News-Press from Fort Myers, Florida • Page A10

THE NEWS-PRESSE1 BRIGHTBILL, CHARLES, 59, of Cape Coral died May 15. Arrangements by Coral Ridge Funeral Home and Cemetery. EGLESTON, ROBERT 85, of North Fort Myers died May 17. A rrangements by Coral Ridge Funeral Home and Cemetery- Cape Coral. FINCH III, GEORGE LEWISTON, 79, of Fort Myers died May 16.

Arrangements by Harvey-Engelhardt Funeral and Cremation Services. GARCIA, ROBERT 53, of Fort Myers died May 17. Arrangements by Harvey-Engelhardt Funeral and Cremation Services. HADDEN, GEOFFREY, 59, of Fort Myers died May 2. Arrangements by Gendron Funeral and Cremation Services.

HERSHBERGER, ANDREW 51, of Englewood died May 16. Arrangements by Neptune Society. LOWREY MD, MICHAEL 81, of Fort Myers died May 14. Arrangements by Mullins Memorial Funeral Home Cremation Service, Fort Myers. MCGINTY-COLBAUGH, ERMON 86, of Fort Myers died May 16.

Arrangements by Hodges Funeral Home at Lee Memorial Park. MEDEIROS, JOYCE 55, of North Port died May 17. Arrangements by Neptune Society. MEEKS, COLBY ALAN, 38, of Cape Coral died May 16. Arrangements by National Cremation and Burial Society.

REINS, LUCILLE 97, of Fort Myers died May 16. Arrange- ents by National Cremation Burial Society. ROBERTS, SHAQUILLE TYRONE, 21, of Lehigh Acres died ay 14. Arrangements by James C. Boyd Funeral Home, STATHIS, ROBERTA DORIS, 81, of Cape Coral died May 16.

Arrangements by Affordable Cremations, A Dignified Alternative. THOMAS, JOHN 67, of North Fort Myers died May 16. A rrangements by National Cremation Burial Society. WINGATE, DOROTHY ROSE, 91, of Fort Myers Beach died May 16. Arrangements by Fort Myers Memorial Gardens Funera Home and Cemetery.

Death notices ST. Before 18-year-old Austin oodner was killed by Florida police on Sunday, authorities said he argued with four people near a city pool, shot a man on a bike in the arm and then shot an officer in the leg. suspect shot at my officers, and they ret urned fire so they could go St. Petersburg police Chief Anthony Holloway said Monday at a news conference. Goodner was known to officers, Holloway said, having been involuntarily committed twice in 2011.

He had also been previously arrested for aggravated battery, the chief said. On Sunday, Goodner made a comment to four people their sexual at near a pool near the downtown, Holloway said. Goodner then rode away on his bike, and officers said he confronted another man on a bike. He fired one shot and hit the man in the arm, police said. Officers said they then went to the home Goodne shared with his parents and said they found oodner in the backyard, holding a gun.

oodner raised the weapon at the officers, and when they shot him, officials said. Holloway said Goodner returned fire and struck officer Michael Cordiviola, 40, in the leg. The officer was dragged away from the scene by a fellow police- an and used a nearby hose as a tourniquet. olloway said Goodner yelled, ahead and ill to the officers as the shootout occurred. The officers fired and hit Goodner.

He was pronounced dead at a hospital. Officials are looking into how Goodner obtained he weapon. Authorities say his parents told them hey have a gun in the house. he state attorney is reviewing the shootings, which is routine for any police shooting that results in death. Cordiviola, the injured officer, is recovering in a ocal hospital and is expected to be released later this week.

FATAL SHOOTING TAMPA BAY TIMES Police stand by the corner of 54th Avenue and 19th treet in St. Petersburg on Sunday after an officer was hot and Austin Goodner, 18, was killed at a nearby home. Police say man told officers ahead and kill in shootout TAMARA LUSH ASSOCIATED PRESS Backers of largest private-school voucher program scored a significant ictory Monday in an increasingly bitter legal battle. ircuit Judge George Reynolds tossed out a laws uit that contended that the program that serves early 70,000 students across the state by placing them in private and mostly religious schools is unconstitutional. Reynolds ruled that the groups filing the lawsuit did not have a legal right, or to challenge the program.

He also ruled that the groups, which included both the main teacher union as a well a group that represents school boards, did not how how they were being harmed by the program. The Florida Education Association said in a statement it would consider whether to appeal the ruling but it sounded as if the union was not ready to drop the fight yet. We believe that if the facts are allowed to be heard that the courts would find that this tax-credit voucher program is said Joanne McCall, a vice president with the FEA in a statement. time to settle the issue of the constitutionality of vouchers once and for The legal battle has been closely watched as supporters have mounted an advertising and public relations campaign that called for the lawsuit to be dropped because of its potential impacts to families using the vouchers. The Florida House passed a bill that would have placed financial restrictions on one of the groups behind the lawsuit.

The legislation did not pass because the annual session ended abruptly. This is a great day for some of most ulnerable families said Archbish- Thomas Wenski of the Archdiocese of Miami in a tatement. Catholic schools are committed to helping the least among us, and we agree with Judge Reynolds that there is no reason to exclude any education option that might help reduce the scourge of enerational he first tax credit scholarship program as launched in 2001by then-Gov. Jeb Bush, who is alikely candidate for U.S. president.

Two years earlier Bush set up the first voucher program for children attending low-per- orming schools. The state Supreme Court ulti- ately declared it unconstitutional, saying it violate a requirement that the state had a to have a uniform and high quality system of public A lower court had also ruled it unconstitutional on the grounds it violated a provi- ion that says no aid may be given by the state to religious institutions. ut Bush and the GOP-controlled Legislature created other voucher programs including one that allows businesses to get credits on their state tax bills if they donate to an organization that gives vouchers to children in low-income families. Over the years legislators have expanded eligibility re- uirements and starting in 2016 middle-income families may also qualify for the program. he lawsuit contended that the tax credit program violated the constitution the same way the previous program did.

But Reynolds ruled that taxpayers chal- enge the program because the money is not handed out annually by the Florida Legislature in the state udget. He also called it to suggest that public schools are receiving less money because of the voucher program. EDUCATION Judge throws ut lawsuit over voucher program GARY FINEOUT ASSOCIATED PRESS Elian Gonzalez wants to visit US Elian Gonzalez, who was the focus of an international custody dispute when he was a little boy, says like to visit the United States. Gonzalez spoke to ABC News in an interview hat aired Monday. He said if he could visit anywhere, it would be the U.S.

to my love to (the) American ow 21, Gonzalez was just a few weeks shy of 6 when his mother died at sea trying to take him to the U.S. on an illegal journey in late 1999. He survived by clinging to an inner tube and ended up with relatives in Miami after his rescue. Ahigh profile custody battle between those relatives and his father ensued, ending when his surviving parent returned him to the island in id-2000. Man gets 50 years for decapitation Asouthwest Florida man has been entenced to 50 years in prison for decapitating is girlfriend and sticking her head on a pole.

As part of a deal with Collier County prosecutors, Christopher Serna, 38, pleaded guilty to murder Friday. A spokeswoman for the state office says the deal will save 45-year-old Suzanne family from having to relive the case. eputies found Serna in his North Naples a partment, covered in blood, in July 2011. Next to him, deputies saw severed hear with a etal rod shoved through the bottom. Her body as found in a bedroom.

$55M donation helps UM reach goal An unexpected $55 million donation to niversity of Miami helped lift the school over its 1.6 billion fundraising goal a year early. The donation came from longtime UM sup- orters the Miller family and will help build a new medical education building on the campus of the Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine. An addi- ional $5 million will support the music school. The fundraising campaign, launched in 2012, raised over $210 million for scholarships and student support, and more than $226 million for uildings and equipment.

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