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LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Celebrating five years of films with ‘Friends’

The Boca Grande Film Festival (BGFF) is one of our biggest events of the season, and we have to say that we enjoy bringing the community together for a true cinematic experience. Utilizing almost the entire community center grounds, we transform our venues into a theater atmosphere. With the help of Artistic Director Jonathan Jackson, our BGFF Committee and our BGFF Sponsors, we are able to source and present the top films and documentaries in the major festival circuit.

This Date in the Boca Beacon

FIVE YEARS AGO The lady who couldn’t make up her mind decided Boca Grande wasn’t for her. Hurricane Irma played tag with Southwest Florida for 11 days before she finally came through the state, but pretty much missed the island. TEN YEARS AGO Many local guides and fishermen went to the Florida Fish and Wildlife […]

Water rate hikes eminent …speak your piece now

According to the filed resolution, on January 18, 2022, the members of GIWA approved by a vote of 457 to 48 to increase their rates by Rate Indexing. This means that on October 1 of this year and annually each year after this one, water and wastewater rates may change upon approval of the Board, up to the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index U.S. City Average – All Urban Consumers. If they choose to increase their rates, they must request a rate increase from the Director of Utilities for Lee County. The request must be approved by the Lee County Board of County Commissioners. 

FPSC shoots down proposal to reconsider barrier island sewer

If you’ve been following our last two weeks of stories on this matter, you read that a private utility contractor who currently provides water service to parts of the barrier islands now was attempting to be considered as the primary utility in that area for central sewage.

The Boca Grande Club looks a little different as of late … here’s why

The pitch-apple is a native tree and loves the salt spray. It grows well in full sun and tolerates sandy soil, which is ideal for Island trees. The pitch-apple has coarse evergreen leaves, solitary white or rose flowers and a whitish, resinous fruit, which is poisonous. It makes an ideal hedge but also can grow to be a large tree, so it is quite versatile.

The Grande Chorus takes the stage!

The Grande Chorus is the new group on Boca Grande that makes having fun and bringing good choral music to the community its goal. Alan Corey, who is the music director, stresses that auditions are not necessary, and in addition to the music sheet provided, rehearsal tracks of the music will be emailed to all singers at home for rehearsing. If you love to sing, you meet the requirements.

‘American Pickers’ is coming back to Florida, and they need your help to fill the season

The American Pickers TV Show is looking for leads and would love to explore your hidden treasure. If you or someone you know has a large, private collection or accumulation of antiques that the pickers can spend the better part of the day looking through, why not contact them? It’s worth a shot. American Pickers currently does not pick stores, flea markets, malls, auction businesses, museums or anything open to the public. If interested, send your name, phone number, location and description of the collection with photos to: americanpickers@cineflix.com or call (646) 493-2184. They can be reached on facebook, @GotAPick.

Think the island is sinking in season?

According to the last U.S. Census Bureau statistics, the Lee County portion of Gasparilla Island has 1,130 homestead-exempt people living here, which is a 41.8 percent decrease since 2020. The same area recorded 1,720 people in 2010, 1,500 in 2000 and 777 in 1990. If you go back to the 1980 figures above, that means 1980 was the last year for an increase in population that the Lee County portion of the island has had.