From the looks of a flier sent out by his opponent, state Sen. Lee Constantine didn’t age a bit between 1990 and 2004. The flier, with the headline “Lee Constantine: Twice Convicted Criminal,” was sent to 36,000 households in Seminole and Orange counties. It shows two mug shots of Constantine, one dated 1990 and the other 2004, the years Constantine was arrested on drunk-driving charges. The Altamonte Springs Republican pleaded no contest both times. Democratic challenger Jeremiah Jaspon, a Sanford attorney, said his campaign ended up using two photos from the 2004 arrest because the 1990 photos were no longer available. Constantine’s shirt and undershirt appear darkened in one photo.
Trash talk in Casselberry
A City Commission candidate reported to police that someone stole the trash can and its contents from the front of her house in the Carriage Hill subdivision. Sandi Solomon said she thinks someone might have been trying to get information about her campaign. She is running for Seat 3 on the City Commission against Earl McMullen. “Some people will do anything,” said Solomon, who filed a police report a week ago Friday. McMullen says don’t look at him. “My campaign didn’t have anything to do with that,” he said. “The last thing I’d steal from them would be their trash.”
One mystery solved
An actual, live quote from Earl McMullen in our newspaper? Yes, the case of one missing Casselberry candidate has been solved. After leaving all kinds of phone messages that went unanswered, we finally caught up with McMullen last week. It was too late, unfortunately, to quote him in an article about the Casselberry election that was published earlier this month. “The people that advise me, they advised me not to meet with y’all,” McMullen said. “Then they said they made a mistake. I agreed it was a mistake not doing it, but it was too late.” So, who exactly are these mystery advisers? No comment from McMullen.
Vote early, not often
Seminole County voters are on pace to cast more than 15,000 early votes before Election Day. Through the first four days of early voting, 4,236 people had cast ballots at five early voting sites, according to the Seminole County Supervisor of Elections Office.
Another reason to vote early
About 2,200 registered voters in Seminole County’s Precinct 82 received a letter this week alerting them to potential parking problems on Election Day. The landlord of the strip shopping center at Needles Trail and Hunt Club Boulevard — that’s where the poll is — has made clear that 20 parking spaces will be reserved for businesses and will be off limits to voters, said Elections Supervisor Michael Ertel. The letter recommended alternatives, such as early voting and absentee ballots, and urged those voting on Election Day to consider going to the poll during off-peak hours, Ertel said.
Top scholars
Seminole County has 40 National Merit semifinalists in its high school senior classes this year. The School Board on Tuesday honored the students, along with three black students who are National Achievement Scholarship semifinalists and eight Hispanic students who are National Hispanic Recognition Program scholars.
Downtown fixer-upper
Bram Towers is getting new carpet, tile and paint in its lobby, but it’ll take a lot more than that to make HUD officials happy. The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, which provides the guidelines for the residential building, has brought in Jeffrey Charles Property Management to get the place in shape. A group called Friends of the Towers sent letters to Sanford residents and business owners, asking for help in buying the floor and wall coverings for the 12-story building, which is sponsored by Holy Cross Episcopal Church in Sanford and All Saints Episcopal Church in Enterprise. So far, they have received about $1,700, assistant manager Fran Masse said. The landmark apartment complex in downtown Sanford was built in the 1970s and is in desperate need of repair, Masse said. A future fix-it list will include new elevators and windows, as well as toilets and shower heads that are expected to save Bram about $20,000 a year on utility bills.
Helping hand
Nearly two dozen community service organizations, from the Seminole County Safe House women’s shelter to the Boys & Girls Club, are set to receive grants from a pool of more than $1 million approved Tuesday by Seminole County commissioners. The largest grant, $225,000, went to Meals on Wheels.
Snakes and scares
Today is the last day to celebrate Halloween at Central Florida Zoo. The annual Zoo Boo Bash is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. In addition to trick-or-treating in the wildest neighborhood in town, guests can take a not-so-haunted train ride or a haunted hayride, visit the “Scare’etarium,” have their face painted, enjoy spooky magic with Jimmy V and learn about some of the myths associated with Halloween animals. As an added bonus, guests can meet some of the zoo’s newest residents — red spitting cobras, which deliver venom via a bite or by spitting it into their victim’s eyes.
Crossing the border
Where, oh, where, were staffers from State Attorney Norm Wolfinger’s office Thursday? Outside Jones High School in Orange County, encouraging students to enter the prosecutor’s second annual “Rap Against Violence” contest. Wolfinger, though, serves Seminole and Brevard counties — not Orange. So why the publicity event in Orange? Because, this year, Orange-Osceola State Attorney Lawson Lamar and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office have signed on as co-sponsors, joining 102 Jamz — 101.9 FM (WJHM) — and a slew of others.
Let’s talk regionally
Outgoing Seminole County Commissioner Randy Morris will be the guest on For the Record today on Central Florida News 13. Morris will be quizzed about the importance of thinking regionally by host Scott Harris; Jane Healy, Orlando Sentinel vice president and editorial page editor; and Paul Owens, the Sentinel’s senior editorial writer. The show is on at 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
