WEST PALM BEACH

The minimum base salary for full-time classroom teachers and certified prekindergarten teachers in Florida will be no less than $65,000 starting next July, subsidized by the state’s education department itself; that is, if a bill filed last month in the House were to reach past the governor’s desk.

Investigators in South Florida are working to figure out who left a Deltona man's body on the side of a road.

A Volusia County man was found dead on the side of a West Palm Beach road on Sunday, according to WPEC.

A Florida mother is going to prison for 14 years for the death of her newborn daughter who was found floating off the Palm Beach County coast five years ago.

A teen girl reported missing out of Daytona Beach and considered endangered was found safe, according to the Daytona Beach Police Department and Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

A South Florida jury has agreed that a former Florida State football player acted in self-defense when he fatally shot one man and injured another several hours after he scuffled with his girlfriend.

Officials with Brightline announced Wednesday the launch of ticket sales for the Orlando connection, marking anther milestone in the launch of the service between Central Florida and South Florida.

Brightline is ramping up testing of its high-speed trains to prepare for its service to Orlando this year.

The Justice Department is asking a judge to put on hold a scheduled deposition of Donald Trump in a lawsuit brought by an FBI agent who was fired over text messages critical of the former president.

Brightline is hiring more than 170 positions in Orlando for its new station at Orlando International Airport.

Brightline announced a list of traffic advisories on Monday as the company continues its extension project from Orlando to West Palm Beach.

Don Davey, Jaguars defensive tackle in the 90s, is biking across the state of Florida to raise money for veterans and hurricane relief.

Why did the gator cross the road?

Trump was at the club on Thursday evening after the announcement was made, and dozens of his supporters showed up to give their support.

Major league pitchers and batters aren’t the only ones going on the clock this season.

The Manhattan grand jury that has been hearing testimony about hush money paid on Donald Trump’s behalf will not take up that inquiry again this week, further delaying a potential vote on an indictment until next week at the earliest.

According to AAA, the average price per gallon is $3.37.

Major League Baseball’s new pitch clock is going to undergo some timing adjustments before it is turned on for games that count.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called on the Legislature Monday to forbid the use of digital currency in the state.

Houston Astros star Jose Altuve has a broken right thumb and needs surgery after getting hurt in Venezuela’s 9-7 quarterfinal loss to the United States at the World Baseball Classic.

Florida Gov. DeSantis is planning his first visit to Iowa next week, making a stop in the leadoff Republican voting state before an expected 2024 presidential announcement later this year.

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced a “Digital Bill of Rights” proposal Wednesday to protect Floridians from Big Tech companies.

An appliance delivery man has been convicted of beating a 75-year-old woman to death and setting her on fire at her Florida home.

United Airlines has reported a bigger fourth-quarter profit and higher revenue than Wall Street expected.

Authorities say a six-year-old girl has been found dead in a retention pond after going missing from a South Florida home.

A serial grifter who gained national infamy as a teenager when he impersonated a doctor to defraud a patient is heading back to prison after pleading guilty to stealing more than $10,000 from his employer.

A 41-year-old man faces a host of felony charges after a 13-year-old girl’s visit to a South Florida hospital led police to accuse him of impregnating her.

Daniel Pecoraro and Lisa Siegel weren’t supposed to get married on a Monday.

A young man who killed a family in a high-speed crash after ingesting household dust cleaner has been convicted of vehicular homicide.

Florida will test out at least 10 “RISE Express” dispensaries at Circle K stores across the state in 2023.

For the first time, the average price of a gallon of regular unleaded gas in Florida on Thursday topped the price before a gas-tax “holiday” began Oct. 1.

A lawyer for former president Donald Trump who signed a letter stating that a “diligent search” for classified records had been conducted and that all such documents had been given back to the government has spoken with the FBI.

The most expensive city on the list has a typical home value of $8,321,638 which is 1,966% higher than the state average of $402,837.

Event officials also said local organizations will provide resources for social services offered to the community.

Beachgoers in Destin were in for a sight this morning along the Emerald Coast.

Brightline, a private passenger rail line in Florida, announced a list of traffic advisories Monday as it works to construct a rail line extension connecting Orlando to West Palm Beach.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed a new justice to the Florida Supreme Court — one he tried to appoint in 2020.

A woman who left her newborn baby in a trash bin pleaded guilty to attempted murder and child abuse in exchange for a seven-year prison sentence and potential deportation.

A fatal crash on US-1 in Brevard County forced the closure of southbound lanes, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

First Lady Jill Biden will arrive at the Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach Thursday afternoon as part of the administration’s Cancer Moonshot initiative, according to a news release.

Police say a 23-year-old construction worker fell to her death from a 13-floor balcony of a condominium complex in West Palm Beach.

Memorial Day weekend is considered by some to be the unofficial start of summer and, by no coincidence, a great time to get back in the water. Unfortunately, according to conservationists and wildlife officials, manatees have similar plans.

Kenneth Allen, 64, of Lake Wales, spoke at a news conference for the first time Thursday since the incident May 10 that made national news.

A Brevard County man is $1 million richer after he purchased a winning Florida lottery ticket at a Melbourne food mart.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis holds a news conference in West Palm Beach.

A Florida murder trial has been delayed for a sixth time in the case of a woman accused of dressing like a clown to kill the wife of her lover.

A passenger landed a private plane at Palm Beach International Airport Tuesday after an incident with the pilot.

Justin Verlander will pitch for Houston for the first time since having Tommy John surgery late in 2020.

Two psychologists have found a homeless man accused of fatally stabbing a Florida teenager competent to stand trial.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday will hold a news conference at the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.

Nicole Hayden, a recent victim of a romance scam, said it’s important to trust your gut, pay attention to red flags and not send anyone money.

Police say a Florida bridgetender is facing a manslaughter charge in the death last month of a 79-year-old woman who was walking her bicycle across a draw bridge as it opened.

Police in West Palm Beach are investigating after a 79-year-old woman fell to her death when a drawbridge began rising before she could reach the other side.

Police say a bicyclist fell to her death when a drawbridge connecting Palm Beach to the Florida mainland began rising before she could reach the other side.

A cold snap in Florida is different than in other places.

High-speed passenger railroad service, Brightline, made another test run Thursday from West Palm Beach to Brevard County.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Thursday the state will send “up to a million” at-home COVID-19 tests to nursing homes and long-term care facilities this week.

Construction of Brightline's 169-mile passenger train extension from South Florida to Orlando is chugging along with multiple full-road closures planned for this week.

Someone had a warning for New Yorkers visiting former President Donald Trump’s new hometown — leave if you are “woke.”

The Argentine black and white tegu is multiplying and mobilizing in the backwoods and backyards of the Sunshine State — a creature more ominous than pythons because of its cold hardiness and indiscriminate palate.

Officials say a Brightline commuter train hit a car carrying a woman and her grandchild on the higher-speed line’s first day back in operation since the coronavirus pandemic began.

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the next legislative session would focus on election integrity, including the creation of a separate office at the state level that would investigate election fraud.

Beaches, warm weather and low tax rates have beckoned retirees to join Florida’s coast over the years, and it shows with eight Florida cities landing on the list.

A South Florida suburb holds deep ties to the town in southwestern Haiti that was hard hit by Saturday’s 7.2 magnitude earthquake.

A former Florida deputy has been sentenced to three years in prison for trying to rape a woman.

Newly released body camera video shows Casey Anthony pointing out her damp clothes after she said a romantic rival threw a drink on her at a bar in West Palm Beach.

A judge has rejected the “stand your ground” defense of a Florida man who said he beat an iguana to death only after it attacked him.

Casey Anthony’s outing at a Florida bar was interrupted when she and another woman started arguing about a man they were both dating at the same time, according to police.

Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor learned from phone messages that the New York Mets had fired hitting coach Chili Davis and assistant Tom Slater, a move that left players unhappy.

An appeals court has upheld the manslaughter and attempted murder convictions of a Florida police officer who gunned down a stranded Black motorist.

An appeals court has upheld the manslaughter and attempted murder convictions of a Florida police officer who gunned down a stranded Black motorist.

Left fielder Kyle Schwarber, first baseman Josh Bell and infielder Josh Harrison have been reinstated from the injured list by the Washington Nationals.

A Florida elementary school teacher is facing charges alleging he solicited online to have sex with a 2-year-old and traveled to meet the child.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – A Florida city has fired a top information technology manager for smoking marijuana — even though he been authorized by his doctor to use it legally for medical reasons. Florida voters overwhelmingly approved a measure legalizing medical marijuana in 2016. While Florida is one of numerous states that have legalized marijuana use partially or fully, it is still against federal law. In 2019, the city revised page 13 of its 15-page employee drug-use policy to read, “The use of marijuana by city employees, including medical marijuana, with or without a prescription, is prohibited." “He’s not trying to be a medical marijuana martyr,” Cormican said.

The Nationals slugger drew an 11-pitch walk from Sixto Sánchez with one out in the top of the first. He then was replaced in right field in the bottom half of the inning by Gerardo Parra. AdOpening day of the 2021 baseball season is a week away; Washington hosts the New York Mets at night on April 1. We can do some different things to keep them ready as far as the swing and things of that nature,” Martinez said. “But we want to make sure this doesn’t become a bigger issue.”___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The family of a 19-year-old student with autism will receive a $2 million settlement from a Florida school district a year and a half after he choked on a chicken nugget and died. AdKedar Williams was rushed to a hospital Aug. 13, 2019, after choking on the chicken nugget at William T. Dwyer High in Palm Beach Gardens. But video showed the aide was attending to another student when Williams choked. “Having your son wave goodbye to you in the morning, before school, and then never seeing him alive again is a mother’s worst nightmare. Our family has a gaping hole without Kedar in our lives,” his mother, Megan Williams, said in a statement.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. throws during the first inning of a spring training baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Tuesday, March 9, 2021, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. and the Houston Astros have agreed to an $85 million, five-year contract covering 2022-26, a deal awaiting announcement by the team. McCullers agreed on Jan. 15 to a $6.5 million, one-year contract that avoided salary arbitration. “Houston is where I want to be," he said at spring training on Feb. 28. who broke his left ring finger in his first spring training appearance. McCullers is 2-0 with a 2.57 ERA over seven innings in three spring training games.

The security boat patrols near Mar-a-Lago Florida Resort on Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)WASHINGTON – Former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, has been partially closed after staff members tested positive for the coronavirus. An email sent to members said that service had been temporarily suspended in the club’s dining room and at its beach club because some staff members had recently tested positive. A senior Brazilian official tested positive last year after spending time at Mar-a-Lago, where he posed for a photo next to Trump and attended a family birthday party. The club in Palm Beach has been a flurry of activity in recent weeks, hosting events and fundraisers, including one to benefit rescue dogs. AdIn January, Palm Beach County issued a warning to Mar-a-Lago’s management after a New Year’s Eve party that violated an ordinance requiring employees and guests to wear masks.

We’re in spring training. There’s no sense in pushing it.”Strasburg said he was looked at by a team doctor and had an ultrasound exam. “I didn’t really feel it at all except for that last pitch, where I kind of felt it simultaneously as I was finishing the pitch,” Strasburg said. “I’ve had my calves cramping up on me in the past and I’ve pitched through that," he said. Ad“If he wakes up tomorrow sore or something, he might be held back,” the manager said.

The reigning World Series champions already had a pair of Cy Young Award winners in Clayton Kershaw and David Price. Darvish has twice finished runner-up for a Cy Young Award, including last season when he was 8-3 with a 2.01 ERA in 12 starts. Lester is a three-time World Series champion, winning twice with Boston and once with the Cubs. He’s part of a rotation led by three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer, 2019 World Series MVP Stephen Strasburg and lefty Patrick Corbin. Bradley was a Gold Glove winner in 2018 when the Red Sox won the World Series.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Jeremy Jeffress was released by the Washington Nationals on Sunday for what general manager Mike Rizzo called unspecified “personnel reasons,” less than two weeks after the reliever agreed to terms on a minor league deal. The 33-year-old Jeffress was taken by Milwaukee in the first round pick of the 2006 amateur draft and has pitched for five teams over 11 years in the majors. Last season, Jeffress went 4-1 with a 1.54 ERA and eight saves in 10 chances for the Chicago Cubs. AdMore than a decade ago, Jeffress was suspended twice for violating the minor league drug treatment and prevention program. He has said he used marijuana to manage a severe case of anxiety and he was diagnosed with juvenile epilepsy in 2013.

(Sarah Stier/Pool Photo via AP)The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:___The list of players in the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol dropped to a season-low three, despite the additions of Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby and Nashville’s Ryan Johansen. San Jose’s Tomas Hertl is the only other player on the list after entering his seventh day in the protocol. ___Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby will miss Tuesday night’s game against Philadelphia after being placed on the COVID-19 protocol list. The news comes a day after the NHL had a season-low four players in the COVID-19 protocol. AdTuesday night’s game will be the first game with fans in attendance at PPG Paints Arena since last March.

“You’d come back in the dugout and you’d say, ‘Hey where was that pitch at?’” Owings said Monday. “It would be like it is on the MLB app where it just shows where the pitch crossed the plate. But Major League Baseball has cleared the way for the return of in-game video on dugout iPads beginning on opening day, with catcher signals clipped when they are displayed on a computer. “I think the fact that they would have it in the dugout is a step in the right direction.”How much in-game video helps depends on the hitter. ___AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum and AP Sports Writers Pat Graham, Stephen Hawkins and Howard Fendrich contributed to this report.

(AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Palm Beach County defied Gov. Ron DeSantis' Tuesday afternoon order directing its U.S. and Florida flags to be flown at half-staff. He also ordered the Town of Palm Beach and the State Capitol in Tallahassee to fly their flags at half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Wednesday. Trump also lives in Palm Beach at his Mar-a-Lago club and he and Limbaugh were close friends. DeSantis called Limbaugh a legend during a news conference two days later and indicated he would direct flags to be flown at half-staff to honor him.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis held a news conference in West Palm Beach Friday morning to talk about election security legislation he plans to push when the next legislative session begins in March. The event, which resembled a campaign rally with a cheering crowd, was held at the Hilton Airport Palm Beach along Australian Avenue. “We should have no ballot harvesting at all in the state of Florida,” DeSantis said. “I think that you can take it, put it in the mail or take it to the elections office.

Former President Donald Trump waves to the members of the media on arrival at Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Fla., Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)WASHINGTON – The Justice Department’s inspector general is launching an investigation to examine whether any former or current department officials “engaged in an improper attempt” to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Inspector General Michael Horowitz said Monday that the investigation will investigate allegations concerning the conduct of former and current Justice Department officials but will not extend to other government officials. Republican governors in Arizona and Georgia, key battleground states won by Biden, also vouched for the integrity of the elections in their states. Nearly all the legal challenges from Trump and his allies have been dismissed by judges, including two tossed by the Supreme Court, which includes three justices nominated by Trump.

(AP Photo/Cody Jackson)FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Florida launched an investigation Wednesday into an upscale nursing home amid reports that it administered coronavirus vaccines to wealthy donors and members of a country club along with its residents and employees. The newspapers reported that the vaccinations were organized by MorseLife CEO Keith Myers and New Jersey-based developer David Mack, who is a member of various MorseLife boards and chairman of the country club foundation's board. The vaccines were distributed at the Joseph L. Morse Health Center, which is on David S. Mack Drive. He denied that the distribution was targeted at Palm Beach Country Club members. The company on its website says, “our goal is to ensure that older adults enjoy full, rewarding lives in an atmosphere of luxury, outstanding service, and compassionate care.”The country club declined comment.

Pence, as president of the Senate, will oversee the session Wednesday and declare the winner of the White House race. The Electoral College this month cemented Biden’s 306-232 victory, and multiple legal efforts by President Donald Trump's campaign to challenge the results have failed. “A suit to establish that the Vice President has discretion over the count, filed against the Vice President, is a walking legal contradiction,” the department argued. But a range of nonpartisan election officials and Republicans has confirmed there was no fraud in the November contest that would change the results of the election. Trump and his allies have filed roughly 50 lawsuits challenging election results, and nearly all have been dismissed or dropped.

In April, Trump imposed a ban on green cards issued abroad that largely targets family members of people already in the United States. A temporary ban on non-essential travel across the Mexican and Canadian borders was also done for public health. In December, a federal judge in Oakland, California, prevented the green-card ban from taking effect against families of 181 U.S. citizens and legal residents who sued. A federal judge blocked the rule from taking effect almost immediately after it was announced in October 2019. The ruling “makes clear that the Biden administration must move swiftly to rescind all of President Trump’s xenophobic presidential proclamations, including this health care ban,” she said.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – A South Florida middle school teacher accused of regularly insulting her students, often about their nationality or intelligence, has had her educator license suspended for six months by Florida education officials. The school district in Palm Beach County had moved to fire Susan Oyer in March, but her termination was never approved by the school board. Instead, she reached a settlement with the state Department of Education in which her license was suspended for six months, according to The Palm Beach Post. Records show Oyer, who taught at Boca Raton Middle School, is no longer employed by the school district. Oyer did not deny the allegations but was not required to admit fault as part of the settlement.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Police in Florida are investigating the shooting death of a 21-year-old college baseball player. The body of Derek Becker was found Sunday in an apartment near the Keiser University campus in West Palm Beach, the Palm Beach Post reported. In a statement on posted Twitter, Keiser University CEO and Chancellor Arthur Keiser said Becker attended the school’s flagship campus and played on the Seahawk baseball team. School officials said in a statement that they are cooperating with West Palm Beach police. The shooting occurred at an off-campus apartment and officials said few students are on campus during the winter break.

We’ve got thousands of facilities in Florida, it’s not as easy as it would be in some smaller state,” DeSantis said. The state is also expected to receive an additional 20,000 doses to help with vaccination efforts in long-term care facilities. [RELATED: Getting consent for long-term care facility patients will slow COVID-19 vaccine distribution]Once those two target populations receive their first doses, the state will then shift to focusing on elderly residents who are not in long-term care facilities but who could still develop a severe COVID-19 infection. DeSantis thinks it won’t be until about February before the vaccine is available to the general public, although that depends on when the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is approved. “The Johnson & Johnson vaccine, unlike the Pfizer and Moderna, it’s only one dose... the Johnson & Johnson is just normal refrigeration and you take it one time.

Lei Wang, 41, and Shen Mingbi, 60, each pleaded guilty in Palm Beach County circuit court to one count of soliciting another to commit prostitution, records show. Kraft had pleaded not guilty but issued a public apology for his actions. Hua Zhang, 59, pleaded guilty last month to two misdemeanors. Lei Chen, 45, pleaded guilty to eight counts of offering to commit prostitution in February. Police say the recordings show Kraft and other men engaging in sex acts with women and paying them.

Brightline and Walt Disney World Resort announced an agreement Monday to build a train station at Disney Springs. The station would allow “convenient travel” between Walt Disney World and several Brightline planned stations at Orlando International Airport, Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, a news release said. Brightline officials said that the expansion from West Palm Beach to OIA is on track and should be completed in 2022. “Our mission has always been to connect our guests to the people and places that matter, and Walt Disney World Resort is a tremendous example of this.”Travelers can expect the proposed Disney Springs station to have a ground level lobby, passenger facilities and an upper level train platform. “We’re excited to work with Brightline as they pursue the potential development of a train station at Walt Disney World Resort, a project that would support our local economy and offer a bold, forward-looking transportation solution for our community and guests,” said Jeff Vahle, president of Walt Disney World Resort.

Karen Jones, 55, was arrested at her South Florida home last Saturday. She is facing three charges of making written threats to kill or do bodily harm to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and U.S. senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott, according to an arrest report. Jones posted on Twitter last week, “DeSantis, Rick Scott and Marco Rubio are looting my state. Imma shoot them," according to the arrest report.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The bodies of a husband and wife were discovered floating in a canal separating Palm Beach and Broward counties, authorities said. Officials on Sunday identified the couple as Archer James Adams III and his wife, Paula Adams. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission agents discovered the bodies after responding to a report that there was an unoccupied boat floating at the south end of the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge. The state agency didn’t say where the couple lived or whether foul play is suspected. “This an ongoing investigation,” said Carol Lyn Parrish, a public information director for the agency.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The National Weather Service in Miami is issuing a coastal flood statement as the new moon’s proximity to Earth brings on another round of king tides. This may be the last round of king tide flooding this year with December’s new moon forecast to have less influence. The high tide flooding for South Florida typically begins in September. It's a combination of multiple factors, including a slower Gulf Stream current, warmer waters, lunar alignment and sea-level rise. National Weather Service meteorologist Paxton Fell said easterly winds of 5 to 7 mph shouldn’t be strong enough to exacerbate street flooding, but the flood alert could be upgraded to an advisory if tidal gauges show a considerable jump.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – A Florida high school principal was fired again on Monday over a comment he made to a student’s parent last year regarding the Holocaust. The Palm Beach County School Board's vote on Monday morning reversed an earlier decision to reinstate Spanish River High School Principal William Latson. He appealed his firing and an administrative law judge ruled in August that the school board had gone too far in firing him. The board initially agreed to fire Latson last year on ground of ethical misconduct and failure to carry out his job responsibilities. The official justification for his termination was failure to return messages from school district officials in the days after his comments made international news.

Former Mayor of South Bend, Indiana and 2020 Democratic presidential hopeful, Pete Buttigieg, is making stops in Melbourne and West Palm Beach Thursday on behalf of Joe Biden and to encourage early voting, according to News 6 partner Florida Today. According to a campaign release, Buttigieg will appear with retired Maj. Gen. Steven Lepper in Viera “emphasizing the importance of this election and urging supporters to utilize these final days of early voting.”A US Air Force biography says Lepper was commissioned in 1979 as a graduate of the US Air Force Academy. He became a judge advocate in 1984 and served several times as a Staff Judge Advocate. He rose to the position of Deputy Judge Advocate General at USAF headquarters in Washington D.C.[TRENDING: ‘Smell of rotting flesh’ leads to body in trunk | How to celebrate Halloween during pandemic | 98 ‘murder hornets’ removed]Lepper in a blistering op-ed for The Hill in June, criticized President Trump for threatening military force against demonstrators in the wake of the death of George Floyd. Later in the day Buttigieg will travel to West Palm Beach where he is expected to hold a press conference at a gold star memorial and “highlight the importance of our military and military families and honor their sacrifice.”