Week OF MARCH 8, 2023
VOLUME 38, NUMBER 10
Council approves lagoon boardwalk By NATHAN MAYBERG
nmayberg@breezenewspapers.com
The newly elected town council has reversed years of past decisions that rejected a special exception permit for a 298-feet boardwalk adjacent to environmentally-sensitive state protected lands in the Little Estero Island Critical Wildlife Area. The Town of Fort Myers Beach
Council voted 3-2 Monday afternoon to approve a special exception permit for the boardwalk to cross state lands, a lagoon and vegetation adjacent to the Little Estero Island Critical Wildlife Area over the objections of the Florida Audubon Society and the recommendations of denial by the town’s planning staff, reversing prior votes by prior town councils to deny the permit. Voting in favor
were Mayor Dan Allers, Councilmember John R. King and Councilmember Karen Woodson. Voting against the approval of the permit was Vice Mayor Jim Atterholt and Councilmember Bill Veach. The town council forged ahead despite the recommendations of denial by town planning staff who stated the boardwalk did not meet the town's land development code and was inconsistent with its comprehensive
plan, and threatened to impact a sensitive environmental area. In addition, town staff said they hadn't had time to completely review new submissions of documents presented by the applicants late last week. The walkover, which has been presented as a dune walkover by its applicants but is considered to be a lagoon walkover by its opponents, was first proposed in See WILDLIFE AREA, page 11
Lynn Hall Memorial Park opens By NATHAN MAYBERG
nmayberg@breezenewspapers.com
Marine thankful for help from Israeli disaster response volunteers By NATHAN MAYBERG
nmayberg@breezenewspapers.com
apt. John “Jay” Gray is well known around Fort Myers Beach for running marathons into his 80s, decorating coconuts on his property for the holidays and holding St. Patrick’s Day parties. On Sept. 28, Gray lost both of his boats on his Fort Myers Beach property and countless personal effects to Hurricane Ian. Yet more than five months later, the 85-year-old U.S. Marine still gets emotional talking about the help he received in cleaning and rebuilding his home from volunteers a half a world away. A week after Hurricane Ian shook his home and brought 10 feet of water inside his Fort Myers Beach. property, Gray was more than a bit surprised to meet a group of volunteers from Israel who spent a week helping him clean up his property. They were with Israaid and Rubicon, Israeli humanitarian aid groups that specialize in disaster response. They helped find a box with his belongings that had washed away, finding some old photos and St. Patrick’s Day decorations.
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“That’s probably the most unique thing that ever happened to me,” Gray said. “It just hit my heart,” Gray said. “The first thing we did was raise the American flag and the Marine flag,” he said. “They worked from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. at night. They took my walls down.” He recalled one of the volunteers “pulling the tacks out of the rugs going up the stairs.” Gray has stayed in touch with the Israeli volunteers through emails. They shared photos with him from Fort Myers Beach and back in Israel. “They were like brothers,” he said. Losing his sailboat, motorboat and many of his belongings has taken a big toll on Gray. “We got beat up,” he said. “I’ve See MARINE, page 12 Fort Myers Beach resident Jay Gray with Asaf Bandor, of Israaid. Bandor was part of a group of Israeli humanitarian aid volunteers who helped Gray clean his property and locate personal belongings that had washed away from Hurricane Ian such as this St. Patrick’s Day sign. photo provided
Lynn Hall Memorial Park reopened Saturday for the first time since Hurricane Ian. The Lee County Department of Parks and Recreation reopened the Fort Myers Beach park near Times Square, along with its beach parks at San Carlos Bay-Bunche Beach Preserve and Bonita Beach Park. Lynn Hall Memorial Park has been frequently used by visitors over the past few months to sunbathe and swim despites its official closure. The parking lot and park facilities had been fenced off however there was a lack of signage around the beach The timing of the reopening coincides with elevated alert levels of red tide being documented by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in the area around Lynn Hall Memorial Park, Little Hickory Island and Barefoot Beach State Preserve in recent weeks. Low levels of red tide were reported at nearby Bowditch Point Park on Fort Myers Beach. The Town of Fort Myers Beach recently announced it would be using heavy equipment to remove dead fish that have been washing ashore in recent weeks. “We are thrilled to announce the reopening of our beach park facilities after the devastation of Hurricane Ian. It is heartening to hear from our residents and visitors how eager they are to once again enjoy these amenities, and we are grateful for their patience during the rebuilding process,” said Brian Hamman, Chairman of the Lee County Board of County Commissioners. “I would also like to commend the county staff for their hard work and dedication in getting these facilities back up and running. These efforts have helped to restore a sense of normalcy and community pride to our area.”
Commentary................................4 Beach Living............................................8 Business..................................................6 Beach Bulletin..................................13-21 insidetoday Guest
See LYNN HALL, page 12
Classifieds.............22