Sarasota Herald Tribune articles from November 2005

Sarasota Herald Tribune archives from November 2005

PCHS students decide to ignore anti-gay protest; A hate group threatens to picket against Port Charlotte High's new Gay Straight Alliance.(A SECTION)
November 1, 2005... Byline: ANNA SCOTT anna.scott@heraldtribune.com PORT CHARLOTTE -- After snacking on Doritos and dropping dues in a bucket, members of Port Charlotte High School's new Gay Straight Alliance faced their first big decision Monday: What to do...

Wilma destroys 17% of state's citrus crop; Grapefruit might be scarce and orange juice prices could rise 5% to 10% in the coming months.(A SECTION)
November 1, 2005... Byline: KATHLEEN McLAUGHLIN kathleen.mclaughlin@heraldtribune.com Orange juice will be more expensive and grapefruit might be fairly scarce after Hurricane Wilma destroyed 17 percent of Florida's citrus crop. Consumers could be looking...

The Alito nomination; Judge has an impressive record and deserves a fair hearing.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
November 1, 2005... Samuel Alito, the president's new pick for the U.S. Supreme Court, is a deeply qualified nominee who deserves a fair hearing before the Senate. That said, it is disappointing that President Bush didn't pick a top-notch woman to serve on...

'A strategic blood reserve'; Amid threat of flu pandemic, idea is worth considering.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
November 1, 2005... Shortly after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Bernadine Healy -- then director of the American Red Cross -- was sharply criticized by lawmakers on Capitol Hill for trying to use $50 million from a special relief fund to create "a strategic...

Saving North Port's trees; Fast-growing city needs a stronger ordinance.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
November 1, 2005... It's time for the North Port City Commission to stop beating around the bush and enact an ordinance that will help prevent the city from losing its trees. The city's existing tree ordinance is so counterproductive that many builders appear...

Dickson needs to be in control.(SPORTS)(Column)
November 1, 2005... Byline: Dennis Maffezzoli After Sara Dickson finished the Class 3A-District 6 cross country race, the Port Charlotte High senior thought the race was run "a little slow. I was 13:06 at the 2-mile, and I was supposed to be at 12:20," she...

Sarasota's Miller shines for Gators, earns SEC honor.(SPORTS)
November 1, 2005... Byline: MIC HUBER mic.huber@heraldtribune.com GAINESVILLE -- Drew Miller made the most out of his opportunity to get back into the University of Florida lineup. Miller, who lost his job at right guard and didn't play for two games,...

Gruden sticking with Simms.(SPORTS)
November 1, 2005... Byline: TOM BALOG tom.balog@heraldtribune.com TAMPA -- Tampa Bay Bucs head coach Jon Gruden stood by Chris Simms on Monday, electing not to pile on his unseasoned 25-year-old quarterback. Gruden said that he has to be careful not to...

Port Charlotte's Dickson takes girls crown; Pirates boys, Indians girls qualify for region meet set for Saturday.(SPORTS)
November 1, 2005... Byline: DENNIS MAFFEZZOLI dennis.maffezzoli@heraldtribune.com FORT MYERS -- Despite having many outstanding cross country runners at Port Charlotte High, Bethany Heslam hasn't had a district champion since Kim Pawelek in 1991. That...

H-T TOP 15.(SPORTS)
November 1, 2005... Herald-Tribune writers Perry Pentz, Dennis Maffezzoli, Jody Royce and Jon Styf, along with correspondents Chad Brockhoff and Alan Dell, vote on this year's H-T 15. Total points are based on 15 points for a first-place vote through one point for...

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK.(SPORTS)
November 1, 2005... Offense RICKY SYLVESTER, North Port High, running back COMMENTS: Sylvester rushed for 230 yards on 17 carries to lead the Bobcats to a 43-0 win over South Fort Myers. Sylvester scored three touchdowns on runs of 3, 8 and 43 yards. With...

Port Charlotte team goes unbeaten.(SPORTS)
November 1, 2005... Byline: ALAN DELL CORRESPONDENT PORT CHARLOTTE -- The St. Charles Borromeo School boys soccer squad has proven that talent and team chemistry are hard to beat. The team of sixth- through eighth-graders recently finished its regular...

Businessmen take expertise to morning radio show.(BUSINESS)(Charlotte Business)(Column)
November 1, 2005... Byline: John Heys Jon Clark and Patrick T. Crissy make their living helping businesses improve and promote themselves. But on Thursday mornings, the two dish out free advice to listeners during "Mind Your Business," a new radio talk...

Bookstore owners explore options; Buyer's outstanding warrant surprises Lobos.(BUSINESS)
November 1, 2005... Byline: MICHAEL BRAGA michael.braga@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- Caren and Dick Lobo thought they knew pretty much everything about Thomas Coelho, the man buying Sarasota News & Books. The Lobos, who own the bookstore, knew all about...

Clarification.(BUSINESS)(Correction Notice)
November 1, 2005... Infinium Labs failed to pay federal withholding income tax on approximately eight months of payroll during 2004 and 2005, rather than the full years as reported by the Herald-Tribune on Saturday. The company's filing Friday with the federal...

Business Buzz.(BUSINESS)
November 1, 2005... Power named president of SAR Felix Power, a sales associate for the Siesta Key office, is the 2006 incoming president for the Sarasota Association of Realtors. B/S/W hires three, promotes one Sarasota-based Baskerville/Swirles/Ward...

May the force be with you ... again and again.(FLORIDA WEST)(DVD Watch)(Column)
November 1, 2005... Byline: Philip Booth Are we there yet, finally finished with George Lucas' "Star Wars" saga? The answer, of course, is both yes and no. The awkwardly titled "Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith" (Fox, $29.98) is the sixth...

'Chant Wars' is revelatory.(FLORIDA WEST)
November 1, 2005... Byline: RICHARD STORM CORRESPONDENT Anyone who thinks medieval plainsong -- often called Gregorian chant -- is bloodless stuff needs to spend a bit of time with this fascinating disc. The title refers to the efforts of Charlemagne, as...

Music lingers after concert.(FLORIDA WEST)
November 1, 2005... Byline: RICHARD STORM CORRESPONDENT The best indicator that an audience member has had a transcendent concert experience is the way the music replays in the mind long after the actual event. Such was the case after each of the concerts...

MYSTERY WOMAN; The Queen of the young-adult suspense authors, Lois Duncan, returns to her hometown.(FLORIDA WEST)
November 1, 2005... Byline: SUSAN L. RIFE susan.rife@heraldtribune.com ***** CORRECTION: The following correction was published on Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2005. The title of one of Lois Duncan's books was misspelled in a story in Tuesday's Florida West. The...

Pines of Sarasota's fund-raising campaign grows.(FLORIDA WEST)(Column)
November 1, 2005... Byline: Marjorie North ***** CORRECTION: The following correction was published on Thursday, November 3, 2005: Oops, I received wrong information about Dr. David Giordano the other day. David, marked absent from the kickoff of The...

Local snapshots; Brief comments on life and times in our communities.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
November 1, 2005... Preserving history Charlotte County residents can learn an important history lesson from a Fort Myers businessman. Alfred Keener spent more than $1 million -- far more than the purchase price -- to restore the H.W. Smith Arcade building in...

Truce possible in sailing battle; Sailing center wants to offer low-cost lessons on a strip of boat club's land.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2005... Byline: SARA LUBBES sara.lubbes@heraldtribune.com PUNTA GORDA -- The Punta Gorda Boat Club might have found a way to live side by side with the Charlotte Harbor Community Sailing Center. The two have been feuding over the sailing...

New library is product of smart decisions.(B SECTION)(Comment)(Column)
November 1, 2005... Byline: Eric Ernst It took seven years, $8.6 million and an old Kash n' Karry store, but Charlotte County finally has a regional library. If nothing else, the new library is a great lesson in why not to do everything by the book. ...

Rotonda center hearings to begin; New facility is expected to cost $1.2 million.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2005... Byline: KEVIN DALE kevin.dale@heraldtribune.com ROTONDA WEST -- Starting today, the Rotonda West Association will hold a series of town hall meetings to inform residents about a proposed $1.2 million administration center. The...

Englewood Halloween quite a treat; Crowds descend on Dearborn Street for Safe Walk.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2005... Byline: SHARYN LONSDALE sharyn.lonsdale@heraldtribune.com ENGLEWOOD -- By 5 p.m. Monday, just as the barricades went up to block part of West Dearborn Street to traffic, hundreds of kids and adults had already descended on the annual...

LOCAL BRIEFS.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2005... Police seek would-be Dunkin' Donuts robber ENGLEWOOD -- Police are looking for an unidentified person who attempted to rob a Dunkin' Donuts on South McCall Road Sunday night. The person, wearing a hairnet and bandana, pointed a black...

Vandalism called hate crime.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2005... Byline: SARA LUBBES sara.lubbes@heraldtribune.com PORT CHARLOTTE -- Ken Slishman has no idea why burglars vandalized his van and covered it with anti-Semitic slurs. Slishman, of Port Charlotte, found the words "DIE JEW" along with a...

Bergeest gives audience more than their money's worth.(B SECTION)(Art Beat)(Column)
November 1, 2005... Byline: Marilyn D. Carpenter Lothar Bergeest deserves a bigger audience. On Friday night, the baritone presented his outstanding one-man show to an audience of fewer than 100 people at the Aaron Street Theatre at the Cultural Center...

Anti-drug effort targets home-schoolers; A presentation at the fairgrounds combines multiple anti-drug programs.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2005... Byline: ALISON POSNER alison.posner@heraldtribune.com Charlotte County home-schoolers got a day of socializing and anti-drug awareness Thursday. More than 60 students who are taught at home and their parents gathered at the Charlotte County...

Applause for Paws puts on the dog at Cultural Center.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2005... Byline: BETSY WILLIAMS CORRESPONDENT The Applause for Paws Pet Show, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Charlotte Harbor, was held Saturday in the courtyard of the Cultural Center of Charlotte County. Winners included: Largest Dog:...

Obituaries.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
November 1, 2005... CHARLOTTE COUNTY Ruth R. Decker Ruth R. Decker, 90, Punta Gorda, died Oct. 27, 2005, in Port Charlotte. She was born May 4, 1915, in Carlisle, Pa., and came to the Charlotte County area in 1974 from there. She was a former...

Senior center gets head start on Thanksgiving.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2005... Byline: SHARYN LONSDALE sharyn.lonsdale@heraldtribune.com The Senior Friendship Center threw an early Thanksgiving dinner for regulars and guests at the Friday program at Community Presbyterian Church. Kathie McMurrian, neighborhood...

Postponed HCA fall fest finds better weather on second try.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2005... Byline: BETSY WILLIAMS CORRESPONDENT After having to postpone its Fall Festival because of the threat of Hurricane Wilma, Heritage Christian Academy could not have asked for a better autumn day Saturday for the fest and yard sale. The...

Desperate housewives cope with Retired Husband Syndrome.(B SECTION)(Column)
November 1, 2005... Byline: Kim Hackett There's a new "illness" making its way here from Japan and it has nothing to do with avians. Affecting older women, extreme symptoms include ulcers, slurred speech, rashes and the sudden urge to throw their husband...

Public invited to SCOPE community assembly.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2005... Byline: STAFF REPORT The public is invited to SCOPE's second Community Assembly on Aging from 8:30 a.m. to noon Nov. 19 at the Ramada Inn Osprey, 1660 S. Tamiami Trail, Osprey. The assembly is part of "Aging: The Possibilities," one...

Naples won't play Venice on Friday.(SPORTS)(At Home)(Column)
November 1, 2005... Byline: Perry Pentz It looks as if the Venice High football team will have plenty of time to prepare for its Class 5A-Region 3 quarterfinal game against Fort Myers in two weeks. The Indians (3-6) won't get a chance to close out their...

Jewish center looks within to find rabbi.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2005... Byline: CHRISTOPHER O'DONNELL chris.odonnell@heraldtribune.com VENICE -- Those who believe that God moves in mysterious ways would certainly appreciate the journey of the local Jewish Community Center to find its own spiritual leader. ...

County to dedicate river trail; Event comes a week before vote on land preservation program.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2005... Byline: WILL ROTHSCHILD will.rothschild@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA COUNTY -- For proponents of a county program to acquire and protect environmentally sensitive land, parks and other green space, the timing couldn't be better. At...

Manatee home builder returns for decision; Developer says he has addressed commission's concerns about Greyhawk addition.(A SECTION)
November 1, 2005... Byline: TOM ARTHUR tom.arthur@heraldtribune.com MANATEE COUNTY -- A few years ago, adding 500 homes to the Greyhawk Landing subdivision in northeast Manatee County might not have warranted a whisper of complaint. But now, with 400...

Give gas tax a chance; Public might accept it as part of transportation strategy.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
November 1, 2005... A proposal to raise Manatee County's gas tax by a nickel a gallon might not be as controversial as some officials have feared. At a recent transportation planning session, a clear consensus in favor of the increase emerged among the 100 or so...

No easy playoff road ahead.(SPORTS)(At Home)(Column)
November 1, 2005... Byline: Alan Dell This is the time of year high school football coaches either count their blessings or lament over the hand they were dealt. With the playoffs slated for Nov. 11, Southeast High and Bayshore High find themselves stuck...

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK.(SPORTS)
November 1, 2005... Offense SHEDRICK HAYNES, Palmetto High, quarterback COMMENTS: The junior turned in one of the area's best individual performances of the year, though it came in a losing cause against Booker High. He ran for 113 yards on 13 carries...

Writer brings experience to Manatee business column.(BUSINESS)(Manatee At Work)(Column)
November 1, 2005... Byline: Stephen Frater This is the first in a series of weekly business columns that will run in this space on Tuesdays. I'm replacing Kathleen McLaughlin as the Herald-Tribune's Manatee County business reporter. Kathleen did such a...

King-size celebration.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2005... Bill Mullis always promised himself that if he made it big he'd buy king-size candy for children on Halloween. The Staff Leasing founder kept his promise, and since 9/11 has been holding one of the town's biggest Halloween celebrations at his...

County, cities try to blend agendas; Officials want to align planning guidelines.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2005... Byline: DALE WHITE dale.white@heraldtribune.com MANATEE COUNTY -- From its beach towns to its farmlands, from its dense downtowns to its sprawling suburbs, this 785-square-mile county is comprised of many diverse communities. To...

LOCAL BRIEFS.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2005... Court clerk warns of identity theft scam MANATEE COUNTY -- Court officials here are warning residents of a phone scam that thieves could use to get Social Security numbers and other personal identification information. So far, the...

See the latest fashions at AKA's 2005 Fashionetta.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2005... Byline: YVETTE KIMM yvette.kimm@heraldtribune.com MANATEE COUNTY -- Members of a sorority founded nearly 100 years ago on a university campus are continuing its mission by supporting education. The local Lambda Omicron Omega chapter...

Make plans now to enter sand sculpture contest.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2005... Byline: STAFF REPORT Keep Manatee Beautiful is looking for teams to participate in SandBlast 2005. The sand sculpture contest will be Nov. 19 at the Beach House Restaurant, 200 Gulf Drive N., Bradenton Beach. The competition pairs...

Obituaries.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
November 1, 2005... MANATEE COUNTY Luis Bolado Luis Bolado, 62, Palmetto, died Oct. 28, 2005. He was born Aug. 27, 1943, in Mexico and came to Palmetto from there. He was a migrant worker. He was a member of Holy Cross Catholic Church in Palmetto....

Land-acquisition referendum seeks to expand limits; The county wants to more money and time for the environmentally sensitive land program.(A SECTION)
November 1, 2005... Byline: DOUG SWORD doug.sword@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA COUNTY -- Voters will decide next Tuesday whether to expand a program set up six years ago to buy woods, hammock and swamp land throughout Sarasota County. The original program...

Patella will be honored for service.(SPORTS)(Column)
November 1, 2005... Byline: Chad Brockhoff The Booker High and Sarasota High football programs will honor legendary Ringling Redskins coach John Patella at their game on Friday night at Tornado Alley. Both teams will line up at their respective...

European cuisine coming to Southbay center.(BUSINESS)(What's in Store)(Column)
November 1, 2005... Byline: Lauren Mayk Southbay Shopping Center is picking up the possibility of more activity. The Osprey shopping plaza has lost two big retail draws in recent years with the departure of Jacobson's and, more recently, Ethan Allen. The...

Rep. Foley wants out of pesky tax break.(B SECTION)(Comment)(Column)
November 1, 2005... Byline: Tom Lyons Maybe U.S. Rep. Mark Foley's explanation about how he has two homestead exemptions -- which is illegal -- makes perfect sense. It makes sense, that is, if we assume he is really bad at dealing with government...

Correction.(B SECTION)(Correction Notice)
November 1, 2005... An article headlined "Lots expected to bring big bucks" in Sunday's Herald-Tribune incorrectly stated how the Sarasota County School Board will be compensated from the sale of the tax-delinquent lots. The school board will receive about 50 lots...

17th Street plan angers official; City Commissioner Fredd Atkins speaks out against road extension.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2005... Byline: MIKE SAEWITZ mike.saewitz@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- It was more than 30 years ago that city officials contemplated connecting 17th Street from U.S. 301 to U.S. 41, giving drivers another option to get across town in a hurry....

Carlie case requires changes for larger jury.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2005... Byline: TODD RUGER todd.ruger@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA COUNTY -- A hastily constructed extension of the jury box in courtroom 2A is probably the most concrete indication that court officials realize holding Joseph P. Smith's trial here...

Special Olympics volunteers, athletes honored.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2005... Byline: NANCY CHAPMAN CORRESPONDENT There was a whole lot of cheering in the auditorium at the Gene Whipp Center on Friday evening. At one point, with the audience chanting "Maggie, Maggie," Rob Rankin quipped that he was having a "Jerry...

Dog-rescue project homecoming 'a howling good time'.(B SECTION)
November 1, 2005... Byline: NANCY CHAPMAN CORRESPONDENT If Lizzie Murphy were to count the number of years she has lived and compare that with the number of greyhounds she shares a house with, the fleet-of-foot canines would barely lose. Lizzie is 14. Her...

MOLD; Water damage from storms can create an expensive health threat; A year after Charley, Charlotte residents deal with growing problem.(A SECTION)
November 2, 2005... Byline: PATRICK WHITTLE patrick.whittle@heraldtribune.com CHARLOTTE COUNTY -- Firefighters of Station 12 stewed Tuesday as workers tore apart their temporary firehouse to remove the mold that contaminates it. "We're just concerned...

Red tide takes a breather; Tourism officials heave a sigh of relief, and would prefer not to talk about it.(A SECTION)
November 2, 2005... Byline: KATHLEEN McLAUGHLIN kathleen.mclaughlin@heraldtribune.com In tourism circles, red tide is like a dirty word. Even when the wheeze-inducing algae bloom is on its way out, some folks in the tourism business still don't like to...

Red tide takes a breather; The air is clear, the fish are alive and no one knows why.(A SECTION)
November 2, 2005... Byline: CATHY ZOLLO cathy.zollo@heraldtribune.com For the first time in 10 months, folks who live near the Gulf of Mexico aren't coughing or hacking. There are few if any dead fish on the beaches or in the waterways and there's no stink in...

Built-in intrusion; Sarasota's proposed arcades encroach into public right of way.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
November 2, 2005... Theoretically, there's nothing wrong with the architectural concept of arcades. The problem is what's above them -- or will be, if Sarasota goes through with a plan to allow developers to build in the public air space over arcades. The...

The wisdom of youth; Teens give anti-gay protesters a lesson in maturity.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
November 2, 2005... Port Charlotte High's Gay Straight Alliance recently formed a club to encourage tolerance and to oppose the bullying of gay students. Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., known for picketing against homosexuals with signs that say "God...

Correction.(A SECTION)(Correction Notice)
November 2, 2005... An editorial Sunday inaccurately described the Sarasota County referendum questions dealing with the Environmentally Sensitive Lands Program. Question 1 asks voters whether to continue the current program through 2029 and to expand it to...

Devil Rays narrow managerial candidates to three.(SPORTS)
November 2, 2005... Byline: DENNIS MAFFEZZOLI dennis.maffezzoli@heraldtribune.com ST. PETERSBURG -- McLaren, Maddon and Valentine. No, it's not a new law firm. They are the three finalists for the Tampa Bay managerial position. The Rays whittled...

Jenkins catching up with the speed of the game.(SPORTS)
November 2, 2005... Byline: ALAN DELL CORRESPONDENT TAMPA -- Although he would like to forget last season, Mike Jenkins can't shake it. It pops into his head every so often, like a bad dream. The University of South Florida cornerback says everything...

Power played out; Atlanta scores on all four power plays, nets six to beat Lightning.(SPORTS)
November 2, 2005... Byline: JODY ROYCE jody.royce@heraldtribune.com TAMPA -- An integral part to the Tampa Bay Lightning's early success was invisible Tuesday night. The Lightning failed to kill off a penalty on four occasions. The Atlanta Thrashers used...

Manta boys, girls advance to region.(SPORTS)
November 2, 2005... Byline: DONNIE WILKIE CORRESPONDENT GOLDEN GATE -- Cyndi Wright was expecting to fly to Las Vegas today on vacation. Now, the Lemon Bay High sophomore must decide if what happened Tuesday in Southwest Florida means she'll stay in...

Riverview one game from Final 4; Closeness, good leadership combine to have Lady Rams ranked No. 2.(SPORTS)
November 2, 2005... Byline: DOUG FERNANDES doug.fernandes@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- Walk down any corridor at Riverview High and you might hear a language that would puzzle an English teacher. A language with its own unique vocabulary. Words such as...

ODA tops Northside Christian.(SPORTS)
November 2, 2005... Byline: STAFF REPORT SARASOTA -- Eighth-grader Genna Biegelsen scored a pair of goals to lead the Out-of-Door Academy girls soccer team to a 4-2 win over visiting St. Petersburg Northside Christian on Tuesday. Alissa Goldman-Burr and...

Venice picks new coach just in time.(SPORTS)
November 2, 2005... Byline: PERRY D. PENTZ perry.pentz@heraldtribune.com VENICE -- Just one week before a Tipoff Classic tournament, Venice High announced it has hired a new girls basketball coach, according to athletics director Larry Sandburg. Taking...

BOLTS NOTEBOOK.(SPORTS)
November 2, 2005... Good sign, but a bad loss TAMPA -- Nothing could make the Lightning happier than a Brad Richards score. So when the Tampa Bay center scored twice in the first period against Atlanta Tuesday night, it should have been a good sign the...

Bookstore buyer is dumped from deal; Owners end contract with wanted felon.(BUSINESS)
November 2, 2005... Byline: MICHAEL BRAGA michael.braga@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- Thomas Coelho has lost his second chance. The convicted felon was pushed out of the deal to buy Sarasota News & Books this week after others involved in the sale learned...

Correction.(BUSINESS)(Correction Notice)
November 2, 2005... Peter Paul, who has opened the Peter Paul Gallery in Sarasota, also operates the InterAD Agency. An incorrect name for the agency appeared in Monday's Business Weekly.

GM retirees lament likely benefit cuts.(BUSINESS)
November 2, 2005... Byline: STEPHEN FRATER stephen.frater@heraldtribune.com PALMETTO -- If you think you've fully secured your health care benefits after a lifetime of labor, think again. In an increasingly common trend, large corporations are attempting...

Business Buzz.(BUSINESS)
November 2, 2005... Manatee Young Professionals to meet The Manatee Young Professionals will meet Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Sun House Restaurant, 111 Gulf Drive S., Bradenton Beach. For more information, visit www.MYPonline.com. Job seekers can...

DNAPrint Genomics buys biological computer modeler Kenna.(BUSINESS)
November 2, 2005... Byline: STAFF REPORT SARASOTA -- DNAPrint Genomics has bought a Pennsylvania company that builds computer models that mimic complex biological models -- something useful for a company that maps DNA strands. West Chester, Pa.-based...

Foods with strange names; easy 'awesome' gravy.(FLORIDA WEST)(Sampler)(Recipe)(Column)
November 2, 2005... Byline: Linda Brandt After my recent column on headcheese, or souse, several readers called or e-mailed with comments or recipes. I particularly enjoyed this e-mail from Zona Spray Starks of Nokomis. "Interesting how one man's...

At Lidia's table; Chef Lidia Matticchio Bastianich focuses on family in latest book.(FLORIDA WEST)(Recipe)
November 2, 2005... Byline: SHARYN LONSDALE sharyn.lonsdale@heraldtribune.com It wasn't her four restaurants, TV cooking show or hectic travel schedule that kept Lidia Matticchio Bastianich from promoting her cookbook, "Lidia's Family Table," when it was...

Venice City Council; We recommend Rick Tacy for re-election.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
November 2, 2005... Venice City Councilman Rick Tacy recently played a pivotal role in creating a unique project that's expected to bring the city 15 to 20 affordable-housing units on Knights Trail Road. The council will team with Habitat for Humanity, the YMCA,...

Council looks at parking problem; Punta Gorda considers a proposal to add four floors to a downtown parking garage.(B SECTION)
November 2, 2005... Byline: STAFF REPORT PUNTA GORDA -- Looking for a solution to the downtown parking problem, the City Council today will consider a proposal to add more stories to a parking garage designed for the Professional Center on West Marion...

SEEN & HEARD.(B SECTION)
November 2, 2005... 'All hail the ditch bird' Some of North Port's firefighters have concocted a birdbrained superstition to keep the city safe: praising a statue of an egret. The statue, which is slightly smaller than an actual egret, is perched in North...

Punta Gorda mayor urges easing land regulations.(B SECTION)
November 2, 2005... Byline: SARA LUBBES sara.lubbes@heraldtribune.com PUNTA GORDA -- Noting that the city is poised for a construction boom, Mayor Steve Fabian declared 2006 the "year of the shovel" in Punta Gorda. But Fabian said Tuesday that the city...