Written by Staff Report on . Posted in News.
BY JACK SHORT The following is the final part in an ongoing series of recollections of a recent Cuba trip made by the Boca Grande United Methodist Church and our reporter, Jack Short. The culmination of the Methodist missionaries’ trip to Cuba in February was a three-day celebration and series of services held at the […]
Written by BBadmin7502 on . Posted in News, Profiles.
BY MARCY SHORTUSE Another piece of Boca Grande’s heart was lost this week, as Darrell Polk passed away at the age of 84. He now joins his wife, Margaret, who passed away in June of last year. There was hardly an important job on Gasparilla Island that Darrell either didn’t have at one point or […]
Written by BBadmin7502 on . Posted in News.
The first complete phone application for Gasparilla Island has finally found its way onto the market. Aptly called “Boca Grande,” it gives information pertaining to all things Boca Grande. Shopping, dining, hotels, transportation and more are listed there. It is now available as a Google application and ready for download. All Android users can download […]
Written by BBadmin7502 on . Posted in Featured News, News.
BY JACK SHORT Boca Norte, LLC, owners of the former Mercabo facility have, in the last few months, purchased land in the same region over which Charlotte County is engaged in a lawsuit with conservation groups. The corporation, registered in Venice, Fl., purchased the 1.16 acre lot at 12575 Placida Rd. and easement that used […]
Written by BBadmin7502 on . Posted in News.
BY JACK SHORT The following is an ongoing recollection of a recent mission trip to Cuba made by the Boca Grande United Methodist Church. This is part two. The six missionaries on the trip led by Dan Christopherson and including Pastor Brian Brightly had a few different goals, one of which was to deliver the […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in News, Uncategorized.
The Boca Beacon received delivery this week of our annual Visitor’s Guide. Copies will be available at stands around town, in hotels, real estate offices and throughout the region. The Visitor’s Guide is one of several Boca Beacon publications, including the 4-Digit Phone Book and Gasparilla Island Magazine. Last week, we published our annual Boca […]
Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in Editorial, Uncategorized.
One can get a pulse on Florida’s mood each year by looking at Publix’s annual Christmas TV commercial. The ads premiere after Thanksgiving annually during sporting events and live on, now seemingly permanently, via the company’s YouTube channel. They follow a certain format, showing idyllic domestic scenes in a house, all interspersed with views of […]
Written by Angela McPhillips on . Posted in Profiles.
Maria Pardo-Thompson is rarely without yarn nearby. Over the years, her crocheted blankets, hats, loveys and small stuffed animals have ended up in ambulances, hospital nurseries, classrooms and family homes. Some are held by premature babies in neonatal intensive care units. Others are kept by firefighters and paramedics to comfort children during emergencies. After Hurricane […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Obituaries.
David Albert Jenkins, 84 died peacefully on December 12, 2025, watching the sun set on the Gulf of Mexico from his home in Boca Grande. His loving and supportive children, Dave and Bonnie, and his devoted wife Barbara were at his side. Dave was born on February 28, 1941, to Helen Klinger Jenkins and Joseph […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Breaking News, Featured News.
On June 11, 2025, Leah Lendel, age 9, was bitten by a shark in the 2200 block of Shore Lane. This Tuesday, Lendel came back to visit the Boca Grande Fire Department. It was not a planned visit. The entire crew (both EMS and fire) that assisted happened be on duty at the station. The […]