Accused murderer appears in court
Cheryl Ann Mapp yesterday.
Smith, of Deepdale Road East, is charged with the premeditated murder of Canadian teenager Rebecca Middleton.
Kirk Orlando Mundy, 21, of Brunswick Street, Pembroke, is charged with being an accessory to the July 3 killing but was not in court yesterday.
At the duo's last mention on August 22, Smith's lawyer, Archibald Warner, argued he had not been served any papers on the matter, but his client remained remanded in custody.
Senior Magistrate William Francis set the mention date for yesterday to give the Crown a chance to serve whatever papers it had ready.
The court heard that papers had only recently been served to Mr. Warner and the matter was set down for mention on September 5 when Mundy will also appear in court.
Ms Middleton's body was discovered on Ferry Road in the early hours of Wednesday, July 3. She had been stabbed.
FIGURES REVEAL A DROP IN BED NIGHTS TOU Figures reveal a drop in bed nights Tourism figures show a significant drop in the total number of nights visitors spent in Bermuda over the first seven months of the year in comparison to the same period last year.
The information regarding "bed nights'' -- an important indicator of visitor spending -- shows a three percent drop or almost 35,000 fewer nights spent on the Island for the year up to July.
Large hotels dropped to 640,383 from 676,925 this year and small hotels dropped to 164,366 from 167,881.
Tourism Minister David Dodwell said the drop reflected changing travel patterns in the US. He said other destinations were experiencing the same drop.
American visitors travelling more often and staying for a shorter times, he said.
Meanwhile the number of bed nights for travellers from the UK and Europe were up, he continued, because those travellers were flying further at greater expense so they stayed longer.
JAMES-BARNETT GETS POLICE PRESS JOB APP James-Barnett gets Police press job A TV producer and presenter is to be the first civilian press officer for the Bermuda Police, it was revealed yesterday.
Evelyn James-Barnett, will leave the Bermuda Broadcasting Corporation to take up her new job on October 1.
Mrs. James-Barnett, 35, started her career as a junior reporter on the Bermuda Sun in 1978.
She later graduated from Indiana State University with a cum laude B.Sc. in Communications, returning to Bermuda to work as a DJ, in advertising and then in TV and radio.
In her new job, she will be responsible for advising Police Commissioner Colin Coxall on public and press relations.
Her duties will also include compiling the force's internal newspaper and annual report and operating the Emergency Broadcasting Station when required.
DAB NIXES STORE-INTO-FITNESS CLUB BID PLN DAB nixes store-into-fitness club bid A bid by a Bermudian businesswoman to turn a shop into a fitness club has failed to get off the starting blocks.
The Development Applications Board has refused Dolores Darrell permission to open the club in premises zoned for retail use at 9 North Shore Road, Devonshire.
A report to the DAB said the proposal should be refused on three grounds.
Planners pointed out the proposed addition to the building would jut out over the approved lot line.
And they said the plan did not comply with the minimum parking provision.
MAN NABBED AFTER HIGH-SPEED CHASE CTS Man nabbed after high-speed chase A Pembroke man who led Police on a high-speed chase was arrested on suspicion of cycle theft.
Police spokesman P.c. Gary Venning said the Wednesday evening chase started after the 31-year-old man, who was riding a blue Suzuki RC100, failed to stop at a road block on The Lane in Paget where Police officers were conducting routine vehicle checks.
A motorcycle officer pursued the man as he raced along East Broadway through the streets of Hamilton and onto Middle Town Lane, Pembroke, where he dropped the cycle and ran.
The officer chased him on foot and eventually caught him.
P.c. Venning said the man was expected to appear in Magistrates' Court shortly.
STOLEN CAR RECOVERED, MAN ARRESTED CRM Stolen car recovered, man arrested Police arrested a 30-year-old Pembroke man early yesterday morning in connection with a car theft.
Police spokesman P.c. Gary Venning said Police received a report from the owner of a Daihatsu Charade who parked her car on Pitt's Bay Road, Pembroke at around 8 p.m. on Wednesday and returned about an hour later to find the car missing.
A Police patrol spotted the car shortly before 2 a.m. yesterday morning at the Esso Gas Station on Richmond Road, Pembroke.
P.c. Venning said the car's engine was running and the man who was sitting in the car at the time was arrested in connection with the incident.
The car was recovered with no apparent damage and the man was expected to appear in Magistrates' Court shortly.
MONDAY GARBAGE PICKED UP SATURDAY TSH Monday garbage picked up Saturday Due to the Labour Day holiday, household garbage which would normally be collected on Monday will be picked up this Saturday.
The Ministry of Works and Engineering announced the change in the collection schedule yesterday, and reminded residents to have their garbage and recyclables out by 7.30 a.m. on Saturday.
DAB HALST CHURCH BID TO HIKE SEATING PLN DAB halts church bid to hike seating A plan to boost the size of a church sanctuary has been stalled by planners.
The Development Applications Board announced yesterday that Hamilton's New Testament Church of God's bid to increase seating capacity to 1,200 would be put on hold pending further information.
The Dundonald Street church wants to add two-level seating in an extension to the current sanctuary building.
GOVT. PUTS OUT NEW `FACTS & FIGURES' GVT Govt. puts out new `Facts & Figures' Government has released the 1996 edition of "Bermuda Facts & Figures''.
The pocket-size pamphlet is a digest of statistics and facts highlighting the historical development of Bermuda since the 16th century.
It also includes key information on geography, climate and recent data on demographic, social and economic changes in Bermuda.
Copies of the publication can be obtained from the Statistics Department on the second floor of Global House on Church Street, Government Information Services on the ground floor of Global House, and at the Bermuda Library on Queen Street.
BIU GAS STATION GETS DAB GO-AHEAD PLN BIU gas station gets DAB go-ahead A new look for the Bermuda Industrial Union gas station in Hamilton's Dundonald Street got the green light yesterday.
The Development Applications Board approved proposals by the union to build a modern service station, complete with new canopy and fuel tanks to replace the existing buildings.