Like weak stars drawn to a black hole, some of us just can’t help escape the pull of the vast Factoid-Void. Take, for example, the recent post in the Daily Beast noting the rise in gun-related baby names. The most … Find out how to read more online.

Another set of state school measurements is out, another set of so-so performances by Charlotte County schools, another set of reasons why Charlotte County no longer ranks among the elite school systems in Florida. It is time for performance, not … Find out how to read more online.

Schinus terebinthifolius is an extraordinary tree. A member of the cashew family, native to South America, its trunk and limbs curve in a fascinating, artistic fashion. It is extremely dense and is a super-fast grower, which makes it an excellent … Find out how to read more online.

We know of no one who is in favor of making designer drugs like Spice, Pot-Pourri and Kratom freely available in convenience stores and gas stations. The question is with regulation. In recent years, federal, state and local governments have … Find out how to read more online.

OUR POSITION: County, water authority need to talk, not fight. There’s a way to resolve the impasse between Charlotte County and the Peace River Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority over a $12.8 million repair/reconstruction project involving the authority’s 1990s-era water plant. … Find out how to read more online.

OUR POSITION: Gov. Rick Scott is opening the state’s pocketbook to provide more funding for children’s programs and that’s a good thing. But, much of the money comes from previous cuts made in those same programs. S uddenly the state … Find out how to read more online.

Change is healthy for any organization, but too much can have a corrosive effect. A week ago Friday during the annual awards shindig at the Boca Royale Golf & Country Club, the Englewood Florida Chamber of Commerce announced the departure … Find out how to read more online.

OUR POSITION: Spring ownership suggestion not only silly but disconcerting. Why, exactly? That was the question we asked after Commissioner Cheryl Cook suggested North Port should pursue ownership of Little Salt Spring. Frankly, we’re still scratching our heads. Early last … Find out how to read more online.

One of the most controversial housing developments in recent memory will come before the Sarasota County Commission Tuesday morning. The proposed 68-unit Lemon Bay Apartments of Englewood off State Road 776 has been opposed vehemently by people who live in … Find out how to read more online.

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, a new dispute burst to the surface last week and threatened to indefinitely set back the reopening of Warm Mineral Springs. Call it Jaws 3. Or maybe … Find out how to read more online.

The most recent Gallup poll put public approval of Congress at 11 percent, a drop of eight percentage points from the previous month and one point above the all-time low. Any bet it will continue to slide? You can always … Find out how to read more online.

OUR POSITION: The state should help pay to replace septic systems in environmentally sensitive area. There seems to be some momentum among state legislators to loosen purse strings and fund projects to protect the state’s springs, estuaries and the overall … Find out how to read more online.

OUR POSITION: Mental health care in Florida is a disgrace. For months, John Doe, not his real name, spent more time in the Charlotte County jail than he did in his home. He had six arrests in 18 months — each … Find out how to read more online.

OUR POSITION: The state’s approach to purging noncitizens from voter rolls seems nonoffensive enough. Let’s move beyond this nonissue. Last year, the Sarasota County Elections Supervisor’s Office got a list from the state identifying possible noncitizens on its voting rolls. … Find out how to read more online.

OUR POSITION: State and local drug laws are helping lower crime rates, new data shows. Two years after the state and local governments clamped down on prescription drug abuse, the efforts appear to be working as intended. A recent report … Find out how to read more online.

OUR POSITION: Up next from the SyFy channel: “Ghost Shark!” ‘Sharknado?” Frankly, we love the idea — posed by the recent over-the-top, made-for-TV thriller — that humongous sharks might be swept up in a tornado and rocketed through the air … Find out how to read more online.

OUR POSITION: Clearly, some good news in the thicket of controversy. The news hasn’t been especially positive from North Port over the past six months, but a few recent events should give residents optimism that better things are on the … Find out how to read more online.

OUR POSITION: Good for bats. Bad for people. F irst, a word about all the earthly benefits of the mosquito: They are a food source for dragonflies, bats, purple martins, guppies, bass, etc. Period. Otherwise, the downside of the Culicidae … Find out how to read more online.

OUR POSITION: While it hasn’t always been the case, the public-private Snook Haven relationship is working well now. The concept of public-private partnerships has taken a battering in recent years — what with you-know-where in North Port and you-know-where-else in … Find out how to read more online.

OUR POSITION: Spy in the sky? All in all, rather not. Will the state Legislature take the podium from Sen. Rand Paul, R-Kentucky, and protect Floridians from drone surveillance? Legislation in Tallahassee appears headed that way — and it may … Find out how to read more online.

OUR POSITION: Extending Sarasota County’s bus system south into Charlotte County makes sense, assuming the expense doesn’t sap other government services. That may be a big “if.” Charlotte and Sarasota counties have been talking about the possibility of linking county … Find out how to read more online.

OUR POSITION: Consumer demand drives business decisions. In a real sense, it’s up to you. In his book, “The Lexus and the Olive Tree,” journalist Thomas Friedman addresses the issues of globalization and analyzes changing dynamics between the haves and … Find out how to read more online.

“Man, you guys are crack addicts.” — Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor said to NBC Meet the Press commentator David Gregory, who asked Bush on air, “Who’s the hottest Florida politician right now — is it you or (U.S. … Find out how to read more online.

OUR POSITION: A cross-border bus route between North Port and Port Charlotte is a natural place to start. One of the positive things to emerge at a regional transportation planning meeting last week was a discussion of the potential for … Find out how to read more online.

OUR POSITION: Start the process for a short-term concession contract, then find a mediator who might work through differences over a long-term vision. What next for Warm Mineral Springs? It is an understatement to say the co-owners, who went into … Find out how to read more online.

The Englewood-Charlotte Library has been closed since October because of a reconstruction project, which is expected to be completed in April. The Oyster Creek Pool at Ann Dever Memorial Regional Park will close Feb. 4-25 for maintenance and repairs. The … Find out how to read more online.

OUR POSITION: City, county find common ground on a range of issues. The brevity of Friday’s joint meeting between the Punta Gorda City Council and the Charlotte County Commission said more about the level of cooperation between the two boards … Find out how to read more online.

Dan Jeffers may have left his desk in the principal’s office at Lemon Bay High School last Friday, but he’ll remain a part of the place for years to come. As he told the Sun in an interview last week, … Find out how to read more online.

Editor: Article 1 of the Constitution gives the president the power to issue executive orders. These orders can be challenged by the Congress of the United States. If they are not, then according to the Constitution they will become law. … Find out how to read more online.

Editor: Is this really how we want our country to function, by lies and deceit and a win-at-any-cost mentality? There are many examples, but here is just one. When the President was obsessed with the passage of the Affordable Care … Find out how to read more online.

Editor: Mayor Linda Yates wants to make half of Warm Mineral Springs into a park with sidewalks, picnic tables, bathrooms and recreation areas for children and adults. That’s pretty much what we already have, except that the grounds and buildings … Find out how to read more online.

Editor: I agree with the recent comment about publishing red tide alerts. We need to groom the beach areas daily as well. Our friends, family and visitors who have allergies or asthma need to know this information before planning a … Find out how to read more online.

Editor: Hysteria is running rampant in Deep Creek! The easily stunned “professor of constitutional law,” who wrote in, compared our president, who was elected by the majority of the people, to dictators. This is offensive and shows great intemperance and … Find out how to read more online.

Editor: Our government has too many laws, because our first response to every problem is, “There oughtta be a law.” Well, sorry, I’ve got one more aimed to stop Congress’s addiction to earmarks. Earmarks to laws are no more than … Find out how to read more online.