Month: July 2021

A professional golfer was shot and killed over the weekend at a Georgia golf club, identified by the Georgia PGA and the Georgia State Golf Association as Gene Siller, the director of golf for the club and father of two. “Tragedy has stricken the Georgia Section PGA in the loss of our member, Gene Siller,” the Georgia PGA said on Twitter. “Thoughts and prayers for his family and the Pinetree Country Club family.” In addition, PGA President Jim Richerson said on Facebook: “We are truly heartbroken to hear about the senseless murder that took place yesterday at Pine Tree Country Club in Georgia that took the life of PGA member Gene Siller. The PGA of America sends our thoughts, prayers and deepest sympathy to his family, club and the Georgia PGA community.”

The Cobb County Police Department said in a statement Sunday that officers responded to a report of shots fired at the Pinetree Country Club in Kennesaw, about 27 miles north of Atlanta, at about 2:20 p.m. a day prior and found Siller, who worked there, unresponsive on the green of the 10th hole suffering from an “apparent gunshot would to the head.” He was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said.

The suspect who is connected to the deaths of two other people and is still at large. Police say he was driving a white RAM 3500 pickup onto the golf course Saturday afternoon, where he shot Siller. In the bed of the truck, which was left at the scene, police discovered two more bodies, one of which was identified as Paul Pierson, the vehicle’s owner. Both individuals died of gunshot wounds, police said.

On Monday evening, Tropical Storm Elsa made landfall in Cuba while continuing on a path for the United States. As of 8 p.m., the National Hurricane Center said Elsa was located 30 miles east of Havana, Cuba, carrying maximum sustained winds of 50 mph while moving northwest at 13 mph. Elsa is the fifth named storm of the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season, and is the earliest to arrive.

The National Hurricane Center said: “On the forecast track, Elsa is expected to continue to move over west-central Cuba for the next several hours, move into the Florida Straits this evening and pass near the Florida Keys early Tuesday. Elsa is then forecast to move near or over portions of the west coast of Florida on Tuesday and Wednesday.”  Else is expected to restrengthen some after moving over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico.

A tropical storm warning was in effect for the Cuban provinces of Cienfuegos, Matanzas, Villa Clara, Mayabeque, Havana and Artemisa as well as in the Florida Keys from Craig Key westward to the Dry Tortugas and the west coast of Florida from Flamingo northward to the Swannee River. A storm surge watch was in effect for the west coast of Florida from Bonita Beach north toward the Aucilla River including Tampa Bay and a tropical storm warning alongside teh west coast of Florida was extended northward and westward to the Ochlockonee River. A tropical storm watch was in effect in the Florida Bay and North of the Suwanee River to Indian Pass.

Officials said that rescue efforts at the site of the collapsed Surfside, Florida condominium building were halted on Thursday out of concern about the stability of the remaining structure. Search crews that have working over the last week stopped work shortly after 2 a.m., Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava told a news conference.

The halt in rescue efforts came on the same day that crews and relatives of those still missing met with President Joe Biden. The president’s visit comes a week after Champlain Towers South, a 12-story beachfront condominium building in Surfside, suddenly came crashing down. Biden and first lady Jill Biden thanked first responders and search and rescue teams, and met with the families of victims. Biden commended the strength of the families of people involved in the condo collapse, and after visiting the site with Mrs. Biden, the president said that the families were “realistic” about the prospect that the chances of their loved ones’ survival decreases by the day but said “at minimum” they hope to recover the bodies.

The number of confirmed dead is now 18, with residents still unaccounted for standing at 145. Concerns remained that the still standing portion of the complex could also collapse, with Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Raide Jadallah saying: “What we know is that the columns on the east side of the building are kind of, of concern, not compromised, but just right now of concern. Hypothetically, worst-case scenario: If these columns are truly really bad, we are worried they could collapse right back into the parking garage.”

The Trump Organization’s chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, and lawyers for the company appeared in front of a Manhattan judge Thursday, pleading not guilty to charges in what prosecutors called a sweeping tax fraud scheme. The charges were unsealed after former President Donald Trump’s longtime aide and the company were indicted by the Manhattan District Attorney and Attorney General Letitia James. Weisselberg entered the courtroom in handcuffs and entered the not guilty plea on charges related to alleged failure to pay taxes on corporate benefits and perks. Moments before Weisselberg pleaded not guilty to grand larceny, lawyers on behalf of the Trump Organization pleaded not guilty to charges of scheme to defraud.

The 15-count indictment alleges Weisselberg and the Trump Organization cheated New York State and New York City out of taxes by conspiring to pay senior executives off the books from 2005 through this year. Prosecutors allege Weisselberg evaded taxes on $1.7 million in income that included apartment rent, car payments and school tuition. Weisselberg’s estranged, former daughter-in-law turned over several boxes of documents from her divorce to prosecutors. She claimed they show financial transactions from Weisselberg to her family for rent, cars and private school tuition.

Weisselberg, an employee of 48 years, operated as CFO of the Trump Organization as well as the Trump family’s personal bookkeeper. He also appeared on Trump’s reality show “The Apprentice.” Trump himself was not charged, but he isn’t in the clear. The grand jury will be sitting in November, so it’s possible he could still see indictments. The former president did say his company’s actions were “standard practice” and “in no way a crime.”