THIS DATE IN THE BOCA BEACON

FIVE YEARS AGO

The Barrier Island Parks Society announced they would be relighting the restored Gasparilla Island Lighthouse (the Range Light) following the installation of a replica of the original fourth-order Fresnel lens needed.

TEN YEARS AGO

At the Whidden’s Back Bay Tournament a lot of fish were caught. The first-place team included anglers Capt. Mike and Karress Slattery and Capt. Dan Kristin Stickley.

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO

Becky Paterson’s “McCain in July of 2007” bumper sticker was ripped off her golf cart, her yard sign for McCain was stomped, and someone took her father’s sign from his yard completely. 

TWENTY YEARS AGO

Local teachers Ori Boyum and Michele Schecter dressed in inflatable cow costumes and took the Halloween celebration at The Island School by storm.

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

An ad-hoc committee of the Gasparilla Island Conservation and Improvement Association, which was formed to study the possibility of incorporating Boca Grande, voted to hold town meetings prior to taking a stance on the matter. 

THIRTY YEARS AGO

Gaspar, Inc., owners of the Causeway back then, requested that Charlotte County pay it $15,000 for an easement to cross bridge company land accessing the Placida boat ramp.

THIRTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

 The annual Bocaween party brought out characters such as Spencer Paterson as Humpty Dumpty, shark Corky Dunn and Alice Dutton as Shirley Temple.