Allman Brothers Band co-founder and legendary guitarist Dickey Betts dies at 80Man arrested for lighting bush on fire in front of South Fort Myers business
This March 9, 2012, file photo shows Republican state senator Frank Artiles, R-Miami, asking a questions about a pip insurance bill during house session in Tallahassee, Fla. Artiles, a Republican state senator, is expected to apologize publicly Wednesday April 19, 2017, for using racial slurs and obscene insults in a private after-hours conversation with African-American colleagues. (AP Photo/Steve Cannon, File) TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) A Florida state senator who used a racial slur and vulgar language in a conversation with two African-American colleagues is resigning. Republican Sen. Frank Artiles submitted a resignation letter to the Senate president’s office on Friday, four days after he used the ‘n-word’ and vulgarities at a private club near the state Capitol. He later apologized on the Senate floor. Democrats were calling for his expulsion and Republican leadership began an investigation into whether Artiles violated Senate rules. Artiles said in his resignation letter his actions are now a distraction to his colleagues, the legislative process and Floridians. His resignation is effective immediately.