West Melbourne-Randall Keith Kearse was arrested this afternoon after a crime spree through West Melbourne and Melbourne today. Just after 10AM, Kearse entered the Walmart on Palm Bay Rd and filled up two carts of merchandise totaling over $1,500.00. He then exited the store without paying and was confronted by an employee. After a brief struggle over the merchandise, Kearse punched the employee and leaves prior to police arriving.
Unable to leave with the merchandise, Kearse made his way to the Home Depot on US 192. Once at the store, Kearse again selected multiple items and attempts to leave the without paying. A Home Depot associate identified Kearse due to his priors and attempted to stop him from leaving with the merchandise. Kearse once again became violent. He punched a 74 year old female cashier, knocking her to the ground and stabbed another associate with a screw driver. He then is seen getting into a white 4 door vehicle and leaving the area. Officers from West Melbourne, Melbourne and Brevard Sheriff’s Office conducted an extensive search for Kearse and the vehicle. Kearse then went to the Best Buy in Melbourne where he was able to steal several high dollar pieces of electronics and fled the area. Just before 12:30PM, the vehicle and Kearse were located by Melbourne Police department on Reddick St. where Kearse was taken into custody.
West Melbourne Police have charged Kearse with armed robbery, robbery, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, two counts of felony battery, grand theft, resisting a merchant and violation of probation. He will be held at the Brevard County Jail on no bond.
Kearse has an extensive criminal history in Brevard County:
Attempted Robbery Burglary Felony Battery Grand Theft (Multiple) Dealing in Stolen Property Giving False Verification of Ownership to Pawnbroker Violation of State Probation (Multiple) Violation of State Community Control Criminal Mischief Retail Theft (Multiple) Trespass Fail Leave Property Upon Warning By Owner Driving while License Suspended (Multiple) Resisting Arrest without Violence (Multiple)
West Melbourne– During the late evening hours of Friday, June 26th a large party of 50 to 100 people gathered near the end of Columbia Lane. While at the party, Gregory Stefan Alan Barr II (07/08/1994) and another individual engaged in a verbal argument which escalated to Barr pulling a knife and placing it to the individual’s throat.
Andre Deloria Hutchinas (11/27/2001) went over in an attempt to break up the altercation. That is when Barr turned the knife towards Hutchinas. Hutchinas punched Barr striking him in the face. Barr then retrieved a Glock 19 9MM handgun from his waistband and shot Hutchinas one time, striking him in the neck.
West Melbourne Officers, with the assistance of Brevard County Sheriff’s Office responded the area. Upon arrival Barr surrendered to Officers and was taken into custody. Hutchinas was taken to a local hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries. Barr was arrested and charged with Second Degree Murder and Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon. He is currently being held at the Brevard County Jail on no bond status.
PALM BAY, FLORIDA – On behalf of the Brevard County Association of Chiefs of Police, Chief Nelson Moya, current president of the association, announced the winners of the 2020 Officer of the Year and 2020 Communications Officer of the Year. The awards ceremony was held yesterday, June 23rd, 2021.
The 2020 Officer of the Year was presented to Melbourne Police Department’s Detective Jennifer Frost.
The 2020 Communications Officer of the Year was presented to Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Communications Officer Monica Mahl.
For more information on those award recipients, please contact their respective agency directly.
The West Melbourne Police Department is requesting the public’s help as we continue investigating the June 11, 2021 suspicious death of little 3 year old Jameson Nance.
Joshua Andrew Manns, 25, is a person of interest in the death of the young child. He left the West Melbourne residence where the child was found deceased, prior to law enforcement’s arrival and has eluded law enforcement since.
Manns has been spotted most recently at the intersection of Apopka-Vineland Rd and Colonial Dr in Orange County, FL. He has also been spotted in the Silverstar Rd and N. Hiawassee Rd area, as well as the South John Young Parkway corridor. Manns currently has an active warrant for his arrest for Child Neglect with Great Bodily Harm.
If you spot Mr. Manns, call 911 immediately. If you have information on his whereabouts, you are encouraged to contact West Melbourne Police at (321)723-9673. Callers wishing to remain anonymous can also call Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS (8477).
Subject information: Joshua Andrew Manns, 06/10/1996, 6’6”, approximately 200 lbs, brown hair possibly pulled back into a “bun”, and usually wears glasses.
The annual City of Melbourne Fireworks Celebration will be held on July 4, 2021, at Front Street Park (2210 Front Street).
Schedule
Approximately 8:10 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.: Skydiving show
9 p.m.: Fireworks start (weather permitting)
Skydiving Show
The Air Sports Parachute Team will be joining the celebration again this year! Skydivers carrying U.S. Flags will exit from the WWII “Tico Belle” C-47 provided by Valiant Air Command and land on the Melbourne Causeway and in the Indian River Lagoon by Front Street Civic Center for spectators to enjoy prior to the fireworks display.
Parking
Attendees are encouraged to park at Melbourne Auditorium (at 625 Hibiscus Boulevard) and use a free shuttle service to Front Street Park. Three buses will run continuously from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. Bus service will resume after the fireworks show and will run until 11 p.m. An ADA accessible bus will be available at the Melbourne Auditorium.
Parking at Front Street Park will be reserved for those with Disabled Parking Permits only and will be extremely limited.
No parking is allowed on the portion of the causeway that is in the City of Melbourne. Please note that some businesses do not allow public parking. Those businesses may have your vehicle towed from their private properties at your expense even if they are not open for business on July 4.
Road Closures
The following roads will close at 8 p.m. and will remain closed until approximately 10 p.m., depending on the time it takes for pedestrians to safely exit the park:
Strawbridge Avenue (US 192) from US 1 to Riverside Drive (Indialantic)
New Haven Avenue from the east side of the Mansion’s driveway to Strawbridge Avenue
Riverview Drive at Palmetto Avenue
Front Street at Melbourne Avenue
Boat Ramp Closure
The boat ramp at Front Street Park will be closed at 5 p.m. on July 3 and will reopen at 9 a.m. on July 5.
Canopies/Tents Not Allowed
Canopies and tents will not be allowed at Front Street Park because they block the view for other spectators.
Rain Date
In the event of rain, the fireworks display will be rescheduled to July 5. There will be no bus service or skydiver performance on the rain date.
We have learned of an incident at Heritage High School where a student was injured after being body slammed. Palm Bay Live has viewed the video and determined that the video is too graphic for us to show. We did solicit a update on the incident from Palm Bay Police Department. Here is the latest:
“16yo male victim was verbally provoking the 15yo male suspect, the suspect in turn violently body slammed the victim. The victim struck his head. The juvenile suspect was charged with Aggravated Battery and remains held for 21 days at JDC. The victim was stable at a local hospital.”
The above is an official statement from the Palm Bay Police Department.
Opened in 2018 and located on U.S. 1 at Turkey Creek in Palm Bay is Paddling Paradise, where you can rent paddleboards and kayaks and book paddleboard, kayak and Hobie Mirage Pedal tours. Equipment rentals include the paddleboard or kayak, paddle, and personal flotation device, but be sure to bring your own protective clothing and plenty of water. Paddling Paradise also has a store with clothing and paddleboarding accessories for sale, and they offer paddleboard and kayak storage. Events offered include sunrise paddles, eco tours, private lessons, SUP yoga, paint & paddle parties, birthday parties, and group team building. Whether you want a relaxing time floating across the water of Turkey Creek hoping to catch a glimpse of a dolphin or manatee, or if you’re looking for access to competitive water-based sporting events or anything in between, Paddling Paradise has something to offer you. Palm Bay Live spoke to the operator of Paddling Paradise, Dan Smith, to learn more about the business.
Tell me about your background and how you became so passionate about paddle boarding and water activities?
“I grew up in Melbourne, and traveled around the world, I surfed competitively growing up, and about 15 years ago I got into paddleboarding, and it’s just been amazing. It’s a way to get out on the water and enjoy, and I can surf on a paddleboard or just paddle flat water or I can race on it. And paddleboarding is really for everyone, brand new people can go out with just minimal training.”
Today’s kayaks have gone really high tech, haven’t they? They are made with high performance composite materials and feature advanced designs. Tell us about that.
“For sure! We are a Hobie dealer and we have boats that have the Hobie Mirage Drive pedal drive system which can be pedal paddled or sailed, and we both rent and sell these amazing watercraft. Purchase prices range from $1,500 to $8,000. They’re really fun!”
Paddling Paradise is a jumping off place for many activities such as Women on Water, the Turkey Creek Sanctuary Kayak Tour, and you’re active in other sporting events and competitions, right?
“Yes, we have something for everyone. And this past July we hosted the Amature Athletic Union (AAU) Junior Olympics first ever paddleboard event, and just recently paddleboarding was added as an official AAU event along with track & field, tennis and volleyball. And through our Paddle Sports League we will be promoting paddleboard events with clubs throughout Florida.”
What has it been like to operate through a pandemic?
“We were lucky and remained open the whole time, paddleboarding is an outdoor activity in beautiful Florida, and people were definitely interested in getting outside during the pandemic in a safe and socially-distanced way. Outdoor activities like bicycling and kayaking have been growing in popularity recently, so we were definitely luckier than some of the other businesses.”
On your Facebook page, you have pictures of paddleboarders and kayakers seeing dolphins and manatees up close. Does that happen often?
“Absolutely, that’s an everyday occurrence, and it’s amazing the diversity of the things that we do see. Dolphins, manatees, birds, all sorts of fish, and turtles too. And what you see varies depending on where in Turkey Creek you are. It really is amazing.”
What are your future plans for Paddling Paradise?
“We are definitely looking to get more youth into the sport. The main demographic for paddleboarding is women aged 35 to 55, but now that we are part of AAU and their 700,000 members, many of whom are youth athletes who will now have access to our paddleboarding events. And the moms are already paddleboarding, so this is a way for the moms to include the kids in their hobby. During the AAU event, we had three generations of women from the same family compete in the same race, and they each finished the race and won an award. So our goal is to grow the sport with youth and get the word out that anybody can enjoy paddleboarding. And once the kids paddleboard they love it!
Another important part of our future is that the City of Palm Bay is looking to further develop the property where our business is located, perhaps adding a restaurant and other things that will drive more traffic here. Paddling Paradise will continue to be here on the same property and looking to get more people out on the water to enjoy themselves!”
The City of Palm Bay Sustainability Advisory Board is hosting a contest to find the cover art for the City’s upcoming Sustainability Action Plan. We are looking for young artists to help us imagine what a sustainable Palm Bay looks like.
Sustainability means using limited resources responsibly so that future generations enjoy a healthy planet and have the water, energy, materials, and land needed to survive. This may include conserving water or electricity, using wind- or solar-powered energy, recycling, avoiding food waste, and caring for the environment.
The City’s Sustainability Advisory Board will select the entry that they feel best illustrates sustainability in Palm Bay. The winning artwork will be featured on the front cover of the City of Palm Bay Sustainability Action Plan and the artist will be recognized at an upcoming Board Meeting.
Contest Rules
Age requirement: Palm Bay kids 18 years of age and under are invited to participate.
How to enter: Applications can be submitted in person or sent in via email.
Submissions may be dropped off at City Hall located at 120 Malabar Road SE, Attn: Britta Kellner.
Submissions may be emailed to Sustainability@pbfl.org. Please send your artwork as a high-quality JPG or PDF file.
Applicant information: All submissions must include the name of the artist, their age, the name of their parent or guardian, and a contact telephone number and email address.
Artwork size: All artwork submitted for the contest must be 8.5 x 11”. All 2D mediums are welcome including pencil, crayon, marker, paint, collage, and digital art.
Deadline: The deadline to apply is Friday, July 30, 2021 at 5:00pm.
By submitting artwork to the Sustainability Action Plan Art Contest, all applicants grant the City of Palm Bay a non-exclusive perpetual license to reproduce images of the submitted artwork. All artwork submitted must be original and not a reproduction of copyrighted material. Any artwork found to infringe upon a copyright will be disqualified. Applicants may only submit one entry to the contest.
The City of Palm Bay is seeking public input as it reviews and updates its comprehensive plan. Known as Palm Bay 2040 Vision, this effort will establish a set of objectives, goals, and policies that will help leaders guide future growth and development to ensure a high quality of life and a resilient community for future generations.
On June 29, 2021, the City will host a workshop to gather input from the public to help determine the goals and priorities represented in Palm Bay 2040 Vision. The meeting will be held in Palm Bay City Council Chambers, located at 120 Malabar Road SE, from 6:00pm to 8:00pm. For those unable to attend the in-person meeting, the workshop will also be available virtually. Individuals interested in attending virtually may login at 6:00pm at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85127127911.
The City has launched a Palm Bay 2040 Vision webpage at https://smeinc.mysocialpinpoint.com/palm-bay-2040-vision. The website will be used to solicit additional public input through a survey, an idea wall feature, voting, and a capital expenditure exercise. Residents and community stakeholders are invited to visit https://smeinc.mysocialpinpoint.com/palm-bay-2040-vision and participate to make their voices heard as the City updates the comprehensive plan. Future public meeting details will also be posted on the website.
The comprehensive plan is a long-range plan that helps guide the City’s future actions through clearly stated goals, objectives, and policies. These policies inform local decision making and set the tone for future growth and development in the community. The City of Palm Bay is seeking public input to assist the 2040 Vision team in the development of goals, objectives, and polices and to understand the community’s preferences and desires for the future of the City of Palm Bay.
The City of Palm Bay is undergoing a period of rapid change. The City’s population is growing, new developments are sprouting throughout the community, and local employment opportunities are continuing to diversify. With new opportunities for growth appearing every day, the potential for the City of Palm Bay’s future is limitless. That is why the City is seeking ideas, perspectives, and expertise from the public to help determine what Palm Bay should look like in 2040. The resulting vision will be used to help guide the City of Palm Bay’s comprehensive plan update in 2021 and 2022.
PALM BAY, FLORIDA – The number one boxing program in Florida, Palm Bay ROUND13 Boxing is partnering once again with Palm Bay Parks & Recreation to bring a live boxing event to the city of Palm Bay. The event will be held on Saturday, June 5, 2021 at the Tony Rosa Community Center, located at 1502 Port Malabar Boulevard in Palm Bay.
The event is being billed as Champions in the Making: “The Legend Continues” and marks the return of the successful boxing series to Brevard County. There will be 15 -20 action packed boxing matches presented by Palm Bay ROUND13 Boxing! Doors open at 3:00pm. Fights begin at 4:00pm.
Tickets are now on dale and may be purchased through eventbrite.com (preferred), or by calling the event organizers at (321) 403-2595. General admission standing tickets are $15. Ringside/VIP tickets are $25. Kids 5 and under are free. A limited number of ringside/VIP tickets are available.
ROUND13 Boxing Club of Palm Bay is a 501c3 non-profit boxing club. For more information about this event or to become a sponsor, call (321) 403-2595 or email johnnyh1058@gmail.com.
