Written by Boca Beacon Reader on . Posted in Letters to the Editor.
To the Editor: Lee County home buyers and sellers who would like more information about the new requirements for filing property deeds are invited to attend a free class hosted by Clerk Kevin Karnes. The class will take place on Wednesday, Aug. 16 from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Cape Coral Public Library, located […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Community History.
There’s a little-known memorial in Boca Grande that is about to get some much-needed love and care. It is the Veterans’ Memorial at the corner of Gilchrist and 5th St., by the entrance to The Gasparilla Inn’s Beach Club parking lot.
There is a flagpole and flags there, but the memorial plaque is gone from the white monument.
While it is currently unmarked, that is about to change with some help from the Boca Grande Historical Society, Lee County and other organizations that feel there should be an upgrade to the marker.
Boca Grande Historical Society’s Executive Director Crystal Diff said details are still under wraps, since they are being finalized, but an official dedication is being planned for Veterans Day.
Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in Community.
This year, preliminary tax roll values show the Lee County real estate on Boca Grande as valued at just under $3.3 billion. The $3,292,284,149 valuation for the Boca Grande Fire District, up from $3,162,022,991 in 2022, is an increase of 4.12 percent, and contrasts with the Sanibel Fire District, which had valuations drop from about $6.5 billion in 2022 to $4.2 billion in 2023, a 34 percent decrease.
This is the first property assessment year since Hurricane Ian. It reflects the greater damage to Sanibel.
Written by Sheila Evans on . Posted in Community, News.
Two local men will be taking the trip of a lifetime in October, as they have been chosen to be aboard the second Honor Flight from Southwest Florida in a year. Pastor Gary Beatty of island’s First Baptist Church and his parishioner, Robert Armstrong, both served their country admirably and feel blessed to take part in this adventure.
Beatty said he had two special goals for himself. The first was to go to Israel, and the second was to go to Washington, D.C. to visit the veterans’ memorials. A couple of years ago his first dream was fulfilled, and now he is excited to have the second one come to fruition.
Written by Sheila Evans on . Posted in Education, News.
The Island School is at full capacity this year, as 60 students will start school on Thursday, Aug. 10. Head of School Christine Oliver is looking forward to a “normal” school year, free of pandemic or hurricane concerns. Classes will typically have 10 students in each grade level, with the “specials” teachers moving from class to class.
“I am pleased to announce that The Island School made impressive progress on our F.A.S.T. progress monitoring from PM1 to PM3 in both reading and math,” said Oliver. F.A.S.T. is the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking, instituted in 2022. The PM1 is testing done at the beginning of the school year, and PM3 is similar testing at the end of the year.
Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in Community, News.
Since Hurricane Ian, Boca Grande has seen a dry year. Of course, that could change at any time.
After hurricanes or, really, any big rainstorm, there are a few areas of the island that flood – namely at the north end of the island along Gasparilla Road and on the southern end of the island, including Gulf Boulevard at the Gasparilla Island Light and the very south tip of the island.
Depending on the depth of the water, residents with taller SUVs and pickups can plow through the standing water, as they clear about over 10 inches. Cars today, however, can only clear about six inches.
Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in News.
It may not be Halloween yet, but any time of year is perfect to celebrate our friend, the bat.
Lemon Bay Conservancy (LBC) has just commissioned a bat nursery that they hope will bring over 300 bats to Cape Haze’s Lemon Bay Wildflower Preserve – all at the same bat time.Possibly on the same bat channel.
“It is the beginning of our efforts to enter into bat conservation territory,” said Tonya Bramlage of the LBC, the group that installed the house at the Lemon Bay Wildflower Preserve.
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Obituaries.
Lucy Battel Hamilton died peacefully on July 19, 2023 at her summer home in Cooperstown, New York surrounded by her loving family. Known to all as “Bunny,” she was born in Buffalo, N.Y. on November 13, 1933, the daughter of Lucy Mills Battel and John Lawrence Battel. After attending the Buffalo Seminary and Bennett College, […]
Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in Community History, Profiles.
In Cape Haze, just behind the Ace Hardware and Cool Pickle in Paradise restaurant, a 300-foot radio tower that most see, but few pay attention to, peeks out of the woods.
The tower, with its blinking red light, is the broadcast point for 91.3 FM, WSEB. It is a small, independent Christian radio station that runs on a tiny budget but has considerable reach.
WSEB’s signal reaches north up to Bradenton, east 10 miles outside of Arcadia, and south to the airport in Ft. Myers. Its signal also goes out across the Gulf of Mexico, reaching the very occasional boater or fisherman. Most often, boaters just use the blinking red light atop the tower as a guide.
“We’ve heard from fishermen that they use our tower for guidance,” said WSEB General Manager Ken Lindow, Jr. “Sometimes it’s a blessing to them.”
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Columns, Community History.
FIVE YEARS AGO Crowder Gulf, a name we know and love from Hurricane Ian cleanup, was on our beaches cleaning up dead fish from red tide. TEN YEARS AGO The first cars went over the new center bridge on August 1, 2013. The Boca Beacon published the first Gasparilla Gazette, newly purchased from the Breeze […]