Post Comments, share Views, read Blogs on CaPe-Coral-daily-Breeze.Com Work in CAPE CORAL progress North Fort Myers practices for upcoming season DAILY BREEZE — SPORTS WEATHER: Partly Sunny • Tonight: Partly Cloudy • Wednesday: Partly Sunny — 2A cape-coral-daily-breeze.com Vol. 48, No. 110 Tuesday, May 12, 2009 50 cents Council voices opposition to cutting city services “To take it down to bone and take peo- Chooses to build revenue instead ple out of jobs is not really something I want to do. Besides the real doom and By GRAY ROHRER not be passed by the city council “This, what we have right gloom that we are faced with we have [email protected] as part of its fiscal year 2010 here,” Mayor Jim Burch said to bring some of the more positive Drastic cuts to Cape Coral’s budget, council members indicat- while hoisting a budget scenario things we can do.” Parks and Recreation ed Monday. from Financial Services Director Department, Public Works Residents, though, can expect Mark Mason outlining the cuts, — Councilmember Dolores Bertolini Department and other areas that higher taxes in one form or “folks, it’s not going to happen.” would shut down parks, shut off another while receiving less serv- Mason’s budget scenario streetlights and preclude any new ices thanks to an estimated 35 included cuts that would be need- general fund budget of $116.4 millage rate of 4.77 goes sidewalks next year will likely percent drop in property values. ed to meet the council’s target million, assuming the current See CITY, page 6A Temporary eatery Superintendent proposes tax hike to battle shortfall Increase could prevent cuts to programs, staff By MCKENZIE CASSIDY [email protected] The Lee County School “There are four areas Board discussed a possible tax where that would help — increase during a budget work- art, music, secondary shop Monday afternoon. schools, supplies for Both houses of the Florida children in schools and Legislature passed their budg- above formula for arts ets last week, and now the and magnet schools.” school district is expecting a budget shortfall of $43 million — Superintendent due to lower statewide revenue James Browder and state funding. Superintendent James district’s discretionary millage MICHAEL PISTELLA Browder discussed a potential that could generate $16.3 mil- one-time tax increase in the See DISTRICT, page 3A Students at Cape Coral High School are eating outside under a tent these days as the school’s lunchroom is being renovated. Cape High cafeteria off limits Three firms still in as needed renovation continues running to recruit more students, he said, and it will be modern- Stilwell’s successor ized to resemble the courtyard style found at Work expected Ida S. Baker High and Island Coast High. Both schools were opened in the last five years. Replacement process through summer Bowen explained that Cape High’s cafeteria had undergone a minor addition that enclosed By MCKENZIE CASSIDY an outside portion of the grounds into the [email protected] eatery, yet overall there has not been a major may involve residents Cape Coral High School students are spend- construction project like the current one. The school also has a contingency plan to By DREW WINCHESTER ing the final weeks of school eating lunch “This is an employee under the “big tent” as the school’s cafeteria is deal with harsh weather. [email protected] being renovated throughout the summer to “We have a plan in place for inclement The Lee County who needs to work for us accommodate more students. weather. Hopefully we won’t get those early Commission has begun the and the citizens of this Renovations on the school’s antiquated morning rains,” he said. process to find a permanent community. So we need cafeteria began Thursday and will continue If rain or harsh weather disrupts dining, then replacement for former Lee to include the public in through the summer, explained administrator the lunch room will be relocated to the gymna- County Manager Don Stilwell. this process.” Tommy Bowen. The cafeteria will open for sium and physical education classes will be Commissioners narrowed students two weeks prior to the beginning of held someplace else in the school. the list of potential recruiting — Commissioner the 2009-10 school year. So far there have been no official com- firms to aid in the search from Tammy Hall Cape High’s current cafeteria has been in plaints from students regarding the outside five to three Monday. use since the school first opened 30 years ago. facilities. The firms are Colin range in price from $14,000 to “It’s the original cafeteria from 1979,” said The renovation was approved last year by Baenziger & Associates, Slavin $28,000. Bowen. the Lee County School Board for $10 million, Management Consultants and Of the three, Colin It will be broken down and expanded to seat along with targeted projects at Mariner High Ralph Andersen & Associates. Baenziger & Associates is the School. The fees for their services See COUNTY, page 6A 10-year plan aims to end homelessness in Lee “People have been more open or empathetic to the situ- Officials: All walks of life touched ation (of the homelessness) because the degree of sepa- ration has slimmed. The face of homelessness has By DREW WINCHESTER have blurred between the haves because the degree of separa- changed.” [email protected] and have-nots, bringing home- tion has slimmed,” Arnall said. If there is an upside to the lessness closer to home. “The face of homelessness has — Interim Lee County Human Services Director Ann Arnall economic downturn, Lee Now, people from all walks changed.” County officials are hoping it is of life seem to know a family or Approaching the plight of the way the public perceives an individual who has been hit the homeless with a different the country’s plunge into the the problems of Lee’s home- homelessness. hard by the recession. set of eyes is the goal of the recession, brought together less. Interim Lee County Human “People have been more county’s recently released 10- municipalities, county services As of Jan. 23, there is a pro- Services Director Ann Arnall open or empathetic to the situa- year plan to end homelessness. and private organizations in an jected count of 5,200 homeless said cultural and class lines tion (of the homelessness) The plan, developed during attempt to get a realistic grip on See HOMELESS, page 6A ATAGLANCE AROUND THE CAPE NEWS OF NOTE WHAT’S INSIDE CCCIA to provide update DUI checkpoint results Annie’s Mailbox......14A Nation ................8A A sobriety checkpoint was conducted Florida on 2009 legislative session from 11 p.m. Friday to 2:30 a.m. Cape Life ..........7A Obituary ............2A The Cape Coral Construction Industry Saturday at North Cleveland Avenue Association will meet at 5:30 p.m. Thursday Classifieds ............1-4B Police Blotter ....2A Lottery and Hancock Bridge Parkway in North CASH 3: at La Venezia Ballroom, 4646 S.E. 10th Fort Myers. Comics ............10A Sports ........11-13A 7-6-4 / 5-9-5 Place. Nine hundred sixty-one vehicles Crossword........10A State ..................6A PLAY 4: The topic of the meeting is the 2009 leg- passed through the checkpoint, and 47 8-1-4-4 / 6-1-9-3 islative update. Guest speakers include Dr. Donohue......14A Today in History......9A traffic citiations were issued. Fantasy 5 Mayor Jim Burch, Lee County The following are the arrest results: Editorial..............4A TV Listings..............9A 10-13-16-31-35 Commissioner Tammy Hall and state Rep. I Lotto Driving under influence: 7 Gary Aubuchon, R-Cape Coral. I Driving without valid driver’s Horoscopes......14A Weather ............2A 16-29-31-37-41-53 Cost is $25 prepaid or $30 at the door for Florida Powerball license: 6 4-15-32-49-58 members, and $50 for non-members. I Driving while driver’s license sus- PB 21 x 3 For information or to reserve a seat, visit pended: 5 the Cape Coral Construction Industry I Possession of controlled sub- Association office at 611 S.E. 11th St., Suite stance: 1 7 48445 46010 1 B., or call 772-0071. I Felony out-of-state warrant: 1 Page 2A Tuesday, May 12, 2009 cape-coral-daily-breeze.com CAPE CORAL DAILY BREEZE POLICE BLOTTER (The police blotter contains I Caitlyn B. Cantrell, 19, of I Craig Ward Elswick, 38, I Stephanie Nicole result in physical mental injury public information obtained 3123 N.W. 16th Place, was of 304 N.W. 26th Ave., was Kruvelis, 18, of 3021 S.E. and DUI unlawful blood alco- from the Cape Coral Police charged Sunday with domestic charged Sunday with resist Santa Barbara Place, was hol content .15 or higher with Department, the Lee County violence battery touch or strike. officer obstruct without vio- charged Monday with posses- persons under 18 years of age Sheriff’s Office and the Lee I Matthew J. Cappa, 24, of lence and disorderly intoxica- sion of a controlled substance I Tregory Tyler, 36, of County Jail booking log. 1028 W. Embers Parkway, was tion. without prescription includes 5004 Chiquita Blvd., was Arrests made are suspicions of charged Sunday with domestic I Magda Flores, 34, of hydrocodone marijuana over charged Sunday with drive crime(s) committed. All per- violence battery touch or strike. 1307 Academy Blvd., Apt. 3, 20 grams and possession of while license suspended. sons are innocent until proven I Garrett Zachary Citro, 23, was charged Sunday with resist marijuana not more than 20 I Tammy Carol Whidby, guilty in a court of law.) of 2619 S.W.