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Health Clinic operations detailed

BY MARK DRISCOLL, CEO The Boca Grande Health Clinic is operational with a small team onsite and physicians on call for urgent care. As you can imagine, our doctors have been busy over the last few days mending broken bones, and attending to falls, bites and scrapes. All those injuries we typically see after major […]

Gasparilla recovery the subject of Lee Commission meeting on Tuesday morning

Lee County provided a hurricane recovery update at its regularly scheduled Board of County Commissioners meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024, including updates on the Boca Grande Community Center grounds. Assistant County Manager Robert Codie said that the Community Center and The Island School had between 2-22 inches of water intrusion. “Those buildings are old, […]

Island fund created for businesses, institutions

BY LARRY HANNAH In order to aid island businesses, The Boca Grande Disaster Committee is back in action to help with the clean-up and restoration of Boca Grande after the impact of Hurricane Helene. This fund, which is targeted to island businesses that suffered physical losses, will greatly ease the burden on businesses that have […]

Helene left her mark on Boca

Almost exactly two years from hurricane Ian, another hurricane touches Gasparilla Island and the community of Boca Grande. Here’s what’s left of the pink wall at the end property of Belcher Road overlooking the Gulf.                                          […]

What’s Open, What’s Closed: Helene Update

Retail Establishments & Marinas: Aqua Boutique is closed until further notice. 421 Park Ave. Ariel, LTD is closed until further notice. 444 4th St., (941) 964-0480. Barbara Anne’s Jewelry & Repair is open Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., 410 Park Ave., (941) 964-1776. The Barnichol is open Monday to Friday 8 a.m. […]

Post office ‘temp’ break in Placida

The Boca Grande Post Office is temporarily closed until officials can assess any damage from Hurricane Helene. All the mail and packages that would go to the Boca Grande Post Office will now go to the Placida Post Office, where they will be sorted and kept in trays. Whatever forwarding instructions that were in place […]

A stiff upper lip, for an Act of God

Everyone thought the storm would pass us by.  Before Helene, there was sandbagging and some boarding up. There was unease, but confidence. The island just finished cleaning up after Ian, and everyone was prepared. Be prepared. Here at the Beacon, we planned to get our issue out early Thursday, in case the power went out. […]

Edward A. Dean Jr., 1940-2024

No one can deny that Edward A. Dean, Jr. was a devoted, loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and uncle who cared deeply for his family. He fought the good fight for 84 years. He was born in Bartow, Florida on January 23, 1940, and passed away on Sunday morning in his beloved mountain cabin in […]

Lee County staff assisting recovery

Lee County provided two staff members on island to help coordinate with issues related to Hurricane Helene. They are part of one of many departments dedicated to post-Hurricane Helene cleanup in the county. After Ian, the county created Island Coordination Teams. Today, Lee County wants to ensure that everyone has the contacts for their post-Helene […]

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: A fix for flooded Gasparilla Road

The Lee rescue crew The Lee County Department of Transportation has worked tirelessly to alleviate Boca Grande’s flooded roadways after Hurricane Helene passed off the coast.  County crews were out in full force the entire weekend after the storm and continued to work on drainage issues all week. From Friday, Sept. 27, through Sunday night, […]