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Increased protections for the Everglades could be added to a controversial measure that would ban the oil- and gas-drilling technique known as fracking. After about 90 minutes of public comment, the Senate Agriculture Committee delayed a vote until at least next week on the latest Senate anti-fracking proposal (SPB 7064). The delay will give time to consider changes based on testimony Monday, committee Chairman Sen. Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, said. Environmentalists raised concerns about... Read More

Several people were injured after the Norwegian Escape cruise ship was blasted by what the cruise line called a “sudden, extreme gust of wind, estimated at 100 knots.” The powerful wind caused the ship to tilt on its left side, or, in nautical terms, its port side, when the wind struck just before midnight on Sunday, the Miami-based Norwegian Cruise Line confirmed. Some passengers described the incident in social media posts, with one writing that “chairs, tables glass, people went... Read More

The Broward School District may overhaul its police officer and armed security guard programs in schools, considering everything from forming its own police force to contracting out solely with the Broward Sheriff’s Office. The school district also may relax the strict criteria for its new armed guardian program, after finding the district is losing some of these non-sworn officers to police departments. The school district requires applicants to be at least 21 years old and have a minimum... Read More

Just when advocates for a statewide LGBTQ civil-rights appear to have more support than ever — including from a growing number of Republicans — another bill in the Florida Legislature is threatening to eliminate anti-discrimination measures already enacted by cities and counties. “The language that has been introduced would sunset every single human rights ordinance that now covers 60 percent of the state’s LGBTQ population,” said Joe Saunders, senior political director of Equality... Read More

Drivers heading to the beach or the busy commercial areas along Sunrise Boulevard near The Galleria at Fort Lauderdale were hitting big delays Monday. A number of Florida Power & Light crews were making repairs along the 2300 block of E. Sunrise Boulevard. According to Fort Lauderdale officials, a vehicle struck a utility pole there on Sunday night. Traffic was being detoured to Bayview Drive until the repairs were complete. ... Read More

Florida counties could be allowed to create programs for drug users to swap dirty needles for unused ones. The Florida Legislature is considering a bill that would expand needle-exchange programs statewide. Presently, only Miami-Dade County is authorized to operate a needle-exchange program. State Rep. Cary Pigman, R-Sebring, said needle exchanges not only provide a gateway to treatment but also save taxpayers dollars by stopping the spread of HIV and other diseases. “This is a... Read More

U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz is continuing to go after President Donald Trump — by targeting his son-in-law Jared Kushner’s security clearance. The Democrat who represents parts of Broward and Miami-Dade counties plans to introduce legislation this week to create the White House Security Clearance Accountability Act. The move is a response to New York Times reporting that Trump ordered granting of a top-secret security clearance to Kushner — overriding objections from... Read More

Two compensation funds would be created for Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting victims and family members with $160 million in state money under bills proposed on Friday. Sen. Lauren Book, D-Plantation, proposed three bills (SB 1678, SB 1680 and SB 1682) that would create and fund the programs. One of the bills would create the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Victim Family Compensation Fund Program, which would provide money to family members of the 17 students and... Read More

The red car was in a Lauderdale Lakes canal — and it was going under. A witness who saw the Kia starting to sink in the water on the 3600 block of Northwest 19th Street about 7:30 a.m. Monday called 911. Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue and deputies from the sheriff’s office went to the scene just east of State Road 7 between W. Oakland Park Boulevard and Sunrise Boulevard. A dive team went into the water to investigate the car and found no occupants, according to Battalion Chief Michael... Read More

The semi-nude cyclist has struck again. A man wearing a headband, hot pink socks and sneakers and we believe a thong was spotted riding a bicycle backwards Sunday on Interstate 95 “He coming. Watching this s—,’’ said the driver in a video he recorded of the bicycle man. Laughing in the video, he added, “79th street exit. Only in (expletive) Miami.” The video posted on the FloridaMan Twitter account has been viewed more than 160,000 times. “Backwards now. He upped his... Read More