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The Boca Grande Health Clinic explains a little about a commonly asked question: What does fully vaccinated mean?

BY MARK DRISCOLL, CEO OF THE BOCA GRANDE HEALTH CLINIC – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently issued interim public health recommendations for fully vaccinated people in non-healthcare settings. As noted in their recommendations, fully vaccinated people can: • Visit with small groups of other fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing masks […]

An update on Heather Gardner …

BY TONYA BRAMLAGE – Our Boca Grande community continues to support Heather Gardner as she fights against cancer. Heather is eagerly awaiting her upcoming bone marrow surgery at Moffitt Hospital in Tampa. She is currently battling a spleen infection that is prohibiting her bone marrow transplant surgery that was previously scheduled for March 19, 2021. […]

RPP creates pandemonium: A COVID cabaret

BY ERICA RESS MARTIN – What a strange year it has been. RPP’s big musical “Nunsense” was shut down in the middle of the run last March. Then every RPP production was completely postponed until the 2021 – 2022 season. The Community Center seemed empty without the various rooms Royal Palm Players usually fills with […]

One of the newest members of the flock … meet Ethan Williams

BY SUSAN HANAFEE – Having hundreds of “aunts” and “grandmothers” eager to share in the excitement of your first baby is pretty special, say the Rev. Dr. Matthew and Joy Williams, whose seven-month-old son, Ethan, is still awaiting a debut at his father’s church in Boca Grande. “We wanted to introduce him to the congregation […]

Spring Break keeps local fire, EMS busy on land and on the water

BY MARCY SHORTUSE – It’s been a busy week of ambulance calls, alarms and water rescues for the Boca Grande Fire Department, but one of the most admirable rescues that took place didn’t even happen on the island. Boca Grande Firefighter Alex Moore was working part-time at a Sarasota gym last weekend when a man […]

A history of Plein Air painting on Gasparilla Island

BY TONYA BRAMLAGE – Although one can never fully know the daily sights that will be seen while spending a day outdoors here on Gasparilla Island, encounters with butterflies, birds, fish, turtles, flowers and exotic plants are quite common. A less common sight was spotted recently under a potted tree at the Boca Grande Post […]

OBITUARY: Barbara Leiter

Barbara Ketcham Leiter, age 76, passed from this life March 4, 2021 at the Venice Florida Regional Bayfront Hospital in the care of her family. Barbara was born in Peoria, IL on January 9, 1945 to John Robert and Ellen Shepherdson Ketcham. She died a resident of Peoria, IL and Boca Grande, FL following a […]

PROFILE: Patricia Christakos

BY T MICHELE WALKER – When COVID-19 struck our world last year and we were all forced into lockdown, the reactions were as varied as the people themselves, serving as an impromptu Rorschach personality test. Some embraced the much-needed rest and solitude. Others controlled their environment by cleaning and organizing, some exercised and set fitness […]

Donate, don’t waste when you head north: Lee County third annual food rescue campaign begins

To the Editor, Lee County Solid Waste’s third annual “Donated not Wasted” food rescue campaign encourages seasonal residents and visitors to donate unopened pantry items before returning north. The two previous campaigns resulted in 6,000 pounds of food diverted from potential disposal – enough to provide 5,000 meals to hungry people. Nationwide, Americans throw out […]