Thursday, October 27, 2011

For anyone thinking of drinking Halloween weekend: 1-800-AAA-HELP

There's truly no excuse whatsoever for driving drunk this Halloween weekend, thanks to a local businessman.

John Saputo, owner of Gold Coast Eagle Distributing, created Tow to Go 13 years ago, a program that provides free towing and a ride home to anyone who calls 1-800-AAA-HELP. That's right: a FREE ride home, AND your car comes with you. The thing is, most people aren't thinking too straight once they've drank too much. So lock your brain around this concept now, while you're sober: 1-800-AAA-HELP. Free ride home. Free tow. No excuses.

Saputo first created this collaboration locally with AAA South in 1998 for the New Year holiday. Now, Tow to Go is happening in three states and is an official program of Anheuser-Busch. You can call 1-800-AAA-HELP 24 hours a day, from Friday through Monday this weekend. The service should come in especially handy Saturday at Lakewood Ranch's first-ever beer festival, which will offer unlimited beer samples for four hours to thousands of people who pay $25 to $35 for admission.

Tow to Go will kick in again for the entire winter holiday season, from Thanksgiving to New Year's. Gold Coast Eagle donates $4,500 annually to the effort, which Anheuser-Busch matches.

So .... be smart about your booze this holiday weekend. Say this phone number three times out loud, write it on a piece of paper in your wallet or purse, program it into your phone, write it on the palm of your hand, do whatever you must to prepare for a smart decision during this weekend of partying: 1-800-AAA-HELP.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Indie movie features music from Sarasota Guitar Company owner


Scott "Marshall" Cook, co-owner of the new
Bradenton branch of the Sarasota Guitar Company.

A Bradenton branch of the Sarasota Guitar Company isn't the only new thing Scott Cook has happening.

Cook has also written a song to be featured in the independent film "Catch of a Lifetime," about a radio personality from Austin, Tex., whose carefully planned life is turned upside down when she has a one-night stand and becomes pregnant. Click here here to learn more about the film.

Cook met the film's director, Nick Miller, at his Sarasota store. The two became friends, and Miller decided he liked Cook's music enough to feature one of his songs in the film. "Time's Man of  the Year," about dreams unfulfilled, is the song Miller chose for his film.

Cook also has a CD titled "The Music is Moving" available on ITunes and Amazon -- only in the music world, he goes by his middle name of Marshall.

Friday, October 7, 2011

Chuckles over Benderson's megamall plans

Thursday's big meeting over Benderson Development's revived megamall plans for just south of the Manatee/Sarasota county line ended with a couple of chuckles between the developer's leaders and Sarasota county officials.

Paula Wiggins, transportation planning manager, triggered a round of laughs when she pressed Benderson's Derek Watts on when she'd see plans for "my theater" (Wiggins is especially eager to see a boutique movie theater as part of the proposed 276-acre University Town Center, to be located at University Parkway and I-75). Watts said he's still working on it.

Their comments inspired Tom Polk, the county's planning director, to chime in on one of the most popular tenants at Benderson's Shoppes at University Center, which are located on the Manatee County side of University Parkway.

"I'm still mad that World of Beer isn't on our side!" Polk joked, referring to the franchise that carries 500 brands of beer.

Watch the Bradenton Herald to see how University Town Center progresses.