Sanibel Island Reporter/Islander

Shell museum restores landscape, wetlands with help

The Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum reported that in addition to repairing the damage to the building and aquariums following Hurricane Ian, staff have been working to restore the museum's surrounding landscape and wetlands on Sanibel

I n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h 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 and with the help of dozens of volunteers, the museum recently installed over 800 plants of native vegetation and grasses Museum volunteers, along with members of the Sanibel-Captiva Rotary Club, F I S H of Sanibel-Captiva and Florida Gulf Coast University, dedicated two days to helping

with the restoration

“We're glad to have the museum's surrounding landscape on the road to recovery, and grateful to SCCF for the guidance and our intrepid volunteers for enduring the heat to get this done,’’ Executive Director Sam Ankerson said

The museum reported that the SCCF guided the project by creating the landscaping plan, determining the appropriate native species and supervising the installation

“Restoring Sanibel's unique wetland habitat is critical to the health of our island's ecosystems,” SCCF Adult Education See SHeLL MUSeUM, page 18

County commission receives hurricane after-action report

By CJ HADDAD

forever, the Lee County Board of County Commissioners were presented with the official after-action report

The Lee County Hurricane Ian AfterA c t i o n R e p o r t p r e s e n t e d o n A u g 1 5 r e v i e w e d t h e c o u n t y ’ s p r e p a r e d n e s s , response and recovery efforts

Lee County Assistant County Manager Christine Brady detailed that Ian was the third costliest hurricane to make landfall in the United States, totaling $112 billion

City council OKs w aste assessments and petition

By TIFFANY REPECKI trepecki@breezenewspapers com

The Sanibel City Council approved the solid waste collection assessment for fiscal year 2023-24 at its recent meeting, as well as supported a petition opposed to the county's proposed Land Development Code height and density amendments for Captiva and heard about plans for the city's 50th anniversary

On Aug 15, the council voted unanimously 5-0 on two resolutions regarding the annual special service assessment to fund the collection and disposal of solid waste, recyclables and horticultural waste It approved the rate of assessment, Waste Management assessment and collection of a s s e s s m e n t s t h r o u g h t h e a n n u a l L e e County tax bill From Oct 1 through September 2024, the collection and disp o s a l c o s t p e r d w e l l i n g u n i t w i l l b e $369 44 for curbside services or $487 82

See CITY CoUNCIL, page 20

Isl anderInsIde

in damages She said the report focuses on c o u n t y - w i d e o p e r a t i o n s , a n d d o e s n o t cover department-specific operations

“It focuses on broad policy-level issues or operational challenges encountered as a result of Hurricane Ian and does not document department-level issues, adjustments or improvements that have taken effect d u r i n g o r a f t e r t h e e v e n t , ” s h e s a i d

“Observations and recommendations in the report are intended to contribute to Lee County's preparedness and readiness for future storm events ”

The report details 14 different “observations” made in regard to the county's

response and recovery actions take before, during and after Ian The observations note actions made by the county, such as opening shelters, leveraging resources, the sending of information and more

Each of the observations comes with recommendations on how to improve the action moving forward Recommendations include the county coordinating with all Emergency Operation sections and county leadership to develop checklists or job aids for personnel; further developing an EOC guide; continuing to explore and evaluate strategies to coordinate shelter operations;

See CoMMISSIoN, page 20

alsOInsIdetOday

Guest Commentary........................4

Web Poll.........................................4

Captiva Current 6-7

B u s i n e s s 8

Preserving Paradise.....................12

Island Living................................14 S p o r t s .

Classifieds 27

BAILEY-MATTHEWS NATIONAL SHELL MUSEUM

County seeking public input on hurricane funding

Resident participation meetings throughout unincorporated Lee County and in municipalities are planned this month to receive public comment and input on the Draft Action Plan for the $1 1 billion Community D e v e l o p m e n t B l o c k G r a n t D i s a s t e r R e c o v e r y (CDBG-DR) funds received from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

T h e p l a n i s a v a i l a b l e a t www leegov com/recovery/cdbg-dr for review and comment from now through Aug 31 Comments can be sent to recovery@leegov com, mailed to the Lee County

A d m i n i s t r a t i o n i n c a r e o f t h e O f f i c e o f S t r a t e g i c Resources, 2115 Second St , Fort Myers, FL 33901, or provided at one of the public meetings

The remaining public meeting will be held on:

∫ T o d a y , A u g 2 3 a t 6 p m a t C i t y o f F o r t Myers/Stars Complex, at 2980 Edison Ave , Fort Myers

∫ Aug. 24 at 5:30 p.m. at Pine Island Elementary

School, at 5360 Ridgewood Drive, Bokeelia

∫ Aug 29 at 5:30 p m at City of Sanibel/BIG ARTS, at 900 Dunlop Road, Sanibel

The county reported that CDBG-DR funds may be spent on a limited number of eligible activities related to impacts from Hurricane Ian that include housing, infrastructure, economic revitalization, public services and planning At least 70% of the grant must be used for projects that benefit low-to-moderate income households,

which HUD defines as a family at or below 80% of Area

Median Income For example, in Lee County a singleperson household would qualify at $47,700 or less per year, whereas the limit for total household income is $68,100 per year for a family of four

After public input is received, Lee County will submit the plan to HUD for review and approval

The CDBG-DR webpage will continue to serve as an

g e d t o v i s i t www leegov com/recovery/cdbg-dr for updates

Lee County's Office of Strategic Resources and Government Affairs has prepared a timeline describing the necessary steps and other information at www leegov com/recovery/cdbg-dr It will continue to serve as an i n f o r m a t i o n a l r e s o u r c e f o r C D B G - D R a c t i v i t i e s Interested parties are encouraged to visit the resource periodically for updates.

New scanners on school buses provide tracking for parents

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

Parents now have immediate tracking of what time their child gets on and off a school bus, the bus stop where they exit a n d t h e b u s n u m b e r t h r o u g h a n e w Student Ridership terminal, which was installed on the School District of Lee County's buses

“We are excited about the possibilities and security it is going to offer to parents,” district spokesperson Rob Spicker said

The terminals were installed as another safety measure for students, parents and the district, as it allows immediate tracking to determine where the student is through the WheresTheBus parent app

“As they board the bus, they scan that

card through the scanner It beeps and shows the driver on a terminal on the other side, the student's name and identifies if the student is on the correct bus,” he said

Spicker said the terminal will flash red if the student gets on the wrong bus and off at the wrong bus stop When the bus reaches the student's stop, the student has to scan their card as they exit the school bus, which again identifies if the student is getting off at the correct bus stop The parent will be notified of the time they were dropped off at the stop

“We were never able to allow a parent to track the substitute bus,” he said as the district did not have the manpower to manage the undertaking “If you are concerned about something, you can say 'I am

SCHOOL DISTRICT OF LEE COUNTY

The School District of Lee County has installed Student Ridership terminals on its buses, which are used to scan a child's ID once they got on and off a bus relaying immediate tracking information. The scanner will flash red if the child is not on the correct bus, or gets off at the wrong stop.

worried about my child on bus 222 ' We can, through the master end, pull up the r e c o r d s o f w h e n ( t h e I D c a r d w a s scanned) and know exactly where (the student got off at a bus stop )”

Another scenario would be if a bus breaks down and students are placed on another bus, parents will now have the new bus number and what time the child boards the bus

Spicker said the new system will give families a peace of mind and security, as they have real time knowledge of which

students are on which bus and when they get on and off the bus.

In order to receive the notifications, parents must register for the app, which utilizes their child's school ID There is information about the app, as well as the r e g i s t r a t i o n p r o c e s s , a t wheresthebus com

The first couple of days of school, the app was spotty as there was an overload of log-ins Spicker said it only goes down for a short period of time, which as of Aug 14 was being worked on and fixed

OPINIONS

Captiva update: Action needed immediately

By CAPTIVA CIVIC ASSOCIATION

A workshop meeting of the Lee County Board of County Commissioners is scheduled for Aug 29 at 1:30 p m , where the commissioners will discuss the proposed ordinance changes for building height and density on Captiva and at the South Seas Island Resort The meeting will be followed by public hearings on Sept 5 and 6, where a vote may be taken

Our communities need to make our voices heard once again and remind the county commissioners of our opposition to these changes and urge them to vote no

Thank you for all you've done already, but our strong and united voices must be heard

Guest Commentary

again The community partners working to protect Captiva have drafted an online petition addressed to the county commissioners s t a t i n g o u r o p p o s i t i o n t o t h e p r o p o s e d amendments harmful to Captiva and Sanibel Copies of the completed petition will be presented to the commissioners prior to their Aug 29 meeting

Please take a moment to sign the petition

Just visit https://p2a co/hsktrgL to access the petition, fill in the information requested, hit the submit button and your name will be added It's that simple Also, please share the

Web Po ll Previous

Captiva-Sanibel and surrounding communities who also oppose the proposed changes

A g a i n , t h e l i n k f o r t h e p e t i t i o n i s https://p2a co/hsktrgL

The Captiva Civic Association's mission is preserving the quality of life, ambiance and environmental integrity of the unique barrier island community For more information, visit https://ccacaptiva org/

Sign petition to protect Captiva, Sanibel Islands

By SANIBEL-CAPTIVA CONSERVATION FOUNDATION

F o r o v e r t w o m o n t h s , o u r S o u t h w e s t Florida communities have spoken out against proposed changes on Captiva These changes include removing building height restrictions and allowing the South Seas Island Resort to request increased density

Your voices have been strong and united against these changes, and now's the time to officially go on the record to tell the Lee County Board of County Commissioners that you stand with your community

The community partners working to protect our islands have created an online petition addressed to the county commissioners s t a t i n g o u r o p p o s i t i o n t o t h e p r o p o s e d a m e n d m e n t s a s h a r m f u l t o C a p t i v a a n d Sanibel Copies of the completed petition will be presented to the commissioners prior to an Aug 29 workshop meeting, during which commissioners will discuss the proposed ordinance changes

See PETITION, page 5

Alter nate beach parking plan needed

To the editor: Sanibel and Captiva are my happy place I was saddened when Hurricane Ian hit the islands last September, but so excited to learn about how much rebuilding is taking place each day With much anticipation, I look forward to reading the Islander-Reporter as soon as it arrives in my mailbox to find out about the progress being made

I've vacationed on the islands many many times and was so looking forward to my next vacation on Sanibel Unfortunately, it does not look like Sanibel after Ian is the same

Guest Commentary

SANIBEL-CAPTIVA CONSERVATION FOUNDATION

Letter to the Editor

happy and friendly place I've known for close to 50 years

T h e n e w b e a c h p a r k i n g s y s t e m t h a t requires use of a smartphone to pay for h o u r l y p a r k i n g i s n o t t o u r i s t - f r i e n d l y Everyone does not have a smartphone or feel comfortable with the use of technology on a mobile device

Please consider an alternate way for nonsmartphone users to pay for hourly parking that does not require the purchase of a $300 parking lot permit by a tourist who only needs to pay to park for a few hours for a once-a-year vacation

Possibly you could permit people without

a smartphone to pay to park for a few hours at the beach at the SanCap Chamber's Visitor Center, Sanibel Police Department, City Hall or Sanibel Recreation Center Maybe a grocery store or other business could collect the parking fees from tourists as another idea A paper receipt could be given out to show proof of hourly payment that could be displayed on the dashboard

Please consider these ideas for payment of an alternate hourly beach parking fee that is a c c e s s i b l e f o r e v e r y o n e a n d p r o v e s t h a t Sanibel is still a tourist-friendly destination for everyone

Phyllis M Miller beaumont, Texas

We want your opinion

9 in Fort Myers?

Yes

No; did attend others

Guest Commentary

Time is now to go on the record with your signature

By 'DING' DARLING WILDLIFE SOCIETY-FRIENDS OF

THE REFUGE BOARD

Over the last several months, there has been a concerted effort to speak out against proposed changes on C a p t i v a T h e s e c h a n g e s i n c l u d e r e m o v i n g b u i l d i n g height restrictions and allowing the South Seas Island Resort to request increased density

The voices have been strong and it is now time for each of us to go on record to tell the Lee County Board of County Commissioners that you stand with the community against these changes The community partners working to protect our islands have created an online petition, which is addressed to the county commissioners

Petition

From page 4

Please take a moment to sign the petition Just visit https://p2a co/hsktrgL to access the petition Fill in the information requested, click the submit button and your name will be added It's that simple

The Aug 29 workshop meeting, which will begin at 1:30 p m , will be followed

It states our opposition to the proposed amendments as harmful to Captiva and Sanibel

Everyone's voice has an impact and your signature on the petition will make a difference when sharing it with t h e c o u n t y c o m m i s s i o n e r s F i l l i n t h e i n f o r m a t i o n requested, click the submit button and your name will be added It's that simple and takes less than a minute

Copies of the completed petition will be presented to the commissioners prior to an Aug. 29 workshop meeting, during which commissioners will discuss the proposed ordinance changes That meeting will be followed by public hearings on Sept 5 and 6, when a vote may be taken

by public hearings on Sept 5 and Sept 6, when a vote may be taken

Our communities need to make our voices heard once again and remind the county commissioners of our opposition to these changes and urge them to vote no Please share the online petition with

To sign the petition, visit https://p2a co/hsktrgL Please share the petition's link with friends and neighbors on Captiva, Sanibel and in surrounding communities who oppose the proposed changes.

Thank you for caring about our natural world and our island communities of Sanibel and Captiva

The “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge is the nonprofit that financially supports nature conservation, wildlife protection and education efforts for the J N “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge in S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , v i s i t www dingdarlingsociety org

friends and neighbors on Captiva, Sanibel a

oppose the proposed changes

From all of us who love our islands and want to preserve our high quality of living, playing and working thank you!

Founded in 1967, the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation's mission is to protect and care for Southwest Florida’s coastal ecosystems For more information, visit www sccf org

Student access to media materials determined by consent forms

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

A more lengthy discussion revolving around the student Media Access form sent to School District of Lee County p a r e n t s r e s u l t e d i n n o changes

A motion by Lee County School Board Member Chris Patricca on Aug 8 regarding the form that allows parents to d e t e r m i n e w h a t m a t e r i a l s their children may check out did not pass as most board members thought the process and form were fine

The board previously determined by consensus which option would be the default if a parent did not fill out the form, a decision made without Patricca and Board Member Debbie Jordan present.

The three choices parents are:

∫ My child has full access to check out books from the school media center, except for books that have been restricted or those that require parent/guardian consent

∫ My child is not permitted to check out books from the school media center

∫ My child is not permitted to check out books from the school media center that have been formally challenged and

r e c e i v e d f o r p o t e n t i a l l y o b j e c t i o n a b l e m a t e r i a l , regardless of the outcome

The default, if a parent does not fill out the form, is the third option

Board Attorney Kathy

D u p u y - B r u n o s a i d t h e administration is not denying students access to materials She said they erred on the side of caution with the default

“ P a r e n t r i g h t s w i l l trump student’s rights We are asking parents to tell us what you want us to do,” she said Patricca’s motion was to “move to direct the superintendent to use the Media Access Form originally supported by staff and the Curriculum Advisory Committee until such time the board can pass a Media Access policy ”

The form was a recommendation by the Curriculum Advisory Committee, which included public input. She said it was collaborative work and it was good work, as people on both sides of the issue came forth and praised the work of the committee, resulting in a form that represented the best they could do

“We really rushed through this and

landed in a place where I think it will lead to lawsuits filed against us,” Patricca said.

“Aren’t we doing this backwards here? Why are procedures written, approved and implemented before policies are created?” she asked

Patricca said “book” and “restriction” should never appear in the same sentence

“ W h a t a b o u t p r o t e c t i n g s t u d e n t ’ s rights? Logically the best way to keep

objectionable material out of the hands of children is to restrict access to books. Legally that is impossible if you believe in the First Amendment,” she said Patricca said the restrictive view of the First Amendment violates the constitution She said the option will deny some students the opportunity to receive ideas and information and denies parents the right of

See CONSENT FORMS, page 7

Chris Patricca

Fire commissioners OK tentative millage rate

By TIFFANY REPECKI trepecki@breezenewspapers com

2023-24,

unanimously 3-0 to approve a proposed operating millage rate o f 2 2 2 0 0 , w h i c h i s 4 2 8 6 % greater than the rolled-back rate of 1 5540

The millage rate can be lowered during the upcoming budget process but not raised The gross taxable value for the district from the Lee County P r o p e r t y A p p r a i s e r i s

FWC: Help shorebirds and sea turtles when at shore

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reminded the public that as it enjoys the beaches, everyone can do their part to help sea turtles and shorebirds have a successful season by giving them space, removing beach furniture and trash before leaving for the day, keeping beaches clean and dark, and never disturbing nests

The FWC reported that because the state's shorelines are critical for sea turtle and shorebird nesting, all beach-goers can have a big impact Florida's sandy beaches provide important nesting habitat for several species of federally threatened and endangered sea turtles, including loggerhead, leatherback and green sea turtles, with occasional nesting by federally endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtles The beaches are also critical habitat for imperiled beach-nesting birds, including black skimmers, least terns, snowy plovers and American oystercatchers

Getting too close 50 feet or less to nesting sea turtles can cause them to leave the beach before they complete nesting All species of sea turtles and their nests are protected and should not be disturbed; it is illegal to harm, harass or take nesting sea turtles, their eggs and hatchlings

It is also best to keep at least 300 feet from nesting shorebirds, seabirds and wading birds to prevent them from flushing from their breeding sites, leaving vulnerable eggs and chicks exposed to the elements and predators Shorebirds and seabirds also nest in shallow scrapes in the sand and their eggs and chicks are well-camouflaged, making them vulnerable to being stepped on

In addition to giving space to sea turtles and shorebirds, beach-goers can help by:

∫ Clearing the way at the end of the day: Properly dispose of all trash, fill in human-made holes in the sand and remove all beach toys and furniture from the beach before sunset Obstacles on the beach can prevent sea turtles from nesting Trash and other obstacles can also prevent sea turtle hatchlings from reaching the water once they emerge from their nests, as well as entangle shorebirds, turtles and other wildlife Food scraps attract predators, such as raccoons and crows, that can prey on sea turtle hatchlings, as well as shorebird eggs and chicks

∫ Do the flock walk: Steer clear of flocks of birds on the beach and keep an eye out for shorebird eggs and chicks to avoid stepping on them Never enter posted areas Be on the lookout for signs designating Critical Wildlife Areas on the beach or coastal islands as these areas are closed to public access to protect wading birds and shorebirds while they nest and raise their chicks

∫ Lights out: Turn off lights or close curtains after dark to ensure nesting turtles are not disturbed or disoriented as they come ashore and hatchlings will not become disoriented when they emerge from their nests. Make sure exterior lighting adjacent to nesting beaches is long, low and shielded Avoid using flashlights or cell phone lights and taking flash photos after dark on the beach

Pet owners can also help by keeping dogs at home or on a

$1,715,045,280.

Prior to the vote, Fire Chief Jeff Pawul explained that using this year's “rolledback rate” would not generate the same amount of revenue as the prior year for the district, like it typically would, because of the property value loss on Captiva of about $251 million due to the damages from Hurricane Ian

He continued that the 42 86% increase is based off a rolled-back rate that factors

in those deleted structures as a negative and using the rate would result in about $400,000 less in operating revenue The p r o p o s e d b u d g e t i s a c t u a l l y o n l y a n 8 64% increase, which is tied to inflation, lack of reserves because of the storm and damages

Pawul noted that they are not the only special district and taxing authority dealing

See MILLAGE RATE, page 7

County library system celebrates summer reading

The Lee County Library System reported that the annual Summer Reading Program saw thousands of books go into the hands of children and teens, along with outstanding participation from all ages

The program fosters the love of reading and helps prevent summer learning loss by students on school break As part of the effort, nearly 13,000 free books were distributed to youths both in and outside of the system's library branches, which include the Captiva Memorial Library on Captiva.

The national Summer Reading Program theme, “All Together Now,” encouraged the community to spread kindness and connect with others at their local library The county's branches hosted programs like Adam's Animal Encounters, where teens learned about wildlife management, Bunny Yoga and Mindfulness, storytelling through puppetry, and magic and science shows

Participants of all ages logged more than 700,000 books read as part of the online reading challenge. Additionally, the offline “Kindness Bingo” challenge had 7,830 people engaging in good deeds and reading The system hosted 10 kick-off events and offered 452 programs and staff visited 100 off-site locations to reach more than 20,000 members of the community

“Library staff engaged with patrons all summer to share the joy of reading,” Director Mindi Simon said “Our staff make a difference in the community that have lasting, positive impacts for the youth who participate. Our libraries are a great place for families to be together attending programs, borrowing books and movies, using computers and participating in activities ”

short leash and far away from wildlife when bringing dogs to pet-friendly beaches Even friendly dogs can be seen as predators by shorebirds, which can cause them to flush and leave their eggs and chicks

F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t w a t e r b i r d s , g o t o MyFWC com/Shorebirds and download the “Share the Beach with Beach-Nesting Birds” brochure Or go to the Florida Shorebird Alliance website at FLShorebirdAlliance org to learn about participating in conservation efforts For more information about sea turtles, visit MyFWC com/SeaTurtle or see the FWC's “Be a Beach Hero” brochure.

Founded in 1964, the Lee County Library System has 13 branches to serve Lee County residents Library programs are always free and open to the public Patrons can sign up for the library email newsletter or view the schedule of events online to see what is happening in the library branches

The Captiva Memorial Library is open on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 10 a m to 12:30 p m and 1 to 4 p m For more information, contact the library branch at 239-533-4890

For more information, visit www leelibrary net

The Captiva Memorial Library is at 11560 Chapin Lane, Captiva

Fire Chief Jeff Pawul

FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION

with the rate issue and higher tax increases as the city of Sanibel, Sanibel fire district and others are in the same boat

“It's not going to look pretty, but it is what is it,” he said “We have to increase because we need the operating cost ”

“This budget is as tight and as reduced as I can make it,” Pawul added

In reviewing the proposed budget with the commission, he reported that their retirement costs are increasing about $200,000 He explained that he reduced their operating costs by about 11%

“Hopefully, that's not cut too tight,” Pawul said He allocated about $200,000 for capital if they need to purchase a ladder truck if proposed building height increases are approved. If it is not needed, a new reserve truck at $100,000 is still needed

Pawul noted that the district will eventually need to

have a ladder truck

“There are buildings that we cannot effectively reach today,” he said, explaining that the thought process has always been that the Sanibel district has one and is close enough to respond and assist

Before approving the rate, the commissioners pointed out that it is a maximum rate

“We can always go back down,” Commissioner Jeff Brown said

The first budget hearing will be held on Sept 13 at 5:01 p m

Also at the meeting, the commissioners voted 3-0 to approve the purchase of an utility task vehicle to replace Support 181 the John Deere, beach rescue vehicle at a cost not to exceed $36,000.

“We'd basically be replacing two vehicles with one,” Pawul said before they voted

Also during the meeting, the commission voted 3-0 to approve the addition of a new administrative position an executive assistant along with the position's job description and compensation plan

“We're the only district that doesn't have this position,” Pawul said before the vote

Also at the meeting, the commissioners voted 3-0 to approve a proposal by Secure Solutions to add access control measures to the district's security platform with Verkada at a cost not to exceed $35,439 Prior to the vote, Pawul explained that it would involve access controls, door key cards and cameras

In other news

∫ Pawul reported that staff will resume conducting annual fire inspections

∫ The district responded to 27 incidents in July

School board gets presentation on Spring State Assessments

By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers com

While acknowledging the impact of Hurricane Ian on schools and classrooms, Lee County School Board members recently asked for a comparison to tests and testing past Accountability, Assessment and Research Director Joy Marks provided the presentation on July 31 regarding the Spring State Assessments for English Language Arts, mathematics, science and social studies, which saw both increases and decreases in student proficiency, defined as performing at grade level or above

The presentation began with a rehash of how Lee County students did on the new tests as compared to statewide averages

The assessments included the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST), Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking (BEST), Next Generation Sunshine State Standards (NGSSS) and End of Course Exams (EOC)

Marks said for language arts, FAST elementary grade levels saw a decrease in grades 3 and 5, with similar decreases seen in the state average Fourth grade ELA saw increases

For third grade, the district had 48% proficiency in fiscal year 2022, compared to 42% reading at grade level or above this spring The state proficiency number was 53% for fiscal year 2022 and 50% for fiscal year 2023

In fifth grade, the district had 48% proficiency reading at grade level, compared to 50% last year The state had a 54% proficiency for 2023, compared to 55% for fiscal year 2022

For fiscal year 2023, fourth-graders had 56% proficiency, compared to 52% in fiscal year 2022 The state had 58% proficiency in fiscal year 2023, compared to 57% in 2022

For secondary grade, the district was in alignment with the state, which showed decrease Tenth grade, she said, saw a 1% increase in overall proficiency

For 10th grade, the district had 45% performing at grade level or above in fiscal year 2023, compared to 44% in fiscal year 2022 The state proficiency for 2023 was 50%, compared to 49% for 2022

For sixth, seventh and eighth grade, there was a 44% proficiency rate in language arts and 46% proficiency for ninthgrade students

Marks said for FAST mathematics in grades third

Consent forms

whether their own children can receive ideas and information

Jordan was not present at the board meeting that discussed the form as she was out of town

“What was the purpose of us bringing it up to change the form? They did the work They did their jobs It’s not our job to make the form,” she said

When the consensus was originally given for the Media Access form, Board Member Cathleen Morgan was not comfortable with the idea.

“It was poor management to bring this to the board just before the start of school during the time of year when board mem-

through eighth there was an overall improvement of 5% this year

When broken down, 55% of students were at grade level or above in math for third grade, 61% for fourth grade, 52% for fifth grade, 52% for sixth grade, 37% for seventh grade and 60% for eighth grade

Marks said secondary mathematics saw increases in sixth and eighth grade, but a decrease in seventh grade She said the number of students shifted in regards to the tests they took

Superintendent Dr. Christopher Bernier said mathematics for middle school students is not measured by grade level in if for elementary school students As an example, sixth-graders are not in “sixth grade math,” as they may be taking advanced coursework, such as geometry and algebra

Marks said for Algebra I the largest population of students taking the end-of-course exam are ninth-graders, which had an overall 2% decrease in proficiency with 55% proficiency

For geometry the majority of the students were 10thgraders, who saw an overall 3% increase on the EOC exam at 55% proficiency.

For NGSSS Social Studies exams there was a 4% decrease in civics, 59% proficiency, and 3% decrease, 53% proficiency, in U S History, which aligned with overall decreases of state proficiency

For Science NGSSS, fifth-graders had a 50% proficiency, eighth-graders 44 %efficiency and biology EOC had a 50% proficiency

Marks said moving forward a briefing was set for Aug 8 from principals and supervisors to share structures they plan to use to increase proficiency She said that re-imagining for proficient readers by third grade is also being conducted, as well as monitoring all cohorts to provide assurance of ontime graduation

“We do have that raw data to dig down deep,” she said “Principals are contacting the department to see where they were last year and this year The team is working individually with those schools ”

Board Member Cathleen Morgan said she assumes the district has been doing this all along, as it is the natural way to evaluate performance in schools at levels, but it has not worked before

“What is different?” she asked

Bernier said it lies in the fidelity of that plan and the amount of accountability of individuals and principles related to the improvement

“Our principals will rise to the level of expectation They want our children to do well,” he said, adding that the word “proficiency,” and the phrase “students who are proficient,” are being used in length at the school buildings

“We will get learning gains back into the grading system We must drive for world class,” Bernier said

In addition, there is ongoing progress monitoring partnerships with academic services and principals, which is not always comfortable

Other board members shared that they are very proud of the scores, as parts of Lee County were ground zero after Hurricane Ian leaving many students and teachers homeless

“We rebounded quite well,” Chairman Armor Persons said “I am sure we will do better next year ”

Board Member Jada Langford-Fleming said the scores were quite impressive as many students were displaced in the spring and schools were not fully put back together

“While it is not an excuse, I am pleased to see some of the scores where they are,” she said

Langford-Fleming said her concern is getting kindergarten, first- and second-grade students ready for the FAST ELA test She said it is important to find ways to get kids to love reading

“We need to get them to actually love to read and they will become better readers and comprehend what they are reading,” Langford-Fleming said

She said she was able to observe a classroom in the spring doing the FAST testing, which was cumbersome and took quite a bit of time in the classroom

“We got enormous feedback about the length of time,” Bernier said “The state suspended testing, so they could figure out what was taking so long. We will do more research and come back ”

Board Member Sam Fisher said he was not satisfied with where the district stands in proficiency and asked if they could look at scores in the fall, winter and spring to see where the proficiency percentages fall in each testing window

Bernier said they could provide that information in the FAST testing areas and break it down to individualized school data

From page 5

bers have time away for vacations. We need, as a board, to give this time for all of us to have a conversation Go back to the original form,” she said of the Curriculum Advisory Committee and staff “If we want to engage in management of the district’s process, then we have to do a policy ”

B o a r d M e m b e r s J a d a L a n g f o r d -

Fleming and Melisa Giovannelli, as well as Chair Armor Persons, liked the form that went out to parents

“I believe there is going to be less litigation in this way, especially how things are framed The government is not restricting those rights,” Vice Chair Samuel Fisher said of the free, open and transparent

choice for parents. “This is for the 1.9 percent that we believe it will affect ”

“We are giving rights back to parents and protecting all students,” Giovannelli said “It takes a village and this is part of the village work This form puts the power back to the parents and there is nothing wrong with that ”

Options for parents

Parents with children in Lee County Public Schools have three options concerning the materials to which they child has access They are:

∫ My child has full access to check out books from the school media center, except

for books that have been restricted or those that require parent/guardian consent

∫ My child is not permitted to check out books from the school media center

∫ My child is not permitted to check out books from the school media center that have been formally challenged and r e c e i v e d f o r p o t e n t i a l l y o b j e c t i o n a b l e material, regardless of the outcome

T h e d e f a u l t o p t i o n , i f a p a r e n t o r guardian does not fill out the form is:

∫ My child is not permitted to check out books from the school media center that have been formally challenged and r e c e i v e d f o r p o t e n t i a l l y o b j e c t i o n a b l e material, regardless of the outcome

Current outlook, portfolio strategy

By ANDREW VANDERHORST

As we entered the second quarter, the primary concern among investors was the solvency of both the global banking system and the United States governm e n t A f t e r t h e r a p i d failure of only a few U S and global banks, however, the crisis of confidence has largely abated

F u r t h e r m o r e , t h e l a s tminute bipartisan deal to raise the U S debt ceiling until early 2025 has a v e r t e d a U S d e b t default and temporarily calmed investors' nerves

W e b e l i e v e i n v e s t o r s will now refocus on our o v e r a r c h i n g t h e m e f o r

2 0 2 3 : t h e F e d e r a l Reserve's mandate to eradicate inflation while trying to avoid too much economic pain

The Federal Reserve (the Fed) decided to maintain interest rates at their current target range of 5% to 5 25% during its June meeting While we believe the Fed is nearing the end of its rate-hiking cycle, we view its recent decision and subsequent commentary as a “hawkish pause ” This means that the Fed is taking a brief break from raising rates but is likely to increase them again at a future meeting This view is supported by the Fed's newly updated dot plot, which shows that a majority of Fed board members expect at least two additional interest rate increases of 0 25% by the end of the year Moreover, the Fed board members have revised higher their prior expectations for stronger GDP growth, improved employment and higher core inflation in 2023 These changes align with recent economic reports Most importantly, recent inflation reports show that core inflation (i e , excluding food and energy prices) remains persistently above the Fed's target of 2% The bottom line is the current economic data suggests the Fed still has work to do on inflation and will likely keep interest rates “higher-for-longer” than the market originally thought.

How has the market reacted to this higher-forlonger tone from the Fed? It has seemingly shrugged it off Although the market has adjusted its rate expectations higher since the beginning of the year, it has also moved back into a bull market Earlier this year, the market anticipated the Fed would soon start cutting interest rates Now the market agrees with the Fed that interest rates will not be cut until 2024, at the earliest Despite this shift in expectations, the market has largely disregarded the Fed's restrictive monetary policy by staging a strong rally The U S stock market, as measured by the S&P 500 index, has returned 16% year-to-date You may ask: “Why is the stock market rallying if the Fed is still increasing interest rates?”

It's important to note that not all economic sectors or companies participated in this rally In fact, most of the S&P 500's return can be attributed to a handful of mega-cap technology companies with exposure to the burgeoning field of artificial intelligence (AI) The mega-cap technology companies comprise over 20% of the S&P 500, so their performance can have a significant impact on the overall index return A meaningful comparison is the S&P 500 Equal Weighted index, which holds the same amount of each stock, thus limiting the impact of any one company or sector The equal weighted index has returned only 6%

See OUTLOOK, page 10

FLA recognizes city councilmember with annual award

r r i s D r e w M u n i c i p a l L i f e t i m e A c h i e v e m e n t A w a r d a t i t s A n n u a l C o n f e r e n c e o n A u g 1 1 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 s h e w a s n o m i n a te d b y M a y o r R i c h a r d J o h n s o n a n d V i c e M a y o r M i k e M i l l e r f o r h e r y e a r s o f s e r v i c e , a s w e l l a s h e r s t e a d f a s t a n d e f f e c t i v e l e a d e r s h i p w h i l e s h e s e r v e d a s t h e nm a y o r f o l l o w i n g H u r r i c a n e I a n S m i t h w a s j o i n e d a t t h e p r e s e n t a t i o n b y h e r h u s b a n d , J a s o n S m i t h N a m e d f o r S u p r e m e C o u r t J u s t i c e E H a r r i s D r e w , t h e a w a r d r e c o g n i z e s a n d h o n o r s l o c a l e l e c t e d o f f i c i a l s w h o h a v e m a d e l a s t i n g a n d w o r t h w h i l e c o n t r i b u t i o n s t o t h e c i t i z e n s o f F l o r i d a t h r o u g h t h e i r e f f o r t s a n d d e di c a t i o n i n t h e p e r f o r m a n c e o f t h e i r d u t i e s a t t h e l o c a l l e v e l “ I a m e x t r e m e l y h o n o r e d a n d f i l l e d w i t h g r a t i t u d e a c c e p t i n g t h e E H a r r i s D r e w A w a r d , ” s h e s a i d “ N o o n e l e a d s a l o n e W e w o r k e d t o g e t h e r , a n d w i l l f o r y e a r s t o c o m e , a s w e r e b u i l d o u r b e l o v e d S a n i b e l I s l a n d I c o u l d n o t b e m o r e p r o u d o f o u r c i t i z e n s , c o u n c i l a n d t h e d e d i c a t e d S a n i b e l s t a f f i n t h e a f t e rm a t h o f I a n ” S m i t h w a s a p p o i n t e d t o t h e c i t y c o u n c i l i n 2 0 1 7 t o s e r v e a n i n t e r i m p o s i t i o n f o r a v a c a n t s e a t , e l e c t e d i n 2 0 1 8 f o r a p a r t i a l - t e r m a n d t h e n r e - e l e c t e d i n 2 0 1 9 , a s w e l l a s i n M a r c h . S h e s e r v e d t w o c o n s e c u t i v e t e r m s a s m a y o r f r o m 2 0 2 1 - 2 3 B e f o r e b e i n g e l e c t e d t o c o u n c i l , S m i t h s e r v e d a s v i c e c h a i r w o m a n o f t h e S a n i b e l P l a n n i n g C o m m i s s i o n f o r t w o y e a r s a n d w a s a m e mb e r o f t h e c o m m i s s i o n f r o m 2 0 0 9 t o 2 0 1 7 S h e i s t h e S a n i b e l r e p r e s e n t a t i v e o n t h e L e e C o u n t y T o u r i s t D e v e l o p m e n t C o u n c i l , s e r v e s a s p r e s i d e n t o f t h e S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a L e a g u e o f C i t i e s a n d i s p r e s id e n t o f t h e L e e C o u n t y H o r i z o n F o u n d a t i o n S m i t h s e r v e d o n t h e L e e C o u n t y C o a l i t i o n o f M a y o r s a n d i s a l i a i s o n a n d p a s t c h a i r t o t h e L e e C o u n t y H o r i z o n C o u n c i l S h e s e r v e s a s t h e v o t i n g d e l e g a t e f o r t h e

F L C , a m e m b e r a t l a r g e f o r t h e F L C ' s L e g i s l a t i v e C o m m i t t e e a n d o n t h e F L C ' s M u n i c i p a l

A d m i n i s t r a t i o n L e g i s l a t i v e P o l i c y C o m m i t t e e S m i t h a l s o s e r v e s o n t h e F L C ' s B o a r d o f D i r e c t o r s , a s w e l l a s t h e F L C ' s F e d e r a l A c t i o n S t r i k e T e a m , F l o r i d a M u n i c i p a l L o a n C o u n c i l a n d A d v o c a c y C o m m i t t e e , w h i c h s h e c h a i r e d f r o m 2 0 2 1 - 2 2 S h e s e r v e d t w o t e r m s o n t h e b o a r d o f d i r e c t o r s f o r

F r o m l e f t , J a s o n S m i t h w i t h S a n i b e l C i t y

Councilwoman Holly D Smith

t h e F l o r i d a L e a g u e o f M a y o r s D u r i n g h e r t e r m a s m a y o r , S m i t h w a s a m e m b e r o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s C o n f e r e n c e o f M a y o r s , a n d s h e c u r r e n t l y s e r v e s a s t h e

N a t i o n a l L e a g u e o f C i t i e s ' v o t i n g d e l e g a t e f o r S a n i b e l

I n 2 0 2 3 , S m i t h w a s a w a r d e d t h e F l o r i d a L e a g u e o f

C i t i e s ' H o m e R u l e H e r o A w a r d f o r t h e s i x t h c o n s e c u -

t i v e y e a r . A l s o , s h e w a s h o n o r e d i n J u n e a s t h e “ 2 0 2 3

W o m a n o f t h e Y e a r ” a t t h e L e e C o u n t y W o m e n o f

D i s t i n c t i o n A w a r d s C e r e m o n y

Andrew Vanderhorst

From left, Florida League of Cities outgoing President Jolien Caraballo and Sanibel City Councilmember Holly D. Smith.

FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES

From left, Sanibel Vice Mayor Mike Miller, City Councilwoman Holly D. Smith, Mayor Richard Johnson and City Manager Dana Souza.

VIP Realty Group announces top producers for month

A r i k a

B j o r k e d a l h a d the top sales and the top listings

A M i n n e s o t a native, she vacationed with her f a m i l y o n t h e b e a c h e s o f S o u t h w e s t Florida while growing up A graduate of Union College in New York, B j o r k e d a l h a s m a d e F l o r i d a h e r home and now helps each of her customers make Southwest Florida their home

James Hetmanek was the top producer With over 20 years of buying and selling real estate and more than $300 million in total sales, he is a lifetime member of the

From page 8

VIP Realty President's Club and has been recognized twice as a top selle r f o r a l l V I P R e a l t y o f f i c e s

Hetmanek is a Certified Residential Specialist and has been on committees for the Sanibel and Captiva Islands Association of Realtors For more information, call 2394 7 2 - 5 1 8 7 o r g o t o SanCapIslandRE com

VIP Realty Group is at 1560 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel

year-to-date, which seems more reasona b l e g i v e n t h e c u r r e n t e n v i r o n m e n t

Unfortunately, there is not one benchmark or index that can consistently provide an overall gauge on the health of the stock market Instead, we will be closely watching the second-quarter earnings reports

From left, Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation

Wildlife and Habitat Management Director Chris Lechowicz and Sanibel-Captiva Kiwanis Club President Joel Goodman

SANIBEL-CAPTIVA KIWANIS CLUB

Kiwanis holds meeting with speaker

The Sanibel-Captiva Kiwanis Club welc o m e 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 Wildlife and Habitat Management Director Chris Lechowicz as its guest speaker at its recent meeting The staff herpetologist who has been with the SCCF team since 2002, he talked about the work being done to help

from our companies to assess the continued impact of higher interest rates on their businesses

We believe that we are getting closer to the end of this interest rate cycle, but there is much that remains uncertain Therefore, we expect both the stock and bond mar-

t h e n a t i v e a n i m a l s o n t h e i s l a n d s p o s tHurricane Ian Lechowicz also spoke on the resilience and adaptability of native species

The club is holding meetings on Tuesdays at 8 a m a t T h e C o m m u n i t y H o u s e , a t 2 1 7 3 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel For more information, visit www sanibelkiwanis org

kets to continue displaying high levels of volatility All eyes will be on monitoring monthly economic reports to gauge the Fed's likely decision at its next meeting Despite the near-term uncertainty, we believe that a diversified portfolio of high-quality dividend and growth compa-

nies, combined with appropriate amounts of short-term bonds and cash, will help investors meet their financial goals

Andrew Vanderhorst is chief investment officer for The Sanibel Captiva Trust Company

Arika Bjorkedal James Hetmanek

FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES

From left, the Florida League of Cities officers for 2023-24 are First Vi c e P r e s i d e n t M i c h a e l B l a k e , President Greg Ross and Second Vice President Holly Smith.

FLC elects officers

T h e F l o r i d a L e a g u e o f C i t i e s announced the election of its officers for the 2023-2024 term

Cooper City Mayor Greg Ross was elected president by the FLC membership and will serve a one-year term Also elected to serve was Cocoa Mayor Michael Blake as first vice president and Sanibel City Councilmember Holly Smith as second vice president Smith called the election to serve a privilege

“I look forward to giving back to an organization which has given so much to me both professionally and personally,” she said in a prepared statement released by the city of Sanibel

Shell museum

reopens online store

The Bailey-Matthews National Shell M u s e u m o n S a n i b e l h a s r e o p e n e d i t s online store

It reported that it is still offering classic

favorites like its shell posters, T-shirts and Congress Jewelers pieces, along with the introduction of several new products

Proceeds from the sales will help to s u p p o r t t h e m u s e u m ' s p o s t - h u r r i c a n e recovery

F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , v i s i t ShellMuseum org and click the “Shop” button

Trust Company hires Pruitt

The Sanibel Captiva Trust Company recently announced the addition of Jenna Pruitt as the new director of compliance

S h e w i l l o v e r s e e a n d i m p l e m e n t c o m p l i a n c e standards for the company and its divisions of The Naples Trust

C o m p a n y a n d T h e T a m p a B a y T r u s t C o m p a n y P r u i t t ' s r e s p o n s i b i l ities will include the monitoring of strength of internal controls and audits, adequacy of earnings, and compliance with governi n g i n s t r u m e n t s , a p p l i c a b l e l a w s a n d sound fiduciary principles

Prior to joining the the company, she served on the risk consulting and internal audit team for several years at Crow LLP in Chicago, Illinois Pruitt's most recent position was as senior manager, where she managed several teams to execute consulting engagements and co-led firm-wide trust and wealth management initiatives.

She is an experienced speaker in her industry, having presented at conferences for the Fiduciary and Investment Risk

M a n a g e m e n t A s s o c i a t i o n , C r o w e Financial Services and Central Virginia Institute of Internal Auditors Pruitt is a m e m b e r o f t h e I n s t i t u t e o f I n t e r n a l

Auditors' Western Carolinas Chapter

She attended Ball State University, where she received a Bachelor of Science in accountancy

Jenna Pruitt

PRESERVING PARADISE

Memorial fund established to create new research center

The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation recently shared the news of Carol Martin Strange's passing on Aug 8, who was a long-time volunteer for the SCCF's Sea Turtle Program

Shortly after movi n g t o S a n i b e l f u l ltime, Strange expanded upon her lifelong love of seashells and the beach by becoming a sea turtle volunt e e r i n 2 0 0 5 H e r r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h Sanibel and Captiva went back to 1988, when she and her husband, Larry, took over o w n e r s h i p o f S a n i b e l ' s f i r s t s h e l l shop

CROW welcomes new veterinary interns

Drs Madeline Chilcote and Kasey Mitchell have joined the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife on S a n i b e l a s t h e n e w W i l d l i f e a n d C o n s e r v a t i o n Medicine interns, beginning their year-long veterinary internships on July 1

Chilcote received her Bachelor of Science in biology, with a minor in German, from Kalamazoo College in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and she earned her doctorate at Michigan State University's College of Veterinary Medicine

B e f o r e j o i n i n g C R O W , C h i l c o t e c o m p l e t e d a R o t a t i n g S m a l l A n i m a l M e d i c i n e a n d S u r g e r y Internship at the VCA Weymouth Animal Hospital and an Animal Care Internship at the Center for Wildlife in Cape Neddick, Maine She also brings years of experience through previous externships at: t h e C a l i f o r n i a W i l d l i f e C e n t e r i n C a l a b a s a s , C a l i f o r n i a ; T h e W i l d l i f e C e n t e r o f V i r g i n i a i n Waynesboro, Virginia; Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, Georgia; and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife in Corvallis

“I wrote my dream career speech on becoming a wildlife veterinarian in elementary school because of the work my uncle did with population management in wildlife,” Chilcote said “During my junior year of college, I studied the three American black bear sibl i n g s a t t h e B i n d e r P a r k Z o o i n B a t t l e C r e e k , Michigan, and thought I may want to go into research rather than medicine I decided to take a three-monthlong animal care internship with the Center for Wildlife in Maine prior to applying to veterinary school After that internship, it was evident to me that I needed to pursue wildlife medicine I haven't looked back since ”

Mitchell returns to CROW after previously completing a Veterinary Medicine Externship in 2018 and most recently volunteering in the hospital She received her Bachelor of Science in ecology and evolutionary biology from Marshall University in West Virginia Mitchell earned her doctorate from the U n i v e r s i t y o f G e o r g i a ' s C o l l e g e o f V e t e r i n a r y

See CROW, page 13

The SCCF reported that patrolling the beach at dawn in search of sea turtle crawls and nests deepened Strange's commitment to conservation and fueled her passion for their protection Encountering hatchlings as they made their way to the Gulf of Mexico enriched her love of nature and lit her spirit

“Carol was a beloved member of our sea turtle family for 18 years, and her joy and positivity impacted so many of us in so many ways,” Coastal Wildlife Director Kelly Sloan said “She cared deeply about sea turtle conservation and the thousands of hours she spent protecting turtles on our islands will have a lasting effect ”

Behind the scenes, Strange wanted to encourage a sense of stewardship in her children and grandchildren. When she and her husband were ready to make their annual gifts, they would always bring a grandchild around to present the gift and talk about the importance of conservation philanthropy

The SCCF reported that Strange was pivotal in the creation of its Brush of Excellence Environmental Art P r o g r a m , s e r v i n g s i n c e i t s i n c e p t i o n o n i t s A r t i s t Selection Committee She also served two years as a vol-

Sanibel Sea School campers learn about social science

From July 31 to Aug 4, the Sanibel Sea School offered the second year of its “A Week in the Field” camp, which leads teenagers ages 13-15 through what it takes to be an environmental scientist

The campers spent most of their time immersed in field biology experiences that included learning about shorebird and sea turtle nesting surveys, mangrove planting, oyster monitoring, and examining dune plant ecology In addition, they spent some time with Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation Coastal Resilience Manager Dr Carrie Schuman to explore social science concepts

“We have so much great environmental science being done at SCCF, and Sanibel Sea School really gets to highlight that during this camp,” she said

As part of the SCCF's environmental policy team, Schuman's role centers on using the science and research from the SCCF and its partners as a core part of her advocacy and outreach efforts. The campers were able to practice similar social science and communication techniques by interviewing local beach-goers about what they wanted to

See CAMPERS, page 13

unteer for the SCCF's Terrestrial Turtle program

However, Strange's unparalleled commitment was to the Sea Turtle Program No matter the daunting conditions on the beaches, she was a true guardian of the mothers and hatchlings during nesting season For that reason, her family has started a memorial fund for the Sea Turtle Program to honor her legacy

“We intend to honor Carol's commitment by using this newly created fund to help create a Sea Turtle Research Center here at SCCF,” Chief Executive Officer James Evans said “It is the natural next step in growing the longstanding Sea Turtle Program by creating what will be a leading Gulf Coast facility for this much-needed work ”

The SCCF reported that with a grateful and humble spirit, Strange developed sincere friendships with many members of its family and consistently showed up whenever help was needed Her generous support included emails to SCCF staff encouraging and thanking them for their mission-driven work

“It makes me smile to think that some of the hatchlings she rescued in 2005 will be returning to lay their eggs on our beaches in the coming years,” Sloan said “She was a ray of light and we'll truly miss her ”

To donate to the newly created fund in her memory, visit https://interland3 donorperfect net/weblink/weblink aspx?name=E341711&id=14

their qualitative data

CLINIC FOR THE REHABILITATION OF WILDLIFE

Dr. Madeline Chilcote

Dr. Kasey Mitchell

SANIBEL-CAPTIVA CONSERVATION FOUNDATION Carol Martin Strange

I r e n e N o l a n a n d C a r o l Martin Strange share their joy of finding sea turtle hatchlings.

SANIBEL SEA SCHOOL Sanibel Sea School campers sort through

Campers

learn about the ocean and why

Schuman then took the group through some data analysis, which included sorting responses into categories or themes to summarize main topical interests of the people they interviewed

“In the following group discussion, campers were able to brainstorm how to use this information to engage people around local environmental issues and concerns,” she said “I had a lot of fun being involved with this camp program, which highlights great science and really gives campers some exposure to all kinds of things they could consider doing in their future careers ”

Campers at the Sanibel Sea School learn about freshwater turtle biology and tracking from SanibelCaptiva Conservation Foundation wildlife biologist intern Cody Weber. SANIBEL

CROW

From page 12

Shell display repaired at island school

From page 12

After graduating, she completed an ER and Small Animal Rotating Internship in San Diego at the VCA Emergency Animal Hospital and Referral Center

Medicine

“

I ' v e s e e n a l l t h e n e g a t i v e e f f e c t s humans have on our environment and the animals that live there,” Mitchell said “I always felt the need to do what I could to reduce these impacts and to help the animals ”

She added that she hopes to gain a strong foundation in wildlife medicine and triage during her internship

CROW's Wildlife and Conservation Medicine Internship is centered around the “One World, One Health” concept and designed for those who have completed their Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine and are interested in gaining experience treating wildlife

In addition to clinical duties, interns participate in research and conservation projects, give case and journal club rounds, and help teach students, staff and volunteers

Veterinary interns work closely with

staff from all departments in the hospital to gain a better understanding of the rehabilitation process while working with over 200 different species of native and migratory wildlife

“I'm hoping to gain greater comfort with identifying species, as well as age identification,” Chilcote said “I am looking forward to working with adult mammals because they require so much teamw o r k a n d c r e a t i v e u s e o f s p a c e a n d resources in a rehabilitation setting ”

CROW's staff veterinarian is excited to welcome the new intern class to campus

“We are thrilled to have Dr Chilcote and Dr. Mitchell join the team and look forward to helping them grow their skills as clinicians over the course of this year They will treat thousands of emergency patients, learn a variety of surgical techniques, assist in teaching the students rotating through the hospital and conduct research projects in conservation medicine,” Dr Robin Bast said “Our interns are key members of the hospital team, and we're thrilled to be a part of their conser-

vation journey ”

For more information about the internships and externships that CROW offers,

visit www CROWClinic org/articles student-programs

SEA SCHOOL

THE SANIBEL SCHOOL

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

∫ Elvis Capataz Rodriguez, 55, of 123 S W 19th Lane, Cape Coral, was charged on Aug 13 with operate motor vehicle without valid license

Other enforcement actions

∫ On Aug 13, a traffic stop was initiated on a vehicle for excessive speed The driver was subsequently issued a notice to appear for unlawful speed (67 mph in a 35 mph zone)

Enforcement operations statistics

From Aug 8-14:

∫ Alarm calls (business and residential): 5

∫ 911 non-emergency calls: 26

∫ Traffic crashes: 2

∫ Radar details: 88

∫ Traffic stops: 38 Citations issued: 12 Written warnings issued: 1

∫ Field interviews: 2

∫ Residential area checks: 609

∫ Business area checks: 239

∫ Total area checks: 1,252

∫ Reported burglaries: 0

∫ Reported thefts: 1

∫ Total CAD calls: 1,533

From August 2023 to date:

∫ Alarm calls (business and residential): 8

∫ Non-emergency calls: 51

∫ Traffic crashes: 5

∫ Radar details: 174

∫ Traffic stops: 66 Citations issued: 23

Written warnings issued: 1

∫ Field interviews: 3

∫ Residential area checks: 1,371

∫ Business area checks: 428

∫ Total area checks: 2,655

∫ Reported burglaries: 1

∫ Reported thefts: 3

∫ Total CAD calls: 3,182

Impor tant reminders

The city of Sanibel's 2021 and 2022 Hurricane Re-entry Passes are still valid. If you have one, you do not need to re-apply for a new pass

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 enforced and can result in a $150 fine

Dewatering of a pool or spa directly into a waterbody, into the city’s stormwater system or onto any

See BLOTTER, page 15

Sanibel library offers mix of programs

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

Foundation, the library has launched a series of virtual author talks to include bestselling authors and thought leaders The next one will take place today, Aug 23, at 8 p m with New York Times-bestseller Cassandra Clare, author of The Mortal Instruments Series, The Infernal Devices Series and The Last Hours Series She will discuss her new and final book in The Last Hours series, “Chain of Thorns ”

Clare was born to American parents in Teheran, Iran, and spent much of her childhood traveling the world with her family She lived in France, England and Switzerland before she was 10. After college, Clare lived in Los Angeles and New York, where she worked at various entertainment magazines and even some rather suspect tabloids Clare started working on her young adult novel, “The City of Bones,” in 2004 She turned to writing fantasy fiction full time in 2006

Clare's first book, “The City of Bones,” became and led to numerous instant #1 New York Times and USA Today Bestsellers, including but not limited to the rest of The Mortal Instruments series, The Infernal Devices series and The Last Hours series

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

T o r e g i s t e r f o r t h e a u t h o r t a l k , v i s i t https://libraryc org/sanlib/upcoming

For help setting up or logging into webinars, contact notices@sanlib org or 239-472-2483

Summer Book Bingo is a self-directed reading challenge for adults, with opportunities for prizes Pick up your card at the library's service desks or download it from the “News Blog” at www sanlib org Turn in the card by Aug 31

Additionally, the library has scheduled upcoming programs

Family Storytime for ages 5 and under will be held today, Aug. 23, at 10:30 a.m. with Megan Willis. Literacy is a family bonding experience with stories read aloud, followed by early literacy centers of play to flex minds, develop motor skills and increase creativity The program will include an art/craft center

A Saturday Crafterday! will take place on Aug 26 at 11 a m Professional artist and coloring book creator Melissa Gindling will will lead a How-to-Draw session No registration is required

Youth programs are designed for children and accom-

The Sanibel School

The Sanibel School, at 3840 Sanibel-Captiva Road, Sanibel, reported the following:

American Legion

American Legion Post 123 reported that the Tiki Hut will be open on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a m to

p m It will offer up burgers, hotdogs and pulled pork For more information, visit “American Legion Post

Lee County Public Meetings

SANIBEL PUBLIC LIBRARY

The Sanibel Public Library will host a virtual author talk today, Aug. 23, with Cassandra Clare.

Library

panying adults

From page 14

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

The library is hosting “In the Wake of the Flood: Community Photos of Hurricane Ian and Its Aftermath,” an exhibit curated by the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum It features photos of Ian's aftermath taken by island residents and others living in Southwest Florida Photographs from the exhibition will be digitized and added to the library's digital archive at sanlib org/digitalarchive

I n a d d i t i o n , t h e S a n i b e l - C a p t i v a A r t League has a juried exhibit on display from now through Oct. 21. “Food for Thought” features 18 artworks from 12 members in a variety of mediums including oil, textile and watercolor

Library cards are available to residents of Sanibel and Lee County at no charge

Visitor library cards are available for a $10 annual fee

T h e S a n i b e l P u b l i c L i b r a r y i s o p e n Monday through Friday from 9 a m to 5 p m and Saturday from 9 a m to 1 p m The library will be closed on Sept 4 in observance of Labor Day.

For more information, call 239-472-2483 or visit www sanlib org

T h e S a n i b e l P u b l i c L i b r a r y i s a t 7 7 0 Dunlop Road, Sanibel

Blotter

The SanibelCaptiva Art League's “Food for Thought” is on display at the Sanibel Public Library.

SANIBEL PUBLIC LIBRARY

From page 14

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

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 roup id=22450

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

The SPD's non-emergency line is 239-

472-3111

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

TARPON BAY EXPLORERS

J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge s i g n c o m p a r i n g t h e s t o r m s u r g e s o f Hurricane Ian and the 1873 hurricane, with a hand-drawn chalk line showing the waterline at Tarpon Bay.

Ask an explorer

By TARPON BAY EXPLORERS

Many of those who usually visit Sanibel are unable to due to Hurricane Ian's destruction of island accommodations As a result, people want to know what is going on and have a myriad of questions about the i n s t i t u t i o n s t h a t t h e y f r e q u e n t e d T a r p o n B a y Explorers has received a lot of these questions about not only Tarpon Bay, but the J N “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge and the island, in general Below are some frequently asked questions to help anyone and everyone to stay informed

∫ What is there to do on the island?

Though it may seem like an odd question to ask a company that provides fun things to do, we get this question often There are two huge attractions for people to come to Sanibel: the beaches and J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge We often tell people that all of Sanibel's beaches are open, safe and beautiful as ever The refuge has been open since April 4, which includes Wildlife Drive and the Visitor & Education Center; both are closed on Fridays TBE has been open since Feb 1, providing kayaking tours and rentals, paddleboard rentals, Tram Tours and our nature-themed gift shop But, beyond these two attractions, there are other things to do as well There are bike rentals available throughout the island, including Billy's Bike Rentals or Finnimores There are many restaurants open as well, ranging from casual eateries like the Great White Grille, Doc Ford's, MudBugs, Tutti Pazzi and Sanibel Grille, to upscale dining like Bleu Rendezvous, Traders and Il Cielo We often refer inquirers to the SanCap Chamber's website that provides an interactive map of all businesses that are open The interactive map is a great tool that allows visitors to narrow down open businesses and places pending on their interests and needs

∫ How much flooding did Tarpon Bay get?

Tarpon Bay staff saw water lines that ranged from 5 5 feet to 6 feet underneath their nature-themed gift shop The shop itself stands about 12 5 feet above sea level We have drawn a chalk line on one of our cement pilings to show visitors Ian's surge when they come and frequently ask that question Refuge staff recently provided TBE with a sign that compares the

DDWS reports on refuge programming and more

The “Ding” Darling Wildlife SocietyFriends of the Refuge provided the following updates for the J N “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel:

∫ A m i n i - e x h i b i t i o n o f A r t i s t - i nR 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 through August in the r e f u g e ' s V i s i t o r & E d u c a t i o n C e n t e r Auditorium

∫ A Federal Duck Stamp Exhibit will o p e n o n O c t 1 0 - 2 9 i n t h e V

Education Center Auditorium ∫ Art in the Wild Day will take place on Oct 21-22 a t t

A Holiday Shopping Night is scheduled for Nov 29

∫ An inaugural Ice Cream Social is planned for Dec. 13

∫ Photo-artist Niki Butcher will mount an exhibition of her work from Dec 21 through Feb 25 in the Visitor & Education Center

∫ The “Ding” Darling Lecture Series will return to the

refuge from Jan 18 through March For more information, visit https://www dingdarlingsociety org/articles/lecture-series

∫ Nature Wellness @ Ding will take place at the refuge and beyond on Jan 1821

∫ A free Estate Planning Seminar will be held on Jan 30 at the refuge

∫ The Go Wild for “Ding” Into the Night fundraiser is slated for Feb 8

∫ Sounds of the Sand will take place on March 23-24 at Bell Tower in Fort Myers

∫ The refuge will host a unique Solar Eclipse Viewing event on April 8

∫ The “Ding” Darling Day Conservation Carnival will be held on April 20 at Lakes Park in Fort Myers For m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , v i s i t h t t p s : / / w w w d i n g d a r l i n g s o c iety org/articles/ding-darling-days

∫ The 12th annual “Ding” Darling & Doc Ford's Tarpon Tournament will take place on May 10 For more i n f o r m a t i o n , v i s i t h t t p s : / / 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 / t a r p o n - t o u r n ament-1

Project begins to add beach sand to northwest Sanibel

Lee County reported that trucks b e g a n h a u l i n g s a n d t o n o r t h w e s t Sanibel on Aug 21 to replace sand lost to erosion due to Hurricanes Ian and Nicole last year

The Lee County Board of County Commissioners voted in January to accept grant funds of $5 million from t h e F l o r i d a D e p a r t m e n t o f E n v i r o n m e n t a l P r o t e c t i o n f o r Hurricane Ian and Nicole Emergency R e c o v e r y t o p l a c e s a n d o n L e e County beaches

The sand on Sanibel will reinforce the shoreline south of Blind Pass and

reduce the vulnerability of SanibelCaptiva Road, which serves as an e v a c u a t i o n r o u t e f o r t h e i s l a n d s Engineering estimates from the city of Sanibel determined that the site needs about 70,000 tons of sand

The county reported that about 25 trucks are delivering sand each day, which means fewer trucks on the r o a d c o m p a r e d w i t h o t h e r r e c e n t s a n d - h a u l i n g o p e r a t i o n s i n S o u t h w e s t F l o r i d a S a n d w i l l b e obtained from the Stewart mine in Immokalee, which was approved as beach compatible by the FDEP The

route will be from Immokalee to Sanibel, avoiding Corkscrew Road between Alico Road and Interstate 75

The work is expected to be complete in about 90 days Public access at the Blind Pass Beach Park and Turner Beach Park will remain open Work hours will be from dawn to dusk on weekdays The city and county ask that motorists and beachgoers be aware and abide by all signs and instructions provided by traffic control personnel in the area

City reminds beach-goers payment still required

The city of Sanibel reported that t h e L e e B o a r d o f C o u n t y Commissioners recently waived tolls on the Sanibel Causeway on Sundays from now through Sept 6 in support of the “Savor the Shore” campaign organized by the Lee County Visitor

and Convention Bureau

While the causeway tolls have b e e n w a i v e d , p a t r o n s v i s i t i n g

Sanibel's beach parks must still pay the hourly rate of $5 per hour or have a valid beach parking sticker affixed to their vehicles windshield

For information on Sanibel Beach P a r k p a r k i n g a n d B e a c h P a r k i n g Permits, visit https://www mysanib 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 bl i c - b e a c h e s / p a y i n g - f o r - p a r k i n g - o nsanibel

DOH-Lee lifts blue-green algae bloom alerts

The Florida Department of Health in Lee County has lifted health alerts issued for the presence of harmful blue-green algal toxins Last week, it lifted the alert issued on July 17 for t h e C a l o o s a h a t c h e e - M c G r e g o r Colonial Park and the alert issued on June 23 for the Able Canal-Connie Avenue North

The DOH-Lee reported that follow-up water samples taken by the

D e p a r t m e n t o f E n v i r o n m e n t a l Protection did not detect algal toxins, indicating the public may resume water-related activities

It noted that it is important the public continue to exercise caution a n d g o o d j u d g e m e n t B l u e - g r e e n algae blooms can move around or subside and then reappear when conditions are favorable again The public is advised to avoid contact with

the water if blooms are observed T h e l a t e s t s a m p l e r e s u l t s c a n b e v i e w e d o n

ProtectingFloridaTogether gov Report symptoms from exposure to a harmful algal bloom or any aquatic toxin to the Florida Poison Information Center Call 800-2221222 to speak to a poison specialist immediately

Ask an explorer

storm surges of Ian and another strong hurricane that occurred on Oct 15, 1873 Hurricane Ian's highest recorded flood crested at 13 09 feet above sea level, whereas the hurricane in 1873 had a flood that crested at 14 feet above sea level.

∫ When will the island get back to normal?

The honest answer is, we don't quite know There are many things we hear through the grapevine, but there is no way of knowing exactly One giant piece that is missing that will help aid the speed of returning to normalcy are accommodations The faster hotels, resorts and condos can reopen, the more normal the island will become apparent to visitors, locals and business alike Businesses and locals are working their hardest in the recovery process which will take a bit more time even though we are 10 months post-Ian.

Tarpon Bay Explorers is open on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 8 a m to 5 p m and rentals stop at 3 p m Reservations are recommended for Guided Kayak Tours and Tram Tours For questions, contact 239-472-8900 or tarponbaye x p l o r e r s @ g m a i l c o m o r m e s s a g e u s o n s o c i a l media

Tarpon Bay Explorers is the concessionaire for the J N “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel For more information, visit www tarponbayexplorers.com.

Student proficiency to be monitored child by child

B y M E G H A N B R A D B U RY n e w s @ b r e e z e n e w s p a p e r s c o m T h e S c h o o l D i s t r i c t o f L e e i s t a k i n g a d e e p e r d i v e i n t o t o r i n g a c h i e v e m e n t s t h i s y f o c u s i n g o n i n d i v i d u a l s t u d e d a t a “ W h a t ’ s d i f f e r e n t , f i d e l i t y i n w h i c h w e a r e u s i n g , ” S u p e r i n t e n d e n t D r C h r i s t o p h e r B e r n i e r s a i d a t t h e A u g 8 m e e t i n g “ W e a r e m a k i n g t h a t s c h o o l i m p r o v em e n t , s t r a t e g i c p l a n l i v e I l i v e s i n o u r s c h o o l i m p r o v e m e n t p l a n s . T h a t h a s b e e n f r o m y e s t i m a t i o n , a m i s s i n g c o n n t i o n A r e g u l a r u p d a t e o n h o a r e p e r f o r m i n g a s a s c h o o l t h e w o r k b e i n g d o n e p r i o r t o y e a r i s s t a r t i n g ” H e s a i d i t i s e a s y t o s a y g e t b e t t e r , h a v e b e t t e r p e r f o r m a n c e a n d w e w a n t s t u d e n t s t o b e p r o f i c i e n t “ I f y o u d o n ’ t h e l p d e f i n e t h e p a t h d i r e c t i o n a n d s u p p o r t t o d o s o t h a t i s w h a t t h i s i s W e c a n d o b e t t e r a n d o u r p r i n c i p a l s a r e a m a z i n g i n t e r m s t o r i s i n g t o t h i s T h e y a r e a p p r e c i a t i n g t h i s d i r e c t i o n b e c a u s e t h e y w a n t t o d o b e t t e r a n d t h e i r k i d s t o p e r f o r m b e t t e r , ” B e r n i e r s a i d

School Board Member Jada Langford-Flemings said the school support plans are incredibly cohesive and, more importantly, seems more of a continuum She said the plan really puts an emphasis on every kid matters “ I t ’ s l a s e r - f o c u s o n e a c h s p e c i f i c n e e d , ” L a n g f o r dF l e m i n g s s a i d S c h o o l D e v e l o p m e n t E x e c u t i v e D i r e c t o r D r M a r s h a B u r s a i d a b i g d i f f e r e n c e i s t h e y l o o k e d a t o v e r a l l d a t a t o m a k e s u r e e n o u g h g a i n s w e r e b e i n g m e t N o w t h e y l o o k b y s t u d e n t i n e v e r y s u b j e c t a r e a “ T h e d i f f e r e n c e f o r m e i s s t u d e n t b y s t u d e n t i n e v e r y a r e a W e l o o k a t d a t a b a s e d o n s t u d e n t s T h a t i s t h e b i g g e s t d i f f e r e n c e , t h e s h i f t f r o m o v e r a l l t o e a c h i n d i v i d u a l k i d d o , ” s h e s a i d T h e d i s t r i c t i s t a l k i n g t o p r i n c i p a l s a n d i m p r o v em e n t p l a n s , m a y b e f o r t h e f i r s t t i m e , i s t r u l y t h e b e g i nn i n g o f t h a t c o n n e c t i o n “ P l a n s c a n b e w r i t t e n a n d p l a c e d i n t o a t h r e e r i n g b i n d e r a n d p u t o n t h e s h e l f , ” B e r n i e r s a i d

He said it is about a robust monitoring system, which puts executive directors in the schools with individual principals looking at instruction, as well as having dis-

c ssions as to hat they saw and how to align arks, which is contextual eviom the classroom u r p r i n c i p a l s h a v e b e e n s t y f o r t h a t t y p e o f t i m e , ” r n i e r s a i d o f t h e a c t i o n a b l e e d b a c k o f w h a t t h e t e a m s a w w h e n t h e y w e n t f r o m c l a s s r o o m t o c l a s s r o o m T h e d i s t r i c t o u t l i n e d m o ni t o r i n g s y s t e m s f o r e l e m e nt a r y , m i d d l e a n d h i g h s c h o o l s t u d e n t s S c h o o l D e v e l o p m e n t x e c u t i v e D i r e c t o r D r S h a n n a h n s t o n s a i d m o n i t o r i n g w i l l k a t t h e f o u n d a t i o n a l r e a d i n g i n e l e m e n t a r y s c h o o l f i v e c o m p o n e n t s w i t h f i d e l il t r a n s p a r e n c y . A n o t h e r b i g b e n c h m a r k a l i g n m e n t p i e c e w h e r e t e a c h e r i n s t r u c t i o n i s m a t c h i n g b e n c h m a r k s T h e r e a d i n g m o n i t o r i n g f o r k i n d e r g a r t e n t h r o u g h s e c o n d - g r a d e s t u d e n t s w i l l m o n i t o r a r e a s s u c h a s f r eq u e n c y , p h o n i c s , c o m p r e h e n s i o n a n d v o c a b u l a r y “ A t t h e d i s t r i c t l e v e l w e h a v e n o t m o n i t o r e d t o t h i s

d e g r e e W e a r e v e r y e x c i t e d a b o u t t h a t , ” s h e s a i d , a d d i n g t h a t t h e y a r e f o u n d a t i o n c o m p o n e n t s o f r e a d i n g t o m a k e s u r e e a c h s t u d e n t m a s t e r s i t b e f o r e a d d r e s s i n g t h e b e n c h m a r k s f o r t h i r d - t h r o u g h f i f t h - g r a d e r s T h e s a m e k i n d o f m o n i t o r i n g w i l l t a k e p l a c e f o r a l l t h i r d - g r a d e r s , a s w e l l a s f o u r t h - g r a d e r s a t a o n e a n d t w o p r o f i c i e n c y l e v e l “ O u r l e g a c y w o r k i s t o h a v e s t u d e n t s r e a d y b y g r a d e t h r e e , ” J o h n s t o n s a i d F o r s i x t h - t h r o u g h e i g h t h - g r a d e s t u d e n t s t h e r e w i l l b e a n i n c r e a s e i n o p p o r t u n i t i e s t o p r o c e s s c o n t e n t t h r o u g h s t r u c t u r e d a c a d e m i c c o n v e r s a t i o n s T h e r e a l s o w i l l b e m o n i t o r i n g f o r n i n t h - g r a d e s t ud e n t s w i t h t h e f i r s t t o t a k e p l a c e f o u r w e e k s i n t o t h e s c h o o l y e a r i n S e p t e m b e r T h e d i s t r i c t w i l l i d e n t i f y s t u d e n t s w h o a r e n o t a c h i e v i n g i n a n y c o r e s u b j e c t a r e a s , i d e n t i f y a n d p r o v i d e i n t e r v e n t i o n s S c h o o l D e v e l o p m e n t E x e c u t i v e D i r e c t o r C h e r y l N e e l y s a i d s h e r e a l l y b e l i e v e s i n c o r p o r a t i n g r e a d i n g , w r i t i n g a n d t a l k i n g a b o u t c o n t e n t o n a d a i l y b a s i s i s n e e d e d W h e n l i t t l e s m a l l c h u n k s a r e m o v e d e v e r y s i ng l e d a y y o u c a n m o v e t o s o m e t h i n g m o r e i n n o v a t i v e “ M y g o a l t h i s y e a r i s t o g e t o u r c h i l d r e n t o d o t h e h e a v y l i f t i n g , t e a c h e r s f a c i l i t a t e t h e l e a r n i n g O n c e w e d o t h a t , i t w i l l m a k e i t b e t t e r a t a l l g r a d e l e v e l s , ” s h e

s a i d S c h o o l D e v e l o p m e n t E x e c u t i v e D i r e c t o r C l a y t o n S i m m o n s s a i d l a s t y e a r t h e y s t a r t e d t h e g r a d u a t i o n d a t a c h a t s , w i t h a l l 1 5 h i g h s c h o o l p r i n c i p a l s h a v i n g a g o o d , s o l i d p l a n “ O u r h i g h s c h o o l s h a v e a p l a n f o r e a c h g r o u p o f k i d s a n d i n d i v i d u a l n a m e o f s t u d e n t , ” h e s a i d , a d d i n g t h a t t h e d i s t r i c t i s i n d i v i d u a l i z i n g t h e p r o c e s s “ t h a t w e h a v e i n p l a c e b a s e d o n k i d s t h e y h a v e i n f r o n t o f t h e m ” A n o t h e r b i g c o m p o n e n t i s o n b o a r d i n g n i n t h - g r a d e s t u d e n t s w i t h a s y s t e m a t i c p l a n t o m a k e s u r e e v e r y s t u d e n t h a s t h e i n f o r m a t i o n t h e y n e e d t o b e s u c c e s s f u l i n h i g h s c h o o l S i m m o n s s a i d t h e y a r e n o t w a i t i n g t o t h e e n d o f t h e q u a r t e r o r s e m e s t e r t o p r o v i d e i n t e r v e nt i o n s f o r s t u d e n t s “ W e a r e m a k i n g s u r e t h e y h a v e a c o n n e c t i o n t o t h e s c h o o l I t ’ s a b i g p u s h t h i s y e a r , ” h e s a i d “ W e a r e g o i n g t o t r a c k w h i c h k i d s a r e c o n n e c t e d a n d w h i c h a r e n ’ t . W e w i l l e n c o u r a g e t h o s e t h a t a r e n o t t o ‘ l e t s g e t c o n n e c t e d t o t h e s c h o o l ' ” T h e m o n i t o r i n g a l s o w i l l t a k e p l a c e t h r o u g h t h e s c h o o l p r i n c i p a l s o n a q u a r t e r l y b a s i s A f t e r e v e r y c y c l e , t h e p r i n c i p a l s w i l l a d j u s t t h e i r s c h o o l i m p r o v em e n t p l a n a n d s y s t e m s t o e n s u r e t h e y c o n t i n u e t o s e e g r o w t h I f t h e g r o w t h i s n o t b e i n g s e e n , t h e y c a n l o o k a t t h e s y s t e m a n d f i n d w h a t n e e d s t o b e c h a n g e d J o h n s t o n s a i d t h e y j u s t f i n i s h e d m e e t i n g w i t h s c h o o l p r i n c i p a l s , w h i c h r e v i e w e d m a s t e r s c h e d u l e s i n d e t a i l , a s w e l l a s t h e s c h o o l i m p r o v e m e n t p l a n t o e n s u r e s y s t e m s a r e i n p l a c e t o m e e t g o a l s T h e y a l s o t a l k e d a b o u t t e a c h e r p l a c e m e n t t o e n s u r e t h e y a r e s t r a t e g i c a l l y p l a c e d b a s e d o n t h e t e a c h e r s t r e n g t h s a n d o p p o r t u n i t i e s B u r s a i d t h e c u r r i c u l u m d e p a r t m e n t b e g a n m e e t i n g w i t h t e a c h e r s b y c o n t e n t a n d g r a d e l e v e l t o g o t h r o u g h t h e p r o c e s s o f q u a r t e r l y b e n c h m a r k l e a d i n g a n d l e a r ni n g m e e t i n g s “ S c h o o l s i d e n t i f y t e a c h e r s a t t h e i r b u i l d i n g s t o b e l e a d e r s b y g r a d e l e v e l a n d c o m e t o m e e t w i t h c o n t e n t c o o r d i n a t o r s , c u r r i c u l u m d i r e c t o r s a n d c o a c h e s t o r e c e i v e p r o f e s s i o n a l d e v e l o p m e n t t o h i g h l i g h t b e s t p r a c t i c e s , b e n c h m a r k c u r r i c u l u m u p d a t e s a n d p r o v i d e s u p p o r t f o r i m p r o v e d s t u d e n t l e a r n i n g , ” s h e s a i d .

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

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

B S I

TARPON BAY EXPLORERS

The concessionaire for the J N “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel, Tarpon Bay Explorers offers tour and recreational activities

Shell museum

Director Jenny Evans said. “We're so happy to partner with the national shell museum in making sure that the property is supportive of the plants and animals that call the island home, and we can't wait to see everything grow and flourish ”

The museum is currently closed for post-storm reconstruction Its reopening

From page 1

will be phased, with the goal of restoring the Living Gallery of aquariums, lobby and museum store by the end of this year 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 shellmuseum org/

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

BAILEY-MATTHEWS NATIONAL SHELL MUSEUM

u s

SCCF presents on storm impacts to non-marine turtles

Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation Wildlife & Habitat Management Director Chris Lechowicz and wildlife biologist Mike Mills attended the 21st Annual S y m p o s i u m o n t h e C o n s e r v a t i o n a n d B i o l o g y o f Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles, held on July 31 to Aug. 3 in Charleston, South Carolina.

, A u

W e e k o f W e d n e s d a y

The SCCF reported that the conference focused on non-marine turtles with scientists from around the world and included 109 oral presentations and 23 poster presentations Lechowicz's talk “Hurricane Ian Effects on Insular Populations of Terrestrial and Freshwater Turtles in Southwest Florida,” invoked a lot of interest from colleagues

“There is very little published data on how turtles react to these events,” he said “The non-marine turtle species that SCCF conducts research efforts on are of high interest in the turtle conservation realm ”

City council

for backdoor services

From page 1

Also during the meeting, City Manager Dana Souza reported that the Captiva Community Panel has asked the council to join other island stakeholders in being a sponsor of the “Petition to Protect Captiva from Increased Density and Building Heights ” The petition will be sent to the county commissioners in advance of a workshop scheduled for Aug 29, where the board will discuss the proposed changes

The current sponsors include the CCP, Captiva Civic Association, Presidents Council of Associations representing a coalition of 12 homeowner and condo associations at the South Seas Island Resort Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation and “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge

Each member of the council voiced support for signing on to the petition as a sponsor

A motion to be a sponsor and to draft another letter to the county commission reiterating the city's opposition to the proposed LDC and Lee Plan height and density amendments passed 5-0

Also at the meeting, SanCap Chamber President and Chief Executive Officer John Lai gave a presentation on

Lechowicz added that two species, the Florida mud turtle and the Florida chicken turtle, are understudied and the SCCF has the latest research data

He was asked to write the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List Assessment of the Florida mud turtle, which summarizes all known information and conservation status of the species

Lechowicz gave a short presentation on the turtle at a private workshop during the conference The assessments are used by agencies such as the U S Fish and Wildlife Service, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and state governments to make decisions based on the conservation status and needs of the species

“This conference is a great forum to network with other researchers, share information and techniques, and build collaborations,” he said

Commission

From page 1

CITY OF SANIBEL

The Sanibel City Council recognized Sanibel Police Department Detective John Eicher as the Employee of the Second Quarter at its meeting on Aug. 15. Pictured are, from left, Vice Mayor Mike Miller, Councilmember Holly Smith, Mayor Richard Johnson, Eicher, Police Chief William Dalton, and Councilmembers Dr Scott Crater and John Henshaw

the ongoing planning for the city's 50th anniversary He unveiled the logo that the chamber, which is spearheading the organization and coordination of the participants, created

Lai spoke of promoting the anniversary events and a c t i v i t i e s w i t h a c o n s u m e r f a c i n g w e b p a g e a t 50YearsOfSanibel com, plus a business facing page, and provided a list of participants to date.

In other news

∫ The council voted 5-0 to approve an ordinance that amends the Sanibel Code to update recreation user fees for the Sanibel Recreation Center Prior to the vote, City Attorney John Agnew reported that the ordinance is not in conflict with Senate Bill 250

∫ The council voted 5-0 to approve an ordinance that amends the Land Development Code to allow for the use of a short-form application, processed administratively, for elevated swimming pools higher than 7 feet above predevelopment grade Prior to the vote, City Attorney John Agnew reported that the ordinance is not in conflict with Senate Bill 250

∫ The council voted 5-0 to approve an ordinance that amends the Land Development Code standards related to driveway standards for commercial districts Prior to the vote, City Attorney John Agnew reported that the ordinance is not in conflict with Senate Bill 250

first 36 hours after Ian's landfall, officials state that first responders continued to respond to the pending 752 fire and EMS calls received during the storm and consolidated the list down to 26 outstanding calls due to lack of access

As time passed and recovery efforts continued, so did damage assessment. Throughout Lee County, 24,585 resident i a l s t r u c t u r e s a n d 4 , 6 9 0 c o m m e r c i a l structures reported damage Property loss

SANIBEL-CAPTIVA CONSERVATION FOUNDATION

∫ The council voted 5-0 to approve an ordinance that amends the Land Development Code standards related to site planning for generally commercial and institutional uses and required setbacks for commercial districts Prior to the vote, City Attorney John Agnew reported that the ordinance is not in conflict with Senate Bill 250

∫ Souza provided an update on the Lee County Draft Action Plan for the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds He also reported that the town of Fort Myers Beach recently issued a paper commenting on the plan, including requests to direct or redirect the funding

Following a discussion about the Fort Myers Beach comments, the council directed Souza to draft comments about the plan from the city of Sanibel's viewpoint for submission to county officials

∫ The council recognized Sanibel Police Department Detective John Eicher as the Employee of the Second Quarter

∫ Deputy City Manager and Finance Director Steve Chaipel gave an update on the Florida Local Government E m e r g e n c y B r i d g e L o a n T h e c i t y a p p l i e d f o r $15,260,511 and was approved for $13.1 million. He reported that the city recently requested approval for the full amount and received it In addition, staff reached an agreement on the loan's language, which will be brought before council

∫ T h e c o u n c i l w a s p r e s e n t e d w i t h t h e f i s c a l y e a r 2 0 2 2 A n n u a l C o m p r e h e n s i v e F i n a n c i a l R e p o r t , w h i c h w a s p r e p a r e d b y t h e F i n a n c e D e p a r t m e n t a n d a u d i t e d b y C l i f t o n L a r s o n A l l e n F i r m p r i n c i p a l C h r i s K e s s l e r o u t l i n e d t h e f i n d i n g s , i n c l u d i n g : a n u n m o d i f i e d o p i ni o n f o r t h e I n d e p e n d e n t A u d i t o r ' s R e p o r t ; a n u n m o d if i e d o p i n i o n o n c o m p l i a n c e w i t h n o r e p o r t e d f i n d i n g f o r t h e S i n g l e A u d i t R e p o r t F e d e r a l P r o g r a m s ; n o r e p o r t e d c o m m e n t s f o r t h e M a n a g e m e n t L e t t e r ; a n d a n u n m o d i f i e d a t t e s t a t i o n o p i n i o n o n c o m p l i a n c e f o r t h e I n d e p e n d e n t A c c o u n t a n t s ' R e p o r t H e n o t e d t h a t u n m o d i f i e d i s a c l e a n r e p o r t , t h e “ h i g h e s t l e v e l o f o p i n i o n ” T h e r e w a s a m a t e r i a l w e a k n e s s r e p o r t e d r e l a t e d t o a u d i t a d j u s t m e n t s f o r t h e I n d e p e n d e n t A u d i t o r s ' R e p o r t o n I n t e r n a l C o n t r o l , w h i c h K e s s l e r e x p l a i n e d w a s s i m p l y a n o v e r s i g h t

∫ The council held the first reading for an ordinance to amend the Land Development Code related to extending the deadline from 12 months to 24 months for reestablishing a nonconforming use following a natural disaster The second reading will be held on Sept 11

was estimated at approximately $3 22 billion The U S Coast Guard completed its w a t e r w a y a s s e s s m e n t o n O c t 7

According to the county, 5,076 homes a n d 2 8 4 b u s i n e s s e s w e r e d e s t r o y e d throughout the county, with 910 businesses suffering major damage and 1,851 suffering minor damage.

The conclusion of the report states, in part: “Hurricane Ian was a massive incident on a scale that few communities will

encounter County staff did work during t h e r e s p o n s e w e l l b e y o n d t h e t y p i c a l scope of normal duties, yet seamlessly embraced new and emerging roles and responsibilities This was also true of m u l t i - j u r i s d i c t i o n a l , p r i v a t e s e c t o r a n d n o n - p r o f i t s t a k e h o l d e r s , w h o w e r e a l l committed to working together to support the Lee County community ”

To view the full report, visit www leegov com/storm

A hurricane named Arthur

It finally happened I got a hurricane named after me And boy were my friends sore at me

“Do you realize all the damage you’ve done? You’ve destroyed homes, created floods and generated mass terror and hysteria You should be very proud of yourself,” one Sanibel City Councilman yelled at me as we were ordering pizza with extra cheese at Island Pizza the other day

As a long time member of the Arthur Club, I feel for every American with that first name We m e e t a n n u a l l y t o g l o w a b o u t t h e w o n d e r f u l n a m e w e w e r e g i v e n when entering the world

F.I.S.H. to host Community Disaster Fair

By TIFFANY REPECKI trepecki@breezenewspapers com

Hurricane recovery assistance and resources will be available to islanders at an upcoming event

Held in partnership with the U S Small Business Administration, F I S H of Sanibel-Captiva will host a Community Disaster Fair on Aug 24 from 4 to 7 p m at The Gathering Place @ St Michael's at Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church on Sanibel The event is free and open to residents and business owners and will feature representatives from F I S H and a variety of government agencies

If you go

What Community Disaster Fair

When

Aug 24 from 4 to 7 p m

Where

Art Stevens

Shell Shocked

W e w o r s h i p K i n g Arthur at our annual bash and give thanks to our parents for having the foresight and vision to name us Arthur

W e h o n o r f a m o u s A m e r i c a n s w i t h t h e n a m e Arthur, like Godfrey, Schlesinger, Lake (he played Dagwood Bumstead of Blondie fame in the movies) and Miller (Marilyn Monroe’s famous playwright husband)

While many of us have given in to the many diminutive forms of Arthur, such as Art or Artie, in our hearts we know we’re true Arthurs and have taken on the burden of upholding the tradition of our names.

Until then

The roof came crashing down on us literally M a n y a r e a s i n t h e c o u n t r y w e r e v i c t i m i z e d b y Hurricane Arthur several years back and blame those of us with that name and not the unpredictable weather patterns sweeping the country

I even got a Facebook message from an anonymous resident of a Hurricane Arthur victimized region

“How can you look at yourself in the mirror after what you did?” she wrote “I’ve lost all my worldly goods including a 1938 Batman comic book, a Sibby Sisti baseball card and a Captain Midnight ring Couldn’t you use your good name to do good deeds rather than evil ones, like discovering a cure for the common pimple?”

I responded by pointing out that it wasn’t my decision to name a hurricane after me and that the National Hurricane Center selects first names on a random basis, like Ian I told her that the decision isn’t based on malice or prejudice but on a kind of lottery selection process

I pointed out that Hurricane Ian did far more damage and that those individuals with that first name are truly scarred for life and shunned by friends and family But she would have none of it To this Facebook devotee I am a Judas who has betrayed the trust of those who thought me to be a kind, gentle, caring individual I am now a destructive hurricane rather than a dignified human being

To the chagrin of the Arthur Club, our name is now infamous Many of us are seriously considering resigning from the club because we’ve been picketed by weather battered citizens Some of us are seriously thinking of changing our first names and sliding into a witness protection program. I personally am considering such new names as Slim, Tex, Buddy, A J and Spunky

Even Art or Artie are too close a link to the name that we now must disown and discard The bad news is that Hurricane Arthur wasn’t sufficiently devastating to warrant the safe removal of the name for future hurricanes by the National Hurricane Center Names like Andrew, Agnes, Alicia, Allen, Allison, Anita and Audrey are considered fully retired They may be done as hurricanes but are still available as names for new-

See ARTHUR, page 23

“We know there's still a lot of survivors who have unresolved claims or quest i o n s a b o u t t h e d i f f e r e n t r e s o u r c e s a v a i l a b l e t o them,” F I S H Executive D i r e c t o r M a r i a E s p i n o z a said “We think it's critical to bring out these resources in an accessible time, so that they can connect with these different programs to make sure that they have n o t m i s s e d s o m e t h i n g i n the recovery process ”

She explained that while SBA agents are now available to assist on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 a m to 4 p m at The Gathering Place, some may not be able to attend during working hours

“Hopefully, a lot more families will be able to come,” she said of the Community Disaster Fair Free childcare will be provided during the event

“We want to have a space specifically for the kiddos, so they are not with mom or dad or grandparents while they're having those tough conversations,” Espinoza said of the discussions with agency reps

The SBA will assist any survivors who have outstanding or unresolved claims, as well as provide guidance on the appeals process Along the same lines, the Federal Emergency Management Agency will be available to h e l p w i t h a n

She added that FEMA will provide information about its mitigation program that is available

Florida United will be present to give an overview of its different types of services, which are open to certain business owners and individuals looking for assistance, typically on a “case-by-case basis ”

Reliable Permitting & BSS will also be on site

“They will be coming out to talk about the services they provide and their free services,” Espinoza said

Music and Coffee Night planned

St Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church will host a Music and Coffee Night today, Aug 23, from 6:30 to 8 p m at The Gathering Place @ St Michael's, at 2304 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel There will be live music by local musicians, coffee and snacks, along with a place to relax and converse with friends and family The event is free and open to all ages Enter off of Dunlop Road For more information, visit https://www saintmichaels-sanibel org/

The Gathering Place @ St Michael's, 2304 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel

Details

Free and open to the public

“Also, other construction projects that they might have and the advocacy that they do for their clients ”

In addition, F I S H staff will be set up to talk about the four pillars that the human services organization mainly focuses on: food, education, senior services and financial assistance

“We will be offering our own programs and services,” she said

It will also provide information about working with survivors though certain rebuilding projects

“And assisting them through that process,” Espinoza said.

Though unconfirmed as of Aug 17, other agencies invited to take part include the American Red Cross, U S Department of Agriculture and The Florida Conference of the Florida United Methodist Church

Survivors planning to attend should bring their paperwork

“We strongly encourage people to bring as much of their documents or letters that they’ve received so far,” she said “Bring as much of that as they can ”

Computers and printers will be set up for those who need them

“We'll be offering drinks and food,” Espinoza added. All islanders are urged to take part

“We are months out from the storm, but I think we all realize how long long-term recovery is Everyone should take advance of every resource out there,” she said “Any resource that's a possibility, approach it and see what is available for your household ”

For more information, contact F.I.S.H. at 239-4724775 or info@fishofsancap org

To access The Gathering Place, enter off of Dunlop Road

Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church is at 2304 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel.

RC OTTER'S

RC Otter's raises funds for F.I.S.H.

Sandy Stilwell Youngquist reported that $510 was raised for F I S H of Sanibel-Captiva on July 27 during the official grand reopening and SanCap

Maria Espinoza

Captiva restaurant, RC Otter's Island Eats The funds will support feeding those in need who reside and work on the islands

BIG ARTS offers youth art opportunities

BIG ARTS on Sanibel is serving Lee County youth with professionally-led art classes that are intended to reach underserved neighborhoods and populations w h e r e c r e a t i v e e x p e r i e n c e s a r e o f t e n unavailable

One summer program took place at the Pace Center for Girls, Lee in Fort Myers

In addition, BIG ARTS welcomed dozens of boys and girls from The Heights Center's Summer Camp in Fort Myers The youths created make-and-take art pieces, as well as visited the Dunham Family Gallery to see a photography exhibit by Florida SouthWestern College students

FRIENDS OF RANDY OF SANIBEL

From left, Friends of Randy of Sanibel volunteers Ron and Sandra Seyk, Community Housing and Resources Executive Assistant

Presidents Allen Dunham and Tim Moore

FOROS presents gift cards to CHR

The Friends of Randy of Sanibel p r e s e n t e d $ 1 , 3 0 0 t o C o m m u n i t y Housing and Resources in the form of 13 gift cards valued at $100 each on July 25 at the Timbers Restaurant & Fish Market and The Sanibel Grill

From page 22

born babies Children bearing the names of retired hurricanes will no longer be subject to scorn and ridicule as they get older

The National Hurricane Center has determined that the name Arthur isn’t considered destructive enough to preclude another hurricane from bearing its name in six years The Arthur Club has petitioned the center to retire our name for the use of future hurricanes but to no avail

The hurricane specialists there like the

Each gift card was for a CHR resident school-aged child to help with their back-to-school supplies The monies were raised at the 43rd annual 4th of July Sanibel Island Road Rally on July 4

name Arthur and are holding onto it for some future catastrophe In the meantime, Ana, Alex, Arlene and Alberto you’re next You will be our next hurricanes And let’s pray that Hurricane Ana will be nothing more than a mere wisp of a wind

Art Stevens is a long-time columnist for the Sanibel-Captiva Islander. His tonguein-cheek humor is always offered with a smile

Youths in The Heights Center's Summer Camp enjoy arts and crafts at BIG ARTS on Sanibel.

BIG ARTS

ISL AND HOME islander

Bahama cassia

PHOTO PROVIDED

Bahama cassia is butterfly attractor

Also known as Cassia Bahamanesis, Bahama cassia (Cassia chapmanii) is an excellent choice for a South Florida butterfly garden With delicate green leaves and pretty butterc u p - y e l l o w f l o w e r s , i t a t t r a c t s m a n y o f t h e Florida sulfur butterfly species as both a nectar source and an important larvae food source

The plant could also be used in the landscape as a specimen planted by i t s e l f , o r a s a s c r e e n , hedge or border In a sunny location it grows to about 4-6 feet tall, so it would make a nice background plant in a shrub border It will grow taller in partial shade to approximately 8 feet Allow plenty of room for its rounded spreading habit of growth, as it can easily grow to become 6-10 feet wide

The shrub prefers well-drained, acid, sandy soil and is moderately drought tolerant Prune the plant back to the ground in the spring every few years to rejuvenate it or following a winter with freezing temperatures The plant often sprouts back quickly in the spring and does best in hardiness zones 9 and 10. N a t i v e o n l y t o S o u t h e r n F l o r i d a , i t w i l l b l o o m throughout most of the year, making it a welcome addition to any native or flowering garden

In The Garden is a joint effort by all at the local g a r d e n c e n t e r , a t 3 8 8 9 S a n i b e l - C a p t i v a R o a d , Sanibel For more information, contact 239-3955859 or visit www facebook com/rswalshinthegarden

Sanibel Captiva

CHR receives donation from Amazon

Amazon gifted $25,000 to Community Housing and Resources on Sanibel on Aug 4 at CHR's Woodhaven property The check was presented to Executive Director Nicole Decker-McHale, with CHR resident Sonny Kovanes, other CHR residents and staff, and Amazon representatives in attendance The funds will be used for ongoing hurricane recovery efforts CHR is working on new roofs on all of its buildings and replacing soffits and gutters It reported that two elevators are in disrepair, which is preventing residents from returning home While CHR has largely remediated its properties, a few still have major water damage Kovanes and his mother, Denise, moved into CHR housing in January 2022 He works as an Amazon delivery driver and she worked at the Bailey's General Store When Hurricane Ian destroyed their apartment building, they evacuated to Ohio Once their apartment was restored, they r e t u r n e d t o S a n i b e l C H R r e p o r t e d t h a t Kovanes shared his story with his boss, which resulted in the donation The presentation will be part of an Amazon company video

High temperatures mean high energy usage

By LCEC

Higher than usual temperatures create a high demand o n t h e e l e c t r i c g r i d A l t h o u g h L C E C f a c i l i t i e s a r e designed to withstand typical demands, customers are asked to conserve electricity to ensure reliability of the electric system

LCEC set an all-time summer energy usage peak on Aug 8 of 1020 37 MW The previous peak was set the day before with 989 89 MW Previous to this summer's record usage, the peak was on Aug 21, 2022, with 969 92 MW

When loads are high, protective devices may automatically operate on the grid causing customers to experience a momentary blink, or series of blinks, in their electricity This technology is part of proactive system protection to avoid longer outages While LCEC understands power blinks can be annoying and frustrating, they are part of a protection plan to prevent more severe power interruptions or damage to the electric grid

This weather is not easy on customers and air conditioners are working overtime, resulting in more energy usage and higher electric bills. Customers are urged to conserve energy and utilize the LCEC SmartHub tool to help manage usage The following are a few simple ways customers can help:

∫ Set the dishwasher to operate in the middle of the night while everyone is sleeping

∫ Reduce use of the pool pump or set the timer to complete its cycle by 5 p m

∫ Wash clothes after 7 p m

∫ Set a timer on the water heater so it only heats water when it is needed

∫ Set AC thermostat no lower than 78 degrees

∫ Keep window coverings closed during the day to keep the home/business cooler

∫ Grill or use the microwave instead of the oven

∫ Use natural lighting as much as possible

∫ Don’t keep electric devices on if not in the room (fans, TV, radio)

Fall Home & Garden Show to return to Fort Myers

The admission-free 2023 Annual Fall Home & Garden Show will return on Aug 26-27 from 10 a m t o 4 p m a t t h e C a l o o s a S o u n d Convention Center, at 1375 Monroe St , Fort Myers

“The Home & Garden Show is always a great opportunity to meet w i t h c o n t r a c t o r s , r e m o d e l e r s a n d home specialists to help residents,”

Bill Anderson, president of Expo Management that produces the event, said “During this show, attendees can find experts to address all their home improvement needs under one roof over two days ”

Now in its 27th year, the annual s h o w f e a t u r e s l o c a l a n d r e g i o n a l companies that display and present products and services to homeown-

ers Attendees can experience the newest in-home improvement products and services inside and out from furnishings, accessories, decorating and remodeling ideas to landscaping and more Hourly drawings and door prizes will also be given away For more information about the s h o w , v i s i t e x p o m a n a g e m e n t i n c com

F.I.S.H. to hold distribution event

F I S H of Sanibel-Captiva continues to distribute furnishing a

Distribution (POD) program

The next event will take place on Aug 25 from 9 to 11 a m at the Walk-In Center, at 2430-B Periwinkle Way, Sanibel The program is available to Sanibel and Captiva residents and workers on a first come, first served basis, while supplies last Items may include, but are not limited to, mattresses, bed frames, chairs, tables, accent furniture and more For more information, contact Program Coordinator Manuela Martinez at 239472-4775 or manuela@fishofsancap org For more information about F I S H , visit https://www fishofsancap org/

COMMUNITY HOUSING AND RESOURCES

Center front from left, CHR Executive Director Nicole Decker-McHale and CHR resident Sonny Kovanes with CHR and Amazon staffers

Recipe of the Week: Polpette di Melanzana

By CHEF LORETTA PAGANINI

You can serve your eggplant meatballs as is, either hot or at room temperature Served this way, they make a great antipasto or snack In the alternative, you can simmer them in a simple salsa di pomodoro (tomato sauce)

Makes 16-20 pieces. (Chef tip: Look for long slender eggplants, as they have fewer seeds and are less bitter )

1 medium eggplant

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 egg

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste

Bread crumbs, as needed

Olive oil, for frying

Roast the eggplant, whole and unpeeled, in a 400°F oven for 15-20 minutes. Remove the eggplant from the oven and let it cool a bit Skin the eggplant and place the flesh into a food processor (If the flesh is watery, gently squeeze out the excess liquid with some paper towels ) Add the remaining ingredients, except the bread crumbs, and process until well blended and fairly smooth

CROW Calendar

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

∫ Today, Aug. 2 3

Program of the Week at 11 a m

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

∫ Thursday, Aug. 2 4

Program of the Week at 11 a m

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

∫ Friday, Aug. 2 5

Program of the Week at 11 a m

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

at CROW

Admission to the center is currently free Admittance includes the above daily p r e s e n t a t i o n s , a n d n o r e s e r v a t i o n s a r e required to attend

In addition, CROW offers a Wildlife W a l k H o s p i t a l T o u r o n W e d n e s d a y s through Fridays after the daily presentation Limited to 12 people; participants must be age 10 or older The cost is $25 per person; advanced registration and payment is required To register, contact 2394 7 2 - 3 6 4 4 e x t 2 2 9 o r r e s e r v a t i o n s @ crowclinic org

For more information, visit http://www crowclinic org/ or call 239-472-3644

The Santiva Islanders Calendar

The Santiva Islanders will present the following:

Coffee Bistro

Coffee Bistro will be held on Aug 24 from 10 a m to 3 p m at The Gathering Place @ St Michael's at Saint Michael and A ll A ngels Epis copal Church, at 2304 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel Coffee a n d o t h e r b e v e r a g e s w i l l b e s e r v e d

Volunteers will be available to answer questions, register new members, offer signups for activities and more Enter off of Dunlop Road

Exercise with Mahnaz

Mahnaz Bassir will host Exercise with Mahnaz on Aug 24 from 10:30 to 11:30 a m a t T h e G a t h e r i n g P l a c e @ S t Michael's at Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church, at 2304 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel. It will involve light to moderate aerobics, strength and balance exercises, and stretching Bring water and a towel; no mat is required Light weights may be brought Cost is $5 per class and $40 per month for members or $10 per class and $80 per month for non-members. Enter off of Dunlop Road.

Hot Dog Lunch

A Hot Dog Lunch will be held on Aug 24 from noon to 1 p m at The Gathering Place @ St Michael's at Saint Michael and A ll A ngels Epis copal Church, at 2304 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel Enjoy hot dogs with all of the fixings Cost is $5 per person Enter off of Dunlop Road

Fun and Games

F u n a n d G a m e s w i l l b e h e l d o n A u g

2 4 f r o m 1 t o 3 p m a t T h e G a t h e r i n g P l a c e @ S t M i c h a e l ' s a t S a i n t M i c h a e l a n d A l l A n g e l s E p i s c o p a l C h u r c h , a t

2 3 0 4 P e r i w i n k l e W a y , S a n i b e l O p t i o n s w i l l i n c l u d e c a r d s , b o a r d g a m e s , p u zz l e s , B r i d g e , M a h j o n g a n d m o r e F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t B r i d g e , c o n t a c t B r y a n t K o r n a t b r y a n t e k o r n @ g m a i l c o m F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t M a h j o n g , c o n t a c t R o b i n C h r i s t i a n a t f w r o b i n 0 1 @ a t t n e t E n t e r o f f o f D u n l o p R o a d

Happy Hour at MudBugs

Happy Hour at MudBugs will be held on Aug. 28 from 4 to 6 p.m. at MudBugs Cajun Kitchen, at 1473 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel Enjoy happy hour drink and appetizer specials Participants will order and pay individually For more information, contact event host Susan Talmage at 214-206-6822

Coffee Bistro

Coffee Bistro will be held on Aug 29 from 10 a m to 3 p m at The Gathering Place @ St Michael's at Saint Michael and A ll A ngels Ep is copal Chur ch, at 2304 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel Coffee a n d o t h e r b e v e r a g e s w i l l b e s e r v e d Volunteers will be available to answer questions, register new members, offer signups for activities and more Enter off of Dunlop Road.

Then, spoonful by spoonful, and using the pulse function on the food processor, mix in the bread crumbs until the mixture holds together into a soft workable paste (Use only as much as you need, no more ) Take a scoop of the mixture, about a tablespoon each, and form little “meatballs.” Shallow fry the meatballs in oil until golden brown on all sides

Pomodoro sauce:

2 pounds ripe Italian plum tomatoes or canned diced tomatoes

1 small onion, finely minced

1/2 carrot, grated

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

2 cups tomato puree

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season

In a large non-reactive saucepan, cook the onion in the olive oil until transparent Add the carrot and garlic and saute for two more minutes Add the chopped tomatoes and sauce Season with the hot peppers, salt and pepper Simmer for 20 minutes to thicken at medium heat Add the basil and cook for a few minutes more

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

Rev Dr Doug Dortch

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 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 saintmichaels-sanibel org/, https://www facebook com/saintmichaelssanibel/

Rev William “Bill” Van Oss

Saturday service at 5 p m with a social to follow Sunday service at 9:30 a m with a coffee hour to follow Services take place at The Gathering Place @ St Michael's at the church; enter off of Dunlop Road.

Exercise With Mahnaz

Mahnaz Bassir will host Exercise with Mahnaz on Aug 29 from 10:30 to 11:30

a m a t T h e G a t h e r i n g P l a c e @ S t Michael's at Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church, at 2304 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel It will involve light to moderate aerobics, strength and balance exercises, and stretching. Bring water and a towel; no mat is required Light weights may be brought Cost is $5 per class and $40 per month for members or $10 per class and $80 per month for non-members Enter off of Dunlop Road

Desser t Contest

A Dessert Contest will be held on Aug 29 from 1 to 3 p m at The Gathering Place @ St Michael's at Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church, at 2304 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel There will be a taste test for “bulletin board bragging rights” and an optional recipe swap for those who take part. Attendees are also welcome to bring a local favorite or come empty handed RSVPs are requested by calling 239-413-7324 and leaving a message Enter off of Dunlop Road

Loretta Paganini

islandBEAT islander

8:30 p m

N e a r l y 6 0 p a i n t i n g s b y 3 7 regional artists are on display now through Sept. 7 in Fort Myers.

“Fortitude: Works by the Fort Myers Beach Art Association and S a n i b e l - C a p t i v a A r t L e a g u e ” presents paintings created in a wide range of mediums, from delicate watercolors to fabric collages, at the Tribby Arts Center at t h e S h e l l P o i n t R e t i r e m e n t Community

According to resident curator Marge Lee, the exhibition is the result of an appeal for display space issued by the Fort Myers B e a c h A r t A s s o c i a t i o n w h e n H u r r i c a n e I a n d e s t r o y e d i t s gallery The center was among the local organizations that stepped

forward to host exhibits for the FMBAA members

Lee noted that it was important to the center to also include members of the Sanibel-Captiva Art League, as many of its members also were impacted by the hurricane’s destruction

“Because so many artists in the region were and continue to be d i s p l a c e d o r i m p a c t e d b y Hurricane Ian, we were uncertain how many artists would be able to respond to call for entries,” she said. “But this exhibition of 58 engaging works proves that our local artists have fortitude and are creating excellent work ” S e v e r a l t h e m e s s t r o n g l y emerge throughout the body of

‘Jelly Ball Joys’

He’s not from Florida

He’s from Palestine, He’s not just a boy, He’s a grandson of mine

Sometimes he’s funny

Sometimes he’s for real, Sometime’s he’s naughty, But he’s always Jaleel

He’s not thin or fat, He’s not short or tall, But he can roll round his bed Like a real Jelly Ball

Back home there are horses, Goats, a peacock and sheep, For Jelly Ball to count Before going to sleep

He’s not very quiet, He does like to scream, Except when he’s waiting For his share of ice cream,

Then he’s quiet like an angel, A well-behaved boy, Nanny Marge’s delight, A Jelly Ball Joy

He’s young but he’s strong So I’m warning you, Watch out for Jelly Ball

When he masters Kung Fu

And he gives you that look, That Jelly Ball stare, A look meant to chill, A look meant to scare

work on display, including interpretations of the theme fortitude, depictions of popular places in the r e g i o n , f l o r a l s , l a n d s c a p e s a n d more

Concurrently on display, the Tribby’s Collaborations Gallery displays the newest exhibition of the ongoing “Ekphrasis” series, with poems by Bruce Bunch and r e l a t e d p a i n t i n g s o f D a v i d Tompkins In the Tribby Legacy a n d O v e r l o o k G a l l e r i e s , “ N e w H o r i z o n s : A r t w o r k s b y S h e l l P o i n t G l a s s A r t i s t s , Photographers, and Potters” is on display

Free of charge, the galleries are open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a m to 3 p m

“After

Joe Pacheco Poetic

Still he’s more fun to play with Than a room full of toys, Papi Joe’s house is jumping With Jelly Ball noise

And when the neighbors wonder What is that sound?

It’s Jelly Ball Jaleel

From Bethlehem town

He’s not from Florida He’s from Palestine, He’s not just a boy, He’s a grandson of mine

For Jaleel with love

From Papi Joe

The Community House Calendar

Shellcrafters

The Shellcrafters will meet on Aug 28 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the lobby. A shell crafting class will take place at 10 a m ; it is free and supplies range from $510 Items will be available for sale All s a l e s b e n e f i t t h e o p e r a t i o n s o f T h e

Community House

TCH is seeking volunteers and sponsors for its Fall Festival Party on Oct 28 from 5

to 7 p m

For more information, contact Executive Director Teresa Riska-Hall at teresa@sanibelcommunityhouse net or 239472-2155

TCH is accepting art vendors for the 8 7 t h S a n i b e l H i s t o r i c a l A n n u a l S h e l l Festival on March 7-9 Reservations are available for 8-foot tables for $150 and include all three days

TCH office hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a m to 1 p m

For more information, visit www sanibelcommunityhouse net or contact 239472-2155 or office@sanibelcommunity house net

The Santiva Islanders Calendar

The Santiva Islanders serve all adult islanders and visitors, regardless of age

The cost is $20 for an annual membership The Island Seniors raise funding to

help defray the cost of the program activities

For more information, visit https://sant i v a i s l a n d e r s o r g / o r c o n t a c t s a n t i v a islanders@gmail com

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

8:30 p m Tutti Pazzi Italian Kitchen, 1200 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel

MICHAEL DAVID 5:30 to 8:30 p m TRIVIA 7 to 9 p.m.

T h e C o m m u n i t y H o u s e , a t 2 1 7 3 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, will present the following:

License

New exhibit opens at Shell Point’s Tribby center