Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Featured News, Letters to the Editor, News.
To the Editor: As the 2016 sea turtle nesting and hatching season comes to an end, we want to extend a generous “Thank you” to our community and volunteers. This season, despite the storms and red tide, we had our strongest year ever, with a significant increase in turtle nests. The beach was darker […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Featured News, News.
■ STAFF REPORT On the morning of Tuesday, Oct. 18, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) notified Mote Marine Laboratory scientists of a stranded, 19-foot-long sperm whale in the shallows off Little Gasparilla Island in Charlotte County. While Mote researchers never gave the whale’s gender in conversation, on social media it had a nickname: […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Featured News, News.
■ BY SUE ERWIN With just a few scattered nests left on the island, sea turtle nests are diminishing daily as the last sets of hatchlings continue to make their way to the water. The official end to the season is October 31. While the storms that hit the island this year strongly […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Featured News, News.
■ BY SUE ERWIN The Light Keeper’s Open golf tournament took place on Monday, October 17 at The Gasparilla Inn & Club golf course. The event was a fundraiser for the Gasparilla Island Lighthouse restoration project. More than $21,000 was raised for the cause. Thirteen teams participated in the tournament. The fun began with […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Letters to the Editor, News.
To the Editor: Barrier Island Parks Society wishes to express sincerest thanks to our community who supported us wholeheartedly at the Light Keeper’s Open on Monday. We could not have asked for a more beautiful event at The Gasparilla Inn golf course. Special thanks go out to The Gasparilla Inn & Club for hosting the […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Featured News, Profiles.
BY SUE ERWIN – If you are a regular commuter to Boca Grande on the weekends, you’re sure to have met Gasparilla Island Bridge Authority toll worker Ron Bogner. Ron has been working the booths at the bridge since 2011. Originally from Yucca Valley California, a town just north of Palm Springs, Ron was […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
■ Progress on the Gasparilla Island Range Light continues daily as workers recently completed the catwalk handrails and interior handrails. According to Barrier Island Parks Society Executive Director Sharon McKenzie, the plexiglass windows on the lighthouse have recently been removed – all 2,000 of them. They have also cleaned up and repaired some of the […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Featured News, News.
■ BY MARCY SHORTUSE Iguana trapper George Cera will be an even more common sight around town next year, as Lee County has extended his contract to include the winter months. The contract until now was for nine months. “I’m just glad I can work those other months,” Cera said. “There were so many times […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
■ BY SUE ERWIN If you happened to visit the state park beaches on the island this week, you might have noticed a couple of colorful flags posted near the water. Some were present at the Gasparilla Island Range Light beach, Gasparilla Island State Park beach and by the water near the pass about a […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Featured News, Letters to the Editor, News.
To the Editor: The Boca Grande Chamber Fall Scramble golf tournament was again a huge success this year. It required the efforts of 18 teams of golfers and 28 sponsors to raise over $22,000 to support the Boca Grande Chamber Scholarship Fund and the Boca Grande Chamber. In 2016 the Boca Grande Chamber awarded $15,000 […]