3+ week, 3+ day ago (209+ words) Gov. Ron DeSantis joined state environmental leaders to break ground on an inflow pump station at the Everglades Agricultural Area reservoir site along U.S. 27, calling it a major step toward restoring the Everglades. Officials said the pump station will have nine pumps and is planned to be one of the largest in the state, moving up to 3 billion gallons of water a day from Lake Okeechobee into the 10,000-acre reservoir. DeSantis was joined by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection secretary and South Florida Water Management District leaders. "That's a five-year acceleration for the construction of the southern reservoir, the EAA reservoir," Desantis said. "We really appreciate the collaboration and the partnership we have with our federal partners and really thank the Army Corps." Once complete, the EAA reservoir system will store excess Lake Okeechobee water, clean it in a stormwater…...

1+ day, 7+ hour ago (173+ words) Responding to a residential fire on Friday night, St. Lucie County deputies and fire personnel found a deceased person with blunt force trauma injuries near Fort Pierce. The St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office has launched a homicide investigation. At approximately 8:10 p.m., Patrol Operations Bureau deputies and St. Lucie County Fire Department went to the 600 block of South Market Avenue, west of U.S. Route 1. Fire crews began suppression operations as deputies secured the area and provided scene support. After the fire was extinguished, a deceased individual was found inside. The sheriff's office executed a search warrant for the home. The victim has been identified, but the name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin. The State Fire Investigator assisted with the arson-related aspects of the investigation, which remains an active and ongoing homicide investigation. Anyone who may have witnessed anything suspicious…...

1+ week, 5+ day ago (120+ words) Authorities in Port St. Lucie are actively searching for 5-year-old Neymir Luka Valere, who is nonverbal and on the autism spectrum, after he went missing this afternoon. Search location by ZIP code Missing endangered child in Port St. Lucie prompts urgent search Authorities in Port St. Lucie are urgently searching for 5-year-old Neymir Luka Valere, who was last seen around 4:30 p.m. today in the 5200 block of NW Wisk Fern Circle. Neymir, who is nonverbal and on the autism spectrum, is believed to have left a residence on foot. He was wearing a red t-shirt, diaper, and no shoes. Authorities are asking anyone with information on Neymir's whereabouts to call 911 immediately....

5+ day, 19+ hour ago (466+ words) More than 100 homes were damaged Monday afternoon after a tornado ripped through Harris County, Texas, Constable Mark Herman said in a Facebook post. No serious injuries or deaths have been reported after the storm, said Brian Murray, spokesperson for the Harris County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. Earlier, authorities were combing through the debris searching for residents who may have been trapped or injured after the storm passed. The National Weather Service has confirmed a tornado struck the county, but has yet to rate the storm's intensity. Severe storms developed in the Houston area on Monday afternoon, where warm temperatures were in place ahead of a cold front. An unstable atmosphere combined with wind shear produced supercell thunderstorms, which resulted in several tornado reports. The constable called the storm a "severe weather event" that caused "widespread and significant…...

1+ week, 2+ day ago (107+ words) Deputies were serving an eviction notice One deputy was killed, and two others were injured while serving an eviction notice Friday morning in Indian River County. According to Indian River County sheriff Eric Flowers, 47-year-old Terri Mashkow was killed, and a deputy who was shot in the shoulder is hospitalized. One locksmith was also injured, and the suspect is in critical condition. At least a dozen sheriff's vehicles and unmarked law enforcement cars, including an armored sheriff's vehicle, were seen driving at high speeds along U.S. Route 1 in Vero Beach. Updates will be provided on-air and online as more details become available....

2+ week, 3+ day ago (131+ words) South Florida will see daytime highs in the middle 70s today with partly cloudy skies. High pressure will dominate and keep it dry. A gradual and subtle warm up is expected for the weekend. The ... Search location by ZIP code Gradual and subtle warm up expected this weekend in South Florida South Florida will see daytime highs in the mid-70s today with partly cloudy skies. High pressure will dominate and keep it dry. A gradual and subtle warm-up is expected for the weekend. The average high for this time of the year is 80 degrees, and South Florida will likely hit that tomorrow and then hover in the lower 80s for the weekend. Get the latest weather updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here....

1+ week, 3+ day ago (330+ words) Dozens of deputies in St. Lucie County have been equipped with automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in their patrol vehicles, enhancing their ability to respond to health-related emergencies. Sheriff Richard Del Toro said the addition of AEDs provides deputies with greater lifesaving capabilities. Back in December, the Lions Club donated two AEDs to Martin Patrol, and since then, the sheriff's office has purchased 89 AEDs " 12 for the school resource division and the rest for patrol deputies. "So, our patrol division is almost totally outfitted now with AEDs, and I think it's going to be a game changer when it comes to saving people's lives," Del Toro said. An AED can help save lives, and now dozens of St. Lucie County deputies will have the medical device readily available in their patrol vehicles. "Right now, a lot of deputies keep them in their…...

1+ week, 2+ day ago (378+ words) Deputies were serving an eviction notice One deputy was shot and killed, and one was injured Friday morning in Indian River County. According to Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers, deputies were called to the 1100 block of Governor's Way, in the Bermuda Club/Somerset Bay community, where a resident was evicting her son. "Our deputies and a locksmith were on scene to carry out the court-ordered eviction and remove him from the home," said Flowers. "While they were in the entryway " having just made entry " Mr. Halberstam retrieved a weapon and began indiscriminately firing at our deputies." Flowers said Deputy Terri Mashkow, 47, was killed inside the residence. She had 25 years and 16 days of service. Deputy Florentino Arizpe, who has also been with IRCO for 25 years, was shot in the shoulder. Flowers said he retreated into the garage. He is recovering…...

3+ week, 4+ day ago (410+ words) Video above: Palm Beach Gardens lawmaker proposes renaming airport after Donald Trump A South Florida teacher accused of sexual battery of a former student more than eight years ago will avoid additional jail time. According to court documents in Broward County, Pamela S. Stigger, 42, pleaded no contest on Oct. 20 to two counts of felony battery. Stigger was found guilty by the court and sentenced to five years" probation, must pay court costs, submit to a psychosexual evaluation, no contact with the victim, may not apply for a teaching license, no unsupervised contact with minors unless family members and may transfer her probation to Palm Beach County. Stigger was initially charged with two counts of sexual battery and one count of lewd conduct. Court documents note that the state attorney"s office did not pursue those charges. Stigger was arrested early on…...

3+ week, 3+ day ago (274+ words) South Florida leaders say New Yorkers may take a closer look at moving south following the election of New York City's new mayor, Zohran Mamdani. Realtor Patrick Lafferty with the Modern Living Group says he saw a large wave of people leave New York during the pandemic, and believes this election could bring another one. He says it may not just be high-income residents, but full-time workers who now realize they can live and work anywhere while seeking lower costs and warmer weather. "I've always loved working with New Yorkers, and we've seen the gradual, steady flow of them coming down. But COVID was a whole other level of that. And I think this is going to be a continuation of that," Lafferty said. Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer says business interest is already growing. He says he has received…...