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Flying monkeys do exist: an afternoon well spent with bats

■ BY SUE ERWIN While a tiny evening bat sat nestled in the front pocket of her jacket, Shari Blissett Clark gave a 90-minute presentation about Florida bats at the Boca Grande Community Center Auditorium on Friday, Oct. 25. Clark is president of the Florida Bat Conservancy. She’s dedicated the past four decades of her life […]

Mixing scripture and strength with the power of yoga

■ BY SUE ERWIN There are more than 4,500 people across the world who are trained to teach Holy Yoga, and one of them practices right here in Boca Grande. Leslie Barrett teaches a Holy Yoga class on Wednesdays at the United Methodist Church of Boca Grande. The classes are held at 9 a.m. on […]

Lit Forum begins season with ‘The Mercy Seat’

To the Editor: The Literature Forum will inaugurate its 2019-20 season on Thursday, November 7 with a presentation of “The Mercy Seat” by Elizabeth Winthrop. This brutally incisive and tender novel is a meticulously crafted portrait of race, racism and injustice in the Jim Crow era South. Lit Forum veteran Sandy Jacobs will lead the […]

Fundraiser planned for teacher with island ties battling rare disease

■ BY SUE ERWIN Lauren Hanrahan once taught kindergarten at The Island School. Now she teaches third grade at Englewood Elementary School. Lauren has a three-year-old daughter and a 9-month-old son, and she’s currently battling a disease that doctors are still trying to understand. When when she returned to school after maternity leave last April, she […]

Pet owners: Use caution when coming in contact with lakes, ponds inland

■ BY MARCY SHORTUSE Several readers have contacted me regarding the news reports nationwide of pets dying after swimming in water affected by Harmful Algae Blooms, or HABs. Blue-green algae, otherwise known as cyanobacteria, has been the culprit in most of the reports. Many dogs have died after swimming in the tainted water, and reports […]

The Kids Classic is coming soon … with ‘park & ride’

■ BY MARCY SHORTUSE The Gasparilla Island Kids Classic Tarpon Tournament that will be held on Saturday, June 1 this year is filling up fast, and Camp Margaritaville is in the final stages of planning. The tournament weekend begins on  Friday, May 31, when everyone is invited to come to the Boca Grande Community Center and […]

Visit the waters of Lemon Bay via a guided kayak trip with trained naturalists this month

To the Editor: Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center (CHEC) will be conducting free kayak excursions leaving from Cedar Point Environmental Park, 2300 Placida Rd., Englewood from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 18, Friday, May 24 and Wednesday, May 29. Additional dates may be found at CHECflorida.org. After an introductory program on safety and […]

Three thoroughbreds with island ties to run the Derby

■ BY SUE ERWIN Boca Grande’s own William S. Farish’s thoroughbred, Code of Honor, completed his major preparation earlier this week for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby by working a half-mile in less than 47 seconds with exercise rider Brian Duggan. The horse is kept at Lane’s End Farms in Versailles, Kentucky. Code of Honor, a chestnut-colored […]