BSL Architectural Review Update
– December 2023
By Betty Ingerson, BSL Board of Directors, ARC Liaison
The architectural projects listed in the following table were either approved or conditionally approved by the
Burnt Store Lakes Board of Directors during the Dec. 16, 2023, Board meeting.
As of Dec. 31, there were 96 new homes in the construction process. Eighteen new homes have received certificates of occupancy in the current fiscal year (October 2023 to September 2024).
ADDRESS BOARD APPROVED PROJECT
NEW HOMES
24311 Contra Costa Ln H OME: 3,844 Sq Ft (2,670 AC). 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, office. 3 car garage, paver driveway by Quality Homes of Port Charlotte. Tile roof color Chestnut Burnt. Home and trim Shoji White; doors and gutters Turkish Coffee. Pool by Susa Pools. 16648 Acapulco Rd HOME with RV Garage: 6,583 Sq Ft (3,884 AC). 5 bedrooms, 3 baths, study. 3 car garage, PLUS 14-ft high RV garage by Rolando Sosa. Circular concrete driveway. Tile roof in Dark Gray; home color White; trim Muted Gray.
17544 Tuxpan Ln HOME: 2,849 Sq Ft (1,714 AC). Metal roof color Slate Gray. Home color Repose Gray; trim Sealskin. Concrete driveway, pool, and lake source irrigation by Gulf Home Builders. OTHER CONSTRUCTION
24122 Pyramid Ln ROOF: Tile-to-metal by Resolute Roofing. Roof color Gray. 17046 Torreon Ln ROOF: Tile-to-metal by CMR Construction. Roof color Mission Gold.
17427 Medillin Ct
EXTERIOR PAINT AND TRIM: Repaint front of home only. From Orchard to Dorian Gray; repainting trim in same charcoal color.
24134 Santa Inez Rd EXTERIOR PAINT AND TRIM: From Cream with Light Tan trim to Silver Bullet with Rock Gray trim by Perfection Custom Painting.
24224 San Lucas Ln
17343 Cayo Ln
17343 Cayo Ln
EXTERIOR PAINT AND TRIM: Paint home Pussywillow; trim Evening Shadow. Roof replaced due to Ian is Charcoal Brown tile.
EXTERIOR PAINT AND TRIM: Repaint same colors --- White with Gray trim; plus, paint soffit Bronze to match pool cage.
DRIVEWAY CHANGE: Paint concrete driveway with a thin layer of grey concrete epoxy.
16410 Pyrenees Ln FENCE: 4-ft high black aluminum, two rail fence by RFB Home Builder, LLC; 205-ft long by 6-ft wide with one gate. To be placed on left side of home starting three feet from front of garage to three feet from property line to back of stem wall on pool cage.
Our Annual Community Yard Sale is being held on Saturday, Feb. 17 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., and a map with the addresses of those residents participating will be available at the main
entrance to BSL off Burnt Store Road and at the corner of Vincent and Cape Horn Boulevard.
To that end, if you are planning to sell at the yard sale, please send your name and street address to Paula Short at pjsaved3@yahoo.com to be placed on the map. The deadline for submitting your information is Sunday, Feb. 11.
To ensure a steady stream of bargain hunters, the sale is being advertised on several online event sites.
Located off Rio Togas near Burnt Store Road. Sunday, Feb. 18 1 to 3 p.m.
This potluck will serve as our ANNUAL PICNIC, with more information to follow. Plates, silverware, napkins, and water is always provided. Come for the food and stay for the fellowship and fun! We hope to see EVERYONE there!
From My Lanai
As I write this the end of 2023 is approaching, and I look around me. I gaze off my lanai and onto the visage of the wider “neighborhood.” Just last night we were out to dinner and met several new couples who also reside in “The Lakes.” I reflect on those conversations of how we each celebrated our good fortune and our blessings living in this wonderful, zip code postcard.
Board Of Directors
Sandy Funk ~ President
Liaison – Long-Range Planning
Thomas Freimark ~ Vice President
Liaison – Beautification and Enhancement
Elisabeth Geltz ~ Secretary
Liaison – Drainage and Swales
David Todd ~ Treasurer
Liaison – Lakes Quality
Richard Hefright ~ Director-At-Large
Liaison – Mechanical and Maintenance
Betty Ingerson ~ Director-At-Large
Liaison – Communications
Liaison – Architectural Review
Richard Mathis ~ Director-At-Large
Liaison – Safety and Preparedness
Board Of Directors
Community Standards
Board of Directors meeting is Tuesday, Feb. 13 at 3 p.m. Meetings are hybrid meetings held in the Community Center and available by Zoom.
16500 Burnt Store Road, Suite 102 (941) 639-5881
Someone mentioned I was the author of this monthly missive, and the conversation began in earnest. I confessed that three years of creative words, framed from within my lanai, seemed to be drying up. I mean, I feel like I’ve written about everything that could be of interest.
But I was wrong. It came to me this morning. The ebb and flow of folks moving through and to this community will make each season fresh and new. The people we chat with
who leave and return north in the spring are just as enjoyable as those who stay. New friends are made with those who move in and relish their new adventure within the community as they nest and make themselves at home. I enjoy meeting them. I enjoy helping them. I enjoy laughing with them and pray they feel the same way.
As I look around from my lanai, I see new construction. I could be sour, expected I suppose at my age, and declare “change is unnecessary.” However, I choose to embrace the potential for a new friend, someone to wave to and say good morning from my lanai. (Special mention to Val and Jason, welcome!)
By Ava Ritter
It Was A Nice Idea!
Chapter 7: Winter
Warm! Warm is the word for winter in Florida … kinda. Well, at least it’s warmer than most of the country. And that is how we all like it – don’t lie!
However, it is a different kind of warm. Although it is warm enough to open your sliders, take walks, and ride bikes, it isn’t warm enough to heat your pool to the desired temperature. Well, I guess you could, but I don’t think many of us do that in January. I like the pool set at 91 degrees Fahrenheit. Some of my friends heat theirs to only 88 degrees but I would get frostbite! So, it is still a change of seasons, and that is enough for me!
55 degrees in the morning is now cold to me. A high of 70 degrees is a winter norm. But one day the high was only 63 degrees! I had to just sit inside and make hot cocoa that day, and I switched to red wine instead of Chardonnay because you drink it at room temperature. I made it through somehow, though. Now I put on a long sleeve sweatshirt in the morning. When I drove the other morning, I turned on the heat in my car! Jeesh! At least I didn’t have to scrape ice off the windows! P.S. I love to use exclamation points! When I retired, I raffled off my ice scraper. It was the best thing I ever did. Well, actually, the best thing I ever did was
quit smoking; so maybe raffling off my ice scraper was the second best! No, the second best was retiring, and the third best was buying a house here in Burnt Store Lakes. So, the ice scraper is probably number four. But it is still great that I could do it!
And don’t worry. In a few weeks – the end of February, the beginning of March – the nice summer weather should be creeping back, and we can get back in the pool, get back to our lives, and get back to doing the things we love. So, I ask you not to panic! Summer is right around the corner. We are so lucky to be here.
It sure was a nice idea moving to Florida! By the way, if you enjoy reading my take on the world, drop me a line at itwasaniceidea@gmail.com. I’d sure love to hear from you!
Stay tuned for Chapter 8: Places to Go By Matthew Szuchy Itwasaniceidea@gmail.com
Good Neighbor Program
Let us know if you would like to be connected with a neighbor. Neighborhood Watch is accepting resident profiles as a community service for those who may need assistance from time to time, particularly in the event of a severe storm or hurricane.
To obtain a copy of the profile and/or to obtain additional information, contact Louise Barrett at (508) 728-8002 or at lbarrett10@comcast.net. The BSL website (bslpoa.org) also has the profile forms and information available. Furthermore, you can register online at the State of
Florida Special Needs registry for “special needs” status if you have a physical, mental, or sensory disability and require assistance during an emergency. Charlotte County Emergency Management, along with the Florida Department of Health in Charlotte County, will strive to provide special needs sheltering and/or transportation to a general shelter. Mary Ellen Kiss
Dear friend,
“I Just Don’t Believe That…”
When I meet people in town, they usually say, “Oh, yeah, I know you, you’re that doctor with the beard on TV.” Well, perhaps I should tell you a little more about myself, the picture from television and why I use it in my ads.
Let’s start with me, the guy with the beard. Ten years ago I was living here in Florida. At that time my mother was down visiting from New Jersey for the season when she showed up in my clinic with a frozen shoulder. She was desperate and in pain having lost practically all use of her dominant arm. She could hardly fix her hair, reach for a coffee cup or even fasten her brassiere. Basic hygiene had become extremely difficult for her. She was afraid, because the two orthopedic surgeons that she had consulted told her, “Your only option is to have your shoulder replaced.” I remember saying to my mother, “I just don’t believe that.”
Now at that time I was a chiropractor who worked primarily on the spine. Frankly… I didn’t know how I was going to help her. I just knew there was a nonsurgical solution out there and I was going to find it.
And boy did I find it! I found the answer to my mother’s shoulder problem and much, much more. And where did I find it? Of all places, I found it at the birthplace of Elvis Presley, Tupelo, Mississippi. Immediately I hopped on a plane and flew into Memphis, rented a car and drove out to a chiropractic neurologist who was willing to teach me how to fix my mother’s frozen shoulder. I spent three days in his clinic shadowing him, learning a new technique I had never even heard about before. Eager to help my mother, I developed this new skill set quickly. When I returned to Florida I wanted to be able to immediately fix my mother’s shoulder.
And that’s exactly what happened. After I performed the first Non-Surgical Operation on her shoulder, her pain went away significantly and she recovered to nearly full range of motion. She was so happy that she avoided surgery and got her life back.
It’s strange how life is, because that same doctor who showed me how to fix my mother’s shoulder opened up his treasure chest of knowledge and showed me how to help people with chronic knee, neck, low back pain and those suffering with neuropathy in their hands and feet, all without the use of Drugs, Surgery or Injections.
I spent the next several months flying back and forth to Mississippi learning all that I could.
Many years later we now have over one thousand successful patient testimonials. Many of them were told by their doctors that their only option was to have their knee or shoulder replaced or to take toxic drugs for the rest of their lives to mask their neuropathy symptoms.
Al was one of those patients who was told he had ‘bone on bone’ degeneration. His knee stopped unlocking properly, similar to what I’m describing in the photo, and he was facing knee replacement surgery. He was suffering from chronic degenerative knee pain, couldn’t walk properly and was easily holding onto 60 pounds of excess body weight. His doctors would have eagerly scheduled him for a knee replacement surgery had he decided to go in that direction.
Immediately after the Non-Surgical Operation I performed on Al’s knee, he was squatting and walking up and down the stairs normally without pain.
Al is now in his early 70s touring Alaska in his RV. He has dropped over 60 pounds and is biking 15 - 20 miles per day and loving life. He regularly sends me great pictures from his adventures.
Joyce was told by her oncologist, “There’s nothing that can be done.” She would have to live with the chemo-induced neuropathy in her hands and feet. Hot and cold were indistinguishable and the numbness and tingling made it impossible for her to walk any distance.
Joyce was a cancer survivor only to have come out on the other side with another debilitating condition. She and her husband showed up in my clinic and told me what their medical doctor had said. I told her the same thing I told my mother, “I just don’t believe that.”
After a thorough neurological examination and report of findings she trusted me enough to follow my protocols. Within two weeks her numbness and tingling in her feet subsided and the feeling was coming back.. After 12 weeks she was feeling the sand between her toes as she walked along the beach again. At her one year checkup Joyce’s sensory loss had improved over 80% overall to within the normal range… She is all smiles these days!
You should know that I don’t heal anyone of anything. What I do is perform a specific non-surgical operation that resets the communication between the brain and knee or shoulder, instantly decreasing pain and inflammation, increasing strength and flexibility and helping with tissue healing. For our neuropathy patients we have a 4 step, proven approach that heals your nerves and reverses your symptoms. We get tremendous results. It’s as simple as that!We get tremendous results. It’s as simple as that!
Today in the United States medical doctors are prescribing more drugs than ever before. These drugs are designed to cover up symptoms as your condition gets worse underneath the surface. The toxicity from the daily use of these chemicals ultimately leads to nasty side-effects and more drugs to treat the new symptoms. The current “healthcare” system was built to maintain your condition, not fix it. It’s a brilliant business model for the pharmaceutical industry and the hospitals, but a horrible strategy to follow if one is looking to age gracefully.
That’s where my practice comes in. I have found a way so that more people are able to afford the treatment they need, even those on a fixed income with or without health insurance coverage. One Non-Surgical Operation in my clinic could cost what you’d pay for just the deductible of a joint replacement surgery.
You Benefit from a Unique Offer…When you bring in this article, you will receive a FREE CONSULTATION with me to determine whether you are a good candidate for our Non-Surgical Knee or Shoulder Operation. If you’re being seen for Neuropathy we will take a thermal image of your feet at no charge to you. This will give me enough information to know whether I can help you. Once we determine you’re a good candidate and you feel comfortable in my clinic the complete examination is only $197. That’s it, for the entire neurological examination & report of findings. This examination & report could cost you over $500 elsewhere. But, please
call right away because this offer expires on February 29, 2024, and I don’t want you to miss out. By the way, further care is very affordable and you’ll be happy to know that the non-surgical, drug free therapies and procedures performed in my clinic can cost as little as $300 per month. You see, I’m not trying to seduce you to come see me with this low start up fee, then to only make it up with high fees after that. Further care is very important to consider when making your choice of doctor because higher costs can add up very quickly.
“You shouldn’t be forced to choose drugs and surgery just because that’s the only treatment medicare and your insurance company will cover.”
You should know a little about my qualifications. That’s important so that there’s no misunderstanding about the quality of care. I’m the bestselling author of Breaking The Cycle - how to take control of your life when traditional medicine has failed. An amazon #1 new release in three categories. I’m a graduate of Life University School of Chiropractic practicing since 1998. I am a licensed chiropractic physician certified in functional neurology. I’ve been entrusted to take care of avid morning walkers, pro-athletes and business tycoons you may have heard of.
My office is called Active Health Brain & Body and it is located at 6710 Winkler Road, Suite #1. It’s the gray Key West-style building at the corner of Cypress Lake Drive and Winkler Road behind the Bank of America. The phone number is 239-482-8686. Please call my wonderful assistants Megan or Silvia today to make an appointment.
I wish you the Very Best in Health and Life!
Dr. Rob Davis, DC
P.S. When accompanied by the first, I am also offering the second family member this same examination for only $97.
P.P.S. Your time is as valuable to you as mine is to me. That’s why I have a “no wait” policy. It is highly unusual to wait more than a few minutes in my office.
My mother and I featured in a local publication for nonsurgical shoulder solutions.
his story of how he avoided a total knee replacement surgery. Joyce is all smiles at her one year checkup. No more neuropathy!
BSL Lake Salt
By Bill Kimber, Florida Master Naturalist
Salt water in Heron and Eagle lakes from the hurricane storm surge is affecting our non-salt tolerant plants. If you irrigate from some of our lakes, this may be why your plants may not doing well. Here is the science behind why this is happening.
Salt Tolerant Seaside Plants
This combination of desiccating factors in coastal gardens can severely stress a landscape plant growing in seaside conditions. Similar salt-related gardening issues may occur if you plant in the drainage path of a salttreated road or garden in salty desert soil. Luckily, there are plenty of salt tolerant perennial plants that can thrive in these coastal garden conditions!
When we say “salt” we are referring primarily to sodium chloride, also known as table salt. There are other salts in the world, but this is the one that most vexes gardeners.
Why Is Salt Bad For Plants?
There are three main reasons:
• Salt causes plants to lose water.
• Salt can interfere with plant nutrient absorption.
• Salt can interfere with plant metabolism.
How Does Salt Cause Plants To Lose Water?
Osmosis is the mechanism that allows plants to ingest water from soil using their roots. Roots are semipermeable, so water molecules can pass from the soil into the cells of the plant. However, if the salinity of the soil is too high the reverse can happen. Water moves out of the plant into the soil causing the plant to lose water and eventually die.
How Does Salt Interfere With Plant Nutrient Absorption?
Plant roots absorb a variety of dissolved mineral salts from the soil. Too much salt in the soil can interfere with the availability and absorption of vital mineral salts due to ion charge imbalances, competitive inhibition of absorption, unbalanced root absorption, and disruption of the internal osmotic balance of the root cells.
How Does Salt Interfere With Plant Metabolism?
If plants have too much salt in their tissues, it can interfere with the cells’ biochemistry, making the cell less efficient and less productive. Salt resistant perennial plants have adjusted their metabolic chemistry to run more efficiently in the presence of high salt levels.
For these reasons, salt tolerant plants do much better in saline environments than their non-salt adapted cousins. Salt adapted perennials are what coastal gardeners should plant in their exposed beach landscapes. As a rule of thumb, coastal native plants and desert plants or succulents tend to be salt tolerant plants.
Scientists have a word for the most extreme salt tolerant plants – halophytes. True halophytes are the kings of salt tolerant plants and can even drink seawater like mangroves. Most salt-adapted garden perennials are not true halophytes, but they are still better than most other perennials.
Some people further divide salt tolerant or salt resistant plants into “very salt tolerant or resistant,” “moderately salt tolerant,” and “mildly salt tolerant” groups, but most lists lump them all together. This is the description you will find looking up which plants are salt tolerant.
Growing Plants In A Coastal Environment
In addition to selecting salt resistant plants, gardeners
can practice a few cultivation techniques to improve the performance of their plants in a coastal environment.
• Amend the soil with plenty of compost to increase its water holding capacity.
• Water deeply from your hose to flush salts out of the root zone.
• Do a soil test to determine if you need to adjust your soil pH. Good soil pH levels can improve a plant’s ability to absorb mineral nutrients despite the presence of salt. A pH of slightly below 7.0 (slightly acidic) is good for most of our plants.
Note: Our BSL tap, or potable water, has about 330 parts per million (ppm) of salt.
Neighborhood Watch Information Survey
You are encouraged to respond to the “Neighborhood Watch Information Survey” as noted below on bslpoa.org, your community website. The information is needed to help the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office and our community Neighborhood Watch Program become more successful.
In 2018, 143 bicycles were reported stolen in Charlotte County – a number the Punta Gorda Crime Prevention Unit continues to try and lower by implementing the Bicycle AntiTheft (BAT) program. This program was created with the intention of returning lost or stolen bicycles, golf carts, and even kayaks to their owners.
When an owner fills out a BAT application while attending a registration event, information such as the item’s serial number and identifying features are recorded. The item registered will be given a specific identification number and entered in the unit’s database. When property is recovered that is registered with the BAT program, detectives will search the database to potentially determine the rightful owner.
Please list your name, address, email, and phone number:
Neighborhood Watch is planning a registration event in the community park sometime in March, and to that end, we need your input from the survey.
Please contact Louise Barrett at lbarrett10@comcast.net if you have additional questions.
If you have already taken the survey, Neighborhood Watch thanks you.
Are you interested in registering any of the items listed below? (Yes) (No)
Please list the items you are interested in registering:
Fun Facts About The Florida Climate In Winter
Whether you’re a Florida native or a relative newcomer, you probably know the Sunshine State isn’t always warm and bright. In fact, there are times when it can get downright cold in Florida, even in the far southern part of the state. Here you’ll discover some interesting tidbits about the Florida climate. You’ll also find some statistics highlighting record lows, average temperatures, and even a few unique wintertime weather events.
The Average Winter Temperature
In the Lakeland area, winters are typically quite mild. There are only a few days each year – if any at all – that might prompt you to turn on the heat. According to the United States Climate Data website, the average annual low temperature is about 63 degrees. During the winter months, this falls to between 50 and 53 degrees Fahrenheit. For some people, the cool weather is a respite. They open their windows in the evening hours to “air out” their homes. For others, 50 degrees Fahrenheit is too cool for their liking, and this prompts them to turn on the heat at night to stay cozy and warm.
Florida Climate Anomalies
Unique weather events occur all the time, and Florida is certainly no exception to that rule. Though the Florida climate is known for mild temperatures and comfortable humidity, even
in mid-January when much of the country is blanketed in snow and ice, it can get downright cold. Though official records only date back so far, the coldest temperature ever recorded in the state of Florida occurred on Feb. 13, 1899, when temperatures plummeted to a bone-chilling -2 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature was recorded in Tallahassee, and since then, it’s the only time a sub-zero temperature has been verified in the state. Wintry Precipitation In Florida
When it comes to the Florida climate, snow is rare just as it
is in much of the Southern United States, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t fall. On March 6, 1954, a record-breaking 4 inches of snow fell in Milton, which is just a few miles northeast of Pensacola. In 2014, the Florida panhandle was covered in snow and ice, bringing traffic to a standstill and causing power outages for hundreds of customers. And in early January of 2015, those living in Jacksonville, Fla., got quite the treat when they saw flurries falling outside their windows. Though measurements were only trace, it tied a record set for 57 years prior.
As you can see, the Florida climate isn’t always sunshiny, warm, and humid. There are times when it gets downright cold and staying comfortable involves using your heating system. Fortunately, snow and ice are quite rare, and storms such as these occur once in a generation according to meteorologists. Nonetheless, snowstorms aren’t impossible, and cold temperatures occur all the time.
Garage And Yard Sales!
By Ava Ritter
Based on my history, I should hate them!
I was a child of the ‘60s, and my sainted mother drove an avocado green Ford Maverick. She was a horrible driver, not getting her license until we were in our teens. I remember vividly the bumper sticker warning the world that she would indeed “stop at all garage sales.”
My mama was short, not even 5 feet, making it hard to keep her foot steady on the accelerator. It was like riding with a drunken sailor. The car would accelerate, then slow down, jerk, then accelerate again, and slow down again. However, if there was a yard sale on the street, we not only slowed down but very nearly ended up in a ditch as she tended to point the car in the direction she was looking. I could write a book about her automotive woes.
But not today. Today, I write to celebrate the yard sale! In my youth, it served as the first version of a mall experience or a consignment shop for our family trying to live on a budget. Who knows the original owners’ names of half the clothing I wore to school and to play? All I know is that I had clothing and shoes and occasionally a new toy, because it was placed in someone’s garage sale. I remember my mama’s joy at finding her deal-of-the-day as she stuffed it in her trunk and plotted how she would sneak one more thing into our home without dad being the wiser. We were taught covert maneuvers at an early age.
Now, here I am more than 30 years since her passing, and I find myself the cochair for the Burnt Store Lakes
Did You Know…
The United States Was The First Nation To Use The Term “President” For Its Head Of State
Once the United States finally secured its independence from Great Britain with the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783, the new country had to invent several things from scratch, including its form of government, its rules, and its laws – and even what to call its leader. The title “president” – derived from the Latin praesidere , which means “to sit before” – had been reserved for heads of colleges or ceremonial titles in congresses or committees. For example, John Hancock
Annual Yard Sale . It happens this year on Saturday, Feb. 17 . I am doing everything in my power to make Mama Ruby proud. There will be advertising, signage, and bargains a-plenty. I hope you will join in. Do it to purge items no longer needed. Do it to see what is out there that you had hoped to own. Do it to meet your neighbors and support a tradition from our youth. And if for no other reason, do it for me. My mama’s DNA runs strong in my blood, and I will be joining you as I take a break from my lanai.
was president of the Second Continental Congress. Before American independence, leaders of European countries were called kings, queens, emperors, dukes, or even Lord Protectors (during England’s more revolutionary years) but never “president.”
Article II of the U.S. Constitution enshrined the title “president,” reflecting the democratic sentiments of postrevolutionary America. However, the country’s founding document didn’t solve all the intricacies related to the title.
In the spring of 1789, Congress debated exactly how to address the president. John Adams, then vice president and head of the Senate, handpicked a committee that thought the title “His Highness, the President of the United States of America, and Protector of the Rights of the Same” (or something similar) put George Washington on even footing with his royal European peers. Many other lawmakers, however, thought the title too monarchical. In fact, Thomas Jefferson called it “the most superlatively ridiculous thing I ever heard of.” Instead, Washington opted for just plain “President of the United States.” Decades later, Haiti followed suit by naming its leader “president” in 1807. Today, dozens of countries use the title for their heads of state.
Reminder: Update your information if any changes are needed. You are the only one that can update your emails, phone numbers, etc. If you are not receiving your Monday email bulletins, please check your email for accuracy.
• 1620 members receiving weekly updates
• 1,084 website accounts
• Privacy and passwords controlled by member
• Multiple informational pages
• Weekly bulletin updates
• Email blasts for instant information sharing
• Bulletin listings of past notices
• Calendar with R.S.V.P. available for events
BSL information — documents, forms, etc., available
Wednesday, February 14
February Events
Guided Walking Tours
To The Punta Gorda Murals
Date: Feb. 6 to March 28, Tuesday and Thursday
Time: 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Check-in at 9:15 a.m.
Event Description: Join the Punta Gorda Historic Mural Society as we lead you on a two-hour walking tour of our beautiful city, stopping at our historic murals along the way. Learn about the local history captured in the murals. Listen to local stories and see historic buildings and locations. You will also hear about the Mural Society, see new murals, and learn about upcoming projects. Our tours use professional audio equipment so you can hear every word! Register early as tour size is limited to 12.
Location: Tours start and end at the Punta Gorda Chamber of Commerce office, located at 252 W. Marion Ave. Contact Information: Contact the Chamber of Commerce at (941) 639-3720 for additional information or to register.
Fees/Admission: $25
Recurring Activities
Trivia Night At Coastal Expressions & Wine
Every Thursday, 6 to 8 p.m.
1133 Bal Harbor, Suite 1135, Punta Gorda
Contact information: Lori Sandage at (941) 214-8599 or at loriscoastal-expressions.com
Dance Fusion Class
Every Tuesday and Friday
8:30 to 9:30 a.m.
Punta Gorda Isles Civic Association, 2001 Shreve St., Punta Gorda or by Zoom
Contact Carla Peralta, (941) 276-1887 or at carlap@hotmail.com.
Wine-O Bingo At Coastal Expressions & Wine
Every Friday, 6 to 8 p.m.
1133 Bal Harbor, Suite 1135, Punta Gorda
Contact information: Lori Sandage at (941) 214-8599 or at loriscoastal-expressions.com
Live Music At Fishermen’s Village
Every Friday and Saturday, 5 to 9 p.m.
1200 W. Retta Esplanade, Punta Gorda
Contact information at kathyb@fishville.com
Punta Gorda Farmers’ Market
Every Saturday, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Downtown corner of Taylor and Olympia
History Park Sunday Market
Every Sunday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
History Park, 501 Shreve St., Punta Gorda Email: 118pghs@gmail.com
Home Odors You Should Never Ignore
When you’re at home and something smells off, don’t ignore it. Any weird smell should set off alarm bells –remember, your nose, with just a sniff, can be more sensitive than even the most sophisticated scientific equipment. It’s your best tool to prevent a household catastrophe. Whether you’re house hunting or in your own home, here are some home odors you should never ignore.
Fishy Smell
If you suddenly notice a fishy smell in your home and you’re certain no fish has been cooked, call your electrician right away, as this could be a sign of an electrical fire. In nine out of 10 cases, a fishy odor suggests the overheating of electrical components. The plastics and heat-resistant chemicals used in sockets, circuit breakers, and wiring insulation often emit this distinct fishy or urine-like smell when they’re overheating due to a circuit fault.
Dirty Socks Smell
An unpleasant, overpowering musty odor can signal a mold problem in your house. Some people compare the smell of mold to that of dirty socks or feet. While mold can vary in its severity from being merely an annoyance to dangerously toxic, it’s important to address the issue right away. People with allergies and asthma are more sensitive to mold. If you cannot see the mold, it could be inside the walls or the celling. Immediately contact a home inspector to locate the culprit.
Cat Pee Smell
If you’ve been noticing a pungent smell of cat urine, and you don’t have a pet, chances are there is ammonia present in your indoor air. Ammonia is a colorless gas used in cleaning products and has a strong odor. Cats have ammonia in their urine – and so do rodents. An ammonia smell in your home may indicate there is a dead rodent in your house. It may also indicate that some your cleaning products are leaking. It’s important to inspect your home before you call animal control.
“New House” Smell
That “new home smell” might seem nice, but it’s actually volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) coming off new furniture, paint, and carpets. Those chemicals can cause everything from a sore throat or headache to a more serious issue, e.g., damage to your nervous system and even cancer.
Sweaty Stench Smell
If your home suddenly starts to smell like a gym, it could be due to bacteria growing in your HVAC system. This often happens in the fall and spring, when fluctuating temperatures cause condensation inside the system, creating an ideal breeding ground for bacteria. If that’s the case, you might need to call an HVAC pro or get a cleaning product made just for HVAC coils.
Smoke Smell
Even a slight, intermittent smoke smell shouldn’t be ignored, as it could indicate a serious problem. If the scent becomes stronger when using a specific light or appliance, it might be electrical smoke hidden behind a wall or inside a ceiling light fixture. In such cases, it’s best to call your fire department or an electrician immediately.
Sweet/Yeasty Smell
While a sweet scent in your home might initially bring to mind pancakes and syrup, it’s important to be aware of more potentially serious causes. A sweet syrupy smell could be a result of mold or mildew in damp spots, or it might be a refrigerant leak. But the most concerning is a sweet smell from a furnace leak, indicating a carbon monoxide risk. Ensure your carbon monoxide detectors are active and call a home inspector immediately. Carbon monoxide is extremely toxic and can cause severe health issues and, in some cases, death.
Dirty Dog Smell
If your house has a strong, unpleasant smell, like a dog that’s overdue for a bath, but you don’t own a dog, it might be time to check for uninvited guests like rodents, raccoons, or squirrels in your attic. These critters often turn your rafters into their personal bathroom. The CDC warns that this is particularly concerning with raccoons, as their feces can contain roundworm eggs, which are harmful to humans.
Beware Of Alligators!
Inhabitants of Burnt Store Lakes and nearby areas have encountered alligators from time to time.
If you cross paths with an alligator that … a. is in a place considered unacceptable, such as a swimming pool, lanai, garage, etc., b. you consider a threat to people, pets, or property, c. approaches people, or d. doesn’t retreat if approached, … please call the BSL POA office at (941) 639-5881. Do not feed or harass it. Doing so is dangerous and illegal.
Purple Martins
By Bill Kimber, Florida Master Naturalist
Several people have asked me why I have a number of gourds hanging from the top of the pole in my yard. The answer is they are nests to attract the purple martins. The birds prefer holes in trees, eaves of houses, barns, and any place with a secure hole for nesting. However, the most often used is gourds, while the other looks like a multiple story miniature house with holes. They have not taken to human made housing like plastic gourds or plastic houses.
Because some landlords went north for the summer in 2022 and forgot to take down their housing, Hurricane Ian destroyed a number of the purple martin homes.
and Cuba. They lose about 50 percent of their weight during the migration. When they arrive, they eat voraciously to build up their weight and strength for breeding. The purple martins are fascinating birds to watch and listen to, and I am glad to have been a landlord participant for the last four years. Want to know more? Check out www.purplemartin.org.
The purple martin species has been on the decline for several years, and the Purple Martin Conservation Association has been the leader in research to reverse the trend. Volunteers monitor these birds using banding, dataloggers, radio collars, and manual weekly hand counts to manage their progress. I am one of 13 volunteers in Florida who weekly record the lives and growth of the flock. We track date of arrival, date of egg laying (one new egg is laid per day), date hatched, weekly age of each bird in the nests, and, finally, fledge date. All this data is compiled and analyzed to increase the number of babies fledged each year. We share our success stories so other landlords can increase their fledge rate. We use weekly photos of what the hatchlings look like to determine their age in days. It is then entered on the sheet submitted to the Purple Martin Conservation Association.
In January, the adult scouts (2-year-old birds) begin to arrive in Florida. See map for the dates they arrive in other states. Our first birds arrived Jan. 21. The 1-yearold birds typically arrive about 40 days later. Ours were on Feb. 20. Last year we had all 20 houses occupied. The infighting for the last few gourds was quite intense. This was due to the damage done by Ian
Our numbers for the 2023 season were: 20 of 20 gourds used; 123 eggs laid; 102 eggs hatched (83 percent); 94 birds fledged (76 percent). Nationally the numbers were: hatched 71.7 percent; 63.6 percent fledged. We had a good year compared to the national numbers. We had one nest that had eight eggs, but none were fertile, or our numbers would have been even better.
The purple martins migrate each year from July to August, mostly to Brazil. Internationally this is being watched because of all the forest clearcuttings done in that country. When returning north, they make the trip without landing until they get to Florida. Some do rest in the islands
Stop Treating The Blinky Light
Did you know that only about 20% of your nerve fibers transmit signals of pain. You have 31 pairs of spinal nerves running from the base your skull to your tailbone. Each one of these spinal nerves has nine nerve fibers. Only two of these fibers transmits signals of pain which equates to approximately 20% These nerve fibers are the blinky light. This is why you show up in the doctor’s office. This is why you take anti-inflammatories and pain medication. This is even why you get certain treatments or have procedures or injections. It’s all to cover up the blinky light; the symptom, the pain, the discomfort. You’d like to keep the light from blinking so that you don’t know it’s there anymore. The problem is if you cover up the blinking light all the time with a piece of duct tape, your engine is still going to break down. The problem is that the breakdown will be much worse if you keep covering it up.
Well, you may say that’s great I get it, but...but I’m in pain and I don’t wanna be in pain. That’s understandable so
let’s talk about chronic pain. I describe it to my patients like this. Your chronic pain is a car rolling. And it continues to roll and roll, but it’s not rolling because somebody’s inside with their foot on the accelerator, no, it’s rolling because the brakes are broken. These brakes are the remaining nerve fibers that are not being looked at by most doctors. The brakes are the large diameter afferent nerves that have to do with muscle tone, light touch and balance. And when these brakes are broken or damaged, you will continue to have aches and pain and/or numbness and tingling until you fix the brakes.
This is how my clinic is different. We look at the brakes not just a blinky light. Because we know if we fix the damaged brakes, the blinky light will shut off.
Dr. Robert Davis, DC, DACACD is a chiropractic physician with training in functional neurology and holds a diplomate in addictionology. He has been in practice for 25 years. He may be reached at (239) 482-8686.
