The Python Hunter is charged
Friday, November 6th, 2009
The Sarasota Herald-Tribune broke the news yesterday that Justin Matthews, the owner of Matthew’s Wildlife Rescue who made international news for planting his 14-foot pet python “Sweetie” in a Bradenton storm drain, has been charged with a third-degree felony for misuse of a 911 emergency system and a second-degree misdemeanor for maintaining captive wildlife in an unsafe manner, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Matthews could face up to five years in prison for the stunt, which he says was an attempt to bring attention to the Burmese Python problem in Florida. The Herald-Tribune says that Matthews was released from the Manatee County jail Thursday after posting a $5,750 bail, and that he thinks the charges are “extreme” and plans to hire a lawyer. David Sadkin, a volunteer director at Wildlife Inc. Education and Rehabilitation Center, compared the staging to a “wildlife version of the balloon boy.”





Hello, fellow Sarasotans. It is my pleasure to introduce you to my new blog, which I have oh-so-fittingly dubbed âThe Starving Artist.â My goal for these posts is to give you an insiderâs view into the trials and tribulations of a musician trying to start a music career on the Suncoast. I plan to provide you with some valuable tips on how best to market your music and get shows booked, and also what itâs like to play at our local establishments from an artistâs perspective. Iâll let you know who draws the best crowds and how receptive they are to the music, what venues have the best sound, what itâs like dealing with the booking agents and what you can expect to earn for a nightâs work. I hope I can entertain and enlighten you on what it really means to be a starving artist on the Suncoast.






