The Sarasota Herald-Tribune

The Associated Press A fierce winter storm was leaving dangerous ice, heavy snow and vicious winds in its wake as it slogged eastward early Wednesday, threatening to wreak havoc on morning commuters across the Upper Midwest before crawling into New England. Full Story »

The Associated Press Gatorade is discontinuing its Tiger Woods drink but says it made the decision before the golfer's car accident led to a media firestorm surrounding his personal life. Full Story »

The Associated Press A 14-year-old high school student has died following a single-car collision in Polk County. According to the sheriff's office, Tenoroc High School student Colton Meyers was crossing the street when he was struck by a car driven by 17-year-old Jamiell Russell Jack. Full Story »

By HALLE STOCKTON When Larry Carvelli saw a spinning, smoking car along State Road 70 Tuesday morning, his first instinct was to jump into the crumpled car to help its driver. But while Carvelli's efforts came too late to help the elderly female driver, he was able to limit further damage from the wreck. Full Story »

By JOHN DAVIS Two city firefighters have lost their jobs after a lieutenant reportedly skipped an emergency medical call to coach a children's soccer game. Full Story »

Eric Ernst A nickel and a social conscience can go a long way. That's a good thing to remember as the Florida Department of Environmental Protection decides what, if anything, to do with plastic shopping bags. Full Story »

By KATE SPINNER Plans to build a performing arts center at Venice High School five years ahead of schedule will move forward on the advice of City Attorney Bob Anderson. Venice City Council members agreed to take advantage of lower building costs to construct the arts center along with other improvements at Venice High School. Full Story »

By DOUG SWORD Loans under a recovery program trigger expansions, and 165 jobs Full Story »

By DOUG SWORD A state audit details the missteps. Local businesses endure them. Full Story »

By KEVIN MCQUAID 130-store property is part of $2.3 billion deal with Simon Property Group Inc. Full Story »

Staff and Wires Report One report says 13 percent of firms in Sarasota area plan to add workers in first quarter Full Story »

By LLOYD DUNKELBERGER H-T Capital Bureau If rail travel is to help define a new era of transportation in Florida, a bill that finally cleared the Legislature on Tuesday will likely go down as a defining moment. Full Story »

By ZAC ANDERSON The pressure is on to loosen remodeling restrictions on thousands of homes near the water, with heavy hitters like real estate broker Michael Saunders out Tuesday to lobby county leaders. Saunders portrayed the debate as preserving older homes versus promoting "mega mansions," and said relaxing the rules would spur economic recovery. Full Story »

Associated Press TALLAHASSEE -- A bill that would clear the way for commuter and high-speed rail systems is heading to Florida Gov. Charlie Crist’s desk. Final passage came Tuesday in the Florida Senate on a bipartisan 27-10 vote to close out a six-day special legislative session. It easily passed in the House on Monday. Full Story »

Anthony Cormier Deputies are looking for a woman who held up a bank branch this afternoon on Englewood Road. The woman - in her 40s, about 5 feet, 3 inches tall - walked into the Englewood Bank at 3 p.m. She wore a ponytail, a red hat and sunglasses. Full Story »

John Davis Two city firefighters have lost their jobs after a lieutenant reportedly skipped an emergency medical call to coach a youth soccer game. Full Story »

The Associated Press Florida State University has picked a former student as its new president. The school's trustees voted Tuesday for Eric J. Barron to succeed T.K. Wetherell as the university's 14th president. Full Story »

The Associated Press A deputy on his way to serve papers at a home along Florida's Atlantic coast was bitten by a pit bull on the calf. The Volusia County sheriff's officials says that the deputy was taken to a hospital after Monday's incident. The injuries were not life-threatening. Full Story »

Christopher O'Donnell Schools Superintendent Tim McGonegal is recommending two school bus drivers be fired for misconduct. District officials say Christopher Winnans deliberately drove slowly on his routes so he would receive more pay. Full Story »

Halle Stockton Two men who stopped to help jumped into the woman’s spinning car to stop it from entering State Road 70 again. Full Story »

Anthony Cormier An elderly man in a wheelchair died Monday evening when he was struck by a car on U.S. 41 in Manatee County, authorities say. Theodore C. Evans, 74, of Bradenton was crossing the road when he stopped in the center turn lane to wait, the Florida Highway Patrol reported. Full Story »

Staff Report Authorities are investigating a bedroom fire that killed a 57-year-old woman and two of her pets. Detectives say the woman may have been dead for several days, though foul play is not suspected, according to Charlotte County Sheriff's Office spokesman Bob Carpenter. Full Story »

The Associated Press A 14-year-old Jacksonville girl was behind the wheel in a fatal single-car accident that left her mother dead. Full Story »

The Associated Press Deputies are searching for a small engine Cessna plane that has gone missing after departing from Kissimmee Airport near Orlando en route to Fort Lauderdale. The Osceola County Sheriff's Office was contacted Monday at 10:52 p.m. Airport officials told deputies they lost contact with the plane shortly after takeoff. Full Story »

The Associated Press Tiger Woods' mother-in-law has been released from an Orlando-area hospital after being treated for stomach pains. Health Central Hospital spokesman Dan Yates said Barbro Holmberg was released Tuesday afternoon, about 11 hours after she was admitted. She went back to Woods' mansion. Full Story »