Fort Myers, FL, April 14, 2021 – Midwest Food Bank of Florida – a volunteer-driven, faith-based organization dedicated to alleviating hunger, malnutrition and providing disaster relief locally, and throughout the world donates much needed school supplies to The Foundation for Lee County Public Schools.
Midwest Food Bank Florida currently supports over 172 nonprofit partner agencies. This means that many of your local churches, veteran supports, shelters, schools, soup kitchens and mobile pantries are likely getting a large portion of their food each month from our Fort Myers warehouse. Every Tuesday our partner agencies come to our warehouse, shop for what they need, 100% free to them. In Lee County, we support 84 partner agencies, which also includes providing food to several Lee County public schools. As part of our community partnership with The Foundation for Lee County Public Schools, we recently donated a variety of school supplies for local children in need. This donation included pens, pencils, pencil cases, notebooks, folders, sticky post-its, and coloring supplies for schoolchildren of all ages.
“At Midwest Food Bank Florida our core values encompass all areas of community engagement. We continue to seek community partnerships both to strengthen our own mission of food relief for our Southwest Florida community, and to find new ways to expand available resources to people in need,” says Karl Steidinger, Executive Director of MFB Florida.
Midwest Food Bank has 12 locations, including ten in the U.S., and one each in East Africa and Haiti. For more information about MFB Florida, please visit our website at midwestfoodbank.org/florida.
Midwest Food Bank (“MFB”) is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) charity. As a faith-based organization, it is the mission of Midwest Food Bank to share the love of Christ by alleviating hunger and malnutrition locally and throughout the world and providing disaster relief; all without discrimination. Our vision is to provide industry-leading food relief to those in need while feeding them spiritually.

Good afternoon, I want to put the Ride of Silence on your radar. http://www.rideofsilence.org/main.php
It’s an annual event to honor, remember, and raise awareness for cyclists who have been killed or seriously injured while biking. Naples Pathways Coalition will be hosting our local event at 6pm on Wednesday, May 19 from Cambier Park. With so many crashes and fatalities recently  – especially the number of hit and run crashes where motorists recklessly left the scene with no regard for the lives they took – we want this to be widely covered.
Can you please help us raise awareness of all the vulnerable road users (pedestrians and cyclists) that are being injured and killed on Southwest Florida roads?
We are asking all of our Ride of Silence participants to wear our neon yellow shirts for unity, and it will be good visually for the camera. We have always had strong participation. I know it’s soon to commit to covering the event, but exposure ahead of the Ride of Silence would be helpful too.
Thanks in advance, and have a great day,
 Michelle Avola-Brown
Executive Director
Naples Pathways Coalition
300 Fifth Ave. South
Suite 101, #464
Naples, FL 34102
Call or text: 239.777.7718

April 13, 2021
Remove food attractants to reduce conflicts with bears 
 As spring temperatures warm, bears are becoming more active, increasing opportunities for conflicts with people. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) reminds Florida residents and visitors to remove food attractants to reduce negative interactions with bears and other wildlife.
“Bears are coming out of their winter dens and they’re searching for food,” said Dave Telesco, who directs the FWC’s Bear Management Program. “Secure trash, petfood, birdfeeders and other food items that could attract a bear to your yard or neighborhood. If you don’t give them a reason to stay, they’ll move on.”
Female bears give birth to 12-ounce cubs near the end of January and are beginning to travel with their young, which could now weigh 5 to 10 pounds. As the cubs continue to grow, the family unit will roam farther and likely be observed by people more often.
While black bears generally are not aggressive, they have injured people in Florida. Never intentionally approach any bear. When walking dogs, keep them close to you – preferably on a non-retractable leash – and be aware of your surroundings. Dogs can trigger defensive behaviors from bears, especially females with cubs.
To keep bears away from your home and neighborhood, follow these simple tips:

• Secure household garbage in a sturdy shed, garage or a wildlife-resistant container.
• Put household garbage out on the morning of pickup rather than the night before.
• Modify your existing garbage can to make it more bear resistant.
• Secure commercial garbage in bear-resistant dumpsters.
• Protect gardens, beehives, compost and livestock with electric fencing.
• Encourage your homeowner’s association or local government to institute bylaws or ordinances to require trash be kept secure from bears.
• Feed pets indoors or bring in leftover food and dishes after feeding outdoors.
• Clean grills and store them in a secure place.
• Remove wildlife feeders or make them bear-resistant.
• Pick ripe fruit from trees and bushes and remove fallen fruit from the ground.

It is illegal in Florida to harm, intentionally feed bears, or leave out food or garbage that will attract bears and cause human-bear conflicts.
As bears increase their movements this time of year, they also increase the number of roads they cross. For the safety of yourself and bears, remember to slow down when driving, particularly on rural highways at dawn or dusk. Watch for road signs identifying bear crossing areas. Each year in Florida, an average of 240 Florida bears are killed after being hit by vehicles.
Having conflicts with bears? Call one of the FWC’s five regional offices. Go to MyFWC.com/Contact, and click on “Contact Regional Offices” to find the phone number for your region. If you feel threatened by a bear or want to report someone who is either harming bears or intentionally feeding them, call the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).
More information is available at MyFWC.com/Bear, where you can access the “Guide to Living in Bear Country” brochure. Help us help bears and other wildlife by purchasing the Conserve Wildlife tag at WildlifeFlorida.org/CWT.
Spring is an active time for many of Florida’s wildlife species. For more information on wildlife in Spring, visit MyFWC.com/News and click on “Spring Wildlife News.”
Photos available: https://flic.kr/s/aHsjxNr5SK
Suggested Tweet: In Spring, #Florida black #bears are more active. Learn how to reduce conflicts with them: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/FLFFWCC/bulletins/2cc9f04 @MyFWC
 

Take note of upcoming SFWMD public meetings

Join the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) for several upcoming public meetings. For a full list of all upcoming meetings, check out our Meeting Calendar. Meeting agendas are available at least seven days in advance
What: Caloosahatchee Reservoir Water Quality Component Public Meeting
When: April 15, 2021 at 10:00 a.m.
Meeting Information and Materials
What: Big Cypress Basin Board Meeting
When: April 22, 2021 at 1:30 p.m.
Meeting Information and Materials
What: Lunch and Learn
When: April 28, 2021 at 11:30 a.m.
Meeting Information and Materials
What: 2021 Upper East Coast Water Supply Update – Public Stakeholders Meeting
When: April 30, 2021 at 9:00 a.m.
Meeting Information and Materials
Many SFWMD meetings are conducted via Zoom, a free online meeting tool. You can learn more about attending a Zoom meeting and even run a test on your computer, tablet or smart phone. Please note, you must have the latest version of Zoom to attend SFWMD meetings conducted on Zoom.
 

FORT MYERS, FLA., April 7, 2021 – Did you know that Fort Myers once had a dance hall in the middle of the Caloosahatchee River?  Or – did you know that 75 students formed a singing Christmas tree for years that performed for former President Dwight Eisenhower?
These and other little known memories about the early days of Lee County will be revealed at the Annual Cracker Dinner Monday, May 10, at the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre at 1380 Colonial Boulevard.
Long-time resident Genevieve Bowen researched some of the area’s oldest residents to obtain memoirs for the annual dinner, hosted by the Southwest Florida Historical Society. Mike Pcolar and Bonnie Chappelle will be the storytellers for the evening, which brings together pioneers of Lee County along with newcomers who are curious about the area’s past. The presentation will be accompanied by music performed by Barbara Peterson at the piano with vocals by Roger Peterson, John Goulet and Beverly Cox.
Dinner starts at 5:30 p.m. and the program begins at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $35 and are available at the Broadway Palm.  Food will be served by the wait staff of the Broadway Palm.  There also will be music, door prizes and a silent auction.  Masks and social distancing will be observed.
The annual Cracker Dinner is sponsored by Barbee & Sons, Sam Galloway Ford, George T. Mann General Contractor, and Susan Bennett Marketing & Media, L.C.
Funds raised at the annual dinner will be used to support the mission of the Southwest Florida Historical Society which is dedicated to preserving the history of our area by archiving donated historical documents, photos and maps and stimulating public interest and appreciation for local history.
About the Southwest Florida Historical Society
The Southwest Florida Historical Society (SWFLHS) was established in 1960 by a group of citizens to “preserve the history of our area.”  In 1983 the SWFLHS received as a gift a building that was destined to be demolished for a new parking lot. Harper Brothers Construction donated the building and Flint and Doyle was contracted to move the building to the campus of the Lee County Alliance of the Arts. In 1984 the SWFLHS received its Articles of Incorporation with the following purpose:  “The mission of the society is to discover, collect and preserve original and source documents, maps and photographs pertaining to the history of SW Florida;
to bring together those interested in the history of this area; to promote and stimulate public interest and appreciation of the history of this area; and to further the preservation and knowledge of Southwest Florida’s past.”  For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/SWFLHS/ or call 239-939-4044.

Innovative radiation treatment reduces side effects, improves quality of life for cancer patients 
 FORT MYERS, Fla. (April 7, 2021) – Advocate Radiation Oncology is bringing revolutionary treatment in the fight against cancer closer to home by establishing the first proton therapy center along Florida’s west coast.
Advocate Radiation Oncology, in conjunction with its affiliate Southwest Florida Proton, selected IBA’s (Ion Beam Applications S.A., EURONEXT) Proteus®ONE compact proton therapy solution for its new state-of-the-art proton therapy center. The site will serve the greater population of Southwest Florida in a centralized location between Lee and Collier County.
“Advocate Radiation Oncology is honored to bring proton therapy to Florida’s west coast giving cancer patients improved access to the most advanced radiation care available,” said Dr. Arie Dosoretz, the managing partner at Advocate Radiation Oncology. “I’m especially proud to bring world-class cancer care to my hometown. Given their size, complexity, and cost, there are a limited number of proton therapy centers around the country. Patients seeking proton therapy must often travel across the state, or in some cases, across the country, to receive this type of treatment. Not only does this enhance access to proton therapy, it greatly improves the quality of life for patients and their families when they can receive innovative care close to home.”
An advanced form of radiation that uses proton beams to target tumors and cancer cells more precisely, proton therapy has proven effective for the treatment of many common cancers. Proton therapy uniquely spares significant dose to normal tissue, while delivering powerful treatment to areas of disease. This leads to improved outcomes in combination with reduced toxicity and side effects in patients.
“IBA’s solution includes Pencil Beam Scanning, which allows our physicians to design uniquely customized treatment delivery plans for each patient that minimize radiation exposure to healthy tissue,” said Dosoretz. “We are excited to combine this technology with our elite physicians who have trained at the nation’s top cancer centers. The patients of Southwest Florida deserve every option in their fight against cancer.”
Advocate Radiation Oncology is directed by a team of expert board-certified radiation oncologists and has several convenient locations across South Florida.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) invites you to celebrate Gopher Tortoise Day on April 10. This year, you can celebrate gopher tortoises by making your yard tortoise friendly and participating in our new recognition program.
The FWC’s new Gopher Tortoise Friendly Yard Recognition Program honors Florida’s private landowners for contributing to wildlife conservation. Gopher tortoises live in every Florida county and, since more than half of the land in Florida is privately owned, the FWC recognizes the critical role private property owners play in conserving gopher tortoises.
The purpose of the Gopher Tortoise Friendly Yard Recognition Program is to recognize and encourage landowners to enhance habitat quality and take steps to protect gopher tortoises and their burrows. These efforts will also benefit the many other species that use tortoise burrows for shelter, foraging and nesting habitat. The private landowners who the take steps to protect gopher tortoises and their burrows will be recognized with a sign for their property and a certificate.
Any Florida property owner can take steps to make their land ‘gopher tortoise friendly. To apply for recognition, you must sign the Acknowledgement Form, provide contact and property information, and complete the Gopher Tortoise Friendly Yard checklist. Please expect follow-up correspondence via the email address provided in the application. Each application will be reviewed upon submission.
Gopher Tortoise Day was adopted in 2016 as a day of appreciation and to encourage people to conserve this threatened species. Learn about other ways to help gopher tortoises, such as volunteering with the FWC or being a community scientist by reporting gopher tortoise sightings to FWC’s new gopher tortoise website application. Using this webpage, you can report a tortoise sighting or notify the FWC of a sick, injured or dead tortoise. For more information on volunteering with the FWC or to request an application, email: [email protected]. The FWC would like to thank all volunteers who work to preserve Florida’s only native tortoise species.
Share your gopher tortoise appreciation on social media. Use #GopherTortoiseDay on your social media posts and share photos of your gopher tortoise sightings.
Spring is an active time for gopher tortoises and many of Florida’s other wildlife species. For more information about wildlife in spring, visit MyFWC.com/News and click on “Spring Wildlife News.”

Jeffrey Bratton as director of MLS

FORT MYERS, Fla. (April 7, 2021) – The Royal Palm Coast Realtor Association (RPCRA) has appointed Jeffrey Bratton as the association’s new director of MLS (Multiple Listing Service).

In this position, Bratton is responsible for handling the operations of the Florida Gulf Coast MLS and supporting the RPCRA in meeting the ongoing MLS needs and goals of over 8,000 real estate professionals served by the association. Bratton is passionate about the future of the MLS industry and plans to actively contribute to the Real Estate Standards Organization and Council of MLS, leveraging new technologies and helping the industry respond to challenges faced in the market.

Providing an up-to-date listing of homes, condos, land and commercial buildings for sale in Southwest Florida, the RPCRA’s MLS is a critical resource for Realtor members. With a single search, members can view Southwest Florida listings to find properties that match specific search parameters, as well as find and host virtual open houses. The RPCRA offers MLS training resources to support Realtors in their efforts to list and search for properties that meet the needs of their clients. This includes monthly classes hosted by a local trainer, interactive training courses and a video library.

“Southwest Florida’s real estate market is competitive, and access to MLS listings is essential for Realtors to be able to best serve their buyers and sellers,” said Beate Jones, CEO of the RPCRA. “We are pleased to welcome Jeffrey and know his expertise will support the RPCRA in its efforts to serve as a trusted resource for professionals within our local real estate community.”

Bratton brings more than 15 years of experience in the MLS industry to his role with the RPCRA. He most recently served as the MLS manager at Southwest MLS for three years and previously worked with real estate associations in New Mexico and Texas. Bratton earned his bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of New Mexico.

To learn more about the RPCRA and its MLS services, visit www.RPCRA.org or call 239-936-3537.

About the Royal Palm Coast Realtor Association (RPCRA)

Comprising a membership of more than 8,000 Realtors, RPCRA exists to advance the success of its members, serving as a resource for professional development and an advocate in community issues affecting members, their customers and property owners’ rights. RPCRA serves all of Southwest Florida, with offices in Cape Coral, Fort Myers and South Fort Myers. For more information, visit www.RPCRA.org.

FORT MYERS, Fla. (April 7, 2021) – The Royal Palm Coast Realtor Association (RPCRA) has appointed Jeffrey Bratton as the association’s new director of MLS (Multiple Listing Service).

In this position, Bratton is responsible for handling the operations of the Florida Gulf Coast MLS and supporting the RPCRA in meeting the ongoing MLS needs and goals of over 8,000 real estate professionals served by the association. Bratton is passionate about the future of the MLS industry and plans to actively contribute to the Real Estate Standards Organization and Council of MLS, leveraging new technologies and helping the industry respond to challenges faced in the market.

Providing an up-to-date listing of homes, condos, land and commercial buildings for sale in Southwest Florida, the RPCRA’s MLS is a critical resource for Realtor members. With a single search, members can view Southwest Florida listings to find properties that match specific search parameters, as well as find and host virtual open houses. The RPCRA offers MLS training resources to support Realtors in their efforts to list and search for properties that meet the needs of their clients. This includes monthly classes hosted by a local trainer, interactive training courses and a video library.

“Southwest Florida’s real estate market is competitive, and access to MLS listings is essential for Realtors to be able to best serve their buyers and sellers,” said Beate Jones, CEO of the RPCRA. “We are pleased to welcome Jeffrey and know his expertise will support the RPCRA in its efforts to serve as a trusted resource for professionals within our local real estate community.”

Bratton brings more than 15 years of experience in the MLS industry to his role with the RPCRA. He most recently served as the MLS manager at Southwest MLS for three years and previously worked with real estate associations in New Mexico and Texas. Bratton earned his bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of New Mexico.

To learn more about the RPCRA and its MLS services, visit www.RPCRA.org or call 239-936-3537.

About the Royal Palm Coast Realtor Association (RPCRA)

Comprising a membership of more than 8,000 Realtors, RPCRA exists to advance the success of its members, serving as a resource for professional development and an advocate in community issues affecting members, their customers and property owners’ rights. RPCRA serves all of Southwest Florida, with offices in Cape Coral, Fort Myers and South Fort Myers. For more information, visit www.RPCRA.org.

FORT MYERS, FLA., April 5, 2021 – Internationally-acclaimed violinist Itzhak Perlman will once again headline the five concerts planned for 2022 by the Fort Myers Community Concert Association.

Tickets are now on sale for the five-performance season, which organizers say bring the best in classical ballet, symphony and big brass performances to Southwest Florida.  All performances will be at the Barbara B. Mann Hall on the Florida SouthWestern State College campus in Fort Myers.

“We are so happy to be back for 2022 after canceling our 2021 season due to the pandemic,” said Community Concert Association President Mary Lee Mann.  “Community Concert Association members and guests will love seeing Itzhak Perlman again as well as our other artists from around the world.”

All five concerts are included in one ticket price, which ranges from $165 for prime orchestra and mezzanine seats to $155 for other orchestra and mezzanine seats, $85 for lower balcony seating and just $65 for upper balcony.  Most $165 orchestra seating already is sold out, Mann said. 

For tickets and membership information, visit www.fortmyerscommunityconcerts.org or call 239-693-4849. Tickets to individual performances are not available at this time.

The five performances all begin at 7:30 p.m.:

●          The Polish Wienlawski Philharmonic Orchestra  – January 17, 2022. The orchestra was founded in 1944 and is making its first ever tour of the United States in 2022.   They will perform Brahms’ Variations on a Theme of Haydn, Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2 and Schubert’s Symphony No. 9, “The Great Symphony.”

●          VOCES8 – February 17, 2022. The British vocal ensemble VOCES8 will present an a cappella concert celebrating diverse musical expression. The ensemble of eight has released acclaimed recordings that have all reached the top of the classical charts.

●          The Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass – March 3, 2022. The internationally acclaimed brass ensemble is dedicated to bringing the joyous experience of great music.  The group breaks the usual barriers between genres playing Handel, Sousa and New Orleans traditional.  The ensemble is composed of some of America’s top brass musicians, who have appeared on the world’s most prominent stages and performed with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and the Boston Brass.

●          Itzhak Perlman – March 5, 2022 – Perlman is the reigning virtuoso of the violin and is returning to the Community Concert series for a third time.  Perlman will highlight personal remembrances of his career interspersed with live performances.  It will give listeners the opportunity to explore the man behind the artistry. He has been honored with more than 20 Grammy Awards (including one for Lifetime Achievement in 2008), four Emmy Awards and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015.

●          Russian National Ballet – March 22, 2022. The Russian National Ballet will perform the timeless “Swan Lake.”  The music, lush scenery and romance will be captured through the classical ballet in Tchaikovsky’s beloved masterpiece.  The Russian National Ballet Theatre was founded with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and invigorates the tradition of classical Russian ballet with developments in dance from around the world.

The Fort Myers Community Concert Association, now in its 72nd concert season, is an all-volunteer not-for-profit organization founded by the legendary Barbara B. Mann in 1949 to bring world-class entertainment to Southwest Florida at affordable prices.  The association consists of more than 1,700 members, underwriters and sponsors.  Performers brought to Fort Myers in the past by the association include The Israel Ballet, The Boston Brass, Minnesota Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, Vienna Boys Choir, Pianist Andre Watts, Violinist Joshua Bell with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields and many others.