Airport Riding on Runway to Growth Officials: Passenger Influx Bucks National Trends by BRENDA BARBOSA the Influx of Extra Passengers
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THE WIRE ‘Navigators’ to be hired to explain new health care system PAGE 1 Deal of the Day Two TVs, 19 and 12 inches, $25 V In Today’s J L Classifieds! 'ter Charlotte Sun AND WEEKLY HERALD DEATH TOLL IN EGYPT RISES SURVIVORS GO BACK TO SCHOOL The death toll surpassed 600 on Thursday from Egypt’s bloody Students and teachers in tornado-ravaged Moore, Okla., start crackdown on Mohamed Morsi supporters. THE WIRE PAGE 1 classes this week. THE WIRE PAGE 1 AN EDITION OF THE SUN VOL. 121 NO. 228 AmericA’s Best community DAily FRIDAY AUGUST 16, 2013 www.sunnewspapers.net $1.00 Airport riding on runway to growth Officials: Passenger influx bucks national trends By BRENDA BARBOSA the influx of extra passengers. According to Parish, future expansions. Currently, is five gates to accommodate Staff Writer Still, growth is good, officials the Federal Aviation the airport has two. 750 enplanements, Parish said. said, noting that the airport is Administration approved “Unfortunately, the way the “That’s the direction we want PUNTA GORDA — Punta bucking national trends. 610 “peak-hour enplane- FAA works is they approve you to go.” Gorda Airport has received “Where most airports ments,” up from 450. based on your current-year Still, airport officials see federal approval to increase have empty gates, we don’t,” “Enplanements” means the activity. So they are approv- rapid growth as a positive capacity, but with Allegiant Air Charlotte County Airport total number of passengers ing us based on 2013,” Parish indication that the airport adding eight new destinations Authority assistant execu- boarding an aircraft during said. “So we’re going to build — which was dealt a heavy to its lineup later this year, tive director Jim Parish said heavy travel times. Under that next year what we needed this blow last year after DirectAir airport officials say it may not Thursday during an authority formula, the airport would year.” be enough to accommodate meeting. “We’re growing.” be allowed up to four gates in What airport officials want AIRPORT | 11 Eye for the environment Report: BB AM, gun shooter tried to escape cops By ADAM KREGER The chain of events Staff Writer began Monday, when Benning’s ex-girlfriend PUNTA GORDA — A and her local man was accused boyfriend of shooting his ex-girl- were at a xr ,a friend’s new boyfriend in house on the head with a BB gun the 2100 on Monday, according block of to the Charlotte County Tinker , Sheriff’s Office. ''' ' + `fi r Street Christopher Eric in Port Benning, 31, of the 1800 BENNING Charlotte. block of Cooper Street, They heard knocking was arrested on a war- on a sliding door, and rant Wednesday. While in the woman looked the back of a patrol car, out a window and saw Benning reportedly tried Benning standing across to escape from custody .. IY d V the street, according to by sliding his handcuffs the report. in front of him, climbing SUN PHOTO BY SUE PAQUIN The couple went onto through the car’s interior the porch to smoke, and Artist Vicki Glynn demonstrated her technique for painting watercolor Thursday at the Visual Arts Center in Punta Gorda. Here, one cage window and trying Benning came up to the of her works depicts a fish swimming near a mangrove. Glynn enjoys spending time on Charlotte Harbor and surrounding areas to put the vehicle in boating and fishing. She hopes her art will inspire the viewer to be protective of the environment. More photos on page 12. reverse. SHOOTER | 7 School district drafts Third-degree legislative proposals murder By IAN ROSS dual-enrollment classes. lost several classes” that were once conviction for Staff Writer “Most school districts are in available to high schools. fact discouraging their kids from It was just one of the issues The Charlotte County School being dually enrolled,” said School the Charlotte County School Board is reeling from a slew of Board Chairman Lee Swift, “and I Board addressed in a workshop third killing new state mandates that are know that here, because of Edison Tuesday in which it drafted a list creating unintended consequenc- (State College) changing to being a of legislative proposals to bring By ADAM KREGER could not comment on es, including one that requires four-year institution, it’s changed to Florida Senate and House of Staff Writer the case or conviction school districts to pay the their rules on who can be an PUNTA GORDA — Leo Thursday. Boatman’s freight for high school students’ adjunct faculty member, so we’ve DISTRICT | 7 Lansing Boatman, 27, of sentencing is set for Largo, Fla., was convicted - Sept. 27. This is by a jury of third-degree a murder Thursday Boatman’s Murder suspect deemed unfit for trial afternoon after about third four hours of deliberation murder. He pleaded By DREW WINCHESTER in the United States on a tourist Authorities questioned Mellquist at the Charlotte County guilty in Staff Writer visa at the time of her death. but never charged him, and Justice Center. July 2007 to According to a Sarasota County investigators later would find Boatman, serving as killing with SARASOTA COUNTY — A Sheriff’s report, bloodstain evidence throughout an inmate at Charlotte BOATMAN an AK-47 former homeless man accused of Schweickardt, 69 at Schweickardt’s home. According Correctional Institution, assault rifle two Santa Fe a decade-old murder was deemed the time of her to the report, it appeared an effort south of Punta Gorda, (Gainesville, Fla.) College unfit to stand trial by two psychia- disappearance, had was made to clean up the crime originally was charged students who were camp- trists in July, which could mean a rented a room in her scene, but blood had pooled in the with second-degree mur- ing in the Ocala National year or more until he once again Sarasota home to edges of the linoleum floor, stain- der for the beating death Forest in January 2006, sees the inside of a courtroom. Mellquist in March ing the concrete in the kitchen of his cellmate — Ricky for which he received a John Alan Mellquist, 54, was 2003, but found and the hallway floors. Blood also Morris, 28 — in August sentence of life in prison arrested in February in the Warm Mellquist’s habits to was found under a folding door 2010. without parole. Mineral Springs community and MELLQUIST be messy. Mellquist that led to the laundry room, and The lesser conviction is According to court charged with second-degree was drinking at the home, leaving had splashed under the kitchen a second-degree felony, records, Boatman killed murder in connection with the lights on and forgetting to lock the cabinets, stove and refrigerator, carrying a maximum of Morris by “punching, killing of Anneliese Schweickardt, door, so Schweickardt decided to 15 years in prison. a German citizen who was living evict him. UNFIT | 11 Boatman’s attorneys MURDER | 7 INDEX | THE SUN: Police Beat 4,11 | Obituaries 5 | Legals 6-7 | Viewpoint 8 | Opinion 9-10 | THE WIRE: State 2-3 | Nation 2-3,5 | World 5,8 | Business 6-7 | Weather 8 | SPORTS: Lotto 2 | CLASSIFIED: Comics 9-12 | Dear Abby 12 | TV Listings 13 Daily Edition $1.00 Look inside for valuable coupons High Low This year’s savings to date ... CHARLIE SAYS ... SUN COUPON CALL US AT < 90 76 941-206-1000 Bueller? it VALUE METER $61,349 Ic IIIIII II IIIIIII 60 percent chance of rain 7 05252 00025 8 Our Town Page 2 C www.sunnewspapers.net The Sun /Friday, August 16, 2013 Habitat, bank form partnership harlotte County Habitat for Human- HABITAT FOR C ity and Florida HUMANITY Community Bank share a common interest to pro- EllEn Cardillo mote change and serve the community. “These dollars Several months ago, Scott will help our affiliate Evans, Florida Community serve more families in Bank assistant vice presi- Charlotte County,” said dent of business develop- Mike Mansfield, CEO of ment in Port Charlotte, Charlotte County Habitat. approached Charlotte Florida Community Bank County Habitat and has also expressed interest expressed interest in how to to further partner with get involved with the local Habitat in an effort to better affiliate. serve the community. After learning more about “At Florida Community Charlotte County Habitat’s Bank, we are sincerely in- specific needs, the local vested in the betterment of bank suggested applying for the communities we serve. grant money that was avail- We are honored to have the able to the bank through the opportunity to partner with Community Reinvestment Charlotte County Habitat Act. We are grateful that for Humanity and support our request for funds to all of the meaningful work be utilized in our Family they do and lives they im- Services department to pact,” said Nancy Merolla, PHOTO PROVIDED promote Charlotte County the bank’s CRA officer. Habitat’s homeownership Ellen Cardillo is Habitat From left, Scott Evans, assistant vice president of business development for Florida Community Bank; Mike Mansfield, CEO of Char- program and to recruit new for Humanity’s special lotte County Habitat for Humanity; Nancy Merolla, CRA officer for Florida Community Bank; and Gabrielle Reineck, senior director applicants was accepted. events coordinator. of outreach for Charlotte County Habitat for Humanity. | COMMUNITY NEWS BRIEFS Teen court Library seeks accepting input on services applications The Charlotte County The Charlotte County Library System is Teen Court Program now seeking input on the is accepting applications services it provides. from interested students Residents and patrons from area high schools. are asked to take the Applications are available library survey and to students in grades provide input on nine through 12, who their experiences at are in good academic the libraries.