WEEK OF MARCH 8, 2023
VOLUME 61, NUMBER 16
School board gets update on student disciplinary causes By MEGHAN BRADBURY
news@breezenewspapers.com
Sanibel shines on as storm-damaged lighthouse is relit By TIFFANY REPECKI
trepecki@breezenewspapers.com
n iconic landmark is now lighting the road to recovery for Sanibel following Hurricane Ian. On Feb. 28, city dignitaries and staff were joined by community members, including island officials, citizens, business owners and others, to celebrate the relighting of the beloved Sanibel Lighthouse.
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“Sanibel's iconic lighthouse, which has stood on this site since 1884 and was lit in 1885 as an aid to navigation using kerosine lanterns, stands as our beacon of hope as we recover from the devastation caused by Hurricane Ian five months ago today,” City Manager Dana Souza said during his opening remarks that kicked off the ceremony. The lighthouse has not been operable since the storm rolled through on Sept.
28, leaving a path of destruction in its wake. The hurricane broke away one of its legs, which the city's contractors See LIGHTHOUSE, page 5 The city of Sanibel held a relighting ceremony on Feb. 28 for the iconic Sanibel Lighthouse on the island, which has not been operable since it was damaged by Hurricane Ian five months earlier.
Tobacco possession, drug use/possession, fighting and physical attack are among the top six reasons students receive a disciplinary action in Lee County schools. In elementary schools, the top six are physical attack or fighting, threat or intimidation, major disruption on campus, tobacco possession and bullying. In middle and high school, the top incidents include tobacco possession, followed by fighting, drug use/possession, physical attack, threat/intimidation and major disruption on campus. The Lee County School Board recently got a deeper dive into the School District of Lee County’s School Environment Safety Incident Report. The SESIR, which includes 26 definitions, provides a “coding system used to report incidents that are against the law, or represent serious breaches of the code of stuSee SCHOOL BOARD, page 5
IslanderInsIde
SCOTT CRATER
Community meeting series to focus on resiliency As a result of the destruction and challenges Hurricane Ian has introduced to the Sanibel-Captiva community, residents and businesses face questions regarding recovery and where the islands go from here in terms of resilient rebuilding. With the city of Sanibel, Sanibel & Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce and others, the new SanCap Citizens for a Resilient Future hopes to address concerns in a two-part community meeting series. “As we see progress with our business community coming back from this unprecedented disaster, it's time to pause and reflect on the past five months and how they should impact the next five years and beyond,” chamber President and Chief Executive Officer John Lai said. The first event, “Emerging from Hurricane Ian: Stronger & More Resilient,” will be held on March 9 from 6 to 8 p.m. at BIG ARTS on Sanibel. It
will also be live-streamed on the city's Facebook page. The free event will focus on sharing community stories and collecting feedback to guide a citizen-led planning effort focused on building greater resiliency for the future. Panelists will share their stories as residents and business owners, along with their perspectives on the work that lies ahead for the community in addressing its short- and long- term needs. Sanibel's first mayor and keynote speaker Porter Goss will lead the discussion, while City Councilmember John Henshaw will moderate. Some questions the panel will address include: ∫ Will we rebuild in a way that makes us more resilient to future events? ∫ What were the successes in our community response, and how can we be better prepared? ∫ How can we recover from the loss of
community members who choose to move after this storm? ∫ How will our businesses and nonprofits recover and flourish again? ∫ How can we continue to collaborate and support one another? Planned for early April, the second event will bring together local experts in key areas of community resilience to examine what the island got right in its preparation and response to the hurricane and what lessons can help it in the future. The topics will cover the existing built infrastructure, natural systems, essential services and emergency response. SanCap Citizens for a Resilient Future is an alliance of community organizations and citizens. Along with the city and chamber, other members include the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife, Committee of the Islands, “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge, See COMMUNITY MEETING , page 5
alsOInsIdetOday Guest Commentary........................4 Web Poll.........................................4 Captiva Current..........................6-7 Business......................................8 Preserving Paradise.....................11 Island Living................................12 Sports.........................................13 Classifieds 22