Palm Beach County
ANTITRUST ALLEGATIONS
The American Postal Workers Union is questioning the legality of the proposed merger between Office Depot and Staples. Office Depot shareholders overwhelmingly voted in favor of the merger. Union officials, however, are asking the Federal Trade Commission not to approve the deal, arguing it will create a monopoly, lead to store closings and harm consumers. The list of office supply chains has dwindled since 2013 when Office Depot bought out OfficeMax. Now, it could be down to only one, leaving consumer with drastically limited choices and options.
MOLESTATION
Bernard Williams, 18, of West Palm Beach has allegedly confessed to child molestation charges. Police say he was in bed with a 2-year-old girl at a local motel when he pulled down the toddler’s diaper and began touching her. Williams is being held without bond.
OFFICER FIRED
Mark Simmons was the suspect who was driving a stolen car and sped off after being pulled over by Boca Raton police officer James Clark on Oct. 16. Clark shot at the car as it sped away and then pursued him in a high-speed chase. Boca Police Chief Dan Alexander now has fired Clark for using excessive force without authorization, falsifying the police report and other policy violations.
Broward County
HAPPY WORKPLACE
In 2003, a federal jury awarded Timothy St. Fleur $475,000 in a discrimination and retaliation lawsuit against the city of Fort Lauderdale. The city appealed and eventually reached a settlement with St. Fleur, who remains employed as a city irrigation mechanic. Now, St. Fleur has filed a new discrimination complaint, alleging a white employee used racial slurs and threats towards him after that employee got wet from sprinklers St. Fleur was repairing. Ka Ching!
JUDGES GONE WILD
The Florida Supreme Court on voted unanimously to remove Circuit Court Judge Laura Watson from the bench for misconduct in a lawsuit, prior to her being elected to the bench. Watson and other attorneys were involved in a multi-million dollar lawsuit, but she reached a ‘global settlement’ leaving the other attorneys out of the $14.5 million dollar settlement. It is another case of judges in Broward going wild with misconduct.
LYONS’ DEPARTURE
Doug Lyons, the longtime reporter and editorial page columnist for the South Florida Sun Sentinel newspaper has retired. Lyons will be missed inside the newsroom and out in the community. We owe him a debt for bringing issues important to minority communities to the forefront.
DEADLY GOSSIP
Donna Faye Pectol, 56, is charged in the stabbing death of 73-year-old Anna Maria Sterr. The women quarreled about Sterr’s alleged gossip to neighbors about Pectol at their Hollywood apartment complex. Sterr was taken to a hospital and passed away from her injuries four days later.
SHOWDOWN
The first race for the Broward County District 9 Commission seat is taking on more speculation and twists since the seat was established. Incumbent County Commissioner Dale Holness is preparing to defend the seat against stockbroker McKinley Williams and other rumored candidates.
Miami-Dade County
ANOTHER SHOOTING
Yet another drive-by shooting has taken place in Miami-Dade County. This time three people were shot when a white Ford Taurus pulled up to a home in the 1000 block of Northwest 148th Street in the northwest section of the county. Two men standing in front of the home were hit by gunfire. One of them was killed and the other was taken to the hospital in critical condition. A third person who was in another car was also shot and was also listed in critical condition.
MARIJUANA CITATIONS
Miami-Dade County Commissioner Sally Heyman has offered a measure to allow police to issue non-criminal citations instead of criminally charging them with misdemeanors for possession of 20 grams or less of marijuana. The idea is being well-received and is expected to have support from other commissioners.
Monroe County
LAWSUIT
Rev. Steve Braddock, president of the Florida Keys Outreach Coalition and a vocal advocate for the homeless, poor and the elderly, is being sued by the Lower Keys Medical Center claiming he has not paid his medical bills. The medical facility is owned by the controversial Community Health Systems and has been accused of overbilling clients in the past. Braddock disputes the bill and is fighting the case in court.
DUMB DEALER
Rhamses Silva, 23, is an alleged drug dealer who is accused of advertising “weed” on Craigslist, the free classifieds website. Silva posted he had “top shelf marijuana” and claimed it to be medical grade. Monroe County Sheriff’s undercover deputies responded to the ad and agreed to make the $320 per ounce transaction in Key West. Silva delivered the marijuana to the parking lot of a Key Largo convenience store, where he was arrested. Silva faces charges of marijuana possession, possession of a controlled substance and using a cell phone to facilitate a felony and other charges. Dummy.
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