Written by Boca Beacon on . Posted in News.
Water service was interrupted for most of the island for several hours on Thursday, Aug. 6. As of 3 p.m., water pressure had been restored, though a boil-water notice will be in effect for at least the weekend.Bonnie Pringle of Gasparilla Island Water Association said their contractors were performing sewer repairs, when they compromised a water […]
Written by Boca Beacon on . Posted in News, Profiles.
BY JACK SHORT Three years ago, I wrote my first profile. The subject was a former ambassador to Morocco and an undersecretary general of the United Nations. I could barely fit his resume on any number of pages, and in trying to show how elite he was (and consequently how important I was), I produced […]
Written by Boca Beacon on . Posted in News.
Boca Grande has gorgeous beaches and, even though they are public, they have a wonderful way of giving beach goers a sense of privacy. As Boca Grande becomes more popular as a beach destination, the issues and perils of parking are going to have to be addressed. In light of that fact, the Gasparilla Island […]
Written by Boca Beacon on . Posted in News.
BY JACK SHORT Defendants have begun to answer accusations made against them in a lawsuit over access to Three Sisters Island. The lawsuit was filed almost immediately after the resolution of decades’ worth of acrimonious dispute between homeowners in Boca Grande Isles, a private, planned community connected to Gasparilla Island by bridge, and Three Sisters […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
BY MARCY SHORTUSE Just over the bridge and to your right there is a historic little piece of old Florida where you can find treasures all year long. It is one of the oldest inhabited points along the Charlotte Harbor Coast, and if you concentrate hard you can start to understand just how it used […]
Written by Boca Beacon on . Posted in News.
BY KAITLYN FUSCO Mote Marine Laboratory scientists are conducting a novel study of the protected goliath grouper offshore of Lee and Charlotte counties to understand where and when these fish aggregate, and what type of habitat supports them — critical information for ensuring population recovery of this species. Goliath grouper, capable of reaching several hundred […]
Written by Boca Beacon on . Posted in News.
A new update from the Gasparilla Island Bridge Authority shows that vehicle traffic on the Boca Grande Causeway can expect delays at various times during the next few months. Kathy Banson-Verrico, GIBA’s executive director, said the delays will be to accommodate material deliveries and construction activities. Kathy said the new tender house roof, windows, air […]
Written by Boca Beacon on . Posted in News, Profiles.
BY JACK SHORT Gene Glidden is soft-spoken, ruddy-cheeked man whose cheerful demeanor belies the ruthlessness of the man who sits atop a commercial and residential painting empire. Just kidding. But he is absolutely cheerful, if a little quiet, and he built a business out of nothing that now reaches into several counties. In 40 years, […]
Written by Boca Beacon on . Posted in News.
The Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce office has moved into a new location, but will remain closed until October 1. The Chamber’s new location will be on Park Avenue adjacent to the Pink Pony (a.k.a. Dolphin Cove). Step into the courtyard on the south side of the building and you will see the new […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News, Opinion.
BY MARCY SHORTUSE So this week we had a lesson in social media. The tale of Sam Samsonov, “our Sam,” as we call him, went viral worldwide. The story of a man who collected tolls for the Gasparilla Island Bridge Authority for almost 30 years was picked up and made it into the worldwide media […]