Spooked Again team takes first place in World's Richest, Blaze and Sitarah teams take second and third Friday, 24 May 2013 22:26 The first place Spooked Again team with Capt. Steve AhlersCapt. Steve Ahlers and his team aboard Spooked Again took home the first place winnings in the 2013 World's Richest Tarpon Tournament, held by the Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce. Read the Full Story

World's Richest, Kids Classic, Art Festival and street party schedule of events Friday, 24 May 2013 13:06
Schedule of events for the World's Richest Tarpon Tournament, Gasparilla Island Kids Classic, Boca Grande Invitational Art Festival, and street party ... Read the Full Story

Happy Graduation to Abigail, Dafne, Luke and Jake, TIS 2013! Friday, 24 May 2013 10:19 BY MARCY SHORTUSE - Four tassels were turned on Thursday, May 23, as Luke Crosser, Dafne Garcia, Abigail Turner and Jake Van Atten graduated from fifth grade and from The Island School. Prior to their commencement ceremony the four, with the help of others, did a “dramatic statues” and chant performance. Afterward, the third, fourth and fifth graders all participated in a song called “Flip Flop,” written and produced by TIS music teacher Diana Donlon. Read the Full Story

FWC releases findings in Bull Bay accident Friday, 24 May 2013 10:17 The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission has completed its report on the two-boat accident in Bull Bay on April 12, and the FWC is holding both Jesse Smith and Capt. Steve Ahlers at fault. Smith, of Port Charlotte, was travelling southwest in a gray 18’ open motorboat. He turned to the south to enter a blind, narrow passage between two mangrove islands when he spotted Ahlers’ yellow boat heading in the opposite direction. Ahlers, of Boca Grande, was traveling northwest towards the same passage, with three passengers on board his 20-foot yellow boat. Read the Full Story

Art festival details for this weekend’s tarpon festival weekend Friday, 24 May 2013 10:14 todd vaughn art festThe Boca Grande Invitational Art Festival has an exciting slate of 60 amazing artists in a wide variety of mediums. Organizer Carroll Swayze is excited and filled with anticipation for the event. “(We) have some amazing work this year,” she said. “The festival is near and dear to my heart because Boca Grande is home to me. The people on the island have supported me for my whole life and I am proud to be able to hand-pick a Fine Art Festival to present to the island. I have spent the past year trying to choose artists who fit the theme and the ideals of the World’s Richest Tarpon Tournament of conservation, education and sportsmanship. I have world-class marine wildlife artists coming as well as some of the finest Florida landscape painters the state has to offer. I hope that everyone will come out, enjoy the festival and meet the artists who work so hard to create their beautiful original artwork.” Read the Full Story

Grant says ‘good-bye’, Kaplans say hello to island Friday, 24 May 2013 10:12 BY LIZA STROUT - Serendipity brought Grant Quirk to Gill’s Grocery, and a decade later it led his successors, the Kaplans, to the store.
Ten years ago, Grant Quirk was discussing the end of his clamming business with a friend. The one-two punch of red tide and “rolling moss” had ruined his clam beds, and he was looking for something new to do. Read the Full Story

Boca Grande, Sweet Pea highlighted in June Vogue magazine shoot Friday, 24 May 2013 10:09 Boca Grande has been the location for an awful lot of photo shoots, so many we usually don’t report on them. But, a couple of months ago a very high-profile fashion magazine – Vogue, to be exact – turned up in town with an interesting model. Her name is Dree Hemingway, and she is the great-granddaughter of Ernest Hemingway. Read the Full Story

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Spooked Again team takes first place in World's Richest, Blaze and Sitarah teams take second and third
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Letter to the Editor: Ballot language shocking, disturbing and deceptive

18 May 2012 Marcy Shortuse

To the Editor:

The wording of the November ballot question, as published in the Boca Beacon on May 4, 2012, is most disturbing. It is shocking to think you have used such deceptive language for this ballot question.

The referendum is not a vote, “Yes: For bonds” or “No: Against Bonds” to finance the bridges. You should be asking forthrightly, do you, as a voter, approve a GIBA-levied ad valorem tax, not to exceed .3 mils, to secure a bond issue. Yes or no.

The deceptive wording you have chosen should not be acceptable to the state, counties or voters. It is a tactic that should gain the ire and disrespect it warrants.

Joan Hall
Boca Grande

( 0 Votes )

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The News - Letter to Editor

Letter to the Editor: Football, cheer sign-ups for Englewood Cats this weekend

18 May 2012 Marcy Shortuse

To the Editor:

Sign ups for Englewood Cats football and cheer, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Larry Nicol Field, Oyster Creek Sports Complex, 6765 San Casa Drive, Englewood.

Free physicals, meet coaches, information on free summer clinics, cheerleading demonstrations, games, bounce house.

Registration is $100 per child and is not required at the time of registration. Additional fees may apply.

Bring original birth certificate for first-time registrants.

Visit englewoodcats.com for registration forms.

Chris Porter
Englewood

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The News - Letter to Editor

Letter to the Editor: We can't lose sight of the Boca Grande state of mind

18 May 2012 Marcy Shortuse

To the Editor:

As an Island historian I would like to comment on Skip Perry's editorial in last week’s Beacon. In spite of what some might call Skip’s “aggressive style,” I thought that, on the whole, it was “spot on.” Boca Grande has historically been a multi-dimensional town. I want go into all of the reasons that it was that way.

( 1 Vote )

Letter to the Editor: A message to PTTS – We won’t support you any more

18 May 2012 Marcy Shortuse

To the Editor:

This message is to “Professional” Tarpon Tournament Series, Ms. Sheli Sanders, Mr. Joe Mercurio, PTTS Sponsors and participating anglers

Sirs:

This is to inform you that neither I nor the Doc Ford Restaurants will participate as sponsors in any fishing tournament that allows snag-fishing (‘jig fishing’ is the common euphemism) for tarpon or other game fish. Snag-fishing has, justifiably, been banned to protect numerous game fish world wide, and I am, frankly, mystified why the tarpon (among Florida’s most valuable natural resources) has not been granted the same protection by governing state bodies.

( 7 Votes )

Letter to the Editor: Scholarship recipient grateful for Woman’s Club help

18 May 2012 Last Updated on 18 May 2012 Marcy Shortuse

To the Editor,

I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to the Boca Grande Woman’s Club for the generous scholarship which they awarded to me. I cannot begin to explain how grateful my family and I are for your help and consideration.

This scholarship helps to make it possible for me to attend Florida Gulf Coast University as a full time student this fall. I can never thank you enough for helping me to realize my educational goals.

Yours truly,
Kylei Linde Evans
Englewood