2019-09-26 E-Edition

Fighting for her life

As John and Lori Blanco battle against Lori’s crippling, fatal disease, their most formidable enemy is time


“There is one simple thing wrong with you,” wrote author Carlos Castaneda. “You think you have plenty of time.” That bit of profundity would probably apply to most of us. Time is relative. We know it’s not limitless, but we assume (or, at least, often act as if) its expiration date is afar off. Not so for John and Lori […]

Both reviled and revered, the misunderstood semicolon gets its due in a new book



Think politics are polarizing? Try talking to people about the semicolon. You know, that punctuation mark that looks like the unplanned result of a tryst between a colon and a comma: that dot on top and the beckoning curl of a comma below. You might have been warned by teachers never to use it. You might think it pretentious. Or […]

Woman in a white hat



Maggy Reno Hurchalla of Martin County wears a helmet, yes. Kayakers in general wear helmets, and she’s a hell-bent-for-rapids kayaker who can still, at 78, take on the toughest whitewater rapids. She will also take on white billionaire developers, as it turns out. She’s famous for both. But only for the former is she helmeted. For the latter she wears […]

The complete story



I always worry when people on one side of an issue praise a story I’ve done. Ideally, at least in the twisted mind of a journalist, all the parties should be upset. We should be viewed as equal-opportunity jerks. But if one side was filled with praise, was I being fair to the other side? And what does being fair […]

Bernie Sanders and the anti-people crusade



At least Bernie Sanders is an equal opportunity misanthrope. He doesn’t like rich people, and it turns out he doesn’t necessarily like poor people, either. At the recent CNN town hall on climate change, a questioner asked the socialist senator if he’d be “courageous” enough to endorse population control to save the planet. Sanders answered “yes,” and then, after referring […]

Dodging a bullet named Dorian in the Outer Banks



The North Carolina coast is a great destination for beachcombers and others who love the outdoors and fishing. The outer islands are made up of narrow strips of land, and the point that protrudes the farthest into the Atlantic Ocean is Cape Hatteras. This is also where the Gulf Stream swings around these out-islands off the cape, mixing the warm […]

Know your dog

Before choosing a breed, research its historical purpose and decide whether you’re prepared to live with its associated behaviors


The dog trainer received a phone call from a couple wanting to hire her to help train their new 9-week-old German short-haired pointer. “You must like those high-energy hunting dogs,” she commented as they spoke. “No; why do you say that?” the man replied. She learned that he had chosen the breed because he’d always thought they looked nice, and […]

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. […]

Harry Chapin Food Bank selects new chief development officer

Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida has announced that Barbara Evans has been named its new chief development officer. She will lead strategic fundraising efforts in the food bank’s mission to fight to end hunger. Ms. Evans has a nearly 20-year career in fundraising. She was formerly director of development at Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation. Prior to her position […]