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The big weekend for Boca Bargains has arrived!

BY MARCY SHORTUSE – Saturday, Nov. 25 marks the grand opening of Boca Bargains for the 2017-2018 season. According to long-time volunteer JoAnn Welch, the shop, located on Park Avenue at Banyan Street, is “filled to the gills; we can hardly open the doors!” To showcase furniture donated over the summer, the opening will include […]

Seibert MOD weekend held complete with great stories and memories

BY MARY BESS – At 90 years of age, island resident Tim Seibert was an engaging speaker at last weekend’s MOD Weekend in Sarasota, where he was the guest of honor. Full of fun and good stories, and generous in his appraisal of the good work of his colleagues, he was characteristically unassuming and occasionally telegraphed […]

Melvin, Waterhouse take GIFT Tournament with 19-inch trout

BY MARCY SHORTUSE – It was another winning year for Capt. Sandy Melvin and his angler, Patrick Waterhouse, on Tuesday, Nov. 21 as the 24th Annual Gasparilla Island Fly Fishing Tournament was held. They took the top spot with a 19-inch trout. Second place went to Richie Meehan with Capt. Jamie Allen, and third place went […]

Florida history lives again at The Island School

Students at The Island School relived local and Florida history once again on Wednesday, Nov. 15 when a Calusa shaman, Ponce de Leon, a pirate and an early member of the Padilla fishing family visited. The Johann Fust Community Library and the Boca Grande Historical Society once again teamed with the school’s staff to demonstrate […]

Local seaplane pilot fails retirement, which could work to your advantage

BY MARCY SHORTUSE – Fourth-generation islander Mark Futch tried desperately to succumb to retirement, but his plan has failed miserably. This may mean good things for island residents, though, who have longed for the convenience of a plane taxi service to pick them up (almost) right at their front door. Futch, a pilot with 29,000 […]

PROFILE: Tim Spain

BY SUE ERWIN – Tim Spain learned how to become a chef after spending a year working at a restaurant in Bordeaux, France. Now the Zolfo Springs native is sharing his culinary talent in Boca Grande. Tim is the new executive chef at Fusion Restaurant at the north end of the island. He’s been working […]

Turkey Hoop Shoot this Saturday

■ STAFF REPORT The Lee County Parks and Recreation annual Turkey Hoop Shoot will take place at 10 a.m. on Saturday, November 18 at the Boca Grande Community Center’s outdoor basketball court. The event is free for all ages and is sponsored by the Boca Beacon. All children must be supervised. Prizes will be awarded to […]

Iguanas, new toll proposals and finance govern GIBA discussion at quarterly meeting

■ PROVIDED BY THE GASPARILLA ISLAND BRIDGE AUTHORITY The GIBA quarterly board meeting was held on Wednesday, Nov. 15, at which topics of conversation included finances, iguanas and road flooding at the north end of the island. Engineering Chairman Peter Strong informed the board that the remediation plan for the pinion girder movement was successfully […]

BIPS elects new officers, presents strategic plan

■ BY SUE ERWIN The Barrier Island Parks Society met on Monday, Nov. 13 for its annual board of directors meeting, and outgoing President Linden Hustedt announced that the new incoming president for the 2017-2018 season is John Rice. Krista Potthast-Haynes is the new vice president for the organization. Hustedt thanked the new officers for […]

Boca Bargains packed to the gills and ready for some serious shopping

■ STAFF REPORT Saturday, Nov. 25 marks the grand opening of Boca Bargains for the 2017-2018 season. According to long-time volunteer JoAnn Welch, the shop, located on Park Avenue at Banyan Street, is “filled to the gills; we can hardly open the doors!” To showcase furniture donated over the summer, the opening will include a […]