Florida Today from Cocoa, Florida • 11

Google fires shot at Kindle SECTION THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012 FLORIDA TODAY FLORIDATODAY.COM LOCAL EDITOR John Kelly jkellyfloridatoday.com Brevard beach water near best in US 0 4 Florida ranks fifth of 30 states tested ByJim Waymer FLORIDA TODAY Jump right in. Space Coast surf tested clean almost every time last year, exceeding national bacteria standards in only 1 percent of samples, a national nonprofit group found. But nationwide, beach water fared much worse: 8 percent of samples violated public health standards in 2011, according to the study by the Natural Resources Defense Council. Beach closing and advisory days in 2011 were at the third-highest level in the 22-year history of the council's report, totaling 23,752 days, a 1 percent decrease from 2010. There were no beach closings or advisories in Brevard County last year, but as always, it's swim at your own risk.

"When people dive into the ocean, it can make them sick," said Sfeve Fleischli, acting director of the defense council's water program. He cited runoff as the main cause of swimming advisories and beach closings. And heavy rains FIVE WORST STATES FOR RATE OF BEACH WATER SAMPLES EXCEEDING HEALTH STANDARDS Louisiana (29 percent) Ohio (22 percent) Illinois (12 percent) Indiana (11 percent) Wisconsin (11 percent) Source: Natural Resources 1 Defense Council and old sewer infrastructure don't mix, he said. "Much of this filth is preventable," Fleischli said. His group wants the federal government to enforce stricter stormwater and sewer rules.

Florida ranked fifth of 30 states included in the defense council's analysis, with just 3 percent of samples exceeding standards in 2011. The state improved by 1 percentage point over the previous four years. Brevard was among six Florida counties with only 1 percent of samples that ex-See BEACH, Page 3B Surfer Gage Merritt of Palm Bay prepares to surf behind Indialantic's Boardwalk. Brevard beach water tested among the nation's cleanest rik jessefiorida today Clues sparse in homicide I 1 i 'i i. tk' fir i I I I I 1 1 I I i 1 If I ii 1 Victim 'wanted mom says By J.D.

Gallop FLORIDA TODAY A day after family and friends buried 22-year-old Kaper Ron Williams in a small rural cemetery in Georgia, his mother is pleading for information leading to an arrest in the Melbourne slaying of the married father of two. "I do believe my son knew (his assailants), and I hope whoever did it gets caught," Cynthia Mackey said a day after her son was eulogized at First African Missionary Baptist Church in Vidalia, Ga. "I just want to know why they did this to him you didn't have to kill him." No arrests have been rr i BREVARD'S POPULATION REMAINS FLAT Larry Lawton of West Melbourne signs copies of his new book "Gangster Redemption," which he calls a "very powerful" look at his life story, craig rubadouxflorida today He's been there (prison), done that (inspired kids) made, but detectives are hoping a reward of up to $5,000 could help generate leads. The dead Williams ly shooting happened just after midnight June 20 in the darkened parking lot of Hopkins Place Apartments near University Boulevard in south Melbourne. Mackey said Williams, a construction worker, may have been taking the trash to a nearby trash bin on the property when he was ambushed and shot multiple times in the head and upper body.

His body showed bruising, and he had a black eye See VICTIM, Page 3B ing to new population estimates being released by the Census Bureau today. All of the other cities in the county, except one, showed slight population decreases between July 2010 and July 2011. But the declines were so small they were virtually non-existent given the margins of error in the Census Bureau's annual estimates. The popula- See GROW, Page 2B Dr 1480 33rd St Orlando, FL (407) 999-0020 City 2010 population 2012 population Cape Canaveral 9,921 9,916 Cocoa 17,154 17,147 Cocoa Beach 11,240 11,235 Grant-Valkaria 3854 3,851 Indialantic 2,723 2,721 Indian Harbour Beach 8,231 8,228 Malabar 2,760 2,758 Melbourne 76,131 76,095 Melbourne Beach 3,104 3,102 Melbourne Village 662 663 Palm Bay 103,278 103,227 Palm Shores 900 900 Rockledge 24,948 24,935 Satellite Beach 10.117 10,113 Titusville 43,798 43,777 West Melbourne 18,371 18,362 Brevard County 543,828 543,566 Source: U.S. Census Bureau in right direction his Reality Check program and its impact on area youth.

Question: What is your background? Lawton: While in prison, I ended up getting my paralegal degree. I ended up working on a lot of cases then I started being a big advocate for fiehtinc nrisnn ww 1 1 mi i. i ii mil i i i mii Yes, you: Village grows by one abuses. Friends of were Ex-con points teens By Andrew Ford FLORIDA TODAY Larry Lawton is an author and public figure who works to help low-level offenders change their ways by inspiring them with his own story of redemption from a life as a felon. He also advocates for prisoners' rights and comments on the criminal justice system.

He recently released a book about his life called "Gangster Redemption," and said he signed a deal to do a reality TV show and is in negotiations for motion pictures. Lawton grew up in the Bronx and Brooklyn and went to prison after getting out of the Coast Guard when he robbed jewelry stores and "got involved in some bad stuff." FLORIDA TODAY talked to Lawton about 'USD ON THE ISSUES killed by the prison system. When I got out of prison, I developed the Reality Check program, which is a four-part program that helps kids stay out of jail it's used by the federal government it's used by police agencies, and it's court-ordered in this county, as well. How many kids have you helped? Lawton: Thousands. An See LAWTON, Page 3B Co-author Peter Goldenbock worked with Larry Lawton on the book "Gangster Redemption." CRAIG RUBADOUXFLORIDA TODAY Population falls a bit countywide By John McCarthy FLORIDA TODAY Melbourne Village was the fastest-growing city in Brevard County between 2010 and 2011.

It is likely nobody noticed, though. The population of the Space Coast's smallest city jumped by 1 to 663, accord 252S New Haven Melbourne, FL (321)473-3510 288S South Orlando Saniord, FX (321) 420-1176 17S7 N. Nova Rd Holly Hill, FX (388) 868-1191 as is. If it's in-sstocli it ON SALS'! Must be picked up or delivered by Sat, June 30th! (rem Engineered Quick Click Oaks 9 change. Liquidation, small lota odd lots sold from 1st Quality Laminate Product availability prices subject to.