Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
■ BY SUSAN HANAFEE The 2019 Strawberry Festival Silent Auction will definitely belie its name. In fact, when festival goers enter the tent with more than 75 amazing items, there will be lots of “oooohs” and “aaaaahs” and very little silence. “The contributions to this year’s silent auction have exceeded our expectations,” says Lois Raedeke, the […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News, Sports & Outdoors.
■ BY SUE ERWIN Capt. Van Hubbard remembers when catching fish in Boca Grande was pretty easy to do back in the day – albeit not nearly as comfortable as it is with today’s modern amenities. Hubbard is a local guide who has fished Florida waters from the Big Bend to Key West for more than […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
■ BY MARCY SHORTUSE Recently a small but very meaningful ceremony took place on the island that honored the boat-making skills of the Seibert family, just after the loss of island resident Tim Seibert. Tim’s father designed the boat shown here, named Lotus. She is a 20-foot sloop designed in 1944 but not actually built […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News, Profiles.
■ BY SUE ERWIN He’s a friendly guy from Minnesota, and he’s been enjoying a “Grande” life in Boca since he retired a few years ago. Chuck Young is originally from Saint Paul, Minnesota. His father was a travelling construction superintendent, so the family moved all around the nation many times, but they always ended up […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Editorial, Letters to the Editor, News, Opinion.
To the Editor: Mote Marine Laboratory scientists found that southern flounder exposed to oiled sediment for 30 days in the lab showed evidence of stress and DNA damage, one of the latest indicators of potential impacts of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill that continues to be studied today. The flounder study – presented at […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
■ BY MARCY SHORTUSE Boca Grande is abuzz with talk of the new restaurant that will tentatively be opening around May 1 in the Old Theatre Building, where PJ’s Seagrille used to be located. “We are super excited about this, and we hope everyone else is, too,” said Ashley Scarpa, co-owner of the new eatery that […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
■ BY SUE ERWIN She worked at the first district attorney’s office in the country that introduced DNA evidence in a major homicide case in 1986, before the courts ever accepted it as reliable. She was also responsible for helping change the way laws treated domestic violence cases. Linda Fairstein will be the featured guest […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
Last Saturday evening, February 9, 2019, the Barrier Island Parks Society had a celebration to officially relight the historic Boca Grande Rear Entrance Range Light, now officially designated the Gasparilla Island Light. The ceremony was a “thank you” to the “miracle workers” who restored this island icon, and a tribute to the 650+ donors whose […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
■ STAFF REPORT Two visitors were the victims of a vehicle burglary this past weekend at the south end of the island. According to Lee County Sheriff’s Office reports, an island deputy was notified by the complainant that she was visiting the island on Saturday, Feb. 9 with her friend. They arrived at Gasparilla Island […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
■ BY MARCY SHORTUSE The meeting was brief but things were accomplished at the monthly gathering of the Boca Grande Historic Preservation Board on Wednesday, Feb. 13. Three items were shown on the agenda, but one – a proposal to remove an existing non-contributing home at 235 Banyan Street – was continued until a later date. […]