Lolita the Orca: Activists Lose Court Battle

Under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA), the Miami Seaquarium is required to renew its exhibitor’s license every year with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), an agency under the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Before the marine mammal park’s license expired in 2012, the Animal Legal Defense Fund, a California-based animal advocacy…

W Hotel in Fort Lauderdale Gets Revamp

Last year, Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross’ New York-based Related Companies and Related Fund Management bought the W Hotel & Residences in Fort Lauderdale for a reported $90 million with the intent to spruce it up and make it all new and shiny. Now that vision is closer to becoming…

Man on Flakka Threatened to Cut off Stepdad’s Head With Machete

“I should cut your fucking head off,” Charleston Calix allegedly told his stepfather, as he wielded a machete. Riviera Beach Police say Calix, who has an extensive violent criminal history, was high on flakka when he made the threat.  According to an incident report, Calix, 30, and his stepfather, William…

Five Craziest Things Donald Trump Said in Announcing His Run for President

Gaudy-hotel builder, Obama birther, epic combover-haver Donald Trump announced that he’s running for president Tuesday. And while his candidacy is good fodder for comedians and late night talk show hosts, we think he’d actually probably make a fine good president. And on Tuesday, he proved that he’s quite qualified because,…

Boy Scouts Protected Leader Who Showed Porn to Kids

The parent of a Broward County Boy Scout who objected to a parent leader showing hardcore porn to kids received a letter from the South Florida Boy Scout Council warning him that he will be kicked out unless he stopped making the accusations. Last week, Mark Kern, a former parent-volunteer…

Broward Sees First Cases of Flesh-Eating Bacteria on Beaches

As if Floridians need more to worry about from Mother Nature — take your pick, we’ve got invasive pythons, wild bears and coyotes, deadly snails — now health officials in the Sunshine State have released a warning on a flesh eating bacteria that has been making appearances on our beaches…

Hallandale Beach Might Fine Marijuana Users Rather Than Arrest Them

Hallandale Beach might be following in Miami-Dade’s footsteps to have anyone busted with marijuana possession to have to pay a fine rather than get arrested. That is, if Commissioner Keith London gets his way. Just last week, Miami-Dade Commissioners heard from residents and public defenders on an ordinance that would…

Best of Broward-Palm Beach 2015: Best Politician

Grab your plutonium, rev that engine to 88 mph, and hang on tight: Best of Broward-Palm Beach 2015 is almost here! Here’s a preview of one of the winners, but check out the entire issue when it hits browardpalmbeach.com/bestof tomorrow and newsstands Thursday, June 18. U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy Let’s…

Five Weirdest Roadside Attractions in Florida

Summer time means packing up the car and taking the family on that long-planned road trip to Orlando or Tampa or the Keys. And while hitting up the Magic Kingdom with the kiddos is a great deal of fun filled with wonder and whimsy, there’s always room to make things…

John Morgan Kicks Off Medical Marijuana Campaign With $150,000 Check

Orlando-based attorney and pro-medical marijuana advocate John Morgan is once again putting his money on the line to get medical marijuana legalized in Florida, writing a $150,000 check to get things rolling. Last month, Morgan promised that he would match every dollar donated to United for Care to get the…