Savor the Summer Flavors

THE SCOOP ON ICE CREAM YOU MAY HAVE NEVER TRIED BEFORE


WHAT ARE THE COOLEST tastes in Southwest Florida this summer? We asked ice-cream makers about their favorite flavors for cooling off. As it turns out, chunks are a good thing. But so are lighter flavors as appropriate to the season as a long sleeve white linen shirt. In other words: there’s something for everyone. So grab some extra napkins for […]

FWC to remove 16 species from threatened list



The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission recently approved a new Threatened Species Management System. The new system takes the brown pelican, Florida black bear and white ibis ,among 16 other species, off the list of threatened animals. The science-based status reviews were conducted by biological review groups composed of experts from around Florida and the country and led by […]

Art as behavioral manifesto




Buzz Gunderson: You ever been in achickie- run? Jim Stark: Yeah, that’s all I ever do. (Buzz leaves). Jim Stark: Plato, what’s a chickie- run? — (from “Rebel Without a Cause,” 1955) Let’s step back for a moment, way back from the self-interested shenanigans of some Washington politicians who may have watched the most famous of James Dean’s films one […]

Governor nosedive




Let it never be said that Rick Scott is a man who stands still. Mr. Scott took office in January, having garnered about 49 percent of the votes in the gubernatorial contest that pitted him against Democratic challenger Alex Sink. Let’s face it: The guy has been in office such a short time that he probably he couldn’t find all […]

Books without borders




You have to have a heart of stone not to feel a pang of sadness at the passing of the bookstore Borders. The retailer is liquidating its 399 remaining outlets and letting go nearly 11,000 employees. Gone will be the era when no shopping-mall parking lot in America seemed complete without an adjoining Borders, offering up its capacious aisles to […]

Breaking code

EXCURSIONS


Those giant metal boxes used to fill Walmarts with doodads from China have been piling up on our shores for the past 10 years at an incredible rate. We don’t make much that can be sent back in them, so the empties are available at prices far less than it costs to make them. Designers all over the world have […]

What’s in a name?

KOVELS: ANTIQUES & COLLECTING


Antiques and collectibles are named for their age. Antiques must be more than 100 years old to be legally called “antiques.” Collectibles can be anything made less than 100 years ago. The quality of the design or the material does not matter. At today’s shows, you can expect to find porcelain, silver, toys, furniture and pictures. But you’ll also see […]

Soaring at 14,000 feet




As we went through security and out on the tarmac, the cool, dry, crisp air of the Rocky Mountains filled my lungs. The Telluride airport is at an elevation of more than 9,000 feet. With each end of the 7,000-foot runway dropping off a 1,000-foot cliff, there’s no room for error in takeoff or landing. Many new aircraft tires are […]

Snowbird Classic generated nearly $4 million



The Charlotte Harbor Visitor & Convention Bureau said the economic impact data for the third annual Snowbird Baseball Classic, held Feb. 24 – March 20 at various ballparks throughout Charlotte County, generated nearly $4 million for the area’s economy. The collegiate tournament generated about $3.8 million in direct expenditures as a result of 4,054 out-of-state participants, spectators and members of […]

YMCA youth leagues starting



Indoor soccer Boys and girls in grades 1-5 can have fun and improve soccer skills in a relaxed atmosphere. The sixweek session starts Aug. 8 for girls and Aug. 9 for boys at the South County Regional Park gymnasium at 6:45 p.m. Cost for YMCA members is $35 and $55 for non-members. All participants receive a YMCA sports T-shirt. Register […]