City Council Honors Weiss Upon Retirement
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33957 VO LUiMEvIS; N U M BE R 8 EEK OF JANUARY 2 00 6 'Polar Bears' ring in the New Year with a refreshing dip didn't have the courage to tell the people." By EMiLIE ALFiNO Carney said the group does it for fun ealf ino @ breezenewspapers.com ("After all, it's been 12 hours since the last fc party," he said). Carney's been a Polar Bear Plunge into "icy" Gulf waters since before he moved to Florida on Dec. only for the hardiest souls 27. 1995. He's jumped into Lake Erie, New- 'i £ York, where he had to break through the ice The world is full of eccentricities: to do it. He also was a Minnesota Polar Jamaica has its bob-sled team and Sanibel- Bear, where this year water temperatures Captiva has its Polar Bear Club. were in the low 30s. On an overcast, humid New Year's Day "But that was in my youth,"' he said. at what the club likes to call "the crack of On Coney Island this year, the New York noon," 104 brave and fun-loving souls from Polar Bears di.dn't have to deal with water 16 states and five foreign countries ran into very much colder than their Florida counter- the 68-degree Gulf of Mexico. parts: it was in the low 60s. But in Boulder, The rules require them to achieve "full- Colo., those Polar Bears plunged into 38- body immersion" before they can leave the degree water. In Libby, Montana, with air water to enjoy the 78-dcgree air at Tarpon temperatures below zero, the Polar Bears Bay Beach where amazed admirers — jumped into water in the upper 30s. -• t called "mice," because they lack the In Algonquin, Maine, they had to break courage to go in the water — awaited them. through the ice to take their New Year's Day This was the sixth year for the Sun-Cap swim. And they probably had to do the same Polar Bears, and founder "Papa Bear" John in Jacksonport. Wis., where 500 Polar Bears Carney said is was the warmest water braved 37-degree air temperatures on their . i they've ever had. Photo by /;,MlUE ALFINO "One year it was in the high 50s. but I See POLAR BEARS John "Papa Bear" Carney celebrates the New Year with a plunge into the Gulf of page 15 Mexico. City council honors •i ..- Weiss upon retirement -fL By EM!LiE ALFiNO her. I would be floundering instead of he joked, there's that house in Naples ealf ino @ breezenewspapers.com standing here talking today." and those relatives to see. But he said Starting as a secretary in 1987 and Former Police Chief Dick Prager he wouldn't have missed the reception now retiring as the key administrative said, "It was my honor to be Chief of honoring Barbara for anything. assistant to Ihe Sanibel police chief - Sanibel for eight years and it was my "This is the best work force I've the fourth she's served in that capacity distinct pleasure to have Barbara as ever been with and especially every- - the Sanibel City Council honored my secretary for those eight years. body at the Sanibel Police Barbara Weiss at its Jan. 3 meeting There is one quality of an employee, Department. I'm going to miss every with a reception and a proclamation and I'm speaking now as [someone single one of you.'" Weiss said. '"Now presented by Mayor Carla Johnston. whol did 24 years in the military, the I have to read something that my dear "J am proud to recognize Barbara most important quality of anybody is sister sent me. 'Happy retirement. All upon her retirement, expressing our the loyalty to the boss and loyalty to these years you've kept your nose to sincere thanks for her service to the the organization. And if you would the grindstone, pulled your hair out city of Sanibel," the mayor said. "We sum up Barbara, that's the one word and worked your buns off. Take what express our desire that she enjoy a we would all remember." few body parts you have left and long, healthy and happy retirement." Prager said he came 4,000 miles, enjoy your new life' " "She's a wealth of knowledge," all the way from Israel, just to wish That brought a lot of laughs to the Photo by EMI Lib. ALFINO Chief Bill Tomlinson said. "Without Barbara well as she retires. Of course, Sanibel Police administrator Barbara Weiss receives a packed hall - and a standing ovation. congratulatory hug from Francis Bailey. Photo by Blake SobcziA The pile of hurricane debris on Planning commissioners 2005 Island Inn Road caught fire on • OBITUARIES page 3 The Year in Tuesday evening around 5:30. The site has been used for controlled reappointed by council Review burning of debris, but the follow- • LrnEKS page 6 ing morning, Fire Chief Rich Dickerson said they were still try- The Sanibel City Council reappointed Phillip 00 back at ing to determine the exact cause of Marks and John Veenschoten to additional four-year • CAIF.M)AR page 10 Jr .."!? terms at the council's regular meeting Jan. 3. Their r the blaze. ° Sanibel s biggest "It was a large pile," he said, "and terms will run from Jan. 9, 2006. to Jan. 12, 2010. stories of 2005. the fire was intense." Marks and Veenschoten each received four votes, • I'OUCFBFAI page 14 He said the fire department paid while applicants Reynolds and Ruane each received close attention due to concern that one vote. • Vox POPLI.I page 16 the fire might jump to other loca- tions. Near 10 p.m. the fire was Sec page 4 reduced to the point that Tarpon . CLASS™ page 17 ~ Bay Road was again opened to automobile traffic. ** >-& .>,*. -.* 8298-QZ17 (6BZ) (23S1 >- OfrttAf Wboft.*V*«n>«** 4 2' Q ' ^A/eek of danaaryfe -'I1,2bb6 ISLAND REPORTER Sanibel woman sells cook book to benefit friend by EMILfE ALFINO job. Currently, she is on Toll said that as of Dec. 29, ealf ino @ breezenewspapers.com chemotherapy. cookbook sales have raised "Leslie needed extra money to $6,000, all of which went directly The holidays are over, but the cover what insurance didn't cover. to Godley because Toll and her giving season never ends. I decided this cookbook, hopeful- husband covered the entire cost of Sanibel resident Barbara Toll ly, would be an easy thing to do," the book to make sure Godley embodies that sentiment and spent Toll said with a sardonic laugh - received all the money raised. 2005 devoting her free time and because it turned out to be a lot of "I know that in the medical hard work compiling a cookbook hard work. But she said she loved world, $6,000 is like a drop in the to raise money for a friend who doing it for her friend. bucket, but it will be a good drop has breast cancer. "About a year ago, I started in the bucket for her," Toll said. Toll met Leslie Anne Godley in asking my support group for Sales of the book started in a support group for breast cancer recipes and then needed some May, 2005. The initial printing survivors on Sanibel and Captiva. more, so we asked their friends was 500 books, which sold quick- A couple of years ago, Godley's and families, too. I typed them up ly, necessitating another 400 to be cancer returned. It had spread to and then contacted the printer. My printed. Toll and her husband did her liver and bones, and she was husband Dennis thought of the the spiral binding themselves to forced to go on disability from her title: 'Cooking From the Heart'." keep costs down. job as an elementary school The retro-style cover art was a Toll said when she and her hus- teacher. Constantly on different donation from local artist Myra band went to their Wisconsin treatments, switching from one to Roberts and boasts that particular home for the summer, they sold another as their effectiveness shade of pink everyone has come 200 books there. Returning to Photo h\ Robin Calahrese changed. Godley was forced to go to associate with support for See COOKBOOK on disability from her teaching breast cancer fundraising. Barbara Toll with the cookbook she has wreitten and printed to help page 3 defray a friend's medical costs. City council passes buildback ordinance By EMILIE ALFINO Gulf," Mayor Carla Johnston said. of Sanibel," Johnson said. "Let's keep our original vision." [email protected] "That's been an uncertainty on the island," she said. "The intent of the forefathers may have been to do away After almost eight years of discussion, public input, and Resident Herb Rubin, who spoke in-support of the ordi- with nonconformity and that is the intent of a great many fine-tuning, the Sanibel City Council on Jan. 3 unanimous- nance, nevertheless felt it marked a changing point for city regulations," Sanibel City Attorney Ken Cuylcr ly approved Sanibel's new ordinance, No. 05-017, spelling Sanibel. answered. "Bui at some point the city council decided that out the conditions for building back structures damaged by "With this ordinance, we have reached the point of no there would be buildback rights given to the residents and natural disasters. The ordinance applies to structures that do return on Sanibel," Rubin said. "We're rendering permanent property owners of Sanibel. and at thai time they said if not conform to the island's Land Development Code or are non-conforming uses and non-conforming structures.