Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
■ 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 […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
■ STAFF REPORT The best thing to do if you find hatchlings that appear to be in dire jeopardy from red tide is to call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission hotline ((888) 404-FWCC) and report it. The FWC will then contact a member of the Boca Grande Sea Turtle Association. This allows the […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News, Profiles.
■ 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 […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Editorial, Letters to the Editor, News, Opinion.
To the Editor: We already miss all our wonderful customers. The Grapevine Gourmet and Gift closed its doors for the final time on June 30 at 5 p.m. With many tears, the Grapevine Girls raised a glass in a toast to friends we work with, to friends we made in our store and to the […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
■ 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 […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
■ 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 […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
■ 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 […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
■ 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 […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
■ STAFF REPORT The Lemon Bay Touchdown Club’s seventh annual fishing tournament is set for Saturday, Aug. 4 at Boca Grande Marina, 220 Harbor Drive, Boca Grande. Offshore anglers will fish for red grouper, snapper and a mystery fish. The inshore division will fish for redfish, trout and a mystery fish. There will be a […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
■ BY THE BOCA GRANDE HISTORICAL SOCIETY Robert Johnson is the historian of the Boca Grande Historical Society, a group in which he has played an important role for almost 25 years. But Robert’s interest in island history goes back even further because his family, like the Gaines, Padilla/Darnas, the Whiddens, the Colemans, the Coles, the […]