Florida Statesman news
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Fla. using federal grant money to settle lawsuit
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Florida is dipping into a high-profile federal grant designed to improve the state's schools in order to end a bitter contract dispute.Education Commissioner Tony Bennett earlier this month agreed to settle a lawsuit filed against his department by a Tallahassee-based technology company.The Department of Education is paying $1.25 million to Infinity Software ...
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12 sentenced in South Florida grow house operation
MIAMI -- A dozen people have been sentenced in a South Florida grow house operation that ended after the murder of a man suspected of stealing their marijuana, federal prosecutors said Thursday.According to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Miami, Derrick Santiesteban, whose family ran the operation, was sentenced to life in prison for drug distribution, money laundering and kidnapping with ...
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Graham Center honors Nathaniel Reed 2 others
Nathaniel Reed was recognized as the inaugural recipient of the Bob Graham Center for Public Service's Citizen of the Year Thursday afternoon due to his role in protecting the Florida Everglades for ...
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Decision coming soon on controversial solar array near prairie
The Alachua County Commission will rule soon on a controversial request to put a solar array into a neighborhood near Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park — a project for which the Planning Commission and county staff have issued opposing ...
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United Ways 2013 campaign raises $17.6 million for Orlando-area residents
United Way celebrated the final tally for its yearly community fundraising campaign Thursday -$17.6 million. The donations will help about 360,000 residents of Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties who need health care, housing, education and programs that support financial literacy and safety. It is less than last year's $19.4 million total, which included a one-time donation of about $3 ...
Movie Review
Ice Age
Not surprisingly, the majority of Ice Age is not nearly as funny as its already-legendary opening, which depicts a tiny, long-nosed Scrata fictional prehistoric cross between a squirrel and a ratdesperately trying to bury his precious acorn in the solidly frozen ground only to cause a massive avalanche for his efforts. It's a beautifully extended bit of slapstick that plays out much like s ... ...
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LeBron James Shattered Jordan Myth on Wednesday
LeBron James delivered a win in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals when he hit a layup at the buzzer in overtime. Miami prevailed 103-102, and James picked up his ninth career playoff triple double with 30 points, 10 points, and 10 ...
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PBSO seeking man suspected of snatching purse
Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office is looking for a man suspected of choking a woman and stealing her purse. On May 10, 2013, the man ran up to the woman, choked her and ran off with her purse. The man is described as about 5 feet 10, weighing 190 pounds with short dreads and wearing a black, long-sleeved shirt, and black shorts. The Sheriff's Office asks anyone who can identify the ...
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Tea party vs. old guard in Senate GOP rift
FILE - In this Feb. 7, 2013, file photo, Senate Armed Services Committee member Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., right, questions Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey, on Capitol Hill in Washington. The committee's ranking Republican Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla. listens at left. A long-simmering feud in the Senate between establishment Republicans and tea ...
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Murder suspect’s death accusations shock to Orlando neighbors
KISSIMMEE -- Ibragim Todashev, the Chechen martial-arts fighter killed by an FBI agent in Orlando on Tuesday, was a bit of a mystery to his neighbors in his modest gated community in Kissimmee.They knew little about his lifestyle, his travels or his relationship with one of the two suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing.They did know him as the kind of guy who helped neighbors in the ...
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5 things to know in Florida for May 24
Your daily look at news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today.DEFENSE RELEASES PICS, TEXTS IN NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH CASEGeorge Zimmerman's defense attorneys have released photos and text messages from 17-year-old Trayvon Martin ahead of a hearing to determine whether they can be used at trial. Zimmerman, accused of shooting Martin last year, is pleading not guilty to ...