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Southeast Florida In the News - Nov. 2005
BOCA RATON -- Donations to Florida Atlantic University have rebounded as a 2003 incident fades involving $42,000 of foundation money used to buy a corvette for outgoing university President Anthony Catanese. Successor President Frank Brogan reports that donations were up 45% in 2005, to $28.5 million.
The Boca Raton Resort and Club has pledged $250,000 for the construction of a park next to a new city library.
BOYNTON BEACH -- The city's Community Redevelopment Agency has competition from a private developer pushing its own vision for the so-called "Heart of Boynton" redevelopment project. Intown Redevelopment Group, which has been wooing local residents and church members with its multimillion-dollar plans, wants to buy and develop the land itself.
BROWARD COUNTY -- School board members are working to recast the responsibilities of a diversity committee after the committee rejected a tolerance video that some members said was promoting tolerance of homosexuality.
DANIA BEACH -- Four officers of the American Maritime Officers Union are facing federal charges arising from allegations that they rigged a union election, embezzled union funds and misappropriated union housing for their personal use, according to a 13-count indictment.
DELRAY BEACH -- Office Depot (NYSE-ODP) plans to close 16 stores in North America and 11 stores overseas.
FORT LAUDERDALE -- A lawsuit seeking back wages on behalf of 1,048 former sugar cane cutters has been filed against Osceola Farms Co. The suit is one of five complaints against sugar growers brought on behalf of cane cutters since 1987. Three others have ended in verdicts for the growers. One ended in settlement.
FORT PIERCE -- Agriculture officials have discovered a citrus plague in south Florida even deadlier than canker. "Citrus greening" is spread by the Asian citrus psyllid insect. Scientists are working on plans to combat the plague, including using wasps to destroy the plague-spreading insect.
LAKE WORTH -- An investigation by the Florida Attorney General's office into business practices at Eyeglass World ended with an agreement by the chain to pay $1 million in costs and $1 million in charitable donations. The settlement is a follow-up to a 2000 investigation over the chain's relationship with on-site eye doctors.
MARTIN COUNTY -- County commissioners voted 3 to 2 in favor of a $528,000 growth study. Orlando-based planning firm Glatting Jackson will conduct the study, which is to address such issues as how to manage growth in the county's agricultural areas.
PLANTATION -- Wayne Burns, a former senior account manager with a St. Louis-based telecommunications company, has been hired to head the city's economic development team. Burns replaces Rachel Bach, who left to take the post of redevelopment director in Lake Worth. Miriam Deckert, the former marketing director for the city's chamber of commerce, has been hired as the team's redevelopment specialist.
POMPANO BEACH -- Plans to revitalize an aging commercial strip have hit a snag over competing views for the area among residents and business owners. The city commission has repeatedly rejected proposals for the project on grounds they lack enough detail.
RIVIERA BEACH -- Shares of Consulier Engineering (Nasdaq- CSLR), a Riviera Beach-based maker of medical technology devices, rose to $8.57 from $3.25 after news of a contract for the sale of a device for keeping track of hospital patients. The device has been sold to a Delaware hospital company that is using it in two hospitals.
STUART -- City commissioners have approved a resolution asking the county to remove a 460-foot extension of the Witham Field airport's main runway. The extension puts a residential area within a zone that the Federal Aviation Administration recommends be free of homes.
WEST PALM BEACH -- County commissioners are exploring the idea of creating a registry of domestic partnerships to extend economic and social rights to unmarried couples throughout the county. The city of West Palm Beach created such a registry in February.
A 20-story, 400-room Westin hotel will be built next to the county's recently opened $83-million convention center, developer Ocean Properties Ltd. of Delray Beach has announced.
