CLEARED for TAKEOFF

With passenger counts expected to reach a million this year, Punta Gorda Airport is becoming a small, regional hub for low-cost vacation travel


PUNTA GORDA AIRPORT’S NEW BAILEY TERminal is bright and shiny but still utilitarian — a big one-story building that accommodates a single discount-brand airline: Allegiant Air. “One of our board members referred to our terminal as a Wal-Mart” of airline terminals, said Gary P. Quill, Charlotte County Airport Authority’s executive director. “And we took that as a compliment.” The airline […]

Roger’s to the rescue




For a neglected, emaciated horse named Shiloh, the path to salvation lay on a pocked, rock-strewn dirt road in Punta Gorda. It’s the location of Roger’s Rescue Ranch, a particular type of rescue operation owned and run by Christine Tetreault and Michael Daley. They specialize not in dogs and cats, but in farm animals and other larger critters. But for […]

Family relations




More than a century ago in Douglas County, Kansas, there lived a man named Roger Williams. I never knew him, nor to my knowledge are we related. Mr. Williams was the postmaster of Lawrence, a town situated among hilly black oaks and the river-valley cottonwoods stretching some 60 miles west of the Missouri state line, cradle trees of both the […]

Dead in the water




They are at it again. You know who I mean: “They” are The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. And we know what the Corps is doing: dumping billions of gallons of polluted water from Lake Okeechobee into the St. Lucie River on the east and the Caloosahatchee River on the west. The dumping affects prime estuaries on both coasts, a […]

In defense of the Cincinnati Zoo




The typical response when someone saves a small child from harm isn’t “How dare you?” But the Cincinnati Zoo has been subjected to a torrent of abuse for making the agonizing decision to shoot and kill one of its gorillas, a 17-year-old silverback named Harambe, when a 4-year-old boy fell into his enclosure. Invariably, the adjective used to describe Harambe […]

Land of war, river of peace




The Seminole Indians named it Tallackchopo — “River of Peas” — a reference to the cowpeas and black-eyed peas that grow along the riverbanks and can be observed still today. The current name, Peace River, was a result of the Seminole wars of the 1800s. The Indians were being displaced, courtesy of of settlers moving into Florida. The First Seminole […]

No-magic dragon: You don’t need to work hard to care for a bearded dragon




If you want a friendly reptilian pet who’s easy to care for, your choice is an easy one: You want a bearded dragon. Beardeds are not only tame when handled, but many also seem to enjoy the contact. Even better, they’re suitable for almost any pet lover or family situation — and a great pet for a responsible child. Bearded […]

Pets of the Week



To adopt or foster a pet These animals are available for adoption at the Animal Welfare League, 3519 Drance St., Port Charlotte. All animals are microchipped, neutered and current with their shots. The shelter is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day. To view adoptable pets, visit awlshelter.org. To adopt or foster a pet These pets are available […]

Playing with the big boys




BRIAN CARPENTER SAT IN HIS HOUSE alone. Fate had dealt him not one, but several bad hands. His world, as he knew it, had imploded. He had lost his job in a layoff. His then-girlfriend had moved away. His house was being foreclosed. He sat in that house with nothing but himself and a handful of books. Oh, and one […]

Multimedia display colors the Visual Arts Center




A burst of color is the visual equivalent of a shot of espresso. It makes you sit up and take notice of your surroundings. The multi-media “Essence of Color” exhibit on display at the Visual Arts Center is a vibrant case in point. Each year, more than 20 exhibits grace the walls of the Visual Arts Center. An exhibit committee […]