Sarasota Herald Tribune articles from September 2003, page 5

Sarasota Herald Tribune archives from September 2003

ATV riders ask Sarasota County's help to access state land.(B SECTION)
September 25, 2003... Byline: PAUL CATALA paul.catala@heraldtribune.com NORTH PORT -- A local group of all-terrain vehicle owners has asked Sarasota County to join its effort to get nearly 400 acres of state land put aside for off-road riding. But George...

DCA now lauds villages concept.(B SECTION)
September 25, 2003... Byline: DALE WHITE dale.white@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA COUNTY -- Sixteen months ago, the state agency that oversees growth management called Sarasota 2050 "an unpredictable policy" that could launch "urban sprawl." On Wednesday,...

Well-traveled Bergeon will play for Florida Southern.(SPORTS)(Golf)(Column)
September 25, 2003... Byline: Mark Cardon Golf has taken Lindsey Bergeon practically around the globe in the last two months, but this week she found a home for the next four years. Bergeon, who followed in the footsteps of Kelly Husted on Riverview High...

Kids warm up to bowling (and pass the ketchup).(MAINSTREET ENGLEWOOD)
September 25, 2003... Byline: SHARYN LONSDALE sharyn.lonsdale@heraldtribune.com Englewood Bowl has had a junior bowling league for several years, but the Saturday morning league has really caught on over the past two. Bowlers pay a $20 registration fee and...

Cassidy celebrates birthday with Sportsman win.(B SECTION)
September 25, 2003... Byline: STAFF REPORT PUNTA GORDA -- John Cassidy Jr. of Arcadia celebrated his 42nd birthday by winning the 50-lap Sportsman division feature Saturday night at Charlotte County Speedway. Cassidy, who collected $700 for his victory,...

New theater highlights Englewood's need.(MAINSTREET ENGLEWOOD)(Column)
September 25, 2003... Byline: MARK CHAPMAN mark.chapman@heraldtribune.com The brand new Charlotte Performing Arts Center is very nice. Now, Mr. Durkee, can we have one, too? Ray Durkee is the director of Charlotte County's performing arts centers,...

Another boring day at camp.(FLORIDA WEST)(Column)
September 25, 2003... Byline: David Grimes Dear Mom and Dad: Just thought I'd write to you in case you heard about the flood and were worried. Everybody's OK. Nothing was damaged either, unless you count the three tents, six sleeping bags and...

MILITARY NEWS.(B SECTION)
September 25, 2003... Graduation Christopher L. Atherton has graduated from the Army ROTC National Advanced Leadership Camp at Fort Lewis, Tacoma, Wash. Atherton is the son of Gary Atherton and Bessy O. Schulte, both of Sarasota. He is a 1995 graduate of...

Charter middle school planned; A Booker High teacher seeks the School Board's OK to open the school in a former nursing home.(B SECTION)
September 25, 2003... Byline: EARLE KIMEL earle.kimel@heraldtribune.com VENICE -- Public middle- school students may be able to attend classes on the island of Venice for the first time in 20 years next fall. Nancy Sanders, a government and law teacher...

The courthouse crumbles.(B SECTION)
September 25, 2003... William Taylor, a worker with J. Hawk Construction, hoses down dust rising from the rubble at the site of the old Charlotte County Courthouse Wednesday afternoon in Punta Gorda. The City of Punta Gorda and Charlotte County have each put...

Country comes to town.(B SECTION)
September 25, 2003... Children from Fruitville Elementary School got a hands-on experience with farms and farm animals at the second annual Ag Day, held Wednesday at the Sarasota County Fairgrounds. Above, children pet Lucy, a heifer from the Brown family farm. At...

Animal whisperer; Woman creates safe haven for hurt, abandoned animals.(H-T EAST)
September 25, 2003... Byline: ERIN BRYCE erin.bryce@heraldtribune.com ELLENTON -- Beth Pabalan, owner of Telesis Animal Rescue, left for her ritual late-morning stroll. The sun was shining Friday morning. Her 60-acre farm didn't look so big because of the...

Ceiling set on proposed fire tax; Commissioners agree to limit the levy to no more than 0.5 mills during its first year.(B SECTION)
September 25, 2003... Byline: KARA CHALMERS kara.chalmers@heraldtribune.com ENGLEWOOD -- The new tax that Englewood Area Fire Control District commissioners are proposing for increased fire protection won't be more than 0.5 mills the first year, the...

Local vet chases diesel dream.(H-T EAST)
September 25, 2003... Byline: R.P. JOSEPH CORRESPONDENT PARRISH -- Ed Dunham knows how it feels to be Casey Jones at the controls of a real locomotive. And that was his dream. "When I was young, the railroad ran past our farm in Iowa. I used to watch...

SPEEDWAY RESULTS.(H-T EAST)
September 25, 2003... Current points of the top five finishers as of Saturday at DeSoto Speedway, nine miles east of Interstate 75 on State Road 64, are: AACS Super Late Models: Joe Boyd, No. 5, 1,494; Jeff Sloan, No. 31, 1,447; Dave Pletcher, No. 75, 1,394;...

Swiftmud unveils caution area plan; The water district again tries to reduce stress on ground-water supplies.(A SECTION)
September 25, 2003... Byline: VICTOR HULL victor.hull@heraldtribune.com The extent of Southwest Florida's water supply problems came into focus Wednesday as regional water managers unveiled a $1 billion, 20-year plan for sustaining growth while trying to...

POLICE BLOTTER.(B SECTION)
September 25, 2003... Compiled from Punta Gorda Police Department, Charlotte County Sheriff's Office and Sarasota County Sheriff's Office reports filed through Sept. 24. PORT CHARLOTTE Tamiami Trail, 3200 block, Sept. 23. Someone broke the glass front...

County OKs manatee protection plan; Some boaters protest the proposal, which will affect dock permitting. Others say the rules are necessary.(B SECTION)
September 25, 2003... Byline: CHAD BINETTE chad.binette@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA COUNTY -- Over the objections of a handful of boaters, the county commissioners on Wednesday adopted a manatee protection plan that has been in the works for 12 years. The...

The pipes are calling; The Church of the Redeemer has just installed the largest pipe organ in the area, and one of the most versatile.(FLORIDA WEST)
September 25, 2003... Byline: CHARLIE HUISKING charlie.huisking@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- The Church of the Redeemer is pulling out all the stops. In time for its 100th anniversary next year, the Episcopal church has installed a new $772,000 organ. With...

Manatee snapshots; Brief comments on life and times in our county.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
September 25, 2003... Pay now -- or pay more later Palmetto's City Council is debating whether to raise property taxes by 50 cents per $1,000 assessed value to help pay for road, sewer and drainage repairs. Some council members are bristling at the...

Video shows suspect in thefts of charity donations.(B SECTION)
September 25, 2003... Byline: DARLA McFARLAND darla.mcfarland@heraldtribune.com ENGLEWOOD -- Authorities are seeking the public's help in identifying the person shown in a surveillance video taking charity funds from a local business. Charlotte County...

(Briefs).(H-T EAST)
September 25, 2003... LAKEWOOD RANCH 5 vie for CDD seats Five candidates qualified last week to run for three supervisor slots in Lakewood Ranch's Community Development District 2. Thomas Green, Stephen Johansen, Don O'Leary, Stanley Schuer and...

An unconventional, emotional healing.(FLORIDA WEST)
September 25, 2003... Byline: STEVE HEISLER CORRESPONDENT When Father Perry Ruby of St. Padre Pio The Beloved church in Port Charlotte is consecrated as a bishop early next month, no dictates from Rome will be forthcoming, nor any acknowledgment from Vatican...

Rix can't curb his bad habits.(SPORTS)
September 25, 2003... Byline: CHRIS ANDERSON chris.anderson@heraldtribune.com Chris Rix has been very good at reading defenses this season. It's parking signs that have been giving him trouble. On Tuesday, the Florida State quarterback was ticketed for...

Saving the Sailor Circus; Tradition, educational value deserve School Board's consideration.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
September 25, 2003... Traditions matter. The Sailor Circus has been a Sarasota tradition for five decades -- a student production so polished that its performance trail stretches around the world. Operated on the grounds of Sarasota High School and led by...

County focuses on center location.(B SECTION)
September 25, 2003... Byline: KEVIN McQUAID kevin.mcquaid@heraldtribune.com VENICE -- Optimistic that a conference center could boost tourism, create jobs, and attract new businesses, the Sarasota County commissioners agreed Tuesday to hire a consultant to...

Keyshawn: 'Let Clarett play in NFL'; But Bucs' WR isn't sure he would draft the OSU back if he was an NFL general manager 'because he has too many red flags already.'.(SPORTS)
September 25, 2003... Byline: TOM BALOG tom.balog@heraldtribune.com TAMPA -- Keyshawn Johnson advocates letting Maurice Clarett learn the hard way about life in the NFL. If the Buccaneers' Pro Bowl wide receiver were the NFL commissioner, he would grant...

NABI club opens autumn season at AMF Gulf Gate.(SPORTS)(Bowling)(Column)
September 25, 2003... Byline: Bill Herald National Amateur Bowlers Inc. Club 577 will begin its autumn season with a regular tournament at AMF Gulf Gate on Sunday, with qualifying squads at 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Capsule summaries of recent tournaments:...

Hollywood makeup artist to speak for DASH.(FLORIDA WEST)(Column)
September 25, 2003... Byline: Marjorie North Bobby Weiner will take to the stage in Englewood at the Lemon Bay Performing Arts Center at Lemon Bay High School on Saturday. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. the talented lady will talk about her career in Hollywood,...

Obituaries.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
September 25, 2003... CHARLOTTE COUNTY Edward W. Krasowsky Edward W. Krasowsky, 72, Port Charlotte, died Sept. 24, 2003. He was born June 3, 1931, in Brooklyn, N.Y., and came to the Charlotte County area 14 years ago from Queens, N.Y. A Korean War...

Jackson Hewitt honored; Business wins chamber's 'Industry of the Year' award.(BUSINESS)
September 25, 2003... Byline: MARGARET ANN MIILLE margaret.miille@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- Jackson Hewitt was helping Sarasota County even before it moved its technology headquarters to a campus off Fruitville Road last summer. Months earlier, it had...

Man charged in carjacking.(B SECTION)
September 25, 2003... Byline: STAFF REPORT SARASOTA -- Sarasota police arrested a local man Tuesday on charges he made off with the truck that was going to tow away his girlfriend's car. The truck driver was at Sarasota Ford to repossess a vehicle when...

Model boat building a passion for Lemon Bay Isles man.(MAINSTREET ENGLEWOOD)
September 25, 2003... Byline: NANCY CHAPMAN CORRESPONDENT Victor Manning always liked boats. "Not that I wanted to own one, I just liked them," he said. He also liked using his hands, and some years ago the two interests converged. Manning, who lived on...

SHERIFF'S BLOTTER.(H-T EAST)
September 25, 2003... The following information is from Manatee County Sheriff's Office reports filed through Sept. 22. EAST MANATEE River Club Boulevard, 6200 block, Sept. 15. Lewd or lascivious molestation, aggravated stalking. A student said a boy...

Fall in Florida: Time to get outdoors.(H-T EAST)(Column)
September 25, 2003... Byline: Christi Womack Sure, the leaves don't change here, and our sweaters can stay stowed away for a few more weeks. Temperatures, however, have been a few degrees cooler lately, and people are noticing. That puts us in the mood...

Commissioners table Creekside Oaks proposal.(H-T EAST)
September 25, 2003... Byline: TIFFANY LANKES tiffany.lankes@heraldtribune.com MANATEE COUNTY -- Perched on the edge of his plush, red chair, Rick Neff rested his chin on his folded hands. The lines in his face scrunched up toward his wire-rim glasses as...

POLICE BLOTTER.(B SECTION)
September 25, 2003... The following information is from Manatee County sheriff's and Bradenton police reports filed through Sept. 24. BRADENTON Ninth Street East, 5600 block, Sept. 23. A man was beaten and robbed. 30th Avenue East, 3900 block, Sept....

Parking key issue for proposed Wal-Mart.(H-T EAST)
September 25, 2003... Byline: ERIN BRYCE erin.bryce@heraldtribune.com EAST MANATEE -- Manatee County planners are questioning the number of parking spaces in plans for a proposed Wal-Mart SuperCenter on University Parkway. Planners doubt the 970 spaces...

BRIEFS.(H-T EAST)
September 25, 2003... EAST MANATEE Braden River, Witt are Five-Star schools The Manatee County School Board recognized two East Manatee schools Monday night for their community involvement. Braden River and Gene Witt elementary schools received the...

Booker gets by Southeast, still perfect.(SPORTS)
September 25, 2003... Byline: STAFF REPORT BRADENTON -- Booker High's volleyball squad kept its unbeaten record intact by beating host Southeast High 25-21, 25-19, 19-25, 25-11 Wednesday in a Class 4A-District 13 match at Buzz Narbut Gym. Booker (8-0,...

Beno cooks up surprises on -- and off -- the field.(MAINSTREET ENGLEWOOD)
September 25, 2003... Byline: ALAN DELL CORRESPONDENT It has become almost a ritual for Greg Beno. Every season, the Lemon Bay High football coaches look for someone taller and a little quicker to take his spot on the offensive line. But in the end, his name...

City gives nod to design.(B SECTION)
September 25, 2003... Byline: STAFF REPORT BRADENTON -- Three major streets in central Bradenton are scheduled for beautification starting next year. The city plans to spend a $3.4 million state grant to landscape and install antique-style street lights,...

Obituaries.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
September 25, 2003... MANATEE COUNTY Martha M. Anderson Martha M. Anderson, 80, Ellenton, died Sept. 23, 2003. She was born Oct. 11, 1922, in Hog Mountain, Ga., and was a lifelong resident of Ellenton. She was a homemaker. She was a member of First...

MILITARY NEWS.(B SECTION)
September 25, 2003... Arrived for duty * Army Pvt. Stephen A. Hornback arrived at Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, Ala., to complete a radar repairer advanced individual training course. He will learn to perform direct and general support level maintenance...

Appointment talk riles Clement; Commission Chairman Matt DeBoer cites as an example changing the sheriff's job from an elected to an appointed one.(B SECTION)
September 25, 2003... Byline: KARA CHALMERS kara.chalmers@heraldtribune.com CHARLOTTE COUNTY -- A seemingly casual conversation among the county commissioners Tuesday apparently hit a raw nerve in the Sheriff's Office. In an effort to encourage residents...

Local fire districts approve new budgets.(H-T EAST)
September 25, 2003... Byline: ERIN BRYCE erin.bryce@heraldtribune.com EAST MANATEE -- Braden River fire commissioners passed a $3 million budget Monday night with hopes of digging out of debt by September 2004 and being ahead by 2005. Southern Manatee...

After brilliant air show, Mantas come back to Earth in win.(MAINSTREET ENGLEWOOD)
September 25, 2003... Byline: ALAN DELL CORRESPONDENT It was back-to-school night for the Lemon Bay High School football team last week in its victory over district rival Sebring. With the Blue Streak defense geared for the passing game and Lemon Bay...

MILITARY CALENDAR.(B SECTION)
September 25, 2003... Military events * Korean War Veterans Association, Manasota Chapter 199. 10:30 a.m. to noon today at the American Legion Kirby Stewart Post 24, 2000 75th St. W., Bradenton. The group meets the fourth Thursday of each month. Info: Gene...

Faith in FCAT perfection may be misplaced when kids' futures at stake.(B SECTION)(Comment)(Column)
September 25, 2003... Byline: Tom Lyons Since Gov. Jeb is going to continue with his wacky use of the FCAT to decide which kids fail a grade, their parents should at least be able to see the tests afterward. How else can they have any confidence in that...

BRIEFS.(H-T EAST)
September 25, 2003... LAKEWOOD RANCH CTX and Adworks team up Budd Moore and Amanda DeNaro of CTX Mortgage, Sarasota, selected Linda Gross and Adworks Communications Inc. to assist with marketing, media placement and media relations for CTX. CTX, a...

Homeland security grant half the battle.(B SECTION)
September 25, 2003... Byline: JULIAN PECQUET julian.pecquet@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA COUNTY -- Sheriff Bill Balkwill has persuaded the Justice Department to give Sarasota County $375,000 for homeland security. But now he has to persuade the county...

New year may bring more Jewish services.(H-T EAST)
September 25, 2003... Byline: TIFFANY LANKES tiffany.lankes@heraldtribune.com EAST MANATEE -- When Gordon Baum celebrates Rosh Hashana this week, he'll be surrounded by the comforts of his Creekwood home and familiar family faces. Still, he said, it...

OUR COMMUNITY.(B SECTION)
September 25, 2003... RV resort reports string of thefts PORT CHARLOTTE -- The Charlotte County Sheriff's Office is investigating a string of property thefts from the Encore RV Resort. Resort manager Carol Whitney told sheriff's detectives Monday that...

Bail is denied for suspect in murder; And a neighbor of the victim says he plans to move someplace else.(B SECTION)
September 25, 2003... Byline: TOM KIM tom.kim@heraldtribune.com BRADENTON -- A day after a man charged with the murder of Vince Sims' tenant and friend was arrested, Sims was still planning to move out of his home next to the garage apartment where Paul...

Volunteers a vital part of school's teaching team.(MAINSTREET ENGLEWOOD)
September 25, 2003... Byline: SHARYN LONSDALE sharyn.lonsdale@heraldtribune.com This year, Sue Vandal decided to take a year-long sabbatical from teaching at Englewood Elementary School. On Sept. 17, she was back in the classroom as a volunteer. ...

Our Community.(B SECTION)
September 25, 2003... Man accused of lewd act with 12-year-old BRADENTON -- A 24-year-old Bradenton man has pleaded guilty to luring a 12-year-old to the Kentucky Colonel motel for sexual activity. Gregorio Sanchez-Chavez admitted Tuesday to committing a...

City to trim expenses, leave tax rate alone.(B SECTION)
September 25, 2003... Byline: MITRA MALEK mitra.malek@heraldtribune.com BRADENTON -- The city's property tax rate will not go up next year. The City Council on Wednesday voted to maintain the current property tax rate of $4.30 for every $1,000 of taxable...

State Farm seeking condo rate hike; The insurer asks the state to raise rates by an average 16 percent, and even higher in this area.(BUSINESS)
September 25, 2003... Byline: JOHN HIELSCHER john.hielscher@heraldtribune.com Condominium associations insured by State Farm are bracing for another rate hike. Florida's largest insurer is asking the state to raise condo association rates by a statewide...

MILITARY NEWS.(B SECTION)
September 25, 2003... Graduation Travis D. Ammons of Nokomis graduated with the West Point Class of 2003. He attended Sarasota High School's Science/Math Program and graduated with honors in 1999. Ammons prepared for admission to West Point under the...

Reel time.(MAINSTREET ENGLEWOOD)
September 25, 2003... Byline: MICHAEL WERNER michael.werner@heraldtribune.com What's more fun than crunching numbers for a lengthy corporate tax return? Not much, quips Englewood accountant Mark Knauf. But crunching into a deep-fried snook sounds like an...

New senior at Lakewood Ranch adjusting to life in the U.S.(H-T EAST)
September 25, 2003... Byline: TIFFANY LANKES tiffany.lankes@heraldtribune.com LAKEWOOD RANCH -- When Joumana Aram mulled over the list of extracurricular activities at her new high school, one in particular grabbed her interest. Model United Nations. ...

Things grow in the ground and on the walls at Dragonfly Bonsai.(MAINSTREET ENGLEWOOD)
September 25, 2003... Byline: AMY ABERN amy.abern@heraldtribune.com Things just seem to bloom around Tom Atchison and his daughter, Jackie Bradley. Their store, Dragonfly Bonsai, 145 W. Dearborn St., started out as a small plant store in the Emporium on West...

Schools cut off free lunches; Parents' failure to submit paperwork means 3,000-plus kids don't eat.(A SECTION)
September 24, 2003... Byline: LAURA GREEN laura.green@heraldtribune.com ***** CORRECTION: The following correction was published on Thursday, September 25, 2003: Correction: * Students who haven't filed the proper paperwork to qualify for free lunch in...

County takes step on center; It hires a consultant to study if there is demand for a conference center.(A SECTION)
September 24, 2003... Byline: KEVIN McQUAID kevin.mcquaid@heraldtribune.com ***** CORRECTION: The following correction was published on Thursday, September 25, 2003: Correction: Because of an editing error, a headline in Wednesday's editions erroneously...

SEEN & HEARD.(B SECTION)
September 24, 2003... ***** CORRECTION: The following correction was published on Saturday, September 27, 2003: Correction: Because of an editor's error, Rex Koch was misidentified in the Sept. 24 Seen & Heard column as an insurance agent. He is the owner of...

Obituaries.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
September 23, 2003... SARASOTA COUNTY Richard A. Bolduc Richard A. Bolduc, 47, Bradenton, died Sept. 20, 2003. He was born May 21, 1956, in Pawtucket, R.I., and came to Manatee County in 1975 from East Providence, R.I. He worked in maintenance at...

Education Notes.(B SECTION)
September 23, 2003... Teen Scene The Community Youth Development Project and the Sarasota Family YMCA, Evalyn Sadlier Jones Branch, will host a Teen Scene for middle school students from 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday at the YMCA, 8301 Potter Park Drive in Sarasota....

Julia, April and Lorna Marcuzzo are home-schooled.(B SECTION)
September 23, 2003... Education is a family affair in the Marcuzzo household in Punta Gorda Isles, where Paul and Lou Marcuzzo home-school their daughters Julia, April and Lorna. Their kitchen table is a hub for learning but, as 6-year-old Julia so aptly...

Higher bridges petitioned; Residents ask the Coast Guard to raise the height of proposed bridges, which will also raise the cost.(B SECTION)
September 23, 2003... Byline: EARLE KIMEL earle.kimel@heraldtribune.com NOKOMIS -- Two area residents are circulating a petition they hope will convince the Coast Guard to change the height of the proposed U.S. 41 bridges over Dona Bay and Shakett Creek. ...

Dissent greets city's proposed tax hike; At least one Palmetto city councilman believes the suggested property tax increase is too high.(B SECTION)
September 23, 2003... Byline: SELINA ROMAN selina.roman@heraldtribune.com PALMETTO -- Mayor Larry Bustle wanted to know how council members would vote on a proposed property tax increase. But he got dissension and silence Monday during the final budget...

Obituaries.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
September 23, 2003... CHARLOTTE COUNTY Cecilia V. Bullard Cecilia V. Bullard, 89, Port Charlotte, died Sept. 21, 2003. She was born Dec. 18, 1913, in Holyoke, Mass. Formerly of Youngstown, Ohio, she had lived in Charlotte County for the past 42...

Manatee snapshots; Brief comments on life and times in our county.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
September 23, 2003... Timing is everything Manatee County's mayors are reviving talk of asking voters to approve a sales-tax increase to pay for a variety of long-delayed municipal projects. It's an idea worth discussing, but officials should watch the...

Thomas an instant winner in golf.(SPORTS)
September 23, 2003... Byline: CHRIS DELL CORRESPONDENT SARASOTA -- It seems as if Rebekah Thomas was born to play golf. Almost from the moment she stepped on the golf course when she was 11, she was an instant success, winning five of her first six...

Reclaiming Lemon Bay; Citizens, governments seek a comprehensive solution.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
September 23, 2003... When Donald D. Platt was a boy in the 1920s and 1930s, the creeks flowing into Lemon Bay were as clear as a glass of drinking water. So was the bay, which borders Venice, Englewood and the northwestern corner of Charlotte County. Lemon...

Leavitt's balancing act; For EPA nominee, will science outweigh politics?(A SECTION)(Editorial)
September 23, 2003... Science rides in the back seat at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Politics not only sits up front, it drives decisions within the agency and policies that affect the nation. A recent example was the EPA's decision, at the...

Feds reserve funds for farmworker housing.(B SECTION)
September 23, 2003... Byline: SELINA ROMAN selina.roman@heraldtribune.com Federal officials want to see new farmworker housing in Manatee so much that they are setting aside $3 million to build one in Palmetto before the county even has solid plans or zoning...

With no CPR training, man saves a life; A woman is rescued from the bottom of a pool.(B SECTION)
September 23, 2003... Byline: DAVID HACKETT david.hackett@heraldtribune.com VENICE -- Todd Olsen's memory has been erratic since he fell 40 feet onto a concrete floor while working as a roofer's apprentice in 1995. But the 34-year-old Venice man said he...

Bucs find their running attack; Michael Pittman, who admits he's healthier now than last season, gives offense a boost with his performance.(SPORTS)
September 23, 2003... Byline: TOM BALOG tom.balog@heraldtribune.com TAMPA -- The way Michael Pittman exploded on Sunday in Atlanta, maybe there is hope that the Bucs, whose 94 rushing yards per game is 11 yards below the league's 105.4 yard average, will...

Our Community.(B SECTION)
September 23, 2003... Woman charged with stealing ring SOUTH SARASOTA COUNTY -- A 20-year-old North Port woman was charged Friday with stealing her stepmother's ring and attempting to pawn it in Venice. Sheriff's deputies charged Jodi Ann Newcity, 7900...

Business Buzz.(BUSINESS)
September 23, 2003... PGT founder promoted to vice president, COO Rod Hershberger, PGT's vice president and general manager of Florida operations, has been promoted to executive vice president and chief operating officer. He will be responsible for the...

ABC sets new 'Rules' for Ritter's comedy show.(FLORIDA WEST)(NEW TV)(Column)
September 23, 2003... Byline: JAY HANDELMAN jay.handelman@heraldtribune.com On a normal night during fall premiere week, the focus is on new shows, but tonight our attention turns to ABC's comedy "8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter." The...

Sailors celebrate, get ready.(SPORTS)(Column)
September 23, 2003... Byline: Chad Brockhoff Bob Perkins didn't sound like a coach who just picked up the biggest victory of his career. Perkins was ready to go back to work Monday morning, just three days after the Sailors defeated crosstown rival...

Add a personal touch to party favors.(FLORIDA WEST)(HOT BUYS)(Column)
September 23, 2003... Byline: MARY AWOSIKA mary.awosika@heraldtribune.com One way to ensure that your wedding reception will be memorable is to personalize the favors. According to Nancy Siler of Wilton Enterprises, men and women are taking matters into...

Education Notes.(B SECTION)
September 23, 2003... School open house An open house is scheduled 9 to 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Epiphany Cathedral School, 316 Sarasota St., Venice. This is the first of four open houses planned this school year and gives the community and future school...