This news brief is for those of you who are unaware that George Maurer had a life before he became a bigtime columnist for Key West The Newspaper. Maurer was once a lawyer in Detroit. Fifteen years ago, he took on a client who had, under questionable circumstances, lost a lucrative contract with the Detroit Public Schools. Last week, the Michigan State Court of Appeals upheld a multi-million-dollar judgment for Maurer's client, ruling that he had been the victim of a bribery scandal that had resulted in the former school board president going to prison. The award: $11.1 million!
The really good news— at least for Maurer— was that he handled the case on a contingency basis.
He refused to reveal how much of the award he'll be bringing back to Key West.
Island News was evicted this week. We reported here two weeks ago that Southernmost Inc., the newspaper's landlord had filed a lawsuit on June 2, suing Publisher Winston Burrell and his corporation— Windsand Inc.— for $31, 449.07 in back rent, damages and attorneys' fees. Island News offices are reportedly being moved this weekend from 1315 Whitehead St. to an address on Northside Drive. Alvin Rubinstein, who co-signed the lease with Burrell in 1996, is also named in the suit.
Both Burrell and his attorney Shawn Smith, of Browning, Eden, Sireci & Klitenick, told Key West The Newspaper that the lawsuit had been "resolved." But no settlement agreement was in the case file in the Court Clerk's office Wednesday afternoon.
The case was initially assigned to Judge Sandra Taylor, Burrell's wife. She recused herself July
10. But no other Key West judge wants the case either. Judge Richard Payne has also recused himself, and
the case has been assigned to visiting Judge Thomas Spencer up the Keys.
Here's something different for the weekend: The Second Annual Florida Keys Tropical Fruit Fiesta at Bayfront Park tomorrow, Saturday, July 29, 9 a.m. `til 4 p.m. This event, sponsored by the University of Florida/Monroe County Extension service, will feature various types of tropical fruits on display, plus presentations and demonstrations concerning caring for tropical and exotic fruit trees. There will also be many varieties of exotic fruit trees on sale.
The popular plant clinic will also be back. Bring in your fruit tree sample and a plant pathologist from the University of Florida Tropical Research and Educational Center will tell you what the problem is and how to correct it.
Other activities include presentations by the folks from Going Bananas, the Fruit and Spice Park of Homestead, and Pine Island Nursery. The Florida Yards and Neighborhoods program of South Florida and Monroe County Master Gardeners will have displays and lectures on environmentally-friendly and money-saving landscaping ideas.
There will be plenty of shade, fruit products,