Email Author Deirdra Funcheon

Awards

• 2009 - AAN AltWeekly Awards, published June 26, 2008

  "To Hug a Porcupine"

• 2009 - The Green Eyeshade Excellence in Journalism Awards/Atlanta SPJ, published June 26, 2008

  "To Hug a Porcupine"

• 2009 - Casey Medals for Meritorious Journalism, published June 26, 2008

  "To Hug a Porcupine"

• 2009 - Better Weekly Newspaper Awards/Florida Press Association, published June 26, 2008

  "To Hug a Porcupine"

• 2009 - Sunshine State Awards/South Florida Society of Professional Journalists, published January 31, 2008

  "Simmer Down, Kids!"

• 2009 - Sunshine State Awards/South Florida Society of Professional Journalists, published November 6, 2008

  "Mud in Your Eye"

• 2008 - Better Weekly Newspaper Awards/Florida Press Association, published July 5, 2007

  "Kill My Wife. Please!"

More

2013 Stories by Deirdra Funcheon

• After Tea Party / IRS Debacle, Republicans Call for Debbie Wasserman Schultz to Return Campaign Donation

  published May 20, 2013

  In case you missed it, Tea Partiers around the country are mad at the IRS. Long story short: the IRS isn't supposed to let any old group be exempt from paying taxes. Agency rules dictate that it is ... More >>

• Investigators: Help Us Find This Child Rapist (PHOTOS)

  published May 15, 2013

  If the world can come together to help find the Boston marathon bomber, then it can come together and find a nasty child rapist. Homeland Security Investigations is looking for a guy who's made vide... More >>

• Showdown at City Hall Tonight on Rain Tree and Marina Lofts Development

  published May 14, 2013

  Tonight, people who both support and oppose the Marina Lofts development proposed for near downtown Fort Lauderdale will meet for what promises to be a heated showdown in front of the Planning and Zon... More >>

• Airport Workers Say Wheelchairs Are Contaminated with Feces, Urine, Vomit, Blood, and They Don't Know How to Clean Them

  published May 10, 2013

  Are airport wheelchairs gross informal laboratories for nasty bodily fluids and festering bacteriar And if so, whose fault is itr Airport workers at Fort Lauderdale - Hollywood International Airport... More >>

• FEATURED STORY

  Sports Website Is "Bogus," Police (Wronglyr) Declare

  published May 10, 2013

  On Wednesday, the Fort Lauderdale Police Department sent out a press release that declared in the headline, "Bogus Website Victimizes Community." But Jesse Forrest, the owner of the website FindSpor... More >>

• Florida Man Threatens TV News Crew with Knife, Caught on Video

  published May 09, 2013

  According to the news crews over at Channel 10, a reporting team was filming in the street outside of a private residence Tuesday night when a man -- since identified as 33-year-old Louis Dominic Paol... More >>

• Seismic Airgun Testing Will Kill or Injure 138,500 Whales and Dolphins If Allowed

  published May 08, 2013

  If companies are allowed to use seismic airgun testing to search for and study oil and gas deposits in the Atlantic Ocean, 138,500 whales and dolphins will be harmed or killed -- and that's accordin... More >>

• Shady For-Profit College Welcomed With $350,000 in Tax Breaks

  published May 9, 2013

  Last Tuesday, Gov. Rick Scott's office sent out a news release gloating that Anthem Education, a for-profit college, will be locating its... More >>

• Vote Now in Our Reader's Poll (Final Round) -- New Times Best of Broward Palm Beach

  published May 06, 2013

  Every year, New Times publishes a special Best Of issue with our picks for the best bars, restaurants, parks, beaches, shops and services in all of Broward and Palm Beach counties. And every year, ou... More >>

• FEATURED STORY

  Jennifer Lopez, Pitbull Reportedly OK After Shots Fired During Video Shoot

  published May 06, 2013

  Apparently, 43-year-old Jennifer Lopez was filming a video for the song "Live It Up" on Fort Lauderdale Beach yesterday when shots were fired in the vicinity. Entertainment Tonight co-host Rob Marci... More >>

• FEATURED STORY

  Anthem Education, Shady For-Profit College, Welcomed With $350,000 in Tax Breaks

  published May 02, 2013

  On Tuesday, Gov. Rick Scott's offices sent out a news release that declared, "Gov. Scott Announces Anthem Education Expansion in Fort Lauderdale, 70 New Jobs." It explained that the for-profit colle... More >>

• Madness in Boston: One Bomb Suspect Dead, Other Hunted

  published Apr 19, 2013

  While much of the nation was asleep, Boston experienced madness as police identified and chased two of the suspects in the Boston Marathon bombings. The suspects are said to be 19- and 20-something-ye... More >>

• FAU Trustee Angela Graham-West Explains Why She Felt Harassed; Students Call for Restraining Order Against Allen West

  published Apr 17, 2013

  Today former U.S. Rep. Allen West posted threatening-sounding messages on his Facebook and Twitter accounts, suggesting that Florida Atlantic University students had harassed his wife, Angela Graham-W... More >>

• Allen West Threatens FAU Students on Facebook and Twitter; Says Wife, a Trustee, Has Been Harassed (UPDATED)

  published Apr 17, 2013

  UPDATE 3:40 p.m.: Angela Graham-West did call to explain why she felt harassed. She indicated that students had come to her work office uninvited and also sent messages to her office calling for her f... More >>

• Weston Woman Helped Carlos Arredondo and Patient at Boston Marathon Bombing

  published Apr 16, 2013

  Yesterday afternoon, New Times received this e-mail in response to our story highlighting Carlos Arredondo, now famous as the cowboy--hat-wearing man helping an injured man in a wheelchair to receive ... More >>

• Boston Globe: No Suspect; No Unexploded Bombs

  published Apr 16, 2013

  As the city of Boston reels from yesterday's bombings at the Boston Marathon and the rest of the world wonders what the hell is wrong with people, police continue to look for a killer (or killers) who... More >>

• Fired Water Taxi Employee Leads "Rain Tree Parade" Against Marina Lofts Project (VIDEO)

  published Apr 15, 2013

  Mid-day Sunday, about 75 people showed up near the Pirate Republic bar in Fort Lauderdale, then walked a block to the site of a now-famous rain tree. The six-story-tall, nearly hundred-year-old specim... More >>

• Haiti Suffering From Food Shortage; Charity Has $42 Million of Food Aid but Needs Money to Ship It

  published Apr 11, 2013

  We saw how Hurricane Sandy caused carousels to flood and wiped out much of the Jersey Shore last year, but in Haiti, the damage was much, much worse. Not only did 54 Haitians die and 21,000 peopl... More >>

• Vote in New Times Best of Broward - Palm Beach 2013 Readers' Poll!

  published Apr 10, 2013

  New Times writers have been scouring South Florida for the best restaurants, bars, shops, and services (not to mention, the best drag queen, best pool, best place to meet single men, and other delight... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Catholic Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski Pens Letter on Gay Marriage, Wonders Why Marriage Should Be Limited to Two People

  published Apr 09, 2013

  Archbishop Thomas Wenski grew up in Lake Worth and went on to become the head of the Catholic Church in South Florida; his archdiocese covers Broward, Monroe and Miami-Dade counties. As the battle hea... More >>

• Car Wash Hires 35 Autistic Employees; Rising Tide Opened Last Week in Parkland

  published Apr 09, 2013

  John D'Eri wanted to create a business where his autistic 21-year-old son, Andrew, could work and thrive. So John, along with his other son, Thomas, founded the Rising Tide Car Wash in Parkland, which... More >>

• Transgender & Womyn's Action Camp Happening in Florida Woods

  published Apr 03, 2013

  Lake Worth has long been a hotbed for civil disobedience and a mecca for activists, and this weekend some locals are helping organize a group of "womyn (transgender or cisgender), transgender men, and... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Killing Stray Cats With Tylenol Is "Humane," Audubon Writer Says

  published Mar 28, 2013

  Everybody has that neighbor (OK, some of you are that neighbor) whose heart bleeds for all the stray cats in the hood. Cat Lady or Cat Dude leaves paper bowls full of Meow Mix all over the sidewalks, ... More >>

• Fired Water Taxi Employee Is Organizing a Parade to Defend Giant Rain Tree

  published Mar 26, 2013

  We recently introduced you to Chris Brennan, the Water Taxi employee who was fired after he made a YouTube video defending the six-story-tall, nearly 100-year-old rain tree -- which will be moved if d... More >>

• Students Claim FAU President Saunders Hit Student Protester With Car

  published Mar 22, 2013

  Update, 4:24 p.m.: Lisa Metcalf, Director, Media Relations & University Spokesperson for FAU wrote in an e-mail "Police were on the scene at the time of the alleged incident. We are not going to ... More >>