*• i» • 1 The island's •1. newspaper • oj record (I * 1 33957 $0S} Q Wdiil lo bu\ watch? page 12 Week of November 13-19,2003 SANIBEL & CAPTIVA, FLORIDA VOLUME 30, NUMBER 45, 24 PAGES 75 CENTS Settlement reached in eviction case By Donna T. Schuman Staff writer The 82-year-old man who swore to fight City Hall in order to remain in his home did so and succeeded. Howard "Hop" Symons, who faced eviction when his landlords claimed he was unable to live independently, settled his lawsuit with the city, Community Housing Resources Inc. and Jan Hyatt, CHR executive director Nov. 3. Neither side would disclose the specific settlement terms. However, Symons was granted another year's lease. Prior to the settlement, 7 believe in CHR revised its afford- able housing policy to fighting for your eliminate any reference rights" — to "ability to live inde- islands honor veterans pendently" as a tenant Howard Symons criteria. Symoiis is a Veteran's events on Sanibel included ones at City Hall, resident of the city's - - — _ on Tuesday above, and the Sanibel School on Monday. belovv-market- rate housing program administered by the non-profit CRH. Kait'n Xetnon photo "1 am pleased about it, but I thought, it was silly to have to go to federal court to get another lease," Symons said. Backed by a legal team from the Bazelon Center For Mental Health Law in Washington D.C., American Association of Retired Persons, and Fort Myers attorney Trees: LCEC's enemy number one Josephine Gagliardi, Symons said he expected he would prevail. Donna T. Schuman House. a reliability improvement team to' "I believe in fighting for your rights," Symons said "I Staff writer Sanibel and Captiva have the research data and look for ways to didn't think it was fair." worst performing circuits in the improve the reliability of its entire Symons' attorneys shared his feelings. For some residents and business system according to Ken Simons, system. Through that research, "There is no question we are happy with the results," owners, power outages on the manager of LCEC system opera- LCEC has begun to solve the prob- said Michael Allen, senior staff attorney for the Bazelon island have become a way of life. tions. Simons has witnessed the lem. Center. However, very little explanation outages as they happen and realizes By installing distribution auto- "Having the city agree to change its policy so that is ever given for this common there is a problem on the islands. mated switches on the island, older people won't be discriminated against is a great out- occurrence. To shed some light on In the last year, the islands have LCEC can monitor and restore ' come." the subject, the Sanibel-Captiva experienced more than 140 power power during an outage in minutes. Islands Chamber of Commerce outages equaling an average of two The switches are operated from the The city is pleased invited officials from Lee County hours without power. A major con- LCEC control center and can Electrical Cooperative to speak at tributer to that is the abundance of with the settlement trees on the island, Simons said. See LCEC this month's box lunch held page 2 and pleased that ation in settling the Tuesday at the Sanibel Community Earlier in the year LCEC formed matter as soon as the matter has possible. Susan been concluded to .Silverstein, senior everyone's satis- attorney for AARP said she appreciat- • ENVIRONMENT pagel2 Lee County What's on Risk faction" ~ City ed the willingness {Sheriff's race iyour minds? management of the defendants to • REAL ESTATE: ...page 13 Attorney Ken bring this matter to ;It really is pure jRap, islands, and The Sanibel-Captiva ; • LOOKING BACK page 19 a successful resolu- 'entertainment [ manatees Trust Co. tells how its i _. Cuyler tion. • OPINION... page 7 done at seminar —See page 2; —See page 7: "Hopefully, • BUSINESS...... .......page 6 • —See page 6: housing providers in other communities across the coun- try will follow Sanibel's lead and do away with 'indepen- • DATELINE --page 9 dent living' policies that arbitrarily discriminate against • TV LISTINGS page 15 See SYMONS page 3 • CLASSIFIEDS page 20 Mointonce • Tree Work 3880 Sanibel Captiva Rd. iXP Phone: 239-472-1370 Sanibel Island, Fi. 33957 Fa\:239-393-2082 2 • Week of November 13-19, 2003 • .ISLAND. REPORTER ISLAND REPORTER • Week of November 13-19, 2003 • 3 CITY • COUNTY • STATE Veteran's Day started as W I commemoration By Mike Hannan tle. idential wreath, while.a bugler plays "taps." Staff writer After World War II, there were many new veterans who The American Unknown Soldier, symbolizing all the had little or no association with World War I. Since the unknown dead, was chosen in an unusual way. Six soldiers Shoap comes alive!! Transponders for At 5 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 11, 1918 the Allies and the word, "armistice," means simply a truce, as the years passed, of the American Army of Occupation in Germany were trucks coming soon Germans met in Forest of Compiegne to sign the armistice the significance of the name of the holiday dimmed. selected from different sectors to act as pallbearers. They By Amy Fleming ending World War I. All over the globe there were demon- Leaders of veterans' groups wanted to rename it and make met at Chalons-sur-Mame, where they were interviewed Lee Way and the Lee County Department Staff writer strations, the joy of which no doubt the world has never Nov. 11 a day to honor all who had fought in various by General Rogers. Next day, Sgt. Edward F. Younger of of Transportation will offer electronic toll before witnessed, celebrating the end of four years of bloody American wars, not just in World War I. the 59th Infantry was asked to make a choice among four collection and variable pricing to trucks with Lee County Sheriff Rod Shoap met conflict. In Emporia, Kansas, in 1953, instead of an Armistice caskets, with unidentified bodies disinterred from three or more axles beginning Dec. 1. with his Captiva supporters Nov. 5, shak- hi November 1919, President Woodrow Wilson issued Day program, there was a Veterans' Day observance. Ed American cemeteries at Bony, Belleau Wood, Romagne, Previously, variable pricing has only been ing hands and even serenading the audi- his Armistice Day proclamation. The last paragraph set the Rees, of Emporia, was so impressed that he introduced a bill and Thiaucourt. The sergeant was given a bouquet of white available to two-axle vehicles but a $1.2-mil- ence with Jimmy Buffett songs. The tone for future observances: into the House to change the holiday's name to Veterans' roses, with instructions to proceed to the City Hall at lion grant received from the Federal evening was a fundraiser sponsored by 'To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will Day. After this passed, Rees wrote to all state governors and Chalons, where the caskets were laid out. Younger realized Highway Administration has made it possi- Ron Gibson and Nanelle Wehman, both be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died asked for their approval and cooperation in observing the the grave importance of his action; and after bowing his ble for Lee County to make the necessary strong supporters of Shoap and his re- in the country's service and with gratitude for the victory, changed name. head, he walked around the coffins three times. On the changes to the toll plazas to vehicles with election campaign. both because of the thing from which it has freed us and Realizing that peace was equally preserved by those who fpurth round, he seemed drawn to the second one. three or more axles to participate in this suc- "(My wife) and I met him through the because of the opportunity it has given America to show her . fought in World War II and Korea, veterans' group peti- Reverently, he laid the roses on it, saluted and reported to cessful program. Carol Goldwasser, Lee Citizen's Academy course," Gibson said. sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the tioned Congress to make this day an occasion to honor those his commanding officer that he had accomplished his mis- County tolls director, said they will now be "He's a career cop, he's come up through nation." who have served America in all wars, hi 1954 President sion. able to pay half price tolls when they use the the ranks, he's definitely educated in Eisenhower signed a bill proclaiming the day Veterans' Day. The body of the Unknown Soldier was brought home Cape Coral and Midpoint bridges. Armistice Day officially received its name in America in police work." 1926 through a congressional resolution. It became a nation- The name was officially changed by Act of Congress on on the cruiser, Olympia, reaching Washington, D.C., on The electronic toll collection system will The Citizen's Academy is a course al holiday 12 years later by similar congressional action. May 24, 1954. In October of that year, Eisenhower called Nov. 9, 1921. For three days thousands of people passed automatically discount those trips by 50 per- offered by the sheriff which allows civil- on all citizens to observe the day by remembering the sacri- by as the body lay in state in the rotunda of the Capitol. For cent. In 1927 Congress issued a resolution requesting ians a taste of the law enforcement life. fices of all those who fought so gallantly, and by re-dedicat- this important Armistice Day in 1921, President Harding Currently, many operators are purchasing President Calvin Coolidge to issue a proclamation calling Gibson and Wehman both said "an ing themselves to promoting an enduring peace.