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noW thrEE Days a WEEK Post CoMMEnts at on CaPE-Coral-DaIly-brEEzE.CoM Tourney CAPE CORAL action Cape, Mariner games end in shoot-outs BREEZE — SPORTS MID-WEEK EDItIon WEATHER: Cloudy • Tonight: Cloudy • Friday: Mostly Cloudy with showers — 2A cape-coral-daily-breeze.com Vol. 49, No. 9 Thursday, January 21, 2010 50 cents Feichthaler interested in CRA attorney post While he admitted that no one Former Cape mayor among three candidates for position will be able to match Cardwell’s grasp on redevelopment law, he By DREW WINCHESTER Tuesday. said. said each candidate brings their [email protected] Feichthaler said he feels he CRA Executive Director John own strengths and weaknesses. Former Former Mayor Eric can benefit the community in the Jacobsen said he considering One might have extensive Feichthaler wants to be the position, combining his knowl- three individuals for the position, experience in redevelopment law Cape Coral Community Redevelopment edge and connections in the city which has been vacant since for instance, while another might Mayor Eric Agency’s new attorney. with his legal background to be renowned land use attorney have intimate knowledge of the Feichthaler Feichthaler’s intentions were effective. David Cardwell died last year. Cape Coral’s laws and ordi- announced by CRA board mem- “I have a unique perspective ... The two other candidates are nances, as is Feichthaler’s case. ber Frank Dethlefsen at the and a strong background on the from Tampa and Fort Myers, practical issues they face,” he Jacobsen said. group’s monthly meeting See ATTORNEY, page 2A Courtroom conference Winning Kids Club preparing to house Haitian orphans By MCKENZIE CASSIDY Ghigna-Hallas. [email protected] The club has a 3,200-square- As relatives and agencies pre- foot facility that she described as pare for an influx of Haitian resi- “very large and children friend- dents after two catastrophic earth- ly,” and the staff is entirely run by quakes in the island nation, one volunteers. Normally, the volun- Cape Coral organization has shift- teers conduct outreach at centers ed the focus of its facility to care like the YMCA, the STARS for babies escaping the nation- Complex in Fort Myers or the wide destruction. Winners House. The Winning Kids Club is a “Right now all our efforts are nonprofit charity organization that going to this,” she said. “We’re assists local disadvantaged and making sure everything is done disabled children living in Lee or legally. We are trying to protect Charlotte counties, but according the children.” to president Gail Ghigna-Hallas, On Saturday the club will the group’s focus is switching begin accepting donations from exclusively to caring for up to 10 the community— cribs, diapers, Haitian children ranging from clothes or non-perishable items, infants to 5 year olds. for example — to support its new “They are looking for places mission. Any of the donations are like us for kids to go in the inter- tax deductible because the organi- im until they find adopted parents zation is a 501(c)(3). when they come over,” said See ORPHANS, page 3A MICHAEL PISTELLA Coral Ridge Cemetery Kemar Johnston talks with a member of his defense team during Tuesday’s proceed- ings. Johnston faces two counts each of first-degree murder, kidnapping and aggra- vated battery with a deadly weapon in the 2006 double murder of Alexis and Jeffrey Sosa in Cape Coral. to hold vigil for Defense questions credibility victims of earthquake By DREW WINCHESTER [email protected] To go Coral Ridge Cemetery is host- of two witnesses in Johnston trial ing a vigil today for the people killed in the Haitian earthquake. Who: Coral Ridge Both testify to what they saw, heard the night of the murders Starting at 5:30 .pm., the vigil Cemetery is open to the public. Those What: Haitian vigil By TIFFANY REPECKI hog-tied, beaten and tortured at a Johnston faces life in prison attending are being encouraged to at Coral Ridge Cemetery [email protected] Cape Coral duplex where the without parole or death. bring donations of food, clothing, In day three of the murder party took place, and then driven Taylor testified Wednesday water and money to help those in When: Thursday, Jan. 21, trial against defendant Kemar to an industrial park in north that he attended the birthday need. 5 - 7 pm Johnson, the state called to testi- Cape Coral, where they were party and that there were 30-50 Coral Ridge’s Courtney Knerr fy only two witnesses, both fatally shot and the body of people present. He was on the said he was shocked at photos of More information: whose creditability was ques- Alexis was burned in the trunk back patio when he heard the devastation, as bodies were 283-0540 tioned by the defense during of a car. Their bodies were dis- Johnston yelling and screaming. simply stacked in the street. cross-examination Wednesday. covered by fire units responding Inside, he saw Johnston “pistol- “I couldn’t believe how undig- Michael Marquis Taylor and to a call about a fire at the indus- whipping Alex Sosa” in the nified that looked,” Knerr said. going to need much more in the William Arciszewski told the trial site. head. Taylor said Johnston ’s co- “Our company is about dignity, coming days. 12-member jury what they saw Johnston, 23, was one of 10 defendants, Roderick Washing- and we wanted to think of a way Though the vigil will start at and heard during an October people charged in connection to ton and Kenneth “Ant” Lopez, we could help, to somehow bring 5:30, Knerr said they will begin 2006 birthday party that ended the double homicide. He faces also had firearms. a dignified solution to an undigni- accepting donations at 4 pm. A in the deaths of Alexis Sosa, 18, two counts each of first-degree The Sosas were then tied by fied scenario.” member of the Salvation Army and his 14-year-old nephew, murder, kidnapping and aggra- “some kid with red hair” while Originally Coral Ridge was will also be on hand to take all Jeffrey Sosa. vated battery with a deadly only going to accept monetary monetary donations. weapon. If he is convicted, The Sosas were reportedly See DEFENSE, page 6A donations, but Knerr said they realized the people of Haiti are See VIGIL, page 3A Board agrees to extend downtown police foot patrol By DREW WINCHESTER Moll said. Now the foot patrols Two officers patrol the CRA [email protected] will stick around until at least the Two officers patrol the CRA on foot during the five-hour on foot during the five-hour The foot patrol program start- summer season. shifts, two nights a week, and during special events like the shifts, two nights a week, and ed by Cape Coral Police Officer Tensions between owners and Downtown Street Market for six-hour shifts. during special events like the Jerry Moll received an 6-month the Cape Coral Police Downtown Street Market for six- extension Tuesday night from the Department originally brought hour shifts. CRA Board of directors. the program to fruition. enforcement, to create special kind of helped to break down The CRA board asked Moll if The program, which began The program acts, in a way, as relationships in the CRA. those walls a bit.” the number of officers could be just over six weeks ago, has an olive branch between the dif- “We want businesses down- Thirty-five CCPD officers are expanded during that six-month apparently been met with univer- ferent interests downtown, with town to be successful,” said Capt. assigned the detail for the six- time frame, to create ann even sal praise from business owners officers assigned to the patrol Lisa Barnes, who works with month duration, at a cost of and patrons within the district, specifically to put a face on law Moll on the project. “This has $10,773. See BOARD, page 9A ATAGLANCE IT’S OFFICIAL NEWS OF NOTE WHAT’S INSIDE Open house planned for Italian American Festival Annie’s Mailbox........9A Health................8A Country Club/Viscaya work to be held Jan. 30-31 Business..........13A Horoscopes......10A Florida The Cape Coral’s Transportation Divi- The Cape Coral Italian-American Club Lottery sion will hold an open house to discuss pro- will present the Italian American Festival Classifieds.............1-6B Obituaries..........3A posed improvements for Viscaya Parkway of Cape Coral Jan. 30-31, located at the Comics.............12A Police Blotter......2A 1-0-6 / 2-6-5 and Country Club Boulevard from Del Bavarian Garden at the German American Crossword........12A Sports.........14-15A PLAY 4: Prado Boulevard to Nicholas Parkway. Society Club, 2101 Pine Island Rd. The 9-9-9-9 / 1-3-6-9 This session will be held Tuesday, Jan. 26, festival will feature live entertainment, Dr. Donohue......10A That’s Racing.......16A Fantasy 5 from 6-8 p.m., at the Cape Coral’s City authentic Italian food and merchants and 2-6-9-13-17 Editorial...........4-5A TV Listings............11A Hall Lobby, at 1015 Cultural Park Blvd. artisans offering a variety of items. Lotto The improvements include median Times will be Jan. 30, 11 a.m. to 10 Education...........7A Weather..............2A 4-11-15-22-23-27 Florida Powerball access management, new left turn lanes, p.m., and Jan. 31, noon – 7 p.m. Gate N/A median curbing and repaving/reconstruc- admission fee is $6, with children under 6 tion for roadway. This open house will be are free and 7-12 years old $3.