Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in Community, Editorial.
The last real top 40 hit from James Taylor was a duet with J.D. Souther. The song “Her Town Too” did not reach that high on the Billboard list in 1981, but many will remember it as a lament about how the familiar sights change after a breakup. It is unclear if it was Carly […]
Written by Anna Ridilla on . Posted in Profiles.
Her ship sailed to Boca Grande Friends Martina Long is stepping into her new role as program director for Friends of Boca Grande, overseeing event planning and talent booking for the upcoming season – a shift from her experience on the other side of the stage, as a performer herself. Long grew up in Fort […]
Written by Delores Savas on . Posted in Columns, Sports & Outdoors.
“The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” Mahatma Gandhi, Prominent leader in the Indian independence movement, known for his philosophy of nonviolence. This week’s column on the extreme rise of animal cruelty cases in the United States will be difficult to write. The entire details of the […]
Written by Anna Ridilla on . Posted in Breaking News, Community, News.
Above, Chamber director Gary Cross addresses the board. Photo by Matt The Gasparilla Island parking ordinance passed unanimously at Tuesday’s Lee County Commissioners meeting with several amendments, including increasing a downtown two-hour parking limit to three hours. Commissioners Kevin Ruane and Brian Hamman motioned and seconded the ordinance before hearing public […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Breaking News, Community, News, Sports & Outdoors.
$4.2 million example BY MARCY SHORTUSE A proposed parking plan for Gasparilla Island will affect the island’s future beach renourishment funding and could include a tax for renourishment, according to an internal Lee County memo. A July 2 email obtained this week by the Beacon was sent to commissioners and county staff from the Natural […]
Written by Guest Columnist on . Posted in Columns, Sports & Outdoors.
BY ARLENE HALL, BGSTA SECRETARY Last week, shortly after the start of one of our morning patrols, BGSTA volunteers received an urgent text message stating, “All, Denise has a major disorientation with turtles going into the road. She needs help asap. See if the senior walker can do without the help this morning and (come) […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in News, Police & Fire.
The crew of Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, which supervises rescue operations along the Gulf Coast, held a change of command ceremony on July 24, 2025. Capt. David McCown relieved Capt. Scott Phy as commanding officer of Air Station Clearwater during the ceremony, presided over by Rear Adm. Adam Chamie, commander of Coast Guard Southeast District. […]
Written by Anna Ridilla on . Posted in Breaking News, News, Sports & Outdoors.
Electromagnetic technology could reduce fishing depredation Scientists at Mote Marine Laboratory’s research facility in Sarasota are testing devices that send electric pulses intended to repel sharks from caught fish. Demian Chapman, senior scientist and director for Mote’s Center for Shark Research is leading shark research at the Marine Experimental Research Facility (MERF). Currently at the […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Community, News.
BY MARCY SHORTUSE Lee County Commissioners are scheduled to vote August 5 on a parking amendment for Boca Grande that, if passed, would make monumental changes to the landscape of the island. With that thought in mind, it seemed like this would be a good time to get some answers from the ordinance’s backer and […]
Written by Anna Ridilla on . Posted in Featured News, News, Police & Fire.
On Friday, July 25, Lee County Sheriff’s Department arrested two people for burglary and grand theft of approximately $5,000 of fishing equipment from a boat. The previous Sunday, July 20, the equipment was reported missing from Miller’s Marina. Lee County Sherriff’s office obtained a video depicting two people with shirts over their faces around 2:15 […]