City, schools enter mediation - Receive the Entire Key West Citizen ...

THE KEY WEST CITIZEN ◆ THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 20115ASTATEMIAMICuban exile militant Bosch diesProminent Cuban exile militant OrlandoBosch, who was acquitted in Venezuela inthe 1976 bombing of a Cuban jetliner, hasdied in Miami. He was 84.Bosch’s wife, Adriana, said he died atmidday Wednesday after a lengthy hospitalstay in suburban Miami. She saidthe exile opponent of Cuba’s Fidel Castrohad suffered complications from variousillnesses and had been hospitalized sinceDecember.“Knowing him, it doesn’t surprise methat he waited to pass away until afterFidel Castro formally retired from power.He died in the satisfaction of knowingthat the struggle, even though by othermeans, is kept up by those of us yet to go,”said Pepe Hernandez, head of the CubanAmerican Foundation in Miami.TAMPAHoarded cats arrive at shelterThe National Humane Society in Tampahas taken in more than two dozen cats afterhelping the television show “Confessions:Animal Hoarding” shot an episode inFlorida.Now the agency is looking for help fromanimal lovers. Officials are looking for homesfor the cats and kittens, and for food.Carol Childs of the Humane Society saidthe emergency response team went to PuntaGorda on Monday to help Animal Planetvideotape a show that will air in the nexttwo months. She said there are still about 15adult cats left in the house that they hope tobring to Tampa later this week.Childs said her contract with the networkprevents her from talking about thehoarder, but said the person had about 45cats in the house.Rep. MiaJones, D-Jacksonville,debatesagainst anabortion billWednesdayduring sessionin Tallahassee.The Rep ub lican-controlledHouse is tryingto passa series ofmeasures toput additionallimits on abortionrights.TALLAHASSEESTEVE CANNON/The Associated PressSHALIMARTeen gets life for robberyA Florida Panhandle teen hasbeen sentenced to life in prisonfor his part in a fatal drug robbery.An Okaloosa County judge sentenced17-year-old Tyree Washingtonon Tuesday. He was foundguilty in February of first-degreemurder.Authorities say Washingtonhad arranged to meet to with 17-year-old Chris Pitcock in March2010 to buy marijuana from him.Washington and three othersactually planned to rob Pitcock.During the meeting, TimothyPreston Chavers shot Pitcock witha gun that Washington had givenhim, authorities say.NASA braces forGiffords, Obama,huge launch crowdBY MARCIA DUNNThe Associated PressCAPE CANAVERAL — Rep.Gabrielle Giffords left hospitalsbehind Wednesday for the firsttime since her tragic shootingnearly four months ago andtraveled to NASA territory forthe next-to-last space shuttlelaunch with her husband incommand.“Gabby is looking forwardto some time away from therehab center & the chance tosee Captain Mark Kelly launchagain!” Giffords’ staff posted onher Facebook page.Space shuttle Endeavour isdue to blast off Friday afternoonwith Kelly at the helm. Itwill be Endeavour’s final voyageafter 19 years of spaceflight, asthe shuttle era nears the end.NASA managers said they’rethrilled to host Giffords, eventhough her presence requiresa little extra care and attention.She flew by NASA jet fromHouston to Florida’s SpaceCoast, a day behind the otherastronauts’ wives and children.“She’s NASA family,” saidMike Moses, chairman of themission management team.Since she was criticallywounded in the Jan. 8 shooting,the Arizona congresswomanhas been in hospitals — firstin Tucson, Ariz., and then inHouston for rehabilitation.NASA was staying mum onGiffords’ whereabouts. Her staffconfirmed her departure fromHouston and arrival in Floridabut provided no details.The other VIP — PresidentBarack Obama — will arrive onlaunch day. He’ll bring his wifeand two daughters in what willbe the first visit by a first familyfor a launch. Only two othersitting presidents have everwitnessed a manned launch:Richard Nixon for Apollo 12 in1969 and Bill Clinton for JohnGlenn’s return to orbit in 1998aboard shuttle Discovery.With only two space shuttlelaunches remaining, everyone,it seems, is jostling for a frontrowseat.An estimated 40,000 guestsare expected at Kennedy SpaceCenter on launch day. Outsidethe gates, the crowd is expectedto be the biggest in years, if notdecades.Between 500,000 and750,000 people are expectedto jam roadways for the 3:47p.m. Friday liftoff. That’s nearlytwice the crowd that descendedfor Discovery’s last launchin February.Hundreds of additional journalistshave already droppedinto Kennedy Space Center,with satellite trucks and temporarytrailers filling everyavailable spot at the NASApress site.MARTA LAVANDIER/The Associated PressSpace shuttle Endeavour is seen Wednesday on pad 39A at theKennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral.Giffords’ shooting during ameet-and-greet in Tucson andher rehabilitation in Houston— home to Kelly and the rest ofNASA’s astronaut corps — haveovershadowed the details ofEndeavour’s flight.Endeavour and its sixmancrew are bound for theInternational Space Station.They will deliver a $2 billionphysics experiment and a loadof spare station parts. Fourspacewalks are planned duringthe 14- to 16-day mission.Good weather is forecastfor the launch: an 80 percentchance.Bill would allow public moneyto be spent on religious groupsTHE ASSOCIATED PRESSTALLAHASSEE — The Florida Con stitution’s ban onspending public funds toaid churches and other religiousorganizations would berepealed by an amendmentthat won approval Wednesdayin the Florida House.The 81-35 vote sent the proposal(HJR 1471) to the Senatewhere a similar measure (SB1218) is stalled in committee.Three Democrats joinedall Republicans in favor of theproposal.Republicans said the fundingban was a vestige of 19thcentury anti-Catholic bigotryand could cut off public dollarsnow going to religioushospitals and schools, includingvoucher programs andcollege scholarships.“This bill is simply aboutrighting a wrong that happenedin our state 126 yearsago,” said the sponsor, Rep.Scott Plakon.“At the time Protestantsthought they could get awaywith using our state Con stitutionto treat Catholics differently,”said the LongwoodRepublican. “It was sinfulwhat we did.”Democrats, though, arguedthat removing the ban wouldresult in public money goingto religious organizations thatremain bigoted.Rep. James Waldman, D-Coconut Creek, also objectedto a new provision the amendmentwould add to the Constitutionsaying that peoplecouldn’t be barred from participatingin public programsbecause they’ve chosen toreceive those benefits fromreligious organizations.“The language that is addedwould allow organizationsthat espouse anti-Semitic,anti-Catholic, anti-Christian,anti-whatever it is messagesto be funded by the state ofFlorida,” Waldman said.Florida is among nearly40 states with such constitutionalbans on religiousfunding, commonly knownas “Blaine amendments.”They are named after JamesG. Blaine, a Maine Republicanwho served as a U.S. senatorand House speaker and lostthe 1884 president election toDemocrat Grover Cleveland.Blaine sponsored a similaramendment to the U.S.Constitution that passed inthe House but failed in theSenate.Florida’s voucher programslet students attend religiousand other private schools withpublic dollars if they have disabilitiesor come from lowincomefamilies.An appeals court ruledanother program for studentsfrom failing public schoolsviolated the ban.The Florida Supreme Court,though, struck down the programchampioned by formerGov. Jeb Bush based on anotherconstitutional provisionrequiring a uniform publicschools system.340924CUSTOMERAPPRECIATIONCome get your Loyalty Cardand have your 10th entréeabsolutely FREE.Not available with any other offer.•DAILY•Dinner - 5:30 -10 pmReservations Suggested at:www.cafesole.comor Call305-294-02301029 Southard 340303LET THEREBE LIGHT!Michaels’ Light Side Menu features smallerportions of Chef Michael’s most popular dinnerentrées like Filet al Forno, Snapper Meuniere,Veal Saltimbocca, Smoked Penne, SeafoodAlfredo and Steak Caesar. Lighter on the waistlineand the wallet…all priced from $12.95.Nightly from 5:30305-295-1300www.michaelskeywest.comFollow us on Facebook & TwitterReservations suggested340751340925340926340752