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September 11, 2025
BY THE BARRIER ISLAND PARKS SOCIETY Editor’s Note: This is one of six weekly wildlife articles submitted by the Barrier Island Parks Society to raise awareness about the issues facing our island…

September 11, 2025
“All magic comes with a price, dearie” Rumpelstiltskin, a character on ABC’s Once Upon a Time On Aug. 21, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released a white paper and supporting materia…

September 4, 2025
BY ARLENE HALL, BGSTA SECRETARY Wow, the 2025 sea turtle nesting season is sure winding down quickly now! If you’ve been tracking the weekly statistics in the Boca Beacon, you may have noticed th…

September 4, 2025
Virtual dog training allows owners to access real-time video sessions with professional trainers. It’s fun and it works without having to leave your house, and your dog will be in a comfortable envi…

September 4, 2025
BY THE BARRIER ISLAND PARKS SOCIETY Editor’s Note: This is one of six weekly wildlife articles submitted by the Barrier Island Parks Society to raise awareness about the issues facing our island…

September 4, 2025
“The Skies Belong to the Birds and we must safeguard their migratory routes.” Attributed to Rachel Carson, American marine biologist and conservationist, and writer of the 1960 book, “Silent Spri…

August 28, 2025
BY ARLENE HALL, BGSTA SECRETARY Since May 1st, a hearty group of BGSTA volunteers have been out in the early morning patrolling Gasparilla Island beaches to document and monitor sea turtle nestin…

August 28, 2025
BY JAMES J. BLAHA, DIRECTOR BOCA GRANDE HISTORY CENTER “In order to understand the difference between the Boca Grande of 1949 and today, you have to realize that in 1949, Gasparilla Island, of ne…

August 28, 2025
Editor’s Note: This is one of six weekly wildlife articles submitted by the Barrier Island Parks Society to raise awareness about the issues facing our island communities. BY THE BARRIER ISLAND P…

August 28, 2025
“Accepting that one day your role might be handled by a robot is a hard pill to swallow. But if you can learn anything from history, it’s that when machines take over, workers must learn to adapt an…