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The Baptists are back at home!

Written by Sheila Evans on . Posted in Community, News.

Boca Grande’s Baptist community celebrated in grande style as the congregation returned to its own church building July 16 for services. The fellowship hall will be the venue for services for a while, as the sanctuary is still under renovation following Hurricane Ian. 

Pastor Gary Beatty said they are “so excited to be back” in their own place, but very grateful to the Episcopal congregation for allowing them to use their church for services throughout the last 10 months.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Effie Joiner

Written by Sheila Evans on . Posted in Community History, Health & Wellness, Profiles.

Author George Bernard Shaw famously claimed youth was wasted on the young. Apparently, he never met Effie Joiner, because she is not wasting a moment of her youth. Effie is not yet 27 but is putting nearly every minute to good use and having great fun along the way.

Effie is the newest member of the staff at the Friends of Boca Grande Community Center. She is a program assistant, helping primarily on the music front. She also helps with the lecture series, selling tickets in the office and assisting wherever needed.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Lee County clerk, property appraiser and tax collector to host free class on property assessments, collections and disputes

Written by Boca Beacon Reader on . Posted in Letters to the Editor.

To the Editor: The public is invited to join Lee County’s Clerk and Comptroller Kevin Karnes, Property Appraiser Matt Caldwell and Tax Collector Noelle Branning for a comprehensive presentation on the property assessment, collection and dispute process.  The class will take place on Wednesday, Aug. 2 from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Estero Recreation […]

Bayou bridge might be gone by the end of the year, GIWA says

Written by Sheila Evans on . Posted in News.

The Gasparilla Island Water Association’s “Bayou Bridge” will be dismantled by the first of the year – and maybe sooner, according to GIWA Executive Director Ron Bolton. The low bridge is on 7th Street, just north of the Gasparilla Inn golf course bridge.

Weird summer weather these days includes something called a …

Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in News, Sports & Outdoors.

There’s yet another weather phenomenon beachgoers have to watch for in on the Gulf of Mexico. It’s the meteotsunami, a water wave seen June 21 on Clearwater Beach. 

The storm is another bit of off-kilter weather that seems to be hitting the Gulf of Mexico this summer, where oddities include record heat, scarce afternoon rains, bathtub-hot beach water and an upgraded hurricane forecast. All of this is not even a year after Hurricane Ian.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: John Garland Pollard

Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Profiles.

There are few Southern gentlemen left, but by outward appearances, so far, John Garland Pollard IV might be one of them. He is our new staff writer at the Boca Beacon and Gasparilla Island Magazine, and knowing how crazy you have to be to write for a living, we might want to check his crawl space and backyard to see if there are any bodies hidden there.

THIS DATE IN THE BOCA BEACON:

Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Boca Beacon Back Pages, Community History.

FIVE YEARS AGO A truly handsome alligator was just chillin’ on the beach near Sundown Colony, catchin’ some rays. Waylon took the buckle. TEN YEARS AGO The Boca Grande Marina was closing down for repairs and dredging. The Vacation Bible School kids from the Methodist Church came back from their trip to the Eleuthera Islands. […]

ECOWATCH: It is time to get back to nature and revel in its gifts

Written by Delores Savas on . Posted in Columns, Opinion.

Lately there have been countless problems facing residents who are still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Ian and the possibility of facing another herculean storm due to the overheating of Gulf waters and other issues. 

The prospect of wars, shortages of medicines and fuel, and the rise of crime rates in cities and smaller towns has many on edge.

Plus, the rising cost of home insurance, food, medicine and housing has been taking its toll on the masses. Instead of going to the doctor to get prescriptions for sleeping aids and other minor ailments, experts say we should giver Mother Nature a try.

Octopus Tree discussion shelved, urgency of bakery building demo takes center stage at meeting

Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Community History, News.

The July meeting of the Boca Grande Historic Preservation Board went rather expeditiously, even though the one official item on the agenda was a huge project at 1000 10th Street. It was the discussion at the very end of the meeting regarding future items to be addressed by the board that were the most important.

Lee County Planner Peter Blackwell was reading off the scant list of items that will come before the board in August and, quite possibly, September. When he mentioned the old bakery building that the tower fell into, Board Member Bill Caldwell was quick to ask what the status of that project was. Blackwell said their permission to demo had not been granted by the county yet, as they were still waiting on the paperwork from the petitioner.