FREE Take Me Read Us Online at Home IslandSunNews.com VOL. 14, NO. 39 From the Beaches to the River District downtown Fort Myers OCTOBER 2, 2015 Model Railroad At Shell Point Opens Kanzius Cancer For Season With New Upgrades Technology Takes New Turn hell Point Retirement by Jim George Community’s Gulf Coast SModel Railroad attrac- slander John Kanzius developed a cancer treatment technol- tion opens for the season on ogy that consisted of targeting cancer cells with nanoparticles Monday, October 5, with free Iand then subjecting them to radio frequency which heated the tours on Monday, Wednesday nanoparticles and destroyed the cancer cells, leaving the sur- and Friday afternoons from rounding healthy cells intact. That technology has been moving 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. through toward human trials for the past 10 years. April. The train exhibit offers Kanzius died in 2009, but his idea lived on. a unique look at notable sites It was announced in the past month by lead researcher, Dr. throughout Florida, and is Stephen Curley at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, located on The Island at Shell Texas that human trials would begin at the National Cancer Point, 15000 Shell Point Institute’s G. Pascale Foundation in Naples, Italy in the summer of Shell Point’s Gulf Coast Model Railroad offers a unique 2016. Curley has overseen clinical trials in Italy on previous proj- Boulevard, Fort Myers. look at miniature sites throughout Florida The 40’ x 40’ model train ects, in part because the country’s regulatory process isn’t as long Dr. Stephen Curley photos by Wendy Iverson/Shell Point Retirement as the United States’ process. display features several run- Community ning trains and hundreds of Curley said in a new announcement, however, that the trials will not include the use recognizable miniature geographic landmarks, such as Tallahassee’s old capitol building, of nanoparticles as originally planned. Instead, the Kanzius radio frequency generator Pensacola freight yards, the Gainesville Gator Bowl, Walt Disney World, including Epcot, device will be used in combination with traditional chemotherapy to treat patients with Kennedy Space Center with an orbiting space shuttle, the Everglades, the Sanibel pancreatic cancer. Curley said their research has found that the Kanzius RF genera- Lighthouse, and even Shell Point Retirement Community. tor improves the ability to deliver the chemotherapy. Using nanoparticles would make The popular attraction closes for renovations and upgrades during the summer, con- the approval process much longer because nanoparticles are treated as a drug by the ducted by Shell Point resident volunteers who work on model railroads as a hobby and Food and Drug Administration and would require an additional FDA submittal. Curley want to share their interest with others. One new landmark to explore is Walt Disney’s added that they will use low doses of chemotherapy with the treatment to minimize side Magic Kingdom, which boasts a three-dimensional castle fit for a princess, complete effects. In earlier studies with animals the use of nanoparticles dramatically reduced and with working lights and hand-painted bricks. Next, head over to the naval base in the often eliminated side effects caused by the harsh drugs used in chemotherapy. continued on page 13 continued on page 5 On display in the Mechanical Juried Exhibition Member Gallery will be art by Katherine Boren. The Opens October 2 At The Alliance Theatre Lobby will display art by Mahrea Cramer Lehman. The October Juried Exhibition will feature works by Amy Matsumoto Urich, Andy Getch, Buck Ward, Carol Schmidt, Carolyn McGahey, Cheryl Fausel, Cindy Mecca, Dale Weber, David Hatchett, Del Holt, Guy Tieman, Jay Lana, Joan Benner, John Hutson, Kellen Beck Mills, Scribbles & Bits Screwed by Guy Tieman KiKi Brewsaugh, Krista or its October juried exhibition, Johnson, Leo Johnson, Mechanical, the Alliance for the Arts Lily Hatchett, Louis Ford, Fasked artists to create new works Marilyn Graham, Mark “Operated or produced by a mechanism Holman, Mark Poucher, or machine which relate to, are produced Mark Wlaz, Mike Kiniry, by, or dominated by physical forces.” This Patricia Esposito, Patrick simple definition provides a basis for sub- Conolly, Richard Evans, missions under a central theme while leav- Samuel Sewall and Scott ing a large amount of room for interpre- Parker. Tara’s Essence by Jay Lana tation. What constitutes a machine, and Mechanical juror Jonas what forces will be imposed upon them? Stirner is a third generation metal artist. His father, a metal sculptor, was an art profes- Mechanical opens with a reception on sor at Moore and Tyler College. They often work together critiquing each other’s work. Friday, October 2 from 5 to 7 p.m. Awards Jonas’ father was recently honored by having a park named after him, the Karl Stirner will be announced for Best in Show with a Arts Trail in Easton, Pennsylvania. The work of Jonas Stirner defies logic, inspires prize of $100, second place winning $75, change and accomplishes resolution. and third place winning $50. The exhibit Jonas worked with Robert Rauschenberg as an artist assistant for 15 years on Captiva will be on display through October 31. Island. During that time, he had the opportunity to create his own sculpture on the Juror Jonas Stirner will host a gallery walk grounds of Rauschenberg’s compound. Rauschenberg became a major collector of Jonas’s and talk on Saturday, October 3 at 10 a.m. Cosmic Clock by Dale Weber continued on page 20 2 THE RIVER - OCTOBER 2, 2015 Historic Downtown Fort Myers, Then And Now: Former regulars say that it was a place where the town’s real business took place over comfort Decades Of food. If you have fond memories of the restaurant, Restaurant History this photo of a deserted Snack House with no by Gerri Reaves, PhD snack in sight might seem a little sad. It had closed in 1993, one of the last busi- his 1994 photo shows the nesses to vacate the L-shaped arcade in prepa- interior of one of Fort My- ration for the demolition of the other wing that Ters’s most popular eating and had an entrance on First Street. meeting spots, the Snack House. That demolition subsequently allowed for The restaurant once swept the construction of a new federal courthouse. along the entire north side of the Today, a courtyard and part of the courthouse historic Post Office/Collier Arcade. occupy the footprint of the destroyed arcade The point-of-view is toward the half. front dining room (right center), The existing Broadway wing of the arcade with windows facing Broadway. was completed in 1925 and housed the post Jesse Winford “Win” Ellis office as well as offices and businesses. The opened the Snack House on Halloween in 1949. It had other wing was added the following year. the distinction of being the first restaurant in town to be In 1933, the post office moved to what is air-conditioned. now the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center. Barron G. Collier (the namesake of Collier County, among his many points of renown) bought it in 1934 and renamed it. In the arcade’s first quarter centu- ry, it housed everything from a shoe store, tea room and music store to an optometrist, barbershop and real estate office. The arcade’s original features, such as the rubble-random tile floor, make this one of downtown’s most distinctive and beloved historic struc- tures. It retains the many original doors facing the arcade interior or open- Ichiban Chinese & Japanese Cuisine is located in a section of the ing onto Broadway. The doors former Snack House space in the Post Office/Collier Arcade are a reminder of how easily the photo by Gerri Reaves spaces could be combined or split to Stroll through the 90-year-old arcade and appreciate accommodate tenants’ needs throughout the its beauty and history. decades – and still are. Then, visit the nearby Southwest Florida Museum of In the 1990s, the arcade went through a History at 2031 Jackson Street to learn more about one vacant and quiet period after the demolition of downtown’s most long-lived and famous restaurant project, but by a couple of years into the locations. 2000s, the arcade began to revive. Call 321-7430 for information, or go to museu- The area in the foreground of the 1994 mofhistory.org. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday photo became Ichiban Chinese & Japanese through Saturday. Cuisine. Continue your local-history adventure at the South- A hair salon occupied the center portion, west Florida Historical Society’s research center at and an independent bookstore was located in 10091 McGregor Boulevard on the campus of the Lee the Broadway storefront. County Alliance for the Arts. Across from the bookstore, Bara Bread, The all-volunteer non-profit organization is open a French bakery and bistro, opened and the Wednesday and Saturday between 9 a.m. and noon and arcade hummed with activity again. Wednesday 4 to 7 p.m. Call 939-4044 or visit swflhis- Ichiban still occupies part of the former toricalsociety.org for more information. Pictured in 1994, the year after it closed, the Snack House stands vacant Snack House space, carrying on the tradition after 44 years in business Sources: Archives of the Southwest Florida Historical courtesy Library of Congress, photo by William C. Minarich of being a good place to eat and socialize. Society. Read Us Online: www.IslandSunNews.com Contributing Writers Click on The River Jennifer Basey Marion Hauser, MS, RD Advertising Sales Graphic Arts/Production Photographer Kimberley Berisford Ross Hauser, MD Isabel Rasi Ann Ziehl Michael Heider Suzy Cohen Audrey Krienen George Beleslin Kristy See Ed Frank Capt.