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IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Gail Coleman Davis

First tarpon of the season Gasparilla Island native Gail Coleman Davis earned the accolade of the first tarpon of this year’s tournament season at last weekend’s Ladies Day. Gail was raised on island and is now married to Doug Davis. Doug’s sister is Robin Melvin of Gasparilla Outfitters and Special Effects. She has been fishing […]

COLUMNS: VAN HUBBARD

Fixing water quality now, still cheaper than reviving dead estuaries How do we tackle water quality? Just like an elephant. One bite at a time. Many things contribute to these problems. It took years of abuse to get there, and it will require billions of dollars, and serious effort, to gain water quality resurrection.  We […]

REMINISCENCES: K.Y. FUTCH 

Seaplanes to the oyster beds: My time with Katharine Hepburn BY KATHY FUTCH Miss Hepburn made fairly regular visits to Boca Grande to be with her Houghton family relatives and also some friends. Upon entering Palermo’s “Griswold” home where she was staying, she immediately approached me and removed the straw hat I was wearing and […]

Toilets. Trash cans. A guest experience from the tollbooth.

It was a good day to have three Lee County commissioners come to Boca Grande on Tuesday for a forum on parking. There were some (not us) who were worried that somehow it would be contentious. Indeed there was much that was not said. What was said, every word of it, was useful.  Who would […]

Educate Boca Scholarships awarded

Lemon Bay High School Boca Grande Chamber “Educate Boca” Scholarship recipients with Cheryl Hopkins are Dylan Smith, Mailee Minitello, Meghan Lutz, Eva Gressley, and Sophia Dickerson.                                              Photo by TK Photography

FWC issues reminder on best tarpon practices

Tarpon season is in full swing and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is reminding anglers to use these best fishing practices to keep silver kings reigning for generations to come. These best fishing practices were developed to help anglers quickly reel in tarpon and be set up for a successful release. From gear […]

Beach access: Parking enforcement costs are question for Florida towns

BY MARCY SHORTUSE  As the ongoing debate about parking continues through this summer (see p. 1), there are still questions, as a formal plan has not been released. One issue is enforcement. If a paid parking and/or time-limit-enforced parking plan is implemented, how much will it cost, and what entity will bear the cost of […]

Commissioners at May 13 parking meeting

Two Lee County Commissioners, Cecil Pendergrass and David Mulicka, are scheduled to be in Boca Grade for a community forum on the issue of parking on Gasparilla Island. The meeting is at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, May 13. “Two commissioners are coming here to listen to people,” said Larry Hannah, who is a member of […]

Fox 4 takes Boca parking ‘Live at 6’

Fox 4 WFTX came to Boca Grande on Monday to interview merchants concerned about a Lee County parking ordinance. Above, Nikki Heimann and Gary Cross with  reporter Kaitlin Knapp. Right, a screenshot of Knapp downtown. Photo by Garland

Small truck fire off 18th Street

Pictured here, local artist Larry Anderson with his truck near the 19th Street beach access last Friday, May 2. The front drivers side near the wheel caught fire while he was driving. The fire was out by the time the Boca Grande Fire Department and Chief C.W. Blosser responded.             […]