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Today's Top Stories

News Alerts:

Saturday, May 25, 2013

Thanks, ‘Mr. El Jobean’

EL JOBEAN — In Shakespeare’s Julius Ceasar, Mark Antony noted, “The evil that men do lives after them, the good is oft’ interred with their bones.” Not so with Loranda “Randy” Spence. The community activist known for decades as “Mr. El Jobean” poured his heart and soul into making the … Find out how to read more online.

LATEST LOCAL NEWS

Lemon Bay grad survives Oklahoma tornado
Sat May 25 2013 08:15PM

Local weather reports warned of severe weather, but that was not a reason to put off what was planned for a day off — or at least, that was what … Find out how to read more online.

Farmers market aids businesses
Sat May 25 2013 05:54PM

PUNTA GORDA — It’s Saturday morning and Debbie Jones, owner of A New Beginning Hair Salon, escorts her first customer through the door — which is not to say that … Find out how to read more online.

A vision of landscaped Charlotte
Sat May 25 2013 08:15PM

In 1984, when Joe Tiseo graduated from Port Charlotte High School, the motto was “PCHS Pride,” and he took it seriously. It wasn’t just the school that instilled pride in … Find out how to read more online.

Local singer, 16, to audition for ‘The Voice’
Sat May 25 2013 08:15PM

PUNTA GORDA — With more than 200 stage performances as a singer, dancer and actress by age 16, Marcella Brown is living her dream. But soon her dream may become a … Find out how to read more online.

State, National and World News

NTSB: Bridge collapse is wake-up call
Sat May 25 2013 09:51PM

SEATTLE — The chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board said Saturday the bridge collapse in Washington state is a wake-up call for the nation. “This is a really significant event and we need to learn from it, not just … read more.

Fragments of biblical treasure are up for sale
Sat May 25 2013 09:51PM

JERUSALEM — Parts of the Dead Sea Scrolls are up for sale — in tiny pieces. Nearly 70 years after the discovery of the world’s oldest biblical manuscripts, the Palestinian family who originally sold them to scholars and institutions is … read more.

Obama’s focus on terror
Sat May 25 2013 09:51PM

WASHINGTON — Some call it wishful thinking, but President Barack Obama has all but declared an end to the global war on terror. Obama is not claiming final victory over extremists who still seek to kill Americans and others. Instead, … read more.

WWII generation fades
Sat May 25 2013 09:51PM

The solemn ritual plays out dozens of times every day with a neatly folded flag, a crisp salute and one more goodbye to a fast-fading generation of soldiers, sailors and Marines. These were the men who made history in places … read more.

Community outreach key to Obama counterterror plan
Sat May 25 2013 09:20PM

WASHINGTON (AP) — Within hours of the Boston Marathon blasts, government officials and Boston Muslims called each other to offer assistance, calls that were the fruits of years of cultivating such relationships in an effort to ultimately prevent the very … read more.

SeaWorld banks on on penguin empire
Sat May 25 2013 09:20PM

ORLANDO (Tampa Bay Times) — Trying to keep pace with princesses at Disney World and Harry Potter at Universal Studios, SeaWorld has bet its future on making penguins from Antarctica at home in the middle of a former swamp. It … read more.

NY’s Main Beach tops annual survey of best beaches
Sat May 25 2013 09:20PM

EAST HAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) — This may be hard to believe in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, but an annual list of the best beaches in the country has a New York beach ranked No. 1. Less surprisingly, that beach … read more.

Jordanian king: Extremism ‘grown fat’ on conflict
Sat May 25 2013 09:18PM

SOUTHERN SHUNEH, Jordan (AP) — Jordan’s King Abdullah II said Saturday extremism has “grown fat” off of the longstanding conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. “Good faith talks must get going,” Abdullah told the opening of a two-day meeting of … read more.

Rare Superman comic found in house insulation
Sat May 25 2013 01:19AM

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — It’s considered the Holy Grail of comic books: Action Comics No. 1 from 1938, featuring the debut of Superman. And David Gonzales found one mixed in with old newspapers insulating a house he was renovating in a … read more.

Truck causes I-5 bridge collapse
Sat May 25 2013 01:19AM

MOUNT VERNON, Wash. — The trucker was hauling a load of drilling equipment when his load bumped against the steel framework over an Interstate 5 bridge. He looked in his rearview mirror and watched in horror as the span collapsed … read more.

Scouts face more turmoil
Sat May 25 2013 01:19AM

(AP) — The Boy Scouts of America will get no reprieve from controversy after a contentious vote to accept openly gay boys as Scouts. Dismayed conservatives are already looking at alternative youth groups as they predict a mass exodus from … read more.

Gov. Scott: Will fight tuition hikes
Sat May 25 2013 01:19AM

TALLAHASSEE — Florida Gov. Rick Scott is strongly warning universities that he will fight against any tuition hikes this year. Scott made the warning in a letter sent out Friday to the heads of the boards that oversee the state’s … read more.

Summer travel forecast: Better, but no blowout
Sat May 25 2013 01:19AM

NEW YORK — This summer, high rollers are flying to lavish vacation hot spots for their vacations. The rest of us are headed to places like nearby campgrounds. The good news: At some U.S. campgrounds these days you get live … read more.

N. Korea courts nuke talks
Sat May 25 2013 01:19AM

BEIJING — A top North Korean envoy delivered a letter from leader Kim Jong Un to Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday and told him Pyongyang would take steps to rejoin stalled nuclear disarmament talks, in an apparent victory for … read more.

Stock market barely budges
Sat May 25 2013 01:19AM

NEW YORK (AP) — Major stock indexes closed out their first weekly loss in a month in quiet trading Friday. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index dropped 0.91 of a point to close at 1,649.60. The Dow Jones industrial average … read more.

Oklahoma gets far more than its share of disasters
Sat May 25 2013 01:19AM

WASHINGTON (AP) — Many states get hit frequently with tornadoes and other natural catastrophes, but Oklahoma is Disaster Central. The twister that devastated Moore, Okla., was the 74th presidential disaster declared in the Sooner state in the past 60 years. … read more.

Russia says Syrian regime agrees to peace talks
Sat May 25 2013 01:19AM

BEIRUT (AP) — The Syrian government has agreed to attend a conference proposed by Russia and the United States on ending the country’s civil war, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Friday, the first sign that President Bashar Assad’s regime would … read more.

Jurors deadlock on Jodi Arias penalty
Fri May 24 2013 01:19AM

PHOENIX (AP) — Jurors have deadlocked on a verdict of life or death for Jodi Arias in the 2008 killing of her one-time boyfriend. The judge declared a mistrial in the penalty phase. Another panel will be seated and the … read more.

Tea party vs. old guard in GOP Senate rift
Fri May 24 2013 01:19AM

WASHINGTON (AP) — A long-simmering feud between establishment Republicans and tea partyers broke into full view Thursday, with Sen. John McCain accusing younger colleagues of overplaying their hands and tempting Democrats to change Senate rules that protect the minority party. … read more.

Obama lifts ban on Guantanamo transfers to Yemen
Fri May 24 2013 01:19AM

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is lifting his self-imposed ban on transferring Guantanamo Bay detainees to Yemen, where a leadership upheaval has improved the country’s security but not eliminated a terrorist organization trying to recruit jihadists. Lifting the ban … read more.

Obama defends drone strikes but says no cure-all
Fri May 24 2013 01:19AM

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama on Thursday defended America’s controversial drone attacks as legal, effective and a necessary linchpin in an evolving U.S. counterterrorism policy. But he acknowledged the targeted strikes are no “cure-all” and said he is haunted … read more.

Report: Nation’s kids need to get more physical
Fri May 24 2013 01:19AM

WASHINGTON (AP) — Reading, writing, arithmetic — and PE? The prestigious Institute of Medicine is recommending that schools provide opportunities for at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day for students and that PE become a core subject. The … read more.

Nixon library hosts 40th reunion for Vietnam POWs
Fri May 24 2013 01:19AM

YORBA LINDA, Calif. (AP) — U.S. Navy Lt. Mike McGrath was just 27 years old, with a wife and two toddler sons in the U.S., when he was shot down and taken prisoner on his 179th bombing mission during the … read more.

Mutant cockroaches learn to avoid sugar to outsmart sticky traps
Fri May 24 2013 01:19AM

(Bloomberg) — Roaches that have been hard to trap may be a variety that find sugar doesn’t taste quite so sweet as bait anymore, a study suggests. Most cockroach baits cover poison in a layer of glucose, a sugar. Some … read more.

Obama: Policy in leaks investigations under review
Thu May 23 2013 09:26PM

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama said Thursday that the Justice Department will review the policy under which it obtains journalists’ records in investigations of the leak of government secrets. Obama acknowledged he is “troubled by the possibility that leaks … read more.

Stocks edge lower as investors reassess Fed fears
Fri May 24 2013 01:19AM

NEW YORK (AP) — Investors recovered their poise after a shaky start to trading on Wall Street that sent stocks sharply lower. U.S. markets plummeted immediately after the opening bell Thursday following a global slump prompted in part by an … read more.

Boy Scouts approve plan to accept openly gay boys
Fri May 24 2013 01:19AM

GRAPEVINE, Texas (AP) — In one of their most dramatic choices in a century, local leaders of the Boy Scouts of America voted Thursday to ease a divisive ban and allow openly gay boys to be accepted into the nation’s … read more.

Birth control coverage up for federal appeal
Fri May 24 2013 01:19AM

DENVER (AP) — In the most prominent challenge of its kind, Hobby Lobby Stores Inc. is asking a federal appeals court Thursday for an exemption from part of the federal health care law that requires it to offer employees health … read more.

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More Local News

War is hell on the home front too
Sat May 25 2013 07:03PM

People from around the country will gather Monday to remember the men and women of the United States armed services who throughout our relatively short history as a nation have sacrificed so much so to ensure the continuation of the … Find out how to read more online.

Where the tarpon are a-jumpin’
Sat May 25 2013 08:15PM

Anglers from around the world competed in the two-day 2013 World’s Richest Tarpon Tournament in Boca Grande Pass. The catch-and-release tournament started Thursday. Based on 50 boats entering, first place received $40,000; second place, $24,000; and third place, $16,000. … Find out how to read more online.

Weekly Record
Sat May 25 2013 06:37PM

Charlotte County births • Tyler Patrick Byrnes, to Betty Sue Roberts and Daniel James Byrnes of North Port, at 7:12 a.m. May 20. He weighed 6 pounds, 9 ounces. • Nolan Christopher Grant, to Samantha and Christopher Grant of Port Charlotte, … Find out how to read more online.

Winners Circle
Sat May 25 2013 06:06PM

American Legion Post 103 • Sunday Darts winners May 19: Round 1: 1-Judy Day, Dick Braun; 2-Christy (no last name provided), Joey Siracusa; 3-Harriet Ratynski, Ron Hickson. Round 2: 1-Harriet Ratynski, Paul Martin; 2-Judy Day, Dick Braun; 3-Christy and Bruce … Find out how to read more online.

Imagine students thank Matthews for his dedication
Sat May 25 2013 08:00AM

NORTH PORT — Reading from three colorful index cards, ninth-grader Alyssia Small told her peers Friday afternoon that Imagine School at North Port principal Justin Matthews put his job on the line to make the school better. “Unfortunately, as strong … Find out how to read more online.

Moose Lodge shows support for good friend
Sat May 25 2013 08:00AM

PORT CHARLOTTE — Michael Dalton is the kind of person who is always happy to support not only his friends, but also anyone else in need. During the Charlotte Stone Crabs baseball game Thursday night at Charlotte Sports Park, it … Find out how to read more online.

School year comes to a close
Sat May 25 2013 08:00AM

Friday was the last day of school for students in Charlotte County Public Schools. … Find out how to read more online.

Charlotte Tech holds graduation, pinnings
Sat May 25 2013 08:00AM

Charlotte Technical Center held its pinning and graduation ceremonies Thursday evening at its Murdock campus. One hundred and twenty seven students completed the 18 technological programs offered at the Tech Center. Graduating students from the dental assisting and practical nursing … Find out how to read more online.

RELIGION BRIEFS
Sat May 25 2013 08:00AM

Community HU meeting Eckankar, the religion of the light and sound of God, will sponsor a Community HU meeting at 11 a.m. today at the Mid-County Regional Library, 2050 Forrest Nelson Blvd., Port Charlotte. The HU song, a prayer to … Find out how to read more online.

Few gains in FCAT scores
Sat May 25 2013 08:00AM

The Florida Department of Education released FCAT 2.0 test scores for four grades Friday that show Charlotte County students largely performing under the state average, and Sarasota County students exceeding it. Third grade math and reading scores remained largely the … Find out how to read more online.

Local Marine receives Purple Heart
Sat May 25 2013 08:15PM

Cpl. Matthew Piediscalzo is a very lucky young man. Last November, he and two other Marines were riding in the lead vehicle of a 50-truck convoy in Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan when they hit an improvised explosive device. The … Find out how to read more online.

A sea of flags
Sat May 25 2013 05:57PM

American Legion Post 110, VFW Post 5690 and cadets from the Port Charlotte High School NJROTC joined together Friday to honor veterans this Memorial Day by placing American flags at their grave sites at Restlawn Memorial Gardens in Port Charlotte. … Find out how to read more online.

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