Miami Beach builder Robert Turchin looks back — and ahead

If former Miami Beach vice mayor Robert Turchin had been a Miami decision maker during the recent vote that decided the fate of The Miami Herald building, he would probably have voted with the ‘nays’ allowing its demolition.

“There’s nothing special about it,” says the 90-year-old Turchin as he cruises Collins Avenue between 63rd and 48th streets, a strip dense with buildings from the same period as the Herald’s — specimens of post-war Miami Modern (MiMo) architecture that he constructed.

It is no exaggeration to say that Turchin built much of post-war Miami Beach, collaborating with Melvin Grossman, Morris Lapidus and other MiMo period architects. From 1945 to 1985, his firm was the busiest in the building trade. Royal York, Montmartre, Moulin Rouge, King Cole, Charter Club, Four Ambassadors — the list goes on, numbering upward of 100 buildings.

“I grew up when Miami Beach was a small town. It was 1945, and the hotels would close during the summer for renovations because they had no air conditioning. I couldn’t wait for summers, when I would return from school and work on the construction sites,” Turchin says.

In an era when hotel signs sometimes read “No Jews or dogs,” Turchin’s father was a successful builder who hoped his son would be a diplomat. It was not to be. After serving in World War II, for which he recently received a French Legion of Honor medal, he started his first project. Like subsequent ones, it broke the mold.

“The GI Bill made housing affordable for veterans, but it was single-family housing. I wanted to build a four-family unit under the bill,” Turchin says. It was an unprecedented proposal that went from city to state to federal agencies before it was approved. The multi-unit buildings launched the concept of condominiums.

As did other builders, he began to experiment with air conditioning. “Once we were able to air condition them, the hotels stayed open year-round. The beach boomed then,” he says.

Buildings came down to make way for new ones. Turchin’s Morton Towers went up where Carl Fisher’s circa 1920 Flamingo Hotel stood on 15 acres. “The land had become more valuable than the building,” he explains.

Turchin became known as “the builder’s builder” for riding to the top floor of construction sites on the hook of a crane, and walking the beams to inspect the work. His view of the built landscape was daring, pragmatic, and often at odds with those of preservationists like Nancy Liebman, a Miami Beach city commissioner from 1993 to 2001 who served with Turchin on the city’s first historic preservation board.

“A lot of the beautiful mansions on the bay and beach were lost to that kind of development,” laments Liebman. “It was the typical mentality of throw it away and build something new.”

But Turchin was building for the next generation. To him, the Art Deco buildings of his father’s generation — Edgewater Beach, the Sands and the Sea Isle where he honeymooned with his wife — were old school.

“They made no sense. They were all building with a few trees in front. They weren’t called Deco back then. Curlicues on concrete is how we thought of them,” he says.

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Family of four killed in I-95 crash laid to rest

Four caskets sat in a row at the front of Fort Lauderdale Baptist Church: mother, daughter, stepsister and nephew.

The four family members who died last week after their car plunged into a Deerfield Beach lake were eulogized together at a four-hour funeral service Saturday in front of more than 1,000 family members, friends and classmates.

“They are not dead. They are living in the eternal life,” Yolette Fabre, a pastor at Christian Life Restoration Center, where the family attended church. “Let us stand strong, firm together.”

Remembered Saturday were Nadege Theodore, 37, her daughter Lyne Theodore, 15; step sister Standalie Jean-Baptiste, 20; and nephew Guivens Daverman, 16.

The family had been heading home from a shopping trip at Town Center at Boca Raton Mall the night of Jan. 2 when the Lexus sports utility vehicle they were riding in was involved in a three car crash. The silver SUV careened off the side of Interstate 95 and ended up in a lake. The others involved in the accident were not injured.

Daverman, Nadege Theodore and Jean-Baptiste were pulled out immediately. Lyne Theodore’s body was not pulled out until the following morning, after police notifying next of kin learned she had been in the vehicle as well. Nadege Theodore and Daverman were pronounced dead at the hospital. Jean-Baptiste died Jan. 6.

The funeral service — which was mostly in Haitian Creole and French — was a way to remember the four family members, but many hoped it would also serve as lesson to all of the young people who attended.

“I ask the friends of those individuals that they carry out their dreams,” said Karlton O. Johnson, the principal of Blanche Ely High School, where both Lyne Theodore and Daverman were sophomores.

Johnson remembered Lyne as a great student and Daverman, he said, “was the life of the party.”

Many of those in attendance were friends, classmates, teacher and faculty from the Pompano Beach high school. Many donned the school’s orange and green colors.

Throughout the emotional ceremony, the prayers on stage were often drowned out by sobbing and wailing from mourners.

There were three white steel caskets adorned with pink and white flower bouquets for the three females. Daverman was laid to rest in a black casket.

Pictures of each of them sat next to their casket.

Throughout the service, a slide show flashed on a large screen, telling the story of their lives through pictures:

Nadege as an adult with a red flower in her and a red dress, and one of her with her daughter. Lyne Theodore in a pink tank top and jeans, posing for the camera. Guivens posing with the number four on his fourth birthday, and later as a teenager sporting a black baseball cap with “Jesus” embroidered on it. Standalie as a child making a sassy pose, and later grown up wearing a business suit.

Nadege Theodore was born in 1975 in Cap-Haitien, Haiti. In 1999, she moved to South Florida with her daughter. She worked as a nurse’s assistant and had an 8-year-old son named Deemily Charles.

At 15, Lyne Theodore was the youngest in the car. She was born in Cap-Haitian, Haiti, in 1997. She was in the medical magnet program in her high school and wanted to become a nurse.

Jean-Baptiste was born in 1992 in l’Artibonite, Haiti. She came to South Florida in 2005. She attended Lyons Middle School in Coconut Creek and then Deerfield Beach Highand graduated from Broward College in 2012. She dreamed of becoming an anthropologist.

Guivens Daverman was born in1996 in Fort Lauderdale, the son of Theodore’s sister Myrlande Theodore. He was known as Papi, and loved to help others. He was on the football team and ran track.

A composed 10-year-old Princeley Dorvil took the podium to talk about his brother Guivens Daverman and his other family members.

“My brother was a very cool brother, he taught me a lot of things in life,” said Princeley, fighting back tears. “He taught me how to respect others. He taught me how to use my manners. He taught me how to be well-dressed.”

Daverman’s coach at Blanche Ely gave the family the boy’s football jersey and a team photo.

Before the final prayer, teammates of Daverman donned white gloves and blue ribbons with Daverman’s picture and a poem, and helped remove all the flower bouquets as condolences were read aloud.

When the ceremony was over, the pall bearers carried each of the four caskets into the hearses as family and friends gathered around.

A cousin of Daverman, sobbing and in tears, put his hands on the outside of the black hearse as it slowly drove away.

The four family members were laid to rest at Forest Lawn North Memorial Gardens.

Miami Herald staff reporter Nadege Green and photographer Marsha Halper contributed to this report.

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December video game retail sales drop 22 percent

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. retail sales of video games and gaming systems fell 22 percent in December, capping a year of declining sales for the industry.

Research firm NPD Group said Thursday that overall sales fell to $ 3.21 billion from $ 4.1 billion in December 2011. NPD estimates that sales of new game hardware, software and accessories account for about half of what consumers spend on gaming.

Sales of video games themselves, excluding PC titles, tumbled 26 percent to $ 1.54 billion. Sales of hardware — gaming systems such as the Xbox 360 and the Wii U — fell 20 percent to $ 1.07 billion.

“Call of Duty: Black Ops II” from Activision Blizzard Inc. was December’s top game.

For all of 2012, total game sales dropped 22 percent to $ 13.26 billion.

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Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis Engaged

Olivia Wilde, 28, and Saturday Night Live star Jason Sudeikis, 38, are engaged, ET can confirm.

The pair, who went public in December of 2011, moved in together last year and have been seemingly inseparable since.

Related: Olivia Wilde Divorces Italian Royal

According to People, Sudeikis proposed to the Tron: Legacy star shortly after the holidays.

"They are so excited," says a source. "And very, very happy."

No word yet on a wedding date.

Video: Olivia Wilde Steams Up the Screen

This will be the second wedding for Wilde, whose divorce to Italian royal Tao Ruspoli was finalized in late September of 2011.

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Everybody off! City school bus strike is likely to happen Wednesday

A school bus strike that threatens to strand 152,000 children is likely to begin on Wednesday — and could be announced as early as tomorrow, sources told The Post.

The Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1181 has already printed strike posters, assigned members to future picket lines at bus yards across the city, and distributed a list of “do’s and don’ts” for conduct during a strike, sources said.

Members will not have to take any additional action this week to initiate a strike because a May vote pre-authorized it.

The city has been anticipating the strike, and has announced contingency plans that include handing out MetroCards to students and parents.

Where public transit is not available, private drivers and taxi or car service would be reimbursed. All field trips will be cancelled, but after-school programs would remain open.

Some predict chaos will ensue outside schools as many parents idle and jockey for parking during arrival and dismissal times.

“Mornings at schools will be bad but afternoons will be much worse,” an insider said.

But the city said it’s ready.

“The union could strike at any moment and at a moment’s notice and that is why the City has been taking the threat of a strike seriously and communicating with parents and schools,” said Department of Education spokeswoman Erin Hughes, who said Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott will give an update tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. at Tweed Courthouse.

Parents said the strike will hit them—in the pocketbook

“I will be one of those parents that will either pay for a cab and hope the city pays me back, or I can’t work and just have to stay home with my son,” said Mona Davids, who said her home in the Bronx isn’t near public transportation.

Of the kids riding yellow buses, 52,000 are special needs kids — like Davids son Eric, 4. “I was hoping they would work something out,” she said.

But not all parents are against a strike.

“We want these people to be happy and live well and be content with their jobs — because these are our children,’ said West Harlem resident Miriam Aristy-Farer.

Staging the strike on Wednesday should give parents enough time to prepare and make arrangements, insiders said. If the strike proceeds, Tuesday afternoon will be the yellow buses last run.

The union, comprised of 9,000 drivers, mechanics and escorts, is battling the city to retain employee protection provisions in case a yellow-bus company they work for loses its contract with the city.

Those protections — in place since 1979 but ruled illegal in a 2011 court decision — enabled senior people at a jilted bus company to get hired by the winning bidder.

Additional reporting by Gary Buiso

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What the week’s big mortgage moves mean for consumers

This week brought three big developments to the nation’s beleaguered mortgage landscape. For consumers, the complex moves have been mostly mystifying, but experts say they all aim at turning the page.

“There is a strong desire to put behind us all this period of time — the aftermath of the darkest period in American finance. All these things [announced this week] are intended to do that,” said John Taylor, president and CEO of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, a Washington, D.C.-based consumer advocacy group. “There are good and bad things in it for consumers.’’

A new rule issued Thursday by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau aims to prevent lenders from making the sort of toxic mortgages that forced many unsuspecting borrowers into ruin. Yet the new “qualified mortgage” rule, according to some lenders, also could perpetuate the nation’s tight credit problem and keep many would-be homebuyers on the sidelines.

Meanwhile, two settlements unveiled Monday with big banks should resolve some lingering issues from the mortgage meltdown that have kept banks focused on past errors instead of getting back to the business of lending.

Here is a quick primer on the week’s developments and some likely implications for consumers.

OCC Settlement

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, which regulates nationally chartered banks, Monday unveiled an $8.5 billion settlement with 10 giant banks that service mortgages.

As part of the controversial settlement, the OCC is scrapping its Independent Foreclosure Review, which was aimed at identifying victims of robo-signing and other improper foreclosure tactics by banks, but soon proved to be a badly flawed effort.

Instead, under the OCC’s new approach — which will be spelled out in enforcement actions in a couple of weeks — more than 3.8 million borrowers who faced foreclosure between Jan. 1, 2009 and Dec. 31, 2010 stand to get some payment regardless of whether they actually suffered any harm.

The mortgage servicing banks covered are Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Citibank, JPMorgan Chase, SunTrust, PNC, Sovereign, U.S. Bank, MetLife Bank and Aurora.

The agreement provides for $3.3 billion to go directly to borrowers. Another $5.2 billion is earmarked for loan modifications and the forgiveness of deficiency judgments.

The OCC said the amount that eligible borrowers get will range from a few hundred dollars up to $125,000, depending on the type of error that possibly occurred in their mortgage servicing.

“If a borrower went through foreclosure with one of those 10 lenders, they should receive a couple hundred bucks, whether they deserve it or not,” said Guy Cecala, publisher and CEO of Inside Mortgage Finance Publications in Bethesda, Md., which tracks news and statistics in the residential mortgage industry. “The odds of getting $125,000 is the odds of winning the lottery. It would have to be a false foreclosure or where they were thrown out of their house illegally.”

The OCC will look to 13 broad categories of errors outlined in the Independent Foreclosure Review launched in April 2011.

Those include a litany of bumblings and misdeeds by the mortgage servicers, ranging from foreclosing on a homeowner who was following the rules during a trial period of a loan modification, to failing to offer a loan modification as mandated under a government program, to failing to follow up with a borrower to obtain needed documents under a government program.

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2012 campaign dollars poured into unlimited accounts

TALLAHASSEE --
Florida’s sputtering economy did not stop interest groups and donors from spending $306 million this election cycle on state political campaigns, according to final election year tallies released Friday.

The number is lower than the $550 million reported in the 2010 election cycle and does not include the massive amount of federal cash spent in the presidential race. But it points to a new trend: more dollars are going to campaign committee rather than individual candidates.

Three out of every four dollars were unlimited checks to political committees, while the rest went into the campaign accounts of individuals, which are capped at $500 a check.

The shift is a sign that Florida’s $500 limit is outdated and dysfunctional — and ripe for reform, said Dan Krassner, executive director of Integrity Florida, which did the analysis of the campaign finance data released by the Florida Division of Elections.

“Candidate accounts have become nearly irrelevant,’’ said Krassner, executive director of Integrity Florida. The current system allows corporations to write unlimited checks to political committees with loose affiliations to candidates but require them to give no more than $1000 to individual candidates for both the primary and general election. The result is, he said, “the public cannot easy follow the money.’’

House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, who has called for an overhaul of the state’s campaign finance reforms said Friday the numbers prove his point that the political committees – known as Committees of Continuous Existence, or CCEs – have gotten out of hand.

“I’m not trying to cap the amount of money that’s spent and raised, but we should do everything we can to move spending to the candidates and the parties, not committees,’’ he said.

The Integrity Florida analysis found an explosion in the last three election cycles of CCEs — the loosely-regulated entities, which can collect unlimited checks and can pay for consultants, travel, meals and other expenses for a candidate but can’t pay for advertising or mailers. Dozens of legislators use the committees to augment their election bids and steer money to other campaigns.

Weatherford, and Senate President Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, raised the most cash of any legislators who controlled a CCE. Also raising large sums were the two candidates vying to become the next Senate president, Sens. Jack Latvala, R-St. Petersburg, and Joe Negron, R-Palm City.

The cash haul was not limited to the current candidates. Gov. Rick Scott’s political committee benefited from the ability to collect unlimited checks in Florida. He raised $360,000 in November and December, including a $100,000 check from AT&T.

In 2010, when the governor and three Cabinet races were on the ballot along with state legislators, contributions to individual candidates comprised 44 percent of the total. In 2012, contributions to individual candidates dropped to 25 percent of the total, just below where it was in 2008 when 26 percent of the $265 million spent went to individual campaigns.

Meanwhile, 1,119 political committees, including the political parties, raised $230 million or 75 percent of the total in 2012, compared to 56 percent in 2010.

Because some of the money is transferred from a CCE to an ECO or political action committee -- often in a veiled attempt to shield the donor and recipient from the disclosure -- some of the totals reported is double counted, Krassner said

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Canada natives block Harper’s office, threaten unrest

OTTAWA (Reuters) – Aboriginal protesters blocked the main entrance to a building where Canada’s prime minister was preparing to meet some native leaders on Friday, highlighting a deep divide within the country’s First Nations on how to push Ottawa to heed their demands.

The noisy blockade, which lasted about an hour, ended just before Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his aides met with about 20 native chiefs, even as other leaders opted to boycott the session.

Chiefs have warned that the Idle No More aboriginal protest movement is prepared to bring the economy to its knees unless Ottawa addresses the poor living conditions and high jobless rates facing many of Canada’s 1.2 million natives.

Native groups complain that successive Canadian governments have ignored treaties aboriginals signed with British settlers and explorers hundreds of years ago, treaties they say granted them significant rights over their territory.

The meeting was hastily arranged under pressure from an Ontario chief who says she has been subsiding only on liquids for a month. It took place in the Langevin Block, a building near Parliament in central Ottawa where the prime minister and his staff work.

Outside in the freezing rain, demonstrators in traditional feathered headgear shouted, waved burning tapers, banged drums and brandished banners with slogans such as “Treaty rights not greedy whites” and “The natives are restless.”

Until midday on Friday, it was uncertain if the meeting would go ahead, with many native leaders urging a boycott and others saying it was important to talk to the government.

“Harper, if you want our lands, our native land, meaning everyone of us, over my dead body, Harper, you’re going to do this,” said Raymond Robinson, a Cree from Manitoba.

“You’ll have to come through me first. You’ll have to bury me first before you get them,” he shouted toward the prime minister’s office from the steps outside Parliament.

The aboriginal movement is deeply split over tactics and not all the chiefs invited to the meeting turned up. Some leaders wanted Governor-General David Johnston, the official representative of Queen Elizabeth, Canada’s head of state, to participate.

Johnston has declined the invitation, saying it is not his place to get involved in policy discussions. He instead was later hosting a ceremonial meeting with native leaders at his residence.

The elected leader of the natives, Assembly of First Nations National Chief Shawn Atleo, was one of those who attended the meeting with Harper.

He said his people wanted a fundamental transformation in their relationship with the federal government, and would press for a fair share of revenues from resource development as well as action on schools and drinking water.

BANGED ON THE DOOR

Gordon Peters, grand chief of the association of Iroquois and Allied Nations in Ontario, threatened to “block all the corridors of this province” next Wednesday unless natives’ demands were met. Ontario is Canada’s most populous province and has rich natural resources.

Peters told reporters that investors in Canada should know their money was not safe.

“Canada cannot give certainty to their investors any longer. That certainty for investors can only come from us,” he said.

Manitoba Grand Chief Derek Nepinak, who said on Thursday that aboriginal activists have the power to bring the Canadian economy to its knees, was one of the leaders of the protest at the Langevin Block.

“We’re asking him to come out here and explain why he won’t speak to the people,” said Nepinak, who banged on the door at the main entrance to Harper’s offices after choosing to boycott the meeting.

Nepinak and other Manitoba chiefs are also demanding that Ottawa rescind parts of recent budget acts that they say reduce environmental protection for lakes and rivers. The most recent budget act also makes it easier to lease lands on the reserves where many natives live, a change some natives had requested to spur development but which others regard with suspicion.

Ottawa spends around C$ 11 billion ($ 11.1 billion) a year on its aboriginal population, but living conditions for many are poor, and some reserves have high rates of poverty, addiction, joblessness and suicide.

Harper agreed to the meeting with chiefs after pressure from Ontario chief Theresa Spence, who has been surviving on water and fish broth for the last month as part of a campaign to draw attention to the community’s problems. Spence, citing Johnston’s absence, said she would not attend.

“We shared the land all these years and we never got anything from it. All the benefits are going to Canadian citizens, except for us,” Spence told reporters. “This government has been abusing us, raping the land.”

In Nova Scotia, a group of about 10 protesters blockaded a Canadian National Railway Co line near the town of Truro on Friday afternoon, CN spokesman Jim Feeny said.

A truck had been partially moved onto the tracks and was cutting off the movement of container traffic on CN’s main line between the Port of Halifax and Eastern Canada, he said. Passenger services by Via Rail had also been disrupted.

The incident was the latest in a series of rail blockades staged by protestors in recent weeks to press the demands.

($ 1=$ 0.98 Canadian)

(Additional reporting by Louise Egan in Ottawa and Nicole Mordant in Vancouver; Editing by Vicki Allen and Dan Grebler)

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Britney Spears Split with Jason Trawick

After more than three years together, Britney Spears and her fiance Jason Trawick have split, her rep confirmed to People.

RELATED - Britney "Working Hard" on New Music

"Jason and I have decided to call off our engagement," Spears says in the statement. "I'll always adore him and we will remain great friends." Trawick adds, "As this chapter ends for us a new one begins. I love and cherish her and her boys and we will be close forever."

Spears, who got engaged to Trawick on his 40th birthday in December of 2011, previously said of her now-ex, "We're really normal. We just like to watch movies. We work out a lot. We love to work out. We do stuff together like that. We take walks."

VIDEO - More Shocking Celebrity Splits

Today has been a big day for sad Spears news as it was previously announced she wouldn't be returning for another season of The X Factor.

"I've made the very difficult decision not to return for another season," Spears told ETonline in a statement. "I had an incredible time doing the show and I love the other judges and I am so proud of my teens but it's time for me to get back in the studio."

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No charges for NBC host David Gregory over ammunition magazine

AP

WASHINGTON — NBC journalist David Gregory won't face charges for displaying a high-capacity ammunition magazine on his "Meet the Press" news program last month, District of Columbia prosecutors announced Friday.

The city's Office of the Attorney General, which handles low-level crimes, said criminal charges wouldn't serve the public's best interests even though possession of the magazine — capable of holding up to 30 rounds of ammunition — was clearly against local gun laws.

"Influencing our judgment in this case, among other things, is our recognition that the intent of the temporary possession and short display of the magazine was to promote the First Amendment purpose of informing an ongoing public debate about firearms policy in the United States, especially while this subject was foremost in the minds of the public" after the Connecticut school massacre and President Barack Obama's address to the nation, D.C. Attorney General Irvin Nathan wrote a lawyer for NBC.

Still, Nathan said, there were other legal ways to prove the point and that "there is no doubt of the gravity of the illegal conduct in this matter, especially in a city and a nation that have been plagued by carnage from gun violence." He said it was a "very close decision" to not bring charges.

Firearms laws in the nation's capital generally restrict the possession of high-capacity ammunition magazines, such as the one Gregory said he was holding up during a Dec. 23 interview, regardless of whether they're attached to a firearm. Punishment can carry up to a year in jail or a $1,000 fine.

D.C. police say NBC asked for permission to use the clip during a segment and was advised that it would be illegal, though NBC has said it received conflicting guidance from other law enforcement sources.

Gregory held up the magazine as a prop during an interview on gun control with Wayne LaPierre, the executive vice president of the National Rifle Association.

"Here is a magazine for ammunition that carries 30 bullets. Now, isn't it possible that if we got rid of these, if we replaced them and said, 'Well, you can only have a magazine that carries five bullets or ten bullets,' isn't it just possible that we could reduce the carnage in a situation like Newtown?" Gregory asked, referring to the Dec. 14 school shooting in Newtown, Conn., in which a gunman killed 20 children and six adults.

LaPierre replied: "I don't believe that's going to make one difference. There are so many different ways to evade that even if you had that" ban.

Police began investigating after the program aired and recently referred its findings to the attorney general's office.

The NRA couldn't immediately be reached for comment Friday.

However, NRA president David Keene told CNN last month that he didn't believe Gregory should be prosecuted for what he called a "silly felony."

"I do think it illustrates the craziness of some of these laws," Keene said at the time.

Gregory, a longtime correspondent, was named "Meet the Press" moderator in 2008. The program is generally taped in Washington.

"Meet the Press" issued a statement Friday that said: "We displayed the empty magazine solely for journalistic purposes to help illuminate an important issue for our viewers. We accept the District of Columbia Attorney General's admonishment, respect his decision and will have no further comment on this matter."

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Sen. Bill Nelson is going python hunting

Sen. Bill Nelson has taken some ribbing for his focus on Pythons in the Everglades. But the problem is real. So little surprise the 70-year-old Democrat will participate in Florida’s first snake hunt, which begins Saturday and offers cash prizes.

Nelson will go out Thursday with a rancher in Davie.

“He’s had a hand in drawing attention to the problem and it has, in fact, proven to be a very serious problem,” spokesman Dan McLaughlin said. “Bill doesn’t mind the heat, the mosquitoes, the alligators and the poisonous snakes. It puts him in touch with natural Florida.”

Nelson and another hunter will wield machetes and pistols, McLaughlin said.

Hundreds of people have signed up for the python challenge. Grand prizes of $1,500 for harvesting the most Burmese pythons will be awarded to winners of both the general competition and the Python permit holders competition, with additional $1,000 prizes for the longest snake, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said.

As of Thursday morning, 670 people had signed up for the python challenge. Grand prizes of $1,500 for harvesting the most Burmese pythons will be awarded to winners of both the general competition and the Python permit holders competition, with additional $1,000 prizes for the longest snake, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said.

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Walmart redesigns plans for Midtown Miami store

In an effort to garner increased support for its store in Midtown Miami, Walmart late Thursday submitted redesigned plans to the City of Miami that buffers the store with independent shops and restaurants along Midtown Boulevard.

The 16,000-square-feet of retail would line the ground floor of one side of the Walmart store, providing a more interactive streetfront for pedestrians that maintains the character of the Midtown Miami project. This additional retail building would be a joint venture between Walmart and Midtown Opportunities, the developer that owns the majority of the undeveloped property at Midtown.

Midtown Opportunities would develop the liner retail bulding and lease the property to retailers and restaurants. The plans were part of an amended permit application Walmart submitted to city staff for approval.

“Throughout this process, we have remained engaged with the surrounding community to discuss ways our plan could best serve local residents,” said Steven Restivo, senior director of community affairs for Walmart. “Our plan now allows for additional retail that will not only compliment our store but also offer customers more choices for their shopping needs. Plus, we think the opportunity to activate an empty parcel will add an additional economic boost to the surrounding area.”

Zyscovich Architects, the firm which created the master plan for Miami’s Midtown, has been hired by Midtown Opportunities to design the retail space facing along Midtown Boulevard between NW 31st STreet and NW 29th Street. The space would have room for about four to six new restaurants and shops.

“The spirit of The Midtown Miami Master Plan has come alive with a variety of residential, commercial and retail establishments,” said Bernard Zyscovich, President and Managing Partner of Zyscovich Architects. “The new project designs will ensure that the urban character of the district will be retained with new shops along Midtown Boulevard that will incorporate a modern design.”

Walmart’s revised plan also includes a slightly adjusted vision for the look of the entire store, providing additional metal canopies, awnings and a glass storefront. Pending the approval of city staff, Walmart hopes to begin construction this summer with an opening befor the end of 2014.

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A Tale of 2 Strategies: The Twitter Genius of Chuck Grassley and Cory Booker

If you’re on Twitter and not following Sen. Chuck Grassley, you’re not using Twitter correctly.

The Iowa Republican is known for his colorful and personal Twitter feed. Take a gander: He personally tweets about everything from the History Channel to “Obamacare” to an incident in which he hit a deer with his car  (“assume dead”). Grassley’s tweets take us along for a ride, one that’s often riddled with spelling errors (which he has said is due to his distaste for typing and the iPhone’s auto-correct function).

Pres/Cong need 2work on Wash spending prob. No time 2waste b/4 Mar. Pres promised tax hike is done. Now he needs 2keep promise 4 less spend

— ChuckGrassley (@ChuckGrassley) January 4, 2013

Rained inIowa this weekend. Still 8 inches shortIowa still still listed dangerous drought pray For rain

— ChuckGrassley (@ChuckGrassley) December 17, 2012

Fred and I hit a deer on hiway 136 south of Dyersville. After I pulled fender rubbing on tire we continued to farm. Assume deer dead

— ChuckGrassley (@ChuckGrassley) October 26, 2012

Contrast Grassley’s tweets to another lawmaker known for his active and personal feed: Newark, N.J., Mayor Cory Booker. On Twitter, he’s part mayor, part celebrity. Booker tweets about city services and was widely praised for how he utilized the platform in the aftermath of superstorm Sandy to connect directly with residents. But then he’ll retweet someone who says she’s going to get a Cory Booker quote tattoo or someone who has a “political crush” on him. Sometimes, Booker tweets like a Kardashian.

Think so, call 9737334311. My people will tell u RT @hennybottle: Is the number to get downed wires removed same for all of essex county?

— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) January 8, 2013

“Hey, Never Met U, Your tweet’s Crazy, I’ll DM My Number, So Call Me Maybe?” MT @ann_ralston: I have a non-sexual, political crush on you!

— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) January 8, 2013

Wow. An honor I never quite imagined RT @rachelanncohen: deliberating between several Cory Booker quotes for my next tattoo.

— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) January 8, 2013

I love you too! RT @alwoldegorgeous: I can actually say I am in love with @kimkardashian#girlcrush

— Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) December 12, 2012

Obviously, Booker is savvier with Twitter than Grassley, and he’s utilized the platform effectively, as he vies for statewide office. Booker’s a PR genius with social media. Grassley’s himself–typos, rants, and all. So while Booker probably doesn’t need to take Twitter lessons from the six-term senator, there’s something decidedly old school and earnest that’s kind of appealing about Grassley’s feed, something that would be nice to see in Booker’s feed, too.

Welcome to Twitter Pope Benedict. U will find it useful and interesting

— ChuckGrassley (@ChuckGrassley) December 3, 2012

CORRECTION: Grassley has served in the Senate for six terms.  An earlier version of the story incorrectly listed his tenure.

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First Look: Kesha's C'Mon Music Video

Ke$ha's getting frisky with some furry, fun-loving friends in the new music video for her single C'Mon, and we have your first look!

Related: Kesha on Justin Bieber: 'I Would Hit That'

Straight off her album Warrior, you can catch the premiere of the full C'Mon video Friday on Vevo.com.

Ke$ha also graces the cover of Seventeen magazine, so make sure to pick up a copy on stands now!

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First alleged thug in fatal parka mugging arraigned on murder, weapon possession charges

The first alleged thug busted in a senseless fatal parka mugging is claiming all he did was supply the gun.

"I saw the guy shoot the kid," Timothy Montalvo, 16, said of the January 4 fatal shooting of Raphael Ward in front of a church at 49 Columbia Street. Ward, who is also 16, resisted demands to relinquish the $600 parka, and paid with his life, cops say.

Speaking of the tragedy earlier today, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said the actual shooter has been identified as Walter Rodriguez, 20, who is still being sought.

"This was a dispute, possible retaliation over jackets being stolen earlier that evening," Kelly told reporters. "But we are looking for Walter Rodriguez, and Timothy Montalvo has been arrested for possession of the weapon. That is the allegation, that the victim may have been involved in the theft of a jacket."

Pool photo

Attorney Gary Sunden stands next to his client Timothy Montalvo, who was being charge for 2nd degree murder, at his arraignment at Manhattan Criminal Court.

"I brought the gun, and I handed the gun to him before he shot him," Montalvo has admitted to cops, according to a criminal complaint charging him with murder and criminal possession of a weapon.

Montalvo was one of four kids caught on video surveillance entering and then leaving a nearby grocery store just before the shooting. He is the first suspect charged.

He stood before Manhattan Criminal Judge Robert Mandelbaum in a far more down-market-looking bomber jacket than the expensive, fur-trimmed Marmot jacket that Ward died over.

"He is charged with murder, and he did give a confession in this case," assistant district Shanda Strain said in asking successfully that the judge order Montalvo held without bail.

Montalvo is due back in court on Jan. 24, when he will learn if a grand jury has voted a murder indictment against him. His lawyer, Gary Sunden, declined comment.

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Florida company provides electrical power for the world

More than 4,000 miles from its home base in Doral, Energy International is helping keep the lights on and the power grid humming in Gibraltar, the British territory on the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula.

Energy International, a global provider of power plants and energy solutions, sent a temporary plant that will provide power for at least the next two years while a more permanent fix is sought for the territory’s erratic and aging electrical system.

The Doral company was founded 14 years ago as MCA Power Systems and its initial goal was to pursue energy contracts in Latin America. It began in 2000 with a name change and in recent years its focus has become global.

“The world needs energy,’’ said Brett Hall, EI’s vice president of finance.

While the 2007-2008 recession curtailed the growth of worldwide energy demand, the U.S. Energy Information Agency has projected that global demand for electricity will increase by 2.3 percent annually from 2008 to 2035.

The potential is especially strong in developing nations. The International Energy Agency estimated that in 2009, 21 percent of the world’s population — 1.4 billion people — didn’t have access to electricity. In sub-Saharan Africa, the percentage of people without power rises to 69 percent.

Energy International has expanded sales from Latin America and the Caribbean to Europe, Africa and the Middle East, boosting revenue from $100 million annually in 2009 to more than $300 million today, Hall said. This year, EI is anticipating revenue of $350 million to $375 million.

In the next seven years the company, which is privately owned by American shareholders and affiliated with Gecolsa — the Caterpillar dealership in Colombia — hopes revenue will top $1 billion, he said.

Even though Energy International is based in the United States, it does little work domestically. Its sweet spot is emerging economies and projects that require an investment on its part of $100 million or less.

“Our focus is to do whatever makes the most economic sense for a particular market,’’ said Hall.

“We’re not going to be building a nuclear power plant,’’ he said. But EI will accommodate its solutions to local fuel supplies whether it’s biofuel, natural gas or heavy fuels that are more prevalent.

When it comes to the type of temporary power solution needed by Gibraltar, which had been plagued by a string of power outages at its archaic electrical facilities, EI can have a temporary plant up and running in 30 to 40 days, supplying the engineering, rental turbines and other equipment and doing the installation.

“We were able to support Gibraltar’s power needs on short notice,’’ said Andres Molano, EI’s vice president of sales. “Some of their equipment required major maintenance and they needed to stop their plants.’’

EI, one of the world’s largest suppliers of interim energy solutions, signed a $12 million contract with the government of Gibraltar in November and the plant was operational by Dec. 21. The agreement includes an option for a three-year extension.

The equipment now in use in Gibraltar is considered part of EI’s fleet and will move on to other energy emergencies when its service in the territory famed for the Rock of Gibraltar is complete.

But when it comes to its permanent power plants, EI will build a facility for a client looking to generate its own power or construct a plant, run it and sell power directly to the final user.

“We can do all the work ourselves. We have all the skills in house — finance, design, operations, maintenance, building and the equipment,’’ said Hall.

Energy International moved into the Middle East last year, completing projects in Oman and Yemen and establishing a subsidiary in Dubai to pursue business in Africa and the Middle East, said Molano.

“Africa is new to us, but we believe there are opportunities there,’’ he said.

The company also is looking for continued growth in Latin America, especially in Colombia, which is now attracting foreign investors who previously had been spooked by violence.

Remote areas of the Amazon where temporary power solutions are needed also represent opportunity for the company.

“EI is very fortunate to be in a position in which we have more excellent opportunities than capital.’’ said Hall, so this year it will be concentrating on raising equity to finance growth.

“One of our biggest challenges in 2013,’’ Hall said, “will be to find investors or joint venture partners to provide capital that will enable EI to perform these projects so our aggressive revenue growth targets can be achieved.’’

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Dems at odds over future Florida Democratic Party chair

Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz has the ear and the loyalty of President Barack Obama, and loads of influence among Democrats in Washington and across the country. Democratic activists in her home state of Florida, however, are poised to deliver an embarrassing snub to Wasserman Schultz later this month with the heated race to lead the state Democratic Party.

The congresswoman from Weston recruited longtime friend Allison Tant of Tallahassee to run for chair of the state party, and in recent weeks has aggressively lobbied elected officials and party activists to get behind her anointed choice.

But it looks increasingly likely that those activists may ignore the entreaties by Wasserman Schultz and Sen. Bill Nelson and instead elect Tampa activist Alan Clendenin to succeed outgoing party chairman Rod Smith.

"They’re in absolute denial that they’ve lost," Hillsborough Democratic Chairman Chris Mitchell said of Tant and her supporters. "Now they’re scrambling, and Debbie’s trying to save face. ... She wants to have complete control of the (state party) and what they do, and Allison Tant gives her complete control. Debbie knows she can’t control Alan and she can control Allison."

Democratic state committee members from Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties on Monday night held a non-binding vote on the race for party chairman and unanimously backed Clendenin over Tant. The way the party weighs votes in such party elections, the votes from those three Democratic strongholds could all but ensure Clendenin is the next state party chairman.

Clendenin, 53, said Wasserman Schultz urged him to drop out of the race to pave the way for Tant, but he refused.

His endorsements include U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor and former gubernatorial nominee Alex Sink — both fellow Hillsborough county residents — and the state party’s black and Hispanic caucuses.

"The bottom line is we’re all Democrats and like with all elections, we will unify when we’re done,’’ Clendenin, a retired air traffic controller who would be Florida’s first openly gay state party chairman, said when asked if he could work with the DNC chairwoman if he wins.

"I’ve been counting votes for a long time for a lot of years. The vote count we have is one that puts Allison in a very strong position," said Wasserman Schultz. "The vote is on Jan. 26 and that’s the one that matters."

Tant, a top Obama fundraiser and former lobbyist who had been little known outside of Tallahassee, noted that the Monday night South Florida vote was non-binding and that she is rapidly gaining support as she meets more and more people across the state.

"It’s very close and it will be a robust primary," said Tant, 51, who on Wednesday announced endorsements from most Democrats in the Florida congressional delegation (U.S. Reps. Frederica Wilson and Joe Garcia of Miami-Dade; Alcee Hastings of Broward; Lois Frankel, Ted Deutch and Patrick Murphy of Palm Beach; Alan Grayson of Orange County; and Corrine Brown of Duval County) as well as seven local party officials.

Clendenin’s supporters tout his vision for shaking up the party and mobilizing and organizing the grassroots, while Tant’s supporters often stress her strong fundraising skills.

"It makes sense that the people who are ultimately elected by party activists are strongly supporting Allison Tant because we know what it takes to win election," Wasserman Schultz said. "Without having someone at the helm who can raise the resources, we are not going to be competitive in 2014

Wasserman Schultz’s close involvement in the race has led to speculation she wants a strong ally leading the state party should she run for governor or U.S. Senate, but the DNC leader dismissed that talk.

"This is nothing more than I am leader of the party nationally and I care about my state, and I really care about making sure that we can defeat Rick Scott," she said.

Clendenin said the choice boils down to whether Democrats want a leader to tweak the party (Tant) or make significant changes (Clendenin). Tant, he said, could be "part of an incredible team to change the trajectory of the state of Florida. I want to work with Allison to be part of a team. I believe Allison would be willing to do that, but Debbie is unwilling to give her the latitude to do that."

Florida Democrats have not had as competitive and heated an election for state party chairman in at least two decades. On blogs and through emails, advocates for both candidates have attacked the rival candidate.

Tant critics have cast her as a puppet of party elites and a status quo candidate. They have pointed to a handful of donations she has made to Republican legislative candidates (Tant said they mainly went to candidates who would advocate for disabled children and that she gave to far more Democrats), and that her husband, former Democratic attorney general candidate Barry Richard, represented the Bush-Cheney campaign in the 2000 recount.

Clendenin critics say he is out of his league when it comes to the most critical element of a party’s success — raising money. Tant raised at least $340,000 for Obama in the last election from Leon County alone.

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Go Ahead, Keep Being Mean to Celebrities on Twitter

We realize there’s only so much time one can spend in a day watching new trailers, viral video clips, and shaky cell phone footage of people arguing on live television. This is why every day The Atlantic Wire highlights the videos that truly earn your five minutes (or less) of attention. Today:  

RELATED: The Honey Boo Boo Nature Special; Everyone’s Favorite Sleepwalking Mom

We usually don’t condone being an impolite jerk to anyone, especially on social media. But we kind of make an exception because, well, if everyone was nice to everyone all of a sudden, we’d run out of fun Jimmy Kimmel segments where celebrities read their tweets:

RELATED: Ai Weiwei’s ‘Gangnam Style’ Isn’t Bad

RELATED: So Which Boyfriend Is Taylor Swift Singing About Now?

Oh man, this giant squid is like the most famous sea creature celebrity of the moment. And yes, it’s way freakier in motion:

RELATED: Katie Holmes Goes Bust on Broadway

RELATED: Justin Bieber is Coming to Town

So fine, this is sort of bending the rules per se because this isn’t really a video-video. It’s the Game of Thrones introduction with beatboxing by the Stark children. 

And finally, here is one minute of a man singing all the songs involving the word “baby.” And in case you were wondering, yes, Justin Bieber is officially in the Baby Pantheon of Music. 

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Nicki Minaj on American Idol Drama Mariah Carey

Everyone is talking about the rumored feud between American Idol's divas, Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj, and ET's Rocsi Diaz was the only reporter to sit down with each of them on the topic of their relationship.

VIDEO: Mariah on 'Messy' Idol Moments with Nicki

Minaj denied the existence of a feud in the first place, but that might depend on your definition.

"There is no feud! A feud is an ongoing beef between divas," Minaj said before jokingly adding, "Well, maybe there is a feud."

Minaj did admit to having disagreements, but she was quick to point out that this is normal when strong opinions come into play.

"We're human, but we're on TV and it's magnified!" Minaj said.

Carey confirmed that she beefed up security after feeling threatened by Minaj on set last fall, but everything seemed copacetic between the two ladies when they appeared at The Television Critics Association Tour on Tuesday.

RELATED: Mariah & Minaj Address Idol Feud

"This is a very passionate panel," Carey said. "I think there are a lot of strong personalities and, starting this process, I thought it was a possibility there could be differences of opinions. The fighting is what it is. This is American Idol, it's bigger than all that. It's bigger than some stupid, trumped-up thing. It's about the next superstar."

American Idol returns to FOX Wednesday, January 16 and Thursday January 17 at 8/7c.

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Unidentified 9/11 remains will be safe: city

The remains of unidentified victims of 9/11 to be interred at the World Trade Center memorial site will be safe from flooding and other disasters, city attorneys argued today in state appellate court in Manhattan.

“There’s no evidence in the record that there is a problem with flooding,” argued Ellen Ravitch, of the city’s Law Department.

But a group of families disagree saying flooding during Hurricane Sandy proved the site isn’t safe from storms.

The group had sued the city under the Freedom of Information Law for the release of a master list of all registered family members so they can poll them about whether they’d like to see the unidentified remains buried in a capsule under the memorial, as is planned now, or in above-ground memorial.

The city, however, has refused citing privacy concerns, even though it did provide the list to the 9/11 Memorial, a privately-run non-profit.

The five-judge appellate panel said it would announce it’s decision at a later date.

Family members said if others knew where the remains will be located they would also object.

“This is going to flood again. There will be human remains floating all over Lower Manhattan. I was down there after Sept. 11 picking up body parts, and I’m afraid that’s going to happen again,” said retired FDNY Deputy Chief Jim Riches, who lost his son, Jimmy, also a firefighter, on 9/11.

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Rhino becomes second large animal to die at Zoo Miami

It’s been a bad week for Zoo Miami. Two of its larger animals died on Monday

First, a 12-year-old Malayan tiger named Tevy was found dead in her enclosure.

By nightfall, Mohan, at 44 believed to be the oldest living Indian rhinoceros in captivity, was euthanized due to failing health, said spokesman Ron Magill.

“His breathing had become very labored and he was unsteady on his feet. It was a quality of life issue,” he said of the decision to end the rhino’s life on the same day Tevy died.

Mohan was a longtime resident of the zoo. “He had arrived from Nepal as a youngster at the original zoo at Crandon Park,’’ Magill said. “He was a very emotional loss for us.’’

Mohar had been a gift from benefactor Ralph Scott, who donated other large animals to the zoo.

“He had not been on display for several years and had been retired and living in a quarantine area. He was just enjoying the final years of his life.”

There are three other Indian rhinos at the zoo.

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James Franco Does His Best Justin Bieber

We realize there’s only so much time one can spend in a day watching new trailers, viral video clips, and shaky cell phone footage of people arguing on live television. This is why every day The Atlantic Wire highlights the videos that truly earn your five minutes (or less) of attention. Today:  

RELATED: All We Want for Christmas Is Jimmy Fallon and Mariah Carey Singing to Us

Remember when Justin Bieber was struggling for relevance and James Franco was the super serious, super educated actor destined for greatness? Well, Franco clearly doesn’t want you to:

RELATED: Dating Is Just So Depressing

RELATED: A Dubstep Birthday for Michael Jackson and One Soggy Koala

So what do you do when someone gets their dream wedding ruined by a doomed hot-air balloon ride? Well, if you’re the Today show, you make a macabre Wedding Crashers joke: 

RELATED: Ai Weiwei’s ‘Gangnam Style’ Isn’t Bad

RELATED: ‘What Makes You Beautiful’ Gets Beautiful

Here’s perhaps one of the better arguments against that trillion-dollar coin, courtesy of Homer Simpson and company:

And this guy seems pretty down on the squandered opulence of cruise ships:

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Genie Francis Coming Back to General Hospital

General Hospital fans are in for a pleasant surprise this February!

Soap star Genie Francis will make her triumphant return to the show that made her famous next month, reprising her role as Laura Spencer for GH's 50th anniversary, reports Entertainment Weekly.

Video: Genie Francis Dishes on her Return to Daytime and the Future of Soaps

The legendary actress returned to the daytime soap circuit last May on CBS' The Young and The Restless after a four-year break from her storied career at GH from 1976 to 2008.

Last June, Francis opened up to ET about her decision to jump back into TV after spending some time away from Port Charles.

"It was a chance to play a different type of character," beamed the 50-year-old star of playing bad-girl Genevieve on Y&R.

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'Dark Knight' massacre 911 calls played in court; sounds of gunfire & crying heard

AP

People gather outside the Century 16 movie theatre in Aurora, Colo., at the scene of a mass shooting.

CENTENNIAL, Colo. — Chilling 911 calls that captured the sound of dozens of flying bullets — and a young teen weeping over the body of her dead 6-year-old cousin — were replayed at a “Dark Knight’’ massacre pre-trial hearing today.

Panicked moviegoer Kevin Quinonez was the first to call 911 — and can be heard shouting, “There’s some guy ... after us!’’ amid the gunfire.

Reuters

James Holmes, suspect in a July 20 shooting rampage at a movie theatre which left 12 people dead and 70 more wounded, is seen in this undated police handout photo released by the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office in Littleton, Colorado

“You can hear at least 30 shots in the background,’’ testified Aurora, Colo., police Detective Randy Hansen of the 27-second phone call from Quinonez, who survived.

The second wrenching 911 call came from a sobbing 13-year-old relative of both Veronica Moser-Sullivan, 6, who died in the bloodbath, and the dead girl’s mom, who was left paralyzed.

“My two cousins, they’re sitting on the floor ... one of them” is not breathing, the stricken teen told the dispatcher.

As the 911 operator tried to give the girl instructions on how to perform CPR, the child replies, “I can’t hear! ... It’s too loud! ... I can’t hear you! I’m so sorry.’’

The playing of the tapes in the Centennial, Colo., courtroom left some survivors and relatives of the dead there in tears.

“It hurts because you can hear the gunshots and people screaming,” said Chantel Blunk, whose husband, Jonathan, was among the 12 killed in the Aurora movie theater July 20.

As for alleged killer James Holmes — who dyed his hair flaming red and called himself “the Joker’’ after the slaughter at “The Dark Knight Rises’’ Batman flick — “He’s just sitting there. There’s no emotion,’’ she said incredulously.

“How can you just sit there?”

A judge has been holding hearings as required this week to determine whether there is enough evidence to bring Holmes, now 25, to trial.

Also testifying today were FBI and ATF agents who revealed the excruciating lengths to which Holmes allegedly set a massive booby trap for police back at his apartment.

The deadly set-up included three jars of “improvised,’’ or homemade, napalm and the chemical thermite — which burns so intensely that even water can’t put it out.

The home’s carpet was saturated with gasoline, trip wires crisscrossed the rooms, and before he left for the theater, Holmes had allegedly placed a boom-box in a white garbage bag outside his door rigged to play white noise for 40 minutes — and then set off a blast of music.

Neighbors would call the cops to complain, he reasoned, thus luring officers there to their death, officials have said.

Residents never called the cops.

After being tipped off by Holmes himself to the trap when he was busted, the cops used a remote-controlled robot to search the apartment.

“We could see ... a trip wire. It looked like a fishing line running from the door jam contacted to a thermos. We later learned it was full of glycerine,’’ said FBI Agent Garrett Gumbinner.

“The thermos was positioned over a frying pan that was full of potassium permanganate. When it mixes with glycerin, it would cause sparks.’’

Additional reporting by Kate Sheehy

jennifer.bain@nypost.com

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Florida company provides electrical power for the world

More than 4,000 miles from its home base in Doral, Energy International is helping keep the lights on and the power grid humming in Gibraltar, the British territory on the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula.

Energy International, a global provider of power plants and energy solutions, sent a temporary plant that will provide power for at least the next two years while a more permanent fix is sought for the territory’s erratic and aging electrical system.

The Doral company was founded 14 years ago as MCA Power Systems and its initial goal was to pursue energy contracts in Latin America. It began 2000 with a name change and in recent years its focus has become global.

“The world needs energy,’’ said Brett Hall, EI’s vice president of finance.

While the 2007-2008 recession curtailed the growth of worldwide energy demand, the U.S. Energy Information Agency has projected that global demand for electricity will increase by 2.3 percent annually from 2008 to 2035.

The potential is especially strong in developing nations. The International Energy Agency estimated that in 2009, 21 percent of the world’s population — 1.4 billion people — didn’t have access to electricity. In sub-Saharan Africa, the percentage of people without power rises to 69 percent.

Energy International has expanded sales from Latin America and the Caribbean to Europe, Africa and the Middle East, boosting revenue from $100 million annually in 2009 to more than $300 million today, Hall said. This year, EI is anticipating revenue of $350 million to $375 million.

In the next seven years the company, which is privately owned by American shareholders and affiliated with Gecolsa — the Caterpillar dealership in Colombia — hopes revenue will top $1 billion, he said.

Even though Energy International is based in the United States, it does little work domestically. Its sweet spot is emerging economies and contracts of $100 million or less.

“Our focus is to do whatever makes the most economic sense for a particular market,’’ said Hall.

“We’re not going to be building a nuclear power plant,’’ he said. But EI will accommodate its solutions to local fuel supplies whether it’s biofuel, natural gas or heavy fuels that are more prevalent.

When it comes to the type of temporary power solution needed by Gibraltar, which had been plagued by a string of power outages at its archaic electrical facilities, EI can have a temporary plant up and running in 30 to 40 days, supplying the engineering, rental turbines and other equipment and doing the installation.

“We were able to support Gibraltar’s power needs on short notice,’’ said Andres Molano, EI’s vice president of sales. “Some of their equipment required major maintenance and they needed to stop their plants.’’

EI, one of the world’s largest suppliers of interim energy solutions, signed a $12 million contract with the government of Gibraltar in November and the plant was operational by Dec. 21. The agreement includes an option for a three-year extension.

The equipment now in use in Gibraltar is considered part of EI’s fleet and will move on to other energy emergencies when its service in the territory famed for the Rock of Gibraltar is complete.

But when it comes to its permanent power plants, EI will build a facility for a client looking to generate its own power or construct a plant, run it and sell power directly to the final user.

“We can do all the work ourselves. We have all the skills in house — finance, design, operations, maintenance, building and the equipment,’’ said Hall.

Energy International has moved into the Middle East, completing projects in Oman and Yemen and establishing a subsidiary in Dubai in 2012 to pursue business in Africa and the Middle East, said Molano.

“Africa is new to us, but we believe there are opportunities there,’’ he said.

The company also is looking for continued growth in Latin America, especially in Colombia, which is now attracting foreign investors who previously had been spooked by violence.

Remote areas of the Amazon where temporary power solutions are needed also represent opportunity for the company.

“EI is very fortunate to be in a position in which we have more excellent opportunities than capital.’’ said Hall, so this year it will be concentrating on raising equity to finance growth.

“One of our biggest challenges in 2013,’’ Hall said, “will be to find investors or joint venture partners to provide capital that will enable EI to perform these projects so our aggressive revenue growth targets can be achieved.’’

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Year-end Wii U sales steady, says Nintendo chief

KYOTO (Reuters) – Nintendo Co Ltd‘s year-end sales of its Wii U games console were steady, though not as strong as when its Wii predecessor was first launched, the Japanese game maker’s top executive told Reuters on Monday.

The company, which grew from making playing cards in the late 19th century into the blockbuster Super Mario video game series, is pinning its hopes on the Wii U after posting a first operating loss last year, as gamers ditch console games to play on smartphones and tablets.

“At the end of the Christmas season, it wasn’t as though stores in the U.S. had no Wii U left in stock, as it was when Wii was first sold in that popular boom. But sales are not bad, and I feel it’s selling steadily,” Nintendo President Satoru Iwata said in an interview.

Iwata gave no details on sales or forecasts, but said Nintendo needed to focus on developing attractive software for its 3DS handheld device to draw new users, and increase Wii U sales as it battles competition from popular mobile devices. The Wii U carries video content from Netflix Inc and Hulu, and has a dedicated social gaming network called Miiverse, which allows users to interact and share games tips.

Nintendo said in October it aimed to sell 5.5 million Wii U devices by end-March. Wii U, the successor to the blockbuster Wii machine, went on sale in the United States on November 18. The company later said it sold more than 400,000 of the video game consoles in the first week.

Nintendo sold 638,339 Wii U consoles in Japan between December 8 and 30, according to data from game magazine publisher Enterbrain. The company has sold nearly 100 million of the original Wii units since its launch in 2006.

Rival Microsoft Corp sold more than 750,000 of its Xbox 360 console during the Black Friday week in November – one of the busiest U.S. consumer shopping periods of the year, beating sales of both Sony Corp’s

DOUBLE CHALLENGE

Iwata acknowledged the challenge of producing two Wii U models at the same time, as most customers wanted the premium package, which sold out quickly in many places, while there was a glut of the slightly cheaper Wii U model on store shelves.

“It was the first time Nintendo released two models of the game console at the same time … and I believe there was a challenge with balancing this. Specifically, inventory levels for the premium, deluxe package was unbalanced as many people wanted that version and couldn’t find it,” he said.

Iwata noted a weaker yen would have little impact on Nintendo’s profits this fiscal year, but would positively impact its foreign denominated assets.

Nintendo’s Osaka-listed shares earlier ended down nearly 2.1 percent on Monday at 8,980 yen, and have fallen 15 percent since the Wii U was launched.

(Editing by Ian Geoghegan)

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EXCLUSIVE: Pics of Lindsay Lohan Mom Dina Lohan with a Black Eye

After alleging that her ex-husband Michael Lohan physically abused her when they were married, Dina Lohan has now released old photos of herself with a black eye.

RELATED: Michael Lohan Responds to Abuse Allegations

Michael vehemently denies abusing Dina, telling ET, "[Dina] hit me with an ice tray, and I turned around and swung ... I didn't punch her. I didn't do anything deliberately to attack her. I swung out of reflex ... she's twisting everything."

During an interview with the New York Daily News, the mother of four alleged that Michael physically abused her in front of their daughter Lindsay Lohan, claiming, "that's why she's so screwed up." In the vintage photos, Dina is carrying a baby.

In a recent interview with ET's Christina McLarty, Dina revealed details about the alleged abuse, saying, "I will tell my story ... about abuse and how I've survived it and how my children have survived it. It shed some light on my children's behavior, having to witness it."

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EMT union fume over alleged plea deal for B'klyn assistant DA accused of attacking medic: letter

An EMT union members are fuming mad over what it calls plans by the Manhattan District Attorney’s office to give a sweetheart plea deal to a Brooklyn assistant DA accused of attacking a medic in an ambulance last November, according to a union letter obtained by the Post today.

Brooklyn Assistant District Attorney Michael Jaccarino, 30, will appear in court tomorrow on charges he drunkenly pummeled and choked EMT Teresa Soler, 46, inside an ambulance after she picked him up in November.

“It is said that the Manhattan DA office will not present the case in a grand jury and that he will plea bargain,” union vice president Joe Conzo raged in the letter to union members.

“Members should be outraged and come out to support EMT Teresa Soler by appearing in Manhattan Criminal Court.”

Law-enforcement sources said the Manhattan DA’s office is considering offering Jaccarino a plea deal instead of pursuing felony charges, but no deal has been offered yet and no deal is expected to be offered tomorrow.

Reached on the phone, Conzo confirmed the letter and said Jaccarino should be prosecuted as seriously as if he had attacked a cop.

“Nobody should be given special treatment,” he said.

Also, another drunken Brooklyn assistant district attorney was busted in December after he refused to pay cab fare – and then told responding cops that he “outranked” them, law-enforcement sources said at the time.

Jaccarino was suspended without pay following the alleged beatdown.

Soler could not be reached.

jsaul@nypost.com

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State appeals order to pay for special autism treatment

Already facing sharp criticism over policies that have resulted in the rationing of care to severely disabled children, Florida healthcare regulators are challenging a federal judge’s order that the state provide a costly — but potentially life-changing — treatment to children with autism.

Last spring, U.S. District Judge Joan Lenard struck down the state’s refusal to pay for applied behavior analysis (ABA) for autistic children, calling the state’s policy “arbitrary, capricious and unreasonable.”

The court case involved three autistic youngsters — then-5-year-old K.G., 2-year-old I.G. and 4-year-old C.C. — whose efforts to obtain behavioral therapy had been denied by the state’s Medicaid insurance program for needy and disabled people. Lenard ordered that the three children be given the care they sought — and that the state provide such care to other autistic children, as well.

The state Agency for Health Care Administration has appealed the order, and, in a pleading submitted in November, argued that the ruling strips the state of its ability to weigh requests for the therapy on a case-by-case basis to ensure the treatments are “medically necessary.”

“There is no evidentiary support for the district court’s conclusion that [behavior analysis] services are medically necessary for all autistic Medicaid recipients under 21,” the brief said. “In fact, the evidence established that ABA treatment is not medically necessary, or even effective, in all cases. Some children do not respond to ABA treatment at all, and, in all other cases, the efficacy of ABA treatment diminishes rapidly after early age.”

Autism, typically diagnosed around age 2, is one of the most common developmental disabilities, afflicting about one in 88 children, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The neurological disorder often affects a child’s ability to speak, learn and interact with others.

In her March order, Lenard described as “outrageous” AHCA’s position that the behavioral therapy is not widely accepted by experts in the field. Though AHCA had for years refused to pay for the treatment for impoverished families, state law already requires commercial carriers to provide it to Floridians with private insurance — meaning children from poor families were being denied services to which more-affluent families had access.

Behavioral analysis is designed to improve the behavior, language and cognitive development of autistic children so they can lead more-normal lives.

“It is imperative,” the Miami judge wrote, “that autistic children in Florida receive [behavior therapy] immediately to prevent irreversible harm to these children’s health and development.”

Florida’s system of care for disabled and medically fragile children has generated significant controversy in recent months.

In September, the U.S. Justice Department accused the state of systematically cutting in-home nursing care for disabled children, resulting in hundreds of youngsters being warehoused in geriatric nursing homes.

On Monday, about nine state lawmakers will attend a “town hall” meeting in Sunrise to hear from families that have complained that AHCA and a sister department, the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, have so poorly funded services for disabled children that they feel they are being forced to institutionalize their loved ones.

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Billionaire Phillip Frost an ‘entrepreneur’s entrepreneur’

For that blind first date, a half-century ago, the young doctor, Phillip Frost, showed up at Patricia Orr’s family house in suburban New York, with an unusual gift: a miniature mushroom garden.

In the 50 years since, Frost, the son of a shoe store owner, has gone on to amass a fortune of $2.4 billion, according to Forbes magazine, becoming the 188th wealthiest man in the United States by developing and selling pharmaceutical companies. Along the way, he and Patricia have become major philanthropists in Miami-Dade County and they’ve signed a pledge to give away at least $1 billion more.

“He’s a relentless guy,” says Miami banker Bill Allen, who’s know him for more than 40 years. “He’s not afraid to take risks. ... He knows the intimate details of the chemistry of products, and he’s the kind of guy who can examine 50 deals while eating a sandwich.”

CNBC’s Jim Cramer recently praised Frost’s “incredible track record” for developing companies, calling Frost’s latest endeavor, OPKO Health, a “very risky” investment while noting it could offer huge gains under Obamacare.

But back in 1962, Patricia’s first impression was that Phil Frost was a bit of a nerd, finishing his medical internship with a strong interest in research — including mushrooms. She figured an academic career loomed.

“My mother was very impressed,” recalls Patricia, not so much by the M.D. behind Frost’s name but by the gift, something more serious than the usual flowers or candy. Serious was fine with Patricia, who was living at home while working toward a master’s degree in education at Columbia University. For their first date, they listened to a classical music concert.

Frost’s rise to riches may seem highly distinctive, but in an odd coincidence he has much in common with another prominent Miamian. Frost, 76, and car dealer Norman Braman, 80, both frequently appear on the Forbes list of wealthiest Americans. Both grew up in Philadelphia — Frost the son of a man who sold shoes, Braman son of a barber. Both are Jewish, well-known art collectors and philanthropists.

“He’s an entrepreneur’s entrepreneur,” says Braman. “We have a lot in common, coming from very poor families. But he went to Central High (a public school for exceptional students) and I was not qualified to go there.”

There are other differences. While Braman is voluble and highly visible in the causes he supports, Frost tends to be a reticent, almost shy speaker, given to careful pauses.

‘Lucky chances’

Told that a former colleague had called Frost “lucky,” Frost thought for a long moment. He could have cited many national business stories about his business acumen. Instead, he responded crisply: “I’ll be satisfied with lucky. I benefited from chance meetings.”

Frost spent his first years living above the shoe shop within an Italian market in South Philly. His two brothers were 15 and 16 years older. “I was an afterthought.”

The family was religiously observant, and Frost recalls his father singing him songs in Yiddish when he was small. He lived at home while attending the University of Pennsylvania, except for a year abroad in France. He took many science courses, but his major was French literature.

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Handset makers scurry to join Year of the Phablet

SINGAPORE/HONG KONG (Reuters) – Call it phablet, phonelet, tweener or super smartphone, but the clunky mobile phone – closer in size to a tablet than the smartphone of a couple of years back – is here to stay.

A surprise hit of 2012, it is drawing in more users, more handset makers and is shaping the way we consume content.

“We expect 2013 to be the year of the phablet,” said Neil Mawston, UK-based executive director of Strategy Analytics‘ global wireless practice.

While Samsung Electronics Co Ltd has blazed a trail with its once-mocked Galaxy Note devices, now other manufacturers are scurrying to catch up.

At this week’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Chinese telecommunications giants ZTE Corp and Huawei Technologies Co Ltd will launch their own.

ZTE, which collaborated with Italy’s designer Stefano Giovannoni for the Nubia phablet, is scheduled to launch its 5-inch Grand S, while Huawei brings out the Ascend Mate, sporting a whopping 6.1-inch screen, making it only slightly smaller than Amazon’s Kindle Fire tablet.

“Users have realized that a nearly 5-inch screen smartphone isn’t such a cumbersome device,” said Joshua Flood, senior analyst at ABI Research in Britain.

Driving the phablet’s shift to the mainstream is a confluence of trends. Users prefer larger screens because they are consuming more visual content on mobile devices than before, and using them less for voice calls – the phablet’s weak spot.

And as WiFi-only tablets become more popular, so has interest among commuters in devices that combine the best of both, while on the move.

According to the latest Ericsson Mobility Report, the monthly data traffic for every smartphone will rise fourfold between now and 2018 to 1,900 megabytes.

The upshot is a market for phablets that will quadruple in value to $ 135 billion in three years, according to Barclays. Shipments of gadgets that are 5 inches or bigger in screen size will surge by nearly nine-fold to 228 million during the same period, though estimates vary because no one can agree on where smartphones stop and phablets start.

But that’s the point, some say.

“I think phone size was a preconceived notion based on voice usage,” said John Berns, a Singapore-based executive who works in the information technology industry. He recently upgraded his Note for the newer Note 2 and bought another for his girlfriend for Christmas. “Smaller was better until phones got smart, became visual.”

Samsung has been both the engine and beneficiary. While other players shipped devices with larger screens earlier – Dell Inc launched its Streak in 2010 – it was only when the Korean behemoth launched the Galaxy Note in late 2011, with its 5.3-inch screen, that users took an interest.

“The Streak was launched at a time when 3-inch smartphones were standard and the leap to a 5-inch Streak was a jump too far for consumers,” says Strategy Analytics’ Mawston.

“The Galaxy Note was launched when 4-inch smartphones had become commonplace, and the leap to 5-inch was no longer such a chasm.”

THE BIGGER, THE BETTER

Since then Samsung has bet big on bigger: its updated Note has a 5.5-inch screen and its flagship Galaxy S3 – the best-selling smartphone in the third quarter of 2012 – has a screen that puts it in the phablet category for some analysts.

Samsung accounted for around three quarters of all phablets shipped last year, according to Barclays’ Taipei-based analyst Dale Gai.

Samsung’s marketing heft has paved the way for others. LG Electronics Inc accounted for 14 percent of shipments in the third quarter of last year, according to Strategy Analytics.

HTC Corp’s 5-inch Butterfly – called the Droid DNA in the United States – has been selling well in places where Samsung is less dominant, according to Taipei-based Yuanta Securities analyst Dennis Chan. The first batch sold out soon after its December launch in Taiwan.

“I don’t think we can say that Samsung invented phablets,” said Lv Qianhao, head of handset strategy at ZTE. “But it did do a lot to promote this product category, which helped create tremendous demand.”

Phablets are also proving popular in emerging markets.

A poll of nearly 5,000 readers of Yahoo’s Indonesian website chose Samsung’s Galaxy Note 2 as their favorite mobile phone of 2012, ahead of the iPhone 5.

Kristian Tjahjono, a technology journalist who posted the poll, said phablets were a natural fit for Indonesians who liked tablets but also liked making phone calls.

But while those in such markets who can afford them are going for the high-end devices, the door is opening for cheaper models. Tjahjono pointed to Lenovo’s 5-inch S880, which has a lower resolution screen and sells for about $ 250, which is around a third of the price of Galaxy Note 2.

SWEET SPOT

Falling component prices will add to demand. The total cost of an upper-end phablet, its bill of materials, will likely fall to 2,000 yuan ($ 323) this year, says Gai from Barclays, and will halve within two years.

“One thousand yuan is a very sweet spot for China,” he said.

India is also a fan.

Vivek Deshpande, who manages global strategy for Shenzhen-based mobile phone maker Zopo, says that while the Indian and Chinese markets are different, they both share a common appetite for aspirational devices: phones big enough for their owners to show off. This is changing the direction of lower end players.

“Zopo’s primary focus is now on phablets,” said Deshpande.

Even Samsung is pushing its own creation downmarket: In Las Vegas it will unveil the Galaxy Grand, a 5-inch device that lacks some of the resolution and muscle of its bigger brethren but will be aimed at markets like India. There is a version offering a dual SIM slot, a popular feature for those wanting to arbitrage cheaper call and data plans.

As phablets slide into the mainstream, handset makers are trying to find ways of differentiating.

As well as hiring Italian designer Giovannoni better known for his minimalist, sleek bathrooms, ZTE also came up with an onscreen keypad that inclines to one side of the screen, depending on whether the user is left- or right-handed.

Samsung, however, not only has first mover advantage, it can also build on its expertise in display.

Barclay’s Gai says Samsung is expected to introduce a thinner, unbreakable AMOLED screen which will leave room for bigger batteries.

“That will put Samsung in good stead to still dominate the market,” he said. Despite pressure in China, Gai estimates Samsung’s share of smartphones with 5-inch or larger screens to fall only from 73 percent in 2012 to 58 percent in 2016, which is still the lion’s share.

By then consumers will see the phablet for what it is, says Horace Dediu, a Finnish analyst who runs a technology blog asymco.com. Its rise is part of a wider march of computing power into wherever we reside – the living room, the train, bed or work.

“It makes sense that we’re moving towards a time where we are served not by a computer or a netbook or a phone, but rather that we have these screens scattered around and available for us to play with,” he said. “In a way the phablet is not a bulky phone but a very delicate computer.”

(Editing by Emily Kaiser)

Tech News Headlines – Yahoo! News

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