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OBITUARY: Garfield Beckstead

Garfield Ray Beckstead, founder and owner of Useppa Island Club, passed away peacefully on the evening of February 16, 2021 at the age of 82 after a long and bravely fought battle with cancer. Gar spent his last days surrounded by the joy and love of his entire family, especially enjoying seeing all four of […]

EDITORIAL: Something to be remembered by; would you be willing to leave a legacy to the people of Placida and Boca Grande?

BY MARCY SHORTUSE – Just across the little bridge by the Fishery is a 91-acre piece of land that for many of us is a piece of old Florida eye candy. You’ll recognize the parcel I mean by mentioning the cows and the long driveway that leads to a little farmhouse, right on the other […]

LBHS prom will carry on, thanks to parents and sponsors

BY MARCY SHORTUSE – A few weeks ago, when the Rowe family heard that prom for Lemon Bay High School seniors might be canceled, Kim Rowe’s daughter had something to say about it.  “You’ll do something, right Mom?” Rowe’s daughter implored. “You can do it, right?” “Of course,” Rowe said. In the course of just […]

What women need to know about heart disease

BY LAUREN HANA MD –  In honor of American Heart Month, in our continuing series on heart health, today I want to focus on women and heart disease. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  More women die […]

No festival, but plenty of strawberries ‘ to go’

BY SUSAN HANAFEE – The annual Strawberry Festival on Boca Grande, sponsored by the United Methodist Women (UMW), will not be held this year. But there will be strawberries and Jan Myer’s famous shortcake “to go” after all. From 12 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 27, at the Methodist Church entrance on Gilchrist, prepared […]

Fred Rich presents his latest novel at Fust for Booknotes 2021

T MICHELE WALKER – The Johann Fust Library Foundation kicked off it’s Island Booknotes 2021 with a successful virtual livestream event on Thursday, February 11.  Featuring author Fred Rich, who spoke about his latest novel “Escape from Extinction: An Eco-Genetic Novel” the meticulously planned event went off without a hitch.  “The preparations for this program […]

Hindsight is 2020 …

BY KATHY JAMES – No one will dispute that the year 2020 had its challenges, the biggest being COVID-19, the global pandemic. It was and is devastating to so many people for so many reasons in terms of life, livelihood, and mental health. It is too soon to know its total measurable impact just yet, […]

GICIA Mercabo Cove seagrass planting effort brought to light

SUBMITTED BY THE GICIA – In January 2016, the Gasparilla Island Conservation and Improvement Association successfully acquired the Mercabo property located at the entrance to Gasparilla Island. It was in late 2015 that a rumor began to circulate that an offer had been made by a resort developer to purchase the 30 acres, armored by […]