Page 1 The Sun Bay Paper March 2, 2026 March 2, 2026 Volume 9 Issue 35 From Island to Bay, News on the Level production@sunbaypaper.com www.sunbaypaper.com Right... All Along Digital Version If belief is freely chosen, why does walking away still provoke punishment and panic? Yes, I finally found “somebody” I agree with... somewhat... traditionally... in Islamic law leaving Islam (apostasy or irtidad) is considered a grave offense, with classical interpretations often labeling the person a kafir (unbeliever) and prescribing the death penalty, but there’s significant modern debate, with many scholars arguing the Quran emphasizes freedom of belief and the death penalty applies only to political treason, not just changing faiths, and many Muslim-majority nations don’t enforce capital punishment for it. (But... they continue to behead Kafirs!) Classical Islamic Law: • Apostasy (Irtidad): Leaving Islam is seen as rejecting God and His Prophet. • Kafir: An apostate is generally considered a kafir, someone who disbelieves. • Death Penalty: Many historical jurists mandated death for apostasy, citing specific hadith (sayings of the Prophet). Modern Interpretations & Debates: • Quranic Emphasis: Many contemporary scholars highlight Quranic verses that stress no compulsion in religion (e.g., “Let there be no compulsion in religion” - Quran 2:256). • Context of Hadith: They argue the hadith about the death penalty applied to acts of treason, rebellion, or public disorder (fitna), not simple private changes of faith. • Abolitionist Views: Scholars advocate for discarding the death penalty, seeing it as contrary to the Quran’s spirit and inconsistent with religious freedom. Legal Realities: • Varying Enforcement: While some countries (like Saudi Arabia, UAE, Yemen) have laws making apostasy punishable by death, enforcement varies widely, with some nations having no such law or applying lesser penalties. • Public Opinion: Support for capital punishment for apostasy differs greatly across the Muslim world. In summary, the traditional view holds that leaving Islam is punishable by death, but a significant and growing body of modern scholarship argues against this, emphasizing freedom of belief and distinguishing between personal conversion and political betrayal. (“But... they continue to behead Kafirs!”) It’s a little difficult trying to change a person’s mind who has dedicated their life, all their life... brain washed life even... to believe that it’s okay... to lie, cheat, steal, mislead, commit honor murder, regular murder and the most heinous crimes you can think of... if it’s to better Islam! Then say it’s OKAY because Mohamed did it. Which he did! Even if the “IT” is sitting in an arena with his 12-year-old wife while Mohamed watched as his followers removed 800 Jewish heads because they were Kafirs and would not pay the Giza money (that’s their Religion). THAT FOLKS IS ISLAM! There will never be peace on the planet Earth as long as a Muslim believes in the Surahs!!!!! Mr. President, congratulations on being the most UNBELIEVEABLE, MOST SUCCESSFUL, MOST DARING PRESIDENT this country has ever seen! The “bravest” isn’t saying enough! You are too brave and MUST stay off the street and avoid the live stuff! Get “behind” the camera... so to speak... stop talking outside... don’t stop and talk to anybody outside... we need you for Christ Sake! At least wait until the heat dies down. Bullets burn... I know that too well... stop doing it. Get closer to your cover; don’t be too careful... talk behind the Secret Service and appearances for a while. I wish you would stop... at least until this is over! NO public appearances... none ... do it by camera... but you must stop taking chances until things settle down. I am certain Secret Service agrees... nobody will blame you for your extra caution... if they do... call me! Take advantage of the illegal’s situation by Proclamation. STOP ANY Muslims from entering the US, the same as you did previously and Carter did in 1979. Take down the +/- 50 encampments Muslims have. Direct the FBI, with help from DELTA and/or SEAL TEAM. The FBI should not try to take down what I saw, alone. (We cannot do that against an RPG.) What I saw would not be something the current FBI, SWAT or HRT... would/should try to take down alone! I taught SWAT, sniping, DTs, tactics (call it a training exercise and not military), conduct raids on all the Muslim “military encampments”. I haven’ t been there in many years, but Hannity knows much more than I about the sites. There were 50, like Binghamton, New York. I was there once! They were heavily armed then...so...be careful! J. Gary DiLaura, FBI RET Owner, SBP Media LLC therightsidejgarydilaura.com “Faith Without Fear” The Right Side
Page 2 The Sun Bay Paper March 2, 2026 What’s Behind the Wild New Wealth Tax Proposals? Last issue’s puzzle solution to When government grows to dominate ever-larger shares of the economy, and when politicians refuse to be responsible about what they spend, there's a predictable next move: Insist that the problem is "the rich" not paying enough. Never mind that high earners already shoulder a disproportionate share of the tax burden. Never mind that relying on a small and mobile group of people for the bulk of your revenue makes public finances more volatile, not more stable. No, once spending is treated as untouchable and restraint as politically impossible, it's only a matter of time before politics demands more, more, more. More taxes and more distortion. This helps explain why wild new forms of wealth taxes are popping up. California voters are heading toward a November ballot fight over a so-called one-time 5% tax on billionaires' net worth, tied to residency on a date that's already passed. Illinois lawmakers recently flirted with a tax on unrealized gains -- think of stocks yet to be sold at fluctuating prices that only exist on paper -- before retreating. And New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani wants a wealth tax to help close the city's roughly $12 billion budget gap. Prominent progressive Democrats have explicitly endorsed national wealth taxes (e.g., proposals from Sen. Elizabeth Warren). Different places, same impulse: Avoid hard fiscal decisions by squeezing a narrow group harder. A wealth tax is not like the income or consumption taxes we're used to. In theory, it's a cut of a person's entire stock of assets (less their liabilities). In its classic form, a wealth tax is assessed annually. Newer examples in the U.S. appear as onetime levies or use a "markto-market" system to tax unrealized gains, treating appreciation as income. However it's packaged, the economic logic is the same. Wealth taxes are also a uniquely blunt and damaging instrument. Across advanced economies, they have repeatedly been narrowed or even repealed after delivering disappointing revenue, tax avoidance, capital flight and costly administrative battles. The international record is decisively negative no matter what convoluted arguments their supporters want to use in America. Start with the claim that "the rich have the money to pay it." Most large fortunes are not sitting in piles of idle cash. They are ownership stakes in operating businesses and other productive investments already taxed through income, capital gains and corporate taxes. Wealth taxes layer in additional levies, which, among other things, function like highly confiscatory effective tax rates on normal investment returns. This is especially true in low-growth environments and when stacked on top of already high federal, state and local taxes. Therefore, claims that wealth taxes "only hit billionaires" don't hold water, either. That's not how economics works. Reducing returns on saving and investment means that over time, the wealthy invest less -- and we need them to invest. The harm, including slower productivity and wage growth, may be spread out in myriad ways across the economy. But it's real. In other words, a policy that makes it more expensive to build, scale and keep businesses in a jurisdiction does not stop with the people writing the checks. Rich people and their money are mobile. Workers are not, and they ultimately pay a high price through fewer opportunities and lower pay. Then there are the claims that taxes like the one proposed in California are a "onetime" thing. This misleading framing solves nothing. A tax hinging on residency at a particular moment creates a coordination problem for the state by encouraging the wealthy to leave -- perhaps permanently -- and business decisions to be made based on tax strategy rather than consumer needs. In a system already dependent on a small number of taxpayers, losing even a handful can wipe out projected revenue. The effect is magnified because billionaire wealth is often illiquid. Paying the tax typically requires selling assets or borrowing against them, triggering capital gains taxes, leverage risks and further distortions. It helps explain why some high-net-worth individuals have already left states like California while others openly posture to exit if these proposals pass. What comes next is predictable. When wealth tax revenue falls short -- and it will -- policymakers will expand the taxes rather than cut spending. A "onetime" levy applied to billionaires or millionaires makes its way to far lower net worths. Rates rise. What begins as a narrow, exceptional measure becomes more permanent for more people, justified at each step by the same fiscal desperation that produced a proven failure of a policy in the first place. Only then will the taxman relent. Europe's wealth taxes proved long-term failures, and only a handful remain. Californians, consider yourselves warned. Wealth taxes are not a solution to a broken fiscal culture; they're a symptom that treats spending growth as inevitable and responsibility as optional. Policymakers calling for more durable finances and real upward mobility can fecklessly blame the rich or do the real, hard work: Control spending growth, broaden tax bases and foster stable, pro-investment environments. DAILY EDITORIALS BY: VERONIQUE DE RUGY
Page 3 The Sun Bay Paper March 2, 2026 The State of Our Journalism Is Viciously Anti-Trump The State of the Union speech is an effective annual exercise to measure how journalists feel about a long speech on national TV by Donald Trump. They hate it intensely, like most children hate broccoli. They would like to scrape that steaming plate into the garbage. The New York Times published a front-page editorial by White House reporter Katie Rogers -- lamely labeled as “News Analysis.” It came under the headline “Casting Democrats as Villains, Trump Produces a Spectacle.” You can sense their outrage. Nobody should darkly cast Democrats as villains, especially the people Democrats relentlessly suggest are authoritarians out to end our democracy, but only after they starve children and close hospitals. Like a good Democrat, Rogers insisted Republicans find themselves in a “politically treacherous moment,” while Democrats are “seeing polling moving their way” and “remain confident about the midterm elections.” The usual midterm election trends should inspire confidence, as well as all the partisan “news” products. Liberal outlets sent out their pollsters to find that Trump has “gone too far” on immigration, taken the country in “the wrong direction” and has all the wrong “priorities.” Their pollsters are always going to keep the “vibes” high for Democrats and paint dark clouds over the Republicans in any election season. They tried in 2024, but the people ruined it for the pollsters. They also pile on Republicans with their socalled independent fact-checkers. They pounce relentlessly on Trump, aerobically implying to the public that you can’t believe a word Trump says about anything. They’re trying to put the oomph behind this Jimmy Fallon joke: “Trump’s speech focused on his major accomplishments, and when those eight seconds were up, he just riffed for an hour and a half.” The New York Times and the Associated Press published “fact checks” of Trump before his speech was even made available to the public. When it was over, Times “fact-checker” Linda Qiu and other Times staffers posted 29 fact checks about Trump, and they used 20 of them to fill up an entire page of the paper. Online, they had just one note on Virginia Gov. Abby Spanberger, who was assigned the Democrat response -- but she was touted as correct. Overall, I found in a quick review of the “fact checks” after Trump’s speech there were 123 for the president and just four for Spanberger -- and all four of those ruled the new governor as factual. PolitiFact has featured only six fact checks on Spanberger over her career, and only one was a False. Aren’t they nice? Democrats feel free to unload attack lines that are untrue on their face, like this one from Spanberger’s rebuke: “Our President told us tonight that we are safer because these agents arrest mothers and detain children.” Did Trump literally say, We’re safe because ICE agents arrest mothers and detain children”? No. But everything is fair game when a Democrat is boiling up rhetoric. Your “independent fact-checkers” say nothing when Trump is compared to Hitler and the Republicans are compared to the Nazis. Democrats yelled from the House floor that Trump “killed Americans” who interfered with ICE, and no one objected. They exploded in outrage when a Republican congressman yelled, “You lie” at President Barack Obama at the 2009 State of the Union, but “you killed Americans” is considered fair. This latest address to Congress underlines the elitist media should not be considered a reliable source in describing which actors in politics are practicing honesty and decency, promoting unity and a bipartisan spirit. They offer none of those qualities in their work. Tim Graham is director of media analysis at the Media Research Center and executive editor of the blog NewsBusters.org. To find out more about Tim Graham and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
Page 4 The Sun Bay Paper March 2, 2026 It has become a bit of a tradition for me to run an annual Thanksgiving column. I always think this is a good time of the year to remind people what Social Security is all about. I’m going to suggest that we Americans give thanks for the Social Security program. I know lots of people like to think that the “good old days” (before Social Security) were, well, good old days. But many times, they were not. And if you’d like to get a glimpse of what life was like before the Social Security program came along, I suggest you read a book called “Growing Up,” by the late Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times columnist Russell Baker. In it, Baker tells the story of what it was like to grow up in the 1920s and 1930s. For most of us, the Great Depression is the stuff of history books and hard luck stories revealed in an occasional documentary. But Baker lived one of those stories and writes eloquently about his life and those times. His book brings the era into focus for people whose vision of history has been blurred by the good life. For me, it also illustrates the reason why we have and need a Social Security system in this country. Many people have attempted to explain to me that America would be better off without Social Security. They point out that this nation was founded on the principles of personal freedom and that our pioneer spirit encourages people to make it on their own without government interference. As one recent letter writer told me: “If people could make it on their own in the good old days before we had Social Security, they ought to be able to make it on their own now without the government’s help!” The problem with that argument, of course, is that many people were not “making it” before Social Security came into existence. Case in point. Before Social Security, about 70% of senior citizens were living below the poverty level. In other words, those “good old days” were actually very bad for very many older people. Today, after more than 90 years of life with Social Security, less than 10% of seniors live in poverty. In his book, Baker describes the period just after his father’s death. His father left a widow and three small children, including Russell, who was then about 10. Russell’s youngest sister, Audrey, was 18 months old. His newly widowed mother decided to leave their home in Virginia to move in with relatives in New Jersey. Immediately following the funeral, she had many tough decisions to make. One of them was giving up Audrey! “The giving up of Audrey was done in a time of shock and depression for my mother,” Baker writes. “When the undertaker was paid, she was left with a few dollars of insurance money, a worthless Model T, several chairs, a table to eat from, a couple of mail-order beds, a crib, three small children, no way to earn a living and no prospects for the future.” A few days later, Baker’s Uncle Tom and Aunt Goldie arrived to pick up his little sister. “My mother helped them carry out the crib and boxes packed with baby clothes. When the car was loaded, my mother bundled Audrey into blankets, carried her outside, handed her to Aunt Goldie and kissed her goodbye forever!” That scene struck a nerve with me because my father also died when I was young. Like Baker’s father, my dad left a widow and small children. And like Baker’s family, my mother was left with a little insurance, a few pieces of furniture and an old car. But unlike the Bakers, we had brighter prospects for the future because my father left behind something else: Social Security survivors’ insurance. My mother, brothers, sister and myself each received a monthly check from Social Security based on my father’s earnings. My siblings and I were able to receive benefits up to the age of 22 if we stayed in school. And my mother received checks until my youngest brother turned 18. (The laws have changed slightly since I was a beneficiary. Today, benefits to children are generally cut off at age 18 and a widowed mother’s checks stop when the youngest child turns 16.) Survivor benefits are a very important part of Social Security. They have been paid since 1940. Yet even today, many young workers are not aware of this protection they are guaranteed through their Social Security tax deductions. Most young people complain about the amount of Social Security taxes they pay. But I think if they really consider why our society provides a comprehensive Social Security program, they might be more inclined to accept Social Security taxes so that no other young, widowed mother has to give up her little Audrey and “kiss her goodbye forever.” And here is a postscript to what I just wrote. I’ve run Thanksgiving columns similar to this in the past. They always generate comments from the government-bashing and Social Security-bashing crowd. I saved just one example. Here is what he wrote -- in part. (His rant went on for more than a page!) “It’s the namby-pamby liberals like Baker and you who have ruined this country. Russell’s father should have provided for his family and your father should have provided for you. We don’t need the government to make up for slackers like your fathers. And don’t even get my started on widow’s benefits. These women should work and take care of themselves and not expect the government to show up each month with a widow’s dole!” My goodness! I sure am glad I don’t live in that guy’s world. What a cold, uncaring and empathy-starved place it must be! My so-called “slacker” father served and was injured in World War II. And before he died at age 47, he struggled for 25 years at low-paying jobs to provide a modest life for his family. Maybe I should have pointed out to him that Russell Baker’s mom spent many years scrubbing floors in tenement houses to help take care of her family. And my mom worked all her life to help pay the rent and put food on our table. Oh well! One final note. I’ve been coming at this column from the “social” side of Social Security. But here is a look at the “security” side. As I was writing this, the National Institute on Retirement Security issued a new study. Here is the heading from their report. “New research from the National Institute on Retirement Security finds that Social Security benefits play a powerful role in supporting the U.S. economy, generating $2.6 trillion in total economic output and supporting more than 12 million American jobs.” I’m out of space in this column to delve into that angle on Social Security. But if you want to learn more about that NIRS study, just Google it. Tom Margenau If you have a Social Security question, Tom Margenau has two books with all the answers. One is called “Social Security -- Simple and Smart: 10 Easy-to-Understand Fact Sheets That Will Answer All Your Questions About Social Security.” The other is “Social Security: 100 Myths and 100 Facts.” You can find the books at Amazon.com or other book outlets. Or you can send him an email at thomas.margenau@comcast.net. Giving Thanks for Social Security
Page 5 The Sun Bay Paper March 2, 2026 Easy Hacks to Save Money on Beauty and Grooming Copyright © SBP Media LLC and Sun Bay Paper All rights reserved. This newspaper or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher. Quote of the Week “Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?” — George Carlin The Sun Bay Paper MAIL: PO Box 471, Sanborn, NY 14132 EMAILS: production@sunbaypaper.com thesbpmedia@gmail.com WEBSITE & DIGITAL VERSION: www.sunbaypaper.com OWNER/PUBLISHER: J. GARY DILAURA CONTRIBUTORS: RICHARD LUTHMANN, BOBBY MIMMO The information contained in this publication is for educational, general information, and entertainment purposes only and is never intended to constitute medical, financial or legal advice or to replace the personalized care of a primary care practitioner, financial or legal expert Whether you want to look good or just feel better, makeup and skin care traditionally come at a significant cost -- but not if you’re a dedicated cheapskate. While medications and beauty products you use must be safe, there’s no reason that you have to pay exorbitant prices to accomplish the goal. Here are some functional hacks for saving time and money on everything from deodorant to skin care and more. VISIT THE MEN’S DEPARTMENT Buy men’s toiletries if you have a choice when it comes to unscented deodorant, shaving foam and hair colorings, for example. Products manufactured specifically for men tend to be significantly cheaper ounce for ounce than those made for women. Go figure. SHAMPOO With great confidence, you can confidently stop being a shampoo snob. In a Consumer Reports test of 132 name-brand shampoos, the lowly cheap brands from the supermarket rated just as highly as the pricey salon brands. Just make sure you know how to read the product’s list of ingredients. See EverydayCheapskate.com/shampoo. SUNLESS TAN Smooth baby oil on skin and allow it to penetrate before applying sunless tanning lotion to achieve a more even, lighter tanning effect, especially on elbows and feet. HAIR TINT ALTERNATIVE Sounds wacky, but bear with me here. As a color pickup for drab brown hair, rinse it with warm, strong, stale coffee. Allow to sit for five to 10 minutes. Rinse again, this time with cool water. HAIR CONDITIONER Slather mayonnaise liberally on your hair. Wrap your hair in plastic wrap or a small plastic bag and heat with a hair dryer. Leave on for 30 minutes. Shampoo and rinse well. This beauty secret is brought to you compliments of a professional cosmetologist’s collection of secret bag of tricks. MAKEUP REMOVER You can continue to spend big bucks for brand-name pricey makeup removers, or you can save a bundle and use baby wipes. They’re made for sensitive skin and won’t cause dryness or irritation. MAKEUP PRIMER My new primer is not actually sold as a makeup product, but it is an amazing gel that doubles as a fabulous face primer. You have to trust me on this; I would not lead you astray. Monistat Chafing Powder Gel is outstanding for this use and outperforms any primer I know of. LIPSTICK PALETTE Don’t waste the last half-inch of lipstick buried inside the tube. Do what professional makeup artists do. Using an orange stick or other clean implement, transfer all of the product from the bottom of the lipstick tube into one compartment of a compartmentalized pill organizer (the kind with a little compartment for each day of the week, available at the drugstore for less than a couple bucks). Use a lipstick brush to apply. As you accumulate other colors, fill the rest of the compartments and soon you will have a portable makeup palette. FACE-LIFT Here’s how to give yourself an instant “face-lift” and beauty treatment: Mix 1 teaspoon each of baking soda and olive oil to form a slightly thick paste. Gently massage it into your skin, rinse well and then pat dry. POWDER YOUR LASHES The key to fluffier and fuller lashes is a little translucent powder. After the first coat of mascara, dust your lashes with a gentle coat of loose powder. This will add volume to your eyelashes by making them look thicker. Add a second coat of mascara to cover the dust, and you’ll see the difference for yourself. REFRESH CLUMPY MASCARA If that favorite tube of mascara is starting to get a little clumpy, add a few drops of saline solution and swirl your brush around. (Don’t pump it up and down.) That will add moisture to the mascara’s formula and give you added days of product. EARRING BACK REPLACEMENT If you lose the back piece of a pierced earring, cut the eraser from a pencil and insert it on the post for a temporary fix. MARY HUNT EVERYDAY CHEAPSKATE Mary invites you to visit her at EverydayCheapskate.com, where this column is archived complete with links and resources for all recommended products and services. Mary invites questions and comments at https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/contact/, “Ask Mary.” This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of EverydayCheapskate.com, a frugal living blog, and the author of the book “Debt-Proof Living.”
Page 6 The Sun Bay Paper March 2, 2026 What’s New around Fort Myers 2026 annual festivals and events Free weekly programs at J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Sanibel Island Through April 6 dingdarlingsociety.org Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium Shelling and beach walks Feb. 1, March 1, April 12 Sundial Beach Resort & Spa, Sanibel Island shellmuseum.org Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife 8th Annual Ground Owl Day Feb. 2 Pelican Baseball Complex ccfriendsofwildlife.org/events/2026/groundowl-day ArtFest Fort Myers, downtown Fort Myers Feb. 6-8 artfestfortmyers.com Edison and Ford Winter Estates annual Antique Ford Car Show Feb. 7 EdisonFord.org Bonita Springs National Art Festivals series Feb. 7-8, March 14-15 Riverside Park, downtown Bonita Springs artsbonita.org/artfest 21st annual “Ding” Darling Winter Lecture Series Through April 16 dingdarlingsociety.org Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium, Third Thursdays Feb. 19, March 19, April 16 shellmuseum.org Spring training Boston Red Sox Feb. 20-March 23 mlb.com/redsox/spring-training JetBlue Park, Fort Myers Minnesota Twins mlb.com/twins/spring-training Feb. 20-March 24 Lee Health Sports Complex/Hammond Stadium, Fort Myers 88th Edison Festival of Light Grand Parade, Fort Myers Feb. 21 Downtown Fort Myers edisonfestival.org Southwest Florida Ag Expo Feb. 26-March 8 “Roots ‘n’ Rides: A Celebration of Tradition” Mike Greenwell Regional Park swflagexpo.com 24th annual Burrowing Owl Festival, Cape Coral Feb. 28 Rotary Park Environmental Center ccfriendsofwildlife.org/burrowing-owl-festival-2 Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium Sunrise Shell and Mollusk Strolls March 1 Lighthouse Beach, Sanibel Island shellmuseum.org 89th annual Sanibel Shell Festival, Sanibel Island March 5-7 Sanibel Community House sanibelcommunityhouse.net/shell-festival 27th annual Southwest Florida Reading Festival, Fort Myers March 7 Fort Myers Regional Library, downtown Fort Myers readfest.org Fort Myers Beach Lions Club Shrimp Festival March 7-8 fortmyersbeachshrimpfestival.com Little River Band March 13 Caloosa Sound Amphitheater, downtown Fort Myers caloosasoundamp.com CROW Taste of the Islands, Sanibel Island March 13-20 tasteoftheislands.org Fort Myers Beach St. Patrick’s Day Parade March 14 fortmyersbeach.org ECHO Global Food and Farm Festival, North Fort Myers March 15-21 echonet.org 4th annual SWFL Mural Fest, Fort Myers March tba artsembleunderground.com/swfl-muralfest Get The Led Out March 19 Caloosa Sound Amphitheater, downtown Fort Myers caloosasoundamp.com 11th annual Bonita Springs Film Festival April tba Prado Stadium bonitaspringsfilmfestival.org World’s Richest Tarpon Tournament, Boca Grande May 13-14 bocagrandechamber.com/worlds-richest-tarpon-tournament 16th annual Fort Myers Film Festival May 14-18 fortmyersfilmfestival.com 14th annual “Ding” Darling & Doc Ford’s Tarpon Tournament, Sanibel Island May 15 dingdarlingsociety.org/tarpon-tournament National Seashell Day June 20 visitfortmyers.com/national-seashell-day 30th annual MangoMania July 11 pineislandchamber.org/chamber-events/ mangomania Island Hopper Songwriter Fest Sept. 18-27 island-hopperfest.com 41st Cape Coral Oktoberfest Oct. 17-19 & 24-26 German-American Social Club capecoraloktoberfest.com Sanibel Island Writers Conference November tba FGCU fgcu.edu/siwc 36th annual American Sand Sculpting Championship, Fort Myers Beach Nov. 19-23 fmbsandsculpting.com
Page 7 The Sun Bay Paper March 2, 2026 Depression: Your Questions Answered By Dr. Evan Lipkis, M.D. A recent Gallup poll showed that 1 out of every 6 people in America are currently depressed or seeking treatment for depression. This is the highest figure ever in the United States. Fifty thousand suicides happen each year in the U.S., and it is estimated that one quarter of the entire world suffers from depression. Chronic diseases, abusive families, bullying, poor health and poverty are a few of the risk factors. More women than men suffer from depression and young adults and the elderly are particularly vulnerable. Here are common questions that I receive from patients: What is depression? Depression is a chemical disorder where an individual is down for two weeks or more and has little or no interest in participating in social and enjoyable activities. Am I depressed or do I have something else? It is important to differentiate depression from bipolar depression as they are treated differently. Bipolar depression often begins at a younger age, there is often a family history, and the symptoms may include racing thoughts, reckless behavior, mood swings and poor judgement. This depression is often resistant to the usual medications. Am I “crazy” if I have this disease? Absolutely not. People with depression function at the level of heart failure. This disease likely relates to a lack of serotonin plus inflammation of the brain. The brain can get sick just like the heart. This “crazy” stigma myth is fortunately starting to wane. Senator John Fetterman, Dwayne Johnson, Janet Jackson, John Lennon, Winston Churchill and Abraham Lincoln are just a few examples of people who have dealt with depression. What happens if I am thinking about suicide? Seventy percent of patients having depression will experience suicidal ideation, so this is not unusual. Suicidal thoughts with a plan is a medical emergency and 911 should be called. Depression with or without suicidal thoughts can be treated by a primary care physician, social worker, psychologist, or a psychiatrist. How is depression treated? Psychotherapy is a good starting point because this treatment is equivalent to a medicine. Cognitive behavioral therapy is quite effective and has the patient test the reality of negative emotional thoughts. Medications that increase serotonin, adrenalin and dopamine may be added such as sertraline, venlafaxine, and bupropion respectively. Treatment with medicine should occur for 9 months after a person is well or in remission. But what if I don’t get better? Sometimes depression is resistant to standard medical treatment. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a machine shaped like a shower head that delivers magnetic waves to the brain and is non-invasive. Typically, six weeks of treatment is required and results in a success rate around 80%. It is often covered by insurance. IV Ketamine represents an anesthetic which can be used for depression or pain and is successful in about 70 percent of depressed individuals. Essentially this drug is infused over an hour and often treatment is repeated five to seven times. The medicine is a hallucinogen at lower dosages and many patients will describe odd experiences upon receiving this agent. It is relatively expensive and not often covered by insurance. Are there other non-drug treatments besides therapy? A modified Mediterranean diet may also improve mood. And, daily exercise is deemed to be beneficial as well. What’s on the horizon for depression treatment? In 2022, a large study by King’s College London found that psilocybin, a psychedelic compound produced by 200 types of mushrooms, can improve severe depression in people who have not responded to anti-depressants. Oregon has the approval to utilize these agents in clinics next year. Usually a social worker remains with the patient during the “trip.” Depression is a very common biochemical disorder of the brain that needs to be recognized as a real disease. Unfortunately, there is still a stigma attached to depression, but it is improving. Hopefully with more research, the above newer treatments will result in a significant reduction of those dealing with depression. Dr. Evan Lipkis, M.D. is a retired physician, author and professor based in Glenview, Illinois. The advice contained in this article is for informational purposes only. Readers should consult with their own physician to evaluate any illness or medical condition.
Page 8 The Sun Bay Paper March 2, 2026 Trump’s First Year of His Second Term Lacks the Drama of 2017. Good. WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump is a better boss the second time around. You can see it in his staffing. Trump is putting the right people in top jobs. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is flexing his foreign policy chops. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is selling Trump’s policies to Wall Street and Main Street. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy isn’t trying to paper over problems on American roads and in the skies. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon is taking on the education bureaucracy. The first year of Trump’s first term was chaotic: The turnover of his “A-Team” hit 35%, according to an analysis by Brookings Institution visiting fellow Kathryn Dunn Tenpas. Former President Barack Obama’s first year turnover was 9%; according to Tenpas, the closest modern predecessor to Trump was Ronald Reagan with 17% turnover in his first year. Given that Trump had never served in public office until he was elected president, hiccups were predictable. In that first year, Trump spit out his first chief of staff (Reince Priebus), press secretary (Sean Spicer) and national security adviser (Michael Flynn). Tenpas has a term for such departures: RUP, for “resigned under pressure.” As you look at Trump’s picks this go-round, you see how his four years in the wilderness paid off, and with Susie Wiles serving as chief of staff, there’s a stability you didn’t see in 2017. There has been “no publicly announced firing” among senior staff in the Executive Office of the President, Tenpas told me. Trump’s first second-term national security adviser (Michael Waltz) was caught adding a journalist to a Signal chat group that discussed plans for a U.S. attack on Houthis in Yemen. But rather than outright firing Waltz, Trump moved the former Army Special Forces officer to the United Nations, where he serves as U.S. ambassador. Waltz’s replacement? Rubio, who is acting national security adviser and the archivist of the United States. Trump is “double and triple hatting people,” is how Tenpas put it. “When one of them leaves, he likes to hire from within.” Also, Tenpas wrote, “The share of women and non-whites holding the most senior government positions is the lowest of the past four administrations.” While I see the lesser turnover as a sign that Trump has seasoned, Tenpas credits the administration’s “far more intense focus on loyalty.” When Trump first became president, he had never served in office, so he didn’t have a stable of long-term operatives. At times it seemed Trump picked some top staff and Cabinet members for their news (and entertainment) value. Remember Secretary of State Rex Tillerson? Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had recommended the former CEO of ExxonMobil. A newbie president and a newbie secretary of state. What could go wrong? In March 2018, Trump announced he was firing Tillerson on Twitter. “Mike Pompeo, Director of the CIA, will become our new Secretary of State. He will do a fantastic job!” Trump posted. “Thank you to Rex Tillerson for his service!” The most theatrical firing of 2017 came when then-FBI Director James Comey learned he was unemployed during a recruitment event in Los Angeles. Awkward. Nearly a year into Trump’s second term, America has not witnessed a similar public shaming/firing. And some Trump picks -- most notably Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth -- don’t exactly have the heavyweight personas you would expect for their positions. Trump should have put them on Mediterranean or Baltic Avenue, but somehow they landed on Park Avenue and Boardwalk. DEBRA SAUNDERS Follow @debrajsaunders on X. Last issue’s puzzle solution to ‘RAINBOW’
Page 9 The Sun Bay Paper March 2, 2026 How to Negotiate Anything and Win What I know about the art and science of negotiating I learned as a matter of survival. Driven to save myself and my family from financial ruin, I jumped into the deep end of the real estate industry. I passed the state test to become licensed, but I knew nothing about negotiating. I was driven out of desperation to find a way to bring interested parties together, get them to agree and see that everyone walked away a winner. While I no longer sell and lease industrial properties, I still rely heavily on the negotiating skills I learned. Every day I use them in one way or another. Sometimes it’s a complex issue, but most of the time it’s just a series of one-minute negotiations. You are a negotiator too. You negotiate with kids, spouse, boss, coworkers, employees, creditors, vendors, friends, clerks and salespeople. You negotiate with telemarketers, credit card issuers, cellphone providers, repair people, teachers and neighbors. You negotiate using your words, your tone, your body language -- even your silence. Negotiating is the way you get what you want, whether it’s a roof, a new car or getting your teenage son to put the seat down. No matter if your negotiations involve an allowance program for your kids or convincing a creditor to reduce your interest rate, learning to negotiate from strength will reduce tension, relieve stress and build your confidence. PRINCIPLE: Something for everyone The goal is not that everyone comes out an equal winner but that everyone should walk away satisfied. Negotiating a deal that gives something of value to each party is the mark of a wise negotiator. PRINCIPLE: Ask for more than you will settle for To illustrate, let’s say you want to make an offer considerably less than the asking price of a house you would like to own. You write the lowball offer, but in a surprise move stipulate that the price includes the laundry room appliances, pool table, dining room suite and piano that you saw on your initial tour. The seller responds that the price of the house is acceptable “but that certainly does not include my personal property!” You win because you get your price (you didn’t really want the 25-year-old stuff, anyway) and the seller wins because he stood firm against what he considered to be an unreasonable request. PRINCIPLE: The party with the most knowledge wins Never forget that knowledge is power. The more you know, the better your chances of getting what you want. The true skill comes in keeping what you know to yourself, revealing only a bit at a time and doing so only when it is to your advantage. PRINCIPLE: The least motivated party is in control If the other party finds out you are desperate to make the deal, you’ve just lost control. Any time you can send nonverbal cues that you are not desperate -- in fact, you are willing to cancel if you do not get what you want -- you retain control. This drives a desperate opponent crazy. No matter how anxious you may be on the inside, never let it show. The simple act of calmly and slowly closing (never slamming) a notebook, briefcase, purse, calendar, newspaper -- whatever is handy -- is one of the most powerful tools a negotiator has. Without saying a word, you allow the other party to fear you may not continue. Negotiating has to be one of my all-time favorite activities. But I do have one tiny regret. I just gave away my secrets. MARY HUNT EVERYDAY CHEAPSKATE Mary invites you to visit her at EverydayCheapskate.com, where this column is archived complete with links and resources for all recommended products and services. Mary invites questions and comments at https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/contact/, “Ask Mary.” This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of EverydayCheapskate.com, a frugal living blog, and the author of the book “Debt-Proof Living.”
Page 10 The Sun Bay Paper March 2, 2026 Dental Care for your Dog’s Health By David Lewis Medical professionals tell us routine dental care is essential to human health. Routine dental care is also important to your dog’s health. For many dogs who do not receive regular dental care, periodontal disease may develop as soon as two years of age. If left untreated, the dog will suffer pain, tooth loss, inability to eat normally, or worse. Dental disease has also been linked to endocarditis and cardiomyopathy. Dr. Ashley Rossman, DVM, CVA, of Glen Oak Dog and Cat Hospital in Glenview, Illinois, notes that smaller breeds of dogs are more susceptible to early periodontal disease and should be examined by a veterinarian within their early stages of life. She recommends a comprehensive dental exam and dental x-rays to determine if the dog has potentially serious issues beneath the gumline that are not readily visible. A dental radiograph is used to search for tooth decay. Other common dental issues include fractured teeth, tooth root resorption, tooth root abscess, and buildup of dental tartar. Gingivitis is a very painful condition defined as inflammation of the gingiva or gums. When suffering with this condition, pets will choose to eat with one side of their mouth, will eat less, or will have great difficulty eating hard foods. The dog may also become irritable and reclusive. Because dogs come in a variety of sizes, the veterinarian will adjust the process accordingly. Before dental prophylaxis (cleaning) can be performed, bloodwork is done to ensure there are no existing health issues that could impact the safety of anesthesia which is necessary to the cleaning process. The American College of Veterinary Dentists strongly advises against awake dentals. Unlike humans, it is nearly impossible to thoroughly examine a dog’s mouth and perform full mouth radiographs while it is awake. Tooth extractions are not possible in an awake patient. Understandably, pet owners may have concerns about their dog being placed under anesthesia. Today’s modern methods for delivering anesthesia significantly lowers the risk. When the exam and procedure are completed, the dog will be moved to a quiet kennel and closely monitored until fully recovered. The dog may be lethargic but is typically ready to go home and eat later that day. Soft food is recommended for the next several days. The American Veterinary Medical Association says regularly brushing your pet’s teeth is essential to keep teeth healthy between dental cleanings and may reduce the frequency for periodic dental cleaning by a veterinarian. Daily brushing is best but brushing several times a week is also effective. Most dogs tolerate brushing and it helps to begin training your dog to accept brushing when young. Dr. Rossman recommends toothpaste designed for animals and their pH levels. Dental chews, such as CET chews are suggested to help prevent dental disease. Another amino acid supplement, 1-TDC TetraDecanol Complex, is recommended to treat inflammation in the gums and reduce halitosis. Only products approved by the Veterinary Oral Health Council should be used. Finally, bringing your pet to the veterinarian for regular checkups is extremely important. Veterinarians can help stage dental disease and provide recommendations on how to maintain your pet’s dental health which will result in a longer, healthier, and happier life for your dog. Dr. Ashley Rossman, DVM, CVA is co-owner of Glen Oak Dog and Cat Hospital in Glenview, Illinois. David Lewis is a publicist and writer based in Morton Grove, Illinois.
Page 11 The Sun Bay Paper March 2, 2026 Sugar Moon Week There was a time not so long ago when sugar was considered a luxury item -- a very expensive status symbol kept in a special cabinet in dining rooms, locked with a key and rationed carefully as shipments were seasonal. The Sugar Moon this Tuesday reminds us of the fullness of this sweet life, rising to meet us like the sap in a maple tree this time of year. Even as there is much to mourn, there’s much to rejoice in. ARIES (March 21-April 19). Even if your grievance is justified and you’re 100% in the right, carefully consider whether it’s worth fighting for. Because until it’s over, the fight will keep you emotionally invested in yesterday. Some issues are important enough to take on regardless of this cost. Many are not. TAURUS (April 20-May 20). New may not be better, but it’s happening anyway. However you learned the job, the new hires are learning it differently. What you were taught about the role is now obsolete. Your strength is that you see new information and better methods as a compliment to your discernment rather than a challenge to your authority. GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Early success felt electric and new. But now you’ve reached a level of competence, and the buzz is fading. The work might even feel flat. Time to focus on contribution. When you collaborate with beginners, mentor others or help create conditions for someone else to succeed, their excitement will refresh yours. CANCER (June 22-July 22). You’ve felt drawn to wounded souls because you sensed that you could make a difference -- and you did. The way you help is admirable and fortifying for all. But it’s not the only use of your talent. This week offers the opportunity to connect with a like mind you can share ideas with, or more of a role model type you can grow your skills with. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). An unhelpful thought cycle has a way of showing up when you’re under stress. Annoying. But if you welcome it and listen once more to what it has to say, you will figure out how to debunk this little spiral and end it for good. Mindset requires strategy. You’re open, so you’ll find ways that do work to empower you. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You absolutely can create more freedom in your day to day and make room for what truly benefits you. This is an ideal time to release something that’s been getting in your way. If there’s an idea or unhealthy dynamic that’s been holding you back, the circumstances are favorable for letting go. Once you do, it’s a fresh start. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). You’re becoming increasingly adept at a skill out of sheer necessity. Perhaps they disappointed, they failed, they abandoned ship, and you took the wheel. However this occurred, and however you were wronged by it, it’s the reason you’re so strong and capable. This week, you’ll steer yourself to a beautiful place. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). When it comes to getting attention, funding or support of any kind, the moment you strive to get it is the moment it runs farther away from you. Don’t chase or reach. Don’t even want. Attraction is the way. Like attracts like. Focus on the small way you already have your desired outcome. That’s the magnet that will bring it in. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You have this amazing ability to make a person in the crowd feel like the only person in the room. While charisma is a gift, it’s also a skill. Furthermore, in your case, it’s a responsibility you wield carefully, and a service you offer generously as you engage, lift and support, one person at a time. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You’re in a phase where your responsibilities are heavier than those of the people around you. Because of that, your progress depends on sustained attention and forward movement. Keep moving so you don’t get interrupted or pulled into a side conversation. If they can’t catch you, they can’t distract you. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Some experience anticipation of a happy event as delightful excitement, but it is just as normal to experience it as dread. Hope has a way of increasing the stakes. Joy can have a cost, and the body senses that vulnerability. Can you let anticipation soften into curiosity? Can you let caution coexist with lighter feelings? PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You’re making your dreams come true by getting ready for them. There’s always something dream-related you could be working on, even if it’s tangential. For instance, exercising so you’re strong and healthy when your “ship comes in” or reading so you’re educated and can speak competently on topics related to your dream. THIS WEEK’S BIRTHDAYS: Welcome to your Year of Altered Destiny. You’re always looking for ways to contribute. You see what’s wrong and fix it, not just for yourself but for those around you, and because of this, the timeline changes, creations and relationships come together and life unfolds differently. Lives are changed because of knowing you, working with you or being loved by you. More highlights: a romance, seasonal surprises, education and upgrades of aesthetics, health and fitness. HOROSCOPES BY HOLIDAY BY HOLIDAY MATHIS THE WEEK OF MARCH 1, 2026 For more Holiday magic visit HolidayMathis.com
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