Written by Susan Hanafee on . Posted in Profiles.
It was 10:30 p.m. and the end of a long day of moving for Matthew Williams, the new pastor at the Lighthouse United Methodist Church of Boca Grande. He was grimy and exhausted. He sat on the steps leading to the church office, contemplating the new life he and his young wife, Joy, were facing. Would this be the paradise it seemed when they crossed the bridge onto Gasparilla Island for the first time weeks earlier? Or something else?
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Obituaries.
Dick Stem, a World War II veteran who built a successful Sarasota-area building supply company, died surrounded by family at his Boca Grande home on April 13, 2022. He was 94. The patriarch of a multigenerational Florida family, Dick was a character whose quick smile and love for telling a good joke endeared him to […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Boca Beacon Back Pages.
Boca Beacon backpages 4.22.2022 FIVE YEARS AGO The United Methodist Women of Boca Grande announced they raised $80,000 at the Strawberry Festival, which would be split among 25 charitable organizations. TEN YEARS AGO The Bag Lady was back at Boca Bargains, GIBA was talking about a smaller tender house and a change to catwalks, […]
Written by Guest Columnist on . Posted in Entertainment.
The many wonderful voices of RPP were on offer, among them those of Julia Pierce, Alice Court, Kimberly Whipple, Jeff Lehrian and Peter Powell, as was the delightfully dramatic crooning of James Martin and comic bemoaning of Elaine Skypala. Jim Grant tweeted like a bluebird singing out “that it’s always darkest just before they turn on the lights.” Posturing humor was richly delivered as always by Jim Grace, Lynda Grant, Sally B Johnson, Cori Palmere, Erica Ress Martin, Priscilla Masselink, Sarah McDonald, Linda Rollyson, Nancy Ryan and Boots Tolsdorf. Kris Doubles brought down the house with his hysterical rendition as Lord Evelyn Oakleigh from Anything Goes! Four routines by Tappers Patty Brink, Carol Forrester, Robbin Gilligan, Mary Hancur and Ned Lehrian were highlighted, to the great delight of the audience, and accentuated following each routine by the deadpan delivery of “that’s a hard act to follow” by David Jenkins, who got laughs every time.
Written by Delores Savas on . Posted in Boca Beacon Back Pages, Columns, Opinion.
The story of their little church took place at a time when the island was in the midst of growing pains. Boca Grande was a town that had alligators resting on the lawns of homes along the canal, large snakes sunning on the middle of the road on cold days, and a multitude of other species of wildlife on the island. All lived in harmony. Iguanas still had not made the trip from a little Mexican town. But that’s another story for another time.
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Community History, News.
In other meeting news, board member Becky Paterson asked if it would be all right with the board if she worked with Anthony Rodriguez, the community development manager, to work with her regarding a potential plan for the downtown historic district to have its own special zoning. Paterson said she was concerned about affordable housing needs in town and thought a mixed-use zoning change would be beneficial to many.
“I own a contributing commercial building in the district, and there are lots of us who would love to be able to put a second story on and create a mixed use for housing,” she said. “Affordable housing has become an urgent issue here. Almost everyone who works here is commuting, sometimes 20 or 30 minutes to get home. We have lots of examples in contributing and noncontributing that were permitted when it was allowable.”
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Entertainment, News.
At its annual meeting on April 4, the Woman’s Club announced that 20 area organizations will receive funding through the BGWC’s community grant program, for a total of $210,584.
Grants were awarded this year to the following organizations: Barrier Island Parks Society); Boca Grande Art Center; Boca Grande Charities; Boca Grande Historical Society; Boca Grande Preschool; Boca Grande Sea Turtle Association; Gasparilla Island Conservation and Improvement Association; GasparilAla Island Maritime Museum; Lee County Parks and Recreation; Mote Marine Laboratory; Royal Palm Players; and The Island School. Grants will also be given to L.A. Ainger Middle School Band; Lemon Bay High School Band Boosters; LBHS Chorus; LBHS Project Graduation; LBHS Theater Guild; and Lemon Bay booster organizations for the school’s football, girls basketball, and softball teams.
In addition to awarding community grants, the Club voted to provide post-secondary education (university, college, trade or vocational) scholarships for 39 local students for a total of $ 234,000 for the 2022-2023 school year.
Written by Tonya Bramlage on . Posted in Health & Wellness, News, Profiles.
The municipality of Sabana Grande is located in the western coastal valleys of Puerto Rico some 1,144 miles from Boca Grande. This small town is surrounded by public forest land and packed with history and architectural gems. It has been nicknamed the Town of Petateros in honor of the multigenerational artisans who make petate, a mat woven from a specific type of palm leaf. The most famous petate weaver of the town is Doña Monserrate Montalvo, but its most famous chef is perhaps Jorge Matos.
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
Last week two real estate transactions took place that were quite important to the downtown historic district – the purchase of the Railroad Plaza building in the 400 block of E. Railroad Avenue and the Fugate’s building, which includes Fugate’s, The Patio Shoppe, Key Agency and Parsley-Baldwin.
Written by Boca Grande Health Clinic on . Posted in Health & Wellness, News.
On March 28 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized the use of a second COVID-19 booster shot for persons over the age of 50. Additionally, persons over the age of 18 with compromised immune systems are also eligible for a second booster shot. Both Pfizer and Moderna mRNA shots have been granted emergency use authorization – or EUA – for a second booster. Both vaccines seem to be equally effective in boosting neutralizing antibody levels and immunity. Both vaccines can be given as second boosters at four months or more after previous booster administration.