Ron Duprat, the executive chef at Gulf Harbour country club, has gained fame, but its his

work ethic that has endeared him to club members and others. ANDREW WEST/THE NEWS-PRESS

FINE DINING

PLATES ALWAYS FULL

Gulf Harbour chef Ron Duprat has turned his 15 minutes of Top Chef fame into a platform from which he promotes his many causes. By Annabelle Tometich
atometich@news-press.com

SOUTH LEE / NORTH NAPLES

PUBLISHED SINCE 1884

In the plush and preppy dining room at Gulf Harbour Yacht & Country Club in south Fort Myers, silky drapes frame picture windows that look onto the luxurious boats bobbing in the river waters below. Its a far cry from the simple home where Ron Duprat grew up in northwest Haiti. Duprat shouldnt fit in here.
SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2012

Yet the 6-foot, 280-pound executive chef looks right at home. A toothy smile and easy laugh give Duprat a huggable charm that belies his gritty upbringing. That hes preparing some of the clubs finest meals wild salmon with herbs from his on-site garden, aged rib-eyes with truffle mashed potatoes and foie gras doesnt hurt the 43-year-old either. Asked if hes married, Duprat, who wears no ring, responds, yes, and after a long pause, to my job, his suddenly serious demeanor unraveling as he rolls into his throaty laugh.
See CHEF A6
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SUNDAY EXCLUSIVE

SUNDAY EXCLUSIVE HIGHER EDUCATION

Professors pressured by class overload

Edison State instructors earn average salaries, but some pick up tens of thousands more to teach extra classes and assume administrative duties. By Dave Breitenstein
dbreitenstein@news-press.com

A 13-year-old is killed. A family mourns. And no one is willing to talk about who did the shooting. It is an all-too-familiar tale in Fort Myers Dunbar neighborhoods.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION; PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE NEWS-PRESS

Professors at Edison State College dont have the luxury to ponder their next great novel or research potions to cure disease. They are paid to teach a full load. And faculty members do that, and then some. Records show 95 of 161 professors, or 59 percent, are supplementing their otherwise middleof-the-road salaries this semester by teaching as many as five extra courses. It is facultys version of overtime, one that boosts paychecks by as much as $9,304 for the four-month spring term. Overloads arent professors only source of extra pay. Dozens sign special contracts to complete assignments normally handled by administrators, and those extra tasks have netted faculty up to $17,600 annually in past years. College officials applaud proSee EDISON A6

News-Press report

ne day near the start of this year, Denae Hendley decided it was time to wash her dead sons clothes. Desmond Jones, her baby of three, had been shot in the head, steps from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, in April 2011. He was 13.

Months had passed and Desmonds murder remained unsolved. Hendley asked the police to return the clothes hed been wearing the night he died. Hendley reached into the evidence bag and pulled out socks and a undershirt stiff with dried blood. She sobbed the only thing she felt like doing many days as she put them in the washer off the tidy kitchen where she had cooked her sons favorite: mac and cheese. Desmonds killer walks free. Theres no justice for my child, said

Hendley, a lifelong resident of Dunbar, mostly black neighborhoods east of downtown Fort Myers. Somebody knows something. Desmonds is not the only unsolved homicide in Fort Myers in the past year, though he is the youngest victim. There have been no arrests in about half the 20 killings in Fort Myers in 2011. This year, five of the citys seven homicides are unsolved. Four occurred in Dunbar, where a shadow of crime and poverty has lingered for decades. I really grieve when someone else done got shot and theyre just children. Theyre full of life, said Hendley, in her late 30s. Shed like to start a support group for mothers of murder victims in Dunbar. What right do you have to take a life? Apathy and fear seal lips. I dont think any of these shooters have moved to Atlanta; theyre still in the community, said Pastor Alan Stockton at New Image Tabernacle Church in Fort Myers.
See DESMOND A7

COMING TUESDAY

On news-press. com, an exclusive video interview with Danae Hendley and documents related to the case.

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Column begins SundayWednesday-Friday schedule. B1

Police seek help to solve homicides; black community feels more can be done. A7

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SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2012 THE NEWS-PRESS *

from the cover

PACKING HIS KNIVES AND GOING: A BIO OF RON DUPRAT
Born: Mare Rouge, Haiti, Oct. 22, 1968 High school: Lely Culinary training: Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, N.Y., 1988-1990 Title: Executive chef, Gulf Harbour Yacht & Country Club, south Fort Myers Past jobs: Little Italy, Naples; The Ritz-Carlton, Naples; Pelican Bay, Naples; Montauk Yacht Club, Long Island, N.Y.; Hollywood Beach Marriott Hotel, Fort Lauderdale Top Chef: Duprat appeared on the sixth season of the Bravo TV networks reality show, set in Las Vegas. The show aired from August to December 2009, later winning an Emmy for Best Reality Competition Series, snapping a sevenyear streak held by The Amazing Race. Duprat was eliminated for a paella dish on the sixth episode of the 14-show season. Charitable causes: Spokesman for Flipany, Florida Introduces Physical Activity and Nutrition to Youth, flipany.org; Southwest Florida spokesman for Jamie Olivers Food Revolution, which educates people of all ages to make better and more informed food choices, jamieoliver.com; partner with the Pan American Development Foundation which works to strengthen communities in Latin American and Caribbean countries, padf.org; economic and tourism ambassador to his native Haiti, for more information on Duprats upcoming culinary tour of Haiti contact Duprat at 433-5111.

Chef
Continued from A1

ONLINE

And hes not kidding. In the 2 years since Duprat appeared on the Las Vegas season of the Bravo TV networks reality cooking show Top Chef, the graduate of Collier Countys Lely High School has parlayed his 15 minutes into a cushy, country club gig and a platform to promote the many causes dear to his heart. On a given weekend, Duprat could be in Manhattan cooking for the Black Culinary Alliance, or Washington helping first lady Michelle Obama promote her Lets Move initiative. Hes raised thousands of dollars for national and international charities, and hes toured his earthquake-ravaged homeland a dozen times, serving as guide and ambassador for the likes of Bill Clinton and Sean Penn. Duprats latest goal is to make an impact locally. People dont really know me here yet. Thats why I want to do this dinner, said Duprat, whos hosting a Friends of James Beard dinner at his club July 14 to raise money for the Beard Foundations scholarship program. This is my home now. I spend a lot of time going to this place and that, but I want people to know Im here too. Not that Gulf Harbours diners would ever know hes away. Ill find out Wednesday morning he was in Miami at a benefit the night before, said Kevin Relf, Duprats longtime sous chef and friend. Hell be at the club until 6 oclock, drive to Miami, do whatever event hes doing there, and show up back at work at 6 the next morning. If I didnt ask him, I

Scan this QR code or head to news-press.com to watch video of Ron Duprat discussing his work in Haiti and his time on Top Chef.

Ron Duprat works in the kitchen at Gulf Harbour. His schedule is always full. ANDREW WEST/THE NEWS-PRESS

FRIENDS OF JAMES BEARD DINNER

What: A dinner to benefit the Friends of James Beard Foundation which awards culinary-school scholarships to deserving students and aspiring chefs. When: July 14 Where: Gulf Harbour Yacht & Country Club, 14500 Vista River Drive, south Fort Myers Chefs: Ron Duprat, Kevin Relf and Norman Love, along with Brian Roland (M Waterfront Grille), Charles Hartung (The Port Royale Club), Wilhelm Gahabka (Bay Colony Golf Club) among others, including surprise celebrity guest chefs. More: Tickets will go on sale in May, visit gulfharbour.com or call 433-5111 to learn more.

never wouldve known he was gone. I think he does that a lot.

Never stopping

Duprats never-stop work ethic comes from a childhood spent in the town of Mare Rouge, Haiti, a city 165 rugged miles northwest of the capital, Port-au-Prince. The sixth of eight children, Duprat grew up in a small house with no electricity and a water reserve supplied via daily trips, buckets in hand, to a nearby stream. Duprats grandmother Ronaicia Duprat, a servant and cook who

trained in the kitchens of French aristocrats before moving to Haiti in the early 20th century, gave her grandson his first cooking lessons over the familys charcoal-fueled stove, imparting on the young boy the importance of fresh ingredients handled with care and respect. His parents, Ronald and Distilia Cirius-Duprat, made sure their son got an education, sending him 12 hours away by car to a well-respected private academy in the capital. In 1984, when Ron was 16, Duprats family moved to Miami and, soon after, Naples. Living in project housing in River Park, a poor and predominantly black area just north of Naples swanky downtown, cooking became Duprats escape. Teophin Fraen, Ill never forget him. He was a chef in Naples and he asked me to help him with a party, Duprat said. In four hours I made $150. Thats more money than Id ever made in my life. After high school Duprat took a dishwashing job at Little Italy, a restaurant still operating in south Naples. At the then-owners advice, Duprat moved to Hyde Park, N.Y., for two years to study at the Culinary Institute of America, the Harvard of American culinary schools. He

landed his first executive chef position at the Naples luxury community Pelican Bay in 1993. Drawn back to New York in 2000, it was a

Celebrity status

turn as chef at Montauk Yacht Club that earned Duprat his first taste of life as a celebrity chef, or, rather, a chef cooking for celebrities. His customers included Usher, Beyonce and Christie Brinkley, whose contacts landed Duprat a spot as chef for the night at the James Beard House in Manhattan. In 2008, after almost a year at the Hollywood Beach Marriott, Duprat got a call from Magical Elves Productions, the company behind Top Chef. I hung up, Duprat laughed. I didnt think it was true. I thought someone was trying to punk me. Punked he was not. Duprat flew to Los Angeles where he told Top Chef producers about his childhood in Haiti, kicking around coconuts in lieu of pricey soccer balls. He answered questions that had nothing to do with food and everything to do with Duprats easy-going personality and unique story, which viewers were sure to love. He showed up to the chefs house in Las Vegas in January 2009, where he shared a room with Hector Santiago and third-place finisher Kevin Gillespie. Our nickname for him was Baby Ron. Everybody loved him, said Santiago, who lived with Duprat for four weeks in Vegas and now runs a trio of concept restaurants in Atlanta. Duprat made it to Episode 6 of the 14-show season before a dish of seafood paella, criticized as dry and uninventive by the judges, including famed chef Tom Col-

icchio and Vegas magicians Penn & Teller, led to his elimination. Duprat blamed his departure on cheap, IKEA beds not built to handle people of his stature. I broke three or four of them, Duprat laughed. I was addicted to Starbucks at the time, and I couldnt have my Starbucks. I missed the presidents inauguration. There were a lot of factors that made it difficult to keep my focus. Focus is less of an issue for Duprat of late. The once-344-pound chef has lost 60 pounds since December, practicing the advice he preaches to children eating healthy and keeping active. Duprat is writing a cookbook and working on a pilot for a cooking show tentatively titled Kitchen Takeover, where he assumes control of a home kitchen for a day. And hes promoting culinary tourism to Haiti as a new source of economic revenue, starting with a self-guided, nine-day tour he will be leading this summer. There have been speeches at Cornell University, fundraising dinners cooked in New York City and even the possibility of an upcoming appearance on another reality TV show, Dancing with the Stars. To get to where he wants to go there are consequences, be it sleep or personal life, said Lonnie Eberhard, general manager of Gulf Harbour. He knows what its going to take to be the next Bobby Flay of the world, and thats where he wants to be.

Worth losing

Edison
Continued from A1

FACULTY PAY RAISES

2011-12: 3 percent pay raise for full year; non-recurring 1 percent increase for spring semester. 2010-11: 4 percent increase or $2,151, whichever was greater; 2 percent equity adjustment. 2009-10: $500 one-time bonus. 2008-09: 1 percent increase at beginning of year; 1 percent increase at mid-year; $1,000 one-time bonus. 2007-08: 3.25 percent increase or $1,744, whichever was greater; $1,000 one-time bonus. 2006-07: 4.5 percent increase or $2,349.43, whichever was greater.

fessors dedication, but are starting to question how much work is too much. Were asking them to do too much, and in the process, were losing the relationships a community-based college must have with its students, said trustee Pamella Seay, a professor herself at FGCU, who worries Edison students are being short-changed by an overworked faculty. Seay asked not to be reappointed as a trustee, and her term expires Monday. Edison State considers professors teaching faculty, a designation that limits requirements to conduct research or publish books and articles. Instructors must teach 15 to 16 credit hours per term, roughly four or five standard classes, but their contract allows them to teach as many as 24 credits. Each credit hour above the minimum, called an overload, is worth an extra $687 to $848. Its the same rate adjunct instructors earn. Through a public-records request, The NewsPress examined overload pay data to determine those 95 professors teach an average of six extra credit hours, which will add an average of $4,147 to their paychecks this spring. The total cost to Edison is $394,004. Nationally, teaching workload is becoming a concern in higher education, according to John Curtis, director of research and public policy with Washington-based American Association of University Professors. Its especially a problem at community colleges, where instructors typically teach more courses than their counterparts at the university level. In addition to teaching, Edison faculty must maintain office hours, advise students, grade papers, develop lessons and stay current with trends in their discipline. At some point, teaching too many courses can

SIX SIX-FIGURE PROFESSORS

In 2011, six professors at Edison State College earned at least $100,000. Each agreed to teach more classes than required. Kurt Donaldson, chemistry professor: $113,189 Ellie Bunting, English professor: $109,467 Ronald Smith, mathematics professor: $107,462 Joan Van Glabeke, mathematics professor: $104,022 Nirmala Prabhu, biology professor: $101,028 Richard Worch, public safety administration professor: $100,983 On news-press.com: Search a summary database of special service contracts issued to Edison State College professors from 2007 to 2011. Faculty earn extra pay for completing non-teaching assignments around campus.

COMING TUESDAY

fore he was fired last winter. Trustee Chris Vernon said hes still trying to get a handle on professor pay, especially those who are granted credit releases but teach the classes anyway. If theyre doing that, then when do they have time to do their administrative duties? asked Vernon, who calls professors the most important part of the college. State auditors have not cited Edison for any deficiencies related to payment of professors. Interim human resources director Ron Dente said the colleges collective bargaining agreement does not prohibit professors from picking up overloads, even those granted release time. We have to work within the parameters of the contract, Dente said. According to the Florida Department of Education, the average professor at Edison State earns $54,172 annually, 13th highest among Floridas 28 community and state colleges. But that figure includes overloads, stipends and special service contracts. The state average of $54,586 does not break out base salaries. In 2011, one-fourth of Edison professors earned more than $75,000, with six collecting more than $100,000. The highest earners are among those accepting overloads, chair positions and service contracts. You get asked a day before the semester starts, Can you teach this class? said English professor Martha Ambrose, who serves as assessment chair and is teaching seven overload credit hours this semester. Overloads are entirely voluntary. If professors dont agree to teach a particular course, though, it might not be offered that term, forcing students to wait a semester before trying again. Faced with that scenario, Bunting says many faculty agree to lead an extra class. The dollar amount is the same Edison would

Professor pay

Ellie Bunting works with Danny Linares at Edison State. Bunting teaches six classes and online programs and is president of the faculty union. AMANDA INSCORE/THE NEWS-PRESS

have an impact on the quality of education a student receives, Curtis said. Edison State student Colby Davis, 23, of Fort Myers, previously attended FGCU. ... They were a lot more stressed than professors here, said Davis, who now is pursuing a networking specialist degree at Edison. This semester, English professor Ellie Bunting is teaching six classes for 14 credits in addition to serving as chair of Edisons English department and chair of online programs. She also is president of the faculty union. Like 10 other department chairs, Bunting is

granted a stipend and a six-credit release to free up time for administrative functions, such as scheduling courses, evaluating adjunct instructors, developing goals and setting a budget. Yet, seven of the 11 chairs pick up overloads anyway, taking back the classes they were supposed to forgo. Six of eight other professors granted release time to complete administrative duties also accepted overloads. There is nobody else to teach them, said Bunting, who is not being paid for any overloads this spring. Former President Kenneth Walker started to look into the practice be-

pay adjunct instructors to teach the same courses During the enrollment boom of the late 2000s, Edison relied on a stable of adjuncts to deliver instruction as the student body grew to 26,000. That strategy was effective in covering classes, but is frowned upon by accrediting agencies that require a certain proportion of credit hours in core programs be taught by full-time staff. Erin Harrel, interim vice president for academic affairs, said about 38 percent of credit hours are taught by full-time faculty, a number that will increase to 41 percent when vacancies are filled. By comparison, the Florida average for community and state colleges is 27 percent, she said. Edisons accrediting agency cited the college for not employing enough full-time faculty in core areas, but that concern will be lessened through new hires and enrollment declines. During contract negotiations last summer and fall, faculty and administration couldnt agree on a pay increase. Faculty initially asked for 5.5 percent and the college offered 2 percent. Eventually, the union declared impasse, and the case went to a mediator. In January, before the mediator issued an opinion, newly appointed interim President Dudley Goodlette put forth a proposal for a 3 percent raise and a one-time 1 percent bump for the spring semester. The union agreed, and the increases will boost Edisons place statewide as many institutions froze salaries for 2011-12. Another way professors, who work ninemonth contracts, can increase their annual income is through special service contracts. Each time the college asks faculty to accept a non-teaching assignment, both parties must sign a contract that spells out terms of service and payments, which start at $50. The highest-valued contract in recent years, $17,640, went to Pam Mangene to

Special contracts

serve as manager of academic affairs in summer 2009. Many contracts are standard and feature set values, like $6,000 for serving as department chairs, $300 for converting classes to online versions and $750 for coordinating the colleges annual holocaust memorial project. Other contracts are one-time deals if the college needs assistance on a specific project, such as working a few days during the summer or completing accreditation reports. The News-Press review of special contracts found many were signed months after the work had been completed. For example, a handful of professors participated in an adjunct training session in August 2009, but contracts werent drafted until December of that year. Faculty have received extra pay for mentoring new instructors, updating course syllabi, developing new classes and grading papers from students other than their own, tasks many colleges deem part of the job. At FGCU, provost Ron Toll said faculty members have three primary obligations: teach, complete scholarly activities and perform service around campus and the community. Rarely does the university contract with a professor to perform additional tasks. Those are kinds of things generally considered part of their job duties, Toll said. Edisons faculty union has been trying to shore up the process of awarding special contracts. Administrators typically approach specific professors with a proposal, but Bunting said that process isnt fair to those who dont know the opportunity exists. The need to address special contracts and overloads, along with filling several openings, will be priorities after trustees hire a CEO this summer. When the new president comes in, Bunting said, I hope he brings a team with him.

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FRIDAY, JUNE 22, 2012

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EDISON PUT ON NOTICE

Probation decision gives college a year to solve its problems.
By Dave Breitenstein
dbreitenstein@news-press.com

HIGHER EDUCATION

WHATS NEXT?
During the next year, Edison State will continue to revamp policies and document academic, personnel and operating changes. A committee of college presidents and academic officers will visit campus in January, and the accrediting agency will re-evaluate Edisons probationary status in June 2013.

Edison State College has been placed on probation for 12 months, a public scolding that forces administration to tackle the colleges academic problems. The ruling came down Thursday from Edison States accrediting agency, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, which extended Edisons current accreditation but opted not to reaccredit the college. School officials have one year to produce evidence they operate with integrity while shoring up academic policies. Its a wake-up call to an extent, but thats OK, said interim President Dudley Goodlette. Edison was found noncompliant with the commissions guiding principle: The institution operates with integrity in all matters. The association wont issue written details until next week, but the decision likely centers on substituting electives for
See EDISON A2

ONLINE

Watch a video at news-press.com of students talking about how Edison States probation will affect them. What probation means for current and future students.

INSIDE

Edison State College students walk through campus Thursday after it was announced Edison was put on probation by its accrediting association. AMANDA INSCORE/THE NEWS-PRESS

FORT MYERS VIOLENCE

THE ENVIRONMENT

Killers work where all can see

As homicide count rises, crime scenes include very public areas. By Ashley A. Smith
asmith@news-press.com

A shooting on a busy intersection. A homicide in a mall parking lot during the Christmas holiday. A

man gunned down not far from where children are attending a church summer camp. In Fort Myers, deadly violence is growing in its brazenness. Before Jerrett Byrd, 23, and ChaRiah Ownes, 16, were shot and killed outside of Gulfstream

Isles apartment complex early Tuesday morning, Deshon Jenkins and Brandon Seabrook had been killed earlier this month in bolder fashion. Jenkins was killed last Friday at the intersection of Colonial and Veronica S. Shoemaker boulevards. On June 8, Brandon Sea-

brook, Byrds cousin, was shot multiple times outside his mothers home and not far from a summer camp at Apostolic House of God church on Lincoln Boulevard, where children hid under the pews as the shots rang out.
See VIOLENCE A3

Everglades still desperate for help, feds say

Ecosystems health still in decline, despite efforts.
The Associated Press

THE COURTS

Wife in alleged hit plot avoids jail

LOCAL

A new home
Sanibels bear will be relocated. B1

Solicitation of murder charge dropped against Kimberly Alters. By Dennis Culver

dculver@news-press.com

THINGS TO DO

Nifty 50s

Musicals and Elvis. Gulf Coasting

Kimberly Alters, accused of trying to hire a man in 2010 to kill her husband in exchange for his $40,000 Harley-Davidson, avoided jail time Thursday after the state attor-

neys office opted not to pursue a solicitation of murder charge. Alters, a popular local nurse practitioner, pleaded no contest to two counts of possession of a controlled substance and one count of possession of a firearm while committing a felony, for which she will consecutively serve 60 months of probation on each count.

Her attorney, Wilbur Smith, said Alters was happy to avoid jail time and pleaded no contest to the other charges as part of a deal to have the most serious offense dropped. There was the potential of jail hanging over her head, Smith said. Going to trial is a terribly stressful ordeal, as you
See ALTERS A3

WEST PALM BEACH Little progress has been made in restoring the Everglades and the fragile ecosystem continues to be degraded as projects with the greatest potential benefits are put off, a congressionally mandated report released Thursday found. The fourth biennial review by the National Research Council says while notable progress in the construction of restoration projects has been made since its last report, those initiatives still have done little to reverse generations of decline. Unless near-term progress is made to improve water quantity and restore water flow, ecosystem losses will continue, many

See EVERGLADES A2

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FRIDAY, JUNE 22, 2012 THE NEWS-PRESS *

celebbuzz
HIGHER EDUCATION
Classes still are transferable and credits are good, though reputation is a concern. By Chris Umpierre
cumpierre@news-press.com

from the cover

Students know fix is needed

faculty to carry out the colleges mission. Edisons existing accreditation will be continued and the school will have a year to fix the violations, according to the accrediting body Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Students classes still are transferable, and those graduating in the near future will be able to say they graduated from an accredited institution. Thats what I was worried about, said North Fort Myers Cathy Lee, who was enrolling her 18year-old son Roger Fahrner Jr. for Edison classes Thursday afternoon. You want to make sure hes going to get credited for the classes were paying for and that he can transfer them. Lee said she had no plans on pulling her son out of Edison. A Riverdale High graduate, Fahrner said the academic probation wont impact him. From what I hear its a good school, Lee said. His guidance counselor said hes sent lots of students here and theyve done a great job. Edison students worried that the public scorn from the probation will stunt the schools enrollment. Enrollment at Edison dipped to about 25,000 students in 2011-12, and a budget forecast calls for a 5 percent drop in 2012-13. School leaders attribute the decline to an improved economy, but there is no way to measure how many potential students have avoided Edison because of the uproar. Edison freshman Emma Miguel said her brother constantly questions her about Edisons recent scandals in which administrators allowed students to skip core courses while also misleading nursing students about program certification. She said the questions bother her. When people hear

Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, will celebrate his 30th birthday in private with his wife, Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, family and friends. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Prince William turns 30 with a private party

LONDON The man who once was among the worlds most eligible bachelors has turned 30 but things are not so bad for Prince William as he celebrates his birthday with family and friends. Palace officials say William will mark the milestone in private with his wife, the former Kate Middleton, and perhaps some close friends. They say a low-key celebration is planned. William has been pursuing a military career as a search-and-rescue helicopter pilot while easing into married life and taking on more royal duties. He is stationed at an air base in north Wales and was recently on a temporary deployment in the Falkland Islands in the south Atlantic. William is second in line for the throne behind his father, Prince Charles.

Told her school had been placed on academic probation, Edison State College freshman Asia Riley put her hands on her hips and shook her head. The school needs to fix it, Riley said. Its not a good look. People who dont know the city or the school are going to think Edison has a bad reputation. Its going to steer students away. Edison State students reacted with a mixture of outrage, shrugs and fear to Thursdays news that the 50-year-old Fort Myers school is on academic probation. An accrediting agency sanctioned the school for seven violations, including failing to demonstrate institutional integrity and failing to employ enough full-time

about the probation, people are going to say, Oh Edison. Its one of the worst schools, Miguel said. Its not right. Edison sophomore Tom Aliev said he has a quick retort for people talking negatively. I have a lot of friends at FGCU who say that and I just tell them that I paid half-price for my education, said Aliev, who attended Gateway Charter High School. My high school didnt have the best reputation either and it didnt matter. Students also wondered what would happen when they hit the workforce. Will employers bring up the probation during a job interview? Will employers ask Edison students about the quality of their education? I can see them doing that, said Edison freshman Zachary Taylor, who hasnt declared a major. I dont think they should hold it against me.

Edison
Continued from A1

ACCREDITATION VIOLATIONS
Here are the violations of standards noted against Edison State College:

Baldwin: I didnt punch photographer

NEW YORK Alec Baldwin denied punching a news photographer during a confrontation outside a marriage license bureau in New York. If I had punched him, I would be in jail right now, rightfully so, Baldwin said during an appearance on David Lettermans Late Show Wednesday. I kind of pushed him out of the way because he almost hit me in the face with the camera. Baldwins confrontation with New York Daily News photographer Marcus Santos was splashed this week on the newspapers front page. Police have confirmed that Santos filed a complaint against Baldwin, saying he was punched while taking pictures of Baldwin and his fiance Tuesday. A New York Police Department spokeswoman said no charges have been filed .

Simmons urges peace in Israel

To hip hop and fashion mogul Russell Simmons, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is like a rap beef that can be resolved through dialogue and understanding. A little trust, and its over, he said. The cofounder of the pioneering Def Jam Recordings record label, which has represented such artists like the Beastie Boys, Jay-Z, Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, LL Cool J and Kanye West, is in Israel on the invitation of Israeli President Shimon Peres.
The Associated Press

Todays birthdays

Kris Kristofferson is 76.

Actor Ralph Waite is 84. Director John Korty is 76. Actor Michael Lerner is 71. Broadcast journalist Brit Hume is 69. Singermusician Todd Rundgren is 64. Actress Meryl Streep is 63. Actress Lindsay Wagner is 63. Actor Murphy Cross is 62. Actor Graham Greene is 60. Singer Cyndi Lauper is 59. Actor Chris Lemmon is 58. Actor-producer-writer Bruce Campbell is 54. Environmentalist Erin Brockovich is 52. Author Dan Brown (The Da Vinci Code) is 48.

128th Year, No. 179

Saturday; 4 p.m. Friday for Sunday and Monday publication.

CORRECTIONS

If you see an error in The News-Press contact Sheldon Zoldan, 335-0560 or szoldan@news-press.com. Corrections appear on the first page of the section in which the error was made.

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OPERATIONS

core classes, which allowed students to graduate without completing degree requirements. Other infractions include employing too few fulltime faculty members and placing unqualified individuals into academic leadership roles. There was a silver lining in the verdict. Seven areas initially deemed violations in November were wiped from the books after Edison demonstrated compliance. One of those was a core finding alleging Edisons degree programs did not mirror high-quality offerings at other institutions. College officials were hoping for a warning, the lesser of two sanctions. Probation can impact enrollment and faculty recruitment while destroying a colleges reputation, and could ultimately lead to the college being stripped of its accreditation if administration fails to fix violations. Edison cannot appeal the decision. Anytime an institution is sanctioned, whether its probation, a warning or another adverse action, a community that cares about the institution is in an uproar, said Belle Wheelan, president of SACS. Spring enrollment at Edison declined 5 percent to about 25,000 students, and the 2012-13 budget forecast calls for another 5 percent drop. Exactly how probation will impact those numbers is unknown. Goodlette attributes much of the decline to an improved economy as students and graduates return to work. Accreditation is a vital certification from outside experts who ensure a college abides by mutually agreed-upon standards. SACS institutions essentially police themselves, using academic officers and college presidents to evaluate institutions. Students often are prohibited from spending financial aid at unaccredited colleges, many of which are lumped into the same category as diploma mills. Edisons dirty laundry has been aired for the past year, but Wheelan has said the agencys goal is for every institution to operate with the highest standards in place, not punish those that have made mistakes. Accreditation is always a big deal for an in-

PRINCIPLE OF INTEGRITY
1.1: The institution operates with integrity in all matters.

CORE REQUIREMENTS
2.8: The number of full-time faculty members is adequate to support the mission of the institution and to ensure the quality and integrity of each of its academic programs.

COMPREHENSIVE STANDARDS
3.2.8: The institution has qualified administrative and academic officers with the experience and competence to lead the institution. 3.3.1.1: The institution identifies expected outcomes, assesses the extent to which it achieves these outcomes, and provides evidence of improvement based on analysis of the results in educational programs, to include student learning outcomes. 3.3.1.5: The institution identifies expected outcomes, assesses the extent to which it achieves these outcomes, and provides evidence of improvement based on analysis of the results in community/public service within its mission. 3.4.5: The institution publishes academic policies that adhere to principles of good educational practice. These policies are disseminated to students, faculty, and other interested parties through publications that accurately represent the programs and services of the institution. 3.5.3: The institution publishes requirements for its undergraduate programs, including its general education components. These requirements conform to commonly accepted standards and practices for degree programs.

Rachel High of Fort Myers studies Thursday in Edison States library. AMANDA INSCORE/THE NEWS-PRESS

stitution and students, Wheelan said. It demonstrates to the community that it is a quality institution. Additional colleges also were notified of sanctions Thursday, but a full list wont be available until next week. No other Florida public institutions were reprimanded in the last accreditation cycle, but Chipola College, Florida Keys Community College and Miami Dade College all have been sanctioned and removed from the list in recent years. Randy Hanna, chancellor of the Florida College System, said Edison must take charge of its own affairs, but can tap into the Florida Department of Education for assistance. A key at the local level, he says, is assuring current and prospective students that Edison remains fully accredited and is working diligently to right the ship. Students should feel comfortable that the edu-

cation they are receiving at Edison State is a highquality education, Hanna said. Theyve gone through a tumultuous year, but are on the right track to erasing probation. In 2011, more than a dozen high-ranking Edison administrators, including the longtime president, either resigned, retired or were fired. The governor also appointed five new trustees, although one has since vacated her post. Earlier this month, trustees tapped Macon State College President Jeff Allbritten to lead Edison. Allbritten, who starts July 31, was traveling Thursday and unavailable for comment. During Allbrittens interview, he explained how accreditation will be a focus every day, rather than once every 10 years when the college undergoes its review. That statement helped sell his candidacy. Accreditation is an

ongoing process, said trustee chairwoman Ann Berlam. You dont get it overnight, and you dont lose it overnight. An accrediting team will visit Edisons campus in January and all documentation will be forwarded to SACS for a reassessment in June 2013. At that time, the commission could issue full accreditation if Edison satisfied concerns. If not, board members could vote to extend probation for another year or remove accreditation altogether. There is not much difference between a warning and probation. Institutions still maintain accreditation, but the harsher terminology poses a bigger shot to a colleges reputation. In Edisons case, most of the violations are administrative in nature, yet academics still take a beating. It really saddens me, said English professor Marty Ambrose. We are such a better institution than that. The quality of what we teach and what faculty does is unchanged. Bob Beeson, former Lee campus vice president and district dean of arts and sciences, said Allbrittens arrival next month is a perfect opportunity to start a fresh transition in personnel and culture. Theyre going to have to keep plugging along, but with a new president coming onboard, theyll have to do a housecleaning to rid themselves of the people who got them into this, said Beeson, one of two former executives suing the college after being fired last fall. At the same time, I hope Dr. Allbritten has all the support he needs to get the job done. Former President Kenneth Walker, who was at the helm when the violations occurred, declined comment, saying it would be inappropriate to discuss a matter that might surface during litigation. After being hit with 14 findings in November, the college worked feverishly to revamp policies and document compliance with accreditation requirements. Erin Harrel, interim vice president for academic affairs, said the fact that half of those violations were removed Thursday is a sign Edison is taking care of business. I was pleased to see those come off the table, Harrel said. I am confident we will address the others.

Everglades
Continued from A1

Legal Notices: 335-0258 Obituaries: 335-0324 Our classified department is open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Deadlines for placing most classified advertisements are: 4 p.m. the day before publication Tuesday through

CLASSIFIED 335-0335 OR 800-468-0335

of which would require decades to centuries to recover, said William Boggess, chair of the NRC committee that wrote the report and a professor at Oregon State University. Cleaning up the Ever-

glades is important to Southwest Floridas environmental health because waters from Lake Okeechobee help keep the Caloosahatchee River healthy. Since development began on the vast Everglades in the late 19th century, damage has been rampant with the draining of swamp land, the erec-

tion of dikes, dams and canals, and the intrusion of farms and development that have polluted with fertilizers and runoff. The 228-page review looked at all aspects of progress of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, or CERP, which was approved by Congress in 2000 and originally estimated to cost

about $7.8 billion, a price tag that has since ballooned. The plan aims to restore natural water flow, but has been stymied by funding shortfalls, legal challenges and political bickering. The Everglades continues to be depleted, now occupying about half its historical size of 4 million acres.

Pg A2

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

local&state
COLLIER COUNTY
Airlines inquiry about Naples service leads to meeting, but city might not be totally welcoming. By Laura Ruane
lruane@news-press.com

THE NEWS-PRESS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2012 SECTION B

obituaries

B11

Airport boss flying to see JetBlue

Can Naples Municipal Airport really land JetBlue Airways service? And, should it? This weekend, airport director Ted Soliday traveled to airline headquarters in Queens, N.Y., hoping to start answering those questions for the City of Naples Airport Authority. Hell pay a call on the airline Monday. Soliday is making the trip because he doubts JetBlue representatives will take up an invitation to pay a visit to a meeting of airport authority commissioners later this month. They dont want to get into Soliday this personal debate in the community, Soliday said. He was alluding to city residents living near the airport, some of whom vehemently oppose the idea citing safety, noise and pollution concerns. Soliday hopes his visit will elicit more details from JetBlue, which in June wrote the authority, expressing interest in bringing nonstop service between Naples and New York

City-area airports. If a deal were struck with JetBlue, it would bring Naples first scheduled service from a major airline since Delta ended its flights between that city and Atlanta in 2007. Last week, after noting the potential expense, wear-andSee AIRPORT B11

TELL MEL

FORT MYERS

MELANIE PAYNE
TellMel@news-press.com

NO PERMIT? NOT COOL

at Wilcox knows she made a mistake. She didnt get a second opinion, and she ended up spending twice as much as she should have to get her air conditioner replaced. I dont think this senior should beat herself up. I suspect she was pressured by Kenmark Air, because within hours of calling the company to say the air conditioner wasnt working in her tenants unit, Kenmark had taken out the old AC unit, installed a new 2-ton, 13-SEER Rheem for $5,497 plus $100 for a permit. My husband and I have always gotten other estimates or we sleep on any big purchase, Wilcox said. It blew me totally away when he said he could put it in that day. So the Wilcoxes approved the purchase and Kenmark installed the unit. Wilcoxs tenants AC unit was 14 years old. So maybe he did need a new one; I dont know. But this I do know: Kenmark did this job without pulling a permit, giving the Wilcoxes no chance to shop around for a better price. Kenmarks owner, Ken McDaniel, said that he didnt overcharge the Wilcoxes. He has a standard rate sheet, he said, and thats what hes been charging for that unit for the last four years. When I asked about the permit, McDaniel said he had pulled one. When I told him the city of Fort Myers had no record of it, he stood fast. We do pull permits on all of our jobs, McDaniel
See TELL MEL B2

Retailers and restaurants find more than 500 at job fair, looking for all types of work; 150 will be hired. By Dave Breitenstein
dbreitenstein@news-press.com

Shopping for jobs at the mall

agers at Edison Malls job fair. Boston joined 550 other jobseekers hoping to snag a seasonal, full- or part-time position at the mall. Ten retailers, along with mall management, were interviewing for an estimated 150 sales associates, managers, assistant managers, servers, cooks and crew members. The first hopefuls started lining up 90 minutes before the job fair began, according to marketing director Sarah Berthold, and they just kept coming. Turnout
See JOBS B2

Jahnae Luster, left, and Guerby LaFrance, center, pass out resumes at the Edison Mall job fair. PHOTOS BY AMANDA INSCORE/THE NEWS-PRESS

Until 23-year-old Areyale Boston completes a medical assisting program at Keiser University, the Fort Myers resident has bills to pay, children to raise and thus needs work. This isnt my dream job, but its a job, Boston said Saturday after chatting up hiring man-

Yesenia Sao, center, helps her mother Maria Sao fill out a job application.

EDUCATION & EMPLOYMENT

A bachelors degree is no job guarantee

A study released in late August found only 30 percent of job openings in Lee CounMARKET ty required a bacheWATCH lors degree or above. EDUCATION By Dave Breitenstein That rate was last Career and college dbreitenstein@news-press.com among the nations readiness in 100-largest metropoliSouthwest Florida About 48 percent of tan areas, according last years senior class in South- to Washington-based Brookings west Florida planned to attend a Institution. four-year college after graduaA bachelors degree cant tion. See DEGREES B10 Why bother?
Initiatives encourage college, but high tuition costs and the sour job market make it a tough sell.

More Tell Mel: Read other columns and leave comments.

NEWS-PRESS.COM /TELLMEL

Fisher School of Technology Society President Tammy Rose and fellow member, Steve Lamboy, center, refer Steve Zambrano to the Sports Club during National Student Day. KHARLI ROSE/SPECIAL TO THE NEWS-PRESS

Assistant Managing Editor Sheldon Zoldan 335-0560 szoldan@news-press.com 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.

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B10

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2012 THE NEWS-PRESS *

from the cover

I just wasnt a good student. I thought, Why should I pay to get work when I could go to work and get paid?
GARY BONACCI

Hodges University student Tammy Rose works two jobs outside of school. KHARLI ROSE/SPECIAL TO THE NEWS-PRESS

UNDECIDED NATION
University researchers have reported half of all college students change their major at least once, with some switching paths 2-3 times before graduation. At FGCU, the most popular major isnt biology, premanagement or communication. Its undeclared, the codename for students who have yet to settle on a degree program. The uncertainty doesnt end there, either. The labor department estimates young baby boomers have changed jobs an average of 11 times. Although the government doesnt track how many of those changes are different career fields, a study by New York University pegged that figure at three complete career resets in a lifetime of work. Thats why guidance counselors begin reviewing career options as soon as students reach high school. You dont want them to fly under the radar, said Lori Brooks, coordinator of school counseling services for the Lee County School District.

one, but a post-secondary education doesnt always equate to college. The Fort Myers Institute of Technology, Immokalee Technical Center and Charlotte Technical Center offer training courses and certificate programs for vocational fields, such as automotive and engine repair, digital design, cosmetology, refrigeration technology and medical coding. Florida ranks fifth nationally in the number of professional certificates issued relative to its population, said the Florida College Access Network. President Barack Obama wants America to lead the world in the proportion of young adults with college degrees by 2020. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the U.S. ranks 16th. Obamas goal, however, clashes with new data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which this summer reported the nation now has 115,000 janitors, 83,000 bartenders, 323,000 restaurant servers and 80,000 heavy-duty truck drivers with bachelors degrees. Jobs, especially good ones, simply arent there for many college grads. Meanwhile, the average debt load for students who borrowed for college is $25,250, not to mention the four or more years of potential earnings theyve forgone while attending class. Bonacci, senior con-

College drawbacks

Find out how to take part in The News-Press Market Watch Education Summit II: Career and College Readiness in Southwest Florida on Oct. 25 at Harborside Event Center in Fort Myers.

NEWS-PRESS.COM/EDUCATIONSUMMIT

sultant at Business Measurement Inc. in Fort Myers, gave higher education the old college try, but withdrew during his junior year at Curry College in Massachusetts. I just wasnt a good student, Bonacci said. I thought, Why should I pay to get work when I could go to work and get paid? He joined the family business, rising through the ranks to eventually earn the CEO title and control of the trucking companys $50 million annual budget. When Bonacci was in charge of screening job candidates, he often relegated academic history to a secondary role after evaluating intangibles such as reliability, honesty and integrity. Charles Murray, a scholar and researcher at the American Enterprise Institute, questions the value of bachelors degrees that fail to teach facts and skills needed in an occupation. Instead, a two-year degree in many fields could cover the

same material. The B.A. is a meaningless degree at this point, Murray said. If the only thing you know about a person is they have a B.A., you know nothing about them. John Leo, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, cautioned students not to put much stock into charts showing salaries for various degree levels. While the average difference in earnings between those pos-

sessing a high school diploma and four-year degree is $21,580, thats just an average and doesnt account for specific occupations, locales or experience levels. There are people who make more money working as an electrician or plumber than a junior accountant at a large firm, Leo said.
Connect with this reporter: DaveBreitenstein (Facebook) @D_Breitenstein (Twitter)

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Degrees
Continued from B1

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provide immunity to a dismal job market, and high unemployment and student loan default rates have renewed the debate about whether a university education is necessary. Still, studies show college-educated adults are less likely to be out of work, and their lifetime earning potential exceeds that of high school graduates. You definitely need a college degree to make it in this world, said Nathan Barone, a 17-year-old senior at Island Coast High in Cape Coral, who plans to major in music education. Its a shame the business community is so hung up on that piece of paper, said Gary Bonacci, 61, a business consultant from Cape Coral. To me, I am more valuable with my experience than someone coming out of college with a piece of paper. When looking at typical 9-to-5 workers, there is an earnings gap between adults holding only a high school diploma and those with a bachelors degree: $33,176 to $54,756 per year, respectively. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics also reports a 9.4 percent unemployment rate for high school graduates, compared with 4.9 percent for adults holding four-year degrees. But recent college graduates are having a difficult time entering the job market. Georgetown Universitys Center on Education and the Workforce pegged the national unemployment rate for new grads at 8.9 percent, which doesnt include graduates toiling away in restaurants, retail stores and other part-time positions. And a Northeastern University study commissioned by The Associated Press found 53.6 percent of bachelors degree-holders under 25 were unemployed or underemployed. Anyone scanning help wanted advertisements in Southwest Florida degree or not might be disappointed. A Brookings report found the most job openings here are in health care, but the next eight career fields on the job vacancy list dont require four-year degrees: retail clerks, sales workers, food and beverage workers, sales representatives, sales supervisors, record clerks, motor vehicle operators and cooks. Southwest Floridas economy is dependent upon retirees, tourists and snowbirds, and so serviceoriented, lower-paying positions dominate job ads.

Benefits of college

Communities with a

well-educated workforce tend to boast a robust economy. It lines up amazingly well, and we have to assume there is a cause and effect, said Ron Toll, provost at FGCU. The nations three most educated cities Washington; San Jose, Calif.; and Boston have diversified economies where employers pay above-average wages. Their income then goes back into the region as they dine, shop and invest. Unlike those regions, the majority of Southwest Floridians dont hold fouryear degrees. U.S. Census statistics show only 24.9 percent of Lee County adults 25 and older have at least a bachelors degree, compared with 30.7 percent in Collier County. The national rate was 30.4 percent. Local rates likely will increase, though. This year, 46,349 students are enrolled at Southwest Floridas 11 colleges and universities. Each institution has its niche, offering specialized degree programs. Hodges University, for example, places recruitment focus on adults who need college degrees to advance their careers or change career paths. We have a lot of students coming here who want a degree so they dont have to work in that job for the rest of their lives, said Jeannette Brock, Hodges executive vice president of academic affairs. Hodges student Tammy Rose, 42, of Estero, has been a barber the past 20 years. Although she enjoys the steady income it provides, she began scouting a potential career change as her youngest daughter was preparing to graduate from high school. She settled on computer information systems and information security after reviewing projections that showed long-term industry growth. Its one of those fields that will be around in the future, Rose said. College nights last month in Charlotte, Lee and Collier counties drew thousands of high school juniors and seniors scoping out higher education options. Beth Taylor, 42, of Cape Coral, brought her daughter to check out schools. Taylor has given 16-yearold Kayla, a junior at Island Coast, just one choice after high school: college. I said Id go into the workforce for a year, and then college, and I never went back, Taylor said. Although Taylor is happy at her job inputting medical codes for an eye surgery center, she wonders how much money she lost over the years working in entry-level positions. College isnt for every-

Does
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Dry Eye Affect You?

A Phase 3 clinical trial is underway to determine the efficacy and safety of Rebamipide in subjects with Dry Eye Syndrome.
If you meet the following criteria, you may be eligible to participate in this clinical trial: Are 18 years of age or older Can commit to just a 6-week study period (4 office visits) Have a history of dry eye-related ocular symptoms for at least 20 months without satisfactory relief with conventional dry eye treatment Meet a specific level of disease severity upon examination All trial-related visits, testing and study medication will be provided to participants at no cost. Compensation for time and travel may be available. To learn more about this clinical trial, please contact the medical office listed below: Please Call Colleen L Verlaan at (239) 939-0413 Ext. 325 Eye Associates of Fort Myers 4225 Evans Ave Fort Myers, FL 33901 www.easwfl.com

Adv. Tix on Sale PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 4 IMAX: FRANKENWEENIE 3D (PG) 1235 250 505 720 935 FRANKENWEENIE 3D (PG) (100 PM) 535 PM 1015 PM FRANKENWEENIE (PG) (130) 320 410 645 755 TAKEN 2 (PG-13) (1225 110 200) 300 340 440 525 700 730 805 830 930 1000 HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA (PG) (140 240) 400 655 740 925 LOOPER (R) (1245) 310 350 705 735 LOOPER [OC] (R) (1220 PM) 955 PM HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 3D (PG) (1220 PM) 510 PM 1010 PM PITCH PERFECT (PG-13) (120) 420 725 1020 WON'T BACK DOWN (PG) (1230) 330 715 1005 HOUSE AT THE END OF THE STREET (PG-13) (230) 515 750 1020 TROUBLE WITH THE CURVE (PG-13) (150) 430 710 955 END OF WATCH (R) (210) 450 745 1025 RESIDENT EVIL 5 3D (R) 945 PM FINDING NEMO 3D (G) (1255 PM) 425 PM Adv. Tix on Sale PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 4 TAKEN 2 (PG-13) (1205 1235 100 205 235) 305 435 505 535 650 720 750 820 950 1020 FRANKENWEENIE 3D (PG) (1200 225) 450 520 725 945 FRANKENWEENIE (PG) (1230 155 255) 420 655 755 920 PITCH PERFECT (PG-13) (1250) 415 445 710 740 1000 1030 HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 3D (PG) (1220 PM) 510 PM 1010 PM HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA (PG) (1150 215 245) 440 715 745 940 LOOPER (R) (1215 1245) 430 500 730 800 1025 TROUBLE WITH THE CURVE (PG-13) (1225) 410 710 955 END OF WATCH (R) (1150 230) 510 750 1030 THE MASTER (R) (1210 PM) 345 PM 700 PM HOUSE AT THE END OF THE STREET (PG-13) (1215 250) 525 805 1035 WON'T BACK DOWN (PG) (1240) 405 735 1025 2016 OBAMA'S AMERICA (PG) (1155 220) 445 705 935 FINDING NEMO 3D (G) (1240) 400 700 950 THE POSSESSION (PG-13) 1015 PM THE BOURNE LEGACY (PG-13) 340 PM 930 PM (1255 PM) HOPE SPRINGS (PG-13)
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MARKET WATCH ONE YEAR LATER

SW Fla. is between Honolulu, Rochester

Comparing us to metro areas of similar size, we come up short in many categories. But there is a plan, pros say. By Dave Breitenstein
dbreitenstein@news-press.com

ELECTION 2012

PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE

Sizing up the competition is the first step in developing a business plan. Successful companies, athletes and political candidates first must identify their own strengths and also those of competitors, then pounce on their opponents MARKET weaknesses. WATCH If you dont check out EDUCATION SUMMIT II the competition and survey the landscape, I dont see Career and college readiness in how you can make informed Southwest Florida decisions, said Larry Strain, executive director of the Small Business Resource Center in Northwest Florida. Economic development works the same way. Before communities can jockey to atSee COMPETE A6

Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama answer a question Monday. The next time these two are likely to be in contact is during a concession phone call. AP

OUR SERIES

Sunday ONE YEAR LATER: What have education and business leaders done since the summit last year.

Even the shouting was over in this one

While Obama was the aggressor, Romney doesnt bite in a final, relatively low-key debate.
Richard Wolf and David Jackson
USA TODAY

Monday WHERE ARE THE JOBS: The health sector is still hiring. What other sectors are growing? Also, a report on our latest business survey. Today OUR PEERS: How does Southwest Florida stack up compared to similar-sized metropolitan areas? Wednesday NEW SYSTEM: School systems havent changed in the past 60 years. Yet there are some innovations educators could put in place. Also, parental involvement really matters.

ONLINE
Tell us who won the debate in our online poll, share your thoughts on each candidate and watch video highlights at news-press.com.

Visit news-press.com/educationwatch to read more in this series, learn about the Thursdays Market Watch education summit and find coverage of last years summit.

ONLINE

INSIDE

What the governor will say at the summit A7

MAKE A DIFFERENCE DAY

Food bank needs rice, beans packed

Make a Difference Day, the nations largest day of volunteering, is Saturday. Community needs are nonstop and this is your day to make a change. Heres one way you can help: Pack rice and beans at Harry Chapin Food Bank at Naples warehouse. 10 a.m. to noon. 2221Corporation Blvd., behind Costco. Children 7 and older are welcome if accompanied by adult. Call 334-7007 or email kschweikhardt@harrychapinfoodbank.org For a list of participating projects in Southwest Florida, go to makeadifferenceday.com.

An aggressive President Obama attacked Republican challenger Mitt Romney for proposing wrong and reckless policies around the world Monday night in the last of three presidential debates, while Romney acted more like a front-runner defending his vision for the future. It was a role reversal from the first debate in Denver three weeks ago, when Romney took the fight to Obama over jobs and the economy, seizing the momentum that has turned the race into a dead heat with two weeks to go. This time, Obama repeatedly challenged Romneys assertions. Every time youve offered an opinion, youve been wrong, Obama said, citing Romneys proposals for Libya, Syria and elsewhere in the Middle East. He accused Romney of sending mixed

messages both to our troops and our allies. Romney, trying not to interrupt his momentum in the campaign, saved most of his criticism for administration policies and global events. In the Middle East, he complained about a pretty dramatic reversal of the kind of hopes we had for that region but said the solution lies in strategic diplomacy, not military might. We cant kill our way out of this mess, he said. Throughout the debate, Romney cited troubles in the Middle East, a rising China and other global challenges, blaming them on a lack of leadership by Obama. Obama, meanwhile, said Romney either agreed with him or changed his positions. Youve been all over the map, the president said. The debate was supposed to stick to foreign policy, but both candidates
See DEBATE A4

INSIDE
Social media: Local debate watchers share their opinions online. A4 Local A look at the state Senatorial District 30 race. B1 Analysis: Romney stays calm, avoids fight. A4

FGCU I-HUB

Feds: Farmer scammed fuel firms investors

$3.5 million lost after man takes cash, plants nothing. By Thomas Himes
thimes@news-press.com

Lee Countys innovation hub lost one of its spokes after the manager of a company with plans to build a biofuels research facility was federally indicted on charges of fraud.

William Vasden Jr. faces 30 counts of wire fraud and one count of making a false statement for allegedly scamming bio-fuel investors out of $3.5 million, according to a Sept. 20 federal grand jury indictment. Among other endeavors, the Tampa businessman was a manager of the recently defunct I-Hub Farms LLC, which had

plans to build a research facility on a 240-acre property near Southwest Florida International Airport called I-Hub, the projects developer and another I-Hub Farms managing member, Richard Galvano, said. Plans to build that facility, and turn crops of kenaf
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market watch education: one year later

Compete
Continued from A1

tract corporate headquarters and manufacturing plants, and the high-wage jobs that accompany them, they must take a hard look at their own assets and liabilities. Three factors determine a communitys championship pedigree: a good education system, a solid business climate and a top-notch quality of life. Local leaders acknowledge Southwest Florida has its flaws, but when push comes to shove, they believe the region has what it takes to win the battle. It is standing up your community as a whole and being the best you can be, said Jim Moore, executive director of Lee Countys economic development office. But who is Southwest Floridas competition? You never know who you are competing against, Moore said. Its not as easy as Miami Heat players knowing the Lakers and Bulls are roadblocks in their quest for another NBA championship. When officials in Lee, Collier or Charlotte talk to prospects, they often arent told the companys name or who else has fielded a call. Competition is just as likely to come from Bradenton and Boynton Beach as Boston and Baltimore. Southwest Florida doesnt have the workforce to compete with big cities, though. So The News-Press identified six peer communities of roughly 1 million residents Rochester, N.Y.; Tucson, Ariz.; Honolulu; Tulsa, Okla.; Fresno, Calif.; and Bridgeport, Conn. and compared them in 30 areas covering education, economics and quality of life. The federal government considers Cape Coral/Fort Myers and Naples/ Marco Island as separate metropolitan statistical areas, but data were lumped together for comparison purposes. Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties are not grouped into any metro regions, and therefore not included in the analysis. How did Southwest Florida fare? Ho-hum. The region had the least job growth, least income growth, fewest hospitals and lowest percentage of residents in school or college. Its unemployment rate was relatively high and just one university found its way into national ratings. In only two categories, GreatSchools rankings and the number of professional sports teams, did Southwest Florida fare better than the pack. The News-Press then forwarded blind spreadsheets to researchers for an independent analysis. A team from the University of South Florida approached the numbers from a mathematical perspective, awarding pluses and minuses based on deviations from the group average. In their analysis, Rochester finished on top and Fresno was last, with Lee and Collier counties tied at sixth. Joseph Mohr, a Ph.D. student at USF and chief financial officer for an energy resource company, cautioned that data can be interpreted differently without knowing the background. For instance, higher home prices might be considered a negative at face value, he said, but could be an indication that a regions housing market depreciated less during the economic downturn. Numbers dont always give us answers to a question, Mohr said. Sometimes they give us more questions to an answer. You cant put a number on how someone feels. Yanmei Li, an assistant professor at Florida Atlantic University, put Bridgeport on top and Fresno on the bottom. Naples and Cape Coral/Fort Myers finished at No. 5 and No. 7, respectively, among the eight cities.

Fort Myers has all sorts of reasons for tourists and retirees to come here; it needs to work on reasons for more companies to come here. THE NEWS-PRESS FILE
PHOTO

Percentages were listed separately for Lee and Collier, but raw numbers such as businesses with 1,000 or more employees, number of sports teams and top colleges were combined so as not to disadvantage Southwest Florida in the ratings for having two smaller metro areas combined into one region. Researchers were not provided names of the cities to avoid potential bias. Although Southwest Florida didnt lead the comparison survey, no community is perfect. AOL put Bridgeport on its list of worst places to retire. Time magazine included Tucson among the worst places for cellphone reception. CNBC placed Fresno on its Cities you dont want to live in list. Mens Health pegged Tulsa as one of Americas worst cities for men. Forbes rated Rochester among the worst places to find a job this fall. Newsweek listed Honolulu on its list of worst cities to be young. Having your flaws exposed isnt necessarily a bad thing, according to Strain. Thats why a business plan or competitive analysis is critical in the early stages. It forces you to really look at what youre hoping to achieve and what makes you unique, and forces you to identify opportunities and weaknesses, Strain said. Then you can work around those weaknesses or try to correct them. Gary Jackson, an assistant professor of economics and director of FGCUs Regional Economic Research Institute, said Southwest Floridas push to diversify the economy is encouraging, but the regions future hinges on its bread-andbutter industry. Tourism is our competitive advantage, Jackson said. Southwest Floridas economy peaked in 2005, when the average home sold at a record $322,500. Soon after, the free-fall began, and commercial real estate followed suit in 2008. So many homeowners quit issuing monthly mortgage payments that Lee County became known as the foreclosure capital of America. The federal governments subsequent declaration of a recession curtailed tourists discretionary spending, eating away at visitation numbers. An economy built on housing, tourism and agriculture suddenly had nothing going for it. Recovery has been slow and painful. September unemployment was 9.1 percent in Lee County and 9.3 percent in Collier County. Both counties had a five-year job growth rate of minus 10 percent. Southwest Florida is flooded with small, independent businesses. Luring a Fortune 500 company here would be a boon to

CITY SNAPSHOTS
The News-Press examined six metropolitan areas with populations near 1 million, right about the size of Lee and Collier counties. Here are snapshots of the other cities:

ROCHESTER, N.Y.
The largest city among comparable communities, USF researchers ranked Rochester as No. 1 and FAU pegged it as No. 2. The region frequently lands on many best lists: best places to live, best schools, best places to raise a family and best sports towns. But the metro areas bestknown attribute might be higher education. It boasts two colleges on U.S. News & World Reports top 200 national universities, which are institutions that recruit nationally and offer a multitude of advanced degrees, and three regional colleges ranked in the top 40 within the Northeast. FGCU, by comparison, comes in at No. 74 among 96 ranked regional universities in the Despite being home to the bankrupt and teetering Kodak, South. Rochester, N.Y., has several positive economic indicators. Rochester thrived in the 20th century on the backs of KoFILE PHOTO / GETTY IMAGES dak, Xerox and Bausch & Lomb, companies that cut their workforce by 85,000 during the past two decades, according to Duncan Moore, vice provost for entrepreneurship at the University of Rochester. However, the region still managed to gain 150,000 jobs during the same period. Even though those companies downsized, they were largely white-collar jobs and highly educated people, Moore said. Those workers stayed in the community, Moore said, using their education and experience to create new companies. The University of Rochester has spun off 51 startup companies since 1996, and Moore says the ability to shift paths is what differentiates Rochester from Detroit, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and other manufacturing cities. It wasnt the same situation as Rust Belt communities, he said. See more city snapshots on facing page

that target reading and math achievement, along with creating more science, technology, engineering and math programs. Simply spitting out more college graduates doesnt cure economic woes; students need jobs after commencement. FGCU President Wilson Bradshaw said any new degree program must reflect a local need, citing resort and hospitality management, environmental engineering and marine science for their direct benefit to the community. Education is the cornerstone of success in getting this economy back to where it needs to be, said Robbie Roepstorff, chairwoman of FGCUs board of trustees. Brilliant sunshine. Sandy beaches. A pristine environment. Southwest Florida was built by Mother Nature, and has become a magnet for permanent residents, seasonal visitors and tourists. Where else can you wear shorts in the dead of winter? About 7.5 million people came through Southwest Florida International Airport in 2011. The Lee County Visitor and Convention Bureau estimated a $2.7 billion economic impact from tourists in 2011, while Colliers visitors bureau estimated $1.3 billion. A visitor survey from Lee ranked warm weather, a relaxing atmosphere and beaches as top reasons tourists chose Southwest Florida as a vacation spot last year. Other cities, however, also boast strong tourism numbers. Tucson has more sunny days annually than Southwest Florida, and Honolulu has a yearround, consistent paradise. Naples, Bonita Springs and Sanibel Island are havens for wealthy corporate executives, but they come here to play, not work. A key in economic development, Strain said, is building a relationship with people whose decisions can transform a community. Its important to be known by the right people, not just a lot of people, Strain said. Its that time of the year when Southwest Florida rolls out the red carpet for visitors. Perfect weather for golfing, frolicking in the Gulf and biking through Lovers Key State Park, however, might actually make Moores job tougher. When they think of business, they dont think about Southwest Florida, Moore said of CEOs. Its a great place to visit, to retire, to own a second home, but they havent seen us as place for their business. Just give us a chance.
Connect: DaveBreitenstein (Facebook) @D_Breitenstein (Twitter)

Quality of life

Economics

the economy, but Moore isnt optimistic. He cites Volkswagens decision to open a $1 billion factory last year in Tennessee, creating 2,000 direct jobs and 9,500 supplier-related jobs in a region stocked with a skilled labor pool. Even if we got the Volkswagen plant that went to Chattanooga, we couldnt staff it, Moore said. Southwest Floridas workforce is service oriented, with restaurants, retail stores and tourismrelated businesses leading the way. Just 17 employers in Lee and Collier counties have more than 1,000 workers on the payroll, and eight of those are government agencies. By comparison, 45 employers in Tucson cross that threshold, of which 18 are local, state or federal government entities. Collier Countys board of commissioners just voted in June to create the Office of Business and Economic Development. Its primary goals will be promoting high-wage jobs, supporting retention of existing businesses, attracting new companies, collaborating with private and nonprofit organizations and increasing Colliers competitiveness as a business-friendly location, according to business operations manager Mike Sheffield. Charlotte County lacks commercial buildings large enough to accommodate many businesses and its workforce has a limited skill set, so the community redirected its recruiting efforts. Ninety-nine percent of our competition is targeting companies, said Tom Patton, director of economic development in Charlotte County. We tar-

get people. We want this to become the baby boomer Silicon Valley. Retirees, semi-retirees and seasonal residents have long flocked to Charlotte for its slower pace. That will never change, so Patton pursues near-retirees who might start encore careers in Charlotte. It could be a new business venture theyve always wanted to try or simply bringing a small branch of their operation with them. Patton is promoting a business incubator as a one-stop center for innovation and economic growth. With new home construction hitting a wall, he believes the next big thing in the housing industry is retrofitting homes with energy-saving features and new technology, along with bolstering geriatric care and research. We want to be the greenest retirement community in the nation, Patton said. The quality of a regions education system, from preschool through graduate school, can win over corporate executives looking to relocate headquarters or a manufacturing plant. Everybody sees education as the lynch pin to developing a robust, diversified economy, Moore said. Among school districts, Collier is the regions only A-rated system. Charlotte is the sole district that exceeds the national average on the SAT, while none surpass the average ACT score. FGCU is the lone institution U.S. News & World Report included in its regional and national rank-

Education

ings. Moore said Lees method of student assignment, school choice, has been an ongoing concern for prospective business owners accustomed to neighborhood schools. The quality of schools should attract new business, according to Lee Superintendent Joseph Burke, not turn it away, but a groundswell of negativity online and in the community can work against the regions economic development. Right now, its neutral. We have our pluses and minuses, Burke said. We dont market our success stories, like the career academies. Weve allowed the naysayers to corner the market on first impressions. Collier has developed a College and Career Pathways Plan aimed at providing students with the skills and knowledge to succeed in higher education or the workforce. When Collier Superintendent Kamela Patton shakes students hands at high school graduations, she asks what they plan to do next. Many just shrug their shoulders. It is wrong when kids graduate and do not have a pathway, Patton said. Fort Myers resident Justin Haight, 24, has worked a series of jobs since graduating from high school, but hasnt settled on a career. I wasnt really that driven in school, so thats why Im here now, Haight said at Edison Malls job fair earlier this month. And you cant really blame schools for the economy. Through the Alliance of Educational Leaders, area superintendents and college officials have set regional education goals

* THE NEWS-PRESS TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2012

A7

market watch education: one year later

GOVERNORS ADDRESS

At least one superintendent is hoping for more.

By Dave Breitenstein
dbreitenstein@news-press.com

Scott to push against spending cuts

leges and Careers 1st, mirrors the summits theme: Career and College Readiness in Southwest Florida. Scott wants to suspend any changes to testing unrelated to Floridas implementation of Common Core Standards, a series of expectations children should know or demonstrate at each grade level. Implementation in 2014 coincides with the rollout of a teacher performance pay plan, new standardized tests and other initiatives. Its going to be a lot more work for teachers, administrators and students, Hendry County Superintendent Richard Murphy said Monday. their reliance on highstakes testing. Scott also will propose keeping the education budget at least steady. Florida increased the perstudent allocation by $150 for 2012-13, but didnt come close to restoring a $542 per-student from the prior year. Keeping it steady means the disaster will continue, said Charlotte County Superintendent Doug Whittaker. All of us hit bottom this year. Ive never seen educators so angry before in my life. Theyre not just frustrated; theyre angry. Another of Scotts goals, according to the Herald, is providing more educational options for

Florida Gov. Rick Scott wont be just making a token appearance at Thursdays Market Watch Education Summit; hell be making news. Scott, a featured speaker, will outline an education agenda that address new academic standards, teacher accountability, funding cuts and charter schools, according to a draft provided to the Miami Herald. The plan, titled Col-

Gov. Rick Scott will speak about encouraging college preparedness for Floridas public school students. THE
NEWS-PRESS FILE PHOTO

We all want to increase rigor, but the key is the timing of it all. School boards around

the state, including Southwest Florida, adopted resolutions encouraging policymakers to reconsider

both schools and students. Scott wants districts to have flexibility when purchasing textbooks instead of purchasing all instructional materials through state-approved vendors. Another initiative would remove enrollment caps on successful charter schools that arent allow to grow even though parent interest is high. Scott recently concluded a listening tour across Florida, including a stop in Fort Myers, to collect input from teachers, administrators and parent groups. I think the governor gets it, Whittaker said. I hope he does, but I dont think the Legislature does.

COMPARISONS
Frustrated by educational leaders dancing around the topic, Algenol Biofuels CEO Paul Woods didnt sugarcoat his opinion of Floridas education system during last years Market Watch Education Summit: Florida is not mediocre, Woods said at the time. Forty-eight out of 50 is not the median. Its not the middle. Its the bottom. Twelve months have passed since Woods statement. Here are some rankings for thought: District rankings: The Florida Department of Education judges school districts on a point system, similar to the way it grades each school using test scores, and ranks all 67 districts. Only one Southwest Florida district cracked the top third in 2012: Collier (No. 17), Charlotte (24), Lee (30), Glades (35) and Hendry (58). Rates: Only one area school district exceeded Floridas 2012 four-year graduation rate of 81.2 percent: Collier (81.3 percent), Charlotte (80.2 percent), Hendry and Lee (77.5 percent) and Glades (59.2 percent). No local school system exceeded Floridas 1.9 percent dropout rate, which measures a single year: Collier and Lee (1.9 percent), Charlotte and Glades (2.4 percent) and Hendry (3.0 percent). ACT: The ACT has become the preferred college readiness test in Florida, with 70 percent of graduating seniors in 2012 taking the exam. Florida ranked No. 46 nationally out of 50 states and Washington, D.C., its highest ranking in five years. SAT: With 66 percent of seniors taking the SAT in 2012, Florida made a fair jump from No. 47 nationally to No. 42 among the 50 states and Washington, D.C. That gain, however, negated a five-place drop from the prior year. PISA: On the 2009 Program for International Student Assessment, a test given to 15-year-olds in 34 counties, the U.S. ranked 14th in reading, 17th in science and 25th in math. Results from 2012 will be released late next year. Colleges: Seven of the worlds top 10 universities are in the U.S., according to Times Higher Educations 2012 World University Rankings. However, just 47 of the worlds top 100 are American institutions, down from 52 in 2010.

SWFL TO STATE

Tulsa, Okla., has a vibrant downtown and an ambitious young population. THE NEWS-PRESS FILE PHOTO

MORE CITY SNAPSHOTS

The center of Tucsons economic development website does not use breathtaking photos or colorful infographics to make a point. It uses words; really, just one word: jobs. Recent news releases showcase a region luring new business its way: Integrated Technologies Group (200 jobs), American Tire Distributors (30 jobs), Accelr8 Technology Corporation (300 jobs), Involta (six jobs), OptumRX (400 jobs). Tucson has taken advantage of its reputation as a hub for manufacturing and biotechnology to continue growing those clusters. David Himmel, spokesman for OptumRX, said Tucson had the total package: a diverse labor market, local and state incentives, clear enthusiasm for economic growth and close proximity to major markets. OptumRX, a pharmacy benefits management company that specializes in prescription delivery, also will establish a relationship with the University of Arizonas college of pharmacy, often regarded as one of the nations top pharmacy schools. The clincher, though, was abundant sunshine and no threat from hurricanes, earthquakes or snow. We looked for a place without natural disasters, Himmel said.

TUCSON, ARIZ.

Honolulu has Wakiki Beach, Diamond Head and other geographical advantages that are far more important to business. FILE
PHOTO / GETTY IMAGES

percent of total spending within the state. Tourism has been, probably for the last 40 to 50 years, the dominant driver of our economy, but there has been a challenge for No. 2, said Troy Miyasato, an architect and president of the Hawaii Society of Business Professionals. Agriculture, military and technologyrelated industries remain strong, but research examining energy and the environment is posed to make a run in the next decade. The amount of research that can be done here is promising, Miyasato said. Tulsa, landlocked in the heart of the Great Plains, is home to one of Americas largest associations for young professionals at 8,000 members. The University of Tulsa and Oral Roberts University, as well as branches of the states two flagship institutions, join a community college and several smaller private colleges in offering a variety of higher education options. The region is well-stocked with highly educated, up-and-coming business leaders who appreciate a vibrant downtown with ample housing, restaurants, bars, sports and cultural attractions, according to Zack Fort, communications manager with the Tulsa Chamber of Commerce. Its small enough so youre not overwhelmed or stuck in traffic on your way to work, but still offers enough to keep you busy, Fort said. The Tulsa Chamber reports 37 businesses employing 1,000 or more

workers, including the worlds largest commercial aircraft maintenance facility run by American Airlines. Among the six comparison cities, Tulsa had the lowest unemployment rate, cost of living, median property taxes and median monthly rent. After conducting a study of Tulsas movers and shakers, the chamber has stepped up efforts to include the under-40 population in local initiatives and organizations. A lot of community leaders were nearing retirement, and we needed younger voices to get involved, Fort said.

les, San Francisco and Sacramento, and next-day shipping to San Diego, Phoenix and Salt Lake City. Within two days, goods can make it to Seattle, Denver and Albuquerque. Dollarwise, Fresno County produces more crops that any American community, according to Blake Konczal, executive director of the Fresno Regional Workforce Investment Board. The key in rebuilding Fresnos economy, he said, is building an agricultural empire around grapes, tomatoes, nuts and other produce. Rather than shipping all of our fruit out of the county to be processed elsewhere, we can do that here, Konczal said. Much like Southwest Florida, the Bridgeport metropolitan area is a collection of diverse communities near the coast. But one trait pushes Bridgeport head and shoulders above the pack. Among those 25 and older, 43.4 percent possess bachelors degrees, and 18.7 percent of adults earned degrees in STEM fields. Higher education levels correspond to higher incomes, and Bridgeports median household income is $81,114, almost $31,000 higher than Lee County. While those numbers are strong, they mask pervasive problems in the citys public school system: poverty and white flight. We have a highly educated community, but they put their children in private schools, not public schools, said Margaret Hiller, executive director of the Bridgeport Public Education Fund. Community leaders formed the Bridgeport Higher Education Alliance after seeing a statistic that only 44 percent of Bridgeport freshmen graduate high school within four years, and just over half of those graduates were accepted at two- or four-year colleges. The alliances goal is to have all students graduate and be prepared to succeed in some form of higher education. There is a concerted effort at all levels, Hiller said. Were trying to bring everyone to the table.

BRIDGEPORT, CONN.

STATE TO NATION

TULSA, OKLA.

FRESNO, CALIF.

HONOLULU

Movies glamorize Hawaiis beaches, warm breezes and culture. Postcards show palm trees swaying on Waikiki and orange sunsets from atop Diamond Head. Sure, tourism is alive and well in Honolulu, but its not the only cog churning the citys economy. Its location midway between North America and Asia makes it a thriving international trading hub, with the census putting an $8.2 billion value on manufacturing shipments in 2007, the latest year data were available. Southwest Floridas number was $1.8 billion. The military also maintains a strong presence in Honolulu, injecting $12.2 billion into the states economy in 2009, according to a study released last year by the Hawaii Institute for Public Affairs. That represented 18

Numbers dont lie. Fresno hasnt shone brightly in recent years. The citys unemployment rate has been in double digits for four years, hitting a high of 18.6 percent in February 2010. Fresno is among a handful of California cities rampant in foreclosures, and 26.8 percent of residents are living below the poverty line. Violent crime is relatively high at 537 incidents per 100,000 residents. Although just 19.4 percent of adults have earned bachelors degrees, Fresno does boast 33 National Blue Ribbon Schools, a federal designation honoring top elementary, middle and high schools. Page No. 1 of Fresno Countys Economic Development Corporations Fast Facts booklet doesnt mention high-tech industries, manufacturing or technology. Instead, prospective business owners can read about agriculture, recreational opportunities and trucking. Fresno offers half-day shipping times to Los Ange-

NATION TO WORLD

A FITTING SALUTE

People in Southwest Florida turn out to honor those who died in war B1

CAPE CORAL / FORT MYERS

PUBLISHED SINCE 1884

TUESDAY, MAY 29, 2012

A GANNETT COMPANY

LEE TO WRAP UP WORK ON ROADS

CONSTRUCTION

MEMORIAL DAY

America pauses to remember

In big towns and small, people across the nation turn out to pay respect.
The News-Press wire services

Big cities and small towns across the U.S. paid homage Monday to the nations war heroes, marking Memorial Day with lively parades, solemn memorials, bake sales and picnics. President Barack Obama visited Arlington National Cemetery to honor troops who gave their lives in battle while noting that tough days lie ahead for Americans in Afghanistan. This Memorial Day marks the first since the end of the war in Iraq and comes weeks after Obama announced his plan to wind down combat operations in Afghanistan in
See MEMORIAL A3

President Barack Obama places a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Hilario Luna ties steel rebar on the south side of the Alico Road overpass/interchange, which is part of the Metro Parkway extension project. Its one of several road improvements under way in Lee County. BRIAN HIRTEN/THE NEWS-PRESS Lane widening, bicycle paths and sidewalks for pedestrians are among the improvements. By Marisa Kendall
mkendall@news-press.com

Most of the projects include new safety measures for bicyclists and pedestrians, such as bike paths and sidewalks. Started in August 2009, work on the Metro Parkway Extension project has been going smoothly since a new contractor was hired. The project extends Metro Parkway, connecting Ben C. Pratt/Six Mile Cypress Parkway to U.S. 41 south of Alico Road. The roadway will be six lanes, and include an

Metro Parkway Extension

After years of lane closures and orange barricades, several road improvement projects in Lee County are nearing completion. Of nine major project under way six are expected to be completed by the end of the year, and three should be finished this summer.

overpass/interchange at Alico Road. The project hit a snag a year ago when Posen Construction was fired from the job for missing construction deadlines and failing to pay subcontractors. C.W. Roberts picked up the contract and resumed construction last October. While work was originally scheduled to be completed last February, the project is on track to meet the fall 2012 deadline set by C.W. Roberts.
See ROADS A2

SPECIAL REPORT

WHO WILL BE THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF EDISON COLLEGE?

Last week, The News-Press sent two reporters, Dave Breitenstein and Mary Beth Faller, to the home campuses of the three finalists vying for the presidency at Edison State College. The goal was to learn more about the men who will interview Friday with the Board of Trustees, and steer Edison in a new direction. Former President Kenneth Walker ran the college for 21 years before getting fired in January for violating professional obligations of his contract, In April, Walker agreed to a $540,000 settlement, ending a contentious and potentially embarrassing legal battle over his dismissal. Todays profiles: Read about how Macon State College President Jeff Allbritten's ties to Edison State College could both help and hurt his chances of landing the president's job. Also, read how Joe Sarnovsky, executive vice president at Seminole State College, compares the job of college president to managing a baseball team. Pages A6-7 Profiled on Monday: Eugene Giovannini, president of GateWay Community College (Arizona) Watch exclusive video interviews and learn more about all of the candidates.

REAL ESTATE

Lonely dweller, developer settle spat

Condo down payment issue is finally resolved. By Dick Hogan
dhogan@news-press.com

A recent settlement marks the end of a threeyear legal standoff between the loneliest condominium dweller in Fort Myers and a one-time billionaire devel-

oper. Weehawken, N.J.based firefighter Victor Vangelakos, 48, closed on his unit in the Vangelakos 32-story, waterfront Oasis I condo on the east edge of downtown for $430,000 in

November 2008. That was the going rate two years earlier when he made his down payment. But by the time he had to close the deal, values were about half that and most purchasers walked away from their deposits. Of the few who hung in, all but Vangelakos agreed to swap their units for similar ones in Oasis II next door.

But Vangelakos, unable to persuade his lender to accept the swap, chose to stay in the otherwise deserted Oasis I. He sued Related to get his down payment back. Related CEO Jorge Perez, at the time the biggest multifamily builder in the country, refused to return
See LONELY A3

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TUESDAY, MAY 29, 2012 THE NEWS-PRESS *

edison state college

PROFILE JEFF ALLBRITTEN

Despite leaving, the former Edison administrator has deep ties to the area. By Dave Breitenstein
dbreitenstein@news-press.com

HE CALLS SW FLA. HOME

Jeff Allbrittens job is in Georgia, but his heart is in Southwest Florida. Not only does he still own a home in Naples, but his wife still lives in it. Allbritten still is a member of several local organizations and active in philanthropic events. He wants to come home. As one of three finalists vying for the presidency at Edison State College, Allbritten is the only candidate with intimate knowledge of the institution. He was Edisons Collier campus president from 2003 to 2011, turning a sleepy, unknown property into a bustling academic center. Current Collier President Bob Jones said he walked into a well-oiled machine after Allbritten left, presiding over the grand openings of two academic buildings made possible by Allbrittens uncanny knack of generating donations. When everybody saw me coming, they grabbed their wallets and ran the other way, Allbritten said of raising money for the health sciences hall. Im not ashamed to ask for money. Allbritten has been president at Macon State College for only 10 months, but Georgias Board of Regent already has tapped him to lead a consolidated college that includes five campuses. Within a matter of months, he honed a time line to roll out masters degrees at the new institution. Yet, there hasnt been any backlash about his wish for a quick return to Edison, mainly because its the only institution that has his application on file. They dont feel betrayed because they dont think Im running from anything, Allbritten said. They dont see me on the search trail. Summer Leverett, 30, was student government president last year and recalls her first meeting with Allbritten. She figured it would last a few minutes, but two hours later, she knew Macon State was in the right hands. Hes very approachable, said Leverett. I could come to him before I could come to those who were lower down. Allbritten leads with a golf cart and his feet, frequently traversing campus to chat with employees. He often eats lunch in the student cafeteria and his assistant schedules weekly campus walks so hes not stuck in meetings all day hearing from the same set of advisers. The danger in a role like this is you can become isolated, and thats why I fight real hard to make sure that I dont, Allbritten said. My people know me, and theyre used to seeing me pop in. A shy guy by nature, Allbritten has introduced himself to everyone, and that means everyone. I dont care if youre a department secretary, a faculty member or a member of the janitorial staff, he said. Everybody is playing a role in this. Allbritten was an unknown commodity upon his arrival in Macon, but it didnt take long to familiarize himself with his new colleagues. He didnt give us a chance to come to him, said Becky Corvey, dean of nursing and health sciences. He came to us from day one. Allbrittens career ladder had been moving quickly: adjunct professor, associate professor, associate dean, full dean, center director and campus president, all within 15 years. Then the ascension stalled. He spent eight years in Naples, but saw the writing on the wall. College President Kenneth Walker was there 20 years, and was there to stay. There was no pathway to the presidency at Edison, Allbritten said. I wanted desperately to stay there. I really made it my home after living in eight states and two counties. So he looked for a presidency elsewhere, landing at Macon State College. He started in July 2011. But Allbritten knew, and let Macon leaders know, that he wasnt necessarily planning to retire there. Naples was home. I fell in love with the community, and said that no matter what happens, at some point thats my home, he said. Even

Jeff Allbritten was the Edison State College Collier County campus president before becoming the Macon State College President last year. Now he is looking to return as Edison president. PHOTOS BY BRIAN HIRTEN/THE NEWS-PRESS

JEFF ALLBRITTEN
Residence: Macon, Ga. Age: 48 Family: wife, Liz; children Aaron Atchison and Jessica Diasio Employer: Macon State College Job title: President Tenure: 2011-present Salary: $198,000 base, plus $41,000 in allowances and $25,000 in deferred compensation

PRIOR EMPLOYMENT
2003-11: Collier campus president at Edison State College 2000-03: Director of the Pines Center campus at Broward College 1999-2000: Dean of liberal arts and sciences at Florida State College at Jacksonville 1995-99: Associate dean in the college of basic and applied sciences at Middle Tennessee State University 1988-95: Associate professor of mathematics at Middle Tennessee State University 1991-92: Adjunct professor of chemistry at Volunteer State Community College 1987-88: Operations research analyst for the U.S. Department of Defense

Jeff Allbritten sorts through news student information packets with Jeff Stewart, associate vice president for academic affairs at Macon State College.

EDUCATION
1991: Doctorate in chemistry from Middle Tennessee State University 1987: Masters in mathematics from Murray State University 1984: Bachelors in chemistry from Murray State University

ABOUT MACON STATE

Location: Macon, Ga. Established: 1968 Enrollment: 12,255 Budget: $53.5 million Academic programs: 43 In-state tuition: $2,776 Website: maconstate.edu

afraid to state my mind because Im a person of integrity. My character is more important than anything. Jeff Stewart, Macon States interim vice president for student affairs, equates Allbrittens role at Edison to that of a college football coach. The coach has sole authority for his team, but hes not the overall boss. You can have a very successful football team, but the athletic department as a whole might not be that good, Stewart said. The athletic director is like the district president who controls it all. Husbands and wives everywhere start their days with a routine: they roll out of bed, get dressed, eat breakfast and talk about their days plans. Then they kiss goodbye and head different directions. Jeff and Liz Allbritten are no different. Except for one thing. The Allbrittens are doing it through FaceTime, Apples version of a video conference. It has made their long-distance relationship bearable. Thank God for the iPad2, Jeff Allbritten said. Liz Allbritten was named executive director of The Immokalee Foundation shortly before her husband started looking for another job. As strong as Jeffs drive to land a presidency was, her desire to enrich education for low-income youth of rural Collier County was equally intense. Rather than give that up, she opted to forgo living in the same household as Jeff. Yet, nearly a year later, the couple share meals together and sit on the couch watching TV together, albeit through an iPad on the coffee table. Some may consider the arrangement odd, but its why the 540-mile distance between Naples and Macon is manageable. I never saw myself living this split life, he said, but we manage it. At nighttime, shes just there in the living room with me. Its our portal 500 miles away. Its bizarre, but it works.

Face Time

ABOUT EDISON STATE

Location: Fort Myers Established: 1962 Enrollment: 25,000 Budget: $166.1 million Academic programs: 37 In-state tuition: $3,134 Website: edison.edu

Macon State College graduate Azar Tavakol walks with her daughter Sarvin Tavakol on the campus of Macon State College.

Job Change

Video: Meet Jeff Allbritten and read his resume. Go to m.news-press.com on your mobile device. Previous coverage: Read more about the process of selecting a new Edison State College president. Updates: Read reporter Dave Breitensteins candidate Twitter reports.

ONLINE

Word quickly spread at Macon State, and everyone seemed to know Allbrittens next decision. When I saw the opening and that they had removed the president there, I knew in my gut there would be people in that area who would be calling him, recruiting him, said Marti Venn, Macon States provost and vice president for academic affairs. Its sad for me, its sad for Macon State. He is such a great leader here. But Venn doesnt fault Allbritten. Im in the belief in higher ed that you come for a reason and you go for a reason, she said. Allbritten acknowledges Edison trustees are looking for a change after a series of academic and operational problems surfaced under Walkers leadership. He worked within that executive team and reported to Walker but wants to make clear that Walker wasnt his mentor and he doesnt plan to carry his torch. Im no ones protg, he said. I was always my own individual. So if Allbritten witnessed anything he didnt support, why didnt he speak up?

Distancing Himself

when I came up here, I told everybody Ill work my tail off for you when Im president, but understand that my heart and my home is in Southwest Florida. In November, Gov. Rick Scott appointed new members to Edisons Board of Trustees, which promptly suspended, investigated and ousted Walker. The door was open. Never did I anticipate it being so soon, Allbritten said. But opportunities come, and you have to be ready for them.

When you as a provost or campus president go up against the people that are in front of you and say x, y and z needs to be fixed, its almost career suicide, said Venn. Youre not going to win. Walkers role was to provide general guidance for Edisons four campuses, two charter schools, finances, academic programming and strategic planning. My focus was on Collier County, and that was my role, Allbritten said. My job was to advance that campus in that community. I wasnt involved in the day-to-day academic decisions; that was up to the office of academic affairs. Instead, he spent him time securing donations to fund construction projects and scholarships, and made a strong push to add faculty to the Collier campus. Improper course substitutions, allegations of discriminatory hiring practices, complaints about excessive spending and other controversial topics had little to do with Colliers campus or the staff that worked there. Did I agree with everything? Absolutely not, and I was vocal about it, Allbritten said. People knew that I wasnt

* THE NEWS-PRESS TUESDAY, MAY 29, 2012

A7

edison state college

PROFILE JOE SARNOVSKY

Seminole State College executive longs to be the big man on campus. By Dave Breitenstein
dbreitenstein@news-press.com

PASSION FOR COMMUNITY

Joe Sarnovsky wants to be the next president at Seminole State College. Over 10 years, he put in the time and effort, and his level of responsibility steadily increased. Hes now second-incommand and highly regarded by trustees, and a draft succession plan penciled him in as president in the next year or two. But his boss, longtime Seminole President Ann McGee, opted not to retire. Much like a mother bird reluctantly pushes her chicks to fly into independence, McGee calls it bittersweet in encouraging Sarnovsky to pursue the presidency at Edison State College. Joe has that passion for community college students, for the mission that we have, McGee said. Hes ready to move on, and I hate to say that because hes done a great job for us. Sarnovsky and two other finalists will interview Friday at Edison. Scott Howat, chairman of Seminoles Board of Trustees, said Sarnovsky would be hard to replace because few individuals have such a broad, successful track record of managing budgets, facilities and aligning resources to match educational needs. If Sarnovsky ultimately finds a presidency at another institution, he would become the fourth administrator under McGee to land a presidents job elsewhere during her 16 years at the helm. Were very proud of the fact that weve become essentially a breeding ground for great presidents and great leaders, and I think that Joe certainly has proven himself an asset to this college, Howat said. Sarnovskys interest in Edison started during his first week on the job at Seminole. New to Florida, he wanted to visit campuses with a strong reputation, and Edison topped his list. Seminole State has Floridas smallest service area land-wise, while Edisons five-county reach covers the largest geographic territory. My experience at Seminole, as good as that is, is limited to what I can serve those 360,000 people, he said. I have a chance here to bring my experience here to more than 1 million people and have a better and broader impact on the economic revitalization of Florida by being at Edison. There arent many colleges where you can do that. The two other finalists at Edison State have served as college presidents for eight and 10 years. Sarnovsky held the title of interim president for a grand total of 31 days. The others started their careers in the classroom, while Sarnovsky began his inside a manufacturing plant. The others earned their first college degrees from four-year institutions, while Sarnovsky began at a community college. Sarnovsky knows hes different but says that is not the issue. Rather, its up to Edison trustees to identify the one individual who matches their presidential wish list as outlined on a position profile. Sarnovsky read it, and believes his intricate knowledge of Floridas college system, finances and operations minimize the learning curve at Edison. That is something where I hit the ground running, he said. But he also admits he doesnt know the key players at Edison or the stories behind some of the colleges accreditation and operational problems. Sarnovsky would work with Edisons leadership team and faculty, many of whom butted heads with past executives, to redefine academic priorities and establish trust between stakeholders. Faculty members that have been misled for a decade or two decades wont trust administration, Sarnovsky said. Youve got to talk with faculty and be honest with them about the fact that not all programs are created equally. Colleges cant do everything for everybody every year, so youve got to make choices you can afford and what you can invest in this year for the best long-term success of your students. At Seminole, faculty just vot-

Seminole State College executive Joe Sarnovsky was instrumental in planning the construction of the $28 million Wayne M. Densch Partnership Center on the Lake Mary campus in Sanford. The 100,000 square foot center opened in 2008. TODD STUBING/THE NEWS-PRESS

JOSEPH SARNOVSKY
Residence: Sanford Age: 57 Family: wife, Jane; sons Joe Sarnovsky and Jesse Sarnovsky Employer: Seminole State College Job title: Executive vice president and chief financial officer Tenure: 2011-present Salary: $185,000, plus $6,000 in allowances

PRIOR EMPLOYMENT
2002-11: Vice president for administrative services at Seminole State College 2009: Interim president at Seminole State College 1997-2002: Vice president for administrative services at Lorain County Community College 1988-97: Controller at Lorain County Community College 1978-88: Plant supervisor and accounting supervisor at Lorain Products

Joe Sarnovsky, left, talks with Seminole State College student and Student Government Association President Brandon Reed at the Lake Mary campus in Sanford on Wednesday. TODD STUBING/THE NEWS-PRESS

COMMUNITY FORUMS
Joe Sarnovsky: 10-11:30 a.m. Wednesday Jeff Allbritten: 10-11:30 a.m. Thursday Eugene Giovannini: 2-3:30 p.m. Thursday

EDUCATION
2012: Doctorate in educational leadership from University of Phoenix 1985: Masters in business administration from Baldwin-Wallace College 1983: Bachelors in business administration from Cleveland State University 1975: Associate in business administration from Lorain County Community College

LEE CAMPUS: BUILDING AA, ROOM 177

The Alternative

ABOUT SEMINOLE STATE

Location: Sanford Established: 1966 Enrollment: 32,771 Budget: $110 Academic programs: 57 In-state tuition: $3,131 Website: seminolestate.edu

Joe Sarnovsky: 2-3:30 p.m. Wednesday Eugene Giovannini: 10-11:30 a.m. Thursday Jeff Allbritten: 2-3:30 p.m. Thursday

CHARLOTTE CAMPUS: BUILDING O, ROOM 117

Joe Sarnovsky speaks to the Edison State College presidential search committee on May 15. SARAH COWARD/SPECIAL TO THE NEWS-PRESS

ABOUT EDISON STATE

Location: Fort Myers Established: 1962 Enrollment: 25,000 Budget: $166.1 million Academic programs: 37 In-state tuition: $3,134 Website: edison.edu

skys skills are a match. If I were the search committee, I would say, Hes my man, Gilmartin said. If that were to happen, Brandon Reed, a 22-year-old accounting and finance major, would have mixed feelings. Hes on a first name basis with Sarnovsky, who Reed said has been championing students quest to inject more life into campus. The administration wants to make this our second home, Reed said. Many of us are here eight hours a day, four days a week.

I think people waste so much time trying to posture for a position, he said. Hes not just blowing smoke, according to McGee. In Joe, you have someone who has limitless energy and who really thrives on a challenge, McGee said. Joe is the kind of leader who will just simply roll up his sleeves and dive into Edison and take it to the next level. Sarnovsky started playing baseball at age 8, and hasnt stopped. The pitcher and shortstop is a regular on the adult league circuit in central Florida. He enjoys the competition but says the correlation between winning on the diamond and being successful at work is too strong not to notice. Youve got to show up for practice so youre ready for the game, Sarnovsky said. In the environment Im in at the college, youve got to do the research so that when youre ready to make decisions, youre ready. That includes developing long-range financial plans, annual operating budgets and detailed facility forecasts that ensure todays kindergartners will have ample study space once they reach college. Assembling a winning team, much like building a strong college staff, must be solid from top to bottom. There cant be any weak links, and there cant be too many people who master the same thing.

Jeff Allbritten: 2-3:30 p.m. Tuesday Eugene Giovannini: 10-11:30 a.m. Wednesday Joseph Sarnovsky: 10-11:30 a.m. Thursday

COLLIER CAMPUS: BUILDING M, ROOM 201

Jeff Allbritten: 10-11:30 a.m. Tuesday Eugene Giovannini: 4-5:30 p.m. Wednesday Joe Sarnovsky: 4-5:30 p.m. Thursday

HENDRY/GLADES CENTER: BUILDING A, ROOM 119

Managing a team

Video: Meet Joe Sarnovsky and read his resume. Go to m.newspress.com on your mobile device. Previous coverage: Read more about the process of selecting a new Edison State College president. Updates: Read reporter Dave Breitensteins candidate Twitter reports.

ONLINE

A Presidential Promise

ed to unionize, but professor Dan Gilmartin said that wasnt a result of anything Sarnovsky did. However, administration at Seminole will be the first in Florida to create a performance pay system for faculty, and only the top 25 percent of staff will see pay raises. As a representative of administration, Gilmartin appropriately calls Sarnovsky an administrator, and a good one at that. He has studied Edisons problems and believes Sarnov-

Two weeks ago, at the close of an hourlong interview with Edisons presidential search committee, Sarnovsky told members stone-faced: The promises I make are the promises I keep. It was a bold statement, one of those defining moments in a job interview that can seal a deal. Sarnovsky saw how committee members reacted heads nodded, and eye contact was made. I saw some of them scribble that down, so that gave me a hint to something about maybe the culture that hasnt always been true, he said. I tell it straight. If there is no money in the budget for salary increases, Sarnovsky will tell employees. If an academic program needs to be revamped or even eliminated, Sarnovsky will break the news. He vows not to play favorites and doesnt let others jockey to get into his inner circle.

Youve got talent that has to play its role, or you lose the game, he said. It doesnt do any good to have nine great pitchers on a team and nobody that can play first base. Youve got to have people that are great at every position in order to have a great team. For Sarnovsky, winning a championship is the ultimate goal. His colleagues in the office and on the field must bring their A game every day, rain or shine, and understand that champions are made on the practice field. And teams, he said, win championships, not individuals. Lastly, Sarnovsky wants his college staff and baseball teammates to take the game seriously, but play loose and know when to let their hair down. There is a good time to work but there is a good time to have fun, too, Sarnovsky said. But if youre really lucky, theyre the same thing. And Ive just been lucky.

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SUNDAY EXCLUSIVE VIOLENCE AT SCHOOL

THE NEWS-PRESS DETERMINES WHICH SCHOOLS HAVE HAD THE MOST SCUFFLES; THE RESULTS ARE SURPRISING, AND THE REASONS ARE WIDESPREAD.

By Dave Breitenstein
dbreitenstein@news-press.com

tudents head to school each morning, their homework, textbooks and lunchboxes in hand. Some return home with busted lips, black eyes and suspension notices. Fights still surface at many schools in Southwest Florida, though districts have inaugurated anti-violence and anti-bullying programs at all grade levels. In Lee County, high schools arent the main battleground. Middle school students engage in almost twice as

many showdowns per capita, using their fists to settle disagreements, despite the consequences. The middle school years are the most challenging for students because they are the puberty years, said Jackie Turner, director of student services in Lee County. Hormones are raging, and they dont always make good decisions. In response to a public-records request, the Florida Department of Education provided The News-Press with preliminary data that show every fight reported at every public school in Florida for the past four years ...
See FIGHTING A14

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NEWS-PRESS.COM Coming Tuesday: Search a database that shows the number of fights for every public school in Florida for the past three
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Due to the Super Bowl tonight and the possibility of a late result, there could be late delivery of The News-Press in some areas Monday.

Mementos become memories As tumor

Move from independent to assisted living can be made easier with help of a senior move manager. By Janine Zeitlin
jzeitlin@news-press.com

SUNDAY EXCLUSIVE ASSISTED LIVING

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Womans effort comes to grief

Sam Cook says slain mans mother had been trying to stop violence. B1

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Mitt Romney easily wins the Nevada Republican caucuses, days after his triumph in Florida. A17

Edie Kingsley lingered over two pages of a train schedule from Munich to Salzburg one morning in the Fort Myers apartment where she had spent three decades. Within a week, she would be downsizing from the 2,150square foot condo with views of the Caloosahatchee River to a 1,110-square-foot space in a complex for seniors that offers meals, friends and support. She was purging junk from the things worthy of the space they occupied. The train route was one she had ridden often on visits to her parents once they returned to their native Europe and, decades later, where she would place candles and flowers on their graves. Itsjusttwolittlepiecesofpaper.Itsnotmuch,Kingsleysaid, looking to Jaime Lynn Goss, one of the interior designers managing her move. Goss smiled.

grows, charity sought

Woman searches for method to pay for needed operation. By Frank Gluck and Melanie Payne
fgluck@news-press.com mpayne@news-press.com

Karen Benson, right, owner of Inspire Transitions, comforts Edie Kingsley, 86, while organizing Kingsleys belongings before moving to assisted living. BRIAN HIRTEN/THE NEWS-PRESS

NEWS-PRESS.COM

Coming Tuesday: Watch video of Edie Kingsley making the transition to assisted living.

Kingsley slipped the papers into a shoebox. Wading through her belongings reminded her of her 86 uncommon years of life. A chest in her living room unearthed mem-

oriesofanarrowescapefromthe Russians.Awigstowedinthehall brought back a story of champagne with Margaret Thatcher. A 2008 receipt for gas from New Milford, Pa., well, that was just junk. All the sudden, you dont feel like a frisky teenager anymore, Kingsley said. It has gone fairly
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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2012 THE NEWS-PRESS *

from the cover

Lehigh Acres Middle has the most on-campus fights in a four-year period, statistics say.

Fighting numbers at Stephens International Academy were among the worst in the state.

Fighting
Continued from A1

121,160 skirmishes in all. Not surprisingly, the largest school districts Miami-Dade, Broward, Hillsborough, Orange, Palm Beach and Duval had the most fights. Drilling down the data to local schools, however, provides unexpected findings. Gulf Coast High, in a well-todo section of North Naples, had 14 times as many fights in four years as Immokalee High in Collier Countys most impoverished community. Mariner Middle in Cape Coral amassed 124 fights over a four-year period, while another west zone school six miles away, Diplomat Middle, reported just four brawls. And the statistics dont clarify why Charlotte County students hardly ever scrap on campus. Reporting requirements havent changed. Public schools must disclose every fight, which Florida defines as two students mutually showing a use of force or violence that necessitates physical restraint to break it up. Pushing, verbal arguments and stare-downs do not qualify as fights. Lee County employs no fewer than 13 prevention programs to combat violence and bullying, including BullySafe USA, Character Education and Do the Right Thing. Another program, called School House Bullies, is in the planning stages, and will teach school staff how to identify and eliminate the various forms of bullying prevalent today. You cant keep doing the same things over and over, or you wont keep their attention, Turner said. Lee County is Southwest Floridas largest school district, about twice the size of Collier, but its number of fights was disproportionately high. Four-year fight totals include charter schools, which are public schools run by independent boards of directors: Lee: 2,523 Collier: 400 Hendry: 104 Charlotte: 101 Glades: 54 Breaking down Lees numbers, almost half of fights, 1,232, occurred on middle school grounds. Another 367 took place at elementary schools and 298 fights started at K-8 schools. The statistics arent unusual, says Matthew Mayer, an associate professor of education psychology at Rutgers University. Middle school students are thrown into a new environment thats not as nurturing. Class- Mayer es are tougher and their safety net of friends may not be present, Mayer says. Egos are emerging at a time bravado is king, and many youths dont know how to express their thoughts.

ry, could not be reached for comment. Even with distinct definitions of what constitutes a fight or a peer conflict, Mayer, the Rutgers professor, said schools still have discretion, much like a basketball referee must make a judgment call between a regular foul or flagrant foul. Some places are more forthcoming about what is occurring, Mayer said. Perhaps they dont want their school to appear out of control. School fights are nothing new, but their persistence in light of prevention programs begs the question: Why are students fighting? They fight to win, said Fort Myers mental Streyffeler health counselor Laura Streyffeler, whose work often involves children and violence. Its not necessarily about winning the fistfight, she said, rather winning the disagreement that initiated the confrontation. Younger students lack communication skills to talk things out, and without an adult in which to confide, they often punch it out to determine who is right. What starts many dis- Loethan agreements? Jim Loethan, an assistant principal at Riverdale High in eastern Lee County, said boys usually are fighting about girls, and girls fight about boys. Theres a lot of drama, Loethan said. Turi Roberson, 20, admits he made bad decisions as a student at Ida S. Baker High in Cape Coral. He recalls an incident as a freshman when he bumped into an upperclassman after a pep rally, and it almost ended with a fistfight in the hallway. A lot of times, its people disrespecting someone, said Roberson, who later transferred to North Nicholas High in Cape Coral and now attends Edison State College. When you get two immature people in the wrong situation, its going to end in a fight. Streyffeler said a vast majority of youths she counsels dont even remember why the fight started. In many cases, though, a simple disagreement can have profound results. Local law enforcement agencies have arrested students for fighting over a bag of potato chips, cell phone and hair pick, according to incident reports. The hair pick fight resulted in one student being arrested and the other heading to the hospital for 20 stitches. Most fights dont go very far. Of the 739 reported fights in 2010-11 across Southwest Florida schools, schools reported the incident to law enforcement in 52 cases, or just 7 percent.

Why fight?

Schools employ fulltime security personnel and sworn resource officers who handle some elements of discipline outside the judicial system. Although fights can occur at any school, those with the most fights share similar characteristics. Streyffeler said students who fight tend to come from high-risk communities with more single-parent households, drug or alcohol abuse in the home, physical violence and other factors. The culture in some of these neighborhoods is that might is right, Streyffeler said. Some kids believe respect comes from fear. Fisticuffs dont break out at every school campus. Seventy-two of 202 public schools in Southwest Florida did not report a single fight in four years. Riverdale High, Lees second-largest school with 1,803 students, tallied only eight fights in four years. We have good kids, good teachers and stick to the rules, said Loethan, the assistant principal. We try to stop it before it gets started. Loethan said students often approach teachers and administration if something is brewing, and staff counsels students before animosity escalates. They can agree to disagree, but they dont have to beat each others brains out to settle things, Loethan said. Collier public schools have implemented the Positive Behavior Support system, which defines and teaches appropriate student behavior. Twenty-two of 50 Florida schools earning gold medal rankings through the program last year are in Collier. Immokalee High reported just four fights in four years, the least among eight high schools in Collier. Principal Mary Murray admits some students do get into trouble outside of school she receives incident reports from the sheriffs office but their demeanor and focus changes on campus. They take a lot of pride in our school, Murray said. Our image isnt the best, and they know fighting and violence wont help that. This is a place of business for them. Their job is to go to school and graduate. No Charlotte County school averages more than one fight per month, but that doesnt mean district leaders have let down their guard. April Prestipino, director of student services, said social networking sites such as Facebook are creating more tension among students, and the war of words online isnt limited to cyberspace. After school, Facebook will light up, Prestipino said. Youve got a whole night of he said, she said, and half of it probably isnt true, but it comes back to school the next morning.

Peaceful campuses

Pressure cooker

Think of school as a pressure cooker, Mayer said. You have situational conflict and personal conflict. The ingredients are there. Another possible reason more fights occur in sixth, seventh and eighth grades is that middle schoolers lack transportation. Official statistics show only fights that occur on school grounds. Preliminary data from the 2010-11 school year wont be official until this spring, but one K-8 school in Fort Myers had a fight every 1.9 days. James Stephens International Academys 95 fights placed it No. 24 among 3,800 public schools in Florida. The school reported 39 fights in the previous school year, its first year of operation. Stephens Academy Principal Denise Phillips-Luster did not return three calls seeking comment. Over the full fouryear period covered in the states data released to The News-Press, Lehigh Acres Middle had the most fights in Southwest Florida at 224. Its principal, Joe Pitura, said he recently discovered a staff member incorrectly recorded fights twice one for each student involved so numbers reported to the state are inaccurate. Schools are allowed to appeal the preliminary data, but Lehigh Middle has not done so. Lehigh Middle distributes parent surveys each quarter, Pitura said, and feedback continues to show few concerns with campus safety. The school maintains strong college prep, gifted and arts programs, and was just a few points shy of its first A rating last year. We can compete with the best in not only the east zone, but any school in the district, Pitura said. Our goal is to be an A school and to have every child succeed. We want to change the perception through academics. Perception real or not can be a problem, according to Carl Burn-

Perception matters

side, parent of a seventh-grader at Stephens Academy and principal of Dunbar High in Fort Myers. He said Dunbar students chuckle at the false perception that the school is a tough environment. Fights happen, 59 in four years, but hallways are filled with teachers, administrators and security staff who constantly monitor students. Im not naive enough to think its not a problem, but at least in a school, youre in a controlled environment, Burnside said. Im more concerned when my kids go to the movies. Alex Pulido, a 17year-old sophomore at South Fort Myers High, said he saw quite a few fights last school year, but not as many in recent months. Pulido believes most South students are tolerant of their peers, and the occasional skirmishes rarely are knock-down, drag-out rumbles. I havent seen any blood, said Pulido, whose school tallied 43 fights last year, secondhighest in Lee. Teachers usually break them up right away.

In addition to fighting, the state also tracks 22 other types of incidents, including weapon and drug possession, vandalism, sexual harassment, bullying and theft. When those factors are calculated, Stephens Academys 189 incidents in 2010-11 ranked it 11th statewide. Six of Floridas top 10 in total incidents were middle schools, along with one K-8 school, one K-12 school, one 6-12 school and one high school. Most school districts also tabulate cases of pushing, shoving and other minor physical contact, incidents that stop when directed by school staff and do not require medical attention. During the past four years, Lee County recorded 20,186 cases of peer conflict. Almost 15 percent of those, 3,030 incidents, occurred at Royal Palm Exceptional Center in Fort Myers. The state database only lists three full-fledged fights in four years at Royal Palm, which serves students with physical, mental or emotional disabilities. Its principal, Dan Per-

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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2012
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Town mourns as answers sought

Stories of heroism emerge as police try to figure out why loner killed 26 at elementary school.
Associated Press

CONNECTICUT SHOOTING

NEWTOWN, Conn. Investigators tried to figure out what led a bright but awkward 20-year-old to slaughter 26 children and adults at a Connecticut elementary school, while townspeople took down some of their Christmas decorations and struggled Saturday with how to go on. Chief Medical Examiner Dr.

H. Wayne Carver said all the victims at the school were shot with a semiautomatic rifle, at least some of them up close, and all of them were apparently shot more than once. All six adults killed Friday at the Sandy Hook Elementary School were women. Of the 20 children, eight were boys and 12 were girls. All the children were 6 or 7 years old. Asked how many bullets were

fired, Carver told a news conference Saturday, Im lucky if I can tell you how many I found. The tragedy brought forth soul-searching and grief around the globe. Many immediately thought of Dunblane a 1996 school shooting in that small Scottish town which killed 16 small children. President Barack Obama planned to attend an interfaith memorial service today in Newtown. Hours after the shooting, a
See SHOOTING A3

Follow the latest coverage on news-press.com and mobile, including photo galleries and video reports. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. SW Fla. clergy face tough task Learn more about victims, gunman

ONLINE

INSIDE: A3, A4

Tracy Tarantino places a candle on a memorial Saturday. AP

HEALTH CARE

Healing begins at new VA clinic

Bigger, more modern facility set to open its doors Monday in Cape Coral. By Frank Gluck
fgluck@news-press.com

SPECIAL REPORT EXAMINING NEW SCHOOL FOOD RULES

Waste places stain on nutritional gains

Healthier lunch standards are showing positive signs in Southwest Florida, but more food is shipped and reheated here, and worse alarming amounts go in garbage cans.

Note to readers: This is the first of a two stories about the veterans clinic in Cape Coral. Coming Monday: Read about its economic impact. If Bay Pines VA Healthcare Systems goal was to NEWSimpress PRESS.COM Southwest Floridas vetTake an interactive tour of erans with its the new VA clinic, new outpatient clinic including a 360 degree flyaround. opening Monday in Cape Coral, well, mission so far accomplished. Hundreds of veterans, their family members and local officials have offered rave reviews of the new $53.1 million facility during its several open houses this fall. Given that the new health center is three times the size, and much more modernly designed, than the closing clinic in Fort Myers, its not hard to see why. But now the hard work of
See CLINIC A6

By Dave Breitenstein
dbreitenstein@news-press.com

LOCAL & STATE

Deadly traffic stop

Man killed in deputy-involved shooting. B1

A federal push to wean children off junk food rolled into school cafeterias in August, where a government mandate now forces children to take fruits and vegetables they dont want to eat. The initiatives been a rough road so far. Schools are serving more fresh produce, but children arent eating it. Schools are offering more lower-fat, lower-calorie entrees, but sales havent increased. Schools are enhancing nutrition programs, but they cannot control what children eat at home. When it comes to lunch, public schools essentially must do what the federal government says or risk losing millions of dollars in reimbursement. Ensuring compliance has meant redesigning menus with low-fat cheeses, whole grain breads and more varieties of vegetables, all while counting calo-

Five Southwest Florida school districts will spend $92 million this year feeding children. Meal totals below show daily averages.
Breakfasts served Lunches served Food budget

BY THE NUMBERS

Orangewood Elementary School student Zach Ingole scoops green beans onto his plate during a recent lunch at the school. ANDREW WEST/THE
NEWS-PRESS

Lee Collier Charlotte Hendry Glades

22,843 14,000 4,200 2,241 680

52,918 25,000 11,500 5,260 775

$56.4M $21M $8.6M $5.1M $728,126

Interactive: A look at the nutritional value of school lunches. Video: Lee schools expert discusses changes.

NEWS-PRESS.COM/ SCHOOLLUNCH

ries. The News-Press spent more than a month in school lunchrooms, purchasing the same meals as children, combing through nutritional facts, speaking with health experts and monitoring stuSee LUNCH A14

Origin: Food trucked in from everywhere, A15 Infographic: Whats for lunch?, A15 Waste: Kids eat what they like, toss the rest, A16 Views: Why all the waste? A23

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A14

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2012 THE NEWS-PRESS *

special report examining new school food rules

Tessa Curtis, 8, center, eats her green beans during lunch at Orangewood Elementary School on Friday. Flanking her are Kai Badger, 8, left, and Connor OConnell, 8. PHOTOS BY ANDREW
WEST/THE NEWS-PRESS

Lunch
Continued from A1

CALORIE COUNTING

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has set new calorie ranges, averaged weekly, for school lunches:
Grades Calories

dents as they moved through serving lines. Our findings include: Food service workers often are reminding children they must take at least one fruit or vegetable, but many students often toss the veggies into the trash without taking a bite. Tight guidelines covering calories and fat content make it tougher to cook meals from scratch, so schools are ordering entrees pre-cooked in commercial kitchens as far away as California. Nutritional data is tabulated under the assumption that children are cleaning their plates, but students who dont like or cant finish an item could fall short nutritionally. Those problems aside, experts agree school lunches are healthier now than ever. Cafeterias have increased the availability of fruits, vegetables, low-fat milk and whole grains. Decreases have come in sodium, saturated fat and trans fat. Strict calorie limits ensure portion control, and lunches now must provide one-third of recommended dietary allowances for protein, calcium, iron and vitamins A and C. And getting children to eat healthier is critical: they are the first generation with a shorter life expectancy than their parents, and obesity is a main factor. Although Southwest Floridas five school districts serve an average of 43,964 breakfasts and 95,452 lunches every day, they cant seem to shake a poor reputation triggered by pop culture references to mystery meat and globs of mush. Its a complete misconception, said Lauren Loper, the Lee County School Districts dietitian and supervisor of food procurement. In fact, Southwest Florida public schools have been years ahead of the dietary curve. Deep fryers disappeared a decade ago. Dessert is only served on special occasions. Candy bars and soda machines are offlimits during the school day. Butter and salt shakers have been cleared from the shelves. Flavored milk is fat-free, while white milk is 1 percent. There is a segment of our population that still believes school lunches are as bad as when they were children, said Terri Whitacre, director of food and nutrition services in Charlotte County. Our restrictions are so tight now. Its hard for us to slip in anything unhealthy. Doing so could be costly. Much of the $92 million area districts will spend on food services this year will be reimbursed by the federal government. The Florida Department of Agriculture contracted with Arizona-based CN Resource to audit the new lunch menus. A team of nutritionists compares prod-

K-5 6-8 9-12

550-650 600-700 750-850

LUNCH PRICES
Elem. Middle High

Lee Collier Charlotte Hendry Glades

$2.00 $2.00 $2.10 $1.95 $1.75

$2.25 $2.25 $2.30 $2.20 $2.00

$2.25 $2.25 $2.50 $2.25 $2.00

DID YOU KNOW...

There are no salt shakers in school cafeterias? Food services is the only department that doesnt use school district funds? Collier charges 25 cents extra for two ketchup packets? Charlotte offers Lactaid milk to students who are lactose intolerant? Lee is discontinuing fish sticks, replacing them with fish nuggets?

Jebron Bradley, 8, a student at Parkside Elementary School in Naples, prepares to sit for lunch recently.

uct labels with monthly menus, then studies whats actually being served to children. The team just visited Charlotte on Wednesday and Thursday. Lee already had its audit and was provided verbal notice of compliance. Collier had its menu pre-certified this summer, but it has yet to undergo its full audit. School districts will be tweaking breakfast menus in subsequent years. First lady Michelle Obama advocated the Healthy, HungerFree Kids Act through her Lets Move initiative, addressing the declining health of American youth. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that one-third of U.S. children are overweight and 17 percent are obese, tripling the rate of their parents generation. Food can be a poison if unhealthy choices are made on a regular basis, said Dr. Lindsay Graham, a pediatrician with Lee Physician Group. Overweight and obese children now have diseases like type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure that used to be seen only in adults. These put children at higher risk for heart disease, stroke and other chronic medical problems as an adult.

Healthy entrees

Pizza, corn dogs and chicken nuggets dont sound like healthy food options, but the entrees served in school cafeterias arent the same products consumers buy in grocery stores and restaurants. School pizza, for example, features a whole grain crust and reduced-fat cheese, and is a reduced-sodium product. A slice of cheese pizza served in Lee elementary schools contains 7 grams of fat and 260 calories, about the same as Collier and Charlotte cafeterias. By comparison, a similarsized hand-tossed slice at Pizza

Hut has 12 grams of fat and 320 calories. At Dominos, it rings in at 11 fat grams and 289 calories, and Papa Johns version has 10 fat grams and 290 calories. If people were to come out to our cafeterias, theyd see that its not the same food, Loper said. Nutritiously, its so much better than eating at a fast food restaurant. Macaroni and cheese is made with whole grain pasta and lowfat, protein-rich cheese. Chicken nuggets, chicken tenders and corn dogs feature whole grain breading. A new fish nugget Lee is introducing in January uses pollock, a lean meat thats high in B12 and low in mercury. Billy Jo Guertin, a mother of two from Lehigh Acres, has noticed a difference in the new menu. Her daughter is a picky eater and always complained school food was too salty, and never ate vegetables. Now, her daughter eats salad, carrots and celery. The biggest improvement, Guertin said, was adding multiple options for fruits and vegetables in the serving line. Now, they go in and have a choice, Guertin said. They can choose something they like. Nutritionally, the best hamburger served in area public schools is Charlottes patty. A plain beef burger and bun there contains 11 grams of fat and 270 calories, way better than Wendys version, which has 21 grams of fat and 430 calories. Although the federal government mandated that school systems serve healthier meals, districts redirected that pressure onto their suppliers. The vendors and manufacturers want to have our business, Whitacre said. They want to make sure theyre serving our children the healthiest food possible. If not, Whitacre said, she wont buy that product. Private schools and charter

schools set menus and pricing independent of the public school system. Every spring, Lee schools conduct taste-tests to see which items students want added to the menu. Recent additions include sweet potato fries, Philly steak sandwiches and turkey burgers. Chicken nuggets and tenders remain the most popular entree items in Southwest Florida, and the golden brown morsels have become a bragging point for districts. Nobody has better chicken nuggets than we have, said Dawn Houser, director of food and nutrition services for Collier County schools. They are a beautiful product. The ultimate goal of improved school lunches is improved health, but that hinges on children actually eating the food. Area school districts partake in the national Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, in which staffers not only explain why produce is good to eat, but they provide samples to children attending low-income schools. Children have started thinking about fresh fruits and vegetables as snacks, rather than a bag of chips, said Houser, who wants to see the program featured in every school. Local districts participate in Floridas Farm Fresh to School program, which encourages the buying and eating of locally grown products. Two weeks ago, elementary children in Collier could choose between green beans or cucumber slices, both grown in Immokalee. Lee created a Healthy Living Lab, a roving health and nutrition exhibit that showcases the good and bad associated with eating certain foods. Children are provided bite-sized samples of cantaloupe, broccoli, spinach, zucchini, squash and

FAN FAVORITES
The most popular lunch entrees in Lee County, based on sales data, are: (1) Chicken tenders; (2) Corn dog; (3) Hamburger. (1) Chicken nuggets; (2) Chicken tenders; (3) Hamburger.

ELEMENTARY

MIDDLE

HIGH

Education

(1) Pepperoni pizza; (2) Nachos with meat and cheese; (3) Chicken nuggets.

other items they ordinarily dont eat at home. I liked the apple the best, said 6-year-old Cameron Mele, a kindergartner at River Hall Elementary. Its so sweet. Cameron also said broccoli was the favorite vegetable he tried, but in general, he doesnt mind eating fruits and vegetables. For some children, though, the benefits of learning about healthy foods at school are negated at home, where many parents cook meals that dont meet dietary guidelines. Theyre not the ones who do the shopping at home, said Mary Ann Bucceroni, who runs the Healthy Living Lab program. Graham advises parents to take their children to the grocery store and eat dinner as a family. Parents should reserve fast food and soda for special treats, she said, and limit consumption of fruit juices because of the high sugar content.
Connect with this reporter: DaveBreitenstein (Facebook) @D_Breitenstein (Twitter)

There is a segment of our population that still believes school lunches are as bad as when they were children. Our restrictions are so tight now. Its hard for us to slip in anything unhealthy.
TERRI WHITACRE, director of food and nutrition services in Charlotte County

* THE NEWS-PRESS SUNDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2012

A15

special report examining new school food rules

Fulfilling menu requires a good map

Almost nothing cooked from scratch in Lee schools. By Dave Breitenstein
dbreitenstein@news-press.com

ORIGINS

Macaroni and cheese is one of the tastiest and best-selling entrees served in Lee County schools. Its so cheesy, raved 5year-old Madelyn Peterman, a kindergartner at River Hall Elementary in Alva. But dont praise the culinary skills of our cafeteria workers. Compliment a cook at the Beaver Valley Baking facility in Aliquippa, Pa. Its employees stir our childrens mac and cheese, pour it into plastic bags and freeze it. A few days to a few weeks later, food service workers in Lee reheat the frozen pouches to 165 degrees before children finally can scoop 6-ounce portions onto their white foam trays. Mac and cheese isnt the only menu item prepared elsewhere. Dinner rolls are baked in Jacksonville. Grilled cheese sandwiches actually are grilled in Lakeland and reheated here. Corndogs are cooked in California. Up and down the school districts menu, from spaghetti to hamburgers to chicken teriyaki, almost nothing is cooked from scratch in Lee school kitchens. Sonny Stelmacki, Lees director of food and nutrition ser-

A food service worker pours a bag of macaroni and cheese into a serving tray at Orangewood Elementary. ANDREW WEST/THE NEWS-PRESS

vices, said switching to prepared entrees the industry name for precooked food saves staff time, which in turn trims costs. Thats enabled the district to keep meal prices the same for three years. Prepared foods also guarantee consistent food quality between schools. Back then, when we did scratch cooking, you could go to one school and the same item would taste completely different than at another school, Stelmacki said. The new cooking philosophy also minimizes safety risks associated with food preparation, especially the handling of meat. We dont have to worry about a staff member cooking something from a raw state, Stelmacki said.

Lee isnt the only Florida county using prepared foods. School districts in Collier and Charlotte feature lunch menus with some of the same precooked entrees. The industry is moving toward heat and eat type of dishes, said Rick Parks, lead registered dietician for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The food quality is consistent, but it isnt that homemade quality. Nothing students eat in Lee County is microwaved, Stelmacki said. School kitchens dont even have microwaves. Instead, items are reheated in ovens and on stove tops, or steamed. Collier has taken a different approach to meal preparation. When available, the district pur-

chases government commodities or ingredients on the private market to make entrees in house. Collier schools recently whipped up a fresh batch of mac and cheese. Josie Hinojosa, a cafeteria manager at Parkside Elementary in Naples, said it takes about 20 minutes for staffers to slice 10 5-pound blocks of cheese and steam enough whole grain pasta for 400 servings. Its more labor intensive, Hinojosa said, but she takes satisfaction knowing children will gobble up the homemade dish. It makes it doable for us because you know the kids are going to eat it, Hinojosa said. Tona Hackett, a mother of two from Fort Myers, regularly packs her childrens lunches, which usually consist of a sandwich, fruit, chips and drink. Cafeteria food might sit on shelves or trucks for a day or two, but Hackett says the food she packs comes with her stamp of approval. I know its fresh, Hackett said, because I made it that morning. The challenge in school cafeterias is time there just isnt enough of it. All public schools serve breakfast, giving food service workers about two hours to prepare lunch for as many as 1,600 students, depending on the entree. And once students start streaming into the cafeteria, its a steady stream

THEN AND NOW

Ordering prepared food isnt the only recent change in Lee County school cafeterias. The districts offer of a free breakfast to every child, regardless of family income, has led to twice as many students starting their school day in the cafeteria. Here are key numbers detailing changes during the past five years:
2007-08 2012-13

Budget Breakfasts Lunches Staff

$35.0M 11,523 56,796 497

$56.4M 23,318* 53,054* 521

* Through Nov. 30

that arrives by the class in three- to five-minute waves. Several years ago, Lee studied the prospect of opening central finishing kitchens, where a team of cooks would prepare a mass quantity of food and truck it to schools. It was not financially feasible, and it was labor intensive, Stelmacki said. The district spends $2.46 per meal, of which $1.40 is attributed to food costs and $1.06 to staffing costs. Schools receive reimbursements from the government, allowing Lee to maintain its $2 and $2.25 lunch prices for elementary and secondary students, respectively.
Connect with this reporter: DaveBreitenstein (Facebook) @D_Breitenstein (Twitter)

A16

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2012 THE NEWS-PRESS *

special report examining new school food rules

Got milk? Plenty spilled in trash cans

Expense of tossing fruits and vegetables adds up. By Dave Breitenstein
dbreitenstein@news-press.com

THE WASTE

PLATE WASTE
Collier County has been monitoring food waste this semester. A one-day snapshot at Big Cypress Elementary showed many items were being thrown away without students taking a single bite or drink: Lunches purchased Entrees tossed Fresh orange tossed Applesauce tossed Salad tossed Milk tossed 526 9 96 55 70 96

The federal government now requires school children to put at least one fruit or vegetable on their lunch trays. Students, however, arent required to actually eat it, and the volume of food waste is a cause for concern. Trash bins full of uneaten produce prompted Collier County schools to monitor what children are taking and tossing in the lunchroom. At one elementary school in Naples, a batch of freshly steamed broccoli sat untouched during the entire lunch period. Not one child took the product, said Dawn Houser, Colliers director of food and nutrition services. That day at Big Cypress Elementary, 526 students purchased lunch. Ninety-six unopened cartons of milk went straight to the trash. At 50 cents per carton, if that waste ratio bore itself out across Southwest Florida cafeterias, students would have tossed $8,710 of milk. And thats just one product, for one day. Food service supervisors also charted dozens of uneaten oranges, apple slices, salads and even entrees at Big Cypress. All of the wasted produce is adding up, too. Some fruits and vegetables cost as much as 50 cents per serving, Houser said. Cafeterias cannot just serve the most popular vegetables, such as corn and mashed potatoes, day after day because federal rules require schools to offer a variety of items during the week. Collier was among six school systems in Florida that got its 2012-13 menu precertified, entitling the district to an additional reimbursement of 6 cents per

A package of discarded apples at Parkside Elementary School in Naples. ANDREW WEST/THE NEWS-PRESS

meal. That does not begin to cover the cost of extra fruits and vegetables that end up in the trash, Houser said. Neither Lee nor Charlotte counties conduct plate waste surveys. Charlotte has done spot checks, finding food waste at an acceptable level, according to food and Nutrition Services Director Terri Whitacre. Lauren Loper, dietician and food procurement supervisor for Lee schools, said food waste was higher early in the fall semester, but diminished once students got accustomed to the food. Children arent known for having expansive or daring palates, opting to stick with whatever tastes good. Vegetables, without butter or mixed into other dishes, arent on their radar. So how do you get children to eat vegetables? It starts with presentation. Everybody eats with their eyes first, and that includes kids, Loper said. Serving lines at schools re-

Picky eaters

Parkside Elementary School student Victor Trejo eats a school supplied salad while Cristobal Reyes peels a tangelo.

semble a restaurant buffet, and students scoop items onto their own trays. Before they pay, food service workers check to see if children have taken at least one fruit or vegetable. If not, theyre sent back through the line. Cheleste Onorato, 16, nearly swore off cafeteria food after a day in middle school. Carrots

were way too overcooked, and she didnt touch them. It was like baby food, said Onorato, who now attends Edison Collegiate High. Cara Chazin, a mother of two from Estero, said her two children wont touch school lunches. If you look at it, I wouldnt want to eat it either, Chazin said. While carrots and green beans arent as appetizing as french fries, Whitacre said Charlotte has asked parents and teachers to be role models when it comes to vegetable-eating. Instead of packing their own lunches or eating from a staffonly service bar, faculty are encouraged to move through the serving line with their students. If a teacher is in line taking green beans and talking about how good they taste, children will eat them, Whitacre said. And if the little girl sitting next to me is doing it, then you should be able to do it, too. Peer pressure can be a good thing, Whitacre said. Dylan Alvarez, 7, a secondgrader at Parkside Elementary in Naples, isnt sure why some

of his classmates throw away their vegetables. Maybe theyre not hungry, he said. Second-grader Milaun Colbert, a 7-year-old attending Orangewood Elementary in Fort Myers, offered a different explanation for her classmates tossing out fruits and veggies. They just dont want to be healthy, she said. Some Collier schools have piloted a schedule in which children have recess before lunch. They come in hungrier and thirstier, Houser said, and arent in a rush to head outside for recess. Lee County reworked its menu to add descriptive words to entrees. A grilled cheese sandwich became gooey grilled cheese. Mac and cheese became creamy macaroni and cheese. A hotdog became a home run hotdog. Just like any restaurant, menu descriptions, appearance, price and taste drive cafeteria sales. School officials arent just trying to sell more lunches, though; they want children to clean their trays. It could be the most nutritious plate, but if the kids arent eating it, it doesnt do any good, Loper said.
Connect with this reporter: DaveBreitenstein (Facebook) @D_Breitenstein (Twitter)

It could be the most nutritious plate, but if the kids arent eating it, it doesnt do any good.
LAUREN LOPER, dietician and food procurement supervisor for Lee schools

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