MiamiHerald.com: Florida

Sixty panties plucked from Victoria’s Secret

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 09:20 EST

Lingerie thieves seem to have a thing for Victoria's Secret.

Neighbor targeting drug dealers mistakenly threatens undercover detectives

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 08:54 EST

A man who said he was fed up with drug dealers hanging out in his neighborhood took matters into his own hands.

Razor-shopping brawl empties chaotic Walmart

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 08:13 EST

You would think buying a pack of razors would be easy, a quick in-and-out at Walmart.

Lawmakers cast symbolic vote for Haitians

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:35 EST

The Florida Senate departed from its relative silence on immigration issues Monday, passing a memorial that encourages the federal government to ease travel restrictions for Haitians looking to come to the United States.

Hallandale Beach paper shows way to make easy money

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:22 EST

Money problems have pretty much flummoxed the newspaper industry. Corporate executives spend a lot of time obsessing over various strategies to recapture lost revenues. I worry about Strategy Number 17, which entails columnists in sandwich boards.

Connie Mack talks ‘thugocrats,’ touts top congressional support in Hialeah

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:58 EST

Senate candidate Connie Mack touts the support of Miami’s top Republican Hispanic leaders, who credit him for leading the congressional charge against Honduras’ former president.

Fla. hearing impaired phone service deal approved

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:10 EST

The Public Service Commission has awarded a contract to AT&T Corp. to provide telephone service for nearly 3 million hearing and speech impaired Floridians.

Fla Senate wants fast-track for some Haitian visas

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:05 EST

The Florida Senate wants the Obama administration to fast-track visas for Haitians waiting to join relatives in the U.S.

Authorities searching for missing plane in Miss.

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:50 EST

Authorities are searching for a small plane that may have gone down in Mississippi.

Fla. inmate rehabilitation bill hits funding snag

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:40 EST

A bill that would shorten the sentences of a small number of low-level felons has hit a snag.

Florida PSC approves Gulf Power rate reduction

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:45 EST

Gulf Power Co. rates are going down at least for a while.

Miami federal judge likely to be confirmed, but in messy process

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:29 EST

The judicial nomination of Adalberto Jose Jordan is being held up in the Senate over a dispute involving other nominees by the Obama administration.

Suspect caught taking chicken-wing grease from restaurant

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:09 EST

Grease was the word for a burglary suspect on the Space Coast.

With fishing champ’s shooting, two families changed forever

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:26 EST

If only life were as easy to stop and start as the security-camera video at the Alabama Georgia Grocery Store.

State Sen. Gary Siplin: political survivor in state capitol

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 00:06 EST

State Sen. Gary Siplin is a Democrat who cuts deals with Republicans and brings home dollars for his inner-city Orlando district. He’s a political survivor — and has never lost an election.

Fla. authorities find 2 missing Michigan kids safe

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 22:22 EST

Western Michigan authorities say two young children whose father failed to drop them off with their mother have been found safe in Key West, Fla.

Couple charged with disaster-relief fraud

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:20 EST

The South Florida couple stole identities to file bogus reimbursement claims for natural disasters from North Dakota’s flooding to the BP oil spill, federal prosecutors say.

Filmmaker casts at-risk youths in movies shot in Palm Beach County

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 18:37 EST

Gary Davis’ latest movie, ‘The Detective Story,’ will premiere Monday in Boynton Beach, and then be available for sale on DVD.

Obama’s reversal of fortune

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:55 EST

Despite Obama’s vow, the 1 percent will fuel campaign

Schools sniffing around for new tax revenue

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 21:08 EST

Money for buildings is a major issue for South Florida’s public school districts. In Miami-Dade, the School Board is looking for new revenue sources, such as a sales surtax.

Tallahassee tax cuts put squeeze on cities

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:19 EST

As the Florida Legislature pushes business-friendly tax cuts, local governments are being left with the bill, with billions of dollars slashed from their bottom lines.

Bill to make USF Polytechnic state’s 12th university draws debate

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:42 EST

Lawmakers are crafting legislation to split the Lakeland campus of the University of South Florida into the state’s 12th university, but at least one member of the Board of Governors is raising questions about the proposal.

Capitol Buzz: Quiet day expected in Tallahassee

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 06:00 EST

It’s a light-day at the Capitol: Both the House and the Senate are not in session, and there are no scheduled committee meetings.

Before the ink dries on Florida’s redistricting maps, lawsuits fly

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:49 EST

Moments after legislators take the final vote in their congressional and legislative maps, the Democratic Party and a coalition of voters groups file lawsuits.

Capitol Buzz: Housing and school bus ads are topics of debate

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:00 EST

Catholics Days continues at the Capitol, culminating with Red Mass of the Holy Spirit program at 6 p.m. Note: It’s also Caribbean Heritage Day.

Paranoia is justified on charter-school bill

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:00 EST

In their despair, people who care deeply about public education in Florida sometimes get a little carried away.

Former state Sen. Mandy Dawson to plead guilty to income tax evasion

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00 EST

Former Broward state Sen. Mandy Dawson plans to plead guilty in a federal case that accuses her of income tax evasion, according to court records filed Monday.

Miami-Dade college president deems budget allocation process unfair

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:26 EST

The House budget proposal includes special allocations for a trio of colleges in north and central Florida.

Gov. Scott’s Facebook page draws praise and protests

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:58 EST

Gov. Rick Scott’s Facebook page is intriguing because the comments to a question about the Florida Legislature provides a snapshot of a divided state.

Bills to revamp high school sports spark debate

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:27 EST

A pair of proposals would dramatically change the structure of high school sports in Florida.

Legislators reject attempt to clarify state’s regulation of slot machines

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:49 EST

While holes in state gambling laws threaten payments from the Seminoles, legislators rejected regulators’ bid for more powers.

Ex-South Florida politician to plead guilty to tax charges in federal corruption probe

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:52 EST

Former Fort Lauderdale legislator Mandy Dawson will plead guilty to tax-evasion charges stemming from secret payments she received from a Hollywood doctor at the center of a federal corruption probe.

Armed suspect shot, killed by South Fla. deputy

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 05:45 EST

A Broward County Sheriff's deputy shot and killed an armed suspect in Pompano Beach.

Florida only state in US with an official chef

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 03:20 EST

The air in the parking lot of Orlando's Citrus Bowl smells like fresh cut oranges, shrimp and barbecue. A crowd has gathered before the game around a guy in a black chef's coat. A camera crew orbits as he sets some shrimp and star melon kebabs on the grill with a flourish.

40 couples plan to marry at West Palm Beach event

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 03:10 EST

Dozens of South Florida couples are planning to tie the knot in a Valentine's Day ceremony in West Palm Beach.

Fla. House panel to take up claims bills on Friday

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 03:10 EST

Florida House leaders are planning a committee hearing Friday to consider two claims bills being pushed by Senate President Mike Haridopolos.

Revised Italian cruise lawsuit adds new plaintiffs

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 03:10 EST

A revised lawsuit has been filed in Miami adding more plaintiffs and claims that seek millions of dollars in damages in last month's Italian cruise ship disaster.

Condo officers get prison for theft

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 03:10 EST

Two former officers of a southwest Florida condo association are going to prison for embezzling more than $290,000 from fellow residents.

Bishops wants condemned man spared

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 03:10 EST

Roman Catholic bishops in Florida are asking Rick Scott to stop an execution set for Wednesday.

Flight delayed after strange odor in airplane

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:50 EST

Officials say a Southwest Airlines flight was delayed at Orlando International Airport because of a strange odor in the galley.