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OLD Local News (Don't Use)
| NTSB SAYS VENICE PLANE CRASH NOT MECHANICAL |
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WENGNews writes, "A PRELIMINARY FEDERAL REPORT RELEASED WEDNESDAY SHOWS THAT THE PLANE CRASH LAST MONTH THAT CLAIMED THE LIFE OF INSURANCE AGENT HARRY LAWRENCE WAS LIKELY NOT CAUSED BY MECHANICAL FAILURE. THE REPORT QUOTES NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD INSPECTOR BOB GRETZ AS SAYING THE INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING AND COULD TAKE UP TO SIX MONTHS TO COMPLETE, BUT THEIR INITIAL INVESTIGATION DID NOT REVEAL ANY MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS. GRETZ ALSO SAID HE PLANS TO REVIEW THE MEDICAL RECORDS OF LAWRENCE, ALONG WITH THE WEATHER ON THE NIGHT OF THE ACCIDENT, AND LAWRENCE’S FLIGHT EXPERIENCE. LAWRENCE CRASHED INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO NEAR THE VENICE FISHING PIER SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF FROM THE VENICE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT AT AROUND 8:30PM ON MARCH 24TH. THE 64 YEAR OLD LAWRENCE WAS A FORMER NAVY PILOT WITH A REPORTED 4000 FLIGHT HOURS, BUT HE HAD JUST STARTED FLYING AGAIN."
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Posted on Apr 17, 2008 05:53am.
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| CITY MANAGER SLASHES BUDGET IN SARASOTA |
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WENGNews writes, "SARASOTA CITY MANAGER ROBERT BARTOLOTTA ANNOUNCED AT A WEDENSDAY NEWS CONFERENCE THAT HE HAS SLASHED ABOUT $8 MILLION DOLLARS FROM A PROJECTED $10 MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET DEFICIT FOR THIS YEAR BY ELIMINATING 89 JOBS. BARTOLOTTA TOLD THE MEDIA ASSEMBLED THAT THE CITY WOULD LAYOFF 27 WORKERS, AND 62 POSITIONS WOULD BE ELIMINATED, WITH ABOUT ONE-THIRD OF THE CUTS COMING FROM THE CITY’S POLICE DEPARTMENT. HE DID SAY HOWEVER THAT THE POSITIONS CUT THERE DO NOT INCLUDE STREET LEVEL POSITIONS, THEREFORE NOT AFFECTING PUBLIC SAFETY. AMONG THE CUTS WAS A CAPTAIN AND THE PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER FOR THE DEPARTMENT. ALSO, THE MARINE PATROL WAS CUT IN HALF FROM TWO OFFICERS TO ONE. CITY MANAGER PETER ABBOTT WAS UPBEAT ABOUT THE CUTS, SAYING THAT THESE ARE THE CARDS THEY ARE BEING DEALT, AND THEY WILL PLAY THEM AS BEST THEY CAN. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS NOT THE ONLY DEPARTMENT HIT, AS BARTOLOTTA CUT HIS OWN EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT, ALONG WITH THE SKATEBOARD PARK ATTENDANT, THE MANAGER OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, THE MANAGER OF LANDSCAPE OPERATIONS, AND THE DIRECTOR OF THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT. "
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Posted on Apr 17, 2008 05:38am.
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| CHARLOTTE COUNTY COMMISSIONER FORUM TONIGHT |
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WENGNews writes, "THE SOUTH MANASOTA KEY ASSOCIATION WILL HOST A PUBLIC FORUM FOR ALL THIRTEEN CHARLOTTE COUNTY COMMISSION CANDIDATES TONIGHT AT 7PM AT THE GULF-TO-BAY CLUBHOUSE, AT 2295 NORTH BEACH ROAD IN ENGLEWOOD. THERE ARE THREE SEATS OPEN FOR ELECTION…THOSE HELD BY TRICIA DUFFY, TOM MOORE, AND TOM D’APRILLE. AS OF LAST WEEK, THE ASSOCIATION SAID THAT ALL THIRTEEN CANDIDATES HAD TENTATIVELY AGREED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FORUM, WHICH WILL GIVE VOTERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK SPECIFIC QUESTIONS AS IT RELATES TO OUR AREA. THE FORUM IS PRIMARILY FOR REGISTERED VOTERS OF PRECINCT 23, HOWEVER ALL CHARLOTTE COUNTY VOTERS ARE WELCOMED TO ATTEND. PARKING IS LIMITED, SO THE ASSOCIATION ASKS THAT YOU CAR POOL AND PARK AT THE NORTH END OF THE PUBLIC BEACH PARKING, FOR WHICH THERE IS A FEE. THE CLUBHOUSE IS ONLY ABOUT A BLOCK NORTH OF THE PARKING LOT. IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION, YOU CAN CONTACT WAYNE LARGENT, THE FORUM CHAIRMAN, AT 474-8697."
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Posted on Apr 17, 2008 05:20am.
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| JUDGE RULES KING’S STATEMENTS PUBLIC RECORD |
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WENGNews writes, "A SARASOTA CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE RULED ON WEDNESDAY THAT STATEMENTS MADE TO POLICE AND WITNESSES BY MICHAEL KING, THE MAN ACCUSED OF KIDNAPPING AND MURDERING DENISE LEE BACK IN JANUARY, ARE PUBLIC RECORDS AND SHOULD BE RELEASED TO THE MEDIA. ATTORNEYS FOR KING HAVE BEEN TRYING TO KEEP THE STATEMENT SUPPRESSED SINCE HIS ARREST BACK ON JANUARY 17TH, BUT JUDGE DENO ECONOMU RULED THE RECORDS WILL NOT AFFECT THE DEFENSE’S CASE, AND HE ORDERED THEM RELEASED ON FRIDAY. HOWEVER, ASSISTANT PUBLIC DEFENDER JOHN SCOTESE IS LIKELY TO APPEAL THE DECISION, FURTHER DELAYING THE RELEASE OF THE DOCUMENTS. KING APPEARED IN COURT FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE HIS ARREST, WEARING A YELLOW JUMP SUIT AND SPORTING A FULL BEARD. HE DID NOT SAY A WORD DURING THE PROCEEDINGS…INSTEAD HE JUST STARED AHEAD AS HE SAT BEHIND HIS DEFENSE TEAM. ECONOMU ALSO SET A TRIAL DATE OF NOVEMBER 17TH FOR KING, WHO FACES THE DEATH PENALTY IF CONVICTED OF THE FIRST DEGREE MURDER CHARGES HE FACES."
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Posted on Apr 17, 2008 04:52am.
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| SARASOTA COMPANY OWNER PLEADS GUILTY |
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WENGNews writes, "A SARASOTA MAN PLED GUILTY TO THREE COUNTS OF WILLFULLY MAKING FALSE FEDERAL INCOME TAX RETURNS IN A TAMPA FEDERAL COURT TUESDAY. 51 YEAR OLD RANDALL KEY, THE SOLE OWNER OF KEYCO INCORPORTATED OF SARASOTA, COULD FACE THREE YEAR IN PRISON, A $250,000 FINE, AND ONE YEAR OF SUPERVISED RELEASE FOR EACH COUNT. COURT RECORDS SHOW THAT DURING THE YEARS 2003-2005, KEY WILLFULLY FAILED TO REPORT INCOME DERIVED FROM VARIOUS SOURCES ON HIS INDIVIDUAL TAX RETURNS, INCLUDING DEPOSITING CHECKS WRITTEN FROM KEYCO INTO HIS PERSONAL BANK ACCOUNT. KEY ALSO USED THE COMPANY’S CORPORATE CREDIT CARD TO CHARGE HIS PERSONAL EXPENSES, AND HE REPORTED FICTITIOUS RENTAL EXPENSES IN ORDER TO FRAUDULENTLY REDUCE HIS TAX LIABILITY RELATING TO PROPERTY THAT HE RENTED TO KEYCO. SENTENCING WILL HAPPEN NEXT MONTH IN TAMPA. "
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Posted on Apr 16, 2008 09:12am.
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| BALTZ GETS SIXTY DAY CONTRACT AND A RAISE |
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WENGNews writes, "JUST ONE WEEK AFTER CHARLOTTE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR BRUCE LOUCKS OPENED THE COMMISSIONERS MEETING BY ANNOUNCING HIS RESIGNATION, HIS ASSISTANT, ROGER BALTZ, HAS BEEN GIVEN A SIXTY DAY CONTRACT AND A RAISE. ACCORDING TO THE SUN, BALTZ RECEIVED A RAISE OF NEARLY $14,000 DOLLARS TUESDAY FOR HIS ADDITIONAL DUTIES, BRINGING HIS ANNUAL SALARY TO NEARLY $140,000 DOLLARS. BALTZ WAS LOOKING FOR $150,000, AND HE SAID HE IS WILLING TO DISCUSS TAKING ON THE ROLE FULL TIME, BUT HE WANTED TO GIVE COMMISSIONERS A TIME FRAME TO DETERMINE WHICH DIRECTION THEY WANT TO HEAD. BALTZ WAS LOUCKS’ ASSISTANT FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS, AND HE HAS PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE AS THE ADMINISTRATOR IN PUTNAM COUNTY. "
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Posted on Apr 16, 2008 06:40am.
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| SEARCH WARRANT NETS 4 ARRESTS IN PUNTA GORDA |
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WENGNews writes, "PUNTA GORDA POLICE SERVED A SEARCH WARRANT ON A SUNSHINE BOULEVARD HOME LAST NIGHT AND ARRESTED FOUR TEENS IN CONNECTION WITH AN ATTEMPTED ROBBERY EARLIER IN THE MONTH. POLICE SAY THAT BACK ON APRIL 4TH, A 56 YEAR OLD MAN WAS WALKING THRU THE PARKING LOT OF A SHOPPING CENTER WHEN HE WAS SURROUNDED BY AT LEAST TWO OF THE TEENS, WHO PUNCHED HIM WHILE GOING THRU HIS POCKETS. A PASSING MOTORIST SCARED OFF THE TEENS BEFORE THEY COULD GET TO HIS WALLET. POLICE ARRESTED 15 YEAR OLD JEFFREY JACKSON, 17 YEAR OLD PATRICK DeROCHE, AND 14 YEAR OLD THOMAS DeROCHE, ALL OF PUNTA GORDA, ON ATTEMPTED ROBBERY AND BATTERY CHARGES STEMMING FROM THAT INCIDENT. IN ADDITION, THOMAS DeROCHE AND 17 YEAR OLD ROBERT THOMPSON, ALSO FROM PUNTA GORDA, WERE CHARGED WITH BURGLARY AND PETIT THEFT FOR WHAT POLICE CALLED A SEPARATE BUT RELATED INCIDENT. THOMPSON WAS RELEASED TO HIS PARENTS, WHILE THE OTHER THREE WERE TAKEN TO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUVENILE JUSTICE CENTER DOWN IN FORT MYERS. POLICE ALSO RECOVERED BAGS OF MARIJUANA AND PARAPHERNALIA FROM THE HOME, AND DETECTIVES ALSO OBTAINED CONFESSIONS AND RECOVERED EVIDENCE ON A RECENT STRONG-ARM ROBBERY BEING INVESTIGATED BY THE CHARLOTTE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE. MORE ARRESTS ARE PENDING AS THEIR INVESTIGATION CONTINUES. "
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Posted on Apr 16, 2008 06:11am.
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