Here's what's happening in Broward and Palm Beach this morning:
- Ronald Owens, accused of handling $900,000 in dirty money on behalf of former Broward County Commission Joe Eggelletion, will plead guilty today in federal court, according to his lawyer. It appears that Owens was flipped by authorities two years ago, offering testimony to aid their corruption case. [Sun-Sentinel]
- At long last, the Port of Palm Beach may have a cruise line. On March 1, Celebration Cruise Line will begin shipping off to Grand Bahama Island, generating some $2 million annually for the cash-strapped port. It has only one 500-foot ship, but still -- it's a start! [Palm Beach Post]
- Timothy Christian Schlafer was 18 and with a scholarship for college when he was arrested for the attempted knife-point kidnapping of an 11-year-old girl in Coral Springs. Now he faces the threat of a life sentence in prison. [Sun-Sentinel]
- The U.S. Coast Guard in South Florida is on the lookout for Haitian immigrants who would board an unsafe boat in hopes of reaching the U.S. following last week's earthquake. American officials in Haiti are trying to dispel any myth that such people would be eligible for temporary protection status granted to existing immigrants. [WPBF]
- Ted Scouten and other CBS4 staff reminded viewers that they were the first local television team to arrive in Haiti, and in this segment, they reflect upon their experience. Also, the odor. The horrible, horrible odor. [CBS4]
- TPS hasn't been this popular since the movie Office Space came out. South Florida Haitians who are here illegally have been crowding Catholic Legal Services so they can get temporary protection status offered in the wake of the January 11 quake. [WPLG-10]
