Written by Boca Beacon on . Posted in Obituaries.
My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready: I will sing and rehearse a psalm. Arise, O my glory, arise psaltery and harp: I will arise early. I will give praise to thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing a psalm to thee among the nations.” – Psalm 56(57):8-10 Surrounded by […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in News.
The Island’s Water Authority will continue normal operations through Hurricane Helene as it passes by Gasparilla Island. There will be no interruptions in service. According to Ronald Bolton, Executive Director: Visit GIWA.org for more information.
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Breaking News, News.
The storm PTC 9, expected to be named Helene, will pass through the Gulf of Mexico Wednesday and Thursday. The storm is a large area, and even if not in the cone, expect high winds and higher water. On September 24, 2024, Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 24-209, amending Executive Order 24-208, declaring a state of […]
Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in News.
Lee County Emergency Management is actively monitoring the tropics and working closely with state and federal partners, including the Florida Division of Emergency Management, the National Weather Service, and the National Hurricane Center. With heightened tropical activity, it is important for residents to take steps to prepare as we move through the remainder of this […]
Written by Delores Savas on . Posted in Columns, News, Sports & Outdoors.
“Consider the number of manatee deaths so far this year. Redesignating the manatee as endangered, which provides for the highest levels of federal protection and conservation efforts, is critical.” Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) In 2021, Congressman Buchanan wrote the above quote when 1,101 manatees died, and now as of 2024, the manatee still has not […]
Written by Boca Beacon Reader on . Posted in Letters to the Editor.
To the Editor: I was horrified to read of a proposal to put up parking meters or some sort of paid parking system in downtown Boca Grande. Parking meters, and even parking apps and kiosks, of course come with parking meter maids, which also means parking tickets. For a community that prides itself as one […]
Written by VAN HUBBARD on . Posted in Columns, Sports & Outdoors.
Please consider that water quality issues have reduced fish stocks, and the significant influx of residents and visitors has reduced water quality. Businesses are eager to grab all this easy-growth money, but when the scales flip how do we deal with the mess? Can we afford to continue trashing our natural resources? I don’t believe […]
Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in Editorial, News.
Wednesday, the Lee County Board of Commissioners again revisited the issue of Boca Grande parking. When the much discussed “plan” will be presented is unclear, but the Board has meetings on Oct. 2 and Oct. 16. Will we get to see a plan a week before the meeting, something that will affect all the businesses, […]
Written by Guest Columnist on . Posted in Columns, News, Sports & Outdoors.
BY ARLENE HALL, BGSTA SECRETARY Only 17 nests remain as of September 14! Of those, 14 are loggerhead and three are green turtle nests. Since September 8, we have seen eight nests either hatch or reach the 70-day incubation mark and be closed. Some of these nests were inventoried per the sampling strategy determined by […]
Written by Guest Columnist on . Posted in Columns, Sports & Outdoors.
This essay is part of a mini-series of stories from Barrier Islands Parks BY THE BARRIER ISLAND PARKS SOCIETY May through October is the official sea turtle nesting season in Southwest Florida. During these months, adult female sea turtles make an amazing journey home to nest and lay eggs on the very beach where they […]