John Torres

2 weeks ago | floridatoday.com | John Torres

Sheriff Wayne Ivey went viral June 12 for his remarks during a press conference in which he promised the use of deadly force against anyone who "threw a brick, firebomb or pointed a gun at one of his deputies," during any protests, marches, etc. His thinking is not wrong. The sheriff should stand up for and protect the brave men and women who wear the uniform every day.

2 weeks ago | floridatoday.com | John Torres

At the direction of President Donald Trump, Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) made sweeping cuts earlier this year to many federal agencies. Among them were the National Weather Service (NWS), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). It's impossible to know what those cuts will mean for Florida this hurricane season but already some are sounding the alarm.

3 weeks ago | floridatoday.com | John Torres

Jeff Abramowski's 23-year journey to clear his name is not quite over. Despite the state agreeing to vacate his 2006 murder conviction after new DNA results showed it was highly unlikely he ever handled the murder weapons in the case, they are not ready to drop murder charges ... yet. Abramowski has been free on bond since mid-April waiting to see if the state will move forward to try him a third time for the murder of 78-year-old Dick "Cortney" Crandall in 2002.

3 weeks ago | floridatoday.com | John Torres

Jeff Abramowski walked down the long ramp from the Brevard County Jail in Sharpes, six and a half weeks ago, and tasted "freedom" for the first time in 23 years. During that time, he's gotten to really know his grandkids, visited the beach, had his teeth fixed, lined up a surgeon to fix a lingering issue, learned how to use a cell phone, ate cake on his birthday, figured out how to stream television shows and all the other stuff you might expect he'd need to catch up on.

4 weeks ago | floridatoday.com | John Torres

Please consider this column an invitation, more of a plea really, to come and see our production of your inspiring story. I've always been a sucker for a sentimental, heartfelt ballad, especially one with a killer hook and sing-along chorus. That's probably why songs like "Anything for You" and "Words get in the Way," by Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine play along with the movie montage in my mind when I reminisce about my late teens and early twenties.