People & Issues

The first step to addressing community issues? Exposing, exploring and explaining them. 

For most people, the standard face of a substance abuser is probably young and probably hovering on society's fringe. And that's because people in their late teens and early 20s have traditionally been the most prevalent abusers, according to federal statistics. But substance misuse and abuse among older adults is on the rise, affecting up to 17 percent of people aged 50 and older. And the problem is especially pronounced in Southwest Florida. 

I confess: Modern art intimidated me. Until I visited Marcus Jansen at his Unit A studio in Fort Myers, and the artist put my fears at ease and empowered me to look at art in an entirely new way. 

The battle over immigration will have profound effects on my small corner of the U.S. This trio of stories for Gulfshore Life magazine, explores some of the many aspects of immigration- including the financial ramifications of losing out non-native populations