Assemblies of God Elects First Woman to Top Leadership

A historic vote for Donna Barrett as general secretary “has been meaningful for many women who feel God’s calling on their lives.” For the first time in its 105-year history, the Assemblies of God (AG) General Council has elected a woman to its executive leadership. Ohio minister Donna Barrett was voted in as AG general secretary during its biennial gathering last Friday. Barrett had been appointed to the post last year—the third-highest position in the denomination—after... Read More

The Christian Case Against the Orphanage

Children need a stable family, not institutional care. In recent years, both the Guardian newspaper and the New York Times have featured lengthy exposés of orphanages in the majority world. It appears that many orphanages have been run for nefarious ends. There have been reports of children being trafficked into orphanages either in return for financial benefit to impoverished parents or merely on the promise of a better life for their children. There is also evidence that in some of... Read More

Is a toddler’s life worth $500? Then sound the alarm | Editorial

Lawmakers may not be able to address the safety issue in private cars, although automakers surely can. They could finally make it safe for kids to ride in the front seat — where they could be seen. Or they could add an alarm that alerts drivers about buckled-in backseat passengers when the engine is turned off. Given all the alarms about unbuckled seat belts, passing cars and obstacles front and rear, a lifesaving back-seat alarm is not asking too much. ... Read More

Port Everglades fraud scandal racks up two guilty pleas

Moore, of Pompano Beach, was fired by the county in August 2018, but later allowed to resign after his union objected to the procedures the county used in the firing. County auditors said Moore in a year’s time had made more than $18,000 in questionable purchases, including 11 faucets, 11 backflow-preventer repair kits and 108 feet of red brass pipe that could not be accounted for. ... Read More

The war on pythons: DeSantis steps up the fight

Matthew Schwartz, executive director of the South Florida Wildlands Association, said he supported attempts to attack the python population of Big Cypress National Preserve, one of the strongholds of the Florida panther. But he said he needed to see details to make sure the efforts wouldn’t damage the preserve with off-road vehicles, which had chewed up many areas of the preserve in the past. ... Read More

Battle over city’s only strip club heats up in court

The city’s newer ordinance says adult entertainment businesses can lead to “personal and property crimes, human trafficking, prostitution, potential spread of disease, lewdness, public indecency, obscenity, illicit drug use and drug trafficking, negative impacts on surrounding properties, urban blight, litter, and sexual assault and exploitation.” ... Read More

Dolphins’ Kenny Stills calls out team owner Steve Ross for hosting Trump luncheon

Ross, 79, became the majority owner of the Dolphins and Hard Rock Stadium in 2009. He is also the founder, owner and chairman of The Related Companies, which is credited with the recent Hudson Yards redesign project in New York, and oversees companies such as Equinox Fitness, SoulCycle, Vaynermedia and RSE Ventures. Ross’s net worth is estimated to be at least $7.7 billion, according to Forbes. ... Read More

Can Zack Gottsagen, a Boynton Beach actor with Down syndrome, change Hollywood?

“It was one of those moments for Mike and I where we were, like, ‘I love you, Zack, but I don’t know if the opportunity is going to arrive for a feature film starring somebody with Down syndrome,’” Nilson says. “And Zack, very sweetly and lovingly, was, like, ‘What if we did it together?’ We thought about it for, like, two seconds, and said, ‘You’re right. Let’s do it together.’” ... Read More