Written by Anna Ridilla on . Posted in Featured News, News, Sports & Outdoors.
Original at bank office Artist, designer, musician and all-around “Groovy Dude” Brendan Coudal has created this year’s artwork titled “Quick Release” for the 2024 Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce Ladies Day Tarpon Tournament. Brendan’s painting depicts a jubilant team of tournament anglers celebrating a quick release near the boat. The original is a 24 […]
Written by Anna Ridilla on . Posted in Featured News, News, Sports & Outdoors.
The Gasparilla Island Kids Classic tarpon tournament is set for June 8, organized by the Boca Grande Chamber of Commerce. The event is advised by Boca Grande Charities, which originally founded and ran the tournament since 2011. This is the second year that the Chamber has taken over the tournament and the theme is “Kids […]
Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in Breaking News, News.
This week, there were two more 5G Verizon small cell towers erected on Gasparilla Island. They are part of a series of Verizon “small cell” wireless towers that will provide a secondary service in addition to the cell service from the new cell tower downtown. “One live ‘small cell’ on the very north side of […]
Written by Anna Ridilla on . Posted in Breaking News, News, Police & Fire.
‘Dual sync’ defib takes charge from both sides The Boca Grande Fire Department responded to a call at Gasparilla Outfitters on February 29, 2024, using new technology. The procedure saved customer Frank Ruby, who had gone into cardiac arrest while in the store. To save him, they utilized a new process called dual synchronization defibrillation, […]
Written by Anna Ridilla on . Posted in News.
Restoration work is nearly complete at the Amory Chapel and the Port Boca Grande Lighthouse, both damaged during Hurricane Ian. The Amory Chapel, which sits to the north of the lighthouse, was closed after Ian. Today, it is almost 100 percent repaired except for the external lights, said Sharon McKenzie, executive director of the Barrier […]
Written by Boca Beacon on . Posted in Letters to the Editor, Sports & Outdoors.
BY KATHY FUTCH Tarpon fishing became quite the sport in Boca Grande Pass, which is the deepest natural harbor in Florida. When the water temperature is just right and full of tasty shrimp and crabs, the hungry Silver Kings travel up from their time in Key West and settle in. Having both fresh water (Charlotte […]
Written by Boca Beacon on . Posted in Letters to the Editor.
To the Editor: Your April 12 editorial (Why Placida Matters to Gasparilla Island) is very much on point. I wonder if what you’re describing is essentially what the Comprehensive Plan should contain. I get the sense that maybe, just maybe, we in the Cape Haze Peninsula are ready to have another kick at the comprehensive […]
Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in Community, Editorial.
There are many “very important” and “formerly very important” or “previously important” or “pretty important” people on Gasparilla Island. We have acronyms for them. This week, we spied one of the well-known and still-very-important persons offering to help a local retailer move some tables and supplies from her car, into a retail shop. He was […]
Written by Sheila Evans on . Posted in Profiles.
Jo Hackl, building grit Jo and Bob Hackl love Boca Grande and appreciate the sense of “intellectual curiosity” and “generosity” they feel when on the island. They enjoy the movies at the Community Center, the interesting speakers and the overall depth of community involvement they experience when in Boca Grande. The Hackls are on Harbor […]
Written by Sheila Evans on . Posted in Profiles.
Ben and Louise Scott are not preachers; they are business people. Ben was a very successful owner of multiple franchises with McDonald’s Restaurants until his retirement in 2001. They know who has been supporting their business success, however, and do not mind telling people. It is God. Ben has even written a small book on […]