Latest news with #Shorter
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Yahoo
DeKalb ‘party house' strikes again, infuriating neighbors. County vows to crack down
The Brief Last week, the owner of a mini-mansion in unincorporated DeKalb County that's so loud neighbors compare it to a "commercial nightclub" said he would spare them a Memorial Day bash. But he did hold a party the day before Memorial Day. Surrounding neighbors have complained about the home owned by Brock Shorter for more than a year. But police tell neighbors the county's noise ordinance can't be enforced until 11 p.m. This week, the county's Planning and Sustainability Department sent Shorter a stern warning letter, telling him to "cease and desist" with any illegal activity or be prosecuted. Shorter has appealed. The director of Code Compliance and Enforcement also vowed to crack down. DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - There's sound, then fury. Neighbors living around a mini-mansion in unincorporated DeKalb County told the FOX 5 I-Team they're sick of loud parties and booming music that penetrates the walls of their homes. County officials say they hear their frustrations, with code enforcement planning to crack down if the party-thrower crosses any legal lines. "We're going to monitor this property," Code Compliance and Enforcement Director Tonza Clark told the I-Team this week. "And we're going to send that clear message – that that behavior will not be tolerated in DeKalb County." SEE ALSO: DeKalb 'party house' rattles nearby homes, despite multiple calls to authorities The backstory Last week, the I-Team reported how homeowners in a once-quiet neighborhood, just inside I-285, have suffered with a so-called party house for nearly a year and a half. The $1.8-million home is owned by 36-year-old Brock Shorter, who throws his own parties and has rented out the house for private events in the past, something forbidden under the neighborhood's residential zoning. On Sunday, his neighbors suffered for yet another day. Code Compliance had met with Shorter on May 21, when he assured officers he would not hold a Memorial Day party that was being advertised online. But there was a party after all – a wedding event the day before Memorial Day. This time the I-Team was there. Oppressive noise carried into homes and reached back yards on other streets. The party could be heard inside a neighbor's kitchen more than 200 feet from Shorter's pool. Pounding music and a blaring voice over a loudspeaker resonated through Andre Jackson's and Lisa Burrows's home, next door to Shorter. There were armed guards posted at Shorter's gates, and vans appeared to be shuttling guests to and from the party. In June, Jackson delivered a letter to the County Commission and Code Compliance signed by 30 other neighbors, begging for help and comparing Shorter's house to a "commercial nightclub." "Why do I have to be subjected to this?" Jackson said on Sunday as the party unfolded. "I grew up in neighborhoods that were far less 'middle class' than this. And people there even, for the most part, knew how to behave." Another neighbor living about 300 feet from Shorter's house summoned police, telling an officer he and his wife "cannot function" inside their home, according to a police report. The officer noted 20 to 25 cars parked in the mini-mansion's driveway. Shorter declined to speak on camera Sunday, but communicated with the I-Team by text message. "My best friend from college got married and this is the reception," he said. "So if they are mad, it is what it is. "It ends at 10," he added. "You can tell them sorry for the inconvenience." SEE ALSO: Woman shot at South Fulton house party; owner says he had security What we know The I-Team watched as police spoke with party personnel posted at the gates, then left. "Police did not find anything actionable," a department spokesman said in an email. Code Compliance showed up later, also leaving without taking action. "We did not find any violations taking place at the time when our officers arrived," Clark, the code enforcement director, said. "I think the event was winding down its last stages." Clark was outside Shorter's gates the next day, making sure the advertised party didn't happen. She said her department will keep a close eye on the house to protect surrounding neighbors. "If we come out and he's having a party, and there are cars and there's a lot of noise and there's the illegal parking, we will cite him for that," she said. Nor will the county tolerate any for-rent events, she said. There is no evidence, nor any allegation, of Sunday's party being a revenue generator. "He does not have any special permission to have paid parties and run an entertainment business out of a residential property," she said. Also this week, the county's Planning and Sustainability Department sent Shorter a warning letter about "unpermitted use in a residential zoning district," accusing him of holding illegal commercial public events and possibly creating fire safety risks. "This letter is intended to put you on formal notice that the reported activities have been deemed illegal, and that they must cease and desist immediately or be subject to prosecution," the letter from Interim Director Cedric Hudson said. The other side Shorter has lodged an appeal, saying in a response letter that he's never been cited for noise violations; his parties are mostly outside and do not pose safety risks; none of his parties are open to the general public; and previous citations against him were dropped and should not be the basis of further action. "I fully intend to comply with all applicable zoning laws, fire codes, and safety regulations," Shorter's letter, dated Tuesday, said. "I simply ask for clear communication of any documented concerns and the opportunity to enjoy my private property within the boundaries of the law." The DeKalb County Solicitor-General's Office has explained that two previous citations issued to Shorter – for not having a business license and running a business in a residential area – were nolle prossed because the citing officer had left Code Compliance, so the prosecutor didn't have a witness. It's not clear why a former department employee couldn't be called to the witness stand. "This dismissal does not prevent the Department of Code Compliance from reissuing citations should new evidence or witnesses become available, nor does it preclude further action related to the case," a spokeswoman for the Solicitor-General said in an email. In a text, Shorter told the I-Team, "If anyone believes I'm doing something illegal, they should provide the specific law or issue a citation. If that happens, I will immediately correct it and make sure it doesn't happen again. "I'm not a bandit," he said. "I'm a law-abiding citizen who wants to do things the right way." Big picture view The big question, though, is what the county can do now about loud noise shaking the neighborhood before 11 p.m. "Currently, we do have some barriers to our current noise ordinance," Clark said. The County Commission is considering code revisions that would cap decibel levels at 65 during the day, the ban lasting until 11 p.m. on weeknights and until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. After 11 p.m. or midnight, the proposed ordinance would forbid sounds that are audible 100 feet or more from the source. That would be in line with some surrounding jurisdictions. Cobb County has a 70-decibel limit during the day. Gwinnett County's ordinance has distance limits, usually 300 feet during the day. Atlanta has a similar limit for party noise – barring sounds "plainly audible" 300 feet or more from the source. SEE ALSO: Atlanta City Council to vote on stricter regulations for 'party houses' But during the wedding party Sunday, Andre Jackson's decibel meter mostly read in the upper 50s and low 60s on his property, occasionally spiking as high as 70. He said DeKalb's proposed decibel limit won't be enough to protect neighbors. "Sixty-five decibels – with the music that's going on and the yelling of the DJ you may hear in the background at this moment – sounds sort of like somebody firing a howitzer in my back yard," he said. "If it were me, I might cut that to two-thirds of 60, or even half of 60." The Source The FOX 5 I-Team reported May 22 how a new mini-mansion in unincorporated DeKalb has driven surrounding neighbors to the brink with loud and frequent parties. For this story, the I-Team was on hand for yet another loud gala held the Sunday before Memorial Day. Reporter Johnny Edwards also spoke with Code Compliance and Enforcement Director Tonza Clark and obtained the county's warning letter sent to the property owner.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Aniah's law holds man accused of abducting pregnant girlfriend; she jumped from car to escape
OPELIKA, Ala. (WRBL) – A Georgia man accused of abducting and threatening to kill his pregnant girlfriend is now behind bars in the Lee County Detention Center—held without bond after District Judge Steven Speakman ruled the defendant poses a serious threat to the public and his victim. The alleged incident happened in 2024, but he was just extradited from Georgia this week after resolving other charges. Eric Shorter, 28, is charged with first-degree kidnapping for a March 2024 incident which allegedly triggered a multi-county, two-state manhunt. The woman, who was six weeks pregnant with Shorter's child at the time, told investigators she feared for her life as Shorter allegedly pointed a gun at her and threatened to kill her during a terrifying drive which only ended when she jumped from a moving car to escape sustaining serious injuries. Investigators say the ordeal began earlier on March 16, 2024, when the couple got into an argument at Seohan Automotive, located at Innovation Drive in Auburn. During the dispute, Shorter allegedly broke the ignition in the woman's vehicle. Auburn Police responded, but no arrests were made. Later that night, around 10:30 p.m., investigators say the woman was trying to repair her car outside a residence in Opelika when Shorter returned. She says he was armed with a handgun and forced her into his dark-colored Buick. According to her statement, Shorter said, 'This is it. I'm going to kill you.' She told investigators she begged him to spare her, reminding him she was pregnant with his child. But Shorter allegedly told her he didn't care and he was going to 'end it.' Fearing for her life, the woman jumped from the moving vehicle near Highway 80 and Lee Road 179 in Crawford, Russell County. A witness nearby told deputies she was sitting in her car at a church across from the Dollar General, sending a text message, when she heard a loud 'thud.' 'I looked up and saw a woman rolling on the side of the road and a black passenger car speeding away,' the witness reported. 'I ran out to help her, and she told me she was in danger and asked me to take her back to Opelika,' the witness told investigators. The good samaritan took the woman He's with to a nearby residence, where she was met by Lee County Sheriff's deputies. First responders noted she had severe road rash on her arms, legs, stomach, and forehead, along with multiple lacerations on her hands and face. She also complained of chest pain. She was transported to East Alabama Medical Center for treatment. Following the incident, law enforcement across Alabama and Georgia launched a coordinated effort to locate Shorter. Deputies with the Russell County Sheriff's Office spotted his vehicle near Highway 80 and Barrow Road in Phenix City. When they attempted to stop him, Shorter allegedly fled, leading them on a high-speed chase into Georgia before crashing. He was arrested and held in the Muscogee County Jail on felony fleeing charges. The court ruled no condition of release could ensure the safety of the victim or public, citing Shorter's violent criminal history, the use of a deadly weapon, the serious nature of the alleged offense, his flight through multiple jurisdictions, and the risk of future harm. 'This type of behavior will not be tolerated,' Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones said. 'The defendant endangered not only a pregnant woman, but also the public and law enforcement at large. This is a prime example of how the Lee County Sheriff's Office works with agencies across jurisdictional boundaries to protect the public. We are thankful he will remain in jail until trial. That's where he needs to be.' Shorter remains in the Lee County Detention Facility with no bond. A trial date has not yet been announced. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
HPD shares data from Memorial Day weekend DUI checkpoints
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — The Huntsville Police Department released the numbers from the DUI checkpoints held over the weekend. HPD said the DUI Task Force conducted a DUI Safety Checkpoint on Friday into Saturday from 11:59 p.m. until 3:59 a.m. The department said a total of 10 people were arrested for driving under the influence, 38 citations were issued and 26 written warnings were handed out. For the weekend as a whole, from Friday to Monday, data points include: 16 DUI arrests (Includes safety checkpoint numbers) 121 Citations Issued (Includes safety checkpoint numbers) 90 Written Warnings (Includes safety checkpoint numbers) 'It's a it's a small choice, but that small choice is massive consequences, and those massive consequences are losing your life or taking the life of someone else,' HPD DUI Sgt. Antonio Shorter said. HPD said it is ramping up enforcement and education to fight impaired driving and protect drivers. 'Our goal is to deter impaired driving, connect with our community and educate the public about the dangers and consequences it brings,' Shorter said. 'Every life lost to impaired driving is preventable.' HPD's DUI Task Force uses data from the National Alabama Highway Safety Office, which has identified more than 50 traffic crash hotspots across Huntsville. Officers conducted checkpoints at one or more of the following locations: Jordan Lane and Sparkman Drive Mastin Lake Road and Pulaski Pike Bankhead Parkway and Douglas Lane Cecil Ashburn Drive and Old Big Cove Road Church Street and Pratt Avenue Clinton Avenue and Monroe Street University Drive and Old Monrovia Road University Drive and Research Park Boulevard Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Yahoo
DeKalb ‘party house' rattles nearby homes, despite multiple calls to authorities
The Brief A group of homeowners in unincorporated DeKalb County has complained for more than a year about pounding music and other noise blaring from a new mini-mansion in their midst. The owner of the home, 36-year-old Brock Shorter, not only throws parties, but also rents out the house for private events – something a county spokesman confirmed isn't allowed under the neighborhood's zoning. Surrounding residents shared photos and videos with the FOX 5 I-Team documenting loud music, loud traffic, overflow parking and armed security. In a letter to the county, they compared the house to a "commercial nightclub." Shorter has been cited for code violations, which have mostly been dismissed. But with the I-Team making inquiries, Code Compliance met with Shorter on Wednesday, and he said he won't hold a Memorial Day party. County officials say this is one of at least four so-called party houses the county is dealing with right now. ATLANTA - Imagine the nightmare: You buy your dream home to raise kids or enjoy retirement, only to have your peace shattered by a new, very loud neighbor. Not just loud, but throwing frequent parties – with pounding music, shouting, heavy traffic, and such large crowds, the front yard becomes a parking lot. There's even valet parking, shuttle service and armed security. And the owner rents the house out for private events, which get loud too. A group of homeowners in unincorporated DeKalb County told the FOX 5 I-Team they've been living in this suburban hell for the past year and a half, with no relief from county authorities. The backstory Two years ago, Brock Shorter's $1.8 million home went up in a quiet neighborhood in unincorporated DeKalb County, just inside I-285. Soon the neighborhood wasn't quiet anymore. Shorter hosted a New Year's party to ring in 2024, and a succession of other parties followed throughout the year. Neighbors told the I-Team the blaring music, shouting, traffic, and other noise obliterated their serenity. "It is very dysregulating to your nervous system," said Sarah Kleiner, who is raising two children two doors up. "You could just be relaxing at home, and then all of a sudden the bass starts. You're sitting on your couch and it just starts thundering through the home." Andre Jackson and his wife, Lisa Burrows, live next door to Shorter, his two-story modern home dominating Jackson's backyard view. "On a party day, we retreat further inside the house than we normally would, because you can hear the music through our double-paned windows, which are always closed," Jackson said. "We live with loud music, screeching car tires late in the evening, car alarms, car horns, and associated noise." Rafi Muhanna, a university professor, lives on another street, but his yard backs up to Shorter's property. His back deck is about 200 feet away from the party house's pool. "Sometimes we cannot sleep, we cannot work, we cannot rest," he said. "We cannot use our deck. "It is destroying our quality of life," Muhanna said. Neighbors said they once had a cordial relationship with Shorter, but that quickly soured. "When he first moved in, he told us he was having a New Year's Eve party," Kleiner, the mother of two, said. "He even asked us if the music was too loud. He tested out his speakers. And I was laying in the bathtub at the time, and I told my husband, 'That's way too loud. Please have him turn that down.'" Jackson said with the neighbors wanting quiet, and him wanting to hold party after party, they reached an impasse. "He pretty much said he heard us, and he had a property that he could sort of use as he saw fit," Jackson said. Dig deeper But what's happening is more than just a 36-year-old homeowner whose lifestyle clashes with his neighbors. Some of the gatherings at his home are revenue generators. Shorter has the house listed on Giggster and Airbnb as a "modern compound," renting for $500 per hour and $10,500 for five nights. DeKalb County Police reports show the house being used to shoot a music video, and in another case, for a spiritual event that prompted a noise complaint. Some of the events charge for admission, such as a businesswomen's brunch last month with $75 tickets, according to an ad on Instagram. The I-Team asked DeKalb County Code Compliance if that's allowed in a residential area. "No," a county spokesman responded by email. "Based on the R-75 designation for this property, the use of the property as a special event center is not permissible." What we know So why has the party house kept on partying? Partly, because every time Shorter has been cited for code violations, the charges have been dismissed, Magistrate Court records show. He's been cited for not having a business license and running a business in a residential area – with both cases nolle prossed. "I've been to court multiple times," Shorter told the I-Team in a phone interview. "Nothing has stuck. Because I'm in my rights." He did pay a $405 fine in July for lacking a certificate of occupancy, court records say. Police reports show that when officers have been summoned, they often ask Shorter, or other party hosts, to keep it down. They also inform those complaining that they can't do anything about loud noise before 11 p.m. When Jackson summoned police over the music video shoot in December, an officer wrote in his report, "We reminded Mr. Jackson that we are unable to enforce the county's' residential noise ordinance until 2300 hours." By that time, Jackson had already written a letter to the DeKalb County Commission and Code Compliance in June asking for help, comparing the house next door to a "commercial nightclub." Including him and his wife, 32 people from 18 addresses signed on to the letter. "The property owner and his associates are growing adept at skirting right to the edge of the existing laws and their spotty enforcement," the letter to the county said. Kleiner said the parties are causing serious problems for her family. "My daughter is 17. She has non-verbal autism and also a seizure disorder," Kleiner said. "And one thing that can trigger violent behaviors and seizures is loud noise and lack of sleep. "I don't have a problem with someone having a party," she said, "but having speakers that are loud enough to reverberate sound into my home to disturb my children's bedrooms and my bedroom is unacceptable." The other side Shorter, a former Ole Miss basketball player, told the I-Team his neighbors have been exaggerating the noise levels. He said they're actually the ones harassing him. "They'll complain just to run the numbers up," he said. "When you do that, you cry wolf like that just to run the numbers up to make my house seem like a nuisance. It just taints the whole claim." He said he's used decibel meters to test how far his sound system carries. He said he knows the county code, and he's not violating any ordinances. "I'm not even going to sit here and act like, 'Oh, I'm just a saint.' I do have parties. I do have music playing," he said. "You're going to be able to hear it during the hours that (you) are allowed to hear it. But it's not going to be unreasonable." He also denied running a so-called party house. Shorter said most of the parties his neighbors take issue with are his own. "When I throw a party, let's just say it's Memorial Day weekend – (it's) my friends and family and whoever else I want there. It's pretty fun, you know?" Shorter said. He said he does not sell tickets. Asked about a post on Eventbrite about an upcoming Memorial Day blowout – which put general admission at $25, on-site parking at $117, and $866 for "2 bottles and 5 tickets" – Shorter said he knew nothing about that and that someone posted it without his permission. Soon after the interview, the Eventbrite post was changed to "canceled," then taken down. Why you should care The neighborhood's county commissioner, Michelle Long Spears, said she's been trying to help the neighbors. As for why the problem still festers, she referred that question to the county's executive branch. "Since January of 2024, we have received 20 calls for noise concerns," Spears told the I-Team. "My office has been actively working with the administration since then – four different departments, including both police and code enforcement, to help resolve this issue." Ultimately, the commissioner said, the solution may be for the commission – the county's legislative branch – to adjust county codes. The Atlanta City Council recently tightened its laws, defining party houses and banning them from certain neighborhoods, "We have been working on a short-term rental ordinance," the DeKalb commissioner said. "A portion of that ordinance does relate to dealing with these party-house issues. And we have also tried to tackle it through strengthening our current noise ordinance." The proposed solution there: Cap decibel levels at 65 during the day and until 11 p.m. on weeknights and until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. And after 11 p.m. or midnight, forbid sounds that are audible 100 feet or more from the source. Shorter said if ordinances change, "I have no problem with it. I'm going to go by any rules that they set." What's next Very little, if the neighbors have their way. With the I-Team making inquiries, Code Compliance met with Shorter on Wednesday to talk about the community's concerns. Shorter said he's taking steps to reduce the impact from his music, and they clarified parking rules for him. Shorter said he assured them he wouldn't hold a party on Memorial Day. That will be a relief to Jackson and his wife. "We wanted this to be our dream home," Lisa Burrows said. "And we worked our whole lives to live in the kind of neighborhood where you can hear birds and have quiet coffee on the deck. "And it's very frustrating to have to hear loud music and cursing," she said, "and all the things that you work your whole life to avoid in the neighborhood." The Source The FOX 5 I-Team interviewed four residents who've complained about the noise coming from a neighbor's home and reviewed a letter to the county signed by 32 residents from 18 surrounding addresses. The I-Team also reviewed police, code enforcement, and Magistrate Court records. I-Team reporter Johnny Edwards spoke at length with the 36-year-old homeowner whom the neighbors are complaining about.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Linton movie theater gets state-of-the-art upgrade
LINTON, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) – A local movie theater, the Linton Cinema, has incorporated a major upgrade. Co-owners Billy Shorter and Sarah Kluesner said a new state-of-the-art projector will provide higher quality for viewers. 'The picture's a whole lot better. It's going to be brighter, more vibrant colors. It uses about 30% energy than the typical projector,' said Shorter. Shorter and Kluesner added the upgrade brings quality while prices remain affordable. Tickets start at $5. Lilo & Stitch is showing this weekend with special popcorn buckets. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
