Tampa Bay Times reporter Craig Pittman undermined the public's trust of venerable news organizations with his May 12 article, “Only in Florida: Battle over water, free speech pits billionaire vs. activist.”
On the surface, it appears to be a legal dispute between the South Florida Water Management District and the Everglades Law Center -- then again, this is Martin County, where things aren’t often as they appear, and where misinformation and hyperbole seem to rule.
The argument over whether the transcript of a SFWMD mediation meeting among its attorneys and the district's governing board should be made public under the state's Sunshine Laws, Chapter 119, or remain confidential under the state's mediation laws, Chapter 44, is now before the Fourth District Court of Appeal.
Two Republican political leaders -- U.S. Congressman Brian Mast and Martin County Sheriff Will Snyder, a former state representative -- will present their views and answer questions about stopping the threat of more school shootings at the annual dinner of the Martin County Taxpayers Association.
A Martin County Circuit Court judge found that attorney Virginia Sherlock's objections to filing the final judgment against her client, former commissioner and environmentalist Maggy Hurchalla, was a deliberate attempt to delay the jury's award of $4.4 million to Lake Point Restoration for damages caused by Hurchalla's interference in its contracts.
Two weeks after environmentalist and former Martin County commissioner Maggy Hurchalla was found liable for tortious interference, the court still hasn't issued the order that awards Lake Point Restoration its $4.4 million in damages.
Maggy Hurchalla, one of Florida's most prominent environmental activists, was found liable Wednesday for interfering with already-signed contracts. After eight days of testimony, the six-member Martin County Circuit Court jury awarded Lake Point Restoration more than $4.3 million in damages.
The Lake Point lawsuit against Maggy Hurchalla, a former Martin County commissioner and environmental activist, alleging she interfered with the western Martin rock mine's contracts, finally … finally … goes to trial Monday. The county has endured five years of legal wrangling, accompanied by the choreographed hand-wringing and inflammatory remarks by Hurchalla groupies to get to this point.
Over the past four years, residents' and opponents' passion for stopping the All Aboard Florida/Brightline passenger rail from speeding through the Treasure Coast has not abated. If anything, Treasure Coast residents have grown more resolute, underscored by Monday night’s packed house at the Lyric Theatre for the Citizens Against Rail Expansion's (CARE FL’s) fourth public meeting in downtown Stuart.
Perhaps they should not have been so politically correct. Certainly the organizers of the Hobe Sound incorporation effort made a point of saying little about the previous County Commission's arrogant treatment of Hobe Sound.
The story of Florida public records law violations in Martin County moved further into the public light Thursday for County Commissioner Sarah Heard and former commissioner Anne Scott.
