Written by Sheila Evans on . Posted in Profiles.
John Gaffney has never had a job he didn’t love. The one he has now is no exception. John collects tolls at the Boca Grande Swing Bridge.
“Being a police officer will always be my favorite job,” John admitted, “but this job at the bridge is a job where I get to enjoy it and not worry as much. I can go to work and just have fun. I get to talk to the people and it’s not stressful. The job is great.”
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Columns.
FIVE YEARS AGO Roads in town were being paved, and snook health was a hot topic after a severe red tide bloom in preceding years took its toll on the population. TEN YEARS AGO Gasparilla Island Magazine hit the stands for the first time, a dead Lithuanian man was found on a sailboat in the […]
Written by Boca Beacon Reader on . Posted in Letters to the Editor.
To the Editor: Charlotte County Environmental Specialist Suzanne Derheimer will host a presentation on Charlotte County beach nesting species from 9 to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 16 at Harold Avenue Regional Park Recreation Center in Port Charlotte. It is located at 23400 Harold Ave. The presentation will focus on sea turtles and shorebirds and […]
Written by Boca Beacon Reader on . Posted in Letters to the Editor.
To the Editor: Save the date! Barrier Island Parks Society (BIPS) will host the Light Keeper’s Open on Monday, Oct. 30 at the exclusive Coral Creek Club to benefit the historic Gasparilla Island Lighthouse. BIPS is calling all golfers to join in the festivities at the charity benefit tournament, featuring a continental breakfast, scramble format, […]
Privacy Policy At , accessible from , one of our main priorities is the privacy of our visitors. This Privacy Policy document outlines the types of information that is collected and recorded by and how we use it. 1. Information We Collect We collect information in various ways: Directly Provided Information: If you register for […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Community, News.
“Gasparilla Island Water Association would like to inform all customers that they may experience slower flushing toilets and showers during Hurricane Idalia storm. With the higher tides and rain fall totaling close to 4 inches in two days the sewer system is working at maximum capacity. We ask the customers to limit use as much […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
There have been some changes to the dog park as of late, as a new gazebo on one side of the park has been constructed. Lee County representatives have said that while construction material delays were the cause, they are anticipating a completion date sometime around the end of next month. We shall see. Photo […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
A recent decision by Publix Supermarket’s corporate office to enforce their policy regarding their customers’ ability to bring pets into their stores has created quite a stir in many animal-loving circles. It brings up the question, however, as to what constitutes a “service animal” and how far a store can go to question the owner.
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
While the Atlantic is kicking up, action at the Bakery Building has slowed down this week. A new demolition crew will begin work on Monday, headed up by Kevin Kelley, and the Lee County Attorney’s Office has spoken with the building’s new owner, Sue Sligar, who is back in town. The building is listed under […]
Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in Sports & Outdoors.
After a massive hurricane and a year of drought, the status of seagrass in Charlotte Harbor could perhaps be characterized by experts as “not better, in fact marginally worse.”
“We have lost massive amounts of seagrass,” said Dr. Richard Whitman, who heads up the nonprofit environmental charity Heal our Harbor. The group looks regularly at the water quality in Charlotte Harbor and its tributaries, enlisting volunteers in monitoring and educating about the importance of our water.
Observations are often anecdotal and micro-observations, and not all seagrass is the same. Whitman likens the question to how the stock market is doing. Are you asking about how it is doing this week, this year or over decades?