County vs. city on growth: Hey, somebody at the Gondo reads Ayn Rand
A = A is taken to a bizarre and incomplete extreme in this Gondo editorial; the question nobody, including the Gondo, has asked yet: just what does the county charge for residential development impact fees?
-- editorial, Venice Gondolier Sun, 09/27/06

Paper ballot fight continues
For some reason, Sarasota County really, really, really doesn't want to be accountable for its elections by paper ballots; the idiocy continues as Sarasota's case bounces into yet another damned courtroom
-- AP, via Charlotte Sun-Herald, 09/26/06

Housing market takes another dive
The obvious solution: build more houses in gated communities that nobody can afford to insure anymore -- BRILLIANT!
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 09/26/06

The Barefoot Bay Tattler:
The George Hunt Is A Worthless Sack Special Edition
Hunt-related material on pages 4 thru 7
page 4 | page 5 | page 6 | page 7
For the first time, the Tattler goes online with their complete paper in PDF format and it's all about our former city manager -- this makes anything we've ever written about Hunt sound like praise; editorial rakes Hunt, plus a tell-all article by a former employee tells how Hunt deliberately ignored warnings that Barefoot Bay was sinking deeper and deeper into unpaid debt
-- Barefoot Bay Tattler, October 2006 issue, complete

A "beleaguered" George Hunt resigns from Barefoot Bay
City of Palm Bay is getting Venice's ex-city manager as their new personnel director -- here's hoping they don't have any whistle blower problems; resignation comes on the heels of Hunt receiving an incredibly severe and bloody beatdown [video] by Trustee Chair Wilma Weglein
-- TCPalm, 09/20/06

A paper of puff: At least one Gondo reader can recognize manure
The Gondo has become a bastion of puff pieces -- a recent puff job on 9/11 terrorist trainer Rudi Dekkers finally gets a reader to cry foul
-- letters, Venice Gondolier Sun, 09/22/06

School Superintendent Norris mumbles something about leaving
Gondo story ||| Herald-Trib story
Top educator says he'll be gone before the 23rd century, news writers crap their pants (wait for the beg -- Oh Gary, please stay)
-- both stories 09/22/06

Venice's next county deadline: January 13
Venice has until January to draft a suck-up agreement with the county, otherwise the ballot boom gets lowered
-- Pelican Press, 09/21/06

LaMorte sentenced to 21 years for molesting students, says "These sins will always be with me"
That won't be the only thing that will always be with you, Coach: hope you look good in lipstick and heels
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 09/20/06

Is the county big enough to wear grown-up pants?
Ineptitude and ignorance in past practices do not bode well for the future in the county's attempt to gain absolute control over residential and commercial development
-- editorial, Venice Gondolier Sun, 09/20/06

Yet another over-simplified look at the county/city war over growth
An enigma wrapped up in a mystery hidden in a riddle, and yet the Herald-Trib is confident that they have it all figured out
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 09/19/06

Frances Rice claims she plagiarized by accident (see last five paragraphs)
Last year, when this web site caught the self-proclaimed leader of black Republicans plagiarizing Colbert King, Rice claimed the accusation was racially motivated; when recently cornered by blogger Richard Mathis on the matter, Rice freaked out, used the "million monkeys + a million typewriters = a Shakespeare play" defense
-- OpEdNews, 08/24/06

Barefoot Bay's attorney gives Hunt some cover
According to Richard Torpy, a variety of factors led to the district's financial meltdown and little of it was Hunt's fault: gremlins, aliens from Mars and planetary collisions are curiously not used as excuses
-- YouTube, posted 09/16/06

County, cities not out of ballot battle yet
But Mr. Natural: What does it all mean?
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 09/17/06

Vern Buchanan's court case unsealed
Vern Buchanan asked the courts to seal a lawsuit he filed that netted him $1.35 million, the court amazingly agreed; now we know why Buchanan didn't want the public to see the case -- Buchanan is one incredible bullshiat artist
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 09/17/06

Jim Ley wants out
After helping to set up the current growth zoo, then accusing everyone else of causing it, plus with anti-dumb growth Commissioner Barbetta coming on board, Sarasota County Manager Jim Ley is trying to bail to Osceola County
-- Orlando Sentinal, 09/16/06

County, city to make sweet, sweet love
What could possibly go wrong?
-- editorial, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 09/16/06

North Port city commission gets mobbed by no-growthers
In 1959, North Port was less than a square mile, now it has more land than Orlando, still has about a square mile worth of sewers -- do you see a problem here?
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 09/16/06

Realtors with benefits
Gay real estate professionals band together to survive, fight stereotypes, and to swap recipes
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 09/16/06

NASA reports Arctic ice reduced by 14% in last year alone
This news coming to you via the BBC because everyone here in America knows that Arctic ice shrinkage is a Democratic Party plot
BONUS LINK: Peter Gabriel's Here Comes The Flood
-- BBC, 09/14/06

County nixes turf war charter amendment
Ha ha, gotcha! Sure had you fooled, didn't we?
County takes charter amendment gun out, holds it to Venice's head, cocks, then puts it back in the holster -- Good joke, eh? Was that hilarious or what?
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 09/15/06

More on The War Between the North and South
Same tale of county versus city, slightly different take, this time from the H-T
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 09/15/06

Voters to vote on paperless ballot issue on paperless ballots
Judge Bennett orders that the iVotronic machines be used to decide their own life or death -- open the pod bay door, Hal; Elections Supervisor Kathy Dent to take the stump with traveling puppet show featuring "Hangin' Chad, the Paper Ballot Gone Bad"
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 09/14/06

Venice, North Port in last minute effort to talk county out of charter amendment
Is it a question of too little too late?
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 09/14/06

County commissioners face pitchforks and torches
Taxpaying public sick of taxpaying, threaten to become part of taxpaying public elsewhere
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 09/12/06

Bigger hurricanes are definitely caused by human activity
Or maybe not; in other news, Al Gore acquitted of beating reporter on grounds of justifiable pimpslapping
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 09/12/06

9/11, Venice, Rudi Dekkers, Huffman Aviation and 43 pounds of heroin
While the Gondo is painting Huffman Aviation as just a company that coincidentally trained the 9/11terrorists, Dan Hopsicker points out that there were plenty of shady things going on in the company's background, including the seizure of 43 pounds of heroin
-- Mad Cow News, 09/06/11

City hall on Venice and 9/11: Let's not talk about it, it didn't really happen anyway
Terrorists? What terrorists?
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 09/11/06

Meet Ernest Zavyv.. Zadony... Zyvovn... Meet the guy who is running for council against John Simmonds
Best quote: "Simmonds said without new development, property values would skyrocket and drive out working families" -- yeah, that's what kept that from happening... oh wait... nevermind
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 09/09/06

They love George down in Barefoot -- oh, wait, it looks like they don't
Venice's former city manager George Hunt is watching a lynch mob form outside of his office -- oh, and he's still suing Venice Florida! dot com and an elderly retired widow for conspiracy, cuz obviously it's all our fault that he can't find another job
BONUS HILARITY: George tells his bosses to FOAD
Here's another document that you might not want to include in your resume, George
-- The Unofficial Barefoot Bay Web Site, 09/09/06

North Port to county: You've slipped the rails
North Port, having annexed over 17,000 acres since 2000, thinks the county is going overboard with referendum fever
-- North Port Sun, 09/08/06

Crist is a "happy warrior"
"La Florida, the state with the prettiest name, covered with flowers" -- well, that pretty much guarantees him the gay vote
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 09/08/06

Joe Barbetta on replacing county commish David Mills
We've come not to praise Mills but to bury him
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 09/08/06

The war between the North and the South: County seeks permanent jurisdiction over all its rural land
And the media blitz begins...
-- Pelican Press, 09/06/06, reprinted in Gondo, 09/08/06

Holy crap, that batshiat crazy Harris pulled it off
After telling the GOP to FOAD, after saying that non-Baptist politicians legislate sin, after... you get the idea -- and she wins?
-- Fark, 09/06/06

Venice is not for sale -- it's already owned
In a puff feature, Gondo finally admits what the rest of us already knew -- that the City of Venice is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Boone law firm
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 09/03/06

Venice poised for yet another million dollar legal fight
When Dan Boone's interests are at risk, his puppets are ready to march to war -- county's attitude so far: "Bring it on"
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 09/03/06

The mayor ain't sleeping now:
County pulls out the BIG paddle, tells Venice, North Port to bend over
Gondo story ||| Herald-Trib story
Both cities have a habit of annexing county land and then rezoning to give developers a better deal (more density) than the county -- county has said they have had enough
-- both stories 09/01/06

That damned Al Gore
First, he gets us all hot and bothered about global warming and now he's railing against the corporatization of the American media; Gore says that concentrating the ownership of newspapers and TV stations in fewer and fewer hands poses a threat to democracy
-- Wired, 08/31/06

County sheriff's office busts major meth lab in Venice
Dealers cry foul at not being tipped off in advance
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 08/30/06

Meanwhile: After extensive undercover investigation into area retailers, Venice Police confiscate one unused crack pipe
The war on drugs can now be declared as won
BONUS LINK: Comments on this story from Fark
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 08/30/06

Mom of 16-year-old student shocked -- SHOCKED -- that her daughter is seeing porn movies in high school
Principal, school board falling all over themselves due to shocking allegations that a 1987 made-for-TV documentary on the Viet Nam War has brief frontal nudity; oddly enough, this film has been shown in high schools across the country for over a decade without complaint
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 08/30/06

BONUS LINK from IMDB:
Teachers, students from around the world comment on Dear America: Letters Home From Viet Nam
Dear Venice mom: Take your meds and STFU
-- IMDB.com

Tom Lyons on Kathryn Harris: "I think a tree fell on her hangar"
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 08/29/06

Ernesto to arrive in South Florida today
This marks the first time in the past 50 years that an Ernesto has come to Miami without arriving on a floating car
-- Fark, 08/29/06

Pole dancing? Shame on you, David Mills:
Lying about a political opponent can backfire
Especially when the lie is that your opponent is a former pole dancer; big ouch is when the papers catch you lying and then say she is teh hot and you look like Monty Burns
BONUS PICS:
David Mills - Monty Burns - Laura Benson
-- Tom Lyons, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 08/24/06

Treated wastewater to be stuffed into the aquifer
New water treatment process is designed to give your morning coffee that extra kick to keep you going (and going and going); Frank Zappa unavailable for comment
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 08/27/06

Haworth v. Swartz
Judicial race takes on a weirdness factor of 7
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 08/28/06

Local rap chops wood
Vell Venture busts outta Venice with his second album (Parental Advisory)
-- MySpace

Front page, above the fold, Saturday:
Insurers: If you are going to build in the path of a hurricane, we're gonna go Enron on your ass
Floridians: But we can't afford it
Insurers: Start sucking
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 08/26/06

Front page, above the fold, Saturday:
County to Venice: If you are going to continue to annex the rest of the state, we're gonna go Enron on your ass
Venice: But... but... but...
County: Start sucking
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 08/26/06

Front page, above the fold, Friday:
Hurricane insurers complain that they aren't giving enough UFIAs to Floridians
Entire state threatens to move to Arizona
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 08/24/06

Front page, above the fold, Friday:
Free fish
All you can eat
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 08/24/06

Front page, above the fold, Thursday:
County announces hunting season on developers, land-use attorneys
How would you like land-use attorney Jeff Boone's head mounted above your fireplace? County commission would like to give you a fair shot
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 08/23/06

Front page, above the fold, Thursday:
Housing slump deepens
Sarasota County is second-worst in state as sales fall nearly 50%
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 08/23/06

Sharky's lease, city attorney's powers: Undoing what Hunt hath wrought
City has asked a judge to kill the Sharky's "blank lease" that former city manager George Hunt negotiated a few years back (second item); meanwhile, council wants the city attorney to do more than just review legal documents -- curiously, the current city manager likes it just the way Hunt set it up ("Low man" item)
-- H-T and Gondo, 08/23/06

Front page, above the fold, Tuesday:
Property owners share stories of rising insurance
Insurance costs are forcing some families to cut spending; others say their insurance bills pushed them over the edge and they are looking to move somewhere cheaper
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 08/22/06

Front page, above the fold, Monday:
Desperate home sellers turning to auctions
Eager to unload property, sellers hope for bids
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 08/21/06

Sarasota politics: 'America's craziest?'
It ain't just Venice Florida! dot com -- web sites all around the country think we're the biggest nutters in the land; Why do you think Fark has a Florida tag for bizarre stories?
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 08/22/06

Scooters: fun, sleek, fast and 50 miles to the gallon
And those are just the bigger ones -- Venice Florida! dot com's choice, appropriately called The Venice, gets around 85 MPG
-- L.A.Times via Longview Daily News

Red tide = red ink
The upside? Our private golf courses are gorgeous
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 08/21/06

Thought for the day:
Easiest way to reduce water pollution is to change the definition
Other proposed changes: Head up ass syndrome to be referred to as "cranial-colonic conjoinment"
-- Pelican Press, 08/20/06

Kurt Vonnegut's Apocalypse
He survived being captured by the Nazis and the suicide of his mother to write some of the funniest, darkest novels of our time, but it took George W. Bush to break him
-- Rolling Stone, August 2006

Crist campaigning for governor in former CIA torture plane
That explains the leather stewardess uniforms
PLUS: Comments from Fark
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 08/20/06

Cops, offender unite in Jogging For Freedom
3-hour charity obstacle course run includes the traditional handcuffed run through dense brush; new features this year include Helicopter Hide 'n Seek, Schoolhouse Lockdown, and Dodge the Doggie
BONUS LINK: Comments from Fark
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 08/17/06

Three council seats plus the mayor's job are up for grabs
So far, no opposition to incumbents
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 08/16/06

Neighbors watch in horror as homeowner is slowly eaten alive by taxes, insurance fees
Witnesses report that the screaming just wouldn't stop
-- letters, Venice Gondolier Sun, 08/16/06 

Apparently, "tax relief" in North Port has something to do with inviting the tax assessor into your bedroom
We're just as clueless as you on this one
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 08/13/06

Hammett throws his toupee into the mayoral ring
Hammett takes center stage but all eyes are on stage right -- is anyone gonna say "Here comes de judge?"
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 08/13/06

TCPalm takes the light and breezy approach: Barefoot Bay audit shows "flaws"
TCPalm is either on the take or on drugs --flaws? FLAWS???? Have you lost your minds?
from Dictionary.com:
flaw  (fl) n. An imperfection, often concealed, that impairs soundness
Oh, and Hunt has a new plan to fix the first plan that he announced after the last audit, which was to fix the original problems that still haven't been fixed -- anyone follow that? Cuz it seems to make sense to Barefoot Bay's trustees and to TCPalm for some reason; peyote, anyone?
-- TCPalm.com, 08/12/06
BONUS LINK: residents sound off on The Unofficial Barefoot Bay Web Site

Hopsicker busted
Authorities finally nail Venice's 9/11 conspiracy author and publisher of Mad Cow Morning News -- thank God, our streets are safe now (yo Dan -- if you can't remember to go to the DMV, we'll pay for your license plate)
-- Sarasota County Booking Sheet, 08/08/06

Hunt in Hell, Part Doh!
Audit report in Barefoot Bay is out, eight months late and half-a-million dollars short; Hunt cannot be found  for comment, is reportedly preparing an Ooops! Report
-- TCPalm.com, 08/10/06

EVERYONE PANIC!
Homeland Security issues terror alert: update your Windows
Somebody up in D.C. suddenly discovered a virus on his computer, probably after visiting a few web sites that he shouldn't have; oh, and this U.S. terror alert is so vital that it's being announced in Sydney, Australia first
--  Sydney Morning Herald, 08/10/06

Area man unhappy that cable company won't carry his favorite channel
-- The Onion, 08/09/06
-- wait a minute, this isn't The Onion
-- holy crap, this is a real story
-- hahahahahahahaha
-- ROTFLMAO
-- (complete archive of Onion's "area man" stories)
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 08/09/06

Forget virus and spyware attacks -- there's a new kid on the block
Rootkits -- learn that word, they're the current rage among virus writers thanks to an idiot pilot program by Sony; your anti-virus software can't do a thing about them
RELATED: F-Secure's free Rootkit detector
-- PCWorld, June 2006 issue

Venice's 'other' underground economy:
Short term rentals to get shorter
Council set to squeeze acceptable rental periods down to zero; attorneys gearing up for the appellate cases that will take a few years to sort out, popcorn shortage predicted
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 08/09/06

City workers complain of getting hosed at kids' fountain
(hey Rollie, you're starting to get the hang of this reporting thingie -- good job)
Downtown fountain is turning into a major maintenance PITA for workers who have to monitor the water quality on their days off -- city's personnel department tries to label it as voluntary duty
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 08/09/06

Herald-Trib gets bronzed by Keith Olbermann
H-T changes its gas saving tips after getting called out for Tip #7 which featured a picture of stop sign and the following advice: "Don't stop;" revised Tip #7 asks readers if we really thought that H-T was asking us to break the law; Tip #8 is a real winner as well, guaranteed to screw up your fuel pump
BONUS LINK: Comments from Fark:
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 08/09/06

Grove Terrace ready for the wrecking ball?
HUD gives a thumb's up to kicking the residents out, but don't worry, they'll all get "vouchers" -- what could possibly go wrong?
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 08/06/06

Rollie Reynolds wets self, utils director Sharek
(because a bunch of over-50 wieners complained about the great original headlinel)
That's about the politest thing we can say about this bulls**t PR campaign that the city, the Gondo, and aging cub reporter Rollie Reynolds have launched -- Enough is enough!!! It's not only bad journalism, it's causing a diabetes epidemic
WORST. LOCAL. NEWS. STORY. EVER.
HERE'S WHY: SEE ITEM #2
-- Venice Gondolier-Sun, 08/06/06

Short-term rentals are now not OK
Gondo story ||| Herald-Trib story
In a sharp reversal, the city now says they have had the tools all along to prevent weekly vacation rentals; migrant worker rooming houses still OK
-- 08/03 & 08/04/06

Katherine Harris declared insane
Senate hopeful to spend rest of campaign in the Howdy Doody Home for the Terminally Befuddled
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 08/04/06

Venice's city plan to earn place on National Register
This is really, really, cool -- we'll be only the third town in history to make the grade
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 08/02/06

Cops bemoan lack of on-the-job porn
If it was even possible to make police work duller, the city's computer department found a way by refusing to let cops look at boobies links and ESPN; so to all of our cop friends, we send you some badgers
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 08/02/06

Armed robberies up, language skills down
"Robberies in Venice is usually real low;" well, that all depends on what the meaning of "is" is
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 07/30/06

Judge Rick DeFuria is caught hiding court cases from public view for no apparent reason
Justification: Anyone who would take the time to look up court cases "must not have much of a life"
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 07/30/06

So why did Venice's Finance Director want to leave employment with the City of Lubbock, Texas?
Ya know, we never asked Jeff Snyder that question; after reading this story, we don't have to
BONUS: Comments from Fark
-- UPI, 07/24/06

Stalin returns from grave, demands apology from Howard Dean for comparison to Katherine Harris
"I'm a piker compared to her"
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 07/29/06

Venice Housing Authority wins financing
Let the diaspora begin
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 07/29/06

Here's a first: Taxpayers League gets some good press
Article is confusing at best, but it appears that some people are against something that some other people are for
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 07/27/06

Floridians think the folks running their government are a hard-working, whip-smart, squeaky-clean, no-nonsense bunch
In other news, that really was a monkey that just flew out of your ass
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 07/28/06

Office space rent too pricey? Here's a backyard office shed
A hot-tub maker gets with the times by producing a DIY cedar home office kit for the telecommuting crowd -- but where's the soaker?
-- Wired, 07/28/06

Bad news day for government --Herald-Trib is all over government corruption and stupidity today:
--> $2 million hit to taxpayers in fines and legal fees, Feds may seek indictments against city employees, plus Levine's lawsuit against the city and former manager George Hunt (story)
--> Cop who leaked drug raid info wasn't a bad cop, just a stupid one, this according to Sgt. Mike Treanor -- think you would have been better with a "no comment," Mike (story)
--> Two sheriff's deputies in FBI probe quit force, pair allegedly made buys of stolen liquor for strip club (story)
-- > School Superintendent Gary Norris taking heat for deceptive practices during school tax referendum drive (letter to editor) (story)
-- all stories Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Fresh out of the shrinkwrap, it's a brand new Bishop
Bishop Frank Dewane was ordained yesterday, continuing a longstanding tradition of high-ranking church officials wearing funny clothes
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 07/26/06

MUPPET RADIO!!!!
Now you know why the internet was invented -- so you can listen to the Muppets 24 hours a day (C is for cookie, that's good enough for me)
-- Muppet Central

School Superintendent Norris grins, admits duplicity: We have your money, now go screw yourselves
This has got to be the strangest, most maddening article yet to come out of the Sarasota School Board -- Norris and the board basically admit to putting up a false front (i.e., A BIG LIE) in order to get the school tax passed and now it's fess-up time: Hi, we lied, we have your money, now go screw yourselves
BEST QUOTE FOR JUSTIFYING DUPLICITY:
"I'm going to be the last board member that's going to disrupt the apple cart 14 days before school starts" -- Carol Todd
-- Sarasota

Goodye John, hello Frank
Bishop Frank Dewane to be ordained today
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune.com

Barefoot Bay gets its first look at Herb Levine
Levine lawsuit makes the news in Hunt's neck of the woods
-- TCPalm.com, 07/24/06

Cops respond in anger and dismay to news that one of their own foiled drug raid
Venice Police board ||| Sarasota Sheriff's board
LEOAffairs.com's message boards for cops come alive with the news of VPD cop's suspension over leaked drug raid info; biggest amazement seems to be the perception that the punishment was so light and that the offending officer is rumored to be jumping ship to go to work for the Sarasota Sheriff's Office
-- LEOAffairs.com

Leaky cop suspended, ordered to stop dripping
Veteran cop Ralph Adrian disciplined for playing double agent in drug raid
(note: Gondo erroneously writes that three drug raids took place, mistakenly citing the dates of three drug buys that led to the raid -- the actual raid took place on April 3)
-- Venice Gondolier-Sun, 07/23/06

Golden Beach Quiche-Eaters Association scores a win... maybe
Gondo story ||| Herald-Trib story
With fall elections looming, interim mayor does an about face and promises strong state code enforcement against one owner of short-term rentals; say, has anyone at city hall done a Google search on the phrase "selective enforcement?"
-- both stories 07/23/06

And then there are the good cops
Mark Jarvis honored by American Legion (practice this phrase: "I'm from Holland and I didn't know I was speeding" -- it apparently works)
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 07/21/06

Hunt loses appeal in Levine lawsuit
NEW: Gondo story ||| Herald-Trib story
Appelate decision paves the way for Taxpayers League prez to go after former city manager in false arrest lawsuit
-- H-T 07/20/06, Gondo 07/21/06

As seen on CourtTV:
Dead kids endorse Riva
Debra Johnes Riva's campaign ads in judicial race are not going over well in the legal community
-- Bradenton Herald, 06/11/06
Photos of ad are online here

Unable to find a farmer's market to crash into, letter writer asks: "Do we really want girls on roller skates, blaring rock music?"
HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND??? HELL YES, WE WANT GIRLS ON ROLLER SKATES!!!!
-- letters, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 07/21/06

The potholes of North Port
Growing number of potholes causes growing numbers of accidents, but the city takes it all with a sense of humor: anyone who complains gets the Catch Me If You Can knock-knock joke
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 07/20/06

Gondo hits the road
In what seems like its first bona fide city news story in nearly two months, the Gondo actually mentions city government in a story about transportation -- to J.J. Andrews, wherever you are, please come back
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 07/14/06

Katherine Harris hits herself
There's gotta be an easier way to commit suicide but so far, Katherine Harris hasn't discovered it
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 07/14/06

Vacation home rentals in Venice: why weekly rentals are needed
In a groundbreaking article published a few months ago, the H-T noted that the demography of vacation renters is changing drastically and will forever alter the business of tourism; this is the article that Planning Director Tom Slaughter cited in his presentation to council
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune. 03/19/06

Short term rentals bring out shorter tempers
Steve Milo, former head of New Media (internet and computer games) of Marvel Comics, is Captain America to some property owners and to the local real estate biz; Golden Beach Homeowners Association likens him to Doctor Doom
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 07/12/06
RELATED:
Milo's Vacation Rental Pros web site

Growth
Guess who said this: "Water is going to be a problem; infrastructure to accommodate the people who will be moving in to South County... How are we going to afford and pay for requirements these people will have? Most of the new housing will be here, part in North Port on the Thomas Ranch."
Did you guess Herb Levine? Wrong...
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 07/09/06

Despite drastically increased property taxes, North Port can't pay for infrastructure without levying additional fees
Relax -- it could never happen here in Venice
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 07/06/06

Dear Marty: Take a chill pill
Bob Crossley sounds off about plans for an airport marina
-- letters, Venice Gondolier Sun, 07/05/06

Dear George: Take a chill pill
Stephen Rice of Barefoot Bay writes: "Demand that our manager and board stop worrying about suing citizens and start being professional. We are paying for these errors and, unless we start paying attention and doing our own oversight, we, too, are part of the problem"
-- letters, TCPalm.com, 06/28/06

Finally available in America: Doctor Who first series DVD box set
One of the best shows evah and the U.S. has been getting stiffed all along -- at long last, there is justice
-- DVD review, Detroit Free Press, 07/04/06

Taxing the snowbirds: Part-time residents, investors may be pressured to leave
Stickin' it to the snowbirds may be fun and profitable, but is the present two-tiered tax system an economic implosion waiting to happen?
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 07/02/06

City Attorney Bob Anderson on the grill
City's cleanup man isn't fast enough according to some critics, but here are some unasked questions that might have balanced the article:
Question 1: How many lawsuits and union arbitrations is the city facing?
Question 2: Is that number normal for a city this size?
Question 3: How much of that would have been avoidable with some plain common sense?
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 07/02/06

Charter Review pushes for the concept of Separation of Cash and State
Say, here's a thought -- let's put control of all of the city's money into the hands of two people; proposed charter amendment on finance director would remove direct control from council and place it under city manager; then there's some minor point about a $1 million bookkeeping error -- wait -- what?
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 06/30/06

Environmental crimes don't pay?
Beg to differ with the H-T on this one: actually, environmental crimes do pay and quite handsomely  -- taxpayers are now paying up to $2 million while, it turns out, the individuals responsible will likely walk away unscathed
-- editorial, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 06/29/06

An invitation to Marty Black
The folks at Bridle Oaks are a little miffed that their ponds are going dry, this due to the fact that the city isn't filling the ponds with reuse water anymore, which the city, in turn, blames on compliance issues with the EPA and the DEP; here, the homeowners invite the city manager over for a round of golf and have already lined him up with a partner
-- Bridle Oaks Homeowners Association

Gondo to city: leave the City Charter alone
City, Charter Review Board makes a less-than-compelling case for making any changes in the way the city handles term limits and its charter officers
-- editorial, Venice Gondolier Sun, 06/28/06

City, EPA hug, share recipes and fond memories
Venice about to begin its three year 'probation' as a convicted felon in the drawn out case of U.S. v. City of Venice; indictments may still be pending against The Executive Group, then again, the Feds may just take everyone out for a night of bowling and beer
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 06/28/06

Associated Press polls climatologists on Gore's An Inconvenient Truth
NYC flooded? Florida inundated? All possible unless we change our ways, according to Gore; AP asks nation's climatologists if it's true
-- Associated Press via Wired, 06/27/06

The future of South Sarasota County
There, behind the glass, stands a real blade of grass -- be careful as you pass, move along, move along
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 06/25/06

Downtown Venice: success and failures
Restaurants and upscale clothiers booming, other types of businesses struggle
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 06/25/06

VIDEO: Circus arena needs to be torn down to make way for marina buildout
"Revitalization" of airport is needed in order to make the airport economically viable; sweetheart lease with the Venice Golf Association is curiously not mentioned
-- video, WWSB-TV, aired  06/20/06 at 5:30 PM (some 12 hours after our Move afoot to move the airport article was first posted)

This means war!
City manager kicks Venice Florida! dot com out of press conference because "reporting the news and selling ads don't mix;" print media allowed to stay because they are charitable organizations that don't sell ads -- wait -- WTF?
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 06/22/06

H-T to Councilman Woods: Come in, sit down, have a drink, now leave
"Woods told reporters he hasn't decided whether he will become a candidate for City Council in the November election. He's certainly free to run, but we wish he wouldn't."
-- opinion, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 06/19/06

Feds nix marina funding
Marina idea isn't dead, according to city manager: "It would be unlikely that we would use property tax dollars;" also: circus arena demolition price tag could be as high as $1 million -- anyone got a match?
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 06/18/06

County to cut taxes
Oboy oboy oboy oboy oboy oboy woohoo oboy oboy oboy oboy; snowbirds: this does not apply to you, you will continue to be taxed like there is no tomorrow
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 06/16/06

There's a bishop on the landing
Venice is about to be invaded by wannabe Monty Python extras
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 06/16/06

Boone nominee gets the nod for council
It's hard to say anything good or bad about appointed councilman Jim Woods as he's an unknown quantity when it comes to municipal politics, but when Dan Boone likes him, bells and alarms should be sounding
Bonus chest clutcher: Hammett says he intends to run for mayor
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 06/14/06

Miller's Manhattan Project favorably received
Former judge Don O'Connell goes to the mat, states that spot zoning that allows the project has been illegal for years; nevertheless, Miller's project gets a tentative green light
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 06/14/06

Miller successfully gets Venice to say wow
Would you look at those... plans... yeah, we were looking at the plans
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 06/13/06

The circus is back in town: Forget the sewers, try the water
Sharek's image is getting an attempted municipal makeover as he plays the part of a carny huckster [pops new window]; meanwhile, OMI, the utilities management company that Sharek is supposed to be supervising, can't figure out how to use the deodorizers at the lift stations, so that job is now being farmed out for $70,000 (see bottom of this page) -- just what, exactly, is OMI doing and why are we paying them anything?
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 06/11/06

Children terrorized at city park
Unsuspecting parents and children attacked by mysterious propelled jets of water that shoot up from the ground; Homeland Security investigating possible terrorist ties, City Manager Marty Black spotted nearby sporting an evil grin (with scary pic of traumatized children)
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 06/10/06

Manhattan Project gets a poke in the eye with a sharp stick
Mike Miller says he's drastically downgraded his plans from nine stories to six in his island buildout vision; Gondo calls for a reality check, points out that the original plans called for seven stories, not nine, and that the new plans are not all that different from the previously rejected ones
-- editorial, Venice Gondolier Sun, 06/11/06

Speaking of public records, what happens if...
...a government agency delays giving them out or charges more than the actual cost of duplication? In the case of the City of North Port, the State Attorney's Office gets involved and that's where things can get a bit ugly
-- Charlotte Sun-Herald, 06/01/06

Don't pay for Microsoft Office!
So you bought a new computer and your Microsoft Office suite expired after 90 days -- now you're miffed because you thought you had already paid for it. Do you pay a couple of hundred dollars to renew? Don't do it -- Sun Microsystems is now giving away their competing software package (formerly known as Star Office)  FOR FREE and it does just about everything that Microsoft Office does while taking up a hell of a lot less room on your hard drive; oh, and did we mention that IT'S FREE?
--> Article from Times-Standard.com
--> Sun Microsystems download site for OpenOffice

Condo eminent domain bill smacked down by Gov. Bush
Don't count on this piece of legislative crap going away any time soon, though; rule would make it easier for developers to force out homeowners; developers and state Rep. Nancy Detert (R-Venice) love the bill; Detert states she heard no objections to it from constituents -- uhhh, maybe because we didn't know about it?
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 06/08/06

Gramps has a bad experience with "scantily clad" sunbathers, freaks out
Homophobia grips the Gondo in the wake of a tourist who stumbles into a group of g... ga... g... lumberjacks... the word is lumberjacks
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 06/02/06
RELATED: I had a bad experience with the CIA and now I'm gonna show you my feminine side

Beach renourishment is a temporary fix
More than 75 percent of Florida's shoreline, 47 percent of New York's shoreline and 26 percent of New Jersey's and Virginia's shorelines are critically eroding; sea levels have already risen four to ten inches, depending on the location, over the past 100 years; increased storm activity and global warming promise to speed up that process dramatically in the very near future
-- Wired, 06/02/06

Lessons in Bad Manners:
American Legion to Venice High School Band: You suck, go away
North Port HS gets the nod to play on Memorial Day in Venice, American Legion forgets to tell VHS band that they won't be needed; Legion's Putman hopes that there won't be any animosity between the Legion and VHS -- hey, we all have dreams and hopes; in other news, VHS campus to be moved to North Port
-- Venice Gondolier-Sun, 05/31/06

Lessons in Bad Journalism:
Stop the presses -- youth center to close, kids may be forced to read a book or two
Sure, closing the center is not a good thing, but this H-T article drips with so much overkill bleeding heart goo that you'll need a shower after reading it
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 05/31/06

Nudist franchises battling it out in brand domination wars
He who gets the most retiree boobies wins (this article is perfectly useful without pics)
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 05/29/06

Marina battle heats up
City pushing for federal grant funds that will end up benefiting private interests, Sue Lang responds by giving voice to David Farley's greatest dream -- "[The FAA] should review the benefit of moving this airport"
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 05/28/06

The next person to suggest moving the high school will likely be tarred and feathered by the populace
Gondo editorial ||| Herald-Trib story
How to win friends and influence people? One way is not to suggest destroying a community's sacred cow
-- both stories 05/28/06

Post-boom real estate market:
Buyers hope for lower prices
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 05/27/06
Renters looking for ever shorter leases
-- HomeAndCondo.com newsletter, 06/01/06

Venice Florida! dot com's Patten to TCPalm: Try searching the record for those defamatory e-mails
Hunt claims they are out there, newspaper keeps mentioning them as though they exist, all of which leads to the question: has anyone actually seen just one of them?
-- letters, TCPalm, 05/27/06

Condo king Mike Miller opposes VHS relocation
Yay Mike -- go get 'em
-- letters, Venice Gondolier Sun, 05/26/06

Water, water everywhere -- oh wait, maybe not
Myakka River is bone dry, heading for scorched status, but damn, your lawn looks great
Scary pic of Myakka River that accompanied article
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 05/26/06

Cops crack down on supply teens with guns
FAP Explorer program conference to be hosted in Venice -- everyone duck!
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 05/25/06

Forged e-mails in Barefoot Bay: George Hunt's supporting cast of morons vote not to call the cops
THE BLIND LEADING THE BLIND: Board of Trustees vote unanimously to bury the scandal after their attorneys advise them that forged e-mails are not a serious matter... so somebody else made the call for them... gosh, we have no idea who could have made that call...
-- TCPalm.com, 05/25/06

Ex-CIA Director Porter Goss' resignation tied to Mexican cocaine seizure, which in turn is tied to...
Ahhh, you figure it out, Hopsicker's convoluted writing style has us befuddled as well
-- Mad Cow Morning News, 05/25/06

Fire board sex taps cats
You try writing these things before your first cup of coffee
-- Englewood Sun Herald, 05/25/06

"Oh boy" -- Introducing Hizzoner
With Quimby gone, council appoints Ned Flanders as a fill-in mayor until November; Dan "Montgomery" Boone is heard muttering "Excellent!" while tapping fingers together, unfolds plans for nuclear power plant/marina at airport
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 05/24/06

No good deed goes unpunished: Konecnik sinks, Marker 4 Restaurant may sink as well
Gondo story ||| Herald-Trib story
After learning that he owned some of the land under Harbor Lights Mobile Home Park, John Konecnik gave the land to the park. That was a few years ago. Yesterday, park residents return the favor by successfully opposing his extended dock on the grounds that it would block their donated view. Sour grapes? Ya, you betcha.
-- both stories 05/24/06

Englewood Water District to reach up into South Venice
South Venice expected to get indoor plumbing, electricity by 2009
-- North Port Sun

Konecnik is back
Fisherman's Wharf dock project is back before county commission today; city hall staying mum, wants marina at airport instead
-- editorial, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 05/23/06

The Pentagon Papers of our generation?
The AT&T Docs
You may not have heard of former AT&T technician Mark Klein yet, but you will: Klein's whistle blower's tale of collusion between the NSA and AT&T has been sending shockwaves through geek and legal circles for months now, this major story is about to go mainstream
-- Wired, 05/22/06
RELATED: Why Wired published the AT&T Docs
RELATED: Comments on this story from Fark

Electronic privacy: If you aren't doing anything wrong, what do you have to hide?
The premise that privacy is about hiding a wrong is wrong -- Privacy is an inherent human right, a requirement for maintaining the human condition with dignity and respect
-- Wired, 05/18/06

Doublespeak deluxe: School Superintendent Gary Norris does a little sidestep
Norris is emphatic that VHS will not move off of the island, wants talks about moving VHS off of the island -- it's the best impersonation yet of Charles Durning's character in Best Little Whorehouse in Texas by a local politico: "I do a little sidestep..."
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 05/21/06

Activist web sites hit politicians hard
I think its a phenomenon that were going to see more of, and frankly I think its a good healthy thing, said John Morris, staff counsel for the Center for Democracy and Technology
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 05/21/06

Is a marina the best use of airport land?
City hall is all for it and is pushing hard despite the fact that the public is feeling left out of the decision making process
-- editorial, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 05/19/06

If we can't move the airport off of the island... well, how about replacing the high school with high-rises?
"[School Superintendent Gary] Norris emphatically denied the district plans on relocating the high school. Instead, this week's meeting simply kicked off what will be up to a year's worth of discussions and public meetings about its future -- including possible relocation." -- uhhhhh.... what?
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 05/19/06

Hunt on lawsuit motions: "My lawyer thinks they're just trying to see what we have on them"
Pure genius, that one. No getting anything by him. Uhhhh, George: you are the one filing this lawsuit. Have you ever seen the movie My Cousin Vinny? Remember that bit in there about the right of discovery?
-- TCPalm.com, 05/19/06

Zacharias Moussaoui in Venice?
A 5.5 ton cocaine bust in Mexico leads Dan Hopsicker through a twisted chain of evidence that leads back to Venice with a bizarre and unexpected discovery: Moussaoui was here in Venice and the FBI is apparently still covering it up
-- Mad Cow Morning News, 05/16/06

Hunt bombs out of job search, sues self
After filing a lawsuit against this web site for allegedly conspiring to keep him from finding a new job, Hunt withdraws himself from candidacy for the city manager job in West Melbourne and promptly files a lawsuit against himself
-- TCPalm.com, 05/16/06

Wanna play 'pet the lizard?'
Florida panics as gators try to up their own status on the food chain, FEMA promises to send more poodles
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 05/16/06

The deHuntification of Sharky's on the Pier
Councilman John Moore argues that former city manager George Hunt gave Sharky's restaurant too good of a deal, wants to continue the argument in front of a judge; Hunt unavailable for comment available for deposition
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 05/14/06
RELATED: Death of a Manager, the strange tale of Sharky's lease from 2003

President Gore's message to the nation - full video
"Gas is down to 19 cents a gallon and the oil companies are hurting. I know that I am partly to blame by insisting that cars run on trash. I am therefore proposing a federal bailout to our oil companies because -- hey if it were the other way around, you know the oil companies would help us."
-- Saturday Night Live via CrooksAndLiars.com, 05/13/06

Church pre-school finally finds insurance, will stay open despite child abuse lawsuits
Where is your God now? More importantly, who, exactly, is your God now?
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 05/14/06

$500 a month efficiency apartments?
And that will be economically possible... how?
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 05/14/06

Duckin' on the dock of the bay
Council stares blankly at ceiling during Fisherman's Wharf discussion
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 05/14/06

FEMA says it's ready for the hurricanes
In other news, Elvis is alive and well and living in Topeka
-- Reuters, via Yahoo, 05/11/06
BONUS LINK: Comments on this story from Fark

FBI creates web site for government corruption tips
Attention all city workers -- are you there? Here's your chance...
-- Wired, 05/11/06

Katherine Harris is primed and ready to step on a rake
Dems respond by hoarding bandages
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 05/12/06

News Flash: John Nolen wasn't an ax murderer
The man who laid out Venice is getting a new examination from around the country and everyone seems to love him... everyone except the people who run one of the towns that he designed... this one, for instance
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 05/07/06

The King is dead; Long live the King (ummm, err, who exactly is the King now, anyway?)
Mayor Calamaras' resignation is now official, power vacuum sucks the usual suspects into the limelight; Gondo gives a nice mention to Venice Florida! dot com's Patten
-- Venice Gondolier-Sun, 05/10/06

Lawsuit frenzy heats up as council decides to take Sharky's to court:
Death of a Manager, Act II (?)
Gondo story ||| Herald-Trib story
In 2003, Councilmen John Moore and Rick Tacy skewered then-City Manager George Hunt over the city's lease with Sharky's -- it was an event so bloody and dramatic that Venice Florida! dot com converted the transcript into a one-act play; with Calamaras now out of the way, Moore renews the attack by successfully urging council to take the lease to court in an attempt to nullify it
-- both stories 05/10/06

Venice to get $2 million in federal grants to build luxury marina? The federal agency to hand over the cash will be HUD? WTF?
To top that off, Katherine Harris' name is associated with this federal porker -- now it all starts making sense, eh? Which, in turn, leads to the next question: What interested party gave bucks to her campaign in exchange for this 'favor?'
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 05/08/06
RELATED -- A MUST READ ARTICLE: Looting Homeland Security, from the January issue of Rolling Stone

Say goodbye to Quimby
The mayor is saying farewell at a going away party and the public is invited... What could possibly go wrong?
-- City of Venice press release, 05/01/06 (second item on page)

Yet another Florida politician accepts donations from (and gives out gravy contract to) a company with ties to Abramoff
This time around, it's U.S. Representative Dave Weldon (R - FL 15th); Of course there's that oblique reference to God tucked in there, cuz that makes everything OK
-- TCPalm, 05/05/06

Charter Review Board done with reviewing
Term limits to stay pretty much the same; city manager to have power to fire police chief without approval from council -- no word yet if Hunt will file suit demanding that the powers be retroactive
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 05/05/06

Sure, I ran off to the middle east with millions in bilked real estate investments, but last night I slept in a Holiday Inn
FACTOID: Rooms in Amman go for $77 a night
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 05/05/06

Venice puts off bulldozing home... for now
Code enforcement described as "friendly" -- hahahahahaha, stop it, my sides are hurting
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 05/03/06

Herald-Trib crashes and burns
14 NYT affiliates, including the H-T, go offline for a day; memo from NYT tech team reminds writers not to use their CD-ROMs as coffee cup holders
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 05/04/06

HUD housing wars bubbling under the surface
Attorney Jon Preiksat and Sarasota low income housing czar Carmen Valenti go nose-to-nose, Valenti pauses to blink
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 04/30/06

Marina? Didn't we have one already in the plans?
Gary Anderson points out that Marker 4 marina plans have been around for a while and boaters won't have to go under three drawbridges to get there
-- letters, Venice Gondolier Sun, 04/30/06

Mayoral exit + existing term limit laws + Farley in the wings = major political clusterflap
Mayor's exit is cause for both celebration and consternation as council members scramble to get closer to the ultimate doggie dinner bowl -- and why does David Farley's name keep popping up in discussions (and now this article) whenever the word "appointed" is used?
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 04/26/06

Big picture missing in Venice development puzzle
H-T columnist Larry Evans examines Jeff Boone's metaphor of a jigsaw puzzle in explaining the mess that will become North Venice, suggests we don't have the picture that comes on the box; what Evans doesn't know is that Boone pocketed two of the corner pieces, so we're pretty well screwed from the start
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 04/26/06

Historians assess Bush: The Worst President in History
In early 2004, an informal survey of 415 historians conducted by the nonpartisan History News Network found that eighty-one percent considered the Bush administration a "failure;" in fact, roughly one in ten of those who called Bush a success was being facetious, rating him only as the best president since Bill Clinton -- a category in which Bush is the only contestant
-- Rolling Stone, 04/21/06

Uhhhh, George: while you were quelling that conspiracy...
George Hunt has been so busy suing anyone who has anything bad to say about him that he kinda forgot to let the locals in Barefoot Bay know that they are being overrun with sex offenders -- that's called an ooops
-- TCPalm, 04/24/06

Band Aid Bandit gets his own fan site
FDLE goes gaga over gunman; your dog wants a fan site sponsored by the local animal control
-- FDLE, 04/21/06

That loud mysterious pop that shot you out of bed last night? It was the housing bubble -- relax, go back to sleep
Annexation-happy Venice developers' worst nightmares are starting to come true and it's not just happening in Venice, either -- affordable housing will soon be in gated communities and will come with heated pools and vaulted ceilings
-- MSN Money, 04/24/06

Black wants to merge Sarasota and Venice's HUD housing
VHA resident's attorney Jon Preiksat: "Sarasota Housing Authority is so bad, you can't even imagine how bad it is"
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 04/23/06

Venice finds it harder to cut taxes
That's the official story; Answer: just take a page from the George Hunt book of municipal monkey money: bill the bejeebers out of the airport for fictional services and add new and mysterious fees to residential sewer bills (what, exactly, is sewage flavor enhancement?)
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 04/22/06

Charter Review in a split on term limits
Upside: at least there's some thought going into this; Downside: given enough money for campaigning, we could end up with a Calamaras for life
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 04/21/06

A new wrinkle in politics: The Detert Dilemma
FEC tells congressional candidate that she can't accept $94,000 in restitution from her thieving campaign manager because it would violate campaign contribution laws
BONUS LINK: Comments on this story from Fark
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 04/21/06

Language skills cited as cause of Hep C, semi-literate editorials
"Another issue is the rapid spread of the disease among immigrants -- some of whom have little or no money and don't read or speak good English;" in other news, Yoda swears not infected he is
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 04/20/06

If you build it, they will come
Call us wacky, but here's a novel thought: STOP BUILDING IT! This message brought to you by the Department of Obvious Solutions
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 04/20/06

Retirees coming to Florida are getting bigger and bigger and bigger
There's a special retirement home in Polk County for large retirees -- some who live there are as big as elephants
-- Wall Street Journal, 04/19/06

Planning Commission OKs yet another 2000 homes
Attorney Jeff Boone calls it "one more piece of the puzzle;" Planning Commish Benny Weaver responds with "I just see it as one more piece of total gridlock"
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 04/18/06

Charter Review Board: Venice is asleep
Board chair Greg Roberts bemoans lack of public input, CQG members ass-slapping each other like they are in a high school football locker room
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 04/18/06

City leaders set goals for dealing with growth
Expanding height restrictions, offering developers the right to build more units -- yeah, that's the ticket
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 04/17/06

Stick a fork in Detert -- she's done
Detert burned by campaign manger after he steals campaign war chest and heads for Buenos Aires; Detert gives standard Poli Sci 101 'this sucks' speech
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 04/17/06

Behold: The future home of the beautiful deserts of southwest Florida
County Commish Jon Thaxton asks one question about growth: Uhhh, wait -- where are we gonna get the water from?
-- Venice Gondolier-Sun, 04/16/06

Patten on Hunt's lawsuit: "I don't think he likes me very much"
TCPalm skims over the history of this web site and its torrid relationship with "Furious George"
-- TCPalm.com, 04/15/06

H-T's Tom Lyons: Bulldozers are an extreme solution
"That roof isn't a bomb that is about to explode"
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 04/13/06

Council suffers from multiple personalities
Council, city staff take psych tests, results confirm what everyone already knows -- our government is nuts; in other news, the Boston Globe is reporting on a schizophrenia drug study
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 04/14/06

They won't answer the door so maybe these bulldozers will get their attention
City Hall takes a Vogon approach to code enforcement, will raze home in order to make way for a hyperspace bypass -- the plans have been in the basement at city hall all this time; Arthur Dent unavailable for comment (speaking of code violations, yo city hall -- about that circus building...)
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 04/12/06

Just because I'm part of the growth boom doesn't mean I should pay for it
After all, I've been heer since 2002!
-- letters, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 04/13/06

The Tischler Report
In 2000, Sarasota County paid $50,000 to evaluate the fiscal impacts of various types of land uses in the County; the study concluded that growth does not pay for itself, that taxpayers have to subsidize costs of these developments -- six years later, the report finally surfaces
-- Citizens for Controlled Growth (scroll down a bit)

Tom Lyons weighs in on Hunt's lawsuit
"Patten's relentless and sometimes well-informed criticism certainly helped make Hunt's last years in Venice less pleasant"  -- sometimes? What's this sometimes crap? Other than that, great article and thanks, Tom
-- opinion, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 04/09/06

Venice and Sarasota County realize that after years of living together, they hardly know each other
Silent accusations bubble near the surface as both hint that the other may have been sleeping with developers
-- editorial, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 04/11/06

Forged e-mails were "mistakes"
TCPalm.com finally figures out that there might be a story in the forged e-mails that surfaced in Barefoot Bay; also, TCPalm mistakenly makes the leap that former Venice city intern Dan Morgan forged the e-mails in question, paper accuses him as such -- it's a bold accusation, but it isn't born out by the evidence so far
-- TCPalm.com, 04/08/06 (free registration required)

Cops in online pissfest
Cops diss each other online, both here and on leoaffairs.com; mayor scours pages, asks city attorney if there is anyone involved that he or George Hunt can sue
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 04/09/06

Mar-tay sashays into VHA fray (hooray)
City Manager Marty Black meets with HUD officials over lunacy at the Venice Housing Authority -- get your popcorn now, the good part of this movie is coming up
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 04/07/06

City, county meet again again again
Best quote comes from Councilman Bill Willson: "I don't want to be sitting here next year agreeing to agree that we agree on something that we agreed on"
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 04/07/06

Patten is running scared?
Hunt rubbing his hands with glee, states Venice Florida! dot com's recent silence is proof that his case has legs
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 04/05/06

Herald-Trib on VHA reconstruction blueprints: suitable for fishwrap
Local HUD planners face opposition from low-income tenants, Venice City Council, newspapers, Venice residents, and the Venice Taxpayers League; VHA board still blundering on with a cheery "This will all work out fine" attitude
-- editorial, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 04/04/06

City Attorney says Hunt is not part of the Executive Group
For the first time since the EPA investigation began, a government official is stating that Hunt is not a target
-- TCPalm.com, 04/01/06 (free registration required)

Hunt sues!
Gondo story ||| TCPalm story
Hunt files lawsuit against Venice Florida! dot com's Patten and a 72-year-old caregiver of her 83-year-old Alzheimer's husband -- nobody ever said Hunt didn't have a heart
-- both 03/31/06 (TCPalm requires free registration)

Calamaras denies that resignation has anything to do with critics or ongoing Grand Jury investigation
Global warming, alien abductions, psychic terrorist cows and entrance into the Federal Witness Protection program also cited as non-factors
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 03/29/06

Calamaras denies EPA investigation is behind resignation
Mayor vehemently denies that current Grand Jury proceedings have anything to do with his decision to quit and move out of town, says he regrets investigation because "it just made the whole city look bad;" mayor's house and business are already sold, still looking for a buyer for the Circus Bridge
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 03/28/06

Anybody wanna be on council?
Here's your chance at money, fame, money, sex and... did we mention money? In other news, David Farley spotted hiding in city hall stairwell
-- editorial, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 03/28/06

The mayor gets Farked... AGAIN!
Nine days after being featured on the national news site, Fark notes the mayor's resignation with a bit of irony
-- Fark.com, 03/27/06

Venice City Council on oncoming development along East Venice Avenue:
What Avenue? Venice Avenue? East Venice Avenue? Nope, never heard of it
-- editorial, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 03/26/06

Jon Preiksat, Carter Canada fight the underdog fight
VHA disobeys public records laws, gets caught, wants Residents Council to pay the expenses involved in in proving it -- hilarity will ensue
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 03/26/06

Airport land leases are a helluva deal
Having apparently learned nothing from the FAA investigation a few years back, the city keeps leasing airport land in sweetheart deals
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 03/25/06

Katherine Harris chases God
Harris tries to distance herself from that defense contractor illegal contribution thingie by getting closer to God; lawyers for God file request for restraining order
-- Sarasota Herald Tribune, 03/23/06

VHA doesn't want a new director
Based on a recommendation from the Tampa Housing Authority, VHA suspends its search for a new director; not in story but confirmed by Venice Florida! dot com: Tampa Housing Authority refuses to confirm that the unsigned letter (PDF file) originated from them, Appell is appointed as interim director until August 15 based on letter's recommendation to halt search
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 03/21/06

Moore on charter changes
Ex-judge takes issue with the notion of removing the Finance Director job from the status of being a Charter Officer
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 03/22/06

Yet even more VHA/HUD shenanigans
Break out the brooms
-- editorial, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 03/20/06

VHA's Appell puts on Sgt. Schulze act for HUD, city hall
Appell tries to duck a fed inquiry by telling HUD that there are no conceptual plans for rebuilding the housing complex; city manager points to conceptual plans that Appell and Lopez filed with the city and gives an understated assessment: "I find this inconsistent"
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 03/19/06

The new chief is a...
woman, specifically the 1999 Criminal Justice Woman of the Year from Michigan; mmmmm, a woman with handcuffs
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 03/17/06

New chief has a thing for younger cops
It's called mentoring... mentoring, you know, like in teaching?
-- editorial, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 03/17/06

Venice votes 50-50 on school tax
And, since this is a non-recurring tax for recurring expenses, we'll repeat this dumb way of funding in four years
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 03/17/06

The mayor gets Farked
Mayor's "worst thing ever" comments go nationwide on Fark, hilarity ensues
-- Fark.com, 03/15/06

An ounce of truth and a ton of lies
Herald-Trib picks up on mayor's mental meltdown over Venice Florida! dot com: somebody give Hizzoner a handkerchief, he's blowing spittle all over everything (and where the hell did that pic of Patten come from?)
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 03/15/06

VHA doesn't pass the smell test
Suspicious of the VHA's recent dealings, council asks HUD to take a look; VHA chair Appell does a bob and weave, blames former director Lopez
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 03/15/06

VCC is now a hurricane shelter... for 700 people, anyway
Got wind? Get in line early
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 03/15/06

Building height consultants may be hired by city
And the Boones approve? The fix is in as HST would say
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 03/14/06

Norris turns to the dark side of The Force
As the school tax referendum vote looms, Norris unveils death star, calls on Senator Palpatine for support; Yoda unavailable for comment, Herb Levine is quoted instead
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 03/12/06

Aliens are stealing our cows
The California Milk Processor Board (the "got milk?" people) want you to know how to protect your cows from alien abduction; in other news, Venice Taxpayers League donates cow suit to the mayor
-- CowAbduction.com

You want to see what? Why? Who are you?
Newspapers across the state go after government agencies for failing to provide public records access to the public
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 03/12/06

Arson at Grove Terrace
At 5:00 am on March 5th, somebody tried to torch a building that was full of sleeping parents and children -- this wasn't just arson, this was attempted murder of over a dozen people
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 03/10/06

Hunt still not done screwing up Barefoot Bay's finances
David Farley called George Hunt the best budget person he had ever known -- apparently, some folks in Barefoot Bay are a little smarter than Farley
-- TCPalm.com, 03/09/06 (free registration required)

Randall gets a state butt-whoopin'
City's former computer chief fined $12,140 by state's ethics commission; also receives public censure, reprimand, and a job offer from the mayor (page 6); curiously enough, that is the exact amount that Randall illegally billed the city for back in 2002
-- Florida Commission on Ethics, posted on 3/10/06

Airport Manager Fred Watts: Marina? What marina? Oh, thaaa-at marina... nope, never heard of it
Airport Advisory Board is kept unaware that city is seeking $2 million in federal grants to build a marina -- it's like George never left!
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 03/10/06

One week after Hanks retires as police chief, burglary rates skyrocket
Coincidence? We don't think so
Dear Jim:
We know retirement can be boring, but please try to find a better hobby than busting out the windows of local businesses
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 03/10/06

The country is losing its collective mind
Yes kiddies, it is time for tinfoil hats to hit the mainstream -- consider these three stories:
-- Bill O'Reilly thinks he has his own police, threatens callers if they mention Keith Olbermann (from Media Matters);
-- President Bush announces faith-based wiretapping (from official White House web site);
-- Katherine Harris' hand permanently wedged in cookie jar while she announces her senate candidacy is gaining momentum (from Herald-Tribune)
-- posted 03/08/06

Rock 'em sock 'em politics: Tacy, VHA's Appell bout set for ten rounds
Tacy orders spring-loaded boxing gloves for his wheelchair, Appell practicing duck and weave moves; meanwhile, pro-bono attorney Jon Preiksat is somehow (according to the Herald-Trib, anyway) setting himself up for a financial windfall
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 03/03/06

Hanks on city charter changes
According to Venice's former top cop, making the police chief accountable only to the city manager is a setup for corruption and disaster
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 03/03/06

Top cop spot may go to woman
Slapp loyalists in department panicking, scouring FDLE certification rules to see if testosterone production is mandatory for chief's position -- so far, no luck
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 03/02/06

Oooops: George Hunt's financial fiasco
Barefoot Bay's finances are seriously messed up, Hunt blames former Venice city hall intern Dan Morgan for the snafu
-- TCPalm.com, 03/01/06 (free registration required)

VHA board, developer to HUD residents and city council: Kindly get out of our way so that we can make some money
Here -- have a voucher, learn to like it and shut your pie hole
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 03/01/06

Say hello to your new Venice neighbors -- all 9,000 of them
Gondo story ||| Herald-Trib story
Big yellow taxi to take away cows, drainage and probably your old man as well (and you thought 7,000 was a high number? - muhahahaha)
-- both stories 03/01/06

Norris to voters: Please give me another chance with your money, I promise to spend it on kids and teachers this time
The hype is on in a multi-million dollar tax referendum
-- Venice Gondolier-Sun, 02/26/06

Say hello to your new Venice neighbors -- all 7,000 of them
Just don't plan on driving anywhere worth going to
-- Venice Gondolier-Sun, 02/26/06

VHA de-Lopezed
Gondo story ||| Herald-Trib story
HUD housing boss packs up in the middle of the night -- literally
-- both stories 02/24/06

Tom Lyons carves up "the whittler"
Lopez wanted to whittle away undesirables, Herald-Trib's Lyons serves up Lopez for dinner
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 02/23/06

Planning an urban nightmare
Mayor calls Laurel Road area a future suburban area that people want, approves urban planning instead; only Taylor and Moore are apparently paying attention
-- editorial, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 02/20/06

In re Steve Randall
City's former computer head is headed back to state's ethics commission for another round in March (background story)
-- Florida Commission on Ethics agenda for March 3, 2006 (PDF file)

Indictments are coming
U.S. Attorney's Office is expected to file individual charges within the next two months in ongoing EPA case
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 02/19/06

More VHA shenanigans
VHA Director Lopez accused of falsifying information on Federal grant application by VHA Residents Council
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 02/17/06

Hunt says Federal Grand Jury is not out to indict him
Former Venice city manager claims he has never been interviewed by a law enforcement agency in the EPA case (note to George: just in case you didn't know, the U.S. Attorney's Office and the EPA's Criminal Investigation Division are both bona fide law enforcement agencies); Hunt further states that an unnamed local newspaper here in Venice was out to get him
-- Fernandina Beach News Leader, 02/15/06

All this fuss about releasing effluent seems silly --  I mean it's only harmless water, right?
The mayor has made statements like this several times and he couldn't be more wrong -- chlorinated effluent, which is what caused the city so many problems with the EPA, is some pretty nasty stuff that can be highly toxic even in small amounts
-- Wired, 03/15/05

Fernandina Beach takes a pass on hiring Hunt
City manager job is offered to Michael Czymbor, former city manager of Milan, Michigan
-- TCPalm.com, 02/15/06 (free registration required)

The mayor and the head of VHA: The pot is calling the kettle
Mayor Calamaras wants VHA Director Lopez to appear before council -- this oughtta be rich
-- Venice Gondolier-Sun, 02/15/06

On restoring the Lord House
Herald-Trib asks the standard five news questions: what, when, why, where, and how? So far, there aren't many answers
-- editorial, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 02/14/06

WHOA: Funny funding at the VHA
Gondo's J.J. Andrews stages a journalistic coup in uncovering the funny dealings in the fine print of the VHA reconstruction planning; Andrews, Brad Baker and Jon Preiksat deserve a lot of praise for putting the spotlight on this ongoing but hidden circus
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 02/12/06

Fernandina Beach's paper urges taking a slow path in hiring of city manager
Paper is not entirely thrilled with the choices that Colin Baenziger has presented (including former Venice city manager Hunt), suggests starting the process anew
-- editorial, Fernandina Beach News Leader, 02/11/06

Snyder, Jacobovitz are a lock
Council to vote to hire new finance director and new utilities head
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 02/12/06
 

Keep building more condos, we can still fit a few more cars on the bridge
1:00 pm on a typical Saturday afternoon: traffic is backed up for almost a full mile over and across the Venice Avenue Bridge with drivers trying to get onto the island (photo: venfl.com)
 

OMI pulls a Venice
The company that manages Venice's utilities is in trouble in Connecticut for doing the exact same thing that earned Venice a guilty plea in Federal criminal court last year
-- NBC30, New Haven, 02/08/06

City serves up fire hydrant water
Bottled water from a dog's favorite sniffing post ...after reading the article, you still can't figure out if it would have been cheaper just to buy a couple of palettes of Evian
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 02/09/06

County masses tanks north of Venice, warns city not to annex Poland or France
Venice gets to keep Sudetenland for now; county's annexation maps now mysteriously refer to Venice Beach as "Omaha"
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 02/08/06

Miller fondled and stroked by council
Town hall meeting an orgy of council self-love, citizens invited to watch quietly
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 02/07/06

Blue collar flight, blue collar bitterness
Dena Boan is forced out of Venice by the land development economy -- just another anecdotal casualty that nobody cares about
-- letters, Venice Gondolier Sun, 02/03/06

Hunt still in the running in Fernandina Beach
City commissioners read Herald-Trib article regarding Hunt's "cost of doing business" quote, shrug; in other news, Fernandina Beach cop will not be prosecuted for allegedly boffing a 16-year-old police explorer in a 4-cop gang-bang -- George, you have found your Nirvana
-- Fernandina Beach News Leader, 02/01/06

City, county in community barbecue brawl on a cruise ship
Or maybe the whole community is located on a boat; city and county are fighting about annexations or something... not sure, because my head exploded from the mixed metaphor in the opening two paragraphs... somebody call the metaphor police
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 02/03/06

Dawn of the Dead
(Alternate headline: Stop or my great-grandchild will shoot)
All six finalists for top cop spot are retirees or darned close to it -- out of this pool will emerge the ultimate short-timer zombie cop
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 02/02/06

Six finalists named for top cop spot
Gentlemen: Start your Googles
-- Venice Gondolier-Sun, 02/01/06

Shiny happy Lopez of VHA ain't so shiny (he's probably not too happy today, either)
Gondo story ||| Herald-Trib story
Audit reports are missing, incorporation papers were filed without board approval and Lopez is a business partner with his current assistant and named successor (can you say 'conflict of interest?'); city manager gives the best understated quote in a long while: "I don't think it's a good sign"
-- both stories 02/01/06

The harder they fall
"The Republicans are now and always have been the party of reform," said a grinning David Dreier; the House Rules committee chairman then paused, as if to give someone in the crowd a chance to chuck a bottle at his head
-- Rolling Stone, 01/27/06

Baenziger rounds up more usual suspects in Fernandina Beach
After Hunt became the last man standing in a bid for Fernandina Beach's city manager job, governmental headhunter Colin Baenziger scraped up yet two more candidates at city commission's request, including Michael Czymbor, ex-city manager of Milan, Michigan
-- Fernandina Beach News Leader, 01/27/06

WWJND?
John Nolen must have been spinning in his grave when former city manager George Hunt stated to Federal investigators that paying fines for polluting is just the cost of doing business
-- editorial, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 01/27/06

VCC may be a hurricane shelter after all... for only 655 people
Entrance to the shelter during an emergency to be determined by mob rule, city hall considering switching back to the "it was never intended to be a shelter" story
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 01/27/06

City manager wants more power
Marty Black wants the cops, the firemen and all of the city's money in his back pocket; other demands include a mini-Marty and sharks with frickin' lasers
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 01/26/05

Growing in the dark
North Port's annexations are coming back to bite the city on its fiscal bum in a big way; meanwhile, one citizen in Venice urges putting our city's welcome sign on wheels to save a few bucks
-- editorial, letters, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 01/24/06

Mug shots from Florida
A study in mug shot portraiture from the Sunshine State
PLUS: Comments from Fark
-- The Smoking Gun, 01/23/06

Not all Sarasota teachers support school changes
Sarasota County teachers are increasingly questioning Superintendent Gary Norris' Next Generation Learning Plan
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 01/22/06

EPA Shade Meeting: George Hunt whips out gun, shoots self in foot and then hands smoking gun to Fed prosecutors
The EPA was having a difficult time proving criminal intent right up until our trigger-happy former city mangler cheerfully and cluelessly handed them the "smoking gun" -- Yippie-tie-yay, George!
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 01/22/06

Gilda Radner is alive and well and working for Sarasota County
Radner's character Emily Littella becomes county's spokesperson in investigation into city's Villa Lago annexation: "What's all this about saving natural racehorses... oh, you meant resources? Nevermind!"
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 01/22/06

Hunt to Fed prosecutors: "We violate, you fine us, we pay the fine"
Fed prosecutor to Hunt: "Mr. Hunt, one of the most difficult things is proving willful [sic] and knowingly having done something and you've just told me that the City of Venice willfully and knowingly violates its permits and the Clean Water Act as a cost of doing business"
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 01/21/06

EPA Shade Meetings: City manager says city won't be coerced into obeying Florida's public records law with "threats or attempts at intimidation"
dj vu [French: dj, already + vu, seen]: An impression of having seen or experienced something before; dull familiarity; monotony (from dictionary.com)
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 01/20/06

Wetlands? In South Venice? Fuggidaoudit!
South Venice community gets its first touch of modern developmental disability, suddenly figures out why city residents to their north have been up in arms for years
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 01/20/06

Hunt in limbo
Former Venice city manager floating in space with unbaptized Catholic babies
-- TCPalm.com, 01/19/06 (free registration required)

Planning commission* pushes for taller buildings downtown
Ya gotta love 'em, those rascally appointed-by-mayor commissioners
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 01/18/06
* NOTE: Herald-Trib's headline incorrectly attributes city council

Planning commission pushes businesses off of Venice island
Ya gotta love 'em, those rascally appointed-by-mayor commissioners
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 01/18/06

After his city manager candidates bail, Baenziger pitches the Friends and Family Plan on Fernandina Beach's city council; where's George?
Fernandina Beach was down to three finalists for their city manager position out of eight candidates that headhunter Colin Baenziger had promoted; former Venice city manager George Hunt was one of the final three until Hunt's two competitors withdrew themselves for consideration; Baenziger will now ask friends and relatives to apply for the job and... there's no mention of Hunt?
-- Fernandina Beach News Leader, 01/15/06

So what do British tourists really want while on vacation?
According to one survey, they just want to relax, have a nice meal, have a few drinks, read a good book... oh, and one other thing
-- UPI, 01/15/06

VHA to county, community: You did not help us; Community to VHA: Did you ask?
Finger pointing is fun-damental
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 01/14/06

Venice Avenue Freezeout
County pulls an Envision Venice: gives community chance to speak out before the bulldozers roll in anyway; Bruce Springsteen available for comment: "Seems like the whole world's walking pretty and you cant find the room to move -- well everybody better move over, thats all" (reference)
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 01/14/06

USF fires 3 over lost loot
Spring cleaning finds cash all over the place in USF offices
PLUS: comments from Fark on this story
-- Tampa Tribune, 01/14/06

Lobeck goes down in flames
Sorrento Ranches' attorney crashes and burns in annexation fight with city
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 01/13/06

Hunt wants out of Barefoot Bay after board criticizes his performance
"Continued problems with financial reports and the district's financial software;" Yogi Berra unavailable for comment (with the scariest damned pic of George yet)
-- TCPalm.com, 01/12/06 (free registration required)

Colin Baenziger presents: Jeffrey Snyder and... George Hunt?
Gondo story on Snyder
News Leader story on Hunt
Headhunter Baenziger's latest two acquisitions are being shopped around; his candidate for Venice Finance Director may be voted in by council as early as January 24; meanwhile, the Fernandina Beach News Leader is reporting that Baenziger is trying to sell George Hunt as a swell guy and a great city manager candidate to Fernandina Beach city commissioners (did you notice that Venice doesn't appear in the Hunt story? -- very odd, that)
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 01/11/06
-- F.B. News Leader, 01/07/06

Old Konecnik had a dock ee--eye-ee-eye-oh, A mobile home park had a cow ee-eye-ee-eye-oh
Konecnik threatens to morph into Mike Miller if he doesn't get his way
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 01/11/06

County investigating city annexations
County accuses city of an illegal jump across a pond, city thinks county has jumped the shark
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 01/08/06

Real estate boom is over(?)
"People wanting houses will have to settle for condos, and those wanting condos will have to rent"
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 01/10/06

Who wants to be chief of police?
115 candidates have applied, now comes the city hall string test -- can the candidates walk in daylight without showing their strings?
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 01/09/06

The Bait and Switch Chronicles
Marty Black on the VCC storm shelter debacle
"Funds were spent in the initial design with the intent that it would withstand some significant storm activity so that it would be available before a storm or during a storm or after a storm for recovery efforts" -- text article with link to full video of aired story
-- WWSB-TV, posted and aired on 12/20/05

The Bait and Switch Chronicles
FEMA should join the club and investigate Venice
WTF, why not? Despite being a dinky southern town, in the last five years we've managed to attract the attention of investigative branches of the EPA, the FBI, the CIA, the IRS, the FAA and HUD -- FEMA would actually be coming in late to the party; new municipal slogan: "We're Venice, we do things different"
-- letters, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 01/06/06

The Bait and Switch Chronicles
Contact FEMA
Unhappy? Write 'em a letter -- see the "Contact Region IV" button on the left side of the page -- or you can just call them, phone number is also listed
-- FEMA.gov

WWJND?
Venice was city planner John Nolen's masterpiece; on any given day the historical figure is either revered or reviled, this depending on any given developer's current plans
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune. 01/07/06

Low income VHA HUD housing up for grabs
Director Peter Lopez is calling it quits but may stick around if there's more money in his paycheck; VHA can't acquire the land it wants, the housing complex may or may not rebuild and may or may not allow its present tenants back in after the rebuild -- other than that, it's Situation Normal...
BONUS LINK: Fark flashback to 2003
-- Venice Gondoier Sun, 01/06/06

The Bait and Switch Chronicles
Ohhhhh Mayorrrrrr, I think you got some 'splainin to do....
We asked for a hurricane shelter, we thought we were paying for a hurricane shelter, but hey, this is Venice after all, what were you expecting?
-- editorial, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 01/06/06

The Bait and Switch Chronicles
VCC won't be a hurricane shelter, Myers quoted as saying "There's been a hell of a lot of confusion"
Calamaras and Myers pushed hard for a $10 million bond by stating that VCC would be a hurricane shelter; the pair now come just shy of admitting that they sold us down the river
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 01/05/06

More free downloadable music than you can shake a tambourine at
All legal, too; our picks: Grapefruit Ed, a pretty good Grateful Dead tribute band, funksters The Mission Players, plus full live concerts from Zwan, Warren Zevon and moe (ya just gotta check out moe)
-- WebArchive.org

The scariest political report of 2005:
Looting Homeland Security
Katrina was a natural disaster, President Bush's gutting of FEMA and filling the agency with corporate cronies was a man-made one; article also contains an exhaustive history of FEMA, including events that led up to the agency being swallowed up by the Department of Homeland Security
-- Rolling Stone, current issue