Some staffers at a West Palm Beach juvenile jail where a teenager died this month were not trained to know the facility’s safety, security, and emergency plans, according to a state quality assurance report written in February. Meanwhile, “management accountability” at the jail was given a “minimal” rating by state…
Eric Perez’s mother has been given many reasons why her 18-year-old son died ten days ago at a juvenile jail in West Palm Beach. He woke up one morning hallucinating, complaining of a headache, and vomiting. He may have had breathing problems, an enlarged heart, or a stroke, according to…
Yesterday, NPR host Robert Siegel interviewed U.S. Rep. Allen West about the federal debt fight. West, a member of the House Tea Party caucus, is adamantly opposed to raising the debt limit. He doesn’t want the U.S. government to borrow any more money, even if that means the feds will…
This week’s New Times cover story, “Enemy of the State,” details the dozen worst accomplishments from Gov. Rick Scott’s first six months in office. Unsurprisingly, there were plenty of dirty deeds that didn’t make the list. Here are a few of the highlights:1. Following a property-tax-cutting proposal from Scott, the…
“I’ve seen the mountaintop!” shouted a woman blowing a whistle and marching in combat-style boots down Okeechobee Boulevard in West Palm Beach. “We shall overcome Rick Scott’s tyranny!” added a man who followed closely behind, limping a little. At least 50 members of the disgruntled masses gathered outside the Palm…
Dr. Alberto Sant Antonio, founder of the Weston cosmetic surgery clinic where two patients recently died after fat-removal procedures, is not a board-certified plastic surgeon, according to Florida Department of Health records.Sant Antonio trained as a general surgeon in Baltimore and is a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic…
Recently, thousands of pages of emails from Sarah Palin’s tenure as governor of Alaska were released to news organizations. (It took three years to get the records, partly because Palin shared Rick Scott’s disdain for public email accounts.)But now, readers can get a small peek at Palin’s previously private conversations,…
This weekend, as dusk gathered before the fireworks on July 4, a group of my friends went to play basketball in a West Palm Beach park. A lone player was shooting hoops on the court beside us. He was short, with a compact frame and reddish hair, and he wore…
“People close to Mr. Scott characterized his downfall in terms suitable for a Greek tragedy, portraying him as a brilliant and incisive businessman who was undone by his fatal flaws. Those flaws, they said, included an arrogance and aggressiveness that permeated the company.”No, this is not a premature eulogy for…
Remember the environmental apocalypse Rick Scott was supposed to create?While campaigning for governor, Scott called the Department of Community Affairs, the state agency charged with overseeing local development projects, a “jobs killer.” He said he’d heard complaints that development permits were issued too slowly. (That building boom? It was just…
Dear Women of Florida,As your governor, I feel obliged to write/tweet/robocall you individually to explain the new law I signed requiring you to undergo an ultrasound before having an abortion.First, I must admit that I’ve never had an ultrasound myself. No, I’ve never experienced the unique pleasure of having cold,…
At a news conference last week at the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Gov. Rick Scott’s aides left a gift on the chairs of everyone in the audience: a list of Scott’s accomplishments for the year. Just in case anyone had forgotten. Take a look — these items speak for…
Many observers have wondered why Dalia Dippolito chose a reality television defense to explain why she plotted to have her husband killed. Her attorney argued that Dalia’s attempt to hire a hit man was part of an elaborate ruse designed to make her husband, Michael, a TV star (like the…
Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw clearly did not get the memo about local cops hating Gov. Rick Scott. While the Broward County Police Benevolent Association is organizing a massive party for its members to protest Scott and ditch the Florida Republican Party, Bradshaw is singing Scott’s praises.Bradshaw, a registered…
While his wife, Dalia, was on trial for plotting to have him killed, Michael Dippolito was also in the hot seat. Dalia’s defense attorney grilled him for hours on the witness stand, questioning why Michael borrowed money from Dalia to pay off the $191,000 in restitution he owed to victims…
Spirit Airlines, the Miramar-based discount carrier that makes your miserly 83-year-old grandpa look generous, has announced its latest fee: It will now cost five bucks to have a ticket agent print a boarding pass at the airport. And starting next June, they’ll even charge customers a dollar for printing their…
You may have noticed that Rick Scott doesn’t love the media. His spokesman got into a spat with a Miami Herald reporter, and the governor himself refuses to use email because he’s “embarrassed” by it. (Presumably, he’s embarrassed when the media and public read the mail and see how he…
In a murder-for-hire case inhabited by a circus of bizarre, conniving characters, Dalia Dippolito’s sentencing hearing today in Palm Beach Circuit Court lived up to its promise of tabloid-worthy antics.Michael Dippolito, the husband and ex-felon Dalia tried to have killed, took the witness stand wearing a lavender/pink tie and gray…
Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office Lt. Michael Morris — AKA “Big Mike” — was allegedly doing a favor for a friend when he tossed out a handful of traffic tickets last November. But the good deed ended up landing the Belle Glade district commander in hot water, charged with felony official…
Animals rights activists are claiming victory after a local private airline, Monarch Air Group, agreed to stop shipping primates for research. Monarch, which runs private passenger and cargo flights from its base in Fort Lauderdale, sent a letter to the animal rights group South Florida SMASH HLS yesterday announcing its…
Maverick (noun): An independent individual who does not go along with a group or party.Cavalier (noun): A gentleman trained in arms and horsemanship. Hubris (noun): Exaggerated pride or self-confidence, e.g. LeBron James. Not to belabor the point, but last night’s loss for the Heat proved one more thing. South Floridians…
Strax Rejuvenation and Aesthetics Institute, the high-volume plastic surgery office in Lauderhill that was the subject of last week’s New Times cover story, does not take criticism lightly. In a blog posted on the company’s website today, Strax officials insist that their discount prices do not translate into a lower…
