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By Times staff writers
© St. Petersburg Times, published September 19, 2000
Board to let Swiftmud buy property for reservoir
CLEARWATER -- The board of Tampa Bay Water, the region's largest water wholesaler, agreed Monday to let another agency foot the bill for an enormous piece of real estate in southern Hillsborough County on which a reservoir could be built.
The Southwest Florida Water Management District, or Swiftmud, indicated last month it would be willing to pay up to $26-million for 5,800 acres for a 15-billion-gallon reservoir as a new water supply source for the region.
Unlawful payment made, plea agreement says
TAMPA -- Though they haven't charged him with a crime, federal prosecutors continue to gather evidence on Tampa union leader Perry Harvey Jr.
Last week they unsealed the plea agreement of a Fort Lauderdale shipping executive who said he made an unlawful payment to Harvey's 1996 campaign for county commission.
The executive, 73-year-old Arthur C. Novacek, faces a maximum sentence of one year in jail for the misdemeanor count.
In June, prosecutors charged Novacek's direct subordinate in Tampa, Joseph F. Casella, with bribing Harvey in exchange for lower labor costs. Casella has denied the charge, and has filed motions to dismiss it.
Although prosecutors have said in court papers that Harvey was the recipient of the illegal payments, they have not charged him with a crime.
Harvey, 70, is the president of International Longshoremen's Local 1402 in Tampa, and a vice president of the union's leadership based in New York.
Ceremony formalizes federal judgeships
TAMPA -- Two former Hillsborough circuit judges were formally recognized as federal district judges Monday in a ceremony attended by U.S. Sen. Bob Graham.
U.S. District Judges James D. Whittemore and James S. Moody Jr. are two highly qualified jurists who are occupying "some of the holiest positions in our government," Graham told a gathering of several hundred judges, lawyers, and family members at the Tampa Theatre.
Whittemore and Moody began hearing cases after their appointments earlier this year.
TAMPA -- The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office has been cleared of any wrongdoing in the death of Ashanii Black, a jail inmate who died July 17 after being restrained by deputies at the Orient Road facility.
Hillsborough State Attorney John Rudy said in a letter dated Friday that his office had reviewed the case and that the actions of the deputies were "reasonable in using force to restrain Mr. Black to prevent him from harming himself or others."
The medical examiner's report found the cause of death to be "physical restraint" with contributing causes of hypertensive heart disease, obesity and seizure disorder.
ST. PETERSBURG -- A fire that destroyed part of a two-story building Sunday was caused by an electrical short circuit, St. Petersburg Fire Rescue spokesman Chris Bengivengo said Monday.
"We're suspecting water leaked into the building and shorted the power feed," he said.
The vacant building, at 9 First St. NE, was scheduled to be demolished this week. A developer plans to replace the former home of the Big Catch nightclub with a retail and office complex.
The fire was reported about 9:40 p.m. Sunday. Nearly 100 firefighters and 35 rescue vehicles came to the scene. Firefighters evacuated 19 residents in the Ponce De Leon Hotel, which is attached to the vacant building. The hotel was not damaged, and no one was injured.
ST. PETERSBURG -- A Nissan Maxima ended up underwater Monday night in Turner's Creek just south of the Gateway Mall, and police were investigating how it got there.
The top of the car's roof was sticking out of the water east of Dr. M.L. King (Ninth) Street at 77th Avenue N, and a broken rear window was barely visible. Police were called about 8:30 p.m., and divers found no one inside the car.
Police went to the apartment of the car's owner and brought him to the scene for questioning as the Nissan was dragged out of the canal.