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Second Honor Flight scheduled for October of this year

Written by Sheila Evans on . Posted in News.

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.

OBITUARY: Susan Hatch

Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Obituaries.

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

Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Profiles.

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?

Written by Boca Grande Health Clinic on . Posted in Columns, Health & Wellness.

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. 

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Using weed killer? You’re probably using glyphosate

Written by Boca Beacon Reader on . Posted in Letters to the Editor.

To the Editor: One of the greatest threats to Florida’s fisheries is poor water quality resulting from too many nutrients and contaminants. Contaminants that have recently made the news are pharmaceuticals, which Bonefish Tarpon Trust (BTT) and its collaborating scientists found in bonefish in the Florida Keys and in redfish throughout the state. Another contaminant […]

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: We might soon be losing our sharks

Written by Boca Beacon Reader on . Posted in Letters to the Editor.

To the Editor: Overfishing is driving reef sharks toward extinction, according to new study published today in the peer-reviewed journal, Science. The five main shark species that live on coral reefs – grey reef, blacktip reef, whitetip reef, nurse and Caribbean reef sharks – have declined globally by an average of 63 percent, according to […]

THIS DATE IN THE BOCA BEACON:

Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Boca Beacon Back Pages, Community History.

FIVE YEARS AGO A truly handsome alligator was just chillin’ on the beach near Sundown Colony, catchin’ some rays. Waylon took the buckle. TEN YEARS AGO The Boca Grande Marina was closing down for repairs and dredging. The Vacation Bible School kids from the Methodist Church came back from their trip to the Eleuthera Islands. […]

ECOWATCH: It is time to get back to nature and revel in its gifts

Written by Delores Savas on . Posted in Columns, Opinion.

Lately there have been countless problems facing residents who are still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Ian and the possibility of facing another herculean storm due to the overheating of Gulf waters and other issues. 

The prospect of wars, shortages of medicines and fuel, and the rise of crime rates in cities and smaller towns has many on edge.

Plus, the rising cost of home insurance, food, medicine and housing has been taking its toll on the masses. Instead of going to the doctor to get prescriptions for sleeping aids and other minor ailments, experts say we should giver Mother Nature a try.

Octopus Tree discussion shelved, urgency of bakery building demo takes center stage at meeting

Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Community History, News.

The July meeting of the Boca Grande Historic Preservation Board went rather expeditiously, even though the one official item on the agenda was a huge project at 1000 10th Street. It was the discussion at the very end of the meeting regarding future items to be addressed by the board that were the most important.

Lee County Planner Peter Blackwell was reading off the scant list of items that will come before the board in August and, quite possibly, September. When he mentioned the old bakery building that the tower fell into, Board Member Bill Caldwell was quick to ask what the status of that project was. Blackwell said their permission to demo had not been granted by the county yet, as they were still waiting on the paperwork from the petitioner.

Blazing hot weather doesn’t deter tourists who long for a quieter ‘season’

Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in News.

Julie Blakeslee and her sister-in-law Karen Blakeslee were visiting Boca Grande this week after the Fourth of July for one reason: to enjoy Gasparilla Island during the quiet season.

“We don’t like it to be so crowded,” said Karen Blakeslee.

The extended Blakeslee family of six from Springfield, Mo. included three children. While here, they swam, fished for snapper and shot videos of the Fourth of July parade. The day after the Fourth, they were out on Park Avenue in front of Hudson’s, bringing home takeout for the family from Tortuga Mexican Street Cuisine, one of a steady stream of lunchgoers unfazed by the temperature.