Two events will honor the life of City Councilor Erik Brechnitz, who died April 21 at the age of 87.
A city councilman for eight years, Brechnitz was elected to the chairmanship by his fellow councilors four of those years. Brechnitz moved to Marco Island in 1995 from Decatur, Illinois.
The Marco Island City Council will set aside time at its 5:30 p.m., May 4, meeting to honor his contributions to the city. The meeting will be held in the Community Room located at 51 Bald Eagle Drive, Marco Island.
Brechnitz’ family announced a funeral service will take place at 10 a.m., May 9, at St. John’s Episcopal Church at 130 West Eldorado Street in Decatur, Illinois. Memorial gifts may be directed to the Erik C. Brechnitz Business Experience Fund at Millikin University.
Historical Museum wins Marco in Bloom award
The Marco Island Historical Museum earned a 2026 Marco in Bloom landscape competition award for commercial/public building. Winners of the 24th annual competition were announced April 6.
The Marco Island Beautification Advisory Committee annually promotes the Marco in Bloom competition among island homeowners, homeowners’ associations and businesses.
Residents are encouraged to plant Florida-friendly or naturalized plants with minimal turf grasses that thrive on limited water and fertilizer. The objective is to create beautiful landscapes that are compatible with the unique South Florida climate and weather conditions.
The Marco Island Historical Museum is located at 180 S. Heathwood Drive. The museum is open 9 a.m. until 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday.
For information, visit theMIHS.org.
For the Love of Cats welcomes new board member
For the Love of Cats, a nonprofit rescue organization dedicated to saving the lives of cats and kittens in Collier County, recently appointed Dominick Muracco to its board as director.
With nearly 25 years of experience in legal, compliance and investigative roles, Muracco “brings a wealth of expertise and leadership knowledge to the organization.”
Dominick’s served as both a state and federal prosecutor, a compliance leader for a Fortune 500 company and his current role as Chief Compliance Officer and General Counsel for a multi-state healthcare education organization.
Originally from Pennsylvania, he spent a decade in the Washington, DC, area before becoming a full-time resident of Southwest Florida in 2016.
“I’m proud to be part of the For the Love of Cats mission and look forward to contributing to its many programs that positively impact cats and families across Collier County,” Muracco said.
To learn more about For the Love of Cats, visit them online at fortheloveofcatsfl.com or on Facebook and Instagram @fortheloveofcatsfl.
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This article originally appeared on Marco Eagle: Now You Know: Remembrances for late councilor; museum wins award; more
Reporting by Will Watts, Special to the Eagle / Marco Eagle
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