Florida News - OrlandoSentinel.com

Inflated auto-insurance claims? Morgan & Morgan, Dan Newlin deny State Farm allegations

By Kevin Spear , Orlando Sentinel — Sun, 27 May 2012 04:00:00 GMT

One of Central Florida's best-known law firms and a prominent Brevard County surgeon may have had an "across-the-board agreement" in recent years to inflate by millions of dollars the charges for spinal surgeries in auto-accident claims, according to insurance-company allegations that have sprung unexpectedly from a pair of routine personal-injury lawsuits.

Report: Police dog called to testify in turn-signal case

From the Web — Sat, 26 May 2012 16:55:00 GMT

A man cited for failing to use his turn signal in Charlotte County called a police dog to court to testify in his defense, winknews.com is reporting.

Man accused of tying up 4-year-old girl to play video games

The Associated Press — Sat, 26 May 2012 13:49:00 GMT

SARASOTA, Florida — A southwest Florida man faces a child-abuse charge after authorities say he tied up a 4-year-old girl so he could play video games.

Gov. Scott talks about elephant faux pas with Spain's king

By Laura Wides-Munoz, The Associated Press — Fri, 25 May 2012 12:02:00 GMT

MIAMI — Florida Gov. Rick Scott decided not to ignore the elephant in the room upon returning Thursday from a weeklong trade mission to Spain.

Report: SunPass may soon work on N.Y., N.J. freeways

By Alfonso Chardy, The Miami Herald — Thu, 24 May 2012 12:21:00 GMT

Within months, Florida drivers may be able to zip through toll plazas on the New Jersey Turnpike or the New York State Thruway using their SunPass devices to pay tolls electronically.

Thousands of pages of evidence detail killing of FAMU drum major Robert Champion

By Stephen Hudak , Orlando Sentinel — Thu, 24 May 2012 02:48:00 GMT

The beatings began well before the Nov. 19 hazing death of Florida A&M University drum major Robert Champion, according to more than 2,300 pages of documents and 30 audio files released Wednesday by the Orange-Osceola State Attorney's Office.

Conservation groups acquire land to help Florida panthers migrate

By Alexandria Baca, Orlando Sentinel — Tue, 22 May 2012 23:12:00 GMT

Glades County wildlife corridor will facilitate roaming by endangered big cats

A partnership of government agencies and conservation groups announced Tuesday that they have protected 1,278 acres west of Lake Okeechobee to help Florida panthers as they migrate with increasing frequency from the Everglades north toward Central Florida.

Prosecutors to release documents in FAMU hazing case

By Stephen Hudak , Orlando Sentinel — Tue, 22 May 2012 19:03:00 GMT

Records could explain case against band members charged in the hazing death of drum major Robert Champion

Prosecutors plan to release new documents Wednesday in the hazing death of Florida A&M University drum major Robert Champion, Orange-Osceola State Attorney Lawson Lamar said through a spokeswoman.

Report: Florida property appraiser admits to swapping porn with HR director

From the Web — Tue, 22 May 2012 11:48:00 GMT

The property appraiser for Hillsborough County has admitted to swapping porn with his human resources director years before he fired her Monday, the Tampa Bay Times is reporting.

Crossing guard turns in money hanging from ATM

By Andy Reid, Sun Sentinel — Tue, 22 May 2012 07:39:46 GMT

Would you walk away from $1,800?

Adriana Allen found $1,800 worth of temptation sticking out of a drive-through ATM Sunday in Boynton Beach .

If FAMU loses hazing suit, law may limit damages awarded

By Stephen Hudak , Orlando Sentinel — Tue, 22 May 2012 04:00:00 GMT

With every troubling new revelation about Florida A&M University's Marching 100, the pending civil case against FAMU seems to grow stronger for the parents of Robert Champion, the drum major who died from being hazed on a charter bus in Orlando.

Man tells deputies he shot 2 deer because he's out of work, needed food

The Associated Press — Mon, 21 May 2012 14:08:00 GMT

GOLDEN GATE ESTATES, Florida — A Collier County man accused of shooting two doe deer says he needed to feed his family.

2 arrested in beating, robbery of Army sergeant in Tampa

The Associated Press — Sat, 19 May 2012 15:46:00 GMT

Two people have been arrested in connection with the attack on a soldier at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa.

Ex-Congressman Weldon joins crowded U.S. Senate race

By Bill Kaczor, The Associated Press — Sat, 19 May 2012 10:42:00 GMT

TALLAHASSEE — Former U.S. Rep. Dave Weldon, known for his social conservatism, announced his candidacy Friday for the Republican nomination to oppose Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in November.

Bow hunter pleads guilty to killing Florida Panther

By Kevin P. Connolly, Orlando Sentinel — Fri, 18 May 2012 15:00:00 GMT

A 45-year-old Naples man faces as much as a year in prison and a fine of up to $100,000 for killing a Florida Panther with a bow and arrow in Collier County in 2009.

Monkey on the run in Gainesville area

The Associated Press — Fri, 18 May 2012 11:10:00 GMT

GAINESVILLE — Florida wildlife officials are looking for a monkey that's been running loose in the Gainesville area for at least a month.

Piglets found safe, suspected thief tasered

Fri, 18 May 2012 02:28:00 GMT

Frantz Aboubaker accused of truck and pig thefts

Two pot-bellied piglets are back in the loving embrace of a Clewiston man after they were stolen in Hollywood on Wednesday.

Two FAMU band members admit hazing female clarinet player

By Stephen Hudak and Kathleen Haughney, Orlando Sentinel — Thu, 17 May 2012 21:47:20 GMT

Victim was punched on legs with fists, smacked with metal ruler

TALLAHASSEE — Two Florida A&M University band members, including one charged in the felony hazing death of drum major Robert Champion in Orlando, admitted Thursday to hazing a first-year female clarinet player who was treated at a hospital after being beaten last year.

Pit bull bites 3-year-old girl on face

The Associated Press — Thu, 17 May 2012 14:04:00 GMT

PORT RICHEY — Deputies say a 3-year-old girl was bitten on the face by her family's pit bull.

Solantic Walk-in Urgent Care is becoming CareSpot Express Healthcare

By Sentinel staff — Tue, 15 May 2012 22:22:00 GMT

Jacksonville-based Solantic LLC, the largest operator of urgent-care centers in Florida, is changing its name to CareSpot Express Healthcare.

Guns stolen in car burglaries linked to Cady Way killings

By Bianca Prieto , Orlando Sentinel — Tue, 15 May 2012 21:46:22 GMT

A pistol stolen from a car parked in a neighbor's driveway may have fired the bullets that killed two Winter Park High School students last month.

Schools won't be held accountable for this year's low FCAT writing scores

By Leslie Postal , Orlando Sentinel — Tue, 15 May 2012 21:18:21 GMT

Florida will hold public schools harmless from this year's dramatic drop in FCAT writing scores, refiguring its calculations so the state's A-to-F grades aren't damaged by the low marks, the State Board of Education decided Tuesday.

FCAT writing scores are a 'disaster'; educators are stunned

By Leslie Postal , Orlando Sentinel — Tue, 15 May 2012 02:24:00 GMT

Scores on Florida's writing test dropped dramatically this year, with student essays earning such poor marks that one superintendent called them a "disaster" and many educators demanded that the state study what happened.

12-year-old boy saves 4 younger siblings from house fire

The Associated Press — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:19:00 GMT

Parents not home when kids lit candles after power went out

MILTON, Florida — Officials are crediting a 12-year-old boy for saving his four younger siblings from their burning home near Pensacola.

A month after gruesome deaths, suspects in Cady Way slayings behind bars

By Susan Jacobson and Bianca Prieto , Orlando Sentinel — Sat, 12 May 2012 21:32:00 GMT

Two men with lengthy criminal histories are charged in the deaths of Winter Park High School students Nicholas Presha and Jeremy Stewart.

Almost a month after two high school students were killed and burned off Cady Way Trail, the charred earth where their bodies were found has faded. But details of their gruesome deaths are just beginning to come into focus.