County leaders declared victory yesterday when Commissioner Sue Gunzburger changed her vote and agreed to a system for funding an emergency calling system.

Problem is, repeatedly over the years, studies have shown these systems don't live up to what they need to be.

"There is no consistency in training, and there is no consistency in the quality of equipment that is used," says Daniel Caplis, a Denver lawyer who specializes in suing municipalities where 911 fails. "Irreparable damage has been done to injured individuals and many lives that could have been saved."

More »

Sorry, MLB Commissioner Bud Selig. We won't hand over records that detail the inner workings of Biogenesis, the controversial Coral Gables anti-aging clinic that allegedly supplied prohibited drugs to six professional baseball players, including Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez.

The reasons are manifold. History plays a role in our decision. So do journalistic ethics and the fact that we have already posted dozens of records on our website. Finally, there is a hitherto-unreported Florida Department of Health criminal probe into clinic director Anthony Bosch

More »

At the news of Hugo Chavez's death, Venezuelan opposition leader Henrique Capriles was magnanimous: "At such a difficult time, we must show our deep love and respect to our Venezuela," he tweeted. "My solidarity to all the family and followers of President Hugo Chavez. We appeal for unity."

He is the sole hope of Venezuelans in exile in the election that is slated to take place in 30 days. Vice President Nicolas Maduro, who made the announcement and will likely take power, is the odds-on favorite and the head of a powerful machine that has jailed opponents and shut up the media for years. 

But Capriles drew 6.1 million votes, or about 45 percent of the population, in October. He is a favorite among decision-makers and has a powerful position as governor of Miranda State. 

See also: Hugo Chavez Is Dead

More »

About 15,000 people will pull themselves through mud, climb 25-foot-high ropes, avoid barbed wire -- and swim and run more than ten miles -- Saturday and Sunday in Oleta State Park.

"The only thing we left out this year was the alligators," says race founder, organizer, and all-around macho loon Joe De Sena. "Too dangerous."

Now in its fourth year, the Spartan Race is a juggernaut. About 60 races are planned in nine countries -- including the Czech Republic and Australia -- this year, with about 600,000 people competing.

More »

Taxpayers have shelled out more than $110K to Coconut Creek cop James Yacobellis for not working during a 1.5 year suspension.

In the end, the department decided he should have turned on his siren while chasing a couple of pot-smoking kids.

I am not kidding. Coconut Creek taxpayers got screwed. No police protection from this guy, but they paid him more than what three elementary-school teachers get annually.

The Sun Sentinel quoted Coconut Creek Police Chief James Mann as saying, "[The investigation] took much longer than we thought it would ever take."

I say it's time for Coconut Creek to take action.

More »

Valentine's Day this year won't be about love or roses.

Thursday is likely to be about Heat fans -- and LeBron James -- crashing back to Earth.

That's the day we take on Kevin Durant's Oklahoma City Thunder in the belly of the beast. Last night, the hot hot Heat came back strong at the end of the game to beat the Portland Trailblazers 117 to 104. James set records. Chris Bosh and Ray Allen, who had been sidelined by the flu, scored a combined 46 points. Dwyane Wade shot badly through the first three quarters, then nailed the fourth.

So what is this about losing?

More »

photo by Steve Paluch via Wikimedia Commons

Ryan Braun

On Tuesday, a week and a day after Miami New Times published online a report describing hundreds of pages of records from the office of a Coral Gables clinic, Biogenesis, the first professional baseball players have acknowledged involvement with owner Anthony Bosch.

In statements issued Tuesday to Yahoo! Sports, two current MLB players, including former University of Miami star Ryan Braun, admitted ties to Bosch. New York Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli, whose teammate Alex Rodriguez was the biggest name in the records, described his relationship with the clinic thusly: "Following my foot injury in March 2011, I consulted with a number of experts, including Biogenesis clinic, for legal ways to aid my rehab and recovery. I purchased supplements that I am certain were not prohibited by MLB.''

See also:
-- A Miami Clinic Supplies Drugs to Sports' Biggest Names

More »

A story broken yesterday in New Times Broward-Palm Beach and Miami New Times has received astounding national and international attention.

The piece, which employed hundreds of pages of handwritten notes to show that major sports stars had received performance-enhancing drugs from a Coral Gables clinic called Biogenesis, was featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, the Drudge Report, Yahoo! News, and elsewhere.

By midday yesterday, it had received more than 250,000 page views -- and the writer, Miami New Times managing editor Tim Elfrink -- appeared on CNN and ESPN to discuss the report. Keith Olbermann, Longform.org, and dozens of other big names highlighted the story.

More »

Lance Armstrong singlehandedly changed American bicycling. He won seven Tours de France. He held off testicular cancer. He dated and about married Sheryl Crow. 

More »

SpaceX, the California company that plans to help NASA and perhaps become the world leader in space travel, announced yesterday in Washington that it would send a man to space by 2015.

The firm will send one of its own employees. Last year, it was the number one private firm to send an unmanned craft to the International Space Station -- and then bring it home. Its first flight will stay in space three days.

"What's important to me is that I can look myself in the mirror ... [and say] that the risk is acceptable for me to fly," said ex-NASA astronaut Garrett Reisman, who is managing the project for Space X.

Boeing plans a follow-up the next year.

More »