Central Florida

TAMPA, Fla. - From Daytona Beach to Tampa, voters in Central Florida began swarming the polls as early as 6 a.m., with a sort of revengeful determination. They hoped to redeem their state from the nightmarish problems of 2000 and prove to the watchful eyes of the national electorate that their votes would indeed count. And, weary of stump speeches, they were eager to put the bitter 2004 Florida campaign behind them. Voters waited as long as three hours to cast ballots in Central Florida, a coveted swath of the state's electorate.

Bedbugs are blood-consuming insects that were nearly wiped out in the United States in the mid-20th century. But they've made a dramatic comeback in the past decade. Size:: Practically microscopic at first, they can grow to the size of ladybugs, or about half the diameter of a dime. Lifespan:: Up to a year, with females laying up to 500 eggs. Gross factor:: About once a week, they seek a blood meal, preferably from humans. They gorge on blood for three to five minutes and then defecate most of the blood and shed their skins.

SANFORD, Fla. -- Joel Heaton's luck finally abandoned him shortly after midnight yesterday.It was then that the black funnel of a tornado roared down on Freddie's Fish Camp, about five miles east of this Central Florida city, and carried away a house trailer with Heaton in it.Next door, a trailer housing another single man, Fred Padgett, also sailed away with its occupant. But he splashed down in the marshy waters of the St. Johns River, a few hundred yards from land. Rescuers found him before dawn clinging to an overturned houseboat, with cuts and broken ribs but alive.

Alexis Rack was perfect in eight trips to the foul line down the stretch, and 11th seed Mississippi State (23-9) was 21-for-22 as a team in beating No. 6 seed Texas (21-12), 71-63, yesterday in the first round of the NCAA tournament's Berkeley Regional in Columbus, Ohio. "We've been doing this all year," said Rack, who had 20 points for her 13th consecutive game in double figures. "We shoot 100 free throws in practice. I felt like I was at practice. I felt comfortable and just focused."

After nearly a nine-month wait, Navy's Don DeVoe reached his milestone last night at Alumni Hall. The Midshipmen took control of Central Florida with their hawking defense in the second half and scored a 68-56 opening-game decision to present their coach with his 500th career victory. DeVoe, 60, became the 17th active coach and 59th all time to claim 500 wins. It happened in the first game of his 30th season - the 11th at the academy, where he has won 172 games. "I just feel so fortunate to be able to coach in that many games," said DeVoe, who has also been the head coach at Virginia Tech, Wyoming, Tennessee and Florida.

TAMPA, Fla. - Hurricane Charley charged across the southern Gulf Coast and into Central Florida yesterday with sustained winds of 145 mph, killing at least three people, injuring dozens, leaving hundreds of thousands in the dark and driving a sea water surge into low-lying neighborhoods. The storm hit the west coast barrier islands between Fort Myers and Punta Gorda shortly before 4 p.m. as a Category 4 hurricane, making it the most powerful storm to strike Florida since Andrew lashed the Miami area in 1992, killing 43 people and causing more than $31 billion in damage.

ORLANDO, Fla. - The late-afternoon sun was setting behind the football practice field at the University of Central Florida one afternoon last week, a slight breeze cooling off the players and their coach, George O'Leary. If you're going to endure an 0-8 start that has stretched the team's losing streak to 12 games, this is not a bad place to be. In O'Leary's case, there weren't many other options. Had he not been caught in a decades-old lie about his playing background and educational credentials dating back to his undergraduate days at the University of New Hampshire, O'Leary would be in his third season at Notre Dame.

Alexis Rack was perfect in eight trips to the foul line down the stretch, and 11th seed Mississippi State (23-9) was 21-for-22 as a team in beating No. 6 seed Texas (21-12), 71-63, yesterday in the first round of the NCAA tournament's Berkeley Regional in Columbus, Ohio. "We've been doing this all year," said Rack, who had 20 points for her 13th consecutive game in double figures. "We shoot 100 free throws in practice. I felt like I was at practice. I felt comfortable and just focused."

Central Florida (8-4) vs. Nevada (8-3) Site -- Aloha Stadium, Honolulu Time -- 8:30 TV -- ESPN Line -- Nevada by 2 Key stats: -- Nevada is 22nd in the nation in total offense (433.6 ypg). Central Florida is 84th in total de fense (403.6 ypg). Central Florida -- Playing in its first bowl, Central Florida again will be without leading receiver Mike Walker, which proved to be key in the Confer ence USA championship game loss to Tulsa. Defensive end Paul Carrington has a key matchup against Nevada tackle Tony Moll, as both were first-team all-conference players.

ORLANDO, Fla. -- The thought that a visit to Central Florida could result in a deadly encounter with an encephalitis-carrying mosquito is worrying tourists.Calls have poured into local hotels and the Visitors Center from tourists and meeting planners, all of them wondering if a trip to metropolitan Orlando will be safe. The center is operated by the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau Inc.It isn't clear how many tourists or meeting groups have canceled or postponed trips to Central Florida because of the encephalitis outbreak.

Highly regarded prep quarterback Terrelle Pryor is headed to Ohio State. The two-sport star announced his decision yesterday at Jeannette High School, about 25 miles east of Pittsburgh, where he had one of the greatest prep careers in Pennsylvania history. Flanked by his parents, brother, sister and other supporters, the 6-foot-6 Pryor wasted no time with his decision: "If everyone's here," he said, "University of Ohio State." He picked Ohio State over Michigan, Penn State and Oregon.

June Jones spent last night trying to decide whether to accept an offer to coach Southern Methodist or return to Hawaii, where the governor is among those trying to keep him. "It's been a wild day," agent Leigh Steinberg said. "I haven't seen anything like this before. It's emotionally wrenching for June." Jones was in Dallas meeting with SMU officials and the search committee that has been working since late October to hire a replacement for Phil Bennett. Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle called to see what she could do, and the president who oversees the entire University of Hawaii system called with an updated contract proposal.

Central Florida (8-4) vs. Nevada (8-3) Site -- Aloha Stadium, Honolulu Time -- 8:30 TV -- ESPN Line -- Nevada by 2 Key stats: -- Nevada is 22nd in the nation in total offense (433.6 ypg). Central Florida is 84th in total de fense (403.6 ypg). Central Florida -- Playing in its first bowl, Central Florida again will be without leading receiver Mike Walker, which proved to be key in the Confer ence USA championship game loss to Tulsa. Defensive end Paul Carrington has a key matchup against Nevada tackle Tony Moll, as both were first-team all-conference players.

Changing the tone Milestones Army coach Bobby Ross, who also coached at The Citadel, Maryland and Georgia Tech, won his 100th game. ... Minnesota became the first team in NCAA history to have two 1,000-yard rushers in three consecutive seasons when Gary Russell (1,045) joined Laurence Maroney (1,355). Maroney and Marion Barber III each reached 1,000 yards in 2003 and 2004. This and that Central Florida (8-3, 7-1) earned a spot in the Conference USA title game a year after going winless.

DR. CHRISTOPHER G. RAFFERTY passed on All Saints Day, November 1, 2005. Dr. Rafferty was born October 28, 1951, in Washington, D.C. to John Rafferty, Winter Park, FL and the late Dorothy M. Rafferty (nee Melling). Chris graduated from Univ. of MD Dental School and later completed his specialty training in oral and maxillofacial surgery at University of Texas Parkland Memorial Hospital. He has practiced in Orlando since 1983 and was founder of Orlando Oral and Facial Surgery which serves Central Florida in four locations.

When I lived in Orlando, friends and relatives from the snowy regions flocked to my one-bedroom apartment like migrating birds. At the rate of $0 per night, I offered the cheapest lodging within a half-hour of Walt Disney World, a shrine to technology and efficiency that attracts more visitors per year than there are people in Maryland. But by the end of each day spent shepherding friends through that pricey, imagined land, I longed for an amusement that didn't push its own merchandise or sell $4 sodas.

DR. CHRISTOPHER G. RAFFERTY passed on All Saints Day, November 1, 2005. Dr. Rafferty was born October 28, 1951, in Washington, D.C. to John Rafferty, Winter Park, FL and the late Dorothy M. Rafferty (nee Melling). Chris graduated from Univ. of MD Dental School and later completed his specialty training in oral and maxillofacial surgery at University of Texas Parkland Memorial Hospital. He has practiced in Orlando since 1983 and was founder of Orlando Oral and Facial Surgery which serves Central Florida in four locations.

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Shortages of construction workers, particularly roofers, could slow the rebuilding and repair of the 1,600 homes and apartments ravaged by a series of tornadoes that ripped through Central Florida two weeks ago.Government and insurance officials estimate damage from the tornadoes at more than $100 million. Forty-one people were killed in the storms that struck Feb. 23 and more than 260 people were injured.While several contractors conceded there had been a tight labor market for several months -- accentuated by the construction of Disney World's Animal Kingdom and the expansion of Sea World -- public officials said they were confident that enough workers could be found.

Long after the debris is gone, some Central Florida residents may still be feeling the effects of the 2004 hurricane season. In fact, for pet owners, the worst may be yet to come. Lurking in the cracks and crevices of homes across the region may be ticks - thousands of them, in various stages of development - perhaps the result of just one tick that hitched a ride inside on the family dog. Central Florida pest-control companies and veterinarians say there has been a notable increase in complaints about tick infestations since the three hurricanes ripped through Central Florida.

ORLANDO, Fla. - The late-afternoon sun was setting behind the football practice field at the University of Central Florida one afternoon last week, a slight breeze cooling off the players and their coach, George O'Leary. If you're going to endure an 0-8 start that has stretched the team's losing streak to 12 games, this is not a bad place to be. In O'Leary's case, there weren't many other options. Had he not been caught in a decades-old lie about his playing background and educational credentials dating back to his undergraduate days at the University of New Hampshire, O'Leary would be in his third season at Notre Dame.