Exotic Haven, five-part series, 5th part

1. Tropical storm Fay forms over the Atlantic FRONT
PAGE 3
CharlotteSun SETTING RECORDS 2008 BEIJING OLYMPICS
AND WEEKLY
HERALD
Michael Phelps looks to set another SPORTS
AMERICA’S LIUKIN GOLDEN
record with gold No. 7. PAGE 1 Nastia Johnson claims all-around gold.
AN EDITION OF THE SUN
VOL. 116 NO. 229 AMERICA’S BEST COMMUNITY DAILY S AT U R DAY AUGUST 16, 2008 www.sun-herald.com 75 cents
Local unemployment spikes to 8.6 percent
By BOB FLISS includes all of unincorporated exceeded the national average, the state each month without people out of a labor force of
CHARLOTTE BUSINESS EDITOR Charlotte County. The local which was 5.7 percent in July, statistical adjustment): 335,593.
Unemployment in Charlotte jobless rate increased from 7.6 up from 5.5 percent in June. • Cape Coral-Fort Myers • Naples-Marco Island also
County jumped to 8.6 percent percent in June, according to Without the statistical increased from 7.6 percent to showed a big jump, from 6.5
in July, the fourth-highest statistics released Friday by the adjustment, the state average 8.4 percent. The area reported percent to 7.7 percent. This
among Florida’s 23 metropoli- Florida Agency for Workforce would have been 6.4 percent, 24,066 people looking for work percentage translated into
tan statistical areas, as the Innovation. up from 5.8 percent in June. out of a labor force of 285,573. 11,541 jobless people out of
stagnant construction market The statewide rate, adjusted The national average would • Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice labor force of 150,519.
began affecting other sectors of for seasonal hiring patterns, have been 6.0 percent, up from has been, relatively, one of • Three MSAs posted higher
the economy. was 6.1 percent, up from 5.5 5.7 percent Florida’s more stable real estate
July unemployment rates than
This percentage reflected percent in June and the state’s The big month-to-month markets. July’s unemployment
Punta Gorda: Palm Coast, 10.6
5,964 people seeking work out highest since January 1995. For jump was also seen in other figures reflected this. Unem-
percent; and Sebastian-Vero
of a labor force of 69,317 in the the first time since early 2002, Southwest Florida metro areas ployment rose from 6.2 percent
Punta Gorda MSA, which also Florida’s unemployment rate (these figures are published by to 6.9 percent, reflecting 23,265 UNEMPLOYMENT | P5
Georgia
leader
signs
truce
By MATTHEW LEE and
ANNE GEARAN
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITERS
TBILISI, Georgia — Georgia’s
president grudgingly signed a
truce with Russia Friday, even as
he denounced the Russians as
invading barbarians and accused
the West of all but encouraging
them to overrun his country. A
stone-faced Condoleezza Rice,
standing alongside, said Russian
troops must withdraw immedi-
ately from their smaller neighbor.
President Bush talked tough,
too, accusing the Russians of
“bullying and intimidation,” but
neither he nor Rice said what the
U.S. might do if Russia ignored
them.
Russian President Dmitry
Medvedev’s press office had no
information Friday night on
whether he had signed the cease-
fire agreement. Russia’s foreign
minister assured Rice later that
his country would implement the
deal “faithfully,” a U.S. official
said. The official, who spoke on
condition of anonymity because
AP PHOTO Rice’s conversation was private,
A Mexican spinytail iguana climbs a screen porch of a home in Boca Grande, Fla., April 12, 2006. In three decades, the resort community on
Florida’s Gulf Coast has been overrun by the black, spiny-tailed, nonnative creatures that demolish gardens, nest in attics and weaken beach GEORGIA | P5
dunes with burrows.
Boca Grande’s just one place Obesity
where iguanas thrive in Southwest Florida study
By NEIL HUGHES
STAFF WRITER
BOCA GRANDE — It all likely
supervisor for the U.S. Depart-
ment of Agriculture.
That mistake years ago has
the service.
It’s made a noticeable
difference. Since the trapping
It’s a marked improvement
not only from months ago, but
also compared to the southern
looks thin
started as someone’s exotic, brought Hall to the affluent began, the iguanas — which portion of the island. Lee By CARL BIALIK
unique pet. Boca Grande community in used to proudly sit in the road County has not contracted with THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
Then, Parker Hall reckons, an effort to eradicate the and stop traffic — now scam- USDA to remove the iguanas, In 40 years, every single Ameri-
the reptile grew too big for its animals, which have multi- per away at the sight of and as a result, the reptiles are can could be overweight, accord-
owner’s liking. plied and become rampant humans. larger and more prevalent in ing to a recent study. Employing
What do you do with a 3-foot pests. They don’t live as long, south Boca Grande. that same logic, 13 out of every 10
Mexican spinytail iguana? A Since March, the USDA has either: most sighted on the And contracting with USDA adult Americans by then won’t
few Boca Grande iguana trapped and killed more than island now are younger and has provided Charlotte have landlines.
owners, Hall assumes, decided 1,500 iguanas on Boca Grande. smaller. County with valuable scientif- The phone forecast is impossi-
to let them out into the wild. Residents on the Charlotte “We caught them pretty quick ic information on the iguanas, ble, of course, but it’s arguably no
“They don’t know what to do County portion of the island and pretty easily,” Hall said of said Missy Christie, less solidly grounded than the
with it, so they turn it loose,” have paid, through their local the larger iguanas. “We’re on to obesity forecast. The weight
projection uses three data points
said Hall, South Florida district taxing authority, $52,000 for the small ones now.” IGUANAS | P5 spread out over nearly three
The green iguana on the left and decades to estimate a linear trend
the spiny-tailed iguana on the right — then brazenly draws that line
are both established in Southwest into the future.
Florida. Differences between the The result: 86.3 percent of
two include diet (green iguanas American adults will be over-
rarely eat anything but plants; weight or obese in 2030, com-
spiny-taileds often eat eggs or small pared with 66.3 percent by the
animals), habitat (green iguanas government’s latest estimate. By
prefer to live in trees, spiny-taileds 2048, the percentage will reach
on rocks), and temperment (most 100 percent. The study doesn’t go
green iguanas are fairly docile, but beyond that date, but that upward
most spiny-taileds are aggressive
PHOTO PROVIDED BY WIKIPEDIA and make poor pets). PHOTO PROVIDED BY MISSY CHRISTIE OBESITY | P5
INDEX| FRONT: Nation 2,3,7,8 | State 3,6 | Health 7 | World 7,8 | TV Listings 15,16 | Weather 16 | OUR TOWN: Obituaries 5 | Police Beat 7 | Crossword 12 | Abby 13
Daily Edition 75¢ CHARLIE SAYS ...
High Low
PRIDE OF PORT CHARLOTTE
93 76 The 120 members of the marching band have spent the last week of
their summer vacation practicing up to seven hours a day at PCHS. OUR TOWN
PAGE 1
Hey! That obesity study makes us look fat.
7 05252 00025 8 Isolated AM and PM storms. Send suggestions to charliesays@sun-herald.com

2. Front Page 2 D/E/N/C www.sun-herald.com NATIONAL NEWS The Sun /Saturday, August 16, 2008
| NATION Legendary record producer Jerry Wexler dies
‘DC Madam’ photo NEW YORK (AP) — them are gone now.” Burke said Wexler was
ban declared Legendary record produc- Wexler earned his the ultimate music man.
er Jerry Wexler, who reputation as a music “He loved black music,
CLEARWATER, Fla. helped shape R&B music industry giant while a R&B music and rhythm
— Police photographs with influential recordings partner at Atlantic and blues was his foun-
taken after the so- of Aretha Franklin, Ray Records with another dation. He had a feeling
called “DC Madam” Charles and other greats, legendary music figure, for it, he had the knack to
committed suicide can and later made key the late Ahmet Ertegun. keep it going in his heart
be viewed under recordings with the likes Atlantic provided an and recognize the talent
public records of Bob Dylan and Willie outlet for the ground- that he felt was real,”
requests, but are not Nelson, has died, said his breaking work of African- Burke told the AP after
allowed to be copied son, Paul. He was 91. American performers in learning of his death.
or published. Paul Wexler said his the 1950s and 1960s. “Jerry Wexler didn’t
That’s after a judge father died at home in Later, it was a home to change the sound of
ruled on the matter Sarasota, Fla., about 3:45 rock icons like Led America, he put the
Friday. a.m. Friday of heart Zeppelin and the Rolling sound to the public. He
In May, 52-year-old disease; the death was Stones. He later helped open the doors and
Deborah Palfrey first confirmed to The Dylan win his first windows to the radio
hanged herself in a Associated Press by David Grammy by producing stations ... and made
shed outside her Ritz, co-author of his 1979 “Slow Train everybody listen.”
mother’s mobile home Wexler’s 1993 memoir, Coming” album. Among the standards
in Florida. Her mother “Rhythm and the Blues.” Wexler helped boost produced by Wexler:
found the body. Both his son and the careers of both the Franklin’s “Respect,” a
Blanche Palfrey had daughter Lisa were “King of Soul,” Charles, dazzling, feminist
argued that it would present at the time of his and the “Queen of Soul,” reworking of an Otis
be an invasion of death. Paul Wexler told Franklin. Wilson Pickett, Redding song; Sledge’s
privacy to release the the AP his father’s death Solomon Burke and Percy deep ballad “When A
photographs taken by was “a tremendous loss.” Sledge were among the Man Loves A Woman”
Tarpon Springs police. “The number of artists other R&B greats who and Pickett’s “In the
Her attorney Serbo that he was involved benefited from Wexler’s Midnight Hour,” with a
Simeoni called the with and helped signifi- deft recording touch. He horn vamp inspired by
ruling “very consider- cantly or just made also produced Dusty Wexler’s admittedly AP FILE PHOTO
ate and fair.” great records with, the Springfield’s classic rhythmless dancing. In this Oct. 17, 1979, file photo, Jerry Wexler, is shown.
Deborah Palfrey was list is almost unbeliev- “Dusty in Memphis,” Wexler was named to Wexler, a legendary record producer, who worked with
convicted two weeks able,” Paul Wexler considered a masterpiece the Rock and Roll Hall of Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles and other greats, has died. He
before her death of added. “And many of of “blue-eyed” soul. Fame in 1987. was 91.
running a prostitution
service that catered to
Democrat leader mourned; slaying motive elusive
members of Washing-
ton’s political elite.
Man’s weak LITTLE ROCK, Ark. person and he cared more than 30 miles after dealership, if either. questioned by supervi-
vision leads to (AP) — Arkansas Democ- about his state,” said losing his job at a Target “Those are things we’re sors, Johnson had been a
lottery win ratic Party Chairman Bill Gov. Mike Beebe. “If he store over some graffiti investigating. Right now good employee in a
Gwatney was remem- were here, he would tell written on a store wall. we don’t have any stockroom, Target
ROANOKE, Ind. — A bered as blunt but loyal us to not forget what The name “Gwatney” indication of motive as spokeswoman Brie Heath
man’s forgotten and charitable, a day we’re about, and that’s and a telephone number far as it deals with Mr. said Thursday.
bifocals led to a $3 after he was gunned taking care of the peo- were written on a Post-It Gwatney,” Little Rock “This was different
million lottery jackpot. down in his office. ple.” note found in Johnson’s police Lt. Terry Hastings behavior for him,” Heath
Bobby Guffey usual- More than 250 people Gwatney’s killer, home, police said. They said. said. “The manager
ly plays the same gathered Thursday Timothy Dale Johnson of wouldn’t say whether the Until Wednesday asked him if he needed
combination of evening in front of Searcy, was shot dead by number matched the morning, when he wrote to talk. At that point he
numbers representing Arkansas’ Capitol to police after a 30-mile Democratic headquarters profanity-laced graffiti turned in his badge and
the birthdays of his remember Gwatney, who chase into Grant County. or a Gwatney-owned car on a store wall and was left the building.”
five children. But he died Wednesday after a Police investigating the
left his glasses at gunman burst into the shooting said they had so
home when he bought state Democratic Party far not found any link
the winning ticket headquarters and shot between Johnson and
Aug. 6, accidentally him. The prayer vigil Gwatney.
entering the last capped a day of remem- Police said Johnson, 50,
number as 48 instead brances at the state owned at least 16 guns,
of 46. Capitol where Gwatney had antidepressant pills
The Hoosier Lotto spent 10 years as a and made out a will
ticket ended up being senator. before shooting Gwatney.
worth $3 million. “He was a special He had driven there
50
“My wife says it pays PORT CHARLOTTE STORE ONLY!
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to be blind,” Guffey
said Thursday after he
accepted his winnings
at the Indiana State
Fair in Indianapolis.
Sun Newspapers
Guffey, who’s from
the northeastern
Indiana town of
MEMBER of the Audit Bureau of Circulation
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Publisher..........................................David Dunn-Rankin ....................941-206-1003
OFFOFF
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the wrong number
combination until he DeSoto/Hardee Sun Editor..............Laura Schmid.............................863-494-0300
had left the Hunting- DeSoto General Manager ................Joe Gallimore..............................863-494-0300
ton service station Charlotte Sun Editor ........................Lorraine Schneeberger ...............941-206-1168
where he bought it. North Port Sun Editor.......................Elaine Allen-Emrich.....................941-429-3003
He went back inside North Port General Manager............Steve Sachkar ............................941-429-3003
to buy a ticket with his
Englewood Sun Editor......................Christy Arnold .............................941-681-3000
usual numbers and
that ticket won him Englewood General Manager...........Lang Capasso ............................941-681-3000
$1,000 to go along
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FDA: Chemical
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OF SPECIALLY
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Classified
info@sun-herald.com
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politicians, a chemical
used in baby bottles,
canned food and other
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food containers are CHAIR SHOWN FOR ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSES
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— From wire reports
The SUN (USPS 743170) is published daily at Sun Coast Media Group, Inc., 23170 Harborview Road, Port Charlotte, FL 33980-2100. Periodicals postage paid at Punta Gorda, FL. Postmaster: Please send address changes to the SUN, 23170 Harborview Road, Port Charlotte, Florida 33980-2100.

3. Saturday, August 16, 2008/ The Sun NATIONAL/STATE NEWS www.sun-herald.com D/E/N/C Front Page 3
| NATION Georgia men claim hairy, Tropical Storm Fay
Police: Girl, 12,
drove mom to bar
frozen beast is Bigfoot forms in Atlantic
PALO ALTO, Calif. (AP) for effect.” In one of their YouTube
LONGVIEW, Texas —
— Bigfoot or big fat lie? Whitton and Dyer have videos, they are shown MIAMI (AP) — expecting little change
A 35-year-old Texas
Whenever someone offered three different speaking with a man they Forecasters at the in the storm’s strength
woman has been jailed
reports sighting the hairy accounts of how they identify as a scientist. National Hurricane in the next 24 hours.
after police say she
beast of yore (details found the beast’s Earlier this week, they Center say Tropical The Dominican
made her 12-year-old
always fuzzy) or captur- remains. admitted that the man Storm Fay has formed government has issued
daughter drive her to a
ing the hirsute humanoid In early videos, the was Dyer’s brother. Dyer over the Dominican a tropical storm warning
bar.
on film (images always animal was shot by a said they were simply Republic. for the country’s entire
Police in Longview
grainy), it scares up a former felon, and the having fun. The center of the north coast and and
say they watched a
dubious debate of men followed it into the Asked why anyone storm is located about parts of the south coast.
minivan turn into a
international propor- woods. In a second should believe his claims 35 miles east of Santo Tropical storm
driveway without
tions. Friday was just the version, they found a when he already had Domingo as of 5 p.m. warnings also have
signaling on Wednesday
latest episode in the “family of Bigfoot” in the shown a flair for tomfool- The storm has been issued by Haiti for
and bump into a home
Sasquatch show, as north Georgia moun- ery, he suggested that maximum sustained its north coast and by
at a low speed. They say
unreal as it may be. tains. In the third, the skeptics simply are winds of about 40 mph Cuba for the provinces
the car was driven by
Two men who claim to two were hiking and jealous. with higher gusts and is of Guantanamo,
Jennifer Lynn Rosen-
have stumbled across a stumbled upon the “They don’t have a moving west at about Santiago de Cuba and
berg’s daughter.
Bigfoot corpse in the corpse with open choice to believe us. We 14 mph. Forecasters are Granma.
Police say the girl told
woods of northern wounds. have a body,” Dyer said.
an officer she had just
Georgia indignantly
dropped her mother off
stood by their story at a
%
at a bar. They say they
news conference in Palo
found Rosenburg at the
Alto during which they
bar and that she admit-
offered an e-mail from an
75 an
ted having her daughter
entomologist as evidence
%
drive her there.
and acknowledged they
Rosenburg remains in
Ladies’ Better Sportswear
wouldn’t mind making a
the Gregg County Jail
few bucks from the “find”
on a $2,500 bond. A jail
they have kept stuffed in
official declined to say
a freezer for over a
whether she had an
month.
Jackets • Tees • Tunics • Halters • Tanks
off
attorney. Skirts • Bermudas • Capris • Denim • Pants • Shorts
“Everyone who has
Detroit mayor talked down to us is Orig. $38-$350, now $9.50-$87.50.
going to eat their words,”
to stand trial predicted Matt Whitton,
DETROIT — A judge an officer on medical
ruled Friday that there’s leave from the Clayton
enough evidence for County Police Depart-
Mayor Kwame Kil- ment.
patrick to stand trial on Whitton and Rick Dyer,
two felony assault a former corrections
charges stemming from officer, announced the
a confrontation with discovery in early July on
two investigators. YouTube videos and their
The investigators Web site. Although they
testified that an angry did not consider them-
Kilpatrick shoved one selves devoted Bigfoot
of them into the other trackers before then, they
and made racial have since started
remarks while they offering weekend search
were trying to deliver a expeditions in Georgia
subpoena in the for $499. The specimen
mayor’s perjury case to they bagged, the men say,
one of Kilpatrick’s was one of several
friends last month. apelike creatures they
In his ruling in 36th spotted cavorting in the
District Court, Judge woods.
Ronald Giles said there As they faced a skepti-
was no question cal audience of several
Kilpatrick was aware hundred journalists and
that Wayne County Bigfoot fans that includ-
sheriff’s Detective ed one curiosity seeker in
Brian White and a Chewbacca suit, the
county prosecutor’s pair were joined Friday
investigator JoAnn by Tom Biscardi, head of
Kinney were at the a group called Searching
home where the for Bigfoot. Other Bigfoot
confrontation took hunters call Biscardi a
place on official huckster looking for
business. media attention.
Biscardi fielded most of
the questions. Among
| STATE them: Why should
anyone accept the men’s
tale when they weren’t
TALLAHASSEE — willing to display their
Gov. Charlie Crist said frozen artifact or pin-
he may ask lawmakers point where they alleged-
to tap reserves and a ly found it? How come
tobacco settlement bushwhackers aren’t
trust fund to make up constantly tripping over
for the latest in a series primate remains if there
of revenue shortfalls are as many as 7,000
that emerged Friday Bigfoots roaming the
from a meeting of state United States, as Biscardi
economists. claimed?
The new estimate “I understand where
cuts general revenue you are coming from, but
by nearly $1.8 billion how many real Bigfoot
below a March forecast researchers are out there
the Legislature used to trekking 140,000 miles a
write the state’s $66
19 $ 99
9 19
year?” Biscardi said.
billion annual budget
that took effect July 1.
Biscardi, Whitton and
Dyer presented what they
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said was that of the three
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economic outlook Your Free Gift
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and the Lawton pologist Jeffrey Meldrum,
Chiles Endowment called the trio’s claims
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fake guts thrown on top
— From wire reports

4. Front Page 4 D/E/N/C www.sun-herald.com The Sun /Saturday, August 16, 2008
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5. Saturday, August 16, 2008/ The Sun FROM PAGE ONE www.sun-herald.com D/E/N/C Front Page 5
BITS IGUANAS: Florida’s Gulf Coast has been overrun by thousands
QJJJEPS.
FROM PAGE 1 IGUANA HEADS UP
environmental specialist. The inhabitation of the green iguana
Some surprising — and (Iguana iguana), black spiny-tailed
ecologically frightening — iguana (Ctenosaura. similis), and
Jackson Browne information has come from Mexican spiny-tailed iguana (C
sues McCain, RNC dissecting the spinytail igua- pectinata) in South Florida is believed
nas. For example, the reptiles,
LOS ANGELES — to be a result of accidental importa-
thought to be mostly vegetari-
Jackson Browne doesn’t an, have been feeding on the tion on ships, as well as pet iguanas
want John McCain running eggs and young of the endan- escaping or being released. These
on anything gered gopher tortoise. reptiles have established breeding
fueled by his Gopher tortoise holes are a groups and proliferated very success-
lyrics. common sight on Boca fully in the subtropical climate of
The singer- Grande, and the cool under-
songwriter
Southwest Florida.
ground shade they offer has Do not release unwanted or
sued McCain
and the Ohio become a haven for the problematic pet iguanas. This is not
_
and national island’s iguana infestation. .
I
only illegal, (39-4.005 Florida
Republican Apparently, the holes are now a Administrative Code) but it also
BROWNE committees source of food as well.
creates problems that are likely to far
in U.S. New research on Boca
Grande has also shown that
SUN PHOTO BY NEIL HUGHES. outlast the life of the reptile released.
District Court in Los Angeles
on Thursday, accusing them the iguanas eat the seeds of Missy L. Christie, environmental specialist with the Charlotte County In the event that you can no longer
Environmental & Extension Services Natural Resources Division, poses care for your iguana check with people
of using his song “Running the Brazilian pepper tree —
with an iguana skull near the beach on Boca Grande. Given to her as you know to see if they are interested,
on Empty” without his an invasive exotic pest plant a gag gift, the skull rests on the dashboard of Christie’s county truck.
permission. that has caused major prob- advertise in your local paper, inquire
The lawsuit claims the lems in Florida. about surrendering or selling it to a
song’s use was an infringe- Cape Coral, where the Nile unlikely the reptile will ever be
The reptiles then apparently monitor lizard, which can grow completely removed from the pet store, and if all else fails contact
ment of his copyright and defecate out the seeds, helping as large as 7 feet, has made a island. your local humane society or reptile
will lead people to conclude to spread the plant. It’s one
he endorses McCain. The newfound home. In a consistently warm rescue for further instruction.
problem propagating another. A carnivorous animal native climate without natural Since iguanas are not protected
suit says Browne is a lifelong “We’re learning,” Christie
liberal who is as well-known to central Africa, the lizard has predators and the ability to except under anti-cruelty laws they
said. “There’s a lot to learn still.” an aggressive temperament breed rapidly, the Mexican
for his music as for being may be captured and removed in a
“an advocate for social and Southwest Florida’s lizard that has made it far more than spinytail iguana, green iguana
problems aren’t restricted to variety of ways without obtaining a
environmental justice.” a simple pest. and Nile monitor lizard likely
Boca Grande. Lizards are such a problem aren’t going anywhere any-
permit.
The advertisement mocks
The green iguana can also in Florida that exotic species time soon. If unwanted iguanas are in your
Democratic presidential
candidate Barack Obama’s be spotted throughout the now outnumber native ones, But unlike the iguanas on area and you wish to eradicate them,
contention that if U.S. area. As a newborn reptile it is Hall said. Boca Grande, Hall and the assistance can be offered by your
drivers got regular tuneups more of an insect hunter, and As the USDA traps and kills USDA are welcome guests. local Animal Control Service.
and drove on properly it becomes a vegetarian at thousands of iguanas, reduc- “We’re here by invitation,”
inflated tires, they could maturity. ing their population on Boca Hall said. Source: Charlotte County
save the same amount of oil A larger problem exists in Grande, Hall concedes it is E-mail: nhughes@sun-herald.com Environmental Extension Services
that would be gained by
offshore drilling. According
to the suit, “Running on
Empty” plays in the back-
ground of the ad criticizing
GEORGIA: Western leaders try to persuade Russia to pull troops
FROM PAGE 1 Georgian President There was no immedi- broader mandate in room, to seek inclusion in
.......................................... .
the remarks.
Mikhail Saakashvili in a ate clue to the Russians’ South Ossetia. Western economic,
ALMANAC said Russia was likely to show of solidarity, he intentions a week after Even if Russia fully political and security
Today is Saturday, Aug. 16, the sign the deal Saturday. asked, “Who invited the their tanks and bombers complies with the cease- institutions.
229th day of 2008. There are 137 As the secretary of state trouble here? Who invited attacked Georgia in fire, the Bush administra- In Washington, Bush
days left in the year. spoke in Tbilisi, Russian this arrogance here? Who retaliation for Georgia’s tion says there will be accused Russia of resort-
forces remained camped invited these innocent attempt to retake a more consequences to ing to thuggery from
Today in history out just 25 miles away. deaths here?” disputed province by come. Bush’s advisers are another era. He insisted
Associated Press Shaky and near tears force. settling on penalties that the United States will not
On Aug. 16, 1977, Elvis Presley following a difficult, Russian troops allowed would be intentionally abandon Georgia, a
reporters had seen a
died at his Graceland estate in nearly five-hour meeting some humanitarian modest and subtle, such Western-leaning democ-
convoy of some 50
Memphis, Tenn., at age 42. with her, Saakashvili supplies into the strategic as continuing to exclude racy on Russia’s southern
Russian army trucks and
On this date armored personnel answered his own ques- city of Gori but otherwise Russia’s foreign minister flank and once part of the
carriers roar without tion: “Not only those continued their blockade. from discussions among old Soviet Union.
In 1777, American forces won warning southeast from people who perpetrate The cease-fire docu- his counterparts in elite “Bullying and intimida-
the Revolutionary War Battle of the city of Gori on them are responsible, but ment sets out no specific gatherings of the world’s tion are not acceptable
Bennington. Wednesday, some shout- also those people who penalties or deadlines. It leading economies. ways to conduct foreign
In 1812, Detroit fell to British ing they were heading to failed to stop it.” contains concessions to The idea is to give policy in the 21st centu-
and Indian forces in the War of Tbilisi, the Georgian Rice let that pass, Russia that Saakashvili Moscow the diplomatic ry,” Bush said. “Only
1812. capital. But they veered focusing instead on the obviously found hard to cold shoulder while Russia can decide
In 1858, a telegraphed message into a field outside the demand that Moscow swallow. Russia could offering face-saving whether it will now put
from Britain’s Queen Victoria to town of Igoeti and set up immediately withdraw its retain peacekeeping leeway for Russia to turn itself back on the path of
President Buchanan was transmit- camp conspicuously forces. forces in the separatist away from a mentality the responsible nations or
ted over the recently laid trans- within sight of the road. “With this signature by region of South Ossetia West sees as throwback to continue to pursue a
Atlantic cable. The Russians were still Georgia, this must take and another breakaway its empire days. Russia policy that promises only
In 1948, baseball legend Babe visible there Friday. place and take place region, Abkhazia, and the would then have motiva- confrontation and
Ruth died in New York at age 53. Even as Rice stood with now,” she declared. forces would have a tion, and some wiggle isolation.”
In 1954, Sports Illustrated was
first published by Time Inc.
In 1956, Adlai E. Stevenson was
nominated for president at the
Democratic National Convention in
OBESITY: Every single American could be overweight in 40 years
Chicago.
FROM PAGE 1 people, and more people intended by lead author Healthcare Research and 1974, 1976-1980, 1988-
on Earth than molecules Youfa Wang “to send a Quality. 1994 and 1999-2004. In a
In 1960, Britain ceded control of trend would reach logical in the universe.” message” to public-health The researchers used sign that a linear trend
the crown colony of Cyprus. impossibility the following Already, public warnings officials, he says. Dr. numbers from an annual may not be on target, the
In 1978, James Earl Ray, year. about obesity have been Wang, associate professor government study of earliest results were
convicted assassin of Dr. Martin “Extrapolations are undermined by a big of international health Americans’ health, called excluded because there
Luther King Jr., told a Capitol Hill dangerous,” says Donald write-down in 2005 of and epidemiology at the National Health and wasn’t a significant
hearing he did not commit the Berry, chairman of the government estimates of Johns Hopkins University, Nutrition Examination increase heading into the
crime, saying he’d been set up by a department of biostatis- obesity-related deaths and adds that there is no Survey. Researchers next set of data. Then,
mysterious man called “Raoul.” tics at the University of by flaws in the determi- conflict between this goal interview thousands of they used a statistical
In 1987, 156 people were killed Texas M.D. Anderson nant of obesity, body mass and the standards of randomly selected technique called linear
when Northwest Airlines Flight 255 Cancer Center. “Especially index, that leads muscular scientific inquiry. He Americans each year, then regression to find the best
crashed while trying to take off dangerous is to assume people such as Arnold notes the scientific conduct physical exams linear trend. These lines
from Detroit. that trends are linear. Schwarzenegger and Mel pedigree of his co- on those who are willing, were extended into the
Today’s birthdays Otherwise we’d conclude Gibson to be categorized authors, who include to gather vital statistics future, yielding predic-
that Olympic swimmers as overweight, as The Wall Hopkins colleagues, and and disease rates. tions for 2010, 2020 and
Actor Fess Parker is 84. Actor will one day have negative Street Journal pointed out researchers at the Univer- Dr. Wang and col- 2030 — and the possibili-
Robert Culp is 78. Sportscaster times, there will be more in 2002. sity of Pennsylvania and leagues looked at four ty of an overweight
Frank Gifford is 78. Singer Eydie Internet users than The recent study was at the federal Agency for sets of surveys: 1971- nation in 2048.
Gorme is 77. Rhythm-and-blues
singer Robert “Squirrel” Lester is
66. Actor Bob Balaban is 63. TV
personality Kathie Lee Gifford is
55. Singer Madonna is 50. Actress
UNEMPLOYMENT: Statewide rate highest in 13 years
Angela Bassett is 50. Actor FROM PAGE 1 counties — which often construction industry example, the surge in almost as bad as it was in
Timothy Hutton is 48. Actor Steve overlap in a confusing have deteriorated. But residential foreclosures is Massachusetts when I
Carell is 45. Country singer Emily Beach, 9.2 percent. Port way. Charlotte ranked even economists like the a painful but necessary left more than 20 years
Robison (The Dixie Chicks) is 36. St. Lucie at 8.63 was a fourth-highest among University of Central part of liquidating bad ago,” said state Rep. Mike
.......................................... . fraction higher than MSAs, but sixth-highest Florida’s Sean Snaith investments, so that Grant, R-Port Charlotte.
NEWS OF Punta Gorda’s 8.60
percent.
among counties. That’s were surprised at the money can be used for On Thursday, Crist
because Punta Gorda swift increase in claims purposes that actually announced “Accelerate
THE WEIRD • DeSoto County and several other MSAs for jobless benefits. create wealth. Florida,” an initiative to
God says no reported 7.9 percent cover all of a single “This is pressure that “There is a purging remove bureaucratic
Representatives of about unemployment, up from county, while others has built on up in the process that is under planning and paperwork
300 Islamic madrassa 6.2 percent in June, and include parts of several labor market as housing way, so these jumps in obstacles delaying state
schools, meeting in New 14th highest in the state. counties. And rural has gone from white-hot unemployment are part construction projects
Delhi in April, decided that Unemployment in counties — including to outer-space cold,” of getting to the point that have already been
Muslims could not buy Hardee County jumped DeSoto and Hardee — do Snaith said. where the fever breaks funded by the state
health insurance because two full points — 5.7 not form part of any The unemployment and the patient starts to Legislature. For example,
the Quran forbids gam- percent in June, 7.7 MSA. rate is what economists get better ... it may sound just the Department of
bling (although they said percent in July — to rank What looks at first call a “lagging indicator,” heartless because you are Transportation projects
they would continue to 16th among Florida’s 67 glance like a sudden that usually starts to rise talking about people and that have been targeted
explore ways of reconciling counties. spike in unemployment around the same time families, but that is the for fast-tracking should
Sharia law with health-care The state’s monthly has been building for that other cyclical factors clinical reality,” Snaith inject about $4.2 billion
financing). unemployment reports months as business are beginning to sort said. into the economy.
— From wire reports rank both MSAs and conditions in the Florida themselves out. For “It’s amazing. It’s E-mail: bfliss@sun-herald.com