Written by Guest Columnist on . Posted in Community, News, Sports & Outdoors.
BY MISTY NICHOLSEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR The Gasparilla Island Conservation and Improvement Association (GICIA) is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the cherished GICIA Bike Path. Originally opened on February 23, 1985, the path was created from the former Charlotte Harbor and Northern Railway right of way, thanks to the generosity of the Bayard and Hugh Sharp families […]
Written by Anna Ridilla on . Posted in Breaking News, News, Police & Fire.
Last Thursday, Dec. 26 a six-year-old girl was missing for about 15 minutes after being seen walking northbound of 1st Street and Gilchrist Avenue. The girl was found safely in about 15 or 20 minutes. She reportedly wandered up the beach, where she was found. “They found her pretty quickly thank goodness,” Boca Grande Fire […]
Written by Anna Ridilla on . Posted in Breaking News, News.
The Gasparilla Island Bridge Authority will have final year-end numbers from the bridge at the end of this week; so far, the December traffic count is up about 1,000 from December 2023. “We average about 93,000 vehicles each December,” wrote Executive Director Kathy Banson in an update to the Beacon. “Through last Thursday (12/26) our […]
Written by Anna Ridilla on . Posted in Breaking News, News.
This Friday’s paper is the first of the new year. Despite still recovering from the dual hurricanes this fall, Boca Grande was crowded with visitors this week, here to ring in 2025 in paradise. Families packed onto bikes and golf carts to shop at local businesses, eat ice cream at The Pink Pony and enjoy […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Featured News, News.
On Saturday, Dec. 28, a pink elephant appeared in the clouds. The view was looking west across the Gulf in south Boca Grande. The photo was caught by Erin Reid, daughter-in-law of Boca Grande residents Randy and Karen Reid. […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Featured News, Health & Wellness, News, Sports & Outdoors.
The island had a large number of dead mullet up and down the beach over the New Year, the result of a possible red tide outbreak offshore. “This is an unfortunate persistent presence of Red Tide since the Hurricanes a few months ago,” said Calusa Waterkeeper Codty Pierce, in an email to the Boca Beacon. […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Featured News, Sports & Outdoors.
This osprey was making a nest near the Range Light last week. He was spied with a number of building materials, found across the island. Photo by Matt
Written by Guest Columnist on . Posted in Columns.
BY KATHY Y. FUTCH One February, a few years back, islander-author Thomas McGuane enthralled an auditorium full of readers and writers in the Boca Grande Community Center. Those present then were rewarded with writing wisdom from his many years of teaching and being published, with added tips from authors he valued. I still value that […]
Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in Editorial, Events.
Next Wednesday, Doug Bradburn, director of Mount Vernon, will visit the island as part of a Friends of Boca Grande lecture in their History and Heritage series. Most people over a certain age have a decent knowledge of the life of Washington, but this is no longer the case with later generations. (Indeed, Washington’s Birthday […]
Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in Editorial.
It’s all in the numbers. Who doesn’t enjoy a date with a good number? Was your date a good number? That’s what we get next week with New Year’s Day, always a 1-1. Christmas Day was a good number, 12-25-24, but a greater date will be 12-25-25. On Christmas Day, we talked to friends visiting, […]