Pompano Beach Library, located at 1213 E. Atlantic Blvd., Pompano Beach, is currently closed due to flooding caused by a malfunctioning air conditioning unit. It is anticipated that the library will reopen on Monday, June 6, provided necessary repairs are completed.

Other nearby Broward County Library locations include:
• Beach Library, 221 Pompano Beach Blvd., Pompano Beach, 954-786-2197: Open Fridays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; closed Saturdays.

• Jan Moran Collier City Learning Library, 2800 N.W. Ninth Court, Pompano Beach, 954-968-3820: Open Fridays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; closed Saturdays.

• North Regional/Broward College Library, 1100 Coconut Creek Blvd., 954-201-2600: Open Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; open Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• Northwest Library, 1580 N.W. Third Ave., Pompano Beach, 954-786-2186: Closed Fridays; open Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Customers are also encouraged to visit the Broward County Library Web site, www.broward.org/library to find information on other library locations; to check out, place holds on and renew materials; check the status of their library account; and gain access to the library catalog, specialized databases, event calendars and more.

Jim Karels, Director of the Florida Division of Forestry at the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, issued a warning today about the wildfire danger leading in to Memorial Day weekend.  The danger of wildfire is very high throughout Florida due to lack of rain, low humidity and windy conditions.

The entire state of Florida is suffering from drought conditions and everyone should use extreme caution with any type of fire this weekend,” said Karels. “Under these current conditions, and without the proper resources, fires can get out of control quickly and may cause damage to property, homes and even lives.”

The Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) which measures the amount of moisture in the top three feet of soil reveals an average statewide reading of 569 on a scale of 0 to 800, with 0 equivalent to flood-like conditions and 800 to desert-like conditions.

Burn bans are in place in several counties including Baker, Citrus, Flagler, Glades, Hendry, Marion (voluntary), Martin, Nassau, Osceola, Palm Beach (East), Putnam, Seminole, St. Lucie, and Volusia. The Division of Forestry encourages residents to contact local government officials for up to date information on burn bans.

Individuals and families planning to visit forests or parks over the holiday weekend are advised to call ahead to learn whether or not campfires and charcoal grills are permitted. These activities may be restricted in certain areas until the fire danger decreases.

The Division of Forestry also released fire safety tips for Floridians to keep in mind this Memorial Day:

• Never leave a fire unattended
• Dispose of charcoal briquettes properly
• Use dedicated campfire rings where possible
• Clear vegetation to bare soil within 10 feet of your campfire
• Make sure a fire is dead out before leaving unattended
• Be very careful when operating equipment such as lawn mowers, tractors, chainsaws, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) as any spark can start a wildfire under the current conditions
• Avoid parking cars among tall grass that can easily be ignited from a hot catalytic converter

Since January 1st, of this year, 2,664 wildfires have burned 128,675 acres throughout Florida. This figure represents nearly twice as many fires as the Division of Forestry responded to during the same period last year.

To report a wildfire, please call 9-1-1 or the local Division of Forestry office.

For more information on burn bans, current wildfires or fire prevention measures, please visit http://www.fl-dof.com/wildfire/information.html or contact the local Division of Forestry office.

For more information about the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, visit www.FreshFromFlorida.com or follow Commissioner Putnam on Facebook, www.facebook.com/adamputnam, or Twitter, @adamputnam.

More than 800 Broward County Public Schools administrators will receive notices of furlough days for the 2011/2012 school year as part of an effort to help close the budget deficit of $141 million. Superintendent James F. Notter, today, provided notice to the leadership of the District and school administrators’ groups about the number of furlough days.

“These actions are being taken to help mitigate the anticipated budget shortfall that the District is facing,” said Superintendent Notter.

Central and area office administrators and principals will have 15 furlough days and assistant principals will have 10 furlough days for the 2011/2012 school year.  This would be the equivalent of a four to six per cent decrease in salaries for a total of $4,553,085.

The furloughs will impact 212 District administrators, 229 principals and 430 assistant principals.  Also, to maximize the savings in energy, the dates for furlough days will be standardized to the closing of schools and District sites.

District officials will initiate discussions with unions to finalize the number of furlough days for their respective groups. District and school administrators, however, will experience the greatest impact of the furloughs to help shoulder the burden of the State budget reductions.

On May 23, BSO were called out to a robbery that happened in the 400 block of W. Hillsboro Boulevard. Suspects had fled but not after choke-holding the victim and taking her purse. But a citizen witnessed the incident and reported right away. Next, BSO deputies came in, set up a perimeter and apprehended the two suspects, who were charged with strong arm robbery.

Former Deerfield Beach commissioner Steve Gonot has been convicted by a jury on three felony charges related to his 2008 political campaign. Gonot, who turned himself in and resigned from the commission in December 2008, finally saw his case go to trial last week before Judge Barbara McCarthy.

After days of testimony, including his ex-wife and other witnesses who revealed in a surprise testimony that Gonot went to Las Vegas to play in a poker tournament the day after he wrote a check for $5,100 from his campaign account to a personal family friend, allegedly for computer equipment.

In 2008, Gonot was charged with grand theft in the 3^rd degree, official misconduct and falsifying public records. On Tuesday, May 10, Gonot was convicted, and could face up to five years in prison. McCarthy told Gonot he could remain on bond but required he leave his passport behind pending sentencing.

Broward County Commissioners will hold the first of two public hearings tomorrow, May 10 at 2:00 p.m. at the Broward Governmental Center, 115 So. Andrews Avenue, Room 422 in Fort Lauderdale, regarding an ordinance to regulate Pain Management Clinics in Broward County. (*see attachment)

The proposed ordinance provides a specific legal definition for Pain Management Clinic, creates zoning regulations in unincorporated Broward County and mandates a “Certificate of Use” which requires the following:

• name of the owner/operator
• proof of registration with the Florida Department of Health
• an affidavit stating that no one convicted of a drug-related felony within a five year period will work, volunteer, or be allowed on the premises
• limited hours of operation between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday
• posted Certificate of Use in a conspicuous and easy to read location
• that no Pain Management Clinic will be located within 1200 linear feet of another Pain Management Clinic with land survey confirmation
• one parking space per ten gross square feet of customer waiting area and one parking space per two hundred gross square feet of the remainder of the building
• all activities be conducted within a completely enclosed building

The proposed ordinance states that Pain Management Clinics already legally in existence must comply with the requirements within 60 days of the effective date and provides one year for pre-existing clinics to comply with parking and location requirements.

The proposed ordinance is sponsored by Broward County Commissioners Ilene Lieberman, Kristin Jacobs, Stacy Ritter and Chip LaMarca and includes additional amendments requested by Commissioner Jacobs approved by the Commission in April.

Currently there are no Pain Management Clinics in unincorporated Broward County. Any Pain Management Clinic wishing to operate in the unincorporated Broward County area would have to apply for a Certificate of Use and associated business fees would be collected under the proposed ordinance.

In March, the Broward County Pain Management Clinic Task Force issued its final report with recommendations for the licensing and location of pain management clinics otherwise referred to as “pills mills”.   The Commission instructed the County Attorney to draft a model ordinance based on those recommendations.

Broward County has been referred to as the “pill mill” capital of America. In 2009 a Broward County Grand Jury issued a report noting the proliferation of pain clinics throughout the County. The number of pain management clinics in Broward more than doubled from August 2008 to November 2009.

Any member of the public may participate in the discussion held at public hearings. Discussion is limited to the subject being discussed, as listed on the Agenda. If you require communication aids, please contact the Office of the County Administrator at 954-357-7350 or Hearing Impaired/TTY 954-831-3940.

The second public hearing will be held on Tuesday, May 24, 2011 at 2:00 p.m.

In the 2011 Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) Writing Assessment results released today by the Florida Department of Education (FDOE), Broward County Public Schools fourth, eighth and 10th grade students demonstrated significant increased performance.  According to results of the assessment, Broward students out performed the statewide averages in each of the three tested grades, with fourth and 10th grade students scoring in the top 11% of districts in the state (60 counties with lower average scores) and eighth grade topping 20% of school districts in the state.

The average score for Writing among Broward students was 4.2 for Grade 4, 4.3 for Grade 8, and 4.1 for Grade 10.  These scores exceeded the state averages.  A majority of students in the fourth (97%), eighth (97%) and tenth grades (95%) scored at or above the AYP proficient level of 3 or higher.  Beginning this year, proficiency for school grades will be a score of 4 or higher. In Broward, 86% of grades four and eight and 80% of grade 10 scored a level 4 or higher.

Additionally, Broward’s eighth grade students performed as well or better than students from the state’s four other largest school districts (Miami-Dade, Hillsborough, Orange and Palm Beach). Fourth grade students produced greater results than students in all counties except Hillsborough, while 10th grade students out performed all counties with the exception of Palm Beach.

Over a five-year period, the percentage of students writing at level 4 or higher has increased by five or more percentage points in each grade.

•       Fourth grade students show an 11 percentage points increase (from 75% in 2007 to 86% in 2011).

•       Eighth grade students show a 5 percentage points increase (from 81% to 2007 to 86% in 2011).

•       Tenth grade students show an 11 percentage points increase (from 69% in 2007 to 80% in 2011).

“In acknowledging and recognizing our outstanding teachers and educators, particularly during this Teacher Appreciation Week, we are especially proud of our teachers and support personnel,” said Broward Schools Superintendent James F. Notter. “Through some extreme and challenging circumstances, they have shown that their commitment to our core business of teaching and learning results in increases in academic achievement for all students.”

While the recent focus has been on the arrest and suspension of Sylvia Poitier, former Deerfield Beach commissioner started his trial today, May 3 for misappropriating campaign funds. Specifically Gonot is facing charges of grand theft in the third degree, official misconduct and falsifying public records.

Gonot was charged near the end of 2008 and is just now going to trial after over two years of hearings and delays.

During Tuesday’s meeting, the Deerfield city commissioners are expected to discuss a tentative date offered to hold a special election to replace suspended District 2 commissioner Sylvia Poitier.

Poitier was recently suspended after being arrested on misdemeanor corruption charges.

Previously, Deerfield City Attorney wrote in a memo to commissioners [as stated in the April 21 Observer newspaper] that is was his “opinion that the temporary vacancy created by the suspension of Commissioner Poitier should be filled by a special election to be held no sooner than 45 days nor later than 75 days from the date the vacancy was created …”

Recommendation was based on the city charter, Section 3.10 discussing filling of vacancies.

At that time, Deerfield was looking at May 30, June 30 — or whenever the Supervisor of Elections can do it per advertising requirements.

Maurodis went on to say: “It is also clear that if the commissioner is cleared of the charges during her elected term, the governor will reinstate her to that position and the person elected to fill the vacancy will be divested of his/her position.”