He had a pink baseball bat up his sleeve and larceny on his mind

There was nothing up his sleeve — except for a baseball bat. A man who initially appeared to be a customer at a Metro PCS store turned into a robber after pulling out a baseball bat that had been concealed in the left sleeve of his jacket. The robbery happened shortly after 2:30 p.m. Feb. 13 at the cellphone store at 1499 SE 17th St. in Fort Lauderdale. Surveillance video released by police Monday shows the man chatting up the clerk behind the counter before quickly pulling a pink,... Read More

Horse owner fights to keep barn after town says it’s too close to property line

For 20 years, a pretty little red barn has sat next to a home on Palomino Drive in Southwest Ranches, a rural paradise known for its “live and let live” approach. But now, the same barn that has given horses shelter and sanctuary is in the crosshairs of town officials, all over a matter of inches. Southwest Ranches officials say the barn is in violation of town code because it was built too close to the property line. If homeowners Brad McBride and wife Michele don’t move the barn or... Read More

Making America Hospitable for Religious Outsiders

Muslims (and other minorities) shouldn’t have to elevate national ideals above faith commitments before gaining a seat at the table of citizenship. Eboo Patel’s latest book, Out of Many Faiths, explores the daunting challenges and encouraging possibilities at work amid America’s religious diversity. In what might be the book’s most important contribution, Patel explores the history of America’s wrestling with religious diversity through an alternative and revealing... Read More

Protesters decry Trump’s ‘fake crisis’ over wall funding

On Presidents’ Day, nearly 100 people turned out at the federal courthouse in downtown Fort Lauderdale to denounce President Donald Trump and his national emergency declaration to build a border wall. “We need to make a lot of noise!” Laurie Woodward, a volunteer organizer wearing a “Resist” T-shirt, told the crowd. She said she’s affiliated with the progressive activist groups MoveOn and Indivisible. Those who showed up were mostly middle age or older and included seasoned... Read More

Great White Shark Genome Decoded

Huge Genome Reveals Sequence Adaptations in Key Wound Healing and Genome Stability Genes Tied to Cancer Protection FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FORT LAUDERDALE/DAVIE, Fla. – The great white shark is one of the most recognized marine creatures on Earth, generating widespread public fascination and media attention, including spawning one of the most successful movies in Hollywood history. This shark possesses notable characteristics, including its massive size (up to 20 feet and 7,000 pounds) and... Read More

With Common Core set to go, Florida opens survey on new math, language arts standards

With Gov. Ron DeSantis determined to rid Florida’s public schools of Common Core, his administration’s next task is to figure out what language arts and math standards should replace them. To that end, the Florida Department of Education has opened a survey, seeking input on what educators, parents and others might not like about the Common Core standards and what they think should be adopted in their place. Florida’s version of Common Core — called Florida Standards — spells out... Read More

How to Jump Back In to Bible Reading

Christian leaders have their own reasons for not reading Scripture. It’s worth remembering that Augustine was “weeping, with agonizing anguish in heart” over his inability to control himself before he read Romans 13:13–14. We tend to think that Scripture usually works the other direction. We read seeking instruction, wisdom, or intimacy and then read a challenging word like Paul’s that prompts contrition: “Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in... Read More

Man shot dead in front of his Fort Lauderdale home

A 28-year-old man was gunned down and killed in front of his Fort Lauderdale home on Saturday night, police say. Detectives were hunting for the suspect Sunday and still trying to piece together what happened, Detective Tracy Figone said. Here’s what they do know: Roy Palarchie was shot several times at 9:06 p.m. in front of his home in the 400 block of Northwest 13 Avenue. He was pronounced dead at the scene. “This is an active investigation and circumstances surrounding the incident... Read More

Emerging Adults and the Church: Is There Really an Exodus?

Are emerging adults are leaving their faith behind? We are hosting a conference to explore this question. It seems every few weeks a new article makes the rounds on social media heralding the collapse of religion in America. Often central to these pieces is an emphasis on the role of emerging adults, focusing either on their declining church attendance or their rejection of traditional beliefs or practices. Emerging adulthood describes that phase of life between adolescence and full... Read More