Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Community, News.
Boca Grande Charities, Inc. – a charitable foundation founded by Capt. Sandy Melvin (and now includes Ron Walker and Pat Waterhouse) – helped save the day regarding fuel, not only on Gasparilla Island but on Little Gasparilla Island as well. Melvin worked with Mike Krause of Okeechobee Fishing Headquarters, who by happenstance during a conversation […]
Written by Guest Columnist on . Posted in Letters to the Editor.
To the Editor: Hurricane Ian you will not win! You will not break the spirit of strength and love from our family that reaches far and wide! Red Gill Fish House was built in 1927, and is still holding strong; a littlle battered and tilting to the south, but Sam Whidden’s determination to build a […]
Written by Guest Columnist on . Posted in Sports & Outdoors.
BY CAPT. SANDY MELVIN Typically September and October are our rainy months around the Island. The rainwater enters the Peace and Myakka River water basins and comes down into Charlotte Harbor before making its way out the passes into the Gulf. That rainwater turns our local waters dark brown from the natural tanic acids found […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Profiles.
Hurricane Ian was the ninth named storm, fourth hurricane and second major hurricane of the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season. Those facts seem so matter of fact when you look out your window and see exactly what a monstrous, devastating storm Ian turned out to be. The storm’s slow crawl across the state, bringing damage from […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
UPDATED 2330 SEPT. 26 … The Boca Grande Causeway does NOT close to CAR traffic. It closes to BOAT traffic when winds reach sustained 40 mph. That means if you are in a boat and the winds are 40 mph or higher, you aren’t coming under the Boca Grande Causeway swing bridge.
Officials will sometimes close the bridge to general traffic after a storm has passed and officials have declared it unsafe to come on the island.
Written by Sheila Evans on . Posted in News.
Besides new plants, the project includes what is called “structural pruning” of already established trees. This kind of pruning focuses on improving the architecture of the branches within the crown of the tree. Most trees grow stronger without branches at different levels. These lower branches tend to cause problems, using nutrients and presenting problems for the overall health of the tree. Structural pruning not only protects the tree, but also protects people and property from weaker limbs falling or otherwise being a nuisance. Bartlett Tree has headed this part of the project.
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in News.
The past will live again this Halloween as the Barrier Island Parks Society (BIPS) scares up stories from Boca Grande’s history for its premier Haunted History Tour. The tour will be offered twice, both on Sunday, Oct. 30, one at 5 p.m. and the other at 6:30 p.m. Each will run about one hour and […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in News, Sports & Outdoors.
Cappabianca has been coaching for many years already. After completing his first year-and-a-half at Lander University he transferred to Rollins College, where he competed for just a semester. He then pursued his college coaching dream as their student assistant.
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Community History, News.
In May of 1991, a week after The Queen had flown home, her ship, Brittania, docked just off the Boca Grande coast and its officers spent a few hours on Useppa Island, mingling with residents and Useppa owner Garfield Beckstead (they came at the invitation of an island resident who had ties with the Royal Navy). Beckstead even made Admiral Robert Woodard of the Royal Navy an honorary member of Useppa Island, with a permanent invitation to return whenever he liked.
Written by Sheila Evans on . Posted in Profiles.
While she and her family only moved to the Boca Grande area about a year ago, Lauren has many years of history on and near the Island. Her parents retired to Rotonda many years ago, and Lauren and her own family have vacationed here for years.