Sarasota Herald Tribune articles from August 2004, page 9

Sarasota Herald Tribune archives from August 2004

Retailer Kohl's targets Florida; The Bealls-like department store chain will likely open 50 to 60 stores in the state in the next five to seven years.(BUSINESS)
August 20, 2004... Byline: LAUREN MAYK lauren.mayk@heraldtribune.com Kohl's has set its sights on the Sunshine State and is winding its way toward Southwest Florida. Officially, the Midwest retailer hasn't announced any intentions to open stores in...

Charley serves up a painful lesson for us about Third World living.(B SECTION)(Comment)(Column)
August 20, 2004... Byline: Rod Thomson In all of the visuals and descriptions of the aftermath of Hurricane Charley, I keep coming back to one odd connection: Haiti. Of course, I have been going to Haiti several times a year for many years in helping...

Briefs.(B SECTION)
August 20, 2004... Emergency room to reopen today PUNTA GORDA -- Charlotte Regional Medical Center's emergency room, which closed because of damage sustained during Hurricane Charley, is scheduled to reopen today at 10 a.m. A Federal Emergency...

Florikan to aid rural residents.(B SECTION)
August 20, 2004... Byline: STAFF REPORT SARASOTA COUNTY -- Florikan E.S.A., a Sarasota-based fertilizer maker, is looking for donations to distribute to hurricane victims in rural areas near Wauchula, Arcadia and Zolfo Springs. People can drop off...

Damage hits home; Charley wrecked a quarter of Charlotte's houses.(A SECTION)
August 20, 2004... Byline: DARLA MCFARLAND darla.mcfarland@heraldtribune.com CHARLOTTE -- Hurricane Charley damaged or destroyed more than half the homes in Charlotte County, according to a Red Cross estimate completed Thursday. Many had serious...

Area school districts make room for Charlotte students.(A SECTION)
August 20, 2004... Byline: CHRISTINA DeNARDO christina.denardo@heraldtribune.com Despite a growing student population and demands of the state's class-size amendment, local school districts have pledged to help Charlotte County any way they can, including...

'Outfoxed' questions Fox News' claim of 'fair and balanced'.(TICKET)
August 20, 2004... Byline: AMANDA SCHURR CORRESPONDENT The summer of the political documentary continues with "Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism." After gaining grass-roots buzz online and via a network of DVD-viewing "house parties," the...

Obituaries.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
August 20, 2004... MANATEE COUNTY Charles Bailey Charles "Buddy" Bailey, 69, Bradenton, died Aug. 17, 2004. He was born Oct. 30, 1934, in Louisville, Miss., and was a long time resident of the area. He retired from Tropicana. Survivors...

Questions remain for Asolo students.(TICKET)
August 20, 2004... Byline: CHARLIE HUISKING charlie.huisking@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- When the acting students in the FSU/Asolo Conservatory report for class on Monday, they won't be able to meet the graduate program's new director. That's...

Guitar Army marches onward; The hurricane mess fails to halt Thursday's jam session, and it provides fresh musical material.(B SECTION)
August 20, 2004... Byline: THOMAS BECNEL thomas.becnel@heraldtribune.com PUNTA GORDA -- Gilchrist Park is still a mess, with battered gazebos and tortured trees, but the Guitar Army played anyway. It'll take more than a Category 4 hurricane to stop the...

'Without a Paddle' manages to float well.(TICKET)(Review)
August 20, 2004... Byline: GEORGE MEYER CORRESPONDENT As if to signal a maturing point among some prominent proponents of Generation X comedy, "Without a Paddle" tackles some real life issues -- and gets some laughs. Not that it's likely to end the...

'Garden State' is 'The Graduate' for the new millennium.(TICKET)(Review)
August 20, 2004... Byline: PHILIP BOOTH CORRESPONDENT Quirky movies, generally speaking, come in two varieties. Some, like "Napoleon Dynamite," are self-consciously quirky. Others, like "The Royal Tenenbaums," "Rushmore" and Wes Anderson's other films,...

Theater outing.(TICKET)
August 20, 2004... Byline: AMANDA SCHURR CORRESPONDENT SARASOTA -- Now in its seventh outing, the Sarasota Film Society's Gay & Lesbian Film Festival returns this weekend with another strong lineup of independent films and themed special events. The...

Relief for kids -- and parents; Sarasota County offers an oasis of normalcy for Charlotte children.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
August 20, 2004... Someday when they're gray-haired, youngsters who survived Hurricane Charley will regale their grandchildren with exciting stories of "the big one." Today, however, the tale is pretty grim for many of them: long, sweltering days, with little...

Tamaras empowers through socially conscious music.(TICKET)
August 20, 2004... Byline: DAWN E. SCIRE CORRESPONDENT PALMETTO -- The pronunciation of her name rhymes with "glamorous," yet the socio-political singer-songwriter Tamaras lives an authentic life more exciting and alluring than the typical definition of...

Sarasota parks open to kids in Charlotte.(B SECTION)
August 20, 2004... Byline: STAFF REPORT Charlotte County children are invited to spend their days at Sarasota County parks beginning today and running through Aug. 29. A partnership between the Sarasota County Parks and Recreation Department, the...

Rays add sausage slugger Simon.(SPORTS)
August 20, 2004... Byline: DENNIS MAFFEZZOLI dennis.maffezzoli@heraldtribune.com ST. PETERSBURG -- Hide the sausage, Randall Simon is on his way. The Rays picked up Simon, a left-handed hitter, off waivers from Pittsburgh. He is expected to arrive today....

Venues rally to help victims of hurricane.(TICKET)
August 20, 2004... Byline: MARY AWOSIKA mary.awosika@heraldtribune.com Residents not affected by Hurricane Charley want victims to know the vivid scenes of devastation have not been forgotten. Tonight's FridayFest on the Bay concert with Allon Sams at...

County's budget may take a hit; Charley caused an estimated $500 million in damge to public facilities; the county's budget is 579 million.(B SECTION)
August 20, 2004... Byline: JAMIE MANFUSO jamie.manfuso@heraldtribune.com CHARLOTTE COUNTY -- Long after residents rebuild their homes and businesses, county government could still be paying for Hurricane Charley. The county estimated Wednesday that...

Elaine Silver has 'faerie' nice party for new CD release.(TICKET)(The Noise Ordinance)(Column)
August 20, 2004... Byline: Dawn E. Scire Fine folk performer and faerie priestess Elaine Silver, aka Faerie Elaine (www.elainesilver.com), celebrates the release of her new CD Saturday. Silver, also a metaphysical practitioner and the former "Folk...

Obituaries.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
August 19, 2004... CHARLOTTE COUNTY Windsor C. Bates Windsor C. Bates, 51, Port Charlotte, died Aug. 13, 2004. He was born in Woonsocket, R.I. He was a graduate of Mount St. Charles Academy in Woonsocket, R.I., and attended the University of Rhode...

Lucky might not be the only thing you're feeling.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)(Englewood Scene)(Column)
August 19, 2004... Byline: Sharyn Lonsdale Lucky. How many times have you said, heard or felt that word in the last week? I used to feel lucky when I found a quarter or the perfect dress on sale or made the train when I was running late. Now we...

SHERIFF'S REPORTS.(H-T EAST)
August 19, 2004... The following information is from Manatee County Sheriff's Office reports filed through Aug. 12. EAST MANATEE University Parkway, 2800 block, Aug. 10. Lost property. A license plate was lost in the Publix parking lot. 45th...

Sewage leak taints Hatchett Creek.(B SECTION)
August 19, 2004... Byline: STAFF REPORT VENICE -- More than 5,000 gallons of sewage spilled into Hatchett Creek on Tuesday, the first day a private contractor took control of the city's utilities operations. A 13-foot section of polyvinyl chloride...

LOCAL BRIEFS.(B SECTION)
August 19, 2004... Sarasota schools offer help to families Charlotte County families who have moved temporarily to Sarasota County and want to enroll their children in public schools may apply to Sarasota County for reassignment. But there's no guarantee...

Englewood residents help all they can in Charley's wake.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)
August 19, 2004... Byline: SHARYN LONSDALE sharyn.lonsdale@heraldtribune.com While Charley seemed to just about ignore Englewood, Englewood is not about to ignore Charley. When the Red Cross opened L.A. Ainger Middle School as a shelter, a steady...

Johnson takes another shot.(SPORTS)
August 19, 2004... Byline: MIC HUBER mic.huber@heraldtribune.com Todd Johnson has learned to appreciate food that doesn't need to be eaten through a straw. It's one of the reasons he took a moment to look around. Just this one time. Despite being...

Teams can begin practicing Friday; Each school will develop its own program for resumption for fall sports teams, clubs and bands.(SPORTS)
August 19, 2004... Byline: DENNIS MAFFEZZOLI dennis.maffezzoli@heraldtribune.com PUNTA GORDA -- Wayne Sallade didn't hesitate. Charlotte County's Emergency Management Director wanted to get the good news out quickly. "All extra-curricular...

Taking the heat so others can eat.(B SECTION)
August 19, 2004... Byline: DAVID HACKETT david.hackett@heraldtribune.com VENICE -- Flour covering his arms and sweat soaking his T-shirt, Ed Clifford pulled another rack of dinner rolls out of the oven Wednesday morning. There were plenty of other...

(Briefs).(B SECTION)
August 19, 2004... Charlotte curfew Curfew in Charlotte County begins at 9 p.m. and ends at 6 a.m. Aid distribution sites Helping Hand's food, more Englewood Helping Hand is providing nonperishable food, toiletries and children's clothing to...

Back of the line; Rays pitcher Mark Hendrickson has fourth straight rough start.(SPORTS)
August 19, 2004... Byline: DENNIS MAFFEZZOLI dennis.Maffezzoli@heraldtribune.com ST. PETERSBURG -- Mark Hendrickson pitched himself to the back of the line. Hendrickson turned out his fourth straight poor performance in August in Tampa Bay's 6-4 loss...

Couple's journey to shelter included unplanned stops.(B SECTION)
August 19, 2004... Byline: STAFF REPORT VENICE -- Dottie and Charley Conn of Port Charlotte moved from shelter to shelter after Hurricane Charley's passage: first to a Port Charlotte church, where they weathered the storm until the roof gave way. They...

Reds' speed burns Pirates.(SPORTS)
August 19, 2004... Byline: STAFF REPORT SARASOTA -- The Reds picked up 10 stolen bases in their 7-4 win over the Pirates at Ed Smith Stadium Wednesday. Mayker Sandoval had four stolen bases and teammates Josh Holden and Jordan Belcher had two apiece....

Street-corner pay phones are a link to the world; At Nesbit Street and Olympia Avenue in Punta Gorda, residents call their loved ones and console one another.(A SECTION)
August 19, 2004... Byline: CHRIS ANDERSON chris.anderson@heraldtribune.com PUNTA GORDA -- They come to the corner to connect, with those in a world they once knew, and those in the world they're now confronted with. The corner of Nesbit Street and...

Planners delay vote on McClure site.(B SECTION)
August 19, 2004... Byline: MITRA MALEK mitra.malek@heraldtribune.com BRADENTON -- Worries about a developer's plan for an enormous subdivision on the McClure property prompted the city's Planning Commission to delay its vote Wednesday on the project until...

HURRICANE HELP.(H-T EAST)
August 19, 2004... Herald-Tribune accepting supplies The Herald-Tribune will be accepting supplies to help provide relief to the victims of Hurricane Charley. Herald-Tribune offices on Monday began collecting for Project Shoe Box and Project Hot Meal....

Eye-color test added to DNAPrint's toolbox; The test supplements the company's Witness, which measures racial mix.(BUSINESS)
August 19, 2004... Byline: MARGARET ANN MIILLE margaret.miille@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- A genetics test that determines a person's eye color is the newest tool available to crime experts seeking to narrow their pool of suspects. Retinome, a test...

Clinging to faith; Area's Hispanic residents left in the dark about relief efforts.(B SECTION)
August 19, 2004... Byline: SELINA ROMAN selina.roman@heraldtribune.com NOCATEE -- Guillermina Mar carefully picked through the debris that used to be her living room. She salvaged a single photo, some papers and her son's honors certificate from DeSoto...

Infinium wants to be taken off two German stock exchanges.(BUSINESS)
August 19, 2004... Byline: STAFF REPORT SARASOTA -- The region's video game system maker is trying to get off the Frankfurt and Berlin stock exchanges at the same time it has its eye on the American Stock Exchange. Infinium Labs Inc. is looking to...

So long, Charley; Englewood cleans up, extends a helping hand.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)
August 19, 2004... Volunteers line up to sign up, top, at the Red Cross shelter in L.A. Ainger Middle School's cafeteria. The school is home to many Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda residents left homeless by Hurricane Charley. Many residents have homes that...

Don't look for bowling in the Olympics.(SPORTS)(Bowling)(Column)
August 19, 2004... Byline: Bill Herald Olympic recognition would give the sport of bowling a boost and some badly needed legitimacy. But don't expect it to happen any time soon. According to guidelines set by the International Olympic Committee, a...

Fall sports season on hold, but LBHS teams are primed.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)(Playing the Field)(Column)
August 19, 2004... Byline: Alan Dell In the aftermath of Hurricane Charley, it is uncertain when Lemon Bay High School athletics will resume. Heading into the week, athletic director Tom Catanzarite said everything was on hold, and to his knowledge teams...

BRIEFS.(B SECTION)
August 19, 2004... Hospital treats five for carbon monoxide PORT CHARLOTTE -- Bon Secours-St. Joseph Hospital has treated five people for carbon monoxide poisoning as a result of Hurricane Charley, a hospital spokeswoman said Wednesday. The residents,...

Volunteers keep serving it up; Red Cross, others crank out hot meals.(B SECTION)
August 19, 2004... Byline: JENNY LEE ALLEN jenny.allen@heraldtribune.com NORTH PORT -- Hours before dawn, amid the hum of generators in a parking lot off U.S. 41, they bowed their heads in prayer. "Lord bless this food, so that the people receiving it...

Charley's alleged surprise turn was hurricane biz as usual.(B SECTION)(Comment)(Column)
August 19, 2004... Byline: Tom Lyons After days of hearing that forecasters blew it predicting Charley's landfall, it is time to dig them out of that debris. They didn't blow it. If anyone did -- besides Charley, who really blew -- it was us. I...

LAST WEEK IN EAST MANATEE.(H-T EAST)
August 19, 2004... Highlights of local news in the daily Herald-Tribune from Aug. 11 to 17 were: MANATEE COUNTY Public services at center of race FROM AUG. 11: Politics probably can't get more parochial than the County Commission race in District...

Utility workers have it just as rough as residents.(A SECTION)
August 19, 2004... Byline: LAUREN MAYK lauren.mayk@heraldtribune.com PUNTA GORDA -- When sleeping in one of Pike Electric's yellow work trucks, choose the cab over the back of the vehicle. It's much more comfortable, says Pike lineman Doug Wilson,...

Corrections.(B SECTION)(Correction Notice)
August 19, 2004... Because of a reporter's error, an article Tuesday incorrectly said the city of Sarasota has agreed to give the developer of the Plaza Verdi development $4 million in taxpayer funds. The two parties are still negotiating.

Schools set a goal; Charlotte aiming for Aug. 30 return; District officials aren't yet clear about how to notify teachers, students.(A SECTION)
August 19, 2004... Byline: JAMIE MANFUSO and ROBERT ECKHART STAFF WRITERS CHARLOTTE COUNTY -- Charlotte school officials aren't sure how they'll pull it off, but they said Wednesday they intend to resume the school year on Aug. 30, little more than two...

Sarasota County charter; We recommend approval of Amendment 10.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
August 19, 2004... Amendment 10 is perhaps the most complex of the changes proposed for Sarasota County's charter, and the most apt to create an emotional reaction. It would delete the "unconstitutional ad valorem millage cap" because the county charter can't...

Coming out of the storm.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)(Editor's Desk)(Column)
August 19, 2004... Byline: Mark Chapman It's not often that I am rendered speechless. Just ask my friends and co-workers. It's hard to express all the feelings that well up inside when you see all the havoc wrought by nature in a few short hours. And...

Business Buzz.(BUSINESS)
August 19, 2004... Counselor earns ophthalmic designation Amanda Noble, a surgical counselor at the Sarasota Cataract & Laser Institute, has earned the designation of "certified ophthalmic assistant" awarded by the Joint Commission on Allied Health...

U.S. House District 14; We recommend Carole Green in the Republican primary.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
August 19, 2004... Connie Mack IV isn't getting a free ride in his bid to replace U.S. Rep. Porter Goss in U.S. House District 14 and take the seat once held by his father, former U.S. Sen. Connie Mack. Even though, as The Palm Beach Post put it, "Running...

Brother, can you spare a line? Neighbors reach out to help.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)
August 19, 2004... Byline: AMY ABERN amy.abern@heraldtribune.com The west side of Second Street in Englewood has electricity. The east side does not. At least, it doesn't have its own. But many people on the east side are "borrowing" electricity from...

It's not a hurricane until 'I Survived ...' T-shirts arrive.(B SECTION)
August 19, 2004... Byline: THOMAS BECNEL STAFF WRITER CHARLOTTE HARBOR -- It took five days for "I Survived Hurricane Charley" T-shirts to arrive in Charlotte County, but Frank Mayo had to come all the way from Columbia City, Ind. The Dynamic...

60 percent of Hardee, DeSoto homes damaged; In comparison, Manatee County has limited damage.(B SECTION)
August 19, 2004... Byline: ROBERT PATRICK robert.patrick@heraldtribune.com At least 61 percent of homes in DeSoto County and 60 percent of homes in Hardee County were damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Charley, according to preliminary American Red Cross...

PGT carefully shelters its staff; PGT Industries in Nokomis swung into action to make sure displaced workers got aid.(BUSINESS)
August 19, 2004... Byline: STEPHEN FRATER stephen.frater@heraldtribune.com NOKOMIS -- One thing about making hurricane-resistant windows and doors is you know a lot about what the killer storms can do. That knowledge among managers at Nokomis's PGT...

Cloudy forecasts; Official storm alerts lack specific data needed to ensure safety.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
August 19, 2004... In one sense, forecasters were uncannily accurate about Charley: They said the hurricane would threaten a heck of a lot of Floridians and, sure enough, it did. Yet in another sense, the weather warnings were a flop: Charley managed a...

Apply for assistance.(B SECTION)
August 19, 2004... Byline: STAFF REPORT Direct assistance with money, food, supplies, repairs and housing will be available beginning today through the American Red Cross. Apply in person at the Disaster Services Center, Tringali Park Recreation...

Charley breaks down the door.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
August 19, 2004... Byline: Dan Radmacher 'It could be worse." That's become my family's mantra in the days (or is that daze?) following Hurricane Charley. There was a time, as the hurricane struck our Port Charlotte neighborhood, when we feared the...

Charley attracts scientists who study storms.(B SECTION)
August 19, 2004... Byline: THOMAS BECNEL thomas.becnel@heraldtribune PUNTA GORDA -- When Hurricane Charley ripped through Charlotte Harbor, Jianming Yin knew he'd be visiting Florida. He's a member of the Texas Tech University Storm Intercept Team. He...

Braden River Fire District sends food, supplies to Arcadia.(H-T EAST)
August 19, 2004... Byline: JANEL STEPHENS janel.stephens@heraldtribune.com EAST MANATEE -- For the past several days, Braden River Fire District officials have helped with relief efforts in Arcadia and Charlotte County for victims of Hurricane Charley....

Charley's devastation provides laboratory for the building trade.(A SECTION)
August 19, 2004... Byline: RICH SHOPES, HAROLD BUBIL and MATTHEW DOIG STAFF WRITERS CHARLOTTE COUNTY -- With construction experts still probing damage from Hurricane Charley, one preliminary idea is emerging: Builders and building officials learned...

Obituaries.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
August 19, 2004... MANATEE COUNTY Ronald W. Bryan Ronald W. "Ron" Bryan, 86, Bradenton, died Aug. 16, 2004. He was born July 28, 1918, in Canada and came to Manatee County in 1989 from Paris, Calif. He retired as a roofer. He was a life member of...

Jesus Taxi offers believers online rides to ministries.(FLORIDA WEST)
August 19, 2004... Byline: KATE PURSELL CORRESPONDENT Put away your cash, credit cards and checks: The Jesus Taxi doesn't charge for rides because it isn't a taxi service, but an online ministry service based in Sarasota. "They ask us, 'What are your...

(Briefs).(H-T EAST)
August 19, 2004... EAST MANATEE Golf tournament to benefit local ministry The eighth annual Ted Hook Memorial Benefit Golf Tournament, sponsored by Faith United Methodist Church, will be Sept. 11 at Rosedale Golf and Country Club, 5100 87th St. E. ...

Commission candidate Hayes may have violated state election law.(B SECTION)
August 19, 2004... Byline: MITRA MALEK mitra.malek@heraldtribune.com MANATEE COUNTY -- Donna Hayes, a Republican running for the District 5 County Commission seat in November, may have violated state election laws. Hayes, who heads the county's...

TDs alone won't keep Graham.(SPORTS)
August 19, 2004... Byline: TOM BALOG tom.balog@heraldtribune.com TAMPA -- Those two short-yardage touchdowns that Earnest Graham scored Monday night to help the Tampa Bay Bucs beat the Cincinnati Bengals in the preseason opener likely won't mean much by...

Charley engenders new respect for early warnings.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)(Englewood Spotlight)(Column)
August 19, 2004... Byline: Amy Abern I've been humbled. Initially, I had planned to write this column by Thursday of last week. It was to be full of scathing barbs at the meteorologists making a big deal out of a possible hurricane. Big winds, yeah; lots...

High-rise pressure; Proposed waterfront developments would set an unwise precedent.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
August 19, 2004... The pressure is building to allow high- rise condos far from Manatee County's urban core, just as critics of earlier proposals had warned. Battles are under way over plans to build high-rises on Perico Island and next to Sarasota Bay....

Sarasota will bid to reclaim state tournament.(SPORTS)
August 19, 2004... Byline: PHIL DENIS CORRESPONDENT SARASOTA -- Sarasota is planning to step up to the plate again and take a swing at landing the Florida High School Athletic Association state baseball tournament. After an eight-year absence, an...

Quick change; Venice should have solicited bids on utilities management.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
August 19, 2004... A Colorado-based company now runs the utilities department in Venice. The City Council, acting Monday on a recommendation by City Manager Marty Black, told 13 publicly employed managers in the department to clean out their desks. ...

Lady Mustang golfers set sights on state.(H-T EAST)(At Home)(Column)
August 19, 2004... Byline: Alan Dell This is the season the Lakewood Ranch High girls golf team hopes to end its heartache. For two consecutive years, the Lady Mustangs were inches away from going to the state tournament, only to see their dreams...

Lightning hit closes DeSoto shelter.(B SECTION)
August 19, 2004... Byline: ERIN BRYCE erin.bryce@heraldtribune.com DESOTO COUNTY -- About 50 people were evacuated from a special-needs shelter Tuesday night after lightning hit the building and started a fire. Nobody was injured, but the damage...

MILITARY NEWS.(B SECTION)
August 19, 2004... Deployments * Navy Airman Austin J. Slate recently returned home after a routine, scheduled deployment to the Persian Gulf while assigned to the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington, homeported in Norfolk, Va. ...

Officials wrestle with school plan details.(A SECTION)
August 19, 2004... Byline: KIM HACKETT kim.hackett@heraldtribune.com PUNTA GORDA -- Charlotte County school officials say classes will resume Aug. 30 and have told teachers to report to work Monday. Some schools will hold classes even while workers...

You're under 16; Which of these are legal to ride on public roads? (Answers below).(FLORIDA WEST)
August 19, 2004... Byline: ABBY WEINGARTEN CORRESPONDENT Remember that in-between stage when you were too young to drive, too old to want your parents to chauffeur, and too eager for vehicular independence? Nothing would have been more liberating than to...

In the war against the storm, score a win for the Rohrers.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)
August 19, 2004... Byline: ALAN DELL CORRESPONDENT David and Kathleen Rohrer believe you need to take a defiant attitude toward hurricanes if you are going to live on the barrier islands. They won't allow Mother Nature's fury to run them off, though they...

Employer service buys part of insurer; Progressive Employer Services believes owning the stake will cut costs.(BUSINESS)
August 19, 2004... Byline: MICHAEL BRAGA michael.braga@heraldtribune.com MANATEE COUNTY -- To relieve the uncertainty of having to renew its workers' compensation insurance policy every year and to reduce its long-term insurance costs, Progressive Employer...

Life after Charley.(FLORIDA WEST)(Column)
August 19, 2004... Byline: David Grimes Like many Floridians who were lucky enough to survive Hurricane Charley, I am feeling a bit let down. Not let down in the sense that I secretly wanted 145 mph winds to roar through my neighborhood and reduce my...

In costs, Charley could be second only to Andrew.(B SECTION)
August 19, 2004... Byline: JOHN HIELSCHER john.hielscher@heraldtribune.com Thousands of victims of Hurricane Charley have filed damage claims for what analysts say could be up to $14 billion in insured losses. Insurance industry experts believe Charley...

Some shelters close to capacity; Englewood and North Port officials shop around for large, vacant commercial properties.(B SECTION)
August 19, 2004... Byline: DARLA MCFARLAND darla.mcfarland@heraldtribune.com CHARLOTTE -- Shelters in Englewood and North Port were nearing capacity Wednesday, and officials were looking for large, vacant commercial properties to set up more permanent...

Yummy Stuff hopes to make nutrition fun for kids.(FLORIDA WEST)
August 19, 2004... Byline: MARY AWOSIKA mary.awosika@heraldtribune.com Eating healthy isn't a piece of cake, but it's easier than a kid might think. Susan Morin hopes kids and parents will learn just that using her creation, Yummy Stuff, an...

BRIEFS.(H-T EAST)
August 19, 2004... LAKEWOOD RANCH A place for art "Art in Business Places" will have a public viewing and sale of juried art from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Aug. 26 at ComCenter at Lakewood Ranch, 9040 Town Center Parkway. This is the last chance see the...