Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Featured News, News.
Long-time island resident Zelma Otto reached her 90th birthday recently, and it was celebrated by many at the Rotonda Lakes Clubhouse near her home. She was all dressed in purple for the occasion and got to spend some time with three of the island boys she helped to raise – Seth Joiner, Parker O’Bannon and […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
On Tuesday, the Barrier Islands Park Society (BIPS) announced that they had received final written approval from the United States Coast Guard to commence “rehabilitation of the Gasparilla Island Rear Range Lighthouse.” The long-awaited enabling document means work can begin immediately on clearing the construction zone and proceeding with metalwork repairs, replacement parts construction and, […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
Members of the Lighthouse United Methodist Church of Boca Grande have raised enough money to send fifty “flood buckets,” large plastic tubs full of cleaning supplies, to victims of the floods in Louisiana and the recent hurricane in Florida. It’s part of the church’s Florida Conference “Flood Bucket Challenge” to send 1,860 buckets from the […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Featured News, News.
BY SUE ERWIN – The GoFundMe account to help send a veteran to the 75th anniversary of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 2016 has grown to nearly $1,900. But donations are still needed to help send Englewood resident John Seelie to the services in Hawaii. Gasparilla Inn Golf Course employee Cathy Joel lives next door […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
BY SUE ERWIN – Boca Grande Sea Turtle Association volunteers said the storms over this past weekend destroyed a good amount of the remaining sea turtle nests on Boca Grande beaches. One volunteer said there were nearly 40 nests just before Hurricane Hermine, and she counted only about 12 existing ones on Monday, September 5. […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
■ Hurricane Hermine went from Invest to becoming a healthy storm in the Gulf of Mexico. As of press time she was churning her way up to the Panhandle. Her feeder bands brought the island about five inches of rain between Tuesday and Friday. This shot was taken from The Gasparilla Inn & Club golf course […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
■ BY MARCY SHORTUSE Precinct 18 at the Boca Grande Community Center logged approximately 70 voters in on August 30 primary. Many of them, it appears, were Rubio and Benacquisto supporters. In the Republican United States Senatorial race, Lee County island residents cast 48 votes for Marco Rubio, 3 for Carlos Beruff, 3 for Dwight […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
■ BY SUE ERWIN Boca Grande Sea Turtle Association volunteers are reporting damage left from Tropical Storm Hermine, as well as several more incidents regarding predators interfering with sea turtle nests and hatchlings recently. According to one patroller, as of Thursday afternoon, Sept. 1, there were only 22 nests left. About 19 of those were […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
■ STAFF REPORT A golf cart bench seat and four golf cart chargers were stolen from a place of business in the 1300 block of East Railroad Avenue sometime in the last few weeks. On Friday, Aug. 26 a Lee County Deputy spoke with the complainant at the location, who stated that the carts and […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Profiles.
■ BY SUE ERWIN There is a new face at The Island School this year, and she’ll be providing an important resource for students and their families this school year. , the new school counselor at the school, was born in Merton, Wisconsin. After graduating from high school, she attended the University of Wisconsin in […]