Palmetto Dazzlers vie in hip-hop at NDA nationals

Palmetto High School’s Dazzlers vie in large varsity hip-hop at National Dance Association nationals March 8-10 in Orlando.
Coached by Shea Whidden and Tafara Callaway-Smith, the Dazzlers are led by captains Lindsey Rushnell, Kalisha Clemons, Chelsea Miller, Jakaiya Johnson and Cheyenne Thurman. The squad members are Erykah Bazan, Brooke Bentley, Terri Chism, Shira Greene, Victoria Freymann,
Jataria Moore, Amber Perry, Jasmin Perry, Hayley Safko, Jackie Stocksdale and Annaliese Winston.

Tryouts for Lakewood Ranch High School’s cheerleading program are 4-5 p.m. March 20,21,25,26 in the gym with the final tryout 4 p.m. March 27 in the danceroom.
Parent pre-tryout meeting is 5:30 p.m. March 4 in the media center.
Call Melissa Koehlinger at 941-727-6100, ext. 2103.

Big ups to Jeremy Strawn.
The Florida Atlantic University junior righty won Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Week after a 3-0 victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide last Sunday. Strawn threw eight innings, struck out six and gave up only four hits. He’s 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA for the Owls.
His proud family are dad Jake Strawn and Linda Seibel, mom Rhonda Strawn and grands Rita Speas and Mary Strawn.

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

Ex-NBA ref comes out of retirement ... for one day

Bob Delaney back blowing the whistle?
That ought to be fun.
On March 8 at Bayshore Elementary School, the former NBA official will don his referee threads again.
He'll be joined by Perry Paganelli, an NFL back judge, too.
They'll team up to officiate a faculty/student dodgeball game at 8:45 a.m.
It's a reward as part of the Positive Behavior System at the school, where Delaney sponsors the Bob Delaney Leadership Academy.
Teachers are forming teams while students are busy raising CUBS cash, which is used as the price of admission to the big game.
The student who is the highest CUBS cash earner will receive VIP seating.
The game also marks the culmination of Read Across America week at the school, which has a sports theme this year.
Call principal Annette Codelia at 751-7000, ext. 2001 for more details.

Monday off means a day at ballpark, great seats

View from Section 111, Row 16, Seats 5-6 at Bright House Field.

The phone call came a little after 8 p.m. Sunday.
It was my wife's bank boss, Jon James.
"What're you doing?" he asked.
Trying to get into the Oscars, I said. What's up?
"Got two sweet box seats to the Tigers-Phillies tomorrow," he said. "Can you get off work?"
Getting a day off on Monday at the last minute?
Ooooooh, man.
I gave it a shot and called my editor..
"Uh, boss, uh, my buddy just called and he's, uh, got sweet box seats to tomorrow's game and ... CAN I GO, BOSS? CAN I GO, PLEEEEEASE?"
He said OK.
I was a happy boy.
Sherri wasn't  happy, though.
Not only did her husband have Monday off, but so did her boss.
Hmmmmm.
I said I'd make dinner Monday night.
That seemed to work.
I think.
Anyway, it was cool heading up to Clearwater and Bright House Field instead of the office to see the Phillies, a ballclub I've followed 40-plus years.
The seats were sweet, all right, 16 rows behind home plate.
I'm more used to the cheap seats, but my attitude has always been any seat is a good seat once you're at the game.
Boy, can the Tigers hit, which made my host happy since he is a Tigers fan.
Miguel Cabrera hit a towering 3-run homer that was being tracked by Cape Canaveral.
It was probably still going even after we left the ballpark.
That the Phillies got smoked 10-1 didn't matter.
No such thing as a bad day at the ballpark.
Not in spring training.
Not when you got the day off.
I made dinner when I got home as promised.
And it's back to work Tuesday.






  

New superintendent figures to command attention

Ten-hut!
Some folks will be snapping to attention when Rick Mills takes over as the new superintendent for the Manatee County School District.
Twenty-four years in the military.
Lieutenant colonel and battalion commander.
West Point educator.
Yes, that ought to get people’s attention over in the Taj Mahal at 215 Manatee Ave. W.
Their jobs may depend on it.
Not to make the Minneapolis Public School District chief executive officer sound like the second coming of George Patton, but if the Manatee school board was intent on hiring someone with the mandate to change the culture within the district management, it appears they got their man.
That it wasn’t a unaminous choice is irrelevant at this point. As the motto says, it’s not where you start, but it’s where you finish that counts.

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

Southeast students host special needs prom

Saint Joseph Catholic School's Troy Robinson and Haley Colaco show off their Manatee County Regional Science Fair awards. He won third in environmental science; she took second in chemistry.

Southeast High School’s Rachel Everhart, Meg Rivera and Ingrid Onoriode host a Prom Fashion Show 6 p.m. Feb. 27 at school’s performing arts building, 1200 37th Ave. E., Bradenton.
It’s a fundraiser for a “Night with the Stars,” a prom for the special needs community.
The Memory Maker’s Lyn Lineberger will provide dresses and tuxedos, Jane Simpson of Scissors will do hair, Ruth Everhart of Mary Kay Cosmetics will do makeup, and Robert and Marcia Minutello of Changing Times Photographics will provide photos and video.
Their daughter, Laura-Lee Minutello, Miss Wheelchair Florida 2012, will also attend.
Tickets are $5 in advance and $7 at the door.
Call 941-224-5329 for details.

Got an appetite for good pasta and a good cause?
The Ellenton United Methodist Women host a spaghetti dinner 4:30 p.m.-7 p.m. Friday at the Christian Life Center, 3607 US 301 North.
Donation is $6 and proceeds go toward mission projects.
Call Kay Nettles (941-729-5814), Gail Foster (941-775-9117) or the church (941-729-6802) for details.
Tickets will be available at the door.

The Youth Ministry of Our Lady Queen of Martyrs hosts “An Evening in the Orient” dinner/auction 5:30 p.m., Saturday at Flynn Hall, 833 Magellan Dr., Bradenton.

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

Palmetto Historical Park "Coming Home" March 9

What do a blacksmith, a spinner, a quilter and pie-eating have in common?
Find out March 9th when the Palmetto Historical Park & Manatee County Agricultural Museum, 515 10th Ave. W., hosts "Coming Home" during Heritage Day.
A free event from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., it will feature a blacksmith, spinner and quilter demonstrating their craft.
There will also be a pie contest, where judges will taste folks baking and hand out ribbons for 1st, 2nd and 3rd-place.
Interested in entering a pie? Call 941-721-2034.
There will also be a petting corral with attention-loving goats and First Baptist Church of Palmetto will have free train rides for children.
Storyteller Windell Campbell will work his magic for listeners, too.
Photographer/artist Ed Parker will exhibit. "The Water's Edge," featuring works of boats and water scenes from near and far through April 26th.
The 1880 Post Office will be open for business, as well.
The event also offers folks the opportunity to help the museum with its archives.
There are people in old photos who need identifying.
What's more, any old photos that families wish to contribute -- or have scanned -- are welcome in the archives in the Carnegie Library and Agricultural Museum.
An alumni photo is planned for 2 p.m.
The Woman's Club of Palmetto will hold its annual chicken and yellow rice luncheon for $12.
World of Mouth BBQ will sell lunch items and Alex's Lemonade stand will raise funds for childhood cancer research.
Call 941-721-2034 or 941-723-4991 for  more details.

Will new pope make difference to area Catholics?

This will probably get me in hot water after Sunday Mass.
But with all respect to my fellow area Catholics who expressed shock and sadness at last Monday’s sudden resignation of Pope Benedict XVI for health reasons, I’m not among them.
Nor do I share the sentiments of the area’s Catholic clergy.
Some were thankful for what the pope did for us.
Others expressed gratitude for the pope’s “remarkable” ministry.
For what?
That he’s the first pope to resign in almost 600 years perhaps.
The only thing I’d be thankful for in this time of transition for the Catholic church would be that the next pope be someone who corrects the Vatican’s autocratic drift under Benedict and predecessor John Paul II.

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