Tip off APE ORAL District 5A-15 C C boys basketball tourney begins DAILY BREEZE — SPORTS cape-coral-daily-breeze.com WEATHER: Partly Sunny • Tonight: Partly Cloudy • Thursday: Partly Sunny — 2A Vol. 48, No. 34 Wednesday, February 11, 2009 50 cents Stimulus plan focus of presidential visit By GRAY ROHRER [email protected] An audience of 1,500 people greeted President Barack Obama with a sea of lofted cell phones and cameras Tuesday as he entered the Harborside Event Center in Fort Myers, clamoring President to capture a piece of local history. Barack Obama delivered a 20-minute Obama speech emphasizing the need for a speaks at the more than $800 billion economic town hall stimulus package and how it will affect Southwest Florida resi- meeting he dents, before taking questions held Tuesday from the audience. at the “We cannot afford to wait. I Harborside believe in hope, but I also believe Event Center in action,” Obama told the crowd. in Fort Myers. “We can’t afford to posture More photos and bicker and resort to the same are available failed ideas that got us into this online at: mess in the first place,” he added, cu.cape- prodding recalcitrant Republicans coral-daily- to support the stimulus package. Republican Gov. Charlie Crist breeze.com. embraced the bipartisan spirit advocated by Obama, and MICHAEL stressed how the stimulus could PISTELLA help Florida balance its budget and jump start infrastructure proj- ects. “We need to do this (pass the stimulus package) in a bipartisan way. Helping the country should be about helping the country, not partisan politics,” Crist said before introducing the president. In a moment of serendipity, See Page 8A of today’s Cape Coral Daily Breeze for an article Obama announced to the crowd on the U.S. Senate’s version of the stimulus plan that passed that the Senate passed its $838 Tuesday, and Page 16A for the complete text of President Barack Obama’s speech at the Harborside Event Center. See OBAMA, page 16A A retired schoolteacher who was seated behind President Barack Obama asks a ques- tion during Tuesday’s town hall meeting at the Harborside Event Center in Fort Myers. A young girl holds an American flag during President Barack Obama’s speech. Obama takes time for grieving soldier on leave “He had heard about my mother, and he said it was a rough thing I had Local group, officials help to go through, but I would get through it. It makes me feel a lot better knowing the president cares about the little people.” Marine meet ‘father figure’ — Marine Lance Cpl. Travis Murray President Barack Obama. By DREW WINCHESTER Murray’s leave was extended to the president shared his grief with the [email protected] “He’s down to earth and easy to talk to,” Murray said of meeting the presi- bereavement leave, and he was able to 20-year-old soldier. Marine Lance Cpl. Travis Murray score his dress blues to wear at his “He had heard about my mother, and came home on combat leave to find his dent. “(Though) everything he does is so huge, he’s just so easy to talk to.” mother’s funeral. he said it was a rough thing I had to go mother on life support. Karin Murray He also got the chance to meet the through, but I would get through it,” died Sunday from kidney failure, and It was an emotional whirlwind for Murray. In the midst of trying to come president during Obama’s visit to Fort Murray recalled. “It makes me feel a her son was threatened with going Myers, thanks to Operation Open lot better knowing the president cares AWOL if he stayed for the funeral and to terms with his mother’s passing, Operation Open Arms stepped in to Arms. about the little people.” to settle his mother’s affairs. Murray has much in common with Capt. John “Giddy Up” Bunch, Things were indeed looking grim for help organize and pull together the nec- essary steps of Karin’s funeral service the 43rd president. Like Obama, founder and chief officer of Operation Murray as his 15-day leave was com- Murray was raised by a single mother. Open Arms, was equally amazed with ing to a close. Then Operation Open and viewing. With the help of U.S. Rep. Connie He said Obama was almost like a the time and care Obama shared with Arms got involved, and Tuesday after- “father figure” during the time they Murray. He called the event “amaz- noon, Murray shook hands with Mack and U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, spent getting to know one another, as See SOLDIER, page 16A 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........9A Nation ................8A Fla. Lottery Cemetery will conduct a “Planning Ahead for Council will meeting at 9 a.m. Friday at the Cape Life ..........7A Obituary ............2A All the Right Reasons” seminar at 11 a.m. Visitor & Convention Bureau, 12800 CASH 3: Saturday at 1630 S.W. Pine Island Road. For University Drive, Suite 325, Fort Myers. Classifieds ..........1-10B Police Blotter ....2A 6-1-8 / 0-7-1 information, call 283-0540. Parking only available on the top floor of Comics ............12A Sports ........13-15A PLAY 4: the garage. For information, call Nancy 1-2-4-7 / 2-8-9-5 Steuterman at 338-3500. Crossword........12A State ..................6A Fantasy 5 Neighborhood group to meet Dr. Donohue ........9A Today in History ....11A 1-8-20-21-29 The Southwest Cape Coral Neighborhood 22-25-38-42 MB 11 Association will meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Rain barrel workshop set Editorial..............4A TV Listings............11A Lotto the Oasis Charter Middle School cafeteria, A Florida Yards and Neighborhoods Horoscopes........9A Weather ............2A 20-28-29-39-43-49 3415 Oasis Blvd. Guest speakers are Cape rain barrel workshop will be held from 9- Florida Powerball 5-18-20-28-53 Coral City Councilmember Bill Deile, who 11 a.m. Saturday at Rutenberg Park, 6490 PB 27 x 2 will discuss the city budget, and Bonnie South Pointe Blvd., Fort Myers. Learn how Timberlake of Housing Development, who a recycled 55-gallon barrel can be trans- will address the usage of state funds to build formed into a rain barrel. Cost is $35 per Cape homes. For details, call 540-4651. barrel. To register, call Pam at 533-7523. 7 48445 46010 1 Page 2A Wednesday, February 11, 2009 cape-coral-daily-breeze.com CAPE CORAL DAILY BREEZE News tip or story idea? Call 574-1110, ext. 130. County commission picks company CAPE CORAL DAILY BREEZE to oversee Red Sox stadium project (ISSN 10726152) called back to her seat by Chairman Ray Office of publication Judah. 2510 Del Prado Blvd., Cape Coral, FL 33904 Kraft Construction chosen Judah said it is crucial to have Hall’s Phone: 239.574.1110 vote, as her absence might indicate Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.- 5 p.m. By DREW WINCHESTER Mann essentially recanted his earlier breezenewspapers.com some wrongdoing in the eyes of Lee [email protected] statements Tuesday after Hall had been County taxpayers. Publisher, Jack Glarrow . .ext. 110 If you build it, they will come — cleared by the Florida Commission on “This is a transparent and open [email protected] even if no one knows what it will look Ethics. process,” he told Hall. “I don’t want like, and county leaders argue about it. “I’m trying to put the sting of this people thinking you left because there’s News The Lee County Commission issue behind us,” Mann said. “There is a conflict of interest.” Editor, Chris Strine . .ext. 130 approved Naples-based Kraft an argument to be made here that to The vote to approve Kraft [email protected] Construction to oversee the new Boston refrain from voting may be the right Construction passed 4-1, with Sports Editor, Jim Linette . .ext. 136 Red Sox spring training venue Tuesday, thing to do.” Commissioner Brian Bigelow dissent- [email protected] despite a conflict of interest issue that Hall made her case to the board, say- ing. Newsroom has been hanging over the decision. ing she understands the complexities of The stadium, expected to resemble a Phone . .574-1110 While no design has been selected the issue despite being cleared by the Fax . .574-5693 “mini-Fenway” like the one in Boston, for the stadium, conflict among com- state board, and claimed her family has is scheduled to be completed in 2012 at E-mail . [email protected] suffered. She even offered to remove Please mail letters to the attention of Valarie Harring missioners virtually overshadowed the an as of yet unknown cost. The location decision. herself from the voting process. Advertising for the facility also is unknown, but it Last week, Commissioner Frank “I do recognize the public perception has been rumored it will be located in Mann called into question in this process,” she said. “It’s distress- Retail Advertising Sales Manager south Lee County, possibly Estero. Commissioner Tammy Hall’s ability to ful when family and friends are put Five architectural firms were chosen Susan Grogan . .829-1148 make an impartial decision because of through public debate when they are not [email protected] to compete for the wining bid. her relationship with boyfriend Howard part of the public process.” Commissioners are expected to make a Wheeler. Wheeler works for Chris-Tel, Hall prepared to leave the dais as the decision on the designs soon.