Sarasota Herald Tribune articles from November 2009

Sarasota Herald Tribune archives from November 2009

Angel investors stepping up to fill void of failed banks.
November 30, 2009... Byline: Matt Sauer my take on the Herald-Tribune's aggressive bank coverage. Thanks for the positive feedback (and the few negative comments from, not surprisingly, industry insiders, or should I say former insiders). But one topic I...

NOVEL LEGAL TECHNIQUE FOR NOVEL LAWSUIT Stoneybrook's struggle to get homeowners to pay fees.
November 30, 2009... Byline: TOM BAYLES, A short history of Stoneybrook In September, Builder magazine named the Lennar Corp.subdivision one of "10 Top-Selling Communities in the U.S.," the only Florida community named to the leading journal of the home...

Rent a mansion for less. Exhibitionists welcome.
November 30, 2009... Byline: Aaron Kessler For many sellers, this involves tossing out their extraneous clutter and giving their places a work over so that everything is picture-perfect. For vacant homes, sellers face a different challenge -- filling the void....

ONE MAN'S TIME WITH THE FLIPPERS Jobless and upside down on a $500,000 mortgage, a man looks into his saviors and doesn't like what he sees.
November 30, 2009... Byline: MICHAEL BRAGA, A resident of Seneca, a small city in the northwest corner of South Carolina, Egger said he was approached by a real estate investment firm earlier this month that wanted to flip his house. Dennis Funk, a YLHG field...

Herald Tribune Obituaries.
November 30, 2009... May 30, 1937 - Nov. 26, 2009. Spence Astle Jr., 72, of North Port died Nov. 26, 2009. A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Farley Funeral Home, North Port Chapel. Spence moved to this area 5 years ago from Eureka Springs,...

NOVEL LEGAL TECHNIQUE FOR NOVEL LAWSUIT.
November 30, 2009... Byline: TOM BAYLES At first glance it appears that the Stoneybrook at Venice Community Association Inc. has filed a lawsuit against itself. In a way, it has. Fed up with owners who rented out their units and stopped paying their dues,...

Cooking outside the lunch lines.
November 30, 2009... Byline: TIFFANY LANKES Staff Writer Even after a full day of cooking for students at Oak Park School, Judy Coomer heads home to experiment in her own kitchen. "I guess it makes sense a lot of us get into it because we enjoy cooking," said...

Southwest Florida vacation rentals adjust to post-9/11 realities.
November 30, 2009... Byline: KEVIN L. McQUAID The terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, have forever changed the way America travels by air, the way government views security, and the way many view the world. For Southwest Florida vacation rental managers like...

Once again, Belaya passes qualifying.
November 30, 2009... Byline: BRIAN NEWBERRY Correspondent Maria Belaya knows what it takes to reach the main draw of the Eddie Herr International Junior Tennis Championships. She used her experience to get through the qualifying round once again. Belaya...

MEDICINE: The economy isn't good for business or their patients' health.
November 30, 2009... Byline: ANNA SCOTT The American Dental Association reports that more than half of general practice dentists have been losing money and new patients all year, prompting dentists to rethink how they do business and instilling worry about the...

After a calm season, scientists wonder: Are more ahead?
November 30, 2009... Byline: KATE SPINNER The 2009 hurricane season came and went like a whisper for Southwest Florida, the calmest Atlantic season since 1997. The National Hurricane Center named nine storms, three of which reached hurricane force. An average...

Instant forests pop up for Christmas season.
November 30, 2009... Byline: KIM HACKETT Sharon Stevens bought her eight-foot Douglas fir a few weeks earlier than usual so her daughter could pick out the family Christmas tree. "She hasn't had a tree in five years," Stevens said of her adult daughter who...

One play the difference, but decisions in question.
November 30, 2009... Byline: Doug Fernandes He kneeled down, a head coach's only logical reaction to a pierced heart. That was Raheem Morris, the position assumed after Chris Redmon's fourth-down dagger rendered useless the previous 59 minutes, 37 seconds of...

ANGLERS SAD TO SEE SHOP GO.
November 30, 2009... Byline: CHRISTOPHER O'DONNELL Michigan snowbird Dave Clark would head almost every Sunday morning to the Palmetto Shell gas station and emerge with a bucket of live shrimp to bait his fishing line. He and other anglers loved the small...

Recession worries dentists.
November 30, 2009... Byline: ANNA SCOTT The American Dental Association reports that more than half of general practice dentists have been losing money and new patients all year, prompting dentists to rethink how they do business and instilling worry about the...

Art collector Ron Saba views his rooms.
November 29, 2009... Byline: MARSHA FOTTLER Correspondent Ron Saba is selling his garden home on Bird Key, and he's bucking a trend to do it. Prevailing wisdom holds that when preparing a house for the market, sellers should de-clutter, de-personalize and...

House of many collections.
November 29, 2009... Byline: MARSHA FOTTLER Correspondent Prevailing wisdom holds that when preparing a house for the market, sellers should de-clutter, de-personalize and emotionally detach themselves from their abodes. The idea is to so neutralize the house...

Google fever is spreading.
November 29, 2009... Byline: David Grimes This used to be called hypochondria, but that was before computers and the Internet came along and expanded the list of possible afflictions a thousand-fold. It's now called Google Fever in honor of that invaluable...

Heading back down the rabbit hole.
November 29, 2009... Byline: JAY HANDELMAN The center's Broadway Genesis Project is the major backer of "Wonderland: Alice's New Adventures," which opens Friday for a five-week run. The show stars Janet Dacal as a grown-up Alice, a writer (and descendant of...

TBPAC extends its reach.
November 29, 2009... Byline: JAY HANDELMAN With the production of Frank Wildhorn's "Wonderland: Alice's New Adventures," she is leading the center in a new direction as a creative and producing organization. The center has long produced its own opera and...

A convergence of star power.
November 29, 2009... Byline: WALKER MEADE Correspondent In June 2005, Yang won the silver medal at the 12th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. The prize package included $20,000, three years of U.S. concert engagements and a CD recording on the Harmonia...

After abuse, m other seeks to rebuild life.
November 29, 2009... Byline: JENNIFER SHEA Sibhon Wicks is tired. But her daughter, Emmenity, or Mimi, as she is affectionately known, has boundless energy. Mimi, 2, and her mother live at Our Mother's House, a Catholic Charities agency. "I didn't have...

Herald Tribune Obituaries.
November 29, 2009... Sept. 20, 1927 - Nov. 6, 2009 Frederick A. Beyer, 82, of Venice, formerly of Arlington Heights, Ill., died Nov. 6, 2009. Frederick A. Beyer, 82, of Venice, formerly of Arlington Hights, Ill., born in Lake Mills, Wis., died Nov. 6 at...

Church pantry offers Thanksgiving meals.
November 29, 2009... Byline: BETSY WILLIAMS Correspondent Kinsey worked at the electrical shop for seven years, "but when he decided it was time to retire, with the way the economy was and all, well this left me without a job," Kinsey said. Standing in line...

With Bates demotion, Bucs stop at Morris.
November 29, 2009... Byline: TOM BALOG The Buccaneers rookie head coach who is on his third quarterback and fourth coordinator, has put his fate in his own hands, with the last major move he could possibly make this season. Morris will act as his own defensive...

Athlete's trial begins Monday.
November 29, 2009... Byline: TODD RUGER The credibility of eyewitnesses could play a key role in this week's first-degree murder trial of a once-promising Lakewood Ranch High School football player. Prosecutors say several witnesses will identify Timothy L....

Miami's Shields adjusts to role at CB.
November 29, 2009... Byline: DENNIS MAFFEZZOLI With his offensive career on a downward spiral, Sam Shields began playing defensive back during spring drills. The University of Miami coaches saw something they liked and approached Shields about changing sides....

Flawed 'Giselle' soars at the end.
November 29, 2009... Byline: RICHARD STORM Correspondent The tragic principals, Giselle and her noble lover, Albrecht, danced by guest stars Alina Cojocaru and Johan Kobborg, were incandescent in their final scene, the confrontation of the heroine's ghost and the...

Youth Foundation Classic ends in success.
November 29, 2009... Byline: PHIL DENIS Correspondent Undefeated North Port, Lakewood Ranch and Southeast each completed their two-game sweep Saturday night in the 12th annual Youth Foundation Ladies Holiday Basketball Classic at Sarasota Christian School. ...

Miami to USF: Rivalry? Not yet.
November 29, 2009... Byline: ALAN DELL Correspondent USF head coach Jim Leavitt wanted to play Miami so he could make a statement about his 13 year-old football program. At least he didn't have to strain his vocal chords. The Hurricanes made sure of that. ...

Leavitt's excuses are sounding familiar.
November 29, 2009... Byline: Doug Fernandes Jim Leavitt stood behind the podium at Raymond James Stadium, in the approximate spot usually occupied by Tampa Bay's professional football head coach. Different coach, different team, but in the aftermath of a...

An indelible memory, for Tebow and his fans.
November 29, 2009... Byline: Mic Huber He took his time, spending more than eight minutes making his way around The Swamp, sharing memories and high fives with fans every step along the way as the tune "Party Like A Rock Star" blared from the sound system. ...

Taking lessons beyond basics.
November 29, 2009... Byline: TIFFANY LANKES and CHRISTOPHER O'DONNELL "When you get less money, you have to be extra careful with how you spend it and make sure you cover the basics," said Herbert, a Bay Haven Elementary School teacher, during a trip to Selby...

Faulty promises in bid to drill off Florida?
November 29, 2009... Byline: JEREMY WALLACE The promise of subsea systems swayed some legislators to support opening Florida's waters to drilling. But a Herald-Tribune examination found that the promises made by drilling proponents are largely empty: One of...

Tarpons grind out victory over Cape Coral.
November 28, 2009... Byline: DENNIS MAFFEZZOLI Dave Warkentin Field, Cape Coral The Charlotte High football team got back to the basics: running the ball and playing solid defense. The Tarpons forced three turnovers and picked up 258 yards and all three...

Braden River falls in OT to Lake Wales.
November 28, 2009... Byline: CHRIS ANDERSON Another week, another overtime game, only this time the magic ran out for the Braden River High football team. The first home playoff game in school history was heartbreaking for the Pirates as they fell 21-14 to the...

Thunder too Strong for Evangelical.
November 28, 2009... Byline: Donnie Wilkie, Correspondent Cleland Stadium at Ihrig Field, Sarasota They like to portray themselves as "the school with the funny name." But nowadays, as the shoulder pads in three counties are being sent to storage all around...

Manatee smashes St. Petersburg.
November 28, 2009... Byline: ALAN DELL The Manatee High football team didn't have any throw-back jerseys to wear so it did the next best thing. The Hurricanes discarded their fun-and- gun offense and played some old- fashioned smash-mouth football. It was good...

Shifting losses to taxpayers.
November 28, 2009... Byline: Waldo Proffitt But, only if you can do so without adding more to your credit card balances than you can pay off quickly, because what I want to do is to help merchants, not banks. Banks, and I refer primarily to big banks, spent...

Tarpons grind out victory.
November 28, 2009... Byline: DENNIS MAFFEZZOLI 4A-REGION 3: Charlotte scores all TDs on the ground The Charlotte High football team got back to the basics: running the ball and playing solid defense. The Tarpons forced three turnovers and picked up 258...

Ministry in evangelism.
November 28, 2009... Byline: JENNIFER SHEA Correspondent More than five years and hundreds of sermons have past and Mann believes more strongly than ever that his purpose and mission is simply to find and "bless people." Mann is a third-generation Floridian;...

See church's ethnic art.
November 28, 2009... Byline: PATTIE MIHALIK Correspondent Known as St. Mary's Church, the North Port congregation is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a free exhibit of Ukrainian religious and ethnic art, including rare 400-year-old icons. Ukrainian...

DUI case goes back to court.
November 28, 2009... Byline: TODD RUGER A Manatee Sheriff's deputy arrested John Bennett on a DUI charge, finding the motorcyclist showed signs of impairment like slurred speech and failure to perform roadside sobriety tests. Bennett has a different version,...

A much faster way to pedal home.
November 28, 2009... Byline: BILLY COX All you can see of 69-year-old Ray Mickevicius as he rips down the westbound slope of the Ringling Causeway bridge is a helmeted head protruding from a bullet-shaped, banana-yellow blur. Eschewing the bike path for the...

Were the lines long enough?
November 28, 2009... Byline: KEVIN McQUAID At Prime Outlets Ellenton, thousands jammed the discount mall around midnight on Black Friday -- the day retailers typically turn a profit for the year -- for savings and specials. The mall's Coach designer leather...

New park in Venice begins to take shape.
November 28, 2009... Byline: KIM HACKETT Now that workers have cleared a thicket of trees around the city's former sewer plant, beachgoers have a clear view of the evolving Tramonto Vista Park. The $2.5 million park next to the Paw Park on South Harbor Drive...

Tight games in classic.
November 28, 2009... Byline: PHIL DENIS, Correspondent GIRLS BASKETBALL: Five games begin today at 2:30 p.m. Opening day of the 12th annual Youth Foundation Ladies Holiday Basketball Classic at Sarasota Christian School provided plenty of excitement and some...

Pirates fall to Highlanders in OT.
November 28, 2009... Byline: CHRIS ANDERSON 3A-REGION 3: Braden River's playoff run ends on an interception Another week, another overtime game, only this time the magic ran out for the Braden River High football team. The first home playoff game in school...

5A-REGION 3: Manatee quickly dispatches St. Petersburg in semis.
November 28, 2009... Byline: ALAN DELL Correspondent The Manatee High football team didn't have any throw-back jerseys to wear so it did the next best thing. The Hurricanes discarded their fun-and- gun offense and played some old- fashioned smash-mouth football....

Thunder rally to victory.
November 28, 2009... Byline: DONNIE WILKIE Correspondent 1B-3 REGION FINAL: A.J. Strong scores go-ahead touchdown for ODA They like to portray themselves as "the school with the funny name." But nowadays, as the shoulder pads in three counties are being...

HERALD TRIBUNE OBITUARIES.
November 28, 2009... Breidenbach, Constance "Connie" Constance "Connie" Breidenbach died peacefully after a short illness Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009, a week before her 83rd birthday. Connie was born in Tampa to Chester and Margaret Williams. She attended the...

On this Black Friday, it's a stroll, not a frenzy.
November 28, 2009... Byline: KATE SPINNER The bargains are a perk, but in this quaint downtown, shopping on Black Friday is more about avoiding the frenzy at the mall and keeping family traditions. The sidewalks on Venice Avenue were busy but not mobbed with...

Herald Tribune Obituaries.
November 27, 2009... April 28, 1929 - Nov. 23, 2009 William Francis Garlock Sr., 80, of Venice died Nov. 23, 2009. Visitation will be from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday. A Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic...

Outside the store by 4 a.m.? What took you so long?
November 27, 2009... Byline: CHRISTOPHER O'DONNELL The in-laws were cooking the turkey and she really did not want to watch the Detroit Lions play football. So Sarasota teacher Michele Read spent Thanksgiving afternoon shopping at Sports Authority on Cattlemen...

Call it a clearcut case of a city going too far.
November 27, 2009... Byline: Eric Ernst As it is, city leaders can only seize people's houses, as they've done to Christine Marfut. In one case, Marfut put a canopy behind her house without getting a $30 permit. Now the fines have risen to $45,000, and the...

BREAK-INS IN REGION ADDING UP.
November 27, 2009... Byline: TODD RUGER Several burglaries near Clark Road have various similarities A woman left her home for 15 minutes last week and returned to discover she was the latest victim in a rash of residential burglaries in neighborhoods off...

A Marine's mother gathers letters for the troops.
November 27, 2009... Byline: KATE SPINNER The goal is to get 500 cards to help lift spirits overseas You will find Dona Dodge and her stack of Christmas cards at the farmers market Saturday, inviting shoppers and browsers to jot a note to troops serving in...

Holiday tourney begins today.
November 27, 2009... Byline: PHIL DENIS, Correspondent GIRLS BASKETBALL: Youth Foundation Classic showcases nine area teams Nine area high schools and a perennial state powerhouse, Clearwater, are set to compete in the 12th annual Youth Foundation Ladies...

A good time ot make some changes in traditions of giving.
November 27, 2009... Byline: KATHY SILBERBERG Experts are predicting this will be another lean holiday season for retailers who have suffered through one of the worst years in memory as shoppers pulled back from everything but the basics. In anticipation of...

Thanksgiving, with emphasis on the 'giving'.
November 27, 2009... Byline: CHRISTINE HAWES Correspondent So for the past three years, Gonzalez, his 92-year-old mother, Micaela, his wife, Reina, and their two children have celebrated Thanksgiving at the Venice Salvation Army. It is also where the family goes...

7th-round pick Stroughter catches on in big way.
November 27, 2009... Byline: TOM BALOG TAMPA - Sammie Stroughter is not supposed to be an impact player. He is not even supposed to be on the Buccaneers' 53-man roster. Most seventh-round draft choices are relegated to at least a year on the practice squad...

Trying to conserve at home.
November 27, 2009... Byline: LAURA SPERLING They are: That overfished, over-acidified, overused oceans will die. That rising global temperatures will prematurely melt the snowpack - Earth's future water reserves. That the destruction of rainforests will...

TWO BALLOT PROPOSALS STIR FEARS REDISTRICTING: A push.
November 27, 2009... Byline: GARY FINEOUT H-T Capital Bureau Correspondent A push for new redistricting standards could inspire legal challenges Florida voters may get a chance next year to shake up their government, but it won't have anything to do with who...

Polo Grill and Bar is worth the drive.
November 26, 2009... Byline: Steve Echeverria And I don't. That's why I decided it was high time I checked out the nightlife jewel in this "award-winning, master-planned community." So I grabbed a friend and we headed east on University Parkway to find this...

Scent of a new season.
November 26, 2009... Byline: JAY HANDELMAN That's the plot of the 1940 film "The Shop Around the Corner" with James Stewart and Margaret Sullavan, the MGM musical "In the Good Old Summertime" with Judy Garland and Van Johnson, the 1998 film comedy "You've Got...

NEW CD REVIEWS.
November 26, 2009... Byline: Gerry Galipault PRICELE$$ In the crowded hip-hop world, Birdman is one of the standouts. And he brings along friends to help out, from Lil Wayne to T-Pain. Check out: "Always Strapped," "Money to Blow," "Money Machine." Hear here:...

'Angels & Demons' a fun flick.
November 26, 2009... Byline: CHRISTOPHER LLOYD Correspondent "Angels & Demons" (PG-13, 138 min.) is the sequel to "The Da Vinci Code," which managed to be both controversial and lackluster. Hanks, as symbologist Robert Langdon, wore a silly, swoopy hairdo and...

Gentleman Jack.
November 26, 2009... Served at the upscale steak house located at 2001 Siesta Drive in Sarasota, this signature drink ($10.95) features bourbon, cider and cinnamon. So while everyone is out looking for the best deals for Christmas wrapping paper, kick off the...

White is in the holiday mood.
November 26, 2009... Byline: GERRY GALIPAULT "One night turns into two nights then three nights, then it ends up being 12 nights," he says from Los Angeles, shortly after returning from Britain. And who's fault is that? "My problem is, I can't say no, I'm a...

Sister is back for the holidays.
November 26, 2009... Byline: JAY HANDELMAN "Sister's Christmas Catechism" by Maripat Donovan is a holiday-themed sequel to "Late Night Catechism," with Colleen Moore returning to Sarasota to lead her students through a Christmas catechism class that includes a...

Tucci sings the praises of hometown Sarasota.
November 26, 2009... Byline: CHRISTINE HAWES Correspondent "Before you decide where to live, go visit Sarasota," the couple told him. "You'll love it." Tucci took their advice. Finding a community he says matches large cities in the amenities it offers, has...

Local beats: RMisery.
November 26, 2009... Members: Kirk Alan (vocals, bass), Chris Earl (guitars, vocals), Craig Holt (drums, vocals) Base of operation: Palmetto When formed: 2004 Style/genre of music: Heavy metal Bio: RMisery is making music for the long haul, enjoying...

Comedy duo is like an old married couple.
November 26, 2009... Byline: STEVE ECHEVERRIA JR. When Marin asked Smothers -- who knows about comedy duo longevity as one-half of the Smothers Brothers -- what he should do, the 72-year-old had a suggestion: couples counseling. "Who did you talk to?" Marin...

Lingerie Football League.
November 26, 2009... Byline: STEVE ECHEVERRIA JR. Launched earlier this year, the LFL is a 10-team indoor league where women with model looks and sports grit play 7-on-7 tackle football. "It's a cross between Maxim and the NFL," said Mitchell Mortaza, the...

Herald Tribune Obituaries.
November 26, 2009... Aug. 17, 1918 - Nov. 22, 2009 Mario J. "Jack" Barca, 91, of Sarasota, died Nov 22, 2009. Born in South Boston and moved to Sarasota in 1989 from San Marcos, Calif., Jack became a barber at the age of 18 until just recently. He was an avid...

4 Questions with Nicole Kaney.
November 26, 2009... 1. What is your favorite Sarasota activity? Any chance I get, I love to be out on the boat or relax on the beach. I can honestly say that my husband and I truly take advantage of Sarasota's gem by being by the water, almost every weekend. ...

Community Thanksgiving dinners in our area.
November 26, 2009... Byline: Staff report Locations where free community meals are being served today: SARASOTA COUNTY Salvation Army, 1400 10th St., Sarasota, 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Knights of Columbus Hall, 4880 Fruitville Road, Sarasota, 11 a.m. to 3...

Mother, at end of rope, finds an outstretched hand.
November 26, 2009... Byline: Jennifer Shea Rosalind Reyes shares her small, immaculate apartment with her three children: Aryana, 15-year-old captain of her cheer squad at Sarasota Military Academy with excellent grades; Myasia, a straight-A student who will be...

One heart and voice.
November 26, 2009... During the Civil War, America's most trying conflict, President Abraham Lincoln buoyed hearts with a Thanksgiving message in November 1863. We offer his words here in the hope that they remind us all that we have much for which to be thankful...

Thanksgiving thoughts.
November 26, 2009... It's the familiar things in life that too seldom are appreciated. Here's a list of a few things we appreciate, to get you started this Thanksgiving Day... Friends and family. Hot coffee and a newspaper, first thing in the morning. ...

Women honored by Boys & Girls Club.
November 26, 2009... Byline: JENNIFER SHEA Correspondent The Boys & Girls Club, in conjunction with the Women's Leadership Council, led by chair Anne Weintraub, formed a nominating committee last summer to root out these humble leaders and shine a little...

Fashions raise cash for center programs.
November 26, 2009... "We want to make sure everyone has a great time at the same time supporting the art center," said Mary Ann Burke, co-chairwoman for the Nov. 19 luncheon along with Marion Strunz. This year's theme was "A Passion for Fashion" with clothing...

Charlie carves a good life in Cortez.
November 26, 2009... Byline: J. NIELSEN Correspondent An artisan spends his nights in a boat moored off the village of Cortez and his days creating tikis and other wood carvings, including manatee, dolphins and sea turtles. Charles Ray Keller, better know as...

The word 'thankful' comes up, even in business.
November 26, 2009... Byline: Matt Sauer At a time when so much negative energy is coursing through our region -- rising unemployment, foreclosures, failing businesses, failing banks and falling wages -- I thought it would be nice to talk about what we have to be...