Written by Harry Kalajian, MDT on . Posted in Columns.
BY HARRY KALAJIAN As the weather gets hotter, your dog feels it too. Although we know not to walk our dog or get into any activity under the hot sun, we must take extra precautions. Your dog doesn’t know better; all they care about is playing, and their walks. So we, the owners, must have […]
Written by Guest Columnist on . Posted in Columns, Community History.
By KAREN GRACE It’s difficult to envision a boulevard in front of the beachfront houses but, as the accompanying 1919 photo shows, that’s how things were in the earliest years of the 20th century. The 1897 plat of the of the island north of what is now 1st Street shows 197 feet of high ground […]
Written by Anna Ridilla on . Posted in News, Sports & Outdoors.
The Gasparilla Island Kids Classic tarpon tournament, hosted by the Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce, will be held on June 7. Registration is from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the Pink Pony Courtyard. Fishing is from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and awards are at 7 p.m., back at the Pink Pony Courtyard, […]
Written by Arlene Hall on . Posted in Columns, News, Sports & Outdoors.
BY ARLENE HALL, BGSTA SECRETARY Sea turtle nesting activity on the island is picking up as we progress further into May. With this increase in activity comes the BGSTA’s annual reminder about how you can help protect nesting and hatching sea turtles by keeping the beaches clean, flat, and dark. This week, I will focus […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Entertainment, Profiles.
Editor’s Note: The following is an excerpt from a family biography of actor and producer Robert Burns Nachtmann, professionally known as Robert Dale Martin, the noted casting director of CBS during television’s golden age. He was the grandfather of Boca Grande resident Lisa Cottick, and father of Placida resident Jill Ediger. The self-published biography, written […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Community, Community History.
Looking back into previous Boca Beacon issues: FIVE YEARS AGO: The Seagate Development Group was reconstructing the pier accessible to the Hill Tide Estates. The pier used to be an old oil dock. TEN YEARS AGO: FPL was replacing utility poles along Gasparilla Road near 18th Street with more resilient poles, rated to winds up […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Letters to the Editor, Opinion.
To the Editor: As Yogi Berra once said about Coney Island, “Nobody goes there anymore, it’s too crowded.” Are we going to turn Gasparilla Island into Coney Island? How many cars do we have to have before it’s too crowded? 500, 1,000, 5,000, more? Are we supposed to take every square foot of our beautiful […]
Written by VAN HUBBARD on . Posted in Columns, Featured News, Opinion, Sports & Outdoors.
Tarpon season is in full swing. The Ladies Day tarpon tournament was successful despite windy weather. Capt. Frank Davis aboard the Native guided his sister-in-law to two silver kings and a first place win for their team. Ten tarpon were released. Boca Grande Pass live bait fishing has been productive with good catching in fair […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Community History.
FIVE YEARS AGO Family Tradition takes first place in the Quarantine Queens Classic, the island’s answer to the Ladies’ Day Tarpon Tournament when Covid gets in the way. TEN YEARS AGO The Island School was busy wrapping up their school year with several activities, including the talent show and the Mother’s Day Tea which was […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Breaking News, News, Sports & Outdoors.
T he World’s Richest Tarpon Tournament kicked off on Wednesday afternoon, May 14. There were 28 releases on the first day of fishing and 60 fish caught in total. “The wind stirs the pass up, and pushes them out,” said Capt. Christopher Taylor, president of the Boca Grande Fishing Guides Association, as he tried to […]