Town budget hearing to be held Thursday

A Town of Fort Myers Beach Council budget hearing set for this Thursday at 5:01 p.m. in the town’s new town hall chambers is expected to include discussion on approximately $1.2 million in new spending cuts that town staff has identified that could potentially make up for a $1.2 million budget hole. The $1.2 million budget deficit led to the town council voting 4-1 last month to increase its millage rate. The town council still has time to lower the amount of its millage rate or not change it all, from the current rate of .99 mills per thousand dollars of assessed property value. Under the tentative 26% millage rate hike approved by the council, the millage rate would increase to ...

Island Hopper Songwriters Fest bringing full lineup back to the beach

Matanzas on the Bay to reopen as "On the Bay" in October

Matanzas on the Bay, which has been closed since Hurricane Ian, will reopen under new management and ownership in early October under the new name "On the Bay." The owners of the Crescent Street restaurant, who bought the property in 2023, have continued to operate Petey's Upper Deck, the casual pizza restaurant upstairs. They have also set up tables and seating downstairs overlooking the bay. The iconic restaurant, which has been operating since the 1970's, was purchased as part of a $7.5 million land deal. An ownership group tied to a real estate investment firm based in Naples, purchased the land from Doug Speirn-Smith, who ran it for almost 30 years. The new owners have ties to ...

Renderings of the Fort Myers Beach Pier

Betty Simpson, longtime civic leader on Fort Myers Beach, dies