Miami, FL
Burst pipe at Miami Beach condo triggers more than flooding
MIAMI – Only one of four elevators is operational at the Burleigh House Condominium on Miami Beach after a pipe burst over the weekend, causing more than flooding on the third floor of the building.
“Of course, it was cascading the water to the elevators but now everything is dry, and everything is going to be back in order,” said Andrea Romagna, a board member of the Burleigh House. “The company of the elevators is working and now there’s one already working.”
“This was no surprise for me because it’s happened before,” said Michelle Salem, who owns a condo there.
She has been very vocal about what she considers the “questionable way” of how things are fixed at the building located on Collins Avenue and 71st Street.
“Let me show you a video from last year, January 3rd, 2023, virtually one year ago, it’s the same exact situation,” said Salem using her phone to show a seemingly image of a flooding from last year.
She claims the same problem has not been properly fixed by real professionals because the building’s board has been using internal personnel for maintenance.
“The company of the elevators is working, and now there’s one already working, a remediation company is taking care of putting the third floor where all the damage was done,” replied Romagna who considers that only a few unit owners complained.
Salem said her right to see the financial books when the problems occurred has been denied.
“We are experiencing very little transparency,” she said.
Salem pointed to a condo safety bill requires that condominium associations to have sufficient reserves to pay for major repairs and conduct a study of the reserves every decade. It would also require condominium associations to provide inspection reports to owners, and if structural repairs are needed, work must begin within a year of the report.
Salem said she has paid $87,000 in four different special assessments for her two-bedroom unit and $60,000 for a one-bedroom unit.
“These are very big numbers, and we don’t have real accountability where all the money has been spent,” said Salem.
New details are emerging in the death of a woman whose body was found on Hollywood Beach the day after Christmas.
Police say 56‑year‑old Heather Asendorf was discovered by a passerby. People who frequent the beach say she was a familiar sight at the bandshell near Margaritaville, where she danced most nights in brightly lit shoes.
Harrison, a frequent visitor who did not want to give his last name, said he saw her nearly every day.
“She was very friendly, polite. She loved to dance,” he said.
Suspect arrested four days later
Four days after she was found, Hollywood police arrested 28‑year‑old Brandon McCray and charged him with sexual battery, kidnapping, and battery by strangulation.
McCray was taken into custody at a Hollywood motel off Federal Highway. His permanent address is listed in Coconut Creek, where no one answered the door when approached for comment about his arrest.
Police are still working to determine how Asendorf’s path crossed with McCray’s.
Tributes pour in from friends
Tributes for Asendorf are pouring in, especially from the annual State College Townie Reunion community in central Pennsylvania, where she had deep roots.
Among the messages shared:
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“A beautiful friend forever in our hearts.”
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“Unforgettable. A sweet soul.”
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“I still can’t wrap my mind around this one. She was so amazing.”
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“One of our shining stars has left the stage.”
Investigation remains active
Hollywood police say their investigation is ongoing, and McCray could face additional charges as detectives continue to piece together what happened.
Should the CFP committee rethink the playoff schedule format?
Extended breaks and logistical challenges have reopened questions about whether the College Football Playoff committee should adjust the playoff schedule format.
Mississippi football’s Nick Cull avoided an ejection during the College Football Playoff Fiesta Bowl semifinal on Thursday, Jan. 8.
As Malachi Toney reeled in a catch from Carson Beck at the Miami 49 in the first quarter, he was hit by Cull in a helmet-to-helmet collision. Right away, the officials flagged Cull for targeting, with both Toney and Cull staying down on the field with an injury.
After officials reviewed the play, the call on the field was overturned, as the officials determined that Cull did not launch and the collision seemed to be incidental. Replay assistant Matt Austin concurred with the call on the field.
The play had a major impact on the game as well. If the call had been upheld, Miami would have had the ball at the Ole Miss 34-yard line with a chance to expand its 3-0 lead. However, a few plays later, the Hurricanes were forced to punt from the 49-yard line.
On the first play of the second quarter, Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacey scored on a 73-yard run to give the Rebels a 7-3 lead.
Because he was not called for targeting, Cull was not ejected from the game, which means Ole Miss will have him for the remainder of the game, if he can clear the concussion protocol. He was in the tent following the play.
Cull has 15 total tackles and three pass deflections this season for the Rebels.
Meanwhile, Toney went to the medical tent briefly for the Hurricanes, but returned to the game.
A crash involving an unmarked Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office vehicle was reported in Northwest Miami-Dade on Thursday morning, and the morning commute was impacted as a result.
Few details have been released, but the crash was reported in the area of Northwest 79th street and Interstate 95.
Video from the scene showed that the vehicles had heavy damage.
The sheriff’s office said the crash also involved a civilian vehicle, and no injuries were reported.
No other information was released.
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