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Island firefighters respond to boat fire in Boca Grande Pass

The morning of July 29, a 30-foot yacht caught fire near the Boca Grande Pass. Chief C.W. Blosser noted the team was dispatched at 9:12 a.m. after the report came in. The Boca Grande Fire Department responded alongside Lee County’s Marine Emergency Response Team to subside the smoke. The fire was out shortly before the […]

Record high temperatures are doorway to heatstroke

BY OLIVIA CAMERON- The year 2020 began with record-breaking temperatures in Southwest Florida, with highs 3 degrees hotter than the previous record in January alone.  There’s no chance of records highs dissipating in the weeks to come, either. When local temperatures average at 90 degrees Fahrenheit in the afternoon, there is a chance of developing […]

Sunscreen may protect us, but not our environment

BY OLIVIA CAMERON- Sunscreen products are often displayed near the front in local markets, where people can readily pick up a tube and head to the beach. Sunscreen lotions and sprays were designed to protect us from the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation, but they do no justice in protecting our marine life.  According to […]

PROFILE: Kathy Kelleher

From menus to matinees… BY OLIVIA CAMERON- Throughout her life, Kathy Kelleher has been drawn to the theatre. As managing director for the Royal Palm Players, she’s worked behind the scenes to accomplish RPP’s mission to entertain, educate and engage the Boca Grande community. Her childhood memories consist of growing up on the coast of […]

Charlotte, Lee County schools start date set back to August 31

BY MARCY SHORTUSE- Just as school preparations were beginning for students and parents, several area school districts have decided to push the start date for classes back to August 31. Charlotte, Sarasota and Desoto Counties had already made the decision before this week, but the Lee County School District held their meeting on Thursday, July […]

Code enforcement takes down COVID safety signs and others

BY MARCY SHORTUSE- On Monday, July 20, Lee County Code Enforcement was busy on the island again, this time because of an anonymous complaint about signs. According to Lee County Communications Director Betsy Clayton, the call came in several days ago that there was an abundance of illegal signage around the island. It is not […]

Rico rescue: SHS works on a mission to rescue many, one little black dog comes home with them

BY OLIVIA CAMERON- Last week, the Suncoast Humane Society shelter met an unexpected change when their crew set out to rescue four dozen dogs from Puerto Rico.  Island Dog Rescue previously revealed an extensive rescue mission for many cats and dogs from the island who were left to roam without any shelter space. Along with […]

Glass -recycled and upcycled- becomes an intriguing work of art

BY OLIVIA CAMERON- Glass bottles are the least biodegradable item, taking what is predicted to be one million years to decompose. According to Tisha Bayne, the office coordinator for Keep Lee County Beautiful, “Research does say it takes glass a very, very long time to break down. It can take a glass bottle one million […]

Obituary: Eliot N. Vestner

Eliot N. Vestner Jr. passed away on July 10, 2020 in Boca Grande, following a two-year battle with sarcoma. He is survived by his wife Louisa; two children, Alice-Lee Vestner and Charles F. Vestner; two step-sons, Donald F. Cutler IV and Q.A .Shaw Cutler; and five granddaughters. Just three months before passing, Eliot published “Ragtime […]