Two dead, 30 injured at bus accident at MIA

One male passenger was instantly killed and a second person died from injures after the top of a motor coach bus entering Miami International Airport smashed into an overpass at the airport’s arrivals entrance Saturday morning.

Thirty others were transported to hospital for injuries.

The accident brought traffic in and out of the airport to a halt and authorities scrambled to rescue passengers trapped inside the large white bus, which was carrying 32 people. All except one were transported to the hospital, three in critical condition. One died from injuries, authorities confirmed.

The identities of the two dead passengers were not immediately released but authorities removed the body of a male passenger at about 11 a.m. A white Miami-Dade County van arrived at the scene about 10 minutes later to pick up the body.

Three people placed the body in a clear plastic bag, as six police officers used yellow plastic to block the view from arriving travelers. Two men carried the body off the bus at 11:20 a.m. It appeared that the dead passenger was sitting near the driver’s seat, which was crushed. The gender of the second dead passenger was not immediately released.

Many of those who were hurt suffered "major injuries," said Greg Chin, an airport spokesman. It was not immediately known what company the bus belonged to but Chin said it was scheduled to travel to West Palm Beach. There is no visible label on the bus only it’s bus number 101.

According to public records, the bus belongs to Miami Bus Service Corporation, a Miami company owned by Mayling and Alberto Hernandez. Calls to the Hernandez were not immediately returned.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the company has two drivers for its three passenger motor coaches.

The company had no unsafe driving or controlled substances violations based on a 24-month record ending on Oct. 26, 2012.

However, the company scored a 92.2 percent in the fatigued driving category, which means it exceeded the federal safety threshold based on roadside data or it has been cited with one or more serious violations in the past year.

At MIA, about a dozen fire trucks and six ambulances blocked the airport entrance, and traffic entering the airport was delayed by about 30 to 40 minutes. Although no flights were affected or delayed, traffic was tied up. Only one lane on the lower level arrivals entrance remained open through mid-day.

The departures entrance, on the upper level, was not blocked, but there was a long delay for many getting to or leaving the airport.

Pedro Gomez, a taxi driver, was among those stuck in traffic.

"We have been waiting three hours waiting to leave," he said.

People arriving from their flights were peeking from their windows to get a view of the scene. On the first floor, in arrivals, the crashed white bus remained on site with the top missing over the driver’s seat. Shattered glass covered the floor.

The back side emergency door was missing and a bus chair lay on the ground, as well as luggage, which had been packed into the lower level of the bus.

"You would think the driver should have know his bus was too high," Susan Lillis said, flying in from Baltimore. "You would think he would have been here before."

Peter Beltre, a taxi driver, speculated that the bus driver miscalculated the height of the overpass in the arrivals area.

"I have seen buses that are too high have a section to drop people off," Beltre said. "There are yellow signs with warnings."

Hernan Garcia, who works at the airport, guiding cruise ship tourists to buses taking them to the Port of Miami, said: "It’s clear that the driver was not familiar with the airport. There are designated routes for these type of buses and it is prohibited to speed in this area."

Only taxi drivers were allowed in the arrivals lanes as of mid-morning. Traffic homicide detectives were still at the scene, measuring the area and collecting evidence.

Among some of the arriving tourists who spotted the crash scene was three-year-old Edwin Aparicio of Bogota, Colombia.

"Wow, like a can of sardines," he said in Spanish, referring to the top of the bus, which bended like an accordion as it hit the iron ceiling.

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Buzzmakers: AJ is a Dad and Angus Apologizes

What had ET readers buzzing this week?

1. Charges Filed Against Lindsay Lohan

California prosecutors have officially filed charges against Lindsay Lohan.

The charges, which include willfully resisting, obstructing, or delaying an officer in the course of their duties, supplying false information to a police officer and reckless driving, stem from the car accident Lohan was involved in last June when she crashed her Porsche into the back of a dump truck on the Pacific Coast Highway.

All three charges are misdemeanors, and no court date has been set at this time.

The accident in June occurred when she was on her way to the set of Liz & Dick. According to The Los Angeles Times, Santa Monica prosecutors had been weighing charges against Lohan for weeks after police said they found evidence she lied when she claimed she was not behind the wheel of her Porsche.

The charges come just hours after Lohan was arrested early Thursday morning after a brawl broke out at a New York City nightclub. Lohan was arrested for allegedly punching a female patron at Club Avenue, and is facing third degree assault charges from the incident.

2. Nancy O'Dell Launches New App

ET host Nancy O'Dell is combining her love of two things -- reporting and kids -- by launching a new storybook app on iTunes.

The highly interactive app features a holiday theme and uses the story and games to educate users. The voice of Arty the cameraman is provided by Bryson Foster, the Muscular Dystrophy Association's National Goodwill Ambassador, and a portion of the proceeds will go to the MDA.

Nancy says of her endeavor, "As the host of Entertainment Tonight, one of the things I love most about my job is how much I learn by meeting interesting people and going to so many different places. So, I thought, how fun it would be for little kids to do that too! Obviously, they can't travel the world in reality by themselves, but they can via an app."

Nancy discloses, "Every app is a magical story as Ashby and her FUNtastic crew go on their adventures. And what better first assignment for a little reporter to cover than Santa's Big Premiere on Christmas Eve. Little Ashby files her report on what the Holiday Spirit is all about!"

Check out the app, available just in time for the holidays, here.

3. Backstreet Boy AJ McLean Welcomes Baby Girl

Backstreet Boy AJ McLean and wife, makeup artist Rochelle Deanna Karidis, had their first child together on Tuesday, In Touch reports.

According to the news source, the couple welcomed a baby girl named Ava Jaymes.

"We are all doing well and are thrilled to welcome Ava to the world," said the singer, 34.

Ava was born weighing 7 lbs. and 7 oz., according to In Touch.

AJ and Rochelle made their pregnancy announcement just four months after their Beverly Hills wedding.

AJ announced the baby's gender and name via Twitter in July.

4. Angus T. Jones Apologizes For 'Men' Remarks

In a self-written statement obtained by ET, Two and a Half Men star Angus T.

Jones breaks his silence on controversial remarks made by the actor about the series in a video testimonial for Forerunner Christian Church.

In the note, Jones apologizes for harm he might have caused to his colleagues for labeling the popular CBS show as "filth" and in urging viewers not to watch. He writes:

I have been the subject of much discussion, speculation and commentary over the past 24 hours. While I cannot address everything that has been said or right every misstatement or misunderstanding, there is one thing I want to make clear.

Without qualification, I am grateful to and have the highest regard and respect for all of the wonderful people on 'Two and Half Men' with whom I have worked and over the past ten years who have become an extension of my family.

Chuck Lorre, Peter Roth and many others at Warner Bros. and CBS are responsible for what has been one of the most significant experiences in my life to date. I thank them for the opportunity they have given and continue to give me and the help and guidance I have and expect to continue to receive from them.

I also want all of the crew and cast on our show to know how much I personally care for them and appreciate their support, guidance and love over the years. I grew up around them and know that the time they spent with me was in many instances more than with their own families. I learned life lessons from so many of them and will never forget how much positive impact they have had on my life.

I apologize if my remarks reflect me showing indifference to and disrespect of my colleagues and a lack of appreciation of the extraordinary opportunity of which I have been blessed. I never intended that.

The video in question shows Jones opening up about his conversations with God and how his new-found religious beliefs led him to stop doing drugs and leading a selfish life.

5. Bobbi Kristina in Crash That Sent Car Off the Road

Bobbi Kristina Brown was cited by police after being involved in a car accident Wednesday in which the vehicle left the road and traveled down an embankment.

Police in the Atlanta suburb of Alpharetta confirmed to ET that a passerby called 911 just before noon to report that the black Chevrolet Camaro had veered off the road and traveled through a wooded area striking trees before eventually coming to a stop.

"The investigation revealed the driver lost control and the vehicle left Beaver Creek Road on the east side and traveled down an embankment," a police statement said. Damage to the vehicle was described in the statement as "moderate."

Upon the initial arrival, officers say they found Bobbi Kristina standing beside the vehicle and she was uninjured. "Our officer completed an official accident report and issued a traffic citation to Ms. Brown for the offense of failure to maintain lane," the police statement said.

Bobbi Kristina appeared to address the accident Wednesday on Twitter.

"My#PersonalGuardianAngel thankumommiss&loveumre u'lleverkno. NotAScratch&ok Wow,PraiseGod. @nickdgordon #SeriousChangeswithinME," she wrote.

She also tweeted: "#LETMELIVE without YOUppl crucifying me?! OH, yes now I remember .. YOUppl did the SAME DAMN THING2 JESUS.& he overcame you ALL. #NOWWATCH."

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East Harlem mourns 'Macho' Camacho at boxer's NYC funeral

Hundreds cheered and shouted "Macho" when Hector Camacho's coffin was carried out and loaded into a hearse after his New York City funeral.

On Saturday, about 300 people mourned in the stately East Harlem church that the former world champion boxer attended as a boy.

Camacho was fatally wounded in a Nov. 20 shooting in Puerto Rico. He was 50. Police continue to investigate.

The Rev. Frank Skelly remembered Camacho as a child and says that's how God knows him.

St. Cecilia's Roman Catholic Church was about half-filled. Hundreds more waited behind police barricades across the street.

AP

Hector "Macho" Camacho's casket is brought up the steps of St. Cecilia's Roman Catholic Church in New York for a funeral today.

Camacho is to be buried after the service at St. Raymond's Cemetery in the Bronx.

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Boat Show may block Miami’s 2016 Super Bowl bid

This winter, the biggest NFL match-up in South Florida might be Super Bowl versus Boat Show.

As South Florida readies a bid for the 2016 Super Bowl, it must contend with a major potential conflict on the tourism calendar. The National Football League may move the Super Bowl to Presidents’ Day weekend, already home to the five-day Miami International Boat Show since the 1940s.

It’s a significant enough conflict that, in the past, local tourism officials have declined to pursue a Super Bowl if it fell on boat show weekend. But this time around they may have no choice. For the first time, the NFL is requiring that potential host cities agree to a Presidents’ Day weekend Super Bowl if they want to pursue the big game at all, said two people who have seen the NFL request for Super Bowl bids.

The NFL “invited South Florida [to bid] knowing there was going to be an issue with Presidents’ Day weekend and the boat show,” said Nicki Grossman, Broward’s tourism director. “In the past, South Florida has not responded to a Super Bowl date that included Presidents’ Day weekend. This package is different.”

South Florida vies with New Orleans as the top Super Bowl host, with government and tourism leaders touting the game as both a boon to the economy and a publicity bonanza. But the notion of accommodating both Super Bowl and boat show — not to mention a major arts festival in Coconut Grove — strikes some top tourism officials as a bad idea.

“There is not sufficient hotel inventory available in Miami that weekend to host a Super Bowl,” said William Talbert, president of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We have taken a close look at that weekend, and it’s not physically possible in Miami to host Super Bowl during the Presidents’ Day weekend because of the boat show and the Coconut Grove Arts Festival. The hotel inventory is all being used for these two great events.”

His comments are at odds with the region’s top Super Bowl organizer and reflect the burden that the boat show may be to South Florida’s Super Bowl hopes for 2016 and 2017. The NFL invited Miami and San Francisco to bid for the 2016 Super Bowl by April 1, with the loser vying with Houston for the 2017 game. Talbert said the bid package states both decisions will be made in May.

For now, South Florida’s Super Bowl organizers face a largely hypothetical challenge, because the current NFL schedule has the Super Bowl occurring two weeks before Presidents’ Day weekend. The bid requirements for the ’16 and ’17 Super Bowls include three consecutive weekends as possibilities for the game, with the latest falling on the Presidents’ Day holiday.

Still, possible logistical hurdles may combine with political obstacles if the Miami Dolphins resume their push for a tax-funded renovation of Sun Life Stadium, the Super Bowl’s South Florida home.

Last year, the Dolphins proposed that Broward and Miami-Dade counties subsidize a $225 million renovation at Sun Life as a way to keep the region competitive for Super Bowls and other large events. The renovation includes a partial roof that would prevent the kind of drenching Super Bowl spectators suffered in 2007 when a rare February downpour hit Miami Gardens.

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Report on GOP shindig to remain sealed

TALLAHASSEE --
Floridians will have to wait a little longer for details of that golf cart full of prostitutes.

The Fifth District Court of Appeal on Friday ruled in favor of anonymous petitioners who want to block the release of investigative reports about a gathering in the Bahamas sponsored by the Republican Party of Florida when Jim Greer was chairman.

Greer faces trial in February for allegedly defrauding the party of about $200,000. Reports of the party and prostitutes surfaced during a pretrial hearing in the summer.

Orlando Judge Marc Lubet declared the reports public record in July after hearing objections from Orlando lawyer Richard E. Hornsby who said he wanted to spare his clients from being embarrassed.

Hornsby said the four-page police report is “defamatory’’ and “salacious and basically harassing in nature.’’ He would not identify the clients who want to keep it sealed.

Lubet read the report and then asked prosecutors if GOP lobbyist Brian Ballard, former party finance chair Harry Sergeant III, former party executive director Delmar Johnson and Dane Eagle, a former aide to Gov. Charlie Crist who was elected to the Florida House in November, would be called as witnesses in Greer’s criminal trial.

When Assistant Statewide Prosecutor Michael Williams said all but Eagle are slated to be witnesses, the judge ordered the report released because it is part of the evidence turned over to defense attorneys in the criminal case. Under Florida law documents given to a defendant are public record.

But in a brief unsigned opinion Fifth District Court of Appeal Chief Judge Richard B. Orfinger and Judges Thomas D. Sawaya and Bruce W. Jacobus said “the documents should not be disseminated and should remain confidential at this time.”

They did not address the use of the report at trial, saying they would leave that up to the trial judge.

Johnson was Greer’s top assistant but has been granted immunity in return for his testimony against Greer. In a deposition released last month, Johnson said prosecutors asked him about the Bahamas event.

Johnson described a golf cart filled with women he presumed to be prostitutes.

Other witnesses questioned in the Greer investigation say the former GOP chairman often had parties for men only and refused to allow women unless they were “paid.’’

Ballard and Eagle have denied knowing about prostitutes at the gathering, which was designed to thank donors who helped support a property tax amendment the party supported.

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4 Hofstra basketball players busted for burglary: report

Four Hofstra University basketball players were busted for multiple burglaries in Uniondale, according to a local report.

The burglaries allegedly occurred between Oct. 4 and Nov. 5, News 12 reported.

Detectives told the news channel that six burglaries occurred in the Hofstra dorms.

Police said the men entered the unlocked rooms and took laptops, headphones and other Apple products, according to the station.

Cops said Shaquille Stokes, 22; Kentrell Washington, 18; and Jimmy Hall Jr. were charged with multiple burglary counts. Dallas Anglin, 18, was charged with one burglary count and tampering with physical evidence.

Starting clockwise in the top left: Shaquille Stokes, Kentrell Washington, Jimmy Hall Jr., and Dallas Anglin.

All four are set to be arraigned today.

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California Pizza Kitchen brings prototype to Sawgrass Mills

The restaurant chain that took barbecued chicken pizza mainstream is ready to push the culinary envelope again. How about a pizza topped with roasted Brussels sprouts and applewood smoked bacon or a Korean barbecue pizza with pork loin and spicy kimchee salad?

Innovative menu items are just one piece of what’s unique about California Pizza Kitchen’s new flagship restaurant unveiled Thursday at Sawgrass Mills in Sunrise. The first of its kind, the Sawgrass location aims to reinvigorate the brand that started in 1985 in Beverly Hills.

“The whole idea is about taking the best of what put us on the map and making it relevant for 2012 and beyond,” said G.J. Hart, who took over as chief executive officer of the chain just over a year ago. “Over the years the brand morphed from being a leader and it became a follower of food trends. We want to bring back the hip, cool feel.”

The changes are obvious from the moment you walk into the restaurant, which opens to the public Monday. The new look is all about focusing on the chain’s California roots. Very little of the bright yellow and chrome remains. The design is California-casual with earth tones and reclaimed wood everywhere from the walls to the floor and tables. An outdoor terrace with couches and fire pits is designed to encourage lingering. Large windows and glass doors let in lots of natural light and fold open to enjoy the weather.

Pizza is center stage with the kitchen designed so diners can watch the pizza makers at work. At the Sawgrass location — and by mid-2013 at all restaurants — pizzas will once again by hand-tossed. Currently the chain uses a pizza press to make the dough more uniform.

The new focus is on upping the culinary quotient across the board with dishes like a roasted beets and whipped goat cheese salad, plus a sweet pea carbonara featuring pea-filled pasta purses tossed with Italian pancetta and a Romano cream sauce. These are some of the unique items only on the Sawgrass menu, which also features a specialty menu of hand-crafted cocktails.

Chain-wide the company has actually slimmed the menu from more than 100 items to 74 in order to improve execution. But there are also more healthy choices like quinoa and arugula salad or a fire-roasted chile relleno stuffed with chicken, cheese, mushrooms, spinach and eggplant that dishes up at only 380 calories.

“As we grew, we didn’t keep up with the creativity on the menu and we tried to be all things to all people,” said Brian Sullivan, senior vice president of culinary innovation, who has been with the company for 24 years. “We’re always going to be pizza-centric. But we’ll continue to push the envelope with these specialty items that resonate with who we are. We don’t want items that you are going to see in other restaurants.”

The chain chose Sawgrass to unveil its new flagship location because of a combination of the area’s diverse demographic base and the influx of international visitors. South Florida has already been a strong market for the brand, which has seven locations in the tri-county area stretching from Coral Gables to Palm Beach Gardens.

The opening is the culmination of a new vision that began to take shape when Golden Gate Capital purchased California Pizza Kitchen in July 2011 for $470 million, taking the company private and bringing in Hart as the new chief executive.

“They saw a brand that was undervalued,” said Hart, who has an ownership stake in the chain. “This is an iconic brand with so much brand equity. If we can bring the excitement and enthusiasm back we’re only going to see it go up.”

Industry experts say the changes make sense because the brand still has a loyal following, although it has not kept pace with the competition.

“It’s a good time for them to go back to what were the fundamental things that made the brand so intriguing,” said Dennis Lombardi of WD Partners, a restaurant industry consultant. “The difficulty is going to be getting the word out to consumers that this is different. The devil is always in the details in these kind of evolutions.”

Based on consumer reaction, the plan is to take pieces of the Sunrise concept and introduce it into the chain’s other 268 existing restaurants. Some restaurants could be completely remodeled, but most will only get elements of the new prototype, which cost $2 million in Sunrise, Hart said. The company’s Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton locations could be strong candidates for remodeling next year or early 2014, he said.

Community and business leaders, who got a first look at the restaurant on Thursday, were impressed.

“This is phenomenal,” said Luanne Lenberg, general manager of Sawgrass Mills. “We’re so excited to have this caliber of restaurant and to be their test for the rest of the world.”

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Tips for staying safe during holiday travel season

This week many of you are starting to plan for that great holiday trip. Therefore, I am going to share some do and don’ts when traveling. Some of these recommendations come from the National Crime Prevention Council and hopefully they will help you in NOT becoming a victim.

At the Airport

Stay alert and watch your bags and computer carefully at all times. Don’t let anyone but uniformed airline personnel handle or watch your bags.

Always carry proper identification such as a state issued driver’s license or passport. Keep your airline ticket and identification close to you at all times.

Do not bring anything on board for another person unknown to you or not traveling with you, however innocent or small the package or item may appear.

It is important that you report any unattended items or suspicious activity in the airport or aircraft to the nearest airport or airline official as well as local law enforcement.

Carry your purse close to your body, men place your wallet in an inside front pocket. Better yet, use a money pouch under your clothes.

Watch out for staged mishaps, like someone bumping into you or spilling a drink. Often it’s a ploy to divert your attention from your valuables.

Keep a separate record of the contents of checked luggage in case your luggage is lost or tampered with. And keep anything of value in a carry-on that stays with you.

On the Road

Become familiar with your travel route before you start your trip. Get a map and study it before you leave.

Contact the police department of the city you are visiting, asking them about the area and what area you need to be concerned about.

Make sure your rental car is in good operating condition. Learn how to operate all windows, door locks, and lights, as well as other equipment, before you leave the rental lot.

Keep maps and rental agreement concealed, not lying on the seat or the dashboard. You don’t want others to know you are a traveler or it’s a rental car.

Keep car doors locked while you are driving. Store luggage in the trunk. I

Park in well-lighted areas only, close to building entrances and walkways. Remember to lock the car when you leave and store all valuables out of sight.

Have car keys ready when approaching your car so you don’t have to fumble through your purse, becoming distracted.

When getting gas, please make sure you keep the passenger window closed and the car locked (if you are by yourself). Do not be on the cell phone while pumping gas, pay attention to your surroundings, and use the pump closest to the building.

If you are bumped by another car, think before you get out. If you are in doubt or uncomfortable, signal the other driver to follow you to a busy, well-lighted area where it’s safe to get out — a good place is a gas station. If you have a cell phone call the police, 911 works everywhere and don’t get out of the car.

Have a safe week and be vigilant!

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Kris Humphries Kicked Off Court For Fighting

Kris Humphries is battling both on and off the court. The NBA star, who is still going through divorce proceedings with estranged wife Kim Kardashian, was kicked off the court Wednesday night after a fight broke out.

Going up against the Boston Celtics on their home turf at TD Garden, the Brooklyn Nets player, 27, fouled Celtics player Kevin Garnett, who fell to the floor, and then went up against Rajon Rondo, who has a history of brawling with Humphries.

The players ended up falling into the crowd and were later ejected from the game along with Nets forward Gerald Wallace. Nevertheless, Nets won the game, 95-83.

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Following the fight, Humphries posted a shirtless pic of himself with scratches on his back and a caption that read: "Anyone know where I can get a quick Tetanus shot in Boston?"

This altercation falls on the same day as the athlete's lawyers met with Kardashian's to discuss a divorce trial. "Ms. Kardashian is now handcuffed to Mr. Humphries," Kim's lawyer, Laura Wasser, complained to the judge. Humphries is seeking an annulment of the marriage based on fraud. "I don't think his client has a fraud cause. I think there's a fishing expedition going on here. I'm asking the court to give us some core deadlines when my client can expect to stop worrying about this. We need the courts help to set a cut off."

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NJ allows menorahs in prisons for Hanukkah

TRENTON — Jewish inmates in New Jersey state prisons will be allowed to use menorahs for Hanukkah this year.

The state Corrections Department unveiled a Hanukkah policy this week. Corrections spokesman Matt Schuman says this is the first time there's a uniform policy.

Previously, most prisons were uncomfortable with allowing real candles. Now, authorized volunteer religious leaders or prison staff will light candles with inmates present.

Rabbi Zalman Grossbaum of the Rabbinical College of America-Lubavitch is praising the new policy, saying it shows the Corrections Department is sensitive to inmates' religious needs.

Hanukkah begins Dec. 8 this year.

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City National Bank of Florida and its Spanish parent have four years to evaluate the Miami bank’s future ownership

City National Bank of Florida, the Miami bank purchased by Bankia (formerly Caja Madrid) of Spain in November 2008, said Wednesday that its parent has a “four-year window to evaluate alternatives” for the bank’s future ownership and will work closely with management in Miami during the process.

The Spanish government has reached and agreement with the European Union related to Spain’s financial system problems, which will result in a recapitalization of Bankia and other institutions, the bank said. The agreement calls for Bankia to sell non-core assets and its holdings outside of Spain so that Bankia will emerge with a solid capital position and be more focused on its core domestic business.

“Because City National Bank is so well capitalized, profitable and well positioned in the marketplace, we are going to take our time to fully evaluate all of our strategic alternatives,” City National Bank President and CEO Jorge Gonzalez said in a statement. “This does not impact our ongoing strategy of profitable growth and diversification or our commitment to the markets we serve. Our focus continues to be taking excellent care of our clients and employees. ”

City National, founded 65 years ago, has $4.32 billion in assets and 26 branches from Miami-Dade County to the greater Orlando area.

INA PAIVA CORDLE

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Man shot and killed in police-involved shooting identified

The man shot and killed by police Tuesday afternoon in a West Miami-Dade apartment complex has been identified as Alexis Suarez Reyes, Miami-Dade police said Wednesday.

Reyes, 47, lived at the apartment complex at 1907 SW 107th Ave. Miami-Dade police detectives had gone to the complex to follow up on an investigation of a case from Miami International Airport when they encountered Reyes in the apartment.

According to a news release issued Wednesday, Reyes was armed when police confronted him. He was shot multiple times and subsequently transported to the Trauma Center at Kendall Regional Medical Center, where he died.

Reyes is the second person to be shot and killed by Miami-Dade police in the past week. It is unclear why police were investigating Reyes, and the circumstances that led to his shooting are under investigation.

Police said they found a ballistics vest in Reyes’s possession, though it is unclear if he was wearing it at the time of the shooting.

John Rivera, president of the Miami-Dade chapter of the Police Benevolent Association, said two police officers were involved in the shooting.

“They’ll take a couple of days off administratively,’’ he said. “When you shoot somebody, regardless of whether you kill them or not, it’s always a very traumatic situation.’’

Rivera, an advocate for the police, said he spoke with the two officers shortly after the shooting. Though he declined to divulge their conversation, Rivera said that he believes “the evidence” will prove their actions were justified.

“It was a clean shoot,’’ he said.

WPLG-ABC 10 reported that Reyes’s family said he was a security guard at Miami International Airport. Miami-Dade police said late Tuesday they also had received that information and were trying to determine whether it was true.

It was the second police-involved shooting this week. On Sunday, one man was killed and a second was hurt at Flea Market USA, 3015 NW 79th St.

In that shooting, Miami-Dade police believed the men may have been connected to a home invasion robbery earlier in the day.

When officers approached the van the men were in, police said the driver hit the gas and rammed a police vehicle. Officers fired, and the van tried to get away, hitting other parked cars before it came to a stop, police said.

Miami Herald staff writer Diana Moskovitz contributed to this report.

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Jane Lynch Glee Interview Elfbot

With countless commercials and animated movies (including 2012's sublime Wreck-It Ralph) to her credit, Jane Lynch's voice has been gracing the airwaves for more than two decades. Now she's lending those perfect pipes to a new Nook book called Elfbot, which finally reveals how Santa Claus is able to produce so many presents a year!

Lynch not only got to work with her best friend on the project, but also her stepdaughter Chase, who makes her voice-over debut with the children's book. ETonline caught up with the Emmy winning actress to talk about this family affair, the significant change her Glee character has undergone and why voice over acting will always have her heart.

ETonline: What appealed to you about working on Elfbot?

Jane Lynch: The first thing that appealed to me is that my very best friend in the world, Jeannie Elias, directed it. This brings together all of my friends from the ICM voice department, who I hung out with for 20 years, sitting in that [recording booth]. We never worked together, so when they asked me to be a part of this, I said yes.

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ETonline: Once Elias told you about the story, what did you think?

Lynch: The story is so sweet. What I love about it, and think kids will love about it, is you always wonder how Santa makes toys for everybody because the population is so huge. Now, we find out he's created Elfbots – and we have one Elfbot, who is voiced by Kenny G, who wants to become more than an Elfbot. It's like a Pinocchio story. I think it could become one of those Christmas stories you tell over and over again.

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ETonline: And you got to work with your stepdaughter on this!

Lynch: I know! It's her first acting job. She went into the studio and just knocked it out of the park. She has a natural acting vibe. I met her when she was 7, and even before I met her, she was doing plays and in an improve group from the time she was five years old. We always say, Lara [Embry, Lynch's wife] gave birth to her, but she's really my daughter.

ETonline: Are you and Lara in favor of her pursing an acting career?

Lynch: I have a funny thing about it. I started from nothing and faced adversity, so...It will become clear if she really, really wants to do this and I won't stop her if it's something she feels strongly about. We're not going to take her out of school or anything – she does plays at school and this is her first voice over thing, so we'll see.

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ETonline: You also supplied the voice of Sergeant Calhoun in Wreck-It Ralph. What did you think of your animated incarnation?

Lynch: Oh my God, she was like the hottest version of me you could come up with. It's what I might have looked like in days gone by if I had a good haircut ... and a trainer.

ETonline: You've been doing voiceover work for years -- what is it about that artform you love?

Lynch: When I was doing voiceovers and radio commercials and TV narration, I was so happy. I love sitting in a booth and making something out of just your voice. I look at it as an opportunity to kick back and relax and create because it's one of the most low-stress, purely creative thing you can do ... and it's great to roll in wearing sweatpants [laughs]. I could have done it forever and ever, but I'm glad my acting career took off.

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ETonline: The last four years have been particularly busy for you between the insanity of Glee and getting married. Has it been a whirlwind?

Lynch: So much has changed, and some of it's been heady and exciting, but I definitely think it helped that I was close to 50 when this all happened. And creating a homebase for my family was a real priority for us at that time, so all of that was going on while hosting The Emmys and doing this great television show. It was insane, but I love to be busy, I love to be active, I don't like sitting around, so the last four years have kept me very, very happy.

ETonline: There have also been a lot of changes at Glee this year -- what do you like about Sue's interactions with the new characters?

Lynch: These kids are fresh meat for Sue Sylvester, but you see how she's softening a bit in the fact she can't come up with a mean nickname for Marley. I really like that Sue's redemptions have actually stuck. I'm not just randomly mean like I was before. I had a nice arc that made her more comfortable in where she is, so Sue's not using her powers for evil as much any more.

To purchase your copy of Elfbot, click here! And if you live in California, the voice cast (Lynch, Mark Hamill, Kenny G & more will be at the Barnes & Noble at the Americana in Glendale on December 7 at 7 p.m.

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Nokia sues RIM for breach of contract over cellular patents

HELSINKI — Nokia Corp. is suing Research in Motion, the maker of the Blackberry, for breach of contract in Britain, the United States and Canada over cellular patents the two companies agreed on nine years ago.

The struggling cellphone and RIM agreed in 2003 on a "cross-license for standards-essential cellular patents." Since then, RIM has sought to amend the deal, claiming the license should also have covered patents for non-essential parts. A Swedish tribunal earlier this month ruled against RIM's claims.

Nokia says Wednesday that it is now filing a lawsuit to enforce the tribunal's latest decision against RIM's claims. According to that decision, RIM is not entitled to manufacture or sell WLAN products, used widely in smartphones, without first agreeing royalties with Nokia, which is based in Finland.

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Gift ideas for the techie on your list

The holidays are coming fast, and if you’re like me, you’ve probably gotten very little of your gift shopping done.

Here are suggestions for a variety of gifts for the techie and the not-so-techie people on your list.

Some of these items can be found in stores and some are only available online, but you should be able to order them in time for Christmas or Hanukkah.

IOMEGA EZ MEDIA & BACKUP CENTER

What is it? A hard drive that lives on your home network so you can share files, store all your photos and music and back up your home computers. Works on Macintosh, Windows and Linux computers.

The EZ Media & Backup Center is available in 1-, 2- and 3-terabyte capacities. It is simple to set up. It lives next to your home router and plugs into the network via Ethernet.

Major features include a built-in iTunes server so your music is available to all connected computers, Time Machine support for easy Macintosh backups and Iomega’s Personal Cloud to access your data from any Internet connection.

It can also stream your video files to your TV if you’ve got a compatible streaming box or an Internet-connected TV.

Software for backing up Windows PCs is also included.

Who’s it for? Any family that wants central storage for their digital lives. This is a great home for your digital photo, music or video library.

What does it cost? One terabyte for $169.99, two terabytes for $209.99, three terabytes for $279.99.

Where can you get it? Online at www.iomega.com, Amazon, Best Buy, Apple store, Fry’s.

NETATMO URBAN WEATHER STATION

What is it? A wireless indoor/outdoor weather station that displays through an application on your Apple or Android mobile device.

There are two parts, one that lives in your house and one you place outside.

The indoor component plugs into the wall and monitors the temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, carbon dioxide level and even the sound level in decibels.

The outdoor module is battery-powered and measures temperature and humidity.

Once you connect the Netatmo to your home Wi-Fi network, you can download the free app and see your weather stats from anywhere.

Setup was easy enough, and you can set the app to notify you when carbon dioxide rises to levels that you should be warned about — which is great.

Who’s it for? Weather geeks and people who like to know what the temperature is without having to fire up a browser.

What does it cost? $179

Where can you get it? www.netatmo.com

3M LED ADVANCED LIGHT

What is it? 3M’s first foray into the home light bulb market is with the LED Advanced Light, which uses light-emitting diodes (LED) to produce 800 lumens (the light of a 60-watt bulb).

The Advanced Light has a life span of 25 years and costs just $1.63 per year if it’s turned on for three hours per day.

The bulb lights instantly and is dimmable.

It’s a little intimidating to start buying light bulbs that might outlive me, but my wallet approves.

Who’s it for? Anyone who wants to save money or wants a bulb that might not have to be changed until 2035.

What does it cost? $25

Where can you get it? Select Wal-Mart stores. For more information, go to www.3mlighting.com/LED.

STEM IZON 2.0 WI-FI VIDEO MONITOR

What is it? A small, wireless video camera that you can monitor remotely with an iOS device.

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Defense in Rilya Wilson trial asks for mistrial based on prosecutor’s standing with Florida Bar

The defense for Geralyn Graham, the foster mother accused of murdering 4-year-old Rilya Wilson a decade ago, asked for a mistrial Tuesday morning after a Miami Herald reader found that one of the prosecutors was not technically a member of the Florida Bar.

The trial is proceeding as usual, and Judge Marisa Tinkler-Mendez will rule on the mistrial by the end of the day.

Assistant state attorney Joshua Weintraub completed more than the required 30 hours of continuing education in August but failed to enter the correct course number, and the credits were not recognized by the Florida bar. A reader identified as “Bambie” commented on The Miami Herald article about the opening day of the trial, saying that according to the Florida Bar registry, Weintraub was not eligible to practice law. The reader’s concern was that “it would be a travesty for this case to proceed to verdict only to learn that the Assistant State Attorney had no authority to prosecute the case.”

Defense attorney Michael Matters asked for a mistrial based on Weintraub’s “individual participation in depositions of critical witnesses” and his presentation of himself as an assistant to state attorney Katherine Fernández Rundle.

“Whether he’s suspended for small or humongous violation, it’s still a suspension,” Matters said. “It’s absolutely inappropriate, unethical and wrong. There is no justification for someone practicing law without a license.”

Neither Weintraub nor the other two prosecutors on the case — one of whom is his mother — addressed the continuing education oversight. Don Horn, one of the chief assistants to the state attorney, said Weintraub was pulled from the trial Monday afternoon and temporarily suspended until his continuing education course credits could be straightened out. As of Tuesday morning, on the second day of the trial, Weintraub was reinstated and resumed his seat at the prosecutor’s table.

The trial resumed with Willie Harris, supervisor for the Department of Children and Families taking the stand. He was questioned on his decision to remove then 3-year-old Rilya Wilson from the home of her first foster mom, Pamela Kendrick, and place her in the care of Geralyn Graham, who is now standing trial for her murder.

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Off-duty NYPD cop busted in alleged LES assault

An off-duty NYPD sergeant was arrested for attacking someone this morning in the Lower East Side, authorities said.

Besemah Rogers, 42, allegedly punched the victim in the face, it is not clear what sparked the fight, police sources said.

The 77th Precinct sergeant was busted on assault charges, police said.

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Shoppers welcome holiday sales by buying early, often — and online

Shoppers swooped into stores in droves on Thanksgiving weekend, topping last year’s sales, as more retailers opened their doors earlier than ever on Thursday, luring bargain hunters away from eating another plate of turkey.

And now Cyber Monday is expected to set a record for online shopping this year, for those who prefer the Internet to the mall.

Spending per shopper nationwide averaged $423 — $25 more than last year — from Thursday to Sunday, while total spending increased nearly 13 percent, to an estimated $59.1 billion, according to a survey by the National Retail Federation.

“I think the only way to describe the Thanksgiving openings is to call it a huge win,” said Matthew Shay, the trade group’s president and chief executive. Shopping, he said, “has really become an extension of the day’s festivities.”

South Florida was no exception, as a flurry of stores, as well as several malls, opened on Thanksgiving. Thursday has seemingly become the new Black Thursday, taking a bite out of the old-fashioned kickoff day of the holiday, Black Friday.

“We had an excellent weekend,” said Humberto Maldonado, director of marketing for Dadeland Mall, which opened at midnight on Thursday. Sales figures are not yet in, but the overall trend was up from last year, he said Monday.

“It was really busy from midnight to 5 a.m., then it slowed, and picked up again at 7 a.m. or 8 a.m., and stayed busy all day on Friday,” Maldonado said.

Nationwide, about 35 million people visited stores and shopping websites Thursday, up from 29 million last year. More than double that number — 89 million, up from 86 million — shopped on Black Friday.

“There were more people shopping every single day of the weekend,” Shay said.

Topping off the weekend, Cyber Monday’s early results, tabulated at 3 p.m. Monday, showed that online shopping was up a whopping 25.6 percent compared with the same time period a year ago, according to figures by IBM Benchmark.

Nationwide, most of the weekend’s shoppers — roughly 58 percent — bought clothing and accessories. Another 38 percent bought electronics and 35 percent shelled out for toys, National Retail Federation figures show.

Retailers made an effort to lure people in, with updated mobile shopping applications for smartphones and tablets, and expanded shipping and layaway options.

Still, it remains to be seen whether increased sales over the Thanksgiving weekend will translate to higher sales throughout the holiday shopping season. Analysts have been predicting mediocre sales this year, nationwide, as shoppers remain uncertain about the broader economy. Overall holiday sales are expected to increase 4.1 percent from 2011, compared with sales growth of 5.6 percent last year, the National Retail Federation said.

However, Florida is expected to beat those figures. Buoyed in large part by tourists and snowbirds, the Florida Retail Federation is forecasting a 5.3 percent gain this year over last, to $58 billion, marking the highest percentage growth predicted since the recession. Pre-recession, retail sales peaked at $54.3 billion in 2006.

Christian Cutillo, 26, of Weston, hit Walmart, then Sears, Target and Old Navy after eating Thanksgiving dinner.

She began at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and by 3 a.m. Friday she had finished shopping for all 15 people on her list, mostly buying clothing and toys.

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Police seize haul of bogus lobster tags

An ongoing investigation into an elaborate scheme to counterfeit state-issued tags for spiny lobster traps has pulled in a second suspect.

Jesus Alonso Perez, 51, of Miami was charged with possession of phony trap tags after his arrest last week by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers in Miami-Dade County.

Perez is the first person arrested in the case since Ramon Rojas, 44, of Hialeah was arrested on Monroe County and Miami-Dade warrants earlier this month.

Rojas has been charged with dozens of conservation counts for possessing and using fake trap tags, and fishing traps without required state certificates. A handful of Rojas' personal traps bearing counterfeit trap tags were hauled from water off Big Pine Key before his arrest.

"During the investigation, we were able to determine [Rojas] actually was in the midst of selling some of these counterfeit tags and ended up selling 100 at $50 a pop," said FWC Officer Jorge Pino, an agency spokesman. "We knew some of these tags were being used already."

The case could lead to additional state and federal counts.

Investigation started June 29 when U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents intercepted a suspicious package shipped to Florida from Colombia.

Inside the package were 1,512 yellow plastic tags bearing serial numbers and state identification. The package was passed along to federal wildlife officers, who forwarded it to the FWC.

"To an untrained eye, they might have looked like real tags but our inspector immediately identified the tags as counterfeit," Pino said. "Not to mention, they were coming into Florida from Colombia."

The package was re-sealed for delivery, with FWC officers keeping watch. Other details on the investigation are still considered confidential.

"We've seen counterfeit trap tags before so that wasn't a surprise," Pino said. "We were a little surprised at the lengths he went to, going to another country to get this many."

"This goes contrary to everything the FWC is trying to achieve as a conservation agency in terms of protecting the resource," Pino said. "Putting what could have been a large number of illegal traps in the water has the potential to do a lot of damage."

Trap tags have been required by the state since 1992 as part of an effort to control and reduce the number of traps used by Florida commercial fishermen. Currently about 490,000 tags are issued annually, down from a peak of 750,000. Lobstermen receive an allocation of tags based on their history of commercial trap harvests.

People who want to enter the fishery or increase their trap numbers must buy trap certificates, which include the right to buy trap tags, from other fishermen. A tag itself costs only $1 each from the state but certificates can sell for more than $100 each.

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Yes, the Government Can Still Spy on Your Digital Life (for Now)

Ahead of a controversial Senate debate on digital privacy this week, the battle over warrantless cell-phone and Internet searches is beginning to take shape — even as law-enforcement agencies continue to carry out the searches anyway. Judges across the country have thrown out cases that used tracked digital American lives without warrants, but others haven’t, reports The New York Times‘s Somini Sengupta. A DC court, for example, compared text messages to voicemail messages, which because they can be overheard are not protected by state privacy laws, argued one judge. A Louisiana court is deciding if cell-phone records are like business records. Another court ruled that GPS cell phone tracking without a warrant was fine, too. Others, however, argue that cell phones are more than just a paper trail. One judge called cell phones “raw, unvarnished and immediate, revealing the most intimate of thoughts and emotions,” as in something that is subject to higher privacy standards. Meanwhile, we see the same inconsistencies with Internet protections, reports The Wall Street Journal‘s Joe Pallazolo. A federal court recently ruled that people who use their neighbors’ WiFi without permission forfeit privacy, opening up government officials to warrantless searches. The same ruling other courts have made for IP addresses. However, the law isn’t that clear-cut, either, argues George Washington University professor Oren Kerr. 

RELATED: Anonymous’s and LulzSec’s Overlapping, FBI-Thwarting Pasts

Without clear rules, government agencies have continued investigations with warrantless searches. As people have started using cell phones more often and for more than just calling, law enforcement agency requests for cell-phone information have increased, reported The New York Times‘s Eric Lichtblau earlier this year. AT&T gets more than 700 requests a day from various agencies, triple what it got in 2007, he notes. Last year, the total number of requests came in at at least 1.3 million. At the same time, the application for wiretapping warrants declined 14 percent last year to 2,732, according to the Administrative Office of the United States Courts. A curious pattern considering the requests for information have gone up. Though these wireless carriers say they require a search warrant, a court order or a formal subpoena to release information, “in cases that law enforcement officials deem an emergency, a less formal request is often enough,” writes Lichtblau. Or, it’s possible that law enforcement has opted for other forms of tracking that don’t require warrants, at least not according to some judges. 

RELATED: Saints GM Denies Using Nixonian Dirty Tricks; Directing the NFL Draft

A Senate debate beginning Thursday to make changes on the Electronic Communications Privacy Act might bring some clarity to these issues. However, it’s unclear if the revised bill will give the government more or less power, and it doesn’t sound like the vote will apply to all cell phone or Internet data. An early draft of the bill reportedly allowed warrantless e-mail searches, reported CNET’s Declan McCullagh. Since, Senator Patrick Leahy, who is spearheading the bill, has denied that the updates to the regulation will do that, however. Instead, the revised bill will require search warrants to get into email no matter how old, says Sengupta. That should presumably apply to some of our smartphone and Internet data, too. But it doesn’t address text messages or location information, other concerns of consumers.

Wireless News Headlines – Yahoo! News

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Joe Manganiello on 'How I Met Your Mother'

Now enjoying the skyrocketing success of True Blood and his recent film Magic Mike, Joe Manganiello now revisits the recurring role on How I Met Your Mother that enabled him to achieve that success.

"It's awesome," Manganiello told ET's special correspondent Melissa Peterman of returning to the show. "I missed everybody. You see everybody out and about over the years...but it was just really fun to get back in. It really feels like--other than the beard and long hair--like I never left."

VIDEO: Sneak Peek: Joe Manganiello Returns to 'HIMYM'

Manganiello ("Brad") originally appeared on the show as a fellow lawyer friend to Jason Segel's character, "Marshall," in Season 2. The now blooming star's character is now at odds with his former best friend over a court case in Season 8, and he attempts to use his good looks to sway the female jury.

"[Marshall's] got to dig deep...He's got to fight hard," he said of Marshall's response to Brad's tactics. "He uses some really unorthodox tactics to battle Brad as well and it just escalates."

Manganiello's character not only gives his old buddy Marshall a hard time in the upcoming episode but also inadvertently riles Neil Patrick Harris' character, "Barney," by challenging his dominance in attracting women.

VIDEO: Joe Manganiello Spills 'True Blood' Secrets

"It's competitive," Harris said of the altered dynamic on set with Manganiello present. "I'll tell you what, [there's] a lot of swooning [in] his direction....Everyone [gasps] every time he walks by."

Barney isn't the only one who is affected by Brad's swooning ways, as Alyson Hannigan's character, "Lilly," Marshall's wife, is also persuaded by his good looks and seductive tactics, to the extent that she turns against her husband.

"I was rooting for my husband until the pen incident," Hannigan said of her character's courtroom experience with Brad, "and he drops his pen and bends over, and now I'm easily swayed."

VIDEO: Wedding Jitters on 'How I Met Your Mother'

Check out Manganiello on How I Met Your Mother tonight (Nov. 26) at 8 p.m. on CBS.

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Lauer target of 'misplaced' blame for 'Today' show nosedive: NBC exec

The top dog at NBC News came to Matt Lauer’s defense, saying the big-money host doesn’t deserve blame for “Today’s” ratings collapse.

Lauer has become a prime fan target in light of “Good Morning America’s” resurgence to No. 1 and the wildly unpopular dumping of short-lived “Today” host Ann Curry this past summer.

NBC News President Steve Capus blamed Twitter for the sudden unpopularity of his $25-million-a-year talking head.

“Sadly,” Capus told The Daily Beast, “this is the era in which we live: Venomous tweets somehow threaten to drown out all of those who praised Matt for his coverage."

Rob Kim/FilmMagic

"Today" show host Matt Lauer.

“The Twitter snarkiness is an unfortunate result of misdirected anger that’s been unfairly placed on Matt,” Capus added. “There has also been a lot of mean-spirited piling-on, which has been manufactured by many anonymous sources.”

The Peacock took a PR beating when it suddenly dumped the well-liked Curry in June after just one year in the coveted morning chair.

Lauer has been the focal point of post-Curry backlash, which Capus said he doesn’t deserve.

“Matt had nothing to do with Ann’s reassignment,” Capus said. “He does not make those types of decisions. There has been an incredible amount of misplaced blame on Matt.”

While Capus insisted his embattled host had no role in Curry’s ouster, another 30 Rock suit conceded that Lauer apparently lobbied for Currey’s more-gradual removal.

“The whole Ann transition really hurt us,” the unnamed NBC suit said.

“[Lauer] was one of the few people who fought to do the transition in a different way—to take our time with it and not do it so rushed right before the Olympics. He wanted to do right by her, and we really didn’t.”

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Shifting tides of Panama real estate echo Miami trends

PANAMA CITY, Panama — As a real estate agent shows off a model apartment — white leather sectional, stainless steel appliances, open concept, ocean views — in the 59-story Yacht Club Tower, and touts its fitness center and pool deck designed to mimic a ship floating on the sea, he makes a telling statement:

“We tried to emulate the Miami style in this building.”

Approaching this Central American capital from the air, the first thing a traveler notices is a skyline on steroids — gleaming towers jutting skyward like so many pickets on a fence. There’s even a Trump high-rise here — the sail-shaped 72-story Trump Ocean Club International Hotel & Tower. And it’s not uncommon for those active in Miami real estate and development circles to try their luck in Panama or move back and forth between the markets.

Although Miami is nearly 1,200 miles from Panama City, the real estate markets of the two cities share certain similarities. Both went through booms and overbuilding and then had way too many empty condominiums. Wealthy Latin American buyers were a salvation in both cities when traditional segments of the market fell off.

“Now that things are starting to pick up in the States, they are picking up here too. Now that there’s not as much economic uncertainty in the United States, people feel more confident about Panama too,’’ said Morris Hafeitz, general manger of Emporium Developers. He used to work in Miami as a project manager for Odebrecht, the Brazilian conglomerate.

Now Hafeitz is trying to sell Allure at the Park, a 50-story building Emporium developed in Panama City’s Bella Vista neighborhood. The building is chock full of amenities — gym, teenage game room, adult lounge, toddler playroom, pool, squash court and even miniature golf on the roof — but one of its main selling points is that it overlooks a park and two low-rise historic buildings. “In the heart of the city without the hassles of the city,’’ said Hafeitz.

During the boom, many buildings in central Panama City went up practically on top of each other. “In the beginning of the boom there were no regulations on density,’’ said Mauricio Saba, a project manager at Zoom Development in Panama City and another Miami real estate alum. “I have a friend who said he could watch his neighbor’s TV from his balcony.’’

Margarita Sanclemente, a Miami real estate broker with offices in Panama City and New York, has seen it all — the boom, the irrational building and the slowdown — and has stuck with the Panamanian market.

She first ventured into Panama in 2005. The Panamanian real estate market, which had been sluggish for more than a decade, was undergoing a rebirth and Americans, lured by low prices and the low cost of living, were snapping up properties.

The sweet spot was the 1,000 to 1,500-square-foot apartment, sans maid’s quarters, which appealed to retirees from Canada and the United States, she said.

That was back when Americans still believed you couldn’t go wrong with real estate. “Some of the buyers didn’t even see the units. We sold them by phone,’’ Sanclemente said. Condo prices at new buildings such as Destiny averaged $98 to $120 per square foot. She herself bought a 1,000 square foot, one bedroom condo for $123,000 back in 2005.

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Cooper City townhouse fire sends boy to hospital, causes evacuation

A Sunday morning townhouse fire in Cooper sent and 8-year-old boy to the hospital and forced the evacuation of several homes, Broward Sheriff’s Fire Rescue said.

The fire broke out at around a 8:14 a.m. at 12230 SW 50th Pl. The fire spread and arriving rescue units observed flames showing on three sides of the townhouse.

Two adults and four children escaped the blaze; a boy was taken to Memorial Wets and is in good condition. A pet dog died in the fire.

An adjoining townhouse suffered smoke damage and a total of six others were evacuated.

Traffic around the area has also been rerouted.

By late morning, the Red Cross had responded to help the family, whose home has been declared uninhabitable. Smoke reached two other townhouses, which are being vented.

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