Wife of ex-FBI agent who vanished in Iran faults US response

The wife of a former FBI agent who vanished in Iran in 2007 expressed bitter frustration Thursday about efforts to get her husband back home. Christine Levinson told a House panel that she holds Iran responsible for the disappearance of her husband, Robert, a retired FBI agent from Coral Springs. But she also said three American administrations have failed to press Iran hard enough for his return. “Time and time again, Bob has been left behind, deprioritized, or seemingly... Read More

Florida Senate passes smokable medical marijuana bill

TALLAHASSEE – Florida’s ban on smokable forms of medical marijuana is one step closer to repeal, after the Senate voted 34-4 on Thursday to remove the prohibition. The bill now heads to the House. Lawmakers in 2017 passed a law carrying out the legalization of medical marijuana, approved by 71 percent of voters in 2016, but it barred patients from access to smokable marijuana, restricting them to oils and baked goods. Advocates for the amendment filed suit, and a lower court ruled last... Read More

Don’t give money to stadiums, says bill proposed by South Florida lawmaker

In an issue driven by South Florida’s history with professional sports owners, the House has started moving forward with a plan to reduce the potential of tax dollars being used to build sports facilities. The House Workforce Development & Tourism Subcommittee on Thursday backed a measure (HB 791) that would go further than a similar Senate proposal (SB 414), which would repeal an unused pool of sales-tax dollars intended for building and improving professional sports stadiums. The... Read More

It was the New River bridge almost no one wanted. And now it won’t be built.

Sometimes, common sense prevails. Plans to build a controversial $25 million pedestrian bridge over the New River are dead. State transportation officials killed the project Wednesday, more than two years after coming up with the plan. In the end, too many people were opposed, from residents to business leaders to officials at Fort Lauderdale City Hall. The bridge would have been built near the spot where the U.S. 1 tunnel burrows under the river in downtown Fort Lauderdale. It would have... Read More

Kodak Black stops to help driver in flipped car: ‘You OK? Want me to help you?’

Rapper and Pompano Beach native Kodak Black stopped to check on the driver of a car that had flipped over onto its side Wednesday night — and the exchange was recorded live on his Instagram account. It’s not clear where the rollover happened, but Kodak seemingly could barely believe what he had come across while driving: a car on its side in the grass, with the female driver standing up in it, her upper body emerging from one of the skyward-pointing side windows. “Damn y’all,... Read More

Read the petition filed by suspended Sheriff Scott Israel

On Thursday, former Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel challenged his suspension in a petition filed in Broward County Circuit Court. His claim: Gov. Ron DeSantis exceeded his legal authority when ousting Israel from office. The petition says “DeSantis engineered a political power play that interferes with the right of the public to determine their elected officials.” Israel is entitled to reinstatement, the petition states. Stuart Kaplan, an attorney representing Israel, said... Read More

Florida Keys deputy was suspicious about couple sleeping in their car. He wasn’t wrong

An astute Monroe County Sheriff’s Office deputy nabbed an Orange County man with a long, violent criminal history who recently skipped out on his probation in the Orlando region. David … Click to Continue » ... Read More