Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Community, News.
USPS sometimes dispatches mobile units Gasparilla Island continues to wait for the reopening of the Boca Grande Post Office, which has been closed since it was flooded during 2024 hurricanes. A reader suggested to the paper that perhaps the USPS could open a temporary branch of the post office on the island. “The size and […]
Written by Anna Ridilla on . Posted in News, Sports & Outdoors.
Lee County’s iguana-removal vendor for Boca Grande has resumed service after a three-month winter hiatus. “The break is there because it’s a stipulation of the contract written by Lee County,” said Tom Portuallo, owner and founder of Blue Iguana Pest Control Inc. Brian Ambrose is a technician for Blue Iguana which is the primary vendor […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Featured News, News, Sports & Outdoors.
Belinda Davie of England took this photo of a Altantic bottlenose dolphin near the fishing pier at the north end of Gasparilla Island on Tuesday, Feb. 25. There were at least two dolphins, but maybe more, she said. Catching in the air onshore is a challenge with a camera. “It is difficult to tell when […]
Written by Anna Ridilla on . Posted in Breaking News, Events, News, Sports & Outdoors.
Captains for Clean Water is holding a gathering at the Boca Bay Beach Club from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday, March 31, to discuss its work in helping protect the state’s water resources. The event will be hosted by Chandler Converse, Jim (Hooter) Hoyt, Peter Hellman, Chris Keller, Scott Hudspeth and Rich Weber […]
Written by Sheila Evans on . Posted in Profiles.
Regina S. Rockefeller Regina Rockefeller was 21 when she first came to Boca Grande. She was Regina Strazzulla, a young woman determined to make a difference in the world. She came to vacation with her boyfriend, Andy Rockefeller, and his family. Andy’s mother, Connie Wallace, and Regina formed a bond during that vacation that has […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Community, Sports & Outdoors.
Gasparilla Island Water Association thanks Margate city utility crews BY JERRY EDGERTON PRESIDENT, GIWA BOARD We would like to express our deep appreciation and gratitude to the City of Margate and its Department of Environmental and Engineering Services for their invaluable assistance in helping Boca Grande recover from the impact of Hurricane Milton. The team […]
Written by Boca Beacon Reader on . Posted in Letters to the Editor.
To the Editor: I read with increasing disappointment and real concern about the Lee County Commission’s continued failure to commit to any real transparency regarding the parking issue in Boca Grande. (Seems like it’s a pattern in government these days.) I’m going to say the quiet part out loud; whether intentional or not, this lack […]
Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in Editorial.
Early Thursday morning, there were high winds across the island. They caused waves that washed away newly deposited sand. Those winds, which brought much-needed rain, rustled the yellow reflective sticks that are placed in the middle of the Gilchrist median between 5th and 4th streets. Were they an art installation? Of a sort! Everyone knows […]
Written by Boca Beacon on . Posted in Obituaries.
James F. Carlin, of Boca Grande, FL, and Newport, RI, passed away on March 2, 2025, in Newport, Rhode Island. Adored and adoring husband of Brenda (Egan) Carlin for over 60 years. Born in Boston, MA, on April 30, 1940, to James F. and Mary T. (Looney) Carlin, Jim grew up in Peabody, MA, and […]
Written by Boca Beacon on . Posted in Obituaries.
James “Jim” Carroll Barany, born December 8, 1935, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, passed away peacefully on February 2, 2025, in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, with his family surrounding him. He was predeceased by his parents, Julius and Mary, his in-laws, Joseph and Martha Reuter, and his brother, John Barany. Jim is survived by his beloved wife of 62 […]