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Sunday, February 5, 2012

Fertilizer bill on tap

The Florida Senate should reject a bill that would require fertilizer applicators to get state licenses but exempt them from following county and city ordinances that ban fertilizing lawns during summer rainy seasons, according to the Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program. That’s because the local bans, which have been … Find out how to read more Online.

LATEST LOCAL NEWS

Fair off to blue-ribbon start
Sat Feb 4 2012 07:37PM

MURDOCK — With its contests for critters from rabbits to roosters and rides that vary from a Ferris wheel to the infamous Nitro, the 2012 Charlotte County Fair hasn’t changed … Find out how to read more Online.

New commercial development lags
Sat Feb 4 2012 07:50PM

New commercial development is lagging behind new residential development, but that is not necessarily surprising, a local building official says. North Port, however, may be shining slightly brighter than other … Find out how to read more Online.

STEM education on the rise
Sat Feb 4 2012 07:40PM

Local schools are looking to the future, and the future is STEM. Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics education has been receiving increasing attention in Florida, where an estimated 120,000 new … Find out how to read more Online.

School officials wary of student prayer bill
Sat Feb 4 2012 08:00AM

Charlotte County School Board Chairwoman Andrea Messina and other educators said they were cautious about a bill passed by the state Senate on Wednesday that would authorize school boards to … Find out how to read more Online.

State, National and World News

2 Fla. boys, 9, arrested in acid bomb plot
Fri Feb 3 2012 09:24AM

ORLANDO. (AP) — Police say their investigation into acid bombs left on the campus of Valencia College’s west campus has resulted in the arrest of two 9-year-old boys. Orlando police arrested the boys Thursday. A day earlier, they arrested three … Find out how to read more Online.

Man accused of killing girl to appear in court
Fri Feb 3 2012 09:24AM

GREEN COVE SPRINGS, Fla. (AP) — The man accused of killing a 7-year-old Florida girl whose body was found in a Georgia landfill is scheduled for a court appearance Friday and a court spokeswoman says there’s potential for a “significant … Find out how to read more Online.

Pakistani Taliban kill 7 soldiers, abduct 4
Fri Feb 3 2012 09:24AM

PARACHINAR, Pakistan (AP) — A large group of Islamist militants attacked a Pakistani army checkpoint near the Afghan border on Friday, killing seven paramilitary soldiers and abducting four, a government official and a spokesman for the insurgents said. Up to … Find out how to read more Online.

Unemployment rate hits 8.3 pct. after hiring burst
Fri Feb 3 2012 09:24AM

WASHINGTON (AP) — Employers went on a hiring spree in January and drove down the unemployment rate for a fifth straight month to 8.3 percent, its lowest point in nearly three years. The result pointed to a resurgent job market, … Find out how to read more Online.

Egyptians blame military for deadly soccer riot
Thu Feb 2 2012 09:24AM

CAIRO (AP) — A narrow stadium exit turned into a death trap. Crowds of Egyptian soccer fans fleeing supporters of the opposing team armed with knives, clubs and stones rushed into the corridor, only to be crushed against a locked … Find out how to read more Online.

Pa. groundhog ‘predicts’ 6 more weeks of winter
Thu Feb 2 2012 09:24AM

PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania’s Punxsutawney Phil emerged from his lair to “see” his shadow on Thursday, in the process predicting six more weeks of winter. But, at this rate, that might not be so bad. The groundhog made his … Find out how to read more Online.

Towel used to incriminate Fla. robbery suspect
Thu Feb 2 2012 09:24AM

BRADENTON (AP) — A towel used by a robbery suspect to cover his head gave Manatee County Sheriff’s investigators the clue they needed to find him. Deputies say 36-year-old Terrance Jackson tried to snatch a customer’s purse at a convenience … Find out how to read more Online.

Palestinians hurl shoes at visiting UN chief
Thu Feb 2 2012 09:24AM

BEIT HANOUN, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinians tried to block the U.N. chief from entering the Gaza Strip and flung shoes at his armored convoy on Thursday, the second day of Ban Ki-moon’s mission to the region to keep informal … Find out how to read more Online.

‘Soul Train’ host Don Cornelius dead of suicide
Wed Feb 1 2012 02:28PM

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Don Cornelius, the silken-voiced host of “Soul Train” who helped break down racial barriers and broaden the reach of black culture with funky music, groovy dance steps and cutting-edge style, died early Wednesday of an apparent … Find out how to read more Online.

11th victim found days after deadly crash on I-75
Wed Feb 1 2012 11:58AM

GAINESVILLE (AP) — The body of an eleventh person was found in a pickup truck days after a deadly pileup on Interstate 75, the Florida Highway Patrol said. The victim was inside a Dodge pickup truck that crashed into a … Find out how to read more Online.

Obama to detail broader housing refinance plan
Wed Feb 1 2012 11:16AM

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration is trying to fix a stubborn drag on the economy by making it easier for millions of additional homeowners to refinance their mortgages at lower interest rates even if they owe more than their … Find out how to read more Online.

Cops: Man wearing Obama mask robs McDonald’s
Wed Feb 1 2012 09:54AM

RIVIERA BEACH (AP) — Police say a man robbed a South Florida McDonald’s while wearing a President Barack Obama mask. Riviera Beach police are seeking the public’s help in finding the suspect, who they say held employees at gunpoint early … Find out how to read more Online.

Judge rules against explorers in treasure dispute
Wed Feb 1 2012 09:54AM

ATLANTA (AP) — A federal judge has ruled against a deep-sea exploration company in a dispute with Spain over 17 tons of silver coins recovered from a sunken 19th century Spanish galleon. Florida-based Odyssey Marine Exploration Inc. found the treasure … Find out how to read more Online.

Fla. House GOP won’t hike state worker premiums
Wed Feb 1 2012 09:54AM

TALLAHASSEE (AP) — Thousands of state workers as well as legislators and Gov. Rick Scott may get to keep a perk that keeps their health insurance premiums low for the coming year. A House panel on Wednesday is scheduled to … Find out how to read more Online.

Romney says GOP fight strengthens him for fall
Wed Feb 1 2012 09:54AM

TAMPA (AP) — Barreling out of Florida with money and momentum on his side, Republican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney said Wednesday that the bare-knuckled nomination fight thus far has toughened him up for contests to come. Chief rival Newt Gingrich … Find out how to read more Online.

Pastors split on when to go home; 1 lives, 1 dies
Tue Jan 31 2012 09:38AM

GAINESVILLE (AP) — A split decision between two pastors regarding when to return to the Atlanta area from Florida was the difference between life and death. They’d just finished a religious conference in Florida on Saturday night and debated when … Find out how to read more Online.

Russia: UN resolution on Syria is path to war
Tue Jan 31 2012 09:38AM

BEIRUT (AP) — A senior Russian diplomat warned Tuesday that a draft U.N. resolution demanding Syrian President Bashar Assad step aside is a “path to civil war,” as Syrian troops crushed pockets of resistance by rebel soldiers on the outskirts … Find out how to read more Online.

Gov. Scott won’t say for whom he voted
Tue Jan 31 2012 09:38AM

TALLAHASSEE (AP) — Gov. Rick Scott won’t say who got his vote in Florida’s presidential preference primary. Scott voted Tuesday at his local voting precinct near the Governor’s Mansion in Tallahassee. The Republican first-term governor had not publicly endorsed any … Find out how to read more Online.

US airstrikes kill 15 al-Qaida militants in Yemen
Tue Jan 31 2012 09:38AM

SANAA, Yemen (AP) — U.S. airstrikes targeting leaders from Yemen’s active al-Qaida branch killed 15 suspected militants, Yemeni officials said on Tuesday. Yemeni security and military officials said missiles struck a school and a car in Abyan province in an … Find out how to read more Online.

Cause sought for deadly I-75 highway pileup
Mon Jan 30 2012 11:18AM

GAINESVILLE (AP) — Authorities in Florida were trying to determine Monday what caused a fatal pileup on Interstate 75 south of Gainesville, where a long line of cars and trucks collided one after another on a dark highway so shrouded … Find out how to read more Online.

New poll shows Fla. voters moving toward Romney
Mon Jan 30 2012 11:14AM

TALLAHASSEE (AP) — Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney heads into Tuesday’s GOP presidential primary with a 14-point lead over former House Speaker Newt Gingrich among likely Florida Republican voters, a new poll shows. The results of a Quinnipiac University Polling … Find out how to read more Online.

Egypt’s military considers speeding up transition
Mon Jan 30 2012 09:32AM

CAIRO (AP) — A spokesman for an advisory body to Egypt’s military rulers says the army is studying ways to accelerate the transition to civilian rule, including moving up the timetable for presidential elections. Mohammed El-Kholy said Monday the panel … Find out how to read more Online.

Missing Maine toddler’s blood found in dad’s home
Mon Jan 30 2012 09:30AM

WATERVILLE, Maine (AP) — Some of the blood found in a Maine home where a missing toddler was last seen six weeks ago belonged to the little girl, an official said. State Police spokesman Steve McCausland on Sunday would not … Find out how to read more Online.

Incomes up strong 0.5 pct., consumer spending flat
Mon Jan 30 2012 09:30AM

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans’ incomes rose last month by the most in nine months, a hopeful sign for the economy after a year of weak wage gains. But consumer spending was flat. Incomes rose 0.5 percent, the Commerce Department said … Find out how to read more Online.

Iran offers to extend UN nuclear inspection
Mon Jan 30 2012 09:30AM

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran’s top diplomat offered Monday to extend the current visit of U.N. nuclear inspectors and expressed optimism their findings would help ease tensions despite international claims that Iran is trying to build nuclear weapons. The comments … Find out how to read more Online.

Grandmother’s remains found inside storage unit
Fri Jan 27 2012 09:38AM

CLEARWATER (AP) — The manager of U-Stor Self Storage heard a bizarre tale when he notified a woman that the items stored in Unit B8 would be auctioned because she’d fallen behind on rent. Manager Kevin McKeon says the woman … Find out how to read more Online.

Tired and broke, Santorum heads home to do taxes
Fri Jan 27 2012 09:38AM

PUNTA GORDA (AP) — Rick Santorum is tired, almost broke — and going home. The former Pennsylvania senator is taking a pause from Florida campaigning just days before the Tuesday primary that even he expects to deal him a third … Find out how to read more Online.

Economy grew modest 2.8 pct. in Q4, best in 2011
Fri Jan 27 2012 09:38AM

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. economy grew at a 2.8 percent annual rate in the final three months of last year, the fastest growth in 2011. Americans spent more on cars and trucks, and companies restocked their shelves at the … Find out how to read more Online.

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More Local News

Kitten with two faces dies
Sat Feb 4 2012 07:50PM

PORT CHARLOTTE — The kitten born with one body and two faces has died. Owners Nash Hand and his wife Amanda Forsythe of Port Charlotte told ABC-7 this week that the kitten, named Harvey Dent after the fictional Batman character … Find out how to read more Online.

A day for the ladies
Sat Feb 4 2012 07:50PM

Peace River Regional Medical Center held its fourth annual Pantyhose Free Zone Women’s Expo Saturday at the Cultural Center of Charlotte County in Port Charlotte. … Find out how to read more Online.

Winners Circle
Sat Feb 4 2012 07:38PM

Charlotte Harbor Yacht Club • Ladies Bridge winners Jan. 31: 1-Cleta Clark; 2-Shirley Bua; 3-Lila Jameson. • Slam Bridge winners Feb. 1: 1-LaQuita Morris, 6430; 2-Frank Chulay, 4940; 3-Chuck Florama, 4640; 4-Horst Schlinghofft, 4050. Chubbyz Tavern • Big Dog’s … Find out how to read more Online.

Weekly Record
Sat Feb 4 2012 07:37PM

Charlotte County births • Cayden Joseph White, to Cassandra Ann Chrzanowski and Donald Joseph White Jr. of Punta Gorda, at 3 p.m. Dec. 29. He weighed 7 pounds, 10.2 ounces. • Dylan Scott Stewart, to Angela and Christopher Stewart … Find out how to read more Online.

Community’s efforts help Wounded Warriors
Sat Feb 4 2012 08:00AM

PUNTA GORDA — The residents of Windmill Village are serious about helping others. Their social club’s Wednesday night dinners are well-attended by residents who come to eat, socialize with their neighbors, and donate to individuals or organizations in need of … Find out how to read more Online.

Car vs. house
Sat Feb 4 2012 08:00AM

A car crashed into a home on the 22000 block of Hernando Avenue in Port Charlotte Friday afternoon. … Find out how to read more Online.

Trike-A-Thon rolls on
Sat Feb 4 2012 08:00AM

Joyful Noise preschool held its annual Trike-A-Thon to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital on Friday in Port Charlotte. … Find out how to read more Online.

RELIGION BRIEFS
Fri Feb 3 2012 08:52PM

Pancake breakfast Cleveland United Methodist Church, 28038 Cleveland Ave., Punta Gorda, again offers a pancake breakfast from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. the first Saturday of each month, through April, in the fellowship hall. The next date is today. The … Find out how to read more Online.

Welcome to ‘Turnaround Town’
Sat Feb 4 2012 08:00AM

PUNTA GORDA — Realtor.com, an online real estate magazine, put the Punta Gorda metropolitan area — which includes all of Charlotte County — back on its Top Ten Turnaround Town List this month. That gave this affordable, waterfront, subtropical city … Find out how to read more Online.

Rinkard House to be demolished
Fri Feb 3 2012 04:07PM

ENGLEWOOD — The historic Rinkard House will not be a phoenix rising from its ashes. A Sarasota County demolition permit now is working its way through process. The request for the permit was filed Jan. 18 by Graber Excavating & … Find out how to read more Online.

Three teens suspected of burglary spree
Fri Feb 3 2012 04:07PM

EAST OF PUNTA GORDA — Authorities suspect three Punta Gorda teens could be responsible for as many as 24 burglaries over a two-week span. Nathanial Davis Kruger, 19, of the 4300 block of Knollwood Drive, and Jeremy Cole Jackson, 18, … Find out how to read more Online.

Council eyes lights to make city twinkle
Sat Feb 4 2012 08:00AM

PUNTA GORDA — This city soon could be twinkling year-round, with strings of lights decorating downtown light poles, and maybe even a few trees, if a proposal discussed by the City Council on Wednesday is implemented. Several council members said … Find out how to read more Online.

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