WEEK OF JANUARY 18, 2023
VOLUME 38, NUMBER 4
Fort Myers Beach utilities director resigns By NATHAN MAYBERG
news@breezenewspapers.com
It was just a couple months ago, before an election, when the Town of Fort Myers Beach was finding its way out of the worst hurricane it had seen. The town council heard some good news from Utilities Director Christy Cory that water was being restored after broken lines and mains and disruptions to Lee Utilities
connections. There was a large round of applause from the large crowd that filled Skip One Seafood restaurant in what was the first feel-good moment of the community coming together. On Monday, Jan. 9, Cory tendered her resignation in a letter that the town has not made public. Citing state statute, the town has declined to both comment and release the
letter which it said is not a public record at this time. In a letter detailing why the resignation letter was being withheld, Town of Fort Myers Beach Clerk Amy Baker cited state statute section 119.071(2)(k) “because it contains a complaint of misconduct against a Town employee that is the subject of an on-going internal investigation by the Town.”
To whom that complaint of misconduct refers was not disclosed and town council members and the interim town manager have all declined comment. Cory has declined comment as well. Town of Fort Myers Beach Mayor Dan Allers stated “I cannot comment on former Utility Director Cory’s resignation at this time.” See RESIGNS, page 8
County parks on Fort Myers Beach remain closed By NATHAN MAYBERG news@breezenewspapers.com
In the wake of tragedy Remains of missing Fort Myers Beach residents James Hurst and Ilonka Knes found after months of searching since Hurricane Ian By NATHAN MAYBERG
nmayberg@breezenewspapers.com
he Lee County Sheriff's Office has confirmed that the remains found on a boat Friday belonging to missing Fort Myers Beach man James Hurst, were those of Hurst. Hurst has been missing since Hurricane Ian and his boat was located in Matanzas Pass on Thursday by the Lee County Sheriff's Office Dive Team. The remains were discovered Friday. Hurst, who was 72, was the last person believed to be missing from
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insidetoday
Fort Myers Beach due to Hurricane Ian. He was found on his boat “Good Girl,” where he was known to have been the morning of the hurricane. The remains of Fort Myers Beach resident Ilonka Knes were discovered earlier in the week in the mangroves of a canal off Tropical Shores Way, near the town hall. The deaths of Hurst and Knes bring the total number of deaths on Fort Myers Beach from Hurricane Ian to 16. Knes, 82, had been missing since Hurricane Ian. She is believed to have
died by drowning. Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno said Knes was discovered by a debris removal contractor deep in the See FOUND, page 8 ABOVE LEFT: The remains of James Hurst, 72, were found underneath the water on his sailboat "Good Girl" in Matanzas Pass. ABOVE RIGHT: The remains of Ilonka Knes, 82, were found last week in the mangroves of the canal off Tropical Shores Way. FILE PHOTOS
While the sight of beachgoers hitting the water and lounging around with umbrellas may be a welcome scene for some, those doing so on county property at Lynn Hall Memorial Park are actually doing so at a park that is closed. This past week, dozens of beachgoers were at Lynn Hall Memorial Park. There were no visible signs on the beach saying the park was closed. There were no visible signs near Times Square where the beach merges. There was a sign in front of the parking lot where the entrance was gated off and locals and visitors are asked to take heed. “County-owned beach park closures include both the parking lot and the beach,” Lee County Communications Director Betsy Clayton stated. “Signs are posted in areas where beach-park patrons typically enter the sites.” The beach remains dangerous, officials said, emphasizing it and others remain closed including Bowditch Point Park and Crescent Beach Family Park. There is no reopening date set for any of the county’s beach parks on Fort Myers Beach. “Debris in the water and buried in the sand at the water’s edge creates a safety hazard. The county is working alongside state and federal agencies to clean and remove the debris so that beaches are safe for visitors. Parks and recreation staff is dedicated to cleaning debris off beaches daily. As more debris washes ashore daily, the process is ongoing,” Clayton stated. One beachgoer with her granddaughSee PARKS, page 8
Guest Commentary.....................................................4 Business.......................................................................5 Web Poll........................................................................4 Beach Bulletin.........................................................9-16