Alvarez acoustic, $399 In Today’s Classifieds! AND WEEKLY Charlotte Sun HERALD SPORTS PAGE 1 REDESIGN GONE WRONG HOLMBERG BACK IN THE BIGS General Motors’ deadly ignition switch flaws emerged The Port Charlotte High School alum will make his regular-season from an effort to improve its cars. THE WIRE PAGE 1 debut for the Cincinnati Reds tonight against the Chicago Cubs. An Edition of the Sun VOL. 122 NO. 189 AMERICA’S BEST COMMUNITY DAILY TUESDAY JULY 8, 2014 www.sunnewspapers.net $1.00 LIFE STORIES The Sage Couple claims code of Old Age enforcement ‘selective’ o disrespect to other contribu- tors, but John M. Cavanaugh gets By GARY ROBERTS reporting seven of her N my vote for Letter-Writer of the STAFF WRITER neighbors as violators. Year, and it’s only July. He won last year. “I want all these And the year before. PORT CHARLOTTE — people to get code in- And back to 2010, A year ago, when Debbie fractions and then form which is the earliest Nemser received a a mutiny together. This letter I could find in violation notice for the is not PGI (Punta Gorda our computer files. trailer parked in her Port Isles),” she said. “This From John we get Charlotte driveway, she is a complaint-driven no political tirades, was shocked. After all, CODE | 4 no Obamacare her husband is a con- ..................... or Obamacore, tractor and needs the SUN PHOTO no 99 percent vs. trailer to haul tools and BY GARY ROBERTS equipment to various 1 percent. Right: Debbie Nemser and Steve Instead, he writes job sites. Ray Brown say they are being BAUMANN 250-words-or-less vi- Nemser believed she singled out by Charlotte gnettes about life as was unfairly targeted. COLUMNIST County code enforcement, an old person, which If you drive up and which issued them a citation he is. His letters are perceptive and witty. down any street in for the trailer parked in their Wry and ironic. With a beginning, middle Port Charlotte, she driveway. Brown, a disabled and end, John distills real-life observa- said you’re likely to Vietnam veteran who works tions and philosophical musings to a see a trailer parked in as a contractor, uses the 9-column-inch nugget. somebody’s driveway. To trailer to take equipment to A bit of John, from letters past: prove her point, that’s job sites. The trailer has since On the aging body: exactly what she did, been removed. “We come to accept the aches and pains of long living, and on a pain rating of one to 10 (with 10 being unbearable) if we wake up with around five or six, it’s going to be a good day. … Most of my Doctor’s aches are IGAs. (It’ll Go Away).” What’s cooking? On his friend, “Phil”: … “He was a senior like me but of the mistake grouchy type. Never a smile. Down-in- the-dumps sort. While I would always give him a ‘hi’ his response was always, clears ‘don’t get old.’ Which always made me wonder how you do that.” …“After some time, I heard some bad woman news/good news about Phil. Bad news, I yam, . heard he passed away. Good news is Phil r y By ADAM KREGER stopped getting old.” STAFF WRITER And another: “Although I have yet to make the magic A Port Charlotte 90, those who do are usually glad to woman has been cleared tell you about it. I recall last year while of 16 doctor-shopping studying an array of peanut butter jars charges after her attorney at a supermarket, I turned to see a fellow caught a doctor’s mistake. ager standing by my cart. After I greeted However, the woman’s him, he simply said, ‘Hello, I’m 90!’ And husband says he and his he left.” wife are still spending a Finally, about himself: lot of time and money to “I know my long story is boring, but / try and clear her name. Jam - blah, blah. Blah plus blah. Finally, blah, 4 “It’s been rough,” said blah and blah.” Paul Harrison. “My wife Which was his reaction a year ago was falsely accused, and when I called to ask if I could write we’re out about $10,000 something about his life (blah, blah, SUN PHOTO BY BETSY WILLIAMS and still have to pay to get no), and it also explains why I still got the records removed.” virtually nothing when he surprisingly Adventure Camp at South County Recreation Center offers many activities, but none tastier than the The Florida Department accepted my request last week. cooking class that Pam Phillippe with the Charlotte County Extension Service offered on Monday. of Law Enforcement I showed up at his home in Punta A group of campers made their own salsa — strictly from garden vegetables, no preservatives. These arrested Carol Harrison, Gorda Thursday afternoon, pulled up a three 9-year-old girls, Brittany Bolyard, Shelby Simon and Natalie Fritsch, ate their entire bowl of 69, in March on 16 counts chair next to his and turned on the tape salsa, claiming it to be the best they had ever tasted. recorder. John then hijacked the process More photos on page 10. MISTAKE | 4 and interviewed me for 30 minutes. Blah. When it was his turn, he tucked back to the blah-blah mode. He gave me nothing. Or next to nothing. John likes to Sales tax dollars could make splash talk ideas, but not about himself. This much I gleaned: John is 86. By PAUL FALLON He is “100 percent Irish.” STAFF WRITER OYSTER CREEK POOL SPLASH PAD Grew up in Philadelphia. ` Cost: $260,000 Charlotte County officials etr X71 Lived in Manhattan. He even offered Amenities: Wading pool. Water play structures. hope to use money gener- a quote about that: “I gained the use of Location: Ann Dever Memorial Regional Park, 6791 San Casa Drive, Englewood reason when I moved to New York.” ated by the penny sales tax He occasionally bumped into Kurt to add an amenity to the 2014 Vonnegut in a New York park. “He was a Oyster Creek Pool that was beautiful person,” John said. removed because of cost Charlotte John has submitted writing to the New issues when the Englewood w Yorker. Without success. facility was built in 2007. sales tax He appreciates reason and intellectual Officials plan to use inquiry. $260,000 of the funds extension Woo There you go. An hour and a half raised by the penny sales of conversation and that’s what I got. tax, if voters approve the of Community Services. Except for another quote at the end: measure in November, to “But it’s still all prepped ir “Somebody said most of the ills of man- build a splash pad at the and ready to go there,” he kind are due to the fact a person cannot pool located at Ann Dever said. be content to be alone.” Memorial Regional Park in The infrastructure for John is. So, finally, I said goodbye and West County. the splash pad, including left him, alone with his thoughts. The pool was originally the hookups for the water designed to have a splash Stephen Baumann is a member of and the filtration system, ILLUSTRATION PROVIDED the Sun’s editorial board. Contact him pad, but the amenity was is already in place. All that at [email protected], or call removed because of cost, An artist as rendering shows the proposed splash pad at Oyster Creek 941-681-3003. said Tommy Scott, director TAX | 4 Pool. THE SUN: Obituaries 5 | Viewpoint 6 | Opinion 7 | Police Beat 8 | Crosswords 8 CLASSIFIED: Comics 7-10 | Dear Abby 10 | TV Listings 11 INDEX | THE WIRE: Nation 2,8 | State 3 | World 5,8 | Business 6-7 | Weather 8 SPORTS: Lotto 2 Daily Edition $1.00 Look inside for valuable coupons CHARLIE SAYS ... High Low This year’s savings to date ... SUN COUPON CALL US AT I’m enjoying all this rain! IIIIIU t`' 90 75 VALUE METER $44,823 941-206-1000 7IIIII 05252 00025MD 8 50 percent chance of rain Our Town Page 2 C www.sunnewspapers.net The Sun /Tuesday, July 8, 2014 Sarasota County to talk Springs today By DREW WINCHESTER the two boards reaching Springs would still close State Park, creating an not investing those kinds members have given up STAFF WRITER an impasse on selecting on Aug 31. impasse. of taxpayer dollars. That’s on a positive solution for a long-term operator for Robinson added that it The two sides jointly a lot of money for a the Springs. SARASOTA COUNTY the Springs. The county was vital for the county own the Springs, after swimming hole,” Blucher “They’re pretty much — Sarasota County and city jointly own the to “change direction,” paying $5.5 million — or added. disgusted in everything commissioners will 81-acre property. because so far, the two $2.75 million each — for North Port Area and have no faith it’s decide today whether to Current short-term governments’ joint North Port’s only tourist Chamber of Commerce going to get settled,” jump on board with the operator National and ownership of the Springs attraction. Executive Director Bill Gunnin said of mem- city of North Port’s plan State Park Concessions’ hasn’t worked for anyone. Blucher said he would Gunnin sent an email bership. “They’ve given to insert another short- contract expires Aug. 31. “It makes me sad, the not support purchasing blast out to members up because nothing will term operator for Warm County commissioners loss of opportunity for the Springs, because the this week, urging them to be worked out as long Mineral Springs Day Spa, delayed the discussion both North Port and financial responsibility let their voices be heard as both the city and the a move the city hopes until today because they Sarasota County,” she would require a roughly when it comes to the county own it.” would keep the natural wanted members of said.