Sanibel Island Reporter/Islander

VOLUME 61, NUMBER 26

By TIFFANY REPECKI trepecki@breezenewspapers.com

Time is running out to visit the Sanibel Historical Museum and Village before it closes for season

Executive Director Emilie Alfino explained that while it is typically open through July, the village will close early this year on May 31 for hurricane repairs. The grounds will reopen for season on Oct 17

“That's our last day open for the abbreviated season We need the time to work on restoring our buildings,” she said, referring to the damages from Hurricane Ian almost eight months ago

Post-storm, the village has reopened four of its nine buildings

“Two of the buildings that are open are traditionally two of our visitors' favorites, the old Bailey General Store and Morning Glories,” Alfino said Called and still known as the Sanibel Packing Company, the Bailey's store at the village is the second one. The original store

was located on a wharf in the San Carlos Bay and was destroyed by the 1926 hurricane The second one was rebuilt farther inland, but still on the Pine Island Sound near the docks Bailey's was always the center of activity on the island It had telephone and telegraph links, and the steamer, ferry and mailboats stopped at its docks Islanders voted there, sent and received mail, and caught up on the news In 1963, the Baileys moved the store to its current Tarpon Bay Road location

A Sears & Roebuck prefabrication, Morning Glories was the Springwood model and cost $2,211 It was milled in New Jersey in 1925 and came in kit form, purchased by Martin and Ada Mayer It arrived in 30,000 pieces by rail and barge from lumber to lighting fixtures and was completed in 1926

See HISTORICAL VILLAGE, page 18

The Sanibel Historical Museum and Village will close early for season this year on May 31.

SANIBEL HISTORICAL MUSEUM AND VILLAGE

Shell museum announces speaker for next lecture

T h e B a i l e y - M a t t h e w s National Shell Museum on Sanibel is continuing with its annual lecture series, which is offered virtually v i a Z o o m a n d f r e e o f charge The next lecture in the series will be:

∫ Today, May 17, at

5 : 3 0 p m : “ M i c r o m o l l u s k s : T h e

Allure of Small Size” with shell museum curator and Science Director Dr José H Leal

Welcome to the world o f m i c r o m o l l u s k s D i d y o u k n o w t h a t a s y o u walk on a sandy beach you may be stepping on h u n d r e d s o f s h e l l s t h e s i z e o f a p i n h e a d ? Micromollusks, by definition, never grow larger than 5 millimeters (0 2 i n c h e s ) D e s p i t e t h e i r small size, the shells of micromollusks can be as attractive as those of their l a r g e r - s i z e c o u s i n s

S c i e n t i f i c s u r v e y s d o n e i n d i f f e r e n t regions of the planet indicate that the largest share of the marine biodiversity of mollusks consists of micromollusks The program will present local and global examples, discuss methods for their sampling, study and photography, and discuss some of the biological constraints prompted by extreme reduction in body sizes

L e a l w a s t h e m u s e u m ' s d i r e c t o r between 1996 and 2013 He received his PhD in marine biology and fisheries from the University of Miami His love for shells and sea life goes back to his child-

See LECTURE, page 18

By TIFFANY REPECKI trepecki@breezenewspapers com

The Sanibel Fire and Rescue District recently honored staff, as well as members of the Sanibel Police Department and Lee County Emergency M e d i c a l S e r v i c e s , with the prestigious Phoenix Award

At the May 10 meeting of the fire d i s t r i c t ' s c o m m i ssion, 10 first respond e r s w e r e r e c o g n i z e d for their life-saving efforts on April 3 At about 2:30 a.m., a call came in about a cardiac arrest at a residence on the east end of Sanibel Officials reported that the patient, Jane Henshaw, was found in cardiac arrest

See EMERGENCY RESPONDERS, page 20

Guest Commentary 4 Web Poll.........................................4 Captiva Current..........................6-7

Classifieds 31

Dr. José H. Leal

County school board adopts Guardian Program policies

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

School District of Lee County who are approved and trained served as an armed “force multipli inside public schools in case of eme gency.

The School Board of Lee County approved a Guardian Program on May 9 to provide additional security and safety on school campuses

“I am going to support this, but do have concerns I have reservation about security overall when I vote the Guardian Program,” Board Mem Cathleen Morgan said

Student and staff safety is a dist ity and Morgan added that she un community expects them to use all tools available

“I think that people think screening and other enhancements will keep trouble out of our schools Infrastructure plans are not being matched I am worried focusing on guns and screening is creating an artificial sense of security, making things complacent We know that children are undone with what is happening on social media I am just worried that by saying we have done these things, we are taking our eyes off of what we need to do at schools every single day,” she said “The point I am trying to make, all this emphasis on guardians and guns, to me, does not do enough in terms of addressing whether or not children feel safe.”

Superintendent Dr Christopher Bernier said school safety is about a climate and culture He said principals and staff are working with students to share that everyone is responsible

“We have to teach that responsibility to our youngest citizens,” Bernier said

There was some pushback from the public, as a few individuals shared their concern over the program, asking the board not to move forward with the policy

D M t ose, a parent and teacher, said staff asked if they think a Guardian m should be implemented He said n looking at an actual shooting that taken place, the person has previusly gone to the school, or currenty attends the school, which gives them an insight of the procedures of where to go, who to target and how to have an effect

“If the schools locked the doors, you have erased 100 percent of the problem We don’t need o put more guns (in school), espelly with the unknown Think of the y of kids. No more guns in the s Vote no,” Montrose said ounty Sheriff’s Office Commander who oversees the School Resource Officers, spoke during the public hearing He told the board that Sheriff Carmine Marceno and the entire LCSO fully supports the program

“Lee County training cadre is bar none,” Miller said, adding that the training is the best in the state and the office will be responsible for training the volunteer guardians

He said they are well prepared, all ready, and looking forward to it

The Guardian Program as approved requires a 160-hour training block, which is more than the 144 hours that are state mandated The guardians will also have shoulder-toshoulder training with SROs during their quarterly active assailant shooter training

“Once they are trained and placed in the school, (they will be) well ready to safeguard any school and react to an active assailant,” Miller said “Out of 67 counties, 46 have the Guardian Program It’s not a brand-new program, but new to us We want to make sure we offer the best training that we can offer that money can buy ”

Bernier said the start of the program will begin

slowly with a small group of people

Before the board voted unanimously, Board Member Debbie Jordan asked a few questions that the community sent to her. Among the first addressed was liability and accountability of those chosen to be guardians in the event of mishaps

Bernier said with guardians being employees of the district, they have the same accountability He said there is accountability for them, and the LCSO as to individuals following proper training and procedures

Board Attorney Kathy Dupuy-Bruno said the district faces liability every single day She said the best thing that the district can do is mitigate it and reduce it as much as possible

That has been attempted in working closely with the LCSO, as well as having training, part of which will be done at the police academy, above the mandated amount, Dupuy-Bruno said There will also be additional procedures that will support the policy, including background checks, psychological tests and drug testing for candidates

Once training has been completed and a certification received, the superintendent will decide whether to appoint an employee candidate as a Guardian The superintendent's decision will be final

“The superintendent will have a say in who to move forward There are a lot of safety nets that will help mitigate any risk the district has,” she said “The liability falls on the district, the sheriff’s office and individuals, if they do not adhere to safety and protocols that are taught If they do not pass the safety, they will not move forward to a recommendation ”

If there are any violations of the safety protocols and expectations, disciplinary actions could include termination, Dupuy-Bruno said

“(If they are) “not following the expectations of the sheriff’s office and safety and security, there will be significant consequences,” she said

FDOT: Motorists should expect lane shifts on causeway

As a part of the Florida Department of Transportation's emergency restoration of the Sanibel Causeway, crews continue work on McGregor Boulevard and the causeway from Port Comfort Road to Sanibel.

The Causeway Islands surrounding the temporary roadway are an active work zone and are closed to public access Beginning May 15, motorists should expect lane shifts through the toll plaza from 8 a m to 3:30 p m for building and lane repairs The work is expected to continue for approximately one month, excluding holidays

The FDOT also reported the following:

∫ Motorists should expect periodic daytime delays for crews to remove trash from the roadway.

∫ Crews continue driving sheet pile around the Causeway Islands and near the toll booth area

∫ Crews continue earthwork on the Causeway Islands

∫ Bicyclists are encouraged to utilize another mode of transportation to travel the causeway.

∫ Pedestrians are not permitted on the Sanibel Causeway

Many oversized vehicles are crossing the causeway to assist with recovery efforts on the islands The FDOT asks that motorists be patient as travel may be slower than usual and obey the posted speed limit of 20 mph Use caution and watch for workers and construction vehicles entering and leaving the road

For more information on the project, visit www.swflroads.com/SanibelCause way.

For questions, contact Jennifer Dorning at Jennifer Dorning@dot state fl us or 239338-7723

Lee County MPO to hold public hearing

The Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organization Board will hold a public hearing on May 19 at 9 a m in Room 118 at the Lee County Administration East Facility, at 2201 Second St., Fort Myers, to consider amending the FY 2022/23

t h r o u g h F Y 2 0 2 6 / 2 7 T r a n s p o r t a t i o n Improvement Program (TIP) to add a Federal Transit Administration grant to buy battery electric buses

The public hearing will also include a m e n d m e n t s t o t h e U n i f i e d P l a n n i n g Work Program (UPWP), the MPO's budget, to add a USDOT Safe Streets for All grant award and to recognize additional carry forward funding along with corresponding task changes.

The MPO board will also consider the Lee and Charlotte-Punta Gorda and Lee

and Collier Joint Transportation Regional Incentive Program priorities and review the draft FY 2024 through FY 2028 TIP that includes the federal and state funded transportation projects in Lee County.

For the public hearing agenda, visit www leempo com

H a r d c o p i e s o f t h e d o c u m e n t s a r e available by contacting the MPO offices at 239-244-2220 Written comments may b e s u b m i t t e d t o d s c o t t @ l e e m p o c o m , faxed to 239-790-2695 or mailed to P.O. Box 150045 Cape Coral, FL 339150045 Written comments received by the end of the business day on May 18 will be presented to the board members Public comments may also be made at the meeting

Web Poll

Previous Web Poll Question

What do you think of the new state law limiting abortion to six weeks?

∫ Agree with it all, 20%

∫ Both agree and disagree, 8%

∫ Disagree with it all, 72%

Current Web Poll Question

Did you attend the Lee County Recovery Task Force's town hall meeting on Sanibel?

∫ Yes, in person ∫ Yes, via Zoom ∫ No, I did not

Legislature grants $625 million for Everglades

By SANIBEL-CAPTIVA CONSERVATION FOUNDATION

Florida’s Everglades is one of the rarest and most unique biodiversity hotspots on the planet In addition to its abundant wildlife and plant habitat, the Everglades also provides storm protection from hurricane surge and flooding, as well as supports our economy through Florida’s $9 2 billion saltwater fishing industry

Everglades restoration is a bipartisan issue and key component of dealing with nutrient pollution in the Caloosahatchee watershed that can result in toxic blue-green algae, red tides, seagrass die-offs, and other ecological disasters

We noted in our legislative wrap-up that the final budget had $50 million set aside in the general fund However, when added together, project and funding included in the 2023-24 state budget for Everglades restoration totals $625 million:

∫ $ 4 2 8 m i l l i o n f r o m t h e L a n d Acquisition Trust Fund

∫ $50 8 million from the General Fund

∫ $ 7 6 2 m i l l i o n f r o m t h e N o r t h e r n Everglades and Estuaries Protection Fund

∫ $70 million for the C-51 Reservoir (an Everglades Restoration project through the South Florida Water Management District)

T h i s l e g i s l a t i v e s e s s i o n a l s o s a w t h e

Guest Commentary

removal of a harmful amendment to SB 540 Local Government Comprehensive Plans that would have given away important lands that are necessary for restoration While the bill ultimately passed, the harmful a m e n d m e n t w a s r e m o v e d T h e S a n i b e lC a p t i v a C o n s e r v a t i o n F o u n d a t i o n s t i l l strongly opposes the bill, and if you haven’t already joined the effort to ask the governor f o r a v e t o , p l e a s e d o s o b y v i s i t i n g

https://myemail constantcontact com/Action-

A l e r t A s k - G o v e r n o r - t o - V E T O - S B540.html?soid=1129379829417&aid=Psej

DNnBZGM

We hope you will join SCCF next year during the legislative session as we reinstate our first post-pandemic “Everglades Action

Guest Commentary

Days” in Tallahassee to promote the continued commitment and funding levels to fully restore our greatest resource, the Florida Everglades

Thank you for your interest in the state legislative process Your voices have made an impact with our lawmakers and in-turn made our community stronger

Visit the 2023 SCCF Legislative Tracker at https ://w w w s ccf org/our-w ork/environmental-policy

Founded in 1967, the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation's mission is to protect and care for Southwest Florida’s coastal e c o s y s t e m s F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , v i s i t www sccf org

Clearing up confusion about next year ’s Sanibel Shell Show

By KAREN SILVERSTEIN

It has come to the attention of the SanibelCaptiva Shell Club that there is some confusion about the 2024 Shell Show to be held March 8-9.

The Sanibel Shell Show is one of the finest and best-known shell shows in the world For many years, our show took place inside The Community House on Sanibel The show includes scientific and artistic exhibits for judging, vendors of world-class shells and a wide variety of artistic creations

It is attended by exhibitors throughout the United States and many other countries The net funds raised at this annual show in recent years, an average of $30,000 per year are given out in grants to institutions doing ground-breaking research in water quality and other local environmental issues

We also give out grants to educational facilities to further the understanding of shell malacology A substantial portion of these funds in recent years has been donated to the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum

a n d S a n i b e l - C a p t i v a C o n s e r v a t i o n Foundation on Sanibel

D u r i n g t h e S a n i b e l S h e l l S h o w , t h e Sanibel Community Association holds events outside on the grounds of The Community

House These events include the sale of floral, jewelry and animal creations made by the SCA’s Shellcrafters, food, a raffle, and sales of raw, mostly local shells Funds raised from these activities are used to support The Community House

The Sanibel-Captiva Shell Club recently made the painful decision to hold our 2024 Shell Show off-island for several reasons:

∫ We are very worried that the Founders Room, where most of our artistic exhibits were displayed, may not be ready for our use in 2024 This space was integral to our show and because of the age of the structure, it may be more complicated to rebuild.

∫ Because of Hurricane Ian, there will be fewer on-island hotel/condo accommodations for our exhibitors, vendors, judges and visitors to use

∫ Continued construction on the Sanibel Causeway could make access to Sanibel impossible for large numbers of people to get to the show

T h e s e v e r y i m p o r t a n t c o n s i d e r a t i o n s have caused us to select a new venue very close to Sanibel the Marriott Sanibel H a r b o u r R e s o r t , l o c a t e d j u s t b e f o r e t h e causeway We needed to make this decision now because other organizations were inter-

ested in renting it for the dates of our 2024 show The surrounding Fort Myers area will be able to support hotel and food requirements for attendees, and there will be no causeway cost incurred by attendees We invited the SCA’s Shellcrafters to join us there, but they have decided to move their sales items inside The Community House in our absence We wish them well with their new plans and will suggest to our participants and attendees that they also attend the SCA’s festival events

We will continue, as we have always done, to promote Sanibel businesses We will encourage our participants, exhibitors, vendors and judges to visit the island and support our businesses and enjoy our beaches

We appreciate this opportunity to clarify this important 2024 event The SanibelCaptiva Shell Club looks forward to seeing you at our 2024 Shell Show at the Marriott on March 8-9

K a r e n S i l v e r s t e i n i s p r e s i d e n t o f t h e Sanibel-Captiva Shell Club She provided the guest commentary on behalf of the club's board of directors. For more information a b o u t t h e c l u b , v i s i t h t t p : / / s a n i b e l s h e l l club com

Lee Elections expands services with new branch

When I first took office as the Lee County Supervisor of Elections in 2017, the population was around 724,000, and we had more than 400,000 registered voters Since then, Lee County has seen tremendous growth, and our voter rolls have expanded as well, with an additional 100,000 voters Lee Elections now serves over 500,000 constituents!

To better accommodate the growing n u m b e r o f v o t e r s , L e e E l e c t i o n s h a s expanded its election services to include Lehigh Acres This expansion ensures that the community has access to the necessary resources for participating in elections This branch will serve as an early voting site beginning in 2024

The grand opening for the Lee County Supervisor of Elections Lehigh Branch Office was held on March 31 I appreciate everyone who took the time to attend this special event! The ribbon-cutting ceremony was truly a memorable experience If you want to relive the moment, y o u c a n v i s i t h t t p s : / / w w w y o u t u b e c o m / w a t c h ? v = X

FdtyhYr3xE to watch the recording

Our Community Education Services Department (CESD) has been active in the community, ensuring reg-

istered voters and those eligible to register to vote are well-informed and prepared for next year's elections Our outreach team strives to provide excellent customer service to the citizens of Lee County through various non-partisan services that include: voter registration drives, voter education presentations, student government elections, and straw polls

We recently concluded our annual High School Voter Registration Challenge and Arts Vote Contest, which helps us engage with the youth of Lee County and educate them about the importance of voter participation My team and I are thrilled to see these initiatives in action and enjoy the opportunity to display the student’s fantastic artwork in our offices.

Next year, we have three elections scheduled, starting with the Presidential Preference Primary in March 2024 Our office has been actively planning and preparing for the 2024 election cycle since the end of 2022 to ensure that everything runs smoothly and in accordance with federal and state laws We're committed to giving every eligible citizen the opportunity to vote, and we're taking a number of steps to make sure that happens

Our team is diligently preparing for the upcoming election while simultaneously balancing a variety of other important responsibilities Among our priorities are the registration of new voters, ensuring accurate voter records, processing vote-by-mail requests, engaging with voters via social media, producing training manuals for poll workers, maintaining our warehouse inventory, ensuring the proper function of voting machines, and collaborating with schools, libraries, summer camps, and other community organizations to promote voter education and registration initiatives Should you require additional information regarding our efforts, please do not hesitate to contact us

It's never too early to start preparing for next year's elections By law, everyone's vote-by-mail requests expired at the end of 2022, so I strongly encourage you to request yours for 2024 as soon as possible View it as an insurance policy in the event of a major hurricane or other unexpected circumstances that could prevent you from voting in person

Stay connected with Lee Elections by following us on social media to stay informed and updated on all things elections

Tommy Doyle is the Lee County Supervisor of Elections For more information, visit https://www lee vote/

Registration open for voluntary pre-kindergarten

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

Registration is currently under way for b o t h t h e s u m m e r a n d f a l l V o l u n t a r y

Prekindergarten Education Program

Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida Chief Executive Officer Susan Block said about 75 percent of eligible children are enrolled in the VPK program throughout the four-county coalition of Hendry, Glades, Lee and Collier counties

“Hendry, Glades and Lee are providers that start their school year program in August Collier, many providers wait until October,” she said

At the last report, Block said they had 6,644 children in the four-county area with a peak in November with more than 6,900 VPK students During the 2021-22 year, Early Learning Coalition reported 7,464 children attended 260 different VPK programs in Lee, Collier, Hendry and Glades counties

“Attending VPK prepares students for t h e k i n d e r g a r t e n e x p e r i e n c e , ” E a r l y

Childhood Learning Services Director

Mary Grace Romo said “Students who have had pre-K typically transition to kindergarten ready to learn ”

Florida is among one of the few states in the nation that offers a free pre-kindergarten experience with the idea of pre-

pared students being ready for kindergarten

“Those who complete VPK and those that do not is significant in terms of how we measure readiness,” Block said

The first Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten p r o g r a m b e g a n d u r i n g t h e 2 0 0 4 - 0 5 school year and has been running steadily ever since

Block said 49 percent of children enrolled in VPK are ready for school, which she said is rather low

“It’s something we really want to encourage families to consider to get their child ready for school,” she said

There are roughly 180 providers in Lee County, including the Children' s E d u c a t i o n C e n t e r o f t h e I s l a n d s o n Sanibel, with the School District of Lee County also being among those offering locations

For the summer VPK program, the s c h o o l d i s t r i c t ' s l o c a t i o n s i n c l u d e Sunshine Elementary School, at 601 Sara A v e , L e h i g h A c r e s , a n d t h e E a r l y Childhood Center, at 3650 Michigan Ave , Suite 4, Fort Myers, from 7:30 a m to 5:30 p.m.

“ E a c h c l a s s r o o m h a s a o n e - t o - 1 2 adult-child ratio,” Romo said “Opening a classroom is contingent on having 12 students and available teaching staff ”

The school district also has a fall program, with two types of VPK programs, with applications currently being taken for the 2023-24 school year. Romo said the district is able to serve 900 students during the fall, depending on filling all teacher vacancies

The summer VPK program consists of 300 hours, while the fall program has 540 hours

The district is looking for teachers with a bachelor’s degree, or hire in early core e l e m e n t a r y e d u c a t i o n w i t h a F l o r i d a teaching certificate in pre-K/primary, or preschool birth to 4, she said

“Our Head Start/VPK program is for income eligible families and focuses on school readiness in combination with comprehensive services available for families

See

Tommy Doyle Guest Commentary

CCP updated on sewer, cell towers and more

By TIFFANY REPECKI trepecki@breezenewspapers com

T h e C a p t i v a C o m m u n i t y P a n e l received updates on the wastewater project and Verizon's plan to install small cell towers on the island at its recent meeting, along with a report on the South Seas Island Resort

update from Sanibel City Manager Dana Souza on the two studies that are being conducted to determine what needs to be done to connect Captiva to its central sewer system and what it will cost

He explained that the study to determine what is needed for Sanibel to collect the effluent from Captiva's properties will begin in early June Once it is complete, the second study to determine the associated costs will start Brown is hoping to

have all of the information in a couple of months

A l s o d u r i n g t h e m e e t i n g , B r o w n reported that he received an update a few weeks ago from the project leader overseeing Verizon’s plan to boost reception by installing five, small cell towers on Captiva

“They have completed all of the permitting, including getting this permitted

See CCP, page 7

County library system offers virtual programs

The Lee County Library System, w h i c h i n c l u d e s t h e C a p t i v a Memorial Library, is offering the following free virtual programming:

Adult programs

∫ Today, May 17: Online Spanish Conversation Club at 6 p m

Are you ready to take your Spanishs p e a k i n g s k i l l s t o t h e n e x t l e v e l ?

Improve your fluency by chatting with adults. Practice speaking Spanish with others on a variety of topics, including current events and everyday situations

I n t e r m e d i a t e t o a d v a n c e d S p a n i s hs p e a k i n g s k i l l s a r e r e c o m m e n d e d i n

order to get the most out of the session Program presented in partnership with t h e S c h o o l D i s t r i c t o f L e e C o u n t y ' s

A d u l t & C a r e e r E d u c a t i o n P r o g r a m

A d v a n c e r e g i s t r a t i o n r e q u i r e d b e f o r e today, May 17, at 6 p m

For more information or to register, visit leelibrary librarymarket com

Questions can also be directed to 239-479-INFO (4636)

Download books, stream video and o t h e r o n l i n e c o n t e n t a t w w w l e e l

more information, call the library at 239-533-4890

The Captiva Memorial Library is at 11560 Chapin Lane, Captiva

CEPD signs off on beach monitoring and receives update

By TIFFANY REPECKI trepecki@breezenewspapers com

T h e C a p t i v a E r o s i o n P r e v e n t i o n District's commission approved a postbeach renourishment monitoring proposal during its recent meeting, as well as heard an update from its lobbyist firm

On May 8, the commissioners voted 40 t o a p p r o v e t h e p r o p o s e d A n n u a l Physical Monitoring Survey and Report from consultant APTIM for a not-toexceed amount of about $69,368 It is for services to conduct the year one, postconstruction monitoring of the renourishment project as required by permit

P r i o r t o t h e v o t e , A P T I M C o a s t a l Market Lead Nicole Sharp explained that it is required monitoring and that the surveying will be conducted from Redfish Pass (R-83) to north of Blind Pass (R109).

“We have to do this every summer,” she said, referring to the conditions of the state permits Commissioner Rene Miville noted that the CEPD conducted a beach survey a few months ago to evaluate the impacts from Hurricane Ian He questioned if conducting this work is redundant

Sharp confirmed that a survey was done in October, but the permits require one during the summer

M i v i l l e a s k e d i f t h e C E P D c o u l d request a waiver from the requirement Sharp reported that the CEPD asked for one last year, so it would not be able to do it again

through the county,” he said, adding that the only thing left is the electrical permitting, which should not present an issue.

Brown shared that Verizon believes the permitting will be finished in July

“That's when they'll start ordering equipment,” he said

However, the project leader explained that there are major supply chain issues that are expected to delay receiving the equipment He could not provide a start time for construction because of it

Also at the meeting, Panel Member Bob Walter provided an update on South Seas' post-hurricane recovery Regional managing director for the resort, he shared the following planned openings:

∫ Mid-late July: Food trucks to service the main beach area

∫ Early summer (July): Captiva Provision Company

∫ L a t e s u m m e r : B a y v i e w F i s h i n g P i e r ( T d o c k ) ; v a c a t i o n r e n t a l s , w i t h a S e p t e m b e r t a r g e t d a t e f o r t h e m a j o r i t y o f t h e h o m e o w n e r s a s s o c i a t i o n s ' r e p a i r s t o b e c o m p l e t e d ; B a y v i e w N o r t h p o o l , i n c l u d i n g s l i d e p o o l a n d T a r p o n B a r ; a n d C l u b C a p t i v a B e a c h ( S u n s e t B e a c h )

CEPD

From page 6

Also at the meeting, the commission received an update from Becker representative Nick Matthews.

He reported that the firm and CEPD staff did secure $400,000 for APTIM's proposed phase II study within the overall budget that will go before the governor If the ask survives a veto, the funding would be available starting July 1 He recommended gathering letters of support to submit to the governor

∫ November: New golf course, with a target date of around Thanksgiving

∫ Late 2023: Harborside Bar and Grill; and Red Fish Grille

∫ Early 2024: Bayview Pavilion and Event Lawn; and Harborside Hotel Guest Rooms and Suites depending on ongoing conversations with Lee County regarding FEMA's 50% rule

In other news

∫ Vice President David Mintz reported that he is compiling a list of Captiva's needs for consideration as part of the five-year, capital improvement plan that the Lee County Recovery Task Force is drafting.

“I think we need to be part of this whole program and get our needs in there,” he said

Mintz ran through the list with the panel, which included the sewer project, stormwater management, sidewalk construction, beach renourishment, resiliency planning, and undergrounding power lines

“I want to make sure our proposals are submitted as part of Captiva's needs,” he said of the panel's projects “If there's a five-year capital improvement plan, we want to be somewhere in that five years ”

S e c r e t a r y L i n d a L a i r d a s k e d a b o u t funding for dune walkovers and lost parking lot revenue.

M a t t h e w s e x p l a i n e d t h a t h e b e l i e v e s t h e C E P D w i l l b e e l i g i b l e t o a p p l y f o r t h o s e a s k s f r o m a $ 3 5 0 m i l l i o n p o t o f f u n d i n g s e t u p f o r h u r r i c a n e r e c o v e r y a n d t h a t t h e y w i l l a p p l y w h e n t h e y a r e a b l e

Also during the meeting, the commiss i o n e r s d i s c u s s e d t h e A l i s o n H a g e r u p

∫ In his monthly update, Lee County Sheriff's Office

Lt Mike Sawicki reported that he recently participated in a sea turtle lighting survey with code officers. The group started at the South Seas end and worked its way down the beach Officers identified about 75 locations that were in violation

He reminded residents to check their lighting to make sure that it is in compliance Sawicki noted that homes in compliance before may not be now because of the downed vegetation due to the hurricane

On a related note, his team is available to help with readiness plans as hurricane season nears

Sawicki also touched on home and business security as the storm recovery continues He suggested changing security codes or hidden key locations once one's contractor work has been completed

“As you get beyond the repairs, consider making changes,” Sawicki said

He also recommended checking security systems to make sure that they are operating

∫ Panel Member John Jensen reported that owners who are having an issue with iguanas on their Captiva p r o p e r t y c a n c o n t a c t p a n e l A d m i n i s t r a t o r K e n Gooderham and get added to the list

Beach Park and ensuring people are paying to park They asked if the Lee County Sheriff's Office, or even Sanibel, could assist

“The goal is not to write a ticket, but to persuade people to pay,” Chairman Bob Walter said Staff said they would reach out to the LCSO about possible assistance

A l s o a t t h e m e e t i n g , E x e c u t i v e Director Daniel Munt provided an update

on the beach cleanup procedures for a red tide event He reported that if Lee County declines to remove the dead fish, the CEPD can conduct a cleanup of its own

He received a general quote of about $10,000 to do it

M u n t a d d e d t h a t i f t h e s i t u a t i o n involves a dead sea turtle, the CEPD is supposed to contact the Sanibel-Captiva

C o n s e r v a t i o n F o u n d a t i o n f o r r e s e a r c h purposes and they will take care of it

School district reports progress on hurricane repairs

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

The School District of Lee County has completed 81 percent of its hurricane-related repair work orders

On May 9, Superintendent Dr. Christopher Bernier told the Lee County School Board that major roof repairs are continuing throughout the district and they are working very hard to get ahead of the rainy season to have permanent roofs in place

“Roofing repairs have been completed on two of our highly impacted schools, both Success Academy and North Fort Myers High School,” he said “Bids were executed for two additional school roof

Dr. Christopher Bernier

r e p a i r s , D i p l o m a t M i d d l e a n d S k y l i n e School The expectation with that being about a $4 million cost Work is expected to begin following board approval at (the) May 23 (school board meeting) ”

The district is also looking at mitigation opportunities, including improving some of its existing roof systems

“We could go back and just put up shingles on particular roofs. We noticed during the hurricane and the aftermath that utilizing metal roofing, standing seam roofing is much better and will help us with our insurance cost,” Bernier said

The district is working to ensure caseby-case utilization of the standard seam

roofs to prevent some damage if and when another hurricane comes ashore

The installation of flooring, ceiling tiles and new cabinetry continues throughout the district The hope is that before the next school year begins, the major projects will be completed

In addition, Bernier said he is happy to report that the district is working very closely with the Lee County Emergency Operations Center and Lee County commissioners.

“We have finally received payment of approximately o v e r $ 1 2 m i l l i o n f o r o u r s h e l t e r i n g c o s t d u r i n g (Hurricane) Ian I am very proud of our partnership with our community and our county leaders for providing us that opportunity to pay our cost for opening and housing our community during the crisis,” he said

School board approves Audit Consultation Project

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

The School Board of Lee County recently authorized an outside look at its operations

The board has approved a Memorandum of Understanding for an Audit Consultation Project with the Lee County C l e r k o f C o u r t ’ s I n s p e c t o r General Department

Board Member Sam Fisher said it is a big first step in many ways, as the board is looking at rebuilding and promoting public trust and transparency In addition, it will strengthen the

School District of Lee County, he said.

“As stewards of taxpayers’ dollars, it will make sure everything is in the right place It won’t cost taxpayers any additional money,” Fisher said, as they are already paying for it with their tax dollars “I think it’s a big step Again we are making sure we are promoting trust and transparency, as well as helping out the district ”

He added that the memorandum will

make sure the district’s policies and procedures are proper, as there is always room for improvement

Clerk of Court and Comptroller Kevin Karnes shared the Audit Consultation Project Proposal during a March 22 meeting He said he wanted to offer his services to the board as a one-time, no-cost opportunity

i v e w i t h a l i s t o f v a l u ea d d e d r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s w i t h t h e s c h o o l

b o a r d ’ s e x i s t i n g a u d i t f u n c t i o n s , K a r n e s s a i d

The project is designed to promote transparency, enhance public trust, protect tax-

payer funds, strengthen operational policies, procedures and practices and provide value added recommendations The audit is limited to a review of the Internal Audit Department, which includes the organizational structures, staffing levels, policies, procedures and practices

“ A u d i t s a r e a n o p p o r t u n i t y t o g e t a n i n d e p e n d e n t o b j e c t i o n T a k i n g t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o r e v i e w w h a t e x i s t s , c o mp a r i n g w h a t s h o u l d b e a n d c r e a t i n g a p l a n t o g e t t o t h e l e v e l o f e q u i l i b r i u m , ” h e s a i d “ A u d i t s a r e m e a n t t o b e r e a ct i v e , b u i l d c o n f i d e n c e a n d t r u s t i n a p r o c e s s ”

The Memorandum of Understanding will expire on Nov 1, 2024

Sam Fisher

BUSINESS

The family business is selling … what's next?

By JAMES McARTHUR

The time has come, and you’ve decided to sell the business. Congratulations! Your ideas, inspiration, and many years of perspiration have paid off But wait, what do you do now with your time, tale n t , a n d m o n e y ?

Planning for life after closing is as important a s p r e p a r i n g f o r a n d n a v i g a t i n g t h e s a l e process itself

DDWS board elects new board members

Millar gained an early appreciation for clean water and the wildlife dependent upon it while growing up on the Lake Erie shore in Ohio He earned a master's degree at the University of Iowa in urban and regional planning, specializing in urban transportation policy analysis His 40-year career in the transportation field included developing and managing public transportation programs and systems

James McArthur

I f y o u ’ v e e x p e r ienced a sale process, t h e a d v i s o r s y o u ’ v e h i r e d s u c h a s i n v e s tm e n t b a n k e r s , a t t o rneys, and CPA’s have p r e p a r e d y o u f o r a t h r e e - m o n t h t o 1 8month period of working through non-disclosure agreements, Letters of Intent, due diligence, communication with employees, retention of key team members and customers, regulatory restrictions, transaction structure, representations and warranties, earnout provisions, employment agreements, and tax implications. Depending on the size and nature of the firm, the list may be longer Regardless, these are matters related to the business itself

What about you as an owner? Are you ready to navigate the post-sale journey and enjoy the rewards of your hard-earned success?

Selling your business can be a significant life change You may have mixed emotions including relief and accomplishment, as well as uncertainty about the future With proper planning and preparation, the path through the transition can be much easier A few common occurrences sellers have experienced during and after the sale:

∫ Structure of sale proceeds: Depending on the terms, there may be cash at closing as well as seller notes, escrow retention, earn-out provisions, and possibly ongoing employment agreements

∫ Retirement of debt: If the business has outstanding debt, more than likely these obligations will be paid off by sale proceeds, therefore reducing net cash to the seller

∫ Taxes: Deal structure dictates how much of the sale is subject to taxes, again reducing net proceeds

∫ Professional and advisory fees: To the extent necessary, these fees are deducted from seller proceeds at closing

∫ Lifestyle requirements: Determine goals and desires early in the process as they may drive deal structure and timing

∫ Future opportunities: Consider planning for new investments or pursuing other interests

∫ Health and family: Taking care of yourself and loved ones is often a primary goal including spending time with family, planning for health and maintenance, and providing for future generations

∫ Concentration to diversification: Owners are accustomed to investing in themselves given their knowledge and longevity in their respective business

Once the business is sold, many sellers go through an adjustment process as they shift to investing in several companies (equity) and fixed income securities to generate income and protect assets

Organization with respect to your personal financial and legal documents is an important first step in creating a plan for how you will manage your time and money, as well as protect assets after the sale

A t a r e c e n t m e e t i n g o f t h e “ D i n g ” D a r l i n g W i l d l i f e S o c i e t y - F r i e n d s o f t h e R e f u g e ' s B o a r d o f D i r e c t o r s , m e m b e r s v o t e d t o e l e c t t w o i n t o t h e i r f o l d : R o b i n L . C o o k a n d W i l l i a m W M i l l a r T h e y w i l l s e r v e t h r e e - y e a r t e r m s o n t h e b o a r d , s u p p o r t i n g t h e c o n s e r v a t i o n m i s s i o n o f t h e J N “ D i n g ” D a r l i n g N a t i o n a l W i l d l i f e R e f u g e o n S a n i b e l C o o k h a s l i v e d i n L e e C o u n t y f o r t h e p a s t 3 9 y e a r s S h e m e t h e r h u s b a n d 3 8 y e a r s a g o w h e n t h e y w e r e b o t h w o r k i n g o n S a n i b e l , a n d i n 2 0 1 0 , t h e y m o v e d t o t h e i s l a n d . I n 2 0 2 2 , C o o k j o i n e d S u n c o a s t E q u i t y M a n a g e m e n t o n S a n i b e l f o l l o w i n g a c a r e e r i n t h e f i n a n c i a l s e r v i c e s a r e n a , s p e c i a l i z i n g i n p r o v i d i n g w e a l t h m a n a g e m e n t s e r v i c e s t o h i g h - n e t - w o r t h i n d iv i d u a l s , f a m i l i e s , f o u n d a t i o n s , a n d n o n p r o f i t s P r i o r t o j o i n i n g S E M , s h e s e r v e d e i g h t y e a r s a s e x e c u t i v e v i c e p r e s i d e n t o f W e a l t h S e r v i c e s a t T h e S a n i b e l C a p t i v a T r u s t C o m p a n y

Cook stays involved in the community as a member of various organizations and has served on boards for the Captiva Island Historical Society, Gulf Care, and The Community Foundation in Cape Coral In 2013, the American Business Women’s Association recognized her as the Sanibel Captiva American Business Woman of The Year

C o o k h a s c o m p l e t e d t h e A m e r i c a n B a n k e r s Association Graduate School of Banking program at the University of Florida, Certified Wealth Strategist certification, and Certified Trust Fiduciary Advisor She holds the Series 65 Investment Advisor Representative license and is a graduate of the Leadership Cape Coral program

In 2011, Millar retired after serving 15 years as the president and chief execut i v e o f f i c e r o f t h e A m e r i c a n P u b l i c T r a n s p o r t a t i o n Association in Washington, D.C. the principal trade organization for the public transit systems and private sector companies in the field

Bill, his wife and his family first visited SanibelCaptiva in 1997, where they immediately discovered the refuge With its wide variety of birds and natural beauty, it played an important role in them choosing Sanibel as their retirement home After several years renting a home, the Millars purchased one in 2017 They reside there most of the year, spending summers in Sewickley, Pennsylvania

The Millars are actively involved in several Southwest Florida conservation-minded organizations and strongly support the refuge by participating in the DDWS' events and fundraisers

“We are gaining such a wealth of knowledge and experience as we welcome Robin and Bill to the board,” board President Wendy Kindig said “We feel confident they will strengthen our organization and mission during these trying post-hurricane times ”

VIP Realty Group announces top producers

VIP Realty Group announced its top producers for the month of April

Mary Lou Bailey had the top sales She and her family moved to the islands in 1978 Bailey was the VIP All Company Number One Agent in Lee and Collier counties in 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2018 She also has served in several leadership positions with the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors

Deb Smith had the top listings and was the top producer She has a background in accounting and holds the Second Home and Resort Specialist, Sanibel Captiva Island Specialist, Accredited Buyer's Representative and Senior Real Estate Specialist certifications

For more information, call 239-472-5187 or go to SanCapIslandRE com

USPS to host vir tual fob fair

The U S Postal Service will host a free virtual job fair on May 18 at 9 a m via Zoom

It will be for positions in the Central and Southwest Florida area, including rural carrier associates, assistant rural carriers, postal support clerks and city carrier assistants

Attendees will learn what employ-

ment with the Postal Service can offer, including job security, career advancement opportunities and benefits

Scan the QR code with a smart phone camera to link to the event page

For more information about job o p p o r t u n i t i e s , v i s i t https://about usps com/careers/welcome htm

Robin L Cook William W Millar

Deb Smith

Mary Lou Bailey

From page 8

DDWS ‘Society Pages’ now available

The “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge reported that members currently are receiving a copy of the spring/summer issue of the DDWS newsletter, “Society Pages ”

Officials noted that in the front-page photo of the reopening ribbon cutting at the J N “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, the SanCap Chamber used biodegradable confetti in its celebration and refrained from blowing off the “confetti cannon” near the water

To read the newsletter, visit https://www dingdarlings o c i e t y o r g / d o w n l o a d a b l e - f i l e s / 6 4 5 6 7 9 b e 5 8 6 5 ba5f365529a2 pdf

San Cap Community Bank hires Arias

A l e x a n d e r A r i a s h a s j o i n e d S a n i b e l C a p t i v a Community Bank as a loan servicing assistant at the Bridge Branch in Fort Myers

Interactive guide to open island businesses

The SanCap Chamber has a list available of businesses back in operation after Hurricane Ian on Wander: Maps & Navigation The GPS-enabled interactive map also pinpoints beach accesses that have opened, bike parking areas and the user's relative location. Points of interest can be filtered by seven categories Users can download the app from the Apple App Store and Google Play They can also access the map online at tinyurl com/sancapwandermap

Business Notes

H e i s r e s p o n s i b l e f o r p r o c e s s i n g l o a n p a y o f f s , preparing loan verification r e q u e s t s , m a n a g i n g l o a n payoff quotes and assisting in document management

A r i a s h a s o v e r f i v e years of banking experience, as well as a background in the sales industry He attended Valencia C o m m u n i t y C o l l e g e a n d Rasmusen College

Shell Point announces new midrise, building

The Shell Point Retirement Community in Fort Myers recently announced plans to develop a new independent l i v i n g m i d r i s e b u i l d i n g ,

Vista Cay

Located on The Island at Shell Point, it will offer 59 apartment homes on 12 residential floors over two

floors of parking All units will have sunrise or sunset coastal views, with prices starting at $1 175 million There are 15 floorplans available, including lofts and midrise and penthouse residences

With interiors featuring a coastal-modern design, residences will be outfitted with hurricane-rated impact windows and doors, suites with walk-in closets, openplan kitchen designs and stainless steel appliances A Social Room and Terrace on the first residential floor will offer a catering kitchen for special gatherings for residents

Additionally, Shell Point is reorganizing The Island's amenities with the construction of a 100,000-square-foot building, Island Commons It will be a welcoming space for residents to dine and enjoy an array of activities with their neighbors The center will include a community store and market, dining options, fitness room, bank, library, classrooms, and additional amenities for residents

Construction is slated to begin in July and estimated for completion in 2026.

Project partners include architect Perkins Eastman for Vista Cay and BSSW Architects for the Island Commons amenities center Wegman Design Group is the interior designer

Family business

you’ve done for the business is valuable in terms of managing post-closing wealth, minimizing taxes, and developing a longterm/multigenerational financial plan

Fiduciary partners and advisors often assist owners early in the sale process to maximize the effectiveness of planning If the business has operated for many years, there may be sizable capital gains resulting in significant tax liabilities In addition, the business may have attributes that lend themselves to creative estate planning options Certain exemptions for gift-

From page 8

ing assets are due to expire in 2025 Taking advantage of the current provisions, while still in effect, could result in substantial estate tax savings for heirs and beneficiaries A personal advisor should invest the time to learn your family’s history, intentions, goals, and priorities all of which are vital to ensuring a smooth transition from ownership to enjoying life after the sale

James McArthur is senior vice president of Family Office Services at The Sanibel Captiva Trust Company

Alexander Arias

VIP Realty members get CPR cer tified

R e a l t o r s w i t h t h e V I P R e a l t y G r o u p recently received their C P R c e r t i f i c a t i o n s t h r o u g h t h e S a n i b e l F i r e a n d R e s c u e D i s t r i c t O f f i c i a l s r e p o r t e d t h a t V I P ' s offices will soon have defibrillators installed From left, front row, Sanibel Fire and Rescue District Capt John DiMaria, Lt. John Reitenbach, firefighter-EMT Adam Felix and firefighter-paramedics Allen Schelm Alma Angelus; back row, Janka Varmuza, Betsy Kimrey, Teresa Baker, Deb Smith, Judie Anderson, Mary Lou Bailey, Cathy Gerasin, Connie Walters, Mary Morris, Janie Howland, Roberta Schuldenfrei, Jim Hall and Connor Hall

VIP REALTY GROUP

PRESERVING PARADISE

Next event in ‘Emerging from Hurricane Ian’ series set

In collaboration with the city of Sanibel, SanCap Citizens for a Resilient Future will host “Lessons

Learned: Emergency Response” on May 22 from 6 to 8 p m at BIG ARTS on Sanibel and livestream it on the city's Facebook page. It is the third event in the community series “Emerging from Hurricane Ian: Stronger & More Resilient ”

The program will feature professionals who led t h e S a n i b e l - C a p t i v a a n d L e e C o u n t y e m e r g e n c y response to Hurricane Ian With the 2023 storm season approaching, they will shed light on the key lessons learned from the September hurricane The program hosts are Sanibel-Captiva Renewable Energy Working Group Co-chair Bob Moore and SanibelCaptiva Conservation Foundation Coastal Resilience Manager Dr Carrie Schuman Sanibel City Manager Dana Souza is the panel moderator.

The panel members include:

∫ Lee County Public Safety Director Benjamin Abes

∫ Sanibel Fire and Rescue District Fire Chief

Kevin Barbot

∫ S a n i b e l P o l i c e D e p a r t m e n t P o l i c e C h i e f

William Dalton

∫ F I S H of Sanibel-Captiva Executive Director

Maria Espinoza

∫ Sanibel Public Works Deputy Director Scott

Krawczuk

∫ Lee County Sheriff's Office Lt. Mike Sawicki

Attendees will gain insight into the planning and response approaches that were effective in addressing the impacts of the storm, as well as the key learnings that will inform future planning for hurricane response management The panelists will also share the lessons they would like community members to take forward as part of their personal planning for future storms

In addition, the program hosts will provide an update on SanCap Citizens for a Resilient Future They will discuss next steps for community involvement, report back on the results of the community survey taken during the first event in March, gather additional community feedback, and preview the mission and goals of the group going forward

SanCap Citizens for a Resilient Future is an alliance of community organizations and citizens

The goal of the group is to help the community as it r e b u i l d s f r o m I a n a n d t o e x p l o r e l o n g e r - t e r m r e s i l i e n c e m e a s u r e s f o r f u t u r e s t o r m s a n d o t h e r impacts, like sea level rise In addition to community events, it is working on developing workshops, materials, and other resources on a variety of topics related to resilient rebuilding and planning. Additional community participation is invited

Members include the America's Boating Club of Sanibel-Captiva, Captiva Community Panel, Captiva Erosion Prevention District, Children's Education

C e n t e r o f t h e I s l a n d s , c i t y , C l i n i c f o r t h e

Rehabilitation of Wildlife, Committee of the Islands, “ D i n g ” D a r l i n g W i l d l i f e S o c i e t y - F r i e n d s o f t h e

R e f u g e , F I S H , L e e C o u n t y C l i m a t e R

Research seeks to transform HAB management

The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation reported its Marine Lab is leading the field campaign for a water sampling effort that is informing a state-of-the-art artificial intelligence transformer model to better manage t h e w a t e r f l o w f r o m L a k e O k e e c h o b e e t o t h e Caloosahatchee Sample analyses are incorporated into model simulations to help identify the drivers of harmful algal blooms, or HABs, and set targets for needed water quality improvements

The SCCF is collaborating with the University of Florida's Center for Coastal Solutions and other UF researchers to guide water managers in delivering freshwater, while minimizing the negative impacts of nutrient loads from horticultural activities

A distinguishing feature of the model is its ability to pay attention to the most relevant information it has been trained to work with In the project, the team trains the model to learn from years of archived data to forecast variables, such as streamflow, salinity and nitrate concentration

As co-principal investigator, Marine Lab Director Dr Eric Milbrandt is utilizing methods for earlier HAB detection through the River, Estuary and Coastal Observing Network's continuous water quality monitoring stations and a comprehensive, targeted sampling program critical tools in a region where water quality monitoring has largely occurred as a reaction to bloom events

“The modeling used to better predict harmful algal blooms is supported and validated by a field campaign to sample water from Lake Okeechobee to the Gulf of Mexico,” Milbrandt, who leads the sampling effort, said “We collect water quality data and water samples that are delivered to University of Florida researchers Drs Elise Morrison and Ed Phlips Other water samples are run at the SCCF Marine Lab ”

The model learns to read current conditions in the water and a region’s weather forecast, then accurately makes predictions up to 14 days for the area being studied Transformers models’ capacity to extract information from large datasets has led to better performance, compared to previous methods of hydrological modeling, and can model a wider range of variables

Project team members Morrison, an assistant professor at the Engineering School of Sustainable Infrastructure and Environment, and Phlips, a professor at the School of Forest, Fisheries and Geomatic Sciences in the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, are developing novel water quality sampling methods to identify the specific nutrient sources fueling HABs, their origin and their impact on phytoplankton algae communities

Milbrandt stressed the importance of a concentrated scientific focus on the ecosystem.

“We live and work on a barrier island with limited local expertise, so this project is exciting because of the depth and breadth of new tools and knowledge that will

be brought to the region to help tackle water quality declines,” he said. “HABs are causing many negative effects, from fish kills, to large hypoxic (low-oxygen) zones, to blue-green algae blooms that clog up our waterways, all of which negatively affect our tourism-based economy ”

The SCCF reported that the next step is to apply the transformer model in real-time, with data from weather forecasting agencies to automate predictions on a day-today basis

This work is part of a project to integrate lake, watershed and estuarine models to guide water management in mitigating the impact of HABs The project is a partnership between UF, the University of South Florida, North Carolina State University and SCCF, with funding support from the U S Army Corps of Engineers

T h e s t u d y i s a m u l t i - p r o n g e d a p p r o a c h b y U F researchers and their collaborators on a phenomenon that h a s p l a g u e d c o a s t a l e c o s y s t e m s , p a r t i c u l a r l y i n Southwest Florida, with greater frequency

A study conducted by UF and published in 2020 showed that over a 16-year period, there were 28 times when a Florida county experienced a month with 15 or more days of red tide presence All of them occurred in one of six counties Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee or Collier which comprises 200 miles of coastline in Southwest Florida

Center for Coastal Solutions Associate Director Dr David Kaplan and a team of center-affiliated scientists and engineers from UF, the University of South Florida, North Carolina State University and SCCF received $2 3 million from the Army Corps in 2021 to study how water and nutrients flowing from Lake Okeechobee and the Caloosahatchee River watershed interact with tides, currents and waves at the coast to affect coastal water quality The financial support extends through September 2024

Monitors needed for Beach Bucket Stations

Coastal Watch reported that Beach Bucket Stations will be installed at various access points on Sanibel, and volunteers are needed to help maintain the stations and report any issues Volunteers will check for damaged or missing buckets; report any issues with the stations, such as broken hooks and scales; make sure trash has been removed from buckets; and rinse b u c k e t s , i f n e e d e d T o s i g n u p , v i s i t https://docs google com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeJURyjWkcH

Coastal Watch is part of the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation family.

COASTAL WATCH

SANIBEL-CAPTIVA CONSERVATION FOUNDATION

Oyster Recycling Program preparing to star t

Coastal Watch thanked Advisory Committee Members Bob Brooks, Pete Squibb, Carl Smigiel and Dick Bourdow for helping to assemble the oyst e r b i n a t t h e S a n i b e l - C a p t i v a C o n s e r v a t i o n Foundation's headquarters at 3333 Sanibel-Captiva Road, Sanibel It is where volunteers for its Oyster Recycling Program will drop off their collected oyster shells when the program begins Part of the SCCF family, Coastal Watch is still seeking volunteers for the program, which recycles shells from local restaurants back into local waters to build oyster reefs Volunteers pick up five-gallon buckets of oysters from the restaurants and transport them to SCCF's headquarters. They must use their own vehicle and be able to lift 20-25 pounds To sign up, visit https://docs google com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSejaNv cc-gdPKIvhj0DFmuhjCpudILAlX9KVsRlPz0fklN l g/viewform

COASTAL WATCH

Monitoring freshwater inflows to Caloosahatchee estuary

By ISABELLA McDONNELL

The Caloosahatchee estuary contains a multitude of life and is a nursery for a variety of species. Oysters, fish and other marine creatures begin their lives in estuaries, where there is food, shelter and a gradient of salinity that supports a variety of ecosystems

Freshwater inflows can dramatically alter the salinity of estuaries impacting the health, survival, growth and reproduction of marine life that utilize the estuary during part of or all of their life cycle As we approach the wet season, SCCF Marine Lab researchers, including research associate Leah Reidenbach, are tracking the amount of freshwater entering the Caloosahatchee estuary system, specifically Lake Okeechobee outputs

“ C u r r e n t l y , t h e c o m b i n e d f l o w s f r o m L a k e Okeechobee and the Caloosahatchee watershed are conducive to salinity ranges that are optimal for oyster spat development in the mid-estuary,” she said last week

Reidenbach added that steady flows from the lake of about 2,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) throughout the dry season have promoted a zone of salinity from the Midpoint Bridge to the Iona area of approximately 10-20 practical salinity units (psu), which is ideal for oyster spat

Millions of fish, oysters and other marine creatures begin their lives after a spawning event Spawning and the success of eggs and larvae afterward can be highly impacted by changes in salinity

Sedentary animals, like oysters and clams, reproduce by releasing their gametes into the water when environmental cues indicate conditions are optimal When sperm fertilizes the eggs in the water column, the estuary can be filled with the beginnings of hundreds of individuals

When the eggs develop, the young of many species

start their lives in the “nursery” system of the estuaries Among the oyster reefs and seagrass beds, small eggs can be hidden from predators and young animals have a multitude of food sources and shelters

Seasonal fluxes in salinity impact the base of the food web, phytoplankton, zooplankton and algae Increases in freshwater increase nutrient availability and decrease benthic primary production due to decreased light penetration with murkier water.

Dramatic decreases in salinity can decrease the abundance of estuarine residents and marine species that use estuaries as nurseries, evoking stress responses or emigration, resulting in a decrease in biodiversity

“Our biggest concern with the lake being too high for this time of year is that flows will be too high once the wet season begins, which also corresponds with oyster s p a w n i n g s e

Reidenbach said

If flows increase to over 3,000 cfs for an extended period during the wet season, there could be a detriment to oyster recruitment and growth.

Increased human population in coastal areas has led to

greater freshwater inputs into the estuary Hard surfaces like roads, driveways and foundations lead to greater runoff instead of absorption, draining fresh water and pollutants to the coasts This is multiplied by those living in the Lake Okeechobee Watershed The water in Lake Okeechobee is released into the Caloosahatchee estuary depending on the level of the lake

Oysters are an incredibly important part of the ecosystem, as they filter water and provide shelter and food for other animals Oyster reefs also protect against erosion and serve as a natural breakwater during storms

I n c r e a s e d f r e s h w a t e r i n f l o w t o t h e e s t u a r y c a n increase predation and decrease food sources Many marine organisms are affected by these changes SCCF research is informing advocacy efforts to urge water m a n a g e r s a n d p o l i c y m a k e r s t o p r o t e c t t h e Caloosahatchee estuary from harsh changes in salinity that could negatively impact local marine life

Isabella McDonnell is a research assistant for the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation. For more information, visit www sccf org

SANIBEL-CAPTIVA CONSERVATION FOUNDATION

Isl and lIvIng

SPD releases weekly blotter

As Sanibel continues to recover from Hurricane Ian, the Sanibel Police Department is committed to keeping the community safe and secure To support that effort, a weekly police blotter will be issued on Tuesday that will include real time information about law enforcement response to criminal activity

Arrests

∫ Juan Bautista Marquez Gonzalez, 42, of 4 Fairview St., Maryland City, Maryland, was charged on May 7 with DUI unlawful blood alcohol 0 15 or higher or with person under 18 in vehicle

∫ Michael Allen Wassel, 44, of 5226 Richmond Ave , Fort Myers, was charged on May 7 with DUI unlawful blood alcohol DUI influence of alcohol or drugs

Other enforcement actions

∫ On May 4, a traffic stop was initiated on a vehicle for speeding The driver was issued a notice to appear for never having a driver's license issued

∫ On May 6, officers were advised of an approximately 8-foot alligator that was being fed by workers in the area The state trapper removed the alligator after officers confirmed its presence

Enforcement

non-emergency calls: 52

∫ Traffic crashes: 1

∫ Traffic stops: 44 Citations issued: 15 Written warnings issued: 5

∫ Field interviews: 4

∫ Residential area checks: 758

∫ Business area checks: 273

∫ Total area checks: 1,386

∫ Reported burglaries: 2

∫ Reported thefts: 0

∫ Total CAD calls: 1,731

From May 2023 to date:

∫ Alarm calls (business and residential): 5

∫ Non-emergency calls: 59

∫ Traffic crashes: 1

∫ Traffic stops: 54 Citations issued: 18

Written warnings issued: 7

∫ Field interviews: 4

∫ Residential area checks: 861

∫ Business area checks: 340

∫ Total area checks: 1,599

∫ Reported burglaries: 2

∫ Reported thefts: 1

∫ Total CAD calls: 1,997

Impor tant reminders

Updated information on the Sanibel Boat Ramp:

∫ The boat ramp is open to permit holders on weekdays, weekends and holidays

∫ The boat ramp is open to the public (non-permit holders) on weekdays that are not holidays for a $40 daily fee

∫ There is no beach access at the Sanibel Boat Ramp at this time

∫ Commercial use of the boat ramp is prohibited

∫ Fines for violations at the boat ramp are $250 Roadside parking on Sanibel is not allowed except in the case of special events requiring a permit. It is

Sanibel library offers mix of programs

The Sanibel Public Library provides a variety of programming for adults and children

W i t h s u p p o r t f r o m t h e S a n i b e l P u b l i c L i b r a r y Foundation, the library has launched a series of virtual author talks to include bestselling authors and thought leaders The next lecture will be held on May 20 at 2 p m and will feature Edgar and Odyssey Award winner Courtney Summers, the New York Times bestselling author of “Sadie ”

The Sanibel Public Library will host a virtual author talk on May 20 with Courtney Summers.

She is the bestselling and critically acclaimed author of several novels for young adults, including “Cracked Up to Be,” “All the Rage” and “Sadie ” Summers' work has been released to multiple starred reviews, received numerous awards and honors including the Edgar Award, John Spray Mystery Award, Cybils Award, Odyssey Award, and International Thriller Award and has been recognized by many library, “Best Of” and Readers' Choice lists

See LIBRARY, page 15

Island students take par t in GradVenture

Eighth-graders from The Sanibel School recently visited Universal Studios in Orlando for their 8th Grade GradVenture The school reported that the students had

“an absolute blast,” and it thanked everyone who worked to make the trip happen for the eighth-graders THE SANIBEL SCHOOL

MEGHAN GUNTER

PHOTO PROVIDED

A Project HOPE volunteer responds to hurricane relief efforts Stop by the Sanibel Public Library on May 22 from 10 a m to 2 p m to get information from representatives from CPE Project HOPE.

Kendall named Merit Scholar

Canterbury School student Lara Jean Kendall, of Sanibel, is a National Merit $2500 Scholarship recipient

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced the winners on May 10

The 2,500 Merit Scholars were chosen from a pool of more than 15,000 finalists in the 2023 National Merit

Library

From page 14

A question-and-answer session with the author will follow

To register for the author talk, visit https://libraryc org/sanlib/upcoming

Additionally, the library has scheduled upcoming programs

Family Storytime for ages 5 and under will be held on Thursdays from 11 to 1 1 : 4 5 a m w i t h M e g a n W i l l i s Participants will sing, read, question, and move around during the stories, followed by early literacy centers of play to flex minds, motor skills, and creativity, which includes an art/craft center The program is designed for children and accompanying adults No registration required

O n M a y 2 2 , s t o p b y t h e l i b r a r y f r o m 1 0 a m t o 2 p m t o g e t i n f o r m a t i o n f r o m r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s f r o m C P E P r o j e c t H O P E

Blotter

From page 14

enforced and can result in a $150 fine

Some beach park facilities on Sanibel are still closed For more information on S a n i b e l b e a c h e s , v i s i t h t t p s : / / w w w m y s a n i b e l c o m / g o v e r n m e n t / p u b l i c - w o r k sd e p a r t m e n t / u s e f u l - l i n k s / p a r k s - p u b l i cbeaches

Dewatering of a pool or spa directly

Education Notes

Scholarship Program The winners are the finalists in each state judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills, and potential for success in rigorous college studies

d m i s s i o n s o f f i c e r s a n d h i g h s c h o o l c o u n s e l o r s , w h o a p p r a i s e d i n f o r m a t i o n s u b m i t t e d b y t h e f i n a l i s t s

P r o j e c t H O P E p r o v i d e s i n f o r m a t i o n , e m o t i o n a l s u p p o r t , a n d l i n k s t o m e n t a l h e a l t h a n d o t h e r r e s o u r c e s f o r p e o p l e a f f e c t e d b y d i s a s t e r s T h e g o a l s o f P r o j e c t H O P E a r e t o : a s s e s s t h e e m o t i o na l n e e d s o f s u r v i v o r s a n d m a k e r e f e r r a l s t o c o m m u n i t y a g e n c i e s a s n e e d e d ; i d e nt i f y n e e d s a n d l i n k s u r v i v o r s t o c o m m un i t y r e s o u r c e s a n d d i s a s t e r r e l i e f s e r v i ce s , a n d p r o v i d e e m o t i o n a l s u p p o r t , e d uc a t i o n , b a s i c c r i s i s c o u n s e l i n g , r e s o u r c e m a t e r i a l s , a n d c o n n e c t i o n s t o f a m i l y a n d c o m m u n i t y s u p p o r t s y s t e m s N o r e g i s t r at i o n r e q u i r e d

For the most up-to-date information, visit the calendar at www sanlib org

The Sanibel Public Library District's B o a r d o f C o m m i s s i o n e r s i s a c c e p t i n g applications to fill the term for a vacated

into a waterbody, into the city’s stormwater system or onto any third-party’s property without the third party’s consent is expressly prohibited Solicitation is not allowed on Sanibel Please share any photos of solicitation hang tags to police@mysanibel com or use Tip411.

a n d t h e i r h i g h s c h o o l s : a c a d e m i c r e c o r d , i n c l u d i n g d i ff i c u l t y l e v e l o f s u b j e c t s s t u d i e d a n d g r a d e s e a r n e d ;

s c o r e s f r o m t h e P r e l i m i n a r y S A T / N a t i o n a l M e r i t

S c h o l a r s h i p Q u a l i f y i n g T e s t ; c o n t r i b u t i o n s a n d l e a d e rs h i p i n s c h o o l a n d c o m m u n i t y a c t i v i t i e s ; a n e s s a y w r i tt e n b y t h e f i n a l i s t ; a n d a r e c o m m e n d a t i o n w r i t t e n b y a h i g h s c h o o l o f f i c i a l

seat The board plans to appoint one person to fill the seat for a two-year term The deadline for applications is by May 18 Submit application, along with resume, biography narrative or statement of interest, to notices@sanlib org or drop it off at the library For an application or more information, visit www.sanlib.org.

Library cards are available to residents of Sanibel and Lee County at no charge Visitor library cards are available for a $10 annual fee

The Sanibel Public Library is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a m to 5 p m

For more information, call 239-4722483 or visit www sanlib org

The Sanibel Public Library is at 770 Dunlop Road, Sanibel

Repor ting suspicious activity

Anonymous tips regarding crimes or suspicious activity can be submitted via Tip411:

∫ Text the keyword SANIBEL then your tip to 847411

∫ W e b t i p s c a n b e s u b m i t t e d a t https://www tip411 com/tips/new?alert g

SANIBEL PUBLIC LIBRARY

Family Storytime with Megan Willis features crafts on Thursdays at the Sanibel Public Library

roup id=22450

∫ Use the free “Sanibel PD” app for your Android or iOS device

The SPD's non-emergency line is 239472-3111

F i n d t h e S P D o n F a c e b o o k a t https://www facebook com/SanibelPolice .

Safe at Sea

Tips to mark National Safe Boating Week

By PAT SCHMIDT

For National Safe Boating Week (May 20-27), the America’s Boating Club of Sanibel-Captiva presents a series of broad steps for you to remain not only safe, but afloat and heading toward your destination

Every experienced knowledgeable boater especially those who have taken our courses are wellversed about “The General Rule of Responsibility,” which states that it is the boat captain’s responsibility to take whatever action necessary to prevent collision, even if it is in “violation” of the “Rules of the Road ”

∫ Study and carry Chart 2 5 E.

T h i s c h a r t c o v e r s t h e s u r r o u n d i n g w a t e r s o f Sanibel and Captiva and will inform you of the intricate coastal waterways, to include channel depths, canal entries, et cetera

∫ It is shallow out there!

∫ Follow markers whenever possible.

This is particularly important, yet challenging, following Hurricane Ian as many markers are down or incorrectly placed Be overly cautious

∫ Know the tide stage.

∫ Study the chart before entering unknown water

∫ Create a GPS route to navigate unknown water.

∫ Leave a GPS track.

∫ Learn to read the water

Color changes and surface changes = Caution!

Flats are large expanses of shallow water: Do not cross!

Bars are generally tan color Stay clear!

Grass humps appear darker than surrounding water Beware!

An area of unusually fast water may indicate an underwater obstruction Proceed slowly

It is easier to read water on sunny days; use caution on cloudy days.

∫ Have a Vessel Safety Check.

Does your boat comply with federal, state, and local safety requirements? Do you know what those requirements are? Vessel Safety Checks are a free public service provided by our club For more information, visit our website or call 612-987-2125

∫ Join our club.

This one simple step will offers nautical courses for everyone from the novice to the veteran boater, particularly those new to the area In addition, there are a wealth of benefits that members receive, ranging from discounts on boater's insurance and towing insurance, to vacation travels on the water and on the land For more information about memberships, visit our website or call 612-987-2125

Pat Schmidt is a member of America’s Boating Club of Sanibel-Captiva For more about the chapter and its courses, visit www sancapboating club or contact Commander@SanibelCaptivasps org

Sanibel FlyFishers to hold luncheon

The Sanibel FlyFishers will hold its monthly luncheon on May 18 at 1 p m at the Deep Lagoon Seafood and Oyster House, at 14040 McGregor Blvd , Fort Myers

Attendees are welcome to enjoy lunch, fellowship and perhaps a tall tale or two

In addition, membership dues for 2023 were due in January. To renew a membership, visit https://www.sanibelff org/membership/p/annual-membership For questions, contact membership coordinator Dick Bourdow at dbourdow@aol com F

o r e i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t t h e c l u b , v i s i t https://www sanibelff org/

Playground reopens with help from volunteers

T h e c i t y o f S a n i b e l r e p o r t e d t h a t t h e S a n i b e l R e c r e a t i o n C e n t e r a n d T h e S a n i b e l S c h o o l ' s p l a y g r o u n d r e o p e n e d o n M a y 8 t o t h e c h i l d r e n o f t h e c o m m u n i t y a f t e r b e i n g c l o s e d f o r o v e r s e v e n m o n t h s p o s t - H u r r i c a n e I a n I t t h a n k e d a l l o f t h e v o l u n t e e r s w h o p i c k e d u p d e b r i s , p u l l e d w e e d s , s h o v e l e d a n d r a k e d m u l c h o n M a y 6 t o h e l p t h e i s l a n d s a c h i e v e y e t a n o t h e r p o s i t i v e s t e p f o r w a r d T h e p l a y g r o u n d i s o p e n t o t h e p u b l i c o n M o n d a y t h r o u g h F r i d a y f r o m 2 : 1 5 t o 5 p m a n d S a t u r d a y f r o m 8 a m t o 5 p m I t i s a t 3 8 8 0 S a n i b e l - C a p t i v a R o a d , S a n i b e l

DDWS reports on refuge programming and more

T h e “ D i n g ” D a r l i n g Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge provided the following updates for the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel:

∫ T h r o u g h M a y , a mini-exhibition of Artisti n - R e s i d e n c e J a c q u i R o c h ' s r e f u g e - i n s p i r e d

work is on display in the V i s i t o r & E d u c a t i o n Center Auditorium

∫ The annual “Ding” Darling & Doc Ford’s Tarpon Tournament will take place on May 19

Limited spots remain To register, visit http://events r20 constantcontact com /register/event?oeidk=a07

ejj8brfy5a151866&llr=zqfaenea

∫ Free Summer Programs will run from June 11 through Aug 5 F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , v i s i t https://www.dingdarlingsociety.org/ articles/free-refuge-programs

∫ Art in the Wild Day will take place on Oct 21 at the refuge For m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , v i s i t https://www dingdarlingsociety org/ articles/art-in-the-wild

REFUGE/DDWS During

Wildlife Drive admission buys three

Summer fees for Wildlife Drive

Recreation center registering youth for Fun Days

The Sanibel Recreation Center is accepting registrations for Fun Days on June 7-9 from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the center, at 3880 Sanibel-Captiva Road, Sanibel

It will offer a variety of farm-themed craft activities, games and swim time

Enrollment is available for kindergarteners through eighth-graders

Each child will need to bring a lunch, water, swimsuit, goggles, towel and sunscreen

For June 7, the cost is $30 50 for members and $40 75 for non-members for those registered on or

before May 24 The cost is $36 75 for members and $49 for non-members for those registered by May 31. The cost is $38 25 for members and $51 for non-members for those registered on or after June 1

For June 8, the cost is $30 50 for members and $40 75 for non-members for those registered on or before May 25 The cost is $36 75 for members and $49 for non-members for those registered by June 1 The cost is $38 25 for members and $51 for non-members for those registered on or after June 2

For June 9, the cost is $30 50 for members and

$40 75 for non-members for those registered on or before May 26. The cost is $36.75 for members and $49 for non-members for those registered by June 2 The cost is $38 25 for members and $51 for non-members for those registered on or after June 3

The center offers daily, weekly, semi-annual and annual memberships

For more information or to register, call 239-4720302 or 239-395-1860 or visit www mysanibel com

Deadline approaching for SBA disaster loan

T h e U S S m a l l B u s i n e s s Administration's disaster loan deadline is nearing The deadline for small businesses that would like to apply for the SBA

Working Capital Disaster Loan due to Hurricane Ian is June 29 Small businesses that sustained a substantial economic loss are encouraged to apply for it

Pre-kindergarten

and children Families who meet lowincome requirements, receive the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Social Security Income (SSI), or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families are eligible for Head Start,” Romo said “Head Start offers comprehensive services such as health, social services, mental health, and family engagement ”

The other VPK program is Title I/VPK and is open to families zoned for a Title I school, which also serves families that qualify as low-income

“This program focuses on school readiness and family engagement,” Romo said The only requirements to participate in

From page 5

the VPK program is the child has to be a Lee County resident and proof of age of the child turning 4 years old on, or before, Sept 1

“The registration process is very simple People can go online and register They can walk into our office for support to move that application along,” Block said

There was an upgrade three years ago to the rules for children whose birthday is late, or have not already completed the VPK program are still eligible, she said

“Its not a mandatory program Families can choose to send their child to VPK There is no charge for the program itself,”

For more information or assistance, contact SBA disaster assistance customer service at 800-659-2955 from 8 a m to 8 p m Monday to Friday People can also

B l o c k s a i d “ W e w a n t V P K c h i l d r e n enrolled before the start of the program If a provider has space, they are likely to still enroll a child This is the perfect time of the year to enroll ”

The VPK program, by statute, is developmentally appropriate focusing on preacademic skills, such as language skills, mathematics, emotional and social skills

“This year, in order to teach VPK, there are certifications surrounding emergent literacy because we know how important that skill set is setting them up for kindergarten,” she said “Those teachers have been trained on how to support the development of emerging literacy skills ”

gov

additional information, visit https://disasterloanassistance sba gov/ela/s/

T h e E a r l y L e a r n i n g C o a l i t i o n o f Southwest Florida is the manager of the VPK program, Block said, the administrative arm for the state “ W h e n p a r e n t s a p p l y , t h e y a p p l y t h r o u g h t h e o n l i n e p o r t a l T h e y c a n upload proof of residency and birth and the Coalition approves that request for the VPK certificate,” she said “Parents, or guardians go through specific providers to enroll with a certificate in hand ” Families can apply for the VPK vouche r a t v p k s w f l o r g , o r v i s i t t h e E a r l y L e a r n i n g C o a l i t i o n , a t 2 6 7 5 W i n k l e r Ave , Suite 300, Fort Myers, from 8 a m to 5 p m Monday through Friday

Historical village

From page 1

Originally located on the San Carlos Bay, it represents a typical winter home on Sanibel in the 1920s and 1930s. The cottage was named Morning Glories after the blue flowers that grew on the island

Shore Haven and the Caretakers' Cottage have also reopened in the aftermath of the storm

A sister home to Morning Glories, Shore Haven is also a Sears and Roebuck kit house that was purchased in 1924 by Ross and Daisy Mayer In the early 1920s, the Mayer brothers landed on the beach fronting the San Carlos Bay Deciding to live side-by-side, the families built Shore Haven and Morning Glories and shared facilities, including a bath house, an artesian well and a generator

The two-story Verona model home, Shore Haven's exterior was restored to its 1924 look, with the exception of the sun porch The structure also serves as the village's administrative building

The Caretakers' Cottage was built after 1925 behind the Mayers Over the years, it served as a guest house, bath house, caretakers' cottage and annex In the 1950s and '60s, Hannah and Isaiah Gavin, after farming and living on Sanibel for decades, stayed there to help widowed Daisy Mayer with housework and gardening The cottage was donated and moved to the village, along with Shore Haven, in 2012

In addition to the four buildings, there are a handful of exhibits for visitors to take in

“We have the brand-new Sanibel Lighthouse exhibit, with blown-up photos of before and after the hurricane,” Alfino said, noting that it is in Shore Haven “We have the lens from the lighthouse ”

“We have the Sanibel Plan, we have a small exhibit on that,” she added, explaining that Shore Haven also features information and photos about each of the nine historical buildings on the grounds

Inside of the Caretakers' Cottage, the Black History exhibit features pictures and explanatory posters about the early Black families on the islands, along with memorabilia provided by the Gavins, Walkers and Jordans There is also a video where descendants speak to their experiences and family's history

When the village closes for season, restoration is anticipated to begin immediately on the buildings still closed: Miss Charlotta's Tea Room, the Burnap Cottage, Rutland House, post office and schoolhouse

“We are waiting for the closure and for the city,” Alfino said “The city owns the buildings and is, more or less, responsible for the repairs they're doing the assessments and structural reports ”

She reported that Miss Charlotta's Tea Room needs a new roof Officials are waiting on a structural engineering report to see if the Burnap Cottage is racked on its foundation The Rutland House's floors were saltwater washed in the surge, and the back room and gift shop will need a full reconstruction

“The schoolhouse is totally racked,” Alfino said “There's a good chance it's going to have to be taken down and rebuilt using the same materials That's not going to be ready for reopening in October ”

The post office is in good shape It is closed because it is near the damaged buildings and is small

“The goal and the hope is that we will reopen everything, except the schoolhouse,” she said

Residents and visitors are invited to stop by before the seasonal closure

“There's a lot to see and people who have been coming have been having a good time,” Alfino said

“And they can also walk the grounds, they can view the buildings from the outside,” she added “So you can still have that whole educational experience even through you can't go in all of the buildings ”

Through May, the Sanibel Historical Museum and V i l l a g e ' s o p e r a t i n g h o u r s a r e T u e s d a y s t h r o u g h

Lecture

From page 1

hood years in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Leal was an assistant editor for Sea Frontiers Magazine (Miami), a visiting professor at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle (Paris), and postdoctoral fellow at the S m i t h s o n i a n I n s t i t u t i o n ' s N a t i o n a l

Museum of Natural History (Washington, D C ) He holds honorary faculty posi-

Thursdays from 10 a m to 1 p m , with guided tours at 10:30 a m Admission is a suggested donation

The monies will contribute to operations, re-landscaping, and interior exhibit rehabilitation work that will be required once the restoration repairs to the exterior of the buildings are substantially completed

For more information, visit www.sanibelmuseum.org or contact 239-472-4648 or info@sanibelmuseum org

tions at the University of Miami and Florida Gulf Coast University, where he is a n a f f i l i a t e m e m b e r o f t h e C o a s t a l Watershed Institute Leal is also a past president of the American Malacological S o c i e t y a n d t h e C o n c h o l o g i s t s o f A m e r i c a , p a s t b o a r d m e m b e r o f t h e F l o r i d a A s s o c i a t i o n o f M u s e u m s , a n

To support the village's post-hurricane recovery, visit https://donate.sanibelmuseum.org/.

The Sanibel Historical Museum and Village is at 950 Dunlop Road, Sanibel

a c c r e d i t a t i o n p e e r r e v i e w e r f o r t h e

American Alliance of Museums, and editor of The Nautilus S h e l l m u s e u m E x e c u t i v e D i r e c t o r S a m A n k e r s o n w i l l p r o v i d e t h e i n t r od u c t i o n f o r t h e l e c t u r e , a l o n g w i t h a n u p d a t e o n t h e m u s e u m p o s t - H u r r i c a n e

I a n

Advance registration is required For more information or to register, v i s i t h t t p s : / / w w w s h e l l m u s e u m o r g / online-lectures

The Bailey-Matthews National Shell M u s e u m i s a t 3 0 7 5 S a n i b e l - C a p t i v a Road, Sanibel.

SANIBEL HISTORICAL MUSEUM AND VILLAGE

The Sanibel Historical Museum and Village recently unveiled its new “Lighthouse” exhibit

Emergency responders

“They proceeded to conduct life-saving treatments,” Capt. John DiMaria said of the group of fire, police and EMS staff that responded “They were able to get a heartbeat back, a heart rhythm back ” Henshaw was then transported to the hospital for further treatment

At last week's meeting, she was in attendance to present those first responders with their award

Prior to the presentation, Fire Chief Kevin Barbot talked about the training staff undergo for critical situations like this. He praised the three agencies for working together and the success of their efforts

“Every life matters,” Barbot said The Phoenix Award recognizes first responders who successfully bring back to life individuals who were in cardiac arrest and who make a full recovery from the incident, according to fire officials

F i r e f i g h t e r R o b e r t B e l l , S P D S g t Jarred Ciccone, EMS paramedic Mike Cunningham, SPD Officer Kyle Eckert, fire Capt. Chris Jackson, SPD dispatcher C o

a n Moore, firefighter Michael Tejeda, SPD

Members of the Sanibel Fire and Rescue District, Sanibel Police Department and Lee County EMS were honored with Phoenix Awards at the May 10 meeting of the fire district's commission They received the award for their response during a cardiac arrest call on April 3 involving Jane Henshaw, pictured in the center with her husband, John

From page 1

“I know the community is very proud of our firefighters and what they do for o u r c o m m u n i t y , ” C o m m i s s i o n e r J e r r y Muench said following the awards presentation

Also during the meeting, the district recognized the promotion of firefighter Michael Martin to lieutenant, as well as recognized and swore in Tejeda for completing his probationary year

After the ceremonies, the commission continued on with its meeting.

Fire Chief Kevin Barbot provided a finance overview for the district

On the tax relief bill offered due to Hurricane Ian, more than 19,000 applications had been received by the Lee County Property Appraiser's Office and about 11,500 had been processed as of May 5. Outstanding ad valorem revenue is about $232,830 The property appraiser's office h a s p r o j e c t e d p o s t - I a n p r o p e r t y v a l u e adjustments at 20-30% He explained that this could translate to a $1.6 million to $2 4 million budget loss for the district for fiscal year 2023-24, before the tax

relief bill's impact

“When you add the two, it's time to get creative,” Barbot said, adding that retaining staff in order to maintain service for the community is the top priority, so there will not be any personnel layoffs

He reported on the district's year-todate revenues and expenditures, as well as p r o j e c t e d F E M A r e i m b u r s e m e n t s . O n

F E M A ' s C o m m u n i t y D i s a s t e r L o a n , Barbot reported that all reviews are done

As for Station 172 on Sanibel-Captiva Road, staff are continuing to check the numbers against the FEMA 50% rule for full structural replacement The review was 80% complete at the second check

“Things are looking very positive for us,” he said “We're getting some positive traction there ”

Barbot reiterated that the goal is to have the federal government fund the rebuild of the station rather than local taxes from property owners However, staff are proceeding with the plan for rebuilding

“We can't stay in a trailer forever,” he said

Barbot also provided an overview of

the financial impact of personnel services

He noted that staff have stepped up to help with cost savings for the district by taking on projects they have expertise on, like repairing pumps, fixing electrical issues and picking up apparatus items to avoid delivery fees

“All done in-house,” he said “All of this helps with our budget concerns.”

“Our entire body, our entire team, knows what we're dealing with,” Barbot added

In other news

∫ Division Chief of Prevention Larry W i l l i a m s r e p o r t e d t h a t f i r e w a l l c o d e updates are continuing

H e c o n d u c t e d 7 6 p l a n r e v i e w s i n April, with a total of 391 done so far this year.

∫ DiMaria reported that he is incorporating Water Safety Month into the CPR classes set for May

∫ The district has responded to 321 calls this year, compared to 680 for the same period for 2022

“So we're down about 53%,” DiMaria said

Lt Grace Towler and EMS EMT Wayne Young received the award.

TIFFANY REPECKI

At the May 10 meeting of the Sanibel Fire and Rescue District's commission, the recent promotion of firefighter Michael Martin to lieutenant was recognized Martin is pictured with his family and Capt John DiMaria, far left

Firefighter Michael Tejeda was recognized for finishing his probation year at the May 10 meeting of the Sanibel Fire and Rescue District's commission. Tejeda is pictured with his wife and Capt. John DiMaria, far left.

DDWS names annual photo contest winners

F o l l o w i n g j u d g i n g o n A p r i l 2 8 , t h e “ D i n g ” D a r l i n g W i l d l i f e S o c i e t yF r i e n d s o f t h e R e f u g e a n n o u n c e d t h e w i n n e r s a n d h o n o r a b l e m e n t i o n s f o r t h e 1 0 t h a n n u a l “ D i n g ” D a r l i n g - T h e o d o r e C r o s s H i g h S c h o o l P h o t o g r a p h y C o n t e s t a t t h e J N “ D i n g ” D a r l i n g N a t i o n a l W i l d l i f e R e f u g e o n S a n i b e l S p o n s o r e d b y t h e T h e o d o r e C r o s s F a m i l y C h a r i t a b l e F o u n d a t i o n , t h e c o mp e t i t i o n i n v i t e s h i g h s c h o o l s t u d e n t s f r o m L e e , C o l l i e r , C h a r l o t t e , G l a d e s a n d H e n d r y c o u n t i e s t o c o m p e t e f o r p r i z e s t h a t t h i s y e a r i n c l u d e d a C a n o n d i g i t a l S L R c a m e r a p a c k a g e , o n e - y e a r s u bs c r i p t i o n t o A d o b e p h o t o g r a p h y s o f tw a r e a n d o n e - y e a r f a m i l y p a s s t o a l l F l o r i d a s t a t e p a r k s C r o s s , w h o l i v e d p a r t - t i m e o n S a n i b e l , m a r c h e d w i t h D r M a r t i n L u t h e r K i n g J r ; a d v i s e d t h e J o h n s o n a n d N i x o n a d m i n i s t r a t i o n s o n a n t ip o v e r t y p r o g r a m s ; w r o t e t h e b o o k “ B l a c k C a p i t a l i s m , ” a m o n g o t h e r s ; a n d c r e a t e d B i r d e r s U n i t e d , a b i r d i n g W e b s i t e t h a t r a n k e d l e g i s l a t o r s a c c o r d i n g t o t h e i r r e c o r d o f b i r d p r o t e c t i o n s u p p o r t L a t e i n l i f e , C r o s s d e c i d e d t o i n d u l g e h i s l o v e f o r b i r d s a n d p h o t o g r a p h y a n d t r a v e l e d t h e w o r l d t o c o l l e c t s t u n n i n g p o r t r a i t s a n d s t o r i e s t o c h r o n i c l e h i s a d v e n t u r e s H e p h o t o g r a p h e d o f t e n a t t h e S a n i b e l r e f u g e , a n d a n u m b e r o f t h e i m a g e s i n h i s b o o k r e f l e c t h i s l o v e f o r i t C r o s s p u b l i s h e d “ W a t e r b i r d s : P o r t r a i t s a n d A n e c d o t e s f r o m B i r d i n g A d v e n t u r e s ” i n 2 0 0 9 a t a g e 8 5 ; h e p a s s e d a w a y s h o r t l y a f t e r t h a t i n 2 0 1 0 R e f u g e R a n g e r Y v e t t e C a r r a s c o , F o r t

M y e r s N e w s - P r e s s p h o t o j o u r n a l i s t

A n d r e w W e s t a n d r e f u g e s u p p o r t e r

N a n c y A d a m s j u d g e d t h i s y e a r ' s c o n t e s t T h e y r e v i e w e d 3 2 1 i m a g e s t a k e n b y s t ud e n t s f r o m n i n e d i f f e r e n t s c h o o l s F i r s t p l a c e w e n t t o a n i m a g e t i t l e d

“ N a t u r e ' s B a n d i t ” b y C h a s e Q u r o l l o o f

C a p e C o r a l H i g h S c h o o l

“ I l o v e t h i s p h o t o b e c a u s e i t ' s i n b l a c k a n d w h i t e , a n d b e c a u s e t h e r a c c o o n i s l o o k i n g d i r e c t l y a t t h e c a m e r a , ” C a r r a s c o s a i d “ R a c c o o n s h a v e s u c h f u n p e r s o n a l i t i e s , a n d t h e y a r e v e r y c u r i o u s a n i m a l s ” I n s e c o n d p l a c e , J a k o b K e y e s o f

C y p r e s s L a k e H i g h S c h o o l c r e a t e d a c l o s e u p f l o r a l p o r t r a i t t i t l e d “ P u r p l e

R a i n . ” “ I c h o s e t h e f l o w e r b e c a u s e o f i t s g r e a t d e p t h o f f i e l d , c o l o r , a n d r u l e o f t h i r d s , ” W e s t s a i d “ G r e a t u s e o f m a c r o l e n s , a n d i t s p o k e t o m e a r t i s t i c a l l y

A l s o , g r e a t l e a d i n g l i n e i n t h e y e l l o w p a r t o f t h e f l o w e r ” T h i r d p l a c e w i n n e r “ I n t o t h e H o r i z o n ” w a s s u b m i t t e d b y A l e s s a n d r a S a n c h e z o f t h e C o m m u n i t y S c h o o l o f N a p l e s “ W h a t s p o k e t o m e a b o u t t h i s p h o t o w a s t h e s e n s e o f a p p r e c i a t i o n a s t h i s s n o w y e g r e t g a z e s a c r o s s t h e g u l f d u r i n g s u n s e t , ” A d a m s s a i d “ I t s e e m s w e h u m a n s a r e n o t t h e o n l y o n e s t o r e c o gn i z e b e a u t y a r o u n d u s ”

T h e h o n o r a b l e m e n t i o n w i n n e r s a r e a s f o l l o w s i n a l p h a b e t i c a l o r d e r :

∫ E m m a B e s t , o f C a p e C o r a l H i g h S c h o o l , “ D r a g o n f l y ”

∫ K y l e r C a r t e r , o f C y p r e s s L a k e H i g h S c h o o l , “ B r a n c h e s o f E l e c t r i c i t y ”

∫ A d r i a n C o x , o f C y p r e s s L a k e H i g h S c h o o l , “ W a t c h f u l E y e ”

∫ M i k a e l H e r n a n d e z , o f L e h i g h

S e n i o r H i g h S c h o o l , “ N e s t l i n g s i n t h e N e s t ”

∫ D e s p i n a K i k , o f I s l a n d C o a s t H i g h S c h o o l , “ B e e ”

∫ K h a l e b N u n e z , o f L e h i g h S e n i o r H i g h S c h o o l , “ B l u e ”

∫ Z u l a i P e r e z , o f C y p r e s s L a k e H i g h S c h o o l , “ B e a u t i f u l Y e l l o w R o s e ”

∫ J i l l i a n P e s k a , o f C a p e C o r a l H i g h S c h o o l , “ W o n d e r ”

∫ D a y s i e R o g e r s , o f C y p r e s s L a k e H i g h S c h o o l , “ F r e e a s a B i r d ”

∫ L e s l i e V e l a s c o , o f L e h i g h S e n i o r H i g h S c h o o l , “ D r o p o f W a t e r ”

∫ C o l e W e s e n e r , o f C a p e C o r a l H i g h S c h o o l , “ R o b i n ” J u d g e s a n d c o n t e s t c o o r d i n a t o r s e x p r e s s e d d i f f i c u l t y i n n a r r o w i n g d o w n t h e c h o i c e s . “ A m a z i n g w o r k b y a l l , ” W e s t s a i d “ I t w a s v e r y h a r d t o c h o o s e a w i n n e r ” D D W S E x e c u t i v e D i r e c t o r B i r g i e M i l l e r G r e s h a m n o t e d t h a t C r o s s ' f a m i l y m a d e t h e c o n t e s t p o s s i b l e “ I t h a s b e c o m e a s o l i d s u c c e s s s t o r y , ” s h e s a i d “ W e c o u l d n ' t b e m o r e t h r i l l e d t h e f a m i l y w a n t s i t s d o n a t i o n s u s e d i n t h i s w a y t o r e a c h a n a g e g r o u p t h a t o f t e n f a l l s t h r o u g h t h e c r a c k s o f c o n s e rv a t i o n e d u c a t i o n T h a n k s t o t h e ' D i n g ' s t a f f , h i g h s c h o o l t e a c h e r s , a n d j u d g e s w h o m a d e t h i s a l l h a p p e n ” “ W e a r e s o h a p p y t o b e s u p p o r t i n g a c o n t e s t i n m y f a t h e r ' s n a m e , a c o n t e s t t h a t w i l l g e t o u r y o u t h i n v o l v e d w i t h n a t u r e b y l o o k i n g a t i t a s m y f a t h e r s o l o v e d d o i n g t h r o u g h a c a m e r a l e n s , ” A m a n d a C r o s s s a i d S t u d e n t s w e r e a b l e t o s u b m i t u p t o t w o p h o t o g r a p h s T o v i e w t h e w i n n i n g i m a g e s a n d f o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t c o n t e s t , v i s i t d i n g d a r l i n g s o c i e t y . o r g / a r t i c l e s / p h o t oc o n t e s t s

ALESSANDRA SANCHEZ

In third place in the 10th annual “Ding” Darling-Theodore Cross High School Photography Contest was Alessandra Sanchez's “Into the Horizon ”

JAKOB KEYES

“Purple Rain” by Jakob Keyes took second place in the 10th annual “Ding” Darling-Theodore Cross High School Photography Contest

“Beginning Again”

New exhibit opens at Shell Point's Tribby center

“ S e v e n M o n t h s S i n c e : S h e l l P o i n t A r t i s t s a n d W r i t e r s R e f l e c t o n I a n ” i s o n d i s p l a y n o w t h r o u g h J u n e 2 2 i n t h e S h e l l P o i n t , L e g a c y , a n d O v e r l o o k G a l l e r i e s a t t h e T r i b b y A r t s C e n t e r , a t 1 7 2 8 1 O n P a r B l v d , F o r t M y e r s T h e e x h i b i t i o n i n v i t e d r e s i d e n t a r t i s t s a n d w r i t e r s t o e x p r e s s t h e i r e x p e r i e n c e a n d t h o u g h t s o f H u r r i c a n e I a n .

It displays artworks in a wide variety of mediums and printed photos by 66 artists and photographers The gallery screens

also display digital photography by 14 photographers and written submissions ranging from haikus to short narratives recounting the experience by nine writers In addition, there is also a large kinetic artwork titled “Aurora” that was made by artisans of the Shell Point Woodshop for a 2021 exhibition

The galleries are open for free from 10 a m to 3 p m Tuesday through Saturday

For more information, visit www shellpoint org

KURT GULLEDGE

Sanibel Captiva

ISL AND HOME islander

F.I.S.H. offering Hurricane Preparedness Resource Packet

F I S H of Sanibel-Captiva is encouraging the community to plan and prepare for storm season

Each year, F I S H , the city of Sanibel, Lee County Emergency Management and others work together to review plans and make changes for the upcoming hurricane season F I S H then compiles a free Hurricane Preparedness Resource Packet that provides detailed information on where to go, what to do and how to prepare in the event of an approaching storm The packet was one of the first programs offered by F I S H when it began

“The packet provides critical information and helpful steps to stay safe before, during and after a storm,” Senior Services Director Erika Broyles, who oversees the program and coordinates the team's efforts to ensure all of the provided information is correct, said

F I S H and volunteers verify evacuation routes, flood zones, hotels with generators, shelters, pet accommodations and more to update the packet While the official start of season is June 1, the packet is available now. They can be picked up on Mondays at F I S H Walk-In

PHOTO PROVIDED

Powderpuff

Powderpuffs in paradise

The powderpuff tree (Calliandra haematocephala) is a small ornamental tree blooming with a variety of colors ranging from red and pink to white, with striki n g b r i l l i a n t p o w d e r p u f f s T h e f l o w e r s appear on and off all year but tend to bloom m o r e i n t h e s u m m e r months

The hardy branches c r e a t e a n i n t e r e s t i n g c r o w n o f t h e t r e e Forming almost a bonsai look, it branches wide 10-15 feet and stays fairly low at 10-15 feet tall The leaflets are small and whimsical, helping provide great character and interest to the tree as a whole.

Great places to put a powderpuff are in your butterfly garden attracting honeybees, butterflies and even hummingbirds Placing them in an open lawn area to sprawl out and really bring some color and interest into a space is another great option Even placing them along your front entry will provide any guest with the wow factor of a great specimen ornamental tree

Prune the powderpuff back in spring and give it a light trimming anytime throughout the year to maintain the tree’s shape Powderpuff trees are unique and love the heat and humidity, which make them the perfect ornamental tree for your yard to allow it to grow in all its glory

In The Garden is a joint effort by all at the local garden center, at 3889 Sanibel-Captiva Road, Sanibel For more information, contact 239-3955859 or visit www facebook com/rswalshinthegarden

Center, at 2430 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, or by contacting 239-472-4775 or erika@fishofsancap org

T h e p a c k e t c a n a l s o b e d o w n l o a d e d a t https://www fishofsancap org/hurricane-ian-resources/

See PACKET, page 27

City: Report concerns about storm-damaged properties

The city of Sanibel recently reported it appreciates that residents and business owners have been working diligently to repair hurricane-damaged homes and businesses Residents should be aware that the Sanibel Code requires properties to be maintained and kept secure In general:

∫ Properties must be kept free of litter, refuse, and debris

∫ Pools, fountains, hot tubs, and spas should be maintained with clean water and be properly secured for safety in compliance with the Florida Building Code

∫ The exterior of the structure shall be in good repair, structurally

sound, and sanitary, without excessive mold, mildew, or chipped or peeling paint

∫ Roof, flashing, drains, and gutters shall be sound, maintained in good repair, and properly affixed

∫ Exterior stairs, ramps, landings, porches, et cetera, shall be maintained in sound condition

∫ Vacant properties shall be kept secure and inaccessible to wildlife or unauthorized persons.

For more information about what c o n s t i t u t e s a d i s t r e s s e d p r o p e r t y , visit https://library municode com/fl/ sanibel/codes/code of ordinances?n odeId=SPBLADECO CH126ZO A

RTXIVSUDIRE DIV17DIPR S12

6-1314MASEST

The city added that the public can help Sanibel recover by reporting properties that have potential code violations to Code Enforcement It noted that state law prohibits anonymous code enforcement complaints Those who report a potential violation of a code or an ordinance must p r o v i d e t h e i r n a m e a n d a d d r e s s before an investigation may occur. For more information or to notify the city of concerns or complaints, contact Code Enforcement at sanplan@mysanibel com or 239-4724136

City committee to offer free guided plant walk

The city of Sanibel's Vegetation Committee will offer a guided native vegetation and landscaping tour on May 18 at 9 a.m. of the City Hall grounds, which is planted exclusively with native plants

Walk the grounds for ideas on p l a n t i n g n a t i v e v e g e t a t i o n t h a t requires no fertilizer See how to plant a garden that reseeds itself with

very little maintenance, is good for the environment and will attract birds and butterflies

V e g e t a t i o n C o m m i t t e e m e m b e r s w i l l p r o v i d e v a l u a b l e i n f o r m a t i o n o n p r o p e r p l a n t i n g a n d c a r e o f n a t i v e v e g e t a t i o n T h e c i t y e n c o u ra g e s p l a n t i n g o f v e g e t a t i o n t h a t i s i n d i g e n o u s t o t h e a r e a a s i t r e q u i r e s v e r y l i t t l e m a i n t e n a n c e , n o f e r t i l i z -

e r a n d n o s u p p l e m e n t a l i r r i g a t i o n

Registration is not required

Meet in front of the main staircase at the Sanibel City Hall, at 800 Dunlop Road, Sanibel

For more information, contact the Natural Resources Department at s a n d n r @ m y s a n i b e l c o m o r 2 3 9472-4135

City initiates pilot program for right-of-way plantings

The city of Sanibel reported that at its recent meeting, the city council approved by consensus a pilot program that will study alternatives to using sod as a required planting in the city's right-of-way

P u b l i c W o r k s a n d N a t u r a l Resources staff delivered a presentation that explained the history and purpose for using sod in the right-of-

way and potential alternatives to sod

The city reported staff will identify locations in the right-of-way to plant native or Florida friendly plants for the pilot program

Residents interested in participating in the pilot program, by planting approved plants in the right-of-way, can contact Natural Resources at

right-of-way requires a permit from the Public Works Department; for more information about obtaining a permit, call 239-472-9615

To view the presentation presente d t o t h e c i t y c o u n c i l , v i s i t

https://mysanibel legistar com/View ashx?M=F&ID=11937325&GUID

Recipe of the Week: Limoncello Gelato

By CHEF LORETTA PAGANINI

In Italy, gelato is a traditional treat for the whole family to enjoy Using limoncello liquor keeps the gelato extra creamy Serves eight (Chef tip: Temperature when making this custard is very important Keep heat on low and only cook until the custard is slightly thickened.)

1 cup heavy cream

3 cups milk

3/4 cup sugar

8 egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 lemon, juice and zested

2 Tablespoons limoncello liquor

CROW Calendar

The Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife's Visitor Education Center, at 3883 Sanibel-Captiva Road, Sanibel, will present the following:

∫ Today, May 1 7

Triage of Wildlife Patients at 11 a m

The program will discuss the steps CROW's veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and wildlife rehabbers take when wild animals are admitted to the hospital for treatment.

∫ Thursday, May 1 8

Program of the Week at 11 a m

The program will cover a variety of topics related to wildlife and patient care at CROW

Loretta Paganini

∫ Friday, May 1 9

Wild Babies at CROW at 11 a m

The program will discuss the different wild babies admitted at CROW, including birds, mammals, and reptiles It will cover how CROW's certified wildlife professionals treat, raise, and prepare the babies for release back to the wild

Admission to the center is free for a limited time. It includes the above daily presentations, and no reservations are required to attend

F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , v i s i t http://www crowclinic org/ or call 239472-3644

Island Seniors Calendar

I s l a n d S e n i o r s a t t h e S a n i b e l

3 8 0 S a n i b e lCaptiva Road, Sanibel, will present the following:

Coffee Bistro

A Coffee Bistro will take place on May

18 from 10 to 11:30 a m in the Spoonbill Room Enjoy a cup of Joe with friends

M e m b e r s h i p t o t h e c e n t e r i s n o t required to attend the activities

F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , v i s i t

https://www center4life org/ or call 239472-0302 or 239-395-1860

The end of Christian Science?

Even though this will be my last column written for the “Faces on Faith” colu m n f o r t h e I s l a n d e rR e p o r t e r , C h r i s t i a n S c i e n c e a n d C h r i s t i a n S c i e n c e s e r v i c e s h a v e a l o n g h i s t o r y o n S a n i b e l

Heat cream and milk in medium saucepan Add lemon zest and sugar and cook until sugar dissolves Remove from heat and let cool slightly

With a wooden spoon, beat egg yolks with a pinch of salt until released, and then very slowly add them to the milk mixture. Return the mixture to the heat and cook over low heat until it coats the back of a spoon Remove from heat and add in lemon juice and limoncello

Chill mixture in the refrigerator, then place mixture into an ice cream machine and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions

Island Worship

∫ Bat Yam Temple of the Islands

2050 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel (Sanibel Congregational United Church of Christ), https://www batyam org/, https://www facebook com/batyamsanibel/

Rabbi Sunny Schnitzer

Sabbath service on Friday at 7 p.m. at the Jewish Federation of Lee & Charlotte Counties, at 9701 Commerce Center Court, Fort Myers, and via Zoom For Zoom links, email batyamsanibel@gmail com

∫ Captiva Chapel by the Sea

11580 Chapin Lane, Captiva, 239-472-1646, https://www captivachapel com/, www facebook com/Captiva-Chapel-By-The-Sea

Services will return for season in November Videos of services from the past season can be found on the chapel's website and Facebook page

∫ Chavurat Shalom of Southwest Florida

www chavuratshalomofsouthwestflorida org

Classes and discussion on Thursday at 11 a m via Zoom Torah Talk on the third Thursday of each month at 11 a m via Zoom Friday Shabbat service at 7:30 p m via Zoom. Len Minsky Current Events discussion on Saturday at 11 a.m. via Zoom. An informal “schmooze” session on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p m via Zoom For Zoom links, email ChavuratShalom@gmail com

∫ Sanibel Community Church

1740 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, 239-472-2684, https://sanibelchurch com/, https://www facebook com/sanibelchurch/

Pastor Jeramie Rinne

Sunday service at 10 a m in the SCC Sanctuary Sunday service at 4 p m at the Fort Myers Community Church, at 8440 Cypress Lake Drive, Fort Myers Services will be recorded and posted on the SCC's YouTube channel on Monday

∫ Sanibel Congregational United Church of Christ

2050 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, 239-472-0497, https://www sanibelucc org/, https://www.facebook.com/sanibelucc/

Senior Minister Rev Dr Mark Boyea

Sunday service at 10 a m at The Refuge Church, at 1901 Brantley Road, Fort Myers

∫ St Isabel Catholic Church

3559 Sanibel-Captiva Road, Sanibel, 239-472-2763, https://www saintisabel org/, https://www facebook com/stisabelcatholicchurch/

Father Edward Martin

Friday Mass at 9 a m Weekend Masses on Saturday at 4 p m and Sunday at 10 a m

∫ St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church

2304 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, 239-472-2173, https://www saintmichaelssanibel.org/, https://www.facebook.com/saintmichaelssanibel/

Rev William “Bill” Van Oss

Service with optional healing prayers on Wednesday at 9 a m at the Peace Lutheran Church, at 15840 McGregor Blvd , Fort Myers Sunday service at 11:30 a m at the same location, followed by a coffee hour in Fellowship Hall

Mary

They began sometime in the 1940's and continued being held during the summer months by dedicated island visitors In the summer of 1957, a group of Christian Scientists began meeting in various homes a n d t h e n m o v e d t o t h e Sanibel library Later they worshipped in what was then the Ramada Inn, then the meeting room at Sunset South condominiums, and even at The Community House

L Miller

Faces on Faith

Eventually, the desire to grow from an informal group and become a church officially designated by the Christian Science headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts, began taking hold in 1983 Sixteen members were required to become an authorized church and this was a challenge since most of these folks were snowbirds and held their memberships in their northern churches Slowly the required number was met when the last needed member made the difficult decision to move her

membership from her fami l y ’ s t h r e e - g e n e r a t i o n church in Michigan, down to the new Sanibel church S h o r t l y t h e a p p l i c a t i o n p r o c e s s w a s c o m p l e t e d , and what first started as a s m a l l g r o u p o f l o y a l C h r i s t i a n S c i e n t i s t s became officially known a s t h e F i r s t C h u r c h o f Christ, Scientist, SanibelCaptiva in 1974

Of course the next and b i g g e s t c h a l l e n g e w a s g a t h e r i n g t h e f u n d s t o b u i l d t h e i r o w n c h u r c h h o m e , w h i c h b e g a n i n 1 9 7 8 W i t h a g r o w i n g number of full-time residents, one of the original members Jovan De Rocco, a trained architect began managing the the construction project Even though building a rectangular structure was most economical, the hexagonal design with large picture windows was favored by all, and the first joyous service in the new church home was held on Oct. 19, 1979.

A s w e a l l k n o w , H u r r i c a n e I a n changed everything on our island, including our way of life The church building that was joyfully opened almost 50 years ago, was sadly damaged beyond repair in the catastrophic hurricane of 2023 Even

though it had been elevated some when originally built, it was not enough to withstand the 10-foot surge of water that came across West Gulf Drive Because of this destructive devastation, the building had to be demolished and was torn down last month. So in spite of this long Christian Science history on Sanibel, is the end really in sight? Definitely not!

Even though the building itself is gone, the Science of the Christ is universal Divine Love, another Biblical name for God, and will always be with us Christian Science teaches that God is not both good a n d e v i l , b u t t h a t h e i s g o o d o n l y Therefore, since having both good and evil is impossible, a Christian Scientist knows that God is all good, has always been all good and always will be all good. As we read in the first chapter of Genesis in the Bible, “And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good ” Genesis 1:31

In the textbook “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,” author Mary Baker Eddy begins the first page with this

thought: “For those leaning on the sustaining infinite, today is big with blessings ”

Christian Science is a provable science just as mathematics and music are, and will be around and available for everyone and for all time. In the textbook of Christian Science, church is defined as:

“CHURCH The structure of Truth and Love; whatever rests upon and proceeds from divine Principle The Church is that institution, which affords proof of its utility and is found elevating the race, rousing the dormant understanding from material beliefs to the apprehension of spiritual ideas and the demonstration of divine Science, thereby casting out devils, or e r r o r , a n d h e a l i n g t h e s i c k ” ( p 583:12–19)

So even though a building of wood and glass no longer stands, the church of truth and love will continue to bless mankind forever

L Miller is affiliated with the Sanibel Christian Science Church

Mary

“School is in Session”

islandBEAT islander

Exhibition on display at BIG ARTS

BBIG

now through June 2 in the Dunham Family Gallery on Sanibel A c o l l a b o r a t i o n b e t w e e n A r t b y t h e d i s A B L E d a t L e e H e a l t h a n d H o p e Healthcare it shares the vision of healing through art and feature more than 50 artists The expressive arts, in all forms,

strive to provide hope and healing through the creative process The exhibition shares the journey of each artist during bereavement, grief, illness, depression, physical and emotional challenges, rehabilitation and recovery The gallery is open Monday through Friday from 9 a m to 3 p m For more information, visit https://bigarts org/ or call 239-395-0900 BIG ARTS is at 900 Dunlop Road, Sanibel

Traders, 1551 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel PETER REDPATH 5:30 to 8:30 p m

DANNY MORGAN AND JOHN McLANE 5:30 to 8:30 p m

DANNY MORGAN 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. PETER REDPATH 5:30 to 8:30 p m

JOHN McLANE 5:30 to 8:30 p m DANNY MORGAN 5:30 to 8:30 p m

Cielo, 1244 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel SCOTT McDONALD 5 to 8:30 p m

SCOTT McDONALD 5 to 8:30 p m

SCOTT McDONALD 5 to 8:30 p m SCOTT McDONALD 5 to 8:30 p m

SCOTT McDONALD 5 to 8:30 p m

NICOLE FIUMARA

JOLEEN FORGIE “Soon Enough”

LETTY DEGUZMAN “Mystical Moon”

“Gold Tree”

JARED MOORE

Shell Find

PHOTO PROVIDED

Junonia found on Sanibel

Tess Taylor, of Oyster, Virginia, found a junonia on May 5 just before 7:30 p m east of the Island Inn on Sanibel She and three friends were searching together when she found it their first junonia Jaime Krieg reported that it was their seventh trip to Sanibel in the past eight years They fell in love with the island on their first trip in 2016 As lifelong friends who live in

Packet

From page 24

“With the safety of our neighbors in mind, we want to make sure everyone has r e l i a b l e i n f o r m a t i o n i n c a s e a s t o r m approaches,” she said

In collaboration with partners like the city, F I S H volunteers also work with the most vulnerable residents to ensure that their annual emergency evacuation p l a n i s u p t o d a t e T h e H u r r i c a n e Committee will keep in touch with them before, during and after a storm and, to the best extent possible, update out-of-state family members on the status of the storm and loved ones

“As we learned with (Hurricane) Ian, it is very important to have up-to-date contact information for family and friends in both electronic and paper form,” Broyles said “With Ian, power was out for an extended period of time, and the hard copy 'in case of emergency' contact sheets were crucial when trying to contact family members of residents ”

“This program is so important and is a true collaboration between many island and off-island organizations,” she added “Our volunteers spend many hours updat-

four different cities across the east coast two are sisters Sanibel is a special place where they continue to make memories “Luck was in our favor as it was our seventh trip and on a full moon!” Krieg added “We will keep looking when we’re back next year ” To report a shell find, contact 239-4721587 or trepecki@breezenewspapers com

ing and verifying information and will set up appointments with our most vulnerable to discuss the packet and solidify plans for evacuation in the event the islands are ordered to do so.”

Those interested in joining the committee can contact Broyles at 239-472-4775

F I S H noted the importance of listening to local authorities if an evacuation order is issued

“ E x p e r t s k n o w t h a t t h e b e s t w a y t o s t a y s a f e d u r i n g a h u r r i c a n e e v e n t i s t o f o l l o w e v a c u a t i o n o r d e r s a n d g e t o u t o f t h e p a t h o f t h e s t o r m W i t h I a n , w e l e a r n e d h o w q u i c k l y c o n d i t i o n s c a n c h a n g e , ” s h e s a i d “ O f t e n , e v a c u a t i o n o r d e r s a r e o r d e r e d a t t h e l a s t m i n u t e , b u t y o u d o n ’ t n e e d t o w a i t f o r t h e o r d e r t o l e a v e I t ' s b e s t t o h a v e s e v e r a l r o u t e s a n d o p t i o n s t h a t c a n k e e p y o u o u t o f t h e s t o r m ’ s p a t h a n d s h a r e t h o s e p l a n s w i t h f a m i l y a n d f r i e n d s ”

For more information about F I S H a n d i t s p r o g r a m s a n d s e r v i c e s , v i s i t https://www fishofsancap org/ or contact Executive Director Maria Espinoza at 239-472-4775

In the late afternoon pounding the pink “Spaldeen” ball between the screened windows of the Telephone Building on 13th Street in our slum version of handball, my friend Danny and I looked up and saw the Hindenburg, immense shining silver shaped like a cigar floating directly above us so close Danny threw the “Spaldeen” up as high as he could to try to hit it but of course he missed and we both laughed later I heard it crashed in Jersey and the whole next day everyone listened to the announcer on the radio sobbing and I remember thinking radio announcers are always cool but not this time so this must be real and later that week at the movies they showed it in the Newsreel, the Hindenburg collapsing like a huge balloon on fire and people burning and screaming as they tried to jump and my mother and the women in the audience crying, right then I wished that Danny had been able to hit it with the ball and changed its course maybe that would have saved it

From left, Bethany Howell, Lindsey Kretschy, Tess Taylor and Jaime Krieg

Joe Pacheco Poetic License

‘Where were you on May 6, 1937?’

ISL AND FACES

Islands celebrate camaraderie and community post-storm

Organized by the SanCap Chamber, the 30th Annual Islands Night took place on May 3 at the Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers This year's event combined the longstanding island tradition with the chamber's annual

meeting and presentation of business awards The game between the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels and the Dunedin Blue Jays kicked off with the traditional parade, which represented a robust sampling of island businesses and

organizations and potent demonstration of island unity and pride The 4,086 attendees who came out for the game nearly doubled last year's record attendance

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY SIMPLE SOCIAL MARKETING

Shell Find

Junonia found on Sanibel

Amber Bressler, of Elkhart, Indiana, found a junonia on May 5 near the S a n i b e l L i g h t h o u s e o n S a n i b e l . S h e reported that she was looking for smaller shells on the edge of a tide pool when she felt some larger shells underneath her toes When Bressler brought them up from the sand, the junonia was there She has been coming to Sanibel for eight y e a r s a n d a l w a y s h a s f u n s h e l l i n g Bressler noted that the first time she came, she kept just about every shell she found she spent $74 to ship home 47 pounds of shells “I'm more selective now!” Bressler added. “I never dreamed I'd be one of the lucky ones to find a junonia! I'm not taking a chance shipping it home, it will be in my carry-on when I return home ” To report a shell find, contact 239-472-1587 or trepecki @breezenewspapers com

PHOTOS PROVIDED

REFUGE/DDWS

Refuge's Conser vation Car nival draws crowd

The J N “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel celebrated its 34th annual “Ding” Darling Day, jointly with Earth Day, on April 22 at Lakes Park in Fort Myers The event filled the park with families, treep l a n t e r s , n a t u r e - l o v e r s , a n d C o n s e r v a t i o n C a r n i v a l games “How satisfying it was to connect with members of the greater Southwest Florida community and see their excitement for learning about 'Ding' Darling This is our second year at Lakes Park, and it couldn’t have been more successful,” Supervisory Refuge Ranger Toni Westland, who heads the “Ding” Darling Day team, said