Florida

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School Board Hostage-Taking Caught on Video

Fla. board member fought back against gunman Clay Duke

(Newser) - If there was a prize for America's bravest school board member, Ginger Littleton would be a shoo-in. Video of yesterday's hostage-taking incident at a Florida school board meeting shows that after gunman Clay Duke ordered everybody apart from six men to leave the room, Littleton returned to the room and...

Gunman Kills Self at Florida School Board Meeting

His motives remain unknown

(Newser) - A gunman shot himself to death at a Florida school board meeting today, police say. The still-unidentified man walked up to a podium to speak, then spray-painted a red "V" with a circle around it on a wall and began firing. His motives are unknown. No other injuries were...

Ohio, Wisconsin Spurn $1.2B to Build Train Lines

Stimulus funds will go to other states

(Newser) - The US is redistributing $1.2 billion in federal stimulus money that had been headed to Ohio and Wisconsin, after both states' Republican governors-elect called for an end to proposed train projects, arguing they were unnecessary and would cost millions to operate. “Wisconsin taxpayers were victorious today in defeating...

Fla. Woman Fights Epic 25-Year Foreclosure Battle

She hasn't paid since '85, vows she's going to die there

(Newser) - A retired Florida woman who hasn't paid her mortgage since 1985 is engaged in one of the longest foreclosure battles ever. Armed with a stack of legal challenges both legit and frivolous and protected by a 105-pound pit bull, the 71-year-old has successfully staved off six lenders in a cautionary...

In 'Creepy' Disney Town, Two Violent Deaths in Week

Murder over the holiday followed by standoff, suicide in Celebration

(Newser) - Celebration, Fla., a Disney-designed subdivision, has been relatively crime-free for 14 years—but this past week, two violent deaths marred the peaceful facade of a town that decorates with fake snow every holiday season. Yesterday, the town square—the scene of (yes, really) horse-and-carriage rides—featured a locked-down schoolhouse, and...

Florida Sees First Cholera Case From Haiti
 Haiti's Cholera Reaches US 
Nov 17, 2010 4:34 PM CST

Haiti's Cholera Reaches US

Florida sees first case, but officials say it's not a big threat

(Newser) - Cholera has made its way to US shores, but health authorities in Florida say it's no cause for alarm, CNN reports. A woman who returned from a visit to Haiti fell ill with the disease, which has now killed 1,100 people there and spread to the neighboring Dominican Republic....

Dead Smoker's Daughter Awarded $80M

Jury finds RJ Reynolds 90% responsible for death

(Newser) - The daughter of a man who died of lung cancer after smoking for 60 years has been awarded $80 million by a Florida jury. The jury decided that tobacco giant RJ Reynolds was 90% responsible for the man's death at the age of 76, and ordered the company to pay...

Charlie Crist to Pardon Jim Morrison?

Door's open: 'anything possible' before Crist leaves office

(Newser) - His Senate bid may have failed, but outgoing Florida Gov. Charlie Crist may still make his mark ... on rock and roll history: He’s considering pardoning Jim Morrison for indecent exposure charges at a 1969 concert. “It's something I’m willing to look into in the time I have...

Cops: Florida Woman Tried to Sell Grandson for $30K

She and boyfriend are charged in scheme

(Newser) - A Florida woman and her boyfriend have been charged with trying to sell her infant grandson for $30,000. Cops arrested 45-year-old Patty Bigbee and 42-year-old Lawrence Works yesterday in Daytona Beach after they met with an agent posing as a buyer. Both were charged with illegal sale or surrender...

Faithful Flock to Jesus Theme Park

Visitors can pose for 'walking on water' photo

(Newser) - Christians seeking a more hands-on religious experience would do well to check out the Holy Land Experience in Orlando, ABC News reports. The park, which has been open for 10 years but was recently bought by Trinity Broadcasting—the largest Christian broadcaster—features interactive New Testament attractions that border on...

Sink Concedes Fla. Governor's Race

Rick Scott will take over from Charlie Crist

(Newser) - Alex Sink is taking her text messages and going home, conceding the Florida governor's race to Republican multimillionaire Rick Scott after his campaign called a win on her part a "mathematical impossibility." Scott, who ran on an anti-establishment platform with Tea Party blessings, had held what the AP...

Alan Grayson Loses Florida Race to 'Taliban Dan'
 Grayson Falls to 'Taliban Dan' 
THE HOUSE
Nov 3, 2010 1:20 AM CDT

Grayson Falls to 'Taliban Dan'

GOP's Dan Webster credits victory to positive campaign

(Newser) - In one of the nation's most keenly watched House races, voters in central Florida rejected combative liberal incumbent Rep. Alan Grayson in favor of veteran Republican state lawmaker Dan Webster. The Democrat—who drew the wrath of GOP leaders for saying the Republican health care plan was to "die...

Under Fire for Text, Fla. Gov Candidate Fires Staffer

Candidate caught breaking rules by viewing phone message

(Newser) - Facing a ruckus after her campaign sneaked her a message during a debate Monday night, Florida's Democratic nominee for governor has fired a staffer for the rules violation. GOP candidate Rick Scott spotted Alex Sink being shown a message on a cell phone during a commercial break and informed moderators,...

Florida Law Firm Bribed Workers to Forge Foreclosures

...and big bribes at that: jewelry, cars, houses

(Newser) - Employees at Florida’s largest “foreclosure mill” routinely altered and forged documents to speed up the foreclosure process—and were rewarded with jewelry, cars, and other lavish gifts as a result, witnesses tell Florida’s Attorney General. Three former employees of the law offices of David J. Stern have...

Teen Girl Accused of Poisoning Adoptive Family

She allegedly used insecticide, dog feces

(Newser) - A 13-year-old Florida girl is accused of poisoning her adoptive mother and possibly her siblings for more than a year, Fox News reports. The girl, who was adopted years ago from Mexico, confessed to putting insect poison and dog feces in food her mother ate, as well as hand soap...

Alan Grayson Dubs Opponent 'Taliban Dan'
 Alan Grayson Dubs 
 Opponent 'Taliban Dan' 
CAMPAIGN HIJINKS
Sep 27, 2010 5:30 PM CDT

Alan Grayson Dubs Opponent 'Taliban Dan'

It's really Daniel Webster, but whatever

(Newser) - Alan Grayson, he of "Die Quickly" fame, is taking an equally, er, unusual approach to dragging his opponent's name through the mud, reports Talking Points Memo. In a new campaign ad, the Florida Democrat compares the stances of patriotically named Daniel Webster to, say, a certain notorious Afghan fundamentalist...

Crist's GOP Donors Still Fighting to Get Their Cash Back

Appeal ruling denying class-action status

(Newser) - Republicans who donated to see Charlie Crist become the next GOP senator from Florida are keeping up the fight to get their money back now that he's decided he wants to be the state's next independent senator. A lawyer for a pair of donors said today he'll appeal a court's...

Brazen Florida Bank Robbers Got $100K

Bomb strapped to teller was fake; manhunt goes on

(Newser) - Here's the weirdest part about that bizarre bank robbery in Florida yesterday straight out of a movie plot: It seems to have worked. Today, the robbers remain at large with more than $100,000, reports the Miami Herald . The "bomb" they strapped to a bank teller turned out to...

Bank Robbers at Large After Strapping Bomb to Kidnapped Teller

Florida crisis ends with release of abducted employee

(Newser) - A bank teller was kidnapped early today from his home by robbers who strapped a suspected bomb to his chest and used him to steal money from a Bank of America branch near the University of Miami, according to the FBI. The suspected explosive device was safely removed after the...

Bank Robber Takes Hostages
 Bank Robber Takes Hostages 
Sep 24, 2010 9:34 AM CDT

Bank Robber Takes Hostages

Police have Florida bank surrounded

(Newser) - Police are surrounding a Miami-area bank where they say a robber has taken hostages. Coral Gables police say an unknown number of employees and customers were taken hostage today at a Bank of America branch near the University of Miami. Hostage negotiators are at the bank along with the FBI...

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