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TRIM notices out from Lee Appraiser

Lee County Property Appraiser Matt Caldwell has issued the annual Truth In Millage Notices for 2026 property values. The TRIM Notice shows property owners the assessed value of their proper…

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Englewood Leadership Class honor veterans

August 21, 2026

The 2026 Englewood Chamber of Commerce Leadership Class held a ribbon cutting for their class project. They raised funds to replace the deteriorating Veterans Memorial at Englewood Cemetery. The pro…

TRIM notices out from Lee Appraiser

August 21, 2026

Lee County Property Appraiser Matt Caldwell has issued the annual Truth In Millage Notices for 2026 property values. The TRIM Notice shows property owners the assessed value of their proper…

Lee, Charlotte incumbents ousted in primaries

August 21, 2026

The 2026 Primary Elections were held on Tuesday, Aug. 18 with one Lee County Board of Commissioners candidate and two Charlotte County candidates. In Lee County, Amanda Cochran beat out incumbent…

Tech market to support local Charlotte Technical students

Charlotte Technical College is starting a new vendor market on its campus. This event hopes to bring in 100 vendors, food trucks, hands-on activities and more. The idea came from numerous student an…

Island School hosts open house for back-to-school as August looms

The Island School will host its Back-to-School Open House and Meet the Teacher Night from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 6. The event gives families an opportunity to meet their child’s teacher, v…

Island School rates ‘A’ in yearly state report

The Island School has once again earned an “A” rating from the Florida Department of Education for 2026. In a release, Head of School Christine Oliver said that the achievement “reflects the dedi…

Upcoming Events: September 2026

August 21, 2026

Watercolor Workshop After an introduction to Florida’s butterflies, with a demonstration of watercolor version of butterflies in this art workshop. On Wednesday, Sept 16 from 9 a.m. to noon. with…

New Gasparilla Magazine out for Sept/October

August 21, 2026

The September/October edition of Gasparilla Island Magazine is out. It features dragon boat racing, the road to Cortina for Paralympian Allie Johnson, the Morse Museum of Tiffany in Winter Park and…

New Gasparilla Island Magazine out for July/August

Above, the July/August Gasparilla Magazine cover image captured by H Wetzel in Key West in 2023. The new Gasparilla Magazine is out for July/August 2026. Inside are a bevy of stories in one o…

Profiles, Sports & Outdoors

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Capt. Chris Slattery

Constructing a career as fishing guide In his nearly two decades on the water, Chris Slattery has turned his lifelong passion for fishing into a career as one of the area’s trusted inshore guides. Capt. Slattery has been a leading fishing guide in and around Boca Grande, Lemon Bay and Pine Island with his company, […]

Sports & Outdoors

Health & Wellness

Ask a Doc: Three questions men over 70 should ask

August 13, 2026

BY RAYMOND A.JAMES, D.O. BOCA GRANDE HEALTH CLINIC One of the biggest mistakes men can make as they get older is assuming that a new symptom is simply part of aging. Some changes are expected, bu…

Boil-water notice for Cole Island rescinded

The boil-water notice issued for the Cole Island portion of Gasparilla Island and Boca Grande North Association was rescinded Monday, July 6. “All of the bac-t samples have been cleared by Sander…

Boil Water Notice for Cole Island and Boca Grande North

Editor’s Note: The notice has been rescinded as of July 6. A Precautionary Boil Water Notice has been issued for the Cole Island portion of Gasparilla Island and Boca Grande North…

First patients at new Health Clinic

Kim Newlin (above) was the first patient appointment at the new clinic. Photographed with Dana Pellant, L.P.N. Kimberly Whipple (right) was the first same-day patient at the new clinic. Photogra…

Gasparilla Road arrest; report notes ‘uncooperative and sarcastic’

August 21, 2026

A man was arrested for driving under the influence around 9:40 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 15 at the intersection of Gasparilla Road and Clubhouse Drive, Placida. Logan Gillis, 18, was traveling…

Department wins Workers’ Comp award; Homestead costs discussed

August 21, 2026

At the monthly meeting of the Boca Grande Fire Department, Chief C.W. Blosser reported on a new safety innovation at the Wheeler pickleball and tennis courts: a self-dialing defibrillator and first…

Storm meeting ahead

August 13, 2026

The Boca Grande Fire Department will be hosting its annual Island Emergency Operations Center Meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 25 at 10 a.m. at the station. They will review and update hurricane policy and…

Coast Guard assists in Placida leakage

Last week, the Beacon reported on a felony arrest for a derelict boat leaking diesel fuel into Gasparilla Sound. The Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment Fort Myers Beach pollution responders found…

News Archives

Constance Vauclain Hamilton Wallace

Constance Vauclain Hamilton Wallace, of Boca Grande, Florida, affectionately known as Connie, died peacefully August 13, 2026. She was 98. Born in B…

Arnold Rapoport 1935-2026

Arnold Sayer Rapoport, M.D., passed peacefully on Monday August 3, 2026, at the age of 91, at his home in Cornwall, VT. Born in Philadelphia, PA, he…

Fred Scott 1941-2026

Capt. Frederic ‘Fred’ E. Scott has cast out his last line in Boca Grande waters. He passed away on June 10, 2026 at the age of 85, and joins many of…

Bonnie Simonds 1938-2026

Bonnie Helen Simonds passed away on July 22 in Englewood, Florida. Bonnie grew up in Wilmette, Illinois, where she attended New Trier East High Scho…

Peter Diebold 1938-2026

Peter DeWitt Diebold was born November 13, 1938, in Buffalo, New York. He passed away on July 13, 2026, in Boca Grande, Florida. Peter received a…