Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Boca Beacon Back Pages.
Boca Beacon backpages FIVE YEARS AGO We lost Capt. Freddy Futch. Also, Charlotte County Planning and Zoning went against county staff’s recommendation and voted not to put their seal of approval on rezoning for the Fishery property. TEN YEARS AGO Bob Fletcher was stunning in drag in “California Suite” and spaghetti dinners and pancake breakfasts […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
Over the past week, the red tide organism, Karenia brevis, was detected in 135 samples from and offshore of Southwest Florida, and one from Northwest Florida. Bloom concentrations (>100,000 cells/liter) were present in 58 samples from Southwest Florida: four in Manatee County, 12 in Sarasota County, five in Charlotte County, and 37 in and offshore […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
This week something happened on the island that shook many people. It angered them, it confused them and it struck a chord in them that resonated with a sonic boom. Many of those people are Island School parents. Late last Friday afternoon a letter went out to school parents explaining that a registered sexual offender […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Community, News, Sports & Outdoors.
When Capt. Sandy Melvin, Bill Klettke and Michael Vaughn founded the Gasparilla Island Kids Classic more than a decade ago, it was with one objective in mind – to create a fast-paced, action-packed fishing tournament for kids, while teaching them about the value of helping others. Kids helping kids. That was what it was all […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
Lemon Bay Conservancy will hold a public open house at Lemon Creek Wildflower Preserve on Saturday, Feb. 11 that will included guided trail walks, environmental presentations and more. The first walk of the day, aptly named the “Early Bird” Birding Walk, will depart at 8 a.m. to observe some of the upland and wetland bird […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Boca Beacon Back Pages.
Boca Beacon backpages FIVE YEARS AGO The sale of Las Olas, a home that was once part of the Crowninshield compound on Gilchrist Avenue, broke island real estate records when it sold for $13 million. TEN YEARS AGO The Boca Grande Chamber of Commerce announced that the two-day competition would also include the traditional art […]
Written by Boca Beacon Reader on . Posted in Letters to the Editor.
To our island community: We deeply regret any worry or concern that recent events have caused members of our community. We are aware of the concerns of The Island School regarding an individual that we have contracted to work on one of upcoming productions. The welfare and well-being of our island children has always been […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Letters to the Editor.
To the Editor: Residents needing assistance with removal of storm debris on private property are reminded to apply to the Florida Division of Emergency Management by visiting iandebriscleanup.com or calling (850) 961-2002. Lee County has collected about 6 million cubic yards of debris to date. When the March 29 FEMA reimbursement deadline passes, an estimated […]
Written by Boca Beacon Reader on . Posted in Letters to the Editor.
To the Editor: The Florida Department of Health in Lee County has issued health alerts for the presence of a red tide bloom. An alert level of red tide was found near Buck Key (Blind Pass), Gasparilla Island State Park (Boca Grande Pass), Tarpon Bay Road Beach (Sanibel), and Lighthouse Beach (Sanibel). This is in […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Community History.
The first History Bytes lecture of the 2023 season, brought to you by the Boca Grande Historical Society and Bank of America, regarded grave matters of the island – literally. The presentation given by Boca Grande Historial Society Executive Director Crystal Diff and Scott Shively, Charlotte County historian, was all about local cemeteries … including […]