Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News, Profiles.
■ BY SUE ERWIN Gabriel Maldonado has been working in a kitchen since he was about six-years-old. His parents owned a small restaurant in Mexico City and he and his four older sisters all learned the business from a very young age. “We used to slaughter our own animals with our father, and I started cleaning […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Editorial, Letters to the Editor, News, Opinion.
To the Editor: Your October edition of the Beacon is a very enjoyable read. Having been born and raised in South Boca Grande,”South Dock,” so many of your articles bring back many memories. Hurricane Michael reminds me that our dad, who worked for the railroad, would send us to Arcadia if a hurricane was threatening. […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
■ BY MARCY SHORTUSE On Thursday morning, October 18, a light breeze pushed a melancholy feeling around the bruised and potholed road at The Fishery. Small groups of shoppers congregated around the Hatch Gallery shop and the old Albritton house at the end of Placida Point. It’s easy to try to accept change when you […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
■ BY SUE ERWIN It’s officially stone crab season, and Dr. Phil Gravinese, a scientist at Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, said early testing has revealed catches close to shore have not been great. “Decomposing fish pull oxygen from the water, and that increases stress levels in the crabs,” Gravinese said. Fish and Wildlife Research Institute Public Information […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
All was well in the end on Tuesday, Oct. 16 at approximately 7:30 p.m. after the Boca Grande Fire Department responded to the call of a structure fire in the 400 block of Gulf Boulevard, at the Island House. Witnesses said the incident began when a batch of brownies lingered in the oven too long, […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News, Profiles.
■ BY SUE ERWIN Many of the residents in Boca Grande could easily recognize Jodi Overman’s smiling face due the number of years she’s spent working on the island. Most recently, she accepted a position with the Friends of Boca Grande, the nonprofit organization that manages cultural and educational programs offered on the island. Jodi is […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News, Obituaries.
Charles C. Whitaker II, best known as Sonny, passed away on October 10, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. Sonny was born in Tampa on June 12, 1920 to parents Karl E and Olivia Moody Whitaker. He attended H.B. Plant High School and the University of Florida. He was a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity. He […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Editorial, Letters to the Editor, News, Opinion.
To the Editor: Hello, I am Chris Grilo, U.S. Army. I am serving in Kabul, Afghanistan right now. I live and have family in Port Charlotte (Murdock area). I moved from Hicksville, New York (Long Island) in 1986 and finished high school at Port Charlotte High, Class of 1988 and joined the Army in late […]
Written by Guest Columnist on . Posted in Editorial, Letters to the Editor, News, Opinion.
To the Editor, Dear Friends and Relatives, Words cannot convey my gratitude to those who took part in the beautiful expression of honor displayed in tribute to the life of my husband, Mark Futch – a father, a brother, a grandfather, friend and teacher to many and carrier of life stories, on this past Saturday. […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
The Coast Guard had to take two men off this sailboat on the evening of Tuesday, Oct. 9 near Gasparilla Island, as eight-foot swells had the 50-foot sailboat in jeopardy. The unmanned vessel named “OldSkool” crashed into the jetty at the south end of the island by Port Boca Grande Lighthouse on Wednesday afternoon. No […]