Sarasota Herald Tribune articles from March 2003

Sarasota Herald Tribune archives from March 2003

Saying goodbye to Two-Drink Betty: dancer, disciplinarian, defender.(B SECTION)(Comment)(Column)
March 1, 2003... Byline: Rich Brooks Wisps of snow blew across the parking lot of St. Andrews cemetery in Columbus, Ohio, as we pulled in behind the hearse. My face and hands stung from the cold as my 17-year-old son lowered my wheelchair from the van....

Schools to face off in mock trial.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2003... Byline: STAFF REPORT Seven area high schools will compete in a regional Mock Trial competition at 9 a.m. today in the Manatee County Courthouse. Students from Bradenton Academy, Bradenton Christian School, Lakewood Ranch High, Manatee...

Coleman signs with Sterling.(SPORTS)
March 1, 2003... Byline: STAFF REPORT Booker High wide receiver Elex Coleman has signed a national letter of intent to play football at Sterling College, a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics member school in Sterling, Kan. Coleman, who...

When dreams come true.(SPORTS)(Comment)(Column)
March 1, 2003... Byline: Brian Ettkin TAMPA -- They locked reality inside their heart-shaped box. Parachuted from the clouds but never landed. They went somewhere over the rainbow, to the Land of Oz. Cardinal Mooney coach Derek Harrington's a...

CONGRATS.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2003... Car donation Mr. and Mrs. Thomas B. MacCabe Jr. donated a 1989 Pontiac Bonneville automobile to The Community Music School of Southwest Florida. The car was auctioned off at the music school's fund-raising event "A Loverly Evening,"...

Bello propels Mooney.(SPORTS)
March 1, 2003... Byline: MIC HUBER mic.huber@heraldtribune.com TAMPA -- All season long people have asked John Bello why he hadn't scored more goals. "I've been telling them I am saving it for the Final Four," Bello said. Bello had the perfect...

Searching for sensibility.(HOME & REAL ESTATE)(Letter From Home)(Column)
March 1, 2003... Byline: Harold Bubil The first impression is important, especially for home builders. Within a few seconds after shoppers walk into a model home, they know whether they like it -- or can cross it off their lists. Their reactions are...

Nature brings chaos to order.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
March 1, 2003... Byline: Barbara Peters Smith Spring has found Sarasota early this year. Fat robins are turning up in abundance. When I step outside the back door I'm assailed by the overwhelming sweetness of blossoms on the lime tree, exhaling their...

Wordly tastes; The Venice Area Garden Club's home tour features decor from around the globe.(HOME & REAL ESTATE)
March 1, 2003... Byline: JUDY HUSKEY JUDY.HUSKEY@HERALDTRIBUNE.COM Take a trip around the world in less than a day at the 14th annual Venice Area Garden Club's Tour of Homes. It's obvious in the decor of the seven South County tour residences that...

'Noles ready for payback; Southeast enters the Class 4A-Region 3 title game tonight against nemesis Winter Haven, which knocked off the Lady 'Noles two years in a row.(SPORTS)
March 1, 2003... Byline: ALAN DELL CORRESPONDENT BRADENTON -- For three straight years, the Southeast High girls' basketball team saw its season end in a flood of tears with a loss in the region final. Winter Haven, host for tonight's 7:30 Class...

Keeping danger at arm's length; Pitchers sometimes go to extremes to protect their throwing arms from injury.(SPORTS)
March 1, 2003... Byline: CHRIS ANDERSON chris.anderson@heraldtribune.com ST. PETERSBURG -- When pitcher Seth McClung rides in the passenger seat of a car, he refuses to wear a seat belt. McClung is afraid the pressure from the seat belt could damage...

On your mark ...get set ... prune!(HOME & REAL ESTATE)(Home Work)(Column)
March 1, 2003... Byline: Art Levy I imagine it must be pretty tough for those Indianapolis 500 drivers. There they are, all strapped into their ridiculously fast race cars, with their blood pressure rising and their adrenal glands flipping out and they're...

CONGRATS.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2003... Fetherolf named Volunteer of the Year Tess Fetherolf of Punta Gorda was recently named Volunteer of the Year for 2002-2003 by the Charlotte County Retired Educators Association. She has served as the organization's public relations...

Obituaries.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
March 1, 2003... CHARLOTTE COUNTY Patricia Ann Borror Patricia Ann Borror, 65, Port Charlotte, died Feb. 24, 2003. She was born Feb. 6, 1938, in Crothersville, Ind. She was a home health aide. Survivors include her husband, William M.; son...

Obituaries.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
March 1, 2003... MANATEE COUNTY Ronald Bushee Ronald Bushee, 59, Bradenton, died Feb. 27, 2003. He was born Aug. 20, 1943, in Columbus, Ohio and came to Bradenton in 1963 from there. He was a commercial fisherman for A.P. Bell Fish Co. ...

Our Community.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2003... Cowboy with lasso stops bridge traffic SUNSHINE SKYWAY BRIDGE -- A man in cowboy garb wielding a lasso climbed a cable on the Sunshine Skyway Bridge on Friday morning and stayed there for more than two hours while motorists waited in...

FROM YOUR READER ADVOCATE.(A SECTION)
March 1, 2003... You called and we listened. From now on, you can look right inside the front page for the phone number you need to start your paper, stop it, put it on hold, or get one we forgot to give you. Two weeks ago, moving those "circulation"...

CONGRATS.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2003... Scout receives Gold Award Senior Girl Scout Alison Bretz, of Senior Girl Scout Troop 399 in Venice, was awarded the Girl Scout Gold Award, which is the highest honor a Senior Girl Scout can earn in Girl Scouting. The Girl Scout Gold...

Charlotte Chorale honors famed conductor, arranger.(B SECTION)(Art Beat)(Column)
March 1, 2003... Byline: Naomi Donson "At last I have found the maestro I've been looking for." So said famed conductor Arturo Toscanini about Robert Shaw, the vocal director whose feats inspired the third of this season's performances by the...

Auto insurance fraud costly; It adds as much as $240 a year to a Florida family's premiums, a state insurance official says.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2003... Byline: LLOYD DUNKELBERGER CAPITAL BUREAU TALLAHASSEE -- In Miami-Dade County, state investigators estimate, eight out of every 10 no-fault auto insurance medical claims are fraudulent. Bob Neumann, head of the fraud division in the...

Business Buzz.(BUSINESS)
March 1, 2003... Another 'Golden Spoon' for the Beach Bistro Sean Murphy's Beach Bistro has won its seventh "Golden Spoon Award" from Robert Tolf of Florida Trend magazine. The Anna Maria Island restaurant, 6600 Gulf Dr. in Holmes Beach, joins a select...

Manatee doctors, nurses rally for cap on malpractice suits.(BUSINESS)
March 1, 2003... Byline: MARGARET ANN MIILLE margaret.miille@heraldtribune.com BRADENTON -- Maureen Sklerov's sign read, "Do you want a lawyer to deliver your baby?" For Sklerov, Florida's medical malpractice insurance crisis is personal. The...

Stroller Derby; Moms roll along with their kids in Sarasota YMCA workouts.(PLAY!)
March 1, 2003... Byline: THOMAS BECNEL thomas.becnel@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- With so many pregnant women working out, and then getting right back into shape after giving birth, perhaps it was only a matter of time. Still, the latest in aerobics...

Obituaries.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
March 1, 2003... SARASOTA COUNTY George James Blair George "Jim" Blair, 52, North Port, died Feb. 26, 2003. He was born Dec. 14, 1950, in Martinsburg, W. Va., and came to North Port in 1985 from Winchester, Va. He worked in sales and service for...

Ranch hangs on in 2-1 win.(SPORTS)
March 1, 2003... Byline: STAFF REPORT CAPE CORAL -- Left-fielder Mika McClendon threw out the tying run at the plate to end the game as visiting Lakewood Ranch beat Cape Coral Mariner, 2-1, Friday. McClendon also went 2-for-4 at the plate. Amy...

HOPE; Experimental treatment could prolong the life of ALS patient.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2003... Byline: PATTY ALLEN-JONES patty.allen-jones@heraldtribune.com Five years ago, Paul Gerace was riding his dirt bike on weekends during campouts with family and friends. Today, with his arms and legs paralyzed by a disease that attacked...

Accident victim, 52, was a family man.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2003... Byline: MICHAEL A. SCARCELLA michael.scarcella@heraldtribune.com PUNTA GORDA -- Tell the big man something obvious -- or strange, it really didn't matter -- and he'd quickly toss back: "Who don't know that?" That was the Big Jim way,...

Caribbean blues chase away cruise ship blahs.(PLAY!)(Go!)(Column)
March 1, 2003... Byline: THOMAS BECNEL COCO CAY, Bahamas -- The latest cruise ships offer everything from climbing walls to ice-skating rinks, but this is merely a sideshow -- like hurdling the deck chairs on the Titanic. My first weekend at sea...

Tarpons belt 3 HRs in win over Pirates.(SPORTS)
March 1, 2003... Byline: DENNIS MAFFEZZOLI dennis.maffezzoli@heraldtribune.com PUNTA GORDA -- The hitters on the Charlotte High baseball team don't go to the plate looking to hit home runs. "We tell our guys to hit to the gaps," Tarpons coach Mike...

Scullers dominate tri-meet.(SPORTS)
March 1, 2003... Byline: STAFF REPORT TALLAHASSEE -- The Sarasota Scullers were victorious at Lake Bradford recently as varsity and novice rowers turned in winning performances at a tri-meet with Stanton Prep and Leon High. The Scullers' women...

All-Florida Championship Rodeo to mark 75th anniversary.(B SECTION)(Life Around Town)(Column)
March 1, 2003... Byline: Sharyn Lonsdale The Arcadia All-Florida Championship Rodeo will celebrate its 75th anniversary Friday through March 9 at the Coors Original Arcadia Rodeo Arena, 124 Heard St. in Arcadia. This is one of those worth-the-drive...

Riverview wins Co-ed Relays.(SPORTS)
March 1, 2003... Byline: STAFF REPORT VENICE -- Riverview took first place in the Co-ed Relays at Venice High School Friday. The relay event pairs up two boys and two girls from each school in every event, and they add up their scores for the final...

Our Community.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2003... Residents requested to vote for artwork SARASOTA -- Sarasota County officials want residents to help pick $74,000 worth of artwork for the front of the Judicial Center. Models of three bronze sculptures selected as finalists will be on...

Fair, Latessa go for titles; Manatee High School's two defending state champions will try to repeat today.(SPORTS)
March 1, 2003... Byline: PERRY D. PENTZ perry.pentz@heraldtribune.com LAKELAND -- For the second straight year, Manatee's Bobby Latessa and Trevor Fair will take center stage for the ultimate wrestling prize -- a state championship. The two defending...

POLICE BLOTTER.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2003... Compiled from Charlotte County Sheriff's Office and Punta Gorda police reports filed through Feb. 28. PORT CHARLOTTE Appleton Boulevard, 15000 block, Feb. 27. A house here was broken into through a smashed bedroom window. Cash and...

The America's Cup, ESPN style.(PLAY!)(Sailing)(Column)
March 1, 2003... Byline: Morgan Stinemetz As I am writing this column, only three races have been completed in the America's Cup. The winds -- light, shifty and fickle, and then roaring at 25 mph-plus -- have not been cooperating down in New Zealand. ...

Golf caddy put blacks on the greens.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2003... Robert Lawrence "Bud" Thomas learned the game of golf as a caddie at Sarasota's Bobby Jones Golf Complex in the 1950s, then led the fight to integrate the city-owned course. At that time, black golfers couldn't play at Bobby Jones. Thomas...

Briefs.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2003... Report: Man battered deputies, manager PORT CHARLOTTE -- A 24-year-old Punta Gorda man, accused of striking a store manager and sheriff's deputies, was arrested Wednesday morning. Edward T. Thornberry, 4410 Duncan Road, Punta Gorda,...

Waste water likely headed for Gulf; Federal regulators are expected to OK the dumping of phosphate-plant water off Southwest Florida.(A SECTION)
March 1, 2003... Byline: DALE WHITE dale.white@heraldtribune.com MANATEE COUNTY -- To avert an environmental disaster, federal regulators are expected to authorize the disposal in the Gulf of Mexico of up to 700 million gallons of treated waste water from...

Missing ingredient; Farm owners should say how they'll help fill migrant housing gap.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
March 1, 2003... A new campaign to improve the living conditions of migrant farmworkers in Manatee County appears to be gaining support in the community. But advocates of the plans would be wise to pay attention to critics who argue that the issue is...

Our Community.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2003... High schools to face off at mock trials BRADENTON - Seven area high schools will compete in a regional Mock Trial competition at 9 a.m. today in the Manatee County Courthouse. Students from Bradenton Academy, Bradenton Christian...

Officer resigns over diploma forgery; The Charlotte County Sheriff's Office says the lie enabled Cpl. Wyatt Henderson to get bonus pay.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2003... Byline: MICHAEL A. SCARCELLA michael.scarcella@heraldtribune.com CHARLOTTE COUNTY -- A former narcotics unit corporal forged a college diploma to get bonus money from the state, according to a Sheriff's Office internal investigation. ...

Heico posts flat profits amid airline industry malaise.(BUSINESS)
March 1, 2003... Byline: STAFF REPORT Continued weakness in the airline industry meant flat sales and profits at Heico Corp. and its Radiant Power unit in Manatee County. The airline parts maker reported that, for the quarter ended Jan. 31, profits...

Our Community.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2003... Englewood man charged in beating ENGLEWOOD -- A 24-year-old Englewood man was arrested and charged with beating a man more than twice his age Wednesday. Michael Paul Bulkowski of the 1800 block of Morning Dove Lane repeatedly punched...

Society to honor farmer who invented EarthBox.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2003... Byline: KELLY CRAMER kelly.cramer@heraldtribune.com ELLENTON -- Blake Whisenant will wear his first tuxedo next month to his first black-tie gala. The American Horticultural Society is honoring the 73-year-old farmer who simplified...

CONGRATS.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2003... Glenridge Health Center The Glenridge Health Center on Palmer Ranch recently dedicated its center to Mary Fran Carroll, chairman of the board of directors at the center. Carroll is a retired executive of Northern Trust and previously...

Designing a design code; One-size-fits-all standards won't suit Sarasota County.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
March 1, 2003... As local architects, the Sarasota County commissioners and their planning staff debate a proposed commercial- building design code, they should endeavor not to make things worse. Design -- whether of buildings or boats -- involves trial and...

Man may face more charges in porn case; Brendon Boule already faces 79 felony counts of possession of child porn.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2003... Byline: MICHAEL WERNER michael.werner@heraldtribune.com CHARLOTTE COUNTY -- Criminal charges could continue mounting against a Port Charlotte man who already faces 79 felony counts of lewd or lascivious battery and possession of child...

Stemitz-Berkowitz.(FLORIDA WEST)
March 2, 2003... Susan Marie Stemitz and Jeffrey Alan Berkowitz, both of Sarasota, were married Dec. 31, 2002, at 3:30 p.m. at the Bellagio Chapel in Las Vegas, Nev. The bride is the daughter of James R. and Becky Anne Stemitz of Sarasota. The...

And the winners are ... Wetherington has most awards, again, but competition stiffens.(SUNDAY REAL ESTATE)
March 2, 2003... Byline: HAROLD BUBIL HAROLD.BUBIL@HERALDTRIBUNE.COM Medallion Homes and Bruce Williams Homes joined perennial awards leader Lee Wetherington Homes as the big winners at the Parade of Homes Awards Gala held Saturday night at the Hyatt...

Art and giving go hand in hand at Temple Shalom.(B SECTION)(Out & About)(Column)
March 2, 2003... Byline: Ann Henderson They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Many members of Temple Shalom and their guests beheld the fabulous assortment of art at their annual art auction, held at Kingsway Country Club, and enjoyed its beauty....

Learning the 'facts of life'.(BUSINESS & MONEY)(The Rational Investor)(Column)
March 2, 2003... Byline: Dr. Robert Stepleman One step on our road to adulthood is learning the biological "facts of life." Similarly, one step on our road to "investing adulthood" is learning the key investment "facts of life." Learning and...

Sutterfields celebrate 50 years.(FLORIDA WEST)
March 2, 2003... Allen and Virginia Sutterfield of Englewood celebrated their 50th anniversary Jan. 18, 2003. They were married Jan. 18, 1952, in Carson City, Nev., and have lived in Englewood for 20 years. They are the parents of Mitchell Sutterfield...

'Busiest woman in town' wants to be even busier.(B SECTION)
March 2, 2003... Byline: KEVIN L. MCQUAID kevin.mcquaid@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- April Sheffield bills herself as "probably the busiest woman in town." Despite the hectic schedule she details in campaign literature, Sheffield insists she has...

War, seen through the filters of church and party.(PERSPECTIVES)(Column)
March 2, 2003... Byline: Thomas Tryon Even if one supports the use of force to disarm Iraq, change its regime or whatever the ostensible purpose of intervention, there are many reasons to worry about an American-led war there: The cost in lives. The cost...

New class of clowns gives graduation performance to full house.(B SECTION)(Eye on Englewood)(Column)
March 2, 2003... Byline: Mary Bradberry The latest graduates of Barbara Walters-Riddle's clown school, Clowns Like Us, gave a free performance Feb. 21 on the stage of the Lemon Bay Playhouse. The eight "First of May" clowns performed skits, juggled,...

If DNA test brought suspense, we have doubts that shouldn't be there.(B SECTION)(Comment)(Column)
March 2, 2003... Byline: Tom Lyons Back when Florida State Prison was part of my reporting beat, the name Amos Lee King Jr. didn't stand out among death row residents. I never had reason to interview him. He was just another inmate with three names....

Young conductor living his dream.(ARTS & TRAVEL)
March 2, 2003... Byline: CHARLIE HUISKING charlie.huisking@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- At the first orchestra rehearsal of "The Pearl Fishers," conductor Yannick Nezet-Seguin wasted no time discussing the opera's theme or plot. "I didn't give the...

HIV/AIDS Awareness workshop in its third year.(B SECTION)
March 2, 2003... The third annual HIV/AIDS Workshop and Retreat was held recently at First Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, 411 E. Charlotte Ave., Punta Gorda. This year, the organizers also provided information about domestic violence. The workshop and...

'AIDA' REWORKS GRAND OPERA; Director, Disney, pop composers John and Rice all have had a hand in bringing Verdi's magnum opus to the stage.(ARTS & TRAVEL)(Review)
March 2, 2003... Byline: JAY HANDELMAN jay.handelman@heraldtribune.com TAMPA -- When Robert Falls was brought in to direct the Elton John-Tim Rice musical "Aida," he was taking over a show in trouble. The show's initial tryout in Atlanta in 1998 was...

Obituaries.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
March 2, 2003... SARASOTA COUNTY David E. Alban David E. Alban, 67, Venice, died Feb. 26, 2003. He was born June 24, 1915, in Columbus, Ohio, and came to Venice in 1977 from there. He was transportation manager at Landmark in Columbus. He was a...

Brazelton plays for two.(SPORTS)
March 2, 2003... Byline: CHRIS ANDERSON chris.anderson@heraldtribune.com ST. PETERSBURG -- Dewon Brazelton knew his twin brother was listening. Fewon Brazelton couldn't talk, and the doctors said he couldn't see, but whenever Dewon spoke his brother's...

A tentative ticket for 2004.(PERSPECTIVES)(Editorial)
March 2, 2003... Byline: Waldo Proffitt With the Iowa caucuses only 323 days away, let me take this opportunity to offer my tentative ticket for the Democratic slate in the 2004 presidential election: Graham and Kerry or Kerry and Graham. Either way...

Finding time for teens.(PERSPECTIVES)
March 2, 2003... Growing up in Sarasota can mean that by the time you hit your teens, the beautiful beach and bayfront seem like, well, kid stuff. As in many affluent communities, youths with time on their hands and too little attention from adults can turn...

Susce has been vocal about community issues.(B SECTION)
March 2, 2003... Byline: KEVIN L. McQUAID kevin.mcquaid@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- Jon Susce is hoping voters will see him as a candidate with a penchant to go against the grain and elect him as District 1's first white commissioner. Ever since an...

Riley-Prince.(FLORIDA WEST)
March 2, 2003... Stacey Lynn Riley of Bradenton and Jason Martin Prince of Sarasota were married Jan. 18, 2003, at 5 p.m. at Bethany Baptist Church in Myakka. The bride is the daughter of Bill and Connie Riley of Bradenton. The bridegroom is the son of...

Carolyn Mason says she can run on her record.(B SECTION)
March 2, 2003... Byline: KEVIN L. MCQUAID kevin.mcquaid@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- Carolyn Mason is standing on her record and the accomplishments of her four years on the City Commission. It's the foundation for her bid to be re-elected and continue...

Our Community.(B SECTION)
March 2, 2003... International music, culture event slated PORT CHARLOTTE -- "A New Song International" will present an international cultural, music and missions event at 7 p.m. March 29 at the Edgewater United Methodist Church, 19190 Toledo Blade Blvd....

Bowlin named Officer of Year.(SPORTS)
March 2, 2003... Byline: STAFF REPORT Officer Randy Bowlin of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Northeast Region was named the commission's 2002 Law Enforcement Officer of the Year. Bowlin will now be the commission's nominee to...

Obituaries.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
March 2, 2003... MANATEE COUNTY Juan Yepis-Duarte Juan Yepis-Duarte, infant son of Luis Yepis and Maura Duarte of Bradenton, died at birth Feb. 28, 2003, in Manatee Memorial Hospital. A service will be at 1 p.m. Monday at Brown and Sons Funeral...

Feds write rules on laundering.(A SECTION)
March 2, 2003... Byline: CORY REISS WASHINGTON BUREAU WASHINGTON -- Federal authorities say Palestinian Islamic Jihad was having money problems in 1994 when the leader of the American branch in Tampa considered ordering members to sell their houses. ...

Cougars ran short of heroics.(SPORTS)(Comment)(Column)
March 2, 2003... Byline: Brian Ettkin TAMPA -- They tried to break the waves, dam the Amazon and slay Goliath with a bobby pin. They attempted to defy gravity, and the gravitas of playing the soccer team ranked No. 2 in the nation. They strove to...

The world we can't see can be unnerving.(FLORIDA WEST)(Review)
March 2, 2003... Byline: DAVID M. GRIMES david.grimes@heraldtribune.com The Secret House: The Extraordinary Science of an Ordinary Day By David Bodanis ( Berkley, $14) Reading David Bodanis' "The Secret House: The Extraordinary Science of an...

Our Community.(B SECTION)
March 2, 2003... Venice man injured in I-75 truck crash SARASOTA COUNTY -- A Venice man was treated for serious injuries early Saturday after his pickup swerved, then flipped over on I-75. Kevin A. Militello, 23, of the 100 block of Braemar Avenue, was...

Lady Panthers cruise to victory.(SPORTS)
March 2, 2003... Byline: DENNIS MAFFEZZOLI dennis.maffezzoli@heraldtribune.com TAMPA -- Nothing could foul up the Bradenton Christian girls basketball team's plans to participate in the Final 4. Despite their two tallest players picking up their fourth...

Selby-DeTuccio.(FLORIDA WEST)
March 2, 2003... The engagement of Amber Renee Selby of Tampa and James Anthony DeTuccio of Wesley Chapel, is announced. She is the daughter of Wayne and Patricia Selby of Sarasota. He is the son of Faye DeTuccio of Land O'Lakes and the late George...

GOING UP / Albemarle at University Park; Developer borrows name of prestigious London address.(SUNDAY REAL ESTATE)
March 2, 2003... Byline: DOROTHY STOCKBRIDGE-PRATT dorothy.pratt@heraldtribune.com Albemarle is a prestigious address in London in the heart of Mayfair. At University Park, the Albemarle enclave offers choice sites on the 9th and 18th holes of the...

The party that just keeps getting bigger.(B SECTION)
March 2, 2003... The 24th annual Terra Ceia-Rubonia Mardi Gras Festival got rolling Saturday, and it continues today with a street party starting at 11 a.m. The main event will be the parade, starting around 3 p.m. along Bayshore Road and winding its way...

Power brokers party in capital.(A SECTION)
March 2, 2003... Byline: GARY FINEOUT and LLOYD DUNKELBERGER CAPITAL BUREAU TALLAHASSEE -- It's a Tallahassee tradition. The night before the 2003 Florida Legislature begins its annual session on Tuesday, lawmakers, lobbyists and thousands of their...

Rough Seas; Yucatan Express encounters obstacles launching its cruise-ferry to Mexico and Cuba.(BUSINESS & MONEY)
March 2, 2003... Byline: MICHAEL BRAGA michael.braga@heraldtribune.com PORT OF TAMPA -- The Yucatan Express saw immense opportunities for launching cruise-ferry services between Florida and ports in Mexico and Cuba. But so far the company has...

Popular 'Pearl Fishers' casts its spell again.(ARTS & TRAVEL)(Review)
March 2, 2003... Byline: CHARLIE HUISKING charlie.huisking@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- Sarasota Opera fans can't get enough of "The Pearl Fishers." The Bizet opera was a huge hit for the company three years ago, and the box office is doing brisk...

Legislative challenges; Budget debate will test the character of Florida's lawmakers.(PERSPECTIVES)(Editorial)
March 2, 2003... When this year's legislative session officially opens on Tuesday, Florida's senators and representatives will face two critical challenges. The first challenge will be to balance the state budget -- a duty required by law. Other important...

Clark-Lassen.(FLORIDA WEST)
March 2, 2003... Christin Carol Clark and Marc Leighton Lassen, both of Sequim, Wash., were married Dec. 27, 2002, in the garden of the bride's parents in Bradenton. The bride is the daughter of Frederick N. and Jacqueline Clark of Bradenton. The...

A fitting tribute to the best movies you've ever heard.(B SECTION)(Art Beat)(Column)
March 2, 2003... Byline: Naomi Donson ENGLEWOOD -- "A Night at the Oscars" would be a winner even if nominations for filmdom's highest honors had not recently been announced. As it is, the timeliness of The Hollywood Festival Orchestra's Feb. 18...