Broward

South Florida Watchdog Report Publisher Dan Ricker

Joseph Cooper, Bonnie Berman and Paul Leary — Mon, 20 May 2013 17:00:00 +0000

05/20/13 - Monday’s Topical Currents is with contributor Dan Ricker, publisher of the weekly Watchdog Report. Ricker celebrates the 14^th anniversary of his independent internet news publication. We’ll touch on many issues, including Miami-Dade’s dither over water and sewer infrastructure upgrades, as well as the Miami Dolphin’s loss of millions in the stadium upgrade debacle. And though proceeds would benefit charity, would you pay to see the middle-aged Mayors of Hialeah and Miami Lakes face-off in a boxing match? That’s Topical Currents at 1pm on WLRN-HD1 rebroadcast at 7pm on WLRN-HD2 and audio on-demand after the live program.

Hit Us With Your Best Block

Marva Hinton — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 22:01:39 +0000

WLRN’s search for South Florida’s best block continues.

WLRN, the Miami Herald, the Townhouse Center and the Knight Foundation have joined forces to identify and celebrate the most vibrant city streets in South Florida.

So what does it take to be a best block?

“We’re trying to focus on areas where there’s mixed-use type buildings, where you might have a restaurant at the bottom floor, maybe some living spaces above it,” said Debra Acosta, a multimedia producer for the Miami Herald.

Drinks For All, And For More Hours, In Oakland Park

Kenny Malone — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 14:00:00 +0000

Yesterday was a big day for bars and restaurants in Oakland Park. After a unanimous commission vote last week, the city lifted its law prohibiting the sale of alcohol between 7 a.m. and noon on Sunday mornings.

Oakland Park is the latest in a string of cities (including Fort Lauderdale, Margate and Deerfield Beach) to repeal their so called "blue laws.”

Hooligans Rule!

You can make an argument that Oakland Park’s blue law repeal started with a group of English hooligans who wanted to watch their European soccer matches.

Young Musicians Band Together Against Anti-Gay Bullying

Christine DiMattei — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 11:30:00 +0000

The stands in front of the teenagers’ chairs hold the same sheet music – the theme to “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” But each of the young musicians has a different story to tell about anti-gay bullying.

Like the bi-sexual flutist, who says she’s pretty much been bullied all her life.

And the gay saxophonist, who describes how it “really gets to you inside and sometimes you start believing what people are saying.”

Even the heterosexual clarinetist is not immune. She feels too many of her classmates use the word “gay” to describe something bad.

Basel Leaves Brushstrokes On Broward Art World

Christine DiMattei — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 21:22:40 +0000

While Art Basel takes Miami by storm, the feeder bands have already reached the fine arts community in Broward County.

Pompano Beach gallery owner Tom Rossetti says he is readily jumping aboard the Art Basel bandwagon by launching his second annual "Basel Broward" event this week.

Rossetti started calling for artist entries for Basel Broward about six weeks ago.

Remembering Jaco Pastorius, Part Two: Class In Session

Christine DiMattei — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 13:30:00 +0000

Just two blocks west of Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale, progressive metal band Neolythyc is rehearsing in a cramped, dark, converted garage. The rehearsal space is just a stone's-throw from Holiday Park, the last known address of jazz legend Jaco Pastorius.

The four members of Neolythyc are all 17 years old, born nearly a decade after Pastorius's death in 1987. But bass player Jerry Caceres refers to Jaco as "one of the old homies from down the block."

Remembering Jaco Pastorius, Part One: A Walk in the Park

Christine DiMattei — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 13:15:00 +0000

Forty-five-year-old Tammy Goss is sitting on a park bench in a small patch of green wedged between Dixie Highway and the FEC railroad tracks. Staring down from the southeast wall of the corner community center is a huge blue-toned mural of a man's face, his fingers curled around an electric bass guitar. She knows his name.

“Jaco Pastorius, I think,” says Goss.

But that's all she really knows about John Francis Pastorius III.

Local Group Goes To Great Lengths To Preserve Historic Broward County Home

Arianna Prothero — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 13:10:00 +0000

Broward residents are reclaiming a little bit of county history. The nearly 100-year-old Sample-McDougald House is opening to the public this weekend.

The house has 17 rooms and a two-story wrap-around porch. It's considered a colonial revival-- an architectural style that became popular following the United States' centennial.

The newly minted museum has had a long journey to its new home in Pompano Beach.

One In Five Floridians On Food Stamps

Kenny Malone — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 19:53:35 +0000

One in five Floridians - about 3.6 million - is receiving food stamp benefits and the number is rising in South Florida, according to new data released by the state..

NEWSCAST: Broward Joins Miami-Dade With Final Vote Tally

WLRN-Miami Herald News — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 13:45:49 +0000

Broward has joined Miami Dade in wrapping up its final vote count.

How To Build A Voting Bloc

Arianna Prothero — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 13:32:00 +0000

During election season, we tend to hear a lot about the Cuban vote or the Jewish vote. Both are powerful voting blocs that attract the attention—and promises—of politicians.

A young Brazilian community organizer has his eye on what he hopes will become another voting bloc.

Jonathan Rodrigues lives in Pompano Beach and volunteers at the Brazilian Community Center in Deerfield Beach. He got his undergraduate degree at the University of Chicago and spent much of his time there thinking about home—studying South Florida's Brazilian population and considering his own role in that communtity .

Rodrigues is a first-generation Brazilian American. “Historically that first generation is the generation that propels the community forward into civic engagement,” he said.

According to the American Community Survey by the U.S. Census, there are an estimated 21,000 Brazilians living in Broward County and another 12,000 in Miami-Dade. Rodrigues suspects that number is actually a lot higher.

“All you have to do is drive down Sample Road or North Federal Highway in Deerfield Beach and Pompano and you’ll see the proliferation of Brazilian small businesses.”

Several Protest David's Cafe On Miami Beach

Arianna Prothero and Melissa Sanchez — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 13:30:00 +0000

David's Café in Miami Beach is a popular campaign stop for politicians. Now, it's become a site for protest.

A group of former workers claims they are owed about $70,000 in unpaid wages from a satellite location that closed in July.

Carlos Perez was among the protestors outside the main restaurant on Collins Avenue in South Beach Tuesday. He claimed its owners offered to pay a fraction of his original wages.

Hurricane Sandy Is Parking Planes Across South Florida

Arianna Prothero — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 20:38:37 +0000

Even though Hurricane Sandy has moved past South Florida, the region's airports continue to feel the storm's effects.

Director of Operations at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Mike Monnemacher, said 152 flights have been canceled at his airport.

"One of our larger markets for this airport is to the Northeast," Monnemacher said. " So, when we're not having any operations into the Washington all the up through Boston area, that's a significant number of aircraft. So, right now we have 35 aircraft that really don't have any place to go."

NEWSCAST: Thousands of South Floridians Vote Early; Others Wonder Where Their Absentee Ballots Are

Phil Latzman — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 11:29:23 +0000

More than 51,000 people in Miami-Dade County waited in long lines Saturday and Sunday to vote early. About 54,000 people in Broward County cast their ballots and about 21,000 in Palm Beach County.

Meanwhile, many others in South Florida are still wondering where their absentee ballots are.

500,000 Floridians Have Already Voted

Marva Hinton — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 13:48:47 +0000

Florida Leads The U.S. In Foreclosures

Marva Hinton — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 21:02:49 +0000

Florida is number one when it comes to foreclosures. This is the first time since 2005 that Florida has held the top spot.

The rankings for September are based on figures released Thursday by RealtyTrac.

Within the state, Broward County has the highest percentage of homes going through the foreclosure process.

Fort Lauderdale Welcomes Air Show Back To Town

Christine DiMattei — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 10:28:35 +0000

A New Yorker's Commute on South Florida Public Transit

Arianna Prothero and Luc Cohen — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 00:39:11 +0000

South Florida is clearly a car-centered part of the country, but there are a lot of people here who rely on public transportation. This summer, WLRN intern Luc Cohen was one of them.

Cohen, who is majoring in public and international affairs at Princeton University, was born and raised in New York City. So for him, public transportation is practically second nature.

Before coming to Miami for his internship, Cohen had driven a total of six blocks by himself in his life.

Broward Canals Vs. Miami-Dade Canals

Ashley Lopez — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:16:36 +0000

As we mentioned yesterday, we’re switching gears a little in the Canoe Project and putting some focus on another city’s canal system: Miami’s neighbor, Fort Lauderdale.

Escaping Florida's Medicaid Experiment

Sammy Mack — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 15:32:49 +0000

http://vimeo.com/39349695

Last year, Florida legislators passed a bill privatizing the state’s Medicaid program, moving recipients into managed care plans – a model patterned on a pilot program that’s been running in five counties since 2006.

How Dozens Of Tires Went From Being At The Bottom Of The Ocean To The Center Of An Art Show

Patricia Sagastume — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 20:58:25 +0000

The whitewall rubber tires, which until recently had been on the bottom of the ocean floor off the coast of Broward County, now look like deflated, salt-encrusted life preservers, and reek of the decayed smell of barnacles mixed with sea spray.

How Wilton Manors Came Out

Kenny Malone — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 19:43:16 +0000

Broward Schools Face Largest Budget Deficit In State; Effect On Other Districts Unclear

Sarah Gonzalez — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Every school district in Florida is dealing with layoffs and budget cuts. But Broward County in South Florida is facing the largest budget deficit in the state—more than $140 million. And its forced teachers and students in the nation’s 6th largest school district to get creative about spending money.

Students at South Broward High in Hollywood waited in the rain during the first week of school to get inside what used to be the video production classroom. Only, the video production program was cut last school year.

Teens Buddy Up With Quake Survivors

Sammy Mack and Trina Sargalski — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 17:55:10 +0000

After January’s massive earthquake, thousands of Haitians fled to the United States. More than 2,500 of them were school-aged kids who were quickly placed in classrooms across South Florida.

More Voices Of Teen "Ambassadors" From Boyd Anderson High

Sammy Mack and Trina Sargalski — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 16:28:57 +0000

Under the Sun listeners were introduced to students James Celestin and Michel Philco from Boyd Anderson High in our Palm Meow in Hollywood. The many amenities of this retirement community include daily brushing and cat massage, videos of mice and other furry creatures, relaxing classical music, and individualized play sessions. Sorry, cats only.