Holiday highlights Pictorial review of island celebration 10B - Since 1961 Still first on Sanibef and 1 Captiva islands VOL. 32, NO. 27 TUESDAY, JULY 6,1993 3 SECTIONS, 32 PAGES 50 CENTS Addition plans Fourth fun halted, home may Parade and picnic be declared historic are perfect preface By Frances Adams for pyrotechnics Islander staff writer By Steve Ruediger The Sanibel Historic Preservation Committee effective- Islander staff writer ly halted the plans White Heron House owner Sally Butz "Happy third of July. Happy third of Stringfellow has for an addition to her home. July," yelled one of the youngsters on a At its July 1 meeting the committee, by a 4-2 vote, float in Sanibel's Fourth of July Parade. passed a resolution officially nominating the White Heron He also occasionally yelled, "Happy House on Clam Bayou Lane for inclusion on the City Halloween." Register of Historic Landmarks. The youth was not far wrong. The This nomination puts on hold Stringfellow's request event was held on Saturday, July 3, and a currently before the Planning Commission for variances large part of the parade consisted of peo- that would enable her to seek a development permit to ple in costumes giving candy to children. build a garage/storage area addition to her home. It also Actually, "give" might not be exactly starts a 60-day clock thai could change the development the right word. The candy was thrown rights thai she, as a homeowner, has regarding her private from floats into the vicinity of groups of property. children standing by the parade route. From the moment Stringfellow receives a certified letter The usnr.'i result was a mad scramble for Tom the committee notifying her of the nominadon, all She goodies. actions and transactions involving her property comes to a Necklaces were thrown in the vicinity h;d! for 50 days. She can't sell or make any .changes to the of \.\ome;? anil pens wt-re tiiro'.vn \~\ ihi: site."AH activity is completely:-frozen1." vicinity of journalists. If at the end of the 60-day review process her property A marvel of technology and skating is named to the registry (the only way out is to prove the skill was demonstrated on the American home is not historic) she no longer can undertake even the Lighting the night sky Legion float which featured a woman ice simplest development projects to the exterior without first skating - yes - ice skating on Sanibel on filing an application for a long-form development permit, Fireworks exploded with bright colors over the bay during the annual Periwinkle Way in July. She was skating which entails plenty of red tape and extra fees and scruti- Fourth of July festivities on Sanibel. An overflow crowd gathered on using real ice skates. But what she was ny. If the owner is in the middle of development plans, as the causeway and along the bay beach to watch the island fireworks Stringfellow is, the plans are then subject to further review display Saturday night. Please see FOURTH, page 4A and possible changes. But the White Heron House is not a "shoe-in" on the list. It may once have been one of the oldest houses on 'Veni, vidi, vici' Sanibel, but as was pointed out at the Historic Preservation Committee meeting, it has been moved from its original site at Wulfert Point, has had a great deal of alterations to 43 teams compete in annual Road Rally it, and no one is even sure what part of the current house is By Christopher Strine Also, thanks to Plinius, many of the numbers on the ques- the original structure and what isn't. Islander editor tion-and-answer sheet had been translated into Roman Committee member Ellen Steele said the house doesn't Forty-five teams came forth, 43 units saw what they numerals. deserve to be on the list. She said it looks more like a mid- were in for and made an attempt but only 42 die-hards The true authors of the island road test were Chamber western farm house than an island home. She also pointed actually conquered the course in the 14th annual Sanibel- Executive Director Ken Meeker, ever-active island busi- out that it has been added to a lot since its days on Wulfert, Captiva Chamber of Commerce Road Rally held Sunday, nessman Grover Arp and Islander Editor Chris Strine. and only about one-third of it could be considered old. July 4, on Sanibel. As mentioned, 43 teams hit the road, but only 42 came Steele said that, while the house is "terribly pretty," The theme of the '93 rally was "The Shell Game." It back. Rumor has it that Plinius' directions were a bit too including it on the list would be a bad precedent to set. featured an "interesting" trip about the islands where ral- tough to translate so the name of that one team that didn't "Is this an old house?" was the question Steele ulti- liers had to seek out the many shells that are displayed on return has been added the growing list of teams that have signs, in windows and elsewhere. The "twist" in this year's failed to return from previous rallies. event was that a wayward Roman, Plinius the Stooper, Piease see HISTORIC, page 8A penned the rally so many of the shell names were in Latin. Please see RALLY, page 4A Islanders mourn Don Bissell Long-time Sanibel resident Donald He was also the treasurer for the Arts & Leisure 5B Thomas Bissell, 58, died on Monday, June Cooperating Brokers Association, was Business 8B 28, 1993, following a short illness. active in the Florida Association of Realtors Classifieds 5C A resident of Sanibel since 1970, moving and for five years with a director of the here from Indianapolis, Mr. Bissell was an Sanibel-Captiva Association of Realtors, Commentary 1C active islander, owning several businesses earning Realtor of the Year honors in 1989. Permits & Deeds 4C and serving on a number of boards and While president of the Realtors associa- Police Beat 2A organizations. tion in 1990-91, Mr. Bissell initiated the Scuba Scoop 4A In 1971, Mr. Bissell opened the Dairy idea and was the driving force behind the Recreation 3C Queen on Periwinkle Way. Later he was a formation of a hometown-style Fourth of partner with Bissell & Holtz, was the presi- July Parade on the islands. The third annual Weather Watch 4A dent/owner of Bissell Realty for five years Fourth of July Parade was held this past What's Playing 5B and was vice president of island sales for Priscilla Murphy Realty on Sanibel. Please see BISSELL, page 11A Don Bissell f 2A THE ISLANDER Tuesday. July 6.1993 Tuesday. July 6.1993 THE ISLANDER 3A All the following information was taken directly from Eric Terence Vermeersch of Captiva was charged July 1 Sanibei Police Department reports. with passing in a no passing zone on Sanibel-Captiva Road POLICE at Rabbit Road. PRACTICE IN PARADISE - A bicycle was missing from a garage on Sextant Drive early Friday morning, July 2. Dixie J-.ee Brookshire of Fort Myers was charged July 1 BEAT MEDICAL ENTREPRENEUR with improper passing on Sanibel-Captiva Road. • Medical Clinic, Physician Retiring Melvin R. Neulander of New York was charged Thursday, July 1, with going 54 mph on Sanibel-Captiva ® 4800+ sq. ft. Building, 4.63 Acres Ray Andrew Soukop of Captiva was charged July 1 Joel Steven Lohnes of Sanibei received two speeding Road. with improper equipment (his license plate light was out) tickets last week in a brief period of time. Both tickets • Offered at $795,000 and with driving on a suspended license. were on the Sanibei Causeway. At 11:45 p.m. on Tuesday, • Call Rbt. Cronin 335-5500 or Mary Laurel 482-6879 WMK flEMK* June 29, Lohnes was charged with going 55 mph. At 1:06 VIP REALTY GROUP INC. Michael James Duttko of Fort Myers was charged a.m. on June 30 he was ticketed for going 59 mph. OVER $10,000,000 M MAY PURCHASE CONTRACTS Wednesday, June 30, with going 63 mph on Sanibel- Captiva Road. Robert J. Robideau of Sanibei was charged June 30 with going 55 mph on the Sanibei Causeway. SEOMES LOTS Thomas F. Yeager of Akron, Ohio, was charged June 30 with going 55 mph on Sanibel-Captiva Road. J CINDi POHONICK-TALBOT LINDA JAMBECK A woman reported on June 29 that she thought there • Near Captiva Canal 3 Bdrm/3.5 Bath pool home 3"Bdrm72~Bath' • 106x~125Sq"Ftr~ Reaitor/Associate Broker/Associate was a car in a ditch beside West Gulf Drive. She said all • Walk to Gulf Beach, shopping, restaurants Elevated Cedar Home • Near Beach A man lost his attache case on Sanibei June 30. • 1/2 acre corner lot, giant pool, lanai,.dock, fireplace 1/2 acre Lot - Great Vegetation •$110,000 she could see was its red tail light. It turned out that what • Asking $499,000 r Great Room - Cedar Lined • Call Charlene Timothy, GR! 994-7339 COLONY BEACH ESTATE HOMES • Call and ask for HAP CONNELLY at 472-0005 Caged, Heated Pool - $255,000 she saw was a red light on a sewage pumping station. Call Ted Holland 472-9518 j A radio and speakers were stolen from speakers in a car • Located in Beachview CfCT Estates at Blind Pass Condos June 30. • "Want to Trade-up" Seller Will Trade y^if \_ • Ready to Build - Oversized Parcel With Beach Access The Tin Can Alley Gallery sign on Library Way was • Views from Every Room 2 BR/2 BA w/Family Room • Super Views of Lake & Golf Course knocked over on June 29 by an unknown vehicle.