The Cooler

Lots of good stuff in the news this Hump Day. Have fun.

A- Herald: Video, Venus and Serena own part of the Dolphins and are some big girls.

B- Herald: A new I-395?

After years of study and delay, Florida Department of Transportation officials are moving ahead with a plan to tear down and replace the entire 1.2-mile Miami highway, which connects Interstate 95 and State Road 836 with the MacArthur Causeway. They say the current road is poorly designed, overburdened, structurally deficient and a source of blight.

[...]

The new highway would be built just to the north of the existing I-395, so that the current expressway could stay open during construction of its replacement. That, however, would require the state to buy or take some 62 private properties through eminent domain, meaning the relocation of 10 families and five businesses.

That would also bring the highway to within feet of the Adrienne Arsht Center, raising president John Richard's concerns about the effects of road noise and construction.

C- Herald: Tap dancing.

TALLAHASSEE -- When Florida Power & Light chief Armando Olivera was asked Tuesday whether he and company executives would be willing to give up a pay raise to help struggling consumers with their bills, he offered a short answer.

``No,'' he said, ``because that would be short-sighted.''

[...]

Robert Scheffel Wright, the attorney for the Florida Retail Federation, which opposes the rate increase, pressed Olivera further.

``In what you have characterized as a bleak economy, do you believe that it is fair to ask FPL's customers to pay rates that include paying you $3.6 million a year or more for your compensation?'' he asked.

``Yes,'' Olivera answered. ``This is not about me. This is about the whole team . . . To pay our people less than that would ultimately result in higher cost.''

D- Sun-Sentinel: Arnold Horshack teaches in Palm Beach County.

PALM SPRINGS - Arnold Horshack is back, this time as a high school teacher.

Fans of the popular 1970s TV sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter may be surprised to learn the latest role for the actor who played the goofball student is that of a serious educator in Palm Beach County.

Ron Palillo, whose Horshack character brought laughter to millions of viewers, is in his second week teaching freshmen acting classes at G-STAR School of the Arts for Motion Pictures and Broadcasting in Palm Springs.

E- Sun-Sentinel: Chan Lowe.

F- CBS4: Britto in court.

MIAMI BEACH (CBS4) ―Miami pop artist Romero Britto has settled his legal woes stemming from his arrest on a DUI charge.

Britto, who reached a plea deal in July, pled no contest Tuesday in his drunk driving case. According to the plea deal, Britto loses his license for six months, must perform 100 hours of community service and pay a $1,000 fine.

G- WPTV: Public service.

SOUTH PALM BEACH, FL -- Before the start of Tuesday night's town council meeting, South Palm Beach mayor Martin Millar dodged questions from NewsChannel 5 and his constituents.

One man stood at the podium during public comment and said, "You owe the people an explanation."

He was demanding an explication over what allegedly happened last Monday night at Rachel's adult entertainment club in West Palm Beach.

According to the police report the South Palm Beach mayor was intoxicated and kicked out of the club after shining his flashlight at an exotic dancer, then threatening a manager that he would "lay him out."

[...]

One woman said, "Good for you for going to a strip joint!" to which many in the audience applauded.

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