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EAST COUNTY
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Families enjoy afternoon of fun and polo. PAGE 1B.
OUR TOWN
Thursday, JANUARY 12, 2012
DIVERSIONS
SPORTS
Flautist Jane Hoffman prepares for next performance. PAGE 8-9B.
Lakewood Ranch alumnus takes to the skies. PAGE 13A.
By Pam Eubanks and Michael Eng crime beauty and the feet
Ranch death ruled a homicide The murder of 78-year-old Ina Gross is the first in Lakewood Ranch history.
+ East students ring in new year at Temple East County students at Temple Emanu-El Religious School celebrated the first Shabbat of 2012 in style Jan. 6, as the synagogue hosted a lock-in and sleepover. Immediately following the evening’s Family Shabbat Services, students in fourth through seventh grades changed into pajamas, unrolled their sleeping bags and broke out the snacks. After community-building activities and leadershipdevelopment exercises, participants enjoyed an icecream sundae bar; games of air hockey, Foozball and table tennis; a movie; and a round of Manhunt by flashlight in the darkened building. A pancake breakfast was served the next morning as parents arrived to pick up their children. For more information, call 371-2788.
LAKEWOOD RANCH — It is the first murder to occur in Lakewood Ranch. What Manatee County Sheriff’s Office officials initially called a “suspicious death” was confirmed as a homicide Tuesday Jan. 10, following a Jan. 9 autopsy. Ina Gross, 78, was found dead at 5:37 a.m. Jan. 9, in her garage in the 11000 block of Hyacinth Place in Riverwalk Hammock. Her son, Thomas Gross, discovered her body, a Sher-
iff’s Office report states. Deputies arrived to find Ina Ross on the floor of her garage. Investigators had not released any more details about the homicide — including cause of death — as of press time Tuesday. The news rocked the ordinarily quiet Lakewood Ranch street, and neighbors remembered Ina Gross as a kind, caring person who loved her dog, Nicky. “She was a lovely lady,” neighbor
Marc Soss said, adding Gross took her dog, Nicky, for a walk every day and regularly visited with neighbors. “She was friends with everybody.” Ina Gross was active in supporting local charities, and an active member of the Lakewood Ranch Dog Park. She also was involved at the University of South Florida SarasotaManatee, where she was a member of the Lifelong Learning Academy.
Loren Mayo
The Observer photographed Ina Gross at the Perlman and Pearls Gala Jan. 7, at SEE HOMICIDE / PAGE 10A Michael’s On East.
+ Little Rancher’s opens classes Little Rancher’s Learning Center at Sarasota Baptist Church now is enrolling students for classes five days weekly. Classes are held from 9 a.m. to noon, Monday through Friday, with an option for class until 1:30 p.m. on Thursdays. Classes are for children ages 18 months to 4 years old. Tours of the facility are available between 9 a.m. and noon, Monday through Friday. Anyone with questions should contact Carrie Leitzman at 552-1304 or 400-1006 or carrie@sarasotabaptist.com.
+ Mooney students ready for brain bowl Students on the Academic Olympics Team at Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School
SEE OUR TOWN / PAGE 10A
The Silver Stars performed with dancers from around the country during halftime at the 2012 Discover Orange Bowl.
HALFTIME
HOOPLAH
Members of the Lakewood Ranch High School Silver Stars Dance Team performed in the halftime show of the Discover Orange Bowl. LAKEWOOD RANCH — Remnants of glitter still sparkled around the eyes of members of the Lakewood Ranch High School Silver Stars Dance Team as they unloaded from a bus in the school’s parking lot Jan. 5.
Less than 24 hours earlier, they’d been part of history — performing with about 400 other dancers to a live concert by Train during the 2012 Discover Orange Bowl.
SEE HALFTIME / PAGE 12A
The Silver Stars with professional choreographer Liz Imperio during their time at the 2012 Discover Orange Bowl.
SILVER STARS
By Pam Eubanks | News Editor
INDEX Black Tie............ 10B Classifieds ........ 17B
Cops Corner..........6A Crossword.......... 16B
Opinion.................8A Real Estate........ 14B
Sports................ 13A Weather............. 16B
Vol. 13, No. 2 | Two sections YourObserver.com