Sarasota Herald Tribune articles from July 2004

Sarasota Herald Tribune archives from July 2004

Fourth features frolics for all.(B SECTION)
July 1, 2004... Byline: STAFF REPORT Boat races, parades, patriotic and popular music and, of course, fireworks, are part of a busy Fourth of July weekend in the Sarasota area. Here's a list of events: Saturday Powerboats on the Bay, Day 1: Meet...

Public park planned.(H-T EAST)
July 1, 2004... Byline: ERIN BRYCE erin.bryce@heraldtribune.com EAST MANATEE -- University Place residents will be within walking distance of a 10-acre public park built by Pat Neal Communities and maintained by Manatee County. The park will include a...

News Updates.(B SECTION)
July 1, 2004... Holiday alters some hours and services Government offices, community centers, banking institutions and many businesses in Venice, North Port and throughout Sarasota County will be closed Monday in observance of Independence Day. ...

Top draft pick helps Pirates.(SPORTS)
July 1, 2004... Byline: STAFF REPORT SARASOTA -- Neil Walker, a first-round draft pick, went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and Steve Lerud was 3-for-5 with a home run and 3 RBI to lead the first-place Pirates to an easy 11-5 Gulf Coast League victory...

2 events aim for big turnouts.(B SECTION)
July 1, 2004... Byline: SELINA ROMAN selina.roman@heraldtribune.com MANATEE COUNTY -- Organizers for two Independence Day celebrations hope to lure folks to areas they might have otherwise overlooked. Heritage Harbour, a new master-planned community...

Rays: A huge month.(SPORTS)
July 1, 2004... Byline: DENNIS MAFFEZZOLI dennis.maffezzoli@heraldtribune.com ST. PETERSBURG -- Last year, a terrible June put the Rays in a deep hole. This June might put Tampa Bay in contention. The Rays finished the month with a 6-2 victory...

SaraSox rally falls short.(SPORTS)
July 1, 2004... Byline: BRIAN NEWBERRY CORRESPONDENT SARASOTA -- The Sarasota Red Sox were unable to make it all the way back from a seven-run deficit Wednesday night at Ed Smith Stadium. Sarasota (40-38) used a four- run ninth to pull with one run of...

MILITARY NEWS.(B SECTION)
July 1, 2004... Stevens graduates Army Pvt. JoAnna M. Stevens has graduated from nine weeks of basic training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C. Stevens is the daughter of Dennis Stevens of Rotonda West and Tina Redmen of Venice. Phone Home Program...

Ex-detective won't go to prison just yet; .(A SECTION)
July 1, 2004... Byline: MICHAEL A. SCARCELLA michael.scarcella@heraldtribune.com FORT MYERS -- Five months after a federal judge sentenced him to prison for more than seven years, Wyatt Olen Henderson, who pistol-whipped a teenage marijuana peddler...

(Briefs).(H-T EAST)
July 1, 2004... EAST MANATEE Lakewood Ranch student visits U.S. Naval Academy Student Sarah B. Croome recently participated in the U.S. Naval Academy's weeklong summer seminar program in Annapolis, Md. During the program, Sarah was introduced to...

Anti-lawsuit crusader should know: Some plaintiffs helped his health.(B SECTION)(Comment)(Column)
July 1, 2004... Byline: Tom Lyons One restaurant owner quoted in Wednesday's Herald-Tribune on the effects of Florida's indoor smoking ban had a nicely balanced view. Dennis Kim said the bar portion of his Bradenton sports bar and steakhouse has lost...

Speedway results.(H-T EAST)
July 1, 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: Cowboy Cadillac: Duane Campbell, No. 27, 390; Ricky Mafera, No. 72, 374; Scott Ollar, No. 12, 342; Roger...

Business Buzz.(BUSINESS)
July 1, 2004... Group names SCVB 'partner of the year' The Sarasota Convention and Visitors Bureau, represented by sales and marketing director Jennifer Huber, was named the "Industry Partner of the Year" by the Tampa Meeting Planning International...

A whole new rhythm; LBHS band director is intent on raising the bar for music program.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)
July 1, 2004... Byline: AMY ABERN amy.abern@heraldtribune.com It has been a year of transition for David Rosa, music director at Lemon Bay High School. He taught, rehearsed and conducted 130 students in the marching band, symphonic band, jazz band, garage...

Bradenton Beach may get change in charter.(B SECTION)
July 1, 2004... Byline: MITRA MALEK mitra.malek@heraldtribune.com BRADENTON BEACH -- Local leaders want voters to weigh in on several changes to the city charter that are designed to strengthen Bradenton Beach. The measures are set to appear on the...

Big leaguer shares stories, pitching skills with new generation.(H-T EAST)
July 1, 2004... Byline: ALAN DELL CORRESPONDENT EAST MANATEE -- When the Braden River Little Major League team took the field last weekend for the District 16 Tournament, the players were anything but short on motivation. Providing much of their...

Court upholds Acosta's conviction; The verdict in the 2001 death of James Brier is not overturned; John Acosta's lawyer vows to fight on.(B SECTION)
July 1, 2004... Byline: ROBERT PATRICK robert.patrick@heraldtribune.com An appeals court Wednesday upheld John Acosta's manslaughter conviction for beating a classmate to death. Acosta was sentenced to nine years in prison last year for killing James...

Post 24 hosts 15-team event.(SPORTS)
July 1, 2004... Byline: BRIAN NEWBERRY CORRESPONDENT BRADENTON -- The Kirby Stewart Post 24 baseball team will have a different look when it takes the field today in the Veterans Memorial Tournament. Post 24 head coach Dwayne Strong would rather have...

Ump will work Little League World Series.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)
July 1, 2004... Byline: ALAN DELL CORRESPONDENT Steve Sambucci will never forget the first baseball game he umpired. He learned trying to please everyone would force him to put a quick end to his new endeavor. "It was scary. You are trying to do...

Split clinic a 'hard sell'; Some patients now have to travel farther.(B SECTION)
July 1, 2004... Byline: MARGARET ANN MIILLE margaret.miille@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- Deborah Hall couldn't work last summer after breaking her leg in two places and shattering her heel and ankle. She lost her job and health insurance, and moved in...

Combs, Butler lead team to FSBA championship.(SPORTS)(Bowling)(Column)
July 1, 2004... Byline: Bill Herald With the help of a 299 game by Bruce Combs and an 806 series by Larry Butler, a Sarasota team named Born Free won the five-player team event in the Florida State Bowling Association championships which ended in Fort...

Final roll call in Parrish for Chaplain Taddy Darr.(H-T EAST)(Obituary)
July 1, 2004... Byline: JANEL STEPHENS janel.stephens@heraldtribune.com PARRISH -- Seldon "Taddy" Darr, Parrish's first official fire chaplain, died June 18. He was 83. Darr served as a full-time fire chaplain for the Parrish Volunteer Fire...

Local snapshots; Brief comments on life and times in our communities.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
July 1, 2004... Civil servant Venice is a pleasant city with an undercurrent of intrigue running through City Hall. Controversy bubbles up every now and then. During Michael T. McPhail's 12 years as the city's finance director, however, he has...

Candidates quizzed about Wal-Mart.(H-T EAST)
July 1, 2004... Byline: ERIN BRYCE erin.bryce@heraldtribune.com EAST MANATEE -- University Park residents let District 5 County Commission candidates know Tuesday night they don't want a Wal-Mart near their homes, no matter what size store. The...

Obituaries.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
July 1, 2004... MANATEE COUNTY Helena M. Bailey Helena M. Bailey, 83, Palmetto, died June 30, 2004. She was born July 29, 1920, in Bethel, Maine and came to Palmetto in 1991 from Kansas City, Mo. She was a home missionary. She was a member of...

MILITARY NEWS.(B SECTION)
July 1, 2004... Basic training * Air Force Airman Keewan M. Clarke has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio. He is the son of Karen Roach of Bradenton and is a 2003 graduate of Manatee High School. * Air...

Correction.(B SECTION)(Correction Notice)
July 1, 2004... Eddy Duncan, a pain management physician, did not withdraw his complaint about a dog bite he received while interviewing a patient in an examination room. Because of a reporter's error, a story in Wednesday's Herald-Tribune inaccurately...

Obituaries.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
July 1, 2004... SARASOTA COUNTY Gertrud Abell Gertrud Abell, 75, Nokomis, died June 28, 2004. She was born Jan. 29, 1929, in Duisberg, Germany, and came to Nokomis in 1992 from Hazel Crest, Ill. She was a homemaker and a Catholic. Survivors...

Accountability, not scapegoats; Replacing local housing officials won't fix systemic faults.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
July 1, 2004... Sarasota should look for accountability, not scapegoats, as it copes with the failure of its HOPE VI housing grant application. The public deserves the truth as to why the application, costing almost half a million dollars to put together,...

Amnesty offered for fireworks.(B SECTION)
July 1, 2004... Byline: STAFF REPORT MANATEE COUNTY -- The Sheriff's Office will offer amnesty Saturday to anyone in possession of fireworks that are no longer allowed to be used or possessed under a new county ordinance. Residents can turn over...

Charge reduced in girl's stabbing; Ruth Ann Burns now is accused of second-degree murder.(B SECTION)
July 1, 2004... Byline: MICHAEL A. SCARCELLA michael.scarcella@heraldtribune.com PUNTA GORDA -- An amended murder charge filed Wednesday against the Port Charlotte woman accused of stabbing her daughter in the chest does not carry the possibility of a...

Family-owned pool heating company moves up and out; Symbiont Service Corp. is celebrating its new headquarters on North Access Road.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)
July 1, 2004... Byline: AMY ABERN amy.abern@heraldtribune.com The family of employees at Symbiont Service Corp., a commercial and residential pool heating and cooling company, will celebrate a grand opening Friday. This may seem unusual, considering the...

Watching and reeling.(B SECTION)
July 1, 2004... Lori Wood, above left, 47, and Paula Burgen, 42, both from Tampa, watch the boats of the 14th annual World's Richest Tarpon Tournament off Boca Grande on Wednesday. "It's always fun to be here," Burgen says. At left, Gary Lang, from Illinois,...

Briefs.(H-T EAST)
July 1, 2004... LAKEWOOD RANCH Districts meet next week Lakewood Ranch's five Community Development Districts will meet July 8. The districts oversee the maintenance and operation of Lakewood Ranch's water supply, roads, lights, sidewalks and...

A busy Fourth of July weekend.(B SECTION)
July 1, 2004... Byline: STAFF REPORT Make patriotic crafts, marvel at fireworks displays, watch powerboaters gun for first place or just hang out on the beach. The Fourth of July weekend will be packed with things to do. South County On Sunday:...

Rumors surround Metropolitan project.(A SECTION)
July 1, 2004... Byline: KEVIN McQUAID kevin.mcquaid@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- Perhaps the talk was inevitable. After all, it's not often that a developer swoops in from out of town and plans a $100 million tower at the corner of one of downtown's...

Theater camps offer an artsy alternative.(B SECTION)
July 1, 2004... Byline: AMY ABERN amy.abern@heraldtribune.com. ENGLEWOOD -- Jennifer Kelly, the theater director at Lemon Bay High School, is going to have her hands full over the next month. Three summer camps, involving somewhere between 125 and 150...

Ralph Pierro sold jewelry; advice free.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
July 1, 2004... Byline: DEBI SPRINGER debi.springer@heraldtribune.com BRADENTON -- Ralph Pierro, who opened Pierro's Jewelers in Bradenton in 1951 and later served as president of the Florida Jewelers Association, died Tuesday. He was 82. Pierro was...

Ex-detective avoids prison pending outcome of appeal.(B SECTION)
July 1, 2004... Byline: MICHAEL A. SCARCELLA michael.scarcella@heraldtribune.com FORT MYERS -- Five months after a federal judge sentenced him to prison for more than seven years, Wyatt Olen Henderson, who pistol-whipped a teenage marijuana peddler...

News Updates.(B SECTION)
July 1, 2004... County to seek bond before rates go up MANATEE COUNTY -- If the county wants to get the best financing on two big-ticket purchases, officials agree they'd better act soon since interest rates are on the rise. So before they have a...

'A happy church'; Woodland Baptist expanding its campus, membership.(H-T EAST)
July 1, 2004... Byline: JANEL STEPHENS janel.stephens@heraldtribune.com EAST MANATEE -- Patsy Davis stood outside the worship center at Woodland Baptist Church as she waited for the 11 a.m. service to begin. Inside, the Rev. Tim Passmore led a group...

Juried show features work by local artists.(H-T EAST)
July 1, 2004... Byline: JANEL STEPHENS janel.stephens@heraldtribune.com LAKEWOOD RANCH -- The winding, narrow hallway of an office building served as a canvas for artists to display their work. About 75 people attended the Arts Council of Manatee...

Another day at the beach.(FLORIDA WEST)(Column)
July 1, 2004... Byline: David Grimes Let us all sing the praises of the Fourth of July, our national day of independence, when we cut loose and let it all hang out. Safely, of course. And responsibly. And let us not forget quietly, because...

No shortage of things to do this weekend.(H-T EAST)(H-T East Editor)(Column)
July 1, 2004... Byline: Christi Womack Just a year ago, options were few to celebrate the Independence Day weekend in East Manatee. There's no need to leave our community this year. Events are planned Saturday and Sunday in Parrish, Bethany, Old...

Area students distinguish themselves at technology nationals.(H-T EAST)
July 1, 2004... Byline: STEVE HEISLER CORRESPONDENT EAST MANATEE -- A rubber band, a few popsicle sticks and an index card were all students from Braden River Middle School needed to distinguish their technical prowess at a recent national competition in...

Port Charlotte National unbeaten.(SPORTS)
July 1, 2004... Byline: STAFF REPORT Port Charlotte National Little League took command of Pool 2 of the District 9 Little League (11- and 12-year-old) tournament with a 5-3 victory in seven innings over rival Port Charlotte American at the Buckingham...

Office Depot debuts new concept in Venice.(BUSINESS)
July 1, 2004... Byline: STEPHEN FRATER stephen.frater@heraldtribune.com VENICE -- For Office Depot, somewhat sleepy Venice is the new millennium. The company picked the city to debut its new concept in office products retailing: "Millennium2" or...

Area Independence Day events.(B SECTION)
July 1, 2004... Saturday, July 3 * DeSoto Super Speedway features Saturday Night Racing, beginning at 7 p.m., and fireworks at 9 p.m. The speedway is located nine miles east of Interstate 75 on State Road 64. Admission is $15, $5 for ages 6-11,...

Prepared at play; Summer fun can lead to accidents. Would your child be ready to react?(FLORIDA WEST)
July 1, 2004... Byline: ABBY WEINGARTEN CORRESPONDENT BRADENTON -- Summertime means most children have more time on their hands, more opportunity for water play and more adventures outdoors. And, along with the fun can come risks -- for accidents and...

CORRECTION.(H-T EAST)(Correction Notice)
July 1, 2004... For the last four years roughly 800 homes a year were built in Parrish and outlying neighborhoods. In the same period, about 1,000 went up in Lakewood Ranch. Because of a reporter's error, an H-T East story April 8 said 10,000 homes a year...

Tarpon still not biting; None caught on first day of two-day tourney featuring 30 teams at Boca Grande.(SPORTS)
July 1, 2004... Byline: STEVE GIBSON steve.gibson@heraldtribune.com BOCA GRANDE -- Jeff Totten was excited. His heart was pounding. Totten, the skipper of the Poon Crazy team entered in the 14th annual World's Richest Tarpon Tournament here on Boca...

Krantz takes the cake, and some soup, too.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)
July 1, 2004... Byline: AMY HIBBERD CORRESPONDENT Herb Krantz and his wife, Mary Kay Chadwick Krantz, love to entertain. The Minnesota native grew up on a farm in Spring Hill, about 100 miles north of Minneapolis. "Mom made everything from scratch,"...

McCaffrey's grand slam lifts Venice National.(SPORTS)
July 1, 2004... Byline: ALAN DELL CORRESPONDENT BRADENTON -- Austin McCaffrey hit a two-out grand slam in the fifth inning to allow Venice National to squeak by Manatee East 6-5 Wednesday night in a battle of unbeatens in the District 16 Little Major...

MILITARY NEWS.(B SECTION)
July 1, 2004... Course completion Marine Corps Pvt. Stephen W. Biegel recently completed the Basic Assault Amphibian Vehicle Crewman's Course. Biegel is the son of Robin B. Biegel of Sarasota and Stephen W. Biegel of New York City. Basic training...

MILITARY NEWS.(B SECTION)
July 1, 2004... CBI vets luncheon The Tarpon Basha of the China-Burma-India Association will meet for a social hour at noon, followed by a 1 p.m. lunch Saturday at the Olde World Restaurant, 14415 S. Tamiami Trail, North Port. All World War II veterans...

So many firsts still to come.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)(Englewood Spotlight)(Column)
July 1, 2004... Byline: Amy Abern I'm coming up on a year of living here. Just when I think I've experienced first-hand or have at least been made aware of every Southwest Sarasota/Charlotte County Florida-related experience there is to be had, something...

New homes going up in River Wilderness.(H-T EAST)
July 1, 2004... Byline: JANEL STEPHENS janel.stephens@heraldtribune.com PARRISH -- A new phase of a well-established golf and country club has started, with most of the homesites already reserved. Construction has begun on the Bayou, a 28-home...

Fee hike speeds divorce filings.(B SECTION)
July 1, 2004... Byline: ROBERT PATRICK robert.patrick@heraldtribune.com ***** CORRECTION: The following correction was published on Saturday, August 07, 2004: In the month before an increase in court fees was implemented July 1, We The People, a...

Manasota Key plan close to completion; Committee meetings, held on Wednesdays, are open to the public.(B SECTION)
July 1, 2004... Byline: DARLA McFARLAND darla.mcfarland@heraldtribune.com ENGLEWOOD -- The community plan for the Charlotte County portion of Manasota Key is close to completion, with only a few issues left to resolve before a public presentation of the...

Serenity is just off St. Armand's Circle.(FLORIDA WEST)
July 1, 2004... Byline: ED ERICSSON CORRESPONDENT SARASOTA -- Shoppers can escape the bustle of St. Armand's Circle and find tranquility at the newly constructed Key Lutheran Church Meditation Garden. The garden, scheduled for dedication later this...

For wannabe pets, serendipity plays a big part.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)(Englewood Scene)(Column)
July 1, 2004... Byline: Sharyn Lonsdale Every Saturday, the Herald-Tribune runs its popular Pets and People feature in the Community Central pages. Readers share a photo and story about a current or past family pet. Those heart-warming stories have to...

SNN to cover Parade of Boats.(B SECTION)
July 1, 2004... Byline: STAFF REPORT SNN -- Channel 6, the 24-hour local news station operated by Comcast and the Herald-Tribune, plans to broadcast Friday's Offshore Grand Prix Parade of Boats through downtown Sarasota live starting at 7 p.m. The...

Beyond HOPE VI; Housing authorities may need to create their own revenue.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
July 1, 2004... Should Sarasota apply for a HOPE VI grant next year? No. Since Congress has now slashed the program's funding to $150 million, there will be fewer grants and even stiffer competition than in last year's round, when 56 communities vied for...

Activities heat up in July.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)
July 1, 2004... Byline: SHARYN LONSDALE sharyn.lonsdale@heraldtribune.com There's some good news and bad news for students. The bad news is summer is just about half over, and the good news is that there are still plenty of activities going on to fill...

Judging Murdock Village; Wisdom of costly Charlotte project will be settled out of court.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
July 1, 2004... Circuit Judge William Blackwell said once more that Charlotte County had the legal authority to take land for the Murdock Village redevelopment program. But he made it clear that he questioned whether the county was doing the right thing....

Manatee snapshots; Brief comments on life and times in our county.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
July 1, 2004... Midnight success A decade ago, quite a few lawmakers on Capitol Hill ridiculed the crime-prevention concept of "midnight basketball" as a waste of time and money. But you're unlikely to hear that argument in Bradenton, where dozens of...

Man, 89, faces shoplifting charge; wife faults stroke.(B SECTION)
July 1, 2004... Byline: JULIAN PECQUET julian.pecquet@heraldtribune.com VENICE -- An 89-year-old Venice homeowner pocketed a box of diarrhea medicine Monday and was jailed briefly for shoplifting. Authorities say they had no choice but to take action...

Sheriff's report.(H-T EAST)
July 1, 2004... The following information is from Manatee County Sheriff's Office reports filed through June 25. EAST MANATEE Upper Manatee River Road, 200 block, June 20. Domestic battery. A couple got into a physical argument. Greenbrook...

Lyons roars through pro hoop tryout session.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)(Playing the Field)(Column)
July 1, 2004... Byline: Alan Dell Former Lemon Bay High basketball standout Atiba Lyons is hoping his performance at a recent exposure camp will earn him a job playing pro ball overseas. The 6-foot-5-inch Lyons, who recently graduated from Pace...

McFaul and Hronek capture team event.(SPORTS)(Golf)(Column)
July 1, 2004... Byline: Mark Cardon Jack McFaul and Dave Hronek didn't have a bogey between them in winning the eighth annual North Florida PGA Senior-Junior Championship this week at Southern Dunes Country Club in Haines City. McFaul, the head pro at...

A busy Fourth of July weekend.(B SECTION)
July 1, 2004... Boat races, parades, patriotic and popular music and, of course, fireworks are part of a busy Fourth of July weekend. Here's a list of events: Saturday Powerboats on the Bay, Day 1: Meet powerboat drivers and crews as they prepare...

Young fears: 'Just don't say I'm fat'.(FLORIDA WEST)
July 1, 2004... Byline: STEVE HEISLER CORRESPONDENT Health scientist and school nutrition specialist Dr. Mary McKenna was dining out recently when she said she noticed young girls at a nearby table playing a give-me-your-opinion game. It's when she...

Plaza Verdi plan gets green light.(A SECTION)
July 1, 2004... Byline: KEVIN MCQUAID kevin.mcquaid@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- The City Commission on Wednesday unanimously approved a developer's plan for a $141 million project on a city-owned parking lot on Palm Avenue downtown. The commission,...

Past was great, but future looks bright.(H-T EAST)(At Home)(Column)
July 1, 2004... Byline: Alan Dell Can they bring the magic back? It's on the minds of nearly all the players on the Braden River Junior League All-Star team that began district tournament play this week. All but two of the 12 players participated...

Sarasota Ballet hires Clevenger as its executive director.(B SECTION)
July 1, 2004... Byline: CHARLIE HUISKING charlie.huisking@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- Fund-raising specialist Jerry Clevenger, a former development director for the Ringling Museum of Art, was named Wednesday as executive director of the Sarasota...

Cruisers show their mettle when they peddle 50 miles.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)
July 1, 2004... Eight members of the Coastal Cruisers Bicycle Club and the Cape Haze Cycling Club, its newly formed offshoot, embarked on a 50-mile trek June 24 from Pioneer Trail Head through Cape Haze, south Gulf Cove and Boca Grande. The Cape Haze Cycling...

Naples bank snaps up tiny rival; First National Bankshares is ready to acquire a Bradenton bank for $8.3M in stock.(BUSINESS)
July 1, 2004... Byline: MICHAEL BRAGA michael.braga@heraldtribune.com BRADENTON -- Rapidly expanding First National Bankshares of Florida is poised to acquire First Bradenton Bank, a Manatee County bank with one office and $60.5 million in assets. ...

WAR STORIES.(B SECTION)
July 1, 2004... Tell us your war stories Each Thursday, we feature a veteran's "War Story." In 400 typed words, tell us an anecdote from your time in the armed forces, whether during war or peace. This may be a humorous incident, touching remembrance,...

Driver in fatal crash was drunk; Heather Hunter's blood alcohol level was more three times the legal minimum, results show.(B SECTION)
July 1, 2004... Byline: DARLA McFARLAND darla.mcfarland@heraldtribune.com ***** CORRECTION: The following clarification was published on Friday, July 02, 2004: Clarification: In a story Wednesday about Heather Hunter, 20, of Rotonda West, the driver...

Mills Elementary getting its finishing touches.(H-T EAST)
July 1, 2004... Byline: TIFFANY LANKES tiffany.lankes@heraldtribune.com PALMETTO -- The walls are up, the floorboards are laid and Virgil Mills Elementary is about a month away from opening. Principal Mike Rio said he expects to start moving into...

Our Community.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)
July 1, 2004... Englewood Triathlon set for July 25 The Englewood Family YMCA will hold its sixth annual triathlon beginning at 7:30 a.m. July 25 at Englewood Beach. The event will include a 1/4-mile swim, 14-mile bike ride and 3-mile run. There...

News Updates.(B SECTION)
July 1, 2004... Lawyer extends time for $2M mall payment PUNTA GORDA -- An attorney for the City Marketplace development has extended the deadline by which the city must pay $2 million for land at the site, according to an agreement between the city and...

POLICE BLOTTER.(B SECTION)
July 1, 2004... Compiled from Charlotte and Sarasota county sheriffs' reports filed through June 30. Gulf View Road, 10 block, June 28. Dawn M. Hedges, 21, was charged with criminal mischief. Virginia Court, 100 block, June 28. Tad D. Johnson, 17, was...

This week in East Manatee.(H-T EAST)
July 1, 2004... Highlights of local news in the daily Herald-Tribune from June 23-29 were: EAST MANATEE Concrete plant fails to win OK FROM JUNE 23: Five years ago the County Commission rezoned land to one day allow heavy industry to replace...