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THIS DATE IN THE BOCA BEACON

Boca Beacon backpages FIVE YEARS AGO Work began on the new Gasparilla Island Water Association, The Island School held their annual Friendship Dance and the Pine Leaf Boys were shakin’ it at the Historical Society fundraiser. TEN YEARS AGO Florida Field was making cookies at the Child Care Center, Tom Gilligan was making the kids […]

Lee County Sheriff and staff meet with island organization heads to discuss employment of person on sex offender list

The explanation is this: Currently Lee County looks at the entire grounds of the Boca Grande Community Center as a “park.” A park has more restrictions than a school, in the fact that a sex offender can be at a school with proper supervision, and with good reason to be there (and prior approval). A sex offender cannot be at a “park” in Lee County while children are present. 

Lack of cell phone service almost claims a life

“I drove up to her and put the truck in park, said ‘Excuse me, Ma’am,’ and then she fell,” he said. “She fell hard. I tried calling 911 I think three times and my phone kept sending the message that it couldn’t find a mobile network. I work just about six houses down from where this was, and at that house I can make phone calls.”

You’ve heard of black holes, but blue holes? 

Emily and Jim talk about the blue holes of the Gulf Mote Marine Laboratory is sharing some of its most interesting research with Boca Grande audiences through a series of presentations called Coffee with a Scientist. This week there were two scientists having coffee and sharing their research on blue holes in the Gulf of […]

The UMW Strawberry Festival celebrates 30-plus years of helping the needy

“Despite a few leftover challenges from the hurricane, the church women are moving ahead full steam to ensure that this year’s event is as much fun as in previous years,” said Gloria Mitchell, who along with her daughter, Amy Mitchell, is co-chairing the event. “This year’s festival will signal our efforts to return to normal and, of course, will underscore the need to help others that are still suffering as a result of the storm.”

‘Art on Banyan, Five Women’ exhibit coming soon

It’s the sixteenth year of celebrating creative innovation for the “Art on Banyan: Five Women” Exhibit, presented at the Boca Grande Art Center. This year the group welcomes a new addition, ceramic artist Carol Mack. Her passion for both clay and printmaking is revealed in her delicate vessels, which employ multiple applications of incising, underglazes, […]

History Bytes continues with the always-lively Futch family tales

It started when she had first moved to the Englewood Beach area from the bright lights of Detroit. She was not smitten with the area, but when she met a young man flagging down a car to get him from Venice to Boca Grande, smitten she was. She told him – Mark Futch – she could only take him to Englewood Beach, but ended up driving him all the way to his intended destination. That was in February of 1975. They were married in May. “I was swept off my feet,” she admits.

Missing woman found, missing scuba diver found this past week

The Boca Grande Fire Department and island Lee County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to several calls this past week, included one of a missing woman who was found, and an agency assist to locate a missing scuba diver. On Thursday, Feb. 9 at approximately 12:11 p.m. the Boca Grande Fire Department responded to an agency […]

Gary Mormino shares history of Florida’s growth

At this month’s “Let’s Talk About Florida” book discussion, author Gary Mormino shared comments on his book, “Land of Sunshine, State of Dreams.” Gary shared that one of his great interests is World War II and the impact it had on the subsequent growth of Florida from a small southern state to the third most populous state in the nation, after the two other Sunbelt states, California and Texas. The book analyzes the many changes that occurred between 1950 and 2000 but Florida’s growth and development have continued to a present day population of more than 22 million people.