This Week Deja Vu Nine Years After a Highly Contentious Debate About the Future of the Sanibel Causeway, the Issue Is Once Again Rearing up for Discus- Sion
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ARTS, "DINING & EWTE1TAINMEWT.— Section B OUTSIDE, SPORTS, FISHING — Pages '17-21A : J BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE PAID SANIBEL, FL. PERMIT #33 POSTAL PATTRON Vol. 37, No. 2 Friday, January 9,1998 Two Sections, 48 Pages 75 Cents This Week Deja Vu Nine years after a highly contentious debate about the future of the Sanibel Causeway, the issue is once again rearing up for discus- sion. 3A Laos Bound In the 1980s, a young Bryan Stuart wrote a Junior Naturalist column for the Islander. These days the doctoral candidate in biology is headed to Laos to study snakes and other reptiles. 3A Tax Help Sanibel residents, through AARP, are offering to help islanders with their tax returns. ...3A River Journal Betty Anholt gives us an idea on what to expect on the Sanibel River in January. 17A Classifieds 21A Commentary 12A Crossword 19B Fishing/Shelling 20A NighlLife 3B Outdoor/Recreation 17A Police Beat 6A Service Directory 26A Weather 2A Street Interviews ,7A Tide chart _. Have A Great ^bee^9-yeo7-old African lion, now lives at the Octagon Wildlife Sanctuary. He's lived there since he was 6 months old, under the care of Peter Caron. Now, thanks to Sanibel resident Fleur Wales-Baillie, Bobee, and other wildlife at Octagon, will soon live in South Africa. Week! Photo/Elaine Stacy. 2A • January 9, 1998 • ISLANDER Awed public discovers Manatee Park ByJILLTYRER Islander staff writer A couple dozen people leaned against the Want to go? fence peering into the dark, tea-colored water, occa- Discovery Day planned sionally elbowing their neighbors and pointing — for Saturday, Jan. 17 "There's one," "there's a On Saturday, Jan. 17, Manatee Park will spon- baby." sor Discovery Day. "It's our one day a year when we Large, gray figures bring in all educational organizations," said John slowly emerged from the Kiseda, senior supervisor of Lee County Parks & depths of the lagoon, rose Recreation. Organizations include the Save the Mana- to the surface and stretched Mike Clark and his daughter, Leslie, spotted manatees tee Club, the Caloosa Nature Center, the Nature Con- their snouts to the surface servancy, Ostego Bay Foundation, Dolphin Defend- before sinking out of sight one day recently at the Manatee Park. ers and other groups dedicated to environmental con- again. servation and education. "They look like big word has been getting out. us. We're getting an awful to see some, but I didn't In addition, some of the artists whose work rocks," said 5 1/2-year-old "We've been looking lot of visitors." expect to see this many," is featured in the gift shop will be on hand and Hilary Clark, watching the for this place two or three The Friday and Sun- said Tom Swank, who activities are scheduled for children, including a manatees floating just be- years, but we always day after Christmas — stopped at the park on his chalk art session, craft projects, and a scavenger low the surface. About 20 looked to the power plant Saturday's stormy weather way back to Cleveland. hunt. Discovery Day will last from 10 a.m. to 3 of the animals and their side of the road," said apparently kept people "They're pretty amazing p.m. and cost is $2 per vehicle. calves were in the little la- Roger Wilber of Chagrin away — even the overflow creatures." Any other day, the park is open 8 a.m. to 5 goon at Manatee Park, Falls, who finally found the parking lot was jammed, "These are very inter- p.m. In addition to seeing and learning about drawn there by the warm spot after the park was built said Park Ranger Linda esting animals," said Peggy manatees, visitors can rent kayaks or canoes (the water emanating from the around the canal. Patton, who works at Swank, of South Fort canoes are scheduled to be replaced by kayaks Florida Power & Light Co., "This place has been Manatee Park through a co- Myers. "It's too bad they're and neither are allowed in the canal where the just across the street. a zoo — and you can quote operative effort with J.N. dying off. From what I un- manatees hang out), or they can launch their own The spot used to be me on that," said John "Ding" Darling National derstand, years and years canoes and kayaks at a boat ramp on the river. one of Lee County's best- Kiseda, senior supervisor Wildlife Refuge. ago, the rivers were just full The park also features a fishing dock, picnic ar- kept secrets, frequented of Lee County Parks and And they haven't of manatees." Since the red eas, a gift shop, and learn something about na- over the years by people Recreation. "In the first been disappointed recently tide kill-off two years ago, tive plants. who knew manatees gath- seven months of last year, because the manatees have "it seems like the popula- Manatee Park is on State Road 80,1.5 miles ered there in the winter we estimate that over been crowding in, too. "It tion is holding its own," east of 1-75, exit 25. The only cost is 75 cents per months, when the gulf wa- 50,000 people came was like manatee soup out Kiseda said. A recent count car to park. ters turn cold. But since a through, and we're far ex- there yesterday," Patton estimated 2,500 to 2,700 in park was built there and ceeding that.... There are a said on a recent Friday. Southwest Florida and it's opened in August 1996, lot of folks who have found "I was hoping I'd get (Continued, page 25A) LOGGERHEAD CAY 1st floor, 2 bedroom, 2 bath. Great rental income. Completely furnished and equipped. Just $285,000. Weather 2 bedroom, 2 bath, new carpet, new tile, beauti- fully furnished, excellent income. Excellent view oj The Islands' Community the Gulf. $399,000. Newspaper since 1961 MAILING ADDRESS P.O. Box 56 • Sanibel, FL 33957 Fax 472-5302 POOL HOME NEAfi BEACH LOCATION faf- \'',,f-,t •"'if £ - jf !"•*?? 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The Sanibel-Captiva Islander (USPS 481-400) is published every Friday and is distributed throughout Sanibel and Captiva Islands by the Breeze Corp. Jan. 1-6 P 0 Box 56, Sanibel, FL 33957. Third Class postage is paid at High/Low/Rain the Sanibel Post Office, Sanibel, Fl. 33957, PANORAMIC VIEW Postmaster Send Address Changes to 1: 74...45...0 Immaculate 3 bedroom home on quiet cul-de-sac, Sanibel Captiva Islander 2: 74...58...0 formal dining room, split floor plan, huge great room POBox56 3: 78...58...0 with glass sliders all along the bay. Don't miss this Sanibel, FL 33957 4: 84...67...0 opportunity to live on the bay. Don't miss this oppor- Classified advertising deadline tunity to live on the bay. $889,000. 5: 84...67...0 Is Tuesday 3:00 6: 80...67..0 Error Responsibility In the event of an error we are respon- sible only for the first incorrect insertion of an ad if, in our opin- ion there is a loss of value. We do not assume any responsibil- MARSHA S. CLIFFORD Sanibel, FL 33957 ity for an error beyond the cost of the ad itself. We assume no Broker, Associate (941)472-1511 • 1-800-233-8829 financial responsibility for typographical errors in advertisement but will reprint without charge that part which is incorrect We 23 Year Island Resident with PMR Since 19/8 (941) 472-2902 (eves) are not responsible for any credit or reimbursement after 30 Temperatures and rainfall courtesy of days from publication date. the Chamber of Commerce. ' Priscilla Murphy Columns: Opinions expressed in columns in The Islander and PMR Letters to the Editor are those of the person writing the column Realty, Inc. or letter and do not necessarily reflect those of the newspaper. ISLANDER • Friday, January 9, 1998 • 3A The Front Page Islanders provide tax time help with returns ByANNEBELLEW Islander staff writer Five islanders, working through AARP (American Association of Retired Persons), are providing tax services on Sanibel to anyone who wants help with their tax returns. And they'd be happy to have more volunteers. The services are available through VITA and TCE — Volunteers in Tax Assistance and Tax Counseling for the Elderly — two taxpayer-friendly pro- grams offered by the IRS. Tax counseling is offered at the Senior Center from Feb. 3 to April 14 and Ed Meyers, who is in charge this year, is very excited about the Sanibel facility being one of only two locations in southwest Florida which can provide elec- tronic filing for tax-payers.