Sarasota Herald Tribune articles from June 2006

Sarasota Herald Tribune archives from June 2006

City Council praises new design for Punta Gorda public housing.(A SECTION)
June 30, 2006... Byline: PATRINA A. BOSTIC patrina.bostic@heraldtribune.com PUNTA GORDA -- Residents forced from the Myrtle Street affordable housing complex by Hurricane Charley would be at the top of the list to move into proposed homes with...

World-record shark was pregnant; Criticism follows in wake of widely publicized catch off Boca Grande.(A SECTION)
June 30, 2006... Byline: SARA LUBBES sara.lubbes@heraldtribune.com ***** CORRECTION: The following correction was published on Saturday, July 1, 2006: The National Marine Fisheries Service runs a volunteer shark-tagging program. Anglers may obtain...

Banks, checks and balances; Congress and courts should oversee record-tracking program.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
June 30, 2006... After the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the Bush administration began tracking international banking transactions in an effort to trace the financing of terrorist organizations. Recently, several newspapers revealed the existence of the...

Dubee wants to work with dad; If the former Riverview standout works hard, one day he'll join his dad (pitching coach) in Philly.(SPORTS)
June 30, 2006... Byline: ALAN DELL CORRESPONDENT SARASOTA -- Michael Dubee is not making idle conversation when he says he would like to work for his dad someday. If the Riverview High graduate ever gets into that position, it would mean that the...

'Chase for the Chase' starts in Daytona.(SPORTS)
June 30, 2006... Byline: JODY ROYCE jody.royce@heraldtribune.com DAYTONA BEACH -- Even with the season not quite halfway done, the real race is on for the 2006 Nextel Cup Series. And like the previous two seasons, the Chase for the Cup is likely to...

Bucs sign Fiedler to back up Simms.(SPORTS)
June 30, 2006... Byline: TOM BALOG tom.balog@heraldtribune.com TAMPA -- The man who replaced Dan Marino at Miami is now the backup who will tutor Chris Simms in Tampa Bay. Jay Fiedler, still recovering from December shoulder surgery, found a match...

Reds can't hold lead, fall to Jays.(SPORTS)
June 30, 2006... Byline: PHIL DENIS CORRESPONDENT SARASOTA -- Sarasota got out to a quick lead Thursday night at Ed Smith Stadium, but it was first-half West Division champion Dunedin that got its offense going later en route to a 5-3 victory. The...

Red, Pirates take spills.(SPORTS)
June 30, 2006... Byline: STAFF REPORT FORT MYERS -- Pedro Vasquez sparked a three-run third inning with a two-run home run, giving the Red Sox a 4-3 victory over the Reds in a Gulf Coast League outing Thursday at the City of Palms Complex. Mauricio...

Late charge lifts Port Charlotte National.(SPORTS)
June 30, 2006... Byline: CURTIS WILLIAMS CORRESPONDENT PUNTA GORDA -- The Port Charlotte National Little League team had a flare for the dramatic in the District 9 11- and 12-year-old tournament Thursday. Port Charlotte National scored a run in the...

Eaton shifts some work to Mexico, cuts 36 jobs; Manufacturer says South Manatee plant that employs 375 won't close.(BUSINESS)
June 30, 2006... Byline: MICHAEL BRAGA michael.braga@heraldtribune.com MANATEE COUNTY -- Eaton Corp. has shifted about 10 percent of the company's Southwest Florida production lines to Mexico, and the elimination of 36 local jobs is making remaining...

Bose headphones offer peace, quiet.(BUSINESS)
June 30, 2006... Loudspeaker maker Bose has come out with a new model of its noise-canceling headphones called QuietComfort3. The product is smaller, lighter and easier to store than the previous model but employs the same technology. Running on...

Business Buzz.(BUSINESS)
June 30, 2006... Progressive Employer adds employees Progressive Employer Services, a Sarasota-based professional employer organization, has added these people to its Sarasota office: Judith Provencher, claims technical specialist; Kelly Lawless, business...

Surplus is new DNAPrint CFO.(BUSINESS)
June 30, 2006... Byline: STAFF REPORT DNAPrint Genomics, the Sarasotabased genetics testing company, has a new chief financial officer with an apt name: Karen L. Surplus. Her appointment is effective immediately. She replaces Monica Tamborini, who is...

PGT shares up on second day.(BUSINESS)
June 30, 2006... Byline: STAFF REPORT VENICE -- In its second day as a public company, PGT Inc. edged up to the bottom of the price range that its IPO underwriters had initially expected. Shares in the Venice-based impact-resistant window and door...

Kreegel wins a round in ad case; New Senate president is ordered to testify.(B SECTION)
June 30, 2006... Byline: ANNA SCOTT anna.scott@heraldtribune.com CHARLOTTE COUNTY -- Incoming Senate President Ken Pruitt will have to answer questions on his involvement in an alleged attack-ad campaign on Punta Gorda state Rep. Paige Kreegel. ...

Court hears details of killer's sordid life; Jury to decide on death or life term for inmate victimized as a child.(B SECTION)
June 30, 2006... Byline: KRISTEN KRIDEL kristen.kridel@heraldtribune.com PUNTA GORDA -- Depraved acts stain the past of a man recently convicted of murdering a Charlotte Correctional Institution officer. Some he committed; some were committed against...

'Visiting Mr. Green' is moving, humorous.(B SECTION)(Art Beat)(Column)
June 30, 2006... Byline: Marilyn D. Carpenter Ross Gardiner, a young executive working his way up the corporate ladder, was charged with reckless driving after nearly hitting 86-year-old Mr. Green, who unwittingly walked into traffic and fell in front...

Sarasota sheriff hasn't revealed name of deputy who shot man.(B SECTION)
June 30, 2006... Byline: STAFF REPORT SARASOTA COUNTY -- A man shot by a sheriff's deputy remained in serious condition Thursday at Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg. The Sheriff's Office has refused to release the name of the deputy who...

BEST BETS.(B SECTION)
June 30, 2006... SATURDAY Island party: Celebrate the tarpon and enjoy fine arts, crafts fair, children's activities, silent auction, raffle, food beverages, dancing in the streets from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Boca Grande's Silver King Festival. The the...

Fishing for artistic treasures; Silver King Festival will highlight creativity, fun.(B SECTION)
June 30, 2006... Byline: MISCHA B. VIEIRA-KIRBY CORRESPONDENT For the first time in 16 years, visitors to Boca Grande's summer celebration won't be visiting in search of shiny underbellies of the famous tarpon. Instead, visitors to the Boca Grande Silver...

Weekend should be a music lover's delight.(B SECTION)
June 30, 2006... Byline: ALISON POSNER and SHARYN LONSDALE STAFF WRITERS ***** CORRECTION: The following correction was published on Saturday, July 1, 2006: A story on the Community Central page in Friday's Herald-Tribune listed the wrong date for...

OBITUARIES.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
June 30, 2006... CHARLOTTE COUNTY Robert J. Pawlak Robert J. Pawlak, 77, Punta Gorda, died June 26, 2006, at Charlotte Regional Medical Center. He was born Feb. 18, 1929, in South Bend, Ind. ICS Cremation Society Inc. of Harbour Heights is...

Watch the fireworks, but look out for others too.(B SECTION)(Arts Around Town)(Column)
June 30, 2006... Byline: Francine Milford Watching July 4 fireworks at the beach is one activity that brings generations of family members together. And for the Venice Beach fireworks show, crowds always number in the thousands. Yet even in such...

BEST BETS.(B SECTION)
June 30, 2006... FRIDAY NIGHT DINNERS Fish dinner: 4:30 to 6:45 p.m. Fridays at VFW Post 8118, 832 E. Venice Ave., Venice. Fried or broiled grouper, french fries or baked potato, cole slaw. $6. Music and dancing from 7 to 10 p.m. 484-8118. Lotsa...

Promotions at Senior Friendship Centers.(B SECTION)
June 30, 2006... Byline: STAFF REPORT Senior Friendship Centers, Chief Operating Officer Erin McLeod has announced the following promotions effective June 2006: * Elder Advocate Keith Backhaus has been promoted to Director of Friendship at Home...

Venice charter talk centers on finance director; Supporters say the reorganization would be more efficient; opponents say the move isn't justified.(B SECTION)
June 30, 2006... Byline: PAUL QUINLAN paul.quinlan@heraldtribune.com VENICE -- Of three proposed amendments to the city charter that could appear on the ballot in November, none has proven as contentious as one that would place Venice's top finance...

BEST BETS.(B SECTION)
June 30, 2006... SUNDAY Symphonic Fireworks. 5 p.m. Sunday at the Tentatorium, 75 Taylor St., Punta Gorda. Doug Coventry will entertain on the backstage. Food and beverage will be available from the Murdock Grill. A silent auction will be held to...

VERB challenges kids to get off the couch.(B SECTION)
June 30, 2006... Byline: NANCY CHAPMAN nancy.chapman@heraldtribune.com NORTH PORT -- It isn't hard for the children at the Gene Matthews Boys & Girls Club to find the motivation to work up a sweat. If the adults in charge could bottle the energy in the...

Youth event proves to be a success.(B SECTION)
June 30, 2006... Byline: KAZUAKI NAGATA CORRESPONDENT The Sarasota-Bradenton area saw a glowing energy of diverse youth actions last weekend, generated from weekendlong event "Standing in the Gap." The event, organized by the Second Chance, Last...

Little Leaguers play some long ball.(SPORTS)
June 30, 2006... Byline: ALAN DELL CORRESPONDENT LAKEWOOD RANCH -- The long ball was the feature attraction, Thursday night in opening night play in the District 26 Little League All-Star Tournament. The onslaught was led by perennial all-star...

County awaits state on legality of Evers dredging; Old photos show some kind of channel on the property, but for now stop-work order stands.(B SECTION)
June 30, 2006... Byline: CHRISTOPHER O'DONNELL chris.odonnell@heraldtribune.com EAST MANATEE -- County officials acted quickly after neighbors reported seeing two neighbors using backhoes and bulldozers to clear-cut a channel into Evers Reservoir in...

Informants' testimony key in murder trial; Defense says felons are using testimony to get their own deals.(B SECTION)
June 30, 2006... Byline: ANTHONY CORMIER anthony.cormier@heraldtribune.com BRADENTON -- Can you believe a snitch? That may be the biggest question facing jurors in the retrial of Jeffrey Pompey, a 25-year-old Bradenton man accused of killing a grocery...

POLICE BRIEFS.(B SECTION)
June 30, 2006... Police say son helped mom kill boyfriend MANATEE COUNTY -- Police charged a 26-year-old on Thursday with stabbing and fatally shooting his mother's boyfriend in late 2005. Investigators say Joshua Ziegler and his 53-year-old mother,...

BEST BETS.(B SECTION)
June 30, 2006... TODAY Get a close-up look at the boats participating in this weekend's Suncoast Offshore Grand Prix Festival during a Parade of Boats at 6 p.m. on Main Street in downtown Sarasota. Following the parade, the Main Street Merchants will...

Law firm awards scholarships.(B SECTION)
June 30, 2006... Byline: YVETTE KIMM yvette.kimm@heraldtribune.com To supplement its community volunteer work, a local law firm established a scholarship program and is honoring its first scholars. "We give back to our community because we want to...

Foundation launches assistance program.(B SECTION)
June 30, 2006... Byline: STAFF REPORT A new educational assistance program will provide financial aid to people pursuing jobs in the health care field. The Fast Track Educational Assistance Program is designed to help residents of Manatee and...

OBITUARIES.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
June 30, 2006... MANATEE COUNTY Dorothy S. Baker Dorothy S. Baker, 95, Bradenton and formerly of Venice, died June 29, 2006. She was born Jan. 19, 1911, in Decherd, Tenn., and came to the area in 1971 from Flint, Mich. She was a homemaker. She...

Gisela Karp, 97, escaped Nazis.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
June 30, 2006... Byline: MARK ZALOUDEK mark.zaloudek@heraldtribune.com Determination and guile helped Gisela Karp and her family survive Hitler's bloodbath. Karp, a Sarasota resident who died of cancer Tuesday at the age of 97, persevered during a...

Falling school enrollment costs 84 teacher's aides their jobs.(A SECTION)
June 30, 2006... Byline: LIZ BABIARZ liz.babiarz@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA COUNTY -- Eighty-four Sarasota County teacher's aides received pink slips this week in the largest staff reduction by the school district in the past two decades. The...

City considering tax-rate hike; That's despite expecting jump of $10 million in tax revenue.(B SECTION)
June 30, 2006... Byline: MIKE SAEWITZ mike.saewitz@heraldtribune.com ***** CORRECTION: The following correction was published on Thursday, July 6, 2006: A Herald-Tribune article last week incorrectly said that the city of Sarasota's property-tax...

Holiday closings for Fourth of July.(B SECTION)
June 30, 2006... Byline: STAFF REPORT SARASOTA COUNTY -- All Sarasota County government offices, including libraries, will be closed Tuesday for the Independence Day holiday. They will reopen Wednesday. The Sarasota County Area Transit bus service...

BRIEFS.(B SECTION)
June 30, 2006... Police find body at Centennial Park SARASOTA -- Police found a man's body lying under a tree Thursday in Centennial Park near the city boat ramps. Police believe the man was homeless. His body was discovered shortly after 7 p.m. The...

Authority hosting carnival for residents.(B SECTION)
June 30, 2006... Byline: STAFF REPORT SARASOTA -- Bill Russell, executive director of the Sarasota Housing Authority, will sit in a dunk tank today during a carnival for the Housing Authority's tenants. The carnival will be from 5 to 8 p.m. on...

Streets to close at 3 p.m. today for boat parade.(B SECTION)
June 30, 2006... Byline: STAFF REPORT SARASOTA -- Police will start clearing sections of Main Street at about 3 p.m. today in preparation for the Festival Parade of Boats, the grand entrance for the boats that will compete in this year's Suncoast...

BEST BETS.(B SECTION)
June 30, 2006... SUNDAY Celebrate Venezuela's Independence Day from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. July 2, with the Venezuelan-American Association of Sarasota at Twin Lakes Park. There will be children's games, music, Venezuelan cuisine, DJ music and homage to...

Financial stars battle for charity.(B SECTION)
June 30, 2006... Byline: PATTY ALLEN-JONES patty.allen-jones@heraldtribune.com Shouts of "nice shot," "whoa," and "come on, Steve, sink it, man" filled a section of Diamonds Pool Hall in Bradenton on Tuesday. The high fives, fists pumping in the air...

Mayor plans blood drive at his family reunion.(B SECTION)
June 30, 2006... Byline: CONNIE PFAHLERT CORRESPONDENT Through the years, Mayor Fredd Atkins has already donated more than 15 gallons of blood. It's a cause he believes in so much, in fact, that he invited the Suncoast Communities Blood Bank to send a...

OBITUARIES.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
June 30, 2006... SARASOTA COUNTY Richard Austin Richard Austin, 71, Sarasota, died June 27, 2006. He was born Oct. 14, 1934, in Sarasota, where he was a life long resident, graduating from Sarasota High School in 1954. He was a department...

Van Wezel's moving on up.(TICKET)(Admit One)(Column)
June 30, 2006... Byline: Rod Harmon The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall is venturing into partnerships that could translate into more hot-ticket shows playing Sarasota's "purple palace" in the future. On July 18 and 19, the Van Wezel is co-presenting...

THE SECOND COMING OF GLORIA TREVI; 'Madonna of Mexico' overcomes sex scandal to climb back on the charts with 'La Trayectoria'.(TICKET)
June 30, 2006... Byline: ABBY WEINGARTEN CORRESPONDENT Gloria Trevi -- sultry, gutsy, polemical. She roused Latin America in the '80s and early '90s with her rock-star image and write-home-about concerts. Come 2000, she was doing hard time in...

Second time around works for Blue October.(TICKET)
June 30, 2006... Byline: ALAN SCULLEY CORRESPONDENT Call this tale the rock 'n' roll equivalent to remarrying one's first spouse. In 2000, Blue October signed with Universal Records and released the CD "Consent To Treatment." But a year later --...

Commissioner defends proposed club ban for minors.(TICKET)(No Cover)(Column)
June 30, 2006... Byline: STEVE ECHEVERRIA JR. steve.echeverria@heraldtribune.com Get ready folks, 06-4662 is on its way. For those not in the know, this is the Sarasota City Commission's proposed ordinance banning minors from local bars and...

AFi's latest chart-topper is an emotional joyride.(TICKET)
June 30, 2006... AFI, "Decemberunderground" (Interscope): AFI evokes a dark, brooding and dramatic sense of emotions on its seventh album (and No. 1 hit), "Decemberunderground." Lead singer Davey Havok's vocals are haunting and intimidating, especially...

When it comes to The Nuevos, nothing is as it seems.(TICKET)(Making Noise)(Column)
June 30, 2006... Byline: ABBY WEINGARTEN CORRESPONDENT Kreg Sterns has already mastered the indie rock circuit. He's lived in London and New York City, toured Southeast Asia and Scotland, and established two '90s bands, Aenone and Nyack. So his...

Meryl Streep at her evil best in 'The Devil Wears Prada'.(TICKET)(Movie review)
June 30, 2006... Byline: GEORGE MEYER CORRESPONDENT The Lord moves in mysterious ways, but in "The Devil Wears Prada," Satan herself is an open book. At least, Meryl Streep's character, the unholy Miranda Priestly, devotes all her worshipful...

The Big BANG; Want fireworks? How about three days' worth?(TICKET)
June 30, 2006... Byline: ABBY WEINGARTEN CORRESPONDENT Long weekends will culminate in a bang this Fourth of July with oodles of fireworks festivities. Nightly spectacles will kindle the sky with starbursts, and day parades will act as...

Air Force vet and Sept. 11 survivor uses military skills in powerboat racing.(TICKET)
June 30, 2006... Byline: STEVE ECHEVERRIA JR. steve.echeverria@heraldtribune.com Sean Gallagher has been a proud member of the U.S. Air Force for 16 years and played an active role in the invasion of Afghanistan. The 38-year-old is a patriot, through...

Race preparation is tense time.(TICKET)
June 30, 2006... Byline: STEVE ECHEVERRIA JR. steve.echeverria@heraldtribune.com Steve Kildahl is almost done with his "to-do" list. With the 22nd Annual Suncoast Offshore Grand Prix a week away, the speedboater's 30-foot vessel still wasn't finished....

Fest offers plenty to do before race.(TICKET)
June 30, 2006... Byline: STEVE ECHEVERRIA JR. steve.echeverria@heraldtribune.com Ready, set... wait a minute. Those words won't carry any real weight until Sunday, when more than 60 powerboats start their engines and scream across Gulf waters, just...

New Ringling exhibit shows effects of etching on society.(TICKET)
June 30, 2006... Byline: KEVIN COSTELLO CORRESPONDENT The introduction of etching at the beginning of the 16th century is of great importance in understanding the relationship between technical advances in art production and the art created because of...

Florida's folktales told in images.(TICKET)
June 30, 2006... Byline: TRAVIS WILDS CORRESPONDENT Kric! Krac! It's time for a new exhibit at Bradenton's South Florida Museum: a collection of Florida folktale illustrations. Everyone knows about Paul Bunyan and Johnny Appleseed, but as it turns...

Duck dishes star at Thai Spice.(TICKET)
June 30, 2006... Byline: TERI M. GRIMES CORRESPONDENT The nondescript strip-mall entrance to Thai Spice gives no clue to the serenity within. Peek behind the opening and let the restful darkness welcome you. Booths and tables fill the center of the long,...

County to begin land trusts; With groundbreaking on the first house set for next week, commissioners ask if prices could be lower.(A SECTION)
June 29, 2006... Byline: SARA LUBBES sara.lubbes@heraldtribune.com CHARLOTTE COUNTY -- Two years after Hurricane Charley damaged much of the area's older, less expensive homes, the county will break ground on the first house designed to turn working...

America's highway; At 50, the interstate system has profoundly altered the nation, but long-postponed decisions lie ahead.(A SECTION)
June 29, 2006... Byline: DALE WHITE dale.white@heraldtribune.com Without it, North Port and Lakewood Ranch would not be the fast-growing communities they are today. Disney World would not have been built near Orlando, and Florida would not have grown to a...

Eisenhower made road system priority.(A SECTION)
June 29, 2006... Byline: DALE WHITE dale.white@heraldtribune.com No traffic lights. No intersections. At least two lanes in each direction, with limited curves. As early as the Franklin Roosevelt administration, federal road planners started talking...

Flag show flops again; One vote protects Constitution from political panderers.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
June 29, 2006... The U.S. Senate's annual bloviate-around-the-flag show, traditionally scheduled for sometime between Flag Day and the Fourth of July, is over. Perhaps lawmakers can now turn their attention to more pressing matters, such as ethics...

Reds swing and miss; Team needs to pay more for new spring-training stadium.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
June 29, 2006... Spring training is a tradition worth preserving in Sarasota. But in doing so, taxpayers shouldn't be treated like water boys. The Cincinnati Reds should keep that in mind as they negotiate their contribution toward a new stadium. The...

Environmental crimes don't pay; Violations prove costly to Venice taxpayers.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
June 29, 2006... Venice City Councilman John Moore believes that the U.S. Justice Department should prosecute anyone who took part in the city government's costly violations of the federal Clean Water Act. He's right. Anyone who breaks environmental laws...

Bucs' Clayton expects to bounce back strong; Wide receiver makes a deal with coach Jon Gruden to return to rookie year form.(SPORTS)
June 29, 2006... Byline: TOM BALOG tom.balog@heraldtribune.com TAMPA -- Michael Clayton signed a contract in the off-season, but it had nothing to do with money and it didn't buy him any more time as a Tampa Bay Buccaneer. Tampa Bay head coach Jon...

Auen leaving Laurel Oak; Longboat fills vacant spot.(SPORTS)(Golf)(Column)
June 29, 2006... Byline: Mark Cardon Area club pros are on the move again. Matt Auen, the director of golf at Laurel Oak Country Club, is taking a job at Windstar, and the Longboat Key Club has filled its vacant position. Joe Rassett is the new...

Few will believe Mushtare's record.(SPORTS)(Bowling)(Column)
June 29, 2006... Byline: Bill Herald Did he or didn't he? Did 17-year-old Robert Mushtare of Carthage, N.Y., actually roll two perfect 900 series and 12 perfect games in a single league season? The people who count -- officials and members of...

Reds pull out ninth-inning win.(SPORTS)
June 29, 2006... Byline: STAFF REPORT Juan Francisco had a pair of RBI doubles, including the winner with one out in the ninth inning, as the Reds pulled out a 7-6 win over the Twins on Wednesday at the City of Sarasota Sports Complex. Francisco's...

Jays roll with Corrente.(SPORTS)
June 29, 2006... Byline: PHIL DENIS CORRESPONDENT SARASOTA -- Dunedin's early-inning offense was way too much for Sarasota to handle Wednesday when the visiting Blue Jays rolled to an 8-3 victory over the Reds on Kids Camp Day at Ed Smith Stadium. ...

PGT 1st-day trading strong; The Venice-based manufacturer nets $123 million despite an opening price lower than expected.(BUSINESS)
June 29, 2006... Byline: DEVONA WALKER devona.walker@heraldtribune.com VENICE -- PGT Industries, the big impact-resistant window and door maker, sold its shares to the public on Wednesday, going to market at a price below what was expected but finishing...

Business Buzz.(BUSINESS)
June 29, 2006... Blair, Testa join Irwin's hair salon Hal Blair and Rosemary Testa, formerly of Lucia's, have joined Irwin's Family Hair Styling in Sarasota. Yoga from the Heart picks two apprentices Yoga from the Heart in Sarasota recently...

Local snapshots; Brief comments on life and times in our communities.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
June 29, 2006... Impact fees fumbled For two years, Sarasota County failed to collect impact fees on new construction in the area served by the Englewood Fire District. The oversight meant the district was shortchanged about $60,000 (about $209 per new...

Black bear killed by car on I-75.(B SECTION)
June 29, 2006... Byline: STAFF REPORT LEE COUNTY -- A black bear was struck by a vehicle and killed Tuesday night as it tried to cross Interstate 75 about five miles south of the Charlotte County line. Travis B. Johnson, a Punta Gorda teen, was...

Port Charlotte woman charged with child abuse.(B SECTION)
June 29, 2006... Byline: FROM STAFF REPORTS PORT CHARLOTTE -- A Port Charlotte woman, identified on the sheriff's Web site as a Charlotte Correctional Institution nurse, was arrested Tuesday and charged with child abuse, according to a sheriff's...

BEST BETS.(B SECTION)
June 29, 2006... TODAY For kids only. Check out the Summer Teen Jam at Cafe Millennium, 3494 Tamiami Trail, Port Charlotte. Hip-hop, reggae, urban music. Call 875-3760 for more information.

Program aims to keep kids on solid footing.(B SECTION)
June 29, 2006... Byline: ALISON POSNER alison.posner@heraldtribune.com Christy Smith staggers awkwardly down the church aisle. Her size 14 shoes are way too big for her feet. Suited up in a baseball uniform and juggling a bat and a glove, she tries to...

Young performers entertain a full house.(B SECTION)
June 29, 2006... Byline: NANCY CHAPMANnancy.chapman@heraldtribune.com NORTH PORT -- The Higher Ground Performing Arts Studio of Port Charlotte unveiled its first production at North Port High School last week, as nearly 100 children and young adults took...

OBITUARIES.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
June 29, 2006... CHARLOTTE COUNTY Abel J. Begon Abel J. Begon, 76, Port Charlotte, died June 27, 2006, at Fawcett Memorial Hospital. He was born May 26, 1930, in Haiti and came to the Charlotte County area in 1990 from Irvington, N.J. He was a...

BEST BETS.(B SECTION)
June 29, 2006... TODAY Do you know the answer? A free trivia contest is held from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday nights at Jam's Martini Bar, 8501 Placida Road, Cape Haze Plaza, Placida. Head over and test your wits against the rest of the crows. For more...

Rotarians attend international convention.(B SECTION)
June 29, 2006... Byline: SHARYN LONSDALEsharyn.lonsdale@heraldtribune.com Michelle McCarthy, incoming president of the Englewood Rotary Club, and Carolyn Schoner, incoming president-elect of the club, attended the 97th annual Rotary International...