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Haitian community honors long-time Food For The Poor donor and Boca Grande resident Ben Scott at ceremony in Port-au-Prince

STAFF REPORT On March 25, dozens of guests attended the Ravine Sèche Tribute and Discovery Ceremony at the Hotel Montana in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Longtime Food For The Poor donor Ben Scott, who built his first Friendship Village through FFTP a decade ago in Pierre Payen, was one of four people honored for their development work […]

Boca Grande Fire Department receives LIFEPAK 15 from Boca Grande Health Clinic

The LIFEPAK 15 monitor/defibrillator shown above was purchased for the Boca Grande Fire Department by the Boca Grande Health Clinic. The funds were donated to the Boca Grande Health Clinic Foundation by Lois and Joe Hayden. This equipment has already proven itself invaluable on the island. Chief Blosser explained that some time ago when they […]

A new chapter in history begins where an old chapter just recently ended … Historic bridge-tender building ends up in Georgia, county proposes new kayak launch at old Grande Tours location

BY MARCY SHORTUSE AND T. MICHELE WALKER So many stories have been written about the railroad that ran to Boca Grande, but one forlorn piece of that history that was moved off-island 25 years ago left the state of Florida with little fanfare and minimal recognition this past month. The old bridge-tender’s building that sat […]

Citizen Mack Part 1

By T. MICHELE WALKER – “Citizen Mack” is a two-part series on Connie Mack and his new memoir, “Citizen Mack: Politics, an Honorable Calling.”     Connie Mack shot his age on the golf course last Monday. The location was the Lemon Bay Golf Club while golfing with his friend, Dod Fraser, host of the Friends of […]

Local family counts their blessings and raises money tandem style

BY MARCY SHORTUSE – On a bright sunny day, Mary Johnston can catch a glimmer of light. She is very matter of fact about the fact she is blind, as it is a process that has been taking place since she was very young. She feels blessed, particularly when she thinks about others who have […]

Boca Beacon up for 16 awards in the Florida Better Weekly Newspaper competition

STAFF REPORT – The nominations are in for the 2020 Florida Press Association “Better Weekly Newspaper” contest, and the Boca Beacon is sitting on 16 nominations in various categories. The Beacon received two nominations out of three in the “Sports Page or Section” category, with entries from Capt. Sandy Melvin and the Beacon’s Art Director, […]

Island firefighters find missing kayaker

STAFF REPORT – This past weekend Boca Grande firefighters came to the rescue of a woman in a kayak who was in distress in local waters. On Sunday, March 21 at approximately 8:30 p.m. the Boca Grande Fire Department received a water rescue call from Charlotte County Fire and EMS, regarding a female kayaker who […]

Getting back to normal: It’s not just COVID any more

BY DR THOMAS ERVIN, BOCA GRANDE HEALTH CLINIC – It was brought to my attention that March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, not to be confused with National Lung Cancer, Breast Cancer, Prostate Cancer, or any other cancer awareness month. As a practitioner and student of cancer medicine for the last 40 years, every […]