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GIBA toll collections will resume at midnight tonight, Oct. 23

Toll collections at the Gasparilla Island Bridge Authority will resume at midnight tonight, Weds. Oct. 23, 2024. A reminder: Also, GIBA has placed a sign on the Causeway letting the public know that the beaches are closed until further notice. The Lee County Sheriff is going to continue the Hurricane Tag checkpoint at the county […]

Boca Grande hurricane recovery fundraiser links

Following the destruction from Hurricanes Helene and Milton, several island businesses have set up fundraisers to help with recovery. Click the links below to visit each individual campaign. If you own or know of a business in Boca Grande with a verified fundraiser that is not included below, send the link to aridilla@bocabeacon.com

Water service returns to most of Gasparilla Island

Gasparilla Island Water Association has about 95 percent of the island’s water connections back in service. “We are getting to the nitty gritty,” said Ron Bolton, GIWA’s executive director, who said that less than 120 units are without water and/or sewer. In a Monday email to the board, he said that most of the lift […]

Water service update for Boca Grande

At the end of the day on Friday, Oct. 18, GIWA Executive Director Ron Bolton reported that approximately 60 percent of members are back in service. Sewer lift stations are also back on FPL power. The utility will also have crews here on the weekend, chasing leaks and handling other issues. This is a week […]

Photos: Going forward

Clockwise from top, remediation trucks at The Gasparilla Inn. Right, street sweepers from Lee County are busy. Ziad & Kaz Kazbour, BubbaQue’s of Brandon, came thanks to the Faustini Family of Pavement Technology. While much of Hudson’s was flooded, they donated unspoiled drinks to anyone as a gift to the island recovery, BGI distributed with […]

Marjorie Fortgang 1933-2024

Marjorie Katz Fortgang died peacefully on October 5, 2024, surrounded by her family at her home on the island of Boca Grande, Florida. She was 91. Marjorie was born on July 28, 1933, in Longmeadow,Massachusetts, the first daughter of Abraham andIrene Katz. She and her younger sister, June, were best friends who enjoyed a long life full of fun and adventure, bravely supporting […]

It came by for a visit …

The night of Monday, Oct. 14, a comet known as C/2023 A3, or Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, was photographed 45 minutes after sunset at the Boca Grande Lighthouse. See you again in 80,000 years. Photo by Matt

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: A visit from the Commerce Secretary and Lt. Gov, Focus on small business

On Tuesday, Oct. 15, Florida Secretary of Commerce Alex Kelly came to Boca Grande to help local businesses ruined by Hurricane Milton. The Beacon discussed the importance of small businesses to not only each local economy, but overall tourism. While here, he saw damage from Milton and Helene, and toured Hudson’s, Scarpas, Key Lime Bistro, […]

Friends of Boca Grande Postpones Programs Amid Storm Recovery

Friends of Boca Grande Community Center will postpone all scheduled programs for November and December as the island continues its recovery from storms Helene and Milton, both of which flooded the organization’s offices and locations at the Boca Grande Community Center. In a letter to supporters, Marta Powell, executive director of Friends of Boca Grande, […]