It is a new year, the weather is cooler, island activities are picking up and there is a steady stream of users on the GICIA Bike Path. The GICIA’s Bike Path property includes approximately three miles of a pedestrian-friendly walking path and five miles of a 10-foot-wide paved path. This linear park is shared by many different users including walkers, runners, skaters, as well as people on golf carts, bikes, and wheelchairs. With activity on the Bike Path increasing, the GICIA encourages all users to adopt a “Share the Path” mindset.

Doug Tallamy must have teenage fans galore. Any kid tasked with mowing the front lawn on a hot, sticky summer day would agree with his proposal, “ . . regenerate biodiversity and ecosystem function by planting native plants and creating new ecological networks.” In other words, ditch the lawn. And while you’re at it, let leaves lay where they may. The retired leaf blower can pal around with the weary lawn mower and the world will become a better place.

You never know who you’re going to run into while shopping in Boca Grande. From artists to presidents to television celebrities, the island is a gathering of talent from all walks of life. Imagine checking out at Hudson’s and J.K. Rowling (famed “Harry Potter” author) rings up your groceries. You don’t have to imagine any longer, because Kathy Auman, who works as a cashier at Hudson’s, has just published her first children’s book called “The Secret Bully Patrol.”