Author Image: Joe Newman

Joe Newman

All Stories

chicagotribune default image

First came storm, now waiting lists

The uncertain process of repairing Hurricane Charley's damage has begun in earnest, with homeowners across the region navigating an unfamiliar sea of insurance deductibles, qualified contractors and long waiting lists...
Making a connection Jim Goetluck of Nokomis reaches up for a better cell phone signal in the parking lot of a Goodwill store in Punta Gorda where he and his wife, Krista, were serving food to hurricane victims, many of whom could be homeless or without power for some time because of damage by Hurricane Charley.

Charley roars across Central Florida

Hurricane Charley battered Central Florida on Friday night, packing 105-mph winds that tore off roofs, snapped trees like twigs and left hundreds of thousands of residents without power. And as...
chicagotribune default image

Central Florida is feeling a squeeze from rapid sprawl

Sprawl is spreading so quickly across Central Florida that unincorporated areas are fast outpacing cities and towns in growth, according to newly released population estimates. It's a trend that will...