Headlines: November 19, 2009

MIAMI’S NEW POLICE CHIEF NAMED

At 11AM, the Mayor of Miami and the City Manager are expected to officially name the city’s new top cop.  It’s believed Major Miguel Exposito will be the new police chief. He’s a 35 year veteran of the force.

LIBERTY CITY TERRORISTS SENTENCED

Sentencing continues today for the Liberty City men convicted of terrorism. Three suspects expected to learn their fate in a Miami federal courtroom between today and tomorrow. Yesterday, brothers, Burson Augustine were sentenced to six years, and Rothschild to seven.  They were considered minor players in the plot to blow

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Headlines: November 19, 2009

MIAMI’S NEW POLICE CHIEF NAMED
At 11AM, the Mayor of Miami and the City Manager are expected to officially name the city’s new top cop.  It’s believed Major Miguel Exposito will be the new police chief. He’s a 35 year veteran of the force.

LIBERTY CITY TERRORISTS SENTENCED
Sentencing continues today for the Liberty City men convicted of terrorism. Three suspects expected to learn their fate in a Miami federal courtroom between today and tomorrow. Yesterday, brothers, Burson Augustine were sentenced to six years, and Rothschild to seven.  They were considered minor players in the plot to blow

ALLAPATTAH MURDER HUNT
Miami homicide detectives are in the crucial first 48 hours in the search for a killer. Friends of  Tracy McDonald says someone gunned him down as he got out of a car yesterday in the 1300 block of NW 27th Avenue.

SEARCH FOR MISSING FIU STUDENT
The search is also on for a missing Florida International University law student, Tommy Daniels.  No one has seen him since he ran out of a restaurant almost two weeks ago saying, “they’re coming to get me”.  If you know anything about Daniels’ whereabouts, call police.

CHARGES DROPPED AGAINST FMU STUDENT
Criminal charges have been dropped against the Florida Memorial University student who got into a fight with on campus security guards last month. The trouble started after a security guard said he saw 19 year old Emory Mitchell smoking marijuana on campus. After his arrest Mitchell was kicked out of school. He is fighting the suspension.

VIOLENCE AT BETHUNE COOKMAN
Violence on the campus at Bethune Cookman is making headlines. Several shots fired on campus after BCU’s first home basketball game. Police say about 100 students standing in the parking lot said they didn’t know anything about it. Several bullet casings were found. No one was hurt.

BOCA RATON MAN CHARGED WITH MURDER
A Boca Raton man, 49 year old Christopher Sharpe, charged with murder, accused of killing his ex-girlfriend, Pamela Powers. She’d been missing since Halloween. Police say Sharpe has a history of domestic violence.

Headlines: November 18, 2009

CRITICS UPSET ABOUT NEW MAMMOGRAM RECOMMENDATIONS
There is an uprising over a government panel’s recommendation for women under 50 not to get mammograms and those over 50 to get them every other year. Critics say the panel’s decision is simply about politics and money and not the health of individual women.

BROWARD BLACK LEADERS CALL ON GOVERNOR CRIST TO APPOINT COMMISSIONER FOR DISTRICT 9
Broward’s Black leaders are calling on Governor Charlie Crist to fill the seat on the Broward Commission left empty as a result of suspended Commissioner, Josephus Egglletion’s arrest. They say there is no valid reason for the delay.

MIAMI POLITICS
In Miami voters have elected Frances Suarez to the Commission to represent District 4. It is the seat left empty after Tomas Regalado was elected Mayor. Regalado is upset the Governor has decided not to fill the Commission seat left empty now that Michelle Spence Jones has been arrested. Regalado says he asked, but Governor Crist said no. Because of timing Commissioners will be able to appoint a Commissioner to fill Angel Gonzalez’ seat.  Earlier this week he copped a plea and was sentenced to six months probation for using his office for personal gain.

FORT LAUDERDALE CITY MANAGER FIRED
Fort Lauderdale Commissioners firing the City Manager, voting 3 to 2 , not to renew George Gretsas contract. He’s been on the job five years.

CONTROVERSIAL ACADEMIC PLAN
A disturbing trend in the graduation rates between Black and White students in Palm Beach County is generating headlines. Superintendent Art Johnson being called on the carpet for an academic plan that’s become controversial. Among other things it calls for testing students every three weeks. About a thousand parents, teachers and community leaders turned out at yesterday’s school board meeting in Palm Beach, most to voice their displeasure with the plan.

HURRICANE WILMA CLAIMS
Time is running out for homeowners associations to file a claim for damage caused by Hurricane Wilma. The storm was in October of 2005.  For more information on filing or re-filing claims go to:
www.wilmaclaims.com

SOUTH FLORIDA BLACK JOURNALIST MEDIA WORKSHOP
Tonight, 6-7:30PM
Miramar Branch Library
2050 Civic Center Place
(786) 444-8830
sfbj@hotmail.com

Headlines: November 17, 2009

NAACP ASKS PRESIDENT OBAMA TO CREATE MORE JOB
The NAACP is joining a coalition of groups including the AFL-CIO calling on President Obama to do more to create jobs. They don’t think the $787 billion dollar stimulus program has done enough to fight unemployment. The employment rate for blacks is nearly 16 percent, almost double what it was when the recession started almost two years ago.

MIAMI SPECIAL ELECTION
In other news: there is a special election today in Miami, to fill the Commission seat left vacant as a result of Thomas Regalado’s election as mayor.

MIAMI DADE SCHOOL BOARD CONSIDERS  CELL PHONE , TEXTING BAN
Later today members of the Miami Dade School Board could decide to ban school bus drivers and every other district employee from texting and talking on cell phones or using blackberries while driving. The rule would apply to all district employees with the exception of school police officers. Florida is one of a handful of states without any laws against cell phone use or texting while driving. Research has shown the practice is as dangerous as driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

BROWARD TEACHERS UNION PROTEST
Members of the Broward teacher’s union will be protesting this afternoon, 5 o’clock in front of the School Board building in downtown Fort Lauderdale. Organizers say they want to call attention to corruption, rising health insurance costs and wasted tax dollars.

NEW MAMMOGRAM RECOMENDATION
A startling new recommendation on when and how often women should get mammograms is creating a lot of controversy. A government panel now says women who are under 50 and not at high risk, don’t need mammograms at all and those over 50 don’t need a mammogram every year. The government panel is made up of private experts, they make recommendations on preventive services including screening tests. Critics questions whether the recommendations against mammograms are being made so insurers won’t have to foot the bill.

MIAMI DADE POLICE SEARCH FOR SUSPECT
HOT 105 continues to follow a developing story in NW Miami Dade it impacts anybody with a child attending Westview Middle Elementary or Westview Middle Schools you will not be able to access those schools this morning. They’re in an area that’s part of a police perimeter: NW 17th Avenue between 120th and 127th Streets, shut down while police search for a suspect who shot an officer about 4 o’clock this morning.

Headlines: November 12, 2009

MIAMI COMMISSIONER IN TROUBLE WITH THE LAW?

Another Miami politician is in trouble with the law. This time it’s Miami City Commissioner, Angel Gonzalez. He’s the focus of a criminal probe that could lead to his resignation. Gonzalez will reportedly meet today with the Miami Dade State Attorney’s office to cut a deal to stay out of jail in exchange for staying out of Miami politics. The specific nature of the allegations is unclear. That information could be released later today. Gonzalez has represented District One, since 2001.

MIAMI POLICE CHIEF RESIGNS

New Miami Mayor, Thomas Regalado has apparently already delivered on a campaign promise. Police Chief John Timoney has resigned, effective January 15^th. Regalado has said he would not rest until Timoney quit. Read the rest of this entry »