2020-02-06
Rollin’ in cash
Cannabis sales are getting higher and higher in Florida. But the industry could change ...FLORIDA’S MEDICAL CANNABIS SALES SINCE beginning two years ago surged to $650 million in 2019, higher than the value of the state’s entire sugar cane crop. Sales are on pace to reach $1.9 billion in another four years, according to the cannabis analytics and investment firm Arcview Market Research. That’s a value worth roughly the state’s sugar cane and orange […]
Feeding Southwest Florida drive set for Saturday at Publix markets
There are 62 Publix Super Markets in Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties, and this Saturday they will have one main focus: Feeding Southwest Florida. Of course, getting food to feed yourself and your family is always the focus of going to a grocery store. But on Saturday, Feb. 8, a one-day food drive called Feeding Southwest Florida will be held […]
Marco Rubio’s con artist
A few years ago, a colleague drove with me into West Miami, where U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio grew up and entered political life as a city commissioner in his mid-20s. Then an editor at Florida Weekly, my colleague grew up like Sen. Rubio as the son of Cuban immigrants, but in nearby Hialeah. We talked to people who knew Rubio, […]
Senate rolls out $92.83 billion budget plan
The Florida Senate released an initial $92.83 billion budget proposal Thursday that would provide across-the-board pay raises for state employees, increase money for teacher salaries and help fund water-quality projects. The Senate proposal for the fiscal year that starts July 1 would be about a 2 percent increase over the current year’s budget. Also, it exceeds a $91.4 billion budget […]
Some bite-sized facts about gators for you to chew on
Gators! Florida is full of ’em, and they’re found even as far as North Carolina on the East Coast, and all along the Gulf Of Mexico shoreline. These loveably scary reptiles are sought out by locals and tourist alike. The scientific name is Alligator Mississippiensis (that name must’ve been thought up in a local bar as the scientists were sipping […]
Groom zoom
Regular grooming is an easy way to make pets happy and healthyThere are few things that make a veterinarian happier than walking into an exam room to see a pet who’s squeaky clean and perfectly groomed. That’s because it’s a sign of a pet owner who’s paying attention to all aspects of preventive pet care and overall comfort. How important is grooming to your pet’s comfort? Consider a simple mat, so […]
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. We currently have 40 adoptable dogs, 45 adoptable cats and one pig. From Feb. 7-14, any pet over 6 months will be […]
Ecologist to address local climate change, water quality issues
The Indian River Lagoon in Melbourne is an estuarine system that once supported more than 4,300 species of plants and animals, five state parks, four federal wildlife refuges and a national seashore. Today, the seagrasses and estuarine ecosystem in the Indian River are crashing — and considered a major ecological crisis. Could such a disaster happen to the estuaries of […]
Hope for those with bipolar disorder
Most of the world knows of Margaret Trudeau as the spirited wife of the late prime minister, Pierre Trudeau, and as the mother of Canada’s current prime minister, Justin Trudeau. However, not as many are aware of the prominent role Ms. Trudeau plays as a well-respected advocate and ambassador for mental health issues, speaking courageously and forcefully around the world […]