The Florida Press Association held its annual Better Weekly Newspaper Contest awards ceremony on July 7 in Destin, Fla.

The Boca Beacon crew were nominated for seven categories and received eight prizes.

Tune in to WENG on Fridays at 4 p.m. beginning in August and you’ll hear a familiar voice piped into your ear. Beginning August 1 it’s going to be Lew Hastings, the Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce executive director.

Putting on yet another hat, Lew will be providing exposure to area businesses in a show called “Gulf Coast Business Spotlight.” The show will be an hour long, and will feature two businesses each week. This week, just prior to going on the air, he’s been sifting through music and looking for theme music.

Boca Grande residents have always made due with their Fourth of July plans and fireworks, but next year may be different.

At their last meeting on Tuesday, July 10, the Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce discussed the possibility of holding an island Fourth of July celebration next year, including fireworks and a barbecue.

A possible location discussed was South Beach, and a possible date was July 3. That way there would be no interference with other local fireworks displays, and those who came to the party wouldn’t have to go to work the next day.

The board also discussed other dates for next year. The World’s Richest Tarpon Tournament weekend will be held on May 23 and 24, and the Tarpon Festival will be held on May 25. Ladies Day will be held on Mother’s Day, May 11, because good tides will prevail once again on that maternal day.

Sue Hoots was born in the small, coastal town of Ogunquit, Maine. Known by its motto, “Beautiful place by the sea,” the town becomes an artists’ colony every summer. Beginning in the 1890s, hundreds of students flocked to the town to learn from famous teachers each year. Today the town is home to the Ogunquit Museum of American Art, with a collection of over 1,600 works of art.

“We lived right on the Atlantic beach,” said Sue. “It was a summer resort area, with art everywhere and a summertime theater. We would spend entire days at the beach when we weren’t in school. It was a typical New England seaside town.”