AISLING SWIFT

• Too tough? State ed board may lower passing grade after fewer students pass FCAT writing part Updated 05/14/2012 at 8:37 p.m.

  The State Board of Education has set an emergency meeting for Tuesday to consider lowering the passing grade on the writing portion of Florida's standardized test, after preliminary results indicated only about a third of students would pass this year's ...

• Lee judge who doesn't hear cases runs again, 'complete shock' to opponent Published 05/13/2012 at 8 a.m.

  Colleagues said Lee Circuit Judge Joseph A. Simpson was expected to retire for health reasons after this year, so the race for his Southwest Florida judicial seat prompted two magistrates and three attorneys, at various times, to announce plans to ...

• Theft charge dismissed against former manager of Marco-area marina Published 05/11/2012 at 9 p.m.

  A Collier judge threw out a criminal fraud case against Cedar Bay Yacht Club's former general manager after his lawyer proved he didn't steal a club member's 21-foot powerboat, sell it and pocket the money.

• Woman gets 3 years probation for cashing dead mother's government checks Updated 05/01/2012 at 6:04 p.m.

  "I just want to re-emphasize I am very, very sorry," Andrews told the judge, crying again after learning she wasn't going to prison. "I dishonored my family's name. I wish all this had not happened, but it was just not ...

• Two east coast lawyers try to unseat judges in Collier County courtrooms Published 04/29/2012 at 5 p.m.

  Attorney Stephen P. Smith, 34, of West Palm Beach, is running against Collier Judge Mike Carr, 64, who is up for re-election after his first six-year term. Smith is one of two Collier County judicial candidates who don't live in ...

• Collier elections supervisor ranks No. 3, Lee's says rankings are flawed Published 04/27/2012 at 5:05 p.m.

  A ranking of Florida's election supervisors shows Collier County was ranked third for its speed in reporting the Jan. 31 primary election results and other duties, while Lee County came in fifth.

• St. Leo's Father Stan submits resignation, working as psychologist Published 04/25/2012 at 7:48 p.m.

  But in a statement issued Wednesday, the Diocese of Venice said 47-year-old Father Stan Strycharz can't "resign from active ministry of the priesthood" because he's on administrative leave and faces a canonical trial on formal charges that could result in ...

• Lighthouse Project - Who We Are: Rich, poor divide one of most unequal in U.S. Published 04/22/2012 at 12:08 a.m.

  Take a walk through the River Park neighborhood and Joseph Williams often can be found sitting on the stoop of his modest home, doling out advice, just as he did as the reverend at the community's church. Phil McCabe can ...

• Lighthouse Project - Who We Are: Churchgoers have more options than ever in SW Florida Published 04/22/2012 at 12:03 a.m.

  When Ted Zelman moved to the Naples area in 1979, being Jewish was not — as he called it — "mainstream." "I would go to meetings, and it was just expected that the people there were all Christians," said Zelman, ...

• Small share of Rep. Mack's donations in bid for Senate come from his district Published 04/20/2012 at 9 p.m.

  Fort Myers Congressman Connie Mack's first-quarter 2012 filing with the Federal Election Commission shows he took in $1.05 million in the first three months of this year, with $111,495 of that from 100 local donors. That left him with $1.3 ...

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