2007: A year so big that it took 12 months to kill it
"Venice city officials were working on a secret deal to develop the airport and adjacent public golf course when the public got wind of it" -- gee, wonder how that happened? Oh yeah, it was Venice Florida! dot com that first told you about the Marriott at the airport
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 12/31/07

Gondo still wanking over 2007 election
Gondo looks back at 2007 and craps all over itself in their Worst of the Year List; print edition included a pic of Ernie Zavodnyik, Sue Lang, and Ed Martin being sworn into office directly under headline "Bye-bye 2007 - we won't miss you;" TO CANCEL YOUR GONDO SUBSCRIPTION, CALL 941-207-1300
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 12/30/07

Englewood Water District to county: Fix yer toilets
Englewood Water District's bad boy list includes a broken toilet at an unoccupied single-family house owned by Sarasota County Parks and Recreation... wait... huh? Why does the county own a single-family home? How many of these do they own?
-- Eric Ernst, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 12/30/07

I'd be glad to pay the water bill -- if I was actually using any water
Speaking of EWD, they are issuing pricey special water assessments... to folks who aren't hooked up to their water system... and it's perfectly legal... I love Florida
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 12/30/07

The legacy of Katherine Harris:
Voter blacklist from 2000, 2004 elections tossed by federal judge
"Plaintiffs do not allege that these errors are the result of any ill-intent on behalf of the state;" -- yeah, right, cuz that would never happen, not in Florida
-- editorial, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 12/27/07

City, county argue over shape of table at impact fee peace talks
This ain't the Viet Nam War, folks, just give us the money and shut the hell up
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 12/26/07

Unwrapping the miraculous logistics behind Operation Christmas
Don't tell the kids, but this is how Santa's distribution network really works
-- Wired, 12/24/07

County Commissioner Thaxton on green energy
Thaxton lauds Crist and Buchanan over their environmental stances -- sounds good so far, but is Florida's carbon footprint shrinking yet?
--  letters, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 11/05/07

A white jersey and a bloody nose: Here's your ballot, mark it carefully
"The incumbents and their supporters have viewed decision-making in Venice as the domain of their private club; that mistake may finally catch up with them"
-- Tom Tryon, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 11/04/07

♪♫ Money makes the town go around, the town go around, the town go around ♫♪
The latest election finance report shows incumbents raised more money, but the challengers have more contributors
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 11/04/07

Voting is way, way up
An angry constituency is an ugly thing to behold -- if you are running for re-election, that is
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 11/04/07

So you're just coming back to town and want to know what happened at city hall while you were gone?
"Not much... voters can decide for themselves whether that means the seven-member council is deliberative, indecisive or somewhere in between"
-- Larry Evans, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 11/04/07

CQG prez C.J. Fishman asks for a blindfold and a cigarette
C'mon guys, can't we all just get along?
-- letters, Venice Gondolier Sun, 11/04/07

City planning department to Mike Miller: Wal-Mart? We don't need no steenkin' Wal-Mart
Simply amazing what a simple election can simplify
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 11/04/07

Gondo tries to justify split endorsements
Paper blames it on community schizophrenia -- Good luck with that lame explanation because there isn't anyone else in Venice who's gonna follow that logic
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 11/04/07

Republicans wanna party like it's 1988
Republicans trying to turn local race into Bush Sr. versus Dukakis, Democrats see it as Carter versus Ford, and hey, has anyone looked at the calendar?
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 11/03/07

Judge kills Super Majority legal challenge -- for now
Ruling leaves open the possibility of post-election legal challenge
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 11/03/07

Gondo has already endorsed Woods, Willson; and now for mayor, ... WTF?
Some days I wake up, look out, and smile with the knowledge that there's some seriously schizophrenic people in this town -- the worst ones work for newspaper editorial departments at the Gondo and Herald-Trib
-- editorial, Venice Gondolier Sun

Mike Miller's astroturfed protest
Really, Mike, did you actually think we'd be fooled by this crap?
-- letters, Venice Gondolier Sun, 11/02/07

Would the person who left the elephant in the mayor's office please reclaim it?
It's leaving poop all over the desk
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 11/02/07

Wal-Mart has done its research and that research shows that Wal-Mart customers are not too bright when it comes to computers
Captain Obvious surrenders
-- Tech.Blorge, 10/31/07

Ed Taylor's drug problem grows
Marriott on the beach's point man, Ed Taylor, on growth: "Uncontrolled growth has not been a problem within Venice's city limits;" Hey, did you bring enough of those mushrooms for the rest of the class, Ed? In other news, foreclosure rates triple over last three month period (that last part is not a joke, wish it were)
-- letters, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 11/01/07

Pro-growth cash pouring into elections in astronomical amounts
Land developers are selling their souls and everything else to have their way in this coming Tuesday's election
-- Pelican Press, 11/01/07

Venice elections: The French Revolution reenacted on a set decorated with faux-Mediterranean architecture
Jim Clinch becomes the poster boy for the CQG; retirees start building guillotines in downtown parks -- but whose heads will end up in the baskets?
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 11/01/07

Who is Kevin Ward and why is he buying quarter-page newspaper ads for Hammett, Willson, and Woods?
Meet Kevin Ward: Yet another real estate flipper and developer with some very big dreams for Venice -- and he's putting out some big bucks for the incumbents
-- posted 10/31/07

Council candidates are in your bedroom, making fun of your underwear
Yet another reason to stock up on DVDs in the remaining days of the election: city council TV ads
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 10/31/07

No surprise number 2: Gondo picks Willson over Zavodnyik
The paper banned some ads for Zavodnyik, so the endorsement of Willson is no surprise; now we all hold our breaths waiting to see the comedy goodness of supporting Hammett's idiocy over the paper's own policy columnist, Martin
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 10/31/07

Venice Housing Authority primed for land grab
For years, the city and investors have tried to figure out a way to grab the valuable land owned by the HUD housing project -- now the prize is within tantalizing reach, but then there's those pesky elections and that could ruin the dream
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 10/28/07

Marriott supporter Ed Taylor joins lawsuit against county to keep Super Majority referendum off of ballot
This story was rejected by the Gondo and ran in the Englewood Sun-Herald instead -- odd, that
-- Englewood Sun Herald, 10/28/07

Herald-Trib endorses Lang, Zavodnyik, and... WTF?
See if you can even begin to follow this logic: H-T gives strong, no punches pulled endorsements for Lang and Zavodnyik, then weakly nudges Hammett over Martin on a coin toss
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 10/28/07

... meanwhile, Gondo waits a week for things to cool down so that it can safely endorse Woods over Lang...
Never saw that coming, eh? Gondo sticks to Vedder's Good Ol' Boy roots; trouble is that it reads like an endorsement of Lang while Woods is damned by faint praise
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 10/28/07

Lang versus Woods: This will only end in bloodshed
These two really don't like each other with a loathing that comes from the depths of tortured souls; Both dodge the question "What's a Budway?" while Venice Florida! dot com has discovered the answer: 12 fluid ounces
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 10/27/07

Mike Miller's money pit in Bradenton: The Palms
One building done, one building stalled, one resident, and 57 empty units -- anybody want to buy a condo in Bradenton? Now all of the shenanigans surrounding the proposed Wal-Mart in Venice is starting to make sense - EVERYONE PANIC!
-- Bradenton Herald, 09/23/07

Miller thinks he is Leona Helmsley, we are just the "little people"
Third stealth letter shows up in Gondo from Mike Miller employee Pat Waguespack
-- letters, Venice Gondolier Sun, 10/26/07

It's either Simmonds or Gollum, but it ain't Ernie
Herald-Trib confuses Zavodnyik with city council's resident crank
Original pics as they appeared in print
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 10/26/07

Venice according to Steve Albee: Marina, executive golf course at airport is a done deal if incumbents are re-elected
See pages 7 & 8: be prepared to have a stroke when you see the map on page 8
-- South County Business, 10/12/07

Martin, Hammett disagree on growth
Hammett thinks it is just a fungus growing in between his toes, Martin tells Hizzoner that maybe a qualified physician ought to take a look
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 10/25/07

7,000 homes at Thomas Ranch -- Super Majority referendum will queer the deal
So maybe Joe Barbetta's vote was staging?
-- sarasota Herald-Tribune, 10/25/07

The Prophet of Climate Change: James Lovelock
One of the most eminent scientists of our time says that global warming is irreversible — and that more than 6 billion people will perish by the end of the century
-- Jeff Goodell in Rolling Stone, 10/17/07

Captain Obvious strikes again: Herald-Trib reports that council election is "divisive"
ok... moving right along...
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 10/25/07

County approves 7,000 new homes in our backyard on 3-2 vote
Super Majority referendum would have required a 4-1 vote -- still think the referendum is a bad idea?
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 10/25/07

The exodus from Florida continues, but Larry Evans is staying put
Despite the fact that it is almost economically impossible to stay here, some people stubbornly still do
-- Larry Evans, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 10/14/07

Woods lied
In a mad grab to keep his seat on council, Jim Woods trotted out some false information about his challenger, Sue Lang -- Herald-Trib's Eric Ernst calls him out
-- Eric Ernst, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 10/21/07

Concerned Taxpayers issue recommendations on referendums
YES on Super Majority
NO on penny sales tax
-- Concerned Taxpayers PAC

Vote YES for Super Majority
Land use has never been a more important issue, the Super Majority rule will ensure that appropriate use will be the major factor in future decisions
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 10/21/07

Herald-Trib: Candidates should remain clueless and aloof? Is this for real?
Gary Budway: I don't know anything about the airport and I'm not gonna learn unless I get elected
Herald-Trib: We have a winner!
-- editorial, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 10/22/07

Panic hits city hall, council tries to sell Tra Ponti as a practical joke gone bad
Six stories along Venice Avenue? Five Stories? Hey, we were just kidding, we would never have allowed anything like that -- it was a joke, honest -- you can take a joke, can't you?
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 10/21/07

Panic hits the Gondo -- Weirdest. Editorial. Ever.
Gondo has a very public nervous breakdown due to identity crisis: should it stand by it's good ol' boy friends despite their asinine behavior or should it take a stand for its readers? Gondo's response is to delay its endorsements and beg incumbents to do something, anything
-- editorial, Venice Gondolier Sun, 10/21/07

Grove Terrace landgrab magnifique: a fait accompli?
Gondo story | Herald-Trib story
HUD housing complex has spent itself into near bankruptcy on consultants; consultants are now advocating dumping the residents and selling to developers -- gee, what a surprise
-- both stories 10/19/07

Awwww, those stuffed animals at Wal-Mart are soooo cute (deadly, too)
What this town needs is more Chinese-made crap tainted with lead
-- AP, via Yahoo, 10/19/07

CQG prez Fishman, Gondo's Vedder crap in their shorts over Taxpayers PAC ad
Lesson learned: Never question the boss in a company-owned town
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 10/19/07

Grove Terrace is down the tubes
For years, the HUD complex has funneled much needed funds to consultants and attorneys -- now they're about to be told by a consultant that they are bankrupt from spending too much money on consultants
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 10/17/07

Miller disrupts Planning Commission hearing with staged protest circus
Gondo story | Herald-Trib story
Is the local economy so bad that the only hope for our children is a door greeter job at Wal-Mart? Mike Miller wants you to think so
-- both, 10/17/07

Wal-Mart is the leading cause of Medicaid payments in Georgia and other states
Those low, low prices have a high, high back-end price tag for taxpayers as state governments end up footing the bill for the employer's low, low wages and lack of benefits -- that's what you would refer to as "corporate welfare"
-- USA Today, from April of 2005

Government by stealth: Wal-Mart goes before planning commission today
It's been less than two weeks that the public has known about plans for a North Venice Wal-Mart -- this oughtta be a hoot
-- Ed martin, 10/15/07

Wal-Mart, Wal-Mart, Wal-Mart, Wal-Mart, scrub jays, Wal-Mart, Wal-Mart, Wal-Mart
8 different letters linked to in above headline; In other news, Ed Martin's wife, Peggy, is boxing up his home office and shipping it all to city hall: "At last, I can have that room back"
-- letters, Herald-Trib, Gondo, Ed Martin's blog, 10/14/07

Dear Fred -- Maybe try this?
It's three weeks until the election and Hammett is all but guaranteed to lose his job as mayor; maybe the CQG should take notes from this Hialeah city council campaign -- what the hell, it might work
-- UPI, 10/13/07

Wal-Mart? What Wal-Mart? Oh, that Wal-Mart? Oh yeah, we told you about that... sort of...
Venetian Golf & River Club, Waterford residents are ready to shoot at anything that moves after finding out that land developer Mike Miller is bringing a Wal-Mart SuperCenter to their neighborhood
-- editorial, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 10/13/07

Marriott rep Ed Taylor: Growth is not rampant and anyone who thinks otherwise is a defamer, a slanderer, and a curmudgeon
Dammit, I want that Marriott at the airport -- I want it, I want it, I want it; Oh, and vote for Fred Hammett (2nd letter on page)
-- letters, Pelican Press, 10/11/07

Zavodnyik disses Wal-Mart
CQG candidates still silent on Wal-Mart headed for Laurel Road, despite the fact that it's been floating silently in the background for a couple of years
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 10/12/07

Uhhhhh, folks, we have a water problem... a very serious water problem
We're running out of drinking water, not in ten years, not next year... NOW!
-- Pelican Press, 10/11/07

Penny sales tax show hits the road
Overtaxed? Nahhhhh -- besides, it's just a penny
-- Pelican Press, 10/11/07

Challengers kicking ass AND taking names in council race
Martin, Zavodnyik come out swinging; appointed mayor guy mumbles about his experience at rubberstamping tall buildings when he was on the Planning Commission
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 10/10/07

Maybe the voters won't notice that more annexed land was just rezoned, approved for yet another development
The approved project "worried some council members, who said it could set a precedent for other vacant Sarasota County property owners to annex into the city and ask for a zoning change" -- nah, that would never happen here
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 10/10/07

A Super Wal-Mart in North Venice?
Just as council manage to bury Tra Ponti and airport development until after the elections, a new monster rears its ugly head
-- letters, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 10/10/07

Money and local politics
Fundraising by challengers upsets CQG prez C.J. Fishman: "This shouldn't be about money;" Careful, C.J., lest the Gods of Irony smite thee
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 10/09/07

Tra Ponti: Council wanted a vague ordinance, council got a vague ordinance
If there was a wrong way to enact a mixed use land development ordinance, we were bound and determined to find it -- lo and behold, we did
-- editorial, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 10/09/07

Boone, VGA to city: we want our kickback
BLAST FROM THE PAST, 2004: Venice Golf Association and their attorney, Dan Boone, feel cheated by not being able to cheat the city; Herb Levine surrenders
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 06/26/04

Martin takes on Willson over so-called "villages"
The city's comp plan changes call for "villages" -- closely packed clusters of tall condominium buildings; Willson states that landowners in areas like Golden Beach have the right to build them already, Ed Martin says au contraire
-- Ed Martin, 10/05/07

Sharky's caught building without a permit
Hey, it's OK -- we only hired Native Americans, so it's perfectly legal; Jesus Federico Longfeather, Pedro Ramon Eaglewing, and Conchita Rosalinda Lonewolf unavailable for comment
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 10/05/07

Levine gets cranked, tells council to get off his lawn
City politics can get Herb so riled that he has to blow off the steam, which he does here in the letters column
-- letters, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 10/05/07

City gov web site gets a makeover
Okalee-dokalee
-- City of Venice (parody)

The anti-CQG PAC goes online
It takes money to win an election -- Herb Levine's Concerned Taxpayers PAC plans to give the CQG a run for theirs
-- Concerned Taxpayers PAC

Gulf Coast Foundation wants you to get happy, will spend $½ million to turn Venice into a girl's charm school
The dumb bastards could have bought this web site for half that
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 10/04/07

More comp plan fun:
It takes a village to raze a  town
Ed Martin has been less than thrilled about the city's comp plan for a couple of years now, particularly about the city's "villages" of compacted tall buildings -- turns out that the state agrees with him
-- Ed Martin, 10/02/07

Tallahassee on city's comp plan:
They love us, they love us not
Gondo story | Herald-Trib story
Gondo and Herald-Trib are miles apart in their coverage of the state's objections to the comp plan: Gondo claims the state loves us, Herald-Trib actually talks to the state and gets a somewhat different tale
-- both, 10/03/07

Council gets a bloody beatdown in the woodshed over Tra Ponti, airport hotel
Gondo editorial | Herald-Trib letter
"The cynic in us has to ask whether the same decision [to have a workshop on Tra Ponti] would have been made if we weren't a month away from an election"
--editorial, Venice Gondolier-Sun, 10/03/07

Little known 9/11 facts from Dan Hopsicker
A probable assassination attempt on Bush took place in Sarasota in the early morning hours of 9/11; in other news, Rudi Dekkers, the trainer of 9/11 terrorists, is now a motivational speaker -- no, really, that's not a joke
-- Dan Hopsicker, 09/27/07

City to county: If the scrub jays want to stay near the airport, they can rent a room at the Marriott like everyone else
County wants city to consider bird habitat, city wants county to eat a scrub jay sandwich
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 09/30/07

Is Florida Over?
For Americans on the move, Florida has become a less-appealing destination; moving company Atlas Van Lines brought 6,700 families into Florida last year and took 8,000 out, the first time it has moved more out than in
-- Wall Street Journal, 09/29/07

Vote No on penny sales tax
It's difficult to determine how much Venice would subsidize growth with its tax revenue because more than 79 percent of the money earmarked for roads is for undesignated "improvements" and "contingencies."
-- Pelican Press, 09/29/07

Article rigged?
CQG politicos stealthed as average retirees in U.S. News top ten article
Planning commissioner Janis Fawn and CQG bigwig Jack Meyerhoff are quoted, cited as average retirees; Say, how many 15-story buildings on the Intracoastal is "not a lot?"
-- U.S. News and World Report, 09/20/07

City council and Tra Ponti: Situation normal, AFU
"We haven't done our jobs:" The Venice City Council admitted as much when it voted unanimously Tuesday to postpone action on developer Mike Miller's proposed condo-hotel, Tra Ponti on the Waterfront
-- editorial, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 09/27/07

Tra Ponti falls down, goes boom; will return after elections as Tra Natiche
Gondo article | Herald-Trib article | Ed Martin's blog
With elections looming, council stops dead in the middle of the road, suddenly sees oncoming traffic: "Oh, yeah -- the voters -- forgot about them, didn't we?"
-- all three stories 09/26/07

GONZO IS BACK!!!

The patron saint of Venice Florida! dot com is back where He belongs -- on the cover of Rolling Stone
-- Rolling Stone, 10/04/07 issue

Herald-Trib wants some explanations from council
Hahahaha -- good one
-- editorial, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 09/25/07

In an effort to boost readership, the Herald-Trib is now featuring pics of hot lesbian make-out goodness
Wait... what? HOLY CRAP!!!
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 09/24/07

If Tra Ponti is a hotel, then my mother is a virgin and I'm the son of God
Greg Shanika asks an interesting question: Is council going to ensure that Tra Ponti will actually be run as a condo hotel? So far, the answer is, 'nope'
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 09/24/07

Tra Ponti workshop never happened
"One question each incumbent is likely to hear during the campaign if Tra Ponti is approved Tuesday: Did the council, following two years of delay, rush to vote on Tra Ponti before an election in which opposing candidates have criticized aspects of the project, especially the height?"
-- Larry Evans, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 09/23/07

Yo council: I got your transition right here, pal
City council wants a visual transition from nine stories on the island to six to five -- not a problem, right?
-- letters, Venice Gondolier Sun, 09/23/07

The de-unreconstructificationalizing of Jim Clinch
Maxine Barritt has a few real words for Clinch about the horse he rode in on
-- letters, Venice Gondolier Sun, 09/23/07

What hath council wrought in this nebulous CMU thing?
Everybody wanted that CMU ordinance and now we have it -- according to Greg Shanika, we gave everyone in the CMU district 80 feet in height and we basically have to fight a developer to go lower -- thank you Jeff Boone, C.J. Fishman, and, of course, city council
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 09/21/07

City to Herald-Trib: Tra Ponti jumps to seven stories
In a letter that was previewed by council members prior to its publication, city's Propaganda Minister informs us for the first time that the plans for Tra Ponti are now seven and six stories -- no, it's not a typo on the Trib's part, here's the original letter
-- letters, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 09/21/07

Gondo goes NIMBY on Tra Ponti and Clinch
editorial | letter | letter | letter | letter
Gondo takes an awkward stance on the latest proposed monster land development project as Tra Ponti will be directly across the street from the Gondo's office building -- the Gods of Irony smile down from the sky, Herb Levine is ROTFL, Jim Clinch can't change his underwear fast enough
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 09/21/07

Hammett and council celebrate opening of scrub jay hunting season
Those birds are good eatin' and anyone who thinks otherwise is just one of those negative people against everything
- editorial, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 09/21/07

Homeowners' association lawyer demands takedown of web site
Web site allegedly violates association covenant -- geezer web operator of hamptonsnbc.com says "suck it," Venice Florida! dot com gets a new hero
BONUS LINK: Fark hates the HOA, too
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 09/21/07

Airport development doublespeak
It's six weeks before the elections, so we get this quote from Hammett:
"For all practical purposes, development of the airport is off the table"
COMBINED WITH THIS IN THE SAME ARTICLE:
"Hammett would not rule out the chance of developing something on the airport property;"
In other news, Marriott consultants give green light to airport land surveyor team
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 09/20/07

A kinder, gentler Venice Florida web site
He goes by the nick Scionshade on our message board, and he's started his own Venice Florida web site
-- VeniceFla.us

Clinch lynched
Say Jim, how's that foot taste?
-- letters, Venice Gondolier Sun, 09/19/07

CQG gets a web site
Just stare at the screen... your eyelids are getting heavier and heavier... tall is good... we can do anything... when you wake up, you won't remember any of this...
-- Zombo.com

Fractured history from CQG bigwig and Bogey's/Crow's Nest owner Steve Harner
Aside from the fact that Harner can't spell John Nolen's name correctly, Harner forgets that the BLE went belly up one year before The Great Depression from trying to implement Nolen's plan; Harner wants history to repeat itself -- relax, Steve, it looks like you're going to get your way
-- letters, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 09/18/07

Sheriff Balkwill on SSO budget: Bids? We don't need no stinkin' bids!
This is Florida -- what the hell were you expecting, integrity?
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 09/18/07

Wanna buy some beach front property? Cheap? OK, maybe not cheap?
Buy just about any lot off of the island of Venice, then just wait a few years
-- AP, via Sun-Herald, 09/17/07

The Full Ponti -- Six stories next to Miller's towers' nine stories
Editorial | Letter
So it'll be six stories next to five stories next to nine stories, all right up to the sidewalk on Venice Avenue in downtown Venice -- say goodbye to the sky and hello to stucco and red brick tile
-- both, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 09/17/07

Ed Martin on Tra Ponti
King Solomon doesn't live here anymore
-- Ed Martin, 09/11/07

COMEDY GOLD FROM THE CHAMBER POT:
Dear citizens of Venice: Die in a fire, you bunch of f@#king idiots
If you thought Jim Clinch's article in the Gondo was comedy gold, wait'll you read his farewell message as outgoing chamber president -- don't forget to wipe, flush, and wash your hands before returning to work (PDF file - scroll to pages 2 & 3)
-- VeniceChamber.com, September 2007 issue

The mountain comes to Miller
Gondo story | Herald-Trib story
A mountain of buildings is headed for the west side of downtown's Intracoastal Waterway as developer Mike Miller gets approval from council to move ahead with The Manhattan Project
-- both stories 09/12/07

Shannon Staub -- conspirator?
Attorneys for Tammi House argue that County Commissioner Staub conspired with county employees to look for a way, legal or not, to shut down the rehab halfway house
-- Pelican Press, 09/12/07

The bigging of Venice
Battle lines are drawn in city council election matchups -- Hey mister, wanna buy a town?
-- editorial, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 09/12/07

Sheriff shows his a$$
After a litany of over-budget luxury-style spending ills hits the news, Balkwill shows his a$$ by threatening to close down the south county jail, has it handed back to him by elected officials
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 09/11/07

Blowing the top off of mountaintop mining
The Appalachian mountains are being blown up in a steady destructive process that is killing the headwaters that eventually turn into rivers -- of course, this couldn't possibly affect us here in Florida, right?
-- Wired, 09/10/07

We gotta build something
Market analysis on the need for more hotel rooms is conflicting, but developers are hot to build in the wake of a flooded housing market -- what could possibly go wrong?
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 09/09/07

THE SLATE:
Martin, Zavodnyik, Lang
WWF comes to Venice politics -- asses will be kicked, names will be taken
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 09/09/07

The real reason Sheriff Balkwill is threatening to close the south county jail
It's all political maneuvering to get a new jail built
-- Pelican Press, 09/07/07

Balkwill successfully manages to get cities and county simultaneously royally pissed at him
Dear Sheriff: Sucks to be you
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 09/09/07

If there's one thing this county needs, it's a good 7¢ sales tax
Local governments, and those who depend on them for roads, bridges, schools, beaches, clean water and more, have just eight weeks to convince us that there's one tax that's really worth voting for
-- Pelican Press, 09/07/07

Would the last person to leave Venice please turn out the lights?
Exodus 13:1 Commemorate this day, the day you came out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery, because the Lord brought you out of it with a mighty hand
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 09/07/07

Sheriff Balkwill ready to bollix cops in North Port and Venice
Crack dealers in Venice and North Port cheer as Balkwill threatens to remove cops from the streets with one strategic move
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 09/06/07

BillWillson.com goes live
Incumbent defends his seat in cyberspace (even buys a banner ad on Venice Florida! dot com) -- this ain't gonna be a normal race
-- BillWillson.com

Keepon the robot dances
Video ||| Story
Keepon is a cute Japanese robot used in research on autistic children. Wired asks Keepon and its scientist inventor to do a rock video with the band Spoon -- hilarity ensues
-- Wired, 09/05/07

Martin to oust Emperor Fred
There is unrest in the forest,
There is trouble with the trees,
For the maples want more sunlight
And the oaks ignore their pleas
-- Venice Gondolier Sun, 09/05/07

And now a moment for a genuine hero: Venice Archives' director Dorothy Korwek
Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it -- Korwek has fought the good fight, will soon be retiring
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 09/02/07

School board: VHS to stay where it is
Gondo story | Herald-Trib story
And we would believe you this time... why, exactly?
-- both stories 09/05/07

Gondo: Elections are a good thing
Just so long as the developers win and the status quo is maintained, that is
-- editorial, Venice Gondolier Sun, 09/02/07

The good news:
Sarasota County is now offering free wi-fi internet access all through downtown Sarasota
-- 82 Degrees press release

The bad news:
Major cities in America are pulling out of free wi-fi deals because the economic model just plain doesn't work
-- Wired, 09/04/07

Roundabout ad nauseum
An exhaustive look at circles
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 09/03/07

Showdown at the OK Corral
Council candidates packing heat, promise to shoot each other on sight
-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 08/31/07

On the Road turns 50
Kerouac's jangly attack on conformity is still a top seller, which ought to tell you something about under-the-surface unrest in America today
-- Wired, 08/30/07

Ernest Carter is a frickin' genius
In other news, Gondolier