Legislative leaders are ready to shelve a $5 million budget-tracking program

TALLAHASSEE -- Florida’s new legislative leadership team and the 44 new legislators who took the oath of office in Tallahassee last Tuesday pledged to keep close tabs on the state budget and weed out waste in government contracts. "Let’s make sure we’re getting value received and the best price," said Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, shortly after being sworn in as the Senate’s...

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Oprah Winfrey Interviews Justin Bieber

Oprah Winfrey sat down with 18-year-old superstar Justin Bieber who, among other things, opened up about his two-year romance with actress/singer Selena Gomez.Video: Oprah Cautions Bieber Against Marrying Young While the interview had been pre-taped before Justin and Selena's relationship reportedly hit the rocks, the Biebs told Oprah he has all he could ever ask for in his former Disney star girlfriend."I...

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Chloe’s Soft Serve steps up to (Dylan’s) bar

Dylan’s Candy Bar has partnered with Chloe’s Soft Serve Fruit Co. The frozen fruity treat will replace frozen yogurt in the café in Dylan’s flagship Upper East Side store. “It’s a healthier alternative to frozen yogurt,” Dylan Lauren told Side Dish. “Dylan’s is all about enjoying treats in moderation. We are all for candy, sweets and ice cream but...

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Shifting tides of Panama real estate echo Miami trends

PANAMA CITY, Panama — As a real estate agent shows off a model apartment — white leather sectional, stainless steel appliances, open concept, ocean views — in the 59-story Yacht Club Tower, and touts its fitness center and pool deck designed to mimic a ship floating on the sea, he makes a telling statement:“We tried to emulate the Miami style in this building.”Approaching...

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A decade after little girl vanished, Rilya Wilson’s foster mom faces trial

For Rilya Wilson’s birthday on Sept. 29, 2005, members of the Joseph Caleb Center’s Head Start program shared a sheet cake with white frosting and pink flowers in an auditorium filled with pink balloons. They blew out nine candles — one for every year that had passed since the pigtailed girl’s birth.A year later, the date passed with no celebration. The hostess of the unusual...

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15 Cheesy Christmas Music Videos on YouTube

1. “Last Christmas” – Wham!What would a cheesy Christmas music video roundup be without George Michael — and his mullet, covered by a furry, snow-covered hood? If you like this video, just wait until you see the a cappella Norwegian version.Click here to view this gallery.[More from Mashable: 10 Adorable Animals Feeding Other Animals [VIDEOS]]Now that the turkey has been picked apart and you’ve survived...

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Larry Hagman Dies

Larry Hagman, best known for playing Dallas villain J.R. Ewing, died Friday morning from complications stemming from his recent battle with cancer.He was 81 years old.Video: Larry Hagman Talks 'Dallas', Cancer and Veganism "Larry was back in his beloved Dallas, re-enacting the iconic role he loved most," his family said in a statement via The Dallas Morning News. "When he passed, he was surrounded...

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Holiday cheer for retailers

If retailers’ Black Friday success is any indication, cash registers will jingle all the way to Christmas — in what may well be the biggest shopping season in years, analysts said yesterday.Bargain hunters jammed stores and malls right after their Thanksgiving meals, it seemed. “It was huge,” said Britt Beemer, chairman of America’s Research Group, which...

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Is the electric car dying again?

A second administration of President Barack Obama will be forced to revisit the issue of subsidies for renewable energy and, with it, those for electric vehicles. Despite the millions of dollars spent on government incentives, marketing and promotion, sales of fully electric cars are well below projected targets. Investment in vehicle charging infrastructure also has fallen...

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West Miami-Dade hit-and-run driver convicted, awaiting sentencing

Almost four years after a hit-and-run driver killed her 11-year-old daughter, Adonay Rosete will enter the holiday season with some semblance of closure.That’s because a jury this month convicted the driver of two felonies in the death of 11-year-old Ashley Nicole Valdes, who was struck in January 2009 in West Kendall after a bus driver dropped her off on the wrong side of...

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