Florida

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

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'Friends' Shoot Video of Girl's Rape: Prosecutors

Florida teenager's assault was recorded and shown in court

(Newser) - Last month, a story emerged from Florida about a 16-year-old girl allegedly raped by people she thought were her friends. Now a cell phone video of the attack has emerged, and it's horrible to see, CBS Miami reports. Prosecutors used the video in court to show how the girl...

16% of Florida's Manatees Died Last Year

Deaths in Florida waters pass 800 for first time

(Newser) - Last year's 829 Florida manatee deaths—a figure that doesn't include December, UPI notes—is more than double the number that died in 2012, according to one conservation group. Another organization, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, put the 2013 figure at 803. Either way, it's...

Florida's Mangroves Head North

Expansion is thanks to fewer cold days: scientists

(Newser) - The world's mangroves—rich tropical ecosystems made up of trees and shrubs—tend to be shrinking in dramatic fashion, but Florida's mangroves seem to have bucked the trend, the Smithsonian reports. In fact, they're expanding to the north along the Atlantic coast. The state's mangroves typically...

New York Losing Spot as 3rd Most Populous State

Florida on verge of usurping it due to immigration, economic trends

(Newser) - Look out, America: The one state with its own Fark tag is about to be the third most populous in the nation, knocking New York down a peg. Official population figures won't come out until Monday, but the New York Times has a story today predicting that the two...

Father, Son Drown in Dangerous Cave Dive

They were testing out new equipment given as a Christmas gift

(Newser) - A father and son are dead after attempting an advanced Florida cave dive using the brand new equipment the teen had received as a Christmas present, Fox News reports. Darrin Spivey and his son, Dillon Sanchez, 15, were last seen alive while suiting up for a dive down to Eagle...

Guy Tries to Trade Alligator for Beer

Needless to say, his plan doesn't work

(Newser) - So you need beer but you have no cash ... what do you do? Well, Florida wildlife officials say a man tried to trade a live alligator for beer at a Miami convenience store last Tuesday. A State Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesman says the man received a citation for...

Fla. Capitol Gets Festivus Pole— Made of Beer Cans

Pabst Blue Ribbon cans, specifically

(Newser) - It's a "Festivus for the rest of us" in Tallahassee this year: The Florida Capitol will likely today see the installation of an almost 6-foot-tall Festivus pole (yes, the invention of Seinfeld) in its rotunda. And it's not the traditional plain aluminum pole, but one made out...

Fraudster Cheats Alan Grayson Out of $18M

William Chapman sentenced to 12 years in scheme

(Newser) - Florida Democratic Rep. Alan Grayson —one of the richest people in Congress—was a victim of fraud that cost him $18 million, court documents show. On Friday, William Dean Chapman was sentenced to 12 years in prison over the scheme, which cost 120 investors some $35 million. After investors...

Florida Dad: Space Rocks Hit My Son

Testing suggests he's right

(Newser) - Did cosmic debris crash through the atmosphere from outer space to give a 7-year-old Florida boy a nasty gash on his head as he played in his driveway? Steven Lippard's dad believes it did, and initial testing on the pea-sized fragments of rock found in the driveway suggests he...

'This Isn't Toronto': Florida Mayor Faces Drug Charges

Arresting sheriff takes a shot at Rob Ford's troubles in Canada

(Newser) - This might be the unkindest cut of all for residents of Toronto: Now police in Florida of all places are looking down on them thanks to Mayor Rob Ford's many, many troubles . "This isn't Toronto," said Bradford County's sheriff after arresting the mayor of the...

Officer Buys Shoes for Girl in Need

Florida cop plays Good Samaritan

(Newser) - It's another story of a nice gesture by a Florida cop: An officer visiting an elementary school in Melbourne noticed a young girl whose shoes were split down the front and "flapping in the breeze," a school bookkeeper tells Florida Today . Her socks weren't much better....

Zimmerman Search Turned Up Lots of Weapons, Ammo

He ditches public defender for private lawyer

(Newser) - Cops found a hefty cache of weapons and ammo at the home George Zimmerman shared with his girlfriend after his arrest on domestic violence charges last week, CNN reports. A search turned up three handguns, a 12-gauge shotgun, an AR-15 rifle, and 106 rounds of ammunition, according to court documents...

Man Arrested 62 Times for Trespassing— at Own Job

Miami-area cops constantly hassling black workers, customers: store owner

(Newser) - Over a four-year period, a Florida man has been stopped by Miami Gardens police 258 times, searched 100 times, and jailed 56 times, even though his most serious conviction is for having marijuana. Earl Sampson has been arrested 62 times for trespassing, nearly always at the 207 Quickstop convenience store—...

Angry Seniors Suspected in Spray-Paint Vandalism

Grandfather in gated community sees 'no kids' painted on his cars

(Newser) - More fodder for the jokes about Florida seniors: The Smoking Gun reports that a resident of a 55-and-older community in Vero Beach discovered that some apparently ticked off neighbor or neighbors spray-painted both his cars with the message "No kids." Bhaskar Barot's apparent offense was occasionally babysitting...

Fla. Rep. Pleads Guilty to Coke Charges

Judge gives Florida's Trey Radel a year of probation

(Newser) - Congressman Henry "Trey" Radel pleaded guilty to cocaine possession today, but will avoid jail time. A DC Superior Court judge sentenced the freshman Republican from Florida to one year of probation, and ordered him to receive drug treatment in his home state, the Washington Post reports. Radel had already...

Congressman Busted on Cocaine Charges

Republican Trey Radel represents Florida

(Newser) - A freshman Republican in the House now has much bigger worries than a re-election campaign. Rep. Trey Radel, who represents Florida's Fort Myers area, has been charged with misdemeanor cocaine possession in DC, reports Politico . The Miami Herald describes Radel as a "libertarian-leaning" Republican in line with the...

Zimmerman Gets $9K Bail, Is $2.5M in Debt

No more $400-an-hour lawyer for Zimmerman

(Newser) - George Zimmerman was today granted bail in the amount of $9,000 in relation to yesterday's alleged domestic violence incident , the Orlando Sentinel reports. The order came with restrictions: no contacting his girlfriend in any way (meaning he can't return to the house they shared), he must surrender...

Zimmerman: GF &#39;Went Crazy on Me&#39;
 Zimmerman: 
 She 'Went 
 Crazy on Me' 
911 CALLS RELEASED
Nov 19, 2013 1:40 AM CST

Zimmerman: She 'Went Crazy on Me'

Girlfriend: 'You put your gun in my freaking face!'

(Newser) - George Zimmerman is back in jail and Florida authorities have released 911 calls giving conflicting versions of the events leading up to his arrest on domestic violence charges yesterday. In girlfriend Samantha Scheibe's call, she can be heard shouting "You put your gun in my freaking face and...

Cops: We Found Guy Who Fell From Plane

Gerardo Nales fell 2K feet

(Newser) - Miami-Dade police say they believe they have found the body of a Florida man who fell from a private plane into waters off south Florida. Authorities said they presume the body found in a mangrove area this morning is that of 42-year-old Gerardo Nales, but they're waiting on official...

Dunkin' Donuts Fan Arrested in Quest for 10% Discount

Charles Barry charged with impersonating an officer, improper use of firearm

(Newser) - A Florida man who apparently loves donuts as much as he loves a deal has been arrested after his attempt to pair the two went wrong. Charles "Chuck" Barry got fired up at a local Dunkin' Donuts when employees denied him a 10% police officer discount he'd been...

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