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Top 10 Local Stories Of 2007

Kathy Waters/Highlands Today

From left: Cpl. Edward Finneran, Sgt. Wesley Daum and Cpl. Albert Middleton share the life of Sgt. Nicholas Sottile with funeral attendees on Jan. 16 at the Restoration Center in Sebring.

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Highlands Today Staff

Published: December 30, 2007

What stories do you think should make the top ten list for 2007? Check out the reader forum and post your comments.
Top Ten Stories of 2007 Reader Forum

EDITOR'S NOTE: A lot of big stories broke throughout 2007 that grabbed readers' attention and produced plenty of coverage. Several of the stories, unfortunately, involved heart-searing tragedy and, in some cases, justice being done.

This is Highlands Today's annual year-end run down of the stories that we covered and had a major impact on our area. The ranking was determined by a poll of all Highlands Today employees.

1. Community, Officers Rally Behind Fallen Trooper

LAKE PLACID — Law enforcement throughout the state banned together after Florida Highway Patrol Sgt. Nicholas Sottile was fatally shot Jan. 12 during a traffic stop.

The 24-year-veteran of Florida Highway Patrol stopped a car north of Lake Placid for aggressive driving.

Homicide investigators say the driver, Joshua Lee Altersberger, 19, of Sebring, shot Sottile, 48, and drove off. The passenger of the car, Quintin Jerome Kinder, 21, of Bainbridge, Ga., ran into a nearby orange grove.

As soon as news of the shooting hit the police scanner, hundreds of officers from more than 25 departments arrived at the scene along U.S. 27 to assist with the search for Altersberger and Kinder, which resulted in the capture of both suspects the following morning.

More than 2,500 people gathered at Restoration Church of the Highlands to honor the fallen trooper at the Jan. 16 funeral, including about 2,000 law enforcement officers from throughout the state and country.

Sottile was remembered as "a Trooper's Trooper," a devoted husband and father, a man of faith, a great cook and a captivating storyteller, at his funeral.

Born in Avon Park, Sottile was raised in Lake Placid and graduated from Lake Placid High School. He started his career working for FHP in Miami but spent the majority of his years with Troop F in Arcadia.

"In this small, tight-knit community, the troopers and their families spend a lot of time together," FHP Director Col. Christopher Knight said at the funeral. "This loss creates a void that we aren't sure how to fill."

FHP Cpl. Ed Finneran, who worked with Sottile for most of his career, said he was always proud of his family.

"One legacy he left behind was his family, and he produced another trooper," Finneran said, referring to Nicholas Sottile, a FHP trooper in Tampa. "His family was No. 1 to him. He was a very devoted husband and father. I wish I could leave behind a legacy like that."

His surviving family members are still trying to cope with the loss of their loved one and visit the gravesite in Lake Placid regularly.

"I just try to keep a daily routine - I go to work and go home," his widow Elizabeth Sottile said. "It has changed everything for our family and community forever."

A trial date for Altersberger has not been scheduled yet, and the public defenders office may seek a change of venue because of the publicity the case has generated. State prosecutors have said that a trial may be a few years down the road.

"It'll be like scratching the scab off of a wound," Jimmy Sottile, brother of Nick Sottile said about the trial. "When the time comes, I'm going to have to relive the whole situation over again – I'm going to hear facts that I've never heard before, that are going to be painful."

2. Housing Market Started With A Boom; Ended With A Bust

SEBRING — One of the safest investments in America is our homes. But for the past five years, speculators poured money into the housing market, distorting values, equity, insurance, even taxes.

Remember all that junk mail with offers of a quick second mortgage? Interest rates dropped to a historic low in 2003, so people upgraded to bigger homes. But some couldn't afford bigger payments, and took adjustable rate mortgages – ARMs – hoping they'd earn enough money in five years. It looked too good to be true, and it was. There was a price to pay for all that easy credit.

Speculators bought houses, even built new units, to resell for more money. As the stock market dropped 3,500 points in 2001-03, gamblers instead placed their bets on real estate. As a result, prices of lots and houses doubled and tripled from 2002 to 2007.

Borrowers who originally signed up for a 5 percent ARM and an $1,100 a month payment in 2003 were getting strong-ARMed in 2007 with a 10-percent rate and an $1,800 payment. If they can't afford it, they're giving up their homes.

Nationally, foreclosures were up 68 percent through November 2007, compared with the previous year, said RealtyTrac, a California firm that monitors the real estate market.

More than 200,000 notices were filed. By October, one in every 273 Florida households was in court, twice the U.S. rate, according to RealtyTrac.

Building permits slowed. In January and February, nine building permits were issued every day for one- or two-family homes. From March though June, only 233 were pulled. In August through December, there were days when no permits were sold for a new home in Highlands County.

Stormy Weather

As a result of hurricanes in 2002-03, homeowners were still paying higher insurance premiums in 2007.

Taxes, which are based on market valuations, also doubled and tripled. New residents stopped moving to Florida, and some homesteaders who were feeling the financial pinch looked for cheaper green pastures. Northerners who moved to Florida, then relocated to North Carolina or Tennessee, for instance, are called "half-backs." They're half-way back home.

In response to the housing crisis, the Florida Legislature acted, but not effectively.

In 2007, a bill allowed insurance companies to buy cheap re-insurance from the state, but results have been mixed. Some customers still aren't reporting lower insurance rates, and the companies who dropped policy holders didn't sign up new ones. Many went to Citizens for a new policy.

The Legislature also passed a superexemption, 75 percent off the first $200,000 of the home's value and another 15 percent for homes valued from $200,000 and $500,000, they would get 15 percent.

A judge struck down the proposed constitutional amendment as too confusing.

So the legislature, which met four special sessions during 2007, offered another constitutional amendment which transfers the 3 percent Save Our Homes cap — up to $500,000 — to new homesteads. Realtors hope this will spur new home sales.

If voters approve the constitutional amendment on Jan. 29, businesses will also be granted a new $25,000 tangible personal property exemption for equipment.

3. Shopping Opportunities Expand

SEBRING — The opening of the Shops at Shelby Crossing in 2007 provided consumers more opportunities to shop national retailers new to the Sebring area.

Circuit City, Michaels Arts and Crafts, Marshalls, Ross, Petco, Books-A-Million, Mattress Giant and Famous Footwear are among the stores in the shopping center located on U.S. 27 next to Lowe's. Panera Bread and a Starbucks with a drive-thru are also tenants.

The stores had staggered openings, but most of them opened during the fall.

Two more stores are planning to open in 2008, according to Noelle Sommer, project coordinator for R. Gate Properties.

Dressbarn will locate in a 7,000 square-foot space near Michaels Arts and Crafts. A March opening is scheduled. The clothing store has 821 stores in 46 states, according to its Web site.

One Dollar Days will occupy 3,500 square feet near Famous Footwear. It is expected to open in early 2008.

Additional space is available in the center.

The largest is a 30,000 square-foot unit. There is a 4,500-square foot space, which Sommer said can be divided into smaller stores. A 4,300-square-foot unit is open next to Dressbarn.

Olive Garden is located on an outparcel in front of the shopping center. The popular Italian restaurant is scheduled to open in April.

4. Drought Threatens Lake Levels, Irrigation Supplies

SEBRING — Ironically, just last year, some homeowners at Spring Lake were complaining that they had way too much water... and the dead fish that came with it when Spring Lake overflowed that September.

Now, local gardeners, boaters and farmers are uncomfortably wishing for a tropical storm to hit the Heartland just to see the lakes, creeks and water tables come back up.

By the start of 2007, homeowners on Lake Jackson saw their docks standing over dry land. The two water districts covering the county began water restrictions that have only strengthened to this day. Then Lake Okeechobee sunk below nine feet, reaching all-time record lows for the lake and cutting off its water supply to our south.

That hit home when South Florida Water Management District looked to Lake Istokpoga as its backup supply. Homeowners, businesses, fisheries, county commissioners and the Highlands County's Visitors and Tourism Bureau revolted at the district's subsequent drawdown request, fearing their boats couldn't use the lake if it fell to 35.5 feet.

Their fears subsided by the time the request was approved in the summer. The moderate rainfall to the south made it so that the district never needed the water. For Istokpoga's residents and citrus groves, all was well, at least until the summer ended, when the lack of heavy rainfall let Istokpoga fall to a level expected for the end of the dry season, rather than its beginning.

While the new drawdown request is still being considered, the Southwest Florida Water Management District barely resisted tightening its restrictions last month.

The low lake levels did provide some silver linings. Sebring and county officials, for instance, were able to remove several invasive stumps from the lake bed of Lake Jackson after they sat there for a decade. The lake has gotten low enough by March for the stumps to become visible.

5. Combined Growhouse Busts Make Impact

SEBRING — The No. 5 story in 2007 was the monumental effort put forth by the Highlands County Sheriff's Office, its Special Investigations Unit and an Avon Park police detective, to eradicate marijuana growhouses set up in the county.

More than $14 million worth of marijuana was taken out of circulation since November 2006, according to a Grow Operations Analytical Report released by the Highlands County Sheriff's office.

Between Nov. 8, 2006 and Dec. 19, 2007, the Highlands County drug task force and sheriff's special investigations unit removed 3,488 plants and about 93 pounds of harvested marijuana from these growhouses.

A lot of the credit has to go to the hard work of sheriff's office personnel, said Sheriff's Capt. Randy LaBelle, who said regretfully this may just be the tip of the iceberg.

"We've made arrests on a lot of these but as far as them being completely cleared, no," he said. "I would like to be naive, but I believe we've only scratched the surface. I know we've made an impact. We've found some recent ones that have been dismantled, so there's some deterrent factors there."

LaBelle also said a lot of the credit should go to the people who have called in with tips. He and his detectives have spoken to civic groups, Rotarians and the board of Realtors on how to recognize a growhouse. These talks have resulted in some good leads, he said.

Sheriff's statisticians calculated it took about 4,392 man-hours to bring 79 suspects to justice.

That includes many hours from not only detectives, but also the maintenance people working for the sheriff's office who helped take a lot of these apart, LaBelle said. Often times this happened in homes with power shut off in the Florida heat.

"I'm grateful to the guys from Progress Energy and Glades Electric for their assistance," he said.

The 60 growhouse operations stole and diverted about $1.5 million in electrical power from these companies to hide the tremendous amount of electricity needed to operate a growhouse and to increase the criminals' illegal profits.

The sheriff's office rented 11 storage units to store all of the grow lights, air conditioners, ballasts, irrigation systems, carbon dioxide generators, and miscellaneous items taken into evidence.

The total cost to the sheriff's office is still being calculated.

The task force dismantled 12 growhouse operations in the Avon Park area, 22 in areas around Sebring, two were taken down in Lorida, 21 in Lake Placid and three in Venus, according to the sheriff's crime intelligence map.

6. Property Tax Relief

SEBRING — Tax relief for property owners meant budget grief in 2007 for municipalities, counties and other taxing entities.

The 2007 Legislature approved a law requiring cities and counties to lower their tax rates a certain percentage based on their past taxing history. It meant a 3 percent or more cut in tax revenue.

Councils and commissions entertained hiring freezes or hiring slow downs, recreation cuts, passing on making donations and other measures to trim their 2007-08 budgets while keeping an eye on another possible hit to their tax base in January.

On Jan. 29, the date of the presidential primary, voters will have the opportunity to lower their taxes by approving a constitutional amendment that would double the homestead exemption from $25,000 to $50,000 and let them take the 3 percent Save Our Homes cap when they move. The amendment would also put a 10-percent cap on non-homestead properties, except for school taxes.

If approved by voters, the tax-cut measure is expected to cost cities, counties, special districts and school boards $8.74 billion statewide in the first four years.

In dollars for the School Board of Highlands County, it would represent an estimated loss of $1.4 million in 2008, or about 1 percent of the school district's general fund and 1 percent of the capital fund.

"They [Legislature] said they are going to hold us harmless, but I don't see any other revenue stream that they are going to be able to replace it with, so obviously there's going to be an impact to schools." Highlands School District Assistant Superintendent of Business/Finance Mike Averyt said in November.

Highlands County Tax Assessor Raymond McIntire estimated Avon Park will lose $152,240; Sebring $199,757, Lake Placid $25,767 and Highlands County about $4.5 million. However, those numbers do not include the effect of a $25,000 exemption on personal property taxes for businesses.

Also, McIntire was uncertain how to estimate the effect of Save Our Homes portability, because it will allow people to up-size or down-size within Highlands County or move here from the other areas of the state.

7. Jury Finds Branham Guilty Of Murder In 30 Minutes

WAUCHULA — It took a week and a half to go through court proceedings, but it only took jurors 30 minutes to find Michael Branham guilty of first-degree murder on Sept. 12.

It was a painful and joyous reminder of the life of Janette Branham from her family members and friends.

"I want to thank (Michael Branham) for the joy he brought to our family when he first met (Janette)," said Kathy Seamans, Janette's mother. "I have forgiven him. I speak only for myself, and I do so, so that our hearts will not live in the black hell that his has. It doesn't mean I like him or want to have anything to do with him."

Seamans, along with other family members, were allowed to speak before Judge Michael Hunter after a 12-member jury announced their guilty verdict.

Branham, a former Avon Park police officer, shot his wife, Janette, 40, a prominent Highlands County attorney, 13 times in July 2005.

Branham sat shackled in a wheelchair showing no emotion as a court official read the jury's verdict. He declined to make a comment when asked by the judge if he had one for the family members who were present.

"All (Janette) wanted was for (Michael) to cut his hair, shave, and to quit degrading her and the family," said Mary Wiltgen, Janette's sister. "She wanted him not to become an outlaw."

Wiltgen said that Michael abused Janette and that the domestic violence that was involved with the marriage became too much for her.

"She loved her husband in the week prior to her death," said Wiltgen. "But she couldn't live with him anymore."

"(Janette) is free forever and 'Tiny' (Branham's nickname) you are not," said Patty Seamans, Janette's sister-in-law.

Branham claimed that he shot Janette in self-defense, and said that she was approaching him with a metal object he later identified as a pair of scissors.

"This was a rather quick verdict," said Assistant State Attorney Steve Houchin. "I thought the case was strong, though."

"Was it necessary for the defendant to continue to use deadly force? Evidence would suggest to you that he continued to shoot and advance towards her," said Houchin. "Michael Branham shot that gun 13 times and he hit his target 13 times."

"Thirteen was important to the defendant. It's spooky, it was a theme to him," said Houchin. "He was counting his shots as he was pulling that trigger. How poetic, (Janette) was going to leave after 13 years of marriage."

Defense attorney Larry Shearer waived Branham's right for a pre-sentence investigation, and Judge Michael Hunter sentenced him to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Branham, who weighs over 300 pounds, is currently an inmate at the Reception and Medical Center (RMC) prison in Lake Butler. In early October, Shearer filed an appeal with the Florida Second District Court of Appeals with regards to Branham's case, where an opinion has yet to be made.

8. Selling Harder Hall Is No Easy Task

SEBRING — The city of Sebring ended up the owners of Harder Hall this year after no buyers bid in an auction in bankruptcy court.

Two potential buyers have since submitted offers to purchase the hotel from the city, but both have withdrawn their contracts when Sebring City Council failed to extend their 30-day due-diligence periods.

City Administrator Bob Hoffman said the city is in no rush to sell the 100-room historic hotel on 13.6 acres of property on Little Lake Jackson.

"The city lucked into acquiring a valuable asset," Hoffman said.

The city owes $5.25 million to the federal government for the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Section 108 loan, but Hoffman said he thinks the value of the property could double in 10 years.

"When the economy bounces back, I think we will have a jewel on our hands," Hoffman said.

Assistant City Administrator Scott Noethlich said he still receives calls and e-mails from interested buyers, and he shows the property about once every two weeks.

"The city is looking to get back what we have put in the property," Noethlich said. "If that means waiting until the real estate market comes back, that's what we will do."

Hoffman said the city is planning to install a security system in the building to eliminate the cost of 24-hour on-site security. The city may also consider selling about $1 million of personal property left on the site.

Based on the city council's decisions, the city could hire a planning firm to make development plans and draw building elevations.

"If the council finds something they like, we could start to jump through hoops to rezone the property," Hoffman said. "We may also look at marketing the property. We are just looking at a lot of different avenues and options right now."

When 2007 started, the historic hotel was amidst proceedings in bankruptcy court. Marc Shenker, president of Joran Realty, which owned Harder Hall, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Oct. 20, 2006.

The court appointed Ken Welt, Chapter 11 trustee from Hollywood, Fla., after a Feb. 14 hearing, which determined Shenker was allowing one investment company to control the project. Appointing an impartial trustee gave all parties an equal opportunity to become involved with the project, the judge said.

Welt attempted to sell Harder Hall in the Aug. 1 auction for an amount that would repay the city and all creditors, but none of the three bidders who pre-qualified for the auction placed bids.

More than 100 businesses who were owed money for work completed at Harder Hall lost hope of being repaid with the outcome of auction. The list of creditors includes 63 Sebring businesses and 11 businesses and contractors in Highlands County.

9. Avon Park Police Chief Asked To Step Down

AVON PARK — The search for a new police chief following Frank Mercurio's departure is "on hold," according to C.B. Shirey, city manager.

Shirey said quite a few "qualified candidates" from a pool of more than 60 applicants were culled from a nationwide employment search.

Because Shirey's employment future is up in the air, no decision will be made concerning a future police chief until the city reorganizes on Jan. 2.

Shirey applied for the airport director's job, and if hired by the city for that position, would quit as city manager. The city manager employed following the reorganization meeting – and after a search, if Shirey leaves his current position – would choose the new chief.

"It would be up to the new city manager," said Shirey. "But we're looking for somebody who has experience in a small town."

In a letter dated Sept. 17, Shirey requested Mercurio's resignation effective Sept. 30. The embattled police chief's contract required the city to pay him 12 weeks of pay and accumulated sick and vacation time, which added up to a package of more than $54,000, Shirey said.

Asked why Shirey demanded Mercurio's resignation, Shirey said, "I just got the feeling that there was no ... support from the council remaining for that position."

At the July budget meeting, council members questioned the accuracy of Mercurio's mileage figures based on a mileage chart created by a city employee.

As Mercurio announced his resignation, he said he had been "set up" by the city and made out "to be a liar," during a budget meeting.

He said he did not know specifically which council member requested the mileage chart that led to Councilman Doug Eason's accusations at the July 14th budget hearing, but he said the chart Eason had was fraudulent. Shirey's request for his resignation Tuesday was "drastic," considering his police record, Mercurio said.

Mercurio added, "At no time during my tenure as chief of police have I been counseled, sanctioned or (have had) any personnel action taken against me."

Mercurio showed no regret over his time as the police chief.

"I'm going to hold my head high," said the former chief.

10. County Wrestles With Closing Of Lake Denton

SEBRING — More than a few Highlands County fishermen, boaters, scuba divers, swimmers and general, all-around outdoorsmen were furious in late August when the county commissioners closed the county's most popular public lake for at least one year.

Lake Denton, though, is likely to be re-opened to the public on March 1.

That is the recommendation of the special seven-member, Lake Denton Citizens Advisory Committee, which met six times over a three-month period.

The committee, appointed by the county commissioners a week after they closed the lake to public access, was chaired by Highlands County Commissioner Don Bates.

Bates and Commissioner Andy Jackson cast the two "no" votes in late August when the commissioners voted 3-2 to close this lake — which is rated as one of the two best scuba diving lakes in Florida.

Bates chaired the advisory committee as a non-voting member and moderated the meetings.

In the end, despite numerous disagreements, the seven committee members voted unanimously to recommend that the county commissioners re-open Lake Denton by March 1, at the latest.

The committee termed its report a "short-term" plan and said it is intended only to re-open this public lake as soon as possible. The committee will keep meeting to draw up a long-term plan for the lake, aimed at improving recreational access.

The committee recommended that the county commissioners order:

• A $25-per-day charge for scuba divers, charged only on Saturdays and Sundays, with free access Mondays through Fridays;

• Locking the gate the county's public boat ramp at 4 p.m. every day and unlocking the gate to the ramp at 8 a.m. every morning;

• Staffing the boat ramp, through an outside contractor, with an attendant who will collect the $25 user fee for scuba divers on Saturdays and Sun days. The attendant would be paid out of the fees collected, would monitor parking and any trouble makers, and be armed with a cell phone to call the sheriff's office if trouble breaks out.

• Also, the committee is calling for limiting parking to eight vehicles, in eight clearly marked and defined spaces in a parking lot near the boat ramp;

• And, as has not happened in the past, calling on the sheriff's office for swift enforcement of the restricted parking, with cars illegally parked outside of the lot or on or on the side of Lake Denton Drive ticketed and/or towed and impounded.
  

The full five-member board of county commissioners are scheduled to vote on the committee's recommendations at their first meeting of the new year, on Jan. 2, 2008.

"Clearly," Bates said of the committee, "our work is not done." He was referring for the committee's next series of meetings to draw up a "long range" plan aimed at improving recreational opportunities and the lake and drawing more out-of-county tourists.

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