South Florida Local News

GAINESVILLE — Embattled coach Billy Napier turned to the future to try to secure his own at Florida.

Led by a pair of first-year players who are each just 19, quarterback DJ Lagway and tailback Jadan Baugh, the Gators ended a three-game losing streak to Kentucky with a convincing 48-20 win Saturday night in the Swamp.

“They stepped up in a major way,” Napier said.

Lagway, who replaced injured veteran Graham Mertz, and Baugh, starting in place of senior Montrell Johnson Jr., became the first true freshman quarterback and running back to start in the same game. The duo responded with big plays and memorable moments for the Gators (4-3, 2-2 SEC) against the nation’s third-ranked defense and a program with Florida’s number of late.

“It’s amazing,” cornerback Devin Moore said of the two freshmen’s efforts. “Very proud of them boys.”

Kentucky had won four of six meetings since 2018 after losing 31 straight in the series. This time, the Gators never trailed against the Wildcats (3-4, 1-4) and scored the most points under Napier against an SEC opponent.

“This is a resilient group,” Napier said. “We probably played our best football of the year.”

A week after an overtime loss at Tennessee featured questionable play-calling and missed opportunities, UF built a 27-6 advantage behind a 24-point second quarter — the most by a Florida team during Napier’s three seasons — to seize command of the game.

“We went through a challenge last Saturday night,” Napier said. “We had a locker room of guys that were hurt. We could have easily splintered at that point, but we didn’t.”

Florida running back Jadan Baugh (13) celebrates after a touchdown run against Kentucky Oct. 19 in the Swamp. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Kentucky tested the Gators’ mettle again when the Wildcats cut the lead to 27-20 on a 12-play, 75 drive to open the second half.

But Lagway and Co. continued to apply pressure. Passes of 23 and 44 yards to Chimere Dike and a 4-yard scramble set up a 1-yard touchdown by Baugh, his fourth of 5 rushing touchdowns —  to tie Tim Tebow (2007, South Carolina) and Trey Burton (2010, Kentucky).

Baugh, who had a birthday Oct. 11, finished with 106 yards on 22 carries.

Sophomore cornerback Cormani McClain, a former 5-star recruit who transferred from Colorado, put the finishing touches on the win with a pick-six and UF’s third interception of the night, equaling the 2023 season total in one game. McClain stepped in when four-year starter Jason Marshall Jr. left the game with an injury.

“He was able to go in there and do his job in a critical moment,” Napier said.

The Gators struggled to finish early on.

Twice UF settled for field goals after reaching Kentucky’s 10 and 15, repeating the red-zone scoring struggles suffered during the loss to Tennessee. This time, Florida did not slip into an offensive funk.

Kentucky tied the game on a textbook flea-flicker. Brock Vandagriff found Barion Brown for a 45-yard touchdown when UF cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. bit on the fake and let Brown slip behind the defense. The Wildcats missed the extra point. 

The Gators then answered quickly behind Lagway. 

A series after he threw three straight incompletions, he connected with Elijah Badger for 50 yards on 2nd-and-2 deep in the middle of the field. Baugh scored the next play on a 7-yard run, with an assist from right tackle Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson pushing from behind to make it 13-6.

Lagway was often feast-or-famine on a night he finished 7of 14 for 259 yards, an average of 37 per completion. 

After a Trikweze Bridges’ interception gave UF the ball on the Kentucky 45, Lagway threw a pass on 2nd-and-3 into the waiting hands of safety Kristian Story. He returned it 63 yards to UF’s 11.

But the Gators held Kentucky scoreless, stopping the Wildcats on 4th-and-1 from the 2.

“Those are the momentum plays of the game,” Napier said. “For them to put the fire out after the takeaway, that was where the momentum shifted a little bit.”

Florida quarterback DJ Lagway (2) runs past Kentucky defensive back Terhyon Nichols (20) during the Gators win against Kentucky Oct. 19 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

The Gators then drove 98 yards on just four plays, culminating with a 10-yard Baugh run but also including a 27-yard run by Baugh and 58-yard completion from Lagway to Badger, who finished with 148 yards on 3 catches. Two plays later, a 52-yard interception return to the Kentucky 1 by Devin Moore set up Baugh’s third touchdown run during a 24-point second quarter — the most in a quarter by a Napier team at UF

But Florida miscalculated on the ensuing kickoff, allowing Kentucky record-setting returner Brown to touch the ball. Brown ran it back 99 yards for his 5th career touchdown return on a kickoff.

Kentucky then scored to open the second half to make it 27-20 and send a feeling of dread through the sellout crowd of 89,906.

It would be unwarranted and short-lived.

“This group they felt like they had maybe let the place down, let people down in terms of how we played earlier in the year,” Napier said. “They took that personal and it was important to them to do better.”

Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com

 

AMES, Iowa — UCF thought it had secured its first win in over a month, snapping a three-game losing streak in an upset bid over No. 9 Iowa State.

But the Cyclones had other ideas, as Rocco Becht drove his team 80 yards in 1:01 to pull off a 38-35 come-from-behind win Saturday night.  Becht’s 1-yard touchdown run capped off the unbelievable comeback.

The loss is the fourth straight for the Knights (3-4, 1-3 Big 12), who have dropped 11 of their last 17 games since moving to the Big 12. The loss also dropped UCF to 3-14 against top-10 teams since 2000.

The last win against a top-10 team came against then-No. 7 Auburn, ironically coached by Gus Malzahn, in the 2018 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.

Iowa State improved to 7-0 for the first time since 1938.

Jacurri Brown started at quarterback for UCF, giving the redshirt sophomore his first start since joining the Knights as a mid-year transfer from Miami.

The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Brown looked calm and confident in his first possession, directing a 6-play, 75-yard drive culminating in a 6-yard quarterback scramble for a touchdown. It was Brown’s first rushing touchdown of the season and gave UCF an early 7-0 lead.

But it wasn’t long before Iowa State tied the game, thanks to a 57-yard run by Cyclones running back Chasen Hansen.

The sophomore wasn’t done, scoring on a 5-yard touchdown run on ISU’s next possession.

Not to be outdone, RJ Harvey found a hole on the first play of UCF’s fifth possession and sprinted untouched 80 yards for a touchdown that tied the game at 14.

The Knights took their first lead since 36 seconds left against TCU on Sept. 14 when cornerback BJ Adams stepped in front of a pass intended for receiver Tyler Moore and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown.

It was the first pick-6 by a UCF player since Richie Grant against Marshall in the Gasparilla Bowl on Dec. 23, 2019.

UCF led 21-14 at the half, its first halftime lead since a 24-7 lead over Sam Houston on Sept. 7.

Brown continued his hot play in the second half, turning a quarterback draw into a 67-yard touchdown run that pushed the lead to 28-14.

Iowa State bounced back with back-to-back touchdown drives to cut it to 28-27, but Chasen Johnson blocked Kyle Konrardy’s extra point attempt. Quarterback Rocco Becht was responsible for both scores, with a 1-yard quarterback sneak and a 12-yard pass to Jayden Higgins.

UCF tacked on another Harvey touchdown in the fourth, but it came on an odd play.

Safety Braeden Marshall intercepted Becht and returned it 70 yards, but before the sophomore crossed the goalline, he dropped the football. Luckily for UCF, it wasn’t recovered by the Cyclones and the Knights were able to recover it and convert it into a score.

Matt Murschel can be reached at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com

FORT LAUDERDALE — Blanche Ely junior quarterback Omari McNeal accounted for four touchdowns to lead the visiting Tigers to a 31-7 victory against Dillard in the annual Soul Bowl game on Saturday night.

Blanche Ely won their fourth consecutive meeting between the two teams and lead the all-time series 29-26-1.

“It’s big for the community,” Blanche Ely coach Terence McFadden said. “Everybody knows how big this game is. The records go out the window. At the end of the day, got to enjoy it and get back to work.”

The Blanche Ely football team celebrates its win over rival Dillard on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. (Alex Kushel/Correspondent)

McNeal rushed for three touchdowns and passed for another score in the victory.

“He is learning a lot and he is figuring it out,” McFadden said. “He is learning how to read the defenses. He is learning how to get us into the right play. That is all we can ask for from this kid.”

Blanche Ely (6-2) opened the scoring on the third play of the game. On third-and-1, McNeal rushed for a 60-yard touchdown to make it 6-0 with 10:19 left in the first.

“This is a big one for us because it’s a rivalry and we wanted this bad all week in practice,” McNeal said.

Dillard (4-2) responded on their second play on offense. Junior quarterback Javarius Robinson connected with sophomore wide receiver Anthony Jennings for a 77-yard score to give the Panthers a 7-6 advantage with 9:20 left in the first.

The Tigers quickly answered back on their next series. McNeal fired a deep pass over the middle to junior wide receiver Gary Hadley Jr. for a 69-yard touchdown to make it 12-7 with 8:16 left in the first.

Blanche Ely quarterback Omari Mcneal handing the ball off to running back Antwoyn Anderson against the Dillard defense at Dillard High School on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024 (Keira Arimenta/Contributor).

Dillard junior Demitris Mincey Jr. recorded an interception at the Panthers 30-yard line late in the first quarter.

The Tigers pulled away in the second quarter as McNeal rushed for a 13-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 18-7 with 9:55 left in the first half.

With 53 seconds before halftime, Robinson sustained an injury on a rushing attempt and the junior quarterback was carted off the field.

Junior Andrew Stickney stepped in at quarterback for the Panthers in the second half.  Dillard marched downfield on their opening drive of the third quarter. On third-and-goal at the 1-yard line, though, the Panthers fumbled and senior Keith Thompson recovered the ball in the end zone for the Tigers.

Dillard junior Amari Brutus then reciprocated by recovering a fumble at the Tigers 20 on the ensuing possession.

The Panthers failed to capitalize on their next series after a turnover on downs.

Brutus recorded his second fumble recovery of the game at midfield for the Panthers late in the third quarter.

On the ensuing possession, Dillard attempted a fake punt and were stopped as the Tigers took over at their 48.

Sophomore running back Quinton Miller had a 44-yard run to the Panthers 1-yard line. McNeal had a quarterback sneak for a 1-yard score to extend the lead to 24-7 with 21 seconds left in the third.

The Tigers sealed the victory in the fourth quarter. On fourth-and-2, senior running back Shawn Paschall bounced out to the left and turned upfield for a 10-yard touchdown run to push the lead to 31-7 with 7:08 remaining.

Dillard had won four consecutive games after a season-opening loss.

“The tradition is what it is,” Dillard coach Demitris Mincey said. “We didn’t live up to it today. We didn’t execute.”

Dillard free safety Amari Brutus running the ball after a turnover over the Blanche Ely offense at Dillard High School on Oct. 19, 2024 (Keira Arimenta/Contributor).

By COLBY GUY

SUNRISE — Gustav Forsling got the winning goal with 16.2 seconds remaining in overtime, and the Florida Panthers defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 on Saturday night.

Sam Reinhart scored a goal and added two assists for the Panthers, who won a matchup of the last two Stanley Cup champions. Sam Bennett and Eetu Luostarinen also scored for Florida, which got 23 saves from Sergei Bobrovsky.

Tanner Pearson had a goal and an assist for Vegas, which got goals from Brett Howden and Keegan Kolesar. Nicolas Roy had two assists for Vegas, which wasted three separate one-goal leads.

Ilya Samsonov stopped 45 shots for Vegas.

Takeaways

Golden Knights: The Golden Knights were outshot 49-26 on the night and 21-6 from the start of the third period.

Panthers: Florida extended its point streak to four games (3-0-1), all the while missing star forwards Aleksander Barkov (lower-body injury) and Matthew Tkachuk (illness). They had to play down one skater on Saturday due to an injury to Jonah Gadjovich and salary cap constraints.

Key moment

Luostarinen tied the game up at 3-3 with 7:17 to go, potting home a feed from Reinhart after he collected the rebound of an Aaron Ekblad slap shot. Ekblad had two assists.

Key stat

Reinhart has four goals and nine points during his five-game point streak.

Up next

The Golden Knights host the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday while the Panthers wrap up a three-game homestand against the Minnesota Wild.

 

By TIM REYNOLDS

FORT LAUDERDALE — Lionel Messi is heading to the Club World Cup next year.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced Saturday night that Inter Miami will play in the tournament, something that had been long expected given Messi’s enormous popularity around the world and how the tournament already planned on some matches in South Florida.

The event, which is set to be played every four years, includes 32 teams from FIFA’s six soccer confederations. Inter Miami will play in the tournament opener, scheduled for June 15, 2025 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.

“I am proud to announce that as one of the best clubs in the world, you are deserved participants in the new FIFA Club World Cup 2025 as the host club representing the United States,” Infantino said in an on-field ceremony after Inter Miami broke Major League Soccer’s mark for most points in a regular season.

The tournament runs through July 13, with the final scheduled for New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium — also the site of the 2026 World Cup final. So far, the Club World Cup has drawn no major U.S. sponsors and there is not a media rights deal in place.

Other U.S. sites that will play host to the Club World Cup are Atlanta, Cincinnati, Nashville, Charlotte, Orlando, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Washington and Seattle.

Twelve teams from Europe will be included in the Club World Cup. They are Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munich, Benfica, Borussia Dortmund, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Juventus, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain, Porto, Real Madrid and Salzburg.

Other teams that have qualified include Boca Juniors, Flamengo, Fluminense, Palmeiras and River Plate from South America; Leon, Monterrey, Pachuca and the Seattle Sounders from North America; Al Ahly, Esperance, Mamelodi Sundowns and Wydad from Africa; Al-Hilal, Al Ain, Ulsan and Urawa from Asia; and Auckland City from Oceania.

Inter Miami becomes the 31st team in the field. The last will be determined on Nov. 30 at the CONMEBOL Libertadores final in Buenos Aires. The tournament draw is in December.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Owen McCown threw for 340 yards and a couple of touchdowns and UTSA scored 14 points in the fourth quarter to defeat Florida Atlantic 38-24 on Saturday.

It was a fumble by McCown that Wendol Philord returned 49 yards for a touchdown that tied the score at 24 late in the third quarter.

In the fourth, the Roadrunners capitalized on some good field position that led to two field goals by Tate Sandell. The first kick, a 41-yarder, came at the end of an eight-play, 38-yard drive. Sandell’s 27-yard field goal came at the end of a 14-yard drive.

UTSA put the finishing touches on the win when Brandon High Jr. scored on a 29-yard run with 2:32 remaining. A two-point conversion completed the scoring.

McCown was 26 of 45 but in addition to his fumble, he was intercepted twice.

The Roadrunners (3-4, 1-2 American Athletic Conference) had 485 yards on offense.

The UTSA defense allowed just 203 yards and recorded seven sacks.

Cam Fancher was 9-for-19 passing for 96 yards and led the Owls (2-5, 0-3) with 56 yards rushing and two scores.

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By TIM REYNOLDS

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi checked into the match early in the second half, the score tied and Inter Miami’s chances at breaking a pair of Major League Soccer regular-season records very much uncertain.

In that instant, it all changed.

Messi had three goals — his first MLS hat trick — and an assist in the span of about 30 minutes, Luis Suarez scored twice and Inter Miami rolled past New England 6-2 on Saturday night to set MLS records for most points and best winning percentage. Inter Miami finished with 74 points, one more than New England had in its record-setting season in 2021.

Best player ever. Best MLS record ever. A perfect match.

“This night is yours,” Inter Miami primary owner Jorge Mas said after the match, as the team celebrated the Supporters’ Shield — which it won earlier this month on the road at Columbus — in a ceremony for the home fans. “The best fans on the face of the Earth.”

The party was going to happen either way. Messi just made it even more special.

At 22-4-8 in league play, Inter Miami finished the season with a .765 winning percentage for another MLS record. Four teams — D.C. United (24-8) and the LA Galaxy (24-8) in 1998, LAFC (21-4-9) in 2019 and New England (22-5-7) in 2021 — had finished an MLS season with a .750 winning percentage, which was the best until Saturday night.

Now, the top spot is Inter Miami’s by any measure, both in terms of points and best won-lost-tied mark. Inter Miami also became the eighth team in MLS history to get through a regular season with only four losses, tying another record.

“Our players are what has made this season successful,” Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham said. “Our captain has led us. Our players have led us in times where it was difficult. But now, tonight we celebrate. Tomorrow, we prepare for Friday, the playoffs.”

Suarez and Messi finished with 20 goals apiece, the first MLS teammates to reach that milestone in the same season. It was Messi’s first hat trick for Inter Miami, the team the Argentine superstar joined midway through the 2023 season in a huge victory for MLS.

If all that wasn’t enough, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said after the match that Inter Miami — as has been generally expected — would be in the Club World Cup next summer as the host country representative. The tournament starts June 15, 2025 in Miami Gardens, and Inter Miami will play the first match.

Messi finished the regular season with 20 goals and 16 assists in 19 matches. Suarez got to 20 goals in his first MLS season, his two goals Saturday — coming about three minutes apart — helping Inter Miami erase an early 2-0 deficit.

Luca Langoni and Dylan Borrero had the goals for New England. The rest of the match was all Miami.

Suarez’s brace pulled the hosts into a tie by halftime and Benja Cremaschi scored the go-ahead goal in the 58th minute. Messi had an assist on Cremaschi’s goal, one that came just seconds after the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner subbed into the match.

There had been some question about whether Messi would play at all, especially since Inter Miami had already wrapped up the Supporters’ Shield and No. 1 seed in the MLS Cup playoffs. All that was at stake for Inter Miami on Saturday was the record.

And there was a scare in the 74th minute when Messi was fouled, yelled in pain and grabbed at his right ankle as he was on the ground. He’s missed 15 of Inter Miami’s MLS matches in 2024, either because of commitments to Argentina’s national team or the two-month absence that he needed to recover from a badly injured ankle — an injury that happened during his nation’s run to the Copa America title in July.

It was just a scare.

Messi scored about two minutes apart in the second half, turning a 3-2 lead into a 5-2 rout and it was only a matter of time before the record would belong to Inter Miami. And the capper came in the 89th minute, Suarez flipping the ball to Messi for an easy score to complete the hat trick.

Next up for Inter Miami: Game 1 of a best-of-three first-round series, at home Friday night against either CF Montreal or Atlanta United, who will play in a wild-card match on Tuesday night. It will be the first home playoff match in Inter Miami history.

“Onto the playoffs,” Beckham said, “and we’ll be ready.”

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

By BOB SUTTON

DURHAM, N.C. — An historic result didn’t seem all that unusual for Duke on Friday night.

Chandler Rivers scored on an interception return, Todd Pelino kicked three field goals and the Blue Devils beat Florida State for the first time in 23 all-time meetings, winning 23-16 on Friday night.

“I really feel like they expected to win the game,” Duke coach Manny Diaz said of his players.

Star Thomas ran for 88 yards and a touchdown and the Blue Devils (6-1, 2-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) bounced back from their first loss of the season nearly two weeks earlier.

Florida State (1-6, 1-5) had its misery extended despite outgaining Duke by 111 yards.

“The game went about the way we expected,” Diaz said. “The game was won by our defense. … The most important stat is the win.”

With a chance to pull even, the Seminoles drove to the Duke 37-yard line before a first-down fumble at the 5:18 mark. Florida State’s final possession ended on a fourth-down play that lost yards.

“We know we didn’t play our best,” Thomas said of the offense. “We just let those guys (on defense) put the finishing touch on things.”

Blue Devils quarterback Maalik Murphy threw for 70 yards as part of the team’s 180 yards of total offense.

Florida State quarterback Brock Glenn committed turnovers on three consecutive first-half snaps, with two interceptions sandwiched around a fumble. He finished 9-for-19 passing for 110 yards. Backup Luke Kromenhoek was 3 for 7 for 19 yards.

“It’s unfortunate that we left plays out there and some of the mistakes that were made,” Florida State coach Mike Norvell said. “I truly believe that this team was ready to go out and play at a very high level.”

Florida State’s Samuel Singleton Jr. returned the second-half kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown.

But earlier, those Seminoles giveaways were crucial for Duke’s defense.

“That’s crazy,” Rivers said about the string of turnovers. “That brought a lot of momentum.”

Duke, with 51 yards of total offense at the time, led 17-3 after Pelino’s 27-yard field goal with 10 minutes left in the first half.

Rivers picked off Glenn and raced 36 yards untouched for Duke’s first touchdown. Glenn fumbled on the next Florida State snap, meaning the Blue Devils had only 36 yards to go for their second touchdown, with Thomas’ 2-yard run on fourth-and-1 providing the points.

Ozzie Nicholas’ interception and return to the Florida State 11 turned into only three points. Nicholas forced Glenn’s fumble on the previous possession.

Duke’s first four possessions ended with punts.

REPEAT THIEF

Rivers had a pick-6 against the Seminoles for the second year in a row. This one felt better because it didn’t come off a deflection, it was all his work.

“Just catch the ball, go run and score,” he said.

THE TAKEAWAY

Florida State: The Seminoles tried two quarterbacks, but the offense sputtered most of the game and didn’t crank out a touchdown. The defense turned in a strong showing, but the reigning ACC champions will have to win the rest of their games to gain bowl eligibility.

Duke: The Blue Devils barely functioned offensively, but defense has been their foundation this season and that was needed this time. Six sacks came in handy.

UP NEXT

Florida State: Oct. 26 at No. 6 Miami

Duke: Home Oct. 26 vs. No. 21 SMU

___

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Today is Saturday, Oct. 19, the 293rd day of 2024. There are 73 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Oct. 19, 2005, Saddam Hussein was put on trial by the Iraqi Interim Government, accused of crimes against humanity.

Also on this date:

In 1781, British troops under Gen. Lord Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown, Virginia, as the American Revolution neared its end.

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In 1914, the First Battle of Ypres began in World War I.

In 1960, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested during a sit-down protest at a lunch counter in Atlanta.

In 1977, the supersonic Concorde made its first landing in New York City, flying from Toulouse, France, in three hours and 44 minutes.

In 1987, the stock market crashed as the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 508 points, or 22.6% in value (its largest daily percentage loss ever), to close at 1,738.74 on what came to be known as “Black Monday.”

In 2003, Pope John Paul II beatified Mother Teresa during a ceremony in St. Peter’s Square.

In 2016, in the third and final 2016 presidential debate, Republican Donald Trump refused to say he would accept the results of the election if he were to lose.

Today’s Birthdays:

• Artist Peter Max is 87.
• Actor John Lithgow (LIHTH’-goh) is 79.
• Fox News host Steve Doocy is 68.
• Singer Jennifer Holliday is 64.
• Boxing Hall of Famer Evander Holyfield is 62.
• “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” host Ty Pennington is 60.
• Filmmaker Jon Favreau is 58.
• Former first daughter Amy Carter is 57.
• “South Park” co-creator Trey Parker is 55.
• Comedian Chris Kattan is 54.
• Musician Pras Michel (Fugees) is 52.
• Filmmaker Jason Reitman is 47.
• Actor Gillian Jacobs is 42.
• Actor Rebecca Ferguson is 41.

Stargazing in the Chilean desert? Thrill seeking in the French Alps? Beach bathing on a Chinese island, anyone?

Booking.com recently parsed its 1,000 most-booked destinations of the last year to come up with a list of trending vacation spots for 2025 — and added some travel trend predictions too.

“The trends we see emerging for 2025 toss conventional travel aside,” Ben Harrell, Booking’s US managing director, told the media, “and make room for more non-traditional experiences that accept and embrace uncertainty.”

Some 27% of the Booking survey respondents now view airports as destinations of their own, not just travel hubs. (There’s a glass-half-full approach to the airline delays and cancellations that have plagued post-pandemic travel.)

Also trending are what Booking calls “boomer SKI trips” (45%) — that’s an acronym for  “Spend the Kids’ Inheritance” on epic travel. (They might simply have called it “YOLO too!” — it’s less rage-baity, for one thing, plus the very next sentence in the report says that 77% to 81% of those boomers are bringing their kids and grandkids along for the ride.)

Travelers will be looking for ways to beat the heat (54%) in 2025, either via location — hello, northern Norway — or nocturnal recreation, including stargazing, aurora chasing and nightlife. And 67% plan to head for less crowded destinations in popular parts of the world.

Hence the list of trending destinations for 2025, which includes, for example, Sanya (No. 1) on China’s tropical Hainan Island and Tignes (No. 6) in the French Alps. Ticking multiple boxes — it’s less crowded, and it’s cool from both a climate and celestial perspective — is Tromsø (No. 4) in northern Norway, where historic wooden buildings line the waterfront, a sauna floats in the harbor and the Northern Lights woo Aurora Borealis seekers.

The resort city of Sanya sits on China’s tropical Hainan island. (Getty Images)

Here’s the top 10. Find more details at Booking.com.

Top 10 trending destinations for 2025

1 Sanya, China

2 Trieste, Italy

3 João Pessoa, Brazil

4 Tromsø, Norway

5 Willemstad,Curaçao

6 Tignes, France

7 San Pedro de Atacama, Chile

8 Naha, Okinawa, Japan

9 Villajoyosa, Spain

10 Houston, Texas

WEST PALM BEACH — Cardinal Newman senior running back Jaylin Brown rushed for 148 yards and two touchdowns as the host Crusaders remained unbeaten with a 43-10 victory against Melbourne Central Catholic on Friday night.

Cardinal Newman (7-0) celebrated Homecoming and Senior Night with a strong performance.

“It’s an Incredible group of seniors,” Cardinal Newman coach Jack Daniels said. “We have a lot of starters that have been in the varsity program for four years, which is huge for leadership. It’s a very talented group as well. I am very proud of these guys.”

Brown, a Louisville commit, had a 10-yard touchdown run and 22-yard score. He also added three catches for 38 yards.

“Being a Crusader means a lot to me,” Brown said. “The coaches welcomed me with open arms from the start and it’s been a blessing. I feel pretty good about our team. We definitely left a lot of points on the board tonight and we need to fix the little things. There is a lot of room for improvement.”

Senior Xanai Scott, an Illinois commit, rushed for a touchdown and added a punt return for a score.

“It’s my last home game in the regular season so I tried to leave it all out on the field,” Scott said.

Senior Max Redmon, a Florida State commit, had a touchdown catch and recorded an interception on defense.

“Playing at this school for all four years really means a lot,” Redmon said. “It was my last regular season home game so I am cherishing this moment with my family and I played my usual game and balled out. We still have work to do. We can be a lot better.”

Cardinal Newman marched downfield on their opening possession with a nine-play, 80-yard scoring drive. Scott rushed up the middle for a 4-yard touchdown run with 7:29 left in the first.

The Crusaders pulled away in the second quarter as Brown rushed for a 10-yard touchdown to push the lead to 14-0 with 9:02 left in the first half.

Scott raced down the left sideline for a punt return for a score to extend the lead to 21-0 with 6:32 left in the second.

Melbourne Central Catholic junior kicker Will Stewart converted a 38-yard field goal with 43 seconds left prior to halftime.

Sophomore running back Janarro Sumpter rushed for an 8-yard touchdown and senior Brennan King had a two-point conversion run to make it 29-3 in the third quarter.

Melbourne Central Catholic (5-2) junior quarterback Brogan McNab rushed for a 2-yard touchdown to make it 29-10 with 6:19 left in the third.

Redmon stepped up with an interception on a diving attempt at the Hustlers (5-2) 8-yard line. On fourth-and-goal, junior quarterback Jyron Hughley fired a 3-yard scoring pass to Redmon with 10:15 left in the fourth.

Brown powered his way for a 22-yard touchdown run with 3:21 left in the fourth.

Despite the victory, Cardinal Newman lost a fumble at the goal line, had a 27-yard field goal attempt blocked, and mishandled a snap while lined up to punt.

“We had played one half in the last three weeks so it’s the first game in a while, but not an excuse,” Daniels said. “We fumbled in the red zone, didn’t get points right before the half and it seemed like our defense could not get off the field on third down. We have a lot of mistakes to clean up.”

General Daily Insight for October 19, 2024

We can let shocking events roll off our backs. The ego-driven Sun struggles to mesh with surprising Uranus, which may make it somewhat embarrassing to roll with the unexpected. When the sensitive Moon conjoins Uranus at 10:11 am EDT, we’re more open to change and equipped to laugh off whatever we can’t control. When the Moon later enters Gemini, we’ll be able to come up with fresh ways to handle in the future what we didn’t see coming today. Let’s not take ourselves too seriously.

Aries

March 21 – April 19

Drastic changes could impact your internal balance. You may have been subject to a sudden change in your finances, your partnerships, or your belongings, causing you to feel less secure. Someone could have even tried to shake your faith in yourself, further magnifying any emotional insecurities — today, make an effort to embrace what makes you different rather than allowing unqualified critics to make you feel bad about yourself. Remind yourself that you can weather any changes. Just ride the wave!

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

A change of mind that you weren’t expecting is on the horizon. You might have been dead set on a decision, but as it comes time to make it, you’re feeling called in the opposite direction. This is unlike your sign — Taurus isn’t known for its pliability. That said, when intuition calls you, do your best to, at minimum, hear it out. Make your decision based on your gut feeling, not on anxiety. The difference will be the choice that calms you.

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

You might be making adjustments without letting anyone in on your process. Maybe you’ve always told others you wanted to do something, to the point that it’s now what they expect of you. In contrast, what seemed so sure is potentially starting to feel unlike you. Rather than immediately telling everyone you know that you’re making this change, contemplate beginning some of it in secret and seeing how it feels. There’s nothing wrong with trying things out before you debut them to the world!

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

Your dreams are shifting. This doesn’t automatically mean that you’re abandoning dreams that you’ve been chasing for a while. It just means that the landscape of your life has transformed, and so, in turn, you’re adjusting your aims a bit. There will probably be some imagination needed on your part, where you must inject your style into your dreams until they look less vague and feel a little more tangible. Bring your ideas into reality, even if they look different in practice!

Leo

July 23 – August 22

Your peers are seeing you in a different light. Maybe you’re the epitome of a capable, entertaining Lion, or maybe you’re a quieter member of the Leo pride. Either way, your more complex thoughts and emotions are waiting for your real friends to be expressed. Your first impression on others might center on what you can do for the group, but those that you deem trustworthy should be able to handle the deeper side of you. Even the ruler of the jungle can be vulnerable.

Virgo

August 23 – September 22

Changes are coming for you in how you see the world. You might have believed that everyone thought in a certain way, or you may have been unaware of a culture’s belief system. Either way, updated knowledge may inspire you to expand your mind. Be kind to yourself as your subconscious adjusts to the new information, because too much, too soon could cause you to run back to your comfort zone and shut out any unfamiliar ways of life. Keep an open heart.

Libra

September 23 – October 22

You’re letting go of feelings that once had a hold on you. You may have obsessed over a difficult conversation or a missed connection, feeling like if you could just go back, you could do it over again and do it right. Even if it’s difficult to accept, do your best to let the past be the past. No one can actually go back and do things over again. Instead, build a brighter future by making the decisions that you didn’t make back then.

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

What you seek in a friendship connection might be shifting. You may have always sought out a certain kind of person, possibly someone who aligns with you and is already on the same page. That said, it might be a good idea to step outside of your comfort zone and connect with someone from a different walk of life — otherwise, you wouldn’t have access to that perspective. Avoid turning your circle into an echo chamber by taking a walk in someone else’s shoes.

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

You’re changing how you remain consistent — as paradoxical as that sounds. If you’ve been using the same strategy over and over, instead of seeing it work for you, you’ve likely noticed that you’re running into similar problems every time. This will require some innovation from you! You might even want to reach out to some experts to see what they would recommend in your situation. It’s okay to ask for help when you need a fresh pair of eyes on your problem.

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

Having fun on a normal day shouldn’t be a crime! While it might have been difficult to make time for fun in the recent past, you’re now in a place where you can find ways to bring fun into your everyday life rather than having to set aside a full day for fun and waiting until then. Take breaks to play silly games with friends, make to-do lists into good-natured competitions — anything to enjoy the journey. Sometimes work can be joyful!

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

Grudges might be hard to release. You could feel called to forgive someone or simply want to stop thinking about them, but they keep cropping up in your mind due to the hurt that they caused you. Clutching such grievances will hurt you more than it hurts your enemies. Instead of constantly carrying the thorny weight of old injuries, start looking for ways to begin healing that wound. A scab won’t heal if you keep picking at it, and neither will your soul.

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

How you express yourself could be changing. Eureka moments may embolden you to say something that’s very different from what others expect from you. You might be able to solve your problems as well as the problems of others, so don’t be afraid to speak up. Some people might not appreciate your refreshed approach, so be aware of this and stay mindful of who your audience is. All you can do is present your idea — the right person has to hear it!

The next time the Miami Heat play it will be for real. Friday night against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum was something far less.

With the majority of their rotation players allowed to skip the trip at the end of a busy week of exhibitions, the Heat rallied to win 114-109 to close out their preseason at 4-1.

There now are four days off before the Heat open the franchise’s 37th season when they take on the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night at Kaseya Center.

“So far,” coach Erik Spoelstra said, “things have been progressing in the right direction.”

Utilizing mostly a mix of draft picks and young players, the Heat did not travel Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, Terry Rozier, Duncan Robinson, Kevin Love, Alec Burks and Josh Richardson. Of those eight, only Richardson was sidelined by injury, still recovering from last season’s shoulder surgery.

The Heat were led by the 17 points of Josh Christopher and the 16 of Ke’lel Ware.

The exhibition was the fourth in six days for the Heat, a preseason schedule compacted when a game a week ago against the Atlanta Hawks was postponed until Wednesday night due to Hurricane Milton.

The Heat led 28-24 after the first quarter, then trailed 62-60 at halftime and 91-85 going into the fourth quarter.

Five Degrees of Heat from Friday night’s exhibition against the Grizzlies:

1. At the outset: The Heat opened with a lineup of Dru Smith, Pella Larsson, Haywood Highsmith, Nikola Jovic and Thomas Bryant.

The Heat also traveled Jaime Jaquez Jr., but the team announced shortly before tipoff that he would not be playing, while also noting there was no injury.

Highsmith, coming off a 16-point performance off the bench in Wednesday night’s exhibition victory over the Atlanta Hawks, then opened up by converting three early 3-pointers, further solidifying a 3-and-D role essential with the Heat’s offseason free-agency loss of Caleb Martin to the Philadelphia 76ers.

“I don’t want to put any kind of ceiling on guys,” Spoelstra said.

Highsmith and Jovic were among those given the second half off.

While the Heat traveled light, the Grizzlies had Ja Morant, Desmond Bane and Marcus Smart in their lineup, among other rotation players. Morant had missed the previous three exhibitions to rest a sore ankle.

2. Five out; five in: As he has done routinely throughout the preseason, Spoelstra again went with a five-man substitution pattern, this time late in the first period inserting a platoon of Ware, Keshad Johnson, Christopher, Nassir Little and Isaiah Stevens.

At that point, it left Zion Pullin and Warren Washington as the lone available Heat players yet to see action, with those two entering in the third period.

“I think everybody’s deserved that,” Spoelstra said of the opportunity to play the balance of his roster. “They’re competitors.”

Little, a roster longshot after being waived over the summer by the Phoenix Suns, late in the first quarter scored his first basket of the preseason, the first of three consecutive 3-point conversions by the veteran guard.

3. Cutdown day: The Heat ostensibly face a 5 p.m. Saturday deadline to trim to their opening-night roster. While the deadline formally is 5 p.m. Monday, players must be released 48 hours in advance to clear the two-day waiver period, with a team otherwise charged a per-day salary.

The Heat’s machinations largely have been set, with 14 players under standard, guaranteed contract. The Heat will open with that total, one under the NBA limit, due to their position hard against the punitive second apron of the luxury tax.

Those 14 players are  Butler, Adebayo, Herro, Rozier, Robinson, Love, Burks, Richardson. Jovic, Jaquez, Highsmith, Bryant, Ware and Larson.

Expect to remain on two-way contracts are Christopher, Johnson and Smith, the league-maximum three for those spots.

“It fits our player-development philosophy,” Spoelstra said of moving players to the team’s G League program, “that we get to spend more time with our players and develop them. Sioux Falls is a branch of exactly what we do.

“It also helps the players, where it’s not so transactional.”

4. Smaller matter: Ahead of the NBA’s cutdown deadline, the Heat’s G League affiliate conducted some business Friday, trading the G League rights of guard Jamaree Bouyea to the San Antonio Spurs’ affiliate.

Bouyea, who previously spent time with the Heat, had been with the Spurs last season.

In return, the Heat’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, received the G League rights to Jamorko Pickett and Sir’Jabari Rice, along with a first-round pick in next week’s G League Draft.

5. Name change: Friday’s game was the Heat’s last on Bally Sports Sun, but in name only.

Starting Monday, the same network, which will continue to broadcast the Heat’s games, will become known as FanDuel Sports Network Sun.

Because of Florida’s agreement with Hard Rock, FanDuel’s Sportsbook is not legal in Florida.

Friday

Cardinal Newman 43, Melbourne Central Catholic 10

American Heritage 35, Archbishop McCarthy 0

Cardinal Gibbons 49, Boca Raton 14

Chaminade-Madonna 56, Avant Garde 0

Palm Beach Central 30, Benjamin 24

Santaluces 63, Forest Hill 0

Jupiter 20, Martin County 10

Space Coast 25, Oxbridge Academy 0

Wellington 51, Olympic Heights 0

Stranahan 28, Boyd Anderson 7

Dwyer 21, Seminole Ridge 11

True North 27, King’s Academy 20

St. Thomas Aquinas 44, Monarch 6

Piper 14, Plantation 7

Royal Palm Beach 29, Palm Beach Gardens 27

Lakeland Christian 40, American Heritage-Delray 26

Glades Central 21, Sebring 17

Pahokee 30, Zephyrhills Christian Academy 6

Palm Beach Christian Prep 28, TRU Prep 10

West Boca Raton 34, Bishop Verot 14

University School 52, ABF Academy 6

Westminster Academy 19, Evangelical Christian 7

Somerset Academy Key 34, Miami Country Day 28

Thursday

Hollywood Hills 27, Pompano Beach 3

Fort Lauderdale 25, McArthur 24

Pembroke Pines Charter 22, Everglades 21

Somerset Academy 34, Somerset Prep 21

Suncoast 20, Northeast 6

Coral Glades 35, Taravella 0

By ERIC TUCKER and ALANNA DURKIN RICHER

WASHINGTON (AP) — The judge overseeing Donald Trump’s 2020 election interference case made public Friday a heavily redacted trove of documents that provide a small glimpse into the evidence prosecutors will present if the case ever goes to trial.

The nearly 1,900 pages of documents collected by special counsel Jack Smith’s team were initially filed under seal to help U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan decide what allegations can proceed to trial following the Supreme Court opinion in July that conferred broad immunity on former presidents for official acts they take in office.

The information that could be seen in the redacted version released Friday appeared to be material that for the most part had already been made public, including screenshots of Trump’s social media posts about the 2020 election and a transcript of the video statement he made on Jan. 6, 2021, in which he told the rioters attacking the Capitol to go home, but added: “we love you” and “you’re very special.”

The overwhelming majority of the pages released Friday were whited out. The redacted files are believed to include things like transcripts of grand jury testimony, which remain under wraps because of grand jury secrecy rules.

Other information visible to the public includes passages from former Vice President Mike Pence’s book, excerpts of testimony provided by several witnesses to the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6 riot and a transcript of Trump’s phone call pressuring Georgia election officials to “find” enough votes to reverse his election loss in the state to Democrat Joe Biden.

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Other documents include fundraising emails from Trump’s 2020 campaign and Pence’s letter telling Congress on Jan. 6 that he could not claim “unilateral authority to determine which electoral votes should be counted and which should not.”

The filing was submitted as a series of appendices to a 165-page brief unsealed this month in which prosecutors disclosed new evidence against Trump to support their argument that the former president is not entitled to immunity from prosecution.

Trump’s lawyers objected to the unsealing of the filing so close to next month’s presidential election, but Chutkan on Thursday rejected their bid to postpone the material from becoming public until after the election. She said it would be inappropriate to take the political calendar into account.

TALLAHASSEE — Damages to farmers and ranchers from Hurricane Milton may double the statewide agricultural destruction from three other storms that pummeled Florida since August 2023, according to state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Wilton Simpson.

Simpson estimated Milton caused between $1.5 billion and $2.5 billion, on top of more than $1.5 billion in damages already sustained from hurricanes Idalia, Debby and Helene.

Simpson included the assessment in a letter Thursday asking U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to make assistance available to Florida farmers through the Farm Service Agency and other federal programs.

“With four major hurricanes in just over a year, our agriculture communities have been hit repeatedly, causing unprecedented financial strain,” Simpson said in a release. “We need the USDA’s immediate support to help these family farms recover from yet another historic storm. The time to act is now.”

Milton made landfall in Sarasota County and barreled across the central portion of the state. The other three storms came ashore in Taylor County, causing destruction in rural parts of the Big Bend region and damage along the Gulf Coast.

‘It was a morgue here last night.’ Neighbors sift through rubble after tornadoes destroy their homes

Preliminary estimates from Simpson’s agency found Milton impacted 51 counties as it swept ashore Oct. 9 near Siesta Key in Sarasota County with 120 mph sustained winds.

“This major hurricane follows several years of above average rainfall, severe storms and winds, other tropical cyclones, hard freezes, and the significant economic disruption to all sectors of the economy caused by supply chain issues and mounting inflationary pressures, which may hinder access to necessary resources these farmers need,” Simpson wrote in Thursday’s letter to Vilsack.

The state agency’s report found major structural impacts to nurseries and cattle ranches, while power outages caused disruptions to cow-milking operations. Cotton, peanut and rice crops suffered “minor to catastrophic” damages. Vegetables, melons, blueberries, strawberries, and tropical fruits experienced “significant damages,” according to the report.

Everoak Farm volunteer Patrick Lang, front, and Andrew Smith harvest sugar cane that could be salvaged after heavy winds and water from Hurricane Milton wrecked and flooded crops on the Orlando farm. (Rich Pope/Orlando Sentinel)

The citrus industry, already in the midst of a historically low production season before Milton’s arrival, is facing fruit drop and concerns of flooded fields from Milton that will result in tree mortality, the preliminary report said.

Alico Inc., a major citrus grower, reported Thursday it sustained “minimal” tree damage during Hurricane Milton but that fruit dropped from trees.

“Our approximately 48,000 acres of citrus groves, which are located in Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands and Polk Counties, sustained hurricane or tropical storm force winds for varying durations of time,” the Fort Myers-based company said in a news release.

Preliminary findings by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, known as UF/IFAS, estimate that Debby, which hit Florida Aug. 5 with 80 mph sustained winds, caused $93.7 million to $263.2 million in agricultural losses.

Debby affected more than 2.2 million acres of agricultural land in the state, with two-thirds of the land used for livestock grazing.

‘It looks like a war zone’: Residents faced terrifying moments as tornadoes hit Palm Beach County

By comparison, Idalia, which made landfall in August 2023 with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph, affected 3.5 million acres and caused production losses of $276 million. Beef cattle, dairy cattle, poultry, and aquaculture accounted for $157.6 million in estimated losses from Idalia.

The university-based institute has not yet released preliminary findings for Helene, which made landfall Sept. 26 with 140 mph winds, and recently began collecting data from farmers and ranchers to assess damage from Milton.

Milton slugged many areas that were still recovering from Hurricane Ian, a Category 4 storm in September 2022. Ian caused crop production and infrastructure losses of $1.18 billion to $1.89 billion.

Members of The Farmer’s Friend rescue a pig on Oct. 11, 2024, from floodwaters in Lithia caused by Hurricane Milton. (Chris O’Meara/AP)

Looking to gin up turnout among Democratic voters, U.S. Senate candidate Debbie Mucarsel-Powell turned to a party megastar Friday to energize activists, generate media attention and help raise campaign funds.

U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff of California didn’t disappoint some 90 Democratic activists who crammed into a Delray Beach campaign office at midday.

He offered fulsome praise for Mucarsel-Powell, criticism of U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla. — and warned that democracy is threatened by the possible election of former President Donald Trump.

Schiff on Trump

Schiff focused mostly on the contest between Mucarsel-Powell, a former congresswoman, and Scott, the current senator and former governor.

But he has a unique perspective on Trump.

“I can’t remember a time when there was such a dramatic choice on the ballot,” Schiff said. “We are going to have to answer our kids and grandkids one day about what we did in this perilous moment when we are faced with such a choice,” he said.

“If you’re like me, you find it astonishing that it’s even close. How can this twice impeached, four times indicted, and 30 some-odd times convicted felon be competitive? I mean, this is a guy who was literally sitting in the Oval Office behind the (president’s) Resolute desk and signing hush-money payments to a porn star. She was apparently the only contractor who actually got paid,” Schiff said, alluding to Trump’s reputation of not paying the bills of people who worked for him.

The congressman became nationally known as someone who attempted to hold Trump accountable during his presidency. He was the lead impeachment manager in the first impeachment trial of Trump and was a member of the special committee that investigated and publicly detailed what happened on Jan. 6, 2021, when Trump supporters stormed the Capitol in an attempt to block the certification of Joe Biden’s election as president.

Republicans so dislike Schiff that when they took over control of the House after the 2022 midterm elections they removed him from the Intelligence Committee, even though he’d previously been the committee chair.

Schiff’s actions made him a frequent target, and he still is. On Sunday when Trump said on Fox that he’d consider using the National Guard or other parts of the military to go after his critics if he returns to office, he cited Schiff as someone he had in mind. “But the thing that’s tougher to handle are these lunatics that we have inside, like Adam Schiff, Adam ‘Shifty’ Schiff … who’s a total sleazebag, is going to become a senator. But I call him the enemy from within,” Trump said.

Threatening to go after critics demonstrates Trump’s unfitness for the presidency, Schiff said.

“It just shows you how little commitment he has to democracy or institutions, how he’s willing to abuse the powers of office should he ever gain office again. It’s why we need such powerful champions of democracy, like Debbie in the U.S. Senate. But I’m really excited about her campaign. I think she’s going to win this race,” Schiff said.

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Is he concerned, and should the public be concerned about Trump’s talk of using the military to go after his enemies?

“When any would-be dictator tells you what they want to do, you need to take them seriously,” he said, before again pivoting to talk about Mucarsel-Powell. “I’m here because we need strong voices in the U.S. Senate that will protect our democracy and our institutions, but also who will make sure that seniors have the kind of dignified retirement that they should, that my parents did, and I want that for everyone. Debbie is going to fight for that and we need her voice in the U.S. Senate.”

Senate contest

Mucarsel-Powell was “a phenomenal champion” during the two years she served in Congress, Schiff said. “I got to see Debbie’s intellect, her passion for public service, her effectiveness.”

As for Scott, the crowd didn’t need any priming to express its disapproval.

When U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, D-West Palm Beach, brought up Scott — as “the other guy” and not by name — some in the crowd started chanting “snake.”

That’s a reference to a Mucarsel-Powell ad that debuted this week in which a large reptile with Scott’s head slithers around spreading unpopular policies.

Mucarsel-Powell later referred to Scott as “the biggest snake in Florida.”

“The man could care less about the fact that so many people here are struggling,” she said, criticizing his 2022 midterm election policy blueprint as “the preamble for Project 2025, where he proposes eliminating Medicare and Social Security, wants to raise taxes on middle-class families, and wants to eliminate Obamacare.”

At one point, someone in the audience yelled out, “Like your snake ad.”

“Well,” Mucarsel-Powell replied, “someone has to tell the truth.”

U.S. Senate candidate Adam Schiff waves to protesters in Delray Beach during the Florida Freedom Bus Tour on Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel) Victory possible?

The Democrats said victory is possible if their voters turn out.

“We’re just two and a half weeks out. At this point, there is very little persuasion going on. At this point, it is all about getting your voters to the polls,” Schiff said. “There’s a lot of hope that’s being placed on the state of Florida.” Schiff has some knowledge of the area. His parents lived in South Florida for decades, at Broken Sound in Boca Raton. His father died earlier this year at age 96.

The latest analysis from the nonpartisan Inside Elections newsletter, issued Friday, is less promising for Democrats.

“Democrats felt they were making headway in the Sunshine State before back-to-back hurricanes scrambled the political environment,” Inside Elections said. “Scott’s access to personal resources mean that he can spend as much as he wants in the final few weeks, but for the moment his allies are confident in his position.”

It rated the contest as “likely Republican.”

Campaign visit

Schiff is all-but-guaranteed to win election to the Senate next month from California.

His election is enough of a sure thing that he’s been traveling the country helping other U.S. Senate candidates, something that could earn valuable political chits among his future colleagues.

Politico reported that he’s helping in “at least six out-of-state” U.S. Senate races, but he didn’t confirm that number on Friday.

“I don’t have the count. But I’m focusing on the House races within California as well as my own campaign. But where I have the bandwidth to help others I am, and I’m thrilled to be here helping Debbie in this tough race,” he said.

His visit to Florida was brief. He arrived Friday morning, did the event in Delray Beach, then headed to Miami. He was scheduled to leave Florida on Saturday morning.

Protesters stand outside as U.S. Senate candidate Debbie Mucarsel-Powell and U.S. Reps. Adam Schiff and Lois Frankel meet with a group of supporters in Delray Beach on Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel) Republican perspective

Scott campaign spokesperson Will Hampson in a statement decried a “radical agenda” he said is espoused by Mucarsel-Powell and “Shifty Schiff,” the name Trump uses for him. “It’s no surprise Schiff is taking a vacation to come hang out in Florida and push for socialism here like he’s brought to California. Unfortunately, he’s going to find that Floridians want nothing to do with California Socialism.”

About 20 people supporting Republican candidates were at the venue, a Delray Beach office building that houses the Palm Beach County Democratic Party, well before the start of the event.

“I’m here to protest against the Democrats,” said Rocco Talarico, who said is retired from law enforcement, lives in the Town of Palm Beach, and is the South Florida vice president of Born to Ride for 45, a pro-Trump motorcycle club. He said he was “tired of what’s happening in this country: open borders, high prices on everything.”

Some others were less focused on issues.

Two men wearing Trump Make America Great Again caps held a banner that directed a two-word obscene phrase at Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee. In place of the letter “u” in the first four-letter word on the banner, it instead had the image of a middle finger. In smaller type at the bottom, it directed the same sentiment toward anyone who votes for her.

After the event, their numbers had dwindled to about a dozen, and they were closer to the Mucarsel-Powel campaign bus. Several began shouting comments such as “baby killers” and “Debbie’s a communist” as she and Schiff appeared.

Schiff waved at the protesters before boarding the bus.

Anthony Man can be reached at aman@sunsentinel.com and can be found @browardpolitics on Bluesky, Threads, Facebook and Mastodon.

MIAMI GARDENS — The South Florida Sun Sentinel’s Miami Dolphins writers are picking out a pair of prop bets each week in the 2024 season.

Dolphins columnist Chris Perkins and Dolphins reporter David Furones, neither of whom condone gambling, will make predictions on player props they believe will occur for every Dolphins matchup.

Each writer will offer their “Best Bet,” a near 50-50 proposition they believe will occur, and a “Longshot,” which has to be given betting odds of at least +300, or 3-to-1 probability.

Odds are according to the Hard Rock Bet app. Also make sure to check out the Sun Sentinel’s game predictions for Sunday.

Here are their thoughts for Sunday’s game at Indianapolis:

Perk’s Best Bet: Dolphins +3 (-110)

Yeah, I’ll take this one. I’m picking the Dolphins to win so this is a no-brainer. And especially with Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (ankle) out and quarterback Anthony Richardson (three touchdowns, six interceptions) starting, things are promising for the Dolphins. No, the Dolphins aren’t having a good season. However, they’re coming off a victory in which they rushed for 193 yards against New England, and the Colts have the league’s second-worst run defense. By the way, the first team to 17 points wins this game. 

Furones’ Best Bet: Jonnu Smith over 17.5 receiving yards (-115)

Give me this all day! The Dolphins unlocked Smith in this offense last time out at New England, and quarterback Tyler “Snoop” Huntley proved he has quickly developed some chemistry with Miami’s best pass-catching tight end. 

If Huntley keeps finding him in Indianapolis, Smith might even hit the over on this low of a number on his long reception of the afternoon. Shoot, he might even score the first Dolphins touchdown from a tight end since the playoff loss to cap the 2022 season.

Furones is 3-2 in his best bets while Perk has temporarily slipped to a regrettable 2-3 after the Dolphins’ game at New England.

Perk’s Longshot: Jonnu Smith first touchdown (+2,500)

Let’s make some money. The Dolphins haven’t had a touchdown from a tight end last season or this season. One reason they got Smith was because of his red-zone possibilities. It’s time to put him to work in the red zone. To be clear, I’m not saying this touchdown comes on the Dolphins’ first possession or even in the first quarter. But I think the Dolphins’ first touchdown will be a red-zone touchdown, as opposed to a big-play touchdown. And I think Smith ends the Dolphins’ tight end touchdown drought.

Furones’ Longshot: Jalen Ramsey interception (+425)

Ramsey doesn’t have one yet, and I think it comes in this one against Richardson, who although is a phenomenal athlete, may be prone to turn the ball over early in his career.

Ramsey has been lining up in so many different spots, and while Richardson may be wise to avoid him, he may simply lose track of where he is on a given play and toss him an easy one. 

Ramsey has also been known to bait quarterbacks when they’re actively working away from him, and I could see it working against the second-year passer.

Both reporters are 0-5 on longshots.

 

Today is Friday, Oct. 18, the 292nd day of 2024. There are 74 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Oct. 18, 1968, American Bob Beamon shattered the previous long jump world record by nearly two feet, leaping 29 feet, 2 1/4 inches (8.90 meters) at the Summer Olympics in Mexico City.

Also on this date:

In 1867, the United States took formal possession of Alaska from Russia.

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In 1898, the American flag was first raised in Puerto Rico, shortly before Spain formally relinquished control of the island to the U.S.

In 1931, inventor Thomas Alva Edison died at his home in West Orange, New Jersey, at the age of 84.

In 1954, Texas Instruments unveiled the Regency TR-1, the first commercially produced transistor radio.

In 1962, James D. Watson, Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins were honored with the Nobel Prize for Medicine and Physiology for determining the double-helix molecular structure of DNA.

In 1972, Congress passed the Clean Water Act, overriding President Richard Nixon’s veto.

In 1977, Reggie Jackson hit three home runs in Game 6 of the World Series to lead the New York Yankees to an 8-4 win and a 4-2 Series victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers; his success in the Fall Classic earned him the nickname “Mr. October.” Also in 1977, West German commandos stormed a hijacked Lufthansa jetliner on the ground in Mogadishu, Somalia, freeing all 87 hostages and four crew members and killing three of the four hijackers.

In 2018, President Donald Trump threatened to close the U.S. border with Mexico if authorities could not stop a caravan of migrants making their way from Central America.

Today’s Birthdays:

• Football Hall of Famer Mike Ditka is 85.
• Composer Howard Shore is 78.
• Actor Joe Morton is 77.
• Author Terry McMillan is 73.
• Tennis Hall of Famer Martina Navratilova is 68.
• Boxing Hall of Famer Thomas Hearns is 66.
• Actor Jean-Claude Van Damme is 64.
• Jazz musician Wynton Marsalis is 63.
• Musician Ne-Yo is 45.
• Olympic gold medal skier Lindsey Vonn is 40.
• Jazz singer-musician Esperanza Spalding is 40.
• Actor Freida Pinto is 40.
• Actor Zac Efron is 37.
• WNBA center Brittney Griner is 34.
• Actor Tyler Posey is 33.
• Actor Barry Keoghan is 32.

General Daily Insight for October 18, 2024

Saying what we mean and meaning what we say might not be as easy today. With the sensitive Moon facing off against communicative Mercury at 3:15 am EDT, we could be at war within ourselves, feeling one way and saying something completely different. When the Moon works hand-in-hand with consistent Saturn later on, we’ll be able to ground ourselves and come back to reality, aligning our heads and hearts. Thinking about what we say before we say it should save us a multitude of headaches.

Aries

March 21 – April 19

Your comfort might require you to rely on someone else. It can be hard to put your trust in someone else currently. You may even feel hurt by them, causing you to pull back from the connection. The temptation to melt back into the shadows will be strong, even though something in you likely wants to try and talk it out. Give yourself the time that you need to soothe yourself before making an effort to figure things out. Don’t let wounds fester.

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

Who are you when you’re around certain people? This might be the main focus for you now, with a need to pay attention to how you shift your self-expression in the company of a certain person or group. It could have escaped your notice until this moment, but when you pay attention, you might discover more authentic ways to show up. Trying to become someone else to keep a friend is unlikely to feel good in the long run. Just be yourself!

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

You might be tempted to tell someone how you’re really feeling. This could be someone that rightfully deserves your annoyance, but voicing it right this minute is unlikely to work in your favor. While you probably want to tell them the unbridled truth of how you feel, it’s likely to come out harsher than you meant it to. That risks damaging how others see you! Unless it’s absolutely necessary to speak up, it may be wise to keep things under your hat for now.

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

Standing out in a crowd may be challenging. The planets are urging you to swim against the current and say or do something that’s unlike the group that you’re in — and you’re probably aware that this would be a risky move. Instead of being reckless or impulsive, try to channel this energy into being creative or setting up a fun surprise for someone in your life. If something seems like a big risk, don’t hesitate to pull back on the throttle.

Leo

July 23 – August 22

Your emotions might be hard to hide, particularly if you’ve been trying to be responsible or professional in the face of an emotionally stressful situation. The way you’re feeling is likely all over your face anyway! Be honest if you need a moment away from the hectic energy of your career or another responsibility of yours, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. There might be someone who’s already waiting in the wings for you to reach out to them.

Virgo

August 23 – September 22

You can get by with a little patience. Brace yourself for delays, reschedules, and miscommunications on your plate, as both travel and communication are affected by Luna and Mercury’s astrological tiff. You might learn information that’s just shy of the truth or be given bad directions or the wrong arrival time — needless to say, check everything twice. While running this wild goose chase can be frustrating, do your best to enjoy the scenery along the way. You’ll make it there eventually!

Libra

September 23 – October 22

Obsessing over one area of your life may be causing you to let other matters slip. Analyze your activities — is there someone or something that’s taking up all of your mental space? When you devote so much mental energy to one thing, you risk letting the other important matters in your life fall through the cracks. Pay attention to where your priorities currently lie, and if they’re imbalanced. Once you bring back equilibrium and consistency, you might just see yourself leveling up.

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

Your heart might be distracted from what you know to be true. Someone in your life could be criticizing you, not realizing all the obstacles that you’ve had to overcome to get where you are now. They may not have meant to impact you negatively, but their words are potentially playing on your mind and causing you to doubt yourself. Instead of letting it bring you down, remember how you thought of yourself when you were younger and bolder. You’re stronger than you know!

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

Sticking with updated habits may be harder than normal. No matter how intent you are regarding following through with any positive habits that you recently began, life could be throwing you curveballs from the areas you’re least expecting. It’s also easier to get exhausted while you’re trying to stay consistent. Overall, this may mean that you need to take something off of your plate so that you can have enough energy and focus to keep up such recent endeavors. Give yourself some grace.

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

Jealousy can sneak in if you’re not paying attention. There might be someone in your friend group that has something you want, but focusing on that will likely be damaging to your connection if you allow this envy to get the better of you. Alternatively, there may be someone in your group who is jealous of you or another peer of yours, causing drama among you. Pay attention to what you do have, and practice gratitude. The grass isn’t always greener.

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

Sentimentality could be clashing against your desire to climb the ladder. You may want to reach higher heights in your career or become more respected, but society has left you with the impression that you must sacrifice a hobby or pastime to achieve such ambitions. This can be a difficult decision to make, so make sure to account for every factor. Make a point of making a pros and cons list before taking action, at least. Maybe you could even balance your goals with fun!

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

You may not currently have the words to express yourself. Going through new experiences can be great, but sometimes putting your overall take on them is difficult to put into words right away. Let it settle in — regardless of whether it’s a class you’re taking, a job opportunity, a burgeoning friendship, or another new entry into your life. Allow yourself time to understand how you feel about the people or events at hand. Your soul deserves the space to speak.