Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
■ BY CAPT. VAN HUBBARD Unfortunately, the talk of our town now is red tide and water quality/polluted local waters. For now, our local marine economy is virtually shut down. A few offshore boats are getting out into the Gulf fishing, though. This current outbreak followed our May rains. We’ve had problems with red tide […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
■ STAFF REPORT Florida’s 2018 “Back-to-School” sales tax holiday is set for August 3 to August 5 this year. Parents and students can save sales tax as follows: Clothing, footwear and certain accessories selling for $60 or less per item are exempt. “Clothing” means any article of wearing apparel, including all footwear. Bicycle helmets marketed […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
■ BY SUE ERWIN Despite the effects of red tide, sea turtle nest numbers are continuing to grow, hatchlings are making their way to the water, and excavations are being done by patrol members on a consistent basis. As of July 27, the Boca Grande Sea Turtle Association reported 614 Caretta caretta (loggerhead) turtle nests […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
■ STAFF REPORT The Lemon Bay Touchdown Club’s seventh annual fishing tournament is set for Saturday, Aug. 4 at Boca Grande Marina, 220 Harbor Drive, Boca Grande. Offshore anglers will fish for red grouper, snapper and a mystery fish. The inshore division will fish for redfish, trout and a mystery fish. There will be a […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Community History, News.
■ SUBMITTED BY TIMMY SPAIN Editor’s note: Columnist Tim Spain wrote a piece about the Albritton family in May, 2018. This is part two of that series. Aaron Robert Albritton or “Twister,” as many folks came to call him, was born in 1861 in Polk County. (I may well be wrong about the location.) He […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
■ STAFF REPORT Calling all volunteer boaters and snorkelers! Your help is needed for the annual Great Bay Scallop Search. The event is planned to take place from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 18. The purpose of the resource monitoring program is to document the health and status of bay scallops populations […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News, Profiles.
■ BY SUE ERWIN Jim Scholtz is the co-owner of Kappy Kart golf rentals and sales at the north end of the island, but he’s had several other interesting career paths before venturing into a business partnership in Boca Grande. Born and raised in a little town called Oak Creek, Wisconsin, Jim was drafted the day after he […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Editorial, Letters to the Editor, News, Opinion.
On July 31 the Boca Beacon sent emails to all Lee and Charlotte County commissioners, requesting that detailed water analyses be reported to the public regarding the water quality of Charlotte Harbor, the Myakka River and the Peace River at their confluence with the Harbor, Buck Creek, Gasparilla Sound, Lemon Bay, Little Gasparilla Island Pass, […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
■ STAFF REPORT A home at the end of Damfino Street sustained approximately $500,000 worth of damage on Monday, July 23 as a fire broke out under the floor at the home and smoldered for several hours. According to Boca Grande Fire Department reports, units responded to the home at 3:04 p.m. after it was […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
■ STAFF REPORT The deadline to change your party affiliation for the August 28, 2018 primary election is Monday, July 30, 2018. Early voting begins on August 18 and runs through August 26. Voting hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Early voting is not available in Boca Grande. Early voting locations in Lee County […]