May 2012 - Southwest Spotlight

8/2/2019 May 2012 - Southwest Spotlight

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S O U T H W E S T

MAY 2012Vol.3, No.5 FREE

Events, things to do and opportunities to give back to our community in and around Bonita Springs PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE PA

FT MYERS, FLPERMIT #980

RESIDENTIAL CUSTOECRWSS

Bonitas Finest

Continued on page A13

InsideInside

St. MatthewsPlans

Bird RookerySwamp

Zonita WomenBuild

City CouncilCorner

Boys & Girls Club

Summer CampListing

Bonita turns 100

Bonita on Wrong Sideof Line in the Sand

By Peter R. [email protected]

Bonita Springs For severalyear s, an area nonprofitscouted empty buildings andproperty in search of a hometo carry out its mission tothe poor. At each turn it wastold no, whether because

of a zoning mismatch, neigh-bor rejection or a price toohigh.

Last fall it landed on asolution, to build on a vacant

parcel of land. Excitementbuilt in the organization;money was raised; prelimi-nary plans drawn.

Then, at a neighborhoodmeeting, came trepidationabout the poor it served,concerns that the organiza-tion felt were unfounded.City leaders voiced concerns.

Sound familiar? No, itsnot St. Matthews House.This is story of the Caf

of Life, the Bonita volunteerorganization that when met

with cries of NIMBY, or notin my back yard, chose aroad far less travelled.

It chose to seek out theviews of those who mightoppose it.

And by doing so, the Cafdiscovered a truth thatshould set its project free fordevelopment.

It turns out that proposedproject, a new public parkin Rosemary Park where theCaf will serve the less

In Rosemary Park, Caf Takes a RoadLess Travelled


Spotlight Staff [email protected]

Bonita Springs In July 1923, Barron Collier sealed thedeal to carve his namesake Collier County from LeeCounty.

Collier owned over a million acres of property insouthwest Florida, including land in Bonita Springs, andhe might have pushed the Collier County boundary furthernorth.

If only he had, Bonitians would be parking for free at

Bonita beach today.No such luck. Bonita Springs is on the wrong side of the

line in the sand dividing Collier and Lee counties at thefoot of Beach Road.

Directly south of Beach Road are hundreds of parkingspots in the Collier County Barefoot Beach access lot andBarefoot Beach preserve. All are free of charge to any Collierresident, from Immokalee to North Naples.

Directly north, within Bonita Springs city limits, are 90parking spots at Lee Countys Bonita Beach Park. Therethe parking fee is $2 per hour, whether you live on NevadaStreet in Bonita or are visiting from Nevada.

Then there is the matter of yearly parking passes. CollierCounty offers an annual non-resident $50 beach-parkingsticker for Collier beaches, including Naples.

Lee County offers a $60 beach-parking sticker. But thereis an asterisk. Its not valid at Bonita Beach Park. Two yearsago Lee County scraped an arrangement that allowed Boni-tians to purchase $10 beach-parking stickers.

In 2011 Lee County took in parking meter fees totaling$360,000 at Bonita Beach Park and the smaller Access #1north of Docs Beach House and Access #10 parking lotat the north end of Little Hickory Island, according to

Meghan Easterly | [email protected]

Beach goers wait in line to pay for parking at Lee CJounty Bonita Beach Park.


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Page A2 Southwest Spotlight May 2

This monthA4 Remembering

Bonita's Finest

A6 St Matthew'sProposes HomelessShelter

A7 Lowe's Drops Plans

A7 Slots at the Track

A7 Cease Fire onBeach Road

A9 Bird Rookery Swamp

A10 Women Build

A22 Two Views onSt. Matt's House

A22 Bonita Fire Deserves aBetter Shake

B1 Boys and Girls ClubPrepares Youth forSuccess

B4 Bonita 100 Years Old

B7 Water Versus Smarty-Pants-Phone

B8 Gone to the Dogs

B10 Survivors of all Sorts

B10 Walmart Donates$100,000 to YMCA

B12 Perfecting theGolfer's Setup

B12 Bonita SpringsSummerCamp Listing

B13 Summer EnrichmentBrings Enlightenment

Every Issue

A7 Up and Down the Trail

A14 SpotlightReal Estate Watch

A17 Opportunities to give b

A18 Bonita Business Beat

Ristorante Enrico

A21 Sunset of the MonthA22 Commentary

A22 City Council Corner

A23 Letters to the Editor

B1 Why I Love Living inBonita Springs

Fran Luther

B2 Events

B6 BTV Schedule

B7 The Other Ben

B9 Spotlight Adoptions

B8 Bonita's Best Friends

B9 Dog of the Month

B12 Tee Box Tips

B13 Meg-a-Mom

B14 Artist SpotlightAngela Hicks

B15 Bonita Nature Place

B17 Ribbon Cuttings

B18 Teacher Spotlight

Cynthia Hernandez

B20 Community Updates

B21 Catch of the Month

B22 Restaurant Guide

Locally owned andoperated since 2010

(239) [email protected]

PO Box 1946Bonita Springs, FL 34133

Southwest Spotlight, LLC

swspotlight.com

S O U T H W E S T

PublisherPeter A. O'Flinn

[email protected]

EditorMeghan Easterly

Advertising SalesTeri LamaineKathy O'Flinn

Office ManagerKatie O'Flinn

Contributing WritersBill BarnesCharles J. CavaliereD. K. ChristiMartha CriderMax HarrisDorota HarrisJosh MusselmanBen Nelson Jr.Peter R. O'FlinnPatrice ShieldsHeather ThomsonGeorge White

Contributing PhotographDavid MichaelVicki White


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May 2012 Southwest Spotlight Pag


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By D.K. [email protected]

Bonita Springs In OldBonita, where Reynoldscrosses Felts, there is a smallplaque on a wall outside the

Bonita Springs CommunityPolicing Office. It honorsCpl. Alfredo Banos, who wasa cop to the core. He lovedthe profession, not as a jobor a paycheck he believedin what he was doing from the soul, in the wordsof Lt. Augie Malagon, hisformer patrol partner.

On Jan. 20, 2001, Cpl.Banos met an untimely deathon a deadly curve at the east-ern end of Corkscrew Roadwhile answering a call forassistance. Each May, officerswho die in the line of serviceare honored nationally andlocally; the professional ded-

ication and exemplary com-munity engagement of Cpl.Banos will long be remem-bered and honored.

Banos was born on Nov.8, 1948 in Havana, Cuba,moved to Miami in 1961and to Bonita Springs in1989. A graduate of EdisonCommunity Colleges Crim-inology program, Cpl. Banos

dreamed of a police officercareer as a young child, butdid not enter that professionuntil the passing of his par-ents who were against hischoice, remembered DeltaDistrict Commander, Cap-

tain Kathryn Rairden, whoworked with Banos.

Everything about his per-sonality was memorablesmiled Rairden, from hiswillingness to help with thesmallest request such as a

leaky faucet to programs thatbrought an awesome Christ-mas to Bonita Springs need-iest children. He lovedchildren, from devotion tohis own family to his extend-ed family that included allof Bonita Springs.

He encouraged local chil-dren to seek higher educationand helped Spanish speaking

agricultural families in par-ticular; he was honored bythe Bonita Springs OptimistClub as Deputy of the Yearin 1996. Community con-tributions created a memorialendowed scholarship fundat Florida Gulf Coast Uni-versity that honors Banos asthe best of the best accord-

ing to former Lee CountySheriff, Rod Shoap.

People who attended thefuneral included many whohad been arrested by Cpl.Banos. He was known forfairness and respected by col-leagues and criminals for hisdevotion to the communityand his profession, added

Rairden. He was generouswith pats on the back, a hugwhen needed, $20 for anemergency; yet, he was equal-ly serious about stoppingcriminal activity. He wasexcited about each careeradvancement he earned.

He always had a caringattitude toward those hearrested he tried to fix thebad, added Lt. Adam Sed-

wick.We worked in narcoticstogether with many drugsweeps and serving warrants,remembered Lt. Malagon.What a sense of humor! Hecould be super funny, too.He was the first Spanish-speaking officer in the BonitaSprings office; his bi-lingualskills were highly valued.

His sense of humor wasalso referenced by his trainingofficer, Sgt. Tracey Booth,his laughter was infectious.He was difficult to under-stand on the radio at firstbecause he rolled his rs. Hesaid I smacked him over the

head with a newspaper untilhe stopped. Of course thatsnot true; but we had a lot offun rolling rs.

Many of his colleaguesrepeated in different waysthat Banos service to theBonita Springs communityand the respect of all thosewho knew and worked withhim were a tribute to his

profession and the calofficers that serve.

Local officers hoduring the month oalso include Deputy REva who was just beghis career in the 197was only 28 years oFeb. 12, 1972 when hducted a traffic stopsuspected stolen vehirecognized the driver

escaped prisoner froLee County Jail. After the suspect under arrewas fatally shot whprisoner began to resmanaged to get Evas wPreviously, he had wfor the Sheriffs Depain Shiawassee County,gan. Thirty years have yet, his commitmentprofession and the ulsacrifice during servhis community will forgotten.

In 1962, President Kennedy signed a protion which designate15th as Peace Officers M

rial Day and the wwhich that date falls asWeek. During the moMay, local commuthroughout the nation recognition. On May a.m., Lee Countys Fallecers Memorial Servibe held at the main Leety Sheriffs Office inMyers.


Contributed | Special to the Spotlight

Cpl. Alfredo Banos diedin the line of duty in2001 while respondingto a call.

Contributed | Special to the Spotlight

Deputy Richard Eva waskilled in the line of dutyin 1972 when an es-caped prisoner shot him.

In 1962, PresidentJohn F. Kennedy

signed aproclamation that

designated May 15thas Peace OfficersMemorial Day.

Remembering Bonitas Finest


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By Peter R. [email protected]

Bonita Springs On April18 crowds again overflowedCity Council Chambers, fillingthe lobby hall, spilling intoRoom 118 and out to theparking lot, where a live TVfeed of the City Council meet-ing was set up.

The subject, yet again, wasSt. Matthews House proposedhomeless shelter, then pro-posed at 260 beds.

All the protagonists werethere that day. Van Ellison,who has dedicated his careerto helping homeless people.Concerned citizens, who have

been casually branded asNIMBYs, even though theirleaders do not oppose a sheltersuitably sized and placed withappropriate guidelines. CharlieMauer, representing the Bern-wood property owner, whohas developed some of Bonitasbest properties.

On that Wednesday morn-ing they were characters in acast of hundreds dressed forcolor wars. The white shirtedopponents, with yellowBeSafe Bonita stickers. St.Matthews House supportersdressed in blue, with Open

Hearts, Open Minds logos.

Ben Nelson, Bonitasmayor, takes pride in bringingpeople together. On that day,his task was more makingsure the white shirts and theblue shirts showed respect foreach other. The crowd for themost part heeded Nelsonssermon on civility even asspeakers disagreed strongly.There was not much positivespirit on display in the room.

How has it come to this ina town unsurpassed for com-passion in southwest Florida?In Bonita, thousands volunteerat the Caf of Life, LiteracyCouncil, Assistance Office,Lions Club, Center for the

Arts, Los Hermanos, AmigosCenter, Habitat, Rotaries, Vet-erans groups and scores ofother organizations andchurches. Millions of dollarsare raised every year for theUnited Way, CommunityFoundation, Barbaras Friendsand many more.

How has it happened, andwhy?

Part of it may be due toweeks of reports of a smallershelter, said to be for womenand children, which had mor-phed into the mega shelterproposed at the time of the

meeting. And then there is

what some feel are less thantotally forthcoming responsesto reasonable questions andconcerns about the proposedfacility. Also, some feel thelabel of homeless has beenapplied, without appropriatenuance, to many needy Boni-tians who have roofs overtheir heads and whose realcrying need is housing assis-tance, perhaps not a homelessshelter.

But there is another sideto this. At the time of St.Matthews Causeway Lumberapplication last year, therewere unprintable threats andinsults hurled at St. Matthewsleader. Some have directedunkind words at the homelesspeople his organization serves.Parsing reasonable concernsof others in the midst of thatmay not be easy to do.

Its a bit like seeing cousinsestranged because of who saidwhat to whom at Thanksgiv-ing dinner years ago.

Almost three hours into

the public comment period,

one of the final speakerswalked to the City Hall micro-phone. Judy Wilkerson hadnot chosen to suit up in theblue or white. She supporteda temporary moratorium onhomeless shelters, but moretelling was the way sheapproached the subject.

My husband and I havebeen residents of BonitaSprings for twelve years andLee County for nineteen

years, she said.We support St. Matthews

House both individually andthrough the First PresbyterianChurch where I have servedas an elder. We appreciate theservice St. Matthews has givento Naples. We think they area very well run facility.

With regard to BonitaSprings, there is no lack ofcompassion and caring withinour City If it is determinedbased upon reliable researchthat Bonita Springs has a needor potential need for a home-less shelter then we ask [City

Council] as our leaders to

give the City the time it needsto do the smart planning tominimize any potential impacton businesses and surround-ing neighborhoods. At thesame time it will maximizethe possible opportunities forthe future clients of this facil-ity.

I have lived, worked andwitnessed homelessness inChicago, Los Angeles, Detroitand San Diego. I have hadthe privilege of feeding thehomeless in downtown LosAngeles. I know that lives canbe transformed with lovingencouragement and properopportunities.

We are depending on[City Council] to take thesteps and plan wisely to main-tain the caring and compas-sionate culture of BonitaSprings. We ask you to votefor the moratorium and setup the necessary guidelines.

__________

After public comment, CityCouncil passed a homelessshelter moratorium by a 7-0vote.

Specifically the law imposesa moratorium on land devel-opment approvals for home-

less shelters for a per

to one year, starting M2012.

On the day beforCouncil met, the City ran application for a landopment approval fMatthews proposed 2homeless shelter facili

The moratoriumnot apply to us, sMatthews Ellison at tCouncil meeting. Therials submitted were, hsufficient and compsive.

We hope the Cicontinue to pray and coand evaluate citizens rheard and safety co

addressed. We will be citizen as we have beesaid.

The Citys CommDevelopment Officreview the developmenapplication and detewhether to approve it

The bottom line there cannot be criticalin their application,Dulmer, head of themunity Developmenttold the Spotlightwhenabout normal approvadards.

There can not bements that we are gettinour departments rev

or other agencies or dments stating that this would not be consistethe land developmenor other regulations thaagencies may be usreview the application

Dulmer outlined vaspects of the review p

In our office we the traffic impact statfor impacts it will hahow they will handleon site. We look at thscaping, the drainage, astorm water preventiofor the water quality.

We send it to the ftrict for review again

fire code. They are gobe looking at access ththe site, around buildinhydrants, and fire lathat they can get to theerty to fight fire. ThCounty Department ofportation will review County Natural Reswill review it because ta flow way on the boundary of this pro

It is anticipated thaagencies and City deparwill also review the pincluding the Sheriffand public works dments, he said.

City Hall Commentary

St. Matts Draws Hundreds to City Hall,Proposes Homeless Shelter

On April 17, a development order application was filed for the 260 bed St. Matthews House of Bonita Springs. Shown above is asite plan for the Bernwood Park facility on Old 41. It includes a 36,000 square foot shelter, administrative offices, dining hall, kitchenand meeting rooms.

Turn to Page A22 for moreSt. Matthews House Commentary

How has it come to this in a townunsurpassed for compassion in

southwest Florida?


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Up and Down the Trail

Spotlight Staff [email protected]

Lowes Drops

Plan for BeachRoad Store

Lowes has terminated plans for a newstore location in Bonita Springs, statedStacey Lentz, Corporate CommunicationsManager of Lowes Companies, in an emailto the Spotlight.

Preliminary site work had begun on theBonita Beach Road site, located east of Old41.

Lowes decision was part of a compre-hensive review of its proposed new storepipeline. It now expects to open 10 to 15new North American stores per year, com-pared to its prior expectation of approxi-mately 35.

The 22-acre property is among 16 Florida

properties listed on Lowes excess propertysales website. There, Bonita Springs is extolledas having a growing number of businessesdue to low business taxes and inexpensivecommercial office space.

PromenadeChanges Hands

The Promenade Shopping Center outsideBonita Bay is now in the hands of US BankNational Association, as trustee, accordingto Lee County property records.

On a recent Friday night, the Promenadelooked its best as it served as the venue forRotary Club of Bonita Springs Noons Inter-national Fest. Hundreds sampled wine andfood from Thailand to Mexico, from Chileto France. The event benefited Bonita Assis-tance, the Wheelchair Foundation and theCenter for the Arts.

Slots at the TrackAs previously reported in the Spotlight,

the Havenick family, owners of the BonitaDog Track, want to introduce slot machinegaming there. First they need Lee Countyvoter approval.

In April, Lee County Commissioners setMay 22 for a public hearing on a proposedNovember referendum. After the publichearing, Lee Commissioners will decidewhether to authorize the referendum.

A draft agreement between the dog tracksowners and the County provides that theCounty will receive 1.5 percent of slot gamingreceipts, after payouts, adjusted for devel-opmental impact fees paid to the County.The term would be 30 years, with automaticrenewable 30 year terms unless the Countyobjects.

Izzy Havenick told the Spotlightthat asimilar financial agreement is proposed forthe City of Bonita Springs. In addition Boni-tians would have first preference for jobs atthe facility.

Commissioner Brian BigelowjoinedCommissioners Ray Judah, John Manningand Tammy Hall in sending the matter to apublic hearing, leaving Frank Mann as thesole dissenting vote.

I would like to know more, and I amthinking we need to hold a public hearingto learn more, said Bigelow. At a previousmeeting, Bigelow voted no on advancing

the matter to a hearing.I am not here on any moral crusade to

talk about gambling, said Mann. Many anevening I have wasted around the pokertable.

While complementing the Havenick fam-

ily on their 50-year stewardship of the track,Mann expressed doubt about the efficacyof the project as a jobs creator. He referencedhigh unemployment in Las Vegas and Reno,Nevada.

The public comment period at the meet-ing previewed a sampling of comments, proand con, likely to be aired during Mayspublic hearing. Bonita Springs City Councilunanimously supports the referendum, saidCouncil member Martha Simons. Othersspoke of gambling addictions and a gamingmonopoly at the dog track.

The only monopoly that is created, ifthis referendum is not allowed to happen,is the monopoly held by the Seminole Tribeof Indians in Immokalee, said Havenick.

When slots were introduced at theHavenicks dog track in Miami over 500

jobs were created, he said. This is a jobscreator.

Cease Firein the works onBeach Road

The Lee County Sheriffs Office hasbeen working on bringing some relief tothe East Bonita Springs communities, saidan April email from Captain Kathy Rairdento area residents.

Noise from firearm target practice andATVs in the expansive wooded area northof Bonita Beach Road has been an ongoingconcern at Village Walk, San Remo, Palmiraand parts of Worthington. When a bulletrecently whizzed into a Village Walk home,it refocused residents attention.

Rairden has been focused on the issuefor months. She has been required to navigateFlorida laws generally permissive of possessionand shooting of firearms on public and pri-vate property. These laws come into play onthe north side of Beach Road, which isfronted by over thirty private parcels andSouth Florida Water Management Districtlands, including CREW (Corkscrew RegionalEcosystem Watershed) lands.

Across Beach Road from Palmira andSan Remo, most property is privately owned.Many property owners have recently signedtrespass authorization letters that enablethe Sheriffs Office to arrest trespassers onposted property. We have received quite aresponse from private property owners,Rairden told the Spotlight.

In her email to residents, Rairden provideda map of the lands labeled with addressesfor complaint reporting. Nicknames werealso provided, like The Lake and ATVTrack.

On a recent Saturday afternoon, carswith ATV trailers were backed up at arecently padlocked gate across from SanRemo. Two deputies, wearing sun hats andsitting on camouflage colored ATVs, informeddisappointed ATV riders about the newrules.

On public lands, generally located northand east of Village Walk, walking and bicycleriding is permitted. ATVs are not. Consid-eration is being given to additional gates torestrict entry by motorized vehicles on South



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By Kathy [email protected]

Collier County As if oncue, a juvenile bald eaglesoared overhead as GeorgeLuther began his talk at the

entrance to Bird RookerySwamp. On a cloudless blue-sky morning several morewinged rookery residentssoared overhead to greettwo-footed visitors who hadsigned up for a three-hourmorning walk.

Bird Rookery Swamp isa 7,000-acre parcel at thesouthern tip of land ownedand managed by SouthwestFlorida Water ManagementDistrict which has oversightof water management in thebottom third of SouthwestFlorida. The Swamp is partof the 60,000-acre CorkscrewRegional Ecosystem Water-shed (CREW).

This was the first seasonCREW scheduled walks

given by volunteers at BirdRookery Swamp. So now thesecret is out. Walkers canamble through bald cypressand red maple forest takinga boardwalk then grassyberm above wet terrain. Bicy-clists favor a 14-mile loop,but the best way to see theswamp is on foot at a slowpace, slightly above alligatoreye level. And while thegators occasionally cross,there is so much more tosee and hear.

Squawking red-shoul-dered hawks pierce silenceto warn visitors they are inhawk territory. White flow-ered elderberry and pick-erelweeds purple flowersadd color to the forest floor.

Arrowroot, whose flour isfamous for infants teethingbiscuits, grows alongside theboardwalk. Air plants includ-ing Spanish moss, southernneedle quill and wild pine,reminiscent of pineapple,cling to trunks and branches,as do arboreal orchids likerigid epidendrum.

Red and white lichen-covered tree trunks act asbiomonitors of the atmos-phere since they require cleanair to survive.

There was a time whenthis swamp was not so quietand undisturbed. In theearly 1900s the Lee Tide-

water Lumber Companyharvested old growth, treesthat were several hundredyears old, explained Luther.Cypress stretching 130 to150 feet tall and 8 feet indiameter were girdled, leftto die and dry.

Lumberjacks, standingwaist deep in swamp water,would pull massive two mansaws, fell dried trees thendrag them with winches totracks, hauling them out ontrains in 40-foot sections onnarrow gauge rail. The OldDeuce, the steam enginethat towed large timbers outof the swamp has been

restored and is on view todayat the Collier County Muse-um. Todays walking path isthe berm that was built tolay those tracks.

You have to look forwhats different in the forest,repeated Luther. A sabal palmtrunk, used as a scratch pole,had been rubbed clean by ablack bear leaving behindscratch marks and lanolinfrom his fur. From the scratchmarks location, his heightwas estimated at 5 feet.

Luther pointed out a sin-gle tree growing two typesof needles. A swallowtail but-terfly with its signature bluespots flew at eyelevel and aswallowtail kite, one of thefirst of the season, flew highoverhead.

In late morning snakesseek out sun for a sunbathand gators, covered in water

lettuce, emerge to catch rays.Each season has somethingnew to discover. In Januarynaked cypress and red mapleallow bird watchers a betterview. Alongside the trail, adead tree trunk has beenfelled by a bear hungry forgrubs inside. What looks likea massive nest from downbelow turns out to be a virus,called witchs broom, thatmorphs the cypress growingpattern so it grows only twigsand not branches.

Among submerged

cypress surrounded by float-ing duckweed, two watersnakes found a dry spot tomate. Luther advised cautionas they will bite readily.

Underfoot yellow stripedsoutheastern lubber grass-hoppers scurry, as they begintheir voracious lives. Theyllgrow to 3 to 4 inches becom-ing green and orange.According to Luther, the log-gerhead shrike has figured away to safely eat this toxicbug. It impales them on a

thorn or barbed wire fence

and returns later for his feast.Francine Stevens, a Bonita

Springs resident, recognizedthe catbird. Well named forhis song, the black catbirdsounds like a meow. Carolinawren, South Carolinas statebird, has also been seen andheard here.

Another member of thewalking group, Sheryl Bot-tner, a Florida native livingin the DC area, is only nowvisiting areas she never sawas a child. Im finding out

more now than whenhere.

Fragrant wax myrsouthern bay, grows reach of the boardwaknown for its insect requalities. Early pioboiled it to make can

A white egret alighton a floating hyacindragonfly settles on emerging from waternew beginning, anothdawning in the swam


A Secret No Longer Bird Rookery Swamp

If you goBird Rookery SwampWhere: 1295 Shady HollBlvd. West, 12 miles east ooff Immokalee Rd.When: Open sunrise to suCost: Free.For more information:www.crewtrust.org.

George Luther | Special to the

A baby alligator sits on its mothers back at the CREW Bird Rookery Swa

George Luther | Special to the Spotlight

A bobcat stalks theboardwalk at CREWBird Rookery Swamp.

George Luther | Special to the Spotlight

A great white heron at the CREW Bird RookerySwamp.

Bird RookerySwamp is a 7,000-acre parcel at thesouthern tip of

land owned andmanaged by

Southwest FloridaWater Management

District

In the early 19the Lee Tidewa

Lumber Compharvested olgrowth, trees t

were severahundred years


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By Patrice ShieldsSpecial to the Spotlight

Bonita Springs When youthink about home construc-tion, heavy-duty equipmentand able-bodied men imme-diately come to mind. How-

ever, during Habitat forHumanitys Women BuildWeek from May 5 to 13, theonly muscle required for rais-ing a Bonita Springs womanand her family out of povertyhousing is a heart.

This annual Habitat forHumanity event encourageswomen to devote at least oneday to the effort of eliminatingpoverty housing in their com-munity. Habitat for Human-ity groups across the countrywill be holding Women Buildduring the week before Moth-ers Day, advancing the mes-sage that families withchildren make up a large por-

tion of those in need of ade-quate housing.

This is the second year ina row Habitat for Humanityof Lee and Hendry Countieshas sponsored the WomenBuild project, an effort toprovide a deserving familywith safe, decent affordablehousing. Last year, 178women contributed funds

and another 40 did the workto renovate the house.

The Zonta Club of BonitaSprings is leading the WomenBuild charge for a singlemother and her children inBonita Springs.

The Habitat for Human-ity Women Build is a naturalfit for Zonta as our missionis to enhance the status of

women locally and globally,offers Zonta Club of BonitaSprings President, Patty Gift.Women are by nature, nur-turers. The women who helpraise funds and provideservice hours will know thatthey are helping anotherwoman achieve the ultimateAmerican Dream of home-ownership.

To qualify as a recipientof a Habitat for HumanityWomen Build project,women must complete the

required volunteer hours,home ownership classes andraise a personal financialinvestment of $1,200 as a

down payment prior to thehome dedication ceremonies.Originally scheduled for theweek of Mothers Day, the

Zonta Club has since post-poned the renovations to July7 to 14 to accommodate therecipients and to allow moretime to raise the goal of$50,000 for sponsoring thehome and covering repairs.The need to raise funds makesWomen Build Week in Mayan even more important timeto get involved.

Bonita Springs reand Zonta memberMusselman offers womfollowing advice for m

the Women Build wMay count.

I would absoencourage any local wto join in our efforts tvide this deserving mwith a decent home thset her and her familypath for a brighter fMusselman said. Firs


Women Build: Only Muscle Required is a Heart

I would absolutelyencourage any localwoman to join in

our efforts toprovide this

deserving motherwith a decent

home.Ann Musselman

Co

Women install shelving during the 2011 HabitHumanitys Women Build.

Contributed

Robbie Roepstorff and a team of women work ona house during the 2011 Habitat for HumanitysWomen Build week.

Continued on p

The women who help raise funds andprovide service hours will know that

they are helping another woman achievethe ultimate American Dream

of homeownership.Patty Gift


11/48

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May 2012 Southwest Spotlight Page


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information obtained fromthe City. A few three to fivecar sand strips are free, rem-nants of easements grantedby a developer long ago.

Lee Countys decision tohave all Lee residents payto play leaves Bonita Springsas a beach community with-out significant free or low

cost beach access. Thatsunusual in southwest Flori-da. Sanibel charges its resi-dents $12 per year forparking at six beaches, andat Ft. Myers Beach the annu-al fee is $10.60 to park attown owned beach accesspoints.

The shortage of affordablebeach access has caught theattention of Nicole Perino,Bonita Springs Parks Direc-tor. The City has only a smallnumber of parking spots,

free to all, at the north endof Little Hickory Island.

At a recent presentationon the Citys Parks facilities,Perino noted the Citys goalof seeking to expand beachaccess, as stated in the CitysComprehensive Plan. TheCity should work with LeeCounty to gain control overBonita Beach, she said. Peri-no continues to hear fromBonitians who purchased thediscontinued $10 passes. Over4,000 were sold.

Bonita on the WrongSide of the Linefrom page A1

www.swspotlight.comwww.swspotlight.comww.swspotlight.comwww.swspotlight.com


14/48

By Bill BarnesChief Executive OfficerBonita Springs EsteroAssociation of Realtors

Bonita Springs Marchended the first quarter of

the new 2012 real estate mar-keting year and in additionto a general increase in activ-ity by brokers in the BonitaSprings Estero area therewere some significant trendsin our market area.

Our data is based onMarch since the data fromsales closings taking place atthe end of April is not con-firmed and finalized in thesystem until several days afterthe end of the month. Theoverall market report is basedon hard statistical data whichis provided by all of our 156offices via the Multiple List-ing Service which we operate.

These sales are based onabsolute closed sales and noton contracts written, manyof which do not close dueto problems such as financ-ing, inspections and legalproblems with the sale.

The big trend in Marchwas the explosion of closedsales of condominiums andtownhouses. In prior monthscondo and townhouse sales

had been relatively low com-pared to single family homes.The increase in condo saleswent from 95 in January to86 in February to a blowout of 152 in March.

This was 64 more sales

than in the prior month andone of the largest monthover month increases wehave seen in any category inthe past 12 months. Thereis little relationship betweenthe sales and the units com-ing into the market, eachmonth since January. Thenew units entering the mar-

ket have been 229 in January,210 in February and 235 inMarch, but even these 674units entering the marketcannot explain why 23 per-cent of this years incominginventory was sold off in

March. There have been yearover year sales surges inMarch as it is often the endof the season and withEaster coming early in Aprilthere appears to have beena rush to buy, before we getout of town movement.

This March condo selloff was great for sellers and

for realtors, but that alsomeans that the 522 condosleft on the market had bestmeet with their realtors andfollow some professionaladvice and maybe a priceimprovement in preparation

for the eight months beforethe November return of theseason for 2012 and 2013,which will be impacted bythe November Presidentialelections, and the nationaldirection at that time.

The single family homesmarket seems to be a steady


Spotlight Real Estate Watch

Highlightsfrom Marchs top 10 sales

3351 Creekview Dr.Bonita Bay

$1,700,00

22071 Reserve Estates Dr.Shadow Wood

$1,695,00

23980 Tuscany Ct.The Colony

$1,675,00

23920 Sanctuary Lakes Ct.Pelican Landing $790,000

Monthly TransactionsNumber of real estate transactionsin the Bonita Springs Estero market

2010

January 160

February 175

March 219April 263

May 174

June 179

July 144

August 132

September 121

October 80

November 177

December 177

2011

January 165

February 21

March 27

April 31

May 23June 21

July 18

August 18

September 18

October 13

November 15

December 18

2012

January 19

February 17

March 25



15/48



16/48

fortunate, is supported bymore than 90 percent ofneighbors.

The Cafs historyMost Bonitians know the

history of the Caf of Life,an organization with over

300 active volunteers thathas served almost 200,000meals to those less fortunatein the last ten years.

Over the years, the Cafhas learned its mission comeswith a burden, the need todeal with trepidations ofothers about the poor itserves. Last spring a con-tretemps erupted over con-sideration of a plan toremove picnic tables inBanyan Tree Park on Old41, where the Caf serves inmid-morning each weekday.

As reported in the Spot-lightsDecember cover story,the picnic table controversy

had a silver lining. FormerMayor Jay Arend, workingwith the Cafs Bruce Wheat-ley, scouted a vacant over-grown lot in the LeitnerCreek neighborhood at theback of Rosemary Park. Itwas a leftover remnant ofImperial Parkway construc-tion that Lee County offeredto transfer to the City.

A plan was hatched. The

Caf, with its own funds,would build a neighborhoodpark on the City property,complete with a communitybuilding, patio space, play-ground, basketball courtsand a play lawn. The Cafwould use the park eachweekday morning for its mis-sion of service.

All seemed well until aNovember meeting where

Rosemary Park neighborsvoiced concerns about tran-sients coming into the area.

It was not a favorablemeeting, said the CafsWheatley in a recent inter-view with the Spotlight.

He thought the residentsconcerns were unfounded.Some people dont under-stand that people who arehungry are not there to causea problem, he said.

An Idea Bubbles UpThen, Wheatley decided

to go back to Rosemary Park.He chose not to confront ordeny naysayers concerns but

to find the truth.Were the concerns in

that meeting indicative ofthose who live there? heasked. We wanted to knowhow the people feel aboutthis.

The question came nat-urally to Wheatley, whosedoctorate from the Univer-sity of Denver helped launcha career that included survey

research initiatives for organ-izations like The Peace Corps,Borg Warner and AmericanLaFrance.

He quickly realized twothings.

First, he wanted a house-by-house walking survey of

residents in the area, nottelephone calls accompaniedby push and pull questionsthat seek preordained results.

Second, in spite of hisown qualifications, Wheatleyknew that he could not askthe questions. The surveywould be independent ofthe Caf, in reality and inperception.

He began a search for asurvey firm that he thoughtwould take him to Tampaor Miami.

But then, he said, I wasat Bonita Bubbles Car Washand Jim Vail walked in. Isaid There is my man.

Vail was hired to conductthe survey. Like Wheatley,he carries his accomplish-ments quietly. He graduated

from Harvard BusinessSchool with Distinction and,after a career with the gov-ernment and private busi-ness, is a Visiting Professorat FGCUs College of Busi-ness.

A Three-month ProcessThe survey project took

three months. A 17-questioninterview script was devel-

oped, seeking views aboutthe project, the Caf of Lifeand whether residents wouldbe comfortable having theCaf serve each weekdaymorning in the neighbor-hood.

Vail determined that, tohave a statistically significantresult, the sample size wouldbe large. Because of the highpercentage of Spanish speak-ing residents in the neigh-borhood, bilingual teamswere recruited. The teamswent through a three-hourtraining session at First Pres-byterian Church.

For six weeks, eight teams

fanned out in RosemaryPark, knocking on 177 doors,representing almost twothirds of the neighbors affect-ed by its project. Each resi-dent interview took about15 minutes.

Buffalo Chips Restaurantwas control central forreturning interview teams.There, while enjoying AlGreenwoods free popcorn

and soda, they handed overcompleted questionnaires.

When initial resultsshowed overwhelmingapproval, My first reactionwas, Are we sure? saidWheatley.

Six weeks later he was.Over 90 percent said they

approved of the Cafproject and the Cafs smeals there.

Lessons LearnedWheatley was aske

he chose to find ouother affected res


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The Caf of Life chose to seek out the views of who might oppose their project to build a neighood park on this lot abutting Imperial Parkw

If the result hadbeen negative,

I would haverecommended to

our board that wenot do it. Bruce Wheatley

The Cafefrom page A1

Continued on p


17/48

Women BuildThis Habitat for Humanityprogram brings togetherwomen from all walks of lifeto address the housing crisisfacing millions of womenand children worldwide.Women Build Week 2011will be held the week beforeMothers Day, May 5 to 13.In Bonita Springs ZontaClub is leading the WomenBuild by renovating a homefor a single mother. Theyare currently raising money,with events planned duringWomen Build week. Theactual home renovationwork will be held July 7 to14 to allow more time toraise funds. Information:www. habitat4humanity.org/habitat-builds/ women-build-2012/.

Boys and GirlsClubs of Lee CountyThis long-standing club serv-ices more than 2,800 youthages 6 to 18 in Lee County.In Bonita Springs, the PuebloBonito Club is filled to capac-ity with up to 65 youth. TheClub says more than 200youth in Bonita are in needof their programs. The Clubsoffer education, life and char-acter and development pro-grams. Volunteers anddonations are needed to helpwith programming. BonitaSprings Estero Associationof Realtors (B.E.A.R) willhold a Chinese Auction atThe Villages at CountryCreek on Wed. May 2 from5:30 to 7:30 p.m. to raisemoney for the Clubs. Infor-mation: www.bgclc.net.

Harry Chapin Food Bankof Southwest FloridaHarry Chapin Food Bankof Southwest Florida Dis-tributes food to people inneed through partner agen-cies. More than 250,000pounds of food were dis-tributed in the Bonita/Esteroarea in the last fiscal yearhave a food value in excessof $415,00. Harry Chapinaccepts food and monetarydonations throughout theyear and encourages indi-viduals and corporationsto hold food drives through-out the year. In SouthwestFlorida hunger statistics swellin the summer due to lossof seasonal jobs and lossof seasonal donations.More information: www.harrychapinfoodbank.org.


Opportunitiesto give back


18/48

By D.K. [email protected]

Bonita Springs EnricoCostagliola tells the story, Iwas born in my mothersrestaurant in Torregaveta, asmall Italian village south ofNaples. I was destined to run

my own restaurant.He learned from his

mother that a restaurant wasa friendly place for familyand friends to gather andenjoy a meal made only fromfresh ingredients. Dining wasa time of camaraderie.

Costagliola left his nativeItaly in his 40s to start a newlife following divorce. Hestarted out in Baltimore andthen he and a partner openeda restaurant in Virginia wherehe lived for four years. The

real turning point, though,was a vacation to BonitaSprings. He was a man inlove.

It was a communitywhere people said, goodmorning, just like my villagein Italy, Costagliola said.

He bought out his partnerin Virginia, moved to BonitaSprings and opened his firstpizza restaurant. It was sopopular he was encouragedto open at the present loca-tion just off West Terry atTamiami Trail on the plaza

corner. He named it Ris-torante Enrico.

I still cook like my moth-er with only the freshestingredients, Costagliola said.Each morning at 7 a.m. Imake the pasta sauce, thebasis for many of the recipes.

While its cooking, I alsoclean and scrub. My restau-rant is my home; my employ-ees and customers are family;for them, only the best in aclean and cheerful restau-rant.

He makes all ingredients

from scratch and emphasizesthe use of only virgin oliveoil from Greece.

Every meal is a greatmeal when its made fresh,you cant go wron g,Costagliola said.

He customizes dishes forthose with calorie concerns

saying, a great Italian mealcan be a healthy meal.

The restaurant is his life.For vacations, he enjoys thecompany of his two daugh-ters who travel to BonitaSprings from Italy. The beachis special. A good glass ofwine is also a pleasure. Hespends seven days a week inthe restaurant, cooking spe-cial dishes, greeting dinersand just making sure hisguests are enjoying their wineand their generous meal.

Daily specials are quite rea-

sonable for lunch. Portionsare always generous. Cus-tomers praise him for thevalue of his meals.

I am grateful to the Boni-ta Springs community andBonita Bay, he says, forenjoying Italian meals,cooked only with fresh ingre-dients, and telling theirfriends. They are my fami-ly.

Ristorante Enrico is in itsfourth year, with originalemployees still workingtogether to serve lunch anddinner. Costagliola has a few

renovations in mind

near future. He stays fon his kitchen and thtomers flowing in aof the restaurant. Hesure every little detaitogether for the custenjoyment. His readand Italian accent maguest feel welcomewalks to each table toeverything is perfefood represents his lthem and the life hesin Bonita Springs. Sand say a friend senThe aroma and welcokeep you there.


Bonita Business Beat

Ristorante EnricoA Village South of Naples, Italy

Meghan Easterly | [email protected]

Fresh seafood is often featured in the dishes at Ristorante Enrico.

Enrico Costagliola owner of Ristorante Enrico.

(Bonita Springs) was a communitywhere people said, good morning,

just like my village in Italy. Enrico Costagliola


19/48


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Thursday, May 17th

5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Kick-off With The SBRN and SBDC!

Mini Tradeshow and Networking

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20/48

viduals or local businessesshould sign up a team andcreate their goal on the ZontaClub of Bonita Springs web-site. Afterwards I wouldencourage them to reach outto family, friends and cowork-

ers to ask for contributionsfor this meaningful and note-worthy project. Finally, signup for Zontas electronicnewsletter to receive updateson our various fundraisersfor the Zonta Women Buildand help us accomplish ourgoal within the next fewweeks.

Once the $50,000 fund-

raising goal has been reached,the Zonta Club will be lookingfor volunteers to work on thehome. For now, fund-raisingis where community supportis needed. The Zonta Clubsfund-raising projects for theWomen Build include anupcoming golf tournamentat Worthington Country Club

on Saturday, May 19. Golferscan register via their websitewww. ZontaBonitaSprings.org to sign up a team or asindividuals for the fun scram-ble-format golf tournament.Additionally, The Springs ofBonita will be collecting dona-tions for the project at their9:30 a.m. service on Saturday,May 6, and organizing a team

to assist with the repair work.As one of the true, home-

grown communities in Flori-da, concludes Gift, BonitaSprings will benefit from thesupport of this Women Buildby building stronger com-munity commitment, raisingawareness of the needs of theworking class of Bonita

Springs and projecting animage of compassion andhelpfulness that is truly theembodiment of the BonitaSprings community.

To learn more aboutWomen Build, contact ZontaClub of Bonita Springs at239 434-5134 or visit theirwebsite at www.zontaboni-tasprings.org.

Women Build

from page A10

Florida Water ManagementDistrict lands.

Gun use rules on publiclands are complex. OnCREW lands, called theFlint Pen Strand, the publicis allowed to shoot firearmsas long as they do so safely

and are not intoxicated saidRairden.

On vacant land ownedby the Water ManagementDistrict, you get into a realgray area, she said. Underrecently adopted Floridalaws, deputies can not

infringe on the right to legallypossess a firearm on theproperty, but there are ques-tions as to whether or notyou can target shoot, shesaid. She is seeking clarifi-cation from Sheriffs Depart-ment attorneys and attorneysfor the state.

The response from thosewho wanted the activity tostop has been fantastic, said

Rairden.ButI have to tell you,

she said, I have been gettingquite a few calls from peoplein Palmira and Village Walkwho are upset that they cantwalk across the street andtarget shoot. Also, others

are upset that dog walkingaround The Lake is nolonger permitted.

Although there is anoth-er side to the coin, themajority are happy with thechange, she said.

Duly noted...BonitaSprings middle name shouldbe Jericho, quipped Councilmember Martha Simons ata recent City Council meet-

ing. The topic, presented byAssistant City Manager JohnGucciardo, was walls buffer-ing noise from public road-ways. Protocols for projects,including the need for aes-thetic improvements, werediscussed.


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Up and Downfrom page A7

thought, rather than mobi-lizing the support of theCafs hundreds of Bonitavolunteers to diminish theviews of the early naysayers.

I guess I was so convincedthat this is such a good thing

that people must not under-stand, he said. If the resulthad been negative, I wouldhave recommended to ourboard that we not do it.

A lot of times peopleoverreact without knowledgeand others dont want to beinvolved, said Wheatley. Ithink we learned a lot fromdoing this.

One thing he lefrom the survey is thadreds of children liveneighborhood. If alwell, by this time nexthey will be enjoyingown park.

The Caf plans a campaign to raise funits project. It will be Nothing but Smiles.

The Cafefrom page A16

line of sales and a slightincrease in homes enteringthe market with 205 newlistings which is a 17 homeincrease over February ofthis year.

The interesting trend insingle family homes is thatthere have been slightimprovements in all priceranges. The $100,000 to$200,000 range is up 3 hous-es, the $500,000 to $600,000

is up nine home sales andmore than $1 million pricerange showed six houses soldin March. The one oppor-tunity that is still out therefor investors is that in 2012the 82 lots in Bonita Springsand Estero have come on

the market. With the antici-pated improved house mar-ket by all national indicators,these lots will be the base ofnew construction by smallto medium size builder devel-opers. There was a hope thatthere would be a reductionor removal of impact fees inLee County but despite theefforts of Building Associa-tions and REALTOR associ-ations the County Com-mission rejected the idea ofsofter impact fees on newhomes. These impact feesare needed but the loss of

potential buyers to otherparts of Florida or Georgiain the big picture hurt ourlocal economy. No otheraction more positively affectsmore people than the con-struction and occupancy ofa new home in any com-

munity.Shadow Wood

Brooks held four of t10 sales with Pelican Land the Colony at PLanding each holdintop 10 sales. The Topsales total volume hadropping about one meach month since JaThose communities athe country that aretionally high in averagprices are still strongeconomies especially Washington DC and ern Virginia markets

exceed Southwest Flovolume.

Jody Burr, of the MLSice/Data DepartmeBEAR, contributed reporting in this articl

Real Estatefrom page A14

www.swspotlight.comwww.swspotlight.comww.swspotlight.comwww.swspotlight.com


21/48


Sunset of the month

Mays sunset of the month was taken from Bayview in Bonita Bay and submitted by Jim Marchessault. Email your best sunset photos to sunset@swspotlighand your photo could be the next sunset of the month.


22/48


Commentary Bonita FireDeserves a Better ShakeThere are differing views on BFires bid to take over emergency lance transportation in Bonita Sfrom Lee Countys Emergency MServices department. Lee Countyof County Commissioner apprrequired.

Community support in Boextensive, with City Council, the Cber of Commerce and other conity groups endorsing it. Leeand some other county organizoppose it. In our Decemberstory and in updates before andwe reported in detail on these pro and con.

But whether you are for or against you really have to quthe way Commissioner Steve Lohan, Chief Phil Kinsey andteam have been treated in Ft. Myers.

Regrettably, Lee County Commissioners have now abana hearing officer process that held the promise of a thouand independent review of the issue.

Five months ago, County Commissioners decided to forward with the hearing officer process. The stated purpoto reconcile diametrically opposing financial projections thEMS and Bonita Fire had presented. Lets get to the bott

this was the sentiment.Bonita Fire stepped up, offering to pay half of the h

officer cost. A cost estimate was received, less than origanticipated.

But then, in February, County staff asked Bonita Fire to additional cost, half the expense of a forensic auditor. Bonita Fire first balked, reasonably asserting that each side spay its own expert witnesses, County Commissioners halthearing officer process.

Under this pressure, Bonita Fire promptly offered to spbill. But at an April meeting, County Commissioners rejectoffer. Bonita Fire was effectively told it was too late.

This is an odd way for one government entity to treat anBonita Fire and Lee EMS are both highly professional o

zations with different points of view. But in this mix therepotential of providing Bonitians an enhanced service in efficient way.

In May Lee County Commissioners will decide on Fires request without the benefit of a process that was int

to provide a solid, substantive underpinning for that decisiBonita Fire and the citizens of Bonita Springs deserve a better

By Peter A. OFlinnPublisher

City Council Corner

To Protect and Enhanceour Quality of Life

Its my honor to providethe inaugural column for theSpotlightsCity Council Cor-ner. My hope for this columnis that it promotes the dialoguebetween our citizens and ourelected officials, and gives the

readers an insight into theissues and decisions of BonitaSprings City Council.

My opinion is that CityCouncils primary objectiveis to protect and enhance the

citys quality of life. This demands both fiscal responsibilityfor the present and a well-designed path forward. I believethere are five key elements on which that objective depends.

Responsible Fiscal ManagementFundamental to our strategic planning is an assurance

that our city has a solid financial foundation. At a timewhen most governments are in severe financial straits, youcan be comfortable that The City of Bonita Springs has abalanced budget. We operate under the principle of gov-ernment light with a minimal but very capable, competentand professional city staff. Our current millage rate of

.08273 is among the smallest of comparably sized munici-palities, and we have not raised taxes in four years.

Our strong financial position is strengthened by costeffective partnerships. For example, rather than have ourown police department, we contract with the Lee CountySheriff for our law enforcement. Similarly, we use theBonita Springs Fire & Rescue District (a taxing districtseparate from the city) for fire protection, and BonitaSprings Utilities (a member owned cooperative) for ourwater and wastewater services. And most importantly, wehave over 100 volunteers serving on various city committeesand advisory boards ranging from land planning andzoning to technology and street lighting. Studies show thatthese partnerships have saved Bonita Springs tax payersseveral million dollars.

Revitalization of Old BonitaPeople sometimes ask why the city would concern itself

with revitalizing Old Bonita. The answer comes in threeparts. First, you cannot allow any portion of the city todegrade and become blighted. Second, Old Bonita with itsthree rivers, canoe/kayak launch, River Walk, municipalparks, and historic buildings is a potential magnet fortourists and family recreation. Third, with reopening of theShangri-La Resort, and my personal vision of turning theWonder Gardens into an environmental studies center or abotanical garden, Old Bonita becomes an intricate part ofthe citys economic development engine. I am convincedthat the area will ultimately evolve into Bonitas HistoricRiver District.

Economic DevelopmentThere are hopeful signs that we have seen the bottom of

this downturn. Coming back will not be quick or eaBonita Springs because we allowed ourselves to becoheavily dependent on the real estate and housing mBut the city has taken the lead in supporting the BSprings Estero Economic Development Council, a formed public/private partnership whose missionidentify and attract businesses that fit our citys cucharacter, and citizen expectations.

Natural Resource PreservationVisitors come from around the world to enjoy B

Springs beaches and waterways. Proper beach mainteand upkeep requires long term planning. Preservindrinking water requires diligence. And protecting the wways that feed into Estero Bay and the Gulf and pro

fragile home for our fish, fowl and habitat requires uncommitment.

InfrastructureA city infrastructure demands considerable foreth

and a delicate balance. While the most visible portioinfrastructure are parks, roadways, green space, and tecture, city staff leadership is critical. And on that pam confident in City Manager Carl Schwings leadabilities, his experience, and the common sense he of

These comments reflect my opinion and not necethe opinion of my fellow Councilmembers. I ask thacontact me with any suggestions or questions conceCity Council. And I thank the Spotlightfor providinspace.

Dr. Steve McIntosh is a Councilmember from DistrictDeputy Mayor of Bonita Springs.

By Dr. Steve McIntosh

By Rev. Dr. Paul FahnestockSpecial to the Spotlight

I am a resident of Bonita Springs and a pastor at FirstPresbyterian Church of Bonita Springs. I cannot speakto the reality of other homeless shelters around thecountry, but in my research and experience with St.Matthews House (SMH) in Naples and Immokalee, Ifind they have a 25-year track record of providing life-changing support services to those in need, while main-taining a safe environment within and around theirfacilities. SMH offers a safe place for homeless women,men, and children in a drug and alcohol-free Christianenvironment. SMH is providing transitional housing,training, and counseling for women, men, and familieswho have become homeless and is helping them toreturn as healthy and productive members of our com-munity.

In their experience and their evaluation of the reality

they deal with from day-to-day, SMH believes there is aneed for their services in South Lee County, and theywould like to open a facility in Bonita Springs. I believethere is a good place for SMH in Bonita Springs. TheOld Bank at Bonita Beach and Old 41 was a good place.I believe SMH would have been a demonstration for allwho come to Bonita Springs that we are a city of com-passion that cares well for the most vulnerable, but theCity said they would not approve it. The old CausewayLumber site on Old 41 would have been a good place,but the neighbors said not here and well make sureyou dont get approved and zoned.

I see a pattern. In fact, I believe every location forSMH will be resisted based on fears that are not basedon the facts. Twenty five years of SMH history in Naplesshow that property values do not go down, crime doesnot go up (rather crime goes down), and the children inthe schools and neighborhoods are not at more risk.Those are the facts. Ask the SMH neighbors in Naples.

Ask the realtors about property values. Ask the Collier

By Jeanne WatsonSpecial to the Spotlight

The city of Bonita Springs is in a difficult situation.On the surface, the issue may appear to be that St.Matthews House (SMH) would like to open a homelessshelter in Bonita Springs, and there are many peopleopposed to this idea. However, the real issue is notnearly that simple. This is not about Bonita Springstrying to block SMH from coming or about BonitaSprings residents not caring for those in need. Theseridiculous accusations need to stop.

It is extremely disappointing to see so much misin-formation floating around. We need to allow the com-munity of Bonita Springs to learn about what their cityis truly facing and to allow the democratic process totake place in choosing how to best proceed.

I believe that the majority of people in Bonita Springsdo wish to help other people. Bonita Springs, with its

30-plus outlets designed to aid those in need, is a caringand compassionate community. What unmet needsexist in Bonita Springs, how to best help and where tohelp are real issues.

On April 18, the Mayor and City Council votedunanimously to enact a moratorium on buildinghomeless shelters in the city for the earlier of 1 year oruntil reasonable regulations are put in place for thesefacilities. I applaud their strength and conviction indoing this and they have the heartfelt thanks of the vastmajority of residents in Bonita Springs. This vote wasnecessary because the City of Bonita Springs currentlyhas no regulations in place for this type of business.The city deserves to have reasonable regulations, (whichare already in place in 100s of cities in North America,)in place in Bonita Springs too, if in fact there is a needfor a business such as a homeless shelter to open here.

Unfortunately, the moratorium may not stop thebuilding of one shelter in our community. Thirty

minutes before the close of business the day before the

Two Views on Saint Matthews House

Continued on next page Continued on next page


23/48

No Mention of PelletiereI was interested to see the article from your April issue, Alternative Medicine Choices

Growing in Bonita. I was surprised, however, to see no mention of Dr. Michele Pelletiere.She has been a practicing chiropractor and acupuncturist in Bonita Springs for 14 years. Ihave been her patient for 11 of those years. She is the perfect combination of disciplines,has a wonderful, relaxing demeanor, putting her patients at ease. And the treatments aregreat for a whole host of ills. She shares her office with other chiropractors, a massage

therapist, and a Chinese herbalist.Mary Beth Borr, Bonita Springs

The Question of HomelessnessI want to congratulate the Southwest Spotlight Newspaperfor shining the spotlight of

truth on the question of homelessness in the April issue. I did not detect one ounce of biasin Peter R. OFlinns exhaustive exploration of the subject.

This should be our only approach to social issues: i.e., identify the problem using thebest information possible, prioritize the findings, and then work diligently for a solution.For instance, it is heartbreaking to think there are three Literally Homeless students inBonita Springs. This statistic should be our absolute, number one priority. Im sure amulti-million dollar facility is not needed; just a few good-hearted, well-screened, peoplewould probably do the trick.

The Doubled Up category is more obscure but not insurmountable. It requires anevaluation of the 37 individuals, one at a time, to determine if a real problem exists. Nextwould be a search for the best solution. Again, were not looking at millions; most likely afew thousand would go a long way.

In the 1980s we took in seven family members who had no job or home. This situation

lasted for a period of six months and I would not trade it for the world. During the sameperiod my father took in a family member living in the woods. When it was time for himto leave, a benefactor offered a rent free transient apartment. He said he would rather livein the woods and moved to a camp site. His biggest problem was theft from his fellowhomeless woods dwellers. His bike, generator, portable TV and stove were all stolen.

How much help would the several hundred thousand dollar re-zoning tab provide ifadministered on a case by case basis? Even by adding 50 percent to the number youretalking 54 people.

Byron Liles, Bonita Springs


LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Letters to the editor policy:The Southwest Spotlight publishes letters to theeditor as space allows. Please write thoughtfully on local topics and be respectfulof others. Letters containing personal attacks and abusive language will not beconsidered for publication. Include a phone number to verify writers identity.Letters are published at the Spotlights discretion. All letters are subject toediting for space, grammar and factual accuracy.

[email protected]

police and sheriffs department. Ask the daycare that shares aparking lot with the SMH mens substance abuse recovery

program. Ask the elementary school across the street from the mens transitional housing.Ask the women and men whose lives have been rescued and transformed. SMH is a goodneighbor.

I pray that God will open the door in our community for this vital ministry. I wouldsay to Vann Ellison and the SMH Board: When SMH finds suitable property, zoned forsocial services, consider it Gods open door. I pray you will buy it, build and begin to serveour community. It is your mandate. I believe it will be our blessing.

Do it unto the least of your brothers and sisters. (Matthew 25:40)

vote, SMH submitted their plans for a shelter for up to 260beds. This is a clear attempt to skirt any regulations that would

help protect both citizens and shelter residents from the impacts of their plans. Thisaction does not speak well to what kind of a neighbor SMH could be.

Two months ago, as a resident of Bonita Springs and a parent of children who go to ourlocal schools, some neighbors and I formed BSAFEBonita.org to educate residents about

the potential of a large unregulated homeless shelter being built near multiple schools andresidential communities. I have learned that people have concerns about their children,their safety, their property values, crime, the citys appearance, taxes, future development,and on and on. These concerns are based on facts, on history, and on experiences, andeveryone has a right to voice their concerns. An unregulated homeless shelter could meananything and anyone coming to Bonita Springs.

Published research by experts shows the large scale warehouse model SMH follows(260 beds) is the least effective approach to helping the homeless, and it is certainly notthe best approach to responsibly opening a business in a community without causingsignificant change and disruption.

If SMH is such a wonderful neighbor, as they claim, why would they take this approachin coming to Bonita Springs? Why did they rush in plans to beat the moratorium so theycould proceed without regulations? Why wont they sit down with the community toresearch, analyze, and make decisions together as to how to proceed?

I hope that SMH cares about more than their one size fits all approach to homelessnessand will instead come to the table. Find out the true need, find out the best way to help,find out what everyone wants (the homeless and the homeowners), and work together tosolve the problem.

Fahnestock,from page A22

Watson, from page A22


24/48


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Bonita Springs I moved to Bonitawith my kids 22 years ago because ofits small town feel. In all that time, ithas not changed much and that iswhat I love. It is laid back. It is less ofa city than Fort Myers, and morerelaxed than Naples.

Bonita is a beach town and I loveliving so close to the beach. I go toDocs, rent my chair and watch mygrandkids play in the sand. SometimesI go with my husband and have adrink and watch the sunset.

One of the best things about Bonita

is all of the great mom and pop restau-rants. On St. Patricks Day we have

the best party around at Fitzgeralds.And every Friday night we love to go

to Buffalo Chips to eat the best wings and listen to karaoke. Whenwe feel like an afternoon out, we love Flippers.

I love going to see my good friend Jose at Marias Restaurantfor the best margaritas and Mexican food in town. We go there tosit and relax and enjoy the pace. On Cinco de Mayo they step it upand it is packed for the mariachi band.

When I go to the Post Office in Bonita, they know me by myfirst name and are always friendly. And just across the street theCenter for the Arts has so many great events for the grandkids. Itsa town where neighbors all watch out for one another.

Families gather on Saturdays for Little League, swimming andjust to play at the community pool and playground. The facilitiesare so nice.

We never miss an event at Riverside Park and it is wonderfulthat the City puts on such great events and that so many of them

are free.The best thing about Bonita though, is that it is genuine. From

the young families to the retirees, everyone moves to Bonitabecause it is friendly. We all want that small town feel and thatmakes Bonita Springs the best place to live.

S O U T H W E S T S P O T L I G H T

Events, things to do and opportunities to give back to our community in and around Bonita Springs

MAY 2012Vol.3, No.5 SECTIO

Why I Love Living inBonita Springs

Fran Luther

Matt Steeves | Special to the S

Children in the Lee County Boys & Girls Club learn academic success, healthy living and leaship.

Boys and Girls ClubPrepares Youth for SuccesBy D.K. [email protected]

Bonita Springs Shannon Lane, Director of Operationsand Program Management for over 300 children atBoys and Girls Clubs of Lee County, is a professionalchildrens advocate; she tracks legislation that benefitschildren.

The record is dim, Lane said. Children have noone to speak for them, yet they are the future of ourcountry.

Childrens programs everywhere have been cutduring this economic downturn, including ours. We

now concentrate on three main themes foparticipants: securing academic success, livhealthy lifestyle and distinguishing themselyoung leaders.

Lee County Boys and Girls Clubs were optours during National Boys & Girls Club Week15 to 21. The afterschool programs are a combiof noisy arts and crafts, recreational activity, homework and tutoring. Youth ages 6 through 1ticipate. For more than 75 years, Clubs have celeBoys & Girls Club Week in a variety of ways, aan emphasis on five core Club program areas: Ch

Continued on p


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Page B2 Southwest Spotlight May 2

How to Sizzle on Stageand in Everyday LifeWed., May 2, 7 to 8:30 p.m.Toastmasters International

will host Olivia Schofield,who overcame a speechimpediment and became thetop speaker in the WorldChampionship, rising above35,000 contestants from 116countries. Where: Bonita FireStation #4, 27701 BonitaGrande Drive. Cost: FREE.Information: 239 293-2045.

National Day of PrayerThu., May 3, Noon to 1 p.m.A coordinated communityobservance of the NationalDay of Prayer, whose annualobservance was passed by a

joint resolution of the USCongress and signed into law

by President Truman in 1952.

It will be observed at the FirstBaptist Church BonitaSprings. Where: 3971 Via DelRey (across from RoyalScoop). Fifteen area churches

will be sponsoring the event.Cost: FREE. Information:

[email protected].

Farm Fresh MarketSaturdays, 7:30 a.m. to NoonSaturday, May 5 is the lastFarm Fresh Market of theseason. Come to one of themost popular markets in theregion. Fully stocked farm-fresh vegetable vendors plusfish, baked goods, cut flowers,orchids, cosmetics, antiques,fashions, jewelry, books andmore. Where: Promenade atBonita Bay. Cost: FREE. Formore information go to

www.bonitalions.org.

Turtle TrotSat., May 12, 7 a.m. registra-tion, 8 a.m. race start

This 5K course traverses threebarrier islands at Lovers KeyState Park and raises moneyfor the Friends of Lovers Key.The Friends are raising moneyfor a Visitor Education Center.Where: Lovers Key State Park.Cost:$25 prior to May 4, or$30 week of race. Information

www.friendsofloverskey.orgor 239 463-4588.

Kids Read Down FinesTues., May 15, 4 to 5 p.m.Children and teens can earn$2 for every 15 minutes ofreading during this program.

Coupons can be applied tolibrary cards for those under18. Where: Bonita SpringsBranch Library, 26876 PineAve. Cost. FREE. Information533-4860.

Mayor of SurveyTue., May 22, 5 p.m.(Forms due)The Historical Society is look-ing for candidates to becomethe Honorary Mayor of Sur-

vey 2012-2014 . For thosewishing to run, declarationforms are due by May 22.The Ice Cream Social & Polit-ical Rally will be held June 2.

Votes will be counted andthe winner announced. Cost:Money=Votes. Information:

www.bonitaspringshistorical-society.org or 239 992-6997.

Sea Turtle TalkFri., May. 25, 10 a.m.to 11 a.m.May through October is seaturtle nesting season in Flori-

da. Join a naturalist for a talkabout these interesting crea-tures. Where: Lovers Key StatePark. Cost: FREE. Informa-tion: 239 463-4588.

Memorial Day atRiverside ParkThurs. May 31 (Time TBD)A Memorial Day service will

be held at Riverside Park. Atthe time of publication, thetime and events were yet to

be determined. Cost: FREE.For updated information:

www.swspotl ight .com orwww.cityofbonitasprings.org.

Arts & EntertainmentStudent Art ShowsHigh School Student Show-case. Fri., May 11, 6 to 8 p.m.Area high school students

will show their best workfrom the year at this annualshow. Several high schoolseniors will receive collegetuition scholarships.Elementary & Middle SchoolStudent ExhibitionFri., May 18, 5 to 7 p.m.This exhibition showcases

work that local middle andelementary school students

have created in their art classes during this

year. Where: The Centhe Arts of Bonita S26100 Old 41 RoadFREE. For informatio

www.artcenterbonita.

call 239 495-8989.

Art in the ParkSundays, Noon to 5 p.mMeet local artists in thtorical Imperial River Cin Riverside Park. Forinformation call 239 95342. FREE.

Films for Film LoverMon., May 14 & 28, 7 pOn May 14, I am DavBen Tibber, Jim CavieJoan Plowright and fthe life of 12-year-oldas he escapes from a munist concentrationOn May 28, Kolya, wof the 1996 Academy for Best Foreign LanFilm, tells the story of Louka a concert celSoviet-occupied Czec

vakia. Where: PromenBonita Bay. Cost: $8 pson. For more informcontact the Center fArts at 239 495-8989.

Art WalkThur., May 31, 5 to 8 p.mVisit the artists studiotheir art, demonstratioenjoy a live musical co

light refreshments anthe other merchants oPromenade. Where: Pnade at Bonita Bay.FREE

Fundraisers

B.E.A.R. Chinese AuWed., May 2, 5:30 to 7:3Bonita Springs Esterociation of Realtors (B.

will hold a Chinese Aat The Villages at CCreek on Wed. May 25:30 to 7:30 p.m. tomoney for the Boys &Clubs of Lee County. W

21131 Country CreekEstero. Cost: Minimumtion of $50. Inform

www.bgclc.net

Kentucky Derby ParSat., May 5, 4:30 to 8:3This fundraising evenBonita Bay Club is pre

by Gulfcoast Coin & J

EVENTS

Continued on p


27/48



28/48


TOWN TALK

Staff Photo | [email protected]

Bonita 100 years old,

1912 Plans Discovered by LilesByron Liles speaks to an audience of about 100 people on Thursday, April 19 at theLiles hotel before beginning a Bonita Springs Historical Society walking tour of oldBonita. At the forefront is a plan dated March 1912 that shows that Bonita Springshad been surveyed and subdivided into what we know as Old Bonita today. Lilesfound the document that was issued by the Lee County Zoning Department. Itdepicts what would become Bonita Springs, showing streets, lots and other areas.Liles' family was one of the founding families of Bonita Springs. His grandfather

J.W. Liles built the Liles Hotel that houses the Bonita Springs Historical Society.Following the walking tour, Byron and Linda Liles offered cake to the guests tocelebrate the 100th Birthday of Bonita Springs.

Palmira Golf and Country ClubBuilding Grill RoomPalmira Golf and Country Club has begun construction on its new 6,200 squafoot Grill Room. The scheduled completion date for the facility is October 2012

Contributed | [email protected]

Contributed | [email protected]

RepublicanCandidatesin BonitaTrey Radel, Candidate for

Congress stands with KatMcMichael at a meeting oRepublican Club of BonitaSprings. More than a dozcandidates attended themeeting. The Republican of Bonita Springs meets thfirst Thursday of the montBarefoot Boat Club.


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30/48

City MeetingsDont miss a beat. The

City broadcasts its electedofficials meetings live onchannel 98. Re-broadcasts arescheduled to play throughoutthe month. Check www.boni-tatv.org for up to date list-ings.

Bonita Springs Fire Control& Rescue

In case you missed it live,

the Commissioners monthlymeeting is on BTV channel

98 every Monday at 8 p.m.

Beautiful Bonita The CityClean-up 2012

Check out our amazingvolunteers in another clean-up day. Thats why we call itBeautiful Bonita.

The City ReportHosted by Bonitas City

Clerk this program containsa short summary of the major

decisions taken at the lastCity Council Meeting. TheCity Report airs every day at8 a.m., 12 p.m. and 10 p.m.

If you have any ideas for programmingyou would like to see on BTV98, [email protected] . Writein subject: BTV98 suggestions.

BTV98s schedule is subject to change.For more complete information on all currentprogramming, please visit us at www.boni-tatv.org


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TOWN TALK

Shadow Wood ESL Students and TeachersShadow Wood Country Club recently honored teachers and students whoparticipate in the English as a Second Language program. This year, 29 studeand 38 volunteers (residents of Shadow Wood) participated in the program. Athe 29 students are employees of Shadow Wood. The classes meet several timeeach week and are supported by the Literacy Council Gulf Coast, which providresource information and offered teaching techniques to the volunteers. Bothteachers and students were recently honored at a luncheon.

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May 2012 - Southwest Spotlight