Free Republic

Tamarac’s vice mayor, who leads an evangelical North Lauderdale church as Pastor Fire when he’s off the dais, announced publicly he plans to add a yarmulke to his wardrobe … in a manner of speaking. Just after decrying Mayor Michelle Gomez’s use of identity politics to win an election, the pastor announced at the June 10 meeting that he’s undergoing a conversion to Judaism. “I am a Christian,” he said, during a fiery, freewheeling exchange between him and the mayor. “I am going through a conversion to join the Jewish community as we speak. And I am learning Hebrew.” The...

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and a utility that provides gas to New York City and Long Island have been locked in a standoff since May, when New York regulators blocked the construction of a $1 billion natural gas pipeline that would have run from Pennsylvania to New Jersey and New York. The utility, National Grid, says the pipeline is crucial to meeting the rising energy demand in the region and has imposed a moratorium, refusing to activate gas hookups for both new and returning customers. On Tuesday, the fight took a sharp turn after Mr. Cuomo threatened to revoke National...