Sarasota Herald Tribune articles from May 2009

Sarasota Herald Tribune archives from May 2009

Herald Tribune Obituaries.
May 1, 2009... Jan. 5, 1920 - April 26, 2009 Lorraine C. Arneth, 89, of Rotonda West, formerly of Minneapolis, died April 26, 2009. Survivors include daughter Jeanne Borski of Rosemount, Minn.; sister Florence Bonello of Venice; brother Chuck Quinlan...

United Way tries a new way.
May 1, 2009... Byline: BETSY WILLIAMS Correspondent Gold parties are fast becoming a household word -- what with the price of gold soaring and the economy down. People are searching through their homes for odd pieces of jewelry they no longer want or need...

Bicyclists help raise money for Live Strong foundation.
May 1, 2009... Byline: KEN HAGGERTY Correspondent With riders choosing to tackle three routes of up to 65 miles on Sarasota County's cycle lanes, the aim of the morning was to raise money for seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong's Live Strong...

Divided Venice council mirrors national partisan split.
May 1, 2009... Byline: KATHY SILVERBERG Herald-Tribune Columnist The reality will likely disprove both the Republicans' contentions, because the Senate is made up of 100 individuals who represent a spectrum of political philosophies and whose interests on...

Nadel plea: Not guilty, your honor.
May 1, 2009... Byline: JOHN HIELSCHER and COLIN MOYNIHAN Staff Writers Sarasota financier Arthur G. Nadel pleaded not guilty Thursday in federal court to 15 fraud counts tied to the meltdown of his $360 million hedge fund operation. Wearing a...

Helping sea turtles, one bulb at a time.
May 1, 2009... Byline: ERIC ERNST Herald-Tribune Columnist They should be as low to the ground as possible. They should emit light in only the long wavelengths -- the yellows, oranges and reds that turtles don't seem to process. And they should, if...

Venice building inquiry proceeds slowly.
May 1, 2009... Byline: KIM HACKETT Building official Hans Behrens will remain on the job while he waits for a state hearing to determine whether he overlooked code violations and failed to properly inspect a tavern with a history of problems. ...

Punta Gorda festival begins the hunt for the wily redfish.
May 1, 2009... Byline: CHRIS GERBASI Correspondent Redfish will be on the run this weekend when more than 100 anglers comb local waters during the seventh annual Redfish Cup & Festival. Produced for ESPN2, the Redfish Cup is recognized as the...

COLLEGES GET A BIT OF RELIEF.
May 1, 2009... Byline: LLOYD DUNKELBERGER H-T Capital Bureau After hearing university presidents decry potentially devastating cuts to their schools, state university officials now say Florida's higher education system is not likely to face deep budget...

Proposal to waive fees at Port Manatee hits legal snag.
May 1, 2009... Byline: DALE WHITE With an eye toward boosting the local economy, county commissioners recently established a special development zone near Port Manatee with the hope it would attract new industries by waiving impact fees. But the move...

Braden River High football coach resigns.
May 1, 2009... Byline: CHRISTOPHER O'DONNELL With the outcome of an investigation into a fatal traffic accident still hanging over him, Josh Hunter resigned as head football coach at Braden River High School Wednesday. Hunter stepped down on the eve...

New farmers hope to fill demand for local food.
May 1, 2009... Byline: KATE SPINNER A Venice real estate agent recently cleared five acres in Nokomis, not for new homes, but to become one of the county's next small farms. Tom Booth, also in the radio broadcast industry, is among 15 students who...

Sarasota revisits downtown land purchase for parking.
May 1, 2009... Byline: ROGER DROUIN The city will again consider buying land for a parking garage from real estate broker Michael Saunders, three weeks after commissioners tabled a decision on the $5.5 million deal. Commissioners asked for a second...

Sales continue their slide, but not as steeply.
May 1, 2009... Byline: DOUG SWORD The local auto and real estate sectors were the hardest hit as sales reported by businesses in the county dropped 15 percent in February. But that was an improvement over January's 22 percent decline when the total goods...

Another mystery inside the walls?
May 1, 2009... Byline: AARON KESSLER For hundreds and potentially thousands of homeowners across Florida and elsewhere, they are the tell-tale signs of tainted Chinese drywall, a growing problem that has sparked myriad state and federal investigations....

Bucs trade Smith to Patriots for pick.
May 1, 2009... Byline: TOM BALOG GONE: Tight end didn't fit what Tampa Bay wants to do on offense Saints to stay at Super Dome Broncos release Young Phillips to stand trial Alex Smith has finally realized the impact of the Kellen...

Some schools show surprising gains.
May 1, 2009... Byline: TIFFANY LANKES and CHRISTOPHER O'DONNELL Many high-poverty elementary schools in the two counties saw the percentage of their students meeting state writing goals increase by double digits. At Bradenton's Samoset Elementary,...

Governor's energy bill is at risk in House.
May 1, 2009... Byline: ZAC ANDERSON and LLOYD DUNKELBERGER H-T Capital Bureau Florida's clean energy future is on the line today as Gov. Charlie Crist's push to make the state a leader in the rapidly growing renewable energy industry comes down to the...

At vigil, neighbors mourn Sarasota shooting victim.
May 1, 2009... Byline: ROGER MORTON Alberta Brown was memorialized during a candlelight vigil Thursday as a loving, caring, religious woman who doted over her grandchildren and was always available to lend a hand. About 60 people attended the evening...

Tarpons topple 'Canes.
May 1, 2009... Byline: DENNIS MAFFEZZOLI 5A-12 FINAL: Charlotte jumps on Manatee early to win district championship All season, the Charlotte High baseball team has notched some eye-opening victories and some gut-wrenching defeats. Throughout it...

Palmetto's Love wins 3 events.
May 1, 2009... Byline: ALAN DELL CORRESPONDENT CLASS 3A-REGION 3: Even a fumbled exchange in relay can't stop Tigers senior from stealing the show Alexis Love had a dream. Now it's reality with one more chapter to write. The Palmetto High senior...

Booker leads Rams to title.
May 1, 2009... Byline: JODY ROYCE CLASS 4A-REGION 2: Riverview star wins three events, and Sarasota's Raisor wins two throwing events The competition gets tougher at regional track and field meets, so Andre Booker did his part. Booker won three...

Thunder edge H.E.A.T.
May 1, 2009... Byline: DOUG FERNANDES CLASS 1A-12: Patience pays off as ODA scores in the bottom of the 7th Out-of-Door waited more than a decade for its first district championship. And the Thunder employed a strategy of patience to win it. ...

Commuter train unlikely.
May 1, 2009... Byline: JOE FOLLICK H-T Capital Bureau Despite years of planning and an onslaught of political pressure, the SunRail commuter train for greater Orlando seems unlikely to launch after senators refused to give CSX Transportation limits on...

Part of downtown declared historic.
May 1, 2009... Byline: ROGER DROUIN A wedge of downtown bordering Gulf Stream Avenue and including Five Points has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The designation means that owners of 49 buildings that are more than 50 years...

Herald Tribune Obituaries.
May 2, 2009... Sept. 20, 1921 - April 24, 2009 Theodore Brigham Conklin Jr., 87, of Boca Grande and Westhampton Beach, N.Y., died April 24, 2009. Services will be announced later by Ewing Funeral Home. Survivors include his wife, Natalie O'Brien;...

Family doctors need a raise.
May 2, 2009... Byline: WALDO PROFFITT Herald-Tribune Columnist It's a big source of worry. We have watched and listened as federal, state and local health officials have tracked its spread, and made checklists of what we can do to protect ourselves and...

A service to emphasize hope.
May 2, 2009... Byline: STEVE HEISLER Correspondent The result of that meeting was the Gulfcoast Affirming Interfaith Network, a coalition of 15 faith communities that span the spectrum of spirituality. Inclusive of Episcopal, Jewish and less-traditional...

Missions make a difference.
May 2, 2009... Byline: JENNIFER SHEA Correspondent The relationship came about shortly after the people of the Dominican Republic suffered the devastating effects of hurricane Georges. In the wake of the hurricane 380 people lost their lives, 500,000...

Rothenbach trail offers plenty of shade, glorious shade.
May 2, 2009... Byline: TOM BECNEL Herald-Tribune Columnist Coincidence? I think not. At the east end of Bee Ridge Road, this combination of fresh food and a gloriously shaded trail can mean only one thing. Let me spell it out for you. ...

Judge clipping Nadel's wings.
May 2, 2009... Byline: JOHN HIELSCHER A federal judge Friday approved settlements that allow the lenders to take ownership of a Lear Jet 31A and a Cessna 550 corporate jet. Nadel owed more on the loans than the two jets' current combined value of...

Some tips to, er, aid you in the job hunt.
May 2, 2009... Byline: RICH BROOKS Herald-Tribune Columnist Two nieces and my son, also known as the 18-year-old, will soon be joining the ranks of those looking for either a summer job or a career. My two nieces are graduating, one from high school...

Slipping revenues for Venice mean tough budget decisions.
May 2, 2009... Byline: TERRY O'CONNOR Correspondent City manager Isaac Turner warned the City Council this week that hard financial decisions loom as 2010's budget revenues are likely to fall more than $2 million short of expected expenses. "A $1.5...

Ready, Buster? Now, go long!
May 2, 2009... Byline: CHRIS GERBASI Correspondent While anglers spent hours under a beating sun on the first day of the Redfish Cup & Festival, some weekend competitors frolicked in a pool back at the marina. These furry, four-legged rivals were not...

Tanker hauling propane struck by pickup truck.
May 2, 2009... Byline: KATE SPINNER A collision between a pickup truck driven by a teenager and a tanker truck caused hours of traffic delays on Interstate 75 Friday. Daragh Carr, 19, was driving a Ford pickup in the southbound, right-hand lane near...

Bill sets stage for insurers to increase rates annually.
May 2, 2009... Byline: LLOYD DUNKELBERGER H-T Capital Bureau Consumers can expect double-digit increases in their property insurance rates under a bill lawmakers sent to Gov. Charlie Crist on Friday. One provision would let the state-backed Citizens...

Energy legislation killed by the House.
May 2, 2009... Byline: ZAC ANDERSON House leaders -- including Bradenton Republicans Bill Galvano and Ron Reagan -- refused to allow the issue to come up for a vote, even after Crist personally met with them to press the case Friday afternoon. Energy...

FCAT CASE SEES END?
May 2, 2009... Byline: TIFFANY LANKES Teacher Mary Cropsey's problems at Mills Elementary started the day she filed a formal complaint about the school's morning prayer meetings. The next day she got a letter from Principal Mike Rio asking her to...

Approvals in regular session's final hours.
May 2, 2009... Byline: Staff Report Double Dipping Elected officials and high-level public employees would have less ability to collect a salary and a pension -- known as "double-dipping" -- under a bill going to Gov. Charlie Crist. Currently, a...

2 flu cases in state; drug stockpiles lag.
May 2, 2009... Byline: ANNA SCOTT Florida is the largest of a handful of states that have not purchased even 10 percent of the stock recommended by the federal government to ensure there are enough drugs. While it is still too early to know whether a...

BLAZERS FALL IN SEMIFINALS.
May 2, 2009... Byline: DOUG FERNANDES Sarasota Christian commits six errors in 9-4 defeat Pressure exists in any region semifinal game, and the Sarasota Christian Lady Blazers played Friday afternoon as though they felt every bit of it. The...

Aleshire, McCleland win area ABT tournaments.
May 2, 2009... Byline: BILL HERALD Herald-Tribune Columnist Aleshire won the King of Them All scratch competition, earning the top prize of $400, while McCleland won the same amount in topping the leaderboard in a regular ABT singles tournament. Joe...

Session's casualty list is lengthy.
May 2, 2009... Byline: LLOYD DUNKELBERGER and JOE FOLLICK H-T Capital Bureau Plagued by a historic budget deficit and turmoil in the House leadership, Florida lawmakers came to a partial close of their annual session Friday, cutting deals on property...

Venice beats Manatee to advance to region final.
May 2, 2009... Byline: CHRIS ANDERSON The surprising Venice High Lady Indians continue to defy expectations. Losing several key players from last year's near-perfect season has not seemed to deter Venice and a possible return to the state softball...

Panthers' Bennett takes gold.
May 2, 2009... Byline: DENNIS MAFFEZZOLI BC senior wins 110-meter hurdles, second in 300 Last year in the 110-meter hurdles at the district track and field meet, Robby Bennett had a false start. A year ago at the regionals, the Bradenton...

Lessons learned.
May 3, 2009... Byline: Harold Bubil But no. They chose to "walk the walk" as well as "talk the talk." So when building a new headquarters building in Lakewood Ranch, company president David Sessions and his team decided to learn the lessons firsthand....

Amici: friends of music.
May 3, 2009... Byline: SUSAN L. RIFE For their third concert since forming last year, the ensemble, led by artistic director and cellist Chris Pegis, will lighten up a little. "It's a Mother's Day concert, a slightly different format than some of our...

Rowing regatta has Sarasota starry-eyed.
May 3, 2009... Byline: ERIC ERNST Herald-Tribune Columnist "It was beyond all expectations. I would describe it as pure magic," says Paul Blackketter, project manager for Benderson Development, which is putting together the nearby Town Center mall on...

Build it, but get a permit.
May 3, 2009... Byline: TERRY O'CONNOR Correspondent Bordered by the east bank of the Intracoastal Waterway and hemmed in by the U.S. 41 bypass and Tamiami Trail, the snug Venice Bay Adult Park is a tight fit no matter how you approach it. The speed...

ORIOLES DEAL ALL BUT DEAD.
May 3, 2009... Byline: ROGER DROUIN The city is poised to kill the final attempt at a spring training baseball deal on Monday afternoon. Instead, commissioners who do not want to pitch in $2.7 million for the Baltimore Orioles are eager to step up...

Trial will focus on man's sanity.
May 3, 2009... Byline: TODD RUGER Elton Murphy admits that he killed downtown business owner Joyce Wishart in 2004, leaving her body in her Sarasota art gallery, posed like a nearby painting. So his trial next week will focus on whether he knew it...

Freeman's progress depends on learning.
May 3, 2009... Byline: TOM BALOG Bucs' new QB must school himself in terminology Before Josh Freeman can begin to reveal any hint of what kind of player he can be, he will have to show the Tampa Bay Buccaneers what kind of learner he is. How...

Holder does not know the drill.
May 3, 2009... Byline: TOM LYONS Herald-Tribune Columnist On Siesta Key, for instance, the white and powdery purity of the famed sand is such a point of pride and promotion that a protester was just lauded as a hero after he sprawled in front of a...

Jordan Romecki shakes off illness to finish second.
May 3, 2009... Byline: DENNIS MAFFEZZOLI It was a bad week for Jordan Romecki to come down with a cold. The bug hampered the Cardinal Mooney High senior in his preparation for the state track meet. Despite spending a couple of days in bed,...

Schmidt heads into final round up by five.
May 3, 2009... Byline: ALAN DELL Correspondent Brian Schmidt doesn't want to think about winning the City of Sarasota Men's Golf Championship. Unfortunately or fortunately for him, the 24 year-old doesn't have much choice. He will go into today's...

SaraReds fall to St. Lucie.
May 3, 2009... Byline: PHIL DENIS CORRESPONDENT It was, without a doubt, the best all-around pitched and quickest game of the Sarasota Reds' 10 home games during the early portion of the season at Ed Smith Stadium. Sarasota starting pitcher Zach...

Offshore oil drilling bill has a future.
May 3, 2009... Byline: JOE FOLLICK H-T Capital Bureau Once a political taboo in Florida, prospects for offshore oil drilling have roared to a comeback with a secretive group forcing the issue into the center of political and public debate for months to...

It's quite the production.
May 3, 2009... Byline: CHRISTOPHER O'DONNELL On a normal Tuesday, Harrison Sanborn would be in his American Government class. Instead, the Bradenton Preparatory School senior is driving a sports car 70 mph along a dusty farm road in East Manatee,...

Big ideas, but little action by Legislature.
May 3, 2009... Byline: JOE FOLLICK H-T Capital Bureau Faced with historical pressures exacerbated by a fractured economy and an evolving new world order of energy, Florida's Legislature finished two months of work with bandages and prayers for a better...

Keeping track at the track.
May 3, 2009... Byline: DOUG FERNANDES Herald-Tribune Columnist Paul Bledsoe would have made the perfect Damon Runyon character. The 81-year-old Sun City resident sat Saturday at a table at the Sarasota Kennel Club's Miss Whirl Club, seven betting...

A slimmer paper for a solid future.
May 3, 2009... Byline: DIANE McFARLIN Herald-Tribune Publisher This narrower format has been well received by readers of other newspapers across the country, because it makes the newspaper easier to handle and has the environmental benefit of reducing...

Cigarette tax sparks backlash.
May 3, 2009... Byline: JOE FOLLICK and LLOYD DUNKELBERGER Herald-Tribune Columnists As expected, House leaders drew fire from some anti-tax groups last week when they agreed to back a $1-per-pack cigarette tax in order to pass a new state budget. ...

Herald Tribune Obituaries.
May 3, 2009... Rich, Irene Beausoleil Sept. 22, 1926 - April 20, 2009 Due to complications of a stroke, Irene Beausoleil Rich, 82, died April 20, 2009. Survivors include son Darryl Sanders and his wife, Deborah; grandson Lance Sanders, his...

'Talking Heads' offers dry humor.
May 3, 2009... Byline: Susan Rife On the recommendation of author/essayist/comedian David Sedaris, whom I got a chance to hear perform a couple of weeks ago at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, I popped over to audible.com and downloaded "Talking...

Is there a financial curse on this land?
May 4, 2009... Byline: MICHAEL BRAGA To save itself from the embarrassment of having to foreclose on a $16.35 million loan to a group that included real estate investor Neal Mohammad Husani, Fifth Third Bank approached its customers and begged them to...

An inspiring man for uninspired times.
May 4, 2009... Byline: TOM BAYLES Since William Geller took the reins of the Sarasota Association of Realtors earlier this year, his message has been one of inspiration and encouragement to his members as Southwest Florida's beleaguered housing market is...

State College of Florida takes bold steps.
May 4, 2009... Byline: MICHAEL POLLICK Meanwhile, the first group of student nurses who provided the rationale for the name change will not be able to call themselves juniors until January 2010. n But now, long before those nursing school juniors are...

Jackson undeterred by quick exit from Bucs in '08.
May 4, 2009... Byline: TOM BALOG Amarri Jackson never considered ruling out a return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year after the team pulled the rug out from under his dream to go to an NFL training camp. Instead, he channeled his energy toward...

Reagan's camera bill is stymied yet again.
May 4, 2009... Byline: JEREMY WALLACE Herald-Tribune Columnist And for four years it has failed. But last week's defeat was especially hard for the Bradenton Republican, who was confident that the bill would succeed. As the second-highest ranking...

How we slimmed pages, not news.
May 4, 2009... Byline: MIKE CONNELLY Herald-Tribune Executive Editor For six months, Herald-Tribune editors have been hard at work on a puzzle: How do we reduce the size of a newspaper page without reducing the amount of news? As the recession forces...

Group breaks the chamber music mold.
May 4, 2009... Byline: GAYLE WILLIAMS Correspondent This innovative ensemble has been performing together in New York and Aspen, Colo., since they first played together as a quintet in 1997. They've received widespread recognition for breaking the...

Area pair win redfish tourney.
May 4, 2009... Byline: CHRIS GERBASI Correspondent A little local knowledge went a long way in determining the Redfish Cup winner on Sunday. Jeff Totten of Englewood and Ozzie Lessinger of Fort Myers blew the competition out of the water with two...

TAKING STIMULUS TO SCHOOL.
May 4, 2009... Byline: CHRISTOPHER O'DONNELL Sarasota County would get another $4.4 million and Manatee County an extra $6 million for hiring and training teachers at schools that have a high percentage of students from families living in poverty. ...

A bridge too tall? Some want to keep tradition.
May 4, 2009... Byline: DALE WHITE Backers and opponents of a high-span replacement for the Anna Maria Bridge are bracing for what could be another protracted fight. Backers of a new span say it will be safer, faster for travelers and better during...

In fire season, reducing the risk.
May 4, 2009... Byline: TERRY O'CONNOR Correspondent With its hundreds of vacant homes and undeveloped lots, this city is fast becoming a standout fire risk amid an entire drought-stricken state. Division of Forestry officials say that more than half...

With less driving comes a big question.
May 4, 2009... Byline: DOUG SWORD There are 160,000 fewer cars on state roads in Sarasota County -- far more than the number of vehicles that clog the most congested stretches of Interstate 75 every work day. Whether the decline is merely a hiccup...

Schmidt is new champion.
May 4, 2009... Byline: ALAN DELL Correspondent This is the Cardinal Mooney grad's first city championship win A lot of people would argue it's time for Brian Schmidt to get a promotion. After winning the 38th annual City of Sarasota Men's Golf...

Crawford's larceny jump-starts the Rays.
May 4, 2009... Byline: DOUG FERNANDES Herald-Tribune Columnist Carl Crawford said he hadn't a clue. None. No idea another 90 feet of ripped-off real estate would have put him among baseball's greatest all-time larcenists, regardless of the century....

Third case in state; precautions taken.
May 4, 2009... Byline: JOHN DAVIS In an "abundance of caution," Hillsborough County closed three schools for a thorough cleaning after some students came down with flu symptoms. The threat of swine flu also altered Communion ceremonies for local...

Crist may face fight for Senate.
May 4, 2009... Byline: GARY FINEOUT H-T Capital Bureau When lawmakers finally wrap up their work for the year, Gov. Charlie Crist is expected to end the state's biggest political guessing game by announcing whether he wants another term in office or will...

Herald Tribune Obituaries.
May 4, 2009... May 15, 1931 - April 29, 2009 Yvonne J. Binkley, 77, of Englewood, formerly of Lima, Ohio died April 29, 2009. Visitation will be 11 a.m. on Monday at the First Church of God in Venice. Services will also be on Saturday at Gardendale...

Herald Tribune Obituaries.
May 5, 2009... May 3, 2009 Faith B. (Bebchick) Zackin, 76, of Sarasota, formerly of Swampscott, Mass., and Marblehead, Mass., died May 3, 2009. Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Stanetsky-Hymanson Memorial Chapel in Swampscott. Interment will...

Cook-off criteria go beyond flavor.
May 5, 2009... Byline: KEN HAGGERTY Correspondent Cooking side by side on portable kitchen carts, chefs Gary Corbin of Mama Leone's, Antonio Pariano of Cassariano Italian Eatery, David Kulp of the Left Coast Sea Food Company and David Prokopiak of the...

Siesta Fiesta livens up village.
May 5, 2009... Byline: AIMEE CHOUINARD Correspondent Organizers Kay Kouvatsos, Russell Matthes, Denise McDonald, Mark Smith and Troy Syprett said the free two-day event was a great way to bring the community together to experience a variety of talented...