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Church staffer speaks to Lee County on road danger

Arcila-Jerez killed on stretch where busy road turns to two lanes After a car accident killed María Arcila-Jerez on Burnt Store Road, her family spoke out at the Lee County Commission meeting to make the case for road improvements. Arcila-Jerez was the mother of Ana Eyrich, who is the family ministries coordinator for Boca Grande […]

Police & Fire Incidents

A little before 7 p.m. on Friday, June 13, a vehicle fire was reported at 333 Park Ave. by Gasparilla Adventures. The vehicle was a pickup truck, and the caller reported the fire as extinguished. Nobody was trapped inside, and the fire was not threatening any surrounding structures, according to the Lee County alert.  On […]

Mosquito season here; call Lee or Charlotte; thousands of eggs in each square foot

With the summer months comes the start of Florida’s peak mosquito season. Two jurisdictions cover mosquito control for Gasparilla Island. “We started this mosquito season with a bang,” said Jenifer McBride of Lee County Mosquito Control District. “We had a really dry winter so basically you guys are inundated with those salt marsh mosquitos.” Throughout […]

Sheriff house funds matched by Lee Commission

The Lee County Board of Commissioners voted 5-0 to match the Boca Grande Disaster Fund’s contributions to replace the Lee County Sheriff’s Office deputy house at its Tuesday, June 17 meeting.  “It was brought to my attention that the Boca Grande Disaster Fund and the church groups were raising money to replace the existing sheriff’s […]

Planned change for coontie plants on Bike Path

BY THE GICIA The GICIA has undertaken a $1.3 million landscape restoration project for the Bike Path to restore the massive destruction to the native landscape caused by saltwater inundation from Hurricanes Helene and Milton.  As a conservation organization, the GICIA plants native, drought- and salt-tolerant plants that will survive along the five miles of […]

Rethink on coontie plan for the Bike Path

In 2014, Nancy Sodel’s prized doberman, Cole, was killed after eating the berries and leaves of a coontie palm, which had just been installed in the landscaping of her and her late husband Herb’s house on Railroad Avenue. This week, she found out that those same plants were part of the landscaping plan for the […]

This date in the Boca Beacon

FIVE YEARS AGO One hundred locals participated in Paddle for Peace water excursion to the Boca Grande sandbar. The event was designed to steer people away from their phones and political frustration to experience a day on the water. TEN YEARS AGO GICIA completed ecological restoration of three single family lots owned by the GICIA […]

Last-minute additions on a matter of consequence

Surprise is the supremely effective tactic of war, in history and legend: Troy and the Trojan War, Trenton at Christmas, Tet and Normandy. Throughout history, the element of surprise makes the difference in momentum. Surprise is so important a tactic that often the argument after a war, or a battle mistake, is how much people […]

Public input on rules for Gulf lane snapper

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will host a series of public workshops to seek input on proposed rule changes for lane snapper in Gulf state waters. Staff will provide a brief presentation on potential proposed rules before gathering public comment at the workshop.  June 25: Fort Myers 6 to 7:30 p.m. at […]

EcoWatch: Manatee deaths up, state protections down

The Manatee’s Call The manatees call from the ocean’s depths, A silent plea for peace and protection.In the sea’s expanse, their homes they’ve kept, A sanctuary from human detection.The manatee’s call from the ocean’s depths, Their gentle nature has often weptAt the sight of mankind’s cruel direction. Their voiceless song in our hearts it echoes, […]