Quite a summer for sendoffs by family

After seeing off two of their four children in summer weddings, Carol and Dave Grantham recently sent off son Steven to a decidedly different destination: Marine boot camp in Parris Island, S.C.
The 25-year-old is a Manatee and University of Central Florida alum.

Speaking of Manatee alums, the Class of 1967 has expanded its 45th reunion to include the classes of 1966 and 1968. The fun begins with a meet-and-greet Sept. 28 at the Courtyard Marriott. On Sept. 29, there’s a dinner buffet at the Bradenton Country Club.
Contact Sue Moran Robertson at 941-776-8330. Or Linda Norwood Kinnan at 941-795-6213.
Or visit www.mhs67reunion.com.

Manatee Elementary’s staff and students are collecting canned foods items for the Food Bank of Manatee through Sept. 28. They may be dropped off at the school ol office, 1609 6th Ave. E., Bradenton.
For details, call Bernadette Pletcher at 741-3319, ext. 2015.

Read more Friday in Vin's People on Bradenton.com.

McGonegal's retiring comes as no surprise

That Tim McGonegal announced his retirement as Manatee County school superintendent effective Feb. 28 should come as no surprise.
Not after the result of last month's primary race for the School Board's District 2 seat.
When attorney David Miner, a longtime school board antagonist, became the prohibitive favorite in November's runoff after nearly winning it outright, McGonegal could see what lie ahead.
His skill is finance, working with numbers, so he can count.
Especially votes.
Votes by the citizenry and votes by the school board, McGonegal's bosses.
Unless Miner somehow throws away the position of strength he already established with voters --- 19,211 votes to Lakewood Ranch High teacher Robert Moates's 12,234 votes -- he should win.
That would likely align him with Julie Aranibar and Karen Carpenter, first-time school board members who frequently challenged the status quo, represented by incumbents Bob Gause, Barbara Harvey and Harry Kinnan.
When Kinnan chose not to run, Miner seized the opportunity, plugging into the undercurrent of public dissatisfaction with the school district.
Hence, if Miner wins on Nov. 6, there will be a sea change in the dynamics and direction of the school board.
That does not bode well for McGonegal's longevity as superintendent and he knew it.
So he's retiring.

Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2012/08/19/4163856/mannix-about-manatee-tough-week.html#storylink=cpy

NFL cutdown day mostly forgettable experience

On the eve of another NFL season, players are still getting cut even though final cutdown day was supposedly last Friday.
One of the latest was David Garrard, a pretty good quarterback not long ago for Jacksonville, who was released Monday by Miami.
I witnessed quite a few of those final cuts by the Dolphins back in the day.
It was an uncomfortable role during 20-plus years of covering the Don Shula era for three different newspapers in South Florida.
There'd a flock of us outside the locker room main door at St. Thomas University in Opa Locka, waiting like buzzards for the newly released player to emerge.
Occasionally, an ex-Dolphin would try to slip out a back way, get spotted and a TV crew or two would go scurrying after him.
Most, though, exited that main door and faced a final interrogation.
It was awkward as heck.
The player usually had a big plastic garbage bag filled with his gear slung over his shoulder and he'd talk en route to his car for a fast getaway from this place.
Some would stop and try to share their feelings.
Others just split with nary a word.
Couldn't blame them.
Cutdown day was a downer.
I do remember one light moment, though.
It was back in 1989 and the Dolphins had been through a difficult training camp.
John Offerdahl, a fabulous young linebacker going in his fourth NFL season, was locked in an acrimonious contract holdout.
So was Sammie Smith, their No. 1 pick, the Florida State running back.
After finishing 6-10 the year before and missing the playoffs yet again, things did not bode well for the 1989 Dolphins.
The vibes were bad.
So when this particular player barged through the locker room door, scowling as usual, the media mob parted before him like the Red Sea.
Nobody made a peep.
Except me.
I couldn't resist.
"Hey," yours truly said. "Make the team?"
"Yeah," the player snapped as he strode by.
It was Dan Marino.

First-place true black grouper winning meal, too

There's a familiar face gracing the cover of September’s Saltwater Sportsman.
It's Bradenton's Shaya Flathman holding a 35-pound true black grouper she caught for first place in June’s fifth annual Fire Charity Fishing Tournament to raise money for burn victims.
Shaya teamed up with brother Trever, boyfriend BJ Grant, pal Jon Cannon and boat owner John Smith to win the tournament’s offshore division and $2,500 prize money.
Thing is, they spent $5,000 on fuel for the weekend tournament trip from Sarasota Bay to the Dry Tortugas in Smith’s 39-foot Contender powered by triple Yamahas.
They sold a lot of the fish they caught to help cover fuel costs.
But the big ol' grouper they kept and ate.
“They are absolutely amazing tasting and the filets are pristine white,” Shaya said.

Check out Kirby Stewart American Legion Post 24’s Labor Day BBQ, music and karaoke with Frank Bowling at 2000 75th Street West.
Visit www.americanlegionpost24.com.

If you’re looking for a place to go after a high school football game, Pat and Lynne Goneau and their son Kyle are back in business at the newly relocated Beef O Brady’s, 4935 Cortez Road, after a nine-month hiatus.
They’d been at their old Manatee Avenue West location for 10 years.
Call Beef's at 798-6939.

Read more Friday in Vin's People on Bradenton.com.

Downtown Tampa sure secure these days

Think it was Monday morning when the talk radio guy said it:
"Downtown Tampa looks like Baghdad."
Not the bombed out Iraqi capital, understand.
He meant the concrete barriers and tall chain link fences manned by some serious security for the Republican National Convention.
Security bearing automatic weapons.
On our way to the Tampa Convention Center Wednesday morning, my Herald colleagues and I must've gone through three separate checkpoints in our car.
At least.
Got the full going-over at one of them, with one guy sliding a mirror device under the car, while another checked out the trunk and another went under the hood.
Their badges said Secret Service.
Next to them were armed soldiers.
Up ahead were police.
Matter of fact, there must've been a cop or two on every corner.
Downtown Tampa was sure secure, all right.

Chance encounter with a genuine American hero

It was Jan. 20, 1979, a Saturday morning at the Bull & Bear, a popular mom-and-pop restaurant in downtown Boca Raton.
The place was abuzz about Super Bowl XIII between Dallas and Pittsburgh the next day in Miami, but that changed not long after two couples entered and sat in a booth near the door.
I was seated at the counter and recognized one of the gentlemen.
Then, I thought, naaah, can't be him.
What would one of the most famous men in the world be doing here?
So I beckoned to owner Toni Brez, a real character.
See that guy over there, I said, the one facing us?
Isn't he an astronaut?
"How the heck should I know," Toni said. "Go ask him."
So I did, but not without some trepidation.
I knew the man valued his privacy.
I went up to the table and apologized for the interruption.
"Aren't you Neil Armstrong?" I asked.
"Yes, I am," he said, smiling.
I told him all I'd like to do was shake his hand and said how proud I was to meet him.
It was a brief encounter and Armstrong, who died last Saturday at 82, couldn't have been more gracious.
After I returned to my seat at the counter, Toni Brez came back.
"So, who is he?" she said.
Neil Armstrong, I said. The first man to walk on the moon.
Brez nodded and went about her business.
I figured that was that.
Five minutes later, I turned around and there was a line of patrons and waitresses queued up at Armstrong's table, each holding a napkin or piece of paper, hoping for an autograph.
Or just for a chance to meet this American hero, whose feat held a world spellbound almost 10 years earlier.
Later, when Armstrong's party finished breakfast and got up to leave, he turned at the door, smiled once more and all of us waved goodbye from the Bull & Bear.

Waiting and watching for Isaac's arrival

Most weeks the TV watching at our house is routine.
For Sherri, it’s the Rays.
For me, it’s whatever is on ESPN.
Not last week.
It felt like we were glued 24/7 to The Weather Channel.
That is, when we weren’t tuning into Channel 7’s dapper chief meteorologist Bob “Hurricane” Harrigan, hanging on his every word at six and 11 p.m. daily.
With Isaac on the horizon, there’s no such thing as having too much information.
Although TWC comes close.
They can inform and overwhelm you all at the same time.
Which is why we also want to hear Harrigan break down what Isaac can be expected to do right where we live.

Read more Sunday in Mannix About Manatee on Bradenton.com.