Reanna Haase

Last year John Henshaw and Jeff Muddell crossed the finish line of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation Tower Climb hand in hand, after climbing 2,226 steps, or 104 stories, alongside first responders and loved ones of those who have fallen. Now the members of Team Sanibel are gearing up for their second year of training, for the climb on June 1, continuing their mission to support the NYC organization dedicated to honoring heroes around the nation.

“Well it was pretty exhilarating in the sense that there were close to 1,000 people climbing, and most of them were firefighters, policemen, paramedics, military and folks who are supporting the Tunnel to Towers Foundation,” City Council Member Henshaw said. “The camaraderie, in respect to the participants, was great. They were all focused on raising money to support, in most cases, their fellow compatriots.”

In 1976, shortly after getting married and moving to the area for the promise of new endeavors, Tony Lapi began his journey to rescue the beloved ‘Tween Waters Inn on Captiva Island. He reflects on that 48-year journey in his recently released memoir, “Tales of an Island Innkeeper.”

Lapi weaves the history of Sanibel and Captiva Islands with his stories of memorable guests, employees, and incidents at the inn. His work with the Captiva Island Historical Society inspired him to share his stories of the past with the public, so he hired a ghostwriter.

Lapi chose Bill Schreiber to write his memoir. “When he finished,” shared Lapi, “he said, ‘You know, I don’t say this about everybody, but this book is very special.’ There’s nothing like it because very few people stay at a property as long as I have.”

The BIG ARTS Talking Points Lecture Series has returned to the Christensen Performance Hall for its eighth year with a roster of unique experts, authors and journalists – all presenting a diverse range of specified subjects designed to pull the audience in and encourage viewers to question topics further.

“BIG ARTS Talking Points lecture series has encompassed a wonderful and broad variety of subjects and speakers over the past eight years,” said BIG ARTS Executive Director Lee Ellen Harder. “Each season we have had topics of interest that have cast a wide net, something for everyone.”

The series of five lectures, which began on March 12 and will end on April 9, favors an interactive audience that engages in the topics presented by the speakers and participates in the Q&A finale of each lecture.

During the weekends, the Tiki Hut at the American Legion Post 123 on Sanibel-Captiva Road takes on its complete form as a welcoming meeting ground for old friends and new faces, with live music and the best cheeseburgers in town.

“People are coming out and enjoying themselves,” said Legion Post 123 Commander Randy Carson. “We got one of the best cheeseburgers around, seriously, so that brings a lot of people…”

“It’s a community place, and people say they love it once they do find it. It’s just a good ole place,” he said.

Six feet of floodwater filled Post 123 during Hurricane Ian in September 2022 and two feet during Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024. But it continued supporting the community through those storms by putting bathrooms and laundromats on the Legion grounds for people with nowhere else to go.

The BIG ARTS Dunham Family Gallery is set to house a magical exhibit of mixed mediums, designed to immerse the viewer in artwork that invites the freedom to explore and release senseless fears that hold individuals back from their full potential, later this month.

“The idea of nature sort of being reconstructed in a fantastical way, in an unlikely way, jars our preconceived notions of what the world is supposed to be like,” said Wilson McCray, BIG ARTS Gallery Director. “I think that, if you can open yourself, as the viewer, to new worlds and then you experience these new worlds in the gallery – you can leave lighter and freer and with a feeling of [being] liberated from your own fears and limitations.”

Swedish artists Monika Larsen Dennis and Frida Oliv are bringing their specialties of sculpture and painting together to showcase the Impediments and Byways to Love on the Road to Eternity exhibit to Sanibel from March 14 to April 27, with BIG ARTS.

Since Hurricane Ian swept away the Causeway Islands, taking the roadway with them, the Florida Department of Transportation has been racing to restore this vital link to Sanibel Island as a better version. FDOT aims to fortify the Sanibel Causeway against future Ian-like storms.

“The bridge now stands as a fortress against nature’s fury,” said Janella Newsome, FDOT District One Director of Public Information. “This engineering marvel not only safeguards the island’s connection to the mainland but also brings a new life into the local economy. Ensuring that tourism and beachside beauty will continue to thrive for generations to come.”

Newsome said the changes to the structure are a part of the original plan for permanent repairs. The project was initially estimated to take five years, but now FDOT expects it to be completed in nearly half that time. The west side of the toll plaza is expected to be completed in late spring, followed by the east side, which is estimated to be completed in summer.