Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Uncategorized.
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 […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in News.
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
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Featured News, News, Uncategorized.
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 […]
Written by Boca Grande Health Clinic on . Posted in Health & Wellness, News.
BY MARK DRISCOLL, CEO As we begin the long road to recovery following Hurricane Milton, we want to express our heartfelt concern for all of you who have been affected. We are relieved to share that our clinic staff is safe, though some have experienced personal losses like so many in our community. Despite these […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in News.
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, […]
Written by Anna Ridilla on . Posted in Breaking News, Featured News, News.
Day by day Hurricane Milton recovery on Gasparilla Hurricane Milton was the third hurricane landfall in Florida this year after Debby and then Helene less than two weeks prior. Below is an approximate timeline of Milton’s impacts on Gasparilla Island throughout the week, gathered from Beacon reporting, local weather stations and Gasparilla Island Conservation and […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in News, Real Estate.
The Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan program provides short-term, zero-interest working capital loans that are intended to “bridge the gap” between the time a disaster impacts a business and when a business has secured longer term recovery funding such as federally or commercially available loans, insurance claims or other resources. Loans made under this […]
Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in Community, Featured News, News.
A disaster fund to assist island businesses has raised nearly $1 million in cash, with hopes of reaching $3 million to help local businesses survive. The goal of the fund is to “make sure everybody stays in business,” said Larry Hannah, one of three organizers of the fund, which is being run through the Lighthouse […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in News.
Florida Commerce is accepting applications from eligible residents whose employment or self-employment was lost or interrupted due to Hurricane Milton. Residents are encouraged to submit a claim at FloridaJobs. org. Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is available to those who are ineligible to receive federal or state Reemployment Assistance benefits and meet one of the following requirements: Is unemployed as a direct result of […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in News.
Residents can use over-washed sand to fill in holes and may return sand to the beach as long as the below requirements are met, including the return of sand to the beach dune system which has been deposited upland by the storm. No state or local government permit or other authorization shall be required for […]