Written by Sheila Evans on . Posted in Profiles.
“God is always doing something new,” she went on. “We are excited to see what God has in store for us as we serve together in ministry. Frank and I have had Lighthouse Methodist Church and all of Boca Grande in our prayers, and we hope people on the island will have us in their prayers as well, as we all go through this time of transition.”
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
One of the biggest changes to take place in a very long time is about to occur on July 1, when the newly-signed golf cart law goes into effect. House Bill 949 was signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis a few weeks ago, which makes the legal age to operate a golf cart 16, or 15 with a learner’s permit and an adult present. If you’re 18 and older, you have to have valid government-issued identification.
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
While there was only one item on the agenda for the June meeting of the Boca Grande Historic Preservation Board on Wednesday, June 14, it was one that could not be decided easily. It was all about the “Octopus Tree,” a banyan that has stood along the property line at 181 Gilchrist Avenue since the early 1900s. The ground where it stands was once part of the Crowninshield compound and the children who used to play there gave it its strange nickname.
The property that includes 181 and 161 Gilchrist Avenue is owned by a family that wants to demolish the large house, as well as the small cottage that the banyan tree stands right next to and has actually grown under and into.
Therein lies the rub.
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
A large least tern nesting area located on the beach in front of Sea Watch is a welcome sight to any bird lover, particularly those who realize who fragile they can be when nesting. According to residents who monitor the nesting area, as well as Charlotte County Coastal Environmental Specialist Susie Derheimer, it might not be successful for very long.
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News, Sports & Outdoors.
On Monday, June 5 a little girl made a fantastic find just off the north end of Palm Island, south of Stump Pass. Amateur sheller Olivia Green, eight, of Texas had visited this beach many times before, as her family has a place on Palm Island and she always checked her shell guide – purchased at Fugate’s – to research her found treasures.
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in News.
Lee County reminds the public that fertilizers containing nitrogen or phosphorous may not be used on lawns and landscapes during the rainy season, between June 1 and September 30. Excessive nutrients – nitrogen and phosphorus – from fertilizer used on urban lawns and landscapes can have a detrimental effect on water quality in Southwest Florida. […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Profiles.
I’ve been coming to Boca since I was a kid. I remember coming to the beach and coming to go fishing. I started working in Boca Grande in 1990, when I started as a maintenance worker for The Gasparilla Inn & Club. Not long after, I accepted a position as assistant mechanic. I worked at The Gasparilla Inn for 16 years.
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Community History, News.
You might have seen her around downtown or at Whidden’s lately, hair in a bun with a cupful of brushes and her sweet little dog Pearl at her feet. Leslie Ann Joiner is a local artist with a very particular, vivid, primitive style who can tell you stories of the island like you wouldn’t believe. […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Columns.
Boca Beacon backpages FIVE YEARS AGO “Miss Sarah” won the Ladies Howl, the red tide was really bad, and the night-blooming cereus was spectacular. TEN YEARS AGO The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission voted 4-3 to pursue the ban on jigs, a type of bottom-weighted lure that has a tendency to snag a tarpon, […]
Written by Boca Beacon Reader on . Posted in Letters to the Editor.
To the Editor: Lemon Bay Conservancy is pleased to announce it has received a $6,800 grant from the Charlotte Community Foundation. These funds will support replacement of the maintenance shed at Lemon Creek Wildflower Preserve that was destroyed by Hurricane Ian. As the center for philanthropy in Charlotte County, the Charlotte Community Foundation (CCF) envisions […]