Written by Staff Report on . Posted in News.
Lee County Solid Waste requests residents of Boca Grande to put their Hurricane Ian debris curbside by Tuesday, Jan. 3. Contractor continue collections of storm debris and residents are reminded to place green vegetation out for their regular yard-waste collection, which occurs weekly. Lee County this week marked another milestone for debris collection, with five […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in News.
The Lee Board of County Commissioners voted Tuesday, Dec. 20 to approve interlocal agreements to fund 14 Lee County Beach and Shoreline projects using more than $5.78 million in Tourist Development Tax revenue. One of the projects money is allocated for is in Boca Grande. The applicant is the Barrier Island Parks Society, and the […]
Written by Guest Columnist on . Posted in News.
BY SUSAN HANAFEE Notes of gratitude continue to pour into the Boca Grande Disaster Relief Fund, which was set up in the wake of Hurricane Ian to help businesses and other island essentials get back on their feet. “I wanted to take a moment and thank all parties, collectively, for their efforts to re-open the […]
Written by Sheila Evans on . Posted in News.
People have started noticing a change in the air. It is not only the cold fronts that have started bringing lower temperatures and lower humidity, but the air is full of birds. Recovery from Hurricane Ian is starting to happen among wildlife, as it is doing to many of the human species. Dr. Robin Bast, […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Obituaries.
Col. James Clark Dieffenderfer (“Jimmie Dee”), a long-time visitor to Boca Grande and the father of local resident Ann Fletcher, took his final flight on 16 September 2022. A decorated World War II hero and a man of extraordinary character, he leaves behind a loving and extended family, along with countless friends. He died peacefully […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Boca Beacon Back Pages.
A BOCA BEACON TIMELINE FIVE YEARS AGO Dr. Raymond James joined the Boca Grande Health Clinic staff. TEN YEARS AGO The Mote Marine Laboratory branch on the island was about to open and Cannon and Kyle Jones spoke to the Beacon about the school shooting in Newtown, Conn. It occurred at the elementary school they […]
Written by Boca Beacon Reader on . Posted in Letters to the Editor.
To the Editor: The Gasparilla Island Maritime Museum and Whidden’s Marina would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and happy holiday season. A special thank you to Sandy Melvin and Boca Grande Charities for their generous donation from the recent G.I.F.T. Tournament for assistance in cleaning up hurricane debris as we are working […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Columns, Community History.
FIVE YEARS AGO The Pink Pony got that really cool machine that presses pennies into different designs. TEN YEARS AGO Ed Seale passed away, a true Southern gentleman who helped shape Gasparilla Island with his real estate company. FIFTEEN YEARS AGO A company that was looking into purchasing the old Mercabo facility wanted to put […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Editorial, Opinion.
This has been a strange year. So was the year before it … and the year before it … and so on. It’s been a non-stop parade of “unprecedented” situations we’ve been experiencing, all the while trying to continue on with what we recall our “normal” lives to have been. That memory is slipping further […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in News, Police & Fire.
The actions of one local man erratically driving drunk last Friday, Dec. 9, could have had a much worse outcome than it did. According to witnesses, that day at approximately 7:30 a.m. Timmie Carroll Spain, 49, of Port Charlotte was northbound on Gasparilla Road and allegedly ran several people off the road in the Lee […]