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THIS DATE IN THE BOCA BEACON

TEN YEARS AGO A mystery survey was sent to random island residents, regarding Gilchrist Avenue parking? Who sent it? And why? FIFTEEN YEARS AGO A group that included Robert Johnson, sisters Carolyn Ryals and Janette Washington, Chevalia Scurry, Bumps and Janell Johnson and others discussed with the Boca Grande Historical Society what it meant to […]

ECOWATCH: An important reading adventure for August

August weather can often make some people uncomfortable, and that has made the month known as “the dog days of summer.” The Farmer’s Almanac says that the name is linked to the rising of Sirius, the Dog Star.  Ancient Egyptians, Romans and Greeks believed that the rising of Sirius in mid-to late summer caused the temperatures to rise and conditions to become less comfortable. Though temperatures remain hot and conditions humid in many parts of the northern hemisphere throughout the month of August, the dog days officially end on August 11.  

   While the dog days of summer may officially be over, no one has told the powers that be to shut the heat off, as so far, August is headed toward becoming the second-warmest month, with temperatures in the high 90s in Florida, while July 2023, at 99 degrees, is listed as the highest on record on Florida’s temperature chart.

OBITUARY: Sackett Snow Cook

Sackett Snow Cook died peacefully August 1 at Westview on Main in Fairhaven MA, with his wife of 41 years, Mary Elizabeth (White) Cook, by his side. He was born in Providence RI to Martha Sackett Snow Cook and Benjamin Ladd Cook Jr., president of Starkweather and Shepley Insurance Brokerage. Sackett attended Deerfield Academy and […]

OBITUARY: Joe D’Angelo

Sadly, our family announces that Joe D’Angelo departed this world on August, 1, 2023, at the youthful age of 86. He peacefully passed away at his home in Rotonda West, Florida.  Joe was born in Passaic, New Jersey to Elsie and Tony D’Angelo, a proud Italian family. After Belleville High School he joined the U.S. […]

PROFILE: Amy Cyr

Amy Cyr loves music, and she has since she was very young. Now she has joined The Island School as its music teacher, and she hopes to pass that love on to the young people there. 

Amy is excited about her new position at The Island School, and she feels it is the ideal place for her. 

“I’ve never really wanted to overextend myself to the point where I’m not giving my best to anything. You know, it’s easy to get like that when you want to have your hands in so many different things – you’re not giving your best to any of them. So, I’ve never pursued a full 9 to 5, because I work at night a lot and I’m a stay-at-home mom. Because The Island School is a smaller school, the schedule works out a lot better for me than a traditional K –12 public school. So it was an ideal situation, especially now, with both of my children being in school full-time. That opens up a brand new world. Now I have 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.open; it’s completely different.”

THIS DATE IN THE BOCA BEACON

FIVE YEARS AGO Was it red tide or Vibrio vulnificus that was making young stomachs upset, or back-to-school jitters? Either way, we had both. TEN YEARS AGO South Beach was missing three of their colorful Adirondack chairs, and sea turtle nests were being relocated thanks to an impending beach renourishment. FIFTEEN YEARS AGO A “Tinseltown […]

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Fishery Disaster Assistance options opening up

To the Editor:  Fisheries are an essential part of coastal economies, providing jobs for fishermen, fish processors and related maritime support industries. Since fisheries depend on the productivity of the environment, there are natural variations in the number of fish caught each year and in the revenue generated by the fishery. However, fisheries are also […]

Drilling equipment to arrive soon? We hope so

Drilling equipment to begin construction of the new permanent cell phone tower may show up as early as next week, according to representatives of the Boca Grande Cell Phone Tower Committee. After numerous frustrating delays and red tape, this is definitely good news.

One committee member, Steve Raville, said they had a call earlier this week that has given them some hope.

“There have been a number of delays in the proposed demolition of the bakery, relating to engineering and permitting issues,” he said. “Vertical Bridge has reviewed the situation with the various involved individuals and determined that construction can proceed and need not be delayed by the bakery situation.”

Historical Society to take over care of veterans’ marker on 5th Street

There’s a little-known memorial in Boca Grande that is about to get some much-needed love and care. It is the Veterans’ Memorial at the corner of Gilchrist and 5th St., by the entrance to The Gasparilla Inn’s Beach Club parking lot. 

There is a flagpole and flags there, but the memorial plaque is gone from the white monument. 

While it is currently unmarked, that is about to change with some help from the Boca Grande Historical Society, Lee County and other organizations that feel there should be an upgrade to the marker. 

Boca Grande Historical Society’s Executive Director Crystal Diff said details are still under wraps, since they are being finalized, but an official dedication is being planned for Veterans Day.