February 2025 Newsletter
Here is your February Newsletter! Check out the upcoming events, and check out what is happening around East Lee County.
Did You Know?

Avoid Scam’s Tips
Information courtesy of Wells Fargo…
Investment Scams
Crypto is making news and so are cryptocurrency scams. Scammers make friends with you on social then offer to show you how to invest in crypto. Guarantees of profits or big returns are usually red flags. Watch for suggestions to invest in crypto or requests to wire money.
Family Emergency
Scammers are now using AI to impersonate your friends and family. They count on you acting quickly because you think a loved one is in trouble. Watch for urgent requests claiming a loved one needs money for an emergency. Contact your friend or family member directly to verify the story.
Tech Imposters
In an intricate new scam, tech imposters convince you to give them access to your accounts and use that access to plant fake evidence of fraud, then connect you to a bank imposter who asks you to give cash or gold to a courier to keep it safe. Wells Fargo will never ask you to do this. Watch for unsolicited contact from callers claiming to be tech support, and never give anyone access to your device or accounts.
Click here to learn more tips about how you can avoid scams.
Upcoming Events

2025 East Lee Chamber Annual Awards Gala
The 2025 East Lee Chamber Awards Gala is coming up on Saturday, March 29th!
Our Gala celebrates the achievements of those who have made a difference in our community in 2024.
It will be a fun night where we can connect with the members of our proud community and enjoy each other’s company as we celebrate each other’s achievements.
The evening will have great activities, including a silent auction, a fabulous dinner, great entertainment, and of course, our Annual Awards Presentation.
Sponsors will be available in the next couple of weeks!
If you’d like to reflect on the great event we had in 2024 as we get ready for our event coming up, then click here to see what last year’s Gala.
Recent Events

Senator Kathleen Passidomo Hosted Local Events
Senator Kathleen Passidomo hosted the “2025 Annual Senator Luncheon” and the “Break the Ice” Water Conference.
Members of the East Lee County Chamber of Commerce, including our Chairman Mike Welch, were in attendance at the event.
The “Break the Ice” Water Conference discussed the drinking water supply for Lee County with Senator Kathleen Passidomo, Commissioner Cecil Pendergrass, Pamela Keyes from Lee County Utilities, Steve Spratt from the Florida Governmental Utility Authority (FGUA), and Phil Flood from the Southwest Florida Management District.
Local Publications

FGCU’s Regional Economic Indicators Publication
Interested in looking at a snapshot of the indicators, along with notes and asides, can be found below?
You can gain access to the Southwest Florida data on their dashboard, which features interactive charts showcasing the latest regional economic indicators like airport passenger activity, tourist tax revenues, and a consumer sentiment index.
When you subscribe, you will receive access to their dashboard along with a monthly publication from the Regional Economic Research Institute from FGCU’s Lutgert College of Business.
If you want to view the reports for January, or if you’d like to subscribe to their publication, click here to visit their website.
Courtesy of the Lee County Government

Southwest Florida Reading Festival
Avid readers and fans of the Southwest Florida Reading Festival can celebrate the power of reading with pre-festival events happening at Lee County Library System branches.
Enjoy author visits, book signings, virtual discussions, writing contests and more leading up to the festival on Saturday, March 1st.
An Evening with the Authors, the festival’s premier fundraiser, will kick off the Southwest Florida Reading Festival on Friday, Feb. 28th.
Tickets for this unforgettable dining experience where guests get to meet and mingle with featured authors are on sale until midnight on Thursday, Jan. 30th, or until the event sells out.
Click here to visit the event website, or click here to read the press release.

Wildfire Protection Plan
The Lee Board of County Commissioners has approved a proposal to develop a Community Wildfire Protection Plan.
This plan, expected to take approximately 12 months to complete, will provide Lee County the opportunity to apply for funding, available through the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management.
Development of a Community Wildfire Protection Plan will include examining our risk and building a consistent approach to response, mitigation and preparedness.
The plan will also address objectives identified in the ResilientLee Recovery and Resilience Plan.
Click here if you’d like to read the press release to learn more about the plan.

Planning for Growth
As our population increases and development continues throughout Lee County, it’s important to assess our water sources and sustainability of our public water supply.
To address potential overuse of the Sandstone Aquifer in the Lehigh Acres area, identified by South Florida Water Management District, the Lee Board of County Commissioners awarded a contract for a Regional Alternative Source Water Study in east Lee County and Lehigh Acres.
The study will review and evaluate all components of the Lehigh Acres public water system, assess groundwater data and is inclusive of the installation of up to three clusters of test wells.
This project will be funded by CDBG-DR Planning Grant funds and addresses infrastructure objectives identified in the ResilientLee Recovery and Resilience plan.
If you’d like to read the press release to learn more, click here.

Ticket to AG-Citement
Your ticket to an Ag-citing adventure is just one click away! As we near the 2025 Southwest Florida Ag Expo, we’re buzzing with anticipation.
A MEGAPASS is the best way to enjoy the Southwest Florida Ag Expo and includes entry and unlimited mechanical rides on any one day of the event happening Thursday, Feb. 27th through Sunday, March 9th.
MEGAPASS sales end when the event begins, so buy now and gear up to share the joy of time-honored traditions with midway rides and games, livestock exhibitions, delicious treats and an amazing lineup of daily entertainment.
For more information or to buy tickets, click here to visit their website.
Full Lee County Government Newsletter
If you’d like to see the Lee County Government full newsletter, click here.