PAGE 3 - June 11, 2008
The Newscaster/Nature Coast News
Students Learn From Words of
Squawk Box
from page 1
Legends restaurant and lounge for dinner. The waiter/bartender was the same young man
Courage and Wisdom
who tended to us the night before. He asked us how we liked our trip to Wrigley. We told him
we were pleased with the entire trip and scene. But I did tell him and the rest of the staff at the
Special to The Newscaster by Mary-Ann Virgilio
hotel that if we are fortunate enough to visit their fair city again it will be in July. May is too
cold in Chicago.
On Tuesday, May 13, the sixth grade  how being a single parent was also difficult,
Among the many places Kathie and I would have liked to have visited was the Navy Pier,
Dolphin Team at Inverness Middle School  but when she completed her education her
the Art Institute Of Chicago, the Sears Tower, Soldier Field and a couple of the famous
participated in a Program titled "One Book,  life had a new purpose. Mrs. Steiden raised
restaurants that Chicago is known for. If the opportunity should present itself for us to return
One Team", where every student read the  two successful daughters, was a prison Psy-
in the future we have vowed to do what it takes to spend an extra day or two to see more of
same book at the same time. The book, "We  chological Specialist, and a Marriage and Fam-
what this great city has to offer.
Beat the Street" is about three inner-city Afri-  ily Therapist. She currently operates her own
We were also struck by the genuine hospitality and friendliness we were afforded. Being
can American young men who made a pact to  web solution business.
a true southerner, I was afraid that we would encounter people who for the most part were at
Mr. Bob Krokker, who endured a more
stay together while they faced challenges of
best indifferent, at worst, unfriendly. Quite the opposite was true. I struck up conversations
growing up in a poverty-stricken neighbor-  serious adversity, lost his sight at the age of
with many Chicagoans and was pleasantly surprised at how willingly they interacted with us
hood. Despite the adversities they had to  forty. In his early years Mr. Krokker owned a
and how helpful they were.
endure, all three young men became success-  construction company and was at the height
As nice as the trip was, the reality of how very stressful it would be to live in a big city hit
ful; two became doctors and one a dentist.  of his career, when he lost his eyesight due to
home when we were leaving. As we were getting ready to check out and head to the airport,
At the conclusion of the book, the students  Diabetes. Blindness changed the course of
we were watching the local news. We saw traffic jams all over the city taken from the news
were privileged to have guest speakers visit  his life; however, rather than being impaired
stations helicopters and were told of delays to the airport. I told Kathie if we get hung up here
the school, and share stories about how they  Mr. Krokker decided to begin a new life with
because of a traffic jam and miss our flight home it would spoil an otherwise nice trip. Kathie
overcame challenges in their lives and  sight impairment. He is presently a carpenter,
said "yeah, and I would have to hurt you if you got us stranded in a big ol' city this far from
and the Director of the Blind Americans of
achieved success through education.
home".
The first speaker, Mr. Arnold Virgilio told  Citrus County,
We didn't hit any of the traffic jams and a couple of hours after leaving our hotel we were
The last speaker of the day was Dr. Allen
the students about the difficult times he en-
in the air and on our way home.
countered as a Veteran returning from Viet-  Hayes, a highly decorated retired Marine who
Homicide Investigation   - Continued from page 1
nam. Jobs were not readily available for Vet-  overcame the most serious challenges of all.
erans; therefore, Mr. Virgilio realized the im-  Dr. Hayes was seriously injured while serv-
of a structure and grand theft). After his arrest, Coleman asked to speak with the two detec-
portance of continuing his college education,  ing in the Armed Forces. He served three
tives. He told the detectives, that on the evening of May 30th, Coleman had been inside his
which had been previously interrupted by the  tours of duty in Vietnam, and during his last
residence, very intoxicated, and Powell had angered him by falling down and breaking some
Military draft. He was a taxi driver during the  tour he was gravely injured losing both his
of his personal items. Coleman said that he'd attempted to assist Powell to the back of the
day, and attended college full time in the  legs above the knee, and seven fingers and a
property, where Powell lived, and that he sat him down next to his (Powell's) vehicle, but
evening. The school Mr. Virgilio attended was  thumb on both hands. In spite of his injuries,
Powell had kept getting up, trying to follow him back to his residence, which was aggravating
located in a ghetto. He walked through gang  Dr. Hayes went on to become a champion
him more. Coleman said he went to his back porch and retrieved a hammer, then went back to
and drug infested areas at nighttime, and con-  skier, weight lifter, and an avid sailor, and pi-
Powell and struck him several times on the head. He said he then took the hammer and hid it
tinued that arduous schedule for several years  lot. Dr. Hayes professes "that life with a dis-
in an old derelict van parked next to his residence.
until he graduated. Today, Mr. Virgilio is a  ability is merely an alteration."
After obtaining a search warrant, detectives found the hammer, which was covered
We wish to thank Mr. Virgilio, Mr. Newsome,
successful self employed insurance broker.
in blood, inside the van. The detectives measured the distance Coleman said he'd traveled to
Mr. George Newsome, the second speaker,  Mrs. Steiden, Mr. Krokker, and Dr. Allen Hayes
obtain the hammer, which was 20 yards. Coleman remains in custody and is held without
shared stories about the difficult childhood  for providing an unrivaled experience for the stu-
bond.
he had, and the horrific challenges he had to  dents at Inverness Middle School. From this
Important Toll Free Numbers
endure while growing up in his crime-filled  experience the students have learned that adver-
Citrus Cty Govt. Citrus Springs & Dunnellon  489-2120
neighborhood. He, too, was determined to  sities are merely challenges that can be overcome
Levy Cty Govt. 800-733-5389 Levy Cty Sheriff 800-538-9767
make a better life for himself. He served in the  through focus, determination, and education.
FHP Brooksville 800-500-1240 FHP Gainesville 800-395-8248
Appreciatively,Mary-Ann Virgilio,
Armed Forces, graduated college, and moved
The Newscaster 352-447-4588
on to achieve a position as an Administrator  Guest Speaker Facilitator; Kathy Locke, Denise
Klauder, Nancy Hemenway, Dianna Goolsby,
of a Juvenile Correctional Facility.
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Standing: [left to right] Denise Klauder, Nancy Hemenway, Kathy Locke, Dianna Goolsby,
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Speaker Facilitator/Substitute Teacher, George Newsome, Arnold Virgilio; Seated:
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