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Friday, May 18, 2012

‘Queen of Disco’ dies in region

Disco queen Donna Summer, whose pulsing anthems such as “Last Dance,” “Love to Love You Baby” and “Bad Girls” became the soundtrack for a glittery age of sex, drugs, dance and flashy clothes, died in Naples, Fla., Thursday morning, according to her publicist, Brian Edwards. Summer, 63, had a home … Find out how to read more online.

LATEST LOCAL NEWS

Schools grapple with FCAT
Tue May 8 2012 10:30AM

Editor’s note: First in a series on Florida’s standardized testing to measure performance. It’s an old belief that good neighborhoods have the best schools. But maybe it should be the … Find out how to read more online.

Durfee: ‘It’s all about the kids’
Thu May 17 2012 08:00AM

Recently the Blazing Blue Band of DeSoto County High School brought home a coveted “Excellent” rating from the Florida Music Performance Assessment conducted by the Florida Bandmasters’ Association on May … Find out how to read more online.

State won’t hold schools accountable for FCAT scores
Thu May 17 2012 08:00AM

DESOTO COUNTY — The Florida Department of Education said Tuesday school districts will not be held accountable for the dramatic drop in the percentage of students who passed the writing … Find out how to read more online.

Two seek District 2 school board seat
Thu May 17 2012 08:00AM

DESOTO COUNTY — Former teacher Martha Jo Markey has stepped up to challenge incumbent Karen Chancey for the District 2 School Board seat. School Board Chairwoman Chancey is seeking her … Find out how to read more online.

State, National and World News

Autopsy: Evidence of marijuana in Martin’s blood
Thu May 17 2012 08:37PM

ORLANDO (AP) — Medical examiners found evidence of marijuana in Trayvon Martin’s system after he was fatally shot by a neighborhood watch volunteer, an autopsy report released Thursday shows. The report was included in a large amount of evidence released … read more.

Rural homeless shelters in Fla. to get $2 million
Thu May 17 2012 08:08PM

TALLAHASSEE (AP) — Homeless shelters across the state will receive more than $2 million dollars in federal grants. The Department of Children and Families says the money will go to 25 emergency homeless shelters in rural areas. The money will … read more.

Woman foils would-be robbery by chasing suspects
Thu May 17 2012 08:08PM

HOBE SOUND (AP) — A Hobe Sound woman chased after four would-be robbers when she returned home from taking her husband to work and saw them climbing out of her window. Renee Granlund told Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers she saw … read more.

Central Fla. woman gives birth at gas station
Thu May 17 2012 08:08PM

LONGWOOD (AP) — A Florida woman has made what can certainly be called a speedy delivery: She gave birth at a gas station. Orlando’s WKMG reports Shelly Tester gave birth with the help of her husband early Wednesday at a … read more.

Man pleads guilty to pointing laser at planes
Thu May 17 2012 08:08PM

ORLANDO (AP) — The U.S. Attorney’s Office says a 49-year-old man faces up to five years in prison after pleading guilty to aiming a laser pointer at a plane departing from Orlando International Airport. Prosecutors say Glenn Stephen Hansen pointed … read more.

Fla. tourism numbers show slight gain in 2012
Thu May 17 2012 08:08PM

TALLAHASSEE (AP) — Florida tourism officials say numbers for the first quarter of the year are up slightly over the same period a year ago. Visit Florida, the state’s marketing division, released numbers Wednesday showing a 2.4 percent boost for … read more.

Polk Co. confirms 6th positive rabies case
Thu May 17 2012 08:08PM

FORT MEADE (AP) — Polk County has confirmed its sixth positive rabies case this year. A Fort Meade resident found his two dogs with a dead raccoon. The raccoon was tested for rabies, and it was confirmed positive for rabies … read more.

Agency for disabled people rates Fla. providers
Thu May 17 2012 08:08PM

TALLAHASSEE (AP) — The state has updated its Medicaid provider ratings for Floridians with developmental disabilities. The Agency for Persons with Disabilities posted the new rankings on its website Wednesday. They are part of an effort by all state agencies … read more.

Workshops set for gopher tortoise conservation
Thu May 17 2012 08:08PM

MIAMI (AP) — Wildlife officials will be conducting regional workshops for gopher tortoise conservation. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission made the announcement Wednesday. The workshops will present information on the management plan and permitting guidelines for gopher tortoises. … read more.

Prosecutor: Plea deals set in Fla. A&M hazing case %reldate(2012-05-17T14:09:43
Thu May 17 2012 08:37PM

BC-FL--FAMU Arrests,129 Prosecutor: Plea deals set in Fla. A&M hazing case %reldate(2012-05-17T14:09:43 Eds: APNewsNow. Will be updated. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A prosecutor says two defendants accused of hazing a Florida A&M University band member are expected to plead guilty … read more.

Student to plead guilty to Obama threat
Thu May 17 2012 08:08PM

MIAMI (AP) — Court records show a Miami college student intends to plead guilty to making threatening posts against President Barack Obama on Facebook. A change of plea hearing is set for Wednesday for 20-year-old Joaquin Amador Serrapio Jr. He … read more.

Maas named executive editor of Tampa Tribune
Thu May 17 2012 08:08PM

TAMPA (AP) — A longtime news manager at The Tampa Tribune has been chosen as the new executive editor. The newspaper reported the appointment of Richard “Duke” Maas on Thursday. The 59-year-old Maas has been managing editor of the Tribune … read more.

Ed secretary questions Fla. law on tutoring
Thu May 17 2012 08:08PM

MIAMI (AP) — U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan questioned Thursday why the Florida Legislature passed a law requiring districts to continue tutoring services that have not proven effective. Florida was one of nearly a dozen states that received a waiver … read more.

Citizens board chair urges caution
Thu May 17 2012 08:08PM

TALLAHASSEE (AP) — Citizens Property Insurance Corp. could face dire consequences if it fails to involve Florida lawmakers before deciding whether to approve a dramatic rate increase for new policyholders, the state-backed firm’s board president warned Thursday. The corporation’s Board … read more.

US ready to strike Iran
Thu May 17 2012 08:37PM

JERUSALEM — The U.S. has plans in place to attack Iran if necessary to prevent it from developing nuclear weapons, Washington’s envoy to Israel said, days ahead of a crucial round of nuclear talks with Tehran. Dan Shapiro’s message resonated … read more.

Greek Cabinet, legislators sworn in
Thu May 17 2012 08:37PM

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece on Thursday swore in 300 legislators for just one day before it dissolves Parliament and calls new elections, among them 21 lawmakers from Golden Dawn — arguably the most far-right party to be involved in … read more.

Buffett buys 63 Media General papers
Thu May 17 2012 08:06PM

LOS ANGELES (LA Times) — Former paperboy and current Omaha, Neb., billionaire Warren Buffett is throwing the weight of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. behind the newspaper industry, buying the majority of Media General Inc.’s papers months after picking up his hometown … read more.

Stocks slump again
Thu May 17 2012 08:06PM

NEW YORK (AP) — Unable to shake their worries about Europe, investors drove stocks to a four-month low Thursday and piled into bonds, sending the yield on the 10-year Treasury note close to an all-time low. The Dow Jones industrial … read more.

Senators want to stop Saverin from dodging taxes
Thu May 17 2012 08:06PM

WASHINGTON (LA Times) — Two senators on Thursday denounced Facebook Inc. co-founder Eduardo Saverin as a tax dodger for renouncing his U.S. citizenship ahead of the company’s initial public offering and introduced legislation to punish him and others who leave … read more.

Fate of ‘uninsurables’ hinges on Supreme Court
Thu May 17 2012 08:37PM

WASHINGTON — Cancer patient Kathy Watson voted Republican in 2008 and believes the government has no right telling Americans to get health insurance. Nonetheless, she says she’d be dead if it weren’t for President Barack Obama’s health care law. Now … read more.

Cellphone disaster alert system to start soon
Thu May 17 2012 08:06PM

DAYTON, Ohio (Cox Newspapers) — Major U.S. wireless carriers will go live this month with an emergency disaster alert system broadcasting free text messages warning of tornadoes, flash floods, earthquakes and other emergencies. Major carriers AT&T, Cellcom, Cricket, Sprint Nextel, … read more.

US unemployment aid applications stay at 370,000
Thu May 17 2012 08:06PM

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of people seeking U.S. unemployment benefits was unchanged last week, suggesting modest but steady gains in the job market. The Labor Department said Thursday that weekly unemployment aid applications stayed at a seasonally adjusted 370,000, … read more.

Facebook IPO set at $38
Thu May 17 2012 08:37PM

NEW YORK — Facebook’s initial public offering of stock is shaping up to be one of the largest ever. The world’s definitive online social network is raising at least $16 billion, a big windfall for a company that began eight … read more.

Cuban president’s daughter gets US travel visa
Thu May 17 2012 08:06PM

HAVANA (AP) — Cuban first daughter Mariela Castro has been granted a U.S. visa to attend events in San Francisco and New York, one of her associates confirmed Thursday. The travel permission sparked a firestorm of criticism from Cuban-American politicians … read more.

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More Local News

Maresca: ‘Japanese Zeroes diving on our fantail’ was a movie mishap
Mon May 14 2012 08:02AM

After 20 years of service in the U.S. Navy, Eugene Maresca retired in 1983 as a full commander. He served three years in the regular Navy and the rest in the Naval Reserve. When he first signed up he was … Find out how to read more online.

Lake Hancock project under way
Tue May 15 2012 11:35AM

BARTOW, FLA. — Despite more than $120 million in budget cuts within the past two years, the Southwest Florida Water Management District is proceeding full steam toward building a $150 million project to raise the level of Lake Hancock and … Find out how to read more online.

USDA’s 2011-12 Florida orange crop estimate adjusted slightly
Thu May 17 2012 08:00AM

The U.S. Department of Agriculture increased its orange crop forecast for the 2011-2012 season by 200,000 boxes Tuesday, estimating Florida will now produce 145.2 million boxes. The 2011-2012 May increase was a result of an adjustment for utilization in early … Find out how to read more online.

Shedding
Thu May 17 2012 08:00AM