Florida Today from Cocoa, Florida • Page 9

1 .1 LOCAL tlBVS IIISIDS More than 150 partygoers rock the 'Festival of Love, an event for people with disabilities, at the Cocoa Beach Hilton, 2B. STATE NEWS MSTOE A prototype electronic house call system can link doctors with patients by computer and save time and money, 6B. MONDAY, February 10, 1997 SECTIOH Bob Stover, metro editor, 242-3607, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. irarara acadBHiy gats snub on icharttsp school list What's next The Brevard County School Board on Tuesday hears what charter school are rcommended for 1997-98. By Mary Shedden FLORIDA TODAY The list of charter schools supported by Brevard County Schools Superintendent David Sawyer doesn't include the Cocoa High Academy for Aerospace Technology.

A week after he interviewed the six applicants, School Board members on Tuesday will hear Sawyer's recommendation that three charter schools open for the 1997-98 school year: Space Coast Montessori of Melbourne, a pre-K through third grade program similar to but separate from the existing private school. Summit Charter School, an elementary school, possibly in North Brevard, for 150 children with learning disabilities. Sawyer said these applicants meet the state's purposes of charter status, such as providing more choice for public school parents and placing an emphasis on helping low-achieving students with in tween the superintendent and academy. The supporters believe Florida legislators Intended for existing programs to be allowed to split from the main campus' curriculum. Academy Director Alexandra Penn said that difference is why she felt Sawyer never took her application seriously.

She said her interview with Sawyer and staff consisted of mostly superficial questions. See CHARTER, Next Page novative approaches. Charter schools, by definition, receive public money but have flexibility in curriculum, finance and discipline. "We want to give families an opportunity to have a different environment for their children to learn," said Michael Lyons of Milestones Community School. "We really are taking a look at the whole community enlisting the family, community and school." Though the board votes on the recommendations Feb.

25, con tract negotiations still must be completed. Sawyer said Space Coast Montessori's plan can be approved only if the charter is clearly separate of the private school. The Aerospace Academy didn't get Sawyer's nod because Cocoa High's faculty failed to support it, he said. A poll of the faculty showed 81 percent didn't want the 3-year-old science and technology trade program to become a freestanding charter school, he said. Sawyer's decision points to a significant philosophical chasm be Milestones Community School of Palm Bay, a 200-student program targeting learning disabled students in grades five to eight.

Cocoa police focus pays off Titusville animal shelter won't buy county building By John Tuohy FLORIDA TODAY Fraud case turns up truckloads of evidence -A iiiniil. I linn ii i 1 m1i.iiim.imi i mi I Craig Rubadoux, FLORIDA TODAY COCOA POLICE Cpl. Lee Wenner works with a chart to get center, are Anthony Caruso, Tim Suspanic, Walt Baker and The North Brevard Animal Shelter in Titusville has dropped its plan to buy the building it rents from Brevard County. Meanwhile, the County Commission is rewriting its contract with the shelter, and it is likely new language will be inserted clarifying the shelter's policies. The shelter's board of directors decided that the cost, combined with the county's new strict policy about giving away its property, made the option unacceptable, said Deborah Copeland, a shelter board member.

"The writing was on the wall" she said. "And we decided that it wouldn't be cost-efficient anyway, so we withdrew the offer." Assistant County Manager Joan Madden said the shelter informed the county in a terse, two-sentence letter. "It did not offer any reasons," she said. Under a contract with the county, which pays the SPCA $45,000 a year, the or-' ganization handles about 7,000 animals a year in an area from Port St. John to the Volusia County line.

The County Commission and county staff had for two years discussed turning over the facility to the SPCA as a cost-saving measure. County staff estimated that more than $60,000 has been spent by the county for maintenance and expansions during the past three years. The commission decided recently to also re-examine its service contract with the shelter after two women made sepa-' rate appearances before the commissioners to complain about the way the shelter was run. One woman told the commissioners the shelter took in her lost dog, allowed it to be adopted and wouldn't give it back to her once she learned about it Another woman said the shelter has a policy about euthanizing certain breeds of dogs, such as Staffordshire terriers. The commissioners didn't question the shelter's practices but decided that whatever they are, they should be more clearly stated.

By Susan Decker FLORIDA TODAY PALM BAY It could take several months for authorities to complete their investigation into a telemarketing company suspected of fraud. Five truckloads of evidence, including about two dozen computers and reams of documents, were seized during the weekend from Universal Who's Who in the Conlan Professional Center at 1501 Robert J. Conlan police said Sunday. The company's owner, Christian A. Friese, 24, of Diane Ave.

S.E. is suspected of bilking at least $2 million from banks and credit card companies. The company contacted business executives and sold a "vanity" book listing their accomplishments for $280. That legitimate transaction was used to get credit card numbers and, months later, the customer would be billed two, three and even four more times, police said. The Law Enforcement Technical Assistance Committee from the State Attorney's Office is helping get into the company's many computers, Sgt.

Paul Birmer said. "There's a lot of paperwork, a lot of heavy paperwork," he said as he took a break Sunday from carting items to a covered pickup used to take evidence to a warehouse. Using company lists, police are contacting possible victims. One man called by police said he had not been defrauded. When he checked his latest credit card bill, however, he discovered a second billing, Detective George Santiago said.

"Most of these are CEOs or company presidents that can afford to pay $480 for an ad in a book," Santiago said. "They don't notice (the extra billing) as quickly as you or I would. One guy got hit four times." Inside the business Sunday, sweaters hung on the chairs by cubicles emptied of their telephones and computers, the heart of Friese's business that racked up $30,000 in telephone bills each month. After finishing inside the telemarketing company, police turned to other businesses in the Conlan Center that are owned by Friese. He gave permission for searches of Riverside Trophies and Printing, Travel Network and Master Service.

Police said Friese sold his Dodge Viper last week, a possible indication he needs money. Assets not in police control were his $120,000 home, a $160,000 condominium in Cocoa Beach and two lots In the exclusive Carriage Gate community off Minton Road. his street crime unit ready for action, other officers, from Garry Thompson, all recently selected officers of the quarter. Crime statistics indicate street unit has been success Cocoa crime statistics 1995 1996 Increase Calls 58,625 61,273 4.5 Arrests 3,269 4,534 38.7 Citations 5,972 10,425 74.6 "They have done better than I had a right to expect" Liff said. The special unit handles cases ranging from staking out businesses for robbery or burglary suspects to arresting drug dealers and tracking down murder suspects.

One arrest came after staking out an area for more than five hours last year. On Oct. 30, members of the unit crouched in bushes outside a Cocoa home where they thought a Levy County murder suspect had been staying. As officers waited, they overhead the suspect talking about the shooting and his plans to dispose of the weapon, police said. Officers moved in and arrested the man as he attempted to leave the home.

One reason the unit is able to spend so much time on cases is the officers are not required to handle emergency calls. See UNIT, Next Page By R. Norman Moody FLORIDA TODAY COCOA Cocoa police Cpl. Lee Wenner looks over a chart as he prepares for a briefing before he and other members of his special team head out to make a bust. He and the other four officers who make up Cocoa's street crime unit go over the plan to make sure nothing is left to chance.

"We're a utility unit," Wenner said. "Wherever or whatever the problem, that's where we'll be." That kind of intense focus is what is being credited for Cocoa's dramatic drop in crime last year. Cocoa Police Chief Eric Liff said crime is down 41 percent and arrests are up. He attributes those numbers to the special unit and the other 70 members of his department. Source: Cocoa Police Dept.

"The officers are doing a good job," Liff said. "The efficiency of their work Is showing." The department made 4,534 arrests last year, a 38 percent Increase over 1995. Formed six months ago, the street crime unit was responsible for 257 of those arrests. In recognition of the special unit's success, Liff recently selected the officers in the unit as officers of the quarter, an honor normally reserved for one officer at a time. Man dies in three-vehicle crash on SR 520 '--rwo i 2 I w.

1 (site of multiple JM luahllt txfririant Aft I Site of multiple vehicle accident The driver of the westbound car, an AMC Spirit, suffered minor injuries. Linda Walther, 50, of Winter Springs was expected to be released. Neighbor Ralph Zens said Dopke was Involved in another accident near State Road 524 a few weeks back. The accident, Zens said, was not his fault. "They've had some bad luck," he said.

Neighbors say the accident comes as no surprise along State Road 520 where drivers frequently are speeding and reckless while traveling on a road that gets as narrow as two lanes. "They call It bloody 520," Zens said. nects Brevard and Orange counties. "But the road did not cause this accident." The injured were taken to Wues-thoff Hospital in Rockledge and Cape Canaveral Hospital in Cocoa Beach. Rivera's son, Jose, the Toyota's driver, was treated and released.

Back-seat passengers Anibal and Alexie Mejias were undergoing observation late Sunday. The Suburban driver, Keith C. Dopke, suffered minor Injuries, but his wife, Carol A. Dopke, was In serious condition. Their 1-month-old granddaughter, Desteny, was in the car but was wearing a restraining device and was not injured, Rinehart said.

By Loo Misselhorn FLORIDA TODAY COCOA A traffic accident on State Road 520 west of Cocoa killed an Orlando man, Injured six other people and closed the highway for more than four hours Sunday afternoon. Florida Highway Patrol troopers blamed careless driving for the 4:30 p.m. accident at Satellite Boulevard. The driver of a Chevrolet Suburban ran a stop sign on Satellite and pulled in front of an eastbound car and a westbound car on State Road 520, Trooper D.M. Rinehart said.

Jose Rivera, 45, of Orlando, a I wvi iiviw I i my FLORIDA TODAY front-seat passenger in the east-bound car, was killed. Charges are pending further investigation, he said. "It does" have a bad reputation, Rinehart said of the road that con Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY SIX PEOPLE were injured Sunday afternoon and one man died when two cars collided with a truck pulling onto State Road 520 from Satellite Boulevard, west of Cocoa. Lanes were closed for more than four hours. Matthew Chancery Best academic challenge and ability to work and help people." On programs are very challenging and the faculty very professional." On the agenda What to do Lottery Winners Commission meeting Winter Park trip Brevard County Commission meets at A day trip to Winter Park is Thursday.

r3 not 9 a.m. Tuesday at the Government Cost is $50 for Brevard Museum of Rav4- i7ji.it Center in Viera. History and Natural Science In Cocoa For updates and Mvoff School Board meeting members. Information: 632-1830. can sNow.

In Brevard, Brevard County School Board meets at Valentine's Day dance call 633-NEWS (6397) or in 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Educational A Sweetheart Ballroom Dance is 8 to A Services Facility in Viera. 1 1 p.m. Friday at Melbourne Audito- I i ffil 2f: rium, 625 E. Hibiscus Blvd.

Admission 6 ca" is is $7. Information: 724-0555. Student at: Brevard Community College's Respiratory Care program in Cocoa. from the BCC program and eventually obtain a (bachelor's of science degree) in cardiopulmonary care.".