Charlotte County, Punta Gorda | featured news

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — An unbroken saltwater trail along 800 miles of the Southeastern coastline has been mapped out for those who like canoeing, kayaking and other paddle sports.
The Southeast Coast Saltwater Paddling Trail maps routes along the coast, ...

WASHINGTON (AP) — Protesters attending the upcoming 50th anniversary of the March on Washington will renew calls for the U.S. government to get “justice for Trayvon.”
Attorney General Eric Holder began a federal investigation after a Florida jury acquitte...

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan’s government has halted all state executions temporarily, just a week ahead of the planned hangings of several al-Qaida-linked militants.
Information Minister Pervaiz Rasheed said Sunday that the executions were halted until Paki...

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union says it will “urgently review” its relations with Egypt where more than 800 people have died in clashes between security forces and supporters of deposed President Mohammed Morsi.
The Presidents of the European Commissio...

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — The family ties of several Senate incumbents and challengers could play a front-and-center role in next year’s midterm elections.
For several Democrats, the deep roots in their conservative-leaning home states could help them figh...

BEIJING (AP) — Bo Xilai, a rising Communist Party star who fell from power last year, will go on trial Thursday on corruption charges, a court announced, putting China’s new leaders on course to wrap up a festering scandal as they try to cement their auth...

BOISE, Idaho (AP) —  A wind-driven wildfire burned its way through sage and pine trees near the Idaho mountain resort community of Sun Valley as sheriff’s deputies expanded evacuation orders to 1,600 homes
The evacuation orders for the 100-square-mile Bea...

SCHAGHTICOKE, N.Y. — Justine and Brian Denison say they adhere to all the growing practices required for organic certification, yet if they label their beans and tomatoes “organic” at the farmer’s market, they could face federal charges and $20,000 or mo...

CAIRO — Egyptian security forces stormed a Cairo mosque Saturday after a heavy exchange of gunfire with armed men shooting down from a minaret, rounding up hundreds of supporters of the country’s ousted president who had sought refuge there overnight afte...

MIAMI — State insurance officials ruled Friday to allow health insurance giant Florida Blue, one of the state’s largest employers and political donors, to restructure itself under a not-for-profit mutual insurance holding company. But the Office of Insura...