If born in Iowa, lived in Iowa, married someone from Iowa, went to school in Iowa, You are invited to the ANNUAL Burnt Store State of Iowa Potluck Grand Isle Social Room (between buildings III and IV) 3329 Sunset Key Circle Tuesday, January 27, 2026 5 p.m. Bring a potluck dish to share: Appetizer, entree, […]

Are you thinking about updating your home? Any changes to the exterior of residences in Burnt Store Marina (BSM) are required to have Architectural Review Committee (ARC) approval. This applies to all homes, including homes in a condo association. If this approval is not granted through ARC, you may be asked to modify or remove […]

As a board member of the Platinum Point Yacht Club (PPYC), I am sometimes asked, “Why should I join a yacht club?” The answer to that question is known by a wide range of people: boat owners, past boat owners, friends of boat owners, and people who have lived in the vicinity of water where […]

So, for that holiday gift exchange, you ended up with a potted poinsettia. It is very pretty, but what so do you do with it now, and…what do you know about them? Poinsettias are native to Mexico, and are a popular holiday plant because of their colorful bracts (leaves). Poinsettia flowers are actually made up […]

December got its name from the Latin word decem (meaning ten) because it was originally the tenth month of the year in the Roman calendar, which began in March. If you were born in December, you are lucky to have a choice of three gems: blue topaz, turquoise and tanzanite. Blue is the color for […]

Interested in playing bocce? Join the Bocce Group every Tuesday at the NE side of the Burnt Store Marina Parking lot from 3 – 5 p.m. Never played? Come and learn with area residents. For information, contact Barbie Newmin At [email protected].

Having been in law enforcement for many, many years, I have seen many schemes to separate people from their hard-earned money. In the 80s and before, we saw door-to-door vendors such as the gypsies that came to town to seal driveways, or do roofing that never seemed to get done once the downpayment was received. In the […]

This recipe comes from my friend and fellow Beacon editor, Deb Bretz. She got the recipe off one of the “Mr. Food Test Kitchen” segments shown on one of our local channels. We were at an editing session last month and it was getting near lunch, and she commented she couldn’t wait to get home […]

DON’T MISS THE BUS BSM Blood Drive Schedule for 2026 Always on Monday 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. January 19 and March 23, 2026 Mark Your Calendar The Big Red Bus from ONEBLOOD will be coming to Burnt Store Marina on Monday, January 19, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. We look forward to seeing our […]

HIBA FOR BLOOD DONATION It was my first pregnancy, and finally, it was time to rush to the hospital to meet my baby. I had mentally prepared for labor, and 18 hours later, I delivered naturally and looked into my daughter’s eyes with a love I never knew before. What I hadn’t prepared for was […]