DeFontes Broadcasting wants four-storey building

DeFontes Broadcasting Company is to expand to a new four-storey building off Dundonald Street.

Its radio stations will house the first two floors of a new centre on Elliott Street West, in Hamilton.

The company which broadcasts VSB radio and TV is currently situated on Reid Street.

Planning permission has now been granted for a four-storey commercial building on Elliott Street West to house radio studios on the first two floors.

The third and fourth storeys will house commercial space, with a basement for storage and satellite dishes and antennae on the roof.

The existing building at 3 Elliott Street West, which houses 'Assured Quality Cleaning Ltd.', will now be demolished.

Kenneth DeFontes, president of DeFontes Broadcasting Company, was unavailable for comment yesterday.

In a letter to Planning, architects Terceira Quarterly said: "It is intended that the client 'DeFontes Broadcasting' will occupy the first and second floors, whilst the third floor will be available for use as office space. The fourth floor is intended to be used as a doctor's office.

"We feel that the proposed uses on the site satisfy the City of Hamilton Plan policy on mixed uses on the basis that it is not expected to have a detrimental impact on the residential properties in the locality of the site.

"We feel that any potential traffic generated by the proposed development will not result in vehicle congestion, parking or road safety problems due to the copious amounts of parking available within Bulls Head car park in close proximity to the site."

Police probe two car fires

Two vehicles were found burning on North Shore Road, Pembroke yesterday.

It marks the fifth such fire reported in the last four weeks.

According to Police, officers received a report of a cycle and a car on fire near The First Church of God at 2.30 a.m.

A Police spokesman said: "The cycle was extensively damaged, the car received damage to its rear left bumper and the left front side. The cause of the fire has not yet been established, but arson has not yet been ruled out."

Last Friday, Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service responded to a flaming car on Boundary Crescent in Devonshire. Late last month two motorcycles and an SUV were found ablaze in separate incidents.

Cabbies stung by fare jumpers

Two taxi drivers lost out after their customers ran instead of paying the fare, one taking the driver's purse with him. At 10.30 a.m. Sunday, a female taxi driver told Police that her handbag was stolen from her taxi by a customer who never paid the fare.

A Police spokesman said: "It appears that 9 a.m. the same day the driver picked up a man from Spanish View Road. He then was transported to Shelton Road, where the passenger stated he had to go to a house to pick someone up.

"Upon his return he asked the driver to open up the back of the taxi because he had something to put in the back of the vehicle, and whilst the driver got out of the cab the man made good his escape."

Shortly after the first report, a second taxi driver reported customers bailing out of a $70 fare.

"The complainant said that around 8.45 a.m. he picked up two males from a residence on Middle Road in Warwick. The passengers asked to be taken to Paget to pick up someone else. The passengers then went to Fort Hill in Devonshire, where the two passengers left the cab.

"The remaining man then asked to be taken to Cut Road, St. George's, where the man then jumped out of the cab and left the fare unpaid."

Police are investigating both incidents.

ChildWatch mourns Jamie Carswell

Parental rights group ChildWatch has paid tribute to executive Jamie Carswell, who passed away last week.

A statement from Child Watch, which is lobbying for Bermuda law changes so that children would benefit by having both parents in their lives, said Mr. Carswell was a member of the group's executive and a tireless worker.

"Between running a business and assisting with ChildWatch, he was always happy to give a lending hand to make positive change for the benefit of our children and always brought a constructive and refreshing perspective," the statement said.

"A hard-working, well-liked and respected individual who loved his children and family, Jamie worked tirelessly in order to achieve a better outcome for social justice and equality.

"Whilst he didn't work in the front line, he worked heavily in the background. Many children and Bermuda as a whole has reaped the benefits of his contributions to society, and we are all eternally grateful for his dedication and commitment for this beneficial change.

"For all who knew him, he will be sadly missed, with condolences especially to the family."