ON THIS DATE IN THE BOCA BEACON

FIVE YEARS AGO

The cast of Royal Palm Players’ “Don’t Drink the Water” included Lynda Grant, Jim Grant, Ross Witschonke, Jeff Lehrian, Elaine Skypala and others.

TEN YEARS AGO

Rosemary Bowler gave a presentation called “Victims and Villians of Bad Press.”

The Gilchrist parking situation was discussed in Lee County DOT office in Fort Myers, as a group of residents armed with landscaping plans and big dreams told Randy Cerchie that “everyone was on board” with their idea.

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO

Marco Meola and Bart DeStefano bought South Beach from Grande Times, LLC. Kyle Harrington was the chef. The Boca Grande Community Planning Panel was talking about stone way-finding, ground-mounted pedestal signs, getting rid of diagonal parking on Park Avenue and creating more downtown loading zones.

TWENTY YEARS AGO

Deputies dressed as construction workers were shooting radar on Gasparilla Road. It was 30.2 degrees, leaving the bird bath water frozen along the bike path.

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

Smokey and Etta Smylie, Chauncey Goss, Doris Bishop, Joan Howe and Joanne Davis were picking up trash at the GICIA Super Saturday event.

THIRTY YEARS AGO

The Charlotte County boat ramp was officially opened.

THIRTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

With the closest EMS station in Holiday Lakes – at the other side of the Cape Haze Peninsula – island residents were pushing for the island to have their own.