THIS DATE IN THE BOCA BEACON

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FIVE YEARS AGO

The Royal Palm Players were casting rehearsals for their season opener “Duets.”

TEN YEARS AGO

The Gasparilla Island Bridge Authority ad valorem tax referendum was voted down, 542 votes to 301. The money was to help fund the new bridge.

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO

State-mandated tax rollbacks took away the tax increase proposed by the “iguana” panel earlier in the year to pay for the program, and Lee County’s Public Resources officer Libby Walker said that George Cera had to go.

The Island School as we know it today was dedicated.

TWENTY YEARS AGO

There was no more smoking in island restaurants and bars. Capt. Marian announced she was bringing a trolley to town.

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

Gaspar, Inc. agreed to sell the causeway to GIBA for $7.9 million. The “baby” Publix, as we know it, was first proposed.

THIRTY YEARS AGO

Of the 550 registered voters on the island. 441 came out to vote. There were 107 votes for Clinton, 230 for Bush, one for Marrou and 97 for Perot.

THIRTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

Three men were caught for performing costly pranks. The trio of residents stole fire extinguishers from Silver King and The Inn, then sprayed the contents under the doors at the bank, the hardware store and the post office. The A/C units in each store sucked up the chemicals and distributed them throughout each building.