PORT EVERGLADES

Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of The Seas rescued a group of 17 migrants from Cuba who were stranded at sea on Jan. 14 and arrived at Port Everglades on Monday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Two Holland America Line ships are departing on Grand Voyages Tuesday from Port Everglades.

A death investigation is underway at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale.

Those who are catching a flight at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport or boarding a cruise ship at Port Everglades have a pretty good chance of spotting the monkeys swinging in the trees or stealing your snacks.

Docked at the port since Monday, the USS Fort Lauderdale will be the star of an invitation-only commissioning ceremony on Saturday morning before setting course for its new home — and the world’s largest naval base — in Norfolk, Va.

The U.S. Navy plans to commission USS Fort Lauderdale LPD 28 on Saturday morning at Port Everglades but the celebrations started early.

It’s been two years since the last fleet week event took place at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale.

They kept COVID-19 at bay for more than two years, now a couple says they contracted the virus while on a luxury cruise.

The Broward County Commission has approved Port Everglades terminal design project for Disney Cruise Line.

The search continued Tuesday for a missing 14-year-old Pembroke Pines boy. Nicholas Gattorano left home early Sunday morning with his 12-year-old brother, Jonah, who has since been located and reunited with his grandfather.

Fleet Week returns to Fort Lauderdale next month following a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A U.S. Coast Guard vessel on Thursday offloaded more than 30 metric tons of cocaine and marijuana worth over $1 billion that was seized at sea during a months-long deployment off the coast of South America.

The U.S. Coast Guard offloaded about 54,500 pounds of cocaine and about 15,800 pounds of marijuana Thursday at Port Everglades.

Gov. Ron DeSantis held a news conference Friday morning at Port Everglades to announce more than $80 million that has been allocated for various infrastructure projects in South Florida.

With online sales expected to hit a record, returns could reach new heights, too. CBS News correspondent Janet Shamlian got an inside look at how some e-tailers are trying to make the business of returns more sustainable.

Blockbusters returned and streaming services sustained. Here are 2021's best films as ranked by USA TODAY's Film Critic, Brian Truitt.

Oscar-nominated director and producer Jean-Marc Vallée dies; Tributes paid to Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu; "Spider-Man: No Way Home" stays in the number one spot at the US box office (Dec. 27)

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday paid tribute to Archbishop Desmond Tutu, calling him "one of our nation's finest patriots", and announcing a period of national mourning. (Dec. 27)

Ways to cope and support your loved ones who are grieving around the holidays.

Here's the latest for Monday December 27th: Putin demands NATO deny membership to Ukraine; Winter storms hit West Coast; COVID spiking around NYC; Winter storms hit West Coast; Coronavirus outbreak on cruise ship.

Highlights of this day in history: Soviet Union invades Afghanistan; Charles Darwin sets out on round-the-world voyage; Radio City Music Hall opens in New York; James Barrie's play "Peter Pan: The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up" opens in London. (Dec. 27)

Here's a look at the top stories making headlines on the "CBS Weekend News with Meg Oliver."

The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Vigilant docked at Fort Lauderdale’s Port Everglades to offload illegal narcotics worth an estimated $236 million.

Six cruises are set to sail from the Fort Lauderdale port on Saturday, filling almost every terminal.

A pedestrian died at a hospital Friday morning shortly after being struck by a semi-truck in Port Everglades, authorities confirmed.

Princess Cruises’ newest cruise ship, Enchanted Princess, sailed into her homeport of Port Everglades Thursday morning as crew members prepare for guest voyages in November.

Crew members of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter James offloaded nearly 60,000 pounds of cocaine and approximately 1,430 pounds of marijuana at Florida's Port Everglades.

Crew members of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter James offloaded nearly 60,000 pounds of cocaine and approximately 1,430 pounds of marijuana at Florida's Port Everglades.

Crew members of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter James offloaded nearly 60,000 pounds of cocaine and approximately 1,430 pounds of marijuana at Florida's Port Everglades.

Member of the U.S. Coast Guard and the Royal Canadian Navy offloaded a record haul of confiscated drugs Thursday morning at Port Everglades.

The U.S. Coast Guard offloaded a whopping $1.4 billion worth of cocaine and marijuana Thursday at Port Everglades from various interdictions at sea.

Broward Sheriff's Office Fire Rescue told Local 10 News that they treated patients at the port, but did not have to transport any to a hospital.

Florida has asked the Supreme Court to curb restrictions on cruises imposed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Gov. Ron DeSantis is celebrating a victory in his ongoing fight against federal COVID rules on cruise ships departing from Florida.

The inaugural voyage of Royal Caribbean’s new Odyssey of the Seas ship from Port Everglades was scheduled for late June, but has been postponed after eight crew members tested positive for COVID-19, the company’s president and CEO, Michael Bayley, confirmed on social media.

Crew of cutter Tahoma passed the cocaine off the vessel at Port Everglades, Florida. It was seized during three separate interdictions.

On Monday, Coast Guard Cutter Tahoma’s crew offloaded more than 7,500 pounds of cocaine in Port Everglades, an estimated street value of $143.5 million, after three interdictions in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.

The ship's security team found the cocaine haul in a cargo area, and turned it over to Customs and Border Protection officers at Port Everglades.

Royal Caribbean’s new Odyssey of the Seas ship pulled into its home port, Port Everglades, Thursday morning as its crew prepares to set sail next month for the first time.

Florida's governor Ron DeSantis said that cruise lines who require proof of vaccination from passengers will be breaking a new state law that goes into effect July 1.

Celebrity will sail out of Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale at the end of June, according to a tweet by the cruise line.

South Florida doesn't get its gasoline from the Colonial Pipeline, so supply is not currently an issue, but it could become one if people are hoarding it.

With access to COVID-19 vaccines, cruise industry executives in Florida are ready to sail again. But with Gov. Ron DeSantis preventing them from requiring vaccines, they are considering moving out of Florida.

On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued its next phase of guidance for the cruise industry, but it wasn't a green light for commercial sailings to begin.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The COVID-19 vaccine is helping to bring back a sense of normalcy for many, but the cruse industry is far from making a comeback. Even before stepping onto a cruise ship, passengers at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale can see vending machines that dispense face masks. That’s just part of the new reality at Port Everglades, where social distancing reminders and spacing markers will remain up indefinitely. Large scale cruise passengers have been missing from these terminals for nearly a year, though. Social distancing signage inside a terminal at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale.

A video shared by United States Coast Guard officials shows footage confirming the seizure of cocaine from international drug smugglers that is worth almost $100 million. The United States Coast Guard officials Campbell crew offloaded more than three tons of cocaine estimated to be worth more than $97 million in an operation to obstruct transnational crime organizations. Cocaine crack (a cheaper and less pure form of cocaine) and cocaine powder together make the highest percentage of drugs smuggled in the United States. The number of drug overdose deaths was 67,367 as of 2018 as reported by the Centres for disease control and prevention. Drug overdose deaths more than doubled from 2000 to 2015, and deaths involving opioid more than tripled during the same time frame.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Crewmembers of the U.S. Coast Guard cutter James offloaded about 23,000 pounds of cocaine and about 8,800 pounds of marijuana — valued at more than $411.3 million — on Wednesday morning at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale. ”We know that each interdiction saves lives and helps to protect others from violence, extortion and instability,” Vance said, adding that 50 accused smugglers. The U.S. Coast Guard turned over the accused smugglers, cocaine, and marijuana to federal authorities in Broward County. Vance said maritime narcotraffickers are still using customized go-fast boats, also known as go-fast vessels, or GFV. The list of those in attendance at the port also included U.S. Coast Guard Adm. Karl Schultz, Netherlands’ Col. Jarst de Jong, France’s Capt.

PORT EVERGLADES, Fla. – As healthcare workers begin receiving the first round of the COVID-19 vaccines in South Florida, the cruise industry is preparing to welcome travelers once again. Construction continued Monday inside the brand-new Herron Garage at Port Everglades. “We’ve done everything we can to accelerate while business is down and times are a little bit slower,” said Port Everglades CEO Jonathan Daniels. At Port Everglades, cruising related revenues are down about $60 million. Of those 6,000 people, 4,500 work in the cruise industry.

Three Super Post-Panamax container gantry cranes, the largest of their kind worldwide, arrived to take part in the largest expansion project in the port’s history. Construction for the $471 million project is expected to be done by late 2022. The value of economic activity related to Port Everglades is nearly $32 billion. “Finally, the world’s largest ship-to-shore gantry cranes low profile arrive at Port Everglades,” said Jonathan Daniels, the chief executive port director. Now Port Everglades is equipped to handle some of the largest container ships in the world.

SOUTH FLORIDA – South Florida based ferry company, Baleària Caribbean, has announced that it will take the first step towards resuming their passenger services between Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale) and the Bahamas by launching their first sailing on November 5th, 2020. Under phase one, the company has announced it will operate passenger sailings once a week to Freeport (on Thursdays), Grand Bahama Island. The new itinerary will have the Jaume II sail out of Port Everglades at 8 A.M. and out of Freeport, Grand Bahama, at 4 P.M; additional details can be found on the company’s website. Baleària Caribbean would like to remind its future passengers that they will continue to work closely with the United States and Bahamas Government to follow all of the latest travel guidelines. They recommend that all passengers verify all current travel requirements with the corresponding countries involved before making their travel arrangements.

Because of that, county leaders are considering relaxing some of coronavirus restrictions. It’s been good to so far,” Broward County Mayor Dale Holness said during a press conference Saturday. With schools reopening, Holness said there is possibility of a surge. We hope that business can come out like it used to be before.”:Also taking a big hit is the cruise ship industry. It’s the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, however, that has the final say on when cruise ship operators can being sailing again.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The U.S. Coast Guard offloaded about 11,500 pounds of cocaine and 17,000 pounds of marijuana Thursday morning at Port Everglades. The drugs have a street value of about $228 million in total, authorities said. Sky 10 was above the port as the Coast Guard Cutter Hamilton offloaded the drugs that had been seized during multiple interdictions in the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean Sea. Timothy Cronin, Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard Cutter Hamilton. “One word describes the work of the Coast Guard throughout this year -- it is extraordinary,” said U.S. Attorney Ariana Fajardo Orshan, of the Southern District of Florida.

DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla. The U.S. Coast Guard warned Port Key West, Port of Miami and Port Everglades to expect threatening winds with Hurricane Isaias. Local 10 News Weather Authority (Local 10 News)Broward County is under a tropical storm warning on Friday. The storm has already caused some damage in Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and storm surge in Exuma, Bahamas. Hurricane Isaias has caused some damage in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. (Local 10 News)WATCH: Norcross: Hurricane Isaias forecast models inch closer to FloridaTRACK STORM: Hurricane Isaias forecast to maintain strength as it tracks near South Florida coastFOR MORE COVERAGE: Visit our Local 10 Hurricane Page.

Dylan DeFrancisi, port director for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said the value of each vehicle ranges between $20,000 and $140,000. The investigation began in April after a tip received by Homeland Security Investigation special agents in Bogot, Colombia. Salisbury said Raul Gorrin, the president of 24-hour television network Globovisin and La Vitalicia insurance company in Venezuela, was involved. John Tobon, HSI Miami deputy special agent in charge, is also involved in the investigation. How all these vehicles were going to Venezuela, paid for in cash and none of the businesses involved knew about it?

PORT EVERGLADES, Fla. – The crew of the U.S. Coast Guard cutter James offloaded about 23,000 pounds of cocaine and about 6,900 pounds of marijuana Tuesday at Port Everglades following seizures in international waters. According to Coast Guard officials, the drugs were seized during 11 interdictions in the eastern Pacific Ocean, off the coasts of Mexico, Central and South America and in the Caribbean Sea. The interdictions of the drug smuggling vessels were made by four Coast Guard cutters and two U.S. Navy ships. Jeffrey Randall, commanding officer of the cutter James. I couldn’t be more proud of my crew and their hard work.”According to Coast Guard officials, the U.S. Southern Command began enhanced counter-narcotics operations in the Western Hemisphere on April 1.

Joe Raedle | Getty Images"Know what you own" is an old adage when investing, but it is especially important when owning investments that hold futures contracts. Many retail investors mistakenly believe this is a proxy for investing in the "spot" (cash) price for oil. The purpose of the fund was to track as closely as possible the front-month oil futures contract, not the spot price. True, the prices for spot oil and USO have been reasonably close until the oil market imploded. Except some retail investors did not understand they were not buying the spot price of oil.

MIAMI – The Coral Princess cruise ship arrived at Port Miami Saturday morning, hours after being denied entry at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale. On Saturday night, one of the very first groups of passengers cleared to return, 50 Floridians, departed the Coral Princess ship. Princess Cruises, a subsidiary of Carnival Corp., switched the Coral Princess’ original destination from Fort Lauderdale. The Coral Princess departed March 5 from Chile. The Regal Princess delivered supplies to the Coral Princess.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The coronavirus pandemic nightmare isn’t over for 26 people who remain quarantined and sick aboard a plagued cruise ship at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale. (Local 10 News)Only one crew member and 13 passengers were allowed to disembark the MS Zaandam on Thursday at Port Everglades. Workers in full personal protective equipment handled the luggage and disinfect it at Port Everglades. Carnival Corp. arranged for private transporation for Americans who were stranded at sea in one of their cruise ships. Passengers look out from the Zaandam cruise ship, anchored in the bay of Panama City, Friday, March 27, 2020.

Thirteen passengers and one crew member will be taken to Broward Health Medical Center for treatment, while 26 passengers will be staying on board to be quarantined for 14 days. The ship will not remain at the port for that entire time, officials say, but crew will be staying on board. Of the 1,211 passengers deemed fit for travel, most will be taken to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport to board chartered flights back home on Friday, said Port Everglades’ Alinda Montfort. We’re thankful to the people of Broward County,” Rick de Pinho, of New Jersey, said. De Pinho and his wife were on a two week South American voyage on the Zaandam ship when the new coronavirus began spreading on their ship.

Miami Two cruise ships carrying passengers stricken with coronavirus have docked in Florida on Thursday. It ends a nightmarish odyssey for some of the passengers, but for others aboard the journey is far from over. At one point, the Zaandam reported 200 sick passengers, nine who tested positive for the virus and four deaths. Holland America's cruise ship Rotterdam, left, heads to dock while passing cruise ship Zaandam, right, already docked at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on April 2, 2020. Holland America said many passengers on the ships have already self-isolated in their staterooms since March 22.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A man working at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale was diagnosed with Covid-19, the contagious respiratory illness caused by the new coronavirus. When the outbreak in Broward County began, some of the first cases reported were from people who worked at Port Everglades. Amid the growing crisis, Broward County authorities discussed the dilemma of whether or not to allow cruise ships stranded at sea to dock in the port. Members of the U.S. Coast Guard and the Florida Department of Health denied the ships’ entry. On Wednesday afternoon, state public health officials reported there were more than 1,200 Covid-19 cases and 12 deaths in Broward County.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The coronavirus pandemic left the passengers on MS Zandaam and MS Rotterdam stranded at sea, and now their fate is in the hands of Broward County commissioners. Holness decided they need more time to review the feasibility of a plan to allow the ships to dock at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale on Thursday. The MS Zandaam, which has COVID-19 patients, departed from Buenos Aires on March 7. The bodies remain on the MS Zandaam, which has at least 180 people reporting COVID-19-like symptoms. The MS Rotterdam has 1,400 people on board who are not symptomatic.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Two cruise ships with almost 2,000 people aboard could be arriving by Wednesday or Thursday to Port Everglades. The ship had been anchored outside Panama Canal since Thursday waiting for approval from Panamanian authorities to allow the ship passage through the canal. Holland America planned to have passengers were not ill be transferred to a healthy ship, the cruise line’s Rotterdam, and then isolate those who were sick on the Zaandam. The Rotterdam would also dock at Port Everglades to have passengers disembark. Holland America stated on its web site that only passengers who have not been ill will be moved, and health screenings will be conducted before transferring.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Holland America Line, a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation, deployed a ship to deliver coronavirus test kits to the MS Zaandam cruise ship heading to Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale. The MS Zaandam’s voyage continues with 1,829 people on board, including 30 guests and 47 crew members who have reported coronavirus symptoms and haven’t been off the ship since March 14 in Chile. “Holland America Line has deployed Rotterdam to rendezvous with Zaandam and provide extra supplies, staff, COVID-19 test kits and other support as needed,” a cruise line representative wrote in a statement. Carrying 611 crew and no guests, Rotterdam departed Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, on Sunday and is set to meet with MS Zaandam’s crew on Thursday evening off the coast of Panama. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Florida Department of Health in Broward County, U.S. Coast Guard, and U.S. Customs & Border Protection and the Port Everglades Pilots Association are assessing the situation.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Local officials are debating whether to allow a cruise ship with sick passengers to dock in Fort Lauderdale. Holland America Line’s MS Zaandam cruise ship is on its way to Port Everglades in hopes of docking there next week. If it all goes as planned by Holland America Line, it will arrive at Port Everglades March 30, according to the statement. But Cruise Mapper and other ship tracking services showed its Port Everglades arrival to be April 7. Some of the first COVID-19 cases reported in Broward County had links to workers who were in contact with cruise ship guests arriving at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale.

Ronny Young, of Port St. Joe, Florida, disembarks from the Caribbean Princess at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Wednesday, March 11, 2020. The cruise ship was given federal permission to dock in Florida after testing of two crew members cleared them of the new coronavirus and U.S. health officials lifted a no sail" order. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP)(Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun-Sentinel/AP)

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Amid a spreading worldwide pandemic, Broward County’s newly confirmed COVID-19 cases nearly doubled in one day. The Florida Department of Health announced early Saturday morning there are 20 positive cases of COVID-19 involving Broward County residents. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expects COVID-19 cases to increase nationwide. The Saturday morning DOH reports showed the positive cases of COVID-19 in Florida had surged to 83 -- and include three deaths. Here is the list of COVID-19 cases in Broward County as of 12:54 a.m., March 14:UNDER INVESTIGATION: 7 casesWoman, 22, is a patient with a case that remains under investigation.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Investigators linked five COVID-19 cases to Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, according to a statement Broward County released on Friday afternoon. According to Margaret Stapleton, a spokeswoman for Broward County, the area’s Emergency Operations Center was partially activated. The Florida Department of Health data shows Broward County has the biggest cluster in the state. One of the three non-Florida residents diagnosed with COVID-19 is in Broward County, officials said. Here is the list of COVID-19 cases in Broward County:TRAVEL RELATED: 2 cases (no longer under investigation)- Man, 61, is a travel-related case.

He was among the 3,140 guests who could have enjoyed a 10-day voyage on the Princess Cruises’ Caribbean Princess had it not been for COVID-19 cases. Princess Cruises canceled the voyage on Wednesday at the Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale. Princess Cruises is also the operator of the Grand Princess and the Diamond Princess, which are linked to hundreds of COVID-19 cases in Japan and California. Princess Cruises employees who had worked in the Grand Princess in California were tested while working aboard the Caribbean Princess and the Regal Princess, which were both scheduled to dock at Port Everglades. Voyages on both the Regal Princess and the Caribbean Princess were canceled.

AK Building Services’ Fort Lauderdale office is a 15-minute drive away from Port Everglades, where three COVID-19 patients worked for Metro Cruise Services, a cruise terminal operator.

// // //Broward County Continues Proactive Monitoring Coronavirus (COVID-19)//BROWARD COUNTY This morning, the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) announced a new positive case of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Broward County. New precautions include: County Administrator Bertha Henry declared a local State of Emergency at 12:25 PM today. Please note that while a State of Emergency is declared, the County is maintaining its normal business operations. Broward County Parks are waiving cancellation fees for patrons who choose to cancel bookings. As an early response to the COVID-19, Broward County stepped up its cleaning procedures in all County facilities.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Metro Cruise Services -- the employer of three of the four COVID-19 patients in Broward County -- released a statement on Tuesday saying they worked at various cruise terminals in Port Everglades. Metro Cruise Services President Anthony Newman said the company was unaware the three part-time employees were sick until public health officials notified them. Officials recommended employees of Metro Cruise Services at Port Everglades with any association to the COVID-19 cases to self-quarantine. Trouble is some COVID-19 patients can be asymptomatic while spreading the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and some patients’ symptoms won’t be apparent until after about 14 days. For more information about the cases, call the Florida hotline at 1-866-779-6121 or the COVID-19 Call Center at 1-866-799-6121.

We were unaware that any of our part-time employees were sick until we were notified by the authorities, Newmans statement said. We then immediately notified all of our Port Everglades employees that one of their associates had tested positive and advised them that, if they have any symptoms, they should seek medical assistance and not report to work.

Princess Cruises Caribbean Princess, currently on a 10-day cruise out of Port Everglades, will stop briefly at Grand Cayman to pick up two sampling kits, according to a letter sent to passengers Sunday night. Then it will remain at anchor under the no-sail order until we receive further advice from the CDC and local authorities, the letter said.

Vice President Mike Pence was at Port Everglades on Saturday addressing concerns of the coronavirus. If you need help with the Public File, call (954) 364-2526.

Coronavirus screenings are now being conducted at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Port Everglades. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency is monitoring arriving passengers and may detain or isolate those who display specific symptoms, and will verify their travel history. All cruise lines are requiring passengers to complete a health declaration form prior to boarding. All Florida ports, including Port Everglades, have taken steps to ensure containment of the spread of coronavirus. Cruise terminals are being cleaned and sterilized before and after passenger vessels are in port.

The project will expand parts of the Intracoastal Waterway, so cargo ships are able to transit to and from the southern part of the port. It also contributes to part of the cost of building a new facility for the U.S. Coast Guard Station Fort Lauderdale. Recently, Congress allowed the port to move forward with the USACE fiscal year 2020 work plan. In 2017, the Broward County Board of County Commissioners approved the $500 million Southport Turning Notch Expansion, or STNE, construction. Workers broke ground June 2018 and the historic project is set to be completed in 2022.

Cruise passengers and cargo volumes at Port Everglades have grown exponentially over the past 20 years, and are forecast to almost double over the next 20 years, say Port Everglades officials, who are planning for the boom in traffic. (ABOVE) A cruise ship, the Princess Cruises' Sky Princess, arriving last month to Port Everglades. (Port Everglades)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers could not be reached Tuesday for questions about the jettys lighting and if lack of lighting may have played a role in the overnight crash. A news release from fire officials, however, suggested that the people on the boat were having difficulties navigating the dark waters prior to the crash.

The woman, identified in the suit as K.T., said the alleged attack happened aboard Oasis of the Seas on Dec. 26, 2015, while the then-Massachusetts resident was on a seven-day cruise from Port Everglades with her two sisters and grandparents. 's age at the time was not specified in the original lawsuit but is believed to have been between 15 and 17, the appellate ruling states.

Moore, 43, of Pompano Beach, was fired in August because of more than $18,000 in questionable purchases including 11 faucets, 11 backflow-preventer repair kits and 108 feet of red brass pipe that could not be accounted for that he submitted over a years time, officials said. Moore was later allowed to resign after his union stepped in to contest the procedures followed by the county in firing him.