Husband charged with murder of wife missing since September

A five-month investigation into a South Florida woman’s disappearance ended with police arresting her husband Friday on suspicion of murder.

Jesus Maqueira, 54, was arrested early Friday morning and charged with first-degree murder and aggravated stalking, according to an arrest report by Miami-Dade homicide Det. Juan Segovia.

Maqueira’s wife, Raquel Maria Calderin, 42, disappeared on Sept. 4. She was last seen in a black Ford Expedition, driving away from Gloria Floyd Elementary School, where she worked as a custodian.

According to Segovia’s report, Maqueira and Calderin were married for more than 20 years. Maqueira had a history of domestic abuse, to the point that he put a GPS tracking device on Calderin’s car.

She filed for divorce last year.

The day Calderin disappeared, Maqueira showed up at Gloria Floyd Elementary and argued with her, asking her to call off the divorce and stay with him.

Calderin’s coworkers told police she was visibly upset for the rest of the day. Her supervisor allowed her to leave at 9:30 p.m.

Phone records show Calderin was still near the elementary school and talking on her cell phone at 9:36 p.m. when the line suddenly went dead. There has been no activity on her cell phone or with her bank accounts ever since, Segovia’s report states.

Calderin has not contacted any of her friends, family members or coworkers, according to the report. Friends and relatives told police she never misses special occasions like Christmas or her children’s birthdays.

Based on that information, Miami-Dade Police began investigating the disappearance as a homicide.

On Friday, Maqueira admitted to domestic abuse and stalking Calderin.

Maqueira made conflicting statements that were disproved by cell phone records and statements from his children, whom he coached on how to respond to police during the investigation, according to the report. He had also physically abused them.

Confronted with his children’s statements to police, he called them liars.

Maqueira has reportedly told people in the past that if he couldn’t have Calderin, no one could.

When police asked him why he couldn’t give explanations for evidence against him, he replied, “Look, I killed her, so take me to jail.”

He then laughed, but refused to elaborate.

Maqueira was arrested at 5:15 a.m. Friday and taken to the Dade County Jail.

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Double Take Celebrity Lookalikes

Stacy Keibler and Heidi Klum

ETonline has found the lookalikes to the stars and, it turns out, it's
their Hollywood peers. Click the pics and let us know if you think these
celebs bear a resemblance to one another. 

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Snow doesn't muzzle Staten Island gun buyback; 55 guns, including assault rifle, turned in

A gun buyback event held today in Staten Island netted a total of 55 guns, cops said.

The NYPD said today’s event, held at Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church in West New Brighton, brought in 33 revolvers, 14 semi-automatic pistols, and a SKS .726 caliber assault rifle with a 30 round magazine, according to police. A number of BB guns and starter’s pistols were also part of the haul.

People who brought in handguns were given a $200 gift card, while rifles and other miscellaneous weapons were worth $20.

Two of the firearms surrendered today were loaded, authorities said.

Police said that over 8,100 guns have been taken off the city’s streets since the programs inception.

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Are gun maker stocks in your portfolio?

BOSTON --
Are there guns in your investment portfolio? It’s an issue that some politicians and gun-control advocates are raising after recent mass shootings prompted calls for tougher laws.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel wrote letters to six mutual fund companies asking them to sell their stock in gun manufacturers Smith & Wesson and Sturm, Ruger & Co. It’s a critical concern in Chicago, where more than 500 people were murdered last year.

Fund companies should “send a clear and unambiguous message to the entire gun industry that investors will no longer support companies that profit from gun violence,” Emanuel wrote in his letters last week.

Other city leaders, including those in Los Angeles and Philadelphia, are considering similar steps with their pension funds.

Gun control is the kind of issue that can wake investors up to the fact that money in a fund portfolio or 401(k) affects more than just their retirement security. The financial markets support all kinds of companies, including many that an investor may believe aren’t contributing to the greater good.

But whatever one thinks about gun control, removing such an investment from a portfolio on moral grounds isn’t always a simple matter. There are potential costs from putting your principles before profits.

Recognize that over the last 10 years Smith & Wesson has posted an average annualized return of 17 percent, compared with the 8 percent return of the broader market. Similarly, Sturm Ruger, the largest publicly traded gun company, has returned an annualized 23 percent over that time. The vast majority of gun manufacturers are privately held.

LEGAL HURDLES

There would be other potential costs if fund companies or 401(k) managers were to sell gun maker stocks in response to the recent controversy. These companies have obligations to serve the financial interests of vast numbers of individual fund shareholders and plan participants with varying opinions about guns.

For employers sponsoring 401(k) plans, their hands can be tied unless the plan established a mandate to avoid investing in gun makers, says Kathleen McBride, founder of consulting firm FiduciaryPath.

She advises financial professionals who are fiduciaries, a legal designation requiring them to act in the best financial interests of their clients. That obligation is a chief concern cited by Vanguard, among the six fund companies that Emanuel is pressuring. A Vanguard spokeswoman said mutual funds “are not optimal agents to address social change.”

A spokesman for American Funds, which also received a letter from Emanuel, said: “If social issues may have an effect on the investment potential of a company, we take those issues into account as part of the investment process.”

For example, a stock fund manager might expect that gun laws are likely to become more restrictive. That would cut into industry sales, leading the manager to conclude that stocks of gun makers are bad long-term investments. Such a fund manager could justify selling such stocks as beneficial for shareholders. But the manager wouldn’t be justified in selling simply because of moral objections.

INDEX FUNDS

Making changes only gets more complicated with low-cost index funds, which own all the stocks in a given market index.

If such a fund doesn’t track the index closely, then it ceases to be an index fund — no matter whether some of the stocks may be viewed as morally objectionable by some investors.

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South Florida dogs aim to fetch honors at Westminster show

Even the threat of a major snow storm couldn’t keep Pippi, a “powder puff’’ Chinese Crested dog, from heading to New York on Friday for the American Kennel Club’s 137th Westminster Dog Show on Monday and Tuesday.

The tiny dog, with silky fur and pointed ears, made one of the last flights out, with her 11-year-old handler, Jolie Dreiling , of Miami Beach, Jolie’s parents Mary and Michael Dreiling, and one of her canine housemates, another Chinese Crested name Ace, who’s just along for the ride.

Until the storm put some travel plans in jeopardy, Florida planned on sending 116 dogs to the show, which will go on no matter the weather.

In all, about 3,000 dogs are expected to show, most at Madison Square Garden but some at Piers 92/94 on the Hudson.

It’s the first time any part of the show will take place somewhere other than the Garden, which is undergoing renovations.

Two newly-recognized breeds join the contest this year: the Russell Terrier and the Treeing Walker Coonhound.

Jolie, a Cushman School fifth-grader — along with twin brother Albert — is already one of the top junior Chinese Crested handlers in the world — also The International Brotherhood of Magicians’ 2012 Junior Close-Up Magician of the Year.

She and 4-year-old Pippi, whose AKC name is Gingery’s Wintergreen, are entered in the “toy’’ group at Westminster with nearly 40 other Chinese Cresteds, both powder puff and hairless.

Among them: two Chinese Cresteds from South Florida. Mother-daughter breeders from Sunrise, Mary Lou Patti and Jennifer Patti, are showing Barbie (Grand Champion Stillmeadow Solo in the Spotlight), an 18-month-old hairless, and her half-brother Nigel (Grand Champion Stillmeadow Looks Like a Photo Shoot), 2.

They’ve had Chinese Cresteds since the 1980s, said Jennifer, a paralegal.

“Mom showed Yorkies, and I developed allergies, so we went to hairless,’’ she said.

A perennial winner of the World’s Ugliest Dog contest, hairless Chinese Cresteds were recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1991.

The Ugly Dog winners are invariably geriatric and toothless.

“That’s not our breed,’’ said Jennifer Patti, 30.

Also planning to go from South Florida: Dr. Nancy Greenbarg, a Dania Beach endodontist who’s been showing for 16 years, and Rocky, one of three golden retrievers she co-owns.

Champion De La Vega Colorado Rocky Mnt. Hi, his AKC name, will compete in the “sporting’’ group with a professional handler.

Goldens Chelsea (Champion Nautilus Erin Go Bragh), and Juicy (Champion Cashmere Blue Sky Basin), Chelsea and Rocky’s daughter, are sitting this one out.

“These three love more than anything to show,’’ said Greenbarg, 50, public education coordinator of the Golden Retriever Club of America.

Rocky also hunts birds and competes in field trials. He can spend hours in the yard finding and fetching hidden training bumpers, prompted only by hand signals.

Mindful that no golden retriever has won Best in Show since the AKC recognized the breed in 1925, Greenbarg is hopeful nonetheless.

Rocky, she said, “has a big head and a short-ribbed back and has fabulous movement.’’

Jolie Dreiling isn’t sure that Pippi can win, but thinks showing is fun. She’s been handling for more than a year, and is accustomed to being in front of an audience, as a magician.

The point, she said, is to “have a good time.’’

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Grammy Rehearsal Preps

Music's biggest night is just two days away, and from Carrie Underwood to The Black Keys, the stars of music and rhythm are doing their last-minute Grammys sound checks and rehearsals at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles to make sure it all goes smoothly. Watch the behind-the-scenes video…

Pics: The Best Grammy Gowns of All Time!

"I hope people enjoy it, embrace it, I hope they grab those remote controls and a cold one and enjoy it," says host LL Cool J. "It's going to be fun."

In addition to a tribute to Whitney Houston, performers on Sunday's broadcast will include Justin Timberlake, Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, Rihanna with Bruno Mars and Sting, Jack White, Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Frank Ocean, and Fun. Plus Stanley Clarke, Chick Corea and Kenny Garrett playing tribute to Dave Brubeck and Elton John, Mumford & Sons and more performing a tribute to Levon Helm of the Band.

Video: Adam Levine Talks Alicia Keys Grammy Performance

Stay tuned to ETonline for complete Grammy Awards coverage. The kudos air live from Los Angeles Sunday at 8/7c on CBS.

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Deers of joy: Seemingly dead fawn pulled from icy waters 'licked' back to life by family of deer

It’s like the Enchanted Forest out there.

Suffolk County cops pulled a seemingly-dead fawn out of icy waters in Fire Island today — and a family of deer came up to it and licked it back to health!

Suffolk County PD

Marine Bureau officers Robert Femia and Peter Bogachunas were nearing the Davis Park Marina on their boat about 1:04 p.m. when they noticed a little baby deer’s head among pieces of ice and slush floating on the water about 30 yards from shore.

“They don’t know how long it’s been there, so they maneuver their boat close to the deer, pick it up and throw it into the boat,” said Lt. Raymond Epp, of the Suffolk County Police Marine Bureau, who met the officers on the dock as they tried to rescue the little animal.

The cops quickly covered the brown-eyed deer in several thick blankets but, despite their best efforts, the little guy remained freezing wet and motionless.

Suffolk County PD

Suffolk County police officer with the fawn.

Suffolk County PD

Suffolks County police officer feeding fawn popcorn.

“It wasn’t flailing or kicking, it was just sitting there,” Epp said. “We weren’t sure if it was in shock of hypothermia.”

That’s when the Enchanted Forest-like miracle happened: Three deer — an adult and two young babies that appeared to be members of the fawn’s family — came out of the woods and began to lick the little guy.

Slowly, he started to come back to life, first blinking its big brown eyes, then getting up slowly and moving around the dock.

The officers took the fawn over to the station house and fed it warm popcorn, which the little guy took gladly. “We had limited food,” Epp explained.

After a few minutes, the fawn started to get even more alert and ran off with the other deer.

“I couldn’t wait to go home and tell my daughter about it,” said Epp, who has an 11 year old. “It was just such a nice, heartwarming story.”

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Sign up for Feb. 21 Miami Herald Small Business Forum

Prepare your best pitch for the Miami Herald’s Small Business Forum, Feb. 21 at the south campus of our sponsor, Florida International University.

In addition to how-to panels and inspirational stories from successful entrepreneurs, our annual small business forum will include interactive opportunities with experts to learn about financing options and polish your personal and business brands.

During our finance panel, audience volunteers will be invited to explain their financing needs to the group. During our box-lunch session, they will be invited to pitch their business or personal brand to our coaches.

Those who prefer just to listen will be treated to a keynote address by Alberto Perlman, co-founder of the global fitness craze Zumba. Panels include success stories from the local entrepreneurs who founded Sedano’s, Jennifer’s Homemade and ReStockIt.com; finance tips from experts in small business loans, venture capital, angel investments and traditional bank loans; and insiders in the burgeoning South Florida tech start-up scene.

Plus, it’s a real bargain. $25 includes the half-day seminar, continental breakfast and a box lunch.

Register here.

Program

8 a.m.

Registration and continental breakfast, provided by Bill Hansen Catering

8:30 a.m. Welcome

Host: David Suarez, president and CEO, Interactive Training Solutions, LLC

•  Jerry Haar, PhD, associate dean & director, FIU Eugenio Pino and Family Global

Entrepreneurship Center

•  Alice Horn, executive director, Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE South Florida)

•  Jane Wooldridge, Business editor, The Miami Herald

Miami Herald Business Plan Challenge Overview:

•  Nancy Dahlberg, Business Plan Challenge coordinator, The Miami Herald

8:45 a.m. Session I – Success Stories

Moderator: Jerry Haar, PhD, associate dean & director, FIU Eugenio Pino and Family Global

Entrepreneurship Center

Speakers:

•  Jennifer Behar, founder, Jennifer’s Homemade

•  Matt Kuttler, co-president of ReStockIt.com

•  Javier Herrán, chief marketing officer, Sedano’s Supermarkets

10 a.m. Session II – All about Tech

Moderator: Jane Wooldridge, Business editor, The Miami Herald

Speakers

•  Susan Amat, founder, Launch Pad Tech

•  Nancy Borkowski, executive director, Health Management Programs, Chapman Graduate School of

Business, Florida International University

•  Mark Slaughter, CEO, Cohealo.com

•  Chris Fleck, vice president of mobility solutions at Citrix and a director of the South Florida Tech Alliance

11:15 a.m. Keynote

Speaker: Alberto Perlman, CEO and co-founder of Zumba® Fitness

Introduction: Jane Wooldridge, business editor, The Miami Herald

11:45 a.m. Session III – Show me the money: Financing your small business

An interactive session featuring audience volunteers who will be invited to make a short investment pitch before a panel, including experts in microlending, SBA loans, traditional bank loans, venture capital and angel investing. Audience volunteers should come prepared with a two-minute presentation that includes details about current backing, how much money they are seeking and a brief synosis of ow that money would be used.

Moderator: Melissa Krinzman, founder and managing director, Venture Architects

Panelists:

•  Marjorie Weber, chairman, SCORE of Miami-Dade

•  Cornell Crews, Jr., program director, Partners for Self Employment

•  Darius G. Nevin, co-founder, G3 Capital Partners, a mid-market and early-stage investment company

•  Boris Hirmas Said, chairman of the board, Tres Mares S.A. (Santiago, Chile) and entrepreneur in

residence at the Eugenio Pino and Family Global Entrepreneurship Center

1 p.m. Lunch session - Polish your Pitch, Brighten Your Personal Brand

An interactive session featuring audience volunteers who will be invited to make short pitches about their businesses and themselves. Audience volunteers should come prepared with a two-minute presentation.

Coaches: Melissa Krinzman of Venture Architects and Michelle Villalobos of Mivista Consulting

advise audience volunteers on how to best pitch themselves and their products.

Box lunch provided by Bill Hansen Catering

All speakers confirmed unless otherwise noted. Agenda is subject to change without notice .

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Miami judge calls child support prosecutor’s actions ‘reprehensible’

When his ex-wife falsely accused him of shirking on $3,632.25 in child support, Miami businessman Tony Schehtman discovered that the government had stripped him of his passport.

That sparked a lengthy legal dispute that ended in unusual fashion: a Miami-Dade judge chastised prosecutors for going along with the claim, then ordered them to pay Schehtman’s legal bills.

The judge’s unusually scathing order sanctions prosecutors and Schehtman’s ex-wife, ordering them to each pay $7,645 in legal fees. Circuit Judge Pedro Echarte, in his Jan. 8 order, called their actions “reprehensible” and “irresponsible.”

The judge said that even though Schehtman had proven he was not in arrears, the prosecutors failed to correct the wife’s claim, instead quibbling in court for months and hindering Schehtman’s ability to travel for work.

“This court finds that the State Attorney’s Office engaged in pointless litigation,” Echarte wrote.

Prosecutors have decided against asking a higher court to review the judge’s decision.

“We are not appealing the judge’s order despite a belief in the merits of our position,” said spokesman Ed Griffith.

The legal clash stems from a bitter divorce between Schehtman and former wife, Lina Maya-Schehtman. Together, they have a 6-year-old son.

Schehtman describes himself as the CEO of International Technologies Marketing, a tech sales firm focused on Latin America.

The State Attorney’s Office, through Florida’s Department of Revenue, is tasked with enforcing the payment of child support.

In December 2010, Maya-Schehtman went to the State Attorney’s Office and filed a routine sworn-affidavit alleging her ex-husband was late on child support.

Schehtman, the judge later found, filed documents with the court and prosecutors showing the affidavit was wrong. Prosecutors nevertheless “certified” the delinquent child support, reporting it through a computer system to the Florida Department of Revenue.

In Tallahassee, any “non-custodial” parent who owes more than $2,500 in back support is then automatically reported to a federal child support office, which then notifies the U.S. State Department — which then freezes the person’s passport.

Schehtman — who says he travels often to Latin American for business — did not know the document had been frozen until he went to renew his passport. He was out of work for several months, his lawyer say.

“This is one of the most egregious cases I have ever witnessed in 19 years of practicing family law,” said Schehtman’s lawyer, Jonathan Jonasz.

A slew of court hearings followed. Prosecutor Stephen Glazer told the judge that as they soon as they learned the wife was wrong, they tried to amend the affidavit. Echarte didn’t buy it.

The State Attorney Office’s said the case has sparked change in internal politics. Now, the office does not report back child support payments to Tallahassee based only on a sworn affidavit — instead, prosecutors wait for a court order.

“We acknowledge that no system is infallible,” spokesman Griffith said. “The State Attorney and her leadership team are constantly seeking ways to improve the process. This case has afforded such an opportunity.”

Schehtman has since hired San Francisco lawyer John G. Heller to explore a civil lawsuit.

“The State Attorney deprived a law-abiding citizen of a fundamental liberty: his freedom of movement,” Heller said. “We will do what it takes to make sure this never happens again.”

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Mindy McCready Admitted to In-Patient Facility

Following the death of Mindy McCready's boyfriend David Wilson on January 13, ET has now learned that the country star has been admitted to an in-patient facility.

RELATED: Last Year's Biggest Celebrity Scandals

A rep for McCready confirmed the news today, going on to add: "While taking appropriate, much needed and deserved time to grieve, [McCready's] sons have been placed in foster homes where they are comfortable and cared for. We have no further statement at this time."

McCready has two sons: 6-year-old Zander (fathered by McCready's ex Billy McKnight) and 9-month-old Zayne (who she had with now-deceased boyfriend David Wilson).

This news comes after McCready spoke to Today last week, denying any involvement with the shooting that resulted in Wilson's death.

RELATED: Mindy McCready Denies Killing Boyfriend

Wilson, a record producer, was initially rushed to the hospital after suffering a reported self-inflicted gunshot wound that did not immediately kill him. McCready recalled how she discovered him after the shooting. "I just started screaming, calling 911. I laid down next to him and just pleaded with him not to die." The singer said Wilson "was responding" after the shooting, but only making sounds, not words.

McCready, 37, had several successful country albums in the '90s, but her career was later overshadowed by domestic abuse issues, drug and DUI arrests and a suicide attempt.

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Security guard assists NYPD in corralling loose goat

A goat that fled a slaughterhouse for the streets of Bedford Stuyvesant is going to find peace and love on a farm in Woodstock.

Terrified Brooklynites called cops to corral the little beast as it ran along Fulton Street around 1 a.m., yesterday.

Members of the NYPD’s elite Emergency Services Unit tried to corral the animal, which was tagged for slaughter, but it eluded cops by galloping through a parking lot near Interfaith Medical Center.

It took a security guard, who herded goats in Africa before he moved to New York, to show the city slickers how it’s done.

He used a lasso, then tied the goat’s four legs together, so it could be picked up and placed into a marked NYPD cruiser.

The bearded bandit wasn’t booked, however. He was sent to Animal Care and Control, which found a home for him in Woodstock.

kconley@nypost.com

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Miami startup that turns text to video receives $1 million in seed funding

Guide, a new technology startup based in Miami, announced Tuesday it has closed a $1 million round of seed funding from investors including the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Sapient Corp., MTV founder Bob Pitman, actor and producer Omar Epps, and early Google employee Steve Schimmel. The Knight Foundation is supporting Guide through its new early-stage venture fund, the Knight Enterprise Fund.

Led by CEO and founder Freddie Laker and COO Leslie Bradshaw, Guide’s team of seven is focused on turning online news, social streams and blogs into video for users who may be cooking, exercising, commuting or getting ready in the morning. The free application offers consumers a selection of about 20 “anchors” — including a dog, a robot and an anime character — that will read the article and present the accompanying photos, pull-out information and video clips in its video presentation. Revenue drivers for Guide could include in-app purchases, advertising-based anchors and customizations from publishers, said Laker, a former vice president at SapientNitro.

Laker and his team plan to launch a public beta next month, which they plan to do with a splash at the huge technology conference South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, Texas.

Read more about Guide here on the Starting Gate blog. Follow Nancy Dahlberg on Twitter @ndahlberg

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Citizens Insurance reform plan could cost property owners more money

TALLAHASSEE --
Property insurance rates across the state could shoot up much faster beginning next year under a massive new proposal being drafted in the Florida Legislature.

The proposal, released in draft form Wednesday, shows that lawmakers’ attempts to reform Citizens Property Insurance could have costly repercussions for millions of property owners.

“We’ve all seen that artificially suppressing rates is a recipe for disaster,” said Senate Banking and Insurance Committee Chair David Simmons, R-Altamonte Springs. “When you cause a private company to not be able to make a profit, what do they do? They do what we have seen. They have a flight from the state of Florida.”

Simmons disputed the claim that the proposal would lead to higher rates and said there would likely be several amendments to address any concerns.

The bill is full of enticements long-coveted by private insurers and business groups, who wield considerable political power but regularly face legislative defeats because of the pocketbook implications of their requests. The latest proposal gives insurance companies more latitude to raise premiums faster and weakens their top competition — Citizens — by forcing it to charge higher prices.

One measure in the 34-page bill is particularly telling: It changes a legal mandate that insurance in Florida be “affordable,” adding new language requiring premium prices to “reflect the risks covered.” It also mandates that Citizens charge prices that are higher than what’s available in the private market.

Because the proposal could have a multibillion dollar pocketbook impact on millions of homeowners in coming years, it is likely to face opposition from lawmakers in South Florida and the Tampa Bay area, where insurance costs are highest.

Any rate increases engendered by the bill would likely hit homeowners in 2014, right as campaigns for primary and general elections in the Legislature heat up. Also up for reelection: Gov. Rick Scott, who has said lowering the cost of living is one of his top governing principles. Scott could face former Gov. Charlie Crist, who froze Citizens’ insurance rates while in office and mandated “affordable” coverage, saving homeowners millions of dollars.

Throughout his governorship, Scott has steered clear of making specific proposals for property insurance reform, while simultaneously pushing Citizens’ board to aggressively shrink the company. The board’s actions have led to hundreds of millions of dollars in price hikes and coverage reductions. Scott has expressed concern that Citizens is undercutting the private market with its rates and could leave taxpayers liable to assessments after a once-in-a-lifetime storm.

The new proposal seeks to address that concern, along with several others. It includes the following provisions:

Citizens must charge rates that are higher than average rates in the private market.

Insurance companies may use an “insurance inflation factor” to raise premiums faster than currently allowed by law.

Insurance companies, including Citizens, may charge homeowners additional fees to help cover the cost of backup insurance.

Insurance companies can charge rates that are higher than what regulators traditionally allow, if homeowners agree to the higher charges.

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Rihanna Accompanies Chris Brown to Court

Rihanna is standing by her man.

The controversial pop star, who recently reconciled romantically with Chris Brown, accompanied her boyfriend to a probation hearing in Los Angeles, reports The Associated Press.

Related: Rihanna and Brown Share Intimate Instagram Pics In Bed

Brown visited the courthouse briefly on Wednesday to oppose a motion to revoke the singer's probation stemming from his 2009 assault on Rihanna. Prosecutors claim Brown did not show sufficient evidence that he completed his required community labor sentence.

The AP reports Rihanna blew Brown a kiss before entering the court room, and when the hearing was over, the two left the courthouse together.

Related: People Need To Support Chris Brown, Says Rihanna

Judge James Brandlin has asked for additional reports regarding Brown's community service and scheduled a new hearing date for April 5.

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Inwood man confesses to setting wife's head on fire with blowtorch

First he bought his wife coffee. Then he set her head on fire.

Officials today released the confession of the Inwood man charged in last month's blowtorch revenge attacks on his wife and ex-boss -- admissions eerie in their mix of the mundane and the maniacal.

"I woke up this morning around 6 a.m. with the plan already made," Carlos Diaz, 35, told cops of the morning he doused wife Cathy Zappata in the face with accelerant, than blasted her with a blow torch as she sat in her car in a Pathmark parking lot.

"I went to Dyckman Bakery to buy her coffee," he told cops in the confession, released as Diaz pleaded not guilty through an interpreter to two counts of attempted murder.

Steven Hirsch

Carlos Diaz, 35, hit his estranged wife in the head with the blowtorch, poured a liquid accelerant in her hair and lit her on fire.

"I did that to buy more time so that I could take my kid to school and then there wouldn't be as many people in the mechanic's shop," he said.

Diaz told cops he'd wanted to lure his wife to the 10th Avenue garage, so that he could attack both her and his ex-boss, shop owner Helson Marachena, at the same time.

"She suspected something," though, he told cops of his wife, so he doused her on the spot in his car, he said.

"I sprayed her with starting fluid in her face and everywhere and lit her with a blow torch," Diaz told cops.

Lead prosecutor Scott Leet was asked today by Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Gregory Carro to recount the facts of the case, and the prosecutor told the judge that Zappata suffered second degree burns throughout her neck and face.

"Parts of her hair were singed down to the scalp," Leet told the judge, who set Diaz's next date for April 10.

The ex-boss, Marachena, fared better, the prosecutor told the judge. Diaz admittedly walked to the nearby mechanic's shop and doused Marachena with accelerant too, according to police and Diaz's own confession.

"But the torch wouldn't light," Diaz told cops.

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Miami startup that turns text to video receives $1 million in seed funding

Guide, a new technology startup based in Miami, announced Tuesday it has closed a $1 million round of seed funding from investors including the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Sapient Corp., MTV founder Bob Pitman, actor and producer Omar Epps, and early Google employee Steve Schimmel. The Knight Foundation is supporting Guide through its new early-stage venture fund, the Knight Enterprise Fund.

Led by CEO and founder Freddie Laker and COO Leslie Bradshaw, Guide’s team of seven is focused on turning online news, social streams and blogs into video for users who may be cooking, exercising, commuting or getting ready in the morning. The free application offers consumers a selection of about 20 “anchors” — including a dog, a robot and an anime character — that will read the article and present the accompanying photos, pull-out information and video clips in its video presentation. Revenue drivers for Guide could include in-app purchases, advertising-based anchors and customizations from publishers, said Laker, a former vice president at SapientNitro.

Laker and his team plan to launch a public beta next month, which they plan to do with a splash at the huge technology conference South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, Texas.

Read more about Guide here on the Starting Gate blog. Follow Nancy Dahlberg on Twitter @ndahlberg

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Jackson Health System, Kendall Regional battle over trauma

Kendall Regional Medical Center lost one battle in the trauma wars Tuesday at the Miami-Dade County Commission, but has launched a new attack in Tallahassee, asking state regulators to reject a Jackson Health System request that Kendall maintains would force it to close its trauma center.

With about 100 supporters packing commission chambers wearing red T-shirts saying “Kendall Trauma Saves Lives,” Commissioner Javier Souto asked his colleagues to reconsider a Jan. 23 resolution, passed 10-0, authorizing Jackson to take legal action to protect its trauma programs.

Jackson has been complaining that its Ryder Trauma Center has been losing about $28 million a year since the state allowed Kendall Regional to open a second Dade trauma unit in November 2011. State regulators, meanwhile, have delayed granting licenses for trauma centers at Jackson North and Jackson South hospitals.

Souto said his office had been bombarded by 4,000 emails complaining that the commission had acted hastily in granting Jackson legal approval. “A big chunk of people are very offended.”

Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz said many of the “thousands” of emails he received quoted a Kendall executive as saying that the commission resolution was intended to “force Kendall to close its trauma center.”

“That’s a lie,” Diaz said. The commission simply gave Jackson an ability “to defend itself.”

The motion to reconsider died on a 6-6 vote.

Mark McKenney, medical director of the Kendall center, issued a statement calling the commission vote “a shame.” During his center’s first 15 months, “we have seen more than 2,550 trauma patients. ... Kendall Regional is dedicated to providing care to a community of 2.5 million people that, as the seventh most populated county in the U.S., has been greatly underserved. The facts are clear about the need for trauma services, and we will continue to fight to provide these vital medical services.”

Meanwhile, the fight at the state level continues. In early January, Jackson asked Department of Health officials for an administrative hearing over state inaction on its two trauma-care licensing requests. Jackson complained that regulators have granted provisional licenses to Kendall and Ocala hospitals under a policy that state courts have ruled invalid.

The Jackson petition maintained that “all provisional licenses issued under the invalid trauma need rule should be revoked.”

On Monday, the Kendall and Ocala hospitals filed their own motions in the case, asking that Jackson’s petitions be dismissed because it “had no right” to request that the licenses of other centers be rejected. If those motions were rejected, the HCA facilities asked that they be allowed to intervene in the Jackson proceedings.

Also on Monday, Jackson Chief Executive Carlos Migoya sent an email to county and state political leaders saying that the trauma legal filings were “highly technical. It is vital to understand that Jackson has not initiated any legal action against any other hospital, hospital system or trauma center in this issue.” On Tuesday Jackson spokesman Edwin O’Dell said, “We are limited as to what we can say during these complex regulatory proceedings.” But he noted that the Health department had suspended Jackson’s trauma applications while approving others. “We seek a level playing field on which our community’s taxpayer-owned hospital system is treated fairly and can compete fairly.”

State regulators are now working to come up with a trauma regulation that courts will deem fair to all parties. Health officials have been insisting that Miami-Dade, with 2.5 million people, needs several trauma centers.

: On Tuesday, an advisory committee from the American College of Surgeons told Florida Health officials about steps they could take to come up with fair trauma regulations.

Jackson officials maintain that, with helicopter transport, its Level 1 trauma center is just minutes away from any place in the county and that it has a highly experienced trauma staff always on duty, while Kendall Regional, a Level 2 center, has to call in specialists to treat complex cases.

Herald staff writer Patricia Mazzei and Tampa Bay Times reporter Tia Mitchell contributed to this article.

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Quvenzhane Wallis and Ladies of Oscar Luncheon

Robert De Niro who? Adorable nine-year-old Oscar nominee Quvenzhane Wallis sat down to talk with ET's Nancy O'Dell about some of her favorite stars, and the legendary De Niro drew a big fat question mark from the Beasts of the Southern Wild beauty.

Pics: Fierce Fashions at the Oscar Luncheon

Watch the video for more with Quvenzhane, plus Naomi Watts, Sally Field, Jacki Weaver and Christoph Waltz talk about their nominations and red carpet do's and don'ts at Monday's Oscar Nominees Luncheon.

The actors were among the more than 160 Oscar nominees enjoying lunch together to celebrate their major recognition at the Motion Picture Academy's annual luncheon, held at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.

Video: Fielding Fashion & Fun Times at Oscars Luncheon

Stay tuned to ETonline for complete Oscar night coverage when the 85th Annual Academy Awards hosted by Seth MacFarlane airs live on Oscar Sunday, February 24, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center.

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Chelsea residents, pols, oppose sale of historic post office

The US Postal Service wants to unload the Old Chelsea Post Office on West 18th Street - but neighbors say they won’t give up the landmark without a fight.

“I love the Post Office! It’s an important part of the community and the community is saying they should not take it away,” fumed Barbara Ruether, 79, who lives in the Village but is a regular.

A top Manhattan commercial real estate appraiser told The Post the 40,000-square foot building in a prime Chelsea location could easily fetch more than $36 million - and far more if more stories can be added.

Ruether said she learned of the pending sale when she spotted a letter from postal authorities to state preservation officials posted on a bulletin board announcing the plan.

“Nobody knew what was happening,” said Ruether, who alerted Community Board 4 and state Sen. Brad Hoylman.

The sale is on CB4’s agenda when it meets at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Hotel Trades Council Auditorium at 305 W. 44th St.

Hoylman said yesterday he was joining with other local, state and federal elected officials to fight to keep the facility open.

“Public spaces like Old Chelsea Post Office are critical to character of our community and we don’t want to lose it,” he said.

A spokeswoman for the Post Office confirmed yesterday that the building was up for sale.

“The Old Chelsea Station is being considered for downsizing to a smaller space. No decision has been finalized as of this time, it is in the early stages,” spokeswoman Connie Chirichello said in an email to The Post.

The Colonial Revival-style building was designed in 1935 by architect Eric Kebbon, who also designed other post offices and school buildings across the city.

It has not been landmarked by the city, though it’s been designated as a historic place by both the state and federal governments, which means new owners would likely have to preserve most of the existing structure and carvings.

Additional reporting by

Georgett Roberts

rfredericks@nypost.com

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Arsht Center launches new business-focused group

The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts hosted a group of more than 100 business and community leaders Tuesday for a luncheon atop the Knight Concert Hall stage, an intimate conversation with former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley — and, ideally, $100,000.

There were no obvious solicitations for money — that will come later — but the event served as the official kickoff for the Adrienne Arsht Center Foundation Leadership Committee, an effort to engage entrepreneurs and corporations with opportunities tailored to the business community.

So far, the committee has 10 founding members who have pledged $25,000 a year for four years, including Inktel Holdings and the law firms Colson Hicks Eidson and Stearns Weaver Miller Weissler Alhadeff & Sitterson.

Suzanna Valdez, vice president of advancement for the Arsht Center, said there’s no firm target for how many members the committee should have. The goal, she said, is to grow the group thoughtfully and give corporations and individuals who haven’t supported the county-owned center reason to do so.

In addition to exclusive privileges and events, members would have a say in what kind of programming their contributions would fund, she said.

“This is inviting the business community to get further engaged and involved,” she said.

Tuesday’s event, which was underwritten by Northern Trust and free to attendees, focused on the importance of public-private partnerships and the relationship between arts, business and cities. Daley, mayor of Chicago from 1989-2011, spoke about the city’s popular Millennium Park and the involvement of businesses, foundations and philanthropists in its creation.

“Everything that you see in Millennium Park is donated,” he said.

Daley, who was joined by former Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, emphasized the importance of the government working on partnerships with the private sector — but not managing such projects.

“I’ve always believed that government cannot do everything,” he said. “We have to look at the business community as an asset, not a liability.”

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Gov. Rick Scott's elections adviser urges redo on early voting law

TALLAHASSEE --
Gov. Rick Scott’s elections adviser urged legislators on Monday to return to 14 days of early voting in Florida and to add locations to avoid repeating the chaos that plagued voting in 2012.

Testifying before a House committee, Secretary of State Ken Detzner largely echoed the views of county election supervisors. They want to offer from eight to 14 days of early voting, including on the Sunday before Election Day, and at more sites, including courthouses and civic centers.

“The bottom line is, voter confidence must be restored,’’ Detzner said. “Supervisors of elections and county commissions must take it upon themselves to oversee elections through responsible leadership and administration.”

For years, elections officials and Democratic legislators have tried to increase the sites used for early voting.

“By having sites available at more locations, we can take advantage of better parking, bigger buildings and convenient locations,” said Seminole County Supervisor of Elections Mike Ertel.

Detzner also urged a change in state law to stop legislators from ordering the full texts of proposed constitutional amendments to appear on ballots, but lawmakers do not yet appear eager to surrender that power. Ballot length was a leading factor that led to voters standing in line for hours last fall, prompting ridicule from TV pundits and comedians.

The Legislature’s Republican majority in 2011 voted to reduce early voting from 14 days to eight, prompting complaints of voter suppression from Democrats and allied groups. But most counties offered 12 days of early voting for 12 hours each day, and President Barack Obama, a Democrat, won Florida for a second time.

Detzner told lawmakers that his proposals were made “without party influence” and that if the Legislature okays them, the problems will end.

“I am 100 percent confident that my report and my recommendations will solve the problem,’’ Detnzer said. “I know we’re on the right track.”

Detzner will testify Tuesday at a workshop before the Senate Ethics & Elections Committee, headed by Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater.

“There’s enough blame to go around for why we had the problems,” Latvala said recently. “Some of the blame can lie with the Legislature, but some of it lies with supervisors of elections ... It’s too early to tell exactly what we’re going to do, but we’re going to do our best to try to improve the situation.”

Herald/Times staff writer Mary Ellen Klas contributed to this report.

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Inside Bachelor Sean Lowe's Double Date with Jackie and Tierra

How will Tierra react to being picked for a two-on-one date with Sean?

The resident bad gal of the group doesn't take well to the news in tonight's brand-new episode of The Bachelor. When told she'll be vying for Sean Lowe's attentions opposite Jackie, Tierra just about pulls herself out of the competition. Again.

Pics: Meet 'Bachelor' Sean Lowe's Lucky Ladies!

"It's awkward from the very first moment," Sean reveals of the outing to ET's Brooke Anderson. "You're trying to show both of them an equal amount of attention which is almost impossible without one of them getting jealous. It's not good."

Watch our exclusive interview with Bachelor Sean and new clips from tonight's episode in the player above! Plus, take a sneak peek at OK! Magazine's sizzling shirtless photo shoot with Sean.

Video: Sean Lowe Dishes on His 'Bachelor' Expectations

Don't miss new episodes of The Bachelor airing tonight and tomorrow on ABC.

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Hero cop Figoski's blood-stained badge revealed at trial

There was blood on his badge.

Chilling photos of slain Brooklyn cop Peter Figoski’s blood-stained shield and uniform were revealed in the first-degree murder trial of his killer today – bringing tears to the hero cop’s mom as she watched from the courtroom gallery.

Career criminal Lamont Pride, 28, shot Figoski once in the face when the decorated cop and father-of-four responded to a call at the East New York apartment where Pride and four other thugs were robbing a drug dealer.

Pride remained motionless as his deadly handiwork was projected onto courtroom screens.

The crime scene photos showed how Figoski’s blood soaked his bulletproof vest and uniform and spattered his shield after the December 2011 shooting.

While the slain cop’s mother became emotional over the gruesome photos, all four of his daughters stayed away from Brooklyn Supreme Court for the first time since the trial opened last month.

“When I opened the door, I saw the police officer laying on the floor with his legs up in the air,” testified Carlos Feliciano, 52, owner of the building where Figoski was gunned down.

“Was he moving?” asked assistant district attorney Howard Jackson.

“No,” Feliciano answered.

Prosecutors have said that Feliciano’s nephew, Nelson Morales, 28, picked out the drug dealer who rented his uncle’s ratty basement apartment as an easy stick-up target.

Feliciano said he called the cops after the violence downstairs woke him up.

“I heard people yelling, ‘Give it! Give me the money!” said Feliciano.

He added that when cops arrived he pointed them downstairs and told them to be careful.

After the shooting Feliciano’s nephew Morales and another crook even pretended they weren’t robbers and were trying to help the beat-up dealer.

“I asked him what the hell you doing down there? He was the last person in the world I expected to see down there,” Feliciano testified he said when investigators brought his nephew into his apartment.

In other testimony, a NYPD detective said he caught getaway driver Michael Velez by tracking his cell phone to a Bushwick apartment.

Pride has admitted he shot Figoski but claims the gun went off accidentally as he tried to escape. He faces life in prison without parole.

Getaway driver Velez, Pride’s co-defendant, faces second-degree murder charges in the same trial – and could get 25 years to life.

Morales and fellow thug Kevin Santos, 31, will face trial later this year. Another robber, Ariel Tejada, 23, flipped on the other crooks and is expected to testify today in exchange for an 18-year-sentence.

Pride’s trial is expected to close Wednesday.

jsaul@nypost.com

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Minority Chamber holding job fair on Tuesday

The Minority Chamber of Commerce will hold an “Expedited Job Fair” Tuesday, Feb. 5, in Sweetwater.

The event is advertised as having immediate openings to fill, including positions for sales executives, warehouse workers and managers. The free event will be held at the Minority Chamber of Commerce Convention Center at 10720 West Flagler St. in Sweetwater. It begins at 11 a.m. and runs through 3 p.m.

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Giraffe injured at Zoo Miami fleeing amorous advances

A female giraffe at Zoo Miami took a nasty tumble Sunday afternoon fleeing the unwanted advances of a suitor.

The accident played out within view of patrons watching the animals in the public feeding area.

Zoo officials said Kita, one of six giraffes at the zoo, tried to avoid the unidentified suitor and ran into a rocky area to get away, but fell down. The 29-year-old female was then unable to pick herself back up.

“She got caught up in the rocks and went down in a bad position,” said Ron Magil, Zoo Miami spokesman.

Some patrons thought Kita, who is 7-feet tall and weighs 1,500 pounds, had broken one her thin legs in the fall.

Magil said it took nearly a dozen staff members to lift the giraffe, as concerned patrons watched the rescue.

“We were able to put some straps on her to help her stand,” Magil said. No bones were broke, he said.

Veterinarians will be monitoring Kita, but say they believe she did not suffer a serious injury.

“She should be fine,” he said.

Back in June, Kita made news when she gave birth to a male calf named Titan, the 46th giraffe born at the Zoo Miami.

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BlackBerry Z10 Smartphone Already Going for $1,500 on eBay

The new BlackBerry Z10 smartphone won’t be out for weeks, but you can already get your hands on it via eBay for about $ 1,500.

BlackBerry — the company formerly known as Research In Motion (RIM) — announced the new smartphone at an event earlier this week and handed out samples to guests and members of the press in attendance. It didn’t take long for the Z10, which could potentially turn around the struggling company, to pop up on eBay.

[More from Mashable: BlackBerry’s Secret Weapon: Women]

One page notes “this particular device was given to all attendees of the Jan. 30, 2013 product launch.”

[More from Mashable: Don’t Hold Your Breath for More BlackBerry Tablets]

BlackBerry didn’t tell attendees what they can or can’t do with the device, which comes unlocked, according to the listing, and without a SIM card.

Four units are currently being sold on eBay, with bids starting at $ 800 and rising quickly. The auction for the one going for $ 1,500, which has eight bids so far, will end this afternoon.

Images by Mashable and via eBay, eBay

Click here to view the gallery: BlackBerry Z10 Review

This story originally published on Mashable here.

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Justin Timberlake Performs New Music 20 20 Experience

Justin Timberlake hit the stage to perform new music for the first time in ages on February 2 and much to the crowd's delight, JT proved the long wait was well worth it.

RELATED - Justin & Jessica's Long Road to The Altar 

At DIRECTV's Super Saturday Night party in New Orleans, La, Timberlake not only performed his latest single, Suit & Tie (complete with Jay-Z cameo), but he debuted two new songs: Little Pusher Love Girl and Bad Girl.

VIDEO - Watch Justin's Suit & Tie Lyric Video

Both tracks are slated to be on Timberlake's forthcoming third solo album, The 20/20 Experience, hitting stores on March 19.

Watch all JT's performances below!

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Deadly deserts

Ralph Peters

Violence in Allah’s name in northern Africa won’t end in my lifetime — and probably not in yours. The core question is: To what extent can the savagery be contained?

From the Atlantic coastline to the Suez Canal, struggling governments, impoverished populations and frankly backward societies struggle to find paths to modernization and to compete in a ruthless global economy. Religious fanatics for whom progress is a betrayal of faith hope to block development.

Still, if the only conflict was between Islamist terrorists and those who want civilized lives, the situation could be managed over time. But that struggle forms only one level in a layer cake of clashing visions and outright civil wars bedeviling a vast region. Much larger than Europe, the zone of contention encompasses the Maghreb, the countries touching the Mediterranean, and the Sahel, the bitterly poor states stretching down across desert wastes to the African savannah.

AFP/Getty Images

Figthers of the Islamic group Ansar Dine

The Sahel is the front line not only between the world of Islam and Christian-animist cultures in Africa’s heart, but between Arabs and light-skinned tribes in the north, and blacks to the south. No area in the world so explicitly illustrates the late, great Samuel Huntington’s concept of “the clash of civilizations.”

If racial and religious differences were not challenge enough, in the Maghreb the factions and interest groups are still more complicated. We view Egypt as locked in a contest between Islamists and “our guys,” Egyptians seeking new freedoms. But Egypt’s identity struggle is far more complex, involving social liberals, moderate Muslims, stern conservative Muslims (such as the Muslim Brotherhood) and outright fanatics. The military forms another constituency, while the business community defends its selfish interests. Then there are the supporters of the old Mubarak regime, the masses of educated-but-unemployed youth and the bitterly poor peasants.

Atop all that there’s the question of whether the values cherished by Arab societies can adapt to a globalized world.

The path to Egypt’s future will not be smooth — yet Egypt’s chances are better than those of many of its neighbors. Consider a few key countries in the region:

Mali

Viva la France! (Never thought I’d write that in The Post.) Contrary to a lot of media nonsense, the effective French intervention in Mali demonstrates that not every military response to Islamist terror has to become another Afghanistan: The French are welcome.

As extremists invariably do, al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and its allies rapidly alienated their fellow Muslims — after hijacking a local uprising. The local version of Islam is far more humane and tolerant than the Wahhabi cult imposed by Islamist fanatics. To the foreign extremists, the Malian love of Sufi mysticism, ancient shrines and their own centuries of religious scholarship are all hateful — as is the Malian genius for music that’s pleased listeners around the world.

Have a comment on this PostOpinion column? Send it in to LETTERS@NYPOST.COM!

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Digital Debrief: David Klock getting down to Business

David R. Klock took the helm of Florida International University’s College of Business as dean, on Oct. 1, after serving in a similar role at the University of Alabama-Birmingham’s School of Business.

A milkman’s son who earned a doctorate in finance, Klock’s career has spanned leadership positions in both academia and business.

Soon after he arrived at FIU, Klock began holding open forums for students, where he has laid out his priorities, including hiring more faculty members.

Eager to learn more about Klock, we sent him these questions, and he emailed his responses:

Q.You have an interesting background for an academician, in that you were chief executive and chairman of CompBenefits Corp. Please tell me about that entrepreneurial experience.

In 1980, while at the University of Central Florida, a former student asked my wife Phyllis and me to get involved in CompBenefits, a dental benefits company. It was barely a year old, with no full-time employees. We started as unpaid consultants. Our friends at the university thought we were crazy, but we saw potential.

By 1986, the company had grown substantially. My involvement as a consultant steadily increased, and in 1991, I resigned my position at UCF and went to work full-time as president of CompBenefits.

Just after I arrived in Atlanta, the chairman of the company told me he was selling the company. I said, “I just gave up my tenured position, and now you’re selling?” His response: “Oh, don’t worry, you and Phyllis will buy it. It’s $25 to $30 million, and you’ll find the money.” I thought he was joking, but sure enough, we did. When the deal was done, Phyllis and I were the only original shareholders left.

From there, the company took off. After several acquisitions, we went public in 1995. In 1998, with the company still thriving, the stock valuation hit a snag. Our original investment bankers came back to us and suggested we take the company private, which we did in 1999. We operated the company for six more years, growing with acquisitions, including Oral Health Services out of Miami and Vision Care Plan in Tampa, a new line of business for us. After five years as a private company, it was time to sell, and Humana emerged as the buyer in 2005. When the deal closed in 2006, we were providing benefits to just under 5 million members in 23 states, with over $350 million in revenue.

Q. You also have experience in the corporate world, serving as a director. Please tell me about that.

In addition to serving on the board of CompBenefits when I was chairman and CEO, I have served on several corporate boards. The first was Province Healthcare, a chain of rural hospitals based in Nashville. While I was dean of the business school at Cal Poly in Pomona, I was invited to be on the board of directors and chair the Special Litigation Committee of Cheesecake Factory. I’m now on the board of Mayer Electric, a $600+ million private company in electrical equipment distribution, based in Birmingham.

Q. Now that you are here, what are your academic goals at FIU’s College of Business?

Before I arrived at FIU, the college went through an intensive strategic planning process, and made a decision to focus on three thematic areas: healthcare, entrepreneurship and international business. Our primary mission is developing, nurturing and supporting world-class faculty dedicated to leading the institution in those themes.

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