News

Amanda Rubio, 12, remains hospitalized in fair condition with a head injury following a golf cart accident over the weekend. A spokesperson for Senator Marco Rubio says the long term prognosis is positive for the Senator's oldest daughter. 

Remnants of Hurricane Sandy have left us in South Florida with gusty winds, big waves and large swells.

That has resulted in some coastal flooding along the Atlantic seaboard.  And a coastal flood advisory is in effect until 10 a.m. this morning.  

More than 51,000 people in Miami-Dade County waited in long lines Saturday and Sunday to vote early. About 54,000 people in Broward County cast their ballots and about 21,000 in Palm Beach County. 

Meanwhile, many others in South Florida are still wondering where their absentee ballots are. 

Legal expert Lee Rowland with the Brennan Center for Justice tells us where Floridians can track their absentee ballots online. 

Early voting starts tomorrow, and many say they plan on taking advantage of the pre-Election Day hours.  Mary from North Miami writes:

I like the feeling of participation and community that comes with standing in line with neighbors I don't even know. But there's a limit to the number of hours I want to devote to this experience, and I want to make sure my vote gets in, so I'll probably be voting early next week.

There are reports flying around in Broward County that a lot of people are not getting their absentee ballots.

However, there is no reason to worry.

Broward County is not having any problems getting absentee ballots out-- there is just a lot people requesting ballots (more than usual) and the county is working to get those out.

Broward County is one of the biggest counties in the state-- so, even if just a small percentage of people haven't gotten their ballots, yet, it turns out to be a lot of people.

For those of you currently mulling over your absentee ballot or preparing to head over to the polls this coming week, don't be alarmed when you get to the Constitutional amendments on your ballot.

You will notice that there are amendments listed one through twelve-- but there's no Amendment 7.

 No worries, though. Your ballot isn't defective, there just is no Amendment 7 this year.

 This is why:

From the county that brought us hanging chads  12 years ago -- a new voting snafu.

This time, the problem in Palm Beach County is 27,000 misprinted absentee ballots that can't be read by voting tabulation machines.

But Florida Republicans and Democrats say the situation doesn't appear as grave as the butterfly ballot fiasco that threw the 2000 Presidential Election into turmoil.

Palm Beach County GOP Chair Sid Dinerstein says when he heard about the mishap, his first reaction was, "Here we go again."

Reports surfaced this week that fraudulent voter intimidation letters have been circulating the state. The letters warn voters that they have 15 days to prove they are  citizens or they will be removed from the state's voter rolls.

This incident has prompted investigations from both state officials and federal officials.

While these sorts of  shenanigans are not uncommon during big elections, groups are already anticipating more of this when Floridians start voting at the polls tomorrow.

Here at WLRN-Miami Herald News we put together a guide to explain Florida's lengthy and somewhat confusing ballot measures for you. We've focused on what, exactly, the measures mean and what the policy implications are.

Advocacy groups across the state have taken it a step further. A number of organizations have developed ballot voting guides with suggestions on how to vote.  

Legal scholars at the conservative Federalist Society are heaping skepticism on the Republicans' rationale for drumming liberal Justices Barbara Pariente, Peggy Quince and R. Fred Lewis out of the Florida Supreme Court for "judicial activism."

While no major flooding is expected in South Florida as a result of Hurricane Sandy, South Florida water managers are taking no chances.

The South Florida Water Management District says it started lowering drainage canal levels throughout the region days ago.  In late August, record rains from Tropical Storm Isaac overtaxed Palm Beach County's canal system, leaving many neighborhoods in the western part of the county flooded for days.

Hurricane Sandy is still swirling around in the Bahamas. The storm has left 21 people dead in Cuba, Haiti and Jamaica. 

The storm is lashing South Florida with heavy rains and strong wind.        

  Messy weather should be becoming increasingly windy weather beginning Thursday night and through tomorrow, say forecasters at the National Hurricane Center. As of 5:00 PM, Sandy remains a Category Two hurricane with 105 mile an hour winds. The storm is moving faster - 20 miles an hour to the north. Forecaster Todd Kimberlaine says the turn will keep South Florida out of the brunt of the storm. But the storm will morph some and the windfield should become even larger, so windy conditions are expected.  

South Florida beaches are characteristically void of big, west coast waves. Visitors and residents alike can be seen swimming in the calm water, and sipping mojitos on the shore for relaxation.

State Sen. Nan Rich, D-Sunrise, says she hopes her colleagues in the Legislature will resolve an issue with State Attorney General Pam Bondi that is currently tying up $300 million dollars meant to help Florida homeowners hurt by the state's foreclosure crisis.

Salon profiled Florida's Amendment 6,  one of the most controversial ballot measures facing approval from Florida voters  Nov. 6.

The ballot item is aimed at removing a constitutional right to privacy currently in Florida's Constitution, but it also might cut abortion coverage in some cases for the state's public employees, Salon reports.

The amendment also has language that would prohibit the use of taxpayer money for abortions in the state.

Some Miami-Dade voters have had problems casting absentee ballots in person in Doral, and Miami Congressman David Rivera is accused of ethics violations.

We run down these stories and more in WLRN Miami Herald News.

Category Two Hurricane Sandy is continuing on its northward path after killing two people in the Caribbean, one in Jamaica and one in Haiti. Cuba felt Sandy's maximum winds of 114 miles an hour, according to the National Weather Service.

It's still expected to hit the Bahamas, the Miami Herald reports,  as it dishes out very bad weather for South Florida and, eventually,  the U. S. east coast.

Hurricane Sandy made landfall in Cuba overnight, and the storm is blamed for one death on the island and another in Jamaica.

Find out how the system could affect South Florida in WLRN Miami Herald News.

All of the misconduct alleged by the commission supposedly occurred while Rivera was a state legislator. In a statement , Rivera denied the charges and accused the Ethics Commission of political motivations.

The Florida Ethics Commission has accused Miami Republican Congressman David Rivera of 11 separate violations, including misuse of campaign funds, falsifying disclosure forms and accepting corporate money he should have known was intended to influence his votes.

The Miami-Dade school district has received one of the most prestigious national education awards.

The Broad Prize is considered the top award in public education.

Listen to WLRN Miami Herald News to find out what made the district stand out among schools from all over the country.
 

Tropical Storm Sandy is expected to bring wind and rain to South Florida Thursday and Friday as it tracks north toward the Bahamas through Jamaica and Cuba. A tropical storm watch is already in effect from Jupiter Inlet south to the Florida Keys. Get the latest update from the National  Hurricane Center.

A tropical storm watch is in effect from the Upper Keys north to Jupiter Inlet.

Find out where Tropical Storm Sandy is now and what to expect this weekend in WLRN Miami Herald News.

And now, on the other side of a pretty prestigious political night for South Florida - one last look at the Presidential debate at Lynn University.  Kenny Malone was onsite at Lynn University and wanted to watch the debate through the eyes of the Florida voter.