News-Press from Fort Myers, Florida • Page 16

2B NEWS-PRESS, FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 1993 LOCAL Lee students ciimnb to abow6-siwrsicj status The scores of 1 0th grade students who took the Florida Grade Ten Assessment Test are evaluated in terms of the percentage who placed in four divisions called "quartiles." Students with the highest scores are in the first quartile; students with the lowest are ranked in the fourth. EXAMPLE The math test of 40 minutes contained 48 questions. A sample question: QUESTION: "Ms. Cardona paid $27 for three cups and four saucers at a department store. The next day she returned to the same store and paid $25 for two cups and five saucers.

How much did one saucer cost? $1, $3, $4, $5, or $7. ANSWER: $3 She attributes the improvement in math scores to dropping lower level courses and forcing students to take more advanced classes. "We have got to call upon the people at the school level to enroll in more challenging classes," she said. "It does little good for students to enroll in courses to avoid higher math." The state cannot mandate schools to offer specific courses under the revamped school system whereby local boards make nearly all decisions on such things as what to teach. But Castor hopes other schools, especially middle schools, drop the basic classes.

The results of the test, given to about 100,000 students, should help local school improvement councils decide which courses to offer, Castor said. "We're going to see some good improvements in the years ahead." News-Press staff writer Larry Perl contributed to this report. ject of a special all-day workshop for teachers in March, Russell said. "Whenever teachers are focusing on skills that are going to be assessed, that kind of emphasis is meaningful," Russell said. She would not elaborate on the results or the reasons for them, saying she wants Schools Superintendent James Adams to see a report on the results first.

Charlotte County schools did even better, placing 55 percent of students in the upper quartiles for reading and 61 percent in math. Last year, the results were 50 percent for reading and 54 percent for math. State students improved more in math with a 6 percentage point gain than in reading comprehension with a4-pointgain. "They have made modest, but impressive, gains over 1992," Castor said. "We want to be higher.

I want many more students scoring in the upper quartiles." Counterparts in Charlotte fare even better By KEITH GOLDSCHMIDT Gannett News Service TALLAHASSEE Lee County students improved considerably on math and reading tests to climb above state and national averages. The results of the "Florida Grade Ten Assessment Test" released Thursday by Education Commissioner Betty Castor give few specifics, ranking students in just four categories called quartiles. Lee County schools placed 51 percent in the upper quartiles for reading comprehension and 57 percent in math. The national average is 50 percent while the state average is 47 DIVISIONS 3 4 25 25 MATH DIVISIONS 12 3 4 25 25 25 25 23 24 21 27 30 22 26 25 16 27 32 25 24 25 17 23 32 28 27 28 14 24 37 24 News-Press percent in the upper quartiles of both categories. Elizabeth Russell, director of testing and evaluation for Lee kJffiCHAHLQTTE GLADES i rV Y-LEE HENDRY Two-week mullet bans OK'd by state examiner Restoration project is well under way READING 12 25 25 National avejraij8 State average ML1? average Collier average Charlotte average 25 28 19 30 23 28 17 29 percent in reading and 52 percent in math.

Last year, the first time the test was given, Lee schools placed 45 "3 Manuel's Branch Pedestrian Way, located behind Fort Myers High School LinhartAve. EMMETT MAYER III News-Press get the water out to the river as fast as possible," said Nicki Altieri, Fort Myers High biology teacher. "By putting in the weirs and making the banks less steep, there is less erosion, and when you slow down the flow, the sediments settle out in the creek instead of dumping out into the river." The creek's surroundings also received attention: County project manager Jim Winter landscaped the banks for such natural vegetation as live oak, cabbage palm, bald cypress, red maple, pickerel weed and duck potatoes. Students organized a trash cleanup and helped with the plantings. Looking toward the future, Fort Myers residents Oliver and Mary Quass, who have lived on the creek for 50 years, have bequeathed their l'2-acre property to the park, and Lee Memorial plans to continue the pathwaytolI.S.41.

The work that has been done and that continues to be done on Manuel's Branch goes far beyond the narrow boundaries of the creek, said Bill Hammond, board member of the water management district and former director of the county's environmental education program. "By getting these kids out here and working with the professionals, they get an idea how government works and also how what happens in a little side creek affects the river and the whole estuarine system," he said. "So these little projects are really very big projects." FORT jf MYERS I By KEVIN LOLLAR News-Press staff writer of abuse and neglect had turned Manuel's Branch behind Fort Myers High School into a mishmash of eroding banks, exotic plants and piles of litter, as well as a haven for kids skipping class for a smoke. But a restoration project has started mending the creek and has turned its banks into a park. As the project continues, students will use the creek for interdisciplinary study, combining science, art, literature and composition.

At a dedication ceremony for the park Thursday, Margaret Sirianni, school district vice chairman, said: "I used to come through here and catch skippers. I come here today and see a beautiful teaching laboratory. Now, when we come back here, we won't find skippers, we'll find learners." The project started last year when Fort Myers High students used Manuel's Branch to learn about water quality. A parents' advisory committee got interested in the creek, and the project was born. Major financing came from a $250,000 South Florida Water Management District grant, while Lee County, the City of Fort Myers, Lee Memorial Hospital and the School District of Lee County also were heavily involved.

More than just a trash pickup to the creek more aesthetically the project has genuine environmental benefits. In its original state, Manuel's 'Branch was a meandering, creek, but in the 1940s and '50s, engineers straightened sections it to help drain adjoining neighborhoods. Water moved more quickly the straightened creek and caused erosion. The faster water also shot out into the Caloosahatchee before nutrients, heavy metals and chemicals from urban runoff could settle out. This kind of runoff has had a devastating effect on rivers and estuaries throughout the state.

To slow the water down, project engineers reshaped the creeks banks, improved an existing weir and built in a second one. "The problem was that the creek was a straight ditch, the idea being to By KEITH GOLDSCHMIDT Gannett News Service TALLAHASSEE Mullet fishing can be banned two weeks every month from October through January, a state hearing examiner ruled Thursday. The ban, sought by the Marine Fisheries Commissioner and opposed by the commercial fishing industry, could take effect this year if the governor and Cabinet approve the proposed rule. "It's a clear victory for the commission," said spokesman Lee Schle-singer. "What we're trying to to is protect the fish during the time of year they need to be protected." Jerry Sansom, executive director of the Organized Fishermen of Flor All Items ready for OXFORD HALL COLLECTION FREE LAYAWAY Dresser ALL 4 PIECES Mirror Full or Queen $298 Headboard Steel Bed Frame mmmmmmmmt schools, attributed the higher scores to an emphasis on teaching skills to raise test scores.

Strategies for emphasizing those skills were the sub- TB FORUM DRAWS 70: Some 70 people came to learn about tuberculosis at an educational program at Southwest Regional Medical Center Thursday. Panelists included Dr. Judith Hartner, director of the Lee County Public Health Unit, Dr. Stephen Zellner, head of the hospital's infection control committee and Dr. Stephen Hannan, a pulmonary specialist.

Members of the audience wanted to know what side effects TB drugs can have, whether a chest X-ray once a year is enough and where people sick with TB are treated. TB has been in the news because cases have been rising nationally and locally. Recently, employees of the Lee County Library and the Lee County Extension Service in Fort Myers, and Snug Harbor restaurant on Fort Myers Beach were tested for the disease after possible exposure to contagious co-workers. Naples HERMS MAY TESTIFY TODAY: Naples City Councilman Joe Herms is expected to testify today in Collier County Civil Court as part of a Collier County man's lawsuit against the Naples Airport Authority. Steven Mosbacher claims that records of a recent airport authority meeting are not available despite repeated requests.

Mosbacher, a helicopter pilot, has been feuding with the authority. He filed an ethics complaint against authority, but the state Ethics Commission ruled it was unfounded. The authority then sued him but later dropped the suit. He then sued the authority for legal fees. Collier County PORNO SURVEY: A majority of Collier County residents surveyed believe that sexually explicit movies are acceptable viewing for adults in the privacy of their own homes, according to the results of a public opinion survey conducted in behalf of three men charged with renting pornographic videos to an undercover vice detective.

The three men are scheduled to go to trial in Collier County Court next week in the case that could prove a test to local obscenity standards. Jury selection is scheduled to begin Monday and the trial is expected to begin Wednesday. During the trial, the two movies will be shown in open court. boy wins SPELLING TEST Which of these words misspelled by contestants in the seventh round of the spelling bee Thursday is misspelled below? metachrosos cognoscitive noctlvagant alburnlm balestra aquarelle excrecency ANSWERS: metachrosis, alburnum, excrescency. COLLIER SOUTHWEST FLORIDA DIGEST Fort Myers MAN WILL LOSE HOME: The United States government has ordered a convicted drug dealer to forfeit his Fort Myers home.

A U.S. District judge in Tampa ordered that Francisco Acosta forfeit his home at 1 276 Caloosa Drive in Fort Myers to the government. Acosta pleaded guilty in September of selling one kilogram of cocaine toa Drug Enforcement Agency informant for $18,500. In his ruling, Judge John T. Fullam said that Acosta's wife, Ivette Acosta, knew of and consented to her husband's illegal activity.

Lee County INMATE ON RAPHAEL SHOW: Paige Whitney-Daniels, an inmate in the Lee County Jail, is a guest on the Sally Jessy Raphael show that airs at 9 a.m. today. The topic of the show is men who want to become women but haven't undergone the necessary surgery yet, said Carmina Marcial, a spokeswoman for the show. The men, who are living their lives as women, all were arrested but housed in jail with men. The show airs locally on NBC, WBBH-Channel20.

MAN BRIEFLY ESCAPES: A man, charged with failing to pay a fine for fishing without a license slipped the hook of a Cape Coral police officer early Thursday, but was reeled back in and charged with escape. Bent H. Bentson, 29, of 3403 Skyline Apt. was arrested at about 1 0:30 p.m. Wednesday, according to reports.

He fled from a patrol car after arriving at the Lee County Jail shortly after midnight, according to reports. Officers with a police dog were called to downtown Fort Myers, where Bentson was found about 45 minutes later hiding in some bushes. BEE: Tenn. From Page 1B contestants during the bee. Many of the others seemed exceedingly nervous and wary of their parents.

Many spent breaks studying the dictionary or reviewing suffixes and prefixes with parents. But Doris' attitude was different. She spent breaks munching on hot dogs with relish and playing with her 6-year-old sister, Stephanie. "I don't know why, but I felt a lot less nervous about this contest than others I've been in," the 14-year-old said during a break Thursday afternoon. "There really is no way you can study for this.

At this point, it's mostly luck. And I feel lucky I've got this far." Geoff Hooper, an eighth-grade student from Arlington, won the bee earning $5,000. -FIRM ida, wasn't surprised by the ruling: "Frankly, we didn't think the chances were very good that we would win this." The commission last year proposed the ban as a way to improve the fishery, but that was quickly challenged. With the hearing examiner's opinion, Schlesinger said the commission at next week's meeting in Cocoa Beach will probably decided to bring it to the Cabinet in August. The rule would ban all mullet fishing commercial and sport during the first and third weeks during the time of year when mullet are producing and carrying roe, a delicacy sold to Oriental markets.

It would also limit commercial fishermen to 500 pounds a day during July, August and September. ON CONSIGNMENT We've ust unloaded a brand new shipment of furniture and mattresses to be sold to the public for the next 3 DAYS ONLY! Every Item Is brand new In factory wrap. take home, Immediate delivery of guaranteed free layaway 1 1 St ACCENT TABLES 3 PIECES BACK BRACER CHIRO lid, warranty 25yr.ltd. warranty 4 (Q) 59 eapc 74 ea pc 94 ea pc 84 ea pc TWIN 84 ea pc FULL $124 eapc QUEEN $149 eapc KING $133 eapc PILL0WT0P DELUXE FIRM Kyr ltd. warranty 74 ea pc 94 ea pc $118 eapc 99 ea pc TWIN $99 eapc FULL $134 eapc QUEEN $164 eapc KING $142 eapc OPEN MEMORIAL DAY 10-8 Cash.

Check. Visa, MC, Disc, AMEX mm ZM SOLD IN SETS fc-JWWM Cape may shut down 'residential motels' POSTURE SERIES MATTRESSES Sold in Sets Only. Waterbed Innerspring Mattresses Available. IMPERIAL EXTRA POSTURE PLUS FIRM SPSS) 5 yr ltd. warranty 10 yr.

TWIN 19 ea pc FULL 29 ea pc QUEEN 39 ea pc KING 39 ea pc TWIN FULL QUEEN KING POSTURE SELECT EXTRA FIRM POSTURE SUPER ELEGANCE FIRM DLX 70 yr. ltd warranty Syr ltd. warranty TWIN 39 ea pc FULL 49 ea pc QUEEN 59 ea pc KING 59 ea pc TWIN FULL QUEEN KING shame, I tell you." Knoche, who owns the China Wok restaurant and the Lafayette Restaurant, says German visitors are wealthy and spend a lot of money locally. At his rentable waterfront homes, Knoches supplies visitors with heated swimming pools, a boat and a rental car. By the time their stays have ended, Knoche said it's not uncommon for German tourists to buy homes here or invest in businesses.

"We're going backward. It'll hurt a lot of people here, especially in the summertime," he said. "Americans don't come to Florida in the summer, they go to cooler places." But residents and officials have little sympathy. Code enforcement supervisor Ann Peters said her office received "four or five" daily complaints In one month during the winter season, and they've continued coming in periodically since then. Hamilton said he's been hearing complaints for a year.

"It's pretty extensive to my knowledge; there are quite a few parcels involved in this," said Hamilton. "It's already gone farther than I would want it to go." The largest complaint, Peters said, is that foreign tourists maintain their biological "European time clocks" and keep neighbors awake at night. "If they were quiet, some people really wouldn't mind, but there are those who don't want that happening In their neighborhood at all," Peters said. I By CATHY CHESTNUT News-Press staff writer Cape Coral businessman Bado Knoche says it may be time to sell his estate, restaurants and other commercial ventures and move out of town. But only if Cape Coral officials pass a law that's being drafted to prevent single-family homes from being run like motels, which is appar-! ently becoming an entrepreneurial trend in the community.

Council members and code en-! forcement officers say they've been bombarded with complaints about 'homes being rented for vacation pur-I poses. I So Councilman Earl Hamilton met with city staff members and is sponsoring the law, which says homes in districts zoned residential can't be rented out for less than 30 days or one month. It doesn't affect multifamily duplexes or condomini-! urns. "It was never meant for resi-i dential property to be run like mo-! tels," Hamilton said. "It's time we address the problem." Knoche runs advertisements in his homeland, Germany.

He rents homes to Europeans and other vaca- tioners for one- or two-week stays. It's a year-round practice Knoche says pumps dollars into the local economy. And he says he knows at least a dozen other homeowners who do the same thing. "Papers are full in Germany of '-Cape jporal," Knoch said. "It's a QQ interviews of finalist LESSEN CANDIDATES FOR THE POSITION county OF LEE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR The County Administrator Selection Committee will conduct interviews of the Lee County Administrator finalist candidates on Friday, June 1 8, 1 993 from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

These interviews will take place in Room 618 of the Courthouse Administration Building, 2115 Second Street in Fort Myers. The Board of County Commissioners will conduct interviews of the Lee County Administrator finalist candidates on Saturday, June 1 9, 1 993 from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. These interviews will take place in the East Room, Old Lee County Courthouse, 2120 Main Street in Fort Myers. These meetings are open to the public. Please be governed accordingly.

a REF 060493-01 POW300320 REF 061 193-01 NATIONWIDE WAREHOUSE STORAGE 3079 Sivan Road 337-3937 Corner of Sivan Road Warehouse Drive. One block off Metro Parkwav. Directions: CREDIT Via Hanson Slreet or Colonial Blvd turn onto Metro and go approx. 1 mile. Turn directly opposite Ft.

Myers Lumber Co. on to Sivan Road Nationwide Is on the right. From I-75. Exit 22, go west on Colonial Blvd. to Metro Pkwy.

Make right on Metro Pkwy. then right on Sivan. Nationwide is on the right. HRS: Fri. 12-8.

Sat. 10-6, Sim. 11-6. Man. Ts.

10-8 Terns:.