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When your brain says to leave but your heart says no – why so many would rather face a disaster at home with their pets than evacuate: Part I

It brings preparedness to a whole new level to be responsible for the daily needs of a pet that will be in a new environment, quite often around strangers, foreign noises, sights and smells. While you can have all of the supplies your pets’ needs taken care of, the most important part of prepping is to try to understand their mindset in such unfamiliar circumstances.

There are several stories in Lee County, where Fort Myers Beach was almost entirely wiped out, where residents were holding their exhausted pets over their head with water up to their chin. Those pet owners were ready to lay down their lives for their animals – and you either understand it or you don’t.

Boca Grande zip beats Nantucket for priciest real estate … but not Fisher Island

The Boca Grande zip code 33921 is one of the top 50 highest-valued real estate zip codes in the U.S., according to new data from Zillow that measured typical home value, akin to a median value.

At 46th on the list, Boca Grande ranks just ahead of resort towns like Aspen’s 81611 at $2,848549, the Hamptons’ Quogue zip 11959 at $2,765,902 and Apple headquarters zip 95014 in Cupertino, Calif, which is 56th on the list, and had an average house value of $2,616,572.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: John Gaffney

John Gaffney has never had a job he didn’t love. The one he has now is no exception. John collects tolls at the Boca Grande Swing Bridge.  

“Being a police officer will always be my favorite job,” John admitted, “but this job at the bridge is a job where I get to enjoy it and not worry as much. I can go to work and just have fun. I get to talk to the people and it’s not stressful. The job is great.”

THIS DATE IN THE BOCA BEACON

FIVE YEARS AGO Roads in town were being paved, and snook health was a hot topic after a severe red tide bloom in preceding years took its toll on the population. TEN YEARS AGO Gasparilla Island Magazine hit the stands for the first time, a dead Lithuanian man was found on a sailboat in the […]

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Shorebird and sea turtle presentation to be held in September at Port Charlotte location

To the Editor: Charlotte County Environmental Specialist Suzanne Derheimer will host a presentation on Charlotte County beach nesting species from 9 to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 16 at Harold Avenue Regional Park Recreation Center in Port Charlotte. It is located at 23400 Harold Ave.  The presentation will focus on sea turtles and shorebirds and […]

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: BIPS to hold golf tournament to benefit the Gasparilla Island Lighthouse

To the Editor: Save the date! Barrier Island Parks Society (BIPS) will host the Light Keeper’s Open on Monday, Oct. 30 at the exclusive Coral Creek Club to benefit the historic Gasparilla Island Lighthouse.  BIPS is calling all golfers to join in the festivities at the charity benefit tournament, featuring a continental breakfast, scramble format, […]

Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy At , accessible from , one of our main priorities is the privacy of our visitors. This Privacy Policy document outlines the types of information that is collected and recorded by and how we use it. 1. Information We Collect We collect information in various ways: Directly Provided Information: If you register for […]

BREAKING NEWS FROM GIWA:

“Gasparilla Island Water Association would like to inform all customers that they may experience slower flushing toilets and showers during Hurricane Idalia storm. With the higher tides and rain fall totaling close to 4 inches in two days the sewer system is working at maximum capacity. We ask the customers to limit use as much […]

Advancements at the Dog Park

There have been some changes to the dog park as of late, as a new gazebo on one side of the park has been constructed. Lee County representatives have said that while construction material delays were the cause, they are anticipating a completion date sometime around the end of next month. We shall see. Photo […]

No pets in Publix? More stores are in agreement

A recent decision by Publix Supermarket’s corporate office to enforce their policy regarding their customers’ ability to bring pets into their stores has created quite a stir in many animal-loving circles. It brings up the question, however, as to what constitutes a “service animal” and how far a store can go to question the owner.