Sarasota Herald Tribune articles from September 2004

Sarasota Herald Tribune archives from September 2004

Paws for Life fosters awareness.(B SECTION)
September 1, 2004... The Suncoast Humane Society recently held its Paws for Life event to bring awareness to two crises facing the community: a blood shortage and the need to find foster homes for displaced pets from Hurricane Charley. To make room for stray...

GOP makes a bid for Florida's large veterans community.(A SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Byline: LLOYD DUNKELBERGER CAPITAL BUREAU NEW YORK -- Walter Flinn participated in the opening day of the Republican National Convention. At least he listened in on some of the ceremonies Monday night during a cell-phone call from the...

Take your diet on a picnic; Here are two picnic menus for dieters and one that casts calorie-counting to the wind.(FLORIDA WEST)(Recipe)
September 1, 2004... Byline: MIRIAM JACOBS CORRESPONDENT I have always loved to picnic. When the kids were living at home, I used to carry blankets, paper plates, cups, plastic utensils and garbage bags in the car at all times, just in case the mood struck us,...

Bouncing back; Booker grad recovers from gunshot wounds to play for the Bulls.(SPORTS)
September 1, 2004... Byline: ALAN DELL CORRESPONDENT TAMPA -- For more than six months the bullet remained lodged in his back, constantly reminding Johnnie Jones how fragile life can often become. If it had struck two centimeters closer to his spine, he would...

McClash, Stein retain their seats.(A SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Byline: DALE WHITE and MITRA MALEK STAFF WRITERS MANATEE COUNTY -- Voters returned two incumbents to the County Commission on Tuesday by comfortable margins. In a countywide race, Commissioner Joe McClash soundly beat Joe Hampton, a...

Balkwill defeats 3 challengers; Martinez vs. Castor for Senate; Balkwill survives challenge at polls; The incumbent wins with 40 percent of the vote against three challengers.(A SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Byline: MIKE SAEWITZ mike.saewitz@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA COUNTY -- Sheriff Bill Balkwill was comfortably re-elected Tuesday, defeating three challengers. "I really want to thank the citizens of Sarasota County for believing in what...

Voters soundly approve all 10 amendments.(A SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Byline: PATTY ALLEN-JONES patty.allen-jones@heraldtribune.com Sarasota County voters overwhelmingly approved all 10 charter amendments in Tuesday's election. Cathy Layton, a member of the charter review board that drafted the...

Manatee looks at Myakka reservoir; Commissioners like the idea of an "off-stream" repository for water.(B SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Byline: DALE WHITE dale.white@heraldtribune.com MANATEE COUNTY -- The creation of an "off-stream" reservoir on the Myakka River must be considered a viable option for increasing the region's drinking water supply, the Manatee County...

Donna Hayes wins GOP by wide margin.(A SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Byline: JANEL STEPHENS janel.stephens@heraldtribune.com EAST MANATEE -- Republican insider Donna Hayes beat four other members of her party Tuesday to win the nomination for the County Commission District 5 seat. "This is my favorite...

Officials say touchscreen voting machines performed very well.(A SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Byline: JEREMY WALLACE jeremy.wallace@heraldtribune.com The touchscreen voting machines in Sarasota and Charlotte counties performed without any major problems, elections officials said Tuesday. Critics have been warning for months that...

LOCAL BRIEFS.(B SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Manatee says '69 act voids condo project MANATEE COUNTY -- To block a proposed development of condo high-rises on Perico Island, the county intends to cite a 1969 special act of the Legislature, which allowed Bradenton to extend its city...

DeVilbiss, Galen to meet in runoff in November.(A SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Byline: PATTY ALLEN-JONES patty.allen-jones@heraldtribune.com There will be a runoff in November between Preston DeVilbiss Jr. and Phyllis R. Galen for the county judge seat. The two candidates, who hope to replace retiring County Judge...

County voters back incumbents; Martinez vs. Castor for Senate; Status quo wins out in county, board races; Republicans Joe McClash and Amy Stein retain their County Commission seats.(A SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Byline: DALE WHITE dale.white@heraldtribune.com MANATEE COUNTY -- Voters of all party affiliations swept incumbents back onto the County Commission and School Board on Tuesday. They also backed party stalwarts as nominees for County...

Business Buzz.(BUSINESS)
September 1, 2004... Chamber hosting Java Connections The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce will hold its Java Connections today from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at Office Depot, 4940 S. Tamiami Trail. The chamber will serve breakfast treats and offer door...

Making a Difference.(B SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Club wins national award The Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee County's East Bradenton Club, the Neighborhood Leadership Initiative and and the Neighborhood Parents and Children Together organization won the Family Strengthening Award from the...

Sprint reports some service still out.(B SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Byline: LAUREN MAYK lauren.mayk@heraldtribune.com More than two weeks after Hurricane Charley left its mark, almost 11,000 Sprint customers are still without phone service in Florida. About 500 of those customers don't have dial tones...

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES.(B SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Hurricane relief volunteers needed Volunteers are needed to assist U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Charlotte, DeSoto and Hardee counties every day this week to help with hurricane relief efforts. Volunteers will arrange temporary roof...

Work quickens on new hockey arena; The team's owners are also inviting the public to suggest a name for the minor league squad.(B SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Byline: CHRISTI WOMACK christi.womack@heraldtribune.com LAKEWOOD RANCH -- Land clearing began this summer for a $70 million hockey arena here, but the sports company building it is focusing on more than construction. "We're beginning...

Davenport wins sheriff's race; Martinez vs. Castor for Senate; Winner says he won't disappoint; John Davenport narrowly defeats GOP rival Kurt Hoffman in the hotly contested race.(A SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Byline: JENNY LEE ALLEN jenny.allen@heraldtribune.com CHARLOTTE COUNTY -- A top official with the Sheriff's Office, whose name became synonymous with the county's response to Hurricane Charley, won the Republican nod for sheriff. ...

Making a Difference.(B SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Bringing hot meals to those who need it most Reaching out to victims of Hurricane Charley has been a major focus for many organizations since the hurricane hit. But for Meals on Wheels, delivering hot meals to those in need is nothing new....

Devos narrowly beats 3 challengers.(A SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Byline: JAMIE MANFUSO jamie.manfuso@heraldtribune.com CHARLOTTE COUNTY -- Commissioner Sara Devos narrowly beat three other Republicans, including two former commissioners, to gain the party's nomination for the District 5 seat. ...

Charley leaves its mark on primary; Confusion reigns as many residents havea hard time finding their polling places.(A SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Byline: PATRICK WHITTLE patrick.whittle@heraldtribune.com CHARLOTTE COUNTY -- Hurricane Charley forced a hasty reorganization of voting precincts, leaving voters scurrying to polls and causing confusion and low turnout in Tuesday's...

Albertson, Moss win 4th terms.(A SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Byline: MARGARET ANN MIILLE margaret.miille@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA COUNTY -- Two incumbents handily won fourth terms on the Sarasota County Public Hospital Board. With all precincts reporting, Don L. Albertson received 67 percent...

How do you stuff a teenager?(FLORIDA WEST)(Sampler)(Recipe)(Column)
September 1, 2004... Byline: Linda Brandt If I ever had to choose a new name for this column, it would be "Reader to Reader," because many weeks that's exactly what it is. With that in mind, I hope you'll give these requests some thought and respond...

Clarke, Grant, Kreegel advance to Nov. 2.(A SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Byline: VICTOR HULL victor.hull@heraldtribune.com Republican state Rep. Donna Clarke easily fended off challenger Steve Ellis in her bid for a third House term Tuesday, while Michael Grant eked out a 246-vote win over Christopher King in...

Riverview blows out Plant City Durant.(SPORTS)
September 1, 2004... Byline: DONNIE WILKIE CORRESPONDENT SARASOTA -- It wasn't supposed to be this easy. Riverview's volleyball team opened its regular season Tuesday night against Plant City Durant, the team that dealt the Rams a five-game defeat in last...

GAS-TAX BREAK; It couldn't last forever; Monthlong discount ends; experts see prices rising slowly.(B SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Byline: LAUREN MAYK lauren.mayk@heraldtribune.com Florida's monthlong gas tax break is officially over, but motorists might have a few extra days to enjoy the after-effects of the state's 8-cent discount. Experts say gas prices will...

All's not fair in love and movie remakes.(FLORIDA WEST)(Review)
September 1, 2004... Byline: GEORGE MEYER CORRESPONDENT In this, at least the 11th screen version of "Vanity Fair," most of the satire and romantic cynicism of William Makepeace Thackeray's 19th- century English novel has been scooped out of its heart. ...

Children get respite in Sarasota.(B SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Charlotte County Parks and Recreation and Sarasota County Parks and Recreation connected for a free day camp, Kid's Connection, to fill the needs of school-age children in the aftermath of Hurricane Charley. Children gathered in the...

Sarasota SAT scores slip, but beat most; The district's test scores are higher than the state and national means, and 6 points lower than last year.(B SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Byline: LAURA GREEN laura.green@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA COUNTY -- Scores on the SAT, a national college admissions test, have dropped in the county, but students here continue to beat their counterparts across the state and nation. ...

Politics pays off big for airport.(BUSINESS)
September 1, 2004... Byline: KEVIN McQUAID kevin.mcquaid@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- This time last year, Fred Piccolo was lamenting the role politics had played in his bid to land a federal grant for languishing airports. Piccolo observed that Daytona...

A blocking ridge steers Hurricane Frances' fate.(A SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Byline: MARK ZALOUDEK mark.zaloudek@heraldtribune.com The size and movement of a high-pressure barrier north of Hurricane Frances will be a key player in whether the monster storm strikes the U.S. coastline, anywhere from the Florida Keys...

BRIEFS.(B SECTION)
September 1, 2004... City Council to meet today at church PUNTA GORDA -- The City Council will meet today at 9 a.m. to discuss Punta Gorda Isles roofing requirements and regulations regarding parking mobile homes within the city limits. The meeting will...

OBITUARIES; CHARLOTTE COUNTY.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
September 1, 2004... Thelma M. Bonnell Thelma M. Bonnell, 85, Tacoma, Wash., formerly of Englewood, died Aug. 25, 2004. She was born March 2, 1919, in Waverly, Mo., and came to Englewood in 1966 from St. Petersburg. She was employed as a waitress and...

Commission unsure about new radon rules.(B SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Byline: DALE WHITE dale.white@heraldtribune.com MANATEE COUNTY -- The county commissioners want tougher standards at phosphate mines to ensure that future homeowners on mined lands aren't exposed to potentially deadly levels of radon gas....

Crime show 'Hawaii' offers action, little else.(FLORIDA WEST)(TV Diet)(Column)
September 1, 2004... Byline: JAY HANDELMAN jay.handelman@heraldtribune.com Ah, Hawaii. The surf, the volcanoes, the tropical foliage, the severed heads. You get all that in the new NBC police drama "Hawaii," which follows the exploits of the Honololu Metro...

Voters reject switch to city manager.(A SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Byline: STAFF REPORT BRADENTON BEACH -- Voters Tuesday approved three of four proposed changes to the city's charter. They declined to institute a city manager form of government, 55 percent to 45 percent. The mayor will continue to...

Officials tentatively identify dead pair; Sarasota detectives say early autopsy results don't indicate foul play.(B SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Byline: JULIAN PECQUET julian.pecquet@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA COUNTY -- Two people found dead Sunday inside a South County home have been tentatively identified as Ruth Brugge, 91, and her grandson, Jack Messina, 40. Detectives...

Charlotte opens with victory over Lemon Bay.(SPORTS)
September 1, 2004... Byline: DENNIS MAFFEZZOLI dennis.maffezzoli@heraldtribune.com ENGLEWOOD -- There were times when school and game officials had trouble determining whether Lemon Bay or Charlotte was the home team in the volleyball season opener for both...

Contest draws boarders and fans to skate park.(B SECTION)
September 1, 2004... The North Port Skate Park recently hosted a skateboard contest, co-sponsored by Allstar Paintball and Skateboard Supplies, Larry's Audio Extreme, Raimers Motors and A1 Construction Cleaning and the city of North Port. Around 30...

Golf course suit hinges on road deed.(BUSINESS)
September 1, 2004... Byline: RICH SHOPES rich.shopes@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- Homeowners trying to stop a developer from building houses on the Sunrise Golf Club are taking aim at the only access to the golf course. In a lawsuit filed Aug. 26, the...

Incumbents Kinnan, Brunner re-elected.(A SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Byline: TIFFANY LANKES tiffany.lankes@heraldtribune.com MANATEE COUNTY -- Frank Brunner and Harry Kinnan won re-election Tuesday, keeping intact a School Board known for its unity. The five-person board typically votes unanimously and...

Chapman, Moreland to meet in runoff.(A SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Byline: PATTY ALLEN-JONES patty.allen-jones@heraldtribune.com Attorneys Susan Chapman of Sarasota and Diana Moreland of Bradenton will face each other in a November runoff for the circuit judge seat vacated by retiring Judge Henry Rapkin....

Bucs whittle roster.(SPORTS)
September 1, 2004... Byline: TOM BALOG tom.balog@heraldtribune.com TAMPA -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers started their decision-making process Tuesday by placing guard Matt O'Dwyer on the reserve physically unable to perform list and trading injury-plagued guard...

D'Aprile fends off Stublen in District 1.(A SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Byline: JAMIE MANFUSO jamie.manfuso@heraldtribune.com CHARLOTTE COUNTY -- County Commissioner Tom D'Aprile coasted to a victory in the District 1 Republican primary. He will face Democrat Stephen MacDonald on Nov. 2. Seeking his...

OBITUARIES; MANATEE COUNTY.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
September 1, 2004... Jack J. Capparella Jack J. Capparella, 88, Bradenton, died Aug. 29, 2004. He was born Dec. 10, 1915, in Tuckahoe, N.Y., and came to Manatee County in 1982 from Elmsford, N.Y. He served in the Army and was stationed overseas during...

Varnadore wins; charter amended.(A SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Byline: STAFF REPORT PALMETTO -- Tambra Varnadore won the Ward 2 City Council seat Tuesday with 70 percent of the vote. Varnadore, 40, a lifelong Palmetto resident, campaigned on monitoring the city's growth while keeping its historic...

Connie Mack IV wins nod.(A SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Byline: VICTOR HULL victor.hull@heraldtribune.com Connie Mack IV passed the first test Tuesday in his bid to claim the Southwest Florida congressional seat once held by his father. Mack, a marketing executive and former state...

Once again, Schneider will take on Harris; For the second time in two years, the two will face off for the 13th District seat in Congress.(A SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Byline: JEREMY WALLACE jeremy.wallace@heraldtribune.com For the second time in two years, Sarasota attorney Jan Schneider will battle U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris, R-Longboat Key, for a seat in Congress. Schneider defeated three other...

Some things never change; Despite post-hurricane needs, Murdock Village goes on.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
September 1, 2004... There's nothing like a Category 4 hurricane to rearrange priorities. Things that seemed of critical importance on Aug. 12 just don't seem, after Charley, to matter as much. For example, plans for building a park and marina at Punta Gorda's...

Preseason rankings rankles.(SPORTS)(Comment)(Column)
September 1, 2004... Byline: Doug Fernandes SARASOTA -- Diplomacy, while not situated at the top of a college head coach's gotta-have list, is right up there. Sandwiched somewhere between a Samsonite of cliches at the ready, and a straight-faced ability to...

Demand, insurers slow work Rebuilding isn't going quickly, although the county; is easing permit and contractor requirements.(B SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Byline: DARLA MCFARLAND darla.mcfarland@heraldtribune.com CHARLOTTE COUNTY -- Thousands of homeowners who want to rebuild after Hurricane Charley are being stalled by an overwhelming demand on the construction industry and the red tape of...

EDUCATION NOTES.(B SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Driver education contract to Ault's The Sarasota County School Board awarded the 2004-2005 driver's education contract for the public schools to Ault's Driver Education Center, Englewood. This year will begin the seventh year in which...

$20M in housing loans available through state.(B SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Byline: STEPHEN FRATER stephen.frater@heraldtribune.com The Florida Housing Finance Corporation says it will take emergency steps to make $20 million in loans and grants available to Charlotte County and other regions of the state declared...

Skidmore, Seay win.(A SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Byline: STEPHEN FRATER stephen.frater@heraldtribune.com Robert Skidmore, 22, upset two other Republicans in a tight race for a seat on the Charlotte County Airport Authority. He'll face a Democratic opponent in November. The other...

Say it ain't so, Joe; Perico developer's actions don't match its encouraging words.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
September 1, 2004... The St. Joe Company bills itself as "an extraordinary Joe," devoted to "developing memorable places of exceptional quality." But its plans for Perico Island -- and its response to community concerns about the project -- are likely to be...

County Commissioner Horton wins with 54%.(A SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Byline: STAFF REPORT CHARLOTTE COUNTY -- Charlotte County Commissioner Mac Horton soundly won the Republican primary in the supervisor of elections contest. Horton won 54 percent of the vote against his opponent, Richard Holden, a...

Web site, number to track traffic near Tampa.(B SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Byline: STAFF REPORT Motorists traveling around the Tampa Bay area can access free, around-the-clock information on traffic tie-ups or construction delays on selected roads beginning Thursday. The Florida Department of Transportation...

Dysfunction at DCF; Agency needs leadership that's less controversial, more effective.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
September 1, 2004... The Department of Children and Families is, as Gov. Jeb Bush said, the place "where life's imperfections play out on a regular basis." That helps explain why it is one of Florida's most dysfunctional, and frequently overhauled, government...

Park protocol; Public can help keep waterfront getaway enjoyable for all.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
September 1, 2004... Too often, more cigarette butts than sea gulls are evident in Venice's Humphris Park, a Gulf-front site better known as the South Jetty parking area. Also, bags and bottles frequently spill over the rims of trash cans. Venice Councilman...

Challenger Keen defeats DeSoto Sheriff Fugate by just nine votes.(A SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Byline: ERIN BRYCE erin.bryce@heraldtribune.com ARCADIA -- By the slimmest of margins, DeSoto County sheriff's candidate Vernon Keen defeated incumbent John Fugate by nine votes Tuesday. Because the margin of victory was less than .5...

Tax bid fails for one, passes for another.(A SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Byline: STAFF REPORT MANATEE COUNTY -- West Manatee firefighters lost another close tax referendum Tuesday, this time by 49 votes out of 7,797. Approval would have meant an estimated $1.5 million for the West Manatee Fire District,...

New flight plan; Federal grant gives Sarasota-Bradenton a needed boost.(A SECTION)(Editorial)
September 1, 2004... Monday's announcement that Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport has been awarded a Small Community Air Service Development grant provides a big boost to the prospects of the underused airport. The $1.5 million federal grant is...

Ad agency will open Denver office.(BUSINESS)
September 1, 2004... Byline: MICHAEL POLLICK michael.pollick@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA -- Clarke Advertising, headed by former Denverite Bill Pierson, will open a small office in the Colorado city and is looking at acquisition opportunities there. ...

SARASOTA COUNTY; OBITUARIES.(B SECTION)(Obituary)
September 1, 2004... Katherine O. Ward Bolyard Katherine O'Connell Ward Bolyard, 87, Sarasota, died Aug. 27, 2004. She was born March 22, 1917, in Somerville, Tenn., and came to Sarasota in 1982 from Washington, D.C. She retired from the U.S. government...

Gators keeping close eye on hurricane.(SPORTS)
September 1, 2004... Byline: MIC HUBER mic.huber@heraldtribune.com GAINESVILLE -- Florida football coach Ron Zook, consumed with getting his team ready for the current season, didn't even know there was another hurricane lurking in the Atlantic until late...

About returning, park residents 'don't have a clue'.(B SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Byline: DAVID HACKETT david.hackett@heraldtribune.com SOLONA -- Just when you think you've seen the worst damage from Hurricane Charley, turn north off State Road 17 east of Punta Gorda, meander through a couple of two-lane roads and...

Woodard re-elected.(A SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Byline: STAFF REPORT CHARLOTTE COUNTY -- Voters on Tuesday re-elected W. Wayne Woodard to the county judge post he has held for 15 years. Woodard garnered 61 percent of the vote in his win against Carolyn Garber, an assistant public...

Southeast opens with easy victory.(SPORTS)
September 1, 2004... Byline: STAFF REPORT ST. PETERSBURG -- Southeast had few problems in its season-opening match, a Class 4A-District 13 contest with Lakewood High. The Seminoles took three straight from the host Spartans, winning 25-8, 25-16, 25-14....

CPAC plans full season of entertainment.(B SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Byline: AMY ABERN amy.abern@heraldtribune.com The $7.9 million Charlotte Performing Arts Center proved it was worth every penny of construction costs when it was tested by Hurricane Charley. Besides a little water damage, the year-old,...

Lady Indians serve loss to Lakewood Ranch.(SPORTS)
September 1, 2004... Byline: PERRY D. PENTZ perry.pentz@heraldtribune.com VENICE -- After a preseason loss, Venice worked on its passing and defense in preparation for its season opener. It worked as the Lady Indians powered their way past Lakewood Ranch,...

Kovach coasts to easy win.(A SECTION)
September 1, 2004... Byline: LAURA GREEN laura.green@heraldtribune.com SARASOTA COUNTY -- Voters overwhelmingly re-elected Frank Kovach to the five-member Sarasota County School Board on Tuesday. Kovach took 65 percent of the vote, and challenger Elizabeth...

Obee's franchiser under new management.(BUSINESS)
September 2, 2004... Byline: LAUREN MAYK lauren.mayk@heraldtribune.com PORT CHARLOTTE -- Obee's Franchise Systems, the fast-growing franchiser of a sub sandwich chain founded in a Port Charlotte strip mall, has been acquired by a franchise management and...

Frances forces changes; Area football games rescheduled, postponed and canceled because of hurricane.(SPORTS)
September 2, 2004... Byline: STAFF REPORT For the second straight year, weather has affected the opening of the high school football season. On Wednesday, several schools moved, postponed or canceled openers due to the threat of Hurricane Frances, which...

DCF supports negligence charge; Investigators say a 2-year-old Port Charlotte boy who died of head injuries was denied medical care.(B SECTION)
September 2, 2004... Byline: MICHAEL A. SCARCELLA michael.scarcella@heraldtribune.com CHARLOTTE COUNTY -- The custodial parents of a Port Charlotte boy who died from head injuries were negligent in not taking him to a doctor, according to state Department of...

Cowboy bunkhouse gets new home.(B SECTION)
September 2, 2004... Byline: SELINA ROMAN selina.roman@heraldtribune.com PARRISH -- A piece of Manatee County history will soon be en route to Bradenton. The Harrison Ranch bunkhouse, which served as a resting spot for weary cowboys nearly a century ago,...

ROOF TILE DEBATE HEATS UP; City OKs metal roofs for 2 communities.(B SECTION)
September 2, 2004... Byline: JAMIE MANFUSO jamie.manfuso@heraldtribune.com PUNTA GORDA -- A city decision on concrete roofing tiles, which became airborne in Hurricane Charley and inflicted property damage, could lead to pricey legal squabbles between...

Schneider ready for a rematch; Jan Schneider says more money, more experience, greater name recognition will help her beat Harris.(B SECTION)
September 2, 2004... Byline: JEREMY WALLACE jeremy.wallace@heraldtribune.com The race is on. Less than 24 hours after winning the Democratic primary, congressional hopeful Jan Schneider was busy trying to line up support from national political groups and...

Aid comes in the form of a tyke.(FLORIDA WEST)
September 2, 2004... Byline: ABBY WEINGARTEN CORRESPONDENT Philanthropy knows no height or age requirement, as 4-year-old Phillip Cecil of Bradenton proved last week. The pensive preschooler has become a local bastion of good will. Soliciting help from his...

Weight over; Rissler ready to put his 302-pound frame into action for Florida Gators.(SPORTS)
September 2, 2004... Byline: MIC HUBER mic.huber@heraldtribune.com GAINESVILLE -- Pity the poor player who lines up opposite big Steve Rissler Saturday evening when Florida finally kicks off its season against Middle Tennessee. Rissler, a sophomore who has...

Little left of mobile home park; Maple Leaf Estates, which had about half its homes destroyed, still has no power or water.(B SECTION)
September 2, 2004... Byline: DARLA McFARLAND darla.mcfarland@heraldtribune.com PORT CHARLOTTE -- The little that remains of the Maple Leaf Estates mobile home park, where nearly three dozen residents still live, is quickly succumbing to weather and mold and...

Kamnik enjoys the kitchen, but she'd rather be rowing.(H-T ENGLEWOOD)
September 2, 2004... Byline: NANCY CHAPMAN CORRESPONDENT When it comes to cooking, Susan Kamnik would rather be out rowing on the Myakka River. This lack of affection for cooking is not a family thing. When she was a child, her mother made Italian,...

Board races signal discontent; The School Board incumbents weren't unseated, but more than 40% cast their votes for two underdogs.(B SECTION)
September 2, 2004... Byline: TIFFANY LANKES tiffany.lankes@heraldtribune.com MANATEE COUNTY -- Dave Miner and James Ferguson aren't exactly household names. The two underdogs in this year's School Board races are known more for their unusual antics than...

Prosecutors won't try for fifth trial in killing.(B SECTION)
September 2, 2004... Byline: ROBERT PATRICK robert.patrick@heraldtribune.com BRADENTON -- Four times prosecutors went to trial to convict Arthur Christopher Samuel Jr. of killing Abel Real-Duque, and each time they got a hung jury and a mistrial. There...