Fresh appeal for Mihdi Joon

The father of a Bermudian boy suffering from a curvature of the spine has issued a fresh appeal for funds to help him make ends meet. Marvin Brock needs upwards of $75,000 per year for the care and treatment of eight-year-old Mihdi, who was born with the the rare disorder progressive kyphoscoliosis.

Mr. Brock travelled the world to find help for his son, and found it in the shape of Oriental medicine doctor Baolin Wu, who practices in California.

The family moved to California to facilitate Mihdi?s treatment, which is said to have improved his condition immensely but which requires a daily regime of doctor?s visits, acupuncture treatments and physical and herbal therapies.

Mr. Brock, who is divorced from his son?s mother, established the Mihdi Joon Fund in Bermuda in 2000 to help raise the funds necessary for the little boy?s ongoing care, treatment, and support.

?Mihdi?s needs are increasing daily. Funds are needed immediately for tutorial assistance to reinforce his school instruction as he cannot keep up and his teachers are concerned,? said Mr. Brock.

?While I am desperately trying to provide everything, it would also be ideal to have a nutritional professional to assist with providing for Mihdi?s special dietary needs in an effort to help him gain weight and thrive.?

Calling on Bermudians to assist him, Mr. Brock added: ?I am unable to be on the Island to knock on doors without sacrificing the care and treatment for Mihdi, therefore fundraising has been limited to direct mail.

?I want to follow up with phone calls, but with our current situation of hand-to-mouth existence I am afraid that our phone will be turned off if I am unable to pay the bill from all the calls to Bermuda.? Details on how to contribute to the Mihdi Joon Fund can be found on the website www.thelotus.com.

Burglar found hiding in supermarket

A burglar was found hiding in a storeroom when Police attended a reported breaking and entering at Arnold?s Supermarket in Sandys on Saturday night.

Officers searched the Somerset Road premises and arrested a 20-year-old Sandys Parish man who was taken to Hamilton Police station. It appears nothing was taken from the store.

Regiment nabs draft dodger in court

You can run but you can?t hide. That?s the message the Bermuda Regiment is sending out to draft dodgers.

One such unwilling recruit was picked up by Regiment Police yesterday when he appeared in Magistrates? Court for traffic violations. Wolde Gardner, 26, from St. David?s was caught speeding at 67 km/h along St. David?s Road, St. George?s Parish and pleaded guilty to the offence.

He was fined $300 by Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo and despite his best efforts to sneak out a side door, Regiment Police were waiting for him outside and escorted the shouting Gardner away in handcuffs.

Motorists scare off would be robber

Two women came to the rescue of lone female moped rider after a robber rode behind her and tried to pull her off her bike on Sunday night.

The 29-year-old Pembroke woman was riding along Serpentine Road when she noticed a man following her.

When she reached Fairyland Lane he rode alongside and demanded money as he tried to pull her off the bike.

As she was telling him she had no money, two women drove up in a car and scared off the suspect who was described as slim, brown-skinned, about five feet eight inches tall with a neatly-trimmed full beard. He was wearing a navy blue tracksuit top with white stripes, dark blue jeans and a black helmet with a black and silver tinted visor. The attacker, believed to be in his early 40s, was riding a black scooter and fled after the incident at around 9 p.m. Witnesses should call Hamilton CID on 295-0011.

Head-on collision sends two to hospital

Two bikers were hospitalised after a head-on collision on North Shore Road in Devonshire on Sunday evening.

A 44-year-old Pembroke man suffered a broken wrist and ankle while a 36-year-old Hamilton Parish man suffered wounds to his right foot and hip after the crash near Tamarisk Hill at around 7 p.m. The pair were taken to hospital for their injuries which are not believed to be life threatening.

Man fined $300 for obstructing Police

A Warwick man was fined $300 in Magistrates? Court yesterday for obstructing Police officers who were responding to a domestic disturbance over the weekend.

Howard Wayne Paynter pleaded guilty to obstructing Police on October 15, when they responded to a domestic disturbance in Stadium Lane, Warwick, at 5.30 a.m.

Paynter apologised to the court and the Police officers involved and was told by Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo that he needed to keep his nose out of things that did not involve him.