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One hundred dogs and cats arrived last night at the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Tampa Bay in Largo. The animals -- 28 pure-bred cats and 72 puppies and pregnant canines -- were among 700 animals rescued from a Tennessee puppy and kitten mill raid last week.
[Photo by Jim Damaske | Times]
CARROLLWOOD -- What kind of cat burglar steals puppies?
Owners of All About Puppies arrived at work today to discover a broken window and 10 puppies missing.
“We were shocked and sad. We take care of the puppies every day. They are like our personal pets,” said Amber Julian, store manager. “They went for the most expensive, popular dogs. The purse dogs, as a lot of people like to call them.”
A sign on the front door reading, “Please no large purses, diaper bags, backpacks, etc.” and another warning of the surveillance cameras were no deterrent to whoever took nearly $13,000 worth of puppies.
TAMPA -- A judge agreed today to reduce bail for an inmate named God.
God Lucky Howard (left)-- yes, that's his real name -- landed in jail June 21 after police said he sold drugs near a church, school and public housing complex. His bail initially was set at $86,500.
Today, prosecutors and God's attorney settled on a new amount: $22,500.
God's attorney, Alex Stavrou, said he has been contacted by Fox's The Moment of Truth, whose producers want God to be a contestant on the TV show. Stavrou said his client might be interested but first would need permission from the courts to travel to California for the taping.
-- Colleen Jenkins, Times staff writer
[Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office]
LAND O'LAKES -- By a 183-14 margin, Pasco's unionized deputies declared no confidence in their boss, Sheriff Bob White (below).
"In order to be an effective leader, the people you're leading have to be willing and able to follow you," said James Preston, state president of the Fraternal Order of Police.
Preston announced the results in a news conference this afternoon at the FOP lodge off U.S. 41. Unionized deputies and supervisors voted over 10 days ending Friday. About 73 percent of the 271 members cast ballots, which featured two questions:
Do you have confidence in Sheriff White's performance, or do you have no confidence in Sheriff White's performance?
Continue reading "Pasco deputies give sheriff no-confidence vote" »
PLANT CITY -- One teen died and several others were injured in an early morning car crash, according to Florida Highway Patrol reports.
Yuri Montano, 18, of Plant City, was driving about 1:15 a.m. with five passengers eastbound on U.S. 92 and Robin Kristin Drive in a 1995 Toyota Camry when the car veered off the road and struck a utility pole before overturning and coming to rest on its left side.
Enrique Cruz, 16, of Plant City, died as a result of his injuries. Taylor R. Meyer of Plant City was transported to Lakeland Hospital with serious injuries. The other three passengers were also treated at the hospital for minor injuries.
According to FHP reports, Cruz was not wearing a seat belt.
Watch This Just In for updates.
Robbyn Mitchell, Times staff writer
TAMPA -- The University of South Florida Anthropology Department is working with Tampa police in a death investigation surrounding a human skull found near the Courtney Campbell Parkway.
USF scientists are examining the skull to create a sketch of what the person may have looked like.
Saturday afternoon, two snorkelers found the skull about a mile west of the boat ramp near the Parkway, Tampa police Cpl. Jared Douds said. Police divers searched the north side of the causeway for additional bones and possible evidence.
The Hillsborough County medical examiner will try to determine the sex, age and cause of death of the person, he said.
Times staff writer
Democrats have filed a court challenge to the write-in candidacy of John M. Taylor, who recently filed to run in the hotly contested County Commission race for the District 1 seat.
The race originally included two Republicans, incumbent Ted Schrader and John Nicolette, a part-time firefighter and son-in-law of retired county attorney Robert Sumner. Because only two members of the same party sought the seat, all voters would be able to cast ballots, until Taylor filed earlier this month.
Leading the Democrats' charge is state Sen. Dave Aronberg, of Greenacres, who launched a statewide fight against the use of write-in candidates to close elections to only members of the candidates' party. He is getting free help from New Port Richey lawyer Robert Altman, who also is running for clerk of the circuit court.
Plaintiffs named in the lawsuit are Steve Byle, a Democrat from Hudson, and Deborah Lopez, a voter with no party affiliation from Zephyrhills. They seek Taylor's disqualification as a write-in candidate, which will open up the election to them and all Pasco County voters.
Continue reading "Democrats challenge write-in candidate for Pasco County Commission" »
TAMPA -- Ralph Hughes, one of the Tampa Bay area's most influential power brokers, has died. He was 77.
For years, his contributions to conservative causes, from Jeb Bush to Hillsborough County commissioners, made him a force in local and state politics. He was a major contributor to commissioners Brian Blair and Jim Norman and state Sen. Ronda Storms.
"He was the father of conservatism in Hillsborough County," former Hillsborough County Commissioner Joe Chillura said this morning. "He had more to do with the complexion of the commission becoming conservative than any other individual."
Mr. Hughes did so by making large contributions to candidates he agreed with, or even recruited. He helped turn back a brief period in the 1990s when the board was dominated by members with more of an environmentalist bent.
A former amateur boxer, Mr. Hughes made his fortune in precast materials for construction. The funeral and visitation are set for tomorrow, but are private.
Sign guestbook for Ralph Hughes
Times staff writer
[Mack Goethe, Times files]
TAMPA -- Charlette Marshall-Jones, the former Hillsborough County detention deputy who gained notoriety after dumping a quadriplegic from his wheelchair during the booking process, has entered a pretrial intervention program.
Prosecutors say the request for the intervention program, which would spare Marshall-Jones from a trial, came from an unlikely source: Brian Sterner, the victim who had been dumped to the jailhouse floor. He was not immediately available for comment.
If Marshall-Jones successfully completes the program, her charges would be dropped. To do that, she must complete the standard program with two special conditions: She has to perform 100 community service hours with disabled individuals and surrender her certification to be a detention deputy.
Marshall-Jones had already resigned from her position in February. She had been a detention deputy since 1986.
"She's happy that this matter is concluded. She wants to get on with her life, and this a way to do so,"
said her attorney, Norman Cannella Sr.
Marshall-Jones was not in court this morning.
Assistant State Attorney Pam Bondi said it was Sterner who approached prosecutors asking that Marshall-Jones be allowed to enter pretrial intervention instead of going to trial. Bondi didn't know whether Sterner's recommendation had to do with any civil litigation.
Jail inmates allege abuse: Watch video, read complete coverage
-- Colleen Jenkins, Times staff writer
Troopers continue their investigation into what caused a two-car, multi-impact crash on Interstate 75 that left a St. Petersburg man dead Sunday.
According to a Florida Highway Patrol news release, both vehicles -- a 2007 Chevrolet pickup truck and a 1998 Chevrolet Camaro -- were headed south on Interstate 75 about a mile south of County Road 41 when both cars changed lanes at the same time.
As the vehicles moved from the outside lane into the inside, the pickup struck the right side of the Camaro, sending the sports car out of control and off the road, where it struck a guardrail, rotated and spun back into the highway lanes.
Back on the highway, the pickup struck the Camaro again, this time sending the car into the grass median.
The driver of the Camaro, 73-year-old Arthur Gilbert of St. Petersburg, was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital and later pronounced dead.
It is unclear whether the driver and passenger in the pickup truck, Arnold L. Parker, 65, and Shelley M. Parker, 64, both of Belleview, were injured.
No charges have been filed.
Casey Cora, Times staff writer
A head-on crash closed Gulf to Bay Boulevard overnight. [Photo by EAMONN KNEESHAW]
All lanes of Gulf to Bay Boulevard have reopened this morning after an overnight crash closed them throughout the night.
The crash took place in Gulf to Bay's eastbound lanes near the Courtney Campbell Parkway about 11:05 p.m., authorities said.
Late Sunday, Pinellas County emergency dispatchers said responders used extrication equipment to free victims from the wreck, and at least two people were seriously injured.
Please watch This Just In for updates.
Casey Cora, Times staff writer
The 38-year-old driver of a 1998 Ford and the vehicle's 10-year-old passenger were seriously injured in a traffic wreck Sunday, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Nicole Chidester was driving the Ford south on State Road 589 south of Gunn Highway about 6:40 p.m. when she lost control while driving through a curve. The vehicle veered into the median before it overturned and struck a guardrail.
The vehicle was on it's roof when emergency officials arrived.
Chidester and passenger Alexis Kerchner, both of Land O'Lakes, were taken to St. Joseph's Hospital. FHP spokesman Sgt. Steve Gaskins said both remain in critical condition.
Casey Cora, Times staff writer
PLANT CITY -- Firefighters are battling a three-alarm blaze in a 7,000-square-foot home, Hillsborough Fire Rescue spokesman Ray Yeakley said.
Hillsborough County firefighters have been on scene -- on Charleston Woods Court near Timberlane Drive -- for about 40 minutes, trying to help Plant City firefighters contain the blaze, Yeakley said.
Yeakley said he did not know whether anyone had been injured in the fire.
Catherine E. Shoichet, Times Staff Writer
PINELLAS COUNTY- A man visiting from New Jersey died Sunday after he became distressed while wading in the water at Gandy Beach.
Charles Donnelly, 54, was in waist-deep water on the south side of the bridge when he began struggling around 3 p.m., said officials with the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.
Friends and bystanders noticed the man was in trouble and pulled him from the water. They called 911 and gave him CPR until paramedicas arrived. The man was taken to Tampa General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at about 4 p.m.
Deputies continue to investigate but said the incident may be related to a medical condition.
-- Rita Farlow, Times staff writer
CLEARWATER -- A man was killed Sunday on the Courtney Campbell Parkway after a single-vehicle motorcycle accident, Clearwater police said.
The accident, which temporarily closed the eastbound and westbound lanes of the causeway, happened shortly before 1 p.m. All lanes of travel are now open.
The man, who appeared to be in his early 20s, is not being identified until his next of kin can be notified, said supervisor Nick Gossman with the Clearwater Police Department.
The accident is still under investigation, Gossman said.
-- Rita Farlow, Times staff writer
RIVERVIEW -- A 55-year-old woman died after she was hit by a van while crossing the street late Saturday.
Patricia Horvath was walking her dog across Ambleside Boulevard at Opus Drive around 11 p.m. Saturday when she walked into the path of a 1998 Dodge Van, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said.
An ambulance took her to South Florida Baptist Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The dog was not injured, Sheriff's spokesman J.D. Callaway said.
No charges had been filed against the driver of the van, Matilda Francois, 49, of Riverview, Sunday afternoon. Callaway said the crash appeared accidental.
Catherine E. Shoichet, Times Staff Writer
TAMPA – A 26-year-old motorcyclist died after he rear-ended an SUV Saturday night.
Arius E. Fayson of Tampa was heading north on Interstate 75 in an outside lane north of Fletcher Avenue when he darted between two cars and crashed into the rear trunk of a 2003 Toyota SUV, according to Florida Highway Patrol.
The impact flipped Fayson’s motorcycle over as he was impaled in the vehicle’s trunk area, FHP said.
Rescue crews cut him out and airlifted him to Tampa General Hospital, where he died early Sunday.
The driver of the SUV, Robert E. Hudson Jr., 36, of Lutz, and a passenger, Tampa Tribune reporter Angela Delgado, 29, of Lutz, were uninjured in the crash.
Catherine E. Shoichet, Times Staff Writer
OLDSMAR -- An Oldsmar couple escaped their burning home early Sunday morning after they were alerted to the blaze when their smoke alarm went off.
Deputies with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office were on routine patrol at 4 a.m. when they noticed smoke coming from the home at 508 E. Buckingham Ave., sheriff's office officials said.
Residents Lee King, 61, and Julie King, 53, had already escaped the home by way of a spiral staircase at the back of the residence when deputies arrived. All other exits were blocked by smoke or flames, deputies said.
No one was injured in the pre-dawn blaze. Arson detectives with the sheriff’s office are investigating but said the cause of the blaze has not yet been determined.
Three vehicles in the King’s garage were also destroyed in the fire. All total, damages are estimated to be about $500,000.
Also on Sunday, a Clearwater home suffered about $20,000 in damages after a house fire that displaced four people.
It took about 20 minutes for Clearwater Fire Rescue crews to bring the blaze under control at the duplex at 2029 Douglas Ave., said Clearwater public safety spokeswoman Elizabeth Daly-Watts. Firefighters got the call at 2:41 p.m., after homeowner Galen Hauk, 72, arrived and saw smoke and flames coming from the residence.
Investigators determined the accidental fire, which started in a first-floor bedroom, was electrical in nature.
-- Rita Farlow, Times staff writer
LITHIA -- Hillsborough County parks and forestry officials are monitoring a brush fire near Alafia River Park that has burned about 500 acres since Saturday evening, but do not expect it to affect homes or businesses.
They will monitor the fire, county fire rescue spokesman Ray Yeakley said, and fog and smoke visibilities warning signs have been placed in the area for drivers on State Road 39.
Times staff writer
PINELLAS PARK -- A Kenneth City teen was shot in Pinellas Park early Sunday morning. Errick Pholone Lovan, 18, suffered a gunshot wound to his leg after a confrontation with other young men near 74th Avenue and 35th Way, police say.
Lovan, who underwent surgery to remove the bullet, is expected to recover, Pinellas Park Police Lt. Paul J. Andrews said.
"The last I heard he was going into surgery and he was fine," Andrews said.
The incident may have stemmed from an altercation at a party earlier in the night, Andrews said.
The shooter is not yet known.
At around 3 a.m. patrol officers responded to a report of multiple gunshots near the 7300 block of U.S. 19. Officers interviewed people and found no signs of a shooting. One witness said he saw young people setting off fireworks. Less than an hour later, the police department was contacted by a local hospital about a patient with a gunshot wound to his leg. Lovan later directed officers to a specific area where evidence was recovered.
Lorri Helfand--Times Staff Writer
TAMPA -- Tampa police were investigating an unexplained death after snorklers found a human skull near the Courtney Campbell Causeway.
Saturday afternoon, two snorklers found the skull about 1 mile west of the boat ramp near the Causeway, spokesman Cpl. Jared Douds said.
Police divers searched the north side of the causeway for additional bones and possible evidence. The search was expected to last until sunset, Douds said.
“If something else is uncovered or something else comes up, that may change,” Douds said.
The Hillsborough County medical examiner will attempt to determine the sex, age and cause of death of the person, he said.
Rodney Thrash, Times staff writer
PINELLAS -- Thousands of celebrants cheered, waved and begged for beads as St. Petersburg's annual Gay Pride parade snaked along Central Avenue Saturday morning. Music pulsated. Bottled water and beer cooled sweaty faces. T-shirts offered slogans ("Single and available.'').
"This is a way of celebrating who I really am after spending a lot of my life being suppressed of who I was,’’ said Carl St. Myer, 64, or Riverview, who tossed beads from the GaYbor pirate ship float.
When he went through puberty five decades ago, Myer said, he couldn't even name the feelings he had. He got married "because maybe that would fix it.'' He did come out until he was 30 when a marriage counselor"told me I needed to be who I really wanted to be.’’
A handful of protesters waved signs from side streets, quoting Biblical verses about sin, but St. Petersburg police reported no arrests of major problems. Many parade-goers snapped photographs of each other, using d the protesters as backdrops.
-- Stephen Nohlgren, Times Staff Writer
OLDSMAR -- Tampa Road has re-opened after a T-bone crash at the intersection of State Road 580 in unincorporated Oldsmar closed all eastbound traffic on Tampa Road.
Emergency dispatchers said the crash involved extrication and two patients went to the hospital. The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office spoke with an investigator from the Major Accident Investigation Team, but they decided not to go to the scene.
--Stephanie Garry, Times Staff Writer
PINELLAS PARK -- A man fired a rifle into the floor and pointed it at a clerk during a robbery of a Citgo convenience store late Friday.
Pinellas Park Police say a man entered the store at 6791 66th St. N
The man is described as white, in his early 40s, about 6 feet tall or more, with a medium build and light brown hair that was combed back with a receding hairline. He wore a long-sleeve blue T-shirt with white writing on the front, black shorts, and white sneakers without socks. The rifle had a wood stock. The car was described as a blue-green early 1990s car with a black, convertible top and spoke-like wheels that might have been a Chrysler LeBaron.
Anyone with information can call 1-800-873-TIPS (8477) or submit a tip online at crimestoppersofpinellas
--Stephanie Garry, Times Staff Writer
TAMPA -- Police are searching for a man who robbed the Fifth Third Bank in Tampa this morning.
A man walked into the bank just as it was opening this morning at 9 a.m. and implied he had a weapon in his pocket, Tampa Police spokeswoman Andrea Davis said. He handed a note to the teller demanding money, received an undisclosed amount and then fled in an unknown direction.
He is described as a black man, 6 feet to 6-foot-2, 30 to 40 years old, between 210 and 235 pounds. He had a full beard and was last seen wearing a blue bandana around his neck, prescription glasses, a blue shirt, blue jeans, brown boots and a grey leather baseball cap.
Detectives are investigating the scene, located at 3117 W Columbus Drive. Anyone with information is asked to call Tampa Police at 813-354-6600.
-- Jessica Vander Velde, Times staff writer
TAMPA -- A 30-year-old man pulled a 17-year-old boy behind a building in Tampa last night and performed sex acts on him against his will, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office reported.
Bobby Barner, of Tampa, pulled the boy behind a building at 2010 148th Avenue #24 by his belt loops at about 7 p.m. He unzipped the victim's pants and performed sex acts on him against his will, an arrest report states.
A witness walked around the corner and saw the victim pushing Barner away, the report states. Barner's address is listed as 5612 87th Street in Tampa.
Barner was charged with unlawful sexual acts with a minor and battery. He was taken to the Orient Road Jail, and his bond was set at $8,000.
-- Jessica Vander Velde, Times Staff Writer
LEALMAN -- Investigators say it appears a pile of debris caught fire in a utility room in the corner of the residence at 4550 39th St. N Friday. The residence is a total loss, said Marianne Pasha, spokeswoman for the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.
She also said that shortly after arrest of the home’s resident, Stephen Blackwell, 40, earlier this month, detectives sent what appears to be a human skull found in the home to a lab in Gainesville for further examination.
An associate of Blackwell’s discovered it stored in a box in the closet. It is may have been used for academic purposes. Blackwell is in Pinellas County Jail on drug charges.
The bomb squad was called when deputies learned that the house may have held explosive substances. They found none, but certain chemicals were found, Pasha said.
-- Mariana Minaya, Times Staff Writer
[Photo courtesy Tampa Fire Rescue]
Watch video here.
TAMPA -- After Tampa Fire Rescue crews attended to the owner of a house on fire who was suffering from smoke inhalation, they learned there were several pets inside.
So in they went, rescuing a dog, two parakeets and four cats, which scratched and clawed firefighters on their way out. Two other parakeets perished in the blaze. The cats and the beagle mix seemed dazed and frightened from the smoke, so firefighters put oxygen masks on the animals and petted them until they calmed down.
"The animals were scared and smoky, but I expect they will survive," Fire Capt. Bill Wade said.
The fire began before 1:22 p.m. today at 1314 E Sligh Ave. Before rescuers could reach the house, two passersby -- Miranda Angell, 24, and her boyfriend, Michael Cuenca, 25 -- saw a man on the front porch, seeming dazed.
The couple stopped and rushed to his aid, carrying him out of the smoke, Wade said. The man was Ralph Philtot, 56, the owner. He was transported to St. Joseph's Hospital, where he was treated for smoke inhalation. Two grown children who live with him were not inside when the fire broke out.
A fire marshal's investigation showed that Philtot had fallen asleep in a chair while smoking, which caused the fire. The house suffered about $50,000 worth of damage.
--Justin George, Times staff writer
SPRING HILL -- A 15-year-old Spring Hill boy was found dead this morning in his bedroom, Hernando sheriff's officials say.
Vincent Alfano was not breathing when his father, Steven Alfano, discovered him about 9 a.m. in a bedroom of the family's home in the 11000 block of Linden Drive. Steven Alfano performed CPR while waiting for Hernando Fire and Rescue, authorities said.
Emergency responders declared the teen dead upon arrival at the home.
The exact cause of death is unknown. Authorities do not currently consider Vincent Alfano's death to be suspicious.
A woman who answered the phone at the teen's home this afternoon declined to comment.
Alfano, who turned 15 on June 9, was a student at Challenger K-8 School in Spring Hill.
Joel Anderson, Times staff writer
HOLIDAY -- A couple was robbed at gunpoint inside their Holiday home early Thursday while their children slept in the next bedroom, according to a Pasco County Sheriff's Office report.
Two robbers, a 20- to 25-year-old man and a 18- to 20-year-old woman, entered the home at 3352 Wilson Drive through an unlocked sliding door at the back of the house. They forced Juan Carlos Salcedo, 24, and his girlfriend, 30-year-old Amy Tait Schmidt, to the floor and taped their arms and mouths, according to the report.
The suspects took an unspecified amount of cash from the couple's dresser and a Hewlett-Packard laptop computer valued at $1,000, the report said.
-- Nomaan Merchant, Times Staff Writer
SEMINOLE -- Authorities have identified a man killed earlier this month at a Seminole home they say was being used to house illegal workers for a local Chinese restaurant.
Flavio Sanchez Hernandez, 20, was found June 10 after deputies responded to the house at 13937 Eighth Ter. N after an anonymous tip.
Sanchez Hernandez had been in the United States for about two years and is originally from Chiapas, Mexico, according to the Sheriff's Office. His cause of death was not released.
He was one of more than 25 people who was living at the house and worked at the Super Buffet Sushi and Grill at a nearby shopping mall. Records show that an owner of the house, Hanny Lau, is also a registered agent of the buffet.
Detectives had a hard time interviewing the home's occupants because they did not speak English. Most were from China or Mexico and here illegally, authorities say.
After working with translators, investigators now say they are looking for three men in connection with Sanchez Hernandez's death. They described them as Hispanic males, likely from Mexico, who wore dark-colored clothing, long-sleeved shirts, sunglasses and a do-rag type of head covering.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Don Wiwi from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Robbery/Homicide Unit at (727) 582-6200, or to remain anonymous call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873-TIPS.
Times Staff Writer
Money and Paco got a reprieve. The two pit bullterriers were claimed by their owner, Sherman L. Britten, Thursday morning at Pinellas Animal Services, where they had been quarantined for 10 days after one of them killed a Boston terrier.
The dogs were scheduled to be euthanized Saturday if they were not claimed. Britten, 33, was required to pay $260 in fees and faces other fines.
The owner of the terrier, Jean Post, 80, began to cry when told the dogs had been released. "I'm scared to death of them," she said. "I'm going to get Mace."
Eileen Schulte, Times staff writer
TAMPA -- Deputies are searching for a man who exposed himself to children at a Brandon lemonade stand.
The children, a girl and a boy, set up a lemonade stand on their front porch near Tradewinds Drive and Ketch Place in Brandon at 4 p.m. June 13. The suspect drove up in a large sport utility vehicle, paid a dollar for lemonade and then opened the driver's door of the vehicle and began masturbating, investigators say.
The children ran and told adults what had happened.
Deputies are looking for a thin man approximately 20 years old with a tattoo on his upper left arm, black hair and brown eyes. He wore blue jean shorts and a white tank top. He drove an older-model dark blue SUV, perhaps a Yukon, Tahoe or an Escalade with a cherry-shaped air freshener hanging from the rearview mirror.
The vehicle may have a partial tag of 70738.
Anyone with information can contact the Sheriff's Office at (813) 247-8200 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873-8477.
-- Abbie VanSickle, Times staff writer
Deputy Constance Boyd tries to remove a woman's piercing at Orient Road Jail in March 2008. People are required to open their mouths and stick out their tongue as part of the search when they are booked. [CHRIS ZUPPA | Times]
TAMPA -- They'll be assigned to jails where they'll be screamed at and picked on for low pay and long hours, but 15 new detention deputies will be sworn in to service with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office during an afternoon ceremony.
The 15 deputies, graduates of the Sheriff's Office Detention Class 195, will be sworn in by Chief Deputy Jose Docobo during a ceremony slated for 2 p.m. at the Pine Brooke Training Facility, 1409 Falkenburg Road in Brandon.
Related: A night in booking (Audio Slideshow)
Casey Cora, Times staff writer
Above: Brides-to-be from across the bay area check over the wedding dresses available at the Goodwill store in Brandon this morning. At right, below: Rachel Whidden, 22, beams as she looks over at her mother after placing the veil on her head while trying on dresses. [KEN HELLE | Times]
BRANDON -- About 100 people lined up before sunrise this morning for the Goodwill store's Bridal Bonanza.
The booty? Two hundred handmade wedding dresses originally priced up to $2,000. This morning, though, most were selling for half price or less. The cheapest was on sale for $60.
Doors opened at 6 a.m., and the brides were ushered through an archway of purple and white balloons while the soundtrack from Father of the Bride played in the background.
Lidia Sanders, 28, of Brandon, was first in line at 3:40 a.m. She tried on about 20 dresses, eventually picking a layered, sequined white gown for $275.
"This is it," she said while trying it on.
At 7 a.m., the line continued to stretch out the door as anxious brides, their mothers and even a few grooms waited their chance for deep discounts.
Come noon, any leftover dresses will be packed and taken over to the Goodwill store in Lakeland, where a similar sale takes place tomorrow.
Jan Wesner, Times staff writer
Kayla Hamm, 21, looks at a dress on the rack while her mother, Kathy Hamm, scans the rack for more choices. [KEN HELLE | Times]
WESTCHASE — Concerned that proposed changes to the county’s after-school program could wreak havoc in the lives of thousands of children who depend on it, more than 30 parents confronted Hillsborough’s Parks director Thursday night.
For more than two hours, they asked Mark Thornton about suggested changes to the county’s $16-million Out of School youth program, which serves more than 5,600 children.
A consultant recommended three shifts as the county faces a projected $87-million operating budget shortfall. Among the consultant’s proposed remedies:
• Charge a fee. Of the nearly $20-million it spends on free programming, the Hillsborough County Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation spends about $16-million on after-school and summer camp.
• Work with a third party like the school district, the YMCA or the Boys & Girls Clubs.
• Trim the program, and possibly the staff.
It’s that latter proposition that worries parents like Rebecca Gordon. She came to the Westchase Recreation Center on Thursday to urge Thornton not to cut staff.
Continue reading "Parents to parks director: Keep coaches" »
SEFFNER -- A 26-year-old man drank between 23 and 25 shots of vodka within 30 minutes at a bar and died on Tuesday, Hillsborough County Sheriff's officials said.
Eric Morris, 26, was engaged in a drinking contest with a patron at Angels Nightclub, going shot for shot, when the patron quit but Morris kept going, Sheriff's spokesman J.D. Callaway said. Eventually a bartender denied Morris more shots though he demanded more. He pounded his fists on the bar, got up, staggered a few feet and keeled over.
He vomited once while his friends called paramedics. He soon went unconscious and was pronounced dead at Brandon Regional Medical Center about two hours after the drinking contest had begun, Callaway said.
The incident is being investigated as a death investigation. Sheriff's officials are awaiting a cause of death and toxicology reports from the Hillsborough medical examiner's office.
Bars do not have legal restrictions on how much they can serve customers, Callaway said, although the sheriff's office has classes that advises bars on safe serving practices.
-- Justin George, Times staff writer
Hillsborough County Administrator Pat Bean announced the suspensions this afternoon of three county employees suspected of selling parts from firefighting vehicles for scrap.
The employees, who will be paid during their indefinite suspensions, include a supervisor who is a 22-year employee of the county. Each worked in the fleet maintenance division of Hillsborough County Fire-Rescue.
Bean's professional responsibility office is investigating the accusations and hasn't finalized its work, but the county administrator said she heard enough to seek the removal of the employees. The Sheriff's Office also is investigating.
The employees in question are senior equipment repair supervisor Jack Holley, who makes $66,227; mechanic Bob Hall, who makes $39,249; and tradeshelper Tim Cohee, who makes $20,592.
-- Bill Varian, Times Staff Writer
From left to right, Francis Primavera, Joshua Pettigrew, Douglas Pitts, William Ball and Willie Holt listen to court proceedings in their trial Thursday afternoon. [Joseph Garnett Jr., Times]
LARGO -- Five men who protested in last year's St. Pete Pride festival were found guilty of violating a city ordinance today, though the men still could win an acquittal if the judge rules the ordinance is unconstitutional.
After about three hours of testimony, Judge Henry Andringa found that the men violated a city ordinance by carrying signs that were wider than their torsos during last year's festival, which drew more than 40,000 people. The signs said things like "Real men marry women" and "Heaven free of f---, hell full of f---."
But Andringa said he will take more time to determine whether the ordinance violates the First Amendment.
"I've found them guilty so far but not completely guilty yet," Andringa said.
David Schauer, a lawyer who is co-chairman of the Pride event, asked Andringa to issue an order preventing the men from protesting at the annual Pride Festival on Saturday. Andringa declined to issue an order at the hearing but told Schauer to file a motion Friday.
ST. PETERSBURG -- As far as robberies go, this one didn't go so well.
Authorities say Tyrone Taylor, left, 18, walked into Crossroads Liquors, 5698 Haines Road, with a handgun. First off, a probation officer saw him go in with the gun about 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, authorities say. Then, as deputies were on their way, Taylor -- who actually had a BB gun -- managed to frighten the clerk so much she couldn't open the cash register, the Sheriff's Office said.
So Taylor decided to try it himself, authorities say, and broke the register. He ended up leaving without getting cash.
Deputies arrested Taylor after seeing his Toyota Camry drive by while they were talking to the probation officer.
Taylor, who lives at 2612 46th St. S in St. Petersburg, faces one charge of armed robbery. His girlfriend Lorenda Bradford, 33, of 4100 13th Ave. N, faces one charge of being a principal to armed robbery. Authorities say she was driving the car.
--Abhi Raghunathan, Times staff writer
[Pinellas County Sheriff's Office]
Courtney Dempsey is one step closer to becoming Courtney Courtney in a celebrity fantasy wedding.
Dempsey and her fiancee, Gary Courtney, on Thursday made it into the top three in US Magazine’s dream wedding contest. The South Tampa couple was among 20 finalists competing for the wedding package valued at $100,000. Online voting for the three finalists runs July 2-9, after which time the magazine will choose a winner based on the votes and the couples’ stories.
Dempsey was diagnosed with late stage melanoma four years ago and told she only had a year to live. She beat the odds and went on to meet Courtney.
-- Susan Thurston, Times staff writer
TAMPA -- It's a couple of weeks late, but Gator Falls is now open at Lowry Park Zoo.
Visitors can check out the water flume ride and the albino alligator exhibit, both open in the zoo’s Mason M. and Charles P. Lykes Florida Wildlife Center.
Gator Falls offers a cooler option for summer guests. The ride begins in an area designed to resemble a historic "Florida Cracker" trail, starting at ground level and climbing to nearly 30 feet. Riders float in a log as they explore old Florida, get splashed by falling water and then get the thrill of a 30-foot drop over the alligator exhibit.
The new white gator exhibit will give zoo visitors a look at a pair of rare white alligators which, because they lack pigment in their skin, have a milky coloring.
-- Times staff writer
TARPON SPRINGS -- Stacey Karavokiros, the teenager who celebrated her high school prom at All Children's Hospital and received her diploma wearing a hospital mask, is home again.
Stacey, left, 17, has had two heart transplants, and her body is trying to reject the third heart. She needs a sanitized room at home to remain germ free, and her family needs a reliable vehicle to take her to doctors' appointments.
So on Sunday, Stacey's friends are having a dinner, dance and auction to raise money for the family. The 6:30 p.m. event takes place at the Spanos-Pappas Community Center, 348 N Pinellas Ave., in Tarpon Springs. Tickets are $15 each. Other donations can be sent to "Have a Heart Fundraiser," P.O. Box 56, Tarpon Springs, FL, 34688. For more information, e-mail Kpseftelis@aol.com.
--Lane DeGregory, Times staff writer
[Willie J. Allen, Jr., Times files]
Just as it began to rain Thursday, Courtney Robinson, left, and DeMarcus Newsome started an afternoon of fishing at the Pier in St. Petersburg. "They say it's better to go fishing when it rains," said Newsome. "The fish come up more." [Lara Cerri, Times]
Tired of rain? Don't expect a break this weekend. Forecasts call for afternoon thunderstorms throughout the weekend, with highs in the high 80s or low 90s. "Heat and humidity, with a sea breeze forming, will lead to more heavy afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms each day," said Josh Linker, a meteorologist for Bay News 9.
Friday
Partly sunny with heavy afternoon showers and thunderstorms.
Chance of rain: 60%
Low 76
High 91
Saturday
Mostly sunny to partly sunny with afternoon thunderstorms.
Chance of rain: 50%
Low 75
High 89
Sunday
Partly sunny with scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms.
Chance of rain: 50%
Low 76
High 89
HUDSON -- Authorities have arrested a third person in connection with a May home invasion in which robbers held two young children with guns to their heads.
Lamont "Montana" Gaynor (left), 20, of Brooksville was arrested Wednesday at Land O'Lakes Jail. Gaynor grabbed an 18-month-old girl and held a gun at her, according to a sheriff's report.
Gaynor and two other suspects, 22-year-old Devin Lamm and 19-year-old Nicholas Bernhardt, then forced the residents of the home into a bedroom, the report said.
No one was hurt, and the culprits fled with $100 in cash.
A witness picked Gaynor's picture out of a group of photos, the report said.
Gaynor was charged with home invasion robbery with a weapon, aggravated assault with intent to commit a felony and false imprisonment. He is being held in lieu of $60,000 bail.
Nomaan Merchant, Times staff writer
[Pasco County Sheriff's Office]
TAMPA -- God Lucky Howard (below) landed in jail last week after Tampa police said he sold drugs near a church, among other places.
Today, he was supposed to plead his case for reduced bail before an earthly judge.
God was present. His attorney wasn't, so the hearing got delayed until next week.
But first, Hillsborough Circuit Judge Walter Heinrich considered the name of the man standing before him.
"Is this a nickname?" the judge asked. "God Lucky? Is this a real name?"
It was hard to hear God's answer.
"Interesting," the judge said. "I've never seen that before."
Heinrich looked at God's case file.
"Let's see why we're here, to see if you're getting into heaven," the judge said. "Just kidding, of course."
-- Colleen Jenkins, Times staff writer
[Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office]
NEW PORT RICHEY -- For 18 years, Sandra Wilbanks stood at the head of a classroom at Pasco-Hernando Community College teaching classes like phlebotomy, medical language and disease processes.
And from the time she was hired in 1990 until her arrest this week, she had the letters "RN" by her name: registered nurse.
Now authorities say Wilbanks (left), 59, was a fraud.
She holds no state nursing license, according to the Department of Health, and the license information she filed with PHCC was a forgery, according to a Pasco County Sheriff's Office report.
The trouble came to light in June as the school went through an accreditation process. PHCC Human Resources officials asked Wilbanks repeatedly for her updated license information.
She first answered that she may have let it expire, according to the report. Then she submitted her retirement letter.
PHCC spokeswoman Lucy Miller said Wilbanks never taught nursing students, and that she wasn't required by the state to have a license for her teaching position. But the college required it and only hired her because she had that credential.
Miller said Wilbanks was a popular instructor who consistently received good evaluations from her supervisors and high praise from students.
"The students said that they felt that she cared about them personally, that she was very knowledgeable, that she presented the information in a way that they understood,” Miller said.
Wilbanks, of 17704 Chorvat Ave. in Shady Hills, was arrested Wednesday. She faces charges of scheme to defraud, forgery and practice or advertisement as a nurse without a license. She was released from the Pasco County jail the same day after posting $15,000 bail.
-- Molly Moorhead, Times staff writer
[Pasco County Sheriff's Office]
Authorities this morning are searching for the driver of an abandoned car they say crashed into a light pole, causing the pole to collapse and block nearby railroad tracks.
A Florida Highway Patrol trooper saw the abandoned car, a green two-door Honda, about 4:15 a.m. at State Road 60 near Skywood Drive in Valrico.
The car has been towed, and the pole has been removed from the tracks. Troopers say charges are pending "if and when" the Honda's owner can be found.
-- Casey Cora, Times staff writer
TAMPA -- Westbound traffic on State Road 60 was rerouted this morning onto a new elevated section that bridges Bayport Drive, instead of through the traffic light at the intersection. Drivers who want to turn onto Bayport Drive from westbound SR 60 must now exit to the right after crossing the Bayport Drive overpass.
Click here for live traffic reports on the area.
Times staff writer
ST. PETERSBURG -- A fire in the attic of a St. Petersburg house left the home uninhabitable, according to St. Petersburg Fire & Rescue.
The fire started at 5950 Commonwealth Ave. N about 5 p.m. A lightning strike was seen shortly before the fire started, and firefighters are investigating whether it was the cause, said Lt. Rick Feinberg.
No one was injured, but the two residents will not be able to stay at the house. The American Red Cross is assisting the family, Feinberg said.
--Stephanie Garry, Times Staff Writer
The Nielsen Co. outsourcing and layoffs in Oldsmar will be covered on CNN's Lou Dobbs Tonight show from 7 to 8 p.m. tonight. This is the second time the Oldsmar layoffs have been featured on the show this week. Tonight's coverage may be an attempt to include the viewpoints of more Oldsmar officials. Watch video of the first show.
--Theresa Blackwell, Times staff writer
[Atoyia Deans, Times files]
PINELLAS PARK -- Nine people were transported to local hospitals after a PSTA bus crashed into a car in Pinellas Park, police say.
According to Sgt. Brian Unmisig of the Pinellas Park Police, an Acura Integra was headed northbound on 49th Street North when it made a U-turn to go southbound near 110th Avenue. The bus, also traveling south, hit the passenger side of the car.
Unmisig said the car's driver failed to yield to the bus. Charges are pending, he said.
More than 15 people were on the bus, Unmisig said. The nine who were transported to do not appear to have life threatening injuries.
"It’s going to take us hours to figure out exactly what the injuries were and who was on the bus," Unmisig said.
--Stephanie Garry, Times Staff Writer
Watch video.
ST. PETERSBURG -- The Sheriff's Office is investigating the theft of three artifacts from the Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center at 1800 Weedon Drive NE.
The stolen artifacts include two deer bone pins and a fossilized bone ornamental plummet. The items were noticed to be missing Monday afternoon; the center is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Deputies assigned to the Sheriff's Office Environmental Lands Unit responded to the report of stolen items on Tuesday.
The items were protected behind a clear plastic window. According to deputies, someone cut or loosened the screws holding the window and reached between the plastic and backboard and removed the items. The exact value of the items is unknown.
Deputies are asking that anyone with information concerning the theft of these items contact Deputy Charlie Tita of the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office Environmental Lands Unit at (727) 582-6221
Abhi Raghunathan, Times staff writer
WESLEY CHAPEL -- An employee of a local tree service used a 3-foot long sling blade to intimidate a 20-year-old man Tuesday night, according to a Pasco County Sheriff's Office report.
Deputies say Brian Craighead (left), 44, had been drinking in the gazebo of a home owned by his boss, Lance Fisher, 53, along with a few of Fisher's neighbors. Craighead had lived with Fisher for the last several months, Fisher said.
Craighead started bragging and making threats, said 20-year-old Adam Jablonski, who was also in the gazebo. He went into the shed and retrieved the sling blade, which is used primarily to cut grass, Jablonski said. He raised the blade above his head and came after Jablonski before putting the blade down.
Later in the evening, Craighead leaned toward Jablonski and called him a profane word, said Jablonski, who responded by throwing an empty bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey at him.
The bottle cut Craighead on the right side of the face. Craighead then drew a box cutter knife and pointed it at Jablonski, before Fisher came out of the house and intervened.
Sheriff's deputies arrested Craighead after he tried to file a complaint against Jablonski for throwing the bottle, Jablonski said.
Craighead was charged with one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill. He is being held in Land O'Lakes jail on $5,000 bail.
-- Nomaan Merchant, Times staff writer
[Pasco County Sheriff's Office]
ST. PETERSBURG -- The St. Petersburg Airfest, which sought to bring an F-15 jet and stunt pilots to the city in October, has been cancelled.
Event president David Thompson said corporate contributions have lagged this year because of the economy. The Airfest's volunteer organizers needed to pay up-front costs to the aerobatic performers, and the money just wasn't coming in, Thompson said.
"We felt that rather than go to a smaller show we would rather wait a year, because the people have come to expect a certain level of excellence and we don't want to disappoint them," Thompson said.
Last year's Airfest at Albert Whitted Airport featured skydivers, a Black Hawk helicopter, biplanes and other aircraft. Organizers say Airfest will return in 2009.
Curtis Krueger, Times staff writer
[Members of the Red Baron Pizza Squadron perform during the 2006 St. Petersburg Airfest at Albert Whitted Airport. James Borchuck, Times files]
TAMPA -- The Hillsborough State Attorney's Office has dropped charges against a HARTline bus driver who was fired after being accused of harassing a female passenger.
Alphonso Hicks, 40, was jailed April 1 on charges of false imprisonment and battery. A HART driver since December 2006, he was accused of making sexual advances toward the woman and not letting her off the bus when it got to the University Area Transit Center on 27th Street.
Hicks was arrested after HART and sheriff's officials reviewed the video from the recently installed camera on the bus.
But prosecutors interpreted the video's contents differently and decided not to file charges on May 23.
The video showed the woman laughing and being flirtatious toward the driver. State Attorney records indicate that the victim would only speak to a prosecutor with her attorney present.
"After reviewing the video, we could not prove a crime had been committed," said Assistant State Attorney Pam Bondi.
Colleen Jenkins, Times staff writer
TAMPA -- A Brandon man received a 2-year federal prison sentence today for selling nearly $1-million in fake Cartier and Rolex watches, Louis Vuitton handbags and Tiffany & Co. Jewelry.
Jason B. Register pleaded guilty in November to trafficking in counterfeit goods. Prosecutors said he smuggled the knockoffs into the country from China, concealing watches in a box purporting to contain speakers.
He sold the items through an online store he created and operated named Exquisite Styles. Prosecutors and the defense agreed that the amount of loss to the company's for Register's actions was $973,981.10.
Continue reading "Man who sold fake Cartier and Louis Vuitton gets 2 years in prison" »
TAMPA -- Hillsborough Circuit Judge E. Lamar Battles today became the second judge to recuse himself from a drug case that could land two of his colleagues on the witness stand.
Attorney Paul S. Carr is seeking to get drug charges against Christopher Snipes thrown out, alleging that Circuit Judge Chet A. Tharpe's initials were forged by a detective on a search warrant. Tharpe signed a sworn affidavit saying the initials were not his, then later said he might have been mistaken because he had no recollection of the event.
Continue reading "Judge recuses himself from disputed drug case" »
TAMPA -- A homeless man with a history of mental illness received a 57-month federal sentence today for
threatening President Bush.
Timothy Wade Pinkston (left), 48, had also threatened President Bill Clinton and the governor of Georgia while
serving a prior federal sentence.
Continue reading "Homeless man sentenced to nearly 5 years for threats against Bush" »
A St. Petersburg man was killed crossing U.S. 19 late Tuesday, Florida Highway Patrol officials said.
Charles Timothy Jones, 56, was walking across the northbound lanes of U.S. 19 when he was struck by an SUV headed north, according to a FHP news release.
Jones stepped into the path of a 2007 Jeep Liberty, according to the release. The Jeep's driver, Emiljan Precaj, 25, of Palm Harbor braked and tried to steer away from Jones, but could not avoid the impact.
Jones was taken to Bayfront Medical Center, where he later died.
No charges have been filed.
Casey Cora, Times staff writer
The search for a missing man with Alzheimer's brought a family to a backyard pool, where they found the 63-year-old drowned at the bottom.
Donald Powers was last seen by relatives in his bedroom at the family's home, 6605 S Kissimmee St., around 9:45 p.m. Tuesday. When the family realized Powers was missing, they noticed an open door leading to the back yard, according to a Tampa Police news release. Powers was at the bottom.
Police arrived at the scene and initiated CPR, but Powers died at the scene.
Casey Cora, Times staff writer
The Florida Highway Patrol says the same man was involved in nearly simultaneous hit-and-run crashes in Hernando County today.
Jay Anthony Conner, 19, was involved in crashes at Linden Drive and Mariner Boulevard and at Spring Hill Drive just east of Mariner Boulevard about 6 p.m., according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
The Hernando County Sheriff's Office located the driver, who suffered minor injuries. The drivers of other cars were unhurt, according to the FHP.
--Stephanie Garry, Times Staff Writer
The Florida Highway Patrol arrested a man after he ignored a trooper's request for him to stop and collided with his car.
Christopher J. Kazakowitz, 29, pictured left, was charged with DUI, driving on a suspended license and criminal mischief and booked in the Hernando County Jail, according to the FHP.
About 6:15 p.m., troopers received a call about a reckless driver in Hernando County. A trooper located and tried to stop the driver, but he wouldn't respond. Then the car's engine blew and it lost power, according to the FHP. The driver slammed on the brakes, and the trooper tried to avoid a collision but the front of his patrol car hit the rear of the car.
The trooper put Kazakowitz in the back of the car, but he broke out the rear right side window of the patrol car and hurt his hand. He was taken to Spring Hill Regional Hospital and received several stitches before going to the Hernando County Jail.
--Stephanie Garry, Times Staff Writer
Photo courtesy Hernando County Sheriff's Office
NEW PORT RICHEY -- The Florida Highway Patrol used a court order this weekend to seize a silver-gray Pontiac Grand Prix that troopers believe was involved in the fatal crash that killed motorcyclist Nicholas Burns Jr. on U.S. 19 last week.
Witnesses described the vehicle as a gray sedan with a small spoiler on the rear trunk and a damaged driver's side door from the crash. According to an FHP warrant made public today, a tow truck driver told troopers on Saturday that he had towed a vehicle matching that description.
FHP Sgt. Steve Gaskins told the Times today that troopers learned there may have been an attempt to repair the vehicle. So on Saturday troopers went to the address where the Grand Prix was towed -- 9930 Woodridge Court in Port Richey -- and found the car in the garage, according to the warrant.
Two small children at the residence, the warrant said, asked the trooper if he was there to see the car involved in the crash with the motorcycle. The car was a rental, the warrant said.
The Grand Prix had a small spoiler on the trunk and a damaged driver's side door, the warrant said, matching witness descriptions at the scene.
But the residents denied driving or renting the vehicle. The identity of the driver, and whoever leased the vehicle, remains unknown, according to the FHP. Witnesses have given conflicting statements about whether the driver was a man or a woman, Gaskins told the Times.
The warrant said the owner of the vehicle, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, wasn't any help. Enterprise refused to identify who rented the car and refused to let FHP take the vehicle, according to the warrant.
Gaskins said troopers had to babysit the vehicle for about 12 hours until the warrant was written up and signed by a judge on Sunday. The vehicle was seized and will undergo forensic testing, Gaskins said, in the hopes of identifying the driver.
The crash occurred June 18. Burns was headed north on U.S. 19, authorities say, when a westbound silver vehicle ran a stop sign at Bougenville Avenue, crossed into the intersection and into the motorcycle's path.
His motorcycle struck the driver's side door. The vehicle did not stop or offer any help, according to authorities, and instead fled south on U.S. 19.
Burns, a 22-year-old Marine and Citrus County resident, was left brain dead, doctors told his family. Dozens crowded the hallways of a St. Petersburg hospital to say their goodbyes. Burns died on June 19.
-- Jamal Thalji, Times Staff Writer