Written by Sheila Evans on . Posted in News.
Cheering crowds, waving flags, photos being taken continuously and hugs for men and women whose only connection was gratitude – that’s how 90 veterans and their “Guardians” were greeted Tuesday evening as the Southwest Florida Honor Flight touched down at Punta Gorda airport. Among the veterans honored on this flight was Beacon Publisher Dusty Hopkins, […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Community History, News.
You’re not going to like what we’re about to say, but you knew it was coming. The Community Tree across from Hudson’s Grocery will be coming down soon, as Hurricane Ian apparently put a final nail in its coffin. We’ve all watched it, hoping for one green leaf to prove that life was still going […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
The Boca Grande streetlight MSBU, a.k.a. the “Iguana Board,” met on April 27 with only two of the three sitting members in attendance. That means there was no quorum, but Board Members Mark Masselink and Skip Branin did cover some topics with Lee County MSBU Manager Josh Malo.
There are two open seats on the committee, but at least one application is expected shortly. Applications can be found at leegov.com/budget/mstbu/committees.
Written by Boca Beacon Reader on . Posted in News.
Last Saturday, April 29, Boca Grande participated in the National PanCan Purple Stride event with our own 1.5 mile walk. All funds raised will be used to increase research and support for those people affected by pancreatic cancer.
What started as a small grassroots effort to honor Mary Tucker and support Priscilla Masselink blossomed into 220 people gathering under the Sunshade in the Community Center, raising over $65,000 and placing our little team in 12th place in the nation.
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in News.
The Basin Sailing Yacht Club (BSYC) held its annual “Island Championships” on Sunday, April 23 at the Boca Bay Powerhouse lagoon. Racing conditions were great, with southwest breezes, and the races were close. The final outcome after seven races was John Foster (1st), Sam Howe (2nd) and Commodore Eric Holch (3rd). John Foster as MVP […]
Written by Boca Beacon Reader on . Posted in Letters to the Editor, News.
After years of reading articles in the Beacon attacking Gulf-front property owners as selfish millionaires who don’t care about the community, the Beacon publishes an article telling us it’s “everyone’s” fault that the whispering bench was destroyed. Not the fault of a dreaded Gulf-front property owner who hired a bulldozer, and not the fault of the consultants and representatives who helped. No, it was everyone’s fault according to the Beacon.
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Obituaries.
Patricia Bowler Leggat, longtime Cohasset, Mass. resident, died peacefully on April 20, 2023, surrounded by her loving family. She was 93 years old. Patricia was born to Dr. John Pollard Bowler and Madelaine Gile Bowler on August 19, 1929, Patsy grew up in Hanover, NH. Her father was a surgeon at the Mary Hitchcock Hospital, […]
Written by Sheila Evans on . Posted in Profiles.
If Marty McFadden refers to someone as “kind of an odd duck,” you know he really enjoys being around them. He always has his ear tuned to hearing the previously untold story and the inside details that bring the real color and flavor to an area, especially if the area is Boca Grande, which he treasures.
Marty recently retired as president of the Boca Grande Historical Society, serving in that role for seven years. The Historical Society is a mecca for “odd ducks” who love history, enjoy a good retelling of an event, and don’t mind sharing little known details. Marty feels at home among them and privileged to be part of the history inner circle.
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Community History, News.
The Whispering Bench is gone. Early Saturday morning heavy equipment operators came and began to gouge it out of the earth, while Boca Grande residents gathered around and did their best to protest it. Some tried to block the way of the equipment. Others tried to climb on the equipment. There were epithets thrown, as well as more than one projectile.
Someone in the crowd was heard to say, “They just started a war.”
It’s not as much about the bench as it is about the mentality of those who are moving here. Many of these are people who don’t know or care about the island’s rich history and, more to the point, they don’t know about how things have been done around here for almost 150 years.
But it didn’t matter in the end; the job was done.
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
Island beachgoer finds something a bit unusual Here’s something that doesn’t happen every day. It was on Tuesday last week that Artist Lisa McQueen was kicked back at her favorite beach spot, watching the dolphins play and the waves roll in. The Port Charlotte resident comes here frequently, sometimes to relax, sometimes to sell her […]