Today’s weather: High 88 Low 78 A shower & CHARLOTTE SUN thunderstorm GUNMAN IN TRADER JOE’S STANDOFF LOOKING AT MURDER CHARGE Pulitzer Prize winner A gunman who took dozens of people hostage at a Trader Joe’s store in Los Angeles was booked Sunday on suspicion of murder, after an employee 2016 was killed during the man’s shootout with police. See The News Wire Monday, July 23, 2018 VOL. 126 | NO. 204 www.yoursun.com AMERICA’S BEST COMMUNITY DAILY $1.50 AN EDITION OF THE SUN Program Report: Residents feeling aims to help inmates good, getting heavier By BETSY CALVERT them the Healthy Community based on an annual telephone period, the rate declined from STAFF WRITER Champion Recognition survey by the U.S. Centers for 82.9 to 80.5 percent. post-jail Award. Disease Control. Pepe credited county Charlotte County residents “I’m pleased to inform you According to that survey programs at the commission By ANNE EASKER are feeling better these days, we are moving the needle,” he for this county, 85 percent of meeting. STAFF WRITER even as they exercise less and said. adults said they were in good “The built-in environment weigh more. Pepe drew his conclusions to excellent health in 2016 — that you put in place is start- A new program at the Charlotte Those are some of the from the state Department of the most recent results avail- ing to pay off,” he said. County Jail aims to reduce recid- indicators that the county’s Health database that able. That’s an improvement That environment includes ivism by helping inmates learn interim health director, compares counties from 2013 when the rate was newly constructed sidewalks, to better navigate the world after Joseph Pepe, shared with and shows trends 80.9 percent, and 2010 when improved parks, plans for incarceration. commissioners recently over time. Much the result was 78.8 percent. The re-entry program is a before awarding of the data is Statewide, during that same REPORT | 5 partnership between the Sheriff’s Office, Charlotte County Human Services and the Charlotte County Homeless Coalition. Carrie Hussey, director of Charlotte County Human Services, said the program fills what was previously a gap within ‘Skip the Straw’ the community. “There was no program to assist people when they were getting out of jail, in terms of how to gains momentum navigate not only their life skills, but also how are they navigating By BOB MUDGE and JUSTIN RAFFONE waste accumulating at landfills. the resources,” Hussey said. THE BOTTOM LINE STAFF WRITERS And that’s more likely to happen “What do they do if they don’t now, advisory Board Chair Tom have a job, what do they do if they Valuing its beaches and sea life, he next time you visit a Jones says, because China is no get out of jail and they don’t have Southwest Florida is part of a longer purchasing plastic waste a home to go to?” restaurant, the drinking trend doing implement that comes for recycling. Corrections Lt. Jessica Long said away with T with your beverage could literally Even worse, straws get into the homelessness as well as a lack of plastic straws. ecosystem, ending up in water- transportation can be big barriers be your last straw. • See Editorial, Or at least the last plastic one ways and oceans and causing a for inmates trying to get back on Page 6 variety of problems for people track after their release. you get. The Venice Environmental and sea creatures. If everyone in “When inmates have come back Florida skipped the straw for just in here, what they have relayed Advisory Board is the latest Southwest Florida a week, it would reduce by about to me unofficially is they fell back 2.35 million the number that into the wrong crowd, because government panel to talk about advocating end up as pollution, according relocating costs money and they to the Florida Department of may not have known where to for a “Skip the Straw” measure. This Environmental Protection. go,” she said. “They maybe Fort Myers Beach and Marco could have had a job but month, it considered Island recently joined the in- didn’t have transporta- creasing list of cities and counties tion or didn’t have an recom- mending banning plastic ones outright, address to live or even put six years after Miami Beach did on an application.” that the City Council ask it. Shortly after Seattle enacted The program will address a ban, Starbucks said it planned those issues by identifying local restau- rants to join the to phase them out by 2020. needs and making a plan McDonald’s also has announced before inmates leave the jail. movement. Single-use plas- it would start testing plastic Long said many inmates are straw alternatives at certain U.S. not aware of the resources tic straws aren’t biodegradable, so locations this year. Entire nations available or may not have the are even getting into the act, with wherewithal to navigate those if they aren’t recy- resources. Getting help can cled, they go in the involve a lot of paperwork, which trash, adding to the STRAW | 4 those with limited education may struggle with. The program involves both a PROGRAM | 5 BY THE NUMBERS C 500 million — Plastic straws Americans HARLIE SAYS ... use and throw away each day Paper or plastic? 125 — The number of school buses those straws would fill 38,000 — Total plastic straws an CALL US AT American uses during his or her life 941-206-1000 between the ages of 5 and 65 FIND US ONLINE 2.5 — The U.S. annually uses enough plastics straws to wrap www.yoursun.com around the Earth 2½ times — Source: Daily News, National Park INSIDE Service, Florida Department of Environmental Protection THE SUN: NEWS WIRE: SUN PHOTO BY VIVIAN BRIDGES SHUTTERSTOCK PHOTO Crosswords ..............8 Comics/Puzzles .........5-7 This “Skip the Straw, save our seas” sign is outside the Old Salty Dog to Obituaries ...............5 Nation ...................... 3 inform patrons of its new policy on handing out straws. Police Beat ..............8 Entertainment .........8 Viewpoint ............6-7 Weather ................... 2 State ...................... 12 World .....................2 OUR TOWN: SPORTS: Fort Myers officer ‘critical yet stable’ after shooting Calendar ................11 Lotto .......................2 By MELISSA MONTOYA, MICHAEL brought to the In a post on their Instagram Marathon Gas Station at 3915 Legals .................3-11 BRAUN and MELANIE PAYNE hospital left in account, Fort Myers police Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. NEWS-PRESS the early Sunday said the officer “is in critical The officer was in surgery at Local Sports ......... 12 morning hours. yet stable condition and still Lee Memorial Hospital. A Fort Myers police officer Fort Myers needs continued prayers.” “Pray for him,” Fort Myers who was shot Saturday night police spokes- “Thank you for the over- police spokesperson Mitch on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. person Mitch whelming response of kind Haley said. Daily Edition $1.50 Boulevard in Fort Myers is in Haley and Fort JOBBERS- words and help from multiple Mayor Randall Henderson critical but stable condition. Myers police chief agencies during this tragic is in Asheville, North Carolina, Law enforcement personnel Derrick Diggs MILLER time,” the post reads. and was briefed by phone who have sat vigil in the said they could not confirm the The shooting happened 7 05252 00025 8 hospital since the officer was police officer’s condition. around 7:30 p.m. near the SHOOTING | 5 Page 2 E/N/C www.yoursun.com LOCAL/REGIONAL NEWS The Sun /Monday, July 23, 2018 SUBSCRIPTIONS Home Delivery Rates: Tour de North Port prepares to roll through region Newspaper designated market: By RORY LANE City Zone- Carrier home “It’s definitely a great delivered 7 days. SUN INTERN event, with a good, well- marked course. They supply Rates as follows NORTH PORT — A breakfast and lunch, which plus 7% Florida Sales Tax: 65-mile bike ride may is always a plus for this kind Monthly Bank/ sound like an exhausting of thing,” Rowe said. Credit Card ......................... $40.50 “The ride takes us to a 3 Months ..........................$121.50 trek to many, but for 6 Months ..........................$243.00 hundreds of riders the couple of parks that people 1 Year ...............................$485.99 Tour de North Port is don’t know about unless Does not include Waterline and TV Times. a great way to see the they are from around here,” Effective May 18, you can add the TV Times community. she said. “It’s definitely or Waterline for an additional monthly Although the organized opened up our horizons for charge of $1.00 each. Above rates do not include sales tax. bike ride does not take different areas to ride,” she Subscribers residing in outlying place until October, added. areas may incur additional organizer Alice White is The ninth annual Tour de delivery charge. already busy organizing North Port will take place the event for its ninth on Sunday, Oct. 28. The cost Mail subscription rates: year. for riders is $40 until Oct. 26 Rates as follows (advance White is the chair SUN PHOTO BY ZAC SITZLAR or $45 on the day of the payment required): of the People for Trees event. 7 Days group, which began the Cyclists ride down Toledo Blade for the 2017 Tour de North Port. More than 300 people registered Included in the cost 3 Months 6 Months 1 Year to ride the event and all proceeds went to support the efforts of People for Trees Inc. $154.07 $276.35 $492.11 ride as part of its mission is a breakfast provided Sunday Only of raising awareness between 15-, 35- or said, describing what past Many riders participate by FirstWatch, a catered 3 Months 6 Months 1 Year about the importance 65-mile courses, each riders have gained from the in the event annually, with lunch, as well as additional $71.89 $144.61 $243.54 of Florida’s native tree of which showcases event.