Sarasota Herald Tribune articles from January 2006, page 5

Sarasota Herald Tribune archives from January 2006

Event gives a hint of what's to come at The Concession.(H-T EAST)
January 26, 2006... Byline: MARI ROBYN JONES robyn.jones@heraldtribune.com EAST MANATEE -- Where University Parkway ends, The Concession Golf Club & Residences begins. What is now no more than a construction site with a gravel entrance road, some lot...

With bigger building, church to focus on spiritual and financial growth.(H-T EAST)
January 26, 2006... Byline: JANEL STEPHENS CORRESPONDENT PARRISH -- A year ago, members of St. Mary Missionary Baptist Church gathered outside to pray over the foundation where their new sanctuary would be built. They met again earlier this month at the...

'POWER' is the key at exhibition; Expo focuses on networking, motivation, fashions.(H-T EAST)
January 26, 2006... Byline: STEVE HEISLER CORRESPONDENT LAKEWOOD RANCH -- A motivational talk, fashion show and information exhibits highlight the Lakewood Ranch Professional Women's Network luncheon. As the keynote speaker at the group's third POWER...

BRIEFS.(H-T EAST)
January 26, 2006... EAST MANATEE Church sponsors monthly market The East Manatee Market begins this weekend. The market will be open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. the last Saturday of each month, from January through May, in the parking area behind Braden...

(Photo).(H-T EAST)
January 26, 2006... The Friends of the Rocky Bluff Branch Library called on River Wilderness resident Joan Hodges to present a program Jan. 19 about "Poinsettias: What to Do With Them After the Holidays." Hodges' talk and free literature offered landscaping,...

Winter fun on a warm day.(H-T EAST)
January 26, 2006... It was all fun and games on a warm day for Tara Elementary School's Winter Carnival on Saturday. Organizers presented a silent auction, food, game and craft booths, and entertainment at the school, 6950 Linger Lodge Road. CAPTION(S):...

Checking out the new school.(H-T EAST)
January 26, 2006... Braden River High had an open house Jan. 19 to introduce students and their parents to programs offered at the school, 6545 State Road 70 E. The official dedication of the school, which opened in August, will begin at 6 p.m. Jan. 30. For...

Business.(H-T EAST)
January 26, 2006... LAKEWOOD RANCH Hear economist today Labor economist Rebecca Rust of the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation will speak today to board members of the Suncoast Workforce Board. The meeting will begin at 8 a.m. at Northern...

SCHOOL BRIEF.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)
January 26, 2006... MANATEE COUNTY Students compete in science fair Young scientists in sixth through 12th grades are vying for awards and prizes at the Manatee Regional Science and Engineering Fair. More than 150 students are presenting their...

Sheriff's gift to help with river rescues.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)
January 26, 2006... Byline: CHRISTOPHER O'DONNELL chris.odonnell@heraldtribune.com PALMETTO -- The bright green Sheriff's Office logos may need to go, but a shipshape gift could not have come at a better time for the North River Fire District. The...

Finishing touches needed on Station No. 2.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)
January 26, 2006... MYAKKA CITY -- Myakka City fire commissioners wanted to have their monthly meeting last week in their new station, but construction delays kept them away. Station No. 2 at Verna Road and State Road 70 still needs landscaping, carpet and...

Commissioner's meeting focuses on vandalism, gas tax.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)
January 26, 2006... Byline: MARI ROBYN JONES robyn.jones@heraldtribune.com EAST MANATEE -- Residents should call 911 or the Sheriff's Office when they see something unusual instead of waiting, a official told East Manatee residents last week. In a...

Timmons has a lot to do in a little time as ODA's first football coach.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)(Column)
January 26, 2006... Byline: Jon Styf For Brett Simmons it's a simple first goal, but the philosophy enthusiast is determined not to let any of the basics slip past his players as Out-of-Door Academy's first football coach. "Hopefully they can all put...

Breaking in; Young Mustangs prove themselves to veterans just in time for playoff run.(H-T EAST)
January 26, 2006... Byline: JON STYF jon.styf@heraldtribune.com EAST MANATEE -- They didn't get along. And they didn't want to. After playing together for so many seasons, the Lakewood Ranch girls soccer team had seven new players at the beginning of...

Smriko excels after transfer to Saint Stephen's.(H-T EAST)
January 26, 2006... Byline: ALAN DELL CORRESPONDENT BRADENTON -- The last game Harris Smriko played for the Lakewood Ranch High boys soccer team will be etched in his memory forever. The Mustangs had perennial state power Palm Harbor University High on the...

Lakewood Ranch hopes for seven lifters to advance Friday.(H-T EAST)(At Home)(Column)
January 26, 2006... Byline: Alan Dell Mike Deal believes his Lakewood Ranch High girls weightlifting team is capable of qualifying as many as seven individuals for the state meet next month. The number seven is a best-case scenario, though the Lady...

ODA's year ends with district loss; Braden River falls to Avon Park 2-1 on late goal to end dreams of reaching Class 4A-10 final.(H-T EAST)
January 26, 2006... Byline: JON STYF jon.styf@heraldtribune.com BRADENTON -- As they walked off the field for the final time in their first season as a sanctioned varsity girls soccer program, the parents stood, applauded and cheered. Although they...

Watching more than weather.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)(Editor's Desk)(Column)
January 26, 2006... Byline: Mark Chapman Hey, you snowbirds, you're in luck! Sunday was, at 85 degrees, the warmest Jan. 22 on record -- at least it was at the airport in Sarasota. It exceeded the previous high, in 1962, by one degree. While the rest...

OUR COMMUNITY.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)
January 26, 2006... Girls volleyball league forming at YMCA The Warren Loranger Family YMCA is taking registrations for its girls' volleyball league. The league begins Feb. 23 and will have divisions for players in fifth through seventh grade and eighth...

O'Connor is classic team player.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)
January 26, 2006... Byline: ALAN DELL CORRESPONDENT Replacing Chrystal O'Con-nor won't be easy. In fact, it might just be impossible. It's a dilemma Lemon Bay head girls' soccer coach Troy Moore will have to resolve during the off season. In her...

Wonders of the sea; Fish mounts and unusual art bring people to Fish XS.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)
January 26, 2006... Byline: SHARYN LONSDALE sharyn.lonsdale@heraldtribune.com So you snagged the big one, the catch of a lifetime, but you had to throw it back. How do you convince your friends and family that the fish really was "this big"? You...

'Nurse Hope' more than a nurse at Lemon Bay.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)
January 26, 2006... Byline: SHARYN LONSDALE sharyn.lonsdale@heraldtribune.com To the students at Lemon Bay High School, Hope Schmidt is more than the nurse who runs the school clinic. "She's my second mom," said Katie Powell, 16. When Katie's mother...

Stories from the front lines in Englewood.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)(Englewood Scene)(Column)
January 26, 2006... Byline: Sharyn Lonsdale As everyone knows, we are knee-deep into Englewood's busy season. There is so much going on that you just can't do everything you want to do. In my case, sometimes I observe more than I have the time or space...

Daughter of Englewood pioneers shares secret.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)(Recipe)
January 26, 2006... Byline: AMY HIBBERD CORRESPONDENT Carol Garrett is a child of Englewood pioneers. She remembers growing up around her father Jack Tate's grocery business, Tate's General Store, in the same location where her grandfather had his grocery...

Girls' soccer looks to future; basketball heads to districts.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)(Playing the Field)(Column)
January 26, 2006... Byline: Alan Dell Lemon Bay head girls' soccer coach Troy Moore believes pay day isn't that far away. It's a reason he wasn't feeling that despondent last week when the Lady Mantas saw their season end in a disappointing loss to Estero....

Bargains galore at Gulf Cove arts and crafts show.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)
January 26, 2006... Precious pigs -- ceramic, that is -- friendly iguanas, duck hats and butterfly tatoos were just a few of the unusual arts and crafts items found at the Gulf Cove United Methodist Church's Arts and Craft Show on Saturday and Sunday. ...

New community center close to Parrish foundation's heart.(H-T NORTH)
January 26, 2006... Byline: CHRISTOPHER O'DONNELL chris.odonnell@heraldtribune.com PARRISH -- For more than 10 years Parrish residents have said they need a new community center. For the last three years, the Parrish Community Foundation has badgered the...

New College students remember Roewert.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
January 25, 2006... Byline: KARIN CLEMONS CORRESPONDENT John Michael Roewert loved a corny joke. He loved learning, cooking, his bicycle, but most of all, friends remember that he loved life -- and lived every day passionately. Roewert, 24, a...

Babcock plan may hit a snag; County wants a share of water.(A SECTION)
January 25, 2006... Byline: SARA LUBBES sara.lubbes@heraldtribune.com PORT CHARLOTTE -- Get us a share of Babcock Ranch's water, or the deal for a new city is off. That's the message the Charlotte County Commission sent to developer Syd Kitson Tuesday...

Danger in a few degrees; NASA finds new evidence that the world is, indeed, getting warmer. Environmentalists say this bolsters their call for changes in policies on greenhouse gas emissions.(A SECTION)
January 25, 2006... Byline: CATHY ZOLLO cathy.zollo@heraldtribune.com The year 2005 was the hottest in a century, and the five warmest years in the last 100 years have occurred since 1998. And climate experts say the warming trend may be accelerating,...

Florida lawmakers complain about lack of input on ocean maps.(A SECTION)
January 25, 2006... Byline: CORY REISS WASHINGTON BUREAU WASHINGTON -- The majority of Florida's congressional delegation wrote Interior Secretary Gale Norton this week to protest a rule that could give Alabama and Louisiana influence over waters in the...

Developer holding series of community meetings.(A SECTION)
January 25, 2006... Byline: STAFF REPORT PUNTA GORDA -- Developer Syd Kitson is hosting a series of community meetings at Edison College today through Friday to talk about his plans for developing Babcock Ranch in southern Charlotte County. Each...

Refocus on the big picture; Design standards should advance Sarasota's downtown master plan.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
January 25, 2006... With a "yes" to downtown design standards and "no" to arcades that encroach on public space, the Sarasota city commissioners made tough but necessary decisions Monday. Their vote may not end the intense controversy that developed over...

'Nova escapes Bulls; South Florida has three chances to topple sixth-ranked Wildcats, but comes up short.(SPORTS)
January 25, 2006... Byline: ALAN DELL CORRESPONDENT TAMPA -- The University of South Florida basketball team is still searching for its first Big East Conference victory, but its list of admirers continue to grow. Villanova head coach Jay Wright was the...

Luongo stymies Lightning; Florida goalie makes 48 saves as Panthers snap three-game losing streak with an overtime win over Tampa Bay.(SPORTS)
January 25, 2006... Byline: JODY ROYCE jody.royce@heraldtribune.com TAMPA -- Roberto Luongo made 48 saves as the Florida Panthers took a 3-2 overtime win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night. Panthers captain Olli Jokinen scored twice,...

Lemon Bay rallies past Cypress Lake in overtime.(SPORTS)
January 25, 2006... Byline: DENNIS MAFFEZZOLI dennis.maffezzoli@heraldtribune.com FORT MYERS -- The situation was dire for the Lemon Bay High boys soccer team. The Manta Rays trailed by a goal with a little more than eight minutes remaining in...

Bollettieri bothered by U.S. flop 'Down Under'.(SPORTS)(TENNIS)(Column)
January 25, 2006... Byline: MIC HUBER An Australian Open that opened badly for the United States, with American Andre Agassi out before the tennis tournament started down under, only got worse. The year's first Grand Slam tournament ended prematurely for...

Venice edges Bayshore in OT.(SPORTS)
January 25, 2006... Byline: PERRY D. PENTZ perry.pentz@heraldtribune.com VENICE -- The foul line was Venice High's best ally on Tuesday night against Bayshore High. Especially in overtime. The Indians hit 8-of-8 from the foul line as Venice...

Mooney tops second-ranked Blazers.(SPORTS)
January 25, 2006... Byline: CHAD BROCKHOFF CORRESPONDENT SARASOTA -- Knowing that his team couldn't trade baskets with the second-ranked team in the Class 1A state girls basketball poll, Cardinal Mooney head coach Josh Smithers decided to pressure the ball...

Physician told not to treat women; State restricts gynecologist's license after a patient alleged misconduct.(BUSINESS)
January 25, 2006... Byline: DAVID GULLIVER and MICHAEL A. SCARCELLA STAFF WRITERS BRADENTON -- State officials have ordered a prominent Bradenton gynecologist to stop treating women after alleged sexual misconduct with a female patient. Dr. Thomas...

Correction.(BUSINESS)(Correction Notice)
January 25, 2006... The First Jobs/First Wages Council of the Suncoast Workforce Board will meet Friday at 8:30 a.m. at the Manatee Chamber of Commerce East Campus, 6150 State Road 70 E., Bradenton. Because of incorrect information supplied to the...

'Hardening' power grid seen as priority.(BUSINESS)
January 25, 2006... Byline: LLOYD DUNKELBERGER TALLAHASSEE BUREAU TALLAHASSEE -- Florida needs to do more to make sure you can turn on your lights and air conditioners even after a major hurricane. State regulators were told in a hearing this week that...

Business Buzz.(BUSINESS)
January 25, 2006... Miller is project manager at Hennessy construction Raymond Miller has been named project manager at Hennessy Construction Services in Sarasota. Miller most recently worked as project manager at Christiano Construction in Clearwater. ...

Many moons and memories.(FLORIDA WEST)(Sampler)(Recipe)(Column)
January 25, 2006... Byline: Linda Brandt Sue Linenger's request for a moon cake recipe resulted in several variations. Thanks to all the readers who sent them. Here's a selection. Betty Ravary of Rotonda West shared her memory of a Hungarian neighbor...

COFFEE CULTURE; New cafes add variety to the java experience.(FLORIDA WEST)
January 25, 2006... Byline: MARY AWOSIKA mary.awosika@heraldtribune.com ***** CORRECTION: The following correction was published on Thursday, January 26, 2006: Ed Levins is the owner of The Naked Bean Coffee Bar and the Village Bikes shop in Lakewood...

COFFEE CULTURE; Coffee connoisseurs are roasting their own.(FLORIDA WEST)
January 25, 2006... Byline: KIM HACKETT kim.hackett@heraldtribune.com Coffee is on its way to becoming the "new wine." In the quest for the perfect cup of java, Americans have ground, French-pressed and steam-extracted warm liquid from beans from Sumatra...

Pilobolus honors past while peeking at future.(FLORIDA WEST)
January 25, 2006... Byline: BARBARA LEVERONE CORRESPONDENT The 35th anniversary celebration of Pilobolus Dance Theatre played Sunday to a packed Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, bringing us a program of mostly new pieces that honored the company's creative...

Stump Pass revisited; Minimize dredging's impact on marine environment.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
January 25, 2006... Next month, Charlotte County will begin the latest attempt to corral meandering Stump Pass. On Tuesday, the county commissioners approved a $5.3 million contract to dredge the pass, which has filled with sand and silt since the last major...

Residents win split in district; Their efforts to be free of canal maintenance costs pay off.(B SECTION)
January 25, 2006... Byline: PATRICK WHITTLE patrick.whittle@heraldtribune.com PORT CHARLOTTE -- Charlotte County released hundreds of Port Charlotte residents Tuesday from a special taxing district that some taxpayers charge is unfair. The district,...

Ex-Soviet leader coming to FGCU; Mikhail Gorbachev is scheduled to speak at the Fort Myers university in March.(B SECTION)
January 25, 2006... Byline: ANNA SCOTT anna.scott@heraldtribune.com FORT MYERS -- Former Soviet Union President Mikhail Gorbachev will earn $125,000 to talk about peace and environmental issues at Florida Gulf Coast University in March. Tickets are...

SEEN & HEARD.(B SECTION)
January 25, 2006... Those risky good deeds Exiting Charlotte County Commissioner Matt DeBoer had a bit of advice for a harried attorney who addressed the commission on Tuesday. Michael Haymans, a lawyer for Benderson Development, asked the commission to...

Precarious position; A crane operator installing concrete poles for FPL is injured after the crane tips over near Interstate 75.(B SECTION)
January 25, 2006... A crane tipped over near Interstate 75 in Punta Gorda on Tuesday afternoon, injuring the driver and spilling several hundred gallons of diesel fuel. The driver, whose name authorities did not release, was transferred to Charlotte...

Wider street part of plan; Two lanes and bike paths to be added to East Dearborn.(B SECTION)
January 25, 2006... Byline: KEVIN DALE kevin.dale@heraldtribune.com ENGLEWOOD -- Sarasota County is planning a $12.8 widening of East Dearborn Street that will add sidewalks and bike paths to the largely residential street. The project will expand the...

TEAM Punta Gorda member plans to run for City Council seat.(B SECTION)
January 25, 2006... Byline: STAFF REPORT PUNTA GORDA -- TEAM Punta Gorda member Harvey Goldberg wants a seat on the City Council. Goldberg announced Tuesday he plans to run for the District 4 seat held by Mayor Steve Fabian. Goldberg's press...

Comets turn back the clock -- and still really rock.(B SECTION)(Art Beat)(Column)
January 25, 2006... Byline: Marilyn D. Carpenter What do these five songs have in common: "Rip It Up," "Skinny Minnie," "See You Later, Alligator," "Razzle-Dazzle" and "Rock Around The Clock"? Those are all songs recorded by Bill Haley and His Comets --...

Lutz is first health-court success story.(B SECTION)
January 25, 2006... Byline: AMY ABERN amy.abern@heraldtribune.com John Lutz has been working as a house painter for Masterpiece Painting Company since August. He hasn't missed a day of work since he was hired. The owner of the company, Scott A. Meyer said...

Marker honors memory of wildlife protector.(B SECTION)
January 25, 2006... Byline: BETSY WILLIAMS CORRESPONDENT Ponce de Leon Park in Punta Gorda has a new Florida Heritage Landmark honoring Columbus G. McLeod -- Protector of Plumed Birds. During a Friday ceremony the marker was dedicated in honor of...

Obituaries.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
January 25, 2006... CHARLOTTE COUNTY Payte I. Meador Payte I. (Flynn) Meador, 80, Kokomo, Ind., and formerly of Rotonda West, died Jan. 21, 2006, at St. Elizabeth Ann Se-ton Hospital in Kokomo. She was born Oct. 10, 1925, in Kokomo. She was a...

Hospital marks 20-year milestone.(B SECTION)
January 25, 2006... Byline: SHARYN LONSDALE sharyn.lonsdale@heraldtribune.com Englewood Community Hospital celebrated its 20th year in the community by throwing a party for staff, volunteers and the people who have supported the institution along the way....

Englewood Elementary honors Bengtson, Patek.(B SECTION)
January 25, 2006... Byline: BETSY WILLIAMS CORRESPONDENT Englewood Elementary School will honor Jane Bengtson as "Teacher of the Year" for 2006 with an award and a breakfast Friday. Bengtson, who has been at the school for 17 years, said, "I have seen...

City tackles driveway problems; Ordinance would ban backing out.(A SECTION)
January 25, 2006... Byline: ERIN BRYCE erin.bryce@heraldtribune.com NORTH PORT -- Tire marks indent the grass where Paul Stiglic drives his car in the front of his yard so that he can back into his driveway at the corner of Salford and Price boulevards....

A message of hope; Mark Mathabane's story of survival connects with Venice High students; Best-selling South African writer recounts triumph over apartheid.(B SECTION)
January 25, 2006... Byline: LAURA GREEN laura.green@heraldtribune.com VENICE -- On the cold nights of his childhood, Mark Mathabane slept in a bed of cardboard, huddled under newspaper for warmth. There was so little food in his shack in the ghettos of...

Cub Scouts are off to the races.(B SECTION)
January 25, 2006... Byline: BETSY WILLIAMS CORRESPONDENT There were no roaring engines and no pit stops, but the excitement in the air at the annual Cub Scout Pack 100 Pinewood Derby on Sunday had at least some of the excitement of the Indy 500. ...

Serenity Gardens blossoms in new location.(B SECTION)
January 25, 2006... Byline: FRANCINE MILFORD francine.milford@heraldtribune.com They were feeling the need to expand and when the right building presented itself, the owners of Serenity Gardens took it. Packing up their books, clothes, music CDs,...

News Updates.(B SECTION)
January 25, 2006... North Port puts off bond referendum NORTH PORT -- The largest bond referendum in North Port history, originally scheduled for March 14, will be delayed for several months to allow more time for public education, the City Commission...

SEEN & HEARD.(B SECTION)
January 25, 2006... Friedman? He wasn't free The Gulf Coast Community Foundation of Venice refused last week to say how much it had paid New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman to speak at the group's annual luncheon. The foundation said it didn't...

Trees dedicated for NPHS' Arbor Day.(B SECTION)
January 25, 2006... The Circle of Trees in front of North Port High School now has two more trees, thanks to People For Trees and environmental science teacher Laura David. In honor of Florida Arbor Day, January 20, David arrived early to plant the two...

Teams needed for North Port Relay for Life.(B SECTION)
January 25, 2006... Byline: BETSY WILLIAMS CORRESPONDENT Fund-raisers are starting once again for the North Port Relay For Life to help support the American Cancer Society. The third annual relay will be held March 10-11 at North Port High School. This...

GOP leader gives Rep. Harris high praise, lukewarm support.(B SECTION)
January 25, 2006... Byline: CORY REISS WASHINGTON BUREAU WASHINGTON -- Sen. Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina, a top GOP campaign official, on Monday said Florida's Senate race will be competitive, but she stopped short of outright support for Rep....

Manatee snapshots; Brief comments on life and times in our county.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
January 25, 2006... East Bradenton's progress Bradenton officials have labored for years to pump new life into downtown. Those efforts are showing signs of success, but downtown's rebirth has been eclipsed in many ways by a much quieter transformation in...

The symphony's movement; Plan for cultural district is an unfinished composition.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
January 25, 2006... The Florida West Coast Symphony's plan to build a grand performance hall in Sarasota's cultural district made its debut Monday. It's an unfinished composition but one that could put accelerando in public- and private-sector...

Sailors' defense shuts out Plant City in semifinal.(SPORTS)
January 25, 2006... Byline: DONNIE WILKIE CORRESPONDENT PLANT CITY -- Call Sarasota High bland or boring, but Sailors coach Aaron McFarland proved again Tuesday night that the best defense is... uh, a good defense. Even on Plant City High's...

News Updates.(B SECTION)
January 25, 2006... Decision may be near on emergency center MANATEE COUNTY -- The County Commission may agree next week to purchase 22 acres along U.S. 301 for a new Emergency Operations Center and Traffic Management Center. The existing EOC would...

Noise prompts offices to move; County wants to relocate immigration operation to trailers while the new judicial center is built.(B SECTION)
January 25, 2006... Byline: CORY SCHOUTEN cory.schouten@heraldtribune.com BRADENTON -- Federal immigration prisoners and court officials stuck it out in a downtown jail as crews scraped off the building's facade and demolished an attached parking garage....

Father accused of punching out teacher's assistant; Authorities are investigating allegations that the Lakewood Ranch High educator had molested the man's daughter.(B SECTION)
January 25, 2006... Byline: JENNY LEE ALLEN jenny.allen@heraldtribune.com LAKEWOOD RANCH -- An angry parent marched into a Lakewood Ranch High classroom Tuesday, punched a teacher's assistant in the face and cussed him out in front of students, authorities...

SEEN & HEARD.(B SECTION)
January 25, 2006... Fair cuts back on cash prizes Food booths and midway rides at the Manatee County Fair can get costly for Debbie Dykes and her six children. So the youngsters enter the fair's creative arts competition -- which includes ribbons that come...

POLICE BLOTTER.(B SECTION)
January 25, 2006... DIVORCES MANATEE COUNTY JAN. 11-17 Antonetty, Oswald and Stacey. Armstrong, John D. and Marguerite E. Austin, Larry and Juana. Banach, Paul T. and Deborah Ann. Betts, Shane and Jodi. Bryant, Jabbarey J....

Commissioner in hot seat over tax news conference.(B SECTION)
January 25, 2006... Byline: CORY SCHOUTEN cory.schouten@heraldtribune.com MANATEE COUNTY -- Six county commissioners lashed out at one of their own Tuesday over a news conference she called to oppose an increase in local gas taxes. Commissioner Donna...

AROUND THE REGION; News from Manatee and Charlotte counties.(B SECTION)
January 25, 2006... Parked car blamed for starting house fire SARASOTA COUNTY -- A state fire marshal detective says a parked car started a fire Monday night that consumed a family's garage. Diane Yarber's boyfriend, Ron Lee, had just washed and...

Teenager charged with battery in attack on his grandmother.(B SECTION)
January 25, 2006... Byline: MICHAEL A. SCARCELLA michael.scarcella@heraldtribune.com EAST MANATEE -- A teenager who was upset at his grandmother because she would not give him money to buy beer attacked the 60-year-old woman Monday with a hardened plastic...

Author to speak at luncheon honoring Confederate military.(B SECTION)(Column)
January 25, 2006... Byline: Bubbles Greer The Hero's Luncheon, sponsored by the Judah P. Benjamin Chapter, United Daughters of the Confederacy, honors those who served the military of the Confederate States. The annual event will begin at noon Saturday...

Commission gets first look at Buckeye plan.(B SECTION)
January 25, 2006... Byline: STAFF REPORT MANATEE COUNTY -- Projects that could transform the Buckeye Road corridor in North Manatee County from a sleepy rural road to a hopping suburban neighborhood got a first look by commissioners Tuesday. Planners...

Obituaries.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
January 25, 2006... MANATEE COUNTY Caden Carter Adams Caden Carter Adams, infant, Bradenton, died Jan. 20, 2006. He was born Jan. 19, 2006, at Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg, to Ashlee Adams and Adam Cressy. In addition to his...

County rejects Robarts proposal; Jim Ley opposes funding a study.(A SECTION)
January 25, 2006... Byline: DOUG SWORD doug.sword@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- The Fair Association's pitch for a $40 million overhaul that includes replacing the aging Robarts Arena was rebuffed Tuesday by county officials. The Sarasota County...