WEEK OF MARCH 5, 2025
VOLUME 63, NUMBER 16
State bill opens door to ending property tax
Shell show and shell festival to feature all things shell By TIFFANY REPECKI
trepecki@breezenewspapers.com
Shell lovers will have the chance to celebrate everything shell related at two upcoming events. Presented by the Shellcrafters and Sanibel Community Association, the 88th Annual Shell Festival will take place on March 6-8 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at The Community House on Sanibel. Just across the Sanibel Causeway, the Sanibel-Captiva Shell Club will host the 2025 Sanibel Shell Show on March 6-7 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and March 8 from 9 am to 4 p.m. at the Marriott Sanibel Harbour Resort & Spa.
By NATHAN MAYBERG
nmayberg@breezenewspapers.com
Annual Shell Festival The 88th Annual Shell Festival will feature a mix of shells and shell art, crafts and local art vendors, shell artistic displays with a People’s Choice Award, live mollusk tanks and more for the whole family. “It’s to bring everyone together,” Cheri Bailey, a member of the Shellcrafters group and one of the event co-chairs, said. “This one is acSHELLCRAFTERS/THE COMMUNITY HOUSE tually going to be a throwback to the original one Artist and J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge Supervisory from the ‘30s.” Refuge Ranger Toni Westland designed the logo for the 88th There will be about two dozen vendors with Annual Shell Festival on March 6-8 at The Community House on Sanibel. shell-related items, arts and crafts, and more. “Vendors from in and around the islands,” she “It’s all shell related,” she said of the entries, noting that said. “They’ll have their wares and crafts for sale.” first, second and third place will receive ribbons. “It’s an There will also be various individual shells and bags of opportunity for people to bring in their artwork and have the shells available. community vote on it.” “We’re going to have shells that have been donated and A Shellcrafters member will provide a shell crafting demonfound on Sanibel and around Sanibel,” Bailey said. “We’re also stration. going to have fossils for sale.” “We’ll have a lady there who will be making shell flowers,” Artistic exhibits will be on display for attendees to vote on Bailey said, adding that the member will make two or three for the People’s Choice Award. See SHELL SHOW, page 18
SCCF team responds to sea turtle strandings on island
The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) reported that from Feb. 13-21, it documented one live and five dead stranded sea turtles on Sanibel. All stranded turtles were identified as loggerheads and consisted of three adult males, two adult females and one subadult. The live turtle was an adult female found floating near the shore, making seemingly no effort to swim. Staff were able to rescue the turtle and transport it to the Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium in Sarasota to be evaluated and rehabilitated.
“The turtle had no obvious external injuries to determine the cause of stranding, but was extremely lethargic,” SCCF sea turtle biologist Amanda Manrique said. “Two of the five dead turtles also lacked any external injuries to indicate cause of stranding. Two adult male turtles were found with blunt force trauma, likely caused by vessel strikes, and a subadult was found with apparent predation injuries, possibly from a shark.” She reported that the cause of strandSee SEA TURTLE STRANDINGS, page 41
State Sen. Jonathan Martin has introduced a bill that could change the way Floridians pay taxes. Martin, R-Fort Myers, is shepherding a bill which could potentially eliminate property taxes and replace them with a mixture of budget reductions and by raising sales tax rates through what the bill calls Jonathan Martin “sales-based consumption taxes, and locally-determined consumption taxes.” SB 852, which Martin filed on Feb 18 in the state Legislature in Tallahassee, calls for a study to “establish a framework See PROPERTY TAX, page 18
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