Sarasota Herald Tribune articles from March 2010

Sarasota Herald Tribune archives from March 2010

Herald Tribune Obituaries.
March 31, 2010... March 18, 2010 Nancy Lee Chesnut, 69, of Bradenton, passed away March 18, 2010, in Sarasota. Born Dec. 28, 1940, in Detroit, Nancy lived most of her life in Bradenton. She was a nurse (L.P.N.) at the V.A. hospital in Ann Arbor, Mich., St....

Fish camp memories.
March 31, 2010... Byline: JACK D. WINNER Correspondent But it's true, with a few modifications. The brothers in question had already been running Caragiulo's Italian Restaurant for some 20 years before this new venture. And the town is Sarasota, which isn't...

Roasting, toasting and day-old bread.
March 31, 2010... Byline: Linda Brandt Roasting and toasting are almost always used interchangeably when it comes to pecans, walnuts, almonds, etc. Only at www.diamondnuts.com did I find instructions for both toasting and roasting, and the difference seems to...

Colorful geckos support the arts.
March 31, 2010... Byline: J. NIELSEN Correspondent Gecko sculptures can be seen adorning businesses and public buildings throughout Manatee County, from Palmetto to Holmes Beach. The biannual auction of the 6-foot gecko sculptures, which will be May 1 this...

Breeder turns in dozens of puppies.
March 31, 2010... Byline: JOHN DAVIS KENNEL: She is cited for neglect; dogs may be put up for adoption A woman with 29 dogs in her North Port home -- most of them puppies -- turned many of the animals over to authorities on Tuesday after a report that she...

Local talent shines at Glenridge.
March 31, 2010... Byline: JODI WALUKONIS Correspondent The event, in the filled Glenridge Performing Arts Center, seemed like a taping of the TV show "American Idol," complete with impressive performances. Proceeds from the fundraiser will help produce...

Bradenton's Dent in Sarasota Open.
March 31, 2010... Byline: MIC HUBER TENNIS: The tournament will be played May 8-15 at the Longboat Key Club Taylor Dent is busy trying to balance life as a professional tennis player and fatherhood. For one week in May, that balancing act will be a...

Crawford keeps his future in perspective.
March 31, 2010... Byline: DENNIS MAFFEZZOLI RAYS: The speedy outfielder is in the last year of his contract Could it be? Could Carl Crawford have played his penultimate spring training game in a Rays' uniform at Charlotte Sports Park. Could be. ...

The greatest rewards come from taking risks.
March 31, 2010... Byline: Eric Ernst After three years of traveling around the world with her husband on a 37-foot sailboat, Mary Gottschalk has plenty of stories. Like the one about the big fish. She was below deck heading across the Pacific when she heard...

Classroom aides face a new test.
March 31, 2010... Byline: CHRISTOPHER O'DONNELL About 2,000 teacher's aides across Florida -- including about 250 locally -- could lose their jobs if they cannot become "highly qualified" by passing a competency test or completing two years of college. ...

ROAD FEE WAS NOT FORGOTTEN.
March 31, 2010... Byline: JOHN DAVIS Opposition from Southwest Florida home builders has not swayed North Port from collecting a fee to help repair local roads damaged by construction traffic. North Port's imposition for the per-square-foot fee on new...

Last-minute reprieve for city's circus arena.
March 31, 2010... Byline: KIM HACKETT VENICE: Council delays demolition to let trapeze artist plan an alternative With an outpouring of support from the community, fifth-generation trapeze artist Tito Gaona won a temporary reprieve from the city for his...

Manatee County looks to attract employers.
March 31, 2010... Byline: DALE WHITE JOBS: Three sites could turn industrial to bring in firms An expanded effort to attract new employers to Manatee is about to receive a $400,000 funding boost. On top of that, three large residential developments that...

What use for forecasts if they only confound?
March 31, 2010... Byline: KATE SPINNER Hurricane center is aiming to make its tools easier to understand The nation's top hurricane expert says his own family "glazes over" when he launches into forecasting jargon. So imagine the challenge in getting the...

City fees for roads are not forgotten.
March 31, 2010... Byline: JOHN DAVIS Opposition from Southwest Florida home builders has not swayed North Port from collecting a fee to help repair local roads damaged by construction traffic. North Port's imposition for the per-square-foot fee on new...

Sailors breeze past Jaguars.
March 31, 2010... Byline: JODY ROYCE jody.royce@heraldtribune.com Jimmie Koch started and capped a six-run fourth inning with run-scoring hits as Sarasota defeated Coral Glades 10-0 Tuesday night at Ronald K. Drews Field in the quarterfinals of the Elite...

Spring bling.
March 31, 2010... Byline: MARSHA FOTTLER CORRESPONDENT Call it Bunny Bling, Easter Chic, or Candy Grande, the meaning is the same Easter sweet treats and basket accessories have gone haute and glam, more adult and luxurious. Oh, the peeps are still...

Herald Tribune Obituaries.
March 30, 2010... Feb. 1, 1925 - March 23, 2010 Dema P. Moore of Sarasota died March 23, 2010. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. April 9 at the Key West Auditorium, located at the Fountains at Lake Pointe Woods of Sarasota. Dema was born Feb. 1, 1925, in...

The crying game.
March 30, 2010... Byline: WALKER MEADE Correspondent Guess again. The tears our eyes make to keep them moistened and healthy also make clear vision possible (more about that later.) But those tears are completely different from the tears we shed when we...

Banyan Ball a magical oasis.
March 30, 2010... Byline: Heather Dunhill The six executive chairwomen, Kitty Cranor, Mickey Davis, Kim Githler, Nora Johnson, Terri Vitale and Elizabeth Mahler, planned an elegant occasion by turning the Petrik Thunderdome into a magical oasis. The evening...

A healthy dose of classical music.
March 30, 2010... Byline: LISA FREDERICK Correspondent Musicians shared their talents at the "Mozart Effect" concert March 13 at Glenridge on Palmer Ranch to benefit Healthy Start. The classical concert's tie with Healthy Start's care of pregnant women and...

Not-Alone spreads some joy for Easter.
March 30, 2010... Byline: J. NEILSEN Correspondent The Not-Alone Support Group Team began five years ago with the distribution of Easter baskets made in Hardy's home by hand with material bought with their own money or donated by local organizations. ...

'Night Train' gives audiences lively ride.
March 30, 2010... Byline: JAY HANDELMAN This salute to the songs and performers who emerged from Memphis provides a welcome and subtle exclamation point on how musical styles came together to create an original sound and formed the underpinnings of rock 'n'...

Condos lose water to save it.
March 30, 2010... Byline: Tom Lyons Judges face tough calls when someone -- usually a woman -- seeks a protective restraining order to keep someone else -- usually a man -- from coming anywhere near. Typically, the hearings include accounts of tense...

Freshman leads Braden River.
March 30, 2010... Byline: CHRIS DELL, Correspondent KIDS PROFILE: Softball pitcher Courtney Mirabella has 7-2 record and 0.93 ERA Courtney Mirabella is a softball manager's dream. Confident and coachable, the freshman at Braden River High has recorded...

MacPhail says plan will work.
March 30, 2010... Byline: DOUG FERNANDES ORIOLES: MacPhail says money well spent on scouts, farm system If it were up to Andy MacPhail, the Baltimore Orioles' plane departing Florida for the start of the regular season would have an empty seat. His. ...

Woman accused in shotgun death had previous contacts with police.
March 30, 2010... Byline: KIM HACKETT When his ex-girlfriend pointed a 20-gauge shotgun at his current girlfriend early Sunday, Darryl Smith, 44, reportedly jumped in front of Andrea Stranko to protect her, police say. But authorities say a shotgun pellet...

Power holds off Wilson in St. Pete.
March 30, 2010... Byline: JODY ROYCE IRL: After 19-hour rain delay, Aussie driver wins by four-fifths of a second It may have taken longer than anticipated, but Will Power got the win he expected. The Australian driver had the car to beat all weekend in...

Tourism numbers said to increase.
March 30, 2010... Byline: ZAC ANDERSON The economic bright spots are still rare in a state with record unemployment, but Florida's bedrock industry -- tourism -- may be one of the best bets for short-term economic gains. Elected officials from Sarasota...

As season draws closer, Pirates still have questions.
March 30, 2010... Byline: TOM BALOG ROSTER MOVES: Pittsburgh cuts Moss and picks up reliever from Marlins After going 3-for-37 this spring, outfielder Brandon Moss was designated for assignment by Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Neal Huntington on...

Comprehensive plan is ready, officials say.
March 30, 2010... Byline: TERRY O'CONNOR Correspondent City officials think they have the answers to all 26 state objections to the proposed Venice comprehensive plan to encourage sensible growth. State concerns on Venice's long-range growth plan center...

Mooney struggles.
March 30, 2010... Byline: DONNIE WILKIE, Correspondent SARASOTA CLASSIC: 2009 4A state champion Naples breezes by Cougars, 16-2 There's a good chance that one day, Cardinal Mooney High's Jason Sierra will remember his first game at the 25th annual Sarasota...

A gender debate on foot washing.
March 30, 2010... Byline: TODD RUGER In a move that brings a national debate home to Southwest Florida Catholic churches, Bishop Frank Dewane has reminded priests that only men should have their feet washed during a pre-Easter ceremony. Many Catholic...

Sailors rally to victory.
March 30, 2010... Byline: CHRIS DELL, Correspondent CLASSIC: Koch's two- run triple in fifth is key hit in 4-3 win Sarasota High rode the pitching arms of Keith Curcio and Eric Wright to a 4-3 victory over Miami Ferguson on Monday night in a first-round...

EX-COACH PREPARES FOR TRIAL.
March 30, 2010... Byline: CHRISTOPHER O'DONNELL The case against Hunter includes a toxicology report that his blood-alcohol content was nearly three times the level at which Florida drivers are considered impaired and Florida Highway Patrol reports indicating...

Unemployment could rise again.
March 30, 2010... Byline: KEVIN McQUAID Economists say the state's jobless rate -- now at a record 12.2 percent -- could go as high as 12.5 percent before beginning a gradual, slow decline. "The whole state of Florida seems to be in suspended animation,"...

Ten dollar armed robbery leads to chase, crash and multiple felonies.
March 30, 2010... Byline: Bart Pfankuch The incident began around 4:20 a.m. when a truck driver was parked in the 5400 block of 14th Street West, and making a delivery at a nearby Publix grocery store. Suddenly, a man jumped in the back and put a gun to the...

A thorny issue: balancing.
March 29, 2010... Byline: Matt Sauer 'Outgunned" is becoming a common refrain in Southwest Florida these days. It is not a new concept in either the tourism industry or economic development efforts, but as our region casts about for ways to dig itself out...

FOR THE UNDERWATER.
March 29, 2010... Byline: MICHAEL BRAGA Traci Williams is a perfect example of someone who is able to turn disaster into opportunity. A mortgage broker whose income dropped with the plunging real estate market and an entrepreneur whose race-horse breeding...

U.S. credit card customers pay more despite new law.
March 29, 2010... Byline: John Hielscher bit heavier these days, you're not alone. Credit card companies raised interest rates across the board before the new federal CARD Act took effect last month. While the prime lending rate remains at the historic...

Attorneys general are taking aim at companies demanding.
March 29, 2010... Byline: AARON KESSLER, WITH BANK OF AMERICA'S recent announcement that it will begin reducing the actual principal owed on some mortgages whose borrowers are "underwater" -- owing more than their homes are now worth -- mortgage modifications...

Realtors expect home values to decline or remain flat.
March 29, 2010... Byline: Tom Bayles HomeGain's First Quarter 2010 Home Prices Survey provides some interesting nuggets from more than 1,400 real estate professionals throughout the nation. The results of the survey, conducted over a week's time in early...

AND DEALS, FUEL MARKET Even now, commercial properties are moving,.
March 29, 2010... Byline: DOUG SWORD, IF ANYONE CAN STAY UPBEAT IN a downturn, it is Diane Lee. Lee and her cohorts at Wagner Realty filled or sold about 60,000 square feet of office space during the last quarter to what might best be described as...

Herald Tribune Obituaries.
March 29, 2010... Jan. 13, 1927 - March 17, 2010 Joel Richard "Dick" Bergan of Sarasota died March 17, 2010. Services have taken place. Jennings Funeral Home & Crematory handled arrangements. Survivors include his wife, Connie Boutwell-Bergan; a...

Venture offers help for underwater homeowners.
March 29, 2010... Byline: MICHAEL BRAGA Traci Williams is a perfect example of someone who is able to turn disaster into opportunity. A mortgage broker whose income dropped with the plunging real estate market and an entrepreneur whose race-horse breeding...

Foreclosure rescue fraud is flourishing.
March 29, 2010... Byline: AARON KESSLER, But as a result of the difficult and complex maze homeowners already have faced to get modifications, scammers have been inundating the market. The Herald-Tribune reported last week that a coalition of government...

Survivors and deals fuel commercial market.
March 29, 2010... Byline: DOUG SWORD, a downturn, it is Diane Lee. Lee and her cohorts at Wagner Realty filled or sold about 60,000 square feet of office space during the last quarter to what might best be described as counter-cyclical companies. A debt...

Bounce-back season for Burrell is needed.
March 29, 2010... Byline: DENNIS MAFFEZZOLI RAYS: Former Phillie can only put 2009 behind him and try to improve Andrew Friedman has had a good track record with more hits than misses during his first four years. The Tampa Bay Rays vice president of...

Service at stadium for Powell.
March 29, 2010... Byline: DOUG FERNANDES A celebration of the life of Jim Powell will take place Wednesday night starting at 6 inside the stadium that bears his name, Powell-Davis Stadium, on the campus of Venice High School. "That's where his stomping...

Rain postpones IRL Grand Prix.
March 29, 2010... Byline: JODY ROYCE RESCHEDULED: Rain forces race to be run today at 10 a.m. SPRINT CUP: Goody's 500 rained out as well The Indy Racing League will run its road-course races in the rain, just not in a lot of it. The Honda Grand Prix...

A season of generosity to those in dire straits.
March 29, 2010... Byline: JENNIFER SHEA Correspondent Season of Sharing is an annual effort to assist struggling households in Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte and DeSoto counties. Donations are distributed to an Sibhon Wicks, 23, is among those who received...

Burnham, Banks claim two titles.
March 29, 2010... Byline: BILL HERALD CORRESPONDENT Burnham claimed the handicap all-events title with a nine-game score of 2,157, and she rolled the tournament's high scratch game of 268 while teaming with Alicia Fruehwald to win Division B doubles at 1,511....

A flipper won't face charges.
March 29, 2010... Byline: TODD RUGER Prosecutors have decided not to pursue a case against one of the Sarasota area's most successful property flippers on charges that he stripped appliances from his foreclosed Lakewood Ranch home. The overwhelming number...

With tax dollars, counties offering a voice on cable.
March 29, 2010... Byline: DALE WHITE As newspapers and other mainstream media cut staffs and production, local government TV stations are venturing into the news business themselves -- as are Internet bloggers and others not affiliated with traditional news...

Florida rebukes insurer over transactions.
March 29, 2010... Byline: PAIGE ST. JOHN State regulators gave Homeowners Choice Property and Casualty 21 days to seek the return of more than $9 million it paid last year to Claddaugh, an offshore affiliate. Regulators could suspend Homeowners' insurance...

The goal: scaring you at just the right time.
March 29, 2010... Byline: KATE SPINNER When hurricanes loom, too many people miss the message about the risks. Many flee needlessly, while others ignore emergency officials' warnings altogether -- a combination that has repeatedly proved disastrous. In...

At last, the bottom?
March 29, 2010... Byline: MICHAEL BRAGA The great home price decline that began on the Gulf Coast more than four years ago finally shows signs of ending. In the Sarasota-Bradenton market, the median price for single-family homes hit a low of $144,000 in...

Linked to the land.
March 28, 2010... Byline: MARSHA FOTTLER Correspondent "My dad built that house," she recounts. "He was W.V. "Wink' Hand, a noted carpenter. On the road right outside our house was the sign that welcomed people to Fruitville, which was a village all to itself...

Driving and home affordability.
March 28, 2010... Byline: Harold Bubil I remember thinking, you will save money on the house, but you will be driving that 20 extra miles twice a day, every working day, for as long as you live there. It's certainly not news that home buyers are willing to...

Musings about health care.
March 28, 2010... Byline: David Grimes I do not pretend to understand everything about the new health-care bill other than the Republicans hate it and the Democrats sort of like it as long as there is a provision providing for free beer at all party functions....

A look behind the scenes at the Met.
March 28, 2010... Byline: SUSAN L. RIFE "An oft-mentioned comment of my wife's is 'when are you going back to that cushy job at the Met?' " said de Montebello in a recent telephone interview. "I have several jobs and no secretary, which is the hardest of...

Neither small nor solemn.
March 28, 2010... Byline: CHRIS ANGERMANN Correspondent The Mass was commissioned in 1863 by the Countess Louise Pillet-Will for the consecration of her private chapel in Paris. The premiere was an intimate affair, and Rossini scored his extended setting of...

Connecting with one art form over another.
March 28, 2010... Byline: Jay Handelman I suppose it depends on the person, but it's more of a challenge to me. I can't explain why, but theater reviewing comes naturally to me, perhaps because I love the art form so much. Describing music, how it sounds...

Asolo Rep play wins award.
March 28, 2010... Byline: JAY HANDELMAN Wells was honored for "Perfect Mendacity," which was presented by the Asolo last spring after earlier development in the Steppenwolf Theatre's fourth annual First Look Workshop Series in Chicago. Wells is a...

Going on the road.
March 28, 2010... Byline: JAY HANDELMAN Myra Janco Daniels, founder and CEO of the Naples center, announced the arrangement, which begins with Sarasota Opera's fall production of "La Cenerentola," Rossini's operatic version of the Cinderella story, and...

The next Balanchine?
March 28, 2010... Byline: SUSAN L. RIFE "And here we are going to be doing one of his pieces. I still keep pinching myself. I can't believe we're going to be able to do one." Wheeldon's "There Where She Loved," a collection of seven "little dances"...

Bill takes a narrow-minded approach to education.
March 28, 2010... Byline: Thomas Tryon The Republican-controlled Legislature is, again, making a mockery of that self-proclaimed principle. And, during the current legislative session no one has done more to undermine government closest to the people than Sen....

Herald Tribune Obituaries.
March 28, 2010... Sept. 29, 1928 - March 25, 2010 Elsa Gillworth of Sarasota passed peacefully in her sleep in the company of family early Thursday morning. Elsa was born in Havana, Cuba, Sept. 29, 1928. She moved to the U.S. with her mother in 1946, becoming...

Gustke's Reno team epitomizes longevity.
March 28, 2010... Byline: Bill Herald Can you say longevity? While Gustke appeared in his 52nd USBC Open, he was joined by teammates who had combined for a record-breaking total of 254 years in the prestigious event. Gustke shared the spotlight with...

Rallying support of ballot measure.
March 28, 2010... Byline: DALE WHITE The president of Florida Hometown Democracy, a group pushing a proposed state constitutional amendment that would empower voters to ratify or veto changes in their communities' growth management plans, rallied her local fan...

Wilkinson's Wildcats run to raise money.
March 28, 2010... Byline: JENNA O'HORAN Correspondent Students wearing bright orange T-shirts ran and walked the fifth-of-a-mile track. Their goal was to run as many laps as they could in an hour. "It was my second year, and I think it's something the whole...

Two events add to tennis mecca.
March 28, 2010... Byline: Mic Huber You will find coaches... from those at world renowned academies to lonely tennis teachers applying their trade wherever they find a court. You will find players, from hackers, who simply play for exercise, to world...

In tiny parks, the key to preserving Florida.
March 28, 2010... Byline: Eric Ernst A small one to be sure: Michael Biel Park takes up all of 75 by 100 feet near the Hatchett Creek Bridge in Venice. This was one of the early success stories of what is now the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast....

Medicare fears and confusion.
March 28, 2010... Byline: ANNA SCOTT In this city where the median age is 65 and many residents are on Medicare, more than 500 people packed the community center Saturday morning, mostly to vent anger over health care reform. Republican congressman Vern...

Legendary Venice coach stayed close to program.
March 28, 2010... Byline: HALLE STOCKTON People throughout the region knew Jim Powell for once winning 33 straight football games and holding the title as the most successful football coach in Venice High's history. His legendary status at the school is...

A Power play for the pole.
March 28, 2010... Byline: JODY ROYCE, Staff writer IRL: Aussie Will Power gets top slot at Honda GP of St. Petersburg ST. PETERSBURG - Will Power was given a big opportunity to drive for Roger Penske last year. The Australian is making the most of it....

McCutchen looks past rough outing.
March 28, 2010... Byline: TOM BALOG Daniel McCutchen fell into the job as the Pirates' No. 5 starter. Now his challenge becomes not to fall out of it, like Kevin Hart did. Making his first Grapefruit League start, McCutchen gave up five runs Saturday, but...

STATE LAWMAKERS: Highly charged session has been productive, yet also divisive.
March 28, 2010... Byline: GARY FINEOUT H-T Capital Bureau Correspondent Florida lawmakers hit the midway point of their annual 60-day session next week with a lot to show for their work so far. Legislators have scaled back an unpopular unemployment...

Mozart placed in good hands.
March 28, 2010... Byline: GAYLE WILLIAMS Correspondent Bjaland long ago revealed his particular mastery of a clean classical style, but the orchestra has not always been able to rise to the occasion. It has been a number of years since the orchestra last...

At outdoor party, the mood is 'chill'.
March 28, 2010... Byline: HALLE STOCKTON Smooth jazz, abundant beverage options and luxurious rattan daybeds lured hundreds to historic Palm Avenue Saturday evening. The third annual Chillounge Night in Sarasota attracted all age groups and even families of...

If it's all about free will, why did it cost him $20?
March 28, 2010... Byline: Tom Lyons But the Sarasota native decided he had to do something when he saw the same woman apparently ripping off other retirement-age people. She had approached Messer, 68, outside the Publix at Bee Ridge and Cattlemen. The thin...

At last, the bottom?
March 28, 2010... Byline: MICHAEL BRAGA The great home price decline that began on the Gulf Coast more than four years ago finally shows signs of ending. In the Sarasota-Bradenton market, the median price for single-family homes hit a low of $144,000 in...

Herald Tribune Obituaries.
March 27, 2010... Oct. 19, 1939 - March 22, 2010 Sylvia C. Brain, 70, of Sarasota, died March 22, 2010. A memorial service will be at 6:30 p.m. today at Faith Presbyterian Church, 1201 North Beneva Road. Following the service there will be a celebration of...

Finding peace, a person at a time.
March 27, 2010... Byline: PATTIE MIHALIK Correspondent That will change for those who register to attend a five-day workshop at Unity Church of Venice An international motivational speaker, the Rev. Rita Marie Johnson, is offering a five-day seminar geared to...