Written by Boca Beacon on . Posted in News.
BY MARCY SHORTUSE There were 120 excited kids in Boca Grande Pass on Saturday, June 6, all waiting to catch that winning silver king in the Grande Aire Gasparilla Island Kids Classic.Capt. Matt Haag and his team, which included Megan Huer, Jack Allgeier and Sean Hyer, came out the winners when the tournament ended. They […]
Written by Boca Beacon on . Posted in News.
BY MARCY SHORTUSE Five graduates headed toward the stage last Friday, June 5 at the Boca Grande Community Center Auditorium, while a full house of family and friends looked on. There were tears, as usual, and many smiles, as well as a few Broadway show tunes. Ciera Combrink, Gabriela Crespo, Colton Diens, Kylie Robbins and […]
Written by Boca Beacon on . Posted in News, Profiles.
BY MARCY SHORTUSE When Jeremy Chamathorn (a.k.a. Jeremy Chino) first came to Boca Grande, he was astounded by the island’s beauty. His cousin, Patrick Vollmer, had enticed him here with the promise of a job working in paradise. It wasn’t until Jeremy arrived here that he realized just how true that was. “My first thought […]
Written by Boca Beacon on . Posted in Letters to the Editor.
To the Editor: In the course of events, both public and private, no one person or entity can possibly take sole credit for the success or failure of any undertaking. The event is the sum of so many moving parts, and those parts require much in the way of planning and coordination. So it is […]
Written by Boca Beacon on . Posted in Editorial.
SUBMITTED BY THE FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION Every year the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has license-free fishing days. You may have missed free saltwater fishing last weekend, but this weekend, June 13 and 14, will be license-free for freshwater fishing. Florida residents and visitors need a Florida freshwater fishing or saltwater […]
Written by Boca Beacon on . Posted in News.
BY JACK SHORT Charlotte County Fire and EMS and the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office were part of the response team that may have saved a man’s life after he nearly drowned on May 25, Memorial Day, in Gasparilla Pass, north of Gasparilla Island. According to representatives of CCSO and Charlotte County EMS the victim, Chris […]
Written by Boca Beacon on . Posted in News.
On Friday, May 29 between the hours of 6 p.m. and 2 a.m. there will be limited and/or no power to the bridge or toll booth, as the electric lines to the new tender house will be energized. According to administrators with the Gasparilla Island Bridge Authority, during the outage tolls will continue to be […]
Written by Boca Beacon on . Posted in News.
BY LEW HASTINGS Tarpon Fishing. For some it’s an old family tradition, one that goes back generations. The World’s Richest Tarpon Tournament has become a tradition in its own right. In various iterations over the past 33 years, the tournament has become known both locally and by participants from around the world as “The Big […]
Written by Boca Beacon on . Posted in News.
BY JEAN NETHERY The Beacon welcomes back our occasional writer, Jean Nethery, who is writing this time about Ireland. This is part one in a two part series. As our Boeing 757 touched down on the Dublin runway I could almost hear the angels singing “When Irish eyes are smiling, sure ‘tis like a morn […]
Written by Boca Beacon on . Posted in News.
If you’re anywhere near Boca Grande Pass Saturday night, don’t be surprised if you hear some odd noises. The howling will be fierce, as the Howl at the Moon Invitational Tarpon Tournament will be taking place from 8 to 11 p.m. The entry fee is $500 per team. Long time local fisherman Dave “Smitty” Smith […]