Digest

In the know

By the Times staff
Published September 11, 2007

NEW PORT RICHEY

Presidential candidate to speak at dinner

Newly announced presidential candidate Fred Thompson will give a 15-minute speech when he visits the Pasco County Reagan Day Dinner on Friday, county Republican Party chairman Bill Bunting said Monday. Thompson, an actor and former U.S. senator from Tennessee, will be the first presidential candidate to hit Pasco for the 2008 election. The 7 p.m. dinner is expected to attract a full house of 500 people to Spartan Manor in New Port Richey.

Hudson

Man found dead of apparent stabbing

The Pasco County Sheriff's Office is investigating the suspicious death of a man found Monday evening at 12735 Fifth Isle. The man, whose identity was not released, died of an apparent knife wound, the Sheriff's Office said, but there was no sign of forced entry into the Leisure Beach home. He was discovered by family members.

PORT RICHEY

Dead bank robber still unidentified

The identity of the bank robber who shot himself outside Dillard's department store Friday remained uncertain on Monday, partly for this reason: the blast from the sawed-off shotgun disfigured his face. About 3 p.m. Friday, according to the Sheriff's Office, a white man, perhaps in his 40s, walked into the Colonial Bank at 9431 U.S. 19, handed the teller a note . He made off with an undisclosed sum on a bicycle, riding toward the Gulf View Square mall, dropping money as he went. As a driver chased him down, he fell off his bicycle. He took out the shotgun and fired into the air, according to the Sheriff's Office. "Bye," he said, and fired again.

[Last modified September 11, 2007, 01:58:25]