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News & Notes

Briefs and news of note.

By Times Staff
Published August 18, 2006

Roseate terns return to Pelican Shoal

After four hurricanes left a tiny island off Key West submerged in the Atlantic in 2005, state biologists worried about the roseate tern. Pelican Shoal had been the perfect habitat for hundreds of the birds that migrated there each summer - one of two places in Florida where the birds could lay eggs before migrating to South America. So Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission biologists Ricardo Zambrano and Sharyn Hood hatched a plan. They placed 40 plastic roseate terns around Dry Tortugas National Park along with a solar-powered compact disc player, amplifier and water-resistant speakers that constantly played roseate tern calls. Real terns flocked to the fakes. Last month biologists and park rangers found 42 adult terns and 16 chicks.

Lotto winner takes lump sum and runs

Catherine Grandolfo got her big check and got the heck out of Dodge. No photos, no media, no time to chat at Florida Lotto HQ Thursday. The 75-year-old St. Petersburg woman just wanted her $1.6-million lump sum payment for the Aug. 9 drawing. For those who believe luck is geographic, or that lightning can strike twice in the same place, she bought the ticket at Soon's 49th Street Foodmart, 935 49th Street N in St. Petersburg.

Same old story: New College among best

New College in Sarasota and the Virginia Military Institute would seem to have little in common. New College is known for its long-haired, free-wheeling ways and VMI, well, it's not. But they are tied at No. 1 in a ranking of the nation's public liberal arts colleges by U.S. News & World Report. It's part of the magazine's annual list of America's best colleges, which hits newsstands Monday. Last year, New College, with about 750 students, got the No. 3 spot. Earlier this year, the Princeton Review named New College the "Nation's No. 1 Best Value."

OVERHEARD

"Who's in charge over there in Clearwater? Anyone who actually knows or cares about jazz?"

- Jazz critic Philip Booth in his blog, scribelife.blogspot.com, on this year's lineup at the Clearwater Jazz Holiday.

CLARIFICATION

Chris Ingram and Glenn Hodas, who worked for Senate candidate Katherine Harris until mid July, said Harris asked them to publicize a list of endorsements from Republican lawmakers without receiving written permission from them. Ingram and Hodas said they refused. After they left the campaign, Harris' staff began publicizing the list without written approval from at least some of the public officials on the list. A story Thursday did not fully explain their role.

[Last modified August 18, 2006, 05:45:12]