Every week we mail to every home and business on Sanibel and Captiva, subscribers throughout the United States, and This Week... Florence Henderson /•/. \ Marina del Rey, CA ' / 1 i • // ! EXCLUSIVE / " "Ding" Darling Cartoon page 3 Courtesy of J.N. "Ding" Darling Foundation VOL. 7, NO. 46 SANIBEL & CAPTIVA ISLANDS, FLORIDA MAY 12, 2000 MAY SUNRISE/SUNSET: 12 06:43 20:06 13 06:43 20:06 U 06:42 20:07 15 06:4220:07 W 06:41 20:08-17 06:41 20:08 18 06:40 20:07 Murder The Decorator At The Old lorida Repertory Theatre will kick off their professional Summer Schoolhouse? FSeason with an hilarious sex farce ou got it! Sanibel Island's-Old from London's West End called The Schoolhouse Theater will be Decorator by Donald Churchill. filled with murder, suspense, and "We're very excited to be begin our Y Summer Season with a comedy like lots of laughter when JT Smith pre- sents Murder at the Howard The Decorator" said Producing Johnson's, an hysterical comedy by Artistic Director Robert Cacioppo. Ron Clark and Sam Bobrick, opening "This show is absolutely filled with May 24 at 8 p.m. laughs. It's meant for pure entertain- ment and fun!" You may ask; All is fair in love? Even murder? At Howard Johnson's? The Decorator tells the rollicking That's the question posed by this story of Marcia, who returns to her light and funny suspense-comedy about London flat to find that it has not been a love triangle between Arlene, painted as arranged. A part-time (a woman trying to find herself), her painter who is filling in for an ill col- husband, Paul, (a used car salesman) league is just beginning the work when and her lover Mitchell (their dentist). the wife of the man with whom Marcia Sounds like fun to me! is having an affair arrives to tell all to Murder At The Howard Johnson's Marcia's husband. Marcia hires the JT Smith directs Island favorites; The Decoratorwith Carrie Lund and right in front of me, I had to do it. It's painter (a part-time actor) to imperson- Anthony Ridley Clement Valentine (Run For Your ate her husband at the confrontation. Wife etc.) Leanne Bramah (Lend Me very silly and fun an?f we re having a lot The Decorator enjoyed a long and of fun rehearsing it. Stepping Out will Hilarity is piled upon hilarity as the very popular run in London after its A Tenor, Last of the Red Hot Lovers) painter, who takes his acting very seri- and J. Mitchell Haley (Rumors, be produced in a future season." Up opening in 1985. London's Daily next at the Old Schoolhouse Theater is ously, portrays the absent husband. Telegraph called the farce, "Irresistible!" Breaking Legs) in this laugh riot come- The wronged wife decides that the best dy that promises to be a perfect one of JT's summer musicals Sanibel The London Star said that, "This play Night Fever A Tribute to the 1970s. revenge is to sleep with Marcia's hus- will have you rolling in the aisles, you evening of family entertainment! band - an ecstatic experience for them Murder at the Howard Johnson's Performances are Wednesdays through will all but fall from your seat laughing!" Saturdays at 8 p.m. through July 1. both. When Marcia learns that the The Decorator stars Carrie Lund, replaces Stepping Out on the season painter/actor has slept with her rival, schedule. JT said, "I had the perfect Sunday matinee May 28 at 2 p.m. Anthony Ridley, and Stephanie Davis. All tickets are $18 and may be she demands the opportunity to show The three first worked together in 1995 cast for Howard Johnson's standing him what really good sex is. reserved by calling 472-6862.* continued on page 35 It's Sea Turtle Season by Brian Johnson f you walk on the beaches of Sanibel and Captiva you can see the ropes and SCCF sjgns marking off areas for sea turtles to nest. Sea turtle season started IMay 1 and continues through the end of October. Linda Gornick, a Permitee of the State of Florida and a volunteer for the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF), found the first nest. "I did a lit- tle turtle dance out there!" she said. As a Permitee, Gornick patrols the beach on the west end of the island, moni- toring and tagging nests and collecting data. "The sea turtle program has been going really well," she said. "The main thing is to educate the people coming down here to use the beaches." Gornick said the greatest threat to sea turtles are the plastic bags littering the beach. People collecting shells, or fishermen carrying bait, often discard the bags. The turtles, mistaking the bags for jellyfish, suffocate when they try to eat them. "If every person would pick up one plastic bag, we would save hundreds of sea turtles," said Gornick. Most are loggerhead turtles, though occasionally Gornick finds a green turtle. The female turtles swim onto the beach at night and make a nest - the peak sea- son is July. Sometime during September or October, usually between midnight and 3 a.m., the hatchlings break free and head for the Gulf of Mexico. The second threat to sea turtles is light from beachfront homes. When the continued on page 14 : Page 2, Island Sun - May 12, 2OO0.; Pagev3' Historical Village and Museum w Ding" Darling Wildlife Society Connection Tours Of The Village Sanibel Beach Babies™ roups that contact us for a President Pete Ingham The Players That Come After Won't i tour of Sanibel's Historical "G'Village are as varied as they Have Any Greens At AH If We Aren't are interested," claims Betty Fisher This is the fifth in a five-part series of articles about presidents of the who handles such special events. "I "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society. Careful might add they are also interesting!" A volunteer docent with the local by Brian Johnson historical complex, Fisher has taken on he Wildlife Society has making arrangements for groups that had a knack for electing call ahead for special tours. Primarily, Tthe right President for that entails lining up extra docents dur- the right situation. They did it ing regular hours or staffing the vintage again in 1998 when the Board buildings should the tour be scheduled chose Pete Ingham to steer during normally down times. the Society through a vital "Our favorites are.school kids," she stage in the building of the elaborates. We get requests from Center for Education. teachers to bring classes as well as "His expertise in law has Scout troops and Brownies. The been great for the Society," youngsters are fun and ask really sensi- said past President Marilyn ble questions. Betty Fisher makes arrangements for Kioosterman. "He came at a "My feeling is that children growing groups that call ahead for special tours good time for us - when we up here should have an opportunity to of the Historical Village. were working on contracts for learn first hand about our settlement the new building." and growth. Sometimes the kids come As an attorney, Ingham back with their parents to show them A recent tour, The League Club of Naples, numbered 40 and Betty served as General Counsel for what it's about!" State Farm. At one point he The other end of the spectrum is arranged for a tent in front of the old Bailey store where the women supervised a staff of more than AARP chapters and nursing home resi- 600 lawyers. His professional dents who enjoy a field trip and chance lunched. And then enjoyed a perfor- .DON'T YOU THINK. V«E © 19S9 J.N "Ding" Darling Foundation mance of "Sanibel's Founding experience handling major OVTGHT TO STICK UP A SlCN to look backward at their own younger corporate transactions made VCOMPEUINC PLACERS TO days. The historical village presents Mothers', a skit by Dory Rooker, per- Pete Ingham SOUS THEY formed by seven historical village him a natural choice for DIG UP? Sanibel's pioneer families and their President. way of life from the late 1800s. docents. Betty Fisher can be contacted However, like the Presidents before him, Ingham played down his role, giving Exclamations of "Oh, I remember credit to his colleagues in the Society. "Much of the negotiations were done by this!" or "My grandmother had one of through the village, 472 -4648, during regular hours which are Wednesday Dick Hulit," said Ingham. "I just gave my blessing to the language." Just in time for Mother's Day - The arrival of our adorable Sanibel those!" are frequent, especially in the Ingham, originally from Minnesota, moved down to Sanibel seven years ago Beach Babies™. Dressed in Sanibel tee shirt and sun visor, carrying a kitchen of the Rutland House museum. through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. The location is 950 Dunlop from Illinois. He had vacationed on the island a number of times and gotten famil- beach pail, they are the perfect gift for any Mom. These original The facility is fully accessible to handi- iar with "Ding" Darling. Not long after he settled here, he noticed a newspaper capped persons. Road, next to BIG ARTS.* Cedar Chest Designs are available plain or can be personalized article calling for more volunteers out at the refuge. He drove down Sanibel- Most tour groups come from near- Captiva Road and signed up. He started working behind the desk, greeting visi- with birthstories.