A 040909 Breeze Thursday
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Post Comments, share Views, read Blogs on CaPe-Coral-daily-Breeze.Com Out! Mariner loses CAPE CORAL quarterfinals to Aquinas DAILY BREEZE — SPORTS WEATHER: Mostly Sunny • Tonight: Mostly Clear • Wednesday: Mostly Sunny — 2A cape-coral-daily-breeze.com Vol. 48, No. 105 Wednesday, May 6, 2009 50 cents County manager resigns on commission’s terms “I would have done something last Severance worth about $153,000 week if I had all the information. I don’t think this is right ... it’s a very awkward By DREW WINCHESTER just under $153,000. The pack- Hall disapproved of the agree- position for us to be in.” [email protected] age includes three months’ ment because of the continued Don Stilwell accepted the Lee salary, accrued vacation and sick car usage. — Commissioner Tammy Hall County Commission’s terms of pay, 401K dividends and contin- Lee County Attorney David resignation Tuesday, ending his ued payment of his automobile Owen said the automobile is in 16-year career as county manag- lease and insurance for three Stilwell’s name, and part of his Owen added that commission- the automobile is part of er. months. contract stipulated reimburse- ers instructed him on April 28 to Stilwell’s contractual benefits. The severance package Commissioners voted 4-1, ment for payment, insurance and construct a severance package This did little to placate Hall, with Tammy Hall dissenting. gas. Stilwell is due to receive totals that included “full benefits,” and See RESIGN, page 16A Top recognition Cape crime down 9.4 percent in ’08 Second safest Fla. city in population category By GRAY ROHRER “We didn’t touch our first [email protected] Overall crime in Cape Coral responder positions.” dropped 9.4 percent in 2008, — Police Chief Rob according to a report released Petrovich on staff cuts Tuesday by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. There were 5,417 total index the second safest city in Florida crimes — defined as murder, among municipalities with popula- forcible sex offenses, robbery, tions of 150,000 or more. Only Port aggravated assault, burglary, larceny St. Lucie was deemed safer. and motor vehicle theft — in the Though Cape Coral Police Chief Cape, down from 5,976 reported in Rob Petrovich’s staff was reduced 2007. by 29 sworn officers last year, he The numbers rank Cape Coral as See CRIME, page 2A Jury seated in trial ANDREA GALABINSKI Tropic Isles Elementary School Principal Donald Bryant with his favorite artwork, fea- for defendant in turing the school’s unofficial motto. Tropic Isles Elementary earns ’06 double murder the Governor’s Sterling Award Faces life if convicted By CONNOR HOLMES two counts each of first-degree By ANDREA GALABINSKI award include: [email protected] murder, kidnaping and aggravat- [email protected] I A+ school five consecutive years. From 70 to 14. ed battery with a deadly weapon. Gov. Charlie Crist announced that Tropic Isles I Increased School Accountability grade point That is the equation state and He is one of 10 defendants Elementary School in North Fort Myers has been cho- total seven consecutive years. defense lawyers were trying to accused in the 2006 torture and sen as a recipient for a prestigious award — the I 100 percent of all student subgroups meeting No solve Tuesday so alleged “Cash killings of Alexis and Jeffery Governor’s Sterling Award. Child Left Behind Adequate Yearly Progress four con- Feenz” defendant Roderick Sosa in Cape Coral. The distinction is recognized as Florida’s most secutive years — the only Lee County Title I school to Washington will receive a fair He faces a life prison sentence prestigious award for performance excellence. do so. trial. if convicted. For 17 years, the Governor’s Sterling Award has I Highest percentage of teachers who are national- After extensive questioning In Courtroom H of the Lee recognized organizations and businesses in Florida ly board certified of all Lee County public schools. throughout the day, behind closed County Justice Center, presiding that have successfully achieved performance excel- I Named a Glasser Model Quality school in 2006 doors and in open court, lawyers Judge Thomas Reese, Assistant lence within their management and operations. — one of only 25 in the world. whittled the initial jury pool of 70 State Attorney Bobby Lee and According to the Lee County School District, I Featured in a presentation at the American down to four men and 10 women. defense lawyer Paul Sullivan Tropic Isles is the first organization of any kind in Society for Quality’s National Quality Education Two of the jurors are alter- questioned the potential jury Southwest Florida to earn the Governor’s Sterling Conference in 2008. nates. pool, which was too large to Award, and is the first elementary school in the state to Besides Tropic Isles, three other organizations were Washington is charged with See TRIAL, page 10A earn the award since 2006. picked for the honor. They include The Miami-Dade Tropic Isles’ accomplishments that helped earn the See AWARD, page 10A School district staff: Fewer cuts anticipated for county either up for contract renewal or are annual employees who have been Options for arts, music told they may not have positions next year, said Adkins, though he By LESLIE WILLIAMS has whittled the number of contract could not provide a specific number. Special to the Breeze employees who might be laid off He said the district is now turn- The Lee County School District down to 155 from a high of 283. ing to the fine arts and music pro- is reducing the number of expected That leaves 78 teachers and 77 grams proposed for elimination in layoffs announced three weeks ago support staff members with whom the elementary schools. But Adkins as district employees and school the district is contractually obligat- hesitated to say whether they could principals find spots for teachers and ed, yet does not have positions to be saved. support staff placed on surplus lists. offer in the coming school year, said “It’s too soon to say,” he said. CONNOR HOLMES With roughly 500 positions Gregory Adkins, the district’s chief “There’s certainly a recognition, we being eliminated next year, the dis- human resources officer. would like to do as much as we can “Cash Feenz” defendant Roderick Washington, left, dis- trict’s head of human resources The district is also dealing with a in those areas.” cusses jury selection with co-council Paul Sullivan and remainder of employees who are announced Tuesday that the district See CUTS, page 10A Toby Oonk during his trial Tuesday. ATAGLANCE AROUND THE CAPE NEWS OF NOTE WHAT’S INSIDE ‘Take 25’ at Sun Splash National Day of Prayer set Annie’s Mailbox........9A Nation ................8A The Cape Coral Police Department is In observance of the 58th National Fla. Lottery joining the National Center for Missing & Day of Prayer, residents are invited to Cape Life ..........7A Obituaries ..........2A Exploited Children by hosting a “Take 25” join millions of others across the CASH 3: Classifieds ............1-6B Police Blotter ....2A 5-6-9 / 9-4-7 event from 5–8 p.m. Saturday at Sun Splash nation who will pray for their commu- Family Waterpark. nities, the nation and the world. Comics ............12A Sports ........13-15A PLAY 4: 4-8-3-1 / 2-1-2-0 School resource officers and other mem- A local event will take place from Crossword........12A State ..................3A Fantasy 5 bers of the police department will set up an 12:10-12:50 p.m. Thursday in the Dr. Donohue........9A Today in History....11A 8-11-12-20-26 information booth and provide child finger- outdoor courtyard area next to Pops 9-10-12-27 MB 10 printing identification kits and child safety Cafe at Cape Coral City Hall, 1015 Editorial..............4A TV Listings............11A Lotto information. Cultural Park Blvd. Lawn chairs are Horoscopes........9A Weather ............2A 3-4-22-42-45-47 Take 25 was started to commemorate welcome. Florida Powerball National Missing Children’s Day, which The inter-denominational event will 3-20-38-42-45 PB 27 x 3 began in 1983 when former President feature Terry Stewart singing the Ronald Reagan declared May 25 as the offi- national anthem, Mayor Jim Burch cial day for the nation to remember missing reading a proclamation, and local cler- children and renew efforts to reunite families. gy and others leading prayers. 7 48445 46010 1 For information, visit: www.take25.org. Call 772-5683, ext. 222. Page 2A Wednesday, May 6, 2009 cape-coral-daily-breeze.com CAPE CORAL DAILY BREEZE OBITUARIES St. Andrew Catholic Church. of New York. friends, Lou and Helen Antoinette Blasetti She had resided in the Cape She was preceded in death Elizabeth F. DiBauda of Cape Coral. Antoinette Blasetti, 86, of since 1984, coming from by her husband, Paul Blasetti Samkovitch She was preceded in death Cape Coral, passed away Yonkers, N.Y. Sr.; and son, Robert Blasetti. Elizabeth F. Samkovitch, by her husband, Peter, in 1993. Tuesday, May 5, 2009, at the She is survived by her sons, A memorial Mass will be 95, of Cape Coral, died Funeral services will be con- Rehabilitation and Healthcare Scott (Rosa) Franciosa, known held at St. Andrew Catholic ducted at 4 p.m. Saturday at Sunday, May 3, 2009. She was Metz Funeral Chapel, with the Center of Cape Coral. She was as Paul Blasetti Sr., Ronald Church at a time to be born in 1921 in Germany. born Oct. 5, 1922, in Monroe, viewing beginning at 3 p.m. Blasetti of New York and announced. She moved to Cape Coral in Burial will take place at Lee N.Y., a daughter of Vincent Richard (Glamarlys) Blasetti of Funeral arrangements by 1964 from Camden, N.J.