2018 Pet Lovers Issue

OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH our pets go something like this: We feed. They eat. They poop. We scoop. And we wouldn’t have it any other way because that’s the price of unconditional love. We adore them, and the feeling is mutual. That is why we photograph our cats, dogs, lizards and birds and why we share those images around the world […]

The nomadic year of being crowned Miss International 2017



For Kelsey Craft, a 26-year-old who lives in Estero and is a physician assistant at Gulfstream Urology in Fort Myers and Bonita Springs, it has been the year of being crowned Miss International. Since then her life was “flipped upside down.” It was the year of visiting all 50 states and six foreign countries as a Miss International spokesperson for […]

Senior discounts



Just suppose you were old and living in a socialist society where they give you free stuff. Okay, that’s enough supposition. Now let’s get to the facts. If you plan to accept your social security check from the government or rely on Medicare when you hit 65; if you expect reckless drivers to get pulled over on the road and […]

The law’s country club



Is it possible that only Ivy League law schools produce attorneys who have what it takes to climb to the top of this country’s jurisprudence heap? This heap’s pinnacle, of course, is the U.S. Supreme Court. Apparently, we have evolved to a nation where the SCOTUS ivory tower is exclusively the Ivy tower. Even President Donald Trump. the rabble rouser […]

Yes, the Supreme Court is undemocratic



In an era of partisan polarization, it is rare to get agreement on anything, but about this there should be a consensus: The Supreme Court is an undemocratic institution whose power should be carefully circumscribed. The right has long been of this view, and the left is suddenly and opportunistically partway there. In an essay capturing progressives’ newfound skepticism, Ezra […]

Too hot for ya? Try cooling off on the water



Nancy and I could see the rain showers all around us. We were heading south and had gotten about halfway down Charlotte Harbor when the first one caught us. The summer rain was gentle but stung our exposed faces and arms as we sped along over the water. Our 25-foot Panga rode smoothly in the flat water. Not much wind […]

Florida Skin Center named ‘Best Company to Work For’

Florida Trend magazine has added Florida Skin Center to its 10th annual list of best small companies within its rankings of the Best Companies To Work For In Florida. The four-location pediatric/adult dermatological facility — which has its newest office in Punta Gorda — was named No. 4 out of 40 firms that comprise that category. The list will be […]

Crybaby pet?



Does your dog or cat act as if you’re killing him when you trim his nails, even if you’ve never “quicked” him? Scream bloody murder when all the vet tech has done is wipe her skin with alcohol? Some breeds have a reputation for being crybabies because they have what seem to be excessive physical or vocal reactions to even […]

Pets of the Week

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 www.awlshelter.org. These pets are available for adoption at the Suncoast Humane Society, 6781 San Casa Drive, Englewood. […]

Boat captains, snorkelers needed for Pine Island scallop search

Join Florida Sea Grant – UF/IFAS Lee County Extension and the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation by participating in the 2018 Pine Island Sound Scallop Search, a resource-monitoring program in which volunteers snorkel and search for scallops in select areas within Pine Island Sound. The event is sponsored by Lee County Parks & Recreation, Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program, Friends of […]