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As of October tax deadline, Ian still highly ‘unqualified’

Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in News.

A tax deduction wrinkle related to the deductibility of Hurricane Ian is still not resolved, a year out from the disaster, and just a few weeks before the final 2022 Internal Revenue Service tax filing date of Oct. 15.
The sponsor of the tax relief bill, Rep. Greg Steube, has reported some action on it, according to Sadie Thorman, communications director for Steube, who represents Charlotte County. She messaged the Beacon Monday that the committee action was imminent. Steube also tweeted on X.com that the House Ways and Means Committee was holding a markup session on a bill to fix it.
On Sept. 28, Steube urged the committee to act.

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.

‘Book of Charlie’ author to present for Fust Foundation

Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Community.

The Johann Fust Library Foundation looks forward to hosting another spectacular season of literary events in the 2023-2024 Literary Series, which will begin on Thursday, Nov. 9 at 4 p.m. with award-winning journalist and author David von Drehle. 

In his newest book, “The Book of Charlie: Wisdom from the Remarkable American Life of a 109-year-old Man,” veteran Washington journalist von Drehle chronicles the remarkable life of Midwest physician Charlie White, who was born in the early 20th century and lived a decade into the 21st.

County considers sewer system for original Cape Haze neighborhood

Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in Community History, News.

As Charlotte County is preparing an engineering report for a new sewer system for the original Cape Haze development, current residents there are asking questions about its need.

“It’s a long process,” said Caroline Wannall, public relations manager for Charlotte County Utilities, who says that to build a sewer system includes not only design and engineering, but costs. There are also meetings with residents, and public comment throughout the process.

“We want them to know they have a say,” said Wannall.

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 […]

Dog park, pickleball, beach renourishment items in 2023-24 Lee County budget

Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in Community, News, Sports & Outdoors.

For the Parks and Recreation Department, the county has budgeted for Boca Grande tennis and pickleball. For fiscal year 23-24, there is $40,500 that was approved to help fund design and permitting. The $1,049,425 requested for FY 24-25 is for construction. 

For the dog park, there is carry over from this fiscal year to FY 23-24 of $430,660, as the project is not done.

Overall, countywide taxable values increased, on average, 6.67 percent this year. The general fund tax rate for the upcoming year is 3.7623 mills, which is the same as last year.

‘Grande’ donation brings Fire Department emergency communications project closer to fruition

Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Police & Fire.

Boca Grande has been known to experience its share of miracles, and this past week we had evidence of that again. The Boca Grande Disaster Relief Fund has found a way to donate another major gift – $100,000 – to the Auxiliary Emergency Radio Communications project. Having already donated $50,000 to the cause, this is above and beyond … and also very necessary. 

This leaves a figure just shy of $80,000 remaining out of a needed $305,000. The BGDR Fund has donated $150,000; the Boca Grande Woman’s Club has donated $75,000; and Boca Grande Charities, Inc. has donated $1,500 (for an initial 10 additional BTech radios for volunteers).

A seahorse, a used COVID test and 1,000 pacifiers (and much more) found at Coastal Cleanup

Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in Featured News.

Volunteers gathered on Gasparilla’s beaches for the annual International Coastal Beach Clean Up, held across the world, and on island, on Saturday, Sept. 16.

“We even had a couple of walk-ons,” said Susan Heyl, one of the volunteers for the day. A volunteer from sponsoring group Barrier Island Parks Society (BIPS), she was working the 7th Street beach cleanup site with Danielle Domke of Grande Escapes, another one of the sponsors of the day.

Vanderbilt-vintage modernist Cape Haze Community Center upgraded

Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in Community, Featured News.

One of the original elements of the Cape Haze development of Alfred and William Vanderbilt began restoration this week. The Cape Haze Community Center, which sits just off the fountain entrance at the corner of Spyglass Alley and Spaniards Road, was part of the earliest promotional material for Cape Haze. The building’s prominent architectural feature […]