Written by Sheila Evans on . Posted in Profiles.
You may have noticed a new byline in the Boca Beacon. Behind the byline is the latest addition to the Beacon staff, Anna Ridilla. She’s new to the Beacon, and even to the newspaper business, but not to Boca Grande. Anna is the granddaughter of Melinda Thies, who lives at the north end of the […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Health & Wellness.
BY MARY BETH SCHNEIDER I should have died this past summer. Not the illness kind of death, but the drop-dead kind that makes everyone ask “What happened? She was so fit!” Thankfully, it wasn’t my time. I survived to share my story and alert women everywhere, young and old, of a dangerous, life-threatening condition that […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Letters to the Editor.
Response to last week’s letter from Ron Raedeke on their memories of sharing the same street in Chicago. To the Editor: The randomness of a conversation with a stranger at the concert a few weeks ago stirred many wonderful memories of all the occasions we shared with our tenants at 2012 N. Cleveland in Lincoln Park. We are […]
Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in Breaking News, News.
About 17 Boca Grande citizens came out Saturday, Feb. 9 for a meeting at the Community Center on the situation with the U.S. Postal Service in Boca Grande. The meeting was facilitated by a postal employee, but other citizens came out to the afternoon meeting to share stories, ideas and complaints. While no firm path […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Events, News.
The dates for upcoming Boca Grande tarpon tournaments have been set. “The tournaments” are a great tradition, said Betsy Joiner, president of the Gasparilla Island Maritime Museum. “It’s exciting as the weather gets warmer and tarpon start coming out. Everyone gets tarpon fever.” The season begins with the Ladies’ Day Tarpon Tournament, hosted by the […]
Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in Featured News, News, Police & Fire.
Last Saturday Feb. 10, there was an elevator entrapment on island. The Boca Grande Fire Department quickly rescued stuck passengers from a third-floor elevator at 5091 Gasparilla Road after a 911 call. There was a separate case on Jan. 27 that was also resolved. “You see how regular they are,” said Boca Grande Fire Department […]
Written by Anna Ridilla on . Posted in Community History.
The second History Bytes program for 2024 featured Boca Grande native Carolyn Parkinson Nabers sharing about her mother’s life on the island. Mary Ellen Vickers Parkinson was “a true Southern lady,” she said. Carolyn spoke to a full crowd in the Johann Fust Library Loggia on Wednesday morning next to a table filled with historic […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Education, News.
The Island School will be authorized by Lee County to add 10 students to their August 2024 capacity, according to a resolution to be heard by the Lee County Board of County Commissioners to be heard Feb. 20, 2024. The resolution, set for their regular meeting, amends the original June 21, 2005 lease with the […]
Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in Featured News, News.
Last weekend, the Miss Elissa catamaran made her first voyage to Boca Grande from Punta Gorda. The new voyage here is about 90 minutes, which is about an hour faster than before. “It’s more stable and it can make better time,” said Elissa Allen, marketing director for King Fisher fleet and namesake for Miss Elissa. […]
Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in Breaking News, News.
Editor’s Note: This electronic story was updated after deadline to include comments and an an update from Lee County. A wheelchair-accessible access point at 5th Street, damaged during recent hurricanes, remains closed. The access point is the only beach ramp immediate to downtown, and the only wheelchair accessible beach access point immediately next to handicapped […]