Stop the python hunt
Amy Siewe’s article ( front page Sunday’s paper) should be a wakeup call to Collier and Dade County commissioners. The chaos now with the python hunt is now a contest that doesn’t serve its purpose of ridding the Everglades of the huge numbers of pythons. She articulated extremely well the reasons she doesn’t participate even though she’s a professional python hunter. We need to listen to her assessment of the situation and take action.
Stop the python hunt. Hire professional python hunters as full- and part-time county employees. Let them do the job. Take the inexperienced and untrained hunters out and treat this as the crisis on our environment that it is and save the Everglades.
Cynthia Best, Lehigh Acres
Daylight Saving Time
It is sad that Congress has chosen to make Daylight Saving Time permanent. They and the current president have gone against advice of knowledgeable physicians who know that this unhealthy practice interferes with normal body circadian rhythm. Selfish people and merchants think it is a good plan. How many children will be injured by sending them to school in winter’s dark hours? Living in the Midwest for many years knowing sun may not rise until 9:00 a.m.
Virginia Davidsaver, Fort Myers
Price of gas
A gallon of gas in 1945 cost $.21. The present value of 21 cents is $3.90, eighty-one years later. In other words, NO CHANGE in 81 years! But we see the price of gas every time we drive by our local gas station. We can hear what the price of gas is every time we watch television or every time we read the newspaper.
No one will tell us that it costs the same as it did in 1945. And no one will tell us that in Europe a gallon of gas is no less than eight dollars a gallon.
That is what I call an obsession. Some would call it “Non News.”
Joe Kiernan, Naples
Oppose Amendment 3
Florida’s firefighters are raising serious concerns about Amendment 3, and as a resident of North Fort Myers, I believe our community needs to pay close attention. Their opposition is not political — it is a warning grounded in public safety and the realities of how our emergency services are funded.
Amendment 3 promises tax relief, but it does so by sharply reducing the property‑tax revenue that keeps fire stations staffed, ambulances running, and hurricane‑response systems ready. Firefighters understand these budgets better than anyone. When they tell us that an amendment threatens their ability to protect the public, we should listen.
North Fort Myers is especially vulnerable. As an unincorporated community, we rely entirely on Lee County EMS, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and the North Fort Myers Fire Control District. All three depend heavily on property taxes. If those revenues drop, the impact lands directly on our neighborhoods.
Reduced funding means slower response times, fewer staffed ambulances, and delayed replacement of aging fire trucks. It means weaker hurricane readiness in a community still recovering from Ian. It means stalled infrastructure improvements along roads like Bayshore and Hancock Bridge Parkway. And it means greater risk for the many seniors living in manufactured home parks and 55‑plus communities who depend on fast medical response.
Firefighters are not opposing tax relief — they are opposing an unfunded mandate that removes revenue without providing a replacement. Their mission is public safety, and they are sounding the alarm because they know what happens when emergency services are forced to operate with less.
I stand with Florida’s firefighters because they are standing with us. Amendment 3 may offer short‑term tax reductions, but the long‑term cost to North Fort Myers could be slower emergency response, weakened hurricane preparedness, and reduced protection for the residents who need it most.
Public safety is not optional. It is the foundation of a resilient community. For that reason, I support the firefighters’ opposition to Amendment 3 and urge my neighbors to consider the real‑world consequences this amendment would bring to North Fort Myers.
Linda Lindquist, North Fort Myers
Lee School Board election
Vote in the August 18 Primary. This election decides who will be on your Lee County School Board. These races impact the classroom, neighborhoods, our economy, and our property values.
The people elected this August will help oversee nearly a $3 billion budget, shape opportunities for more than 100,000 students, and make decisions that affect our community for years to come. Currently, six of the seven board members consistently vote together, with little meaningful debate or independent oversight, while continuing to collect taxpayer-funded salaries.
The August 18 Primary offers voters a chance to elect School Board members who will bring experience, ideas, thoughtful discussion, accountability, and independent leadership to decisions affecting our children and our community.
Elect Debbie Jordan (District 4); Jennifer McDaigle (District 1); Carline Saintilus (District 5); and India Palencia (At Large). Do your own research.
Ray Allen, Fort Myers
Voter information lacking
The upcoming School Board election is nonpartisan which means that candidates by law are not affiliated with, nor should they make decisions based on, any political party’s platform or beliefs. Nonpartisan school board members are elected to make educationally sound, not politically motivated, decisions for the students, teachers and parents in the district.
The primary on August 18th will probably decide the makeup of next school board. Want to learn more about where the School Board candidates stand on the important educational issues facing our Lee County schools?
Good luck! An inquiring voter has a lot of leg work to do. Voters are basically on their own.
What about a district-wide candidate forum where each candidate answers the same set of questions? It’s interesting how the same question prompts very different and revealing information. However, surprisingly not one of the self proclaimed “conservative” incumbent school board members running for reelection or a new candidate who says he is “conservative “ showed up to answer questions at the WGCU/League of Women Voters/ News-Press candidate forum on July 9th. Responses from those who attended could have been viewed in real time, but if you missed it, view it now on each organization’s YouTube channel.
What about Vote411.org the League of Women Voters candidate information site? Find candidate answers to thought-provoking questions. And, find out which candidates don’t even bother to respond.
Check out Lee.Vote to learn who finances and manages each candidate? As always it’s instructive to “follow the money.” Check out the candidate’s website for more about their educational approach, but, guess what, not all candidates even list a website. Facebook? Well some have a page, but as we know what you proclaim about yourself is not as educational as hearing responses to hard questions in real time. There used to be a spot on Lee.Vote for the candidates to upload a photo and a bio. Not any more − apparently the software wasn’t working properly − so voters no longer have that source of information.
I think I see a pattern emerging. What’s a voter to do in this critically important primary election? Why won’t some of the candidates show up and show us, the voters, the respect our democracy requires by answering hard questions?
Madelon V. Stewart, Ed.D, Samuel B. Stewart, Ed.D, Fort Myers
Non-partisan judicial election
I am writing to clarify why a judge appointed by a partisan governor is later elected in a non-partisan race.
With important elections happening in August, it is relevant to review which races are non-partisan positions. These include judges, school board members, and many local offices, depending on local laws. In Collier County, special district boards like those monitoring fire control, water management, and mosquito control are non-partisan, as are the Marco Island City Council members. In Lee County, many mayors and city council elections are non-partisan, as well as most independent special district governing boards.
Florida Judges are appointed by the governor under Article V of the Florida Constitution. The Florida Constitution states that the governor appoints judges to the State Supreme Court and to the District Courts of Appeal from a list of nominees provided by a constitutionally required Judicial Nominating Commission, the detailed structure and operation of which are defined by Florida Statutes. Trial judges, who serve on the Circuit and County courts, are elected, but the governor appoints replacements if mid-term vacancies occur. These replacement appointees must come from a list provided by the local Judicial Nominating Commission, and they must stand for election when the vacancy that they fill expires its tenure.
Since January 5, 1999, all four Florida governors have been Republicans. They have appointed 1,480 judges to the various courts noted above. Of these, 600-700 judges who are currently serving were appointed by those four governors.
It is important for the voters to know that someone appointed by a very partisan governor is still a non-partisan candidate who will independently apply the law to the cases that come before him. Judge James Stewart has a record that is easily accessed by voters who want to learn why he is someone worthy of their vote.
Judge James Stewart was appointed as a Circuit Judge by Governor DeSantis as part of the governor’s duty under the Florida Constitution from a list provided by our local Judicial Nominating Commission, and he is running for office for the first time. I have lived and worked in Collier County for over 27 years, and I am quite aware of who our local and regional leaders are. Judge Stewart’s wife and my daughter are classmates from the 2007 graduating class of the Levin School of Law at the University of Florida, and they have remained close friends. My wife and I attended and danced at their wedding, and our families have continued our friendship for over 15 years. Jimmy, as I have known him prior to his appointment as a judge, has a long list of endorsements from the regional legal and law enforcement communities, and has served on many local and regional boards. Also, he participates in many community organizations. His website keepjudgestewart.com and his Facebook page detail his long list of supporters and accomplishments in Florida. He is an ideal candidate to continue serving as one of our circuit court judges.
My family and I support Judge James Stewart for election to the post he now holds, and I hope that you will join us.
Michael Finkel, MD, Naples
Questions unanswered
On June 22nd a forum was held at the Mosquito District Office for District 5 Lee County Commissioner Candidates, Lee County Commissioner Trish Petrosky stated, “If you have any questions that didn’t get answered I’m here for you. Call my office. Email me. I’m always accessible. I’m always answering and I’m here for you.” (YouTube quote at 1:56:29).
On June 23, 2026, I emailed follow-up questions to Commissioner Petrosky and still have not received a response from her. The questions were:
(1) Would she advocate to allow citizen participation at Commissioner Workshops?
(2) How would she increase citizen participation in the budget process?
(3) Lee County Domestic Animal Services (LCDAS) charges what appears to be an excessive amount for public records and redacts information without an explanation. Concerned about transparency and open government, the following questions were posed:
How do you intend to address this? Why aren’t Domestic Animal Services records readily available to the public online?
From this experience it appears Commissioner Petrosky professes to represent everyone and respond to all constituents but avoids addressing issues she does not like. Apparently, she isn’t here for us! Her rhetoric does not match her actions as a county commissioner and candidate!
Joyce Campana, Fort Myers
Trump and smoke pollution
Trump wins with heads on both sides of the coin of NE smoke. He denies scientific evidence of global warming to get financial support from the huge fossil fuel (coal, oil & gas) industries which cause global warming. Global warming causes heat-up of forests around the globe which dries up the forest floors. Dry tinder when struck by lightning initiates forest fires around the Earth which are causing dangerous air pollution for millions especially in Northeastern USA.
By threatening Canada with higher tariffs for causing the tragic air pollution he wins with his MAGA’s again a two-headed coin. The real problem causing America’s descent into dictatorship is the mind-set of Trump’s MAGA followers. They are reminiscent of the exhibit in Albania’s Tirana Museum depicting Mussolini’s headless followers during World War II which caused Italy’s descent into dictatorship (similar to Germany’s under Adolf Hitler.)
In addition to the above we now have all of the fraud and corruption in the White House, the stupidity, inflation and costs of Trump’s Iran War, Trump’s January 6 treasonous attack on Congress, the dismantling of federal safeguards to prevent corruption, denial of the 2020 election and illegal failure to release the Epstein files. With all of these facts, continued support for Trump is incomprehensible to the functioning mind. MAGA members of Congress and Trump supporters down to homeless urchins on our city streets are reminiscent of Mussolini’s headless followers during World War II. Please, my Republican MAGA friends, try logical thinking.
Willian Pettinger M.D., Bonita Springs
Recipe for mischief
Our government has announced that Iran will be able to sell its oil and that those proceeds will be used to purchase goods from the United States. This is a recipe for mischief.
In 1995 Saddam Hussein was elated when the United Nations, to relieve the suffering of the Iraqi people, lifted sanctions and allowed Iraq to sell its oil with the condition that the moneys would be spent purchasing items on the “Great List” which included medicines, food, farming equipment, emergency vehicles and construction equipment. It became known as the Oil for Food Program or OFFP. Claudia Rosett observed in the Wall Street Journal that this unique U.N. program “… a flow of funds averaging at least $15 billion a year; more than five times the U.N.’s core annual budget.” The U.N. was paid a “commission” of $1 billion, its largest source of funds to the date.
In 2003 Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Ahmed Chalabi and the financial advisor to the Iraqi government, Sir Claude Hankes KCVO, discovered the billions of dollars which Hussein had skimmed from the OFFP and deposited in his personal accounts in Paris. I was engaged by Sir Claude along with KPMG and others to look into the problem. Our research indicated that over a five-year period the OFFP had provided over $70 billion in revenues to the Iraqi government − and $10 billion siphoned off by Saddam from “special charges.” Example: An Italian company is contracted to provide $10 million in Insulin but the agreement provides for a service charge of 10%, or $1 million for a total of $11 million. The $1 million slid quietly into Hussein’s pocket. The vendor was blind to or simply ignored the obvious scam. The U.N.’s Volker Report listed hundreds of names of OFFP abusers, many among the largest businesses in the U.K. and there E.U.
In my opinion the current proposed arrangement with Iran will result in exactly the same scandalous behavior. The fact that there will allegedly be a central account of funds overseen by an entity in Qatar does not soothe my concerns because the mischief will take place at the point of sale.
The concept, apparently the brainchild of Sec. Rubio, for Iran to sell oil and buy U.S. goods, is a grand idea. In addition to a positive impact on the U.S. economy the plan helps the Iranian people currently suffering from the impact of sanctions. However, history dictates a cynicism when hundreds of millions of dollars are in play.
This will work only if each and every transaction is reviewed, thoroughly. I would recommend an insulated third party such as KPMG or perhaps what is left of the DOGE group. Otherwise, someone will be hired to recover the ill-gotten gain.
Read McCaffrey, Naples
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Leave the python hunting to professionals | Opinion letters
Reporting by Letter writers / Fort Myers News-Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Letter writers | USA TODAY Network
