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IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Brian Hamman 

Cape Coral to WINK to Commissioner Lee County Commissioner Brian Hamman is proud of his heritage as a native of Lee County. His parents both came to the area as children, and so he counts himself as a “quasi-second-generation Lee Countian.” Brian has served as District 4 Commissioner since 2013, when he was appointed by […]

Tarpon season roundup for 2025

Tarpon season this year was a little quieter than some years, but fishing was great, and the annual tournaments were as spirited as always. “It was a good season, not the greatest for business, not as busy as some past seasons,” Capt. Sandy Melvin said. “We’ll recover into next year.” This year’s tarpon tournament season […]

Ladies Howl, what a weekend

Sally J ends Tournament Season BY BETSY FUGATE JOINER It only took a minute to catch the excitement of friends and families coming together at Scarpa’s Coastal Friday night, Ladies Night Out! A full evening of fun, tables full of exciting raffle prizes, plus a delicious abundance of canapés served and donated by Scarpa’s Coastal. […]

Goodbye Mark Twain and Tom Sawyer

Just in time for our nation’s 250th Birthday, Walt Disney World will close its Tom Sawyer Island and its companion Liberty Square Riverboat on July 6. The boat, waterway and island will disappear in favor of a Cars-themed attraction. The shuttering and destruction of a Florida theme park ride is not normally of note in […]

This date in the Boca Beacon

FIVE YEARS AGO Fifty-four percent of Lee County had participated in the census. For the first time the census was available on-line. TEN YEARS AGO The Native Now Foundation was selling Indian tacos as a fundraiser for the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation next to Hudson’s. FIFTEEN YEARS AGO Megan Clementi, the current Miss Florida, came […]

Helen Beardsley 1928 – 2025

Helen, but everyone called her Nana, mother of Bette Bowen, is once again dancing with her husband. Mom was born and raised in Wisconsin, where she and Bob raised their nine children on a farm. It was an honor that I’ll miss to have her stay on and off with my family here in Boca, […]

Ask A Doc: What’s new in Alzheimer’s detection and care

According to the Alzheimer’s Association’s most recent annual report, an estimated 7.2 million Americans aged 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s disease – and that number is projected to reach nearly 13 million by 2050. One in three older adults dies with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, and it causes more deaths than […]

Toaster melts cabinet door at north end of island 

Incident sparks island-wide reminder: Unplug appliances A toaster apparently created the possibility of a house fire on Monday, June 16 at the north end of the island. The Boca Grande Fire Department responded when a call went out for a possible structure fire on Sunset Pines. The 3:31 p.m. alert read that “caller smells smoke […]

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 […]

Quick emergency response saves hand

Victim appears at press conference The nine-year-old survivor of last week’s shark attack near 22nd Street sat for a press conference from Tampa General Hospital alongside family and doctors on Thursday morning, June 19.  Leah Lendel, who just last week sustained a shark bite that nearly severed her whole wrist, was in a wheelchair with […]