Police & Fire
Spring Break keeps local fire, EMS busy on land and on the water
March 21, 2021
BY MARCY SHORTUSE – It’s been a busy week of ambulance calls, alarms and water rescues for the Boca Grande Fire Department, but one of the most admirable rescues that took place didn’t even happen …
POLICE BEAT: Woman injured after fall from golf cart
January 22, 2021
STAFF REPORT – In the early morning hours of Thursday, Jan. 14 a woman was seriously injured after falling off the back of a golf cart and 5th Street and Gilchrist Avenue.
According to the report p…
Fire, drowning occur on surrounding barrier islands this week
October 9, 2020
STAFF REPORT- In off-island news last week, a tragic accident claimed the life of a young man on Friday, and a fire on Saturday left a duplex with serious damage.
Island resident creates chalk mural, sheriff’s deputy hoses it down
September 4, 2020
STAFF REPORT- A chalk mural down the length of Banyan Street became a bone of contention on Sunday morning, Aug. 30. The mural, painted in water and chalk, said “Black lives matter” in multi-colore…
New island communications tower will enhance island safety, slated for new location
August 14, 2020
BY C.W. BLOSSER AND BEN ABES- Providing for the safety and welfare is an essential focus of local government. Lee County’s Department of Public Safety, in partnership with the Lee County Sheriff’s …
Body found on beach at Stump Pass, graffiti investigated on island
August 7, 2020
STAFF REPORT – The death of a man whose body was found at the water’s edge in Stump Pass Park in Englewood on Friday, July 31 has been ruled as a suicide. The call came in around 12:19 p.m. on Frid…
Three months, 200 parking citations: Most issued post-COVID beach sundown
June 5, 2020
BY OLIVIA CAMERON- After a nice day in the sun, no one wants to get back to their car to see a little paper slip flapping under the wipers. It’s that feeling you get in the pit of your stomach that…
Everything’s squeaky clean at the Boca Grande Fire Department
April 10, 2020
BY CHIEF C.W. BLOSSER, BOCA GRANDE FIRE DEPARTMENT – On Monday April 6 the Boca Grande Fire Department building and apparatus were decontaminated in an effort to keep the building and the Firefight…
PROFILE: Deputy April Tomyn
March 13, 2020
BY OLIVIA CAMERON If you thought the flare of the island would stop with the cops, think again. When a certain squad car rolls by the Loose Caboose, you can see the glitter of a pink steering wheel…
Rotonda resident describes details of 250-acre fire earlier this week
February 28, 2020
BY KELLI BECTON – Approximately 250 acres of Rotonda Lakes and Rotonda Sands were destroyed by a wildfire on Monday, Feb. 24. Although it was a close call and there was some exposure damage, firefi…