Broward School Board cancels design contracts for five more school renovations

The Broward County School Board canceled design contracts for five renovation projects, creating more delays for the troubled $800 million bond program. LIMCO Engineering, a Jamaican-based company with an office in Lighthouse Point, has experienced “significant delays” in preparing design documents for Hollywood Hills Elementary, North Andrews Gardens Elementary in Fort Lauderdale, Wilton Manors Elementary, Indian Trace Elementary in Weston and Tequesta Trace Middle in Weston. The... Read More

Judge wants answers over report of Robert Kraft sex video leak

While the Robert Kraft sex tapes are under court orders to remain private — for now — an alleged leak prompted a judge Tuesday to question how the videos have been safeguarded since Jupiter Police used the secret cameras at the Orchids of Asia Day Spa. Those videos led to Kraft, the billionaire owner of the New England Patriots, being charged with two counts of soliciting prostitution from January visits to the massage parlor. After the sting, police also charged 24 other “johns,” as... Read More

Six Biblical Responses to Sri Lanka’s Easter Bombings

Colombo theologian: God gives Christians the freedom to leave the revenge cycle and instead love and bless Muslims. I was not at church in Colombo on Easter Sunday morning, as I was sick and had stayed home. Then text messages began to come about a bombing, then several bombings, in my home town and in two other towns. One was only a few miles from my home. Ten years after our protracted war had ended, I realized that Sri Lanka, my dear nation, was again confronting severe violent attacks. I... Read More

Florida poised to let police stop drivers just for texting

Florida is poised to join the majority of other states in cracking down on texting while driving by making it a primary offense. The Florida House voted 104-9 on Tuesday in favor of toughening state law to allow police to pull over drivers who are texting but not committing any other driving offense. The Senate will take up a similar measure Wednesday. Right now, drivers can be cited for texting only if they are speeding or committing another violation. Rep. Emily Slosberg, D-Boca... Read More

Florida Supreme Court blocks former Broward Sheriff Scott Israel from getting his job back

Suspended Broward Sheriff Scott Israel lost his fight Tuesday to have the Florida Supreme Court return him to duty. Now, in all likelihood, it’s up to the voters of Broward County to return him to office — if they want him back. The court ruled that Gov. Ron DeSantis had the constitutional authority to suspend Israel in January for his agency’s failure to adequately respond to mass shootings at Marjory Stoneman High School in Parkland and the Fort Lauderdale airport. The decision all... Read More

Prosecutors won’t file any charges against teen whose forceful arrest drew outrage

Broward prosecutors won’t file any charges against the 15-year-old student whose head was slammed against the pavement in a forceful off-campus arrest. Cellphone footage of the arrest has gone viral, drawing a public outcry. Prosecutors said Tuesday that Delucca “Lucca” Rolle, a student at J.P. Taravella High School, wouldn’t face any charge just hours after they met him and one of his attorneys, Sue-Ann Robinson. The Broward Sheriff’s Office had accused Rolle of aggravated assault... Read More

Art and soul: Artist poured his creativity into Wilton Manors home

A one-of-a-kind home in Wilton Manors owned by an upcycle artist and designer is in itself a work of art. Michael Jude Russo has poured his creativity into the 1,386-square-foot property, and is selling it with most of the sculptures and art on display in the house, studio and gardens. The two-bedroom, two-bath house at 401 NE 26th Drive was built in 1957 and is listed for $1.19 million. Russo bought it for $350,000 in 2004 and spent four years remodeling it, converting the house and... Read More

Alert neighbor, cameras and cops combine to catch suspected serial burglars

A series of surveillance videos, an alert resident, and several police agencies working together have resulted in the arrests of three people, two of whom are suspected of committing a series of burglaries, Hollywood police said. Terrence James Kennedy, 50, of Miami, and Paul Henri Lupien, 38, are facing charges that include burglary, grand theft and cocaine possession. Barbara Daugherty Smith, 47, of Hollywood, is charged with cocaine possession, records show. One burglary was caught on... Read More