News-Press from Fort Myers, Florida • Page 11

FUGITIVE CAUGHT VA LEHIGH I B2 Triple-murder suspect in Chicago found at his parents' house. JAIL DEMOTION UPHELD I B2 Civil-service panel rules in favor of Lee County Sheriff's Office. LEGISLATIVE ROUNDUP I B4 Read a summary of today's action by your state I unriiiimn'inr n'uVnfii ii -nrnrMiit mmm nQ nn "7TN TZ3 i Foster parents will be allowed to hire lawyer BY JANINE ZEITLIN Child welfare leaders plan to ax a clause that tells foster parents not to take legal action after a Port Charlotte couple seeking to adopt a foster child was investigated for breaking it The provision could infringe on foster parents' constitutional rights, a legal expert said. Nick Cox, who oversees to courts and doesn't want foster parents to feel blocked from that process. The administrator said no one's license will be revoked for breaking the existing agreement DCF Secretary George Sheldon also raised concerns about the clause, noting it could be changed on a state level "I did not know that agreement existed," he said.

"You cannot constitutionally prohibit someone from hiring a lawyer." See FOSTER B2 their care most of her life. DCF officials argued for placing the girl with a second relative in Michigan. They began a licensing inquiry into whether the couple had violated the contract after the Cam-panellas hired a lawyer to try to keep the girl, who called them "mama" and "dada." The couple felt the system was trying to intimidate them to keep quiet Cox, who is a lawyer, has directed officials to change policy because he believes people should have access the region including Southwest Florida for the Department of Children and Families, plans to suggest the shift statewide. "I think everybody uses it because it's what we've used for years and years," he said. "I don't believe it was intentioned to be a power-grab, though I'm not suggesting it cannot be perceived that way." Last month, Kim and Gerard Campanella successfully fought the child welfare system's attempt to remove an almost 2-year-old girl who had been in SPECIAL TO THE NEWS-PRESS Gerald and Kim Campanella of Port Charlotte successfully fought to keep their foster child.

Bonita ponders buying golf club Would become first public course in city BY CHRISTINA CEPERO The Bonita Springs City Council will explore the possibility of buying the Bonita Springs Golf Country Club. More than 200 people in support of a city purchase of the 18-hole course flooded City Hall on Wednesday evening. "There is no public course in Bonita Springs," said Barbara Ogle, president of the Bonita Springs Golf Country Club Civic Association, which represents 217 properties. "We're trying to get the city to provide a course to all of its citizens." The course is at 10200 Maddox Lane east of Old 41 Road. Designed by Bill Maddox, it opened it 1977 but has not been operational since 2005.

Grant Lundberg, who lives in Bonita Greens and is spearheading the effort, said more than 800 people have signed a petition in support of the city buying the course. The asking price is $9 million, said Jack Crifasi, PHOTOS BY ANDREW WESTTHE NEWS-PRESS Vinhny Nguyen, 4, a student at Joseph Messina Children's Center in Fort Myers, reads. He is part of the Literacy Buddies program. View photos, search databases and read more education news at Book buddies foster love food." Each week, as newbooks arrive, new themes are discussed and projects born. One week was a tea party in which the class practiced ballroom dancing and proper etiquette.

The book? "Tea for Ruby" by Sarah Fergusoa Charlotte Pierce, 72, of Fort Myers, has participat I i i iw vr i president of Crifasi Real Estate. He represents the Micelli estate, which owns the course. "We support their effort to preserve it, but we also want to sell the property," Crifasi said. "They want this community to have another special amenity." Lundberg believes the price is negotiable. Mayor Ben Nelson said the decision would never have been taken seriously if it were not for the turnout Wednesday.

He' said the council will take up the issue at its upcoming strategic planning meetings. "This way the council can think of this in the context of all the other things' we have to do," Nelson said. "Bonita's in good shape right now," he said, referring to the budget. "For your sake, we want to keep it that way." i He said he will continue to work with city staff and Lundberg and encouraged the group to continue gathering information. "We owe these folks a serious evaluation and analysis of this," Councilman John Spear said.

See COUNCIL B2 TELL MEL perate things." Piccininni said he didn't realize what a burden the lifetime obligation of maintenance fees would be. In fact, if Piccininni hasn't sold before going to the eternal timeshare in the sky, his estate and heirs will be stuck with the fees. Michael Kohl, of Lees- burg, said he's been trying for years to sell a Lehigh Acres timeshare he bought for $3,700 in 1982 for $800. He was living up North at the time and vacationed in Florida. Kohl said scam opera- -tions are always calling to purchase or rent his time-shares (he owns another in Kissimmee), but he's come to realize that an upfront payment is always a scam.

See TELL MEL B2 -X ed in the program for two years as a buddy. "I think a thousand more people should be doing it," she said. Her bookbuddy this year is into sharks, and she'll purchase a book about sharks soon. But a book could be Spider-Man's adventures to tales of princes and princesses anything to stimulate their young minds, according to assessment coordinator Jill Cor-bett Sometimes all it takes is appealing to a child's interest "One boy in the class didn't want to interact with any book until he received his book from his buddy," Corbett said. "Soon he was explaining all the characters using words the teacher didn't think he knew.

"We understand it doesn't matter what the book is about, but that it's meaningful to the child." To become a book buddy, call 267-4105. quandary staff has proposed allowing non-residential land uses on most property along the city's major corridors including Del Prado, Santa Barbara, Skyline and Chiquita boulevards. Only 8 percent of Cape Coral is dedicated to nonresidential property that's a third the concentration of a typical city. The disparity means Cape homeowners are absorbing most of the tax burden and commuting further through more congested traffic. See LAND B2 ofreadin Jarnell Livingston, 5, reads a book that was given to a classmate as part of the Literacy Buddies program.

Scammers target timeshare owners This year, the organization is looking for 300 more people to donate their time and money by responding to letters and sending new books throughout the school year to classrooms. "Many kids aren't as fortunate to have books at home," Goldsmith said. "In some of these homes, it comes down to books or BY CRISTELA GUERRA In Pamela Goldsmith's classroom, books are some of her students' favorite toys. Through the Literacy Buddies program sponsored by the Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida, each time the mail arrives is like Christmas morning. At Joseph H.

Messina Children's Center, Goldsmith's 4- and 5-year-olds eagerly await the arrival of a new letter or book, courtesy of their own book buddy. "It really excites the kids to learn about different things," said Tamara Aron-son, director at the center. "Each child can take their book home and read with their parents. It's really about trying to instill a love of literature." The project began two years ago, matching 1,100 students with volunteers who correspond with the child by mail. LONG WAITS AT HOSPITAL The News-Press is looking for people who have recently run into a problem with a crowded emergency room in Lee County, including those who have had to wait in an ambulance outside for a period of time before getting into the hospital.

Contact health care reporter Frank Gluck at 335-0356 or BY to 200 Cape has commercial Michael Piccininni needs to unload a time-share he bought 17 years ago at a resort in Williamsburg, Va. Piccininni, 75, and his wife who is 78, are stuck paying almost $900 a year in maintenance fees they can't afford for his two-week ownership in the unit. Scammers can smell the blood in the water and have descended on the Piccininnis and thousands of other stuck timeshare owners who see a glimmer of hope in the empty promises of these con artists. Piccininni gets calls and postcards weekly at his Cape Coral home from companies that want to sell his timeshare or claim to have a buyer. "I just got a scam call on Tuesday.

He wanted me to pay $900 up front," Piccininni said. Piccininni said he's fallen for this scam before. "I'm a desperate man," he said. "And when you are desperate, you do des-. Nonresidential need will be hard to satisfy ering more than 2,900 acres.

The changes are the first step to bring in commercial development, office space and industry. But not everyone is welcoming the change. "I don't want to be looking across the street at strip malls," said Joe Piervicenti, who lives at Northwest 17th Terrace. He was among 30,000 homeowners to receive a letter announcing the pending changes. "Economic growth is a good thing in the right area.

I don't feel this is the right area." Cape Coral's planning BRIAN LIBERATORE Cape Coral needs commercial property. Public outcry Wednesday made it clear there is no easy place put it During an all-day Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, more than residents packed the City Council Chambers mostly to oppose 31 proposed land use changes cov cm 3MIIE1E311SE I i svr i 1 ll I HI I In!.