Angry city manager can laugh all the way to the bank

May 20, 2013

Like sports coaches, city managers are hired to get fired. And they usually leave laughing all the way to the bank, like ex-Miramar manager Robert Payton, who quit earlier this year and left with a total benefits package worth $2.4 million.

Arena deal keeps tilting in Panthers' favor

May 19, 2013

Now that the Dolphins’ request for public money to renovate their private stadium has been shot down, team officials have hinted they would be open to moving to some imagined new home in Palm Beach County.

FAU president's resignation no surprise

May 15, 2013

Given the semester from hell she just endured, it's not surprising that Florida Atlantic University president Mary Jane Saunders quit this week.

Wave of discontent brewing over special tax for Fort Lauderdale streetcar

May 13, 2013

The proposed Wave electric streetcar in Fort Lauderdale is triggering a wave of discontent among some residents who might be forced to pay a special tax to fund it — $99 a year for 25 years.

In Florida, insurance is a game we can't win

May 11, 2013

To get a sense of how much Floridians pay insurance companies every year, consider this: The state's upcoming annual budget is $74.3 billion. Insurance coverage costs us more: roughly $112 billion and rising, according to state figures.

More questions at FAU, another trial for John Goodman

May 8, 2013

Forget the clowns, send in the headlines!

Broward 911 consolidation has a big hole in the middle

May 8, 2013

Twenty bucks a year is a small price to pay for long-awaited regionalization of 911 calls in Broward.

Arrogant Dolphins lose $4.8 million bet on stadium rehab effort

May 6, 2013

The Miami Dolphins gambled big — and lost — that they could rush a complicated political effort to get public funding for their private stadium renovation.

Parents get solace through scholarship tribute to son

May 4, 2013

It is their way of remembering, of keeping their son's legacy alive.

Laws won't stop texting and driving, but maybe Big Brother can

May 1, 2013

After some late squabbling, it looks like a watered-down bill to ban texting while driving will finally pass the Florida Legislature and go to Gov. Scott for approval.

Broward state senator steps into minefield with prospective job

April 29, 2013

There's legal, there's ethical, and there's what's right. The concepts are not the same, at least not under the loose guidelines for Florida legislators, which is why I get nervous when politicians start walking a tightrope between their public roles and private ventures.

As Legislature limps to close, prepare for pain and little gain

April 27, 2013

Whenever I watch the Florida Legislature in action, I usually feel like hurling fruits, vegetables or footwear. So it's a good thing I no longer go to Tallahassee for the final week. Now I follow through the magic of the Internet, and it's much safer for all involved, except my poor computer screen.

Is justice served with Wasserman-Rubin deal?

April 24, 2013

The takeaway from Diana Wasserman-Rubin's misdemeanor plea deal: Crime pays, especially for politicians who abuse the public trust. Broward State Attorney Mike Satz and his corruption prosecutors took pity on a woman ravaged by illness, rolling over when they could have rolled the dice on a trial. And the Miami-Dade judge assigned to the case crossed a line with pre-trial comments that he wouldn't send the former Broward County commissioner to prison even if a jury found her guilty of five felony charges.

Would hotel ruin vibe at Morikami Gardens?

April 24, 2013

I love the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens near Delray Beach. I love the peace and tranquillity. I love the rock gardens and rustling bamboo. I love the turtles and koi. But I don't know if I love this idea about bringing a five-star hotel and spa to the 170-acre park.

Ex-Miramar cop drew paid leave while losing Caravella lawsuit

April 22, 2013

While George Pierson was attending — and losing — a civil trial for framing a mentally challenged teen, the former Miramar police detective was drawing a full paycheck from his current government employer, Citrus County.

An obit for a local news seller, and an ode to the local paper

April 21, 2013

Newspapers ran through Roni Frye's blood, first as a linotype operator at papers in her native Ohio, then as the owner of MacCarthy's, a Fort Lauderdale newsstand on Las Olas Boulevard (next to The Floridian diner) that she ran for nearly three decades.

An obit for a local news seller, and an ode to the local paper

April 20, 2013

Grief-stricken Marine's dad becomes rescuer in marathon bombings

April 16, 2013

In 2004, when he learned of his son Alexander's death in Iraq, Carlos Arredondo was so distraught he torched a Marine van and set himself on fire outside his Hollywood home. The Marines saved him.

At Boston Marathon finish, a dreadful feeling returns

April 15, 2013

Terrorism returned to domestic soil on Monday, and a horrified nation watched.

Housing recovery could be blown away by insurance bill

April 13, 2013

South Florida homeowners, beware. Whether you are insured with a private carrier or state-run Citizens, property insurance rates might be headed through the roof. A consumer-unfriendly bill sailing through the Legislature (SB1770) is poised to wreak havoc on wallets, and could blow away our fragile real estate recovery.

True cost of Dolphins stadium deal hardly seems worth it

April 10, 2013

If I gave a sports team $379 million over the next 30 years, and the team repaid $167 million in 2044, with dollars devalued by inflation, would you consider that a good deal?

John Goodman deserves new DUI trial, thanks to reckless juror

April 10, 2013

This pains me to say, but millionaire Wellington polo magnate John Goodman deserves a new trial.

Seniors get caught in latest Florida gambling fight

April 8, 2013

Rita Coleman sat in her usual comfy chair at her usual video terminal at Johnny's Rec Room in Pompano Beach on Monday, but there was something unusual perched near her screen. It was an envelope addressed to Florida governor Rick Scott, containing a four-page handwritten letter.

Can Anthony Caravella ever get true justice?

April 6, 2013

Anthony Caravella spent nearly 26 years in prison for a 1983 murder he didn't commit. He can't get that time back. But a federal jury ruled Caravella should get $7 million from two former Miramar cops who railroaded him.

FAU president says she's 'totally secure' in job

April 3, 2013

Florida Atlantic University president Mary Jane Saunders said she's heard the same refrain from a lot of friends and supporters over the past few turbulent weeks: This too shall pass.

Is it right for Broward Health to pay for Dolphins QB?

April 1, 2013

Compared with most NFL quarterback deals, this is chump change: Three years for $331,000.

A supreme injustice if same-sex couples don't get full equality

March 30, 2013

Michael Gallacher got married in New York last year. It was a small ceremony, in Madison Square Park.

How low can FAU go? A satirical look ahead

March 27, 2013

The stomp on Jesus controversy. The Owlcatraz stadium/GEO Group sponsorship controversy. The Sandy Hook massacre-doubting-professor controversy. Think things can't get any worse at Florida Atlantic University? Here's how: An exclusive sneak peek at President Mary Jane Saunders' (imaginary) calendar for, yes, April 1.

Model Seder shows common ground between blacks, Jews

March 22, 2013

This was an unusual sight, a group of black foster teens eating matzoh, singing Passover songs and reciting the Four Questions.

What do you call a church teacher who looks at scantily clad kids?

March 20, 2013

What do you call someone who apparently gets his jollies viewing scantily clad young girls posed provocatively?

Will Fort Lauderdale's Wave streetcar be a wipeout?

March 20, 2013

As a New Yorker who grew up riding subways, I'm all for mass transit. But the proposed Wave electric streetcar in downtown Fort Lauderdale sounds more like a massive boondoggle: A light rail loop that will go virtually nowhere and carry almost nobody, on tracks that will traverse crowded downtown streets. I can't wait for the inevitable car vs. streetcar collisions.

All jokes aside, it's time to get serious about legalizing marijuana

March 18, 2013

Now that longtime activist and irreverent Fort Lauderdale attorney Norm Kent has become leader of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, what should we call him?

Water Taxi firing shows perils of civic engagement

March 16, 2013

Truth be told, I don't care much about a big old rain tree in Fort Lauderdale that's stirring controversy because it might be moved — and perhaps mortally harmed — for a new condo development. If I cried for every fallen tree or lost patch of wetlands in South Florida, I'd be drowning in tears and antidepressants.

Apathy the biggest winner in March local elections

March 13, 2013

Is it better to get lost in a crowd or be alone in a wilderness?

Apathy the biggest winner in March local elections

March 13, 2013

Is it better to get lost in a crowd or be alone in a wilderness?

It's 'text ban lite,' but it's a start

March 11, 2013

Florida is one of only five states that doesn't restrict texting while driving, but that could soon change.

City branding efforts seem a waste of good money

March 9, 2013

If newspapers go the way of bottled milk and cloth diapers, I think I've figured out a Plan B: City slogans.

Will Chavez's death hasten Castro regime's demise?

March 7, 2013

Hasta la vista, Chavez.

Legislature 2013: Expect more pain, little gain for South Florida

March 2, 2013

Uh-oh, hide the kids and grandma. The Florida Legislature is set to begin its annual 60-day session.

Don't ban pit bulls, take bite out of irresponsible dog owners

February 27, 2013

In the end, a bid to ban pit bulls in Broward was all bark and no bite.

FAU fumbles stadium name deal with prison operator GEO Group

February 25, 2013

The protesters came to deliver a petition opposing Florida Atlantic University's $6 million stadium name deal with private prison operator GEO Group. They were told FAU President Mary Jane Saunders wasn't available to see them.

Legislature should tweak, not scrap, red-light cameras

February 23, 2013

Three years after Florida lawmakers gave cities the green light to use red-light cameras, the Legislature might scrap the controversial ticketing program.

If Allen West could teach in Broward schools, surely he can speak

February 20, 2013

You know what's wrong with Allen West giving a talk to a Broward school district advisory group this weekend? Nothing.

FAU stadium deal with prison company GEO Group is odd way to feather nest

February 20, 2013

My first reaction when I heard Boca Raton-based GEO Group was paying $6 million for stadium naming rights to Florida Atlantic University: A prison company sponsoring a college football stadium? Wouldn't the University of Miami Hurricanes be a better fit?

Rubio's claim about 'working-class neighborhood' holds water

February 16, 2013

Fittingly, when I went to check out Marco Rubio's neighborhood on Friday, there was water — water everywhere. Water falling from the sky, water in the senator's pool, water collecting in puddles on the street.

Loki Boy gone, but housing bubble fallout remains

February 13, 2013

Loki Boy is gone, off to make rap videos, but the empty mansion he left behind on Golden Harbour Drive in Boca Raton remains.

Should Pembroke Pines charters get money from Broward school kitty?

February 13, 2013

Unhappy with the funding it gets for upkeep of its city-run charter school system, Pembroke Pines wants to change state law to compel the Broward school district to share some property tax revenue.

Dear Legislature: Please sink Dolphins' $90 million stadium gift

February 11, 2013

The Dolphins are moving quickly to raid the public till for improvements to their private stadium, and the part that I can't get past — the part that strikes me as most perverse — is a $90 million state tax subsidy.

Windstorm rates could get blown up, up and away

February 9, 2013

An ill wind is blowing from Tallahassee, and that means South Florida homeowners better batten down their wallets.

It's time for Boy Scouts to end outdated ban on gays

February 6, 2013

Just when it looked like the Boy Scouts of America would finally join the 21st century and end its longstanding ban against gays, it punted on the issue.

Repeat cancer patient Lainie Jones fights rare disorder with humor

February 4, 2013

How does somebody fight a one-in-a-million genetic disorder that makes a new cancer diagnosis almost as common as an annual bout with the flu?

Rapid-fire bursts on Rick Ross, Marino and the Rothsteins

February 2, 2013

Ho-hum, just another week in South Florida. We had: Bullets over Las Olas, a "love child" scandal involving Dolphins legend Dan Marino and more fallout in the Scott Rothstein Ponzi saga. Quick hits for Super Sunday (my tip: bet on Harbaugh)…

Boca mansion squatter Loki Boy – folk hero or villain?

January 30, 2013

Talk about disappointing. I went to check out Loki Boy's crib – the $2.5 million Boca Raton foreclosed mansion invaded by 23-year-old Brazilian squatter Andre Barbosa – and the waterfront pool deck was empty.

South Florida gay community thrilled by Obama's speech

January 26, 2013

When he heard the president's words last Monday, Norm Kent said he jumped out of his chair and threw up his right fist as if "Giancarlo Stanton had just hit a home run in the bottom of the ninth for the Marlins."

FAU takes heat for professor's Sandy Hook comments

January 23, 2013

James Tracy still has a job at Florida Atlantic University, FAU media relations director Lisa Metcalf said Wednesday.

Parking at home shouldn't bring tow — or death

January 23, 2013

Two nuisances of South Florida life — nitpicking condo/homeowner associations and overzealous towing companies — collided to produce a senseless tragedy last week. Elias Konwufine, 39, died after he tried to stop his car from being towed from in front of his Lauderhill home.

Explaining Obama's second inaugural to a first-grader

January 21, 2013

A letter to my daughter, Natalia:

At Margate mosque, hugs for freed imam Izhar Khan

January 19, 2013

As a long line of worshippers took turns hugging Izhar Khan upon his return to the Jamaat Al-Mumineen mosque in Margate on Friday, friends and supporters marveled at the imam's grace and composure. After being jailed for nearly two years on terrorism support charges that were tossed by a federal judge last week, Khan showed no trace of bitterness, just relief.

Matt Recchi returns to South Florida after brain injury

January 16, 2013

Tina Recchi leaned over the bed, stroked her son's face and told him how handsome he is.

Dolphins fish for public money, but will South Florida bite?

January 14, 2013

The Miami Dolphins have gone fishing again, seeking as much as $187 million in public money to refurbish their private stadium, and the bait is on the hook. Super Bowls! College football championship games! A new big-time international soccer event during summer's dog days! Tourists! Jobs! Purported economic benefit for the whole South Florida region!

After Newtown massacre, Fort Lauderdale gun show does bang-up business

January 12, 2013

Christopher Smith, 21, of Pembroke Pines, and I were among thousands who attended Saturday's opening of a two-day gun show at the Fort Lauderdale War Memorial Auditorium. As we waited with hundreds in line along the frontage road in Holiday Park, a steady stream of private dealers offered weapons and ammunition.

Red-light camera fight ends with hasty dismissal

January 9, 2013

When Danny Murphy received a red-light camera ticket for a slow-rolling right turn at a Boca Raton intersection in June, he decided to fight. After six months and two trips to the Delray Beach courthouse, he got justice Wednesday.

Lauderdale County sounds good, but many stuck on Broward

January 7, 2013

Should Broward County change its name to Lauderdale County?

With or without big games, South Florida is big time

January 5, 2013

The man who lives in the waterfront Fort Lauderdale home where Alabama/ex-Dolphins coach Nick Saban once lived doesn't particularly care who wins Monday's college championship matchup between Alabama and Notre Dame.

Jurors say Atkins-Grad shouldn't return to politics

January 2, 2013

Two jurors who acquitted Tamarac commissioner Patricia Atkins-Grad of corruption charges last month say they had reasonable doubt about her guilt, but both had the same advice for her: Give up politics.

What's in store for '13? A look ahead at another scary year

December 31, 2012

Happy New Year! We've survived the Y2K bug and the Mayan end of the world, but get ready for the scariest year of the new millennium, at least if you've got triskaidekaphobia. For those who fear the number 13, you might want to stay under the covers this Thursday (1/3/13) and on the year's two Friday the 13ths (September and December.)

Memories of 2012: Long voting lines, too many gun tragedies

December 29, 2012

A simmering rage was building, with South Florida rallies featuring celebrities wearing hoodies and high school kids holding up bags of Skittles. This was a month after Miami-Dade high school student Trayvon Martin was killed in Central Florida by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman, before Zimmerman had been charged with second-degree murder by a special prosecutor. The case sparked a huge national debate over race, profiling, vigilantism, guns and Florida's Stand Your Ground Law.

Sun Sentinel Children's Fund: Family Central helps single mom and kids through challenges

December 24, 2012

It's not easy being a single mother with two kids, trying to make it on a minimum-wage, fast-food job. But Rochelle Thompson keeps at it. The way she sees it, she doesn't have a choice.

NRA shoots self with brazen response to Sandy Hook

December 22, 2012

Dear NRA,

Home for the holidays: Convicted killers Goodman, LeVin

December 19, 2012

It's not just Wellington polo magnate John Goodman who'll be home for the holidays. Ryan LeVin, another notorious South Florida deadly driver, has been allowed to travel to his wealthy family's suburban Chicago estate to be with his ailing father.

After Newtown massacre, business as usual at South Florida gun ranges

December 17, 2012

On its website, Big Al's Gun and Pawn calls its indoor shooting facility "18 lanes of air-conditioned fun for the whole family." Before noon Monday, the second-floor gun range was hopping.

Sandy Hook school massacre an assault on all of us

December 14, 2012

Forget about why. Right now, the question bothering me most is "How?"

Florida's new formula for rating teachers makes Einstein's theory look simple

December 12, 2012

How can teacher greatness be measured?

FCAT mania: Evaluating to the test irks teachers

December 9, 2012

How absurd is Florida's new teacher evaluation system, which rates teacher effectiveness based on student standardized test results? In at least two cases, a school's "Teacher of the Year" has been given a subpar rating, threatening their jobs.

No more Rilyas? Maybe, with more volunteer advocates

December 1, 2012

Would Rilya Wilson still be around if she had a volunteer advocate, known as a guardian ad litem, looking out for her?

Tough month for Brenda Snipes, but she's no Miriam Oliphant

November 29, 2012

This has been a tough month for the Broward Elections office, with hiccups at nearly every step of the voting process, but let's keep things in perspective.

Elections chief Susan Bucher had bumps but no butterfly ballots

November 28, 2012

It's been a rough month for Palm Beach County Election Supervisor Susan Bucher, but let's look at the bright side: No butterfly ballots.

Election 2000 recount images endure: 'A piece of Americana'

November 24, 2012

The iconic images of the 2000 recount made a comeback this month, as Florida again had its share of Election Day woes and became a national punchline. The old photos popped up on "The Daily Show" and national newscasts: a balding middle-aged man, eyes bulging as he inspects a punch-card ballot.

Black Friday threatens to swallow Thanksgiving whole

November 21, 2012

The War on Christmas is fiction, but the War on Thanksgiving is real. Crazy consumerism is attacking the spirit of the holiday, with stores opening — and shoppers stampeding — earlier and earlier on Thursday, before ovens cool and the pumpkin pie is cut. Black Friday keeps creeping forward, threatening to swallow Turkey Day whole.

Allen West's legacy: Recounts for everyone!

November 19, 2012

First, when redistricting made his re-election a challenge, Congressman Allen West fled from Broward County. Now, after the votes from his new turf have been counted and partially recounted, West is taking flight from reality.

Night on pavement shows solidarity with homeless

November 16, 2012

Here we were, a crew of 19 temporarily homeless, bedding down for the night in a Fort Lauderdale parking lot. By day we are lawyers, executives, entrepreneurs — and a journalist.

Red-light camera fight filled with frustrating speed bumps

November 14, 2012

What's it like trying to fight a red-light camera ticket? Frustrating.

The rocker, the rich guy and the new sheriff in town

November 12, 2012

What do a former Aerosmith guitarist and a Massachusetts construction magnate have to do with Scott Israel's surprise win over incumbent Al Lamberti for Broward Sheriff? A lot, as it turns out.

A few ways to fix Florida's troubled election system

November 10, 2012

Leave it to Flori-duh to come up with a new level of election dysfunction, and a new head-scratching phrase to boot. In 2000, we had "hanging chad" and "butterfly ballots." This year, thanks to a lawsuit spawned by ridiculously long early voting lines, we had "in-person absentee voting."

Bad night for blowhards, good night for revenge

November 7, 2012

Donald Trump says he wants a revolution. Well, you know, maybe he can fire the first shot with a 3-wood from his West Palm Beach country club.

Despite obstacles, Florida voters pour it on early

November 5, 2012

Good for you, Florida voters. Despite hurdles and cutbacks to early voting, you dug in and made yourselves heard.

First-time South Florida voters fired up to have their say

November 3, 2012

When she landed at the Atlanta airport 10 years ago, Layla Nash remembers how an immigration officer stamped her Russian passport and warmly said, "Welcome to the United States."

In wake of Sandy, will national disaster fund sprout?

October 31, 2012

After the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the unifying cry across America was: "We are all New Yorkers."

Homeowner dilemma: Citizens Insurance or private upstarts?

October 29, 2012

Thousands of South Florida homeowners face a daunting choice on Nov. 6. Obama-Romney? Nah. I'm talking property insurance.

Allen West in political dogfight against newcomer Patrick Murphy

October 26, 2012

It has become one of the nastiest, costliest and most crucial Congressional battles in the country, and it features two candidates who moved up the South Florida coast from Broward to the redrawn 18th U.S. House district in northern Palm Beach, Martin and St. Lucie counties.

South Florida voters need patience, perseverance

October 24, 2012

If this year's presidential election were "Sesame Street," the debates would have been brought to us by the letter B. Big Bird, Binders, and Bayonets were the buzzwords that ruled the Obama-Romney clashes, which concluded Monday in Boca Raton.

Rematch in Broward Sheriff's race getting nasty

October 22, 2012

Two Bronx boys are battling again for Broward Sheriff, and the rematch between Republican incumbent Al Lamberti and Democratic challenger Scott Israel has all the charm of a Bronx cheer.

Have no fear, Part 2 of my amendment guide is here

October 21, 2012

The Florida Legislature has bogged down this year's ballot with 11 proposed constitutional amendments, so dense and confounding they have even the most sophisticated voters scratching their heads.

Will Lynn's moment in spotlight leave lasting mark?

October 19, 2012

To see how fleeting the fame of hosting a presidential debate can be, I went to Lynn University on Friday and asked a dozen amped-up students a simple question: Could they name a debate site from the last election cycle of 2008? Blank stares. Then I asked if anybody remembered the small school that hosted the vice-presidential debate earlier this month. More stares. (You can find the answers below.)

Politicizing Florida's Supreme Court bad news for justice

October 17, 2012

Not many voters could name a sitting Florida Supreme Court justice or probably even tell you how many there are overall (seven). That's a good thing. The Court does its business professionally and capably, and even during the charged 2000 election recount, its heart seemed in the right place (let's count every vote accurately) and escaped with its reputation intact.

Is living with your girlfriend really a crime?

October 15, 2012

When you hear about South Florida politicians breaking the law, the allegations usually involve kickbacks or bribes, cash in a doggie bag or a new car in the garage. But living with your girlfriend?

Have no fear, my guide to amendments is here

October 13, 2012

Usually the question I hear most is, "Do you miss sports?" Around election time it becomes, "What the heck are all these amendments on the ballot?"

Who's looking out for homeowners as private insurers take over Citizens policies?

October 10, 2012

It can easily be mistaken for junk mail, a thin envelope from an insurance company that's not your own.

Remembering 'Miss Eve,' a crossing guard who made a mark

October 8, 2012

Time for a break from mud-slinging political campaigns, endless South Florida corruption trials and a Parkland high school's tempest over a cheerleading coach's removal. Today, from another corner of Parkland, a story that restores your faith in community.

Mother of Scott Rothstein's daughter: 'He left us high and dry'

February 6, 2010

The letter from Scott Rothstein arrived a few weeks ago, just before he pleaded guilty in federal court to running a $1.2 billion Ponzi scheme.

Picking on the carcass of Rothstein's fallen firm

January 23, 2010

A prominent Miami builder, a Broward circuit judge and the daughter of former Florida Gov. Lawton Chiles were among the winning bidders who hauled off relics of Scott Rothstein's collapsed law firm at a bankruptcy auction held Saturday.

Charities may have to give back money, cut programs, jobs

November 25, 2009

Before the Thanksgiving feast, more Scott Rothstein tidbits and giblets:

With gifts like luxury cars and homes, were Rothstein's associates blinded by the flash?

November 8, 2009

In the months before his world crumbled, Scott Rothstein gave a Ferrari to Stu Rosenfeldt, the founding partner in his law firm. He also deeded a $475,000 house in Weston to Debra Villegas, his longtime assistant, for $100, county records show.

Badge of dishonor: Hollywood script gets harder to believe

July 31, 2009

If these were criminals planning a heist, we'd be ridiculing their stupidity and brazenness. After all, who cooks up crimes on audiotape?

Is Tri-Rail taking us for a ride?

June 3, 2009

As we waited for the 1 p.m. northbound train at the Fort Lauderdale Airport station Wednesday, Marvin Melvin told me how close he was to breaking his Tri-Rail habit.

Senator Crist? 'People's governor' pulls a fast one

May 13, 2009

You can just imagine the campaign zingers coming soon from Charlie Crist's opponents:

Mayor's antics detract from valid issues raised

July 19, 2007

Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jim Naugle has turned out to be a prophet. Many members of the local gay community aren't very happy at the moment. But their grumpiness has nothing to do with their sexuality. It has everything to do with the flippant ignorance of the man who's supposed to be a leader.A few weeks ago, Naugle made an off-handed remark to my colleague Brittany Wallman that he doesn't call homosexuals "gay" because most "aren't happy." A group of protesters came to City Hall on Tuesday and demanded an apology.

Mayor ought to get his mind out of the outhouse

July 10, 2007

The toilet roll arrived in the mail at Fort Lauderdale City Hall on Monday, its first sheet inscribed with the message: "His Honor -Jim Naugel [sic]. From a very happy homosexual professional & voter. Bye! Steve."Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jim Naugle, who loves saying outrageous things for maximum effect, has stepped in it again.

Spectator fee would put Air & Sea Show on solid ground

March 4, 2004

I've always had mixed feelings about the Air & Sea Show. On the one hand, I'm not a big fan of war weapon fetishism. On the other, watching those military jets swoop down so low and loud that the afterburners rattle your beer, warm your cheeks and drown out the whoops of 100,000 neighbors on the beach is just plain cool.