Sarasota Herald Tribune articles from April 2004

Sarasota Herald Tribune archives from April 2004

Englewood marches to its own beat.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)(Editor's Desk)(Column)
April 1, 2004... Byline: Mark Chapman Score one for the good guys. By "good guys," I'm talking about the people and businesses in Englewood who stood up to a mega-charity and won. March of Dimes announced in February that it was canceling its...

MILITARY NEWS.(B SECTION)
April 1, 2004... Return from deployment * Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Steven S. Croxton, son of Kim Owens of Port Charlotte, recently returned from a routine scheduled deployment while attached to Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light 44 on board the...

Student charged in school threat; A Cardinal Mooney High School senior said he'd shoot students and plant bombs, police say.(B SECTION)
April 1, 2004... Byline: JULIAN PECQUET julian.pecquet@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA COUNTY -- A senior at Cardinal Mooney High School has been charged with threatening to shoot classmates and to detonate a bomb at the school graduation. Devon Alexander,...

Gold's Gym closes suddenly; Members, given little or no notice, are left fuming while two rivals move in to shoulder the weight.(B SECTION)
April 1, 2004... Byline: ROBERT PATRICK robert.patrick@heraldtribune.com SOUTH VENICE -- One of the largest gyms in South Sarasota County closed suddenly Wednesday, angering members and pleasing its two biggest local rivals. Staffers at the Gold's...

Parrish residents celebrate area's heritage.(H-T EAST)
April 1, 2004... Byline: TIFFANY LANKES tiffany.lankes@heraldtribune.com PARRISH -- Perched on the tailgate of his pickup, Don Brainerd quietly scanned the stream of parade floats passing by the corner of 121st Avenue East and 71st Street. He sat...

Great weather, big crowds mark annual Fine Arts Festival.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)
April 1, 2004... The Rotary Club of Englewood enjoyed perfect weather and steady crowds for its 23rd annual Fine Arts Festival, held this weekend along West Dearborn Street. Of the 112 artists who lined the street, two went home with the top prize of...

Murder trials set for early 2005; Three prison inmates could face the death penalty in two slayings.(B SECTION)
April 1, 2004... Byline: JENNY LEE ALLEN jenny.allen@heraldtribune.com PUNTA GORDA -- Fourteen uniformed bailiffs lined a courtroom here Wednesday, guarding three state prisoners authorities say brutally murdered an officer and an inmate during a botched...

News Updates.(B SECTION)
April 1, 2004... Hearing tonight on Venice water dumping SARASOTA COUNTY -- The state Department of Environmental Protection is seeking comments tonight on whether to allow Venice to discharge up to 3 million gallons of treated waste water daily into Curry...

LOCAL BRIEFS.(B SECTION)
April 1, 2004... Fair bringing fun at Methodist church BRADENTON -- Locals can celebrate spring during a Saturday fair that includes a petting zoo, moon walk and hay rides. There also will be an old fire engine, cake walk, food, games and prizes. City...

Young equestrians saddle up for show.(H-T EAST)
April 1, 2004... Byline: HELEN MANSFIELD CORRESPONDENT PALMETTO -- Nine-year-old Sierra Oliver took home a fistful of ribbons from her first horse show Sunday. About 100 other equestrians ages 8 to 18 competed in the Manatee County 4-H Open Horse Show...

MILITARY NEWS.(B SECTION)
April 1, 2004... Coward on dean's list Cadet Bryan Anthony Coward, son of Anthony and Sandee Coward of Punta Gorda, was named to the dean's list at the U.S. Military Academy in New York. To qualify for the dean's list, a cadet must maintain a 3.0...

Briefs.(H-T EAST)
April 1, 2004... LAKEWOOD RANCH 'Ask the Experts' your real estate questions Questions about mortgages, interest rates, decorating and home repairs will be answered during the annual "Ask the Experts" real estate seminar. The event will be from 1...

Facts some wanted left out about mother now shape Carlie's legacy.(B SECTION)(Comment)(Column)
April 1, 2004... Byline: Tom Lyons U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris unveiled her version of Carlie's Law on Tuesday, and shared the podium with the murdered child's father. But Carlie Brucia's mother was not at that press conference, held at the Capitol in...

Correctional Services adds three facilities.(BUSINESS)
April 1, 2004... Byline: JOHN HIELSCHER john.hielscher@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- Correctional Services Corp. landed three new prison management contracts but stepped away from a Maryland operation where it had been criticized for mismanagement. CSC...

Empty gesture; Diverting oil from strategic reserve would have minimal impact.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
April 1, 2004... The U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve was established to provide a supply of fuel in the case of a national emergency. It was not designed as a means to manipulate fuel prices. But the temptation is hard to resist. President Bill Clinton...

Manasota Key resident learned to cook from everyone but Mom.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)
April 1, 2004... Byline: NANCY CHAPMAN CORRESPONDENT Barbara Greeder, a part-time resident of Manasota Key, followed an unusual route to proficiency in the kitchen. "I had a strange childhood -- my mother didn't cook much, but my dad did," Greeder...

Home sites at Rye Wilderness Estates going fast.(H-T EAST)
April 1, 2004... Byline: DEBI SPRINGER debi.springer@heraldtribune.com EAST MANATEE -- Sales are brisk at Rye Wilderness Estates, one of the newest subdivisions east of Interstate 75, and nearby homeowners are trying to embrace the growth. After only...

SMCBA to conduct annual council of delegates meet.(SPORTS)(Bowling)(Column)
April 1, 2004... Byline: Bill Herald The annual meeting of the Sarasota-Manatee County Bowling Association's council of delegates will take place, Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Eagles Hall, 2926 Wilkinson Road, Sarasota. The agenda includes election of...

2-vehicle wreck injures 3; Charges are pending in the crash, which left a passenger in one vehicle in critical condition.(B SECTION)
April 1, 2004... Byline: MICHAEL A. SCARCELLA michael.scarcella@heraldtribune.com PUNTA GORDA -- A two-vehicle wreck Wednesday afternoon hospitalized three people, including a woman with head and leg injuries who was in critical condition, emergency...

Hovis wins 100-lapper.(B SECTION)
April 1, 2004... Byline: STAFF REPORT PUNTA GORDA -- Mike Hovis took the lead two-thirds of the way through and never looked back in capturing the Limited Late Model 100-lapper Saturday night at Charlotte County Speedway. Hovis collected $2,000. ...

Smooch the pooch.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)
April 1, 2004... Byline: AMY ABERN amy.abern@heraldtribune.com Basset hound Norton couldn't have been happier to take the lead role last Friday in Englewood Community Hospital's "Kiss the Critter" event for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life....

Library volunteers recognized at luncheon for years of service.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)
April 1, 2004... Byline: SHARYN LONSDALE sharyn.lonsdale@heraldtribune.com Liz Getz, 91, said she remembers volunteering at the Englewood Charlotte Public Library when it was located in a storefront where Merchants Crossing is today. And she's not the only...

Strong hitting leads Athletics, Yankees to a pair of victories.(B SECTION)
April 1, 2004... Byline: STAFF REPORT The Devil Rays jumped out to a 5-0 lead over the A's in the top of the first inning, but the lead was short-lived, as the A's came back to score five in the bottom of the first and go on to win 10-8. J.T. Evans...

Marine is remembered; Sgt. Brian McGinnis killed last year in Iraq.(B SECTION)
April 1, 2004... Byline: DARLA MCFARLAND darla.mcfarland@heraldtribune.com ENGLEWOOD -- A year ago, Millie Williams returned from a Sunday night service at the First Baptist Church of Englewood to the sad news that her son, Marine Corps Sgt. Brian...

Briefs.(H-T EAST)
April 1, 2004... SARASOTA Flower arranging topic of Hadassah program Ikebana Inc. will present a program about the art of Japanese flower arranging to members of the SaBra Chapter of Hadassah. The meeting will begin at noon April 8 in the Zell Room...

Huckestein has Pirates on a roll.(SPORTS)(Column)
April 1, 2004... Byline: Dennis Maffezzoli Amanda Huckestein is a rare breed. The sophomore at Port Charlotte High School is a three-sport performer. During the fall, she plays volleyball, a sport she took up two years ago. During the winter, she...

News Updates.(B SECTION)
April 1, 2004... Meeting to address use of water taxis PALMETTO -- Elected officials, motel owners, tourism promoters, transit planners and others interested in the idea of water taxis in Sarasota and Manatee counties will meet at 9 a.m. Monday in the...

Schools chief sets his first objective; New Superintendent Gary Norris says he'll tackle Sarasota's racial "achievement gap".(A SECTION)
April 1, 2004... Byline: JESS ANDREWS jess.andrews@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA COUNTY -- At a brief ceremony today, Gary Norris will raise his right hand and swear to protect every student's right to an education. The words have a particular resonance...

Airbus picks L-3 flight recorders; The Sarasota company will supply equipment for the next generation of jumbo airliners.(BUSINESS)
April 1, 2004... Byline: MICHAEL POLLICK michael.pollick@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA COUNTY -- L-3 Communications' local division has been chosen by giant Airbus to be the exclusive source for flight data recorders and cockpit voice recorders on the...

Life beyond the guardhouse on Manasota Key.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)
April 1, 2004... Byline: AMY ABERN amy.abern@heraldtribune.com When Jane Murphy's mother, Martha Kay, bought property on North Manasota Key, Murphy thought her mother was nuts. The land, which cost $6,600 in 1951, had 150 feet of waterfront and straddled...

Fast food with faith; New store on Clark Road is like others: closed on Sundays.(BUSINESS)
April 1, 2004... Byline: LAUREN MAYK lauren.mayk@heraldtribune.com It's not unusual to hear from a Chick-fil-A owner-operator that, one way or another, God had something to do with choosing the chain as a career option. But James Young could be a...

Cliches getting out of hand; avoid these like the plague.(FLORIDA WEST)(Column)
April 1, 2004... Byline: David Grimes If you are, like, wondering, like, what the most overused cliche is at this moment in time or whatever, it's, like, basically, to be perfectly honest with you, "at the end of the day." Demonstrating the same...

News Updates.(B SECTION)
April 1, 2004... Pickup driver charged with DUI CHARLOTTE HARBOR -- An Arcadia man was arrested on drunken driving charges Tuesday after a woman was thrown out of the back of the pickup he was driving, the Florida Highway Patrol reported. Kenneth...

Sheriff's Reports.(H-T EAST)
April 1, 2004... The following information is from Manatee County Sheriff's Office reports filed through March 28. EAST MANATEE Discovery Terrace, 9600 block, March 21. Burglary. Thieves unsuccessfully tried to pry open a home's patio doors. 44th...

POLICE BLOTTER.(B SECTION)
April 1, 2004... Compiled from Charlotte County Sheriff's Office and Punta Gorda Police Department reports filed through March 25. PORT CHARLOTTE Olean Boulevard, Easy Street, March 30. Amy M. Hedges and Christopher M. Kametler, 32, were arrested on...

Full house expected at 'Extravaganza'.(H-T EAST)(H-T East Editor)(Column)
April 1, 2004... Byline: Christi Womack Braden River Elementary PTO President Sue Curry sent word earlier this week that only 24 tickets remain for the school's major fund-raiser, "The 2004 Extravaganza." Tickets to the event, which is Friday night at...

Road construction starting on State Road 64.(H-T EAST)
April 1, 2004... Byline: ERIN BRYCE erin.bryce@heraldtribune.com EAST MANATEE -- Residents hope improvements to State Road 64 make their commutes easier. Developers of Heritage Harbour, a 2,500-acre community at the northeast corner of Interstate 75...

Miami schools in final.(SPORTS)
April 1, 2004... Byline: JODY ROYCE jody.royce@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- Tonight's title game of the 20th Sarasota Baseball Classic will be an all-Miami affair. One semifinal was that way. Unbeaten Monsignor Pace, ranked No. 1 in Class 3A, got a...

Sailors, Indians win big; Charlotte High rallies from a six-run deficit to beat Manatee, 15-10.(SPORTS)
April 1, 2004... Byline: PERRY D. PENTZ perry.pentz@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- The Sarasota and Venice High baseball teams bounced back from losses and Charlotte High won another slugfest on Day 3 of the Sarasota Baseball Classic at Sarasota High's...

Seder narratives: Words to live by.(FLORIDA WEST)
April 1, 2004... Byline: ABBY WEINGARTEN CORRESPONDENT Picture a Passover in which everyone gathers around a table, joins hands and sings "Take me out to the Seder" (yes, to the popular baseball-park tune). It's worlds away from the old-time...

Keeping Pace with No. 1.(SPORTS)(Comment)(Column)
April 1, 2004... Byline: Doug Fernandes SARASOTA -- King of the hill. Top of the heap. A-number-1. The best in all the land. With such credentials in hand, how can the players on Miami's Monsignor Edward Pace baseball team not have heads the size of...

Crocodile is a rare Charlotte visitor; Port Charlotte residents spot the American croc unusually far north, in a canal near North Port.(B SECTION)
April 1, 2004... Byline: PATRICK WHITTLE patrick.whittle@heraldtribune.com CHARLOTTE COUNTY -- Now that's a croc. A pair of Port Charlotte reptile enthusiasts have found and photographed a rare American crocodile in Charlotte County. The sighting...

Rotonda board split over center; Some members say a community center is being pushed without input from property owners.(B SECTION)
April 1, 2004... Byline: DARLA MCFARLAND darla.mcfarland@heraldtribune.com ENGLEWOOD -- The Rotonda West Association board of directors has three new members, but the squabbling continues over the need for a new community center. The newly elected...

Pasco, Pinellas children in Y's care; Sarasota YMCA now runs child welfare services in 5 counties.(B SECTION)
April 1, 2004... Byline: PATTY ALLEN-JONES patty.allen-jones@heraldtribune.com The care of over 4,000 abused, abandoned and neglected children in Pasco and Pinellas counties officially becomes the responsibility of the Sarasota Family YMCA today. Known...

Flaherty refuses to knuckle under to doubters.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)
April 1, 2004... Byline: ALAN DELL CORRESPONDENT For two years, Sean Flaherty sat on the bench for the Lemon Bay High baseball team, drowning in frustration and disappointment while trying to hold back his anger. A modest person by nature, Flaherty...

MILITARY NEWS.(B SECTION)
April 1, 2004... Commission Jared Sweetser of Sarasota was commissioned as an ensign in the Navy after completing Officer Candidate School in Pensacola. Sweetser is attending a six-month program at Navy Supply Corps School in Athens, Ga. He is the...

After becoming Texas toast, Mantas baseball team cranks it up a notch.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)(Playing the Field)(Column)
April 1, 2004... Byline: Alan Dell The Lemon Bay High baseball team that recently went to a tournament in Texas is not the same one that returned. The good news is that the change is for the better. Lemon Bay won three of its first five games since...

Diagnoses from the Internet.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)(Englewood Spotlight)(Column)
April 1, 2004... Byline: Amy Abern I need to know where I can return my shingles. I'm not talking about wooden shingles, I'm talking about the shingles I was diagnosed with last week. Because, according to everything I've read, I am not supposed to have...

Discrepancy in SinoFresh case; A judge rules that the attorney representing shareholders isn't admitted to practice law in the Middle District.(BUSINESS)
April 1, 2004... Byline: LAUREN MAYK lauren.mayk@heraldtribune.com The attorney for a group of shareholders suing SinoFresh Healthcare and some of its top management is not admitted to practice law in the federal court where the case sits, a judge ruled...

Obituaries.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
April 1, 2004... MANATEE COUNTY Betty Mae Bates Betty Mae Bates, 78, Bradenton, died March 29, 2004. She was born Jan. 28, 1926, in Milton, Pa., and came to Manatee County in 1989 from Lansdale, Pa. She was a charter member of the Lady Fraternal...

Kids aren't only ones who learn at Career Day.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)(Englewood Scene)(Column)
April 1, 2004... Byline: Sharyn Lonsdale Last Friday, for the third year in a row, I was a guest speaker at Vineland Elementary School's annual Career Day. I was surprised to receive an e-mail invitation from the school's guidance counselor, Kathy...

Deputies roam the range.(H-T EAST)
April 1, 2004... Byline: TOM KIM tom.kim@heraldtribune.com EAST MANATEE -- Rob Hendrickson's Ford F-150 is a roving office. In it is everything he needs for work as he cruises through the far east parts of the county kicking up clouds of dust on bumpy...

Punta Gorda Mall owner, Laundromat feud grows.(B SECTION)
April 1, 2004... Byline: STAFF REPORT PUNTA GORDA -- The standoff between the Punta Gorda Mall owner and a tenant who spurned a relocation offer is escalating, with the developer "contemplating action for possession of the premises," according to the...

It's not where you end up, it's how you get there; Motorcyclists meet in Englewood for monthly rides to wherever.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)
April 1, 2004... Byline: SHARYN LONSDALE sharyn.lonsdale@heraldtribune.com Some of the 11 men and women who cruised into the Englewood Center on their motorcycles at 9 a.m. Sunday didn't know or really care that the group would be heading to Sebring for...

Island garden tour to benefit orchestra.(B SECTION)
April 1, 2004... Byline: DEBI SPRINGER debi.springer@heraldtribune.com ANNA MARIA -- It takes a lot to run the Anna Maria Island Community Orchestra and Chorus. The 100-member group attracts musicians from Venice to St. Petersburg. Its conductor,...

A look back at Braden River life.(H-T EAST)
April 1, 2004... Byline: ERIN BRYCE erin.bryce@heraldtribune.com Editor's note: This is the second in a series of occasional stories about life along the Braden River. EAST MANATEE - Jan Knaack leaned back in the plastic chair on her front porch,...

As St. Petersburg Times chief retires, editor takes the helm.(BUSINESS)
April 1, 2004... Byline: STAFF REPORT St. Petersburg Times chairman and chief executive Andrew Barnes will retire in May and be replaced by Paul Tash, 49, the newspaper's editor and president. The succession follows a plan established by Nelson...

Road work won't hinder arena, developers say.(H-T EAST)
April 1, 2004... Byline: ERIN BRYCE erin.bryce@heraldtribune.com LAKEWOOD RANCH -- Developers don't expect construction on State Road 70 to hinder the flow of traffic to a new 7,400-seat arena. "I think it's being way overplayed," said Larry Kish,...

Obituaries.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
April 1, 2004... SARASOTA COUNTY Joan Browning Joan Browning, 69, Sarasota, died March 30, 2004. She was born June 26, 1934, in Lebanon, Ky., and came to Sarasota in 1983 from Cincinnati. She was a Realtor and a member of the Happy Gospel Center...

Prosecutors won't charge Atkins.(B SECTION)
April 1, 2004... Byline: MIKE SAEWITZ mike.saewitz@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- Prosecutors won't press battery charges against Sarasota City Commissioner Fredd Atkins, saying there's no indication he did anything illegal by pulling a pregnant woman away...

Group says government is key to affordable housing.(B SECTION)
April 1, 2004... Byline: DALE WHITE dale.white@heraldtribune.com Housing costs will continue spiraling out of the reach of much of the county's work force unless the government takes charge and coordinates a public-private effort to reverse that trend, an...

Obituaries.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
April 1, 2004... CHARLOTTE COUNTY Erma M. Bruce Erma M. Bruce, 89, Port Charlotte, died March 25, 2004. She was born Sept. 2, 1914, in Seventeen, Ohio, and came to the Charlotte County area 28 years ago from there. She was a secretary and a member...

Possible greenway under review.(H-T EAST)
April 1, 2004... Byline: ERIN BRYCE erin.bryce@heraldtribune.com LAKEWOOD RANCH -- Schroeder-Manatee Ranch wants to build an east-west trail through Lakewood Ranch instead of a road. Years ago, the county approved a roadway connecting Lakewood Ranch...

Undemocratic decision; Closing of Baghdad newspaper creates a glaring contradiction.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
April 1, 2004... 'Where is democracy now?" chanted hundreds of Iraqis, protesting the decision by the American-led occupational government to shut down a radical newspaper in Baghdad. It's a question that the authorities will be hard-pressed to answer...

BRIEFS.(B SECTION)
April 1, 2004... 200,000 attended Sarasota County fair SARASOTA -- Attendance at this year's county fair rose significantly over last year, and the last few years. The 10-day fair drew about 200,000 people, compared with 65,000 last year, according to...

Changes to initiative process advance; Senate bill would require a three-fifths vote to endorse amendments to the state constitution.(B SECTION)
April 1, 2004... Byline: LLOYD DUNKELBERGER CAPITAL BUREAU TALLAHASSEE -- Voters will have to endorse amendments to the state constitution by a three-fifths vote under a proposal tentatively approved Wednesday by the Florida Senate. Requiring more...

'Sean Connery' to appear at Y preview party.(FLORIDA WEST)(Column)
April 1, 2004... Byline: Marjorie North It'll either be Sean Connery or a dead-ringer at Optional Art on Wednesday for the preview party showing off some of the Y Foundation's live auction goodies lined up for Going for the Gold, says foundation leader...

News Updates.(B SECTION)
April 1, 2004... Drainage project closes part of road ENGLEWOOD -- A portion of Elm Street will be closed for a month while Sarasota County replaces storm-water pipes with larger ones. The county project is called the North Englewood Lateral and its...

Parrish residents worry they'll be neglected as district plans for schools.(H-T EAST)
April 1, 2004... Byline: TIFFANY LANKES tiffany.lankes@heraldtribune.com EAST MANATEE -- Parents in the Parrish area fear that they're being overlooked as the district plans to build its next elementary school in Lakewood Ranch. These parents wanted...

Comdial reveals red ink; Company loses $6.1 million in 2003 restructuring.(BUSINESS)
April 1, 2004... Byline: MICHAEL POLLICK michael.pollick@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA COUNTY -- Comdial Corp., the telecommunications equipment maker that went through a complete restructuring last year, on Wednesday reported the aftermath: reduced sales...

Bad toe frustrates Larson.(SPORTS)
April 1, 2004... Byline: JASON SWANCEY jason.swancey@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- Turf toe might sound like a minor injury, but watch what it does to a grown man in peak physical condition and you'll literally feel his pain... and frustration. ...

The Masters: It's about prestige and history.(SPORTS)(Golf)(Column)
April 1, 2004... Byline: Mark Cardon Next week's Masters promises to be a very emotional tournament with Arnold Palmer making his 50th, and what he says will be his final appearance as a player at Augusta National. The Masters is all about prestige...

Briefs.(H-T EAST)
April 1, 2004... EAST MANATEE New recreation center at Heritage Harbour Heritage Harbour had a grand opening luau for its residents on Saturday to celebrate the opening of its Stoneybrook Recreational Campus. Residents toured the completed...

Rams build big lead, hold on to win, 12-9; Josh Appelbaum has a 3-run homer and a 2-run single in upset of No. 8 Miami Killian.(SPORTS)
April 1, 2004... Byline: CHAD BROCKHOFF CORRESPONDENT SARASOTA -- The Riverview High baseball team must like to make things difficult for itself. In its first two games of the 2004 Sarasota Baseball Classic, Riverview gave up a seven-run lead against...

Local groups help Jews prepare for Passover.(H-T EAST)
April 1, 2004... Byline: TIFFANY LANKES tiffany.lankes@heraldtribune.com EAST MANATEE -- With crayons and glue sticks as their ingredients and utensils, children created their own colorful renditions of a Seder dinner. They scribbled bold-colored...

Local artists share creative work at festival.(H-T EAST)
April 1, 2004... Byline: STEVE HEISLER CORRESPONDENT EAST MANATEE -- Creativity in its many forms will be celebrated as artists, crafts people and writers gather to share their muses on Sunday. The Creativity Festival, presented by the Creative Arts...

Our Community.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)
April 1, 2004... Charlotte offers new adult tai chi course The Charlotte County Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department will offer a new introductory tai chi course for adults at the Tringali Park Community Center, 3460 S. McCall Road. The...

POLICE BLOTTER.(B SECTION)
April 1, 2004... Compiled from Charlotte and Sarasota county sheriffs' reports filed through March 31. Pine Hollow Drive, 100 block, March 25. A set of pearl earrings and a ladies' watch were stolen in a home burglary. Dominica Drive, 20 block, March...

Residents air water concerns at forum; Venice seeks a permit to dump 3 million gallons of waste water a day into Curry Creek.(A SECTION)
April 2, 2004... Byline: ROBERT PATRICK robert.patrick@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA COUNTY -- Most of the time, people are lining up to buy the waste water from Venice's Eastside sewage treatment plant. "When we're running 2 million gallons a day and...

Briefs.(B SECTION)
April 2, 2004... Fire damages Port Charlotte house PORT CHARLOTTE -- A fire damaged a single-story home in the 3600 block of Brooklyn Avenue on Thursday evening. No one was injured. The fire was reported about 6:30 p.m. Firefighters saw flames in a...

SinoFresh chief defends engagement ring purchase.(BUSINESS)
April 2, 2004... Byline: LAUREN MAYK lauren.mayk@heraldtribune.com ENGLEWOOD -- SinoFresh Healthcare's Charles Fust is fighting back against one of the most personal allegations made against him in a recent lawsuit. A group of shareholders has accused...

See last artwork display before community center's reconstruction.(B SECTION)(Arts Around Town)(Column)
April 2, 2004... Byline: Francine Milford The wonderful framed watercolors of Venice artist Tonya Sauppe will be on display at the Venice Community Center, 326 S. Nokomis Ave., through May. Admission is free, and the display will be open during regular...

This 'Dirty Blonde' needs more bounce.(TICKET)
April 2, 2004... Byline: JAY HANDELMAN jay.handelman@heraldtribune.com; VENICE -- "Dirty Blonde," Claudia Shear's charming and cleverly constructed tribute to Mae West, is much like the woman it salutes. It's tough, bawdy, naughty and may not be easy...

Schools treat threats seriously; The recent arrest of a Cardinal Mooney teen reflects post-Columbine zero-tolerance policies.(A SECTION)
April 2, 2004... Byline: JULIAN PECQUET julian.pecquet@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- When Cardinal Mooney High School officials heard that a senior had talked about shooting classmates and setting off a bomb at graduation, they immediately called...