West Palm Beach News (BETA)

In late June, the Boynton Hoops Ballers youth basketball team had far more hope than money.

Jack isn't taking any chances. And he's not alone.

There's an old newsman's adage that all big stories connect back to Florida, and as it happens, that was also true of the biggest old newsman of them all.

In a dark, empty parking lot at the far edge of the Mall at Wellington Green, a man is soaking his socked feet from a big gallon jug of water. Then he stomps around in an erratic path, leaving wet footprints on the pavement.

Standing ovations are not uncommon at the Kravis Center, but they usually come at the end of the performance.

Palm Beach County Commissioners have approved a $22.5 million Head Start and Early Head Start program budget through Sept. 10, 2010. That money will serve 2,051 children - or about $11,000 per child. The term ``about'' is used because the money will also be used in some fashion for 180 pregnant women, according to commissioners. Head Start is a full day, full year program that ``will continue to ...

Senior citizens in the community often complain about being left out of the loop when it comes to disseminating information. The Boca Raton Elder Affairs Advisory Board is preparing for a couple of major presentations Nov. 18 that will give seniors a raft of information on topics of concern to those in the golden years. ``The Elder Affairs Board plans to conduct two presentations on Nov. 18 ...

Palm Beach County Commissioners have approved a standard form executive hangar lease, containing the following terms: An initial term of one year. Automatically renews thereafter unless either party elects not to renew. Rental will be at the fair market rental rates as determined by an appraisal. Rates will be updated by an appraisal Oct. 1, 2010 and every three years thereafter. Other ...

FROM STAFF REPORTS Florida Atlantic University High School Guidance Director Debra Reichenbach was one of the speakers at the Florida SACS CASI Summer Conference in Orlando on June 15. Also addressing educators was Barry Mallis, executive director of Score At The Top Learning Center in Wellington Discussion centered on SAT and ACT Test Prep Collaboration using an SACS-accredited learning center. ...

Florida Atlantic University's School of Accounting, a department within the Barry Kaye College of Business, recently received an $8,500 gift from Grant Thornton LLP, an international public accounting firm to help support students in the School of Accounting by providing funding for scholarships and professional development. ``We are proud of the relationship between Grant Thornton and Florida ...

A man accused of shooting a West Palm Beach fast food employee is back in court for his second trial.

A local man accused of shooting a fast food employee returns to the courtroom.

Florida Atlantic University President Frank Brogan has been appointed chancellor of the Board of Governors, the state's top higher-education post.

Authorities arrest the 23-year-old suspect in a shooting of a state wildlife officer, who is recovering in a Melbourne hospital after being shot several times Wednesday.

WPBF News 25's Terri Parker reports live on the opening day of python hunting in the Everglades. Plus, WPBF News 25 has the latest on Aubrey Opdyke's condition. Beginning on WPBF News 25 Weather First at 4 p.m.

MICCO -- Residents of Micco, Grant-Valkaria and eastern Palm Bay can spend time with their Brevard County commissioner next week and express any concerns they have with county operations.

Lifelong resident Eric Ellebracht wanted to get a tattoo of the city seal, but a 2000 law won't allow the trademark sailboat to be inked on his arm.

Angela Tates and her son, Terry, 11, along with Lynn Burton and her daughter, Kassie Pumphrey, 14, were out on Burton’s boat, a 36-foot sailboat named the Walkabout. They said they were in Indian River off Melbourne Beach when thousands of bees swarmed the boat.

Matt Perry, president of National Sports Services, spends his work days involved in just about every aspect of the business of minor league sports: sales and relocations of franchises, managing teams and considering stadium agreements and designs.

VERO BEACH — There are now 65 confirmed swine flu cases in Indian River County, the latest being an unidentified youth age 18 or younger, health officials said Friday.

“Radio Green Earth” is South Florida’s first and only all-environmental radio show.

Off-duty nurse tries to rescue West Palm Beach man.

No one knows for sure how many pythons live in South Florida

He had at least five names, but just one that belonged to him. The others, authorities say, he stole with exquisite skill and confounding cunning from prison inmates in Mississippi. Then Johnny Peden, a balding, smooth-talking 45-year-old, used those names to steal and steal, investigators say, concocting one of the most elaborate and long-running one-man fraud schemes that detectives have seen ...

There are now 65 confirmed swine flu cases in Indian River County, the latest being an unidentified youth age 18 or younger, health officials said Friday.

The state Department of Health is reviewing cancer data for the Vero Beach area prompted by concerns raised by a local activist about chemical contamination.

Officials with the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office will talk about crime in the southern part of the county at a neighborhood watch meeting Monday.

This is a list of felony arrests in Indian River County:

E-mails from seasonal residents in New York, Massachusetts and Virginia were the first clues. It’s going to be the summer of discontent for those who receive electric service from the city of Vero Beach.

STUART — Prosecutors rested their fraud and racketeering case against Rodney and Shalonda McGill Friday morning, but the courtroom drama is far from over.

A water testing company based in Clearwater accused of using scare tactics to sell water filtration systems has apparently made several appearances in Martin County over the past few weeks.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The House Fiscal Year 2010 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill approved Friday includes $342 million for projects directed at the Treasure Coast, ranging from the St. Lucie River and Hutchinson Island shoreline restoration to repairing the Herbert Hoover Dike surrounding Lake Okeechobee and the Florida Everglades restoration effort.

A dozen school districts throughout the state, including Martin and St. Lucie counties, were notified by letter this week that some students’ phrases were a little too similar in their FCAT writing essays.

STUART — Friday’s appearance of former Martin Memorial Medical Center CEO Dick Harman wrapped up two weeks of testimony presented by attorneys suing the hospital for false imprisonment on behalf of illegal immigrant Luis Jimenez and his Indiantown guardian.

County commissioners have been happy with the forward planning that let the county keep the tax rate the same and avoid laying off more people by creating a two-year budget last year.

A 69-year-old Port St. Lucie man who volunteered as a reading mentor at Morningside Elementary was sentenced Friday to life in prison for inappropriately touching an 8-year-old girl.

Kari and Mike Coffey opened the door to their new HGTV Green Home in Tradition for the first time on Friday and were amazed enough to consider becoming Florida property owners,.

State Attorney's Office dtermines the stabbing death of Michael Sherman was justifiable homicide. He was stabbed in January by the grandson of a woman Sherman was attacking.

The 17th Annual Sheriff’s Explorer Fishing Tournament is Labor Day weekend, Sept. 4 and Sept. 5, at the Fort Pierce City Marina,

The former CEO of CBS shares his memories of being Walter Cronkite's boss.

Homeowners woke up to explosions and flames Friday morning.

Parents say no one told them there have been four confirmed cases of swine flu at Life for Youth Summer Camp in Vero Beach.

Palm Beach County condominium being sued for not allowing children to live in units.

Port St. Lucie's city council voted unanimously to raise property tax rates and eliminate 117 jobs to avoid deeper cuts to police and essential services.

MIAMI BEACH — For New York ready-to-wear designer Mara Hoffman, the biggest challenge in creating a swimsuit collection is making a statement while working with a minimum of fabric.

The skyline along Belvedere Road will soon be home to one of Palm Beach County's tallest landmarks.

SOUTH PALM BEACH — Property owners are likely to see a higher tax rate next year.

A makeover of the Worth Avenue shopping district won't happen before next year, but property owners will see their first assessments on property tax bills in November.

The Landmarks Preservation Commission voted unanimously Friday to approve the landscape improvements at Royal Poinciana Chapel and Sea Gull Cottage.