Digest

10-day Fantasy Fest draws to close

By Times Wires
Published October 29, 2007

KEY WEST

The city's annual, 10-day mask and costume festival ended Sunday with an event for children at a local park, but a decadent parade Saturday night was the event's highlight.

Caribbean bands, groups costumed in robes and feathers and more than 50 lavish floats were part of the parade through historic Old Town. Standout entries included a 20-foot-tall rooster with a moving head and wings and a revolutionary tea party float with riders costumed as Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

Tourism officials said the festival generates about $30-million for the Keys economy. Local charities benefit from events including a campaign to choose the festival king and queen that has raised almost $2.6-million for the Keys' AIDS Help Inc. since 1989.

FORT WALTON BEACH

Father disputes son's $53,000 strip club bill

A father wants investigators to pursue fraud and larceny charges against a Panhandle strip club after his son ran up a $53,000 bill in a single night while celebrating his college graduation.

Joe Salter, 52, of Mary Esther told investigators Club 10 employees took advantage of his 24-year-old son, Tommy. The younger Salter was at the club Aug. 18 to celebrate his graduation from Georgia Tech.

According to a report from the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office, Salter told employees he could only spend $600. But Club 10 owner Tim Beal said Salter bought at least 19 bottles of champagne - priced from $150 to $2,000.

Beal said Salter signed a receipt for each champagne purchase and even scrawled his initials next to itemized charges. But the elder Salter said only the signature on the first receipt matches his son's.

The sheriff's report alleges larceny and credit card fraud.

Beal said Salter appeared to know what he was doing throughout the night. "This fellow was lucid," Beal said. "He was actually dancing with the manager, Chris, right before he left."

[Last modified October 29, 2007, 00:42:34]