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Profile: Andy Charcut

■ BY SUE ERWIN Andy Charcut was living in Illinois in 2013, when his boss Steve Kaplin, offered him a job in Boca Grande. At the time, Steve owned Infotrack, a pre-employment screening company. Steve and his wife Jill were vacationing in Boca Grande when they noticed that an island convenience store was for sale. Intrigued by […]

Obituary: John Gallwey Carter

John Gallwey Carter, 26, residing briefly in Ann Arbor, Michigan, passed away on June 9, 2017. John was born on July 29, 1990 to John Elliot and Gael Gallwey Carter in Tampa, Florida. John was a graduate of Jesuit High School and attended Babson College and Southern Connecticut State University. He was an entrepreneur who […]

Tracy Lynn wins Kids’ Classic

■ BY MARCY SHORTUSE  The anglers aboard the Tracy Lynn knew they were on a roll when they felt their fifth release of the 2017 Gasparilla Island Kids’ Classic tug on the line at 8:08 p.m. No other team was coming close to their amount of fish caught and released, but they still were holding […]

Board rejects proposal to move historic cottage

■ BY SUE ERWIN At its monthly meeting on Wednesday, June 14, the Boca Grande Historic Preservation Board rejected a proposal to relocate a guest cottage located at 300 Third Street West to Matanzas Pass in Fort Myers. The cottage was built in 1925. The owner of the cottage approached Lee County Parks and Recreation […]

Want to report red tide? There’s an app for that

■ PROVIDED BY MOTE MARINE.   Smartphone users can now download a new app to self-report impacts of Florida red tide algae (Karenia brevis), thanks to Mote Marine Laboratory’s project to engage citizen scientists along Florida’s Gulf of Mexico coast. The free app, Citizen Science Information Collaboration (CSIC), allows users to report when and where they experience […]

Build a better world – be a part of the kindness tree

■ BY SUE ERWIN Kindness is cool. That’s the message Johann Fust librarian Gladys Varga wants to share with island residents by encouraging them to spread a little joy – just because. She created a “Kindness Tree” which will be on display at the library for the rest of the summer. Supplies are available on […]

Profile: Paul Wagenseil

■ BY SUE ERWIN Capt. Paul Wagenseil is quite familiar with tarpon fishing in Boca Grande Pass. Born and raised in Englewood, Paul started fishing when he was a kid. After receiving a kayak as a birthday present, he started exploring local creeks and canals, and his love of the sport grew from there. “I was raised […]

Gasparilla Island Kids Classic Tarpon Tournament this weekend

■ BY MARCY SHORTUSE First it was Ladies Day. Then it was World’s Richest. Now it’s the kids’ turn, as the 2017 Gasparilla Island Kids Classic Tarpon Tournament is scheduled to drop lines in the water at 5:30 p.m. in Boca Grande. The event, created by Capt. Sandy Melvin and Boca Grande Charities, Inc., is […]

Lighthouse boardwalk almost complete

■ BY SUE ERWIN If you’ve taken a walk near the water at Gasparilla Island State Park over the past year, you’ve most likely noticed that the boardwalks on the beach side were pretty much washed out. A few months ago, two state park rangers decided to do something about it. Robert Longo and Shannon […]