MELBOURNE — A few times a year, Janice Sidwa of Orlando drives to Tampa or Hollywood to play slot machines and stay a couple of nights at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casinos. She says she spends more than $500 on each outing for slots, meals, gas and a room. “I’d love to have something like that in this area. I hate having to drive that far,” said Sidwa, 66, as she prepared to board Victory Casino Cruises’ ship at Port Canaveral, which is for now Brevard’s only Las Vegas-style gambling experience. The operators of Melbourne Greyhound Park are looking to change that by adding 2,000 slot machines to the existing dog racing, simulcast and poker operation — if they can persuade local voters to say yes to a referendum on the November ballot that would open the door to slots and then get a license from the … [Read more...]
R. Gregory Hyden joins Nason Yeager
R. Gregory Hyden has joined Nason, Yeager, Gerson, White & Lioce in West Palm Beach as an associate. He focuses in business, commercial, real property and family litigation. Previously, his experience included litigating family law matters including divorce, paternity, modification of child support and alimony, adoption, support contempt and custody matters; his experience includes Assistant Public Defender for Broward County handling felonies, misdemeanors and D.U.I.'s; representing clients in dependency and education law matters; and volunteering with Bay Area Legal Services in their Ryan White Campaign working on Social Security Disability matters. … [Read more...]
Farmer-Turned-Attorney: ‘Economy is Pressuring our People’
By DONNA BALANCIA, TFLJ Editor WINTER PARK, Fla. -- Attorney Brad Hester buys locally grown products whenever he can, and not solely to keep in good physical health. The dairy farmer-turned-attorney believes buying Florida-grown products will also nurture a healthy economy. “Agriculture is under a lot of pressure and I help however I can,” Hester said. “Many factors impact the farmers and all of us are affected every day.” Hester has been involved in the industry for years and says the plight of the farmer pervades all realms of law, touching everything from real estate, to a wide range of environmental issues. It has been a tough economy throughout the United States, but the farmers in Florida have a particularly tough row to hoe. “The pressure from development has been building, and land values have swung both ways,” said Hester, who works with the law … [Read more...]
Following newspaper investigation, officials want new law regarding Florida death sentence appeals
By Reporters Melissa E. Holsman and Zaimarie De Guzman Amid sharp criticism of a state agency tasked with representing condemned prisoners appealing a death sentence, local prosecutors and two legislators want a new law that authorizes judges to decide how much is spent investigating an inmate's legal challenge. http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2012/oct/08/following-newspaper-investigation-officials-want/ … [Read more...]
