Upon routine inspection by Florida Department of Transportation in February, 2001, the State recommended to the Lee County DOT that portions of Bridge #14 in Matlacha required repair.  Other repairs to the concrete portions have essentially been completed since the inspection.
    While permits are no longer required for trucks up to the 40 to limit, contrary to reports in other media, the permits are blanket permits. The carrier is not required to permit each and every load. However, all trucks, those with permits and those without were required stop before passing over the span and were required to be under the 15 ton limit. 
      While any law enforcement officer may issue citations, the Florida Department of Transportation Office of Motor Carrier Compliance - OMCC, Commercial Vehicle Law Enforcement is primarily responsible to  inspect and weigh if they reason to suspect an overweight load. OMCC officers use bathroom like scales, one placed in front of each set of wheels and on to which the truck drives to determine weight.
      OMCC officials stated they would not begin enforcement until they were notified that Lee County had posted signs and media notices had been issued. Spokesman for Lee County stated that notices were made in various local media before signs were erected Dec. 20, 2001 and is 
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According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Dept. report, the Manager/volunteer of the St. James City VFW Post 4353 and a Vietnam veteran, was forced to open a safe located inside the Post building and hand over its contents, an estimated $5000.  At around 7:30 am, Wednesday, February 13, Stan Preston, stopped working and went to the steel security door at rear of the building and
stepped outside after getting a phone call stating that a delivery was going to be made.  Shortly thereafter, a small dark colored car pulled up and the driver asked directions. After a few brief words, the passenger leapt out of the car, brandishing what looked like a chrome plated handgun and wearing a pullover ski-style mask. Asking Preston if he wanted to be a hero, they brutally forced him to the ground then demanded that he take them back into the building and hand over any money.  At the point of a gun, Preston admitted there was a safe inside. They made him open the safe, took the money it contained. After tying him to an office chair. The two large black men, one shorter than the other, escaped. Preston managed to make his way outside where he got help from passers-by then phoned the authorities. The perpetrators have not been identified and the Sheriff’s Department still has the incident under investigation. 

       Pine Island Chamber of Commerce Sponsored Pine Island Business Expo in conjunction with the Pine Island Methodist Church Health Fair. Thirty 

five exhibitors welcomed approximately 500 Pine Island residents and winter visitors. There were exhibitors outside and inside explaining their services and products. Chamber member, Architectural Metals brought an example (photo below) of their beautiful aluminum work. This year 
the chamber offered door prizes including a two-night stay at Fort Myers Beach, cruises and 

  The Kiwanis Club of St. James City held its Annual "Taste of Pine Island 2002" on January 20, 2002. at Phillips Park, Pine Island Center.
   This year's event featured some of Pine Island best restaurants, featuring generous portions of their great cuisine including fried clams, grouper, french fries, chicken fingers, hamburgers, hot 
dogs, cold drinks, hot drinks, ice cream and more. Another of the highlights this year, after the great food, was the FISH DROP, which will benefit Pine Island Elementary School. Many purchased a "ticket", actually a FISH with a number on it. These were taken for a ride in a helicopter and dropped over the baseball field adjacent to the field on which the other activities were held.. The FISH or FISHIES landing closest to the mark won  the grand prize of $1000.
    Of course, the Taste of Pine Island had the great entertainment again. This year's line up was 
be Nuclear Sheep (photo above), Skunk (Continued on page 4)