Latest News: Broward leads the region in high school grads in the NFL

Several organizations are coming together this weekend to advocate for reproductive freedom in the state of Florida. The Our Bodies Our Lives Rally supports the passing of Amendment 4, which would enshrine the right to an abortion in the state constitution.

Anna Hochkammer is the executive director of the Florida Women’s Freedom Coalition, one of the rally’s organizers.

"We want to elevate the voices of women who've been affected by the ban," said Hochkammer. "Elevate the voices of elected officials who support the ban and elevate the voices of real voters out in the streets of Florida who don't want to see their wives and daughters and girlfriends and mothers hurt by prehistoric non modern medical care."

The Our Bodies Our Lives Rally is 11 a.m. tomorrow at the Bayfront Park Amphitheater. Florida voters will decide the fate of Amendment 4 in the November election.

READ MORE: Lawsuit targets state website advocating against abortion ballot measure

LM Otero

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AP

Inflation. Jobs. Affordable housing.

Hispanic voters in Florida say these are their top issues in the upcoming November election.

The results come from a statewide poll released Friday by UnidosUS, a national Hispanic civil rights group.

The poll found that these pocketbook issues were among the biggest concerns for Hispanic voters. Immigration and healthcare ranked lower on their list of priority issues.

“Our poll shows that economic concerns loom large for Hispanic Floridians, including the cost of basic necessities, wages, housing and healthcare costs," said Jared Nordlund, UnidosUS’s Florida state director, in a statement.

Latino voters also expressed strong opinions on abortion, with nearly 70% opposed to making it illegal or taking that decision away from others, he said.

Democrat Kamala Harris held a 5-point lead over Republican Donald Trump in the race for the White House, 47% to 42%.

In the U.S. Senate race, Democrat Debbie Mucarsel-Powell holds a 4-point edge among Hispanic voters over Republican incumbent Sen. Rick Scott, 41% to 37% .

Florida is home to more than 2.4 million Hispanic voters. They represent about 18% of all voters. The poll results was based on a sample of 400 Hispanic voters in Florida.

READ MORE: Inflation falls to its lowest level in more than 3 years. Here’s what that means

Wilfredo Lee

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AP

A statue celebrating Dwyane Wade, one of the Miami Heat’s most legendary icons, will soon be unveiled.

The team announced the bronze statue will take its rightful place on the Kaseya Center West Plaza, the Heat's home arena, on Oct. 27.

The day after, Wade will be honored during a halftime celebration when the Heat host the Detroit Pistons. The recognition follows 21 years to the day after his regular-season debut.

Wade played 14 seasons with the Heat and won three championships with the team. Last year, he was inducted into the 2023 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

READ MORE: Calls grow for Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa to retire as he sustains another concussion

Wikimedia Commons

During the National Football League’s opening weekend, Broward County again led with the most South Florida high school graduates participating in the league.   

According to the South Florida Sun Sentinel, Broward had 50 players lined up during the NFL’s first week of games.

Meanwhile, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties had about 40 players combined.  

Two private schools in Broward produced the most players this year: American Heritage Schools in Plantation and St.Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale.

READ MORE: Dolphins' Tyreek Hill says he could have handled some elements of traffic stop better

Memorial Healthcare System Facebook

The chief executive officer of one of South Florida’s largest hospital networks has resigned following a negative review from the board.

The South Florida Sun Sentinel reports that Scott Wester was hired in 2022 under a three-year contract to run Memorial Healthcare System, which includes six hospitals in Broward County and a new free-standing cancer center.

The board was not in agreement with the strategic plan Wester had presented for the future of the healthcare system.

The Memorial Healthcare System board voted unanimously on Thursday to terminate its contract with Wester.

A top leader with Memorial Healthcare will take on the role of interim CEO until the board finds a permanent replacement.

READ MORE: Synthetic opioid more deadly than fentanyl becomes public health threat in South Florida

Tensions flared at Miami City hall on Thursday as an argument about community redevelopment pitted commissioners against each other.

The commission wants to extend the life of the OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency — or CRA — into 2047. The agency collects special taxes to address slum and blight in the OMNI area of downtown Miami.

Commissioner Miguel Gabela wants to expand the agency’s borders to include the Allapattah neighborhood. When agency leadership pushed back, he got angry.

"Don’t tell us that we haven’t been on top of this. I’ve been very on top of this. But what you guys wanna do is you guys wanna go ahead and ram this through and then you get your way and then we go bye bye," Gabela said.

Before things boiled over, the commission voted to table the conversation, with chairwoman Christine King trying to keep the peace.

"We should start working it out," King said. "And that’s the message that I’m trying to send now. Work it out."

The CRA expansion will be discussed at the Oct. 10 city commission meeting.

READ MORE: Arrests of Miami-Dade's homeless residents skyrockets since new law

Allegations of sexual assault against a once trusted gymnastics coach have led to policy changes in the village of Key Biscayne.

The Miami Herald reports that employees and volunteers of the parks department can no longer be left alone with a child without another adult being present or notified.

From now on, coaches and volunteers are also forbidden from having private conversations by phone or social media with a child in their charge or even giving a child a ride home.
 
This comes more than six months after a Key Biscayne gymnastics coach was arrested over allegations of sex crimes involving two of his former students. He has pleaded not guilty.

READ MORE: Police reopen sex investigation into Key Biscayne gymnastics coach

AP

Federal investigators say they continue working to determine what caused the catastrophic partial collapse of Champlain Towers South in Surfside that killed 98 people in June 2021.

In an update today they said some of the work that remains includes simulations of computer collapse models and interviews with eyewitnesses.

Judith Mitrani-Reiser with the National Institute of Standards and Technology is the lead investigator.

"If you have been hesitant to share with our investigation in the past and you are listening now, I urge you to please reconsider and send any of your photos, videos, records – anything that you may have related to Champlain Towers South," said Mitrani-Reiser.

A draft report for public comment is now slated for a spring 2026 release, about a year behind schedule

People can reach investigators at disaster@nist.gov

READ MORE: A look at Florida condo reforms, three years after the Surfside collapse

Inflation keeps slowing in South Florida. Consumer prices rose 2.6% in August, the slowest annual increase in three years. 
 
Inflation in South Florida was running much hotter than the rest of the country. It was driven by housing, the cost of homes, condos and escalating rent.

But as those hikes have slowed and the annual comparison have gotten easier, Miami's price increases are now about the same as the nation overall.

Housing costs continue underpinning regional inflation. If you take housing out, prices for everything else were up 0.6% from a year ago.

READ MORE: Because of DeSantis’ arts funding cuts, Miami Beach will give $500k to local arts groups

AP

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AP

“Frustrating. Disheartening. Disgusting." Those are the words that one Broward County school board member is using to describe online threats to South Florida schools made by students in recent weeks.

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports that nine local students have been arrested since August for allegedly posting threats against Broward County schools online.
 
According to investigators, the students are between the ages of 11 and 15 and the threats were often posted on social media platforms including Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok.
 
Several students said they intended the threats as a joke. 
 
But whether it's a prank or not, making a written threat to kill, inflict bodily injury or conduct a mass shooting, is a felony in Florida. 

READ MORE:

The city of Miami Beach will not tear down the Fillmore at Jackie Gleason Theater. 
 
During a public meeting yesterday, commissioners agreed to consider renovation costs and rehabbing the theater with Live Nation. That’s the entertainment company that operates the Fillmore.
 
So far, the city has  $29 million taxpayer dollars for this purpose. The money comes from a nearly $160 million-dollar general obligation bond program for arts and culture. City residents approved it two years ago.
 
READ MORE: Miami Beach to search for new fire station site, rejects community center option

Photo provided by Schwartz Media Strategies

The Shops at Sunset Place are getting a long-awaited makeover after the city of South Miami’s planning board approved a resolution to redevelop the mall this week.

The Shops at Sunset Place opened in 1990, offering shopping, dining and entertainment. In recent years, it’s sat mostly empty, with a few storefronts open. 
 
According to NBC 6, the renovation plan includes building a parking garage, a revamped movie theater, hotel rooms, more than 1,000 residential units and 350,000 square feet of retail stores and offices.

READ MORE: Miami Beach to search for new fire station site, rejects community center option

Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works

Miami Beach’s water taxis are being suspended, about two months after they started to embark on trips across Biscayne Bay.  

In a unanimous vote, the city commission decided to cut the service’s funding. Back in June, the city agreed to subsidize the program at $50,000 per month. 

According to the Miami Herald, the Poseidon Ferry, which ran the service, had been experiencing maintenance issues. The Herald also reports that the ferry experienced low ridership, air conditioning issues and mechanical failures. 

While the ferry service, which was meant to relieve traffic congestion, is losing its funding, city officials say they may reconsider other versions of the program at a different location.

READ MORE: Arrests of Miami-Dade's homeless residents skyrockets since new law

Today, it's important to spend as little time outdoors as possible.

The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory with some of the highest heat indexes we've seen so far this summer.

The so-called feels-like temperatures will be between 107 and 112 degrees throughout all of South Florida.

And that raises the risk for heat stroke which can be deadly.

READ MORE: How climate change is contributing to the home insurance crisis in Florida and across the country

Five South Florida hospitals that are run by a healthcare company in bankruptcy, will soon be under new ownership.

According to the Miami Herald, Steward Health Care will be handing over its Broward and Miami-Dade hospitals to its landlord, Medical Properties Trust.

The Trust is then partnering with Healthcare Systems of America to run day-to-day operations.

The plan will include Palmetto General Hospital, Coral Gables Hospital, Hialeah Hospital, North Shore Medical Center and Florida Medical Center, in Lauderdale Lakes.

A final hearing on the plan is set for Sept. 17.

READ MORE: Why hospitals across South Florida are investing in robotic machines for surgeries

Lynne Sladky

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AP

A Palm Beach County lawyer is suing state officials over efforts to blast the abortion access initiative known as Amendment 4.

According to Politico, last week the Agency for Health Care Administration launched a website criticizing the amendment, saying it threatens women’s safety.

Now, South Florida lawyer Adam Richardson is asking the state Supreme Court to block the actions of the AHCA. The lawsuit, filed yesterday, argues state officials overstepped their legal authority.

Meanwhile Gov. Ron DeSantis, an outspoken critic of the abortion proposal, has defended the agency for getting involved.

READ MORE: Police are questioning Florida voters about signing an abortion rights ballot petition

All across South Florida today, memorials were held in remembrance of 9/11. In the City of Miramar, that memorial also comes with a piece of history.

At Miramar’s 9/11 memorial, two steel beams from the wreckage of the World Trade Center again stand like the buildings they were once a part of.

"This should be a memorial that can easily be placed in Washington D.C.," said Miramar Mayor Wayne Messam. He was among the first responders, citizens and elected officials who attended a ceremony held at the city's memorial in Miramar Regional Park.

Messam looked on at the presentation of colors from students at Everglades High School. None of those students were alive on 9/11. And it's for those students he thinks today is especially important.

"A generation has been born since then and to see our young students participating, it's great to say we’re teaching them about our history and the importance of freedom."

It's his goal that even those who weren’t there, never forget.

 READ MORE: The mayor who worries condo reforms could lead to an economic catastrophe

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a new report out that suggests three factors may help with preventing suicide. Those factors are access to health insurance coverage, broadband internet and higher household income.
 
According to the CDC, men have higher suicide rates than women. The report also finds that American Indian and white people have higher rates than other racial and ethnic groups. 
 
In Florida, 3,445 people died by suicide in 2022, according to the state’s Department of Health. And in South Florida, a higher percentage of people died by suicide that year in Monroe County, followed by Palm Beach, Broward then Miami-Dade. 
 
Lifeline counselors are available around the clock by calling or texting 988.

READ MORE: Synthetic opioid more deadly than fentanyl becomes public health threat in South Florida

Today, the entire country is remembering the lives lost 23 years ago during the 9-11 terrorist attacks. And the anniversary always calls to mind the bravery of America's first responders.

Today, one South Florida firefighter will be receiving a special honor from his peers.

According to WSVN Channel 7 news, last December, North Lauderdale Fire Rescue Lieutenant Houston Holcombe and his team responded to a call of a house fire where a mother and her toddler were trapped inside.

After firefighters removed the pair from the home, Holcombe performed CPR on the 2 year old, saving her life. He is now being honored as the National Association of EMT’s Paramedic of the Year.

"Super humbling but without my partners on the rescue and everyone on the fire scene, it’s just not one person, it all comes together as a team effort. It really is super gratifying and humbling," he told WSVN.

Holcombe said the mother and her toddler have made full recoveries. The firefighter is set to receive the award today in Las Vegas, Nevada.

READ MORE: Broward Sheriff's Office and county commissioners inch closer to a budget deal

New federal funding for Palm Beach State College could attract people seeking careers as automotive technicians and mechanics, as the U.S. tries to combat a national shortage.

Palm Beach State College will receive $4 million in federal funding to expand its Transportation Technology Workforce Training Program. The funding will pay for a 12,000 square foot training center with modern labs and classrooms, aimed at preparing students for a career as automotive technicians. These refer to professionals who typically work on the electrical side of cars.

The investment is part of an effort to address growing demand in the industry. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are 67,000 openings for automotive technicians and mechanics across the country.

READ MORE: A Vanderbilt University campus in West Palm Beach could rain billions on local economy

Joey Flechas

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Miami Herald

The City of Miami has a budget of $3.5 billion, but how should they spend it? The city administration has its plans. Like a new economic innovation department and a big boost for housing and community development.
 
Residents came out in full force for the first budget hearing of the year with a list of their own ideas on how they want their tax dollars spent.
 
“More money for community outreach for the climate action plan and the extreme heat action plan,” said Camilo Mejia.

Other Miamians urged city leaders to funnel money toward park upkeep, infrastructure and marine patrol units.

“I urge the City of Miami commissioners to increase the budget for marine patrol to add a minimum of four additional full-time marine patrol officers to the unit,” said Majie Ramos.

“The City of Miami Building Department I think is overlooked,” said David Ward.

“I’m here to ask basically for you all to consider in your budget the funding for the parks in Overtown, which include Reeves Park, Gibson Park, Dorsey and Williams Park," said Dedria Davis.
 
If you’re a City of Miami resident, you’ll have another chance to speak to the commissioners at the next budget hearing on Sept. 26.

READ MORE: City of Miami to create new 'innovation' office, discuss $3.5 billion budget

The Broward School Board met on Tuesday to pass its yearly resolutions.

In all, the board voted on 95 resolutions. Among the list was support for National Dyslexia Awareness Month, No Name-Calling Week, and National PI Day. But three of the items related to the LGBTQ+ community incited tense discussions.

After hearing from both pro and anti LGBTQ+ speakers, school board member Brenda Fam made her opinion known.

"I am against transgendering, or transitioning children in secret behind parents backs. This is not really about being gay. I think what it's about is transgenderism and whether or not that's acceptable," Fam said.

The resolutions did not mention anything about transitioning children in the school district.

The board voted on the list of 95 items at once. It passed 6 to 3, Fam was joined in dissenting by fellow school board members Torey Alston and Daniel Foganholi. Alston and Foganholi both lost re-election campaigns in August. Fam was not up for re-election.

READ MORE: Top book publishers file suit challenging Florida's ‘unconstitutional’ book ban law

A fourth student has been arrested within the past week for allegedly making threats against Broward County Public Schools. 
 
A 12-year-old girl was arrested last night after posting threats on social media against schools across Broward County.

BCPS Superintendent Howard Hepburn addressed the recent arrests at this morning’s school board meeting.

"Unfortunately, we have already witnessed the devastating consequences for four students who have made these poor decisions are irrevocably altered the course of their lives," said Hepburn.

According to reporting from NBC6, the student is facing multiple charges including making written threats to conduct a mass shooting.

READ MORE: Rift between Parkland massacre survivor and some families of the dead erupts in court

Jose A. Iglesias

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El Nuevo Herald

City of Miami’s former attorney who was effectively fired earlier this year after accusations of abuse of power, has been named partner of a prestigious local firm.

According to the Miami Herald, the law firm Shutts & Bowen announced this week that Victoria Méndez has joined their Miami office as a partner.

Mendez served as Miami City Attorney for 10 years, but came under scrutiny after a WLRN Investigation. She was accused of abusing her position to orchestrate a house-flipping scheme with her husband.

Mendez has denied the claims, but is currently under investigation by the Florida Bar.

In a statement, a chairperson with the firm said they were “thrilled” to welcome Méndez to the team.

READ MORE: 'We need to move on': Victoria Méndez removed as Miami City Attorney

As Monroe County continues to grapple with the alleged cover-up of a drug theft scheme, commissioners recently moved to hire a new County Administrator.
 
The board of commissioners announced last week that Christine Hurley, the current county Land Authority Executive Director will be moving up into the county’s top leadership position.
 
Hurley has worked for the county since 2009.
 
She is set to replace former county administrator Roman Gastesi who planned to return to the role after a 6-month retirement. But his recent indictment for official misconduct in a stolen narcotics investigation has derailed those plans.
 
Hurley is expected to begin her new role midway through the month.

READ MORE: Florida Keys PR director facing perjury, false statement charges turns himself in

Last week following a school shooting in Georgia, a Broward County student also made threats against several schools here in South Florida.

The 14-year-old student was arrested on Saturday after she posted threatening messages online against elementary, middle and high schools in Broward.

School officials started the week reminding students that making these kinds of threats is a crime and will be treated as such.

"We plan to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law for any issues of threatening our schools, be it in person or online," said BCPS Superintendent Dr. Howard Hepburn.

She spoke alongside school board chair Lori Alhadeff said that students can be arrested and expelled for these threats.

"Parents, please have the tough conversations with your children about the seriousness of their words and actions," Alhadeff said.

If you do hear or see a threat, you can submit tips at browardschools.com/securitytips.

READ MORE: Broward School Board sues drug manufacturers, pharmacies over insulin prices

Brynn Anderson

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AP

A Brightline train struck and killed a pedestrian in Delray Beach earlier today, according to police.

The crash happened at Atlantic and Railroad Avenues, just east of the Florida East Coast Railway tracks.

The police have not identified the victim.

Since Brightline began service in 2018, there have been more than 30 pedestrian and driver deaths involving trains in Palm Beach County.

READ MORE: Miami-Dade voters want the county to expand rapid mass transit

The City of Hollywood is breaking ground today on its new police headquarters.

The existing headquarters were built in 1974. Today, it lacks the space and technology needed for a modern police department. More importantly, the building isn’t properly rated to withstand hurricanes.

In 2019, voters approved a general obligation bond measure that included this project. The new 100,000 square foot state-of-the-art building will cost around $72 million.

City Mayor Josh Levy said it sends an important message to his community.

"It represents our unwavering investment in the safety and security of our community, grounded in the belief that everyone deserves to feel safe in their homes on our streets and throughout our neighborhoods," Levy said.

Construction is expected to be completed in June of 2026.
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READ MORE: 'Mount Trashmore' landfill in Coconut Creek plans to expand

A heat advisory is in effect today until 6 P.M. for Broward and Miami-Dade Counties. That's because the 'feels like’ temperature outside ranges from 105 to 110 degrees.

In Monroe County, the heat advisory is in effect until 7 P.M. with temperatures feeling like 112 degrees.

READ MORE: Buyer beware: Lemon car sales on the rise in Florida after hurricanes, floods

A teenage girl has been arrested for allegedly making online threats of violence against multiple schools in Broward County. 
 
The Broward Sheriff's Office says the 14-year-old high school student from Lauderdale Lakes posted several threats of a school shooting and other violence on Saturday. 
 
The student was arrested later on Saturday. Detectives say she confessed to making the threats and intended them as a joke.
 
In Florida, a threat to commit violence against schools is punishable as a second degree felony.

READ MORE: Two student protesters arrested at UF accept plea deals in criminal cases

Matt Rourke

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AP

Kamala Harris is leading Donald Trump by 5 points among Latino eligible voters in Florida, according to a new survey from Unidos U.S., a Latino civil rights organization.

Forty-seven percent of Florida Latinos surveyed said they support Harris — compared to 42% who support Trump — and that's a much closer margin than what pollsters found in the seven other states surveyed.

“Since becoming the party’s nominee just a month ago, Vice President Harris has measurably increased Latino support, and her candidacy seems to be resonating with greater numbers in our community," said president and CEO of the organization Janet Murguía.

Nationally, Harris is up over Trump 59% to 31% among Latino eligible voters.

“Neither party can ignore or take for granted the Latino vote," said Murguía.

The survey also found that 68% of Latino voters in Florida agree that “it is wrong to make abortion illegal,” regardless of their personal beliefs.

The survey was conducted in August with a sample of 3,000 Latino voters nationally, including 400 in Florida.

READ MORE: Democrats launch text message campaign in Florida Senate race to reach Latino voters

It might have been the most wonderful time of the year, but that was no excuse to spend thousands of taxpayer dollars on a holiday party.

That's what Broward watchdogs say happened in Pembroke Park nearly two years ago. They're taking two officials to task for renting a yacht for the town's holiday party that year. 
 
According to the South Florida Sun Sentinel, Broward County’s Inspector General says a Pembroke Park commissioner, who was mayor at the time, improperly paid for the yacht charter with his city-issued credit card. The total cost was over $10,000

Twenty-four guests attended the party, making the charter bill roughly $440 per person.
 
READ MORE: Civilian police watchdog group sues City of Miami to stay in existence

Sergio Bustos

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WLRN

The Palmetto Expressway was closed in both directions near Northwest 17th Avenue earlier today. That was after a serious single car crash.
 
The Florida Highway Patrol says the crash happened just before noon when the driver of a gray Honda swerved to avoid striking some debris on the road. The motorist then crashed into a tree.
 
One passenger died. Three other people were flown to Jackson North Medical Center.
 
The crash forced police to close eastbound and westbound traffic for several hours.

READ MORE: Miami-Dade voters want the county to expand rapid mass transit

New federal funding for Palm Beach State College could attract people seeking careers as automotive technicians and mechanics as the U.S. tries to combat a national shortage.

Palm Beach State College will receive $4 million in federal funding to expand its Transportation Technology Workforce Training Program.

The funding will pay for a 12,000 square-foot training center with modern labs and classrooms, aimed at preparing students for a career as automotive technicians, professionals who typically work on the electrical side of cars.

The investment is part of an effort to address growing demand in the industry. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are 67,000 openings for automotive technicians and mechanics across the country.

READ MORE: More Palm Beach County homes fall into flood zone

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue

The city of Doral is offering $20 million to Miami-Dade County to relocate its waste plant, according to the Miami Herald. Doral's city council has agreed to start negotiations with the county to set the terms.
 
Miami-Dade County's trash incinerator caught fire in February of last year at its longtime site within Doral city limits.
 
Since then, there have been debates about whether the new incinerator should be placed at the same site or somewhere else.

READ MORE: Floridians saved hundreds of millions of dollars in renewable tax credits for 2023

Gabrielle Acosta

Broward County Commissioners just got handed a giant check. Literally. The $25 million award is the largest grant the county has ever received from the Federal Transit Administration.
 
The money will help replace aging diesel buses with a new electric fleet, which is an important objective in the county’s Climate Action Plan.
 
Democrat Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz offered congratulations at Thursday's county commission meeting.

"Global warming and climate change are not a someday thing for us, they are a right now thing," said Wasserman-Schultz.

The grant also includes money for more chargers along bus routes and a new solar canopy that will provide renewable energy to the fleet.

READ MORE: Florida falls short on EV chargers. So why is state sitting on millions to install them?

C.M. Guerrero

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Miami Herald

Civilian oversight of police conduct is coming to an end across Florida. A new state law bans municipalities from creating independent bodies to investigate complaints against law enforcement officers.

The county's Police and Criminal Justice Review Board has been suspended, not because county commissioners don't believe in its mission, but because they're worried it could get them sued.

The board met in late July to try to comply with the new state law, but was unable to come up with a solution that allowed them to continue their work.

The County Commission was forced to vote to suspend the board. The vote was unanimous.

READ MORE: Two student protesters arrested at UF accept plea deals in criminal cases

Miami Herald File

A jury will decide if the city of Fort Lauderdale is at fault for the injuries a woman sustained during a Black Lives Matter protest in 2020.
 
During the demonstration, LaToya Ratlieff's eye socket was fractured when she was shot in the face with a rubber bullet by a Fort Lauderdale Police officer.
 
The South Florida Sun Sentinel reports a Miami federal judge has ruled that the police officers cannot be held responsible, and that a jury must decide if the city is liable for allegedly failing to adequately train its officers.

READ MORE: Florida urges appeals court to uphold gun age law

Broward County schools will soon have carbon monoxide detectors installed, following a series of gas leaks that led to evacuations and several people being taken to the hospital.
 
Carbon monoxide detectors are required in many buildings where people sleep, like hospitals and assisted living facilities, but state law does not require them for schools. 
 
The South Florida Sun Sentinel reports the Broward County School Board has unanimously voted to ask the Superintendent to seek bids for the detection system.
 
The carbon monoxide detectors would cover school cafeterias and classrooms where cooking equipment is installed.

The system is expected to cost $55,000.

READ MORE: Florida falls short on EV chargers. So why is state sitting on millions to install them?

South Florida is looking at another potentially dangerously hot day.

The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for all South Florida counties.

The so-called "feels-like" temperature could go as high as 112 degrees -- and that raises the risk for heat stroke. So please try to limit the time you spend outdoors, take it slow, take it easy and drink plenty of water.

READ MORE: What is it about stalled fronts? What risks do they bring?

Brendan Farrington

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AP

Florida’s Department of State is examining thousands of petition signatures that were used to get an abortion amendment on November ballots, saying it’s looking for fraud.

According to the Tampa Bay Times, Governor Ron DeSantis’s deputy-secretary of state has asked election supervisors in Hillsborough, Orange, Osceola and Palm Beach Counties to gather roughly 36,000 signatures for the state to review.

The signatures were among the nearly 1 million collected to permit Amendment 4 to appear before Florida voters in November.

The amendment would protect abortion access and undo the state’s six-week abortion ban that DeSantis championed.

READ MORE: PolitiFact FL: Florida state parks proposal for golf courses, hotels was further along than DeSantis let on

Rebecca Blackwell

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AP

One South Florida LGBTQ+ institution wants its money back.  

That’s after the state’s tourism marketing agency quietly removed the "LGBTQ Travel" section from its website at some point in the past few months.  

Leaders of the Stonewall National Museum, Archives and Library in Fort Lauderdale say the institution pays Visit Florida a membership fee for help promoting the museum, which is one of the largest LGBTQ+ archives in the world.

Gov. Ron DeSantis has defended the tourism agency’s decision, claiming the state is the best place to visit–but that the state will not be “segregating people.”

READ MORE: Florida quietly removes LGBTQ+ travel info from state website

Local officials gathered in Fort Lauderdale today to address a string of shootings impacting the northwestern section of the city.

According to Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, more than 11 people have died as a result of gun violence in the area over the summer.

Two victims mentioned were under the age of 5. As a result, Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis has announced the city’s police force will expand its focus on investigating gun violence to create a new gun intelligence center, that’s according to WPLG.

"The revamped unit prioritizes our fight against gun violence by combining forces and intensifying our investigative focus," Trantalis said at the press conference.

Authorities urge anyone who may have information on any of the cases to call Broward Crime Stoppers.

READ MORE: Florida urges appeals court to uphold gun age law

The Miami-Dade County Board of Commissioners honored South Florida Olympians with honorary keys to the county today. 
 
Six athletes who represented Team USA at the Paris Olympics this summer were present at the Stephen P. Clark Center this morning.

"We thank you for your dedication, your hard work," said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said. "As I say, the world was watching, but mostly we're watching and we just are excited that you are showcasing the greatness in our community."

The athletes honored were Bam Adebayo,Daniella Ramirez, Twanisha "Tee Tee" Terry, Sarah Newberry Moore, Russell Robinson and Angelica Delgado.

READ MORE: Inter Miami now says long-awaited, oft-delayed new stadium will open in 2026

A former Palm Beach County doctor found liable for botching baby's circumcision has been tied to six patient deaths.

Berto Lopez was found liable for $100 million last week in a medical malpractice case centered on the 2021 circumcision, which the infant's family said led to severe injuries to the baby.

Lopez performed the procedure 10 days after the Florida Board of Medicine voted to revoke his medical license.

Over the 33 years that Lopez practiced medicine as an OBGYN in Palm Beach County, records examined by The Palm Beach Post link him to 14 serious injuries of women and children, including six deaths.

The Post reports that many of those deaths and injuries went undetected by the state of Florida, never generating a complaint or disciplinary action.
 
READ MORE: Florida urges appeals court to uphold gun age law

Haylie Dawson

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Florida Keys News Bureau

A number of threatened or endangered sea turtles nest and lay their eggs on Miami Beach.

Officials are proposing changes to the city’s sea turtle ordinance from 2006 to reduce how often hatchlings are led away from the ocean after becoming disoriented by artificial lights. If they get lost, they’re likely to become dehydrated or preyed upon.

Amy Knowles, the city’s chief resilience officer, said some of the proposals would require window treatments for certain condos near the beach to reduce interior light brightness.

"This would allow our code enforcement team to make a visit to give the education and to hopefully change that behavior," Knowles said. "If it doesn't change over time, then, then yes, that person could potentially have to go to the special magistrate."

A magistrate enforces city codes.

Miami Beach commissioners will have a first reading of the amended ordinance on Sept. 11. Sea turtle season lasts through the end of Oct. 31st.

READ MORE: New protections for the Rice’s Whale in the Gulf of Mexico delayed until December

Sign up for WLRN’s environment newsletter Field Notes to receive our insider’s guide for living in South Florida’s changing landscape. Get original reporting and recaps, with context, delivered to your inbox every Friday. Subscribe here.

It’s budget season once again. Maybe not for your household but for local governments throughout South Florida.

In September, counties and cities set their tax rates and budgets for the next fiscal year.

City residents are invited to speak this weekend on how they think the city should spend its more than $1 billion budget in 2025. The city is looking to lower its property tax rate and plans to defund an independent police oversight board.

Miami’s first budget hearing is at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 7.

READ MORE: Civilian police watchdog group sues City of Miami to stay in existence

Julio Cortez

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AP

A Florida Keys man who pleaded guilty to taking part in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol will spend 45 months in prison.

Justice Department officials said Tuesday that Bryan Roger Bishop, 52, of Marathon, will also have to pay $2,000 in restitution and spend 36 months under supervised release after his prison term.

Justice officials say Bishop sprayed a chemical irritant at two police officers during the attack on the Capitol. He then walked throughout various rooms of the Capitol, joining hundreds of other rioters.

Bishop is one of nearly 1,500 people arrested in connection with the attack on the Capitol. That number includes about 130 Floridians, according to USA Today, which tracks the arrests of those involved in the riot, At least one person has been arrested from every state and the District of Columbia.

READ MORE: Harris says Trump’s ‘Project 2025 agenda’ would raise mortgage costs by $1,200. What’s that about?

Chris O'Meara

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AP

Meteorologists for at least two trusted weather prediction teams are scaling back their forecasts for this hurricane season, but with the same caveat: Florida cannot let its guard down.

The Atlantic Ocean was relatively quiet over the Labor Day weekend and had “limited” tropical activity in August.

AccuWeather is still predicting an above-average season but is now forecasting 16 to 20 named storms, as opposed to its March prediction of 20 to 25.

Experts at Colorado State University last month also slightly revised their forecast for the season from 25 named storms to 23.

The Atlantic Hurricane season so far has had five named storms, with three reaching hurricane strength and one becoming a major storm.

They included the Cat. 1 Hurricane Debby, which made landfall last month in Taylor County before crossing parts of North Florida.

The National Hurricane Center right now is watching three weather systems that show very low chances of forming into tropical storms.

The hurricane season started June 1 and will end Nov. 30.

READ MORE: Labor Day Weekend sets new hurricane seasonal record

2024 Hurricane Season

WLRN's hurricane hub has the latest news on the 2024 Atlantic storm season and all the resources to navigate it in South Florida: the science behind hurricanes, how to prepare for them, what to do in their aftermath and more.

Al Diaz / Miami Herald Staff adiaz@miamiherald.com

The whistleblower who released information of the state’s plans to put golf courses, pickleball courts and hotels in Florida State parks says he’s been fired.

James Gaddis received a dismissal letter over the weekend. Prior to his firing, he had been a cartographer with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for two years. That’s according to the Tampa Bay Times.

Gaddis told The Times that the agency traced the origin of the document back to him. Which he admitted to drafting on his work laptop.

He says his actions weren’t politically motivated, instead citing his uneasiness of the plan’s secrecy and potential for vast environmental destruction.

Gaddis told the Times he believes the plan originated from Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office.

READ MORE: DeSantis blames 'left-wing group' for stirring controversy over state park plans

The Democratic campaign of Kamala Harris and Tim Walz kicked off its “Reproductive Freedom Bus Tour” on Tuesday in former President Donald Trump’s home county of Palm Beach to contrast his stance on the hot-button issue of abortion.

“You can’t trust a damn word out of that liar’s mouth, no matter what he says,” U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Weston told Harris-Walz supporters at the rally. “Florida is ground zero for his extreme, anti-reproductive freedom agenda, and he wants to keep it that way.”

Trump has expressed mixed opinions on abortion. Last week, the Republican presidential candidate said he would vote no on a Florida ballot measure that would repeal the state’s six-week abortion ban — coming just the day after he seemed to indicate he would vote in favor of it.

Harris and Walz want to restore abortion rights nationwide.

The bus tour will make 50 stops in key states through the fall. The next stop is Jacksonville.

Along with Wasserman Schultz, the rally included Democratic Senate candidate Debbie Murcasel Powell, who is running for the U.S. Senate in Florida against Republican incumbent Sen. Rick Scott, U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus McCormick, D-Miramar, and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn. CNN political analyst and longtime Republican Ana Navarro also joined the rally in condemning Trump’s abortion position, saying “has had more positions on reproductive rights than he has wives.”

Fort Lauderdale is about a month away from losing one of its oldest drinking, dining and dancing venues, with a history that stretches back to the Roaring Twenties.

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports that the Historic Downtowner and Maxwell Room will close on Oct. 6.

That announcement was made via a Facebook post by the restaurant's owner. The Downtowner is located on the south bank of the New River.

According to the Sun Sentinel, news of the impending closure took patrons and staffers by surprise.

But there is one upcoming event that could serve as a farewell to the Downtowner. The venue's Facebook page states that a street festival with food, craft beer and live music is planned for late September.

It's called “Craftober Fest.”

READ MORE: This rare mural at Vizcaya is ‘dying.’ A $750,000 grant will bring it back to life

Jose A. Iglesias

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El Nuevo Herald

A man is suing North Miami Beach for $16 million after he was wrongfully convicted and given a life sentence.

The Miami Herald reports the man was arrested as a 19 year-old. He was accused of robbing and murdering a North Miami Beach shopkeeper in 2006.

Four years later he was sentenced to life in prison. Evidence later came out that police pressured witnesses to testify that the plaintiff was involved in the crime.

Years of appeals and the new evidence has led to his release at 36 years-old, after he spent 16 years in prison. 

READ MORE: Activists charged with pushing Russian propaganda go on trial in Florida

Lisa Rathke/AP

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AP

School meals will look a little different this year in Florida, as new federal rules make it easier to follow a vegetarian or vegan diet or other dietary restrictions.

Under the new rules, beans, peas, and lentils count toward meat requirements for students, and nuts and seeds can fulfill the whole requirement. Experts say this will make it easier for schools to offer vegan and vegetarian options. Students may also request a substitute for school milk if they follow a vegan diet, or have a milk allergy.

On top of this, Shannon Gleave, president of the School Nutrition Association says schools are required to add more culturally relevant food options.

“I'm especially excited this year to see schools across the country offering more culturally relevant options. We’re seeing choices like street tacos, and jerk chicken, and doing birria tacos and birria burrito bowls.”

The new rules also limit the amount of added sugars and sodium in school foods.

READ MORE: Mosquito-borne illnesses are rising: Here's how to protect yourself

Concerned Pembroke Pines residents and their mayor are once again asking Broward County to study the lead emissions coming from planes at North Perry Airport. 

Late last year, the Environmental Protection Agency confirmed the dangers of lead emissions from plane fuel.

Kit Jordan's neighborhood is next to the airport. She told NBC 6 that she believes the county needs to do more.
 
"I think as a homeowner and a taxpayer, and thinking of the next generation, they need to take a big look at this," said Jordan.

A spokesperson for the Broward County Aviation Department said in a statement that there are no plans to do air and soil testing for lead at this time because the EPA and the Federal Aviation Administration have not published updated guidelines for airports nationwide on acceptable levels of leaded plane fuel.

Once federal authorities issue the new guidance, Broward says it will look into launching a study. 

READ MORE: Broward School Board sues drug manufacturers, pharmacies over insulin prices

Thousands of AT&T workers are on strike across the southeast US, including about 1,400 line workers in South Florida. At issue is a dispute over a new labor contract.

Johnny Motisi is the President of the Communication Workers of America South Florida chapter, the union that represents those workers. He’s been on the picket line for more than two weeks — and spoke about it at a Labor Day event.

"We don’t know how much longer we can hold out, but these tactics that AT&T is implementing are just to stall and delay the process, and hopefully – on their part – try to break our will," he said.

"And I can tell you – our will is stronger than ever. We need all of us to get together and understand that if the prices don’t go down, then wages must come up, and that has been our struggle," he added, to cheers.

As WLRN recently reported, more than 60,000 public sector workers have lost their unions since a new labor law went into effect last year. That law created extra roadblocks to keeping public sector unions alive.

Kate Payne

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WLRN

United Teachers of Dade represents more than 25,000 employees of Miami-Dade County Public Schools. It is holding an election later this month to stay active due to that new law. Karla Hernández-Mats is the union president.

"Not only are we going to win that election, but this is helping people understand the importance of workers. The importance of unions, of collective bargaining, of contracts, of rights, of dignity and respect," she said.

According to Gallup polling labor unions have more public support in the US than any time since 1965.

READ MORE: More than 63,000 Florida workers have lost union representation due to new law

Cristian Hernandez/AP

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AP

The U.S. has seized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s airplane. The jet is Venezuela's equivalent of Air Force One.

The aircraft was flown to the executive airport in Fort Lauderdale on Monday after it was captured in the Dominican Republic.

The move came after federal authorities determined the plane's acquisition was in violation of U.S. sanctions, among other criminal issues.

Homeland Security and the Justice Department were some of the agencies taking part in the operation.

The plane’s seizure is the latest tense development between the two countries, as the U.S. continues to investigate the results of the Venezuelan election.

READ MORE: No evidence that Maduro won, a top Venezuelan election officials says

Two attempted kidnappings in Broward last week may be related, according to Fort Lauderdale police and the Broward Sheriff's Office.
 
The South Florida Sun Sentinel reports that two teenage girls were approached by a man in a gray sedan while they were walking to school Thursday morning.

Police say he pulled a gun on each of the girls, telling them to get in the car. Both of them safely got away from the suspect.
 
The incidents took place an hour apart, one in Fort Lauderdale, in the 1600 block of SW Fifth Place, and the other in Pompano Beach, near Blanche Ely High Schoo. Police describe the suspect as between 20 and 25 years old.

Police are asking anyone with information to call Broward Crime Stoppers.

READ MORE: Broward man who attacked Muslim postal carrier is sentenced to 37 months in prison

It might be the unofficial end to the summer for many northern states for the heat will continue here and across much of the state, as well as high rain chances.

With higher rain chances for our area, there will be higher flood risk as the ground continues to be overly saturated due to the recent storms.

The most intense heat will be mainly focused along the central and western regions of the state, but overall hot afternoons are expected overall.

As far as rain, South Florida will see higher than normal chances with showers and storms developing on Saturday as a blob of moisture travels over the region.

On Sunday, this moisture will move across western and Central Florida. Be on the lookout, because more storms are in the forecast next week as there will be ample tropical moisture arriving from the south, making days hotter.

READ MORE: Saharan dust and the 2024 hurricane season- here’s an update

Riviera Beach residents were misled last year about water quality in their community.

Riviera Beach’s water utility district officials now say the water quality was unknown for a 9 month period in 2023 after a positive test for coliform bacteria and E.coli.

It’s a stunning reversal from when officials claimed the water was always safe to drink.

Residents are expected to receive more details about how the water district didn’t comply with state and federal drinking standards last year. That's according to an advance copy of a new notice obtained by WPTV Channel 5.

In the meantime, city and state investigations are ongoing as water officials monitor several wells that are degrading.

READ MORE: Ohio convict pleads guilty to threat to kill state judge in Florida

Labor Day is fast approaching, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has a few reminders about boat safety for the holiday weekend.

FWC officers are patrolling waters this weekend, and they’re asking boaters to make their jobs a little easier. The agency reported that last year, they removed around 20 unsafe and impaired drivers from the water for boating under the influence, issuing nearly 400 citations. 
 
Under state law, boating under the influence can result in fines up to $1,000 or six months in jail for the first offense, with heavier penalties for repeat violations. 
 
Aside from that, the FWC reminds boaters to wear life jackets while on the water, and to take boater safety courses before hitting the water. You can access boating education resources at MyFWC.com/Boating. 
 
READ MORE: Why a good mango is hard to find this season

David Adame / Miami Herald

Beginning in September, some workers in West Palm Beach can get free bus rides to work downtown.

Passes being offered can cover up to three months of rides. The free rides are funded through Palm Tran, which is the county’s public bus agency, and the public transportation nonprofit WBP Go, according to the Palm Beach Post.

The passes are only for workers with participating companies downtown, though. Employers can apply for passes by emailing Go at go@wpbgo.com

 READ MORE: How to avoid the worst of jet lag and maximize your travel time

Palm Beach County’s public bus system has announced a new pilot program in partnership with Uber and Yellow Cab. The aim is to improve access to key destinations in Riviera Beach, Royal Palm Beach and Boca Raton.

Palm Tran is launching the new BusLink program to help replace low-ridership routes.

The pilot program is giving $8 vouchers for Uber, Yellow Cab Taxi riders, specifically to and from routes 21, 52 and parts of 92. Transit officials plan to reinvest the savings in more frequent bus routes.

Service changes are set to begin Sep. 3.

READ MORE: How to avoid the worst of jet lag and maximize your travel time

A grand jury report is taking Monroe County commissioners to task after multiple officials were embroiled in a drug theft investigation earlier this month.

The grand jury’s report slams county officials for allegedly disregarding past corrective recommendations made by law enforcement and audits.
 
Now, they’re insisting the county take action and handed down 14 new recommendations after at least three county officials were indicted in connection to a drug theft investigation.
 
Each faces several criminal charges stemming from a 2022 investigation that revealed 600 vials of narcotics stolen from the county Trauma Star Program responsible for emergency airlifting injured patients.
 
The recommendations include implementing an internal affairs division, random drug testing for firefighters and a whistleblower anonymous complaint reporting system.

READ MORE: Convicted Ocala killler is the first 2024 Florida execution

Brynn Anderson

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AP

Each of the victims in a high-profile 2019 Miramar shootout were killed by police bullets. Now, four Miami-Dade police officers are facing manslaughter charges, according to a new report from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

In December 2019, two armed men hijacked a UPS truck and kidnapped the driver.

Police caught up to the suspects in Miramar, killing them in the ensuing shootout, along with the UPS driver and an elderly bystander. Local 10 News reports that 15 officers from Miami-Dade police, as well as officers from Miramar and Pembroke Pines, fired over 200 rounds of bullets.

The four officers facing charges have pleaded not guilty and await trial in Broward County.

READ MORE: Biden Administration fires return shot in Florida gun sales lawsuit

Residents of a condo complex in Pembroke Pines have to move out today due to structural concerns.

The problems at Heron Pond began back in August of 2023, when over half of the residents were ordered to leave after the City of Pembroke Pines deemed more than half of the buildings were unsafe.

Then, in July of this year, another engineer’s report found even more issues. Visible structural damage, damage from termites and inadequate design and construction worried engineers that the building would not stand up to high winds. Now all three hundred and four residents have had to vacate the property.

The city is partnering with the county to relocate people, but say that they have limited spaces to do so.

READ MORE: Police close investigation of Pulse nightclub owners over negligence allegations

Screenshot from 2022 FAA “From the Flight Deck” informational video

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Stet News

An interruption to Palm Beach International Airport’s baggage processing system may have caused flight delays earlier today.

According to statements from PBI officials on X, there was an interruption to the airport’s checked bag system. Baggage claim and security checkpoints were unaffected.

PBI has reported that the baggage processing system has been restored to normal as of 2 p.m.

If you’re concerned about flight delays or cancellations, officials are advising travelers to check with their airline for their flight status before arriving at the airport.

READ MORE: Why hospitals across South Florida are investing in robotic machines for surgeries 

Florida's tourism marketing agency would like a raise next year.

After receiving $80 million in this year’s budget, Visit Florida plans to ask for $20 million more during next year's regular lawmaking session.

The agency says about 141 million people visited Florida last year, about 7% more than in 2019, the year before the COVID-19 pandemic struck the state.

READ MORE: Sound at sea, sargassum buries beaches and threatens tourism

James Gathany

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CDC

"Don't go out without your bug spray!"

That's the advice to Floridians from health officials, after no less than five different mosquito-borne illnesses have been identified statewide.

The South Florida Sun Sentinel reports that the list of mosquito carrying diseases includes Chikungunya, Malaria, West Nile, Dengue and Oropouche, also known as sloth fever.
 
Symptoms of these illnesses range from fever and chills to brain inflammation. Mosquito-borne diseases can only be transmitted through a bite, not by person-to-person contact.
 
Broward County's Mosquito Control department is urging people to remove any objects containing standing water from outside their homes, wear insect repellant and alert the county about any areas where high numbers of mosquitoes appear to be swarming.

READ MORE: Why hospitals across South Florida are investing in robotic machines for surgeries 

Wilkine Brutus

Since the new school year began in Miami-Dade two weeks ago, over $11,000 traffic tickets for school-bus passing have been handed out.

Miami-Dade's school district has installed special cameras on all of its school buses that can capture on video any drivers who illegally pass the buses. Police say the total number of tickets handed out so far equals about 160 violations per school day. 
 
It is illegal to pass a stopped school bus with flashing lights and an extended stop-arm.

Anyone who does faces a $225 fine.

READ MORE: Florida faculty union pushes back at a directive on textbook reviews

Kate Payne / WLRN

All six unions that represent the Broward school district fell short of a 60% membership threshold required by the state for automatic recertification.

Those unions, which include the Broward Teachers Union, will now face a recertification election. That includes the Federation of Public Employees, which represents bus drivers, custodians and cafeteria workers. The unions will still be in operation while the election process takes place. They will need “yes” votes from a simple majority of eligible employees in order to secure recertification.

However, Broward Teachers Union President Anna Fusco is not worried.

"I have 100% confidence that we’re gonna be recertified within the timeframe that we need for new recertification coming up in the 2025 year, we’ll be over that 60% threshold," Fusco told WLRN.

Broward wasn’t alone. The United Teachers of Dade and Palm Beach County’s Classroom Teachers Association also failed to secure automatic recertification.

READ MORE: Tens of thousands of workers in Florida have just lost their labor unions. More is coming

Marta Lavandier

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AP

Today marks one year since the fatal helicopter crash killed Broward Sheriff’s Battalion Chief Terryson Jackson and a civilian.

Jackson and two other BSO employees were responding to a call when their helicopter experienced a mechanical error. That’s when the chopper crashed into a Pompano Beach apartment building.

Lurean Wheaton, who was inside the building at the time, also died as a result.

BSO gathered at its Fire Rescue Air Rescue 85 station in Pompano Beach to honor the Battalion Chief’s life.

"Since that time, the organization has continued to focus on healing, unifying the organization and continue to maintain focus on serving this community," said Sheriff Gregory Tony at the ceremony. "Today's commencement ceremony is a reminder to us all about the risks that we take in this profession and how easily and how quickly we can become victims in this arena that we're in."

Jackson’s family was present at the ceremony.

READ MORE: BSO helicopter crash casts spotlight on aging aviation unit

Marsha Halper

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Miami Herald Staff

Miami Beach officials will soon decide what to do with the Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie Gleason Theater, a building that dates to the early 1950s.

Daniel Alzuri, the assistant director of the city’s department for facilities, laid out the options during a recent public meeting.

"One, the development of a new building. Two, the renovation of the existing building and get resident sentiment so that we can be instructed in a general direction in which to negotiate with Live Nation," he said.

Live Nation is the entertainment company that operates the Fillmore.

Two years ago, Miami Beach residents voted for a nearly $160 million general obligation bond program for arts and culture. Of that money, $29 million were earmarked to renovate this theater.

Commissioners will have the Fillmore on the agenda for their Sept. 11 meeting in City Hall. The meeting will include public comment.

READ MORE: Rehab or demolish? Miami Beach restarting discussions about the fate of Fillmore theater

Susan Walsh

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AP

Vice President Kamala Harris has been gaining ground on Donald Trump, now leading in the 2024 Presidential race. 
 
That's according to a poll released yesterday from Florida Atlantic University and Mainstreet Research. 
 
The new poll surveyed voters after the completion of the Democratic National Convention last week. The results showed Harris besting Trump 49% to 45% among likely voters across the U.S. It's the reversal of a poll that FAU and Mainstreet conducted in July, shortly after Biden exited the race that had showed Trump leading with a 5-point margin. 
 
Pollsters are watching to see if this is a long-term trend or a boost after momentum from the DNC. 

READ MORE: Latinos are excited about Harris, but she has work to do to win the crucial voting bloc, experts say

Frank Fox/Science Photo Library/

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Science Source

U.S. health officials are sounding the alarm about a little-known virus that's spread by insect bites. It's technical name is Oropouche virus, but it's also called "sloth fever."

More than 8,000 cases of Oropouche have been reported this year as of Aug. 1.

Most have been in South America, but infections are also spreading in countries where it hasn’t been seen before, and dozens of travel-related cases have been reported in the United States and Europe.

At least 21 cases of the virus have been confirmed in the country.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a health warning after cases have been identified in travelers returning to the U.S. from Cuba and Brazil. Other countries reporting cases include Bolivia, Peru and Colombia.

READ MORE: Health officials tell U.S. doctors to be alert for dengue as cases ramp up worldwide

Three Miami-Dade fire rescue employees have been placed on administrative leave pending the completion of an investigation into a deadly incident during a training exercise in June.
 
NBC 6 reports the employees' identities and roles were not disclosed.
 
On June 21, Fabian Camero, 28, was critically injured after a fire broke out during a Miami-Dade Fire Rescue training exercise. He was taken to a hospital but died the following day.
 
Camero was identified as the son of a firefighter, but he himself was not a Miami-Dade fire rescue employee.

READ MORE: Florida cites gun show attendance in a legal fight with feds

The Cleveland Clinic in Weston has hit two milestones with its transplant program. 

According to the South Florida Sun Sentinel, teams of doctors at Cleveland Clinic Weston recently performed its 500th liver transplant  and also the program's 300th heart transplant. 

The liver transplant procedure was done using new technology called an advanced perfusion system. It pumps oxygenated blood through a donor liver, helping to preserve the organ before it is transplanted.

Cleveland Clinic's program for heart, liver and kidney transplants was started in 2013.

READ MORE: Appeals court clears way for Florida ban on transgender care for minors

PATRICK FARRELL

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The Miami Herald

During the Democratic National Convention, the sight of Gus Walls, the 17-year-old son of vice presidential candidate Tim Walls, giving his father a tearful standing ovation touched a great many people.

But that emotional moment also put neurodiversity in the spotlight. The Walls family says that Gus has a nonverbal learning disorder, ADHD and anxiety.

South Florida special education experts are emphasizing the importance of water safety for neurodivergent children.

Boca Raton resident Marie L’Estrange teaches swimming to neurodivergent students through her swim school SoFlo Swim For All. 

"Sometimes, parents are so worried about keeping their child happy. You have to be O.K. with making your child uncomfortable at the beginning because that's how you develop any type of strong person," L'Estrange said. "Swimming is unavoidable here."
 
Jocelyn Lata is a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist and helps run the Swim Buddies program for YMCA South Florida, which works with neurodivergent students.

"We use a lot of demonstration. We also use visual cues. It’s really trying to get to know them," Lata said. "We spend a lot of the very first class just  pairing and bonding with that participant."
 
According to the Autism Society of Florida, children and adults with autism have a 160% higher chance of drowning, often as a result of wandering.

READ MORE: Experts say more affordable access to swim lessons is key to reducing child drownings

(AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

Former U.S. Senator and University of Florida President, Ben Sasse [SASS] is set to receive more than $1 million a year at least through February of 2028. That's according to a severance agreement released yesterday.

Sasse resigned as UF president back in July. Weeks later, a report from the Independent Florida Alligator student newspaper found that Sasse had more than tripled his office’s expenditures in his 17 months on the job. Sasse has defended his office's finances.

Despite the spending and questions about whether Sasse was pushed out or resigned on his own, the severance payments and health insurance will continue.

The Tampa Bay Times reports that Sasse will serve as a president emeritus of UF, and remain an external advisor to the chair of the board of trustees.

READ MORE: University of Florida President Ben Sasse announces resignation

The city of Lauderhill presented Olympic gold medalist Aaliyah Butler with a key to the city last night.

While Butler is from Fort Lauderdale, she got her start in track and field with the Lauderhill Cheetah Track Organization. That’s according to NBC6.

Butler won gold at the Paris Olympics this summer as a member of Team USA’s women’s 4-by-400 meter relay. Commissioners presented her family with the key as she joined remotely.

"It means a lot," said Butler. "It’s just showing the support that I had from very little and it just means everything to me."

Butler says she’s eyeing a 2028 return to the Olympic arena in Los Angeles.

READ MORE: Safe and green: West Palm Beach unveils 1.5-mile bicycle, walking trail

The Broward County school district was grappling yesterday with a string of health scares.
 
Several schools battled with gas leaks and air conditioning problems — bad enough to send some school staffers and students to the hospital.

According to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, issues were reported in at least five schools.

An elementary school in Lauderdale Lakes was evacuated after the discovery of a propane gas leak, and one person was taken to the hospital.

In Fort Lauderdale, a middle school had an air conditioning failure which prompted early dismissal and two students were taken to the hospital with heat-related illness.

High carbon monoxide levels were found in the kitchen at Cypress Bay High in Weston yesterday morning.

On Friday, a similar leak in the same school sent over a dozen people to the hospital. Of those, eight students were treated as walk-ins and were released.

The Broward School district is temporarily installing carbon monoxide detectors at Cypress Bay and is considering getting detectors for all of its schools.

READ MORE: Appeals court clears way for Florida ban on transgender care for minors

Adrian Diaz-Sieckel

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Miami Herald file

July was a mixed bag for residential real estate in South Florida.

Single family home and condo prices were up from a month earlier in Miami-Dade County but down in both Broward and Palm Beach counties.

Mortgage rates fell throughout July helping buyers' dollars go further, which helps underpin prices. But at the same time, the deadline for many older condos to comply with reforms put in place after the Surfside tragedy is approaching.

Older condo buildings need to be inspected and have money to pay for any necessary repairs. That is likely increasing the number of condos for sale as owners look to sell first.

The number of condos for sale keeps rising in Miami-Dade. The supply of condos on the market in Broward was flat, and it fell a little in Palm Beach County.

READ MORE: The new rules for realtors — and home buyers and sellers

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has been drawing statewide criticism for a proposal to include commercial development in State Parks. One of those sites is in Broward County and has an important history.

The former site of Broward County’s colored beach is now Von D. Mizell Eula Johnson State Park, named after two civil rights activists who led the charge to desegregate Broward’s beaches. When a statewide proposal suggested adding pickleball courts, the community was up in arms.
 
"Let’s have respect for the history that's there, and not try to gentrify the beaches," said Emmanuel George, a community archivist and historian who runs the instagram account Black Broward.
 
He says that the proposal is a step in the wrong direction, and that the park shouldn’t focus on commercial development, but instead cultural development.
 
“With more emphasis on this being a historically black beach, it could then bring more people to appreciate the beach,” said George. “And more cultural based events could be more reminiscent of back in the day when black folks, this was our beach”
 
Public meetings on the proposed changes scheduled for early this week were postponed until early September, though no dates have been specified.

READ MORE: Florida drops proposal for golf on wilderness land amid demands to preserve state parks

Floridians could see the lowest Labor Day weekend gas prices for the first time in three years. 
 
According to Triple A, the average price for regular unleaded gas in Florida right now is $3.29 per gallon. 
 
Drivers last year, paid 39 cents more per gallon during the Labor Day holiday.

READ MORE: A cheaper, greener way to build in Florida? It goes together like a Lego toy kit

Matias Delacroix

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AP

The European Union is rejecting the Venezuelan regime’s claim of victory in last month’s presidential election.

The E.U.’s top diplomat says dictatorial Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has shown no evidence he won the July 28 election. Venezuela’s Supreme Court, which is subservient to the socialist Maduro, ruled last week that he did. But E.U. high representative Josep Borrell said until Maduro publishes a vote tally, the E.U. refuses to recognize his claim. The U.S. and several Latin American countries have said the same.
 
The presidents of Colombia and Brazil, Maduro’s leftist allies, are also expressing skepticism. Meanwhile, an opposition member of Venezuela’s national election council tells the New York Times Maduro’s majority allies on the council declared him the winner as part of a preset plan. Precinct vote tallies recovered by opposition poll workers show Maduro lost to opposition challenger Edmundo González by a landslide.

READ MORE: No evidence that Maduro won, a top Venezuelan election officials says

*For more Americas news and analysis from Tim Padgett, sign up for our newsletter here.

An elementary school employee in Lauderdale Lakes was hospitalized this morning following a propane leak at the school’s cafeteria.

According to the Miami Herald, hazmat teams were called in to investigate a call regarding the smell of propane.

As a result, Oriole Elementary was briefly evacuated and one employee was taken to the hospital for evaluation.

Authorities said after finding the leak and after a thorough inspection, the school was deemed safe for staff and students to return to their classrooms.

READ MORE: Broward school board member, Dan Foganholi, named to state board after election loss

Angie Wang

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AP

The virus that causes COVID-19 continues to change, and amid a spike in cases nation-wide, health officials are pushing for new vaccine boosters and advising on protective measures.

So far this year, Miami-Dade County has had the most cases of COVID-19 in Florida. Followed by Broward, Palm Beach and Monroe Counties. That’s according to the Florida Department of Health. 
 
Vaccines and boosters coming out have been updated to protect people against the KP3 family of variants, which is leading the wave of new infections. Doctor Mandy Cohen directs the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She recommends getting the flu shot at the same time. 

"Both updated vaccines will start to be available at pharmacies and in your doctors’ offices, so make a plan now to get your updated vaccine in September or October ahead of the expected increases in both viruses this winter," Cohen said.
 
The federal government will start offering free over-the-counter testing kits again in late September. 

According to newly reported data from the Florida department of health, nearly 3,600 Florida resident deaths this year have been linked to COVID-19.

The counties with the largest numbers of COVID-related deaths so far this year are Miami-Dade with about 330 and Palm Beach County with nearly 270. Broward County had the fourth highest number with nearly 200 COVID-related deaths.
 
READ MORE: Florida doctors want more children to get vaccinated against infectious diseases

Matias J. Ocner

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The Miami Herald

The fire breathing dragon of record breaking summer heat shows no signs of turning tail in South Florida.

A heat advisory is in effect today through 6 p.m. for Miami Dade, Broward, Collier and mainland Monroe counties.

The so called feels-like temperatures will be between 105 and 110 degrees today. Health officials are asking everyone to take precautions against heat related illnesses. That means drinking plenty of water, staying in air conditioned spaces and limiting your time outside as much as possible.

READ MORE: A Miami ER doctor on why you should take those 'extreme heat' warnings seriously

For the second time in one week, a carbon monoxide leak has been detected at a high school in Weston.

According to an email from Cypress Bay High School, this morning during an ongoing monitoring of the building, school maintenance teams detected high carbon monoxide levels in the cafeteria.

As a precautionary measure, Cypress Bay immediately evacuated the cafeteria.

All staff and students are safe. School officials said the source of the leak has been identified and the staff is working to fix the problem.

On Friday, high levels of carbon monoxide in the Cypress Bay High School cafeteria sent five school employees and one paramedic to the hospital. No students were affected.

Due to the repairs, the cafeteria will not offer hot meals. Instead, students will have alternative meal options.

READ MORE: Florida doctors want more children to get vaccinated against infectious diseases

Faulty reporting and poor oversight is making it tough to determine whether Palm Beach County’s Office of Equal Business Opportunity is operating to standards.

The agency is meant to ensure that small businesses and those owned by women and minority groups are awarded at least 20% of all county contracts. The Palm Beach Post reports that an auditor couldn’t determine whether that was actually happening.

The auditor also says the agency was overreporting contract values by nearly $7 million, from 2019 to 2022. Though, according to the Post, the group’s director had said the issues were corrected.

A special committee’s findings from the audit report will be presented to county commissioners in September.

READ MORE: Proposal could add 'clarity' in felon voting, but not in time for November election

Multiple people were hospitalized earlier today after a gas leak at Cypress Bay High School in Weston.

According to the South Florida Sun Sentinel, at least 6 people were taken to the hospital after experiencing nausea and lightheadedness in the school’s cafeteria, where high levels of carbon monoxide were detected.

No students were affected. However, school was dismissed at noon as a result.

Weston officials said BSO Fire and HazMat have isolated the leak and turned off the gas. Authorities are monitoring the building and investigating the cause of the leak.

READ MORE: School choice and a history of segregation collide as one Florida county shutters its rural schools

Chris O'Meara

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AP

While the Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico are quiet this week, the 2024 hurricane season is about to reach its peak.

Hurricane seasons historically pick up in mid-August with the climatological peak around Sep. 10. Meteorological experts have forecast an above-average hurricane season this year, which could mean more than 20 named storms before the end of November.

So far, the season has produced five named storms, including Hurricane Debby, which made landfall near Steinhatchee on Aug. 5 as a Category One storm.

National Weather Service meteorologist Mark Wool is advising people not to be fooled by the current calm in the Atlantic.

"We encourage folks to have that emergency supply kit ready before the season begins, but if you haven’t done so or there are a few things you still need to get to complete the kit, now is the time to do it," said Wool.

The private meteorology company AccuWeather on Thursday predicted six to 10 named storms in September, citing factors such as water temperatures that remain near or at record highs across much of the Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico.

READ MORE: What is a tsunami? Can they happen along the East & Gulf Coasts?

Golf courses, pickleball courts and even a hotel in state parks across Florida. That's an idea being floated by Governor Ron DeSantis, and conservationists hate it.

You know who else is pushing back against it?  Members of the Governor's own party.

According to the Miami Herald, a number of high-ranking Republicans in Florida are speaking out against the plan.One of them is Senate President Kathleen Passidomo. She says the addition of golf courses and hotels in state parks is not in line with what she calls the "peaceful and quiet enjoyment of nature."

READ MORE: Plans to jazz up state parks with pickleball, golf and hotels are met with outrage

Miami Herald File

The Broward County Commission is seeing red over the ballooning costs of the Sheriff's new training facility.

The Commission had delegated its authority of budgetary oversight to the Sheriff's office, but the project cost has since doubled. It's now estimated at nearly $74 million, which includes a budget shortfall of about NINE million.
 
Broward County Mayor Nan Rich compared that project to the new Supervisor of Elections building.

"We just built an SOE building, it came in on time and on budget. That's what the public would like to see" said Rich. "In my opinion, we need never do a delegation of authority again."

The Broward Sheriff’s office says Palm Beach County is luring staff away with more competitive salaries. But a recent audit revealed that nearly $5 million the commission had given to BSO for salaries was instead reallocated to the building project.

READ MORE: Plans to jazz up state parks with pickleball, golf and hotels are met with outrage

Courtesy of Dr. Jesus Armas

Under the new policy, students could be denied entry to class and even face serious discipline if they refuse to walk through metal detectors.
 
According to the South Florida Sun Sentinel, if visitors refuse to walk through a metal detector, they would be escorted off campus. 
 
But the policy also states that school employees would not be required to walk through them. 
 
The updated policy comes after district officials paused the usage of metal detectors on the first day of classes because of significant delays. And just days later, inclement weather also paused the usage of the devices. 
 
This resulted in the resignation of the district’s safety chief.
 
READ MORE: Teacher vacancies in Florida schools drop

Tony Winton

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Key Biscayne Independent

A heat advisory is in effect for Broward and Miami-Dade counties until 6 p.m. today.

The National Weather Service says feels-like temperatures could reach 108 degrees in some areas.

Scattered showers and thunderstorms could bring some relief to the heat, but there is also a chance for localized flooding.

It’s important to stay hydrated and limit your time outdoors during peak heat hours. And remember to never drive through flooded roadways.

READ MORE: Debby by the numbers: floods, rain, tornadoes and more

Retailers hope Floridians will stock up on storm supplies and more during upcoming sales tax holidays, as the Atlantic hurricane season moves into its peak.

The first holiday, which begins Saturday, is a discount period on storm-related items.

During the tax-free period that runs through Sept. 6, consumers will not have to pay sales taxes on items ranging from packages of batteries, pet supplies and portable generators.

The second tax holiday runs from Sept. 1 through the 7th, and focuses on tools and other work supplies.

“People are stretched this summer, said Scott Shalley, president of the Florida Retail Federation. "We talk about that every time that we talk about holidays. We talk about the opportunity to save. It’s more significant now than ever before.”

Hurricane seasons historically pick up in mid-August with the climatological peak around Sept. 10.

The disaster preparedness tax holiday is expected to save consumers about $80 million in taxes, while the tool time tax break is projected to save shoppers nearly $20 million.

READ MORE:

The Florida Department of Health is offering credit monitoring and other services to people whose personal data might have been taken during a recent cyberattack.

Last month, a hacker group made public more than 20,000 data files containing sensitive health information about Florida residents.

That included social security numbers, banking information and medical histories.

The Florida Department of Health says it's in the process of contacting people who might have been affected by the cyberattack. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the breach.

READ MORE: Questions remain as tech company takes blame for glitch in Florida county election websites

Miami Herald file photo

Florida purged more than half a million kids from its Medicaid rolls, as of June. This process is happening across the country since federal COVID dollars dried up.

But what sets Florida apart is how poorly the state redirected parents to other insurance options, like KidCare, to avoid gaps in coverage for children.

"We are seeing this sort of ping- ponging effect where the Medicaid and the KidCare eligibility systems are not completely in sync," said Lynn Hearn, who is with the Florida Health Justice Project.

KidCare has enrolled only 73,000 children during a period when more than 500,000 lost Medicaid.

Hearn says pregnant women and parents of infants receive conflicting messages from Medicaid and KidCare, causing them to lose access to healthcare.

READ MORE: Florida's Medicaid enrollment decreases another 59,000 in June

The National Park Service is awarding a hefty grant to fund the preservation and restoration of one of South Florida's greatest historic sites.

The Vizcaya Museum and Gardens in Coconut Grove has been awarded $750,000.

Vizcaya, which boasts a villa and gardens in the Italian-Renaissance style, was built in the 1920s and overlooks the water.

It was once the home of industrialist James Deering.

The funding is meant to aid in the repair of the swimming pool known as The Grotto and the ornamental ceiling mural that hovers over it.

Both had been damaged by hurricanes in 1992, 2005 and 2017. 

READ MORE: A court decision worries developers eyeing Florida's aging condos

A federal judge has struck down an environmental move issued in the final weeks of the Trump administration.

It would have allowed oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico to continue without adequately protecting endangered species. 
  
The Sierra Club, the Center for Biological Diversity and others filed a lawsuit in 2020 after federal wildlife managers said the risk of another large oil spill was low.

In her ruling, the judge said wildlife managers should not have relied on the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management for the determination.

The bureau manages offshore drilling. 

READ MORE: Florida parks plan includes golf and pickleball

Sign up for WLRN’s environment newsletter Field Notes to receive our insider’s guide for living in South Florida’s changing landscape. Get original reporting and recaps, with context, delivered to your inbox every Friday. Subscribe here.

Douglas Hanks

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The Miami Herald

Miami-Dade County residents have voted to expand the county's public transit system with nearly 80% of people favoring the item. 
 
That's according to the unofficial results of yesterday's election. 
 
The item was championed by Miami-Dade County Commission Chairman Oliver Gilbert III. 
 
The question asked voters whether the county should expand its existing elevated Metrorail, passenger rail and Metromover services. 
 
Gilbert told the Miami Herald the next steps are to continue having conversations with the community and county commission about the details of the project. 

READ MORE: Hot ballot debate: Should Miami Beach's fire station go in a beloved park or a historic site

City of Miami Beach

Voters in Miami-Dade have approved a proposal by Miami Beach commissioners to build a fire station at the edge of Flamingo Park. Their plan is to build it close to a track and field facility on Alton Road, between 11th and 12th Streets.
 
Across the county as a whole, about 76% of voters approved it. It also passed in the precincts closest to the park but by a smaller margin.
 
Miami Beach Commissioners have said they will decide the next steps at their meeting in September.
 
This station will replace a nearly 60-year-old one in South Beach.

READ MORE: Hot ballot debate: Should Miami Beach's fire station go in a beloved park or a historic site

Jeenah Moon

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FR171682 AP

According to the Florida Department of Health, 56 cases of mpox have so far been reported this year across Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach Counties. Monroe has no reported cases. That’s 14 more cases than last year– still a far cry from the virus’ peak in 2022, when 1,208 cases were documented.

Public health officials say mpox cases recently reported in the region are not part of the “clade 1” variant that is spreading overseas, which is considered more dangerous. Cases of the “clade 2” variant, which drove the 2022 outbreak, are being reported.

The virus typically spreads through prolonged, face-to-face contact or direct or indirect contact with an active rash. Those infected may experience flu-like symptoms, swelling of the lymph nodes, and rashes or sores on the face and body. The virus is largely sexually transmitted.

A two-shot vaccine is widely available.

READ MORE: Florida’s abortion law is driving more residents to seek care in other states

In the city of Miami, the battle over whether to keep an outdoor gym in one of the city's parks has seen more push and pull than a weight-training class.

But it was settled yesterday, according to unofficial results from the election. Miami voters overwhelmingly decided to keep the gym, sponsored by Miami City Commissioner Joe Carollo.
 
A group of Miami residents is now expected to challenge the decision. A half a dozen residents sued the city last week and called for the removal of the ballot question, arguing that is was misleading. 
 
The judge denied the request and said the issue could be challenged post-election. The group said it planned to do so. 
 
The gym had been installed last fall in downtown Miami. But a month later, Miami's planning and zoning board decided it was not installed properly and should have never been approved.

READ MORE: Fishermen furious over Rickenbacker pier closing

J. Scott Applewhite/AP

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AP

U.S. Sen. Rick Scott has handily won Florida's Republican primary against two other opponents, moving on to face Democratic former U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell in November.

Mucarsel-Powell also won her election comfortably against three other candidates.

This November, Scott has to first win a second term in the U.S. Senate before reaching his larger goal — winning Senate leadership, after retiring U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell steps down.

Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP

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FR121174 AP

Mucarsel-Powell — who ran a campaign for the past year focused on abortion rights, gun safety and Latin American policy — said in a statement that she’s grateful for her primary victory.

“This victory isn’t just mine — it belongs to so many people who have stepped up to say that we deserve better here in Florida,” Mucarsel-Powell said.

In the statement, the former Miami congresswoman said that the campaign since day one has focused on “protecting our freedoms,” whether that involves abortion rights, affordability, education or gun safety.

“Let me be clear — I am running to represent every single Floridian in this state," Mucarsel-Powell said. “This goes beyond Republicans vs. Democrats — we’re all done with extremists who don’t have our backs, we all deserve better than Rick Scott, and in November, we will win.”

She will also be pinned on Vice President Kamala Harris inspiring Democrats to the polls as she faces former President Donald Trump.

Mucarsel-Powell was the first Ecuadorian American and South American-born congressional member elected when she won in 2018, but she lost her reelection bid in 2020 to U.S. Rep. Carlos Gimenez.

Tony Winton

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Key Biscayne Independent

Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava crushed a large field of challengers in Tuesday night’s primary to win re-election and avoid a Nov. 5 runoff.

With 80% of precincts reporting, Levine Cava had collected 59% of all votes, according to the Miami-Dade Elections website. She only needs more than 50% to return to office without having to compete in November.

Six candidates challenged the incumbent mayor to manage one of the nation’s largest and diverse counties and oversee its $11.7 billion budget, and tens of thousands of employees.

“I am truly humbled and honored by the vote of confidence, and the trust the voters placed in me to serve another four years as your Mayor," she said in a statement. "Through the hard work, unwavering commitment, long hours and hot days, we marked a decisive win, despite facing six opponents who attacked us, lied about our progress and the incredible work we have done.

"We knew from day one, we were going to be a people powered campaign once again, committed to vision, integrity and a continued promise to deliver results."

"I am ready and promise to continue doing the work that needs to get done" she said rattling off a litany of public policy issues.
"We will double-down on our housing challenges, invest in our infrastructure so we can be future ready, prioritize healthy and safe communities and ensure we are a resilient county that protects and preserves our environment.

"We will continue to partner with our business community so together we can chart a path for progress to take on challenges big and small."

Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried applauded the victory, noting that Levine Cava is the county's first woman mayor.

“After four years leading one of the largest, most complex, and most important counties in the country, Mayor Levine Cava has proven herself a bold leader capable of delivering results for the people of Miami-Dade County," said Fried in a statment. "Her vision, integrity, and commitment to results shows through in her work — she’s lowered crime, tackled the affordability crisis head on, prioritized the environment, and strengthened the local economy.

Levine Cava, who was heavily favored to win re-election, had a big lead against her opponents, including Miami Lakes Mayor Manny Cid and former Surfside Mayor Shlomo Danzinger.

 READ MORE: A restaurateur and an influencer battle for the second slot in Miami-Dade’s mayoral election

 Among the mayor’s most bizarre challengers in the non-partisan race was firebrand Cuban-American and social media influencer Alex Otaola, who hosts YouTube shows that draws in audiences across Cuba and across the entire Cuban diaspora, from Miami to Madrid. He raised more than $120,000 through the end of July from a staggering 14,000 donors.

Despite Otaola’s popularity on the web, he was in a distant third place, with 11.6% of votes, trailing Cid (221%) and Levine Cava (59%), according to the latest elections data.

During the campaign, Levine Cava landed the coveted endorsement of the Miami Herald Editorial Board, which described her as the kind of “leader who will balance our economic, social and environmental needs.”

Cid, one of Levine Cava’s strongest opponents, had racked up endorsements from the Miami Young Republicans — a partner group of the Florida Republican Party — and endorsements from development groups and small business owners.

Verónica Zaragovia

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WLRN

Tight finances brought Luis Boza to Miami Beach City hall to cast his ballot on primary election day.

Boza is in his late 70s and hopes politicans can help address some of the financial struggles for older people.

Boza told WLRN in Spanish that he voted in favor of building a fire station at the edge of Flamingo Park. That's a question that appears on Miami-Dade ballots. He says he supports it because the city can't have too many firefighters.

Voters in Miami-Dade County will weigh in on whether Miami Beach should build a new fire station on the edge of the popular Flamingo Park. The alternative would likely lead to demolishing a historic building, leaving South Beach residents divided.

Even though the question affects South Beach residents, it’s on the ballot for all county voters, regardless of party affiliation, because of county rules regarding parks.

READ MORE: Should Miami Beach's fire station go in a beloved park or a historic site

Anita Li

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WLRN

This Election Day afternoon thunderstorms did not stop voters in Palm Beach County from coming out to the polls.

Hair salon owner and actor Karen Stephens drove to the Palm Beach County Library in West Palm Beach to cast her ballot in the primaries.

She wants to support candidates and measures that prioritize affordable living.

"The high prices is affecting everything. It’s affecting our ability to have a quality of life, and it’s also affecting service personnel and teachers who can’t afford to live here, but we need them in order to have a functional society," she told WLRN.

Stephens emphasized civic duty and the importance of voting in all elections – local and national.

While every election brings out new voters, some have been coming to the polls for decades.

Like West Palm Beach resident Bettye Novak, who’s been voting for 50 years.

"I believe that if you do not vote, you have no reason to complain about the politicians who are in office. It’s our right, our privilege, as American citizens we need to vote," the 68-year-old retired nurse said.

"I’m not happy with the economy, I’m not happy with the border, if I don’t vote for someone to change that, I have no leg to stand on."

This election season, the 68-year-old retired nurse says candidates earning her vote are those who support Israel and advocate for reduced living costs.

Polls are open in South Florida until 7 p.m. on Tuesday. To find where and how to vote on Election Day in your county, read our guide.

READ MORE: Affordability is key as Democratic candidates vie for Palm Beach County seat

Carlton Gillespie

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WLRN

In addition to party primaries for Senate and House seats, Broward County voters will decide a contentious Sheriff's race along with a majority of county school board seats will be decided Today. There are also county and circuit judges on the ballot.

At the Emma Lou Olson Civic Center in Pompano Beach, there was a mere trickle of voters around midday. With campaign staff sat in the shade, they dodged last-minute pamphleting by sidestepping them into the sweltering sidewalks at the front entrance.

Colleen Menegazzi told WLRN she feared some voters sat out the election, overwhelmed by the number of races — but that it was important for her to do her research.

"I think voting is one of the most important things we can ever do. No matter what. Even if I only vote for five candidates on the ballot and leave the rest blank, that’s ok," she said.

Menegazzi thinks that reliable information on candidates is less readily available to people than it used to be. "I did not get any mailings or literature at all. You have to almost seek out what's going on," she added.

“There are quite a few things that are important to me but one specifically is the gun laws,” she said, “ I don’t like how everyone is allowed to carry a gun.”

Polls are open in South Florida until 7 p.m. on Tuesday. To find where and how to vote on Election Day in your county, read our guide.

READ MORE: 'There needs to be a change': What's driving voters to the polls on primary election day

J. Scott Applewhite

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AP

Florida U.S. Sen. Rick Scott has his sights on a GOP leadership role, but first he must get past two candidates in the state's Republican primary on Tuesday.

Scott, who won his Senate spot by a margin of about 10,000 votes in 2018, is aiming to run for Senate Republican leader to replace retiring Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.

If Scott wins the primary, he would face a Democratic opponent in November.

The Democratic frontrunner is former U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, who got President Joe Biden’s endorsement in April and has campaigned for the past year against Scott.

The senate seat is not the only one in Florida to watch, since some of the state’s congressional races include the most well-known far-right lawmakers.

One such example is U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, who must defeat his primary challenger Aaron Dimmick. That race has been fueled by a barrage of campaign advertisements, with Gaetz accusing Dimmick of being a carpetbagger who moved from Missouri to the Florida Panhandle to promote diversity and inclusion. Meanwhile Dimmick has highlighted allegations of sexual misconduct against Gaetz.

READ MORE: Affordability is key as Democratic candidates vie for Palm Beach County seat

Joel Engelhardt

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Stet

A collection of supersize voting pink flamingos adorns a new art installation designed to make the county Supervisor of Elections’ new headquarters more inviting.

In a time of tension around elections, "VOTE!" celebrates the right to cast a ballot in a whimsical style.

The three giant flamingos in voting booths were created by Matthew Mazzotta, who dreamed up the famous 21-foot flamingo at Tampa International Airport that he called "HOME" and that visitors nicknamed Phoebe. New York-based Mazzotta’s concept was among dozens of applicants to a national open call by the county’s Public Art Committee.

In 2021, a panel of the Public Art Committee, Supervisor of Election Wendy Sartory Link and a representative of project architect Song and Associates unanimously recommended Mazzotta’s proposal

"VOTE!" cost about $725,000, paid with county bond money, to meet the county policy that 2 percent of a building’s construction cost be committed to an art installation.

It greets visitors on Cherry Road just east of Military Trail on the west side of the $50 million elections building. 
What they’re saying: "Palm Beach County wanted a work to go with their new building, and the main thing I wanted to do was make it more democratic to where people can see themselves voting," Mazzotta told Stet News. "Also, to humanize it.

"Each of the heads are doing something different. One flamingo is looking down trying to vote. The other two are sizing each other up or kind of cheating off each other. Obviously, voting happening in the United States is a private affair but in this case, you have to realize it's made up of all different types of individuals."

READ MORE: Early voting reveals GOP mistrust of vote-by-mail

Joel Engelhardt

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Stet

In-person early voting ended Sunday for the Aug. 20 primary. Combined with mail-in ballots, more than 121,000 Palm Beach County residents have cast ballots.

Democrats cast more than half of those votes as of Monday morning, almost 67,000 ballots. Republicans cast nearly 38,000. Voters registered with no party submitted nearly 14,000 ballots.

Registered Democrats outnumber Republicans in Palm Beach County by 324,081 to 276,730. Another 267,610 voters are members of other parties or no party at all.

Both parties have contests on the ballot for sheriff, state attorney, U.S. senator and, in some districts, state Legislature, Congress and County Commission. Voters of any party or no party at all are eligible to vote for public defender, school board and on a referendum to extend a business recruitment tax break.

In-person early voting drew 32,121 voters in Palm Beach County. About 45 percent were Democrats and 45 percent Republican. 

Read the full story here.

This story was originally published by Stet News Palm Beach, a WLRN News partner.

READ MORE: Primary Election Day in South Florida

Daniel A. Varela

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Miami Herald

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis isn't on the ballot Tuesday — but his education agenda is.

DeSantis is once again throwing his weight behind county school board candidates across the state. Though the seats are officially nonpartisan, the Republican governor has endorsed 23 school board candidates on the ballot Tuesday in 14 Florida counties — and he's targeted 14 incumbent board members he wants to see voted out.

One board that conservatives are hoping to win a majority on is in Pinellas County, home to St. Petersburg on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Historically known as one of the state’s largest swing counties, Pinellas has been moving to the right in recent years. In a pattern playing out across the state, conservative activists there have equated certain teaching materials with pornography and labeled educators as “groomers.”

Read more on this story here.

Wilkine Brutus

Every ten years, according to state law, Palm Beach County is required to ask voters whether to extend a little-known, 30-year-old tax abatement program that helps attract large companies to the area.

This election cycle, the county-wide, property tax incentive question is on the August primary ballot.

It is the third time voters are asked to decide whether the program should continue giving various tax exemptions to qualified new and expanding businesses that provide high-paying, full-time jobs in the county.

But the incentives are only available for a select group of firms and projects.

Read the full story here.

A man credited with steering the massive growth of one of South Florida's public healthcare systems has died.
 
The South Florida Sun Sentinel reports that Frank Sacco died yesterday of cancer at the age of 77.
 
Sacco worked for over 40 years at Memorial Healthcare System in Broward County before serving as its president and CEO for another 28 years. He retired in 2016.
 
Under his leadership, Memorial Healthcare grew from one hospital to six in South Broward and would eventually become the country's third-largest public healthcare system.
 
Sacco also spearheaded the development of Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital.

READ MORE: New mobile clinic will help this Miami health center bring dental care to kids

Joshua Ceballos

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WLRN

Voters in Hialeah flocked to JFK Library on Tuesday.

Francisco Meireles, 70, had Cuba and some local issues on his mind as he cast his ballot.

"I'm gonna vote because I want to exercise my right to vote that I didn't have in Cuba for 40 years. The sheriff is very important to me, traffic, local buses and the airport," the longtime Hialeah resident said, in Spanish.

For Roberto Lopez, who has lived in Miami-Dade for 13 years, Miami International Airport's issues were also top of mind — and he blamed the incumbent Mayor Daniella Levine Cava.

"The airport is in a bad state. The escalators don't work. The elevators are broken. The bathrooms are out of service. There needs to be a change," the 52-year-old said, in Spanish.

"I'm gonna vote to get rid of the communists in this country. There are many communists," he added.

Quite a few voters were told to go elsewhere, because the library wasn’t their assigned polling place.

That didn’t stop 77-year old Minerva Garcia. She hopped back in her car to go to her assigned precinct, because she told WLRN that she was eager to vote.

"The most important thing for me is to conserve this country by voting," she said.

To find where and how to vote on Election Day in your county, read our guide.

READ MORE: A restaurateur and an influencer battle for the second slot in Miami-Dade’s mayoral election

Julia Cooper

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WLRN

Affordability and the environment are two crucial issues driving Florida Keys voters to the polls today.

Key Largo resident Nancy Miller is an independent voter. While she says her options were limited in Florida’s closed-party primary, she felt it was still important to cast her selections this morning.

“We have a daughter that needs housing, we’re helping her right now," Miller said.“Now she works as a graphic designer and she also does some waitressing, but…not enough.”

Miller lives in the Twin Lakes area of Key Largo. It’s a chronically flooded area that just broke ground on a county-led road elevation project aiming to make the neighborhood more resilient against sea level rise.

Miller lives in the Twin Lakes area of Key Largo. It’s a chronically flooded area that just broke ground on a county-led road elevation project aiming to make the neighborhood more resilient against sea level rise.

"[Housing] is a collaborative issue that isn’t really black and white, it’s kind of grey."

READ MORE: Live from Key West: Sustainability, affordability and healthcare

This primary election day voters across South Florida are being asked to elect candidates for offices they have never had to vote on before.

A statewide ballot amendment passed in 2018 mandates every county needs to elect five totally independent “constitutional offices,” which include sheriff, clerk of courts, property appraiser, tax collector and supervisor of elections — and two of the three counties impacted by these new rules are in South Florida.

In Miami-Dade County, positions including a new county sheriff will be independent from the administration and the impact on finances will be "astronomical," a commissioner told WLRN.

In Broward, residents could see big changes in various services relating to their vehicles.

While across the board the new rules will make these posts political, rather than professional.

Read the full story here.

Alie Skowronski

/

Miami Herald

Today is election day in Florida.

Democrats and Republicans are holding primaries to choose candidates for the November election. And there are non-partisan races for elected offices — including judges and school board members.
 
On the ballot for Broward voters: five out of nine school board seats are up for grabs, including two incumbents appointed by Governor Ron Desantis.
 
WLRN Broward County reporter Carlton Gillespie spoke to Tim Padgett on the South Florida Roundup about the races:
 
"School choice, private school scholarships, all of that is on the ballot. In each of these 5 there could be 5 who support these kinds of culture war initiatives and five who oppose it and we could get a clean sweep either way that would end up as a majority on the school board," he said.
 
Broward will also have a contested Democratic Primary for Sheriff – including incumbent Gregory Tony.  County voters will also elect a tax collector, for the first time.

Read more on this story here.

Anita Li

/

WLRN

Primary elections are today and voting is already underway in Palm Beach County.

Boca Raton resident Russ Hindman, a nonpartisan voter, tried to cast his vote at the Spanish River Library, but it wasn't his right polling place.

That didn't deter him on his way to vote for school board elections – at his correct polling site. He says the issue is too important.

"I think it’s more important that we put money into programs at schools for education, not politics. Political issues should be between adults, not children. Just focus on education," he said. "Those other things, we don’t have time for that right now. We’re failing our kids."

Hindman also said that being a member of a democracy means accepting that things won’t always go your way.

Polling places everywhere — including in Palm Beach County — are open until 7 p.m. today.

To find where and how to vote on Election Day in your county, read our guide.

READ MORE: What's behind a Palm Beach County ballot question on tax breaks for businesses

The prestigious Vanderbilt University is in early talks with Palm Beach County leaders to bring a half-billion-dollar campus to West Palm Beach. 
 
Vanderbilt said it wants to place its satellite business school at the same location where the University of Florida’s graduate campus would have gone, before plans were scrapped last Fall. 

To make it happen, Vanderbilt officials are requesting city and county officials to donate several acres of land. The campus would accommodate an anticipated 1,000 students and offer business education and computing programs.

Vanderbilt representatives will pitch county officials at a presentation today.

READ MORE: Broward voters will decide on five school board seats — two appointed by DeSantis

Even before voters go to the polls on Tuesday, tens of thousands of South Florida voters have already cast their ballots.

Miami-Dade, the state’s largest county, had nearly 196,000 people cast early ballots, with Republican voters outnumbering Democratic voters by more than 11,000. But more Democrats (56,307) than Republicans (41,276) in Miami-Dade voted by mail.

In Broward, more than 87,000 Democratic voters cast their ballots early or by mail compared to just 77,000 Republicans in Miami-Dade.

State elections officials reported the following numbers for those who voted early or by mail in the region: 

Two teenagers have been arrested for allegedly making separate threats against Broward County Public Schools.

Two days before the first day of school, the Broward Sheriff's Office received a tip from the FBI that a 13-year-old boy allegedly posted an online threat to commit a mass shooting at the School District offices. 

Detectives say he was upset over the district's new cellphone policy — which bans phone usage for most of the day. 

Another tip from the FBI stated that a 13-year-old girl also allegedly posted an online threat against Cooper City High School. Details about the post have not been released.

In Florida, a threat to commit violence against schools is a second degree felony which is punishable with up to 15 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Detectives are also investigating two other possible threats.

READ MORE: Broward voters will decide on five school board seats — two appointed by DeSantis
 

Greg Lovett

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The Palm Beach Post

The U.S. Coast Guard has set up new restricted “security zones” in the water surrounding former President Donald Trump’s home in Palm Beach — that it will enforce whenever he or other protected visitors are in town.

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports that the Coast Guard and other agencies will station boats displaying flashing blue lights around three zones.

Those areas encompass broad swaths of both the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean near Trump's Mar-A Lago resort.

The increased security comes a month after the assassination attempt on Trump during a rally near Butler, Pennsylvania.

READ MORE: How Mar-a-Lago became the center of gravity for the hard right

Nationwide, over 17,000 AT&T employees – part of the Communications Workers of America (CWA) —  are striking, accusing the company of unfair labor practices. Including dispatching undertrained managers and contractors to complete highly technical field work.
 
The strike entered its fourth day on Monday, with South Florida workers picketing outside AT&T’s offices in southwest Miami-Dade. 
 
The CWA has filed unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board. They also claim that the company has refused to bargain in their contract agreement. 
 
AT&T responded to the strikes in a prepared statement, refuting the claims but that it was committed to reaching an agreement.
 
The current contract between CWA and AT&T expired on Aug. 3.

READ MORE: FIU professors strengthen their labor union after 'shock to the system' from state purge

South Florida’s jobless rate last month was up one-tenth of 1%. It is the second month in a row it has risen and is now at its highest level in more than two and half years. Still, at 3.4%, the unemployment rate remains low by historical standards.

Meanwhile, there are more jobs in the region compared to a year ago — about 75,000 more jobs. But there are fewer people counted as employed.

The difference is because of how the data is gathered. The job count number comes from payroll figures, so more traditional jobs. Temporary and freelance jobs aren’t counted.

"Gig workers or contract workers are not included in some of that job numbers, so we might be seeing a shift from some of that kind of non-traditional employment back to employment as employers that, you know, kind of have to keep people on payroll," said Chief of Workforce Statistics for the state of Florida Jimmy Heckman.

Statewide, the July unemployment rate was 3.3% – flat from a month earlier.

READ MORE: Inflation slowing, but still elevated. 'We hear you,' says Biden's top economist

The chief of safety and security for Broward County Public Schools has resigned.

The South Florida Sun Sentinel reports that 53-year-old Jaime Alberti submitted a resignation letter on Friday stating his last day is Nov. 4.

He did not give a reason for the decision. But his announcement comes just a few days after the chaotic rollout of a new metal detector policy in high schools across Broward.

On the first day of school last week, the district had to suspend the use of the metal detectors because of significant delays — with some students waiting as long as an hour to get to their first class.

READ MORE: New metal detectors delay students' first day of school in Broward

Daniel A. Varela

/

Miami Herald

The pickleball craze is coming to Miami Gardens' Hard Rock Stadium.
 
Miami-Dade County Commissioner Oliver Gilbert the Third is hosting a pickleball tournament – the venue’s first. According to WSVN, the tournament will be co-hosted with the Sunshine State Games – to inaugurate this year’s Orange Blossom Classic, an annual college football game for Historically Black Colleges and Universities. 
 
The tournament is open to any team or player who’s at least 19. Here’s what Commissioner Gilbert told Channel 7 about the event:
 
"This is one of the qualifying events, so if you come and you register and you perform well and you win here, it actually qualifies you to move onto state tournaments. So, that’s a very exciting function," said Gilbert.
 
The qualifier is 8 a.m. Aug. 25 at Hard Rock Stadium’s Tennis Plaza.

READ MORE: No bull: South Florida's next professional sports team is bull riding

South Florida’s jobless rate last month was up one-tenth of 1%. It is the second month in a row it has risen and is now at its highest level in more than two and half years. Still, at 3.4%, the unemployment rate remains low by historical standards.

Meanwhile, there are more jobs in the region compared to a year ago. About 75,000 jobs. But there are fewer people counted as employed.

The difference is because of how the data is gathered. The job count number comes from payroll figures, so more traditional jobs. Temporary and freelance jobs aren’t counted.

"Gig workers or contract workers are not included in some of that job numbers, so we might be seeing a shift from some of that kind of non-traditional employment back to employment as employers that, you know, kind of have to keep people on payroll," said Florida Chief of Workforce Statistics Jimmy Heckman.

Statewide, the July unemployment rate was 3.3% from a month earlier.

READ MORE: Home buying deals are dying amid mortgage rates and condo reform concerns

Monroe County’s longtime administrator Roman Gastesi has been indicted as part of ongoing investigation into drug theft at the county’s air ambulance service.

The Keys Weekly reports that Gastesi was charged with official misconduct for allegedly obstructing the investigation. He could face up to five years in prison.

The Monroe County State Attorney’s Office has so far charged three others in the case: a flight nurse for the Trauma Star air ambulance, who says a drug addiction led her to steal more than 600 vials of fentanyl and other drugs. A county fire captain and the county’s medical director have also been charged with covering up the theft.

Gastesi retired in February but returned to work as a volunteer. On Friday the county announced it had terminated Gastesi and acting administrator Kevin Wilson will continue to manage county business

READ MORE: Disney wants a wrongful death lawsuit thrown out because the plaintiff had Disney+

Miami voters will still be able to decide if an outdoor gym should remain in one of the city's parks.
 
Half a dozen Miami residents filed a lawsuit earlier this week arguing that a question about the gym's future on the August ballot is misleading and omits key information.
 
The Miami Herald reports that a judge has denied the group's request to remove the ballot question.
 
The judge noted that elections have already started, and the issue can be challenged post-election.

READ MORE: Florida election officials warn of false rumor about ballot markings days before the state’s primary

Wilkine Brutus

Miami-Dade County Public Schools welcomed back thousands of students, parents and teachers yesterday. 

First days can be full of nerves for some. Even for teachers like Alicia Romagosa Martinez who says that, despite 20 years of experience, she still has to tame first-day jitters.

"I really still get excited about the first day of school," said Martinez. "I couldn't sleep last night. I was so nervous. Like we were reading first day jitters and it was me."

Others, like 3rd grader Miles Marroquin couldn’t wait to get back in the classroom. In fact, he wished the day was longer.

"The first day of school is, like, very exciting. Like, you're going to meet everybody, you're going to make new friends and you can learn stuff too and have fun. I'm kind of sad. I want it to be extra hours," said Marroquin.

According to MDCPS Superintendent Jose Dotres, apart from some minor AC issues, everything was smooth across Miami-Dade’s school campuses – from the first bell that rang to the last.

READ MORE: 'We're here for the kids': Despite shortages, Miami-Dade teachers start the school year with joy

Monroe County will experience seasonal king tides from now through December. 
 
King tides are unusually high tides that can cause coastal tidal flooding in especially low lying areas. They typically happen in the spring and fall seasons.
 
One of the highest peak king tides in the Keys is expected to occur this weekend. Residents are encouraged to prepare and be aware of their surroundings and avoid flooded streets. 

READ MORE: The oceans are weirdly hot. Scientists are trying to figure out why