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My first tarpon

BY JESS GOSLOWSKI After countless trips through the Pass without landing a tarpon, I had a feeling this trip would be different. As we headed out that evening, I looked at my boss, Wendy, and…

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OPINION: Why is Lee County blocking the public from its own parks?

BY MARK HOOGENDOORN, OPEN SHORES OF SW FLORIDA Lee County has a rule about its parks: county parks must be open to the public every day of the year, and no permit may be issued that blocks the pu…

New cousins!

These adorable cousins were born 2 1/2 weeks apart. Evie Mae Rutan was born to Zachary and Eden Rutan on May 19 and Luke Michael Rutan was born to Brian and Bree Rutan on June 5. There are going to…

Thank you to Woman’s Club for supplies

The Boca Grande Sea Turtle Association is thankful for the Community Grant it received this spring from the Boca Grande Woman’s Club to support the fieldwork operations of the BGSTA’s Turtle Patrol…

Congratulations!

Braeden Hobbs graduated from Charlotte High School, Punta Gorda, on May 21 with magna cum laude honors. Braeden ranked among the top 20 percent of his graduating class and plans on starting college…

Congratulations!

Lemon Bay Conservancy awarded the 2026 Elsie Bracken Environmental Science Scholarship to Lemon Bay High School Senior Keegan Noel. Pictured (l to r): Irene Slattery, Lemon Bay Conservancy Presiden…

Graduate!

Ambrea Hobbs graduated from the University of West Florida, Pensacola, on May 2 with summa cum laude honors. She earned a B.A. in history and a B.A. in legal studies with a minor in political scienc…

Summer Live Music Series at Scarpa’s

Kenny Rose performed at Scarpa’s Coastal last week for Scarpa’s “Island Summer Live Music Series.” Amy Cyr will be performing on Friday, June 26 from 5 to 8 p.m., 321 Park Ave., Boca Grande …

Fourth of July Golf Cart Parade begins at 9 a.m

Get planning for the Boca Grande Fourth of July Golf Cart Parade. The event is an annual July 4th tradition on the island; there are no entry fees and you just need to line up around 8:30 a.m. at th…

The boarding pass and the book

BY SUSAN HANAFEE Amazon has been on my “list” lately for failing to be good stewards of my older books. There have been broken links. Old covers have resurfaced; new covers disappeared. An order…

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: A brief history of the Boca Grande Fourth of July

In 1958, gray skies and rain marred the Fourth of July in Boca Grande. But it was still perhaps the biggest Fourth of July ever for the island, as that Fourth marked the opening of the Gasparilla Island bridge at 11 a.m. The bridge was originally called the Baynard-Spadio-Shuckman Bridge in newspaper ads. Local newspapers […]

Sports & Outdoors

Health & Wellness

First patients at new Health Clinic

Kim Newlin (above) was the first patient appointment at the new clinic. Photographed with Dana Pellant, L.P.N. Kimberly Whipple (right) was the first same-day patient at the new clinic. Photogra…

New Boca Grande Health Clinic dedicated

The Boca Grande Health Clinic opened the doors of their new Clinic of the Future on Tuesday, with over 300 gathered. The $30 million project not only includes new clinic offices and facilities, but…

Boca Grande ‘Clinic of the Future’ dedicated this week

More than 300 people gathered on May 5 as the Boca Grande Health Clinic officially dedicated its new Clinic of the Future to the community and recognized the many donors who made the project possibl…

Clinic: Mother’s Day is perfect time to reflect on women’s health

BY NATALIE COLE, R.N. BOCA GRANDE HEALTH CLINIC If you are struggling to think of the perfect gift this Mother’s Day, consider something many women rarely give themselves: time to focus on their…

Boat ramp investigation

On Saturday evening June 20 at the Placida Boat Ramp, there was a report of an altercation and hit and run between two pickups with boat trailers. Christopher Hall, spokesman for the Charlotte C…

Battery arrest on Memorial Weekend

During Memorial Day weekend, a 36-year-old man was arrested without bond for battery on the Boca Grande Causeway. On Saturday, May 23, the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office and the Lee County She…

New EMS students

Charlotte County Fire & EMS, in partnership with Charlotte Technical College, hosted its first-ever Signing Day Ceremony on May 26, recognizing local students pursuing careers in fire and emerge…

Overturned boat in Boca Grande Pass on Monday

Charter boat rescue Last weekend saw two separate boating incidents in the waters around Gasparilla Island, though no serious injuries were reported and only a handful of minor injuries occurred…

News Archives

Bob Leland, 1934-2026

Bob Leland, devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, friend, entrepreneur, and lifelong supporter of the University of Michigan, pas…

Jeffrey Edward Larson 1987-2026

Jeffrey Edward Larson was born February 12, 1987 and was taken to heaven May 28, 2026. He was 39 years old. He resided with his mother and father, J…

Lane Hartle 1936 – 2026

Lane Hartle passed away in Sarasota on May 26, 2026. She was born in 1936 in Warsaw, Indiana. She attended schools in Warsaw and graduated from Sara…

Dennis Guppy 1955 – 2026

Guppy has left the building. After a prolonged illness, Dennis passed away on May 21, 2026, a day after his 71st birthday. It was peaceful after…

Dennis Guppy

The Beacon has received word of the death of Dennis Guppy, who died May 21, 2026. He was known on the island for Black Tie Catering, and had previou…