Articles by Curt Anderson and Kelli Kennedy

Anderson is legal affairs writer for AP.

Judge: Florida Condo Collapse to Receive $150m in Initial Compensation

As the remaining rubble from the collapse of a 12-story oceanfront condominium was cleared away Wednesday, a Florida judge said victims and families who suffered losses will get a minimum of $150 million in compensation initially. That sum includes about …

Florida Judge Approves Sale of Property Where Collapsed Surfside Condo Stood

A Florida judge on Wednesday approved the sale of the oceanfront property where a collapsed Florida condominium building once stood, with proceeds intended to benefit victims of the deadly disaster. At a hearing, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Michael Hanzman ordered that …

Tropical Storm Elsa Leaves One Dead in Florida, Several Injured at Georgia Navy Base

Tropical Storm Elsa was carving a destructive and soaking path up the East Coast after killing at least one person in Florida and spinning up a tornado at a Georgia Navy base that flipped recreational vehicles upside-down and blew one …

2018 Engineering Report Showed ‘Major’ Damage to Florida Condo That Fell

The ground-floor pool deck of the oceanfront condominium building that collapsed near Miami was resting on a concrete slab that had “major structural damage” and needed to be extensively repaired, according to a 2018 engineering report that also uncovered “abundant …

Court Grants Florida Bid to Halt CDC Broad Shutdown of Cruise Industry

A federal judge on Friday ruled for Florida in a lawsuit challenging a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention order making it difficult for cruise ships to resume sailing due to the coronavirus pandemic. U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday …

Florida to Close Wastewater Reservoir With Leak History

Florida is moving to permanently close the leaky Piney Point wastewater reservoir that poured millions of gallons of water into Tampa Bay while threatening to burst open and flood nearby homes and businesses, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday. The Republican …

Officials Say Second Breach Concern Discovered in Florida Phosphate Reservoir

A drone discovered a possible second breach in a large Florida wastewater reservoir as more pumps were headed to the site to prevent a catastrophic flood, officials said Monday. U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, a Republican, toured the area by helicopter …

Florida Sheriff Accused of Violating Civil Rights through Intel Program

A federal lawsuit contends that a Florida sheriff is violating people’s rights through an intelligence-based policing program that improperly targets and harasses them. The sheriff rejects those claims. The lawsuit filed Wednesday in Tampa federal court claims the Pasco Sheriff’s …

Florida Lawmakers Unveil $100M Plan to Tackle Climate Change, Sea Rise

Low-lying Florida, surrounded by the sea, is one of the most vulnerable U.S. states to ocean level rise driven by climate change. State Republican legislative leaders on Friday announced a $100 million-a-year plan to tackle the issue. House Speaker Chris …

Parts of Florida, Carolinas Take Beating from Tropical Storm Eta

After hanging over Florida for several days, the former Tropical Storm Eta became a post-tropical cyclone early Friday, racing off the Southeast Atlantic coast and bringing heavy rains and gusty winds to the Carolinas after blustering across north Florida. One …