INDEX Arts & Leisure 5B A guide to the islands 12B At Large 5A Business 10B Calendar 4B Cltyslde 11A Classifieds 8C Commentary 6 A March madness Superstitions Crossword 8C Environment 8B Several shelters McPhees Police Beat ?A stumble upon discuss Recreation 15B Remember When 4A rarejunonias sailors' fears IB 1961-1991 Still first on Sanibel 1 and Captiva VOL. 30, NO. 12 TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 1991 THREE SECTIONS, 44 PAGES 50 CENTS DER Silver Key hearings slated Florida Department of Environmental Regulations representatives will be traveling from Tallahassee to Sanibel in mid-June to hold public hearings on the proposed development of Silver Key. Because of the high number of petitions filed against the project, DER officials decided to visit Silver Key and hold the hearings on Tuesday and Wednesday, June 19 and 20, in Council Chambers (MacKenzie Hall) at Sanibel City Hall. The results of the hearing will affect the value of Silver Key, a barrier island off Sanibel which the city and the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation would like to see forever preserved in its natural state. The City Council has expressed a "cautious interest" in purchasing the island to protect it from development. In mid-February City Attorney Bob Pritt filed a document formally objecting to the DER's intent to issue a permit for the construction of a bridge and causeway to Silver Key. The resolution passed Feb. 5 by the City Council authorizing Pritt's action states that the bridge and causeway "would be severely damaging to the Please see DER, page 12A Open for business City Council's sewer One month after it was closed purchase debate today for repairs, the Sanibel Fishing Pier re-opened on Friday, In the afternoon session of the City Council meeting March 15. City officials closed today, March 19, the councilmen will be deciding whether the pier on Feb. 15 after the to forge ahead with plans to purchase the Sanibel Sewer Ruwach, and 85-foot sailboat, System or abandon negotiations altogether. accidentally rammed the "T" The 1:30 p.m. agenda item is listed as an "update and end of the structure, above. The Ruwach had been anchored progress report of Sanibel Sewer System negotiation," but when shifting winds blew it into the councilmen's packets actually contain a draft purchase the pier. Repairs to the and sale agreement for acquisition of the utility for their structure cost approximately consideration. The draft agreement suggests a closing date $6,500. Residents and visitors of May 10, or even earlier. were quick to head back to the Sanibel City Attorney Bob Pritt will review "a number pier once it re-opened. The pier of minor changes" made in the draft agreement since the has always been a popular city staffs meeting with SSS March 13. island fishing spot, left. After purchase negotiations were re-opened last May, the city's consulting engineer, Gerry Hartman of Hartman and Associates, performed an updated appraisal of the Photos by PETE SLOSSON system and established the current value at $2.99 million. Sanibel Sewer System's asking price is $3.25 million. Hartman will attend today's meeting to discuss the details Please see SEWER, page 15A American Express to underwrite Taste expenses By Steve Ruediger $16,000, were paid by CROW, a non-profit wildlife animals. Islander staff writer hospital. So far, 24 restaurants have agreed to participate in the American Express officials announced Wednesday, The Taste will be held on May 19 from 11 a.m. to 6 Taste and four bands have been hired to provide the March 13 that the company is accepting a major p.m. at The Dunes Golf and Tennis Club. musical entertainment. The Taste event began as a festive, sponsorship roll with the Taste of The Islands food Event chairman Marion S weedier pointed out relaxing day of fun for the islands' restaurant employees. festival on Sanibel. Wednesday that CROW traditionally gets more of its Food samples from the restaurants are sold, a As part of its sponsorship, American Express will cover money from the Taste than from any other event. waiter/waitress competition is held and live music is the expenses of putting on the Taste event. This will However, Sweedler said in noting the importance of the performed throughout the afternoon. insure a greater profit for Care and Rehabilitation of annual fund raiser, in 1986 the Taste raised $33,000 and "We are pleased to reinforce our relationship in this Wildlife, the beneficiary of the annual event. CROW treated 305 animals that year. In contrast, the The expenses for last year's Taste, which came to about Taste raised $23,000 in 1990 and CROW treated 1,864 Please see TASTE, page 9A < Jeffery Scott Logan of Fort Myers was charged last All the following information was taken directly Wednesday with going 56 mph on Sanibel-Captiva Road. from Sanlbel Police Department reports. POLICE ai A rubber pontoon boat and 35 hp outboard motor be- a BEAT A grey and white Schnauzer dog wearing a blue T-shirt longing to Edward Galeczka was stolen Wednesday from was reported missing on Sanibel Thursday, March 14. the beach behind the Lighthouse Resort, where Galeczka CO lives. Police said marks in the sand indicate somebody 0) A warning was issued Wednesday, March 13 to 4163 A puppy was found on Beach Road last Wednesday. turned the boat around on the sand and pulled it into the West Gulf Drive for watering at the wrong time. water. A 25-year-old Fort Myers woman reported to police Police removed a 5-foot-long alligator from a hole be- Thursday that she had gone to a few bars with a new girl- Responding to a complaint of loud talking on Donax hind the Nutmeg House Wednesday. The hole was too friend, who had then taken her to a house on Sanibel Street, police Thursday night found two people talking deep for the alligator to get out on its own. The reptile where the people called her names when she said she quietly on a porch. They went inside because of the com- a> was released in a nearby lake. wanted to leave. They reportedly would not let her use the plaint. phone. So around 3 a.m. she walked away from the house, A Mercedes Benz hood ornament was reported stolen on but she heard noises and ran to another house, where resi- A woman reported Thursday that two boats were too Sanibel Wednesday. dents called the police for her. Sanibel Police got her a close to shore near the Sanibel Fishing Pier and had cut ride home. people's fishing lines. The people in the boat also threw I bottles into the water. Police found no boats too close to 0> TIDEWATER ISLAND Two bikes were missing Wednesday from the Signal shore. ONE OF A KIND... Inn. John C. Fry of Indiana was charged Thursday with go HOMESHES WITH BAY AND GULF ACCESS. A ring was lost last Wednesday somewhere between ing 58 mph on the Sanibel Causeway. OVERLOOKS 100 ACRE Tahiti Drive and St. Isabel Church. NATURE PRESERVE Mary Louise Marrazzo of Pennsylvania was charged A fishing line was stretched completely across Lake Thursday with violation of right of way after an accident FROM $62,000. Murex last Wednesday. Police who examined it believed a at Palm Ridge Road and Periwinkle Way. bird did it. WILLIAM A. TAYLOR ASSOCIATES, INC. Please see BEAT page 14A REALTOR (813) 332-3737 CONSTRUCTION INC. -PAUL OF S.W. FLORIDA from concept and design to job completion, INC. GEORGE PARKER INC. we are experienced residential and commercial contractors, We will dandle all your construction needs, announces it has moved to 1B6S1 MCGREGOR BLVQ, FORT MYERS large or small [Just over the Causeway in Kingston Square] [813] 47S-OS55 for a f$SE Consultation Our office may be off-island, but our customers are not! 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