Local/Regional Press Coverage

The Heron Herald, Page 7 History Of The Punta Gorda ArIDyAirfield - Part 1 Within a year afterthe attack on Pearl Harbor, the United P-39 at 9 p.m. on what he thought was a concrete roadway. States began constructing 43 military airfields across Florida It was actually the barely graded No. 3 runway. Fortunately, for antisubmarine defensein the westernAtlantic and Gulf he landed safelywith only minor damage to one wing. After of Mexico and for training pilots and aircrew. Selected for spending the night at the Princess Hotel, he flew back to Fort its flatterrain, moderateweather, and easy access to offshore Myers the next morning. gunneryranges, thestate was the perfectplace for year-round The three, 5,000-footrunways were finally completed in training for the U.S. Army Air Force and otherAllied Nations. July 1943 and constructionshifted to the rest of the buildout One of these airfields was designated for the Punta including housing, drainage, and streets. Gorda area. In May 1942, three initial possible sites were Stay tuned for Part 2 in .December issue of The Heron identified: the first, two miles south of the city, another, Herald. seven miles north, and a third, two miles southeast. The site References: "History of Punta Gorda Army Airfield," finallyselected was three miles southeast of town. Interesting Microfilm Reel B2479, The Albert F. Simpson Historical to note, if the original two miles southeast site had been Research Center,Maxwell AFB, AL. Thanksto Scot Shively selected, it would have placed the airfieldat the intersection for sharing this document and his other research. of present-day Airport and Taylor Roads. On Oct. 1, 1942, the Punta Gorda Herald announced the project saying, "The Civil Aeronautics Authority has given finalapproval for the constructionof a $700,000 airport for use by the army." After The following week on Oct. 8, another Punta Gorda Herald article stated, "CharlotteCounty moved quickly this for building the ... airfield here. County Attorney Earl D. week to obtain title to 800 acres of land required by CAA Farr said title to the land will be obtained immediately by gift,purchase, andcondemnation ... (the land) is in the area east of the county stockade on high land underlaid with marl which may be used for foundationsfor runways." The land requirement more than doubled in November when the CAA requested an additional 920 acres, bringing the total to 1,720 acres. Captain Henry J. Tebow (a civil engineer) was placed in charge of construction and arrived in town on Oct. 16. The county completed the land acquisition in January 1943 when a jury awarded approximately $3 per acre to the owners of the last 283 acres needed. Runway constructionbegan quickly, and the Punta Gorda Herald noted the cost in their Jan. 28, 1943 article saying, "Cost of the three mile-long runways on the CAA air field here mounted to more than three-quartersof a million dollars last week as a contract was let forasphalt top surfacing." The airfield was still under construction when the first I' plane landedthere by accident. A pilot fromthe 13th fighter squadron at Page Field, Fort Myers, got disoriented during Before a night training flight on Feb. 17, 1943, and he landed his The Heron Herald, Page 7

History Of The Punta Gorda Army Airfield(PGAAF) -Part 2 As mentioned last month, approval for construction of a chapel/theatre, and a thePunta GordaArmy Airfield(PGAAF) wasn't announced combination officer's club until October 1942 (almost a year after the United States and mess hall. All were built entered the war). According to M. L. Shettle Jr., author of to "Theatre of Operations" Florida'sArmy Aiifzelds of World War II, PGAAF was the specifications. last of 44 air installations established by the Army Air Corps The base was initially (later Army Air Force) in Florida and was startedafter some assigned to the Fighter fields were being closed. He suggests that one of the key Replacement Training reasons might have been the availability of nearby offshore Center at Sarasota AAF, gunnery ranges, a clear advantage over other airfields. and its mission was to Aftercompletion of the PGAAFrunways, focus shiftedto provide student pilots with thebuildout ofthe rest of the airfield( drainage, paving of streets, 60 hours of flight training, housing for troops, officebuildings, utility services, etc.). By taking about nine weeks to theend ofJuly 1943, contracts werelet to severalconstruction complete. On Dec. 3, the companies,and it wasestimated that they wou ld needan average 502nd Fighter Bomber Squadron arrived fromWaycross, Punta GordaHera/donJan. 12, 1944, that" ... entertainment of 400 workmenfor the multiple-month project. Ga., with the 490th Fighter Squadron joining them the next and relaxation will be the order of the day for the soldiers Building was underway by August, but a labor shortage day fromThomasville, Ga. Both were equipped with Curtiss stationed here, togetherwith their wives and friends.Music, quickly became a major issue. Even with a $.50 per hour P-40 aircraft.A detachment from the Venice AAF (part of song, and pretty girls go well together; add soldiers to these wage scale, workers were hard to find.Men were brought in the 27th Service Group) arrivedon Dec. 9. By the official mixings and a gala time should be had and repeated in the fromas far away as Lake City, but more were still needed. activation date on Dec. 11, the base had grown to 10 field future."One way to do this was to bring the national United Employment officeswere set up to help register workers and officersand captains, and80 enlisted men. Service Organization (USO) shows to the base. The first put them in contact withconstruction companies, advertising Their arrival was captured in the local Punta Gorda USO show was held at PGAAF on Jan. 14; others were "no skills required but pays well." Herald. "It was a spectacular changeover from the quiet provided by the Blue Circuit, one of fourstateside circuits. Housing for the troops consisted of "hutments" communityonly a week ago, when 10 lonely soldiers arrived It was a vaudeville circuit with comedians and three or four approximately 18-foot by 18-foot wood-flooredand sided to do some of the preliminary jobs. Streetsare [now] filled other song-and-dance acts entertaining military personnel pyramidal tents covered with canvas and built on cement with soldiers and their families. A large percentage of the at smaller venues. Two local bars, Bill's Bar and Charley block foundations.Privies and showers were communal. A men are married, and many of their wives and children are Steele's tavern, also were popular hangouts, as was the total of268 hutments were constructed, providing 91,952 here with them. There was quickly shown to be a serious enlisted men's club next door to the New Theatreon Marion square feetofliving space forthe enlisted men. The area was shortage ofeating places, and steps already are underway to Avenue. referred to as "Tent City." Officers lived offbase, renting open more restaurants. We have the greatestopportunity in On March 1, 1944, PGAAF was reassigned along with fromlocals in thearea. our history to serve this groupof soldiers and, at the same Page AAF in Fort Myers as a sub-base of the Venice AAF. In addition to the hutments, the base included 61 time, leave a favorable impressionwith themthat will carry It was officiallydedicated on Sunday, March 19, giving the buildings, 3Y2 miles of bituminous roadway within the over into the post-war period and bring many of themback public a rare opportunityto visit the airfield.Attendance was base and three miles of roadway outside. In addition to as residents or visitors," remarked one citizen. said to be 1,000 soldiers and civilians. the runways, 5,939 linear feet of 50-foot asphalt concrete According to some, Punta Gorda was not considered a A USO Center was established in April 1944 at taxiways, an apron consisting of 49,000 square yards of good assignment (especially by the single, younger men), the Woman's Club on Sullivan Street in town. It was concrete was constructed. so much was done to make it more pleasant. With the base a servicemen's recreation center that also provided The buildings included two 10,960-square-footaircraft growing to 95 officers and 765 soldiers by Dec. 31, the entertainment forthe troops, including dances. maintenance hangers, a Link Trainer building, a warehouse, public relations officerLieutenant AlfredJames noted in the Part 3 to followin theFebruary issue.

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History Of The Punta Gorda Army Airfield (PGAAF) -Part Three By February 1944, training for the AAF Base Unit was were reported by the base and caused extensive damage well underway. Each pilot trained for 15 weeks and by to the local area and airfield.Base damage was estimated April, the Army Air Corps had assigned 1,097 enlisted at more than $20,000, focusedmainly on the hutments. men and 44 officers to the base. At that time, a total of Fortunately, the aircraft had been evacuated to other 103 aircraftwere on the field, including 77 Curtiss P-40 bases in advance of the storm. Hotel Charlotte Harbor Warhawks. The code forPunta Gorda's aircraftwas "M." owner, Floyd Alford,made the hotel available to military With training, came casualties. The first was personnel and their familiesto ride out the storm. A total Flight Officer Edward B: Harrison, who crashed after of 445 enlisted men, their families,and officers' family developing engine trouble on March 9, 1944. This was members sheltered there. shortly followedby another crash on March 31 instantly An additional 274 military personnel moved to the killing Captain Dorrance C. Zabriskie who was on a dive grammar and high school buildings during the storm. bombing mission. Zabriskie happened to preside over the The evacuated aircraft returned to PGAAF on Oct. 21 Crash Investigation Board. All told, Punta Gorda ended and operations resumed. up having 79 accidents with the P-40, with at least 19 Athletic activities were important to keep morale high At the end of 1944, the first North American Aviation being total losses or write-offs. on base. Besides the frequent fishing in the harbor and P-51 Mustang aircraft arrived at the base. In June 1945, A different kind of incident happened on Thursday, swimming at the Hotel Charlotte Harbor pool and at Punta 14 new P-51 s finally arrived as trainers, giving new pilots Sept. 7, that brought the town to tears. It was 9 a.m. and Gorda beach, volleyball and badminton were top favorites hands-on experience with the new plane before heading the base was having its monthly gas alert to familiarize with the enlisted men. The baseball team played teams overseas. Unfortunately,the P-51 s did not fare much better the men on how to functionin a gas attack. This particular from nearby airfields,and the softball leagues played at than the P-40s when it came to accidents at the airfield. time, the wind caught the fumes and carried them into the ball diamond in town. The town bowling alley was By the time the base closed, 34 accidents had occurred. town. Everyone on base had on gas masks but not so in oftencrowded to capacity. On Sept. 1, 1945, the PGAAF was officiallydeactivated. town. Schools were affectedand the FPL pole crew had Hurricanes were a threat to the Florida airfields,and The base was active for one year, eight months, and 20 to stop working along with everyone else. Fortunately, one affected Punta Gorda when it made landfall near days and an estimated 750 U.S. pilots were trained. the gas only caused temporary discomfort. The officers Sarasota, approximately 40 miles from PGAAF on Oct. It was deeded to Charlotte County by the War Assets said it wouldn't happen again. 19, 1944. Heavy rain and wind gusts in excess of 160 mph Administration and has been an active airport ever since. Photo Ops Do you have any pictures you would like to share? Submit your photos, with a brief description, to [email protected].

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PUBLISHER AND EDITOR COMMENTARY EDITOR Glen Nickerson John Hackworth

Airport Authority made right decision Editor: I’ve been a tenant at the Punta Gorda Airport for almost 15 years. Having just read Pam Seay’s letter to the editor it reminds me of a poor loser who was sent to time out. The privatization of the Punta Gorda Airport would be a developer’s dream. I never heard any plan on how the money would be spent or who would make those decisions. Certainly not the Airport Authority. The decision by the Airport Authority was the correct one. The airport is very proﬁtable as is and it spends its proﬁts where it should; on the airport. The whole deal did not pass the smell test. The airport is an airport. It is not a bank. Mr. Vasey played the game and he lost. Allan Boynton Punta Gorda TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021 | NAPLESNEWS.COM PART OF THE USA TODAY NETWORK Nearly 500 firearms were flagged in Florida even as COVID cut travel

TSA agents check passengers at Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach on Friday. The TSA says 10 guns were confiscated there last year, down from 21 in 2019. LANNIS WATERS/PALM BEACH POST TSA: Carry-on gun finds doubled across US in 2020

Hannah Winston Palm Beach Post per 1 million passengers screened as USA TODAY NETWORK compared to about five firearms per one million passengers in 2019, according to Though air travel numbers were the TSA's annual report released in Jan- down dramatically in 2020 because of a uary. global pandemic, the Transportation A total of 3,257 firearms were found Security Administration said its agents in carry-on bags at checkpoints, and stopped guns at their checkpoints 83% of those weapons — about 2,700 — across the United States at double the were loaded. In Florida alone, 456 fire- rate they did the previous year. arms were found at the 22 airports Firearm confiscations at Florida air- A gun found during a security where the TSA has operations. ports remained in the top 10 across the screening at Tampa International While Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson country, as they have for years. Airport in 2020, according to TSA. In 2020, there were about 10 firearms TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION See GUNS, Page 10A 10A | TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021 | NAPLES DAILY NEWS +

Firearms confiscated at Florida 2019, 21 guns were taken. once they receive a vaccine. Guns airports, 2020 In Southwest Florida, 20 firearms "There's a prevailing hope among were found at the international airport many Americans that things will return h Fort Lauderdale International - 87 Continued from Page 1A near Fort Myers and the Punta Gorda to normal later this year," he said. h Orlando International - 79 airport. When it comes to those who did trav- airport had the most guns found across In the Florida Panhandle, 46 guns el, Koshetz said, the numbers of people h Tampa International - 70 the nation with 220; Fort Lauderdale's were seized by security at four airports bringing firearms to the TSA check- airport came in seventh place with 87, h Miami International - 60 in Pensacola, Panama City, Tallahassee points always are escalated during the closely followed by Orlando's Interna- and Destin/Fort Walton. holidays. h Jacksonville International - 36 tional Airport with 79, records show. In Jacksonville, 36 firearms were re- "This year holiday travel stress com- Tampa and Miami's International h Southwest International Airport Fort covered after an all-time high of 50 in bined with an overwhelming dose of Airports just missed the Top 10, coming Myers - 14 2019, the TSA said. pandemic stress meant even more pas- in at 11th with 70 firearms and 13th with Federal officials said the number of sengers failed to scrutinize what was in h Palm Beach International - 10 60 guns, respectively. firearms persisted even as the number their carry-ons," Koshetz said “Most of the guns brought to our h Sarasota-Bradenton International - 8 of passengers going through security Even so, some of the most traveled checkpoints have been loaded, many checkpoints dropped by 500 million in holidays of the year saw significant dips h Gainesville Regional - 6 with ammunition chambered. An acci- 2020 because of the pandemic. in airline travel for 2020 across the Unit- dental discharge could result in trage- h Tallahassee International - 6 Travel was at a standstill for much of ed States. dy,” TSA spokesperson Sari Koshetz the spring in 2020 as cities and coun- Between the day before Thanksgiv- h Daytona Beach International - 3 said. tries across the world were under a lock- ing and the Sunday after it, traditionally While unloaded guns can be trans- h Key West International - 3 down or stay-at-home orders in an ef- one of the busiest travel periods of the ported through checked luggage once fort to mitigate the spread of the virus. year, about 4.5 million people flew this they are declared with the airline, pas- In a recent survey by AAA, 42% of year, according to the TSA. In 2019, that sengers cannot transport any weapons face criminal charges. Floridians canceled travel plans or number was more than 12 million. in their carry-on luggage. Palm Beach International Airport — didn't go anywhere in 2020 because of This compares to another busy time Passengers caught with a firearm at where former President Donald Trump pandemic fears, according to spokes- period — between Christmas Eve and security checkpoints may pay a civil would land Air Force One when visiting person Mark Jenkins. He said more New Year's Day. In 2020, 10.3 million penalty of up to $13,669, according to Mar-a-Lago, his winter White House — than 40% of Floridians surveyed said traveled, compared to almost twice that the TSA. Additionally, they also could had 10 guns confiscated last year. In they'll feel more comfortable traveling (21.3 million) in 2019.

Oakes

Continued from Page 1A

Meanwhile, in Lee County, a state court judge recently found in favor of Bracci in a lawsuit he brought against the school district for its lack of response to his multiple requests for public information. In the suit, Bracci alleged the district held back public records he sought to fairly represent Oakes in his federal case against the school system over a lost food supply contract. Bracci described the 32-page judgment against the district over the han- dling of his legitimate records requests as “a victory for the public-at-large,” not just Oakes.

Mask mandate

In Collier, the order by magistrate Brenda Garretson came Jan. 20, a few months after she listened to arguments from both sides at a public hearing. Ultimately, Garretson sided with Oakes and his attorney, taking herself out of the spat. Her written order did not Attendees listen as Alfie Oakes speaks during a gathering in opposition to the mask mandate passed by the Collier County explain how or why she came to the de- Commissioners on Tuesday, at Oakes Farms Seed to Table Market, July 25. cision. ALEX DRIEHAUS/NAPLES DAILY NEWS In arguing his case to the magistrate, however, Bracci claimed she had no power to enforce the county’s mask or- which he’s argued is discriminatory, un- lawsuit over the district’s decision, al- In his opinion dated Jan. 12, Fuller order, or to impose fines for violations of constitutional, invalid, overreaching leging the superintendent, the school dered the district to provide the emails it. and arbitrary. board and the district have trampled on and other requested public information “The term special magistrate doesn’t As a result of the suit, which is still his freedom of speech rights. He said within 48 hours in the format Bracci appear in the mask order,” he told Gar- pending, the fines against him are on the district never told him why it cut ties asked for it in — and to pay the attor- retson. hold. with him. ney’s fees for the case. He further claimed the magistrate County officials declined to comment In connection with the suit, Bracci Two days after the court’s order, the only had jurisdiction over local codes on the magistrate’s ruling, citing the filed a separate action in Lee County district provided Bracci with a thumb and ordinances, not an emergency or- pending litigation as the reason. Circuit Court against the school district drive containing the emails in the elec- der — and that state law deems a vio- During the hearing before the magis- in July, after it failed to provide him with tronic format that he requested, he said, lation of an emergency order as a crimi- trate, Colleen Greene, an assistant emails and other public records he re- but he’s “not yet certain if they have nal misdemeanor, so the county can’t county attorney, argued the county does quested. fully complied by providing all respon- assess a non-criminal penalty, or fines, have the power to police its own order Bracci asked for the records for evi- sive records.” for it. and to assess fines for noncompliance. dence that could shed light on how and The ruling, he said, shows the school The county has issued five citations County commissioners, she said, never why the district made the decision to district “plays some sketchy games with for noncompliance of the mask man- intended there to be a criminal penalty quit doing business with Oakes. respect to public records requests.” date. All of them are connected to associated with the mask mandate. After a trial, Circuit Judge Joseph “The lingering question is why they Oakes, who has publicly called CO- In fact, she said, punishment was Fuller, Jr. found the district mishandled are playing those games. Time will tell. VID-19 a “hoax,” and staunchly opposed meant to be “a last resort.” the attorney’s requests for public infor- Meanwhile, this judgment is a victory a mask requirement limited to the unin- mation in multiple ways. That includes for the public-at-large,” Bracci said. corporated area. Lost contract by: In a statement, Kathy Dupuy-Bruno, Three of the citations involve Oakes’ h Eroding access to the records the attorney for the Lee County School popular destination grocery store Seed In June, the Lee County School Dis- through automation Board, said: “We have complied with the to Table on Immokalee Road, his latest trict severed ties with Oakes, canceling h Quarantining the requests, then judge’s ruling and the federal case is still venture. The other two are for Oakes his contract as a supplier of fresh pro- purging them, without any procedural pending.” Farms, his longtime country-style mar- duce for its students, after he wrote in safeguards in place In the district’s defense, its legal ket on Davis Boulevard. social media posts that COVID-19 and h Failing to promptly acknowledge team has argued that Bracci’s requests The fines associated with the viola- the Black Lives Matter movement were and act upon the requests contained certain “key words” that tions total $1,125. hoaxes — and called George Floyd a h Allowing an anti-spam system to caused them to be accidentally and un- Oakes has also filed a federal lawsuit “disgraceful career criminal.” intercept the requests before they could knowingly quarantined by an anti- against the county over the mask order, Oakes filed a $50 million-plus federal be seen spam filter, then permanently deleted.

ND-GCI0401962-01

2- 2 - 2021 6:06 PM

https://spotonflorida.com/southwest-florida/2393041/former-commissioner-helped-airport-transform.html

N/E/P/C

PAGE 6B THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2021 | The Sun | www.yoursun.com Former commissioner helped airport transform after hurricane

wanted our airport Seay said. Don Lee died to be the very best it “What that did was send a Jan. 25 at 91 could be. I enjoyed message to the aviation industry watching him that the little Punta Gorda airport By BETSY CALVERT because he was so was a destination that it would be STAFF WRITER determined.” something special, that it could Lee was born in sustain growth, that it could handle Local government leaders gave LEE Philadelphia and an airline,” Seay said. their tributes to the late Don Lee, a owned a company After Sky Bus came Direct Air former Punta Gorda airport com- there that investigated aviation and and ultimately, Allegiant Airlines, missioner who died Jan. 25 at 91. marine accidents. According to which has made Punta Gorda “He was a delightful person. his obituary, he discovered Punta among the most successful airports I was very fond of him,” said Gorda while helping a friend sail a in the country. Charlotte County Commissioner boat here in 1994. Seay recalled they were not Stephen R. Deutsch. “His life was He was a commissioner at a always in agreement. For example, the airport. He cared about the pivotal time for the airport, Seay he did not agree with the decision airport. He cared about Charlotte said. Hurricane Charley in 2004 de- to let hangar condominiums out- County.” stroyed the airport, she said. At the side the airport have paid access to Lee was elected to the then- time it was just a general aviation the airport. It turns out the condos named Charlotte County Airport airport. That means there were no and their paid access did not make Authority board in 1998. He served commercial passenger airlines. much money for the airport; Seay four terms through 2014 when he Commissioners at that time said he was probably right. was defeated by current commis- decided it was time to remake the Deutsch agreed with Seay on sioner, Robert Hancik. airport with a new terminal. Lee’s role. Another former airport commis- “Don was very big at that point in “He was with the airport when sioner, Pam Seay, recalled advising our revisioning,” Seay said. they went through some real Lee to run for office while the two He was part of a team that was difficult times after Hurricane were at the local speedway with willing to take chances, she said, Charley,” Deutsch said. “He her father. A longtime pilot and and willing to try something new. stepped up. … He helped create the businessman, he had been giving He was part of the decision environment that is there today. her urgent advice on the airport so to bring in the ﬁrst commercial “It was my honor and pleasure to she told him there was a seat open, airline, Sky Bus. Sky Bus did not have known him,” Deutsch said. and he should run. succeed overall, except they did “He was terriﬁc,” Seay said. “He well at the Punta Gorda airport, Email: [email protected] Local counties abide by order to offer Spanish-language voting materials

By NANCY J. SEMON provide ballots and other materials Election Day, 14 out of 15,663 STAFF WRITER in Spanish. However, Charlotte ballots cast County did not participate in the In all, there was a total of 33 Good news, Spanish-speaking settlement. Spanish ballots out of 116,930 voters: Paul Stamoulis, supervisor of ballots cast in Charlotte County. Area county Supervisors of Elections for Charlotte County, Sarasota County was one of Elections offer ballots and voting explained why. those counties agreeing to the materials in Spanish, and have “It does not require a court settlement which was approved done so even before a legal battle order for Charlotte County to by Chief U.S. District Judge Mark started before the 2018 elections. provide translation services to Walker. But the settlement for A lawsuit sought to have Florida our Hispanic voters who are not Sarasota County wasn’t necessary, counties provide voting Spanish- proﬁcient in English,” he said. said a spokesperson for the language materials, translations He said the county has been county’s Supervisor of Elections of elections websites and access offering ballots in Spanish and Ron Turner. to hotlines in Spanish for voter other voting materials “for the 12 “We do provide ballots (and JAMES W. MALLONEE, P.A. assistance. years I have been here.” materials) in Spanish and on the LAW OFFICE There were 32 counties, “We will continue to do so website,” she said, explaining JAMES W. MALLONEE including Charlotte and Sarasota, without the necessity of court while federal law did not require named in a case that centered supervision,” he added. the county to offer ballots and PROBATE WILLS/TRUSTS on allegations elections officials He provided the following other voting materials in Spanish, GUARDIANSHIPS REAL ESTATE didn’t comply with part of the requests for Spanish language when the county learned of Offi ce Hours – Monday thru Friday, 9:00AM to 5:00PM federal Voting Rights Act related ballots for the 2020 General the impending lawsuit “it went 946 Tamiami Trail, #206, Port Charlotte, FL 33953 to Spanish speakers educated in Election, adding, “We kept track.” ahead and did it (provide voting 871 Venetia Bay Blvd. Suite #225, Venice, FL 34285 Puerto Rico. For vote by mail: 11 out of 56,977 materials in Spanish).” (941) 207-2223 A federal judge on Monday ballots cast DeSoto and Lee counties were www.jameswmallonee.com approved a settlement in which the Early voting, 8 out of 44,290 not named in the lawsuit. (941) 206-2223 counties agreed to take steps to ballots cast adno=3782580-1 A Courtesy of ... The Daily Get all of The Daily SUN’s obituaries

emailed to you every morning at 6 a.m. adno=3780247-1 SUN Go to YourSun.com and click on NEWSLETTERS to sign up for this and other email newsletters including Breaking News, Morning Charlotte • DeSoto • Sarasota Headlines, High School Preps and others. A Free and Convenient Way to Stay Informed.

2- 5 - 2021 6:28 PM

https://spotonflorida.com/southwest-florida/2407420/pg-airport-reps-expect-more-passengers.html

Yoursun.com | February 6, 2021

PUNTA GORDA — Punta Gorda Airport representatives have high hopes for 2021 despite recording significantly lower passenger numbers last year due to the coronavirus pandemic. 'We expect the passenger traffic to continue to increase in 2021 as consumer confidence continues to return,' said airport spokesperson Kaley Miller. 'We were expecting the total passengers for 2020 at 1.2 million and we nearly hit that mark.' https://www.newsbreak.com/florida/punta-gorda/news/2158834763758/pg-airport-reps-expect-more-passengers-to-travel-in-2021

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2021 | YOURSUN.COM | SECTION C More PGD fliers expected in 2021 return,” said airport spokesperson we’ll continue to work with them to Overall 2020 Kaley Miller. “We were expecting the market Southwest Florida and their passenger count total passengers for 2020 at 1.2 million destinations.” and we nearly hit that mark.” Allegiant currently offers 51 totals down by 28% The end-of-year passenger count destinations out of Punta Gorda, for 2020 was recorded at almost according to Miller. compared to 2019 1.19 million compared to 2019’s “We usually just market it as 1.65 million — a decrease of around 45-plus cities since some are only By DANIEL SUTPHIN 28%. seasonal routes.” Miller said. STAFF WRITER Passenger results for the month of Allegiant recently announced a December 2020 already showed signs new nonstop route from Punta Gorda PUNTA GORDA — Punta Gorda of improvement at 107,658 compared Airport to Baltimore/Washington Airport representatives have high to the previous month of 95,706. International Thurgood Marshall hopes for 2021 despite recording The results were still down by 35%, Airport in Baltimore, which is significantly lower passenger num- however, compared to December 2019 planned to begin May 27. bers last year due to the coronavirus at 166,087. November 2020 was down pandemic. by almost 27% with 130,623 passen- Email: [email protected] “We expect the passenger traffic gers logged for November 2019. PHOTO PROVIDED to continue to increase in 2021 as “Allegiant is an outstanding Allegiant planes at the Punta Gorda Airport in consumer confidence continues to airline partner,” Miller said, “and 2018. Boats, RVs in Beyond Ourselves donates short supply $44,500 to local charities Some have to wait months for a Punta Gorda Isles Civic Association group raises thousands despite pandemic new vessel By OLIVIA CAMERON STAFF WRITER By NANCY J. SEMON STAFF WRITER Beyond Ourselves, the community service organiza- Boats and RVs of all types, both new tion of the Punta Gorda Isles and used, are in big demand and short Civic Association, managed supply, according to local businesses. to raise $44,500 for Charlotte Scott Ritter, who works in new County charities without boat sales at Ingman Marine in Port even holding their annual Charlotte, said an order received now, home tour. “could take as many as four months.” With their 2021 Home In fact, he said, it could take as many Tour fundraiser canceled, as six months to get certain types of Beyond Ourselves still new boats delivered. asked for donations because His counterpart, Orion Wholean, local charities are in need who works in used boat sales at nonetheless. On Feb. 6, the Ingman, said that he’s seen an in- organization held a small, so- crease in sales of 20-foot to 30-foot cially-distanced gathering to pontoon boats, center consoles, fishing commemorate their sponsors’ boats and offshore vessels. He said donations. that he’s seen a trend towards “fami- Beyond Ourselves pres- ly-oriented boats; it seems like a lot of ident Debra Griffith was families are wanting to get out on the in awe of the community’s water.” support, even through a Yacht brokerages are also seeing pandemic. heavy demand. Ed Benson — who “The sponsor committee along with his wife Sara Benson owns came through in spades. Our Punta Gorda Yacht Brokers and Gulf sponsors stepped up, and I Island Sails in Punta Gorda; he also is cannot thank them enough,” a broker for Edwards Yacht Sales — said Griffith. said that his sales “are going way up.” SUN PHOTO BY OLIVIA CAMERON SEE , SEE SUPPLY, 4C St. Vincent de Paul is presented with a $5,000 check. BEYOND 4C Englewood’s 62-year-old water plant earns recognition By STEVE REILLY has been serving Water District provides water and sewer STAFF WRITER customers since 1959 with a service to 44.5 square miles in capacity of 1.6 million gallons the Englewood area, on both ENGLEWOOD — The people a day. sides of the Sarasota-Charlotte who produce the water for the That’s every day for 62 years. county line. Englewood Water District — Elected supervisors received Like Meals, district water present and past — have reason a plaque commemorating the operations manager Dewey to be proud of their work. accomplishment this week. Futch believes the award A national organization, Supervisor Taylor Meals commends employees both past the American Water Works said the district accepted the and present. Like many of the Association, presented the dis- award on behalf of all of the district’s employees, Futch is trict its 2020 Landmark Award district’s past board members, a lifelong Englewood resident for the continuous operation of employees, prior supervisors who has worked his way up the SUN PHOTO BY STEVE REILLY its lime-softening water treat- and administrators. He also ranks. The Englewood Water District proudly accepted an American ment plant, which has been commended those who estab- “It’s a reflection of all the Water Works Association award for its diligence keeping its producing drinking water for lished the Water District in hard work we’ve done,” Futch 62-year-old lime softening treatment plant operating. Water more than six decades. 1959 for having the foresight to said. operations manager Dewey Futch credits all district employees The plant, which is tucked create a utility able to serve the Also, he said fewer and fewer — past and present — whose maintenance of the plant kept it few blocks off Indiana Avenue Englewood community reliably. lime treatment plants are in operational. at the end of Selma Avenue, The Water District now SEE WATER, 4C

The Charlotte County Fair Association has implemented safety guidelines to attend the upcoming 2021 Charlotte County Fair. We strongly recommend all guests wear face masks, be considerate of others around you and follow social distancing protocols.

adno=3780011-1 Adherence to the guidelines will assist in our efforts to present a GATE ADMISSION safe and successful fair. ADULTS- $7.00 STUDENTS- $5.00 STUDENT DAY AGE 5 & UNDER- FREE $5.00 Sunday, Feb. 7 PARKING EVERYDAY Free Gate Admission, January 29 - February 7, 2021 2333 El Jobean Rd. (Across from Charlotte County All students, Sports Park at the Charlotte school employees (with ID) County Fair Grounds) www.TheCharlotteCountyFair.com FREE Daily Shows with Paid Admission HURRY!! FAIR HOURS Jurassic Kingdom Live! See our website for complete TODAY IS THE Dinosaur Show show schedule http://thechar- LAST DAY~ lottecountyfair.com/charlotte-county-fair-schedule/ COME OUT Sun. Feb. 7 Cirque Mundial AND JOIN THE FUN!! Agriculture Shows 12N-6PM See our website for complete show schedule

When you see these friendly pups with their handlers in purple polo shirts, don't hesitate to come say hello. Keep in mind that the dogs will be in the secure departures area with passengers that have cleared security for most of their visit.

A therapy dog is a dog trained to provide affection and comfort to people in a variety of locations and situations from hospitals, nursing homes, schools, hospices, disaster areas, children advocacy centers and airports like PGD.

Currently, over 20 airports across the United States have therapy dog programs. #AirportTherapyDogs www.flypgd.com/dogs/

https://stayhappening.com/e/k-9-comfort-crew-visits-bailey-terminal-E2ISTFEMIQF

February 7, 2021

K-9 Comfort Crew Visits Bailey Terminal When you see these friendly pups with their handlers in purple polo shirts, don't hesitate to come say hello. Keep in mind that the dogs will be in the secure departures area with passengers that have cleared security for most of their visit.

Currently, over 20 airports across the United States have therapy dog programs. #AirportTherapyDogs www.flypgd.com/dogs/

Also check out other Sports Events in Punta Gorda, Health & Wellness Events in Punta Gorda.

https://allevents.in/punta%20gorda/k-9-comfort-crew-visits-bailey-terminal/200020705198753

PAGE 2C MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021 | The Sun | www.yoursun.com N/E/P/C Airplane mechanics school readying to start its engines At the last minute in 2019, degree program. Another 14 Charlotte Technical Western Michigan pulled out of 10th and 11th graders have College already the deal. Another smaller pilot signed up for preliminary school, Aeroguard, is now offer- classes in airplane fabrication. has $1 million in ing pilot training at the Punta To enroll, students must have Gorda Airport in conjunction a high school degree or equiv- equipment with Liberty University. alent. If that degree is from Airplane repair is a job that before the 2003/2004 school By BETSY CALVERT requires being certified by the year, the applicant must show STAFF WRITER FAA, Bennett said. The state basic skills in math, reading of Florida is expecting the and language. CTC offers Airplane mechanics are field will have job openings of tutoring and test preparation in short supply, and a new 14,000 annually through 2028, assistance for anyone who has training program is gearing up according to Careersource of to take the basic skills tests. at the Punta Gorda Airport. Southwest Florida. That’s 14% There are 13 other such Charlotte Technical College growth. programs in Florida, Bennet has received preliminary The shorthand name for the said, the closest being in approval from the Federal program is A&P, which stands south Naples. The rest are Aviation Administration after for airframe and powerplant. on Florida’s east coast or in a site walkthrough, said CTC Powerplant in this case refers Lakeland. Director Deelyn Bennett. to all things engine related. CTC has invested $1 million “They were here on our PHOTO SUBMITTED Airframe refers to everything so far in the equipment, mostly campus and they were over- else from the electric system to using a state grant. A Fort whelmed, in a great way, with Charlotte Technical College instructor Jamie Trudeau examines the brakes to the landing gear Myers-based airplane mechanic the progress of the equipment what looks like an airplane engine. Trudeau is part of the new and the frame of the plane. company, Intrepid Aerospace, for the program we have com- airplane mechanics program expected to start in the fall. Students can go for licensing has made a number of dona- ing in already,” Bennett said of in either or both, Bennett said. tions, including of equipment, the FAA team. electrical, and cracks in the their senior year for dual high For both programs, it takes Bennett said. They are on the Once CTC unpacks and sets airplane structure. school diploma and industry 18 months full time and costs program’s advisory board as up the equipment in a hangar In the meantime, CTC is pre- certification. $5,974 in tuition. Students who well. at the airport, they will call paring a marketing campaign Classes will begin in the fall, begin in their senior year of After the certification and in the FAA for the final walk- to bring in outside students to Bennett said. will high school save about $1,500 setup is complete, Bennett said, through, Bennett said. They the 18-month program. They “We are not hoping; we in tuition, because they are CTC will hold an open house already have two instructors. are aiming for 50 high school begin in the fall,” she said. still enrolled in publicly funded for the public to see the equip- Equipment for an airplane students and 50 older students CTC is taking over a mod- schooling. ment and program space. repair program includes jet outside of high school. ular classroom that Western After four days of marketing engines and training boards They’ve already been mar- Michigan University was going to local high school students, Email: betsy.calvert@yoursun. that teach how to repair such keting to local high school to use for a pilot training pro- Bennett said, they have 12 com systems as landing gear or students, who can enroll in gram with a bachelors degree. seniors signed up for the dual

POLICE BEAT The Charlotte County Sheriff’s 18400 block of Ebb Ave., Port Sasha Sabina Martinez, 21, of Simonton Ave., North Port. Juan Carlos Dominguez, Office reported the following Charlotte. Charge: out of of Fort Lauderdale. Charges: Charge: driving while license 42, 420 block of W. Effie St., arrests: county warrant. possession of cocaine and suspended or revoked. Bond: Arcadia. Charge: violation of Joshua Mitchell Ryan, 19, Kristyn Dawn Robinson, 38, possession or use of drug $1,500. probation. Bond: none. 38800 block of Washington Loop 9300 block of Arnaz Circle, paraphernalia. Bond: $7,500. The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Don Shane Frazier, 40, Road, Punta Gorda. Charge: Port Charlotte. Charges: DUI, The North Port Police Department Office reported the following arrest: homeless of Arcadia. Charge: DUI with serious bodily injury possession of a controlled sub- reported the following arrests: Kevin Joseph Dicentes, 31, disorderly conduct. Bond: to another. Bond: $2,000. stance without a prescription Charles Joseph Eidys, 57, 2600 6300 block of Van Camp St., $1,000. Coedy Marie Walsh, 39, 1300 and possession or use of drug block of Lakeshore Circle, Port North Port. Charge: DUI. Bond: Jonathan David Hubbard, 38, block of Hemlock Ave., Punta paraphernalia. Bond: $8,500. Charlotte. Charge: DUI. Bond: $120. homeless of Arcadia. Charges: Gorda. Charges: possession of Paige Rene Almand, 20, 21300 $500. Jordan Allen Gray, 27, 600 battery by touch or strike and a controlled substance without block of Hawthorne Ave., Port Roberty David Hampton, 53, block of Yale Road, Venice. trespassing. Bond: $1,000. prescription and possession Charlotte. Charges: possession 4000 block of Blue Ridge St., Charge: DUI. Bond: $120. Darnell Earnest-Reshown or use of drug paraphernalia. of a controlled substance North Port. Charges: DUI and Waltrudes Jose Tavares- Page, 19, of Lakeland. Charge: Bond: $10,000. without a prescription and aggravated assault with intent Filho, 54, 1300 block of James arrest on out of county war- Dillon Patrick Grady, 24, 400 possession or use of drug to commit a felony. Bond: $120. St., Nokomis. Charge: violation rant. Bond: none. block of San Marie Drive, Punta paraphernalia. Bond: $7,500. George Albert Kocher III, 73, of probation. Bond: none. Benito Alejandro Ramirez, Gorda. Charges: possession of Gregory Scott Barklow, 49, 3800 block of San Bruno Road, The DeSoto County Sheriff’s 44, 2700 block of S.E. Frank J. a controlled substance without 4000 block of Yucatan Circle, North Port. Charge: DUI with Office reported the following Dewane Way, Arcadia. Charge: a prescription and possession Port Charlotte. Charges: damage to person or property arrests: failure to appear. Bond: none. or use of drug paraphernalia. possession of a controlled sub- of another. Bond: $500. Dwayne LLoyd Daley, 25, Bond: $7,500. stance without a prescription The Sarasota Police Department 1600 block of S.W. Eagerton Dr., Compiled by Daniel Sutphin Dallas Giovanni Evans, 21, and possession or use of drug reported the following arrest: Arcadia. Charge: violation of paraphernalia. Bond: none. Calvin Bryant, 58, 2200 block probation. Bond: none.

TODAY / TONIGHT TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY THE NATION PUBLICATION DATE: 02/8/21 -10s -0s 0s 10s 20s 30s 40s 50s 60s 70s 80s 90s 100s 110s Shown are noon positions of weather systems and precipitation. Temperature bands are highs for the day.

Winnipeg A brief shower Partly cloudy and After a cloudy start, Sun and some clouds Partly sunny, a Clouds to start, then Cloudy with Seattle -14/-19 Montreal 44/32 Ottawa 18/8 or two mild sunshine returns t-storm around in sunshine returns thunderstorms 19/11 Billings Toronto the p.m. possible -1/-12 Minneapolis HIGH 77° LOW 65° 3/-5 20/15 80° / 64° 83° / 64° 84° / 65° 82° / 65° 79° / 58° Detroit New York 60% chance 15% chance of 18/13 30/23 of rain rain 10% chance of rain 5% chance of rain 40% chance of rain 25% chance of rain 35% chance of rain San Francisco 57/49 Chicago Washington 14/4 39/31 Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures Denver PORT CHARLOTTE GULF WATER TIDES 47/17 are today’s highs and tonight’s lows. Kansas City Punta Gorda through 2 p.m. Sunday 63° High Low High Low 17/8 TEMPERATURE Los Angeles Temperatures Punta Gorda 71/53 High/Low 81°/71° Bartow Lake Wales Today 11:56p 7:50a ------Atlanta Normal High/Low 76°/53° Clearwater Tue. 4:14p 8:39a --- 6:43p 58/47 Tampa 73/65 72/65 El Paso Record High 85° (2018) 73/64 Brandon 73/42 75/65 Englewood Record Low 28° (1978) 75/66 Today 10:33p 6:06a ------Houston Ft. Meade Chihuahua 72/59 Precipitation (in inches) Tue. 2:51p 6:55a 11:34p 4:59p 75/41 73/65 Miami 24 hours through 2 p.m. Sun. 0.15” St. Petersburg Apollo Beach Monterrey Frostproof Boca Grande 82/71 Month to date 0.21” 75/64 74/65 86/58 74/66 Today 9:43p 4:52a ------Normal month to date 0.55” Tue. 10:36p 5:39a ------Fronts Precipitation Year to date 0.50” Bradenton Wauchula 75/65 El Jobean Cold Warm Stationary Showers T-storms Rain Flurries Snow Ice Normal year to date 2.35” 75/65 Today --- 8:19a ------Record 1.65” (1983) Myakka City Limestone Tue. 12:28a 9:08a 4:46p 7:12p U.S. Extremes (For the 48 contiguous states yesterday) 78/66 77/66 Venice High 87° at Fort Lauderdale, FL Low -35° at Cotton, MN VENICE Longboat Key Sarasota Today 8:48p 4:45a ------Venice through 2 p.m. Sunday 73/66 Arcadia Today Tue. Today Tue. 77/64 Tue. 1:06p 5:34a 9:49p 3:38p City Hi Lo W Hi Lo W City Hi Lo W Hi Lo W Temperatures Osprey Hull 77/66 Albuquerque 63 35 s 62 39 pc Knoxville 50 35 pc 53 39 c High/Low 70°/68° 76/65 North Port 78/65 MARINE Anchorage 10 4 s 12 11 sn Las Vegas 67 51 pc 66 50 c Normal High/Low 73°/53° Venice 77/65 Atlanta 58 47 pc 62 52 c Little Rock 55 44 pc 48 39 c Record High 85° (1957) Wind Speed Seas Bay/Inland 76/65 Port Charlotte direction in knots in feet chop Baltimore 36 27 pc 46 32 r Los Angeles 71 53 pc 66 53 pc Record Low 31° (1978) 77/65 Birmingham 62 48 pc 66 53 c Louisville 43 33 c 43 28 c Englewood Cape Sable to Tarpon Springs Precipitation (in inches) SSE 4-8 1-2 Light Boise 44 25 pc 46 23 pc Memphis 57 45 pc 51 44 sh 24 hours through 2 p.m. Sun. 0.38” 75/65 Boston 28 18 s 33 23 sn Milwaukee 12 3 c 14 3 pc Punta Gorda Tarpon Springs to Apalachicola Month to date 0.49” Placida Buff alo 22 17 c 29 12 sn Minneapolis 3 -5 pc 9 -4 pc 79/64 ENE 8-16 2-4 Light Normal month to date 0.53” 75/65 Burlington, VT 21 10 pc 27 16 sn Montgomery 65 52 pc 68 58 sh Year to date 0.68” Boca Grande Charleston, WV 44 34 pc 47 31 r Nashville 55 44 pc 57 44 c Fort Myers Normal year to date 2.97” 73/66 SUN AND MOON Charlotte 53 40 pc 58 43 r New Orleans 68 62 c 71 63 r Cape Coral 80/66 Record 1.65” (1961) 78/67 The Sun Rise Set Chicago 14 4 sn 17 9 pc New York City 30 23 s 38 25 sn Today 7:10 a.m. 6:16 p.m. Cincinnati 37 28 c 35 21 c Norfolk, VA 38 33 pc 57 39 r Lehigh Acres Tuesday 7:09 a.m. 6:16 p.m. Cleveland 23 20 c 27 16 sf Oklahoma City 43 23 c 33 23 pc SEBRING 80/66 Sebring through 2 p.m. Sunday Sanibel The Moon Rise Set Columbia, SC 57 45 pc 63 50 c Omaha 6 -2 sn 10 4 pc Columbus, OH 30 25 c 33 20 sn Philadelphia 31 24 pc 42 28 r Forecasts and graphics provided by 74/67 Bonita Springs Today 4:42 a.m. 3:16 p.m. Temperatures Concord, NH 27 8 pc 27 15 sn Phoenix 76 51 pc 76 53 s High/Low 78°/70° AccuWeather, Inc. © 202 1 79/66 Tuesday 5:40 a.m. 4:18 p.m. Dallas 65 42 pc 54 40 pc Pittsburgh 28 23 pc 34 19 sn Precipitation (in inches) New First Full Last Denver 47 17 pc 41 18 c Portland, ME 28 12 pc 29 17 sn 24 hours through 2 p.m. Sun. 0.45” FLORIDA CITIES Des Moines 5 -5 sn 10 3 pc Portland, OR 46 31 c 46 31 c Today Tue. Today Tue. Detroit 18 13 c 25 5 sf Providence 30 17 s 36 23 sn AIRPORT City Hi Lo W Hi Lo W City Hi Lo W Hi Lo W Duluth -3 -14 pc 0 -16 c Raleigh 51 37 pc 56 41 r Possible weather-related delays today. Check Apalachicola 61 59 pc 66 62 r Naples 79 65 pc 80 64 s Feb 11 Feb 19 Feb 27 Mar 5 Fargo -4 -13 pc -1 -13 pc Rapid City, SD 8 -5 c 10 -3 pc with your airline for the most updated schedules. Clearwater 73 64 pc 72 63 c Ocala 71 60 pc 76 61 r Hartford 29 15 s 30 18 sn Salt Lake City 50 34 s 45 34 sh Hi/Lo Outlook Delays Daytona Beach 69 63 c 76 60 r Okeechobee 77 61 sh 81 60 pc SOLUNAR TABLE Helena 4 -10 sf 5 -13 sn St. Louis 29 19 sn 25 18 c Ft. Myers 80/66 showers afternoon Fort Lauderdale 81 71 sh 82 69 pc Orlando 73 64 c 80 62 r Minor Major Minor Major Honolulu 80 67 c 77 66 pc San Antonio 73 60 pc 76 62 s Punta Gorda 79/64 showers afternoon Gainesville 68 58 c 75 61 r Panama City 63 58 pc 67 61 r Today 2:29a 8:44a 2:59p 9:14p Houston 72 59 c 79 62 c San Diego 65 53 pc 62 53 pc Sarasota 77/64 part cldy none Jacksonville 67 57 c 74 61 r Pensacola 63 58 pc 68 62 r Tue. 3:23a 9:37a 3:52p 10:06p Indianapolis 27 19 sn 25 16 c San Francisco 57 49 c 57 48 pc Key Largo 78 72 pc 77 71 s St. Augustine 66 61 c 72 61 r Wed. 4:16a 10:30a 4:43p 10:57p Jackson, MS 64 51 pc 68 53 c Seattle 44 32 pc 41 31 c Key West 78 71 pc 78 71 s St. Petersburg 75 64 pc 76 63 c Kansas City 17 8 sn 16 12 pc Washington, DC 39 31 pc 50 34 r AIR QUALITY INDEX The solunar period schedule allows planning Lakeland 72 65 pc 80 61 r Tallahassee 68 57 pc 70 62 r Air Quality Index readings as of Sunday days so you will be fi shing in good territory or Melbourne 73 64 c 79 63 pc Vero Beach 77 63 c 82 62 pc hunting in good cover during those times. Major WORLD CITIES 40 Miami 82 71 sh 83 71 pc West Palm Beach 81 68 sh 83 66 pc periods begin at the times shown and last for 1.5 Today Tue. Today Tue. to 2 hours. The minor periods are shorter. 0 50 100 150 200 300 500 City Hi Lo W Hi Lo W City Hi Lo W Hi Lo W CONDITIONS TODAY MONTHLY RAINFALL Amsterdam 22 18 sn 26 18 pc Madrid 51 42 sh 49 42 r Good; Moderate; Unhealthy 0-50 51-100 101-150 WEATHER HISTORY Baghdad 69 49 s 71 47 pc Mexico City 76 48 s 75 49 s for sensitive groups; 151-200 Unhealthy; 201- UV Index and RealFeel Temperature® Month 2021 2020 Avg. Record/Year 300 Very Unhealthy; 301-500 Hazardous Jan. 0.29 1.23 1.80 9.93/2016 An arctic outbreak on Feb. 8, 1835, Beijing 45 14 c 45 16 s Montreal 18 8 s 21 13 sn Feb. 0.21 2.11 2.43 11.05/1983 dropped the temperature to zero at Berlin 17 14 sn 20 9 c Moscow 15 -15 pc 5 -3 c Main pollutant: Particulates Mar. trace 3.28 9.26/1970 Charleston, S.C. Buenos Aires 74 67 c 75 68 sh New Delhi 74 52 pc 76 54 pc Source: scgov.net Apr. 4.02 2.03 5.80/1994 Cairo 81 64 pc 81 56 pc Paris 35 27 c 34 26 c 2 2 1 1 1 0 May 4.79 2.50 15.98/2018 Calgary -11 -26 pc -12 -21 c Rio de Janeiro 78 71 sh 80 72 c POLLEN INDEX Jun. 9.92 8.92 23.99/1974 Cancun 84 73 pc 83 73 s Rome 58 52 sh 60 52 r Jul. 8.33 8.22 14.22/1995 WEATHER TRIVIA™ Pollen Index readings as of Sunday 64 68 76 80 76 73 Cape Town 78 65 s 80 64 s St. John’s 32 29 sn 32 23 sn Aug. 9.61 8.01 15.60/1995 Q: What is sea smoke? Trees 8 a.m. 10 a.m. Noon 2 p.m. 4 p.m. 6 p.m. Sep. 8.13 6.84 14.03/1979 Caracas 84 74 pc 82 73 pc San Juan 85 74 pc 84 73 c Grass absent The higher the AccuWeather.com UV Index™ number, Oct. 3.59 2.93 10.88/1995 Dublin 37 32 pc 36 32 sf Sydney 73 66 sh 75 64 pc absent the greater the need for eye and skin protection. 0-2 Low; Nov. 6.91 1.91 6.91/2020 Halifax 33 13 sn 26 14 s Tokyo 48 35 c 46 36 s Weeds 3-5 Moderate; 6-7 High; 8-10 Very High; 11+ Extreme.

Molds Dec. 2.95 1.78 6.83/2002 Kiev 17 16 sn 27 16 sn Toronto 20 15 pc 28 10 sn

The is an water warmer crosses air

absent low moderate high very high AccuWeather.com RealFeel Temperature Year 0.50 61.59 50.65 (since 1931) London 33 29 sf 32 28 sf Vancouver 40 29 pc 38 25 sf

exclusive index of eff ective temperature based on eight A: Source: National Allergy Bureau weather factors. Totals are from a 24-hour period ending at 5 p.m. cold when produced is that fog steam A Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain, sf-snow fl urries, sn-snow, i-ice.

Allegiant expands service between BWI Marshall Airport and Punta Gorda, Florida

By Avi Adkins Last updated Feb 8, 2021

New flights to the south-central Florida Gulf Coast will begin May 27th

Allegiant Air announced today that it will offer a new non-stop service between Thurgood Marshall International Airport in Baltimore, Washington and Punta Gorda, Florida, starting May 27, 2021. Allegiant’s new seasonal service will operate twice a week on Thursdays and Sundays between BWI Marshall and Punta Gorda Airport. Allegiant Air first entered service at BWI Marshall in April 2016.

“We’re almost five years away from Allegiant and we’re excited to see the airline continue to offer our customers new flight options,” said Ricky Smith, executive director of BWI Marshall Airport. “Punta Gorda, with its history and unspoiled natural beauty, will be a popular destination for travelers. We welcome this additional ultra-low-fare service from our partners at Allegiant.”

With the new Punta Gorda route, Allegiant will now serve six markets from BWI Marshall and complement the existing service to Sarasota and Destin-Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Asheville, North Carolina; Savannah, Georgia and Knoxville, Tennessee.

With more and more people returning to air traffic during the COVID-19 recovery, BWI Marshall remains the busiest airport in the region. The airport and its partners focus on safe and healthy travel. Customers are advised that the BWI Marshall Airport Terminal will only be open to passengers and employees with tickets and that masks or face covers are required in the terminal.

Other health and safety initiatives at BWI Marshall include improved cleaning and hygiene; Hand sanitiser dispensers throughout the terminal; Protective barriers at security checkpoints, ticket counters and information counters; and physical distance markings in high traffic areas. Health and safety information can be found on informational displays and overhead announcements. https://swfloridadailynews.com/allegiant-expands-service-between-bwi-marshall-airport-and-punta-gorda-florida/

PUNTA GORDA — Fewer passengers flew in and out of Punta Gorda Airport in January than in December, but airport representatives believe that trend is going to change in the coming months.

“We do expect the February and March passenger numbers to reflect an increased number of scheduled flights,” said airport spokesperson Kaley Miller. “Hopefully, consumer confidence (will also increase) as more people get vaccinated and feel comfortable traveling.”

Passenger results for January 2021 totaled 98,826 compared to December 2020 at 107,658.

January’s count was down 36% from January 2020, which listed 154,805 passengers flying in and out of Punta Gorda.

“The January 2021 numbers were in line with what we expected,” Miller said. “While there were less total passengers versus January 2020, there were also less scheduled flights.”

Miller said that only 408 flights landed at PGD in January 2021 compared to 511 in January 2020.

https://www.yoursun.com/puntagorda/news/airports-passenger-numbers-dip/article_a9690526-6b0f-11eb-9300- 8752efa1a210.html

OUR POSITION: Members of the Punta Gorda Airport Authority handled their business with consultant Andrew Vasey correctly last week.

The months-long, back-and-forth between Punta Gorda Airport Authority members, ex-members, wannabe- members and the airport’s consultant came to an appropriate end last week. Well, end for now we should say. The debate over privatization of the airport and the hundreds of millions of dollars it could mine for Charlotte County is not going away forever we believe. The topic will continue to sit on the back burner until the 2022 elections, we expect.

Four of the five authority members voted Wednesday to not renew the contract of consultant Andrew Vasey and pay him his $5,000 a month fee to just stay away until the contract runs out in December.

If that seems wasteful or harsh, then you have not been following the soap-opera goings-on.

In a nutshell, Vasey has been advising the airport for a while now that it could turn the operation over to a private investor and reap big money that it could spend any way it wished in Charlotte County. The airport, which is solid financially, currently can only spend its profits to upgrade the airport or industrial park that is adjacent and also operated by the Authority.

The Authority would retain some control and veto power over decisions and the investor who paid for the rights to make changes would be held to standards about airport operations. The idea was tempting to at least a couple of Authority members — especially outgoing member Pam Seay and her replacement, Venessa Oliver.

When the Authority voted down the idea in November, is when the real problem began.

Vasey took the idea to the Punta Gorda City Council — although there is denial on several fronts about how/when/why that occurred. When the council expressed some interest it created a stir with the Authority and the Charlotte County Commission, which had been left in the dark during the whole process.

The City Council backed off, but too many people were upset to just forget it.

In The Daily Sun story last week, airport attorney Darol Carr told the Authority that Vasey violated his obligation to protect its interests by participating or initiating a plan to give oversight of the airport to Punta Gorda. Carr and county commissioners believed this amounted to a plan to dismantle the Airport Authority and bypass even the county, which owns the airport.

Carr argued that a court action would provide answers to questions, including who said what in phone conversations between Vasey and Punta Gorda City Manager Greg Murray, or between Vasey and the office of state Rep. Michael Grant, or with Punta Gorda City Council members. Documents that might shed light on the proposal to Punta Gorda are at the center of the debate.

When the Authority began discussing letting Vasey go, he threatened to sue.

In the end, Authority members decided they didn’t want to get involved in a lawsuit and it would be prudent and maybe even thrifty in the end to just let Vasey finish out his contract. He would finish it, however, without any voice in Authority business.

We are as curious as anyone what, if any, information might be available on how Punta Gorda became Vasey’s target.

But, sometimes it’s best to let controversy die and move forward. That’s what the Authority chose to do and we can’t fault them for that.

https://www.yoursun.com/charlotte/opinion/editorials/editorial-airport-privatization-saga-on-hold/article_b4c88086-67b3-11eb-9678- 378cd02d065b.html

Fox4now.com | February 9, 2021

PUNTA GORDA, Fla. — Allegiant announced they will offer nonstop rides to experience the excitement of the City of Sturgis Motorcycle Rally this summer. The limited-time flights from Punta Gorda Airport to Rapid City, S.D. via Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP) begin on August 6, 2021. One-way fares for these limited-time routes are as low as $99.

https://www.newsbreak.com/florida/punta-gorda/news/2160432758331/allegiant-to-offer-nonstop-rides-to-experience-city-of-sturgis-motorcycle-rally

Allegiant offers special flights from Punta Gorda to the 2021 Sturgis Rally

PUNTA GORDA, Fla. – Allegiant announced Tuesday limited-time non-stop flights that will take flyers from Florida to South Dakota for the 2021 Sturgis Rally.

The flights will start August 6 from the Punta Gorda Airport (PGD) to Rapid City South Dakota through the Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP).

“If you’re a motorcycle aficionado, the Sturgis Rally is a must-experience,” said Drew Wells, Allegiant’s senior vice president of revenue. “We’re excited to be able to bring fans convenient and affordable nonstop access during the two weeks of the rally event – whether you’re planning a quick weekend trip or a longer vacation to take in all the Sturgis events and other activities and attractions unique to South Dakota.”

The flights are priced as low as $99 for a one-way ticket, according to airline officials.

The flights will operate twice a week through August 16 and tickets will have to be purchased before February 10.

“We’re excited that Allegiant is offering this innovative travel option for motorcycle enthusiasts to check out the City of Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Mid-August is also a perfect time for southwest Floridians to explore great outdoor attractions like Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills,” said Punta Gorda Airport’s CEO James W. Parish.

Click here for more information.

https://nbc-2.com/news/2021/02/09/allegiant-special-flights-from-punta-gorda-to-the-2021-sturgis-rally/

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2021 | YOURSUN.COM | SECTION C Wheels up in Punta Gorda, kickstands up in Sturgis Allegiant launches flights for South Dakota motorcycle rally

By DANIEL SUTPHIN STAFF WRITER

PUNTA GORDA — Allegiant Airlines announced Tuesday that it will be providing flights to Rapid City, South Dakota, this summer for motorcycle fans hoping to attend the 81st City of Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The city of Sturgis is less than an hour away from the Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP). The Allegiant flights begin Aug. 6 with one-way fares starting at $99. The rally runs from Aug. 6-15. There’s a catch: Flights must be purchased today, Feb. 10, and travel must be completed by Aug. 16. “If you’re a motorcycle aficionado, the Sturgis Rally is a must-experience,” said Drew Wells, Allegiant senior vice president of revenue, in a press release. “We’re excited to be able to bring fans nonstop access during the rally event.” These flights will operate twice weekly through Aug. 16. Flight days, times and fares can be found at Allegiant.com. “We’re excited that Allegiant is offering this innovative travel option for motorcycle enthusiasts to check out the City of Sturgis Motorcycle Rally,”

SEE STURGIS, 4C

PHOTO PROVIDED Allegiant announced flights from Punta Gorda Airport to Rapid City, South Dakota, via Rapid City Regional Airport, beginning Aug. 6 for the City of Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. PAGE 4C WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2021 | The Sun | www.yoursun.com N/E/P/C

published by San Diego State had been identified nationwide — something that Southwest “It’s a great way to add ex- STURGIS University’s Center for Health (at the time)” in connection Florida families could also citement to the summer months FROM PAGE 1C Economics & Policy Studies with the event. enjoy. and boost travel as August and department. The first Sturgis motorcycle “This is as far west as September are historically said Punta Gorda Airport CEO Researchers used cellphone rally was held Aug. 14, 1938, Allegiant has ever flown from PGD’s slowest months of the James W. Parish. location data and virus case called the “Black Hills Classic” PGD, so in that regard it’s year,” Miller said. Last year’s rally — considered counts to analyze the impact and has been held every year definitely a milestone,” Miller For the South Dakota routes, a super-spreader event by some of the event, studying parts of since except for during World said. “This is not just for seats and dates are limited — brought in around 460,000 the country with the highest War II, such as in 1942 due to motorcycle enthusiasts – there and fares are not available on people during a time when mass number of Sturgis attendees gasoline rationing, according are a lot of natural wonders out all flights, according to the gatherings were being post- along with changes in coronavi- to the Sturgis rally’s Facebook west for families to explore (like Allegiant press release. poned or canceled altogether rus trends after the event. page. Mount Rushmore and the Black For more information on the because of coronavirus. In a Sept. 9 statement, Punta Gorda Airport (PGD) Hills).” flights and ticket information, The 10-day event was re- however, Sturgis City Manager spokesperson Kaley Miller Miller said they also hope go to Allegiant.com. The Daily Sun ported to have potentially led Daniel Ainslie said the study’s told that South the Sturgis promotion will help Email: daniel.sutphin@ to around 266,000 cases, ac- findings were “blatantly faulty” Dakota is a new stop for encourage travel out of Punta yoursun.com cording to a Sept. 5, 2020 study and that “fewer than 300 cases flights out of Punta Gorda Gorda this summer.

THIS MONTH ON

:V^L ^cnVLA NInsAn{ :NLaNoLA{o 1rcnVNo :NLaNoLA{ÍNIÌArk` 3UsnoLA{ÍNIÌArk` Nature: Pumas: Reading, Writing & Civil Rights `NnVJAa ^AJ]Vorcn{ Legends of the Ice Mountains (Parts 1 & 2) "caLA{ÍNIÌArk`ca:%0 3sNoLA{NIÌĨArk` :NLaNoLA{oorAnrVaTNIÌArk` 1ArsnLA{ÍNIÌArk`ca:%0 Mr. Civil Rights: Thurgood Marshall The Black Church: This is Our Story, This is NOVA: Beyond the Elements The Groveland Four and the NAACP Our Song (2-part series) (3-part series) 1saLA{oorAnrVaTNIÌArA` 3sNoLA{oArk` "caLA{ÍNIÌArk` :NLaNoLA{oorAnrVaTNIÌArk` Florida Frontiers Finding Your Roots Ghost of Amistad: Europe’s New Wild (4-part series) "caLA{ÍNIÌArk` 3sNoLA{ÍNIÌArk`ca:%0 In the Footsteps of Rebels :NLaNoLA{ÍNIÌArk` Marching Forward The Murder of Emmett Till: 3sNoLA{ÍNIÌArk` Nature: Big Bend 3UsnoLA{ÍNIÌArk` American Experience The Long Shadow :NLaNoLA{ÍNIÌArk` Untold Stories: The Wizard’s Lab / "caLA{ÍNIÌArk` nVLA{ÍNIÌArk` NOVA: Mars 2020 Illuminating Tradition: Goin’ Back to T-Town: Uncovering America with Edison Festival of Light American Experience Dr.Dr. Henry Louis Gates,Gates, Jr.Jr. 3UsnoLA{ÍNIÌArk` 3sNoLA{ÍNIÌArk`ca:%0 Untold Stories: African Americans / Talking Black in America The Long Ride Home

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Comcast Where to Fort Myers/ Comcast Naples/ Arcadia, Cape Over Air/ Cape Coral, Haze, Port Hotwire Hotwire Dish/ Century Link/ aLso Antenna Everglades City Charlotte Summit Fision Digital Fision Basic DirectTV Bluestream Prism Apogee WGCU PBS 30.1 3, 440, 1030 3, 440, 1030 3 13, 413 3 30, 9221 3 3, 1003 30.1 World 30.2 201, 1162 201, 1162 178 14 11 n/a 173 12 30.2 Create/Encore 30.3 202, 1163 203, 1163 177 15 9 n/a 174 11 30.3 The Florida Channel 30.4 n/a n/a 179 16 10 n/a 175 13 30.4 PBS Kids/wgcukids.org 30.5 203, 1164 202, 1164 176 n/a n/a n/a 176 n/a n/a

WGCU is a member-supported service of Florida Gulf Coast University. Schedules are subject to change. For a complete and current TV schedule, visit wgcu.org/tvschedules. adno=3782056-1 PAGE 4C WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2021 | The Sun | www.yoursun.com N/E/P/C Airport’s passenger numbers dip Reps hopeful ‘consumer confidence’ returns By DANIEL SUTPHIN STAFF WRITER

PUNTA GORDA — Fewer passengers flew in and out of Punta Gorda Airport in January than in December, but airport representatives believe that trend is going to change in the coming months. “We do expect the February and March passenger numbers to reflect an increased number PHOTO PROVIDED of scheduled flights,” said Outside of Punta Gorda Airport in Punta Gorda as passengers get picked up and dropped off. airport spokesperson Kaley Miller. “Hopefully, consumer listed 154,805 passengers flying January 2021 compared to 511 November 2020 had 30 down by 35%, however, com- confidence (will also increase) in and out of Punta Gorda. in January 2020. fewer flights with PGD results pared to December 2019 at as more people get vaccinated “The January 2021 numbers This was a trend throughout showing 435 compared to 465 in 166,087. November was down by and feel comfortable traveling.” were in line with what we 2020 dating back to April November 2019. almost 27% with 130,623 passen- Passenger results for expected,” Miller said. “While because of coronavirus Passenger results for the gers logged for November 2019. January 2021 totaled 98,826 there were less total passengers restrictions. month of December were show- compared to December 2020 at versus January 2020, there were In December, for example, ing signs of improvement up Email: daniel.sutphin@ 107,658. also less scheduled flights.” there were only 514 scheduled from the 95,706 total passengers yoursun.com January’s count was down Miller said that only 408 flights compared to 579 the recorded in November. 36% from January 2020, which flights landed at PGD in previous year. December totals were still

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WGCU is a member-supported service of Florida Gulf Coast University. Schedules are subject to change. For a complete and current TV schedule, visit wgcu.org/tvschedules. adno=3782056-1

PUNTA GORDA, Fla. – Allegiant announced Tuesday limited-time non-stop flights that will take flyers from Florida to South Dakota for the 2021 Sturgis Rally.

The flights will start August 6 from the Punta Gorda Airport (PGD) to Rapid City South Dakota through the Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP).

The flights are priced as low as $99 for a one-way ticket, according to airline officials.

The flights will operate twice a week through August 16 and tickets will have to be purchased before February 10.

Click here for more information.

https://abc-7.com/news/2021/02/09/allegiant-offers-special-flights-from-punta-gorda-to-the-2021-sturgis-rally/

St. Pete-Clearwater, Sarasota-Bradenton and Punta Gorda airports to participate in nonstop seasonal routes offered by low-cost carrier. by: Business Observer Staff

Allegiant Air has announced a series of new flights to and from a trio of area airports.

At the St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport, the Las Vegas-based carrier will begin offering a nonstop flight from the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport, in Little Rock, Ark., on May 27. The seasonal route will fly twice weekly, according to a statement.

“With its year-round sunshine, incredible beaches and attractions, St. Pete-Clearwater continues to be one of our most sought-after destinations,” says Drew Wells, Allegiant’s senior vice president of revenue, in the statement.

Tom Jewsbury, St. Pete-Clearwater International’s director, notes that Allegiant has been flying to and from the airport for 14 years, and it ranks as the fourth-largest airline in the Tampa Bay area.

In addition, the 22-year-old carrier also in late May will begin a new nonstop route to Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport from Concord-Padgett Regional Airport, in Concord, N.C., outside Charlotte. Like at St. Pete-Clearwater, the flights will occur twice a week, and days and times can be found on the carrier’s website.

“With this new service to Concord and the Charlotte, N.C. area, Allegiant will now serve 24 destinations from (Sarasota-Bradenton International), providing low fares and convenient choices for our community and visitors,” says Rick Piccolo, the airport’s president and CEO, in the statement.

Allegiant also is planning for a limited time this summer to fly nonstop from Punta Gorda Airport in Charlotte County to Rapid City, S.D., site of the City of Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The twice-weekly flights will run from Aug. 6 through Aug. 16. https://www.businessobserverfl.com/article/airline-adds-new-flights-from-region-to-trio-of-destinations-including-north-carolina

PAGE 4B THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2021 | The Sun | www.yoursun.com N/E/P/C

PUBLISHER AND EDITOR COMMENTARY EDITOR Glen Nickerson John Hackworth

OUR VIEW Aviation mechanics class welcome t’s been a hot topic for a couple of years and now it appears an airplane mechanics class I for the Punta Gorda Airport and Charlotte Technical College is near reality. The idea first grew out of a partnership between Western Michigan University and the airport. The deal fizzled when WMU pulled the plug. But the idea of a mechanics class in Charlotte County was planted deep and local educators and airplane enthusiasts would not let it die. Charlotte Technical College recently learned it has preliminary approval from the Federal Aviation Administration for an airplane mechanics class to start up at the airport, CTC Director Deelyn Bennett told The Daily Sun. Bennett said FAA inspectors were impressed with the local facility and the $1 million CTC has invested in equipment — mostly using a state grant. A Fort Myers-based airplane mechanic company, Intrepid Aerospace, has made a number of donations, including of equipment, Bennett said. When the equipment is completely set up, FAA will return for a final inspection and, if all is good, the program will likely start up this fall. Two instructors are already lined up for classes. The program is for 18 months and can handle 100 students initially — made up of high school students and older students who want to get their foot in the door for a skill that is in high demand. Florida could have 14,000 job openings for airplane mechanics annually through 2028, according to Careersource of Southwest Florida. Tuition for the 18 months is $5,974. Students who begin in their senior year of high school save about $1,500 in tuition, because they are still enrolled in publicly funded schooling. This is all great news for CTC and the airport. Kudos to those who saw this program through.

CORRECTION A Feb. 4 story in The Daily Sun and an editorial on the Viewpoint page Wednesday were incorrect. The Punta Gorda Airport and adjacent land are owned by the Airport Authority. N/E/P/C

PAGE 2B FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2021 | The Sun | www.yoursun.com Punta Gorda Airport opens Snack Shack

Airport travelers with the beverages, hot-brewed coffee The Airport Authority offers inside the Snack Shack are Self-serve fresh opening of The Snack Shack. blends, hot chocolate and tea. outdoor seating in the front required to wear masks when and frozen food The new public, self-serve Other options such as and back of the Snack Shack, not eating or drinking. vending and seating space sliced apples, string cheese, as well as contemporary Public restrooms are not available at opened just south of the Bailey Lunchables products and seating inside. available inside the Snack Terminal at Punta Gorda avocado toast are also offered. Customers of visiting Shack, but restrooms are open renovated cafe Airport (28000 A-1 Airport All of the vending machines food trucks can also utilize to the public inside the Bailey Road) in the renovated space accept credit cards. the Snack Shack’s available Terminal. By DANIEL SUTPHIN that used to house the SkyView There is also an onsite seating, but no other outside STAFF WRITER Café. microwave for a convenient way food is allowed. Email: daniel.sutphin@ Fresh and frozen vending to heat up hot pockets, sausage The Snack Shack is open to yoursun.com PUNTA GORDA — More options will be available, and egg biscuits, cheeseburgers the public for scheduled airline food options will now be including ice cream, and chicken sandwiches arrivals and departures. available for Punta Gorda traditional snacks, cold stocked for purchase. Per federal law, customers

Cops: Former employee POLICE BEAT The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office The North Port Police Department reported the following arrests: reported the following arrests: robs Port Charlotte 7-Eleven Michael Jennings, 36, 18400 block Jonathan Barry Scholles, 43, 5600 of Wayne Avenue, Port Charlotte. block of Rivera Court, North Port. By DANIEL SUTPHIN identiﬁed as Jamal Campbell and soon Charges: battery by intentional Charge: domestic battery by touch or STAFF WRITER after was arrested, according to the touch or strike and tampering with strike. Bond: none. Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office. He re- a witness misdemeanor proceeding. Tyler Paul Schwartzkoph, 50, 5100 PORT CHARLOTTE — A former portedly reached into the cash register Bond: $6,000. block of Escalante Drive, North Port. employee allegedly robbed the 7-Eleven and took money. Breanna Victoria Barr, 24, of Key Charge: aggravated battery. Bond: store at 861 Tamiami Trail in Port No further information was available. Largo. Charge: battery by intentional none. touch or strike. Bond: $1,500. Charlotte Thursday afternoon. Compiled by Daniel Sutphin The suspect was immediately Email: [email protected]

TODAY / TONIGHT SATURDAY SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THE NATION PUBLICATION DATE: 02/12/21 -10s -0s 0s 10s 20s 30s 40s 50s 60s 70s 80s 90s 100s 110s Shown are noon positions of weather systems and precipitation. Temperature bands are highs for the day. Winnipeg Seattle -16/-32 Intervals of Cloudy and warm Mostly cloudy with a Showers around Partly sunny, a A couple of afternoon Rather cloudy 33/27 Montreal Ottawa 8/-5 clouds and sun passing shower in the a.m.; rather shower in the thunderstorms Billings 7/-8 cloudy afternoon -7/-25 Minneapolis Toronto HIGH 83° LOW 66° -3/-11 17/6 83° / 69° 81° / 66° 84° / 69° 81° / 61° 78° / 60° Detroit 15% chance of 25% chance 23/14 New York 28/20 rain of rain 55% chance of rain 70% chance of rain 45% chance of rain 65% chance of rain 25% chance of rain San Francisco Denver Washington 61/53 Chicago 18/0 16/5 32/28 PORT CHARLOTTE GULF WATER Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures TIDES Punta Gorda through 2 p.m. Thursday are today’s highs and tonight’s lows. Kansas City 67° TEMPERATURE High Low High Low Los Angeles 6/-2 68/52 Temperatures Punta Gorda Atlanta 55/44 High/Low 85°/60° Bartow Lake Wales Today 2:36a 10:25a 4:45p 9:30p El Paso Clearwater 69/45 Normal High/Low 77°/54° 81/66 81/66 Sat. 3:19a 10:51a 4:56p 10:18p 76/67 Tampa Brandon Record High 87° (2018) Englewood Houston 78/68 82/67 44/37 Record Low 34° (1973) Today 1:13a 8:41a 3:22p 7:46p Chihuahua Precipitation (in inches) Ft. Meade Sat. 1:56a 9:07a 3:33p 8:34p 72/45 81/67 Miami 24 hours through 2 p.m. Thu. 0.00” St. Petersburg Apollo Beach Monterrey Frostproof Boca Grande 83/72 Month to date 0.21” 78/66 79/67 60/47 81/67 Today 12:09a 7:28a 2:13p 6:17p Normal month to date 0.86” Sat. 12:52a 7:58a 2:39p 7:07p Fronts Precipitation Year to date 0.50” Bradenton Wauchula 79/67 El Jobean Cold Warm Stationary Showers T-storms Rain Flurries Snow Ice Normal year to date 2.66” 82/67 Today 3:08a 10:54a 5:17p 9:59p Record 1.03” (1990) Myakka City Limestone Sat. 3:51a 11:20a 5:28p 10:47p U.S. Extremes (For the 48 contiguous states yesterday) 83/67 85/66 Venice High 86° at Immokalee, FL Low -46° at Cotton, MN VENICE Longboat Key Sarasota Today 1:37p 7:20a --- 6:25p Venice through 2 p.m. Thursday 74/69 Arcadia Today Sat. Today Sat. 79/67 Sat. 12:11a 7:46a 1:48p 7:13p City Hi Lo W Hi Lo W City Hi Lo W Hi Lo W Temperatures Osprey Hull 85/66 Albuquerque 51 33 c 56 35 pc Knoxville 46 39 c 43 35 r High/Low 81°/64° 78/68 North Port 84/66 MARINE Anchorage 23 8 s 20 13 s Las Vegas 67 49 pc 67 48 c Normal High/Low 73°/53° Venice 83/66 Atlanta 55 44 r 48 42 r Little Rock 35 24 pc 32 18 c Record High 86° (2019) Wind Speed Seas Bay/Inland 78/68 Port Charlotte direction in knots in feet chop Baltimore 31 24 c 32 28 sn Los Angeles 68 52 pc 66 54 c Record Low 34° (1971) 83/66 Birmingham 50 43 r 47 35 r Louisville 33 21 c 30 15 c Englewood Cape Sable to Tarpon Springs Precipitation (in inches) SE 6-12 1-2 Light Boise 37 29 sn 37 18 sn Memphis 34 25 pc 27 19 i 24 hours through 2 p.m. Thu. 0.00” 79/67 Boston 25 13 pc 26 23 pc Milwaukee 14 5 c 14 -6 sn Punta Gorda Tarpon Springs to Apalachicola Month to date 0.49” Placida Buff alo 20 8 c 19 13 sn Minneapolis -3 -11 pc 0 -16 c 84/65 S 4-8 1-2 Light Normal month to date 0.80” 78/67 Burlington, VT 11 -3 pc 12 6 c Montgomery 56 51 r 55 46 r Year to date 0.68” Boca Grande Charleston, WV 38 31 c 38 29 r Nashville 40 30 pc 34 24 i Fort Myers Normal year to date 3.24” 76/67 SUN AND MOON Charlotte 44 35 r 42 36 r New Orleans 56 48 r 55 42 sh Cape Coral 83/67 Record 1.03” (1956) 81/68 The Sun Rise Set Chicago 16 5 c 15 -7 sn New York City 28 20 pc 28 26 c Today 7:07 a.m. 6:18 p.m. Cincinnati 30 17 c 27 12 sf Norfolk, VA 39 37 r 45 37 r Lehigh Acres Saturday 7:06 a.m. 6:19 p.m. Cleveland 26 16 c 26 15 sf Oklahoma City 22 9 c 20 4 c SEBRING 83/67 Sebring through 2 p.m. Thursday Sanibel The Moon Rise Set Columbia, SC 49 41 r 46 39 r Omaha 1 -4 sn 6 -6 sn Columbus, OH 29 18 c 28 15 sf Philadelphia 30 22 pc 28 26 sn Forecasts and graphics provided by 76/69 Bonita Springs Today 7:56 a.m. 7:20 p.m. Temperatures Concord, NH 21 3 pc 24 11 pc Phoenix 72 51 c 73 55 pc High/Low 84°/62° AccuWeather, Inc. ©2021 82/67 Saturday 8:32 a.m. 8:16 p.m. Dallas 37 23 c 31 20 c Pittsburgh 28 19 c 29 22 sf Precipitation (in inches) First Full Last New Denver 18 0 sn 13 -4 c Portland, ME 23 4 pc 25 15 pc 24 hours through 2 p.m. Thu. 0.00” FLORIDA CITIES Des Moines 0 -6 sn 4 -9 sn Portland, OR 27 24 sn 33 29 sn Today Sat. Today Sat. Detroit 23 14 c 23 8 sn Providence 29 13 pc 29 23 pc AIRPORT City Hi Lo W Hi Lo W City Hi Lo W Hi Lo W Duluth -7 -25 pc -5 -23 pc Raleigh 39 33 r 40 34 r Possible weather-related delays today. Check Apalachicola 66 61 r 67 60 r Naples 82 68 pc 81 70 pc Feb 19 Feb 27 Mar 5 Mar 13 Fargo -8 -27 pc -9 -25 pc Rapid City, SD -4 -19 sn -6 -18 pc with your airline for the most updated schedules. Clearwater 76 67 c 75 67 t Ocala 80 63 c 76 64 r Hartford 27 8 pc 26 19 c Salt Lake City 48 36 r 42 26 sn Hi/Lo Outlook Delays Daytona Beach 77 65 c 77 64 t Okeechobee 83 65 pc 83 67 t SOLUNAR TABLE Helena -6 -20 sn -1 -19 c St. Louis 18 7 c 11 1 c Ft. Myers 83/67 part cldy none Fort Lauderdale 83 73 pc 84 73 s Orlando 81 67 pc 80 66 t Minor Major Minor Major Honolulu 81 70 pc 83 69 pc San Antonio 40 32 sh 42 30 c Punta Gorda 84/65 part cldy none Gainesville 76 62 r 72 63 r Panama City 68 61 r 66 55 r Today 5:59a 11:44a 6:24p ---- Houston 44 37 c 47 34 r San Diego 63 53 c 64 55 c Sarasota 79/67 part cldy none Jacksonville 73 58 r 67 58 r Pensacola 63 56 r 63 48 r Sat. 6:49a 12:38a 7:12p 1:01p Indianapolis 24 15 c 22 6 sf San Francisco 61 53 pc 59 47 sh Key Largo 79 74 pc 79 75 s St. Augustine 71 61 c 69 61 r Sun. 7:38a 1:27a 7:59p 1:48p Jackson, MS 42 35 r 40 28 c Seattle 33 27 sn 36 30 sn Key West 80 74 s 79 73 s St. Petersburg 78 66 c 77 67 t Kansas City 6 -2 c 4 -2 sn Washington, DC 32 28 c 32 29 sn AIR QUALITY INDEX The solunar period schedule allows planning Lakeland 81 67 pc 80 67 t Tallahassee 70 63 r 68 59 r Air Quality Index readings as of Thursday days so you will be fi shing in good territory or Melbourne 80 67 pc 82 69 t Vero Beach 82 67 pc 82 67 t hunting in good cover during those times. Major WORLD CITIES 35 Miami 83 72 pc 84 73 pc West Palm Beach 83 70 pc 84 71 pc periods begin at the times shown and last for 1.5 Today Sat. Today Sat. to 2 hours. The minor periods are shorter. 0 50 100 150 200 300 500 City Hi Lo W Hi Lo W City Hi Lo W Hi Lo W CONDITIONS TODAY MONTHLY RAINFALL Amsterdam 25 15 s 28 17 s Madrid 60 34 sh 58 35 c Good; Moderate; Unhealthy 0-50 51-100 101-150 WEATHER HISTORY Baghdad 74 47 s 74 48 s Mexico City 68 42 pc 67 40 s for sensitive groups; 151-200 Unhealthy; 201- UV Index and RealFeel Temperature® Month 2021 2020 Avg. Record/Year 300 Very Unhealthy; 301-500 Hazardous Jan. 0.29 1.23 1.80 9.93/2016 On Feb. 12, 1899, an Atlantic coast blizzard Beijing 58 23 s 48 26 c Montreal 8 -5 pc 8 3 pc Feb. 0.21 2.11 2.43 11.05/1983 pulled very cold air southward, causing a Berlin 28 12 s 29 13 pc Moscow 11 8 sn 13 6 sn Main pollutant: Ozone Mar. trace 3.28 9.26/1970 low of 8 below zero in Dallas. Buenos Aires 76 70 sh 77 69 pc New Delhi 77 53 pc 79 54 pc Source: scgov.net Apr. 4.02 2.03 5.80/1994 Cairo 75 53 s 72 52 s Paris 33 21 pc 33 24 c 2 3 3 1 1 0 May 4.79 2.50 15.98/2018 Calgary -4 -18 pc -4 -15 pc Rio de Janeiro 84 74 t 82 74 t POLLEN INDEX Jun. 9.92 8.92 23.99/1974 Cancun 84 75 pc 84 73 t Rome 56 42 pc 48 30 r Jul. 8.33 8.22 14.22/1995 WEATHER TRIVIA™ Pollen Index readings as of Thursday 67 78 86 88 83 78 Cape Town 80 65 pc 83 63 s St. John’s 31 23 sn 27 17 c Aug. 9.61 8.01 15.60/1995 Q: Is glaze a form of precipitation? Trees 8 a.m. 10 a.m. Noon 2 p.m. 4 p.m. 6 p.m. Sep. 8.13 6.84 14.03/1979 Caracas 83 75 pc 83 75 sh San Juan 83 73 sh 84 73 pc Grass absent The higher the AccuWeather.com UV Index™ number, Oct. 3.59 2.93 10.88/1995 Dublin 38 32 c 38 37 sh Sydney 87 73 c 74 67 c absent the greater the need for eye and skin protection. 0-2 Low; Nov. 6.91 1.91 6.91/2020 Halifax 28 18 pc 26 14 pc Tokyo 54 45 pc 57 47 c Weeds 3-5 Moderate; 6-7 High; 8-10 Very High; 11+ Extreme.

Molds Dec. 2.95 1.78 6.83/2002 Kiev 13 8 sf 12 7 sn Toronto 17 6 sf 17 10 sn

The is an surface subfreezing

absent low moderate high very high AccuWeather.com RealFeel Temperature Year 0.50 61.59 50.65 (since 1931) London 33 22 pc 32 31 pc Vancouver 32 26 pc 34 29 sn

exclusive index of eff ective temperature based on eight A: Source: National Allergy Bureau weather factors. Totals are from a 24-hour period ending at 5 p.m. a on falling rain of result the is It No. Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain, sf-snow fl urries, sn-snow, i-ice.

Yoursun.com | February 14, 2021

PUNTA GORDA — More food options will now be available for Punta Gorda Airport travelers with the opening of The Snack Shack. The new public, self-serve vending and seating space opened just south of the Bailey Terminal at Punta Gorda Airport (28000 A-1 Airport Road) in the renovated space that used to house the SkyView Café.

https://www.newsbreak.com/florida/punta-gorda/news/2162321233712/punta-gorda-airport-opens-snack-shack-at-renovated-cafe

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2021 | YOURSUN.COM | $1.50 The Daily SUN Charlotte • DeSoto • Sarasota

YOUR BEST SOURCE FOR LOCAL NEWS Don Moore, a defining local journalist, dies

PHOTO PROVIDED Don Moore loved to visit the Columbia restaurant in Ybor City for homemade Sangria, fresh Cuban bread and the 1905 salad. He wrote more than 1,000 stories about war veterans

By DON MOORE and MARISA PORTO WRITERS

Editor’s Note: Don Moore began this story before his death. Marisa Porto ﬁnished it for him. For more than 50 years, Thomas D. “Don” Moore wrote stories along Florida’s west coast. His work foiled a state service tax, triggered a federal investigation of the Navy, and honored the service of the region’s military servicemen and women. A pit bull of a newspaper reporter, one of his favorite quotes was, “It is a newspaper’s duty to print the news and raise hell.” Moore had planned to live until he was 115 but missed the mark by a few years. A heart transplant patient, Moore died shortly after midnight on Valentine’s Day. SEE DON, 4A

Good dogs! 20 years of covering Westminster Kennel Club show By GINGER TIDWELL Westminster Kennel Club show. HE’S NUMERO UNO! and BEN WALKER This year, they’ll have to wait Beagles had always been in the ASSOCIATED PRESS for the coveted best in show. Westminster doghouse. No matter Because of coronavirus concerns, how cute, poor ol’ Snoopy had NEW YORK — To every sport, the competition was moved from never, ever won the grand prize. there’s a season, a spot on the Madison Square Garden this Bow-wow bummer. calendar that fans mark for the weekend to mid-June at an outdoor That changed in 2008 when big event. World Series, October. estate about 25 miles north of New perhaps the greatest show dog of AP PHOTO/JASON DECROW College hoops, March. Indy 500, York City. all time showed up. A tri-colored Memorial Day. For now, AP Baseball Writer Ben package of personality-plus, Uno In this Feb. 12, 2008 photo, Uno, a 15-inch beagle, For dog owners, it’s right around Walker and wife Ginger Tidwell quickly bayed his way to fan poses with his trophy after winning Best in Show Valentine’s Day. That’s when they share their fondest memories from favorite. at the 132nd Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. normally cuddle up on the couch the green carpet over 20 paws-itive- A sold-out Garden crowd Beagles had always been in the Westminster with their precious pooch to watch ly wonderful years covering doghouse making this a first for the breed. the Super Bowl of Dogs — the Westminster: SEE DOGS, 6A

TODAY’S WEATHER INSIDE SPORTS LOCAL DAILY BREAK 2016 PULITZER PRIZE WINNER 2B 5C High 84, Low 71 TODAY Lottery Obituaries Comics and Evening thunderstorms Sports on TV 2B Opinion 7C Puzzles 2-5D 2A Charlie on old friends: possible Bible verse Police Beat 4C Dear Abby 5D Members club Calendar 5C Heloise 4D Godspeed on your 7 05252 00025 8 SEE PAGE 2C 8A Horoscopes 3D next story, Don Moore. VOL. 128, NO. 46 | $1.50 PAGE 4A MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2021 | The Sun | www.yoursun.com N/E/P/C DON FROM PAGE 1A His wife, Mary, was by his side. Moore was 81. His association with newspapers began in 1949 when he was hired at 9 years old to deliver papers for the Tampa Times. He had a small route on Anna Maria Island, off Bradenton, Fla., where he grew up. Moore got his first reporting job working as a part-time police reporter for The Bradenton Herald in 1958, during his senior year in high school. A short time later, he went to work for the Sarasota Herald Tribune when it opened a news bureau in Bradenton in 1959. He continued working for the Herald Tribune while attending the School of Journalism and Communications at A young Don Moore at work. the University of Florida in Gainesville, Fla. Shortly after defeat with the help of Moore’s gained 20+ years he wouldn’t PHOTOS PROVIDED graduating with a B.S. in jour- “People’s Tax Revolt.” This was have had,” said his brother nalism, he was contacted by Red a concerted effort by Moore, Colin. Don Moore holds bound copies of The Islander, the newspaper Newton, managing editor of the who enlisted the support of In that 20-plus years, Moore on Anna Maria Island that he owned and sold to the New York Tampa Tribune, and offered some 150 weekly papers around achieved another journalistic Times. a job as the Tampa paper’s the state to publish editorials, accomplishment. He chronicled brothers from Punta Gorda who the Blue Highways. Bradenton Bureau Chief. columns, and stories he wrote the stories of more than 1,000 served in World War II and the “He was my best friend,” Three years later, in 1966, against the governor’s proposed veterans. Mary Moore said. “He will The Korean War. His story brought Steve Kimball, owner of five percent tax. At the time of the transplant, recognition to their long-forgot- always have my heart.” Anna Maria Islander The , a 1,200 He shared the story of the Moore’s primary job for ten service. The Punta Gorda Moore was preceded in death Sun paid-circulation weekly newspa- Ray brothers, Ricky, Robert, was writing investigative Airport terminal was named by his father, Thomas Jones per, offered Moore the editor- and Randy, who had hemophilia stories and articles about the Bailey Terminal in their Moore in 1967, and his mother, ship. For the next 14 years, he and contracted AIDS in 1986 people who had problems and honor, and a park in the city Eleanor (nee Baker) in 1987. was the driving force behind after receiving blood transfu- needed the public’s help. Just was named for Charles Bailey, He is survived by his wife, what would eventually become sions. The boys were kicked out by chance, Moore – who served the first Black aviator from Mary; his son, Sean; daughter one of Florida’s best weekly of school after their diagnosis, in the Army Reserve for a short Florida to become a Tuskegee Shannon and his granddaugh- newspapers. and their parents, Louise, and time — was asked by a Sun edi- Airman, flying 133 combat ters, Coral, Willow, and Iris; In 1973, Moore bought out Clifford Ray, filed a federal tor to write a war story about a missions. his younger brother, Colin, his Kimball and became editor and lawsuit. After winning $1.1 mil- local individual who took part wife, Arlene, and their sons, The Islander Moore was mentioned in the publisher of . lion and the right to return in World War II. The story was U.S. Congressional Record for nephews Brendan (Laurianne) Anna Maria island resident to school, the family’s house supposed to be published the his stories on Glenn Jenkins, a and Devin (Robin), and Honey, Jack Egan met Moore when he burned down in a fire caused by following Sunday, but breaking Navy veteran who volunteered his beloved rescue greyhound. was hired as a cartoonist for the an arsonist. news kept it out of the paper. as a 17-year-old sailor for a mus- Moore also leaves behind his newspaper. The family moved out of This same editor requested tard gas experiment that caused long-time friend, Marisa Porto, “We were probably the only Arcadia. Only one of the boys, another war story from Moore a a Congressional investigation who put the finishing touches two members of the Fourth Randy, is alive today. few days later. on military misconduct 50 on this obituary and wishes that Estate that couldn’t spell,” Egan Moore also chronicled a series Both stories were run back- years later. During a four-year the St. Christopher medal she said, laughing. of abuses at Arcadia’s psychi- to-back on Sunday and Monday investigation, Moore chronicled gave him all those decades ago The two men remained atric hospital, G. Pierce Wood the following week. By 8 a.m. how Jenkins and thousands had worked for another lifetime The Sun’s friends for more than 40 years. Memorial. A state investigation Monday morning, of recruits were placed into or two. “He was a fighter. He wouldn’t into those abuses concluded operators were overwhelmed chambers and gassed until they “Let’s hope God has a let anyone get away with that hospital management and with calls from hundreds of could not stand. damned newspaper,” she wrote anything. I remember one time staff missteps may have led to readers who wanted Moore to Jenkins, who was warned he in an email to his brother, Colin. he was at one of those meetings, 10 deaths at the state-operated write their father’s, uncle’s, could go to prison for sharing “If not, there’s going to be some it was at city hall or something. facility. Established in 1947, the brother’s, friend’s war story for his story, was burned over trouble.” They were building some du- hospital closed in 2002. next Sunday’s paper. 60 percent of his body. Moore and his family would plexes, and they weren’t using Dunn-Rankin’s newspaper Thus began a tradition in all Jenkins decided to talk about like to thank his “battalion,” fireproof insulation.” holdings grew during these of Dunn-Rankin’s newspapers. his experience because he including primary care phy- Concerned about the safety of years. Eventually, he acquired On Monday and Thursday each wanted medical benefits and sician Dr. Chris Jefferson and the building, Moore decided to the Port Charlotte weekly paper. week, a war story written by disability pay for his service. his nurse Edie; Drs Stephanie Punta make a point. After that, he bought the Moore about local veterans After reading the story in the Carradonna and Lisa Halaby, Gorda Daily Herald News “He got up to the podium and , a almost always appeared in the Venice Gondolier, former U.S. who helped him over the years took a piece of the insulation Thompson paper, in 1990. He Our Town section of the paper. Congressman Porter Goss battle bouts with skin cancer; and put a match to it, and it combined the two publications “What (Moore) really wanted (R-Sanibel) led the investigation Urologist Dr. Mohit Sirohi; The went up in flames,” Egan said. and called the new daily to do was tell stories,” Porter and discovered hundreds of Endocrinologist Dr. Joseph Charlotte Sun That was classic Don Moore. . said. “When he began focusing Rand; Drs Lorriane Cho-Chung- New York Times medical records on the Navy’s The pur- When he was not working, on our local veterans and “gas guinea pigs.” Goss was Hing, and David Widmeyer, chased the paper from Moore in Moore loved grilled oysters, conveying their experiences in able to convince Congress to his nephrologists, the staff at 1980. By that time, Moore had Crown Royal on the rocks, and his column, he not only gave provide medical support for the the Fresenius Kidney Center expanded the coverage area to grumbling about young report- our readers compelling stories, veterans who were involved in in Venice and North Port; include Anna Maria Island and ers who spent too much time on he preserved them for history. the third floor staff at Venice The Islander’s the experiment. Longboat Key. the phone. Moore believed that He really understood that Moore was forced into Regional; the home health team circulation had climbed to 9,000 a good reporter had to talk to responsibility.” retirement in 2020, when from Amedysis; and the EMTS paid. people face to face to get the job In addition to the newspaper health concerns caused by the in south Sarasota County who Moore decided to retire at done right. stories, Moore turned the best COVID-19 global pandemic spent the last two years helping 40. He moved from Longboat Moore could find a story in of the accounts into two books: stopped him from his passion him and Mary through every to Little Gasparilla Island, an a crack in the sidewalk and War Tales and War Tales II. for personally interviewing health emergency. island paradise only accessible never returned to the newsroom Each book contains 25 of his and writing the stories of the Because of the pandemic, by boat, about 10 miles south of without one — or more likely best stories with supporting veterans he so admired. there will be no funeral. A Englewood. three or four. pictures. He spent the last few months memorial service is being Moore had not finished his Moore, whose father began By early 2010, Moore started of his life enjoying life with planned and will be announced family’s beach get-away on adopting aging greyhounds putting his stories up on the his wife. Kindred spirits, they at a later date. Little Gasparilla when he was from racetracks in 1930s, web for the world to read. With shared a passion for good To celebrate his life and work, contacted by Derek Dunn- took on the plight of those the help of his wife, Mary, architecture (tall windows, Moore’s family and friends ask Rankin, the new publisher of greyhounds as well, adopting hundreds of these stories are that you consider one or all of Venice Gondolier French doors, and wide porch- the , a weekly several during his lifetime and now available on a site called es), vintage cars, books, and big these options. paper a few miles north of writing about them for the DonMooresWarTales.com. band music. • Adopt a rescue, preferably a where Moore planned to retire. newspaper. Today, greyhound He began working for the The couple often took day greyhound. Dunn-Rankin’s pitch: “Help racing is illegal in more than 40 Library of Congress that same trips to visit their favorite • Take a moment to thank a me out as a consultant for six states. The final race took place year. His interviews of local restaurants including the Oak caregiver, a health care, or a months getting my newsroom in Florida in December 2020. veterans are now part of the Street Deli in Arcadia; Duffy’s veteran. They deserve it. up and running, and I’ll leave In July 1999, Moore became library’s “Veterans’ History on Anna Maria Island; Lili’s in • Subscribe to your local you alone.” — in his words — “Lab Rat Project.” Since early 2010, Tampa for deviled crab rolls; newspaper. Don believed news At first Moore said “no.” #414” and underwent a heart Moore’s interviews have not Eldred’s Marina in Placida, stories could inform, engage, The Sun Eventually, he agreed to work transplant at Tampa General only appeared in where they visited friends; the and make a difference. You three days a week for 90 days Hospital. Moore wrote about the newspapers and on his War would honor his memory by Gondolier’s Columbia in Ybor City for the with the news staff. experience of waiting (and slow- Tales site, but also copies of the 1905 salad; or a late lunch at supporting journalists like him. That was more than 40 years ly dying as each day passed) for interviews were recorded on Micelli’s in Matlacha, where • Think of your favorite ago. Dunn-Rankin convinced a new heart. His stories, before DVD and sent to The Library of Sarah, a restaurant employee, Don Moore story and share it. Moore to stay and made him and after the surgery, convinced Congress. About 600 interviews was always ready with bowl Send him on his way with good Executive Editor. others to become organ donors. are placed in the Library of of water for their greyhound thoughts, a prayer and, if you Working with the existing Moore was considered one of Congress permanent Veterans’ Honey. are so inclined, a few oysters news staff, Moore turned the the hospital’s greatest success Collections available online. If they were not on a day trip, and a Crown Royal. Charlotte Sun paper into Florida’s best weekly stories. He lived more than When the Mary would take him for a drive • Consider becoming an organ newspaper after several years. two decades after the surgery began to republish the stories along the beaches in Sarasota donor. After reading his story, Over the years, Moore wrote thanks to Dr. Mark Weston, his earlier this year, one reader or fishing at one of several we hope you understand why. many lead stories and editorials cardiologist, and Lisa, his nurse wrote: “I must tell you how parks in Englewood. They -30- that appeared in Dunn-Rankin’s coordinator, and the rest of the much I enjoy Don Moore’s always did their best to travel Suncoast Media Group news- TGH staff. articles personalizing the papers circulating in Charlotte, Along with a St. Christopher experiences of our veterans. DeSoto, and Sarasota counties. medal he received after his I’m glad you are re-publishing “Don was a unique person,” heart transplant, Moore cred- them.” said Englewood/North Port ited a host of other health care In more than one case, Editor Chris Porter, who professionals who helped him Moore’s stories brought govern- was hired by Moore in 1988. manage his health challenges ment acknowledgment to vet- “He never told you anything over the years. erans. It was routine for him to different than what he was “We talked about it more than help veterans or their families actually thinking. He didn’t a few times. It took more than obtain the medals their loved flatter people, no matter how a village to keep Don going,” ones were entitled to receive. He important they were or thought his wife, Mary, said. “It was a worked with former Charlotte they were. In fact, it was usu- battalion.” Sun-Herald photographer Tom ally the opposite. Some people Moore’s kidneys began to O’Neill to get the WWII medals really appreciated that, but not fail about 17 years after the for his father, who served in the everyone. The important thing transplant. U.S Army in Italy and Africa. for him was keeping people in “The average survival rate for “I remember seeing the medals power accountable, which is patients on permanent dialysis as a child and figured they were what local journalism is about. is about five years. He had a lost forever,” O’Neill said. “With Don was committed to that.” heart transplant 20+ years ago Don’s help, I was able to replace Moore led an editorial …The surgeon told me that them and display them beside campaign against former Gov. when they went to remove his my father’s photo.” Bob Martinez’s proposed state old heart it was practically In 2001, Moore wrote about service tax that went down to mush, almost liquid. Don seven African American Mary and Don Moore

Passenger traffic at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport improved in January compared to December, but the airport had about half as many passengers as it did in the same month last year.

In January, 126,704 passengers traveled through the local airport, up from 119,114 in December but 56% of the 225,655 people that came through in January 2020.

The airport, like others across the country, has been impacted by COVID-19 but its debt-free footing and the Sarasota area's status as a leisure destination has helped it weather the pandemic better than most, officials said.

This week, Southwest Airlines started serving four destinations at Sarasota-Bradenton: Nashville, Chicago, Baltimore and Houston. With this new Southwest service, airport president and CEO Rick Piccolo said he expects February passenger traffic to be strong and for March's numbers to be close to 2019 levels.

Southwest is also scheduled to begin four new routes at Sarasota-Bradenton in March, including seasonal service to Columbus, Indianapolis and Pittsburgh and daily, year-round service to Atlanta.

Allegiant Air will begin service to Peoria, Illinois and Concord, North Carolina in May.

"With almost every major U.S. airline now serving our airport, providing low fares and an abundance of destinations, the local community and visitors can experience the convenience of flying directly to their destination without the hassle of driving to or from other airports outside our area," Piccolo said.

Also on Wednesday, Allegiant Air said that it will continue its Rapid City, South Dakota, service from Punta Gorda Airport in Charlotte County through the summer, twice a week starting June 4.

The route was originally planned to operate for two weeks in August to coincide with the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota, but Allegiant said it proved so popular that the service was quickly expanded. The Punta Gorda Airport saw 98,826 passengers travel in January, down from 107,658 in December and from 154,805 in January 2020.

https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/business/travel/2021/02/17/sarasota-bradenton-passenger-traffic-up-january-over-december/6779676002/

Yoursun.com | February 17, 2021

Allegiant expands new route from Rapid City to Punta Gorda, Florida February 17, 2021 NewsCenter1 Staff

RAPID CITY, S.D. — Allegiant Airlines announced Wednesday that it will now offer the route from Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP) to Punta Gorda, Florida via Punta Gorda Airport (PGD) for the entire summer season.

The route was originally planned to operate for two weeks in August, to coincide with the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota. It proved so popular, the airline quickly expanded service. The new route begins June 4 and will operate twice weekly.

“There is a lot of pent-up demand for travel to cities that offer a gateway to great outdoor experiences,” said Drew Wells, Allegiant’s senior vice president of revenue. “It’s no surprise that this route turned out to be so popular. Visitors to Punta Gorda can access the incredible beaches of Florida, while Rapid City visitors can see Mt. Rushmore, the Devil’s Tower, and the rest of the monuments and sights of the Black Hills. We’re excited to be able to connect these cities with affordable, nonstop service.”

Flight days, times and the lowest fares can be found at Allegiant.com.

“Getting an Allegiant Air Florida market from the Rapid City Regional Airport has been a goal of our administration for the past decade,” Patrick Dame, executive director Rapid City Regional Airport. “We were extremely excited to see the recent announcement for the Sturgis Rally and now to see that Punta Gorda /Fort Myers will be added for the entire summer season tourism is great news! We really appreciate our partnership with Allegiant Air.” https://www.newscenter1.tv/allegiant-expands-new-route-from-rapid-city-to-punta-gorda-florida/

2- 17 - 2021 3:40 PM

https://spotonflorida.com/southwest-florida/2452315/lawmakers-to-discuss-major-change-to-local.html

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2021 | YOURSUN.COM | $1.50 The Daily SUN Charlotte • DeSoto • Sarasota

YOUR BEST SOURCE FOR LOCAL NEWS Lawmakers to discuss major change to local airport board Proposed law would change who can run for election By BETSY CALVERT STAFF WRITER

Charlotte County legislators will discuss a proposed law Feb. 23 that would change how the Charlotte County Airport Authority members are elected. Up for debate is a plan to make all ﬁve Airport Authority commissioners elected at large instead of requiring each candidate to represent only one of the county’s ﬁve districts. The county’s legislative delegation posted a small notice in The Daily Sun advertising the meeting, which will be held on Zoom. The 9 a.m. meeting comes a week before the Florida Legislature 2021 session starts. If enacted, the new law would take effect in 2022, the same year that two seats on the commission are up for election. These are the seats for Robert Hancik and Kathleen Coppola. Hancik and Coppola were two of the three commissioners to vote against a historic proposal to sell partial management rights of the Punta Gorda Airport to private investors. The motion failed and led to a short-lived debate by the Punta Gorda City Council to investigate taking over the airport from the authority.

SEE CHANGE, 4A Manslaughter charged in Englewood man’s death By SCOTT LAWSON GONDOLIER EDITOR

VENICE — A South Venice man is facing charges that include manslaughter, after one of his longtime friends died of a Fentanyl overdose. Cristos Dimitrios Karamitsos, 44, 4400 block of Yacht Club Drive, allegedly left the overdose victim in the front yard of the victim’s mother’s home on Fray Street in Englewood on the morning of May 28, 2020. The victim’s uncle and mother found KARAMITSOS him barely alive. Karamitsos had picked up the victim, whom sheriff’s office identiﬁed at the time as Kenneth Adams, 41, of Englewood, just as Adams was being released from the Sarasota County Jail, and just a few hours before his death. Adams, 41, got out of the Sarasota County jail around midnight May 28. Just after 6:30 a.m. that morning, emergency workers went to Adams’ home on the 100 block of Fray Street for a report of an unconscious man lying in the front yard.

SEE DEATH, 4A

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Charlie on scams: Be alert for COVID-19 7 05252 00025 8 vaccine scammers! VOL. 128, NO. 49 | $1.50 PAGE 4A THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2021 | The Sun | www.yoursun.com N/E/P/C

SUN FILE PHOTO BY BETSY CALVERT From left, Sen. Ben Albritton, Rep. Michael Grant, Sen. Joe Gruters gathered at the Punta Gorda Civic Association to hear state legislative requests for the coming year from citizens and organizational leaders. considered to have veto power, CHANGE according to federal regulation. FROM PAGE 1A Reached for comment Wednesday, Charlotte County In favor of the privatization Commissioner Joe Tiseo said plan were two airport commis- he is opposed to ending the sioners and state Rep. Michael current district representation Grant. Grant is also the father approach for the authority. of one of the supportive com- He also accused the legislative missioners, Vanessa Oliver. delegation of trying to slip in a Grant has new law at the 11th hour. denied being “I always feel that having behind the leg- equal representation through- islative request out the county is the way to go,” to put the city in Tiseo said. “The big question charge of the air- is what’s the impetus for the port, a request change? This wasn’t organic. It that has since didn’t come from the communi- GRANT been withdrawn. ty, so the question is, where is He did not this coming from? Why change immediately something that’s working? Is return requests something not working?” for comment The proposed law is stated on next week’s as “consideration of an act meeting, which relating to the Charlotte County will presumably Airport Authority amending include him. chapter 98-805. Laws of Florida TISEO Punta Gorda as amended, relating to the Airport, which election of commissioners, has only one airline, would updating district residency have been the first financially to residency anywhere in the successful commercial airline county.” airport in the nation to try The online meeting access: out this management method. https://zoom.us/(meeting Opponents, including most id: 916 2195 1129 passcode tenants of the airport, argued Charlotte) why fix what is not broken. The one airline, Allegiant, has Email: betsy.calvert@yoursun. also said it does not support com privatization, and Allegiant is The Daily SUN Charlotte • DeSoto • Sarasota

YOUR BEST SOURCE FOR LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2021 | YOURSUN.COM | $1.50 Fight over airport privatization continues Grant, R-Port Charlotte. are scheduled to hold a Zoom legislation to electing com- Airport Authority Airport commissioners meeting on the proposal. missioners at large instead of had just voted, 4-1, to draft a “I look at this as taking an based on district. The ad also argues over right of resolution opposing a legisla- end run to take another shot states that there will be a Zoom tive change just for Charlotte at privatization of the airport,” meeting to discuss this at 9 a.m. legislators to make County. It is a proposal to Hancik said of the legislation Tuesday, one week before the election changes end the current requirement proposal. “I think there’s a state’s legislative session begins that the airport commission greater concern or a question March 2. OLIVER HANCIK where you have a state leg- Airport Chief Executive By BETSY CALVERT must have one commissioner from each of the county’ ﬁve islator interfering with local Officer James Parish told the STAFF WRITER of restricting competition. That accusation came after districts. government.” commission that an airport Sparks ﬂew Thursday at the Commissioner Rob Hancik The Airport Authority will The county’s legislative staff person noticed the ad ear- Punta Gorda Airport Authority said Oliver should have recall an emergency meeting delegation ran a legal adver- lier this week and sent commis- Monday at 9 a.m. to review tisement this week in The sioners a picture of it. At least when Commissioner Vanessa cused herself from a vote on Daily Sun Oliver said opposing at-large a legislative plan proposed by and sign this petition, one proposing changing two county commissioners, Joe day before state legislators the county airport’s enabling elections was a candidate’s way her father, state Rep. Michael SEE AIRPORT, 8A NASA rover lands on Mars DeSantis’s The vehicle aims vaccine to look for priorities signs of life By MARCIA DUNN questioned AP AEROSPACE WRITER

CAPE CANAVERAL — A NASA rover streaked Governor accused of through the orange Martian sky and landed on the planet playing politics with Thursday, accomplishing the the vaccine rations riskiest step yet in an epic quest to bring back rocks ASSOCIATED PRESS that could answer whether life ever existed on Mars. TALLAHASSEE — Since the Ground controllers at first day Florida began receiving the space agency’s Jet coronavirus vaccines, Florida Gov. Propulsion Laboratory in Ron DeSantis said seniors 65 and Pasadena, California, leaped up would be a priority, but now to their feet, thrust their Democrats are criticizing him arms in the air and cheered for targeting wealthy retirement in both triumph and relief communities. on receiving confirmation DeSantis appeared at Lakewood that the six-wheeled Ranch in Manatee County on Perseverance had touched Wednesday, where a reporter down on the red planet, long questioned why he chose the a deathtrap for incoming community for a pop-up vaccine site. spacecraft. The governor replied, “Would they “Now the amazing science rather us send it to other counties? starts,” a jubilant Thomas “It was a choice about where Zurbuchen, NASA’s science is there a high concentration of mission chief, said at a PHOTO PROVIDED BY NASA seniors,” DeSantis continued. “It news conference, where wasn’t choosing one zip code over he theatrically ripped up This is the first image sent by the Perseverance rover on Thursday showing the surface of Mars, just after landing in the Jezero crater. another.” the contingency plan in Democrats latched on to the the event of a failure and successive days last week. sent by NASA, became the trickiest target yet: a 5-by- Republican governor’s comments threw the document over his All three missions lifted off ninth spacecraft since the 4-mile strip on an ancient and said he was making threats shoulders. in July to take advantage of 1970s to successfully land river delta full of pits, to withhold vaccines if he was The landing marks the the close alignment of Earth on Mars, every one of them cliffs and rocks. Scientists criticized. They also noted that a third visit to Mars in just and Mars, journeying some from the U.S. believe that if life ever home builder in the community has over a week. Two spacecraft 300 million miles in nearly The car-size, plutonium- flourished on Mars, it would been a major donor to DeSantis’s from the United Arab seven months. powered vehicle arrived have happened 3 billion to political committee. Emirates and China swung Perseverance, the biggest, at Jezero Crater, hitting “There is no reason that Governor into orbit around Mars on most advanced rover ever NASA’s smallest and SEE NASA, 8A SEE DESANTIS, 8A Man dies after being pulled from canal

By STEVE REILLY behind the Riverhouse identify the man in the initial STAFF WRITER Condominiums, reports stated. report. Firefighters arrived about two Charlotte County fire and EMS ROTONDA WEST — minutes later and discovered the and Charlotte County Sheriff’s Englewood firefighters pulled a vehicle completely submerged. deputies joined the rescue effort. man from a sunken vehicle in Firefighters dove into the canal A Charlotte County dive team a canal along Boundary Road and brought out the driver, an searched for any additional in Rotonda West. The man later “older man,” Battalion Chief victims of the accident, Pasick died, investigators said. Don Pasick said. said. The Englewood Area Fire “They got a pulse,” he said. Because of the murkiness of Control District received a call The man, 66, who lived the water, firefighters couldn’t at 10:08 a.m. Thursday that a in Rotonda West, was then tell the make of vehicle the motorist had driven into the transported to Englewood submerged car was, but thought PHOTO PROVIDED canal at 72 Boundary Road. Community Hospital and it was a four-door sedan, Pasick The vehicle floated 100 yards later was pronounced dead, the said. Charlotte County firefighters dry off after diving in a from where it first went into the Florida Highway Patrol reported Rotonda West canal to see if anyone else was in a car that canal. It completely submerged Thursday night. The FHP did not Email: [email protected] became submerged.

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however, and told the commis- AIRPORT sion such a move could end up FROM PAGE 1A stacking the airport board with people who all live 500 feet from Tiseo and Stephen R. Deutsch, one another. have said they were not in- “I would hope that the board formed of this plan. will ask questions such as what County commissioners have is the motive behind this, and rescheduled the start of their more important, who or what Tuesday meeting so they can organization is behind this,” he join the delegation’s Zoom said. session. Other airport tenants and Airport Commission Chair airplane owners said they James Herston acknowledged feared a takeover of the airport late in the meeting that Grant board was in the making by one contacted him more than a group, linked to Grant. week ago, asking his opinion “I find this a big betrayal on the topic. Herston said he by someone who was on this had no opinion without further board,” said tenant Larry PHOTO PROVIDED research. This was the first Hofmeister, speaking presum- vocal link of Grant to the legis- ably about Grant. Travelers and locals use Punta Gorda Airport’s Bailey Terminal with Allegiant Airline jets visible lative proposal, although most Airport Commissioner on the other side. seem to assume this. Grant, a Kathleen Coppola did not ask former airport commissioner, who was behind the plan, constituents if we wanted to do Allegiant Airline, the only remark. I do!” she said. was in favor of privatization. launching into it.” airline at the airport, has Grant has not returned He was linked in December to an attack on Hancik, Coppola and also issued its veto against requests for comment. a legislative attempt to hand Grant, and Commissioner Paul Andrews privatization. Zoom access for Tuesday’s authority of the airport over to saying she has voted last year to end debate of Oliver replied to Hancik’s meeting is zoom.us/(meeting the City of Punta Gorda after heard citizens the public-private partnership criticism Thursday, saying, id: 916 2195 1129 passcode the airport commissioners speak of initiat- with an unnamed investor in a “I would be surprised that Charlotte) voted 3-2 to end discussion of ing a recall vote historic deal that was reported any of us would vote on privatization. The City Council for him. to be worth billions of dollars that. It involves our own self Email: betsy.calvert@yoursun. withdrew its proposal upon COPPOLA “We did not over 40 years. Coppola said preservation to make it easier com harsh criticism from county send him up to Thursday she was outraged to stay in office.” commissioners. Tallahassee to take away our to learn that all airport staff Coppola, whose term ends City Councilor John Miller elected airport commission,” could have been fired within next year, gasped audibly. attended the airport meeting, she said. “He did not ask his two years. “I take objection to that

counties based on need, conference across the state another pop-up vaccine site in getting seniors vaccinated. DESANTIS capacity, and science.” for weeks to tout his “seniors was opened. Overall, DeSantis said 42% of FROM PAGE 1A But DeSantis pointed out first” initiative, including “When you’re doing a site the state’s seniors have been that the additional 3,000 at The Villages, a massive like this, this is not coming vaccinated, but only 35% of DeSantis should be rationing vaccines were above what retirement community in from the doses that are Pinellas seniors have received vaccines based on political Manatee County was already north-central Florida, and already in the county. This is a dose. influence,” Agricultural receiving and not a diversion at Sun City Center, a large in addition to what’s already Overall, Florida has Commissioner Nikki Fried, from other communities. retirement community near here,” DeSantis said. “This is had more than 1.8 million Florida’s only statewide It’s not the first time Tampa. 3,000 above and beyond.” confirmed cases of elected Democrat, said in DeSantis has sent additional And on Thursday, he visited He said he’s focusing on coronavirus resulting in a press release. “Vaccines vaccine doses to retirement a retirement community counties that have lagged nearly 30,000 deaths. should be distributed to communities. He’s held press in Pinellas County where behind other areas of the state

A proposal by the Charlotte County Legislators could affect how the Charlotte County Airport Authority elects it’s members.

Up for discussion is a proposal to make all five Airport Authority commissioners elected at large. Currently each candidate represents only one of the county’s five districts.

If the new law is adopted it would take effect in 2022 which would affect the two seats on the commission that would be up for election during that year. Those seats are now held by Robert Hancik and Kathleen Coppola.

Hancik and Coppola voted against a privatization plan to sell some management rights of the Punta Gorda Airport to outside investors.

Punta Gorda Airport currently hosts only one airline which is Allegiant. Allegiant is on the record for not supporting privatization.

https://www.classiccountry1045.com/local/punta-gorda-airport-considers-changes/

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021 | YOURSUN.COM | SECTION C Airport commissioners are ready for their closeups Board approves plan to livestream meetings as soon as March

By BETSY CALVERT STAFF WRITER

Recent Airport Authority Commission meetings have been feisty, but there was no way to tune in to the show, except for audio. That could change as soon as the next non-emergency meeting on March 18, Airport Communications Manager Kaley Miller said. In between arguments last week about airport privatization and election changes, the board voted unanimously to spend $35,000 for cameras, new microphones and anything required to livestream the meeting. They also signed a contract with DB Sound Systems of Deep Creek to set up the meeting room for video broadcast for the ﬁrst time since the board was formed in the 1960s. The board always meets in a relatively small room on Punta Gorda Airport property at the corner of Star Lane and Utilities Road. Before the pandemic, a few dozen people could attend. Now, seating is much less. A dozen or so regulars often attend, usually pilots. The public has been able to listen remotely to the meeting live and ask for a copy of the recording at a later date. The Charlotte County Commission and Punta Gorda City Council livestream their meetings. When the set up is done at the airport, viewers of the airport commission will be able to watch on Youtube, Miller said. “Since we have a far-reaching community geographically, this will allow better access to our meetings for constituents from all districts,” Miller said. “It has become more of a priority due to COVID-19; limited seating available and less people that want to attend or are able in person.” Email: [email protected] PAGE 6C SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021 | The Sun | www.yoursun.com N/E/P/C

PUBLISHER AND EDITOR COMMENTARY EDITOR Glen Nickerson John Hackworth

OUR VIEW Let’s put our cards on the table with airport

OUR POSITION: Is a proposal the airport — presumably to Now, Grant has orchestrated was up for election). We need “Allegiant has blocked to change how Punta Gorda then privatize it. When county a move by the Legislative to open up elections to people privatization,” he said, Airport Authority members commissioners got wind of the Delegation to pass a law to who may be better qualified (or referring to the veto power the are elected tied to a desire idea it was not well received. change how voters select have good ideas).” airport’s only airline has. to privatize the airport or Punta Gorda Council Airport Authority members. It will all come to a head — If Grant does want the just a much-needed change members backed off and the Right now, members are if not a decision — Monday airport privatized, there’s to encourage qualified airport consultant was called elected by voters in the district when the Airport Authority nothing wrong with him candidates? on the carpet by his employers, they live in. Grant would plans an emergency meeting giving his opinion. Perhaps the who asked why he was doing change that to allow at-large at 9 a.m. followed on Tuesday privatization — which could State Rep. Michael Grant’s an end-around on them. He voting where anyone could by a meeting of the Legislative mean a billion dollars over name keeps popping up in the eventually was reprimanded vote for any candidate. Delegation to discuss the 40 years that could be used debate over the privatization of and relieved of his duties In an email to The Daily proposal for at-large voting for any purpose in Charlotte the Punta Gorda Airport. although the Authority will Sun, Grant said the idea has districts for the Authority. County — would be a good For months now, the continue to pay him through nothing to do with getting And, not to miss the action, idea. Airport Authority board, the end of the year to honor “his” candidates elected the County Commission has As far as at-large voting, candidates for seats on the his contract. to the board and favoring rescheduled its Tuesday the arguments for and against board last November, Punta So, back to Rep. Michael privatization. He says since meeting so it can take part in have been worn out. Perhaps Gorda City Council members Grant, R-Port Charlotte. he served on the Authority the delegation’s discussion. the best approach to stoking and Charlotte County Grant’s named came up two (his last year was 2004) very In remarks to The Daily more competition would commissioners have been been years ago when he backed an few board members have been Sun and writer Betsy Calvert, be to make the Authority dragged into a debate over a Authority candidate who lost. challenged. He claims in 30 Punta Gorda City Councilman nonpartisan or term limits. proposal for a private/public Rob Hancik, who was being primary and regular elections John Miller, County At-large seats could be an issue administration of the airport. challenged for his seat on for Authority seats, only eight Commissioner Joe Tiseo and for candidates from Englewood Even after the Authority voted the Authority, accused Grant of them have been contested. members of the authority were or elsewhere. We could see five 3-2 to not look at a proposal of being behind fliers that And, since 2010 no incumbent all strongly against the at-large members all from the Punta on privatization, the issue sought to discredit him in the has lost an election. voting idea. Gorda area dominating the wouldn’t die. campaign. “It’s like a lifetime position,” Grant has tried to keep a low board. First, a consultant who Grant’s name came up again he said Friday. “If someone profile during the months-long We’d like to see everyone worked for the airport, when the consultant contacted from Englewood doesn’t like controversy. He insists his bid put their cards on the table approached Punta Gorda the Punta Gorda City Council. the way things are and wants for at-large voting has nothing Monday and Tuesday. City Council members about Some believed it was Grant to run for a seat, they could not to do with privatization of the annexing and taking over who suggested the move. (unless their district member airport.

We may be past their graves because they’ve gone so far off the rails and point of no return turned into a party of fascism! Editor: Why has this country become For the past four years this so gullible to believe that nation has been subjected to a socialism is so bad when degree of divisiveness that has most civilized countries in never before been experienced the world are socialist i.e.; — to the point of insurrection Medicare, Medicaid, Social and attack on the Capitol. From Security, public schools, this point of view Trump and public roads, police, fire and his followers and supporters the military. are only symptoms of a What Mr. Trump tried to do deeper and far more insidious on Jan. 6 with his riots was problem. exactly what Adolf Hitler did As of today most of the in Germany and he also failed people alive have been educated his first time! Our country and conditioned, ever since the has become too hateful and end of WWll, by the American judgemental and as the Bible education system. Initial values verse says “judge not lest ye are implanted early in life be judged”! Let’s get back to and from the end of the war being a country of laws and until now they haven’t changed common sense and not of a much at all. As a symptom cult! of this problem Trump was Michael Edwards trained with values implanted Punta Gorda by his father and mother that were the precursors to his crim- It’s about photo-op inal and sociopathic behavior for all of his life. for Gov. DeSantis All of these negative values Editor: — lying, stealing, hypocrisy, Governor DeSantis hurt misogyny, xenophobia, rape, Charlotte County residents sexual assault, adultery, from the start of Covid treason and a very crude sense vaccine availability. He never speaking — all values that have Tell legislators to stop who does not have one, or had trained them well. designed or executed a plan been expressed by him and defunding schools offer other support for our Video of the speech reveals to fairly distribute vaccine to are supported by his followers. students. We have many that Trump threw in the word Florida residents. Editor: This means, of course, that grandparents here who don’t “peacefully” almost as an DeSantis initially opened While there was outrage this the American population at have kids in our schools but aside, barely audible over the vaccine sites to anyone over summer when people called to least half of which are utterly who are great mentors to noisy crowd. He knew well, 64 years. People came from “defund the police,” why has oblivious to their ignorance help these people overcome however, that this turn of Argentina and elsewhere there been ongoing support and values. It is no wonder then the impact of the pandemic. phrase would help cowards outside Florida. They received for defunding the schools? that he was found to be free of Stay safe and help support the like Senator Scott claim the shots, went home and bragged Our state has reduced school condemnation by his followers. education of our kids. They former president was not that anyone can get vaccine funding by 30% in the years America is in for a terrible are our future! responsible for the riot. shots in Florida. Florida was 2008-2018. With a proposed future of degradation and Linda Richardson Shameful. the brunt of jokes on national law, SB-48, additional funds neglect — most unfortunately. Punta Gorda We are fortunate the House television. will be channeled away Just as a negative climatic impeachment managers Charlotte County’s residents from our public schools to change this nation’s very Sen. Scott’s words will have outlined, in meticulous are among the oldest in the private schools. In addition, negative future will be slow and return to bite him detail, the crimes of the nation. Chaos and confusion rather than audit the schools former president. Conviction reigns as we try to get on most probably inevitable. We Editor: annually, the proposal reduces during impeachment may be vaccine lists. may very well be past the point As our own Senator Scott the audit to once every a political decision, but the Now DeSantis is flying of no return. was telling reporters that three years. Three years is a grim facts brought forth in the around the state (on taxpayer Joe Fasulo the impeachment trial was a complete middle school career impeachment trial — and the dollars) for photo ops to Punta Gorda “waste of time,” he managed fo a student! response to them by the likes personally deliver vaccine. to remind us — as have many “Private” means “profit,” of Senator Scott — will come He chooses retirement areas Florida vaccine of his Republican colleagues so rather than our tax dollars back to haunt them as they where he will get highest — that President Trump roll out a joke going to educate our children, face re-election in the future. media coverage and potential told his followers to protest Editor: they are going to business Steve Johnson votes. “peacefully,” thus excusing I couldn’t believe my eyes this owners! This on the heels of a Punta Gorda Other state governors him from guilt. morning when I read that Gov. pandemic where children have designed and executed orderly, What Senator Scott DeSantis is delivering COVID-19 lost a year of learning. Our gullible country has fair vaccine distribution. neglected to point out, as vaccine to Republican commit- Where is the outrage Florida’s Governor DeSantis did the House impeachment gone off the rails tee members. How did they get against this “defunding of our seems to care more about his managers quite skillfully, Editor: ahead of all the other seniors in public schools?” Let our state publicity. former President Trump used We all need to thank all of Charlotte County? representative and Majority Mary Lou Armiger phrases like “fight like hell” the senators for upholding It should be against the law Leader Michael Grant at Punta Gorda and I hope all the Democrats 941-613-0914 and our Senator numerous times in his speech. their oaths to the Constitution and independents and seniors Joe Gruters at 850-487-5023 More importantly, the former and the rule of law and not let who are kicked down another know that you do not support president had used phrases any of them to be censured rung in the vaccine chase will FL SB48. Now is the time to like “stop the steal” and for doing what is right! They remember this when it comes increase public spending to “never concede” for months. refused to be a pawn of Mr. to election time. The Florida reduce the long term impact He was masterful at planting Trump! roll out has been a joke and of this pandemic year’s losses seeds to stoke his followers so I’m not sure what happened now the governor adds insult to of instruction. that on Jan. 6 all he needed to the Republican party under injury. In addition, seek do was point down the street the term of Mr. Trump but the Ann Ball opportunities to tutor, provide toward the Capitol. The mob great Republican presidents Rotonda West a computer for a student knew what to do because he of the past are turning over in PAGE 6C MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2021 | The Sun | www.yoursun.com N/E/P/C

Open up airport seats to all voters Editor: The Punta Gorda Airport is a crown jewel of economic activity for Charlotte County. Its website proudly claims “more than $1.275 billion in total economic output.” With a strong transportation infrastructure comes robust economic development opportunity — bringing skilled, high-paying jobs to our area. Our community, our county and our southwest Florida region all benefit by its activities. But how do we know the potential output couldn’t be $1.5 billion, $2 billion or more? The people who make the decisions for the airport are five elected members of the Charlotte County Airport Authority (CCAA). Since 2010, only one member has failed to be re-elected. Even the Florida Legislature has term-limits. CCAA members are elected countywide, and they serve airport and regional interests. Unlike county commissioners, CCAA members have no duties specific to their elected district. But CCAA membership residency requirements are restricted to districts aligned to the county commission seats. This stifles competition and en- trenches an existing status quo — if we are going to continue to improve our region, bring more jobs and lift our economy, why limit prospective candidates to arbitrary boundaries that have nothing to do with their elected duties? Last year, two viable candidates for the CCAA had to run against each other because they lived in the same County Commission district. For the CCAA members, don’t be afraid of competition; the only limits are the ones we place on ourselves. Charlotte County’s best days are ahead of them as long as we em- brace innovation and new ideas. Rep. Michael Grant Port Charlotte

Many residents in Southwest Florida could face a significant increase in flood insurance costs under the Federal Emergency Management Agency's forthcoming Risk Rating 2.0, and those prices are expected to rise with the sea levels because of climate change.

Even though the biggest change ever in how the National Flood Insurance Program calculates premiums is scheduled to take effect in just over seven months, FEMA and its recent revolving door of leaders haven't shared those details with Americans.

However, a public service by our USA TODAY Network in partnership with nonprofit First Street Foundation gives the opportunity for the first time to look up your address to see average financial loss due to flood damage that dictates potential insurance costs. (Print readers can type firststreet.org on their browsers to get started.)

A new analysis out today by First Street found there are homes where premiums would have to jump by as much as 5,000% to adequately cover the actual risk. That's not a typo. Five thousand.

As an example in Southwest Florida, residents living in the McGregor Boulevard corridor in Fort Myers from about Colonial Boulevard to just past Cypress Lake Drive could be among those affected.

Along that four-mile strip of 7,500 residents, the First Street data shows 99.9% of the properties with one to four units have a substantial risk of flooding causing structural damage. Substantial risk is defined as having a minimum 1% annual chance of flood, otherwise known as a 100-year flood risk. And some there could have up to a 99% chance of flooding at least once over the next 30 years, according to First Street.

At the same time, the Lely Resort area, found largely in the 34113 zip code of East Naples, has a comparatively smaller percentage of homes currently in similar straits, with 17% in the 100-year flood zone, the statistics indicate. However, with growth and climatological challenges, that balloons to 38% within 30 years.

What FEMA is trying to do is put more responsibility on those choosing to live in flood zones and then continuing to do so as the ramifications from global heating intensify. The idea is to make sure folks who face the greatest threat pay more of a fair share, which hasn't been the case in the past, when those in less jeopardy and taxpayers often got stuck with too much of the bill, said Matthew Eby, First Street’s founder and executive director.

“FEMA is trying to compensate for five decades of mispriced insurance," Eby said.

And in 2017, Congress bailed out the NFIP with $16 billion in debt relief, leaving the ultimate cost of hurricanes Katrina, Sandy, Harvey and Irma on the books of the American taxpayer.

The timeline calls for the historic implementation in October for the program that dates back to 1968. Overall, First Street estimates it will affect more than 5 million existing policies across the country, as well as future ones homeowners choose to purchase.

Charlotte County leads Southwest Florida with 76.5% of its homes in 100-year flood zones, followed by Lee's 45.8%, Collier's 30.4%, Sarasota's 26.3%, Manatee's 15.7% and Hendry's 3.9%. Monroe tops the state with 89.1% and expands to 95.3% within 30 years. In our region, the change is limited to increases of up to about two percentage points in that time frame except for Collier's leap of nearly five to 35%.

Pinellas, Miami-Dade, Charlotte, Lee, Brevard and Sarasota counties also appear in the top 10 nationally for the total value of real estate at risk.

First Street said it quantified the financial impact of flood exposure for each residential property in America in a manner consistent with how FEMA does its assessments.

Its calculations show that there are 1.5 million national properties at risk of flood-induced structural damage and located within FEMA's Special Flood Hazard Areas, which are mandated to buy flood insurance if owners hold a federally backed mortgage. These properties would see an average rate increase of 3.5 times, to more than $555 a month, the data shows.

The 2.6 million properties currently at risk of flood-induced structural damage and located outside the Special Flood Hazard Areas would require a 4.9 times price increase on average to $195 a month for coverage. Under what's scheduled, policy holders won’t see that all at once, though, with the maximum increase a year being 18%.

The good news for Margaritaville fans

If all goes well, construction of Southwest Florida's Margaritaville should begin "June-ish," developer Tom Torgerson told me.

Based on past data Torgerson has shared, I took a guess with him that summer 2023 is when you could begin "wastin' away" at the Fort Myers Beach complex, and it turns out I was correct.

"We feel it is a very accurate timeline, and of course, something like a Cat 5 dead-hit hurricane could interrupt that, or something out of our control of that magnitude, but otherwise a pretty solid time estimate," said Torgerson, CEO of TPI Hospitality.

If you can finally locate that lost shaker of salt, this should give at least a few something to toast this evening or perhaps earlier on this National Margarita Day. It's 5 o'clock somewhere.

Torgerson said his company has invested more than $52 million so far into the 254-room resort that comes with restaurants, shopping areas and beach access and should reshape what's traditionally been known as downtown.

At one point, he had hoped to get work initiated by the end of last year after the Second District Court of Appeal in Lakeland had previously rejected a suit to stop the project. But another legal challenge followed that was later dropped.

"June-ish is the soonest we could mobilize to get started with construction. Things like closing out permitting, construction bidding and securing financing just take that much time as well as the court process," Torgerson said. "We still anticipate a construction start after the end of this year's season, mostly likely in June."

I asked him how positive he is, considering that — with all the obstacles — it's taken more than six years to get this problematic parrot off the ground.

That's twice the time it took Allegiant to propose, begin building and then simply abandon its Sunseeker shell on Charlotte Harbor where now a half-dozen lonely construction cranes in the otherwise empty skyline swing in the sunset.

"The pandemic has caused me to pause a little more than I used to in my confidence of making claims in this regard. However, our confidence is very high," Torgerson said. "Drama is behind us."

He wasn't ready to give up the goods on how much it might cost the thousands of Southwest Florida Parrot Heads to visit once the place is rockin' and a rollin' on a Livingston Saturday Night, joining about 25 other Margaritaville locations in six nations.

"Pricing will be commensurate with the other higher end coastal resorts in Lee and Collier counties," he said.

I checked near the end of the week for those of you curious about what one might look like, and rates at the Hollywood Beach version started at about $500 nightly for the first open weekend in March.

As someone who has done quite well through these ventures, crooner Jimmy Buffett just might suggest to head over there in your Tony Lama's on your jeans pressed tight and sample a frozen concoction that helps you hang on.

And the bad news about Sunseeker

Folks who aren't going to be spending money soon, at least to build a resort, are executives at Allegiant Travel Co.

"We will not invest any more meaningful capital," President John Redmond said at this month's earnings meeting. "We have had and continue to have numerous discussions about the art of the possible with various interested parties."

In a previous call, Chairman Maury Gallagher said they're open to any inquiries.

"Oh gosh," Gallagher said. "there's still zero opportunities now other than the occasional call.”

The Las Vegas-based flier finished 2020 with a $184 million loss after a $232 million profit the previous year. It reported a $28.8 million loss for the fourth quarter, compared to a profit of $60.5 million for the same quarter in 2019.

By near the end of last year, at least 24 unpaid construction work claims worth $18.3 million had been filed related to Sunseeker, Levelset's Justin Gitelman told me. Through its software, the company works with building firms and related entities to monitor projects nationally, especially as it relates to payments and liens.

Allegiant also agreed to a $20 million settlement with financial backers TPG Sixth Street Partners to end the contract for erecting the resort, which had been slated as a trio of nine-story towers, with more after that on 22 acres.

The airline had said in March it had ditched the $1 billion development until at the earliest, the end of this year. The original open date had been this summer.

"There is no change in the status of Sunseeker," Corporate Communications Manager Sonya Padgett told me Thursday night. "Construction on the site remains suspended, and we do not have any projections on when that may change."

The organization had said last year it would take down those 130-foot derricks that no longer symbolize Charlotte County's progress and wave in the wind to the 52,000 motorists traversing the U.S. 41 bridges every day. But Padgett didn't have an answer as to why that never happened.

Even if Sunseeker remains grounded, the planes keep flying but not as much.

The carrier picked up and delivered 98,826 passengers through Punta Gorda Airport last month, the worst start to a year since 2017, 36% less than the previous year and even less than the average of 2020's last three months of 102,771, according to public records.

Overall, the enterprise reports 28% fewer departures than it did a year ago, but it has plans to add more flights including 42 regular routes that won't launch until at least May.

Punta Gorda's not part of those. But Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport receives a link to Concord, N.C.'s runway beginning Memorial Day weekend, just in time for NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600.

Based at the Naples Daily News, Columnist Phil Fernandez ([email protected]) writes In the Know as part of the USA TODAY NETWORK. Support Democracy and subscribe to a newspaper.

https://www.news-press.com/story/news/columnists/in-the-know/2021/02/22/in-the-know-flood-insurance-and-margaritaville-sunseeker-hotel- southwest-florida/6787277002/

The Daily SUN Charlotte • DeSoto • Sarasota

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2021 | YOURSUN.COM | $1.50 Airport commission clashes over election resolution Resolution opposes making authority board election at-large

By BETSY CALVERT STAFF WRITER

Not every member of the Charlotte County Airport Authority wants to issue an official rebuke to State Rep. Michael Grant at a meeting of the legislative delegation. Airport commissioners voted 4-1 Monday to adopt a resolution opposing Grant’s proposal to eliminate district-level voting for the authority. The vote was at an emergency meeting. The resolution will be delivered Tuesday at a 9 a.m. Zoom OLIVER delegation meeting. “The Charlotte County Airport Authority adamantly opposes the proposed modiﬁcations to Chapter 98-508 Laws of Florida to eliminate single member districts and allow for at-large Commissioners,” part of the resolution reads. Airport Commissioner Vanessa Oliver,

SEE AIRPORT, 4A PAGE 4A TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2021 | The Sun | www.yoursun.com N/E/P/C

proposal that Grant had championed. was no notice from legislators. Oliver conversations I have with elected AIRPORT The resolution also states the au- said Grant had spoken to her and officials?” Oliver asked. “Do I have to FROM PAGE 1A thority “opposes any and all efforts to airport administrators about the talk to you about every conversation to change its Board Commissioner election change proposal. I’ve had with every county Grant’s daughter, voted against the election structure without full and Carr shot back, “The administration commissioner, every city councilor?” resolution. She suggested changing fair public notice and done with stated has not told me in any way that they Commissioner James Herston voted the resolution to propose rationales and necessity in an open were communicated with by Mr. Grant, in favor of the resolution but added: “I restricting authority and transparent legislative process and and I think it’s somewhat interesting think there’s some additional subjects members to two four- then APPROVED by a majority of the to know that Commissioner Oliver here that are beyond the scope of the year terms. This would voters of Charlotte County by a refer- obviously was, but as our legislative resolution.” take out commissioners endum during a general election.” liaison, didn’t disclose it to us...Why Kathleen Coppola and Several airport commissioners and weren’t we told?” Email: [email protected] Rob Hancik, both of airport attorney Darol Carr Monday “What dates? We need dates,” said whom helped kill the called out Oliver after she objected to Commissioner Kathleen Coppola. COPPOLA historic privatization the resolution’s implication that there “Am I required to disclose all

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Call for special needs seating or group rates. adno=3780843-1 Additional fees may apply to advertised price. All sales ﬁnal. Call for special needs seating. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2021 | YOURSUN.COM | SECTION C Grant backs off airport authority until November

proposed bill this year. That’s Other legislators because with all the changes he added in the last few days, there say getting more has not been enough public public input is a notice, he said he was advised by state house staff. The state’s better way to go legislative session begins next week in Tallahassee. By BETSY CALVERT The state delegation of STAFF WRITER Grant, Sen. Joe Gruters and Sen. Ben Albritton agreed in State Rep. Michael Grant the Zoom call to review Grant’s Tuesday announced changes new proposal in November. to his proposed election law Grant’s first proposal — that would provide protections advertised in a legal notice for airport commissioners on Feb. 15 — was to allow all who opposed him in airport five airport commissioners to privatization. be from any district instead The Charlotte County of having each from one of Republican also said in a Zoom five districts. This proposal CHARLOTTE COUNTY COMMUNITY TELEVISION call Tuesday with his fellow leg- drew rapid condemnation islators, that he will no longer Sen. Ben Albritton, R-District 26, participates in a legislative delegation meeting for Charlotte ask the Legislature to enact his SEE GRANT, 4C County on Zoom that was displayed at a county commission meeting. Did Boca Royale jump to head of vaccine line? Criticism follows COVID-19 clinics in Port Charlotte, Lakewood Ranch By STEVE REILLY STAFF WRITER

ENGLEWOOD — Did Boca Royale Golf & Country Club in Sarasota County, Lakewood Ranch in Manatee County and Kings Gate Golf & Country Club in Charlotte County receive SUN PHOTOS BY SUE ERWIN preferential access for the COVID-19 Pictured are Lorsi Pizza of Lightspeed Voice and North Port Meals on Wheels Board President Scott Hedrick. When vaccine? Pizza learned that Meals on Wheels needed a new freezer, the Leadership North Port class member purchased one for Questions are being raised, with the organization. one congressman suggesting the Department of Justice should look into how Gov. Ron DeSantis decided where some pop-up vaccine clinics took place. U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist suggested Meals on Wheels DeSantis was “playing politics with vaccine distribution.” DeSantis, in a news conference, defended the vaccine distribution. That doesn’t seem fair to one receives gift of new freezer Englewood resident. “I have been trying for as long as organization last week, they “I met with the general vaccines have started up to get my ‘A place to put asked about the immediate manager and asked him SEE , more chicken’ needs of Meals on Wheels. if he could help provide a VACCINE 4C “Sometimes, we receive discount,” Pizza said. “He By SUE ERWIN more food donations at gave me more than 50% off STAFF WRITER certain times of the year, of one that he had in stock.” and we have filled our Pizza used her own Scott Hedrick is constantly three freezers to capacity,” personal funds to pay for the trying to keep with the de- Hendrick said. freezer. mands of North Port Meals And his words were heard. “I am at a point where on Wheels. Lorsi Pizza, a member of I was able to make this Hedrick is Board President the leadership class, made donation right now and I for the organization. The an arrangement with Home Barb Chamberlain has wanted to help,” she said. mission is to deliver one Depot last week for a new been a volunteer delivery “My next mission is getting freezer to be delivered to a commercial-grade refrig- nutritious meal a day at a driver for North Port Meals SUN PHOTO BY STEVE REILLY nominal charge to seniors Meals on Wheels. on Wheels for the past erator for Salvation Army in and other residents of North “We just started the lead- 20 years. North Port.” Boca Royale homeowners no longer Port who are unable to pre- ership program in January Pizza is a territory man- have to worry about getting COVID-19 pare a meal for themselves. and our first assignment freezer, like yesterday.” ager at Lightspeed Voice, a vaccinations, thanks to their developer, When members of the was to meet with local Pizza contacted a bunch VoIP cloud-based telephony Pat Neal of Neal Communities, and Gov. North Port Chamber of nonprofits and find out what of appliance retailers in the provider. Ron DeSantis. They already got their Commerce Leadership Class needs each one had,” Pizza area, and Home Depot was first shots and are waiting for their of 2021 stopped in to visit the said. “They needed this the first one to respond. SEE FREEZER, 4C second.

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existing bill,” he told The Daily was one reason it was sought independence. The board in the of term limits are incumbent GRANT Sun. “This doesn’t change by investors late last year for past has been entrepreneurial politicians and the special inter- FROM PAGE 1C the fact that Michael Grant a partnership worth up to and nimble. It has seized ests that serve them,” she said is still interfering with local $1 billion over 40 years. Hancik, opportunities when they were Monday at a meeting where from the Airport Authority, government.” who once ran an airport in presented and faced unexpect- she was the lone opponent of airport tenants and the county Albritton praised Grant and Missouri, was the authoritative ed challenges with courage a resolution opposing Grant’s commission. himself for the new proposal. lead to the successful opposi- and foresight...I believed the proposal. The Daily Sun The elements of Grant’s new “I would say what you are tion to what would have been changes to the election outlined Grant told proposal are: proposing is very smart,” said a historic move. Grant was a above would have enhanced earlier that he did not propose • Two-term, eight-year limit, Albritton in the Zoom call. major advocate for the manage- that legacy and made the board election changes to continue but existing airport commis- “The idea of continuing to have ment investor partnership. a more dominant and positive down the privatization path. sioners can serve another eight it vetted, you’ve done a very “The public is obviously force in the community going That’s because Allegiant years. good job, as I have and I’m sure satisfied with the performance forward.” Airlines has already issued a • Replace the current five Sen. Gruters has of reaching of the existing board members, Deutsch voiced the added veto to the idea. districts, common to the county out to folks in the community irrelevant of how long they’ve wrinkle to the many sided Hancik said he thinks commission and school board, and checking the pulse and just served, because if they didn’t dispute. privatization is still driving the with three districts — west, east getting creative about the idea like them, they would vote “Nobody wants it except politics of this deal. and mid county. and the process.” them out,” Hancik said. Grant, Oh, I’m sorry, Grant and County commissioners • Make two commissioners at Gruters agreed and added Grant explained his reason- his daughter,” he said. Tuesday rearranged their meet- large, instead of from a particu- that he liked the idea of term ing publicly for the first time in Grant’s daughter, Vanessa ing so they could enter their lar district. limits, which Florida legislators the Zoom meeting. Oliver, was recently elected to objections via Zoom. But Grant • Add two voting members to and the governor face. Since 2012 only one incum- the airport commission. Oliver ended the meeting abruptly. include the county commission The big question remains, bent has lost an election at the was interested in privatization “All that prep for nothing,” and the Punta Gorda City however, said County airport, he said. and approved of her father’s joked County Commissioner Council. Commissioner Stephen R. “That’s the reason that I election law changes includ- Joe Tiseo. Airport Commission Rob Deutsch. propose that we open up the ing term limits. Some board “It’s never for nothing,” said Hancik, who many considered “Why?” he asked. election process and make it members have accused her of County Commission Chair Bill to be targeted by Grant’s pro- The small Punta Gorda easier for new candidates to withholding information on her Truex. posal, said he is not impressed. Airport, with one commercial run for this important board,” father’s plans. Email: betsy.calvert@yoursun. “I think this was a way for airline, may be the most suc- he said. “As a former member “I think the Heritage com the other senators not to vote cessful airport in the country, of the authority, I am a strong Foundation put it best when it against Mike Grant on the financially, Deutsch said. This advocate for its continued said the only serious opponents

Actions Speak Louder Than Awards

2020-21

But we won’t argue if U.S. News & World Report ranks Sarasota Memorial Hospital as one of only 37 “standout” hospitals among the nearly 5,000 assessed in this year’s “Best Hospitals” study, scoring a perfect 10 in all surgical procedures and chronic conditions evaluated—including heart and lung care, cancer treatment, vascular repair and orthopedic surgery. After all, we’re too busy helping patients get back to better, back to their families and back to their lives.

To learn more, visit smh.com adno=3785817-1 CHARLOTTE COUNTY FLORIDA WEEKLY www.FloridaWeekly.com WEEK OF FEBRUARY 25-MARCH 3, 2021 BUSINESS & REAL ESTATE A19 BUSINESS IN THE KNOW Allegiant expands service to South Dakota Due to overwhelming demand, Alle- giant will offer the route from Punta Gorda Airport (PGD) to Rapid City, S.D., via Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP) for the entire summer season. The route was originally planned to operate for two weeks in August, to coincide with the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota. It proved so popular, the airline quickly expanded service. The new route begins June 4 and will operate twice weekly. “There is a lot of pent-up demand for travel to cities that offer a gateway to great outdoor experiences,” said Drew Wells, Allegiant’s senior vice president of revenue. “It’s no surprise that this route turned out to be so popular. Visi- tors to Punta Gorda can access the incredible beaches of Florida, while Rapid City visitors can see Mount Rush- more, the Devil’s Tower, and the rest of the monuments and sights of the Black Hills. We’re excited to be able to connect these cities with affordable, nonstop service.” Flight days, times and fares can be found at www.Allegiant.com.

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The Daily SUN Charlotte • DeSoto • Sarasota YOUR BEST SOURCE FOR LOCAL NEWS SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021 | YOURSUN.COM | $3.00 Keeping the public informed is important Over the past several weeks I’ve third-party verification system. never known about a plan to change Bill and Senate Bill at www.flsenate. made the trip to Tallahassee twice, Last week was an excellent our local election by our state gov and www.myfloridahouse.gov. along with many other publishers example of why we need public legislators. The websites will allow you to from across the state, to testify notices in newspapers. A meeting Many of our legislators were look up your legislators based on before House and Senate commit- was scheduled to discuss changing home from the Capitol this past your address. You can easily search tees in opposition to HB 35 and SB the way we elect the seats of the week. The 2021 Florida Legislature and read every bill your legislators 402. Those are the bills that our Charlotte County Airport Authority. session starts Tuesday and adjourns are sponsoring or co-sponsoring. I GLEN state legislators are trying to pass This happened right after an April 30. Next week is a good would provide a list, but it’s a very in an effort to end public notices attempt to privatize the airport was opportunity for the voters to reach long list of bills. You can watch NICKERSON in newspapers and their websites. voted down. If that meeting wasn’t out to our legislators and let them Florida Legislature meetings in-per- Publisher and They want to move public notices to published for over 100,000 readers know what you think about the bills son or go to thefloridachannel.org editor of The Daily Sun hundreds of government websites, and over 365,000 monthly visitors at they’re voting on during the 2021 putting an end to a long-standing, yoursun.com to read, we may have session. You can look at every House SEE GLEN, 5A N/E/P/C

www.yoursun.com | The Sun | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021 PAGE 5A

very formal and orderly process our local government meetings interest of any one man, family, GLEN that allows for the legislators or online by going to their websites or class of men; therefore, the peo- FROM PAGE 1A leaders to ask many questions. and looking for the meeting ple alone have an incontestable, It provides opportunities for links. It’s a great opportunity to unalienable, and indefeasible to watch the legislative process the public to speak in support see how our local representatives right to institute government; and online. As your local newspaper or opposition. There’s also an interact with each other and the to reform, alter, or totally change we will do our very best to keep opportunity for the legislators or public on our behalf. the same, when their protection, you informed of the important leaders to debate before the vote. I leave you with one of my safety, prosperity, and happiness stories that come out of the 2021 You’ll see the local government favorite quotes from one of our require it.” session. meeting information published founding fathers: — John Adams It’s always interesting to watch in The Daily Sun and Venice “Government is instituted how our governments work. Gondolier as public notices. I for the common good; for the Glen Nickerson is the publisher Some may disagree with me, encourage everyone to attend a protection, safety, prosperity, and editor of The Daily Sun. but I’ve always found watching meeting when it’s safe for you and happiness of the people; and You can reach him at glen. government meetings in person to do so. You can always watch not for proﬁt, honor, or private [email protected]. or online very interesting. It’s a The Daily SUN Charlotte • DeSoto • Sarasota

February 28, 2021 YOUR BEST SOURCE FOR LOCAL NEWS

BLACK HISTORY MONTH Progressive Punta Gorda

SUN FILE PHOTO Minnie Lee Mitchell, center, one of the first five Black students at Charlotte High School, listens at a past event to a presentation with Gussie Baker, who was involved in the effort to integrate the Charlotte County school system.

and are preservers of its history. Black, white people Jim Crow laws in Florida Martha Bireda, Ph.D.: director of the Blanchard House Museum of Jim Crow laws were a collection of together built the city African History and Culture, who is an state and local statutes legalizing author, educator and speaker. She is a By NANCY J. SEMON racial segregation. The laws existed for fifth-generation Punta Gordan whose STAFF WRITER 100 years, from the post-Civil War era great-uncle Dan Smith was a founding until 1964 when President Lyndon B. father. Her grandmother founded the When Florida had segregated schools Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act. N.A.A.C.P. in the 1930s, and her mother and was subject to Jim Crow laws, one Segregation was then legally ended. Bernice Russell served as its president little city in Florida bucked the trend, in the 1960s. Her son, Jaha Cummings, deciding this was not the way life The man who owned half of Punta is a Punta Gorda councilman. should be. Gorda was an African American, as Eunice Wiley: the first Black princi- Whites and Blacks worked side by were four of the 34 men who voted to pal (and only one to date), who retired side; economic opportunities were open incorporate Punta Gorda back in 1887. from Neil Armstrong Elementary to African Americans who were paid Recently, The Daily Sun’s editorial School in 2005. Originally from Fort equal wages as white workers. The col- page editor John Hackworth mod- Lauderdale, she came to Punta Gorda or of their skin didn’t bar Black people erated a roundtable discussion on when she married Roy Wiley. from holding leadership positions or race relations and our local history. Roy Wiley: a Punta Gorda native owning property. This all took place in Participating were four prominent Punta Gorda. citizens who grew up in Punta Gorda SEE BLACK, 4A Keeping the public informed is important Over the past several weeks I’ve third-party verification system. never known about a plan to change made the trip to Tallahassee twice, Last week was an excellent our local election by our state along with many other publishers example of why we need public legislators. from across the state, to testify notices in newspapers. A meeting Many of our legislators were before House and Senate commit- was scheduled to discuss changing home from the Capitol this past tees in opposition to HB 35 and SB the way we elect the seats of the week. The 2021 Florida Legislature 402. Those are the bills that our Charlotte County Airport Authority. session starts Tuesday and adjourns GLEN state legislators are trying to pass This happened right after an April 30. Next week is a good in an effort to end public notices attempt to privatize the airport was opportunity for the voters to reach NICKERSON in newspapers and their websites. voted down. If that meeting wasn’t out to our legislators and let them Publisher and They want to move public notices to published for over 100,000 readers know what you think about the bills editor of The Daily Sun hundreds of government websites, and over 365,000 monthly visitors at they’re voting on during the 2021 putting an end to a long-standing, yoursun.com to read, we may have session. You can look at every House

TODAY’S WEATHER INSIDE SPORTS SUNDAY BREAK FEELING FIT 2B 4D, 6-7D 1-6F High 89, Low 67 TODAY Lottery Puzzles Health news Mostly sunny and warm Sports on TV 2B Bible verse 2A Charlie on spring: SEE PAGE 2C Money 6A LOCAL I can smell the fresh Calendar 3C flowers and cut grass Obituaries 6C already! PAGE 4A SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021 | The Sun | www.yoursun.com N/E/P/C BLACK Florida Jim Crow statutes FROM PAGE 1A In Florida, Jim Crow was legalized by a number of statutes. The following is a partial list: and a retired educator, having taught art at a number of • Courtships were prohibited between Black and white people. elementary schools. He also • Unmarried people who were of two races were prohibited from was a teacher at Lemon Bay living together unless they were married to each other. High School. • Schools for white children and Black children were conducted Gussie Baker: who, along separately; integrated education was prohibited in Florida’s with Bessie (Haynes) Bryant, Constitution of 1885. led the movement to desegre- • 1913 Statute: It was unlawful for white teachers to teach “Negroes gate Charlotte High School, in Negro schools, and for Negro teachers to teach in white making Charlotte County the schools.” first county in the state to • It was a criminal offense “for teachers of one race to instruct voluntarily desegregate. pupils of the other in public schools.” Here is the history they shared: • The two races were not allowed to ride in the same cars on a train; Gussie Baker said her use the same restrooms, sit together on streetcars, and use the father built the first bridge same waiting rooms at trains depots, for instance. connecting Gasparilla Island • In 1967, Sarasota had the following city ordinance: “Whenever to the mainland. This was so members of two or more races shall be upon any public ... bathing Black students who lived on beach within the corporate limits of the City of Sarasota, it shall the island didn’t have to take a be the duty of the Chief of Police or another officer ... to clear the boat to Placida, then be driven area involved of all members of all races present.” through Englewood and to Lee County where they attended Dunbar High School, which was High school, said Baker. They bus to go back to Punta Gorda, for Black students. were Isaac Thomas, Jr., Felix deciding not to march in the Roy Wiley remembered Johnson, Minnie Lee Mitchell, parade. playing football at Dunbar, and Gertha Haddock and Ron Bireda said Punta Gorda’s having to take long bus rides to Middleton. Driving them that founding and the early days get home, as he couldn’t attend first day was Issac Thomas, Sr. are the reason why the city the high school in Punta Gorda. The reason why Punta Gorda had a “unique sociology” at a “Roy was born on Ida was able to push back racism time when the South was so Avenue; from his front door and the Jim Crow laws that oppressive. he could see Charlotte High permeated the South, was She said locals grew up School,” said Eunice, adding it because the city had a history together, worked together and of unity. shared in the economy togeth- was ironic that he was barred PHOTO PROVIDED from attending CHS. “If you had a fish and I didn’t er, giving the town a “unique Eunice said Roy played have a fish, let’s share,” was the sociology,” she explained. Dan Smith, Martha Bireda’s great-uncle, was one of the first many sports, but sometimes way neighbors cared for each Bireda has compiled a slide- 15 who came to Punta Gorda. Smith led an all-Black survey missed the school bus. He’d other, Eunice said. show entitled “The Little Town team to lay out the railroad right of way from Bartow. Once the have to take public transpor- In 1885, when Florida passed That Unity Built,” which talks terminus was built in Punta Gorda, the town, then city, began to tation home, and to pay for the most extreme of the Jim about the early days in Punta grow. it he’d work after school for Crow laws, the citizens of Punta Gorda when Black and white his transportation fare. Other Gorda bucked convention, laws, neighbors lived in harmony. 1890-1892. He was a leader building the Charlotte Harbor times, he’d have to stay over in and racism, and decided “to It is based on the Blanchard during Reconstruction, a state Bridge and the Tamiami Trail, Fort Myers. treat each other like family,” House Museum exhibit. senator, and he helped to write and the Colored People Civic Incensed that Black students remembered Eunice. Bireda discussed achieve- the Florida Constitution. He ad- Association gave funds for the in town and on Gasparilla Gussie, who led the major- ments Black residents made in vocated for free public schools new Artesian well, she said. Island couldn’t attend Charlotte ettes at the high school and the founding of Punta Gorda. in Florida and established African Americans were High School, Gussie decided was a band chaperone, recalled • In 1865 Lt. Nathan DeCoster the AME Church (African top netters or captains; Punta to join forces with like-minded when CHS was invited to march of the Second Regiment of Methodist Episcopal). Gorda was the largest shipper people to desegregate the in Arcadia for its annual rodeo U.S. Colored Troops in Fort • George Brown owned the of fresh fish in the U.S. during school. parade in 1964. DeSoto County Myers, along with four Black Cleveland Marine Steamways, its early years, and buyers Gussie lauded L.A. Ainger didn’t desegregate until 1967, soldiers, established Hickory the largest marine railway in bought from both Black and who was on the Board of and when the CHS band got off Bluff on the Peace River. It had Southwest Florida. A major white suppliers, Bireda said. Education at the time, for being the bus, an official told the band a saw mill, store, post office landowner, he was said to own African American busi- a champion of desegregation. that Charlotte High’s two Black and a school. That area is now half the land in Punta Gorda nesses were located in the Although some on the board band members couldn’t march. Charlotte Harbor. and was one of the richest downtown business district didn’t favor integration, the “Everyone of the students • Dan Smith (Bireda’s men in town. He was a major prior to the 1920s. They in- majority did. said, ‘Miss Gussie, let’s get back great-uncle) was hired by employer of Black and white cluded the Ingram Hotel and In 1963, the first five Black on the bus,’” she remembered. Albert Gilchrist, a civil en- people, who were paid equally. O.B. Armstrong Grocery and students attended Charlotte So one by one they boarded the gineer, to lead an all-Black Brown asked to pay his taxes Restaurant. survey team comprised of Sam early when the town ran out of Some of the discussion Kenady, Graham, Fuller and money. turned to those who were Ramson. Their task was to • The Bailey brothers served missed, including Charlotte lay out the right-of-way from in the military, and were High School track star Thomas Bartow. In 1886, the railroad hometown heroes. The Bailey (Tommy) Jefferson Fulton. He terminus was completed. Terminal at Punta Gorda was inducted into the Florida Smith was one of seven Airport is named in their Track and Field Hall of Fame Blacks and eight whites living honor. in 1983. in Punta Gorda in 1885. He Bireda said “old timers” Baker said since more and began the movement to start a reported there was “no friction more people are moving to church and secure a grant for between Black and white Punta Gorda from elsewhere, a public school in town. (When workers.” “We need to educate people on there was only one church, Baker said “Black and white who we area.” both Blacks and whites wor- ranch hands worked together Eunice summed it up: “We shipped together, said Bireda.) on A.C. Frizzell’s land.” (A.C. live as a people and a race on • In 1887, in the midst of Jim Frizzell was a wealthy cattle hope.” Crow, the four Black people owner.) who voted to incorporate Punta Building Punta Gorda’s Gorda were O.B. Armstrong, economy was a joint effort SUN FILE PHOTO Elihu Justice, E.C. Jackson between Black and white people and Sam Kenady, who was the who were mostly fishermen Retired principal Eunice Wiley, first African American to own in the early days, Bireda said. past recipient of the Charles SUN FILE PHOTO property. “African Americans were Bailey Spirit of Achievement Bireda said this was extraor- involved in all aspects of Punta award, is shown here speaking Dr. Martha Bireda is often dinary, given the fact that Black Gorda life.” about Dr. Martin Luther King a keynote speaker at men in Florida couldn’t vote, She said they helped to Jr.’s lesser known speeches events, such as this one but they did in Punta Gorda. build a wharf, contributed that influenced the civil rights commemorating the late Dr. • Robert Meacham was to the city dock and donated movement. Martin Luther King, Jr. appointed postmaster from materials, contributed to N/E/P/C www.yoursun.com | The Sun | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021 PAGE 5C

OPINIONS Straight talk on Punta Gorda Airport’s future As chair of the Charlotte We welcome opportunities for businesses to may not always agree on County Airport Authority everything, I think we can (CCAA) Board, I am pleased lease airport land to serve their customers, all attest that our low- to connect with The Daily Sun cost airport model has readers. You’ve likely seen and will soon be seeking a partner to operate put us on this successful a flurry of news coverage trajectory and hard-working over the past six months the restaurant/bar space that will open in the employees have kept us as the CCAA discussed new General Aviation Center in 2022. moving forward despite potentially entering into the JAMES W. HERSTON unforeseeable challenges. FAA’s Airport Investment Charlotte County Given our resiliency during Partnership Program (AIPP). Airport Authority Chair took our cash reserves and We welcome opportunities this worldwide pandemic, I’d like to provide some made a proposed $10 million for businesses to lease our strong partnerships and clarification on discussions payment to Allegiant and airport land to serve their supportive community, I am related to privatization and Proponents of the AIPP say $20 million investment in customers, and will soon be more than optimistic about the board’s structure, and we have let over $1 billion slip Sunseeker. seeking a partner to operate the future of Punta Gorda invite you to stay engaged as through our fingers by not That’s not to say the upfront the restaurant/bar space Airport. we move forward. As interest pursuing it. That is misleading payment of $140 million that will open in the new Finally, I encourage The from the public grows, I am as the majority of that would not have been useful, General Aviation Center in Daily Sun readers visit www. planning to submit quarterly $1 billion value will still be but it would have opened up 2022. We are expanding airside FlyPGD.com/buzz to peruse guest columns like this to realized based on our current the CCAA to a host of off- infrastructure on the north our annual summary titled provide further insight. structure. One billion is the airport requests that could side of the airport in the “PGD “View from the Tower.” The While I was one of the high end of the “total lease have potentially diluted our AviEx” to attract general interactive PDF provides CCAA commissioners that value from market” based mission and ability to operate aviation, aviation-related a high-level summary of was amenable to hearing on Vasey Aviation’s market if the lease agreement did businesses and flight schools, 2020’s operations, projects, proposals from investors, I am indicative valuation presented not work out. In summary, which will also free up space finances, marketing and also at peace with the board’s at the November 2020 meeting, there was understandable for commercial air service to future developments — with collective decision not to and it includes $500 million apprehension about entirely grow. The CCAA is clearly a links throughout it for those pursue it further. in capital renewal and $125 changing our operational business-minded, forward- that want to take a deeper Our decision means we million to $300 million in structure, and the majority of thinking entity; evidenced by dive. Until my next quarterly retained local control; we revenue share. The CCAA the Board and Allegiant did our success to this point. update, please know we are not giving up our Part already has $500 million not feel it was the right time to The CCAA is an appreciate your continued 139 certificate to operate an in capital improvements take that path. independent special engagement and support airport. We are not handing planned with revenues, So while Vasey Aviation district, enabled by the state of our mission; serving the over airport management state and federal grants, and is no longer working for the Legislature, that owns Punta community and business to an outside investment passenger/customer facility CCAA, and the AIPP is off Gorda Airport. While our through aviation. group that doesn’t know our charges over the decades the table at this time, we are electoral districts mirror community or our staff. From ahead. Furthermore, CCAA still interested in growing the County Commission and the tenant who houses his will conservatively profit public-private partnerships School Board districts, and single-engine Cessna in a $160 million over 40 years on a smaller scale. The CCAA we are elected the same way, T-Hangar, to the travel leader on its own, without a shared is not only landlord to about Punta Gorda Airport is not Allegiant with 10 Airbus profit structure from an AIPP 30 business tenants, we have owned by Charlotte County. A320s based here, people say operator. concession agreements with In fact, the CCAA owns the things are operating smoothly In reality, the proposed private rental car companies, 2,000-acre airport property at PGD. In fact, Allegiant’s AIPP upfront payment of ground transportation and it would only revert to management exercised their $200 million would have been providers, the terminal’s food/ the county if the CCAA was veto power in agreement with reduced to approximately beverage provider, and Lamar dissolved. the CCAA board’s vote. $140 million after the operator Airport Advertising. While the CCAA Board Black history, America’s history, can’t be erased

Let’s try an experiment. Problematically, the image that mirror reflects require it to take a look. For 30 years, let’s require Problematically, the image that young people are taught is at odds with the one many of us that mirror reflects is at nothing about the moon. Let’s odds with the one many of scrub Earth’s satellite from cherish. Faced with hard truths, they us cherish. Faced with hard books and online articles. truths, they retreat to easy lies Let’s rebuff kids’ questions retreat to easy lies instead. instead. And no matter how and discourage them from many times reality calls them asking. Then, let’s assess the on it, they won’t give up the LEONARD PITTS and that the ketamine dosage result. over some point of factuality, comfort of those lies or make Miami Herald he received was based on a Does it change the moon? it has spawned two spurious themselves see that refusal to “grossly inaccurate” estimate No, it doesn’t. objections over reporter acknowledge a thing does not of his size. Does it change the Earth? teachers on Black Lives Nikole Hannah-Jones’ make it — or its impacts — Sit with that for a moment. No, it does not. Matter lessons, noting temerity in positing slavery disappear. You may pretend it The paramedics were looking The only thing it changes that some parents fear as central to the American does not exist, but the light of right at him, 5’7”, 140 pounds, is millions of us. At nighttime, their children are being experiment. The 45th it still shines in the darkness and yet, somehow thought there is a light in the sky that “indoctrinated rather than president was even inspired — of night. he was bigger by 50 pounds waxes and wanes, but they taught.” He later apologizes. in the midst of a pandemic, no And its gravity still pulls than he was. Ask yourself: can’t explain it. Nor can they In New Jersey, Rutgers less — to attempt a rebuttal, toward shore. What preconceptions say why the oceans rise and University is investigating “The 1776 Project.” and unchallenged, fall. Things — obvious things racist intrusions into Zoom Meantime, Ahmaud Arbery, Leonard Pitts Jr. is a columnist unacknowledged biases fed in — happen, but they don’t events related to Black George Floyd, Breonna Taylor for the Miami Herald, 3511 NW to that fatal miscalculation? know why, because they have History Month. In Tennessee, and Trayvon Martin remain 91st Ave., Miami, Fla., 33172. African American history is not been taught. a principal chooses as a theme dead at this hour. As does Readers may contact him via the only history — indeed, one As Black History Month for Black History Month the 23-year-old Elijah McClain. e-mail at lpitts@miamiherald. of the few fields in all human draws to a close, we are met slogan, “All Lives Matter;” He died in 2019 after Aurora, com. knowledge — whose teaching with a spate of headlines the principal, an African Colorado, police restrained routinely causes the sort of distressing and depressing American woman(!), later him with a chokehold. agita we have seen yet again in their tiresome familiarity. apologizes. Paramedics administered this year. Does anyone feel the In Utah, a school allows And then there’s the two- the sedative ketamine, and need to rebut Shakespeare? students to opt out of lessons years-and-counting temper the young African American Does any school let kids opt on African American history; tantrum over The New York man went into cardiac arrest. out of algebra? the option is rescinded Times’ Pulitzer Prize-winning This week, an independent No. But then, neither after a national backlash. 1619 Project and its adoption investigation found that police algebra nor the bard hold a In Indiana, a school district into educational curriculum. had no legal basis for stopping mirror up to the nation and superintendent cautions For every good-faith caveat him as he was walking home, What can Biden cut? There’s plenty President Biden has Nations of the past have not been years ago), and as the CBO challenged those who oppose notes, “$500 billion grants the Democrats’ $1.9 trillion able to survive massive debt. to fund activities related bill disingenuously dubbed to the arts, humanities, “COVID relief,” or the more What makes us think we can? libraries and museums and deceitful “American Rescue Native American language Plan.” preservation.” and possibly unnecessary if don’t have to reopen to get the “What would they have If not properly cooked, businesses were allowed to money, despite the science, me cut?” he asks. Challenge pork can be infected with CAL THOMAS reopen. When this money runs which Biden promised to rely accepted. trichinosis, a disease caused Tribune Media out and businesses are still on, that says young children Even The Washington Post by a small parasitic worm. mostly closed will there be are least likely to become editorial board thinks the That seems a good analogy more spending, adding to the infected. The Congressional spending is too much and targeted to state and local when it comes to the already unsustainable debt? Budget Office has said misdirected: “... concerns governments (virtually all run “parasitic” congressional There’s $86 billion to rescue that Congress previously about the bill’s costs are by Democrats) don’t need it. It worms infecting our economy 185 pension plans, which, as authorized $113 billion for growing across the political references Moody’s Analytics with nonstop spending of the Journal notes, have been schools, but that most of that spectrum.” examination of state finances, money we don’t have and “chronically underfunded money has not been spent. With COVID-19 cases, which “shows that 31 states borrowing that can’t continue due to lax federal standards There’s plenty more, hospital admissions and have enough money ‘to fully without causing serious and accounting rules. Yet the including massive amounts deaths decreasing, with absorb the economic stress of economic harm. bailout comes with no real of cash for programs favored vaccines promised to be COVID-19’ without substantial Nations of the past have not reform.” That’s the thing by Democrats. In addition widely available to the budget cuts or tax increases.” been able to survive massive about so many government to Planned Parenthood, general public by July, and That’s just for starters. Pork debt. What makes us think we programs. They never notes the Journal, included with possible herd immunity doesn’t even begin to describe can? have to fix a problem, only are billions to defray coming soon, the best stimulus the unrelated COVID-19 demonstrate good intentions premiums for the Affordable to the economy would be to spending. Readers may email Cal so politicians can save their Care Act, $39 billion for child open up businesses, allowing As The Wall Street Journal Thomas at tcaeditors@tribpub. careers. care, $30 billion for public people to return to work while has noted, most of the House com. Public elementary and transit agencies, the $15/ practicing health and safety bill has less to do with secondary schools, most of hour minimum wage, which measures. the virus and more to do which remain closed thanks to may lead to more layoffs Many who received money with paying lobbyists and teachers’ unions that wish to and fewer hires, $1.5 billion from the government the last other groups favorable to extract even more money for for AMTRAK, a bridge to stimulus go-round banked Democrats. themselves, without returning Canada (not to be confused the checks and spent little or There’s another $7.2 billion to classrooms, are targeted to with Alaska’s notorious none of it. The Post editorial for paycheck protection, which receive $129 billion. Schools “bridge to nowhere” some also notes that money again would be less expensive

Editor:

Watch out Charlotte County residents! A shadowy group is trying to steal your airport. The Punta Gorda Airport is recognized as one of the best managed airports in the United States, operates at a profit, takes no tax money from the county and creates jobs.

In 2018, this shadowy group employed dirty politics in an attempt to discredit one of the Airport Authority members who was up for reelection. Fortunately, their effort failed, but just barely. Then this shadowy group pushed a plan to privatize the airport and this plan failed. Next they went to the Punta Gorda City Council to propose the city take over the airport. That didn’t work either.

The shadowy group’s latest effort is a short-notice proposal to the state Legislature to pass a law that would change how Airport Authority members are selected. The proposed change would allow a small group of candidates who are friends of the shadowy group, but who do not represent a cross section of the county, to be nominated for the Airport Authority.

The airport is a success because it is managed by a group of experienced and dedicated Airport Authority members. The airport is not a place for amateurs with hidden agendas. If this shadowy group has a better plan for operating the airport, they should come out of the shadows and tell the citizens of Charlotte County who they are and what their plan is so the voters can decide. After all, it is our airport, not theirs.

Dick Solar

Punta Gorda

https://www.yoursun.com/charlotte/opinion/letters_to_editor/letter-someone-trying-to-steal-our-airport/article_84792f36-746d-11eb-8b04- 07b4cfe60930.html

Out-of-Market Press Coverage

On Feb. 2, Allegiant announced that its planned base at Des Moines International Airport (DSM) will begin operations on July 1. The two-aircraft base, previously anticipated for 2020, had been delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Des Moines will be home to the leisure airline’s 20th base of operations. The $50 million investment will locate two Airbus A320 aircraft at Des Moines International Airport, bringing at least 66 new, high-wage jobs to the community.

“Establishing a base in Des Moines has been an important part of Allegiant’s growth strategy,” said Keith Hansen, Allegiant’s vice president of government affairs. “In light of the profound challenges our industry has faced due to the pandemic we are especially pleased to be able to announce a new start date, with locally-based aircraft and crews expanding affordable, convenient travel opportunities and enriching Allegiant’s presence as a hometown airline in the state of Iowa.”

Unlike most other airlines, Allegiant operates an “out-and-back” network, with exclusively nonstop flights - meaning each day’s flying starts and ends at a base, rather than connecting traffic through busy hub airports. The base at Des Moines International Airport will bring additional flexibility for flight times and future route opportunities, as locally-based crew members return home nightly to Des Moines.

“From new jobs to new destinations, we look forward to partnering with Allegiant as we welcome passengers back with affordable air service that connects them to the places and people they love,” said Kevin Foley, Des Moines Airport Authority’s executive director. “While it has been a difficult time for our industry, the Allegiant base announcement brings excitement and opportunity in the new year.”

Allegiant began service at DSM in 2003 and currently offers 10 non-stop routes – to Orlando-Sanford, St. Pete-Clearwater, Punta Gorda, Destin-Fort Walton Beach and Sarasota, Florida; Nashville, Tennessee; Phoenix-Mesa, Arizona; Austin, Texas; Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

Allegiant, which employs more than 4,200 team members across the U.S., is in the process of hiring personnel to support the operations. The majority of the new positions are expected to offer salaries that are more than double the state’s average wage. Available positions will be posted on Allegiant’s careers website, where interested applicants may apply online.

https://www.aviationpros.com/airlines/press-release/21208557/allegiant-airlines-allegiants-des-moines-aircraft-base-to-begin-operations-july- 1?utm_source=AIRB+E- Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=AVVDB210204002&o_eid=2661H1181645I3Q&rdx.ident%5Bpull%5D=omeda%7C2661H1181645I3Q &oly_enc_id=2661H1181645I3Q

03-Feb-2021 8:00 PM U.S. airports' funding crunch – are P3s the answer? Analysis

Although the United States has failed to sell the idea of leasing its airport terminals to the private sector over almost 25 years since the first airport privatisation programme was initiated, various events have made the public- private initiative (PPP OR P3) more popular with municipal owners.

Now the P3 is shifting into other areas of operation, with people movers and consolidated car rental facilities top of the list.

Based on some short articles by the Reason Foundation, this CAPA report examines various examples, including a groundbreaking financial deal in New York, and also where this movement might go next.

US airports caught in a crippling financial squeeze

A recent article published by the Reason Foundation, by way of its ‘Airport Policy News’ organ, argued that U.S. airports, just like their global counterparts, are caught in a crippling financial squeeze. Their primary revenue sources – airline fees and space rentals, plus revenue from passenger spending – are still greatly depressed by the ongoing decline in air travel compared with pre-pandemic conditions.

This CAPA report takes these concerns, and their potential remedies, further.

Passenger traffic was down by 70-75% across the nation in 3Q2020 (just one major airport lost “only 50%” according to Fitch Ratings, and one third of airports were “performing worse than Fitch’s expectations of a 75% decline)”.

The worst hit ones were international hubs such as Boston, Washington Dulles, New York JFK, Los Angeles International, Miami, and San Francisco, and with Honolulu being the worst of all – down 89% from 2019 in the third quarter.

For all the attempts to introduce private capital, bonds remain the primary capital investment vehicle

U.S. airports’ capital investments are financed almost exclusively by bonds, in contrast to many global airports that have equity investors as well as bondholders.

But debt service must be paid, on pain of ratings downgrades by Fitch and its peers, which leads to higher borrowing costs. Well-run airports maintain debt service reserve funds, but when revenues are squeezed there may not be much left over for capital investments, such as for new terminals or the modernisation of existing ones, or for other facilities such as people movers, consolidated rental car centres, or new backup power systems.

P3s a popular and growing alternative

This raises, again, the potential for public-private partnerships (PPPs or P3s) for hard-hit U.S. airports to tap into – a popular alternative and one that is growing, globally.

P3s can offer an alternative to putting capital improvement projects on hold until air travel recovers, since they connect with private capital; a mix of equity and debt that in some cases does not require the use of any existing airport revenues or new airport bond issuance.

Consolidated car rental facilities offer a perfect opportunity

Taking consolidated car rental centres (ConRACs) as an example, the centralisation of car rental facilities, ideally adjacent to the terminals themselves (as at Reagan National in Washington and a few other airports), and preferably close to surface transport interchanges within an airport complex. Such facilities also help reclaim the huge acreage occupied by rental car lots, by shifting those operations into multi-storey garages.

Around the US them are being funded by P3s, including one at Los Angeles International (LAX).

Another example can be found at New York Newark Liberty International Airport. Indeed, there are active P3s for various varieties of infrastructure at all the three main New York airports, with two of them responsible for the total rebuild of LaGuardia.

Design-Build P3s are the ‘default position’ for the New York Port Authority

In the past five years the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) has negotiated four P3s, two at LaGuardia and two at Newark, which have collectively totalled USD11.5 billion in investment. Design-Build is now the default position on all PANYNJ projects, and P3s are sought for all major projects.

The company in control of the Newark project is investing equity and bank debt to build the facility, with the promise of a new revenue stream of an inflation-linked rental car customer facility charge in return.

It could reasonably be assumed that as long as the pandemic lasts, and for a long time after that, the use of private vehicles to access, and leave from, the airport will be the preferred option for the general public just about everywhere.

Newark Airport project’s revenue stream is from customer facility charges; the first to use a revenue-risk P3 model

The Newark project consists of a six-storey parking and rental car facility plus an adjacent quick turnaround facility for washing and servicing incoming rental cars – and it is accessible from the terminal via an elevated walkway. Best of all, the contract shifts major risks from the airport operator (PANYNJ) to the private developer/operator, ConRAC Solutions, which is financing the USD480 million EWR project.

Newark Airport's revenue stream will be a customer facilities charge (CFC) paid by each rental car customer.

Over the 35-year lease of the long term P3, the CFC will increase by 2% each year. ConRAC Solutions and its equity providers and lenders will depend on this revenue stream for both debt service and their return on equity. They have no recourse to the Port Authority, which means the risks are transferred to the company.

The EWR ConRAC is the first in the U.S. to use a revenue-risk P3 model. The other public-private partnership ConRAC under construction today at LAX is financed-based on annual availability payments made by LAX to the P3 company (Fengate and PCL Investments). Under that structure, key risks (including a future decline in rental car use) remain with the airport. Other examples will soon follow

This has all the hallmarks of a winning model. A five-year partnership has been announced with iCON Infrastructure to develop other privately financed ConRACs at U.S. and Canadian airports, using the revenue-risk model.

This kind of P3 adds no debt to the airport’s balance sheet and relies on no existing airport revenues. It should work for any facility that has a built-in revenue source, such as a new parking structure or an airport hotel.

P3 schemes for airport infrastructure are not new

Airports Council International (ACI) has acknowledged the changing level of demand for private sector co- operation in infrastructure that may have been “off the table” before – such as partial privatisations or creative ways of bringing in revenue in the short term.

In fact, such demand was noticeable long before the pandemic.

In the CAPA Airport Privatisation and Finance Review, published in Sep-2018, it was pointed out that there was already a multitude of P3 projects for a variety of U.S. airport infrastructure and that, as with long-established Build-Operate-Transfer initiatives, various derivatives were starting to emerge, such as design-build-finance- operate-maintain P3 projects.

Source: CAPA Airport Investors Database.

(In fact, not all of these projects were seen through to the end, and reference to those that did not is made at the end of this report).

The amount of cash available to municipalities to support their airports will continue to decline

ACI also noted that airports owned by municipalities must anticipate that those owners will have limited financial capacity to help them.

Indeed, that has been the case for the past two decades or so, and numerous privatisation projects for airports during that time have been conceived for reasons as varied as financially supporting flagging municipal waste removal from the accrued lease funds, plugging holes in pension funds, and even plugging holes in the sewerage system. Cities involved included Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta and St Louis, although none were ever approved. In part, that was because it was not strictly legal to do that (asset recycling) under the existing legislation.

That “limited financial capacity” is potentially going to gain more momentum while cities remain locked down and jobs are lost, and if immigration increases.

The 2018 FAA Reauthorisation Act was a game changer

Weighed against this negativity is the fact that U.S. cities and counties that own and operate airports now have an alternative option, thanks to the 2018 FAA Reauthorisation Act, which, unlike many of its annual predecessors, actually did something novel.

They can now tap the asset value of their airports via the relatively new Airport Investment Partnership Program (AIPP), which replaced the original and ailing Airport Pilot Privatisation Programme brought in during the Clinton administration in 1996.

That programme was one that had overseen only one successful privatisation, in Puerto Rico in 2017, and another which lasted for just seven years before it reverted to public ownership (New York Stewart International). (Not counting Branson Airport in Missouri, which was a private venture outside the FAA mandate).

The financial world is now every U.S. airport’s oyster

Under the AIPP, any government airport owner can enter into a long term P3 structured as a lease, competitively selecting from amongst the world’s leading airport companies, with financing provided by public pension funds, venture capital funds, hedge funds or the growing ranks of infrastructure investment funds. What’s more: unlike what was the case with the former federal pilot programme, there are no restrictions on how many, or what size of, airports can choose to do this. That Xanadu of opportunity was one the U.S. airports industry had never previously experienced, even in the heyday of privatisation in the 1960s, when firms like Lockheed and Pan Am owned airports.

The lease payments can be made annually, over a 40-to-50-year lease term, or the net present value can be paid up front, as was done in the case of the successful San Juan International airport in Puerto Rico in 2013, and was being seriously considered in 2018 for the St Louis Lambert Field airport (which would have been by far the biggest to date) until that went down following a political ‘reappraisal’ by the city’s Mayor.

However structured, the lease revenue can be used by the airport owner for general government purposes, including other infrastructure investment, which was not the case before.

Investors less risk-averse when they call the shots

The Reason Foundation article considered why financially strapped cities, counties, and states (such as Hawaii and Maryland, and potentially a lot more of them) might be interested in doing this.

One reason is that owing to the long term nature of these P3 leases, the investors might be less risk-averse to financing major improvements (such as new or modernised terminals), since they do not rely on investors as conservative as municipal bond buyers often are. And the risks attendant to premature investing would be borne by the P3 investors, not by the airport owner.

The ‘calibre’ of investors that have already run the rule over U.S. airports may surprise some

At an Airport Consultants Council meeting in Nov-2020 delegates appeared to be surprised by the calibre of those who wanted to lease St Louis Lambert Field.

The interested parties included four of the world’s five largest airport companies (AENA, Groupe ADP, Fraport, and VINCI Airports), major infrastructure investment funds (including AMP Capital, Blackstone, Global Infrastructure Partners, and Partners Group), major public pension funds (such as the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System, the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, and Public Sector Pension), and two firms that invest in infrastructure on behalf of pension funds (IFM Investors and Ullico).

Indeed, a year ago a CAPA report highlighted the “impressive list of firms” in the queue for that St Louis lease.

And they have been around for a while

Why are investors interested in these airports all of a sudden?

Well, they already were, albeit to a lesser degree. The twice-attempted Chicago Midway lease, almost a decade ago now, attracted some of the biggest firms in the sector.

Airports still have longevity, even if they are on life support right now, and that is what infrastructure investors habitually seek. Moreover, they have large tracts of land, some of which may not be built on. Under existing zoning homes cannot be built there, but commercial facilities, leisure facilities, business parks, ‘airport cities’ even, or arrays of solar panels are possible.

Many large and medium U.S. hub airports have a net asset value (after paying off existing tax-exempt bonds) of between USD1 billion and USD10 billion, based on pre-pandemic airport transactions worldwide.

How much those valuations would be discounted as of 2021 is uncertain, but in the context of, say, a 50-year P3 lease, the valuations would not be substantially lower.

So, although the proposed St. Louis lease fell through, despite strong investor interest and airline support, due to divided opinions among the metropolitan area’s business and government leaders, there will assuredly be other interested governments, as well as investors, when air travel begins a serious recovery. Not all schemes work out…

On the other hand, not all of the previously mentioned P3s went according to plan.

Denver downsized

A year after terminating a long term P3 to renovate and expand facilities in its landside Great Hall terminal (see table above), Denver International Airport (DEN) has unveiled a scaled-down USD770 million renovation plan. It calls for a less ambitious relocation and makeover of its checkpoint areas, and there will be fewer new retail establishments than in the original plan, which depended on concession revenue to provide debt service on the project’s revenue bonds. The renovation is to be completed by the end of 2021, which is two years later than originally planned.

It was in Aug-2019 that DEN announced that it was terminating, for convenience, the 34-year design-build- finance-operate-maintain P3 concession, under which a consortium headed by Ferrovial Airports was to revamp the landside terminal into a planned Great Hall.

After construction was held up due to a finding that the terminal’s concrete flooring could not sustain the weight involved in the planned construction, negotiations on how to resolve the delays and costs involved were unsuccessful. The problems must have been serious, given that under the terms of the agreement, DEN must pay various reimbursements to the consortium as a condition of ending the concession far earlier than its agreed 34- year duration. The project is now a public one.

Hendry County Airport in limbo

At the same time, in Florida the planned conversion of the Hendry County (Florida) Airport to a cargo-reliever airport for Miami International, the only active lease filed with the FAA presently, will require significant upgrades for the surface transportation infrastructure adjacent to the airport. Hendry County received only one proposal for the needed Transportation Infrastructure Analysis around what will be the Airglades International Airport.

This is the second privatisation setback in Florida in recent months: there was a tentative lease proposal for the Punta Gorda Charlotte County Airport on Florida’s west coast, but in Nov-2020 Charlotte County Airport Authority commissioners voted 3-2 to oppose the proposal, which included approximately USD200 million up front, with an additional USD125 million to USD300 million in revenue share over a 40-year lease.

…but the P3 is moving into other areas of airport operation

But on the other hand again, just up the road in Georgia, the Atlanta Department of Aviation issued a request for proposals (RFP) on 07-Jan-2021 for a company or consortium to design, build, finance, operate, and maintain (DBFOM) a new cargo facility at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

Responses to the RFP are due on 04-Mar-2021.

Six teams responded last year to a request for information (RfI): AFCO, Aeroterm, Balfour Beatty, Ventus, Engineering Design Technologies, and Holder Construction.

Recent long term airport P3s in the cargo segment have included an air cargo facility at Laredo International Airport in Texas. Which just goes to show how the P3 momentum is moving into different areas of the airport industry.

------

Acknowledgment is made to the Reason Foundation, Airport Policy News and Bob Poole for the original article around which this report is based.

https://centreforaviation.com/analysis/reports/us-airports-funding-crunch--are-p3s-the-answer-550179

Allegiant on Feb. 17, announces two new nonstop routes connecting Key West, Fla. with Pittsburgh, Penn., and St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Fla. with Portsmouth, NH.

The new routes come just a week after Allegiant announced its second largest network expansion in company history. The additions came in response to customer demand.

Also, Allegiant announced it is expanding the special limited route connecting Punta Gorda, Fla. via Punta Gorda Airport (PGD) and Rapid City, SD via Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP).

The route was originally planned to operate for two weeks in August, to coincide with the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota. It proved so popular, the airline quickly expanded service for the entire summer. The new route begins June 4 and will operate twice weekly.

“There is a lot of pent-up demand for travel to cities that offer a gateway to great outdoor experiences,” said Drew Wells, Allegiant’s senior vice president of revenue. “The addition of two new routes, and the expansion of the Punta Gorda-Rapid City route, reflects that demand. We expect them all to be popular, as visitors continue to seek ways to get outside.”

The new nonstop service to Key West International Airport (EYW) in Key West, Fla. from Pittsburgh, Pa. via Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) begins June 3.

The nonstop service to St. Pete–Clearwater, Fla. via St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) from Portsmouth, New Hampshire via Portsmouth International Airport (PSM) begins June 2.

https://www.aviationpros.com/airlines/press-release/21210605/allegiant-airlines-allegiant-announces-service-expansion?utm_source=AIRB+E- Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=AVVDB210217008&o_eid=2661H1181645I3Q&rdx.ident%5Bpull%5D=omeda%7C2661H1181645I3Q &oly_enc_id=2661H1181645I3Q

Feb. 17—Just one week after Allegiant Air announced it is adding 10 summer routes to Rapid City Regional Airport, the carrier said Wednesday it will upgrade the flight to and from Punta Gorda, Florida, as a regular route beginning June 4.

The route was originally planned to operate for two weeks in August to coincide with the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Drew Wells, Allegiant's senior vice president of revenue, said it proved so popular the airline expanded service for the entire summer. The new route will operate twice weekly.

"There is a lot of pent-up demand for travel to cities that offer a gateway to great outdoor experiences," Wells said. "The addition of two new routes and the expansion of the Punta Gorda- Rapid City route reflects that demand. We expect them all to be popular as visitors continue to seek ways to get outside."

The Punta Gorda route joins a direct route between Rapid City and Los Angeles International Airport beginning June 4.

Rapid City Regional Airport Executive Director Patrick Dame said the upgraded Allegiant routes and a new airline service from Boutique Air providing flights to Chadron, Nebraska, and Denver are great news for the airport.

"This was a very good surprise announcement that Allegiant decided to expand the Punta Gorda route. We've been working to try to get down to Florida for a decade," Dame said. "I think this will give a good opportunity to prove the market travel between Rapid City and Florida, and hopefully we can get it to expand over to the winter season as well."

Eight special Allegiant routes will begin Aug. 4-6 for the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, the airline said last week. The eight rally routes will offer connections to Rapid City from Appleton, Wisconsin; Indianapolis; Peoria, Illinois; Nashville; Pittsburgh; Grand Rapids, Michigan; Orlando/ Sanford, Florida; and Knoxville, Tennessee.

Contact Nathan Thompson at [email protected].

https://www.aviationpros.com/airlines/news/21210762/allegiant-air-upgrades-route-from-rapid-city-to-punta-gorda-florida?utm_source=AIRB+E- Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=AVVDB210218002&o_eid=2661H1181645I3Q&rdx.ident%5Bpull%5D=omeda%7C2661H1181645I3Q &oly_enc_id=2661H1181645I3Q

Allegiant Airlines Plans Special Flights To Sturgis

Plans nine special limited routes to Rapid City, South Dakota

Mike Botan / @Ride2ADV 2/18/2021 Airlines, Allegiant, Flights, Routes

The Sturgis Rally has already announced that it will be open for business in 2021. This year’s rally dates are August 6 through August 15th, 2021. With COVID still rearing its ugly head, some fear that the rally will become a super spreader event.

Whether 2020’s Sturgis Rally was a super spreader event is hotly contested, it’s clear that large groups of people in close proximity increase the chances of COVID transmission. But that is not stopping the Sturgis Rally from once again planning to host the event in 2021.

And now it seems that another company is getting in line to support those who wish to attend the rally. Allegiant Airlines says that it will offer nine special limited routes to Rapid City South Dakota’s, Rapid City Regional Airport. The company says it plans to “offer an affordable option to those who plan to attend the annual City of Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in August.”

According to Drew Wells, Allegiant’s Senior Vice President of Revenue:

“As summer approaches, we expect a lot of pent-up demand for travel, especially for places where people can hike, fish, camp or visit the beach. With this expansion, we’ve added even more service to destinations known for their outdoor appeal. Now, with Allegiant’s low-cost, nonstop service, travelers will have easy, affordable access to the cities they want to visit.”

New routes The new routes to Sturgis are:

Appleton, Wisconsin via Appleton International Airport (ATW) – beginning Aug. 4, 2021; and Indianapolis, Indiana via Indianapolis International Airport (IND) – beginning Aug. 4, 2021; and Peoria, Illinois via General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport (PIA) – beginning Aug. 4, 2021; and Nashville, Tennessee via Nashville International Airport (BNA) – beginning Aug. 4, 2021; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania via Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) – beginning Aug. 5, 2021; and Grand Rapids, Michigan via Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR) – beginning Aug. 4, 2021; and Orlando/Sanford, Florida via Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB) – beginning Aug. 5, 2021; and Knoxville, Tennessee via McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) – beginning Aug. 4, 2021; and Punta Gorda, Florida via Punta Gorda Airport (PGD) – beginning Aug. 6, 2021

With all the airlines struggling to stay solvent during the COVID crisis, it appears that Allegiant is willing to double down in support of the Sturgis Rally. What do think about Allegiant’s plans to provide more flights to Sturgis? Let everyone know in the comments below.

https://advrider.com/allegiant-airlines-plans-special-flights-to-sturgis/