Author: Garland Pollard

Lake Okeechobee’s waters will run beginning Saturday

February 15, 2024
Garland Pollard
Editorial

This weekend, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will let the waters run out of Lake Okeechobee. Saturday was to be the day. In their press release, they described it as a measure that would prevent...

Post office expert gives guidance on service options

February 15, 2024
Garland Pollard
Breaking News, News

About 17 Boca Grande citizens came out Saturday, Feb. 9 for a meeting at the Community Center on the situation with the U.S. Postal Service in Boca Grande. The meeting was facilitated by a postal...

Manta Ray expert swims into Cape Haze Feb. 22

Jessica Pate, the lead scientist for the Florida Manta Project, will be in town on Thursday, Feb. 22 to speak on The Mysterious Manta Rays of Florida. Pate started the Florida Manta Project in 2016...

Islanders need a lift in recent elevator entrapments

Last Saturday Feb. 10, there was an elevator entrapment on island. The Boca Grande Fire Department quickly rescued stuck passengers from a third-floor elevator at 5091 Gasparilla Road after a 911 call....

Fast cat takes first cruise to Boca Grande

February 15, 2024
Garland Pollard
Featured News, News

Last weekend, the Miss Elissa catamaran made her first voyage to Boca Grande from Punta Gorda. The new voyage here is about 90 minutes, which is about an hour faster than before. “It’s more stable...

Fifth Street beach access remains closed

February 15, 2024
Garland Pollard
Breaking News, News

Editor’s Note: This electronic story was updated after deadline to include comments and an an update from Lee County. A wheelchair-accessible access point at 5th Street, damaged during recent...

Gasparilla Island Bridge Authority elects new chairman

February 15, 2024
Garland Pollard
Breaking News, News

The Gasparilla Island Bridge Authority elected a new chairman at its Tuesday, Feb. 13 meeting. The former vice chairman, Drew Tucker, was elected chairman. George Milne was elected vice chair. “I...

Free ‘Range Light’ children across the island

February 9, 2024
Garland Pollard
Editorial

In two generations, many places have gone from children being “seen and not heard” to no children at all. Florida (or let’s blame Arizona) is inventor of the world of “55 plus,” where dogs are legally...

Historic Preservation Board considers two residential projects

Two projects, including a signature house at 181 Gilchrist Ave., will go before Boca Grande Historic Preservation Board on Wednesday, Feb. 14. The proposed new house on Gilchrist is a two-story...

Gasparilla Estates residents offered 10 percent settlement

February 9, 2024
Garland Pollard
Breaking News, News

Tired of fighting. That’s the word from one of the main homeowner claimants to an upcoming bankruptcy case for The Gasparilla Mobile Estates, which is located just to the west of Gasparilla Marina...