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Boston Globe
4 days ago
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Protesters line highway in Florida Everglades to oppose ‘Alligator Alcatraz'
Advertisement 'People I know are in tears, and I wasn't far from it,' he said. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Environmental advocates and protesters at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport on Saturday. Mike Stocker/Associated Press Florida officials have forged ahead over the past week in constructing the compound dubbed as 'Alligator Alcatraz' within the Everglades' humid swamplands. The government fast-tracked the project under emergency powers from an executive order issued by Gov. Ron DeSantis that addresses what he views as a crisis of illegal immigration. That order lets the state sidestep certain purchasing laws and is why construction has continued despite objections from Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and local activists. The facility will have temporary structures like heavy-duty tents and trailers to house detained immigrants. The state estimates that by early July, it will have 5,000 immigration detention beds in operation. Advertisement The compound's proponents have noted its location in the Florida wetlands — teeming with massive reptiles like alligators and invasive Burmese pythons — make it an ideal spot for immigration detention. 'Clearly, from a security perspective, if someone escapes, you know, there's a lot of alligators,' DeSantis said Wednesday. 'No one's going anywhere.' Under DeSantis, Florida has made an aggressive push for immigration enforcement and has been supportive of the federal government's broader crackdown on illegal immigration. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has backed 'Alligator Alcatraz,' which DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said will be partially funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Gary Wilcox with the American Indian movement blessed environmental advocates and protesters at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport. Mike Stocker/Associated Press But Native American leaders in the region have seen the construction as an encroachment onto their sacred homelands, which prompted Saturday's protest. In Big Cypress National Preserve, where the airstrip is located, 15 traditional Miccosukee and Seminole villages, as well as ceremonial and burial grounds and other gathering sites, remain. Others have raised human rights concerns over what they condemn as the inhumane housing of immigrants. Worries about environmental impacts have also been at the forefront, as groups such as the Center for Biological Diversity and the Friends of the Everglades filed a lawsuit Friday to halt the detention center plans. 'The Everglades is a vast, interconnected system of waterways and wetlands, and what happens in one area can have damaging impacts downstream,' Friends of the Everglades executive director Eve Samples said. 'So it's really important that we have a clear sense of any wetland impacts happening in the site.' Bryan Griffin, a DeSantis spokesperson, said Friday in response to the litigation that the facility was a 'necessary staging operation for mass deportations located at a preexisting airport that will have no impact on the surrounding environment.' Advertisement Until the site undergoes a comprehensive environmental review and public comment is sought, the environmental groups say construction should pause. The facility's speedy establishment is 'damning evidence' that state and federal agencies hope it will be 'too late' to reverse their actions if they are ordered by a court to do so, said Elise Bennett, a Center for Biological Diversity senior attorney working on the case. Betty Osceola with the Miccosukee tribe of Indians spoke to environmental advocates and other protesters on Saturday. Mike Stocker/Associated Press The potential environmental hazards also bleed into other aspects of Everglades life, including a robust tourism industry where hikers walk trails and explore the marshes on airboats, said Floridians for Public Lands founder Jessica Namath, who attended the protest. To place an immigration detention center there makes the area unwelcoming to visitors and feeds into the misconception that the space is in 'the middle of nowhere,' she said. 'Everybody out here sees the exhaust fumes, sees the oil slicks on the road, you know, they hear the sound and the noise pollution. You can imagine what it looks like at nighttime, and we're in an international dark sky area,' Namath said. 'It's very frustrating because, again, there's such disconnect for politicians.'
Miami Herald
05-06-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
How grocery shopping is changing in South Florida with a new store and product
South Florida How grocery shopping is changing in South Florida with a new store and product Grocery shopping in South Florida is evolving with new stores and innovative products. A Chicago-based chain, Go Grocer, is opening its first Florida location as a hybrid grocery and convenience store in Fort Lauderdale's Motif community, offering fresh meals, organic goods and a produce section for area residents. Meanwhile, Atlantic Sapphire's on-land salmon farm in Homestead supplies Publix and Sprouts with sustainably farmed salmon, emphasizing efficient production and reduced carbon footprint. Chains like Publix, Aldi, and Target continue to grow and adapt, while new concepts and products like Bluehouse salmon appear on more local shelves. Tanks filled with juvenile salmon at Atlantic Sapphire Bluehouse salmon farm in Homestead on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025. The Bluehouse uses a technology for growing sustainable seafood on land called Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS). By Mike Stocker NO. 1: HOW AN ENORMOUS FISH FARM IN HOMESTEAD HOPES TO CHANGE THE SEAFOOD INDUSTRY These subtropical salmon just might represent the future of aquaculture in a world altered by climate change, pollution and population growth. | Published February 27, 2025 | Read Full Story by Bill Kearney Fort Lauderdale's Motif, a 385-unit mixed-use apartment building at 500 N. Andrews Ave. in the Flagler Village neighborhood, will open the first Go Grocer in Florida later in 2025. NO. 2: IT'S NOT PUBLIX OR 7-ELEVEN. THIS HYBRID GROCERY IS COMING TO SOUTH FLORIDA The urban core attracted the Chicago store. | Published April 25, 2025 | Read Full Story by Howard Cohen The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Fort Lauderdale celebrates The Great American Beach Party
People stand at attention and salute the flag during the National Anthem during the Great American Beach Party on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel) United States Special Operations Command Parachute team officer Cris Fucci lands on Fort Lauderdale Beach during the Great American Beach Party on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel) Classic cars on Fort Lauderdale Beach during the Great American Beach Party on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel) Kids play on the water slides on Fort Lauderdale Beach during the Great American Beach Party on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel) People gather on the sand on Fort Lauderdale Beach during the Great American Beach Party on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel) Fort Lauderdale Beach hosted the Great American Beach Party on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel) Fort Lauderdale Beach hosted the Great American Beach Party on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel) People gather on the roof of the Elbo Room on Fort Lauderdale Beach during the Great American Beach Party on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel) United States Special Operations Command Parachute team flies over Fort Lauderdale Beach during the Great American Beach Party on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel) People watch United States Special Operations Command Parachute team land on Fort Lauderdale Beach during the Great American Beach Party on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel) People gather on the roof of the Elbo Room on Fort Lauderdale Beach during the Great American Beach Party on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel) Show Caption1 of 12United States Special Operations Command Parachute team officer Cris Fucci lands on Fort Lauderdale Beach during the Great American Beach Party on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)Expand
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Helicopter Pilot Reported He Could Only Turn Left Before Boca Raton Crash That Killed 3: NTSB
Three people died in a small plane crash in Boca Raton, Fla. on Friday, April 11 A report issued Wednesday, May 7, from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed that one of the pilots on board reported a rudder problem The flight was the first after the plane's annual inspection The plane first drifted left, then made a 180-degree left turn, followed by a series of 360-degree left turns The three passengers killed were a 17-year-old girl, her father, and her grandfather Authorities have identified a new development surrounding the April 11 small plane crash in Boca Raton, Fla., that left three people dead. A preliminary report issued by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reveals that one of the pilots on board reported a rudder problem and said the plane was only able to turn left before the aircraft crashed in a shocking blaze. ADVERTISEMENT The flight was the first after the plane's annual inspection, but the aircraft drifted immediately to the left upon takeoff. The plane then made a 180-degree left turn, followed by a series of 360-degree left turns, the report said. A Google Earth image provided by the NTSB showed the path of the doomed flight. A Google Earth image of the Boca Raton plane crash A Cessna 310 plane carrying the three passengers left the Boca Raton Airport en route to the Tallahassee International Airport on Friday, April 11. The plane reported having mechanical issues before the accident. The plane took off about 10 a.m., then around 10:12 a.m., the Boca Raton fire and police dispatch received a call for a plane in trouble. Eight minutes later, the aircraft had a terrifying crash near I-95 and Glades Road. Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty A small plane crash in Boca Raton on Friday, April 11, 2025. Then, just before 11 a.m., Boca Raton Fire Rescue announced that responding units were on the scene and warned of road closures. ADVERTISEMENT The three passengers died in the crash, the Boca Raton Police Department said in a statement. The victims were identified as Brooke Stark, 17, Stephen Stark, 54, and Robert Stark, 81. Stephen was Brooke's father and Robert was her grandfather, according to NBC 6. Pablo Tafur, 24, who was in a 2017 Toyota Prius when the car lost control amid the plane crash and collided into a tree, was hospitalized but sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Marta Lavandier/AP Emergency personnel remove the bodies of those killed when a small plane crashed on the railroad tracks beneath the overpass near Interstate 95 in Boca Raton, Fla., on Friday, April 11, 2025. 'We are deeply saddened to confirm that a plane crash occurred earlier today within our community,' Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer said in a statement, according to CNN. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 'Our thoughts are with all those affected by this tragic event. We ask for patience and respect for the families involved as investigations continue.' PEOPLE reached out to the NTSB, and a representative confirmed that there is no further information beyond the public report available at this time. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Helicopter Pilot Reported He Could Only Turn Left Before Boca Raton Crash That Killed 3: NTSB
A report issued Wednesday, May 7, from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed that one of the pilots on board reported a rudder problem The flight was the first after the plane's annual inspection The plane first drifted left, then made a 180-degree left turn, followed by a series of 360-degree left turns The three passengers killed were a 17-year-old girl, her father, and her grandfather Authorities have identified a new development surrounding the April 11 small plane crash in Boca Raton, Fla., that left three people dead. A preliminary report issued by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reveals that one of the pilots on board reported a rudder problem and said the plane was only able to turn left before the aircraft crashed in a shocking blaze. The flight was the first after the plane's annual inspection, but the aircraft drifted immediately to the left upon takeoff. The plane then made a 180-degree left turn, followed by a series of 360-degree left turns, the report said. A Google Earth image provided by the NTSB showed the path of the doomed flight. A Google Earth image of the Boca Raton plane crash A Cessna 310 plane carrying the three passengers left the Boca Raton Airport en route to the Tallahassee International Airport on Friday, April 11. The plane reported having mechanical issues before the accident. The plane took off about 10 a.m., then around 10:12 a.m., the Boca Raton fire and police dispatch received a call for a plane in trouble. Eight minutes later, the aircraft had a terrifying crash near I-95 and Glades Road. Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty A small plane crash in Boca Raton on Friday, April 11, 2025. A small plane crash in Boca Raton on Friday, April 11, 2025. Then, just before 11 a.m., Boca Raton Fire Rescue announced that responding units were on the scene and warned of road closures. The three passengers died in the crash, the Boca Raton Police Department said in a statement. The victims were identified as Brooke Stark, 17, Stephen Stark, 54, and Robert Stark, 81. Stephen was Brooke's father and Robert was her grandfather, according to NBC 6. Pablo Tafur, 24, who was in a 2017 Toyota Prius when the car lost control amid the plane crash and collided into a tree, was hospitalized but sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Marta Lavandier/AP Emergency personnel remove the bodies of those killed when a small plane crashed on the railroad tracks beneath the overpass near Interstate 95 in Boca Raton, Fla., on Friday, April 11, 2025. Emergency personnel remove the bodies of those killed when a small plane crashed on the railroad tracks beneath the overpass near Interstate 95 in Boca Raton, Fla., on Friday, April 11, 2025. 'We are deeply saddened to confirm that a plane crash occurred earlier today within our community,' Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer said in a statement, according to CNN. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 'Our thoughts are with all those affected by this tragic event. We ask for patience and respect for the families involved as investigations continue.' Read the original article on People
