I-95 Express Lanes Could Be Banned Under Proposed Law (Finally)

Few issues unite Miamians across the political spectrum like the consistently frustrating, for-pay express lanes running north-south on I-95. Some critics claim the lanes kill people. Others say they let rich people pay to drive without traffic. But everyone can agree that few things are more infuriating that sitting in four lanes of dead-still traffic while two perfectly usable lanes sit empty across a makeshift lane barrier.

DraftKings and FanDuel Could Become Legal in Florida Under Proposed Law

Florida legislators have long fought efforts to expand gambling. But apparently, their steadfast morals vanish when it comes to daily fantasy sports websites such as the controversial FanDuel and DraftKings. Once again, a lawmaker has filed a bill to make daily fantasy sports sites – in which people bet real money on real athletes in real time – fully exempt from state gambling regulations.

Study: Little Haiti Will Gentrify Faster Than Any South Florida Neighborhood in 2017

A little more than a year ago, activist Marleine Bastien stood outside on a clear December day, waving signs in front of the headquarters of Fanm Ayisyen nan Miyami, her Little Haiti-based women’s rights organization. The group was demanding one thing from the City of Miami: Slow the rapidly snowballing pace of gentrification in the historically working-class Caribbean neighborhood.

Officers in Jamar Rollins Shooting Return to Street Tomorrow

The West Perrine community where Jamar Rollins lived is still reeling from his December 30 shooting death at the hands of Miami-Dade County Police officers. Though MDPD says Rollins pointed a gun at cops before he was shot last month, eyewitnesses contend that Rollins’ hands were raised and that he did not own a gun. (A gun was recovered from the scene, police say.)

UM Student Accused of Rape Sues School, Says Allegations Were False

Fabricated rape allegations — the type where someone falsely accuses another person of rape just to hurt that person — are statistically rare. The National Sexual Violence Resource Center estimates that between 2 and 10 percent of sexual assault allegations are made up, and women’s rights activists say the few high-profile fake accusations discourage real survivors of sexual assault from reporting crimes.

Ask a Stoner: Can Marijuana Help With Arthritis?

Dear Stoner: I think pot will help my grandfather’s arthritis. Is there a kind of pot product — flower, edible, whatever — you’d recommend? Scott Dear Scott: According to science, you’re probably right. A study by the University of Oxford showed that cannabis-based medicine administered orally helped reduce rheumatoid arthritis…

After Complaints, Florida Democratic Party Will Hold Hearing on Wealthy Donor’s Election

When Stephen Bittel, a wealthy Democratic megadonor from Miami Beach, announced plans to run for the top job at the Florida Democratic Party, pushback was inevitable. Bittel, who made the majority of his fortune selling properties on Lincoln Road, is the public face of Florida Strong, an organization that donates Koch brothers-style “dark money” to Democratic candidates. Many progressive Florida Democrats disliked Bittel’s modus operandi.

Bill Would Allow “Hunting Teams” to Capture Tegus and Other Invasive Species

In February 2013, thousands of amateur Gladesmen and vitamin D-deprived reporters descended upon the Everglades for Florida’s very first Python Challenge. The goal of the contest, which came with a $1,500 grand prize, was to put a dent in the state’s increasingly frightening Burmese python problem. But when the four-week challenge came to an end, the contest’s participants had captured just 68 of the invasive pythons. The hunt was scrapped until 2016, when participants fared only slightly better.

Miami State Senator Wants to Cut Red-Light-Camera Fines to $50

South Florida is full of drivers who treat stop lights like vague suggestions. So the area is also full of red-light cameras, which ticket motorists who plow through intersections with reckless abandon. Those cameras can be annoying — who wants to dish out $150 every time they run a yellow? — but there’s some evidence to suggest they can cut down on deadly crashes.

Miami Republicans Supported Gutting House Ethics Office Before Changing Their Minds

Miami Republican Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Carlos Curbelo love to position themselves among the most center-leaning GOP members in Congress. Ros-Lehtinen is passionately pro-LGBT rights. Curbelo ran for reelection as a hard #NeverTrump Republican. But both Miamians voted yesterday to all but eradicate the Office of Congressional Ethics, which was formed to police government corruption.

Ten Wounded in Miami Shootings Over Holiday Weekend

Last week, everyone from city officials to Pitbull himself barraged Miamians with a simple plea: Try to celebrate the new year without firing your handguns like Yosemite Sam. It’s not clear how many people watched Pibtull’s “One Bullet Kills the Party” promo and decided not to fete the new year with live ammunition. But as 2017’s first workweek dawns in South Florida, this much is clear: Gun violence didn’t take a break for the holiday weekend.

South Florida Publications Combining

Voice Media Group (VMG) announced today it has completed the combination of its South Florida publications, Miami New Times and New Times Broward-Palm Beach. Moving forward, the company’s award-winning editorial coverage and business operations will be handled through Miami New Times, a consolidation consistent with VMG’s nationwide emphasis on expanding…