Browsing: Local News

       Andy Donado still remembers the call he received a decade ago: his freshman son had been caught vaping THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) in a high school restroom. The consequences were severe. His son was expelled, and sent to a remedial school for the rest of the year. “He was almost charged with a third-degree felony. He got kicked out of school and was sent to a remedial school for his entire freshman year,” Donado says.

       Deetra Sands Durham, Founder, President, and CEO of *Empowered to Thrive, Inc., has passed, leaving behind a legacy rooted in compassion, resilience, and unwavering service to others. Her passing has created a profound void for all who knew her, worked alongside her, and were touched by her mission.

       In reality, the Trump administration is making it much harder for working families to meet their daily needs — and to fulfill their long-term dreams of higher education.

On February 28, 2026, the celebrated preppy brand Lilly Pulitzer hosted sips, tastes and shopping at their Downtown Delray Beach location that raised funds for the non-profit Frances J. Bright Woman’s Club’s student scholarships and 12th grade girls mentorship debutante program.   This is the second year the event was held and co-chaired by Delray Beach native and volunteer Lori J. Durante who was joined this year by co-chair Joanne Ulysse-Elie who is a 2005 alumna of the debutante mentorship program of the Frances J. Bright Woman’s Club.  Palermo’s Bakery made some edible treats from Lilly Pulitzer Rousseau’s namesake cookbook Essentially Lilly: A Guide to colorful entertaining co-authored by Jay Mulvaney.  The mood was enlivened with saxophone music by 12th grader Elijah Holmes who is a member of the Atlantic High School Eagles War Band.

Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Broward County raised almost $400,000 at its 22nd annual signature fundraiser, Déjà Vu: Drift Away to Summer.

he countdown is on to History Fort Lauderdale and Galleria Fort Lauderdale’s “Women Trailblazers: Champions of Change – Broward County” benefit reception on 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 26, at Galleria Fort Lauderdale (2414 E. Sunrise Boulevard). This year’s impactful and inspiring leaders to be honored are Mary Adams, principal consultant and owner of The Employee Relations Group; Monica Cepero, county administrator at Broward County Government; Genia Duncan Ellis, president and CEO at Riverwalk Fort Lauderdale, Inc.; Kristina Hebert, president and CEO of Wards Marine Electric; Suzanne Higgins, director of development at Henderson Behavioral Health and Dara Levan, author, public speaker and board member of Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Foundation/Memorial Foundation. The Women’s History Month celebration hosted by radio personalities Julie Guy and Tamara Gant, will kick off a special photo exhibit highlighting these women alongside their groundbreaking historical female predecessors who helped to pave the way for our community. The exhibition celebrating their achievements will be on display through April 19.

        A scheduled ethics hearing involving Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick has been rescheduled for March 26 after her legal counsel withdrew from the case, allowing the South Florida congresswoman time to retain new representation.

       From a teen perspective, learning about Eunice Hunton Carter feels like uncovering a story that deserves way more attention. At a time when opportunities for Black women were heavily restricted, she stepped into the legal field with confidence and purpose. She wasn’t just chasing personal success  she was proving that intelligence, preparation, and courage could challenge unfair expectations. For us teens today, that kind of determination is powerful because it shows what can happen when someone refuses to lower their goals. 

   As a teen, I sometimes wish I could go back to middle school and start preparing earlier for my future. I feel like people in my generation should start looking for real opportunities sooner, not just small part-time jobs, but experiences that help build our future. One of the most important things is building your resume early.

   As a young boy who has matriculated into a semi-successful adult man, I have learned that life rarely teaches in straight lines. Some lessons arrive wrapped in encouragement and affirmation. Others come through hard knocks, moments that shake your confidence and force you to confront who you are when things do not go as planned. For a long time, I believed what looked like misfortune, mine or someone else’s, was simply bad luck. With time, reflection, and grace, I now understand that many of those moments were lessons within a lesson, shaping my maturity, my character, and my purpose.