Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in Editorial.
This Friday, The Beacon office will be closed for the Florida Press Association annual meeting. The paper won 18 awards, including one for the work of the hurricane fund and for the volunteers from Lighthouse United Methodist Church who made it happen. Another is the Jon A. Roosenraad First Amendment Defense Award. Roosenraad died in […]
Written by Anna Ridilla on . Posted in Education, Featured News, Profiles.
New at The Island School this year Anne Smith may be new to The Island School, but she’s no stranger to the classroom – with 20 years of teaching experience, she’ll begin her first week on island this Monday, Aug. 4. “I was in Sarasota County for 20 years,” Smith said. “My first five years, […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Community History, News.
BY MARCY SHORTUSE Since the early 1900s Boca Grande’s beach streets have been openly designated for public use. In 1925, these water access points were clearly marked on plat maps created by the railroad’s own land development company, and they were used as such for 100 years. In newspaper articles over the years it has […]
Written by Arlene Hall on . Posted in Columns, Sports & Outdoors.
BY ARLENE HALL, BGSTA SECRETARY My grandkids from Kansas were visiting for the past couple weeks, and one of the highlights is having them join me for turtle patrol early in the morning. OK, it’s one of my highlights; most days they would prefer a pre-breakfast dip in the pool over a pre-breakfast two-mile hike […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in News, Police & Fire.
Lee County Emergency Medical Services has received the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline EMS Gold achievement award for its commitment to offering rapid and research-based care to people experiencing the most severe form of heart attacks and strokes, ultimately saving lives. This is the 11th consecutive year for the national recognition. Mission: Lifeline EMS is […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in News, Police & Fire.
State Rep. Danny Nix joined Charlotte County Commissioners on Tuesday, July 22, to present a ceremonial check of more than $8 million in state funding for local infrastructure, emergency response and waterway safety projects. The funding, was included in Florida’s 2025-2026 budget and signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis. “Bringing good ideas to Tallahassee is important—but […]
Written by VAN HUBBARD on . Posted in Columns, Featured News, News, Sports & Outdoors.
Three generations sometimes together I just attended the annual International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades (ICAST) in Orlando. My first observation is, may God help anyone driving in the Orlando area. It’s scary, crazy and crowded. The show was well attended, and most people I spoke with were happy with the traffic and purchases by […]
Written by Boca Grande Health Clinic on . Posted in Featured News, Health & Wellness, News.
Our beaches are part of what makes life in Boca Grande so special. Whether you’re walking the shoreline, collecting shells or enjoying a dip in the Gulf, being close to the water is part of the rhythm of island life. But during the hot summer months — especially after heavy rains — certain harmful bacteria […]
Written by Anna Ridilla on . Posted in Community, Featured News, News.
With only two weeks until the Lee County Board of Commissioners is scheduled to discuss the proposed Boca Grande parking ordinance, a community-organized petition to “Keep Boca Grande Open” is nearing 10,000 signatures. The petition, which is addressed to the Lee County Commissioners and was created by longtime resident Mila Wyman, advocates for keeping the […]
Written by Anna Ridilla on . Posted in Breaking News, Community, News, Police & Fire.
The island Emergency Operations group met at the Boca Grande Fire Department on Thursday morning, July 24 to go through updates and procedures for peak hurricane season. Since Hurricane Ian, and through last hurricane season, the BGFD has made significant changes to improve emergency communication and operations, including increasing staffing levels, Chief C.W. Blosser said […]