Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
■ STAFF REPORT United States Coast Guard Capt. Robert A. “Bob” Melvin III, (deceased), father of islanders Sandy and Bob Melvin, served his country honorably in the U.S Army and the U.S. Coast Guard. He risked his life time and again over his career to help others during his service. Below is the official account […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
■ BY MARCY SHORTUSE If you’re a regular Boca Grande beachgoer, you may have noticed a new addition to our already crowded Promenade. A Stonehenge-type obstacle (shown at right) has now been placed right in the walkway at 3rd Street heading north from the beach, obviously meant to keep us from our right to use […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
■ BY SUE ERWIN Evelyn Carter McKinney took her first breath of air in the Port Boca Grande Lighthouse. She was born in 1934 in a bedroom of the circa 1890 Lighthouse that doubles as a museum of regional history. Her father, Light Keeper Osmund McKinney, served as the keeper of the establishment from 1931 to […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
■ SUBMITTED BY THE GICIA The Gasparilla Island Conservation and Improvement Association (GICIA) is excited to have successfully launched a volunteer tour leader program in February 2019. This program was initiated in an effort to allow GICIA members and supporters the opportunity to tour the site while learning about the purchase history, the initial upland […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News, Profiles.
■ BY SUE ERWIN After 27 years of working in the fashion industry on 7th Avenue in New York City, Boo Thayer Gemes perceived a void in the market for stylish and affordable separates, so she created a collection of clothing that appeals to women of all ages. “I design clothes for real people, clothes that […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News, Obituaries.
Leonard Mathew Saari of Riverside, CT, and Boca Grande, FL, died as a result of a sudden stroke on October 19. 2019, at Greenwich Hospital. He was born in Los Angeles, CA, on January 19, 1938, to Mathew A. Saari, originally from Raahe, Finland, and Esther E. Saari, originally from Tampere, Finland. Raised in Baltimore, […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Obituaries.
Janet M. Thibodeau, 83, wife of Gerald Thibodeau, passed away peacefully, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019, a the Sussman House in Rockport. Born in Camden, July 17, 1936, she attended Camden Schools. On July 3, 1954 she married Gerald Thibodeau. Together they raised six children and were married 65 years. Janet was a great cook and […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Editorial, Letters to the Editor, News, Opinion.
■ BY MARY BESSWe need to understand the spark of divinity within human beings who put their lives at risk to benefit others. Of particular interest are those who commit acts of heroism for which they will not be honored and may even be vilified, despised and ostracized. Especially on Veterans Day, helicopter reconnaissance pilot Hugh […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
■ STAFF REPORT Lee County Parks & Recreation announced last week that it will host a public meeting at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 5 in the auditorium at the Boca Grande Community Center, regarding a proposed dog park coming to Boca Grande. The park is being considered for the Wheeler Road ball field location. […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
■ SUBMITTED BY THE GICIA The Gasparilla Island Conservation and Improvement Association has announced that the Army Corps of Engineers and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection permits, both of which are necessary for the construction of the Mercabo Cove Project, have been issued. “This gives us the green light to schedule the official groundbreaking […]