Written by BBadmin7502 on . Posted in Editorial.
BY KATIE TRIPP, PhD Florida’s manatees are at a crossroads. Well, actually, the agencies that protect manatees are at a crossroads, and manatees themselves are in the crosshairs. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is busy working behind closed doors deciding whether or not to downlist manatees from endangered to threatened under the federal Endangered […]
Written by BBadmin7502 on . Posted in Letters to the Editor.
To the Editor: The Boca Grande Community Center had its 30th Annual Bike Path Parade last Saturday, which turned out to be a great event for island residents and visitors. Even though there were only 17 entries in the event, the participants and spectators had a lot of fun. This event would not be possible […]
Written by BBadmin7502 on . Posted in News, Profiles.
BY MARCY SHORTUSE Another piece of Boca Grande’s heart was lost this week, as Darrell Polk passed away at the age of 84. He now joins his wife, Margaret, who passed away in June of last year. There was hardly an important job on Gasparilla Island that Darrell either didn’t have at one point or […]
Written by BBadmin7502 on . Posted in News.
BY JACK SHORT This is the fourth installment in a series of stories regarding the Boca Grande United Methodist Church mission trip to Cuba in February. During discussions about Cuba, and especially about help that various organizations provide, it can be all too easy for some to imagine people with their hands out and nothing […]
Written by BBadmin7502 on . Posted in News.
BY JACK SHORT As more boaters make their way out onto the water again for fishing season, they risk contributing to one of Lee County’s least desirable legacies: disproportionately high manatee deaths due to watercraft strikes. The early spring months, according to Ron Mezich, biological administrator for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, are an […]
Written by BBadmin7502 on . Posted in News.
BY JACK SHORT It’s probably tough to find a full-time Florida resident who, during any given season, doesn’t think it’s the worst one yet. And of course, by “worst” they usually mean “busiest,” although business owners may hope for and revel in as many visitors as possible to make up for slower business during off-season […]
Written by BBadmin7502 on . Posted in Profiles.
BY JACK SHORT Pastor Brian Brightly is a remarkably energetic speaker and a progressive thinker. I confess I’ve never attended a sermon given by the pastor – but I spent a week in Cuba with the man and had a few long conversations besides. I also learned it may be necessary to interject more forcefully […]
Written by BBadmin7502 on . Posted in News.
BY JACK SHORT As the water crosses that magical temperature threshold somewhere in the mid-70s, the fish and the things that eat them are becoming more active. And, of course, so are the fishermen, but unfortunately, with that increased activity comes an increase in accidental or negligent behavior. Some standup paddleboarders who asked to remain […]
Written by BBadmin7502 on . Posted in News.
BY MARCY SHORTUSE Next week marks the end of open enrollment at The Island School for the next school year and, at this time, 57 applications have been received. According to Head of School Jean Thompson, those are great numbers for the island’s little school, as the maximum number of students is 60. “March 27 […]
Written by BBadmin7502 on . Posted in News.
BY JACK SHORT The three plans outlined in a recent Beacon story failed to gain traction between the two main sides in an ongoing debate over parking on the Gilchrist Avenue Median. “Our hope was that they could get close enough to agree on one option,” said a representative of Lee County, “but they each […]