Miami police union challenges officer’s firing for fatal shooting

The Fraternal Order of Police filed a lawsuit against the city of Miami on Friday, asserting that an officer who fatally shot an unarmed motorist in 2011 was improperly fired from the police department.Officer Reynaldo Goyos shot and killed Travis McNeil as he sat in a car at a Little Haiti intersection. It was one of a string of seven deadly shootings of black men in the...

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Diogo Morgado as Jesus in 'The Bible'

Producer Mark Burnett and his wife Roma Downey are bringing The Bible to television with an epic, 10-hour, five-part miniseries, and ET's Nancy O'Dell is with the man who portrays Jesus, Diogo Morgado, and the actor who embodies St. Peter, Darwin Shaw.Pics: Adorable Tots: Celebs and Their Cute Kids!"Jesus is definitely the most complete and complex figure of mankind; he's just someone who belongs...

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Rivals go OMG for IMG in model machination

Claire Atkinson @ THE OSCARS Img Worldwide, the sports and modeling talent powerhouse, could end up being an important pawn in the crosstown rivalry between Creative Artists Agency and William Morris Endeavor. Forstmann, Little and Co. is pursuing a sale of IMG, which is a valuable player in the entertainment arena. IMG owns...

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South Florida hospitals could lose $368 million from sequestration

A detailed survey shows that South Florida hospitals could lose $368 million over 10 years in federal budget cuts starting next Friday, if the sequestration program kicks in as scheduled.The Florida Hospital Association, using data from the American Hospital Association, estimates that over the next decade, sequestration would cause Miami-Dade hospitals to lose $223.9 million...

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Bill to ban smoking on some public land advances

Cities and counties could bar smokers from beaches, parks, and other publicly owned outdoor areas under a proposal that passed an early Florida Senate test Thursday, despite concerns from restaurateurs.By unanimous vote, the Senate Regulated Industries Committee approved the measure (SB 258), which expands the state’s clear indoor air restrictions to more outdoor venues....

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Oscars Flashback: Drew Barrymore 1983

Considering that Drew Barrymore turns 38 today, it's fascinating to think that she attended her first Oscars thirty years ago. At the 1983 Oscars, the charming, young actress is adorable as ever as she is interviewed on the red carpet.Although she had won a Young Artist Award for best actress for her performance in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Barrymore didn't receive a nomination for an individual...

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All ‘hail’ the Oscar winners

And the Oscar goes to “Lincoln” . . . at least according to city taxi riders.The historical drama won Best Picture in a monthlong survey of New York City taxi riders, officials said yesterday.“Lincoln” — heavily favored for Sunday night’s Oscars — scored 25 percent of the votes for Best Picture.The other winners were:* Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis (inset...

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National Hotel nears end of long renovation

A panel of frosted glass puts everything in perspective for Delphine Dray as she oversees a years-long, multi-million dollar renovation project at the National Hotel on Miami Beach.“Chez Claude and Simone,” says the piece of glass stationed between the lobby and restaurant, a reference to Dray’s parents, who bought the hotel in 2007. “Every time I am exhausted and I pass...

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Sleek pizza cafe brightens tech park

Thea Goldman, no stranger to culinary pioneering, has put down roots in a neighborhood on the edge of Overtown dubbed the Health District thanks to an ambitious building project around the University of Miami’s Life Science & Technology Park.Thea’s Pizzeria and Café is modeled on Joey’s Café, the business she and now ex-husband Joey Goldman opened in Wynwood in 2008....

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Seth MacFarlane on Hosting Oscars

ET caught up with Seth MacFarlane before he takes the Oscar stage on Sunday, getting him to spill a few details as to what fans can expect from the broadcast and how far he will go in teasing the stars in attendance.RELATED: ET's Interactive Fan Oscar Ballot "I think everybody's fair game," MacFarlane said when asked about what the tone of the show will be."It does have to have a little bit of bite...

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5 dead after small jet crashes in Georgia

APAmbulances gather in Thomson, Ga., near the scene of a Wednesday plane crash that killed five people.THOMSON, Ga. — Five people were killed and two injured when a small jet crashed off the end of a runway in eastern Georgia, an official confirmed early Thursday.Thomson-McDuffie County Sheriff Logan Marshall said the jet crashed after 8 p.m. Wednesday....

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Caribbean cell phone company asks South Florida relatives to buy minutes for family back home

An Irish billionaire’s telecommunications company, which has revolutionized cell phone usage in some of the world’s poorest countries, is bringing it’s latest marketing pitch to South Florida.Digicel is tapping into South Florida’s close ties to Haiti and Jamaica in a campaign that asks families stateside to send minutes home.Irish billionaire Denis O’Brien has staked a claim...

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FAU stadium strikes deal with prison firm

Florida Atlantic University’s announcement to change the name of its football stadium to that of a private prison corporation accused of human rights violation has surprised and outraged students as well as South Florida’s pro-immigrant activists.FAU announced Tuesday that it would name its stadium GEO Group Stadium after reaching an agreement with the private prison company...

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Anchor’s ‘killer’ ravings

A shocking Connecticut police report reveals a dark, violent side of veteran local anchorman Rob Morrison that has long been masked by his television veneer.The WCBS/Channel 2 newsman drunkenly told cops on the day of his domestic violence arrest that he would kill his wife if they let him go — and he has previously threatened to murder their young son...

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Remote employees require care to feel like part of the team

Working from home, hundreds of miles away from your boss, may sound like a perk, but that’s not always the case.Ken Condren remembers the moment when he experienced the frustration his remote employees face. He was working from home, participating in a conference call and heard a side conversation going on, but had no idea what was being said. “I felt so out of the loop,”...

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North Miami police investigating fatal hit-and-run

Police were investigating a fatal hit-and-run in North Miami Monday night that left an elderly man dead.The accident occurred around 7 p.m. when the victim was apparently crossing at the intersection of North Miami Avenue and Northwest 123rd Street and was struck and killed, said police spokesman Maj. Neal Cuevas.The driver failed to stop. Police said there appeared to be...

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ET Interviews the Witches of Oz The Great and Powerful

Rachel Weisz, Mila Kunis and Michelle Williams transform into the naughty and nice witches of Oz The Great and Powerful, in theaters March 8, and the tantalizing threesome are opening up to ET about the fantasy roles!Pics: New Bewitching 'Oz the Great & Powerful' Posters Oz also stars James Franco as Oscar Diggs, a small-time circus magician and flimflam man with dubious ethics. Hurled away from...

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Pistorius charged with murdering girlfriend; prosecutor says he planned to use 'intruder' story all along

Getty ImagesOscar Pistorius's sister Aimee Pistorius arrives for her brother's bail hearing at the Pretoria Magistrate Court, South Africa. PRETORIA, South Africa — Sobbing softly with his head in his hands, Olympian Oscar Pistorius was charged Tuesday with the premeditated murder of his girlfriend on Valentine's Day. The defense lawyer says it was an accidental...

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Open English expands across Latin America

Back in 2008, Open English, a company run from Miami that uses online courses to teach English in Latin America, had just a handful of students in Venezuela and three employees. Today the company has more than 50,000 students in 22 Latin American countries and some 2,000 employees.To fund this meteoric expansion, the founders of Open English — Venezuelans Andrés Moreno and...

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Mindy McCready Opens Up About Suicidal Thoughts

Following news of Mindy McCready's tragic passing today, we're looking back at one of our last interviews with the country singer where she opened up about what may have triggered her suicidal thoughts.PICS: Stars We Lost At the time of our interview in 2010, McCready had already made three attempts at taking her own life. In the sitdown she claimed that she didn't start having suicidal thoughts until...

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Cutest little bay-Bey!

Blue Ivy Carter — in the loving hands of her famous mom — couldn’t look any more like her world-famous, hip-hop dad — even though she’s an adorable girl.Beyoncé showed off their pride and joy in the HBO documentary “Life Is But a Dream.” The power couple welcomed their bundle of joy on Jan. 7, 2012. “It’s about connecting all the dots in your life and growing from all your experiences,” Beyoncé said....

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Small business lending rebounds in South Florida

For years, Pablo Oliveira dreamed of buying a property to house his high-end linen and furniture rental company, Nuage Designs, which has created settings for such glamorous events as the weddings of Carrie Underwood and Chelsea Clinton.A few months ago, that dream came true, when Oliveira purchased a warehouse across the street from his current Miami location. He is now...

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Speaker to discuss the Jews of Zimbabwe

You are invited to hear Modreck Zvakavapano Maeresera and Tudor Parfitt, as they lecture on "The Lamba Jews of Zimbabwe" at 6:45 p.m. Wednesday at the Jewish Museum of Florida, 301 Washington Ave. in Miami Beach. You will want to attend this event; Maeresera is a leader in the Lemba Jewish community in Zimbaabwe. He coordinates a program of Jewish cyber-learning, studying...

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Hugh Grant is a Dad Again

Hugh Grant confirmed Saturday that he is a dad again.PICS: Celebs and Their Cute KidsThe 52-year-old British actor tweeted, "In answer to some journos. Am thrilled my daughter now has a brother. Adore them both to an uncool degree. They have a fab mum."Hugh and actress Tinglan Hong welcomed a daughter named Tabitha in 2011. No word yet on what Tabitha's little brother is named.Related: Hugh Grant...

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Stand clear of the doors!

Last week, uptown 1 train, 50th Street. Taking up fully half the doorway and immovable as an oak is a prim middle-aged lady. She doesn’t make the slightest move to slide out of the way of the dozen people who have to frantically scramble around her in the five seconds before the sadistic conductor sounds his little warning bell as a polite notice...

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NBA’s best player (LeBron James) isn’t best-paid

HOUSTON -- When LeBron James walks onto the court for Houston’s NBA All-Star Game Sunday, he’ll do so as the undisputed king of his sport.Named the league’s most valuable player three times in the past four years, James is once again dominating the NBA and most likely headed for his fourth MVP award — two fewer than Michael Jordan — with presumably a long career still ahead.But...

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