Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in Community, News.
The Englewood Habitat for Humanity ReStore, which has been closed since Hurricane Ian, is set to reopen on Wednesday, July 5. This week, more than two dozen volunteers were busy restocking the 12,000-square-foot ReStore and warehouse located off McCall Road, all with donated goods collected from across Charlotte County.
Written by Sheila Evans on . Posted in Community.
The call went out last week. Suncoast Humane Society was in desperate need of people who could foster newborn, fragile puppies. The mother of these puppies came to Suncoast in desperate need. She was pregnant and in dire circumstances. In fact, she did not survive, but her nine puppies did.
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Community History.
The old “Tack Room” cottage that sat in the front of the home at 161/181 Gilchrist Avenue is now gone, but the old “Octopus Tree” appears to be completely intact. In fact, it looks even more impressive now that the little house is out of the way. The new owners hope to have a plan […]
Written by Sheila Evans on . Posted in News, Profiles.
Firefighter Stephen Collison is still pinching himself, hoping his job at the Boca Grande Fire Department is not a cruel joke. He was hired on April 1, so he’s pretty sure by now it’s no April Fool’s joke.
Steve likes a good laugh and can almost always be found with a smile on his face. He is a naturally happy person. Working for the Boca Grande Fire Department has substantially added to that happiness. It’s not that he was unhappy working for the Sarasota County Fire Department, but this station just fits his sense of community better, he said.
He had been with the Sarasota Department since September of 2021, and before that he was a member of the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office for more than 11 years. Public safety and public service are his bedrocks.
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Editorial.
Retirees and investors may still be flocking to Florida to find that “perfect life” or great investment opportunity, but unless more insurance regulation bills are written and passed, or more insurance assistance programs are offered for workers, those who live here will find few people left in the stores, shops, hospitals, law enforcement agencies and fire departments.
It has been well known by many “locals” in this area why there are few hometown kids who continue to live or start businesses here when they finish high school or return from college. It’s because this is one of those places where, unless their family has a business they can jump into or has enough of the right contacts to help them along in finding a job. Small towns like Port Charlotte, Englewood and Placida are not places where it is easy to get a solid initial foothold on your own. The good-paying jobs just aren’t here, particularly when you’re faced with big-city costs of living at the same time.
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Community.
Anyone who has ever been in a disaster situation has the wherewithal to know what to do when it is safe to check out their surroundings. Many people were in that boat on September 28, 2022, the day Hurricane Ian winds and rain forced their way through every nook, cranny and crack in the buildings of Southwest Florida and into our collective memories.
There were many memories made during that time – some good and some bad – but the ones that stand out in many people’s minds are of the people who helped so much.
This tale is about just two of those people who made such a difference in so many lives. They are real estate agents Kevin Hyde and his wife Nancy, who are known to many on the island.
Written by Guest Columnist on . Posted in Community History, News.
Submitted by the Boca Grande Historical Society Foremost on our list, we would like to thank all of our supporters at every level for helping us to continue our mission to the community this season. We are grateful for your grace and commitment as we all navigated the post-Ian landscape together. In order to continue […]
Written by Sheila Evans on . Posted in News.
Rick Andersen is a local master carpenter and author of two children’s books. His creativity is being put to the test now, though, as he tries to build a path to the future. Rick was diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer recently. Treatment is tough and expensive. He and wife Stacey are hoping the people of […]
Written by Sheila Evans on . Posted in Profiles.
“God is always doing something new,” she went on. “We are excited to see what God has in store for us as we serve together in ministry. Frank and I have had Lighthouse Methodist Church and all of Boca Grande in our prayers, and we hope people on the island will have us in their prayers as well, as we all go through this time of transition.”
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News, Sports & Outdoors.
On Monday, June 5 a little girl made a fantastic find just off the north end of Palm Island, south of Stump Pass. Amateur sheller Olivia Green, eight, of Texas had visited this beach many times before, as her family has a place on Palm Island and she always checked her shell guide – purchased at Fugate’s – to research her found treasures.