Publix stopped giving to politicians after NRA controversy. Now, they’re back in business.

Publix is back in the political arena. The Lakeland-based grocery chain donated $33,000 to Florida lawmakers in February, the company’s first contributions since halting all political giving last year during a national firestorm related to the Parkland shooting. Last May, Publix generated significant backlash after the Tampa Bay Times reported the company and its current and former leaders and founders had donated $670,000 to Adam Putnam‘s campaign for governor. It was the most... Read More

Food Network star seeks secret of ‘world’s best meatball’ at Café Martorano in Fort Lauderdale

The Cooking Channel show “The Best Thing I Ever Ate” finally found its way to Fort Lauderdale to genuflect before the glory of charismatic restaurateur Steve Martorano’s signature meatball. Premiering Monday, April 1, at 9 p.m., the episode is led by celebrity chef and Food Network star Geoffrey Zakarian, who took a liking to Martorano and the brawny Philly native’s Oakland Park Boulevard landmark, Café Martorano, while in town a couple of years ago for the South Beach Wine &... Read More

Race, Religion, and the Future of American Evangelicalism

Three important trends regarding race and faith that must be considered as we try to lead evangelicalism through this era. Evangelicals are having a branding problem. When I searched Twitter in December of 2018 for tweets that contained the word “evangelical,” I was surprised to see that one of the most popular words that appeared in those tweets was the word “white.” In fact, I looked back over a number of different sets of tweets going back to 2017 and the term... Read More

Jewish Christians Are Recovering Their Distinctive Religious Heritage

A growing group of Jews who believe in Jesus is crossing boundaries to revive their identity and restore unity in the church. The lights are dim during a Friday night service in a sanctuary that holds 4,000 people at the non-denominational Gateway Church in Dallas, Texas. Many traditional Jewish elements of the Sabbath are present: There’s a blessing over the bread and wine, candle lighting, a Torah scroll, and a prayer shawl. About 12 musicians play contemporary Christian music that... Read More

Florida pay gap: For every 85 cents a woman makes, a man makes a buck, report says

A working woman in Florida makes 85 cents for every dollar a man makes — about $5,515 a year less than men, according to a new report released Monday by the National Partnership for Women & Families. The report, which uses U.S. Census data, was released in time for Equal Pay Day, which is Tuesday. The date symbolizes how far into the year women must work to earn what men earned in the previous year. Florida’s 2019 gap is slightly worse than a year ago, when the annual pay difference... Read More

Serious crash on Broward Boulevard, west of University Drive

There was at least one serious injury Monday morning in a multi-vehicle crash that temporarily closed a stretch of W. Broward Boulevard, west of University Drive. The three-vehicle crash happened near the intersection of W. Broward Boulevard and Pine Island Road. One person had to be extricated from a vehicle that was involved, according to Plantation fire officials, and was seen being placed in an ambulance to be taken to a hospital. Because of the crash, the westbound lanes of Broward... Read More