r * * * CTTTS T J ' 33957 *.- • j ! r -"" ! -r- r.*r "J -i still £3 [MIHEJIJ y u-J Week of Oct. 18-24,2001 SANIBEL & CAPTIVA, FLORIDA VOLUME 28, NUMBER 42, 24 PAGES 75 CENTS Mail concerns Causeway roads Island water Workers at the Sanibel Post Office are being County looking into careful with the island's supply safely mail, like postal employ- possibility of lifting ees all over the country. islands' roadways —See page 2 By Ron Sympson tucked away Staff writer By Anna Liakas Staff writer Weirs stiil here The possibility of raising the Sanibel's Council says the level of the roads, on the Sanibel In the wake of continued city is still checking into Causeway islands — in effect military action against the*weir situation. building new bridges to connect Afghanistan, the FBI has the existing bridges — is being extended the term of its terror- —See page 3 explored by the Lee County ist advisory warning to all of Commission. the nation's water utilities The issue was raised at the until Dec. 11, at the same Budget head start board's Oct. 9 meeting by time underscoring that there Commissioner Ray Judah, who have been "no specific credi- The City Council decided expressed concern about the fact ble, threats" to the nation's to form the Five-year that water covered the Causeway waterways or water utilities. Budget Committe"e early t> See Raising In an Oct. 10 hearing .this year. before a House subcommittee, page 2 the director of the FBI's —See page 4 National Infrastructure Protection Center remarked Purchase study that, although the direct cont- amination of the nation's water supply is not likely, the disruption of the trcytmcnt By Kon Sympson process or addition of contam- Staff writer • inants after treatment is still a Saturday is time again for possibility. the annual 'Ding' Days A study charting the feasibility The director encouraged celebration at the J.N. of the Sanibel Causeway being utility operators nationwide lo "Ding" Darling National increase security in all of the Wildlife Refuge. purchased or leased by the city of Sanibel should be ready for the water system hot zones, City Council to review "within a including tunnels, pumping —See page 7 couple of weeks," according to stations and {storage facilities Bob Pritt, a former Sanibel city as well as at distribution cen- attorney. ters. The council, members of which Michael Pintella On Sanibel. Island Water have expressed concerns that a The Sanibel Causeway continues to be the focus of great Association has already been rebuilt Causeway might result in a debate between the city and Lee County. taking precautions. It stripped high bridge and four-lane roads, Pritt also met with Sanibel City them and get cracking." its website of any information Solar rebates have commissioned Pritt to do the Attorney Douglas Wyckoff to Pritt cast doubt on the option of that might reveal the layout of the IWA facility, removed Federally funded rebates study for a fee of up to $75,000. request copies of files from a sim- a city purchase of the Causeway, Pritt met with Sanibel City ilar study conducted when Pritt because it is financed with bonds maps of storage tank locations are available to home- and chlorine delivery routes owners who make their Manager Judith Zimomra on Oct. was with the city. that are commingled with the two 9. "It was the first time I'd met "I talked to the city attorney Cape Coral toll bridges. and schedules, and temporari- energy use more environ- ly suspended all tours of the mentally friendly. her," he said. "We just discussed about having the paralegal pull the "We can't buy without refi- briefly just getting started on (the files I had generated a couple of i> See Study t> See Water •—See page 8 study)." years ago," Pritt said. "I'll review page 2 page 7 i\KN TREE DEDICATED TO STEELE'S MEMORY Island Gardening City may set .-.i Gardening guru Ron Sympson says proper enforcement process acid levels are a must if you want a healthy Hong By Pete Bishop sum with an order of violation and Kong orchid tree. News editor charges of under $1,000 to cover the city's costs in the case. The —See page 11 Frustrated by a state statute that city's new hearing examiner, causes an already overworked Anthony J. Gargano, found that code enforcement officer more the condominium had been violat- work and delays fines against ing the city's beach lighting ordi- those who violate city ordinances, nance during a Sept. 20 code City Attorney Doug Wyckoff told enforcement hearing. "ENVIRONMENT™™.pages 5-7 the City Council Tuesday that he Gargano, hired by the city in has sent a letter to Florida September after Sanibel received a —page 8 BUSINESS . Attorney General Bob what Wyckoff called inconsistent e OPINION- ......—page 9 Butterworth asking whether the results from the county hearing city can replace the statute with its examiner's office, handed down •LOOKING BACK.,-...page 10 own code enforcement procedure. the large fine immediately, but The statute recently resulted in state law gives the condominium 'DATELINE ....... page 15 Michael Pistella the elimination of $43,(300 in fines one more chance to comply. Saaibel Mayor Nola Theiss reads the proclamation which •TV LISTINGS.,,...,.,.......page 16 against a Sanibel condominium, officially dedicate the Dahoon Holly tree on her right to Wyckoff said, replacing the large E> See Code enforcement •ClASSlFIEDS.;. ......page 20 Bob Steele as his widow, Ellie, looks on. 2 • Week of Oct. 18-24, 2001 • ISLAND REPORTER By Anna Liakas that it would be quite such a big deal. Staff writer "Anything that looks suspicious usual- ly doesn't pass by easily. The mail passes Mail carriers at the post office on through a lot of hands as it is enroute, all Sanibel and around Lee County may be the way down to carriers and clerks." handling the bills and letters a bit more The postmaster suggested that items gingerly these days, with a heightened mailed without a return address will be concern nationwide about terrorist attacks slow to be delivered, first passing through being delivered to homes and businesses the scrutiny of astute postal employees first class. and then being bumped from the swift tra- "Across the county right now," report- jectory of air flight down to the snail's ed Sanibel Deputy Fire Chief David pace of ground transportation. LaCornbe, "emergency workers are If you use a postage stamp for anything receiving five to 10 suspicious package that weighs over a pound, said Traucht, calls each day." it's considered "target mail" and may end Most of these calls, said LaCombe, tap up in the hands of a Haz Mat specialist the limited time and resources of busy fire instead of a mail carrier. and rescue districts, turning out to be just Packages mailed with strips of postage envelopes or boxes that have been hap- stamps glued to their exterior become sus- hazardly labeled or improperly addressed. picious, said Traucht, as their origin can- "During this time people are prone to not be easily traced as opposed to mail be concerned," said LaCombe. "And it's that is brought into a post office lobby and Michael Pistella important that people are aware. We're metered by an on-duty attendant. Sanibel Fire Department officials as well as the police department not saying they should close their eyes. If someone were to receive a package gather at the Sanibel Post Office after postal workers called about a But we need to keep it in balance." that raised alarm, said LaCombe, the best suspicious letter. The fire district is working together advice would be to leave it where you find with other emergency workers across the it and call the authorities. area to develop a county-wide protocol of response to the growing concern over the Suspicious letter found harmless nation's vulnerability to the chemical and //During this time, At 9:59 on Thursday morning envelope and triple settled it in a protec* biological weapons of terrorism. people are prone Oct. 11, reported Deputy Fire Chief live covering," explained LaCombe, "At the post office, we've always been to be concerned David LaCombe, units from the Sanibel "All of our personnel involved with it's really cautious," said Sanibel Postmaster police department along with Sanibel handling were then decontaminated." Tom Traucht. "We've had what is called It's important that Fire and Rescue district personnel the deputy chief added. the Target Mail Program in effect for quite people are aware. responded to marked concern from After consultations by phone with some time. We know what to look for. For We're not saying they postal workers over a suspicious pack- both the FBI as well as with the state example, if something comes in with no age that arrived in the local mail. The epidemiologist, Dr. Bob South, return address, it probably wouldn't make should close their envelope, addressed to Sanibel Parking LaCombe made the decision for a it onto an airplane." eyes. But we need to Enforcement had rust-colored or iodine- Sanibel police officer to don latex Last Friday, Trauchts' attention was keep it in balance." like stains on it's exterior, LaCombe, gloves and open the envelope, instruct- drawn to a letter addressed to the Sanibel from his portable command post in the ing him to explore the contents for any Police Department because it had rust- post office parking lot. suspicious materials and to scan the let- colored stains splattered on both sides.