Sarasota Herald Tribune articles from December 2004

Sarasota Herald Tribune archives from December 2004

Arts fest seeks broader appeal; Rotary is sponsoring the holiday event along West Dearborn Street on Saturday and Sunday.(B SECTION)
December 1, 2004... Byline: AMY ABERN amy.abern@heraldtribune.com ENGLEWOOD -- It's always fun to look, but it's even more fun to buy -- at least that's the thinking behind the third annual Englewood Rotary Holiday Fine Arts Festival this Saturday and...

USF's annual brunch was a success.(B SECTION)
December 1, 2004... For more than 30 years, the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee has been a hub of educational opportunities. More than 10,000 students have graduated from the school. The university recently hosted its 11th annual Brunch on the...

The $140,000 mistake; Punta Gorda should make a better deal with its next manager.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
December 1, 2004... The Punta Gorda City Council members should reconsider their hasty, surprise decision to hire a young and inexperienced city manager to replace Willard Beck. But if they don't reconsider, they should at least set ground rules for negotiating...

Palmetto's Cox Mazda moving to Bradenton.(BUSINESS)
December 1, 2004... Byline: RICH SHOPES rich.shopes@heraldtribune.com PALMETTO -- The owners of Cox Mazda are planning to move the dealership from Palmetto to 3101 Cortez Road in Bradenton, across from Cox Chevrolet. The deal, in the works for months,...

Obituaries.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
December 1, 2004... ***** CORRECTION: The following correction was published on Thursday, December 02, 2004: Correction: The religious affilation of Rodney and LaDonna Zehr was misstated Wednesday in a letter to the editor. LaDonna Zehr is a member the...

Volunteering keeps Betty Myers active.(B SECTION)
December 1, 2004... Byline: AMY HIBBERD CORRESPONDENT Betty Myers has always been an active person. It comes as no surprise that when Myers retired to Englewood she immediately began looking for something to occupy her time. "I don't like housework,"...

Peace coalition continues with hope.(B SECTION)
December 1, 2004... Byline: NANCY CHAPMAN CORRESPONDENT Years have passed since anticipation of a war with Iraq spurred peace demonstrations worldwide, and most of the protestors have gone back to their day-to-day lives. But a dedicated group of...

SEEN & HEARD.(B SECTION)
December 1, 2004... Coming soon: a bait stand Anglers have been giving the new Venice Fishing Pier rave reviews - with one exception: The $2 million, 700-foot-long pier, which opened in October, doesn't have a bait shop. "We've had a lot of calls," said...

CLASS 5A STATE SEMIFINALS; Stepping it up; Rams kicker delivers in the clutch.(SPORTS)
December 1, 2004... Byline: CHAD BROCKHOFF CORRESPONDENT SARASOTA -- Going into his freshman year of high school, Kevin Campbell figured he knew something about punting and place-kicking. Campbell, a junior at Riverview High, quickly came to the...

Obituaries.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
December 1, 2004... MANATEE COUNTY James L. Allison James L. Allison, 55, Manatee County, died Nov. 29, 2004. He was born Dec. 9, 1948, in Detroit and came to Manatee County in 2001 from Livermore, Calif. He was the former president and CEO of...

Investigate Sherlock Holmes with a twist in 'West End Horror'.(FLORIDA WEST)
December 1, 2004... Byline: JAY HANDELMAN jay.handelman@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- Theater critics get ripped apart (and one even dies) in "Sherlock Holmes & The West End Horror," but I don't take it personally. The murder of a despicable critic...

Lobby chief cedes daily control.(BUSINESS)
December 1, 2004... Byline: MICHAEL BRAGA michael.braga@heraldtribune.com Jon Shebel is stepping down as president of Associated Industries of Florida, the powerful Tallahassee organization that lobbies on behalf of Florida businesses. Though Shebel, 65,...

Booker struggles but emerges with victory; Patricia Pete, Alyce Clark and Shandra Polynice combine for 23 points.(SPORTS)
December 1, 2004... Byline: DONNIE WILKIE CORRESPONDENT SARASOTA -- Booker girls basketball coach Dean Berkey knows that when all else fails, his guards can take aim and fire. Make or miss, the Tornadoes usually have 6-foot-2 Patricia Pete, 6-foot guard...

Soccer season finale; Heron Creek, Booker end the year with a game Friday.(B SECTION)
December 1, 2004... Byline: ERIN BRYCE erin.bryce@heraldtribune.com NORTH PORT -- With nearly 50 students each on their teams, both Heron Creek and Booker Middle schools consider their first soccer season a hit, and hope other middle schools in Sarasota...

City prevailing in Perico high-rise fight; Two more opponents move to dismiss challenge.(B SECTION)
December 1, 2004... Byline: MITRA MALEK mitra.malek@heraldtribune.com BRADENTON -- A four-year battle over the height of buildings on Perico Island is winding down, with the city of Bradenton prevailing. Environmental group ManaSota-88 and Holmes Beach...

Manatee snapshots; Brief comments on life and times in our county.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
December 1, 2004... Answering Tallevast's needs The county commissioners could have played the popular government game of "pass the buck" regarding medical tests in Tallevast. To their credit, they didn't. On Tuesday, the commission agreed to provide...

O'Dwyer's return could help offensive line.(SPORTS)
December 1, 2004... Byline: Tom Balog Matt O'Dwyer started this mess. Now let's see if he can help fix it. The free agent guard, whose freak injury in an unsupervised weight training workout last summer started the rash of injuries that have doomed the...

Obituaries.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
December 1, 2004... CHARLOTTE COUNTY Sam W. Arnett Sam W. Arnett, 85, Punta Gorda, died Oct. 5, 2004, in Centerburg, Ohio. He was born Dec. 8, 1918, in Gore, Ohio. He was a minister of Jehovah's Witnesses for 52 years. He had an active role in...

BRIEFS.(B SECTION)
December 1, 2004... Marine unit finds three lost fishermen PUNTA GORDA -- The sheriff's marine unit rescued three men lost on area waters after a day of fishing, officials said. The men left the Navigator Grill in an 18-foot john boat Monday afternoon and...

Business Buzz.(BUSINESS)
December 1, 2004... HandyTrac promotes Kratz to vice president HandyTrac Systems, which specializes in computerized key control systems for the apartment industry, has promoted Larry Kratz to vice president of sales. Kratz will be responsible for...

Pre-K plan falls far short of some hopes; One critic calls the developing program 'glorified baby-sitting.'.(A SECTION)
December 1, 2004... Byline: JOE FOLLICK TALLAHASSEE BUREAU TALLAHASSEE -- Florida lawmakers will consider this week creating an education program for 4-year-olds that falls far short of the nation's leading pre- kindergarten systems. Lt. Gov. Toni...

Lot acquisition on fast track; Judge rules the county can use eminent domain.(A SECTION)
December 1, 2004... Byline: JAMIE MANFUSO jamie.manfuso@heraldtribune.com CHARLOTTE COUNTY -- Rather than convincing commissioners to halt the controversial Murdock Village redevelopment project, ballooning land costs have prompted leaders to move even...

King leads 'Noles.(SPORTS)
December 1, 2004... Byline: STAFF REPORT ST. PETERSBURG -- Senior guard Cherrelle King had 14 points and five assists in the Class 4A-District 13 opener for Southeast as the Lady 'Noles beat St. Pete Lakewood. Lakewood guard Jade Brown led all scorers...

Kaleidoscope Touring Company is ready to perform.(B SECTION)
December 1, 2004... Children's Haven and Adult Community Services is celebrating its 50th Anniversary. Children's Haven is a private, nonprofit organization serving children, teens and adults with developmental, physical, sensory, mental health and/or...

Booker drops 98 on Manatee.(SPORTS)
December 1, 2004... Byline: STAFF REPORT BRADENTON -- Booker built a 15-point cuhion at the half and went on to beat host Manatee 98-87 Tuesday night in the area's highest scoring game of the night. The Tornadoes (2-0) got 31 points from Michael Evans...

EDUCATION NOTES.(B SECTION)
December 1, 2004... Holiday socials The American Association of University Women will have a holiday luncheon at 11:30 a.m. Dec. 9 at Plantation Golf & Country Club, 500 Rockley Blvd., Venice. Ann, 484-0471. * Delta Delta Delta will hold its annual...

Farmworker group to open site in DeSoto to help storm victims.(B SECTION)
December 1, 2004... Byline: SELINA ROMAN selina.roman@heraldtribune.com ARCADIA -- A South Florida organization known for getting farmworkers better jobs and homes will open a permanent office in DeSoto County this week to help victims of Hurricane Charley....

SEEN & HEARD.(B SECTION)
December 1, 2004... A proud grandpa School Board member Harry Kinnan beamed as his colleagues displayed a picture of his new granddaughter on a TV screen during a meeting last month. Kinnan's daughter, Courtney Cherry, gave birth to Evelyn Grace Cherry...

Thousands are fed through Bread of Life Mission.(B SECTION)
December 1, 2004... 'Feeding the needy, not the greedy," is a motto that Judy Jones, from the Bread of Life Mission, lives by. For the past 30 years, she has been helping the homeless and hungry. This year, there are more needy than ever. With the recent...

Goodbye to 2004 hurricane season; Gov. Jeb Bush praises Floridians for their resilience and spirit.(B SECTION)
December 1, 2004... Byline: LLOYD DUNKELBERGER TALLAHASSEE BUREAU TALLAHASSEE -- Welcoming the official end of a devastating hurricane season, Gov. Jeb Bush used a rare statewide address Tuesday night to praise Floridians for their resilience, while citing...

Bucs cut loose Gramatica; Longtime Bucs place-kicker missed two field goal attempts Sunday and had a third blocked.(SPORTS)
December 1, 2004... Byline: TOM BALOG tom.balog@heraldtribune.com TAMPA -- Even after Martin Gramatica had missed those first two field goals Sunday, he could have saved his job by making that third one. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have been absolving...

SEEN & HEARD.(B SECTION)
December 1, 2004... Disturbing the peace? It was a story nine months in the making, and the police spokesman, Punta Gorda Police Capt. Albert "Butch" Arenal, was proud to break the news. Arenal, 39, e-mailed three photos of his newborn son, Conner Clark...

Lemon Bay gets best of Riverdale.(SPORTS)
December 1, 2004... Byline: STAFF REPORT ENGLEWOOD -- Lemon Bay defeated Riverdale at home in a district game on Tuesday 6-1. Ashley Osborne and Shawnna Rocklein each had a hat trick with three goals apiece. Assists were handed out by Shawnna Rocklein,...

Third-seeded Albanese cruises.(SPORTS)
December 1, 2004... Byline: BRIAN NEWBERRY CORRESPONDENT BRADENTON -- Composure will not be a concern for Lauren Albanese at the Eddie Herr International Junior Tennis Tournament this week. Albanese kept her focus in a convincing 6-1, 6-1 victory over...

North Port family campaigns to find pet.(B SECTION)
December 1, 2004... Byline: ERIN BRYCE erin.bryce@heraldtribune.com NORTH PORT -- Got Max? The question is posed on more than 200 signs posted throughout North Port and at every Interstate 75 exit from Alligator Alley to Bradenton. The 4-year-old...

Jensen picked as new SMR chief.(BUSINESS)
December 1, 2004... Byline: RICH SHOPES rich.shopes@heraldtribune.com LAKEWOOD RANCH -- The future CEO of Schroeder-Manatee Ranch Inc. is hinting at some broad changes for the company which developed Lakewood Ranch through a subsidiary. SMR might curtail...

Fruitville-Beneva slated for new stores.(BUSINESS)
December 1, 2004... Byline: LAUREN MAYK lauren.mayk@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- A Walgreens and three other commercial buildings are planned for a piece of land at Fruitville and Beneva roads. Until recently, a Burger King restaurant and a former Kash...

Charter school post draws 10 applicants.(B SECTION)
December 1, 2004... Byline: STAFF REPORT VENICE -- Ten people have applied to be principal at Venice's charter middle school. Candidates include two local assistant principals, a voice teacher and a businessman who claims a $25 billion investment...

Changes could fill classroom; Phillippi Shores plans to offer a rigorous academic program.(B SECTION)
December 1, 2004... Byline: CHRISTINA DeNARDO christina.denardo@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA COUNTY -- In a county where parents can choose which school their children will attend, few choose Phillippi Shores Elementary, despite its A rating from the state....

Strengthen building codes; Hurricane damage shows room for improvement, especially inland.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
December 1, 2004... Hurricane Charley had sustained winds of up to 145 mph when it tore through Charlotte County like a bullet train. The Aug. 13 hurricane then ripped across the inland counties of DeSoto and Hardee, and its winds were still clocked at 100 mph as...

Thoughts differ on 'good' fruitcake.(FLORIDA WEST)(Sampler)(Recipe)(Column)
December 1, 2004... Byline: Linda Brandt At lunch Monday, Tastefully British Tearoom owner Sandra Cherry and I were talking about how people take to the kitchen this time of year more than any other. That was borne out last week by the number of requests I...

County, schools agree on shared-services deal.(B SECTION)
December 1, 2004... Byline: PATTY ALLEN-JONES patty.allen-jones@heraldtribune.com Sarasota County government and school district officials will be sharing computer technology and staff under a new initiative that could result in savings for both agencies. ...

Blazers come back on Falcons.(SPORTS)
December 1, 2004... Byline: STAFF REPORT BRADENTON -- The Sarasota Christian girls soccer team came back to defeat Saint Stephen's on the road Tuesday night, 3-2. Carly Hamilton scored the first goal of the night on an assist from another Hamilton,...

SEEN & HEARD.(B SECTION)
December 1, 2004... Movie chain says it can't find land Venice's saga to get a new movie theater has taken another twist. A Florida-based movie chain, which has been trying since August to build a multi-screen theater in Venice, says it can't find land. ...

BRIEFS.(B SECTION)
December 1, 2004... Affordable housing threshold increased MANATEE COUNTY -- The maximum sales price for a home bought with down-payment assistance went up substantially Tuesday. The county commissioners unanimously agreed to raise the price cap in its...

Pownell leaves Charlotte.(SPORTS)
December 1, 2004... Byline: DENNIS MAFFEZZOLI dennis.maffezzoli@heraldtribune.com MURDOCK -- After playing for the Charlotte High volleyball team in the mid-'90s, Allison Pownell returned to coach the Tarpons the past three seasons. In between her...

Tallevast beryllium testing plan at issue; Critics of the county-funded testing say the money will cover a fraction of those who need it, and results may be misleading.(A SECTION)
December 1, 2004... Byline: SCOTT CARROLL scott.carroll@heraldtribune.com MANATEE COUNTY -- It sounded like an idea nobody could possibly oppose: The county spending $50,000 to test former American Beryllium Co. workers for an incurable lung disease...

City's parking venture has its critics; Officials concede that the Whole Foods parking garage will not be the solution to downtown woes.(A SECTION)
December 1, 2004... Byline: LISA RAB lisa.rab@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- The city invested heavily in the Whole Foods Market Centre condominium and retail project, giving the developer $3.3 million to build 300 public spaces in its parking garage. ...

The Hideaway has gone away.(B SECTION)
December 1, 2004... Byline: SHARYN LONSDALE sharyn.lonsdale@heraldtribune.com ENGLEWOOD -- On any Tuesday through Saturday night for the past two years, the sounds of music and the aroma of fresh-cooked food filled the air behind The Emporium on West Dearborn...

Mentoring is priority for Steve Burnam.(B SECTION)
December 1, 2004... Byline: MARILYN CARPENTER CORRESPONDENT Port Charlotte resident Steve Burnam, of Burnam's Home Improvement & Repair Inc., may be busier than usual these post-hurricane days, yet he makes sure he doesn't miss the hour-plus he spends as a...

BRIEFS.(B SECTION)
December 1, 2004... Sandy Claws run The 28th annual Sandy Claws 5K Beach Run will be Dec. 11 at Siesta Key Beach, 948 Beach Road. The one-mile fun run will begin at 8 a.m., followed by the 5K at 8:20 a.m. Awards will be presented to the overall male and...

Seen & Heard.(B SECTION)
December 1, 2004... It says here he's a very influential guy Robert Hueter, director of the Center for Shark Research at Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, has been named one of the most influential people by Florida Trend magazine. Hueter, who leads...

News Updates.(B SECTION)
December 1, 2004... Deputy charged in stalking case BRADENTON -- A Manatee deputy sheriff who police say threatened to kill his estranged wife was charged Tuesday with aggravated stalking, a third-degree felony. According to the police report: Joshua...

Venice's Hough too much for Mantas; Senior scores 29 points as Lady Indians power past Lemon Bay.(SPORTS)
December 1, 2004... Byline: PERRY D. PENTZ perry.pentz@heraldtribune.com VENICE -- Venice High's Lisa Hough isn't in midseason form yet after just coming off the volleyball team. Don't tell Lemon Bay. Hough, a senior, scored a career-high 29 points...

Former Selby curator began edible garden.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
December 1, 2004... Byline: HILDEGARD SCHEIBNER hilde.scheibner@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- Russell J. Seibert, a former curator of tropical horticulture who founded the edible garden at the Marie Selby Garden Botanical Gardens, died Nov. 28, 2004. He was...

News Updates.(B SECTION)
December 1, 2004... AIDS Day in Newtown to include health fair SARASOTA -- A free community health fair will mark the 17th annual World AIDS Day on Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. at the Newtown Community Center, 1845 34th St. "Women and AIDS" is the theme...

Publix plans Charlotte center; The grocer is buying 87 acres to build a distribution center at the Charlotte County Airport, creating 300 to 500 jobs.(A SECTION)
December 1, 2004... Byline: STEPHEN FRATER stephen.frater@heraldtribune.com PUNTA GORDA -- It is perhaps the biggest single economic development score ever for Charlotte County. With Gov. Jeb Bush in attendance, Publix Super Markets announced Tuesday...

News Updates.(B SECTION)
December 1, 2004... Ex-guards' names sought by attorney PUNTA GORDA -- The lawyer for a prisoner accused of killing two people at Charlotte Correctional Institution wants to contact officers who left employment at the prison before and after the slayings. ...

Toys for Tots campaign is under way.(B SECTION)
December 1, 2004... Byline: HELEN ROSEN CORRESPONDENT Marine Corps Reserve Sgt. Raymond F. Kish is a Santa Claus whose preferred dress is red, white and blue. Now in his sixth year as chairman of the association's Toys for Tots campaign, he is also the...

Condo project gets no welcome; Palma Sola Boulevard homeowners are sore over 4-story buildings' OK.(B SECTION)
December 1, 2004... Byline: DALE WHITE dale.white@heraldtribune.com MANATEE COUNTY -- The bayfront neighborhood that flanks Palma Sola Boulevard is known for spacious single-family houses, many three stories high on elevated lots. A development that the...

A TASTE FOR CONSERVATION; Chefs and consumers cast about for alternatives to endangered fish species.(FLORIDA WEST)(Recipe)
December 1, 2004... Byline: SHARYN LONSDALE sharyn.lonsdale@heraldtribune.com Remember orange roughy? A few years ago, the sweet, flaky New Zealand whitefish was on nearly every seafood restaurant's menu and was readily available in supermarkets. Now...

News Updates.(B SECTION)
December 1, 2004... Fishing club board to meet Thursday ENGLEWOOD -- There will be a board meeting of the Englewood Fishing Club at 6 p.m Thursday at Bay Harbor Ford, 1908 S. McCall Road. Captain Steve Lamb will give a talk about fishing lines, knots and...

Tarpons coast 98-2.(SPORTS)
December 1, 2004... Byline: DENNIS MAFFEZZOLI dennis.maffezzoli@heraldtribune.com MURDOCK -- Andy Alwood didn't receive a chance to play his reserves much during the first two games of the season. The Charlotte High girls basketball coach was able to...

Preschoolers and their families enjoy fruit feast.(B SECTION)
December 1, 2004... Being thankful for their "fruits" of life, and wanting to share them, students at the Englewood United Methodist Preschool invited their families in for the annual Sharing the Fruit Feast. Huge bowls of homemade fruit salad, drinks and tiny...

Correction.(B SECTION)(Correction Notice)
December 1, 2004... Carolyne Norwood's name was misspelled in the Sunday Herald-Tribune story "Twilight Fears."

Spaghetti, Shakespeare push PTO; Heron Creek parents hope an evening of carbs and the Bard will boost parent membership.(B SECTION)
December 2, 2004... Byline: ERIN BRYCE erin.bryce@heraldtribune.com NORTH PORT -- Parents hope Friday night's dinner theater not only provides the Heron Creek Middle School's drama team with an audience, but adds members to the school's struggling Parent...

BRIEFS.(B SECTION)
December 2, 2004... Mail carriers will collect donated toys The annual toy drive benefiting Toys for Tots is Saturday. Residents are asked to place new, unwrapped toys by their mailboxes. The donations will be picked up by letter carriers delivering mail...

OBITUARIES.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
December 2, 2004... CHARLOTTE COUNTY Francis J. Billow Francis J. "Frank" Billow, 86, Lake Suzy, died Nov. 29, 2004. He was born Aug. 11, 1918, in Norwood, Ohio, and came to this area 47 years ago from Cincinnati, Ohio. He served in the Army during...

SinoFresh promotes Klein from controller to CFO post.(BUSINESS)
December 2, 2004... Byline: LAUREN MAYK lauren.mayk@heraldtribune.com ENGLEWOOD -- SinoFresh Healthcare found its new chief financial officer within its ranks, promoting its controller to the job. Scott Klein joined the company in April after about three...

In limbo among the limbs; Eastern Charlotte still waits for debris removal.(A SECTION)
December 2, 2004... Byline: PATRICK WHITTLE patrick.whittle@heraldtribune.com EAST CHARLOTTE COUNTY -- Uncollected hurricane debris litters eastern Charlotte County's landscape, and with no scheduled pickup dates county residents are taking it upon...

Lemon Bay wrestlers pin hopes on regaining program's elite status.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)(Playing the Field)(Column)
December 2, 2004... Byline: Alan Dell The Lemon Bay High School wrestling team took a huge step last year toward returning to the status it once held as one of the premier programs in the state. This season, the Mantas are geared to edge even closer to...

Rushing toward debut day; The sign goes up and organic and 'natural' goods appear on shelves as Sarasota's Whole Foods Market approaches its Dec. 8 opening.(BUSINESS)
December 2, 2004... Byline: LAUREN MAYK lauren.mayk@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- Hemmed in by construction on at least two sides, a new Whole Foods Market is preparing to open next week as the first piece of a $55 million downtown development. ...

Santa gets an earful.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)
December 2, 2004... Santa Claus finally made his way to Englewood. Making his first official appearance at the annual Dearborn Street Christmas Walk, the somewhat tall Santa spent hours listening to the wish lists of boys and girls in Englewood. And Santa...

Niculescu struggles in win.(SPORTS)
December 2, 2004... Byline: MIC HUBER mic.huber@heraldtribune.com BRADENTON -- She cried. She ranted. She slammed her racket. Finally, she smiled. When Monica Niculescu at last escaped to win her match Wednesday at the Eddie Herr Junior Tennis...

SPEEDWAY RESULTS.(H-T EAST)
December 2, 2004... Current points of the top five finishers as of Sunday at DeSoto Speedway, nine miles east of Interstate 75 on State Road 64, are: AACS Super Late Models: Jeff Scofield, No. 07, 2,540; Dave Pletcher, No. 75, 2,143; Chris Turner, No. 94,...

Bulldogs QB learned game from dad.(H-T EAST)
December 2, 2004... Byline: ALAN DELL CORRESPONDENT EAST MANATEE -- Zach Hammond knows what it takes to be a leader. He sees one every day in his father, Joe Hammond. It's one reason 11-year-old Zach feels so comfortable in leading the undefeated East...

H-T Area Girls Basketball Rankings.(SPORTS)
December 2, 2004... 1 RIVERVIEW (23-7): Nearly the entire team -- including all five starters -- return from last year's region finalists. The team's offense revolves around Shantia Grace (21.1 ppg), a Street & Smith All-American. She enters the season as the...

Emporium plans a couple of cafes.(B SECTION)
December 2, 2004... Byline: SHARYN LONSDALE sharyn.lonsdale@heraldtribune.com ENGLEWOOD -- Visitors to Englewood's downtown area who enjoy a snack and a cool drink in an outdoor setting won't have to wait long for a new venue now that the Island Hideaway is...

MCC program benefits 25 students.(FLORIDA WEST)(Column)
December 2, 2004... Byline: Marjorie North The student jazz band played sweet music while mimosas were being poured for a brunch bunch at MCC the other morning. Tana Sandefur came up with the idea, and Jennifer Saslaw quickly said "yes" to inviting pals over...

Conspiracy talk draws response from council.(B SECTION)
December 2, 2004... Byline: JENNY LEE ALLEN jenny.allen@heraldtribune.com PUNTA GORDA -- Backroom meetings? Secret phone conversations? Folks here want to know just how the City Council decided in mere minutes to end a months-long manager search and hire a...

'Cats win by hair; North Port holds off Charlotte down the stretch in a thrilling one-point victory.(SPORTS)
December 2, 2004... Byline: DENNIS MAFFEZZOLI dennis.maffezzoli@heraldtribune.com MURDOCK -- In Kyle Rowland, the North Port High boys basketball team knows it has one of the top players in Southwest Florida. Tuesday night, the Bobcats demonstrated the...

West Coast Pizza spices up Lemon Bay Shopping Center.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)
December 2, 2004... Byline: AMY ABERN amy.abern@heraldtribune.com Sarasota resident Sam Khashan knows a good thing when he sees it and he saw it in Lemon Bay Shopping Center -- the perfect place to open West Coast Pizza. The Big Three were all in place:...

Blast from the past; Riverview's coach takes a few pages out of history.(SPORTS)
December 2, 2004... Byline: CHRIS ANDERSON chris.anderson@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- Many years ago, John Sprague visited football practice at the University of Alabama when Paul "Bear" Bryant was coach. Eager to learn from a legend, Sprague walked...

A bad case of the holiday shopping blues.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)(Englewood Spotlight)(Column)
December 2, 2004... Byline: Amy Abern My cohort, Sharyn Lonsdale, occasionally drives me crazy. She always seems to do everything right and does everything right in a shockingly timely fashion. A week before Thanksgiving, she announced she had three...