Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
BY MARCY SHORTUSE – While no sea turtle nests have been found yet this season on Gasparilla Island, May 1 heralds the beginning of this very special time. Most residents who live on the island year-round may feel like they know sea turtle regulations pretty well, but we like to take this week every year […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
STAFF REPORT – If you haven’t had a chance yet this season to stop by and shop at Boca Bargains, you can draw a sigh of relief. The ladies of the Boca Grande Woman’s Club have announced they will keep the store open through May, by appointment only. A maximum of six shoppers will […]
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BY TONYA BRAMLAGE AND MARCY SHORTUSE – It’s common to hear the phrase “There is no use in dredging things up,” but when it comes to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – the people charged with keeping U.S. waterways unobstructed for boats and ships – they feel just the opposite is true. Recently the […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News, Sports & Outdoors.
STAFF REPORT – After taking 2020 off because of COVID-19, the Gasparilla Island Kids Classic Tarpon Tournament will return on Saturday, June 5, and will be held in Boca Grande Pass from 3 to 6 p.m. According to Capt. Sandy Melvin, the founder and coordinator osf the tournament, this is the world’s greatest kids fishing […]
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STAFF REPORT – The Basin Sailing Yacht Club held its annual “World Championships” on Sunday, April 25 at the Boca Bay Powerhouse lagoon, with local legend John Foster taking the lead amongst many prestigious and worthy opponents. Racing conditions were typical with shifty westerly breezes, and the heats were close. The final outcome after eight […]
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BY KAREN GRACE AND THE BOCA GRANDE HISTORY CENTER – The beginning of the du Pont family in Boca Grande came in 1916 or 1917 when Louise (du Pont) and Frank Crowninshield rented Frank’s brother’s (Benjamin) Gulf front cottage. In the years that followed, Louise and Frank bought land at First Street and Gulf Boulevard, […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News, Obituaries.
Michael (“Mike”) A. Calahan, formerly of Boca Grande, died unexpectedly at his home in Fort Lauderdale on April 17, 2021. Mike and his wife, Midge, built a home in Boca Bay in the mid-1990s and resided there on a seasonal basis for almost 20 years, sharing residences between Holland, Michigan, Lexington, Kentucky, and Boca Grande. […]
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BY T MICHELE WALKER – Zoom meetings are as ubiquitous as love bugs in spring. After months of coffee interviews and visits to lovely homes and marinas, the Boca Beacon finally had our first profile Zoom interview with Cathy Ballman from St. Paul, Minnesota. “Zoom fatigue is all too real,” Cathy said, as she sat […]
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BY SUSAN HANAFEE – Excuse us for stating the obvious: The housing market in Boca Grande and environs is hotter than Florida asphalt in September and shows no signs of cooling off. The situation prompted Kevin Hyde of Parsley-Baldwin Real Estate, a district vice president for Florida Realtors, to post a humorous comment on Facebook […]
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STAFF REPORT – Join Lee County Parks & Recreation as they host an open house from 1 to 2 p.m. on Friday, April 30, in the auditorium at the Boca Grande Community Center, 131 First St. West for a proposed dog park coming to Boca Grande. The park is planned for the Wheeler Road ball […]