INSIDE: Legal Notices
www.capecoralbreeze.com
Wednesday, June 19, 2024
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Primary, General Election ballots firm up istered elector of the city; a permanent resCape City Council representatives in Districts 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 to be determined ident; a continuous, full-time resident of
By CJ HADDAD
cjhaddad@breezenewspapers.com
The qualifying period for the 2024 election cycle culminated last Friday, as those looking to toss their hat in the ring to be an elected official must have submitted the proper documents by the deadline. Things were a bit different this year for the Lee County Elections Office, under the watch of Supervisor of Elections Tommy Doyle, as they were processing more candidates in more races than in previous
elections. “This year’s qualifying period was different, as we handled qualifying for the City of Cape Coral and the Town of Fort Myers Beach candidates,” Doyle said. Ballots are not yet set in stone, as they will be processed by the Florida Division of Elections, which will finalize the state candidate list, Doyle said. All in all, this November’s election will play a vital role in the future of Southwest Florida communities and beyond.
“Local, countywide and municipal elections are essential in shaping the future of our communities,” Doyle said. “In those elections, residents have the opportunity to choose the leaders who will represent them and address the needs of the community.” Among the offices up this election cycle are Cape Coral City Council seats for Districts 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7. City residents hoping to serve on the eight-person elected board must be a reg-
Cape Coral burn ban rescinded
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See BALLOTS, page 4
Gov. DeSantis vetoes $4 million grant appropriation for Cape reservoir transmission main
NEWS OF NOTE As of Tuesday, the Keetch-Byram Drought Index had been below 600 for seven consecutive days, so the temporary burn ban issued by the city of Cape Coral on June 5 has been rescinded Residents are urged to continue to use caution with recreation and cooking fires. Recreational fires must comply with the stipulations of the City’s Code of Ordinance for recreational burns, such as being 25 feet from any structure, having an extinguishment source, and the fire must be kept to a maximum of 3-feet in diameter and 2-feet in height. Recreational fires are not intended for vegetation or rubbish disposal, per ordinance. Information on burning in Cape Coral can be found at www.capecoralfire.com/burn-regulations. In addition, the Cape Coral Fire Department continues to request the community be vigilant in not disposing of lit smoking materials outdoors, including from a car window. Source: Cape Coral Fire Department
the city for the entire calendar year preceding their qualification of office; and must reside in the district in which they are seeking office. Cape Coral City Council races are nonpartisan. Council members are elected atlarge meaning voters may cast a ballot in each race regardless of the district in which they live. Terms are four years, and members are
By MEGHAN BRADBURY
news@breezenewspapers.com
‘There’s no such thing as bears on Pine Island’ Black bear explores Bokeelia resident’s yard By PAULETTE LeBLANC
pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com
Lori Liano of Bokeelia said she didn’t know if bears were even seen on Pine Island until she saw one hanging around her yard. “We were leaving for church Sunday morning and Gianna, our 13-year-old, said a racoon must have knocked down the garbage,” Liano said. “We looked at the security video to see the raccoon and we saw that it was a bear and he was at the front door and he was at the back door.” Security footage clocked the bear on Liano’s property for at least 10 minutes, she said. She asked some of her neighbors about whether or not they’d ever seen bears and was told to call Florida Fish and Wildlife. “I didn’t even think about seeing a bear here, because we never saw one. I reached out to FWC
and they put me through to a biologist who said he was probably dispersed from his family and probably swam here,” Liano said. While Liano said the last thing she wants is for anyone to hurt an animal, she does want locals to be aware of the bear’s presence. She said her husband estimated the bear’s weight at about 200 pounds. “At the pool this morning I asked, ‘Has anyone seen a bear on Pine Island?’ Everyone said, ‘There’s no such thing as bears on Pine Island,’” Liano said with a laugh.
A photo taken from a home security system video showing the black bear in Lori Liano’s yard in Bokeelia. PHOTO PROVIDED
Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed a $4 million grant appropriation for the Cape Coral Northeast Reservoir Water Transmission Main and Regional Water Supply Project. City spokesperson Melissa Mickey said the request was for an additional $4 million in funding. “We have already received some grant funding for the project, and we anticipate to apply for additional grant funding as the project continues to progress,” she said Friday. “The city has already received approximately $7.6 million in grant funding for the project.” Mickey said it is important to note that this year DeSantis invested billions of dollars in Florida’s water quality, Everglades Restoration, the environment and natural resources, as well as environmental cleanup programs. The budget includes $3.1 billion for Florida’s water quality and supply. DeSantis’ Focus on Florida’s Future Budget for fiscal year 2024-2025 is $116.5 billion, which includes reserves that sit at 14.6% of the budget. DeSantis issued $949.6 million in line-item vetoes, which resulted in putting the state’s reserves at $17.0 billion. The governor's vetoed budget items for Lee County also include: ■ Lehigh Acres Municipal Services Improvement District – Natural Sinkhole Preservation Project Phase II, $2 million
See CAPE RESERVOIR, page 4