Sarasota Herald Tribune articles from April 2005

Sarasota Herald Tribune archives from April 2005

Record funding going to schools; The $16.3B outlay is the largest in state history School funding highest in state history.(A SECTION)
April 30, 2005... Byline: JOE FOLLICK CAPITAL BUREAU TALLAHASSEE -- Lawmakers have agreed on the biggest increase in public school funding in Florida history, but deep differences remain on issues as disparate as school vouchers and the value of...

Man with 12-year-old 'had no idea'; Being from another culture, the man who took the girl from Bradenton doesn't understand, a translator says.(A SECTION)
April 30, 2005... Byline: MICHAEL A. SCARCELLA michael.scarcella@heraldtribune.com BRADENTON -- In a jail cell hundreds of miles from here, Antonio Paulino-Perez told a translator he can't understand why federal authorities arrested him. FBI agents...

Powder puff football? Hardly; Women's football team is a group of heavy hitters.(A SECTION)
April 30, 2005... Byline: THOMAS BECNEL thomas.becnel@heraldtribune.com During the week, Kim Shaw manages something called quality assurance development for a Sarasota tax service. In business casual clothes, the programmer faces a computer and works in an...

FROM YOUR READER ADVOCATE.(A SECTION)(Column)
April 30, 2005... I wasn't sure what to expect Monday morning when I arrived at the Reader Advocate desk. I will admit I'm not one who embraces challenges. My preference is that the days be predictable and pleasant. The first caller, a gentleman from...

A balanced approach; County takes deliberate steps toward an affordable-housing program.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
April 30, 2005... The Sarasota County Commission has reinforced the foundation required for building a comprehensive affordable-housing strategy. The commissioners took deliberate, logical steps Tuesday to further a long, complex discussion about how the...

Cost conscious; Finally facing fiscal reality in North Port.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
April 30, 2005... Builders in North Port said Thursday they're willing to pay more to cover costs linked to development. That's encouraging, because fast-growing North Port is mired in a fiscal swamp and more growth -- in the wrong places, at the wrong time --...

Long shot, but at least it's a shot.(SPORTS)(Comment)(Column)
April 30, 2005... Byline: Doug Fernandes TAMPA -- It's the very bottom of the NFL pecking order. Tryout. One can be drafted into the league -- a first-rounder smothered in hype, a seventh-rounder sheathed in anonymity. He can be a college...

Ruud ready to claim spot; Buccaneers rookie linebacker says he'll fit well into scheme.(SPORTS)
April 30, 2005... Byline: TOM BALOG tom.balog@heraldtribune.com TAMPA -- Right out of the blocks Friday, Barrett Ruud got a good indication of the plans Tampa Bay has for its second-round draft pick. The linebacker from Nebraska was named one of four...

Blazers capture district title; Sarasota Christian scores a pair of runs in bottom of the fifth inning and hold on for the shutout.(SPORTS)
April 30, 2005... Byline: CHAD BROCKHOFF CORRESPONDENT SARASOTA -- Southwest Florida Christian Academy right-hander Haley Barraco struck out 12 Sarasota Christian batters Friday, but she probably wishes she could get one back. The host Blazers scored...

Revord, Gentry top area finishers; Both garner fourth-place finishes in state track competition.(SPORTS)
April 30, 2005... Byline: DENNIS MAFFEZZOLI dennis.maffezzoli@heraldtribune.com CORAL SPRINGS -- Connor Revord was nervous, like he normally is when he begins a race. Nora Gentry was terrified when she began. Both responded well enough to turn in...

Five Riverview players sign letters of intent.(SPORTS)
April 30, 2005... Byline: CHAD BROCKHOFF CORRESPONDENT SARASOTA -- Complete with cake, the Riverview High girls basketball team celebrated once again Friday. The Lady Rams, who went 26-5 during the 2004-05 season and advanced to the Class 6A state...

Mooney grad has hot bat in Michigan softball win.(SPORTS)(KEEPING UP)(Column)
April 30, 2005... Byline: BARBARA KLEMT BOXLEITNER University of Michigan standout Nicole Motycka from Cardinal Mooney was 2-for-3 with two runs batted in as a designated hitter during a softball win over Eastern Michigan. She hit her 11th home run, a solo...

Luffing Lassies' boat is 2nd.(SPORTS)
April 30, 2005... Byline: MORGAN STINEMETZ CORRESPONDENT TAMPA BAY -- Sarasota's distaff sailing group, the Luffing Lassies, seemingly had enough talent at the Florida Women's Sailing Association championships Friday to loan some of it out. The...

AREA WRAP.(SPORTS)
April 30, 2005... ROWING Scullers' Troxell to Northeastern SARASOTA -- Less than two years after taking up the sport, rowing has given Mike Troxell the opportunity to earn a college education in the city he loves. Troxell, a Sarasota High senior...

Lancers score 21 in victory.(SPORTS)
April 30, 2005... Byline: STAFF REPORT BRADENTON -- Manatee Community College rolled over Florida College Friday night with a 21-11 victory. MCC got home runs from Brian Peacock, Angel Mercado, Kevin Clark and Brian Williams. Brent Colenan...

Mooney shuts out Booker.(SPORTS)
April 30, 2005... Byline: STAFF REPORT SARASOTA -- Booker was shut out on Friday night during a 10-0 match against Cardinal Mooney High School in the regular season for both teams. Booker served as host, even though the game was played at Mooney. ...

CLASS 2A STATE TRACK AND FIELD MEET.(SPORTS)
April 30, 2005... * WHEN: Noon to 9:30 p.m., today. * WHERE: Coral Spring High School. * DIRECTIONS: Take Interstate 75 to Alligator Alley to exit 19 north (State Road 869 toward Coral Springs/West Palm Beach). Merge onto the Sawgrass Expressway north...

Duval, Johnson lead the pack.(SPORTS)
April 30, 2005... Byline: ALAN DELL CORRESPONDENT KISSIMMEE -- As expected, Riverview High's Deaaron Duval and Keiriney Johnson of Lakewood Ranch led a large contingent of area athletes, who qualified for next week's Class 4A state track meet. Duval...

J.P. Igloo blames woes on management; The ice rink also says its problems worsened when its debt was sold last year.(BUSINESS)
April 30, 2005... Byline: KATHLEEN McLAUGHLIN kathleen.mclaughlin@heraldtribune.com ***** CORRECTION: The following correction was published on Tuesday, May 3, 2005: Correction: Jeff Burkee is a former senior vice president of Regions Bank who...

Business Buzz.(BUSINESS)
April 30, 2005... Palm Cove Mortgage opens in Palmetto Dynamic Global Solutions LLC recently opened Palm Cove Mortgage in Palmetto. Printer opens copy center in Courtyards Lakewood Ranch Printing will hold a ribbon-cutting for its new business...

Snowbird tosses ringers before heading north.(PLAY!)(Go!)(Column)
April 30, 2005... Byline: THOMAS BECNEL Ken Duquet started off slowly at the state horseshoe championships, but made a comeback when he found the perfect groove. His arm felt loose. The shoes felt light. All was right in the world. Clank, clank...

fantasy & Faith; Two brothers and a friend put their Faith in the wind for a 7,500-mile voyage.(PLAY!)
April 30, 2005... Byline: STEVE ECHEVERRIA JR. steve.echeverria@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- After sailing the length of the Mississippi River and half of the Southwest Florida coast, Faith and her crew faced their toughest obstacle Monday night. ...

Marine radio important for communication and safety.(PLAY!)(BOATING)(Column)
April 30, 2005... Byline: Jabbo Gordon Boaters usually keep an ear tuned to their marine radios for a variety of reasons, if they have one. If they don't, they might consider obtaining one, even a handheld, if for no other reason than safety's sake. ...

Highs and lows; Is one-size-fits-all right for Charlotte?(A SECTION)(Editorial)
April 30, 2005... The Charlotte County commissioners are taking a sensible approach to height restrictions by considering whether a one-size-fits-all policy is best. First, rather than expressing knee-jerk opposition to tall buildings anywhere in the...

Corrections.(B SECTION)(Correction Notice)
April 30, 2005... * The Empty Bowls fund-raiser, to benefit The Charlotte County Homeless Coalition, was held Thursday at the Pilgrim United Church of Christ. A caption of a photograph in Friday's Charlotte and Englewood Herald-Tribune listed the wrong church.

Despite storms, FCAT scores up; Even with school sharing, Charlotte's 3rd-graders boost their performance.(B SECTION)
April 30, 2005... Byline: KEVIN DALE kevin.dale@heraldtribune.com Charlotte County third-graders improved their performance on the math and reading sections of the FCAT, despite a year marked by reduced teaching time, shattered schools and disruptive...

There's fun out there if you're willing to travel.(B SECTION)(Life Around Town)(Column)
April 30, 2005... Byline: Sharyn Lonsdale All is quiet on the Charlotte front this weekend, so people in Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda are going to have to travel a bit to find something fun to do. Check out one of these events today. They sound like...

Deeses host ACS fund-raiser at their country home.(B SECTION)(In the Loop)(Column)
April 30, 2005... Byline: Ann Henderson The beautiful two-story home of Debra and Benji Dees was the setting for the annual American Cancer Society 125 Club fund-raiser earlier this month. More than 160 patrons drove down the long driveway of the 5-acre...

LOCAL BRIEFS.(B SECTION)
April 30, 2005... WalkAmerica today at Englewood Beach ENGLEWOOD -- Englewood WalkAmerica, an annual fund-raiser for the March of Dimes, is 8 a.m. today at Englewood Beach from Pavilion 2 on North Beach Road. Registration begins at 7 a.m. and 150...

Obituaries.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
April 30, 2005... CHARLOTTE COUNTY Samuel J. Rauls III Samuel J. Rauls III, 53, Port Charlotte, died April 26, 2005, at University of Florida Shands Hospital in Gainesville. He was born July 1, 1951, in Chicago and came to the Charlotte County...

Teachers have as much fun as kids at Vineland's Field Day.(B SECTION)
April 30, 2005... Byline: SHARYN LONSDALE sharyn.lonsdale@heraldtribune.com They ran through an obstacle course, jumped rope, did the limbo and manned a water hose at Vineland Elementary School's Field Day for second- and third-grade students. Oh,...

CONGRATS.(B SECTION)
April 30, 2005... VOTI awards scholarships Village on the Isle, a Venice retirement center, has presented scholarships to its student-employees for nearly 20 years. The 13 young people who are this year's recipients are not only dedicated scholars but...

Stem cell research restrictions could be relaxed, thanks to compromise.(B SECTION)(Comment)(Column)
April 30, 2005... Byline: Rich Brooks Is there a revolution of moderates taking shape within the Washington Beltway? It's something of a non sequitur to state that moderates are staging a revolution. What would they do? March on Pennsylvania Avenue...

Bus driver to be trained after remark.(B SECTION)
April 30, 2005... Byline: ERIN BRYCE erin.bryce@heraldtribune.com NORTH PORT -- A North Port bus driver who allegedly directed a racial slur at a black student has been ordered to take a diversity training course and will not be allowed to drive for...

North Port raises road impact fees; The city will collect an extra $1.2 million in impact fees this year.(B SECTION)
April 30, 2005... Byline: ERIN BRYCE erin.bryce@heraldtribune.com NORTH PORT -- The City Commission this week approved a 27 percent increase in road impact fees. While North Port has been talking for months about charging builders more, Monday...

Up from the ashes; Rangers help out scrub jays with an unlikely tool: fire.(B SECTION)
April 30, 2005... Byline: LAURA GREEN laura.green@heraldtribune.com VENICE -- Shoots of green sprout from the charred remains of trees that rangers set on fire only weeks ago. They are a sign of hope that the endangered Florida scrub jays at Oscar...

LOCAL BRIEFS.(B SECTION)
April 30, 2005... Rialto closes for road work on Wednesday VENICE -- The Rialto, from Palermo Place to Sovrano Road in Venice, will be closed to traffic on Wednesday. The street will be off limits from 6 to 9 a.m. while work is being done at Venice...

There they go again; Annexation dispute shouldn't detract from cooperative efforts.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
April 30, 2005... Maybe the Manatee County Commission and Bradenton City Council should try watching a few sunsets together. Unfortunately, even that's not likely to put them a peaceful, cooperative mood. They're arguing, yet again, over annexation....

Bruins capture district title; Jenni Campos pitches through the pain of a pulled muscle to lead Bayshore to title.(SPORTS)
April 30, 2005... Byline: JON STYF jon.styf@heraldtribune.com BRADENTON -- Jenni Campos was in pain. After pulling a muscle in her pitching arm sliding into second base Wednesday, there was a question about whether the Bayshore pitcher could take the...

Coalition backs water package; Lawmakers say it's a comprehensive attempt to deal with state water policy.(B SECTION)
April 30, 2005... Byline: LLOYD DUNKELBERGER CAPITAL BUREAU TALLAHASSEE -- An unusual alliance of environmentalists, developers, businesses, farmers and local governments has united behind a major water package that lawmakers say could provide a...

County may donate land for homes; Nonprofit groups would build the homes for lower-income families.(B SECTION)
April 30, 2005... Byline: DALE WHITE dale.white@heraldtribune.com MANATEE COUNTY -- Nonprofit home builders may soon qualify for free land from the county, enabling them to slash tens of thousands of dollars off the cost of the homes they rent or sell to...

Habitat for Humanity elects new officers.(B SECTION)
April 30, 2005... Manatee County Habitat for Humanity is an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International. They are nonprofit, ecumenical, Christian, volunteer-based organizations dedicated to building simple, low-cost homes. The local chapter recently...

Briefs.(B SECTION)
April 30, 2005... Traffic stop turns up a kilogram of cocaine BRADENTON -- Sheriff's deputies arrested a man Wednesday who they say had more than two pounds of cocaine in a cereal box in his truck. Sarasota resident Cesar Espinoza-Salazar, 25, was...

Obituaries.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
April 30, 2005... MANATEE COUNTY Antonio A. Borges Antonio A. Borges, 80, Bradenton, died April 28, 2005. He was born July 10, 1924, in Framingham, Mass., and came to Bradenton in 1977 from Ashland, Mass. He was a member of St. Joseph Catholic...

Correction.(B SECTION)(Correction Notice)
April 30, 2005... The seafood tower shown in a photo in Friday's Ticket was incorrectly identified as an item on Rosedale Golf & Country Club's brunch menu. It is a dinner entree.

Housing Authority gets new director; William Russell, a former adviser to Rudolph Giuliani, will run the agency.(B SECTION)
April 30, 2005... Byline: LISA RAB lisa.rab@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- One of the nation's top public housing officials and a former adviser to former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani has been tapped to run the troubled Sarasota Housing Authority....

Impact fees still a target for Bennett; The lawmaker plans a study on what he calls misuse of the fees by counties.(B SECTION)
April 30, 2005... Byline: JEREMY WALLACE jeremy.wallace@heraldtribune.com TALLAHASSEE -- The battle between state lawmakers and county governments over impact fees isn't finished yet. State Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, said on Friday that he would...

Ex-principal gets 20 years.(B SECTION)
April 30, 2005... Byline: STAFF REPORT SARASOTA -- The former principal of a private Christian school was sentenced Friday to 20 years in prison for molesting a 15-year-old girl in a school office. The Rev. Jerry Lee Pitts, 38, convicted of one count...

Briefs.(B SECTION)
April 30, 2005... Bowling league donates $12,000 to charities A League of Our Own, Sarasota's GLBT Bowling League awarded more than $12,000 to local charities and cultural organizations at its April 18 end of season banquet. In making the...

Obituaries.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
April 30, 2005... SARASOTA COUNTY Uldine M. Denham Uldine M. Denham, 79, Sarasota, died April 26, 2005. She was born Jan. 5, 1926, in Coward, S.C., and came to Sarasota 21 years ago from Smyrna, Ga. She retired as a secretary with the...

New home, new dog.(HOME & REAL ESTATE)(Letter From Home)(Column)
April 30, 2005... Byline: Harold Bubil A good home will be getting a good dog, thanks to a local organization whose business is doing good. And that organization, Southeastern Guide Dogs of Palmetto, will be getting some national exposure Sunday...

'Extreme' satisfaction; TV's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," hosted by hunky carpenter Ty Pennington, broadcasts its episode on a St. Petersburg makeover Sunday night.(HOME & REAL ESTATE)
April 30, 2005... Byline: HAROLD BUBIL harold.bubil@heraldtribune.com SEMINOLE -- Hundreds worked. Thousands gawked. When the team from ABC-TV's hit show "Extreme Makeover" Home Edition" came to this St. Petersburg suburb, they had no problem finding...

Don't mess with Florida, either.(HOME & REAL ESTATE)(Home Work)(Column)
April 30, 2005... Byline: Art Levy One of my favorite articles of clothing, before it shrunk, faded and got stained with a wide assortment of food and drink droppings, was my "Don't mess with Texas" T-shirt. It wasn't a particularly attractive shirt,...

Statewide scale tips to the middle; The dynamic shifts as Central Florida joins the historic North-South scrap.(A SECTION)
April 29, 2005... Byline: JOE FOLLICK Capital Bureau TALLAHASSEE -- The North vs. South feud among state lawmakers over how to divvy up $16.3 billion for public schools is inching toward a cease-fire. But the issue highlights a broader evolution in...

Lifesaving legislation; Pass the seat-belt enforcement bill.(A SECTION)(Column)
April 29, 2005... Cruising along in a cushy car, radio and A/C blasting, it's easy to forget just how dangerous driving can be. Maybe that's why some people don't wear seat belts. Of course they're breaking a Florida law that mandates the use of safety...

Cold war; Methamphetamine scourge warrants restricting sales of medications.(A SECTION)(Column)
April 29, 2005... Methamphetamine labs are exploding -- figuratively and literally -- across the United States. Lawmakers are turning to unusual allies for help: people with stuffy noses. Methamphetamine is an illegal and highly addictive stimulant also...

Sailors ranked No. 1 in poll.(SPORTS)
April 29, 2005... The Sarasota High School baseball team debuted as the No. 1 team in the national StudentSports.com poll Thursday. The Sailors completed their regular season undefeated (25-0) for the first time in school history with a 12-0 win over...

No bypassing Boston.(SPORTS)(Comment)(Column)
April 29, 2005... Byline: Chris Anderson The nurse held his hand as he was being wheeled into surgery. "I ran Boston the year before last," she whispered to him, "and we're going to get you up there, too." There was 80 percent blockage in the left...

Laird tosses 3-hitter as Venice shuts out Lady Pirates for title.(SPORTS)
April 29, 2005... Byline: PERRY D. PENTZ perry.pentz@heraldtribune.com VENICE -- The Venice High softball team made it clear early that it wasn't going to lose in the Class 5A-District 11 final Thursday at Venice High. The second-seeded Lady Indians...

Sailors, Rams take 3rd; Sarasota's Jon Wolff and Riverview's Kendal Ruffner both win state No. 2 singles title.(SPORTS)
April 29, 2005... Byline: MIC HUBER mic.huber@heraldtribune.com ALTAMONTE SPRINGS -- Team titles eluded Sarasota and Riverview Thursday at Sanlando Park, but each program put its stamp on the Class 4A state tournament with a couple of individual...

Double features at CCS.(SPORTS)
April 29, 2005... Byline: STAFF REPORT PUNTA GORDA -- Auto racing teams and fans will double their pleasure in four divisions Saturday night at Charlotte County Speedway. Feature events in the Road Warriors, Thunder Trucks and the 4-cylinder classes...

Frostproof has DeSoto's number in title game; DeSoto loses for third time this season to district champions.(SPORTS)
April 29, 2005... Byline: CURTIS WILLIAMS CORRESPONDENT FROSTPROOF -- Kali Behrens went three-for-three, and Samantha Smith pitched a complete game two-hitter in leading Frostproof to a 4-0 victory over DeSoto High Thursday night in the Class 3A-District...

CLASS 1A STATE TRACK AND FIELD MEET.(SPORTS)
April 29, 2005... * WHEN: Noon to 9:30 p.m., today. * WHERE: Coral Springs High School. * DIRECTIONS: Take Interstate 75 to Alligator Alley to exit 19 north (State Road 869 toward Coral Springs/West Palm Beach). Merge onto the Sawgrass Expressway...

Sutliff, Scruggs share weekly catch honor.(SPORTS)(Outdoors)(Column)
April 29, 2005... Byline: Steve Gibson Catch of the Week honors go to Sarasota's Glenn Sutliff and Rosalyn Scruggs. Sutliff caught and released a 60-pound sailfish while trolling for kingfish in the Gulf of Mexico with Jeff Thomas of the Minnow Bucket...

Herald-Tribune boasts higher circulation.(BUSINESS)
April 29, 2005... Byline: JOHN HIELSCHER john.hielscher@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- Though all the numbers aren't in, the Herald-Tribune is on track to rank as Florida's fastest-growing major daily newspaper. Daily circulation jumped a robust 4.3...

Become a boss of the cube farm.(BUSINESS)
April 29, 2005... If you're graduating from college, there is a good chance you are about to become a cube dweller -- a white-collar office worker mired in a cubicle. Or maybe you need to resuscitate a stagnant career. Either way, "How to Get from...

Business Buzz.(BUSINESS)
April 29, 2005... Karen Cook makes commercial deals Karen Cook of The Commercial Group of Michael Saunders & Co. recently represented the seller, Serena Lennox Trustee, in the sale of three units at 2750 Stickney Point Road. The property was purchased by...

If plans pan out, Edgewater eyesore could become an eye-catcher.(B SECTION)(Comment)(Column)
April 29, 2005... Byline: Eric Ernst It's hard to believe, but the old concrete shell building on Gottfried Creek in Englewood, the one everyone calls East Beirut -- the one that's been abandoned for 17 years -- is ready to be converted into... ... ...

Monroe County roofer seeks reinstatement of permitting privileges; Victor Harris also vows to complete those unfinished jobs that got him in trouble in the first place.(B SECTION)
April 29, 2005... Byline: STAFF REPORT PUNTA GORDA -- A Monroe County roofer whose permitting privileges the city suspended indefinitely this week said he wants to be reinstated. Victor Harris, owner of Victor's Roofing, said he plans to address the...

Take me to the river; Banjo Society makes music on the Myakka.(B SECTION)
April 29, 2005... The twang of banjos and the strains of other instruments were in the air Thursday east of Venice as about 45 members of the Gulf Coast Banjo Society played at Snook Haven Restaurant on the Myakka River. The group, which has been playing...

Raise a glass to the outstanding talent in the area.(B SECTION)(Column)
April 29, 2005... Byline: Amy Abern There are many reasons this week to break out a bottle of champagne and offer congratulations to some of the outstanding talent in the area. And if none of those reason work for you, break out a bottle of champagne and...

Nonprofit hospitals hit by storms may get state help.(B SECTION)
April 29, 2005... Byline: JOE FOLLICK CAPITAL BUREAU TALLAHASSEE -- A handful of nonprofit hospitals damaged by last year's hurricanes -- including Manatee Memorial Hospital -- may share in a $25 million grant from the state, if lawmakers can agree on...

Obituaries.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
April 29, 2005... CHARLOTTE COUNTY Jewel C. Abbott Jewel C. Abbott, 101, Punta Gorda, died April 26, 2005. Survivors include a daughter, Sue Jones of Punta Gorda; a son, Jack of Nashville, Tenn., and Fort Myers; a sister, Geraldine Quinn; two...

Al Pope has had the hot hand and has proof to back it up.(B SECTION)(Column)
April 29, 2005... Byline: STEVE GIBSON steve.gibson@heraldtribune.com Al Pope of North Port has had a hot hand lately. The winter resident from New York has been doing well in South Gulf Cove, catching a mixed bag of fresh and saltwater fish. Pope...

Correction.(B SECTION)(Correction Notice)
April 29, 2005... A story about Meals on Wheels' need for volunteers in Thursday's H-T Englewood section had the wrong phone number. To volunteer to deliver meals for the Englewood Meals on Wheels program, call 474-4445.

Venetian Harmony wins statewide competition.(B SECTION)
April 29, 2005... Byline: KIM HACKETT kim.hackett@heraldtribune.com Success had a sweet sound for the Venetian Harmony chorus which won first place in a statewide competition recently. The group took the top spot among mid-size choruses at the regional...

Lions, witches, wardrobes -- oh my!(B SECTION)
April 29, 2005... Byline: STAFF REPORT The Venice Little Theatre for Young People is offering its final play of the season, "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe" in the Pinkerton Theatre at 7 p.m. today and again at 7 p.m. on Saturday and on May 5, 6,...

North Port won't say no to growth; The city tries to ease the fears of the building industry after the "M-word" rears its head.(A SECTION)
April 29, 2005... Byline: ERIN BRYCE erin.bryce@heraldtribune.com NORTH PORT -- Standing in front of a crowd of more than 100 members of the community Thursday afternoon, City Commissioner Richard Lockhart said his phone had been ringing off the hook....

News Updates.(B SECTION)
April 29, 2005... No day-care case decision until May VENICE -- Six weeks after police turned over evidence, the State Attorney's Office has yet to file any criminal charges in the case of alleged abuse at the Early Childhood Center in Venice. Police...

Guild wraps up quilt display.(B SECTION)(Arts Around Town)(Column)
April 29, 2005... Byline: Francine Milford Today is the last opportunity to see the free exhibit by the Venice Area Quilters Guild at the MCC Venice Fine Art Gallery, 8000 S. Tamiami Trail. Venice fabric artist Mary Johnson has six works of art on...

North Port YMCA celebrates with Party in the Park.(B SECTION)
April 29, 2005... Byline: KIM HACKETT kim.hackett@heraldtribune.com Saturday's North Port YMCA Party in the Park and ribbon-cutting marks four years of work to bring a YMCA to the community. While the YMCA won't open its doors at the Al Goll Center...

Heron Creek takes out the 'Trash' this weekend.(B SECTION)
April 29, 2005... Byline: KIM HACKETT kim.hackett@heraldtribune.com Heron Creek Middle School's Earth Day musical "Trash" gives audiences an environmental lesson with a melody. The show will be performed tonight and Saturday afternoon and evening. ...

Three arrested in Englewood narcotics bust.(B SECTION)
April 29, 2005... Byline: SHARYN LONSDALE sharyn.lonsdale@heraldtribune.com ENGLEWOOD -- The Sarasota County sheriff's Special Investigations Bureau raided an Englewood home business Wednesday afternoon and arrested three people on drug-related charges....

Jitters on hold for a while; After a series of delays, the owners abandon plans to reopen West Dearborn Street site.(B SECTION)
April 29, 2005... Byline: AMY ABERN amy.abern@heraldtribune.com ENGLEWOOD -- For months, a sign on the window at 425 W. Dearborn St. promised "Jitters opening soon." The sign is off the window and the former West Dearborn Street coffeehouse staple won't...