WESTON — A valuable bottle of whiskey has gone missing from a South Florida liquor store.
According to the Broward Sheriff’s Office, the stolen 200th Anniversary Johnnie Walker Blue Label is one of just six bottles of its kind that were distributed in Florida.
The rare bottle was stolen from a display case at a Weston liquor store on Oct. 30. It took three days for store employees to notice that the bottle had been replaced with a decoy.
The bottle is valued at $3,500.
Bristle fern, bonneted bat may be shielded
MIAMI — A bat and a fern found only in Florida may be added to the federal list of endangered and threatened species.
The Florida bristle fern is found only in pine woods in Miami-Dade and Sumter counties.
The Florida bonneted bat is found in only a dozen spots in South and central Florida.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Friday that the species are under consideration.
Police search for apologetic graffiti artist
PALM BAY — Palm Bay police say a graffiti artist who apparently ran out of paint midway through a spray-painted creation left a note to potential critics to explain the unfinished work.
Palm Bay police Officer Dan Fisher says the artist painted the words “ran out of purple” on the white concrete wall. The note was next to a incomplete bright purple piece that read “Solo.”
Fisher says the artist would likely face a criminal mischief charge if he or she is apprehended. The damage was estimated at about $200.
Burrowing owls booted from Fla. football field
SUNRISE — A pair of owls that invaded a South Florida high school football team’s home turf have flown the coop.
Piper High School’s football team was forced to stop practicing and playing games on their home field after a two burrowing owls began to nest in the ground. The owls are considered a species of special concern.
School employees collapsed the nests this week, with the permission of wildlife officials. But workers at the school also dug a new burrow for the owls, which are named Stan and Gladys. Piper High science students also plan to work on a burrow project for the owls later this month.
Bummer: Pot-smoking minister guilty of growing it
VIERA — A self-proclaimed minister who claimed he smokes marijuana for religious and health reasons has been found guilty of illegally harvesting 100 of the plants.
It took a Brevard County jury only 14 minutes Friday to find 53-year-old Steven Swallick guilty. He faces up to 10 years in prison when sentenced next month.
Swallick told the judge outside the jury’s presence that he is affiliated with the Hawaiian Cannabis Ministries and that he smokes marijuana and uses it as an ingredient in anointing oil, health drinks and incense to drive away evil spirits.
But Circuit Judge Jim Earp ruled that Swallick could not give such testimony to the jury.
Man fatally shoots himself at gun range
DELRAY BEACH — A second man this year has fatally shot himself with a rented handgun at the Delray Shooting Center.
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