Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Breaking News, News, Sports & Outdoors.
The temporary bridge over the Boca Grande Bayou being used by the Gasparilla Island Water Association to remove old equipment will be gone by Thanksgiving. GIWA Executive Director Ron Bolton said that the window for removal from the contractor could be Oct. 17 to 26, according to the contractor. Currently, the bridge is not only […]
Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in Breaking News, News, Police & Fire, Sports & Outdoors.
An experimental SeaRey airplane made an emergency water landing just off Palm Island at Stump Pass on Sunday at around 4:20 p.m. Palm Island beachgoers, as well as a Jet Skier, came to the rescue of the stranded pilot, Aaron Biedenbach. “They all came running,” said Biedenbach, who lives in Apollo Beach and flies a […]
Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in Breaking News, News, Sports & Outdoors.
Mattress firm rip-rap puts wash to sleep The shoreline hardening project of the Gasparilla Island Bridge Authority is in full swing. The $4.5 million initiative is a long-term solution to the coastal storm erosion caused by Hurricane Milton. “We are past the halfway point,” said Bobby Brown, general manager of the contractor, CHC Marine Services […]
Written by Guest Columnist on . Posted in Columns, Sports & Outdoors.
BY ARLENE HALL, BGSTA SECRETARY YAWN. Pardon me, but the sea turtle nesting season for us patrollers is such a boring time. No new crawls have occurred since August 31 and the current nests we are monitoring are dwindling. Not much is happening on the beach these days but we’re still out there keeping an […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Community History, News, Real Estate.
The Boca Grande Historic Preservation Board will meet to review two projects on Gasparilla Island. The first project is entitled the Burcham Elevation, at 740 E. Railroad Ave. The request is to elevate the house two feet and replace existing windows, like for like. The second project is a residence at 750 Palm Ave. It […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Uncategorized.
Improvements continue in the renovation of what is planned to be a bistro at 210 E. Railroad Ave. Plans for the building were approved by the Boca Grande Historic Preservation board last August, with design by Larson Architecture of New York. The improvements to the old 3rd Street Bar & Grille updated windows and moved […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Community, Featured News, News.
It was this weekend, one year ago, that Hurricane Helene hit the United States. It caused over $78 billion in damage, with over 250 fatalities in its path from the Yucatan, past the tip of Cuba and up through Florida’s Big Bend into the Carolinas. In Southwest Florida, the hurricane passed far away from shore, […]
Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in Community, Obituaries.
Harry Kalajian, dog trainer, and columnist for the Boca Beacon since 2018, died Sunday, Sept. 14, after a brief illness. Kalajian began training dogs professionally in 1986. In a 2023 column for the Beacon, he said he had learned his training through interactions with many English, French and American trainers, as well as some in […]
Written by Boca Beacon Reader on . Posted in Letters to the Editor.
Editor’s Note: An open letter to Lee Commissioners from a Charlotte resident in the parking discussion. To the Editor: I urge you to consider adopting an interlocal agreement that extends the benefits of Ordinance 25-16 to Charlotte County residents, ensuring continued public beach access and parking in Boca Grande, as Charlotte County Commissioners have asked […]
Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in Editorial.
It is 6:05 a.m. along “this here” Gulf of America. Those there lights blink off the coast, on the barges pumping sand across the water, to the shoreline. Up in the air, the Range Light blinks its signal slowly, the fresnel lens gleaning extra light, reflected over empty cottages. The contractors are heading onto island, […]