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🌱 How a longer sales tax could reshape Port Charlotte’s Cultural Center campus
Hey hey Port Charlotte! Your one-stop source for local news is here. Continue reading for all the updates. ☀️
In today's newsletter:
- How a longer sales tax could reshape Port Charlotte’s Cultural Center campus
- What investigators say led to two fatal Port Charlotte deputy shootings
- How a Port Charlotte man became central in Trump–Pope feud
Also on today's calendar: Charlotte County Book & Arts Festival and 7 more events.
Today's riddle: What did the inventor of the knock-knock joke win? 🤔 (Answer below!)
- 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.
📰 News we're reading
1. Looking long term: Commissioners opt for 10-year tax extension request (yoursun.com) — Charlotte County commissioners are moving forward with a 10-year extension of the 1% local sales tax and may ask voters to approve a 20-year plan to fully rebuild the Cultural Center campus and library in Port Charlotte. The tax package also targets road widenings, new fire stations, a public safety academy, and improvements at Charlotte Sports Park, with details to be refined at a special April 21 meeting in Murdock. 
2. Body camera videos capture 2 fatal deputy shootings in Charlotte County (local10.com) — Two separate deputy-involved shootings in Port Charlotte left two men dead after authorities say each pointed a gun at deputies in unrelated incidents. Both shootings are under investigation by the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit, which will forward its findings to the State Attorney’s Office for review. No deputies were injured.
3. Is Pope Leo's Brother MAGA? What We Know as Trump Praises Louis Prevost (newsweek.com) — A Port Charlotte resident, Louis Prevost, brother of Pope Leo XIV, is drawing national attention as Donald Trump praises him as strongly pro‑MAGA during a public feud with the pope. Coverage highlights Prevost’s Republican registration, past social media posts criticizing Democrats, and his earlier hope that his brother’s papacy would not become overly political. Local readers may recognize him as a longtime Gulf Coast neighbor.
4. WITH VIDEO - BREAKING NEWS: Bye-bye Checkers, make way for Arby's (yoursun.com) — Port Charlotte fast-food fans may see more Arby’s activity nearby as a long-abandoned Checkers in Englewood is being demolished to make way for a new Arby’s location. The franchisee already operates two Port Charlotte Arby’s, plus two in Venice, and is expanding again along State Road 776 in the Merchants Crossing area.
5. Canadian grandad 'treated like an animal' in Alligator Alcatraz after ICE arrest (themirror.com) — A Port Charlotte smoothie shop owner who fell behind on taxes after his business closed during the pandemic has been deported to Canada after an ICE arrest and detention at a Florida facility nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz.” He describes harsh conditions there and says he was removed after a brief online hearing, leaving his family behind on the Gulf Coast.
📸 Around Port Charlotte
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🗓
Upcoming Events in
Port Charlotte
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
★ Featured events ★
-
Faith & Freedom Fest Port Charlotte
The Charlotte County Fair, 2333 El Jobean Rd, Port Charlotte
1:00 pm
Saturday April 18
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
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Port Charlotte/Punta Gorda Home & Garden Show
Charlotte Harbor Event & Conference Center -
Charlotte County Book & Arts Festival
Port Charlotte Town Center , 1441 S Tamiami Trl , Port Charlotte
9:00 am -
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 -
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 -
Ribbon Cutting - Charlie Foxtrox Brewing
Charlie Foxtrot Brewing , 1700 Tamiami Trail, Suite A5 , Port Charlotte
5:00 pm -
The Writers' Salon: Tools for Memoir Writing
Punta Gorda Isles Civic Association (PGICA) , 2001 Shreve Street , Punta Gorda
1:30 pm -
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
Saturday April 18
Sunday April 19
Monday April 20
Tuesday April 21
Wednesday April 29
📣 Port Charlotte Shout Outs!
Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!
🗓 Events Nearby
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Forty Carrots: Partners in Play
Shannon Staub Public Library , 4675 Career Lane , North Port
10:15 am -
Paint Away VII: Create a Full-On Monet in this Paint Away (afternoon session)
Shannon Staub Public Library , 4675 Career Lane , North Port
2:00 pm -
Last Stop Teen Hangout
North Port Public Library , 13800 Tamiami Trail , North Port
3:30 pm -
Remake Learning: Ghostly Secrets
North Port Public Library , 13800 Tamiami Trail , North Port
Friday April 17
Saturday April 18
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
Thank you 👏👏👏 to these businesses for making Port Charlotte 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.
💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- Saw this beautiful corn snake warming itself in the middle of the road this morning ..
we coaxed it into the grass ( so nobody would run it over) so it could live another day. It was beautiful. And looked really healthy. Please slow… (Nextdoor Gulfstream/Helicon/David) - Attention all dog parents!
I have made a post like this in the past, but it was very broad and accepted any invitation. But now I am looking for something more specific. I… (Nextdoor Oak Forest)
- County of Charlotte Florida posted a job opening for Maintenance Worker, Seasonal - Recreation in Port Charlotte. Apply here.
- Domino's Pizza, Inc. posted a job opening for Assistant Manager(03823) in Port Charlotte. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Port Charlotte here.
Ok Port Charlotte! 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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