And so it begins. As Sarah Palin campaigns for 2012, she’s already using Allen West as a symbol of the cringe-worthy change she will bring. Notice a theme among the newly elected GOP stars Palin’s highlighting here. West and Marco Rubio hail from the political crucible of Florida, plus they…
“It’s OK to say no to panhandlers.” So read the signs now going up across Palm Beach County — part of an effort by Sheriff Ric Bradshaw and the county government to keep decent people from being bothered by the dirty and the weird-smelling.”You don’t have to feel bad inside,”…
Channel 7 is reporting that the man who allegedly threatened to shoot up a Pembroke Pines school was prompted somehow by Joyce Kaufman, the acidic right-wing radio-show host who was named yesterday as newly elected Congressman Allen West’s chief of staff. This whole thing is still murky, but WSVN reported that the…
It was supposed to be a pleasant Christian festival, scheduled for this Saturday in Pompano Beach. There are supposed to be a few bounce houses, some face painting, a mechanical bull, a beach volleyball tournament, some live music, and a silent auction.But it was something else on the itinerary at…
[UPDATE: Stacy Ritter has posted a somewhat surreal YouTube video press release on the elections commission charges. See it above.] The Florida Elections Commission found probable cause this morning to charge Broward County Commissioner Stacy Ritter with 28 election violations. The nature of the charges aren’t clear, but they are based on a voluminous…
In a tearful farewell yesterday for outgoing Broward Mayor Ken Keechl, Stacy Ritter spoke of how she, Keechl, and fellow Commissioner Ilene Lieberman were the “three queens” of the Broward County Commission. UPDATED: Here’s the full text of what Ritter said in her emotional speech to Keechl at yesterday’s County Commission meeting, the mayor’s…
The Broward County School Board has a bad case of emeritus. You might think that after the stink caused by the Broward County School Board’s plan to give outgoing Ed Marko a $266,000 salary to serve as general counsel emeritus (for the unwashed that’s pronounced ih-MEH-ri-tus, not really like a disease) after…
I hate to say it, but James Stokes — the new School Board attorney who quit this morning before he even started — probably made a good decision. Who would want to jump into the dysfunctional soup that is the Broward County School Board? It’s a little surprising that he…
Animal-rights activists have long decried circuses as one of the most blatant and correctable violators of animal rights. (Stampeding and screaming elephants have long agreed.) And the Cole Bros. Circus, which was in Boca Raton this weekend and will travel around South Florida for the next month, is one…
The pavers don’t compare to the bronze plaque of Norman “Da Boss” Abramowitz’s likeness. We now know that the former Tamarac mayor and Broward County commissioner was the guy who made many key introductions for the Chaits. Hey, at least they hadn’t put up honors for also-charged Patte Atkins-Grad or under-investigation Tamarac Mayor Beth Talabisco yet. Here’s…
Let’s start with some fun. Last night’s Heat game against the New Jersey Nets provided a real glimpse of the kind of high-flying show this team is going to be. Dunks galore. But none was better than the one above. While the Nets watch helplessly, the towel boy can’t repress his inner awe. I’ve…
Mitch Ceasar’s political palace is falling apart. The Democratic chairman lost big on Election Day. Broward laid down for the Republican push on Tuesday, with voter turnout in the supposed Democratic powerhouse county a meager 40 percent — eight points under the state average. This comes as no surprise since the local party is…
Yes, a wave of anti-Obama, pro-Tea Party sentiment swept the country Tuesday. But even considering the national trend, Florida Dems took a beating that can’t simply be blamed on the miserable economy or a knee-jerk desire for change.Going into Election Day, there were 592,000 more registered Democrats in the state…
— Ken Keechl, the outgoing Broward mayor, is getting some love on Facebook. Hey, it was good while it lasted. — Speaking of former elected officials, Stephanie Kraft continues to lurk. She was spotted at the election victory party in Coral Springs for several politicians including Ari Porth, new judge John…
Joe Angelo lost his race for the mayorship of Wilton Manors on Tuesday against incumbent Gary Reznick. His loss was due, at least in part, to a series of editorials in the Island City News by publisher Steve Kelley. The articles claimed Angelo was able to “elude prosecution” after a…
While most of the state saw red on Tuesday, voting in favor of developers and a millionaire governor, Riviera Beach won a victory for the people.Voters approved a referendum blocking a plan to lease a portion of the city’s public marina to a private boat company, Rybovich. The marina battle…
On Tuesday, Rick Scott, the guy who sent his mom to replace him in a debate, got the green light to grab Floridians by their purse strings. Scott won by a small margin over Alex Sink, who conceded before the final results were in.Well, it seems that even thedailybeast.com has…
Is it true? Did Broward Mayor Ken Keechl’s bitter loss on Election Day have nothing at all to do with his performance while in office or the effectiveness of his own campaign? Did voters fail to notice his broken promises on the courthouse and working full-time as a commissioner? Did they not…
In lieu of the silence from losing candidate Broward Mayor Ken Keechl, I spoke with his campaign manager, Eric Johnson, today. Johnson of course had made a little news recently with his negative “Convicted Criminal” mailers on Chip LaMarca, who prevailed in the race despite being outspent by more than a half-million dollars…
The cash poured in from all over the country, as unions, Christian conservatives, Tea Party ideologues, Big Pharma, and Big Oil opened their pockets. With at least $9 million raised in the Ron Klein-Allen West congressional contest, it was one of the most expensive races of its kind in the…
It just happened. Florida has officially elected the man who oversaw the greatest Medicare fraud in U.S. history as its governor. You might think I would welcome this sort of thing. I remember when I covered the 2000 recount thinking at the end of it, after the U.S. Supreme Court gave…
If your ex-con boyfriend slaps you around when you ask why he emptied out your bank account and then you take him back, everyone knows you’ve given him permission to rob and hurt you again. That’s the message voters gave Republican Rick Scott yesterday when they elected a man to…
