bserver O Happy Mother’s Day!
EAST COUNTY
You. Your neighbors. Your neighborhood.
SPORTS
NEWS
Founding Ranch band director retires in June.
inside
Lakewood cruises through regionals, prepares for states. PAGE 13A
PAGE 5-6A
OUR TOWN
Thursday, may 10, 2012
Ranch residents unite for Payton Wright tourney. PAGE 1B
By Pam Eubanks | News Editor education beauty and the feet
Pauley to leave Braden River The school board is expected to approve the appointment of Braden River High School Principal Jim Pauley to director of secondary education May 14.
Melissa Herron
+ Beautiful moment Melissa Herron and her husband, Mike, of Bradenton, are active members of the Longboat Key Turtle Watch. Herron is used to watching Longboat Key’s spectacular sunrises, but this sunset photo, taken on Greer Island, was a more rare sighting for her. She said the lighting was spectacular on this January night, and she couldn’t resist capturing this universal moment between a mother and child, when the mom was showing her child the beauty of the world. Herron’s daughter, Danielle Etienne, jokingly asked her mom why she didn’t submit a photo of the two of them for The Observer’s Mother’s Day photo contest. “This appeals to everyone,” Herron said of the photo. This year’s contest included 25 submissions, and 3,993 total votes were cast. Herron’s winning photo received 1,370 votes. As the winner, Herron will receive a $75 gift certificate.
+ Attention kids: Show your patriotism Lakewood Ranch is looking for a few good boys and girls. The children of Lakewood Ranch are welcome to participate in the Lakewood Ranch Community Activities Corp. Tribute to Heroes Memorial Day Parade May 27, on Lakewood Ranch Main Street. Children can decorate their bike, wagon or scooter in red, white and blue to compete for a variety of prizes for Most Patriotic, Cutest and Most Original categories. Participants will need to meet no later than 5:15 p.m. in the Town Hall parking lot. Those wishing to participate should email Lori Basilone, lbasilone@lwrcac. com or call LWR Community Activities, 757-1530.
MANATEE COUNTY — Walking from his office, Braden River High School Principal Jim Pauley paused in front of a picture hanging in the hallway. Signed by faculty members, it depicts a train crawling slowly over a bridge made of people. “It’s everybody working to-
gether,” Pauley said of what the picture represents to him. “Everybody has talent.” And soon, Pauley will begin a new adventure, sharing that concept with administrators of local middle and high schools. Pending approval by the Manatee County School Board May
14, the founding Braden River High School principal will become the district’s new director of secondary education, for which he will assist with management at all district middle and high schools. In his new role, which he will assume this summer, Pauley’s first task will be to
develop a district-wide plan to ensure schools are safe and orderly, foster an environment in which students and teachers can thrive and also have high expectations for students. “Mr. Pauley has provided a
SEE PAULEY / PAGE 11A
INVEsTIGATION
By Pam Eubanks | News Editor
Son now a ‘person of interest’ in murder The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office continues to follow leads in the Jan. 9 murder of Ina Gross.
cover it, it’ll get busier,” he said. Memory Lane and its sister restaurant, The Ranch Grill, opened April 30, at the corner of Lorraine Road and State Road 70, in the Lorraine Corners N.W. plaza.
LAKEWOOD RANCH — The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to investigate the murder of Lakewood Ranch resident Ina Gross, 78, and have formally named her son Thomas Gross as a “person of interest.” “There’s no big movement in the case, but we are making slow and steady progress,” Manatee County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Dave Bristow said. “We’re still following leads. Gross remains a person of interest and was the only person known to be in the house at the time around the crime. He discovered her.” Bristow noted a “person of interest” is someone who may have information on the crime, while a suspect typically is someone who has been charged with a crime or is about to be charged with a crime. “What we’ve done during
SEE LORRAINE / PAGE 11A
SEE GROSS / PAGE 10A
Sports................ 13A Weather............. 12B
Vol. 13, No. 19 | Two sections YourObserver.com
TOP OF THE WORLD Pam Eubanks
Five-year-old Joanna Graczyk got an airplane ride from her dad, Frank, before the show during Lakewood Ranch’s Moonlight Movie April 27, at Greenbrook Adventure Park. For more photos, see 9B.
development By Pam Eubanks | News Editor
Eateries sweeten Lorraine Corners The Ranch Grill and the Memory Lane Ice Cream & Sweet Shop are the newest businesses to open in the Lorraine Corners N.W. shopping center. LAKEWOOD RANCH — Greenbrook residents Rich and Linda Hieger sat comfortably in patio chairs outside Memory Lane Ice Cream & Sweet Shop, where they indulged in a few scoops. Although it was their first
time visiting, they already planned to return. “We get a lot of out-of-town company,” Linda Hieger said. “It’ll be fun to have a place close by to stop and get (something).” Rich Hieger agreed. “It’s new, so when people dis-
INDEX Black Tie.............. 6B Classifieds ........ 13B
Cops Corner..........7A Crossword.......... 12B
Opinion.................8A Real Estate........ 10B