South Florida Local News

By TIM REYNOLDS

SUNRISE — Sam Bennett scored twice, Sam Reinhart and Evan Rodrigues each had a goal and an assist, and the Florida Panthers opened defense of their Stanley Cup championship by topping the Boston Bruins 6-4 on Tuesday in the opener for both teams.

Euto Luostarinen and Jonah Gadjovich also scored for Florida, while Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 24 shots. Florida raised its championship banner before the game.

Pavel Zacha, Charlie McAvoy, Trent Frederic and David Pastrnak scored for Boston, which had won five consecutive openers. Florida is 4-1 in its last five openers.

Takeaways

Bruins: Boston went with Joonas Korpisalo in net instead of newly re-signed Jeremy Swayman, who got his eight-year, $66 million deal done Sunday. Korpisalo made 29 saves. When it was 5-1 midway through the second, Panthers fans serenaded the Bruins with chants of “We want Swayman.”

Panthers: Florida dealt with some chippiness against Boston, which was ousted by the Panthers the last two postseasons. Much was directed at Matthew Tkachuk — he and the Bruins have plenty of history — but even officials weren’t safe. Boston’s Max Jones tried to slash Rodrigues, but hit linesman Devin Berg instead to earn a 2-minute unsportsmanlike penalty.

Key moment

There were two, with the Panthers scoring two quick goals on two occasions in the opening period. Bennett and Luostarinen scored 64 seconds apart for a 2-0 lead. After Boston scored, Reinhart and Bennett scored exactly 60 seconds apart to make it 4-1.

Key stat

Including playoffs, this was the 22nd meeting between the Panthers and Bruins since the start of the 2022-23 season. No two teams have faced each other more in that span. The wins in those 22 games: Panthers 11, Bruins 11. The goal total: Panthers 74, Bruins 74.

Up next

Boston starts a three-game homestand Thursday against Montreal. Florida goes to Ottawa to start a four-game, six-day road trip Thursday.

The Florida Panthers raise their Stanley Cup championship banner before the start of a game against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday in Sunrise. (AP Photo/Jim Rassol)

Florida Panthers championship ring ceremony at War Memorial Auditorium | PHOTOS

At a time of year when the score stands as an afterthought, the Miami Heat found answers beyond the scoreboard in Tuesday night’s 111-108 preseason loss to the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center.

Jimmy Butler played, his first preseason action in two years.

Bam Adebayo loaded up with 3-point attempts, an encouraging sign of an expanded offensive repertoire.

Nikola Jovic settled in at power forward, offering a hint of what might follow with Erik Spoelstra’s lineup.

And there was enough kid stuff to create hope going forward.

“It was good to get that game conditioning in,” Spoelstra said of the preseason opener. “It always feels a little bit different no matter how many years you’ve played. Our guys have been working extremely hard. But it was good to face somebody else.”

Butler played 15:35 and finished with 11 points, in his first action since being sidelined with a knee injury in last season’s play-in opener.

Adebayo shot 2 of 5 on 3-pointers as part of his 17-minute effort, closing with 13 points and six rebounds.

Jovic paired well with Adebayo in the starting lineup, finishing with nine points in 16 minutes.

There also was 10 points from second-round pick Pelle Larsson and 13 from first-round pick Kel’el Ware.

The Heat had a chance to tie down three off a timeout with 7.5 second to play, with Ware off on a 3-point attempt.

“We just weren’t able to get over the top,” Spoelstra said.

The Heat were without Tyler Herro and Jaime Jaquez Jr., due to a pair of groin strains that the team has termed minor. Also sidelined was veteran guard Josh Richardson, who continues to work his way back from last season’s shoulder surgery.

With Thursday’s home exhibition against the Atlanta Hawks postponed until next week due to Hurricane Milton, the Heat do not play again until Sunday’s 3:30 p.m. exhibition against the New Orleans Pelicans at Kaseya Center.

Five Degrees of Heat from Tuesday night’s exhibition against the Hornets:

1. Lineup reality: Spoelstra for the second consecutive night offered a hint into the likely opening-night lineup.

As in Monday night’s intrasquad scrimmage at Kaseya Center, Spoelstra opened with Adebayo, Jovic, Butler, Terry Rozier and Alec Burks an apparent lineup placeholder for Herro.

Spoelstra has stressed the desire to get and play Adebayo, Butler, Rozier and Herro together as much as possible in the preseason, with it becoming increasingly evident that Jovic could join those four in the opening-night lineup.

The starters played only the first half.

2. Second unit: Spoelstra then came with a mass substitution late in the first period, inserting Larsson, Haywood Highsmith, Duncan Robinson and Dru Smith, with Kevin Love inserted moments later for 10 deep.

With Herro eventually expected to play with the starters in place of Burks, and with Jaquez a likely second-unit choice over Smith, the framework of the regular-season rotation already could be coming into focus.

Larsson, Highsmith, Robinson, Smith and Thomas Bryant started the second half, with Love also given the second half off.

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“I thought all three units at various times did some good things.” Spoelstra said.

3. Stepping in:  For Butler, it was his first exhibition action in two years, his last preseason play coming when he appeared in two exhibitions in 2022.

After playing without attempting a shot in Monday’s intrasquad scrimmage at Kaseya Center, Butler stepped up with a first period 3-pointer, with five points in his initial eight-minute stint.

The action was a heartening development, with Butler having missed 22 games last season, then sidelined, as well, for the playoffs.

4. Bam boom: A night after shooting 5 of 11 on 3-pointers in Monday’s intrasquad scrimmage, Adebayo loaded up from beyond the arc on his first two attempts Tuesday night, missing the first and converting the second.

Adebayo routinely set up in the corners, in one case stepping out of bounds in the first quarter when he stepped on the sideline while attempting to drive.

Adebayo’s second 3-pointer came in the second period from the corner off a drive-and-kick feed from Jovic.

Eight of Adebayo’s nine shots came either from beyond the arc or in the paint.

5. Larsson again: After leading the Heat in scoring in Monday’s scrimmage, Larsson again showed that rotation minutes could be possible for the No. 44 pick in last June’s draft out of Arizona.

Larsson converted his first four shots, including a pair of 3-pointers, closing 4 of 5 from the field.

“He’s been steady and consistent pretty much all of camp, all of September,” Spoelstra said, “most of the summer, as well, for that matter.

“And so, with Jaime out, he can be plugged into that role, and did some very good things.”

Ware then came on late, in a lineup that included fellow Heat summer-league teammates Keshad Johnson, Isaiah Stevens, Josh Christopher and Caleb Daniels.

“Right away you noticed him defensively,” Spoelstra said of Ware. “He had his moments.

“I was encouraged by how he played.”

TALLAHASSEE — A federal appeals court Tuesday backed a chapter of the group Moms for Liberty in a constitutional challenge to Brevard County School Board policies that placed restrictions on speakers at board meetings.

A panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said policies targeted at “abusive,” “obscene” and “personally directed” speech violated the First Amendment. The panel overturned a decision by U.S. District Judge Roy Dalton.

“For many parents, school board meetings are the front lines of the most meaningful part of local government — the education of their children,” said Tuesday’s opinion, written by Judge Britt Grant and joined fully by Judge Barbara Lagoa and partly by Judge Charles Wilson. “And sometimes speaking at these meetings is the primary way parents interact with their local leaders or communicate with other community members. No one could reasonably argue that this right is unlimited, but neither is the government’s authority to restrict it.”

The opinion came after school boards in various parts of Florida and the country have become battlegrounds during the past few years about contentious issues such as restricting or eliminating access to certain school-library books.

The Brevard County chapter of Moms for Liberty, a conservative group, and individual plaintiffs filed the lawsuit in 2021 alleging that school-board policies chilled speech at meetings. Wilson, who dissented on one part of Tuesday’s majority opinion, wrote that the case stemmed from incidents that occurred from Jan. 19, 2021, to Oct. 26, 2021.

The majority opinion said the government “has relatively broad power to restrict speech” in what are known as limited public forums, such as school board meetings. But it said that “power is not unlimited.”

“Speech restrictions must still be reasonable, viewpoint-neutral, and clear enough to give speakers notice of what speech is permissible,” Grant wrote. “The board’s policies for public participation at board meetings did not live up to those standards.”

The majority opinion said, for example, that the school board policies did not include a definition of “abusive” speech and that then-board Chairwoman Misty Belford effectively interpreted it to address what was considered “unacceptable” speech.

“At one meeting, for example, she interrupted a speaker who criticized the board’s COVID-19 masking policy as a ‘simple ploy to silence our opposition to this evil LGBTQ agenda,’” the majority opinion said. “Belford quickly stopped the speaker, who had not yelled, screamed, or otherwise caused a disruption. In her affidavit (in the lawsuit), Belford explained that she interrupted him because his ‘characterization of people as ‘evil’ was abusive.’ ,,, No one likes to be called evil, but it is not ‘abusive’ to use that term. Restrictions that bar offensive or otherwise unwelcome speech are impermissible, regardless of the forum in which the government seeks to impose them.”

As another example, the appeals court said the policies did not include a definition of “obscene.” It said the school board “used its obscenity policy to bar protected speech, and it did so in a way that impeded the purpose of a school board meeting.”

As an example, the opinion said a Moms for Liberty member was interrupted at a school-board meeting while reading from a book that was in an elementary-school library. The book included a description of a sexual encounter and a profanity.

“It would be difficult, if not impossible, for speakers to adequately air their concerns about a particular book without informing both the board and the community about what that book says,” Grant wrote. “Describing the content of a book is not as potent as reading its words — nor is it as informative. And it is remarkable for the board to suggest that this speech can be prohibited in a school board meeting because it is inappropriate for children when it came directly from a book that is available to children in their elementary school library.”

Wilson dissented on part of the opinion that addressed a policy about speech “personally” directed at other people. That policy was revised during the legal battle, and Wilson said he would find the current policy constitutional.

GAINESVILLE — Rueben Chinyelu recently bought an electric bike to help him better navigate his new life here.

As he zips from classes to Gators basketball practice and home again, the 6-foot-11, 255-pound Chinyelu (pronounced chin-YAY-loo) is an outsized sight to behold — atop a bike made for someone eight inches shorter.

“It’s doing the work,” he said. “I’m super excited.”

Minor inconveniences or some occasional discomfort do not dim Chinyelu’s omnipresent smile and boundless optimism. Sacrifice the name of the game if he’s going to achieve his goals, a list that includes becoming a dentist and playing in the NBA.

Along the way, Chinyelu is sure to absorb another language or two — he speaks four well and knows enough of two others to get by.

“I just try to learn from people around me and pick up from there,” he said.

A 6-foot-11 transfer, Rueben Chinyelu is expected to bring a much-needed defensive presences to the Gators. (Courtesy of UF Athletics)

Being a social animal and citizen of the world are requisite skills to walk Chinyelu’s path. Moving to a new town and joining a new team can at times be lonely.

Chinyelu celebrated his 21st birthday two weeks ago nearly 6,000 miles from his Nigerian home. Gainesville is at least closer — and warmer — than Washington State, where he spent last season before transferring.

“It’s really tough,” he recently told the Orlando Sentinel. “You’re far away from home. Sometimes you just want to see your Mom or see your siblings. You want to eat some of Mom’s food.

“But you have to just see the bigger picture and just know that it’s a sacrifice that’s worth doing.”

Not long ago, Chinyelu never imagined he’d be playing basketball at all, even though everyone he met back home in Lagos already assumed he did.

Even in a city of nearly 15 million people, Chinyelu — a 6-foot-8 14-year-old — stood out.

“People saw me and were like, ‘Oh, you’re tall. Do you play basketball?’ I was like, ‘Nah,’” he said. “It was a regular thing for me.”

But Chinyelu, his three sisters and two brothers were laser-focused on studies, not soccer — Nigeria’s national sport and an indulgence only during recess.

Chinyelu’s attention began to shift one day at his brother-in-law’s Lagos market when he met Mrs. Allison Ibidun, a woman he would nickname “Grandma.”

When Ibidun asked if he played basketball, Chinyelu’s sheepish “nah” didn’t cut it.

“She said, ‘Why are you smiling? You could get an education playing basketball,’” he recalled. “That’s when the light switched on. It was like, now it’s making sense playing sports.”

With Ibidun advising his brother-in-law, Nta Chin Ebere, Chinyelu soon enrolled at Raptors Academy in Lagos, just shy of his 15th birthday in 2018, to begin his long and winding basketball journey.

Though he’d never played competitive sports, Chinyelu was a natural athlete, fluid and fast. He served notice during the 2019 FIBA U16 African Championship at Cabo Verde, an archipelago west of Senegal known for beautiful beaches.

Chinyelu was skinny and his skills were raw. But his relentless style set the tone for Nigeria’s third-place finish as he averaged 12.3 points and 17.6 rebounds.

“I was really rough, but was just hustling, getting the rebounds, putting back, setting the screens, rolling, just playing hard,” he said. “Our team was young, we were small, but teams didn’t want to play us. We just would come out and pour everything on the court.”

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the following year, times were bleak in his homeland due to lockdowns and a lack of affordable food. Yet, Chinyelu continued to pour himself into basketball.

Chinyelu said Billy Radcliffe of Miami, who served as a guardian for former FIU player James Ametepe when he came from Ghana to South Florida, shipped him two basketballs and some shoes.

Each day following his morning prayers, Chinyelu would do push-ups, sit-ups, planks and lunges, and then head outside to hone his basketball skills.

“Even though I wasn’t able to play I was able to work on my personal craft,” he said. “After the pandemic, I was big, really big, and I was fast.”

Florida’s 6-foot-11 transfer Rueben Chinyelu, a native of Nigeria, is enjoying his new life in Gainesville. (Courtesy of UF Athletics)

Chinyelu’s stock rose quickly in 2021 at the NBA Academy in Senegal. His big moment came during the 2022 NBA Academy Games in Atlanta, where he helped his team to the title and led the tournament in rebounding to create interest among American college scouts.

But with Kansas, Tennessee and the Gators in pursuit, Chinyelu chose to play for Kyle Smith at Washington State, a 24-hour flight from Lagos featuring three layovers. When Smith left for Stanford, Chinyelu decided to cast aside his XXXL winter coat and join Smith protégé Todd Golden in Gainesville.

“I love snow,” Chinyelu said. “But I just don’t like the cold that comes with it.”

Chinyelu also found UF’s culture to be warm and welcoming.

“[The coaches] want you to be more than a basketball player, but also a better person, have an education if you’re willing,” he said. “Some people just want you to be, basketball, basketball, basketball. But they see a different part of you, which is really beautiful.”

Chinyelu shakes his head wonderment as he considers how he got here, though he has an idea.

Athletically gifted, studious and adaptable, Chinyelu is also God-fearing.

“I’ve been to places I never thought I would have been,” he said. “I come from a family [where] we don’t have much. But we just believe and we just work hard to make a life. To travel to so many places, meet so many people, see so many cultures and being able to have education in the U.S. … if it’s not God, I don’t know what is.

“Basketball has taken me a long way. I’m just grateful God made me 6-11.”

The Gators appreciate Chinyelu, whose unique skill set will help shore up a shaky defense.

“He’s the strongest guy I’ve ever been against,” 6-foot-11, 230-pound Australian Alex Condon marveled.

Harnessing his strength is the challenge. Chinyelu ranked among the top-20 nationally last season in offensive rebounding rate, defensive rebounding rate, block rate and 2-point shooting accuracy, yet averaged just 13.9 minutes.

“The biggest thing with Rueben will be defending without fouling,” Golden said. “It’s a tricky one because he plays so hard that you don’t want to slow him down. But if he’s on the floor he’ll be productive — he’s proven that.”

Chinyelu has much to prove, but also to see, to learn, to experience.

“He’s still trying to learn America,” said guard Walter Clayton Jr., a Lake Wales native.

Chinyelu hopes one day to get a car, since he recently earned his driver’s license — “I’m super proud of myself.”

Willing passengers might be slim pickings.

“I’ll walk,” UF veteran Will Richard joked.

Meanwhile, Chinyelu will keep putting one foot in front of the other, seeing the glass half-full every step of the way.

“It just means I’ll have more room in my car,” he said.

Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com

As Hurricane Milton advanced toward Florida, officials on Tuesday urged Palm Beach County residents to evacuate if they live in certain communities that are at greater risk during severe weather.

The warning pertained to those in Palm Beach County who live in evacuation Zone A, primarily those residing in manufactured or mobile homes, those whose residences have “substandard construction” or those living in low-lying areas prone to severe flooding.

Zone A is not any one single area in the county, but multiple parcels situated in various locations, from the south to north end of the county. Residents can look up if they live in Zone A using the county’s Hurricane Evacuation Zone Look-Up Tool at https://discover.pbc.gov/publicsafety/dem/Pages/Know-Your-Zone.aspx.

Evacuation-zone information also may be accessed through Palm Beach County’s cellphone app, the Disaster Awareness & Recovery Tool (DART). For more information about the app, visit readypbc.org.

“Tropical-storm-force winds are expected Wednesday evening through Thursday, and our area has a potential for sustained winds of 30 to 40 mph with occasional gusts of 50 to 60 mph,” County Administrator Verdenia Baker said during a news conference on Tuesday afternoon. “This is huge. This is serious, and we all need to take it seriously.”

With sustained winds being so high, Baker said law enforcement may not be able to respond, which is a big reason why the evacuations are being issued.

The Sun Sentinel has made its coverage of Hurricane Milton free to all readers as a public service. Please consider supporting important breaking news such as this by subscribing to SunSentinel.com at a special rate. 

Five of the county’s general population shelters, along with a pet-friendly shelter, will open at noon Wednesday.

Those shelters are:

— Palm Beach Gardens High School, 4245 Holly Drive, Palm Beach Gardens, 33410

— Palm Beach Central High School, 8499 Forest Hill Blvd., Wellington, 33411

— Forest Hill High School, 6901 Parker Ave., West Palm Beach, 33405

— Park Vista High School, 7900 Jog Road, Lake Worth, 33467

— Lake Shore Middle School, 425 W Canal St. N, Belle Glade, 33430

— West Boynton Recreation Center (pet-friendly shelter), 6000 Northtree Blvd., Lake Worth, 33463

— Palm Beach County’s special-needs shelter also will open for those who have pre-registered with the county and arranged to stay there.

By DEVNA BOSE and DEVI SHASTRI

Hospitals and other health care facilities on Florida’s Gulf Coast — still reeling from Hurricane Helene — are now revving up for Hurricane Milton.

The system, which is shaping up to be one of the most powerful to hit the region in years, is projected to make landfall a bit south of the Tampa area late Wednesday. Long-term care facilities in counties where mandatory evacuations have been issued are taking their patients elsewhere, while hospitals are largely on guard, preparing to stay open through the storm.

According to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ website, 10 hospitals have reported evacuations as of Tuesday afternoon. Three hundred health care facilities have evacuated as of this morning, the most many of the staff working there could remember, said Florida Agency for Health Care Administration deputy secretary Kim Smoak. That count included 63 nursing homes and 169 assisted living facilities.

Steve McCoy, chief of the Florida Department of Health’s Bureau of Emergency Medical Oversight, said it is the state’s “largest evacuation ever.”

Health officials are using almost 600 vehicles to take patients out of the storm’s path, tracking them with blue wristbands that show where they were evacuated from and where they are being sent. They plan to keep getting patients out through the night, until winds reach sustained speeds of 40 mph and driving conditions become unsafe.

“I’ve lived on the Gulf Coast my entire life and in Sarasota for 20 years. I’ve never seen anything like this,” said David Verinder, CEO of Sarasota Memorial Health Care System. “Our anxieties are high, but we’re as prepared as we know how to be.”

Hospitals brace for hurricane

Tampa General Hospital has stocked up on more than five days of supplies, including food, linens and 5,000 gallons of water, in addition to an on-site well. In the event of a power disruption, the hospital also has an energy plant with generators and boilers located 33 feet above sea level.

Tampa General deployed an “aquafence” to successfully prevent storm-surge flooding during Hurricane Helene two weeks ago. The barrier will be up again when Milton makes landfall and can withstand a storm surge of 15 feet. The U.S. National Hurricane Center estimates Milton’s surges will be 10 to 15 feet high at their peak.

No one will be working on the first floor of Tampa General Hospital for the foreseeable future — just in case.

“While AquaFence has proven effective in the past, it is just the first line of defense and one of many mitigation efforts we’ve implemented this week to safely continue care for our patients,” said Jennifer Crabtree, chief of staff at Tampa General.

The Tampa health system has shuttered many urgent care and imaging locations, but its four hospital campuses are prepared to remain open through the storm.

HCA Florida Healthcare, one of the state’s largest health care networks, has evacuated patients from five hospitals to sister facilities. The closed HCA Florida hospitals are Pasadena Hospital in St. Petersburg, Largo West Hospital in Largo, Florida Englewood Hospital in Englewood, West Tampa Hospital in Tampa and Fawcett Hospital in Port Charlotte, where strong winds and flooding caused major damage in 2022 during Hurricane Ian.

AdventHealth North Pinellas evacuated its 40 patients Tuesday afternoon, transferring them to nearby hospitals in their health system. The hospital’s emergency department remains open. Randy Haffner, CEO and president of AdventHealth Florida, said in an emailed statement that the system is “as prepared as we can be with water, generators, sandbags, satellite phones and the best caregivers there are.”

Hospitals are shuttering nearby, but Sarasota Memorial Health Care System also plans to stay open through the storm and shelter in place, Verinder said. Still, “we are concerned about the many unknowns,” he said.

Verinder estimates the system, stocked with enough food, water, linens and medications for at least seven days and 200,000 gallons of fuel, will be expected to shelter and support more than 4,000 people during the hurricane, though they are already close to capacity.

More than 2,500 staff members are gearing up for multiple nights in the hospital starting Tuesday, so Sarasota Memorial is providing childcare and pet shelters at both of its campuses.

“We are not a designated medical shelter, but we are working with the county to care for medically dependent persons assigned to the hospital because of the acuity of their needs … and patients evacuated from other hospitals in the region,” he said.

Dr. Matt Shannon, director of community emergency medicine at University of Florida Health, said the state’s flagship is prepared to take patients.

“The emergency department… we never close,” he said. “We have five emergency departments, all of which are open and functioning. This is not our first rodeo — we’ve been through this many times before.”

Repeated rough hurricane seasons have hardened Florida facilities and prepared them for Milton, said Mary Mayhew, president and CEO of the Florida Hospital Association. Still, the sheer power of Hurricane Milton and the back-to-back nature of storms will affect “a wide swath of the state and the hospitals.”

“It’s increasing the vulnerabilities in the area, from flooding to clogged drains to debris that hasn’t been removed that may exacerbate the situation that is already forecasted to be catastrophic,” Mayhew said. “Area hospitals routinely prepare for the worst and hope for the best.”

Long-term care facilities evacuate

In a briefing Tuesday, state officials and long-term care industry representatives urged nursing homes and assisted living facilities to prepare for long power outages, damage to sewer systems and being unable to access electronic health records.

“We want to remind you that all emergencies are local,” said Emmett Reed, CEO of the Florida Health Care Association, which represents nursing homes and assisted living providers in the state. “You need to start with your local emergency office to report any questions you might have.”

Florida’s west coast, which includes Pinellas, Manatee and Hillsborough counties, has the highest concentration of nursing centers in the state, Florida Health Care Association spokesperson Kristen Knapp said.

“Based on what has been reported, at a minimum you’re talking about 5,000-6,000 nursing home residents that have evacuated,” Knapp said in an email.

In counties under state of emergency orders, nursing homes and assisted living facilities are required to have enough emergency generator fuel to power life-saving equipment and keep indoor temperatures at a safe level for 96 hours.

Deborah Franklin, a member of the Florida Health Care Association’s emergency response team, said centers should be printing resident documents, including medications, dietary restrictions and more, even if they are not in the worst of the hurricane’s path. She also urged staff to consider the mental health of their residents, some of whom are moving for the second time in just a few weeks.

“You must address — after the storm or even during the storm — trauma-informed care for these residents,” Franklin said. “They could be worried about their families. They could be worried about if they’re going to have a home to go back to.”

Sixty-seven year old Lillie Whiting said she doesn’t plan on evacuating the assisted living facility where she lives a few blocks from the bay in Clearwater. But she may have to pack up anyway, if staff at Magnolia Manor determine that residents need to be relocated to another facility across town.

“We might have to evacuate, but they doubt it, saying we’ll see what goes on,” Whiting said. “If we do, they got another place we can go.”

The retired housekeeper took advantage of the clear weather Tuesday afternoon to get some fresh air, supported by the walker she uses to get around. She is getting more nervous as Hurricane Milton barrels towards the Gulf Coast, but she said she feels confident the facility will take care of her and the other residents.

“Kinda scared,” she said. “But I be praying all the time.”

Concerns raised about at-home care

Shannon from UF Health said most people with lung issues who rely on oxygen at home have backup oxygen bottles prepared, and some new devices even have backup batteries.

But he is concerned about elderly people and those who live in rural areas.

“We see them in the emergency room when backups fail or they don’t have access to a generator,” Shannon said.

Dialysis facilities across the state are trying to provide even shortened treatments to as many patients as possible before closing for the storm.

“Helene, they were able to get back up and running pretty quickly. But with the wind, this could be a different kind of event,” said Helen Rose of Health Services Advisory Group, which is helping coordinate disaster response for kidney patients. The network has established a phone helpline and will keep an updated list of open facilities during and after the storm.

___

Associated Press Florida statehouse reporter Kate Payne in Tampa contributed to this report.

___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

By ERIC TUCKER

WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI has arrested an Afghan man who officials say was inspired by the Islamic State militant organization and was plotting an Election Day attack targeting large crowds in the U.S., the Justice Department said Tuesday.

Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 27, of Oklahoma City told investigators after his arrest Monday that he had planned his attack to coincide with Election Day next month and that he and a co-conspirator expected to die as martyrs, according to charging documents.

Tawhedi, who arrived in the U.S. in 2021, had taken steps in recent weeks to advance his attack plans, including by ordering AK-47 rifles, liquidating his family’s assets and buying one-way tickets for his wife and child to travel home to Afghanistan.

The arrest comes as the FBI confronts heightened concerns over the possibility of extremist violence on U.S. soil, with Director Christopher Wray telling The Associated Press in August that he was “hard pressed to think of a time in my career where so many different kinds of threats are all elevated at once.”

“Terrorism is still the FBI’s number one priority, and we will use every resource to protect the American people,” Wray said in a statement Tuesday.

An FBI affidavit does not reveal precisely how Tawhedi came onto investigators’ radar, but cites what it says is evidence from recent months showing his determination in planning an attack. A photograph from July included in the affidavit depicts a man investigators identified as Tawhedi reading to two young children, including his daughter, “a text that describes the rewards a martyr receives in the afterlife.”

Officials say Tawhedi also consumed Islamic State propaganda, contributed to a charity that functions as a front for the militant group and communicated with a person who the FBI determined from a prior investigation was involved in recruitment and indoctrination. He also viewed webcams for the White House and the Washington Monument in July.

Tawhedi’s alleged co-conspirator was not identified by the Justice Department, which described him only as a juvenile, a fellow Afghan national and the brother of Tawhedi’s wife.

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After the two advertised the sale of personal property on Facebook last month, the FBI enlisted an informant to respond to the offer and strike up a relationship. The informant later invited them to a gun range, where they ordered weapons from an undercover FBI official.

Tawhedi was arrested Monday after taking possession of two AK-47 rifles and ammunition, officials said. The unidentified co-conspirator was also arrested but the Justice Department did not provide details because he is a juvenile.

After he was arrested, the Justice Department said, Tawhedi told investigators he had planned an attack for Election Day that would target large gatherings of people.

Tawhedi was charged with conspiring and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State, which is designated by the U.S. as a foreign terrorist organization. The charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

It was not immediately clear if he had a lawyer who could speak on his behalf. A message was left with the federal public defender’s office in Oklahoma City and no telephone numbers were listed for Tawhedi or his relatives in public records.

Tawhedi entered the U.S. on a special immigrant visa, a program that permits eligible Afghans who helped Americans despite great personal risk to themselves and their loved ones to apply for entry into America with their families.

Eligible Afghans include interpreters for the U.S. military as well as individuals integral to the American embassy in Kabul. While the program has existed since 2009, the number of applicants skyrocketed after the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021.

_____

Associated Press writer Rebecca Santana in Washington contributed to this report.

Today is Tuesday, Oct. 8, the 282nd day of 2024. There are 84 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Oct. 8, 1871, the Great Chicago Fire began; more than 300 people died and more than 17,000 structures were destroyed during the three-day blaze.

Also on this date:

In 1956, Don Larsen pitched the only perfect game in a World Series as the New York Yankees beat the Brooklyn Dodgers in Game 5, 2-0.

In 1997, scientists reported the Mars Pathfinder had yielded what could be the strongest evidence yet that Mars might once have been hospitable to life.

In 2002, a federal judge approved President George W. Bush’s request to reopen West Coast ports, ending a 10-day labor lockout that was costing the U.S. economy an estimated $1 billion to $2 billion a day.

In 2005, a magnitude 7.6 earthquake on the Pakistan-India border killed an estimated 86,000 people.

In 2016, Donald Trump vowed to continue his campaign after many Republicans called on him to abandon his presidential bid in the wake of the release of a 2005 video in which he made lewd remarks about women and appeared to condone sexual assault.

In 2020, authorities in Michigan said six men had been charged with conspiring to kidnap Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in reaction to what they viewed as her “uncontrolled power.”

In 2022, an explosion caused the partial collapse of a bridge linking the Crimean Peninsula with Russia, damaging an important supply artery for the Kremlin’s war effort in southern Ukraine.

Today’s Birthdays:

• Actor Paul Hogan is 85.
• Civil rights activist Rev. Jesse Jackson is 83.
• Comedian Chevy Chase is 81.
• Author R.L. Stine is 81.
• Actor Sigourney Weaver is 75.
• Musician Robert “Kool” Bell (Kool & the Gang) is 74.
• Producer-director Edward Zwick is 72.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott is 69.
• Comedian Darrell Hammond is 69.
• Actor Kim Wayans is 63.
• Gospel singer CeCe Winans is 60.
• Olympic gold medal swimmer Matt Biondi is 59.
• Actor Karyn Parsons is 58.
• Singer-producer Teddy Riley is 57.
• Actor Matt Damon is 54.
• Actor-TV host Nick Cannon is 44.
• Singer-songwriter Bruno Mars is 39.
• Actor Angus T. Jones is 31.
• Actor-singer Bella Thorne is 27.

FORT LAUDERDALE — One by one, the Florida Panthers players were called Monday night to the front of the War Memorial Auditorium by team owner Vincent Viola to get a box holding their championship ring, get a hug and a personal message as last season celebrated its final night.

“This guy’s very special to me and my family” Viola said in calling up team captain Aleksander Barkov.

Carter Verhaeghe, the owner called, “Iceman,” for his calm demeanor, and defenseman Gustav Forsling was, a, “gentleman of unparalleled character” on and off the ice.

The plan was to share this ceremony with their fans on the eve of their season opener, but the early signs of Hurricane Milton canceled that idea. So, the Panthers met as an organization on the eve of Tuesday’s season opener in the redone auditorium, a venue so new this was its first event.

The coaches, front-office personnel and support staff received their boxes first with instructions not to open. Viola had messages for them all right through players like Sam Bennett, who met the owner in his suite early last season.

“Sam looked at my whole and said, ‘We’re going to win the Stanley Cup,’ ” Viola said. “I thought, ‘Oh, man, he’s got some spice.’ ”

Now the Stanley Cup sat on a table as a countdown began to open the boxes. Inside, a highlight video ran of their playoffs with the hood ornament of a ring that didn’t just have diamonds and a Stanley Cup, but a rat, two palm trees and a map of Florida with a red ruby at Broward.

“It was the best-kept secret around — no one knew what it would look like,” forward Matthew Tkachuk said.

So, there’s just one more event to celebrate from last year’s title: The banner-raising at Tuesday’s opener. The Panthers open with a roster that reflects some of the cost of winning.

The Panthers signed Sam Reinhart, last year’s top goal scorer, for $8.5 million a year. But defensemen Brandon Montour and Oliver Ekman-Larsson left in free agency and the fourth line had to be reconfigured with the loss of Ryan Lomberg and Kevin Stenlund.

Coach Paul Maurice is waiting to read the personality of this team that changed from loose and funny two years ago during its run to the Final to the so-serious team that won it all last season. His early read is a good one: The team reported in even better shape than a year ago for a camp that always begins hard.

Panthers general manager Bill Zito shows off his championship ring during the ring ceremony at Memorial Auditorium in Fort Lauderdale on Monday. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

“Our first four days (of practice), we exceeded last year,” Maurice said.

Now starts the long march to say what that means. Wayne Gretzky, who had plenty of practice navigating long seasons, broke his year into three appreciable chapters: the regular season; the playoffs; and the Stanley Cup Final.

Game 1 comes with a backstory, too, considering the Panthers play the Boston team they’ve shoved into the offseason the past two playoffs. It was in a raucous Game 2 last spring that Tkachuk and Boston scorer David Pastrnak fought in the manner two stars rarely do in the NHL to define these teams series.

So, while Maurice knows the banner raising will be fun for everyone …

“I’m looking forward to the hockey,” he said. “Really, it’s great it’s Boston. We’ve played them 21 times the past two years, and they’ve been 21 amazing games. In terms of intensity and physicality, the series last year was as heavy a series as I’ve coached.

“It was as hard, as physically demanding a series, as we played in the entire playoffs. So it’s fitting that there here, respectfully. It’s the right way. We played so hard to get there, it should be Boston here, because they probably played us as hard as anyone.”

Here they are again. Game 1. The champs are back. With their new rings. And against a top rival.

“A fitting start,” Maurice said.

Florida Panthers defenseman Dmitry Kulikov, center Evan Rodrigues and their family, check out their championship ring during the ring ceremony at Memorial Auditorium in Fort Lauderdale on Monday. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

GAINESVILLE — Florida coach Billy Napier wants to avoid a track meet at Tennessee.

The No. 8 Vols (4-1, 1-1 SEC) are unlikely to oblige.

Expect coach Josh Heupel’s up-tempo attack to be fast and furious Saturday night at sold-out Neyland Stadium after a 19-14 loss at Arkansas followed a so-so offensive showing during a 25-15 win at Oklahoma. During Heupel’s four seasons since leaving UCF for Knoxville, Tennessee averages nearly two touchdowns more at home (46.2 points per game) than on the road (32.6 ppg).

The 2024 Vols combined for 140 points in two home wins against outclassed Chattanooga and Kent State.

“When you play Tennessee, there will be an element of strategy to keeping up,” Napier said Monday. “Points are a premium.”

To keep up, the Gators (3-2, 1-1) cannot afford to let off the gas.

During Florida’s convincing 24-13 win against UCF, Napier’s offense started impressively to build a 21-point halftime lead, and then ran out of steam and failed to score during the final 30 minutes.

Florida running back Montrell Johnson Jr. shakes off a tackle to break free in Saturday’s win vs. UCF. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

The second-half stall, featuring just 108 yards, was on brand for Napier at UF, where his teams have failed to deliver a knockout punch when presented.

During last season’s resounding 29-16 win against Tennessee, the Gators scored 20 second-quarter points and led 26-7 at the half before the offense went into a shell of conservative play-calling and poor execution.

Against UCF, Florida managed just three second-half possessions prior to an interception with less than two minutes remaining.

Tight end Hayden Hansen’s holding penalty on 2nd-and-1 in UCF territory soon led to a missed field goal from 53 yards.

“An inexcusable play,” Napier said.

A false start by left guard Knijeah Harris on 3rd-and-10 effectively ended another drive.

“We shot ourselves in the foot,” Napier said.

Florida coach Billy Napier is restrained by his staff after yelling at game officials during Saturday’s win against UCF. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

UCF at times methodically maintained possession, while curiously failing to display a sense of urgency.

At Tennessee, the Gators might benefit from a similar strategy and try to milk the game clock. Against UCF, Florida opened with a tone-setting 15-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that took nearly eight minutes.

Keeping the Vols on the sideline might be the Gators’ best defense.

“Any time you can chew up some clock and keep your defense on the sideline and keep the play count down, there is some positives to that,” Napier said.

Coming off consecutive wins for the first time since October 2023, the Gators are determined to maximize their scoring opportunities and avoid empty possessions.

“Got to be able to execute,” receiver Chimere Dike said Monday. “That’s definitely something we can improve on, because later in the year we’re going to need to finish those drives.”

Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com

Up next …

Florida at Tennessee

When: 7 p.m., Saturday, Neyland Stadium

TV: ESPN

MIAMI — The Miami Heat announced three injury absences ahead of Monday night’s Red, White & Pink intrasquad scrimmage, with all three players also to miss Tuesday night’s preseason opener against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center.

Tyler Herro, who has battled a series of injuries in recent years, is sidelined by a strained right groin. The team said an MRI was not necessary, terming it a slight ailment. Herro got shots in before Monday night’s scrimmage benefiting cancer care and research for the Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute.

Also sidelined Monday was forward Jaime Jaquez Jr., who underwent an MRI for a strained left groin. He is listed as day to day.

As was somewhat expected, veteran guard Josh Richardson also remains out of competition, as he continues his recovery from last season’s shoulder surgery.

After Tuesday’s game in Charlotte, the Heat’s preseason continues with their home exhibition opener Thursday against the Atlanta Hawks.

The Heat are scheduled for five exhibitions before their Oct. 23 regular-season opener against the visiting Orlando Magic.

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Thoughts on Monday night’s scrimmage:

– Heat coach Erik Spoelstra greeted the crowd, addressing the cancer survivors, “We are right there with you.”

– Of what is ahead, Spoelstra said, “Just looking forward to a great, great season.”

– The starting lineups hardly offered much in the way of insight with Herro, among others out.

– The starters for the Red team were Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler, Terry Rozier, Nikola Jovic and Alec Burks.

– With Burks the place-holder for Herro in what might be a starting lineup already set.

– Starting for the White team were Thomas Bryant, Haywood Highsmith, Pelle Larsson, Duncan Robinson and Dru Smith.

– Adebayo opened the scoring for his team with a pair of 3-pointers.

– And shortly thereafter hit another, to move to 3 for 3, part of his 11-point effort in his 7:02 in the first period.

– Smith, 11 months removed from last season’s devastating knee injury, moved well.

– The two-way contract for Smith deal could provide dividends with the Heat’s lack of depth at point guard.

– Among the early baskets for the Heat was an accidental lob by Larsson that was nothing but net.

– Larsson also showed the type of energy that had the Heat so enthused with his second-round selection, sharp with his cuts on offense. He closed the opening period with 11 points.

– The Red starters then were replaced midway through the first period by Kel’el Ware, Keshad Johnson, Josh Christoper, Zyon Pullin and Isaiah Stevens.

– An homage to their Las Vegas NBA Summer League championship?

– Kevin Love at that same time entered at center for the White team.

– Robinson was smooth with his stroke, always an encouraging sign.

– Rosters then were reshuffled, with the score reset at the end of each 10-minute period.

– Adebayo (Team USA) was cited after the first quarter for his Paris Olympic gold, with Jovic (Serbia) for his bronze at the games.

– Caleb Daniels and Nassir Little entered for the first time in the second period (the last of the 18 available to see action).

– Later in the second period, a fifth Adebayo 3-pointer followed, at 5 of 11 on 3-pointers at halftime.

– Butler did not attempt a shot in his 12:15 in the first half, playing in a hooded sweatshirt.

– Standing next to Kevin Love during timeout trivia, 20-year-old Ware was asked what band Mike Love was lead singer for. Did not know . . . as a smiling Kevin Love looked on. (Then again, the Beach Boys’ Mike Love is 83.)

– Butler did not play the second half, nor did Adebayo, Rozier or Jovic.

– Highlight of the night? Player karaoke of “I Want it That Way” between the third and fourth quarters.

– Larsson closed with nine assists, Rozier with seven.

– Larsson led all scorers with 21 points, with Adebayo and Bryant each scoring 19.

TALLAHASSEE — After seeking help from the Florida Supreme Court on the meaning of the word “riot,” a federal appeals court Monday overturned an injunction against a 2021 state law aimed at cracking down on violent demonstrations.

A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the law is not unconstitutionally vague and overbroad and would not affect peaceful protesters. Civil-rights groups contended the measure could lead to peaceful protesters facing criminal charges when demonstrations turn violent.

Uncertain about how to interpret the word “riot” in the law, the federal appeals court last year asked for an opinion from the Florida Supreme Court — a relatively unusual move known as certifying a question to the state court. Justices in June issued an opinion saying peaceful protesters are not threatened by the law.

Drawing from that opinion, the appeals-court panel Monday overturned a preliminary injunction that Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker issued to block the law in 2021.

“The Florida Supreme Court has now confirmed that the riot statute does not attach to peaceful conduct,” said the panel’s decision, written by Judge Jill Pryor and joined by Judges Elizabeth Branch and Ed Carnes. “A protestor cannot be prosecuted under the riot statute if she is merely found within or alongside a group that turns violent or engages in violence. Instead, the statute requires that the protestor act with the intent to assist others’ violent conduct. Mere attendance at a violent protest is not enough. At the very least, a person must intend to assist others’ violence within a violent public disturbance.”

The decision also said that as “the Supreme Court of Florida has explained, for a protestor to be criminally liable under the statute, the state must prove that the protestor acted with violence or intended to assist another’s violence. Peaceful protest is categorically outside the statute’s bounds.”

Gov. Ron DeSantis championed the controversial law after nationwide protests following the 2020 death of George Floyd, a Black man who was killed by a Minneapolis police officer.

The law says that a “person commits a riot if he or she willfully participates in a violent public disturbance involving an assembly of three or more persons, acting with a common intent to assist each other in violent and disorderly conduct” that results in an injury to another person, property damage or “imminent danger” of injury or property damage.

Several groups, such as Dream Defenders and the Florida State Conference of the NAACP, challenged the law on First Amendment grounds and sought a preliminary injunction.

In granting an injunction, Walker pointed to concerns about vagueness of the law, which includes felony penalties.

“Though plaintiffs claim that they and their members fear that it (the law) will be used against them based on the color of their skin or the messages that they express, its vagueness permits those in power to weaponize its enforcement against any group who wishes to express any message that the government disapproves of,” Walker wrote. “Thus, while there may be some Floridians who welcome the chilling effect that this law has on the plaintiffs in this case, depending on who is in power, next time it could be their ox being gored.”

But in its June opinion, the Florida Supreme Court agreed with DeSantis and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, another defendant in the lawsuit, that a “peaceful protester, under the most natural reading of the statute, is no rioter.”

“At bottom, the question is whether that law applies to a person who is present at a violent protest, but neither engages in, nor intends to assist others in engaging in, violent and disorderly conduct. And the answer is: no, it does not,” the Supreme Court’s 28-page main opinion said.

Florida’s long-awaited matchup with UCF turned into a one-sided show of superiority by Billy Napier’s team. With their coach’s future in doubt, the Gators have won two straight games by double digits. The schedule gets only tougher, but it’s a start. During the latest Swamp Things, Edgar and Mark reflect on the Gators performance and whether it’s a sign of things to come.

• Unpredictable SEC (0:00)
• Turning point (4:32)
• Thumbs up (6:29)
• Thumbs down (8:39)
• Second guess (11:57)
• Game ball (15:33)
• Biggest concern (17:42)
• Reason for optimism (23:17)
• On the spot (24:25)
• Billy’s banter (27:06)
• Final thoughts (36:26)
• Jeremy Foley’s Corner (39:35)

By MARCIA DUNN

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A spacecraft blasted off Monday to investigate the scene of a cosmic crash.

The European Space Agency’s Hera spacecraft rocketed away on a two-year journey to the small, harmless asteroid rammed by NASA two years ago in a dress rehearsal for the day a killer space rock threatens Earth. It’s the second part of a planetary defense test that could one day help save the planet.

SpaceX’s Falcon rocket quickly disappeared with Hera into the late morning clouds. An hour later, applause erupted in the control center in Germany as the spacecraft separated from the rocket’s upper stage and then called home. “It’s an amazing day,” the space agency’s director general Josef Aschbacher said afterward.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024 at Cape Canaveral, Fla., carrying a European spacecraft to an asteroid. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

The 2022 crash by NASA’s Dart spacecraft shortened Dimorphos’ orbit around its bigger companion, demonstrating that if a dangerous rock was headed our way, there’s a chance it could be knocked off course with enough advance notice.

Scientists are eager to examine the impact’s aftermath up close to know exactly how effective Dart was and what changes might be needed to safeguard Earth in the future.

“The more detail we can glean the better as it may be important for planning a future deflection mission should one be needed,” University of Maryland astronomer Derek Richardson said before launch.

Researchers want to know whether Dart — short for Double Asteroid Redirection Test — left a crater or perhaps reshaped the 500-foot (150-meter) asteroid more dramatically. It looked something like a flying saucer before Dart’s blow and may now resemble a kidney bean, said Richardson, who took part in the Dart mission and is helping with Hera.

Dart’s wallop sent rubble and even boulders flying off Dimorphos, providing an extra kick to the impact’s momentum. The debris trail extended thousands of miles (more than 10,000 kilometers) into space for months.

Some boulders and other debris could still be hanging around the asteroid, posing a potential threat to Hera, said flight director Ignacio Tanco.

“We don’t really know very well the environment in which we are going to operate,” said Tanco. “But that’s the whole point of the mission is to go there and find out.”

European officials describe the $400 million (363 million euro) mission as a “crash scene investigation.”

Hera “is going back to the crime site and getting all the scientific and technical information,” said project manager Ian Carnelli.

Carrying a dozen science instruments, the small car-sized Hera will need to swing past Mars in 2025 for a gravity boost, before arriving at Dimorphos by the end of 2026. It’s a moonlet of Didymos, Greek for twin, a fast-spinning asteroid that’s five times bigger. At that time, the asteroids will be 120 million miles (195 million kilometers) from Earth.

Hera will attempt to go into orbit around the rocky pair, with the flyby distances gradually dropping from 18 miles (30 kilometers) all the way down to a half-mile (1 kilometer). The spacecraft will survey the moonlet for at least six months to ascertain its mass, shape and composition, as well as its orbit around Didymos.

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Before the impact, Dimorphos circled its larger companion from three-quarters of a mile (1,189 meters) out. Scientists believe the orbit is now tighter and oval-shaped, and that the moonlet may even be tumbling.

Two shoebox-sized Cubesats will pop off Hera for even closer drone-like inspections, with one of them using radar to peer beneath the moonlet’s boulder-strewn surface. Scientists suspect Dimorphos was formed from material shed from Didymos. The radar observations should help confirm whether Didymos is indeed the little moon’s parent.

The Cubesats will attempt to land on the moonlet once their survey is complete. If the moonlet is tumbling, that will complicate the endeavor. Hera may also end its mission with a precarious touchdown, but on the larger Didymos.

Neither asteroid poses any threat to Earth — before or after Dart showed up. That’s why NASA picked the pair for humanity’s first asteroid-deflecting demo.

Leftovers from the solar system’s formation 4.6 billion years ago, asteroids primarily orbit the sun between Mars and Jupiter in what’s known as the main asteroid belt, where millions of them reside. They become near-Earth objects when they’re knocked out of the belt and into our neck of the woods.

NASA’s near-Earth object count currently tops 36,000, almost all asteroids but also some comets. More than 2,400 of them are considered potentially hazardous to Earth.

By MICHELLE L. PRICE

NEW YORK (AP) — Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on Monday suggested that migrants who are in the U.S. and have committed murder did so because “it’s in their genes.” There are, he added, “a lot of bad genes in our country right now.”

It’s the latest example of Trump alleging that immigrants are changing the hereditary makeup of the U.S. Last year, he evoked language once used by Adolf Hitler to argue that immigrants entering the U.S. illegally are “poisoning the blood of our country.”

Trump made the comments Monday in a radio interview with conservative host Hugh Hewitt. He was criticizing his Democratic opponent for the 2024 presidential race, Vice President Kamala Harris, when he pivoted to immigration, citing statistics that the Department of Homeland Security says include cases from his administration.

“How about allowing people to come through an open border, 13,000 of which were murderers? Many of them murdered far more than one person,” Trump said. “And they’re now happily living in the United States. You know, now a murderer — I believe this: it’s in their genes. And we got a lot of bad genes in our country right now. Then you had 425,000 people come into our country that shouldn’t be here that are criminals.”

Trump’s campaign said his comments regarding genes were about murderers.

“He was clearly referring to murderers, not migrants. It’s pretty disgusting the media is always so quick to defend murderers, rapists, and illegal criminals if it means writing a bad headline about President Trump,” Karoline Leavitt, the Trump campaign’s national press secretary, said in a statement.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement released immigration enforcement data to Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales last month about the people under its supervision, including those not in ICE custody. That included 13,099 people who were found guilty of homicide and 425,431 people who are convicted criminals.

But those numbers span decades, including during Trump’s administration. And those who are not in ICE custody may be detained by state or local law enforcement agencies, according to the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE.

The Harris campaign declined to comment.

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Asked during her briefing with reporters on Monday about Trump’s “bad genes” comment, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, “That type of language, it’s hateful, it’s disgusting, it’s inappropriate, it has no place in our country.”

The Biden administration has stiffened asylum restrictions for migrants, and Harris, seeking to address a vulnerability as she campaigns, has worked to project a tougher stance on immigration.

The former president and Republican nominee has made illegal immigration a central part of his 2024 campaign, vowing to stage the largest deportation operation in U.S. history if elected. He has a long history of comments maligning immigrants, including referring to them as “animals” and “killers,” and saying that they spread diseases.

Last month, during his debate with Harris, Trump falsely claimed Haitian immigrants in Ohio were abducting and eating pets.

As president, he questioned why the U.S. was accepting immigrants from Haiti and Africa rather than Norway and told four congresswomen, all people of color and three of whom were born in the U.S., to “go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came.”

___

Associated Press writer Will Weissert in Washington contributed to this report.

By RUSS BYNUM

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — The Georgia Supreme Court on Monday halted a ruling striking down the state’s near-ban on abortions while it considers the state’s appeal.

The high court’s order came a week after a judge found that Georgia unconstitutionally prohibits abortions beyond about six weeks of pregnancy, often before women realize they’re pregnant. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney ruled Sept. 30 that privacy rights under Georgia’s state constitution include the right to make personal healthcare decisions.

The state Supreme Court put McBurney’s ruling on hold at the request of Republican state Attorney General Chris Carr, whose office is appealing.

In a dissenting opinion, Justice John J. Ellington argued that the case “should not be predetermined in the State’s favor before the appeal is even docketed.”

“The State should not be in the business of enforcing laws that have been determined to violate fundamental rights guaranteed to millions of individuals under the Georgia Constitution,” Ellington wrote. “The `status quo’ that should be maintained is the state of the law before the challenged laws took effect.”

Clare Bartlett, executive director of the Georgia Life Alliance, called high court’s decision “appropriate,” fearing that without it, women from other states would begin coming to Georgia for surgical abortions.

“There’s no there’s no right to privacy in the abortion process because there’s another individual involved,” Bartlett said. She added: “It goes back to protecting those who are the most vulnerable and can’t speak for themselves.”

Monica Simpson, executive director of SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective, said the state Supreme Court had “sided with anti-abortion extremists.” Her group is among the plaintiffs challenging the state law.

“Every minute this harmful six-week abortion ban is in place, Georgians suffer,” Simpson said in a statement. “Denying our community members the lifesaving care they deserve jeopardizes their lives, safety, and health — all for the sake of power and control over our bodies.”

Leaders of carafem, an Atlanta abortion provider that had planned to expand its services after McBurney’s ruling, expressed dismay at the law’s reinstatement.

“Carafem will continue to offer abortion services following the letter of the law,” said Melissa Grant, the provider’s chief operating officer. “But we remain angry and disappointed and hope that eventually people will come back to a more sensible point of view on this issue that aligns with the people who need care.”

Georgia’s law, signed by Republican Gov. Brian Kemp in 2019, was one of a wave of restrictive abortion measures that took effect in Republican-controlled states after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022 and ended a national right to abortion. It prohibited most abortions once a “detectable human heartbeat” was present. At around six weeks into a pregnancy, cardiac activity can be detected by ultrasound in an embryo’s cells that will eventually become the heart.

Georgia has a separate criminal law that makes illegal abortions punishable by up to 10 years in prison for providers, but not for women having abortions. In addition, the 2019 ban puts physicians at risk of losing their medical licenses if they perform unpermitted abortions.

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The Georgia Supreme Court’s one-page order Monday exempted one specific provision of the state’s abortion law from being reinstated.

With no explanation, the court said the state can’t enforce a subsection of the law that reads: “Health records shall be available to the district attorney of the judicial circuit in which the act of abortion occurs or the woman upon whom an abortion is performed resides.”

Thirteen U.S. states are now enforcing bans on abortion at all stages of pregnancy and four ban abortions around the sixth week of pregnancy.

McBurney wrote in his ruling that “liberty in Georgia includes in its meaning, in its protections, and in its bundle of rights the power of a woman to control her own body, to decide what happens to it and in it, and to reject state interference with her healthcare choices.”

“When a fetus growing inside a woman reaches viability, when society can assume care and responsibility for that separate life, then — and only then — may society intervene,” McBurney wrote.

The judge’s decision rolled back abortion limits in Georgia to a prior law allowing abortions until viability, roughly 22 to 24 weeks into a pregnancy.

Kemp has blasted McBurney’s decision, saying: “The will of Georgians and their representatives has been overruled by the personal beliefs of one judge,”

___

AP reporters Kate Brumback, Jeff Amy and Charlotte Kramon in Atlanta contributed to this story.

MIAMI — Having put his imprint on the franchise for more than a quarter century, Miami Heat president Pat Riley now will be assured of a series of ongoing signature moments at Kaseya Center.

In a move mostly made by college teams to honor transcendent coaches, the Heat announced on Monday that the court at Kaseya Center will now be named for the Hall of Fame icon who arrived to the franchise in September 2005 and has overseen the team’s three NBA championships, including one as coach in 2006.

Starting with the Oct. 23 regular-season opener against the visiting Orlando Magic, the Heat will play on, “Pat Riley Court at Kaseya Center.”

“Thirty years, three championships, countless moments — none of it would have been possible without Pat Riley at the helm of the ship,” Micky Arison, the Heat’s managing general partner, said in a statement. “Pat has accomplished so much for this franchise and this city that it’s only fitting his name is forever etched on the hardwood where every day we will be reminded of his impact on the game and the Heat.”

From now on we'll be playing on “Pat Riley Court at Kaseya Center”

Today is Monday, Oct. 7, the 281st day of 2024. There are 85 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Oct. 7, 2003, California voters recalled Gov. Gray Davis and elected Arnold Schwarzenegger their new governor.

Also on this date:

In 1765, the Stamp Act Congress convened in New York to draw up colonial grievances against England.

In 1913, the first moving assembly line began operation at the Ford Motor Company factory in Highland Park, Michigan.

In 1916, in the most lopsided victory in college football history, Georgia Tech defeated Cumberland University 222-0 in Atlanta.

In 1985, Palestinian gunmen hijacked the Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro (ah-KEE’-leh LOW’-roh) in the Mediterranean Sea. The hijackers shot and killed Leon Klinghoffer, a Jewish American tourist in a wheelchair, and pushed him overboard, before surrendering on Oct. 9.

In 1992, trade representatives of the United States, Canada and Mexico initialed the North American Free Trade Agreement during a ceremony in San Antonio, Texas, in the presence of President George H.W. Bush, Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and Mexican President Carlos Salinas de Gortari.

In 1998, Matthew Shepard, a gay college student, was beaten and left tied to a wooden fencepost outside of Laramie, Wyoming; he died five days later. Russell Henderson and Aaron McKinney are serving life sentences for Shepard’s murder.

In 2001, the war in Afghanistan started as the United States and Britain launched air attacks against military targets and Osama bin Laden’s training camps in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks.

In 2023, Hamas launched air and ground attacks on Israel, killing nearly 1,200 and taking more than 250 hostages. The attacks, followed hours later by Israeli counterattacks, marked the beginning of the current Israel-Hamas War.

Today’s Birthdays:

• Author Thomas Keneally is 89.
• Comedian and talk-show host Joy Behar is 82.
• Singer John Mellencamp is 73.
• Rock musician Tico Torres (Bon Jovi) is 71.
• Cellist Yo-Yo Ma is 69.
• Recording executive and TV personality Simon Cowell is 65.
• Singer-actor Toni Braxton is 57.
• Rock singer-musician Thom Yorke (Radiohead) is 56.
• Actor Nicole Ari Parker is 54.
• Football Hall of Famer Charles Woodson is 48.
• Singer Taylor Hicks is 48.
• Actor Omar Miller is 46.
• MLB outfielder Mookie Betts is 32.

General Daily Insight for October 07, 2024

Self-care is a must. With today’s only aspect as the sensitive Moon squaring critical Saturn at 10:50 pm EDT, trying to make things happen could be frustrating. We might worry that we’re running in place while attempting to get somewhere, and connections with others may feel fruitless. It would be dangerously easy to let criticism, loneliness, or silence create hurt feelings, making it extra important to be kind when everyone’s feeling the stress. Let’s support one another rather than tear each other down.

Aries

March 21 – April 19

Progress will probably be particularly difficult at this moment. You could feel like you are consistently entrapped in all sorts of delays, misdirections, and distractions, preventing you from getting to the destination you’re seeking. Whether this destination is a literal place that you’re traveling to or a more figurative project that you’re trying to work on, be patient with yourself — and with the people around you. It might not be quick to get where you’re going, so try to enjoy the journey.

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

Connecting with others may be harder than you’d expect. You might get the sense that everyone is missing the meaning when you’re speaking to other people, or it could be that you’re playing phone tag because you can’t get your schedules to line up. While this can be upsetting, try not to let it get to you. Remember that you’ll have more opportunities to communicate in the future. Patiently waiting to say the right words at the right time is the key.

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

The feedback you want may seem barely out of reach. You may have thought that you reached a new high for yourself when it comes to your work or expressing yourself in any way, but someone in your life, possibly a boss or a parent, could suddenly shoot down your enthusiasm. Their criticism doesn’t mean that they’re automatically right, but it would be beneficial to avoid getting defensive. Take in the information and do with it what you want, but hear them out first.

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

You’re doing more than running in place, Cancer — even if it doesn’t feel like it. The habits that you’ve been building may not seem fruitful yet, but don’t worry. Your consistent work on them is likely feeding progress that is happening underground, where you can’t see it change every day. If you find yourself feeling unmotivated, consider creating a visual reminder of the work that you’ve done or the goal that you’re aiming for, such as a photo album or vision board.

Leo

July 23 – August 22

You might be impulsively silencing yourself for someone else’s benefit. A peer’s critique of how you conduct yourself may have led you to retreat from the spotlight — but are you doing this to please yourself or to please them? If you know that you’re happy in the spotlight, and it’s where you feel most at home, then one person’s criticism shouldn’t be enough to push you into the shadows! Speak your truth, even if it’s not what everyone wants to hear.

Virgo

August 23 – September 22

Concerns about showing your heart to the people around you are normal, but you deserve better than that. You may be hung up on naysayers from your past, especially if they led you to feel less than confident about whatever you were or are bringing to the table. However, the people that you’re around now should be supportive of you! They shouldn’t try to tear you down just for expressing yourself. You’re worth far more than merely what you can do for others.

Libra

September 23 – October 22

People that were supposed to show up for you may not be consistent. You may have shown up for them in the past, but once it’s time to return the favor, they’re nowhere to be found. Make a point of contemplating their reasoning for why they couldn’t be there. While there are situations in which it would be understandable that they couldn’t show up for you, there are others that are not acceptable. Save your energy and time for those who want a mutual friendship.

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

Reckless behavior can threaten solid foundations. Do your level best to avoid crossing the line with your friends for the moment, as well as with romantic relationships, because taking a big chance is unlikely to result in a positive outcome for you or the people around you. Be respectful with how you’re conducting yourself and try to be aware of what may hurt their feelings. Even accidentally stepping on toes may result in the end of certain connections. Take a walk in their shoes.

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

You might feel like you’re spinning your wheels. Even if you typically love discussing one topic or are working hard to try and learn something new, your head and your heart may just not be in it. The more that you try to force yourself to do something that you don’t want to do, the more that you’re likely to notice a lack of results. Your authenticity is one of your greatest assets at this time, so be honest with yourself.

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

Even a crowded room can get lonely. When you’re with a casual group, whether they’re new acquaintances or old friends you haven’t spoken to lately, you may feel immensely isolated. They may not grasp why you’re not gelling with them, while you might not understand what’s genuinely standing between you and a connection with this group. Their vibe may simply not be what you’re looking for! If this is the case, it could be a good idea to start seeking out different connections.

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

Your past might be getting in the way of your future. Decisions in your history are still affecting your current world — their far-reaching consequences may now be your responsibility or hinder your current work. Even if you can’t fix things right away, the issue is likely something that you can work with in creative ways. Try not to see things in black and white, such as your prior actions preventing you from ever building your preferred future. There’s always room for growth.

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

Receiving a lack of direction may hamper your progress. You might be seeking some information from an authority figure or mentor who isn’t providing it, and when you seek it out more intently, they could end up just confusing or discouraging you with their answers. This is potentially a situation where you have to follow your own leadership, and although it can be uncertain, it’s vital that you rise to the challenge. You’re worth the effort of making yourself into a hero!

The Florida Panthers announced Sunday night that Monday’s Champions Ring Ceremony at Amerant Bank Arena will not continue as planned due to the expected poor weather conditions Hurricane Milton will bring to South Florida.

Milton is on a track to slam into Florida’s Gulf Coast, potentially near Tampa, late Tuesday or Wednesday but its effects are likely to begin much earlier as Milton’s wind field expands over the Gulf of Mexico’s warm and deep waters. Gov. Ron DeSantis issued a state of emergency for 35 counties across the state on Saturday and expanded it to 51 counties on Sunday, including Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade.

Heavy rainfall leading to possible flooding is expected across South Florida through much of this week, officials said. A flood watch is in effect for the entire area through Thursday morning and authorities warned of “damaging wind impacts for portions of South Florida from Milton.”

“As this event would take resources from first responders and service providers, we have made the tough decision to cancel our Champions Ring Ceremony out of an abundance of caution for the safety of all involved. We will instead distribute our championship rings privately,” said Panthers president and CEO Matt Caldwell.

“Along with state and local authorities, we are closely monitoring the situation. As of now, Opening Night vs. Boston (Tuesday) is scheduled to proceed as intended and we will continue preparing our arena and surrounding areas to safely welcome guests for Opening Night.”

Fans who brought tickets for the ring ceremony can expect a full refund.

The Panthers are looking to join the the 1972 and 1973 Miami Dolphins and the Miami Heat of 2012 and 2013 as South Florida’s back-to-back champions.

The back-to-back Eastern Conference champions bring back the core of the team that won it all last June — Sergei Bobrovsky, Sam Reinhart, Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad, Anton Lundell, Gustav Forsling, Evan Rodrigues, Carter Verhaeghe and more. It’s going to take some time for the Panthers to figure out how to replace a couple of key pieces — Brandon Montour among them — and the power play is likely going to look a bit different. The Panthers play eight of their first 12 games — and 11 of their final 18 — on the road.

Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.