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Some red tide fatalities, but sea turtle numbers still growing

■ BY SUE ERWIN Despite the effects of red tide, sea turtle nest numbers are continuing to grow, hatchlings are making their way to the water, and excavations are being done by patrol members almost daily. As of July 20, the Boca Grande Sea Turtle Association reported 554 Caretta caretta (loggerhead) turtle nests on the […]

Former Fusion chef now offering private cooking lessons

■ BY SUE ERWIN If you think blackened redfish with a couscous cake topped with caramelized basil might be an interesting dish to try, you’ll want to meet Chef Tim Spain. Known in the area as the “Florida Fishing Chef,” Tim is a catch-and-release fisherman who casts a line in almost daily and said he […]

Profile Tracy Roahrig

■ BY SUE ERWIN If you’ve enjoyed lunch or an ice cream at The Loose Caboose recently, you’re sure to recognize the smiling face of Tracy Roahrig. Tracy has been working in the food and beverage service business since she was 18 years old. “I found a job right after I graduated from high school, and […]

Coming soon to the BGCC: one new sunshade

■ BY MARCY SHORTUSE Work has begun on the new outdoor stage at the Boca Grande Community Center, and the project, which will include a sunshade, will optimistically be done by the end of October. Funding for the project was procured through two fundraising concerts given by Lynda Jamison in February of 2016, and the Friends […]

New reef to be built in honor of Pace Taylor

■ BY SUE ERWIN Pace Ervin Taylor was a 19-year-old, fun-loving, free spirited kid who enjoyed everything about life, and he especially loved fishing in Boca Grande. He would come here every summer and on spring breaks with his family, who all adored the special quality of this island. Pace was a lifelong resident of […]

Trash containers full and it’s only Monday? There’s a fix for that

■ STAFF REPORT Nothing spoils your happy vacation mood like arriving at a beautiful beach house with an overstuffed trash receptacle at the end of the driveway. If you are a regular renter on the island and find you are consistently dealing with full garbage containers when you arrive at your rental, there is a […]

More hatchlings arrive, two juvenile strandings released

■ BY SUE ERWIN Sea turtle nests are continuing to hatch at a fast rate on the island, and more than 80 new nests have been recorded this week. As of July 13, the Boca Grande Sea Turtle Association (BGSTA) reported 495 Caretta caretta (loggerhead) turtle nests on the island. There were 511 reported false […]

Endangered turtle released after recovering from fishing gear entanglement

■ STAFF REPORT Mote Marine Laboratory’s Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Hospital staff released a subadult Kemp’s ridley turtle on Friday, July 13, from Anna Maria Island after it recovered from entanglement in fishing gear. The rehabilitation and release of this turtle, nicknamed “Gazpacho,” is of special importance because Kemp’s ridleys are federally designated as endangered. Gazpacho […]