Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Digest

Parking officer banned for stalking woman

By Times Staff
Published November 18, 2006

A parking enforcement officer has been banned from the city where he worked after he allegedly stalked a female resident for about 15 years.

Michael Mehill, 60, who has worked for the city for 24 years, turned in his notice of retirement this week after a Pinellas County judge told him he could no longer set foot in St. Pete Beach.

According to court documents, Mehill had followed Julie Gable since 1991. He parked outside her house, chased her to the beach and showed up at stores where she was running errands.

Gable first filed a complaint against Mehill in 1999. She called for Mehill's termination, but had no luck.

Fund, blood drive set for injured researcher

Friends and fellow researchers have set up a fund for University of South Florida research associate Joe Donnelly, 49, who was severely injured this week in a lab accident.

Checks can be made out to "USF Federal Credit Union Donnelly Donation Fund" and mailed to Director's Office, FWC/FWRI, 100 Eighth Avenue SE, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.

Also, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute is sponsoring a blood drive Monday to benefit Donnelly and others. The drive will be Monday in front of the institute building at 100 Eighth Avenue SE from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. All blood types are welcome, and all will be donated in Donnelly's name.

Elsewhere

 DADE CITY: Ten days after the election, there is a winner in the Group 7 Pasco County judge race. Candy VanDercar took one of the closest races in Pasco history, winning by 55 votes over Frank Grey II.

DUNEDIN: The City Commission Thursday approved an agreement with George Radhert, who plans to turn the Schiller University property into an upscale hotel. Rahdert represents the Times on First Amendment issues.

TARPON SPRINGS

Home starts to sink with woman inside

Terrified and frantic, a 58-year-old disabled woman called a relative Friday morning to complain that all the doors of her home were stuck closed.

Melissa Ferguson arrived and was able to rescue her cousin. Then she called for help.

Police and city officials later confirmed that the house at 108 N Ring Ave., which Ferguson owns, appeared to be sinking.

Ferguson ventured back inside a half hour later to retrieve some clothes. "By then, the living room floor looked like a playground slide," she said.

[Last modified November 18, 2006, 05:55:27]