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Young golfers honored Three receive academic scholarships from Cape Coral Junior Golf Association — SPORTS
CAPE CORAL BREEZE Cape Coral’s Community Newspaper Since 1961
Vol. 61, No. 100
Wednesday, December 28, 2022
50 Cents
FWC offers safety tips after gator incident on Sanibel By TIFFANY REPECKI trepecki@breezenewspapers.com
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission recommended precautionary measures for people when near alligators, including in or near water, after a man was recently bitten by one. “Serious injuries caused by alligators are rare in Florida,” Senior Officer Adam Brown said. He offered the following suggestions to reduce the chances of conflicts with alligators: ■ Keep a safe distance if you see an alligator. If someone is concerned about an alligator, they should call FWC's toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWCGATOR (866-392-4286), and it will dis-
patch a contracted nuisance alligator trapper to resolve the situation. ■ Keep pets on a leash and away from the water's edge. Pets often resemble alligators' natural prey. ■ Swim only in designated swimming areas during daylight hours and without your pet. Alligators are most active between dusk and dawn. ■ Never feed an alligator. It is illegal and dangerous. When fed, alligators can lose their natural wariness and instead learn to associate people with the availability of food. This can lead to dangerous circumstances for yourself and other people
who could encounter the alligator in the future. “The FWC places the highest priority on public safety and a Statewide administers Nuisance Alligator Program. The goal is to proactively address alligator threats in developed areas, while conserving alligators in areas where they naturally occur,” Brown said. “SNAP uses contracted nuisance alligator trappers throughout the state to remove alligators believed to pose a threat to people, pets or property.” On Dec. 15 at 11:06 a.m., the Sanibel Police Department received a 911 call about a man who was bitten by an alligator
in a pond that is adjacent to the location of 2477 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel. The FWC reported that the victim was a 25-year-old man. When officers arrived on scene, it was determined that the man was using the pond to wash his hands when he was bit, police reported. The man was able to free himself from the alligator and call 911. Individuals on scene were able to apply a tourniquet until medical assistance arrived. Police reported that it was determined that the man had sustained a serious injury to his right forearm from the alligator. He was subsequently transported to a hospital
See GATOR INCIDENT, page 4
AT A GLANCE
Sanibel City Council proceeds with scheduled causeway opening
Inside today’s Breeze
Update provided on island's recovery from Hurricane Ian By TIFFANY REPECKI trepecki@breezenewspapers.com
Alliance for the Arts in Fort Myers soliciting Hurricane Ian survival stories for future oral exhibit.
— INSIDE
NEWS OF NOTE The Atlantic City Blues Brothers Tribute Band coming to Cape
Shell Factory Nature Park reopens
The Cultural Park TheaBy CHUCK BALLARO tre Company on Cultural news@breezenewspapers.com Park Boulevard in Cape Thursday at the Shell Factory Nature Park, Coral will feature The director Karen Schneider walked up to a bobAtlantic City Blues Brothers cat in its cage and began petting it as you Tribute Band Friday, Jan. 6, would a house cat sitting on your couch. at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Jan. 7, The park got the bobcat after someone got at 7 p.m.; and Sunday, Jan. the idea of trying to domesticate it and having 8, at 3 p.m. it as a pet in his house. Needless to say, it didCooper Jordan (cren’t work. When an animal is willing to bite the ator/Elwood), Andrew hand that feeds it, it’s a sign that maybe that’s Caira (Jake) and Michael not going to pan out. Sanders (Monty) bring the The bobcat, along with more than 500 Blues Brothers to life in this other animals, were on display after the Shell soul-filled show. They'll get Factory, just two days after holding a successthe joint jumping with all ful fundraiser, surprisingly decided to reopen the hits you know and love, its Nature Park, which had been closed since including “Somebody to Sept. 28, the day Hurricane Ian hit. Love,” “Goin’ Back to Remarkably, none of the animals were Miami,” “Soul Man,” killed. However, much of the park, aviaries “Sweet Home Chicago” and and habitats were destroyed. many more. Thanks to some hard work, the park was Food trucks are schedable to reopen, albeit quietly and with scant uled for every performance, few visitors, which made Schneider very with Skew U Food Truck, happy. Squeezers of Cape Coral and Bubble Buzz joining the party. Check their website for details on trucks and times. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased through the box office 239-772-5862 or on its secure ticketing website at https://secure.box officeavenue.com/culturalparktheatre/Home/Attractio ns. Free, convenient parking is always available. Celebrating its 60th Anniversary Season, Cultural Park Theatre Company‘s mission is to bring quality entertainment to the Cape and surrounding communities and keep the live theater experience affordable for everyone. Additional information Earns spot in National Finals Rodeo can be found at www.culturBy CHUCK BALLARO alparktheater.com.
“It was a matter of what we got accomplished to get the minimal requirements safety wise for the guests to be open,” Schneider said. “We met that goal, now we can go to our original plan to start rebuilding the habitat we were already planning on before the hurricane.” Among the things they did was remove the debris, and replace the fencing around the perimeter and walkways. Some areas in the park are still not accessible, Schneider said. Also, some of the keepers at the park were displaced by the storm, with several not having come back, which has made it difficult to
See NATURE PARK, page 4 Above, Karen Schneider gives some love to a bobcat at the Shell Factory’s Nature Park Thursday. Below, the remains of the Party House at the Shell Factory. The structure was demolished after Hurricane Ian. BY CHUCK BALLARO
During a special meeting on Dec. 20, the majority of the Sanibel City Council supported staff's recommendation to end the requirement for city-issued hurricane re-entry passes at the Sanibel Causeway starting Jan. 2. The council voted 4-0 to remove the pass requirement for entry onto the islands. While Mayor Holly Smith, Vice Mayor Richard Johnson and Councilmembers Mike Miller and John Henshaw were physically present and voted in favor of the recommendation, Councilmember Dr. Scott expressed concerns and voted no; he was attending via phone, though, so his was not an official vote. Prior to the vote, Scott pointed out that the majority of public letters received on the topic opposed the slated reopening. He noted a recent rise in burglaries and that people have no place to go on-island. Scott added that he would be more comfortable with a 12-month security plan and beach parks opened. In press releases issued after the meeting, the city reported that the police checkpoint at the causeway will be deactivated in the early morning on Monday, Jan. 2. However, the city's curfew will remain in effect between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. daily and the police checkpoint will be in place during those curfew hours. “The city of Sanibel asks that non-residents respect and understand the fact that Sanibel is still actively working to recover from Hurricane Ian,” it reported. “While the requirement for reentry passes will no longer be necessary on Jan. 2, we are discouraging visitors at this time and look forward to welcoming back visitors later in our recovery.” The city also noted the following: ■ Beaches and beach parks, including the Sanibel Lighthouse, remain closed. Sanibel is not open to beach visitors. The mayoral proclamation extending the city's State of Emergency prohibits non-residents from being on the beach. ■ The fishing pier and boat ramp are closed. ■ The Shared Use Path still has stacked debris waiting for pick up in many places. Nails from debris that could cause flat tires may exist on the bike path. The city is discouraging people from using it. ■ Debris collection from individual lots and the city’s rights of way is still ongoing. Trucks
See CAUSEWAY OPENING, page 4
Crowther rides her way to world top 10 standing news@breezenewspapers.com
Longtime competitor Margo Crowther made qualifying for the National Finals Rodeo in barNDEX rel racing one of the items on her bucket list. She not only made that dream come true this Legal Notices . . . . 5-8 month, but also made the most of it, winning Local Tides . . . . . . . 3 nearly $90,000 for 10 days of work in Las Vegas. Sports . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Crowther made a more than respectable Weather . . . . . . . . . . 2 showing at the NFR, finishing ninth in the average, just out of the money, coming in strong the final two days, finishing fourth and second. Crowther was in contention for the average midway, moving up to third place. However, she knocked down a barrel in Round 6 and another 7 48445 46010 1 in Round 8, which resulted in five second penal-
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ties for each, dropping her in the standings. Several draws where she was among one of the last riders, on choppy ground that resulted in finishes just outside the money, were also a hindrance. However, she did cull a win and one with honors. She was the Jerry Ann Taylor Best Margo Crowther Dressed Award winner for attire worn throughout the competition, including a heavily fringed pink shirt with blue fringes. She also had a similar short with purple and pink, giving her a “Macho Man” Randy Savage look, with the huge belt buckle to match.
According to the National Cowgirl Museum Hall of Fame, the award is named after the "daring trick rider who brought a style, glamour and spirit to the rodeo arena." Crowther, 37, made the NFR on the strength of a great summer where she won six rodeos, including the tour finale in Puyallup, Wash. The $96,871 she earned this season put her eighth in the world standings, resulting in her NFR qualification. She added nearly $90,000 to that at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, bringing her total to $184,751. Crowther won $22,851 in the final round with a 13.43 second run, only .08 seconds behind Hailey Kinsel, who won the world championship, winning more than $302,172 despite finishing eighth in the average, while Shelley
See CROWTHER, page 4