Largo city manager lauded Mac Craig gets high marks in City Commission’s annual evaluation ... Page 2A. Blues rock’s top stars perform Aug. 25 at Ruth Eckerd Hall Johnny Winter, Edgar Winter, Rick Derringer headline Hippiefest. ... Page 8B. Volume XXXV, No. 4 www.TBNweekly.com August 16, 2012 ENTERTAINMENT Gualtieri, Welch take primary wins By SUZETTE PORTER The main office could tell that the precincts were try- explained. ing to modem in the results, but kept getting discon- When the malfunction became apparent, they were LARGO – Election workers were hopping Tuesday, nected, Clark said. When the backup server produced told to drive to the main election office. Aug. 14, as results were hand-delivered from polling the same results, staff concluded that the problem was “I am very proud of everybody for switching gears places throughout Pinellas to the Supervisor of Elec- with the phone bank server. Precincts closer to the and getting it done,” Clark said. tions office in Largo. main election office in Largo were notified to drive the The Pinellas election office has used their current Due to an issue with the communications' phone ballots and USB drives directly. system for electronically transferring results since bank server, the modems didn’t work, meaning elec- Clark explained that her staff was able to recover 2008, without a problem like the one that occurred tronic transfers weren’t possible. Poll workers delivered quickly from the malfunction because “we are so decen- during the primaries. the ballots the old-fashioned way – by vehicle. tralized.” “We tried to make it fail. We tested it to death,” Clark Results were delayed with the last precincts reporting The way the system works, 51 election advisers are said. “The only time it did fail was when we needed it in about 10 p.m. Polls closed at 7 p.m. in charge of collecting the ballots and electronic results tonight.” At the box office “We realized that we had an equipment issue about in USB drives from about five precincts each, Clark 7:10, 7:15 (p.m.), said Supervisor of Elections Deborah said. Those election advisers bring those hard copy re- The Expendables are back and this Clark. sults to the main office on election night anyway, Clark See PRIMARY, page 4A time it’s personal. “The Expendables 2,” starring Sylvester Stallone, are compelled to seek revenge in hostile territory where the odds are stacked against them. ‘Our hero, Matt’ ... Page 1B. Residents pay respects for fallen solider By TOM GERMOND “I would say he loved the lord. Com- COUNTY mitted. Dedicated to whatever he did, LARGO – Hundreds of residents toting and he did it well,” Martin said. Heritage Village American flags lined Ulmerton Road and Jason Rawley of Largo also knew other streets Aug. 10 as the Largo soldier Matthew. who was killed in Afghanistan Aug. 2 “Steve Sitton, Matthew Sitton’s father, to harvest trees was brought in a motorcade to a Belleair was our mechanic and very good friend. Visitors to Heritage Village in Largo Bluffs funeral home. We highly respect him may have noticed the blue markings on Friends of U.S. Army Staff (Matthew) and loved him very some of the pine trees in preparation for Sgt. Matthew Sitton, 26, and his much. We came out to show harvesting in the next few months. family, members of his church our support,” said Rawley, his According to officials, when the pines and others unfurled large flags, voice cracking. were originally planted at a density com- took cover under red, white and Don Forehand has known parable to that of a pine plantation, blue umbrellas, sat in folding Steve and Cheryl, Matthew’s which typically would be thinned after chairs, sipped on water and mother, before Matthew was about 15 to 25 years to allow those left waited patiently for more than born. Photo by TOM GERMOND Matthew Sitton behind to continue growing. an hour for the motorcade to “It’s like losing one of my Area residents pay their respects Aug. 10 for fallen U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Matthew Sitton ... Page 5A. make its way in past the First Baptist own,” Forehand said. “We came to the as a funeral motorcade makes its way west on Ulmerton Road. Church of Indian Rocks. church in November 1986, and Cheryl Gandy Bridge to MacDill Air Force Base, teacher’s assistant for a couple of years, Some older teens waited on the back and Steve were the counselors.” to retrieve Matthew’s remains. and Cheryl Sitton was one of her son’s of their pickup truck in the parking lot Recalling Matthew when he was little The motorcade returned to Pinellas first teachers at Indian Rocks Christian Aug. 10 for the procession; other people brought a smile to Forehand’s face. School. crowded under a line of young old trees “He was the neatest little redhead,” he County around 11:30 a.m., via the Reward offered She was impressed by the show of for shade as only an occasional wisp of said, laughing. “He was everybody’s little Howard Frankland Bridge, and pro- support. wind brought relief from the heat. A kid.” ceeded on Ulmerton Road past the “It just gets to you.” in murder case group of elderly veterans were escorted Matthew was a real athlete and fun to Sheriff’s Office to Indian Rocks Road. Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri out of a van and led to their wheelchairs. know, Forehand said. Their destination was Hubbell Funeral announced Aug. 13 that a $10,000 re- Motorists heading west sounded their “We had real relationship with the Sit- Home, 499 Indian Rocks Road. N., Bel- Sgt. Sitton’s ward is being offered for information horns, in show of support. A veteran tons for many, many years. That just leair Bluffs. military service leading to the arrest of a suspect wanted planted several small flags in the ground. broke my heart. I got sick to my stom- “I belong to this church. I think it’s Staff Sgt. Matthew Sitton joined the in connection with the April 5 shooting of Colt Martin carried a placard that said, ach,” Forehand said. wonderful. I think it’s great giving our Army on March 2, 2006, as an infantry- a Largo man. “Our hero, Matt.” A friend of Sitton’s The family motorcade, escorted by the support, showing we honor him,” said man, attending Basic Training and Air- PCSO is looking for Eddie Jonathan family who played baseball with Sitton in Pinellas and Hillsborough Sheriff’s Of- Lisa O’Brien of Largo. borne School at Fort Benning, Ga., and Todd Walker, 28, last known address in junior high school and went to church fice deputies, departed from the west Tracy Hutcheson of Belleair stood Seminole, who the sheriff described as a with him, Martin described Sitton as a side of the Pinellas Sheriff’s complex at with friends along Ulmerton Road wait- career criminal, for the April 5 murder of loving person. around 8 a.m. and proceeded over the ing for the procession. Matthew was a See SOLDIER, page 3A Terrance Benar Thomas. ... Page 6A. PET CONNECTION Speaking of Pets Many cats and dogs suffer from allergies. Kim Donovan D.V.M. of Oakhurst Veterinary Hospital looks at po- Drugs coming off the shelves tential causes. … Page 9A. Editor’s note: This is the sec- there, or at least you can’t see had been made available to ond segment in a series, which them,” he said. “Some are hid- other law enforcement jurisdic- continues next w eek. ing them under the counter tions, but he didn’t know if any away from the scrutiny of the had sent them out. Largo Police By SUZETTE PORTER public and law enforcement.” Department started delivering VIEWPOINTS Zsido said he knows of at letters to convenience storeown- Local convenience stores are least one business continuing to ers a couple of years ago. starting to get the message. sell the products out in the Sgt. John Trebino, who is in Carl Hiaasen Law enforcement officials are open and reports are coming in charge of Largo police’s Special Columnist provides a reporting that some storeowners Operations Unit, said his de- glimpse at Gov. Rick are doing the right thing by tak- partment became aware of the Scott’s email. ing synthetic drug products off “These drugs are problem two to three years ago. … Page 11A. their shelves. Others are contin- hurting people. “But we didn’t know much uing to endanger the public by about it,” he said. going underground. Kudos to those He admitted to being “accu- Pinellas County Sheriff’s who stopped rately distracted” by the growing deputies began delivering notifi- selling it.” problem of prescription drug cation letters July 2 to 190 con- abuse and “other drug fronts,” Features venience stores located in including synthetic steroids and unincorporated areas as well as – Sgt. John Trebino other drugs coming in from Business . .12A municipalities that contract Largo police China. Classifieds . .5-7B PCSO’s services. The letters, “Then we started seeing stuff Community . .13-14A signed by the sheriff, recom- pop up, the cannabinoids, syn- County . .5-6A mend that convenience store about the ones who are selling thetic marijuana, bath salts,” he Packages of synthetic drugs contain warning labels that state the Entertainment . .1-4,8B owners comply with a state law them from under the counter. said. products are not for human consumption. Retailers selling the Largo . .2-3A that bans the possession and He said deputies are following Reports started coming in product say they aren’t responsible for their customers’ misuse.