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New director of Lemon Bay Conservancy Michelle VanderHaar

Within minutes of meeting Michelle VanderHaar, the new executive director of the Lemon Bay Conservancy, it is obvious that she is passionate and enthusiastic about the organization and her role in i…

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Charlotte gives no to new apartments on Coral Creek wetlands

Packed commission At the Charlotte County Board of County Commissioners Land Use meeting on Wednesday, March 25, commissioners voted 3-2 to deny a petition for a Cape Haze apartment complex that…

Palm stump ‘manatee’ tours town

Brian Pardini found this manatee-shaped palm root a couple of weeks ago, way out past Sea Oats, and like any reasonable person dragged it all the way back to the road. It was riding around in his go…

New director of Lemon Bay Conservancy Michelle VanderHaar

Within minutes of meeting Michelle VanderHaar, the new executive director of the Lemon Bay Conservancy, it is obvious that she is passionate and enthusiastic about the organization and her role in i…

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Jeff Swift

Engineer at the Boca Grande Preschool Above, Jeff and Betty Swift. Photo submitted Jeff Swift laughs when asked about retirement. “Retirement isn’t doing nothing,” he said. “Retirement is doin…

Introducing The Island School’s Wax Museum

Second graders of The Island School appeared in character for their Historical Heroes Wax Museum. The second graders spent the third quarter of this school year reading, researching and writing abou…

The Island school spotlights bike path safety

Fifth-grade students from The Island School installed their safety signs on the GICIA Bike Path on Tuesday morning, March 3. Shown top photo: front row, holding signs, left to right: Adison Shank, M…

Art Upstairs

Rae Medgyesy shown with some of her art as she welcomes you to her gallery in the Depot Building now through Sunday. Photo by Matt

Camera Club goes to stars

The Boca Grande Camera Club is pleased to announce a presentation on basic astrophotography by commercial photographer, Larry McNiff, on April 7. The presentation will begin at 10 a.m. in the Cro…

Books, art and family fun will come together at the Charlotte County Book & Arts Festival

The Charlotte County Book & Arts Festival will unite authors, artists, performers and families for a full day celebrating creativity in all its forms. The festival will take place on April 18 fr…

Education, Profiles

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Jeff Swift

Engineer at the Boca Grande Preschool Above, Jeff and Betty Swift. Photo submitted Jeff Swift laughs when asked about retirement. “Retirement isn’t doing nothing,” he said. “Retirement is doing something else.” That philosophy has defined much of Swift’s life, from an engineering career that helped shape technologies used in cars around the world to his […]

Sports & Outdoors

Health & Wellness

Ask a Doc: What happens when your doctor recommends a specialist?

The Boca Grande Health Clinic is the first stop for many residents and workers seeking care, from routine checkups to serious conditions such as cancer, heart disease and complex infections. Each ye…

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Anita Dust

Parkinson’s advocate on troubling disease Anita Dust almost threw it away. It was just another piece of mail, a small educational flyer listing the early signs of Parkinson’s disease. Like most p…

Clinic takes guests on ‘rounds’ of new offerings

Serving since 1947, taking operation into the future On a chilly island morning, residents gathered at the Boca Grande Community Center for the Feb. 24 Grande Rounds Program on how the Clinic wor…

Boca Grande Preschool celebrates dental health month

February was dental health month! The Boca Grande Preschool students had a visit from “Kids Choose Us Dentistry.” They learned how to keep our teeth healthy and clean! Top photo, front left to r…

Fire Department calls increase from 2025

The Boca Grande Fire Department responded to 58 calls for assistance in February 2026, reported Chief C.W. Blosser during the Board of Fire Commissioners meeting on Wednesday, March 18. At the m…

Friends support for Fire Department

The Friends of the Boca Grande Fire Department are pleased to report that the response to the request for funds to replace the old ladder truck has been generous. The Board of Commissioners for t…

Florida sheriffs propose structured path for non-criminal, undocumented immigrants

During a Monday, March 16 Florida State Immigration Enforcement Council meeting held on Microsoft Teams, Republican sheriffs pushed back on President Donald Trump’s mass deportation efforts toward u…

Standoff over old chicken tenders, with crowbar, for checked out guest

Just after 9 a.m. on Tuesday, March 3, the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Boca Grande Hotel at 5800 Gasparilla Road due to a report of a man causing a disturbance and holding a c…

News Archives

Charles Edward ‘Ched’ McConnell, 1948-2026

Charles Edward McConnell (Ched) of Boca Grande, Florida, passed away on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, at the age of 77. Ched was born on September 1, 1948…

Memorial for Richard Scott Faley

A memorial mass for Richard Scott Faley (1947-2026) will be held at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church on Thursday, April 9th at 11 a.m. All are invi…

Paul ‘Chico’ Euwer 1935-2026

The Beacon received word of the recent death of Paul ‘Chico’ Euwer of Boca Grande on Monday, March 23. A memorial service will be held next fall.

John William ‘Tater’ Spinks, 1947-2026

On New Year’s Day, 1947, Lillian and Roy Spinks welcomed their 5th child, a boy named John William, nicknamed by his older siblings as “Tater,” and…

Hildegard Werner Messenbaugh, 1940-2026

Dr. Hildegard Werner Messenbaugh – beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and pioneering adolescent psychiatrist – passed away peacefully at the age of…