Written by Sheila Evans on . Posted in News.
The new season of Mote Marine Laboratory’s “Coffee With A Scientist” got off to a great start with scientist Dana Wetzel on Tuesday, Dec. 12, at the Boca Grande Community Center. Wetzel shared stories from her work as a senior scientist and program manager of Mote’s Marine Environmental Laboratory for Forensics. Some 40 people from […]
Written by Delores Savas on . Posted in Opinion, Sports & Outdoors.
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.All the King’s horses and all the King’s menCouldn’t put Humpty Dumpty together again.” Lewis Carroll There is now a great push to return the manatee to the Endangered Species List. Many environmental agencies are asking the public to write to the United States […]
Written by Susan Hanafee on . Posted in Community, Entertainment.
The Boca Grande Sleuths book club kicks off a season of mystery, mayhem and murder on Tuesday, December 12 with the twisty whodunit In the Shadow of Death by Deb Pines. Susan Hanafee will lead the discussion at 2 p.m. in the Houghton Room of the Community Center. All are welcome. In the Shadow of Death is the […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Community, Featured News, News.
The Boca Grande Woman’s Club is pleased to announce the reopening of Boca Bargains on Saturday, Nov. 25, from 9 a.m. to noon. The store will be open every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon through April 27, except Monday, Dec. 25 and Monday, Jan. 1. Donations will be accepted from 9 […]
Written by Sheila Evans on . Posted in News.
Hurricane Idalia effectively ended the sea turtle nesting season this year, much like Hurricane Ian did last year. The good news is that most of the nesting season was already completed before either storm hit the area.
This season the number of nests and hatchlings was down from 2022, according to Denise Juergens, marine turtle permit holder for the Boca Grande Sea Turtle Association (BGSTA), which covers the entire island except for the state park properties. She said, however, that there was good news with this year’s final tally of nests and hatchlings.
“This year the depredation rate in our nests went from roughly 47 percent in 2022 to 12 percent,” she said.
Depredation is the disturbance of the nests and hatchlings by dogs, seabirds, raccoons, ghost crabs and other predators. On Gasparilla Island, most of the destruction is done by coyotes, Juergens said.
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Health & Wellness, News.
There was a lot of information to cover at the first Boca Grande Health Clinic “Welcome Back to the Island” webinar” on Thursday, Oct. 26. The doctors spoke about updates at the Clinic in technology, numbers and vaccinations. Fire Chief C.W. Blosser discussed emergency medical information and varying levels of emergency care. But the most intriguing part of the presentation was made by Clinic Executive Director Mark Driscoll and others, discussing their newest plan for the second renovation proposal that will go before Lee County and the Boca Grande Historic Preservation Board in the future.
After their initial plan was denied by the Historic Preservation Board in May of last year by a unanimous vote, Driscoll said the Clinic Foundation members have been listening to the people of the island, as have been the doctors. They’ve heard many comments, such as that the building was too big, there were too many entrances and exits, they didn’t like the windows and that there would be parking problems with a bigger facility.
Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in News, Sports & Outdoors.
Increasing development and the importance of local tarpon and snook populations have spurred a $1.2 million grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that will specifically target Charlotte Harbor.
“These are very specific needs of a very specific fish,” said Nicole Iadevaia, director of research and restoration for the Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Partnership. CHNEP is working on the project with a team that includes the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust, Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Charlotte County government.
The study is unique in that it takes into consideration economic development, and asks for “realistic options for implementing habitat protection or restoration.” It is officially titled “Implementation of a research plan to guide decisions on place-based recreational fishery conservation in Charlotte Harbor.”
Written by Guest Columnist on . Posted in Entertainment.
After three years of partial seasons, Royal Palm Players is poised and ready to entertain and excite you. They are back with a full season of four major productions starring over 40 different actors—some brand new to our stage—some familiar and beloved—all are committed to raising the bar of entertainment excellence.
The season is off to a “grande” beginning. The Crowninshield is the perfect setting for The Dining Room On Boca Grande, November 13th and 14th at 5pm. RPP’s opening show is adapted from A.R. Gurney’s dramedy of manners. This table reading literally takes place around a dining room table in a mansion on Gilchrist Avenue. Through a vivid mosaic of scenes, different families in different time periods, create a portrait of life on Boca Grande over the past 100 years.
Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in Community.
As insurance issues and condominium assessments have cleared up, buyers and sellers have been getting a better picture of property values and what the upcoming property season will entail, both on island and off.
“There were so many unknowns,” said Olivia Jones of Parsley Baldwin Real Estate. “There was ‘unknown’ from insurance, from condos.”
She feels that we are now at the stage where “some of the unknowns are now known.”
Written by Sheila Evans on . Posted in Community, News.
Pioneer Plaza, on Dearborn Street in Old Englewood, has become a gathering place for singers, actors, artists and dancers, thanks to the imaginative design of Sydney Martin, a lover of the arts in all forms.
Sydney is the founder of The Art Colony of Englewood, which started as a way for artists to show and sell their creations, but it has blossomed into much more.
“The Art Colony is beginning its second season,” Sydney said. “Last season we had eight artist galleries, having shows from December to April, and one dinner concert, which was in April. This season we will have 14 permanent outdoor galleries, and the season will run from October to April.