Around South Florida with Elgin Jones 03-03-12

EXPANDING AGAIN
The South Florida Times is once again expanding its distribution in stores in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties. New stores will join Publix, Walmart, Winn Dixie, RaceTrac, CVS and several other major retailers where the South Florida Times can be purchased. The expansion has created several part-time route delivery positions. Those interested should contact Circulation Coordinator Robert Betty II at 954-356-9360 for details.

HIV RESEARCH
A team of scientists headed by Prof. A. Donny Strosberg at the Scripps Research Institute in Jupiter won a $1.5 million federal grant to develop a compound intended to inhibit the HIV virus. In Florida, 90,909 people live with HIV and 50,833 have full-blown AIDS. The research will attempt to restrict the capsid protein which plays a key role in transporting the virus to host cells where they replicate. The team will research more than 350,000 compounds in its study.

SEX WITH STUDENT
Lantana police arrested DeJean Myrtil, 27, of Greenacres and charged him with having sex with a teenage student at South Tech Academy, a Boynton Beach charter school where he is a dean’s assistant. Police said he admitted having sex with a 15-year-old girl at least twice at her Lantana home. Police said he was caught after students were overheard talking about his encounters with a girl and a teacher reported the incident, prompting an investigation. Police had the girl text Myrtil saying she thought she might be pregnant. Myrtil called and asked her not to tell her mother because he would be locked up. He was arrested on school grounds the next day.

LEGAL TWIST
Lisa Bright, former director of Boynton Beach’s Community Redevelopment Agency, is suing the city over her termination last year. Attorneys for the city have now filed motions seeking to move the trial outside of Palm Beach County. The reason cited is media attention over the recent arrest of the city’s suspended mayor Jose Rodriguez on charges related to allegations he pressured Police Chief Matt Immler and City Manager Lori LaVerriere to stop an investigation into his alleged abuse of his stepdaughter. The attorneys claim the media attention is a concerted effort to demonize Rodriguez, who was one of Bright’s critics.

ARSON CHARGE
Emile Scott is one of the nicest people you would want to meet. But he is  facing a single count of arson after admitting he set fire to his Delray Beach home, police said. He and his wife were having marital problems and she filed for divorce two weeks ago. Family and friends are expressing shock and are rallying to his side. 

Broward County

WARNED
Noted attorney W. George Allen has sent a cease-and-desist letter to blogger Timothy “Chaz” Stevens over emails and posts he has made about Allen’s son, Lauderdale Lakes City Manager Jonathan Allen. Stevens has blogged about the city’s financial troubles and has filed related criminal complaints with the state attorney’s office.

COP RESIGNS
Fort Lauderdale Police Officer Michael Hennessey has resigned after reportedly agreeing to plead guilty to one misdemeanor count of falsifying records. Hennessey is under investigation over an accident with his patrol car in which he allegedly provided false information to the Florida Highway Patrol. 

COMMUNITY FORUM
The city of Pompano Beach will host the Education, Crime and Employment forum. It will be moderated by businessman and former Fort Lauderdale NAACP President William “Bill” McCormick and is intended to discuss economic and social issues impacting people and businesses and provide information about available resources in these difficult economic times. It is free and open to the public. The forum will take place from 2 to 5 p.m. on March 10 at the E. Pat Larkin Community Center, 520 MLK Blvd., Pompano Beach. For more information or to register, visit SmallBizInfo.net or call Mary Phillips at 954-353-6396.

NEW MAN
Douglas Hewitt, 41, has begun his career as the new city manager in Hollywood. Hewitt was the assistant city manager of Fayetteville, N.C., when he was selected for the job. Among the things he will have to deal with is a $38 million budget shortfall and lawsuits filed by labor unions over benefit cuts. He will earn $172,000 annually, in addition to benefits.

ROBBERY SUSPECT
Richard Bystricky, 49, of Cleveland, Ohio, has been arrested and charged with robbing two South Florida banks in recent weeks. He was arrested in Hollywood by FBI agents and is accused of robbing the Bank of America at 2300 E. Sunrise Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, on Feb. 10, and the TD Bank at 2301 N. Federal Hwy. in Boca Raton on Feb. 24.

Miami-Dade County

TEXTING
State Rep. Richard Steinberg, a Democrat, resigned after it was revealed he was under federal investigation over sending harassing text messages to Marlene Fernandez-Karavetsos, a married federal prosecutor, by using a hidden identity and name. Steinberg, who is also married, issued a public apology and abruptly resigned. Steinberg, who had been a state representative since 2008, admitted sending the text messages. He could face electronic stalking or harassment charges.

CITY SUED
Jorge Delgado, a videographer who was hired to record Homestead’s “State of the City” event, is suing the city over unpaid bills which both sides are disputing. Mayor Steve Bateman hired him to perform the work. He also did similar work for Bateman’s re-election campaign. Delgado alleges in his lawsuit that Bateman’s assistant Lourdes Lanio asked him to divide his $14,000 bill into two invoices and add $500 to one of them. He said the city paid only $6,000 and is disputing the remainder.

NEW APPOINTMENT
Alysa D. Erichs has been permanently appointed chief of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Miami office. She had been acting in that capacity since former chief Anthony Mangione retired after being arrested on child pornography charges. Erichs will oversee 450 employees in a jurisdiction that spans from Fort Pierce to Key West.

Photo: Elgin Jones