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Featured News

Sea turtle talk

BY ARLENE HALL, BGSTA SECRETARY The 2024 sea turtle nesting season for Gasparilla Island officially kicked off on May 1, and runs through October 31. Trained Turtle Patrol volunteers with th…

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Community

Englewood Chamber Tourism Day

The Englewood Chamber of Commerce Leadership Class of 2024 spent the morning on the island for their Tourism Day. They spent time driving around on golf carts, learning helpful information about S…

Lee Commissioners to vote on setting public hearings and development agreement on Boca Grande Community Center

On the agenda for the Lee Board of County Commissioners meeting on Tuesday, May 7 is a motion to provide direction for staff to schedule for public hearing a Development Agreement Between Lee Coun…

So much depends upon our big red wheelbarrow

The publisher of this newspaper has an expression that he is fond of repeating. In Boca Grande, every day is different, but every year is the same. This can be seen in our column to the left of…

Education

The Island School honored by state consortium of charter ‘Schools of Excellence’

Sixty-nine member schools of the Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools have been designated “Schools of Excellence” for the 2022-23 school year by the Florida State Board of Education. “…

Bucket Lady visits Island School

Brings books to The Island School Carol McCloud, also known as the “Bucket Lady” is the best-selling author of the “Bucket Filler” books. The Michigan author enjoys teaching children all over t…

Preschool gets a new playground

The Boca Grande Preschool has completed construction on a new playground that includes a play structure, play yard, storage room expansion, easels and a tall security wall fencing the entire area….

Entertainment

Family events at Fust Community Library

Upcoming activities at the Fust Community Library for children and youths: • May 7 and May 11: On the Table Coffee Filter Butterfly Craft for children in the Stacks Room; 10:30 a.m. on May 7 an…

Boca Bargains closes April 27 for the season

Bring home your Derby Hat from Boca Bargains! The store will be closing for the season on Saturday, April 27. Almost everything in the store will be half-price, including clothing, shoes, jewelry,…

Music fest has new headliner

The Boca Grande H2O Music Festival has a new headliner after country star Colt Ford suffered a heart attack after a concert in Arizona on Thursday, April 4. Ford is recovering but has canceled all…

Featured News, Profiles, Sports & Outdoors

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: 24/7 local bait anchored off Three Sisters

There is a synergy between what Nelson Smith Groome IV does and what the fisherpeople of Boca Grande do. One would have a hard time surviving without the other. They certainly would not be as successful without one another. Nelson catches and sells bait during tarpon season in the waters around Boca Grande. For most […]

Sports & Outdoors

Health & Wellness

Ask a Doc: Overcoming life’s predictable and unpredictable challenges

Editor’s Note: Earlier this season, the Boca Grande Health Clinic and Foundation hosted a Grande Rounds lecture on resiliency, featuring Yale-trained and board-certified psychiatry specialist Alex…

Keylime Bistro closed temporarily for health reasons

Citizen video circulates The Keylime Bistro and the companion Loose Caboose Ice Cream Shoppe were temporarily closed by the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation for sev…

Celebrating the people making the Clinic grand

BY MARK DRISCOLL, CEO BOCA GRANDE HEALTH CLINIC Every year we celebrate Doctor’s Day and Nurses Week, but there’s one more recognition event that’s just as important. Administrative Professiona…

Ask a Doc: Parkinson’s disease can now be detected through the skin

BY BRET KUEBER, M.D., ASSISTANT MEDICAL DIRECTOR, BOCA GRANDE HEALTH CLINIC April, the birth month of James Parkinson, is Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month. Parkinson’s is a degenerative synd…

Police & Fire

Take a kid to work day

The Boca Grande Fire Dept. celebrated with their children spending time at the station. Shown with Chief Blosser are Ff. Colison with Zander, Colton Rossow and Ff. Moore with Carter.

Charlotte emergency alert program touted

The Wednesday, April 17 town hall meeting between officials of Lee and Charlotte addressed many issues, including emergency procedures. One topic mentioned was Charlotte County’s Alert Charlotte p…

Doubly shocking defibrillation technique saves life at Outfitters

‘Dual sync’ defib takes charge from both sides The Boca Grande Fire Department responded to a call at Gasparilla Outfitters on February 29, 2024, using new technology. The procedure saved custo…

Town hall addresses Lee/Charlotte cooperation

Charlotte County elected officials and representatives gathered at the community center on Wednesday, April 17 for a townhall meeting to discuss topics of concern submitted by Gasparilla Island ci…

News Archives

Obituaries

Susan Mihm 1936-2024

Susan Stryker Mihm died unexpectedly of natural causes in her home on Thursday, April 18, 2024. Susan, known to all as “Susie”, was adored and ado…

Remembering Rob Wells of Cabbage Key

Robert Wells Jr., the founder of the modern Cabbage Key and the Tarpon Lodge, died Tuesday. Wells, and his wife Phyllis, purchased Cabbage Key …

Gaza aid worker caught his first fish here

Jacob Alexander Flickinger, a 33-year-old humanitarian food aid worker for the charity World Central Kitchen, was killed April 1, 2024 while deliv…

World Central aid worker called trustworthy mentor, guide

Quebec Parliament recognized his work BY LYNN SEIBERT The world lost a beautiful soul on April 1, 2024 when my beloved nephew Jacob Alexande…

Shelley Lewis 1943-2024

Shelley Lewis of Boca Grande, Florida, and Greenwich, Connecticut, a loving wife, mother, grandmother and sibling, all of whose lives were enriche…