your personal information, I always recommend safeguarding your home or property with our free Property Fraud Alert service, which will notify you within 24 hours if someone tries to file a deed in your name. You can sign up at www leeclerk org/fraudalert

Please do everything you can to protect yourself and your family from identity theft and fraud

Kevin Karnes is Lee County’s Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller

Fight to the bottom

To the editor:

Everyone should be interested in what our government has done to help us

Unfortunately the current administration has sent shock waves into everyone’s lives with a 20 percent increase in basic foods Gas prices back up to where people can’t afford to drive their cars to work Forcing battery-operated vehicles on us that break down in the cold and batteries refusing to charge that have left motorists stranded inside their vehicles with no way to get out

Open borders that strain our cities’ ability to house and feed these people and cause overcrowded class rooms

To make up for high inflation higher wages are the answer Biden claims as we watch the new higher wage standards apply, while McDonald’s and others raise their food prices so much that these eateries are closing down

Everyone points to how well the stock market is performing by shrinking down every last package of food they produce along with even higher prices It’s not productivity that leads the way to higher wages, but plain greed by those pushing for higher corporate profits

This is surely not something any President can brag about It is destroying our country

Biden’s totally inept way of running our country is leading us all to a be poorer Only Jimmy Carter can be used as a model and pointed out as one of the worst presidents ever to hold office and no doubt history will look at Joe Biden as his close equal

Leo Amos Matlacha

This week’s poll question:

Florida’s six-week abortion ban is now in effect. Do you support this legislation?

Should Council establish a citizen’s committee to look at Council compensation?

Agree? Disagree? Weigh in! Letters, guest opinions, comments welcome

The views expressed on the Opinions pages are just that opinions. These pages are intended to convey a range of viewpoints; opinions printed on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of this newspaper Opposing views are welcome Letters to the editor or guest columns may be e-mailed to vharring@breezenewspapers com All letters and guest opinions must be signed and must include a phone number for verification purposes. Readers are also invited to comment on any letter or editorial opinion online at: capecoralbreeze com

Social Security Disability delays affect millions in need

I traveled to Washington, D C and Baltimore, Maryland to meet with the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration, Martin O’Malley, and his top deputies to discuss the impact the delays in Social Security Disability cases are having on clients and other area residents

Commissioner O’Malley said he is dedicated to resolving these issues and has committed the agency to doing all it can to reducing the backlog

The realty of the situation for applicants of Social Security Disability:

Once someone has submitted an application for disability benefits, the national average has increased to greater than seven months for an initial decision as reported in the Social Security Administration’s State Agency Monthly Workload Data

The national average wait for a reconsideration by the SSA, the first step in appealing a denied claim, is seven months If reconsideration is denied, It takes another 15 months on average to get to the next step, a hearing before a Social Security administrative law judge

This total span of time for most people far exceeds two years With less than 40% of initial applications being approved by SSA, mil-

lions of individuals who need assistance are being forced to wait for long periods of time in typically less than ideal living situations

An estimated 8,000 applicants file for bankruptcy and 10,000 die each year while awaiting a decision on their disability benefit application

David Camp (CEO NOSSCR) testified before Congress in late 2023:

Recommended administrative changes included:

Relying on treating physicians rather than third-party paid examiners

Guest Commentary

Eliminating reconsideration in the slowest states if not all The second step adds an average of 210 days to the process, and more than 300 days in two states Florida and South Carolina

The Division of Disability Determinations, as with all state agencies responsible for making disability decisions for SSA, is funded by the federal government Federal regulations in turn mandate minimum performance standards from these State agen-

cies for accuracy and timeliness The maximum processing time threshold for Social Security Disability Insurance claim processing is 49 5 days (20 CFR § 404 1642) As of December 2022, the Florida Division of Disability Determinations average processing time was 225 days, a nearly 200% increased from 77 days in 2019

When a state agency is unable to meet minimum performance standards for two or more consecutive calendar quarters SSA is mandated to provide performance support to the agency to ensure it is able to meet those standards (20 CFR § 404.1650 and 404 1661) If a State agency persistently fails to meet those standards SSA is directed to assume partial or complete control of the agency’s disability determination functions (20 CFR § 404 1670)

Eliminating requirements for a permanent physical address Many homeless and transient applicants are unable to meet this

requirement and are effectively denied access to the application process

Eliminating e-signature verification, streamlining the process and saving valuable time and resources

Local and national support is needed to resolve the issues:

The current state of the Social Security Disability application process is untenable, with individuals facing extensive delays that can exceed two years These delays not only hinder timely assistance but also exacerbate the financial and health crises of millions It is imperative that we rally support both locally and nationally to advocate for essential reforms in the SSA By eliminating bureaucratic inefficiencies and implementing recommended changes like relying on treating physicians and removing unnecessary procedural steps, we can improve the system's responsiveness and ensure that those in dire need receive the support they deserve promptly Let’s unite in pushing for these critical reforms to uphold the rights and dignity of every affected individual

Attorney Douglas Mohney of Avard Law Offices, an advocate for faster disability benefit decisions

Editorial: Win, lose, or settle taxpayers always bear the burden legal challenges and lawsuits

From page 4

ayes and 4 nays after a majority of the elected board Mayor John Gunter and council members Patty Cummings, Keith Long, Dan Sheppard voted against the resolution that would have allowed vacation

The project planned for the site?

A three-story self-storage facility One of the two types of development of which the city has since formally determined Cape Coral has too many

Car washes and self-storage facilities are using up “too much” of the city’s commercial land inventory, municipal officials contend

The lawsuit filed last August concludes “ the City’s decision was arbitrary and irrational, unsupported by either facts or the law ” The suit asks the court to “quash the City of Cape Coral’s decision, and award such other and further relief as the Court deems just and appropriate” as the petitioners “continue to suffer financial injury due to the City of Cape Coral’s decision Petitioners

cannot move forward with the purchase and sale agreement ”

The matter is still pending

We’re sure the city is not too stressed by either this litigation, the potential for more, or even the two suits filed against it for its legally specious meeting attendance ban

Since we’re talking commercial development, let us use the financial jargon

Legal actions filed against the government entities are always paid for with OPM financing, i e Other People’s Money

That’s taxpayer dollars to the rest of us And our pockets are never as deep as city officials seem to perceive

Factoring in the risk of a legal challenge and opting to go for it is seldom good business no matter how you foot the bill

Let’s hope Council doesn’t shoot itself in said appendage again as it plays the odds in its latest round of Cape Coral roulette Breeze editorial

Douglas Mohney

City continues efforts to prove FEMA compliance

B y M E G H A N B R A D B U RY

n e w s @ b r e e z e n e w s p a p e r s c o m

P r o g r e s s c o n t i n u e s t o b e m a d e b y t h e

c i t y o f C a p e C o r a l i n p r o v i d i n g F E M A

t h e d o c u m e n t a t i o n n e e d e d f o r c o d e

e n f o r c e m e n t c a s e s

C i t y M a n a g e r M i k e I l c z y s z y n s a i d

T u e s d a y s t a r t e d t h e s e r i e s o f c o d e

e n f o r c e m e n t c a s e s o n p r o p e r t i e s t h a t

F E M A a l l e g e d u n p e r m i t t e d w o r k “ W e h a v e h a d j u s t a b o u t e v e r y o u t -

c o m e p o s s i b l e i n t h o s e h e a r i n g s , ” h e s a i d

d u r i n g W e d n e s d a y ’ s C a p e C o r a l C i t y

C o u n c i l m e e t i n g

S o m e o f t h e c a s e s w e r e d i s m i s s e d a s

t h e r e w a s n o w o r k d o n e a t t h e h o u s e , a n d

s o n o v i o l a t i o n s o f p e r m i t r e q u i r e m e n t s ;

s o m e p u l l e d p e r m i t s b u t h a d n o t t u r n e d i n

a F E M A p a c k e t ; a n d s o m e h a d w o r k

w i t h o u t p e r m i t s a n d w i t h o u t F E M A

p a c k e t s b e f o r e a n d a f t e r H u r r i c a n e I a n

I l c z y s z y n s a i d c i t y s t a f f h a s s e e n a

m i x e d b a g o f t h e r e s u l t s o f t h e h e a r i n g s

a n d h a v e s e e n a b o u t e v e r y e x a m p l e p o s -

s i b l e H e s a i d t h e y h a v e t u r n e d i n t h e

2 0 6 p r o p e r t i e s n e e d e d d o c u m e n t a t i o n a n d s u b m i t t e d t w o b a t c h e s t o F E M A

O n e o f t h o s e b a t c h e s h a d n o s i g n i f i -

c a n t i n d i c a t i o n o f a n y p r o b l e m “ T h a t w a s p r o m i s i n g t o u s , ” I l c z y s z y n

s a i d

A n o t h e r m e e t i n g w i t h F E M A w a s s c h e d u l e d f o r T h u r s d a y t o t u r n i n a n o t h -

e r b a t c h

City Manager

Mike Ilczyszyn

“We are working towards having everything in under the original timeline to show our commitment ”

A l l t h e d o c u m e n t a t i o n w i l l b e t u r n e d i n b y t h e o r i g i n a l t i m e l i n e o f M a y 9 . “ W e a r e w o r k i n g t o w a r d s h a v i n g e v e r y t h i n g i n u n d e r t h e o r i g i n a l t i m e l i n e t o s h o w o u r c o m m i t m e n t , ” I l c z y s z y n s a i d . F E M A a n n o u n c e d i n M a r c h t h a t i t h a d

“ r e t r o g r a d e d ” t h e C o m m u n i t y R a t i n g

S y s

Friends of Wildlife await city execution of $900,000 grant

Money will be used for burrowing owl habitat

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

The city of Cape Coral is dotting its I’s and crossing its T’s as it considers how to best deal with a long-awaited preservation grant

A memorandum of agreement was pulled from the Cape Coral City Council agenda before its Wednesday meeting, as execution of the $900,000 grant for burrowing owl habitat protection is still being worked out

According to the city’s background documents, the grant funding will be limited to property acquisition costs, “including but not limited to, appraisals, surveys, title costs, and initial maintenance costs ”

The city, Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission and Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife will coordinate the maintenance, monitoring and reporting of each purchased site

Judy Mitchell spoke during citizen input stating that the Friends are terribly disappointed the item was pulled from the agenda

“We have worked really hard for the last three years to finalize this agreement and to provide safe habitat to the city bird, the borrowing owl,” she said

City Manager Michael Ilczyszyn said the item was removed from the agenda Tuesday because he did not receive a phone call from Florida Fish & Wildlife until then

“We were trying to get this done beforehand They literally called me yesterday,” he said Wednesday

Ilczyszyn said there is no risk at all to receiving the grant with this delay

“The money is still in the foundation, and we will still be awarded,” he said, adding that it’s the execution they have to work out

The process was discussed with FWC, Ilczyszyn said He said they have to supply accredited land trust that they will receive and approve, which would amend the agreement.

The FWC Burrowing Owl Habitat Protection Grant program was established by the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission and Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida, due to advocacy from the Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife This grant is the first of its kind for local governments, as well as accredited land conservation trusts to receive state funding for projects of burrowing owl habitat preservation projects

Cape Council adds appeal process to meeting ban policy

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

In the wake of a pair of lawsuits, Cape Coral City Council has tweaked its policy regarding meeting bans placed on speakers deemed disruptive

redress through an independent appeal

Language added to the council agenda rules of procedure provides that “any person removed from a meeting shall have the right to appeal the applicable period of being barred from future meetings ”

Councilmember Richard Carr said this affords the individual an appeal process outside the scope of City Council

The process includes filing an appeal in writing within 10 days of the removal The appeal filed at City Hall with the City Clerk’s Office then will be heard by a special magistrate who will schedule a hearing

The process includes filing an appeal in writing within 10 days of the removal. The appeal filed at City Hall with the City Clerk’s Office then will be heard by a special magistrate who will schedule a hearing within five days of filing date. A written decision on the appeal then would be provided within five days of the hearing. No fee will be charged for the filing of an appeal

within five days of filing date A written decision on the appeal then would be provided within five days of the hearing

No fee will be charged for the filing of an appeal

Prohibitions on returning to the meeting will remain in effect during the appeal and review process

rules, those who are “boisterous or disruptive in any manner to the conduct of a meeting” and so are asked to leave will be issued a trespass warning and barred from future meetings, with the length of the ban

dependent on whether the person was also arrested

Those removed but not arrested are barred from all meetings for 30 days from the date of removal for a first offense as determined by the mayor or other presiding member of Council

They will be barred for 60 days for a second offense

A third offense within a year of the first violation results in being barred for 90 days and requires the person ousted to petition Council “stating the reasons why they can attend Meetings without violating

these Rules.”

Council then decides whether that person will again be “allowed” to attend Council workshops and meetings

If arrested, the person is barred until a final disposition of the criminal charges related to the ouster After disposition by the court, the person is required to petition Council “stating the reason(s) why they

Meetings with City Council” with Council to then “decide whether the person is permitted to attend future Meetings of the City Council ”

Kempe, a resident who was escorted out of a City Council meeting in October and then not allowed to attend subsequent meetings, and Michael Thompson, chairman of the LeeGOP Executive Committee, who filed suit as a private citizen

Both suits contend the bans are

stitutional

Meeting time: Cape Coral Council deadlocks on proposal to move voting meetings to 9 a.m.

From page 1

variables A lot of people contacted me and said let’s keep it at 4:30,” he said, adding that no one contacted him in support of the time change to mornings

Citizens show up after work to take part in subjects about their neighborhood, or what they care about, Sheppard said

“I don’t want to make it difficult for them to be involved,” he said

Councilmember Keith Long, who voted for the change, said the irony is a lot of people are still working at 4:30 p m and would need a later start time

Once that motion failed, Cosden made another to have alternate start times once Council returns from its hiatus the first regular meeting start at 9 a m followed by the next one starting at 4:30 p m

“Let’s figure out a way to confuse a community a little bit more by having two different meetings,” Hayden said “We have to keep consistency with the start time.”

He said fluctuating would add a lot of confusion for the community and would make it harder to figure out when they should come and not come to the meeting

Those that voted against the alternative included Sheppard, Steinke, Carr, Hayden, and Mayor John Gunter

Wednesday to more align with the Lee County School District’s calendar

City Manager Michael Ilczyszyn said the request for the hiatus for the 2024-2025 calendar is more aligned to the Lee County School District’s calendar for summer, winter, and spring breaks, so city staff can enjoy some time with families when those breaks occur He said there was

no net loss in the quantity of meetings

“It’s net neutral, but provides for additional time,” he said. “It bumps up the front end and extends the back end. Start on June 7 and end on July 17 ”

The Wednesday, June 12, and July 10 meetings have been cancelled The calendar also includes two budget workshops, now to be held in the City Council Chambers, at 9 a m Thursday, June 6, and Friday, June 7

A modification was also made under Council Rules Council shall hold not less than two regular meetings per month to Council shall hold regular meetings consistent with frequency requirements set forth with the city charter City Attorney Aleksandr Boksner said this will harmonize the action taken

Man faces manslaughter charge in connection with brother’s death

An out-of-state traffic stop has led to the arrest of a Cape Coral man sought as a person of interest in the death of his brother

John William Tolbert, 58, was arreste d i n W

M

Pennsylvania, officials said

A

Department officials, Tolbert was pulled

Pennsylvania State Troopers and subsequently arrested on an outstanding CCPD warrant for manslaughter with a weapon

His brother, Francis G Tolbert, 71, died shortly after he was found bleeding from the back of his head in his northwest Cape Coral home on April 16 by Lee County EMS and police responding to a call that a person was in “cardiac arrest ”

First responders found Francis Tolbert

CCPD officials said at a press conference the day after the incident

CCPD Chief Sizemore said officers found a shell casing near Tolbert while collecting evidence, leading them to suspect that foul play, not a medical event, could be the cause of his injury

due to the circumstances suggesting foul

Wednesday stated “The medical examiner’s office completed an autopsy and preliminary reports revealed a bullet fragm e n t i n F

h n Tolbert, Francis’s brother, was named a Person of Interest in Francis’s death ”

John William Tolbert

National firm to operate Cape’s new sports complex

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

The city of Cape Coral has selected a national consulting firm to be the operating partner for its new premier racquet center, set to open this summer

U n d e r t h i s n e w p a r t n e r s h i p , S p o r t s

Facilities Companies (SFC) will spearhead management efforts, oversee marketing and booking, staff development and training, guest services, food and beverage offerings, and grounds maintenance at the Lake Kennedy Racquet Center.

“This facility is going to be a premier destination for pickleball and tennis not only here in Cape Coral, but across the state,” said Joe Petrella, city of Cape Coral Parks and Recreation director, in a prepared statement “We wanted to find a partner with experience operating parks and recreation assets, booking and running tournaments, and creating a great guest experience We found that and more with the team at SFC ”

The facility, slated to open in July, will house 32 pickleball courts suitable for large-scale events, as well as 12 tennis courts that can be used for competitive matches and leagues

Local pickleballers are anxiously awaiting the opening but have some questions pertaining what they will pay to play

“Most of the pickleball people I have talked with have stopped by the Lake Kennedy pickleball courts and are very excited for their grand opening,” said Mike Welter, an avid and heavily decorated pickleball player. “They all inquire about what type of fee we shall be charged The local competition is that the Cape has numerous

CITY OF CAPE CORAL

The facility at the Lake Kennedy Racquet Center is slated to open in July, will house 32 pickleball courts suitable for large-scale events, as well as 12 tennis courts that can be used for competitive matches and leagues

neighborhood parks with multi pickleball court facilities that are free and we are located near to the North Fort Myers Recreation Center which is an air-conditioned, indoor facility with 6 pickleball courts that has a lifetime fee of only $10 Numbers of players in the Cape continue to climb every year and this year had the

largest number of Cape residents to play in the pickleball U S Open ”

Originally planned in two phases with an initial cost of $8 7 million, the city opted to construct the entire project all at once following unanimous City Council approval on Jan. 11. This expansion is part of the $60 million Parks and Recreation

GO Bond approved in 2018

Councilmember Robert Welsh, who represents District 3, hailed the partnership and the pending completion of the project

“We’re confident in the firm overseeing the Lake Kennedy Racquet Center's transformation into a premier pickleball and tennis destination. Together, we’re shaping a standard of excellence that will draw enthusiasts statewide, transforming our community’s sporting landscape,” Welsh said

“We are thrilled to partner with Cape Coral to build on the success of the park and usher in the next era of sports and recreation to the community,” said Jack A

Entertainment Venues at SFC, in a pre-

facility partners, we have the opportunity to improve the health and economic vitality of the city Our commitment to the city is to be a great and collaborative partner every step of the way ”

SFC is a full-service consultancy known for planning, opening, and managing firstclass sports, recreation, and event facilities across the nation Officials state SFC brings experience and proven operational prowess from its extensive SF Network to the partnership

SFC currently has operating agreements in destinations such as Macon, Georgia, home of Rhythm and Rally Sports and Events, the world’s largest indoor pickleball facility, as well as other destinations in Tennessee and Missouri SFC is an operating partner in more than 50 municipally owned properties nationwide

REAL ESTATE

Problem arises with sale when buyer nixes furniture purchase

Dear Mr. Feichthaler,

I have decided to sell my Cape Coral home and head up north to be near the grandkids I am selling my home furnished My Realtor said I should have a separate agreement for the furniture, so I wouldn’t have to pay documentary stamps on them So, there is a contract to sell the home, and a separate contract to sell the furniture

Closing day is coming up Monday, and the buyers say they changed their mind and don’t want the furniture Not only will I not get the money for it, they say I need to move it all out by Monday I don’t have any need for this furniture, and have nowhere to put it Can I cancel the sale over this and find a new buyer?

Dear Lonnie:

The standard Florida real estate contract typically addresses personal property to be included in the sale Since these items are not part of the real property, documentary stamps do not apply to the sale of it How-

e v e r , i f t h e p e r s o n a l property is wrapped into the sales price, it is all taxable at 7%

Lonnie T

S o m e s e l l e r s , l i k e you, elect to have a separate agreement covering s a l e o f f u r n i t u r e a n d other personal property to save some money on these taxes Your issue will turn on a key question do both agreements state they are contingent on the other occurring? That is, that you would not be required to sell the home if they do not come through on the furniture From my experience, most sellers and Realtors do not consider this prior to preparing contracts, and that they are two separate, independent contracts There is the potential to argue that it was implied they were contingent on each other, but that argument will be in court

Assuming the agreements do not reference each other, it is likely the sale must still go through and you vacate by the closing date, pursuant to the real estate contract However, you would have an action for breach of contract of the personal property sale. Hopefully, that separate agreement provided for prevailing party attorney’s fees, along with other remedies, because you could be out quite a bit of money pursuing legal action against your buyer

Putting my Circuit Civil Mediator cap on, I would work through your Realtor to try to work out a compromise with the buyers If they don’t have the funds, perhaps they will agree to have you hold a mortgage and they pay you back over time There are other options to consider as well, and I wish you the best in navigating this issue with your buyer and Realtor

Eric P Feichthaler has lived in Cape Coral for over 35 years and graduated from Mariner High School in Cape Coral After completing law school at Georgetown University in Washington, D C , he returned to Cape Coral to practice law and raise a family He served as mayor of Cape Coral from 2005-2008, and continues his service to the community through the Cape Coral Caring Center, and Cape Coral Kiwanis He has been

See PROBLEM ARISES, page 15

Cape condo sales and prices down from a year ago, listings up

The results for the month of March and the first quarter of this year for the Cape Coral condominium market are in, confirming the number of closed sales and median sales prices are both lower than they were a year ago The one exception was in the typically lower priced dry lot (non-canal) segment of our market, where prices were down but the number of closed sales came in higher than a year ago

All of this while the number of condos listed for sale in the MLS have continued to rise In fact, over the past 3 years, the number of Cape condos on the market in the MLS is up a whopping 813% from 48 active listings on May 4, 2021, to this week's total of 438 condos on the market, including a 90% jump from the 230 active condo listings just one year ago

The number of pending condo sales have also declined from 153 in the pipeline three years ago to 70 pending sales this week, after backing off to 108 pending sales two years ago and down to 86 a year ago Also of note, the total number of 141 closed condo sales in the Cape during the first quarter of this year and the 145 first quarter sales of last year, were the lowest first quarter tallies since 142 sales were posted back in 2014 and 150 sales in 2019 However, the overall median condo sales price of $250,000 for this March was the third highest ever for the month of March, only behind the $295,000 posted in March of last year, and the $280,000 in March 2022

As of Tuesday, April 30, there were 438 active condo listings in Cape Coral through a Realtor in the Multiple Listing Service at prices ranging from $144,900 to $3 9 million A total of 184 condos, equaling 42% of the active listings, were on the market at $275,000 and under, with 50 of these units priced below $200,000 At the other end of our condo price spectrum, there were 66 condos in the Cape listed at $500,000 and above, with 22 of these units priced at $1 million and above The current median condo list price came in at $299,000

One month ago on March 26, there were 411 condos in the Cape listed for sale in the MLS with the median list price also at $299,000 Going back one year to April 25, 2023, there were 230 condos listed for sale through a Realtor in the Cape at prices ranging from $159,900 to $3 9 million At that time there were 67 units listed at $275,000 and under, including only 19 units priced below $200,000 and there were 52 condos listed at $519,900 and up, including 16 units above $1 million The median list price a year ago was $314,950

There are currently 70 condos under contract with buyers as pending sales in the Cape at prices ranging $139,000 to

State

$1.995 million. The median pending sales price is $274,600 with 45 of the pending sales priced at $275,000 and under, including 15 units below $200,000 Four condos are under contract from $508,500 to $784,137 with just one unit pending above $1 million compared to the 66 active listings at $1 million and above One month ago on March 26, there were 88 pending condo sales with a median pending sales price of $279,950

In the overall Cape Coral condo market, there were 73 closed sales in the month of March, which was 1 4% below the 74 sales in March 2023, but 78% above the 41 sales in February of this year In the first quarter, there were a total of 141 closed condo sales, which was down 2 8% versus the total of 145 sales in the first three months of 2023, but 29 4% higher than the total of 109 sales in the fourth quarter of last year

The median sales price came in at $250,000 for the overall Cape Coral condo market during March, which was 15 3% below the $295,000 posted in March 2023, and it was 3 5% less than the $259,000 in February of this year. In the first quarter, the median sales price averaged $263,667 per month in the Cape’s overall condo market, which was down 3 5% from the average of $273,333 per month in the first quarter of 2023, and 4 6% below the average of $276,333 per month in the fourth quarter of last year

Gulf access canal condos

In the Cape Coral gulf access canal condo segment, which includes all saltwater canal condos, there were 24 closed sales in the month of March, which was 25% lower than the 32 closed condo sales in March 2023, but 50% more than the 16 sales in February of this year In the first quarter, there were a total of 51 closed condo sales in this segment, which was down 20 3% compared to the total of 64 sales in the first quarter of 2023, but up 18 6% versus the total of 43 sales in the fourth quarter of last year

The March median sales price came in at $313,350 for the Cape’s gulf access condo segment, which was 7 4% below the $338,250 posted in March 2023, and 2 8% lower than the $322,250 in February of this year In the first quarter, the median sales price averaged $315,200 per month in this segment, which was 8% lower than the average of $342,733 per month in the first quarter of 2023, and 9 7% below the average of $349,167 per month in the fourth quarter of last year

Farm grants $20,000 to Habitat for Humanity

Funds to benefit Hurricane Recovery Home Repair Program

Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties has received a $20,000 grant from State Farm to support its Hurricane Recovery Home Repair Program to assist lowincome families affected by hurricane damage in Lee County.

Habitat’s Hurricane Recovery Home Repair Program provides much-needed assistance to homeowners in need of urgent repairs, including roof repair or replacement, siding, drywall, painting, windows, doors and more The grant from State Farm will support the program’s efforts to assist homeowners who are still struggling to repair home damage caused by Hurricane Ian in September 2022

“Together, with partnerships like State Farm, we are rebuilding our communities one home at a time,” said Charles Padhaisky, director of strategic partnerships at Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties “This generous grant will significantly enhance our ability to restore safe living conditions for the families still dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, and we are grateful to our donors who help

make that possible ”

Eddie Mae, a local homeowner, experienced firsthand the devastating impact of Hurricane Ian on her home The storm inflicted severe damage to both the interior and exterior of her home, including the roof and soffit Fortunately, through the collaborative efforts of Habitat for Humanity and State Farm, Eddie Mae received vital support Seeking assistance from Habitat, her home underwent extensive repairs, including the restoration of her roof, soffit and attic

Since 2022, Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties has received a total of $165,000 in grants from State Farm to support vital hurricane recovery home repairs in Lee County In addition, State Farm has contributed over $1 million to support disaster relief in the communities most affected by Hurricane Ian

To learn more about Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties and its Hurricane Recovery Home Repair Program, visit Habitat4Humanity org/HurricaneRecovery

For more information about Habitat for Humanity, visit Habitat4Humanity.org.

For more about State Farm, please visit www statefarm com

Eric P Feichthaler Real Estate Law

See CAPE

Bob and Geri Quinn

Homing In

A new insurance challenge for snowbirds: unregulated surplus line carriers

For years, miles of pristine coastline, mild winters, and yearlong golf have made Florida among the most popular retirement spots in the country Snowbirds flock to the Sunshine State, often purchasing second homes to live here while family and friends shiver in northern climates

Recent legislation, however, could have a significant impact on these homeowners, as nearly 80,000 Florida homes could be taken off Citizens Insurance and moved to what are called “surplus line carriers ”

With insurance costs rising, depopulating the state-run insurance carrier has become a priority However, pushing thousands of homes to surplus line carriers provides a complex set of obstacles that Florida property owners need to be aware of

Unlike regular insurance companies, surplus line carriers are unregulated by the Office of Insurance Regulation and their policies often cover risky properties or luxury items that other insurance companies will not Now, they’re expanding into the Florida property insurance market

Surplus line carriers are now allowed to selectively target homes insured by Citizens that are vacant for nine months yearly This leaves those with vacation homes and or temporary Florida residents at risk, highlighting the importance of consumer advocacy and the crucial role of public adjusters in protecting policyholder rights and ensuring fair insurance settlements

As president of the Florida Association of Public Insurance Adjusters, I believe all Florida homeowners have the right to understand their insurance options It is important to know if your “second home” qualifies to be taken out of Citizens Gather paperwork and calculate your time and tenant's time at the property You should also confirm how much you are currently paying for Citizens, as homeowners are only required to accept an offer that is within 20% of what they are paying for Citizens’ coverage

If you are forced to accept coverage from a surplus line carrier, there are several things I recommend you prepare for and know before you endure a hurricane season or file a claim

First, the recent legislation requires surplus line carriers to provide “comparable” coverage when you renew your policy

Identify critical numbers in your current policy, like your deductible, judge these against your surplus lines carrier’s coverage to ensure your needs are covered

Second, the most glaring hole in surplus lines coverage is these carriers are not required to participate in the Florida Insurance Guaranty Association, which pays for

damages if your insurer goes insolvent With a surplus line carrier, homeowners are left unprotected

Finally, surplus line carriers, being unregulated, may include contract terms not permitted for regulated carriers, such as clauses limiting policyholders' rights to hire public adjusters Their lack of regulation also complicates claim disputes, potentially requiring Floridians to travel, even internationally, to address issues This could mean going as far as New York, Bermuda or London for litigation against these carriers

If you are the owner of a Florida vacation home or one of our welcomed seasonal residents, I encourage you to ask questions in the event your Citizens policy is eligible for takeout Being prepared and knowledgeable can save you both on your monthly premium and in the unfortunate case that you are forced to file an insurance claim

John Hornbuckle is president of the Florida Association of Public Insurance Adjusters’ board of directors He is a former mayor of Biscayne Park, obtained his public adjuster license in 2011 and is focused on advocacy for insurance consumers

Cape condo sales: Totals and prices down, but local listings are up

From page 14

Direct sailboat access canal condos

In the Cape Coral direct sailboat access canal condo segment, which is a subgroup of gulf access condos consisting of condos with no bridges to go under in the canal system, there were 12 closed sales in the month of March

This was 40% lower than the 20 sales in March 2023, but 33 33% above the nine sales in February of this year In the first quarter, there were a total of 27 condos sold in this segment, which was down 20.6% compared to the total of 34 sales in the first quarter of 2023, but up 8% from the total of 25 sales in the fourth quarter of last year

The March median sales price came in at $426,250 for the Cape’s direct sailboat access canal condo segment, or 3 1% below the $440,000 posted in March 2023, but up 28 2% from $332,500 in February of this year In the first quarter, the median sales price averaged $366,250 per month in this segment, which was 5 7% lower than the average of $388,333 per month in the first quarter of

2023, and 7 8% below the average of $397,083 in the fourth quarter of last year

Dry lot condos

In the Cape Coral dry lot (non-canal) condo segment, there were 37 closed sales in the month of March, which was up 8.8% from the 34 sales in March 2023, and 76.2% above the 21 sales in February of this year In the first quarter, there were a total of 70 closed sales in this segment, which was up 9 4% versus the 64 sales in the first quarter of 2023, and 34 6% higher than the 52 sales in the fourth quarter of last year

The March median sales price came in at $225,000 for the Cape’s dry lot condo segment, which was 14 6% below the $263,500 posted in March 2023, but 15 4 higher than the $195,000 in February of this year In the first quarter, the median sales price averaged $210,833 per month in this segment, which was 11 7% lower than the average of $238,833 per month in the first quarter of

2023, and 4 4% below the average of $220,500 per month in the fourth quarter of last year

The sales data for this article was obtained from the Florida Realtors Multiple Listing Service Matrix for Lee County, Fla , as of April 29, 2024, unless otherwise noted It was compiled by Bob and Geri Quinn and it includes information specifically for Cape Coral condominiums, townhouses, and villas, and it does not include any single family homes, short sales or foreclosures The data and statistics are believed to be reliable, however, they could be updated and revised periodically, and are subject to change without notice The Quinns are a husband and wife real estate team with the RE/MAX Realty Team office in Cape Coral They have lived in Cape Coral for over 44 years Geri has been a full-time Realtor since 2005, and Bob joined Geri as a full-time Realtor in 2014 Their real estate practice is mainly focused on Cape Coral residential property and vacant lots

Problem arises: Sale in jeopardy after buyer rejects furniture purchase

From page 14

married to his wife, Mary, for 22 years, and they have four children He earned his board certification in Real Estate Law from the Florida Bar, and primarily practices in real

estate law and wills and trusts. He is AV Preeminent rated by Martindale-Hubbell for professional ethics and legal ability, and is a Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator He can be reached at eric@capecoralattorney com, or 239-542-4733

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

John Hornbuckle Guest Column

Fundraiser set for woman seriously hurt in boating accident

Community invited to ‘Fight

like Nichole’ as she continues to recouperate from near-fatal injuries

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

A fundraiser is being held this weekend in Cape Coral to assist a local woman who survived a harrowing boating accident

This Sunday at Venture Out Bait and Tackle in Cape Harbour, a barbecue fundraiser will be held for Nichole Hall featuring entertainment and a silent auction The fundraiser starts at 1 p m and runs until 7

The fundraiser is being put on by Amanda Hooker and Amanda Bolebruch, who are close friends of Hall and her family

“It is heartwarming to see the community pull together for Nichole during this difficult time,” Hooker said “The continued support for Nichole is a true testament to how she touches the lives of those around her Her strength and positivity is contagious, and it’s important to show Nichole that she has an army behind her It truly does take a village, and together, we will continue to ‘Fight like Nichole.’”

Hall, 29, was involved in the incident on April 20 while traveling home after performing charity work to assist a friend, kayaking from boat to boat collecting money for the good cause

On the way home, she and a few friends were on a boat of their own, traveling at a low rate of speed in shallow water There, the boat hit either a wave or an object in the water, causing Hall and two others to be thrown from the boat Unfortunately, Hall was hit by the propeller, and was quickly helped by others on the boat to get her treatment

“The boys on the boat saved her life through their quick actions,” said Nichole's father, Scott Hall

After a tumultuous 24 hours following the incident, including the amputation of her left leg, Hall woke up the next day and was able to communicate via notebook After a few surgeries, she was eventually able to stand on her own next to her hospital bed

“She continues to have a great attitude, and amazes the nurses daily,” Scott said

While Nichole continues to fight, her family says the

“She is always helping anyone, anywhere. She has touched so many hearts over the years. She definitely doesn’t deserve this tragedy, but she is also tough as nails and we believe that God has big plans for her and needed her here ”

Nichole’s father, Scott Hall

type of amputation that was required, a hemipelvectomy, is a rare and uncommon amputation of the entire leg, as well as a portion of the pelvis Not many have even survived this type of amputation Hall’s family said she will require custom prosthetics that are essentially non-existent

Nichole, a Pine Island/Matlacha resident for some time now, and sales and marketing Director at Atrium at Liberty Park in Cape Coral, is described as a “saint” by her family

“She is always helping anyone, anywhere,” Scott said “She has touched so many hearts over the years She definitely doesn’t deserve this tragedy, but she is also tough as nails and we believe that God has big plans for her and needed her here.”

What demonstrates her positive attitude and willingness to take on anything, Scott said when the doctors asked her if she was ready for the amputation surgery, she held up the classic “rock and roll” symbol with her index and pinky fingers up

Scott also shared his thankfulness to community members and friends of Nichole that have reached out and stepped up

“The prayers, love, and support from friends and everyone in the community has been overwhelming for us, and words can’t describe how much that means to us,” he said It will be a long road to recovery, and any money col-

lected will go 100% towards Nichole’s medical bills and rehabilitation costs

This will be one of a few different fundraising efforts for Nichole throughout Lee County For those who are not able to be there in person, a QR code can be scanned that is linked to a Venmo account set up for Nichole Venture Out Bait and Tackle is at 5828 Cape Harbour Drive #201

Students walk through the new OPENGATE security system at Challenger

Tuesday morning

OPENGATE security systems installed at all district schools

By CJ HADDAD cjhaddad@breezenewspapers com

The School District of Lee County is always working to ensure student safety, and this week a milestone was reached, as every single school in the district is now equipped with weapon detection technology.

More than 300 OPENGATE detection systems, which perform fast and atomic screening and detection of weapons, are now in each and every school throughout the district The lightweight and maneuverable technology allows for students to quickly enter the school while scanning their backpacks and person for anything not permitted on school grounds

Students walk through the two pillars, which will stay lit green if no threats are detected, but will turn red if a bag needs to be checked more thoroughly

“It was a project we started at the beginning of the school year -- our goal was to have every single school in Lee County have a weapon detection system at every entry point We're happy to say we achieved that,” said the school district's Executive Director of Safety, Security, Emergency Management David Newlan “It's a good feeling that we can do everything we can to help the kids feel safe and the staff feel safe, and let parents know we're doing all we can to help their children feel safe every day when they come to school ”

Newlan, the former chief of police at the Cape Coral Police Department, said the devices look at the metallic density of each item on a student or in a student's bag, as well as the shape, and is meant to identify any weapon from a firearm, to a knife, to a bomb

“It's not a normal metal detector, it's a weapon detection system,” Newlan said “Therefore, in a school setting, kids can walk through with their keys, their phones and everything else It doesn't have to come out of their backpack or out of their pocket We're only looking for weapons before they get into the school ”

Students at Challenger Middle School in Cape Coral have been using the OPENGATE system since the beginning of the school year Items such as their laptops, as well as large three-ring binders, are taken out to not set off the detector Students with large musical instruments such as a trumpet, will have their cases checked daily by security or School Resource Officer.

“OPENGATE has been an amazing system for Challenger,” said Challenger Middle School Principal Stacia Winfree “It has made our students feel safe and secure as an added safety feature It's great for us,

because they actually see three people as they walk in the door. We're able to greet them and give them a sense of stability and safeness ”

Eighth grade student Bella Tolbeot said students have become used to walking in each morning, handing their laptop to a teacher and walking through the nonintimidating system

“It's just a part of our every day routine,” she said “It's really easy to use We know now that nothing's coming into the school that shouldn't be coming in ”

Tolbeot said it gives her peace of mind to know every student, teacher or visitor coming through the door in the morning has to walk though OPENGATE

“It helps us know no one is going to be a danger to our school,” she said “Even if someone walks though (with a weapon), they're stopped immediately ”

Tolbeot said especially with the prominence of school shooting or violent incidents around the country, having the system in place is something she's happy to see the school district implement

Challenger Middle School seventh grader Aidan Bevitt agreed

“It makes me feel more safe It's a sense of reassurance,” he said

Bevitt said he and his classmates naturally at first had to get used to the new protocol, but one that was worth it.

“It's minimal,” he said of the morning routine “It makes me feel a lot better to know this will help prevent incidents across the district, and will make our schools better where more learning can take place "

Teachers and staff have also embraced the new security measure

"We have teachers that man OPENGATE every morning, and it's a great way for the teachers to connect with the students while we're making sure safety is a top priority at this school "

The OPENGATE system runs on battery and is lightweight, coming in at only 25 pounds They are also weatherproof They can be used at sporting events, and other school functions Winfree said they systems are easy to use, to store, and to operate each and every day

"I think it's important that we make sure that whatever event we have on school campus, when people walk in, they feel safe," Winfree said

Of course, parents have been supportive of this extra

See OPENGATE, page 46

Pioneer Club celebrates 75 years at annual picnic

By CHUCK BALLARO news@breezenewspapers com

Back in 1949, a man named R A Henderson wanted to do something to honor those residents who had lived in Lee County for 50 or more years.

He started the Pioneer Club, began holding an annual picnic at Lions Park and the rest is history

On Saturday, that tradition continued as more than 700 current and former Lee County residents came to the Lee Civic Center’s Tinsley Pavilion to catch up with old friends and reminisce about the good old days and lament how things have changed so much since they were kids growing up here

The picnic has been a tradition for decades, except for the two years during the pandemic when it was cancelled In the three years since its return, the event has become more popular than ever, with people coming from all over the country, including one who was 101 years old

Pat Mann, president of the Pioneer Club, said this is an event many people look forward to every year, even as everything around them has changed

P e g R o b e r t s , 101, was the oldest person at the a n n u a l P i o n e e r Picnic Saturday.

“This is just a get-together of old friends they only get to see once a year and some come from long distances and school will time their reunions with when we hold the picnic,” Mann said

Members can order a barbecue lunch for $10, which most took advantage of Mostly, they talked about the old times and remembered what Lee County used to be Sherry Middleton, who went to Alva High School, Class of 1967, said things have changed so much

“I lived in Olga There were a couple stores, a couple houses in Fort Myers Shores It was very remote and we went to town once a week,” Middleton said “There was nothing in Olga, Riverdale was just palmetto bushes It was much better back then ”

Back in their day, Fort Myers ended at Colonial Boulevard, which was a dirt road back then, and downtown Fort Myers was the social hub of Lee County, with four movie theaters It was, like in the "Cheers" classic TV show theme song, “where everybody knows your name ”

Judy Moore Frank, Fort Myers Class of 1970, said the great thing is that you get to meet people you haven’t seen in 20 years

“I see some of these people every day, which is also a blessing It’s great to re-establish friendships,” Frank said “I’ve been here since 1957 when Cleveland Avenue was a two-lane road Driving to where the Edison Mall is now was like driving to Naples From the hospital to where the mall is now was barren ”

Andrea Jones Rothwell was attending her first Pioneer Picnic as a member of the North High Class of 1992, along with her two older sisters and parents, who came here from England

“It’s exciting It makes me feel a little old because I finally made the quota of being 50 Now, we have electricity and automobiles,” Jones Rothwell joked “It’s grown exponentially It was very small and you knew everybody ”

Loring Strickland has roots in town going back to the 19th century Her grandfather, Henry, founded Bartley Sporting Goods in 1910 and moved around a little bit before moving to its current location in 1995

“When I was growing up there was all fishing equipment During the Depression he sold anything that would sell like candy,” Strickland said “Now, we do a lot of screen printing, corporate wear and things like that ”

Middle School

CJ HADDAD

School district takes part in free books reading initiative

B y M E G H A N B R A D B U RY

n e w s @ b r e e z e n e w s p a p e r s c o m

P a r e n t s h a v e t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o e n r o l l t h e i r c h i l d i n t h e N e w W o r l d s R e a d i n g

I n i t i a t i v e , e n a b l i n g t h e m t o r e c e i v e f r e e

b o o k s t o h e l p t h e m r e a d a t t h e i r g r a d e l e v e l E l e m e n t a r y T e a c h i n g a n d L e a r n i n g

D i r e c t o r D r B e t h a n y Q u i s e n b e r r y s a i d

N e w W o r l d s R e a d i n g I n i t i a t i v e i s a

F l o r i d a s t a t e i n i t i a t i v e c o m i n g o u t o f t h e

F l o r i d a D e p a r t m e n t o f E d u c a t i o n S h e s a i d t h e y c o n t a c t e d t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f

F l o r i d a L a s t i n g e r C e n t e r f o r L e a r n i n g , w h o c r e a t e d t h e p r o g r a m

T h e p r o g r a m w a s s i g n e d i n t o l a w i n

J u n e 2 0 2 1 S c h o l a s t i c i s a p a r t n e r f o r t h e i n i t i a t i v e .

Q u i s e n b e r r y s a i d t h i s i s t h e t h i r d y e a r

t h e S c h o o l D i s t r i c t o f L e e C o u n t y f a m i -

l i e s h a v e h a d t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o p a r t i c i -

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

t h e m , ” s h e s a i d “ W e a c t u a l l y h a v e t h e m o s t s t u d e n t s r e g i s t e r e d i n t h e N e w

W o r l d s R e a d i n g i n t h e s t a t e L e e C o u n t y

h a s b e e n t h e t o p c o u n t y , a n d i t i s b e c a u s e

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

u s k n o w A n y s t u d e n t b e l o w g r a d e l e v e l w h e n i t f i r s t s t a r t e d w a s r e g i s t e r e d ”

T h e e n r o l l m e n t f o r t h e p r o g r a m i s o n g o i n g

A n y f a m i l y w h o h a s a c h i l d i n 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 w h o i s r e a d i n g

b e l o w g r a d e l e v e l f o r t h e F A S T S t a r

E a r l y L i t e r a c y c a n c o m p l e t e a n a p p l i c a -

New Worlds Reading Initiative At a Glance

The books free books delivered to the child are chosen to follow the Florida B E S T Benchmarks Every grade level will receive a different book nine per school year. For example, fourth grade students received poetry books last month, a big benchmark students tend to struggle with.

Parents can choose which language they would like the books to be sent English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, and Braille

Any family who has a child in kindergarten through fifth grade who is reading below grade level for the FAST Star Early Literacy can complete an application, which can be found at www newworldsreading com A child in VPK who is not yet meeting age-appropriate standards, according to FAST Star Early Literacy, can also enroll in the program.

t i o n , w h i c h c a n b e f o u n d a t w w w n e ww o r l d s r e a d i n g . c o m . A c h i l d i n V P K w h o i s n o t y e t m e e t i n g a g e - a p p r o p r i a t e s t a nd a r d s , a c c o r d i n g t o F A S T S t a r E a r l y L i t e r a c y , c a n a l s o e n r o l l i n t h e p r o g r a m Q u i s e n b e r r y e n c o u r a g e s f a m i l i e s t o r e g i s t e r e v e n i f t h e y d o k n o w f o r s u r e t h a t t h e i r c h i l d i s r e a d i n g b e l o w g r a d e l e v e l S h e s a i d t h e N e w W o r l d s R e a d i n g w i l l m a k e t h e d e t e r m i n a t i o n b a s e d o n d a t a t h e y r e c e i v e d f r o m t h e d i s t r i c t “ T h e f a m i l y c o m p l e t e s t h e a p p l i c at i o n , a n d t h e y g e t a p a c k a g e e v e r y m o n t h i n t h e m a i l t o t h e i r h o m e , ” Q u i s e n b e r r y

s a i d . “ I t h a s a b o o k , a n d a n a c t i v i t y f o r

t h e f a m i l y t o d o w i t h t h e i r c h i l d ”

T h e r e i s a l s o i n f o r m a t i o n o n h o w a p a r e n t c a n h e l p t h e i r c h i l d r e a d w i t h

g u i d a n c e o f c o m p r e h e n s i o n a n d v o c a b u -

l a r y q u e s t i o n s

T h e b o o k s a r e c h o s e n t o f o l l o w t h e

F l o r i d a B E S T B e n c h m a r k s E v e r y

g r a d e l e v e l w i l l r e c e i v e a d i f f e r e n t b o o k

n i n e p e r s c h o o l y e a r F o r e x a m p l e ,

s h e s a i d , f o u r t h g r a d e s t u d e n t s r e c e i v e d

p o e t r y b o o k s l a s t m o n t h , a b i g b e n c h -

m a r k s t u d e n t s t e n d t o s t r u g g l e w i t h

“ T h e y t r y t o m a t c h u p t h e b o o k s w i t h t h e g r a d e l e v e l a n d t h e b e n c h m a r k s t h e

s t u d e n t s w i l l b e l e a r n i n g , ” Q u i s e n b e r r y

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

COMMUNITY

Fresh flowers for summer

By SHERIE BLEILER news@breezenewspapers com

There are many annual flowers that look great here in the fall and winter But by May they are looking a little tired Annuals like petunias and geraniums bloom dependably for about four or five months and then are worn out The summer rain and high humidity bring fungus diseases that usually kill them

If you are looking for some new flowers to bring color through the summer and entice butterflies, here are a few you might try All of these grow fine in our Cape Coral sandy soil and prefer sun for best flowering Many of these will reseed It is easy to pull seedlings out as weeds or to replant in another location

■ M e x i c a n h e a t h e r (Cuphea hyssopifolia) is a short plant with lavender or white flowers that continuously blooms for up to 2 years It is often used as a border plant or ground

c o v e r A f t e r a b o u t 6

GARDEN CLUB OF CAPE CORAL

m o n t h s , t r i m o f f o l d leaves, add some compost and new ones will appear You may propagate it by trimming a stem and rooting in moist soil

■ Vinca is a cheerful everblooming plant that comes in a variety of colors - white, shades of pink to dark purple Sometimes called periwinkle, it becomes a 2-foot mound of glossy green leaves with flowers at the tips They do not attract pollinators but make up for it by their WOW factor By cutting flowers to enjoy inside, the plant will become bushy Vinca can take our summer rains if there is drainage, but they cannot sit in water There is also a version that spreads on the ground like a carpet, called vinca cascade I ordered them from a seed catalog last year and received so many compliments

■ Penta is named for the five petals on each of the tiny flowers Flower clusters form a ball of color in white, pinks, lavender and red Native nurseries carry an old version of red penta, rich in nectar for pollinators This version may get six feet tall, although it can be trimmed to keep it bushy and shorter Most nurseries carry the hybridized penta, bred for short growth from 1 to 2 feet and a variety of beautiful colors These are MAY 3,

See SUMMER FLOWERS, page 34

Manager Rodney Domingos, holding “Lanai;” and shelter Executive Director Liz McCauley.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Cape Coral Animal Shelter receives $5,000 grant from Petco Love

The Cape Coral Animal Shelter has received a $5,000 grant investment from Petco Love in support of the facility's lifesaving work for animals in Southwest Florida Petco Love is a national nonprofit leading change for pets by harnessing the power of love to make communities and pet families closer, stronger and healthier Since its founding in 1999, Petco Love has invested $380 million in adoption and other lifesaving efforts, and Petco Love helps find loving homes for pets in partnership with Petco and more than 4,000 organizations like CCAS across North America, with 6 8 million pets adopted and counting

“Our investment in the Cape Coral Animal Shelter is part of more than $15 million in investments recently announced by Petco Love to power local organizations across the country as part of our commitment to create a future in which no pet is unnecessarily euthanized,” said Susanne Kogut, president of Petco Love “Our local investments are only part of our strategy to empower ani-

mal lovers to drive lifesaving change right alongside us We launched Petco Love Lost, a national lost and found database that uses patented image-recognition technology to simplify the search for lost pets ”

“To be recognized by such a prestigious organization as Petco Love means so much to our small but ever-growing shelter and clinic. Every dollar we receive goes directly to the care and welfare of the pets we save daily, and we are grateful for this partnership,” said Liz McCauley, CCAS executive director

Cape Coral Animal Shelter and Veterinary Clinic is a nonprofit organization that has been serving South Florida since 2020 In just four years, CCAS has found homes for over 4,400 pets, and provides low-cost veterinary care to over 6,000 pets in our community

For more information about Cape Coral Animal Shelter, visit capecoralanimalshelter com

You can earn more about Petco Love on its website at petcolove org

Community Cooperative announces May Mobile Food Pantry schedule

Community Cooperative releases its May 2024 food pantry schedule The reality for many is a struggle to put food on the table Community Cooperative recognizes this disparity and steps forward to alleviate the burden for those in our community

Community Cooperative’s Mobile Food Pantry schedule for May:

■ Tuesday, May 7, 4:30-6 p m , Trafalgar Middle School, 2120 Trafalgar Parkway, Cape Coral

■ Wednesday, May 8, 3-5 p m , Cape Coral Technical College, 360 Santa Barbra Blvd , N , Cape Coral

■ Friday, May 10, 10 a m to noon, North Fort Myers

Regional Park, 2000 N Recreation Park Way, North Fort Myers

■ Tuesday, May 14, 9:30-11:30 a m , Literacy Council Gulf Coast, 26820 Old 41 Road, Bonita Springs

■ Wednesday, May 15, 9-11 a m , VA Healthcare Center, 2489 Diplomat Parkway, E , Cape Coral (For veterans and veteran families only)

■ Thursday, May 16, 3-5 p m , Lehigh Senior High School, 901 Gunnery Road, N , Lehigh Acres

■ Friday, May 17, 10-11:30 a m , Pine Island United Methodist Church, 5701 Pine Island Road, Bokeelia

■ Monday, May 20, 10 a m to noon, Mariner’s Landing, 2120 Carrell Road, Fort Myers

■ Tuesday, May 21, 10 a m to noon, Pine Manor Community Center, 5547 Tenth Ave , Fort Myers

■ Wednesday, May 22, 3-5 p m , North Fort Myers High School, 5000 Orange Grove Blvd, North Fort Myers

■ Thursday, May 23, 3-4 p m , Island Coast High School; 2125 De Navarra Parkway, Cape Coral

■ Tuesday, May 28, 3-5 p m , Veterans Park Lehigh Acres; 55 Homestead Road, S , Lehigh Acres

About Community Cooperative

Since 1984, Community Cooperative has worked to effectively eliminate hunger and homelessness in southwest Florida while simultaneously inspiring and supporting sustained positive change in its clients by delivering innovative food, education, and social service programs With a dedicated team of volunteers, board of directors and staff, Community Cooperative stays committed to its core responsibility to collect and distribute resources through a s

Community Cooperative is an exemplary steward of the resources entrusted to it and serves clients with compassion and integrity Through collaboration and ongoing education, Community Cooperative supports and strengthens those whose lives have been affected by hunger and homelessness, ensuring that they have access to the resources necessary to transform their lives with dignity

From left are Maddi Kopanda, holding “Kauai;” Henry Delgato; Store #1773

Student winners named in ‘Ding’ Darling Wildlife Refuge’s annual photography contest

On April 13, the “Ding” Darling Wildlife SocietyFriends of the Refuge announced and awarded winners and finalists in the 10th annual “Ding” Darling-Theodore Cross High School Photography Contest at the J N “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel, following a contest judging on March 8

Sponsored by the Theodore Cross Family Charitable Foundation, the competition invites high school students from Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Glades and Hendry counties to compete for prizes, which this year included a Canon digital SLR camera package, one-year subscription to Adobe photography software and one-year pass to the refuge Cross, who lived part-time on Sanibel, marched with Dr Martin Luther King Jr ; advised the Johnson and Nixon administrations on anti-poverty programs; wrote the book “Black Capitalism,” among others; and created Birders United, a birding Web site that ranked legislators according to their record of bird protection support

Late in life, Cross decided to indulge his love for birds and photography and traveled the world to collect stunning portraits and stories to chronicle his adventures He photographed often at the Sanibel refuge, and a number of the images in his book reflect his love for it Cross published “ W a t e r b i r d s : P o r t r a i t s a n

Adventures” in 2009 at age 85; he passed away shortly after that in 2010 His family established the contest in his memory in 2015

Refuge facilities operations specialist Scott Norwood, professional photographer Daniel Suarez and island community member Liz Birmingham judged this year's contest They reviewed 295 images taken by students from six schools and selected three winners and 12 honorable mentions

First place went to an image titled “Swamp Puppy” by Luke Guillette of Estero High School In the description he wrote about his entry, he pondered the survival of nature: “While I was sitting there watching and photographing the

gators I saw many people come by and see the alligators then they would get scared by them and would run away or go somewhere else which made me think about why and how nature can be scary to some people as they don’t actually understand that everything just wants to survive ”

Suarez complimented the photographer’s skill

“One of my favorite things in good wildlife photo-

graphs is getting eye level with the subject,” he said. “It’s a good technique, and this one achieves that ”

In second place, Hannah Finman from Naples High S

“Testudinidae,” the Latin name for the tortoise family

“I just like the way the turtle is looking right at you,” Birmingham said “The photographer zoomed in so close that the eyes are right there ”

Third place winner Kenzie Wallace from Cape Coral High School took third place with “Bee on a Flower ”

“It’s just a pretty cool photo,” Norwood said “It’s the circle of life Without bees, life doesn’t even exist ”

The honorable mention winners are as follows in alphabetical order:

■ Tyler Guillette, of Estero High School, “Gator's Gaze”

■ Eden Harris, of Cape Coral High School, “Macro Bee”

■ Melissa Hiatte, of Cypress Lake High School, “Best Friends”

■ Carter Koehler, of Cypress Lake High School, “Fall Leaves in Florida”

■ Ron Marquette, of Lemon Bay High School, “Fading Echoes”

■ Hannah McDaniel, of Cape Coral High School, “The Bee and the Flower”

■ Ryan Mitchinson, of Cape Coral High School, “Holding On”

■ Luis Ojeda, of Lehigh Senior High School, “Lakeside View”

■ Angelina Pizarro, of Cypress Lake High School, “Flor Morado”

■ Keilly Viera, of Cape Coral High School, “Rainy Flower”

■ Lilly Witz, of Cypress Lake High School, “Rainy Succulent”

PHOTO PROVIDED

“Bee on a Flower” by Kenzie Wallace from Cape Coral High School took third place

Artists of Matlacha sprucing up the island neighborhood

By PAULETTE LeBLANC pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

A c c o r d i n g t o M a t l a c h a C i v i c

Association

President Carol Scott, an informal group known as the Artists of M a t l a c h a d e c i d e d t h e y ’ d w a n t e d t o spruce up the neighborhood with a bit of a makeover so they gave a proposal to the MCA for the job of painting the pilings on Pine Island Road in Matlacha

“I went over to the MCA and asked if they would sponsor us for some paint and they said absolutely. That was part of our gala the fundraising that we did to raise money for a little bit of restoration and our environmental programs here on Matlacha,” Scott said

After receiving a budget from the MCA, the artists bought some brightly colored paints and then primed the poles Currently, there are approximately nine artists growing to around 15 in season, within the Artists of Matlacha group, she said

CAROL SCOTT

Cape Royal Community Foundation announces 2024 scholarship awards

The Cape Royal Community Foundation this week announced the winners of its annual scholarship competition Scholarships are earned by high school students who have participated in their school's golf program, demonstrated academic excellence and volunteered for extensive community service

Students were required to present several recommendations and write a convincing essay on the importance of the scholarship Each recipient will receive a $5,000 scholarship toward their upcoming college expenses

This years winners are:

■ Sei Na Chappell, Ft Myers High School Sei Na plans to attend the University of Florida to study medicine.

■ Tyler Feichthaler, Oasis High School Tyler plans to study international relations at Georgetown University

■ Gia Serrano, Ida Baker High School Gia will continue to the University of Florida studying medicine

■ Austin Thorstad, Cypress Lake High School Austin will enroll at Florida Gulf Coast University to study entrepreneurship

These students will be recognized and honored at the CRCF Scholarship Award

Presentation to be conducted Saturday, May 4, from 10-11 a m , at the Cape Royal Golf Club, 11460 Royal Tee Circle, Cape Coral

The Cape Royal Community Foundation was established in 2002 as a volunteer run, non-profit 501 3 organization with a mission to provide channels for local philanthropy, enabling residents of the Cape Royal Community to support local humanitarian organizations and educational goals in Lee

County Since inception, CRCF has awarded over a quarter million dollars to humanitarian needs in Lee County as well as over $366,000 in scholarships

Cindy Walton paints one of the poles in Matlacha

PHOTO PROVIDED BY

Quarter Auction to benefit Cape Coral Museum of History

A Quarter Auction to benefit the Cape Coral Museum of History will be held Wednesday, May 8, at the Southern Grill at the Shell Factory in North Fort Myers

Paddle sales start at 5:30 p m with the auction starting at 7 p m

RSVPs are required and seats will go

fast To make reservations, contact Melissa with SWFL Vendors for a Cause at 201699-7674

Walk-up seats are not guaranteed

Food and drink will be available for order from the Southern Grill Come eat, drink and have a great time, while bidding

only quarters on some fabulous auction items. Vendors will also be on site with lots of goodies available for sale, and don’t forget the 50/50

Auction items currently include golf foursomes, hair salon and massage gift cards, gift cards to local shops, attractions and restaurants - including one of Cape Coral’s newest restaurants BARunch, baskets, alcohol and so much more!

While there will be quarters on site for you to make change with - in order to make sure we don’t run out we suggest you bring some with you

Donated not Wasted results in donation of 7,623 pounds of food

Donated not Wasted, Lee County’s seventh annual food rescue campaign successfully diverted 7,623 pounds of food from potential disposal, exceeding 2023 collection total of 5,746 pounds by 32 66%

This annual effort, in partnership with Harry Chapin Food Bank, encourages sea-

sonal residents to donate unopened pantry items to divert as much food as possible from final disposal and the effort exceeded last year’s collection by almost a ton

County Solid Waste, said the food provided more than 6,300 meals

Partners in the Donated not Wasted campaign included Harry Chapin Food Bank, Lee County Government – Lee County S

& Recreation and the Lee County Library System and Waste Pro

Since the program’s inception, more

than 33,008 pounds of food has been diverted from potential disposal and sent to the Harry Chapin Food Bank – enough food to provide more than 27,300 meals to residents

Recreation centers and libraries provided drop-off locations across the county

HACCSWFL offering citizenship preparation classes

Suite 304, in Fort Myers

every Thursday from noon to 2 p m , and 4-6 p m , at its office at 3949 Evans Ave ,

The free classes are for permanent residents who have met residency requirements and plan to apply for U S citizenship

The class helps applicants prepare for the USCIS oral interview; study U S history and government; improve English, reading, writing and speaking; and more Every class is limited to 20 participants

and you must register to attend To register or for additional information about the classes or the HaitianAmerican Community Coalition of SW Florida , call 239-202-8955

Summer flowers: A number of plants are suitable for SW Florida

From page 19

attractive to pollinators also.

■ Scarlet salvia or tropical sage (Salvia c

native, attracting butterflies and hummingbirds Long flower spikes also come in pink and white Usually 2 feet tall but

trimmed

■ Coreopsis is that little yellow daisy flower you see growing in the swales Also called tickseed, it’s our state wildflower There are many varieties At the native plant sale at Rotary Park last week, was

Student winners: ‘Ding’ Darling photo contest

From page 20

■ Dahney Yan, of Lehigh Senior High School, “Hidden Colors”

J

expressed difficulty in narrowing down the choices

“It always amazes me, the quality of photos we get from these young adults,”

April Boehnen, who coordinates the contest for the DDWS, said “We marvel at the unique perspectives and angles ”

To view the winning images and for more information about the contest, visit dingdarlingsociety org/photo-contests

Luke Guillette took first place in the 10th annual “Ding” Darling Photography Contest with his entry “Swamp Puppy ” PHOTO PROVIDED

Leavenworth’s tickseed, a thin, two-foot tall plant, best shown off as a group of plants The yellow color really carries in a garden plus they are pollinator magnets I o

Florida Wildflower Cooperative because I like the shorter 12 to 24-inch height It blooms from spring into summer and selfseeds for the following year

■ Yellow alder also has bright yellow flowers with a flat base that pollinators can easily land on to help themselves to their nectar and pollen It naturally grows in a tall, leggy manner, 2-3 feet tall by as wide It is actually a small shrub, made bushy by

branch It blooms best in the sun but can tolerate quite a bit of shade Native to the Caribbean, it has become naturalized in Florida

As you plant your flowers for summer, reflect on

“No garden truly blooms until butterflies have danced upon it ” K. D’Angelo

HEALTH

Lee Health Trauma Center celebrates 30 years providing trauma treatment, education and

awareness

More than any other disease or illness, traumatic injuries are a leading cause of death among people who are 1 to 44 years old

Traumatic injuries can

i n c l u d e m o t o r v e h i c l e collisions, sports injuries,

u n e x p e c t e d f a l l s a n d accidents, wounds from natural disasters and a multitude of other physical injuries, which can occur at home, in public, while driving, at work or a

require immediate care

This year, the Trauma Services District, located a t L e e H e a

r , celebrates three decades of dedicated service to the residents and visitors

o f C h a r l o t t e , C o l l i e r , Glades, Hendry and Lee counties In honor of the 30-year anniversary and in conjunction with Trauma Awareness Month in May, the Trauma Center is focused on amplifying education, awareness and resources for the Southwest Florida community.

What is the Trauma Center at Gulf Coast Medical Center?

Since opening in 1994, the only state-approved Trauma Center between Sarasota and Miami, has seen 58,261 patients, with the number continuing to rise as the population in Southwest Florida continues to grow

The Trauma Center at Gulf Coast Medical Center currently averages around 400 patients each month and treats the most complex and life-threatening cases, with more than 90% involving blunt trauma from falls, motor vehicle accidents and motorcycle crashes These accidents and injuries can have a profound, lifelong impact on individuals, families and communities

Previously located at Lee Memorial Hospital, the Trauma Center moved to Gulf Coast Medical Center in 2022 as part of a major expansion to the hospital to enhance patient care and better serve the Southwest Florida community The health system made history at the time as the first health system in Florida to move a trauma program

Gulf Coast Medial Center is located at 13681 Doctor’s Way, Fort Myers, FL, 33912

The Trauma Center is a safety net for many families and individuals in the community as they go about their everyday lives, not anticipating sustaining a traumatic injury

How Does the Trauma Center support the community and provide life-saving care?

Trauma centers play a key role in saving thousands of lives by ensuring that severely injured patients receive critical care within the “Golden Hour ” Treatment administered during this crucial first hour following severe injury can mean the difference between temporary and permanent disability and even life and death

The centrally located Gulf Coast Medical Center makes this possible for cases in the five-county area.

Studies of conventional trauma care show that up to 35% of trauma patient deaths could have been prevented if a trauma center had been available nearby

The Trauma Center at Gulf Coast Medical Center also

LPN-RN Pathway offers opportunity to upgrade nursing degrees

MEGHAN BRADBURY

news@breezenewspapers com

Students now have the opportunity to stack their credentials at Fort Myers Technical College, an LPN-RN Pathway, a first in Florida

Fort Myers Technical Director John Roszell said Fort Myers Technical College Nursing Instructor Mary Anne Enns was the brainchild behind the pathway program

“We are fortunate enough to have her on board to make it happen,” he said

Enns said she was frustrated with the fact that technical colleges did not allow RN programs She said she was told years ago that if you can’t do it, if you could, how would you do it

From there she designed a program that is not redundant

“I’m pretty ecstatic about seeing it come to life,” she said of the process that began in 2021 “The roadblocks we had to go through the Board of Nursing and the Department of Education both great to work with, still took time to do I think the biggest hurdle was when the DOE said yes, and I felt like we were on our way ”

Enns said when she first started planning and designing the program, she wanted to teach at least the first cohort, which she will do To be able to see what she has done and how it changes students’ lives, will be humbling, she said.

Enns said DOE wouldn’t let her do a program for just Fort Myers Technical College The program is now statewide and includes the same exam as one would take for an associate degree

“It’s bigger than just here It’s humbling to see the amazing reach it has had,” she said

Roszell said there were a couple of challenges that presented themselves the ideas had to be doable and lead to a credential, or licensure, and it does; sit for an exam that is approved by the Board of Nursing, as well as receiving support from their stakeholders such as Lee Health and Cypress Cove

They all supported it right away and were on board through the whole process

“We were able to get this program across the finish line,” Roszell said

Orientation is set for July 2 with the first course beginning on July 9 Applications opened April 24 and closed May 2 The website was expected to go live within 48 to 72 hours Those who would like more information can email maryannee@leeschools net

“We believe in stacking credentials students having the ability to better themselves, uptrain themselves.”

Fort Myers Technical Director John Roszell

LPN-RN pathway is one day a week live on Tuesday for 52 weeks, except for winter break The hours are from 7:30 a m to 4 p m in class and clinical hours are 6:45 a m to 7:15 p m

The eight-week course consists of two class dates, four clinical dates and an online component

“There are eight courses,” she said, adding that the last two weeks of the program includes 72 hours at a local facility

Roszell said the nice thing is students can continue to hold their current nursing job while going back to school and becoming an RN

“You don’t have to stop life to do this,” she said.

The first cohort will consist of 12 students They will need to be a licensed LPN in the state of Florida with an unencumbered license, IB therapy certified and have an American Heart Association BLS

Roszell said it is a restrictive program where they cannot take first-come, first-served, but rather select the candidates for the program

“They will enter this program and exit with zero to little debt,” he said, as the LPN-RN pathway can be done for less than $10,000 “Since we are a clock-out program, we don’t do loans, financial aid through loan payments ”

Instead, it is a PELL grant, or out of pocket

The LPN-RN pathway:

■ Practical Nursing Program at FMTC: $7,684 and is a 1,350-hour program lasting 12 months

■ IV Therapy at FMTC: $410 and is a 30-hour program lasting 1 week

■ Professional Nursing (LPN-RN) Program at FMTC: $7,555 and is a 900-hour program lasting 12 months

Roszell said they are very appreciative of business partners that helped, as well as Collaboratory He said they helped in showing the need for more registered nurses

“We believe in stacking credentials students having the ability to better themselves, uptrain themselves,” he said, adding that Fort Myers Technical College offers the stacking of three degrees

All four Lee Health Hospitals earn ‘A’ and ‘B’ grades from Leapfrog Group

This week the Leapfrog Group released its Spring 2024 Hospital Safety Grades and all four Lee Health hospitals have earned top marks, standing among just 29% of hospitals in the country to achieve a spring 2024 "A" grade

HealthPark Medical Center, Cape Coral Hospital and Lee Memorial Hospital all received an “A” grade and Gulf Coast Medical Center earned a “B ” This marks the 1 3 t

Hospitals have received a grade of a “B” or higher

HealthPark Medical Center earned an “A” grade for the 11th straight reporting period and Lee Memorial Hospital and Cape Coral Hospital kept their “A” streak going for the fourth consecutive reporting period Since 2018, Gulf Coast Medical Center has received an “A” in 10 reporting periods and has twice received a “B ”

“Every day, I am extremely proud of this remarkable Lee Health team and their dedication to safety and highquality patient care,” said Dr Stephanie Stovall, chief clinical officer of quality/safety and hospital-based care for Lee Health “These high marks speak to the compassionate and thoughtful care patients can expect to receive

at any of our hospitals and push us to continually grow and improve our already high standard of care ”

The Safety Grade assigns letter grades of “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” and “F” to hospitals across the country based on their performance in preventing medical errors, hospital acquired infections and other harms Every Lee Health hospital earned a raw score over 3 0 on a 4 0 scale

Developed under the guidance of a national expert panel, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses 22 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign grades to more than 2,700 U S acute-care hospitals twice per year The Leapfrog Group’s grading system is peerreviewed, fully transparent and free to the public The data utilized for current grading is from the previous year’s reporting

Children’s hospitals are not included in The Leapfrog Group’s Spring grades, but Golisano Children’s Hospital has been named as a Top Children’s Hospital by The Leapfrog Group six times

To learn more about Leapfrog’s Spring 2024 Hospital Safety Grades, please visit http://www hospitalsafetygrade org/

Syndi Bultman Guest Commentary

Diplomat Elementary principal Chuck Vilardi receives USF’s Education Dean’s Lifetime Achievement Alumni Award

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

A principal educated in Lee County School District has just received the 2024 University of South Florida Education Dean’s Lifetime Achievement Alumni Award

The award recognizes an individual who graduated from the USF College of Education who has demonstrated long-term contributions, achievement, and service within education, or a related profession

“This honor was a huge surprise. I am deeply honored and humbled For me, it represents all the teachers, staff, and colleagues I have worked with over the years who t

Principal Chuck Vilardi said “I am thankful for USF for bestowing this award upon me It is the highest and most prestigious honor a university can give to their alumni I am grateful for the education I received at USF ”

The reception, which was held Wednesday evening at the University of South Florida College of Education, gave him the opportunity to meet many faculty and former faculty members, as well as other award winners

“Being with other educators that share the same passion and drive for their work is inspiring,” Vilardi said.

A product of the school district, he attended Pelican Elementary School, Gulf Middle School, Cape High School, and graduated from Mariner High School in 1989

As a young boy he wanted to be a movie star, which changed after the city of Cape Coral gave him his first job working with elementary aged children at 16 years old

“At the age of 18, I realized that acting affects people for one night Teaching can affect people for a lifetime It’s a noble profession I have the best job in the world No two days are the same,” Vilardi said.

Now in his 31st year as an employee of the district, he has been a principal at Diplomat Elementary School for four years He began his career as a teacher at Gulf Elementary School before becoming the assistant princi-

pal at North Fort Myers Academy for the Arts Over the years, he has also been the principal at Pine Island Elementary School, Skyline Elementary School, and The Sanibel School

“The children, teachers, and staff at all of these schools have inspired me,” Vilardi said “My career is something I consider a gift It is not something I take for granted ”

In 1993, Vilardi earned his bachelor’s degree from USF He also earned his master’s degree in educational leadership from USF in 1997

He has earned many accolades throughout the years, such as a Golden Apple Teacher of Distinction and District’s Teacher of the Year Vilardi has also been

Association of Lee County

While a principal at Skyline Elementary School it was named a National Model School and during his tenure at The Sanibel School it was named a Florida School of Excellence

Since becoming the principal at Diplomat Elementary School, it has been recognized by US News and World Report as one of the best elementary schools

“All of these accolades are due to the wonderful teachers and staff members that I have had the honor of working with,” Vilardi said “They keep me motivated to do better and help me strive to continue finding ways of helping our students I am proud to say that USF gave me the guidance and tools to become successful ”

The kids and amazing people he works with remain his favorite part of the job

“Helping a student learn, or even through a tough time, fills my heart My job is to help make their world a better place, help them to succeed, and be the best they can be My goal is to help them know they can be anything they want to be The best gift I can give is that high five to build their self-confidence I believe all children can learn,” Vilardi said

Diplomat Elementary School Principal Chuck Vilardi accepts the 2024 University of South Florida Education Dean’s Lifetime Achievement Alumni Award /PHOTO PROVIDED

Foster Fest: Volunteer program helps save the lives

From page 1

foster for Animal Services or other listed organizations

“CCAS is grateful to Lee County DAS for hosting this great event to highlight

“Fostering is one of the most important and rewarding volunteer opportunities we offer Fostering saves more lives than just one it frees up space so we can take in more animals and save more lives We pay for everything you just provide the love! We hear all the time, ‘I can’t foster because I’d never give them up!’ But once your first foster finds a forever, loving home and you see how happy you’ve made that family, it gets easier the next time ”

Frick added that fostering especially during kitten season is vital to Animal Services

“It enables us to keep underage kittens in a home and lessen the risk of illness until they are ready to be adopted,” she said “We also have medical fosters for injured and sick cats/dogs, so they can heal in a home rather than the shelter ”

Euthanasia rates seem to be on the rise as well, which could be incentive for members of the community to foster a pet. From January to March of this year, 524 animals have been euthanized at LCDAS (not including animals that were requested to be) Compared to January through March of 2023, 267 animals were euthanized at LCDAS

Frick said fostering “is an opportunity to give back, to help our homeless pets, and see the reward when your foster finds a forever home ”

It’s also important for owners to spay and neuter their pets to help keep the num-

“CCAS is grateful to Lee County DAS for hosting this great event to highlight benefits of fostering Fostering is one of the most important and rewarding volunteer opportunities we offer Fostering saves more lives than just one it frees up space so we can take in more animals and save more lives. We pay for everything you just provide the love! We hear all the time, 'I can’t foster because I’d never give them up!' But once your first foster finds a forever, loving home and you see how happy you’ve made that family, it gets easier the next time ”

CCAS Executive Director Liz McCauley

ber of strays and unwanted pets to a minimum

LCDAS says spaying and neutering is important because:

∫ Spay and neuter is important for your pet’s health and longevity The average lifespan of spayed and neutered cats and dogs is demonstrably longer than the lifespan of those not.

∫ Curb unwanted behaviors Intact dogs are more prone to urine-marking than neutered dogs

∫ It decreases the number of homeless pets in area shelters and rescues

For more information on becoming part of the LCDAS foster family, email fosteri n g @ l e e g o v c o m o r v i s i t

www LeeLostPets com Find Lee County Domestic Animal Services’ social media sites on Facebook or Instagram @leeanimalservices

BUSINESS

BUSINESS BRIEFS

Ruane to speak at CCCIA dinner meeting May 9 at Cape Cabaret

The Cape Coral Construction Industry Association will hold a dinner meeting Thursday, May 9, at the Cape Cabaret at 4725 Vincennes Blvd , Cape Coral

The guest speaker for the event will be Lee County Commissioner for District 1, Kevin Ruane, who will provide a Resilient Lee Plan update and discuss insurance in Florida and funding and the local economy

The evening will begin with a mix and mingle at 5:30 p m , followed by dinner at 6:30 and Ruane's presentation at 6:45

The cost is $40 for members and $50 for potential members

Register for the dinner at https://members cccia org/

meeting-county-commissioner-report-1841

Pop-Up Market coming to Mercola Market next Saturday

Mercola Market of Cape Coral will partner with Shopping Shenanigans to host another Mid-Cape PopUp Market Saturday, May 11, from 10 a m to 2 p m

This market features a curated selection of local vendors offering one-of-a-kind art, crafts, gifts, food and more

“We’re thrilled to team up with Shopping Shenanigans to unveil an array of local treasures, perfect for those seeking unique, last-minute Mother’s Day gifts,” says Patrick Rossi, campus operations manager at Mercola Market “Let’s continue bringing back the idea and importance of shopping local ”

Interested vendors for this event or any future Pop-Up Markets may register at shoppingshenanigans.com/vendors-page The fee to participate is $40 per vendor

Located at 125 S W 3rd Place, Mercola Market of Cape Coral hosts a number of gatherings all year long, including seasonal festivals, monthly trivia and video game competitions

For a complete list of events, visit mercolamarketcc com/events aspx

For more information or a complete list of upcoming events and updates, visit mercolamarketcc com

Super Suds Boat Detailing closes

Super Suds Boat Detailing is no longer in business due to illness, and the staff is no longer detailing boats

According to one of the owners and operators, Jim Sweigert, the local business has been in operation for 22 years, but has been forced to shut down

Horizon Council to host Business Continuity Planning Workshop May 10

The Horizon Council Business Issues Committee will host a Business Continuity Planning Workshop to help Lee County business owners and managers plan and prepare to maintain business operations in a crisis

The Friday, May 10, session will offer tips for business leaders to assess risk, develop recovery strategies, organize teams, create a crisis communication plan and increase resiliency for a stronger response and recovery

Some of the questions posed at the workshop will include the following:

■ Does your business insurance cover structural or fiscal damages caused by hurricanes and other disasters?

■ Can your business operate remotely?

■ What are your expectations for employees returning to work?

■ How does your business protect important data and documents?

The Business Continuity Planning Workshop will be held from 9-11 a m on May 10 at the Lee County Administration Building, 2201 Second St , #118, in Fort Myers

The workshop is free, but registration is required no later than Monday, May 6, by contacting Amanda Kent at AKent@leegov com or calling 239-533-6807

F o r i n f o r m a t i o n , p l e a s e v i s i t H

Foundation com, or call 239-533-6800

KLCB, Comcast, Keep America Beautiful and city plant trees at Coviello Park

Comcast, Keep America Beautiful and the city of Cape Coral for a tree planting in celebration of Arbor Day The event took place in Joe Coviello Park, where volunteers from the Comcast Team UP program, local students and community members came together to plant 138 trees

The planting is part of the ongoing reforestation initiatives to preserve and enhance the natural beauty of the area.

“Planting trees is one of the easiest and most sustainable ways to positively impact the environment,” said Keep Lee County Beautiful Executive Director Trish Fancher “Trees play a crucial role in every community, and we are thankful for the collaboration with the City and their efforts to lead in tree canopy growth ”

“We are thrilled by the turnout to plant trees from our friends at Comcast Planting trees means cooler streets, healthier air and better quality of life for people and nature in Cape Coral Volunteers give so much and gain a deeper understanding of their neighbors, the needs of their community and the power of what’s possible when we all come together Thank you!” said Jenny Lawson, president &

CEO of Keep America Beautiful

“Thank you to Comcast's Team UP program for helping keep Cape Coral beautiful,” said Cape Coral Mayor John Gunter “Their volunteers helped plant 40 trees at Coviello Park on Arbor Day and 138 more on Saturday, along with dedicated trail cleanup and maintenance Their partnership ensures our city's natural beauty thrives for future generations ”

Keep Lee County Beautiful recently marked its 35th anniversary of serving Lee County As a certified affiliate of Keep Florida Beautiful, KLCB is grateful for the volunteers and community partners who have been instrumental in their journey Over the years, KLCB has been strengthened by generous donors, sponsors, and partners who provide vital funds and in-kind support to make an impact in the local community KLCB takes pride in being an active participant in enhancing the beauty of Lee County To learn more about KLCB and how to get involved or support their efforts, visit their website at www klcb org or call them at 239-334-3488

KLCB is a private/non-profit organization with 501 (c)(3) status

Grand opening May 10-12 for Tommy’s Express

Car Wash on Del Prado

Tommy’s Express Car Wash has announced the grand opening celebration of its new Cape Coral location at 42 Del Prado Blvd , N Tommy’s Express Car Wash provides guests with a 3-minute wash using modern technology and detergents designed to keep you and your car looking fresh

The grand opening celebration on May 10-12 will include three-days of foam-tastic fun, extravagant prizes and exciting partnerships with local organizations and food trucks The event at Tommy’s Express will include:

■ Chamber of Commerce of Cape Coral ribbon-cutting ceremony at 1 p m on May 10

■ Free car washes to all guests on Friday, May 10.

■ Golden Retriever Rescue of Southwest Florida will be on site Saturday, May 11, as 50% of the profit on Saturday will be donated to its cause

■ The Dawg Pound Food Truck will be serving hot dogs and more from 11 a m to 2 p m , Friday, May 10

■ Hot Off the Press Food Truck will be dishing out paninis and more on from 11 a m – 3 p m , Saturday, May 11

■ Viva La Taco will also be on site Sunday, May 12, to celebrate Mother’s Day will free tacos from 11 a m – 2 p m , while supply lasts

Tommy's Express is open seven days a week from 7 a m to 9 p m , with memberships starting at $23 99 a month, giving members unlimited washing, complimentary vacuums, and mat washers For more information on pricing, visit https://tommys-express.com/ to learn more. Guests can easily become a member and sign up via the Tommy's Express app

South Cape Cinco de Drinko Pub Crawl set for Saturday

The very first South Cape Cinco de Drinko Pub Crawl is set for Saturday, May 4, from 7-11 p m This exclusive 21+ affair spans nine venues, each offering a lively Cinco de Mayo-themed drink and appetizer sample.

Tickets are only $30 in advance ($25 for designated drivers)

Get your tickets online via Eventbrite Check in begins at 6 p m at Big John's Plaza or Dolphin Key Resort (under the front awning)

BackStreets Sports Bar, Mexican Russian & Chicken Taquitos; Cruiser's Lounge, Tequila Julep & Mini Tacos; The Dive, Mexican Candy & Taco Dip; Dixie Roadhouse, Dolce de Tequila & Tres Leches Cake; Monkey Bar Steak & Seafood, Pineapple Jalapeno Margarita & Chorizo Dip; Rack’em Spirits & Times, Mexican Lollipop & Tajin Popcorn; Ralph's Place, TBD; Rusty's Bar & Grill, Watermelon Jalapeno Margarita & Three Cheese Stuffed

& Chimichurri Chicken Skewers

PHOTO PROVIDED

The Comcast team that helped plant trees at Joe Coviello Park for Arbor Day

LCEC and Gulf Coast Village in Cape Coral shine a light on the power of teamwork

Cooperative’s volunteers help spruce up the exterior of Palmview

In the fall of 2023, Lee County Electric

C o o p e r a t i v e r e c o g n i z e d a n e e d f o r increased community involvement in the Lee County area To bring that realization to life, the cooperative created its Power of Us program, where each month, LCEC employees engage in community service projects

In October, LCEC chose to provide volunteer services to Gulf Coast Village, a senior living community in Cape Coral, and on March 20, LCEC arrived bright and early, ready to make the community look like new again

“We’ve been working over the past several months to set this up and come up with projects,” said Diana Nicol, life enrichment coordinator at Gulf Coast Village Nicol collaborated with LCEC to organize the service day and identify areas of need within the community’s exterior

Gulf Coast Village, a not-for-profit and Cape Coral’s only continuing care retirement community, opened its doors in 1989. From independent living and assisted living to memory support and skilled nursing, Gulf Coast Village is home to seniors requiring all levels of health care needs

The community also offers short-term care for seniors recovering from an injury, i

Village has made its mark on Cape Coral locals through its high-quality health care services, collection of resort-style ameni-

ties and services and maintenance-free lifestyle, and since its inception 35 years ago, Gulf Coast Village has grown tremendously to meet the needs of its current and incoming residents

One major addition to the community’s campus includes Palmview, Gulf Coast Village’s memory support and assisted living residences, which is where LCEC focused their efforts on the service day Palmview opened its doors to just over 50 seniors in need of more intensive health services in 2017 and has blossomed ever since Now, having doubled its occupancy with over 100 seniors calling Palmview home, Palmview offers its residents highquality care, with guaranteed independence

At the service event, LCEC employees came together to spruce up the exterior of Palmview A team of 12 volunteers split into groups and lent a hand with golf cart cleaning, pressure washing the walkways, washing windows and deep cleaning the benches outside of the community. Each activity taken on by the cooperative helped to restore the beauty of the senior community To thank LCEC for their volunteer work, Gulf Coast Village treated the LCEC team to a snack set-up inside of the community featuring breakfast pastries and beverages

“It’s near and dear to everyone’s heart, being able to provide that service,” said Taylor Wilson, member programs special-

ist at LCEC

The LCEC team was happy to provide its services to create a clean and comfortable outdoor environment for the community’s residents to enjoy throughout the Spring season Gulf Coast Village and

LCEC hope to maintain the strength of their partnership year-round through more hands-on activities at the senior living community

For more about LCEC, please visit https://www lcec net/

For more about Gulf Coast Village, visit https://gulfcoastvillage org/

Excellence in Education

Excellence in Education:

From page 1

reading teacher at Dunbar High School, a 2024 Lee County Golden Apple recipient, Jill Klausing

Klausing is a Cape Coral resident with a bachelors from Ohio State University and Masters in education in reading from Florida Gulf Coast University She spoke to students on having an “option B” when their first option doesn’t work out

Each student and educator recognized received a plaque to commemorate their outstanding efforts, with high school and college students each receiving scholarship dollars to go along with their hardware

“Education and leadership are key elem

y , ” Germain said “As a Chamber, we continually look for ways to help recognize and encourage our educators and students as leaders in our community It is essential in developing fresh ideas and perspectives while ensuring a continuity of leaders for the future ”

This year, the Chamber’s Education Committee has been able to provide additional scholarship money than in years past

Each of the high school seniors of excellence and technical college honorees were bestowed $500 scholarships, with additional $1,000 scholarships given to a separate group of high school students

A special scholarship was presented to a Junior Leadership student in the name of Cindy Gallagher, a program founder who passed away from cancer in 2018 This year’s recipient was ’s Jared Hughey

“Jared’s sense of community and volu n teer is m w er e o u ts tan d in g , ” G er main said. “He donates time to the Ronald

Chamber of Commerce of Cape Coral recognizes students, teachers

McDonald House, Gulf Coast Humane Society and Camelot Community Care ”

An except from Hughey’s essay reads: “I think about my future career, of which I have been uncertain of for the longest time, but I’m certain now that I wish to be a teacher I have chosen this because as I near graduation, I see now that many teachers I’ve had have shaped a large amount of my current worldview for better or for worse. I realize that being a teacher is one of the most important and essential jobs in a community, and the one most states are sorely lacking I don’t know of many other ways to serve my community more impactful than shaping its future, and I hope to do so for the better with the lessons I teach tomorrow’s community members and leaders ”

G e r m a i n a l s o a d d

thank the Breeze Newspapers for a wonderful partnership on this event over the years, as well as The Kiwanis Club of Cape Coral, Rotary Club of Cape Coral

support in helping us recognize these amazing educators and students A special thanks goes out to the Chamber’s Staff and Education Committee and all of the sponsors for another wonderful event We cannot wait for next year ” The full list of honorees include (student followed by teacher):

∫ Caloosa Elementary School: Adam Skocik and Allison Randall

∫ Cape Elementary School: Kaleb Phelps and Gladys Gomez

Nauss-Aldrich

∫ Gulf Elementary School: Jacob

Melvin and Kelly Slover

∫ Hancock Creek Elementary School:

Lily Ball and Gail Cummings

S

∫ Hector A Cafferata Jr Elementary

Hernandez Torres

∫ Oasis Charter Elementary North:

Alyssa Sophia Alzate and Joy Valente

∫ Oasis Charter Elementary South:

Ava Burns and Debra Lee

∫ Patriot Elementary School: Lia

Camacho and Johnny Nodal

∫ Pelican Elementary School: Greta

Van Gaalen and Peggy Stamper

∫ Pine Island Elementary School: Fin

Stevens and Melinda Sue Nelson

∫ Skyline Elementary School: Oscar

Herrera and Kathleen Jones

∫ Trafalgar Elementary School: Lilly

Koza and Deborah Ditomaso

∫ Caloosa Middle School: Kardai

Battle and Jackie Kustek

∫ Challenger Middle School: Ethan

Alexander and Christina Williams

∫ Christian Life Academy: McKenna

Curzio and Tabor Van Horn

∫ Diplomat Middle School: Addison

Berry and Quinn Schnabel

∫ Gulf Middle School: Amira Habash and Katie Scibetta

∫ Mariner Middle School: Penelope

Serantes and Lisa Klutsarits

∫

Braylen Thomas and Jans Duque

∫ North Fort Myers Academy for the Arts: Scarlett Oliva and Jill Cooke

∫

Valentin and Crystal Martin

∫ Saint Andrew Catholic School:

Jessie Marie Metz and Yania Martinez

∫ Trafalgar Middle School: Kyle

Rheinschmidt and Jennifer Kennedy

∫ Cape Coral High School: Ella

Bernard and Eduardo Ortega

∫ Ida Baker High School: Alexander

Dingerson and Kayla Lill

∫ Island Coast High School: Ava DeAngelo and Joe Mallon

∫ M

Kohlmeier and Carlos Cook

∫ North Fort Myers High School: Giselle Leon and Sara Johnson-Scalisi

∫ Oasis High School: Jasmin Little and Jack Concannon

∫ Cape Coral Technical College: Stephanie Wolfe and Mary Anne Enns ∫

Scholarship recipient

Feichthaler, $1,000 Scholarship recipient

Lucas, $1,000

recipient

Octoavien, $1,000 Scholarship recipient

∫ Mariner High School: Sorina Ellard, $1,000 Scholarship recipient

Haggerty, $1,000 Scholarship recipient

Calleja Lamarque, $1,000 Scholarship recipient

∫ Oasis High School: Jessica Hay, $1,000 Scholarship recipient

∫ Island Coast High School: Jared

Leadership $1,000 Scholarship recipient

Fort Myers Amateur Radio Club, Railroad Museum of South Florida to celebrate National Train Day May 11

As National Train Day approaches on Saturday, May 11, the Fort Myers Amateur Radio Club gears up for a unique celebration at the Railroad Museum of South Florida Marking the occasion, the club will be on-site and on the airwaves, transmitting in Morse code a homage to the historic role of telegraphy in railway operations

National Train Day, observed annually on the Saturday closest to May 10, traces its origins back to 2008 when Amtrak introduced the holiday to highlight the significance of railways in American history

Amateur Radio Club, in collaboration with the Railroad Museum of South Florida, will pay homage to this tradition by showcasing the intersection of old and new technologies

L o c a t e d i n L a k e s P a r k a t 7 3 3 0 Gladiolus Drive in Fort Myers, the event promises an immersive experience for visitors Attendees will have the opportunity to explore the rich history of the Railroad Museum of South Florida while witnessing Morse code transmissions reminiscent of the telegraph's heyday Attendees will also discover the voice and digital options demonstrated by licensed amateur radio operators

"The telegraph was once the lifeline of railways, facilitating the smooth operation of train arrivals and departures Today, Amateur Radio serves a similar purpose, especially during emergencies when con-

ventional communication systems fail," said Bob Lewis, President of the Fort Myers Amateur Radio Club

The event aims to educate visitors about the vital role of railways in transportation and the enduring legacy of Morse code in telecommunications Additionally, attendees will learn about the innovative applications of Amateur Radio in emergency situations, ensuring the timely dissemination of critical information

Hours for the National Train Day event are from 10 a m until 4 p m

Established in 1957, the Fort Myers Amateur Radio Club Inc has been dedicated to fostering camaraderie among individuals with a shared passion for Amateur Radio With a commitment to facilitating the exchange of information, promoting electronics and amateur radio knowledge, advocating for good radio operating practices, and advancing the art of Amateur Radio, the club strives to create a vibrant community Additionally, the club actively sponsors and promotes various activities related to amateur radio, provides crucial public service during emergencies and actively engages in other community initiatives.

The club meets at 7 p m on the last Tuesday of the month at the Lee County Emergency Operations Center Learn more a b o u t h a m r a d i o a n d t h e c l u b a t www fmarc net and to learn more about the Railroad Museum of South Florida by visiting rrmsf org

Seaman from For t Myers ser ving aboard USS

Howard

PHILIPPINE SEA -- Seaman Madisson Avendano-Jimenez, from Fort Myers, stands watch on the bridge wing aboard the Arleigh Burkeclass guided-missile destroyer USS Howard (DDG 83) during a surface warfare exercise in the Philippine Sea, April 1. The ship is forward-deployed and assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, the Navy’s largest DESRON and the U.S. 7th Fleet’s principal surface force.

SPORTS

May brings fine fishing across Southwest Florida

Cape anglers are blessed with year-round sport and food fishing for a huge variety of species. Remember those long winter months sitting by the window in your snow white tan watching wet snow cover your boat while videos or magazine articles about sunny Florida’s Lake Okeechobee big bass or Boca Grande tarpon, teased you? You finally made the move and now, pumpkinseeds to permit, tilapia to tarpon, snook to snakeheads, we’ve got a fish for you and your style of angling, all year long

May 1 has a special ring to it as local anglers know it means the beginn i n g o f s o m e o f t h e year’s best fishing that Southwest Florida has to offer, especially for our w o r l d f a m o u s t a r

already moved into our passes especially Boca Grande with Redfish and

grounds

Don’t care for boat bumping crowded pass fishing? No problem as we’ve got large numbers of silver kings strung out along the coast, as well as on the inside along the ICW from the Sanibel Causeway north through Pine Island Sound

Other groups of migrating fish will bear right and swim up into Matlacha for a bridge party with yet another group choosing to head up into the Caloosahatchee Our resident tarpon will enjoy their southern cousins' spring visit, giving Cape anglers plenty of opportunities to put a big and beautiful, chrome-fish-of-a-lifetime in the air using a variety of techniques

If you enjoy competitive fishing, gear up for the South Seas Tarpon Tournament at Captiva Island, May 16-17 (www southseas com/tarpon)

The catch-and-release snook crowd are also fired up knowing that they won’t have to poke around here and there in the mangroves for hours on end looking because now they’ve got them cornered! They’re all at the beach! Well, not all, but if you’re like most local snook, there’s a good chance that’s where you’re headed for your summer of love Still there’s a group that for some reason hangs back from beach cruising I’ve seen huge female snook at the very top of the Spreader Canal in the northwest Cape in July Who likes crowded beaches anyway, may be their reason.

See FINE FISHING, page 46

Cape Coral, Sail and Power Squadron to host hurricane preparedness seminar

National Hurricane Preparedness Week is May 5-11

Each May the National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Preparedness Week to remind everyone to get ready for the next storm If you are one of the many new boaters to Southwest Florida yet to experience the “rain with a name,” you need to understand how to secure and prepare your vessel for these events

On Wednesday, May 15, the Cape Coral, Sail and Power Squadron, America’s Boating Club will host its annual hurricane preparedness seminar This year the event will be held at 2 p m at the squadron building at 917 S E 47th Terrace, Cape Coral

The seminar is free and open to the public Seating is limited so attendees are asked to register in advance at https://www ticketleap events/events/ccsaps

In the session preparation basics and how you can apply those to your situation will be discussed There is no “one size fits all solution” as several factors need to be considered when developing a plan The key to this is the physical location of your vessel and the direction that the storm is coming in from

In Southwest Florida, storms come from the Atlantic but not all hurricanes come across the state from the east

Feichthaler

Breeze

The votes are in for the Cape Coral Breeze’s April Athlete of the Month, and the winner is Oasis High School's Emily Feichthaler

During her nomination week, the sophomore helped the Sharks remain undefeated with a win against CSN, coming out on top in straight sets in her singles matches In doubles, Feichthaler and partner Cecilia Menendez were victorious as well

She was undefeated in both No 3 singles and No 2 doubles until falling to Community School of Naples in the region-

The recent storms have approached from the south and southwest Storms that pass on the east side will impact local canals differently than those that pass on the west side

With each new storm locals experience something different Hurricane Ian was devastating compared to other recent storms at has provided new insights So be sure to plan to attend this event.

The Sail and Power Squadron also offers a variety of other boating classes and seminars throughout the year You can find the currently offered courses and seminars from now until the end of the year online at ccsaps org Squadron offices are open, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 9 a m to noon The volunteer staff will provide more information about course offering and other valuable boating information will be available, along with some items for sale, like local charts and books including, “Safe Boating in Southwest Florida, Your Guide to the Many Channels on our Waterways” written by a local squadron member.

Athlete of the Month for April

PREP REPORT

al tournament

“I’ve had a really good year so far," Feichthaler told The Breeze during her nomination week "I’m still working on my serve but looking forward to the upcoming district tournament ”

Voting for May's Athlete of the Month will open toward the end of the month Stay up to date with Athlete of the Week selections on capecoralbreeze com

Emily Feichthaler

Tuesday

Baseball

District 6A-12

Tuesday's semifinals

Riverdale 9, Ida Baker 8: The Raiders pushed across the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning The Bulldogs finished the year 12-11

Charlotte 19, Palmetto Ridge 2 (4 innings)

Thursday's championship

Riverdale at Charlotte

District 5A-11

Tuesday's semifinals

Island Coast 8, Mariner 1: Mason Blackburn was 3for-4 with two doubles, driving in three runs for the Gators (19-9) Jordi Guerrero scored three runs Ryan Mueller allowed one run over five innings for the win Sam Guth was 3-for-4 for Mariner (11-17)

Fort Myers 7, Port Charlotte 6

4

4

4

Su

5

5

5

Sa

4

4 Low 7:57 PM 0 4

Su 5 High 1:20 AM 1 6 6:47 AM Rise 4:57 AM 15

5

5

5

Thursday's championship

Fort Myers at Island Coast

District 3A-8

Tuesday's semifinals

Bishop Verot 10, Gateway Charter 0 (5 innings): Grayson Carpenter was 3-for-3 for the Vikings (21-5) with two stolen bases, two RBI and three runs scored Blake Lavenia allowed two hits and no runs, striking out eight

Oasis 5, Clewiston 4: Down a run going to the bottom of the seventh, the Sharks (13-9) rallied to walk it off on Noah Pinney's RBI single to score Aiden Bonagura

Gabriel Gair's sacrifice fly tied the game at 5

Thursday's championship

Oasis at Bishop Verot

Softball

District 5A-11

Tuesday's semifinals

North Fort Myers 10, Mariner 0 (5 innings): Mia Lane drove in three runs and Jordyn Prado and Kaliyah Williams had two RBI each for the Red Knights (20-5) Williams pitched four innings for the win

Ida Baker 9, Fort Myers 5: The Bulldogs (14-8) advanced to take on North in the district title game Baker led 5-4 until a four-run top of the seventh that put the game out of reach

Thursday's championship

Ida Baker at North Fort Myers

District 3A-12

Tuesday's semifinals

Bishop Verot 16, Clewiston 0 (3 innings): The Vikings (19-6-1) will be the home team for the district title game Tianna Wolfson and McKenna Robbins had two RBI each for Bishop Verot Paige Betterman didn't allow a hit over three scoreless innings She walked two and struck out eight

Aubrey Rogers 13, Oasis 2 (5 innings): Emma Neujahr and Meesha Neujahr drove in the Sharks' runs

Thursday's championship

Aubrey Rogers at Bishop Verot

Beach Volleyball

Section 3 Playoffs

Thursday's play-in round

Barron Collier at Bishop Verot

Capt George Tunison

Mighty Mussels split first two games with Marauders

Lares leads one-hit shutout of Marauders, 2-0

BRADENTON, Fla – Cesar Lares tossed six no-hit innings Wednesday, leading the Mighty Mussels to a 2-0 shutout of t h e B r a d e n t o n M a r a u d e r s a t L E C O M Park

Fort Myers (9-14) carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning before Bradenton (5-18) third baseman Javier Rivas floated a single into right center with two outs

Lares (1-0) faced the minimum over six innings, allowing just two men to reach After Garret Forrester reached on an error in the second, he was quickly erased on a double play Esmerlyn Valdez was hit by a pitch in the fourth inning, but Lares then picked him off

Lares needed just 69 pitches to complete six innings, a new career high. He averaged 91 4 mph on his fastball, which he used 51% of the time He induced only four whiffs all night, fanning just two batters He completed his last two innings on just 17 pitches

Danny Moreno then pitched 1 2 score-

less innings in relief, fanning three before surrendering the lone Bradenton hit Julio Bonilla notched his third save, retiring four consecutive batters to end the game

The Mussels put pressure on Bradenton all night but stranded 11 runners They got the scoring going in the top of the third With runners at first and second and two outs, Brandon Winokur shot a single through the right side to give Fort Myers a 1-0 lead

Still up by that margin in the sixth, Jose Rodriguez ripped a solo homer out to left field. The ball left the bat at 109.3 mph and at just a 24-degree launch angle Rodriguez now leads the Mussels with three homers on the season

Wednesday’s shutout was the Mussels’ third of the season and the fewest hits they’ve allowed in a game since they tossed a combined no-hitter on May 14, 2023

Fort Myers was looking to take the series lead Thursday RHP Charlee Soto (0-1, 2 08) was scheduled to make the s t a r t f o r t h e M u s s e l s , o p p o s i t e

Fine fishing: May

From page 45

Cape offshore anglers hope to enjoy favorable winds early this month finding hungry fish in 80 feet and beyond where red grouper and a variety of snapper species await Other players like permit and African pompano can show up as well calling for a variety of rods to be already rigged and ready to do work at a moment’s notice, along with a ready selection of baits and proven lures, especially for a surprise cobia which could show up anywhere, anytime

May tarpon and sharks go together like bread and butter and for me, catching sizeable sharks from a staked out skiff in shal-

Marauders

Coverage throughout the series can be found on the Mighty Mussels Baseball Network

Mussels drop series opener in Bradenton 7-3

B R A D E N T O N , F l a – S p e n c e r

Bengard struck out seven in his Low-A debut Tuesday, but the Mighty Mussels dropped the series opener 7-3 to the Bradenton Marauders at LECOM Park

Bengard entered in relief for Twins’ rehabber Josh Winder (0-1), and twirled 3 1 innings of one-run ball, with his only blemish coming on a solo home run from Garret Forrester

Winder, meanwhile, tossed 33 pitches o v e r 1 2 i n n i n g s , f a n n i n g f o u r w h i l e allowing two runs

Bradenton (5-17) jumped in front in the first when Josh Palacios pulled a double off the first base bag Two batters later, Forrester drilled a single to center to make

is always a great

low water, on live or dead bait, lures or flies is about as good as it gets Nothing like seeing a big dorsal fin rocketing away above the water on a drag-burning, blinding speed run in two or three feet of water

If you want to get serious about sharking, as in really serious, you’re in the right spot as we’ve got sharks so big here in Southwest Florida they can make your bay boat feel small Is there a 1,000-pound or even larger hammerhead shark swimming in Boca Grande tonight? There’s a real

p o s s i b i l i t y t h a t c o u l d b e t r u e , m a y b e tonight or during the coming weeks, so don’t fall out of the boat

A bigger problem for local tarpon and clumsy anglers would be the world’s most

CAPE CORAL ANIMAL SHELTER

Bigs

Looking for a loving home

Enoki is a 1 to 3-year-old female Hi! I'm Enoki! I'm a little shy at first, but will warm up to you quickly I'm a super sweet girl that just wants my furever home! I'm a super good girl with house manners and love snuggling with MY people Is that you?

Bigs is a 1 to 3-year-old male Are you ready to add a bundle of purrs, meows and endless affection to your life? Look no further than me, Bigs, who is here to steal your heart! I am a handsome feline charmer that is not just your ordinary cat;

I am a social butterfly with a personality as big as my name!

If you are interested in meeting any of the animals available for adoption at The Cape Coral Animal Shelter, visit its website at www capecoralanimalshelter com for additional information

The shelter is located at 325 S W 2nd Ave , Cape Coral, and hours of operation are Tuesday and Thursday, noon to 5 p m , and Friday through Sunday, noon to 4 p m Please call 239-573-2002 for additional information

it 1-0. The next batter was Esmerlyn Valdez, who doubled down the left field line to make it 2-0

After the Forrester homer extended the lead to 3-0, the Mussels (8-14) got an infield single from Jose Rodriguez with two outs in the sixth Poncho Ruiz followed by blasting a double off the center field fence to make it 3-1

The Marauders quickly responded in the bottom of the inning when Kalae Harrison yanked a solo homer inside the right field pole to extend the lead 4-1

Bradenton took advantage of a fielding error from Isaac Pena in the bottom of the seventh to prolong the inning for Shalin Polanco to demolish a three-run homer and extend the lead to 7-1

Fort Myers fought back in the eighth Brandon Winokur drilled a double to the wall in center before Rodriguez drove in Winokur on a fielding error by Harrison After a Ruiz single moved Rodriguez to third, a wild pitch brought him home to cap the scoring at 7-3

month to get out on the water

foul tempered, always dangerous bull shark which is swimming in pass waters right now

Family fun Spanish mackerel are reported from the passes, into Charlotte Harbor, and close along the coast. Troll flashy spoons or chum them to the boat for outstanding, ultra-lite tackle fun

Donations to recent Midwest tornado victims are greatly appreciated

Capt George Tunison is a Cape Coral resident fishing guide You can contact him at 239-282-9434 or via email at captgeorget3@aol com

30 years: Trauma Center milestone

From page 35

relies on a span of services known as the trauma continuum, beginning with 911 dispatchers, Emergency Medical Technicians, paramedics, EMS, pilots, flight nurses, fire departments and law enforcement

O n c e l i f e s a v i n g m e a s u r e s h a v e occurred for the patient, the care expands to include emotional and psychological side effects that impact the entire family, including support groups and mentor programs

The Trauma Center is also a resource for the community to help raise awareness of injury prevention and safety with programs, including High Risk Driver, Young Driver, Youth Violence Prevention, Driving Safety for Seniors, Falls Prevention and Sports Injury prevention

How can the community learn more about the Trauma Center?

An optimally functioning trauma system requires a coordinated, multidisciplinary approach The community can learn more about the Trauma Center and how it works at a series of events spanning three weeks aimed at raising awareness about trauma care and its impact on individuals and communities this month in honor of the 30 years of service

The following events will be at Gulf Coast Medical Center, located at 13681 Doctor’s Way, Fort Myers:

■ Touch a Truck on Saturday, May 4, from 10 a m to 2 p m : Located in the p a r k i n g l o t a t t h e D a n i e l

y entrance, attendees will be able to engage in conversations with Trauma Center team members and partners, including the Lee C

y Medical Services and various law enforcement offices from participating counties The Lee Health Blood Mobile and Lee Health Trauma providers will also be in attendance

■ Coffee Talk with a Trauma Doctor on F r i d a y , M a y 1 7 , f r o m 9 - 1 0 : 3 0 a m : Located in the hospital’s center atrium, guests will be able to ask questions and gain insight from a Lee Health trauma provider.

■ Dedication on Friday, May 24, at 10 a m : There will be a tree planting, bench and plaque added to the courtyard for trauma families, friends, ambassadors and survivors

To learn more about Lee Health’s traum a s e r v i c e s , p l e a

v i s i t w w w l e e health org

Syndi Bultman is the Trauma Injury Prevention & Resource Coordinator for Lee Health

OPENGATE: New security system

From page 17

measure, Winfree said, and got an up-close look during an open house

Newlan said providing layers of security at each school in the district is a task he takes very seriously

“This whole project was looked at as making sure nothing bad gets carried though the threshold of any school,”

Newlan said “We want to prevent that And we will continue to add more layers as we move forward

“Our goal is to make sure students feel safe in our schools, our staff feel safe and parents know we're doing all we can so students can focus on their education ”

The School District of Lee County is the first in Florida to have all schools equipped with weapon detection technology

Cape Coral Breeze Athletes

Week of the

(Selected by the Breeze

Sports staff)

Dock Space Rental/Sales

Pets & Supplies

Wanted To Buy

Garage Sales Power Boats

Sat,May4th-Sun,May5th 8amto3pm WhiskeyCreek 5560TrellisLn GorgeousFurnituire, Antiques,HomeDecor, Collectiblies&Linens. Kitchen&GarageFull. WorththeDrive Pictures: facebook.com/redbarnestate anddemolitionsale