Mar 21, 2010 2:05 pm
Authorities closed a portion of Old Tampa Road today after a driver failed to negotiate a turn and struck an electrical pole. Andrea Bennett, 20, of Parrish was not injured in the early morning accident near Country River Road. A severed electrical wire burned a large hole in the roadway, however. read more. . .
Mar 21, 2010 12:31 pm
A Venice man died this weekend in a single-car accident that also injured the driver and another passenger. According to North Port Police: At about 6:25 p.m. Saturday, Lilla Sizemore, 19, of Venice, lost control of a pickup as she drove eastbound on Langlias Drive from Yorkshire Street. The truck rolled sideways into a ditch. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 11:35 pm
As Josie Lou Ratley remained in a medically induced coma Saturday, stunned family members struggled to understand why someone she barely knew could become angry enough to allegedly try to beat her to death. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 11:21 pm
Two games, two blowouts. John Calipari's top-seeded Kentucky Wildcats are young and inexperienced, but no longer unproven in the NCAA tournament, during which their average margin of victory now stands at 29.5 points after two rounds. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 11:20 pm
After warning two weeks ago that it would run out of money within weeks, Miami's public hospital group has cobbled together a stabilization plan that will keep most services intact through the end of September. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 11:14 pm
Three times a day, just like they always have, SeaWorld Orlando's killer-whale trainers brush Tilikum's teeth. But they no longer stand right next to the animal with a water pick. Instead, trainers have built a 2-foot extension that allows them to work farther from the 6-ton orca's jaws. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 11:08 pm
You could say that Sen. J.D. Alexander has a bit of buyer's remorse. That's because Alexander, R-Lake Wales, now says that Florida's insurance commissioner should probably be elected. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 11:05 pm
Alex Ovechkin scored a goal in his return following a two-game NHL suspension and Jose Theodore made 33 saves as the Washington Capitals beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-1 on Saturday night. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 11:01 pm
Butler's Gordon Hayward instinctively left his man for a double-team, deflected a freshman's desperate pass and slammed Murray State's storybook shut. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 11:01 pm
After Greece recklessly spent its way into a debt crisis, potentially leaving German taxpayers to help fund a bailout, lawmakers in Berlin offered a suggestion to their profligate neighbors to the south: If you want to raise cash, why not sell off a few of your islands? read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 10:58 pm
By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG, JEFF ZELENY and CARL HULSE The New York Times WASHINGTON -- Speaker Nancy Pelosi was at her wits' end, and she let President Barack Obama know it. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 10:49 pm
MIAMI — Quentin Richardson scored all 18 of his points on first-half 3-pointers, Michael Beasley added 16 points and the Miami Heat beat Charlotte 77-71 on Saturday night to pass the Bobcats for sixth place in the Eastern Conference. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 10:29 pm
Leading by one against the colossus of the bracket, Ali Farokhmanesh stood at the 3-point line, no one around. The prudent play? Pull it out, burn some clock. Not a chance. Taking his shot at history, Farokhmanesh let fly from the wing. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 10:06 pm
Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl cleared his bench at the end of the game, a victory over No. 14 seed Ohio and a berth in the Midwest Regional semifinals secure. It was time to reward the guys who helped the Volunteers get there. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 9:56 pm
Sarasota High was pushed to extra innings before beating Fort Myers Bishop Verot, 5-4, Saturday in a baseball game. Brandon West came in in relief in the sixth inning and allowed one hit over three innings to get the win. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 9:50 pm
They passed out cigars in Fargo on Saturday, but no matches just yet, as a flood-weary city that's spent the last week getting ready to hold back the Red River cautiously prepared to celebrate what appeared to be a successful defense against the swollen waterway. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 9:43 pm
ABC's "This Week" -- 9 a.m. Reps. Eric Cantor, R-Va., and John Larson, D-Conn.; David Plouffe, former Obama presidential campaign manager; Karl Rove, former George W. Bush adviser. CNN's "State of the Union" -- 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. Sens. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.; Reps. Larson and Mike Pence, R-Ind. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 9:43 pm
On Friday night, more than two dozen Native Americans embarked on a spiritual mission to New Zealand, where they will ask their fish to come home to California. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 9:42 pm
NORMAN, Okla. A snowstorm arrives on first day of spring A powerful storm began blowing through Oklahoma and the southern Plains on the first day of spring Saturday, bringing heavy snow and strong winds a day after temperatures reached into the 70s. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 9:33 pm
Elaine Larsen is one of three women in the world piloting a jet-powered dragster. Manning a fire-breathing machine that hits speeds exceeding 300 mph is a far cry from the activities she learned in a required high school class titled "Future Housewives of America." read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 9:24 pm
Stewart Udall, 90, who sowed the seeds of the modern environmental movement as secretary of the interior during the 1960s and later became a crusader for victims of radiation exposure from the government's Cold War nuclear programs, died Saturday of natural causes at his home in Santa Fe, surrounded by his children and their families. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 9:09 pm
Two straight birdies allowed Jim Furyk to pull away from the pack. Eighteen holes is what stands in the way of ending his longest stretch without a victory since he was a rookie. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 9:09 pm
Paced by distance running phenom Kristin Zarrella, Lakewood Ranch won its third straight major girls track and field event Friday night. Before winning the North Port Invitational, the Mustangs claimed the girls title at last week's Booker Invitational and also won the Ram Invitational at Riverview the week before that. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 8:59 pm
Liz Carpenter, 89, an earthy, tart-tongued Texan who served as Lady Bird Johnson's press secretary and who was a founding member of the National Women's Political Caucus, died of pneumonia Saturday in Austin. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 8:59 pm
In Iowa, Jorge Canal is on the sex offenders registry because, at age 18, he was convicted of distributing obscene materials to a minor after he sent a picture of his penis by cellphone to a 14-year-old female friend who requested it. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 8:55 pm
Omar Samhan was an unstoppable Gael force. The only time the Saint Mary's star slowed down was to enjoy the moment. "Did it really happen?" he shouted outside the locker room. "We won? For real?" For real, Omar. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 8:54 pm
Longtime friends -- and part-time foes -- will clash once again today in the final of the Morgan Keegan Wild Card Tournament being held at the Oaks Club. Despite battling a headache and upset stomach that plagued her throughout Saturday's competition, Tamaryn Hendler coasted to victories in both her quarterfinal and semifinal matches. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 8:46 pm
In the rush to firm his place in the Orioles' starting rotation, Brad Bergesen must observe his own cardinal rule, as any success this season will hinge directly upon it. Slow down. Take your time. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 8:16 pm
Point guard Larry Drew II hit a shot over center Jarvis Varnado with 2 seconds to play to North Carolina a 76-74 victory over Mississippi State on Saturday in the second round of the NIT. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 8:13 pm
'You must want to win," said the very likable and unassuming Liz Lange at the 2010 Renaissance Luncheon's "Dare to Dream," presented by and benefiting the Women's Resource Center. Lange, the woman who pioneered chic maternity wear, told how in 1996 she was undeterred from her groundbreaking idea, and now fashionable mothers-to-be everywhere know... read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 8:12 pm
The suggestions come flying in from everywhere. Change overtime. Add more teams to the playoffs. Eliminate the wedge. Modify instant replay. Just about everything in the NFL short of how much to charge for stadium hot dogs falls in the domain of the league's competition committee. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 8:05 pm
Tim Wakefield went five scoreless innings, giving up two hits and two walks with three strikeouts, and the Boston Red Sox beat a split squad of Baltimore Orioles 6-0 on Saturday. Rookie right-hander Chris Tillman pitched five innings for the Orioles, giving up tow runs on two hits and a walk with one strikeout. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 8:01 pm
It didn't take long for Tennessee to put last year's first round NCAA tournament loss behind it. Kelley Cain had 18 points and 12 rebounds as top seed Tennessee beat No. 16 seeded Austin Peay 75-42 on Saturday in the opening round of the NCAA women's tournament. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 8:00 pm
The sky is not falling in Venice, despite the recurring claims we hear every time the city's comprehensive growth plan comes up for discussion. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 7:48 pm
After a relatively quiet first month of spring training for the Tampa Bay Rays on the injury front, two key players were sidelined in consecutive days. However, the news is encouraging on both. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 7:46 pm
DUBLIN Pope's global letter read to Catholics Pope Benedict XVI's unprecedented letter to Ireland apologizing for chronic child abuse within the Catholic Church failed Saturday to calm the anger of many victims, who accused the Vatican of ducking its own responsibility in promoting a worldwide culture of cover-up. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 7:46 pm
The effort to win over Afghans on former Taliban turf in Marjah has put American and NATO commanders in the unusual position of arguing against opium eradication, pitting them against some Afghan officials who are pushing to destroy the harvest. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 7:46 pm
NUEVO LAREDO, Mexico -- Residents of this scruffy border town thought they had seen the worst of the violence five years ago, when rival drug gangs staged gunfights in the streets and a new police chief was slain just hours after being sworn in. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 7:44 pm
Originally, they were the good guys. In ancient Rome, speculators were sentries who looked out for signs of trouble. By the 17th century, "speculate" meant "to consider, examine, or reflect upon with close attention," seemingly an activity to be encouraged. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 7:39 pm
Along with Los Angeles Dodger teammates Steve Garvey, Bill Russell and Ron Cey, second baseman Davey Lopes formed one of the most prolific infields in major-league baseball. Lopes played 16 years in the majors, posting a .263 batting average, 155 homers and 614 RBI. A four-time All-Star, Lopes stole 557 career bases, pilfering them at an... read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 7:15 pm
Justin Allgaier grabbed the first win of his NASCAR career Saturday by passing teammate Brad Keselowski on a late restart, then holding him off over the closing laps at Bristol Motor Speedway. Allgaier, last year's Nationwide Series rookie of the year, had to hold his line over the final 27 laps to keep Keselowski from passing him. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 7:04 pm
Connie Jordan's scarlet hair is dappled with vibrant purple and platinum streaks; her personality is upbeat and positive. She is an entertainer, a metaphysical comedienne, a published author, wife and a mother. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 6:58 pm
Once Florida State figured out a way to keep Shanavia Dowdell in check, things finally started clicking for the Seminoles. It just took a lot longer than they planned. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 6:58 pm
A'dia Mathies would not let Kentucky's return to the NCAA tournament be just a cameo. Mathies, the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year, scored a career-high 32 points as the fourth-seeded Wildcats beat 13th-seeded Liberty 83-77 on Saturday in the opening round of the women's NCAA tournament at Freedom Hall. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 6:54 pm
Strong winds scour the dunes, which hide a curious history. Nails and fragments of concrete are scattered everywhere. Steel cables, carved pieces of wood and slabs of painted plaster poke out of the ground, ghosts rising from the grave. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 6:48 pm
Seventeen grill teams served specialty food to hundreds of people attending the 22nd annual Hob Nob Bar-B-Que. The Manatee Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Council hosted the event on a chilly Thursday evening at the Sarasota Polo Club grounds in Lakewood Ranch. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 6:27 pm
Florida members of Congress participating in key roll-call votes last week included Sens. Bill Nelson, D, and George LeMieux, R; Democratic Rep. Kathy Castor, Tampa; and Republican Reps. Vern Buchanan, Longboat Key; Tom Rooney, Palm Beach Gardens, and Connie Mack, Fort Myers. House read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 6:27 pm
Weather affected a car wash in Port Charlotte, but did not put a damper on the spirits for future college students. Middle and high school members of the Charlotte County National Association for the Advancement of Colored People held a car wash March 13 at Charlotte State Bank in hopes of funding a summer tour of state colleges. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 6:27 pm
They are selling secrets along the shining corridors of the Savyolovsky Market: Unlisted numbers. Tax returns. Customs declarations. Wanted lists. Police reports. Car registrations. Business permits. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 12:02 pm
Sen. John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine, should consider broadening the scope of SB-6, Teacher Performance and Pay, to include state senators and representatives and these key points. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 12:00 pm
In the aftermath of the Sarasota County school-tax referendum, let us all be humble in victory and gracious in defeat. After all, it is our children and students who will benefit. Capt. Jack Hartman Sarasota read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 11:56 am
Hauling out the familiar line that offshore drilling would have little impact on retail pump prices is a lame result after months of study. It is a standard line used by activists. read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 11:51 am
Regarding the March 17 op-ed "The spirit of sympathy," We don't require evidence of columnist David Brooks' academic background or examples of his intellectual depth to instruct us in the ways of the group or group think. It is all very elementary and simple, even to plain folks such as myself.: Darwin reigns supreme. The survival instinct is the... read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 11:06 am
Regarding your editorial "Traffic Conundrum," one can only imagine the additional chaos that would result from a Sunday evening event at the proposed Longboat Key Club Convention Center with up to 900 cars descending at the same time. Controlled development is to be applauded but the infrastructure to support it must exist. Otherwise, the result... read more. . .
Mar 20, 2010 11:04 am
According to the March 19 article "County considering beach access work," Sarasota County commissioners are considering increasing the parking at Siesta Beach Access No. 7, at Beach Road and Calle de la Siesta, and other improvements. Beach access is an important right and efforts to improve access should usually be supported. read more. . .
Mar 19, 2010 5:56 pm
Manatee County's School Board has taken a one-sided approach to making up budget shortfalls -- cutting costs but not raising revenues. Superintendent Tim McGonegal has openly and thoughtfully recommended cost controls and reductions, instead of asking the board to pursue untapped revenue sources. read more. . .
Mar 19, 2010 5:52 pm
The Texas oil men behind the proposal to drill off Florida's Gulf Coast beaches are neither stupid nor dreamy-eyed optimists. So the information in a draft report presented Monday to a Florida House committee surely came as no surprise. read more. . .
Mar 19, 2010 5:18 pm
One artist will attempt to re-create his working space, right down to the clothes he wears to paint. Another artist will present a time-lapse documentary of the entire process of artistic creation, following numerous pieces from initial inspiration to completion. read more. . .
Mar 19, 2010 5:12 pm
SHARON FITZPATRICK will sign copies of “Mysticpiece” at 11 a.m. today at Circle Books, 478 John Ringling Blvd., St. Armands Circle. 388-2850. DOROTHY CONLON will sign copies of “At Home in the World” at 1 p.m. today at Circle Books, 478 John Ringling Blvd., St. Armands Circle. 388-2850. read more. . .
Mar 19, 2010 4:56 pm
When the rest of us are intrigued by our dreams, we might start a dream journal. Dancer and choreographer Leymis Bolaños Wilmott dreamed up this month's "The Dream Series." read more. . .
Mar 19, 2010 4:12 pm
Eric Ernst's column on Englewood's threatened fireworks display (March 12), and concerns due to the presence of gopher tortoises, showed how desperately innovative substitutes for fireworks are needed. It is time to think beyond these loud, smelly and polluting incendiaries. Yes, they can emit beautiful flashes of light and color. But why not use... read more. . .
Mar 19, 2010 4:10 pm
For the last couple of weeks, Sarasota has become a place of open hospitality for spring breakers and snowbirds. As our small-business owners and local restaurants struggle during these tough times, we welcome tourists to enjoy our town and beaches as much as we do year round. However, for residents of Sarasota, those relaxing beach days are just... read more. . .
Mar 19, 2010 2:19 pm
Huckleberry Finn sprang to life in a swirl of cheap cigar smoke at Mark Twain's cozy hilltop cabin in upstate New York far from the Mississippi River. read more. . .
Mar 19, 2010 2:08 pm
Sarasota Film Festival movies pick up awards Several of the films that will be shown at the Sarasota Film Festival have recently received awards at the South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas. read more. . .
Mar 19, 2010 12:24 pm
The movie version of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" manages to put flesh and bone on the stick figures in Jeff Kinney's wildly successful cartoon novel without altering the book's mildly subversive comic tone. That fidelity plays mostly for the good, though the book's moron-plagued, middle-school protagonist -- a sixth-grade boy, who, let's be honest,... read more. . .
Mar 19, 2010 11:54 am
Between illustrator Norman Rockwell and photographer Kevin Rivoli, the whole 20th-century American experience gets covered in the current exhibit at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. read more. . .
Mar 19, 2010 11:38 am
It is remarkable how Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana," a rousing cantata of medieval songs from the 12th and 13th centuries, has found its way into American popular culture. read more. . .
Mar 19, 2010 11:38 am
I am trying to figure out a way to sue Hyundai for millions of dollars without getting myself killed or thrown in jail. The idea, of course, came from the Prius driver who was barreling down a California freeway at speeds exceeding 90 mph because, as he put it, "I was drunk and wanted to get home as fast as possible." read more. . .
Mar 19, 2010 11:16 am
Perhaps Sherlock Holmes might be able to detect the moment it started, but something exciting, new and different is happening in Sarasota's arts scene. Despite troubling financial times, theaters have been taking chances and finding audiences for shows that might have looked like risky prospects. For example: read more. . .
Mar 19, 2010 11:10 am
Re-creating the sultry Southern music scene of the first half of the 1900s, "Night Train to Memphis" will take viewers back to the era of rockabilly guitars and pompadour haircuts. The new Florida Studio Theatre cabaret show, which begins March 23, evokes a period that gave rise to new sounds and future stars. read more. . .
Mar 19, 2010 10:00 am
There's something intrinsically appealing about "Half Broke Horses: A True-Life Novel," based on the life of the author's maternal grandmother, Lily Casey Smith. read more. . .
Mar 19, 2010 10:00 am
Mystery writer Harlan Coben got the idea for his new novel, "Caught," while watching one of those "nail the predator" shows on TV. read more. . .
Mar 18, 2010 3:22 pm
John Lambie's zeal for promoting sustainability in the built environment goes beyond evaluating one house at a time, which he does through the Sarasota business DwellGreen. Indeed, Lambie is thinking "big picture" with a proposal (he calls it a "policy draft") titled "Reinventing Home Improvement." read more. . .
Mar 18, 2010 3:06 pm
The mortgage-shopping process is broken. Despite well-intended government efforts to simplify comparison shopping for a home loan and all the required services that come with it, the process still doesn't work -- at least not for the homebuyers it was expected to help. read more. . .
Mar 18, 2010 12:54 pm
Q:The contracted management team for our condominium association allows the full-time maintenance person to drive our golf cart on public roads for trips to the hardware store or local lunch area. Should an accident occur, regardless of fault, who is liable for injuries and damages? Is it the maintenance person, management team or the association?... read more. . .
Mar 18, 2010 12:18 pm
Does it matter whether a real estate agent charges you a flat commission rate, or quotes you a flat rate but adds hundreds of dollars on top of that as a separate charge labeled an "admin" or administrative fee? read more. . .
Mar 18, 2010 12:12 pm
Q:We purchased a home in a rural area and had the property inspected before the sale closed. The inspector gave the property high marks, but we started having problems with the septic tank shortly after we moved in. Now a specialist says the tank must be replaced at a cost of $6,000, but the inspector says he is not liable for the bill because... read more. . .
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