free (on bond)

Bail bondsmen take risk that accused will make court date


HE WAS SCARED, AND HE HAD EVERY right to be. He was 21 years old and his rap sheet was clean. But he had screwed up. Big time. He was caught selling pills to an undercover cop, and prosecutors were making noises about sending him away for 15 years. Fifteen years. You’re 21, with no criminal record (at least none […]

Some hurt by Madoff look to local case to solve puzzle




VICTIMS OF BERNARD MADOFF AND R. ALLEN STANFORD — men who separately masterminded schemes that authorities say swindled investors out of more than $70 billion — face daunting challenges in attempting to recoup their losses. But a federal court ruling related to a much smaller and totally unrelated Ponzi scheme that originated in Naples in the 1990s might play a […]

New liberals for Gov. Rick Scott




Powerful political movements often begin with a single clear idea. It doesn’t have to be right, it just has to be clear. For example: We’re not going to pay a tax on imported tea because we’re not represented in Parliament (hence the Boston Tea Party, the Revolutionary War and the United States of America). We’re not going to be told […]

The party that forgot about jobs




John Boehner’s constant refrain in advance of the 2010 elections was, “Where are the jobs?” It was a simple question pertinent to the concern far and away foremost in the public mind — the state of the economy. Since the election, the question for the GOP has become, “Where is your concern about jobs?” The unemployment rate is still at […]

Hope and resistance in Honduras




While most in the United States were recognizing Memorial Day with a threeday weekend, the people of Honduras were engaged in a historic event: the return of President Manuel Zelaya, 23 months after being forced into exile at gunpoint in the first coup in Central America in a quarter-century. While he is no longer president, his peaceful return marks a […]

Diana Harris has a hankering for history




Diana Harris came to Englewood looking for a cow. Instead, she found her life’s work. Mrs. Harris, who has published a standard history of Englewood, writes a weekly history column for the Englewood Sun. She has an extensive collection of documents and photographs chronicling Sarasota and Charlotte counties’ Gulf Coast communities. Mrs. Harris recently launched a series of workshops on […]

How to prevent and handle a lost-child situation




A lost child is a parent’s worst nightmare. And as families plan to spend more time outdoors, on vacation and in busy public places this summer, it is important to be prepared. A survey of parents by the Center to Prevent Lost Children showed that 90 percent of families will experience losing a child in a public place at least […]

Coming up at the Renaissance Academy



The Renaissance Academy of FGCU offers lifelong learning classes to enrich life experiences at any age. The following sessions will be held at Herald Court Centre in downtown Punta Gorda. Mimosa and a Movie: A foreign film series In this series offered by the Renaissance Academy, the public can enjoy a foreign film, beverage, light snack and a lively discussion […]

This week on WGCU TV



THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 8 P.M. Opry Memories . FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 8:30 P.M. Untold Stories: Paradise? Or Paradise Lost? The Story of Captiva Legend has it — and historians dispute — that the pirate Jose Gaspar held his female captives on this barrier island off the coast of Southwest Florida. Pirates or no pirates, there is no denying the almost […]

Spice boxes and zest to collections

KOVELS: ANTIQUES & COLLECTING


Spices were an important part of cooking in the days before refrigeration was available in most homes. Meat and fish were smoked, pickled, peppered, salted or treated with combinations of spices that kept the food from rotting. A home garden included spices, herbs and edible flowers, all plants that either made it possible to store food or made slightly spoiled […]