Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill Wednesday to raise Florida teachers’ minimum salary to $47,500 and provide other raises at a cost of $500 million despite state revenue plummeting because of the coronavirus. Raising teacher salaries was a top priority for DeSantis during the legislative session that ended with a budget being approved in mid-March just as the state was shutting down because of the pandemic. Lawmakers approved $500 million toward teacher pay raises–$400 million to boost the minimum teacher salary and $100 million for other pay raises, WINK News reports.

A first look at what could be in store next school year for Lee County students was presented this week. Recommendations include the return of all pre-K to sixth-grade students to full, in-person instruction, while seventh to 12th-graders will follow a hybrid model with half the students in an in-person class Mondays and Tuesdays and then virtual classes Wednesday through Friday. The other half would be online Monday through Wednesday and then in class Thursdays and Fridays. Wednesday will be reserved for cleaning. But other recommendations regarding masks and transportation were made by a reopening task force, which will now make a draft reopening plan that will be presented to the school board next month, WINK News reports.

After months of closures, businesses near the beach are booming and hot temperatures this week have helped the cause. Busy beaches mean busy hotels, shops and restaurants, despite operating at 50% capacity and following CDC guidelines for social distancing, WINK News reports. “We are up about 20 percent over last year. Week over week in sales have been excellent. It’s almost been difficult to keep up at some points but it’s a good problem to have,” says Ryan Nagle, general manager at Shuckers and the Cottage Bar on Fort Myers Beach.

 

FDR Real Estate Investment LLC recently purchased the 2,224-square-foot former Orion gas station at 2505 Santa Barbara Blvd. in Cape Coral, Fla. from Omac Real Estate LLC for $550,000. Frank Kupiec of LandQwest Commercial represented the Wingstop franchisee, with efforts to establish their first Cape Coral location. Kupiec previously represented the brand in all three of their Southwest Florida locations. The buyer plans to convert the former gas station into the fast-casual chain, with easy access and strong street exposure along Santa Barbara. Kupiec represented the buyer in this transaction, and Jonathan Baixauli with Orion Group Realty represented the seller.

Harbor Freight Tools will open its new store in Naples at 8 a.m. on July 4. The Naples store, located at 4929 Rattlesnake Hammock, is the 74th Harbor Freight Tools store in Florida. The new store brings approximately 35 new jobs to the community. As a designated essential service, the store will be open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. It will resume its regular hours of 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday after the COVID-19 pandemic has passed. The store will stock a full selection of tools and accessories in categories including automotive, air and power tools, storage, outdoor power equipment, generators, welding supplies, shop equipment, hand tools and more. During the COVID-19 crisis, all Harbor Freight stores have implemented more frequent cleaning and are following the guidelines from the Center for Disease Control, including social-distancing. Any individual who has COVID-19 symptoms is asked to shop online instead, at harborfreight.com.

Two dining establishments recently closed on Fifth Avenue South in downtown Naples. Shea’s at Lansdowne Street closed this week after operating four years at 720 Fifth Ave. S., across from the Cambier Park bandshell. Lansdowne Street, the original sister location for the Boston-themed sports bar, will continue to operate in Bonita Springs. Meanwhile, Citrus seafood restaurant closed this spring ahead of plans to redevelop property that includes not only Citrus but also the adjoining Paddy Murphy’s Irish Pub and Bellini Italian restaurant and bar. The project still needs the city’s final approval this summer to replace the old single-story stretch with a new two-story building with office space and a restaurant or two. Launched by Paula and Jay Powell in November 2010, Citrus operated for nearly a decade at 455 Fifth Ave. S.