Port Charlotte Could Soon Have an Ice Rink Almost in Its Backyard

For Port Charlotte families, this one may be happening just across the county line. And it could be pretty cool. Literally.

A proposed year-round ice rink and hockey academy is being discussed for the corner of Price Boulevard and Orlando Boulevard in North Port — a location that could make the facility an attractive recreational destination for families throughout Port Charlotte and Charlotte County.

Former professional hockey player Igor Gratchev is behind the proposal, and while the rink would technically have a North Port address, its potential audience wouldn't stop at the city limits.

Not even close.

For Port Charlotte parents with children interested in hockey, figure skating or simply learning how to skate, having a year-round ice facility nearby could create recreational opportunities that aren't exactly plentiful in this part of Southwest Florida.

Hockey in Southwest Florida? Yep.

A dedicated rink could potentially introduce an entirely new group of Charlotte County kids to hockey and skating while giving existing players a much closer place to practice. And this isn't being envisioned simply as somewhere to rent a pair of skates.

The proposal includes a hockey academy, potentially creating a dedicated training environment for young athletes interested in developing their skills. That could matter to Port Charlotte families.

Anyone who's had a child involved ice skating or hockey in the area knows that practice isn't just an hour on the field — or in this case, on the ice. There's the drive toEllenton or Fort Myers. The drive home. School. Dinner. Homework. And then you do it all over again.

Put the facility close enough to Port Charlotte, and suddenly a sport that may have seemed impractical for some families becomes considerably more accessible. 

If the proposed facility eventually includes public skating, youth programs, hockey leagues, lessons, camps or tournaments, Port Charlotte could become a significant part of its customer base.

For now, the property at Price Boulevard and Orlando Boulevard remains an empty lot. But for Port Charlotte parents looking for something different for their kids — or anyone who's ever wished Southwest Florida had another place to lace up a pair of skates — it's suddenly an empty lot worth watching.

Because if this project actually happens,

North Port may get the address.

But Port Charlotte could get plenty of the ice time.

The fish are moving, the bite is changing, and October brings something local anglers have been waiting for.

If you've been waiting for the fishing around Charlotte Harbor to really wake up, October is the month to watch.

There is a noticeable shift happening on the water. The oppressive summer heat is beginning to ease, baitfish are on the move, and the fall migration is starting to put some serious fish back on the local menu.

Local fishing reports are already calling it "Red October," and the timing is hard to ignore. The latest Southwest Florida fishing report described back-bay fishing as outstanding, with redfish continuing to show up and snook producing well around areas near the passes.

And then there's October 1.

For local snook anglers, that date matters.

The October 1 change many anglers have been waiting for According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, recreational snook harvest in the Charlotte Harbor management region opens October 1 and remains open through November 30.

In the Charlotte Harbor region, the current regulation allows one snook per person per day, with a slot limit of 28 to 33 inches total length. For anglers who have been practicing catch-and-release through the summer closure, though, October 1 marks a significant change.

And snook aren't the only reason October gets productive

The October Charlotte Harbor fishing forecast points to big redfish around bars and flats, smaller redfish moving into mangrove shorelines and tidal creeks, and snook moving farther into the harbor.

Tarpon can also remain in the harbor until colder mornings arrive, while migrating Spanish mackerel may move into the area around schools of bait. 

Offshore, October brings another change: Spanish mackerel and king mackerel begin their southward migration. The forecast notes that the bait schools attracting those fish can also bring bonito, bluefish, sharks and other predators into the mix. 

The redfish story may be the one to watch.

Redfish are already showing up strongly in local reports, and October is traditionally a particularly interesting time for anglers targeting them.

Current Charlotte Harbor fishing data list red drum among the area's peak-season species. FWC regulations currently show the Charlotte Harbor redfish season as open year-round, with a slot limit of 18 to 27 inches and a one-fish-per-person daily limit. 

That means anglers heading out this fall could find themselves dealing with a completely different harbor than the one they experienced during the hottest part of summer.

You don't have to own a boat to see what's happening. If you want to experience the fall bite without owning a boat, several local charter operators work these waters.

Scales and Tales Native Guided Tours operates out of the Port Charlotte area and focuses on inshore and back-bay fishing around Charlotte Harbor.

Straw Hats Fishing Charters also operates from the Harbor Boulevard area, offering inshore and nearshore trips throughout the region.

Down in Punta Gorda, High Tide Fishing Charters works Charlotte Harbor and nearby waters, while Boo-Yah Fishing Charters offers inshore trips around Charlotte Harbor and Boca Grande.

You can leave the dock before sunrise, fish mangroves for redfish and snook, find bait exploding on the surface later in the morning, and potentially encounter completely different action offshore.

That's why October isn't just another month on the fishing calendar.

It's when Charlotte Harbor starts getting productive again.

And if the current reports are any indication, local anglers may have plenty to talk about by the time November arrives.

No AI was used in writing this article.

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Before Port Charlotte had the entertainment choices residents have today, there was a group of local people putting on plays wherever they could find a stage.

Sometimes that stage was a bowling alley. Sometimes it was a community building, an auditorium or a borrowed meeting hall. 

And somehow, more than six decades later, the curtain is still going up.

Charlotte Players held its first organizational meeting on October 16, 1961, at the North Port Community Center. The group was formed under the direction of Dorothy Robbins, a local teacher of dramatics and public speaking. Its goal was simple: keep interest in theater alive in the growing community. 

The first production, Now Is The Time, opened on May 24, 1962, at the Charlotte Lanes Bowling Auditorium.

Tickets were a 50-cent donation. And the two performances sold out. That's a pretty good first night. But keeping a community theater alive for more than six decades requires considerably more than one successful production.

Over the years, Charlotte Players performed at locations throughout the area, including the Elks' Club, Punta Gorda Women's Club, American Legion Hall and Charlotte High School Auditorium. In 1968, the group moved performances to the newly dedicated Cultural Center Theater in Port Charlotte. 

Eventually, the organization found a permanent home.

Today, the Langdon Playhouse at 1182 Market Circle in Port Charlotte is home to the organization. The intimate theater seats about 104 people and also houses rehearsal space, offices, set-building facilities, costumes and props. 

And here's the part that makes Charlotte Players more than just another theater company. It's a community organization.

According to Charlotte Players, the organization has produced more than 300 theatrical productions and more than 2,200 individual performances since its beginnings. 

But the work doesn't stop when the curtain comes down. The organization also runs Kids Onstage, giving children opportunities to learn about acting and the many other pieces that go into putting together a production. The program began in 2007 and has included summer workshops and full-length productions. 

Then there is a completely different kind of community contribution.

Charlotte Players is a co-sponsor of the Charlotte County Imagination Library, a local program connected to Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. The organization says more than 125,000 free books have been provided to preschool children in Charlotte County through the program. 

So while the actors may be the people we see under the lights, there is a much larger group making everything happen behind the scenes.

Volunteers. Directors.Set builders. Costume people. Box office workers. People who paint scenery, move props and probably spend considerably more time backstage than they ever expected.

That's the funny thing about community theater. The audience sees two hours. The people who make the show happen see months of work.

In a world where so much entertainment happens through a screen, there is something different about sitting in a room with other people and watching your neighbors perform live. No pause button. No retakes. No algorithm deciding what you should watch next. ]Just people, a stage and a story.

Charlotte Players' mission is to provide and promote theater arts programs that educate, entertain and enrich the Southwest Florida community.  After more than six decades, that's still happening in Port Charlotte.

And somewhere, right now, somebody who lives around the corner may be getting ready to step onto that stage.

That's community theater —

and that's a pretty good piece of Port Charlotte history.

Charlotte Players

• Location: 1182 Market Circle, Port Charlotte
• Phone: (941) 255-1022
• Website: CharlottePlayers.org
• History: Charlotte Players History
• Current productions: Charlotte Players — Current Season

No AI was used in writing this article.

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From working alongside Dad to helping run the family electrical company, this Charlotte County businesswoman is proving that success isn't something you inherit. It's something you earn.

Some kids grow up dreaming of becoming astronauts, movie stars, or professional athletes.

Jessica Overcash? She wound up in the family electrical business.

And judging by the recognition she's getting these days, you might say the decision turned out to be pretty darn illuminating.

Jessica, co-owner of Integrity Electric of Charlotte County, has been named Charlotte County Economic Development's October 2026 40 Under 40 honoree.

The announcement came October 16, 2026, recognizing her contributions as a business owner and community leader. And Jessica's story isn't one of those overnight-success fairy tales where somebody invents an app, attracts a billionaire investor, and suddenly starts giving motivational speeches from a yacht. Nope.

Her story involves family, hard work, and a business where getting your wires crossed can have considerably more serious consequences than an awkward Thanksgiving dinner. Dad Built It. The Kids Took the Circuit Breaker. Let's rewind to 2006.

That's when Integrity Electric began serving Southwest Florida, building its reputation around three concepts that sound suspiciously old-fashioned these days: quality, honesty, and value. Imagine that. A company trying to make customers happy by actually doing what it promised. Revolutionary stuff.

Jessica's father, Bob Overcash, helped build the business. And rather than simply handing the next generation a set of keys and wishing them luck, he had something considerably more valuable to pass along: a working company with a reputation worth protecting.

In 2021, according to the company's published family business history, Bob sold Integrity Electric to two of his daughters and his son-in-law.

More Than Just Keeping the Lights On

Today, Integrity Electric of Charlotte County has its registered principal address at 19200 Peachland Boulevard, Unit 603, Port Charlotte, Florida 33948, according to Florida's official business records. The company provides residential and commercial electrical services throughout Southwest Florida, including Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda, North Port, and Englewood.

But Jessica's involvement doesn't stop when the office lights go out.

She's also the immediate past chair of the Charlotte-DeSoto Building Industry Association's Professional Women in Building Council. The council promotes professional development, education, networking, and leadership opportunities for women in the building industry.

And Jessica isn't exactly standing around waiting for somebody to pull out a chair. She's been helping lead the conversation.

In fact, this isn't even her first trip to the awards podium.

The Charlotte-DeSoto Building Industry Association named Jessica its 2024 Young Professional of the Year.

Apparently, somebody forgot to tell Jessica that running a business was supposed to keep her busy enough. Forty Under Forty. And Not a Participation Trophy in Sight.

The 40 Under 40 program is part of Charlotte County Economic Development's effort to showcase professionals helping shape the area's economic future.

These are the people building businesses, creating opportunities, and demonstrating that Charlotte County has more going for it than sunshine, fishing, and an impressive collection of people who think turn signals are optional equipment.

And while awards are nice, they aren't really the whole story.

Jessica's journey illustrates something important about locally owned businesses. Sometimes the next generation doesn't need to reinvent the wheel. Sometimes it just needs to keep that wheel turning, improve a few things along the way, and remember who helped build the wagon in the first place.

For Jessica Overcash, that foundation came from her father, a family business, and years spent learning the ropes. Now she's helping write the next chapter.

Congratulations, Jessica. You've clearly got the power.

(And unlike some folks who make headlines around here, you actually know what to do with it....lol)

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