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GIWA and CCU: A look at our water (Part II of our series)

BY JACK SHORT Last week we published part one of our analysis of Consumer Confidence Reports, particularly those issued by the Gasparilla Island Water Association and Charlotte County Utilities. As we said last week, Consumer Confidence Reports measure levels of contaminants in drinking water. Contaminant levels detected fell far below maximum levels set by the […]

This is the last weekend to fish license-free in Florida

SUBMITTED BY THE FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION Every year the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has license-free fishing days. You may have missed free saltwater fishing last weekend, but this weekend, June 13 and 14, will be license-free for freshwater fishing. Florida residents and visitors need a Florida freshwater fishing or saltwater […]

Near drowning in Gasparilla Pass reported

BY JACK SHORT Charlotte County Fire and EMS and the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office were part of the response team that may have saved a man’s life after he nearly drowned on May 25, Memorial Day, in Gasparilla Pass, north of Gasparilla Island. According to representatives of CCSO and Charlotte County EMS the victim, Chris […]

Fires around the island, vandalism at South Beach reported

Several incidents kept area firefighters busy over the Memorial Day weekend, but none of them were on Gasparilla Island. We did have one crime report, though. On the afternoon of Saturday, May 23 firefighters from Charlotte County were battling a brush fire that burned more than 100 acres just northwest of Coral Creek Golf Course […]

The land of shamrocks and leprechauns: Ireland

BY JEAN NETHERY The Beacon welcomes back our occasional writer, Jean Nethery, who is writing this time about Ireland. This is part one in a two part series. As our Boeing 757 touched down on the Dublin runway I could almost hear the angels singing “When Irish eyes are smiling, sure ‘tis like a morn […]

More indicators of booming economic recovery

Shown in the two accompanying charts, mid-year tourist tax collections for Lee County (through March) have already surpassed FY10/11’s, not including late payments for that year. Lee County Tourism Development Council Director Tamara Pigott, collections for this fiscal year have already surpassed last year’s (for the same months) by nearly 16 percent.   Information compiled […]

BGIPOA and 5F sued over settlement agreement

Twenty five years of dispute seemed to have been put aside — at least for a day or so. The ink was barely dry on an agreement between the Boca Grande Isles Property Owners’ Association and defendants 5F, LLC, and 5F BA, LLC, when those three entities and several other parties were named as defendants […]

Gasparilla Island Kids Classic field almost full

BY MARCY SHORTUSE When you feed a kid a fish, they will eat for a day … or push it around on their plate, at least. When you teach a kid to fish, though, well … sometimes you’ll create a monster. That is what Capt. Sandy Melvin is hoping for after this year’s Gasparilla Island […]

Your pet could be a calendar star

To the Editor: Suncoast Humane Society is excited to announce that its 2016 Pet Calendar Photo Contest has officially begun. Your pet’s photos could be featured on the front cover of this exclusive pet calendar! Suncoast Humane Society has four convenient ways to enter your pet’s photo into the contest. You are able to upload […]