Largest Circulation On The Islands VOL 9, NO. 12 SANIBEL & CAPTIVA ISLANDS, FLORIDA SEPTEMBER 21,2001 SEPTEMBER: SUNRISE/SUNSET: 21 07:16 19:25 22 07:17 19:24 23 07:17 19:23 24 07:17 19:22 25 07:18 19:21 26 07:18 19:20 27 07:19 19:19 Blind Pass " Sanibel Causeway Bowman's Beach Road Power on the island was lost at 3:30 a.m. Friday Tropical Storm Gabrielle morning. It was restored to parts of the island by 2 p.m. Gabrielle Opens Blind on Friday but some 500 island residents were without Lashes Islands power until the early evening hours, according to a Pass ' ••—-^. •..-•.._.; by Jim George spokesperson for Lee County Electric Coop. Although by Jim George only a few trees fell, large branches from trees blocked ropical storm Gabrielle gave Sanibel a sloppy, wet many roads. According to City Engineer Gates Castle, other Nature is a fickle old gal. She can't make kiss in the early morning hours of last Friday as she the first city crews were pressed into service by 11 p.m. up her mind whether she wants Blind Pass Tlurched erratically north in the Gulf of Mexico. Thursday night and all crews were functioning by 2 a.m. Mopen or closed. Over the past several years she Storm warnings and forecasts during the day and early City crews had most streets passable by 8 a.m. but the has closed it by sending high winds and tides to push evening hours Thursday warned of considerable rain debris was evident everywhere. Bike paths were still cov- sand across the entrance. And when man in the form associated with the weather system but also predicted the ered with water. Fallen branches and leaves made the of the Captiva Erosion Prevention District (CEPD), the storm wouldn't affect the area until Friday night. paths slippery and dangerous. City of Sanibel and Lee County had the audacity to go Unpredictably, however, it arrived early and from mid- The confluence of an early morning high tide and a against her wishes and dredge the pass open this past night Thursday until 7 a.m. Friday tropical force winds four-foot tidal surge from the storm combined to create March at a cost of $300,000, she promptly responded lashed the islands with heavy rain. Wind gusts of 45 havoc for city crews and boaters. East Gulf Drive, Middle with a spanking by closing the pass again less than 30 miles per hour were officially recorded but some gusts Gulf Drive and West Gulf Drive all had seawater in some days later. were recorded at 65 MPH. The weather bureau said five places as a: result of the waves breaching the beach On Friday September 14 she changed her mind inches of rain fell during the storm. By morning light dunes, Castle said. Other streets such as Periwinkle Way again and sent her feisty daughter, Gabrielle, (Tropical many Sanibel streets were flooded and covered with had spots of deep standing rainwater that slowed cars to storm Gabrielle, to be exact) to open the pass once debris from trees. Although there was one report of roof a crawl. West Gulf Drive west of Rabbit Road was inun- more. With winds of 45 MPH gusting sometimes to 65 damage there appeared to be little other structural dam- dated with water near the East Rocks area. Erosion of MPH accompanied by a four-foot tidal surge that trum- age from the storm. the beach along that part of West Gulf Drive was severe peted her presence, Gabrielle took a deep breath and continued on page 28 continued on page 29 tered around having enough money allo- City will have more than $1.8 million to City Adopts cated for Planning Department staff, recre- address possible deficits and "smooth the ''UNITED WE STAND" ation programs, additional police employ- effect" of increases over the coming years, Candlelight Memorial Service Tax Rate And ees and public works projects. according to Finance Director Renee Finally Marty Harrity urged his fellow Lynch! New Budget Council members to "look at the big pic- She cautioned that "tourist driven rev- by Camllle Kucaba ture. There's plenty of money. This is a enue" to the City may be over estimated in good, strong budget." light of the terrorist attack on the U.S. and ollowing a second public hearing The budget as adopted Tuesday its impact on the industry. "The League of Tuesday evening, Council passed remained at $32 million-plus and, with the Cities reports it's too soon to tell," she Fseparate resolutions adopting the exception of a couple of changes, retained said, "but we'll be watching carefully." If City's final millage (tax) rates and a bud- the same monies in all areas. A "Town Sanibel is significantly impacted, Lynch get for 2001-2002. Center" appropriation of $80,000 in the said budget amendments would be brought Virtually no one spoke against the tax Capital Improvements Plan was deleted, before Council. increase, and the budget generated very lit- and dollars for property and liability insur- Estimated funds from state revenue tle comment from the public. The bulk of ance were increased by $36,000. The sharing, the Causeway surplus and state Sunday/September 23 the three-hour meeting was devoted to changes increased the unreserved, undesig- sales tax may be subject to change, she Council members picking through the bud- nated fund balance by $44,000. In all, the continued on page 32 7:30 p.m. at the Sanibel Causeway get line item by line item. Concerns cen- Please bring a candle and an American flag w Ding" Darling Wildlife Society Connection LLJ New Exhibits Arrive At 'Ding" Darling /No-Army Of Invasion Ever Left by Brian Johnson A More Ghastly Trail In Its Wake or the staff at the 1999 J.N. "Ding" Darting Foundation "Ding" Darling _ National Wildlife <" Refuge, it was better than 4 2 opening presents on <j Christmas Day. After years co of waiting, the exhibits for the new Center for Education finally material- ized. Trucks from St. Paul, Minnesota transported huge boxes onto the refuge grounds and employees of the Split Rock Studios hearts, Museum Services carried them into the Center for • . Education. Kevin Godsea helping set up the exhibits. New boxes arrived at the refuge for three straight hopes days - from Wednesday, September 5 to Friday, September 7. Officers and volunteers of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service marveled at the scale and beauty of the exhibits. "They're awesome," said Layne Hamilton, who has been running the refuge since the departure of Lou Hinds. "They're better than I thought they would be. They're a and real show-stopper." prayers "Most of the volunteers and visitors have said they look amazing," said Refuge Ranger Kevin Godsea, who has supervised the installation of the exhibits. "They are something we can all be proud of. It's been the most exciting experience of my U.S. are Fish & Wildlife Service career." extended "The volunteers have been very excited," said Jeanne Rankin. "I had great expecta- tions, but they surpassed them." ]'::•• The exhibits bring i to life the mangrove to those who estuaries and the wild animals who live in • -them: When entering <*» the Center for have suffered Education, the sight of the vegetation and the herons makes you feel as though you have just walked into the at this most heart of the Florida wilderness. Yet the exhibits are Courtesy of the J.N. "Ding" Darling Foundation much more than just model forests. There here is no cartoon in the Darling archives specific to the unprecedented events of difficult time are 15 video monitors September 11, 2001. Disaster and suffering, however, are well known in history. as well as other high- Ding drew this cartoon in 1927 for the victims of terrible flooding along the Volunteer Jeanne Rankin looks at the new "Changing Estuary" T tech pieces of equip- Exhibit at the Center for Education. Mississippi River.* __, , _ „ ment. There are ©Christopher D. Koss in our nation's blown-up pictures of "Ding" Darling. The interpretive rails provide information about the Florida ecosystem and the history of the conservation movement. J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge, "They're just extremely well done," said Rankin. "They help explain how living things One Wildlife Drive (off San-Cap Road) Sanibel FL interact with each other." history. In addition to unloading the boxes and setting up the exhibits, employees of Split Wildlife Drive is closed to all vehicles Rock Studios Museum Services went out into the refuge to examine the coloration of the trees and plants. After studying them, they went back to the exhibits to paint in the until the end of construction finishing touches. Godsea said he was impressed by the professionalism of the company. There were Hikers and bikers will be only a couple of minor changes that needed to be made. "Those guys know what allowed onto parts of Wildlife Drive they're doing," he said. Center For Education open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Refuge News 7 days a week Construction continues on Wildlife Drive. Three new water control structures have been built, and workers are completing the final details. They are now tearing up the last water control structure, said Hamilton. 941-472-1100 Volunteers are needed for Sunday afternoons at E-Mail: • , Workers have been grading the back half of Wildlife Drive to prepare it for resurfac- the Refuge.