Written by Sheila Evans on . Posted in Profiles.
Garber has been in Boca Grande just a couple of months but is already fully enmeshed in the island vibe. Some of that just comes naturally to him, and some is because he had served on Captiva Island for a considerable time before being assigned here. This experience has made him a perfect fit for the job in Boca Grande.
Written by Boca Beacon Reader on . Posted in Editorial.
Using the most sensitive technology available for detecting harmful algal bloom (HAB) toxins, the Calusa Waterkeeper (CWK) research team started airborne toxin monitoring in July 2021 at eight locations in Lee County, Florida. Samples were collected with the use of a monitoring device designed and optimized from the ground up, incorporating elements of other design […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
To quell the rumor mill, this project does not include a “hotel” per se, but a “condominium hotel” experience. The units will be privately owned, and if the owners wish to enter their units into the rental management program, they can do so. It will be no different than the condominiums and homes that are rented out by island real estate rental companies.
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News.
The U.S. Census Bureau statistics say that more than 50,000 people have moved to the Sarasota/North Port/Punta Gorda area in the last 18 months, and the state had 221,000 more residents arrive from other U.S. states than leave from July 2020 to July of 2021. This accounted for the biggest population gain for the state since 2005
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in News, Obituaries.
Father Sullivan was the first resident priest the island ever had. According to local history, the rectory as we know it now used to be a convent when he came to the island in1985. The sisters who lived there moved to Englewood to be closer to the Placida Road church, St. Francis. He was also responsible for purchasing the house and property next door to the church, which he renovated into a daycare center, now called the Boca Grande Preschool. The old rectory was sold to a resident, Mark Shevitski, and Father Sullivan moved across the street into the newly purchased house.
Written by T Michele Walker on . Posted in News.
Planning and organizing such an event would be an exhausting venture for many people. For Camille, it was a rush. “I loved working with Bayard Sharp. He trusted me. He had the most wonderful sense of humor and a sense of adventure, like no one I have ever known in my life. We spent a year-and-a-half planning that party, and we had a wonderful time. It was probably one of the greatest experiences, not just in my career, but also in my personal life.”
Written by Guest Columnist on . Posted in News.
And then we found a message in a bottle. Somewhere along a stretch of Boca Grande beach, probably the same day we found it, some kids decided to send out a message to the world in a time-honored way, by tossing a bottle into the water with a note in it and letting the currents take it to its destiny.
Written by Tonya Bramlage on . Posted in News.
Each volunteer is assigned a section of the beach, called a zone, that they patrol by walking every morning. When they see the distinct flipper tracks of a turtle, it is their esteemed task to determine whether the sea turtle has made a successful nesting attempt or a false crawl. A false crawl happens when the turtles come up onto the beach without digging a nest. Once a determination has been made, volunteers then mark the nest and protect it with wood stakes and colored tape.
Written by Sheila Evans on . Posted in Profiles.
Gina Thomsen has a passion for life…the life of every creature she encounters. Thomsen is sometimes known as “the bird lady,” but she is really the “every living creature” lady. If you want evidence of that, go swimming or paddleboarding with her in the Gulf sometime. The dolphins and manatees know her board and honor her presence by seeking her out. She is known by some as the dolphin and manatee whisperer.
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Editorial.
The sense of loyalty to our island community in our newsroom is profound. Whether you are a billionaire from the Northeast or a high school baseball player selling cookies to support the team, we are here for you. We want your news – good or bad – to be printed in our newspaper so we can contribute to the history of this amazing place. We hope that someday 100 years from now, someone sorting through their grandmother’s attic will find an old Boca Beacon news article about how she won the Ladies Day Tarpon Tournament raffle. We hope that someone searching for their ancestors online can find a scanned version of an article about their great-great-grandfather that brings them more information in their search.