Word that the Dunkin' Donuts on Manatee Avenue West has closed, albeit over a legal dispute, brings back memories.
Good memories.
When I came to Bradenton in 1998, Ken Vogler had the franchise on First Street, not far from the Herald, and then he moved to the present location, 5605 Manatee Ave. W.
He later added the store at 5635 14th Street West.
It was Ken's store on Manatee Avenue West store that was a regular stop for me on the way to work when I lived on Anna Maria Island and later northwest Bradenton.
Coffee. Donuts. Good conversation.
Ken wasn't just a donut shop owner, but a swell friend.
I miss him.
He sold the business a few years ago and, along with his wife, moved to the beautiful northwest, where he made crazy money working on the dismantling of the decommissioned nuclear production complex in Hanford, Wash.
The Dunkin' Donuts corporation said it hopes to reopen both stores under new management.
It's too bad Ken Vogler isn't part of the conversation, picking up where he left off.
That'd be like old times.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Monday, October 5, 2009
Bradenton's virtues music to our ears
That Bradenton finished first in a recent Knight Foundation poll, surveying which communities felt most attached to their city, was music to Jane Tjornhom's ears.
A couple of years ago she penned, "Lovely Bradenton," extolling its virtues.
"Every city should have a song and we have one!" Tjornhom wrote. "It's a lovely melody, very singable and needs to be used at many occasions."
Here are the lyrics:
"You can travel East or West or North or South, but the place that's best is friendly lovely Bradenton.
"It's great to be in lovely Bradenton where it's so beautiful the whole year through.
"Beaches and sun --- community fun are here for you.
"It's great to be in lovely Bradenton where there is art and culture all year 'round.
"Come for a day and you'll want to stay in our fine town.
"Restaurants and shows where everyone goes are everywhere.
"Concerts and jazz relax you and take each care away.
"It's great to be in lovely Bradenton whre you make friends with nice folks just like you.
"Where's No. 1? Right here in lovely Bradenton."
A couple of years ago she penned, "Lovely Bradenton," extolling its virtues.
"Every city should have a song and we have one!" Tjornhom wrote. "It's a lovely melody, very singable and needs to be used at many occasions."
Here are the lyrics:
"You can travel East or West or North or South, but the place that's best is friendly lovely Bradenton.
"It's great to be in lovely Bradenton where it's so beautiful the whole year through.
"Beaches and sun --- community fun are here for you.
"It's great to be in lovely Bradenton where there is art and culture all year 'round.
"Come for a day and you'll want to stay in our fine town.
"Restaurants and shows where everyone goes are everywhere.
"Concerts and jazz relax you and take each care away.
"It's great to be in lovely Bradenton whre you make friends with nice folks just like you.
"Where's No. 1? Right here in lovely Bradenton."
Friday, October 2, 2009
YouTube fight hardly entertainment
Standing up to a bully is never easy.
We’ve all been there as kids and taken our lumps.
They were just never broadcast over the Internet.
Which is what happened the night of Sept. 25 to a local 13-year-old boy.
He’d been bullied and had enough, he told Manatee County Sheriff’s deputies.
So he went to fight one boy in a parking lot at the Lakewood Ranch YMCA.
Only it turned out to be an ambush, authorities said.
Read more Sunday in Mannix About Manatee.
We’ve all been there as kids and taken our lumps.
They were just never broadcast over the Internet.
Which is what happened the night of Sept. 25 to a local 13-year-old boy.
He’d been bullied and had enough, he told Manatee County Sheriff’s deputies.
So he went to fight one boy in a parking lot at the Lakewood Ranch YMCA.
Only it turned out to be an ambush, authorities said.
Read more Sunday in Mannix About Manatee.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Campaign fliers can't feed hunger
When I got home Wednesday evening, I found two Bradenton city council campaign fliers in my mail box.
As I put my key in the front door, there was a door hanger for pizza delivery.
Maybe it's just me, but I found it an amusing coincidence.
I eventually sat down and glanced at the fliers.
The first extolled the incumbent's accomplishments on dealing with crime, taxes and rejuvenating Bradenton.
The second extolled the other incumbent's volunteerism and commitment to his neighborhood and the community's infrastructure.
Neither swayed me, or told me anything I hadn't heard before.
So I tossed them aside and picked up the door hanger.
Now that connected with me.
I was hungry, there was a ballgame coming on, and pizza sounded real nice.
Hello, Papa John's?
As I put my key in the front door, there was a door hanger for pizza delivery.
Maybe it's just me, but I found it an amusing coincidence.
I eventually sat down and glanced at the fliers.
The first extolled the incumbent's accomplishments on dealing with crime, taxes and rejuvenating Bradenton.
The second extolled the other incumbent's volunteerism and commitment to his neighborhood and the community's infrastructure.
Neither swayed me, or told me anything I hadn't heard before.
So I tossed them aside and picked up the door hanger.
Now that connected with me.
I was hungry, there was a ballgame coming on, and pizza sounded real nice.
Hello, Papa John's?
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Gallup poll no surprise to Bradentonian
"What took them so long?"
That was Lyn Lineberger's reaction when she heard a Gallup survey had found that the strength of attachment Bradenton's citizenry felt toward their hometown made it No. 1 out of 25 cities polled.
Lyn owns The Memory Maker, a formal gown shop on Manatee Avenue.
She was 2 when she moved here and has a been a Bradentonian for 50 years.
That doesn't include the years her family spent in Fort Lauderdale.
Gallup may not have had Lyn in mind when they polled people about why folks here felt so strongly about Bradenton despite the present economic conditions.
But she symbolizes many who leave Bradenton for greener grass only to return to its embrace.
"It was a big city and a big city atmosphere," Lyn said of Fort Lauderdale. "What we found was we missed the small town atmosphere where we grew up."
So the Linebergers moved back.
"It's all about family and friends for us," Lyn said, sounding a theme commonly heard about Bradenton.
What's more, her family's roots figure to grow with time.
"All three daughters live here, too," Lyn said.
That was Lyn Lineberger's reaction when she heard a Gallup survey had found that the strength of attachment Bradenton's citizenry felt toward their hometown made it No. 1 out of 25 cities polled.
Lyn owns The Memory Maker, a formal gown shop on Manatee Avenue.
She was 2 when she moved here and has a been a Bradentonian for 50 years.
That doesn't include the years her family spent in Fort Lauderdale.
Gallup may not have had Lyn in mind when they polled people about why folks here felt so strongly about Bradenton despite the present economic conditions.
But she symbolizes many who leave Bradenton for greener grass only to return to its embrace.
"It was a big city and a big city atmosphere," Lyn said of Fort Lauderdale. "What we found was we missed the small town atmosphere where we grew up."
So the Linebergers moved back.
"It's all about family and friends for us," Lyn said, sounding a theme commonly heard about Bradenton.
What's more, her family's roots figure to grow with time.
"All three daughters live here, too," Lyn said.
Friday, September 25, 2009
NFL Sundays not for computer games
My Sunday afternoons are usually spent the same as a lot of folks during this time of year.
Watching NFL football.
Got my game jersey on. Snacks and beverages are nearby.
So is the remote in case I want to hit the mute button on annoying commercials.
Or annoying game announcers.
I’m all set.
I don’t need anything else for the next three hours.
That includes incessant reminders by the announcers or the graphics scrolling along the screen to “Follow all of today’s NFL action ... at CBSSports.com.”
Or NFL.com.
Or FOXSports.com.
Why the heck would I do that?
Read more Mannix About Manatee on Sunday.
Watching NFL football.
Got my game jersey on. Snacks and beverages are nearby.
So is the remote in case I want to hit the mute button on annoying commercials.
Or annoying game announcers.
I’m all set.
I don’t need anything else for the next three hours.
That includes incessant reminders by the announcers or the graphics scrolling along the screen to “Follow all of today’s NFL action ... at CBSSports.com.”
Or NFL.com.
Or FOXSports.com.
Why the heck would I do that?
Read more Mannix About Manatee on Sunday.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
FDLE crime statistics unconvincing
Crime is down.
Count me among those who are perplexed by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's statistics released Wednesday.
And we still have three months to go.
Even Sheriff Brad Steube, while pleased with FDLE statistics overall, acknowledged his constituency isn't buying them.
"I would imagine most people think we do have a lot of crime because of the homicides," he said.
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