Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Featured News, News.
STAFF REPORT – Since its founding in 1948, the Boca Grande Woman’s Club has contributed over $4,000,000 for community projects, local non-profit organizations, and college scholarships. In response to the 2020 COVID-19 crisis, the club created an Emergency Relief Fund which provided over $600,000 to Boca Grande businesses and employees that were financially impacted. At […]
Written by BBadmin7502 on . Posted in News.
BY MISTY NICHOLS, GICIA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR In 1985 the Gasparilla Island Conservation and Improvement Association (GICIA) completed construction of the 5 miles of paved bike path that run from First Street north. In the 36 years since the dedication many things have changed. Boca Grande has increased its resident and visitor populations, the GICIA […]
Written by BBadmin7502 on . Posted in Featured News, News.
BY TONYA BRAMLAGE From the demolition of the Fellowship Hall, to the lifting of the old church building, to clearing the site for foundations, the vision of the Lighthouse Methodist Church parsonage building has now become a long awaited reality. “Parsonage” may be an old fashioned term for the housing a church provides to its […]
Written by BBadmin7502 on . Posted in Featured News, News.
BY MARCY SHORTUSE AND T. MICHELE WALKER So many stories have been written about the railroad that ran to Boca Grande, but one forlorn piece of that history that was moved off-island 25 years ago left the state of Florida with little fanfare and minimal recognition this past month. The old bridge-tender’s building that sat […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
BY MARCY SHORTUSE – On a bright sunny day, Mary Johnston can catch a glimmer of light. She is very matter of fact about the fact she is blind, as it is a process that has been taking place since she was very young. She feels blessed, particularly when she thinks about others who have […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
STAFF REPORT – The nominations are in for the 2020 Florida Press Association “Better Weekly Newspaper” contest, and the Boca Beacon is sitting on 16 nominations in various categories. The Beacon received two nominations out of three in the “Sports Page or Section” category, with entries from Capt. Sandy Melvin and the Beacon’s Art Director, […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
SUBMITTED BY THE GICIA – The Gasparilla Island Conservation and Improvement Association is kicking off its 50th year working to preserve island life, by announcing the 2021 Bike Path Safety Initiative. The initiative includes new rule cards to include a new rule on motorized vehicles, increased numbers of deputy conducted Bike Path safety details, an […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
The Barrier Island Parks Society and Mote Marine Laboratory will host a virtual series on Zoom on March 23 and 30 at 4 p.m. This is a free educational symposium and part of BIPS 4 BIPS Forums & Lecture Series. The first segment was held on March 16. RSVP for these segments and join BIPS […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Entertainment.
BY BOOTS TOLSDORF – With no lines to memorize this year for RPP, (yea!) I have turned to other endeavors, not unlike most of you. One of them was to organize 22 years of Royal Palm Players and me into scrapbooks. Hard to believe that in 2002, I came down the Community Center aisle dressed […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Obituaries.
Barbara Ketcham Leiter, age 76, passed from this life March 4, 2021 at the Venice Florida Regional Bayfront Hospital in the care of her family. Barbara was born in Peoria, IL on January 9, 1945 to John Robert and Ellen Shepherdson Ketcham. She died a resident of Peoria, IL and Boca Grande, FL following a […]