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Pompano vice mayor easily wins fifth term
Pompano Beach Vice Mayor George Brummer sailed to an easy victory Tuesday over challenger Johnny Jones Sr., winning the District 5 seat for the fifth time in a row.

Hillsboro Beach: One incumbent wins, another loses
A newcomer and an incumbent edged out two other candidates to win two Hillsboro Beach Commission seats.<p/> Newcomer Rhea Weiss unseated incumbent Tom Puleri, while incumbent Celinda Sawtelle won another term.

Davie reelects 2 to council, and adds a teacher
Davie voters returned incumbents Marlon Luis and Susan Starkey to office Tuesday and chose teacher Caryl Casey Hattan to fill a third open council seat.

Two Pembroke Pines incumbents romp to victory
Pembroke Pines voters returned incumbents Angelo Castillo and Carl Shechter to the City Commission in Tuesday's general election, choosing to keep the status quo as the city faces budget deficits from dropping property values and rising employee pension obligations.

Norovirus outbreaks reported in South Florida
Scattered outbreaks of norovirus are taking place in South Florida and around the state, health officials say.<p/> Norovirus, also called ``stomach flu,'' causes nausea, diarrhea, vomiting and stomach cramping. Symptoms may also include a low-grade fever, chills, headache, muscle aches and a general sense of tiredness, according to the U.S. Centers For Disease Control. The illness often begins suddenly.

Man arrested after boy's iPod is snatched
Miami-Dade police have arrested a 38-year-old man accused of snatching an iPod out of a young boy's hands in January. <p/> A call led police to Johnathan Jerome Bridges, who was arrested in the West Perrine area.

Ambrosia beetle no cause for panic, scientists say
Last summer, there was a premature announcement of the presence of a tiny beetle that has the power to spread fungus that can severely damage avocado trees. That turned out to be an unfortunate mistake, triggering some growers to cut down and burn trees and apply pesticide.

Hunting for a job? There's always alligator wrestling
Until now, alligator wrestling might have been considered a poor career choice. The pay is not steady, the travel is exhausting, and the occupational hazards are apparent.

Lauderdale-by-the-Sea trio wins handily
A team of three candidates who ran together trounced their opposition in the Lauderdale-by-the-Sea's election Tuesday in a race that centered on both development and decorum.

Miami officer hurt in car crash released from hospital
A Miami police officer was released from the hospital Tuesday, one day after she lost control of her cruiser and crashed while on her way to an emergency call.

South Florida losing out on Census-based dollars, study shows
A new think-tank study released on the eve of the 2010 Census has some eye-opening news about the decennial count's import for Floridians: In a national ranking, the amount of Census-based aid flowing to the state and the three-county South Florida region puts both in the bottom five.

Pembroke Pines voters to pick 2 commissioners
Pembroke Pines voters are going to the polls Tuesday to select two commission members for Districts 1 and 4.<p/> The issues at hand: Budget shortfalls and overly generous benefits for union employees. Dozens of workers have already been laid off to close a $26 million budget deficit, and new deficits loom.

Victim of fatal Northwest Miami-Dade shooting was Hialeah man
Miami-Dade police have identified the man shot dead in Northwest Miami-Dade Monday morning.<p/> Rafael Garcia Cruz, 43, of Hialeah died in the roadway at the corner of Okeechobee Road and Northwest 117th Avenue just after 7:30 a.m., according to police.

Economists to estimate Florida's income from taxes, fees
Many eyes in the Capitol will be focused Tuesday on an obscure team of economists who meet periodically to update Florida's fiscal outlook. <p/> Known formally as the Revenue Estimating Conference, the forecasters will review an array of economic trends to fine-tune a consensus estimate of how much money the state can expect to take in this year from a multitude of tax sources.

Broward School Board to weigh cuts to elective classes
One way the Broward school district could save money next year is by having more elementary schools share art, music and physical education teachers and media specialists, a possibility School Board members will discuss at a workshop meeting Tuesday.

P&G recalls 2 Pringles flavors
Procter & Gamble Co. has recalled two versions of Pringles chips because of concerns about potential Salmonella exposure.

Drugmaker Teva names Miami's Phil Frost as chairman
Generic drugmaker Teva Pharmaceutical Industries said Tuesday it has appointed vice chairman Dr. Phillip Frost to serve as chairman of its board.<p/> The world's largest generic drugmaker by revenue said Frost, a Miami physician-entrepreneur, will replace Moshe Many, who had been serving as interim chairman and will now serve as vice chairman.

Senators score 3 in 3rd period, top Oilers 4-1
Chris Kelly had a goal and an assist, and Matt Cullen, Milan Michalek and Mike Fisher also scored for the Ottawa Senators, who snapped a three-game losing streak with a 4-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night.

Roy has 19 in Blazers' 88-81 win over Kings
Brandon Roy scored 19 points and hit a clinching jumper with just over two minutes left, leading the Portland Trail Blazers to an 88-81 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night.

Stephenson leads Cincinnati over Rutgers
Lance Stephenson celebrated being selected Big East Rookie of the Year by making the deciding free throw with 1.8 seconds to play, leading Cincinnati to a 69-68 opening-round victory over Rutgers on Tuesday night.

Sportscaster, ex-Dolphin Jim Mandich battling cancer
Former Miami Dolphins tight end Jim Mandich, one of South Florida's most popular sportscasters, said Tuesday he is battling cancer and will not return to his afternoon talk show on WQAM-560.

Halladay shuts down Braves
This time last year, Billy Wagner was facing little leaguers in Virginia and recovering from elbow surgery.

Hansen's goal lifts Canucks over Avalanche
Jannik Hansen scored the decisive goal with 2:08 remaining, Mikael Samuelsson had his first NHL hat trick, and the Vancouver Canucks rallied to beat the Colorado Avalanche 6-4 on Tuesday night.

North Carolina A&T defeats Howard 65-55
Nic Simpson scored 21 points and North Carolina A&T defeated Howard 65-55 on Tuesday night in the first round of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament.

No. 12 Butler routs Wright St. 70-45
Win or lose the Horizon League championship game, Butler was headed to the NCAA tournament.

One Jackson Health System union says it will `come to the table,' another balks
Spokesmen for one Jackson Health System union offered Tuesday to be ``realistic'' in offering concessions for Miami-Dade's troubled public health system, while another union leader said that offering pay cuts was like ``putting money into a sieve.''

Ambrosia beetle no cause for panic, scientists say
Last summer, there was a premature announcement of the presence of a tiny beetle that has the power to spread fungus that can severely damage avocado trees. That turned out to be an unfortunate mistake, triggering some growers to cut down and burn trees and apply pesticide.

Nature's Variety expands pet food recall
Nature's Variety has expanded its recall of chicken-flavored pet food because of concerns over salmonella.<p/> The Lincoln, Neb.-based company said Monday that the raw, frozen food is being recalled because it could be contaminated with salmonella.

TIB Financial reports $45.1 million loss
TIB Financial, parent company of TIB Bank and Naples Capital Advisors, reported a fourth-quarter loss of $45.1 million, compared to a loss $13.3 million in the 2008 fourth quarter. The results include a $31.6 million goodwill impairment charge, including the goodwill associated with the Naples-based company's acquisitions of The Bank of Venice and the operations of the former Riverside Bank of the Gulf Coast.

Mortgage bankers to meet in Coral Gables
The Mortgage Bankers Association of South Florida is holding its first meeting at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Riviera Country Club, 1155 Blue Rd., Coral Gables.

Drugmaker Teva names Miami's Phil Frost as chairman
Generic drugmaker Teva Pharmaceutical Industries said Tuesday it has appointed vice chairman Dr. Phillip Frost to serve as chairman of its board.<p/> The world's largest generic drugmaker by revenue said Frost, a Miami physician-entrepreneur, will replace Moshe Many, who had been serving as interim chairman and will now serve as vice chairman.

Perry Ellis to sell Top-Flite golf clothes at Kmart
Miami-based Perry Ellis International said Monday that it has a deal to sell Top-Flite brand men's golf clothes at Kmart stores in the United States.

Mandatory insurance proposed for UK dogs
A chip for Spot? In a country where guns are tightly controlled and even carrying a kitchen knife can bring prison time, some thugs use dogs to menace their victims. Now the British government is proposing that dog owners be forced to get microchips and take out insurance for their pets.

Student dies a day after bus crash
A Gadsden County high school student died from injuries sustained in a bus crash.

Crist names power co. chief to Fla. school board
Gov. Charlie Crist reappointed one of his predecessor Jeb Bush's former chiefs of staff to the State Board of Education on Tuesday and appointed another one as well as the head of Gulf Power Co.

Fla. Medicaid fraud bill has political baggage
Republicans are touting Medicaid fraud-fighting legislation that's packed with political baggage.

LA cops seek man who robbed Florida sugar baron
A well-dressed man who talked his way into a Florida sugar baron's hotel room and stole tens of thousands of dollars worth of jewelry may be the same person who pulled similar scams on a Mexican soccer team, a salsa band and an Israeli basketball team when they visited Los Angeles, police said Tuesday.

LA cops seek man who robbed Florida sugar baron
Police are looking for a man they say posed as a hotel worker and made off with thousands of dollars in jewelry belonging to a wealthy Florida businessman and his wife who were in town to see the Academy Awards.

Prosecutors: No death penalty in murder case
Prosecutors have waived seeking the death penalty against a murder suspect accused of fatally beating his 4-year-old stepson in 2002.

Correction: Lawsuits-Jaw Damage story
In a story March 8 about lawsuits against a pharmaceutical company claiming two drugs caused severe jaw deterioration, The Associated Press erroneously reported the location of the company's headquarters. Novartis Corp. is based in Switzerland, not Sweden.

Amherst, Mass. superintendent out after 8 months
The superintendent of the Amherst Regional School district is leaving after just eight months on the job.

7-year-old calls 911, saves family from attack
A terrified 7-year-old boy begged emergency dispatchers to send police to his Southern California home where three armed robbers threatened his parents, according to a recording of the call released Tuesday.

Residents vote to incorporate Grand Canyon town
Early results show residents of a small Arizona community that serves as a gateway to the Grand Canyon's popular South Rim have voted to incorporate.

Police make 3rd arrest in Calif. church shooting
Police say they've made another arrest in a shooting at a Northern California church that injured two teenage brothers.

NH campaign finance activist Granny D dies at 100
Doris "Granny D" Haddock, a New Hampshire woman who walked across the country at age 89 to promote campaign finance reform and later waged a quixotic campaign for U.S. Senate, has died. She was 100.

Owners of NY club where groom was shot are charged
A mother and son who owned a New York City strip club made infamous by a 50-bullet police shooting of an unarmed man there on his wedding day have been charged in a mortgage fraud case.

Partner convicted in NY execution-style slaying
A Long Island man has been convicted in the execution-style slaying of his business partner in the parking lot of a Korean restaurant.

UN report: Much of Somalia's food aid diverted
Much of the food aid intended for Somalia's poor is diverted to corrupt contractors, radical Islamist militants and local U.N. workers, according to a Security Council report.

All 6 dead in Ariz. crash were Mexican citizens
Authorities say all six people killed in last week's pre-dawn bus crash on an Arizona interstate were Mexican citizens.

Gates checks out Afghan army training exercises
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates was watching Afghan army recruits go through training Wednesday.

Taliban talks likely on Karzai agenda in Pakistan
What role Pakistan plays in any peace effort aimed at the Taliban is likely to rank high on the agenda during Afghan President Hamid Karzai's visit to Islamabad on Wednesday.

Report: NKorea to replace top diplomat in Geneva
North Korea plans to replace its top diplomat in Switzerland who is believed to be a key manager of leader Kim Jong Il's alleged secret funds stashed overseas, a news report said Wednesday.

Aid group attacked in northwest Pakistan; 5 dead
Suspected militants armed with grenades attacked the offices of an international aid group in northwest Pakistan on Wednesday, killing five people working for the organization, police said.

Tasmanian devil colony shows immunity to cancer
Australian scientists said Wednesday that the discovery of a genetically distinct colony of Tasmanian devils may save the species from being wiped out by a contagious cancer that has decimated the population.

Dalai Lama: China aims to annihilate Buddhism
The Dalai Lama said Wednesday that Chinese authorities had rebuffed all his efforts to reach a compromise over Tibet and had instead engaged in systematic repression as part of a plan to "annihilate Buddhism" there.

China to boost food safety measures after scandal
China will step up food safety efforts in the wake of a massive dairy scandal, expanding supervision to reach more of the country's countless small farms, an agriculture official said Wednesday.

US-born capo, drug lord's brother fight for cartel
Authorities say a U.S.-born hitman is fighting the brother of a deceased drug lord for control of the Beltran-Leyva cartel, marking what may be the first time an American has risen to the very top ranks of Mexican gangs.

Animal activists target Calif. sushi restaurant
Federal agents are investigating a high-end Santa Monica, Calif., sushi restaurant, following a video sting orchestrated by the producers of the Oscar-winning documentary "The Cove."

Osmonds return to stage after death of Marie's son
Marie Osmond has returned to her Las Vegas Strip show, saying singing is the way her family is coping with the death of her 18-year-old son.

DMX back in jail for alleged probation violation
Authorities in Arizona say rapper DMX has been arrested for allegedly violating his probation by using drugs.

Man stabbed with meat thermometer at movie in CA
Authorities say a man was stabbed in the neck with a meat thermometer after asking a woman to silence her cell phone during a screening of the film "Shutter Island" at a Southern California movie theater.

Mass. Sen. Scott Brown to release memoir in 2011
Sen. Scott Brown, the Massachusetts Republican who pulled off one of the biggest upsets in recent years by winning the seat once held by Sen. Edward Kennedy, has a book deal.

Barker donates $2.5 million to create PETA offices
Bob Barker has donated $2.5 million to help the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals open a new location in Los Angeles.

Letterman's scandal is over, but can he beat Leno?
Dave Letterman can heave a huge sigh of relief after the guilty plea Tuesday of a TV producer charged with trying to extort him.

NY writer accused of abusing foreign assistants
A suburban New York City writer who offered jobs to women from Hungary, France and Brazil has been accused of sexually abusing them.