Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Editorial, Letters to the Editor, News.
To the Editor: The Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce’s 26th Annual Ladies Day Tarpon Tournament had a successful outcome with a field of 36 boats and 11 total tarpon released on May 7, 2016. Brendan Coudal designed the 2016 Ladies Day logo and the tournament art again this year. A limited supply of his […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Editorial, Letters to the Editor, News.
To the Editor: We will always be grateful and thankful to the Beacon for the story of John Bourgoin and Walter Tatko. Great story about two great guys who contributed to victory in WWII. They were in the same book, but not on same page (the North African campaign, etc.). We are thankful for their […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
BY MARCY SHORTUSE – Capt. Timmy Smith hadn’t caught a lot of tarpon this season up to the time of the 2016 World’s Richest Tarpon Tournament, held last week on Thursday and Friday, May 19 and 20. Maybe that’s because he was saving his mojo up for those two days, because he and his anglers […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
■ BY SHARON MCKENZIE BARRIER ISLAND PARKS SOCIETY The Barrier Island Parks Society (BIPS) reported that thus far the fundraising for the Gasparilla Island Light restoration project has brought in $1,068,000 in gifts and pledges. Larry Hannah, BIPS director and chair of the fundraising effort, said that “over 350 individual gifts have propelled […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
■ BY SUE ERWIN The Boca Grande Fire Department took part in a Public Protection Classification survey in March. The results are expected to lower island homeowners’ insurance premiums. The survey was completed by ISO, a company based in New Jersey that rates fire departments based on their capabilities to protect a community. The ratings […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
■ STAFF REPORT A Naples man was arrested on Wednesday, May 11 after hundreds of gallons of gasoline were found in barrels off the coast of Lee County. Deputies received information about stolen boats and fuel being stored on Cayo Costa, and it led to the discovery of 345 gallons of fuel on the island. […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
■ BY SUE ERWIN The tarpon were rolling in every direction as the sun was setting on the day of Friday, May 13 … and they seemed hungry. There were 17 teams participating in the annual Howl at the Moon Tarpon Tournament that night, and the tarpon proved to be hungry. The team aboard Capt. […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Featured News, News, Obituaries.
■ BY MARCY SHORTUSE It would be impossible to determine how many lives any of us has changed in our time here on earth, but in the case of Dr. Henry “Hank” Wright, the list would go on and all the way up to heaven. He was “the island doctor” for so many years, and […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News, Profiles.
■ BY SUE ERWIN Creating ice-cold concoctions daily and always serving them with a smile, this week’s profile candidate is Alan Lenard, the newest bartender in town. He started working at The Temp in March, and he already knows many of the locals by name and anticipates their favorite drink orders the moment he sees […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Editorial, News, Sports & Outdoors.
I have fished and observed many tournaments over the years and have seen this for myself. I have fished with Capt. Babe Darna and his first mate (and son) Scooter many times, and caught my first tarpon with them. If you listened to them, you would catch a tarpon. Period. Same with Capt. Sandy Melvin. That guy will keep you hopping in the quest to catch a tarpon, snook, redfish, whatever it is you’re angling for. Think you’re going to enjoy a cup of coffee while getting your line wet with Capt. Sandy? Wrong. You’re working it, and he’s showing you how every second. Every fish I just named – and more – I caught with Sandy Melvin. (Walking the dog on the backwater is almost as good as tarpon fishing, believe me.)
But the weirdest thing I ever saw was Capt. Willie Mills call dibs on third place in a tournament almost before the first fish was caught. I’m going to tell a tale on him real quick, and I hope he doesn’t take me to task for it because, honestly, he’s a little scary.