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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.

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 […]

THIS DATE IN THE BOCA BEACON

Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Columns, Community History.

FIVE YEARS AGO At a public hearing, Charlotte County Commissioners unanimously approved an ordinance to adopt a small-scale plan amendment – which included a change from resource conservation to commercial zoning and building heights to 39.9 feet –  at The Fishery property.  TEN YEARS AGO We got 7.5 inches of rain in one week, leaving […]

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Fifth Street Beach Access closed as a safety precaution

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

To the Editor: The Fifth Street Beach Access on Boca Grande has been closed as a safety precaution because Hurricane Idalia eroded the beach and washed away the access ramp.  The Beach Access points north and south of Fifth Street remain open. Visit leeparks.org for more details. Residents and visitors are reminded that Gasparilla State […]

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: A letter from Florida’s CFO

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

To the Editor: This week, I highlighted the success of the My Safe Florida Home program, which helps Floridians harden their homes against storms while reducing their insurance premiums. It’s no secret that our country has faced a hardening property insurance market, and Florida has already seen a very active hurricane season. This program has […]

SO CLOSE, BUT YET SO FAR

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

Two pieces up on new tower … work will begin again next week (Cover photo by Bob Melvin) Joe Steele and Luke Boultonhouse have become very acquainted with our regional airports. They are two of the representatives from T Steele Construction, Inc., a telecom construction company out of Rock Island, Illinois, who have been working […]

‘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.