Sarasota Herald Tribune articles from March 2006

Sarasota Herald Tribune archives from March 2006

UP IN SMOKE; Fire destroys home that Hurricane Charley couldn't.(A SECTION)
March 1, 2006... Byline: ANNA SCOTT anna.scott@heraldtribune.com PORT CHARLOTTE -- The Singerman family had just finished repairing Hurricane Charley's damage when a fire broke out Tuesday morning and burned their home to its frame. "We had just...

Charlotte's impact fee up average of $5,000.(A SECTION)
March 1, 2006... Byline: PATRICK WHITTLE patrick.whittle@heraldtribune.com CHARLOTTE COUNTY -- Charlotte County's new impact fees add more than $5,000 to the cost of building a typical single-family home here, possibly signaling an end to the county's...

48% home sales drop leads state; prices up; One theory: Many well-off sellers await the 'right offer'.(A SECTION)
March 1, 2006... Byline: STEPHEN FRATER and MICHAEL POLLICK STAFF WRITERS The high season peaked in mid-February but so far there is little evidence of a long-awaited and often-predicted real estate recovery. In fact, the Sarasota-Bradenton market had...

Aide left Harris to work for MZM; Company's former chief is at center of scandal.(A SECTION)
March 1, 2006... Byline: CORY REISS and JEREMY WALLACE NYT REGIONAL NEWSPAPERS An aide to Rep. Katherine Harris quit last year to work for a defense contractor who at the time was pressing the Longboat Key Republican to secure federal funding for a...

A closer look; Review should prompt study of flaws in port security.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
March 1, 2006... Mercifully, Dubai Ports World has agreed to something that President Bush should've ordered -- a more intensive review of a plan for the company to manage port terminals in six U.S. cities, including Miami and New York. The president...

Teaming up on parks; County-city cooperation should improve playing fields.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
March 1, 2006... For years and years, the stormy relations between the elected officials of North Port and Sarasota County did nothing to improve the lives of people in the city or county. A ray of hope finally penetrated the dark clouds, however....

Casey the 'tough out' Pirates were lacking.(SPORTS)
March 1, 2006... Byline: TOM BALOG tom.balog@heraldtribune.com BRADENTON -- Sean Casey always wanted to play for his hometown Pittsburgh Pirates. The tough part of joining his favorite childhood team was leaving National League Central rival Cincinnati....

Defense is key to Booker's attack; Whether it's a suffocating 3-2 zone or a man-to-man, Tornadoes clamp down hard on opponents.(SPORTS)
March 1, 2006... Byline: ALAN DELL CORRESPONDENT SARASOTA -- The Booker High defense is cold and calculating. It's designed to strip the confidence from an opponent and demoralize its players. And when the defense is operating at maximum efficiency,...

Perimeter pair; Panthers duo specializes in knocking down 3-point shots.(SPORTS)
March 1, 2006... Byline: JON STYF jon.styf@heraldtribune.com BRADENTON -- The ball is always moving, traveling around the perimeter, in and out of the post. If the open shot isn't there, it moves along. If the pass finds an open shooter, Bradenton...

His name finally stands out.(SPORTS)(Comment)(Column)
March 1, 2006... Byline: Doug Fernandes SARASOTA -- By the time he left the University of Michigan campus, Mike Cervenak did so with a degree in Movement Science. Don't bother asking what movement science entails, just that Cervenak's next movement...

Good health rejuvenates Tommy Haas' career.(SPORTS)(TENNIS)(Column)
March 1, 2006... Byline: MIC HUBER Maybe it's the hair. It might be the new traveling coach. Or, quite possibly, it is as simple a thing as being completely healthy. Whatever the reason, Tommy Haas' professional career has been rejuvenated in 2006 and...

Sarasota blanks Venice; Eric Erickson allows one hit and strikes out 11 in six innings for Sailors.(SPORTS)
March 1, 2006... Byline: PERRY D. PENTZ perry.pentz@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- Sarasota High coach Clyde Metcalf has seen plenty of pitchers over the past 25 years, but even he was impressed with Sailors starter Eric Erickson on Tuesday night. The...

Scouting report:.(SPORTS)
March 1, 2006... Calusa Prep * Calusa Prep (23-2), the state's No. 1 ranked team in Class A, is making its first trip to the state Final Four under 21-year veteran coach Tim Fowler. The Colts ran through this season losing only to Class 6A Dr. Krop of...

Griffin sparks Lakewood Ranch.(SPORTS)
March 1, 2006... Byline: DENNIS MAFFEZZOLI dennis.maffezzoli@heraldtribune.com MURDOCK -- Jon Griffin admitted he was thinking about hitting for the cycle for the first time in his career, after getting a single, a double and a home run during his first...

Lady Tornadoes rally to beat Braden River in 8th.(SPORTS)
March 1, 2006... Byline: STAFF REPORT SARASOTA -- The Booker High softball team rallied for a 3-2 win over Braden River (1-5, 0-3) in eight innings Tuesday night at the Miss Sarasota Softball complex. Down 2-1, Booker tied it up in the sixth inning...

Blake makes list of top 100 hospitals; The study by a health care information company looked at patient care and finances.(BUSINESS)
March 1, 2006... Byline: DAVID GULLIVER david.gulliver@heraldtribune.com BRADENTON -- Blake Medical Center was named one of the country's top 100 hospitals in the latest edition of a long-running study. Just six of Florida's 241 hospitals -- and only...

Ex-Wachovia exec plans new bank; Sabal Bank is the second community bank proposed for Sarasota this year.(BUSINESS)
March 1, 2006... Byline: JOHN HIELSCHER john.hielscher@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA COUNTY -- After a relatively quiet couple of years, 2006 is shaping up to be a busy time for community bank start-ups in Sarasota. An investor group headed by Brian...

Winn-Dixie to sell or close 35 stores; Two Bradenton, Sarasota stores among those chain wants to cut.(BUSINESS)
March 1, 2006... Byline: LAUREN MAYK lauren.mayk@heraldtribune.com Winn-Dixie is planning to dump two Southwest Florida grocery stores as it shrinks its stable even further. The Jacksonville-based chain plans to sell or close its stores at 4502 State...

Business Buzz.(BUSINESS)
March 1, 2006... Shinn firm announces several staff changes Bradenton-based Shinn & Co., PA, a certified public accounting and consulting firm, recently announced the following staff additions and changes: Sara Warner will be involved in auditing and tax...

Gevity 4th-quarter profit falls; shares dip.(BUSINESS)
March 1, 2006... Byline: STAFF REPORT BRADENTON -- Gevity HR's shares were hammered Tuesday after the provider of human resource services posted profits that failed to meet Wall Street's expectations. The Nasdaq-traded shares dropped 16.21 percent to...

Celebrate St. David with cakes and leeks.(FLORIDA WEST)(Sampler)(Recipe)(Column)
March 1, 2006... Byline: Linda Brandt Reader Susanna Pugh of Bradenton wrote to remind us that today is the day Welshmen celebrate St. David's Day. Canonized in 1120 by Pope Calixtus II, the patron saint of Wales urged Welsh warriors to wear leeks to...

TINKERING WITH TRADITION; There may be a healthy way to satisfy a hankering for Florida's Cracker cooking.(FLORIDA WEST)
March 1, 2006... Byline: STEVE HEISLER CORRESPONDENT Nothing informs the richness of a region's culture like its food. That's certainly true of the Cracker cuisine that marks Florida's place in the culinary landscape. But enjoying old-timey fare in a...

Love is in the air during symphony concert.(FLORIDA WEST)
March 1, 2006... Byline: GAYLE WILLIAMS CORRESPONDENT The Florida West Coast Symphony's light classics and pops concerts have enjoyed a popular following in Sarasota, Englewood and North Port recently. "The Language of Romance" was the theme for...

She's off to see the orchestra.(FLORIDA WEST)
March 1, 2006... Byline: CHARLIE HUISKING charlie.huisking@heraldtribune.com A Munchkin will follow the yellow brick road to Sarasota for the Florida West Coast Symphony's "Oz With Orchestra" concert April 5. Margaret Williams Pellegrini, one of the...

Local snapshots; Brief comments on life and times in our communities.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
March 1, 2006... Volunteer center moved fast Volunteer agencies took an idea to fruition in record time. Last weekend, a new $600,000 center opened to house legions of volunteers who come to Charlotte County to help build or repair homes. The center began...

Lee OKs new price for parcel.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2006... Byline: STAFF REPORT FORT MYERS -- The Lee County Commission voted Tuesday to spend $41.8 million to buy a part of Babcock Ranch. Lee officials had planned to spend $40 million to buy a portion of the ranch, but the final price tag...

Builder ordered to pay customer; Rick William Goff also loses his right to apply for permits in Punta Gorda.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2006... Byline: SARA LUBBES sara.lubbes@heraldtribune.com PUNTA GORDA -- Rick William Goff sighed and stormed out of the room Tuesday after the Punta Gorda Building Board ordered the builder to pay restitution to a customer. Angry customers...

County details ideas for Murdock Village; 6 developers' plans include trails, resort island, work force housing.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2006... Byline: PATRICK WHITTLE patrick.whittle@heraldtribune.com CHARLOTTE COUNTY -- A resort island and a history walk are among the creative elements on six proposals to build a vibrant downtown area north Charlotte County has always lacked....

SEEN & HEARD.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2006... Charlotte water wins taste test Charlotte County tap water is so good, it has won an award for its flavor. The county Utility Department announced Tuesday that Charlotte's water has been deemed "best tasting in the region" by the...

Venice cinema to open; Twelve-screen theater will show its first flicks after months of delays.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2006... Byline: CHRISTINA E. SANCHEZ christina.sanchez@heraldtribune.com SOUTH VENICE -- The touted opening of a movie theater in South Venice has been like the repeated movie trailer for a blockbuster motion picture that boasts "Coming soon,"...

BRIEFS.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2006... Dredging machine arrives for project ENGLEWOOD -- The dredging machine that will widen Stump Pass arrived in the waterway early Wednesday, allowing workers to start this week. Work was supposed to start at the end of February, but bad...

Adamson gallery offers cutting-edge art on Dearborn.(B SECTION)(Art Beat)(Column)
March 1, 2006... Byline: MARILYN D. CARPENTER The "Something Different 2006" exhibit at the Adamson Artworks Family Gallery is just that. There are no seascapes or floral watercolors, no gigantic hibiscus paintings, no renderings of Florida palms or...

Soil cleanup begins.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2006... Byline: STAFF REPORT ENGLEWOOD -- Earthmovers began clearing petroleum-contaminated soil Tuesday from the former Fast Fetch gas station at East Dearborn Street and McCall Road. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is...

Safe haven for pets during hurricanes.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2006... Byline: AMY ABERN amy.abern@heraldtribune.com For the first time, Charlotte County will have a pet-friendly shelter in place for the upcoming hurricane season. This doesn't mean pet owners can breathe a sigh of relief, check off the...

PCHS U.N. team a model of success.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2006... Byline: BETSY WILLIAMS CORRESPONDENT When the Port Charlotte High School Model United Nations Academic Team returned home from Pennsylvania with another big win last month, team members were quick to point out the reason for their success....

OBITUARIES; CHARLOTTE COUNTY.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
March 1, 2006... John Bernhard Beecher Jr. John "Jack" Bernhard Beecher Jr., 87, Port Charlotte, died Feb 25, 2006, at Life Care Center of Punta Gorda. He was born July 8, 1918, in Brooklyn, N.Y., attended Washington and Lee University in Virginia and...

Hoop-la helpers key to event's success.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2006... Byline: SHARYN LONSDALE sharyn.lonsdale@heraldtribune.com With 20 game booths, crafts, a silent auction, food and entertainment, Vineland Elementary School's Heron Hoop-la spring carnival requires a small army of volunteers. Long...

Laurel Road could see 9,000 homes over next decade; Area east of I-75 dubbed 'North Venice.'.(A SECTION)
March 1, 2006... Byline: PAUL QUINLAN paul.quinlan@heraldtribune.com VENICE -- Plans for development along Laurel Road east of Interstate 75 could yield as many as 9,000 homes in the next 10 to 15 years. Once built, the area now home to little more...

Couples find rewards in acting with the Foxes.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2006... Byline: FRANCINE MILFORD francine.milford@heraldtribune.com The Silver Foxes, Venice Little Theatre's senior troupe of performers, will present their annual Follies show on the VLT's MainStage at 8 p.m. nightly from March 16 through March...

Jacaranda Women's Club helps charities.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2006... Byline: FRANCINE MILFORD francine.milford@heraldtribune.com At the end of every year, members of the board of the Jacaranda Women's Club decide how spend any extra money collected for that year from 50/50 raffles and membership dues. ...

Correction.(B SECTION)(Correction Notice)
March 1, 2006... North Port car collector John Homer Williams Jr. is the last surviving son of Vennie Scott-Williams. A Florida West story published Feb. 19 stated otherwise. Also, Williams' 1950 Nash Ambassador has a Hydra-Matic transmission.

SEEN & HEARD.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2006... North Port's new school needs a name North Port's newest elementary school may soon have a better name than "H." The Sarasota County School Board is soliciting ideas from the public on what name to bestow on the city's newest...

Historian Branch sees 'blessings' for all in the civil rights struggle.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2006... Byline: SUSAN L. RIFE susan.rife@heraldtribune.com To historian and author Taylor Branch, the struggle for civil rights in the 1950s and 1960s in the United States still resonates nearly 40 years later. Then, the South convulsed as...

North Port Girl Scouts 'tour' the world.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2006... North Port Girl Scouts took a worldwide trip Saturday visiting countries like China, Japan, Ireland, Mexico, Sweden and Greece. And they never even left North Port. Part of a scout fund-raiser for the Juliet Lowe Foundation, and the...

Gustitus among scholarship winners.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2006... Byline: STAFF REPORT The Sarasota Coalition on Substance Abuse presented 10 Sarasota County high school students as part of its first Shining Stars Scholarships and Awards Banquet on Tuesday. SCoSA partnered with the Sarasota County...

Peach's Restaurants to offer franchises in Southwest Florida; Bradenton business teams with consultant.(A SECTION)
March 1, 2006... Byline: LAUREN MAYK lauren.mayk@heraldtribune.com BRADENTON -- A Bradenton mainstay wildly popular with some segments of Southwest Florida thinks it has the legs to franchise. After more than 20 years in the food business, Peach's...

Manatee snapshots; Brief comments on life and times in our county.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
March 1, 2006... Good news at Wakeland Score another small but important victory for Wakeland Elementary School. The east Bradenton school has been struggling for years to improve student performance. Last year, officials announced plans to turn...

Panthers beat up on Bolts; Three Florida players score two goals apiece, and Luongo stops 32 shots in an 8-2 blowout.(SPORTS)
March 1, 2006... Byline: JODY ROYCE jody.royce@heraldtribune.com TAMPA -- What a sad return to action for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Everything that could go wrong for the Bolts did Tuesday night at the Times Forum. And to show their ineptitude against...

Trial delayed in murder of actress.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2006... Byline: MICHAEL A. SCARCELLA michael.scarcella@heraldtribune.com BRADENTON -- Did someone other than Gary Michael Cloud choke, beat and stab to death former actress Barbara Jean Laney? Cloud's attorney, Fred Mercurio, is determined to...

SEEN & HEARD.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2006... Laughter in the courtroom Last year, Kenneth William Holmes was caught blowing red lights and stop signs in what looked like an undercover cop car, complete with flashing blue lights. So when Holmes was late to a 3:15 p.m. court...

5-cent gas tax pitched; Public hearing set as county nears a vote on the increase.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2006... Byline: CORY SCHOUTEN cory.schouten@heraldtribune.com MANATEE COUNTY -- The county made its pitch for a 5-cent gas tax increase in public forums and roundtable discussions. Now, the public will have its last say. The County...

BRIEFS.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2006... Mobile home residents can hear presentation BRADENTON -- Mobile home residents who rent their lots are invited to a forum Saturday where they will hear about proposed legislation that would ensure they can organize and make offers to buy...

OBITUARIES; MANATEE COUNTY.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
March 1, 2006... Elsie V. Dallas Elsie V. Dallas, 88, Bradenton and formerly of Sarasota and Punta Gorda, died Feb. 25, 2006. She was born Oct. 12, 1917, in Atlas, Va., and came to Sarasota in 1961 from Punta Gorda. She moved to Bradenton in 1994. She...

Around the Region; News from Sarasota and Charlotte counties.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2006... TAMPA -- Dr. Rosin fraud case in jury's hands now A jury will start deciding today whether Dr. Michael Rosin is guilty of defrauding Medicare of more than $3 million by performing unnecessary surgeries on 70 elderly patients from the...

Learn about local heritage throughout the county.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2006... Byline: BUBBLES GREER The 27th annual Manatee Heritage Days kicks off with a real bang this weekend with activities from Ellenton to Old Manatee in the east, downtown Bradenton and west to Anna Maria island. Scheduled events include:...

2006 Jabberwock dedicated to former educator Mary Watts.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2006... Byline: YVETTE KIMM yvette.kimm@heraldtribune.com Mary M. Watts spent the last day of her life with one of her best friends and sorority sisters, Lillie Covington. The women, members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., spent the...

Rep. Harris misled us; now we know why.(B SECTION)(Comment)(Column)
March 1, 2006... Byline: Tom Lyons Let's not make this fuzzy: U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris lied. Harris repeatedly misled journalists and the public about her conversations with defense contractor Mitchell Wade. I see no other way to look at this. ...

Governor hopefuls set out goals; Republicans Gallagher and Crist also throw some elbows.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2006... Byline: JOE FOLLICK CAPITAL BUREAU It rained promises in Tallahassee and Bradenton on Tuesday: Billions of dollars in tax cuts. Smoother driving. Money for those who adopt children. Sounds like the start of a campaign year. The...

Housing tenants wary but positive; They support replacing decaying public housing if they're given options.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2006... Byline: DALE WHITE dale.white@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- In a meeting frequently punctuated with applause Tuesday, tenants in this city's battered public housing projects expressed overall support for a plan that calls for demolishing...

SEEN & HEARD.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2006... AAA features bayfront's kissing couple The smooching sailor on Sarasota's bayfront ended up in an unlikely source -- Going Places, a magazine that's sent out to members of AAA. The statue, called "Unconditional Surrender," landed in...

Rosin fraud case to head to jury.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2006... Byline: TODD RUGER todd.ruger@heraldtribune.com TAMPA -- A jury will start considering today whether Dr. Michael Rosin is guilty of defrauding Medicare of more than $3 million by performing unnecessary surgeries on 70 elderly patients...

A chance to take charge of your health.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2006... Byline: PATTY ALLEN-JONES patty.allen-jones@heraldtribune.com Chyenne Bidart did a lot of research on lung cancer when her grandmother was diagnosed with the disease in 2003. The Web services reference librarian at Selby Public Library...

OBITUARIES; SARASOTA COUNTY.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
March 1, 2006... DeMaris Bauner DeMaris "Dee" (Richwine) Bauner, 88, Sarasota, and Anderson, Ind., died Feb. 26, 2006, at Methodist Hospital, Indianapolis, after a long illness. She was born Dec. 20, 1917, in Frankton, Ind., and wintered in Sarasota....

Couple catches sight of bobcats.(H-T SOUTH)
March 1, 2006... Once discounted as mere myth, the bobcats on Siesta Key appear to be gaining in both allure and, perhaps, numbers. David and Tatiana Staats have seen "Momcat" and "Siesta Bob," as they've named them, numerous times since last July. They...

Politics as usual? Not this D.C. visit.(H-T SOUTH)
March 1, 2006... Byline: (Carol E. Lee) Riverview High School senior Ashley Light is back in town after a trip to Washington, D.C., where she rubbed elbows with politicians, ambassadors and lobbyists. Light was one of 15 students from Florida's 13th...

Coalition brings neighbors together.(H-T SOUTH)
March 1, 2006... Byline: CAROL E. LEE carol.lee@heraldtribune.com The gates that divide Palmer Ranch's communities were breached last year when four residents from different neighborhoods got together and started a communities association. Since then,...

Information, please; Siesta Beach ambassadors have answers.(H-T SOUTH)
March 1, 2006... Byline: HEATHER ALLEN heather.allen@heraldtribune.com There are no translators, no ear pieces and no metal detectors at this embassy. And the ambassador's attire is more Tommy Bahama than three-piece suit. The embassy is a tiki hut fit...

'Fab 5' get head start in nursing field.(H-T SOUTH)
March 1, 2006... Byline: CAROL E. LEE carol.lee@heraldtribune.com The first high school students to earn practical nursing certificates at Sarasota County Technical Institute graduated Thursday night. Now all they have to do is finish high school. ...

Event gathers Wisconsinites.(H-T SOUTH)
March 1, 2006... Byline: JOSH ORR CORRESPONDENT For the 60 expatriates from Fond du Lac, Wis., who held their seventh annual community barbecue Friday, the 60-degree weather was decidedly balmy. Back home, Fond du Lac was in the 30s. Friends back home...

Church starts Springfest event.(H-T SOUTH)
March 1, 2006... Byline: JOSH ORR CORRESPONDENT Holy Trinity Anglican Church invited Sarasota to its quiet grounds Saturday for its first Springfest, an all-day rummage sale, bake sale and bull roast. "Springfest comes from a desire to make ourselves...

Even the menu delights at Aioli Grill.(H-T SOUTH)
March 1, 2006... Byline: LEIGH M. CALDWELL leigh.caldwell@heraldtribune.com The experience of ordering take-out from Aioli Grill Italian Express begins when you open the menu. The flowery descriptions of the dishes amused me and the coworkers nearby, as I...

Kiwanis, Knights raise money with breakfast.(H-T SOUTH)
March 1, 2006... Byline: JOSH ORR CORRESPONDENT South Sarasota Kiwanis Club and Knights of Columbus united Feb. 25 for children's benefits, serving breakfast and auctioning off goods at the third annual Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast. Sarasotans were...

Author to speak at Italian Club event.(H-T SOUTH)
March 1, 2006... Byline: HEATHER ALLEN heather.allen@heraldtribune.com Author Adriana Trigiani remembers the washing machine constantly running, the table perfectly set for 6 o'clock as the family religiously gathered for the sacred meal. Now that...

Embassy not built in a day ... it took 2.(H-T SOUTH)
March 1, 2006... Byline: HEATHER ALLEN heather.allen@heraldtribune.com The embassy has been stormed, invaded and seized. Through it all, the tiki hut still stands, thanks to one man. Some think of him as an architect of reform. But Joe Wieczorek...

County delays action on new events center.(B SECTION)
March 1, 2006... Byline: SARA LUBBES sara.lubbes@heraldtribune.com PORT CHARLOTTE -- The building isn't big enough. The parking isn't going to work. No matter what, plans for the Charlotte County Events Center just aren't right. The County...

Witnesses jailed in traffic case to sue Woodard; Judge, reprimanded last month for setting excessive bail, set the couple's bail at $50,000.(A SECTION)
March 2, 2006... Byline: KRISTEN KRIDEL kristen.kridel@heraldtribune.com CHARLOTTE COUNTY -- Two witnesses in a civil traffic case spent four days in jail because they could not pay the high bail set by County Judge W. Wayne Woodard. The witnesses...

Team brings out autistic teen's talent; Lenny Mills isn't just a manager for his baseball team; he's a motivator.(A SECTION)
March 2, 2006... Byline: LIZ BABIARZ liz.babiarz@heraldtribune.com NORTH PORT -- By now, many have heard the story about Jason McElwain, an autistic team manager for the Greece Athena High School basketball team in New York, who scored 20 points with four...

NEXT ASSIGNMENT: NARROWING THE GAP; Norris wants $118 million to boost minority achievement.(A SECTION)
March 2, 2006... Byline: LAURA GREEN laura.green@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA COUNTY -- By eighth grade, teachers pegged Shaquan Harps as a potential dropout. He fueled their doubts by tuning out lessons, disturbing class and bringing drugs to high school....

Research: Expect kids to fail, and they do.(A SECTION)
March 2, 2006... Byline: LAURA GREEN laura.green@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA COUNTY -- The achievement gap between white and minority students is mirrored, experts say, by an expectations gap: Educators often expect minorities to struggle, creating a...

Support of minorities, teachers seen as key to classroom gains.(A SECTION)
March 2, 2006... Byline: LAURA GREEN laura.green@heraldtribune.com ***** CORRECTION: The following correction was published on Friday, March 3, 2006: A story in Thursday's Herald-Tribune about a plan to improve minority graduation rates in Sarasota...

O'Neil's claim to Fame; Baseball ambassador deserves enshrinement.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
March 2, 2006... 'One of baseball's most engaging personalities and a great ambassador for his sport." So begins one of the 260 bronze plaques in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. This testimonial of greatness could be on Buck O'Neil's plaque in the...

Coming to terms; Public-housing residents accept the need for change.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
March 2, 2006... It was a sight for sore eyes Tuesday: a crowded room full of hopeful, north Sarasota public-housing residents, coming to terms with demolition plans that would turn their crumbling homes into new, mixed-income developments. A year ago, the...

Murdock Village priorities; Charlotte should consider factors besides price.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
March 2, 2006... Several variables should drive Charlotte County's choice of a developer for Murdock Village. The first priority should be recouping a sizable return on taxpayers' investment. Charlotte has spent three years and nearly $80 million acquiring...

MCC has major highlights.(SPORTS)
March 2, 2006... Byline: TOM BALOG tom.balog@heraldtribune.com BRADENTON -- Before the luck and pitching ran out for Manatee Community College, the Lancers took away a handful of thrills from an 8-1 exhibition loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday...