Tag: NoPaywall

Reflecting on the Naples-ization of the Boca Grande landscape

January 18, 2024
Staff Report
Columns, Editorial, Opinion

By JIM COCHRUN,GUEST EDITORIAL I grew up in Naples in the early ’50s. In those years, Naples was a small, tranquil and pristine Old Florida community of 1,500 residents. The bulk of the...

2024 Gasparilla Island Tennis Classic opens Saturday, Jan. 20

January 13, 2024
Sheila Evans
Sports & Outdoors

It is that time of year when all eyes turn to the island’s tennis courts. The 2024 Gasparilla Island Tennis Classic opens Saturday, Jan. 20, and runs through Feb. 10. With an array of...

Backcountry fishing, scattered snook on our higher tides

January 12, 2024
Staff Report
Sports & Outdoors

BY CAPT. WILL WATERHOUSE The backcountry fishing has been off to a great start this new year! We have been targeting pretty much everything from snook, redfish, and trout along with some...

New Allen organ at Lighthouse United Methodist

This week, Lighthouse United Methodist Church installed a new organ, an Allen GX340. The digital organ, which resembles a traditional organ with pull stops, can have up to...

USPS responds to complaints about island postal service

In the last month, the Boca Beacon has received a number of complaints about missing packages and returned mail at the Boca Grande Post Office. The issues were so bad that someone took the time to...

Q&A with Dr. John Fletemeyer, beach ecology expert

January 12, 2024
Garland Pollard
News

One of the nation’s biggest advocates for beaches is Dr. John Fletemeyer, a former research professor at Florida International University’s Laboratory for Coastal Research. A new resident of...

Placida Bunkhouse still needs attention, entrance to Boca Grande

By JOHN VALICKAS, Guest Columnist Part of the uniqueness and the cultural identity that Boca Grande enjoys comes from its rich historical roots. Although many of the island’s historical...

Editorial: What is historic in Boca Grande?

The Boca Grande Historic Preservation Board had only one item on the agenda Jan. 10, namely the designation of 446 4th Street East as officially “historic.” The building, which houses Bowen...

Wheeler Road pickleball and Friends on Lee County agenda

January 12, 2024
Staff Report
News

At the upcoming Lee County Board of County Commissioners meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 16 there are two items relating to Gasparilla Island on the agenda. The meeting will consider a “supplemental...

Bayou Bridge removed, for (almost) the last time

The temporary Bayou Bridge is mostly gone, at least temporarily. Wednesday, crews from Kelly Brothers Inc. were dismantling the center of the galvanized steel bridge, which partially sat on 7th...