These folks don’t just serve food; they serve up warmth and good company. Patti Griffeth, Exalted Ruler, summed it up perfectly: “We are very blessed to have such wonderful volunteers to put on our luncheon.”

This lodge sits in the heart of Englewood, Florida, and it buzzes with energy. Their history runs deep: service, friendship, and generosity are a part of everything they do. If you’re looking for a welcoming space where you can meet caring people and actually make a difference, you’ll find it at the Englewood Elks. There’s always something happening, from family events to worthwhile projects that touch lives all over the community.

The Elks are dedicated to collaborating kindly to better the lives of all Englewood residents, not solely their members. If you’re ready to pitch in or just want a place to belong, join Englewood Elks Lodge 2378, where community and caring come together.

Click here for more information.

The post Englewood Elks Volunteers Serve Up Warmth at Veterans Luncheon appeared first on Englewood Review.

Back on July 28th, the commissioners approved this project. The central issue of the lawsuit is a question of process. The plaintiffs argue the Board misused Rural Community Mixed Use land designations and Planned Development zoning, leaning on administrative approvals when they should have required full-scale amendments to the Comprehensive Plan and proper commercial mining and landfill zoning changes. 

In short, they say the County sidestepped the usual protections, skipping the public input and state review that should come with a project like this.

Developers, attorneys, and staff have learned to work around these layers of oversight, and this case is just the latest example. They also promoted the project simply as a method to restore an old citrus grove to a native preserve without mentioning a mine or landfill.

Englewood REVIEW sat down with Desiree Rabuse to break down what’s really at stake and to explain the intricacies of the case.

ER: The public notice for this project stated it was “only to allow for an existing grove to be restored to a preserve with native vegetation.” When did you and the other adjacent property owners first realize that this was actually a proposal involving commercial mining and large-scale yard-waste operations?

Desiree: We became concerned after experiencing substantial noise and dust at our home. At first, I understood the activity to be temporary agricultural work. After a former neighbor contacted me and explained more about the project, I began reviewing the applications, technical documents, agency records, County materials, and applicable regulations.

As I reviewed those materials, the project’s scope became clearer. Although it had been described publicly as restoring an existing grove as a preserve with native vegetation, the documents also addressed substantial excavation, off-site movement of material, groundwater-management measures, and the proposed use of significant quantities of yard waste or composted material in reclamation. Subsequent environmental and permitting documents described the proposal as a mine or sandmining and reclamation project.

Those differing descriptions raised serious questions for us about the project’s classification, applicable zoning and land-use requirements, excavation and setback provisions, and the proposed handling of yard waste. I then contacted County and state agencies to seek clarification and raise those concerns. The legal significance of those differences is part of the pending legal challenge.

ER: What was your immediate reaction, and how did the community mobilize once the scope of the Waterside project became clearer?

Desiree: We were concerned about the potential effects on neighboring properties and began reviewing public records, attending hearings, submitting written objections, and communicating with County and state agencies.

We also compared the applications, technical materials, site plans, agency records, and hearing testimony. That review raised questions about the project’s description, land-use classification, excavation, reclamation, groundwater, traffic, and the process used to approve the project.

ER: In your view, how deliberate was the notice, and what does it say about the transparency of the local government and developer?

Desiree: I cannot speak to anyone’s private intent, and I do not want to speculate about whether the wording was deliberately chosen to mislead anyone.

Our concern is whether the notice and approval materials adequately described the nature and scale of the project and whether the public received the process required by law. Those are legal issues presented to the court to be resolved.

ER: What are the long-term risks to Charlotte County if this method of approving major land-use changes is allowed to stand?

Desiree: My concern is that land-use planning may become less predictable if a project is publicly described one way but later approved with materially different activities without comparable notice and review.

Comprehensive plans and zoning regulations help residents understand potential development around their homes and businesses. This case asks whether the approval process used here complied with the governing legal requirements. These decisions can set a precedent for what happens in the future. 

ER: How has County staff or the land-use attorneys justified using Planned Development zoning for an operation that residents contend functions as a commercial mine and large-scale yard-waste facility?

Desiree: That issue was not definitively resolved before the Board approved the Final Detail Site Plan. During the July 28 hearing, commissioners openly questioned whether the project was using the existing agricultural and Planned Development framework as a “backdoor” to mining.

The record also shows that the mining or excavation permit classification was left for a later administrative process. Commissioner Constance specifically noted that a mining permit would not come back before the Board, but would instead “go through staff,” and expressed “grave concern” about relying on staff to make those later determinations. County staff likewise stated that the excavation administrator and County Attorney’s Office would later determine what specific permit the project required.

That unresolved classification and permitting issue is one of the matters we have challenged.

ER: As an adjacent property owner, what are your primary concerns regarding the day-to-day operations of this project on Bermont Road?

Desiree: We’re concerned about the groundwater, noise, dust, truck-traffic, odor, drainage, air quality, quality of life, and duration-related effects. The materials describe activities expected to continue for an extended period, including excavation, groundwater-management measures, trucking, the handling of reclamation materials, and property values. We already have documented, non-speculative issues that are corroborated by the record and a local Sheriff’s report.

ER: How could this project affect your property value, quality of life, and the local ecosystem?

Desiree: Residents have raised concerns about potential effects on noise, dust, odors, traffic, groundwater, drainage, wildlife habitat, and the compatibility of the proposed activities with neighboring rural residences.

Groundwater is particularly important because nearby residents depend on private wells and ponds. The precise effects on individual property values or environmental resources would require qualified expert analysis, and I do not want to assign a dollar amount or make conclusions beyond the record.

ER: The area is designated as a Rural Community. What could approval of this project do to the character and identity of the neighborhood?

Desiree: Residents understand the area to include homes, acreage, agricultural uses, livestock, ponds, native vegetation, and open land. They are concerned that extensive excavation, trucking, pumping infrastructure, and the handling of substantial quantities of material may be inconsistent with that surrounding character.

The issue is not an opposition to all development. Rather, it is whether this specific project complies with the applicable planning and zoning framework and whether the legally mandated process was followed.

ER: The Board of County Commissioners approved the project on July 28 despite these concerns. What took place during that meeting, and did you feel the commissioners genuinely listened to residents’ objections?

Residents raised concerns during the July 28 hearing about excavation setbacks, the project’s classification, reclamation materials, groundwater, and differences between the earlier Planned Development and the final site plan. The applicant and County staff responded, and the Board approved the Final Detail Site Plan.

I cannot speak to any commissioner’s private views or state how each commissioner evaluated the evidence. I can say that residents did not believe their concerns had been adequately resolved before approval. Our petition asks the court to determine whether the applicable legal and procedural requirements were satisfied and whether the decision was supported by the evidence required under the governing standard.

ER: What is the core legal remedy you are seeking through the petition? Is the goal to force a total reversal or mandate a large-scale state review?

Desiree: The immediate relief sought in this certiorari proceeding is narrower than either description. We ask the Circuit Court to review the County’s approval and, if it determines that the proceedings denied procedural due process, departed from the essential requirements of law, or were unsupported by competent substantial evidence, to quash the decision and remand the matter for proceedings consistent with law.

The court is not being asked in this proceeding to reweigh the evidence, redesign the project, or substitute its policy judgment for the County’s. A certiorari court’s remedy generally is limited to quashing the challenged decision; it does not direct the local government to enter a particular order. Separate environmental permits and issues involving other agencies may involve different proceedings, statutes, and remedies independent of this filing.

ER: If other communities in Florida or elsewhere are facing similar administrative practices, what lesson do you hope your legal challenge sends?

Desiree: Residents should look beyond a project’s title or brief summary and review the underlying applications, technical documents, site plans, agency materials, hearing records, and applicable land-use regulations. They should understand the relevant procedures, participate in public meetings, and raise important questions early so those concerns become part of the official record. The lesson I hope people take from this experience is that careful review and timely participation in the public process matter. 

The silver lining in all of this has been the formation of an extraordinary group of hundreds of community advocates who have come together. The experience also inspired me to pursue a career in environmental law. So even difficult situations can lead to positive outcomes.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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It’s been twenty-five years, yet who can forget that day? If you lived in the Northeast area of the United States on September 11, 2001, you’ll always remember that crisp, perfect autumn morning, with clear skies, cool air, not a hint of humidity. 

I woke up that day thinking, “This is perfect sweater weather,” and I threw on my favorite. My kids had already gone off to school, and I was just heading to a doctor’s appointment. It felt like any other ordinary day.

But if you lived through it, you know how quickly everything changed. At 8:46 a.m., the first plane crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center, and that sense of comfort and routine shattered instantly.

The confusion that followed was overwhelming. We struggled to make sense of what was unfolding; panic and fear crept in. I rushed to my kids’ school, a small, red-brick building in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, a bedroom community outside of Washington, D.C. 

I remember seeing the principal standing outside, speaking quietly with a man in a dark coat. The school was on lockdown, and the principal was handing students off one by one. 

As the principal went back inside, the man in the coat turned to me. “You know what today is?” he asked. I don’t remember what I muttered, but he went on: “It’s September 11. 9-1-1. That’s significant. Our lives will never be the same after this.” Then he told me he was supposed to be at the Pentagon that morning, but something had come up. Pure chance. 

When my children came out, I struggled to find the words to explain why I was bringing them home so early. I have no idea of what I said. We were all in a state of shock.

The next few days unfolded in a blur. Like so many people, I was glued to the TV, watching, re-watching. The sight of the second plane hitting, seeing the towers collapse, and the desperate faces on those missing-person posters in New York. I remember the firefighters and police officers racing up those burning stairwells, knowing full well they probably wouldn’t make it out again.

I couldn’t help but think back to my younger days living in New York City, working as a temp at the World Trade Center. I wondered how many other temps were there that morning, just called in for the day. Pure chance.

By the numbers: 2,977 victims died in the attacks, not counting the 19 hijackers.

At the World Trade Center, 2,753 people died, including people in the Twin Towers and those on the ground.

At the Pentagon, 184 people lost their lives. That count includes 125 civilians and military personnel in the building, plus 59 people on American Airlines Flight 77.

On United Flight 93, the plane that crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, 40 passengers and crew members died.

Many people would later share their stories of how they missed their flight that morning, or how they were late to work, and survived. Others filled in for co-workers that day, and were among the dead. Pure chance. 

Fred Rogers’ words come to mind: “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’ To this day, especially in times of ‘disaster,’ I remember my mother’s words, and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers—so many caring people in this world.” 

On that day, there were so many helpers. Heroes. The numbers are sobering: 343 FDNY firefighters died trying to save lives. The Port Authority lost 37 officers, and the NYPD lost 23 more. Eight emergency medical service personnel were killed, too. 

In the years since, thousands have battled illnesses or died from the toxic dust they breathed while working at Ground Zero. The casualties were staggering. But one loss that’s more difficult to measure is the loss of our sense of safety, something we once took for granted, vanished that morning.

Now, every year, we pause and remember. At first, it was impossible to imagine forgetting. We see the stickers, the yard signs: “Never forget.” But the world changes. Over 100 million Americans have been born since that day, according to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. They don’t have memories of that morning. They learn about it in school, from documentaries and photographs, from the memories of people who were there. 

What once divided time into “before” and “after” is slowly becoming history, fading, yet always present. There are annual rituals: the reading of the names, the twin beams of memorial light, retelling the stories of heroism and loss.

A Pew survey in 2016 found that three-quarters of Americans considered 9/11 one of the ten most significant events in their lives. For nearly one in five, the response to the attacks was a moment of national pride.

But events shift and take on different meanings. September 11 has shaped politics, foreign policy, and even our own identities as Americans. At its heart, though, it will always be a story of ordinary people facing unimaginable circumstances and showing extraordinary courage.

Twenty-five years later, the pain hasn’t disappeared. September 11 changed us, and that change is still unfolding. We remember, we honor the lives lost, and the sacrifices made, and we keep the promise to never forget.

The post 25 Years Later: Remembering the Clear Autumn Morning That Changed Our World Forever appeared first on Englewood Review.

Construction kicked off in December 2024, and crews aim to wrap things up by this December. With a $24.5 million price tag, they aren’t just rebuilding. This time, they’re making the place sturdier than ever to stand up to hurricanes.

District 5 commissioner Joe Tiseo spelled out what’s different. He pointed to the raised foundation and said, “If a storm surge ever damages this structure, then the county has far bigger problems to worry about. We’re putting everything we’ve learned from recent storms into this project. Resiliency is our focus. We want facilities that don’t just survive but actually save taxpayers money in the long run.”

The project replaces a facility that had seen better days and had taken a beating from hurricanes. This new recreation center will rise on the same spot but expand to about 20,000 square feet, roomy enough to handle Port Charlotte’s growing needs for years ahead. Designers created the building with future storms in mind. It’s elevated and built to a tougher “code plus” standard.

The center’s layout puts event and meeting spaces at the heart, with a full-service kitchen, a large event room, a flexible meeting room that can divide as needed, office space for staff, and a separate conference room for public use. Outside, you’ll find a raised walkway that lets people stroll beneath the elevated building, a covered drop-off zone, and wide deck space facing the water, perfect for gatherings with a view.

If all goes according to plan, people can dive into the new pool and explore the upgraded rec center by February or March 2027.

Click here for more information.

The post Rising Stronger: Port Charlotte Beach Park’s $24.5M Resilient Rebuild Nears December Finish appeared first on Englewood Review.

Nationwide, the country has logged 2,318 confirmed measles cases so far this year, already more than all of 2025, which had 2,289. That’s the highest level the U.S. has seen in 35 years. You must go back to the early ’90s to find over 2,300 cases in a single year.

Young people are getting hit the hardest. Kids and teens ages 5 to 19 account for nearly half of all reported cases, 49%, to be exact. Most of them, about 93%, were unvaccinated.

Just seven states have avoided measles entirely in 2026: Arkansas, Hawaii, Indiana, Mississippi, Nevada, New Hampshire, and West Virginia.

Florida sits at number five in confirmed measles cases this year, with 141 cases so far. Most of these trace back to Collier County, where an outbreak at Ave Maria University sparked a surge earlier this year.

Topping the list, South Carolina leads with 670 cases, followed by Utah at 522. Texas and Virginia have also seen high numbers, with 188 and 176 cases, respectively.

Public health experts say communities need a 95% MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccination rate for herd immunity. Florida, though, is lagging. It ranks 38th in the country for vaccination rates among kindergarteners, with only about 88.8% vaccinated in the 2024-25 school year.

Florida’s spike in measles cases is dramatic, a jump from just 8 in 2025 to 141 confirmed in 2026. Florida’s Department of Health has recorded up to 155 measles cases, though 14 still await confirmation.

Collier County accounts for most cases in Florida. Pinellas and Duval counties follow, tied for second, each with six confirmed cases. Other counties in the Tampa Bay area, like Polk, Hillsborough, Manatee, and Pasco, also reported cases.

The post Florida Now a Top U.S. Measles Hotspot in Historic 35-Year Outbreak High appeared first on Englewood Review.

The program is called Gateside by TSA PreCheck. It’s marketed as a perk for trusted travelers, letting non-flyers get past security, back to the gates to greet people, say goodbye, kill time with friends on a layover, or just enjoy the restaurants and shops on the other side.

Although the TSA is not currently including Florida airports on the list, the agency states it is closely monitoring the pilot program and intends to expand Gateside to additional airports in the upcoming months. For now, it’s a small but meaningful change for anyone who remembers what airports used to feel like, and who’s missed that simple gesture of meeting someone right at the gate.

As of now, Gateside passes are available at thirteen airports around the country:

• Mesa Gateway Airport in Mesa, Arizona 
• John Glenn Columbus International Airport in Columbus, Ohio 
• Dallas Fort Worth International Airport in Dallas, Texas 
• Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport in Detroit, Michigan 
• Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport in Wichita, Kansas 
• Indianapolis International Airport in Indianapolis, Indiana 
• Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada 
• Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, California 
• Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport in Little Rock, Arkansas 
• Will Rogers International Airport in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 
• Eppley Airfield in Omaha, Nebraska 
• San Diego International Airport in San Diego, California 
• Salt Lake City International Airport in Salt Lake City, Utah

If you get a pass, you still must follow airport rules, just like everyone else. TSA says you’re subject to all posted regulations and the airport’s code of conduct. Break the rules, and you risk losing your pass, getting kicked out, or worse, facing fines or criminal charges.

If you’ve already got TSA PreCheck or a Known Traveler Number (KTN), you can apply for a Gateside pass online one to three days before heading to the airport. If you’re approved, you’ll go through TSA screening just like ticketed travelers. Keep in mind, though, not everyone can get a pass every day, as airports set a daily limit, and they can pause the program anytime.

The post TSA Opens Terminal Doors to Non-Flying Visitors for the First Time in 25 Years appeared first on Englewood Review.

Every dollar goes right back to supporting our veterans, military personnel, and local kids. If you’re looking for a night full of fun and laughter, you don’t want to miss this. For more details, call 941-697-3616.

The American Legion Post has always opened its doors to veterans from every branch of the Armed Forces. They welcome any military member serving our country.

Click here for more information.

The post Cluckin’ Couture: Grab Your Appetite for The Rotonda West American Legion’s Redneck Fashion Show and ½ Baked Dinner appeared first on Englewood Review.

Pasco County leads Florida with an average download speed of 479.8 mbps, while Holmes County lands at the bottom with 155.6 mbps, a long way from Charlotte’s numbers.

The study also highlights a gap between urban and rural counties. Metro areas in Florida average 410.8 mbps, while rural counties lag at 294.0 mbps. Still, speeds are improving statewide, climbing over 60% since early 2023. Faro, a team focused on AI readiness, conducted the study by analyzing data from over 4.5 million devices across 3,144 counties using Speedtest by Ookla.

Why do speeds vary so much? It isn’t always clear. Sometimes, living near ISP base stations or having next-generation fiber in your home makes the difference. ISPs like Comcast focus on building high-speed networks in places like Charlotte County, especially when they expect population growth. Most new homes here have fiber connectivity.

Charlotte County’s population keeps rising. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates over 212,000 residents by 2025, a jump of 16.3% since 2020. And Comcast is investing in that future, too, announcing $15 million to build and expand its high-speed network in Charlotte at the start of 2025. That’s part of a bigger push to bring faster connections to counties across Florida, including both Charlotte and Highlands.

The post Charlotte County Blazes Ahead with Southwest Florida’s Fastest Internet Speeds, Cracking the National Top 25 appeared first on Englewood Review.

Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell didn’t hide his anger. “I am very disappointed. Today the criminals are jumping up and down for joy,” he wrote in an email. “Again, politicians are having knee-jerk reactions to something that really isn’t a problem. They’re ignoring the true benefit of this technology and how we’re using it.” 

Prummell argued that, as with any system, if someone abuses it, accountability should be imposed, just like with every other part of the criminal justice system. But to him, removing these cameras is cutting off a valuable tool. “You just seriously crippled law enforcement by limiting the use of a great crime-fighting tool. Criminals use technology to break the law—we need it to catch them. These cameras have contributed to all-time low crime rates and high clearance rates.”

On the other hand, Cape Coral Police Department Chief Anthony Sizemore responded differently. He announced his department would stop using the license plate-reading technology. Sizemore explained his decision on the department’s website. “For over a decade, we’ve used automated license plate readers responsibly as just one tool of many. They’ve helped solve countless crimes, from homicides to stolen cars, and helped us find missing people. It’s a tool—nothing more and nothing less,” he wrote. Sizemore stressed good police work still matters most, but said this technology makes that work more effective.

He also recognized the public’s concerns about privacy, data use, and accountability. He said his department spent years making sure it used this technology responsibly and in line with people’s constitutional rights. “But the environment in Florida has changed,” Sizemore wrote.

He pointed out that the governor supports law enforcement and the mission but wants the Legislature to set clear statewide rules and safeguards for license plate readers. With the Department of Transportation taking action without those laws in place, Sizemore said, “I don’t believe local law enforcement should be left to navigate that uncertainty on its own. For that reason, I have made the decision to discontinue the use of ALPR technology by the Cape Coral Police Department.”

Sizemore emphasized he doesn’t think the cameras are inherently bad or abused in his department. “And we’re not abandoning a tool that works. But I believe it’s time for elected officials in Tallahassee to establish a clear legal framework for the responsible use of this technology. Give law enforcement the guardrails. Establish the standards.”

The post Florida Pulls Plug on Flock Cameras, Leaving SWFL Law Enforcement Divided appeared first on Englewood Review.

As crews raced south, they could already see the smoke. Not just a thin trail, but a column of thick, black, and rising high. By the time they pulled up, an RV sat off to the right shoulder, flames tearing through it. The RV’s trailer, loaded up with ATVs, was right behind, still untouched.

Firefighters went to work fast, shutting down the southbound exit ramp for safety. The fire didn’t stand a chance; the crew knocked it down before the trailer or the ATVs caught fire. They checked out one person at the scene, and that person went home instead of to the hospital. In the end, the cause, according to the fire marshal, was accidental mechanical failure.

Before you take your RV out, check the basics: engine, fuel lines, electrical systems. If you spot any leaks, smell something odd, or notice warning lights, don’t ignore them. And always keep a working fire extinguisher within reach.

The aerial shots of the fire? You can thank one of their battalion chiefs, who captured those photos while flying overhead on his day off.

Here’s the rundown:

Time and Location: September 4, 10:31 a.m., I-75 southbound, just after the Kings Highway exit (Exit 170).

What happened: An RV traveling south caught fire. It was towing a trailer full of ATVs. The RV burned, but firefighters saved the trailer and everything in it.

Traffic: The southbound exit ramp was closed.

Injuries: One person evaluated, no one hospitalized.

Cause: Accidental, mechanical.

Responding Units: Engine 8, Engine 11, Medic 2, Battalion 2, County 2, and the county fire marshal.

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