The sky just seemed a little bluer May 3 at the Sanibel Causeway who caught several fish on the south side of the causeway in a matter of minutes in the warm weekend sunshine "It's been two-and-a-half years since we've been here," she said after tossing in a hooked baitfish "We used to have parties down there all the time and there were so many trees And now all that's left are those trees," she said pointing to a cluster of Australian pines Sowers and hundreds of others spent the day lounging on the causeway islands The Sowers family has been coming to this area for 25 years "Now I'm wondering if we should go to Exit B and go to the other side," she said after a park ranger showed her a picture of a large tarpon a man had caught earlier in the morning "I caught a catfish earlier this morning and a shark ate it when I let it go She eventually caught a snook about 30 inches in length May 3 marked the first weekend the causeway beaches have been open to the public since Hurricane Ian made landfall in September 2022 The barrier islands showed their world-class fishery off as people caught tarpon a few lowly catfish and even some large snook "I'm surprised there aren't more people out here," Donna's husband "The other (bay) side is a popular spot for kayaking." Dozens of cars and hundreds of people were scattered across the causeway islands May 3 "It feels great to be here," Mike Parkinson said before launching and this is our first time here since it opened Parkinson said in recent years he's been paddling Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park in the Naples area It's great parking on the beach and being so close." Helen Parkinson noted how clear the water was we had to drive all the way from Bonita Springs Anglers flock to newly opened causeway for big catchesStephen Fitzwater He landed a large speckled trout in the morning and spent the rest of the day trying to mimic that success "I've been waiting a long time to fish this but we're just going to fish and hang out the rest of the day here." More: Florida bill to crack down on abandoned boats, hold owners financially responsible Jacob Roberts was fishing from the Sanibel side as well "I'm surprised there aren't more people here Ray Mikol launched his orange sit-on-top kayak to fish San Carlos Bay "I'm so glad this place is open again," Mikol said If you go to the Sanibel Causeway beach park:The refurbished and repaired Causeway Islands Park has free parking portable restrooms and trash and recycling bins The following public meetings/hearings are scheduled: – May 13: Sanibel Planning Commission meeting at 9 a.m. at BIG ARTS, at 900 Dunlop Road, Sanibel, and via Facebook Live. For more information or the agenda, visit www.mysanibel.com – May 14: Sanibel Fire and Rescue District meeting at 9 a.m. at Station 171, at 2351 Palm Ridge Road, Sanibel. For more information or the agenda, visit www.sanibelfire.com Copyright © SANIBEL-CAPTIVA - Island Reporter, Islander and Current | Contact | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy — Crews are completing the final items west of the toll plaza on the Sanibel Causeway Emergency Restoration project Many oversized vehicles are crossing the causeway to assist with recovery efforts on the island Bicyclists are encouraged to utilize another mode of transportation to travel the causeway Pedestrians are not permitted on the Sanibel Causeway The Sanibel Community Association held its Annual Meeting on April 23 at The Community House on Sanibel The newly elected officers include: Dick Bourdow as president; Sarah Jacobson as vice president; and Melissa Lehman as secretary John Raho will continue to serve as treasurer The new members to the board of directors include Bob Brooks The SCA also thanked outgoing Board Members Roger Grogman which owns and operates Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille and the Dixie Fish Company announced the hiring of Brian O’Brien as executive chef With more than 40 years of culinary experience he will oversee the kitchen operations across all locations of the award-winning restaurants to ensure quality A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America He has since owned and operated several restaurants specializing in fresh fish earning a reputation for bold flavors and an unwavering commitment to quality O’Brien shares a deep-rooted passion for scratch kitchens and fresh made-in-house cooking The “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge (DDWS) announced that J.N “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge Wildlife on Wheels team member Ashley McGovern has completed seven months of Spanish skills education she was able to test out of levels 1 and 2 with the Berges Institute’s Spanish Language Courses and complete levels 4-5 to earn her certification Sanibel Captiva Community Bank has opened a temporary office on Fort Myers Beach to provide banking services for residents and businesses prior to its permanent branch opening The temporary location is inside of the Access Title Agency building on the Third Floor staff will be available on Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m Available services include account opening The temporary office will enable the bank to establish an on-island presence and serve new and existing customers while development of its permanent branch is underway the new full-service branch is anticipated to open in 2026 and the bank is working with project partners to finalize timelines For more information, visit sancapbank.com/fmb The Access Title Agency building is at 100 Lovers Lane Sea turtle nesting season kicked off on the islands last month The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) documented the first sea turtle nest of the year on April 25 on the east end of Sanibel “Which is significantly earlier than last year,” Coastal Wildlife Director and Sea Turtle Program Coordinator Kelly Sloan said of the date explaining that the first loggerhead nest recorded for 2024 was found on May 4 though the first nest last year was from a leatherback sea turtle on April 24 with two on Sanibel’s west end and one on Captiva “We’re definitely ahead of most previous years,” Sloan added with a total of 631 loggerhead nests on Sanibel and 208 on Captiva She noted that a lot of nests last year were also found during the month of April “This is a really good year so far,” Sloan said Sea turtle monitoring originally began on Sanibel in the 1950s with Charles LeBuff and Caretta Research Inc. making it one of the longest-running monitoring programs in the country the SCCF took over the program and continues to manage it today Loggerhead is the most common marine turtle species to nest on the islands but they have nested on Sanibel-Captiva before the most abundant on our beaches,” she said The SCCF records about 20-30 green nests each year “Green sea turtles are not as infrequent as they were maybe 30 years ago,” Sloan said noting that they have a biannual nesting pattern and last year was low “This is anticipated to be a big green year.” All the species will take one or two years off between nesting seasons but not dramatically in terms of nest counts,” she said “So we’re expecting it to be a little bit bigger year this year.” The SCCF looks at and monitors hatching rates to determine how the populations are doing “Our hatching rates have been down in recent years explaining that the hurricanes over the last couple years and predation by coyotes have been contributing factors four different treatments were used on nests to try and curtail coyotes: habanero peppers and nothing — which occurred in only a few cases when the egg chamber could not be located The SCCF found caging to be the best solution they identified hot spots for coyote predication in preparation for this season “We’re focusing on the hot spots with that,” she said of caging nests “The first nest this year happened to be located in one of the areas,” Sloan added the SCCF is responsible for monitoring roughly 18 miles of beach and nesting habitat that stretches from the Sanibel Lighthouse up to Redfish Pass on both islands “We are out on the beaches every single morning at dawn to patrol for new nests and false crawls,” she said it is marked off and monitored daily for any signs of disturbance releasing any remaining live hatchlings out to sea Sloan noted that it takes staff and a team of about 90-100 volunteers each season “We truly couldn’t do it without them,” she said adding that the volunteers put in about 5,000 hours the Sea Turtle Program has a research component There is a night-time tagging project to identify and tag nesting females and record their data “That helps us identify all kinds of movement pattens and life history about that turtle,” Sloan said They will track turtles to answer questions about how water temperature impacts the movement of turtles The trackers will collect data like water temperature can be indicative of dive patterns and forging “We’ve seen record temperatures in the Gulf in recent years — it affects the whole ecosystem,” she said “It’s a question that a lot of people are asking After recently wrapping up a four-year project studying the impacts of red tide on the health and reproductive success of sea turtles the SCCF will take the next step this season to see how the toxins affect the hatchlings — as it found the adult females are transferring the toxins to their offspring Sloan explained that they will collect blood from hatchlings and perform a sort of fitness test for basic functions like flipping them over to see how fast they right themselves and seeing how they crawl we’re sharing the shore with sea turtles and nesting shorebirds “It’s important to make sure we’re making it hospitable for them and we can’t do it without the help from the public.” – Turn off or shield all lights visible from the shore after 9 p.m – Keep your distance from marked sea turtle nests – Dispose of fishing line properly to avoid wildlife entanglement boaters can keep the surrounding waters sea turtle-friendly by: – Having a designated spotter on the boat to look out for sea turtles – Wearing polarized sunglasses to help with spotting sea turtles – Going as slow as possible in areas where sea turtles are or might be Sloan noted that the SCCF has received reports and pictures recently of mating sea turtles especially during this time of year,” she said For more ways to protect and care for them, visit https://sancaplifesavers.org/ information related to nests or turtle strandings on the islands call the SCCF Sea Turtle Hotline at 978-SAVE-ONE (239-728-3663) For more information about the SCCF’s Sea Turtle Program, visit https://sccf.org/what-we-do/protect-wildlife/sea-turtle-program/ Fla — Beachgoers weren’t the only ones flocking to the reopened Sanibel Causeway over the weekend - least terns are back for nesting season and they’ve clearly claimed their slice of sand Entire sections of the beach were roped off for them Fox 4’s Austin Schargorodski spoke with the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation about how they’re protecting these state-threatened birds.Watch what the SCCF is doing to protect the Least Terns: SCCF says about 200 least terns have landed on the Causeway - and they’ve spotted at least 20 nests and their history here stretches back decades SCCF shorebird biologist Audrey Albrecht says they first nested on the Causeway in the 1960s but vanished by the 1990s—until a major storm actually helped bring them back “Flash forward to 2023 after Hurricane Ian when they started putting all this beautiful sand back out it once again looked like beautiful habitat for these birds and they came back They’ve been nesting here the past two years,” Albrecht said in conjunction with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Lee County Albrecht says it’s crucial - because their eggs are nearly invisible in the sand “Their eggs are small and speckled and blend in perfectly with the sand so it can be very easy to step on them we have to give them a safe buffer so that we’re not flushing them off their nest or allowing predators to come in or allowing the heat to actually cook the eggs in the sand We give them a safe space for the eggs to incubate and for the chicks to be raised,” Albrecht said SCCF says it’s inviting volunteers to help educate beachgoers and protect nests Albrecht says the nesting season lasts just a few months—eggs hatch in about three weeks their message is simple: enjoy the beach - just respect the ropes and share the shore The Sanibel Police Department issued the following weekly police blotter which includes recent information about law enforcement response to criminal activity was charged on April 21 with one count of battery touch or strike was charged on April 21 with one count of DUI unlawful blood alcohol DUI influence of alcohol or drugs was charged on April 20 with one count of disorderly intoxication public place cause disturbance a traffic stop was initiated on a vehicle for failure to maintain its lane A records check revealed the driver had an expired license The driver was subsequently issued a citation for failure to maintain a single lane and a notice to appear for driving with an expired license The vehicle was removed from the scene by a licensed driver a traffic stop was initiated on a vehicle for excessive speed The driver was subsequently issued a notice to appear for unlawful speed (66 mph in a 35 mph zone) and a marijuana cigarette and paraphernalia were seized and submitted for destruction – Alarm calls (business and residential): 2 – Alarm calls (business and residential): 22 – The free “Sanibel Bound” app provides live feeds from traffic cameras stationed across Sanibel It is available for Android and iOS devices in the Google Play and Apple App stores motorists are encouraged to travel east on Periwinkle Way Officers directing traffic give priority to off-island traffic on Periwinkle – For information on the school zone speed enforcement program at The Sanibel School, visit https://mysanibel.com/schoolzone. To watch a video that explains the speed limits in the school zone, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BUppMCjvXk – For information on the E-bike city ordinance, visit https://www.mysanibel.com/government/recreation2/bike-or-hike-on-the-shared-use-path – Roadside parking is not allowed on Sanibel and is enforceable with a $150 fine – Parking and boat launching fee is $40 per day at the boat ramp Parking and boat launching on weekends and holidays is with AC/BC permit only – The 2025 Annual Beach Parking Permits are available at the Sanibel Recreation Center and are valid through Nov – Assistance with paying for parking: 239-472-3111 – Police non-emergency questions: 239-472-3111 – Parking citation questions: parking@mysanibel.com The permit is mailed once the application is processed Anonymous tips regarding crimes or suspicious activity can be submitted via Tip411: – Web tips can be submitted at https://tip411.com/tips/new?alert_group_id=22450 – Use the free “Sanibel PD” app available from the Google Play and Apple App stores Find the SPD on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SanibelPolice To reach SANIBEL POLICE DEPARTMENT, please email BIG ARTS on Sanibel will once again take part in the annual Fort Myers Film Festival it will join venues around Southwest Florida to host and showcase some of the featured films in the festival BIG ARTS will present a total of four films — including “Sanibel” — on May 15-17 at 7 p.m “BIG ARTS is always trying to expand,” Gallery Director Wilson McCray We love being part of such a cultural event.” He noted that the festival is more than just a showing as there will be special guest appearances from those involved in the productions They will talk about the films and answer audience questions who can speak about the production and their personal experience with it it just elevates the experience for the audience,” McCray said It will kick off on May 15 with “Sanibel,” directed by Herbert James Winterstern grief and a community devastated by Florida’s largest storm “It is a beautifully made film about Sanibel and the shelling culture and the people who work that culture but it also touches on a few other characters — how they were impacted from Hurricane Ian and some of the tough stories that came with that.” “I was struck by the human element of the film,” McCray added “And they will bring other guests who were in the film,” he said an opening reception will take place at 5:45 p.m “The people at FISH (of Sanibel-Captiva) who were involved with the making of film were so excited that we were going to screen it They wanted to invite a lot of friends and create a reception ahead of time,” McCray said During the film’s theater run last month and through May in Florida 10% of the ticket proceeds — though not for the tickets for the festival — are benefitting FISH and the American Red Cross The second day of the festival on May 16 will showcase “Curveballs,” directed by John Biffar The film tells the inspiring story of America’s only amputee baseball team McCray reported that Biffar is an accomplished local director “We hosted one of his films a year ago for the Fort Myers festival,” he said “This film is about the amputee baseball league team,” McCray added “He did a fantastic job of capturing the inspiration behind that baseball team and the people on it.” “It’s possible that he will be bringing some of the guys in the film,” he said On May 17 — the final day of the festival — it will be a double feature with “Journey Back to Alcedo,” directed by Gianna Haro Vallazza then “Climbing into Life,” directed by Melissa J Both short films will be included on the ticket with a brief intermission between the showings In the film “Journey Back to Alcedo,” two 70-year-old friends return to the Galápagos Islands to continue their work in conservation highlighting the need for more women in science McCray reported that one woman’s parents were naturalists and she grew up on the islands “It’s a statement about the environment and how important it is to remain vigilant in our study and love of it,” McCray added The film “Climbing into Life” is the inspiring story of Dierdre Wolownick “It’s a great story and a great way to end the festival on a note of inspiration and accomplishment.” “Both of these are great coupled together,” McCray added Davey will speak after the showing; Vallazza may also be in attendance all three galleries will be open,” he said The BIG ARTS cash bar will also be available “The 15th annual Fort Myers Film Festival is one of the most important cultural events in Lee County of the year,” McCray said “Get your tickets — and revel in all of the great films.” For tickets or more information, visit https://bigarts.org/ or call box office at 239-395-0900 Updates from the ninth week of the Florida legislative session included: – House/Senate budget negotiations extended through June 6 to negotiate the final budget – Preferred Parks Protection Bill (HB 209) passed – House removed harmful “auxiliary container” language on incinerator bill (HB 1609) House again rejected the amendment while the Senate “insisted on concurrence.” The bill failed as the House adjourned before voting on it a third time It was the last scheduled week of the legislative session a budget deal between the House and Senate was not reached and the session was extended through June 6 Legislative leadership announced on May 2 that the regular business of the session would end and budget negotiations will continue on May 12 Florida legislative sessions are scheduled for 60 days and rarely exceed that time frame This legislative year started with two special sessions and now includes an extended session due to a budget agreement stalemate With legislators planning to return in mid-May to finish their budget negotiation process the question remains about the extent to which the negotiations will impact the funding of each body’s specific policy priorities House Speaker Daniel Perez has stated his intention to rein in wasteful spending and cut what he deems to be unnecessary expenditures Senate President Ben Albritton has been clear about his priority to fund a “rural renaissance” that would modernize education health care and commerce initiatives for rural areas Once members of the House received the plan they significantly altered the policy/funding package until it was almost unrecognizable Similar disagreements about spending priorities and what constitutes acceptable uses of taxpayer dollars have played out throughout the session and both the House and Senate leadership have announced they have reached an agreement on a framework for a budget deal Albritton and Perez announced on May 2 after 10 p.m they would be approving a $2.8 billion dollar tax cut legislators will return on May 12 to complete the “allocations process,” which will hammer out the specifics on how the cuts will be met in the larger budget silos of education The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) will continue to advocate on behalf of funding for Everglades restoration and conservation land acquisition as the budget process continues into May environmental resources and America’s Everglades has one of the largest returns on investment and is a safe investment for the future of Florida A state budget must be passed and sent to the governor in time for the beginning of the fiscal year that starts on July 1 – State Land Management (Parks Protection Bill) Gayle Harrell was the initial bill thought to be the vehicle by which our legislators would answer the call from Floridians to “Save our State Parks” from the egregious golf course and large-scale lodge construction proposals from last summer The House responded with an even more protective bill than the Senate version removing some concerning language that could have left a door open to interpretation on future development in our parks both chambers were supportive of closing any loopholes in the effort to protect the natural jewels of our state as they agreed upon and passed the House version of the bill The bill will be sent to the governor for his signature – Waste Incineration (with Auxiliary Containers Amendment) Failed: HB 1609 was filed as legislation to address a Miami-Dade incineration siting issue It became a vehicle for a very controversial auxiliary container bill (SB 1822) once the issue was amended onto the bill by the Senate The House rejected the auxiliary container amendment that would preempt local government pollution control efforts on May 2 — the scheduled last day of the session — the Senate refiled the amendment to impose a ban on local control regarding auxiliary containers The Senate passed (retained) the amendment and the re-amended bill was sent back to the House for consideration The bill ultimately failed because session had adjourned before the House could vote on the bill a third time The SCCF will work with our statewide advocacy partners to introduce solutions that will address this inequity in state law as it relates to plastics pollution Passed: SB 1388 — this governor’s priority is being referred to as the “Boater’s Freedom Act,” but in practice it will free bad actors to flout important environmental protections The bills aim to make law enforcement’s job more difficult when interacting with boaters by requiring “probable cause” to make safety checks and ensure that people aren’t poaching in Florida waters Fisheries management relies on adhering to size and catch limits and individual poachers can have an outsized impact on a species population if they target the wrong organism our law enforcement officials are empowered to ensure boaters follow the regulations but this bill will remove key enforcement abilities The House had to “waive the rules” to pass the bill since the House version (HB 1001) was never heard or debated in committee – Land Development (formerly Mitigation Banks) Passed: SB 492 saw its scope expand during the legislative process which typically means that other issues will be tacked on before its final passage the Senate amended-on liability protections for the phosphate industry but that language was rejected by the House and the final bill was ultimately passed by the Senate without the initial amendment The bill allows for mitigation to occur outside of a project’s watershed basin and for unfinished mitigation banks to award up to 60% of their credits before the ecosystem function has been certified The bill is a detrimental environmental policy that creates an imbalance of protections and incentivizes unsustainable overdevelopment Visit the 2025 SCCF Legislative Tracker at https://sccf.org/what-we-do/2025-legislative-session/ Holly Schwartz is policy associate for the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF). Founded in 1967, the SCCF’s mission is to protect and care for Southwest Florida’s coastal ecosystems. For more information, visit www.sccf.org To reach HOLLY SCHWARTZ, please email The Captiva Erosion Prevention District’s (CEPD) commission recently received an update on the applicants for a new bookkeeper-assistant position and agreed to make an offer to a candidate Vice Chairman Rene Miville provided a report on the new administrative role on behalf of the Hiring Committee Commissioner Tim McGowan and a third-party individual with five or six video interviews conducted He reported that the commute to the island and it only being part-time work came up as issues the CEPD received a resume from Debra Giacolone He reported that he spoke to her and she is in the process of relocating to Sanibel with her family “She’s very excited about the possibility of working with us,” Miville said she currently serves as executive director of Student Support Services for Sarasota County Schools She previously served as director of Student Services for the school district and program manager for its Florida Diagnostic Learning and Resources Systems Her background also includes coordinator of Professional Development at the Heartland Educational Consortium director of Special Education at PresenceLearning and director of Special Education and Student Services/principal at DeSoto County Schools Giacolone holds a Master of Science from Radford University in Special Education — Emotional and Behavioral Disorders and Specific Learning Disabilities and graduated summa cum laude and a Bachelor of Science from Virginia Tech in Family and Childhood Development and Early Childhood Education She also graduated as an education specialist from NOVA Southeastern University in Education Leadership and Organizational Management Treasurer and Secretary Linda Laird raised some questions “This is a very competent and intelligent woman,” she said about Giacolone’s experience with bookkeeping She added that she compiled her subjects and questions based on a conversation with their consultant “I don’t think she could answer them the way we would like them answered,” she said of her list of questions “I think she has holes in her experience and in her training.” Laird suggested setting up Giacolone with a training program McGowan voiced support for hiring her and then setting benchmarks or certifications for her to meet “I think she’d be welcome to take those I think she’d make those a goal for herself,” he said adding that he is comfortable extending an employment offer to Giacolone Commissioner Bob Walter agreed with extending an offer “Everybody has holes in every position they apply for — she’s a very bright woman she’s involved with the community,” he said adding that incoming General Manager Brighton Heard can handle the day-to-day tasks with Giacolone and that they can professionally learn and grow together on the job Chairman John Wade noted that Brighton gave his approval on the hire the commission agreed to extend Giacolone an offer To reach TIFFANY REPECKI / trepecki@breezenewspapers.com, please email The registration deadline is nearing for a tourney to benefit the families of service members South Seas will host its second annual South Seas Tarpon Tournament on May 22-23 on Captiva Taking place in conjunction with the resort’s Grand Reopening Celebration and Memorial Day weekend festivities that will run through May 25 additional activities will be open to participants This year’s competition will once again support Folds of Honor “Providing a world-class fishing tournament that combines a spirit of competition with a sense of community creating an unforgettable experience for everyone involved while raising awareness and support for the Folds of Honor Scholarship Fund has been amazing,” South Seas General Manager Shawn Farrell said the nonprofit organization has been committed to providing scholarships to the spouses and children of fallen and disabled military service members and first responders The tourney proceeds will benefit local families in Lee County and the surrounding areas of Captiva and Sanibel “We were successful in raising $200,000 in last year’s tournament which is equivalent to 40 scholarships,” he said The competition will kick off with a captain’s meeting on May 22 from 6 to 8 p.m an anglers and sponsors breakfast will be held from 5:30 to 7 a.m. It will all wrap up with an awards presentation from 4 to 8 p.m Monies collected from the entry fees will be paid to the winners other festivities that will be open to participants include a Feed the Fish Golf Ball Drive on May 22 a Patriotic Tee Shirt Dye on May 23 and a Kids Fishing Tournament on May 24 Kids Fishing Tournament and some additional activities will be donated to Folds of Honor “We look forward to this year’s tournament and building on the accomplishment of the inaugural event last year,” Farrell said To register or for more information, visit southseas.com/tarpon A coalition seeking to maintain the longtime building height and density limitations on Captiva recently provided an update on its legal actions Protect Captiva reported that South Seas and Lee County concluded their rebuttal case before the county Hearing Examiner on April 18 regarding the resort’s rezoning application “After hearing from 52 members of the public opposing the South Seas rezoning application the rebuttal case presented by South Seas and Lee County only served to highlight the ill-advised nature of the South Seas overdevelopment application,” it shared the resort’s final proposal includes: – Buildings more than 20 feet taller than existing structures on South Seas or Captiva – New condominiums at the north end of the resort where two areas of open space presently exist – An attraction-type water park adjacent to existing condos owned by others – A 175-room hotel along Captiva Drive at the south end where no hotel ever existed – A 260-room hotel at the north end where only a 107-room hotel existed – A restaurant with outdoor seating within earshot of a residence – Possibly 76-150 new boat slips by the T-dock along the channel to Redfish Pass Protect Captiva continued that the applicant purchased its 120 acres of the resort with 107 hotel units and 140 employee housing units and the right to build another 25 units It is seeking to replace the 272 units with 628 units — 193 condos and 435 hotel units “And county staff is going along with it even though our constrained evacuation roadway cannot handle the development there is insufficient parking for the project or its employees the sewer treatment plant does not have sufficient capacity for this increase in development and the Lee Plan requires the county to enforce maintain and continue the historic development pattern on South Seas,” it shared it also learned that the resort and its restaurants boat slips and amenities will never be open or available to the public “The new owners of the resort describe their future clientele as individuals coming to their third or fourth home and who would never wish to leave the resort to visit anything on Captiva or Sanibel once they arrive,” Protect Captiva shared “Their vision of the resort … explains why the owners of the resort never reached out to the community after their purchase in 2021 The new owners of South Seas never intended the resort or their guests to be part of the Captiva or Sanibel communities.” It reported that the Hearing Examiner will take two months to issue her recommendation “Judging from their demeanor at the hearings the applicant and the county seem confident that the Hearing Examiner will recommend approval We sincerely hope that the Hearing Examiner maintains her reputation for independence,” the coalition shared “As much as the Hearing Examiner may wish to avoid the displeasure of Lee County and South Seas by crafting some conditions that would allow for this overdevelopment Protect Captiva continued that the Lee Plan requires her to “maintain” and “enforce” development regulations that “continue” the well-defined “historic development pattern” on the island including the historic development pattern at the resort South Seas was limited to three units per acre for hotel and residential dwelling units with building heights no greater than 45 feet above grade “The application seeks a 230% increase in density on the applicant’s 120-acre property a 40% increase in density on the 304-acre resort as a whole and a 50% increase in building heights on a barrier island resort that has suffered major damage from three hurricanes in two years and has only one constrained evacuation route off the island,” it shared “The Captiva fire department does not even have the ground ladders fire flows or a ladder truck able to reach the upper floors of the proposed taller buildings on the resort Recommending approval would not only violate the Plan The coalition reported that the Circuit Court decision limiting South Seas to 912 units still controls development at the resort Under a 2003 mediated settlement agreement between the Captiva Civic Association (CCA) and Lee County the county agreed that the total number of units at South Seas would never exceed 912 units Protect Captiva continued that the 912-unit count constitutes a density limit of three units per acre on the 304-acre resort which has governed South Seas for more than 50 years “The Circuit Court ruled that the settlement agreement limiting South Seas to 912 units is both valid and enforceable,” it shared “South Seas and the county have appealed that decision in separate appeals in order to get ‘two bites at the apple’ before an appellate panel.” The coalition’s lawyers have asked the court to consolidate those and set a briefing schedule “If the Circuit Court decision is upheld the county can never issue more than 912 building permits for hotel or residential dwelling units on South Seas regardless of the recommendation of the Hearing Examiner or the decision of the county commissioners in the current rezoning case,” Protect Captiva shared To view its motion to consolidate, click on MOTION TO CONSOLIDATE The coalition reported that is appealing the Florida Division of Administrative Hearings’ (DOAH) decision that found recent Lee County Code amendments to be consistent with the Lee Plan Protect Captiva noted that the Plan includes a chapter devoted to the protection of the barrier island — requiring the county to maintain and enforce development regulations that continue the historic development pattern on Captiva and at South Seas “The administrative law judge misread the Lee Plan to allow amendments to the county’s Land Development Code that repealed the hotel room density and building height limits at South Seas as well as increasing building heights on all of Captiva,” it shared “The judge’s misinterpretation of the Lee Plan and erroneous ruling that the hotel density and height increases allowed by the changes to county regulations were not relevant to the case before her The coalition continued that while other legal actions address development at the resort success with this appeal would confirm that building heights on Captiva are limited to 28 feet above base flood elevation with two habitable floors To reach STAFF REPORT / trepecki@breezenewspapers.com, please email With more than three times the number of Florida driver licenses set to expire this year the Lee County Tax Collector’s Office is looking at ways to make the process as expedited as possible for residents locations have seen wait times increase when it comes to license renewal or changes Appointments on a rolling 30-day schedule are full up the Florida Department of Highway Safety released a Driver License Renewal Forecast Data shows that the number of licenses that expired in 2024 was 24,303 The renewal forecast shows that 87,544 licenses are set to expire in 2025; 88,019 in 2026; and 87,460 in 2027 the number went from 2,957 in 2024 to a projected 4,667 in 2025; 4,617 in 2026; and 4,895 in 2027 “These numbers are contributing to wait times,” Lauren Bernaldo chief communications officer for the Lee County Tax Collector “There’s also been a lot of coverage on the REAL ID deadline coming up on May 7 which has generated lots of questions.” unless they have customers who do not have the proper documentation to receive their REAL ID credential The latest numbers show fewer than 1% of Lee County residents — approximately 4,000 — are not REAL ID compliant The larger impact on queues is the increase in license renewals Average wait times for the Cape Coral office from Feb 3 to April 25 showed the average wait for customers with appointments for driver license or ID change or replacement was 27 minutes with the average wait for walk-in customers at an hour the average wait for customers with appointments was 26 minutes with the average wait for walk-in customers at 55 minutes “It’s possible that customers who do not have the proper documents to complete their transaction must return another day,” Bernaldo said “We also let customers know when wait times will be long offering them times to come back later in the day check our website to see whether you need a service that can be done online make sure you have the documentation needed to complete your transaction if you have an appointment and know that you cannot make it please cancel so someone else can reserve that spot,” she added Bernaldo said they do open new appointments on a rolling 30-day basis for all services it is put back on the site for someone else to book The office just completed a 90-day pilot where it opened three of its locations — North Fort Myers downtown Fort Myers and the Cape — an hour earlier at 7:30 a.m “We are currently looking at the data to determine how much of an impact this made on customer wait time and the number of customers seen,” she said the office will gather feedback from its team about how it worked and what impact it had on their experience “We’ll review both the data and the team’s input and plan to share a full report with leadership sometime in June,” Bernaldo said we’ll determine whether adjusted hours are feasible to move forward with implementation.” the office is committed to meeting the evolving needs of the community it purchased a centrally located 29,000-square-foot building at 3650 Colonial Blvd “This investment is part of our ongoing efforts to explore innovative ways to enhance customer service and efficiency,” Bernaldo said we are working to reimagine the way we deliver our services anticipating future demands and improving the customer experience.” the office has been approved by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles for mobile units that can provide driver licenses and ID cards and vehicle and at assisted living facilities and community centers “We don’t have any mobile units in service as the state’s approval came after our current year’s budget was finalized,” she said “As we begin planning for our (fiscal year 2026) budget we’re carefully evaluating which projects will have the greatest impact on customer service we believe utilizing our new building on Colonial Boulevard that will better serve our community’s immediate needs and we may look to incorporate them into our (fiscal year 2027) plans.” customers can access services in-person at one of six locations either via appointment or as a walk-in Residents can also use online services at LeeTC.com and/or Publix kiosks located throughout Lee County “Our mission is to deliver five-star service to every customer who walks through our doors,” Bernaldo said they deserve a smooth and efficient experience whether that’s through technology upgrades to make things easier for the customers we serve.” For more information, visit leetc.com To reach CJ HADDAD / cjhaddad@breezenewspapers.com, please email A beloved park ranger is retiring after making more than two decades worth of contributions to one of Southwest Florida’s top tourist destinations Ranger Toni Westland has been employed with the U.S 23 of which she served as education specialist at the J.N ‘Ding’ Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island being able to find out that that's what fed my soul: connecting people with nature," Westland said Westland’s contributions to the ‘Ding’ Darling Wildlife Society have made a significant positive impact on the nonprofit’s mission of conservation and environmental education She has developed many programs at a local including initiatives to build pollinator gardens at Title I schools or to create a mobile community outreach vehicle to teach the Lee and Collier counties about conservation issues Westland said that she is beyond grateful for the generous donors and Sanibel Island community for supporting her work and that it was thanks to them that she has been able to have such a fun “I’m blessed because there’s people that believe in me to be creative,” Westland said I find myself speechless when trying to thank them because they’re un-thankable.” Westland has known from a very young age that she wanted to have a career that would allow her to connect with nature Westland’s father would often take her hunting Westland is focused on ensuring that the several ongoing projects at ‘Ding’ Darling which includes repairs to damage from Hurricane Ian and a new butterfly garden for children Westland vows to be an advocate for the hiring of more park rangers at the refuge – May 12: Captiva Erosion Prevention District meeting at 1 p.m. via Zoom. For more information or the agenda, visit mycepd.com – May 13: Captiva Community Panel meeting at 9 a.m. via Zoom. For more information or the agenda, visit captivacommunitypanel.com – May 13: Captiva Island Fire Control District meeting at 11 a.m. at the fire station, at 14981 Captiva Drive, Captiva. For more information or the agenda, visit captivafire.com I am filled with pride for the amazing work we continue to do in our district and I want to take a moment to reflect on the progress we’ve made together and the exciting initiatives ahead One of our most significant achievements this year has been the opening of a Student and Community Health Center at Franklin Park Elementary School the School District of Lee County’s first Community Partnership School It has been a collaboration between the district The school is a shining example of our commitment to not only educating students but also supporting their overall well-being we provide comprehensive services that help meet the physical mental and emotional needs of our students-ensuring they have the support they need to thrive What makes the partnership even more special is that it does not just help the students at the school — it extends to the entire community Families now have access to crucial resources that can make a real difference in their daily lives I am excited to see the positive impact this initiative will continue to have on our children and their families Families who wish to enroll their children in summer Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) classes can do so now 1 and have not have already accessed a VPK program The summer VPK program aids in helping children and families transition smoothly to kindergarten VPK provides children with access to high-quality early learning experiences and makes learning fun Teachers will introduce children to language literature and social skills in a play-based environment The summer program for incoming kindergartners is taught by certified teachers with a focus on school readiness and social and emotional well-being Classes are June 9 through July 31 from 7:30 a.m Limited transportation is provided to some students To register, families must first apply for a VPK Voucher through the Early Learning Coalition online at elcofswfl.org or in person by appointment only at 2675 Winkler Ave child’s birth certificate and proof of address to the Early Learning Childhood Center in Fort Myers Summer VPK seats are limited and available on a first-come As we find ourselves in the middle of the second half of the school year I want to take a moment to acknowledge the incredible dedication and hard work of our students The challenges we have faced this year have only made us stronger and I continue to be impressed by the resilience and determination of our community and I look forward to all the great things still to come as we continue working toward our shared goals Members of the school board and the superintendent have been hosting Town Halls this spring I had the opportunity to host one for my district in February at the North Fort Myers Recreation and Park Center Be sure to be on the look-out for future Town Hall opportunities More information is available on our website at leeschools.net thank you for your ongoing support of our schools and community we are creating a brighter future for all our students Debbie Jordan holds the District 4 seat on the Lee County School Board To reach DEBBIE JORDAN, please email There are numerous offerings this summer for elementary school aged children in the School District of Lee County to either help prepare them for school or slow down the “summer slide.” There is both a virtual option and in-person learning opportunities with some open to all students and others by invitation only the Expanded Virtual Learning Summer Program for elementary students — kindergarten through fourth grade — provides practice in literacy and math through the iReady program “The program that the students use during the school year It helps to sharpen their skills exactly where they are at,” school district Literacy Curriculum Coordinator Kym Bisbe said “It assesses them before the summer and pinpoints the skills that they are struggling in (and provides) lessons and opportunities for practice.” The program runs from June 23 through July 17 as students take a Chromebook home for the summer so they have a steady computer to be able to use “Enrollment has already started,” she said “The deadline to enroll is to make sure they have computers in hand and updated with software.” Students are to complete 45 minutes a week for each subject The program will continue to test the students on how they are doing and move them along appropriately An assistant principal oversees the program over the summer and will monitor all the student’s work The assistant principal also will talk with families through Google Classrooms and provide encouragement and spotlighting children coming along strong The program also will flag those students who may be struggling resulting in the assistant principal reaching out to the family to provide real time support Other programs are in-person and prepare VPK students through third graders The district offers a summer school Voluntary Pre-K program which is for those students who have not been enrolled in a VPK program prior to this summer Students must be at least 4 years old to participate “That is a 300 required hour program,” Bisbe said “That one is really important.” The program will be offered from June 9 through July 31 on Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m at the Early Childhood Learning Center and G The Summer Bridge Program is for children who have already taken VPK but testing indicates that they need additional help She said the invitation program is for those students who scored at a level where they would not have solid footing going into kindergarten “They have to qualify for that one,” Bisbe said “The families will get a letter sent to them offering the program.” The program is offered at the Early Childhood Learning Center The program is Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m There is no transportation provided for the program a third-grade reading program is offered to students who may be retained The program helps sharpen their skills and possibly move them onto fourth grade The program is offered in-person on Monday and Tuesday from 8 a.m “They supply busing for those kids,” she said The district also offers an extended year for ESE students — pre-K through fifth grade — who have a learning disability of some sort “They qualify through their individualized education plan,” Bisbe said Students in second through fifth grade who have a language need — English is their second language — and have received services for under a year in English qualify for the camp More information about the programs, visit www.leeschools.net or by contact the child’s school To reach MEGHAN BRADBURY / news@breezenewspapers.com, please email Note to readers: In our ongoing series asking our journalists about their jobs today we talk to photojournalist Andrew West about a photo he took recently Question: Where and when was this photo taken and time of day Answer: I photographed at the Bailey Tract at J.N "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island just after sunrise on April 1 What were you trying to capture or express I was there for a story about wading birds and this guy swooped in and made my morning What type of lens/equipment did you use to get this image It was photographed hand-held with a Sony A7iV with a 200-600mm lens set at 600 Wildlife photography is about putting yourself in the right position and using light to your advantage Animals and birds don't care about light and poses so it is up to the photographer to learn habits are also better for certain types of wildlife photography For example; spring and early summer is nesting season for wading birds Breeding plumage is beautiful to photograph Dry downs make fish congregate as ponds get shallower It makes it easier for birds because the prey is not so spread out over the landscape It was right behind me as the osprey swooped in for the catch The only real challenge was when it was swooping in it crossed paths with a white pole with signage on it the photo of it actually capturing the fish has the white pole and it is distracting but it takes away from ambiance of the image what were the factors for this photo we are looking at for making the cut and being published I had an awesome sequence as the osprey came diving in for the catch so I had a difficult time deciding on which image was the best I decided on this one because I love how the water droplets are dripping from the fish and how the osprey is looking in my direction Are there any details in the photo that people might overlook These types of moments are relatively rare to photograph Those are sometimes very difficult things to accomplish on a shot like this A lot of it is just being there and knowing how react when a subject does something spectacular Did this photo teach you anything new as a photographer or remind you of things you have learned I am reminded that capturing wow moments is really difficult in wildlife photography I may have photographed a similar situation and missed it and thought I'll get it next time or that happens all the time But it has been a few years since I have had a situation like this happen right in front of me which is part of the Lee County Library System is offering the following free programming: – May 14: Dementia Sensitivity from 10 to 11 a.m participants will gain a better understanding of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias The presenter will help attendees increase awareness of behavioral symptoms associated with dementia equip others to communicate effectively with persons with dementia and discuss local resources available to assist those with dementia Make your own kite and soar through the pages of your favorite book the library system is offering the following free virtual programming: – May 7: Online Author Event with Dr author of “Thriving with Anxiety,” how to use anxiety to become more self-accepting The event is part of the Online Author Events Series – May 13: Online Preserving Your Family History from 10 to 11 a.m Connie Lizak will share examples from her family history on how attendees might preserve their family history for future researchers Some of the examples will be items such as personal diaries and journals Registration is required before May 13 at 10 a.m – May 14: Online Author Event with Liann Zhang from 7 to 8 p.m Join a propulsive conversation with author Liann Zhang as she chats about her debut thriller “Julie Chan is Dead.” The event is part of the Online Author Events Series To register or for more information, visit https://www.leegov.com/library/programs The Captiva Memorial Library is at 11560 Chapin Lane To reach LEE COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM, please email The city of Sanibel reported that the Turner Beach parking lot opened on April 25 All of the island’s beach parks are now open including the Causeway Beach Park next to the Sanibel Boat Ramp Tarpon Bay Road Beach Park and Turner Beach Park To reach CITY OF SANIBEL, please email As the Sanibel Causeway Islands prepared to open to the public for the first time since Hurricane Ian the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) was busy posting off areas for nesting least terns — a state-threatened bird species that nests in colonies The SCCF reported that staff observed least terns landing on the causeway and making nest scrapes indicating they will likely attempt to form a nesting colony It would be the third straight year least terns have nested on the causeway least terns and black skimmers regularly attempted nesting on the Causeway Islands after the Sanibel Causeway was built in the 1960s vehicle traffic and summer storms left most nests unsuccessful “Despite the best efforts of our local conservation organizations to protect them and lure them to other nesting sites away from the causeway the birds continued to fall victim to traffic and the weather,” SCCF shorebird biologist Audrey Albrecht said “They turned to other nearby beaches and rooftops but struggled to find suitable nesting habitat.” Least terns have a relatively short nesting season arriving to Southwest Florida in early April and beginning their migration back to their wintering grounds in August The SCCF is closely communicating with the Florida Department of Transportation Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Lee County to coordinate the protection of the birds The press release issued by Lee County today (May 1) says it all: The long-awaited reopening of the beach park on the Sanibel Causeway happened this morning It has been a long time. Sept. 28, 2022, when historic Hurricane Ian slammed Southwest Florida What is also known as Causeway Islands Park was wiped out that day from unprecedented storm surge The damage was widespread including a sections of the causeway being washed away and cutting off access to the island temporarily What is expected to get done in Phase 2?Planned improvements in Phase Two include:Structured parking areasRestrooms on Islands A and BBeach accessADA accommodations shade structures and landscaping.When will Phase 2 be completed?The design phase is expected to be complete this summer and will be presented to the Lee Board of County Commissioners for approval with construction expected to begin in late 2025 and completion anticipated in 2026 How was the project funded?The Causeway Islands Park improvements are funded through a combination of resources including the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Public Assistance Program state appropriations and Tourist Development Taxes on short-term lodging The Project Information Tool gives updates on design construction and completion of the project Visitors to the reopened park will notice an increased presence of rangers and parks staff to assist with free parking in designated areas and other questions Rangers will patrol per usual to ensure park rules are followed Volunteers from partnering organizations will be on site to educate park patrons about nesting shorebirds Nesting areas will be well marked to protect the birds from visitors Only a few months before Hurricane Ian, Lee County was in the process of completing a multi-year, multimillion-dollar project to protect the two beach islands along the causeway from further erosion creating a more organized parking area and add better restroom access Erosion control was a major factor in the decision to commit more than $8 million for that project halted by Ian the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) recorded its first loggerhead sea turtle nest of the 2025 season on the east end of Sanibel It has been staked off and will be monitored throughout incubation during the daily morning surveys The nest marks the first of hundreds of more loggerhead nests to be laid on Sanibel and Captiva The SCCF provided the following tips to help protect sea turtles and their hatchlings: – Turn off/shield all lights visible from the shore after 9 p.m. information related to nests or turtle strandings on Sanibel or Captiva contact the SCCF Sea Turtle Hotline at 978-SAVE-ONE (239-728-3663) Social media has been buzzing lately about the reopening of the public access areas along the Sanibel Causeway the location had been a popular option for people to park their cars The location was also a favorite for many to watch Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel fireworks on July 4 But Hurricane Ian changed all of that on Sept which included the beach areas referred to as Island A and Island B were located along the causeway where it dips to graze the water line while Island B was closer to Sanibel Island The islands have been off limits as crews have been working on the restoration of the causeway which connects Sanibel to the mainland (Fort Myers) That could change very soon and ahead of schedule the first phase of reopening of the Causeway Islands has a target date of May 1 but that is dependent on weather and other factors common in construction projects Only a few months before Hurricane Ian, Lee County was in the process of completing a multi-year, multimillion-dollar project to protect the two beach islands along the causeway from further erosion Erosion control was a major factor in the decision to commit more than $8 million to the project Hurricane Ian forever changed the landscape of the Sanibel Causeway simply because the storm shifted sands from the islands While the Florida Department of Transportation is looking to reconstruct a more resilient design the goal of the project is to return the Causeway to the pre-storm condition to the maximum extent possible The plan entails building the roadway to standards and specifications as well as providing access for utility service along the causeway islands Support will be given to protect the natural environment from corroding shorelines while meeting the community’s needs such as safe recreational areas for residents and visitors to enjoy the beaches The entire project is expected to be completed in 2027 At Lighthouse Beach Park on Sanibel Island in January 2025.Susan Glaser .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Susan Glaser, cleveland.comSANIBEL ISLAND peeled shrimp and consumed copious amounts of ice cream my family’s trip to Sanibel last month wasn’t so different from the previous dozen There were trucks redistributing sand along the beach in front of our condo “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge is still predominantly brown and a few of our favorite restaurants have yet to reopen my kids and I agreed: Sanibel is still one of the most magical places on earth where we’ve bonded for years over sandcastles and shells the 12-mile-long barrier island on the Florida’s southwest coast was devastated by Hurricane Ian with winds of more than 100 mph and a massive storm surge less than 50% of the overnight rental inventory is back online This past hurricane season added to the frustration causing new damage and slowing recovery efforts Making matters worse: The southwest coast is currently affected by a major outbreak of red tide a harmful algal bloom that is often aggravated by hurricanes It can cause coughing and breathing issues for those who are sensitive to it but we did notice an above-average number of dead fish on the beach Shortly after my family returned to Cleveland, the largest resort on the island – the Sundial Beach Resort – reopened to overnight visitors. And the Bubble Room the popular Christmas-themed restaurant on neighboring Captiva There are a few benefits to being on the island with fewer visitors We never had to wait for a table at dinner And we didn’t have any trouble finding a parking spot at the beach Searching for shells on Sanibel Island in January 2025.Susan Glaser Sunset on Sanibel Island in January 2025.Susan Glaser "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel.Susan Glaser Long-time readers may remember that my parents owned property on Sanibel for many years my grandparents lived on nearby Fort Myers Beach My kids – now in their 20s – have been coming to Sanibel since they were babies occupying three condos at Sanibel Siesta (my parents sold their house here several years before) At Lighthouse Beach Park on Sanibel.Susan Glaser Hurricane recovery continues: A vacant property on East Gulf Drive on Sanibel.Susan Glaser Sanibel Farmers Market is every Sunday in the parking lot at city hall.Susan Glaser part of a hurricane recovery project.Susan Glaser Our to-do list on Sanibel isn’t overly complicated: Beach ice cream and card games after dark and all is right in the world There are a few well-known attractions here – notably the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum and J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge – and we’ve visited both of them numerous times over the years the weather during the third week of January didn’t really cooperate This was the week it was so cold in Cleveland – and that cold front extended into Florida where northern parts of the state logged several inches of snow Related: Kayaking with the sea cows at Lee County Manatee Park in Fort Myers It didn’t snow on Sanibel – thank goodness – but it was windy and rainy on several days but I can’t help myself when I walk the sand here We also did a taste test at four island ice cream shops – Love Boat we drove north to Captiva and enjoyed giant pieces of orange crunch cake at Boops by the Bubble Room a bakery/coffee shop that has filled the void (sort of) while the adjacent Bubble Room restaurant prepares to (finally) reopen Meanwhile, nearby, the beachfront Mucky Duck – which had reopened after Ian – is now closed due to damage from Milton including the Lazy Flamingo and the Pecking Order We loaded up on fresh fish and produce at the Sanibel Island Farmers Market (every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the city hall parking lot) and browsed the shops of Periwinkle Place my daughters were devastated to learn that the exotic birds at Periwinkle Park It was a decades-old tradition to stop by “the bird zoo,” as my kids called it and say hello to Peaches and Dusty Rose and dozens of other parrots acquired over the years by the owners of the property Nearby, at Jerry’s Foods aka “The Bird Man,” and the birds that were lost On our last day on the island – after the weather finally improved – we took a 5 mile beach walk then made a toast to good times with a frozen beverage at the recently reopened beachfront Turtle’s Tiki Bar at the Sundial resort the island is still rebuilding and recovering View of the sand from the Sanibel Siesta on the Beach condo complex.Susan Glaser A sculpture at Jerry's Foods on Sanibel pays tribute to the exotic birds that were lost in Hurricane Ian.Susan Glaser Getting there: The closest airport to Sanibel is Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers Several airlines fly to Fort Myers from Cleveland Hopkins and the Akron-Canton airports How much: Overnight rates on Sanibel have increased dramatically in the years since Ian a function of decreased supply and the high cost of insurance and rebuilding I paid about $4,000 for a two-bedroom condo for one week which was at least 50% more than my family paid in 2022 More information: visitfortmyers.com, sanibel-captiva.org Looking for wildlife on a drizzly day at J.N Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025) © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices Florida — one extreme to the other — that was me within six days in mid-March My family has been going to Sanibel Island for literally decades until three years ago when Hurricane Ian devastated a good part of southeast Florida Sanibel Island and the city that shares its name — just offshore from Fort Myers where the Twins hold their spring training — took an enormous hit from the hurricane The two weeks of a time-share I own are part of a family-type resort called Sanibel Beach Club their families and I (of course) went to see how things have recovered That includes venturing out to local restaurants but to get where it was before is a long way off One of the newest is Wickies Lighthouse in the space previously occupied by a favorite breakfast spot it rose from the ashes of two vanished institutions destroyed by Hurricane Ian just two months later Both owners joined together to open Wickie's My son and I ate there one evening and the food Menu choices focus on fish though there are a few beef items as well as appetizers you don't see often — we shared an order of fried green tomatoes Jon had shrimp and grits with a generous serving of shrimp I chose salmon with a honey glaze and assorted vegetables its newer location has more room to accommodate the many who come Lunch at Gramma Dot's on the Sanibel Marina is also on our "go to" list We were happy that it seemed pretty much like it had three years ago While in previous years there was at least a 45- minute wait We were told that the entire place had been under at least 12-feet of water It was closed for 14 months for restorations and renovations and just recently reopened to more indoor space and a large patio for outdoor seating We've always cooked in more than going out though now there is just one grocery store Our diets center around fish and the place to go is Timbers A Sunday farmer's market also has an extraordinary fish stand where we bought corvina and grouper The only downside to the island is the traffic There are no traffic lights so during heavy traffic (most of the time) there are people whose job is to keep cars moving by standing in the middle of the street and directing cars In fact my oldest son and his family were returning from a kayak outing and were stuck in it His wife and a daughter hopped out of the car and made it back to their car which had barely moved While it's painful to see what "fury Nature wrought," on this special place — The Causeway Islands Park is now open with its first phase of amenities Thursday marked the first time visitors can enjoy the shoreline since the devastation of Hurricane Ian in September 2022 "This area is the gateway to Sanibel and Captiva and has always been a popular spot for residents and visitors to come and enjoy the beach," said Lee County Commissioner Cecil Pendergrass "The County remains committed to making improvements that provide for more amenities and ultimately a safer experience for everyone.“ Click here to see Community Correspondent Victoria Quevedo talk with visitors on their first day back at the park: I think we took it for granted that it was always here and we didn't come nearly as much as we should have...we're just so thrilled that it's back The park had been closed due to rebuilding efforts by the Florida Department of Transportation which used the site during the critical process of rebuilding the Sanibel Causeway to make it more resilient Lee County Parks & Recreation can resume its redesign and improvement Lee County is in the design phase for Phase two improvements Angelo Rosin said that the beach is very accessible especially for those who may have a hard time going to the beach Planned improvements in Phase two include structured parking areas The design phase is expected to be complete this summer The Lee Board of County Commissioners will need to approve it before construction can begin in late 2025 The Causeway Islands Park improvements are funded through FEMA's Public Assistance Program Progress of the project can be found on the Lee County Parks Project Information Tool. Lee County announced that the Causeway Islands Park along the Sanibel Causeway opened today marking the first time that visitors can enjoy the beach park since Hurricane Ian in 2022 The park had been closed due to rebuilding activities by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) which used the site during the process of rebuilding the causeway to make it more resilient Lee County Parks & Recreation has resumed its redesign and improvement efforts Beach visitors will notice an increased presence of rangers and parks staff to assist with free parking in designated areas and other questions Park hours are dawn to dusk; rangers will patrol per usual to ensure park rules are followed The county is in the design phase for the phase two improvements will focus on creating a more resilient park Improvements will include structured parking areas The design phase is expected to be complete this summer and will be presented to the Lee County Board of County Commissioners for approval The Causeway Islands Park improvements are being funded through a combination of resources including the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Public Assistance Program state appropriations and Lee County Tourist Development Taxes on short-term lodging Progress on the project can be found on the Lee County Parks Project Information Tool at www.leegov.com/parks show some of the restored areas along the Sanibel Causeway Parts of the causeway were damaged by Hurricane Ian and the area has gone through a multi-year restoration project Residents and Businesses may continue to use the City of Sanibel issued 2024 Hurricane Re-Entry Permits in 2025 For those eligible that do not currently have a 2024 Hurricane Re-Entry Permit: please follow the same procedure listed above for submitting the form in its 15th year takes place May 14-18 at various local venues The one-hour film traces the journey of a family and an island determined to rebuild and thrive after Hurricane Ian in 2022 The film highlights the resiliency of Bailey’s General Store as the family business rebuilds for the third time after Ian This intimate portrait of determination reflects the resilient spirit of islanders WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. 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Keep public media strong and donate now reported that online and streaming for the film is still in the works For now the team is focusing on the theater run which will cover Florida but also stretch across the United States “Sanibel,” will start its run in Florida theaters with screenings in Sarasota today with additional showings to take place in Davie Winner of the Naples International Film Festival’s Best Florida Film Award it began as a film about seashell collectors and the island community’s vibrant shelling culture When Hurricane Ian struck during filming in 2022 the story quickly transformed into one of survival said the filmmakers felt inspired to give back to the community During the theater run from now through May 10% of the ticket proceeds will go to FISH of Sanibel-Captiva and to the American Red Cross which played vital roles in supporting the people of Sanibel He added that campaign will also spotlight hurricane preparedness and evacuation awareness through digital outreach and in-theater resources “FISH is deeply grateful for this generous gesture by Swipemarket the production partners behind ‘Sanibel,'” Executive Director Maria Espinoza said “Their support means as much to our community as the incredible story they tell in the film.” written and produced by Herbert James Winterstern Additional producers included Adam Ganser and Raydenr Editors were Nick Bradford and John Conway For more information, visit sanibelmovie.com More good news from Sanibel Island about hurricane recovery The City of Sanibel announced last week (April 25) that Turner Beach Park has reopened for parking This means all seven of the beach parks on Sanibel now have parking again The Turner Beach parking lot is the last of the beaches operated by the city to open after hurricanes Helene (September) and Milton (October) hit SWFL within 13 days of each other More: On the mend: Beach repair work on Sanibel Island after hurricanes nearing completion The other beach parks (six) that are open now: Parking is $5 an hour at each Sanibel beach lot Lee County parking permits are also accepted What's a "best beach towns" list without Sanibel Island being mentioned So, kudos to Southern Living for getting the job done with its "The 50 best beach towns in the South 2025" list The experts at Southern Living narrowed things down and beautiful Sanibel is No This also puts Sanibel at the top of all Florida beach towns on the list To its credit, Southern Living put a disclaimer at the top of the Sanibel section on the list, saying: Sanibel Island is still recovering from damage sustained during Hurricane Ian in September 2022 and Hurricanes Milton and Helene in 2024. Please check mysanibel.com for updates on reopening and recovery efforts According to Southern Living: A sunny slice of paradise that’s as resilient as they come Sanibel was struck by three hurricanes (Ian and Milton) in the span of just over two years the island is an old-school beach town at its best it won’t be long before you’ve adopted the Sanibel stoop the well-known posture of serious shell seekers Sanibel can have a way of wooing without warning The trip over the causeway paints an irresistible picture: 17,000 acres of lush landscape framed by the glittering Gulf on one side and the San Carlos Bay on the other Compared to its city neighbors, Tampa and Fort Myers It's a brand of utopia built on the understanding that what Sanibel has to offer—in terms of community Southern Living also provides a link to the "9 Best things to do in Sanibel Island" that includes: Searching for shellsWalking and biking on wildlife trailsPlaces to eat and stayTwo other Southwest Florida beach towns made the list The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation’s (SCCF) daily morning sea turtle monitoring surveys began on April 15 staff and volunteers survey a collective 18 miles of beaches across Sanibel and Captiva to look for signs of sea turtle nesting activity the islands’ first nest was laid by a leatherback on April 24 the first of the season was laid by a loggerhead on April 22 To reach SANIBEL-CAPTIVA CONSERVATION FOUNDATION, please email For more information call the Sanibel Police Department at (239) 472-3111 “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge reported that the gate times for Wildlife Drive will change on May 1 to 7 a.m Admission is $10 for vehicles and $1 for hikers and bicyclists To reach REFUGE/DDWS, please email The City of Sanibel has implemented an automated speed enforcement system at The Sanibel School to increase safety in the school zone Click HERE for an explanation of the speed limits in the school zone at The Sanibel School The goal of automated speed enforcement is to encourage a change in driver behavior and to increase driver awareness of the impacts of speed-related crashes in school and work zones Driving too fast for conditions is one of the most prevalent factors contributing to traffic crashes Nearly one-third of all fatal crashes are speeding-related Driving at high speeds in school zones significantly increases the risk of accidents involving children Reduced speed limits in these areas are designed to provide drivers with sufficient time to react to unexpected situations Adhering to these speed limits is crucial for ensuring the safety of young pedestrians This vigilance helps in anticipating and responding to the unpredictable movements of children near schools By following these guidelines and respecting school zone regulations drivers contribute to a safer environment for children and help prevent tragic accidents Click here to view a message from Sanibel Police Chief William Dalton on Sanibel's automated speed enforcement program. Why is the City of Sanibel using automated speed enforcement in the school zone The program has been put in place to ensure the safety of students and families visiting and attending the public school When is the automated traffic enforcement program actively issuing citations?  The speed zone cameras are active during all regularly scheduled school days from 7:15 am - 2:35 pm From 7:15-7:45 the flashing school zone lights will be on for student drop off and the speed limit will be enforced at 20 mph the normal speed limit will be enforced at 35 mph From 2:05-2:35 the flashing school zone lights will be on for student pick up and the speed limit will be enforced at 20 mph The automated cameras measure the speed of each passing vehicle A series of videos and photographs document the vehicles traveling at or above adetermined speed threshold as well as the speed and license plate of the violator’s vehicle Followingthe proper identification of the registered owner of the vehicle using the license plate number which includes theviolation photos and vehicle speed Cameras are located in the school zone at The Sanibel School What are the fines for a school zone speeding citation Fines for speeding in the school zone are set at $100 by state law Will I receive points on my driving record for a school speed zone citation Photo speed violations are zero-point traffic infractions that are not reported to the Department of Motor Vehicles the infractions may NOT be used to increase motor vehicle insurance rates Who reviews the citations before they are sent to the vehicle owner Every citation is verified and approved by the Sanibel Police Department Will there be a warning period before citations are issued There will be a 30-day warning period after the cameras are installed Violations that are recorded within this time period will generate warning notices only There are instructions on the back of the citation for how to appeal to a civil magistrate.  They will examine the evidence and determine if a violation occurred What happens if I do not pay a school speed zone citation If a school speed zone citation is not paid within 30 days the Sanibel Police will issue a Uniform Traffic Citation (UTC) to the violator.  This can result in points on your license Failure to pay the UTC can ultimately result in a suspended license To read the legislation related to automated school speed zone enforcement City of Sanibel Ordinance 24-009 Florida State Statute 316.1896 For additional questions please email schoolzone@mysanibel.com or call (239) 472-3111 ext The Natural Resources Department has completed the final phase of the Lighthouse Beach renourishment project - the planting of native dune vegetation All of the native plants installed were sourced from a local grower and are 100% beach compatible Over 32,000 plants of a variety of species were planted strengthening the beach with their root systems The project was state funded and will increase the resiliency of Lighthouse Beach Park There are more plantings to come along our beautiful beaches Click here for tips on getting around the island.[ ]