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Letter to the editor

Missing elderly woman's body found

By Times Staff Writers
Published March 9, 2008

BELLEAIR - Mary Zelter, the 86-year-old woman who vanished last week and was found Monday night, died in an accidental drowning, the Medical Examiner's Office said.

Zelter was found floating in the Intracoastal Waterway near a Clearwater boat ramp late Monday. Her submerged car was pulled from about 6 feet of water Tuesday morning.

While police have said there is no outward sign of criminal activity, Clearwater police spokeswoman Elizabeth Daly-Watts said it was too early to make a final conclusion. Police are still waiting for toxicology reports and for her car to dry out enough to be examined.

Zelter's daughter, Mary Lallucci, spoke briefly to reporters Wednesday morning in the driveway of her Belleair home.

She thanked police, the public and the media for helping in the search for her mother, who did not return Feb. 26 after signing out of her assisted living facility.

Jonathan Abel, Times staff writer

Pipe problems lead to citywide boil order

OLDSMAR - All city residents had to boil their water after part of the city's main water transmission line along Forest Lakes Boulevard split in two about midnight Wednesday.

The notice was expected to last at least 48 hours from the time it was announced Thursday morning. No water outages or loss in water pressure was expected while the notice was in effect.

"This is the only full-city boil water notice that we've issued in my 12 years here," said John Mulvihill, Oldsmar's director of public works.

Theresa Blackwell, Times staff writer

Woman arrested on grand theft charges

CLEARWATER - Adriana Abreu's Web site might sound enticing to real estate agents struggling in this dreadful market.

The 40-year-old Clearwater woman said she started a successful futures market trading business and invited others to join her and make a fortune.

But one investor told Clearwater police that Abreu led him not to success, but a scam.

She was arrested Monday and charged with grand theft of more than $100,000 after an investigation that began late last year, Clearwater police spokeswoman Elizabeth Daly-Watts said Wednesday.

Paul Jallo, 40, of Tarpon Springs told Clearwater police Detective Chris White that Abreu pocketed $410,000 he gave her as an investment in the stock market.

In March and April of last year, Abreu promised Jallo a 10 percent monthly profit on the money he invested, according to an arrest report. When he asked for his money back after several months, she wrote him checks that bounced.

Eileen Schulte, Times staff writer

Flagging economy could clear way for garage

CLEARWATER - More than 10 years after the city first started talking about putting a parking garage on Clearwater Beach, council members are moving ahead with a plan to buy property for the project.

But some local real estate experts are questioning whether the city's efforts will be successful.

In the past, Clearwater has talked with property owners and developers about putting together enough land to build a garage, but council members said the price grew too steep because the owners viewed the city as an unlimited source of cash.

This time, though, city leaders say the rapidly dropping economy coupled with rising taxes and insurance costs could make property owners willing to sell.

If so, the city is ready to deal.

"I look at this more as a life preserver (for the owners) rather than a Lotto ticket," Mayor Frank Hibbard said.

Mike Donila, Times staff writer

[Last modified March 8, 2008, 22:47:36]