Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
The U.S. Census Bureau statistics say that more than 50,000 people have moved to the Sarasota/North Port/Punta Gorda area in the last 18 months, and the state had 221,000 more residents arrive from other U.S. states than leave from July 2020 to July of 2021. This accounted for the biggest population gain for the state since 2005
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News, Obituaries.
Father Sullivan was the first resident priest the island ever had. According to local history, the rectory as we know it now used to be a convent when he came to the island in1985. The sisters who lived there moved to Englewood to be closer to the Placida Road church, St. Francis. He was also responsible for purchasing the house and property next door to the church, which he renovated into a daycare center, now called the Boca Grande Preschool. The old rectory was sold to a resident, Mark Shevitski, and Father Sullivan moved across the street into the newly purchased house.
Written by T Michele Walker on . Posted in News.
Planning and organizing such an event would be an exhausting venture for many people. For Camille, it was a rush. “I loved working with Bayard Sharp. He trusted me. He had the most wonderful sense of humor and a sense of adventure, like no one I have ever known in my life. We spent a year-and-a-half planning that party, and we had a wonderful time. It was probably one of the greatest experiences, not just in my career, but also in my personal life.”
Written by Tonya Bramlage on . Posted in News.
Each volunteer is assigned a section of the beach, called a zone, that they patrol by walking every morning. When they see the distinct flipper tracks of a turtle, it is their esteemed task to determine whether the sea turtle has made a successful nesting attempt or a false crawl. A false crawl happens when the turtles come up onto the beach without digging a nest. Once a determination has been made, volunteers then mark the nest and protect it with wood stakes and colored tape.
Written by Sheila Evans on . Posted in Profiles.
Gina Thomsen has a passion for life…the life of every creature she encounters. Thomsen is sometimes known as “the bird lady,” but she is really the “every living creature” lady. If you want evidence of that, go swimming or paddleboarding with her in the Gulf sometime. The dolphins and manatees know her board and honor her presence by seeking her out. She is known by some as the dolphin and manatee whisperer.
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Obituaries.
Isaac “Ike” Blackburn Roberts, age 93, Nokomis, Fla., died on Sunday, April 24, 2022. He was born August 19, 1928 in Clayton, Ga., while his parents, Julian Bryant Roberts and Effie Elvira Blackburn Roberts were vacationing. He graduated in June 1947 from Sarasota High; and he married Dorothy Wilma Buckmaster on June 20, 1948. Ike […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Editorial.
The sense of loyalty to our island community in our newsroom is profound. Whether you are a billionaire from the Northeast or a high school baseball player selling cookies to support the team, we are here for you. We want your news – good or bad – to be printed in our newspaper so we can contribute to the history of this amazing place. We hope that someday 100 years from now, someone sorting through their grandmother’s attic will find an old Boca Beacon news article about how she won the Ladies Day Tarpon Tournament raffle. We hope that someone searching for their ancestors online can find a scanned version of an article about their great-great-grandfather that brings them more information in their search.
Written by Boca Beacon Reader on . Posted in Letters to the Editor.
The Lee County Economic Development Office, in collaboration with community partners, offers Workforce Training and Certification programs and a Small Business Technical Assistance program to assist people, businesses and organizations in response to COVID-19.
Written by Sheila Evans on . Posted in News.
Herbeque Catering is a staple at the Boca Grande Farmers Market, bringing good food and friendship to the Island every week. Today, the owners of Herbeque, Herbert and Danielle Prince, are also bringing thoughts of peace and freedom as they share their concern about the American service members who are in Europe supporting the people and government of Ukraine in their fight against Russian aggression.
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in News, Sports & Outdoors.
The Ladies’ Night Out Howl at the Moon tournament will take place on Saturday, May 21, with fishing from 8 to 11 p.m. The entry fee is $700 per team, with $100 of each entry donated to the Gasparilla Island Maritime Museum.