TERRY SPENCER

I cover Florida, primarily Broward and Palm Beach counties.

Survivor of Parkland school massacre wins ownership of shooter’s name in lawsuit settlement

The most severely wounded survivor of the 2018 massacre at Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School now owns shooter Nikolas Cruz’s name.

Jury recommends death penalty for ex-prison guard trainee who murdered 5 women inside Florida bank

A jury has recommended that a former prison guard trainee be sentenced to death for his execution-style murders of five women inside a Florida bank five years ago.

Otto Lopez’s RBI single in the 9th gives Marlins 4-3 victory over the Cardinals

Otto Lopez hit a two-out single in the bottom of the ninth to drive in Tim Anderson and the Miami Marlins defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 4-3.

Mom of transgender girl athlete says Florida’s investigation has destroyed her daughter’s life

A Florida public school employee who faces firing because she allowed her transgender daughter to play girls high school volleyball is assailing those who outed her child.

Winn’s homer in 12th, Carlson’s throw lead Cardinals over Marlins for 1st winning record since April

Rookie Masyn Winn hit a two-run homer in the 12th inning, Dylan Carlson threw out the potential tying run at the plate in the bottom half and the St.

4 Florida officers indicted for 2019 shootout with robbers that killed a UPS driver and passerby

Four Florida police officers have been indicted for manslaughter in connection with a 2019 shootout on a busy rush-hour street that left a hijacked UPS driver and a passerby in a nearby car dead.

Demolition of the Parkland classroom building where 17 died in 2018 shooting begins

A large excavator stretched up and punched out a window on the top floor of a three-story classroom building where 17 people died in the 2018 mass shooting at Parkland, Florida’s, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School as a long-awaited demolition got underway.

Worst rainfall that triggered floods in Florida is over as affected residents clean up

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Although more rain could trigger additional isolated Florida flooding on Friday, forecasters say the strong, persistent storms that dumped up to 20 inches (50 centimeters) in southern parts of the state appear to have passed.

Tropical rainstorms in South Florida lead to flight delays and streets jammed with stalled cars

A tropical disturbance that brought a rare flash flood emergency to much of southern Florida delayed flights at two of the state’s largest airports and left vehicles waterlogged and stalled in some of the region’s lowest-lying streets.

Six years after the Parkland school massacre, the bloodstained building will finally be demolished

The demolition of the building where 17 people died in the 2018 Parkland school shooting is set to begin.

A Florida law blocking treatment for transgender children is thrown out by a federal judge

A federal judge has struck down as unconstitutional a 2023 Florida law that blocked gender-affirming care for transgender minors and severely restricted such treatment for adults.

Union: 4 Florida police officers indicted for 2019 shootout that left UPS driver and passerby dead

A Florida police union says four of its officers have been indicted for a 2019 shootout on a busy street that left a UPS driver, the two robbers who hijacked him and a nearby driver dead.

Florida man pleads not guilty to kidnapping his estranged wife from her apartment in Spain

A Florida businessman accused in the disappearance of his estranged wife in Spain has pleaded not guilty to federal kidnapping charges.

Massive fire at 4-story Miami apartment building displaces at least 40 people

At least 40 people have been displaced after a massive fire broke out at a four-story apartment complex near downtown Miami.

Ex-Dolphin Xavien Howard is accused of sending a teen an explicit photo over an abortion quarrel

Former Miami Dolphins star cornerback Xavien Howard has been accused of sending a male teenager a sexually explicit photo of the young man’s mother because she refused to get an abortion.

Mother of airman killed by Florida deputy says his firing, alone, won’t cut it

The mother of an airman who was shot and killed by a Florida sheriff’s deputy says the deputy’s firing was not justice for her son’s killing.

Florida sheriff’s office fires deputy who fatally shot airman at home

A Florida sheriff on Friday fired a deputy who fatally shot an airman at his home while holding a handgun pointed to the ground, saying the deputy’s life was never in danger and he should not have fired his weapon.

What to know about airman Roger Fortson’s fatal shooting by a Florida sheriff’s deputy

The fatal shooting of Roger Fortson by a Florida sheriff’s deputy when the Air Force senior airman opened his door armed with a handgun pointed down happened almost a month ago.

Rapper Sean Kingston and his mother stole more than $1 million through fraud, authorities say

Authorities say Sean Kingston and his mother committed more than a million dollars in fraud in recent months, stealing money, jewelry, a Cadillac Escalade and furniture.

Rapper Sean Kingston arrested in California after SWAT raids his Florida home; charged with fraud

Rapper Sean Kingston has been arrested in California on fraud charges after a SWAT team raided his rented South Florida mansion and arrested his mother.

Heated hearing in classified documents case as lawyer for Trump co-defendant challenges prosecutors

A lawyer for Donald Trump’s personal valet is accusing federal prosecutors of targeting his client for prosecution because he refused to cooperate against the former president in the classified documents case.

Sentencing trial set to begin for Florida man who executed 5 women at a bank in 2019

A Florida man will soon learn whether he will be sentenced to death or life in prison for fatally shooting five women in a bank in 2019.

Driver said he smoked pot oil and took medication before Florida crash that killed 8 Mexican workers

Investigators say a man with a long record of dangerous driving told them he smoked marijuana oil and took prescription drugs hours before he sideswiped a bus.

Driver of pickup that collided with farmworker bus in Florida, killing 8, is arrested on DUI charges

The Florida Highway Patrol has arrested the driver of a pickup truck that crashed into a farmworker bus, killing eight, on charges of driving under the influence-manslaughter.

Former Florida Gov. and US Sen. Bob Graham remembered for his civility at memorial service

Family and friends have remembered former Florida Gov. and U.S. Sen. Bob Graham as a politician who usually avoided rancor, enjoyed meeting regular Floridians and always behaved civilly, even behind closed doors.

Federal judge orders Florida man held without bond in his estranged wife’s disappearance in Spain

A federal judge has ordered a Florida man to be held without bond in connection with his estranged wife’s February disappearance in Spain.

Florida’s major power company prepares for this year’s hurricanes by dealing with a fake one

Florida’s largest power company is preparing for this year’s hurricane season by pretending a major storm already hit.

FBI lays out detailed case against Florida man accused in wife’s disappearance in Spain

The FBI has laid out a detailed case showing why agents believe a Florida man is behind his estranged wife’s disappearance in Spain, but gave no indication about what they believe happened to her.

Husband of Florida woman missing in Spain is charged with her disappearance

U.S. authorities have arrested a Florida man in connection with the disappearance of his estranged wife in Spain three months ago.

Want to show teachers appreciation? This top school gives them more freedom

A top Florida public school attributes its students’ high test scores to the creativity its teachers are allowed in the classroom.