Attacks on Gov. Rick Scott’s Medicaid move mask Adam Putnam’s big-spending record

Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam’s headline-grabbing criticism of fellow Republican Rick Scott over expanding Medicaid highlighted just how much the governor flip-flopped on government spending and entitlement programs.But Putnam has a more extensive record of supporting expensive entitlements and big-government spending.As a member of Congress from 2001-2011, Putnam...

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Modern Family Stars Get Stuck in Crowded Elevator

No good deed goes unpunished. PICS: Candid Celeb Sightings While on their way to a fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Kansas City on Friday night, three stars of ABC's hit sitcom Modern Family were trapped in a crowded elevator for almost an hour, ABC News reports.Julie Bowen, Eric Stonestreet and Jesse Tyler Ferguson took pictures together during the ordeal, which Ferguson posted...

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House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in NJ may be moved due to flooding

APThe Bachman-Wilson house, designed and built by Frank Lloyd Wright, in Millstone, NJMILLSTONE, NJ — Some say it's a work of art — one of the many gems of the Garden State.Designed and built by Frank Lloyd Wright in the 1950s, the house, which sits along the Millstone River in Somerset County, features the legendary architect's floor-to-ceiling windows...

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How to create a winning business plan

If you are creating a short business plan to enter in the Miami Herald Business Plan Challenge or to send to an investor, how do you make your plan stand out from the pack?With the March 11 deadline for the Challenge looming, our judges, all very experienced in business planning and capital-raising, have some advice for you on writing a plan, whether you are starting your...

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Near-record warm winter for South Florida

Winter won’t officially be over for a few weeks but it’s already been a near-record warm one in South Florida – not including the cold front rolling through this weekend. From December through February, Miami recorded the third warmest winter on record, the National Weather Service’s Miami office reported Friday. The average temperature of 72.3 degrees was 2.7 degrees warmer...

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'Skyfall' Jameson Empire Awards Nominations

Daniel Craig's third outing as 007, Skyfall, has grown to become the most successful James Bond film ever and the biggest-ever U.K. box-office hit – and after winning two Academy Awards it now leads the pack for the 18th Jameson Empire Awards with six nominations. Read on for details and to vote for your favorite films and stars!CLICK HERE TO VOTE for the Jameson Empire Awards 2013.Pics: The 12 Most...

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Conn. Dem disgrace: Call for resignation after pol tells girl, 17, 'I got a snake sitting under my desk here'

HARTFORD, Conn. — The chairman of Connecticut's Republican Party is calling for a Democratic state lawmaker to resign over what was taken as a lewd remark to a teenage girl.State Rep. Ernest Hewett already has been stripped of his leadership title for the reference he made to "a snake" under his desk at last week's budget hearing. He has said his remark...

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Florida class-action case takes aim at Citizens’ reinspection program

Thousands of Florida homeowners buffeted by higher windstorm premiums have sued state-run Citizens Property Insurance Corp. to recover potentially hundreds of millions of dollars in “back-door” rate increases driven by “arbitrary” reinspections of their residences.The proposed class-action lawsuit, filed in Broward Circuit Wednesday, aims to halt Citizens’ reinspection program,...

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Driver gets 6 years for hit-run death of 11-year-old

A Miami-Dade County judge on Thursday sentenced a driver for the 2009 hit-and-run death of an 11-year-old girl to six years in prison, plus eight years of probation. Harvey Abraham, 37, was convicted in November of fleeing the scene where he struck and killed Ashley Nicole Valdes as she crossed a West Kendall street on Jan. 8, 2009. He was arrested after a citizen who had...

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White Collar Season 4 Finale Exclusive Clip

All season long White Collar fans have watched Neal, Peter, Mozzie and Jones race to find Ellen's Empire State Building box -- and in Tuesday's season finale, the chase finally climaxes. RELATED - TV's 10 Best Dressed CharactersBut with the newly installed F.B.I. chief seemingly on Senator Pratt's payroll, the boys are forced to race against one more enemy during In The Wind, an episode creator Jeff...

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Feds hunt for 3 LI sex offenders gone missing after Hurricane Sandy

US Marshals are searching for several Suffolk County sex offenders who disappeared after Hurricane Sandy.The federal law-enforcement agency launched Operation Shore Restore in December to track down offenders who were displaced during the superstorm, authorities said.“These local agencies during the Hurricane were pretty taxed,” said Charlie Dunne, the...

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Don’t get too personal on LinkedIn

Have you ever received a request to connect on LinkedIn from someone you didn’t know or couldn’t remember?A few weeks ago, Josh Turner encountered this situation. The online request to connect came from a businessman on the opposite coast of the United States. It came with a short introduction that ended with “Let’s go Blues!” a reference to Turner’s favorite hockey team...

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Broward government executive drops outs of Miami Beach city manager race

Monica Cepero has dropped out of Miami Beach’s search for a city manager.Currently an assistant to the Broward County administrator, Cepero was one of three finalists being considered for the job. In a letter emailed to city commissioners at about 11 p.m. on Tuesday, Cepero wrote: “The nature of this process has made it clear to me that this position is not the right one...

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Nicole Kidman & Mia Wasikowska Talk 'Stoker'

Nicole Kidman, Mia Wasikowska and Matthew Goode form an uncomfortable family trio in the new thriller Stoker, in theaters Friday, and they tell ET's Chris Jacobs that despite the creepy subject matter, making the film in Tennessee was a delight and proved to be a family bonding opportunity.Pics: 13 Must-See Movies of 2013 The new film from Oldboy director Chan-wook Park, Stoker finds adolescent India...

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Veteran journalist Bob Woodward slams Obama's budget cut 'madness'

Journalist Bob Woodward on Wednesday criticized Barack Obama's handling of the automatic U.S. budget cuts set to take effect this week, calling the president's decision to hold back on military deployments "madness."His comments continued what has become a running dispute between Woodward, perhaps the country's best-known print journalist, and the Democratic...

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Drivers line up for $2.27 gas at the Finish Line in Sweetwater

Hundreds of cars were backed up for more than four blocks waiting for gas Wednesday at the Finish Line in Sweetwater.Drawing the crowd: a special promotion at the gas station and convenience store on 109th Avenue and West Flagler Street. Drivers started lining up at 5 a.m. to pay a cash price of $2.27 per gallon, close to a 50 percent savings. The promotion...

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Homestead, farmer look to settle lawsuit with Air Force

The Homestead City Council met Monday night to discuss settling a lawsuit that the U.S. Attorney’s Office filed on behalf of Homestead Air Reserve Base against the city and a family farm near the base.For decades, the city has struggled to find a balance between property owners’ rights and base officials’ safety concerns. The lawsuit, filed in 2011, alleged that the city...

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Carrie Fisher Briefly Hospitalized

ET confirms that Star Wars legend Carrie Fisher was hospitalized briefly in Los Angeles following a medical incident related to her bipolar disorder.Pics: Actors Who Almost Got the Part According to the 56-year-old star's rep, "There was a medical incident related to Carrie Fisher's bipolar disorder. She went to the hospital briefly to adjust her medication and is feeling much better now." Fisher...

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Contractor at Sandy damaged school swiped iMacs

A contractor who was supposed to be doing emergency repairs at a Queens school damaged by Hurricane Sandy instead helped himself to two desktop computers, police officials said yesterday.Iannelli Construction worker Kevin Smith, 43, was arrested today for the alleged November theft of two iMacs from a classroom at Scholar’s Academy in Rockaway Park.He was...

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Homestead, farmer look to settle lawsuit with Air Force

The Homestead City Council met Monday night to discuss settling a lawsuit that the U.S. Attorney’s Office filed on behalf of Homestead Air Reserve Base against the city and a family farm near the base.For decades, the city has struggled to find a balance between property owners’ rights and base officials’ safety concerns. The lawsuit, filed in 2011, alleged that the city...

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Poll: 7 in 10 back FL medical-marijuana plan, could affect governor’s race

As many as seven in 10 Florida voters support a state constitutional amendment legalizing medical marijuana – more than enough to ensure passage and possibly affect the governor’s race — according to a new poll from a group trying to put the measure on the 2104 ballot. Medical pot’s sky-high approval cuts across party and demographic lines, with Republican support the lowest...

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Pretty Little Liars Sneak Peek Clip Out of Sight Out Of Mind Ezra's Son

Since day one, Pretty Little Liars fans have been hot for teacher, and thanks to the revelation that Ezra Fitz fathered a love child, he's now firmly cemented his status as a D.I.L.F. as well. PHOTOS - TV's 10 Best Dressed CharactersNow, with the secret that threatened to tear Ezria apart out in the open at long last, PLL has also opened the door for Ezra's son to come to Rosewood -- which is exactly...

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Macy’s CEO ‘hung up’ on Martha Stewart betrayal

Macy’s CEO Terry Lundgren testified he was so shocked when Martha Stewart called him to break the news she had a secret deal with JCPenney that he hung up on her.“I don’t remember hanging up on anyone in my life, “ Lundgren testified during a Manhattan Supreme Court trial over her pact with Penney. “That’s how frustrated I was with Martha Stewart on that...

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Miami medicine goes digital

About 10 years ago, Dr. Fleur Sack quit her practice as a family physician to become a hospital department head. Spurring her decision was the need to switch from paper records to electronic ones to keep her private practice profitable. “At that time, it would have cost about $50,000,” Dr. Sack recalled. “It was too expensive and it was too overwhelming.” But times and technologies...

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Cessna crashes into Biscayne Bay; four people rescued near Homestead

A Cessna carrying four people crashed into the waters of Biscayne Bay Sunday afternoon within Bayfront Park in Homestead.The crash occurred at around noon. Four people onboard were rescued from the water by Miami-Dade fire rescue workers,” said U. S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Jon-Paul Rios.The plane was headed to the Florida Keys at the time of the accident. ...

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Man commits suicide by leaping in front of Manhattan subway train

G.N.Miller/New York PostA train at the Manhattan subway stop where a man jumped to his death today. A suicidal man died after jumping in front of a subway train in Manhattan this morning, police said.The unidentified victim was near the edge of the platform at Eighth Avenue and West 23rd Street in Chelsea around 9:30 a.m. as the E train neared the station,...

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South Beach Wine & Food Festival changes Miami's culinary scene, impacts economy

For Miami restaurateurs, this is Showtime.With dozens of top chefs — Bobby Flay, Todd English, Daniel Boloud and Masaharu Morimoto among the list — in town for the South Beach Wine & Food Festival, the pressure is on everywhere, from Michy’s to the new Catch Miami. The goal: Show everyone from around the country that Miami’s food scene has arrived on the national stage.Chef...

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South Florida “dreamers” gather for information, maybe some financial aid

Carmen cleans Miami houses for $200 a week. So she turned up as early as she could Saturday at Miami Dade College to ask for the $465 grant that would pay for the application to legalize her undocumented daughter’s immigration status. “This is a blessing,” the Peru-born Carmen said as she waited nervously, green application folder in hand, to chat with one of the immigration...

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Double Take Celebrity Lookalikes

Alice Eve and Brooklyn Decker ETonline has found the lookalikes to the stars and, as it turns out, it's their Hollywood peers. Click the pics and let us know if you think these celebs bear a resemblance to one another. ...

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Upper East Siders boo Christine Quinn over waste transfer station support at mayoral forum

They trashed her!Upper East Siders opposed to the construction of a waste transfer station in their neighborhood booed City Council Speaker Christine Quinn at a mayoral forum today for her continued support of a controversial project that would send garbage trucks rumbling throughout posh area streets.“I am not changing my position on the [marine transfer...

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South Florida hospitals could lose $368 million from sequestration

A detailed survey shows that South Florida hospitals could lose $368 million over 10 years in federal budget cuts starting next Friday, if the sequestration program kicks in as scheduled.The Florida Hospital Association, using data from the American Hospital Association, estimates that over the next decade, sequestration would cause Miami-Dade hospitals to lose $223.9 million...

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In David Rivera investigation, suspected ringer charged in federal court in $81,485 scheme

A one-time candidate whose suspicious campaign finances led to an investigation of former Miami Congressman David Rivera was formally charged Friday in federal court with three crimes.Justin Lamar Sternad pleaded not guilty to conspiracy, false-statement and illegal campaign-contribution charges.Sternad, however, is expected to strike a plea deal as he cooperates with federal...

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Vin Diesel 'Riddick' Still

Fast & Furious star Vin Diesel is returning for a third time to his Riddick character this fall, and he's teasing fans with a brand-new image of his title character sitting on a throne with a troubled brow, very reminiscent of Arnold Schwarzenegger's pose at the end of Conan the Barbarian. Coincidence?Pics: Role Call -- Who Got Hired in Hollywood Diesel posted the shot on his Facebook page with...

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Man pleads guilty to smuggling military-grade sniper scopes

A man pleaded guilty today to illegally trying to smuggle restricted military-grade night-vision sniper scopes out of the US to Ukraine.Volodymyr Ponomarenko was charged in Brooklyn federal court with attempting to ship the high-tech devices overseas without a Customs export license that is required to transport restricted technology out of the country.US...

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Miami Springs hotel makes Top 10 list

The Comfort Suites Miami Airport North, just over a year old, is winning praise.The 102-suite hotel, at 657 Minola Dr. in Miami Springs, was named one of the top 10 airport-adjacent hotels in the nation by TripAdvisor. The hotel earned its seventh-place showing thanks to reviews by travelers. The travel site said the list was based on the most highly rated hotels within two...

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South Florida existing home sales, prices rose again in January

The median price of an existing single-family home in Miami-Dade County rose 14.8 percent to $194,000 in January from a year earlier, according to the Miami Association of Realtors. The median price of a condominium in Miami-Dade jumped 24.1 percent year over year.Compared with December 2012, the median price for a single family home fell 9.4 percent in January and was off...

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Biden tries to rally support for gun control in Conn. speech

DANBURY, Conn. — Vice President Joe Biden is trying to rally support for the administration's proposals to curb gun violence, saying there will be a moral price to pay for inaction.Biden is speaking Thursday at a conference in Danbury, Conn., just a few miles from the scene of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School. He says that America has changed its views of gun control since the Dec. 14...

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IKEA to open in Sweetwater in 2014

IKEA announced that it has hired a contractor to build its Miami store and is on track for opening in Summer 2014.Balfour Beatty Construction will oversee construction of the IKEA store to be built in Sweetwater on land adjacent to Dolphin Mall, located at the intersection of State Road 836 and Florida’s Turnpike.The Swedish retailer known for its cheap, chic home furnishings...

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No mistrial after surprise evidence surfaces in trial of Miami cop-killing suspect

A judge won’t grant a mistrial, for now, in the case of cop-killing suspect Dennis Escobar after a startling police audiotape surfaced that could taint the man’s confession.Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Leon Firtel made the decision against the backdrop of history: In 1997, the Florida Supreme Court threw out Escobar’s original conviction and death sentence. It took until last...

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'Blade Runner' wanted to build an arsenal: report

JOHANNESBURG — Oscar Pistorius applied for firearm licenses for six more guns weeks before the shooting death of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp inside his house on Feb. 14, according to official records obtained by The Associated Press on Wednesday.The applications were made on Jan. 22, just over three weeks before Pistorius shot his girlfriend dead in his...

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Health Foundation gives $1.8 million

Health Foundation of South Florida announced Tuesday the awarding of grants worth a total of $1.8 million to 21 organizations.Among the awards in Miami-Dade were $197,000 to the Miami-Dade County Health Department, $200,000 to Open Door Health Center, and $107,000 to the University of Miami. Other Dade grants included $20,000 to the Banyan Community Health Center, $45,000...

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Tough gals: Roller derby players enjoy contact sport

For Danielle Shaffner, 33, raising three children with another on the way and having her husband patrol the streets on his police vehicle could be stressful.That’s why she counts on a sport on wheels for relief: women’s roller derby. “I let loose and become a little maniac on the rink,” said Shaffner, who is four month pregnant and goes by the name of Pree-T-Manik. ...

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