2017-10-19

Big girls don’t cry, nor do small girls who think and act big

FLORIDA WRITERS


¦ “Play Big” by Jen Welter with Stephanie Krikorian. Seal Press. 288 pages. Hardcover, $26. At once sports memoir and empowerment handbook, this feisty and engaging “how-to” is bound to attract a lot of attention. The author, a Vero Beach native, broke the glass ceiling in professional football in a variety of ways. She moved from being a championship performer […]

Coming up at the Renaissance Academy

The Renaissance Academy of FGCU offers lifelong learning classes to enrich life experiences at any age. The following sessions will be held at Herald Court Centre in downtown Punta Gorda. Mythology & Storytelling asPsychotherapy10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 23Fee: $32 with an optional cateredlunch available for an additional$10Instructor: Jaha Cummings This course discusses traditional indigenous counseling methods based on the […]

It’s a wrap on another Florida Weekly Writing Challenge



Talk about a challenge. Choosing one winner from among a record 256 entries in the 2017 Florida Weekly Writing Challenge proved a difficult assignment for our editors and senior writers who had that responsibility. Nine of us divided up the initial load, each picking two favorites from the 28-29 stories we read. Then all nine of us read the 18 […]

Micro Memoirs

One of this year’s Sanibel Island Writers Conference authors proves great things can be tiny


BETH ANN FENNELLY WAS AT THAT place where no writer wants to be. The words just weren’t coming. A little embarrassing for someone who teaches writing at the University of Mississippi in its MFA program. She’s also Mississippi’s poet laureate. Ms. Fennelly and her husband, author Tom Franklin, had just published the critically acclaimed “The Tilted World,” their collaborative novel […]

House Hunting

1 Mandershaw Lane, Punta Gorda

This spectacular equestrian estate on 11-plus private acres is surrounded by beautiful oaks and native plants. The gorgeous chef’s kitchen has granite counters, custom cabinets, stainless double oven and island cooktop. There is a formal dining room, and the kitchen opens to the great room facing the pool. The great room has a fireplace with a stone chimney, has vaulted […]

Punta Gorda Chamber ribbon cuttings

1. Captain’sTable2. DreamcatcherFashion Truck3. Joyce Vein& AestheticInstitute4. Twin IslesCountry Club

Florida’s Fantasy Comes Alive



DEAREST READERS: THE PARTY WEEK WE’VE ALL been waiting and prepping for since last October is nigh upon us. As you read this very article, piles of boas, stacks of tutus and corsets, and boxes of costumes are being hauled down from attics and dragged from under beds. Outfits (or lack-of-outfits) for every theme party are being meticulously plotted out […]

You’re invited to Tervis — to design your own tumbler



Ever wondered what it would feel like to work hands-on, among the pros who design those iconic Tervis tumblers? For years, Tervis has provided total customization. Customers from around the world submit photos, designs or company logos that are sealed in perpetuity between its signature tumbler’s inner and outer layers and shipped to their door. Now, the North Venice-based company […]

It may be time to take a shot at investing in whiskey

MONEY & INVESTING


I think it is amazing when you can pair investing with an expertise or a passion you have in your day-to-day life. Which is why I was so excited to learn that investing in whiskey has increased in popularity over the last several years. Can you really make money buying this hard liquor and how can you start investing in […]

They call it … MERGER

Though it’s not typical for a credit union and a bank to merge, Lake Michigan Credit Union and Encore Bank say joining forces a good move


A SOUTHWEST FLORIDA BUSINESS import is doing its best to continue digging roots in the area. The Grand Rapids-based Lake Michigan Credit Union recently signed an agreement to acquire Naples-based Encore Bank. LMCU already has a presence in Southwest Florida, with two locations in Naples and one in Bonita Springs. Encore Bank’s six Florida locations and over $400 million in […]