2022-01-06 E-Edition

Cash out or stay put?

Selling your home at the top of the market has its advantages, but you need to have a plan for what’s next.


THIS IS A TALE OF TWO CITIES or 20, and two lives or 200 or 20,000 — all homeowners with distinct opportunities to take equity from their homes, and, so far at least, find advantageous outcomes. Some are spectacular. As it turns out, these homeowners have become part of an unanticipated and unpredictable residential real estate phenomenon now assigned a […]

10 things Gov. DeSantis wants from the 2022 legislature



GOV. RON DESANTIS recently released a $99.7 billion budget blueprint for the 2022 legislative session and has touted a series of other proposals. Here are 10 of DeSantis’ priorities — big and small — for the session, which will start Jan. 11. ¦ CRYPTOCURRENCY. DeSantis has requested $700,000 for cryptocurrency projects at the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, […]

Make hay while the sun shines



We finally waded out of last year like swamp-lost sojourners, the muck still clinging to us like the myth of “the lost cause” clung to us once, perpetrated after the Civil War to recast the Confederacy as both noble and heroic in a pseudo-history of the United States. Partly as a result of that little misunderstanding, almost 90 years passed […]

The miracle of bugs



“Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.” Proverbs 6:6 Edward O. Wilson, the Harvard biologist who has died at age 92, is most famous for his contributions to evolutionary biology, but he built his career on ants. He wrote multiple books on the insects, including a 700-page encyclopedic work in 1990 that has to count […]

Tidewell Foundation awards $4.5 million to Tidewell Hospice

The Tidewell Foundation has awarded $4.5 million in grants to Tidewell Hospice. The funds ensure compassionate care and support services are accessible to all in the region In its first full year of operation, the Tidewell Foundation distributed $3.46 million dollars in programmatic grants to Tidewell Hospice and its family of health care companies. These funds are in addition to […]

Increased Florida tax collections boost funds for state budget


Florida lawmakers got another boost as they prepare to start the 2022 legislative session and draw up a new state budget. The state in November collected $398.8 million more in general-revenue taxes than expected, continuing a series of months of higher-than-projected revenues, according to a report released by state economists. That is good news for lawmakers, in part, because general […]

Litter box tips and tricks to ensure that your new kitten or cat approves of the “facilities” in your home


Has the new year brought a kitten or cat into your life for the first time? You probably know that cats are good about using a litter box — that might even be what attracted you to one as a companion — but did you know you can take steps to help prevent kittens and cats from thinking (or stinking) […]

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. We are open by appointments only. All of our adoptable pets are on the AWL website (www.awlshelter.org). If you see a pet that you would like to meet, call to make an appointment. We […]

Leading cause of blindness most common in older adults


About 3 million people in the U.S. have glaucoma, and it’s the second leading cause of blindness worldwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month. Glaucoma is a group of eye conditions that damage the optic nerve, often due to abnormally high pressure in your eye. Elevated eye pressure is due to […]