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Charlotte County tourism eagerly awaits opening of Sunseeker

Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in News.

As fall visitors arrive and winter visitors begin to make plans, local tourism officials are looking for good news as vacation rentals come back on line.
“I think we are seeing some pent-up demand,” said Sean Doherty, the tourism director for Charlotte County tourism, which is branded the Punta Gorda and Englewood Beach Convention and Visitor Bureau.

Looking at Charlotte County’s tourism development tax revenues, in August the county saw its first actual increase in revenue since Hurricane Ian, with an upward blip of 0.7 percent. TDC revenue is derived from the lodging tax, which is assessed on any rental of less than six months and one day. These bed tax funds support both the Charlotte County and Lee County visitor bureaus.

Rental properties coming back on the market on Don Pedro and Little Gasparilla are also helping Charlotte tourism figures, as many were off market after Ian, Doherty said.

Make it Grande! Royal Palm Players announces their 2023-24 season

Written by Guest Columnist on . Posted in Entertainment.

After three years of partial seasons, Royal Palm Players is poised and ready to entertain and excite you. They are back with a full season of four major productions starring over 40 different actors—some brand new to our stage—some familiar and beloved—all are committed to raising the bar of entertainment excellence.

The season is off to a “grande” beginning. The Crowninshield is the perfect setting for The Dining Room On Boca Grande, November 13th and 14th at 5pm. RPP’s opening show is adapted from A.R. Gurney’s dramedy of manners. This table reading literally takes place around a dining room table in a mansion on Gilchrist Avenue. Through a vivid mosaic of scenes, different families in different time periods, create a portrait of life on Boca Grande over the past 100 years.

Blues legends to perform at Boca Grande Community Center

Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Entertainment, News.

Troubadour Tinsley Ellis has been immersed in music his entire life. Born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1957 and raised in South Florida, he acquired his first guitar at age seven, inspired by watching The Beatles perform on The Ed Sullivan Show. Like many kids his age, Ellis discovered the blues through the back door of British Invasion bands like The Yardbirds, Cream, and The Rolling Stones as well as Southern rockers like the Allman Brothers Band. Twenty albums later – on record labels such as Alligator and Capricorn (and millions of miles traveled) – Ellis has become an elder statesman of the Blues world.

With his new project “Acoustic Songs and Stories”, Ellis performs many of his most popular songs (plus delta blues and classics by artists like Gregg Allman, Bob Dylan, and Leo Kottke) on his 1937 National Steel and 1969 Martin D-35. Ellis weaves the music together with interesting and sometimes ribald stories from over forty years of a life spent on stages and in motels and truck stops. Ellis shows no signs of slowing down and is headed to Boca Grande with his newest and perhaps most unique project.

OBITUARY: Daniel James Carten

Written by Boca Beacon on . Posted in Obituaries.

Daniel James Carten left this world on October 3rd, 2023 but his family and friends will always remember his warmth, generosity, and mischievous sense of humor. Dan and his brother, Frank, were raised by their mother, Kathleen Carten, in Wayne, PA. He had a bright and curious mind, which he utilized to create his own […]

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Boca Grande Woman’s Club announces scholarship opportunities

Written by Boca Beacon Reader on . Posted in Education, Letters to the Editor.

To the Editor: The Scholarship committee of the Boca Grande Woman’s Club is now accepting applications for the 2024- 2025 school year. Applicants for the program must meet the following criteria:  1) Have applied for admission to a school of higher education, such as a university, college, trade or vocational school;  2) Demonstrate a high […]

Sitting down with Roger Lewis to discuss the new ‘Friends’ season of programming

Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Community.

BB: Do you have a theme for this year’s talks?

RL: There are two themes if you can consider one book a theme. This year we will look at fish, vegetable farming, and the plight of birds and insects. The lone book deals with America’s first rape trial in 1783 and its impact then and impact now.

BB: Let’s start with fish.

RL: Paul Greenberg is a lifelong fisherman and an award-winning writer on oceans, climate change, the environment, and culinary matters. His book, Four Fish: The Future of the last Wild Food, looks at four fish – salmon, bass, cod, and tuna (recently he has added shrimp to the list!) that are at present the base of a fish diet.

BB: Sounds interesting, what is his main thesis?

RL: A century ago nearly all seafood was wild. Now half is produced through aquaculture. Paul travels the globe looking for where we went wrong with the human – ocean relationship and how we might one day get it right.

PROFILE: Edie Gardner

Written by Sheila Evans on . Posted in Profiles.

Truly, Edie believes in the old saying that “to rest is to rust.” There is certainly no rust on her, as she is still out walking the dog and doing yoga regularly. She doesn’t mind disclosing her age: She is proud of the life she is living, and plans to keep living as long as she can. In fact, when asked what her plans are for her 100th birthday, she doesn’t bat an eye. She hasn’t quite decided yet, because she has something more pressing on her mind in the near future – the wedding of her granddaughter. She is getting married on the island next May, and those plans come first. The big birthday party can be planned after that.

Edie is healthy and strong, thanks to a life-long commitment to eating right and exercising, as well as maintaining an active social life. She is also surrounded by lots of family and friends to bolster a positive, well-rounded outlook on life.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Island AUXCOMM group thankful for new donation to project, to all who donated and for great coverage

Written by Boca Beacon Reader on . Posted in Letters to the Editor.

To the Editor: I’m very glad to advise you that in the wake of Friday’s comprehensive Beacon update on the Auxiliary Emergency Communications Project, a concerned private citizen donated $20,000. That donation reduces the remaining amount needed to $59,065 of the original $305,065 goal.   It is the first donation from an individual – I’m […]

A future for branch banking? While so many have closed, our local banks vow to remain viable

Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Despite at least a dozen local bank branch closures in as many years, local “brick-and-mortar” banks are still a part of local banking habits. And they may well be around for the foreseeable future.

“My card got stolen the other day.” said Doug Izzo, director of the Englewood Chamber of Commerce. His first move? Go into a bank branch to sort it out. While the bank ultimately had to resolve the issue online, there was at least a person there to intercede.

“That’s why I like the hometown banks,” said Izzo. “They actually pay attention.”