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KNOW YOUR FLOOD ZONE!

Keep this information handy; it’s storm season The county – along with state and federal partners – is working to get out the message: Know your flood zone and make sure you are protected. There are several links you can share:  Questions about flood insurance: floodsmart.gov Lee County flood-protection information: leegov.com/dcd/flood Lee County All Hazards Guide: leegov.com/publicsafety/emergencymanagement/plan/ahg General […]

Outta Line takes Kids Classic!

The race for that last fish released was a tricky one, as there were two other teams fighting tarpon as well as Searene when Capt. Sandy called the tournament at 4:50 p.m., right as a severe storm was closing in off the Gulf and another was threatening from the harbor side. Team Reel Shark released their tarpon at 5:01 p.m., but Searene was still out there fighting. It took a lot of going over observer clipboards to determine who that “last fish” winner was, but that’s why observers are so important.
There were 29 boats in the field for this year’s Kids Classic, with 38 anglers under the age of 10 and 70 kids older than 10. Out of the 108 total, 70 were boys and 39 were girls.

Solar panels a sore point for some Historic Preservation Board members

After sailing through several items of business, the sticking point came when the Mazza residence project, 235 Whiskey Row, was broached. The Mazza family wishes to complete installation of rooftop solar panels and indoor battery backups on their residence, which will include panels on the south and east-facing portions of the roof – two on the east side, one with 14 panels and one with four panels – and 22 panels arranged in rows on another part of the roof. Once installed the panels will be raised eight inches off the roofline, and according to the Mazza’s representative, would not be visible from the beach side of the home.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Boca Grande – for many, it’s a way of life, not a location

When we built a house a few years later, we thought ourselves the luckiest people alive. Oh, to be able to plan a few months each winter in Boca Grande! But even then, smitten as we were with Boca Grande, we had not a clue how it would become so much more than just a winter island respite from the snow-slushy north. Boca Grande began for us as a winter escape, not a “destination.” Then it absorbed us. Over the past 20+ years, we were submersed into a community of wonderfully involved, interesting and interested people, fabulously close friends. Unlike other of Florida seashore locales, Boca Grande was not a beach, a resort. It was a life.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Fertilizer ban prevents nutrient pollution in waterways

Charlotte County Water Quality Manager Brandon Moody said in an interview with WGCU radio that the algal growth enabled by excessive nutrients “can cause a reduction in oxygen in the water that can make it difficult for fish and other organisms that need oxygen to survive. It can block out sunlight, which seagrass needs to be able to grow and thrive. So, it’s important for us to do our part to maintain the balance, which is really what it’s all about in ecosystems like Charlotte Harbor. It’s about balance.”

Teams are getting ready for the Gasparilla Island Kids’ Classic 

There comes a time in many kids’ lives when they have to realize they have to pony up and take on the big fish … to stare that giant silver king in the eye and tell him he’s been bested. We’re hoping a lot of that takes place on Saturday, June 11 during the Gasparilla Island Kids’ Classic, a tournament that has become a well-loved island tradition since 2014. 

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: July 1 is cutoff for SBA loans for those affected by January storm

To the Editor: The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding businesses of all sizes, private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters in Florida of the July 1 deadline to apply for physical damage disaster loans. Anyone in the declared counties with damages from the severe storms and tornadoes on Jan. 16, 2022 should apply for […]

OBITUARY: John ‘Bill’ Pigott Jr.

John William “Bill” Pigott, Jr., 93, of Boca Grande, FL, formerly of Chester, N.J., passed away on Sunday, May 22, 2022, at Morristown Medical Center, in New Jersey. Bill was born on November 1, 1928 in New York, N.Y. to the late John William Pigott, Sr. and Mable (Hornbacher) Pigott. He raised his family in […]