ORLANDO CHRISTIAN PREP STOPS HAWKS, SPORTS B1 LEESBURG, FLORIDA Saturday, January 25, 2014 www.dailycommercial.com LIFE SUPPORT CASE: Judge sides with family CLASSES: More local schools in case of brain-dead pregnant woman, A5 reported improper numbers, A3 State, local job outlook improves Associated Press JUST THE FACTS TALLAHASSEE — Flor- Lake County’s jobless rate ida’s economy showed dropped through 2013 continued signs of im- ■ Jan. – 8.3 percent provement as the state’s ■ Feb. – 7.6 percent unemployment rate dropped again last ■ March – 7.1 percent month. ■ April – 6.9 percent The state’s unemploy- ■ May – 7.2 percent ment rate for December ■ June – 7.6 percent LINDA CHARLTON / SPECIAL TO THE COMMERCIAL was 6.2 percent. That’s a slight drop from the pre- ■ July – 7.6 percent The da Vinci Robotic Surgery System is shown up close, with items depicting organs. vious month and the low- ■ Aug. – 7.3 percent CLERMONT est it has been in 5 1/2 ■ Sept. – 6.9 percent years. ■ Oct. – 6.4 percent Just as importantly, the latest round of figures ■ Nov. – 6.3 percent Medicine’s future on display show that the state’s over- ■ Dec. – 6 percent all labor force is growing. One of the big reasons for opportunities for Florida Robotic surgical system allows doctors to work remotely previous drops in the un- families,” Scott said in a employment rate was be- statement. ROXANNE BROWN | Staff Writer cause people were leav- [email protected] Lake County’s jobless ing the labor force or had rate dropped to 6 percent he da Vinci Ro- delayed their search for a in December, the lowest botic Surgery new job. rate of the year and more T System at South Gov. Rick Scott trum- than two percentage Lake Hospital is proof peted the new unemploy- points below the 8.3 per- ment numbers when he that technology has cent seen in January. The announced them during grown by leaps and November unemploy- a stop at a Miramar avia- bounds in the medi- ment rate in Lake was cal world. tion company. “Once again we contin- the second lowest rate of Real life physicians the year at 6.4 percent, act as its brain, op- ue to distance ourselves according to the Florida erating it during sur- from the national unem- gery using a video ployment rate and create SEE JOBS | A2 camera they control with a joy-stick-like device. But the robot’s arms are the ones in- LEESBURG side patients that are LINDA CHARLTON / SPECIAL TO THE DAILY COMMERCIAL used for minimal- ly invasive surger- Judaea Childs works the controls of the robotic surgery simulator. Brothers’ shooting still ies, especially when “It’s a hands-on experience that a into continuing on it comes to those in textbook could never provide to a child.” with their educations hard to reach areas or to get there. under investigation needing a tight grip Dr. Synthia Conti “It’s a hands-on ex- or the smoothest of Health Science instructor at East Ridge Middle School. perience that a text- MILLARD K. IVES | Staff Writer Joshua Ryan Faile, 23, [email protected] movements. million to $2 million health programs at book could never a 2008 First Academy of Leesburg graduate who A monitor allows and South Lake Hos- two area high schools provide to a child,” Leesburg police are was captain of his foot- physicians to view a pital is the only hos- got to see and test out said Dr. Synthia Con- still trying to determine surgery as its happen- ball team, was taken pital in Lake Coun- another robot which ti, the Health Science what led to the fatal ing and makes some ty to offering it. About looks just like the real to the hospital on Jan. instructor at East shooting that involved surgeries possible 14 area doctors, vary- one. Their visit was 18, shortly after officers Ridge Middle School. only two brothers at a were called to a “possi- even when the doctor ing in expertise from an effort to intro- “Of course, they (stu- having to perform it, general surgery and duce them to some of local convenience store ble shooting” and found dents) have heard is located hundreds urology to gynecolo- the technologies they last week, but plan to him slumped over inside about certain tech- of miles away from gy have been trained may have a chance present the findings of a pickup truck at a gas the patient. to use it. to work with in their nologies and medi- their investigation to the pump at a Leesburg Cir- The system is worth On Thursday, stu- own medical futures cal related advances, State Attorney’s Office cle K with a gunshot to approximately $1.5 dents enrolled in the and motivate them SEE SURGERY | A4 for possible charges. SEE SHOOTING | A2 LEESBURG New Rural King opens with 106 employees AUSTIN FULLER | Staff Writer ing” on Monday, store manag- burg.” [email protected] er Don Sheffer said. Business at “Obviously this is a great win Rural King’s second store in the store has been good and it for our community to have jobs Florida, at 1715 N. Citrus Blvd. has “exceeded the expectations, being created and to attract in Leesburg, will hold its grand so far,” he added. businesses that are going to cre- opening on Feb. 2 with 106 full- Sandi Moore, the executive ate jobs within the community,” and part-time employees instead director of the Leesburg Area she said. of the previously reported 80. Chamber of Commerce, said Sheffer said Rural King has AUSTIN FULLER / DAILY COMMERCIAL The store had a “soft open- “things are looking up for Lees- SEE STORE | A2 The new Rural King store in Leesburg. INDEX DIVERSIONS E4 OBITUARIES A4 Vol. 138 LEGALS D2 SPORTS B1 TODAY’S WEATHER CLASSIFIED D2 No. 25 50¢ BUSINESS C5 VOICES A7 Detailed forecast 64˚/47˚ COMICS E4 5 sections CROSSWORDS D2 NATION A5 WORLD A6 on page A8. Partly sunny ONLY $5,995 1745 US Hwy 441 • Leesburg, FL 34748 • www.gatorharley.com • 352-787-8050 RIDE A HARLEY TODAY *PAYMENTS FROM $129 A MONTH *For qualified applicants, some restrictions apply, see store for more details. Sponsored by Fran Haasch Law Group - lawfran.com A2 DAILY COMMERCIAL Saturday, January 25, 2014 cent in April, 7.2 percent Sunshine State. The state decline in the unemploy- JOBS in May, 7.6 percent in added slightly more than ment rate over the last FLORIDA FROM PAGE A1 June, 7.6 percent in July, 14,000 jobs last month. two years. The state Office 7.3 percent in August, 6.9 Scott has contend- of Economic and Demo- Department of Economic percent in September, 6.4 ed the state’s unemploy- graphic Research stated in LOTTERY Opportunity. percent in October, 6.3 ment rate is dropping due December that Florida’s JAN. 24 Sumter’s unemploy- percent in November and to his policies, including real unemployment rate ment rate in last month 6.0 in December. his push to cut taxes and would be 8.3 percent if the CASH 3 ...............................................2-2-4 was 5.1 percent, a half In Lake, from a labor eliminate regulations. number of people in the Afternoon ..........................................4-3-2 percentage point lower force of 130,706 people, The Republican governor labor force had held steady PLAY 4 .............................................7-3-1-0 than the 5.6 percent seen 122,911 had jobs in De- has made the economy since December 2011. Afternoon .......................................0-6-9-2 in November. cember and 7,795 did not. and job growth the cen- That viewpoint was Lake’s jobless rate start- In Sumter, the labor force terpiece of his re-election echoed in an econom- JAN. 23 ed out in 2013 above 8 per- was 36,913, with 35,016 campaign. In many of ic forecast also put out by FANTASY 5 ......................... 21-23-33-35-36 cent and dropped steadi- employed and 1,897 un- speeches Scott notes that the University of Central ly until mid-year, when it employed. Florida lost jobs during Florida Institute for Eco- crept back up again. The The national unem- the four years before he nomic Competitiveness. rate then dropped each ployment rate is 6.7 per- took office, a slight stab at That three-year Florida THE NEWSPAPER OF CHOICE FOR LAKE AND SUMTER COUNTIES SINCE 1875 month through the end of cent. The state’s jobless former Gov. Charlie Crist. forecast also said the state The Daily Commercial (ISSN 0896-1042) is published daily for the year. rate has remained lower Crist is the leading Demo- has “not experienced the $90.74 per year (plus Florida sales tax) by Halifax Media Group at 212 East Main Street, Leesburg, Florida. Periodicals postage is The unemployment than the national average cratic candidate expected type of growth in Florida’s paid at the USPO, Leesburg, FL. POSTMASTER: Send all address changes to The Daily Commercial, P.O. Box 490007, Leesburg, FL rate in January was 8.3 for nine straight months. to challenge Scott. economy that is capable 34749-0007. All material contained in this edition is property of percent, followed by 7.6 There were an estimat- In a report last month, little more than gradually The Daily Commercial and is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Reproduction is forbidden without percent in February, 7.1 ed 584,000 people who re- state economists said there reducing the unemploy- written consent from the publisher.