Cape Coral Daily Breeze
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POST COMMENTS, SHARE VIEWS, READ BLOGS ON CAPE-CORAL-DAILY-BREEZE.COM CAPE CORAL Batter up FGCU outlasts Penn State DAILY BREEZE in 14 innings — SPORTS cape-coral-daily-breeze.com WEATHER: Partly Sunny • Tonight: Mostly Clear • Thursday: Partly Sunny — 2A Vol. 48, No. 57 Wednesday, March 11, 2009 50 cents LCSO chief deputy allegedly used status to advantage “I have continually counseled the chief Memo: Referred to self as ‘Number 2’ on his delivery and cautioned him about comments ... that imply he oper- NAPLES DAILY NEWS STAFF REPORT after opening an internal investiga- tion is over ... I can do what I want to tion into his actions. whoever I want.” ates with his own agenda relative to Special to the Breeze discipline.” The second-in-command of the A pair of memos between Scott Scott responded that Ferrante had and a detective allegedly berated by made an identical comment before Lee County Sheriff’s Office exag- — Sheriff Mike Scott wrote in one memo gerated his own power and some- Ferrante suggest the chief deputy — on the night the sheriff won the times acted independently of Sheriff used his status to his own advantage. 2008 Republican primary. Mike Scott, the sheriff wrote in a The detective, Sgt. Ryan Bell of “I have continually counseled the ative to discipline,” Scott wrote in 2005. He joined the sheriff’s office memo to an agency detective. the major crimes unit, wrote to Scott chief on his delivery and cautioned the memo. in 1989, working as a corrections Scott suspended Chief Deputy that Ferrante referred to himself as him about comments ... that imply Ferrante, 42, was appointed by deputy before becoming a patrol Charles Ferrante with pay Monday, “Number 2” and told him “the elec- he operates with his own agenda rel- Scott at the beginning of his term, in See LCSO, page 10A In the beginning School district cuts music program for elementary students Saves $300,000 each year By MCKENZIE CASSIDY [email protected] “We have to standardize Starting in 2010, schools in everything we are doing, Lee County will no longer carry because if you don’t than strings programs, an immersive you have to answer the musical training program for stu- question of how this dents, according to an announce- school gets one thing ment by Superintendent James and the other school Browder on Tuesday afternoon. doesn’t.” First-grade children are typical- ly enrolled in strings throughout — Superintendent elementary school and can later James Browder transfer to one of the district’s music-specific schools such as Cypress Lake Middle. on-one and utilizing the Suzuki The program features string method — focusing on immersion directors who travel across the and no fixed timetable to learn county meeting with students one- See MUSIC, page 10A MICHAEL PISTELLA Local bankers finding Betsy Zeiss Lewis signs a copy of her book, “The Other Side of the River,” for Monica Rahman after Zeiss Lewis’ talk during the monthly meeting of the Cape Coral Historical Society. Zeiss Lewis said the book is in its sixth printing. ‘note of optimism’ in Former resident shares history of the troubled economy Cape Coral — pre-Rosen brothers Federal response is crucial By GRAY ROHRER people traveled more by boat than car, when the [email protected] “What I was looking for Wrote ‘The Other Koreshans ruled Estero, when mail was delivered via On a day when the Dow Jones was just a hint that some the water by way of Key West. Industrial Average saw an increase of the bigger banks “That was the most wonderful adventure in my life, of 379 points — an extreme rarity would have a better quar- to unravel the story,” Zeiss Lewis said. “I wanted to during the current recession — local ter than people expected. Side of the River’ know what was here out of a sense of curiosity. One bankers gathered at Florida Gulf Both Wells Fargo and thing just led to another — like doing a giant jigsaw Coast University expressed cautious Citigroup announced By DREW WINCHESTER puzzle, it’s very interesting.” [email protected] optimism about the future. they were doing better Now a resident of Atlantic Beach near Jacksonville, David Jones, chairman of this quarter.” Not that interested in history when she first arrived Zeiss Lewis returned to the Cape Tuesday as a guest of in Cape Coral as a full-time resident in 1965, Betsy Investors’ Security Trust Co. and a the Cape Coral Historical Society’s speaker series. business professor at FGCU, called — David Jones, Zeiss Lewis eventually caught the bug to learn every- A founding member of the city’s historical society, chairman of Investors’ thing she could about Lee County, which spurned her Tuesday’s Dow gains a “note of Security Trust Co. and Zeiss Lewis gave a presentation at Cultural Park optimism in a gloomy world.” to write her first book, “The Other Side of the River.” Theatre about those heady, long lost days, a talk that FGCU business professor The book chronicles a history of Cape Coral that far “What I was looking for was just reached as far back as the late 1800s. a hint that some of the bigger banks predates the Rosen brothers — it spins yarns about a She spoke about the time and effort it took to com- time when the Cape was more akin to a Wild West cow would have a better quarter than the seriousness of the crisis. pose her book — five years — and when she began people expected. Both Wells Fargo “It’s the worst credit crisis we’ve town, when crackers, pastures and farmland were as writing the book she called the Cape “Drawing Board prevalent as the fast food joints and strip malls that dot and Citigroup announced they were seen at least since World War II and City.” doing better this quarter,” he said. probably since the Great the current city landscape. Historical Society President Anne Cull said these Zeiss Lewis said writing the book was like solving But whether Tuesday’s rally is Depression,” Jones said. kind of presentations are crucial to the future genera- an oasis or merely a mirage in the Crucial to how and when the a mystery, one that held as many wild characters as any tions of the Cape, many of whom are on the verge of piece of fiction. financial desert remains to be seen. economy turns around, he said, is coming of age. Despite their assurance that the the federal government’s response Those characters lived a far different life from what Without speakers like Zeiss Lewis, the history of most have grown accustomed to. It was a time when economy will eventually turn to the crisis. See HISTORY, page 10A around, the experts did not dodge See ECONOMY, page 10A Guest speaker Cape crime author, forensic specialist “It’s always hard to separate yourself from your main Event to feature meet-and-greet, signing character,” Black said. “I wouldn’t have her doing any- thing that I wouldn’t do, and I wouldn’t have me doing By CONNOR HOLMES month’s “Night at the Museum ... Murder,” in August. anything that she wouldn’t do.” [email protected] An Author’s Evening.” The event “Takeover” follows fictional Cape Coral crime novelist and kicks off at 7 p.m. and runs until 9 forensic scientist Theresa p.m., and costs $10 to attend Maclean as her fiance is taken — Lisa Black, author and forensic specialist forensic specialist Lisa Black will with the Cape Coral Police Department appear at the Southwest Florida including admission to the muse- hostage during a bank robbery at Museum of History tonight to um. Cleveland’s Federal Reserve. present her latest novel, “Takeover” is Black’s third Maclean’s professional expertise “It’s always hard to separate anything that she wouldn’t do.” “Takeover,” as well as participate novel. She previously published mirrors Black’s, who analyzes yourself from your main charac- Black said she tries to keep an in a meet-and-greet book signing. two novels under the pseudonym crime scenes and fingerprints for ter,” Black said. “I wouldn’t have element of realism in her writing, Black’s readers will enjoy cof- Elizabeth Becka and will publish the Cape Coral Police her doing anything that I wouldn’t as many people are not properly fee and dessert during this her fourth book, “Evidence of Department. do, and I wouldn’t have me doing See AUTHOR, page 10A ATAGLANCE AROUND THE CAPE NEWS OF NOTE WHAT’S INSIDE Panel to speak on ‘Italy Then and Now’ Annie’s Mailbox........9A Nation ................8A unlicensed workers presentation scheduled Fla. Lottery The Cape Coral Construction Industry The Order of Sons of Italy, Charles J. Cape Life ..........7A Obituaries ..........2A CASH 3: Association will meet at 5:30 p.m. Bonaparte Lodge 2504, Cape Coral, will Classifieds ............1-6B Police Blotter ..10A 6-0-6 / 7-7-2 Thursday at La Venezia. meet at 7 p.m. today at the Cape Coral Comics ............12A Sports ........13-15A PLAY 4: The topic of the meeting is “STOP Association of Realtors, 918 S.E. 46th Lane. 9-3-0-6 / 1-5-8-9 Unlicensed Work!” The meeting will feature the presentation Crossword........12A State ..................3A Fantasy 5 Hear from a panel of government offi- “Italy Then and Now.” Bruno and Italia Dr. Donohue ........9A Today in History ....11A 9-13-20-30-35 cials and industry professionals as they Cherubini will discuss the culture, history, 4-21-23-26 MB 4 discuss what is being done to stop unli- language, travel tips and modern life styles of Editorial..............4A TV Listings............11A Lotto censed workers.