Lead Photo: The Bowl, specializing in organic açaí bowls, opens at University Village Shops & Dining in Ft. Myers, the first location in Lee County.
LEE COMMISSIONERS APPROVE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT FOR WATER QUALITY PROJECT
Lee County commissioners on Tuesday voted to approve a contract to build a project adjacent to Yellow Fever Creek Preserve, a Conservation 20/20 site, to improve water quality and the ecosystem. The project in Cape Coral near Averill Boulevard and Del Prado Boulevard North is designed to improve water quality by diverting excess flow from Gator Slough Canal into a reservoir. There, it will be treated before being released into Yellow Fever Creek, a tributary to the Caloosahatchee River. This joint project with the city of Cape Coral will help reduce the flow of freshwater toward Matlacha Pass and restore historic base flows to the Yellow Fever Creek watershed. The transfer of water will also enhance the rehydration of wetlands south of Del Prado Boulevard, restoring the habitat. The $1.5 million contract approved Tuesday with Fort Myers-based Cougar Contracting is for the installation of a reservoir, pumping station, water transfer main, submersible pumps and related equipment. Construction is expected to begin in February and take about six months to complete, the county reports.
LEE COMMISSIONERS APPROVE DESIGN CONTRACT FOR NEW LEETRAN STATION ON U.S. 41
Lee County commissioners voted Tuesday to approve a design and engineering contract for a new LeeTran park-and-ride and transfer station planned for the existing parking lot at the Lee County Elections Office, 13180 S. Cleveland Ave. The project will provide seven covered bus berths, ADA accessible restrooms, custodial and electrical facilities, a technology room, as well as loading and unloading ramps with ADA accessibility that will provide a higher level of service, security and comfort for LeeTran passengers and employees. The $537,372 design contract was awarded to Cardno Inc. A matching grant of up to $160,000 from the Florida Department of Transportation will help pay for the design. The design effort is expected to take about six months, the county reports.
COLLIER’S DEPUTY COUNTY MANAGER NAMED SENIOR VP AT BARRON COLLIER COS.
Nick Casalanguida recently left his position as Collier County’s deputy county manager to become senior vice president of development for Naples-based Barron Collier Cos. Casalanguida, 54, held the No. 2 position in Collier County government since 2015. Hired by the county in 2004, he served as a project manager, planning director and deputy administrator in Collier’s Growth Management Department before he was promoted as director of the department in 2012. Casalanguida has more than 30 years of land development experience and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in management from Hodges University. In addition, he is a Certified Public Manager through Florida State University’s Center for Public Management.
4M COMMERCE CENTER IN FORT MYERS SELLS FOR $8.35 MILLION
Industrial real estate in Southwest Florida continues to be on fire, said Chase Mayhugh with Mayhugh Commercial Advisors, based in Fort Myers. Mayhugh recently brokered the transaction of one of the region’s largest industrial properties, which sold for $8.35 million. The 4M Commerce Center, 11803 Metro Parkway, in Fort Myers was sold on Dec. 31 to 11803 Metro Pkwy LLC. The property consists of three large industrial facilities with more than 120,000 square feet of industrial space on 7.36 acres fronting the heavily traveled Metro Parkway. The sellers, Kelly Peel Trust and Liddell Family Trust, brought on Chase Mayhugh, SIOR, CCIM, in mid-2019 to manage, stabilize and lease the asset to position it for future sale.
SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR FEBRUARY BUSINESS HALL OF FAME EVENT
Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida’s annual Business Hall of Fame event is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. on Feb. 25, and sponsors are sought to support the event. This will be the first time Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida hosts a combined event, honoring laureates from both Lee and Collier Counties simultaneously. It is also the first time it will be hosted entirely virtually. Sarah Owen, president and CEO of Southwest Florida Community Foundation, and William T. Prather, owner and executive producer of Broadway Palm Dinner Theater, will be inducted for Lee County. Dr. James Guerra, orthopaedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist at Collier Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center, and Sen. Kathleen Passidomo, will be inducted for Collier County. Sponsorship levels range from $2,000 to $10,000 and include benefits designed to recognize the sponsor in a multitude of ways before, during, and after the event. To register for the event or learn more about sponsorship opportunities, visit event.gives/jahof.
THE BOWL LAUNCHES THIRD LOCATION AT UNIVERSITY VILLAGE IN ESTERO
The third location of The Bowl opened Monday in University Village shops near Florida Gulf Coast University in Estero. This is the first location of The Bowl that has a kava bar with kava and kratom elixirs on tap in addition to a menu featuring organic acai and pitaya bowls, smoothies and cold brew coffee, kombucha and matcha on tap. “I’m also excited to purchase and use a golf cart for dorm deliveries on the FGCU campus,” says Kylee Brinkman, an FGCU graduate who launched her first location of The Bowl five years ago at 1427 Pine Ridge Road in North Naples and her second in 2017 at 1200 Central Ave. in Naples. The Bowl’s new location, 19810 Village Center Drive, Suite 130, Fort Myers, is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. For more information call 239-288-6487 or go to the-bowl.com.
SEAGATE DEVELOPMENT GROUP COMPLETES CONDITIONED AIR FACILITY
Seagate Development Group has completed Conditioned Air’s new operations center. This comes after six weeks of site clearing and utilities preparation as well as five months of construction. Located at 14550 Global Pkwy. in Fort Myers, the 41,745-square-foot facility is supporting the company’s growth throughout Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties. This is made possible in part by 30,945 square feet of warehouse space as well as 10,800 square feet of office space, including a 9,800-square-foot mezzanine for additional storage and future expansion. The operations center features an 18-bay loading dock, multipurpose administrative area, 84-person training room and state-of-the-art training lab. Additionally, there are 10 executive offices, supervisory spaces, a conference room and estimating area.
Video courtesy of WINK News
NEW BAIT AND TACKLE SHOP WILL REPLACE FISHIN FRANKS IN PORT CHARLOTTE
It’s time for Frank Hommema to put down the lure and pass on the fishing rod. The business owner, known as “Fishin Frank” in Port Charlotte, has been through a lot in his 35 years of selling bait and tackle from his fishing store on U.S. 41. Hurricane Charley demolished his storefront in 2004 and an IRS audit caused him to lose everything. But a fiery crash that caused the store to burst into flames last May was a bit too much to come back from. Friends and customers helped raise about $50,000 for the store so that he would rebuild, but Hommema said he is giving the money to his long-term employee, Robert Lugiewicz, who plans to open a new bait and tackle shop called Blind Tarpon Tackle, WINK News reports.
FIFTH THIRD ACHIEVES CARBON NEUTRALITY
Fifth Third announced it has achieved carbon neutrality for its operations in 2020, including greenhouse gas emissions from its facilities and business travel. This achievement was accomplished by directly reducing the company’s corporate carbon footprint, purchasing renewable power and utilizing carbon offsets from a project in its retail footprint for remaining emissions. Fifth Third’s carbon neutrality achievement follows the Bank’s five-year $8 billion sustainable finance goal announced in September 2020. Additionally, Fifth Third continues to make significant progress on its five sustainability goals, announced in 2017, including having already achieved its goal for 100% renewable power, a 20% reduction in water usage and a 25% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, according to the company. For more information, click here.
LEE HEALTH FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Lee Health Foundation has announced its 2021 board of trustees. Returning to their roles are J. Pason Gaddis as chairperson, Dr. James W. Orr Jr. as vice-chairperson and Jennifer Parisi as secretary. Dominic Cameratta will begin as treasurer of the board. Newly elected trustees are David Call, Chetan Gulati, Kristin Haag, George Hamilton, Susan McGrogan, Lori Shaffer, Dr. F. Brett Shannon and Sandy Stilwell Youngquist. Returning trustees are Joseph R. Catti, Dr. Paul DiGiorgi, Jenny Gezella, Matt Hanson, Charles K. Idelson, Al Kinkle, Fred Pezeshkan, Pablo Veintimilla and Scotty Wood. Ex-officio trustees are Dr. Larry Antonucci, David Collins, Gary Gold, Steve Henry, Sue Lester and Armando Llechu. The board’s emeriti committee includes Amanda Cross, Dorothy Fitzgerald, Joe Gammons, Frank Haskell, Chairperson Elaine Hawkins, Garrett Reasoner, and Madeleine Taeni. Lee Health Foundation’s committee chairpersons include Executive Committee, Gaddis; Finance Committee, Cameratta; Nominating & Governance Committee, Parisi; and Development Committee, Gezella. Additional community leaders who also serve on committees include Bill Cronin, William Gruver, Tarek Salhab and Austin Williams.
GODSEA APPOINTED TO LEAD SOUTHWEST FLORIDA REFUGE COMPLEX
Kevin Godsea, former acting refuge manager at the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, is now the permanent project leader managing the new Southwest Florida National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) Complex. The complex also includes Florida Panther, Ten Thousand Islands, Pine Island, Matlacha Pass, Island Bay, and Caloosahatchee NWRs. Godsea has been serving as refuge manager for Florida Panther and Ten Thousand Islands NWRs for the past 10 years. A 22-year veteran of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), Godsea began at “Ding” Darling in 2000 as an education specialist and then supervisory refuge ranger. Following that, he served as refuge manager at Cape Romain NWR in South Carolina for two years before moving back to Southwest Florida and taking on the western Everglades-area refuges. During his time there, Godsea earned the National Refuge Manager of the Year (Paul Kroegel) Award and graduated from USFWS’ Advanced Leadership Development Program.
CHARITABLE NOTES
Naples Winter Wine Festival online auction begins Jan. 22
The Naples Children & Education Foundation, founders of the Naples Winter Wine Festival, announced that its online auction will return this year, allowing supporters from across Southwest Florida and beyond to bid on 125 food, wine and virtual experiences, and the opportunity to buy one of only 16 spots in the first annual NCEF Golf Fore Kids Pro-Am. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s festival is going virtual. Those interested in participating in the online auction are invited to go to nwwfonlineauction.com to bid, starting at 8 a.m. on Jan. 22 until 5 p.m. on Feb. 2. The 2021 Naples Winter Wine Festival “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” will celebrate the community of partners who have helped deliver life-changing services to underprivileged and at-risk children in Collier County.
Catholic Charities Diocese of Venice Inc. receives $30,000 grant
Catholic Charities Diocese of Venice Inc. received a $30,000 grant from The Pulte Family Charitable Foundation to support safe housing for migrant families in Hendry and Glades Counties. This grant will allow Catholic Charities Diocese of Venice (CCDOV) to continue a successful project of providing critical repairs for farmworkers whose homes were damaged by Hurricane Irma in 2017. The Assuring Safe Housing project will provide mobile home repairs for low-income migrant farmworkers in Hendry and Glades counties. The Assuring Safe Housing project will serve as an expansion of the current CCDOV Disaster Recovery Program. For more information, visit catholiccharitiesdov.org.
The Bentley Village Foundation supports Hunger and Homeless Coalition of Collier County
The Bentley Village Foundation has donated more than $34,000 to advance the mission of the Hunger and Homeless Coalition of Collier County. The organization began its fund drive in December, joining with the coalition to provide aid, and then began a fundraising effort with residents and staff of the local senior living community. Initially, the foundation donated $10,000 and pledged an additional $10,000 as a match for donations by Bentley Village residents and staff before Jan. 31. Thanks to an overwhelming response, the organization has already received and donated $34,000 to the coalition, and contributions are continuing to be made to the foundation. The coalition has reported to the foundation that a homeless family of three, headed by a single mom, was placed in secure housing using some of their donations.
Swinging With Purpose receives $8,000 year-end donation from Kitchens By Clay
Swinging With Purpose (SWP) has received a donation of $8,000 from Clay and Kelly Cox, owners of Kitchens By Clay. Kelly sits on the board of directors and is treasurer for SWP. The donation will help SWP fulfil 2021 grants for its 2021 beneficiaries as the fundraising efforts. SWP recently completed its grant application process and the 2021 beneficiaries who will benefit from 2021 fundraising efforts include Alliance for Period Supplies SWFL, LACES of Love, Family Initiative, FL Dreamcatchers, Premier Mobile Health Services, Ricky King Children’s Fund and Wellfit Girls. For more information, visit swingingwithpurpose.org.
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