Businews 4A Vedder’s view 6A Advance scout 8A What’s going on around town On the pub’s menu: red tape Meet the center of attention Being resourceful VENICE Women help • each other get a fresh start stm 1B LOCAL NEWS COVER TO COVER AWARD-WINNING WEEKLY NEWSPAPER 50 CENTS VOLUME 64 NUMBER 42 WEDNESDAY-FRIDAY EDITION, SEPT. 16-18, 2009 AN EDITION OF THE SUN Judge mulling fees in Sunshine suit BY BOB MUDGE of the Brechner Institute for $325 now. Harrison said the EDITOR Freedom of Information, call- going rate in Venice would be ed it “cutting edge.” $260. He also said he thought Anthony Lorenzo and the some of the time they were city of Venice finally got their Disputed claiming was duplicative, rep- day in court this week, but the Attorney Steve Chase, rep- resented work on matters relat- only issue they got to argue resenting the city in the fee ing solely to other defendants was how much his attorneys - hearing, attacked the attor- or was spent on dead ends. deserve to be paid. * 4 neys’ case piece by piece. He also disputed the claim The final action in Lorenzo’s Under cross-examination for a multiplier, characterizing Sunshine lawsuit against the by Chase, Mogensen acknowl- the case as not novel or signifi- city was a two-day hearing on edged that she had started cant, and one that should have Monday and Tuesday on the preparing the lawsuit almost settled much earlier. Each side SUN PHOTO BY BOB MUDGE reasonableness of the fees and immediately after taking the costs generated by his lawyers. Attorney Steve Chase, right, cross-examines Andrea Mogensen, attor- case on because that was what Please see SUIT, 5B Attorney Jim Green, hired ney for Sunshine lawsuit plaintiff Anthony Lorenzo, at the fee hearing Lorenzo wanted. by Lorenzo’s attorneys to han- in the case Monday. Testifying for the city, attor- dle the fee issue, portrayed ney Richard Harrison, an ex- Venice loses Lorenzo as a concerned citizen In between, Mogensen and complexity of the case, the pert in Public Record and Sun- who had attorney Andrea legal consultant spent thou- number of defense attorneys shine cases, questioned her Mogensen sue the city in May sands of hours on the case. — and what they called the failure to attempt to resolve ‘Pillar of 2008 after he read newspaper They were joined by attorneys defense attorneys’ “Stalingrad any issues about the alleged accounts of an alleged city from the Carlton Fields law tactics” — vigorous opposition Sunshine violations prior to fil- Community’ meeting in violation of the firm in October. Ultimately the to every move they made. ing suit. Sunshine Law. lawyers generated a bill of “It was the most labor- Chase also used Harrison to Investigation of that meet- more than $800,000, which intensive case I’ve ever worked challenge the hours the attor- ing revealed potential viola- they argued should be dou- on” testified Mogensen, who neys claimed and their hourly tions of the state’s Public Rec- bled because of the public pol- said that included murder rates. Matt Leish of Carlton ords Law. Additional claims icy value of the case. cases. Fields, Mogensen’s co-counsel, . ti . s and parties were added to the They justified the claim It is also, they claimed, a said his standard rate is $385 ti lawsuit, which was settled because of the volume of e- seminal case in public access per hour; she testified she effective April 1. mails they uncovered, the law. Sandra Chance, executive charged $300 in 2008 and gets ? Troubled teens get a taste of jail 4 +a+ EDITOR’S NOTE: In order for PHOTO COURTESY OF the Sun to get an all-access CALDWELL TRUST COMPANY pass for the 12-hour Camp X- Jack Meyerhoff, director of RAYD program and the Caldwell Trust Company and sev- Sarasota County Correctional eral other organizations, died Facility jail, none of the young Monday, Sept. 14, in Venice. participants; their family mem- bers or the Sarasota County jail BY KIM COOL inmates could be identified. FEATURES EDITOR BY ELAINE ALLEN- If it had to do with Venice, EMRICH Jack Meyerhoff cared about it STAFF WRITER and was probably involved in it. The 12-year-old who stole “He was a great community a golf cart rushed into line mentor to all age levels,” next to another 12-year-old Habitat for Humanity of South who had tried to take a dirt Sarasota County Executive bike. At the end of the line Director Judy Wilcox said. “He was a much taller 17-year-old made Venice the best place to who was caught with mari- live and he did it by using his juana in his car. mentoring and teaching skills With their street clothes in as an example.” a brown paper bag, each was A full-time resident since forced to wear an oversized, 1981, the consummate busi- orange, county-issued uni- nessman and friend to Venice form with the word “JAIL” in died Monday, Sept. 14. He was thick black letters on the 83. SUN PHOTO BY CHEYENNE EMRICH back. By 1982 he and Roland It’s 6 a.m. Saturday inside a Greg Skeen, a seven-year forensic autopsy technician, told the group about how drugs cause the body Caldwell had become friends small office near the Knights to shut down. While he spoke to the teens, a brain was in a jar to his right. and soon were working togeth- Trail Gun Range in Nokomis. er to secure a charter for The 12 Sarasota County stu- day.” sion of alcohol. told them to do it again. Caldwell Trust Company. dents, including at least two Helme made the entire Addressing the group, “This is about teamwork,” “He was involved with from the gifted program at group do push-ups. Within Knight didn’t yell. he said. “I don’t care if you Pine View School, and others seconds, some were tired and “Poor decisions are what don’t know one another. Get Please see PILLAR, 5A from area middle and high unable to keep up with the got you here,” he said. “You out there and help. If you schools, showed up for a day- 16-year deputy’s pace. need the fortitude to change. don’t get this done in two long program for at-risk “Keep going!” Helme yell- Don’t worry about other peo- minutes and 40 seconds, Man pleads youth that focuses on leader- ed as he sped up the pace. ple who influence you. They there will be consequences.” ship and communication “On your feet. Now, go sit aren’t here for you right now, Some of the older, strong- guilty for skills, as opposed to typical down. Quickly!” are they? Mistakes are forgiv- er boys dropped to their boot camp tactics. Then each student was en, but poor decisions are knees as the girls climbed on Detert threat This particular morning handed small container. not. Think heavily about this their backs to catapult them- they lined up, but not fast “Go pee in a cup,” he said. throughout the day.” selves over the walls. BY BROOKY BROWN enough. “Do it now.” Before instructor Michael Two minutes, 17 seconds. PROJECTS EDITOR John Helme, Sarasota Everyone in the group Cox lined them up for a Much better. County Sheriff’s SWAT mem- tested “clean.” morning run, he reminded Their next stop was the One thing ber and one of three instruc- students that their so-called Sarasota County Jail on Main State Sen. tors, yelled at them. Consequences friends were “rolling around Street. Nancy Detert “It now says ‘jail’ on your When they regrouped, in the sheets, laughing at you Outside the jail, they were (R-Venice) back — congratulations,” he Sarasota County Sheriff Tom for getting caught.” handcuffed and got their legs never pic- said to the 84th group of stu- Knight finished reviewing the Students ran to the old shackled. Inside, 76-year-old tured herself dents participating in Camp varied charges against the 10 sheriff’s obstacle course and Sarasota County Corrections doing was X-RAYD — Examining Reality boys and two girls: four stretched as the sun began to officer Johnny Wong grilled writing a vic- About Your Decisions. “How caught with marijuana, one hit the horizon. them about their poor deci- tim impact proud your parents must be who allegedly was carrying a Disgusted it took four sion-making. statement. Detert of you today. Some of you firearm, several accused of minutes for the group to Then they met a another But that’s ex- don’t know what move quick, petty theft, one nabbed for maneuver walls, climb a 20- man most won’t soon forget. actly what fast and in a hurry means. drunk and disorderly con- foot wooden obstacle, and she’s going to be doing in the But you will by the end of the duct, and a few for posses- crawl under barriers, Helme Please see JAIL, 11A next few days. 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