Written by Anna Ridilla on . Posted in Breaking News, News, Sports & Outdoors.
Charlotte County environmental specialists have posted a bird nesting area at the north end of Gasparilla Island in front of Island Court, but numbers have been unusually low due to human disruption. Susie Derheimer, coastal environmental specialist for Charlotte County Community Services, has observed one adult least tern on a nest and five other individuals […]
Written by Boca Beacon Reader on . Posted in Letters to the Editor.
To the Editor: It is hard to dispute that the residential roadways of Boca Grande have become overwhelmed with parked cars. The issue has increased steadily, to the point that the streets in our historic district between 1st and 19th Streets have become completely full of cars, and cars have begun filling up not only […]
Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in Editorial.
This Tuesday, the first rain of the season arrived. It was a real rain, too, precisely at 2:29 p.m., and resulted in some “nostalgic” puddles on the sides of the roads, ably slurped up by the sandy soil. It was also the first week we got word that turtles arrived on cooled-off sand, and nesting […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Breaking News, News, Sports & Outdoors.
Lee County reopened the Boca Grande 5th Street Beach Access at dawn on Monday, April 28. This temporary access includes parking spaces and a ramp down to the beach. Patrons are advised that the current ramp is temporary and does not fully comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act standards. A permanent, ADA-compliant ramp is […]
Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in Breaking News, News, Uncategorized.
Overuse for irrigation this week has resulted in low pressure for water on the island. “We had about 30 percent chance of running out of water,” said Ron Bolton, executive director of Gasparilla Island Water Association, reached this morning. Bolton has made individual calls to larger water clients who use irrigation. Water pressure has been […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Community History.
FIVE YEARS AGO The United Methodist Women distributed funds from the Strawberry Festival to multiple local charities during the Coronavirus shutdowns. TEN YEARS AGO Island School students presented their artwork at the Boca Grande Art Alliance exhibit. FIFTEEN YEARS AGO More than 25 island business owners pledged to stay open during the summer months. The […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Community, News.
For more than 75 years, the Boca Grande Woman’s Club has consistently fulfilled its mission of community improvement through contributions to community projects, local non-profit organizations, and local scholars. The Club is grateful for the support and generous contributions of island residents and businesses in achieving the Club’s mission. In response to Hurricanes Helene and […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in News, Sports & Outdoors.
Charlotte County will re-landscape Gasparilla Road, in an ordinance passed on April 8 at their regular meeting’s consent agenda. The landscape plan for County Road 771, which will be on the four-lane part of the highway from McCall Road, will cost $621,829.98, with a contract from Brightview Landscaping Services, Inc. The landscape design by Johnson […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Featured News, News.
At the quarterly meeting of the Gasparilla Island Bridge Authority, Executive Director Kathy Banson reported Wednesday, April 23 that traffic was down 8 percent this year, though there was a record day on March 19, when there were 5,635 vehicles in one day. Bridge openings are also down 33 percent, averaging about three a day. […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Breaking News, Community, Events, News.
There will be an open forum on the Lee County’s proposed parking regulations on Tuesday, May 13, at Lighthouse United Methodist Church. It will be an opportunity for all to hear about the issue. The forum is at 2 p.m. County staff and elected officials have been invited to speak on the proposed ordinance. Also […]