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Slowly but surely, Palm Island recovers

Many were relieved to hear that Palm Island Resort fared as well as it did. It has become a generational family place to visit, with many grandparents taking their grandchildren to see Redbeard the Pirate perform, to eat ice cream at the tables outside Coconuts and play on the purple turtle playground, just as they did when they were young.

Bayou bridge might be gone by the end of the year, GIWA says

The Gasparilla Island Water Association’s “Bayou Bridge” will be dismantled by the first of the year – and maybe sooner, according to GIWA Executive Director Ron Bolton. The low bridge is on 7th Street, just north of the Gasparilla Inn golf course bridge.

Weird summer weather these days includes something called a …

There’s yet another weather phenomenon beachgoers have to watch for in on the Gulf of Mexico. It’s the meteotsunami, a water wave seen June 21 on Clearwater Beach. 

The storm is another bit of off-kilter weather that seems to be hitting the Gulf of Mexico this summer, where oddities include record heat, scarce afternoon rains, bathtub-hot beach water and an upgraded hurricane forecast. All of this is not even a year after Hurricane Ian.

Blue crab trap closure relaxed

I n order to continue the process of removing debris from local waters due to Hurricane Ian, the state will allow blue crab traps to remain in situ through what was a planned closure period. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Executive Order only applies to the waters of Collier, Lee and Charlotte and […]

Second Honor Flight scheduled for October of this year

Southwest Florida Honor Flight (SWFL) has just announced it is hosting a second Honor Flight this year. The first one was in May (and included Boca Beacon publisher Dusty Hopkins), and this next one is scheduled for October 10. 

   Naomi Copeland, president of SWFL, said the second flight will leave from the Punta Gorda Airport. “This is the first time in 14 years that there has been more than one ‘mission’ annually,” Copeland said. She noted that the original intention was to have this mission dedicated to women veterans, but there have not been enough female veteran applications received to fill an entire flight. Thus they are now including men veterans, as well.

‘Baby Publix’ on Placida will soon have a pharmacy

The Cape Haze Publix, officially Store 697, is planning to offer a pharmacy early this fall.  

Lindsey Willis, media relations manager for Publix for our southeast region, confirmed that the store will offer a pharmacy but did not yet have a firm date.

The shopping center located at 8725 Placida Road was constructed in 1999, according to leasing agent David Fasano of Southeast Centers. The shopping center’s tenants include Englewood Bank and Trust, The UPS Store, D.O. Nails, Tarpon Real Estate, Little Tony’s Pizza and BNT Liquors.

OBITUARY: Susan Hatch

Susan Hatch, 77, of Chenequa, Wisconsin died on July 3, 2023. She was born in Janesville, Wisconsin as the daughter of Albert and Mary Hamlin.  She was a graduate of the University of Wisconsin, where she met her husband Jim, to whom she was married for 48 years.  In 1983 Susan founded Hatch Staffing Services. […]

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: John Garland Pollard

There are few Southern gentlemen left, but by outward appearances, so far, John Garland Pollard IV might be one of them. He is our new staff writer at the Boca Beacon and Gasparilla Island Magazine, and knowing how crazy you have to be to write for a living, we might want to check his crawl space and backyard to see if there are any bodies hidden there.

ASK A DOC: Is inflammation good or bad?

Chronic inflammation is the root of many health issues. While medical professionals recognize the link between inflammation and disease, there’s much more to learn about the connection and the impact on our bodies. According to Yale Medicine, inflammation has emerged as a key factor in serious diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, obesity, diabetes and a variety of infectious diseases. Raymond A. James, D.O. and medical director of the Boca Grande Health Clinic tells us what to know about inflammation and what you can do to combat it.