The islands' newspaper of record *V^")S • Ding Darli.i ' officers comment on effects of Hurricane Charley. Week of Aug. 26 - Sept. 1, 2004 SANIBEL & CAPTIVA, FLORIDA VOLUME 31, NUMBER 35 24 PAGES 75 CENTS badkinsSees City Council extends state of emergency By Kevin Duffy From staff reports High School in Fort Myers. That exten- "The curfew gives us an additional tool Staff Writer sion ran through Wednesday. Now, the to make sure that people that are moving City Council extended the State of State of Emergency will remain in effect around belong here," Chief of Police Bill Almost half of Sanibel residents Emergency on Sanibel for another week through Wednesday, Sept. 1. Tomlinson said. had power restored as of Tuesday, but during a special public meeting at City The first declaration ran from Aug. 12 Tomlinson added that he would like to a good portion of the island remained Hall on Wednesday. to Aug. 19. see the curfew further modified to allow under a boil water notice. This was the second extension of The island's curfew, which had been clean-up workers additional time to work. More than 100 repair crews and emergency status on the island, with the 7:30 p.m. to 7 a.m., was changed to pro- over 60 tree-trimming crews were first coming on Aug. 18 when council met hibit motorists and pedestrians from See EMERGENCY working the island as of Tuesday in emergency session at Bishop Verot being out from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. afternoon, said Karen Ryan, Lee page 0 County Electric Cooperative spokes- woman. About 45 percent of the island had power at that time, she said. The scope of work entailed more than re-hanging electrical lines, she St. Isabel's falls to Char added. "It's almost a rebuild of the entire By Renny Severance and a newly refinished interior, complete church, getting them intact into the power grid," said Ryan. "In many Executive Editor with attractive wood paneling. Parish Hall. places damage was extensive." Unfortunately, the new roof also featured Crews were initially working on St Isabel's Church may well turn out wing-like extensions over the eaves that See CHURCH rebuilding the island's main circuits, to be one of Sanibel's few structural were quickly torn off by Charley, taking she said. The next step is to repair the page 2 feeder lines that run from the main circuits to each individual neighbor- hood. "Oncg they restore the feeders, they"1 can go into the neighborhoods and restore the lines that serve homes and businesses," she said. Power should be restored to most residents on the easi side of Tarpon Bay Road within two weeks and to ' residents of the west side within one week. Captiva remained completely powerless as of Tuesday, but Ryan said that most customers from Blind Pass to the first "S" curve should have power restored within a week, and those who fail within the "S" curve to South Seas Plantation should follow within two weeks. AH other customers should have power within three weeks, she said. City Manager Judie Zimomra said that the restoration of power was the number one concern of residents who contact City Hall. "When will utilities at their addresses be coming on, that's their primary concern," she said. For businesses, there were eco- nomic concerns. "They want to be photo by Kristy Scheer certain that Sanibc! is not seen as Above: Hurricane damage to the roof of St. Isabel's church resulted in substantial damage to the interior of the structure (below). anything less of an attraction than before," Zimomra said. casualties of Hurricane Charley. Father some of the substructure with it, leaving All Sanibel residents had water Christopher Senk and Kristy Scheer, only plasterboard behind. service as of Tuesday, but a boil business manager for St. Isabel's, fear Heavy rains since the storm continue water notice remained in effect for that the extensive damage to the church to take their toll and even the structural much of the island, said Roger Blind, roof will probably endanger the entire first aid that has been applied does not general manager of ihe Island Water structure. Fortunately, the Parish Hall appear to be enough to save the building Association. and the Rectory both suffered only minor as the ceilings continue to collapse. damage and the Parish Hall is being used Volunteers have come from as far See Power to hold services temporarily. away as Port Charlotte to help salvage page 3 Last year the church got a new roof furniture, hymnals and more from the INDEX Ci¥f lira Bailey Good State & County Recovery Neighbor Fund Lee County Economic City lists, important tele- Development Office helps phone numbers, etc. businesses get back up and A new fund has been set up running. to help island residents and employees. — See page 11 See pages 19 & 22 Photo• by Renny Severance See page 15 Despite structural damage to the church, the beautiful windows remain intact. 2 • Week of Aug. 26 - Sept. 1, 2004 • ISLAND REPORTER Father Senk expressed his deepest gratitude to all the church employees State of emergency still bars alcohol and volunteers who have worked so CHURCH hard on important salvage work. In par- By Kevin Duffy had power restored and Captiva had no ticular, he named Chris and Tom Staff Writer power, Lee County Electric Cooperative From page 1 Kroeger, Bert and Jeff Warren, Genny spokeswoman Karen Ryan said. The city Gray, Sister Marie Mueller, Colleen Hurricane Charley did more on Sanibel was also still Under a boil water notice at Bauer, Daryl McClintock, Stuart Despite the damage to the building, than merely topple trees and knock out that time. Flaherty, Frank Perry, Tony and Kathy power. The storm also prompted city offi- At Bailey's General Store, an aisle of the church is allowing the parking lot to Contino and Katy Eldth. be used as a staging area by Lee County cials to declare the island dry. beer and wine was taped-off from con- Electric Cooperative (LCEC) and their Last Sunday the church was able to A state of emergency declared on sumers Tuesday, with signs declaring the subcontractors from out of state. The hold Mass for the 170 people who were Sanibel while residents scramble to get products off-limits per the City of parking lot is now filled with large yel- able to come and next Sunday, August their lives and properties in order also Sanibel.. low trucks, stacks of new power poles, 29 Mass will again be held at 10:30 a.m. came with the following mandate — "I think it's a good idea, people tend to transformers and other pieces of critical in the Parish Hall. though shalt not imbibe. over-indulge in times of crisis," Dennis infrastructure needed to restore power to many parts of the island. Photo, by Kevin Duffy The sign says it all. As of Wednesday, merchants were pro- Seiferi,^ 19-year Sanibel resident, said as hibited from selling alcoholic beverages. he stopped in the aisle. "It seems to be a City Manager Judie Zimomra said that the natural thing to do." ban will remain in effect for as long as Seifert, who has been staying in a hotel there is a state of emergency on the island. in Fort Myers until power at his home is "We are still in a state of emergency, restored, said he thought the city has done and that means that the prohibition of a fine job since Charley's 145 MPH winds alcohol stays in place," she said. passed to the west before making landfall A curfew of 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. remains in in Charlotte County. Fhoto by Kristy Scfteer effect on Sanibel, and residents and busi- For the most part, customers have been A closer view of the damage to St. Isabel's roof. nesses owners, and their employees, are understanding about the restrictions, one required to show proof of residency and merchant said. employment to law enforcement at the "Some of. them have complained, but Sanibel toll plaza before being allowed to the majority are understanding about it," cross the causeway. Francis Bailey said. "Those restrictions are part of the State "This community has remained secure, of Emergency," Zimomra said. "And the we believe, because our residents and Tree Resurrection or majority of the island stilt doesn't have businesses have been cooperative," power." Zimomra said. "The merchants have been Removal!!! As of Tuesday, 45 percent of Sanibel extremely cooperative with us" Our main goal is to save Sanibel Library to re-open Sept. 1 your trees. By Jenny Burnham my goodness, 1 can't return it now,' now is Staff Writer the time." In fact, according to Ms. Allen, "We According to Pat Alien, Director of the have had a few returned that were due a Sanibel Public Library, the library will be year or two ago." re-opening on Wednesday, September 1. Hurricane Charley delayed the library Ms. Allen would like to remind the re-opening by about two weeks. The public that "we still have an amnesty on librarians were expecting the building's overdue fines during the month of new furniture to be delivered on Thursday, August." August 12, and "the shelvers were sup- According to Ms. Allen, "That doesn't posed to be here, we were planning to get reflect previously accrued fines or lost all done," said Ms. Allen. books, but for those people who find a "The timing was just a little off." book is two years overdue and say, 'Oh 305-246-2468 • 20 years experience with native and tropical -trees, St Charles Harbour Home...Ready to Occupy Today! 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