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Banyans green up after storms

On Banyan Street the leaves have returned, and trees closest to Park Avenue seem to be in full recovery. After Hurricane Milton, Lee County cleaned around the trees, and also hand-watered them through its emergency water trucks. Across the island, many street and parkland trees are still a mess, where there are huge washouts. Misty […]

GUEST ESSAY: Island held together with small, indie businesses like Pink Pony Pony

BY DANA RYAN Like all of you, I watched with a heavy heart as Hurricanes Helene and Milton tore through our country, leaving devastation in their wake. My family lives on a small barrier island in Florida, and while Helene caused damage, Milton rocked its foundation, destroying the water, sewage and power systems. It washed […]

A time of reality and true honesty, and a wait for rain

It seems everyone on island is in hyper-reality mode: brutal honesty about everything, and a sort of practical determination to get things back to normal. As a newspaper, this kind of civic mood is rare. Now, everyone will tell you exactly what they think – no filters, except at Grande Aire. It takes three storms, […]

Robert N. Elwell 1942-2024

The Beacon has learned that Rob Elwell, born in Washington D.C. to Robert Newell and Mary Morrill Elwell during the war on November 24, 1942, died Nov. 7, 2024. For a quarter century a fixture on the island, he died of pancreatitis after an eight-month bout with an ailing gallbladder. He leaves Surrey, his wife […]

Ceremony for new members of Lee Commission

An Inauguration ceremony for three members elected to the Lee Board of County Commissioners will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 19, at 8:30 a.m., in the Commission Chambers of the Old Lee County Courthouse, 2120 Main St., Fort Myers. A reception will follow at 9 a.m., and the regularly scheduled board meeting will begin at […]

Rehab causes lane closures on Coral Creek Bridge

PLACIDA – Intermittent lane closures will occur on County Road 775 over Coral Creek Bridge on Wednesday, Nov. 13 through Dec. 6, these lane closures are required to rehabilitate the bridge deck. Advance warning signs, flaggers, and temporary traffic signals will be onsite to direct traffic. Travelers may experience intermittent, slow-moving traffic and/or temporary delays […]

Commercial & town trash on island gets OK for removal; only one pass, so get it out now

Lee County Government has garnered a win for residents in unincorporated areas with commercial properties impacted by Hurricane Milton.  The county until now was prevented from collecting storm debris from commercial property sites such as apartments, condominiums and trailer parks. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) rules state that those property owners are expected to work […]

Boca Grande Camera Club sets new season of meetings

Despite hurricanes Helene and Milton, the Boca Grande Camera Club is coming back strong, offering an array of exciting Zoom meetings, as well as field trips for the 2024/2025 season. The first meeting will be held via Zoom on November 12 at 10 a.m., as the Houghton Room is unavailable. The topic will be “What […]