News Stories: November 16 - December 22
Fans of Local band cause ruckus at concert
Thursday the 16th, Local and State, pg. 3
Written by Marcus Broden
“We weren’t even really expecting a busy night.” Said Robert Cambridge, an employee at the local night club Back Booth, this last Thursday eve. But the previous night turned out to e an extremely busy one indeed, as the club featured a performance by the local band 'Willfully Suppressed'. Far from the tame evening that the establishment was expecting on a weeknight, the band drew a sold-out audience to the club, forcing the staff to begin turning away patrons by eleven pm.
The deep and mournful tones of the Bands’ music, as well as the nigh-spiritual nature of the lyrics, drew people from the streets, many having never heard of the group before that eve. The lead singer of the band, Hayden Doors, admitted that he was not surprised by the crowds’ reaction, coyly smiling at the expressions of surprise from the club staff. “They didn’t realize how strong a simple song can be. How powerful a pull it can have, even to those who aren’t looking for it.” Doors commented in an offhand way. “All we have to do is show what is within us, and the hearts of many will see.”
Such purple prose, though peculiar in everyday speech, proved inspiring in his lyrics, as the music drifted out into the street Wednesday eve. After several minutes of being forced to turn club-goers away, the crowd congregated outside the doors of the establishment. When employees and, later even police officers, attempted to move the crowd along to prevent traffic incidents, several members of the crowd left outside would not be so easily excluded. At least five people were arrested for attacking those individuals that attempted to disperse the crowd, and several more were taken into custody on counts of disorderly conduct.
Local Teacher Commended for Troubled Teens Dramatic Turnaround
Orlando Sentinel Frontpage, December 18th 2006
Wednesday the 20th, Local and State, pg. 5
Written by Julia Turner
Luther Binderman received a letter of congratulations from the county school board, this last week. With only a few months of the school year passed already, the outlook for his students had been less than optimistic, though he has clearly made the most use of his time.
Binderman, 45, teaches a remedial education class at Lake Mary High School, and is responsible for teaching 23 students that so many have given up on, many of whom have been held back in grades, expelled, or deemed delinquents.
“I’ve never felt that you can label a child and expect anything else from them.” Binderman has repeatedly been heard saying. “The key to education is to break down such barriers.”
Within only a few months, several of Binderman’s students have already made such progress in their grades that administrators are arranging to have them advanced to normal classes at the coming term.
“What can I say,” Victor Bennett, 16, one of the students expected to rejoin his class after winter holidays, “he’s been great to us.”
“Even I have to say that I’m a little surprised at the progress we’ve made.” Binderman remarked unabashedly in an interview. “It has just been a lot of hard work, but I’m just glad that I could help these kids.”
Congregation Reduced to Tears, Reasons Unknown
Thursday the 21st, Local and State, pg. 2
Written by Trent Mason
County officials have requested that the members of the Liberty Baptist Ministry refrain from entering the building of their church until utility experts and health inspectors have had opportunity to inspect the grounds, as of Monday morning.
The Sunday night service at the Liberty Baptist ministry on Corrine Drive began like so many others have. The congregation was met by Rev. Carl Rookwood, 51, who spent several minutes in welcoming new attendees and in mentions of various church activities of the coming weeks. Within half an hour of the Reverend beginning his sermon, though, a number of the patrons began experiencing severe shifts in feelings. “It was the strangest sensation,” reported Sally Cunningham, 41, “a terrible sense of grief, of despair. I can’t quite explain it. At first I thought it was just me, but I realized soon that others were feeling it too.”
Many members of the congregation report having felt similar sensations of depression, made all the more disturbing by the suddenness and randomness of the emotion. Within minutes, nearly the entire congregation seemed to be so overwhelmed that nearly the entire group were driven to tears. When Rev. Rookwood himself succumbed to the strange feeling of woe, he managed to call for the group to vacate the premises.
Inspectors have speculated that several varieties of mold-spores could be responsible for the sudden altered states of mind, though medical examiners have yet to determine such, and health department officials have also included the possibility of gas leaks.
Elderly Woman Missing After Magic Trick
OThursday the 21st, Local & State Pg 2
Julia Turner
Rosetta Green, 68, was attending the twelfth birthday party of her grandson, Michael, this last Wednesday afternoon. It was as nice and happy an occasion as any could have hoped for; Cake, sunshine, dozens of joyful little children. Michael’s parents had even hired a Magician for entertainment. The entertainer, Paul Phynes, also known as ‘Porthos Wyrding’, performed his act, drawing the entire family’s attention, and so dazzled the group that Rosetta happily raised her hand when he asked for a volunteer. During a part of the performance, Phynes levitated rings, transmuted the family dog, and finally made the elderly assistant disappear before her family’s eyes.
That was the last time that Rosetta Green was seen by her family.
The family did not even suspect that anything was wrong for several minutes, until Phynes began another portion of his act, and seemed greatly shocked when Rosetta did not come back out of a box. Interrupting the act, the children frantically searched Phynes’ equipment for the grandmother of seven, to no avail. The police were called soon after, and Phynes is being held for questioning. The police have urged for anyone with information on this missing persons case to please come forward.
Pediatric Examiner Suspended from Duty
Friday the 22nd, Local and State, pg. 3
Written by Marcus Broden
Lucas Turner, a developmental psychologist connected with the pediatric department of Florida Hospital of Orlando, was removed from his charges this last week pending a review of his work. The doctor, 41, has worked with the group for eleven years, and his performance has not come into question until this last month, wherein a report he filed suggested distressing findings as to the well-being of recent newborns, spawning a number of raised questions as to his capacity to continue in the post.
In part of annual reviews of infant patients, Dr. Turner has examined many dozens of children born at Orlando hospitals within the last three years. These tests, ranging from overall physical well-being to cognitive development, received notably unlikely results when Turner administered them, causing many of his peers to question his ability to test his patients. According to Turner’s test models, no less than 29 of the 118 children born at the hospital between 17 and 20 months ago received diagnoses of severe mental developmental problems, ranging from loss of bodily control to autistic tendencies.
As Autism affects less than 1 in 90,000 people in the population, the reports he filed have brought many concerns as to his ability to test. Hospital officials have not released an official statement, though one official was quoted as saying that “Every now and then, test equipment can become corrupted, and the people administering just don’t catch it. These things happen.”
The children in question have already been re-enrolled for follow-up tests to gage their well-being.
- news stories courtesy the DST, Jake T., US2002022694