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It's time for Southwest Florida softball teams to see how they stack up in the state.

The FHSAA released its regional brackets on Friday, May 2, and 14 area teams learned their seeds and matchups in the state playoffs. The Final Four will be played May 20-24 at Boombah-Soldiers Creek Park in Seminole County.

Watch FHSAA softball on NFHS Network

ECS will start its quest to repeat as state champions, having won the Class 2A title last year, but are in Class 1A in 2025. They're in Region 1A-3 with three other Southwest Florida teams, so an area squad should be in the Final Four. Bishop Verot will again have to run through teams from the Tampa area to make it to state. Fort Myers beating North Fort Myers May 1, in their district final didn't knock the Red Knights out of the region's top spot, but it does make them hit the road in the first round to visit district champ Tampa Gaither, while the Green Wave are No. 2.

Regional quarterfinal games for Classes 1A-4A are on Wednesday, May 7, and for Classes 5A-7A are on Thursday, May 8.

Here are the seeds and matchups. Note, lower-seeded district champions host first-round games if they play a higher-seeded at-large team.

Region 1A-3

8. Seacrest at 1. Evangelical Christian

5. St. Pete Canterbury at 4. SFCA

7. Northside Christian at 2. Shorecrest Prep

6. Bradenton Christian at 3. St. John Neumann

Region 2A-3

8. Clearwater Central Catholic at 1. Calvary Christian

5. Cardinal Mooney at 4. Tampa Catholic

7. Avon Park at 2. Bishop Verot

6. Lake Placid at 3. Berkeley Prep

Region 3A-4

8. Mater Lakes at 1. Coral Springs Charter

5. Pompano Beach at 4. St. Brendan

7. Aubrey Rogers at 2. Somerset Charter

6. LaBelle at 3. Cardinal Gibbons

Region 4A-3

8. Port Charlotte at 1. Osceola

5. Estero at 4. Hudson

7. Gulf at 2. Clearwater

6. Pasco at 3. Seminole

Region 4A-4

8. Okeechobee at 1. American Heritage

5. American at 4. Somerset Academy

7. Dr. Joaquin Garcia at 2. Archbishop McCarthy

6. Barron Collier at 3. Key West

Region 5A-3

1. North Fort Myers at 8. Gaither

5. Charlotte at 4. Mariner

7. Riverdale at 2. Fort Myers

6. Northeast at 3. Gulf Coast

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(This story has been updated with a brief response from the orchestra musicians' union. A follow-up story with full details will post soon)

After 64 years, Fort Myers’ Southwest Florida Symphony is calling it quits. The professional orchestra will permanently close at the end of June, it announced Tuesday.

The orchestra blames the decision on many factors, including departing leadership, rising performance costs, decreasing ticket sales, more entertainment options in Southwest Florida and the public's dwindling interest in classical music.

“Classical music is struggling across the country...” said Tom Uhler, president of the orchestra's board of trustees. "Nationally, only about 5 percent of the population across America gives a hoot about classical music.

“Our problem here is that, as the younger people are now retiring, they didn’t come up with classical music. And so they’re unlikely to start listening to it now.”

The orchestra's board of directors and staff, including outgoing CEO Amy Ginsburg, have been working hard to raise money and get sponsors, he said. But it hasn't been enough to make up for their financial losses. A typical Southwest Florida Symphony show would have only about 1,000 people in the audience.

Another factor, Uhler said, was Gov. Ron DeSantis' decision to cut all state arts-and-culture grants last year. The orchestra had requested $148,000, he said, and got nothing. They're expecting not to get much this year, either.

"That’s a pretty good hit,” Uhler said.

A difficult decision: 'I feel sad for the community.'

It was a difficult decision to shutter the nonprofit orchestra, Uhler said, but a necessary one.

“It’s just to the point where after several years of losses, you can’t keep it up…” he said. “This is reality. ...

“I feel sad for the musicians. I feel sad for Maestro Kirov (interim artistic adviser and principal conductor for the orchestra's 2024-25 season), who’s come in this year and done a fabulous job. And I feel sad for the community.

"You can’t have something that brings the level of culture that the symphony has for the last 64 years and shut it down and say, ‘Oh, we’re happy about this.’”

The orchestra will remain in business through the end of its fiscal year on June 30. That coincides with the previously announced departure of the orchestra’s longtime CEO, Ginsburg.

The symphony performed its final concert, "American Beauty" — the last concert of the 2024-25 season — on April 26 at Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall.

The orchestra's musicians — who aren't full-time employees and are paid per concert and rehearsal — won't get a severance, Uhler said. That's part of their union contract agreed on by both the musicians and management, he said.

Symphony union responds, blames management

Several orchestra musicians contacted Tuesday by The News-Press declined to comment, couldn't be reached or referred questions to symphony union chair Dione Chandler, an oboe player with the orchestra for more than 10 years. Chandler didn't respond to a text requesting an interview.

However, the union released a statement Wednesday that contested symphony leadership's reasons for the orchestra shutting down and called for the community to rally and save Southwest Florida Symphony.

“The musicians contend that the true cause of SWFSO's demise is over a decade of weak and shortsighted leadership,” the musicians’ union said in a statement April 30. “Under the direction of Executive Director Amy Ginsburg and the Board of Directors, the Symphony has experienced chronic mismanagement, programming cuts, declining community presence, and deteriorating labor relations.

“These conditions have driven many musicians away and steadily eroded the orchestra's artistic identity and public support.”

In its statement, American Federation of Musicians Local 427-721 cited what it called orchestra management’s “misleading and defeatist claims" for shutting down the symphony.

“Management has attempted to justify the orchestra's shutdown by citing declining interest in classical music, increasing costs, and reduced state funding,” the union said in its statement.

“The suggestion that orchestral music is no longer viable is simply false," said Richard Sparrow, secretary-treasurer of Local 427-721, in the statement. "Many orchestras across the country—including right here in Florida—have demonstrated the opposite. Sarasota and Naples, just an hour north and south, have thriving ensembles with loyal audiences, strong fundraising, and sustainable contracts."

Orchestra's management didn't immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

More about Southwest Florida Symphony

Southwest Florida Symphony celebrated its 64^th anniversary this year. The professional orchestra’s 70 musicians perform at Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall and other Southwest Florida venues.

Former music director Radu Paponiu resigned in April 2024 to become music director for the renowned San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra. He was replaced by current interim artistic adviser Stilian Kirov while the symphony searched for a permanent music director.

The orchestra formed in 1961 as the Fort Myers Symphony with just 24 volunteer musicians. The then-community orchestra performed in community centers, schools and churches and developed a growing audience.

In 1981, it merged with a chorus and became the Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra & Chorus Association. That chorus — now known as Choral Artistry — left the orchestra in 2011.

Rising costs, more competition in Fort Myers

Classical music has been struggling to survive across the country, Uhler said. And Southwest Florida hasn't escape the downturn.

That, combined with the rising costs to rent venues, has led to an insurmountable problem. Ticket sales used to cover about 40 percent of the orchestra's total overhead, Uhler said. Now it’s less than 20 percent. So they haven’t been able to make up the difference as venue costs increased.

“There are very few suitable, cost-effective venues in Lee and Charlotte counties, and the costs of performances have grown to be very expensive," the orchestra said in the April 29 news release announcing its closure. "There is also an abundance of live entertainment options competing for the community’s attention."

All those problems have led to financial losses for the orchestra every year. The nonprofit orchestra relies heavily on donors and sponsors, the release said, with tickets making up just a fraction of the orchestra's budget.

"Despite financial prudence and tireless efforts to persevere, repeated annual deficits that the Symphony experiences due to operational restrictions, increased performance costs and loss of state funding are no longer viable," the release said.

Orchestra closing after rebounding from 2013 crisis, public rallying

This week’s announcement comes more than a decade after a similar existential crisis for the orchestra. In 2013, it faced a nearly empty bank account and crushing debts. The orchestra’s board of directors couldn’t pay its administrative staff and was forced to lay off everyone.

The situation was so bad, symphony leaders considered canceling concerts or axing their 2013-2014 season altogether.

Then The News-Press publicized their predicament, and donors and supporters rallied to save the day. The following year was one of the symphony’s most successful ones in years.

Now the orchestra plans to permanently close its doors.

“We are so proud of the countless joyous experiences and treasured memories that the Southwest Florida Symphony has provided to residents, visitors and music lovers across our community over 64 years,” Uhler said in the news release. “We are honored to have the longtime support of many donors, supporters and concert goers who have shared our love for orchestral music over the years."

Charles Runnells is an arts and entertainment reporter for The News-Press and the Naples Daily News. To reach him, call 239-335-0368 (for tickets to shows, call the venue) or email [email protected]. Follow at Facebook(@charles.runnells.7), Instagram and Threads (@crunnells1) and X (@CharlesRunnells)

A Lee County woman turned $50 into $1 million after she purchased a Florida Lottery scratch-off ticket at a North Fort Myers convenience store.

Melanie Roff, 63, of North Fort Myers, bought the winning 500X The Cash Scratch-Off game at Brothers Petroleum XI Inc., 916 Pondella Road, the Florida Lottery announced April 17.

Roff took the one-time, lump-sum payment option of $640,000 at the Lottery’s Fort Myers District Office, lottery officials said.

Brothers Petroleum XI Inc. received a $2,000 bonus commission for selling the winning ticket.

Three days earlier, on April 14, a Naples man claimed a $1 million prize from the same game with a ticket purchased at a Publix grocery store on Marco Island.

And just one day later, on April 17, the lottery announced that a Sarasota County man hit the game's jackpot, winning a whopping $25 million ― the largest ever Florida Lottery scratch-off prize.

Can Florida Lottery winners remain anonymous?

No. Florida Lottery winners can't remain anonymous.

According to the Florida Lottery, Florida law mandates that the Florida Lottery provide the winner's name, city of residence, along with the game, date and amount won to any third party who requests the information.

However, Florida Lottery winners' home addresses and telephone numbers are confidential.

Odds of winning Florida Lottery 500X THE CASH Scratch-Off game?

How to play 500X THE CASH Scratch-Off game?

Match any of your numbers or any of the bonus numbers to any winning number to win prize shown for that number.

Get a "2X", "5X", "10X", "20X", "50X", "100X" or "500X" symbol and win 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 or 500 times the prize shown for that symbol! Get a "star" symbol and win double all 40 prizes.

Tickets are $50 each.

What's old is new again.

At least that's how the old saying goes. And it applies to Southwest Airlines, which recently announced it is adding or bringing back a dozen routes, including one to Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) in Fort Myers.

Southwest Airlines announced 12 routes for the winter and holiday season, including one that Southwest Floridians may recognize.

On the "bringing back" list: Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) in Fort Myers.

This news comes on top of news from Delta Airlines earlier this week that it is adding a route later this year from RSW to Salt Lake City International Airport in Utah.

Travel + Leisure reported first reported that Southwest Airlines is relaunching some dormant routes to provide travelers more options to get back and forth to Florida and California.

As always, check the Southwest Airlines website for more information.

Other recent changes coming from Southwest Airlines: Making fares available on Expedia, adjusting Southwest's loyalty program, launching red-eye flights, and partnering with Icelandair.

What Southwest flights are coming back? What new flights are coming?

According to Travel + Air:

Hungry travelers passing through Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) will have fewer food and beverage options starting the evening of April 19.

According to the Lee County Port Authority, Nathan’s, Quiznos, Shula’s Bar & Grill and Starbucks in the center of the main terminal will be permanently closed at the Fort Myers airport as part of the work for the Terminal Expansion Project Phase 1.

These businesses are currently located in the main terminal near the entrance of Concourse C.

Food and beverage closures at RSW: What to know

After the evening of April 19, for food and beverage options pre-security:

What new shops, restaurants are coming to RSW in Fort Myers?

According to this story on news-press.com published late in 2024:

Opened in 2024:

Expected in 2025:

Expected in 2026:

By 2027, the refresh of the existing concourse concessions should be complete.

The Lee County Port Authority will continue to post updates on the airport’s website and Facebook to help travelers and airport users become aware of changes due to construction.