CLEARWATER — A group of former Scientologists wants to speak to city commissioners about what they say is the "hypnotic and satanic content" of Scientology. Former member Margery Wakefield wrote a letter to Mayor Rita Garvey saying she and a small group of former Scientologists would like to demonstrate various practices the organisation uses among followers. Ms. Wakefield said she was prompted to make the suggestion because city commissioners next week are expected to consider a site plan for a $3.5-million ...

[This is a reprint of an article published on December 23, 1988 in the St. Petersburg Times.]

Seattle lawyer Walter D. Palmer says it was strictly "a business decision." But a result of an investment he made with business associate John G. Ritchie could result in a forced sale of Church of Scientology buildings in downtown Clearwater. And holding the auction for the men would be the Pinellas County government. Scientology lawyer Paul B. Johnson said he will seek an injunction to stop the sale. The proposed auction, which Palmer suggested two weeks ago, relates to Scientology's annual ...

A Pinellas judge presiding over a Scientology tax dispute has removed himself from the case because of a newspaper report that cited a real estate transaction between the judge and the Church of Scientology. The St. Petersburg Times reported in December that Circuit Judge Howard P. Rives, who was presiding over a lawsuit concerning taxes on Scientology properties, sold one of those properties to the church in 1979. Rives said in December that there was no conflict in his role because ...

NEWKIRK, OK – A proposed drug treatment and rehabilitation center which could be in operation on Indian land at the former Chilocco Indian School north of Newkirk by June 15th may be part of a notorious religious cult. Narconon was approved for a 75-bed facility by the State Health Planning Commission in January of this year as part of The Chilocco Development Authority. The projected cost is $400,000 for renovation and the five Indian tribes involved are projected to receive $16,000,000 ...

After years of sparring with the townsfolk and veiling itself in secrecy, the Church of Scientology has succeeded in turning Clearwater into its spiritual mecca. Scientologists quietly run teen nightclubs, schools, day-care centers, management consulting firms and other businesses, records and interviews show. Now the strategy of the organization, longtime observers say, is to confront controversy, gain converts and make money - lots of it. Scientology's Clearwater operation brings in $1.5-million to $2-million a week, say church watchers who include Clearwater ...

CLEARWATER — The outbreak of measles reported by county health officials this week has been traced to the True School, a private school in Clearwater that uses the teachings of L. Run Hubbard, founder of the Church of Scientology. A Health Department official said Tuesday that 40 of the 100 students at the school had not been immunized. But Sherry Payson, a spokeswoman for the school, said she thinks the figure is lower. She said neither the school nor Scientology discourages ...

DUNEDIN — The body of an unidentified man was found floating in Clearwater Harbor Thursday morning by an off-duty police officer. [...]

The caller dialed in secret access codes to the computer, codes assigned to the building inspectors for reporting inspection results. According to the information the caller dialed into the computer about 11 p.m. April 14, a new art gallery in Clearwater had passed final inspections. But building officials became suspicious. The building inspector who supposedly did the inspections was on vacation when the calls were made. And the inspector had made no final inspections at the gallery. The secret computer access ...

CLEARWATER — In 1975 the Church of Scientology, cloaked in secrecy, made this waterfront city its international headquarters. A lengthy outcry ensued when the public became aware the sect — under another name — bought a Clearwater landmark, the Fort Harrison Hotel. The Scientologists subsequently bought many other parcels of downtown Clearwater property, posting guards to keep the curious at bay. When the public and press asked questions about the aims of the Church of Scientology, sect leaders became mum about ...

CLEARWATER — A Clearwater man died Friday morning after his small car slammed into the side of a flatbed truck owned by the Pinellas County Department of General Services. The accident occurred just before 9 a.m, at one of Clearwater's busiest intersections — Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard and Belcher Road. Alain Priouzeau, who police said was in his mid-20s, was flown by helicopter to Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg and died an hour and a half later of head injuries, police said. ...

Description of video is in italics. VO=VOICEOVER shot of Church of Scientology, Los Angeles; apparently group of ex-members VOICEOVER: The Church of Scientology, one of the largest and richest new religious movements, is being sued for a billion dollars by former members for fraud and breach of trust. They regard Scientology as a dangerous cult. group of Scientologists VO: Yet the church goes on expanding, making converts and claiming it is "The Road to Total Freedom". ''"Panorama" opening credits; while music ...

CLEARWATER — A local school student council could win $5,000 in a contest — if the school follows the offical guidelines outlined in Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard's book "The Way to Happiness." At least one Pinellas school principal received a flier advertising the contest sponsored nationally by the Concerned Businessmen's Association of America, an organization that has been tied to the Church of Scientology. School principals are asked to fill out a request form to enter their school in the ...

CLEARWATER — What was thought to be a roofing job under way on the Fort Harrison Hotel's 10th-floor sundeck turned out to be gutter repairs, building officials confirmed Tuesday. So Chief of Building Inspections Dave Christiansen said he's not sure whether the Church of Scientology needed a permit for such minor repair work or even a licensed contractor. A pot of hot tar burst into flames about 4 p.m. Sunday at the sect's Clearwater retreat at 210 N. Fort Harrison Ave. ...

CLEARWATER — The Church of Scientology paid $4.6 million Friday for a 200-unit Skycrest apartment complex to house its growing staff. The church now owns 11 pieces of property — five of which are used as dormitories. And while sect staff members are getting new lodgings, residents at Hacienda Gardens Apartments, 551 N. Saturn Ave., are being shown the door. They can stay at the complex until their current leases expire — but no longer. "We purchased it to provide additional ...

CLEARWATER — Part of its cabin had to be removed to make the journey manageable. But the Diana was on the move again Friday, this time bound for a Tarpon Springs marina. The Church of Scientology relocated its yacht dubbed Diana after obtaining a civil court order to take possession of the 53-foot ketch, valued at $40,000. The Scientologists contend in a lawsuit that a Clearwater boat repair-restoration shop kept the vessel "without reason" and planned to destroy, conceal or take ...

CLEARWATER — One of two children who nearly drowned in unrelated accidents Thursday remained hospitalized Friday in critical condition. Beau Jacob Karnovsky, 2, went nearly 15 minutes without breathing after falling into a swimming pool Thursday. He remained in critical condition Friday at All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg, officials said. The toddler fell into eight feet of water around 5 p.m. in an unattended pool behind the Sand Castle Motel, 200 N. Osceola Ave., while being watched by a 16-year-old ...

CLEARWATER — Call this music cassette The L. Ron Shuffle. A celebrity group of L. Ron Hubbard's followers — including John Travolta, Chick Corea, Karen Black, Leif Garrett and Sylvester Stallone's brother Frank — have put together a pop-music cassette of 10 songs whose lyrics and music are said to have been written by the Scientology founder before his death. The cassettes have been mailed to more than 600 "various local people in Clearwater," Scientology spokesman Ludwig Alpers said, and will ...

CLEARWATER — Could the composing abilities of the late L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Church of Scientology, nudge Madonna and Billy Ocean out of the top-20 in pop music? Some 600 Clearwater residents will have the chance to decide. Parishioners at the Fort Harrison Hotel, the sect's Clearwater headquarters, have forked out the money to mail out more than 600 cassette tapes that contain Hubbard's musical statement on what Scientology is all about. "The Road to Freedom" cassette — with ...

A 2-year-old boy was in critical condition Thursday night after he fell into a swimming pool at a Church of Scientology center in Clearwater. Beau Jacob Karnovsky was breathing with the help of a life support system when he was taken to Morton Plant Hospital. He was in critical condition at 7:30 p.m. when he was transferred to All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg, said a nursing supervisor. The child was in the care of a babysitter Thursday afternoon when he ...

CLEARWATER — A 2-year-old boy nearly drowned Thursday afternoon at a motel used by members of the Church of Scientology, Clearwater police said. Beau Jacob Karnovsky, 2, was in critical condition in the intensive care unit at All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg late Thursday night, a nursing supervisor said. He had been sustained on life-support systems after being rushed to Morton F. Plant Hospital, Cooper said. The boy was in a pool at the Sand Castle Motel, 200 N. Osceola ...