All of the conversation about food at Miami Book Fair International inspires the appetite. Unfortunately, if the past is a guide, the food at the Book Fair is not curated with the same care as the authors; it's basically overpriced carnival fare.
Florida is considering its options while refusing to implement the Affordable Care Act.
Governor Rick Scott has been a harsh critic of the health care reform law. Under Scott’s administration, Florida lead the Supreme Court case against it.
But the Supreme Court upheld most of the Affordable Care Act and last week, Florida voters rejected a constitutional amendment that would have banned the individual mandate. That leaves Scott in a tough spot for someone who would rather not implement the law.
The Soul Bowl used to fill up the Orange Bowl, this year the Traz Powell Stadium at Miami-Dade College's north campus was barely half full.
Credit Kenny Malone
The Miami Jackson Generals have lost every Soul Bowl since 2002.
Credit Kenny Malone
Star Power: Hip-hop icon Luther Campbell is the defensive coordinator for Miami Northwestern.
Credit Kenny Malone
Miami Jackson scores its second touchdown of the game, though eventually losing 21-13
Credit Kenny Malone
Alumni relations: Larry Williams, president of Jackson's alumni association said Jackson graduates have worked hard to keep their program thriving, "tried to make sure that our own children went back to the schools and helped support it."
Credit Kenny Malone
Shifting demographics: Historically black Jackson is now just 35% black and 63% Hispanic. "The major sport with many of those guys would be soccer," said Jeff Allen who played football for Jackson in the early 70s.
Credit Kenny Malone
Once known as the "marching 100," Miami Jackson's marching band has around 25 members now.
Credit Kenny Malone
Miami Northwestern kicks an extra point on the way to winning their 10th straight Soul Bowl.
Credit Kenny Malone
Miami Northwestern's cheerleading squad sporting their school's unique colors: "Old Gold & Royal Blue."
Last Friday night, the Miami Northwestern Bulls defeated the Miami Jackson Generals 21-13 in one of Miami-Dade's most famous high school football rivalries. Known as the "Soul Bowl," the two historically black schools used to draw tens of thousands of spectators to the old Orange Bowl. But over the last decade or so, the rivalry has been losing steam.
Here at WLRN, we get excited about book fairs the way some people get excited about Fourth of July parades or Christmas pageants.
So this week, as the Miami Book Fair International descends upon our region and makes South Florida the center of the literary universe, we’re doing something special. We want you to help us tweet a story.
Us Floridians know what it's like to be in the political spotlight, and not in a positive way.
Nationwide we have become a laughingstock, with people from all over asking the obvious question: "Why can't you guys get your elections together?"
That, however, is a question easier asked than answered.
The Tumblr blog called Postcards From America, which popped up this last week, tries to tackle the question indirectly. Featuring photos and commentaries from across the country, as well as photos from right here in South Florida, one can see a portrait of the individuals who this election has affected. The mood of South Florida on and before election day is perfectly captured.
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush suffered long-distance electoral defeats in Indiana and Idaho on Tuesday.
In Indiana, the state's top education official -- a Bush ally and top lieutenant in his education foundation -- was defeated by a Democratic challenger. And, in Idaho, voters repealed three controversial education laws that bore the Bush seal of approval.
The Supreme Court says its going to review whether Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act is unconstitutional. Section 5 requires that certain states and counties receive federal pre-clearance of laws that could potentially impact minority voting rights.
Tuesday's election in Florida lasted until Saturday when the state was finally called for President Barack Obama. That's how long it took to sort through the mountains of absentee and other non-standard ballots.
President Obama may have not technically won the Cuban vote -- but he did manage to score the biggest share of this historically Republican vote that any Democratic presidential candidate has ever gotten.
She's a doctor's wife, a Tampa socialite and the unofficial social liaison at MacDill Air Force Base. She has attended White House functions and has announced herself as "unofficial consul general to South Korea."
And according to the latest stories, Jill Kelley, 37, considered Gen. David Petraeus a family friend and a sort of grandfather to her own children. There are published photos of Petraeus and his wife attending Tampa's Gasparilla Pirate Fest with Kelley and her husband.
Just before Veterans Day, the results of November's election provided some relief for veterans and their spouses in Florida.
Among the many measures up for vote on this year's long and complicated ballot, were two tax exemptions aimed at helping out military families. Those two measures were among three that actually passed last week. There were 11 ballot measures in total.
An environmental assessment report has revealed more details about the proposed passenger rail service between Miami and Orlando, including the preferred locations and layout for the Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach stations.
The Florida representative designated to become the next House Speaker in 2014 lost his bid for reelection. It's been more than 20 years since a designated House Speaker lost an election.
It was an incredibly close contest between Lake Mary Representative Chris Dorworth and Democratic challenger Mike Clelland, it required a re-count.
Incoming Florida Senate President Don Gaetz (R-Niceville) and House Speaker Will Weatherford (R-Wesley Chapel) say they want Republicans and Democrats to work together.
Weatherford says the people have spoken in re-electing President Obama.
"Anyone who wishes for him to not succeed at this point is betting against America and they're wishing against the success of America," Weatherford said.
For those of you who are keeping track of when the rest of the country might quit talking about Florida and its voting delays. It should be tomorrow afternoon - that's "should." That's according to the Department of State. But notice when Chris Cate the spokesman speaks, he uses the "R" word.
More than 1,000 Florida Power & Light workers are still up north, helping homes and businesses restore power after a double whammy: First, Hurricane Sandy and then a powerful winter storm that blew the lights out again.
As of Friday, counties in Florida are still tallying ballots, thus cementing the state's national reputation as a place that can't run an election. Why do voting problems continue to plague Florida?
Methamphetamine addiction came into the spotlight recently with the TV show,Breaking Bad. Now, a Fort Lauderdale native is returning to his hometown to premiere his first film about the subject.
The movie, Junction, premieres at Cinema Paradiso, as part of the Fort Lauderdale Film Festival. It’s a gritty portrayal of methamphetamine addicts who unravel before our eyes.
Kurt Vonnegut fans have a lot to look forward to over the next couple of weekends. First, a performance of a chamber music piece with a libretto by the iconoclastic author, and then a discussion of a new book of his letters at the Miami Book Fair International.
The Miami-Dade absentee ballots have all been counted. And color us blue. That blank on the U.S. map usually known as Florida is now filled in. Mitt Romney has conceded Florida. Miami-Dade County itself turned out for Barak Obama in a big way. The final results are : 62% for the President and 38% for Mitt Romney. Now the attention turns to what took so long and how to prevent a repeat performance. Elections Supervisor Penelope Townsley admits more and larger locations are needed and says her department, along with the mayor's office, will examine what can be done differently.
The absentee ballot count is over in Miami-Dade County but it will be still one more day before President Obama knows for sure if Florida wanted him re-elected.
You aren’t the only Florida voting district still counting ballots, trying to nail down once and for all which presidential candidate won the Sunshine State.
As of Wednesday, eight Florida counties were still crunching the numbers: Broward, Escambia, Duval, Hillsborough, Miami-Dade, Okaloosa, Pinellas and Putnam.
Democrats in the Florida Legislature made some gains in Tuesday's election. They weren't enough to end Republican majorities in the House or Senate but they did reduce GOP strength by a measureable notch: Republicans no longer have the supermajorities required for total domination of one party by another.
Boca Raton Democratic Sen. Maria Sachs' victory over Sen. Ellyn Bogdanoff of Hollywood was the critical win in the upper chamber.
Miami-Dade voters have approved a $1.2 billion bond referendum to improve public school infrastructure and access to technology.
Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho proposed the measure back in August.
Carvalho has said the bond would establish a "technology baseline" for Miami-Dade schools—so that all schools have at least a minimum number of computers, for example.
The Latino vote has been changing in the past few years in Florida, but it looks like it's mostly been shifting towards Democrats.
And looking at Tuesday night's results, that's particularly true.
For decades, Florida's Latino population has been its mostly Cuban-American residents in South Florida. As we all know, Cubans here lean Republican when they vote.
However, more Latinos of different nationalities are coming to Florida and are effectively shifting its voting trends.
