Only in today’s print edition

21. November 2010 · Comments Off · Categories: Drugs, Education, Home, News, Real Estate, Video · Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Where to buy The News-Press

The following stories can only be found in today’s print edition of The News-Press. On Tuesday, these exclusive stories will be posted on our Web site, news-press.com.

Real estate

Do you know your home?s history? People who occupy area properties where heinous killings occurred discuss what it?s like to live there now. Some are traumatized, while others are unaffected.

Database: See monthly Lee County home sales and median prices since 2002

Special page: Learn about properties for sale in Southwest Florida and get the latest real estate news.

Trafficking of domestic victims

Originally perceived as crimes affecting mostly foreigners, in recent years, the portrait of human trafficking victims has broadened to include Americans, particularly children who are sexually exploited for gain.

The number of people tagged as victims in Lee County has been growing in the last year and the majority of related arrests were Americans. One case involved a 15-year-old girl who told investigators her mother made her prostitute herself. Fort Myers mother, Noemi Ramos, was arrested by Lee sheriff?s office in October, and also accused of forcing her four daughters to buy drugs.

But services for American victims have not caught up. Local people in the fight against human trafficking said foreign victims have easier access to help because there?s more federal dollars for them.

Coming Tuesday: Read Lee County Human Services Task Force Program Evaluation.

Sports

Pro hockey has always found a spot for players more adept with their fists
than their skates. But hockey?s brute-only enforcers ? known fondly as goons ? are becoming an endangered species in the sport.

Coming Tuesday: The Florida Everblades provide an education on hockey
fighting and talk about its role in the game at news-press.com/video.

Only in today’s print edition

Late drive lifts Green Wave

04. September 2010 · Comments Off · Categories: News · Tags: , , , , , , ,

As far as James Whitfield was concerned, fourth down is just another down.

The Fort Myers wide receiver, returning from knee surgery, converted three fourth-down plays on the winning drive of a thrilling 14-13 comeback win over Cypress Lake at a packed Thomas Broomhead Memorial Stadium on Friday night.

Green Wave coach Sammy Sirianni Jr. was enthusiastic in his praise of Whitfield, who has an offer to play for Indiana University.

“With all due respect, there are a lot of great receivers in this area, but I wouldn’t trade him for anything,” Sirianni said.

Whitfield’s receptions from sophomore quarterback T.J. Douglas included one for 13 yards, one for 9 and another for 13 to keep the game alive in the fourth quarter. Junior running back Dalvin Battle punched the game-winner into the end zone with a 9-yard run, his second touchdown of the night.

The comeback for the Greenies (1-0) came after trailing 13-2 at halftime.

The momentum shifted in the third quarter when a roughing-the-kicker penalty gave the Wave a first down. The drive ended with a 10-yard touchdown run by Battle.

“That is the absolute turning point,” Panthers coach Mike Thornton said.

It was a completely different story in the first half.

After Fort Myers took the lead with a safety on a botched long snap, the Cypress defense kept the Green Wave from getting more than 7 yards past midfield. Erick Calhoun stopped that drive with an interception at the 29.

The Cypress Lake offense shifted into gear midway through the second quarter. Sophomore quarterback Jayron Kearse lifted a 54-yard catch-and-run to Devon Calhoun, who put the Panthers (0-1) on the board and in the lead.

Later in the quarter, Kearse was off to the races, but it was more Dakar Rally than Indy 500. He ran and spun and dodged and seemed to do a loop-the-loop at one point, ultimately arriving in the end zone for an 82-yard touchdown run. Logan Franklin’s kick made it 13-2.

“He’s going to be a highlight reel,” Sirianni said of Kearse, who rushed for 179 yards on the night.

The stadium was filled to capacity, and many of those in attendance were wearing green. Given the rough season that the Green Wave had last year, Sirianni was thankful for the show of support.

“That’s the Green Wave spirit,” Sirianni said.

Late drive lifts Green Wave

Cypress volleyball looks to join elite

31. August 2010 · Comments Off · Categories: News · Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Over the past 10 years, Lee County preseason high school volleyball conversations centered around four programs.

Bishop Verot, Fort Myers and either Canterbury or Evangelical Christian School garnered the accolades and attention, and deservedly so.

The Cypress Lake Panthers are hoping to insert themselves into the mix this year and in years to come.

“Fort Myers is the top program, very well-coached and disciplined and mature on the court,” said second-year Cypress Lake coach Jessica Thornton, who moved to the school last year from Gibsonton East Bay High.

Not since the late 1990s, when Cypress Lake won five consecutive district titles and made a 1999 playoff run to the Class 4A state title game, have the Panthers held such promise. Cypress, coached then by Rick Hubbard, fell to Jacksonville Bishop Kenny in the championship game. Cypress Lake won a volleyball state title in 1982.

Thornton, adjusted to her new surroundings, has 10 seniors with whom to work this season.

Seven of the 10 seniors have started since their freshman year, and they played together on club teams prior to that.

?We all know each other really well,? said senior setter and team co-captain Emily Keim. ?They know what?s going to happen. They can read my language.?

They have improved each season, from winning four games as freshmen to 12 as sophomores to posting a 17-8 record last season as juniors.

?We build each year together,? said outside hitter Brooke Snyderman and co-captain. ?We trust each other on the court.?

Only a district tournament loss to Riverdale kept the Panthers from reaching the Class 4A state playoffs last season. Cypress Lake also has to contend with perennial power Fort Myers.

?Our reasonable goal is to get to the state tournament,? said Alli LaBerge, an outside hitter and co-captain with Keim and Snyderman. ?We want to compete with the high-level teams.?

To attain that goal, many of the Panthers, including LaBerge, spent their summer sharpening skills in beach tournaments, traveling to Clearwater, Fort Lauderdale and Siesta Key for competition.

The Panthers compete in the 10-team District 4A-11 also comprised of Baker, Cape Coral, Estero, Fort Myers, Lemon Bay, Mariner, North Fort Myers, Riverdale and South Fort Myers.

?I don?t want to sound too cocky, but the only two teams we?re worried about are Riverdale and Fort Myers,? Keim said. ?I think it would take a lot to beat Fort Myers. It would take our best game from everyone to beat them. We would really have to be on top of our game.?

Cypress volleyball looks to join elite

Holloway, Cape Coral earn preseason tie

29. August 2010 · Comments Off · Categories: News · Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Three dropped or bobbled passes by Cape Coral senior receiver Prince Holloway on Saturday evening had his new coach Brad Metheny wondering about his top offensive threat.

But with 51.6 seconds remaining, Holloway put some of his coach’s concerns to rest.

Holloway caught a pass in the open field from senior quarterback Bryan Greenwell and then sprinted into the Dave Warkentin Field end zone for a 49-yard touchdown reception.

Two plays later, time ran out on the Riverdale Raiders, who had to settle for a 20-20 tie with the Cape Coral Seahawks in a preseason game that began 22.5 hours after it was originally scheduled because of heavy rain and poor field conditions.

Both coaches were just happy to get a full game in following a week of rain-shortened practices. Rain and lightning threatened again at halftime, but a 30-minute delay later, the second half began with Cape Coral still trying to get the ball in Holloway’s hands.

“He’s one of the fastest kids in the area,” Riverdale coach Rob Hinson.

“For our defense to contain him for as long as it did, I’m happy about that. He just happened to break it with 50 seconds left in the game.

“If he gets some touches, he can break it at any time.”

Holloway caught six passes for 107 yards and the game-tying touchdown. He also scored on an 8-yard reverse with 5:07 remaining in the second quarter with Cape Coral trailing 14-7.

Greenwell completed 10-of-22 passes for 203 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions.

Riverdale junior quarterback Jeff Colton, who shook off a vicious hit in which his helmet flew off, took command after completing a 24-yard pass to senior Roderick Lindsey for a 7-0 lead with 55 second remaining in the first quarter.

Colton struck again early in the second quarter, firing a 5-yard pass to senior David Klimaszewski for a 14-0 lead that impressed Hinson.

“He loves it,” Hinson said of Colton’s physical style of play. Colton rushed eight times for 54 yards. He completed 9-of-17 passes for 98 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.

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“He’s 6-foot-2, 195 pounds. He works hard in the weight room. He matches up with linebackers. He is stepping up. He is starting to take charge. He showed some maturity out there.”

Both teams had trouble getting their running games going. Cape sophomore T.J. Johnson rushed for 43 yards, including a 5-yard touchdown, on 11 carries. Riverdale junior Levi Sourinha rushed for 27 yards, including a 4-yard touchdown, on 10 carries.

Cape Coral coach Brad Metheny praised his defense, in particular senior linebacker Chris Johnson (interception, half a sack), senior Josh Monteagudo, Andrew Iverson, Shaq Edwards and Mark Bailer.

“They made plays,” Metheny said. “Johnson’s interception was huge.”

Riverdale 7 7 0 6 – 20

Cape Coral 0 7 0 13 – 20

Riverdale: Roderick Lindsey 24 pass from Jeff Colton (Mark DeBoy kick)

Riverdale: David Klimaszewski 5 pass from Colton (DeBoy kick)

Cape Coral: Prince Holloway 8 run (Johnathan Ramirez kick)

Cape Coral: T.J. Johnson 5 run (run failed)

Riverdale: Levi Sourinha 4 run (kick blocked)

Cape Coral: Holloway 49 pass from Greenwell (Ramirez kick)

Holloway, Cape Coral earn preseason tie