It is the middle of October as we are writing the publisher’s message for our November issue. Four recent days of rainfall added almost a billion gallons to the Tampa Bay reservoir, but it was not enough for Tampa Bay Water, our area’s water controllers, to lift restrictions on usage.
November’s Paradise News is generally our “giving thanks issue” and I would be remiss if I did not give credit to our entire crew for helping put out the last few editions, while both I and Renee have been getting treated for medical issues that had arisen in our mid-seventies. Especially, Janet Nummi, our creative, art and production director, who has done a stellar job of production management; our amazing proofreader Buddy Baker; and the one person team that handles our online persona Kaeley Dawson, including each Thursday’s digital newsletter, website, social media, and who stepped up to write Tidbits, for the last few issues, while I recovered from successful prostate cancer and heart surgery this summer.
I can’t say enough good things about our advertiser, Dr. Colin Chan and his team, who uncovered early enough for successful repairs, both of the ailments that could have killed me had they not been found when they were. I had challenged Dr. Chan, then my new PCP last February to predict what would kill me and when. Thanks to him, my diabetes is finally under control, and although my calcium score is through the roof, my cardiac surgeon, Dr. Norman Rosenthal, said my heart is now, after he put in a single stent, in better shape than it has been in decades. He said that after I complete the cardio-rehab program, if I keep working out, don’t smoke and eat right, I am now more likely to die of something else.
Unfortunately, I have until lately, been the entire ad sales department, and revenues had dwindled to the lowest point in years, but I am thrilled to report we are on the upswing. We have been especially happy to be getting more advertisers who are ready to help readers complete their renovations. Scott Allen, who was raised on our beaches and has stories he’d like us to publish about the area’s history, is trying to help me out, and some of our readers are turning their favorite subcontractors on to Paradise News for advertising opportunities.
This month we are proud to celebrate as our cover story, the success and longevity of Captain Dan Peretz and Dolphin Landings, the Dolphin Watch and Sunset Sail Charters that have been taking locals and visitors sailing on impeccably maintained, locally produced, Morgan Yachts from behind the Dolphin Village shopping center in St. Pete Beach for decades. He had recently added Soothe our Souls, a not-for-profit that takes critically ill patients and their families sailing for free. Captain Dan appeared on the cover of Paradise News in December 2019. You can read that story by clicking on the past issues tab, behind the current issue button on our website www.paradisenewsfl.com.
We have also included in print this month a fairly comprehensive list of holiday events for early December, even more of which you can find on our website.
While you are on our website, you can subscribe for free by entering your email address to receive our 10-year-old weekly digital newsletter each Thursday with the top five things to do this weekend. You can share your email address with confidence, as we do not share or sell any data.
Before I go, I want to thank all of you, our loyal readers, without whom we would all be out of work. Happy Thanksgiving and thanks for reading what we write.