THREE DAYS A WEEK POST COMMENTS AT CAPE-CORAL-DAILY-BREEZE.COM Off and CAPE CORAL running Baker girls open hoops season with a win over city rival BREEZE —SPORTS MID-WEEK EDITION WEATHER: Sunny • Tonight: Mostly Clear • Friday: Sunny — 2A cape-coral-daily-breeze.com Vol. 50, No. 138 Thursday, November 17, 2011 50 cents Fake license scheme lands Cape man in federal prison By TIFFANY REPECKI deal with prosecutors. In the plea agreement, Albanito pleaded to: [email protected] Albanito faced a maximum of 145 ■ A Cape Coral man has been sentenced years in prison if he had been convicted on Two counts of unlawful pro- derived from a specified unlawful all of the charges and if he received the duction of false identification docu- activity to federal prison for producing and distrib- ■ uting fake driver’s licenses, for which he maximum allowed for each charge. In ments One count of structuring cur- ■ pocketed at least $1 million. addition to his plea, he also agreed to for- Two counts of unlawful trans- rency transactions to evade reporting U.S. District Judge John E. Steele sen- feit $868,040, a 2010 Lexus, the West fer of false identification documents requirements ■ ■ tenced Brandon T. Albanito, 25, of 801 Cape Estates home, jewelry, an iPhone, One count of using a fictious Two counts of possession of computers and software programs, a name to conduct unlawful business drugs with intent to distribute W. Cape Estates Circle, to 87 months — ■ 6-1/2 years — Monday. In May, he had Caspian Arms .45-caliber semi-automatic by means of the U.S. Postal Service One count of possession of a ■ pleaded guilty to several charges under a Brandon T. Two counts of engaging in firearm and ammunition by a con- See LICENSE, page 14A Albanito monetary transactions in property victed felon In the path of progress? Bahama Mamma’s may make way for Chase Bank branch By DREW WINCHESTER steady enough to keep the doors [email protected] open, the beer flowing and the Lee Mahatzke opened Bahama cheeseburgers sizzling on the Mamma’s on Southeast 47th grill. Terrace 18 months ago, repurpos- Now, Bahama Mamma’s ing an old bank teller drive thru might be torn down in favor of a into an open air tiki bar serving new Chase Bank, which is being food and drinks. eyed for the corner of Cape Coral Mahatzke sunk $130,000 into Parkway and Del Prado the venture, he said, and received Boulevard. $21,100 in return from the down- Should the bank be built, town Community Redevelopment Bahama Mamma’s would Agency’s governing board via become a storm water retention their facade grant policy, which site. rewards businesses for sprucing “I want to know what my up their exteriors throughout the options are,” Mahatzke said. district. “Right now, I don’t see too Business has not been great many.” during the last 18 months, Documentation shows that Mahatzke added, but it’s been Ingrid Seiler, visiting See BANK, page 14A from Germany, lends a hand as The Friends of the Cape Coral Library prepare for Nights on the Parkway their sale this week at the Cape Coral Library. Street fest Friday By MEGHAN McCOY include German and in South Cape mmccoy@breeze Spanish fiction books. newspapers.com Novander said some- one donated a ton of By DREW WINCHESTER Books began filling dwinchester@ the Cape Coral German books for the sale. breezenewspapers.com Library’s large meeting “Nights on the room Wednesday Individuals can donate books to the Parkway” returns Friday morning as the Friends for another go-round of of the Library started library any time throughout the year, shopping, dining and entertainment along one of sorting through the col- the city’s most traveled thoroughfares. lection to get ready for which will be used for the book sales. It’s an effort by downtown business owners to the annual Fall Book showcase themselves in a festival-like atmos- Sale, which will kick Each sale generates between $5,000 and phere. off today for members, Live music, classic cars, karaoke, raffle prizes Friday for the general $6,000, which directly MICHAEL PISTELLA benefits the library. and a treasure hunt are just some of the fun to be public. had when the sun starts to set on Friday night. The Friends of the The Friends of the Cape Coral Library presi- The annual Fall dent Paula Novander is up to her elbows in Book Sale will kick off Cape Coral’s favorite son, Big john, is even set to Library spent all day make his return. Wednesday and the books for the Thursday, Friday, Saturday sale. today for members only from 3 p.m.-5:30 p.m. “This is all about getting people out of their majority of the day Friends of the Cape books that are donated cars and putting feet on the street,” said Carole Thursday organizing The sale will open Coral Library Paula are provided by the for the public on Glorioso from John Michaels Jewelry. “We’re and separating the Novander said they public. inviting everyone downtown to have a great time.” books into different Friday, Nov. 18, from should have about “We have more than 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., Businesses throughout downtown Cape Coral, categories, so individu- 10,000 books this year ever this year,” she not just along the parkway, are taking part in the als could find what they and on Saturday, Nov. for the sale. She said said. 19, from 9 a.m. until 3 are looking for better. the majority of the Some of the books See PARKWAY, page 14A President of the See BOOKS, 14A Irwin Weyer, Winter visitor returns (again) 101, made his way back by 101 year-old has visited Cape Coral since 1965 van to Cape Coral from By MEGHAN McCOY club house. Kentucky [email protected] He served in the Navy in WWII for recently. For A winter visitor, who has been travel- 31 months before he was discharged in the first time, 1945. Irwin said he maintained a hospi- ing from Kentucky to Cape Coral for he was not more than 40 years, arrived last week tal in Africa and helped load the ships with his wife thanks to the help of his with materials. He was in the water, per- the driver for nephew. haps, for nine months and was there dur- the annual Irwin Weyer was born in Indiana and ing the invasion of Italy. trip south. moved to Kentucky in 1936. His first In 1946, he became a building con- trip to Cape Coral occurred in 1965 after tractor and built five subdivisions and MICHAEL he won a trip including two nights at a See VISITOR, page 14A PISTELLA ATAGLANCE NEWS OF NOTE NEWS OF NOTE WHAT’S INSIDE Boating seminar today Cole Bros Circus A recreational boating seminar will be Cole Bros Circus of the Stars will be in Annie’s Mailbox......14A Horoscopes........9A held at the Cape Coral Yacht Club on Cape Coral Monday, Nov. 21, Tuesday, Nov. Classifieds.............1-4B Health................8A Thursday, Nov. 17. 22, and Wednesday, Nov. 23 at 609 N.E. CASH 3: Pine Island Road (Rt. 78). 2-7-4 / 2-1-4 This seminar is highly recommended for Comics.............10A Obituaries..........2A new boaters to the area, especially if you are a Performances at 4:30 and 9:30 p.m. daily. PLAY 4: Crossword........10A Police Blotter......6A 1-5-2-1 / 0-6-1-8 boater from the north, but new to Southwest Advance tickets available at: Pets Dr. Donohue.........9A Sports.........12-13A Fantasy 5 Florida boating. Topics include identifying Universe, 4606 Del Prado Blvd. 8-22-27-32-33 the local waterways, boat lifts and locks, boat Cape Coral City Hall, 1916 Cultural Editorial...........4-5A TV Listings............11A Lotto ramp etiquette, maintenance and protection of Parkway Education...........7A Weather..............2A 10-24-34-37-39-45 your boat, plus much more. There will be a Cape Coral Youth Center, 346 S.W. 2nd X 4 few guest speakers providing a wide range of Ave. Florida Powerball information and answering questions Four Freedoms Park, 4618 Tarpon Court; 13-22-25-39-51 The seminar will be held Thursday, Nov. or www.tickets or call 1-888-332-6200 PB 28 X 2 17, 7-9 p.m. Cost $15 for Cape resident, $22 For tickets: www,tickets or call 1-888- non-resident 332-6200 Pre-registration is required. Contact the 7 48445 46010 1 Cape Coral Yacht Club at 574-0806 Page 2A Thursday, November 17, 2011 cape-coral-daily-breeze.com CAPE CORAL BREEZE Cape officer resigns in wake of problem with GED documentation By TIFFANY REPECKI of the record to compare the documents department’s mass hirings. Processing service.” [email protected] and confirm Chase’s GED. more than 1,100 applications, the CCPD The issue that the department has was A Cape Coral police officer recently “The document he did supply us was hired approximately 100 new officers the lack of truthfulness. resigned after officials discovered that a forgery, so to speak,” Sims said. within the 18-month period. “It’s concerning that the guy would he had provided the city with a forged Chase had apparently found the GED A military veteran, Chase provided a lie about having it,” Sizemore said. GED document when hired in 2005. of someone with the same name and copy of the fake GED at that time. Chase will not face any criminal A couple of months ago, Cape Officer input his own information, like Social “That’s one of the problems with charges in connection to the GED for- Stephen B.