WEEK OF JULY 2, 2025
VOLUME 63, NUMBER 33
Lee FlexEd offers options for students
By MEGHAN BRADBURY
news@breezenewspapers.com
Parade, fireworks and more planned for holiday By TIFFANY REPECKI
T
trepecki@breezenewspapers.com
he islands have a variety of activities scheduled to celebrate the Fourth of July, including a pancake breakfast, parade, two community celebrations, an in-vehicle scavenger hunt and fireworks display. The day will start with the 4th of July Annual Pancake
See FLEXED, page 21
ISLANDERINSIDE
Breakfast at the Sanibel Community Church, followed by the 32nd Annual Independence Day Parade on Periwinkle Way. Next, there will be the 4th of July Star Spangled Celebration at Jerry’s Foods and the Red, White & 50+ Years Bright Community Celebration at the Sanibel Recreation Center. The 45th annual 4th of July Road Rally will follow at the Timbers See HOLIDAY, page 20
Coastal Watch signing up volunteers for cleanup
By TIFFANY REPECKI
trepecki@breezenewspapers.com
Volunteers are needed to help clean up the Causeway Islands following the holiday festivities. After the Fourth of July weekend, the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation’s (SCCF) Coastal Watch will host an After the 4th: Sanibel Causeway Cleanup on July 8 from 8 to 10 a.m. Coastal Watch Director Kealy Pfau explained that they have historically organized cleanups at the Causeway Islands Park after major holidays, like
Homeschool and private school students now have the opportunity to take part in public school programs through the School District of Lee County’s Lee FlexEd program. The initiative allows students to register for open programs in the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC), arts, and career academies as of the first day of school in August. “We believe we offer a great service to our students that would benefit students using the Florida Empowerment Scholarship (FES) by flexing their schedule to add classes that require specific expertise that may not be available through
COASTAL WATCH
Coastal Watch will host an After the 4th: Sanibel Causeway Cleanup on July 8 from 8 to 10 a.m.
Independence Day, Memorial Day and Mother’s Day. “Throughout the year, it’s what we did before (Hurricane) Ian,” she said. Following this last Memorial Day, the county noticed a lot of trash and approached the SCCF. “Their staff were having a really hard time getting on top of it,” Pfau said, adding that they asked if Coastal Watch could facilitate a beach clean up after the Fourth of July holiday and they said yes. She noted that the Causeway Islands
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ALSOINSIDETODAY Guest Commentary........................4 Web Poll...........................................4 Captiva Current...............................6 Business......................................8 Preserving Paradise.....................12 Island Living..................................14 Sports.........................................16
See CLEANUP, page 21
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