Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Community History.
The first History Bytes lecture of the 2023 season, brought to you by the Boca Grande Historical Society and Bank of America, regarded grave matters of the island – literally. The presentation given by Boca Grande Historial Society Executive Director Crystal Diff and Scott Shively, Charlotte County historian, was all about local cemeteries … including […]
Written by Sheila Evans on . Posted in Columns, News.
The beautiful sunset capped off the night of fun and faith as the new chapter of Young Life held its major fundraiser of the year at the Gasparilla Inn Beach Club Monday, Jan. 31. The event was the first major event for the Englewood Chapter of Young Life, a Christian ministry focusing on middle school […]
Written by Guest Columnist on . Posted in Entertainment, News.
Way back in the early 2000s when there were actually two weekly papers in Boca Grande I wrote a column called Backstage with Boots. There I attempted to relate to our Royal Palm Player awesome audience some of the things that went on behind the stage performances. In the beginnings of RPP, budget was pretty […]
Written by Boca Beacon Reader on . Posted in News.
Over two decades ago when my late husband, Jack, told me he’d shook hands on a lease for a downtown space in Terry Seitz’s new post and beam building, I almost killed him. After deciding to sell our home on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, where we’d raised our son, I was looking forward to […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
The residents of Gasparilla Mobile Estates are still doing what they can, when they can, to clean up their community and deal with an impending legal issue that will determine whether they can continue to live in the park or not. Recently a group of about 40 residents gathered to discuss their options. The owner […]
Written by Sheila Evans on . Posted in News, Profiles.
The Windy City is where Fran Edwardson grew up, but the balmy breezes of Boca Grande have called to her and convinced her that this is where her home is now. Fran and her husband, John, still spend their summers in northern climes, but their primary home is now in Florida. “We bought in Boca […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Boca Beacon Back Pages, Community History.
Boca Beacon backpages FIVE YEARS AGO The cast of Royal Palm Players’ “Don’t Drink the Water” included Lynda Grant, Jim Grant, Ross Witschonke, Jeff Lehrian, Elaine Skypala and others. TEN YEARS AGO Rosemary Bowler gave a presentation called “Victims and Villians of Bad Press.” The Gilchrist parking situation was discussed in Lee County DOT office […]
Written by Boca Beacon Reader on . Posted in Letters to the Editor.
To the Editor: Several years ago, The Gasparilla Inn rebuilt the bridge that traversed the Boca Grande bayou and the golf club. At that time a “temporary” metal bridge was put in place for passage. This “temporary” bridge is much lower than the old or new bridge, thus making it impossible for boats, kayaks, paddleboards, […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
On Monday, Jan. 23 at 5 p.m. the Boca Grande Fire Department responded to a fire at the generator next to the cell phone tower near 5th Street and Park Avenue. While the source of the fire is undetermined, it leads us to the question of when we will get a fully functional permanent cell […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
It was hard for Vanita Auville, co-supervisor of Gaston Tree Debris Removal, to pinpoint when they would be able to finish up work at the end of Wheeler Road, but she did say that they would be working on setting the future dog park back to rights – at least as much as they can […]