Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in Editorial, Opinion.
The dedication of the new island Christmas tree gave the island a moment of cultural clarity last Sunday night. It was a perfect evening – the cookies, the weather, the breeze, the sunset. The crowd that gathered was at minimum 500, using the Jacobs Method: Add up the people in a section and then count […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Community, News, Obituaries.
It is with great sadness to announce the passing of Jacob Patrick Halunen of Englewood, Florida on Thursday, November 23, 2023. Jacob was 19 years old. Born on October 22, 2004, to Michael Paul Halunen Sr. and Yvonne Diane (Barnthouse) Halunen. Jacob was a senior who would have been part of the graduating class of […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Entertainment, News.
From the Grand Ole Opry stage to Boca Grande, bluegrass and the Americana duo, Darin and Brooke Aldridge, will be performing at the Community Center in Boca Grande on Monday, Dec. 11. The Aldridges have enjoyed top spots on the Billboard, SiriusXM, Bluegrass Today, Bluegrass Unlimited, Americana/Roots, and Gospel charts. They have received multiple nominations […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Community History, News.
Almost ten years ago, James Blaha joined the Board of Directors of the Boca Grande Historical Society, and he and Rose Marie Blaha began to volunteer at the History Center. Their combined backgrounds include teaching, chairing humanities departments, museum administration, library resource centers and consulting. Jim notes that he spent several summers on archeology projects […]
Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in News.
A resident heading back home to Boca Grande had his most recent work of art, a Betsy Ross flag made of shark’s teeth, stolen while he stopped somewhere between Tampa and home. “The flag was the best one I have ever made,” said Frank Koffend, a historian, fisherman, park volunteer, author and a lifetime collector […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in News, Sports & Outdoors.
Gasparilla Island State Park is finishing a restoration project to remove invasive plants from the southern half of the island, north of Boca Grande Pass. Restoration projects are frequently undertaken at Florida’s state parks to ensure that native habitats thrive. Invasive plants alter native plant communities by out competing and displacing them but provide little […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Sports & Outdoors.
The Gasparilla Island Tennis Classic dates for 2024 have been set. The tournament, sponsored by the Boca Beacon’s publisher, Dusty Hopkins, will be held at the Boca Bay Pass Club, The Gasparilla Inn Tennis Club and the Boca Grande Club. The matches will begin on Saturday, Jan. 20 and will end on Saturday, Feb. 10. […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in News.
Each year, the Boca Beacon publishes a guide to all things Gasparilla Island, the Boca Beacon Visitor’s Guide. The annual publication is the official guide to Gasparilla Island. The booklet, which is free, has a 30,000 circulation. It is the only all-inclusive printed resource for visitors and residents to find out about all things Boca […]
Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in Opinion.
The first newspaper in the U.S. colonies was a weekly, like ours. Appearing on April 24, 1704, the “Boston News-Letter” was sold at a “shop near the Old Meeting House” and printed by Bartholomew Green, an early American notable whom many on this island might claim as an ancestor. That weekly paper carried news both […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Sports & Outdoors.
BY CAPT. WILL WATERHOUSE An amazing Thanksgiving week of fishing in Boca Grande. Look for the redfish near man- groves and deeper edges, the majority of the reds are on the smaller side, but some bigger fish are showing up. The snook are still chasing white with the snook some nice keeper trout are being […]