From the early 1950s through the 1980s, 26 African-American artists – now known as the Florida Highwaymen – used vivid and bright colors to paint scenes of beautiful, untouched Florida. Excluded from showing their work in galleries or museums in Jim Crow era Florida, they piled their paintings into the trunks of their cars and sold them along US Highway 1, thus earning the name “Highwaymen.” Today, their vibrant paintings are highly-collectible and widely sought after.

What can we do to help? While we can’t control every aspect of preventing marine pollution, there are many actions we can take. Using biodegradable environmentally safe household products and reducing waste by choosing packaging that decomposes quickly or can be reused or recycled is something most everyone can do. Choosing to use non-toxic marine and earth friendly products inside and outside will go a long way toward keeping these poisons out of the water. Picking up litter and animal waste and disposing of it properly benefits everyone. Participating in a community group that advocates and actively pursues a clean environment is always a great start. Whether implementing personal habits that foster a healthier world or joining forces with other like-minded people, we all have a role in the future health of Florida’s waters and can make a positive difference to reverse the negative impacts of marine pollution.

The American Pickers TV Show is looking for leads and would love to explore your hidden treasure. If you or someone you know has a large, private collection or accumulation of antiques that the pickers can spend the better part of the day looking through, why not contact them? It’s worth a shot. American Pickers currently does not pick stores, flea markets, malls, auction businesses, museums or anything open to the public. If interested, send your name, phone number, location and description of the collection with photos to: americanpickers@cineflix.com or call (646) 493-2184. They can be reached on facebook, @GotAPick.

Many people think shells are like rocks, but in fact a shell is created by an animal called a mollusk. As the mollusk grows, so does the shell. Mollusks can be herbivores, carnivores or omnivores, but all need clean water habitats to survive. Shells mean many different things to many different people. Some people collect shells for crafts, some search for very specific shells for a collection, while others simply walk the beaches to observe and hear the sound of the shells amid their feet. 

The staff at the Boca Beacon and Gasparilla Island Magazine are very proud of our awards received at the 2022 Florida Press Association awards, held earlier this month at the Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa in Jacksonville. In total we came home with 13 awards, including the following:  For Gasparilla Island Magazine Marcy Shortuse […]