From tennis court to animal habitat
Mark Horan’s path to conservation work in Boca Grande and Cape Haze began long before he ever paddled out to collect water samples or walked the edges of a bur…
Childhood shaped by local waters
For marine scientist JoEllen Wilson, protecting Southwest Florida’s juvenile tarpon habitats isn’t just part of the job. It carries forward a family history roote…
An alliance of art and community
For more than 30 years, artist and gallery owner Melissa Loughlin has balanced creating, teaching and representing artists around the world. A longtime exhibiting…
Ceremony to be held at 5th Street
When residents and visitors gather on Veterans Day at the corner of Gilchrist Avenue and 5th Street, they will do so at a site that has quietly commemorated mili…
From garden to gourmet, Newlin’s own
Chef Wiley Laidlaw’s love for cooking began long before he ever set foot in a professional kitchen. It grew out of long summer days in his grandmother’s garde…
New firefighter-paramedic at BGFD
When firefighter-paramedic Pat Sherman joined the Boca Grande Fire Department, he wasn’t looking for a change of scenery so much as a closer sense of community…
From clubhouse to island
If the name Alison Nash sounds familiar, it’s because for the past three years she’s been a welcoming presence at Coral Creek Golf Club, where she served as clubhouse man…
Part II of a stormy fall, 2024
This time last year, the island was just beginning to get back to normal business following the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene. Mud was being cleared out an…
Pine View teacher with Lighthouse story
When visitors step into the Gasparilla Island Lighthouse, they’re often greeted by docent and historian Caroline Gannon. A longtime teacher, she brings her…
Britannica to Audubon, noted nature illustrator
For years before making Cape Haze his home, artist Albert Earl Gilbert was a frequent visitor to Boca Grande. Drawn to the island’s coastal beauty…
