FORT MYERS - Sex offenders in Lee County will be charged to register with the state, which they are required to do by law. ...more

December 5, 2007

A Fort Lauderdale man met a 14-year-old Polk County girl on MySpace.com and had sex with her several times, stretching back to last summer, Polk County deputies say. ...more

December 3, 2007

POLK COUNTY - A Fort Lauderdale man met a 14-year-old Polk County girl on MySpace.com and sexually battered her several times since last summer, Polk County deputies say. ...more

December 2, 2007

On Nov. 1, there was a front page article about a convicted sexual predator named Dale Leland, titled "Family, Friends Plea for Man in Court." It was full of quotes from his friends, neighbors, co-workers and lawyer, all vouching for him. Dale already confessed to detectives. Evidence supported the charges and he was found guilty by the jury. Yet, despite the conviction, these character witnesses implied that the sweet, innocent girls lied, making Dale the victim. MSNBC ran the series, "To catch a predator." Predators would meet "underage" targets online, using sexually explicit language. When the predator showed up for pre-arranged sex, the MSNBC investigator spoke briefly to him, then allowed him to leave. Once outside, local police quickly arrested him. The series concluded with the trial and sentencing of each. Without even touching their underage victims, every predator was convicted. Among them was a doctor, a college professor and a child services worker, all liked and respected in their communities. Like Dale, probably many vouched for them. ...more

November 27, 2007

LAND O' LAKES - Kids' Stuff Preschool & Day Care was the Best of Parade winner at the 2007 Fall Flapjack Festival Parade this past weekend. ...more

November 7, 2007

Parents are taking a more active role in raising their children than they did a decade ago, setting greater restrictions on TV watching and reading more to youngsters, the government reported Wednesday. ...more

November 1, 2007

LAND O' LAKES - The cheerleaders were chanting, their feet kicking high in the air. ...more

October 14, 2007

Regarding 'Who Rapes' (front page, Sept. 13): Valerie Kalfrin's excellent article detailing the many types of acquaintance rape offers a disturbing picture of that crime. It is important for potential victims to realize that most men who might rape them are people they know - but not necessarily, or even in most instances, people they are dating. ...more

September 20, 2007

In the back of every parent's mind is the nagging worry that his or her child may become a victim of violence at a school bus stop. There are predators of every ilk out there — not to mention increased traffic — and students waiting on a grassy corner during the pre-dawn hours can be vulnerable. ...more

September 19, 2007