Sarasota Herald Tribune articles from August 2007

Sarasota Herald Tribune archives from August 2007

Charlotte and cities may pool resources Sharing building staff could prevent further layoffs.
August 31, 2007... Byline: JOHN DAVIS john.davis@heraldtribune.com Officials from those governments say sharing staff will save them money, which in turn will keep fees charged to builders down. Those fees are then passed on to home buyers. Those...

No buyer for the house, or for the sofa In boom or bust, furniture companies' fortunes reflect state of housing market.
August 31, 2007... Byline: TONI WHITT toni.whitt@heraldtribune.com But after six months of selling sleigh beds and divans, Bacon noticed a distinct change. Sales were starting to slide. Early on, he blamed the back-to-back hyperactive hurricane seasons. But...

Mixed signals Proponents of sports complex buy more time.
August 31, 2007... And another one, followed by another one... which culminated in a vote that sent mixed signals. On the one hand, three of five commissioners agreed in principle to support a deal that calls for the county, the city, the state and the...

Dueling dispute resolutions County, Venice should strive for cooperation and compromise.
August 31, 2007... On Monday, the commission invoked the process in a dispute over whether a proposed 162-unit development in the city would be compatible with a large-lot subdivision across the street on county land. On Tuesday, the council opted to use...

Five Hilltoppers see Gators game as homecoming Products of area high schools, the players relish the opportunity to play the defending champions.
August 31, 2007... Byline: MIC HUBER mic.huber@heraldtribune.com Saturday, the five return to Florida with a chance to play in front of family and friends, bringing with them hopes of stunning the college football world when the tiny team from Western...

Winning first game important for teams A good start can boost the confidence of young teams and sets the tone for the season.
August 31, 2007... Byline: DENNIS MAFFEZZOLI dennis.maffezzoli@heraldtribune.com The only blemish came in 2004 after the scheduled opener against Lemon Bay High was canceled. That year, after Hurricane Charley destroyed the Punta Gorda-based campus,...

Bucs' victory costly Receiver Warren carted off the field after suffering leg injury.
August 31, 2007... Byline: TOM BALOG tom.balog@heraldtribune.com The game was stopped for several minutes while Warren was placed on a cart. The entire Bucs team surrounded him and offered support and congratulations to Warren before he left the field. ...

BUCS NOTEBOOK.
August 31, 2007... Buccaneers vs. Texans It was the sixth meeting between the teams to conclude the preseason. Tampa won the first four, including 34-3 in 2003 and 38-14 in 2005 at Raymond James Stadium. The Bucs loss came last year 16-13 in Houston. The...

Dodgers even series at 1.
August 31, 2007... Byline: STAFF REPORT Joe Becker scored twice after being hit twice by a pitch and Andy Lambo went 2-for-3 with a solo homer, two runs scored and two RBI. Each team could muster only six hits. Dickson Marquez took the loss, going...

Miracle take two from Reds.
August 31, 2007... Byline: PHIL DENIS CORRESPONDENT Bailey allowed four hits over five scoreless innings before allowing Johnny Woodard's game-tying, three-run homer in the sixth in front of 467 spectators. In the nightcap, Sarasota left-handed pitcher...

Kincaid lands top catch.
August 31, 2007... Byline: Steve Gibson He estimated the fish at 28 pounds. "It had the head of a 50-pound snook and the tail of a 20-pounder," said Kincaid. It wasn't Kincaid's largest snook. He landed a 55-incher at the same location in 2003....

Wotitzky's big kill lifts Tarpons over Bobcats.
August 31, 2007... Byline: PERRY D. PENTZ perry.pentz@heraldtribune.com This was North Port's third straight match of the week. The Lady Bobcats (0-3 overall, 0-2 district) did most everything right against the Lady Tarpons in battling back from a...

Mantas make it three straight wins.
August 31, 2007... Byline: STAFF REPORT The undefeated Lady Manta Rays will face Port Charlotte at 7 pm on Thursday. Sailors defeat Lakeland LAKELAND -- Sarasota improved to 2-0 in 6A District-8 play as senior Lora Lieb led the Lady Sailors to a...

Soggy palms? Navratilova endorses 'No Sweat' remedy.(What's New?)
August 31, 2007... Martina Navratilova, an all-time great tennis player who lives in the area, endorses the product and allows Watson to use her name and photo on the label. "He happens to be a neighbor," said Navratilova, "but the product is awesome,...

More cutbacks for Lennar Builder cuts its Sarasota/Manatee president and 60-plus positions.
August 31, 2007... Byline: TOM BAYLES and MICHAEL BRAGA STAFF WRITERS Another 20 or so employees were told this week that their jobs had been eliminated in the company's Sarasota-Manatee division while 45 in the home builder's Fort Myers and Naples region...

Sarasota condo developers regroup Soft market has them backing away from residential projects.
August 31, 2007... Byline: KEVIN McQUAID kevin.mcquaid@heraldtribune.com Two years later -- and after the collapse of the area's condominium market -- Paradise has pulled the plug and is offering the building for sale for $7 million. New designs from...

Businesss Buzz.
August 31, 2007... APICS chapter meets Sept. 12 at Rosedale The APICS Gulf Coast Chapter will meet Sept. 12 beginning at 5:30 p.m. at Rosedale Golf and Country Club, on State Road 70 just east of Interstate 75 in Bradenton. Wende Huehn-Brown will speak...

More local firms gain recognition for growth.
August 31, 2007... Byline: STAFF REPORT The other companies: * No. 1,071, Bradenton's Gould & Lamb, which produces Medicare set-asides for workers' compensation insurance carriers. The company, with 250 workers, reported 2003 to 2006 revenue growth of...

Computers no substitute for humans.
August 31, 2007... Byline: Lauren Rudd The high-profile collapse of several quantitative hedge funds has gone a long way toward beating back the arrogant confidence placed in the cold efficiency of black box computerized investment decisions. Although the...

Dictionary puts the lie in lanai.
August 31, 2007... Byline: David Grimes But I am not here today to make sport of Virginia Beach, though that would be good, clean fun. This column, as always, is all about information, stated as clearly and concisely as I can imagine it. So let us give...

BEST BETS.
August 31, 2007... MONDAY Legion picnic. American Legion Post 103 members, veterans and their families may attend the Port 103 picnic from noon to 4 p.m. Monday on the picnic grounds at 2101 Taylor Road, Punta Gorda. Hamburgers, hot dogs and sausage...

Bowling bash lets the good times roll.
August 31, 2007... Byline: BETSY WILLIAMS CORRESPONDENT Traveling from Englewood, Billie Jo Crowley and her 8-year-old daughter, Madison, joined more than 70 other families from surrounding areas that included Punta Gorda, Englewood, Port Charlotte, North...

Bike ride and beach memorial will honor Englewood woman the way she wanted it.
August 31, 2007... Byline: PATTIE MIHALIK CORRESPONDENT "She was one of those unforgettable people who touched so many lives," said Bob Waltzer. In addition to the motorcycle run, there will be a memorial at 5 p.m. Sept. 8 at the pavilion at Englewood...

Tarpon action brisk in harbor from late afternoon to evening.
August 31, 2007... Byline: STEVE GIBSON steve.gibson@heraldtribune.com They used large threadfin herring and ladyfish. "You need to use the largest threadfins you can find," said Lugiewicz. "That way you won't be bothered by the sailcats that are thick...

OBITUARIES.
August 31, 2007... May 27, 1928 - Aug. 28, 2007 Ferdinand A. Bennett, 79, Port Charlotte, formerly of New York City, died Aug. 28, 2007. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, with a Catholic wake service at 7 p.m., at Roberson Funeral Home, Port...

New head coaches feeling the pressure Expectations are high for Venice's John Peacock and North Port's Sascha Hyer.
August 31, 2007... Byline: PERRY D. PENTZ perry.pentz@heraldtribune.com And tonight marks the beginning of coaching eras for both programs. Venice's John Peacock and North Port's Sascha Hyer start as the school's new head coaches. Venice travels to...

City Council race gets crowded Two more file to bring the total to eight, the most in recent history.
August 31, 2007... Byline: ZAC ANDERSON zac.anderson@heraldtribune.com Galvanized by the city's aborted plan to develop the airport, the challengers are running as a loose team and have pledged to help with each other's campaigns in the nonpartisan race,...

Bowling bash is a smash with home-schoolers.
August 31, 2007... Byline: BETSY WILLIAMS CORRESPONDENT Youngsters from ages 3 to 18 spent time bowling and socializing while their parents mingled and renewed acquaintances. "We try to have these events at least once a month," Gerber said, "and today...

Clyde Butcher to address Women's League luncheon.
August 31, 2007... Byline: STAFF REPORT There will be a cocktail reception and book signing from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Butcher's Gallery at 237 Warfield Ave., Venice. There will be food, beverages and live music, plus Butcher will be available for book...

Manatee snapshots Brief comments on life and times in our county.
August 31, 2007... Davis, as the Herald-Tribune's Tom Becnel reported Wednesday, is well known in tennis circles as a coach and a pioneer in the old American Tennis Association, the black counterpart to the U.S. Tennis Association. Through the years, Davis...

Season openers pit Davids vs. Goliaths Palmetto, Bayshore and Braden River face long odds of defeating powerhouse programs.
August 31, 2007... Byline: ALAN DELL CORRESPONDENT Palmetto has beaten Southeast only twice since 1981, the last time in 1994 when Ryan Smith kicked a 32-yard field in double overtime for a 3-0 victory. Entering his 23rd year, Manatee High head coach Joe...

Braden River surges past district foe Booker.
August 31, 2007... Byline: DONNIE WILKIE CORRESPONDENT Now, two years later, the ball was in the other court as the 5-foot-7 junior powered the Pirates to a 25-7, 25-8, 25-9 rout of visiting Booker in a 4A-District 10 match. "It was a lot like looking...

Gang case plea deals may draw more in Two will now testify against members of the Brown Pride Locos.
August 31, 2007... Byline: MICHAEL A. SCARCELLA michael.scarcella@heraldtribune.com Prosecutors welcomed the plea bargains, which bolstered the credibility of the state's racketeering charges and put pressure on other defendants to follow the same path. A...

POLICE BRIEFS.
August 31, 2007... Authorities said Stefanie Beidelman was arrested on one count of robbery in connection with the hold-up of SunTrust bank, 6100 block U.S. 301 N., on Wednesday. There were no injuries, authorities said. Robbery charges against Beidelman...

News of Record.
August 31, 2007... AUG. 15-21 Adams, Cavin Delane and Shawnee Joy Grades. Beam, Douglas Arthur and Kelly Diane Murray. Bellamy, Ryan Wayne and Tonya Michelle Smith. Bera, Matthew Frank and Terra Lynne Spence. Bichsel, Ernest John II and...

IN BRIEF.
August 31, 2007... His term ends in August 2009. Poston was a founding member of the organization in November 2005. The league gives city leaders around the state an opportunity to discuss important issues affecting Florida's communities. Poston has...

OBITUARIES.(Obituary)
August 31, 2007... Jan. 4, 1988 - Aug. 27, 2007 Christopher Sylvester Rouse Jr., 19, Palmetto, died Aug. 27, 2007. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today at Westside Funeral Home, Palmetto. Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Mt. Raymond Full...

Fire station and park tied to mine approval Company wants OK to seek out phosphate on 2,000 acres in Manatee.
August 31, 2007... Byline: CHRISTOPHER O'DONNELL chris.odonnell@heraldtribune.com Mosaic, the world's largest phosphate mining company, has said it will spend about $1 million on a 70-acre park north of State Road 62, and build a new $500,000 fire station...

Booker, Sarasota kick off with big game Tornadoes and Sailors, both loaded with talent, face off for bragging rights in city rivalry.
August 31, 2007... Byline: CHAD BROCKHOFF CORRESPONDENT Sarasota head coach Bob Perkins and his Booker counterpart, Fred Gilmore, both feel that this city rivalry game is the best way to prepare for the season ahead. "Jumping right away into a good...

Friday night football bonds fathers and sons On sidelines or in the stands, dads aren't far away.
August 31, 2007... Byline: DOUG FERNANDES doug.fernandes@heraldtribune.com With the right mix of skill and luck, son gets to perform beneath high school's Friday night lights. Dad is there, too, never far from the glare. That's Andre Booker Jr., and...

Candidate and DUI machines don't mix.
August 31, 2007... Byline: Tom Lyons So I had to ask Lavarello if he has changed his mind about his 2005 insistence that his DUI arrest was grossly unfair and baseless. His claim was ironic back then. Though he had made many DUI arrests, he sounded...

SINKING 'BEIRUT' AT SEA Charlotte's new plan? Turn vacant building into a reef.
August 31, 2007... Byline: KATE SPINNER kate.spinner@heraldtribune.com Whether they are made of old Army tanks or demolished buildings, artificial reefs attract fish by bringing barren sea floors to life. Once the reef is in place, soft corals and...

Driver in crash turns himself in Sarasota man is accused of forcing car off I-75 in March, then leaving.
August 31, 2007... Byline: FRANK GLUCK frank.gluck@heraldtribune.com The car's driver, 20-year-old Cody Goltz, and passenger Josh Bauer, 23, suffered multiple injuries when they drove into the median and crashed into a tree. The couple were on their...

Buses and vans lost in fire at Sarasota Christian School.
August 31, 2007... Byline: TODD RUGER todd.ruger@heraldtribune.com Parents came to the school, at 5415 Bahia Vista St., only to find their children were already back in classes about 45 minutes after a passing fire truck first spotted the smoke. The...

News of Record.
August 31, 2007... June 18-July 1 Stroud, Michael Douglas and Carpenter, Deanna Ruth, both of Sarasota. Swarts, Timothy O. and Marshall, Kelly R., both of Ohio. Thomas, Anthony and Thomas, Montel S., both of Sarasota. Tongen, Todd R. and...

BEST BETS.
August 31, 2007... Singers are needed for the 15th annual Holiday Concert and Community Carol Sing. Experienced choral singers, especially tenors, are needed to perform with an orchestra. Rehearsals begin Oct. 4 and will continue weekly until the Dec. 17...

Expo offers options for schooling at home.
August 31, 2007... Byline: AIMEE CHOUINARD CORRESPONDENT Exhibitors included Mote Marine, MOSI, Historic Spanish Point, Crowley Nature Center, Florida West Coast Symphony, Living Word Bookstore, Faithful Bookshop, Real Art for Real People, Bright Minds,...

Applications available for STAR Leadership Training.
August 31, 2007... Byline: STAFF REPORT For more information or to receive an application, youth can contact the Community Youth Development Office at 922-5126 or go to the Web site at www.cydonline.org to download an application. The application...

OBITUARIES.
August 31, 2007... Oct. 29, 1950 - Aug. 29, 2007 Jill Smith Cason, 56, a lifelong Sarasota resident, died Aug. 29, 2007. Services will be at noon Saturday at the Church at the Barn, 16221 Rawls Rd., Sarasota. Arrangements by Toale Brothers Funeral...

Huge home deal carries huge 'if' An investor aims to scoop up 1,500 area properties, but can he pull it off?
August 30, 2007... Byline: MICHAEL BRAGA and STEPHEN FRATER STAFF WRITERS If Long, who has never done anything of this magnitude before, is successful in lining up the $700 million needed to pull off the deal -- a very big if -- it could have market-shaking...

Superman? Bunyan? Please. Let me tell you about Tebow.
August 30, 2007... Byline: MIC HUBER mic.huber@heraldtribune.com As in: "Superman wears Tim Tebow pajamas." And: "Superman's only weakness is Kryptonite. Tim Tebow laughs at Superman for having a weakness." Tim Tebow's mother laughs at the Superman...

Make budget cuts evenhanded Poor and deprived citizens shouldn't bear the brunt.
August 30, 2007... It's ground that has already been traveled by many communities in the region during the current budget debates. Sarasota County, for example, is considering raising bus fares by 50 percent. And Charlotte County has proposed cutting its...

Quality-of-life issue Local-option sales tax is needed now more than ever.
August 30, 2007... County commissioners voted Tuesday to hold the referendum just weeks from now. In some respects, that's not much time to educate voters. But in other important ways, the issue has already been vetted extensively, by citizens, oversight...

New heights Receiver Jackson looking for a breakout season.
August 30, 2007... Byline: ALAN DELL CORRESPONDENT At 6-foot-5, the Riverview High graduate is the tallest and arguably most athletic of the receivers. He has pro potential according to USF pass game coordinator Mike Canales, who coached the New York Jets...

Rookie aims for backup role.
August 30, 2007... Byline: TOM BALOG tom.balog@heraldtribune.com Darby is the team's leading rusher in the preseason, with 116 yards on 27 carries (4.3 average) and one touchdown. He also has three receptions for 21 yards. It's a role that Graham (22...

Toor sparks Mantas Senior middle records 15 kills in a 3-game win over North Port.
August 30, 2007... Byline: DENNIS MAFFEZZOLI dennis.maffezzoli@heraldtribune.com Toor finished with 15 kills, two blocks and a couple of aces as Lemon Bay made quick work of the Bobcats 25-7, 25-18, 25-16 in a nondistrict match at Tom Catanzarite Gymnasium....

This is National Bowling Week, but does anyone know about it -- or care?
August 30, 2007... Byline: Bill Herald For what it's worth, National Bowling Week 2007 is billed as the second annual celebration of bowling across the country, and it began with National Bowling Day on Aug. 25. The supposed objective of National...

It is also crunch time for Fantasy Golf fanatics.
August 30, 2007... Byline: Mark Cardon This is the thinking of Yahoo Fantasy Golf league participants. We have used Tiger to earn points throughout the year, but we have used him the maximum 10 times. He's not worth a nickel to us anymore this year. ...

AREA CHIP SHOTS.
August 30, 2007... Seven Florida courses are among the Top 100 Courses in the U.S. in Golf Magazine's September issue. Seminole in Juno Beach is ranked 12th, followed by TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach at No. 33, Calusa Pines in Naples No 58, Trump...

AREA COURSE PROFILE.
August 30, 2007... * PHONE: (941) 697-4190 * OPENED: 1989 * OWNERS: Lemon Bay Inc. * HEAD PRO: Leon W. Oliver * SUPERINTENDENT: Chip Copeman * WEB SITE: www. lemonbaygolfclub.com * GENERAL MANAGER: Chip Copeman * COURSE FACTS:...

Yankees belt 3 home runs, take opener from Dodgers.
August 30, 2007... Byline: STAFF REPORT The Yankees, Northern Division winners with a 42-17 record, had come from behind Tuesday to stop the Twins 6-4 in a first-round game. This time, the Yankees were down 2-0 after one inning before striking back....

SaraReds rout Miracle.
August 30, 2007... Byline: PHIL DENIS CORRESPONDENT Sarasota scored 14 runs and smacked 16 hits off Fort Myers' No. 1-ranked FSL pitching staff and the Reds received some solid pitching from its foursome during a 14-2 victory. The SaraReds upped their...

Suit offers inside look at Coast's meltdown Shareholders' complaint shows a bank eager to take huge risks for profit.
August 30, 2007... Byline: JOHN HIELSCHER john.hielscher@heraldtribune.com That failed scheme, according to the lawsuit, cost shareholders in parent Coast Financial Holdings Inc. tens of millions of dollars -- money they hope a federal jury will order the...

MILITARY SNAPS UP CAMERA SYSTEM Locally made product spots bombs for U.S. troops.
August 30, 2007... Byline: TOM BAYLES tom.bayles@heraldtribune.com The camera, which mounts on hefty armored vehicles, helps ferret out roadside bombs, allows troops to see over berms to watch for ambushes and has proven invaluable during darkness. ...

A joining of real estate forces Coldwell Banker adds ERA Randol Realty of Port Charlotte.
August 30, 2007... Byline: STAFF REPORT ERA Randol Realty has 20 agents and serves Punta Gorda, Port Charlotte, North Port and Englewood East. Cynthia Drawdy, Randol's broker/associate, has co-owned and operated the business with her sister, Carol...

BUSINESS BUZZ.
August 30, 2007... Employment agency opens in Sarasota Mark and Deepa Toomey recently opened Sarastaff Employment Services Inc. in the Synovus Bank Building, 1990 Main St., Suite 750, Sarasota. Builders tradeshow set for Sept. 6 The Gulf Coast...

2 Sarasota firms make magazine's growth list.(Company overview)
August 30, 2007... Byline: STAFF REPORT The company, which employs 96, reported revenue growth of 611.6 percent from 2003 to 2006. Medialynx's revenue went from $359,369 to $2.6 million. Medialynx, founded in 2000, does its production in India,...

A plan to weed out sex offenders Program to scan school visitors' IDs will help 'to keep kids safe'.
August 30, 2007... Byline: KEVIN DALE kevin.dale@heraldtribune.com The popular V-Soft system, created by Houston's Raptor Technologies, scans a visitor's driver's license and checks the name and birth date against Raptor's national database of state sex...

Ed Loder makes sound decisions.
August 30, 2007... Byline: MARILYN D. CARPENTER CORRESPONDENT As a production manager, Loder does bear a godlike load of responsibility. Before a show he keeps tabs on everything from the box office and ushering, to last-minute performance details on and...

Burnt Store holds auditions for 'Diary of Anne Frank'.
August 30, 2007... Byline: MARILYN D. CARPENTER CORRESPONDENT The casting call includes the title role, four other female roles and eight male roles. The play calls for adults and teenagers. BSPC is presenting Wendy Kesselman's adaptation of the play...

Obituaries.(Obituary)
August 30, 2007... May 30, 1921 - Aug. 28, 2007 Grace H. Hackett, 86, Lake Suzy, died Aug. 28, 2007. Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday at Kays-Ponger Funeral Home, Port Charlotte Chapel. A funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at San...

BEST BETS.
August 30, 2007... FRIDAY Pioneer Days Celebration Festival. This longtime Englewood tradition starts at 6 p.m. Friday. Experience the Taste of Englewood, a carnival, arts, crafts, vendors and games. There will be music by Bandana and DJ Rob. All the...

Door opens to younger leaders In North Port, under-40 crowd could replace older city officials.
August 30, 2007... Byline: JOHN DAVIS john.davis@heraldtribune.com The race between Blucher and Garofalo is indicative of the generational shift that has occurred in North Port over the past decade as tens of thousands of young families moved to North Port...

Young gymnasts reach for excellence.
August 30, 2007... Byline: CHRISTINE HAWES CORRESPONDENT Or the young girl with multiple sclerosis, whose doctors said her motor skills improved 200 percent once she began practicing gymnastics. Or the youngster whose mom sent her to Bannan's class to...

Medical Academy welcomes new and returning students.
August 30, 2007... Byline: STAFF REPORT The Medical Academy is a Career and Technical Education pathway within the Life Science Community. It is a four-year program that trains students to become certified nurse assistants while in high school, or to...

Mooney sweeps Ranch Schwartz leads the Cougars with seven kills and five blocks.
August 30, 2007... Byline: DONNIE WILKIE CORRESPONDENT But the similarities ended after the talented Cougars (1-1) pulled away to win the first game, then dominated the next two in a 25-20, 25-19, 25-17 victory, one night after a five-game loss to Lemon...

Toor sparks Manta Rays over Bobcats in straight games.
August 30, 2007... Byline: DENNIS MAFFEZZOLI dennis.maffezzoli@heraldtribune.com Toor finished with 15 kills, two blocks and a couple of aces as Lemon Bay made quick work of the Bobcats 25-7, 25-18, 25-16 in a nondistrict match at Tom Catanzarite Gymnasium....

In court, no money or mercy Internet jet parts seller brings no restitution and gets 22-year term.
August 30, 2007... Byline: MICHAEL A. SCARCELLA michael.scarcella@heraldtribune.com Casciola returned that afternoon -- this time, accompanied by his wife and a daughter -- but he did not have the money. The judge did not have mercy. Casciola -- whom...

Nursing homes issue call for help In storms, report says, they need the same attention as hospitals.
August 30, 2007... Byline: VICTOR HULL victor.hull@heraldtribune.com National, state and local disaster response agencies should include more help for evacuating nursing homes before hurricanes, concluded the report, sponsored by the nonprofit John A....

POLICE BRIEFS.
August 30, 2007... The shooting happened about 7:45 a.m. in the 5200 block of 47th Street East in the Glen Cove Heights subdivision. The shooter, Willard Merchant, 18, was not charged with a crime. He could not be reached for comment. Merchant told...

IN BRIEF.
August 30, 2007... The forum in the auditorium at the school, 902 33rd St. Court W., will cover the college application process and details such as resumes, letters of recommendations, test sources and financial aid. Bradenton officer seeking a sponsor ...

Manatee County 4-H'ers earn honors.
August 30, 2007... Byline: STAFF REPORT The Duette 4-H'ers recently planted 700 slash pine trees at Duette Park. They also built a pavilion at a picnic area in the park. Members continue to assist park rangers by locating homesteads. The Junior...

Gettel Foundation aids district's scholarship program.
August 30, 2007... Byline: STAFF REPORT "In the past, we've done toy drives and other activities to help children, but when we learned of Take Stock in Children, we decided to move to the next level to help them obtain college scholarships," Jim Gettel...

Obituaries.
August 30, 2007... March 18, 1919 - Aug. 26, 2007 Annie Belle Chestnut, 88, Bradenton, died Aug. 26, 2007. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at Westside Funeral Home, Palmetto. Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Paul Missionary...