Cape Coral Daily Breeze

Inside today’s S ERVI NG C A PE CORA L , PIN E ISLAN D & N . FT. M R eal Y E RS Breeze APE ORAL E state C C MARKETER Your complete Cape Coral, Lee County Of real estate guide Off Water Pool Home NNOR ater Pool Home ORTH EDITIONED FE F ITIO EBRUAU N ARY 122,, 2 2000099 CO VER PR ESENT AILY REEZE ED BY W See Page 8 ONDER D B LAND REALTY WEATHER: Partly Sunny • Tonight: Partly Cloudy • Saturday: Partly Sunny — 2A cape-coral-daily-breeze.com Vol. 48, No. 36 Friday, February 13, 2009 50 cents Officials commend actions of Hancock Creek’s staff The youths’ parents could not be reached by telephone Thursday. See Page 10A in today’s Cape Coral Daily Breeze for a copy Right steps in alleged bomb attempt “It’s quite surprising coming of the letter Hancock Creek from a 9- and 10-year-old,” King By CONNOR HOLMES released information stating two injury to others, including them- Elementary Principal Kelly said, adding the boys are the Vaughn sent out to parents. cholmes@breezenewspapers.com boys, ages 9 and 10, were found to selves, sheriff’s office spokesperson youngest he has heard of attempting Staff at Hancock Creek have materials and detailed plans to Larry King said Wednesday. to carry out a plan of that magnitude Elementary School acted quickly put together a “makeshift” explosive The youths have each been in Lee County. body did exactly what they were and appropriately Tuesday morning device at the school. charged with attempted or threat- “The aspect that is most alarming supposed to do.” when alerting police to two students Though the device was unlikely ened use of a weapon of mass is the threat itself of wanting to A fellow student alerted a bus with bomb-making materials in their to be able to cause serious damage to destruction or hoax weapons of cause extensive damage or injury or driver that the boys might have pos- backpacks, authorities and school property or death, the youths’ intent mass destruction. They were taken death to students and faculty,” he session of a knife, King said. The officials said. to assemble and ignite the device to the Juvenile Assessment Center said. “The positive end is that every- bus driver in turn told Assistant The Lee County Sheriff’s Office could have caused minor damage or and later released to their parents. See ARRESTS, page 10A Traveling back in time Parents of accused man embarrassed, apologize to victim Police: 28-year-old had sexual relations with girl By CONNOR HOLMES “Me and my wife and my cholmes@breezenewspapers.com Parents of a 28-year-old Cape entire family, we truly, Coral man accused of having a sex- truly feel sorry for the ual relationship with a 14-year-old young lady that is female spoke about their son’s arrest involved in this and her Thursday. family. I’m speechless Michael Campos remained in the about it. We’re embar- Lee County Jail Thursday on rassed more than any- charges of lewd and lascivious bat- thing, and ashamed for tery of a minor and computer him.” pornography solicitation of a child, booking records indicate. His bond — Jay, stepfather has been set at $300,000. of Michael Campos MCKENZIE CASSIDY Campos is accused of having a sexual relationship with a friend of nude pictures from the alleged vic- Holocaust survivor Marie Cori speaks to a group of eighth-graders at Canterbury his younger brother over several tim via text messages. months, as well as soliciting for School on Thursday about her experiences during World War II. See FAMILY, page 10A Holocaust survivor shares WWII Gulf Middle School story with students at Canterbury earns top honors in “The Mother Superior was the only one Hidden in ‘castle’ who knew we were Jewish. She bathed national competition my brother alone once a week because the other children were uncircum- in woods at age 6 sized.” First to place first, twice By MCKENZIE CASSIDY — Marie Cori By MCKENZIE CASSIDY mcassidy@breezenewspapers.com “We are the only school Eighth-grade students at Canterbury School mcassidy@breezenewspapers.com tration camp, but Cori stayed within what she called Gulf Middle School took first to have ever won it twice. caught a glimpse of life during the Holocaust after When we won it last fall, Marie Cori, a survivor living in France during a “castle” in the middle of a forest in France. place nationally for a contest where She does not recall how long she stayed at the students transformed the school into we were the only Florida World War II, described her stirring life story of school to have ever escaping the Nazis as a young girl. castle, citing her young age as the reason for not a French cafe within a classic The students clapped for Cori as she sat down being able to discern if she was there one year or six. Parisian neighborhood. won.” and began telling her story with the use of a micro- Children at the castle were considered “the hid- Every semester the Scholastic phone and small karaoke speaker. Students were den,” along with thousands of others who did not Middle School National Crew — Kathy Adams, fall into Nazi hands. She was looked after by a Contest challenges students to pro- media specialist at enraptured in the descriptions of her life, covering Gulf Middle School their mouths in shock and creasing their brows in group of Catholic nuns. mote reading in schools. disbelief as she spoke. “The Mother Superior was the only one who Forty-eight members of the stu- When the war began Cori was 6 years old and knew we were Jewish,” said Cori. “She bathed my dent crew also are part of Gulf ever won it twice,” said Kathy lived in France with a large family. Although they brother alone once a week because the other chil- Middle’s Accelerated Reading Adams, media specialist at Gulf lived poor, without running water or toilets, she said dren were uncircumsized.” Student Advisory Committee or Middle. “When we won it last fall, they were happy. The country was so overrun with soldiers and ARSAC, a group that brainstorms we were the only Florida school to “We were happy, had lots of children,” she said. one’s safety was so pervasive that even when she new ways to introduce reading to have ever won.” “We never knew poor because everyone was poor.” had to take her tonsils out, a pair of pliers had to be other students. For placing first, the school was As the war unfolded and more Jewish families in used in a dark attic. Cori hid in the attic for some Gulf Middle was named the first treated to a visit from American Idol Cori’s neighborhood were being round up each day time and was watched over by a janitor, who place winner in the fall of 2007 and finalist Lisa Tucker in 2008. This by the Nazis, she said her parents decided to sepa- brought her food and a cat to keep her company. 2008. It is the only school in the year it will be visited by Jeff Kinney, rate the siblings. Her parents ended up in a concen- Even today Cori said she cannot recall what the United States to win twice. author of “Diary of a Wimpy Kid,” See SURVIVOR, page 10A “We are the only school to have See FIRST, page 10A Fund-raiser aids Cape Mayor’s Scholarship Fund “We usually give away between 20 and 30, our goal this Dinner, show helps provide for youths year is 15 (scholarships).” By GRAY ROHRER formance of the Neil Simon “We usually give away — Karen Baker, Cape Coral Mayor’s Scholarship Fund grohrer@breezenewspapers.com play “The Sunshine Boys” at between 20 and 30, our goal board member The Cape Coral Mayor’s Cultural Park Theater. this year is 15 (scholarships),” Scholarship Fund offered din- While the 110 tickets sold at said Karen Baker, a Mayor’s $25 each equaled the amount Scholarship Fund board mem- Last year there were 89 appli- variety of criteria, including ner and a show for patrons cants and a total of 20 scholar- grades and community involve- Thursday evening, the second sold in previous years, organiz- ber. ers said overall donations are Each year the organization, ships awarded. ment. of two major fund-raisers “I think the need is greater Zivkovich, a member of the throughout the year. down because of the downturn which was founded in 1983, in the economy, likely causing hands out $1,500 to high this year,” board member panel that will review the appli- After an hourlong repast, William Zivkovich said. cations and select the scholar- guests were treated to a per- fewer scholarships to be given school seniors in the Cape cho- out this year. sen by a five-member board. Students are judged on a See BENEFIT, page 10A ATAGLANCE AROUND THE CAPE NEWS OF NOTE WHAT’S INSIDE Funeral home sets seminar Lee County TDC to meet The Coral Ridge Funeral Home & The Lee County Tourist Development Annie’s Mailbox ....5A NASCAR..........18A Cemetery will conduct a “Planning Ahead for Council will meeting at 9 a.m. today at the Business ................7A Nation ................8A Florida All the Right Reasons” seminar at 11 a.m. Visitor & Convention Bureau, 12800 Lottery Saturday at 1630 S.W. Pine Island Road. For University Drive, Suite 325, Fort Myers. Classifieds ..........1-6B Obituary ............2A information, call 283-0540. Parking only available on the top floor of CASH 3: Comics ............14A Police Blotter ....2A 4-9-8 / 8-9-8 the garage.

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