Category: Uncategorized

        This is a compelling post.

        You should go get a cup of coffee, or a beer, and come back and settle in!

                        

         Last year, burglaries were rampant in the City of Fort Lauderdale. Though the whole city had a serious problem, the areas off 13th Street/Andrews Ave./ Sunrise Boulevard were completely out of control!

        Five adjacent neighborhoods there had an amazing 859 residential and car burglaries in 2013. The neighborhoods continually complained to City Hall and the FLPD, but the Police were adamant that much of the problem was due to juvenile burglars that were sent through the  proverbial revolving door – straight back into the community, again and again –  to burgle again. – again and again!

       So, I submitted a public records request of all juvenile burglary cases in that area for 2013, and amazingly, I got back a thick stack of Juvenile Burglary records, and the 45 cases tend to back up the Police –

                    …………..  this is that story!

                    

     
          Case #1

                              

        Defendant :Marc ______ Race/Sex B/M
                  Age : 15
              Father  : no info
             Mother : Marie  
             School  : Grade 10 – Fort Lauderdale High School

            …… The defendant made entry by busting out a rear window. Defendant was arrested for another burglary and wanted to confess to this burglarie and others.  He stated that he was the  lookout on the other burglary, and that “Ryan” used a screwdriver and paid him $50 for helping…..  Marc advised he had done four burglaries in all.

       Detectives drove Marc around for him to point out the four burglaries. At the first house he stated that he broke in but “didn’t take anything because they did not have anything”. He took detectives to another house and stated that he broke in there ” and stole jewelry”.

      Case #2

                    
  
     Defendant: Alan ______ Race/Sex B/M
               Age : 15
           Father  : no info
           Mother : Elaine
           School  : Mavericks

        Police were called to North Side Elementary where, in a burglary the night before, a total of 16 Apple I Books were stolen. Total loss estimated at $22,000.

        It appeared culprits pried window open   …checked the school video, but monitors were not working……. Prints were lifted….   had a positive match with defendant ….Defendant implicated himself in the burglary.

               

         Case #3

                              

        Defendant: Kenerve ______ Race/Sex B/M
                  Age: 15
            Father  : No info
            Mother: Ketely

      While working K-9, I responded to a foot pursuit of a burglary suspect …the felon fled eastbound through a day care playground ….  defendant jumped fence  …I advised I was K-9 and that he was under arrest, and he complied to my command.

           Case #4

                       The culprits crawled through the doggie- door. They then broke window into a locked bedroom door. …. stole laptop  ….. A spot of blood was recovered under the broken window and sent for DNA identification. Juveniles arrested….

                              

            
              Case # 5

                                  

                 Defendant: Chris _____ and Mike _______  Race/Sex B/M
                         Ages: 16
                      School: Lauderdale Lakes Middle School

      Upon arrival, Officers met with Fred, who stated he witnessed two black males carrying a 55 inch TV set from a home on NE 1 Ave. Suspects hid TV in an alley. Officers saw suspects approach the hidden TV and say “You man, it’s still here, it’s still h
ere”. Defendants arrested.

              Case # 6

         Defendant: “Mook” ______  Race/Sex B/M
                   Age : 16
               Father:  no info
               Mother: Shante
               School : Lauderhill Middle School

       Officer made contact with “Mook” who appeared to be of school age but was not in school. Defendant seemed to be “scouting” home for possible burglaries in an area that has had several burglaries. I observed defendant reaching his hands under his sweatshirt hoodie. I retrieved a screwdriver and a window punch.

     Defendant admitted he was on “burglary probation”, and stated that he was going to “do a lick, but did not”. Defendant said he had a pain in his arm and was taken to Broward General Hospital  for clearance. He began to speak very loud and called the Officers “crackers”.

      When the suspect was uncuffed,  he attempted to punch detective and escape. Officer tackled the suspect and suspect injured his face and broke a tooth. Suspect made violent threats, pointed his finger pretending to shoot us, and stated “I’m going to kill you”, then flicked us off and said “fuck you”.

         
              Case # 7

      …..  juvenile culprits broke through a rear window that was unlocked … victim was inside the residence and scared the burglars away…. video shows 4 black males entering through the window and out the front door…

             Case #8

                        

               Defendant: Devante ______  Race/Sex  B/M
                         Age: 17

          Officers responded to a burglary call when victim stated that when he opened the door to get his roommate’s wheelchair he noticed the house had been trashed. Victim noticed a B/M appear from the side yard of the house and head northward. The home had drawers and cabinets rummaged and emptied onto the beds.

          Victim stated that he sells peanuts and keeps cash in the house. Latent prints taken at the scene identified juvenile suspects.

      Case # 9

          Defendant: Xzavier  ______ Race/Sex B/M
                   Age : 12
              Father :  Xavier
              Mother: Jamine
              School:  Thurgood Marshall Elementary

          Ginell further stated that she left her front window open while she was in the shower, and she locks it when she leaves the home, so the culprit must have entered while she was in the shower.

            Case #10

        

         Defendant: Devon_____  Race/Sex B/M
                   Age: 14
              Father :  Unknown
              Mother: April
              School: Maverick High School

         While working as a Truancy Officer, Ofc. Cranmer and I observed three black males of school age  … Ofc. Cranmer and I attempted to go out with the males but they fled…. Ofc. Cranmer radioed for more officers   …. I was able to order Devon to the ground and I asked “why are you running?”, and he stated “I’m on probation on a robbery”…. I placed Devon in the patrol car and he uttered ” Is this because of the burglary I did?” …. I asked ”  where is the burglary located?”, and he stated “back behind Fort Lauderdale High School, I don’t know where, but I can take you there”…..
   

                        …. we need changes  ….. more later ! …. Tim

                 
       

      
             

          

         

      

         
                        

 
            
                          

      
               

     
       

This is an update to a post we did some months back about a lawsuit against a civic group, ( the Central Beach Alliance)  that represents the residents of the Fort Lauderdale Beach.

The CBA is being sued by a developer that is trying to build a condo on the beach, but is being thwarted by some beach residents that don’t want it to be built.

The odd thing is –  the group that is trying to stop the new condo is not the CBA, but a condo adjacent to the proposed condo that fears losing views, having  heavy traffic, etc.,  – the RRG.

That group, that named itself the  RRG, (residents for responsible growth), is represented by Roth Davies, LLC, and has been reported to say that they can sue and hold up the new proposed condo for 3 to 5 years just by filing a lawsuit.

Schiller

So, the CBA has been brought into the suit,  and is crying foul, because although they initially joined the suit as a complainant, dropped their involvement just days after joining the suit.

Their President, John Weaver, has asked the City Commission to hold up a request by the developer, to deny an extension to the developers approvals at this Tuesday’s CC meeting,  unless the lawsuit against the CBA is dropped  ….

…… lots of drama, and confusion  – I’ll keep you informed   ….  Tim

 

 

        It happens monthly on the streets of Fort Lauderdale.

                            

                        click here to watch 500 bikes out for an evening ride!

       The Howard Johnson’s restaurant had been on the Fort Lauderdale Beach for decades, but had closed some years back and began to deteriorate.

     Beach residents were apoplectic. They demanded it be torn down, and yesterday, it finally was.

                                       Here is the aftermath

                 

         If you missed the implosion (and my post yesterday), or if you just can’t get enough, click on the link below !

                                                
Watch HoJo’s Go Boom Boom!

     Finally  …. Hojo’s goes boom boom at the beach !!!

           (If a picture with YouTube arrow doesn’t appear below, click on this link instead – blog.timsmith.com – and turn up your speakers!)

                                ……. it’s worth it !

                             

  

     
            

      ………. The race is on for the Florida House of Representatives District 94.

      The seat is currently held by Perry Thurston, but he is term limited, and running for Attorney General.

                                                        
                                                                  Thurston 

        I live in that District, and have made some noise about possibly running for the seat, but for now, I’m just blogging about it!

       It is an interesting race. The District runs from Lauderdale Lakes down through Fort Lauderdale, up into Wilton Manors, and finishes in Oakland Park. Currently, these two men are running.

                             
                                         Bobby Dubose and Levoyd Williams

        Dubose is a Commissioner in Fort Lauderdale, Levoyd a Commissioner in Lauderdale Lakes.

        The District is almost 60% black, and nearly 90% democrat ! So, the winner will be decided in the primary in August, as no republican has a chance of winning in the November General election.

       But here’s the rub – whichever candidate can capture the white (and considerably gay) Wilton Manors and Oakland Park vote, could win.

        They had a debate at last week’s gay Dolphin Democrat meeting, and here are the highlights –

                         

         Dubose says he is in favor of gay marriage, as does Williams. That is significant, as the black community has long opposed it.

                     

           And Williams is in favor of medical marijuana, as is Dubose!

          Both men also state that they will be there to fight for the gay issues, but Dubose admitted to a somewhat strained relationship with his colleague, famous gay politician Dean Trantalis.

                                   

           Williams tried to separate himself from Dubose by saying that the difference between he and Dubose was that he “was a fighter”, grew up in North Florida, and “knew how to talk to them”. He told the group he grew up in the civil rights era and “felt their pain”.

           Dubose said the Pledge of Allegiance called for justice for all, and said he was committed to that. He pointed to support for “family recognition”, and “hospital visits”, and said he would be “championing those issues”.

          The men differed somewhat on juvenile crime. Dubose favors a “holistic” approach, concentrating on the “front end”., but Williams, pointing to the current problem with juvenile burglaries, said “there has to be a limit”, and that you can’t “placate and pamper them”.

               I’ll keep you informed …. Tim
 
      

                     

 
                                        CITY OF FORT LAUDERDALE
                                           POLICE DEPARTMENT

                                                PRESS RELEASE

February 5, 2014

HOMICIDE

                         

     The Fort Lauderdale Police Department is investigating a homicide that occurred on Wednesday, February 5th shortly before 8:00 A.M. The incident took place in the 1200 block of Northeast 4th Avenue in the City of Fort Lauderdale.

     The Fort Lauderdale Police Department received a report of shots fired at this location.
When the officers arrived, they discovered a male victim lying in the roadway.
The victim has been identified as Pierre Akeem Gustave, B/M, 04/11/90, a resident of the City of Margate.

     Gustave was recently released from Florida State Prison on August 13, 2013 and known to frequent the area.
This is an active and on-going investigation. Investigators are encouraging anyone who may have witnessed this shooting or who may have information about the incident to contact Detectives Mark Shotwell at 954-828-5517 or Jim Jaggers at 954-828-5970.

      I could tell it was something serious.

                          

     Just a few blocks north of Home Depot, on NE 4th Avenue, the Police vehicles were thick. Squad cars, Sergeant Cars, the Crime Scene Unit, an Ambulance and a Fire Truck.

     The yellow Police line was stretched around the perimeter, no way to see what was happening. I walked into my friend George Fortney’s appliance store and out to the back lot where George and his grandson, George, were standing. From there you could see all the carnage.

 
                   

     
          Right away it was apparent to me that another kid had been shot, gang style. The two bicycles littering the crime scene were the dead give-a-way. Another murder in South Middle River.

                      

       And there he was. Word has it that he was shot in the head while on his bike.

       Senseless…..

     It was high drama.

     At the very start of a public hearing last night for a new proposed hotel at the beach, (the Vintro Hotel), Commissioner Dean Trantalis was blindsided by a very public accusation that he was guilty of ethical violations concerning the beach project.

                                

     The accusation was made by infamous Fort Lauderdale attorney Bill Scherer.

                                            
                                                              Scherer

     In a well planned out attack, Scherer basically said that a former partner of Trantalis, Rick Smith, a local realtor, had clients that were trying to buy the land away from the proposed hoteliers, and that Trantalis had to know and shouldn’t be hearing the development request.

                                          
                                                       Rick Smith

      Scherer is no stranger to local drama, having successfully sued the City of Fort Lauderdale when another development he was associated with was denied approvals.

    Scherer also sued Broward County, (he tried to overturn County term limit laws) and headed a team that represented President Bush in the 2000 vote recount.

     After Scherer made the accusations against Trantalis, and declaring that he was filing a State ethical action, Mayor Jack Seiler called for a 10 minute break to calm the room.

                                       

     When the hearing restarted, Trantalis said he would indeed recuse himself, so there could be no hint of impropriety. He said he was unaware of any wrong doing by his former partner,  and called the effort “ambush politics”.  He added that the City should not stand for it.

     He looked at Scherer and said “nice try”.

     Commissioners Roberts and Rogers agreed with Trantalis, and called out Scherer for making the public accusations.

                                        
                                              rendering of proposed hotel

    
     In the end, it didn’t matter. The Commission voted down the project 3-0, saying the building was attractive, but way too big for the proposed quarter acre lot.

     I’m sure there will be a follow-up !

                                                             Tim