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Off Lease Only closes all operations after filing for bankruptcy, 466 out of work in Florida

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Off Lease Only closes all operations after filing for bankruptcy, 466 out of work in Florida


WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Off Lease Only, a used car dealership based in West Palm Beach, has closed all of its locations after filing for bankruptcy, putting 466 people out of work in Florida.

Before halting opereations, it had 500 vehicles at its five sites: 1200 S. Congress Avenue in West Palm Beach, North Lauderale, Bradenton, Opa Locka and Orlando. It also had an operation in Katy, Texas, near Houston with 79 losing their jobs

The company cited “significant challenges and competitive pressures resulting from unprecedented changes to the automotive retail landscape,” according to a news release Thursday.

“The industry has been impacted by inventory scarcity, and vehicle price inflation stemming from supply chain disruptions and multi-year declines in new vehicle production. Elevated pricing and rising interest rates have further deteriorated conditions in the automotive retail market, weakening consumer demand and affordability”

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Off Lease Only said it explored a range of strategic options but “industry headwinds coupled with the decreased affordability of used vehicles have necessitated the decision to pursue an orderly wind down of the business.”

Since 2004, Off Lease Only has sold over 300,000 vehicles, according to its website, “is also proud to be honored as DealerRater’s Used Car Dealer of the Year, an Edmunds 5-Star Premier Dealer and receives every year a stellar A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.”

Founders Mark and Eileen Fischer started with just two cars and their life savings, and grew their business into one of the largest volume used car dealers in Florida.

The company was 20% owned by the founders and 80% by New York-based investment firm Cerberus Capital Management.

The company disclosed assets and liabilities between $100 million and $500 million, and between 1,000 and 5,000 creditors, according to its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing.

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CEO Leland Wilson asked the bankruptcy court to allow the company to return deposits paid by customers whose purchases were not yet financed before shutdown, the Sun Sentinel reported.

Former Off Lease Only employees told WTVJ they let were let go Wednesday with little warning.

Those laid off will receive at least two paychecks and any remaining earned commission, according to an internal document obtained by WOFL.

“Off Lease Only is winding down its operations and is closed to the public,” the company posted on its website. “In an effort to responsibly wind down operations of the business, we have filed for voluntary protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.”

For more information, people are asked to call a hotline at 888-383 -5791 for U.S. calls or (332) 322 – 9802 for international calls or visit https://cases.stretto.com/OLO. For customer inquiries, customerinquiries@offleaseonly.com.

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“Thank you to our valued customers for your years of patronage,” the company wrote.





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Federal judge pauses deadlines in Trump documents case after SCOTUS immunity ruling

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Federal judge pauses deadlines in Trump documents case after SCOTUS immunity ruling


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The federal judge presiding over former President Trump’s Florida case has paused several court deadlines to consider presidential immunity. 

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Trump’s legal team presented a motion Friday seeking “a partial stay of further proceedings” in the case brought by special counsel Jack Smith “until President Trump’s motions based on Presidential immunity and the Appointments and Appropriations Clauses are resolved.”

U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon on Saturday agreed to hear arguments, allowing two weeks for both camps to prepare briefs regarding the relevance of the Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity.

TRUMP ASKS FLORIDA COURT TO PAUSE CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS CASE AFTER SUPREME COURT IMMUNITY DECISION

Former President Trump, a Republican presidential candidate, speaks at a campaign rally at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia.  (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Trump faces charges from Smith’s investigation into his possession of classified materials. 

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He pleaded not guilty to all 37 felony counts from Smith’s probe, including willful retention of national defense information, conspiracy to obstruct justice and false statements.

TRUMP IMMUNITY CASE: SUPREME COURT RULES EX-PRESIDENTS HAVE SUBSTANTIAL PROTECTION FROM PROSECUTION

Trump was also charged with an additional three counts as part of a superseding indictment from the investigation, an additional count of willful retention of national defense information and two additional obstruction counts.

Alto Lee Adams Sr. United States Courthouse

The Alto Lee Adams, Sr. United States Courthouse in Fort Pierce, Fla., where U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon is presiding over the case of former President Trump.  (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

The Supreme Court ruled Monday in the Trump v. United States case that a former president has substantial immunity from prosecution for official acts while in office but not for unofficial acts.

In a 6-3 decision, the court sent the matter back to a lower court when the justices did not apply the ruling to whether former President Trump is immune from prosecution regarding actions related to efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

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Walt Nauta, left, an aide to former President Trump, walks with his lawyer, Stanley Woodward, right, as they leave the Alto Lee Adams, Sr. United States Courthouse in Fort Pierce, Fla.  (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

“The President enjoys no immunity for his unofficial acts, and not everything the President does is official,” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the majority. 

Fox News Digital’s Brooke Singman and Brianna Herlihy contributed to this report.



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Florida Gators Expectations – Embracing Underdog Role

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Florida Gators Expectations – Embracing Underdog Role


For the first time in recent memory, the University of Florida heads into a football season a decided underdog in eight of its twelve games. DraftKings places the over/under on win total for the Gators at a paltry 4.5. Pundits from Bristol, Conn. to Atlanta look ready to play a dirge for a season that hasn’t started yet. 

As a result, a palpable sense of worry flows through the fanbase. Cursed with an unbelievably tough schedule, the Gators, in the eyes of many, appear headed for a disastrous 2024 season. Yet, something feels different. No one told the football team that their season ended before it started. Ignore those folks and enjoy the games ahead. 

The Schedule

Make no mistake, Florida will play a brutal schedule against some of the SEC’s top teams. During the month of November, Florida plays Georgia, Texas, LSU, Ole Miss and Florida State. Not to mention, Tennessee and Texas A&M show up early in the season. 

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On paper, all of these teams possess top-tier offenses, defenses, and coaching. Their rosters bubble over with blue-chip prospects and All-Americans. Correspondingly, NFL scouts representing all thirty-two franchises will attend these matchups. In a way, the schedule makers will end up helping the Gators more than anything else. 

The Hotseat

As profiled here and everywhere, Billy Napier needs a great showing to keep his job. He knows this, and fully understands the situation at hand. In all honesty, that fact should help the Gators. Napier comprehends the deal. In movie imagery, he will make his last stand in The Swamp. 

With pundits already choosing his successor via content, and those coaches looking at Zillow for homes in Alachua County, no play drawn looks unreasonable. With a job to lose, but a $32-million buyout, Napier can coach with a clear mind. The worst the school can do is fire him and pay an eight-figure buyout. No opponent will rattle Napier and his team. 

Upside

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Florida enters the season with a seasoned quarterback, within a system he thrives. Graham Mertz fits the scheme. Only three of Florida’s opponents will return a starting quarterback. As a result, many will use this season as a way of grasping a system. 

Meanwhile, Mertz will head in to games with a feeling that his opponent will not. Moreover, six of Florida’s games occur in The Swamp. With 89,000 people, a majority clad in blue and orange, home-field becomes that much more important.

Opponent Expectations Burden

People continue to underdiscuss what Florida’s opponents will face. Georgia, Ole Miss, Florida State, TAMU, and Tennessee all have playoff expectations. Probability being what they are, a couple of those teams will lose multiple games. Under those circumstances, their fate changes from a certain home game to possibly playing on the road or potential omission from the process altogether. 

One of these opposing will exhibit some variation of posterior puckering, making bad decisions, leading to an upset by Florida. Since 1988, only three Gator seasons ended with five or fewer wins. Somehow, somewhere, probably multiple teams will fall. Plus, the karmic nature of college football dictates conference chaos.

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Florida Senate GOP candidate faces September trial in $48K theft case involving an HOA

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Florida Senate GOP candidate faces September trial in $48K theft case involving an HOA


LAKE COUNTY, Fla. – A candidate for Florida Senate this August is facing charges of grand theft in Orange County involving a homeowner’s association, with a trial scheduled to start in September.

Cheryl Blancett, 63, is facing charges that stem from a years-long investigation into the theft of nearly $48,000 from a homeowners association for a neighborhood in east Orange County. According to the arrest report, the officers for the Sawgrass Estates HOA hired Blancett to manage their subdivision from April 2018 to August 2019.

The investigators accuse Blancett of intermingling the HOA funds with her personal funds, using money for personal expenses and purchases that were not approved HOA expenses.

They believe Blancett ended up taking $47,22.34 from the HOA. She has pleaded not guilty.

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[RESULTS 2024: Want to vote in Florida? Here’s how to register and make sure you are eligible]

Blancett is running to be the Republican candidate in the Florida Senate District 13 race, representing parts of Orange and Lake counties. She is on the ballot as “CJ” Blancett.

She faces businessman Bowen Kou and outgoing Florida House Rep. Keith Truenow in the Republican primary on Aug. 20. Kou is currently suing the Florida Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee for libel over a political mailer that questions whether he and his donors have any ties to the Chinese government (Kou is an American citizen). The mailer was sent out on Truenow’s behalf and cites his approval.

The winner of the Aug. 20 primary will face Democrat Stephanie Dukes in November.

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