Sanibel Festival Mcphees Battle Recreation 10B Continues with Cyclone As Remember When 4A Opera, Other Events Trip Continues 1C
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INDEX Arts & Leisure At Lar?e 5A Calendar 4B Classifieds 10C Citvside 15A Rough seas Commentary QA Update Police Beat ?A Portrait 19A Sanibel Festival McPhees battle Recreation 10B continues with cyclone as Remember When 4A opera, other events trip continues 1C 1961-1990 Still first on Sanibel 1 and Captiva VOL. 29, NO. 12 THREE SECTIONS, 60 PAGES TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 1990 50 CENTS ••a Claim filed against city in gator attack By Steve Ruediger Islander staff writer John Engel, an elderly island resident who was bitten on the foot by an alligator while working in his back yard on August 17, has filed a claim against the city of Sanibel seeking damages. Engel's attorney, Kim Hart, said the city is responsible because it relocated the alligator, placing it in the waterway behind Engel's house. That waterway is not a relocation site, according to Assistant to the City Manager Bill Mills. Hart said the city policy of relocating alligators is dangerous, is opposed by professionals and will eventually M T result in a death if not stopped. He said that is why he. took Engel's case. It can be proved that the alligator which bit Engel was moved at least twice in the past by the city of Sanibel, Hart said. So far, Engel's medical bills have exceeded $10,000 and, although Hart would not give an exact amount, more than that is being sought in damages. Engel is over 80 years old and his foot is still not alright. He lives in the West Rocks subdivision and was working in his yard when the alligator came up behind him and bit him on the foot. In saying a death is inevitable, Hart added that "If he had been a smaller person, it could have happened to my Photo by PETE SLOSSON client. The alligator was trying to drag him into the water Almost ready? to drown him and then consume him at leisure." The temporary wooden span over Blind Pass between Sanibel and Captiva islands is re- Engel was able to pull his foot out of the alligator's portedly almost ready for traffic. Construction crews have been working on the span for mouth. weeks. Once finished, it will be used until the old span is replaced by a new, safer con- Hart said the people of Sanibel need to be made aware of crete structure. the danger and this was his primary reason for taking the case. Told that alligator policy had been discussed frequently on Sanibel, Hart said, "Yes, but a lawsuit seems to focus people's attention. I don't think we should 160 turn out for restrictions hearing have to wait until a little girl is gobbled up by an Over 160 people filled the City Council chambers at The Planning Commission was considering both its alligator who has been relocated in a pond in her back yard Sanibel City Hall Monday afternoon for the Planning Land Development Committee subcommittee because he was troublesome somewhere else." Commission's public hearing on proposed building recommendations and alternate proposals from the Engel had previously been denied payment by Sanibel's restgBtons for island homes. No conclusion had been planning staff. The staffs plan maintains restrictions on insurance company and hired Hart when he was denied rea^HRy mid-afternoon. the outside shape and size of a structure, but eliminates payment. Under the law, Sanibel has six months to Speakers from the general public fell roughly into two the total floor area and the number of story limitations. respond to the notice of claim before Hart could proceed categories: those who want restrictions on house size, and They agreed with arguments presented at previous hearings further legally. Hart said he hopes Sanibel will act those concerned that new restrictions would make many that objected to the city setting interior restrictions after responsibly and not delay the full six months. existing homes non-conforming so that they could not be rebuilt if damaged in a storm. Please see HEARING, page 3A Please see GATOR, page 4A Mother Nature reigns supreme Environmental experts bow in different directions By Frances Adams Deciding between what Mother Nature does and what the beach has eroded. In addition, they want to restore a Islander staff writer several environmental experts say would be best for her deteriorating wooden wall separating an existing pond (on The Sanibel Planning Commission doesn't cotton to systems was the dilemma the commissioners faced at their the Lighthouse Point Condominium property) from the fooling around with Mother Nature and, on that basis, March 13 meeting. And the decision-making process was area between the two jetties, which they also want to didn't approve a proposal to dredge between the jetties not made easily or swiftly with the questionable repair. located between Lighthouse Point Condominium and information yielded from the cross-examination and The associations' attorney, Tim Murty, explained that Lighthouse Resort & Club developed properties. hypothesizing of the environmentalists. the purpose of the dredging is two-fold: to add sand to the "Mother Nature is trying to tell us something," Lighthouse Point Condominium and Lighthouse Resort eroding beach west of the inlet and also to restore the tidal summarized Planning Commission Chairman Bob Janes. & Club associations are seeking a development permit to flow of water to the man-made pond, which, in turn, "She doesn't want that thing dredged because she keeps dredge sand from a man-made inlet, composed of two would reduce the objectionable odors emanating from it. filling it in with sand. And we're going against Mother jetties, and deposit the material west of the jetties (on the Nature when we try to continue to dredge the thing." Lighthouse Resort & Club property) to form a dune where Please see EXPERTS, page 11A All the following information was taken directly Officer J. Hannigan came upon a brush fire beside from Sanibel Police Department reports. Sanibel-Captiva Road west of Rabbit Road while on CC POLICE patrol last Wednesday. Officer Hannigan put the lire out UJ Q Police received a complaint Thursday night about a BEAT with the fire extinguisher carried in the patrol car. chain saw sound on Donax Street However, police could do nothing about the sound because the city of Sanibel A driver's license, Social Security card and other papers to had given permission to a company to work all night in the opposite direction. He then stopped his car. Price were found beside the bike path in front of the Pirate 2 installing new pipes. slammed on his brakes and skidded, leaving 15 feet of skid Playhouse last Wednesday. marks, into and under Wazetr's car. Passenger Sylvia Hosie of New York suffered possible The gate across Island Inn Road was damaged last o injuries Thursday when a car driven by Curtis Acker of A woman on "Greenwood Court hit her boyfriend's car Wednesday by unknown people who apparently were New York was struck from behind on West Gulf Drive Thursday while she was backing out of her driveway. trying to tear it down. near Hurricane Lane. The vehicle that hit them was a dark- colored pickup with wood in the back. It kept going. Another complaint was received by Sanibel Police last Michael Gross, 19, a student from Ohio, was charged Wednesday about the noise coming from Fast Eddie's last Wednesday with possessing and discharging fireworks Robert Joseph Price of Fort Myers was charged with restaurant. This complaint was from a different neighbor and with unlawful use of a driver's license. Police received careless driving and refused to be transported to a hospital than the one that has been complaining since the a complaint of fireworks being shot off from the beach at for possible injuries Thursday after an accident in the restaurant opened. Police told the management to keep the Nerita Street and found Gross on the beach with fireworks. parking lot at Bailey's General Store. Francis Xavier back door closed so noise could not be heard in the He said he had no identification but police found a wallet Wazetr of Sanibel was driving in the direction of the neighborhood behind the restaurant. nearby containing a Kentucky driver's license with a arrows in the parking lot when he saw Price's car coming different name and date of birth but with Gross' picture on it. He admitted it was a phony license. A watering warning was given to the Jacaranda Restau- Island Real Estate Center rant early Monday. '^\ 1711 Periwinkle Way / P.O. Box 202 Sanibel, FL 33957 Loud talking and a loud radio were quieted by police at about 2:30 a.m. Monday on Nerita Street. This property is being personally shown by Multi-Million Dollar producer, Linda Casa Ybel security saw Holloway. two men looking into a ASSOCIATES. INC.. »»OKE« van at the resort Sunday night. The men ran off GULF FRONT - GULF PINES Tom when approached. Roderick The 7-Eleven East called police early Monday morn- REALTY. ing when three men buy- ing one pack of cigarettes became angry because the store did not have enough change to accept a S50 bill in payment. The men were gone when police arrived. Gretchen (Gretch) Lass Miyasaki, a Drake Univer- sity student, was charged NESTLED IN THE TRANQUILITY OF GULF PINES is this new list- with using a fake driver's ing of a GULF FRONT home featuring 4 bedrooms/3 baths,,2 license after she tried to kitchens, 50' sundeck overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, 3 car garage, buy a 12-pack of Coors library, stone fireplace and many other extras.