Sarasota Herald Tribune articles from May 1999, page 19

Sarasota Herald Tribune archives from May 1999

Man arrested after hit-and-run.(B SECTION)
May 10, 1999... Byline: STAFF REPORT A 28-year-old man who did not have a valid driver's license was arrested Saturday evening in Bradenton after driving away from a Palmetto car accident in which five children were injured. Felipe A. Morales, 28,...

Readiness can minimize fire damage; Measures to prevent a home from burning need to be taken before a fire threatens.(B SECTION)
May 10, 1999... Byline: Tom Bayles STAFF WRITER Port St. Lucie resident Mel Armstrong had less than 15 minutes to collect everything dear to him and his family last month as a wildfire whipped through his woodsy neighborhood. A 30-foot wall of...

Hurricane readiness is focus of meeting.(B SECTION)
May 10, 1999... All area residents are invited to attend a public hurricane preparedness meeting at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Spanish Lakes Park clubhouse, 1340 N. Tamiami Trail, Nokomis. Many facets of hurricane survival will be covered, with a focus on...

Tennis coach boosts economy.(B SECTION)
May 10, 1999... Byline: Tom Bayles STAFF WRITER Nick Bollettieri has brought international attention to Manatee County over the years, training the likes of Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras while also giving more than $3 million in scholarships to local...

Mothers spend a lot of time in traffic.(B SECTION)(Road Worrier)
May 10, 1999... Just in time (almost) for Mother's Day, the Road Worrier would like to offer a few words of praise for Soccer Moms. (Editor's note: The Political Correctness Police have interrupted this column at this point to inform the Road Worrier,...

Nude is lewd and consequently becomes unviewed.(ARTS & TRAVEL)(Impressions)
May 9, 1999... Byline: Joan Altabe Let me see if I have this straight. A 4-foot-tall torso of female nude was removed from its sidewalk perch in Punta Gorda in order to what? To protect children? Excuse me, protect children from what? Breasts?...

Jazz and Heritage Festival lives up to its reputation.(ARTS & TRAVEL)
May 9, 1999... Byline: Philip Booth CORRESPONDENT The 30th edition of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, which notched a record attendance of 455,000 over seven days at the Fair Grounds Race Course, was, as usual, a great place to catch...

LOCAL BOOK NEWS.(PERSPECTIVES)
May 9, 1999... * Sarasota author Peter King will read from his latest mystery in the Gourmet Detective series, "Death al Dente," Tuesday at Barnes & Noble. The popular author's work has been translated into at least six languages. An April 4...

Life lessons; The bestseller, "All I Really Need to Know I Learned In Kindergarten," was a revelation for Asolo director Ernest Zulia.(ARTS & TRAVEL)
May 9, 1999... Byline: Charlie Huisking STAFF WRITER; When Robert Fulghum's "All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindgerten" soared to the top of the bestseller lists about 10 years ago, Ernest Zulia paid no attention. "I was totally...

A little corner of Mexico; A new home on Sarasota's Fiesta Drive is alive with Latin flavor.(SUNDAY REAL ESTATE)
May 9, 1999... Byline: Dorothy Stockbridge-Pratt STAFF WRITER; It's a cross between a Mexican hacienda and a monastery. For starters, the new house at 1853 Fiesta Drive in Landings Woods, behind Haverty's Furniture just north of Proctor Road off U.S. 41...

Going Up / Westchester at Lakewood Ranch, Manatee County; Plans for million-dollar homes unveiled at Country Club.(SUNDAY REAL ESTATE)
May 9, 1999... Byline: Dorothy Stockbridge-Pratt STAFF WRITER; More than a year ahead of schedule, Lakewood Ranch has opened sales for its first neighborhood of estate-sized homes. Most of Westchester's 23 home sites overlook the 10th or 11th holes of...

Mother's greatest gift: to love herself.(FLORIDA WEST)(Mary Go Round)
May 9, 1999... Byline: Mary Bradberry My experience with motherhood began in 1974, when my first child arrived upon the scene. He was soon joined by two sisters and one brother. Each Mother's Day for the past 25 years has found me earning my...

Evil on the Internet; Parents need to guard against hatemongers with Web sites.(PERSPECTIVES)(Editorial)
May 9, 1999... Parents have been warned repeatedly of the need to protect their children from sexual predators who've set up shop online. But little attention has been paid to another destructive force trolling the Internet - hatemongers. In recent...

Setting boundaries; Children who use the Internet can and should be watched.(PERSPECTIVES)(Editorial)
May 9, 1999... Shortly after the massacre in Littleton, Colo., a 10-year-old boy sat down at a computer at a friend's house and sent an e-mail message to Web magazine called Slashdot. He said his parents had watched coverage of the shootings on TV and...

Online alerts; How parents can limit their children's Internet activities.(PERSPECTIVES)(Editorial)
May 9, 1999... This summer, a coalition of Internet companies plans to introduce a new online tool designed to protect children from hate groups and sexually explicit material. The program will use pop-up screens and links to direct parents to a Web site...

Volunteers needed now for annual Angel Tree project.(B SECTION)(Charlotte Today)
May 9, 1999... Byline: Mary H. Williams For several years, about a dozen local mothers have been involved in an Angel Tree project to gather gifts for children of men and women who are imprisoned. Angel Tree is a ministry of Prison Fellowship whose...

Health assistance available from church.(B SECTION)(Eye on Englewood)
May 9, 1999... Byline: Mary Bradberry The Suncoast Worship Center welcomed members of the community to its Spring into Health Fair May 1. More than 100 people attended the event, which featured a wide range of health screenings as well as...

Rio-themed affair raises thousands for the YMCA.(FLORIDA WEST)
May 9, 1999... Byline: Marjorie North Color dominated the eighth annual Going for the Gold "In Rio" for the YMCA, with Rio-raised Heloisa Jennings leading the way in a purple gown and a beaded headdress cascading over her dark hair. "Darlings," the...

Savoring the sweet payback on Uncle Sam's loan.(PERSPECTIVES)(Editorial)
May 9, 1999... Byline: Thomas Tryon Dear Uncle Sam, Hi. Remember me? It's been awhile - 12, maybe 13 years, since our last meaningful exchange. No offense, but the silence was welcome. The last time we corresponded, you were peeved, judging by...

HOTLINE.(B SECTION)
May 9, 1999... Q: We need to know what supplies we should have on hand anticipating a hurricane and for what period. Also, what should we have on hand prior to the 2000 date? G.S., Port Charlotte A: Hurricane season begins June 1, and it is...

Meffert joins Bush team.(B SECTION)(CAPITOL COMMENT)(Column)
May 9, 1999... Byline: CAPITAL BUREAU A decade after leaving the Legislature as a Democratic House member from Ocala, Chris Meffert is back in the state capital working in Jeb Bush's Republican administration. Last month, Bush named Meffert as the...

Democrats beat Republicans on at least one front.(B SECTION)(Comment)(Column)
May 9, 1999... Byline: Eric Ernst Pop quiz: What do the Democrats have in Charlotte County that the Republicans do not? a. Headquarters with regular hours. b. A chairman who writes press releases. c. Money. d. Candidates. OK,...

Armstrong expected to keep smaller classes; The elementary school's program to reduce the ratio of children to teachers will continue but the budget's effect on other programs is unclear.(B SECTION)
May 9, 1999... Byline: James Roland STAFF WRITER Charlotte County school officials expect to continue a pilot project of smaller class sizes at Neil Armstrong Elementary School next year, but the future of other class size reduction efforts is unclear....

Search for chief suffers setback; After four finalists bow out, a search panel decides to create a new list of six candidates.(B SECTION)
May 9, 1999... Byline: James Roland STAFF WRITER A new president for Florida Gulf Coast University won't be selected until July since four of the five finalists for the position withdrew their candidacies. The original date to name a replacement...

Officers honor peers killed on duty.(B SECTION)
May 9, 1999... Byline: Rodney Crouther STAFF WRITER There were solemn reflections and somber speeches on a beautiful Saturday morning as the Fraternal Order of Police in Charlotte Harbor paid tribute to fallen comrades from around the state and nation...

Obituaries.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
May 9, 1999... CHARLOTTE COUNTY Dorothy S. Aites Dorothy S. Aites, 93, Port Charlotte, died May 6, 1999. She was born Sept. 10, 1905, in Rockland, Pa., and came to Port Charlotte 31 years ago from Oil City, Pa. She was a banking bookkeeper in...

Charlotte Players' new season should be irresistible to actors.(B SECTION)(Art Beat)
May 9, 1999... Byline: Naomi Donson Even as the Charlotte Players gear up for their production May 28 of Tony-winning playwright Alfred Uhry's "Last Night of Ballyhoo," plans for the troupe's next season are jelling. Whenever play-reading...

On Kosovo, Senate grumbles but gives in.(A SECTION)(SOUTHERN EXPOSURE)
May 9, 1999... Byline: NYT REGIONAL NEWSPAPERS WASHINGTON -- Reflecting its more temperate approach, the Senate declined to openly challenge President Clinton's handling of the war in Yugoslavia. Senators tabled a proposal by Republican John McCain...

Events to assist heart patient.(B SECTION)
May 9, 1999... Fund-raisers will be held today and Monday to help Jose "Chelo" Acevedo, a young Port Charlotte man who is awaiting a heart transplant. Acevedo recently had a heart attack and a foundation has been set up to help his family with medical...

Islanders ask county to limit tall homes;.(A SECTION)
May 9, 1999... Byline: Jim Waymer STAFF WRITER The specter of oversized homes on barrier islands raises fears of blocked views, long shadows and an unsightly coastline to some residents of Manasota and Casey keys. Existing homes on these islands...

Ecosystem program will be on Tuesday.(B SECTION)
May 9, 1999... The Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center Inc. will present a free program on Ecosystem Management of Cedar Point and Tippecanoe Scrub at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Cedar Point Environmental Park, 2300 Placida Road, Englewood. Bobbi Rodgers,...

Neonatal unit helps babies at the edge of life; Born too soon.(A SECTION)
May 9, 1999... Byline: Yolanda Rodriguez STAFF WRITER Skylar Rebecca Rose twists and turns until the blankets that cover her have slipped away. She twists some more until finally she is sleeping on her tummy. Her gel-filled mattress rises and falls...

Bill: Plane makers not liable for age.(A SECTION)
May 9, 1999... Byline: Lloyd Dunkelberger CAPITAL BUREAU TALLAHASSEE -- When a Boeing 747 exploded over the Atlantic Ocean near Long Island on the night of July 17, 1996, it killed all 230 people on a plane that was headed for Paris. Three years...

Lions Clubs plan vision screening.(B SECTION)
May 9, 1999... The Venice and Englewood Lions Clubs have organized the first free vision screening for children ages 2 to 5. It will be from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Lions Screening Center at Venice HealthPark, 1283 Jacaranda Blvd. Appointments...

Handicapped kids get their own place to play.(B SECTION)
May 9, 1999... Byline: Bebe Bahnsen STAFF WRITER Twelve-year-old Tiffany Raxter waited patiently Saturday while the Junior League of Sarasota dedicated the new handicapped-accessible playground at Bypass Park in Venice. The League spearheaded...

Obituaries.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
May 9, 1999... MANATEE COUNTY Albert Louis Joret Albert Louis Joret, 79, Bradenton, died May 7, 1999. He was born Feb. 7, 1920, in Edgewater, N.J., and came to this area 14 years ago from Wyckoff, N.J. He was a Army veteran of World War II and...

Animal control officer pondered; The city commission plans to discuss the possibility of hiring a full-time officer for animal control.(B SECTION)
May 9, 1999... Byline: Chad Binette STAFF WRITER The North Port city commissioners are slated to revisit the need for an animal control officer when they meet Monday morning. The commissioners plan to discuss whether they want to hire a full-time...

Energy assistance available to elderly.(B SECTION)
May 9, 1999... Meals on Wheels PLUS Emergency Heat and Energy Assistance Program is available through September to people older than 60 who need fans, air conditioning and assistance with final notice utility bills. Total household income is an...

Marine exonerated but will never forget.(B SECTION)
May 9, 1999... Byline: Timothy O'Hara STAFF WRITER As a Marine, Cpl. Brian Gordon was trained to kill. But despite being in the corps, he never thought he would. The Palmetto High School graduate certainly never thought he would use such deadly...

Nature supporters celebrate acquisition of sensitive land; The 1,300 acres once had been earmarked for condominiums, golf courses and marinas.(B SECTION)
May 9, 1999... Byline: Timothy O'Hara STAFF WRITER About 100 people braved mosquitoes on Saturday to celebrate the acquisition of 1,300 acres of environmentally sensitive land in Terra Ceia by the Southwest Florida Water Management District and the...

County schools explore uniforms for safety.(A SECTION)
May 9, 1999... Byline: Jeffrey S. Solochek STAFF WRITER At PAL Academy Charter Middle School in Bradenton, students stand out with their uniforms of red or white shirts and navy blue pants or shorts. The school's board of directors established the...

Voters may get chance to limit donations; Supporters of a failed campaign finance reform bill say they'll seek a constitutional amendment.(B SECTION)
May 9, 1999... Byline: Mark Hollis CAPITAL BUREAU TALLAHASSEE -- House Speaker John Thrasher shattered the hopes of campaign finance reform advocates who wanted the Florida Legislature to ban unlimited donations of so-called "soft money" to political...

Great movie seats are available - for some people 'Ideally, just once I'd like to sit in the middle of the theater," Don Dawkins said.(B SECTION)(Comment)(Column)
May 9, 1999... Byline: Tom Lyons But he is accustomed to compromise. A night at the movies usually means sitting in back, behind the last row. That's the area most often set aside for wheelchairs, and Dawkins, 52, has used one since a car wreck...

Developer pitches his 'Ringling Park'.(B SECTION)
May 9, 1999... Byline: Tom Spalding STAFF WRITER The setting was the Sarasota Opera House. The performers were passionate and vocal. The theme was futuristic. But on stage Saturday was no show. Rather, it was a far-reaching and grandiose...

Bad smell may be resolved.(B SECTION)
May 9, 1999... Byline: Joy Dickinson STAFF WRITER After nearly a decade of begging officials to clear the air - literally - residents of Venice's Sorrento East neighborhood say relief from the smelly situation plaguing their area may be near. "We...

Fish tourney to aid Deaf Service Center.(B SECTION)
May 9, 1999... A "live-release" fishing tournament will be Saturday to benefit the Deaf Service Center Manatee/Sarasota Inc., a nonprofit agency that assists people with hearing problems. Participants can fish from any location for snook, redfish and...

A festival for those fond of flora; Palma Sola Botanical Park hosts its third annual May Festival.(B SECTION)
May 9, 1999... Byline: Timothy O'Hara STAFF WRITER Despite a midday rain shower, thousands of people stopped to smell the flowers Saturday at the Palma Sola Botanical Park in Bradenton. "They're so robust," said Sue Green of Bradenton as she...

Obituaries.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
May 9, 1999... SARASOTA COUNTY Herman W. Brame Sr. Herman W. Brame Sr., 74, Sarasota, died May 6, 1999. He was born Oct. 17, 1924, in Pittsburgh, and came to Sarasota 42 years ago from Luther, Pa. He was an Army Air Forces veteran of World War...

WEDDINGS - ANNIVERSARIES - ENGAGEMENTS.(FLORIDA WEST)
May 9, 1999... WEDDINGS Zokovitch-Garland Jennifer L. Zokovitch of Sarasota and Joseph MacDonald Garland of Alexandria, Va., were married March 13, 1999, at 1 p.m. at St. Michael the Archangel Church in Sarasota. The bride is the daughter of...

Easing car-buyers' stress; If you don't want to deal with research, leg work or price negotiations, hire a consultant to do the work for you.(BUSINESS & MONEY)(Your Money)
May 9, 1999... Byline: JOHN HIELSCHER ***** CORRECTION: The following correction was published on Tuesday, May 11, 1999: * Expert Auto Consultants Inc. is the name of Tony Langenderfer's business. Because of a reporter's error, an incorrect name...

Kids learn to trod the boards in center `Corner'.(B SECTION)
May 9, 1999... Byline: Helen Rosen CORRESPONDENT; If you have a budding actor or actress in the family, the place to be for them this summer is the Port Charlotte Cultural Center. The "Children's Corner" summer program at the Learning Place - which...

From riches to rags; '20s Florida land boom quickly went bust.(FLORIDA WEST)
May 9, 1999... Byline: John Hielscher STAFF WRITER; Growing up in 1920s Bradenton, Warren Johnson often hopped into the car with his father for a ride with a smooth-talking real estate salesman. "We'd go out to different parts of the city and county to...

Awards for the unsung journalist.(FLORIDA WEST)
May 9, 1999... Journalism awards ceremonies tend to be rather dull affairs because they recognize only good journalism, which represents only a small part of what we do. I occasionally do a column on wacky headlines, headlines like "Red Tape Holds Up...

Missing out on Mother's Day.(FLORIDA WEST)
May 9, 1999... Byline: Art Levy STAFF WRITER; As Mother's Days go, this one could be better for Barbi Pender. For example, she could finally find out if her mother is alive. Or, even better, she could find out her mother is still alive, and then...

Islamorada: fishing showcase; There are tackle shops and marinas on every corner, and so many charter boats you can't figure out how any guide can make a living.(SPORTS)(Fishing)
May 9, 1999... Byline: Steve Gibson ISLAMORADA -- There's the best of all worlds here where good times are plentiful, laid-back is a way of life and fishing reigns supreme. When you first hit the Florida Keys, you can almost hear Jimmy Buffet and...

RAY'S MINOR LEAGUE UPDATE.(SPORTS)
May 9, 1999... * Here's a look at the four Tampa Bay Devil Rays' minor-league affiliates through Friday's games: DURHAM (AAA-INTERNATIONAL) * The Bulls entered Saturday night's home game against Pawtucket (Red Sox) with a two-game losing streak and...

Different strokes for different folks.(SPORTS)
May 9, 1999... Byline: Doug Fernandes STAFF WRITER Americans in a German prison camp during World World II cried when they saw them, familiar reminders of home. Ignoring the gunfire, a soldier in the Korean conflict fled the safety of the trenches...

Bat business soon blossomed.(SPORTS)
May 9, 1999... Byline: Doug Fernandes STAFF WRITER Pete "The Old Gladiator" Browning was depressed. No ifs, ands or bats about it. In 1884, the star player on the Louisville Eclipse team of the American Association, forerunner of what is now the...

Sailors runner-up in track regional; Sarasota to field strong contingent in Friday's 5A Florida finals.(SPORTS)
May 9, 1999... Byline: Jody Royce STAFF WRITER SEMINOLE -- It's a word many people hate to use in any sport - adversity. The Sarasota track and field program has undergone that at a very inopportune time, but to the Sailors, it is just a word. You...

Not much demand for seats.(SPORTS)(Comment)(Column)
May 9, 1999... Byline: Tom Spousta Step right up, folks, and get your Orlando Magic playoff tickets. All windows are now open. Be the first in line to support your team. Plenty of great seats are still available. Come and get 'em! Folks?...

Pratt, De Lone play for tournament title.(SPORTS)
May 9, 1999... Byline: Alan Dell CORRESPONDENT Age and experience proved to be more valuable than the exhuberance of youth Saturday in the semifinals of the Southpointe BMW/USTA Women's Challenger at the Billy Stearns Tennis Center in Sarasota. ...

BC still eyes state journey.(SPORTS)
May 9, 1999... Byline: Tom Balog STAFF WRITER WINTER HAVEN -- Bradenton Christian had to make 100-mile road trips on successive days to complete a rain-suspended game, but the extra bus ride did nothing to stop the Panthers from continuing their journey...

Cleveland avalanche buries McGriff's feat.(SPORTS)(Baseball)
May 9, 1999... Byline: Chris Anderson CLEVELAND -- Well, what do you know? The sun did come up Saturday morning, just as they promised it would. This was a good thing, too. It helped melt the avalanche. A Saint Bernard couldn't have sniffed out the...

Reliever saves Rays.(SPORTS)
May 9, 1999... Byline: Chris Anderson STAFF WRITER CLEVELAND -- Wil Cordero was on third, Kenny Lofton at the plate and there was no possible way this was happening again. Inside the Tampa Bay dugout, players sat on the bench and tapped their feet...

SunDogs basketball tilt will 'kick off' on Monday; Area's USBL team will face team composed primarily of pro football players in fund-raising exhibition.(SPORTS)
May 9, 1999... Byline: Chad Brockhoff CORRESPONDENT The worlds of professional basketball and professional football will collide Monday at 7:05 p.m. as the Gulf Coast SunDogs host the Florida Swamp Shooters in an exhibition basketball game at the...

MCC heads to Series.(SPORTS)
May 9, 1999... Byline: Phil Denis CORRESPONDENT KISSIMMEE -- Championship teams sometimes head to nearby Disney World to celebrate victory. But the final destination for the Manatee Community College baseball team will be Grand Junction, Colo., site of...

Burkhart powers SaraSox to 6-3 win over Blue Jays.(SPORTS)
May 9, 1999... Byline: Jabbo Gordon CORRESPONDENT First baseman Morgan Burkhart blasted a home run and scored two more runs as the Sarasota Red Sox trimmed the Florida State League-leading Dunedin Blue Jays, 6-3, at Ed Smith Stadium Saturday. ...

Making a Difference Woman's "Big Sister" match now a tag-team effort;.(B SECTION)
May 8, 1999... Jan Proctor, who is 61, is the oldest in a family of seven children raised in upstate New York. That might explain why, four years ago, she decided to get involved in Manatee County's Big Brothers/Big Sisters program. She is now part of...

Fond reflection can rejuvenate.(PLAY!)
May 8, 1999... Byline: Bill Copeland There can be a lot of satisfaction in thinking of your advanced years as a time of discovery. For example, my most recent old-guy discovery is that nostalgia involves a lot of affection. A recent issue of Modern...

For Russia's Jidkova, it's fun being in semis.(SPORTS)
May 8, 1999... Byline: Alan Dell CORRESPONDENT Alina Jidkova breaks into laughter when someone asks her if she feels any pressure while playing in the quarterfinals of the Southpointe BMW/USTA Women's Challenger tournament at the Billy Stearns Tennis...

DeSoto may re-open May 22.(SPORTS)
May 8, 1999... Byline: Tom Balog STAFF WRITER DeSoto Speedway, closed for six weeks after the track surface in turns three and four was torn up during a special American Speed Association race, is still at least two weeks away from re-opening and...

Lady Sailors steal a State Finals spot.(SPORTS)
May 8, 1999... Byline: Mic Huber STAFF WRITER PALM BEACH GARDENS -- It was a play that the Sarasota High softball team works on nearly every day in practice and pinch runner Jackie Polino swears she knew it was going to work from the moment she stepped...

Saint Stephen's falls 10-9.(SPORTS)
May 8, 1999... Byline: STAFF REPORT ST. PETERSBURG -- With a 4-0 lead after three innings and starter Parks Robinson in control, Saint Stephen's appeared to be well on its way to the Class A-South II Region final here Friday night at Randall Field. ...

Sailors handed wild 11-3 victory; Sarasota will host regional championship game Tuesday night.(SPORTS)
May 8, 1999... Byline: Doug Fernandes STAFF WRITER ST. PETERSBURG -- To accommodate senior prom Friday night, Lakewood High moved up its regional semifinal game against Sarasota to 4 p.m. In keeping with the performance of the Spartans, the prom...

Mooney drops heartbreaker 3-2.(SPORTS)
May 8, 1999... Byline: Chad Brockhoff CORRESPONDENT TAMPA -- Ryan Kelleman's tears told the story. Kelleman, who homered in his final at-bat, and five other Cardinal Mooney seniors saw their high school careers end with a 3-2 loss to Tampa Berkeley...

Dunedin tops SaraSox in 12th.(SPORTS)
May 8, 1999... Byline: STAFF REPORT Shortstop Cesar Izturis singled home catcher Paul Chiaffredo in the top of the 12th inning to lift Dunedin to a 4-3 Florida State League win over the Sarasota Red Sox Friday night at Ed Smith Stadium. Blue Jay...

Indians advance to final; Venice pitcher Jeff Balser confounded Falcon hitters for six innings en route to a 3-1 win.(SPORTS)
May 8, 1999... Byline: Perry D. Pentz STAFF WRITER DUNEDIN -- Venice is a perfect 2-for-2. For the second time this season, Venice has been a giant killer to the top-ranked team in Class 5A - Dunedin. The Indians made a three-run second inning...

Palmetto falters against Bartow.(SPORTS)
May 8, 1999... Byline: Brian Evers McGee CORRESPONDENT ROCKLEDGE -- Although Palmetto High was no-hit by Bartow's Melissa Parsons, the Lady Tigers were in position to win the Class 4A-South I Region final Friday. In fact, Palmetto was leading 1-0 after...

Tornadoes surprise Conchs 4-3; Booker rallies to defeat Key West, once ranked No. 8 in the nation.(SPORTS)
May 8, 1999... Byline: Alan Dell CORRESPONDENT Booker High baseball coach Fred Gilmore kept his secret well hidden, but now he wants to share it with the world. And who can blame him? His Tornadoes made history Friday night, knocking off a...

For Mother's Day, give us anything but generalizations.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
May 8, 1999... Byline: Barbara Peters Smith In anticipation of Mother's Day, that wholly fabricated and conspicuously consumed national holiday, I have been asked to provide transportation to the mall so that some shopping can be done on my behalf. ...

Environmental sabotage Backdoor bill would gut state standards, if Bush lets it.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
May 8, 1999... Titled "an act relating to the Administrative Procedures Act," Committee Substitute for House Bill 107 sounds arcane. But as the progeny of legislators intent on gutting the state's environmental standards, it is one of the most critical...

Sabotage, Part II How CS/HB 107 jeopardizes Florida's environmental rules.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
May 8, 1999... ***** CORRECTION: The following clarification was published on Tuesday, May 11, 1999: To send e-mail to Gov. Jeb Bush, go to the governor's Web site at http://www.state.fl.us/eog/ and scroll to the line that says, "Please write to...

Hot Line.(B SECTION)
May 8, 1999... Q: I have been told there is a federal law or regulation that states that when you take your vehicle into a repair shop they cannot charge more than $50 over their estimate to repair your vehicle without first getting your permission. Where...

Dentist's patients leave laughing; And it has nothing to do with the size of the bill.(BUSINESS)
May 8, 1999... Byline: Jason Hall STAFF WRITER Ever hear the one about the dental office that tries to make you laugh, even when you're about to get a root canal? It goes something like this . . . Port Charlotte dentist Alan Levin and his staff...