ARTS, 01NIMG & ENTECTAINMENT — Section B I OUTSIDE, ENVIRONMNENT, HEALTH — PUges 15-17A J BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE PAID SANIBEL, FL. PERMIT #33 POSTAL PATRON Vol. 37, No.4 Friday, January 23,1998 Two Sections, 48 Pages 75 Cents This TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD Week Special Report A two-part look at Emer- gency Medical Services on the islands — are we adequately covered? 3A The Pirate Playhouse debate may come to a head Feb.-1 when the Island Theater.Wing . membership votes for a Board of Directors slate. ,3A Cartoon The Horton brothers wonder what is the fastest mode of transportation on Sanibel and Captiva. 13A What's Playing Here's what's happening in the arts and entertainment world this week. 4-5B Cityside 10A Classifieds ISA Commentary 11-13A Crossword 23B Fishing/Shelling 22A Night Life, 2B Outdoor Guide 22B Police Beat 6A Service Directory 22-23A Street Interviews 7A Tide chart .21A e A Great To Kill a Mockingbird, which started this week at the Pirate Playhouse, stars three local youngsters: Scout is played by Joanna Harmon Week! (right), Jem by Daniel Benzing (top) and Dill by Alex Doiid (front). Read about these actors on page 3A. Photo/David Meardon. 2A_- Friday January 23, 1998 • ISLANDER jfc " Dave fCharlie' George " Ken Frey Jack -^ y •»• ,_ Sr George Wendy Angie ftobideau '"* Margie Eaton Dorothy .„ Sobzak Veillette Claudia Samler Elisabeth Peggy KohlbreSner Humphrey Lapi Lori toretta as Smith Davison . Sprouse Tony Janie Frey * Jim Karen Linda McLaughlin • McGowen Lapi Pritchard John Mary Lou Marsha Branyon Bell Smith Bailey Clifford David McLaughlin NUTMEG VILLAGE TQP LISTER TOP SELLERS Beautiful updated 2 bedroom-2 bath condo with Gulf views. Quiet west-end location with rental limitations for privacy. $379,000 Call GG Robideau or Lori McGowen, 472-1511. ' .GULF FRONT :•::<• FABULOUS CANAL VIEW Beautiful one bedroom, one bath Beach Villa at world class ! 'it > This immaculate Shell Harbor home offers all the right rea- South Seas Plantation. Second floor location offers "the best sons to live on Sanibel. Beautiful pool (solar heated) & spa direct Gulf-front views and spectacular sunsets." All resort area overlooking full length wide canal, luxurious master amenities and excellent rental income available. JACK SAMLER ANG1E & TONY LAPI suite w/private sun deck, 3BRs + den, boat dock and so Contact Jim Branyon, 472-5154. much more. $639,900. Call 472-1511 for details PRIVACY AND PRESTIGE PMR Features the Finest Selection of Island SAILBOAT CANAL Next to Sanibel's newest upscale neighborhood. Fabulous Real Estate Available on the Internet. Fantastic views of San Carlos Bay from this well designed 3 large, olde Florida home. Boat dock, heated swimming pool, Relax and Shop in the Comfort of Cyberspace. bedroom, canal home. Specials include tile & wood floor- lots of ceramic tile, high ceilings, fireplace,..so many fine ing, plantation shutters and solar heated pool and a great features, you must see this value-filled home! http://pmrrealty.com boat dock too! $569,500 Call Mary Lou Bailey at 472-1511. Call Dorothy Sprouse at 472-1511. LAKEFRONT CLOSE TO BEACH UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY ON CAPTIVA End of cul-de-sac. Large contemporary home. Formal din- Over 2500 sq. ft. formal living and dining areas, family room This charming old Florida cottage is just steps from the beach. Prop- ing room, huge fireplace, den on second level. Room to park with fireplace, elevated pool and hot tub. Wonderful enter- erty is zoned CS-2 allowing single-family residence with 500 sq. ft. six cars. Brick paved driveway. $399,900 tainment home. PRICED TO SELL! $595,000 of retail, 1BR/1 bath home, remodeled and freshly painted. Call Janie Pritchard, 472-1511 Call GG Robideau or Lori McGowen at 472-1511. $369,000 Call Karen Bell at 472-5154. CONDOMINIUMS ENJOY THE BEACH MOVE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION... GOLF VIEW Very well priced two bedroom ground floor. Pool, tennis, Gulf beach, beau- Is definitely a move to THE DUNES. A golden opportunity to build the 100' on scenic Sanibel River overlooking Beachview Golf Course! Build home of your dreams in this lovely country club community. For details tiful grounds. Completely furnished and equipped for $285,000! your dream home on this large, 17000 + SF lot. Close to Gulf beaches, Call Marsha Clifford 472-1511. regarding this and other Dunes properties, Call Margie Davison's 24-hr prerecorded hotline 1-800-527-&314, Ext. 2084. bike path too! $175,000 Call Mary Lou Bailey at 472-1511. ••• ONLY ONE UNIT REMAINS ••* CAPTIVA HOMESITE ESTATE-ZONED ROOSEVELT CHANNEL WEDGEWOOD OF SANIBEL Excellent opportunity to build a large near beach home on Captiva Island. A winding drive leads to a beautiful building site on this 1+ acre estate- Located on prestigious West Gulf Drive encompassing over 3.5 acres with 200' of Gulf Close to beach, bay, shops, restaurants, chapel, library. A great location. zoned lot overlooking Roosevelt Channel. Deeded Gulf beach access. New front beach, WEDGEWOOD OF SANIBEL includes 18 units, each with over 2,800 sq.ft. of One of the best available on Captiva. $347,500 dock in place. Great water views. $699,900 Call Karen Bell 472-5154. living area. Healed pool, spa, chlcki hut, clay tennis courts and more. $1,129,900 Call Peggy Miller or Jim Branyon at 472-5154. Call Elisabeth or John Smith, 472-1511, PMR Priscilla Mitrphy Realty, Inc. eauH. HOUSIUS oppoHTUNfrv Toll Free (800) 233-8829 • Main Office (941) 472-1511 • Causeway Office (941) 472-4121 -• Captiva Office (941) 472-5154 13 ISLANDER - Friday,January 23/ (998 >3A Hie Front Page Will the ambulance get there on time? ByJILLTYRER Where was the ambulance? Islander staff writer Here's what apparently happened the evening of It might not have helped their friend if emergency Dec. 14, according to Lee County EMS Lt. David workers had arrived sooner, but Saul and Ellen Bloomfield Wheaton: didn't expect to wait 15 minutes after they called 9-1-1. Lee County EMS has one ambulance stationed on The Bloomfields had friends visiting when one, who Sanibel at its Palm Ridge Road fire station. That ambu- had a heart condition, fell ill. Ellen called 9-1-1 and, within lance was dispatched at 6:26 p.m. to one call and the a few minutes, a unit from the Sanibel Fire Control Dis- Bloomfields' call went in at 6:48 p.m. When the ambu- trict was on the scene. But the emergency workers didn't lance on Sanibel is already out, EMS sends out an ambu- have the equipment to keep the patient's heart going. lance from another area, the two closest being the sta- As it happened, the patient died tions on McGregor near John Morris Road on the way to the hospital and even if and another at Winkler at Summed in. The EMS workers had showed up sooner, Special Report ambulance at the McGregor station also it likely wouldn't have helped, said was on another call, so an ambulance from Saul Bloomfield, a doctor. Lee Part One the station at Winkler and Summerlin re- County EMS records show that from sponded to the Bloomfields'. the time the call went in, it was about It arrived in 15 minutes, which, by 15 minutes before an ambulance arrived, although it national response time criteria, is "a pretty respectable seemed much longer, he said. response time," Wheaton said. In metropolitan areas, those EMS workers were very apologetic, Ellen standards are to reach 90 percent of the calls in 9 minutes Bloomfield said, and her husband rode in the ambulance or less; in more rural areas, the response time could stretch with the patient. It was the ambulance driver who told up to 15-20 minutes, said EMS Capt. Wayne Lunsford. him they had received three calls at once. Still, said Sanibel Fire Chief P. Charles Frederick, That was what concerned the Bloomfields enough "when you're dying, 15 minutes is a long time." to appear Jan. 6 before City Council. The City doesn't And, yes, it could happen again. In fact, City Man- actually have any jurisdiction over EMS, a county agency, ager Gary Price told the Bloomfields at the council meet- Berdenna Thompson andSarh Kukol look on as Sean or the fire department, which is governed by its own dis- ing that a similar situation had happened six years ago Murphy throws dirt on the roots of the mastic tree the trict board. But the point, Ellen Bloomfield told them, is with his mother-in-law. third graders planted on on the Sanibel Elementary that it could happen again — especially on an island with grounds during Arbor Day, 1998. Photo/Anne Bellew a lot of older residents — if the island doesn't have ad- (Continued, page 4A) equate emergency medical services. Playhouse factions launch attack Causeway clean-up ByJILLTYRER to Act Now: Let the membership decide at its annual ByJILLTYRER Islander staff writer meeting who will sit on the board and the board mem- Islander staff writer * Another battle is being staged in the Pirate Play- bers would live with that decision. Who is on the board, Most of the palm trees and shrubs are gone and house war. of course, will determine whether Artistic Director Bob traffic is back to normal on the causeway for January. Feb. 1 has been tagged as the date for the annual Cacioppo will stay or go. In return, Act Now's leader Roy Silvers was asked to drop his law suits. But people still are talking about the Chevy Blazer membership meeting — the time when the general commercial last week that had traffic in gridlock Mon- membership traditionally Silvers was out of day, Tuesday and, to a smaller extent, Wednesday eve- elects directors.