Minutes after the Punta Gorda City Council adopted a civility pledge at a recent meeting, a resident tested its boundaries. Tim Ritchie’s raised voice during his allotted time underscored the challenges of ensuring respectful discourse in local government.

A retired priest from Punta Gorda, accused by numerous men of sexual battery in Florida and Iowa, has died. His passing ends any personal legal proceeding against him, though questions remain about the underlying allegations.