Skip to main content
Search Results for “look

Use common sense, listen to the old salts: How to deal with red tide

■ BY CAPT. VAN HUBBARD Unfortunately, the talk of our town now is red tide and water quality/polluted local waters. For now, our local marine economy is virtually shut down. A few offshore boats are getting out into the Gulf fishing, though. This current outbreak followed our May rains. We’ve had problems with red tide […]

Sea turtles continue nesting, hatching … sometimes dying

■ BY SUE ERWIN Despite the effects of red tide, sea turtle nest numbers are continuing to grow, hatchlings are making their way to the water, and excavations are being done by patrol members on a consistent basis. As of July 27, the Boca Grande Sea Turtle Association reported 614 Caretta caretta (loggerhead) turtle nests […]

A pioneering Florida family: The Albrittons, Part II

■ SUBMITTED BY TIMMY SPAIN Editor’s note: Columnist Tim Spain wrote a piece about the Albritton family in May, 2018. This is part two of that series. Aaron Robert Albritton or “Twister,” as many folks came to call him, was born in 1861 in Polk County. (I may well be wrong about the location.) He […]

Scallop search set for August 18

■ STAFF REPORT Calling all volunteer boaters and snorkelers! Your help is needed for the annual Great Bay Scallop Search. The event is planned to take place from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 18. The purpose of the resource monitoring program is to document the health and status of bay scallops populations […]

Profile Jim Scholtz

■ BY SUE ERWIN Jim Scholtz is the co-owner of Kappy Kart golf rentals and sales at the north end of the island, but he’s had several other interesting career paths before venturing into a business partnership in Boca Grande. Born and raised in a little town called Oak Creek, Wisconsin, Jim was drafted the day after he […]

Boca Grande Old Theatre Building memories from Betsy and Kathleen

Amid tears and good wishes, more than 30 people said goodbye to their home away from home at the end of June, 2018, as the Old Theatre Building’s doors were closed. It had been a major hub of activity in downtown Boca Grande for decades, and Betsy Joiner and Kathleen Turner hope it will return […]

Some red tide fatalities, but sea turtle numbers still growing

■ BY SUE ERWIN Despite the effects of red tide, sea turtle nest numbers are continuing to grow, hatchlings are making their way to the water, and excavations are being done by patrol members almost daily. As of July 20, the Boca Grande Sea Turtle Association reported 554 Caretta caretta (loggerhead) turtle nests on the […]

Former Fusion chef now offering private cooking lessons

■ BY SUE ERWIN If you think blackened redfish with a couscous cake topped with caramelized basil might be an interesting dish to try, you’ll want to meet Chef Tim Spain. Known in the area as the “Florida Fishing Chef,” Tim is a catch-and-release fisherman who casts a line in almost daily and said he […]

Profile Tracy Roahrig

■ BY SUE ERWIN If you’ve enjoyed lunch or an ice cream at The Loose Caboose recently, you’re sure to recognize the smiling face of Tracy Roahrig. Tracy has been working in the food and beverage service business since she was 18 years old. “I found a job right after I graduated from high school, and […]

New reef to be built in honor of Pace Taylor

■ BY SUE ERWIN Pace Ervin Taylor was a 19-year-old, fun-loving, free spirited kid who enjoyed everything about life, and he especially loved fishing in Boca Grande. He would come here every summer and on spring breaks with his family, who all adored the special quality of this island. Pace was a lifelong resident of […]