Sanibel fell silent mid-March as events were canceled, tourist destinations closed and residents went into quarantine out of caution against COVID-19. It quickly became a year consumed by the pandemic and it dominated Santiva Chronicle’s Top 5 Stories of 2020.
No. 5: Sanibel Special Events Status Amid Pandemic
by Reese Holiday, Teresa Vazquez, Shannen Hayes | Published Oct. 9 | 7,610 Views
Special events were canceled, made virtual or modified with community safety at the forefront of activities. SC Staff gathered the status of events that occurred between October and March as part of the SC’s efforts to keep our community informed during the pandemic.
No. 4: Tropical Storm Sally Leaves Mark on Sanibel Over the Weekend
by SC Publisher Shannen Hayes | Published Sept. 14 | 9,345 Views
Tropical Storm Sally left its mark by dumping nearly 13 inches of rain in one weekend causing localized flooding of streets and the Shared Use Path and scattering vegetative debris across the island. TS Sally unofficially qualified as a 24-hour storm, 100-year rain event and it may have been the largest 24-hour rain event on record for the island.
No. 3: Status of Reopening on Sanibel
SC Staff Report | Published May 23 | 10,940 Views
After cancellations and closures in mid-March, the island’s reopening process commenced in May and the SC provided an up-to-date status overview.
No. 2: Sanibel Declares Local State of Emergency as Result of COVID-19
by SC Publisher Shannen Hayes | published March 19 | 14,749 Views
The Sanibel City Council met in a special meeting March 18 to declare a local state of emergency. It was the first of many special meetings held by council relating to the pandemic and gave an initial look into the division among residents on proper precautions. Some called to close or limit access to the island and beaches to tourists and some believed the seriousness of the virus had been hyped.
No. 1: Sanibel Cancellations, Closures Continue as Precaution of COVID-19
first published March 15 | 17,585 Views
This was the first list published by The Santiva Chronicle as Sanibel began feeling the effect of the pandemic. The island’s organizations were quick to cancel special events and close facilities. And the SC list provided current information to keep our community current, which made the most-read story of the year not a story, but a list.
A Silent Sanibel captured by SC Photographer and Associate Publisher Chuck Larsen in the early days of the pandemic.
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