MiamiHerald.com: Florida

Pilot in crash blamed for flying in bad weather

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:33 EDT

Three people died when a helicopter on its way to retrieve a heart for transplant crashed in North Florida.

Gov. Rick Scott gains ground in new statewide poll, but still trails former Gov. Charlie Crist

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:21 EDT

Gov. Rick Scott’s standing with the public has been so persistently grim that any improvement in polls looks like a breakthrough.

Poll: Absentee-ballot scandal makes Miami Congressman Joe Garcia vulnerable in potential matchup

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:38 EDT

A poll conducted for Republican Carlos Curbelo suggests Democratic Rep. Joe Garcia’s popularity has been hurt by his campaigns involvement in a fraudulent absentee-ballot request scheme.

Zimmerman jury identities to remain secret, for a time

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:02 EDT

The decision came Monday as lawyers in the Trayvon Martin case moved a little closer to seating a jury.

Florida hits lowest rate ever for infant mortality

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:32 EDT

Florida's infant mortality rate is at an all-time low.

Rep. Alan Grayson 2.0: Less fire-breathing, more self-restraint

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 19:55 EDT

Rep. Alan Grayson, the self-styled ‘congressman with guts,’ has managed what seems like an impossible feat of self-restraint.

Fla. woman charged with throwing acid on victim

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 17:27 EDT

A southwest Florida woman has been arrested after police say she poured a bottle of muriatic acid onto a person's face.

Florida Lotto jackpot rises to $24 million

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 17:25 EDT

The jackpot in the Florida Lotto game has grown to $24 million after no one matched the six winning numbers in the latest drawing, lottery officials said Sunday.

FPL: Power restored on stretch of Lincoln Road

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 22:42 EDT

A power outage along several blocks of Lincoln Road lasted several hours Saturday, affecting about a dozen businesses along the popular pedestrian mall that runs between Alton Road and Washington Avenue.

Fla. Democrats see Gov. Rick Scott as easy target in 2014

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 22:47 EDT

At annual Jefferson-Jackson dinner, Florida Democrats snub one of their own, but are giddy in the belief that anyone can beat Republican Gov. Rick Scott next year.

Race, faith and honesty shape Zimmerman jury selection

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 16:04 EDT

Lawyers head into the second week of jury selection in the Trayvon Martin killing case, hoping to find six jurors to decide whether George Zimmerman committed second-degree murder.

Hundreds of state prison staffers owed comp time, back pay

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 11:47 EDT

State officials agreed with federal investigators to provide back pay or compensatory time to more than 700 employees at the state’s largest and oldest prison, Union Correctional in Raiford.

Fabiola Santiago: Return of the real Rick Scott

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 17:24 EDT

I had missed the real Rick Scott.

Gov. Rick Scott signs bill to speed up executions in Florida

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 19:14 EDT

Under the new law, Gov. Rick Scott could surpass other governors in the number of ordered executions.

One month later, Florida lawmakers no closer to Medicaid deal

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 15:38 EDT

Medicaid expansion, or some alternative, remains a long shot in Florida.

Zimmerman defense hopes jury to be seated next week

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 18:55 EDT

After a week of questioning potential jurors, attorney Mark O’Mara said he’s confident six jurors will be chosen to determine the fate of man accused of killing Trayvon Martin.

Firm seeks FAA OK for tall Vegas Strip thrill ride

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:04 EDT

A Florida-based thrill ride developer is seeking federal approval for air space to allow a 650-foot-tall roller coaster on the Las Vegas Strip.

Cuban dissident: Repression forced family to flee

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:54 EDT

One of several Cuban dissidents recently allowed to visit Europe and the U.S. after Cuba changed its travel laws said Tuesday she decided to seek refuge in Miami after facing continued repression on the island.

Dead zone predictions much less spread than 2012

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:14 EDT

Scientists in Michigan and Louisiana are predicting a big summer "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico. In the Chesapeake Bay, a smaller than average dead zone is expected.

Baltimore police commander to head OC department

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 14:59 EDT

A Baltimore police commander has been named the chief of the Ocean City department.

Alligator found on Volusia County beach

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 14:06 EDT

For the second time in two weeks, authorities have found a small alligator on a Volusia County beach.

Attorney: Judge in gay sex trial should step down

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:31 EDT

The attorney for a young Florida woman who was charged with a felony for having sexual contact with her 14-year-old girlfriend has filed a motion asking the judge to remove himself from the case.

Fla. couple sentenced for producing pornography

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:06 EDT

A Florida married couple is going to prison for producing child pornography.

Attorney for gay Fla teen wants judge to step down

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:51 EDT

The attorney for an 18-year-old Florida girl who was charged with a felony for having sexual contact with her underage, 14-year-old girlfriend, is asking the judge to remove himself from the case.

Tropical depression heads toward southern Mexico

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:41 EDT

Forecasters say a tropical depression is dumping heavy rains on Central America as it trudges toward southern Mexico.

Man charged with tossing wife off cruise ship

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:31 EDT

A California grand jury has indicted a Florida man on charges he strangled his ex-wife and tossed her off a cruise ship in Italy.

Twins minor league team involved in Fla. crash

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:21 EDT

A bus carrying a minor league team affiliated with the Minnesota Twins was involved in a wrong-way interstate crash in Florida that killed the driver of the other car.

Gov. Scott signs abortion law

Wed, 05 Jun 2013 16:59 EDT

The law requires doctors performing an abortion to offer emergency care if a baby is somehow born alive.

Judge denies injunction sought by senior arcades

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 17:48 EDT

A federal judge refused Tuesday to block enforcement of Florida’s new video gambling law, rejecting arguments by the owners of two Broward senior arcades that the measure is unconstitutionally vague and violates the First Amendment rights of their elderly customers.

Gov. Scott signs mortgage-relief law

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 18:06 EDT

The law aims to protect homeowners from foreclosure abuses.

Driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants’ kids vetoed by Gov. Rick Scott

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 20:42 EDT

Gov. Rick Scott vetoed a measure Tuesday that would have allowed undocumented migrants’ children to get temporary driver’s licenses.

Redland resident challenges lawmaker for South Dade/Keys district

Fri, 31 May 2013 13:08 EDT

The election is still more than a year away.

State, arcades clash in court over video gambling machines

Fri, 31 May 2013 18:00 EDT

A federal judge promised a ruling next week over whether enforcement of a law making the machines illegal should be blocked.

Gov. Rick Scott signs bill to help human trafficking victims

Thu, 30 May 2013 19:51 EDT

Florida victims of human trafficking will now be able to petition the court to expunge arrests and convictions from their record if the acts were committed under duress from a trafficker.

Gov. Rick Scott signs into law wide-ranging bill opposed by scores of environmentalists

Thu, 30 May 2013 19:58 EDT

Asked why he signed a bill that drew hundreds of letters or emails urging him to veto it, Gov. Rick Scott gave a vague response.

Skill or chance? Maquinitas hold tantalizing clues

Mon, 27 May 2013 12:05 EDT

A reporter plays video slots — shut down by a new law — and finds some people are certainly more skilled than he is.

Hue and cry grows over deal for Scott donor

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:02 EDT

The list of lawmakers criticizing Citizens Property Insurance Corp. for a $52 million deal with a new insurance company continues to grow. The latest critic: House Speaker Will Weatherford.By Toluse OlorunnipaHerald/Times Tallahassee Bureau

Sweet deal for state taxpayers or Scott donor giveaway?

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:25 EDT

Critics see political donations and heavy lobbying by Heritage Property and Casualty as evidence that Citizens Property and Gov. Rick Scott are tapping the insurer’s $6.4 billion surplus for special giveaways to politically-connected companies.

Senate president, House speaker tout legislative accomplishments during tour

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:37 EDT

Senate President Don Gaetz and House Speaker Will Weatherford hit the road to highlight what they see as success stories of their joint legislative agenda and the 2013 state budget.

Gov. Rick Scott signs elections bill to fix long voter lines

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:01 EDT

Gov. Rick Scott completed Florida’s election law about-face, signing a bill to reverse changes to early voting laws.

'Dead zones' predicted for Gulf, Chesapeake Bay

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 19:49 EDT

Scientists in Michigan and Louisiana are predicting a big summer "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico unless a tropical storm hits the area shortly before or during the annual measurement. In the Chesapeake Bay, scientists expect a smaller-than-average area where there's too little oxygen to support fish, shellfish and other aquatic life.

More AP classes could cost districts millions

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 18:19 EDT

County school superintendents told the state Board of Education on Tuesday that a recent legislative bill allowing high school students to take as many advanced placement courses as they can handle will cost districts millions of dollars that their budgets can't support.

French company coming to Florida

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:24 EDT

A French company is expanding its operations in Florida.

US military deaths in Afghanistan at 2,103

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:19 EDT

As of Tuesday, June 18, 2013, at least 2,103 members of the U.S. military had died in Afghanistan as a result of the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, according to an Associated Press count.

5 things to know in Florida for June 19

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:19 EDT

Your daily look at news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today.