NEW GENERATION EMERGING AT BRITISH OPEN, SPORTS B1 LEESBURG, FLORIDA Thursday, July 17, 2014 www.dailycommercial.com GAZA STRIP: As Israeli airstrikes continue, BUST: Sumter officers find Palestinian civilians have nowhere to run, A6 marijuana field in forest, A3 Teachers union challenges voucher bill JIM TURNER an outrage that the The News Service of Florida corporate voucher TALLAHASSEE expansion was tacked — The state’s larg- on to an unrelated bill est teachers union and slipped into law on filed a legal challenge the session’s final day.” Wednesday contesting The lawsuit, which is how lawmakers “log filed under the name of rolled” a series of edu- East Lee County High cation issues — includ- School social studies ing an expansion of a teacher Tom Faasse, controversial school was quickly criticized vouchers program — as “shameful” and a BRETT LE BLANC / DAILY COMMERCIAL “new low” by the Foun- The Lyn Terrace Apartment complex in Eustis is seen on Friday. into a single bill that passed in the waning dation for Excellence in hours of the 2014 legis- Education, which was lative session. founded by former Gov. The Florida Edu- Jeb Bush. Clearing the air “As a society, we must cation Association, a longtime opponent work to unlock educa- Several communities in Lake County adopt smoke-free policies of voucher programs, tion opportunities for filed a complaint in the students who need AUSTIN FULLER | Staff Writer press release from the 2nd Judicial Circuit in them the most. Senate [email protected] Florida Department of Leon County that chal- Bill 850 will help chil- dren with Down’s syn- elicia Mejias, the Health in Lake County. lenges the constitution- Across the state, there ality of how legislators drome, autism and community man- other developmental ager for the Villas of are more than 500 patched together legis- C smoke-free multiunit disabilities have great- lation into a wide-rang- Mount Dora, said some er choices and the of her residents have housing properties and ing education bill (SB 73,000 smoke-free units, 850). The voucher ex- critical support nec- stopped smoking and essary for successful others have cut back Paul Butler, the health pansion had appeared department’s public in- dead in the Senate until education outcomes,” since the community foundation Chief Ex- joined a handful of oth- formation officer, said in getting approved in the the release. For property broader bill. ecutive Officer Patri- ers in Lake County that cia Levesque said in a now have smoke-free managers and landlords, “This was a sneaky PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CITY OF EUSTIS prepared statement. policies. smoke-free policies can way for the legislative The oldest commercial building still standing in Eustis, the “There are those who “Considering the kind have economic benefits, leaders to enact Iron Block has commercial space on the bottom floor and he said. measures that had believe families should of community we have residential on the upper floors. It is a smoke-free building. Mejias said the 70-unit already failed,” said have options and ... it’s really helped out trust parents in those as far as with a lot of my The Villas of Mount Apartments and The Iron Villas of Mount Dora union Vice President residents that have re- Dora, along with Block and Clermont’s started the policy after Joanne McCall. “It’s SEE LAWSUIT | A2 spiratory problems, Leesburg’s Pepper Tree Hunter’s Trace Properties, seeing its sister prop- COPD, things like that,” and Lake Region Homes, all have smoke-free erty, the Villas at Vero she said. Eustis’ Lyn Terrace policies, according to a SEE SMOKING | A2 TAVARES Third baseball bat beating victim dies MILLARD K. IVES | Staff Writer Tavares to help. he’s fighting all of them!” accord- [email protected] A 911 call by his sister, Dee Rat- ing to a call made Dee made to a When 51-year-old Eddie Ratliff liff, described the scene in front of 911 dispatcher. received a call Monday from his the home with Eddie, his mother When Tavares police reached the 42-year-old sister, Shannon Rat- Mavis and Shannon’s boyfriend, duplex, they found Jones out front liff, that she was being beaten by James Earl Jones. holding an aluminum baseball bat AP FILE PHOTO her live-in boyfriend, he rushed “He jumped on her, he’s got my with blood splotches on his shirt Democrats meet in the back of the Florida House before to her Hibiscus Court home in mom and my brother out there — SEE BEATING | A2 the start of a debate on a school voucher bill. LEESBURG After $95K markup, airport land buy worries city commissioner THERESA CAMPBELL | Staff Writer may become part of the Polk said Monday night while the southern edge leave it alone. There is with that deal.” [email protected] city’s future seaplane that he believes the price fronts on Lake Harris nobody else in Lees- According to city doc- ramp, yet one city com- of the vacant land owned and the western side ad- burg that will buy it. It uments, the land was Leesburg leaders have missioner was not hap- by Sofran Leesburg, Ltd. joins the airport. has been for sale for- agreed to pay $130,000 appraised in February py with the deal because was too high. Located at “I don’t understand ever,” said Polk. “One for $135,000 by Walter for 16 acres of mostly the acreage was up for the south end of College why we are not able to week it was $35,000 wetlands to be annexed sale last November for Drive, behind Lowe’s, make an offer on this and now that we say we Price of Price Appraisal to the Leesburg Inter- only $35,000. the northern part of property and if they want it, it’s $135,000. Group of Tavares, while national Airport that Commissioner Bill the property is dry land don’t take the offer, then Something is not right SEE LAND | A2 INDEX DIVERSIONS E5 OBITUARIES A4 Vol. 138 LEGALS B8 SPORTS B1 TODAY’S WEATHER CLASSIFIED B8 No. 198 50¢ BUSINESS A8 VOICES A11 Detailed forecast 90˚/73˚ COMICS E4 5 sections CROSSWORDS B8 NATION A4 WORLD A6 on page A12. Couple of thunderstorms License # AL12259 ComeCall 352-253-5100 Discover... for a complimentarycomplimentary Lunch & Tour Assisted Living & Memory Care www.OspreyLodgeTavares.com • 1761 Nightingale Lane, Tavares D004377 A2 DAILY COMMERCIAL Thursday, July 17, 2014 noted that he under- and houses. Wade said she LAND stood Polk’s frustration. SMOKING started the policy about FLORIDA FROM PAGE A1 “It’s a classic exam- FROM PAGE A1 three years ago and resi- ple of why the govern- dents can smoke outside, in November 2013, it was ment is not like a busi- Beach, doing well with a but not in the building. LOTTERY “Tenants that were listed for $35,000 for the ness, and I hate that smoke-free rule. She said JULY 16 purpose of trying to sell cliché, because when residents cannot smoke smokers prior to that (the it at an auction. No sale government gets associ- in their units or patios, policy), we do request CASH 3 ...............................................5-8-0 occurred. ated with something, the but can smoke in a desig- them to smoke outside and Afternoon ..........................................1-7-0 “We say that we want prices goes up,” Minner nated area, and that there not in the building because PLAY 4 .............................................4-0-3-0 to use it for future de- said. “I agree with Mr. has been a really good re- of the residue effect that it Afternoon .......................................6-6-5-8 velopment of the air- Polk and I think that the sponse to the policy. has on the building,” Wade port. It is wetlands,” city was taken advantage Charlotte Rodas, the said. “The walls, the A/C JULY 15 Polk said. “We’re buy- of a little bit, and I think property manager of Lyn systems.” FANTASY 5 ........................... 3-12-15-18-26 ing property that is no the numbers did go up.” Terrace Apartments, said She said the policy has MEGA MONEY .................... 11-29-34-37-17 good. If we only need Minner said the city residents there can smoke reduced wear and tear on MEGA MILLIONS .................. 2-4-17-36-40-5 a little sliver of it, then looked at other areas outside and in patios, but the paint and on the air let’s just buy a little sliv- for the seaplane ramp cannot smoke inside the conditioning. er. Don’t buy the whole on the south side, but apartments. She said it is “It’s worked out well and thing. … Three and half these areas would have harder to rent out apart- I think it just gives every- acres of what they call ments that people have body a little cleaner envi- THE NEWSPAPER OF CHOICE FOR LAKE AND SUMTER COUNTIES SINCE 1875 needed additional work, The Daily Commercial (ISSN 0896-1042) is published daily for good land comes out to amounting to up to smoked in because of the ronment to live in,” Wade $90.74 per year (plus Florida sales tax) by Halifax Media Group at 212 East Main Street, Leesburg, Florida. Periodicals postage is $29,000 an acre off the $400,000 in wetlands odor. said. paid at the USPO, Leesburg, FL. POSTMASTER: Send all address main road property that mitigation, compared to “The length of time it Since more than 80 per- changes to The Daily Commercial, P.O. Box 490007, Leesburg, FL 34749-0007. All material contained in this edition is property of is over-priced.