BACK TO THE FUTURE AT FAL, SPORTS B1 LEESBURG, FLORIDA Wednesday, April 30, 2014 www.dailycommercial.com AIRPORT: Leesburg plans to build a ramp NBA: League bans Clippers to aid Seaplane manufacturer Wipaire, A3 owner Sterling for life, B1 State poised to pass contentious tuition bill Associated Press state students and those who Students in the country illegally would pay in-state tuition are undocumented. TALLAHASSEE — After While some Republicans session appeared in trou- low students in the country il- Senate President Don Gae- years of fierce debate, the have sharply criticized the ble due to the sharp divisions legally to pay the same tuition tz, who is opposed to the bill, Florida Legislature seems idea as “pandering,” Gov. Rick among Republicans. But state rate as other residents if they said no one objected to the about ready to allow qualified Scott and other top GOP leg- senators on Tuesday quietly had attended a Florida school move because a majority of Florida students to pay in- islators have embraced the waived their rules to clear a fi- for at least three years prior to senators want to debate the state college tuition rates even proposal during this election nal vote on the measure later graduation. Currently the in- legislation. if they are in the country ille- year. this week. state tuition rate is one-quar- “That doesn’t mean gally. The legislation earlier this The bill, if passed, would al- ter of what is paid by out-of- SEE BILL | A2 Woman pulled from burning house Eustis officials eye new policy on invocations Staff Report ing that the commis- sion does not prose- Eustis officials want lytize or advance any to establish a poli- faith or show any pur- cy for invocations be- poseful preference of fore city commission one religious view to meetings to avoid the exclusion of oth- problems seen by ers,” Acting City Man- their counterparts in ager Dianne Kramer Lakeland, who were said in a memo to the sued by local atheists. board. The Lakeland The resolution Chapter of the Athe- states the invocation ists of Florida sued and Pledge of Alle- commissioners there giance will be includ- last year, saying sec- ed on the meeting tarian prayer vio- lates the Establish- agenda, but will oc- ment Clause of the cur prior to the offi- First Amendment cial start of the meet- and Article I, Section ing and no one is 3 of the Florida Con- required to partici- PHOTO COURTESY OF AMBER SOMERSET stitution. The district pate. Invitations will be sent out to all reli- A woman is pulled from a house fire at 2760 Eastland Road by Fire Rescue workers in Mount Dora on Tuesday. court disagreed. The suit also took gious groups to offer issue with prayers be- the invocation and a Thermal imaging helps rescuers find Mount Dora victim ing led primarily by rotating schedule will MILLARD K. IVES | Staff Writer invocational speak- be set up, if needed. [email protected] ers of the Christian “If the scheduled faith, saying it pro- invocation speak- woman unconscious after being over- moted “Protestant er is not present, come by smoke was rescued Tuesday af- Christian religion the chairman/may- A ternoon from her home in Mount Dora. over other denomi- or may ask another Assistant Chief Jim Dickerson of Lake Coun- nations and religions, community religious ty Fire-Rescue said firefighters arrived at and religion over leader that is pres- the Eastland Road house sometime around non-religion.” ent to offer the invo- 12:30 p.m. and found smoke billowing from its As a result, Eustis cation or request a eaves. wants to create Reso- moment of silence in While extinguishing the fire in a garage bed- lution 14-29 to estab- lieu of the scheduled room, firefighters using thermal imaging took lish a “policy for in- invocation,” Kramer about 15 minutes to find the unconscious vocations before City said. woman just inside the back door of the brown Commission meet- The commission cinderblock house. BRETT LE BLANC / DAILY COMMERCIAL ings to clarify and cod- will discuss the reso- Dickerson said firefighters took her outside A Fire Rescue worker and a Mount Dora police officer cross paths in ify current practices, lution at 6 p.m. Thurs- SEE FIRE | A2 front of a house where a woman was pulled from a fire. and confirm in writ- day at City Hall. CLERMONT Over 3 decades, woman donates 125 gallons of blood THERESA CAMPBELL | Staff Writer now one of the nation’s need,” said Lory, who people’s lives,” she said. [email protected] top donors after hav- became a regular do- “Just like one of the slo- ing donated 125 gallons nor in 1981. Her twice- gans for the blood bank: Mary Lory, 76, nev- of blood used to save a-month donation of er liked needles or get- It’s safe, it’s simple, and “thousands of lives,” platelets goes to help it saves lives. It’s im- ting shots at the doc- according to a blood cancer patients. tor’s office when she bank official. “It really is so simple portant and I know that PHOTO COURTESY OF PAT MICHAELS was younger, and yet “I’m motivated to do- to do and it can make I’m doing something Mary Lory, 76, of Clermont was recently honored by the Clermont woman is nate because I saw the a difference in saving SEE BLOOD | A2 OneBlood for donating 125 gallons of blood since 1981. INDEX DIVERSIONS C9 OBITUARIES A4 Vol. 138 LEGALS D1 SPORTS B1 TODAY’S WEATHER CLASSIFIED D1 No. 120 50¢ BUSINESS B5 VOICES A9 Detailed forecast 90˚/71˚ COMICS C8 4 sections CROSSWORDS D1 NATION A2 KITCHEN C1 on page A10. Partly sunny with storms A2 DAILY COMMERCIAL Wednesday, April 30, 2014 FLORIDA At least 35 dead as South LOTTERY APRIL 29 braces for more twisters CASH 3 ...............................................1-9-6 Afternoon ..........................................8-3-9 ADRIAN SAINZ and JEFF AMY Associated Press PLAY 4 .............................................9-2-9-7 Afternoon .......................................6-0-4-8 LOUISVILLE, Miss. — Ruth Bennett died clutch- APRIL 28 ing the last child left at her FANTASY 5 ............................... 1-3-8-13-21 day care center as a tor- nado wiped the building off its foundation. A fire- fighter who came upon THE NEWSPAPER OF CHOICE FOR LAKE AND SUMTER COUNTIES SINCE 1875 The Daily Commercial (ISSN 0896-1042) is published daily for the body gently pulled the $90.74 per year (plus Florida sales tax) by Halifax Media Group toddler from her arms. at 212 East Main Street, Leesburg, Florida. Periodicals postage is paid at the USPO, Leesburg, FL. POSTMASTER: Send all address “It makes you just take changes to The Daily Commercial, P.O. Box 490007, Leesburg, FL a breath now,” said next- 34749-0007. All material contained in this edition is property of The Daily Commercial and is protected under the copyright laws of door neighbor Kenneth the United States of America. Reproduction is forbidden without Billingsley, who witnessed written consent from the publisher. the scene at what was left MISSED YOUR NEWSPAPER? HOW TO REACH US of Ruth’s Child Care Cen- REDELIVERY NOT AVAILABLE IN ALTOONA OR SUMTER ter in this logging town of 365-8200 6,600. “It makes you pay Call 352-787-0600 in Lake In Sumter County: County or 877-702-0600 in 877-702-0600 attention to life.” Sumter County 6 a.m. to 10 Bennett, 53, was among a.m. Monday through Friday. Call ADVERTISING CADY HERRING / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Saturday at least 35 people killed and 7 to 10 a.m. on Sunday. Retail ................... 365-8200 Classified ............. 314-3278 in a two-day outbreak of Kevin Collins pauses while searching for valuables from his home in the Joyner neighborhood of Tupelo, Miss., on Tuesday. GOING ON VACATION CIRCULATION twisters and other violent Lake Co. ....... 352-787-0600 Call the Circulation Depart- weather that pulverized “My Lord, how can all Servati, who was taking a powerful tornado with a Sumter Co. ... 877-702-0600 ment 48 hours ahead to stop homes from the Midwest this happen in just one shelter in the basement of preliminary rating of EF4, service. Circulation Billing . 787-0600 to the Deep South. The second?” she said in a Tuscaloosa home when just shy of the top of the ACCOUNTING ...... 365-8216 child, whose name was Spanish. a retaining wall collapsed scale. SUBSCRIPTION RATES on him. not released, was alive On Tuesday, the growl of Sennaphie Yates ar- SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION: Call 352-787-0600 (Lake Co.) or when she was pulled from chain saws cut through the His death — and that of rived at the small local 877-702-0600 (Sumter Co.) between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Prepayments for 3 months or more, mail to: Circulation Bennett’s arms and was otherwise still, hazy morn- at least two others in Ala- hospital to check on her Dept., The Daily Commercial, P.O. Box 490007, Leesburg, FL 34749- taken to a hospital. Her ing in Tupelo. Massive bama — came the day af- grandfather just ahead 0007. Billed monthly at the rates shown. oak trees, knocked over ter the third anniversa- of the twister. As the fun- Home condition was not known. Delivery 3 Mos. Tax Total 6 Mos. Tax Total 1 Yr. Tax Total As crews in Mississippi like toys, blocked roads. ry of an outbreak of more nel cloud closed in, staff Daily/Sunday 28.43 1.99 30.42 50.05 3.50 53.56 90.74 6.35 97.09 and Alabama turned from Neighbors helped one an- than 60 tornadoes that members herded people search-and-rescue efforts other cut away limbs.