Parkland shooting judge criticizes shooter’s attorneys during talk to law students

By TERRY SPENCER MIAMI (AP) — The former judge who presided over the trial of the 2018 Parkland high school mass murderer sharply criticized his public defenders during a presentation to Miami law students Thursday, saying they acted unprofessionally and crossed several lines while representing him. Former Broward County Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer told the Florida International University law students that the attorneys “lost their minds” as they defended Nikolas Cruz during his... Read More

THIS SATURDAY – FIRST BCPS T.I.E.S. EXPO BRINGS CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY AND EDUCATIONAL TOOLS TO DISTRICT EDUCATORS

Thursday, October 17,2024For the first time, BCPS is hosting the Technology, Innovation, Equity, and Support (T.I.E.S.) Expo – a dynamic one-day event dedicated to empowering District teachers and administrators with the latest tools, strategies and insights to enhance educational experiences for students. ... Read More

CDC reports record drop in drug overdose deaths

Sandhya Raman | (TNS) CQ-Roll Call WASHINGTON — Drug overdose deaths dropped a record amount during the past year, according to provisional data the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released Wednesday. The CDC reported that 94,758 individuals died because of drug overdoses in the 12-month period ending May 2024 — a 15 percent drop from the previous 12-month period. The agency estimates that number may rise to 98,820 when finalized, which would... Read More

Finalists for best craft beer are here: Vote for your fave South Florida brewery

With a variety of rich flavors on tap, and a willingness to experiment with ingredients and brewing methods, craft breweries are near and dear to South Florida beer lovers’ hearts. They’re a sacred spot to order a pint, chat with others about their favorite flavors and celebrate with seasonal creations (pumpkin ale, anyone?). With Oktoberfest in full stein-swinging mode and sports taking over TV screens, we figured there was no better month than October to ask our readers where they... Read More

Fort Lauderdale mayoral candidate drops out of race. Four competitors still in running.

Chris Nelson, a conservative activist and DJ who was one of five people running for mayor of Fort Lauderdale, has officially withdrawn from the race. Nelson’s name is already on the ballot. Any votes cast for him in the Nov. 5 election will not count. City Clerk David Soloman confirmed on Thursday that Nelson had officially dropped out of the race. That leaves four candidates still in the race: Kenneth Cooper, Jim Lewis, Barbra Stern and Dean Trantalis, the incumbent. Nelson told the South... Read More

Dave Hyde: Xavier Restrepo’s Hurricanes jersey tells of a lost friend and honors Gowdy’s memory

UM’s senior receiver is a big reason Miami ranks No. 6 in the country. His No. 7 jersey tells a personal story of a missed call and lost friend. Subscribe to continue reading this article. Already subscribed? To login in, click here. Originally Published: October 17, 2024 at 12:34 p.m. ... Read More

Man was shot, killed by Hollywood police officer after neighbor dispute over fence

A man shot and killed by a Hollywood police officer last week was being investigated due to a dispute with his neighbor over a shared fence, according to 911 calls released Thursday. Police identified the man in a news release as Juan Wu, 48. “I’m calling because I’m having a situation with a neighbor here,” a woman told a 911 call-taker about 9:30 a.m. on Oct. 10. “I have a metal fence and we share that, but it’s my fence.” The woman went on to tell the call-taker that her... Read More

The Dads of Taylor Swift: Why these South Florida fathers became Swifties for their daughters

With Taylor Swift nearing the end of The Eras Tour at Hard Rock Stadium this weekend, local dads talk about the magic of taking their daughters to see her perform, plus one who is willing to trade a rare bottle of bourbon for tickets. Originally Published: October 17, 2024 at 11:15 a.m. ... Read More

Israel is DNA-testing a body from Gaza to see if it’s Hamas’ top leader Sinwar, an official says

By WAFAA SHURAFA, SAMY MAGDY and JACK JEFFERY DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — The Israeli military said Thursday it was looking into whether Hamas’ top leader Yahya Sinwar was killed in a military operation in Gaza. Authorities were conducting DNA tests on a body to determine if it is him, an Israeli security official said. The military said in a statement that three fighters were killed during operations in Gaza, without specifying where or elaborating further. It said the identities of... Read More