Sarasota Herald Tribune articles from November 2003

Sarasota Herald Tribune archives from November 2003

Exploring connection between 'The Hulk', other transformations.(B SECTION)(Comment)(Column)
November 1, 2003... Byline: Rich Brooks From the corner of my eye, I could see the 12-year-old waving. In his hand he held a small box, and he was flapping his arms as if he held a signal flag. Our immediate goals were mutually exclusive. He was...

A safe bet for fun and candy; Crowds take to the streets for the annual Halloween Safewalk.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2003... Byline: AMY ABERN amy.abern@heraldtribune.com ENGLEWOOD -- West Dearborn Street was alive with ghosts, goblins and the living dead Friday night. The ghoulies were participating in the eighth annual Halloween Safewalk sponsored by the...

Backtracking is progress; EPA's uncertainty about sludge's safety is a step forward.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
November 1, 2003... After claiming for years that sewage sludge is a safe fertilizer on farmland, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is uncertain. "I can't answer it's safe. I can't answer it's not safe," EPA Deputy Administrator Paul Gilman recently...

CONGRATS.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2003... Adopt-A-Family Adopt-A-Family is accepting applications from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at their new location, 4601 15th St. E., Bradenton. To apply for assistance, families must bring social security card for all members,...

Master of the house.(BUSINESS)
November 1, 2003... Byline: KEVIN MCQUAID kevin.mcquaid@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota has tapped an Atlanta luxury hotel veteran to become its next general manager, a post that will be racked with challenges in the months ahead....

Obituaries.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
November 1, 2003... CHARLOTTE COUNTY Donald I. DiBello Donald I. DiBello, 78, Englewood, died Oct. 27, 2003. He was born July 27, 1925, in Middletown, N.Y. After serving three years in the Navy during World War II, he attended St. Lawrence University...

Slow down, enjoy the manatees.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2003... Byline: STAFF REPORT Gov. Jeb Bush has named November "Manatee Awareness Month," and the Save the Manatee Club is celebrating the declaration by offering waterfront residents and boaters free signs that warn that the animals may be in the...

Party strays from its roots.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
November 1, 2003... Byline: Barbara Peters Smith Fashionable political discourse is supposed to be all about the hate these days -- pointy-taloned animus of the juicy, highly personalized variety that lets us all clamber down from our high horses and dish a...

CCC scores 20 unanswered to beat Mooney; Cougars suffer sixth loss, even though they outgained Marauders in the first half.(SPORTS)
November 1, 2003... Byline: CHAD BROCKHOFF CORRESPONDENT CLEARWATER -- Host Clearwater Central Catholic scored 20 unanswered points in the second half and claimed its fifth consecutive district title with a 23-6 victory Friday over Class 2B-District 6 foe...

News Updates.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2003... City workers to man the Venice polls VENICE -- City employees will serve as poll workers for the first time in Venice during Tuesday's election. City Clerk Lori Stelzer said she received approval from the City Council last summer to...

Gator frosh hold the key vs. Georgia; Florida has won 12 of the last 13 games in the series, and the Gators need another win to maintain hopes of a conference championship.(SPORTS)
November 1, 2003... Byline: MIC HUBER mic.huber@heraldtribune.com JACKSONVILLE -- Florida's freshmen have experienced so much this season. Wins, losses. Highs, lows. The bizarre, the mundane. Yet no matter what they have seen this season, they've seen...

FROM YOUR READER ADVOCATE.(A SECTION)
November 1, 2003... As Reader Advocate this week, I tried to return every call and answer every e-mail. Bio-bugs for melaleuca trees were among the hot items. To order the bugs, call (772) 462-1660. There is a shipping and handling fee of $15. Your...

LOCAL BRIEFS.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2003... Manatee warning signs offered free by club Gov. Jeb Bush has named November "Manatee Awareness Month," and the Save the Manatee Club is celebrating the declaration by offering waterfront residents and boaters free signs that warn that the...

'Canes, Pirates win region titles; Manatee girls continue banner season; Port Charlotte boys outlast SW Florida foes.(SPORTS)
November 1, 2003... Byline: DENNIS MAFFEZZOLI dennis.maffezzoli@heraldtribune.com FORT MYERS -- For the Manatee High girls cross country team, it was the continuation of a banner season. For the Port Charlotte High boys, it was another battle with a...

Local man convicted for role in drug ring.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2003... Byline: JENNY LEE ALLEN jenny.allen@heraldtribune.com CHARLOTTE COUNTY -- The owner of an auto body shop was convicted this week for his role in what one prosecutor described as the biggest drug ring here in at least a decade. A...

'Canes 'O' rolls; Offense helps Manatee qualify for the playoffs.(SPORTS)
November 1, 2003... Byline: ALAN DELL CORRESPONDENT BRADENTON -- It's been a long time since Moses Loray and the Manatee High offense have been able to grab some of the spotlight from the Hurricanes defense. But in the most important game of the season,...

Man says he makes a living 'saving marriages'; Charlie Wagner is in the business of going to homes and offices to assemble almost any type of furniture.(BUSINESS)
November 1, 2003... Byline: STEPHEN FRATER stephen.frater@heraldtribune.com PORT CHARLOTTE -- Charlie Wagner is a 77-year-old you do not want to mess with, unless you need to assemble furniture. A World War II veteran, Wagner was a teenage Army...

Halloween is over, but post-activities mean fall fun has just begun.(B SECTION)(Life Around Town)(Column)
November 1, 2003... Byline: Sharyn Lonsdale Put your costume away and your candy down and take in some post-Halloween activities. There's plenty planned and the weather couldn't be better. Today * If your dog is jealous of all the Halloween fun you...

New kitten gives us the scoop on pets.(HOME & REAL ESTATE)(Home Work)(Column)
November 1, 2003... Byline: Art Levy Ordinarily, I like pets, as long as they don't bother me. You know, like, when a neighbor's dog barks all night, I would consider that bothersome. Or, if a cat marks his territory on your porch, that would be...

Southeast's postseason string comes to end; Seminoles only score once in loss to Osceola, will miss playoffs for first time since 1996.(SPORTS)
November 1, 2003... Byline: BRIAN NEWBERRY CORRESPONDENT SEMINOLE -- Southeast High's string of postseason football appearances came to an end at Osceola High Friday night. The Seminoles managed to find the end zone just one time in a 20-6 loss to the...

Panthers win A-8 volleyball title.(SPORTS)
November 1, 2003... Byline: STAFF REPORT SARASOTA -- The Bradenton Christian volleyball team won three straight games to claim the Class A-District 8 volleyball championship Friday night at the Out-of-Door Academy. Jessica Bratton, Jocelyn Geraldson and...

Poston ahead of Evers in fund-raising; As of Friday, the mayor has raked in about $100,000 for his campaign, compared with Evers' $35,450.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2003... Byline: SCOTT CARROLL scott.carroll@heraldtribune.com BRADENTON -- Mayor Wayne Poston kicked off his re-election campaign in January with a lavish fund-raiser at state Sen. Mike Bennett's Bradenton home. Nearly $1,000 worth of...

FSU's Bowden well aware of Irish tradition.(SPORTS)
November 1, 2003... Byline: CHRIS ANDERSON chris.anderson@heraldtribune.com SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- A photo sits atop Bobby Bowden's desk, a reminder of the past, a reason for the present. It is a snapshot of four Notre Dame quarterbacks from the 1940s:...

Famiglio makes another good move.(HOME & REAL ESTATE)(Letter From Home)(Column)
November 1, 2003... Byline: Harold Bubil Around 3 o'clock on Tuesday afternoon, Mark Famiglio's cell phone rang. Nothing unusual about that -- the man spends most of his waking life holding a telephone to his ear. But this call was special. It was from...

Our Community.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2003... Man gets 8 years in molestation case BRADENTON -- A 24-year-old who sexually molested a 12-year-old friend of the family at a motel was sentenced to eight years in prison Friday. Gregorio Sanchez-Chavez, who has spent about nine months...

Briefs.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2003... Crash injures 2, driver charged with DUI SARASOTA -- An early-morning car crash Friday injured two passengers and left the driver charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. Police said Rosetta Mamie Burt, 23, of Tampa was...

Athletes dueling with discs; 53 Ultimate Frisbee teams vie for a national title at Sarasota Polo Club.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2003... Byline: DEBI SPRINGER debi.springer@heraldtribune.com MANATEE COUNTY -- For two days, athletes have pounded across the Sarasota Polo Club grounds, hurling and chasing 10-inch white discs during the 2003 Ultimate Frisbee championships. ...

Bobcats can't keep up; Even behind 253 yards passing from Lawrence Luncan, North Port can't keep pace with Raiders.(SPORTS)
November 1, 2003... Byline: BRUCE ROBINS CORRESPONDENT FORT MYERS -- Sophomore Chevon Walker ran for 260 yards and two touchdowns, leading Riverdale High to a 35-26 victory over the North Port Bobcats on Friday night. The Bobcats spotted the Raiders a...

News Updates.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2003... North Port plans controlled burn Southwest Florida Water Management District firefighters are planning a controlled burn on state property in northern North Port on Sunday and Monday. The 170-acre burn will be at the boundary of North...

Tarpons rout Pirates to earn postseason bid; Charlotte rolls up 254 yards on the ground to beat Port Charlotte in key 4A-11 showdown.(SPORTS)
November 1, 2003... Byline: DENNIS MAFFEZZOLI dennis.maffezzoli@heraldtribune.com MURDOCK -- In the biggest game of the season, Binky Waldrop pinned his club's hopes on one of the most obscure units in football. The Charlotte High football coach said the...

CONGRATS.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2003... Elks present check for DARE Paul Intagliata, esteemed lecturing knight from the Elks Lodge 2378 recently presented a check for $552.50 to Englewood Elementary School to help fund the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program. DARE is a...

OPEN SKATE; Skateboarders get their chance -- finally -- to glide and grind across a new complex at Payne Park in Sarasota.(PLAY!)
November 1, 2003... Byline: THOMAS BECNEL thomas.becnel@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- For years they've been waiting. For months they've been watching. For weeks they've been wishing. And now Sarasota skateboarders and inline skaters finally get a...

Candidate Russell gets late surge in contributions.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2003... Byline: SCOTT CARROLL scott.carroll@heraldtribune.com BRADENTON -- If campaign contributions are any indication, Clovia Byrd Russell may make a race of it yet. Russell, who is trying to unseat the Rev. James Golden for the Bradenton...

Last 24 hours of Alzheimer patient's life a mystery; No one is sure how Adele Armbruster wound up home after she was discharged from Village on the Isle.(A SECTION)
November 1, 2003... Byline: JULIAN PECQUET julian.pecquet@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA COUNTY -- When 88-year-old Paul Armbruster's ailing wife was released from Village on the Isle in Venice last week, officials there say they expected her to go straight to...

Venice bond referendum proves divisive; The city pushes hard for the $10 million, which would fund public projects, but a taxpayers group opposes it.(A SECTION)
November 1, 2003... Byline: DAVID HACKETT david.hackett@heraldtribune.com VENICE -- To Venice Mayor Dean Calamaras, the biggest question facing the voters Tuesday is a no-brainer. They should vote for the $10 million general obligation bond. "There's no...

Defending champion Sarasota boys finish tenth.(SPORTS)
November 1, 2003... Byline: PHIL DENIS CORRESPONDENT SEBASTIAN -- The Sarasota High boys swimming team wasn't able to defend its Class 3A state championship Friday but it did get some outstanding performances by junior Spencer Maglich and senior Nick Seuch,...

Obituaries.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
November 1, 2003... MANATEE COUNTY Mable N. Altman Mable N. Altman, 79, Bradenton and formerly of Old Miakka, died Oct. 31, 2003. She was born May 26, 1924, in Old Miakka and came to Manatee County in 1960 from there. She retired after 32 years as a...

CONGRATS.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2003... Softball team wins again The Venice Italian-American softball team won the Senior Softball Classic over the Sarasota All Stars for the fourth consecutive year. Despite many rainouts, the team finished with an 18-5-1 record. Players hitting...

Bruins stretch win streak to 7; Jones and Edwards score two TDs each as Bayshore (8-1) equals the school's win record.(SPORTS)
November 1, 2003... Byline: JODY ROYCE jody.royce@heraldtribune.com BRADENTON -- Bayshore High had a true Homecoming Friday night. The Bruins were playing their first home game in four weeks. They brought home the school's first district title and added a...

Like father, unlike son? Bush award to Kennedy is a sign of the times.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
November 1, 2003... It isn't up there with pestilence and plague, but is it a sign of the apocalypse when Sen. Edward Kennedy receives a public service award from former President George H.W. Bush? Kennedy will receive the 2003 George Bush Award for Excellence...

Indians are in; Venice secures a playoff spot by edging Riverview.(SPORTS)
November 1, 2003... Byline: PERRY D. PENTZ perry.pentz@heraldtribune.com VENICE -- Defense wins championships. Venice limited Riverview to just 41 yards total as the Indians squeezed out a 7-6 victory Friday to claim the Class 5A-District 11 championship...

Obituaries.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
November 1, 2003... SARASOTA COUNTY Mable N. Altman Mable N. Altman, 79, Bradenton and formerly of Old Miakka, died Oct. 31, 2003. She was born May 26, 1924, in Old Miakka and came to Manatee County in 1960 from there. She retired after 32 years as a...

Boca Vista Harbor condos selling fast; The upscale units are being bought up as fast as they can be built -- penthouses included.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2003... Byline: DARLA MCFARLAND darla.mcfarland@heraldtribune.com PLACIDA -- A skyline is emerging on the southern tip of Englewood's peninsula, where four salmon-pink, six-story condominium buildings now dominate the surrounding landscape. ...

FBI seeks to unravel connected franchises; They are investigating Tom Burnham's web, in which investors claim they lost money.(BUSINESS)
November 1, 2003... Byline: MICHAEL POLLICK michael.pollick@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA COUNTY -- Tom Burnham collected tens of million of dollars from investors for a bagel shop franchise company called South Beach Concepts that morphed into something...

Contributions raised by candidates.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2003... Byline: STAFF REPORT Mayor Wayne Poston said he has raised about $100,000 from a broad range of individuals and businesses, local and from other counties. Those contributions include: Developer Ron Allen, president of NDC Construction...

Englewood forest perfect for camping.(PLAY!)(Go!)(Column)
November 1, 2003... Byline: THOMAS BECNEL ENGLEWOOD -- The bike trails are b-b-bumpy at Myakka State Forest, so it's b-b-best to pedal something with a suspension. Riding an old hard-tail bike, like I did, can be hard on your tail. It'll also tax your...

MCC advances in state tourney.(SPORTS)
November 1, 2003... Byline: STAFF REPORT TITUSVILLE -- The Manatee Community College volleyball team beat Gulf Coast Community College 30-25, 30-20, 30-20 Friday night in the state tournament at Brevard Community College. Vanessa Targino (11 kills),...

Spirited fun in South County.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2003... South County loves its Halloween traditions like kids love their costumes and goodie bags. In Venice, the annual Halloween parade has been bringing out small goblins for almost 50 years. On Friday, the parade drew an estimated 800...

News Updates.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2003... November named manatee month Gov. Jeb Bush has named November "Manatee Awareness Month," and the Save the Manatee Club is celebrating the declaration by offering waterfront residents and boaters free signs that warn that the animals may be...

Charges dropped in slaying case; Prosecutors say Carlos Alonso was not a shooter in a parking-lot killing.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2003... Byline: TOM KIM tom.kim@heraldtribune.com MANATEE COUNTY -- Prosecutors have dropped charges against a man who was accused of killing one man and wounding two others during a shoot-out in an Albertson's parking lot. One of the...

Sarasota takes fill-in teacher off list; The school district removes Caroline Phillips from the classroom citing student complaints.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2003... Byline: MIKE SAEWITZ mike.saewitz@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- A substitute teacher who faced battery charges after touching a student last month will no longer be eligible to teach in Sarasota County. The school district cited...

Ford stalls; Tigers rally; Sarasota star gains 226 1st-half yards; Palmetto limits him to 13 in 2nd half of 24-21 triumph.(SPORTS)
November 1, 2003... Byline: DOUG FERNANDES doug.fernandes@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- For one half Friday night, Sarasota High's Mike Ford ran through the Palmetto defense. That ended in the second half, when Ford instead ran into it. After...

Venice Art Fest signals start of winter season.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2003... Byline: EARLE KIMEL earle.kimel@heraldtribune.com VENICE -- Watercolors, oil paintings, sculptures and other creations from more than 150 artisans and craftsmen will be on display this weekend at the 16th annual Downtown Venice Art Fest....

Police say fake bills circulating in area.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2003... Byline: STAFF REPORT BRADENTON -- There has been a spike in counterfeit cases -- 10 in the last two weeks, according to police. About $5,000 in high-quality counterfeit $10 bills and $100 bills has been circulating in the area, said...

Cut cables may affect phone customers for days.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2003... Byline: LAUREN MAYK lauren.mayk@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA COUNTY -- A contractor working for Sarasota County sliced into three underground cables late Thursday, knocking out phone service to up to 5,400 customers, Verizon officials said....

Englewood boy, 7, set for kidney surgery; It will be his fourth since he was diagnosed with renal failure in August.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2003... Byline: SHARYN LONSDALE sharyn.lonsdale@heraldtribune.com ***** CORRECTION: The following correction was published on Tuesday, November 4, 2003: Correction: Because of a reporter's error, a story in Saturday's paper about a 7-year-old...

Lemon Bay rushes past DeSoto; Scott and Tilly combine to run for 240 yards as Manta Rays rally to beat the Bulldogs 21-14.(SPORTS)
November 1, 2003... Byline: CURTIS WILLIAMS CORRESPONDENT ARCADIA -- Junior Chris Scott and senior Sam Tilly rushed for 240 yards as Lemon Bay rallied in the second half to defeat upset-minded DeSoto 21-14 in a Class 3A-District 12 football game Friday night...

The Flambe Lady of the Dry Tortugas.(PLAY!)(Sailing)(Column)
November 1, 2003... Byline: Morgan Stinemetz It was 25 years ago this past Columbus Day, on Oct. 12, 1978, when three inexperienced sailors set out for the Dry Tortugas from Longboat Pass. I was one of those sailors, and it was upon my boat that the three of...

Widening the gulf; Refusal to conduct hearing doesn't build confidence.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
November 1, 2003... The Environmental Protection Agency isn't doing much to allay the public's concerns about disposing treated waste water -- from the abandoned Piney Point phosphate plant -- in the Gulf. Last week, the EPA rejected a Tarpon Springs sponge...

News Updates.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2003... Acting sheriff agrees to extend his service CHARLOTTE COUNTY -- Acting Charlotte County Sheriff J.M. "Buddy" Phillips has agreed to extend his stay with the department, the governor's office confirmed Friday. Gov. Jeb Bush appointed...

POLICE BLOTTER.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2003... Compiled from Sarasota County Sheriff's and Charlotte County Sheriff's reports filed through Oct. 31. Pennsylvania Avenue, 1900 block, Oct. 29. Four checks were taken from the trunk of a 1993 Grand Mercury Sable and written for various...

CONGRATS.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2003... Grant recipients Thirteen not-for-profit organizations serving Lakewood Ranch and East County were selected to share in $30,000 of grant money distributed by the Lakewood Ranch East Communities Charitable Fund: * Braden River Middle...

Station's new home lets sun shine in; WSEB Christian radio's move in Englewood increases visibility.(B SECTION)
November 2, 2003... Byline: AMY ABERN amy.abern@heraldtribune.com ENGLEWOOD -- When the "Distinctly Christian" radio station WSEB, 91.3 FM, moved in August from the Morris Industrial Park into its new home at 135 W. Dearborn St., the darkness lifted and the...

Wading adventures teach about life teeming in area waters.(B SECTION)
November 2, 2003... There are good reasons to go wading in Florida waters. The rivers, estuary and Gulf of Mexico provide a fertile classroom. Of course, it helps to have a knowledgeable teacher or guide to explain what you might find in the water. Bobbi...

Burnettes learn about health at their welcome back luncheon.(B SECTION)(Out & About)(Column)
November 2, 2003... Byline: Ann Henderson It's all about body language -- good health that is. "I use body language to find out what's wrong," said Dr. Ken Feder, a Punta Gorda chiropractor and kinesiologist. "Each of you needs to listen to your body because...

Date books start filling fast as season kicks into high gear.(B SECTION)(Venice Notes)(Column)
November 2, 2003... Byline: Judy Huskey Whether you've called this place home for decades or for just a couple of months, you've probably noticed that folks here amuse themselves in myriad ways. It's often noted that there is more than enough to do, no...

Carreer set up service clubs during WWII.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
November 2, 2003... Byline: HILDEGARD SCHEIBNER hilde.scheibner@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- Elma Carreer, a former Sarasota resident who set up Red Cross service clubs in Europe during World War II, died of cancer Monday in Lenox, Mass. She was 93. ...

Author sees danger.(FLORIDA WEST)(Review)
November 2, 2003... Byline: SUSAN L. RIFE susan.rife@heraldtribune.com Daniel Pipes takes pains to draw a careful distinction between Islam, one of the world's strongest religious traditions, practiced by Muslims, and militant Islamism, an extremist...

Akers-Adams.(FLORIDA WEST)
November 2, 2003... The engagement of Angela Beth Akers and Joseph Aaron Adams, both of Sarasota, is announced. She is the daughter of Ronald Lee Akers of Sarasota. He is the son of Diane Lee Adams of Sarasota and Joseph Myrl Adams of Winnsboro, S.C. ...

DRINK IT IN; Gators beats Bulldogs again at one rockin' Cocktail Party.(SPORTS)
November 2, 2003... Byline: MIC HUBER mic.huber@heraldtribune.com JACKSONVILLE Just before Matt Leach ran onto the field to attempt a game-winning field goal against Georgia Saturday, Florida coach Ron Zook grabbed the Gator place-kicker and whispered a little...

War on terrorism goes beyond military terms.(PERSPECTIVES)(Editorial)
November 2, 2003... Byline: Thomas Tryon Last week, after terrorists in Baghdad eluded American soldiers and boldly attacked international relief offices, Iraqi police stations and a hotel that housed high-ranking U.S. officials, President Bush again framed...

Lamberts celebrate 60 years.(FLORIDA WEST)
November 2, 2003... Hector H. and Helen (Grogan) Lambert of Sarasota celebrated their 60th anniversary Oct. 16, 2003. They were married Oct. 16, 1943, in Huntington, W.Va., and have lived in Sarasota for 16 years. They are the parents of Donald H. Lambert...

VA chief: Partisanship has negative effect on vets.(B SECTION)
November 2, 2003... Byline: CORY REISS WASHINGTON BUREAU WASHINGTON -- The veterans hospital in Lake City is beginning to field calls from Iraq veterans concerned about health care. "They're asking questions because they've heard there are waiting...

Manatee County Transfers.(SUNDAY REAL ESTATE)
November 2, 2003... $125,000 MINIMUM Source: Manatee County Clerk of Circuit Court. Recorded April 2003. Listed alphabetically by sellers' last names. Aarnes, Richard L. and Judith A., to William Thomas and Joyce Elaine Wiggin Robbins, Lot 37, Block...

MacNevin-Bellinger.(FLORIDA WEST)
November 2, 2003... The engagement of Kristen Susan MacNevin of Venice and Alexander Theodor Bellinger of Wheatland, Wyo., is announced. She is the daughter of Mac and Susan MacNevin of Venice. He is the son of Jeffrey and Marion Bellinger of Riverton,...

Readers are what made my job as editor so rewarding.(B SECTION)(Column)
November 2, 2003... Byline: Janet Weaver Executive Editor It's not often that you get to interview the people who want to take your job. But that's what I've been doing during the last couple of weeks. It is a process that has filled me with optimism...

Smart Start helps develop motor skills.(B SECTION)
November 2, 2003... The Start Smart Sports Development program helps children learn basic motor skills even at the age of 3. Charlotte County Parks and Recreation has started this six-week program to help youngsters ease into sports. The children learn how to...

Ranch, Sailor boys, Rams girls qualify for state.(SPORTS)
November 2, 2003... Byline: ALAN DELL CORRESPONDENT LAKEWOOD RANCH -- The Lakewood Ranch High boys' cross country team endured a year's worth of pain after failing to qualify for last year's state meet by two points. The 12 months of frustration finally...

Locals model for Women's Resource Center.(B SECTION)
November 2, 2003... Ann C. Thompson, master of ceremonies, welcomed nearly 200 women to the annual fashion fund-raiser held Oct. 17 at the Venice Yacht Club. The event is a benefit for the Women's Resource Center of Sarasota County and the many programs they...

Pasco-Hernando ousts Lady Lancers.(SPORTS)
November 2, 2003... Byline: STAFF REPORT TITUSVILLE -- Manatee Community College's volleyball team was eliminated from the state junior college tournament on Saturday. Pasco-Hernando ousted the Lady Lancers 30-27, 30-25, 15-30, 31-29 at the Brevard...

Teachers reap benefits of state award system; Even though the FCAT reward program is designed to pay for educational needs, little goes that way.(B SECTION)
November 2, 2003... Byline: CHRIS DAVIS and MATTHEW DOIG STAFF WRITERS Teachers in Southwest Florida are awarding themselves record bonuses this year under a state rewards program that gives money to schools whose students perform well on a state test. ...

Voters just might act decisively.(PERSPECTIVES)(Editorial)
November 2, 2003... Byline: Waldo Proffitt High on the list of things we should have learned from experience is this: Beware of Brainstorms by the Bush Brothers. This is a valuable lesson of considerable importance to both Republicans and Democrats. And...

LaGasse-Verdone.(FLORIDA WEST)
November 2, 2003... The engagement of Karolyn M. LaGasse and Joshua M. Verdone, both of Los Angeles, is announced. She is the daughter of Kathy and Joe LaGasse of Sarasota. He is the son of Maureen Kelly of Panama City Beach and Mr. and Mrs. Michael...

Silent on pollution; Florida conspicuously absent from challenge to EPA policy.(PERSPECTIVES)(Editorial)
November 2, 2003... The Bush administration's nonsensical policy of relaxing environmental regulations to encourage compliance is headed to court. It's a shame that Florida isn't part of the proceedings. Twelve states and more than 20 cities filed lawsuits...