Year in review: Here are the stories most talked about in South Florida in 2023

It was a hot year for South Florida news — literally and figuratively — marked by unprecedented weather events, courtroom showdowns, political chaos, school shakeups, building booms and unlikely success by some of our underdog sports teams. Here’s a look back at the biggest headlines of 2023, chosen mostly by science — the most-read stories on SunSentinel.com:

Water, heat and ’canes

Epic rainfall: More than 20 inches of rain poured down on neighborhoods in Fort Lauderdale over a six-hour period on April 12, creating extraordinary scenes, including cars stranded on roads that looked like rivers, water-logged homes and frustrated travelers. The epic flooding exposed the region’s drainage and infrastructure issues — sparking anger and wrath at what some residents called a lack of readiness. And the deluge had one more unexpected victim: That eight-story concrete behemoth that is Fort Lauderdale’s City Hall, which was so badly damaged that commissioners declared it was time to build a new one.

And then came the heat: It wasn’t long after the rainwater dried up that Mother Nature gave us her next punch. A heat wave settled into South Florida in June — and didn’t let up for months. Day after day of excessive heat advisories and warnings had everybody sweating under dangerous conditions. Even the nights brought little relief, with records shattered for the warmest nighttime low temperatures. A dip in the ocean was like taking a hot bath — temperatures in some waters along Florida’s beaches approached 100 degrees, threatening delicate coral reefs and adding a bit more ick to the already oppressive summer weather. The year 2023 produced the warmest November on record globally, and likely the warmest year the Earth has seen in 10,000 years or more, according to climate experts.

South Florida escapes hurricane season: Although the tropics this year generated 20 named storms — the fourth most since 1950 — once again South Florida escaped a destructive blow. Most of the Atlantic storms this year steered north, away from the state’s east coast. But the Panhandle wasn’t so lucky as Hurricane Idalia rapidly developed in the Gulf of Mexico and devastated a swath of the state’s Big Bend region with a strong storm surge.

Courtroom dramas

Parkland deputy acquitted: Former Broward Sheriff’s Deputy Scot Peterson, the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School resource officer accused of failing the children in his care by not confronting the Parkland mass shooter in 2018, was found not guilty on all charges on June 29 after an emotional trial. The conclusion of the trial meant the justice system no longer needed to preserve the 1200 building, which has remained standing five years after 17 people died inside. After multiple tours of the building with families and officials, it’s finally set to be demolished. Later in the summer, the Florida Supreme Court reprimanded former Broward County circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer because of her conduct while presiding over the case of Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz in 2022. Scherer had already resigned in May.

Plea deal in Killer Clown case: Sheila Keen Warren, the woman accused of dressing as a clown and shooting Marlene Warren in the face on the doorstep of her Wellington home 33 years ago, pleaded guilty on April 25 to one count of second-degree murder — suddenly and unexpectedly ending one of the most highly anticipated cases in Palm Beach County just two weeks before her trial was set to begin.

Mistrial in Melly murder case: The trial of Jamell “YNW Melly” Demons ended on July 22 with a hung jury after more than 14 hours of deliberation over three days. Demons was accused of being the gunman in the shooting deaths of two acquaintances inside a Jeep after an overnight recording session in Fort Lauderdale in the early morning hours of Oct. 26, 2018. Demons was later charged with witnesses tampering during the trial and his retrial was scheduled to start in early 2024.

Campus battlegrounds

FAU presidential search goes off the rails: After Florida Atlantic University president John Kelly stepped down last December, a search committee selected three finalists to replace him — but one of the most closely watched names, Republican State Rep. Randy Fine, who was supported by Gov. Ron DeSantis, was not among them. Then came the drama: Just days before the three finalists were set to speak at public forums, the search was stopped in its tracks by the chancellor of the State University System of Florida, who cited “anomalies” in the search process. The search committee defended the process as donors and trustees fumed, but the state’s Board of Governors on Dec. 14 ordered a new search to begin after it makes changes to its regulations on how presidential searches are conducted.

Broward College leadership crisis: Broward College President Greg Haile abruptly resigned without explanation on Sept. 14, though the college’s Board of Trustees asked him to stay. Haile, who had a smooth relationship with the board for most of his five-year tenure, became the subject of increasing criticism from newer members who were appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis. Henry Mack III, 42, a former Broward College administrator and ally of Gov Ron DeSantis, first accepted an offer to become the college’s interim leader but withdrew two days later. On Oct. 4, runner-up Barbara Bryan, 67, who was president of the college’s north campus before retiring in 2013, began a six-month contract as acting president.

Broward schools shakeup: Broward schools Superintendent Vickie Cartwright stepped down in January after a tumultuous 17-month tenure marked by a scathing audit and grand jury reports, the governor’s removal of board members and a contentious relationship with many administrators and community members. Cartwright’s replacement was a long time coming. At first, it looked like internal candidate Valerie Wanza had the edge, with enthusiastic support among employee groups. But the School Board didn’t advance her to the final three. Ultimately, with the support of Chairwoman Lori Alhadeff, the board hired Peter Licata, a longtime Palm Beach County schools administrator, as the new superintendent.

Tensions flare over transgender high school athlete: The Florida High School Athletic Association sanctioned Monarch High School in Coconut Creek because a transgender student played on its varsity volleyball team, a violation of a state law championed by Gov. Ron DeSantis. The school district already had reassigned or suspended five school officials, a move that prompted two days of student walkouts in November.

More top news headlines

Brightline opens Orlando line: Brightline launched its historic and long-anticipated South Florida to Orlando line, connecting Florida’s biggest tourist destinations.

Broward fire-rescue helicopter crash: A “rock star” fire-rescue captain and a woman on the ground were killed after a helicopter crashed into a Pompano Beach apartment building. The copter’s frightening death spin was captured on video.

Car crashes into restaurant: It was a horrifying scene on Aug. 18 as a driver trying to park crashed into a Plantation restaurant during a Friday night dinner rush, injuring 20 people.

Lawyer charged with killing his father who sued him: A Boca Raton lawyer was charged with murder — and the victim was his father. The lawyer was later found dead in his jail cell.

Schools drop clear backpack plan: The Broward schools’ plan to require clear backpacks for all students was scrapped after a raucous town hall in which most participants protested the idea.

Body found in suitcases: Three suitcases containing a woman’s remains were found floating in the water in Delray Beach on July 21. The woman was soon identified and her husband was charged in her death.

Publix bans pups: Publix banned non-service dogs from their Florida grocery stores beginning in August. Some dog owners freaked out, but other customers cheered what they called a long-overdue rule.

Gambling expands in Florida: South Florida became a little more like Las Vegas in early December when the state allowed sports betting, craps and roulette tables to begin at Seminole Tribe casinos, including the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood.

Beach shootout: A brazen daylight shootout on the Hollywood Broadwalk on May 29 sent beachgoers scattering for shelter and wounded nine people, including a 1-year-old child.

Def Leppard drummer assaulted: Rick Allen, the drummer for the rock band Def Leppard, was assaulted on March 17 near the Four Seasons hotel on Fort Lauderdale beach, and a 19-year-old Ohio man was charged in the attack.

Local killed in Maine mass shooting: A Fort Lauderdale native who was visiting his son in Lewiston, Maine, was one of 18 killed in an Oct. 28 mass shooting.

Tensions flare over Mideast conflict: An explosive war in the Middle East between Israel and Hamas that killed thousands led to increases in reports of antisemitism in Florida and clashes on the streets between supporters of Israelis and Palestinians.

Boomtown 2023

It was a year marked by big changes in many neighborhoods in Palm Beach and Broward counties. Here are some of the biggest development headlines:

Flagler Village rises with Searstown demise: Fort Lauderdale’s landmark property Searstown, at the intersection of Sunrise Boulevard and North Federal Highway, became a pile of dust after nearly seven decades. Rising from the rubble will be a cosmopolitan development with three stylish new towers. It was just one of many large-scale developments rising in the city’s fast-growing downtown neighborhood.

New courthouse sparks south-of-river boom: The replacement for the outmoded, leaky, decades-old Federal Courthouse on Broward Boulevard in downtown Fort Lauderdale is rising in a neighborhood just south of the New River. The long-sought project — at 255,000 square feet and expected to be finished in 2026 — may trigger the city’s south-of-the-river building boom.

Oakland Park goes big: Big things were happening in Oakland Park, which seemed to be trying to become the next Fort Lauderdale. Plans include new towers that will morph the city’s skyline with art, restaurants, nightlife.

Boca’s boom: The boom in downtown Boca Raton continued in 2023, as well, with hundreds of new apartments and more on the way. Cranes scattered the skyline in Pompano Beach, too, with new projects sparking a rise in property values.

Political battlegrounds

Trump in court in Miami: Former President Donald Trump’s Palm Beach estate of Mar-a-Lago became the center of the political world in June when he was indicted for mishandling classified documents — making him the first former president in U.S. history to face criminal charges by the federal government that he once oversaw. And on June 13, the eyes of the world were on South Florida as Trump turned himself in for his arraignment at the the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. U.S. Courthouse in Miami, in a scene that was part Donald Trump campaign rally and part reality TV show featuring celebrity faces and anti-Trump protesters, blistering heat and humidity, and a crowd that included people who’d traveled long distances for a day in South Florida.

Florida loosens gun laws: A Florida law went into effect in June allowing people to carry concealed weapons without a state permit, prompting excitement among some gun owners — and alarm among people who fear a rise in gun violence.

Conventions flee over culture wars: Broward County lost more than a half-dozen planned conventions and their organizers cited the divisive political climate as their reason to stay out of Florida.

COVID, flu, leprosy and more

New COVID variant strikes: Coronavirus may have struck hardest in 2020, but three years later it continued to cast a long shadow on Florida. In April, health officials were concerned about a new COVID variant with an odd potential symptom: conjunctivitis. In the summer, the state was experiencing a new uptick in the number of reported cases. And even as a new booster shot was approved in the fall, state officials including Florida’s surgeon general cautioned Floridians under 65 not to get one. But even as the mixed signals caused confusion, the vast majority of Floridians believe the COVID vaccines to be safe and effective, according to at least one poll.

Leprosy outbreak: In late summer, health officials reported seeing more cases of the rare disease of leprosy in Florida and a quest was launched to find out why.

Flu strain targets kids: Flu breaks out every fall, but in 2023, influenza cases hit childcare facilities especially hard. This year’s symptoms: aches, cough and runny nose.

Wild Florida in the news

Beloved whale dies in captivity: Lolita, an orca whale held captive for more than a half-century, died at the Miami Seaquarium on Aug. 16 as caregivers prepared to move her from the theme park.

Crocs and gators in the waves: Beachgoers near the Pompano Beach pier were surprised to spot a crocodile swimming in the surf on Sept. 16, prompting lifeguards to close the beach. Just over a month later, it was beachgoers on Hillsboro Beach that had a sight of their own: a wayward alligator in the surf.

A stinky beach invasion: A different kind of menace invaded South Florida’s beaches in 2023, in the form of stinking, rotting piles of seaweed. A record-breaking 5,000-mile long bloom of Sargassum seaweed floated west from the Caribbean and landed on beaches on both sides of the Florida peninsula.

Pythons are winning the war: A new report showed that Florida’s Burmese python population has exploded in the past 20 years from a handful in the Everglades to an invasion that covers the entire southern third of the state. And as another python hunt was launched to try to reduce the python population, questions lingered over the program’s effectiveness.

Gone but not forgotten

These are some of the notable South Floridians that we lost in 2023:

• Jimmy Buffett, “Margaritaville” singer who turned beach-bum life into an empire, at 76.

• Tracey Penrod, co-owner of Fort Lauderdale’s iconic Spring Break bar Elbo Room, at 54.

• Butch Samp, owner of The Floridian diner in Fort Lauderdale since 1979, at 75.

• Linda Alley, Broward circuit judge and former prominent attorney, at 71.

• James Fox Miller, former president of the Florida Bar, longtime family law practitioner from Hallandale beach, at 84.

• Jim Blosser, civic leader, lawyer and aide to the late Fort Lauderdale business icon H. Wayne Huizenga, at 85.

• Carlton Campbell, Broward County Public Schools administrator who worked in the district for more than three decades, at 57.

• Ken Keechl, Broward’s first openly gay county mayor, at 60.

• Brenda Snipes, former Broward elections supervisor, at 80.

• Margaret Bates, longtime commissioner in Lauderhill, at 78.

• H. Irwin Levy, the developer behind the Century Village communities, at 97.

• James Rollins Eddy, former Broward state representative, at 91.

• Alexander Dreyfoos, philanthropist and former owner of CBS12, at 91.

• Ferdinand Mahfood, founder of Food For The Poor, the relief charity based in Coconut Creek, at 85.

Big year for South Florida sports

Some of our favorite teams kept us on the edge of our seats this year. Here are the ups and downs for South Florida sports fans:

FAU’s dream season: Nobody saw this coming. The Owls’ mens basketball team became the first in NCAA history to have reached a Final Four without ever having won a tournament game previously. It was the first time FAU reached the NCAA Final Four. But the dream season came to a bitterly disappointing end on April 1 with a 72-71 loss to San Diego State.

UM rides into Final Four: The Hurricane traveled with the Owls to Houston to give South Florida half the spots in the NCAA Final Four. It was the first time UM made it that far in the tournament after losing in the Elite Eight in 2022. But it wouldn’t be South Florida’s year to be in the championship game after the Hurricanes fell to UConn 72-59.

Panthers reach Stanley Cup: After barely reaching the playoffs, the Florida Panthers snuck into the bracket as the No. 8 seed and were heavy underdogs against the record-setting Boston Bruins in the first round. But they kept winning, then swept the Carolina Hurricanes in four games to advance to the Stanley Cup finals. But without goalie Matthew Tkachuk, the Panthers lost in Game 5 in a 9-3 win by the Las Vegas Golden Knights.

The Heat’s unlikely championship bid: The Miami Heat also barely made to the NBA playoffs — they were one loss away from ending their season — but took themselves all the way to the championship series. But the Denver Nuggets proved too overpowering, and the Heat lost the series in five games.

A superstar comes to South Florida: One of the most popular sports stars in the world arrived in South Florida in July. After weeks of speculation, Argentine soccer superstar Lionel Messi announced he would join Inter Miami, David Beckham’s soccer club. Messi and his family were seen house-hunting and in September they landed a sprawling waterfront estate for $10.75 million in Fort Lauderdale’s gated Bay Colony community.

NSU’s perfect season: The Nova Southeastern University men’s basketball team completed a perfect season that included their first national championship in a 111-101 win over West Liberty.

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