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COVID-19 by the numbers since it all began

BY MARCY SHORTUSE – While cases numbering, on average, 350 a day are still being reported to the Florida Department of Health, Governor Ron DeSantis is talking about opening schools and finding small ways to re-open the economy. It may seem like a rash move to some, but most business owners don’t know how much longer […]

PROFILE: John Edwardson

BY OLIVIA CAMERON – Gasparilla Island Conservation and Improvement Association board member John Edwardson came to Boca Grande as a jack of all trades. The former business leader also volunteers for The Island School’s million-dollar shootout.  John spent a majority of his childhood in small Indiana and Southern Illinois towns. In 1971, he received his bachelor […]

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: ‘Safer at Home’ means ‘stay at home’ unless travel is essential

To the Editor, On Wednesday, April 1, 2020, Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 20-91. This  – “Safer at Home” –  Executive Order directs a halt to all non-essential activities in the state. It also calls for non-essential workers, senior citizens and those with significant underlying medical conditions to remain at home. The Executive Order […]

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Looking forward, it’s almost time to submit your space requests at the Community Center

To the Editor, It is time once again for local organizations to submit space request forms for the use of the Boca Grande Community Center and Park for the 2020-21 season (October 1, 2020 through September 30, 2021). Lee County Parks & Recreation appreciates the opportunity to be a part of your community events by […]

Home is where the health is: Governor issues Executive Order ‘Safer at Home’

BY MARCY SHORTUSE – In a move that surprised many, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 2020-91, the “Safer at Home” Order, on Wednesday, which means that all people in the state of Florida at this time should “limit their movements and personal interactions outside of their home to only those necessary to obtain or […]

The official word regarding our island population and COVID-19

BY MARCY SHORTUSE – As the Florida Department of Health and private labs are able to provide more and more tests for Florida residents, numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases are exploding. As of 6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 1, there were 7,773 cases confirmed, with one of the highest 24-hour jumps reported – 819 new cases […]

PROFILE: Skip Branin

BY OLIVIA CAMERON – Francis ‘Skip’ Branin has dedicated his work to preserving financial stability within the community of Boca Grande. His skillset has allowed him to monitor the funding for island organizations. Before he was ever wintering on Gasparilla Island, Skip grew up in Cranbury, New Jersey, and now spends summers at the “Jersey […]

From the BGHC: The price we pay to be safe

BY DALY WALKER, MD – As Boca Grande waits to see what the Coronavirus is going to do next, it is eerie, almost apocalyptical. It is frightening. But overall, the Island residents’ response has been heartening. Some shop owners have voluntarily closed their businesses. Organizations have cancelled programs. Churches have suspended worship services.   Restaurants help […]