News Briefs 02.24.11

+ Golden Apple may resurrect Ranch plans
Golden Apple Dinner Theatre owners Roberta MacDonald and Robert Turoff have sold their Sarasota theater facility for $1.76 million.

The dinner theater business, which is the longest-running professional dinner theater in the country, will remain in operation. The property’s new owner, Golden Coast of Sarasota, has agreed to lease them the building for five years.

MacDonald said the Golden Apple also may pursue the build-out of its empty space in in San Marco Plaza in Lakewood Ranch.

“We’re hopefully going to take the Lakewood Ranch property off the market,” she said. “We have a whole new plan for the theater. It looks like it might rise (like a) phoenix.”

+ Philanthropist seeks help for Easter Seals
Lakewood Ranch philanthropist Stuart Roth is challenging the East County community to reach deep into its pockets for Easter Seals, which provides services for individuals with severe disabilities.

The organization is reconfiguring a space to allow it to accommodate at least six more people on the waiting list for its program. Once complete, the area will be known as the Day Training Center and will include private areas for physical therapy, space for occupational therapy and activities and more, and will accommodate up to 25 people.

Roth himself has donated $10,000 toward the cause and is asking for a dozen other citizens in the area to each give $5,000 toward the cause.

Ladd Waldo, CEO and president of Easter Seals, is calling it the “Maker’s Dozen.”

“I have faith that there are people in our community who can and will meet this need,” said Roth, the Founder of the Center for Faith and Freedom. “I really feel compelled to see this project through to completion, and that’s why I am actively seeking friends to join with me in making this dream a reality.”

For more information, contact Ashley Canesse, vice president of philanthropy at Easter Seals, at 941-355-7637, Ext. 404.

+ Sen. Rene Garcia to fight red-light bill
Just months after a red-light camera bill went into effect, Cuban-American Florida Sen. Rene Garcia has announced he will be filing a bill to repeal the law in the upcoming state legislative session.

The red-light bill became effective last year after years of work from East County resident Melissa Wandall, whose husband was killed by a red light runner, and former Rep. Ron Reagan.

Garcia said the bill is a violation of individual freedoms and is the first step toward a police state.

+ Deputies arrest two in burglary string
Manatee County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested two suspects in a string of burglaries off State Road 64 Feb. 18.

Elvis L. Orr, 25, and Rogelio R. Curz, 26, were arrested after the sheriff’s office was contacted about three white males in a Pontiac Firebird, who were suspected of burglarizing vehicles. Deputies located the vehicle at the State Road 64 Walmart parking lot, along with the suspects.The suspects were detained and identified, but at the time, the sheriff’s office could not prove a crime had occurred, a sheriff’s office report states.

However, later that morning, deputies were dispatched to a burglary past the Motel 6 located at 660 66th St. Court E., Bradenton, to investigate three more vehicle burglaries. The same green Pontiac Firebird was parked in the parking lot, and the same three suspects were there as well, the report states.

Deputies developed probable cause to arrest two of the three individuals. All stolen property was recovered.
Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 747-3011 or Crime Stoppers at (866) 634-TIPS.

+ Administrator re-organizes county
Manatee County Administrator Ed Hunzeker is taking steps to streamline local government and improve customer service with a restructuring move that will consolidate four county departments into two.

The changes also will align a handful of county divisions to maximize their value to the community.

Under the restructuring, the planning and building departments have become the new Building and Development Services Department. The new department will incorporate the Transportation Systems Management division, previously under Public Works, and be responsible for the analysis and development of the county’s thoroughfare roadway system.

The Agriculture and Resource Conservation Department will become the Agriculture and Extension Service division within the Community Services Department. Manatee County Area Transit will now fall under the Public Works Department.

+ Burglars empty Palm-Aire home
Two Palm Aire residents returned from a stay at their primarily residence in France to find their home in the Villages of Carlyle in Palm Aire had been burglarized.

A Manatee County Sheriff’s Office report states when Alice Braileanu, 24, and her mother returned home Thursday, they discovered about 90% of their home’s contents was missing. A neighborhood canvass revealed a witness who saw a U-haul truck at the residence over a two-day period about a month ago.

The witness described the driver, who the victim believes to be a family member, the report states.
More than $31,500 in property was taken.

+ Bayside launches Bradenton campus
Bayside Community Church launched its new west Bradenton campus with two services Feb. 13 under the direction of campus Pastor Mark Childers.

Bayside’s West Bradenton Campus services will be like services at its East County campus, except the sermon will be delivered by video.

The church is meeting at Bradenton Christian School, 3304 43rd St. W., Bradenton, with Sunday services at 9:15 a.m., and 11:15 a.m.

+ CORRECTION:
In an article titled “Pedal to the Metal” in the Feb. 17 edition, the article states that pro stock racer Allen Johnson and others were at the Desoto Super Speedway for winter testing. The racers were at the Bradenton Motorsports Park, which is adjacent to the speedway.
The “Donuts with Dads” picture page in the the Feb. 17 issue incorrectly labeled Erin and Mike Williams as Jennifer and John Schillinger.