THE WIRE Fla. Supreme Court won’t stop redistricting challenge PAGE 1 Deal of the Day Dining table and six chairs, $150 In Today’s JAL Classifieds! Charlotte Sun AND WEEKLY HERALD AI Iliad LESSER CHARGES ALLOWED STOCKS SURGE THE WIRE PAGE 1 Judge: The jury in George Zimmerman’s trial may The stock market got extra fuel after Ben Bernanke said consider a lesser charge. THE WIRE PAGE 2 the Fed will keep supporting the economy. AN EDITION OF THE SUN 1a.. r VOL. 121 NO. 193 AmericA’s Best community DAily FRIDAY JULY 12, 2013 www.sunnewspapers.net $1.00 For YMCA, flood of donations Community restores kayak fleet; arrest made j By GARY ROBERTS their eyes on a beautiful and violation of proba- bragging about having Staff Writer rainbow at the end of a tion, and is being held stolen items from the terrible storm. without YMCA, according to the CHARLOTTE “I couldn’t stop crying, bond at the release. They obtained COUNTY— As kids I was so choked up,” Charlotte statements from the watched in delight, said camp director Tania County Jail, witnesses and went to donated kayaks and Klempner. “The kids according the man’s house, where canoes were unloaded were all lined up, saying to a press they found a canoe that from a truck Tuesday thank you.” release had been spray-painted at the YMCA summer Charlotte County from the a different color. A r 1+ti" camp at Dotzler Outdoor Sheriff’s detectives AHRENS Sheriff’s lifeguard at the YMCA Center. on Thursday arrested Office. was still able to identify After learning that six Andrew Michael Ahrens, Detectives assigned the canoe from a broken , . 1. kayaks and one canoe 22, of the 5200 block of to the case received seat bar and other mark- SUN PHOTO BY GARY ROBERTS had been stolen last Black Jack Circle, Punta information from a ings on it. weekend, the more than Gorda, in connection patrol deputy that wit- By Thursday Devon Poulos, kayak specialist for the YMCA summer camp, 200 children in atten- with the case. He was nesses had heard a man pushes off Ryan Rosado of Port Charlotte in one of the kayaks dance Wednesday cast charged with grand theft at Ponce de Leon Park KAYAK | 2 donated by the community. Riverview murder suspect found in area By DREW WINCHESTER McKinnon, and is cur- Staff Writer rently awaiting transfer The man suspected in back to Hillsborough liAM the fatal stabbing of a County after appearing Riverview, Fla., 7-Eleven before a judge Thursday li convenience store clerk morning in a Charlotte was arrested by Charlotte County courtroom. County authorities and Around the same time charged with one count Wednesday, a Sarasota of premeditated murder County Sheriff’s deputy Wednesday evening, located bringing a daylong the White search to a close. Toyota Lawrence Robert Solara Bongiovanni III, 20, driven by of Tampa, was found Russell by Charlotte County Beasley, SUN PHOTO BY BETSY WILLIAMS deputies walking near i 25, of Midway and Orlando BONGIOVANNI Riverview, Roxana Manta, a fourth-grade student at Sallie Jones Elementary School in Punta Gorda, almost escapes the goodbye hug from on mom Ramona Smaranda Thursday morning, but third-grader Robert gets the full force of the hug. Students at Sallie Jones and boulevards around 5 p.m. Wednesday after a Interstate 75 near East elementaries, Charlotte County’s two year-round schools, went back to class Thursday, while their teachers have been in Fruitville Road in session since Friday. “be-on-the-lookout” was issued by Hillsborough Sarasota. County authorities Beasley, along with earlier that day. Brandan Garret Green, Bell rings for year-round schools Bongiovanni was taken 23, also of Riverview, into custody without were detained for ques- By IAN ROSS Children” printed on the strategies focus on these Sallie Jones didn’t get incident, according to tioning but later released Staff Writer back. good habits as the basis it, so she had another Hillsborough County when investigators At both Sallie Jones for good behavior and, explain what it meant. Sheriff’s Detective Larry SUSPECT | 2 PUNTA GORDA — and East elementaries, eventually, leadership He did so easily. Every teacher wore one. Charlotte County’s only traits in students. Filing into an orderly Thursday was the year-round schools, Second-grade teacher line with a leader, a door first day of school at the good habits — such Jaime McLaughlin holder and a caboose Sallie Jones Elementary as “Think win/win” noticed three of her stu- who turned off the lights Afternoon storms School, and they all or “Be proactive” — dents working together while leaving the room, were sporting T-shirts are displayed on the and remarked, “That’s her class headed to the that had the “Seven walls, and teachers’ good synergizing.” expected to return Habits of Happy classroom-management One student new to SCHOOLS | 4 By CHRISTY FEINBERG “We shouldn’t see Senior Writer any impacts from Typical summertime Chantal,” said Rodney Economist: Regional bucks bouncing back afternoon storms are Wynn, meteorologist for expected to return to the National Weather By BRENDA BARBOSA economics at Florida Economic Research unemployment con- the region this weekend Service. Staff Writer Gulf Coast University. Institute publishes a tinues to drop, home now that Tropical Storm The NWS expects Jackson was the keynote monthly newsletter that prices rise, construction Chantal has fizzled into a 50 percent chance PUNTA GORDA — It speaker at an Enterprise reports on several major starts quicken, incomes a nonevent … at least for afternoon storms may not be improving Charlotte Economic indicators that drive improve and population for now. today and through the as fast as most people Council luncheon the overall health of the grows, Jackson said. The National weekend. would like, but by all Thursday at the economy — indicators Still, the Federal Hurricane Center “We’re getting back accounts the economy Charlotte Harbor Event such as unemployment Reserve is predicting estimated a “medium” into our standard after- is on the mend, with and Conference Center. rates, the Gross Domestic that it will be another chance for the system noon storm pattern,” Southwest Florida faring “It’s always fun to talk Product, home sales and two years before the formerly known as Wynn said. better than the nation in about the economy, es- median prices, infla- economy is back to full Chantal to reorganize Heavy rains this many key areas. pecially when it’s starting tion, employment gains, health. within the next 48 month have caused That’s according to to improve a little bit,” he population growth, and “The recession hours. The one-time flooding issues in Gary Jackson, director of told a group of roughly consumer confidence. started in 2008, and basi- storm, however, should parts of the region. the Regional Economic 50 business and govern- Across the board, cally we came out of it not affect the weather in The National Weather Research Institute and ment leaders. the economic outlook Southwest Florida this Service’s Sarasota assistant professor of The Regional is getting brighter as BOUNCING | 4 weekend. STORMS | 4 INDEX |THE SUN: Obituaries 5 | Legals 6 | Police Beat 7 | Viewpoint 8 | Opinion 9-10 | THE WIRE: State 2-3 | Nation 3 | 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 My Slurpee gave me 90 73 VALUE METER $53,510 941-206-1000 brain freeze. 7vii i' 05252 IIII 1 111111 00025 8 Variably cloudy; thunderstorms in spots. :L J' Our Town Page 2 C www.sunnewspapers.net FROM PAGE ONE The Sun /Friday, July 12, 2013 Bayshore Road. fleet of kayaks and ca- “As soon as we read noes renewed, the sum- KAYAK about it, Dr. Klein and I mer camp children, ages FROM PAGE 1 were very upset. Things 6-18, once again were like this shouldn’t hap- able to hit the water. afternoon, the YMCA pen in the community,” And they were thankful had received more than said Asperilla, who for the opportunity. 20 kayaks and canoes estimated the shed’s cost Just one example of to replace the stolen at about $6,000. the many cards and watercraft. In addition, Klein is a past poems penned by the financial contributions board president of appreciative kids is as totaled more than the Charlotte County follows: “Seeing people $6,000, including $1,200 Family YMCA, and his help out because of from one anonymous family donated to the other people’s greed donor. YMCA Edgewater Child shows there’s (sic) still “It’s just amazing what Development Center. good people. Thank the community has “So I hated to see you for the kayaks and done,” said Randy Dunn, this happen for many canoes.” CEO of the Charlotte reasons,” he said. Dunn also wants County Family YMCA. The goal is to prevent to acknowledge the “What I need now is a a repeat of last week- generosity of donors by secure structure to put end, when thieves cut throwing a barbecue in this in. We can’t let this through the steel cables their honor. happen again.” of an outdoor rack and “It does my heart good That expense, how- broke into a locked stor- that people care this ever, may not be neces- age unit to steal four red much about the kids,” SUN PHOTO BY GARY ROBERTS sary. Physicians Mark and white Coleman Trek Dunn said.