State
LAWYERS DISCIPLINED
The Florida Supreme Court recently handed down disciplinary action against a number of South Florida attorneys. Timothy McCabe of Lake Worth was disbarred after being convicted of misappropriating millions of dollars in client funds. The license of Lilia A. Casal-Diaz of Coral Gables was revoked after she was convicted of conspiracy to defraud the government.
The license of Roland Cherasard of North Miami Beach was revoked over a grand theft conviction. The license of Allan Michael Migdall of Fort Lauderdale was suspended for misconduct. The license of Stuart Carl Hoffman of Boca Raton was suspended for failing to cooperate with a Florida Bar investigation. George Granville Lewis of Plantation was disbarred for failing to comply with a Florida Bar order. William L. Rogers of Aventura was suspended pending an investigation into alleged misappropriation of client funds. William Castile Ruggiero of Fort Lauderdale was reprimanded for improperly disbursing trust account funds.
Palm Beach County
WATER TROUBLE
The controversial dumping of water from Lake Okeechobee into surrounding canals and lagoons to control its levels has failed. Opponents of the process say the fresh water makes its way to the ocean, picking up contaminants from farms along way and this is killing off fish and other marine life. The Army Corps of Engineers will continue to drain the lake in hopes of getting the water level under 15 feet.
MACHETE ATTACK
Julian C. Ramirez-Samayoa, 27, of Lake Worth is facing multiple charges after police were called to a home he shares with his roommate, who had been attacked with a machete. The altercation began after Ramirez-Samayoa arrived home at 1 a.m. to find several people there. He asked them to leave because he wanted to sleep, according to the police report. The roommate allegedly attacked him with a bottle and bit one of his fingers during a fight that ensued. His roommate is hospitalized with severe injuries.
EGG BEATING
David Belson, 51, is charged with child abuse and battery in an incident in which he attacked his wife and children during an argument over a hard-boiled egg, police said. Belson is also accused of slamming his daughter’s head against a door frame, among other violent acts. The family was able to get free and fled the home to call police.
Broward County
CRIME STOPPERS
Authorities ask anyone who sees anything suspicious or illegal to call Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477 or leave a tip at browardcrimestoppers.org. Crime Stoppers will pay up to $3,000 for information leading to an arrest.
NOW HIRING
Bob Swindell, president of the business and job-creating Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance, has finalized an incentive plan with Citrix Systems to expand the technology company’s operations and create 200 high-wage jobs. Fort Lauderdale-based Citrix Systems was founded in 1989 by former IBM executive Ed Iacobucci. Under the plan, the company will undergo a $7.5 million expansion, which is expected to create the new jobs at its Cypress Creek Road headquarters. Citrix employs nearly 9,000 workers globally and 1,600 in Fort Lauderdale, with an average salary of just under $90,000.
MAN HUNT
An intensive manhunt was underway to capture a hooded suspect who robbed a mail carrier at gunpoint in Pompano Beach. The robbery victim was not injured in the brief struggle that took place. Postal workers handed out flyers in the northeast Pompano Beach neighborhood where the armed robbery took place.
Miami-Dade County
IG SEARCH
A selection committee headed by Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernández Rundle has narrowed the list of finalists to replace Miami-Dade Inspector General Christopher Mazzella to 15, down from the 122 who applied. Mazzella has retired after 14 years on the job. The inspector general is a watchdog agency that wields a lot of power, with subpoena powers and authority to initiate investigations into governmental agencies, the school district and elected officials over corruption, fraud and waste allegations.
MIAMI MOVIES
Miami’s Omni District could be the home of a new high-tech movie studio. A building which was owned by the Miami-Dade School district will house the studio. The Omni CRA and Director Pieter Bockweg are accepting bids from developers. The winning bidder will get $10.5 million toward the project.
BUDGET TIME
MIami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez and county commissioners held the first of two public budget meetings this week. They are seeking to make unspecified cuts to the county’s $4.4 billion budget, which has raised some concern. Gimenez is not seeking a property tax increase, even though the alternative is service cuts and layoffs.
Monroe County
BODY DISCOVERED
A decomposed body was found in a wooded area off Sombrero Road in Marathon. Authorities said the body is that of a white male who likely died several weeks ago. A Marathon municipal worker discovered the remains after detecting a foul odor in the area. The medical examiner is trying to determine the man’s identity and the cause of death.
CHEAP CUSTOMER?
A Marathon woman is accused of stabbing a man who reportedly failed to pay her full price after having sex with her. No arrest has been made and the investigation is continuing. The man told sheriff’s deputies he met the woman the night before at JJ’s Dog House, a bar in Marathon. Authorities said the man reported he paid the woman $100 and the next morning the woman confronted him as he left a Walgreens and began stabbing him. Whew!
NO-FLY ZONE
Some Key West residents are fed up with fighter jets from the Key West Naval Air Station flying over their neighborhood. They claim the jets are noisy, disrupt their lives and pollute the air around their homes. The Naval Air Station trains fighter pilots year-round and residents have been in a 10-year battle with the military to curtail those activities.
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