Bald eagle causes hope to soar

Longboat Key resident Pat Shutello was sitting on her patio, worrying about the damages Superstorm Sandy inflicted on her New Jersey home, when she received a good omen:

She spotted one of Longboat Key’s bald eagles at a closer range than she had ever seen them and snapped a few photos.

Shutello was “feeling so blue” but took the bird’s appearance as a positive sign. At her request, we won’t name the condominium where she lives, because it already experiences its share of hawk gawkers.