Palm Beach County
Police shooting
West Palm Beach police shot and killed 39-year-old Anthony Lamar Brown. Officers said they responded to a report of a bicycle being stolen near the 500 block of 15th Street, east of the FEC railroad tracks. When confronted, an altercation occurred and the officer used his Taser but Brown was unafected, pulled a gun and fired at the officer, who fired back, hitting Brown once, the report said. The investigation into the shooting is continuing.
Bank on it
Jerome M. Ellis, former vice president of the failed Lydian Private Bank in Palm Beach, will testify against his former boss and CEO Rory A. Brown. Ellis has accused Brown of misleading the bank’s investors, knowingly misstating its financial condition and artificially inflating the bank’s capital. The allegations were made in a lawsuit deposition in a case in which Brown is being sued. Regulators shut down Lydian in 2011, costing the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. $242.3 million.
Office Depot incentives
Palm Beach County Mayor Priscilla Taylor and her colleagues approved a $500,000 incentive package for Boca Raton-based Office Depot. The office supply chain will, in turn, remain headquartered in Palm Beach County, retain 2,328 jobs until 2024 and create 378 additional local jobs.
Broward County
Tri-Rail expansion
There’s a move afoot to expand the Tri-Rail commuter service through neighborhoods to reach the downtown areas of West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Miami and Fort Lauderdale. Under the “Coastal Link” plan, trains will run on existent spur lines to reach the Florida East Coast Railway tracks that run along Dixie Highway.
Numbered days?
The voices of disenchantment with Broward Supervisor of Elections Brenda Snipes are increasing. Reports say she is considering retirement but even if she opts to seek re-election in 2015, she should expect a well-funded primary opponent. During her tenure, the office has seen its share of mistakes. Several potential candidates have designs on the office.
Miami-Dade County
Marino returns
The Miami Dolphins have hired former quarterback Dan Marino for a front office job. His duties have yet to be detailed but some are suggesting he will be an advisor to team owner Stephen Ross. Marino played for the Dolphins for 17 years and served as senior vice president of Football Operations in 2004 but quit after three weeks.
Husband killed
Florida City Police dispatcher Toya Edgecomb Haynes arrived home from work to find her husband Lorenzo Haynes shot to death. He was a musician and performer and owner of Billion Dollar Haynes Music recording studio. Police are asking anyone with information to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.
Carnage continues
Miami, particularly the Liberty City community, has seen police shootings, gang-related murders, home invasions and worse. The carnage continues and it seems few people care. It’s akin to the killings taking place in Chicago, where they are so common as to be expected. It’s a sad situation and something must be done to curtail this violence.
Monroe County
Theft arrest
William J. Branam, 51, of Miami is facing 119 counts of passing stolen checks and is also charged with exploiting an elderly person and theft. Branam was a caretaker of a 74-year-old blind and wheelchair bound Key Largo man from 2012 to 2014. The checks were made out to “cash” and the man contacted police after discovering what had been taking place, authorities said.
Homeless imprisoned
While law enforcement agencies around country are employing innovative measures to deal with the homeless, Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay is frustrated over the cost to keep homeless people locked up over minor offenses. The city of Key West pays most of the $2 million-plus annual cost but it is a strain on resources of the entire county.
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