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Will Van Sant, Times Staff Writer

Will Van Sant joined the St. Petersburg Times in September 2002, after working in the South Jersey bureau of the Philadelphia Inquirer for two years. He has covered government and politics for the Times and is now a general assignment reporter focused on the impact of the recession. He also serves as a resource for colleagues seeking to obtain and interpret public records. Van Sant graduated from St. John's College in Annapolis, Md., in 1998, and from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism in 2000.

Phone: (727) 445-4166

E-mail: vansant@tampabay.com

  1. Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services president faced internal inquiry

    10/30/09 Human Interest By Will Van Sant, Times Staff Writer

    In the weeks before his ouster as president of Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services and subsequent suicide, Michael Bernstein faced allegations of fraud, embezzlement and sexual harassment, among other charges.

    The allegations came not from law enforcement agencies but in "unsigned letters" brought to the attention of Bernstein's bosses, according to an e-mail obtained by the St. Petersburg Times....

  2. Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services chooses former Pasco school official as interim president

    10/27/09 Human Interest By Lisa Buie and Will Van Sant, Times Staff Writers

    Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services, still reeling from revelations of fiscal mismanagement, the withdrawal of a $1.2 million state contract and the suicide of its longtime president, turned Tuesday to a leader they say will bring stability to the agency.

    Gulf Coast spokesman Lisa Brock confirmed that former Pasco County School District assistant superintendent Ray Gadd has been selected as the organization's interim president. A search committee is being formed for a national hunt for a permanent president for the Clearwater-based organization. Brock said whether Gadd puts his hat in the ring is up to him....

  3. Former president of Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services found dead

    10/26/09 Human Interest By Will Van Sant, Times Staff Writer

    Michael Bernstein, who resigned as president of Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services this month, has been found dead in a Georgia motel room, in an apparent suicide.

    Bernstein's body was discovered Wednesday at a Super 8 in Valdosta. Authorities there said Bernstein, 57, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

    "We have been made aware of the death of Michael Bernstein who served our organization for 31 years," chairman David Abelson said Monday in a statement....

  4. St. Petersburg-Clearwater Airport renovations rate low, still get $5M in stimulus money

    10/21/09AirlinesBy Will Van Sant, Times Staff Writer

    Of 17 construction projects at Florida airports being paid for with stimulus money, St. Petersburg- Clearwater's rates the lowest on a federal priority list — by far.

    In fact, only two of the more than 300 airport stimulus projects in the nation rate lower.

    Still, the airport, which served 364,000 passengers in 2008, received $5.4 million in stimulus cash. Tampa International Airport, which served 24 times as many fliers, got $8 million....

  5. Beef 'O' Brady's owner gambles on Brooker Creek Golf Club location

    10/21/09 Human Interest By Will Van Sant, Times Staff Writer

    In 2003, golfer John Downey hit a ball 511 yards, a long drive record he said stood for more than two years.

    The Safety Harbor resident hopes for a similar smash with the Beef 'O' Brady's he opened this week at Brooker Creek Golf Club on Tarpon Woods Boulevard.

    Downey and Beef 'O' Brady's believe the opening marks the first time a major chain restaurant has opened on a golf course. ...

    Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Allison Lansdown pours a cold one Tuesday while members of the Shady Laners golfers.

  6. $2.3 million in federal stimulus money is going to pay for Tampa Bay area beauty school tuition

    10/16/09EducationBy Will Van Sant, Times Staff Writer

    More than $2.3 million in federal economic stimulus grants have gone to eight Tampa Bay area cosmetology and massage schools to pay tuition for the hairdressers, masseuses and nail technicians of tomorrow.

    That's swell news for those who see the beauty trades as a way to gain a firmer footing in the job market. But is there truly demand for more beauty school graduates at bay area salons? ...

    Chad Malm, owner of Salon Jack in Tampa, says there are plenty of hairdressers; he gets as many as six applicants a week. Spending stimulus money to train them, he says, doesn’t make sense.

  7. President of Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services resigns after contract controversy

    10/14/09 Human Interest By Will Van Sant, Times Staff Writer

    After three decades leading Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services, one of the area's largest nonprofit social welfare agencies, organization president Michael Bernstein has resigned.

    The departure comes following disturbing revelations about a contract the nonprofit has with the state Department of Education to place mentally and physically disabled people in jobs.

    Lisa Brock, owner of a public relations firm in Tampa and Gulf Coast's designated spokeswoman, said the resignation was not linked to any mishandling of the contract on Bernstein's part....

  8. Palm Harbor University High School has brief lockdown

    10/13/09 Public Safety By Will Van Sant, Times Staff Writer

    PALM HARBOR — Palm Harbor University High School was briefly locked down Tuesday afternoon after Pinellas County sheriff's deputies responded to a report of an armed, suicidal man at a nearby address.

    Deputy Paul Pantel, the school's resource officer, said after hearing from Sheriff's Office colleagues about the call shortly after 2 p.m., he ordered students into the building and locked exits....

  9. Clearwater man charged with attempted murder

    10/13/09CrimeBy Will Van Sant, Times Staff Writer

    CLEARWATER — A 33-year-old Clearwater man has been arrested in Madison, Fla., and sent to Pinellas County on a second-degree attempted murder charge.

    Police said several people argued over money July 9 at West Avenue and Palm Bluff Street when Troy Hiers pulled a handgun and shot Joey Graves multiple times.

    Graves, 24, also of Clearwater, was seriously injured but survived after emergency surgery....

  10. Kitchen stays open after car crashes into Dunedin restaurant

    10/12/09 Human Interest By Will Van Sant, Times Staff Writer

    DUNEDIN — The Mercury Marquis is 4,800-plus pounds of full-on American sedan, sure to grab attention when it crashes through a wall.

    Shortly after 11 a.m. Sunday, a Marquis did just that, causing brief panic but no serious injuries in the dining room of Country Boy Family Restaurant on Main Street.

    Despite the noise, broken glass and some dazed expressions, the restaurant's management and staff kept the coffee pouring and the eggs coming off the griddle....

    Waiter Julie Bottie, 47, helps lunch customers Monday at Country Boy Family Restaurant. The day before a customer accidently drove into the building.

  11. Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services could lose job placement contract

    10/07/09 Human Interest By Will Van Sant, Times Staff Writer

    CLEARWATER — The president of Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services, a nonprofit social welfare agency, is on paid leave following troubling findings about the organization's performance of a state contract.

    Gulf Coast has roughly 800 employees working in 32 counties across Florida, including the bay area. It reported revenue of nearly $33 million in 2007, the last year for which federal records are available. ...

  12. Land O'Lakes man killed in St. Petersburg crash

    08/23/09AccidentsBy Will Van Sant, Times Staff Writer

    ST. PETERSBURG — A Land O'Lakes man died after an early morning vehicle crash on Interstate 275, authorities said.

    Just after 3 a.m. Sunday, Daniel G. Harrell, 22, was driving his Nissan pickup truck north on I-275 north of Fourth Street when he was struck from behind by a sedan driven by William Storey, 40, of Kenneth City.

    Harrell's truck overturned and he was thrown from the vehicle. Harrell, who was not wearing a seat belt, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. ...

  13. Man's body found in St. Petersburg retention pond

    08/23/09FeaturesBy Will Van Sant, Times Staff Writer

    ST. PETERSBURG — Authorities are investigating the death of a man found floating Sunday morning in a retention pond in front of Lifestyle Family Fitness in the 6600 block of Crosswinds Drive N.

    Authorities said the body, removed from the water around 10:30 a.m., was discovered by a gym patron.

    "Right now, we don't know who it is," said St. Petersburg police Lt. G.S. Totz, "but there are homeless people who congregate in this area."...

  14. Skateboarders, library backers get Clearwater reprieves

    08/21/09 Local Government By Will Van Sant, Times Staff Writer

    CLEARWATER — Skateboarders have reason to smile and supporters of keeping the North Greenwood Library open have reason to hope.

    At a meeting Thursday night, the City Council relaxed a ban on skateboarding that took effect in mid July.

    The city had acted in response to complaints from business owners about reckless skaters, some of whom had abused tourists. The city pointed to damage of public property. ...

  15. Skateboarders, readers, throwers win in Clearwater

    08/21/09 Local Government By Will Van Sant, Times Staff Writer

    CLEARWATER — Skateboarders have reason to smile and supporters of keeping the North Greenwood Library open have reason to hope.

    At a meeting Thursday night, the City Council tweaked a ban on skateboarding that went into effect in mid July, sparking a backlash from boarders.

    Now, skateboarding will be permitted on the western BeachWalk promenade, but not the east side of South Gulfview Boulevard....