2010 Jan. 17, Sunday.
We did our usual Sunday morning routine with coffee at Starbucks at 10:00 followed by church at 11:00. Church was packed today - more snowbirds are arriving. Light lunch at home, read and watched football until about 3:00, then to the bookstore for coffee and to work on the computer. We were going to go to Carraba’s, a popular Italian restaurant, but the waiting line was too long. We ended up at one of our favorites, Islamorada Fish House. We both had coconut shrimp, and it was very good.

WEATHER: It rained in the night around midnight, but this morning was partly cloudy. Low last night was about 60, high today of 73 - nearly perfect! Many Floridians want the 80’s, but for us Midwesterners, mid-70’s is just right.

FL NEWS: [Just south of the Gulf Coast mall is the campus of Florida Gulf Coast University, FGCU, a relatively new school.] Since launching its intercollegiate sports programs in 2000, FGCU has depended heavily on student fee - a percentage of tuition dollars to build its 14-sport program. About 10% of tuition fees, or $15.54 per credit hour, goes to athletics. About 80% of the money FGCU spends on intercollegiate sports comes from tuition dollars and other university support. That rate is higher than at many NCAA Division 1 programs with football, according to a USA Today analysis. While FGCU’s percentage contributions are high, total dollar contributions are in step with or lower than subsidies at other schools nationwide. FGCU student government chief of staff said student support for athletics spending remains strong. While acknowledging dissent exists, he said consensus among students is not to cut student fees for sports but to get more for what they are paying.