VOLUME 33, NUMBER 36 WEEK OF NOVEMBER 1, 2007 CROW'S 'Festival Of Sanibel Recreation Center nears completion Trees' BylDAVAYNBERG retention areas and parking. Tree ivaynberg @ breezenewspapers.com The City earned its right to be designers proud of the facility that uses recy- are going all out With only one month left until "Many communities twice the size of this cled material, many energy saving with plans the dedication ceremony on would be proud of a facility like this." techniques, enhanced security fea- Saturday, Dec.l, the Sanibel tures, is able to withstand up to 150 Recreation Center is on a first class — Mick Denham, Mayor of Sar.ibe? mph winds, hurricane-rated glass Sanibel Bike Ciub schedule to completion. and roofs, native vegetation and Mayor Mick Denham and City allows for shared use between The speaks to Manager Judie Zimomra proudly Sanibel School and the general public. Rotarlans showed off what Denham called "a The old facility had been severe- tion. With the contribution of $3.2 first class facility" that will benefit "Personally, I'm extremely ly damaged by Hurricane Charley, million from the Lee County Board excited," said Denham. all age groups in the community. had no air conditioning and lacked of Commissioners' and $1.6 mil- 12 This public facility is the result He explained that when he first many of the amenities included in lion from the School District. came to Council he thought that of the collaboration between the the new one. The 86,000 square foot facility City of Sanibel along with Lee were too many obstacles and that The total cost of the project is consist of 32,000 square feet of air the project would not happen. County and the Lee County School $14.6 million which includes archi- conditioned building space, and District to design and construct a However, it ended up exceeding his tectural design fees, bonds, financ- includes brand new buildings, four expectations. new and improved building consis- ing, all the fixtures and construc- exterior tennis courts, two pools, The tent with the Sanibel Plan. See CENTER, page 22 Reporter wants your Denham talks water issues, news Gone in a splash comments on rumor control Post to the virtual BylDAVAYNBERG newsroom: [email protected] breezenewspapers.com Two weeks ago, according to some reports, hundreds of dead fish washed ashore Sanibel's Lighthouse Beach. The Answer me City called fora cleanup, which was swiftly carried out by the 'this... Public Works Department. Take part in our This incident was online poll. just another blow to This week's the city that was "What we've now got is some question: alread,y plague, d b,y thej issues which I want to call How will you two beaches closed ... urban spend the 'extra' Enterococcdue to highi levelbacteris oaf development pollution hour of Daylight in their waters. issues. Which is, quite Savings Time? "Personally, it was frankly, pointing the finger at Answer online at a bit of a no news us ourselves." island-reporter.com and see story, and everyone - Mick Denham, Mayor of Sanibel what others have said. made a big issue out of —————————— it, I suspect because of • See last week's results inside the beach closure that preceded that," said Sanibel Mayor on Page 4. Mick Denham. "As best we can understand what happened was that there was a red tide issue off the coast of Collier IDAVAYNBERG See DENHAM, page 21 SCCF celebrates Tuesday morning's demolition blast sends spray several feet above the new 40 years of island causeway's 70 foot vertical clearance. conservation Breeze Newspapers print quality Old Sanibel Causeway drawbridge demolished earns national recognition Get the full BylDAVAYNBERG John Carney, a resident of Sanibel for the story in this ivaynberg @ breezenewspapers.com past 12 years, watched the detonation from By TAMMY WHALEY week's A dull thud followed by a spectacular the beach on Island A. He said that the visu- [email protected] ISLANDER explosion that briefly filled the air with al display was more than he had expected. Breeze Newspapers was recently awarded a first place bright, yellow smoke marked the demolition "They were thinking this little poof, and for print quality for the Cape Coral Daily Breeze by the of the original it was more than a Southern Newspaper Sanibel drawbridge poof!" he laughed. Publisher's Every Issue piers on Tuesday "I was sad to see it go. I enjoyed it At 10:50 a.m., Association. The "The award shows our print both piers that held winners were morning. and, at the same time, it was sad to quality is among the best. I Letters 4 Several onlook- up the old draw- announced Oct. 16 at hope our readers notice the see the old bascule bridge finally bridge were no Word on the Island 4 ers and media repre- the Atlanta-based print quality in the papers we sentatives gathered going. [I] wouldn't have missed it more, sunken to the association's annual Community Calender .... 8 at the Grande Bay at for anything." floor of San Carlos convention. are delivering." — Jack Glarrow, Gardening 10 Sanibel Harbour — John Carney, Sanibel resident Bay. The excited The contest onlookers clapped judged print quality Breeze Newspapers publisher Obituary 14 Resort Pier to wit- ness yet another . ————^— and cheered for the for black ink density ^_-^^_^^_—___^___^^_ Police Beat . 15 moment of local history in the making. operation's success. settings, spot color Sports 17 While Lee County authorities insisted The detonation lasted only a few sec- laydown, process color printing, color registration, black last week that the demolition would be "very onds, with the force of the blast sending and white halftone quality, page alignment and overall print Classified Ads 19 contained," with the explosion being 98 per- spray well over the 70 foot vertical clearance appearance in the 25,000 and under circulation category. Tides 23 cent underwater, and that no "exciting visu- of the new span, briefly enveloping it with The association named the publication submission dates. al display" would take place, it did not stop smoke. Jack Glarrow, publisher for Breeze Newspapers, said he onlookers from filling the shoreline of Island . "I was sad to see it go," Carney added. "I is proud of the award and proud of the team that prints the This newspaper is enjoyed it and, at the same time, it was sad Breeze Newspapers products as well as commercial job printed on recycled A and the adjacent pier. paper See BRIDGE, page 11 See AWARD, page 6 JOIN US EVERY Brtuvoh SUNDAY IO:3O AM - 2:30 PM DOLCE VITA 1 Livt> Entertainment Nightly Bring the Whole Family Specializing in Private Parties • Off-Site Catering Available AN(D Enjoy Our t RESTAURANT & • •*• 1244 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel Island • 239.472.5555 AN F AM L J b«M«y " major credit cards accepted Tree designers wanted for CROW's 'Festival Of Trees' Tree designers are going all out with plans and prepara- of friend-raising tions for their trees and wreaths, Sanctuary Golf Club's as well," said o © staff has planned amazing and delicious culinary delights Yvonne Hill, and attendees are anxiously awaiting their first invitation of Director of the holiday season, all in preparation for CROW's .Second Development & Annual Enchanted Forest, better known as "Festival of Operations at Trees." CROW. "I can't This event, traditionally the first and most fabulous wait to see the event of the holiday season, will be held on Sunday, Dec. 2 trees and wreaths © at the Sanctuary Golf Club on Sanibel. actually decorated For the seventh year in a row, The Sanibel Captiva Trust in their beautiful Co. will be the Gold Presenting Sponsor for CROW's 2007 Sanctuary set- -3 Holiday event. tings. It will be an "CROW's Festival Of Trees was a huge success last year incredible evening e and we are so glad to be the major sponsor again for this ANITA PINDER for everyone." wonderful community organization," said Senior Vice s Beth Traucht, left, owner of Floral Artistry and The Dec. 2 President Terry Igo. Al Hanser, CEO and Chairman, added FloralDesigner, and Anne Lincoln. event will be held "We are especially proud of two of our board members' at The Sanctuary 0) commitment to CROW — Bob Wigley and John Schubert operations and was declared by attendees and the Sanctuary Clubhouse on — who were instrumental as Co-Chairmen of CROW's as the ticket of the season! While tree designers receive one Wulfert Road on recent capital campaign. They did a tremendous job." complimentary admission to the event, the ticket prices will Sanibel. Advance Sanibel Captiva Trust Co. will be sponsoring a tree deco- be $100 per person and reservations are essential. A few paid reservations rated by Sally Hanser. Sally's tree, entitled "Christmas trees and wreaths are still available and may be obtained by are required and Legend," will feature sand dollars that carry the Christmas calling Anita Pinder at 540-0471 for designer guidelines or tickets are $100 per The fabulous tree designed by Beth legend as well as reflecting the fragile and serene beauty of additional information. person. Traucht and Anne Lincoln. our islands. Hanser's exquisite tree will be previewed in the "While CROW relies on membership-and other private For more infor- Trust Company's lobby between Thanksgiving and Sunday, donations for a large percentage of its operating support, mation about the event, go to CROW's website at Dec. 2. events such as the Enchanted Forest, 'Festival Of Trees' are www.crowclinic.org or to receive an invitation, call 472- The immensely successful and popular first-time event also an important part of our fund-raising success.