Florida

Read recent news stories and current events about Florida on Newser.com

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Man Who Killed 5 Women in Bank Sentenced to Death

'May God have mercy on your soul,' Florida judge tells Zephen Xaver

(Newser) - A former prison guard trainee who executed five women inside a Florida bank almost six years ago was sentenced to death on Monday as a judge called the slayings calculated, heinous, and cruel. Zephen Xaver, 27, appeared to gulp but otherwise showed no emotion as Circuit Judge Angela Cowden pronounced...

Cops: She Made 'Delay, Deny, Depose' Threat to Insurer

Briana Boston hit with charges in Florida

(Newser) - A Florida woman was arrested this week after allegedly ending a call with her insurance company by saying, "Delay, deny, depose. You people are next." Those first three words, of course, are the ones found on bullet casings at the scene of the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO...

Lara Trump Leaving RNC Amid Senate Speculation

Daughter-in-law of the president-elect says she is interested in Florida seat being vacated by Rubio

(Newser) - If Lara Trump weren't the frontrunner to fill the Senate seat in Florida being vacated by Marco Rubio, she appears to be now. On Sunday, the daughter-in-law of President-elect Trump announced she would be stepping down from her role as co-chair of the Republican National Committee and took a...

Years After 'Outrageous' Stings, County Wants Records Cleared

Broward County Sheriff's Office made the crack, then sold it near schools to increase penalties

(Newser) - A Florida prosecutor wants to vacate as many as 2,600 convictions of people who bought crack cocaine manufactured by the Broward County Sheriff's Office for sting operations between 1988 and 1990. The state Supreme Court ruled in 1993 that people couldn't be charged in cases in which...

Ballerina Hears Her Fate in 'Black Swan' Murder Case


'Black Swan'
Trial Ends With
20-Year Sentence
UPDATED
Dec 3, 2024 2:44 PM CST

'Black Swan' Trial Ends With 20-Year Sentence

Former ballerina Ashley Benefield was convicted in the shooting death of her estranged husband

(Newser) - A woman convicted of killing her estranged husband in a high-profile Florida murder in 2020 has been sentenced to 20 years in prison, reports NBC News . Ashley Benefield, a former ballerina, faced a maximum sentence of 30 years after her manslaughter conviction. She claimed it was self-defense.

Trudeau Shows Up on Trump's Home Turf Over Tariffs

Canadian PM makes unannounced stop at Mar-a-Lago for meeting with incoming president

(Newser) - No one's completely sure if Donald Trump's tariffs proposal is a real, fleshed-out plan or merely a "negotiating ploy" with China, Mexico, and Canada to win some trade concessions. Whatever it turns out to be, Canadian Prime Minister seems to be taking the threat seriously, paying...

Golfer Killed With Own Clubs in 'Random Act of Violence'

Florida man charged with first-degree murder

(Newser) - A Florida man killed a golfer with the man's own golf clubs Monday in what police say appears to have been a "random act of violence" at a Palm Beach Gardens golf course. Junior Boucher, 36, has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Brian Hiltebeitel,...

Contractor Allegedly Stole $1M in Gold During Treasure Dive

Florida's Eric Schmitt charged with dealing in stolen property

(Newser) - Three dozen gold coins stolen from 18th-century shipwrecks off Florida's Treasure Coast, worth more than $1 million, have been recovered. The 37 stolen gold coins include a so-called "Holy Grail coin," a one-of-a-kind gold piece from 1709 that was incorrectly hammered with a silver coin stamp, per...

Alleged Thief Caught by Her Own TikTok

Florida's Marlena Velez charged over another alleged incident of shoplifting

(Newser) - A content creator in Florida was arrested last week after she was allegedly caught shoplifting in her own video. Cape Coral Police visited a Target location on Nov. 20 in response to an alleged theft that had occurred on Oct. 30. "An unknown female entered the store and selected...

3rd Florida Deputy Dies Days After Horrific Crash

Palm Beach County motorcycle deputies were hit by SUV driver

(Newser) - A Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office deputy died Monday, four days after a crash that killed two of his colleagues in the motorcycle unit. Deputy Ignacio "Dan" Diaz had been in critical condition since the Thursday accident. "He put up a hell of a fight, but the...

Matt Gaetz: No, I'm Not Returning to Congress

He says he will fight on behalf of Trump 'from a different perch'

(Newser) - What's next for Matt Gaetz now that he won't be attorney general ? The former Florida congressman on Friday appears to have ended speculation he will return to the House.
  • "I'm still going to be in the fight, but it's going to be from a
...

Woman in Coma After Saving Golfer's Son From Drowning

Family friend rushed into ocean to help boy, 6

(Newser) - While golfer Brian Harman was competing at a tournament in China last month, the rest of his family and a family friend took a trip to Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida—and that friend has been in a coma ever since. Harman talked to reporters about the incident during a press...

For Gaetz, a Return to Congress Is Possible
For Gaetz, a
Return to Congress
Is Possible
the rundown
Nov 22, 2024 12:30 AM CST

For Gaetz, a Return to Congress Is Possible

Though it's not clear that's what he wants

(Newser) - With Matt Gaetz taking himself out of the running for attorney general, could he return to Congress after abruptly resigning from his House seat ? Some takes on the situation:
  • ABC News reports that Gaetz resigned from the 118th Congress, and House rules bar him from returning to that same
...

FBI Foils Bomb Threat Against NY Stock Exchange

Authorities say Florida man wanted to 'reboot' US government by detonating device at the NYSE

(Newser) - A Florida man was arrested Wednesday and charged with a plot to "reboot" the US government by detonating a bomb at the New York Stock Exchange with a remote-controlled device, according to the FBI. Harun Abdul-Malik Yener, 30, of Coral Springs, Florida, was charged with attempting to use an...

'Gone' in 25 Years: Florida's Key Deer

Rising sea levels threaten habitat, freshwater holes on Big Pine Key

(Newser) - The world's only Key deer, the smallest subspecies of the white-tailed deer, are found in piney and marshy wetlands bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico on the Florida Keys. For years, their biggest threat was being struck by vehicles speeding along US Highway 1 or local...

FEMA Worker Fired Over Order on Pro-Trump Homes

Supervisors told employees not to help Florida homes with Trump signs

(Newser) - A FEMA worker has been fired after she directed workers helping hurricane survivors not to go to homes with yard signs supporting Donald Trump, the agency's leader said Saturday. "This is a clear violation of FEMA's core values and principles to help people regardless of their political...

SS United States' Final Journey Is Set
SS United States' Fate Is Set
Nov 8, 2024 8:47 AM CST

SS United States' Fate Is Set

Retired ocean liner will begin journey south next week to become world's largest artificial reef

(Newser) - It's really happening. The SS United States, the largest passenger ship ever built in the nation, is to be deliberately sunk and transformed into the world's largest artificial reef. Florida's Okaloosa County bought the 1,000-foot ocean liner, which was to be evicted from Philadelphia's Pier...

Abortion Rights Measures Fail in 3 States, Pass in 7

Missouri votes to overturn near-total ban on abortions

(Newser) - Reproductive rights didn't just factor into the presidential race : The issue of abortion was on the ballot in 10 states on Tuesday, and results were mixed. A look at results:
  • Florida: Voters rejected an abortion rights amendment and kept in place Gov. Ron DeSantis' 6-week ban, per the AP
...

Florida Makes Pronounced Shift to the Right

Miami-Dade County flips from blue to red

(Newser) - One takeaway from Election Night: Florida is further to the right than it was in 2020. Per the AP , "almost every region" of the state moved to the right, including the blue counties. The AP has an infographic, seen here , showing the shifts by county, by region, and by...

Florida Rejects Marijuana Legalization Amendment

Measure to legalize recreational marijuana needed 60% support to pass

(Newser) - A majority of Florida voters supported legalizing recreational marijuana in Tuesday's election, but the measure didn't gain enough support to pass. Constitutional amendments in Florida require a 60% majority and Amendment 3 only had around 55% of the vote, the Miami Herald reports. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and...

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