Sep 4, 2010 8:00 am
A five-day search for the missing son of top boxing promoter Bob Arum ended when a helicopter located John Arum's body on a rugged Washington state mountain in North Cascades National Park, authorities say. read more. . .
Sep 4, 2010 7:56 am
BP PLC was on Saturday slowly raising the 300-ton blowout preventer that failed to stop oil from spewing into the Gulf of Mexico, careful not to damage or drop a key piece of evidence in the spill investigation. read more. . .
Sep 4, 2010 7:51 am
A security guard who called 911 after a gunman entered Discovery Channel's headquarters calmly told the operator: "You're probably going to need a sniper." read more. . .
Sep 4, 2010 12:33 am
BRADENTON — Bradenton Christian found its focus and pulled away from Southwest Florida Christian in a historical night at BCS. The Panthers defeated the Kings 41-22 in a district contest. Friday was the first time BCS has hosted a football game on campus under the lights. read more. . .
Sep 4, 2010 12:31 am
The Lakewood Ranch Mustangs overcame a sluggish first half to rally for a 21-7 victory Friday night over county rival Braden River in the regular-season opener for both teams. It was the first time the Mustangs have beaten the Pirates in a varsity football game in the four meetings between the two teams. read more. . .
Sep 4, 2010 12:30 am
BRADENTON — Saint Stephen’s began its season with a low number of players, a high number of turnovers and a loss that could have been much worse. The Falcons, using only 16 players, turned the ball over seven times and lost to St. John Neumann of Naples 26-7 at Turner Fields on Friday afternoon. read more. . .
Sep 4, 2010 12:27 am
FORT MYERS — Lemon Bay took advantage of a huge size advantage on the offensive and defensive lines in rolling to a 40-19 victory over Gateway Charter in the season opener for both teams Friday night. read more. . .
Sep 4, 2010 12:27 am
New coach, new season, new hope for North Port High’s long-lagging football program. Only one problem. That was the same Mike Bellamy on the other side of the ball. read more. . .
Sep 4, 2010 12:25 am
Mikel Hollaway inherits a police department that just came through trauma, but his appointment as chief on Friday was hailed by friends and colleagues, who say his ties to the community and a “level-headed” demeanor will serve him and the department well. read more. . .
Sep 4, 2010 12:21 am
One play was all Bayshore could make and it was not nearly enough as the Bruins fell 21-7 to Jacksonville Bolles Friday night in a season opener for both teams before 2,500 fans at Balvanz Stadium. Bayshore junior quarterback Joshua Maugherman scored on 64-yard run on an option keeper on the game’s first series. read more. . .
Sep 3, 2010 11:46 pm
Just ahead of the Labor Day weekend, the federal government reported Friday that private sector employers nationally added more workers than initially predicted last month. read more. . .
Sep 4, 2010 12:17 am
Put a blindfold over Dyron Speight’s eyes, and the Southeast signal caller still knows where Boe Brand is going to be on the field. The quarterback-receiver duo was in full effect on Friday night at Harlee Stadium, and Southeast's defense posted a first-half shutout en route to a 28-13 victory over Palmetto. read more. . .
Sep 4, 2010 12:08 am
Bradenton Preparatory Academy owner Hendrik Lamprecht recently told parents the school had received a new accreditation from a “prestigious international accreditation body.” The school's accreditation was also recently renewed by a major accreditation agency. read more. . .
Sep 4, 2010 12:14 am
County budget officials are cautiously optimistic that, by next fall, the property tax base could begin to grow again. But for now, the county is again cutting spending and dipping into reserves to balance the budget that takes effect Oct. 1. read more. . .
Sep 4, 2010 12:13 am
Larry Kennedy would become a star at the University of Florida, but first he was a sniveling little 9-year-old hiding inside his grandmother's closet because he was never, ever going to play with those mean football players again. read more. . .
Sep 4, 2010 12:13 am
Venice High was given several chances to upend Lakeland High. But the Indians were not fast enough to keep up with the Dreadnaughts Friday night at Bryant Stadium. read more. . .
Sep 4, 2010 12:10 am
Mikel Hollaway, Sarasota's new police chief, became a police officer by accident. Years ago, Hollaway's mother was quite chatty and, while out shopping in Sarasota, she struck up a conversation with a city jobs recruiter. The city, his mother was told, badly needed police officers and firefighters. read more. . .
Sep 4, 2010 12:09 am
Alex Nugent passed for 220 yards and ran for 122 yards and Cody Tope had a 141 yards receiving to lead Cardinal Mooney to a wild 53-28 season-opening victory over LaBelle in a high school football game played at Cowboy Stadium Friday night. read more. . .
Sep 4, 2010 12:07 am
A Charlotte County sheriff's deputy roped and tied up an alligator as children were arriving at L.A. Ainger Middle School on Friday morning. The Sheriff's Office said it received a call at 7:13 a.m. about an alligator walking down Spinnaker Boulevard heading toward the school in the Rotonda area. read more. . .
Sep 4, 2010 12:06 am
With baby steps come growing pains. The Sarasota Sailors learned that in a big way Friday night against the visiting Booker Tornadoes in the season opener for both teams. read more. . .
Sep 4, 2010 12:01 am
The Riverview Rams have a new no-huddle offense, but they are still beating people up with the same old punishing ground game. In Friday night’s 37-9 win over the visiting DeSoto County Bulldogs, 204-pound Riverview running back Tyler Payne landed the body blows. read more. . .
Sep 3, 2010 8:16 pm
Eight candidates qualified by Friday's noon deadline to run for three nonpartisan City Council seats in what political observers are calling one of the most important elections in recent city history. read more. . .
Sep 3, 2010 8:15 pm
Charlotte County administrators hope that the reorganization of the building department will improve customer service, which has been a sore point with some residents and commissioners. read more. . .
Sep 3, 2010 11:05 pm
Most government buildings — such as schools, courthouses, post offices and city halls — will be closed Monday for the Labor Day holiday. read more. . .
Sep 3, 2010 10:31 pm
Great Depression survivors Roland Abraham and his late wife Emily knew how to save a buck. In fact, they were so old-school frugal they camped in Salvation Army shelters when they traveled abroad, even though they could have easily afforded five-star hotels. read more. . .
Sep 3, 2010 10:44 pm
Matt Garza pitched into the sixth inning to earn his 14th win, Carl Crawford had three hits and an RBI, and the Tampa Bay Rays cruised to a 4-1 victory over Baltimore Orioles on Friday night. read more. . .
Sep 3, 2010 10:23 pm
A costly and unreliable alternative septic system will no longer be automatically required on certain lots in Charlotte County. read more. . .
Sep 3, 2010 9:37 pm
The Manatee High football team arrived in Pennsylvania without incident Friday and went through a practice session at the Wolvarena in preparation for its 8 p.m. game tonight against host Woodland Hills as part of the eight-team, four-game Rally at the Wolvarena. read more. . .
Sep 3, 2010 9:18 pm
Florida coach Urban Meyer believes his team has more questions now than it did in 2007. Could it happen again? Maybe, but Meyer doesn’t anticipate a similar rebuilding effort. read more. . .
Sep 3, 2010 9:15 pm
Jimbo Fisher says he has a lot of wonderful memories from his playing and coaching days at Samford. Now he'd like to add another, but at the expense of the school that gave him his start. read more. . .
Sep 3, 2010 8:39 pm
Will Power isn’t one to pout. The IndyCar Series points leader bounced back from a late-race pit gaffe at Chicago last week to qualify second for Saturday’s Indy 300 at Kentucky Speedway, hoping to put some distance between himself and defending series champion Dario Franchitti. read more. . .
Sep 3, 2010 8:37 pm
Zach Johnson and Jason Day beat up on the course and beat the weather at the Deutsche Bank Championship. For Tiger Woods, it was the other way around. read more. . .
Sep 3, 2010 8:18 pm
A blast ripped through a Shiite protest, the second such attack in three days, in the southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta on Friday, killing at least 53 people and wounding 100, the police and rescue officials said. read more. . .
Sep 3, 2010 8:14 pm
The University of South Florida Bulls are expected to win tonight's game against Stony Brook, the Seawolves' first-ever matchup with a Division 1A opponent. But with eight Bulls freshmen expected to play, the real question is which of them will step up, especially on offense. read more. . .
Sep 3, 2010 8:14 pm
A powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck much of New Zealand's South Island early Saturday and caused widespread damage, but there were just two reports of serious injuries. Looters broke into some damaged shops in Christchurch, police said. read more. . .
Sep 3, 2010 8:06 pm
Treasuries took a slide on Friday after the latest Labor Department report showed private employers added more jobs than economists expected. read more. . .
Sep 3, 2010 8:04 pm
WELLINGTON, New Zealand -- The New Zealand billionaire buying the U.S. maker of Hefty brand trash bags to create the world's second-biggest packaging business started out as a tow truck driver and bounced back from the brink of bankruptcy more than a decade ago to become his country's richest person. read more. . .
Sep 3, 2010 8:00 pm Campbell Soup Co. -- Cost-cutting and strong drink sales helped the company's net income climb. The results topped most Wall Street expectations, but Campbell's outlook spooked many investors, and its shares slid. The Camden, N.J., company's fourth-quarter net income rose 63 percent from the same period last year to $113 million, or 33... read more. . .
Sep 3, 2010 7:44 pm
A group of drugs used to prevent bone loss in osteoporosis patients may increase the risk of contracting cancer of the esophagus, according to a study released Friday. read more. . .
Sep 3, 2010 7:43 pm
The 30-year search for a cure for AIDS, the world's deadliest viral infection, may get a renewed boost from an unlikely source: a little-used Merck & Co. cancer drug. read more. . .
Sep 3, 2010 7:08 pm
Ben Roethlisberger is getting time off for good behavior. He'll be back on the field for the Pittsburgh Steelers two games earlier than expected after convincing NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell he is turning his life around. read more. . .
Sep 3, 2010 7:04 pm
With winds gusting, sails flapping and hearts aflutter, the Luffing Lassies launched their first week of lessons on Sarasota Bay. On a blustery Tuesday morning, the women's group welcomed more than a dozen newcomers to the Sarasota Sailing Squadron. read more. . .
Sep 3, 2010 6:54 pm
The Colorado family whose son became known as the "balloon boy" in a hoax that captured international attention has moved to an exclusive gated community in East Manatee County. read more. . .
Sep 3, 2010 6:22 pm
I have yet to pay the first penny in credit card interest or fees. Likewise, I've never paid one cent in bank fees -- not for "account maintenance" or writing checks, overdraft protection (never a bounced check) or automated teller machine withdrawals. read more. . .
Sep 3, 2010 6:04 pm
Manatee County Christians are joining a nationwide effort to use the anniversary of a national tragedy as a call to reconnect with God. read more. . .
Sep 3, 2010 5:59 pm
Next week, President Barack Obama is scheduled to propose new measures to boost the economy. I hope they're bold and substantive, since the Republicans will oppose him regardless -- if he came out for motherhood, the GOP would declare motherhood un-American. So he should put them on the spot for standing in the way of real action. read more. . .
Sep 3, 2010 5:59 pm
WASHINGTON Many have charged that President Obama's decision to begin withdrawing from Afghanistan 10 months from now is hampering our war effort. But now it's official. In a stunning statement last week, Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Conway admitted that the July 2011 date is "probably giving our enemy sustenance." read more. . .
Sep 3, 2010 5:54 pm
Grace Community Church is especially geared toward welcoming young families, and it is increasing its efforts to reach out and offer hope and help. The Bible-based church, led by Pastor Dave Conklin, is inviting the community to a special Family Fest that will take place over two weekends this month. read more. . .
Sep 3, 2010 5:54 pm
A couple of weeks ago I wrote a column about the difference between an editorial writer and a column writer. You didn't read it? That's because my wife's dog ate the column at a late stage in the printing process. I will explain that interesting statement later on. read more. . .
Sep 3, 2010 5:40 pm
We've all lived through a performance review. Either someone did it to us, or we did it to someone else. They are necessary, but often reviews are uncomfortable, unpleasant or unproductive. When done well, however, they can be helpful to both parties. read more. . .
Sep 3, 2010 3:13 pm
As the city of Sarasota continues negotiations with FPL, one option should be off the table: municipalization of the electric system. Such a move would be a disaster. read more. . .
Sep 3, 2010 3:10 pm
I agree with columnist Kathleen Parker: If we all basically obeyed the unwritten rules of society, we would all get along and everyone would achieve the "American Dream." Well, the truth is, we don't live where people obey rules or respect others, and a major part of the "American Dream" is the actual pursuit of it. It's quite simple: Follow... read more. . .
Sep 3, 2010 3:09 pm
The federal stimulus program has not benefited the manufacturing sector, even though it did result in temporary construction jobs. Unemployment remains at an unacceptable level. read more. . .
Sep 3, 2010 3:08 pm
I have been thinking about the Sarasota skate park fiasco since it appeared in the paper. I'm having a hard time understanding the problem of money to support the park. read more. . .
Sep 3, 2010 2:30 pm
There is a certain irony this Labor Day at a time of record unemployment and widespread economic uncertainty. We celebrate workers who keep the nation's economic engine running, but millions who want jobs cannot find them and millions more are involuntarily working part time because they can't find full-time work. read more. . .
Sep 3, 2010 12:48 pm
Nearly every decade since Neil Young launched a solo career in 1968, the Canadian rocker has put out a watershed album with which he's upped the ante for himself. In 1969, it was his sophomore effort, "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere." In 1979, punk rock was powerfully on his mind in "Rust Never Sleeps," while 1989 brought "Freedom." "Silver &... read more. . .
Sep 3, 2010 12:42 pm
A murder trial hinges on evidence that only a dog knows the location of in David Rosenfelt's latest novel starring defense attorney Andy Carpenter. read more. . .
Sep 2, 2010 4:18 pm
"Embryonic stem cell research necessarily depends upon the destruction of the human embryo." So ruled Judge Royce Lamberth on Aug. 23; and then he concluded that funding such research violates existing law. His ruling is based on the Dickey-Wicker Amendment, first passed by Congress in 1996 and signed into law by President Clinton. It bans public... read more. . .
Sep 2, 2010 1:56 pm
Dyane Townley craves new kitchen counters for her home in Greensboro, N.C. Husband Jeff, a Honda Aircraft Co. engineer, wants a bigger back deck. With money tight, the Townleys are putting those dreams on hold. read more. . .
Sep 2, 2010 1:56 pm
There goes last year's vacation. Zap. It's gone forever. That great Christmas? The one with prettiest tree ever? It disappeared, too. Only your memories will remain if your family photos disappear. Digital photography, now the standard for most families, offers an odd mixture of permanence and frailty. read more. . .
Sep 2, 2010 12:34 pm
Q:The summer rains have made everything in my yard "grow like weeds" and the weeds are everywhere -- in my beds and lawn. What can I do to stop the weeds? read more. . .
Sep 2, 2010 10:28 am
I've been fond of peanut butter since I was a tot, and I hope my appreciation for this simple but delicious food never wanes. But did you know that an entire genus of tropical American plants -- about 60 species in all-- bear fruit that have a peanut-buttery taste? read more. . .
Sep 2, 2010 10:14 am
The TV interview is about to start. It's a fireside chat kind of show, where a host interviews authors. The guest before me, a statuesque woman with an imperious air, has finished. It's my turn. I sit in the easy chair across from the interviewer, and it swallows me like the whale swallowed Jonah. read more. . .
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