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IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Amy McCandless, the lady behind the Facebook persona of Fugate’s during the storm

Island living is her thing. She and her husband Don sold everything they had a number of years ago, bought a boat and planned to see the world from the deck of that boat. They ended up in the Keys when a big hurricane hit (her name starts with “I,” but we will not name her, either). It sunk the boat. The two adventurers returned to Little Gasparilla and have found generous friends whose homes have become their own. 

Camera Club heads to Selby Gardens

The Boca Grande Camera Club, an already hustling, bustling group of island shutterbugs, have started their season off with a bang. Their first meeting was just this past week, and their first field trip will be underway on Tuesday, Jan. 17. Selby Gardens in Sarasota is the destination. The trip will be led by one […]

THIS DATE IN THE BOCA BEACON

Boca Beacon backpages FIVE YEARS AGO The Tesla Quartet was performing at the Community Center, Mote was celebrating their five year anniversary on the island and the Three Sisters’ variances debate was getting ugly. TEN YEARS AGO Mote Marine Laboratory opened its office on the island with a ribbon-cutting by Former First Lady Laura Bush. […]

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: FEMA Announces Special Consideration for Temporary Housing Units in Special Flood Hazard Areas

The use of travel trailers and manufactured housing units are among several temporary housing solutions FEMA may provide Hurricane Ian survivors who cannot safely return to their storm—damaged home. Other options include direct lease and multifamily lease and repair. For Direct Lease, FEMA leases existing ready-for-occupancy housing. Multifamily lease and repair is a program in which FEMA enters into lease agreements with owners of multifamily rental properties and makes repairs to existing vacant apartments to provide temporary housing for survivors.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: DeSantis pledges funding for Everglades restoration and protection of Florida’s waters

To the Editor, This week, Governor Ron DeSantis signed Executive Order 23-06 (Achieving Even More Now for Florida’s Environment), to further advance the protection of Florida’s environment and water quality. The Executive Order directs strategic action with a focus on accountability, sound science, progress, and collaboration and includes a proposed $3.5 billion investment over four […]

Why are our beaches, playground and 5th Street docks closed?

While many things are slowly coming back from the storm named Ian that turned us upside down, there are still a few things that are frustrating. Stuck in our craw, if you will. Three of those are the beach access closures, the Community Center playground closure and, now, the closure of the “Pink” docks at […]

Tennis Classic begins January 21:

Sign up now! The Gasparilla Island Tennis Classic is about to begin on a court near you … are you signed up yet? The tournament, sponsored by the Boca Beacon’s publisher, Dusty Hopkins (who plays a mean game himself), and hosted by Boca Bay Pass Club, The Gasparilla Inn Tennis Club and the Boca Grande […]

Why worry about a storm? Just paint

Gail Cleveland featured artist for January at Smart Studio Smart Studio will host artist Gail Cleveland for the month of January, featuring watercolor and acrylics of local scenes. Gail is traditionally a plein air artist but has been sidelined by the hurricane. According to the artist, “Painting has been my salvation from the stresses of […]

Food bank utilizes donations from island Catholic Church

As the hurricane becomes something that is farther and farther away from the minds of those who weren’t seriously affected, those who were are feeling the financial crunch even more than before … and help is running out. Luckily there are a lot of organizations that can help with food needs, including one that may […]