2019-08-29 E-Edition

Inside Florida’s Gig Economy

South Florida’s latest jobs on the rise aren’t what you might expect in a state where economic dependence on real estate, tourism and agriculture is the norm.


IN 2007, IPHONES APPEARED on the market. In 2009, Apple opened the app store. Now, software app developers are projected to be one of the fastest growing jobs in the Sunshine State over the next decade, according to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. Some of those apps themselves, such as Twitter and Instagram, have opened new jobs for public […]

Navy salutes Fawcett director with promotion to rear admiral



Pam Miller is about to join an elite club. The director of emergency medicine for Fawcett Memorial Hospital in Port Charlotte is about to be promoted to rear admiral in the Navy Reserves. Ms. Miller will become just the second rear admiral currently serving in Navy medicine. She was among 10 Navy reserve captains to come under consideration for promotion […]

Primer



The Amazon is burning. Who cares? The place is more than 4,000 miles south of us, roughly 1,000 miles farther than the west coast of Europe (New York to Dublin, 3,100 miles. Miami to San Paulo, 4,100 miles). Besides, Florida burns, too. All the time in the dry season. So does California. So do a lot of places. This is […]

Greenland isn’t a Trump ‘folly’



President Donald Trump has broached the idea of purchasing the massive and largely frozen island of Greenland from Denmark. Cue the laughter. My Montreal raised wife tells me that in the nearly uninhabitable frozen tundra country of her youth, she and her Canadian friends grew up exclaiming, “It’s as cold as Greenland!” But POTUS, evidently, was serious. It’s not a […]

Throwing America under the bus



Beto O’Rourke has taken the measure of America and found it wanting. “This country, though we would like to think otherwise,” he intoned, “was founded on racism, has persisted through racism and is racist today.” This is now a mainstream sentiment in the Democratic Party. Bernie Sanders said earlier this year that the United States was “created” in large part […]

Weathering a storm in rough seas or calm



It is easy for us all to complain about not enough of something, or too much, or any number of everyday things we can do nothing about (at least not externally). With all the rain in Southwest Florida lately, locals haven’t really given much thought to going out boating. Of course, there are commercial guys out there who will go […]

Happy cat habitat

What makes your cat happy? We share the secrets.


Smokey loves sunny spots for catnapping. Chester chooses chicken. Summer likes to wear dresses and hang out in airports. OK, Summer’s a little unusual, but her preference is just an example of the many different things that make cats happy. From snuggling with their favorite humans to swirling around our legs at mealtime to chatting with us about their day, […]

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. To learn more, visit EARS at 145 W. Dearborn St., Englewood, visit www.earsanimalrescue.com or call 941-681-3877. […]

FWC asks public to help with panther disorder

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is investigating a disorder detected in some Florida panthers and bobcats. All the affected animals have exhibited some degree of walking abnormally or difficulty coordinating their back legs. As of August, the FWC has confirmed neurological damage in one panther and one bobcat. Additionally, trail camera footage has captured eight panthers (mostly kittens) […]