Cracking of Causeway Found, Additional Closures a Growth: an In- Possiblity, Says Lee Engineer Depth Look Part One of a Series by Kate Thompson Rowan
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! I f i I Retired greyhounds page 10 Week of February 6-12, 2003 SANIBEL&CAPTIVA, FLORIDA VOLUME 30, NUMBER 6, 32 PAGES 75 CENTS In memoriom More cracking of Causeway found, additional closures a Growth: an in- possiblity, says Lee engineer depth look Part one of a series By Kate Thompson Rowan. Staff writer Sanibel Police Chief Bill —See page 5 Tomlinson said things went Lee County Department of smoothly during the closing. But Transportation engineers have if it happens again, they want to begun their in-depth inspection of find a way to deal with the influx . the Causeway. of calls they received from people For the next two weeks, engi- wanting to confirm the bridge 1 neers on a- barge will be examin- would re-open early. He suggest- Q: How do you ing the Causeway piece by piece. ed an answering machine to pro- take pounds off The county has already begun vide that information might be adding braces to the bridge near- possible. the Causeway ar est Sanibel, following the discov- No rescue or medical calls ery of more cracks. were received during the closing, The work should take about a said Sanibel Fire Chief Bill The answer involves more week. Dickerson. local law enforcement Samples from the portion of '"We had two units on the the Causeway that was replaced —See page 2 island, but they didn't turn a two weeks ago left Thursday wheel," he said. morning for Gainesville where The Captiva fife chief also they will be analyzed at the agreed and noted that if they had University of Florida. to deal with a closing longer lhan For she's a jolly "It could be several weeks a single day. they would likely go before we find out what we have to their hurricane plan. good fellow to do or do not have to do," said Sanibel-Captiva Chamber of Linvironienlal Leader!!ip Betsy Rowan, project manager Commerce executive director Progimn fellowship | and engineer with the county Steve Greenstein said he was recipient I'limes \o the transportatioi i department. thrilled with the cooperation and Rowan and other agencies coordination that businesses and involved in the closing of the other agencies were able to Sec page 18 Causeway on Jan. 20 met together achieve. Bui getting adequate tor a debriefing Jan. 29 at Sanibel information out to the public was City Hall. a problem. Rowan said it is possible that Greenstein added that the boats additional repairs or replacement ferried 1,216 passengers and two may be needed oo those sections dogs. The cost of that effort was Getting out the of the Causeway that weren't orig- borne entirely by the island's busi- inally found defective. ness community; were a closing to vote Erik Burriss photo That could mean another clos- be longer or happen again, he's The flag in front of City Hall flies at half-staff Tuesday in honor of the ing of the Causeway, perhaps for not certain the business communi- More letters about the seven astronauts who died in Saturday's Columbia disaster. Gov. Bush has asked that flags be fiown at half staff through Friday longer than one day. Council candidates "But until we get our test See CAUSEWAY results, it's premature," said page 2 —See page 6 Community Brown, Jennings spurn kudos Promotions for five officers I Chamber director sums up COTI candidates forum how the islands coped By Kate Thompson Staff writer i —See page 6 By Kate Thompson Staff writer With their families and a standing-room-on;ly With only one of three city council candidates willing crowd, five Sanibel police to participate, the Committee of the Islands has can- officers were sworn in/ as celled its Feb. 12 forum. command officers. Incumbent Nola Theiss had planned to attend; Mayor The five promotions are Steve Brown and Jim Jennings said they would not. part of the department's All you need to Brown said the largest reason he is not participating reorganization which will know is that five COTI board members "are major contribu- make command officers tors to Nola's campaign." available throughout the Where to go, what to see Brown added that his recent back surgery also con- day. tributes to bis decision but that if COTI and the Sanibel In the past, the depart- —See page 10 Good Government Coalition had done a joint forum, he ment's deputy chief and would likely have attended. He said the same people administrative sergeant, as would likely attend both. well as the chief, worked "I don't know how that carl be a fair debate," he said. Monday through Friday, 9 "To be fair, it would have had to be balanced between to 5. « ENVIRONMENT page 18 the SGGC and COTI." "Unfortunately, most of The Sanibel Good Government Coalition has not the criminal element was- tive process that included said. "He's a very good • LOOKING BACK page 21 scheduled a debate as of press time.- n't working 9 to 5," said written examinations, oral police officer. Thank you "In a compressed campaign like this one, it would be City Manager Judie boards and interviews. for letting us give your dad • OPINION page 6 better for the candidates," Brown said. "In the future, I Zimomra, drawing a laugh Zimomra addressed a:promotion today." would hope that the island's political action committees from the crowd. "With our .« BUSINESS page 19 some remarks to the chil- Promoted were: would put on a joint debate." re-deployment, the com- dren of the new command • Michael Francis Murray, mand staff will be working • DATELINE page 14 Jennings, a first-time candidate, wrote to Robert officers, telling them to a 19-year veteran of the Robison, chairman of the COTI candidates' night. the same time the criminal remember this day "if you element is most active." • TV LISTINGS page 24 See COTI live to be 100." See SPD The promotions were page 3 "(Your father) is not page 3 » CLASSIFIEDS page 28 made based on a competi- only a police officer," she : 2 ,pr Week; of Februarys*!2, 2fM®\tq- I^A ' • Wetefc of' -6-12/ Lee County Bar Association and the other time by the Lee County 100 Club. He has RE-ELECT SPD been recognized by the DEA and with citations from the city. He has received From page 1 three life-saving awards during his career, two from the city and one from the U.S. STEVE department, was promoted to major. He Congress. He and his wife, Ave, are the became a dispatcher in 1984 and an parents of twin sons Kyle and Taylor, 11, officer in 1985. He was promoted to and a daughter, Miranda, 8. watchers for e Causeway: sergeant in 1988 and became acting • Dustin L. Worth, a 15-year veteran of the BROWN commander in 2002. department, was promoted to sergeant. Murray, who attended Framingham He was hired as a police aide to direct To State College, is trained as a traffic homi- traffic and was then promoted to cide investigator, a defensive tactics administrative clerk, later becoming a ; county wo police officer in 1992. Sonibel City out en instructor and as a crime-prevention prac- problem." had time to check the situation on the causeway. titioner. He is also responsible for the He is pursuing a degree in criminology State unsure if Punta Rassa In the past, overweight trucks could apply for, and A large sign is posted on McGregor Boulevard just city's emergency response and disaster at Edison Community College. He and his Council receive, an overweight permit from the Lee County DOT before Punta Rassa, notifying drivers that trucks over 19- preparedness program. In 2002, he wife, Sandra, have three children: Kayla, signage aclaquate as county to cross the causeway. However, the issuance of over- feet 3-inches in length or 34-tons are not permitted to received a valor award. He and his wife, 13; Shane, 10; and Alec, 5. COMMUNITY SERVICE • • • works on Causeway's C span weight permits has been suspended until the current cross the causeway and must turn off at Punta Rassa. Alex, live in Fort Myers with two sons: • William F. Dalton who has nine years of inspection efforts are completed and new load limits are There is no other way for a truck to reach the Causeway. Jay, 10, and Nicholas, 14. experience with the department also INVOLVEMENT By Kate Thompson determined. Trucks larger than 34 tons are legal on most roads. The • James G. Phillips, a 25-year veteran of was promoted to sergeant. Dalton LEADERSHIP « ® « Staff writer Last Friday, the county transportation ^officials met state weight limit is 22,000 pounds per axle, up to a max- the police department, was promoted to joined the department in 1994 as a with officials from the city and the Sanibel police depart- imum of 80,000 pounds for a tractor-trailer, Richards lieutenant. Hired in 1978, Phillips has police officer. He earned a bachelor's The Florida Commercial Carrier Enforcement ment. The sheriff's office was invited by did not attend said. served as a dispatcher, police officer degree in criminology from the GOVERNMENT SERVICE Division of the state Department of Transportation is not although they called later. Richards said someone from the county called and and sergeant. He has been named University of South Florida and a mas- ter's degree in management and busi- enforcing the 34-ton weight limit on the Sanibel While county officials called the state to ask for asked that state officers turn trucks around, preventing "Officer of the year" twice by Optimist - SANIBEL CITY COUNCIL MEMBER SINCE NOVEMBER 1998 enforcement of the weight limit, state officials said they ness administration from Florida Gulf Causeway.