C M Y K www.newssun.com EWS UN NHighlands County’s Hometown-S Newspaper Since 1927 Baseball flip Dog attack Predictions Dragons stun Blue Two young girls attacked by stray dog in Who should win the Streaks area of Sylvan Shores Oscars? SPORTS, 1B INSIDE, 5A LIVING, 10B Friday-Saturday, February 22-23, 2013 www.newssun.com Volume 94/Number 23 | 50 cents Forecast Defendants in Doty case Fog in the a.m.; partly granted second extension sunny, warm High Low By SAMANTHA GHOLAR of Aaron Doty, which took felony), a first degree felony, [email protected] place June 10, 2012. Doty’s and tampering/fabricating SEBRING – Judge Angela body was found a couple with physical evidence, a 86 65 Cowden granted the public days following a brutal beat- third degree felony. Complete Forecast defenders requests for a sec- ing by the defendants which Both Rodriguez and Felipe PAGE 10A ond extension for defendants left the 20-year-old uncon- were present at the hearing Jonathan Ray Rodriguez, 22, scious outside of a party in Thursday morning. The Online and Kenneth Edward Felipe Sun ’N Lake. defendants were handcuffed News-Sun photo by KATARA SIMMONS Jonathan Rodriguez makes an appearance in court Jr., 19, Thursday morning at Rodriguez and Felipe face and dressed in black and Thursday morning at the Highlands County Courthouse in the Highlands County first degree felony capital white striped jumpsuits as Sebring. Rodriguez is charged with first-degree capital mur- Courthouse. murder charges. The defen- they appeared before der, kidnapping and tampering with physical evidence in Rodriguez and Felipe are dants are also facing charges the death of Aaron Doty. co-defendants in the murder of kidnapping (facilitate See APRIL, page 3A Question: Do you think art and culture will draw people to Highlands County? Boy Scouts Flash mob video wins Yes honor 21.9% Alan Jay and raise No money By CHRISTOPHER TUFFLEY 78.1% christopher.tuffley @newssun.com SEBRING — The Gulf Ridge Boy Scouts of America honored Alan Jay Wildstein, Total votes: 91 of the Alan Jay Automotive Network, with the 2013 Next question: Soaring Eagle Award on Do sidewalks in the Tuesday night for his gen- Woodlawn erosity and community com- mitment. subdivision of Wildstein was praised for Sebring need to be the more than 50 cars he has replaced? donated through the years to a graduating senior with the Make your voice heard at most “A”s at each of the www.newssun.com county’s high schools; for giving more than $100,000 to the Sebring Chamber of Obituaries Commerce’s scholarship Courtesy Photo Jimmy Conklin fund; his 20-year partnership The Sebring Middle School chorus students during a recent performance. The chorus program will be receiving a with Fred Wild Elementary Age 42, of Avon Park $15,000 grant from Rackroom Shoes after winning the Gift of Music video contest. School; and for his consistent James Conner sponsorship of high school Age 90, of Sebring athletics and driver’s educa- tion. Sebring Middle recipient of $15k grant Donna Jackson Wildstein said, “I’m hum- By SAMANTHA GHOLAR Age 54, of Sebring bled. It’s an honor to receive [email protected] this award. It was instilled in Karen Jensen SEBRING – A random shot in the me early to give a life of Age 56, of Kingman, dark turned out to be just what the service, just like scouting Sebring Middle School choral classes Ariz. does. Thank you so much.” needed to be named a winner and The award was presented Laurent Nicholas bring home one big check. during the annual fundraiser Age 70, of Sebring SMS was recently named the recip- for local Boy Scout pro- Robert Pilkington ient of a $15,000 grant from Rack See SOLDIER, page 6A Room Shoes. SMS was one of three Age 81, of Decatur, big winners from around the country Ind., and Sebring that were awarded the funds following May Weigand an online video submission contest. Age 90, of Sebring Music instructor Kara Williams has been a part of SMS for 12 years. Obituaries, Page 6A Before this contest, Williams and her Courtesy art students had never taken a chance at Two of the four schools chosen to win a $15,000 music grant in the contest such a huge possibility; she is glad were from Florida - Sebring Middle School receiving the most votes of the Index they did. two Florida schools. Classifieds 7A The spontaneous effort seemed to Community Briefs 2A be exactly what the contest judges a field trip while on their way back to and SMS personnel encouraged fami- Dear Abby 9B were looking for. the middle school. ly members, friends and even “I saw the contest and thought it “We just stopped at the Rack Room strangers to vote for their video Editorial & Opinion 4A would be neat if we did it, but we did- at the mall and flash mobbed right online. The three videos with the most Healthy Living 5B News-Sun photo by n’t have a whole lot of time to get it there. I thought one of two things votes were chosen as grant recipients. Lottery Numbers 2A CHRISTOPHER TUFFLEY together. One of my student’s mom’s would happen – we’d get it done or “It took us hours to upload this Movie Times 11B Peter Albert, Soaring Eagle was right there cheering us on saying the store manager would have me thing. I was about to just give up; we 2010, presents Alan Jay Religion 6B Wildstein his 2013 Soaring we should do it, we should do it. I taken out in handcuffs,” Williams said were having so much difficulty. Then Sports On TV 2B Eagle Award, bestowed by really didn’t think we had a chance,” with a laugh. one of the parents tried a few more the Boy Scouts of America ‘s Williams said. Luckily, the store was completely times and we finally got it. After we Calusa District and Gulf With the encouragement of parent fine with the students’ efforts and uploaded it, we had to get votes. We Ridge Council. Wildstein helper Samantha Bickman, Williams Williams was able to create a unique were in second place with over 18,000 was recognized for his phi- and her eighth-grade chorus class video for the contest. Over the school lanthropy and commitment See MONEY, page 3A to his community. threw together a short video following district’s Christmas break, students 0790994 01001 Phone ... 385-6155 Fax ... 385-2453 Online: www.newssun.com WAUCHULA STATE BANK/Cheryl Hen; 11.25"; 1.5"; Black plus three; process, financial goal front ; 00027210 C M Y K Page 2A News-Sun ࡗ Friday, February 22, 2013 www.newssun.com Worth a listen SFSC Presidential There is much talk about had stepped on an IED, caring for our nation's veter- sending Banan and Josh fly- Screening ans. From politicians to ing through the air. Josh non-profit organizations, remembers nothing about Committee well-intentioned Americans the ensuing battle, in which are saying all the right his fellow soldiers defeated begins things about ensuring that Taliban fighters who returning warriors receive attacked the helicopter evac- application the benefits they so richly uating him to safety. deserve. “At that point I blacked review Still, amid a 24-hour out,” Josh said. news cycle and the hustle Banan was killed in the Special to the News-Sun and bustle of our daily lives, attack, while Josh spent the astating injuries. AVON PARK – The a key component of helping next two weeks in a con- “I was concussed and had combat veterans adjust to fused, nearly comatose Presidential Screening to get to a fallen comrade being home is sometimes state. Committee met Wednesday who had lost both legs,” overlooked. Too often, we “I kind of remember wak- to begin reviewing applica- Josh said. “We applied first forget to listen to the brave ing up in the hospital 15 tions in its efforts to find the aid and cleared a helicopter men and women who under- days later, which is weird fourth president of South to land.” stand war like no civilian since people said I was talk- Florida State College. Two days later, the ever could. ing to them and writing President Norman L. wounded soldier succumbed Listening has become a things down,” he said. “I Stephens Jr., who has served to his wounds, which left big part of U.S. Army Sgt. don’t remember anything.” Josh and his Special Forces SFSC since 2002, will retire 1st Class Josh Gillette’s life With shrapnel digging unit in a state of shock. from the college on June 30. since a Nov. 1, 2012, impro- into his eyes, Josh could Despite their grief, however, During the meeting, vised explosive device barely see his battered face the soldiers knew they had Screening Committee Chair (IED) blast. With shrapnel in a mirror. Missing his Photo courtesy of the Gillette family to keep patrolling U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Josh Gillette was wounded in a Ken Lambert and SFSC embedded in his eyes, it's teeth and impaled with Afghanistan’s volatile Nov. 1, 2012, improvised explosive attack in southern Human Resources Director still difficult for the soldier rocks, the soldier also need- Afghanistan. The soldier suffers from limited vision and Helmand Province. Susan Hale briefed commit- to see the faces of his wife ed a titanium rod in his arm severe facial injuries. “We were pushing outside tee members on the proce- and 8-year-old daughter. But and plates in his cheek- again to take over a strong- if you ask the wounded war- bones.