Historic fishing village prepares for Hurricane Idalia’s devastating storm surge

Written by Fort Lauderdale Mortgage Syndicated User on August 30, 2023. Posted in Florida News, Fort Lauderdale Mortgage, Fort Lauderdale Mortgage Rates, Hurricane forecast, Hurricane Tracks, Latest Headlines, News, Storms & Hurricanes, Weather.

CEDAR KEY — Ahead of Hurricane Idalia’s landfall, expected early Wednesday, residents of this historic, Gulf coast fishing village renowned for its waterfront seafood restaurants and quaint stores were wondering whether their luck was about to run out. On the edge of the Gulf of Mexico, windows were boarded Tuesday, businesses were empty and cars were missing from driveways. A few people on golf carts drove along the island’s roads ahead of the storm — just before an evacuation. Forecasters predicted the storm would strengthen to at least a Category 3 hurricane before landfall, with storm...

Florida Gov. Ron Desantis booed at vigil as hundreds mourn more racist killings

Written by Fort Lauderdale Mortgage Syndicated User on August 28, 2023. Posted in Florida News, Fort Lauderdale Mortgage, Fort Lauderdale Mortgage Rates, Latest Headlines, National News, News.

By RUSS BYNUM and AARON MORRISON (Associated Press) JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Hundreds of people gathered Sunday at prayer vigils and in church, in frustration and exhaustion, to mourn yet another racist attack in America: this one the killing of three Black people in Florida at the hands of a white, 21-year-old man who authorities say left behind white supremacist ramblings that read like “the diary of a madman.” Following services earlier in the day, about 200 people showed up at a Sunday evening vigil a block from the Dollar General store in Jacksonville where officials said Ryan...

Former NFL running back, South Plantation High star Alex Collins dies in Lauderdale Lakes crash

Written by Fort Lauderdale Mortgage Syndicated User on August 15, 2023. Posted in Florida News, Fort Lauderdale Mortgage, Fort Lauderdale Mortgage Rates, Latest Headlines, Local News, National News, News, Obituaries, Sports.

Alex Collins, a South Florida high school football standout who later played for two NFL teams, died in a motorcycle crash Sunday night in Lauderdale Lakes. Shortly before 10:30 p.m. Sunday, Collins was riding a 2004 Suzuki GSX-R600K motorcycle east on West Oakland Park Boulevard approaching Northwest 33rd Avenue as a woman driving a 2002 Chevrolet Suburban SUV was driving west, the Broward Sheriff’s Office said in a release Monday night. The Chevrolet driver made a left turn onto Northwest 33rd Avenue and collided with the motorcycle while crossing the eastbound lanes, the Sheriff’s Office...

Florida’s African-American history standards blasted at South Florida town hall

Written by Fort Lauderdale Mortgage Syndicated User on August 11, 2023. Posted in Education, Florida News, Fort Lauderdale Mortgage, Fort Lauderdale Mortgage Rates, Latest Headlines, News, Politics.

Hundreds arrived a historic Black church looking for answers about Florida’s controversial African-American history standards and left ready to fight against what they see as increasing racism in the state. The one person they hoped to get answers from at Thursday night education town hall — Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz — declined to appear after initially agreeing to attend. So those attending spent much of the evening discussing how to fight against the DeSantis movement and the growing conservative activism marked by groups like Moms for Liberty, who have fought to get books...

Florida man who dropped appeals is executed for 1988 hammer killing of a nurse

Written by Fort Lauderdale Mortgage Syndicated User on August 4, 2023. Posted in Florida News, Fort Lauderdale Mortgage, Fort Lauderdale Mortgage Rates, Latest Headlines, News.

By CURT ANDERSON (Associated Press) STARKE, Fla. (AP) — A Florida man who recently dropped all legal appeals was executed Thursday for the 1988 murder of a woman who was sexually assaulted, killed with a hammer and then set on fire in her own bed. James Phillip Barnes, 61, was pronounced dead at 6:13 p.m. following a lethal injection at Florida State Prison in Starke. Lying on a gurney, Barnes appeared to already have his eyes shut when the curtain was opened for witnesses. He didn’t respond when prison officials asked if he had a final statement, and he remained motionless except for...

Trump political committee has spent more than $40 million on lawyers’ fees as his legal peril mounts

Written by Fort Lauderdale Mortgage Syndicated User on August 1, 2023. Posted in Crime and Public Safety, Florida News, Fort Lauderdale Mortgage, Fort Lauderdale Mortgage Rates, Latest Headlines, National News, News, Politics.

By JILL COLVIN and BRIAN SLODYSKO (Associated Press) WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Donald Trump ‘s mounting legal woes are growing more expensive, leading his political operation to shell out tens of millions of dollars for attorneys’ fees, request a large refund from a supportive super PAC and launch a new legal defense fund. Since the beginning of this year, Save America, Trump’s political action committee, has spent more than $40 million on legal fees for costs related to defending the former president, his aides and other allies, according to a person familiar with the spending...

Bank of America hit with $250M in fines and refunds for ‘double-dipping’ fees and fake accounts

Written by Fort Lauderdale Mortgage Syndicated User on July 12, 2023. Posted in Business, Crime and Public Safety, Florida News, Fort Lauderdale Mortgage, Fort Lauderdale Mortgage Rates, National News, News.

By KEN SWEET and MICHELLE CHAPMAN (Associated Press) NEW YORK (AP) — Bank of America will reimburse customers more than $100 million and pay $150 million in fines for “double-dipping” on overdraft fees, withholding reward bonuses on credit cards and opening accounts without customer consent. Combined, it is one of the highest financial penalties in years against Bank of America, which has largely spent the last 15 years trying to clean up its reputation and market itself to the public as a bank focused on financial health and not on overdraft fee income and financial trickery. BofA must...

In jab at DeSantis, Florida Democrats cap fundraising dinner with raucous drag show

Written by Fort Lauderdale Mortgage Syndicated User on July 9, 2023. Posted in Election, Entertainment, Florida News, Fort Lauderdale Mortgage, Fort Lauderdale Mortgage Rates, Latest Headlines, Local News, National News, News, Politics, Things To Do.

MIAMI BEACH — The speeches were done, the politicians were off the stage, but the night wasn’t over for Florida Democrats. Party Chair Nikki Fried feigned surprise when the lights went out Saturday night. But the show was just getting started. For the finale of the Florida Democratic Party’s annual Leadership Blue conference and fundraiser, Fried arranged for an appearance by drag queen Velvet Lenore, who performed several numbers along with her backup dancers. The audience, Democratic activists and elected officials from throughout the state, erupted in applause. LeNore, 51, who lives in...

State University System suspends FAU’s presidential search, citing alleged ‘anomalies’ in process

Written by Fort Lauderdale Mortgage Syndicated User on July 8, 2023. Posted in Education, Florida News, Fort Lauderdale Mortgage, Fort Lauderdale Mortgage Rates, Latest Headlines, News.

Just days before the three finalists for Florida Atlantic University’s next president were set to speak at public forums, the search has been stopped in its tracks. State University System of Florida Chancellor Ray Rodrigues sent a letter to Brad Levine, chairman of both the FAU Board of Trustees and the Presidential Search Committee, citing “anomalies that have been alleged in the Florida Atlantic University presidential search.” The letter, dated Friday, was posted on social media Friday evening. The letter said Rodrigues’ office “received concerning information,” including that search...

A sweet slice of history: Florida Keys celebrate 200th birthday with giant Key lime pie

Written by Fort Lauderdale Mortgage Syndicated User on July 4, 2023. Posted in Florida News, Fort Lauderdale Mortgage, Fort Lauderdale Mortgage Rates, Latest Headlines, News.

BIG PINE KEY — Partying never gets old in the Florida Keys — especially for a milestone birthday like No. 200. The Florida Keys celebrated its bicentennial Monday along the Gulf of Mexico with a Key lime pie more than 13 feet in diameter — which organizers intend to certify as a world record. The festivities marked the anniversary of the Florida Territorial Legislature’s establishment of Monroe County on July 3, 1823 and celebrated its history. The county contains all of the Keys and a portion of Everglades National Park. During the Civil War, Key West remained in Union hands as a base for...

Category: Florida News