New ‘Freebee’ electric cars offer you a ride in downtown Fort Lauderdale

Starting Tuesday, downtowners can catch a free ride in an electric vehicle that offers on-demand service. And it’s a Freebee. Users can download the “Ride Freebee” app on a smartphone, then request a ride. The process is similar to ride-hailing apps like Uber, but there is no fee, and the all-electric cars are meant for short trips, like from work to lunch. The Downtown Development Authority announced the unleashing of the small fleet, underwritten by commercial advertisers for a... Read More

Lake Okeechobee proposal steps up South Florida water battle

Who will win this battle for clean water? U.S. Rep. Brian Mast, R-Palm City, has proposed lowering the water level of Lake Okeechobee to 10.5 feet above sea level during the early summer rainy season. The proposal seeks to lessen the harmful discharges that have created toxic algae blooms in Martin County to the lake’s east and Lee County to the west. South Florida officials believe this proposal is “horribly dangerous,” as Broward Commissioner Steve Geller put it. The lake serves as... Read More

Woman injured after car crashes into Lauderdale Lakes clothing store

A 60-year-old woman was hospitalized after a chain-reaction collision sent her car crashing into a Lauderdale Lakes storefront. The incident happened Saturday at 3:34 p.m. at Anna’s Fashions, a clothing store in the 3400 block of West Oakland Park Blvd., according to Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue. Ray Briant/BSFR Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue paramedics took a 60-year-old woman to Florida Medical Center on Saturday, March 9, 2019, after a crash caused her black Nissan Rogue smash into the... Read More

No survivors in Ethiopian Airlines crash en route to Kenya

A jetliner carrying 157 people crashed shortly after takeoff from the Ethiopian capital Sunday, killing everyone aboard, authorities said. At least 35 nationalities were among the dead. It was not clear what caused the Ethiopian Airlines plane to go down in clear weather. But the accident was strikingly similar to last year’s crash of a Lion Air jet that plunged into the Java Sea, killing 189 people. Both crashes involved the Boeing 737 Max 8, and both happened minutes after the jets... Read More

Florida attorney general’s filing accuses Sunrise company of nationwide IT phone scam

A Sunrise company runs tech support scam phone calls that target the technologically unsophisticated, especially senior citizens, according to a Broward Circuit Court filing by the Florida Attorney General’s Office. … Click to Continue » ... Read More

For Tuesday’s election: The candidates. The ballot questions. A summary of our insights. | Editorial

Tuesday is Election Day in South Florida. Nearly three dozen people in 11 municipalities — from Boynton Beach to Miramar — are kissing babies, knocking on doors and planting yard signs, all hoping for the chance to serve. Two cities — Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood — are holding special elections, not to elect a mayor or city commissioners, but to pass bond referendums. They want permission to borrow a lot of money — $300 million in Fort Lauderdale and $165 million in Hollywood —... Read More

Billy Corben’s documentary ‘Screwball’ among the big award winners at Miami Film Fest

The 2019 Miami Film Festival celebrated excellence in filmmaking this week, with a special emphasis on made-in-Miami success stories, culminating in Saturday night’s announcement of winners. The festival, presented by … Click to Continue » ... Read More