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LETTER TO THE EDITOR: History Bytes for 2022 is over; many thanks to those who made another great year possible

To the Editor: It was our pleasure to be back at the library this season, celebrating 21 years of History Bytes. I’d like to thank all who made this past February’s History Bytes program a huge success. The History Byte program began with Sally Van Italie’s idea and Capt Robert Johnson organized the program for […]

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Losing yet another piece of Boca Grande uniqueness

I am writing this letter to the Boca Beacon in hopes that you will publish it in an upcoming issue and help plant the seed of an idea benefiting the entire community. I write as a friend, admirer, and long-time visitor to Boca Grande, which stands out for the way its citizens and residents have preserved the charm, history, and small-town character of the island and its town center. For the downtown area, the unpretentious traditional architecture of small-town America, white steepled churches, friendly local shops and galleries, and quality dining are what makes Boca Grande so inviting, so unique, so walkable, and so special.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Remembering a different type of Placida ‘culture’

To the two birds who are now the stewards of Placida, which is an estuary bay of Coral Creek (Caloosa Creek?). Imagine after your bridge card party, you and your mate took off to fly to the tops of 60-foot pine trees that encircled an ethereal small valley of deep ferns (where your babies could fall down safely). Above, another 100 pelicans (pterachtodons?) deafening pelican-Jurassic Park noise all in the pine tree rookery that was, through time, on that point or nearby, where they could fish the Placida shallows.

Parceling out our past: Another look at the area’s expansion

“People used to live there – real, working people – and that is what is not being preserved.” – Melissa knight Melissa Knight’s family have lived on the Cape Haze Peninsula for generations; the last names in her family tree read like a local history book – Knight, Cole, Albritton, Schwerm, Dixon and Nabers. Many […]

Friends of the Everglades to host presentation on water crisis at Power House in March

How much progress has been made since the toxic-algae crisis that devastated Boca Grande and other Florida communities in 2018?
How likely is a recurrence of the red tide and blue-green algae that killed marine life and posed a public health threat to Floridians?
Have the political and policy responses to Florida’s toxic-algae crisis been adequate?
Those are the questions at the heart of an event Friends of the Everglades and VoteWater are co-hosting March 22, at the Boca Bay Pass Club Power House. You’re invited to join us for a “Clean Water Conversation: LIVE” moderated by Boca Grande’s own Wesley Locke. This informative and fun gathering will begin at 5 p.m. with an interactive presentation, to be followed by a 6-7 p.m. outdoor cocktail reception open to the Boca Grande community.

Garden Club to welcome world-class farmer of Zonneveld

Just because you can get most anything all the time, doesn’t mean you should.
Probably words to live by but for internationally known Ariella Chezar, it describes the backbone of her floral design philosophy. Ms. Chezar, who will be working with Boca Grande Garden Club members during the group’s annual “Flower Week,” places sustainability and seasonality at the center of her floral practice.

Learn about peeling rocks like fruit and more at Zimsculpt

Zimbabwe is the only African country with vast amounts of carve-able stone. In fact, the stone found there is of such great importance to the people of Zimbabwe, that the word “ Shona” is derived from a word  in their native language literally meaning “house of stone.” This art medium has been made into a world renowned traveling exhibition of these modern Zimbabwean Shona stone sculptures and, in 2022, the prestigious honor for the exhibition location has been bestowed upon the Peace River Botanical & Sculpture Gardens in Punta Gorda. Join the festivities and listen to the sound of chisels clinking against stone echoing throughout the gardens from February 4 through April 18. 

Economic Summit 2022

What’s the number one issue on most people’s minds these days? It’s the economy, of course. And who better to provide insight on the complexities of this important issue than the speakers at the Economic Summit 2022, which will be held at 3:30 p.m., Thursday, March 3 in the Community Center Auditorium.