PUBLISHER'S LETTER

     As we unfold the fourth issue of Times of the Islands, the old adage, "Time flies when youąre having fun," comes to mind and prods us to ponder our performance this first year playing the role of ambassadors of Southwest Florida's barrier islands. From our premier issue - which heralded the busy winter months - through the spring and summer issues - which entertained, enlightened, and enriched everyone's lives through insightful, humorous, and adventurous articles - we pledged to bring you the best that these islands have to offer. We reassure you that this remains our primary objective.
     As we bid a temporary farewell to our readers who left for their many different destinations during the summer and early fall, and welcome the European sojourners that are lured to our shores in pursuit of a piece of paradise, the upcoming pages are certain to delight and keep you company on your swinging hammock, lake canoe, transatlantic airplane, pool lounge, beach chair, or however you choose to spend these languorous days.
     This issue offers a special greeting to our overseas visitors. As a born-European who has been partial to the beauties and unique environment of Southwest Floridaąs barrier islands for many years, I want to be the first to welcome my fellow Europeans to our waters and make them feel at home through the pages of this magazine. What better way of acquainting or re-acquainting world travelers with our area than by greeting them and providing a brief overview of the magazine's contents through the familiar words of their native tongue? On the following six pages, you will find an expanded table of contents in German, Spanish, and French as a special courtesy to our foreign visitors.
     When asked, "Why do you choose to live on a barrier island like Sanibel?", every resident will promptly recite a litany of reasons extolling its beauty and unique features - and the answers will be as varied as the number of people asked. Perhaps, the one answer in common would be, "Because of the respect with which the physical and human landscapes have been treated over the years." But many would be perplexed to discover that this hasnąt always been the prevailing mentality. Our cover story, "The Once and Future Sanibel," beginning on page 40, takes us back to the days when the future plans for Sanibel Island included high-rises, high-density development, and a highway. Thankfully, a group of farsighted and sensible citizens stepped in just in time to halt the mindless aspirations of a number of urban planners.
     Among those citizens was the first mayor of Sanibel, now U.S. Congressman Porter Goss, whose elucidating conversation with Times of the Islands is featured on page 46. We are certain that, at the end of both articles, Sanibel residents and visitors alike will breathe a deep sigh of relief and feel profoundly grateful to all those whose sound efforts prevented one of the biggest acts of folly from ever taking place.
     The task of portraying, promoting, and bringing the magnificence of the barrier islands into these pages might seem, at first, an arduous one. After all, what the eyes behold all around us can't quite be done justice once translated into printed matter. Looking back at our first year, however, we at Times of the Islands feel strongly otherwise. Through the many challenges of producing a high-profile magazine‹in which intelligent articles and pages replete with memorable visual quality set the tone‹we discovered how rewarding and how much fun it can be. Your great support and enthusiastic response have been all we need to keep us ever-committed to a job well done. A year after it all began, we can confidently answer the question, "Are we having fun yet?" with a resounding, "By all means, yes!" -Friedrich N. Jaeger