WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 6, 2023
VOLUME 61, NUMBER 42
Substance abuse disorders on rise among older residents By MEGHAN BRADBURY
news@breezenewspapers.com
Idalia's impact on islands minimal; serves as trial run By TIFFANY REPECKI
trepecki@breezenewspapers.com
Eleven months after Hurricane Ian raged across the islands, Sanibel and Captiva braced for the first major storm of the new season with the potential to cause damage and came out seemingly unscathed. Hurricane Idalia rolled past the Southwest Florida coast on Aug. 29 and continued northeast into the night, eventually making landfall on the morning of Aug. 30 near Keaton Beach
in the Big Bend area as a Category 3. The maximum sustained winds of 125 mph and record storm surge devastated the area. In Lee County, the hurricane's outer bands brought strong winds, heavy rains and some flooding. See IDALIA, page 18
There has been a rise of addictive behaviors and mental health issues among the senior population since COVID and the devastation of Hurricane Ian. Post-Ian, Lee County centers of all types have seen an increase in addiction and substance abuse disorder in the older adult demographic, LPG Behavioral Health System Director Dawn Belamarich said, adding that increases have been seen at outpatient clinics, hospitals and SalusCare since last September. “The trauma of the storm and COVID, there has been a rise in alcohol use disorders and addictive behaviors as well,” she said. The increase is not limited to prescription drugs. Although Lee Health's numbers are not broken down by age, from April 2022 through March, it has conducted 24,605 visits with patients needing mental health See SUBSTANCE ABUSE, page 2
IslanderInsIde
Overnight flooding from Hurricane Idalia on Aug. 2930 leaves Donax Street and Middle Gulf Drive impassable on Sanibel. CITY OF SANIBEL
Sizzle Dining to feature participating island restaurants By CJ HADDAD
cjhaddad@breezenewspapers.com
An annual food extravaganza sees a record number of participants for its 2023 event, with proceeds benefitting a local nonprofit that addresses child hunger. Sizzle Dining will run from Sept. 7-27 and gives participants the chance to sample Southwest Florida flavors and delectable cuisines. This year, foodies will have the opportunity to dine at 95 restaurants throughout the month — for less. It will feature a set-price menu at $19 or $29 for twocourse lunches and $29, $39 or $49 for three-course dinners. The charity-driven promotion gives diners the experience of new restaurants, hidden gems to be discovered and established favorites around Bonita Springs, Cape Coral, Estero, Fort Myers, Marco Island, Naples, Sanibel and Babcock Ranch. Each
participating location will offer special Sizzle Dining menus, so diners can try types of food that may normally be outside their comfort zone price-wise. “This is a special event that takes place in the restaurant where everyone from the dishwasher to the valet, hostesses, cooks, chefs and owners participates,” Sizzle Dining founder Guy Clarke said. “It’s a way for them to give back and do something. “It’s heartwarming,” he added. “To get the kind of positive feedback we receive and to see the donation checks each restaurant sends to the charity, knowing how hard everyone is working. That’s why Sizzle Dining is a success.”
For every meal purchased during the event, each restaurant will donate $1 directly to Blessings in a Backpack of Southwest Florida, a local chapter of a national nonprofit charity that feeds 7,500 food-insecure elementary-aged students each weekend in Lee and Collier counties during the school year. “Blessings in a Backpack is an obvious choice,” Clarke said. “We’re in the industry and we feed people every day. But there are children in our community who don’t have access to food on a daily basis.” Last year’s hurricane-shortened event raised more than $20,000 for the non-profit. “It’s been a wonderful partnership in the sense that we are able to pull together the restaurant community and give back to help See SIZZLE DINING, page 2
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