Showing posts with label broward county. Show all posts
Showing posts with label broward county. Show all posts
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Do 10 Hour Days Work For Government Agencies?
Employees who have switched to 4 day work weeks report that they love the change, but government reports are undecided. Read More...
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Virgin & JetBlue Compete for Service to West Coast
Yesterday Virgin America announced plans to offer non stop flights from Fort Lauderdale to San Francisco and Los Angeles for as low as $99 a fare. Today, JetBlue has announced that they, too, will offer non stop service to both locations.
Read More...
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Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Mother and Baby Whale Die on Hollywood Beach
A baby beaked whale was euthanized Monday after its mother beached herself and died on Hollywood Beach.
Read More...
Read More...
Friday, July 31, 2009
Safety and DUI Checkpoints in Broward County
There will be police conducted checkpoints in Fort Lauderdale and Hallandale Beach today.
The Fort Lauderdale checkpoint will be on the 1200 block of Northwest Sixth Street from 2 pm today until 2 am tomorrow.
Hallandale Beach will have DUI enforcement saturation patrols throughout the city from 11 pm tonight until 3 am tomorrow.
Read More...
The Fort Lauderdale checkpoint will be on the 1200 block of Northwest Sixth Street from 2 pm today until 2 am tomorrow.
Hallandale Beach will have DUI enforcement saturation patrols throughout the city from 11 pm tonight until 3 am tomorrow.
Read More...
Which County Should Gain Revenue from Golden Triangle Land?
There seems to be some confusion as to who should pocket the $300,000 in tax revenue generated by the slice of land south of the Hillsboro Canal.
The land will soon be considered Broward County, but Palm Beach County is moving ahead as though the property tax generated from the land will stay in the northern county.
Read More
The land will soon be considered Broward County, but Palm Beach County is moving ahead as though the property tax generated from the land will stay in the northern county.
"On Jan. 1, it was located in Palm Beach County," Gary Nikolits, Palm Beach County Property Appraiser, said. "It was ours to assess. It still is within our boundaries."
Read More
Thursday, July 30, 2009
DCF Ignores Judge's Pleas For Them To Help Baby
Despite written concerns by Broward Circuit Judge Eileen O'Connor in February and March, child welfare administrators did not step in to help the nearly two year old son of Alberto and Jocelyn Barros until July 3rd.
By then, little Bryce was already dead.
Read more information, including incident report, emails, and court documents here.
By then, little Bryce was already dead.
Read more information, including incident report, emails, and court documents here.
Suit Filed Against Broward School District
The Broward Teachers Union has filed a lawsuit against the Broward School District to stop them from hiring new teachers.
The School District laid off close to 400 teachers in June but voted to rehire 124 of them to fill jobs. The district is also looking for 89 additional teachers they claim the laid off teachers aren't qualified to fill.
The union requested a list of the names, certifications, and assignments of the rehired teachers on July 2 and they have not yet received it, prompting the law suit.
In a written statement, union president Pat Santeramo said: “Everyone has a vested interest in making certain Broward school officials fulfill their legal obligations under the Public Records Act. District officials continue to let their employees and the public down by their failure to provide public information as required by Florida law.”
Copies of emails and the lawsuit can be found here.
The School District laid off close to 400 teachers in June but voted to rehire 124 of them to fill jobs. The district is also looking for 89 additional teachers they claim the laid off teachers aren't qualified to fill.
The union requested a list of the names, certifications, and assignments of the rehired teachers on July 2 and they have not yet received it, prompting the law suit.
In a written statement, union president Pat Santeramo said: “Everyone has a vested interest in making certain Broward school officials fulfill their legal obligations under the Public Records Act. District officials continue to let their employees and the public down by their failure to provide public information as required by Florida law.”
Copies of emails and the lawsuit can be found here.
Two More Girls Come Forward Against Quiet Waters Marina Worker
More girls have come forth to accuse Corey Hipscher, the worker who allegedly molested fondled a 10 year old girl at Quiet Waters Park.
Two girls, aged 7 and 8, were taken to the park by their mother, who was visiting from the Dominican Republic, on July 8 to rent paddle boats. The girls have also accused Hipscher of fondling them during a boat ride in the same lake.
The parks department is rewriting all of its contracts to require statewide criminal background checks and to require that officials be given monthly updates proving new employees have been vetted.
Hipscher is being held at the Broward County Jail. He has been charged with seven counts of molesting a victim under the age of 12 and one count of violating parole.
Authorities are asking anyone with information about these incidents to contact Detective Carol Dansky at 954-321-4240 or Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.
Source
Two girls, aged 7 and 8, were taken to the park by their mother, who was visiting from the Dominican Republic, on July 8 to rent paddle boats. The girls have also accused Hipscher of fondling them during a boat ride in the same lake.
The parks department is rewriting all of its contracts to require statewide criminal background checks and to require that officials be given monthly updates proving new employees have been vetted.
Hipscher is being held at the Broward County Jail. He has been charged with seven counts of molesting a victim under the age of 12 and one count of violating parole.
Authorities are asking anyone with information about these incidents to contact Detective Carol Dansky at 954-321-4240 or Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.
Source
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Audio Reveals Hollywood Police Discussing Cover Up
Shocking audio can be heard recorded by a dashboard camera in one of the patrol cars in a February drunk driving incident.
Alexandra Gabriela Torrensvilas, 23, was cited with four counts of drunken driving after a Hollywood police officer rear-ended her car.
The audio on the tape clearly plays officers discussing how they would cover up the situation to protect a fellow officer.
Officer Dewey Pressley, 42, Officer Joel Francisco, 36, Sgt. Andrew Diaz, 39; and civilian Community Service Officer Karim Thomas, age unavailable, were placed on administrative duty pending an internal affairs investigation and a review by the Broward State Attorney's Office, said spokesman Lt. Scott Pardon.
Audio can be heard here.
UPDATE: The charges against Torrensvilas have been dropped. Source
Alexandra Gabriela Torrensvilas, 23, was cited with four counts of drunken driving after a Hollywood police officer rear-ended her car.
The audio on the tape clearly plays officers discussing how they would cover up the situation to protect a fellow officer.
Officer Dewey Pressley, 42, Officer Joel Francisco, 36, Sgt. Andrew Diaz, 39; and civilian Community Service Officer Karim Thomas, age unavailable, were placed on administrative duty pending an internal affairs investigation and a review by the Broward State Attorney's Office, said spokesman Lt. Scott Pardon.
Audio can be heard here.
UPDATE: The charges against Torrensvilas have been dropped. Source
Divers Rescued Off Pompano Beach
Four men were rescued early this morning after their boat sank off of Pompano Beach. None of the divers were hurt.
The men were found with the help of the Broward County Sheriff's Office helicopter and the Coast Guard. It is unknown what caused the boat to sink.
The men were found with the help of the Broward County Sheriff's Office helicopter and the Coast Guard. It is unknown what caused the boat to sink.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Paternal Rights May Be Reinstated to Dead Father
A Broward father may regain his paternal rights again. Unfortunately he'll never know it.
Known in court records as C.A., he lost his parental rights to his pre-teen daughter. Before his appeal was complete, C.A was killed when he was hit by a car.
C.A. lost his parental rights to his daughter, but not his older son. When he was killed, his son became entitled to inherit any proceeds from a wrongful death suit. His daughter, however, would not.
The Department of Children & Families, looking out for the best interests of the child, questions whether or not the daughter will be better off retaining legal ties to her father in the event of his death.
The Fourth District Court of Appeal in West Palm Beach has ordered Broward Circuit Judge John Frusciante to reconsider his order ending C.A.'s rights as a father.
Source
Known in court records as C.A., he lost his parental rights to his pre-teen daughter. Before his appeal was complete, C.A was killed when he was hit by a car.
C.A. lost his parental rights to his daughter, but not his older son. When he was killed, his son became entitled to inherit any proceeds from a wrongful death suit. His daughter, however, would not.
The Department of Children & Families, looking out for the best interests of the child, questions whether or not the daughter will be better off retaining legal ties to her father in the event of his death.
The Fourth District Court of Appeal in West Palm Beach has ordered Broward Circuit Judge John Frusciante to reconsider his order ending C.A.'s rights as a father.
Source
Board Member's Inbox Clogged With Public Opinion
Fred Stresau, board member of the Fort Lauderdale Planning & Zoning Board, received more than 100 emails from the public about the Bahia Mar condo-marina-hotel compex a developer hopes to build on city land at the beach.
He blames Fort Lauderdale City Commissioner Charlotte Rodstrom for distributing his email address in an email to her constituents, urging them to give their opinions about the project.
Stresau, who has served on city boards for 45 years believes that if there is an opinion about a city project, it should be offered in public at a meeting, "so that all concerned can hear and respond equally and accordingly."
He is deleting the onslaught of emails, unread. There is no city rule saying board members are required to read their emails.
Rostrom maintains she was ""just trying to make it more convenient for the public to give input. Would they prefer the public call them at home? It's a public process. We are public servants. We are here to serve the public."
Source
He blames Fort Lauderdale City Commissioner Charlotte Rodstrom for distributing his email address in an email to her constituents, urging them to give their opinions about the project.
Stresau, who has served on city boards for 45 years believes that if there is an opinion about a city project, it should be offered in public at a meeting, "so that all concerned can hear and respond equally and accordingly."
He is deleting the onslaught of emails, unread. There is no city rule saying board members are required to read their emails.
Rostrom maintains she was ""just trying to make it more convenient for the public to give input. Would they prefer the public call them at home? It's a public process. We are public servants. We are here to serve the public."
Source
Shredded Documents and Chaos Found in Foreclosure Rescue Offices
A Palm Beach Circuit Court judge granted the Florida Attorney General's Office an emergency ruling Friday, requiring four mortgage modification operations to cease doing business: FHA All Day.Com, Safety Financial Services, Housing Assistance Law Center and Housing Assistance Now.
Last week investigators found bags of shredded paperwork and chaos at a Deerfield Beach storefront that was once the address for at least two of the businesses.
Victims will be in court to testify on Thursday. Regulaters state that the companies made illegal telemarketing calls using President Obama's voice and charged up to $5000 up front to modify existing home loans. This is a violation of the 2008 Foreclosure Rescue Fraud Prevention Act. Then, nothing at all was done for consumers months after the signed up.
Jason Vitulano, the owner of FHA All Day and the person officials say was connected with all four companies, is required to get court permission before transferring any assets worth more than $1000.
The Florida attorny general is currently invesitgating 81 mortgage modification companies.
Source
Last week investigators found bags of shredded paperwork and chaos at a Deerfield Beach storefront that was once the address for at least two of the businesses.
Victims will be in court to testify on Thursday. Regulaters state that the companies made illegal telemarketing calls using President Obama's voice and charged up to $5000 up front to modify existing home loans. This is a violation of the 2008 Foreclosure Rescue Fraud Prevention Act. Then, nothing at all was done for consumers months after the signed up.
Jason Vitulano, the owner of FHA All Day and the person officials say was connected with all four companies, is required to get court permission before transferring any assets worth more than $1000.
The Florida attorny general is currently invesitgating 81 mortgage modification companies.
Source
Sexting Is A Crime - Teens Need To Know
Miami-Dade County schools plan to have an anti-sexting initiative for 3rd through 12th graders by August 24th, when Miami-Dade students will be back in class. The new approach will work with state and local government and law enforcement and include training for parents and school staff members.
Palm Beach County Assistant State Attorney Daliah Weiss speaks to middle school students to let them know its a crime.
Sexting is when someone sends sexually explicit images of themselves or others via cell phone or computer. Under Florida law, each image is a felony punishable by up to five years in prison, when the image is of a minor. The charge is considered posession of sexual performance by a child and is intended to cath pedophiles and sexual predators. However, teens who are sexting can be caught and face harsh consequences. The sender and the receiver are just as punishable by the law.
Though Broward and Palm Beach counties have both investigaged sexting cases by teens, no charges have been filed. Miami-Dade has not had any cases reported at this time.
The most notible Florida case of sexting was in Orlando when an 18 year old boy emailed nude photos of his 16 year old ex girlfriend in a revenge seeking move. The 18 year old was charged with sending child pornography and is now listed on the state sex-offender registry.
Vermont and Utah have both amended their laws to charge sexting by minors as a misdemeanor instead of a felony and many other states are considering following suit. State Sen. Dave Aronberg, D- Greenacres, wants Florida to change their laws as well.
Palm Beach County Assistant State Attorney Daliah Weiss speaks to middle school students to let them know its a crime.
Sexting is when someone sends sexually explicit images of themselves or others via cell phone or computer. Under Florida law, each image is a felony punishable by up to five years in prison, when the image is of a minor. The charge is considered posession of sexual performance by a child and is intended to cath pedophiles and sexual predators. However, teens who are sexting can be caught and face harsh consequences. The sender and the receiver are just as punishable by the law.
Though Broward and Palm Beach counties have both investigaged sexting cases by teens, no charges have been filed. Miami-Dade has not had any cases reported at this time.
The most notible Florida case of sexting was in Orlando when an 18 year old boy emailed nude photos of his 16 year old ex girlfriend in a revenge seeking move. The 18 year old was charged with sending child pornography and is now listed on the state sex-offender registry.
Vermont and Utah have both amended their laws to charge sexting by minors as a misdemeanor instead of a felony and many other states are considering following suit. State Sen. Dave Aronberg, D- Greenacres, wants Florida to change their laws as well.
"I hear stories like this all the time, about naked pictures being sent over cell phones," Aronberg said. "To those of us who grew up without cell phones, it's shocking. But the law should not treat it the same way we treat Internet predators if this is between two kids acting stupidly."
Monday, July 27, 2009
Man Electrocuted in Deerfield Beach
Alex Ferradas, 38, was electrocuted and immediately killed Sunday night while pressure cleaning a Deerfield Beach building.
Ferradas and a co-worker were cleaning a building owned by Hardrives Asphalt Company on Powerline Road when his lift touched a power line. Ferradas was the owner of the pressure-washing company.
Source
Ferradas and a co-worker were cleaning a building owned by Hardrives Asphalt Company on Powerline Road when his lift touched a power line. Ferradas was the owner of the pressure-washing company.
Source
Hollywood Trailer Park Evacuated By SWAT Team
A SWAT team was called into the Okomo Trailer Park in Hollywood last night when a call that an armed man was shooting at residents was made.
The trailer park was evacuated and police canvased the area. The suspect was not found and residents were allowed to return home around 6:30 this morning.
Source
The trailer park was evacuated and police canvased the area. The suspect was not found and residents were allowed to return home around 6:30 this morning.
Source
Mom & Son Survive Lighting Hit to Car on 595
Michelle St. Val, 23, of Fort Lauderdale was on her way to the airport to pick up her brother on I-595 on Friday evening with her 4 year old son, Mikyal, belted in the backseat.
The sky threatened rain but conditions were dry when her car was struck by lightning, inches above Mikyal's head.
The music in the car stopped, her son was showered in glass, and her car was powerless and moving across three lanes of traffic.
An FHP officer determined that the bolt struck the upper left corner of the rear window, traveled through the car's frame, and exited on the right side back tire. The entire electrical system in the car was burned out.
Though St. Val, Mikyal, and the front-seat passenger were shaken, no one was injured.
Source
The sky threatened rain but conditions were dry when her car was struck by lightning, inches above Mikyal's head.
The music in the car stopped, her son was showered in glass, and her car was powerless and moving across three lanes of traffic.
An FHP officer determined that the bolt struck the upper left corner of the rear window, traveled through the car's frame, and exited on the right side back tire. The entire electrical system in the car was burned out.
Though St. Val, Mikyal, and the front-seat passenger were shaken, no one was injured.
Source
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Pack up Grandma and Head to The Atlantic Hotel
The Atlantic Hotel in Fort Lauderdale will launch a "Cheers for Years" package starting August 1st through September 30th. This promotion will give a food and beverage or spa credit equal to the oldest guest in the room.
Room rates at the 124 room beach resort start at $199 a night.
Source
Room rates at the 124 room beach resort start at $199 a night.
Source
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Third DCF Employee Under Investigation in Two Years
Shkina Dees, a 26 year old DCF employee, is under investigation as to whether she abused her position to use assistance money for herself. She reportedly made purchases at a Wal-Mart in Lauderdale Lakes with money that should have gone to needy Florida families.
This is the third time in two years that a Broward County DCF employee has been investigated of misusing agency funds.
Dees was arrested last month for allegedly stealing over $2000 in jewelry and cash from her mother-in-law's house. When she was booked into the Broward County jail, deputies discovered she was carrying four government issued debit cards used to obtain cash and food stamp benefits.
Source
This is the third time in two years that a Broward County DCF employee has been investigated of misusing agency funds.
Dees was arrested last month for allegedly stealing over $2000 in jewelry and cash from her mother-in-law's house. When she was booked into the Broward County jail, deputies discovered she was carrying four government issued debit cards used to obtain cash and food stamp benefits.
Source
Thursday, July 23, 2009
South Florida Home Sales On The Rise?
South Florida home sales in Palm Beach and Broward counties are reported to have raised 15 and 35 percent respectively from last June. Though the median sales price has dropped at least 25% from prices reported a year ago, prices have risen slightly from earlier this year.
Lower prices and government incentives have enticed buyers to purchase in South Florida.
Source
Lower prices and government incentives have enticed buyers to purchase in South Florida.
Source
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