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Search Results for “gasparilla

Profile: Andy Charcut

■ BY SUE ERWIN Andy Charcut was living in Illinois in 2013, when his boss Steve Kaplin, offered him a job in Boca Grande. At the time, Steve owned Infotrack, a pre-employment screening company. Steve and his wife Jill were vacationing in Boca Grande when they noticed that an island convenience store was for sale. Intrigued by […]

Climb the Lighthouse tomorrow!

■ STAFF REPORT Climb the Gasparilla Island Lighthouse tomorrow, June 17, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. With your generous support, the Barrier Island Parks Society, BIPS, has restored our community treasure to its 1927 splendor and will preserve this legacy for future generations. RSVP for 20-minute climbs to the top. Spaces are limited, so […]

Tracy Lynn wins Kids’ Classic

■ BY MARCY SHORTUSE  The anglers aboard the Tracy Lynn knew they were on a roll when they felt their fifth release of the 2017 Gasparilla Island Kids’ Classic tug on the line at 8:08 p.m. No other team was coming close to their amount of fish caught and released, but they still were holding […]

Profile: Paul Wagenseil

■ BY SUE ERWIN Capt. Paul Wagenseil is quite familiar with tarpon fishing in Boca Grande Pass. Born and raised in Englewood, Paul started fishing when he was a kid. After receiving a kayak as a birthday present, he started exploring local creeks and canals, and his love of the sport grew from there. “I was raised […]

Lighthouse boardwalk almost complete

■ BY SUE ERWIN If you’ve taken a walk near the water at Gasparilla Island State Park over the past year, you’ve most likely noticed that the boardwalks on the beach side were pretty much washed out. A few months ago, two state park rangers decided to do something about it. Robert Longo and Shannon […]

Kids: get ready to fish

■ STAFF REPORT The 7th annual Gasparilla Island Kids Classic Tarpon Tournament presented by Columbia Sportswear is planned for Saturday, June 10, 2017. The activities will start at 11 a.m. at the Boca Grande Community Center. Tournament registration will be from noon to 2 p.m. at the state park. Fishing competition will be from 5:30 […]

Three Sisters Homeowners’ Association holds variance meeting on access

■ BY MARCY SHORTUSE On Tuesday, May 30 Attorney Michael Haymans of Punta Gorda addressed a group of about 25 people who were interested in the continuing saga of Three Sisters Island and Boca Grande Isles. He also brought up an issue which has been the center of controversy for many, many years on Gasparilla […]

Nine releases recorded in World’s Richest one-day tournament

■ BY MARCY SHORTUSE On a day when many thought no fish would be caught, nine releases were recorded for the 2017 World’s Richest Tarpon Tournament, held on Friday, My 26 from 2:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Boca Grande Pass. Capt. Wayne Joiner and his team on Hey, Moma! Took first place after a close […]

Boca Grande parking lot expansion project completed in time for holiday weekend

Provided by Lee County The Fifth Street parking lot expansion project, a Lee County-owned site in Boca Grande, is now complete and open to the public in time for Memorial Day Weekend. The project, funded by Lee County Tourist Development Taxes, includes a new ADA-accessible boardwalk that provides beach access from the lot. Additionally, the […]

Placida paving project to continue through 2018

■ BY SUE ERWIN If you’ve commuted to Englewood from the island recently, you’ve certainly noticed it’s taking more time than usual. The $13.4 million construction project along Placida Road in Cape Haze is well underway. Eight different construction crews are working on the project. The goal is to complete as much work as possible […]