By Rachel Galvin

The incident took place two years ago, on March 17, 2010, but the consequences have reverberated and affected the entire community.

It was then that Deerfield Beach High Schooler Wayne Treacy and Deerfield Beach Middle Schooler Josie Lou Ratley shot barbs at each other via text messages, leading to Treacy attacking Ratley in person.

The trouble began when Treacy’s girlfriend, Kayla Mason, two years his junior, asked to use her friend Josie’s phone to text him. At some point later, after returning it, Treacy sent another text to Mason, but now the phone was in Ratley’s possession. Ratley did not agree with the relationship between them and began to tell Treacy just how much she disapproved. The conversation became heated back and forth. The final

straw was a comment she made about his brother, who committed suicide Oct. 10, 2009. Treacy set out to find Ratley, whom he had never met. When he arrived at DBMS, Mason pointed her friend out. Treacy, enraged, proceeded to attack Ratley at the bus stop, to kick her about the neck and head with his steel-toed boots even after she was unconscious. The incident landed Ratley in critical condition, in a coma at Broward General Medical Center, and landed Treacy in jail. While Treacy dealt with the repercussions on his end, Ratley fought for her life and the community rallied to support her, throwing walks, bike rides and other events to generate money to help fund her care.

Treacy’s lawyer, Russell Williams, argued that Treacy was suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after his brother’s suicide and that he was insane. The jury thought otherwise and proclaimed Treacy guilty of first-degree attempted murder. He faces up to 50 years in prison.

Williams said he is “physically and mentally drained” following the verdict and plans to appeal. He feels a key piece of evidence that was not allowed hurt his case.

“I am disappointed [in the verdict,] but I respect the jury. Exclusion of the interrogation video 2½ hours after [Treacy was brought in] is a key piece of evidence. It showed his state of mind at the time.

I am hoping the appellate court sees how the exclusion of the tape was critical in my defense. Everyone agrees he has mental illness. But the jury didn’t agree with that.” Williams’ next step is the pre-sentencing interrogation report, which will be turned in by the end of August. Sentencing will be after that. He plans to file an appeal.

He also compares this case to a similar one in 2009 in which a Ft. Lauderdale woman was convicted of aggravated battery and only given 10 years in prison for using mace on a woman and stomping on her head. He plans to bring up this case on appeal and also to discuss it during sentencing.

Williams’ further intentions aside, this has been an important milestone in this case.

Ratley’s family released a statement saying, “We want to thank the jury for seeing the truth and doing justice. It is not a day to rejoice, however. This is a tragedy for all involved. Thank you to the jury for having the courage to make the right decision. It is one more step on the road to moving on with our lives as best as we can. Thank you to [prosecutor] Maria Schneider for her hard work, compassion and dedication.”

Meanwhile, although Ratley has made an amazing recovery, her life will never be the same. Once a promising young artist, now she has trouble learning the basics and remembering simple things. A neurosurgeon testified in court that she will always need someone to watch over her.

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Posted July 16, 2012

Wayne Treacy guilty of attempted first-degree murder

The case of Wayne Treacy has come to a close today as a jury decided his fate. He now faces up to 50 years for his brutal attack of Josie Lou Ratley on March 17, 2010. It was a back and forth of hateful emails that stemmed this confrontation of two strangers — a middle schooler (Ratley) and a high schooler (Treacy), When Ratley mentioned Treacy’s dead brother, who died several months prior after committing suicide, Treacy tracker her down and proceeded to kick Ratley repeatedly on the head and neck with steel-toed boots, landing her in the hospital unconscious and landing him in jail.

In the courtroom, Treacy’s defense attorney argued that he was insane, affected by Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from his brother’s suicide. But the jury sided with the prosecution.

This is a tragic tale that has lasted two years in the courts and affected an entire community, who rallied for Josie with walks, bike rides and other events to support her in her battle to survive the attack. Today, she survives, but will never be the same, and, although this case has come to a close, the families of these two teenagers will forever be affected by the drama that began back in 2010. More information and details on the case will be found in this week’s Observer.

By Gary Curreri

Pompano Beach’s Allison Cuneen has been attending Simply Soccer summer camps in Pompano Beach for the past three years. The 10-year-old has parlayed the learning experience into a spot on a traveling soccer team for Team Boca.

“It’s the best camp around,” said Cuneen, who has a sister, Kayla, 12, and twin brother, Bryce, who also play travel soccer and have also been fixtures at the local camp.

“If you want to learn how to play or advance your skills, this is the camp to go to. You won’t get let down.”

“I like a (shooting) game they play called ‘power and finesse,’” Cuneen added. “It is also nice that you get to cool down at the pool after lunch before you play again.”

Simply Soccer has two additional summer camps remaining in the city of Pompano. Dates are July 23-27 and August 13-17.

Registration is being held at the Pompano Beach Civic Center. The soccer camp is for boys and girls, ages 5-14, of all skill levels, who are taught a variety of soccer skills from dribbling to shooting.

There are three sessions each day (for the Pompano camp) ranging from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. ($100 weekly); extended hours camp is available from 8 a.m. -4 p.m. for $125 each week, a Tiny Tot program is offered for kids ages 5 and 6 from 9 a.m.-noon for $55 weekly.

Campers must bring a soccer ball, swimsuit, shin guards, water bottle and lunch. For more information, call the city of Pompano Parks and Recreation Department at 954-786-4119 or 954-786-4111.

Ely reaches quarters

Ely High School’s boys “A” team reached the quarterfinals of therecentMiamiDolphinsAcademy 7-on-7 High School Football Tournament.

Cardinal Newman defeated Ely, 35-28, in the quarterfinals at Sun Life Stadium and lost to the eventual champion, Booker T. Washington, who will represent South Florida and the Dolphins at this year’s national championships July 12-15 in Indianapolis, IN. There were teams from 50 schools in the tournament.

Local golfers fare well in opening tourney

Local golfers got off to a good start in the Junior Golf Association of Broward County’s summer opening event at the Inverrary Golf Club recently.

Pompano Beach’s Wyatt Rubin won the Boys “B” Division as he carded a nine-hole score of 4-over par, 40.

Two other golfers took second place in their respective divisions as Lighthouse Point’s Alex Lutz shot an even par-72 to finish one shot behind Todd-Tyler Williams of Southwest Ranches in the Championship Division, while Isak Nilsson of Pompano Beach took second in the Boys Junior Flight. He was one shot behindtheeffortofDavie’sAiden Alvarez, who carded an 18-hole score of 79.

Pompano Beach’s Dylan Glatt was third in the Boys C Division with a 44.

By Gary Curreri

Pompano Beach’s Briley Pizzelanti hopes her Italian heritage will lead her to an Olympic medal someday in figure skating.

The 16-year-old Pizzelanti, who recently completed her sophomore year at Boca Prep International School, has a goal of getting her Italian citizenship, getting on the Italian national team and doing some competitions for them in the junior division.

“Hopefully, I will do really well for them and then maybe compete for them at the senior level and then go to Worlds in the junior and the senior division,” said Pizzelanti, who won the Junior Ladies Freestyle (Unrestricted) Division at the Sunshine State Games Figure Skating competition at the Saveology.com Iceplex in Coral Springs.

“I’d like to make the Olympics someday,” Pizzelanti said. “I love skating so much. It is such a big part of my life and, to be able to go out and skate for my country, would be amazing.”

Pizzelanti said her school schedule (10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.) enables her to skate more.

“It helps a lot,” Pizzelanti said. “I am able to skate for two hours in the morning and then an hour in the afternoon. I am also able to do dryland training.

“I love everything about skating. I love being able to train really, really hard all year and then be able to go out and show everyone what I have been practicing and how hard I have been practicing all year.”

Pizzelanti, who has been skating since she was 4, struggled in the warm-ups and was noticeably upset prior to her routine. She was able to put it all behind her and skate a clean program.

“I have been working a lot on that the last couple of years,” Pizzelanti said. “My mom has also coached me on that. She says whenever you have mistakes in the warmup, the competition is a totally different event and you can’t go by what you did in the warm-up.”

There were nearly 400 skaters from around the state – the largest competition ever in the Games. “The numbers of skaters from Florida and the southeast who competed last year at the regionals was extremely large,” said Betty Stark, who has served as sports director for figure skating at the Games for the past 26 years. “I think that has helped the sport gain exposure.”

“It has highlighted the sport and now people are saying those kids from Florida are good,” Stark added. “The coaches are doing a great job and the level of skating over the years has really improved.”

• Updated 6-28 1:04 a.m.
• Roderick Tyrone Ferguson, 25 of Deerfield was arrested and charged
• with first degree murder of  Glenn Thervil, 30, also of Deerfield over
• cigarettes.

Just after 4p,m.  Wed., Jun 27 BSO were called to the park, at 1131 S.W. 11th Way, Deerfield Beach,

for reports of a shooting.  BSO arrived on scene with BSFR paramedics who pronounced the male victim dead.

The possible shooter appeared to have surrendered to BSO and was being held in the back of a cruiser .

A Broward jury has cleared Matthew Bent of second-degree attempted murder in the burning of Michael Brewer, convicting him instead of aggravated battery, a lesser-included charge that carries a lighter maximum sentence than the 30 years Bent originally faced.

The six-member jury listened to three days of testimony last week, much coming from teenage witnesses whose conflicting accounts of the attack on Brewer only agreed on critical details.

Defense lawyers Johnny McCray and Perry Thurston pointed out a crucial omission that even prosecutors conceded: Bent never set Brewer on fire and never asked or expected anyone else to do so.

Without that intent, McCray argued, Bent should not be convicted of trying to kill Brewer. McCray also disputed the contention that Bent wanted anyone else to fight Brewer or pour alcohol on him.

Jurors apparently agreed with the first part of McCray’s argument but rejected the second.

Bent will be sentenced July 23.

After over a month late, DOT has re-opened the 3 way stop at N.E. 2nd &

Dixie Hwy at Deerfield City hall. It appears that traffic can now proceed

in all directions. There have been 3 to 5 accidents in the last month in front

of the Observer at NE 2nd and Federal possibly as a result of the traffic

pattern change.

######

–By Rachel Galvin–

At approximately 2:50 p.m. on June 15, locals were surprised by the  ping of hailstones hitting the ground, bouncing up on the doors and windows of buildings and vehicles as a severe storm swept through Deerfield Beach moving southward. Although the front was swift, it left residents in awe, running to their windows, for those who heard it, and going outside.

“I haven’t seen hail like this since I don’t know when,” said one resident.

The hail stones were about dime size and smaller at The Observer, but it was reported that it was golf ball size in other areas.  See video on ObserverTV.

A year-long investigation led by the Broward Sheriff’s Office Organized Crime Unit culminated with the closing of a Pompano Beach pain clinic and the arrest of its owners Tuesday.

Frank and Bernice Turturo face more than a dozen of state racketeering, prescription drug trafficking and money laundering charges. They were booked at BSO’s Main Jail late Tuesday afternoon.

BSO detectives said the husband and wife team operated their business like an organized crime enterprise. The Turturo’s employed two armed guards and adorned their business walls with framed photographs of Marlon Brando as The Godfather, deceased mobster John Gotti and the Sopranos. They even used a device to detect if their telephones were being tapped.

Clients would come from all over the state to get their prescriptions filled at the Pompano Beach Pain Management clinic located at 1341 S. Powerline Rd. Hence the operation was dubbed “Operation Powerline.” Employees filled the prescriptions through mail order and paid one price while charging their customers double and triple the price.

With assistance from BSO’s SWAT team, Gun Squad and Pompano Beach district personnel, the Organized Crime Unit executed search warrants Tuesday morning at the pain clinic and the Turturo’s Coral Springs home. Members of BSO’s Gun Squad confiscated dozens of guns from the couple’s Coral Springs residence. In addition to the weapons, hundreds of thousand of dollars were seized. Investigators also froze the couple’s accounts at a bank in Deerfield Beach and a bank in Pembroke Pines.

During the course of “Operation Powerline,” investigators said two patients who received prescriptions for controlled substances from the pain clinic died from overdoses.

This investigation continues.

By Gary Curreri

Pompano Beach’s Chasity Martin has always idolized Laila Ali.

The 15-year-old has taken a similar approach to boxing legend Muhammad Ali’s daughter as she first noticed women’s boxing on television. Martin, who is homeschooled, ran into problems at her local high school and started boxing.

“I had problems in school with fighting so I went to home-schooling to stay on track and not get caught up in all of the street fighting and get in trouble,” Martin said. “Boxing is very important to me. It is 50 percent of my life. This is what I focus on other than school and my schoolwork. Boxing is one of my main priorities.”

Martin turned to Stacy McKinley, who spent 10 years as Mike Tyson’s trainer, to help guide the local teen in the boxing ring. She said she feels like Hilary Swank in the 2004 Clint Eastwood movie “Million Dollar Baby.”

“That’s crazy,” Martin said. “It is a once in a lifetime thing to get someone like him to train me. I am his first female fighter he ever trained. He calls me a female Mike Tyson. It’s a good thing.” The admiration is mutual.

“It is hard to find girls who want to fight her,” McKinley said. “She is strong and she is fast. She reminds me of Mike a little bit. When the bell rings, she goes through a transformation and she is a different person.”

Martin said she hopes to fight in the Olympics someday and eventually turn pro.

“I still have to stay humble and keep my attitude in check,” said Martin, who trains every day of the week, four hours a day. “I would like to go to the Olympics and box before I try and go pro. I get up and do my schoolwork and then it is nothing but boxing. When I get in the ring, I am a whole different person. I don’t remember much of what happened in the fight.”

She said she also looks past the stigma of being a female boxer.

“I don’t worry about what other people say about me,”

Martin said. “I enjoy what I am doing. That is what keeps me calm and that is what keeps me on track. It doesn’t really matter what everyone else says. That’s just what I focus on. If you were to see me on the street and I am not in my workout clothes … It is very discreet and I tend to have a lot of people know about it, but in a good way.”

SOCCER CAMPS SLATED

For the first time ever, Simply Soccer will hold four summer camps in the city of Pompano. The dates are: June 11-15; June 25-June 29; July 23-27 and Aug. 13-17. Registration will be held at the Pompano Beach Civic Center. Camp is for boys and girls, ages 5-14, of all skill levels, who will be taught a variety of soccer skills from dribbling to shooting.

There are three sessions each day (for the Pompano camp) ranging from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (cost is $100 weekly); extended hours camp is available from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. for $125 each week, and a Tiny Tot program is offered for kids ages 5 and 6 from 9 a.m.to noon for $55 weekly.

Campers must bring a soccer ball, swimsuit, shin guards, water bottle and lunch. For more information, call the city of Pompano Parks and Recreation Department at 954- 786-4119 or 954-786-4111.

EXTENDED RANGE FORECAST OF ATLANTIC SEASONAL HURRICANE ACTIVITY AND LANDFALL STRIKE PROBABILITY FOR 2012

We anticipate that the 2012 Atlantic basin hurricane season will have reduced activity compared with the 1981-2010 climatology. The tropical Atlantic has anomalously cooled over the past several months, and it appears that the chances of an El Niño event this summer and fall are relatively high. We anticipate a below-average probability for major hurricanes making landfall along the United States coastline and in the Caribbean. However, coastal residents are reminded that it only takes one hurricane making landfall to make it an active season for them, and they need to prepare the same for every season, regardless of how much activity is predicted.

(as of 4 April 2012)

By Philip J. Klotzbach1 and William M. Gray2

ATLANTIC BASIN SEASONAL HURRICANE FORECAST FOR 2012