Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Sports & Outdoors.
BY OLIVIA CAMERON- Just 50 miles from the east coast of Florida rest the western islands of The Bahamas, an archipelagic state that has consistently thrived off of tourism and fishing until the pandemic created a domino effect on the economy and public safety. According to USA Today, over 590,000 boaters frequented The Bahamas during […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Featured News, News, Profiles.
A passion for learning drives him to write… BY MARCY SHORTUSE- When having a conversation with Eliot Vestner, one of the first things you notice is the quiet assertiveness in his voice and a gentle demeanor. Within minutes you realize this is a man who is much more comfortable talking about anything but himself. For […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Featured News, News.
BY MARCY SHORTUSE- The weather was suited more for the fish than the anglers, but even with torrential rain and storms the 2020 Quarantine Classic yielded 70 tarpon released over two days, and Capt. Charlie Coleman and his team aboard Casuarina taking top honors. The team that included Emily and Howard Wise, Nick Wenzel and […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Featured News, News.
BY MARCY SHORTUSE- Prior to 2020, many local kids (and their parents) looked forward to the beginning of summer camp, which is held at the Boca Grande Community Center and usually starts the week after school ends. This year, though, things are different. It’s not as simple to drop your child off with a kiss […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Featured News, News.
BY MARCY SHORTUSE- Without our history, it’s difficult to remember where we came from. These words of wisdom have been repeated quite often as of late, but they take on a new meaning when pertaining to the island. Gasparilla Island has changed so much, it’s difficult to picture what it used to be like. A […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Featured News, News, Profiles.
Life imitates art, but cartoonists draw what they see… BY OLIVIA CAMERON-Page five always comes with a splash of color, talking sharks, a peg-leg captain, tourist shenanigans or all of the above. Life imitates art in Tim Banfell’s comic strips. Cartoonist Tim may be known for his classic comics in our own newspaper, but some […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Featured News, News.
BY MARCY SHORTUSE- Capt. Chuck Jenks had just dropped his tarpon fishing clients off at Pine Island on the afternoon of May 19 and was looking forward to dipping some crabs at the Boca Grande swing bridge. It was a good thing he did, too, as he ended up saving the lives of three Punta […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Police & Fire.
BY OLIVIA CAMERON- After a nice day in the sun, no one wants to get back to their car to see a little paper slip flapping under the wipers. It’s that feeling you get in the pit of your stomach that can be avoided. Gasparilla Island parking rangers and Lee County Sheriff’s deputies issued more […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Obituaries.
Marguerite Agnes East passed away on April 27, 2020, at the age of 105, in Fort Myers, Florida. Marguerite was born on November 7, 1914 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She was the third of nine children born to George Oliver Ellard and Agnes Painton Ellard. Marguerite was full of energy and always looking for an […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Profiles.
BY OLIVIA CAMERON- Local realtor Melissa Csank has found the perfect blend between homes and history while listing local houses and serving on the board of the Boca Grande Historical Society. However, Melissa was not always a real estate agent with an interest in historic homes. Melissa grew up surrounded by the rolling “Sound of […]