Tag: NoPaywall

Lee County seizes and loses first grader’s bike

January 26, 2024
Garland Pollard
Breaking News, News

Story updated 1-26. See editor’s note at bottom. Two Island School students, including a first grader, had their padlocked bikes impounded by Lee County over Christmas vacation, in spite...

GIBA and Boca Grande Causeway scores highly in annual maintenance report

January 25, 2024
Garland Pollard
Featured News, News

Members of the Engineering Committee of the Gasparilla Island Bridge Authority met Tues., Jan. 23 to go over, literally, the nuts and bolts of the bridge. Engineering Committee Chairman George Milne...

2024 Chowder Dinner adds Super Day Express, Sassy Tarts

January 19, 2024
Staff Report
Education, Events

The Chowder Dinner for The Island School continues to add participants. Seven new eateries have recently joined the list for this fundraiser. The dinner is the PTO’s main fundraiser, and proceeds go...

This Date in 1999: Boca Grande decides against incorporation

January 19, 2024
Staff Report
Community History

FIVE YEARS AGO, 2019 The Vasher, Simmons, Dowgiallo, Stockdale and Tincher families enjoyed the NFL Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Washington Redskins game as both teams vied for a seat at the NFL...

Historic Port Boca Grande Lighthouse Museum set to reopen after Hurricane Ian restoration

January 19, 2024
Staff Report
Community, Events

The Port Boca Grande Lighthouse & Museum, a cherished local landmark and the oldest structure on Gasparilla Island, is thrilled to announce its reopening to the public on Monday, Feb. 5. This marks...

Sawfish expert is launch speaker for new marine biology series

A new marine ecology education series will feature independent researchers on marine biology issues critical to Cape Haze and Charlotte Harbor. The Lemon Bay Coastal Seminar Series, set for an inaugural...

Bishop Doug Scharf to visit Boca Grande, St. Andrew’s this Sunday

January 18, 2024
Staff Report
Community, Events, News

The Rt. Rev. Douglass Scharf, the Bishop of the Diocese of Southwest Florida, will visit St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church on Sunday, January 21, 2024. Bishop Scharf was elected bishop coadjutor...

Reflecting on the Naples-ization of the Boca Grande landscape

January 18, 2024
Staff Report
Columns, Editorial, Opinion

By JIM COCHRUN,GUEST EDITORIAL I grew up in Naples in the early ’50s. In those years, Naples was a small, tranquil and pristine Old Florida community of 1,500 residents. The bulk of the population...

2024 Gasparilla Island Tennis Classic opens Saturday, Jan. 20

January 13, 2024
Sheila Evans
Sports & Outdoors

It is that time of year when all eyes turn to the island’s tennis courts. The 2024 Gasparilla Island Tennis Classic opens Saturday, Jan. 20, and runs through Feb. 10. With an array of tournaments...

Backcountry fishing, scattered snook on our higher tides

January 12, 2024
Staff Report
Sports & Outdoors

BY CAPT. WILL WATERHOUSE The backcountry fishing has been off to a great start this new year! We have been targeting pretty much everything from snook, redfish, and trout along with some pompano. Look...