PORT ST. LUCIE — The bill to attract a movie special effects studio is finally in, and it’s a potential blockbuster.

The city has put together a proposed $51.8 million deal, in addition to a $20 million state incentive package, to build a movie and video game animation and military simulation studio on 15 acres within Tradition.

City Manager Don Cooper said Thursday the agreement requires Wyndcrest DD Florida Inc. to reimburse the city for the entire financing, except for a $10 million cash grant from developers, through a 20-year annual lease. (more…)

ST. LUCIE COUNTY — One person is dead and another was in surgery after an attempted murder/suicide involving a husband and wife, St. Lucie County sheriff’s deputies said.

Authorities suspect William Beck, 54, used a .32-caliber gun to shoot his wife Jacqueline Beck, 54, twice - once in the face and once in the chest - before killing himself inside his home in the 8400 block of Fort Walton Boulevard shortly after 5 p.m. Wednesday. (more…)

WEST PALM BEACH — An appellate court Wednesday overturned the murder conviction of one of several men serving life in prison for the 2005 beating death of Julio Paxtore outside a Fort Pierce convenience store.

The 4th District Court of Appeal said police violated Jerry Pierre’s Miranda rights when they continued questioning him after he told a detective that “I’m not saying any more” during an interrogation after the killing.

Paxtore, 32, died in August 2005 after a group of teens pulled him off his bicycle, then kicked and stomped him. It was Paxtore’s payday, and he had just purchased a phone card to call his wife in Guatemala and tell her that money was on its way.

Circuit Judge Burton Conner sentenced Pierre to life in prison for murder and 15 years in prison for robbery after a jury convicted him of participating in the beating. Pierre is now 23.
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The Little Auction That Could, a Stuart auction that’s raising money for Martin County’s Hibiscus Children’s Center, just sold a Babar book signed by former First Lady Barbara Bush and her son Jeb, the former governor of Florida, for a whopping $850,000 — guaranteeing that the auction will raise more than $1 million!
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STUART —A wrongful death suit brought by the estate of an illegal immigrant against the Martin County Sheriff’s Office was settled prior to opening statements at the Martin County Courthouse Tuesday.

Just before bringing in the three-man, four-woman panel, attorneys for the Sheriff’s Office and Port St. Lucie resident Brenda Gonzalez, 33, the personal representative of Matias F. Alonzo’s estate, told Circuit Judge Elizabeth Metzger that a $15,000 settlement had been reached. (more…)

Martin County residents at greater risk to catch swine flu or have complications from it can get vaccinated against the H1N1 virus Saturday at the city of Stuart Fire Rescue Department, 800 S.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

Martin County Health Department officials will administer the H1N1 vaccine from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. or until the supply is gone.

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GOLDEN GATE — A fire at 2587 S.E. Normand St. on Monday night left a two-story home uninhabitable but nobody was injured.

The Martin County Fire Rescue Division received a call about a car fire at the home around 8 p.m. They learned that a fire in the vehicle had spread to the dwelling, said Hoss Wiggins, a fire battalion chief with Martin County Fire Rescue.

By around 9 p.m., the department had extinguished the main fire and was searching the house for smaller fires it might have missed. The home was was still standing at the time, but it was destroyed.
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JENSEN BEACH — A tile setter who had not been paid in three weeks told Martin County sheriff’s investigators he decided to rob a bank to get money Monday morning.

William Albert Crowell, 44, of the 4100 block of Cinnamon Circle, was arrested 31 minutes after being suspected of handing the teller at the PNC Bank at 1021 N.E. Jensen Beach Blvd. a note that read: “Give me the money. Have gun.”

The teller handed him a pack of money that included a dye pack and he left the bank. The dye pack exploded, and he fled in a gray Chevrolet. He was followed by a witness who reported his travels to 911 operators.

Crowell, who is wanted for parole violations in Massachusetts, returned to the Cinnamon Circle address where his fiancee was taking a shower.

The house was soon surrounded by deputies, who then entered it and arrested Crowell, charging him with bank robbery. He told investigators he had not been paid, was behind on his bills and was afraid he would be thrown out of his home.

His fiancee told officers she thought he had left for work about 8:30 a.m., but then he returned about 10:30 a.m., while she was in the shower. She saw him washing his hands, face and hair, and placing his trousers in the washing machine. Then he told her he had robbed a bank, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Crowell told officers he acted alone and was unarmed. He is being held without bond.

JUPITER ISLAND — A lifeguard swimming in waters off the Jupiter Island Beach Club this morning became the victim of a shark attack.

Martin County Fire-Rescue officials said they received the call for the shark bite at about 9:30 a.m. and transported the man to Jupiter Medical Center for treatment to a bite on his foot. Hospital officials identified him as Steve Burdelski, 22.

Hospital officials said Burdelski, a lifeguard at the club, was still at the hospital Monday afternoon being treated for his injuries. Burdelski through hospital officials declined an interview.
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By Michael LaForgia
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

A Port St Lucie truck driver was involved in a two-truck crash that killed another driver Friday night on Florida’s Turnpike near Orlando, authorities said.

Jorge Dipre, 38, of Port St. Lucie was driving a FedEx semi northbound on the exit ramp to Orange Blossom Trail about 9:30 p.m. when a semi driven by Carl W. Van Wasshnova, 54, of Port Orange lost control of his truck while on the southbound on-ramp, crashed through the center guard rail and collided with Dipre’s truck, cutting it in half, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Wasshnova was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center, where he died.

Dipre wasn’t hurt.

The highway patrol was investigating whether some medical condition caused Wasshnova to drive off the road.