🌱 How one engineer’s gamble helped connect Punta Gorda to Charlotte Harbor

Morning Charlotte Harbor! We've got the scoop on the latest happenings in town. Read on to get looped in. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

• How one engineer’s gamble helped connect Punta Gorda to Charlotte Harbor

Also on today's calendar: FORT MYERS / S.W.F.L. JobLink 2026 Job Fair Happening 4/29 .

Today's riddle: What did the inventor of the knock-knock joke win? 🤔 (Answer below!)

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Weather forecast:

• Friday: Sunny with record-tying heat, with a high of 90 and low of 66 degrees. 🌶 Hot!
• Saturday: Sunny to partly cloudy, temps: high: 90, low: 65.
• Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high of 89 and low of 66 degrees.

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📰 News we're reading

• HISTORY COLUMN: The civil engineer who helped 'jumpstart' Charlotte County's future (yoursun.com) — A key early infrastructure push linking Punta Gorda to the Charlotte Harbor community came from civil engineer William Monson Whitten, who helped complete the first Peace River bridge and served on Charlotte County’s first commission. This history column also highlights local resources like the Charlotte County Historical Society, library archives, and upcoming Hibiscus Festival, inviting residents to explore the area’s past and its lasting impact today.
   

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📸 Around Charlotte Harbor

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Charlotte Harbor

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Saturday April 18

• Port Charlotte/Punta Gorda Home & Garden Show 2026 April
  Charlotte Harbor Event and Conference Center, 75 Taylor St, Punta Gorda
  10:00 am

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

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Other local events

Wednesday April 29

• FORT MYERS / S.W.F.L. JobLink 2026 Job Fair Happening 4/29
  Drury Inn & Suites Fort Myers Airport FGCU , 9950 University Plaza Dr , Fort Myers
  10:00 am

Sunday May 10

• Andre Roy LIVE at Charlotte Harbor Yacht Club
  Charlotte Harbor Yacht Club , 4400 Lister St , Port Charlotte
  11:00 am

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📣 Charlotte Harbor Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

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🗓 Events Nearby

Saturday April 18

• Port Charlotte/Punta Gorda Home & Garden Show
  Charlotte Harbor Event & Conference Center
• YMCA Healthy Kids Day
  Franz Ross YMCA
  10:00 am
• Brighter Days Brunch for Loveland Center Port Charlotte
  Punta Gorda Elks Lodge #2606 , 25538 Shore Drive , Punta Gorda
  11:00 am
• Bowl for Kids' Sake
  Treasure Lanes , 1059 S Tamiami Trl , Port Charlotte
  1:00 pm
• Faith & Freedom Fest Port Charlotte
  The Charlotte County Fair , 2333 El Jobean Rd , Port Charlotte
  1:00 pm

Sunday April 19

• Funky Foam Food Truck Party Billy Mancini Live — Disco & Funk Dance Favorites!
  Charlotte County Chamber of Commerce, Inc. , 4732 Tamiami Trail , Port Charlotte
  4:30 pm

Monday April 20

• CCPS Career Fair Hiring Event
  Charlotte Harbor Event & Conference Center Punta Gorda, FL 33950
  8:00 am
• Ribbon Cutting - Charlie Foxtrox Brewing
  Charlie Foxtrot Brewing , 1700 Tamiami Trail, Suite A5 , Port Charlotte
  5:00 pm

Tuesday April 21

• The Writers' Salon: Tools for Memoir Writing
  Punta Gorda Isles Civic Association (PGICA) , 2001 Shreve Street , Punta Gorda
  1:30 pm

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

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Thank you 👏👏👏 to these businesses for making Charlotte Harbor PatchAM possible:

• MK Construction Group LLC — (941) 225-8602
  Expert Home Remodeling & Renovation in Port Charlotte

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

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🗞 Nearby News

Port Charlotte

• Port Charlotte Navy veteran killed after kicking suspect out of home (winknews.com)
• Evening Under the Stars Celebrates Motown Magic (nationaltoday.com)
• Canadian grandad 'treated like an animal' in Alligator Alcatraz after ICE arrest (themirror.com)

Punta Gorda

• Punta Gorda Seafood & Music Festival 2026: Full Band Schedule, Times, Food and Waterfront Fun (suncoastpost.com)
• Area news briefs for April 16, 2026 (yoursun.com)

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Ok Charlotte Harbor! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: The NO-BELL prize (Thank you Gina M. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what’s happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.

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