Tropical Storm Dorian forms and could become a hurricane, but impact on Florida is uncertain

In its 8 p.m. advisory, the hurricane center said a system of low pressure that had been bringing disorganized storms to South Florida on Saturday moved north off the coast. Forecasters said chances of if becoming a tropical or subtropical depression are high: 70% in the next 48 hours, and 90% in the next five days. ... Read More

Florida faces soaking as tropics start to heat up

“Significant development of the low is unlikely today while it drifts northward over the southern or central Florida peninsula,” Senior Hurricane Specialist Jack Beven wrote in the hurricane center’s 8 a.m. advisory Saturday. “However, environmental conditions appear conducive for gradual development once the low moves off the east-central coast of Florida over the western Atlantic by Sunday, and a tropical or subtropical depression is likely to form early next week.” ... Read More

Water district asked to drop plan to cut tax rate and use money to fight sea-level rise

“We agree that assessing and addressing the impacts of climate change, especially sea level rise, on the District’s infrastructure is a priority for the District and citizens of South Florida,” he wrote. “… This year, the Governing Board felt there was no need to raise taxes on South Florida families and businesses when all of our mission-critical functions could be met with current funding from local, state, and federal sources.” ... Read More

The Five Heart Hopes: How God Speaks the Love Language of Our Souls

God speaks into the unique longings deep within each of us. I was a newly married man when I first heard the phrase ‘The Five Love Languages.’ The concept put so much into perspective for me, both for myself and for my understanding of how to love my wife. I’m grateful that I encountered Dr. Gary Chapman’s simple little test that has helped me to see why I need ‘words of affirmation’ in order to feel loved. I understand that my words of affirmation to my... Read More

Florida could be soaked by eventual tropical depression, and odds increase for 2nd system to strengthen

“Significant development of the low is unlikely today while it drifts northward over the southern or central Florida peninsula,” Senior Hurricane Specialist Jack Beven wrote in the hurricane center’s 8 a.m. advisory Saturday. “However, environmental conditions appear conducive for gradual development once the low moves off the east-central coast of Florida over the western Atlantic by Sunday, and a tropical or subtropical depression is likely to form early next week.” ... Read More

Jeffrey Epstein’s lax treatment raises debate about house arrest

Although the Sheriff’s Office did not cite the Epstein controversy, the defense attorneys said it clearly was the motivation for the agency’s action. The two felons never violated house arrest, and the Sheriff’s Office had never opposed the arrangement previously, said Michael Salnick, whose West Palm Beach law firm represents the men. ... Read More

Thousands of teaching jobs still open for new school year in Florida

In Palm Beach County, where there are about 13,000 teachers, the vacancy rate was about 2 percent last year and is now 1 percent, “lower than anything I can remember,” said Tim Kubrick, the school district’s teacher recruitment manager. Most empty spots are in elementary schools, but the district also needs special-education and language arts teachers, as well as 14 guidance counselors, he said. ... Read More

Beyond the Outrage: Helping Christians Be Their Best

I have a new six-week study guide to help you navigate our increasingly polarized culture. We live in a culture saturated in anger, polarization, and tribalism. Every day, there is a new event that ignites a firestorm on social media, in our community, and even across the dinner table. These cycles seem to be getting shorter and more intense with each passing month. For reference, go and look at the headlines in newspapers from a year ago. The stories that evoked mixtures of shock and... Read More

The Righteous Gemstones Shines Its Satire on a Televangelist Empire

For Christians, is the irreverent, unrighteous HBO comedy a laughing matter? For most of my life, pop culture and Christianity have resolved to exist separately together. Though Christ figures and spiritual journeys were common enough pop culture tropes, the entertainment I was drawn to didn’t really concern itself with contemporary Christianity. And the Christianity around me stayed in relative cultural isolation, occasionally creating its own “popular culture” of music,... Read More