Tropical storm Ana may head toward Florida

MIAMI (AP) - Tropical Storm Ana has formed over the Atlantic and could strengthen as it heads toward the Leeward Islands, forecasters said Saturday.

South Florida is now in the Five Day Storm Track Forecast Cone (also known as the “Cone of Uncertainty”).  If this storm has an effect on usit appears that it will be sometime late Wednesday night and Thursday.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Ana could trigger a tropical storm watch for parts of the Leeward Islands later Saturday. It may pick up speed and approach the islands by Monday, the hurricane center said. It was 1,010 miles east of the islands early Saturday.

Ana, the first named storm of the Atlantic season, could slowly strengthen in the next couple of days as it moves to the west at 16 mph. Maximum sustained winds are near 40 mph.

Record number foreclosure filings posted in July

Foreclosure plague: No cure yet

The housing market is still sick, with a record number of foreclosure filings posted in July.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — The foreclosure plague continued to devastate last month.

There were more than 360,000 properties with foreclosure filings — including default notices, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions — an increase of 7% from June and 32% from July 2008, according to RealtyTrac, an online marketer of foreclosed homes. In fact, one in every 355 U.S. homes had at least one filing during July.

“July marks the third time in the last five months where we’ve seen a new record set for foreclosure activity,” said James J. Saccacio, chief executive officer of RealtyTrac. “Despite continued efforts by the federal government and state governments to patch together a safety net for distressed homeowners, we’re seeing significant growth in both the initial notices of default and in the bank repossessions.”

The jump occurred as several foreclosure moratoriums phased out. They were initiated by many states to give the administration’s foreclosure-prevention efforts time to work. But for many help did not come: The modification and refinancing programs have met with less success than hoped.

“It’s starting to reach more and more people, but we have to do better and make sure the program reaches the millions of folks we intended it to reach,” said Jared Bernstein, an economics adviser to vice president Biden.

The picture would be even worse, however, without the programs.

“Each of these programs nips away at the problem of excess supply,” said Doug Duncan, cheif economist for Fannie Mae, “and fights against declining prices. … The hope is that the aggregated programs will result in less loss than would happen in the free market.”

RealtyTrac statistics revealed that more than 87,000 properties were repossessed by lenders, effectively sending many families out of their homes. There have been a total of 464,058 repossessions — or REOs in industry parlance — so far this year (through the end of July).

“We’re seeing more option ARM resets, triggering defaults and more prime loans, which are failing due to job losses,” said RealtyTrac spokesman Rick Sharga.

That is resulting in more filings on higher priced homes, for two reasons: 1. option ARMs were typically used for more expensive properties; 2. borrowers using prime loans generally had better credit and were able to afford more expensive houses.

The worst hit areas continue to be in the “sand states,” with California posting the highest number of total filings, 108,104, and Nevada posting the highest rate of foreclosure at one for every 56 homes.

The other hardest hit states are Arizona, at one filing for every 135 homes, and Florida, at one for every 154. Las Vegas, with one for every 47 homes, had the highest rate among metro areas. That’s Sin City’s 31st consecutive month topping the list.

These were bubble states, where home prices soared and banks financed mortgages for anyone who could fog a mirror.

“We’re seeing the highest levels of foreclosures in the markets that had the highest appreciation [during the boom] and the worst lending practices,” said Sharga.

Fort Pierce: Jeremy Palacio charged with attempted murder

A St. Lucie County man’s quick reflexes may have saved his life Tuesday night after a man tried to shoot him point blank in the head during a fight at a house party but only grazed his head, according to sheriff’s officials. Deputies arrested two men today in that shooting.

Jeremy Palacio, 21

Jeremy Palacio, 21, of Fort Pierce, faces attempted murder charges in connection with the shooting of 20-year-old Dereck Gervais in the driveway of a home in the 2800 block of S. Jenkins Road west of Fort Pierce around 11 p.m. Tuesday. Robert Bourbon, 19, of Fort Pierce, was arrested on charges of being an accessory to attempted murder.

Witnesses told deputies they saw Gervais arguing with Palacio in the driveway of the home during the party, then heard the shot and heard Palacio yelling “You all don’t want no more of this.”

A friend drove Gervais to Lawnwood Regional Medical Center, where he told deputies that during the argument he felt something pressed against the side of his head and quickly brushed the gun away with his hand just before he heard the shot go off, according to the report. The bullet only grazed his head.

Witnesses told deputies that Bourbon was standing next to Palacio and helped him get away into a car after the shooting, according to the report. Deputies later found the car and interviewed the driver, who told deputies he heard Bourbon and Palacio bragging about the shooting on their cell phones. Later this morning deputies found and arrested Palacio and Bourbon at a home in the 5300 block of Wintergarden Parkway in Fort Pierce.

The two residents of the home, identified by deputies as Christopher Alfonso and Michael Laneve, were arrested on charges of holding an open house party where alcohol was served to minors.

Source: Tcoasttalk.com

Robert Bourbon

Boynton woman arrested wanted husband dead

BOYNTON BEACH, FL — Boynton Beach Police have charged a woman in a murder-for-hire plot. The intended target was her husband.

According to police spokeswoman Stephanie Slater, Dalia Dippolito is charged with solicitation to commit first-degree murder.

This morning, Dalia received a phone call while working out at the gym. When she got home she found police crime tape around her townhouse, with a crime scene technician dusting for fingerprints.

A Boynton Beach detective then informed her that her husband was the victim of a murder and was dead. Slater says Dalia collapsed into the sergeant’s arms and sobbed.

Dippolito was then taken to police headquarters where she came face-to-face with the man police said was the killer, who shot her husband twice in the head.

It turns out that “killer” was actually an undercover police officer. She then learned her husband was actually alive in the next room.

The crime began on Friday night, when Boynton Beach police received information from a confidential informant who said that Dippolito wanted to hire someone to kill her husband of six months.

On Saturday afternoon, police say she and the confidential informant met in a car at Mobil gas station on Gateway Boulevard to make the arrangements.

During the conversation, police say she gave the confidential informant a down payment of $1,200 for the hit man to buy a handgun to be used as the murder weapon. She also provided photos of her husband and their home. Police say she asked when the murder was going to happen and offered to get her hair done in Boca Raton to create an alibi.

She also spoke about how she would deny her involvement and provide police false information and names to keep the investigation away from her, according to police.

Police say before leaving the car, she asked if this was a “solid deal” and said she didn’t want to hear any excuses later about why it did not happen.

On Monday afternoon, Dippolito met with an undercover BBPD officer posing as the hired hit man in the parking lot of a CVS. During this encounter, the undercover agent asked if she was sure she wanted him killed.

Dippolito laughed and said, “I will be very happy.” She agreed to pay him $3,000 when the job was done, according to police.

The undercover officer asked her one more time if she was sure about having her husband killed. She responded, “I’m not going to change my mind. I am 5,000% sure I want it done. When I set my mind to something, I get it done,” police said.

Source: wptv.com

Watch here as Boynton Beach Police inform Dalia Dippolito that her husband is dead. The twist - Dippolito paid an undercover Boynton Beach Police Officer to have him killed. She soon learns that her husband is very much alive and she’s being charged with soliciation to commit first-degree murder.

Blogger George Sodini Kills 4 people at LA Fitness

(CNN) — A gunman walked into an LA Fitness gym outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, turned off the lights and fired off 50 rounds, killing three women before killing himself Tuesday evening, police said.

The man didn’t speak but was carrying a gym bag with a note inside it. He was found dead in the gym lying on top a gun about 7 feet away from a victim, said Charles Moffatt, Allegheny County police superintendent.

At least 10 other people were injured in the barrage of bullets that sent people in the gym ducking for cover, Moffatt said.

A law enforcement source identified the gunman as George Sodini, a 48-year-old gym member.

Moffatt would not release the name of the victims during a Wednesday news conference.

Sodini was a systems analyst in the finance department of K&L Gates, a law firm with an office in Pittsburgh, said Mike Rick, a spokesman for the firm. Sodini had worked for the firm since 1999, Rick said.

Neighbors described Sodini as a bit of a recluse. They said he had stopped talking to neighbors.

The gunman apparently was on a mission, Moffatt said.

“He did what he set out to do, and I think nobody could have stopped him, ” he said. Watch whom the shooter may have been targeting »

Moffatt would not confirm a newspaper report that Sodini’s ex-girlfriend was wounded in the shooting.

He also did not say what was written on the note that was found in Sodini’s gym bag. But the law enforcement source said that the gunman in the note “talks about his hatred of women.”

Sodini entered the fitness center around 8 p.m. Tuesday and went straight to an aerobics classroom, where he opened fire with multiple handguns, Moffatt said.

More than two guns have been recovered, the law enforcement source said, and at least one was registered to Sodini.

The shooting victims arrived at three major hospitals in the area.

A spokeswoman for UPMC Mercy Hospital confirmed five female shooting victims arrived at the facility with multiple gunshot wounds. “All arrived in critical condition,” hospital spokeswoman Linda Ross said. “Three of them were upgraded to serious condition overnight.”

Allegheny General Hospital received two wounded patients at its trauma center, a spokesman said. Both victims are women and were listed in fair condition early Wednesday.

A St. Clair Hospital spokesman said three shooting victims arrived there Tuesday night; two were in stable condition and one, who was shot in the chest, died at about 8:55 p.m.

Perry Calabro of nearby Bridgeville told CNN he was between racquetball games at the gym when he suddenly heard screaming and multiple gunshots. He said he ran out but didn’t see the gunman or others.

Other witnesses told CNN affiliate WTAE-TV in Pittsburgh that the lights went out before they saw flashes in dark, later realizing it was gunfire.

Sodini apparently left behind an online diary that details his loneliness and longing for a female companion — and his growing rage at what he perceived as rejection by women. The diary lists Sodini’s dates of birth and death, with the death date listed as Tuesday, the same day as the shootings.

The source who identified Sodini provided a month and year of birth that matches the birth date listed on Sodini’s diary.

The diary seems to offer a rare glimpse into the mind of the suspected killer.

“Why do this?? To young girls? Just read below. I kept a running log that includes my thoughts and actions after I saw this project was going to drag on,” the diary begins.

Throughout the log, the writer refers to a shooting that he is planning as an “exit plan.”

The first entry is November 5, 2008. “Planned to do this in the summer but figure to stick around to see the election outcome,” it says.

The December 22 entry says: “Time is moving along. Planned to have this done already. I will just keep a running log here as time passes. Many of the young girls here look so beautiful as to not be human, very edible. After joining this gym, started lifting weights and like it.”

The Web site on which the diary appears is registered to George Sodini of Pittsburgh. It lists an address in or near Scott Township. The law enforcement source said Sodini lived in Scott Township.

3 teens killed in Stuart car crash

STUART — The Florida Highway Patrol has identified the three people killed early Tuesday morning during a crash at Cove Road and Federal Highway.

Troopers identified the driver as 18-year-old Nicholas P. Coady of Stuart. Connor William Graver, 16, of Hobe Sound and Christopher Harold Briglio, 18, of Tequesta, were passengers in the vehicle.

“We do believe alcohol played a part in the crash. There’s no doubt that it did,” said FHP Lt. Chris Cribbs.

The crash happened just after 2:15 a.m. when an SUV, reportedly traveling at a high rate of speed, crashed into a front-end loader working in a construction zone west of the intersection, according to officials at the scene.

Two people in the SUV were dead at the scene, and a third, airlifted to St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach, died there a few hours later, Cribbs said. The driver of the front-end loader was not injured.

FHP officials said the construction vehicle had just dumped a load of dirt from the U.S. 1 area onto the south side of Cove Road as part of a widening project on Cove Road. The loader was backing up and trying to get off the road when the SUV, traveling reportedly at a high rate of speed, smashed into it head-on.

Cribbs said speed likely was a factor in the crash. The speed limit on Cove Road is 35 mph.

The SUV was destroyed, Cribbs said. The three dead are men from the Treasure Coast. FHP officials are still notifying their families. The men are thought to have just dropped off someone at a nearby home before the crash happened, Cribbs said.

It is unclear where the three were going at the time of the crash.

The driver of the SUV was wearing a seatbelt; one passenger was not; and it is unclear if the third was wearing one, Cribbs said.

The yellow John Deere front-end loader was being hoisted onto a flat-bed truck trailer. The loader’s right rear tire appeared bent.

The crash woke nearby resident Harry Fenton, who heard screaming and yelling before falling back asleep, Fenton told WPTV NewsChannel 5. Fenton later heard a helicopter take off and eventually walked over to the scene.

“I looked at the car and I said, ‘My God,’ I said, ‘I don’t know how anybody could live through something like that,’” Fenton said. “It was just horrendous just the look of it the car being in a ball.”

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