Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in Community, Featured News, News.
A supposed conflict resolution meeting on Monday morning between Charlotte County and Lee County got no further in resolving the differences on beach access and parking in Boca Grande. The meeting, held at the Punta Gorda Charlotte Library, was a state-mandated session between the two counties. The process is called Chapter 164, designed expressly for […]
Written by Angela McPhillips on . Posted in Profiles.
A membership welcome at Coral Creek Sue Schultz has spent much of her time in Southwest Florida working behind the scenes of island life, helping visitors, seasonal residents and locals feel welcome. Originally from Lake Grove on Long Island, N.Y., Schultz moved to the area about 20 years ago after discovering Southwest Florida and deciding […]
Written by Boca Beacon Reader on . Posted in Letters to the Editor.
To the Editor: Monday’s conflict resolution meeting between Lee and Charlotte County over the Lee parking ordinance was the shortest political meeting I’ve ever attended. What? 20-some minutes INCLUDING the pledge of allegiance? For a “seasoned” politician, commissioner Kevin Ruane seemed overly sensitive to people’s murmurs of skepticism of the public hearings he claims were […]
Written by Boca Beacon Reader on . Posted in Community, Letters to the Editor.
To the Editor: Life on Boca Grande comes with certain charming quirks we’ve all grown to love: the golf carts, the afternoon storms that appear out of nowhere, and the simple pleasure of running into neighbors at the Post Office while checking our P.O. boxes. It’s part of what makes the island feel like a […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Community History.
FIVE YEARS AGO The Gasparilla Island Tennis Classic was canceled due to COVID-19. The first COVID shots were distributed at the Boca Grande Health Clinic. TEN YEARS AGO The new swing bridge opened to traffic for the first time. The new 22-foot-tall bridge had been under construction since 2012. Happy VanBeuren and her dog, Penny, […]
Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in Editorial.
Next week, Charlotte County will submit an application to the state for help in acquiring two properties in Placida that abut Coral Creek and the Causeway intersection. This discussion is good. We need more public lands and publicly accessible places in Charlotte County, indeed across Florida. We also need open-space lands to absorb the things, […]
Written by Angela McPhillips on . Posted in Profiles.
From standing on cars to running the show For longtime Boca Beacon readers, the Chitwood name may stir a memory. In the May 18, 1990 edition of this paper, Joie Chitwood Jr. was featured in a profile that captured a life shaped by speed, showmanship and a deep family tradition in racing. More than three […]
Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in Editorial.
An interesting idea for New Year’s Eve 2026. What if, instead of a ball drop or some other countdown, we de-levitated a Boca Nut from the Boca Beacon at an earlier time, when some other island nation drops the ball? Then we could get New Year’s over with and go on about our business, with […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Community History.
FIVE YEARS AGO Englewood Helping Hand received a $5,000 donation from Boca Grande’s Lighthouse United Methodist Church. TEN YEARS AGO The Gasparilla Island Conservation and Improvement Association announced that they had reached the $20 million mark in pledges for the Mercabo site and were aiming for the $22 million mark. FIFTEEN YEARS AGO A mulch […]
Written by Boca Beacon Reader on . Posted in Letters to the Editor.
To the Editor: Thank you Molly and Todd Simonds for your recently published letter regarding leaf blowers vs. the RAKE. (See ‘Dear Islanders: Try a blower free Christmas week’ Boca Beacon, Dec. 12, 2025) Can the winds of change be in the future? We hope so. Please respect us as full-time residents who are being […]