THE WIRE Insurance agents feeling left out of “Obamacare” PAGE 1 Pick of the Day 25’11” Stamas, $4,500 y v In Today’s J L Classifieds! J- C 1` AND WEEKLY SPORTS Charlotte Sun THE WIRE PAGE 1 HERALD PAGE 1 FSU-AUBURN FOR NO. 1 MANDELA’S FINAL HOURS L Seminoles, Tigers face off Jan. 6 for national title Nelson Mandela wasn’t on life support and had many `I family members and doctors close by in his final hours. 1 AN EDITION OF THE SUN VOL. 121 NO. 343 AMERICA’S BEST COMMUNITY DAILY MONDAY DECEMBER 9, 2013 www.sunnewspapers.net $1.00 HACKIN’ AROUND Their love Foreclosures fall of music New filings dip as home prices, sales rise By GARY ROBERTS plummeting 57 percent from the 155 reversing a recent trend of month-to- usic has always been one of my STAFF WRITER posted during the same period last month increases. Similarly, Sarasota greatest loves. year. In Sarasota County, there were County reported 210 lis pendens in M When I was younger — with SOUTHWEST FLORIDA — Last 210 new foreclosure filings reported November, slightly down from 213 the some strong encouragement from my month’s foreclosure filings in last month and 370 in November 2012, previous month. mother, who probably Southwest Florida continued to be representing a 47 percent decline. A lis pendens is a notice of legal had visions of me about half the number from the same Moreover, the month-to-month action that typically begins the being a rock star — I period a year ago. figures for Southwest Florida also foreclosure process. The action puts tried the guitar, drums New foreclosure filings for Sarasota declined. From October to November, the borrower on notice that a lender and trumpet. I never and Charlotte counties totaled 276 the number of lis pendens for the may move ahead with foreclosure came close to master- during November, a 47 percent fall two counties fell from 303 to 276, a proceedings — a process that, given ing any of them. from the 525 reported in November 9 percent decrease. the courts’ current backlog of cases, At the peak of my 2012. The number of reported new currently can take up to two years to music career I was However, in Charlotte County, foreclosure filings in Charlotte County complete. halfway decent at the the Clerk of Courts reported 66 new dropped sharply from 90 to 66 in trumpet. But, when a foreclosure filings in November, November, a 27 percent reduction, HOME | 6 buddy of mine, named John Charlie, and I began HACKWORTH practicing for a per- formance in church, EDITOR it didn’t take Charlie’s proud mom long to make a decision. She told my mom (and you can imagine r Never Forget how this went over) that “perhaps John should just do a solo,” — hinting that her trumpet master might be embarrassed by a couple of bad notes I continued to hit. To make a long story short, we both I ended up in front of the congregation and, with possible Divine intervention, it went perfectly. I Soon after that, however, I gave up any potential big band career — besides I didn’t want to march in the high school band. My limited experience made me appre- ciate people like Ruth McArdle and Susan Aaron that much more. Ruth was the driving force behind build- y a 1 f f ing the North Port Performing Arts Center ; A I f f on the North Port High campus and until r_ y I I ,--.- tr " p f f f f, two years ago played the flute in the North ..yy r 4 1 0 Port Symphony Orchestra. Susan is a nine-year veteran of the symphony. She plays the oboe. 71 The symphony put on its Christmas performance this past weekend, but if you missed it you will have three more oppor- tunities to attend concerts after New Year’s. The 50-member North Port Symphony w r has been a labor of love for all its volunteer ; musicians since it was first organized ` 29 years ago. E: F Ruth took the lead in landing grants and working with North Port and the Sarasota County School Board to build the per- SUN PHOTOS BY AL HEMINGWAY forming arts center. She gave former NPHS John Seelie, Sgt. John Sherman, Bill Raney, Maj. Larry Altenburg, Sgt. Charles Wahlgren, John E. Gideon and Cpl. R. Bruce MacGregor, snap to principal George Kenney and Stan Frank attention as taps is played to honor those killed at Pearl Harbor. with the city, a lot of credit for the efforts that paid off with a Nov. 17, 2001, grand opening performance that included the high school chorus and bugle corp. Pearl Harbor remembered “It was tough to get support at first and people still don’t know we’re here today,” By AL HEMINGWAY hatchway when I was thrown in the Ruth said. SUN CORRESPONDENT water,” he said. “The blast burnt all my But it was worth all the work. clothes off.” J , PUNTA GORDA — On Sunday “That opening night there were a lot of After being pulled to safety, Gideon, people performing who cried (out of joy),” morning, Dec. 7, 1941, the peaceful skies over Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, were 94, had a ringside seat as he watched Ruth said. the USS Arizona go down and Both Susan and Ruth admit that once suddenly filled with hundreds of Japanese aircraft bent on destroying witnessed the capsizing of the USS in a rare blue moon, someone makes a Oklahoma in Battleship Row. When it mistake during a performance — kinda the U.S. Pacific fleet. was over, 2,400 sailors, soldiers and like me on that trumpet. But the credo is to North Fort Myers resident John E. Marines were dead and nearly 1,300 “just keep playing.” Gideon volunteered to man a motor Usually the audience never has a clue. launch to rescue survivors from the more were wounded. The nation’s There have been many memorable per- Vietnam veteran U.S. Marine Maj. Larry burning, oily water when a bomb military had been dealt a crippling formances since that grand opening and Altenburg told the crowd at Fishermen’s exploded nearby, blowing him out of blow. Ruth played in every one until two years Village that Pearl Harbor was a terrible the small vessel. On Saturday, at Fishermen’s Village, ago when, at age 87, she decided it would lesson for America and must be remembered. “I was coming up from through the PEARL | 6 be safer for everyone if she quit driving. “I really miss it,” she said as she looked around the practice room at the PAC. Susan said music is her passion — she plays in two orchestras and recently Schools: Parents must be vigilant about lice helped form a woodwind quintet that has and nits, or lice eggs, were removed. begun performing in the area. By ANNE KLOCKENKEMPER “I love the symphony,” she said. “We STAFF WRITER Also, schools would send notes home have members who just play for the joy of to let parents know a child in class had it. They come from Sarasota, Bradenton, The concerned parent of a Heron lice so they could be on the lookout for Punta Gorda — all over.” Creek Middle School student in North lice on their own kids. Now, the goal The North Port symphony has these Port was surprised to learn recently, is to keep children from missing class, future performances scheduled: “That’s after her daughter told her a classmate shield them from embarrassment and Amoré,” on Jan. 26; “Voices of Spring,” on had head lice, that having the pest protect privacy. March 2 and “Best of Times,” on March 30. isn’t a cause for being sent home “We don’t want them to miss Tickets may be purchased at the box office from school for lengthy periods like it academics,” said Gail Buck, supervisor 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. weekdays and an hour used to be. In fact, in both Charlotte of district health services for Charlotte prior to each performance. You can get and Sarasota counties, students are County Public Schools. “You can never tickets and more information by calling allowed to return the same day if they make up that time in the classroom.” PHOTO PROVIDED 426-8479 or at northportsymphony.com have received treatment. It isn’t only school districts taking a John Hackworth is editor of the Sun Previously, most schools required lighter stance. The Centers for Disease This graphic from the Centers for Disease newspapers. You an email him at children with lice be sent home and Control shows the stages of lice development. [email protected] not allowed to return until all the lice LICE | 6 The lice egg is also referred to as the nit. INDEX | THE SUN: Obituaries 5 | Police Beat 7 | Viewpoint 8 | Opinion 9 | THE WIRE: Nation 2 | State 3 | World 5-6 | Weather 6 | SPORTS: Lotto 2 | CLASSIFIED: Comics 9-12 | Dear Abby 12 | TV Listings 13 Daily Edition $1.00 Look inside for valuable coupons High Low This year’s savings to date ... CHARLIE SAYS ... SUN COUPON CALL US AT There’s no business like snow 85 63 941-206-1000 business. i'IIII I IIIIIII it VALUE METER $83,163 Ic I Partly cloudy; 0 percent chance of rain. 7vii 05252 00025 8 Our Town Page 2 E/N/C www.sunnewspapers.net The Sun /Monday, December 9, 2013 Slow and steady — tai chi at Senior Center SUN PHOTOS BY TAMI GARCIA Alison Mangione, background, was one of several people who attended tai chi at the North Port Senior Center recently, with instructor Jerry Counce leading the way.