Sarasota Herald Tribune articles from June 2007

Sarasota Herald Tribune archives from June 2007

Why ask why? Donovan picks Magic.
June 1, 2007... Byline: Doug Fernandes And up in Gainesville, rain, at last. Gator tears. Florida head basketball coach Billy Donovan has grabbed the loot and scooted. Just not very far. He's taking his designer suits, slicked-back hair and...

The worst is over, say real estate analysts.
June 1, 2007... Byline: STEPHEN FRATER stephen.frater@heraldtribune.com "Do not bet against this region," he said. "In the long term, Sarasota will have faster home price growth than the rest of the country." Yun's comments coincided with a report...

Big storm, $6 gas? Active hurricane season and tight gas supply may mean more pain at the pump.
June 1, 2007... Byline: ANNA SCOTT anna.scott@heraldtribune.com One worst-case scenario, by one of the largest risk assessors A.M. Best Company, predicted pump prices could top $6 per gallon, if a major hurricane strikes the oil infrastructure along...

Signs of stormy weather Alternatives to radar, satellites and computer models.
June 1, 2007... So here are 10 ways to tell if it's going to be a bad hurricane season. 10. The Weather Channel storm tracker Jim Cantore signs a six-month lease on a condo next door. 9. You haven't seen the sun since May, when you closed the...

Ready or not Don't let complacency compound seasonal dangers.
June 1, 2007... Last year's surprisingly quiet hurricane season, combined with the constant drumbeat of warnings issued by forecasters and the media, may have contributed to a troubling ignorance or apathy. According to a Mason-Dixon poll released...

Congress' clogged drain Some progress in the 'swamp,' but still too murky.
June 1, 2007... The bill would, among other things, shed more light on lobbyists who serve as conduits for donations to politicians. At the moment, lobbyists are free to bundle contributions from mulitiple donors and pass them along to candidates. Details...

USF, Miami sign 5-year deal The two schools will play each other regularly beginning in 2009.
June 1, 2007... Byline: ALAN DELL CORRESPONDENT He put his team into position to reach that goal Thursday when USF announced a five-game series with Miami, beginning in 2009. Three of the games will be in Tampa, and, in 2010, the series will be played...

Bart Rolfs' big tarpon lands weekly honors.
June 1, 2007... Byline: Steve Gibson Tarpon fishing has been average at best, with a moderate hot bite one day and slow the next. The accompanying map is designed to help readers find out what fish are hitting where. 1 Joe Keron and Bob Lamb of...

Lightning hire ex-Bruin Sullivan as assistant.
June 1, 2007... Byline: STAFF REPORT Sullivan coached the Bruins to the Northeast Division title in 2003-04 with 104 points (41-19-15-7), second to Tampa Bay's 106 in the Eastern Conference. In 2005-06, after a disappointing 29-37-16 season, the Bruins...

Sarasota offense lifts Reds over Fort Myers.
June 1, 2007... Byline: PHIL DENIS CORRESPONDENT The SaraReds also topped Fort Myers in pitching as right-handed starter Ramon Ramirez (4-2) allowed only two base hits, walked one and had four strikeouts over seven innings. Sarasota arrived with a...

Peanuts shell Juice with early home runs.
June 1, 2007... Byline: BRIAN NEWBERRY CORRESPONDENT Julius Thames led Bradenton (7-6) with two hits from his leadoff position. Zack Woodward finished the contest with two RBI for the Juice. South Georgia went deep early to help build an 8-1 lead in...

Players brave hot sun outside Times Forum.
June 1, 2007... Byline: DENNIS MAFFEZZOLI dennis.maffezzoli@heraldtribune.com "Regardless of your skin color, everybody is at risk down here," Turner said. In town for the AVP Esurance Tampa Open to be played outside the St. Pete Times Forum, Turner...

Market experts, and best guesses Financial gurus discuss high-flying U.S. stocks.
June 1, 2007... Byline: MICHAEL POLLICK michael.pollick@heraldtribune.com For a quick fix, the Herald-Tribune checked in with two guys who happen to live in Southwest Florida but whose opinions are highly sought in bigger cities, like New York, London and...

FOR A BRITISH OFFSHOOT, A LOCAL LANDING? Virgin America might offer Sarasota flights; The new airline plans service to other areas before its local arrival.
June 1, 2007... Byline: TOM BAYLES tom.bayles@heraldtribune "We're always thrilled when we get new service but one with this name is one you want to have have," Piccolo said Thursday. "They are a proven commodity." Virgin America, should it make the...

Hickernell company files for Chapter 11 Foreclosure loomed for Siesta motel owned by Capri Resort Investors.
June 1, 2007... Byline: MICHAEL BRAGA michael.braga@heraldtribune.com Hickernell declined to comment on Thursday. Documents at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Tampa say that filing was necessary because of the pending foreclosure sale and the belief by...

Business Buzz.
June 1, 2007... Amy Robinson earns state broker license Amy Robinson, an agent at the Longboat Key office of Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate, has earned her Florida broker license. Areti Tsitsakis joins Florida lawyer group The Punta Gorda...

Wall Street currently feeling euphoric for serious investing, consider Kellogg.
June 1, 2007... Byline: Lauren Rudd Yet, in its eternal wisdom, and with a little extrapolation, the Street deduced that because the Fed indicated that the drag on the economy from the housing slump might be more severe than first thought, that therefore...

Cats vs. bulldogs Cat lover's not falling for this doggone scam.
June 1, 2007... Byline: Kevin O'Horan I mean a lot. I'm pretty sure my couch is a tabby, but the cat I'm not so sure about. I bring up Piper, though, in case there are any Nigerians reading this on the Web. Well, a few folks claiming to be...

NO OUTER LIMITS LOCAL QUINTET PUT NASCENT CAREER INTO HIGH GEAR WITH ENTRY INTO NATIONAL COMPETITION.
June 1, 2007... Byline: ABBY WEINGARTEN CORRESPONDENT the hook, vibrates the cymbals and Jason Smith thumps in a bass line. They call this Outer Transmission, as if it's already a household name. The members of the seven-month-old fivesome have...

American Stage's 'Othello' shines.
June 1, 2007... Byline: SUSAN L. RIFE susan.rife@heraldtribune.com Playing craftily on Othello's own insecurity, Iago plants the seeds of doubt about the fidelity of Othello's new bride, Desdemona. When circumstantial evidence, expertly manipulated by...

'Darwin' eloquent, fulfilling.
June 1, 2007... Byline: Marjorie North Gems like, "Why do we chase the things that hurt us?" keep the dialogue brimming with quips and quotes, from religion to science and back again. "Darwin" runs in the Cook Theatre through June 10 and stars...

Charlotte may become security-training hub Envisioning a $100 million campus to teach techniques for fighting terror and handling disasters.
June 1, 2007... Byline: PATRINA A. BOSTIC patrina.bostic@heraldtribune.com Millions of dollars in federal contracts are up for grabs. The privately owned facility would be designed to train people to combat terrorism and handle disasters. The...

Residents wish boat would just sail away They say the vessel was abandoned near South Gulf Cove and poses a hazard.
June 1, 2007... Byline: KATE SPINNER kate.spinner@heraldtribune.com A proposed law the county is set to consider in July would speed the process of getting rid of boats abandoned by their owners, said Bob Hebert, director of community initiatives for...

Students donate project to museum.
June 1, 2007... Byline: BETSY WILLIAMS CORRESPONDENT David Brewer, who was not there, also worked on the project. After five months of working on their project, "The Attack on Pearl Harbor" -- placing first in local and district competition then...

OBITUARIES.
June 1, 2007... March 6, 1929 - May 31, 2007 Mary Louise Allstaedt, 78, Rotonda West, formerly of Lincoln Park, Mich., died May 31, 2007. No services are planned at this time. Englewood Community Funeral Home and Cremation Service is handling...

United Way gives thanks to big givers.
June 1, 2007... Byline: ANN HENDERSON CORRESPONDENT "We told our employees all the good things that United Way does in Charlotte County, and then we asked them to give," Robert Wenzel said. "We didn't have to twist any arms. They wanted to give." ...

Visitors Bureau recognizes leaders.
June 1, 2007... Byline: ANN HENDERSON CORRESPONDENT Mike Dallenbach was given the Community Service Award for his "exceptional service" for 17 years of volunteer work with the Punta Gorda Block Party, and 25 years of volunteerism with the International...

Artist takes lighthearted approach for children's art classes.
June 1, 2007... Byline: Francine Milford If jokes and cartoons are more your speed and preference, then the cartooning class may be for you. Smith will work with students as they create their own original character, a comic strip and will even paint a...

VLT offers summer classes for young, older.
June 1, 2007... Byline: FRANCINE MILFORD francine.milford@heraldtribune.com Instructors for this summer include Clair Lockeyear, Cathy Baudrit, Natalia Mock, Kelly Duyn, Deirdre Reigel, Becky Holahan, Brad Wages, Michelle Kasanofsky, Candace Artim, Murray...

Police hope bigger reward helps crack case A nonprofit group will collect donations to boost the amount offered for tips on Coralrose's murder.
June 1, 2007... Byline: HEATHER ALLEN and JOHN DAVIS STAFF WRITERS Lewis said the latest reward announcement is simply an effort to generate new leads, not an indication that the investigation -- which has lasted almost nine months -- has gone cold. ...

BEST BETS.
June 1, 2007... Enjoy an old-fashioned Hoe Down from 5:30 to 8 p.m., with music and food, including chicken, corn on the cob and potato salad. Admission is $10 adults, $4 children. Proceeds go to the expansion of St. Nathaniel's Episcopal Church. The...

A step up for the Art Guild.
June 1, 2007... Byline: NANCY CHAPMAN nancy.chapman@heraldtribune.com It was the group's first invitational exhibit, complete with an outside judge to hand out awards. They've had shows at the library and at City Hall, but never one with a judge who...

Cranberry Elementary gives fifth-graders a big send-off.
June 1, 2007... Byline: BETSY WILLIAMS CORRESPONDENT 2006-07 Cranberry graduates: Chelsea Bennett, Brandon Bivin, Brianna Duncan, Justin Fredericks, Alexandra Greco, Alexandra Houart, Nicholas Hukill, James Inelus, Ruth Krokis, Christian Kunkle,...

Developer yanks offer for Cortez trailer park Residents, who feared being evicted, unite to form a cooperative and secure financing to buy the land.
June 1, 2007... Byline: FRANK GLUCK frank.gluck@heraldtribune.com On Thursday, however, an immense sigh of relief spread through the park. Residents learned that the Bradenton developer who offered $10.8 million for the land three months ago has...

3 teens face adult charges after slaying The youths are being held in the death of Stacy Williams III, 9, who was shot while riding his bike.
June 1, 2007... Byline: MICHAEL A. SCARCELLA michael.scarcella@heraldtribune.com The alleged gunman, Orlando Valenzuela, 15, who authorities say has ties to the street gang SUR 13, is charged with second-degree murder with a firearm, a felony that does not...

Bradenton man, 73, dies in a house fire.
June 1, 2007... Byline: MICHAEL A. SCARCELLA michael.scarcella@heraldtribune.com The home in the 3100 block of 25th Street West, was destroyed in the blaze. One neighbor said the heat from the fire melted the plastic mini-blinds on his house, next to...

And then there were six Two sets of lemur triplets born at a Myakka City reserve excite scientists.
June 1, 2007... Byline: EMILY MORRIS emily.morris@heraldtribune.com Only about 400 red-ruffed lemurs exist in captivity, compared with an unknown but declining number of wild lemurs, according to the Duke University Lemur Center. Lemurs are often studied...

BRIEFS.
June 1, 2007... A private contractor will use the "pipe bursting" method, shattering the iron pipe into small pieces and flushing them through the system. Workers will fit new pipes made of high-density, polyethylene plastic into the lines. The city...

News of Record.
June 1, 2007... MAY 16-22 Adams, Terry Michael and Misty Dawn Murray. Allende Morales, Wilfredo and Nairobi Palacios. Angelo, James Philip and Florence Faye Sahker. Badalamenti, Joseph Adam and Lindsey Jean Orr. Boyle, James Michael and...

ManaTEEN seniors earn college scholarships.
June 1, 2007... Byline: YVETTE KIMM yvette.kimm@heraldtribune.com The program, organized in 1994, is the largest locally based teen volunteer program in the country. Thousands of students help more than 550 nonprofit organizations. Their work is done...

Beautiful blooms.
June 1, 2007... The Best of Show Single winner was "Angel's Wings," submitted by Eddie Griffith. Maria Diav's "Standing Ovation" won Best of Show Double. For more information about the chapter, call 722-6658 or 722-1748 or visit the Web site at...

POLICE BRIEFS.
June 1, 2007... Authorities have tracked down the woman who police believe gave the man a ride to the bank, in the 6100 block of Exchange Way, on Tuesday afternoon. The woman, whose name was not released, claims that she does not know the man, Manatee...

OBITUARIES.
June 1, 2007... Aug. 25, 1927 - May 28, 2007 James A. "Jim" Clark, 79, Bradenton, formerly of Romeo, Mich., died May 28, 2007. Services will be 4 p.m. Saturday at St. James United Methodist Church. The Good Earth Crematory is in charge. ...

Assessed property values are still rising Bigger tax bills can be expected despite the decline in home prices.
June 1, 2007... Byline: DOUG SWORD doug.sword@heraldtribune.com The estimate for Sarasota County will be released today, the last day for all of Florida's 67 counties to file the new numbers. Those figures do not include new construction, which pushes...

Why are lovebugs picking on you?
June 1, 2007... Byline: Eric Ernst A woman who answered the phone this week at the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences declared: "Dr. Leppla is no longer taking calls about lovebugs. People have just been too nasty." ...

Sarasota's next city manager awaits contract.
June 1, 2007... Byline: CAROL E. LEE carol.lee@heraldtribune.com He has already made the rounds. "I talked to some of the staff," he said in an interview Thursday afternoon. "I just have a real good feeling." Since commissioners selected him...

IMPROVED STREET TORN UP Missing link opens, but sewer work snarls other section.(WEBBER STREET TWO LANES FORWARD, ONE LANE BACK)
June 1, 2007... Byline: DOUG SWORD doug.sword@heraldtribune.com That is how the road will stay for three months during construction of a main sewer line under the eastbound lane of Webber between Teal and Java Plum avenues, said Bob Reddy, a county...

News of Record.
June 1, 2007... April 9-22 Echeverri, Jorge Alonso and Rodas, Gabriela, both of Manatee. Egeland, Andrew Brian and Perior, Debra Jena, both of Sarasota. Ehrhart, Scott R. and Costa, Concetta Marie, both of Sarasota. Emerson, Benjamin T. and...

IN BRIEF.
June 1, 2007... The driver, Russell Thomas Welander, 57, of the 1800 block of EastLeewynn Drive in Sarasota, was traveling east on I-275 at about 11:30 p.m. when he veered across a lane to go east on U.S. 19, police said. Troopers said Welander lost...

BEST BETS.
June 1, 2007... dress rehearsal is June 14, and the performance is open to the public June 15 beginning with dinner at 6 p.m. (A $5 donation is requested.) The five-day program is $12 per person with a maximum of $48 per family. Scholarships are available....

Student drive aids ShelterBox program.
June 1, 2007... Byline: KAZUAKI NAGATA CORRESPONDENT ShelterBox USA is a project of the Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch. It sends "ShelterBoxes" containing a tent, blankets, water purification and cooking equipment, basic tools and a multifuel stove to...

Stuffed-turtle friends help Tuttle readers stay focused.
June 1, 2007... Byline: KAZUAKI NAGATA CORRESPONDENT The program, known as HOSTS, pairs volunteer mentors with students to read together. To keep students engaged in reading over this summer without their regular partners, the HOSTS program...

OBITUARIES.
June 1, 2007... Nov. 2, 1930 - May 18, 2007 Jacquelyn Connor, 76, Sarasota, formerly of Apopka, died May 18, 2007. Jennings Funeral Homes & Crematory, Sarasota Chapel, handled arrangements. Survivors include a sister, Margaret C. Freeman of...

Thelma Rochon always returned to Anna Maria.
June 1, 2007... Byline: MARK ZALOUDEK mark.zaloudek@heraldtribune.com Rochon, a descendant of the family for whom the Parrish community was named, built a home on the quaint island in the 1950s, when it was accessible only by boat. An elementary...

When sharks meet the medicine cabinet From estrogen to Prozac, drug we flush may end up in bull sharks' bloodstreams.
June 2, 2007... Byline: KATE SPINNER kate.spinner@heraldtribune.com Now, researchers want more blood. Soaked from rain and armed with needles, scientists with Mote Marine Laboratory fished for bull sharks Friday as part of a new study that aims to...

Leaders in accord on basics of tax cut Details will take shape at a special session starting June 12.
June 2, 2007... Byline: LLOYD DUNKELBERGER H-T CAPITAL BUREAU Parts of the plan, including ordering local governments to roll back their tax rates, could be passed into law this year. Other parts that involve huge reductions in the assessments for...

READER ADVOCATE.
June 2, 2007... One Englewood reader called to object that her town's event was not included in her edition of the paper. Two Venice readers called to object to a photograph of the Venice Memorial Day that they considered to be too small compared with the...

Smoke on the water Florida sees fire, and finally some rain.
June 2, 2007... A piece of silver in this dark cloud's lining is that workers were able to clear excess muck from some of the lake's banks. Utilities are struggling with poor drinking-water quality as they tap the dregs of reserves from underground...

Ready for the season After Hurricane Charley, a bunker mentality.
June 2, 2007... It was a good thing most of them left. The roof of the metal building "wobbled and peeled off" during Charley's winds, which reached at least 145 mph, Charlotte EMS Director Wayne Sallade reminded the public this week. On Friday,...

Hazy aspirations Recognition, but inaction, from Bush on climate change.
June 2, 2007... Bush's 2001 speech was long on research goals and short on courageous action. His new climate initiative, announced this week, seems to rely on the same lukewarm stuff. Bush wants to convene the world's top energy consumers and, by 2008,...

Half-baked hot potatoes Venice airport plans aren't ready to serve.
June 2, 2007... The seven-member board also embraced a land-use proposal that would allow the extensive commercial development of city-owned property at the airport. Board member Nicholas Carlucci said safety -- including the proposed expansion of a...

Please don't cut my taxes.
June 2, 2007... Byline: Laura Sperling If luck holds and no fire, hurricane or other disaster damages my house, the two-grand a year I pay for insurance buys me absolutely nothing. For my $1,900 in property taxes, on the other hand, I get all kinds...

Kazmir shaky in third, bats silent Rays fall to lowly Royals, one of the few teams in the league with a worse record than Tampa Bay.
June 2, 2007... Byline: JON STYF jon.styf@heraldtribune.com But on Friday night, a night when the Rays shook up their starting pitching rotation, it didn't matter. Because the team that had scored so many runs and come back so many times had no...

Bittersweet farewell With Billy Donovan now history, Gators focus on future.
June 2, 2007... Byline: MIC HUBER Despite a parting of the ways, solidarity was the message delivered by the suddenly former Florida basketball coach and the athletic director who gave Donovan his big opportunity 11 years ago. "Jeremy Foley is my...

RAYS NOTEBOOK.
June 2, 2007... Fossum fallout Casey Fossum, a Heritage Harbour resident, will become the Devil Rays' lone left-hander in a bullpen that has been without a lefty this season. Fossum has relieved for the Boston Red Sox and said the opportunity will help...

Kellys reunite at Ed Smith.
June 2, 2007... Byline: PHIL DENIS CORRESPONDENT Kelly will be managing against his oldest son, Chris, a right-handed relief pitcher for the Rays. It's an important showdown for Sarasota (34-19), currently leading the West Division by three games over...

Palm mite might well wind up in Florida Pests with power to ruin plants' ornamental value.
June 2, 2007... Byline: STAFF REPORT The mite causes serious leaf damage, which ruins the ornamental value of palms, and some growers expect as much as a 50 percent loss in production from plants such as coconut palms. The bug also has spread to other...

Packaging firm's CFO is retiring.
June 2, 2007... Byline: STAFF REPORT Archibald joined Intertape Polymer in 1989 as vice president of finance and has served as CFO and vice president administration since May 1995. His retirement comes as Littlejohn & Co. LLC, a Connecticut-based...

Outdoor recreation section goes online Monday.
June 2, 2007... Byline: THOMAS BECNEL Part clubhouse, part magazine, part bulletin board. There would be links to local groups and state parks. There could be forums where people shared opinions and posted reminders about upcoming events. The...

SAND, SURF & SPRINTS Kids and grown-ups race into Summer Beach Runs.
June 2, 2007... Byline: BILLY COX billy.cox@heraldtribune.com Then the entire contingent broke ranks and degenerated into a hopeless stampede of tykes and teenagers, trailed by resigned parents pushing strollers or guiding wobbly toddlers by the hand for a...

The Baby Doll is still sailing after all these years.
June 2, 2007... Byline: Morgan Stinemetz Baby Doll is 27 feet long, draws 3-foot-1 with the centerboard up and has a beam of 8 1/2 feet. The cockpit is large, with wheel steering further forward than is today's custom. "I designed it to the old CCA...

'Poor old Charlotte' no more Emergency Operations Center is built to take another Charley -- or worse.
June 2, 2007... Byline: ZAC ANDERSON zac.anderson@heraldtribune.com "A lot of my counterparts in emergency management have for a long time looked at us and said 'poor old Charlotte,'" he said. On Friday, "poor old Charlotte" became the envy of...

IN BRIEF.
June 2, 2007... Jean-Pierre Dwayne, 28, of the 4100 block of Gardner Drive, was charged Thursday with 10 felony counts of uttering a forged bill. In the past couple of weeks, Punta Gorda police said Dwayne used the bills at Cafe Millennium, Gatorz Bar &...

There's plenty to get bugged about during lovebug season.
June 2, 2007... Byline: Alison Posner They even get into the crevices that we forget about. Don't be surprised if, instead of that lucky dollar in your pants pocket, one pops up there instead. Or if you roll down your window to throw one out of your car,...

OBITUARIES.(Obituary)
June 2, 2007... June 26, 1934 - May 31, 2007 Charles F. "Charlie" Tynan, 72, Port Charlotte, formerly of Billerica, Mass., died May 31, 2007. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m., Monday, with a rosary service by Knights of Columbus Council 5399 at 6...

New organization spreads global warming education.
June 2, 2007... Byline: FRANCINE MILFORD francine.milford@heraldtribune.com This group feels compelled to educate others about climate change, its causes, and to take action to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases in the home, city and county. The...

In Fullwood home, a happy noise Coralrose's mother gets custody of her four youngest children back.
June 2, 2007... Byline: HEATHER ALLEN heather.allen@heraldtribune.com The noise was foreign to Fullwood, who has been a mother for more than two decades. But it had become her reality over the past nine months after a judge ruled it was best that her...

New blood center opens its doors in North Port.
June 2, 2007... Byline: NANCY CHAPMAN nancy.chapman@heraldtribune.com Last Thursday, she went to the Blood Centers' storefront in North Port Commons, a new plaza located in front of Holiday Park on Tamiami Trail. Donna Diamente couldn't have felt...

Not ready for prime time Season is here, but Manatee's center isn't finished.
June 2, 2007... The opening date originally was targeted for June 1, the official start of the season. But the deadline was missed. The delay is disappointing and worrisome, in light of multiple predictions by hurricane forecasters that this season will...

Delayed response Fire-district consolidation is taking too long.
June 2, 2007... It's possible, of course, that each district is maximizing the use of tax dollars and providing the highest quality service available. Or maybe, just maybe, there's a way to do it even better --a countywide fire department overseen by the...

Catholic Charities honored for service.
June 2, 2007... Byline: CYNTHIA A. KANE H-T RELIGION WRITER The plan, and follow-through under it, especially helped victims displaced by Hurricane Katrina. The agreement outlines "the commitment of each agency in the areas of funding, materials and...

POLICE BRIEFS.
June 2, 2007... A man with a goatee and a black baseball cap robbed the SunTrust bank, in the 100 block of 44th Avenue Drive East, on Friday. The man handed a note to a teller about 3 p.m., authorities said. The bank employee handed over cash and the man...

OBITUARIES.
June 2, 2007... Dec. 22, 1930 - May 30, 2007 Anita L. Coke-Richards, 76, Bradenton, formerly of Toronto, died May 30, 2007. Bradenton Funeral Home handled arrangements. Survivors include a daughter, Susan Bates of Toronto; a son, Randall Bates...

Sarasota County tax base's growth slows to a crawl.
June 2, 2007... Byline: DOUG SWORD doug.sword@heraldtribune.com While the county's tax base is now estimated at $62 billion, the latest increase could bring relief to non-homesteaded property owners who bore the brunt of five consecutive years of...