South Florida Sun Sentinel

Florida warns schools of ‘divisive’ online platform used to catalog books Beanstack is used by more than 40 Florida school districts to catalog books in classroom libraries, log the time students spend reading and offer parents a way to see what titles are available in t…

An online reading platform used by school districts to comply with Florida book laws is now under fire by the state’s top education official who accused it, without providing specifics, of trying to “push an ideology” and “subvert parental rights.”

That law was already passed in 2023 and is what enabled this arbitration process in the first place. An attempt in the Legislature earlier this year that would have allowed policyholders to choose how to handle disputes was defeated.

A ‘stacked deck’: Citizens’ alternative dispute system unfair to policyholders, attorneys say Three years ago, state-owned Citizens Insurance was given the right to require policyholders send their disputes to a tribunal of judges selected by the state. Policyholders are getting crushed, pl…

Since 2024, Citizens moved more than 1,300 claims to the arbitration court. Prior to July 10, the company prevailed in 47 of 51 cases that advanced to a final hearing, a Sun Sentinel analysis found.

Judge finds that Citizens Insurance’s use of arbitration likely violates policyholders’ right to fair trial A Hillsborough County judge has ordered Citizens Property Insurance Corp. to stop sending claims disputes to the Department of Administrative Hearings, agreeing with a plaintiff that the practice l…

Citizens Insurance’s use of an arbitration court that it pays for to settle claims disputes is likely against the Constitutional rights of policyholders to fair trials, a judge has ruled.

Florida DOGE starts hunt for wasteful spending. Will it brandish a machete or wield a pencil? Gov. Ron DeSantis and CFO Blaise Ingoglia are dispatching Florida DOGE teams examine select counties and cities they want scrutinized for wasteful or excessive spending. A Democratic lawmaker says …

As Florida DOGE teams begin their DeSantis-ordered hunt for “wasteful spending” in the state’s cities and counties, little is known about precisely what they’re up to. @browardpolitics.bsky.social and other reporters are working to get to the bottom of it. Here’s what we know so far.

Can’t speak to other states. Florida’s governor has the authority under state law to suspend or remove elected municipal officials under specific circumstances. The state Senate has the authority to review and overturn those actions.

The governor has removed many elected officials including state attorneys, sheriffs, school board members and more.

The governor has removed many elected officials including state attorneys, sheriffs, school board members and more.

Mayor Jerry Demings said he feared DeSantis would oust him and county commissioners, then name “his minions” to lead the county.

“Yes, I signed the damn thing because we really had to.”

Mayor Demings says he signed ICE pact ‘under protest and extreme duress’ A frustrated Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, threatened with suspension and removal from office by Gov. Ron DeSantis, said he signed an amendment to an agreement Friday with U.S. Immigration and…

A frustrated Orange County Mayor, threatened with suspension and removal from office by Gov. Ron DeSantis, said he signed an amendment to an agreement Friday with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement “under protest and extreme duress.”

Florida baby killed by dog while parents out celebrating mom’s birthday, sheriff says Investigators believe the 130-pound dog got into a bedroom where relatives had put the baby to sleep.

A 130-pound, Great Dane-husky mixed dog got into the bedroom where a 5-month-old was put while relatives were babysitting him, according a Florida sheriff. The dog was found sitting next to the bleeding and apparently lifeless baby.

Broward County government opens its books for state DOGE auditors With no fanfare, no protest, and no resistance, officials at the Broward County Governmental Center open their doors and books for the governor’s team of auditors looking for examples of wast…

With no fanfare, no protest, and no resistance, officials at the Broward County Governmental Center open their doors and books for the governor’s team of auditors looking for examples of wasteful spending to bolster their criticism of woke, green and DEI programs.

Florida DOGE looks at Palm Beach County’s spending. New county leader calls it ‘an opportunity.’ Palm Beach County is among the local governments answering Florida’s DOGE questions as Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration aims to uncover any wasteful spending across the state.

Palm Beach County is among the local governments answering Florida’s DOGE questions as Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration aims to uncover any wasteful spending across the state.

Newly appointed Palm Beach County Administrator Joe Abruzzo says he’s embracing the state’s examination.

Reporting by @skylerswisher.bsky.social

The 33-page draft plan appears to detail alternate facilities that could be used in an evacuation, procedures for detainee transportation and other measures that would be enacted in the event of a powerful storm.

But specific details are a secret.

Officials blacked out almost all of the pages.

Florida releases heavily blacked-out Alligator Alcatraz hurricane plan The Everglades facility has faced a barrage of questions about how detainees would be kept safe in the hurricane-prone area.

Florida emergency management officials released a heavily blacked-out disaster plan for the Alligator Alcatraz immigration detention center on Wednesday, just two days after saying they had no document detailing what the camp would do if threatened by a hurricane.

US citizen won’t be charged after recording FHP, Border Patrol immigrant takedown The U.S. citizen who was detained for hours in a federal immigration facility in Palm Beach County after he recorded the rough takedown of his two friends by Florida Highway Patrol and U.S. Customs…

The U.S. citizen who was detained for hours in a federal immigration facility in Palm Beach County after he recorded the rough takedown of his two friends by Florida Highway Patrol and U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents will not be charged.

Prosecutors set up bed in courtroom to reenact death of woman impaled by spear Prosecutors in a Florida courtroom, realizing it would be more convincing to show jurors how a murder may have taken place rather than just tell them, reassembled the queen-size bed on which they s…

In the category of strange courtroom scenes...

Judge considers whether ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ challenge was filed in wrong venue A legal challenge to a hastily-built immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades was filed in the wrong venue, government attorneys argued Wednesday in the first of two hearings over the…

Lawyers for the U.S. and Florida are arguing that lawsuits filed against the immigration detention center dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz" are arguing that the suits were filed in the wrong venue. The property is located in the boundaries of Collier County but is owned by Miami-Dade County.

Broward mayor: We’re proud of our spending record | Opinion The mayor of Broward County responds to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ demands of audits of county spending, writing that “The county budget is an intelligent balance between efficient government a…

Broward County Mayor Beam Furr writes in Opinion: “If Broward is to be made an example of, it should be an example of how a local government can efficiently provide a high quality of life and serve as a model of responsibility.”

Broward airman died during Vietnam War. 57 years later, his remains are identified. An airman from Broward County soon will receive a proper funeral after his remains were found a few months ago, 57 years after his death during the Vietnam War.

Steven Hall says each day he thinks about his dad, Willis Hall, an airman from Broward County who was killed during the Vietnam War and whose remains were never recovered.

Then came the phone call from the military — 57 years later — announcing that Willis Hall’s remains were finally accounted for.

Visit Florida taps DeSantis communications chief for CEO The governor’s ally will lead the publicly funded agency that works to attract tourists and conventions to Florida. He could earn up to $215,000.

Visit Florida, the state's tourism promotion agency, picked Gov. Ron DeSantis’ communications director Bryan Griffin as its CEO.

No, I think only you.

Florida allowed capture of threatened giant manta ray for overseas aquarium Video footage of the animal’s July 12 capture, posted online, has ignited debate over whether these intelligent, migratory creatures belong in captivity.

Florida wildlife officials signed off on a license allowing a marine supplier to take a giant, threatened manta ray from state waters for SeaWorld Abu Dhabi. Video of the July 12 capture, posted online, has reignited debate over whether these intelligent, migratory creatures belong in captivity.

DeSantis could seek to redraw congressional districts after Florida Supreme Court ruling Gov. Ron DeSantis could ask lawmakers to redraw congressional boundary lines after a Florida Supreme Court ruling upholding a 2022 map that gave Republicans control of a North Florida district prev…

Gov. Ron DeSantis raised the possibility of asking the Florida Legislature to redraw Congressional districts as Texas Republicans look to do the same amid a push by the Trump administration to help the GOP keep its slim control of the U.S. House.

Florida Republicans love Alligator Alcatraz, many not bothered if legal residents are mistakenly deported A University of North Florida poll found state Republicans overwhelmingly support the Alligator Alcatraz detention center. More than two in five Florida Republicans said mistaken deportations are a…

A public public opinion poll from the University of North Florida found 65% of Republicans surveyed have a favorable opinion of the detention center dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz."

And 23% responded that it would be acceptable if some legal U.S. residents are mistakenly deported to foreign countries.

Florida budget cuts threaten Tri-Rail’s future Tri-Rail is facing a financial emergency that could put it out of business by the end of next year, and officials are scrambling to convince the state to restore funding before it’s too late.

TriRail, South Florida's north-south commuter train, is facing a financial emergency that could put it out of business by the end of the year.

The real reason DeSantis is targeting Broward | Editorial The Sun Sentinel Editorial Board sees a multitude of flaws in Gov. Ron DeSantis’ decision to target Broward County for wasteful spending. The county’s spending practices are certainly f…

Our Editorial Board writes in Opinion: The real reason Gov. Ron DeSantis is targeting Broward County with his DOGE operation is to attack the county’s liberal political leaders and voters who soundly rejected DeSantis twice.

Mexican tourist, brother held in Alligator Alcatraz after Orlando arrest, father says Mexico’s president demanded that the siblings be returned to Mexico immediately, and the Mexican consul in Orlando warned Mexican citizens not to visit Florida.

The detention in Alligator Alcatraz of two brothers, including a Mexican citizen vacationing in Orlando, has become an international incident, with the Mexican Consulate issuing a warning to its citizens about visiting Orlando and Mexico’s president demanding they be returned home “immediately.”

Parkland shooting survivors to AG Pam Bondi: ‘We will make you reckon with your hypocrisy’ The March For Our Lives Organization is entering a new chapter focused on accountability campaigns.

Gun-control advocates from the Parkland shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas say U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi exploited them for political gain.

Now, they’re launching a campaign against her to make that known.