Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News, Profiles.
■ BY SUE ERWIN Boca Bay resident John Gibson started coming to the island in the 1980s, when the fish camp owned by CSX Railroad brought executives and locals together to catch their dinner. John’s family roots run deep in Southwest Florida. His mom’s side of the family came to the Tampa area from Michigan […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Letters to the Editor, News, Opinion.
To the Editor: This Mother’s Day, treat your mom to a fun-filled day at Mote Aquarium. Come SEA all the animals, learn about the oceans they call home, and make memories that will last a lifetime. All moms get free admission to Mote Aquarium with the purchase of their accompanied child’s ticket on Mother’s Day, […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News, Sports & Outdoors.
BY MARCY SHORTUSE – On Thursday, May 3 a new documentary on barrier island life had its debut on local television stations, and it featured several familiar faces and places. But don’t worry – if you missed it, then you will get a chance to see it again. “Mullet and Mangroves: The Pioneer Fishing Families of […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
BY SUE ERWIN – Purdue University graduate student Wesley Major came to visit Boca Grande for the first time in April. His aunt and uncle, Jerry and Carol Rainey, have a home on Tarpon Street. After getting a tour of the town, the family spent the weekend tarpon fishing with Capt. Charlie Coleman. Although no tarpon […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News, Obituaries.
Laurier Donald Dean Beckstead, 74, passed away peacefully at his Palm Island home in the early morning hours of Wednesday, April 25, 2018, surrounded by his loving family. He was born on July 18, 1943 and raised in Emerson, Manitoba, Canada. His family was part of the Beckstead family that pioneered the Canadian movement west, […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News, Profiles.
BY SUE ERWIN – Josh Freeman was born and raised in Boca Grande. He started working at PJ’s Seagrille as a busboy when he was 14 years old. Since then, he’s learned just about everything there is to know about the restaurant business. “I worked my way up and have done just about every position in this […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Editorial, Letters to the Editor, News, Opinion.
To the Editor: The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) needs your input on the recreational and commercial stone crab and blue crab fisheries and the commercial spiny lobster trap fishery. Share your feedback on potential regulation changes for this fishery. The FWC is hosting public workshops throughout the state in May to develop […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
■ BY MARCY SHORTUSE – The captain who wins the prestigious Jay Joiner Memorial Belt Buckle this year will have a much bigger claim to fame, as the format for competition has now changed. According to Cappy Joiner, the president of the Boca Grande Fishing Guides Association and the late Jay Joiner’s uncle, the winning captain […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
After screening and discussing scores of books, the Literature Forum Steering Committee has selected the following works of fiction, covering a wide range of subjects and writing styles, for their 2018-19 season. • Thursday, Nov. 8: “Pachinko,” by Min Jin Lee; presented by Pat Agger and Sue Fuller • Thursday, Dec. 13: “Lincoln in the […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
■ SUBMITTED BY GIWA DIRECTOR BONNIE PRINGLE – Gasparilla Island Water Association, Inc.’s current ten-year water withdrawal permit from the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) includes a condition requiring GIWA to reduce our daily average water usage to 150 gallons per person per day by the end of 2019. When the permit was issued, GIWA’s […]