Written by Sheila Evans on . Posted in Community History, News.
There was a rivalry between The Gasparilla Inn and the Boca Grande Hotel for some time. They tended to attract much of the same clientele, but there were differences. It is said that Spadaro decided to invest in Boca Grande when he and his wife were excluded from the Inn’s dining room because of the way they were dressed, even though they had the financial wherewithal to pay for anything they wanted.
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in News.
The Boca Economics Group is back at 3 p.m. on Thursday, March 2, armed with their crystal balls and plenty of educated insights into the current and future state of the world. “We’ll be addressing a wide spectrum of economic, social and geopolitical issues, all of which have the potential to impact our economy in […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Community, News.
The GICIA is holding an island-wide cleanup on Saturday morning, March 18. Hurricane Ian dealt Boca Grande a major blow and debris from its unrelenting winds still litters our island home. The Gasparilla Island Conservation and Improvement Association is calling on residents to volunteer a couple of hours to help remove unsightly debris. Hurricane […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in News.
You don’t have to be silent when visiting the big tent with the auction items at the 2023 United Methodist Women’s annual Strawberry Festival on Saturday March 4. In fact, the Silent Auction Committee is hoping for a lot of positive comments as visitors examine and bid on more than 60 items on display. […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News, Profiles.
Indomitable is kind of an old fashioned word. You don’t hear it used much today. If you say someone has an indomitable spirit, you admire them because they never give up or admit they have been defeated. The word fits Ched McConnell, who never seems to let bad news defeat him. Ched has lived in […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Obituaries.
On February 17, 2023, Harry Childs’ daughter went into his room and opened the window to let a breeze in. A 1950s hymnal selection was playing in the background. A song called “Here I am, Lord” came on as she left the room and attended to other things. When she came back, Harry had apparently […]
Written by Delores Savas on . Posted in Columns, Editorial.
“Most whales and dolphins will be subjected to 3.5 million instances of temporary and/or permanent hearing loss. For species that depend on hearing for survival, to find food, migrate and communicate, any hearing loss could be catastrophic. As, one scientist noted, a deaf whale is a dead whale.” -Pierce Bronson, actor and environmentalist Many readers may recall the […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Boca Beacon Back Pages.
Boca Beacon backpages FIVE YEARS AGO Work began on the new Gasparilla Island Water Association, The Island School held their annual Friendship Dance and the Pine Leaf Boys were shakin’ it at the Historical Society fundraiser. TEN YEARS AGO Florida Field was making cookies at the Child Care Center, Tom Gilligan was making the kids […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in News.
“Despite a few leftover challenges from the hurricane, the church women are moving ahead full steam to ensure that this year’s event is as much fun as in previous years,” said Gloria Mitchell, who along with her daughter, Amy Mitchell, is co-chairing the event. “This year’s festival will signal our efforts to return to normal and, of course, will underscore the need to help others that are still suffering as a result of the storm.”
Written by Guest Columnist on . Posted in News.
The GICIA’s goals for the restoration were to improve water quality, enhance native fish and bird habitat, reduce seawall maintenance costs, and improve site aesthetics. Since the restoration was completed in 2021, water quality has continued to improve. Biologists have planted nearly 17,300 units of seagrass, four acoustic receivers have been installed to monitor tagged fish such as tarpon and smalltooth sawfish and environmental resource surveys are being conducted twice a year.