Billy Dean & Dawn, one of Southwest Florida’s most versatile musical groups, will be performing This event will be fun for everyone. Estero Park & Recreation Center 9200 Corkscrew Palms Blvd Estero, FL 33928 From Island to Bay, News at Sea Level Volume 7 Issue 19 Production@sunbaypaper.com www.TheSunBayPaper.com February 18, 2022 - February 24, 2022 Right... All Along Republican state lawmakers on Thursday said they introduced what would be the single-largest tax cut package in Florida history. As Floridians, and all Americans, pay more for every day purchases due to surging inflation and depleted supply stemming from supply chain issues, some lawmakers are seeking to reduce the state’s tax burden. The package, submitted to the House Ways and Means Committee, would reduce sales taxes and property taxes for some Floridians and expand several tax holidays. If enacted, the measure would increase the property tax exemption for widows, widowers, blind and disabled persons by 10 times the current cap, and provide retroactive property tax relief for owners of Champlain Towers South Tower properties in Surfside. “Today we introduced the single-largest sales tax cut package in the history of the state, giving Florida residents back more of their hard-earned money,” House Speaker Chris Sprowls, We play Old Country Music,” emphasizes Don White, founder and bassist of “Just Country.” “We do songs from artists like Merle Haggard, George Jones, and George Strait. To me, new Country Music is not Country, Rock-&-Roll or even good music at all. It is something promoters make performers do because that is where the money is, as that is what teenyboppers want these days, but I will not play it. We do Old Country as that is the real Country sound!” Don’s “Just Country” bandmate, Bob Slaughter, agrees. “We do mainly Country, along with a little Bluegrass, some Pop and Rock, with a variety of other stuff but mainly Country. With Country now, there is old Country and new Country, with new Country much more like Rock-& Roll. We mostly do traditional Country that you sadly do not hear much anymore, as that is our bag of tea! Of course, when you have a female singer as talented as Charlie, it is easy to play as broad variety of musical styles.” Charlie is Charlie Ursitti, who joins Don and Bob in “Just Country,” along with Michael Ursitti on guitar and steel guitar, Frank Message on guitar, with For almost a century, the Southwest Florida & Lee County Fair has had something for everyone; bringing attractions, entertainment, carnival games and rides, live animal competitions and lets not forget the Cotton Candy, fried Twinkies and Funnel Cakes. This year right after the state fair finishes up on the 21st our local fair starts up! From Feb. 24 to March 6, more than 100,000 people, are expected to come to the Lee Civic Center to experience all of the same fun the annual event has always brought. This year the fair will bring new entertainment, new attractions to South West Florida! The Fair, undet it's current name started in 1924 and was held at Terry Park for over 50 years until 1978, when it moved to the then brand-new Lee Civic Center on Bayshore Road in 1979, where the annual continues to call home. Although the fair came from humble beginings bringing excitement to our area and it has grown to be quiet an attraction now. The fair will be in town for 11 days and is expected to draw more than 100,000 people — people come to enjoy attractions they know will happen every year and the fair had a great turnout the last two years even thruough the pandemic madness. The 98th annual Southwest Florida & Lee County Fair will open Thursday, Feb. 24 and run through Sunday, March 26, at the Lee Civic Center on Bayshore Road in North Fort Myers. They will have the usual Old Fashion Dollar Day preview on Thursday, Feb. 24, with $1 admission and $1 rides beginning at 4 p.m.; and free admission on Friday, Feb. 25, from 4 to 6 p.m. and free rides from 5 to 6 p.m. on opening night before Moonlight Madness, which is $30 for a ride wristband, begins. Saturdays and Sundays feature ride bands for $40 after paid Cont. pg 24 Cont. pg. 5 Cont. pg. 6 Estero’s having a party and you’re invited… and best of all... it’s free!! The Village of Estero will celebrate its 7th anniversary, Saturday, March 5, 11am - 2pm with a free family-oriented party! There will be children’s activities, food vendors and outstanding live entertainment that will start at 11:30 a.m. The party starts before lunch so there will be pleanty of time for eating, mingling and dancing to the music, with fun activities for the kids too. A short recognition of Estero’s community leaders will take place from 12 noon – 12:30 p.m., and then the entertainment starts again. This party is geared to bringing the entire community together in a fun atmosphere to celebrate the “new” village turning 7 years old. This is not a political activity or a fund-raising event, just a have a great time event to meet other locals and visitors, everyone is welcome! Mark your calendars now and plan on inviting everyone to help celebrate their anniversary! Remember to bring chairs or blankets to sit on. Florida Bill Would Provide Largest Tax Cuts in Florida History Catching Up with “Just Country! Florida House Speaker Chris Sprowls
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The Sun Bay Paper Page 3 February 18, 2022 - February 24, 2022 Not only is pre-shredded cheese from the supermarket expensive, it also comes packaged in hard-to-recycle plastic. One way to go green and save money is to buy blocks of cheese from the cheese counter and shred it yourself. To save time, shred the entire block of cheese at one time and store it in a large freezer bag. To prevent it from sticking together, add a tablespoon of cornstarch to the freezer bag and shake. The cornstarch will lightly coat the cheese and prevent sticking and will also help keep it fresher longer. Store it in the freezer and use the cheese as needed. Energy-efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs can be turned on and off about 7,000 times before burning out. The lifespan makes them the perfect choice for light fixtures that are on for extended periods of time, but for light fixtures that are on for only short periods of time -- like walk-in closets or fixtures with motion detectors -- it's best to avoid CFLs. The constant turning on and off of those fixtures will burn out CFLs very quickly. Instead, invest in LED bulbs for those fixtures to reap the energy savings and long-lasting attributes of the bulbs. The exhaust fans in your kitchen and bathroom can do a great job of sucking smelly or smoky air out of your home, but they can also make your home's heating/coolng system inefficient. Since they expel unwanted air from the home, leaving an exhaust fan on for too long forces warm air out of your home. So don't leave the exhaust fans on for too long if you want to save money on your heating costs. The same rule also applies in the hot Florida weather when you're trying to cool down your home. Shredder CFL’s and LED’s Exhausting This winter's unusually cold weather -- the "Artic Winds" -- may be miserable for many trying to keep warm, but they’re actually a good thing for the environment. Invasive insect species that have been ruining crops, trees and other native plants and do not have a natural predator are more likely to freeze to death during the winter months. Come spring, fewer invasive insects means more trees, plant species and farm crops. And invasive plant species that are not indigenous to cold regions will also have their path of growth slowed or destroyed. So bundle up, because the cold is helping Mother Nature. Good Cold Recent storms across America have left households without power for several hours and up to several days. One way to help preserve the freshness of perishable food in the refrigerator is to not open the door during a blackout. But one way to help extend the life of a chilled fridge is to be proactive. If the forecast calls for bad weather, fill empty plastic containers -- soda bottles, food storage containers, empty margarine tubs -- with cold tap water. Place them in the back of the fridge. When they're chilled, they'll help keep the temperature lower inside the fridge during a power outage. Easily Cooler While it may be tempting to raid your pantry and use leftover food like old bread, nuts and snack food to feed wildlife, it's actually doing more damage than good. According to the Humane Society of the United States, "people food" can be unhealthy for wildlife and hurt their digestive tract when they eat it. Plus, feeding wild animals close to your home lessens their fear of humans, turning them into wild panhandlers. But you may also be inadvertently feeding wildlife without realizing it by feeding your pets outdoors. If the family dog doesn't finish his food, it becomes a tempting food source for wildlife. They'll eat it and keep returning to get more. So feed your dog indoors to prevent that from happening. Danny Seo “People Food” Most of us know it's important to clean the lint trap in the dryer to help make it more efficient and safer. Every few months, give the lint filter a deep clean by scrubbing it with soap and water and an old toothbrush. Let it air dry and place it back in the dryer. This will help make air flow more efficient and cut down on the amount of time it takes to get your clothes dry, saving energy. Lint Energy Savings Last Weeks Crossword Solution
The first and foremost solution, Comrade Schumer, is to replace you, Comrade Pelosi and brain dead Comrade Obiden and his handler, the Ayatollah Hussein Obama… with President Trump and any Republican who can walk and chew gum…! What President Trump will do is exactly what he did in 2 years that Obama couldn’t do in 8 years and Obiden destroyed 8 months… that is…bring back Made In America products…make America energy independent and make America the biggest, wealthiest, most deadly, country in the world…AGAIN… ........dumb ass! Since none of your Comrades know the details, apparently… please allow me to expand the simple actions that President Trump did, without the “magic wand” the Ayatollah Obama said would be required… First, enforce the existing Immigration and Naturalization Laws that you and your Comrades refuse to enforce! Simply put, “Enforce the Laws and Build the Walls”! Quit trying to destroy the Border Patrol, ICE, INS , Immigration and support them by starting with an arrest and fair trial for Mayorkas and then turn him into well done toast! Your illegal, criminal actions have allowed over 4 million, illegal, unvaccinated, good, bad, and ugly, criminals, terrorists, gang bangers, children, and drug and women smugglers into this country, so you could buy votes. The Monetary burden and dangers you and your left wing, red, commie, pinko, actions, have placed on Americans are intentional, criminal and violate every oath you and your fellow Comrades ever took to Defend, Preserver and Protect the Constitution, America and We The People! Second, open the Green River Oil Reserves…GOVERNMENT OWNED… oil reserves, that Comrade Obama and Obiden …intentionally CLOSED. Restart oil drilling, fracking, and exploration… along with all the other lands that President Trump opened to oil drilling and exploration… which made us Energy independent…duh! I’m not certain but instead …I am 100% positive…that the closing of all the drilling, exploration and fracking that the Democrap New Communist Party lead by Obiden/Obama is 100% responsible for the “shortage of oil” causing Biden to beg OPEC to drill more oil…double duh! Simply put,”If you stop the farmers from growing potatoes, we will run out of potatoes”. Third, reopen and continue the Keystone Pipeline as well as the other pipelines you closed and President Trump kept open. Please note… that the Second and Third actions your Party…Comrade…would/could be considered Acts of War, Espionage, Treason, Terrorism …IF…you did that to weaken America, and Aid our enemies ,to help change America to a Socialist, Communist, OR Islamic Nation…UNLESS you can point to an Amendment to the Constitution or Law that allows overthrow of our Constitutional Republic and make America a Socialist nation…you and the others are subjecting yourselves to Criminal Prosecutions. I personally cannot seem to find ANYTHING that allows your criminal actions! On that note… please take notice that ANY tampering with the Internet to convert the US to Bitcoin/ Digital money…or interruptions to our Power Grid would … without any doubt …be Treason and don’t try to blame Trump, or any Republicans or China or N Korea, or Haiti…we ALL know what you rats are chewing on…it’s our freedoms, our Constitution, our Republic, our lives and we won’t tolerate it! Fourth, pass voter ID and mail in by current, Absentee Ballot, rules and regulations only. Fifth, re-impose the financial restrictions on all our enemies that Trump imposed and your team canceled. In case you and you buddies cannot find who our Nation’s Enemies are…just look at your investment portfolios, you should find, at least, the wealthiest there! Need some help…Hunter Biden in China, Ukraine, Daddy gets a cut…John Kerry in Iran and probably China, Obama and Pelosi in every Country dumb enough to deal with them! Sixth, STOP telling the people that the number one problem facing America is Climate Change/Global Warming or the Weather Fairy… STOP…IT’S NOT TRUE! That’s a class “A” fraud! All the real scientists do agree on some contributing factors to The Earth’s Changes and there are many…not JUST weather! One such fact, is that there is change to the Climate…it changes daily! They also agree that here is nothing man can do to stop the daily climate change. I want you to grasp that concept because science knows what some of the contributors to Climate Change are (which is a poor description for what planet Earth endures) …and so do you! Sun spots…a big contributor to our climate and the impact on our Gravity… Sun Spots can cause changes to our forces of gravity and atmospherics temperatures, Meteor Impacts to Earth… they certainly cause changes, just ask any dinosaur…oops…their all dead from a Meteor impact… 66 million years ago! Many Earth Quakes occur in uninhabited places on Earth but it is estimated that Minor Earth Quakes, like category 2, occur about 100 times DAILY ! In an average year, there might be 20-25 magnitude 7 earthquakes globally -- about one every 2 to 3 weeks. Is /are Earth Quakes an effect that changes the climate… “Climate Change”… hmmm…good question…ask someone who has lived in California along a fault…they would be more able to answer that one!? While you’re at it ask them if a Quake is worse than “Climate Change” (warming or cooling)…and do they think man can reduce Earth Quakes? !If you say that’s “unfair” how about this for, honesty and fairness…Al Gore and his Goreites ,based upon data from the left’s sole source for Climate Change/ Global Warming is the US financed, UNIPCC…a totally fraudulent outfit, according to NASA’s 2015 report on AntArtic ‘s Land Mass Ice cap… its bigger than ever. And the UNIPCC Global Warming model that predicted the end to Glaciers and predicted annual temperature increases…there was NEITHER, look it up! therightsidejgarydilaura.com J.Gary DiLaura FBI RED Retired Extremely Dangerous The Sun Bay Paper Page 4 February 18, 2022 - February 24, 2022 The Right Side An Answer To Comrade Schumer’s Request From Republicans... For The Solution To All The Problems Created By The Obiden/Obama Run Whitehouse
The Sun Bay Paper Page 5 February 18, 2022 - February 24, 2022 Cont. from pg 1 Just Country drummer David Gravelin. Don plays bass and sings, with Bob on pedal steel, electric and acoustic guitars. Don started “Just Country” roughly 18 years ago: “I was in the Fort Myers and Lehigh Acres areas, getting acquainted, and decided to form a group, as I was in Country Music my entire life. I was talking to a guy and said I play just good old Country Music and needed a name for my new Florida band; he said I said it – ‘Just Country!’” The Hills of Tennessee Don was “born and raised in the hills of East Tennessee. I grew up in a musical family, especially on Mom’s side, with my uncles in a Country band. Mom played guitar so she was my earliest influence and why I am a guitarist. When I was 9 or 10 years old, I always wanted to go to gigs with my uncles but they could not bring a little kid with them. I played guitar until my late 20s, but our Ohio band had issues with our bassist, so I switched to that as well as singing. That band was ‘Country Music Sounds’ and we toured a lot in the 1970s including going to Vietnam, the Philippines and Wake Island.” He relocated to Florida because of the construction business, “but no matter where I was, I played Country. Thirteen years ago, I began playing at the Fleamasters Fleamarket on Saturdays, just me and my guitar, and several guys asked if I needed other musicians and that was the start of ‘Just Country.’ Prior to the pandemic, we played several other venues, like the American Legion and VFW Posts, but now are only at the Fleamarket, so we do not do as many shows as we formerly did in the past.” Bob is from Tennessee as well. “My earliest musical influence was my Grandmother, who played guitar, so she taught me to play when I was about 9 years old. I stuck with it and eventually worked with many well-known Country artists, including the great Bobby Helm, who was at one time the most popular Country entertainer in the nation. Everyone knows Bobby from hits like ‘Fraulein,’ ‘My Special Angel,’ and perhaps most famously, 1957’s ‘Jingle Bell Rock’ that is still a supremely popular Christmas song, so that probably remains my claim to fame! I worked the Nashville circuit with some real talented Grand Old Opry stars for a long time and had a lot of fun! I eventually retired from General Motors and moved to Florida fulltime for the warm weather roughly 30 years ago, opening a music store in Fleamasters Fleamarket. Don and I met there, he found out about my musical background and asked if I could help out in ‘Just Country’ every now and then.” Turn Your Mood Around! They love performing at the Fleamasters Fleamarket Music Hall. “We built that along with the owner several years ago to have a place to play,” relates Bob. “We are usually there performing free every Saturday from Noon to 2 p.m., though in February that changes to Sundays from Noon to 2 p.m. It is a nice big auditorium with a tremendous sound system that seats around 500 people, with a humongous floor for dancing. It is such a terrific venue that it hosted many Grand Old Opry stars when they toured the area.” To book “Just Country,” call Don at 239-2406813 or Bob at 239-273-0146. “Just Country” takes requests during their concerts. “Merle Haggard, George Jones, George Strait, and Ray Price are the most popular,” Don offers. “The people who come to hear us want Old Country, but sometimes classic Rock-&-Roll as well, like Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis, and we are happy to play that.” “We always take requests,” agrees Bob, “with most being #1 songs from the 1960s and 70s. For me, I love playing music from Waylon Jennings, Hank Williams and Hank Williams, Junior.” Even after decades of making music, Don and Bob still love it! “I just like to play Old Country Music,” Don recollects, “whether up on stage or in a jam session with a group of pickers; I just love to keep playing!” Bob enjoys “performing, singing and being the Master of Ceremonies. I still get a charge out of being in front of a crowd. You hear comedians say their biggest thrill is getting a laugh; mine is still picking up a guitar and playing to please an audience. My advice to other musicians is to keep making and playing music, as music makes the world go round, and that is my theory on everything! When you are in a bad mood, play or listen to music and it will amaze you how fast it turns your mood around!” Gary Mooney 2021 Saw Highest Level of Visitors to Florida in State History Florida welcomed more visitors in 2021 than in any other year in recorded state history – nearly 118 million people. Florida’s total hotel revenue also reached its highest level in state history of $17.3 billion, a 2% increase from 2019. Last quarter, from October to December, Florida welcomed 30.9 million people, marking the second consecutive quarter that overall visitation surpassed pre-pandemic tourism/travel levels in 2019. This represents a 61.9% increase from the last quarter of 2020. The majority, 29 million, were domestic travelers, an increase of 57% from the last quarter of 2020 and 7% increase from the last quarter of 2019. Travelers “flocked to Florida as a refuge from lockdown policies,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said when announcing new data published by VISIT FLORIDA, the state’s tourism agency. “In Florida, we put freedom first, and as a result people are choosing to vacation in our state from across the country and the world to escape lockdowns, including the politicians who advocated for those reckless policies and who are often spotted vacationing here,” he said. “While tourism in other states is only just beginning to recover, Florida is at the front of the pack – now we are surpassing pre-pandemic levels and setting new visitation records.” “We are thrilled to cap off an incredible year with more recordbreaking success for Florida’s tourism industry,” Dana Young, president and CEO of VISIT FLORIDA, said. “Overall visitation not only exceeded 2019’s for the second quarter in a row, but domestically reached the highest point in our state’s history. We also saw a significant rebound in international travel, including record visitation from Colombia that has made it now Florida’s No. 1 international origin market. VISIT FLORIDA’s marketing continues to drive results on behalf of Florida’s tourism economy, and we are looking forward to taking this success to new heights in 2022 and beyond.” Approximately 1.5 million overseas visitors came to Florida in the last quarter of 2021, a 198% increase from the last quarter of 2020. Canadian visitors reached 359,000 in the last quarter of 2021, nearly three times as many as in the previous quarter. Total enplanements at 19 Florida airports were up 108.7% in the fourth quarter of 2021 compared to 2020, with domestic enplanements up by 105.4% over the same time period. Miami had the largest number of enplaned passengers of 5.83 million, an increase of 150.5%; Orlando had 5.77 million, an increase of 114.7%. Seven airports saw an increase in enplanements compared to 2019, with Sarasota and Key West seeing the most significant growth, up 65.6% and 58.6%, respectively. Bethany Blankley The Center Square 4135 Dr Martin Luther King Jr Blvd Fort Myers, FL 33916
South West Florida & Lee County Fair! CIA Spies and Their Collaborators The Sun Bay Paper Page 6 In the past month, this column has twice addressed the unbridled propensity of federal intelligence agencies to spy on Americans without search warrants as required by the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. These agencies believe that the Fourth Amendment -- which protects the individual right to privacy -- only regulates law enforcement and does not apply to domestic spying. There is no basis in the constitutional text, history or judicial interpretations for such a limiting and toothless view of this constitutional guarantee. The courts have held that the Fourth Amendment restrains government. Period. Last week, Congress got burned when the CIA released a heavily redacted summary of its current spying in the United States. Here is the backstory. When the CIA was created in 1947, members of Congress who feared the establishment here of the type of domestic surveillance apparatus that the Allies had just defeated in Germany insisted that the new CIA have no role in American law enforcement and no legal ability to spy within the U.S. The legislation creating the CIA contains those limitations. Nevertheless, we know from statements of former governors of several states that CIA agents claim to be physically present in all 50 statehouses in the United States. The agents who have infiltrated state governments didn't arrive until after Dec. 4, 1981. That's the date that President Ronald Reagan signed Executive Order 12333, which purports to give the CIA authority to spy in America -- supposedly looking for narcotics from foreign countries -- and keep from law enforcement whatever it finds. Stated differently, while Reagan purported to authorize the CIA to defy the limitations imposed upon it by the Constitution and by federal law, he insisted on a "wall" of separation between domestic spying and law enforcement. So, if the CIA using unconstitutional spying discovered that a janitor in the Russian Embassy in Washington was really a KGB colonel who abused his wife in their suburban Maryland home, under E.O. 12333, it could continue to spy upon him in defiance of the Fourth Amendment and the CIA charter, but it could not reveal to Maryland prosecutors -- who can only use evidence lawfully obtained -- any evidence of his domestic violence. All this changed 20 years later when President George W. Bush demolished Reagan's "wall" between law enforcement and domestic spying and directed the CIA and other domestic spying agencies to share the fruits of their spying with the FBI. Thus, thanks to Reagan and Bush authorizing it, and their successors looking the other way, CIA agents have been engaging in fishing expeditions on a grand scale inside the U.S. for the past 20 years. Congress knows about this because all intelligence agencies are required by statute to report the extent of their spying secretly to the House and Senate Intelligence Committees. This, of course, does not absolve the CIA of its presidentially authorized computer hacking crimes; rather, it gives Congress a false sense of security that it has a handle on what's going on. What's going on is not CIA lawyers appearing before judges asking for surveillance warrants based upon probable cause of crime, as the Constitution requires. What's going on is CIA agents going to Big Tech and paying for access to communications used by ordinary Americans. Some Big Tech firms told the CIA to take a hike. Others took the CIA's cash and opened the spigots of their fiber optic data to the voracious federal appetite. If the CIA went to a judge and demonstrated probable cause of crime -- for example, that a janitor in the Russian Embassy was passing defense secrets to Moscow -- surely the judge would have signed a surveillance warrant. But to the CIA, following the Constitution is too limiting. Thus, by acquiring bulk data -- fiber optic data on hundreds of millions of Americans acquired without search warrants -- the CIA could avoid the time and trouble of demonstrating probable cause to a judge. But that time and trouble were intentionally required by the authors of the Fourth Amendment so as to keep the government off our backs. Not to be outdone by its principal rival, the FBI soon began doing the same thing -- gathering bulk data without search warrants. When Congress learned of this, it enacted legislation that banned the warrantless acquisition of bulk data. Apparently, Congress is naive enough to believe that the CIA, the FBI and the National Security Agency, their cousin with 60,000 domestic spies, actually comply with federal law. Last week, that naivete was manifested front and center when the CIA sent a letter to the Senate Intelligence Committee documenting the extent of its domestic acquisition of bulk data on Americans. Two senators who should have known better claimed they were "shocked" at what they read. They read an admission of continued CIA warrantless bulk acquisition of personal data on unsuspecting and unsuspected Americans, and they saw large portions of the letter redacted so that the senators do not know the nature of the data received. So, notwithstanding the persistent efforts of members of Congress from both parties to limit and in some cases to prohibit the warrantless acquisition of bulk data by the CIA from Americans, the practice continues, the CIA defends it and presidents look the other way. In 1947, Congress created a monster which today is so big and so powerful and so indifferent to the Constitution and the federal laws its agents have sworn to uphold that it can boast about its lawlessness, have no fear of defying Congress and always escape the consequences of all this largely unscathed. I suspect the CIA and its cousins get away with this because they spy on Congress and possess damning personal data on members who regularly vote to increase their secret budgets. When will we have a government whose officials are courageous enough to uphold the Constitution? Andrew P. Napolitano February 18, 2022 - February 24, 2022 Cont. from pg 1 admission. Gates open at 11 a.m. Harry Chapin Food Bank night is Monday, with free admission with three canned goods per person and $1 rides. Tuesday is $15 Tuesday, with $15 ridebands after paid admission. Wednesday is Senior/ Military/Grandparents Day, with gates opening at 2 p.m. Small kids can get $10 Kiddie Land Rideband from 2 to 5 p.m., after regular gate admission. Thursday, March 3, is $25 pay one price for admission and rides. The final Saturday is First Responders Day, where they will receive free admission. Active and retired military get free admission all day every day. Must present proof. Popular events will include the 4-H hog and cow competitions, with the prize animals being sold at the annual auction on the last Saturday of the fair. There are also craft booths and competitions and the Moonlight Madness held both Fridays of the fair. Also, inside the big building you'll find local entertainers like dancers and the display booths are in there as well. But the free shows and other entertainment changes annually, and this year is no exception. While Hypnotist Ron Diamond and singers Katie Lombardo and the Del Prados return, there are new acts and even a new way the fair is presented. here will be a Firefighter Training Show designed for kids to teach them what they do and what kids should do if they get in a fire and the "Jurassic Kingdom," which will have some of the large dinosaurs as part of an educational show. A game show called ‘Kid’s Celebration’ and an ag show called ‘Ready, Set, Grow,' mong the featured entertainers are Latino artist Laura Goodstone on the first Sunday of the fair, and Jimmy Mallory, who was a contestant on “The Voice,” who will perform on the second weekend. The small animals have been moved from under the Tinsley Pavilion and the kids game show will be held there with picnic benches moved in to make it a family type area, where people can sit and get out of the sun and they have also built a new horse arena and moved things around at the complex to utilize more of it and bring in more shows. The fair promises to be one of the most memorable and sentimental events, come on out and get some great memories. Advance purchase admission is $8 for adults and $4 for children. Gate admission is $10 for adults and $6 for children. Children three and under are free. A mega-pass can be purchased before the fair opens for $25, which includes admission and all rides for any day of the fair. The Civic Center is at 11831 Bayshore Road. For more information visit leeciviccenter.com.
There are a number of estate planning options available to Florida residents who want to transfer their assets without the need for an extended formal probate proceeding. One such option is something commonly referronableed to as a “Lady Bird Deed.” This is a special type of life estate deed that allows you to transfer title to your home while reserving the right to live there, either for yourself or your spouse. First, let's backup a bit. You may not be familiar with the concept of a “life estate” deed. Let's say Allison wants to leave her home to her daughter Caroline. Allison could just name Caroline the beneficiary of her entire estate, including the house, in her will. But that would mean the house would need to go through probate after Allison's death. Alternatively, Allison could sign a life estate deed that gives the property to Caroline now, with the caveat that Alison has the right to remain in the house rent-free until her death. Allison would still be responsible for paying for any property taxes and maintenance on the home, but legally the title now belongs to Caroline. One consequence of this arrangement, however, is that Allison may no longer sell or mortgage the house without Caroline's permission. This is where a Lady Bird deed can be useful. With this “enhanced” life estate deed, Allison can still leave her house to Caroline without going through probate, but Allison retains a greater degree of control over the property while she is still alive. For example, if Allison needs to sell or mortgage the house after signing the deed without seeking her daughter’s approval, she can. Lady Bird Deeds & Medicaid Lady Bird deeds are also helpful if you need to apply for Medicaid. As you may know, Medicaid rules impose strict asset and income limits on applicants. Normally your primary residence (or homestead) is exempt from the “countable assets” against your limit, up to $572,000 in equity as of July 2018. But if you give away any assets during the five years before you apply for Medicaid–known as the “lookback period”–it is treated as countable property. In plain English, you cannot simply give away all of your property to become eligible for Medicaid. But if you sign a Lady Bird deed, you retain the homestead exemption for your residence, since it is still considered your property. Additionally, after you die and the property transfers under the Lady Bird deed, it is not considered part of your probate estate. This is important because Medicaid can only seek to recover the costs of your medical care against probate assets. While Lady Bird deeds may sound the like a great idea, they do carry certain risks. You should never execute any kind of life estate deed without first consulting a qualified Fort Myers estate planning lawyer. Call the Kuhn Firm, P.A., at 239-333-45429 to meet with an attorney today. Dear Doctor: My friends and I are all getting older, and I've noticed that some of them are on statins to lower their cholesterol. My doctor chose a fibrate for me, Lopid (gemfibrozil). What's the difference between statins and fibrates, and what's special about Lopid? Dear Reader: Statins and fibrates act in fundamentally different ways. Statins, more officially known as HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, target cholesterol in the bloodstream, most of which comes from the liver, not from foods that we eat. They work by binding to the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase, which the liver needs to form cholesterol. Statins act in another way as well. Because they make cholesterol levels fall within the liver, the liver then increases production of a substance, or receptor, that takes LDL, the so-called "bad" cholesterol, from the bloodstream and shepherds it back into the liver. There, it is eventually removed via the bile. Because we make more cholesterol at night, statins are given before bedtime. Fibrates, which include gemfibrozil (Lopid) and fenofibrate, target triglycerides in the bloodstream. They work by decreasing the liver's release of triglycerides and by increasing the production of lipoprotein lipase, which breaks down triglycerides. In addition, fibrates increase the formation of HDL, the so-called "good" cholesterol; they have only minor effects in reducing LDL. Unlike statins, fibrates should be taken before eating. Statins have undeniably shown benefits in decreasing the risk of both heart attacks and strokes; fibrates seem to have a more narrow benefit. In 2010, a Lancet review analysis of 18 studies involving more than 45,000 patients showed a 13 percent decrease in heart attacks and angina among people who were taking fibrates, but no reduction in stroke risk, no decrease in overall death rates and no decrease in death rates from heart attacks. A 1987 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine also showed mixed results. It followed more than 4,000 middle-aged men with elevated triglyceride levels for five years. At the start of the study, one group began using gemfibrozil, and the other group began taking a placebo. At the end of the study, the group that took gemfibrozil had a 34 percent decrease in the risk of coronary heart disease, but there was no difference in the death rate. Overall, statins appear to have greater benefit than fibrates in decreasing the risk of both heart attacks and strokes. That's not to say fibrates aren't the right choice for some people, however. Significant elevation of triglycerides, greater than 400, can cause inflammation of the pancreas, so people with very elevated triglyceride levels would benefit from a fibrate medication. So too might those with elevated triglycerides and normal LDL cholesterols. Before you suggest combining a statin and a fibrate for added benefit, be aware that the combination can increase the risk of muscle aches and possible muscle breakdown. On occasion, I will prescribe this combination to my patients with very elevated triglycerides, but I monitor them carefully for any signs of muscular problems or breakdown. Also in such cases, I try to lower the statin dose to decrease the chance of muscular symptoms. In summary, statins and fibrates work by different mechanisms. Statins have greater benefit than fibrates in decreasing heart attacks and strokes. Fibrates, though, may be appropriate for people with elevated triglyceride levels. How Can a “Lady Bird Deed” Help My Florida Estate Planning? ASK THE DOCTORS Are Fibrates Better Than Statins Eve Glazier, M.D., MBA, and Elizabeth Ko, M.D. Sun Bay Paper Available Do you like this News Paper? Interested in having your own Franchise in your hometown or in taking over this one? Call Bobby at: 239-267-4000 Low Tide High Tide Fri, Feb 18 Tide Set One 01:33 AM 2.36 ft 08:42 AM -0.39 ft Tide Set Two 02:46 PM 1.64 ft 08:19 PM 0.43 ft Sat, Feb 19 Tide Set One 02:18 AM 2.20 ft 09:07 AM -0.13 ft Tide Set Two 03:04 PM 1.80 ft 09:10 PM 0.23 ft Sun, Feb 20 Tide Set One 03:09 AM 1.94 ft 09:31 AM 0.13 ft Tide Set Two 03:27 PM 2.03 ft 10:07 PM 0.03 ft Mon, Feb 21 Tide Set One 04:08 AM 1.64 ft 09:55 AM 0.46 ft Tide Set Two 03:55 PM 2.20 ft 11:12 PM -0.13 ft Tue, Feb 22 Tide Set One 05:25 AM 1.31 ft 10:13 AM 0.75 ft Tide Set Two 04:29 PM 2.36 ft ----- --- Wed, Feb 23 Tide Set One 07:37 AM 1.08 ft 12:31 AM -0.26 ft Tide Set Two 05:11 PM 2.46 ft 10:09 AM 1.02 ft Thu, Feb 24 Tide Set One 06:08 PM 2.49 ft 02:02 AM -0.43 ft Tide Set Two ----- --- ----- --- Tide Chart
We are built almost entirely out of carbon dioxide and water. So is all the food we eat. Likewise for all the energy we use moving about and staying alive. Carbon dioxide and water! In short the carbon dioxide in the air is the global food supply. This is why all life on Earth is said to be “carbon based”. The climate alarmists play a tricky word game here. They call carbon dioxide “pollution” and wind and solar power “clean.” Our food supply is not pollution. Nor is emitting carbon dioxide unclean. (which we all do when we exhale by the way) This is all just false advertising or fake news if you will. Watching a child grow is watching processed carbon dioxide be reprocessed. Here is how it works. Plants collect carbon dioxide from the air then use sunlight and water to create the stuff they consume to build their bodies and to live on. They also use tiny amounts of vitamins and minerals, just as we do. Fertilizer is like vitamins, not like food. So almost all of what they use is carbon dioxide and water. Animals eat the plants for food, basically reprocessing the carbon dioxide and water. Then we eat both plants and animals. There is a saying that you cannot live on air but in fact that is just what we do. All of our food begins as airborne (or waterborne) carbon dioxide. Our farmers are literally farming the air! Go into a grocery store and look around. All the food you see — vegetables, fruit and meat — fresh, frozen or canned — is processed carbon dioxide. So are the people shopping there. So are you. The climate scare is based on the fact that the amount of carbon dioxide in the air has been slowly increasing for the last hundred years or so. That this might cause a tiny bit of global warming is really not a problem. The good news is that plant productivity is increasing around the world as a direct result of the increasing carbon dioxide. This is called the “greening” of planet Earth and it has been clearly observed by NASA satellites. So the global food supply of carbon dioxide has been steadily increasing. This helps explain how we are able to feed our growing human population. Crop yields have consistently increased even though the amount of farm land has actually gone down. The actual process is a miracle. Plants are passive consumers. They sit there and wait for carbon dioxide molecules to bump into them, where they are then combined with water and sunlight to make the plant’s food. Carbon dioxide is called a trace gas because there is very little of it as a fraction of the air. A hundred years ago it is estimated that there was something like one carbon dioxide molecule out of every 3,000 air molecules. Today it is more like one out of 2,500 which is a big help to the passive plants. Note that this increase in global plant growth due to increasing carbon dioxide is incorrectly called the “fertilization effect”. It should be called the food effect. Imagine putting on a table everything you will eat in a day. Next to that put a vitamin pill. Fertilizer is like the pill while carbon dioxide is like the pile of food. Also the carbon dioxide is not there because of our burning gasoline, diesel, natural gas, oil and coal. It is part of a natural “carbon cycle” that is twenty times bigger than our emissions. Life on Earth is part of and depends on this natural carbon cycle. Our carbon dioxide just adds a little bit to it, which is a good thing. Unfortunately you will seldom, if ever, hear any of this, because of climate change hysteria. Carbon dioxide is called dangerous pollution, when it is actually the stuff of life. The increase is decried as bad when it is actually good. The alarmists want to stop the increase or even reverse it, ignoring that this is the global food supply. As a carbon based life form we should be leery of calls for “decarbonization”. Likewise calling wind and solar power “clean energy” just because they do not create carbon dioxide is false, bordering on a hoax. There is nothing unclean about carbon dioxide. It is our food. We should be very thankful that carbon dioxide is increasing, not demonizing it. We are all made of carbon dioxide. The Sun Bay Paper Page 8 February 18, 2022 - February 24, 2022 Letters To The Editor Guest Editorial To the Editor, We retired here to Bonita Springs 6 years ago, we love your paper, my late husband, David read it from cover to cover! The stories and letters to the editor would have him laughing, thoughtful or pissed off! He was a true cowboy conservative and a steward of the land. His nephew was here with him the three weeks we had him home in hospice. He got hooked on your paper, so please send the remainder of David's subscription over to Mathew. Patti Luanne Duke Ed. Note: Sorry for your loss Patti Luanne, we will continue to send the remaining 6 months of David’s subscription to you and we will start a new 1 year subscription for Mathew. Thanks for your and David’s support for these past years! ‘ZEN’ Quote of the Week “It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it.” - Upton Sinclair To the Editor, I have always said the best way to listen is to "keep your mouth shut." In your case I've changed my mind. Those like yourself with a good platform and common sense must be heard. Thank you and your staff for what you do. I am very proud of your efforts. Terri Smith-Johnson Ed. Note: Thank You Terri, these days it’s just me and my better half, Jennifer, here in the (home) office, we can thank Covid for that, we also appreciate all our contributors, writers and last but not least.... our driver, Kimberly. PHONE: (239) 267-4000 MAIL: 16970 San Carlos Blvd. #160, Ft Myers, Fl 33908 E-MAIL: production@sunbaypaper.com WEBSITE & DIGITAL VERSION: http://www.sunbaypaper.com The Sun Bay Paper Dear Editor, I have had and still have various dicsussions with collegues and friends about things I read in your paper and I often get called a conspircy theorist! BUT Everything that was called a conspiracy theory last year about Covid restrictions and forced vaccinations and vaccine passes to be able to leave your home and take public transportation and buy food and gasoline and eat in restaurants and work, and get medical care, etc., has all come to pass.. It would seem, the difference between our conspiracy theories and other media’s headline news is about 6-12 months. Isiac Southers Ed. Note: Main stream media and the far left has embraced “The Illusion of Truth Effect” it is the tendency to believe false information to be correct after repeated exposure... that is why you hear the exact same ‘verbage’ on different TV stations when a storyline breaks changing the narrative, Please see page 11 for “Truth” Crossword Question! We have added a crossword puzzle to our pages, do you want to continue to see it or do you not really care about corosswords? Please let us know! Send your input to: Production@sunbaypaper.com To the Editor, If you believe that elections are above board, untainted by fraud, then it’s very true that your vote has consequences. Canadians didn’t have Trudeau just a few years back; we had a more sensible and somewhat conservative government until ‘they’ voted them out. (I didn’t vote for current admin.) Ditto the USA, although there, we now have grave doubts/concerns about your voting system. We both get to vote again soon. It’s sad that we are usually reduced to voting for the least worse alternative. Lets all pray for better choices! Our Governments have failed us on the two major challenges of recent times – energy and pandemic management. Trudeau mistakenly thought that the majority of people had converted to his brand of socialist wokism and that he could bully the remaining freedom-seeking non-conformers for political purpose. In setting out to make these people the common enemy, he made himself the common enemy. It’s great when karma bites back. Marie-Claude Gagnon Canadian, Sesonal Resident, North Fort Myers
* ASK ABOUT OUR SPECIALS Sunset Photo Contest Photo’s taken in the highest resolution will look crisper and cleaner so we suggest you take them in the best res. your camera allows! Winners will be awarded Bragging Rights, knowing they won amongst all the entries that week, we save unused submissions for future consideration but if you didn’t win, you can always submit another! Simple contest rules: 1) Photo must be taken in Lee, Collier or Charlotte County. 2) Photo must include: location where the photo was taken from. Include your full name phone # in your email. 3) You can only submit photos you yourself, have taken and have full rights to, it must be previously unpublished & by submitting any photo, you are giving Sun Bay Paper full rights to publish in print and on the internet. send to: production@sunbaypaper.com For this weeks photo we received a great picture taken by: Marylou Schoep from a dock in the inlet of Ponce Inlet, Fla
The Sun Bay Paper Page 10 February 18, 2022 - February 24, 2022 Black Woman for SCOTUS: Another Mandate “Black woman” is Biden’s requirement for any candidates to succeed Justice Breyer on the U.S. Supreme Court. That sounds fine, and as expected. So, what’s the issue? Following is some context. In 2003, President Bush nominated Janice Rogers Brown to serve on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, generally considered to be the country’s second most important court. It was understood to be a preliminary step to elevating Brown to the Supreme Court. This republican nominee was Black, and a woman. Joseph Epstein reminded us of something in his February 14 WSJ column: “The man who now promises to appoint a black woman to the Supreme Court……warned in 2005 that if President Bush nominated Judge Janice Rogers Brown, ‘I can assure you that would be a very, very, very difficult fight and she probably would be filibustered……’ They opposed her because of her judicial philosophy……intensified because they especially despised the prospect of a libertarian conservative justice who was a black female.” Then-Senators Biden and Obama repeatedly filibustered Brown’s confirmation. She was eventually seated on the D.C. court, with Biden having voted against her three times. Shortly thereafter, Brown made the short list as a possible replacement for retiring Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. Senator Biden once again declared a nomination of Brown’s would face a filibuster. None of the other conservative “short listers” for O’Conner’s seat were threatened with a filibuster. Only this Black woman, by our current President, who now refers to filibuster as a “relic the Jim Crow era.” Samuel Alito was eventually seated. Our President’s apparent motivation is to guild his legacy, with a dedication to diversity way down his list of priorities. Two events are now in process that many observers won’t connect as being related – a Supreme Court ruling regarding racial considerations in higher education admissions, and Biden’s SCOTUS appointment. The Court ruling will inevitably include debating the applicability of the 1978 “Bakke”reverse discrimination decision. That ruling stated: “Preferring members of any one group for no reason other than race or ethnic origin is discrimination for its own sake.” George Washington University Professor Jonathan Turley wrote as early as 2020 that Biden’s campaign pledge seemed to be against the law: “It is precisely what the Supreme Court already declared to be unconstitutional discrimination…in [Bakke], the Supreme Court found quota and affirmative action admissions policies based on race to be unconstitutional.” Given that context, consider the President’s announcement the same day as Justice Breyer’s retirement announcement: “I will nominate…someone with extraordinary qualifications, character, experience, and integrity. And that person will be the first Black woman ever nominated to the United States Supreme Court.” Biden was emphatic in his racial requirement. It was subject to no other contingencies. Continuing with words from the 1978 ruling, “This the Constitution forbids.” Politicians, journalists and even cartoonists must be careful when plying their trade. They shouldn’t mislead their readers because of ignorance of important legal nuances. The problem Biden will face in this nomination has nothing to do with diversity, gender, or anything else other than the hamhanded way it is being handled makes the process unconstitutional - i.e., illegal. South Carolina Democrat Representative Jim Clyburn, House Majority Whip and Congress’ highest’ ranking Black member, has given Biden an opportunity to tiptoe out of this unconstitutional corner. It doesn’t remove the process blunders made but may quiet much of the opposition. Clyburn considers lack of law school diversity more concerning than race. Eight of the nine current Court justices attended either Harvard or Yale law schools, and Clyburn wants the new justice to have a non-Ivy League degree. His preferred candidate is J. Michelle Childs. And he has bipartisan support from Republican South Carolina Senators Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott. Childs, a South Carolina federal judge, is currently under consideration for the D.C. Court of appeals. She has a record of strong bipartisan support, was the first person from her family to attend college and graduated from the University of South Carolina law school. She would be a serious candidate on most bipartisan “short lists.” And she happens to be Black. For me, that’s a smart diversity pick, a unifying pick. myslantonthings.com Steve Bakke, Fort Myers Senate Confirms New FDA Head Despite Opposition The U.S. Senate confirmed a new head of the Food and Drug Administration Tuesday by a narrow vote crossing party lines. The Senate voted 50-46 to confirm Robert Califf, who served in the same role during the Obama administration. The FDA has come under increasing scrutiny for its role in the opioid epidemic and its approval and authorization process for COVID-19 vaccinations. The confirmation came despite public opposition from several Democrats. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., spoke from the Senate floor about Califf, attacking his record on the opioid epidemic. “In the five years since Dr. Califf was confirmed, more than 400,000 Americans and 5,000 West Virginians have died from drug-related overdose,” Manchin said. “Let’s not beat around the bush. Dr. Califf bears a great deal of responsibility for these deaths. We have insight into how he will lead the agency. Under Dr. Califf’s previous tenure, drug-related overdoses went up. Five years later, they’re up again, and this time at record numbers.” Most Republicans opposed Califf, though enough supported him to get the nomination confirmed. “Dr. Califf is up to the task of leading the FDA as Congress evaluates its human medical product user fee programs and considers their reauthorization,” said Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C. “He does not believe FDA has a role in evaluating the cost or price of a medical product. Dr. Califf is supportive of increasing competition in the marketplace to help lower the cost of drugs, including through more generic and biosimilar products. He supports clarifying the diagnostic test regulatory landscape with a law that encourages innovation and provides a clear and predictable pathway to market for diagnostic tests. I believe Dr. Califf will build on the successful lessons learned and progress made during the pandemic response over the last two years, and that he will continue to uphold FDA’s gold standard.” Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., also opposed the nomination, saying he was “disappointed” by the nomination. “I opposed his nomination because I was not convinced that he would stand up to the greed of the pharmaceutical industry, one of the most powerful special interests in Washington,” Sanders said. “In my view, it is unacceptable that the American people pay, by far, the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs. At a time when one in five Americans cannot afford to pay for the medications that have been prescribed to them, we have got to do everything we can to lower the skyrocketing price of prescription drugs. A life-saving drug does no good if a sick patient cannot afford it.” Casey Harper The Center Square
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