The Sanibel City Council asked the South Florida Water Management District and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Tuesday to develop an emergency plan to deal with this summer’s rainy season within 30 days or face a lawsuit.
Last year rains caused the agencies to send 690 billion gallons of polluted water from Lake Okeechobee to the Caloosahatchee estuaries smothering seagrass beds, killing oysters and causing algae blooms.
Sanibel Mayor Carla Johnston said the water management district appears to be making an effort to find alternative land to store water, but she said she’s not so sure about the Army Corps.
“It was perhaps a step in the direction of looking how to solve things. Although it still is not clear that this is going to solve anything in 2006. But it is even more clear that the Corps is, you know, just grinding those bureaucratic wheels like a Swiss watch.”

Lee Commissioners recognized the Lee County Emergency Medical Services Tuesday during National EMS Week. This is the 33rd annual event. It’s sponsored by the American College of Emergency Physicians and other national public safety agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Lee County employs more than 230 paramedics and emergency medical technicians, paramedics, pilots and others, says Deputy Director of Public Safety, Chris Hanson.
“Such a great, wonderful team. Many of them just finished a night’s worth of work. Thank you very much for your support. Thank you for the trust that you give us and the empowerment that county administration gives us to steward this area of responsibility. It is a privilege. It is an honor and we don’t take it lightly.”
Last year Lee County EMS responded to more than 74,000 emergency calls and transported more than 1000 patients by air.

This is National EMS Week – honoring the paramedics who care for sick and injured residents and visitors.
Last year Lee County EMS responded to nearly 75,000 emergency calls and transported more than 1000 patients by air. Every day the unit averages 200 calls. Lee County commissioner John Albion says that highlights their importance to the community.
“That is a tremendous call volume and I know it’s bigger during certain days and less perhaps during other days during the year considering season versus out of season. In spite of all those calls you still do such a terrific job and with wait times with roads and the emergency rooms it just really speaks volumes about how great of an EMS service that we have.”
Lee Commissioners recognized the Lee County Emergency Medical Services Tuesday.

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Before the canals…before the houses…before the traffic…
the early settlers in what is now Cape Coral lived simple, country lifestyles –fishing, farming, and raising cattle.
This month, WGCU-TV’s Untold Stories series looks at Cape Coral –the early years, the boom years, and the future.
Pat Molter Emerson recalls what life was like when she was a young girl, before Jack and Leonard Rosen transformed the land into a bustling city.

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Now that the Florida legislative session has wrapped up, lawmakers who are seeking higher office have hit the campaign trail – including State Senator Burt Saunders.

The Naples Republican joins three other G-O-P candidates and a Democrat who want to be state attorney general. Saunders is well-known in Southwest Florida because of his years of service in Collier County and his time in the legislature. But outside of this region, he’s virtually unknown.

“That’s true and I don’t mind the underdog status. That means I have to work harder. I have to work smarter. I’ve been in campaigns where it was predicted I wouldn’t win and I’ve come out on top in every one of them. And I would predict the pundits will be saying different things in about three months.”

The Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida held a party celebrating the first birthday of the state’s voluntary prekindergarten program last night in Estero. State officials say it was the biggest party like it in Florida. WGCU’s Amy Tardif was there.

Safe Swim

A children’s advocacy group says drowning is one of the top two causes of death for children age 14 and under...and the leading cause of death for children under 5. But, the group says fewer than half of Florida parents know.

SWIM Lee, the Lee County drowning prevention task force held a safe pool party today created from a new water safety checklist. Drowning prevention coordinator with the Lee County Health Department Diane Holm says it’s meant to insure children’s safety whether entertaining a single friend or hosting a party.

“The water safety checklist is an opportunity to look at a list of things that they need to do to make sure that their child is safe whenever they’re near water. And it’s subdivided into several sections, the first one is Am I Ready? The second one is, is this a safe place? The third one is who is watching?

That section suggests appointing a designated watcher. If the day around the water is a long one – assign shifts – don’t assume someone is always watching the children. Holm says it’s also important to know the rules of the pool or beach where your child swims.


Drowning is the leading cause of death for children younger than 4 in the United States and Florida leads the nation. Every year about 800 children aged 14 and under die from drowning and more than four-thousand go to the emergency room after nearly drowning. The Lee County Health Department’s drowning prevention coordinator is Diane Holm.

“It only takes seconds and it is so sad because parents think they’re doing the best they can for their child. They think they’re taking care of their child properly and all of a sudden in just seconds the child has drowned.”


So the health department is pushing a new Water Safety Checklist. It includes information to determine if a child is ready to swim, if the location is safe, what the rules are there and about the importance of designating an adult water watcher.

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