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Week in review

By Times Staff Writer
Published February 12, 2006

LOGAN GATE MURDER SUSPECT PLEADS NOT GUILTY: Joshua Rosa, accused of killing Logan Gate Village teen Stephen Tomlinson in December, pleaded not guilty at an arraignment Monday. Rosa, 20, is accused of strangling the 13-year-old to death and leaving his bloody, beaten body in the brush of Logan Gate Park in the Carrollwood area. Rosa's next court date is April 5.

Stephen Tomlinson and Rosa were neighbors and buddies, sometimes attending church together. Stephen's father, Ron Tomlinson, who has vowed to attend every court date until the case is resolved, sat on the front row, less than 20 feet from Rosa. Members of Rosa's family were there, too.

HIGH SCHOOL IN LUTZ: The Hillsborough County School Board moved closer to owning all of the 77 acres needed for a high school in Lutz, agreeing to the purchase price for the final two pieces of land. They agreed to pay $2.06-million for a 51-acre parcel and $600,000 for 5.9 acres for property off Lutz-Lake Fern Road on property next to McKitrick Elementary and Martinez Middle schools. The district has bought one other piece of land for $2.75-million. The school, scheduled to open in August 2008, will relieve three crowded schools: Gaither, Sickles and Alonso high schools.

LAND SWAP IN MANDOLIN: The board also agreed to a land swap with the county to build an elementary school in Citrus Park's Mandolin neighborhood. The district will receive 23 acres at the dead end of Citrus Park Drive, and the county will receive 15 acres, which will become county park land, just west of the Fawn Ridge subdivision. The school district is paying the county $390,000, which represents the difference in appraised value between the two properties.

TEENS CHARGED WITH ARMED BURGLARIES: Two Alonso High School students were held Tuesday in the county jail, charged as adults with the armed burglary of a mobile home last month. According to sheriff's investigators, Anthony Bryant and Brandan Gosselin broke into the mobile home of Anthony Squire sometime between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Jan. 15. Squire was renovating the home at 9802 Cedar Court in Tampa, and there was a hole in the bathroom floor. Authorities say Bryant and Gosselin entered the home through that hole. They stole audio equipment and a .22-caliber rifle, a sheriff's report said. Deputies arrested them Monday at the juvenile detention center, where they were on other charges, said sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter. Last year, Hillsborough sheriff's deputies arrested Bryant and charged him with bringing a firearm to school, state records show.

[Last modified February 11, 2006, 10:43:05]