Periwinkle Way Gets A Facelift!

Perwinkle way is under some reconstruction with new paving. Daytime and nighttime street resurfacing work that began in August continues to make progress over its 45-day contract. Several residential side streets have been repaved, including the long-debated Nerita Street that now wears its first and only layer of asphalt.

Sections of Periwinkle Way and Causeway Boulevard, some of the city’s busiest roadways, got new asphalt this week over several nights with a minimum disruption to traffic.

Along another paving line, council approved a request from the Sanibel Captiva Chamber of Commerce to be allowed to install pavers on the city owned lot adjacent to the Chamber’s visitors parking lot to improve the image and reduce maintenance associated with the unpaved lot. All at Chamber’s expense.

“This is another example of working with partners for a win-win situation,” said Mayor Ruane.

Source: Island Reporter

Restaurants Named For Taste Of The Islands

With only five weeks remaining until the event, 20 restaurants are confirmed for the much

anticipated 31st annual CROW Taste of the Islands, presented by Edison National Bank/Bank of the Islands.

“This is the earliest that we have confirmed the restaurants,” said Melissa Congress, chairperson for the annual event which the proceeds benefit the wildlife hospital on Sanibel by offering  delectable treats in a fun-filled open air setting.

The Bubble Room, Cip’s Place, Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille, Island BBQ, Matzaluna’s Fun Italian Restaurant, Sanibel Deli & Coffee Factory, Sea Star Café, Timbers Seafood Market, Trader’s, Over

Easy Café, The Jacaranda, Old Captiva House at ‘Tween Waters Inn, George & Wendy’s Seafood Grille, Pinocchio’s Original Italian Ice Cream, Catering@Bailey’s, Sanibel Oasis Café (formerly East End Deli), Gramma Dot’s, Blue Giraffe, Chip’s Sanibel Steakhouse and Sanibel Fish House have filled the spots in this year’s event. The food items will range from $1 to $5 offerings, with most restaurants preparing at least two samples.

Taste of the Islands, to be held on Sunday, November 11 from 12:30 to 5 p.m., features live music, face painting, server competitions and celebrity judges for the best of categories.

Other sponsors who help make this event possible are Edison National Bank/Bank of the Islands, Warm Vanilla Sun, Adventures In Paradise, Galloway Family Dealerships, Sanibel Taxi, Congress Jewelers, LCEC, SunCoast Beverage, Veolia, Donna and John Schubert, Molnar Electric, Sanibel Gear, Brian Murty Realtor, Jim Greenwood Consulting, Heidrick & Co. Insurance, John Gee & Company, ‘Tween Waters

Inn, South Seas Island Resort, Inns of Sanibel, Nave Plumbing, Coral Veterinary and Caloosa Tent & Rental.

Sponsorship opportunities are available and include tickets to the event, parking passes, event T-shirts, food and beverage tickets, and admittance to the sponsor tent. Individuals or companies can become a VIP sponsor for an entry level of $500. For more information, contact info@crowclinic.org attention

Melissa Congress or Chris Heidrick.

Bald Eagle Nesting Season Is Beginning

 by Mark ‘Bird’ Westall

It is now October and Sanibel’s bald eagles will start laying eggs before long. I will be watching one particular nest with an “eagle eye,” so-to-speak. Last spring, in the middle of nesting season, I worked in cooperation with the staff at the SanibelCaptiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) and the Lee County Electric Cooperative (LCEC) to erect an artificial platform specifically designed to attract the eagle pair at SCCF’s West Sanibel River Preserve.

This pair has had a tough time of it lately. Their original nest tree had been accidently killed several years ago because when the habitat crews went onto the preserve to poison the invasive Australian pines on the property, they saw no nest in the nest tree and did their job.

Unfortunately, large eagle nests fall out of Australian pines quite often because this species of tree makes a terrible place for an eagle nest. These exotic “pine”trees satisfy the height criteria that the

eagle pair is looking for, but the shape of an Australian pine is not usually conducive for the nest to survive very long. The next time you get a chance, compare the shape of an Australian pine to that of a

slash pine and you’ll see what I mean. Therefore, the birds are always having to rebuild their nests if their first choice is an Australian pine.

After realizing their honest mistake, the staff at SCCF immediately called me to see if I would be interested in building an artificial nest in the dying tree, one that would be able to stay together as long as the nest tree itself remained standing. Of course, I agreed to do the project and was proud to say that, even though the nest tree was no longer alive, the nest looked completely natural.

The artificial nest was approximately 70 feet up in the air and it was quite exciting putting it together. The day of the construction was slightly breezy and every once in a while, I had to wait for several seconds to work on the nest as the wind would drift the cherry picker and tree too far apart for me to reach the nest.

Thus built, this artificial nest in the dead Australian pine was successfully used for several years. Unfortunately, the dead tree finally fell during a fall cold front last year and the birds have been trying to

find a suitable new site ever since.

When I first began serving on Lee County’s Bald Eagle Technical Advisory Committee (ETAC) way back in the mid-1980s, there were still many people sometimes even from the scientific community) who did not believe it was possible to get bald eagles to utilize artificial sites.

I said “Hogwash!”

The problem was that people have a difficult time thinking like an eagle. It was easier for people to accept the idea that ospreys would nest at artificial sites because humans accidently were building

structures that satisfied the needs of the ospreys. We put up utility poles, nice, big houses with beautiful, high chimneys, etc. The ospreys would look at these developments of man and say, “I always

wondered why humans existed; now I know. It’s to build wonderful nesting sites for us!”

I have been asked many times by owners of an osprey nest on their chimney, “Why don’t they nest out in the mangroves of the refuge? There are plenty of trees there. Isn’t that where they’d

rather be?” Today, because of Hurricane Charley, there actually are a lot of potential nesting sites in the mangroves since the upper half of the canopy was mutilated and many snags perfect for nest

building were left standing. But before Charley, the canopy of the mangroves was fairly uniform and nesting sites were limited.

Just because there are lots of trees, does not necessarily translate into suitable habitat for the wildlife. Once the ospreys showed us that they would nest on manmade structures, we were then able to

use our intelligence to purposefully build nest structures to satisfy that need.

The situation for bald eagles is different, however. We do not “accidently” build human-oriented structures that satisfy the needs of that species. Eagles want to have their nest at – or above – the

surrounding canopy, just like ospreys. But in Florida, eagles prefer to have plenty of shade over the nest to protect the young from the searing heat. Ospreys do not usually need this shade because

the female osprey stays on the nest and uses her body to create shade. With bald eagles, both parents habitually leave the nest and forage for food, leaving the young chicks vulnerable to heat exhaustion.

I noticed these criteria in bald eagle nest site selection in Florida and have been successful in getting seven pairs now in Lee County to use artificial nests. Granted, most of those artificial nests where situated in natural trees, but one nest on Hogan Key, up near Boca Grande, was a totally free-standing structure.

In March of this year, we erected the new, totally artificial-looking platform and, hopefully, it will eventually serve as a more permanent home for the eagles. But before we could erect the new platform, and after several attempts to find a suitable natural nest site in the area, the eagles began putting sticks in another dead Australian pine not too far away from where the new platform eventually was erected. From this new natural site, they watched as the platform was erected.

Bald eagles, like ospreys, are pretty tenacious about sticking with a nest site once a choice has been made; though they may have a few backup sites. Something usually has to happen to that nest site before the pair will move to another potential nest site in the nesting territory. Possible disturbances include nests falling out of the tree, great-horned owls commandeering the nest, human disturbances, etc.

Therefore, I suspect the eagles will continue putting new sticks in the recently chosen dead Australian pine. Unfortunately, this nest site is just as unstable as the other sites that were experimented with last fall and winter. So far, the nest is only partially built and I suspect that a fully developed nest will not

survive. All we can do now is watch and hope. At least, if the current natural nest falls apart, the eagles will have something more solid to move to this time.

Let’s keep our fingers crossed!

A former city council member and mayor, Mark “Bird” Westall has owned and operated Canoe Adventures, Inc. on Sanibel for over 33 years. Visit www.canoewithbirdwestall.com for more information.

Around the Island with Anne

Jerry’s Boosts Its Organic Produce Section; Il Cielo Prepares To Re-Open Later This Fall

by Anne Mitchell

Catering to an increased demand for organic produce, Jerry’s Foods has recently expanded its fruits and vegetables department.

Produce manager Steve Radakovic said the organic selection has gone from a small presence to an eight-foot display cabinet. This week, it contained tomatoes, berries, tofu, apples, onions and several varieties of potato, including Russian banana potatoes and French fingerlings.

There was also Coco Libre organic coconut water, which has become very popular of late.

Radakovic said he wants to hear from customers if there are any particular products they want to see in the department. “We want to know what people want, so tell us,” he said.

The rest of the produce department has a new look too, with new inserts that better display the items and provide more space for increased variety. “The prices are easier to read and it’s easy to see where (the produce) came from,” he said.

I checked out the various displays and noticed a nice selection of fresh herbs, tomatillos, four colors of large peppers, fresh salsas, whole coconuts, papayas and some of the biggest grapes I have ever seen, red and green seedless varieties.

Jerry’s Foods is at 1700 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, phone 472-9300.

Every week there are more and signs that the snowbirds are returning to their winter roosts on the islands and that businesses are gearing up to welcome them back, with spruced up interiors, refreshed landscaping and, in some cases, opening their doors after a slow-season break.

Il Cielo Italian restaurant will reopen later this fall with a new menu and is currently hiring “dynamic servers and bartenders,” according to John Boler, principal investor in the restaurant. Il Cielo will serve dinner seven nights a week, and the re-opening is planned for late November or early December.

Patrons will see a new casual, fine dining eclectic menu, Boler noted, along with fine wine offerings.

Melinda Isley, a spokeswoman for the owners, said the new menu will be “not exclusively Italian” as it was before, and there will be a more casual menu in the bar/lounge. She added that interior renovations will be made prior to opening.

Job applicants may apply at Il Cielo, 1244 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. They may also submit resumes to BDRONTY1@yahoo.com.

The Timbers Restaurant & Fish Market is celebrating “34 years of fresh fish.” For diners that means there will be select entrees all month long, priced at two for $34. Offerings include baked, stuffed shrimp, crabczkes, crab-stuffed tilapia, seafood Alfredo, baked New England haddock, Scottish salmon and Timbers sirloin.

In addition, every 34th customer will receive a free gift certificate.

The Timbers is at 703 Tarpon Bay Road, Sanibel, phone 472-3128. The fish market opens at 11 a.m. and the restaurant is open from 5 to 9:30 p.m.

Sister restaurant, The Sanibel Grill, right next door, is one of the island’s favorite football hangouts. It boasts 10 satellites and 17 TVs. On weekends, the grill opens at 11:30 a.m. featuring $2 Bloody Marys, $2 Screwdrivers and a new football menu.

George & Wendy’s Sanibel Seafood Grille also features NFL and college football games with food and drink specials and is home to Chicago Bears and Buffalo Bills fan clubs. The grille has all day happy hour every day. The restaurant is at 2499 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, phone 395-1263.

Sanibel Deli & Coffee Factory is now offering soft serve frozen yogurt, along with its popular sandwiches made with Boar’s Head meats, breakfast dishes and – until the end of the month – one large 16-inch cheese pizza and 10 wings for $15.99. Free delivery is available. The deli is in Palm Ridge Place, phone

472-2555.

Chip’s Sanibel Steakhouse is offering a Summer’s End Prix Fixe Experience daily from 5 p.m. to close

until October 31. The three course menu is $35 per person and includes a choice of appetizer, main course and dessert. Chip’s is at 1473 Periwinkle Way, phone 472-5700 or make a reservation online at chipssanibelsteakhouse.com.

LIVE ON THE ISLANDS

The Crow’s Nest at ’Tween Waters Inn will feature The Sand Fleas on Friday and Saturday, October

12 and 13, from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Crab races are Mondays and Thursdays with an early family show and a later show for adults. The Crow’s Nest is at 15951 Captiva Drive, phone 472-5161.

Traditions on the Beach at the Island Inn has live entertainment most nights starting at 7 p.m. This week’s lineup includes: Friday, dancing to Joe McCormick and singer Barbara Smith; Saturday, Joe McCormick and singer Marvilla Marzan; Sunday, closed; Wednesday and Thursday, dancing to Joe McCormick with popular favorites and smooth vocal stylings, R&B, jazz and pop. Traditions is at 3111 West Gulf Drive, phone 472-4559.

Sweet Melissa’s Café features Michael David playing light acoustic background music Wednesday through Saturday from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Sweet Melissa’s is at 1625 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, phone 472-1956.

George & Wendy’s Sanibel Seafood Grille has karaoke every Wednesday. On Friday, there will be live entertainment with Anthony Wayne, guitar and vocals. The restaurant is at 2499 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, phone 395-1263.

The Jacaranda has entertainment nightly from 7 to 11 p.m. On Friday and Saturday, various artists are featured. On Sunday, it’s Jamaica “Dave” & Co., reggae and dance; Monday, Renata, jazz, contemporary music and dance; Tuesday, Steve “Scooter” Reynolds, accoustic guitar, contemporary music and dance; Wednesday, Buckeye Ken, contemporary, Top 40 and blues; Thursday, 2 Hot, contemporary, reggae and dance. The Jacaranda is at 1223 Periwinkle Way, phone 472-1771.

The Mucky Duck on Andy Rosse Lane, Captiva, features music by Mark Dupuy on Mondays; Rich Lancaster, Wednesdays; Gene Federico, Thursdays and Saturdays; and Buckeye Ken, Fridays.

The Island Cow on Periwinkle Way has live entertainment on Friday with Dan Confrey; Saturday, Diana Lynn; and Sunday, Buckeye Ken. Phone 472-0606.

RC Otter’s, 11506 Andy Rosse Lane, Captiva, has live music daily with dining inside and out, phone 395-1142.

Keylime Bistro features live music days and nights seven days a week. New to the line-up is Ken Limeri playing jazz sax from 6 to 10 p.m. every Tuesday. The bistro is at 11509 Andy Rosse Lane, Captiva,

phone 395-4000.

Shore Haven Transported To New Home At Historical Museum

By Jeff Lysiak

A journey of just over three miles took nearly 12 hours to complete, but in the end, the Sanibel Historical Museum & Village welcomed its latest addition with open arms. There were a few temporarily relocated signs and light fixtures along the way.

Beginning at 10 p.m. on October 2, crews began the task of moving the two-story Shore Haven house

– a Sears & Roebuck Honor Bilt kit home constructed on Sanibel in 1924 – from a small plot of land on San Carlos Bay Drive, near the end of Dixie Beach Boulevard. Workers from Flint & Doyle Structural Movers transported Shore Haven slowly up Periwinkle Way through the night, finally reaching the home’s new address on Dunlop Road in the wee hours of Wednesday morning.

“Immediately, this becomes one of the highlights of the museum,” said Alex Werner, president of the Sanibel Historical Museum & Village, as Shore Haven was carefully moved across the parking lot adjacent to BIG ARTS and the museum.

On September 28, the 1,500-square-foot structure was moved by barge from its original location – a picturesque bayside lot on Bird Lane – to an empty parcel two miles away with the assistance of

crews from Flint & Doyle as well as SteMic Marine Construction.

Once all of the logistics involved with moving the building onto the Dunlop Road site had been finalized, which included coordinating electrical and cable/Internet outages along the 3.25-mile route, Shore Haven joined the nine historic structures – including the recently relocated Caretaker’s Cottage, which housed AfricanAmerican workers employed at Shore Haven through the 1940s – within the museum’s village.

According to museum manager Emilie Alfino, the Dutch Colonial-style building will be used to

welcome guests, display artifacts, artwork and rotating collections as well as provide additional storage for museum inventory. In addition, it will allow the museum to host catered events.

“We are very excited because now we will be able to have catered events on site,” said Alfino. “Every museum has one modern building where people check-in, watch video presentations, something that is used as a welcome facility. And now, we are going to have that.”

Shortly after 10 a.m. on October 3, Shore Haven squeezed past the trees – and temporarily removed welcome signs for BIG ARTS and the Sanibel Historical Museum & Village – at the entrance of the parking lot off Dunlop Road. One of the museum’s light fixtures was taken down as the building was carried to its final resting place, next to the 1913 Rutland House on the eastern portion of the property.

While Shore Haven was donated to the museum, the total costs involved with moving the historic structure are approximately $171,400. By contrast, the expense of moving the two-room Caretaker’s Cottage last month cost $21,000.

“Eugene Gavin, who is the authority of African-American history on the islands, suggested that the Caretaker’s Cottage be moved here. I have to give him credit for that,” said Werner. “Truly, it is our final opportunity to preserve the history of the original black families who lived on Sanibel.”

The foundations for both new buildings are expected to be completed before the museum reopens to the public on Wednesday, November 7. For additional information, visit www.sanibelmuseum.org.

Island Sun (October 12, 2012)

Chamber Announces Dates For Luminary 2012

The Sanibel-Captiva Chamber of Commerce announced that the 2012 Luminary Weekend festivities will take place on Sanibel on Friday, December 7 and on Captiva on Saturday, December 8. Visitors and residents are invited to mark their calendars for this very special event.

For more than two decades, island businesses, organizations, residents and visitors have gathered for one of Sanibel and Captiva’s most treasured annual events – the Luminary Festival. The complimentary trolley service brings guests to various shopping centers, island businesses and galleries, where they

can enjoy refreshments, music, holiday activities and most importantly, connect with the community.

“We are expecting a great Luminary weekend this year,” said Ric Base, chamber president. “Already, we have received inquiries about the exact dates for Luminary from tourists, many who are planning to fly in especially for this traditional special event on Sanibel and Captiva.”

“The Chamber of Commerce will be working with more than 100 island volunteers this year to ensure that Luminary 2012 will be the best ever,” he added. “We expect to have more live music and

entertainment and more trolley stops this year – don’t miss it!” 

Island Sun (September 28, 2012)

Frozen Yogurt Store Gets Warm Reception

by Anne Mitchell

With the owners of a planned frozen yogurt shop in Bailey’s Shopping Center agreeing to all conditions imposed by city planners, the only real question left was, “When will you open?”

Planning commissioner Chuck Ketteman said he was asking that question “as a potential customer.” Applicant Jeremy Kane replied that the goal was to open in time for Sanibel’s annual early December Luminary Trail, but certainly for the peak tourist season.

The business, Zebra Frozen Yogurt, will occupy a 1,435-square-foot commercial unit in the center and will have 20 indoor seats as well as carryout service. It will also be eligible for some bonus outdoor seating.

The space was recently occupied by KOR Island Provisions – a furniture store – and prior to that by the Sanibel Beauty Shop.

Until a year ago, there was a frozen yogurt take-out store in Bailey’s Shopping Center. A city memo calls such a store “apopular community benefit.”

Although the new yogurt shop will be larger, it remains consistent with the requirements for a conditional use permit, said Benjamin Popple, city planner.

Zebra Frozen Yogurt will sell frozen yogurt and ice cream with accompanying toppings, smoothies, soft drinks and other hot and cold non-alcoholic beverages. Because it involves on-site food

preparation, conditional use review and approval is required by the planning commission.

Bailey’s Shopping Center operates under a PUD (planned unit development) agreement, having its own set of city approved rules.

A review of parking by JMB Transportation Engineering indicates that Bailey’s has more than enough parking to meet its peak season demand, even with the new store.

One possible stumbling block was that Bailey’s had to relocate its Tarpon Bay Road driveway to comply with an update to its master plan. Popple said, “That permit has been issued.

Island Sun (September 28, 2012)