It's Gulbis vs. Roger-Vasselin in the Delray ITC finals

DELRAY BEACH — It is as an unlikely a match-up as anyone might possibly conceive for the finals of the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships Sunday afternoon. The tennis equivalent of a Pittsburgh Pirates-Kansas City Royals World Series.

Feds indict 15 in Fort Lauderdale timeshare scam

FORT LAUDERDALE — A federal grand jury has indicted 14 Broward and Palm Beach County residents on fraud and money laundering charges in connection with an Fort Lauderdale boiler room that allegedly scammed timeshare owners out of $5 million during the 10 months it was active, the U.S. attorney’s office announced Thursday.

Delray Medical gets city clearance to build tower

DELRAY BEACH — An ordinance allowing Delray Medical Center to construct a four-story building on its campus on Linton Boulevard received final approval Tuesday from Delray Beach City Commissioners.

Freddie, Bankrate find mortgage rates falling again

DELRAY BEACH — Mortgage rates fell and fell rather sharply this week as Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke told Congress that the central bank’s bond-buying program will continue. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage dropped to an average of 3.51 percent with 0.8 point from last week’s 3.56 percent, according to Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey.  Bankrate’s national survey found the 30-year dropping to 3.73 percent with 0.33 point from 3.80 percent a week ago.

Broward man gets prison for tax refund scheme

FORT LAUDERDALE — A Miramar man has been sentenced to 30 months in prison for his role in a scheme to use stolen identities to fraudulently collect income tax refunds.

Isner beats Anderson; Semifinals set at Delray Beach ITC

DELRAY BEACH — There will not be a repeat champion this year at the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships. Top-seed John Isner used a devastating serve and took advantage of Kevin Anderson’s slow start to defeat the defending champion 6-2, 7-6(1) Friday evening at the Delray Beach Tennis Center. There is not been a successful defense of the ITC title since Jason Stoltenberg repeated in 1997  — when the tournament was held in Coral Springs.

Gulbis comes back to beat Querrey; Anderson, Isner move on

DELRAY BEACH — Ernests Gulbis appeared to be done four games into the third set of his match with third seeded Sam Querrey Thursday afternoon at the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships. Absolute toast.

Querrey had beaten Gulbis 6-4 to tie the match, then absolutely steamrolled his way to a 4-0 lead in the deciding set. The only question was whether Gulbis might be able to salvage a game or two before going down to defeat.

Rain wipes out most of Wednesday's play at the Delray Beach ITC

DELRAY BEACH — Rain, rain go away. Please. Come back another time. Say, next week, maybe. A near all-day rain wiped out most of Wednesday’s schedule at the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships, forcing tournament officials to shuffle Thursday schedule. Crews attempted to dry the court Wednesday evening but a nearly continuous drizzle made the effort futile.

Consumer confidence dips in Florida, up nationally

DELRAY BEACH — Whatever it was that caused consumer confidence to surge nationally over the past month didn’t quite make it to Florida. The University of Florida’s statewide consumer confidence index fell a point to 74 in February, while the Conference Board’s national index rose 11.2 points to a February reading of 69.6, according to separate reports released Tuesday.

Querrey, Malisse win openers at Delray Beach ITC

DELRAY BEACH — Third-seeded Sam Querrey of the U.S. and eighth-seeded Xavier Malisse easily won their opening matches Monday as the Delray Beach ITC rolled into the main draw of the ATP Tour competition.

Delray commissioners table noise ordinance overhaul

DELRAY BEACH — It could be back to the drawing board for Delray Beach’s proposed noise ordinance overhaul. Delray Beach city commissioners on Tuesday agreed to table the legislation after hearing from a stream of residents who asked for a delay in order to hold additional meetings on the issue.

Moya defeats McEnroe to defend Delray Beach ITC Champions title

DELRAY BEACH — John McEnroe made the score reasonably close, but in the end, on this hot Sunday afternoon, he was no match for Carlos Moya. The defending Delray Beach ITC Champions Tour Champion defeated McEnroe 6-4, 6-4.

Delray targets Aldridge law firm with cash incentives

DELRAY BEACH — The first recipient of Delray’s brand new job creation incentive program is likely to be an Atlanta-based law firm that specializes in handling mortgage foreclosure cases for banks.

Florida home sales, prices post strong gains

DELRAY BEACH — Used-home sales surged statewide last month, while prices also posted strong gains, Florida’s Realtors reported Thursday. January sales totaled 13,679, up 11.7 percent from a year earlier, while the median price rose 12.4 percent to $145,000. The median price is the point where half of homes sold for more, half for less. Pending sales — deals with contracts in place but have yet to close — rose 31 percent.

McEnroe wins, reaches Delray ITC finals after rain-delayed match

DELRAY BEACH — It was the kind of day that had a struggling Pat Cash ceding his racket to a fan in his match against Mats Wilander and John McEnroe climbing the walls, literally, while joking with the fans, his opponent (also Wilander) and the officials.

McEnroe defeats Cash Friday in Delray Beach ITC opener

DELRAY BEACH — John McEnroe’s return to the Delray Beach proved a successful one as he defeated Australian Pat Cash 6-4, 3-6, 10-4 as the Champions Tour  portion of the International Tennis Championships began play Friday evening at the Delray Beach Tennis Center. In an earlier match, defending champion Carlos Moya of Spain defeated Boca Raton’s Aaron Krickstein 6-4. 6-4.

DeBilzan hosts the Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce

DELRAY BEACH — William DeBilzan hosted the Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce's Contacts and Cocktails networking mixer for January Thursday evening at his gallery at 38 E. Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach. More than 70 chamber members and guests packed gallery and garden.

Dirt Fitness gets down and dirty in Delray Beach

DELRAY BEACH — Sometimes there’s more in a name than you might think at first glance. Take Dirt Fitness, for example.

Fitness it’s about for sure, but the Dirt part of the name might bring to mind some sort of cross country scramble akin to a military obstacle course through muddy fields. READ MORE.

Former champs Haas, Nishikori to return to Delray Beach ITC

DELRAY BEACH — Former champions Tommy Haas and Kei Nishikori have signed on to play in the 2013 Delray Beach International Tennis Championship, giving the tournament five former champions in its ATP World Tour field.

Haas, the 2006 champion, and Nishikori, the 2008 champion will join Mardy Fish (2009) and the world's top-ranked doubles duo of Mike and Bob Bryan (2009, 2010) in returning to the Delray tournament. Top-ranked American John Isner also has committed to the field. READ MORE.

 

Bryan Brothers, top Americans commit to Delray Beach ITC

DELRAY BEACH — Tournament officials announced Friday that the top three ranked American men will be playing in the 21st annual Delray Beach International Tennis Championships in February.

John Isner, currently ranked No. 10 in the world, will join Andy Roddick, No. 21, and Mardy Fish 24, in the 2013 edition of the Delray tournament. All three have played at Delray in previous years.

Also returning to the Delray tournament: Bob and Mike Bryan, winners of the Olympic gold medal in doubles competition at the London Games. READ MORE

Delray Beach comissioners table city manager hiring

DELRAY BEACH — Louie Chapman won’t be the next Delray Beach city manager. At least not in the next two weeks. Delray Beach city commissioners, faced with new, potentially damaging information about Chapman's conduct in his present job, voted Tuesday to delay his hiring while further exploring the background of the Bloomfield, Conn., city manager.

Delray Chamber members party at Old School Square

DELRAY BEACH — The gym at the Delray Beach Center for the Arts at Old School Square once again was the scene of the Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce's annual holiday party. Chamber members and their guests packed the gym for an evening of fun, food and drink. Business was left at the door. The chamber used the event to collect toys that will be distributed to local kids through a variety of charities.

Confidence holds steady in Florida despite 'cliff'

DELRAY BEACH — Consumer confidence held steady among Floridians in December but dropped sharply nationally, according to separate reports released Thursday.

Stiletto race raises funds for Delray's Achievement Centers

DELRAY BEACH — The First Annual Delray Beach Stiletto Race Friday evening was a success on two levels: No one was hurt, at least not physically, and it raised money for the Achievement Centers for Children and Families.

Mortgage rates in 2012 cheapest in 65 years

DELRAY BEACH — Mortgage rates fell back near record lows after rising fairly sharply a week ago thanks largely to the prospect of the country going over the so-called fiscal cliff, according to surveys released Thursday by Freddie Mac and Bankrate.

Boca businessman Rosen settles with the SEC

MIAMI — A Boca Raton businessman has agreed to pay more than $900,000 to settle Securities and Exchange Commission allegations that he violated federal securities law by failing to disclose his complete stake in a publicly trade company he founded.

Palm Beach County's jobless rate hits four-year low

DELRAY BEACH — The statewide jobless rate fell, and fell fairly sharply, in November, according to data released Friday by Florida’s Department of Economic Opportunity.

Freddie Mac, Bankrate: Mortgage rates move north

DELRAY BEACH — Mortgage rates were mixed this week, with the 30-year rising and the 15-year easing southward, according to Freddie Mac. However, the other major national rate surveyor, Bankrate, found rates for both mortgages jumping fairly substantially.

Ryder CEO to retire; Successor named

MIAMI — Ryder System announced Monday that Chairman and CEO Gregory T. Swienton will retire at the company’s annual meeting on May 3, and that Chief Operating Officer Robert Sanchez will replace him. Sanchez will assume the CEO’s responsibility as of Jan. 1.

Delray commissioners move on tax exemption vote

DELRAY BEACH — Delray Beach city commissioners took another step into the business incentive game Tuesday, approving a proposal to get voter approval for the authority to grant property tax exemptions to businesses moving into the city

Weston CPA gets prison for foreclosure rescue scam

FORT LAUDERDALE — A Weston CPA will serve a year and a day in prison for his role in a foreclosure rescue scam that ripped off both financially distressed homeowners as well as banks.

Freddie Mac, Bankrate: Mortgage rates move little

DELRAY BEACH — It was a quiet week on the mortgage rate front, the two major surveys released Thursday showed. One moved slightly higher, while the other slightly lower.

Delray looks to the outside for next city manager

DELRAY BEACH — It’s Louie Chapman. Delray Beach city commissioners by a 3-2 margin Tuesday evening authorized City Attorney Brian Shutt to negotiate a contract with Chapman to replace David Harden as city manager. The runner-up: Delray Beach Assistant City Manager Doug Smith.

Delray comissioners resume city manager talks

DELRAY BEACH — It will be institutional memory versus the eyes of the outsider as Delray Beach city commissioners resume deliberations over the next city manager Tuesday evening.

Delray commissioners delay city manager selection

DELRAY BEACH — And the next Delray Beach city manager is ... still to be determined. City commissioners, meeting in special session Friday, agreed to postpone a decision until Tuesday after deadlocking on two candidates — current Delray Beach Assistant City Manager Doug Smith, and Bloomfield, Conn., Town Manager Louie Chapman. Commissioners conducted public interviews of the two Friday morning.

Mortgage surveys mixed; rates still at or near lows

DELRAY BEACH — Mortgage rates moved slightly higher over the past week but still remain near historic lows, according to Freddie Mac, but hit a new low, according to Bankrate.

Delray's Arts Garage makes bid for permanent home

DELRAY BEACH — The Arts Garage might have a permanent home on the ground floor of the city-owned Old School Square Parking Garage. Then again, it might not.

Atlantic Plaza II gets first approvals from Delray

DELRAY BEACH — Atlantic Plaza II passed its height and density tests Tuesday but still faces one more hurdle before it can become reality.

Sign of the season: Delray's 100-foot tree 'grows' in downtown

DELRAY BEACH — The annual ritual of raising Delray Beach's 100-foot holiday tree is just about done — at least on the outside. Workers from Meisner Electric used a crane Friday to put on the final branches and connect the strings of lights that will illuminate the tree on Nov. 29.

Broward man faces prison for tax/ID theft scam

FORT LAUDERDALE — A Broward County man faces as much as 22 years in prison after pleading guilty to fraud charges in connection with a massive scheme to steal the identities of thousands and file false income tax returns under their names, in federal district court.