|—INDEX- Arts & Leisure 5B What's going on around the islands 4B At Larae 5A Calendar 4B Classifieds 7C ISLAND ADVENTURE Crtyside 15A DINING OUT Commentary 6A Dining out Glean Crossword 7C Environment 3C Annual guicte Volunteers rid Police Beat 2A Recreation 90 features top islands of 12,700 Remember When 4A island restaurants 1990 Insert pounds of trash 1961-1990 Still first on Sanibel and Captiva VOL. 29, NO. 17 TUESDAY, APRIL 24, 1990 THREE SECTIONS, 48 PAGES 50 CENTS Voters still split over causeway replacement By Frances Adams Islander staff writer The issue that has divided islanders for almost a year now continues to do so, if last Thursday evening's special City Council meeting was any measure of unity. More than 300 islanders, along with Sanibel and Lee County officials, attended the Aprfl .19'ineetjng that was billed as an informative session relativeio the replacement of the Sanibel bridge and causeway and the upcoming May 8 vote on the Save Our Bridge group's initiative ordinance. From the meeting's outset, the audience was fairly evenly split ~ those advocating the county's proceeding with its plans to replace the entire bridge and causeway structure with a single fixed span, and those advocating repair and adherence to the Interlocal Agreement, which only authorizes replacement of the lift bridge. Under control After the measured testimony had been independently About 90 acres of land within the J.N. "Ding" Darling Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel-Captiva Road presented, some insults traded and the public's views and at the Bailey Tract were burned off last week as a means of vegetation control. Staffers expressed, little or no new information had been revealed from the refuge, area firefighters and other groups safely conducted the controlled burn. For nor, apparently, had anyone's convictions been changed. If additional information about intentional fire, please see the related story on page 3C. anything, the meeting served to reaffirm each side's beliefs. Lee County provided a video tape which presented a neatly packaged view of its plans to replace the bridge and Upper Captiva fire chief/two causeway, complete with pastoral sealife scenes and simulated views of the latest J-l design. That design, which most advocates of a new bridge favor, removes the others killed in plane crash island nearest Punta Rassa, replaces the lift span with a 65-feet-high fixed span that descends to an even 17-foot- Upper Captiva Andy Anderson and two other men were 4:50 p.m. People who saw the crash speculated that the high bridge all the way to Sanibel, while incorporating an killed Thursday when Anderson's Cessna airplane crashed engine stalled. However, representatives of the National off-ramp to the island nearest Sanibel, which will be a into the water immediately after takeoff from the Upper Transportation Safety Board said a lot of investigative county recreational facility. Captiva airstrip. work would have to be done before the cause of the crash SOB representative Doug Wilson, in pointing out the so killed were San Carlos fire chief Karl Drews and could be determined. county's financial interest in building an entirely new Dther-in-law, Henry M. Street, Immediately after the crash, residents tried to reach the structure, emphasized that the actual projected cost to Toint services for Anderson and Drews will be held plane by boat and by swimming out to it from shore, but repair the causfcway spans is the same amount the county today, Tuesday, at 11 a.m. at St. Joseph's Episcopal they were unable to get the plane's doors open underwater has budgeted just to plan the new structure. Church in San Carlos Park. to save the occupants. Wilson briefly reviewed the proposed ordinance, section Three crosses are being erected at the end of the Upper Drews had been visiting Upper Captiva to help inspect by section. Captiva runway in memory of the men. The plane went down shortly after taking off at about Please see CRASH, page 4A Please see SPILT, page 15A SCCF notes Earth Day with special Water Fair By Steve Ruediger at the reverse osmosis plant and at the Catholic church. Money raised by the fair will go for a new center at Islander staff writer Free trees were given out by the native plant nursery. SCCF. Plans for the center were on display at the fair. The Earth Day Water Fair at the Sanibel-Captiva You did have to pay for some things. For example, it Virtually all island groups involved in conservation had Conservation Foundation Sunday was oceans of fun. This cost a dollar to get three balls at the dunk tank, sponsored booths at the fair and were giving out information. true island experience was also inexpensive. In fact it was by Sanibel-Captiva Rotary. If you managed to hit a target Guided tours were conducted of the trails at SCCF while free. with a ball, a well known local person (or this reporter) WQEZ broadcast live from the fam There were free hot dogs, chicken, soft drinks, baked went into the water. With beautiful weather, educational exhibits, enjoyable beans and cole slaw, all courtesy of the Island Water The first victim of the dunk tank was Sanibel Police entertainment, and a crowd of happy, interesting, friendly Association. Chief Richard Plager. The first person to throw a ball that people, what more could you ask for? Videos, dance demonstrations, story telling, muslc^ and dunked him was police Sgt. Mike Murray. To paraphrase a slightly old saying: if you weren't many other things also were there for the enjoyment of "I'll probably be going back to the midnight shift," there, you were square. It was more than just a fair, it was the crowds, who came by free trolley from the free parking commented Murray after dunking his bossa second time. an excellent. CM All the following information was taken directly from Sanibel Police Department reports A watering violation notice was given last Tuesday to 719 Periwinkle Way. rr POLICE UJ A Michigan man reported Wednesday, April 18, that a Q Three men were charged last Tuesday with an open fire radar detector, a ladies gold watch and a cellular telephone BEAT violation. John Daryl Dyer, 29; Bradley J. Clark, 21; and had been stolen from his car while it was parked on the Michael Robert Hyatt, 21, of Sandpebble Circle had cn parking lot at the lighthouse beach. started a fire in the front yard of their rented house for the who presented it left it behind when police were called. fun of it, police said. Fuel for "the fire consisted of a small A Minnesota woman lost her change purse Wednesday table, plywood, and other items. The flames were in in the vicinity of Iggy & Paul's Restaurant. A 6 1-2-foot long nuisance alligator was caught last excess of 6 feet, police said. o Tuesday on Old Middle Gulf Drive and was turned over to en Two wind surfing boards disappeared Wednesday from en a state licensed handler for disposal. Assistant to the City Police received reports early last week of a car headed the Casa Ybel Resort Bike and Boat Rental. Manager Bill Mills said there had been a number of toward Captiva at a high rate of speed. The vehicle was complaints in the area of an alligator coming around CM found a short time later at the Chapel By The Sea on Police on Wednesday delivered a notice of code violation houses too often. Captiva, where a wedding was in progress. It turned out a to Coconut Telegraph Imports. The notice alleged that the the car belonged to the best man. He was only given a store was using an outside display although all displays Neighbors complained last Tuesday of a noise at 8:30 warning because the police had not actually seen him CO are supposed to be within the store. a.m. from a house on Southwinds Drive. Police speed. determined" that it was air being sucked into the pool A fake Kentucky driver's license was questioned at the skimmer of the home. Police informed the home owner A Sanibel man complained early last week that 7-Eleven West on Tuesday, April 17, and the young man that they needed to put more water in their pool. somebody had locked his bicycle to a bicycle rack. Police told him they could not help him break the lock, trafficking and a 1989 Sanibel burglary warrant. When the jury was out deliberating its verdict at Kelley's New Jersey FOYE BUILDERS, INC trial, he walked out of the courtroom and did not retu forfeiting a $500,000 cash surety bond. However, they did give him a ride to a bicycle shop. MARTIN J. FOYE State Certified Wing's Wildlife T-Shirts and Boutique reported to police Building Contractor on Monday, April 16, that over $8,000 in cash had disappeared from the store overnight. About $100 had P.O. Box 1416 • RESIDENTIAL been in the cash register, $7,353 had been in two bank Sanibel Creative Tile Co. • COMMERCIAL Sanibel, FL 33957 • REMODELING bags and $700 had been in a cash box. The door to the (813)472-3937 CBC 036486 store was locked and there was no sign of forced entry. Water violation notices were given early last week to 767 Penshell Drive, 837 Tulip Way and the home at the STOREWIDE SALE corner of Paper Fig and Periwinkle A 4-foot-long alligator that decided to take a swim early NOW IN PROGRESS last week in the pool at the White Sands Condos was Complete installation experts relocated to the Sanibel River.