North Port News

Christine R. Shannon, 85, of Port Charlotte, Fla., passed away peacefully Saturday, May 4, 2013, in her home, surrounded by family.

The state's unemployment numbers fell to 7.2 percent in April, still below the national average, as more people are finding work in the Sunshine State.

Additional charges have been filed against a former Sarasota County School Board IT employee arrested in late January on multiple counts of possession of child pornography, just days before he was scheduled to take a plea deal in the case.

Planning and Zoning Advisory Board members shot down a proposed assisted-living facility eyed for a neighborhood near Salford Boulevard Thursday, just days after a larger ALF garnered near universal praise from North Port city commissioners and the public.

Employing "something old" in its recent fundraising campaign, the United Way of Charlotte County soared past its goal of $900,000, reaching $944,000. "I don't know what exactly to attribute it to," said executive director Carrie Blackwell Hussey.

Marco's Pizza will provide food at the North Port Neighborhood Watch Block Picnic, set for noon Saturday, May 18 at Atwater Community Park.

While some parents are lamenting the imminent departure of Imagine School at North Port principal Justin Matthews, others will help pick the next leader of the city's only charter school.

Additional charges have been filed against a Sarasota County School Board IT employee arrested in late January on multiple counts of possession of child pornography, just days before he was scheduled to take a plea deal in the case.

With state Rep. Doug Holder, R-Venice, facing term limits next year, Dr. Julio Gonzalez, an orthopedic surgeon from Venice, is off to an impressive head start as he looks to represent parts of Sarasota County.

After not being reappointed to a city advisory board, Ken Maturo believes he was "blatantly snubbed" by the same city commissioners whom he publicly criticized for their actions.

The state attorney's office said Tuesday that more charges will be filed against Janeene Jones and Matthew Smith in connection with their elaborate real estate scam that officials say swindled dozens of North Port families out of thousands of dollars.

The Glendale Common Council on Monday learned that the Wisconsin Department of Transportation is focusing on conceptual plans that would shift Interstate 43 to the east between Bender and Daphne roads and widen that section of North Port Washington Road to four lanes.

Would you be willing to pay more to rent the George Mullen Activity Center, or pay more for a building permit if it meant maintaining the quality of life that first drew you to North Port in the first place? It's a question city commissioners will start to wrestle with soon, following a Monday presentation by city staff that focused on when they ... (more)

A 24-year-old Port Charlotte pharmacy technician was arrested Wednesday in Lee County for allegedly stealing liquid narcotics and replacing them with sterile water while working at HealthPark Medical Center in Fort Myers.

If 14-year-old budding actor Justin "Jay" Harrington wants to go to the New York Film Academy Acting Camp in Orlando next month, he's got to sell a lot of Origami Owl jewelry.

SUN PHOTO BY SUE PAQUIN On Saturday, the Kiwanis Club Division 18 South held its annual prayer breakfast held at the Port Charlotte Elks Lodge.

As the city of North Port and Sarasota County continue to hammer out an interlocal agreement on the future operation of Warm Mineral Springs Day Spa, one city commissioner wants to make the county an offer to purchase its share of the local tourist attraction.

SUN PHOTO BY ANNE KLOCKENKEMPER, annek@sun-herald.com The exterior of the new, larger fellowship hall at St.

Imagine School at North Port will pay about $280,000 less to its parent company annually, following an agreement reached in mediation by both parties earlier this week.

Zachary Joseph Porter, 34, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of intoxicants at 3:29 p.m. May 2, in the area of Northeast Norton Avenue and Northeast 12th Street.