7^001004125*CAR-RT SORT ROO3 SANI BEL LI BRAKY 7'70 DUNLIN H) .-, 33957 SAN I ED- J-L URT OCTOBER 28,1999 SANIBEL & CAPTIVA, FLORIDA VOLUME 26, WEEK 44 NUMBER 45, 28 PAGES 75 CENTS Police on lookout for robbers By Anne Bellew first four break-ins and robberies or pried open by the perpetrators. Treasures, an upscale gift shop at Staff Writer took place in the wee hours of Sept. Cash was the targeted item in all of Tahitian Gardens. "But we're very Sanibel police are looking for a 24 at three businesses clustered these burglaries but, on Oct. 20, the fortunate that they just took money burglar or burglars who have used a around the intersection of robbers also apparently happened and didn't destroy the place. We've "smash 'n' grab" technique to rob Periwinkle Way and Casa Ybel and upon gold jewelry as well at only been in business for two seven island businesses in the past a fourth at the east end of the island. Surfside. Approximately $11,445 in months and, if we had come in and month. Unknown perpetrators used a merchandise and cash were reported found the place destroyed, we During the early morning hours large brick to shatter the glass in all stolen from all the stores. would have been destroyed as of Oct. 20, 1999, three island busi- the front doors to gain entry. Once "We lost about $1,000 in cash well." Shattered glass was every- nesses were burglarized: Valhalla in inside, the burglars went to the cash and a minimum of $500 in damaged where, according to Pettersen, "all Periwinkle Place, Surfside T-Shirts registers and removed any cash left merchandise," said Diana Pettersen, the wdy to the back of the store, and A national con- in Palm Ridge Shops, and Island in the drawers. The cash registers co-owner along with her niece ference asks: "Is Treasures in Tahitian Gardens. The were either removed from the shop Dcnise Thomaides, of Island t> See Robberies, page 4< e co-tourism killing Sanibel?" See story page 7. Refuge opens Lobbying for Mayor Drowning Text of letter from Vice public records On Monday, Oct. Education Center and thus' must 25, a 2-year-old Mayor Andrew Reding, be available to English youngster, see Commentary, page 13 the public) do William Harris, bring issues in drowned in a hot tub By Scott Martell front of the near the pool at Casa Editor public, includ- Ybel Resort. By- Vice Mayor Andrew Reding has ing council standers said his moth- notified fellow council members, mem hers, and er had four kids at the through a written memorandum, that discussion pool and, as her atten- he is interested in being mayor when does ensue — tion was momentarily the position is open for a vote on maybe not diverted by one of the Dec. 7. directly with Reding others, the toddler This lobbying effort appears to one another, either fell or jumped be unprecedented, and memos from into the churning spa. which would be illegaJ, but in a council members to one another public forum, whether it be with The Lee County may flirt with the Sunshine Law Medical Examiner neighbors, special interest groups, which states that council members or a newspaper, which directly asks confirmed the cause of may not discuss city businesses death as drowning. council members of their response with one another outside of adver- to a memo. Spending tised public meetings. Council members had varying However, Reding submitted the thoughts about the memo and its memo to City Attorney Bob Pritt content. money before sending it to council and "I value Andrew [Reding's] Council member placing it in the public reading file. input to council, but his style may Steve Brown brings Pritt approved the memo after read- be considered controversial, and forth several issues ing the law which states: "The use this [letter] may be an example of that he feels city coun- of a written report by one commis- that," said Council member Nola cil needs to address on sioner to inform other commission- Theiss. "But he certainly has the accountability. ers of a subject which will be dis- right to express his views.., [City —See page 5 cussed at a public meeting is not a Attorney Bob] Pritt is a real stickler violation of the Sunshine Law if . for the Sunshine Law, so I'm confi- prior to the, meeting there is no dent that what Andrew . did was City loses interaction related to the report OK." attorney Michael Pistella among the commissioners." • "I'm thinking of the bigger pic- The "Ding" Darling Birthday & Federal Duck Stamp Other members of council occa- ture in terms of the county, elec- Planning sionally send out memos or reports, tion," she said about the issue on Commission attorney Celebration and the Dedication and Ribbon-Cutting for the Center for Education at the J.N. "Ding" Darling National Pritt said. who council will choose as Mayor. Beverly Grady opts not. "Florida's Sunshine Law is well "I want to do whatever we can do to to .renew her contract Wildlife Refuge went off without a hitch one week late on Oct. 23, undaunted by having been cancelled by the threat from Irene. known to be the toughest out there help Bob [Janes, who is running for • after 14 years working — it tends to be very very restric- a seat on the Lee County for the city. The City Council, according to Mayor Bob Janes, had held an emergency session the clay before and unanimously passed an tive, in favor of the public," Pritt Commission]. —See page 3 said. O See Refuge, page 4 However, memos (which are O Sec Reding, page 3 Beat the Experts! 'Tree" house available... Frank Vermes won (lie $50 prize in the Island By Amy Fleming Reporter's college mid Staff Writer professional football con- There is a big white elephant at 2231 Periwinkle Way waiting for test someone to take it home. The elephant in question is a house dating back — See page 16 to the 1920's, and features such old Florida attributes as a fireplace and- tongue-in-groove siding, tall windows, and a wide front porch. The house was built by the same carpenter who built the original Bailey's store now located in the Historical Village. SiiliiiififlillJl The City of Sanibel purchased the property about two years ago as •Police Beat page 2 part of a possible future town center project, arranging for the current ten- •Regional News page 8 ant to remain in the house for a while longer. After he was later evicted for •Looking Back page 10 non payment of rent, according to City Manager Edward Sealover, the city •Business page 11 voted to bulldoze it. Building Official Jim Lulz inspected the premises, •Commentary page 13 confirming that it was tenable although in need of renovations, including •Sports/Outdoors page 15 upgrading the wiring. Sealover said that after Mayor Bob Janes asked him •lslami Lite page 17 •TV listings page 20 to explore alternatives to razing the house, he offered it to several island •Classifieds .....page 24 t> See House, page 6 2 • OCTOBER 28, 1999 • ISLAND REPORTER Police & ffiic Repoitfi on Oct. 17 and loaded with 75 $10 Intelccable cards. Lost & Found The machine itself is worth $2,400. Armed robbers still on the • A 24-inch blue and red Roadmastei 10-speed Mountain DUI arrest loose; another robbery Climbei with a flat rear tire was At 11:45 pin. on Friday, Oct. 22, a red Nissan found paiked in a resident's front 300ZX drove into Huxter's parking lot and pulled up occurs near Tampa yard and turned over to police for right beside Sgt. Brendan Fitzgerald's patrol cai. Police are still investigating the armed robbery of a safekeeping on Oct. 25. The driver then appeared to slump down over the jewelry salesman that took place the afternoon of Oct. 1 at • Kimberly Luzzi's check card steering wheel and Fitzgerald approached the passen- the Village Shops. was found in the Mad Hatter ger side of the car, inquired as to the man's condition, "We are still working with Collier County and the parking lot and placed in the police evidence locker. and asked for his license. When Carl David Sullivan FBI," Det. Kurt Schulte explained, "and, since there's now looked up and answered, Fitzgerald suspected he was been another one in Temple Terrace, probably with impaired and called for back-up to administer a field Hillsborough County. It's, obvious these guys are not from Beach patrols sobriety test. Officer Dustin Worth responded, this area and, much as I hate to say it, it seems to me The beaches of Sanibel, with particular emphasis explained the procedure to Sullivan (whom he recog- they're probably going to have to be caught in the act on Bowman's Beach and Silver Key were patrolled by nized], then administered the test in the well-lit lot. before any of us get close to them." Officers Jane Cechman, Robert Fehciano and Terri The area was also lit by Fitzgerald's headlights, and Cummins six days of the week Oct. 19-25. One per- Fitzgerald's in-car video camera recorded the test, son was warned for having a dog with no leash; which Sullivan failed. He was then arrested for DUI, follow her but stopped when Mullins exceeded the another was warned for nude sun-bathing. processed and taken to the Lee County jail where a speed limit.