Florida

Florida officials launch cold case playing cards in jails, prisons to ‘generate new leads’

Published

2 years ago

June 10, 2024

Florida officials launch cold case playing cards in jails, prisons to ‘generate new leads’

Florida officials are reviving an old initiative to solve cold cases by distributing thousands of playing cards in jails and prisons hoping it will help “generate new leads and insights from inmates,” the state Attorney General’s Office announced Monday.

More than 5,000 decks of playing cards that contain photographs and information about unsolved homicide and missing person cases will be printed and issued to correctional facilities across Florida, law enforcement officials said at a news conference Monday. The cards will be distributed to over 60 county jails overseen by local sheriff’s offices and 145 sites overseen by the state’s Department of Corrections.

“We’re pleased to announce a special initiative, which hasn’t been done here in the state of Florida statewide in about 15 years, but it’s something that we know (works),” Florida Association of Crime Stoppers President Frank Brunner said at the news conference. “This was the right time to create and distribute another deck of cold case homicide playing cards into Florida’s jails and prisons, and certainly we will also have them available online in some other media form as well.”

The new version of cold case playing cards is part of Attorney General Ashley Moody’s efforts to prevent violent crime and solve cold case homicides in Florida, according to Brunner. Since 2019, Moody said her office has been working to enlist the public’s help in solving cold cases.

In 2020, Moody and the Florida Association of Crime Stoppers launched a statewide anonymous tipline. Officials then significantly increased reward money for anonymous tips, “nearly doubling the amount for tips on unsolved homicides,” Moody said.

The attorney general announced in February a new state cold case investigations unit that assists resource-constrained local agencies to follow up on leads for cold cases.

The latest effort is in collaboration with the Florida Association of Crime Stoppers, the state Sheriffs Association, the state Department of Corrections and Season of Justice, a nonprofit organization dedicated to solving cold cases, officials said.

According to nonprofits Project Cold Case and The Murder Accountability Project, the rate at which homicides are being solved in the United States has been declining over the past five decades. In its analysis of the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report, The Murder Accountability Project found that nearly 340,000 cases of homicide and non-negligent manslaughter between 1965 and 2022 have gone unsolved.

Slasher: A vicious abduction and assault of three teens that stayed unsolved for decades

Cold-case playing cards have seen success in Florida before

According to Florida officials, versions of cold case playing cards have been successful in the state.

In July 2007, state officials distributed about 100,000 decks of an older version of playing cards to inmates, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The two editions contained 104 unsolved cases from across Florida.

The older version featured a 2004 case in which construction workers found the body of Ingrid Lugo, 34, in a retention pond, according to the Attorney General’s Office.

“After seeing the information on one of the cards, three inmates reported the murderer, found to be Lugo’s boyfriend, Bryan Curry,” the Attorney General’s Office said. “Curry ended up being tried and found guilty of second-degree murder in March 2008.”

The playing cards also led to the arrest of Derrick Hamilton in October 2007 after an inmate tipped off police, the Tampa Bay Times reported at the time. The inmate had told authorities that Hamilton had bragged about killing James Foote, who was found dead with a gunshot wound in a Fort Myers, Florida, parking lot.

A photograph of Foote and details on his case were featured on the seven of clubs, according to The Tampa Bay Times.

In 2008, state officials released another version and distributed it to 65,000 inmates across 67 county jails and 141,000 supervised offenders serving on state probation, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement said. The deck featured 52 unsolved homicide and missing persons cases.

For the newest edition, officials said Monday that tips that lead to an arrest are eligible for a reward of up to $9,500.

Similar initiatives implemented in other states

Law enforcement officials in Polk County, Florida, were the first to distribute unsolved case cards in correctional facilities, Massachusetts State Police said in its announcement of unresolved crime cards in 2022.

The initiative was inspired by playing cards showing Saddam Hussein’s regime members that were given to U.S. soldiers in 2003 during the Iraq War, according to Massachusetts State Police. A Florida Crime Stoppers group then designed a deck of cards in 2005 that contained local cold cases, a 2006 article from the National Criminal Justice Reference Service Virtual Library said.

The deck of cards was distributed to about 2,500 inmates “with the hope of generating new leads on cold cases,” the article said. In less than three months after Polk County officials launched the cards, authorities received more than 60 tips and solved four cases, according to Massachusetts State Police.

Since then, cold case playing cards have been used across the U.S. by state and local law enforcement agencies. Similar decks have helped solve 20 cold cases in Connecticut and at least eight cases in South Carolina, according to the Florida Attorney General’s Office.

CBS Minnesota reported in November 2023 that a man helped identify a woman’s remains through cold case playing cards. The remains were of Deana Patnode, who was 23 when she was last seen in St. Paul, Minnesota, in October 1982.

“Deana’s former neighbor, Mike Doherty, recently shared his story for the first time. He recognized a clay likeness of Deana on one of our Cold Case playing cards,” the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said in a statement last November. “Deana was the 4 of Diamonds, listed as an unidentified Jane Doe.”

Patnode’s remains were found about 80 miles south seven years later but weren’t identified until 2009, according to the agency. Doherty had called in the tip, which led to Patnode’s identification, the agency said.

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Florida

24 endangered sea turtles recovering in Florida after cold stunning off Cape Cod

Published

4 minutes ago

December 16, 2025

Press Room

24 endangered sea turtles recovering in Florida after cold stunning off Cape Cod

JUNO BEACH, Fla. — Two dozen Kemp’s ridley sea turtles are rehabilitating in Florida after the frigid waters off of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, left them struggling with frostbite, pneumonia and abrasions.

The 24 endangered sea turtles arrived at the Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach, Florida, on Dec. 9, thanks to the nonprofit organization LightHawk. Last year, the center welcomed another bunch of cold-stunned turtles that were released into the Atlantic months later.

They are expected to remain at the facility until spring, when they’ll be released into the Atlantic Ocean to make their way back to New England, said Heather Barron, chief science officer and veterinarian at Loggerhead.

She said the turtles suffered from a conditioned called cold stunning, which requires treatment with antibiotics, fluids and nebulization.

Cold stunning occurs in extremely frigid temperatures and causes the cold-blooded sea turtles to become lethargic and lose mobility, and Kemp’s ridley, loggerhead and green sea turtles are typically affected.

The turtles migrate north in the summer and many get stuck while heading south in the hooked peninsula of Cape Cod, according to a New England Aquarium fact sheet. As the ocean temperatures drop, the turtles become lethargic, emaciated and hypothermic. They begin washing ashore, where volunteers rescue them and take them to the sea turtle hospital.

A number of turtles were sent to Florida to relieve overcrowding at the New England Aquarium, said Pam Bechtold Snyder, director of marketing and communications for the Boston facility. Most of those turtles were stranded during a strong westerly wind event on Nov. 28 and went through the triage process at the Boston facility, Snyder said.

They were sent to Florida to make room for more turtles coming in from Cape Cod, she said. So far during the annual cold-stunning phenomenon that began on Nov. 7, they’ve treated 472 hypothermic turtles.

The hospital staff works with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Fisheries Service to transfer the turtles to various sea turtle hospitals, including Loggerhead, Snyder said.

“These guys are very critically ill when they get here, and they are undergoing extensive treatment,” Barron said of the turtles sent to Juno Beach. “They’re getting nebulized where they actually breathe in medicine. That helps their lungs do their job better.”

When turtles arrive in groups at Loggerhead, the staff gives them names, following a theme, Barron said.

“And in this case, it is Greek mythology,” Barron said. “So we have Pandora and Gaia and Persephone and Helios and all those guys.”

____

Frisaro reported from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

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Florida

Is weed legal in Florida? What to know before traveling for holidays

Published

12 hours ago

December 15, 2025

Press Room

Is weed legal in Florida? What to know before traveling for holidays

Medical marijuana is legal for Florida residents with a state-issued card and a qualifying condition.
Possession of marijuana without a medical card can lead to penalties ranging from fines to felony charges.

Can Floridians or those traveling to Florida for the holidays light one up while taking part in festive activities? Doing so will result in your name being added to the state’s naughty list.

While it’s legal in about half the country, recreational marijuana remains illegal in Florida.

An amendment last year to make recreational marijuana legal in the Sunshine State came close and got a majority of the vote, but it failed to hit Florida’s required 60% threshold. The group behind it is trying again in 2026.

Here’s what you need to know about marijuana laws in Florida before the holiday.

Is marijuana legal in Florida?

Yes, but only for some people.

Medical marijuana is legal in Florida for residents diagnosed with a specific set of conditions who have applied for and received a Medical Marijuana ID Card or caregivers who have received a Medical Marijuana Caregiver Card.

Is recreational marijuana legal in Florida?

No. During the 2024 General Election, an amendment that called for legalizing recreational marijuana in Florida failed to get the 60% of votes needed to pass.

Is medical marijuana legal in Florida?

Medical marijuana is legal here, but only for Florida residents with the following conditions who apply for and receive a Medical Marijuana Card:

Cancer
Epilepsy
Glaucoma
HIV (human immunodeficiency virus)
AIDS (Acquired immune deficiency syndrome)
PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)
ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis)
Crohn’s disease
Parkinson’s disease
Multiple sclerosis
Comparable medical conditions or status to the above
A terminal condition
Chronic nonmalignant pain

Note that under a new Florida law as of July 1, medical marijuana registration will be revoked if a patient or caregiver is convicted or pleads guilty or no contest to drug trafficking, sale or manufacture.

Can I bring weed if I have a medical marijuana card from another state?

No. The state of Florida does not offer reciprocity. A bill in this year’s legislative session that would have changed that died in committee.

Can I get busted for possessing weed in Florida?

Without a Medical Marijuana Card (or Medical Marijuana Caregiver Card, for people assisting medical marijuana patients who are minors or who need help), if you are caught with pot, you will be penalized. Marijuana advocacy group NORML lists the following penalties under Florida Statutes:

Possessing 20 grams or less: First-degree misdemeanor, up to one year in jail and maximum $1,000 fine.
Possession of paraphernalia: Misdemeanor, up to one year in jail and maximum $1,000 fine.
Possessing marijuana within 1,000 feet of a school, college, park or other specified areas: Felony, mandatory three-year sentence and maximum $10,000 fine.
Possessing from 20 grams: to 25 pounds: Felony, up to five years in jail and maximum $5,000 fine.
Possessing from 25 to 2,000 pounds of marijuana: First-degree felony, from three to 15 years in jail and $25,000 fine.
Possessing from 2,000 to 10,000 pounds of marijuana: First-degree felony, from seven to 30 years and $50,000 fine.
Possessing more than 10,000 pounds of marijuana: First-degree felony, from 15 to 30 years and $200,000 fine.

However, many communities and municipalities have decriminalized possession of up to 20 grams of marijuana, meaning if you’re busted, you’ll get a fine (which will go up each time). You may be required to attend a drug education program or do community service.

Areas that have decriminalized pot include Alachua County, Broward County, Cocoa Beach, Hallandale Beach, Key West, Miami Beach, Miami-Dade County, Orlando, Osceola County, Palm Beach County, Port Richey, Sarasota, Tampa and Volusia County.

Is it legal to sell weed in Florida?

Only licensed medical marijuana dispensaries may sell marijuana in the state of Florida. Even with a medical marijuana card, you may not buy your pot anywhere but at a licensed dispensary.

People charged with selling marijuana can face the following:

25 grams or less, without renumeration: Misdemeanor, maximum 1 year in jail, $1,000 fine.
20 grams to 25 pounds: Felony, maximum 5 years in jail, $5,000 fine.
25 to less than 2,000 pounds or 300-2,000 plants: Felony, three to 15 years, maximum $25,000 fine.
2,000 to less than 10,000 pounds or 2,000-10,000 plants: Felony, seven to 30 years, maximum $50,000 fine.
10,000 pounds or more: Felony, 15 to 30 years, maximum $200,000 fine.
If within 1,000 feet of a school, college, park, or other specified areas: An additional 3-15 years, $10,000 fine.

Are low-THC products like delta-8, delta-9, delta-10 or THC-O legal in Florida?

Assorted different types of so-called “diet weed” cannabinoids, such as delta-8, delta-9, delta-10 and THC-O, which are derived from hemp and not marijuana and contain lower levels of THC, are legal here under the 2018 federal Farm Bill that allows farmers to grow industrial hemp.

Last year, the Florida Legislature passed SB 1698, a bill that effectively banned delta-8 and delta-10 products and set a 5-milligram-per-serving limit for delta-9 THC, but Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed it, reportedly to protect small businesses.

However, they remain federally illegal.

Can you get a DUI in Florida on marijuana?

Yes. Drivers under the influence of drugs, including marijuana, face the same penalties as drunk drivers in Florida.

That ranges from up to six months of jail time, a fine between $500 and $1,000, a license suspension, 50 hours of community service and a 10-day vehicle impoundment (for the first offense) to up to five years in prison, up to $5,000 in fines, lifetime license revocation and more for the fourth offense.

Penalties go up fast if there is a minor in the vehicle or you cause property damage, injury or death.

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Florida

Rabbi Eli Schlangar among 15 dead in Sydney attack; South Florida increases security at Jewish sites

Published

1 day ago

December 15, 2025

Press Room

Rabbi Eli Schlangar among 15 dead in Sydney attack; South Florida increases security at Jewish sites

AVENTURA, Fla. — A devastating terror attack at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, has left 15 dead, including Rabbi Eli Schlangar, a beloved figure in the Jewish community.

The attack unfolded during the annual Chanukah by the Sea event, a celebration where Rabbi Schlangar had served as one of the organizers and the emcee.

South Florida Rabbi Tzvi Dechter, who had known Schlangar for decades, spoke tearfully about the profound loss.

The two first met when they were teenagers, and their friendship grew over the years. Dechter recalled the personal qualities of his dear friend, not just his leadership in the Jewish community, but the kind and caring person he was.

“I loved him very much, obviously. A lot of people can describe his community leadership, but you forget about the person himself,” Dechter shared. “He was a husband, a father, and he was a friend to so many. He genuinely cared.”

Schlangar was deeply rooted in the Sydney Jewish community, particularly among the 5,000-member Russian-speaking Jewish population.

His impact reached far beyond his role as a religious leader, and he leaves behind several children, including a two-month-old baby.

Dechter revealed that the two had become “cousins” after marrying cousins, a bond that strengthened their connection.

The tragedy took an even more personal turn for Dechter, as he confirmed that Eli’s wife was among the dozens of people injured in the attack. The death toll is expected to rise, with as many as 40 people still hospitalized in critical condition.

The impact of the attack has rippled across the globe, with authorities increasing security measures in Jewish communities, particularly in South Florida.

Local officials have heightened patrols around synagogues and Jewish schools, with a Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) deputy assigned for security.

Authorities in Sydney continue to investigate the details of the attack, while local communities, both in Australia and abroad, mourn the loss of Schlangar and all the victims.

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