The Boca Banner: Building a Better Community Together

A late afternoon boat ride along Boca Grande's Gulf shore turned hectic Tuesday, when Molly McBroom and Charlie Coleman spotted a distressed loggerhead in the surf near Shore Lane at 29th Street.

The sub-adult turtle was struggling about 10-12 feet from the beach when Molly and Charlie pulled in and started a series of cell phone calls for help in the rescue. Molly held the feeble turtle's head above water and helped Charlie get the 225 lb. animal to the beach.

The phone calls brought Gasparilla Island Turtle Patrol members and Boca Grande's Fire Department and others to the scene. More calls connected the rescuers with Mote Marine Laboratory and island resident Montell Marr who volunteered to take the turtle to Mote in Sarasota.

Dr. Debbie Fauquier, staff scientist of the strandings investigations program, and other staffers were waiting to assist and promptly named the loggerhead "Rachel."

On Wednesday, Fauquier told the Banner that the good news is that "She is still alive and doing okay." She said that "it's possible that Rachel could be suffering from lethargic loggerhead syndrome as well as red tide toxicosis and that the loggerhead was underweight.

"The question now is how much red toxin is affecting her. The treatment for pneu-

Charlie Coleman and Molly McBroom spotted the distressed loggerhead while on a casual, late afternoon boat ride.

Toward sunset on Tuesday, Bill Glass, Charlie Coleman, Molly McBroom on the left along with Kathleen Rohrer, Gene Marra, and Patty Kitchen use an improvised sling to take "Rachel" out of the surf.

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Index...

Foundation.....................pg 3
(Printed Edition)

Business award..............pg 5

Ron Hart..........................pg 6

Publisher’s Corner.........pg 7

Red Cross.......................pg 8
(printed Edition)

Wall art............................pg 9

Fust................................pg 12

Faith...............................pg 14

Estuary Days................pg 19

Rescue...........................pg 20

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A driving force behind the Boca Grande Lighthouse Museum, Kathleen Rohrer, has decided not to renew her contract that is up on Jan. 1.

Barrier Island Parks Society president, Pete Durno said in an email that Rohrer’s resignation was "accepted with regret." Rohrer told the Banner that there were "no snits, or negative feelings whatsoever" between her and the BIPS board of directors.

"I just want to be able to do more of the things I enjoy. I will still be a volunteer and continue my interests with the turtle patrol," said Rohrer. "It was with reticence that I took

the job, and my main objective then was to see the 'comfort station' be built and fulfill more of BIPS vision statement."

BIPS president, Pete Durno said Rohrer "would be a hard act to follow," and outlined some of her accomplishments while serving as BIPS executive director since 2003.

"Kathleen Rohrer became our second- ever executive director in July, 2003, replacing Marilyn Hoeckel. Her energy, dedication to BIPS,

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(Printed Edition)

The Board of Lee County Commissioners last Thursday finalized the county's fiscal year 2005-06 budget, which starts Oct. 1 and includes a $26-million tax

cut.

That may not translate into lower tax bills for everyone, however, said Pete Winton, assistant county manager.

"While it is the most significant tax cut in the last six or seven years, it's not a complete roll back. Each tax bill is calculated by so many variables -

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