A Broward County water plant serving Pompano Beach, Deerfield Beach, Lighthouse Point, and Coconut Creek has tested positive for "fecal indicators," according to a statement just sent out by the county. The affected well has been shut down, but authorities are telling residents in those areas to not drink tap water without boiling it first:

Bring all water to a rolling boil, let it boil for one minute, and let it cool before using it. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in the water. You may also use bottled water. Use boiled or bottled water for drinking, making ice, preparing food, and washing dishes until further notice.

More >>

Sunlight Foundation

Cuttin' budgets, cuttin' syllables. (Click for larger.)

More >>

For more than a year, New Times has been investigating Thompson Academy, a publicly funded, privately run juvenile detention center in Pembroke Pines where teens have alleged they faced physical and sexual abuse. Most recently, the lockup's top administrator, Craig Ferguson, left his post while under investigation by the state Department of Juvenile Justice. According to allegations made by former Thompson employees, last year Ferguson took three boys home with him, bought them clothes, and allowed them to shower at his house. New Times is currently wading through more than 200 pages of documents detailing the state's investigation of Ferguson.

Meanwhile, Youth Services International, the Sarasota-based prison company that runs Thompson, is facing additional scrutiny in Minnesota. Martin and Faribault counties, More >>

Delray Beach Police

For a larger photo, click on this one. For a better dog, go to the pound.

More >>

Quinnipiac University has been ringing Florida phones off their hooks the past week or two -- a poll yesterday showed Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney pulling ahead of Barack Obama in the state, and there's a poll about Florida baseball that came out this morning that's of pretty much no consequence.More >>

What has this guy been up to?

More >>

From Sombrero Reef down in the Keys to the waters of West Palm Beach, red barrel sponges are disintegrating at worrisome rates. The culprit is unknown, and state scientists are busy trying to figure out just how widespread the disease outbreak is.More >>

UPDATE, 3:26 p.m.: Received a statement from Broward College. Modified the post accordingly.

More >>

More >>

"Time for court, gentlemen."

More >>