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Update from Lee County on Boca Grande recovery

During its regular meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 15, the Board of Lee County Commissioners included various updates on Boca Grande Milton recovery, including sand screening and permitting. Lee Director of Solid Waste Douglass Whitehead gave an update on debris collection, which started for Hurricane Milton on Monday, Oct. 14. By Tuesday’s meeting they had collected […]

Losses significant at Catholic Church and Preschool

The Rev. Anthony Hewitt, priest of Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church, has begun daily Mass at the parish’s Life Center, and for the time being will have one Mass on Sundays there, as well. The main church, rectory and Boca Grande Preschool, which is under the direction of the Catholic Diocese of Venice, are […]

GUEST COLUMNS: KELLENE CARPENTER

Reflecting on early childhood education at the preschool BY KELLENE CARPENTER Editor’s Note: Kelli Carpenter wrote this essay for the Beacon just before Helene. The school was hurt badly in the storms but will rebuild. Over the summer, I had a conversation with a Boca Grande Preschool Board Member about characteristics of quality early-childhood programs. […]

‘Doomscrolling’ and searching for a ‘timeline cleanse’

On the Saturday before Milton, this editor was at Dollar Tree in Englewood, at the Winn-Dixie shopping center. For those who do not know it, Dollar Tree almost always has UHT (ultra-high temperature) milk in those juice box containers. For reference, and for the next storm, they are on the bottom shelf in the back. […]

Voting elects move to Methodist Church

In-person voting at Precinct 122, which typically is held at the Boca Grande Community Center will instead use the Lighthouse United Methodist Church for the Nov. 5 General Election. The Community Center, which sustained significant damage from Hurricane Helene and the Hurricane Milton, is unusable, so the Lee County Supervisor of Elections has made a […]

Bathrooms, showers and laundry at Community Center

Lee County this afternoon opened a comfort station for Boca Grande residents to assist with recovery from Hurricane Milton. The comfort station is located at 240 Banyan St. at the rear parking lot of Island School and Community Center. The comfort station provides residents in need with: All services are free for island residents. The […]

Update on water service on the island; reminder on the sewer system

Editor’s Note: The staff of the Gasparilla Island Water Association has been busy since Hurricane Milton. Not only is the water service off, but the sewer system was destroyed. Residents should not flush toilets in order to avoid overloading the system. A Monday evening email report from Executive Director Ron Bolton to the GIWA board […]