HRT - Hormone Replacement Therapy in Fort Lee, FL

Everyone loves dinosaurs. That’s why dino show Jurassic Quest is back this weekend for yet another visit to Lee Civic Center.

“Dinosaurs are sort of universal to all people,” says Jurassic Quest dinosaur expert Nick Schaefer (aka “Prehistoric Nick”). “We have over 165 million years’ worth of dinosaurs from the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous.”

Here’s everything you need to know about the touring show.

Lots and lots of dinosaurs

Jurassic Quest features about 80 life-sized dinosaurs ? from a baby dino "petting zoo" to the 80-foot-long Anklyosaurus and the sprawling, two-story Spinosaurus. Many of them are giant, animatronic beasts that move, roar and glare at passers-by.

The dinos were created by Texas company Jurassic Quest, which consults with paleontologists to make the creatures as realistic as possible and reflect current thinking about how the giant lizards looked and acted. Some — such as T-Rex relative Yutyrannus — even have feathers.

When will Jurassic Quest come to Fort Myers?

The show arrives Friday, June 16, at Lee Civic Center, 11831 Bayshore Road, North Fort Myers.

Show hours are noon to 8 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday, June 16-18.

Tickets for Jurassic Quest (and how to get a discount)

Admission is $22 for ages 2-64. Senior tickets (age 65 and older) are $19. Free for ages 1 and younger.

Parking at Lee Civic Center is $6.

Rides and activities cost extra (prices vary). But a $36 Kids Unlimited Admission ticket includes admission and all rides, activities and most inflatables, plus one visit to the Excavation Station fossil dig. It’s limited to ages 2-10 only.

Want to save a little more money on tickets? Schaefer has a tip: Use the promo code “raptor” to get 10 percent off online ticket purchases.

Eat before you go:Sushi restaurant popular spot for theater-goers in Fort Myers

Why do people love dinosaurs?

Schaefer says he’s thought about that a lot.

Dinosaurs are similar to 21^st century creatures in some ways, but they're also “radically different from any animal we have alive today,” he says.

“They lived on this very planet,” he adds. “But at the same time, the planet was so different that it’s completely alien to us.”

Dinosaurs: A gateway to learning for kids

Dinosaurs are often kids’ first experience with science, Schaefer says. That’s why Jurassic Quest encourages children to come to its shows and learn more about the prehistoric beasts.

“I say it a lot: Dinosaurs are a gateway science,” Schaefer says. “Kids who have an interest in things like dinosaurs often even do better in STEM fields and other scientific endeavors. So fostering a love of dinosaurs at an early age is really important.”

But if you can’t attend the show, that’s OK. Jurassic Quest offers a dinosaur text line where people can ask questions and get answers from a “park ranger.” Just text 844-DINO-411 or 844-346-6411.

Realistic dinosaurs are Jurassic Quest’s goal

Jurassic Quest takes great pride in having the most accurate representations of dinosaurs possible and keeping up with the current science, Schaefer says. The company works with leading paleontologists to make sure each dinosaur is replicated in every detail, from color to teeth size to textures skin, fur and feathers.

The Spinosaurus, for example, has changed a lot over the years.

“It’s fossils were lost during World War II, and it’s only been in the last couple of decades that we’ve started to get better and better models,” Schaefer says. “Because we’ve been finding more fossils.

“But it’s also sort of incomplete, so every couple of years a new paper comes out and says, ‘OK, we’re going to change everything that we knew about Spinosaurus.’”

Schaefer admits they’re still catching up with the science, but they frequently modify their dinosaurs to keep up-to-date.

The newest version of the Spinosaurus, for example, boasts a flatter tail similar to a crocodile’s tail. Scientists think it might have helped them swim, although there’s some contention over how much time they actually spent in the water, Schaefer says.

What else can you do at Jurassic Quest?

In addition to the animatronic dinosaurs, the touring show includes:

Learn more about Jurassic Quest

For tickets and more information about Jurassic Quest, visit jurassicquest.com.

— Connect with this reporter: Charles Runnells is an arts and entertainment reporter for The News-Press and the Naples Daily News. For news tips or other entertainment-related matters, call him at 239-335-0368 (for tickets to shows, call the venue) or email him at[email protected].

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Hurricane Ian destroyed more than 5,000 homes in Lee County, Fla., and damaged nearly 30,000 more in late September, raising concerns among local residents about housing affordability – and changes to their communities – as developers move in.

The expansive sandy beaches in Fort Myers for years have attracted people from colder states, like Beth and Ralph Sampson. They call Michigan home, but spend much of the year in Florida.

"It's just charming here," Beth Sampson said. "It's not like, oh, the nightlife. I think the carpet gets rolled up here at 9 o'clock at night."

Lee County isn't as upscale as many of Florida's coastal areas. It's a county in which 28% of renters are low-income or paying at least 40% of their income to rent, according to a 2022 report from the Shimberg Center for Housing Studies.

The Sampsons own a home in Fort Myers Beach – it's still standing. But in October, one month after Ian hit, their neighborhood was a mess, with hollowed-out remnants of homes up and down their block.

Beth Sampson said many of her neighbors don't have the means torebuild.

"One double lot has already sold – and we don't know to who, or for how much – on the street behind us. It's like, oh boy, that's fast," Sampson said. "I'm afraid ... we're going to lose all that beauty that we all shared."

In 2021, Florida's real estate industry accounted for $294 billion, or 24% of the gross state product, according to a report from the National Association of Realtors. More than 300,000 people move to the Sunshine State each year.

Two affordability concerns are emerging among residents as developers turn to Southwest Florida: flipping damaged single-family homes, rendering them unaffordable for long-term residents, and the construction of larger luxury complexes.

Brad Cozza, who owns real estate brokerage in southwest Florida, said new out-of-state investors – from Wall Street hedge funds to major hotel chains – are already looking at new investments in the region.

Cozza said that, since the hurricane, developers have discovered a "completely blank canvas" in hard-hit coastal areas.

Debris from the damage left by Hurricane Ian is seen in a mobile home park in Fort Myers, Fla. on Oct. 27, 2022.

Cozza added that his firm has already been involved in acquiring 39 properties since Hurricane Ian. One of his clients bought a damaged waterfront home in Cape Coral, across the bridge from Fort Myers, for $670,000. After renovations, Cozza expects it to sell for almost $1 million.

"You're going to see values jump, and you're seeing a lot of new players that are now in the area that would not have been in this area pre-storm," Cozza said.

This, Cozza said, is just plain market dynamics. Many homeowners did not have flood insurance, so they can't afford to rebuild – and that's an opportunity investors are seizing.

Michelle Meyer, director of the Hazard Reduction and Recovery Center at Texas A&M University, said it's expensive to build new structures up to code – most of which has been rewritten to make houses better able to withstand disasters.

"Older houses, in general, are more affordable," Meyer said. "And so when you wipe out an older housing stock, even just building new, period, is going to be more expensive."

Federal disaster recovery money to help homeowners rebuild does exist. In the wake of previous hurricanes, states have received hundreds of millions of dollars from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD, to provide loans to lower-income homeowners for reconstruction and repair costs.

Debris from damage left by Hurricane Ian is seen in a mobile home park on Pine Island, Fla. on Oct. 28, 2022.

But Meyer expects it will take one or two years before that money is available in Florida, since the state first needs to submit a funding plan to HUD for approval. Until then, she said, local officials can encourage homeowners not to sell out of desperation, and instead, "find a way to have them hold onto their property and rebuild their property and remain in the home."

Zoning for single family homes can also help maintain the housing stock for lower-income residents, Meyer said, by preventing larger high-end complexes.

Jason Green, an independent zoning consultant for the town of Fort Myers Beach, spoke at the Local Planning Agency's meeting on Dec. 6. He said he doesn't expect local zoning regulations in the town to change significantly in the coming months.

"There are some duplexes, there's a few triplexes and quads worked in there over the years," Green said in reference to zoning in Fort Myers Beach. "But for the most part, you'll see that there are single-family homes."

But as developers buy and renovate single family homes, they, too, are becoming less affordable.

Some investors will push for bigger developments. They were doing so even before Hurricane Ian hit.

Joanne Semmer, who has lived near Fort Myers Beach for more than 50 years, has been trying to stop one such project. She lives steps away from the town's commercial fishing docks and working waterfront, and she's the president of the Ostego Bay Marine Science Center, a local environmental nonprofit organization.

In 2020, Semmer and her brother sued Lee County after the county rezoned to allow a high-rise apartment complex across the street from her home. An administrative judge ruled in Semmer's favor, on the grounds that the development would increase hurricane evacuation times.

Joanne Semmer, a longtime resident of San Carlos Island, Fla., poses for a portrait at her home, which was flooded by Hurricane Ian.

But one month before Hurricane Ian, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his Cabinet overturned that decision, green-lighting the project and paving the way for more density across Lee County's hurricane-prone areas. When an administrative judge in Florida strikes down a change to the state's Comprehensive Plan, the governor and Cabinet vote on whether to approve that decision, said attorney Ralf Brookes, who represents Semmer.

"Southwest Florida has a different flavor," Semmer said. "We really don't want to become another Miami. But money talks."

And now, in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, those concerns are only mounting.

Semmer said she's frustrated by efforts to develop the waterfront, but she'll keep fighting to preserve the character of the town.

"The developers want to come in and take over our working waterfront and build condominiums," Semmer said. "So many of our areas are being sold out."

The Southwest Florida & Lee County Fair has been entertaining people for nearly a century with great rides, talented performers, all kinds of livestock and delicious (if not necessarily nutritious) food.

The 99th edition of the fair opened Thursday and continues until March 5 at the Lee Civic Center, which has served as the venue since 1979 after the event spent nearly 60 years at Terry Park.

After two years of COVID and on the heels of one of the worst hurricanes to ever hit Southwest Florida, Fair Board President Mike Peak said they are ready to go. Last year’s fair drew more than 100,000 people and they hope that trend continues.

“We don’t have any fears about the economy. We think people will be willing to pay for entertainment. We don’t scale back much, we think people still want to enjoy themselves,” Peak said.

Peak added that Hurricane Ian didn’t do much damage to the grounds or to the building, so there shouldn’t be much they can’t do.

“We feel very blessed to have the fair without having sustained much damage to make it so we couldn’t do it,” Peak said. “We’re hoping for good weather throughout the 11 days.”

Although the fair is advertised as “Making Memories since 1924,” the roots of the fair run a little deeper.

In 1910, a carnival on McGregor Boulevard served as a precursor to the fair, featuring a Seminole Indian tribe that performed its tribal dances. The carnival ended in 1917 when the United States entered World War I.

Two years later, the first Lee County Fair was held at Terry Park, a former cow pasture located just a couple of miles east of downtown Fort Myers, on Palm Beach Boulevard. The Lee County Commissioners allocated $250 to staff for the first fair.

In 1924, the name was changed to the Southwest Florida Fair, which it has been named ever since, making just one move in all those years.

One of the bread-and-butter attractions at the fair is the livestock. The kids at 4-H will put up the animals they have raised for months. Pigs, rabbits, chickens, beef and more will be judged and eventually auctioned off.

“The number of entrants has been about the same over the past few years. That hasn’t fallen off, so that’s good,” Peak said.

There also will be ribbons handed out in the civic center for artwork, crafts, fabrics and threads, home gardening, horticulture, photography, decoration and tablescapes. People from age 5 to 85 can compete in five age groups.

As for the entertainment, there always are local performers on the civic center stage dancing and singing. The Cowboy Circus with Danny Grant is returning, but aside from that, it was still a little too early to determine who exactly will be there, Peak said in a January interview.

Today, Friday, Feb. 24, features a free gate from 4 to 6 p.m. and free rides for 5 to 6 p.m. It will also be the first Moonlight Madness from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. where $30 gets you on all the rides. March 3 will off a second Moonlight Madness.

Saturday, Feb. 25, Sunday, Feb. 26, and March 4 offers $40 ridebands after paying your admission.

There will be great specials during the week. Monday, Feb. 27, is Harry Chapin Food Bank Night with free admission with three canned goods per person and $1 rides.

Tuesday, Feb. 28, is $15 Tuesday, with $15 ridebands after paying admission. Wednesday, March 1 is Senior Day, with a 2 p.m. gate open. Kiddie Land opens at 2 p.m., with $10 ridebands.

Thursday, March 2, is $25 Pay-One-Price, where admission and all the rides are $25. The final Sunday, March 5, is the Last Blast Special, which is a surprise.

A Mega Pass can be used each day of the fair and are only on sale until the day before the fair begins. Gate admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children. Kids 3 and under are in for free.

Retired and active military get free admission all day every day. First Responders Day is Saturday, March 4. All must show their valid IDs and proof of service.

There will also be a new policy at the entrance gate, requiring all who come to the fair to have clear bags for safety and because the insurance company has requested it, as it has become a national trend at the larger venues.

The Lee Civic Center is at 11831 Bayshore Road, North Fort Myers.

Visit swflcfair.com for more information including daily specials, calendar of events and hours of operation.

North Fort Myers News

Age: 45

Hometown: West Palm Beach, Fla., by way of Bogota, Colombia

Unit: Romeo Company, 262nd Quartermaster Battalion, 23rd QM Brigade Time in service: 11 years

Marital status: Married with three children

MOS: 92F -- petroleum supply specialist. Sometimes called fuelers, petroleum supply specialists supply the Army with the fuel it needs to maintain a state of readiness at all times, according to www.goarmy.com. They supervise and manage the reception, storage and shipping of bulk or packaged petroleum-based products. Additionally, they oversee the use of fuel, dispensing it to various vehicles and aircraft, and making sure it is being transported and handled safely.

Place of duty: Basic Petroleum Logistics Division, Petroleum and Water Department, Quartermaster School

Position: Instructor. Diaz provides basic petroleum supply instruction to Soldiers arriving here from basic training.

Background: Diaz spent the first 16 years of his life in Bogota and moved to Florida when he was 16. His mother was a 20-year Colombian Air Force veteran. When it came to joining the military, U.S. Air Force was Diaz’ first choice, but he could not join due to his immigration status. He was 33 when his immigration issues were cleared, however, and was too old to join the air service, so he joined the Army. Fort Lee was Diaz’ first tour of duty as a petroleum supply specialist. He was assigned to the 108th Quartermaster Company of the now deactivated 49th QM Group.

Reason for joining the Army: “I was raised with a military orientation; loved it; always wanted to join … you know, family, country and honor.”

Describe your career thus far: “I’ve absolutely loved every minute of it. For one, there’s the camaraderie. I still have friends from basic training and my first, second and third duty stations, and I stay in contact with them. I’m making friends at my current duty station. It’s been a great journey, and I love everything I do, especially since I’ve been here teaching a new generation of Soldier. I get to transfer everything I know to them so they can be successful.”

How you bridge the age gap with your students: “One of the most important noncommissioned officer attributes is empathy. You must be empathetic to where they come from, what their customs are and the ways they learn; each Soldier is different, so you have to make adjustments to understand that. Once you have empathy for your Soldiers, it’s easy to get through to them. Everybody learns differently, but if you have empathy you learn to deliver to them the way they need to receive information.”

Common mistakes NCOs make with younger Soldiers: “To bring them up the way you were brought up in the Army – the “my way or the highway” mentality. There are different ways of getting messages across. There’s a lot more work involved, but it is very rewarding. I have 27 Soldiers in this class, and each is different. Getting through to them on an individual level, is like getting 27 rewards each day.”

Why your job as a fueler is unique: “Nothing moves without fuel; everybody needs you, especially in the aviation world, where lives are at increased risk.”

Your motivational fuel: “My family, my team here – it’s like a second family; the mentorship aspect; and working as a team. You see the rewards on Soldier’s faces and the test results. That’s epic.”

Best thing about the Army: “It’s making brothers and sisters for life -- people you never knew before. now you’re inseparable and linked together forever.”

Greatest challenge as a Soldier: “For me, it’s making sure I don’t fail my mission. If I do, there will be lots of lives affected, and that would be my greatest fear.”

Most memorable event while in uniform: “When we had a promotion ceremony in a helicopter (for a subordinate). That Soldier was very grateful that we were able to fly him with the American flag while getting promoted in mid-air. It was wonderful. It was such a great privilege to see that Soldier get promoted.”

How the Army has developed you as a Soldier and person: “I’ve grown so much as a professional. You know, I worked as a civilian and I didn’t see it going anywhere. Now, I see a bright future, I see the career path I’ve always wanted, and at the end of my career, I know it will be very rewarding.”

Goals: “Of course, I want to make master sergeant and then sergeant major. Ultimately, I want to come back to Fort Lee as a regimental (command) sergeant major. In between that, I want to complete my bachelor’s degree and take my family to Germany for a three-year rotation there.”

-- Compiled by T. Anthony Bell

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LEE COUNTY, Fla. — Home sales in Fort Myers and Cape Coral could decrease over the next year, according to a report from Core Logic. This comes as prices have soared since the pandemic and inventory is low as more people are moving to the Sunshine State.

Chief Economist at Core Logic, Selma Hepp, says seeing a drop will level out our market to what it should be.

"Local residents can no longer afford to buy in their own market," Hepp said. "Given the current over valued market situation, they may fall over the next 12 month period."

The data predicts the market has a 50-75% probability of seeing prices decline. According to Market Trends of Southwest Florida, the median sale price in Lee County in 2022 was a little more than $400,000. The actual sale price, specifically in Cape Coral, was more than $500,000.

"It is a higher probability of more than a 10% decline," Hepp said.

The reason for the decline, she believes, comes back down to home value and what people can buy.

"I think the issue right now is affordability is so far stretched that folks can no longer afford to buy," Hepp explained. "I think some resetting definitely always helps for potential home buyers."

To actually see a decline, Hepp says we need more inventory and to balance local income growth.

"Particularly in Florida markets when you have a lot of people migrating from other parts of the country and they have a lot of cash. They have higher spending power," Hepp said. "It’s never good when markets are over valued."

She says a healthy housing market means having rate stabilization.

"The intent is not to create a panic, the intent is to say things are normalizing," Hepp said. "What we’ve had over the past couple of years is not normal."

Again, this is just a prediction, though Hepp believes both buyers and sellers need to look at what they're looking for in a home.

"People shouldn’t worry that much about specifics of where home prices are at the moment, but what’s important to them," she said.