AUGUST 19, 1999 VOLUME 26 NUMBER 33 LlBKftKV 28 PAGES IT) Kf> FL htnuRTER A new era for The Sanibel School OThe Sanibei School re-opens next week, start- ing its evolution to a K-8th school a What's new this year at the school. a In an era of school violence, An electric fire ravages a portable classroom at The Sanibet School is Sanibel safe? Monday. See story, page 3. Photo/Michael Pistella. What's new? By Pattie Pace H Lawsuit filed against News Editor When Sanibel School Sanibel Police Dept. students head back to class A Satubel man filed a suit in Lee Monday some familiar County Circuit Court last week, claim- faces will be back on cam- ing that he was falsely arrested pus Sixth-graders who — See page 3 would normally be board- ing buses and heading to M Newspaper changes Lee County middle schools will stay on island and set- The Island Newspaper Gro'up tle into two new pottablc announces editorial promotions. classrooms this yeai pio- —See page 3 Steven Radakovic, a member of the first sixth-grade class at the SanifoelJSchool, gives vided by the Lee County • Power outage a second-grade school packet to Kaylem Johnston hi the school office this week while School District, , +t ^ Lee County Electric Coop quickly he answers a question from Kaylem's mom Melissa. Photo/Michael Pistella. •*• See New, page 6 "turns back on the lights" after island- wide outage Tuesday. —See page 9 How safe is Island Visitors our school? By Scott Martell Who visits Sanibel and Captiva, Executive Editor As students throughout and how it affects us the United States head back to school this year, many thoughts dance through )peaal r<cpopt their heads — of new class- es, making friends and a By Barbara Iinstrom know, candy, animal crackers, fruits and vegetables, busy afterschool life But, Special to the Island Reporter goodies in the bakery and—lots of hot dogs," says Sam nightmare visions also Former Mayor Francis Bailey Bailey, who has his own way of surveying who's visiting joined SanibePs Do The Right must exist after several Dining out of the summer "hot dog" crowd and the islands national school tragedies Thing winner Karl Murdock at an "We keep constant surveillance," he says "I like to awards banquet last week. See heading into the quietest month of the year, the last year such as the story, page 17. Photo/Kurt Schulte. 'Bailey brothers keep close tabs on what to walk around and talk to people and that's what I do — Columbine massacre, and keep on the shelves of their grocery store, which is cur- talk to the managers, talk to customers and we get a lot including "copycat" scares rently celebrating its 100th anniversary of people from the accommodations who come shoppin' in several" Lee County "Right now we've noticed a great influx of kids, so here, so I talk to them about how things are going " schools. we know to keep certain things that kids like — you <*• Continued, page 5 w See Safe, page 4 Weekend Forecast •Thunderstorms, Children's Hospital — a life-saver partly cloudy •Chance of rain —30-50% for families of children with cancer •Highs — aiound 92 •Lows— about 76 By Jill y Special to the Island Reporter ompared with .adults, relatively few children are.diagnosed each year with cancer, but if you're in one of those families, it turns ' Cyour life absolutely upside down, and having the cancer unit in the Children's Hospital of Southwest Florida nearby is irreplaceable Just a few years ago, families had to travel hundreds of miles, to Tampa •Police Beat 'Island Life or Miami, every time their child needed a treatment, said Director of —page 9 —page 16 Development Carolyn Rogers That meant families had to put their cars, •Commentary 'Business Services she said, on "auto pilot" —page 7 —page 17 Once childien aic diagnosed, they are hospitali7ed for seveial weeks, •Business *TV listings then they leturn every othei weekend foi up to a year foi chemotherapy A.J. Kemery watches as his mom Tanya feeds Apple —page 10 —page 19 ti catments Jacks to Sammy, a palmeranian visiting the chil- •Aits & Leisure •Classifieds Having to tia\el that distance "would ha\t been temble," said Al dren's wing at HealtliPark last Thursday. Nearby is —page 11 —page 24 y, who woiks with Molnai LleUiic on Sanibel Ralph, a golden retriever. The dogs' visit is made •Sports tSiOutdoois possible by Coral Veterinary Clinic in For! M n u 1 ' 2 • AUGUST 19, 1999 • ISLAND REPORTER e a t h e r island High Low Rain Aug. 11 94 81 .12 82 0 n our companion newspaper, the Sambel- Aug. 12 93 Captiva Islander, you won't want to miss the Aug. 13 94 78 1.0 Aug. 14 94 78 .95 Ifollowing stones: Aug. 15 92 76 .72 Catch us every week! •The back-to-school basics, with "getting to know Aug. 16 92 77 .02 you profiles on five of the new faculty members at the Aug. 17 92 75 .34 school. For a subscription, call Shirlene, • A photo spread depicts a summer's worth of memo- 472-1587, or mail in the coupon in ries at the Sanibel Recreation Center. Rainfall for August is 3.58 inches so far. •Frank Wagner's review of "an evening of dance for Note: Rainfall levels are recorded from the this week's paper. the'90s" with Demetrius Kline. morning of the day given to the following morn- •And, don't miss this week's Familiar Face — you ing. Millennium Subscription Special could be next! Source: Island Water Association Mission statement: The Island Reportet is the islands' off- — Only $22! (Lee County); $28 ical NEWSPAPER; our sistei papei, The Islander, is the islands' favorite COMMUNITY paper. By working togeth- USA; $42 foreign. er, the two papers are complementmy to one another and, together, pi ovide the full flavor of these fascinating islands. 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SHELLWPOINT Secure Tour Tomorrows Today A Continuing Care Community • 15000 Shell Point Boulevard, Fort Myers, Florida 33908 941-466-1131 or 1-800-780-1131 • www.sheUpoint.org ' eauALHOUSING Shell Point is a nonprofit ministry of The Christian & Missionary Alliance Foundation Inc OPPORTUNITY ISLAND REPORTER Q AUGUST 19, 1999 • 3 111 a n d Island Security company owner sues city Newspaper for false/unlawful arrest By Pattie Pace ' n't appropriate to comment further Irving called the Sanibel Police Group announces News Editor because the city has not yet had an Department and Dalton responded. opportunity to review the complaint. Dalton told Scott to stay away from Timothy Irving, owner of Wulfert "If and when we're served, we'll the Cavalier residence until the matter promotions Point Security, and his wife, Mary, turn it over to the Florida League of was resolved. The document also indi- filed suit against the city last Friday Cities Public Risk Service, which will cates that Dalton told Scott he was for his unlawful arrest, detainment and be handling the case and they'll assign going to issue a trespass warning. o better serve our readers, incarceration. The arrest was related to an attorney to defend it," City He then told Irving he needed to fill the Island Newspaper a February, 1998, trespass incident that Attorney Bob Pritt said. out some paperwork. Dalton reported- TGropp has undergone the occurred while he was on patrol at the Events leading up to Irving's arrest ly filled out a trespass complaint, following changes, according to Sanctuary, an upscale residential com- began Feb. 10, 1998, while he was on asked Irving some questions and had Group Manager Carlene Brennen. munity off Sanibel-Captiva Road at patrol at the Sanctuary.