For residents in Venice Isles Estates, the storm on Monday, March 16, will be one for the record books. As soon as the storm passed over, neighbors spilled outside to clear branches, trade wild stories, and try to process what had just happened.

The scariest part? It happened to a local woman who never saw it coming. In the chaos, a sudden gust hit hard and actually lifted her clear off her feet. People watched, stunned, as the wind spun her a few times and hurled her fifteen feet before dumping her on the ground. The rain and wind drowned out any chance for her cries to reach help. Eventually, rescuers found her, bruised and shaken, but alive. She’s now in recovery. The neighborhood hasn’t stopped talking about it since.

The storm tore at least one roof clean off, and plenty of people admitted they were unprepared for just how quickly the weather turned. Meteorologists from the National Weather Service are reviewing footage and photos, trying to determine if a brief tornado or a waterspout hit the community. They clocked winds at 50 miles per hour or more.

Damage stayed mostly within Venice Isles Estates, but the storm signaled a big shift in the weather. Cold air blew in right afterward, causing temperatures to tumble by nearly 30 degrees. Cleanup continues, and emergency officials aren’t ready to let their guard down, and they’re advising boaters to continue to watch out for rough water and strong northeast winds that should stick around through the end of the week.

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St. Patrick’s Day is almost here, and suddenly everyone around here finds a wee bit of Irish in them, at least for one day. Even Englewood’s famous Dolphin gets into the spirit and goes by “Dolphin O’Dearborn.” 

You must check out the community art display, “Feathers and Flippers,” sponsored by the Artist Colony. This dolphin is “Strolling on the Beach,” a vibrant, playful work by Kathy Peters and Sydney Martin.

This issue of the REVIEW offers a packed lineup. It’s your go-to guide for all things St. Patrick’s Day. You can figure out your own authentic Irish leprechaun name (mine’s “Lucky McNoodles,” for the record). 

Don’t miss our exclusive interview with Lemon Bay High School’s band director, Mr. Eyrich. The Symphonic Winds just scored their 10th superior rating, and that’s not just Irish luck. 

There’s plenty more inside too: stories galore, and the best events calendar in Florida.

Sláinte!

The post The Latest Englewood REVIEW Is Here, and ‘Dolphin O’Dearborn’ is Ready for St. Paddy’s Day appeared first on Englewood Review.

She’s probably best known for making the Virginia B. Andes Volunteer Community Clinic possible. That clinic stands as a lifeline for people without insurance, offering free and affordable healthcare to those who need it most. To Andes, access to care wasn’t supposed to be a privilege. It was a right.

But there’s more to her story. Quietly and without fanfare, Andes made a series of anonymous donations to the Charlotte Community Foundation. Those gifts helped launch the foundation’s very first office. She never sought recognition. Her focus stayed on strengthening the foundation’s roots, making sure it would keep serving the community long after she was gone.

Andes brought the same determination to her career. She started at IBM in 1944, right in the thick of World War II, and spent 31 years there as a systems engineer. After retiring, she moved to Naples, where she gave her time to the University of Florida’s Extension Homemakers program.

In 1991, she landed in Fort Myers and volunteered at Southwest Regional Hospital. Four years later, she settled in Port Charlotte and never stopped giving back. Volunteering, supporting causes, she made it her life’s work.

This mural is more than a painting on a wall. It’s a tribute, a way to keep Andes’ legacy alive and spark conversations about what she stood for. It’s a reminder of how one person’s commitment can shape a community for decades. Her story belongs to Charlotte County, Collier County, and the Charlotte Community Foundation.

The mural unveiling is scheduled for Thursday, January 22, 2026, from 4:30 to 6:30 PM at 227 Sullivan Street, Punta Gorda, FL 33950 or charlottecf.org.

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This week, State Senator Erin Grall from Vero Beach brought back Senate Bill 1152, a bill that fizzled out in the Senate last session after clearing the House. The idea? If you’re behind the wheel, you can’t hold your phone. Not for texting, not for scrolling, not even for picking a song. The bill spells it out: “handheld manner” covers holding your phone in either hand or even propping it up with your arm or shoulder.

There are a few exceptions. If your car’s parked or you’re dealing with an emergency. Let’s say you need to report a wreck or something suspicious, then you’re in the clear. But if you’re just waiting at a red light? That doesn’t count.

Right now, Florida bans texting while driving, but this bill stretches the rules to cover pretty much any phone use unless it’s completely hands-free. And the penalties sting. Get caught in a school or work zone for the first time, and you’re out $150. Rack up three offenses, and you’re looking at a $500 fine plus a 90-day license suspension.

People backing the bill think it’s overdue and will make roads safer. On the flip side, plenty of drivers say it’s too much, arguing that it goes beyond common sense. Either way, the debate over how far to go to stop distracted driving isn’t going away.

The post Florida Lawmakers Revive “Hands-Free” Driving Bill to Ban All Handheld Phone Use appeared first on Englewood Review.

The FWC is handling the investigation, trying to figure out exactly what went wrong. Stay tuned to Englewood Review for any new developments on this story.

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The animals were rescued from a wildlife rehabilitation facility and are now part of the HappyCapys program, an educational effort that introduces the public to the world’s largest rodents. The sisters will be featured in events designed to build awareness of conservation and the importance of humane care for wildlife.

Each capybara weighs about 18 pounds now but within a year they will top 100 pounds, as they grow rapidly and love to eat. Capybaras are known to consume six to eight pounds of grass a day. They are semi-aquatic, able to stay underwater for up to five minutes, and live in large social groups of 10 to 30 animals. Oh, and they eat their own droppings, a natural way to process nutrients more efficiently.

The trio do not yet have names, and the society plans to invite the community to help choose them. For now, they are adjusting to their new surroundings and learning their ambassador duties. 

The HappyCapys program emphasizes the importance of playful and social behavior in animals, using the gentle capybara as an iconic example. The program includes interactive experiences designed to engage visitors of all ages under the guidance of humane educators and animal behaviorists.

HappyCapys Experiences

• Capybara Snacks and Snuggles, $99 per person — A 45-minute session where guests feed hearty snacks to the capybaras, learn about their care, and enjoy lap climbs, snuggles, and kisses.
  Capybara Yoga, $99 per person — A one-hour yoga class held from 1 to 2 p.m. with capybaras nearby, creating a calming and joyful atmosphere in a small-group setting with certified instructors.
• Private Capybara Experience, $750 for up to six people — A 90-minute exclusive session inside the capybara enclosure, ideal for celebrations, family outings, or team building. Additional guests can join at tiered rates up to 24 participants.

With their gentle nature, social instincts, and curiosity, the sisters are expected to become favorites at Suncoast events as the HappyCapys program unfolds.

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Born Suzanne Doris Parsons on April 1, 1934, in Medford, Massachusetts, Zipay was the sixth of seven children and grew up in Hingham. In 1953, shortly after graduating from high school, she joined the Rockford Peaches of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, where she played for two seasons at multiple positions, including pitcher and second base.

Zipay’s early accomplishments in baseball earned her recognition decades later, when she and her teammates were honored in 1988 with a permanent exhibit at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York. She also appeared in a small role in the 1992 film “A League of Their Own,” which dramatized the story of the league.

After the AAGPBL folded, Zipay turned her attention to tennis. She began coaching in 1973 and became a certified teaching professional, later opening a tennis specialty shop in Massachusetts. She was ranked regionally and nationally in the 40-and-over division.

Zipay moved to Florida in 1987 and, the following year, partnered with her son Bob to revitalize the Englewood Tennis Club. There, she coached players of all ages, organized community leagues and helped bring middle school tennis to the area, often volunteering her time and equipment.

She remained active in the AAGPBL Players Association and, in 2019, founded American Girls Baseball, a nonprofit organization focused on providing girls and women opportunities to play baseball at all levels. The organization plans to hold the All-American Women’s Baseball Classic from Aug. 1–3 in Durham, North Carolina — an event Zipay helped plan and promote in her final year.

“Sue was a remarkable, wonderful lady,” one tribute on her online memorial read. “Her passing leaves a substantial hole in the sports community and its history.”

Zipay was preceded in death by her husband, Tom; her parents; and five of her six siblings. She is survived by her sister, Dorcas; three children, David, Robert and Judy; six grandchildren; several great-grandchildren; and many extended family members and friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations to Tidewell Hospice or American Girls Baseball.

Arrangements are being handled by Baldwin Brothers Funeral and Cremation Society.

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