Skip to main content
Search Results for “not

Historical Society to dedicate Blaha library with Saturday reception

Almost ten years ago, James Blaha joined the Board of Directors of the Boca Grande Historical Society, and he and Rose Marie Blaha began to volunteer at the History Center. Their combined backgrounds include teaching, chairing humanities departments, museum administration, library resource centers and consulting. Jim notes that he spent several summers on archeology projects […]

Betsy Ross sharktooth flag artwork taken from car

A resident heading back home to Boca Grande had his most recent work of art, a Betsy Ross flag made of shark’s teeth, stolen while he stopped somewhere between Tampa and home. “The flag was the best one I have ever made,” said Frank Koffend, a historian, fisherman, park volunteer, author and a lifetime collector […]

Boca Grande Health Clinic renews AAAHC accreditation

The Boca Grande Health Clinic earned another three-year accreditation by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care. The Clinic underwent and passed AAAHC’s rigorous two-day inspection in late October, meeting nationally recognized standards for the provision of quality healthcare as determined by an independent, external process of evaluation.  “I am pleased that our quality has […]

Santa visits Boca Grande merchants on Small Business Saturday

The downtown streets of Boca Grande were completely filled Saturday evening for the annual Christmas Walk. While some retailers were closed for the evening festivities, most were open, offering drinks and snacks for the families waiting for Santa’s fire truck visit. “There were definitely more people this year,” said Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce […]

Methodist Church steeple blessed after perilous journey

Tuesday, Lighthouse United Methodist Church blessed their wooden steeple cross in an outdoor ceremony led by the Rev. Daphne Johnson, the church’s senior pastor.  At the ceremony, the Rev. Johnson not only blessed the newly painted cross, but also asked for prayers for the whole island. A group of about two dozen church members came […]

Look for the 2024 Boca Beacon Visitor’s Guide 

Each year, the Boca Beacon publishes a guide to all things Gasparilla Island, the Boca Beacon Visitor’s Guide. The annual publication is the official guide to Gasparilla Island. The booklet, which is free, has a 30,000 circulation. It is the only all-inclusive printed resource for visitors and residents to find out about all things Boca […]

Editorial: The value of the weekly American newspaper

The first newspaper in the U.S. colonies was a weekly, like ours. Appearing on April 24, 1704, the “Boston News-Letter” was sold at a “shop near the Old Meeting House” and printed by Bartholomew Green, an early American notable whom many on this island might claim as an ancestor. That weekly paper carried news both […]

SW Florida Fishing: Thanksgiving on the water

BY CAPT. WILL WATERHOUSE  An amazing Thanksgiving week of fishing in Boca Grande. Look for the redfish near man- groves and deeper edges, the majority of the reds are on the smaller side, but some bigger fish are showing up. The snook are still chasing white with the snook some nice keeper trout are being […]

Golf cart vs. tree results in injuries

The Boca Grande Fire Department and the Lee County Sheriff responded to a golf cart accident involving juveniles this past weekend. On Sunday, Nov. 19 at 4:09 p.m. a call came in regarding a single-cart accident at 4th Street and Gilchrist Avenue. The driver, the caller said, was a 16-year-old male who sustained a head […]