South Florida Local News

TAMPA — The Hurricanes took the Bulls‘ best punch on Saturday night, and they left Raymond James Stadium with their record unscathed.

After a tug-of-war in the first half, No. 8 Miami (4-0) pulled away in the second half and notched a 50-15 win over upstart USF (2-2), which has proven its mettle in closely fought games against both UM and Alabama. The Hurricanes are 6-1 all-time against the Bulls.

“Proud of our guys for responding the way they did,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said. “First time we actually trailed this year. The second-half response, we played cleaner and better Miami Hurricane football.”

South Florida was arguably Miami’s toughest test through the first third of the season, taking the lead from Miami twice in the first half. But the Hurricanes battled back both times before outscoring the Bulls 28-0 in the second half en route to a dominant victory.

“I believe (they were the toughest opponent so far),” quarterback Cam Ward said. “Just because they’re so physical. It’s a physical team over there, and they showed it today.”

The Bulls showed how much fight they had in them early in the game. They nearly got Miami off the field with a three-and-out to start the game, but Ward connected with Xavier Restrepo to keep the drive alive. Aided by four USF penalties, the Hurricanes drove 75 yards down the field and punched in a 2-yard rushing touchdown by Damien Martinez to begin the game.

USF responded with a field goal: a 58-yarder by freshman Nico Gramatica, the son of former NFL kicker Martin Gramatica.

UM had been good at avoiding turnovers through the first three games of the season, but wide receiver Jacolby George cost Miami. Ward tossed George a third-down completion, but George could not hang onto it. The ball popped out of his hands and directly to a waiting Brent Austin. The Bulls then scored their first touchdown on a trick play where wide receiver Sean Atkins tossed a touchdown pass to quarterback Byrum Brown.

The Bulls nearly caught the Hurricanes flat-footed, kicking and seemingly recovering a surprise onside kick after their touchdown. After a lengthy review, however, the Bulls were ruled offside, and they had kicked off to UM. Ward led an eight-play, 90-yard drive drive down the field, punctuating it with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Horton.

The back-and-forth struggle went back into the Bulls’ favor after an 8:30 drive ended with a 44-yard field goal by John Cannon, pushing USF ahead 15-14 before the end of the first half.

“We did everything we possibly could to simulate them, but they’re difficult,” Cristobal said. “They’re a good football team.”

Ward was not going to let the Bulls keep the momentum, though. He hit Sam Brown Jr. for a 76-yard score — Brown’s first as a Hurricane — and put Miami back ahead 22-15 after Ward converted the two-point conversion with a pass to Martinez.

After getting a stop on the Bulls’ first drive of the second half, the Hurricanes took command of the game with an 80-yard touchdown drive. Martinez collected the final yard, scoring his second short touchdown of the night.

Martinez notched his third 1-yard touchdown of the night late in the third quarter, putting Miami ahead 36-15. Ward added his third touchdown of the night on a 5-yard pass to Xavier Restrepo, putting the game well out of reach. Freshman running back Jordan Lyle added a 91-yard touchdown run for good measure in the game’s final minutes. Lyle’s touchdown run was the longest play from scrimmage in UM history.

“Nobody’s content,” Cristobal said. “We’re excited about the progress. We’re enthused and driven, but we certainly just kind of want to get back to work.”

Five takeaways 1. Cam Ward shows why he is a gunslinger

Ward has been a star for the Hurricanes this season, and he has described himself as a “gunslinger” at quarterback. That archetype has some good and bad, and Ward was not perfectly on his game Saturday.

“The biggest thing for us, especially to me — you saw out there tonight I missed a lot of easy throws, playing man coverage that we knew they were going to play — they actually played more man coverage than what we thought they were — that’s just something I’ve got to home in,” Ward said. “The O-line gave me enough time; I didn’t connect downfield. Receivers were winning early on; I didn’t connect downfield.”

Ward missed open receivers a couple of times, which stood out after three near-perfect games to begin the year. His first-half interception was not one of those — he hit George in the chest and the ball popped out.

But even when he was not at his absolute sharpest, Ward finished the game with 404 yards, completing 24 of 34 passes with three touchdowns. He also ran for 25 yards.

2. Miami plays a sloppy game, and USF joined in

Miami coach Mario Cristobal has cited penalties as something to work on in recent weeks, and he could not have been happy with his team’s performance in that regard on Saturday.

Miami had eight first-half penalties, racking up 80 yards on fouls. UM had all types of penalties: personal fouls, personnel issues and simple mistakes alike.

Fortunately for Miami, USF obliged them by playing equally as sloppy. The Bulls had eight penalties for 51 yards in the first half. South Florida ended the game with 11 penalties for 73 yards.

Cristobal delivered a blunt message to the team at halftime, and Miami cleaned up its penalties in the second half. UM finished the game with 11 penalties for 113 yards.

“I think we were anxious,” Cristobal said. ” … We knew this was going to be a physical game, we had to be physical. And that’s not what we’ve been. It’s not. And we started doing it, and it wasn’t a matter of want-to or just arrogance for not doing things the right way. It’s just we got off of what we are. If we want to really put on display what we are, we had to show it in the way we played, not the way we talked or the way we did stuff.

“Really proud of these guys for taking over that part in the locker room as leaders, as grown men, and putting our words into action and having a great second half.”

3. Horton and Brown get their shine

Restrepo and George had the bulk of Miami’s wide-receiver touchdowns entering Saturday’s game, but Brown and Horton got their time to shine in Tampa.

Horton’s eight catches for 108 yards were both career highs. He nearly had a second touchdown late in the third quarter, but the play was overturned on review and he had to settle for an 18-yard catch at the 1-yard line.

“I thought Isaiah Horton continues to show that true development has really taken its course, and he’s playing some great football for us,” Cristobal said.

Brown finished the game with 7t yards and scored his first touchdown with the Hurricanes.

Restrepo did have a special accomplishment, though. He hauled in a 16-yard catch in the third quarter that put him across the 2,000-yard mark for his career. He is the 10th player in UM history to reach 2,000 receiving yards.

4. Bend but don’t break

Although the Hurricanes gave up their share of big plays and yardage on Saturday, they had several defensive stands that proved crucial.

Late in the second quarter, the Bulls drove from their own 7-yard line down to the Miami 8-yard line. The Hurricanes pushed them back, forcing a field goal that put USF up 15-14 instead of a go-ahead touchdown that would have put the Bulls up by five. At the end of the half, the Hurricanes forced another field goal, and the Bulls missed it. USF had just one touchdown in the red zone.

Miami’s defense adjusted in the second half and did not give up any points after halftime.

“We quickly kind of snugged down the coverage a little bit,” Cristobal said. “Our pressures, the internal part of our pressure and the pocket push was better. It caused more problems for their quarterback, and then we sacked them a couple times and got off the field on third down. In all, we stopped worrying about the post-snap … and started playing our brand of football.”

5. Versatile Damien Martinez

Martinez was a 1,000-yard rusher last year, but he has not been racking up the yards lately. After rushing for only 3 yards on three carries in UM’s win over Ball State, he notched just 31 rushing yards in Miami’s win on Saturday.

However, he was still quite productive, scoring three short touchdowns. He also made an impact in the passing game, providing a safety valve for Ward. Martinez had two catches for 50 yards.

 

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. — Durell Robinson and Mel Brown each ran for 156 yards and Robinson scored two touchdowns and the duo helped UConn trample Florida Atlantic 48-14 on Saturday.

Robinson did his running damage on just 16 carries and Brown carried 21 times. Quarterback Nick Evers ran for 78 yards on 18 carries and scored two touchdowns. Evers and reserve quarterback Joe Fagnano each threw for a touchdown.

The Huskies (2-2) built a 27-0 lead and amassed 542 yards with 421 coming on the ground.

CJ Campbell scored two touchdowns with runs of 3 and 38 yards for FAU.

The Huskies and Owls (1-3) played for the first time since the 2002 season, a 61-14 UConn win in the final season at Memorial Stadium on campus in Storrs, Connecticut.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Ja’Khi Douglas had a 36-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter and Florida State defeated Cal 14-9 on Saturday in the Bears’ first Atlantic Coast Conference game.

Patrick Payton had three of Florida State’s seven sacks, the last when Marvin Jones Jr. and Edwin Joseph combined to sack Cal’s Fernando Mendoza on fourth down with 54 seconds left. The Bears had driven to the Florida State 23.

Lawrance Toafili had 17 carries for 80 yards and a 2-yard touchdown for Florida State (1-3, 1-2 ACC).

FSU’s DJ Uiagalelei was erratic, completing 16 of 27 passes for 177 yards but it was his touchdown pass to Douglas that gave the Seminoles the lead early in the fourth quarter.

Mendoza completed 22 of 36 for a season-best 303 yards for Cal (3-1, 0-1). The Miami native also had an interception.

Cal running back Jaydn Ott returned after missing a game due to injury, picking up 73 yards on 13 carries.

The takeaway

California: While the Bears picked up 422 offensive yards, they missed two field-goal attempts of under 40 yards. Pre-snap penalties often hurt Cal drives.

Florida State: The Seminoles were held to just 284 offensive yards, the fourth straight game they couldn’t surpass the 300-yard mark.

Up next

Cal has a bye and plays host to No. 8 Miami on Oct. 5.

Florida State plays at SMU on Saturday.

___

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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

MIAMI (AP) — Matt Olson broke a seventh-inning tie with a two-run homer and the Atlanta Braves beat the Miami Marlins 6-2 on Saturday to stay two games behind the New York Mets for the last National League wild card.

New York beat Philadelphia 6-3 at Citi Field, preventing the NL East-leading Phillies from clinching the division crown.

Gio Urshela and Jorge Soler also went deep for the Braves. Marcell Ozuna and Michael Harris II each had three hits.

Atlanta starter Max Fried allowed two runs — one earned — and five hits over six innings. Fried (10-10) walked one, struck out six and reached double-digit wins for the fourth time in his career.

Olson connected off reliever Lake Bachar (0-1), sending his 29th homer over the right-center wall to snap a 2-all tie. Later in the inning, Urshela chased Bachar with a two-run drive that landed in the left-field seats.

Pierce Johnson, Joe Jiménez and Raisel Iglesias each worked a scoreless inning in relief.

Olson hit an RBI single in the fifth that put the Braves ahead 2-1. Ozzie Albies singled and advanced on a walk to Ozuna before racing home on Olson’s line drive to left.

The Marlins tied it in the sixth when Jonah Bride scored from second on a throwing error by Albies at second base as he tried for a double play.

Derek Hill’s run-scoring triple in the first gave Miami a quick lead before Soler tied it with a leadoff homer against starter Adam Oller in the second.

Oller was lifted after 5 2/3 innings. The right-hander allowed two runs and eight hits. He walked two and struck out seven.

“I thought he was really good, threw a lot of first-pitch strikes,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said. “He got out of a couple of tough innings as well. It shows that he has stuff that should play up here and should be enough to be in a rotation.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Marlins: LHP Braxton Garrett will undergo an MRI after he experienced discomfort in the back of his elbow following his last bullpen session. Garrett has not pitched since June 17 because of a forearm flexor strain. He had been scheduled to start Sunday before geting scratched Friday.

UP NEXT

Braves RHP Grant Holmes (2-1, 3.84 ERA) starts the series finale Sunday against RHP Darren McCaughan (0-0, 7.64).

 

TAMPA — Hurricanes standout defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. missed his third straight game due to an injury he sustained in the season opener.

Additionally, Miami offensive tackle Jalen Rivers also missed his third straight game due to injury.

Neither player participated in pregame warmups and were not dressed for Saturday’s game against USF.

Bain’s injury, which UM coach Mario Cristobal described as a soft-tissue injury, came early in Miami’s win over Florida in Week 1.

Rivers, whose injury is undisclosed, played all of UM’s win over the Gators but did not take the field against Florida A&M or Ball State.

Cristobal said Monday that Rivers was expected to play against USF. 

Fortunately for UM, right guard Anez Cooper returned from a minor injury he suffered last week against Ball State.

Cam Ward, Byrum Brown display different approaches to scrambling

Miami Hurricanes star quarterback Cam Ward can escape the pocket when he needs to scramble. USF quarterback Byrum Brown uses his athleticism frequently, leading his team in rushing yards entering Saturday’s matchup between the two Florida schools.

Each strategy has its pros and cons, and Ward explained why he is a throw-first quarterback as he prepared for the game against the Bulls.

“I just think there’s a time and place when to do that,” Ward said. “I haven’t had that time yet this year, to be put in that position to do that yet. But if I need to, I will.”

Through three games, Ward has seven carries for 46 yards and a rushing touchdown, significantly fewer running attempts per game than he had last season. In 2023, Last year, he had 120 carries (including sacks) for 144 yards and eight touchdowns.

Brown, on the other hand, uses his legs as another weapon frequently. He has carried the ball 46 times this year for 254 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Last year, Brown had 203 carries for 803 yards and 11 scores.

The difference, in part, may lie in Miami’s pass-catchers and its offensive line. Ward typically has had plenty of time to throw in UM’s first three games, taking just two sacks. He has had no trouble delivering the ball to Hurricanes wide receivers.

“You have a receiving corps like ours, you’ve got four or five legit dudes who can go,” Ward said. “What are you trying to run for when you can throw to those guys and they run it wide open. I’m just trying to get the ball to the playmakers.”

Coaches reunited

The Hurricanes and Bulls’ coaching staffs have some familiarity with each other.

Miami coach Mario Cristobal poached running back Matt Merritt from Alex Golesh’s staff at USF last year after Merritt spent one season with the Bulls.

Golesh also has a couple of former Cristobal staff members working with him, as well.

USF defensive coordinator Todd Orlando served as Cristobal’s defensive coordinator for two seasons when Cristobal was the head coach at Florida International.

Additionally, Bulls cornerbacks coach DeMarcus Van Dyke, a UM alum, was a quality control analyst under Cristobal in 2022.

NEW YORK (AP) — James Sands scored late in stoppage time and New York FC salvaged a 1-1 draw with Lionel Messi and Inter Miami on Saturday.

Miami (19-4-7) didn’t get on the board until the 75th minute when Leo Campana, a late entry to the game, finished a play started by Messi. Messi carried the ball forward before finding Jordi Alba to his left streaking inside the box and he tapped it across to a wide-open Campana

New York (11-11-8) got a corner kick in the fifth minute of stoppage time and Santiago Rodriguez sent a perfect feed into the box where Sands was wide open at the 6-yard line to head the ball just inside the near post.

The game drew 44,738 to Yankee Stadium, the second-highest total in NYFC history. The clubs played to 1-1 draw in Miami on March 30.

Inter Miami started the day eight points ahead of next-closest team in Supporters’ Shield race with four matches left.

Inter Miami return home to play Charlotte FC on Saturday.

SEATTLE — The Miami Dolphins, on Saturday, signed quarterback Tim Boyle onto their active roster off the practice squad, placed wide receiver Grant DuBose on injured reserve and elevated wideouts Erik Ezukanma and Dee Eskridge for Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks.

Boyle being brought up to the roster gives the Dolphins three quarterbacks Sunday at Seattle’s Lumen Field.
Skylar Thompson is in line to start with Tua Tagovailoa in concussion protocol and on IR, and Miami signed local South Florida product Tyler Huntley this week. One can be inactive and designated as the emergency third quarterback.

DuBose injured his shoulder this week in practice. After being listed as limited on the Wednesday injury report, he missed Thursday and Friday practices.

“It’s kind of one of those that we don’t think to be season-ending,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Friday, “but there’s got to be a decision and we’re just gaining information to kind of assess that.”

DuBose was seen in the team’s locker room Friday with his left arm in a sling.

Without DuBose and with rookie Malik Washington doubtful to make his NFL debut Sunday with a quadriceps injury, the Dolphins would otherwise have three healthy receivers Sunday in Seattle.

Ezukanma and Eskridge now join Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and Braxton Berrios in Miami’s receiving corps against the Seahawks. Robbie Chosen was released from the practice squad this week.

Eskridge gets a shot at his former team, which drafted him in the second round of the 2021 draft. Ezukanma is in his third NFL season and has only seen action in three previous games after being a Dolphins fourth-round pick in 2022. He has been on Miami’s practice squad this season while the Dolphins await the health of Washington, Odell Beckham Jr. (PUP) and River Cracraft (IR).

You don’t have to like Donald Trump to be able to look back and see all the good that he did for our nation.

We were safe. We had more money in our pockets. No new wars were started.

If there were only one grocery store where you could buy food for your family, but you hated the owner, would you boycott it and let your family starve?

Like it or not, we need Trump to get our country back on track.

Kamala Harris has been in the White House for almost four years, and things have declined considerably. If she’s elected, we will have four more years of chaos, and you can kiss America and what it once stood for goodbye.

Donna Romanelli, Lighthouse Point

Are you better off now?

I answer with a resounding yes! People who ask this question want facts. They are:

Inflation has fallen dramatically over the past three-plus years. Many millions of jobs have been created. Crime is down during this administration, not up as the Republicans would have you believe. Illegal immigration is coming to a standstill after President Biden tried to get Republicans to negotiate a bipartisan bill that failed at Trump’s insistence.

We are the world’s top oil producer. Our environment is better protected. We have the strongest economy in the world. We are a more respected country. World leaders were afraid of Trump’s mental instability. Investment portfolios have never been higher thanks to a record stock market.

During Trump’s administration, we had denial of a worldwide pandemic, empty grocery stores and massive job losses. Our country was at a standstill. He bungled an opportunity to bring us together and created mistrust in government. A million Americans died unnecessarily.

To those who ask are you better off today, I say, absolutely, yes! We won’t go back.

Randy Grant, Fort Lauderdale

In perfect order

Thank you for endorsing Wendy Sartory Link to remain as Palm Beach County supervisor of elections.

After Donald Trump’s vociferous claim, globally known as “The Big Lie” that somehow his loss to Biden in 2020 was “stolen,” and the ensuing deadly domestic attack in the U.S. Capitol, I took a group tour of the county’s voting facility, led by Wendy Link.

My objective, as an engineer, was to find supporting flaws in the entire voting system and counting process, starting with the voters. There were none. After the tour, some of us put Wendy Link on the defensive as we tried to find hidden flaws. Her professionalism and knowledge of the details was truly remarkable.

Contrary to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ and now (Link’s opponent) Jeff Buongiorno’s similarly outlandish political claims, we failed to find a means by which “voter fraud” could be enabled beyond single digits, where everyone and everything involved had to precisely fail in perfect order and in perfect union.

Harold Chanin, Boynton Beach

Sound familiar?

Why are the MAGAs all in such an uproar over North Carolina Lt. Governor Mark Robinson’s antisemitic, racist comments and misogyny?

He sounds just like their guy — Donald Trump.

Randy Lifshotz, Fort Lauderdale

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If you or someone you know may be experiencing a mental health crisis, contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing or texting “988.”

When Pooja Mehta’s younger brother, Raj, died by suicide at 19 in March 2020, she felt “blindsided.”

Raj’s last text message was to his college lab partner about how to divide homework questions.

“You don’t say you’re going to take questions 1 through 15 if you’re planning to be dead one hour later,” said Mehta, 29, a mental health and suicide prevention advocate in Arlington, Virginia. She had been trained in Mental Health First Aid — a nationwide program that teaches how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illness — yet she said her brother showed no signs of trouble.

Mehta said some people blamed her for Raj’s death because the two were living together during the covid-19 pandemic while Raj was attending classes online. Others said her training should have helped her recognize he was struggling.

But, Mehta said, “we act like we know everything there is to know about suicide prevention. We’ve done a really good job at developing solutions for a part of the problem, but we really don’t know enough.”

Raj’s death came in the midst of decades of unsuccessful attempts to tamp down suicide rates nationwide.

During the past two decades federal officials have launched three national suicide prevention strategies, including one announced in April.

The first strategy, announced in 2001, focused on addressing risk factors for suicide and leaned on a few common interventions.

The next strategy called for developing and implementing standardized protocols to identify and treat people at risk for suicide with follow-up care and the support needed to continue treatment.

The latest strategy builds on previous ones and includes a federal action plan calling for implementation of 200 measures over the next three years, including prioritizing populations disproportionately affected by suicide, such as Black youth and Native Americans and Alaska Natives.

Despite those evolving strategies, from 2001 through 2021 suicide rates increased most years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Provisional data for 2022, the most recent numbers available, shows deaths by suicide grew an additional 3% over the previous year. CDC officials project the final number of suicides in 2022 will be higher.

In the past two decades, suicide rates in rural states such as Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, and Wyoming have been about double those in urban areas, according to the CDC.

Despite those persistently disappointing numbers, mental health experts contend the national strategies aren’t the problem. Instead, they argue, the policies — for many reasons —simply aren’t being funded, adopted, and used. That slow uptake was compounded by the covid-19 pandemic, which had a broad, negative impact on mental health.

A chorus of national experts and government officials agree the strategies simply haven’t been embraced widely, but said even basic tracking of deaths by suicide isn’t universal.

Surveillance data is commonly used to drive health care quality improvement and has been helpful in addressing cancer and heart disease. Yet, it hasn’t been used in the study of behavioral health issues such as suicide, said Michael Schoenbaum, a senior adviser for mental health services, epidemiology, and economics at the National Institute of Mental Health.

“We think about treating behavioral health problems just differently than we think about physical health problems,” Schoenbaum said.

Without accurate statistics, researchers can’t figure out who dies most often by suicide, what prevention strategies are working, and where prevention money is needed most.

Many states and territories don’t allow medical records to be linked to death certificates, Schoenbaum said, but NIMH is collaborating with a handful of other organizations to document this data for the first time in a public report and database due out by the end of the year.

Further hobbling the strategies is the fact that federal and local funding ebbs and flows and some suicide prevention efforts don’t work in some states and localities because of the challenging geography, said Jane Pearson, special adviser on suicide research to the NIMH director.

Wyoming, where a few hundred thousand residents are spread across sprawling, rugged landscape, consistently ranks among the states with the highest suicide rates.

State officials have worked for many years to address the state’s suicide problem, said Kim Deti, a spokesperson for the Wyoming Department of Health.

But deploying services, like mobile crisis units, a core element of the latest national strategy, is difficult in a big, sparsely populated state.

“The work is not stopping but some strategies that make sense in some geographic areas of the country may not make sense for a state with our characteristics,” she said.

Lack of implementation isn’t only a state and local government problem. Despite evidence that screening patients for suicidal thoughts during medical visits helps head off catastrophe, health professionals are not mandated to do so.

Many doctors find suicide screening daunting because they have limited time and insufficient training and because they aren’t comfortable discussing suicide, said Janet Lee, an adolescent medicine specialist and associate professor of pediatrics at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University.

“I think it is really scary and kind of astounding to think if something is a matter of life and death how somebody can’t ask about it,” she said.

The use of other measures has also been inconsistent. Crisis intervention services are core to the national strategies, yet many states haven’t built standardized systems.

Besides being fragmented, crisis systems, such as mobile crisis units, can vary from state to state and county to county. Some mobile crisis units use telehealth, some operate 24 hours a day and others 9 to 5, and some use local law enforcement for responses instead of mental health workers.

Similarly, the fledgling 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline faces similar, serious problems.

Only 23% of Americans are familiar with 988 and there’s a significant knowledge gap about the situations people should call 988 for, according to a recent poll conducted by the National Alliance on Mental Illness and Ipsos.

Most states, territories, and tribes have also not yet permanently funded 988, which was launched nationwide in July 2022 and has received about $1.5 billion in federal funding, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Anita Everett, director of the Center for Mental Health Services within SAMHSA, said her agency is running an awareness campaign to promote the system.

Some states, including Colorado, are taking other steps. There, state officials installed financial incentives for implementing suicide prevention efforts, among other patient safety measures, through the state’s Hospital Quality Incentive Payment Program. The program hands out about $150 million a year to hospitals for good performance. In the last year, 66 hospitals improved their care for patients experiencing suicidality, according to Lena Heilmann, director of the Office of Suicide Prevention at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

Experts hope other states will follow Colorado’s lead.

And despite the slow movement, Mehta sees bright spots in the latest strategy and action plan.

Although it is too late to save Raj, “addressing the social drivers of mental health and suicide and investing in spaces for people to go to get help well before a crisis gives me hope,” Mehta said.

Cheryl Platzman Weinstock’s reporting is supported by a grant from the National Institute for Health Care Management Foundation.

Today is Saturday, Sept. 21, the 265th day of 2024. There are 101 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Sept. 21, 1981, the Senate unanimously confirmed the nomination of Sandra Day O’Connor to become the first female justice on the Supreme Court.

Also on this date:

In 1792, the National Convention of France issued a proclamation announcing the abolition of the French monarchy.

In 1898, in response to a letter from 8-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon, the New York Sun newspaper wrote an editorial containing the famous line “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.”

In 1915, Cecil Chubb purchased Stonehenge for £6,600; the last private owner of the site, Chubb donated it to the British people three years later.

In 1922, President Warren Harding signed the Lodge-Fish Resolution, a Congressional resolution endorsing the creation of a Jewish state in Palestine.

In 1937, “The Hobbit,” by J.R.R. Tolkien, was first published by George Allen & Unwin Ltd. of London.

In 1938, a hurricane struck parts of New York and New England, causing widespread damage and claiming some 700 lives.

In 1939, Romanian Prime Minister Armand Călinescu was assassinated by members of the fascist Iron Guard movement.

In 1955, at Yankee Stadium in New York, boxer Rocky Marciano completed his undefeated professional career by knocking out Archie Moore in the ninth round of their title fight.

In 1970, Monday Night Football made its debut on ABC, with the Cleveland Browns defeating the New York Jets 31-21.

In 1989, Hurricane Hugo crashed into South Carolina; the storm was blamed for 56 deaths in the Caribbean and 29 in the United States.

In 2013, an attack by armed militants in the Westgate shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya left 67 people dead and hundreds injured.

In 2022, Russia’s Vladimir Putin ordered a mobilization of reservists for the first time since World War II, nearly seven months after invading Ukraine.

Today’s Birthdays:

• Producer Jerry Bruckheimer is 81.
• Musician Don Felder is 77.
• Author Stephen King is 77.
• Basketball Hall of Famer Artis Gilmore is 75.
• Actor-comedian Bill Murray is 74.
• Race car driver Arie Luyendyk is 71.
• Filmmaker Ethan Coen is 67.
• Basketball Hall of Famer Sidney Moncrief is 67.
• Actor-comedian Dave Coulier is 65.
• Actor David James Elliott is 64.
• Actor Nancy Travis is 63.
• Actor Rob Morrow is 62.
• Actor Angus Macfadyen is 61.
• Actor Cheryl Hines is 59.
• Country singer Faith Hill is 57.
• Actor-talk show host Ricki Lake is 56.
• Actor Billy Porter is 55.
• Actor Alfonso Ribeiro (rih-BEHR’-oh) is 53.
• Actor Luke Wilson is 53.
• Musician Liam Gallagher (Oasis) is 52.
• TV personality Nicole Richie is 43.
• Actor Maggie Grace is 41.
• Actor Joseph Mazzello is 41.
• Rapper Wale (WAH’-lay) is 40.
• Singer Jason Derulo is 35.
• Cyclist Tadej Pogačar is 26.

SUNRISE — Senior quarterback Christian Mata ran for two touchdowns and threw for another as host Piper slipped past nationally ranked Blanche Ely 21-20 on Friday night.

“He’s one of the toughest players I’ve ever coached,” said Piper coach Quintin Short, who has his Bengals (5-0) aiming for their best start since 2016 when they began with eight straight wins. “I give him all of the credit in the world.”

Mata’s second rushing touchdown of the second half, a 2-yard run with 5:06 remaining in the game, pushed Piper (5-0) to its homecoming victory.

“It’s a huge win and it is going to carry us on to later in the season,” Mata said. “When I scored my second touchdown, I knew our defense would get the stop and not let them take the lead.

“The coaches have a lot of confidence in us,” Mata said. “We just have to go 1-0 every week and beat every team to go undefeated. This has been really fun. I have been here since my freshman year and started in my sophomore year. This is the best coaching staff I have ever had.”

Mata, who finished with a modest 27 yards rushing and 86 yards passing, said this was his team’s first test. On his game-winning score, Mata benefited from Blanche Ely (3-2) jumping offsides while Piper was about to try a 20-yard field goal. The flag moved the ball to fourth-and-inches. Short sent his offense back in and Mata scored on the next play.

Blanche Ely coach Terence McFadden learned early Friday that the No. 68-ranked Tigers would be without starting junior quarterback Omari McNeal due to concussion-like symptoms he experienced in a 42-13 loss to Atlantic last week.

“I didn’t know he was out,” McFadden said. “He went to the hospital Thursday to get checked out. They told me today he couldn’t play. He’s okay. He’s out for two weeks.”

McFadden wasn’t making excuses. He said backup junior quarterback Gary Hadley was ”just as good as anybody.”

“At the end of the day, at some point, you got to execute,” McFadden said. “It’s back to the drawing board. It’s not a district game and we have to finish the season strong. We’ve got to bounce back from these last two.

“We are a way better football team,” McFadden said. “We just lost because we didn’t execute in every phase of the game. It’s on the coaches. It’s on me. We could have tried for the extra-point kick to tie it up, but the kids wanted to go for two, plus we haven’t been able to kick all week (because of the weather). They blocked two of them and missed one, so that kind of put us on a limb.”

Blanche Ely wasted little time in pulling to within 21-20 following Mata’s TD with 3:47 remaining as Hadley carried three times for 23 yards and completed two passes for 40 yards, the last covering 25 yards to senior wideout Michael Warren to cap the 6 play, 63-yard drive. The Tigers went for the aforementioned two-point conversion pass, but Hadley’s pass sailed through the end zone.

After stopping Piper on downs, Blanche Ely took over on their 45-yard line with 1 minute, 32 seconds left in the game. Hadley found Richard Hollis for a 10-yard pickup, and after an incompletion, Hadley was intercepted by junior Alex Gammage and the Bengals ran out the clock.

Blanche Ely grabbed a 6-0 lead on a 1-yard TD run by Hadley with 9:34 remaining in the first half. It was the first points of the season allowed by Piper this season in 17 quarters, a school record. The score capped a five-play, 57-yard drive. Tigers kicker Luis Castriola missed the extra point.

“We knew this was our first test and no disrespect to the teams we played, but we knew this was it,” Short said. “We told the guys there was a possibility they would score. They have a great team. You don’t beat a Chaminade and not have a helluva football team….I knew people would doubt us because of our schedule, but we answered the bell tonight.”

“We came in with 16 (shutout) quarters, and got number 17 in the first quarter, but our kids never flinched,” Short said. “We kept fighting and fighting and we told them they just have to grind it out…our defense, which has carried us all year, makes a huge stop on the two-point conversion and gets a pick to seal it. I am so proud of these kids. I am so proud of our program. It’s wonderful.”

Castriola had three conversion attempts to take a 7-0 lead, but Piper blocked two of the conversion attempts but was whistled for three straight offside penalties to give him an additional shot, one that went wide.

Piper seized a 7-6 advantage as senior wide receiver Antrell McWhirter hauled in a 4-yard scoring pass from Mata with 2:36 left in the second quarter. Piper senior kicker Carter McCrary converted the PAT.

Blanche Ely nearly scored at the end of the half as it took the ensuing kickoff and went from their own 18 to the Piper 29 with 20 seconds remaining in the second quarter.

Hadley found Elijah Gonzales who picked up 12 yards on the catch, but fumbled the ball and Bengals linebacker Jefferson Saintcius made the recovery. The turnover was wiped out by a facemask penalty against Piper and a 15-yard penalty on a sideline warning against Blanche Ely gave Hadley another chance with an untimed down, but Hadley’s pass fell incomplete.

Piper took the opening kickoff in the third quarter and drove 65 yards in 9 plays to grab a 14-6 lead with six minutes left in the period. Mata ran it in from 6 yards out for the TD.

Following the ensuing kickoff, Blanche Ely managed to tie the game at 14-14 on a 5-yard TD run by Shawn Paschall with 2:48 left in the third quarter. The Tigers were helped out by 29 yards in penalties assessed to the Bengals.

LOXAHATCHEE — Santaluces senior wide receiver Jamar Browder and senior athlete Izzy Marion each scored two touchdowns as the visiting Chiefs pulled away from Seminole Ridge 49-21 on Friday night.

Browder, a Sun Sentinel Super 11 selection and N.C. State commit, had a 51-yard touchdown catch and 46-yard reception for another score in the first half. He also had a 9-yard touchdown run negated due to a holding penalty.

Santaluces (4-1) bounced back after a 23-8 loss against Palm Beach Central last week.

“It was overdue and it’s supposed to be like this every game,” Browder said. “We were in a slump last week. We had to get in our groove and it’s what we expected to do. It definitely boosted the team morale and helped to lift our spirits up.”

Marion had a 21-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and added a 17-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter.

“I feel like we are getting more comfortable with each other,” Marion said. “We did not execute and we just missed a lot of plays last week. This week, we got back in our groove and we started to wake people up.”

Santaluces junior quarterback Jorris Shephard and junior Chris Siska each passed for two touchdowns in the victory.

“We took a step in the right direction and made better decisions overall,” Santaluces coach Hector Clavijo said. “We were still a little sloppy and need to clean things up. I challenged our better players this week. At some point, our guys need to make a play and a lot of the big-time guys got the ball in their hands and made something happen. It’s kind of what we needed.”

Seminole Ridge senior quarterback Garrett Rimes rushed for two touchdowns and senior running back Willie Young also rushed for a score in the loss.

Santaluces led 28-21 at the end of the third quarter and pulled away with 21 points in the fourth.

Seminole Ridge (0-5) marched downfield on their opening drive and had first-and-goal at the 6-yard line.

Senior Anatay Smith recovered a fumble at the 1-yard line and raced down the left sideline on the long return to the Hawks 21.

Santaluces capitalized on the first play on offense after the turnover. Marion took the direct snap and rushed for a 21-yard touchdown to open the scoring with 9:51 left in the first.

Seminole Ridge responded late in the first as Rimes had a quarterback sneak for a 1-yard score to tie the game.

The Chiefs failed to convert on fourth-and-3 at the Hawks’ 6 in the second quarter.

Santaluces jumped ahead as Shephard fired a 51-yard scoring pass to Browder down the left sideline to make it 14-7 with 8:29 left in the second quarter.

Siska connected with Marion on a 17-yard catch-and-run for a score to increase the lead to 21-7 with 3:44 left in the first half.

Seminole Ridge answered back on their next series as Young rushed up the middle for a 5-yard score.

Santaluces quickly responded on the ensuing possession as Shephard hit Browder on a deep pass for a 46-yard score to push the lead to 28-14 late in the first half.

Seminole Ridge scored on their opening drive of the second half. On fourth-and goal, Rimes had a quarterback sneak for a 1-yard touchdown to cut the deficit to 28-21 with 6:20 left in the third quarter.

Santaluces missed an opportunity with a scoring chance on their next series. On fourth-and-goal at the 1, the Chiefs lost a fumble on the play.

Seminole Ridge failed to convert on fourth-and-10 at the Santaluces 28 as senior Keshawn Barker recorded a sack on the play with 11:34 left in the fourth.

The Chiefs pulled away as sophomore running back Kelsey Gerald had a 4-yard touchdown run to extend the lead to 35-21.

Senior Brandon Humphreys recorded an interception for the Chiefs with 8:21 left in the fourth.

Senior running back Jamie Simmons rushed for a 2-yard score to make it 42-21 with 6:34 remaining.

Siska connected with sophomore wide receiver Dallas Crescenzo on a 24-yard catch-and-run for a score to make 49-21 with 1:51 left.

By ALANIS THAMES

MIAMI (AP) — The Atlanta Braves’ run of six straight NL East titles ended Friday night with a 4-3 loss to the Miami Marlins as Jake Burger singled and doubled.

Atlanta (83-71) cannot mathematically win the division and trails by two games for the last NL wild-card spot. The Braves have eight games left, including three at home against a New York Mets team they are trying to overcome.

“What we do is we worry about today,” manager Brian Snitker said. “We’re going to want to go 1-0 tomorrow. We control our own destiny, and we need to win the rest of them. We’re down to eight, and we need to take care of business tomorrow.”

Kyle Stowers also singled and doubled for Miami (57-97), on track for its worst record since going 57-105 in 2019.

Valente Bellozo (3-4) allowed three runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings and Anthony Bender, Lake Bachar, Declan Cronin and Jesus Tinoco combined for two-hit relief. Tinoco got three straight outs for his second save.

Charlie Morton (8-9) gave up four runs and seven hits in six innings and threw a run-scoring wild pitch in the fifth. He is 0-2 in his last three starts.

Ozzie Albies, a switch-hitter batting right-handed only, was 0 for 4 in his return from a fractured left wrist that had sidelined him since July 21.

Burger hit a run-scoring ground-rule double in a three-run first that included Stowers’ RBI single and Jonah Bride’s sacrifice fly.

“The story of that game was the first inning,” Morton said. “If I walk a couple guys, give up a couple hits, run my pitch count up or whatever, that’s fine. Got to the fifth inning and I felt like I was in a position where I could limit that run, and I didn’t.”

Added Morton: “It’s like the first inning, you look back and it’s like ‘man.’ But there’s still a lot of baseball to be played. If I could limit them to three (runs) through six (innings), that’s OK considering I gave up three runs in the first. So to give up that run in the fifth was more troubling and more frustrating than the ones in the first.”

Ramon Laureano and Orlando Arcia homered off Bellozo, with Laureano’s 404-foot drive to center cutting Atlanta’s deficit to 4-3 in the sixth. Former Marlin Jorge Soler had a sacrifice fly in the third.

The Marlins bounced back from a 20-4 loss to the Dodgers on Thursday, when star slugger Shohei Ohtani homered three times and stole two bases to become the first major leaguer with at least 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a season.

“It speaks a lot to the guys in this clubhouse,” Cronin said, “especially the pitching staff. We agreed to flush it and go after the Braves and try to spoil another playoff (contender’s) run. What you saw today was a perfect example of what baseball is all about. It doesn’t matter what you did the night before. You have another opportunity to come out here and compete.”

Burger was voted the Marlins’ most valuable player for the 2024 season by South Florida’s chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Cronin was voted top rookie.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Braves: INF Cavan Biggio was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett in the corresponding move as Albies was activated.

Marlins: RHP Sandy Alcantara (Tommy John) is playing light catch. … RHP Eury Pérez (Tommy John surgery) began light throwing at 45 feet.

UP NEXT

LHP Max Fried (9-10, 3.49) will start the second game of the series for the Braves on Saturday against Marlins RHP Adam Oller (1-4, 5.40).

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Damon Cogdell hesitates to say it.

“I don’t want to tell people, ‘I told you so,’” he says.

The former Miramar High coach remembers saying to be patient more than a decade ago when his quarterback, Geno Smith, struggled in his opening NFL act. He said for everyone to wait, just wait, when Smith then played in just five games in six years with four teams. And now …

“I told everyone so,’’ he says.

Two quarterbacks come with stories to appreciate Sunday. The Miami Dolphins’ Skylar Thompson is writing his first act in the NFL, trying to step from the shadows in replacing starter Tua Tagovailoa over the next four games and keep this season going.

Seattle’s Smith is writing his second act. He’s making it something to remember. He led Seattle to an overtime win at New England last week, making it his ninth comeback win since 2022 to lead NFL quarterbacks.

Not that America knows that — or much anything of his reinvention in Seattle.

“Keep sleeping on him,’’ Seattle coach Mike Macdonald said this week.

The football world nodded off on Smith after a lot happened in in early NFL years, not much of it good. He struggled as a second-round rookie with the New York Jets in 2013. His big headline in 2015 was when he had his jaw broken by a punch from a reserve Jets defensive lineman. Ryan Fitzpatrick took the starting job and kept it.

Smith looked like a software program that crashed over the following years. After backing up Fitzpatrick, he did the same over the next six years for Eli Manning with the New York Giants, Philip Rivers with the Los Angeles Chargers and Russell Wilson in Seattle.

“Once he started to bounce around the NFL a little bit, it was painful to see him go through that,’’ says Cogdell, now the University of Fort Lauderdale coach. “But I understand he had to go through that to get to where he is now. He matured. He became the guy you see now.”

Geno Smith while at Miramar High School. Staff Photo/Michael Laughlin

Smith always knew how to play. He started as a freshman at Miramar, where he rose to become the Sun-Sentinel’s big-school player of the year in 2008 as a senior. He started three years at West Virginia, breaking school records and leading the nation with 42 touchdowns his senior season.

But it wasn’t until he became a career backup that he fully grasped how to study football to succeed in the NFL. Working with Rivers, for instance, taught him, “how to break a game down and watch film,’’ Smith, 33, said this week. “He’d also listen to the defense, listen to them talk and their communication, watch their signals

“He was great at recognizing Cover-0 from the defense. He’d throw a touchdown against Cover-0 and yell at the defensive coordinator for calling it.”

Sometimes, you see, it’s now how you start. Sometimes it’s how you grow along the way.

“All of that helped me get to a point here I have a level of understanding of the game to what I’m looking at now,’’ he said this week. “I don’t think there’s one particular year (things clicked). But as a 12-year-veteran you see a bunch of looks.  A lot of the overload pressures we see are the same overload pressures I’d see with Rex Ryan as a rookie.”

Smith took over for an injured Wilson in the 2021 season. He won the job after Wilson was traded, led the league in completion percentage and became the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year as Seattle made the playoffs. He’s been a Pro Bowl quarterback the past two years. He signed a three-year, $75 million deal in March.

Somewhere along his second act he became the player Miramar High knew he was.

“Geno was doing in high school what he’s doing now,’’ said Ivan McCartney, a receiver at Miramar and West Virginia with Smith who is now a University of Fort Lauderdale assistant. “He’s got a strong arm, is a great leader and then his athleticism — a lot of people don’t know about that. He had a Euro-step he used in games to get by people. It’s good to see him playing like he is.”

Smith isn’t Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen. But after two games his 498 passing yards rank second in the league, his 73.9 completion percentage ranks fourth and his 97.8 rating ranks eighth. The guy who spent years holding a clipboard is redefining himself.

Cogdell doesn’t want to talk about his former quarterback playing the hometown Dolphins.

“I don’t want to mess up the mojo,’’ he said. “I’ll stand in the back and cheer.”

A lot of players don’t get a second act. Smith is making the most of his. And there, along for the ride, are those like Cogdell, standing in the back with an I-told-you-so joy in their tone.

It was almost time for happy hour, but the crowd was told there wasn’t much time.

And the 75 or so people — including a member of Congress and three east Broward mayors — packed into the side room of a restaurant and bar Friday afternoon weren’t there for end-of-the-week libations.

They were all about the work, specifically political outreach to voters between now and Election Day. With a little more than six weeks until Nov. 5, and with voting-by-mail about to begin, they were pushed to do more than hang out with other Democrats at the end of the work day.

“These events are wonderful, and I thank you for being here, thank you for creating visibility” by taking pictures to post on social media and show friends, said Alfredo Olvera, the Broward state Democratic committeeman and president of the Dolphin Democrats LGBTQ+ political club.

That’s not nearly enough, he said: “If we don’t make phone calls, if you don’t walk (door to door), if we don’t write thank you notes, nothing is going to happen.”

His mission was to amp up the people who gathered at the newly opened Democratic Get Out the Vote Center in Wilton Manors, one of several in Broward. The center, sponsored by the Dolphins and the Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus, is aimed at mobilizing LGBTQ+ voters, a central component of the coalition Democrats depend on to win elections.

“You need to use this center. Otherwise it doesn’t make any sense for us to be here,” Olvera said. “We have an assignment to do. And it’s not by staying home.”

Elected officials and candidates, both LGBTQ and straight, offered a similar message.

“What do you think about this election so far? Not enough work is getting done,” said Wilton Manors Mayor Scott Newton.

Everyone in the room is sure to vote, he said, but that’s not good enough. Newton said, urging attendees to reach out to all their friends and neighbors and, if need be, “drag them to the polls.”

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U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Weston, a former chair of the Democratic National Committee, said a robust turnout in Broward could help reverse years of defeats at the hands of Florida Republicans.

“We have to make sure that we cover Broward County in opportunities to get people turned out to vote. Why? Because we are the bluest county in this state and we have to make sure we run up the score here,” she said.

Wasserman Schultz talked up a prospect that few analysts see as likely: Vice President Kamala Harris defeating former President Donald Trump in Florida.

“Don’t sleep on Florida this election cycle. We have to make sure that we do everything we can to prove the doubters wrong and to make sure that on November 5th, that we are the surprise of the United States of America,” she said. “Yeah, we’re the underdogs. There’s no question we’re the underdogs here. But the LGBTQ+ community knows how to fight and they know how to win like underdogs.”

Wasserman Schultz also said that U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla. — who most independent analysts see as likely to win — can be defeated by former U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, the Democratic candidate.

“It is a one- or two-point race, my friends. Debbie can win. Don’t — don’t — discount that race, get fully involved. There are canvases going on for DMP all weekend long. Please join one of them. Come to one of our offices, get on the phone ,and start helping to turn out the vote for her,” Wasserman Schultz said.. “We need to turn all of these Florida voters into believers, because we’ve had so many years of losses statewide, we can make sure that we punch her through.”

Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis, the city’s first openly LGBTQ mayor, implored people to make sure voters don’t just vote for president and high-profile offices and go home.

Broward County School Board member Sarah Leonardi along with her 3-year-old daughter Lia speaks during a political event at Tropics restaurant in Wilton Manors on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. Kristen Prata Browde, president of the Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus is holding the microphone. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

“As you go down on the ticket, it’s really, really important because we are the people that impact your day-to-day life,” said Trantalis, who is running for reelection.

Democrats have had election-season offices before in Wilton Manors, the unofficial capital of the LGBTQ+ community in South Florida. This year, a second office is being established, opening Tuesday in Tampa.

Jason Loring, president of the LGBTQ+ Log Cabin Republicans of Broward County, said he wasn’t familiar with what the Democrats groups did on Friday, and declined via text to comment.

Kristen Prata Browde, president of the Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus, also said with enough work Democrats have reason for optimum, and invoked Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis to motivate the volunteers. “There’s not much time. But we are going to take back Florida.”

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

Friday

Miami Central 35, American Heritage 32

Piper 21, Blanche Ely 20

St. Thomas Aquinas 56, McArthur 0

Santaluces 49, Seminole Ridge 21

Boyd Anderson 41, Stoneman Douglas 6

Cardinal Newman 48, Clewiston 0

Suncoast 23, John I. Leonard 14

The First Academy 41, Atlantic 28

Plantation 23, South Broward 0

Dillard 14, Miramar 12

Spanish River 51, Wellington 15

West Boca Raton 48, Treasure Coast 0

Park Vista 14, Boynton Beach 12

Dr. Joaquin Garcia 41, Olympic Heights 0

West Broward 35, Flanagan 0

Royal Palm Beach 38, Forest Hill 16

St. Andrew’s 24, North Broward Prep 8

Fort Pierce Central 34, Inlet Grove 6

Hallandale 20, Coral Glades 19 (OT)

Cardinal Gibbons 27, Coconut Creek 25

Calvary Christian Academy 48, North Miami 36

Monarch 42, Fort Lauderdale 8

Ransom Everglades 37, Pine Crest 6

Somerset Academy Key 43, TRU Prep 8

Jupiter Christian 50, Boca Raton Christian 7

 

Thursday

Chaminade-Madonna 45, Miami Norland 20

Glades Central 33, Dwyer 7

Western 7, Taravella 0

University School 46, Lake Highland Prep 10

Benjamin 21, Jensen Beach 14

Everglades 32, Mater Academy Charter 31

Coral Springs Charter 30, Pompano Beach 0

St. John Paul II Academy 28, Somerset Prep 22

LaBelle 23, Glades Day 0

In the summer of 2017, U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Florida Panhandle Republican, attended a party filled with drugs and paid escorts that was hosted by former state Rep. Chris Dorworth at his Heathrow home, according to witness testimony in newly filed federal court documents.

One of the escorts attending the get-together was the 17-year-old girl — known only as A.B. in court filings — who is at the center of the Joel Greenberg sex-trafficking scandal. Call girls roamed the premises with “access to the bedrooms in the Dorworth residence to engage in sexual activities, as well as alcohol, cocaine, ecstasy, also known as molly and marijuana,” according to statements quoted in the documents.

The case-file material, emerging as part of Dorworth’s April 2023 federal lawsuit against his former friend Greenberg, includes some of the most extensive details made public so far regarding a sex-trafficking controversy that has swirled around Gaetz for several years.

But while witnesses place him at the scene of illicit activity, the documents don’t include allegations or evidence that Gaetz himself used illegal drugs or had sex with the underage girl, a charge he has denied and federal investigators last year chose not to pursue. One document does quote the girl saying she had sex with Dorworth in exchange for $1,000, an allegation Dorworth, now a lobbyist, strongly disputed on Friday.

The tale told in the documents — primarily in a document submitted by Greenberg’s ex-wife that recounts evidence gathered as part of the suit — is lurid. It includes descriptions of two separate parties at Dorworth’s house a week apart, both attended by Gaetz although A.B. is only mentioned as attending the first one.

A.B., 17, had just completed her junior year at a local high school and drove her mother’s car through the upscale community’s security entrance at about 6:15 p.m. on July 15, 2017, the date of the first party.

Upon arrival, attendees were told to put their cell phones into a large bowl on a counter, apparently to prevent photos and videos. As the party went on, A.B. was naked among the adult attendees, according to material in the document from Greenberg’s ex-wife Abby attributed to an affidavit from one of the escorts, identified as K.M.

Besides Gaetz, Dorworth and Greenberg also were at the party at the 8,200-square foot, six-bedroom home on Whitstable Court, according to K.M. Greenberg had taken office as Seminole’s tax collector just six months earlier.

Jacob Bliss, a spokesman for Gaetz office, said in a brief email to the Sentinel Friday that Gaetz “has never participated” in the alleged events.

“If people said otherwise, they are either confused or lying,” Bliss said.

Dorworth eventually dropped his federal lawsuit against Greenberg this month, without giving a reason.

But now, Greenberg’s family, and the other defendants are seeking to recoup hundreds of thousands of dollars spent in attorneys fees, court costs and other expenses defending themselves against Dorworth’s litigation. That led to the filing of hundreds of pages of documents Thursday night.

Other material collected as part of the case remains sealed, including an interview with A.B., although it is briefly excerpted in the material from Abby Greenberg. That excerpt quotes the underage girl as saying she “engaged in various sexual activities” with Dorworth in a hotel in Lake Mary in the summer of 2017 while Joel Greenberg watched. She also says that at the conclusion of the encounter, “Mr. Greenberg provided me with an envelope with one thousand dollars in cash and said to me ‘this is from Chris’ or words to that effect.”

Dorworth denied ever meeting the girl in a Friday text message interview with the Orlando Sentinel, and said again as he had previously that he did not have sex with her. He also said he did not attend the July 15 party at his home.

“I was not there that evening,” Dorworth said by text. “I was at a friend’s birthday party on a lake far away.”

Attorneys for the defendants in Dorworth’s federal lawsuit against Greenberg and his family and businesses, however, presented Dorworth with evidence that he received phone calls from a cell tower less than two miles from his Heathrow home to an area in Maitland several times in the afternoon on the day of the July 15 party. He then received calls even closer to his home that evening, according to court records.

A week later, on July 22, a second party allegedly was held at Dorworth’s home, according to lawsuit documents from another female escort identified as L.P.

L.P. said Gaetz and Greenberg again were in attendance, along with several other call girls and lobbyists. A.B. is not mentioned by L.P.

L.P. said she also was told to put her cell phone in a bowl on the counter when she walked into the home.

“It was my understanding that this was done because the partygoers did not want  any photographs or videos taken of the event,” according to her testimony. “The party included alcohol, drugs, middle-aged men and young and attractive women.”

L.P. also makes no allegation that Gaetz used illegal drugs or had sex with the escorts.

The U.S. Department of Justice in February 2023 decided against pursuing sex-trafficking charges against Gaetz, whose House District 1 lies in the Florida Panhandle.

The decision came after the Washington Post reported that federal prosecutors had credibility concerns with witnesses, including Greenberg.

Still, a U.S. House Ethics Committee continues with its own investigation into whether Gaetz did have sex with A.B. when she was 17 years old.

Greenberg was a friend of Gaetz and Dorworth while he was Seminole County’s tax collector from January 2017 until June 2020, when he resigned after he was first indicted on several federal charges.

The trio were often seen at parties at Dorworth’s house and dining at restaurants in Orlando and Tallahassee.

In the spring of 2019, they all visited Washington D.C. with their families and took photos with then U.S. President Donald Trump on the White House lawn.

A.B. is now 25 years old and living in Colorado.

Greenberg is serving an 11-year federal prison sentence after pleading guilty to identity theft, stalking, conspiracy to bribe a public official and child sex trafficking, tied to A.B.

 

Today is Friday, Sept. 20, the 264th day of 2024. There are 102 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Sept. 20, 1973, in their so-called “Battle of the Sexes,” tennis star Billie Jean King defeated Bobby Riggs in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3, in the Houston Astrodome.

Also on this date:

In 1519, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan and his crew set out from Spain on five ships to find a western passage to the Spice Islands. (Magellan was killed en route, but one of his ships completed the first circumnavigation of the globe three years later.)

In 1946, the first Cannes Film Festival, lasting 16 days, opened in France.

In 1962, James Meredith, a Black student, was blocked from enrolling at the University of Mississippi by Democratic Gov. Ross R. Barnett.

In 1964, The Beatles concluded their first full-fledged U.S. tour by performing in a charity concert at the Paramount Theater in New York.

In 1967, the Cunard liner Queen Elizabeth 2 was christened by Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II in Clydebank, Scotland.

In 2011, the repeal of the U.S. military’s 18-year-old “don’t ask, don’t tell” compromise took effect, allowing gay and lesbian service members to serve openly.

In 2017, Hurricane Maria, the strongest storm to hit Puerto Rico in more than 80 years, struck the island, wiping out as much as 75 percent of power distribution lines and causing an island-wide blackout.

In 2019, Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania, the 1979 site of the nation’s worst commercial nuclear power accident, was shut down by its owner after producing electricity for 45 years.

Today’s Birthdays:

• Actor Sophia Loren is 90.
• Author George R. R. Martin is 76.
• Actor Gary Cole is 68.
• TV news correspondent Deborah Roberts is 64.
• Actor Maggie Cheung is 60.
• Actor Kristen Johnston is 57.
• Rock singers Gunnar and Matthew Nelson are 57.
• Race car driver Juan Pablo Montoya is 49.
• Actor Jon Bernthal is 48.
• Actor Aldis Hodge is 38.
• Mixed martial artist Khabib Nurmagomedov is 36.
• Singer-songwriter Phillip Phillips is 34.

General Daily Insight for September 20, 2024

Today is mired in astrological murk. The Moon in Aries is pushing us along at a dizzying pace as it squares off alchemical Pluto, though things slow down once Luna slips into Taurus. Meanwhile, Venus in Libra will make an uncomfortable quincunx to Uranus, shaking up our value systems. Regardless, solutions will probably be difficult to find when the Sun in Virgo opposes Neptune in Pisces at 8:17 pm EDT. We would all be wise to avoid jumping to any conclusions.

Aries

March 21 – April 19

It’s dangerously easy to get lost in the details. The Sun in your efficient 6th house is making its annual opposition to foggy Neptune in your mystical 12th house, which could turn your usual routine into a tumble down the rabbit hole. Things that might normally make perfect sense won’t appear that way! Unusual approaches may attract your attention, but “unusual” doesn’t necessarily mean “effective,” so be wary of grasping at potentials rather than realities. Neptune can make everything look good behind rose-colored glasses.

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

It’s not always easy to follow your heart, no matter how hard you try. Currently, there is cause for some confusion as the Sun in your passionate 5th house opposes Uranus in your communal 11th house. This makes it difficult to know whether to chase your specific bliss or join up with the herd. You may feel like you owe others your time, or that you must play a role to please authorities. Still, make sure you aren’t sacrificing your needs in doing so.

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

The road ahead doesn’t look as clear as it usually might. You’re focused on your foundations while the Sun rolls through the base of your chart, even as its opposition to Neptune in your ambitious 10th house casts a veil over your goals. Why are you chasing those things in the first place? It’s natural to ask questions or feel a bit lost under this alignment. Instead of worrying about overthinking your ideals and somehow “ruining” them, give yourself permission to wander a bit.

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

The world is so big that it may seem excessively daunting at present. You might be feeling somewhat dazed by all the options currently available to you, thanks to today’s opposition between the Sun in your local community sector and Neptune in your brave 9th house. Just because you can’t yet settle on a specific direction doesn’t mean the path forward won’t become clear soon enough. Just keep reminding yourself that the universe has plenty of time for you to figure out where you want to be.

Leo

July 23 – August 22

Nothing is what it seems right now — as you’d expect, this can quickly complicate your day. There is a frustrating opposition between the Sun in your income sector and Neptune in your shared resources sector. Be cautious regarding any fog around issues of what is yours versus what is mine versus what is ours. You may feel like someone is encroaching on your generosity, or that you are being taken advantage of. Either way, wait for clearer skies before you jump to conclusions.

Virgo

August 23 – September 22

There’s rarely been a worse day to rely on others. The Sun in your 1st House of the Self is shying away from illusory Neptune in your 7th House of Interdependence, which can create all sorts of confusion with the important people in your life. The more you expect of others or hope that they will save the day in any kind of capacity, the more likely it is that you’ll be disappointed by them. Do your best to rely on yourself for now.

Libra

September 23 – October 22

Libra, it’s alright if nothing feels as urgent as you think it should. You’re cosmically clocked out while the Sun rolls through your 12th House of the Subconscious. Plus, the Sun’s opposition to mystical Neptune in your routine-oriented 6th house will potentially make things seem even less pressing. If you have nothing on your plate, you can float along without worry. That said, if you planned a busy day, consider calling a rain check until a time when you’ll be more with it.

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

There’s nothing wrong with following the herd at a time like this. There is a strange opposition between the Sun in your 11th House of Groups and Neptune in your 5th House of Personal Pleasure. Their missed connection could leave you feeling a little uncertain of what, exactly, you want for yourself. Even if you normally prefer to forge your path, you’ll likely find less resistance if you go with others’ flow for the time being. You can stand out soon enough.

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

Your foundations may seem somewhat wobbly. You’re focused on moving onward and upward while the Sun tours your 10th House of Reputation, even as its opposition to Neptune in your 4th House of Emotions reminds you of how lonely being off in the stratosphere can get. If you feel like you don’t have proper support, take a step back and ask yourself why that is (and if it’s even true)! Neptune loves to cause confusion, so this may be merely a temporary glitch.

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

It sounds exciting to go off on an adventure, but the wisest way to do it isn’t going to be very clear. The Sun in your open 9th house is snapping at mysterious Neptune in your communications sector, which could leave you feeling like there is a piece of the puzzle missing. No matter where you look, answers and solutions will probably evade you, thanks to Neptune’s machinations. Avoid chasing after any excitement for the moment, since it won’t pan out as you hope.

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

Your financial state may seem a bit too nebulous at the moment. There is a confusing opposition between the Sun in your big money 8th house and Neptune in your grounded 2nd house, which could make it difficult to maintain a proper grip on what you’ve got to work with. Figures may not seem to add up, or perhaps there is a mistake somewhere and you’ve been overpaying for a service which you no longer need. Careful inspection can reveal major revelations.

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

People may simply not understand you for seemingly no reason. Actually, there is a good reason for that! The Sun in your relationship sector is forming an uncomfortable opposition to vaporous Neptune in your whimsical sign. This casts a confusing veil between you and the rest of the world. You’d do well to avoid any important conversations or negotiations, because someone will be missing something — and that person could turn out to be you. Don’t make it easy for yourself to get lost!

By JULIA FRANKEL and MAJDI MOHAMMED, Associated Press

QABATIYA, West Bank (AP) — Israeli soldiers pushed three apparently lifeless bodies from rooftops during a raid in the northern part of the occupied West Bank on Thursday, according to an Associated Press journalist at the scene and video obtained by AP.

An AP journalist in the town of Qabatiya witnessed three soldiers push the bodies off the roofs of adjacent multi-story buildings, sending them falling out of view. It was the latest in a series of suspected violations by Israeli forces since the start of the Israel-Hamas war that rights groups say show a pattern of excessive force toward Palestinians.

“This is a serious incident that does not coincide with IDF values ​​and the expectations from IDF soldiers,” the military said in a statement, using the acronym it goes by. “The incident is under review.”

Israel said its troops had killed four combatants during operations in Qabatiya on Thursday.

The Palestinian Health Ministry in Ramallah did not immediately confirm multiple deaths, but said one person had been killed in the town and that Israeli gunfire sent 10 Palestinians to the hospital.

In the video obtained by AP, three soldiers can be seen picking up what appears to be a stiff body and then dragging it toward the edge of the roof as troops stand on the ground below. The soldiers on the roof peer over the edge before heaving the body off.

On an adjacent rooftop, the soldiers hold another apparently lifeless body by its limbs and swing it over the edge. In a third instance, a soldier kicks a body toward the edge before it falls from view. Photos captured by AP during Thursday’s raid show an Israeli army bulldozer moving near the buildings where the bodies were dropped.

Other journalists at the scene also witnessed the bodies being pushed off the roofs.

The identities of the dead and the cause of their deaths were not immediately known.

When withdrawing from raids, the army usually leaves behind any Palestinians killed by Israeli gunfire. Occasionally the army brings dead bodies into Israel.

Under international law, soldiers are supposed to ensure dead bodies, including those of enemy combatants, are treated decently.

“There is no military need to do this. It’s just a savage way of treating Palestinian bodies,” said Shawan Jabarin, the director of Palestinian rights group Al-Haq, after watching the footage.

Jabarin said the video was shocking but not surprising, and he was doubtful Israel would properly investigate the incident. The Israeli military rarely prosecutes soldiers in cases of reported harm to Palestinians, rights groups say.

“The most that will happen is that soldiers will be disciplined, but there will be no real investigation and no real prosecution,” said Jabarin.

The AP reporter who witnessed the raid saw a blindfolded and shirtless Palestinian man kneeling before an Israeli army jeep and armed soldiers. Smoke billows from several buildings that appeared damaged.

As the world’s attention focuses on the far more deadly war in Gaza less than 80 miles away, scores of Palestinians have been killed, shot and arrested in the West Bank, where the Israeli military has waged a months-long crackdown.

Over 700 Palestinians in the West Bank have been killed by Israeli fire since the war erupted on Oct. 7, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. The northern West Bank has seen some of the worst violence since the war’s outbreak.

Israel says the raids are necessary to stamp out Hamas, which has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States, Canada, and European Union. In that time, Palestinian gunmen have attacked Israelis at checkpoints and staged several attacks within Israel.

Earlier this month, Israel staged its deadliest raid into the northern West Bank since the war began, killing at least 33 people.

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Frankel reported from Jerusalem. AP reporter Jack Jeffery contributed reporting from Ramallah, West Bank.