Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Breaking News, News, Sports & Outdoors.
BY MARCY SHORTUSE Gasparilla Island is scheduled for a Lee County and federal beach renourishment this fall. It is unclear, however, how much a potential change in parking or public access for the beach due to a possible new Lee County parking ordinance will affect the federal funds for the project. Gasparilla Island, like beaches […]
Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in Breaking News, News.
On Wednesday, the Gasparilla Island Bridge Authority voted to harden the islands around its bridges and roadway to prevent further deterioration in the event of a future hurricane. “One thing the board takes very seriously is maintaining access to the island,” said George Milne, engineering chair for the authority. “We know where a lot of […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Opinion.
BY ALICE GORMAN One of the results of living and caring about a small community for many years is the awareness that certain complicated and difficult issues seem to never be permanently resolved. As a visitor to Boca Grande when my parents settled here in 1971 and a winter resident myself for the past 25 […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Community History.
FIVE YEARS AGO COVID-19 was in full swing and the World’s Richest Tarpon Tournament for 2020 had been canceled. TEN YEARS AGO The Downtown Beautification Project continued with three benches with palms and bamboo plantings alongside them on both sides of the Post Office. sFIFTEEN YEARS AGO The pain was felt by anyone trying to […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in News, Real Estate.
Recently, some residents have had questions to the Beacon about a new fence built in the Boca Grande Historic District just off Gilchrist, on the beachfront. The lattice fence has not gone through the Boca Grande Historic Preservation Board in the last year; it was a replacement for a wall damaged in fall hurricanes. The […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in News.
Bridge meeting The Gasparilla Island Bridge Authority Board of Supervisors will be conducting a Finance Committee meeting on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, at 1 p.m. in the GIBA administration building. Agenda topics include long-term cash flow projections. The board will also be conducting a Quarterly Board Meeting on Wednesday April 23, 2025, at 1 p.m. […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in News, Police & Fire.
The Boca Grande Disaster Fund is announcing the fundraising for a new home to be built for deputies working in Boca Grande. After Hurricane Milton, the existing 1920s Florida Cracker home located at 305 Wheeler Road was completely destroyed and condemned. The critical need is to have Lee County deputies living on the island as […]
Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in Featured News, Health & Wellness, News.
After an April 15 code amendment for parking requirements for historic districts, Boca Grande Health Clinic will be able to break ground on their new Annex project in May. “The good news is that they adjusted it,” said Mark Driscoll, the clinic’s chief executive officer. On April 15, 2025, Lee County’s Board of County Commissioners […]
Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in Breaking News, News.
Two commissioners from Lee County were in Boca Grande last week, not only to attend the groundbreaking of The Island School and Boca Grande Community Center renovation, but to learn about the island and to research the parking issue. “I had a four-hour tour that included the Community Center groundbreaking,” said David Mulicka, who is […]
Written by Anna Ridilla on . Posted in Breaking News, Community, News.
A number of Charlotte and Lee citizens and businesses came out to the joint meeting of the Charlotte and Lee County Commissioners in Punta Gorda to talk about the issue of Boca Grande and access to its beaches. Nine of 10 commissioners from both counties were at the meeting, where numerous interlocal agreements were discussed […]