Sarasota Herald Tribune articles from April 2009

Sarasota Herald Tribune archives from April 2009

Herald Tribune Obituaries.
April 1, 2009... Jan. 20, 1937 - March 29, 2009 James P. "Jim" Arendall, 72, of Sarasota, formerly of Franklin, Tenn., died March 29, 2009. Visitation will be from 2 to 3 p.m. Thursday at Toale Brothers Funeral Homes, Colonial Chapel. Masonic funeral...

Woman hit by stucco is out of hospital.
April 1, 2009... Shirley Holmes, who lives in East Manatee, was shopping when a piece of debris fell from the Plaza at Five Points building on Saturday. City officials have said that water damage and high winds may have caused the stucco to come loose and...

76 Trombones lead the big parade at Ringling Colleg's Avant-Garde.
April 1, 2009... Byline: Heather Dunhill Give him a theme and he runs with it -- err, marches with it. Making an entrance, 76 trombones lead the big parade with Larry and wife, Pat, as they marched through the college campus to cheers. Hundreds dressed...

Pacific Rim keeps pace.
April 1, 2009... Byline: JACK D. WINNER Correspondent Since then, sushi restaurants have popped up all over town, as have places that blend different Asian cuisines. But Pacific Rim has stayed abreast of the competition, as a crowded weekday night...

Culinary nonsense for April Fools' Day.
April 1, 2009... Byline: Linda Brandt You must be kidding I can't imagine why you would want to make a hot dog look like an octopus, or why you would go through the six steps required by the Octodog Frankfurter Converter when you could accomplish the...

Children prepare candy for a cause.
April 1, 2009... Byline: BETSY WILLIAMS Correspondent Owner Linda Zenga and staff have been holding special workshops to help raise money for the Heineman Family, who lost 7-year-old daughter Sarah-Dian Heineman in February after an automobile accident. ...

Business buzz.
April 1, 2009... Larry Bowman of Atlas Insurance in Sarasota has joined the board of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County. Also, Jon M. Talamas has joined Atlas. He has a degree in economics from the University of Georgia and obtained his 2-20 Property...

Van Wezel's bottom line.
April 1, 2009... Sarasota's Van Wezel used to be known both for its purple walls and for its black ink: It was one of the few performing arts halls to need little or no tax subsidy to cover its annual operating costs. These days, the city-owned hall is...

Arthur Andersen reunion, Class of 2002.
April 1, 2009... Byline: Staff Report Jim Shedivy thinks a lot of people around here will. The former managing partner and chief information officer for Arthur Andersen Sarasota, with the help of other former employees, has scheduled a May 16 reunion...

Foreign drywall makers tough to pursue.
April 1, 2009... Byline: AARON KESSLER The drywall, which first surfaced in Florida homes and has now been found in other states, has been tied to the corrosion of wiring, air-conditioning coils, pipes and other components inside affected homes. Some...

Judge rebuffs Nadel request.
April 1, 2009... Byline: JOHN HIELSCHER Nadel, a disbarred attorney, wants to invoke his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and refuse to complete an accounting of his business and personal assets. The Sarasota hedge fund manager, charged...

Report rejects racial discrimination claims.
April 1, 2009... Byline: TIFFANY LANKES The investigator hired to look into claims of racial discrimination in the school system has determined that the district did not mistreat Assistant Superintendent Hal Nelson because he is black. But the report...

'Cover Florida' health plan stumbles.
April 1, 2009... Byline: ANNA SCOTT But enrollment figures show the program is unpopular. Fewer than 2,000 people have purchased policies since they became available in January. Crist blames insufficient advertising. Critics say the problem is the...

Students unearthing new jobs.
April 1, 2009... Byline: JOHN DAVIS As afternoon rush-hour traffic built on U.S. 41, a group of criminology students stood this week in a quiet wooded area by Manatee Community College, examining a skeleton buried under pine needles. Students in the...

Record crowds at air show.
April 1, 2009... Byline: Staff Report Last month's Florida International Air Show attracted about 65,000 spectators, the largest crowd in the event's 29-year history, organizers said this week. "We pride ourselves in putting on a quality event each and...

Mother faces drug and abuse charges.
April 1, 2009... Byline: Staff Report A Punta Gorda woman reportedly under the influence of methamphetamines and mistakenly screaming that her children were dead is facing drug and child abuse charges. Punta Gorda police say the woman, Nicole Marie...

Facility's outgoing mail to go to Tampa.
April 1, 2009... Byline: DALE WHITE Those duties will be transferred to the distribution center in Tampa; the 59 affected employees will be reassigned. The transition will start Oct. 1 and continue through April 1, 2010. Incoming mail will still...

Lending market lifted as mortgage rates fall.
April 1, 2009... Byline: TOM BAYLES Mortgage interest rates on a 30-year fixed loan with a 20 percent down payment and no points fell to 4.875 percent, one of the lowest rates in years for this region. At that rate, a borrower with decent credit and 20...

Stalled town center may find new life.
April 1, 2009... Byline: DOUG SWORD Staff Writer A three-way deal would relaunch a portion of the stalled University Town Center project, provide about $20 million in federal stimulus money to extend North Cattlemen Road and invest up to $5 million in a...

Shaky economy shakes loose some coins.
April 1, 2009... Byline: LAUREN MAYK Standing on the sidewalk along Tamiami Trail with a cardboard sign, Rausch marveled at how much money he and his girlfriend would make that coming weekend. "I'm paying rent; I ain't paid rent in 10 years," said...

Morris has his first Bucs workout.
April 1, 2009... Byline: TOM BALOG NFL: Voluntary minicamp has only three players missing as new era starts for Tampa Bay Raheem Morris convened his first workout with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the strains of hip-hop music. He should have worked John...

A baseball tradition goes south.
April 1, 2009... Byline: ROGER DROUIN Staff Writer John Donohue could not have been happier, sipping a cold beer outside City of Palms Park, waiting with his family for Tuesday's sold-out spring training game against the Tampa Bay Rays. Donohue lives...

TIME FOR A WALK.
April 1, 2009... Byline: STEVE GIBSON On a typical spring day in a typical spring training game, Reds manager Dusty Baker was sitting outside the dugout watching his team take on the New York Yankees. From out of the blue, Baker's day went from...

Zgrabik goes 4-for-4, and leads Venice to easy win over North Port.
April 1, 2009... Byline: DENNIS MAFFEZZOLI Chasing a foul pop along the third base side during the first inning, Venice third baseman Courtney Markusson crashed so hard into catcher Chelsea Zgrabik, she knocked Zgrabik out of her hitting slump. Zgrabik...

3-RUN SIXTH POWERS ODA.
April 1, 2009... Byline: Staff Report The Out-of-Door Academy rallied with three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to edge the Manatee H.E.A.T. 7-5 on Tuesday. With one out in the sixth, ODA's Brendan Bercal drew a walk and Sean Fleeman doubled to...

Sarasota Christian rolls over Palmetto.
April 1, 2009... Byline: Staff Report Sarasota Christian beat Palmetto 17-6 in a game that was halted by the mercy rule in the sixth inning Tuesday. Drew Lance struck out two over five innings to improve to 2-0. Sophomore catcher Christie Barkema...

IN BRIEF.
April 1, 2009... for garbage changing MANATEE COUNTY -- To reduce the number of days each week for garbage, recyclables and yard waste collection from four to three, haulers contracted by the county will alter their schedules as of April 6. Customers...

Herald Tribune Obituaries.
April 2, 2009... Aug. 19, 1947 - April 1, 2009 Allan Ray Davidson, 61, of Sarasota, formerly of Fort Lauderdale, died April 1, 2009. A memorial service will be held Wednesday at 2 p.m. at the Church of the Redeemer. Survivors include a brother,...

H-T ALL-AREA BOYS BASKETBALL.
April 2, 2009... STEVE CAVALLARO, Venice High * Go ahead, call them boring. The Indians can finally respond with, "Scoreboard," even if it isn't always difficult to count the points. Cavallaro took Venice to uncharted heights in his fourth season. Led by...

Fulmer wins 3.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Alan Dell Fulmer turned in the best performance of his career on a big stage when he captured three first-place ribbons at the Manatee County Track Meet, Wednesday night at Manatee High. Fulmer did it the hard way. He...

Pirates end with record attendance.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Tom Balog Maholm, who will be the Opening Day starter, was cruising in his final start of the spring against the Boston Red Sox until a three-run home run by Chip Ambres in the fourth inning, snapped his streak of 18 2/3 scoreless...

Festival On the Fringe.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Abby Weingarten Correspondent These directors, writers and producers that got the boot from the bigwigs in early March are now sporting "Official Rejection, Sarasota Film Festival 2009" T-shirts with ironic gusto. They've shucked...

Joy within a tortilla.
April 2, 2009... Byline: ABBY WEINGARTEN Correspondent Baja Iguana, 1303 N. Washington Blvd., Sarasota, 366-3241. Can you say chorizo? Spanish cuisine lovers clamor for samples of the seasoned pork sausage, and at Baja Iguana, you can have it right...

'Fast' lives up to its name.
April 2, 2009... Byline: GEORGE MEYER Correspondent It's the fourth installment since 2001 of a purely action series and, while there may be some interest in co-stars Vin Diesel and Paul Walker, the primary attraction has got to be the car stunts. ...

A Selby hybrid: melding grooves with the gardens.
April 2, 2009... Byline: STEVE ECHEVERRIA JR. At that moment, Rose had an epiphany. "Why am I sitting in this empty condo instead of enjoying the music under the trees?" she recalled. A year later, Rose chairs the Marie Selby Gardens Music Concert...

A concert of hope in a time of need.
April 2, 2009... Byline: ALAN SCULLEY Correspondent The show, which Sharpe said relates to the United States and its history as a land of opportunity and optimism for immigrants (especially from Ireland), has taken on new meaning that couldn't have been...

Successful detour to a poppy sound.
April 2, 2009... Byline: ALAN SCULLEY Correspondent In summer 2006, Wallace and guitarist Sean Patwell were in another band, the Chicago-based A Perfect Gentleman, when they decided to try writing a different kind of song. "Sean and I had played in...

Conchords rely on spontaneous streak.
April 2, 2009... Byline: STEVE HEISLER Correspondent "The Flight of the Conchords" brings its zany mix of observational humor and chortle-inducing melodies to the stage of the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. And although two weeks prior to appearing,...

A film about trying to get a leg up.
April 2, 2009... Byline: JAY HANDELMAN Michael Bennett's musical about dancers auditioning for spots in the chorus of a new Broadway show touched audiences who found connections to their own lives and dreams on that stage. James D. Stern is one of...

The return of La Musica.
April 2, 2009... Byline: SUSAN L. RIFE "The idea of 'coming home' appeals to most of us, often in a rose-tinged sense," said La Musica Executive Director Sally Faron. "But it actually was exploring how musicians and composers thought about home. Some...

Riverwalk shows off its talents.
April 2, 2009... Byline: KHARLI ROSE Correspondent Artists and craftmakers displayed some of their best work Saturday at the Riverwalk Arts & Crafts Show. Tables were full of handcrafted jewelry, quilts, purses and paintings. "Oh, I've got to have...

Cultural festival returns to New College's campus.
April 2, 2009... Byline: ABBY WEINGARTEN Correspondent At the liberal arts honors college, even with its student body of about 800, there is an African Club, a German Club, a Hillel and a large Latino collective. Students flock to Sarasota from the Middle...

Reading frenzy to benefit literacy.
April 2, 2009... Byline: ABBY WEINGARTEN Correspondent In the age of Internet ubiquity and video game playing, urging anyone to read an actual book is a feat. So last year, when people completed 1,000 books during the Manatee County Literacy Council's...

Reds' sunset.
April 2, 2009... After the last pitch is thrown today at Ed Smith Stadium, the Cincinnati Reds will pack their gear and head north -- just as they have done at the end of spring training for the last 12 years. But, this time, the Reds don't have a return...

Life-threatening delays.
April 2, 2009... For residents of the Boca Grande, South Gulf Cove or Rotunda communities in Charlotte County, evacuating ahead of a hurricane could be an exercise in futility or, worse yet, life-threatening danger. Narrow, two-lane roads subject to flooding...

Company move saves 50 jobs.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Staff Report Veethree Electronics and Marine LLC, an Illinois-based company that bought the assets of Teleflex Inc.'s gauge division, has moved its global engineering headquarters to Manatee County and hired more than 50 people...

Hard work pays off for Joyce.
April 2, 2009... Byline: DENNIS MAFFEZZOLI RAYS ROSTER: Outfielder earns spot on the Opening Day roster Matt Joyce did not have much time to make an impression on the Rays. But he used that time efficiently. Following Wednesday's 2-1 victory...

Dubois blazes a trail.
April 2, 2009... Byline: DONNIE WILKIE Correspondent Let's get it out of the way. Mark Dubois is not going to Louisville, UConn or Florida, and he won't be starring in March Madness anytime soon. His college choices, if he doesn't get into Rollins...

Hollywood? Why not here?
April 2, 2009... Byline: MICHAEL POLLICK, DOUG SWORD, JOE FOLLICK and KEVIN L. MCQUAID Staff Writers Digital Domain of Venice, Calif., is animating Florida legislators, fiscally challenged but hungry for good jobs, into getting out their checkbooks. ...

Gone muddin'.
April 2, 2009... Byline: ZAC ANDERSON Staff Writer Conquering mud is a Kelly family tradition. Before the Everglades were drained, Kelly's grandfather built a primitive mud buggy from Henry Ford's original Model A truck, replacing the tires with...

Rays are settled in.
April 2, 2009... Byline: DENNIS MAFFEZZOLI A few early blips can't put a damper on first year of spring training at Charlotte Sports Park The traffic situation was resolved after the first game. Raccoons caused some anxious moments for fans prior...

Dent coming to Sarasota Open.
April 2, 2009... Byline: MIC HUBER Comeback coming along nicely for former No. 21 Taylor Dent was busy Tuesday giving Roger Federer a tough time at the Sony Ericsson Open in Key Biscayne. One day later, Dent, who is trying to make an improbable...

2 men die in crash that backs up I-75 traffic.
April 2, 2009... Byline: ANTHONY CORMIER Staff Writer Two men died and two others were badly injured when their sport utility vehicle skidded off Interstate 75 on Wednesday, choking traffic for miles. Authorities were still trying late Wednesday to...

Will Rays' glow linger?
April 2, 2009... Byline: CHRIS GERBASI Correspondent The Tampa Bay Rays wrapped up their home spring training schedule Wednesday, but Charlotte County businesses hope their presence lingers long past the final out. While February and March tourist tax...

A star among night sky observers.
April 2, 2009... Byline: ABBY WEINGARTEN Correspondent David H. Levy was 8 when he spied a shooting star as it dashed past the window of his dorm room at summer camp. He was hooked. Now one of the most renowned night sky observers in the world,...

Sunshine suit ends, but costs at issue.
April 2, 2009... Byline: KIM HACKETT A circuit judge signed a final judgment Wednesday dropping city officials from an open government lawsuit and blaming the city for "portions" of Sarasota resident Anthony Lorenzo's allegations. City Council members...

Teacher of Year winner's still got that rhythm.
April 2, 2009... Byline: TIFFANY LANKES Staff Writer The rhythmic beating of drums drowns out all other sounds in Chuck Evans' classroom as he guides his students through a hypnotizing tune. Here, they focus on music. Evans takes the teenagers, all...

Two Manatee teachers are put on leave.
April 2, 2009... Byline: CHRISTOPHER O'DONNELL The two suspensions, district spokeswoman Margi Nanney said, stem from unrelated episodes. She would not say what the other suspension involved. The duct-taping episode happened sometime after the first of...

Man faces more charges he abused pair of brothers.
April 2, 2009... Byline: HALLE STOCKTON A Bradenton man who briefly worked as a Manatee County Sheriff's deputy is facing multiple sex charges in the abuse of two brothers. Brandon T. Edwards, 22, was charged Monday with the rape and abuse of a...

Manatee now 13-0 in district.
April 2, 2009... Byline: CURTIS WILLIAMS CORRESPONDENT Manatee rode the pitching of left-hander Caroline Curran and took advantage of four Venice errors en route to a 3-0 softball win Wednesday night. Manatee (19-2 overall, 13-0 in district), scored a...

Lively Relay teams raise cash for cause.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Betsy Williams "The money keeps coming in," event chairman Lou Long said. "And it's all due to our beloved Englewood community. It gives you a great feeling to be apart of all this and the community." The money was raised for...

Paws on the Catwalk benefits furry friends.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Heather Dunhill Seen mingling in the courtyard before the show were Terri Klauber, Aireal Young, Kerri Helmick and Kari Olivier, Catherine Ellis, Summer Messeroff, Roberta Druiff, Michael Infanti, Nancy Cameron and Scott...

H-T ALL-AREA BOYS BASKETBALL.
April 2, 2009... STEVE CAVALLARO, Venice High Go ahead, call them boring. The Indians can finally respond with, "Scoreboard," even if it isn't always difficult to count the points. Cavallaro took Venice to uncharted heights in his fourth season. Led by...

Herald Tribune Obituaries.
April 3, 2009... Aug. 23, 1921 - April 1, 2009 Patricia Ann Amaral of Sarasota died April 1, 2009. Visitation will be from 1 to 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Toale Brothers Colonial Chapel, with a funeral service to follow at 1:30 p.m. at the funeral home....

Hats off to the ladies and gents.
April 3, 2009... Byline: Heather Dunhill Co-chairs Shelley Lister and Nikki Taylor and sophisticated ladies, along with a few handsome gentlemen, including "new" New College Foundation president Andrew Walker, in a linen suit and raffia fedora, gathered at...

Teenagers vying for crown at national dance contest.
April 3, 2009... Byline: KEN HAGGERTY Correspondent Now, as the two 14-year-olds head north to Baltimore with their mothers for the USA Dance National Dance-Sport Championships -- which started today and end Sunday -- the pair can only hope the hours of...

Don't look to part-timers and tourists to pay the freight.
April 3, 2009... Byline: Kathy Silverberg I will miss them. We had gotten to know them better this year and shared some good times. Soon, many more residents of our area will be following in their tire marks. Easter is just a week away and snowbird...

Safety in Social Security.
April 3, 2009... In case you haven't swallowed enough unpleasant economic news, the government served up more recently: High unemployment has hurt the flow of payroll tax revenues into the Social Security program. This is no cause for panic, though. Social...

If the sky is falling, duck; if it's just doomsaying, look beyond.
April 3, 2009... Byline: Lauren Rudd -- Albert Einstein My forecast of a recession back in February 2007 was pre-empted by more notable names with an opposite stance. The good news is that once again I find myself taking a contrarian position to a...

PLAYER OF THE YEAR 'Noles Hanna proven winner.
April 3, 2009... Byline: ALAN DELL Correspondent When Bianca Hanna finishes her basketball career at Southeast High next season she could be the school's career scoring leader. In a program that has produced an astonishing number of NCAA Division I...

Deal on land is in the works.
April 3, 2009... Byline: KEVIN L. MCQUAID The city commissioners are slated Monday to consider buying land and a building near Burns Square from the head of Michael Saunders & Co. for $5.5 million. The price is $2 million higher than what the real...

Casey Key bill is dead for year.
April 3, 2009... Byline: JEREMY WALLACE H-T Political Writer The plan that would have allowed residents on the barrier island to vote as soon as this November on incorporating has yet to receive a committee hearing. "If a bill has not been heard at...

THE ARTS Bill Paxton.
April 3, 2009... Byline: JAY HANDELMAN "I die a little bit each time when I finish each job," he said in a telephone interview. "This is a great rewarding life in terms of things I've been able to be involved with, but it's a very tough life. It's a little...

Ex-guard charged with gouging inmate's eye.
April 3, 2009... Byline: Staff Report A former Charlotte County Correctional Institution guard was indicted on federal charges for allegedly gouging out a prison inmate's eye last year. William Wilson, 25, of North Port, turned himself in to U.S....

83 years and still counting as old school is new again.
April 3, 2009... Byline: CHRIS GERBASI Correspondent In a symbol of rebirth for a storm-ravaged community, the renovated Charlotte High School Three-Story Historic Building was unveiled on Thursday. Nearly five years in the making, the building was...

Questions grow as deal shrinks.
April 3, 2009... Byline: KATE SPINNER The disjointed, 72,500-acres of U.S. Sugar property spans three counties and lies outside the path of a flowway planned to reconnect the remaining Everglades and its historic headwaters. The disconnect has some...

Bollettieri belongs in the Hall.
April 3, 2009... Byline: Mic Huber It is a Hall of Fame that also includes names like May Sutton Bundy, Maud Berger Wallach, Louise Clapp Brough, Constantine Mako and Bertha Townsend Toulmin, a membership that runs from Russ Adams to Beals Wright, a list...

Kingfish tournament highlights weekend.
April 3, 2009... Byline: Steve Gibson That's good news for those in the Sarasota SERTOMA Kingfish Tournament. Weigh-in, open to the public, will be held 1-3 p.m. at Marina Jack in Sarasota. Captains' meeting is tonight at 7 at Marina Jack, 2...

Historic 6-5 victory for Lancers.
April 3, 2009... Byline: TOM BALOG PIRATES: Manatee CC beats Pirates for first time in 11-year series Freshman Nick Graham's suspenseful, running, diving catch in the left field corner finished the Manatee Community College's thrilling 6-4 historic...

A bitter ending.
April 3, 2009... Byline: STEVE GIBSON Thursday's paltry crowd at Ed Smith Stadium sent the Cincinnati Reds off with a collective shrug of its shoulders. Only 2,935 showed up for the Reds final game in Sarasota after a 12-year run. Cincinnati will move...

Laptop inquiry is expanding.
April 3, 2009... Byline: ANTHONY CORMIER An investigation into the handling of former Sheriff Bill Balkwill's laptop has expanded from an inquiry into public records violations to felony theft, records show. The lead detective, Capt. Jeff Bell, opened...

Now they're history.
April 3, 2009... Byline: CHRIS ANDERSON The final day ended with a man inside an empty stadium playing his guitar at home plate. He played to a small group of friends and staff members who listened while sitting atop their folding chairs. The man,...

The early hurricane outlook isn't bad.
April 3, 2009... Byline: KATE SPINNER In a reverse of conditions that prevailed in recent years, cooling seas off the west coast of Africa and warming oceans near the Pacific equator should hamper hurricane development this season, according to atmospheric...

Rams slip by Ranch.
April 3, 2009... Byline: Staff Report WALK OFF HIT: John McCoy hits a two-out game- winning single in the 7th to give Riverview a win Senior outfielder John McCoy had a game-winning, two-out single in the bottom of the seventh inning to lift Riverview...