Sanibel Island

At present, there exists no memorial to the victims and survivors of Hurricane Ian. The 2022 tropical cyclone caused 161 fatalities and $118.5 Billion in property damages, making it the third costliest U.S. hurricane on record and costliest in Florida history.

Kenneth and Eugene Gavin are part of the legacy of the Gavin and Walker families on Sanibel Island. The two families were among the first Black settlers on the island.

The documentary unit for WGCU has been interviewing Sanibel residents for a new program coming out next year. Recently, they interviewed Kenneth and Eugene Gavin, who grew up on Sanibel Island and are now in their early 80s.

Crews began adding sand along Sanibel’s coast as part of the Sanibel beach renourishment project.

Lee County leaders are planning to do away with language that currently restrict heights of homes on Captiva Island to two-stories. Islanders fear the charm will be lost and they will be in harm's way as more people pack onto the island.

In the midst of grappling with its own building height limitation and flood zones, members of the Sanibel City Council are sending a strong message of opposition to its counterparts in the county who are considering a plan to allow an additional level of living space for homes on Captiva Island.

As islanders rebuild after Hurricane Ian, they will have to do so at a much higher elevation.

Placement of sand for the Sanibel Hurricane Ian Beach Recovery Project is expected to begin in mid-November helped by $23 million in state and FEMA funding authorizations for the project.

Florida's bald eagle season underway now through May 15.

Thousands of residents of this barrier island remain displaced a year after the costliest hurricane in state history.

Lee County spends tens of millions of dollars to replace sand Hurricane Ian washed away.

People working and living on the island say they are worse than before last September’s storm.