Supervisory capacity 3A Board newcomer 5A Business Matters 8A Who will oversee future elections? County commission will welcome … Businews, et al., now on Wednesday Reminder The Gondolier Sun is back to a two- day-a-week publication schedule. The next paper will be delivered and on newsstands Saturday, Nov. 8, and will include TV Times, the comics, USA Weekend and all the ad supplements formerly in the Sunday edition. GondLOCAL NEWS COVER TO COVERoli FLORIDA’Ser NO. 1 WEEKLY S NEWSPAPERun 50 CENTS VOLUME 63 NUMBER 103 WEDNESDAY-FRIDAY EDITION, NOV. 5-7, 2008 AN EDITION OF THE SUN McKeon wins close council race Second-place finisher John Osmulski thinks its being the presence of Supervisor of Elections Kathy Dent, who won a three-way contest played a role in the outcome. re-election during Tuesday’s general election. BY GREG GILES gathered at the Lake Venice Golf The precinct has almost 2,000 NEWS EDITOR Club was muted. registered voters. “I’m cautiously optimistic,” McKeon congratulated his A hotly contested Venice City McKeon said. opponents, John Osmulski and Council race with three highly The Epiphany Cathedral Emilio Carlesimo, for a hard- qualified candidates is over, and precinct on the island had faulty fought campaign. it was a nail-biter. equipment early in the day that If the numbers hold up, Mc- Kit McKeon was ahead by 870 left poll workers collecting, but Keon said, he’s ready to get to votes as of press time with some not processing some of the bal- work. SUN PHOTO BY JUSTIN FENNELL, [email protected] absentee votes uncounted, but lots. They were later transported “The city has got some things the celebrating going on among to the county administrative Kit McKeon chats with supporters while awaiting the official outcome of friends and supporters who building to be hand-counted in Please see CLOSE, 7A his Venice City Council race at the Lake Venice Golf Club Tuesday night. Knight elected sheriff FIRST VOTE BY TERRY O’CONNOR and drug STAFF REPORT activity in the area is gain- The new sheriff in town said ing,” Knight he’s going to make sure his said. “In addi- troops have better training and tion to wide- better equipment than they’ve spread pre- been working with during his scription drug run to office. abuse, mari- Republican Tom Knight of juana dealing Knight Venice soundly defeated Demo- and use is on crat Curt Lavarello in Tuesday’s the rise.” general election by winning 65 In the past 21 months, the percent of the vote, compared SCSO has discovered about 30 with 35 percent for Lavarello. marijuana grow houses in North With only absentee ballots left to Port, out of about 35 county- count out of 157 districts, the 45- wide, he said. ' year-old Knight led the sheriff’s “I would advocate the cre- PRECINCT race with 117,163 votes com- ation of a full-blown task force 33 pared with 62,272 for Lavarello. and further combining re- Knight’s platform included sources with NPPD to fight LYOTE HERE hiring deputies and emphasiz- North Port’s drug problem be- ing marked car patrols. He said fore it worsens,” he said. it is time to establish a drug task Knight’s nephew, Officer force in North Port. Michael Mills, works for the “North Port has now ex- North Port Police Department. ceeded Sarasota in population [email protected] SUN PHOTO BY JUSTIN FENNELL, [email protected] Three generations in one family voted for Barack Obama for president in Tuesday’s election: Chelsea Bolyard, center, who turned 18 that day and got to vote for the first time; Dorothy DeMyer, left, her grandmother; and Kim Detert wins Senate race Bolyard, her mother. BY ELAINE ALLEN-EMRICH these houses STAFF WRITER and pay what they can on a Newly 18 and hyped about voting State Senate District 23 Re- first mortgage. publican candidate Nancy De- The govern- BY BROOKY BROWN in particular have always been a vote, but Kim and Chelsea en- tert defeated Sarasota attorney ment can then PROJECTS EDITOR passion of Chelsea’s. gage in the occasional political Morgan Bentley on Tuesday. provide a non- “In 2000, I was only 10 years discussion at home. Detert received 108,787 votes, interest-bear- A bouquet of 18 red roses old, but I was interested then, “She was just after me be- or 58.4 percent, to Bentley’s ing second surrounded by colorfully wrap- too,” she said. cause she said I had to know the 77,520 votes, or 41.6 percent. At mortgage that Detert ped presents paid tribute to the Chelsea, a Venice High School reasons why I was voting for press time, not all absentee bal- can be repaid young woman celebrating her senior, attributes her enthusiasm Obama,” Kim said. “She made lots were counted in Sarasota when the house is sold.” birthday on Nov. 4. to her American Government up her mind first to vote for County. Chelsea Bolyard turned 18 teacher. Obama, but I was leaning that Among her top priorities, Starting over on Election Day and voted in “Mrs. Barbara Farrar really way anyway.” Detert, 63, promised voters she Detert said insurance com- her first presidential election. gets you into it,” she said. “She has devised a “complex plan” to panies are looking for excuses to Strange as it may seem to those had us out at the ball games No doubt help fix some of the foreclosure drop customers. who think young people don’t signing up kids to vote who Chelsea had no doubts about issues in the county. She said “I think we have to start all care about politics and voting, were turning 18 as part of our casting her vote for Obama. that as senator she is prepared over again,” she said. the roses and the gifts weren’t volunteer hours.” “He has the charisma of John to address the economic fear In an e-mail, Detert said she Chelsea’s main focus on this Chelsea said most of the Kennedy, he grew up in hard she sees in people all over the will work for “a clean, safe, envi- milestone birthday. political discussions she’s been times and he offers better area. ronment, good jobs, an educa- “I think she is more excited involved in have taken place at opportunities for the middle Detert said there should be a tion system that benefits their about voting than she is about school and a few at the K2 class,” she said. “And it’s time for community down-payment as- children and the community at turning 18,” Kim Bolyard said of Scrapbook Studio in Sarasota change. I like George Bush as a sistance program to allow buy- large.” her daughter. where she and her mother work. ers with good credit to receive “Those are the things that I Politics in general and voting Her dad, Gary, chooses not to Please see HYPED, 6A government funding to buy have fought for in Tallahassee,” houses in various stages of fore- she said. “As your state senator, it’s my job to explain your needs to government and not the “We have a two-year other way around.” Mining rezone delayed A 30-year Venice resident, housing supply. We Detert is a mortgage broker. Her would allow the work sons Mark, Bryan and Jamie BY GREG GILES graduated from Venice High and NEWS EDITOR force to live in these still live locally. houses ... The govern- Last week Detert reported More than 100 residents several threatening e-mails showed up Monday morning at ment can then provide against her and her family to the Venice City Hall to hear a rezon- a noninterest-bearing Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. ing application for mining oper- She was advised to keep a low ations in North Venice. They left second mortgage that profile the last few days before dissatisfied an hour later after can be repaid when the election. council granted a continuance. Noren Tacy Simmonds Martin Detert served for eight years The rezoning of hundreds of the house is sold.” on the Sarasota County School acres that contain four separate time. outgoing Council Member Rick — Nancy Detert Board and was then elected to mining operations north of the Council Member John Sim- Tacy said he, too, was feeling four terms in the Florida House Venetian Golf & River Club was monds spoke up early saying he under the weather. of Representatives. She lost in delayed after Council Member didn’t feel well and wasn’t sure In the event Simmonds and closure. the 2006 primaries to Rep. Vern Vicki Noren was unable to make he could make it through the Tacy left the proceedings, only “We have a two-year housing Buchanan for the District 13 the meeting due to other busi- day-long quasi-judicial hearing. four council members would supply,” she said. “We would Congressional Seat. ness. Noren is the only council As Mayor Ed Martin queried allow the work force to live in [email protected] member who is employed full- council about how to proceed, Please see REZONE, 6A Good morning, FRONT SECTION OUR TOWN SECTION IN THIS EDITION COUPONS DEATHS Gondolier Sun BOB VEDDER ....................................10A OBITUARIES ........................................14A CROSSWORD ..................................................4B AMERICAN PROFILE Affordable Hearing ................3A Marjorie Flagg subscriber, BUSINESS ..................................................8A OPINION ....................................................10A DEAR ABBY........................................................5B CLASSIFIEDS Twin Palms Chiropractic ....13A Elizabeth Myers LEGALS..........................................................6A POLICE BEAT ....................................14A MILESTONES ....................................................2B Venice Car Wash ..................13A Lawrence O’Donnell LET ‘EM HAVE IT ............................11A SPORTS......................................................12A VENUE........................................................................3B Florence Pettis PAULA HAINES 7 l, LOTTO ............................................................2A WEATHER ..................................................2A WELL-BEING ....................................................6B ?dS? 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