On Saturday, March 19 the Gasparilla Island Maritime Museum opened their doors to the entire community for a Maritime Expo honoring the legacy of Isabelle and Barbara (The Whidden Sisters).
These women were two of the originators of the Gasparilla Island Maritime Museum, as it was their father’s dream, property and business that they were trying to keep alive. It is the board’s intention to continue their great legacy, preserving and maintaining our maritime history.

Our committee wishes to express our sincere appreciation to all who have donated to our annual fundraiser for Haiti. This year’s goal was to transform the lives of 50 families in Perginy by providing homes that would offer them a strong foundation filled with hope. A community center to hold church services, celebrations, community activities or simply provide a place to meet also is planned.

The entire tidal exchange that nurtured this natural estuary has been entirely blocked and cut off by the construction of Fiddler’s Green; no water passes south of the small bridge across what once was Lemon Creek, and in our driest season, fast approaching, the entire lake upland goes bone dry. Engineering work done by Divers and McCleod in December of 1985 refers to “Lemon Creek” with a line indicating mean high water line, which in my experience is a tidal reference. If the Beacon chooses to print any of this, I would hope that elders of the community that remember the Conway Bridge might speak up, this estuary should be restored. Unlike the tremendous amount of work that has been completed upland by the LBCWP, none would be required u

In my view Placida would not be well-served with additional high-impact/traffic multiplying commercial development. Hypothetically, Eldred’s Marina could very well one day become a resort. Placida would be nothing but a bottleneck. I am urging all local residents and County Commissioners to join me in calling for the preservation of the peaceful legacy of our community by low-impact/environmentally-friendly uses of these last remaining undeveloped acres of Placida.