Newsletter | February 2020
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Come out and enjoy a full day of family-fun activities at Centennial Park in Downtown Ft. Myers including food trucks and beer, capped off by a double header rock concert!
Our fun-filled daytime activities are FREE for everyone to enjoy!
Early Bird Tickets are On-Sale Now!
The evening’s Concert for Clean Water is a ticketed event and we are currently offering Early Bird Discounts and VIP Packages! Our Concert for Clean Water begins at 4:30 pm with St. Pete favorites Elly & Company followed by our headliners, HOTEL CALIFORNIA - The Original EAGLES Tribute Band at 7 pm.
Plus, in partnership with Keep Lee County Beautiful, we are planning the largest ever clean-up of our region’s waterways in the week leading up to Calusa Palooza, starting on Saturday, March 14 and culminating at our full-day celebration on Sunday, March 22.
Calling all kayakers & paddle boarders: Let's race for clean water! We're kicking off Calusa Palooza with a fun kayak and paddleboard race and all skill sets are welcome to enter. Net proceeds from the race and this event will benefit Calusa Waterkeeper programs, including water quality monitoring and public education & awareness. Register today!
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We wish to thank our Calusa Palooza Sponsors!
Sponsorships are still available! Contact [email protected]
Ranger Corner
CWK Hosts Quarterly Ranger Zone Meetings
Now that we number 82 volunteer Rangers (covering 1000 square miles of water in our watershed), it is not feasible for us all to meet on a monthly basis. So, the various Ranger Zones meet monthly, and every three months we gather members of our entire Ranger program to get reports from Zone Leaders, exchange best practices and get an overview and read out from our Waterkeeper, John Cassani. Read More >
Volunteer Ranger Profiles
Maggie Stevens
Maggie admires the work of CWK because it transcends politics and focuses on a quality of life issue. What is more vital than clean water? After the catastrophic algal blooms in 2018, Maggie felt she needed to be more active and not just sit on the sidelines writing legislators. Read More >
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Manny Aparicio
Manny became a CWK Ranger to help maintain and restore the beauty of Florida that he remembers from his youth. He still enjoys the fun and mental benefits of touching nature, but Manny is concerned about the public health consequences of degraded water quality. Read More >
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Terry Nelson
Terry always wanted to live on the water. He fished and sailed from an early age, and learned to scuba dive in the 1980s. Terry has dived some of the best waters in the world and was fortunate enough to find a nice lot on the Caloosahatchee in Ft Myers to build their home. Read More >
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In the News
Our Most Valuable Waters are Under Siege
As seen in a Naples Daily News Op-Ed submitted by John Cassani, Calusa Waterkeeper
For the first time in over 20 years of monitoring, FDEP has declared Estero Bay impaired for nutrient pollution in 2019. The shock effect of hearing that water quality is in crisis does not seem to have the same impact after recent massive algal blooms and red tide until you realize that many of the Florida waters impaired are iconic waters of national significance that, ironically, are subject to the most regulatory protection. Read More >
Fed still behind on Everglades Restoration Money
Calusa Waterkeeper John Cassani pointed out that the federal government is more than $1 billion behind on the state when it comes to Everglades restoration. And that gap is expected to continue as Gov. Ron DeSantis has called for more than $600 million to be spent annually over the next three years. Read More >
Sparse January Rains leave Southwest Florida Parched
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Hot Topics!
Southwest Florida Community Foundation Grant Awarded
Sarah Owen, CEO of the Southwest Florida Community Foundation presents a grant to Ruth Watkins on behalf of Calusa Waterkeeper for $36,461.37. This generous grant will help fund our “Public Health and Water Quality: 2020 Project.” Through the project we will expand our work on public health-related issues associated with Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs), fecal indicator bacteria (FIBs), and flesh-eating bacteria.
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Florida Legislature Needs Bold Action on Water Quality
An Op-Ed by Calusa Waterkeeper, John Cassani
Last year’s legislative mantra was that of enlightenment and urgency on the issue of declining water quality, yet no relevant bill passed. This year we see many bills again coming forth, especially SB 712 cited as the “Clean Waterways Act” reflecting many of the Blue-Green Algae Task Force recommendations in various forms.
BONUS: the Florida Springs Council, Florida Waterkeepers, and Sierra Club responded to remarks by Florida’s Chief Science Officer, Thomas K. Frazer, Ph.D., regarding Senate Bill 712. The three organizations sent a letter to Dr. Frazer detailing multiple failures of the bill to meaningfully address Florida’s water pollution crisis. Read the full letter now.
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Upcoming Events
Join us around Southwest Florida at these featured events as we work to promote CALUSA PALOOZA and clean water. We are also looking for volunteers to help out at our tent during these events. Please email K.C. or give him a call (239-784-0880) if you have interest and are available to serve at any of the events below.
SWFL Veg Fest 2020 (Free Event)
Sunday, February 16 | 10 am - 4 pm
Riverside Park - Bonita Springs
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Troubled Waters Screening
Friday, February 21 | 7 - 8:30 pm
Mound House - Fort Myers Beach
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Pelican Landing Eco Fair
Thursday, February 27 | 4 - 6 pm
Pelican Landing Community Assoc. - Bonita Springs
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Burrowing Owl Festival
Saturday, February 29 | 10 am - 4 pm
Rotary Park - Cape Coral
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Dirty Water Film Festival
Wednesday, March 11 | 12 - 9:30 pm
Ringling College of Art & Design - Sarasota
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Florida Sportsman Expo
Sat., March 14 & Sun., March 15 | 10 am - 5 pm
Lee Civic Center - North Fort Myers
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Water Quality Updates
Cyanobacteria blooms have returned to the Caloosahatchee. Northerly winds pile it up in canals on the south bank in the upper estuary at Davis Boat Ramp, Fort Myers Shores and upstream of Franklin Lock. Unusual to see blooms this early in the year. FDEP sampled these areas for toxins and FDOH posted a sign at Davis Boat Ramp. See More >
Lee County Water Monitoring
Billy's Creek Water Monitoring
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Around the Watershed
Florida's 13 Waterkeeper organizations have joined together as one regional entity: Waterkeepers Florida
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Several Waterkeepers attended the Rights of Nature Conference in Gainesville
After a presentation by Calusa Waterkeeper, John Cassani, the Seven Lakes Country Club in Ft. Myers offered to take a look at some BMPs for their community to reduce nutrient runoff
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John Cassani presenting at the Public Interest Environmental Conference
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Make a Difference!
Tell your Friends and Lend a Hand at Calusa Palooza!
CALUSA PALOOZA's goal is to create something truly exceptional – a day that entertains and educates and one that promotes clean water all year long.
We want to reach thousands of people in the community for this special festival, so tell your family and friends about Calusa Palooza and our Concert for Clean Water. Share our event on social media and invite your friends!
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An event like this takes a lot of organization, planning and volunteers. Would you please consider joining one of our volunteer teams to help create a wonderful family-friendly event that brings much-needed awareness to clean water in our region?
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CALUSA WATERKEEPER MISSION
To Protect and Restore the Caloosahatchee River from Lake Okeechobee to the Coastal Waters.
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Phone: (239) 784-0880
Pollution Hotline: (239) 444-8584
Email: [email protected]
Follow Calusa Waterkeeper!
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Calusa Waterkeeper
PO Box 1165
Fort Myers, FL 33902
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