News-Press from Fort Myers, Florida • Page 13

Si INSIDE NEWS-PRESS SECTION I Teen center 2B I SW Florida digest 2B I Obituaries 3B I Sailor's death 6B TATE ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITORLOCAL NEWS: JOE FENTON, 335-0350 (Monday Friday 10 a.m. -7 p.m.) WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 1997 3 1' i Gmop wffe to towsi UW Doctors, teachers brainstorm for solutions Couple trade roller skates for Harleys After watching people going in circles for almost 32 years, Raymond Summerall decided to spin a couple wheels himself. He sold Raymond's Rollerland last week. Raymond and wife Elaine are trading the enclosed rink for the open road. Both have Harley-Davidson touring bikes.

After wrapping up the red tape, they are taking BySHANAGRUSKIN News-Press staff writer much the disease they acquire but the behavior they're doing to acquire it," said Mike Darcy of the Lee County Health Department's special health division. "There's something lacking that's causing them to behave in a manner that's putting themselves at risk. And if I knew what it was, I wouldn't be sitting here, I'd be out there." By cooperating, those in the about sex, and they don't want to talk about sexually transmitted diseases. "We need to convince everybody I don't care if it's a religious organization, a bank, a grocery store that it's their responsibility to prevent AIDS and STDs." The goal now is finding new angles, new ways, new resources to reach those ignoring the message: Unprotected, risky sex can be at the very least a health risk, at most a death sentence. "I'm not concerned myself with as the number of cases over the next two years, especially among teens.

In doing so, the group hopes to stop the spread of the HIV infection that causes AIDS. More than 60 per-, cent of the AIDS cases in Lee County were reportedly transmitted through sexual contact, said Ted Weiden, a Lee County Health Department consultant. "We used to do this on a regular basis," said Robert Bobo, administrator for the Aids Resource Council. "We just started going our separate ways." Those at Tuesday's meeting agree that "separate ways" hasn't worked. "Nothing has changed," said Jim Yarnes of Southwest Florida Addiction Services, repeating the phrase three times for impact.

"People, No. 1, are afraid of talking Lee County health providers and educators, frightened by the continuing leap in sexually transmitted disease, resurrected a defunct brainstorming group and held their first meeting Tuesday. The HIVSTD Prevention Coalition's new mission is to reduce the rides of if tr- i their lives. "We don't have any time limit," Elaine said about their tour. "We'd love to go to Alaska." Thirty-one years, seven months and nine days is quite a stretch.

Rollerland, just east of Biblical dispute turns up the heat seafcps to SAM COOK Bay scallops raised in Tampa Bay will be used in a program to reseed scallops in west Florida bays. geft together 1' 'A iV 1 'A BAY SCALLOPS FACTS SCIENTIFIC NAME: Argopecten irradians REPRODUCTION: Bay scallops are they have both male and female reproductive organs. They release eggs and sperm at different times during spawning to lessen the chance of EARLY LIFE: Larvae float on the current for about two weeks, then go phasize into microscopic scallops and settle to the bay bottom. DIET: Filter feeders, consuming microscopic organisms. PREDATORS: Stone crabs, blue crabs, starfish, conchs.

More fish must be closer to mate, increase numbers By KEVIN LOLLAR News-Press staff writer ST. PETERSBURG A handful of nickle-sized bay scallops glistened in the sun test mollusks in a $900,000 attempt to restore the tasty shellfish to Florida's Gulf Coast. The state Department of Environmental Protection will pay for the three-year study, which kicked off last week and will be conducted by Florida Marine Research Institute and the University of South Florida. For a number of reasons, natural and man-caused, the Gulf Coast's healthy bay scallop populations started disappearing in the late 1950s. "The declines continued to the point that in places where they were once abundant, like Pine Island Sound, they all but disappeared," said Norm Blake, a USF professor of marine science.

"All the scallops in Sarasota Bay disappeared; all the scallops in Tampa Bay disappeared. Commercial harvest became impossible, and to a real extent, recreational harvesting became impossible." All commercial bay scallop harvesting has been banned by the state, and recreational collection is only allowed north of the Suwannee River. Calico scallops may still be harvested, and Florida's Gulf and Atlantic coasts support a sporadic commercial calico industry. Most bay scallops found in restaurants and grocery stores are raised in China, but some mollusks labeled bay scallops are actually calicos, said Bill Arnold, a Marine Research Institute associate research scientist. After a three-decade absence, bay scallops are making a See SCALLOPS 2B Sonny Real Pit Bar-b-cue on Palm Beach Boulevard, may have been the longest single-owned business on the strip.

When you operate that long, you aren't just a name on a sign, you become family. "We skated three generations," said Raymond, 62, who lives in Alva. "That attorney, Morty Goldberg, used to bring his family here." While the Goldbergs developed coordination, another Fort Myers lawyer found love on the wooden oval. "How did he remember that?" asked Steve Buckley about Raymond's memory of the 1967 meeting. Buckley, 53, a Connecticut native, was staying with his grandparents while attending law school.

Wife-to-be Bonnie was visiting from Buena Vista, while her father installed water lines. "Her little sister, who was a real pistol, made sure we were introduced," said Buckley, who married in 1969. "It embarrassed the tar out of Bonnie." Former baseball player Mike Greenwell and boxer Hector "Macho" Camacho were customers. "We grew up out there," said Buddy Greenwell, Mike's brother. Raymond also provided a special touch for seniors.

"Sometimes in the summer there were only six seniors, but he stayed open for us," said 30-year customer and competitor Charles Tyeryar, 65. "Raymond's just an all-around good guy who made you feel like he wanted us to come," added Tyeryar's wife and skating partner, Gloria, 65. Hurricane Donna flattened the rink in 1960. It was rebuilt in '61, and Raymond bought it in '66. He added a snack room and more lobby in 79.

Air conditioning came a year later. "People didn't complain much about the heat then," Raymond said. Riding the frenzy of disco, Rollerland peaked in '78-79. Sunday was a hot mixer for teens, speed-skating to Michael Jackson's "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough." "We had lighted floors, sparks and lights in the ceiling," he said. "It was so popular, four other rinks were built during that time." Rinks came and went, but Roller-land maintained.

Now, it's without Raymond and Elaine, 49 much to the chagrin of some customers. "We thought they were on vacation," said a surprised Ashley Edenfield, 11. "Raymond was always there. If you twisted your wrist, he would fix it." Alas, the '96 Road King beckons. Whereas Raymond has been a Harley owner for 20 years, Elaine didn't crawl onto her iron horse until two years ago.

"Elaine had never even rode a moped," Karen Wain said about her adventurous mother. "But she started on a Harley. Raymond doesn't even worry about her any more." Next stop: Hog Heaven. Sam Cook's column appears Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays. You can reach him at the News-Press, P.O.

Box 10, Fort Myers, FL 33902, call him at 335-0384, (800) 468-0350 or fax him at 334-0708. By computer: e-mail NPLifeaol.com. By WENDY FULLERTON News-Press staff writer Controversy over Lee County's proposed Bible history course escalated Tuesday night, with those opposed to the course calling for board members' resignations. Others wanted the religious "meat" put back into the class, a day after such biblical figures and events as Adam and Eve, the Creation, the Day of Atonement, and the Resurrection of Jesus were slashed from the curriculum. "Who on the board initiated this course?" asked Fort Myers resident Adolph Bakalar at the end of Tuesday's regular school board meeting.

"They are the ones who should tender their resignations." Bakalar was just one of more-than 30 people to attend the meeting specifically to comment on the Bible course. "The basic notion of the religious teachings is respect," said Ken Weiner, president of the Jewish Federation of Lee County. "I would ask that you show this to all people. "It is clearly impossible to teach a course in the Bible without teaching doctrine," he said. Terri Wampler, a Cape Coral parent and member of the Bible curriculum advisory committee, added that the board was being "fiscally irresponsible," with course cost estimates at $15,000 and climbing, and less than 125 students expected to take it.

"As a parent, as a taxpayer, as; a citizen, I find this expense appallingly excessive," she said. But school board chairman Doug Santini defended the board's actions. "This is not a political issue on our part, this is an issue on beliefs of what kids in this district need," he said. "I know it's an emotional issue." The course, approved by the Lee County School Board in March 1996, has drawn national media attention and threats of legal challenges. The vote was 4 to 1 in favor of a Bible curriculum, with Katherine Boren voting against it.

Board member Lanny Moore was not on the board when the vote occurred. School Board attorney Keith Martin said his job was to make the course stand up in court, and he called for the changes. That is why Michael Balfour asked the board to put the "meat" back into the course before it is offered this fall. Likening the proposal to teaching Mozart without talking about music, "You've removed the motivation for some of the characters and events," he said. 'JC members said they will review the curriculum once the committee has finished its work The next committee meeting Js July 28.

A regular board meeting will be held Aug. 5. School starts Aug. 25. Growth in district 2B -I 'V Photos by BRUCE FINENews-Press HOME TO US: Norman Blake, University of South Florida professor of Marine Science, left, and Bill Arnold, an associate research scientist with the Florida Marine Research Institute, examine a bay scallop condominium that they use to raise scallops at the Tampa Bay facility.

Theft can't silence Christian radio HOW TO HELP I If you wish to donate anything, call WCRM at need of headphones, microphones, telephones and a cassette player. Without that last item, WCRM can't play the prerecorded tapes of its daily shows such as "Enfoque a la Familia" or "Focus on the Family," and "En Contacto" or "In Touch Ministries." WCRM's format is a mix of music, including gospel and unique styles such as Christian salsa and merengue, along with paid programming from area preachers and call-ins with doctors and lawyers. But the DJs and the call-in hosts can't fit in the same room, and they can't even talk without speakers and headphones. station has never had much money and is now in dire straits. Its five employees figure the burglars took or destroyed about $9,000 worth of stereo equipment, speakers and microphones, said news director Enrique Martinez.

The broadcasting console was vandalized, DeOlizeira said. "They ripped out all the wiring. It looked like a hurricane came through here." After discovering the damage when they came in Monday morning, employees cobbled together enough wiring to keep the system going. WCRM expects to be off the air today to test the wiring. By MIKE BRASSFIELD News-Press staff writer They are on the air despite being out thousands of dollars in stolen equipment.

Spanish-speaking Christian radio station WCRM 1350-AM is broadcasting with literally a handful of borrowed items after the station was burglarized sometime late Sunday or early Monday. "I'm running a radio station with a borrowed CD player and a $10 microphone," said disc jockey and co-pastor Raoul DeOlizeira. The nonprofit, community-minded The station operates out of a few trailers off Canal Street just east of Fort Myers. A couple of other businesses in the area have been targeted by thieves, deputies said. Office manager Katherine Santana said the station is most in DEATH ON OUR ROADS River ETC.

MANNING: Lee County Commissioner John Manning has been installed as president of the Florida Association of Counties, a NUMBER OF DEATHS: One. Robert Taylor of Fort Myers died Thursday from ROAD WATCH DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS: While filming of the movie, "Making Waves," takes place today in downtown Fort Myers, First Street, near Broadway, will be closed intermittently alldav. injuries in a July 5 crash at Daniels Parkway and Cross Creek Boulevard. Through Sunday, 46 people have died after crashes on Lee County roads this yean through July 13, 1996, crashes killed 37 people. The News-Press tracks highway NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS U.S.

41 SOUTH: If you're a customer of Florida Cities Water Co. and live or work on the west side of U.S. 41 South between Island Park Road and Hendry Creek Drive, including the subdivisions of Hendry Creek and Philips Creek, expect a water shutoff Friday. It will happen between 3 and 6 a.m. so a water main can be repaired.

FAST FACT FIRST PATIENT: The first patient at the new Lee Memorial Hospital in 1 9 1 6 was Sam Thompson, who was suffering from acute appendicitis. He was operated on and lived. mm voluntary, statewide organization that repre-. sents all 67 county governments. Manning was elected an executive officer of the group' 1 in 1994.

Executive officers serve three years before assuming the presidency. As president, Manning will help guide the association's legislative policy development and represent Florida counties by testifying before and meeting with members of the Legislature, Cabinet and state agencies. He ,1 will also nrovide oversight and direction to July7-Julyl3 deaths in an effort to increase public awareness and decrease the toll. MANNING me association and help plan the association's educational and outreach efforts. News-Press 3.