Access onto Fort Myers Beach limited

Residents barred from entering island Monday and Tuesday

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

Fort Myers Beach residents will be limited to returning onto the island to the days of Wednesday through Sunday from 9 a m to 5 p m after Town of Fort Myers Beach officials and Lee County Government agreed to restrict entry to the island on Mondays and Tuesdays to essential person- nel in order to speed up the removal of debris Lee County has begun taking over the management of debris removal on Fort Myers Beach following discussions between Fort Myers Beach Manager Roger Hernstadt and Lee County Manager Roger Desjarlais

Lee County announced Friday that access to Fort Myers Beach would be closed off beginning Monday, Oct 17, on each Monday and Tuesday except for “essential response personnel ”

According to a statement issued by Lee County Government, the decision was made to “speed restoration of essential services and infrastructure.”

Residents and their hired contractors can access the island from 9 a m to 5 p m Wednesday through Sunday, Lee County

Fo rt Myer s Bea ch reco very pain fu l as stories eme rge from H ur ricane Ian

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

Hurricane Ian left Fort Myers Beach looking like a warzone A veteran’s memorial the town had been working on for Bayside Park, which was obliterated by Ian, may need to be joined one day with a memorial with the names of the 14 who perished on the island after Ian landed

The Category 4 storm that unleashed 150 mph winds and storm surges of up to 16 feet lasted about four to five hours at its most intense strength on Sept 28 b u t t h o s e w e r e d e a d l y h o u r s t h a t destroyed scores of homes and businesses

More than 500 people stayed on Fort Myers Beach through the hurricane

Cindy and Steve Johnson were among those who braved the hurricane They lived to tell about it

“We are refugees,” Mr Johnson said

Ms Johnson had planned to ride out the hurricane at a neighbor’s home on higher ground while Mr. Johnson, chair o f t h e t o w n ’ s M a r i n e R e s o u r c e s Environmental Task Force, watched the home they had moved into 11 years earlier from Illinois

High noon

By 11:30 a m , the water was rushing off the Gulf of Mexico down Sterling Ave , Ms Johnson said By noon, Mr Johnson knew he wouldn’t be able to survive the hurricane in his home as flood waters rose to his second floor.

See RECOVERING, page 10

“We are refugees ” Steve Johnson, chairman of the Fort Myers Beach Marine Resources Environmental Task Force, who rode out Hurricane Ian with wife Cindy at a neighbor ’s home

S t e v e J o h n s o n a n d C i n d y Johnson stuck out Hurricane Ian on Fort Myers Beach though their home on Seminole Way is a total loss. They don't know yet if they will rebuild. NATHAN MAYBERG stated.

Town of Fort Myers Beach Mayor Ray Murphy said non-residents not involved in the recovery process would not be allowed on the island “We don’t want people who don’t live on the island coming into town,” Murphy said

Murphy said the new hours restriction from 9 a m to 5 p m was done with the guidance of Lee County Government in

See ACCESS LIMITED, page 9

NATHAN MAYBERG

Florida Power & Light workers have been working seven days a week to restore power to Fort Myers Beach Most of the town's power lines have been repaired Property owners will have to have an electrician and structural engineer certify their home is safe before power can be restored