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Hall of Fame 2008

And thus the sun set on 2008 at Siesta Key Beach Wednesday evening.

Puppy protesters line up along U.S. 41 in Sarasota. They want you to adopt a pet from the Humane Society or the like rather then buy one from a pet store. They are protesting in front of a dog store. 12-08

A 72 year old man on a motorcycle ran a red light at the Clark Rd. I-75 intersection and was killed by the tractor trailer Friday afternoon. Photo: OurTown50.com

Hundreds of black hawks descended on Sarasota Sunday. The sound was deafening as they swirled overhead. Why they came in such masses is beyond us.

Van Wezel gets new electronic sign. It's just a sign of the times:)

The Casey Key Fish House holds it's grand opening of it's American Indian Tiki Hut. These huts are exempt from government regulation.

It's a full moon getting ready to set this morning behind some trees in the West.

The Presidential election is a done deal. We hope our nation and our politicians will come together to make our nation stronger in many ways.

We caught this strange barge type building being pushed by a tug boat down the Sarasota intra-coastal waterway Sunday.

This new American Indian Tiki hut was the salvation for the Casey Key Fish House who lost the ability to use their old Tiki Hut after the County found the old hut which had been there for decades never had a valid building permit. The new Casey Key Tiki hut opened for business this past weekend.

You say this is a boring picture, yep. But, word has it that the second story with the window was a brothel in the 1940's in Sarasota. And that Frank Sinatra used to visit the establishment.

This photo shows Midnight Pass when it was last open in 1983. The clear coral waters soon disappeared after it closed. The county at that time made the hideous decision to let famous painter Syd Solomon bulldoze in front of his home which caused the pass to close. Photo:Courtesy Sarasota County

Andrew Cratty and Loren Eric Troyer
Eric Troyer, right, survived a lighting strike on Siesta Key while fishing. Andrew Cratty on the left saved his life with CPR. Photo: scgov.com

Pro ballroom dancers at the Ritz-Carleton performed Friday and Saturday evening. info: http://www.flstatedance.com

And the costumes were, oh well, you can see for yourself.

This young man won $25,000 and donated it to Mote Marine. Read about an amazing local young man.

You got it right it's a man on the beach with his rubber ducky in North Carolina.

Charlie (Crist) do you really want to bring oil drilling to the Florida coast?

Sarasota Memorial Hospital gets their message across on U.S. 41 with numbers. While only about 40% of the population gets a daily paper over 65,000 people travel U.S. 41 daily.

Mote staff and volunteers ready a sick pygmy whale for a CT scan.

Five day old Dolphin photo was taken by Ph.D. student Katie McHugh, a student. The Mom has been tracked by Mote Marine since 1991. You can still see the folds on her back from being in the Mom's womb.

Talk about dangerous, this young rider on 41 drives in-between two cars. It's not the first time we have seen this nor probably you.

We call this photo of a egret flying over a small lake 'In flight'.

Over two and a half inches of rain in two days was much welcomed after what seemed like almost a month with no rain. 5/20/08

A medium strength tornado touches down in the path of our OurTown50 Georgia tour over the weekend. Here I-75 is blocked by fallen trees. 5-08

Panthers in Sarasota? Yep, this shot was taken on Palmer Ranch sub-division by one of our readers. We also spotted one in the Gulf Gate Woods sub-division.

A new sign for a neighborhood does a lot to spruce it up. Gulf Gate Woods is an established deed restricted neighborhood since 1973

These ladies busted over the weekend say they will run for Sheriff and Fire Chief positions in Sarasota.

It's April 1st, get it.......

Third grade Fruitville student, Abigail Kroneberger publishes her own book.

Sunrise Easter Service at Siesta Key Beach had all the ingredients except for a sunrise with a sun. An interesting note from the pastor: "it will be another 220 years before we have Easter this early again" Easter is the first full moon on or after the day of the vernal equinox.

Amish ladies prepare to cross U.S. 41 by Selby Gardens.

Space shuttle Endeavor lights up the night sky last night as it blasts off.

Sarasota Elementary Teacher of the Year - Jeanette Schwaed from Bay Haven School.

We couldn't help but publish this photo for you. It was submitted by a reader. The face on the photo is quite obvious.

A para-sailer cruises along Siesta Key Beach before sunset.

Road work along U.S. 41 north of Sarasota Memorial Hospital slows traffic. You can see our photo was taken through our dirty car windshield.

The OurTown50.com tip of the week: Large ripe local tomatoes from Albritton's @ only $1.59 a lb. Whoof, their sweet. Ok, we couldn't resist some citrus while we were there:)

The Sarasota 'boys of winter' finish up their T-Ball league with trophies for everyone and a large chocolate chip cookie.

After 70 cars crashed along I-4 one of the big questions is how did the brush fire that helped cause the accidents get out of control. A 15 mile portion of I-4 is closed again today. Photo Fox 13

It's not a flying saucer, it's our camera taking a photo of the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office helicopter as it flew over a neighborhood in the 7000 block of S. Tamiami Trail New Year's eve apparently tracking a suspect.

We caught the moon last night as it aligned with Venus and Neptune a rare occurrence. However, our camera couldn't pick up the two stars without zooming in and losing the moon.

It has been clear blue skies perfect temps and windmills blowing in the wind type weather this week. More ahead. We caught this windmill along Bee Ridge Rd. in the cattle fields.

Where old Florida meets new Florida at Oscar Scherer Park along the South Creek. Watch for our pictorial tour of Oscar Scherer Park. With just under 1400 acres of land for hiking, biking, swimming, camping, picnicking it is one of our local crown jewels. http://www.floridastateparks.org/
OscarScherer/default.cfm

Publisher Jimmy Dean Photo: Harbor Magazine
He's back, Jimmy Dean, the charismatic former Publisher of Sarasota Magazine who lost his job with an unintentional semantic slur. He is now Publisher of a Charlotte magazine published by the Venice Gondolier newspaper group.

We thought maybe a dwarf lived at this Sarasota house with the short mailbox or maybe they had a dwarf for a mailman? Not, it's what they call a "Ruth Goldberg", meaning a hodgepodge, makeshift attempt at building something.

We counted 45 newspaper and magazine racks at one corner in Sarasota. All of them wouldn't fit in the picture frame. It is the largest collection in the area we have seen. Perhaps it will become a museum someday:)

You could hear the roar of the crowds on Saturday as local football league players rolled on the field.

This Sarasota man readies to head home from a convenience store on his 150 miles per gallon gas bike. Try that one on for size:)

The 5 year olds Rays baseball team from Sarasota gets in a T-Ball game with the Cubs. Hey, it's equal opportunity with pink batting hats for the girls.

Sarasota woman, Diana Cloud got a $30,000 ride in a fast jet in Africa, but that didn't stop her from signing up for a ride in space with Branson's spaceship for $200k.

Kids have fun over the summer with this music and drama class held at an area church.

Sarasota grad, Casey Kelly, gets signed by Boston Red Sox.

House built for midgets in the 1930's in Sarasota goes on market for $449K.

Local 4 year old having fun taking a picture of himself with a digital camera.

Sarasota Allstars 11 and under head to state playoffs.

President Bush's helicopter takes off from Ft. Myers Airport headed to Naples on Friday for a 4 hour fundraising visit. A local OurTown50.com exclusive. 6-08

Bruwell
Jones

This 75 year old Sarasota man set swim records for his age group. Actually, this picture was from his UM swim days. Burwell Jones is a retired dermatologist who still swims competitively.

Oh my, I think my ladder fell off my truck on U.S. 41. Good thing I don't have a rear right fender, it could have gotten hurt.

I-75 temporary fix completed Sunday evening, eliminating need to detour off I-75 at Ellenton. Southbound traffic will be a slow go as speed limits will be lowered to 45 MPH in this area.

Casey Kelly a Sarasota H.S. grad was drafted by the Boston Red Sox.

We caught this butterfly zipping around Saturday. The moon to the right we added for effect:)

It's small surf but this young man finds a way to ride it on his skim board at Siesta Key Beach Friday.

A lone fisherman watches the last of the sunset at Siesta Key beach.

It only happens once a year. The magnificent Jacaranda tree blooms in it's glorious violet colors. 5-08

Academy Award-winner Charlize Theron signs autographs for participants at the Sarasota Film Festival.

This car tooting around Sarasota was enough to make you want to sell your Toyota.

Sonic booms from Endeavor's re-entry scared the B-Jesus out of Sarasota residents last night. Endeavor made it's re-entry just south of Tampa. Homes and windows shook. Credit AP Images / Paul Kizzle 3-08

It's hog heaven in Lakewood Ranch. This hog was caught to stop him from destroying lawns in Lakewood Ranch. The Ranch's developer is encouraging employees to kill them.

A wise owl once said, 'quit cutting down our environment'. We caught this owl sitting in a tree this week on a Sarasota County preserve. The county has taken a pro-active stance in helping to preserve our trees and land.

Tourists can't seem to help themselves when it comes to feeding the seagulls at the beach. Unfortunately, the feeding creates a nuisance for beach goers who live here:)

The first dolphin in the world, "Winter", to receive a full tail prosthetic swims in Clearwater Marine Aquarium. Winter had been kept for a few weeks at Mote Marine while the Clearwater facility was being remodeled.

Dan Strzempka, Sarasota, rear left, tan shorts, takes a new tail mold of Winter so he can build a larger fin for Winter. As Winter grows she needs new prosthetic tail fins.

Middle School Teacher of the Year - Melanie Taylor from Sarasota Middle School

Meet the next Sarasota student artist to hit the big charts, Adam Varga, his painting sold for $11,000 at the Education Foundation's Red Hot & Blues fund raiser. The Sarasota Education Foundation contributes over a million dollars a year to educational projects.

Wilde Lexus to help fund new local Center for Autism Resources and Education program (C.A.R.E) Photo: R-L Mary Ann Wilde, CEO of the Wilde Automotive Group, and Dr. Kirstina Ordetx, CEO of the Center for Autism Resources and Education, with two children who are benefiting from the program.