Sarasota Herald Tribune articles from September 2008

Sarasota Herald Tribune archives from September 2008

Floridians tone down atmosphere Some events canceled due to storm, but Palin news lifts their spirits.
September 1, 2008... Byline: JOE FOLLICK H-T CAPITAL BUREAU The Republican Party of Florida canceled some events and promised to donate some funds to post-hurricane relief efforts. Gov. Charlie Crist is unlikely to attend, joining President Bush and other...

Great seats for delegates, but only half their voice.
September 1, 2008... Byline: Lloyd Dunkelberger and Jeremy Wallace Florida Democratic Party spokesman Eric Jotkoff said Greer is misleading Floridians, and made a dismissive anti-Hoosier statement to make his point. "While it might be true that their...

Region gets taste of Gustav, and more storms coming September expected to bring even more stormy weather.
September 1, 2008... Byline: STAFF REPORT "The height of the hurricane season is 10 days away, and from all that's out there, I think we're looking at a very busy September," he said. The heaviest of Gustav's wind and rain should have passed through this...

A harder Labor Day Dark clouds remain, but bright spots emerge.
September 1, 2008... "Americans -- including legions of the residents of our region -- have experienced, and survived, more difficult conditions on past Labor Days than they confront today. "But the status of local workers and the regional work force has been...

'The vital force of labor' A day to honor the creators of so much of the nation's strength and prosperity.
September 1, 2008... The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. The Central Labor Union held its second Labor Day holiday just a year later, on September 5,...

Hero of the day Jason Bartlett goes 4-for-5 as Rays sweep Baltimore.
September 1, 2008... Byline: DENNIS MAFFEZZOLI dennis.maffezzoli@heraldtribune.com Now, Tampa Bay heads into September with few doubts and a huge head of steam. The Rays put another beatdown on Baltimore, pounding the Orioles, 10-4, Sunday in front of...

Rays get hotter as fall sets in.
September 1, 2008... Byline: Doug Fernandes Awesome, for sure, in all its natural beauty, but down here in the Sun Belt, the team that hasn't fallen, hasn't cooled, is on pace to creating its own autumnal splendor. That would be the Rays. In first place in...

Bulls show killer instinct, maturity in big victory.
September 1, 2008... Byline: ALAN DELL CORRESPONDENT After their first-game victory last year there were questions and skepticism. Now, there is a belief this team possesses a killer instinct that won't allow less than a total effort. The 56-7 shellacking...

New Orleans trip up in air.
September 1, 2008... Byline: TOM BALOG tom.balog@heraldtribune.com Tampa Bay has the advantage over the Saints of not having their week of preparations disrupted. The Saints have already evacuated New Orleans and will practice all week in Indianapolis. They are...

RAYS NOTEBOOK.
September 1, 2008... It was the third time a Tampa Bay player was hit Sunday -- 2B Akinori Iwamura and CF B.J. Upton were the others -- and the sixth time an Oriole pitcher plunked a Ray hitter in the past two days. DH Rocco Baldelli was hit twice and Upton once...

Reds end their 4th FSL year with a loss.
September 1, 2008... Byline: PHIL DENIS CORRESPONDENT The Sarasota White Sox played five seasons at the stadium before the Sarasota Red Sox occupied the facility for 11 summers until the Cincinnati organization came in. The SaraReds' 2009 future is unclear...

Obituaries.(Obituary)
September 1, 2008... March 2, 1937 - Aug. 29, 2008 Thomas G. "Tom" Hopwood, 71, Punta Gorda, formerly of Lakewood, Calif., died Aug. 29, 2008. Services and a private committal will be held by the Hopwood family at a later date. Arrangements are by Roberson...

Two killed on Manatee roads.
September 1, 2008... Byline: STAFF REPORT Raymond C. Cole, 71, of Homestead died in a motorcycle crash on Interstate 75 on Friday afternoon after he failed to negotiate a curve in the road. Cole instead drove into the inside emergency lane and onto the...

Obituaries.(Obituary)
September 1, 2008... Oct. 5, 1925 - Aug. 28, 2008 George Henry Gerhard Sr., 82, Bradenton, formerly of Reading, Pa., died Aug. 28, 2008. Services will be in Reading under the direction of the Gallman-Sonoski Funeral Home. Interment will take place at the...

Manatee High ties keeping some former students loyal They came, they graduated -- and now they teach there.
September 1, 2008... Byline: DALE WHITE dale.white@heraldtribune.com Instead of doing homework, however, these graduates are the ones assigning and grading it. And instead of sitting in class, they are the ones giving the lessons. In all, a third of the...

Only the really loud cars will be towed, police say Sarasota ordinance allowing impound takes effect today.
September 1, 2008... Byline: ANTHONY CORMIER anthony.cormier@heraldtribune.com Today, Sarasota police will begin enforcing a noise ordinance that allows the city to tow vehicles for loud music. The rule itself is not new. State law prohibits any type of...

Felon given 'get out of jail free' card Woman who took more than $100,000 from grandmother out due to clerical error.
September 1, 2008... Byline: TODD RUGER todd.ruger@heraldtribune.com The jail clerks had entered her sentence into a computer as 45 days. The computer told them she had already served that much time in jail before a jury convicted her of grand theft, and the...

The water is flowing, and business is good.
September 1, 2008... Byline: BILL HUTCHINSON bill.hutchinson@heraldtribune.com As long as the water keeps flowing, with its 75 minerals that individually or collectively are said to cure a whole hospital wing full of ills and ailments, the springs draws a...

Obituaries.
September 1, 2008... Nov. 10, 1938 - Aug. 29, 2008 Boyd Anthony Cristofori, 69, Venice, formerly of Stonington, Conn., died Aug. 29, 2008. Services were private for the family. Farley Funeral Home in Venice is handling the arrangements. He is survived...

THE BUZZ.
September 1, 2008... To let people know they can still get to Anna Maria Island via a free trolley over the Cortez Road bridge, a group of businesses on the island is planning several events during the closing designed to bring people to the three towns on the key....

BUSINESS PEOPLE.
September 1, 2008... The Sarasota-Manatee Ohio State Alumni Club recently recognized John Saputo, owner and president of Gold Coast Eagle Distributing. Gold Coast Eagle Distributing has hosted the club's meetings for nearly a decade and provides event support. The...

GOOD DEEDS.
September 1, 2008... More than 150 local real estate agents and affiliated business partners crowded into McCurdy's Comedy Club recently for a fundraiser for the Manatee Association of Realtors' "My Community Makeover" program. They raised $3,000 for the program,...

New Panera is open at Centergate.(Grand Openings)
September 1, 2008... Panera Bread's catering concept, Via Panera, emphasizes service and unique packaging design to deliver the experience of fresh, handcrafted, quality meals with accuracy and efficiency to any workplace setting, social event or gathering....

High finance from the RANCH Brian Presley manages more than $300 million in other people's money from an unlikely setting -- a Punta Gorda cattle ranch.
September 1, 2008... Byline: MICHAEL POLLICK michael.pollick@heraldtribune.com Presley is fond of remembering how he grew up with many of his grade school friends as he stayed in Evansville, Ind., through the magnet school that his mother made sure he attended,...

Another bank is deep into trouble Real estate loans put Community National in a precarious position.
September 1, 2008... Byline: MICHAEL BRAGA michael.braga@heraldtribune.com The OCC's action came as a surprise to many in the Southwest Florida banking community, who viewed Community National as a sleepy institution that consistently reported high profits...

Jet setters set down some roots.
September 1, 2008... Byline: Tom Bayles "They are very, very excited about it," said the listing agent, Sherrey Welch with Michael Saunders & Co. "They have six homes throughout the world and this is their newest acquisition." The couple first walked...

Realty executive sees a silver lining Prices will stabilize after banks sell off property they seized, he says.
September 1, 2008... Byline: AARON KESSLER aaron.kessler@heraldtribune.com All told, he will oversee about 160 real estate offices and thousands of employees. The 48-year-old Florida native will continue to work from Sarasota (where Coldwell Banker...

REAL ESTATE PEOPLE.
September 1, 2008... Greatest number of listings went to the Geri Scarboro team. Honors for sales of the seller protection plans/buyer protection plans was Lucy Toth. Sharon Hightower has joined the Wagner Realty Anna Maria Island office as a sales associate....

REAL ESTATE DEALS.
September 1, 2008... Silver Bay has leased a 2,500-square foot office/warehouse space at 1431 Tallevast Road, Sarasota from Airport Commerce Center. Jeff Button of Richardson Kleiber Walter, the Kleiber Group partnership, handled the transaction. Beltone...

Investors have several ways to say 'stop' to portfolio losses.
September 1, 2008... Byline: Dr. Robert Stepleman This is implemented by the broker using a "stop loss order." When the stock's price falls to the stop price, the stop loss order is converted to an ordinary market order to sell the stock at the best price...

Banks in Florida endure another difficult quarter.
September 1, 2008... Byline: John Hielscher After posting a $75 million profit in the first quarter, Florida banks are now $4 million in the red through the first half of the year, compared with a profit of $493 million through mid-2007. Forty-eight...

FOR THE RECORD.
September 1, 2008... SARASOTA Tropical Shores Beach Resort LLC and Bank of America NA, $7,720,000, 2008113068, 6722 Midnight Pass Rd. and 6717 Sarasea Cir. Distinctive Surfaces of Florida Inc. and Bank of America NA, $450,000, 2008113133, 8272 Vico Ct. ...

Two more storms swirling in Atlantic.
September 2, 2008... Hurricane Hanna has maximum sustained winds of 75 mph and is moving west-southwest at 5 mph. Hanna's center is projected to stay off Florida's east coast, but it could still send strong winds and heavy rainfall to the state. The storm is...

Florida Republicans enthused about Palin.
September 2, 2008... Byline: JOE FOLLICK H-T CAPITAL BUREAU He said it will reverse conservative antipathy toward GOP candidate John McCain. "She's going to carry the banner for the conservative party," he said at the Republican Convention on Monday....

Biden in Sarasota Wednesday.
September 2, 2008... Byline: STAFF REPORT Today, Biden, a U.S. senator from Delaware, will be in Deerfield Beach to meet voters and listen to their concerns related to health care, jobs and the economy, according to a press release. At both stops,...

A priest, a rabbi and funny GOP shirts.
September 2, 2008... Byline: Joe Follick, Jeremy Wallace There was no Muslim on the slate of speakers Monday morning as nearly 200 Florida Republicans noshed on eggs and bacon in the Minneapolis Airport Marriott in Bloomington, Minn. But we did see the CEO...

Driving down deaths But problems remain with repeat DUI offenders.
September 2, 2008... The statistics come from the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration, which issued the report Thursday. It included this nugget: "In 2007, about 8 percent of all alcohol-impaired drivers (involved in fatal crashes) also had a...

This team continues to amaze Rays have spent the past five months proving the doubters wrong, now they only have to do it for another month.
September 2, 2008... Byline: DENNIS MAFFEZZOLI dennis.maffezzoli@heraldtribune.com They survived April, May, the June swoon and the dog days of July and August. One month, 27 games to go. Another test for the Rays. "No one wants to play us,...

Mack makes most of chance with Bucs.
September 2, 2008... Byline: TOM BALOG tom.balog@heraldtribune.com "Maybe if he leaves his cleats behind," Mack said. "You never know." "He's way more advanced than I was (as a rookie)," said Barber, a 12-year veteran and four-time Pro Bowl cornerback. ...

BUCS NOTEBOOK.
September 2, 2008... Practice sqaud is set The Bucs announced their practice squad, which includes WR Brian Clark, TE Daniel Fells, CB Marcus Hamilton, DT Dre Moore, RB Clifton Smith, WR Micheal Spurlock, CB Brandon Sumrall and G Julius Wilson. Clark, Fells,...

New sport, quick success Rugby team for 17-19-year-olds is state champion.(Kid Profile)
September 2, 2008... Byline: CHRIS DELL CORRESPONDENT In May, the Bulldogs made history by playing the first rugby game in Manatee County. Not surprisingly, they took a 34-4 pounding at the hands of the Jacksonville Axemen, a semi-pro team in the North American...

Obituaries.(Obituary)
September 2, 2008... Nov. 12, 1918 - Aug. 30, 2008 Sophie Ellis, 89, Port Charlotte, formerly of Venice, died Aug. 30, 2008. A celebration of life will be held in November. Survivors include her daughter, Christine Nelson of Englewood; sons George III...

Strolling their way to a fitter lifestyle.
September 2, 2008... Byline: JENNA O'HORAN CORRESPONDENT These are, after all, women who willingly eschew the comforts of climate control for 50 minutes of outdoor workouts, using their children -- and gear-packed strollers -- thus, StrollerFit -- to ramp up...

BEST BETS.
September 2, 2008... Gloria Musicae Auditions this Friday are by appointment only. Gloria Musicae is looking for classically trained solo and choral singers with excellent sight reading ability. Auditions will be held at The Church of the Redeemer, 222 S. Palm...

Obituaries.(Obituary)
September 2, 2008... June 9, 1933 - Aug. 30, 2008 Adeline Neal "Kitty" Harrison, 75, Sarasota, died Aug. 30, 2008. Funeral services will begin at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Church of the Redeemer. Entombment will follow at Manasota Memorial Park Cemetery...

A DORM WITH HISTORY, AND MAYBE A GHOST.
September 2, 2008... Byline: THOMAS BECNEL thomas.becnel@heraldtribune.com Female students stay in what was once the luxurious Hotel Ponce de Leon, a Spanish Renaissance marvel built in 1887. Male and female students meet for meals in Flagler Dining Hall,...

BEST BETS.
September 2, 2008... Capt. David Pomerleau presents "Monster Snook" during a free fishing seminar at 7 p.m. at Boater's World, DeSoto Square Mall, 303 U.S. 301 Blvd., W., Bradenton. For details, call 747-8339. CALENDAR TODAY StrollerFit Class. 9:30...

Obituaries.(Obituary)
September 2, 2008... March 8, 1921 - Aug. 31, 2008 Elizabeth Harris Branch, 87, Bradenton, formerly of Jacksonville, died Aug. 31, 2008. Private visitation and a memorial service were held Sept. 1. Inurnment will take place at a later date in the memorial...

Bureaucrats could keep food from the hungry.
September 2, 2008... Byline: Tom Lyons But I thought his community involvement was always the speaking-out kind, not the warm and fuzzy stuff. So, who knew Venuti was the kind of guy you would find volunteering at a soup kitchen? I still wouldn't...

Light-rail train far out of reach It's part of Tampa Bay group's plan but faces uphill climb.(Info box available on microfilm or pdf)
September 2, 2008... Byline: DALE WHITE dale.white@heraldtribune.com They had no other choice. Commuters in at least 21 other metropolitan areas across the nation have another option. They can park their cars and catch a light-rail train. The...

Flagging numbers are not all bad North Port schools get breathing room.
September 2, 2008... Byline: JOHN DAVIS john.davis@heraldtribune.com Even with this contraction, North Port High, with 2,583 students, is the largest high school in the Sarasota County district. Growth in student numbers has led many in the city to call for a...

Plant sale in Sarasota draws an eager crowd.
September 2, 2008... The gardens are at 1310 38th St. in Sarasota. The grounds are open from 9 a.m. to noon on Mondays and the third Saturday of every month, weather permitting. The society meets at 7:30 p.m. the first Tuesday of month October through...

FSU graduate now at Moffitt.
September 2, 2008... Byline: ABBY WEINGARTEN CORRESPONDENT Going in, Fritz was not sure what to expect, but he guessed that he would be part of something groundbreaking. On the morning of Aug. 7 at the Tallahassee-Leon County Civic Center, he walked for...

Obituaries.(Obituary)
September 2, 2008... June 9, 1933 - Aug. 30, 2008 Adeline Neal "Kitty" Harrison, 75, Sarasota, died Aug. 30, 2008. Funeral services will begin at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Church of the Redeemer. Entombment will follow at Manasota Memorial Park Cemetery...

Crowded field, but no incumbent Councilman Rick Tacy won't seek a one-year term; four others file to run.
September 3, 2008... Byline: KIM HACKETT kim.hackett@heraldtribune.com Thomas "Kit" McKeon, recently appointed by Mayor Ed Martin to the Planning Commission, was first in line Tuesday morning to make his candidacy for Tacy's seat official by paying a $102...

Biden brings town hall to Sarasota At Booker High, a focus on issues affecting middle and working classes.
September 4, 2008... Byline: CAROL E. LEE carol.lee@heraldtribune.com "In a strange sense, it's not about issues," Biden told the crowd. "It's about the lives of the American people. It's about whether or not you can fill up the gas tank." The Delaware...

So you won't be a gator. There's always Alabama.
September 4, 2008... Byline: TIFFANY LANKES tiffany.lankes@heraldtribune.com "As they tighten their belts there, we would certainly hope that Auburn could be a viable option for those students," said John Fletcher, an admissions officer with Auburn University...

Ballot won't have tax and voucher amendments Justices knock down 3 proposed measures in all.
September 4, 2008... Byline: LLOYD DUNKELBERGER H-T CAPITAL BUREAU In the oral arguments Wednesday, the justices made it clear that they were deeply troubled by the ballot language for Amendment 5, which would have eliminated state-required school property...

New study notes shift to more intense storms.
September 4, 2008... Byline: ANNA SCOTT anna.scott@heraldtribune.com "We provide evidence that the strongest storms are getting stronger," Elsner said. Wind speeds for the strongest tropical storms increased from an average of 140 mph in 1981 to 156 mph...

Nominee meets a crowd yearning for change.
September 4, 2008... Byline: BILL HUTCHINSON bill.hutchinson@heraldtribune.com It would take another 20 minutes for him to escape the 93-degree heat and find a bleacher seat at the uppermost level of the gym, packed with local Democrats, assorted political...

Rubio long on passion but short on facts.
September 4, 2008... Byline: Joe Follick, Jeremy Wallace "The Democrats are using our language to pitch their socialist plans," said Rubio, calling Obama's economic plan "European-style socialism." "Fifty percent would pay taxes, 50 percent would pay no...

Advisers promote McCain's softer side on the foreign front.
September 4, 2008... Byline: JEREMY WALLACE H-T POLITICAL WRITER "Most see him as inclined to the military option because of the visibility and persistence of the questions around the Iraq War," Sen. Joe Lieberman told a room of about 230 people at a foreign...

Orchestrating change in Sarasota New name and new programming with a classical mission.
September 4, 2008... "No, sorry, that is incorrect," host Alex Trebek tsks-tsks. "What is Fort Myers?" a second contestant blurts out. "No..." "What is Tampa?" the last panelist asks. "Good try," says Trebek, camouflaging his contempt. "But the...

Yankees win again Loss allows Red Sox to pull within 3 games of Rays.
September 4, 2008... Byline: DENNIS MAFFEZZOLI dennis.maffezzoli@heraldtribune.com The Yankees looked like more spry, playing loosely and taking the extra base. The Rays? They were having trouble with a pitcher making his third start of the season and...

Induction exciting for Seles.
September 4, 2008... Byline: MIC HUBER Though technically the list of inductees won't be official until January, Seles' inclusion was cemented this past week when she was placed on the ballot in an announcement during the U.S. Open. "It is such a great...

Aging Galloway battles injuries The wide receiver is coming off of shoulder surgery and a groin strain.
September 4, 2008... Byline: TOM BALOG tom.balog@heraldtribune.com The wide receiver who turns 37 in November is less questionable leading up to the opening game of his 14th NFL season in New Orleans than he was during the preseason, when he missed all four...

Rams climb all the way back They beat Cardinal Mooney in season opener after dropping the first two games.
September 4, 2008... Byline: DONNIE WILKIE CORRESPONDENT Jump-started by sophomore Jayma Copeland's five consecutive unreturnable serves -- including three aces -- the host Lady Rams erased a 20-13, fourth-game deficit to even the match, then overcame an early...

MCC holds off rally by Brevard.
September 4, 2008... Byline: STAFF REPORT Lauren Quiroz had 24 digs for the Lancers (4-3) while setter Erin Dunn finished with 37 assists. Brittany Koch recorded 11 kills and Amelia Levy added 10 kills. MCC trailed 13-12 in the deciding set before Tara...

RAYS NOTEBOOK.
September 4, 2008... RH Mitch Talbot, RH Jeff Niemann and RH Wade Davis, if necessary, are scheduled to start in the best-of-5 series. Double-A Montgomery of the Southern League finished the second half 34-36 after a 35-34 first half. LH James Houser went...

Column.(Column)
September 4, 2008... Byline: Jason Swancey Giants 20, Redskins (+4.5) 17 NFL: WEEK 1 TODAY Washington at N.Y. Giants, 7 p.m. SUNDAY Tampa Bay at New Orleans, 1 p.m. N.Y. Jets at Miami, 1 p.m. Jacksonville at Tennessee, 1 p.m....

PGA Tour family has lost one of its true pioneers in Mike Souchak.
September 4, 2008... Byline: Mark Cardon Mike Souchak died July 10 in Clearwater at age 81 from complications of a heart attack. He is survived by his wife, Nancy, and his four children -- Mike, Patty, Frank and Chris. Only Chris, the youngest of the four,...

CEO touts bank strength before Fed takes action Orion Bank: Customers get upbeat letter before Fed orders corrections.
September 4, 2008... Byline: JOHN HIELSCHER john.hielscher@heraldtribune.com The letter failed to mention that federal and state banking regulators were primed to direct Orion to take a number of corrective steps to maintain its financial soundness. The...

2 agencies near deal over Realtors' exodus DETAILS: Pursuing an agreement over the transfer of listings.
September 4, 2008... Byline: AARON KESSLER aaron.kessler@heraldtribune.com A Saunders spokesman said that a deal was very close and that most listings had begun coming over, but that the overall agreement had not been formally completed. Attorneys on both...

Smothers back at Saunders.
September 4, 2008... Byline: STAFF REPORT Smothers, who specializes in luxury waterfront properties, has six years of real estate experience. Prior to that, she worked in marketing, public relations and interior design. In the early 1980s she was...

Lawyer for Tringali seeks delay to prepare for trial.
September 4, 2008... Byline: MICHAEL BRAGA michael.braga@heraldtribune.com Foster noted that the charges against Tringali include a 43-page forfeiture allegation covering the time frame from May 2004 to June 2006. "The financial dealings alleged in the...

BUSINESS BUZZ.
September 4, 2008... Baskerville teams up with Children First Sarasota-based Baskerville Advertising is teaming up with Children First in an integrated marketing campaign that will focus on educating the community on the services offered at Children First. The...

Arrest follows report of a threat.
September 4, 2008... Byline: JOHN DAVIS john.davis@heraldtribune.com According to police records, Sarasota County Sheriff's Deputy Anthony Egoville was driving on U.S. 41 in an unmarked Sheriff's Office car when Pierce pulled up beside him, formed an imaginary...

IN BRIEF.
September 4, 2008... Beginning this year, the Charlotte County property appraiser put TRIM, or truth in millage, notices for each parcel in the county on its Web site. Other site enhancements include an ability to look up all parcel records according to land...

Cardboard boats go the distance at races.
September 4, 2008... Byline: BETSY WILLIAMS CORRESPONDENT From the artwork of The New Faull Inn Special to the antique Model T built by Paul Hibbard for Busey Bank and the Army tank "Thank You Troops" built by Bill Houghton and Chris Bowersox, the effort for...

Venice to hear airport ideas City pares search to three advisory firms.
September 4, 2008... Byline: KIM HACKETT kim.hackett@heraldtribune.com The finalists include URS Corporation of San Francisco, Wilbur Smith Associates of Columbia, S.C., and DY Consultants of Roslyn, N.Y. The FAA and the state have already paid MEA Group --...

Assisted-living community planning week of activities.
September 4, 2008... Byline: STAFF REPORT * Monday: 3 p.m. Music therapist, Steve Walinsky and the residents of the community's bell chimes choir will entertain. * Tuesday: 1:30 p.m. Chef Brad will do a cooking demonstration and provide a recipe. There are...

BEST BETS.
September 4, 2008... Healthy Family/Healthy Children Classes. 6 to 8 p.m. Thursdays at the South County Resource Center, JFCS Suite, 7810 S. Tamiami Trail, South Venice. A specially-designed program to help unwed couples 18 or older and expectant or new parents...

Obituaries.
September 4, 2008... July 6, 1922 - Sept. 2, 2008 Elsie H. Cidlowski, 86, Englewood, died Sept. 2, 2008. No visitation is planned. Mass of Christian burial will begin at 11 a.m. Monday at St. Raphael's Catholic Church in Englewood. Interment will be...

AIR GUN LOSES SOME LUSTER Fewer students in trades classes.
September 4, 2008... Byline: CHRISTOPHER O'DONNELL chris.odonnell@heraldtribune.com When real estate was hot, the class was a fast track to employment. Demand for carpenters was so high then that many students could get jobs before even finishing the class. ...