News
Coupling failure closes bridge to traffic during holiday weekend
May 29, 2015
BY JACK SHORT – The Gasparilla Island Bridge Authority closed its swing bridge briefly to road traffic and for at least 19 hours to boat traffic beginning Sunday afternoon, according to representa…
Memorial Day weekend not kind to island sea turtles
May 29, 2015
BY MARCY SHORTUSE – Island sea turtle patrollers were full of excitement on Thursday, May 28 when they realized they had their first confirmed green turtle nest on Gasparilla Island.
“We’ve go…
More indicators of booming economic recovery
May 29, 2015
Shown in the two accompanying charts, mid-year tourist tax collections for Lee County (through March) have already surpassed FY10/11’s, not including late payments for that year.
Lee County To…
Anglers and artists make for a great combination during Tarpon Festival Weekend in downtown Boca Grande
May 29, 2015
BY CARROLL SWAYZE – Excitement is brewing as anglers and artists alike prepare for the 2015 Tarpon Festival in downtown Boca Grande on June 4 through 6. Each year thousands of people travel to the…
Obituary: Virginia Jeane Wilber
May 29, 2015
Virginia Jeane “Shay” Wilber, born in Albany, N.Y. on October 7, 1979 to the parents of Mr. and Mrs. David F. Wilber III, died unexpectedly at home on May 20, 2015.
Shay grew up in Oneonta, N….
Profile: The new minister in town, Matthew Williams
May 29, 2015
BY JACK SHORT – Sometimes it takes a few knocks at the door before someone finally answers. For Rev. Matthew Morgan Williams, the new pastor at the United Methodist Church of Boca Grande, the call…
BGIPOA and 5F sued over settlement agreement
May 22, 2015
Twenty five years of dispute seemed to have been put aside — at least for a day or so.
The ink was barely dry on an agreement between the Boca Grande Isles Property Owners’ Association and de…
Studying tarpon with … balloons?
May 22, 2015
BY JACK SHORT – Scientists from the Florida Institute of Technology hope everyone fishing the pass next week won’t be alarmed by the presence of an eight foot balloon floating 150 feet in the air,…
Observers needed for World’s Richest
May 22, 2015
BY LEW HASTINGS – In case you were wondering what those beautiful tarpon posters all around town are, they are there to let you know that Southwest Florida’s premiere sport fishing event, the Worl…
Agreement between BGI and TSI reached
May 22, 2015
BY JACK SHORT – A court ordered mediation has resolved 25 years of dispute between property owners on Three Sisters Island and in the Boca Grande Isles.
The agreement provides the right to bui…