Sarasota Herald Tribune articles from January 2007

Sarasota Herald Tribune archives from January 2007

WHAT'S NEXT? 2007; What will be the biggest news stories of the new year? Here are seven questions -- and speculative answers -- that could define 2007.(A SECTION)
January 1, 2007... Byline: Victor Hall H-T staff writer 1 Will we finally get relief from rising property-insurance rates? Sure, and you should buy lottery tickets as your retirement investment plan. Remember, after an 0-for-2006 hurricane season, the...

Slip-and-fall lawsuits hit wall of skepticism; More plaintiffs are losing cases than collecting big payouts, experts say.(A SECTION)
January 1, 2007... Byline: TODD RUGER todd.ruger@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- More than four years ago, Englewood orthopedic surgeon Ronald Heromin slipped on some blueberries on a grocery store floor and injured his knee. He was hospitalized and lost...

Intimations of mortality; If stars can die too young, so can the rest of us.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
January 1, 2007... As the holidays careen toward their bubbly conclusion each year, the news media join in a rather un-festive ritual: the "notable deaths" feature, recapping 12 months' worth of celebrity obituaries. The compilation, comprising luminaries...

Optimism is essential; Prospects aren't promising, but America has weathered tougher times.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
January 1, 2007... Americans are an optimistic lot -- which is a good thing because, otherwise, the dark clouds that linger and the ominous ones on the horizon would create a bleak outlook. During the past year, our nation's war in Iraq went from bad to...

The old and the new; Yesterday is an index of tomorrow.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
January 1, 2007... The old year has passed, we say, and a new one has dawned, yet in life there never is an old year that we can throw away as we throw away the old calendar. The life of one year flows on into the new. What we were yesterday is an index of...

'Auld Lang Same' song for Bucs.(SPORTS)(Comment)(Column)
January 1, 2007... Byline: Doug Fernandes TAMPA -- Friends and relatives might have wished you a happy New Year Sunday 'round about midnight. But the Tampa Bay Bucs got the jump on everyone Sunday afternoon with their own version of a familiar little...

A fitting finish; Buccaneers mercifully close out worst season (4-12) since 1991.(SPORTS)
January 1, 2007... Byline: TOM BALOG tom.balog@heraldtribune.com TAMPA -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers stamped their signature on a 4-12 record -- the franchise's worst in 15 years -- in typical fashion Sunday. With the Bucs' defense helpless against...

REPORT CARD.(SPORTS)
January 1, 2007... REPORT CARD Quarterback C Rattay (16 of 27 for 185 yards passing, 1 TD, 92.4 rating) plays a mistake-free, if unspectacular game. Running backs C Pittman (73 yards on 12 carries) shows he still has a burst with a...

BUCS NOTEBOOK.(SPORTS)
January 1, 2007... Bucs' 2007 opponents set TAMPA -- The Buccaneers schedule for next season is set. Along with home and away games against NFC South Division foes -- New Orleans, Carolina and Atlanta -- the Bucs will play host to Arizona, St. Louis,...

Finale for Alstott? Fullback may have played his final game for Bucs.(SPORTS)
January 1, 2007... Byline: DENNIS MAFFEZZOLI dennis.maffezzoli@heraldtribune.com TAMPA -- Surrounded by a sea of photographers, Mike Alstott attempted to make his way out of Raymond James Stadium. Many of the fans who remained Sunday stood in sections 118...

Kelly closes out career near home.(SPORTS)
January 1, 2007... Byline: ALAN DELL CORRESPONDENT ORLANDO -- When Randy Kelly was a senior at Manatee High, he had a reputation as a jokester. Unfortunately, he didn't know where to draw the line and didn't take his academics seriously. Today, the...

Linebacker U; Penn State's Posluszny and Connor carry on Nittany Lions' tradition.(SPORTS)
January 1, 2007... Byline: DENNIS MAFFEZZOLI dennis.maffezzoli@heraldtribune.com TAMPA -- When Dan Connor made one of his official visits to Penn State, his chaperone was Paul Posluszny. It only was fitting, since the two are linebackers. "Right...

Father image; Nurturing Dads classes provide men with tools to become better fathers.(FLORIDA WEST)
January 1, 2007... Byline: KEVIN O'HORAN kevin.o'horan@heraldtribune.com "This ain't gonna teach me nothing." Forgive Josh Norris his brashness. The Sarasotan is not unlike countless other men in this area; most any area, really. Twenty-one years...

Happy new (radio) year -- and how are you hooked up?(FLORIDA WEST)(ON RADIO)(Column)
January 1, 2007... Byline: Dawn E. Scire Dear Readers: Radio Babe asks the questions this time. She wants to know about readers and how far they've come with radio and other technologies. Freely ask yourself any questions she forgot, and, when done, you may...

Obituaries.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
January 1, 2007... CHARLOTTE COUNTY Kathleen B. Scott Kathleen "Katie" B. Scott, 48, Port Charlotte, died at home Dec. 30, 2006. She was born April 22, 1958, in Tupper Lake, N.Y., and came to Port Charlotte seven years ago from Rochester, N.Y. She...

This week's events in your town.(B SECTION)
January 1, 2007... MONDAY HAPPY NEW YEAR! Cardio Kick Class. 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. Low intensity workout Mondays and Wednesdays. Edison College branch YMCA, 26300 Airport Road, Punta Gorda. 505-4000. Classes at the Cultural Center. 8 a.m. From...

This week's events in your town.(B SECTION)
January 1, 2007... TODAY Happy New Year! Myakka River Woodcarvers. 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Call for more information. Gulf Cove United Methodist Church, 1100 S. McCall Road. 697-2002. Senior exercise class. 9 to 10 a.m. Exercise while sitting in a...

This week's events in your town.(B SECTION)
January 1, 2007... CALENDAR TODAY The 17th Annual World Day of Peace. 9:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Epiphany Cathedral and Parish Center, 350 W. Tampa Ave., Venice. Sponsored by The Southwest Florida Coalition for Peace and Justice. This event is free and open...

This week's events in your town.(B SECTION)
January 1, 2007... CALENDAR MONDAY The 17th Annual World Day of Peace. 9:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Epiphany Cathedral and Parish Center, 350 W. Tampa Ave., Venice. Sponsored by The Southwest Florida Coalition for Peace and Justice. This event is free and...

Obituaries.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
January 1, 2007... MANATEE COUNTY Carolyn Elizabeth Johns Carolyn Elizabeth Johns, 65, Bradenton, died Dec. 29, 2006. She was born June 22, 1941, and came to Bradenton in 1988 from Tampa. She was a member of Central Christian Church in Bradenton. ...

This week's events in your town.(B SECTION)
January 1, 2007... TODAY Bloodmobile. 2 to 8 p.m. today and Tuesday at the following Bradenton Hollywood Video locations: 4330 Cortez Road and 6144 14th St. W. (800) 682-5663. Manatee Scrabble Club. 6:30 p.m. social time, 7 p.m. games begin the first...

Reagan will lead House insurance; committee.(B SECTION)(Political Notebook)(Column)
January 1, 2007... Byline: Jeremy Wallace When the Florida Legislature meets in three weeks to address the growing insurance crisis, a Bradenton Republican will be in the center of it all. On Friday, the incoming House Speaker picked state Rep. Ron...

seven TO WATCH IN '07.(B SECTION)
January 1, 2007... If you're tired of reading about so-called newsmakers such as Paris Hilton or Tom Cruise, here's a more substantive group of people to watch in 2007. From the arts, business, education, environment, faith, government or nonprofit groups,...

No charges expected in fatal accident.(B SECTION)
January 1, 2007... Byline: STAFF REPORT SARASOTA -- There will probably be no criminal charges stemming from a fatal car accident that occurred Saturday on North Tamiami Trail, police said. A man died Saturday after he was hit by a boat hitched to the...

Seven to watch in 2007.(B SECTION)
January 1, 2007... THE ARTS: MICHAEL EDWARDS The Asolo Repertory Theater has a new director for the first time in 10 years. Edwards took over after Howard Millman retired, and Edwards started out with a bang, including the production of "Amadeus." ...

Shooter in incident at Sarasota fireworks store still being sought.(B SECTION)
January 1, 2007... Byline: PATRICK WHITTLE patrick.whittle@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA COUNTY -- Police are still searching for a man suspected in a Saturday night shooting outside Sky King Fireworks that sent one person to the hospital. The victim,...

Obituaries.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
January 1, 2007... SARASOTA COUNTY Dorothy G. Callaghan Dorothy G. Callaghan, 88, Sarasota, died Dec. 25, 2006. She was born Oct. 19, 1918, in Holyoke, Mass., and came to Sarasota in 1978 from West Springfield, Mass., where she was a former baker for...

This week's events in your town.(B SECTION)
January 1, 2007... MONDAY Sierra Club New Year's Day Walk at Myakka. 8:30 a.m. 4- to 6-mile walk at Myakka State Park. Bring water, sunscreen and lunch to eat afterward, and wear sturdy wettable shoes. Reserve with Sally. $5 donation members, non-members....

Business Buzz.(BUSINESS WEEKLY)
January 1, 2007... Siesta Key chamber seeking new director The Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce will be looking for a new executive director in 2007. Marc Mansfield, who has been with the chamber for 14 months, will take the job of government affairs director...

Business People.(BUSINESS WEEKLY)
January 1, 2007... Robert Demino, Eddie LaCroix and Amanda Garcia have joined Fox Restaurant Equipment & Supply Inc. as outside sales consultants. Webster University has been named to the inaugural President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll in...

Peach's first franchise site is in Sarasota.(BUSINESS WEEKLY)
January 1, 2007... Carol Gartner-Sotelo has opened Peach's Restaurant in the Landings Shopping Center at 4832 S. Tamiami Trail in Sarasota. Gartner-Sotelo operates the breakfast-lunch restaurant with her daughter, Margarita Sotelo-Ortiz. Her granddaughter also...

Good Deeds.(BUSINESS WEEKLY)
January 1, 2007... Jay Henderson, financial adviser for Merrill Lynch, and the staff from Sarasota, Venice and Bradenton, made the holidays brighter for area foster children by donating to the Sarasota Family YMCA/Safe Children Coalition Foster Angels program....

Gov. Bush appoints Kirtley to financing authority.(BUSINESS WEEKLY)(Legally Speaking)(Column)
January 1, 2007... Byline: Michael Pollick Attorney William T. Kirtley has been appointed by Gov. Jeb Bush to the five-member Higher Education Facilities Financing Authority. Kirtley conducts a business and securities law-based transaction and litigation...

Builder says 'green' is the wave of the future.(BUSINESS WEEKLY)
January 1, 2007... Byline: STEPHEN FRATER stephen.frater@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- The old platitude says that greener grass lies on the other side of the fence. That also might ring true with the offices next door. "Building green is the way of...

Realogy deal starts new year on a positive note.(BUSINESS WEEKLY)(In the House)(Column)
January 1, 2007... Byline: Stephen Frater Many readers involved in residential real estate have complained about "doom and gloom" coverage of the market in the past few quarters, so I've resolved to start 2007 off on a positive note. Here goes. I...

Real Estate People.(BUSINESS WEEKLY)
January 1, 2007... Re/Max Gulfstream Realty has announced the new sales team of Joshua Unger, Diane Barrington and Julia DeCastro at its Sarasota downtown office. Mariana Serbu has joined Re/Max Gulfstream Realty as a sales associate, working out of the...

Real Estate Deals.(BUSINESS WEEKLY)
January 1, 2007... LEASES 3rd Dimension Performance has leased 1,625 square feet of office/warehouse space at #103 Lena Business Center, 3103 81st Court E., Bradenton. Lily Behrends of Interstate Commercial Brokers represented the lessee and Steve Pimlott...

Tervis looks ahead with female CEO at helm; Laura Spencer rose through the ranks of the manufacturing industry, where few women reach the executive level. Her age, 42, also makes her a standout.(BUSINESS WEEKLY)
January 1, 2007... Byline: DEVONA WALKER devona.walker@heraldtribune.com VENICE -- Laura Spencer has few peers -- physically or professionally. The new 6-foot-tall chief executive officer of Tervis Tumbler is one of only a handful of female top...

Failed land deals link Husani and Kolbe circles.(BUSINESS WEEKLY)
January 1, 2007... Byline: MICHAEL BRAGA michael.braga@heraldtribune.com It is a coincidence that Neil Mohamed Husani and Todd Kolbe, two of the most prolific real estate deal-makers in Southwest Florida, lived in the gated community of Laurel Oak Country...

Several Sarasota projects go for launch this year.(BUSINESS WEEKLY)(Foundations)(Column)
January 1, 2007... Byline: Kevin McQuaid Sure, Southwest Florida's frenzied real estate market has cooled, but for several well-positioned commercial projects and the deep-pocketed developers pitching them, 2007 may be an eventful year. At the Sarasota...

For the Record.(BUSINESS WEEKLY)
January 1, 2007... COMMERCIAL MORTGAGES Listed in order are the mortgagor, mortgage holder, amount mortgaged, instrument number, or book with page number and the location of the mortgaged property filed in Sarasota and Manatee counties. SARASOTA ...

Relocation specialist helps workers move to, from state.(BUSINESS WEEKLY)
January 1, 2007... Glenda Philpot is senior vice president of relocation and referral services for Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate. Philpot and a team of about three dozen are based in Sarasota, with other team members in offices around the state. ...

Who's gifted? Criteria is in flux; Changes that take into account motivation, talent could be enacted; The state may lower from 130 to 120 the IQ score students need to take gifted classes.(A SECTION)
January 2, 2007... Byline: ANNA SCOTT anna.scott@heraldtribune.com ***** CORRECTION: The following correction was published on Friday, January 5, 2007: In a front page story about gifted programs that ran Tuesday, the photo caption did not make clear...

'Older' precincts added to problem; Undervote larger in congressional race.(A SECTION)
January 2, 2007... Byline: MAURICE TAMMAN maurice.tamman@heraldtribune.com Sarasota County voting precincts with large numbers of older voters also registered large numbers of undervotes in the disputed congressional race, according to a Herald-Tribune...

Pine View faces challenges as student body grows.(A SECTION)
January 2, 2007... Byline: LIZ BABIARZ liz.babiarz@heraldtribune.com ***** CORRECTION: The following correction was published on Thursday, January 4, 2007: Correction: A photo caption in Tuesday's newspaper misspelled the name of Ben Lemli, a...

Python repellent; Proposed restrictions on exotic pets are overdue.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
January 2, 2007... A 2005 news photo of the result of a fatal struggle in the Everglades between an alligator and a 13-foot Burmese python produced a slow-moving, reptile-reform movement. The image of the gator's body protruding from the python's midsection...

Rolling with the tar balls; Oil spill in Gulf demands more than a casual response.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
January 2, 2007... Can shrugging cause a repetitive-motion injury? If so, Congress might want to examine the number of cases among government officials who help oversee oil drilling. On Christmas Eve, workers detected a drop in pressure in an oil pipeline...

Paterno coaches from above.(SPORTS)(Column)
January 2, 2007... Byline: Dennis Maffezzoli TAMPA -- Joe Paterno gave it the old college try, 11 days after his 80th birthday. The legendary Penn State football coach tested his ailing left leg on the field prior to Monday's Outback Bowl. The...

Lions pounce on Vols; Davis scoops up fumble and runs 88 yards for a TD.(SPORTS)
January 2, 2007... Byline: JODY ROYCE jody.royce@heraldtribune.com TAMPA -- After one play, Tennessee was in position to take control of the 21st Outback Bowl. On the next play, the Volunteers lost the ball... and control of the game. Penn State's...

It's evaluation time for Bucs and Gruden.(SPORTS)
January 2, 2007... Byline: TOM BALOG tom.balog@heraldtribune.com TAMPA -- That dusty Lombardi Trophy is sure coming in handy for Jon Gruden. The head coach of the 4-12 Tampa Bay Buccaneers was relieved to find out that he still had a job, unlike a couple...

Jo Bryand has two top-five finishes at state tournament.(SPORTS)(Bowling)(Column)
January 2, 2007... Byline: Bill Herald Jo Bryand of Charlotte County posted a pair of top-five finishes in the recent Florida Women's Bowling Association's senior championship tournament in DeLand. Bryand captured fourth place in all-events in the age...

OUTBACK NOTEBOOK.(SPORTS)
January 2, 2007... Hunt is No. 2 on Lions' list TAMPA -- Game MVP Tony Hunt raised his career rushing total to 3,320 yards, second most in Penn State history behind Curt Warner's 3,398. During Monday's game, Hunt passed D.J. Dozier (3,227), Curtis Enis...

You're never too young for an ace.(SPORTS)
January 2, 2007... Byline: ALAN DELL CORRESPONDENT SARASOTA -- Hunter Rieth figures he's hit off the tee of the 17th hole at the Village Green Golf Course hundreds of times. But the Southside Elementary School fourth-grader, who turned 10 on Dec. 29, is...

Facing the old and the new in 2007.(FLORIDA WEST)(Column)
January 2, 2007... Byline: Marjorie North Second day of a new year, a good time to do a round-up of a few of the celebrations. Families and out-of-towners were visiting, and parties -- from small and intimate to big and noisy -- filled the last half of the...

BEST BETS.(B SECTION)
January 2, 2007... TODAY Nature walk: The Peace River Audubon Society's walk-about will be from 8 to 10 a.m. in Audubon Pennington Park on Alton Road, between Midway and Peachland boulevards, approximately 1.5 miles west of Kings Highway. Experts will be on...

Kids have fun at winter camps.(B SECTION)
January 2, 2007... Byline: BETSY WILLIAMS CORRESPONDENT Indoors or outdoors, youngsters attending winter break camps at the Harold Avenue Recreation Center and the Franz Ross YMCA kept busy. The Y offered a weeklong sports camp, including instructional...

BEST BETS.(B SECTION)
January 2, 2007... WEDNESDAY Attention, Hoosiers: The Indiana Club will meet at 5:30 p.m. for a pot luck dinner and a speaker. It's open to all current and former Hoosiers. Bring your own table service and a dish to share. Lemon Bay Park meeting room, 570...

Winter break camp offers fun.(B SECTION)
January 2, 2007... Byline: BETSY WILLIAMS CORRESPONDENT Kelly Jarvis claims she has "the best job ever. I'm at a park with my daughter, and I get paid." Jarvis, one of the counselors at the Englewood Boys and Girls Club, has been spending the winter...

BEST BETS.(B SECTION)
January 2, 2007... FRIDAY Sarasota Institute of Lifetime Learning's 2007 lecture series, held at the Venice Community Center, 326 S. Nokomis Ave., kicks off at 10 a.m. Friday. The lecture topic is: International Issues "The Long-Term Effect of Our...

Mooney grads take the court and field.(B SECTION)
January 2, 2007... Byline: KAZUAKI NAGATA CORRESPONDENT Every year before Christmas, dozens of Cardinal Mooney High School alumni come back to the school and play soccer or basketball to relive their school days. Last Saturday's edition of the Cardinal...

Doctoral graduate came a long way to earn degree.(B SECTION)
January 2, 2007... Byline: KAZUAKI NAGATA CORRESPONDENT Tsai "Gracie" Fong Tan's father wanted her to be a superstar when she was a child. After completing a doctoral program for international business at Argosy University, where she studied from 2004 to...

Drive-by shooting reported in Palmetto.(B SECTION)
January 2, 2007... Byline: STAFF REPORT PALMETTO -- At least three guns were used to shoot at an occupied house early Sunday, a Manatee County Sheriff's Office report said. According to the report: Two men and one woman -- Jesus Vargas-Chapa, 18;...

Manatee man, 26, dies in moped accident.(B SECTION)
January 2, 2007... Byline: STAFF REPORT MANATEE COUNTY -- Charles Edward Winters, a 26-year-old Bradenton resident, was killed early Monday morning after being thrown from his moped and run over by a following car. The Florida Highway Patrol in...

Man charged in woman's death.(B SECTION)
January 2, 2007... Byline: STAFF REPORT MANATEE COUNTY -- Sheriff's deputies have made an arrest after finding a Sarasota woman's body in the woods. Byron Root, 31, was arrested and charged with murder after deputies discovered the dead woman early New...

BEST BETS.(B SECTION)
January 2, 2007... TODAY Learn all about "Ins and Outs of Container Gardening" from Mark LaVallee at a meeting of the Hibiscus Circle of the Manatee River Garden Club at 12:30 p.m. at the garden's clubhouse, 3120 First Ave. W., Bradenton. The group meets...

Vitales open home for Christmas cheer.(B SECTION)
January 2, 2007... Byline: STAFF REPORT Dick and Lorrane Vitale opened their home to six members of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Sarasota County for a holiday party on Dec. 18. "Nothing during the year brings me more joy and jubilation that to see the...

Animals' agony may soon be ours.(B SECTION)(Comment)(Column)
January 2, 2007... Byline: Eric Ernst My mother-in-law used to say she would never trust anyone who does not like animals. That's good advice, especially from a mother-in-law. And although her reference pertained more to dogs, cats and her daughter's...

Peace groups honor ex-soldier; Aidan Delgado receives Duisberg Peace Award for his efforts to end war in Iraq.(B SECTION)
January 2, 2007... Byline: MICHAEL BRAGA michael.braga@heraldtribune.com VENICE -- About 150 peace activists gathered Monday at the Epiphany Cathedral in Venice to honor a conscientious objector who worked at the notorious Abu Ghraib prison. Aidan...

Concert blasts stodgy images; Perlman program keeps its young audience classically entertained.(B SECTION)
January 2, 2007... Byline: SUSAN L. RIFE susan.rife@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- Any idea that classical music is stodgy and serious was blasted to smithereens on New Year's Day as the 35 students in the Perlman Music Program stamped, rocked and boogied to...

Trail plan connects 3 counties.(B SECTION)
January 2, 2007... Byline: PATRICK WHITTLE patrick.whittle@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA COUNTY -- The winding paths would snake their way across the county, touching cultural beacons such as Ringling Museum and natural wonders such as Manasota Beach and...

Trail project end in sight; County had hoped for 2006 completion, but now aims for 2009.(B SECTION)
January 2, 2007... Byline: PATRICK WHITTLE patrick.whittle@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA COUNTY -- Bicyclists eager to pedal over new bridges spanning Dona and Roberts bays on their way from Venice to Sarasota must wait another two years or more. Sarasota...

BEST BETS.(B SECTION)
January 2, 2007... ACT NOW Get your event considered for the Herald-Tribune community calendar. Items must be submitted online using a form at www.herald tribune.com/calendarform. Follow the instructions on the form or listen to an online tutorial to guide...

Puppeteer entertains and educates children.(B SECTION)
January 2, 2007... Byline: KAZUAKI NAGATA CORRESPONDENT Puppetry and mirth marked Steve Knight's family oriented show at Selby Public Library on Dec. 28. Dozens of children and their families attended. "Are you ready for a puppet show?" Knight, a...

Federal offices closed for Ford.(B SECTION)
January 2, 2007... Byline: STAFF REPORT Most federal government offices and courts will be closed today for a national day of mourning in honor of President Ford. And for the third day in a row, post offices will close and the U.S. Postal Service will...

Obituaries.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
January 2, 2007... SARASOTA COUNTY Emma R. Bartholomaus Emma R. Bartholomaus, 93, Sarasota, died Dec. 30, 2006. She was born Aug. 20, 1913, in Brooklyn, N.Y., and came to Sarasota in 1970 from New York. She was a bookkeeper at Borden Milk Co. and was...

Gators' offensive line comes on Ram tough; Two Riverview High grads team up to block out a plan for UF success.(A SECTION)
January 3, 2007... Byline: MIC HUBER mic.huber@heraldtribune.com GLENDALE, Ariz. -- John Sprague doesn't need to look for numbers on a jersey to keep an eye on his big boys. There is no need for the Riverview High School football coach to listen for...

Worch running for sheriff next time; Charlotte County needs him, the former law enforcement chief says.(A SECTION)
January 3, 2007... Byline: KRISTEN KRIDEL kristen.kridel@heraldtribune.com CHARLOTTE COUNTY -- Ready to run again, a former sheriff tried to clear the air Tuesday about controversies during his 12-year tenure. Hours after officially filing with the...

New governor promises a bipartisan approach.(A SECTION)
January 3, 2007... Byline: JOE FOLLICK H-T CAPITAL BUREAU TALLAHASSEE -- With warm promises of bipartisanship and humble service, Charlie Crist's decades-long march to the top culminated Tuesday at noon sharp when he was sworn in as the state's 44th...

Crist spurns 'Old Folks' for new tune at event.(A SECTION)
January 3, 2007... Byline: LLOYD DUNKELBERGER H-T CAPITAL BUREAU TALLAHASSEE -- In a sign that the new governor is serious about embracing the state's diversity, Charlie Crist broke with tradition Tuesday and didn't play the official state song at his...

War and peace; Soldier-turned-activist has earned his honor.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
January 3, 2007... A democratic nation that recruits soldiers to go to war also needs people willing to speak up for peace. Aidan Delgado -- a New College graduate who joined the Army Reserve and worked at the notorious Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq -- is now a...

Lofty ideals, good politics; Crist's promise to listen and cooperate sets a hopeful new tone.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
January 3, 2007... Today, the new governor of Florida will create an Office of Open Government. Yesterday, he urged his fellow Floridians to "embrace new possibilities," "put the common good above partisan politics," "reject labels" and recognize that the people...

Children's study left behind; Congress should try to restore funding for health research.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
January 3, 2007... White House officials are adding a sad, new twist to the hackneyed political slogan, "It's all about the children." For the past six years, hundreds of doctors and scientists have been preparing to launch a comprehensive study of children's...

Widespread belief; Earl Rissler, father of Gators senior center Steve Rissler, started a 'We Believe' campaign that has spread like wildfire.(SPORTS)
January 3, 2007... Byline: MIC HUBER mic.huber@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- Earl Rissler believes. And he has plenty of company. Though it took time, plus a couple of improbable events to get everybody on board, now nearly the entire Gator Nation shares...

Cougars hold off Tornadoes.(SPORTS)
January 3, 2007... Byline: STAFF REPORT SARASOTA -- Junior Laura Gerdnic made the crucial free throws when they counted, as Cardinal Mooney edged Booker 39-34 Tuesday. Cardinal Mooney went up early in the game and staved off a furious full-court press...