South Florida Local News

DELRAY BEACH  — Atlantic senior quarterback Lincoln Graf accounted for three touchdowns as the host Eagles cruised past Palm Beach Gardens 42-3 in their season opener on Friday night.

Atlantic jumped out to a 16-0 advantage at the end of the first quarter and had a 29-3 lead at halftime.

“I feel really good about all phases,” Atlantic coach Jamelle Murray said. “The offense played well and Lincoln led us. The defense made the stops, and we had a good emphasis on creating turnovers. We made some plays on special teams. It was a good start.”

Graf rushed for two touchdowns in the first quarter and added a scoring pass in the third quarter.

“We had envisioned that start to the game,” Graf said. “We got the ball first and scored and were able to get up by a couple of scores quickly. Our defense played stellar, and our special teams also gave us a lot of momentum.”

Atlantic started at its own 30-yard line on the opening possession. On fourth-and-15 at the Gators 25, Graf connected with senior wide receiver Teddy Hoffmann for a 23-yard reception. Graf rushed for a 2-yard touchdown to open the scoring with 7:44 left in the first quarter. Junior Kemari Walcott tossed a pass to senior Jabari Henry for the two-point conversion.

The Eagles’ defense created a turnover with a fumble recovery at the Gators’ 13 later in the first.

Graf bounced out to his left and had a 13-yard touchdown run to extend the lead. Walcott connected with senior David Calixte for the two-point conversion with 3:40 remaining in the first.

Palm Beach Gardens sophomore quarterback Jordan Johnson stepped up during the next series as the Gators marched downfield deep into Eagles territory. Sophomore kicker Ryan Hammond converted a 23-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 16-3 with 9:50 left in the second quarter.

Dylan Elie (12) of Atlantic celebrates returning a fumble 50-yards for a touchdown against Palm Beach Gardens in the first half. Friday, Aug. 23, 2024 (Jim Rassol/Contributor).

Atlantic senior running back Deandre Desinor, a West Virginia commit, had a 32-yard catch-and-run to the Gators’ 23 late in the first half. Desinor capped off the scoring drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to push the lead to 22-3.

On the ensuing kickoff, Atlantic senior Dylan Elie recovered a fumble and raced to the end zone for a score to make it 29-3 with 1:04 left in the first half.

Atlantic senior Derrick Daughrity recorded an interception late in the second quarter.

Graf fired a 13-yard scoring pass to senior wide receiver Legend Felican to make it 36-3 with 5:35 left in the third quarter.

Elie rushed for a 5-yard score in the fourth to increase the lead to 42-3.

Jamar Dean (22) of Atlantic knocks the ball out of the arms of Alonzo Reese (3) causing a fumble during the first half. Friday, Aug. 23, 2024 (Jim Rassol/Contributor).

The Miami Dolphins concluded the preseason with Friday’s finale against Tampa Bay, which saw the Dolphins lose, 24-14. The next time Miami takes the field it’ll be for the Sept. 8 regular-season opener at home against Jacksonville.

But before then there’s Tuesday’s cut-down day when rosters must be reduced to 53 players from 90 by the 4 p.m. deadline.

Friday’s game helped make a few of those decisions final.

Perhaps the Dolphins’ highest profile battle was at No. 2 quarterback between Skylar Thompson and Mike White. It appears Thompson might have won the battle with Friday’s performance.

But there’s also backup cornerback spots up for grabs, backup safety, backup running back, edge rusher, and offensive and defensive lines.

And rookie wide receiver Malik Washington showed off some big moves and amazing toughness.

Here are some observations from Friday’s game: 

White not overly impressive

The Dolphins’ first possession, led by White, who started the game, was a three-and-out after they were stopped on third-and-1.

On the Dolphins’ second possession White threw a pass over the middle that got rookie Washington absolutely rocked. The ball hit Washington perfectly, but so did Buccaneers safety Marcus Banks. Washington, who had a 28-yard punt return one play earlier, was tended to by team trainers before walking off the field. Washington returned to the game quickly. 

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White’s first two possessions were ragged. 

Jeff Wilson Jr. was dropped by an unblocked defender on third-and-1 on the first possession.

On the second possession, White put the pass in a rough spot to Washington. There was a false start. A holding. And a sack by a practically unblocked defender on third-and-13.

On the third possession White’s fourth-and-4 pass to Wilson was broken up.

White ended the night 5 of 9 for 37 yards, no touchdowns, no interceptions and a 65.5 passer rating.

White ends preseason 15 of 34 for 142 yards, no touchdowns, no interceptions and a 56.3 passer rating.

One of White’s missives in training camp was maintaining the upbeat attitude in the huddle and on the field among third teamers and other fringe players. He did that job reasonably well, but not especially well throughout camp.

Still, White has strong game experience from his days with the New York Jets, when he showed he can move a team and gain the trust and enthusiasm of his teammates.

Thompson might have sealed No. 2 spot

Thompson had a better training camp than White. Let’s state that right away.

Thompson entered the game in the second quarter Friday and at halftime he was 6 of 8 for 64 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions and a 137.5 passer rating.

Thompson ended 19 of 27 for 190 yards, two touchdowns, one interception and a 99.3 passer rating.

Thompson’s 20-yard touchdown pass to rookie tight end Hayden Rucci was a beauty as it was on target and gave Rucci room to split two defenders and barge his way into the end zone.

Thompson, through halftime, was 16 of 34 for 166 yards and a 58.8 passer rating in preseason.

Thompson had a fourth-down interception but it didn’t really matter.

Thompson was sharper throwing the ball through training camp, especially in preseason games but also in joint practices.

About the only way White could win the job would be based on his previous game experience and perhaps if he’s been better in the classroom.

On the practice field and in games, Thompson has clearly been better than White.

Dolphins Deep Dive: David Furones breaks down backup QB battle, Miami’s preseason finale vs. Bucs | VIDEO

Washington does good work

Washington got absolutely rocked on a play, but he showed toughness by quickly returning to the game. It was an extension of an impressive training camp for the rookie sixth-round pick from Virginia.

In the first half alone, Washington had a sweet 40-yard run on reverse, a 45-yard kickoff return, a 28-yard punt return and a seven-yard reception for a total of 120 all purpose yards.

Washington should be a a shoo-in for the 53-man roster as the starting punt returner. But he’s also valuable as a kickoff returner and reserve wide receiver.

Paul is learning the hard way

Rookie left tackle Patrick Paul, the second-round pick, has been OK overall, but he’s had some notable plays recently. On Friday, he allowed his man to grab White’s arm on a fourth-and-8 pass attempt.

Last week, Paul allowed a defender a strip sack against White that resulted in White falling into guard Sean Harlow’s knee and injuring him.

Paul was better in joint practices than against Washington and Tampa Bay than the games.

Bell, Robinson and the edge rushers are quiet again

Rookie first-round pick Chop Robinson (one tackle) and third-year player Quinton Bell (one tackle) started as edge rushers for the Dolphins and neither had a big impact. Neither was bad, but neither was especially noticeable. That was the trend for the Dolphins’ edge rushers as training camp progressed.

Among other edge rushers, Mohamed Kamara (one tackle), the fifth-round pick, and Wyatt Ray (two tackles, one tackle for loss), the former St. Thomas Aquinas High standout, were OK, but nothing special.

The Dolphins’ edge rushers were hot at the start of training camp but they cooled noticeably since joint practices with Atlanta and in games.

Veteran Emmanuel Ogbah and Jaelan Phillips might be the opening-day starters at edge rusher but it stands to reason Phillips, who is still fighting back from last season’s Achilles injury, might play reduced snaps the first few games.

OL performance a bit shaky

Miami’s offensive line, which was composed entirely of backups, had some shaky moments Friday.

Paul allowed White’s arm to be hit on a fourth-down pass attempt.

Additionally, there were snapshots of guys getting beaten on 1 on 1 blocks — center Jack Driscoll, center Andrew Meyer, left guard Chasen Hines — even though they didn’t cost the Dolphins negative yardage.

Collectively, there were a few communication errors.

Wilson was stopped on his third-down run by an unblocked linebacker.

It should be mentioned Driscoll shifted to right tackle from center after right tackle Ryan Hayes was injured, and Driscoll, who has never played center in a game, looked better immediately.

Wilson, and the running backs

Wilson, the veteran who goes back with coach Mike McDaniel to their days with San Francisco, might be fighting for a roster spot.

Wilson, who sustained a broken nose recently and had surgery, started Friday and ended with four carries for minus-one yard rushing and two receptions for 21 yards.

Washington fueled the run game with his 40-yard carry on a reverse.

Jaylen Wright, the fourth-round pick, had seven carries for 36 yards.

Big-boy calls

We’ve been watching the Dolphins offensive calls to see if it reflects a tough, aggressive tone, something the players said is a focal point.

Miami ran on third-and-1 on its first possession but it was dominated. Wilson was thrown for a one-yard loss.

Miami ran on third-and-6, and Wilson gained two yards up the middle.

White passed to Wilson on fourth-and-4 but the pass was broken up.

In the third quarter the Dolphins went for it on fourth-and-2. They converted on a pass from Thompson to Rucci.

In the fourth quarter the Dolphins went for it on fourth-and-6, which was more of a dice roll than a big boy call because of the distance, and Thompson threw incomplete for wide receiver Kyric McGowan.

TAMPA — Miami Dolphins rookie wide receiver Malik Washington shined in Friday night’s preseason finale against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Washington had an eventful early portion of the game as he had a long rushing play, a reception, big return on special teams and a trip to and from the team’s sideline medical tent — all in the opening period.

He was the early story for Miami as it wrapped up the exhibition season in Tampa, in a 24-14 loss where backup quarterback Skylar Thompson seemed to ignite the offense after he entered for Mike White.

“It was awesome,” Washington said of his performance in multiple aspects of the game. “I think just being a football player, going out there and trying to show your value as much as you can, especially in this preseason when it matters most for guys like me that are new and just getting in.”

What coach Mike McDaniel highlighted from Washington’s game: “Aggressiveness. He played as though the game was slow to him. It slowed down. He was able to get in some space.”

McDaniel said Washington exhibited balance, ability to break tackles and get around edges against defenders.

“It was a big spark for us. It was good to see him really own the moment,” the coach said.

It started for Washington with the Dolphins’ first offensive play going to him, a reception for 7 yards.

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After the Miami defense got a stop on the unit’s second series Friday, Washington was the man deep on the punt return. He fielded the punt and immediately took advantage of the space in front of him down the right side, bursting for a 28-yard return.

On the very next play, White targeted Washington open over the middle, and the sixth-round draft pick got leveled by Buccaneers safety Marcus Banks.

Washington was down on the field momentarily as trainers attended to him. He was checked out further in the team’s sideline medical tent, with Pro Bowl left tackle Terron Armstead and star wide receiver Tyreek Hill monitoring his status closely.

Washington returned to action after quick tests and was back in the lineup later that drive.

“Those are plays that are part of football. It happens,” Washington said. “Just, kind of in the moment, you know guys are trusting and depending on you. Sometimes, you got to pop back up. You got to get back in the game and contribute however you can.”

On the ensuing possession, Washington again got the first touch for the Miami offense, this time taking a sweep in the run game and going 40 yards up the right side.

Dolphins Deep Dive: David Furones breaks down backup QB battle, Miami’s preseason finale vs. Bucs | VIDEO

He wasn’t done after the first quarter. Washington then returned an early second-quarter kickoff 45 yards.

The agile 5-foot-8, 191-pound playmaker out of Virginia has made himself a training camp standout who is likely to make the Dolphins active roster in a wide receiving corps depleted by injury.

“It was really, really impressive, just in how decisive he was,” McDaniel told CBS-4 at halftime. “You could tell the speed of an NFL game doesn’t rattle him so it was encouraging. We’re looking forward to more to come in the future.”

As Miami needs to settle its backup quarterback job, White got the start over Thompson in the preseason finale with Tua Tagovailoa sitting.

White was replaced by Thompson with just more than six minutes remaining in the second quarter after going 5 of 9 for 37 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions. He nearly lost a fumble, but his arm was deemed to be going forward as he was hit on a pressure allowed by rookie left tackle Patrick Paul.

After a stagnant first four drives that White led, Thompson immediately injected energy into the offense. He led a seven-play, 65-yard drive that resulted in his touchdown strike of 20 yards to undrafted rookie tight end Hayden Rucci on third-and-3.

In the third quarter, Thompson led another touchdown drive, finding wide receiver Kyric McGowan for a toe-tap along the side of the end zone as Thompson threw while rolling right.

Thompson had another impressive throw in the fourth quarter, faking a pitch left, rolling right and throwing on the run complete for a 25-yard gain.

Thompson was 19 of 27 for 190 yards and two touchdowns. A night that was nearly without a blemish saw him throw an interception with 2:47 remaining.

“I’m not in any position to name 53-man rosters or backup quarterbacks or anything,” McDaniel said. “I thought that (Thompson) was competitive and made some plays and kind of got us going tonight.”

Said Thompson: “I feel like I left everything on the table, and I have no regrets.”

While White did not impress as much as Thompson, McDaniel said he’ll still have to watch the tape on each.

“(White) faced some challenging situations. He did a good job getting the team in and out of the huddle and played clean in that way,” McDaniel said. “He was in there against their starters and competed and did some things that I was happy with that we’ve been emphasizing.”

Rookie running back Jaylen Wright went for 36 rushing yards and 41 receiving yards. Rucci had five receptions for 44 yards and his touchdown.

The Buccaneers played their starters for a series on each side of the ball. The Tampa Bay offense easily moved down the field for an opening-drive touchdown capped by a 4-yard score from running back Rachaad White. Quarterback Baker Mayfield was 3 for 3 for 54 yards on his lone series.

Miami’s first set of downs resulted in running back Jeff Wilson Jr. getting stuffed on a third-and-1 run where Bucs defensive tackle Vita Vea had an initial win at the line of scrimmage to open up the tackle for loss for his teammates.

With Tampa Bay then reverting to backups, they scored another touchdown in the second quarter. Ryan Miller beat Miami undrafted cornerback Storm Duck in the end zone.

In the fourth quarter, fellow undrafted rookie cornerback Isaiah Johnson gave up a 1-on-1 touchdown to Tampa’s Tanner Knue on a fourth-and-goal play. Johnson, though, did break up a pass to the end zone on third down.

Dolphins third-year linebacker Channing Tindall reached double digits in tackles to lead Miami’s defense.

Aside from the brief Washington injury, Dolphins seen injured in the first half were nose tackle Brandon Pili, offensive tackle Ryan Hayes and wide receiver Anthony Schwartz. Among them, Pili was seen back on the sideline early in the second half with his helmet on, although he did not return to the game.

Nearly two years after a little boy was severely injured and his mother was killed in a car crash in Miramar, the boy’s father died after crashing an ATV in South Florida earlier this week.

On Dec. 19, 2022, Cristina Hernandez, 30, picked up her then-7-year-old son, Jacob Estrada, from school in Miramar just before a teenaged driver violently crashed into the back of their car. The teenaged driver was speeding over 100 mph just before the crash, a probable cause affidavit said.

Hernandez was killed. Jacob was in a coma for weeks at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital after the crash, Anthony Estrada, Hernandez’s fiance and Jacob’s father, said at a news conference in Miramar early last year.

On Wednesday, Estrada, 38, was visiting family in Hialeah and rode a relative’s ATV around the 5000 block of West Fifth Avenue about 8:30 p.m., said Officer Scarlett Hernandez, a spokesperson for Hialeah Police. He lost control while making a left turn and crashed into a home along West Fifth Avenue and was severely injured. He was flown by helicopter to Ryder Trauma Center, where he died.

“He was truly a beautiful light in this world that was dimmed far too soon,” his family wrote in a GoFundMe online fundraiser Friday evening. “There are stories in life that seem so unfair, and this is one you will remember.”

Teen and his father arrested in Miramar crash that killed expectant mother, severely injured 7-year-old boy

Estrada’s family said in the post on GoFundMe that Estrada died the night before Jacob’s ninth birthday.

“There are no words to describe the pain this family has endured, and the difficult road that lies ahead,” Estrada’s family wrote. “Life can change in the blink of an eye, but love is eternal.”

Hernandez was pregnant when she died, Estrada said at the news conference in Miramar last year. She planned to surprise her fiance and Jacob with the news on Christmas morning.

After Hernandez’s funeral, Estrada shared a video tribute on his Facebook account with photos of them — at the beach with Jacob, smiling with their arms around each other or sitting next to each other on a boat out on the water.

“I have made a promise to Cristina that I will do everything in my power to make sure our little boy comes home stronger than ever and I will never break that promise!” Estrada wrote in the Facebook post.

Trauma Survivor Jacob Anthony Estrada is greeted by Miramar Fire and Rescue Lt. Walter Perez Gell during a ceremony at Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood, Tuesday, May 16, 2023. The ceremony honored survivors of trauma and Perez Gell was part of the rescue crew that removed Estrada from a vehicle accident which killed his mother. (Joe Cavaretta / South Florida Sun Sentinel)

After the 2022 crash, doctors believed Jacob’s long-term prognosis was poor, if he survived at all, according to a February 2023 press release from Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital. Estrada and other family members prayed and “remained by his bedside ever since.” He was discharged and walking on his own.

Jacob regained consciousness in early 2023 and was in speech and physical therapy, his father previously said at the Miramar news conference. His liver, kidneys, lungs, intestines, heart and head were all damaged in the crash with his mother.

“He was in a coma, a traumatic coma and we didn’t know if he would ever wake up,” Dr. Allan Greissman said in a prepared statement the hospital shared on Facebook in May 2023.

Family photos of Cristina Hernandez and her hospitalized son, Jacob Estrada, 7, along with photos of the car that crashed into theirs, are on display during a news conference at the Miramar Police Department on Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023. (South Florida Sun Sentinel file photo)

Cristhian Andres Bravo Gonzalez, who was 16 years old at the time of the crash and did not have a license, was arrested and charged as an adult. He remains in jail, and his case is pending in Broward County court. He has pleaded not guilty to all 10 charges he faces, court records show.

Bravo Gonzalez’s father, Jose Miguel Bravo De La Torre, was also arrested on a charge of permitting an unauthorized operator to drive.  Court records in that case were not accessible Friday night.

Today is Friday, Aug. 23, the 236th day of 2024. There are 130 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Aug 23, 1970, the Salad Bowl strike began, organized by farm labor leader Cesar Chavez; between 5,000-10,000 laborers walked off the job, leading to the largest farm worker strike in U.S. history.

Also on this date:

In 1305, Scottish rebel leader Sir William Wallace was executed by the English for treason.

In 1775, Britain’s King George III proclaimed the American colonies to be in a state of “open and avowed rebellion.”

In 1914, Japan declared war against Germany in World War I.

In 1927, amid worldwide protests, Italian-born anarchists Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were executed in Boston for the murders of two men during a 1920 robbery. (On the 50th anniversary of their executions, then-Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis issued a proclamation that Sacco and Vanzetti had been unfairly tried and convicted.)

In 1939, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union agreed to a non-aggression treaty, the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, in Moscow.

In 2000, A Gulf Air Airbus crashed into the Persian Gulf near Bahrain, killing all 143 people aboard.

In 2003, former priest John Geoghan (GAY’-gun), the convicted child molester whose prosecution sparked the sex abuse scandal that shook the Roman Catholic Church nationwide, died after another inmate attacked him in a Massachusetts prison.

In 2011, a magnitude-5.8 earthquake centered near Mineral, Virginia, the strongest on the East Coast since 1944, caused cracks in the Washington Monument and damaged Washington National Cathedral.

In 2013, a military jury convicted Maj. Nidal Hasan in the deadly 2009 shooting rampage at Fort Hood, Texas, that claimed 13 lives; the Army psychiatrist was later sentenced to death.

In 2020, a white police officer in Kenosha, Wisconsin, shot a Black man, Jacob Blake, seven times as officers tried to arrest Blake on an outstanding warrant; the shooting left Blake partially paralyzed and triggered several nights of violent protests.

In 2022, a jury convicted two men of conspiring to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2020, a victory for prosecutors in a plot that was broken up by the FBI and described as a rallying cry for a U.S. civil war by anti-government extremists.

Today’s Birthdays:

• Actor Vera Miles is 95.
• Actor Barbara Eden is 93.
• Football Hall of Famer Sonny Jurgensen is 90.
• Ballerina Patricia McBride is 82.
• Author Nelson DeMille is 81.
• Former Surgeon General Antonia Novello is 80.
• Singer-songwriter Linda Thompson is 77.
• Author and motivational speaker Rudy Ruettiger is 76.
• Actor Shelley Long is 75.
• Actor-singer Rick Springfield is 75.
• Noor al-Hussein (Queen Noor of Jordan) is 73.
• Film composer Alexandre Desplat is 63.
• Actor Jay Mohr is 54.
• Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer is 53.
• Actor Ray Park is 50.
• Actor Scott Caan is 48.
• Rock singer Julian Casablancas (The Strokes) is 46.
• Actor Joanne Froggatt is 44.
• Olympic gold medal swimmer Natalie Coughlin Hall is 42.
• Musician Lil Yachty is 27.

General Daily Insight for August 23, 2024

Healing insights are within reach at the moment. Creative Mercury trines wise Chiron at 8:21 am EDT, helping us work traumatic incidents into a meaningful narrative. That said, even this productive step toward resolution can awaken unpleasant feelings. As people-pleasing Venus finds Chiron’s presence uncomfortable, we’ll have to weigh temporary pain against long-term gains. The vulnerable Moon slides into nurturing Taurus and squares controlling Pluto, turning the spotlight on issues of nourishment and emotional manipulation. Once we see the truth, we can’t unsee it.

Aries

March 21 – April 19

Getting at the root of an old wound might be possible today. As articulate Mercury in your expressive 5th house aligns with tender Chiron in your sign, you may be able to identify the specific feelings that a situation provoked in you. However, having this insight isn’t the same as knowing exactly what to do about it. No matter how much of a hurry you’re in, rushing is not what this process calls for. Make a point of patiently working with yourself as emotions arise.

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

You’re currently capable of constructing the safe space of your dreams. While detail-oriented Mercury in your nurturing 4th house harmonizes with healing Chiron in your 12th House of Seclusion, you can pin down what would make you feel like you’d succeeded in getting away from it all. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to use this escape as a creative retreat that will result in a tangible product — learn to just be, and then embrace whatever does or doesn’t happen.

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

A good chat with a friend can clear some things up for you right now. Perhaps you’re aware of awkward vibes in your larger social group. Finding out that you’re probably not the cause could be a relief. Still, you might feel like resolution of the problem is necessary for your emotional comfort. As harmony-craving Venus in your security sector misreads angsty Chiron in your 11th House of Community, it’s not all about you. Let others work through their stuff at their natural pace.

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

A financial triumph could be especially rewarding for you now. As clever Mercury in your money zone complements touchy Chiron in your authority sector, whatever has gone right for you lately isn’t about the present moment alone — it might combat a sense of inadequacy you’ve been wrestling with for ages. You’re better off not sharing this news with others, though. No matter what they say, they may trigger any residual angst you have. Enjoy your achievement on your terms and no one else’s.

Leo

July 23 – August 22

A lesson you’ve learned the hard way could become a key component of your present belief system. While thoughtful Mercury in your sign comforts spiritual Chiron in your philosophical 9th house, you’re in a position to understand the universal meaning in a difficult personal experience. This knowledge probably isn’t enough to erase any material losses you suffered from whatever happened, and it’s understandable if you’re still struggling with that. Wisdom is invaluable, but you might as well name the price you paid.

Virgo

August 23 – September 22

Finding out someone else’s secret could be transformative. This imminent disclosure will potentially help you understand the reason behind a confusing relationship dynamic. Unfortunately, you may not be able to tell others what you know. As pleasant Venus in your sign agrees to disagree with sensitive Chiron in your intimacy zone, you’ll have to make an effort to act naturally. The rest of the world probably isn’t as aware of the whole drama as you are, so you’ve at least got that on your side.

Libra

September 23 – October 22

You may currently be too close to an intense dynamic to see it accurately. While brilliant Mercury in your social sector reins in confusing Chiron in your partnership zone, asking a friend for advice might give you the perspective you need. Be aware that you’ll potentially be told a few things you don’t want to hear — it’s not likely that all the problems are coming from the other person. Learning to get out of your own way may improve your end of the equation.

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

Developing a clear goal can restore your energy. Perhaps you sometimes feel resentful about the tedious routines of life. As insightful Mercury in your 10th House of Purpose brings perspective to moody Chiron in your overburdened 6th house, you might better perceive how the work you put in on a daily basis is bringing you closer and closer to a meaningful achievement. Although you may worry that your peers aren’t impressed yet, they’re probably not judging you either — just focus on your business.

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

A research binge can bring you insights regarding a troubling personal matter today. Maybe it’ll be a relief to find out you’re not the only person who has struggled with this issue — you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Still, you might resent the amount of time you’ve spent dealing with the problem, especially if it’s put you behind on your path to a more desirable goal. You’re always learning, no matter what’s going on, so consider that certain experiences could benefit you later.

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

Your current belief system could be pushing you to put a positive spin on a difficult formative experience. On the other hand, spiritual bypassing isn’t your only option at this moment. While verbal Mercury in your intense 8th house trines wounded Chiron in your 4th House of Roots, you may receive a unique opportunity to talk through your feelings with a willing listener. Total resolution of the issue might not come in one conversation, and that’s okay — you have to start somewhere!

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

An opportunity to address tension in a relationship could arise at any moment. You might be reluctant to rock the boat of an arrangement where you share money or resources with someone else — perhaps you’d rather keep something imperfect than risk losing it. The other party may crave adjustments just as much as you do, though, so don’t go into the conversation with a chip on your shoulder. Assume that they share your desire for a functional outcome until they demonstrate otherwise.

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

Throwing yourself into productive work can bolster your sense of self-worth at this time. While aspirational Venus in your relationship zone misreads anxious Chiron in your calculating 2nd house, this effort might serve to distract you from unresolved conflict in a close connection. Maybe that’s ultimately wiser than confronting the interpersonal issue directly. For the time being, focus your energy on doing whatever makes you feel stronger. That way, it’ll be easier to tell the difference between your insecurities and the other person’s contribution.

Rumors of a surprise performance from a top tier pop star swirled in the days leading up to the Democratic National Convention and reached a fever pitch in the hours before Vice President Kamala Harris’ ceremonial nomination. The rumors turned out to be just that.

Some said Taylor Swift. Even more said Beyoncé, including the celebrity website TMZ, which cited “multiple” unnamed sources, on Thursday afternoon in stating unequivocally that she was performing. Other signs appeared to back up the rumors.

Those wandering in the United Center in the afternoon heard a sound check (albeit from another singer) using her song “Cuff It.” Plus, Harris had been cleared to use Beyoncé’s 2016 song, “Freedom,” in campaign videos on social media (who rarely licenses her music).

A friend of Barack and Michelle Obama, the singer’s 2022 album “Renaissance” also featured an allusion to her disdain for former President Donald Trump: “Votin’ out 45, don’t get outta line.” Trump was the nation’s 45th president.

Taken together, hopes were high. Some delegates were spotted earlier in the day wearing rhinestone or mirrored cowboy hats, a popular accessory on the singer’s Renaissance tour. But shortly before Harris took the convention stage, both the Associated Press and the Hollywood Reporter cited DNC planners and Beyoncé’s camp separately saying the performance was never scheduled.

There was no shortage of performances from talented musicians during the convention: Stevie Wonder, Patti LaBelle, Jason Isbell and Maren Morris performed. Thursday featured acapella performances from country band The Chicks and Pink.

It’s the final night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago where Vice President Kamala Harris will accept her party’s presidential nomination before the campaign versus former President Donald Trump begins in earnest.

Democratic delegates are excited about Harris’ nomination at the United Center Thursday, but there’s as much buzz about who will be performing before she comes on stage.

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A full schedule released around 5 p.m. didn’t have all the details of the night but pop singer Pink is expected to perform. She was seen practicing during a sound check earlier Thursday. The country group The Chicks are scheduled to perform the national anthem. But there’s also been increased speculation that megastar singer Beyoncé will make a surprise appearance.

On social media earlier Thursday, White House political director Emmy Ruiz posted an emoji of a bee, which is a mascot for the “Beyhive.” Ruiz later wrote, “Sorry guys my 6 year old took my phone.”

Harris secured the rights to use Beyoncé’s 2016 song “Freedom” as a campaign theme song. Her music label issued a cease and desist letter to Trump’s campaign for using the song in a social media post.

Also earlier Thursday, the band inside the United Center appeared to be teasing listeners by performing a Beyoncé song, and others could hear music from Taylor Swift, who also has been the subject of speculation she would appear before Harris accepts the presidential nomination.

On Wednesday, country folk singer Maren Morris performed as well as legend Stevie Wonder. Before Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz accepted the party’s vice presidential nomination, John Legend and Sheila E. performed Prince’s “Let’s Go Crazy.”

The theme of the final night at the DNC is “For Our Future.”

Watch her speech here:

By MEG KINNARD, Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — If you think you’re seeing a lot of women wearing white during the final night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, you don’t need to adjust your television set.

There appeared to be a coordinated effort among female delegates and Democratic supporters as they arrived at the United Center on Thursday afternoon, with security lines and convention floor seats filling up with women clad in white suits, dresses and other attire.

So when Vice President Kamala Harris takes the stage for to accept the Democratic presidential nomination — becoming the first Black woman, and only the second woman overall, to do so — she will be looking out across a sea filled with the color of women’s suffrage, the movement that culminated with American women securing the right to vote in 1920.

The homage is a couture callback to other momentous political events in which women wearing white has played a role, particularly for other glass ceiling moments.

Hillary Clinton donned a white suit when she accepted the Democratic Party’s 2016 presidential nomination. And Geraldine Ferraro — the first female candidate for vice president — wore white when she accepted that nomination at Democrats’ 1984 convention.

There have been other moments, too. In 2019, the women of the U.S. House put on a visual display of solidarity during the State of the Union, joined by some of their male colleagues clad in white jackets or ribbons in support. A year later, on the 100-year anniversary of women’s suffrage, congressional women yet again donned white, as a commitment to defending women’s rights overall.

And again, earlier this year, the Democratic Women’s Caucus announced that many of its members would wear white to the State of the Union, intended as a message in support of reproductive rights.

The Gators’ season-opening visit from Miami will begin to answer the questions swirling around coach Billy Napier and his program. Besides Napier, what players and assistants are on the spot? Is Miami the biggest game of a pivotal season? What has Napier done to impress and what does he have to do to survive? During the latest Swamp Things, Edgar and Mark provide some answers.

• Biggest non-conference game (:00)
• Biggest conference game (10:00)
• Offensive player (12:56)
• Offensive assistant/analyst (18:18)
• Encouraged by Billy Napier’s… (24:12)
• Want to see out of Napier (25:40)
• Final record prediction (32:09)
• Men’s basketball (35:59)
• Join Billy Napier’s Army (38:41)
• Jeremy Foley’s Corner (40:55)

Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com

Florida’s main environmental agency announced a plan Monday to “expand public access, increase outdoor activities and provide new lodging options” across various state parks — but this could mean replacing natural land with golf courses and pickleball courts.

In South Florida, three state parks could be affected by the Department of Environmental Protection’s project: Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park in Dania Beach, Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Hobe Sound and Oleta River State Park in North Miami Beach.

“In addition to increasing the number of campsites, cabins and lodges on park property, the initiative will increase the number of outdoor recreation opportunities available at Florida’s state parks, including pickleball, disc golf, golf and paddling,” DEP wrote in a statement.

The agency did not respond to questions about the plan on Thursday afternoon.

According to the Florida DEP website, the mission of the Florida Park Service “is to provide resource-based recreation while preserving, interpreting and restoring natural and cultural resources.” Critics of the plan, thousands of whom voiced their indignation on social media, say the initiative does not fall within this mission.

In DEP documents further detailing plans to overhaul parts of the parks, specific amenities are proposed for the three potentially impacted South Florida parks.

At Jonathan Dickinson State Park, more than 1,000 acres, which is about a tenth of the park’s total 10,500 acres, are suggested for use in constructing three entirely separate golf courses, two with 18 holes and the third with nine holes.

The park contains some of the region’s last-remaining scrub habitat and could also develop land that includes wilderness hiking and biking trails along with forcing a closure of the Hobe Mountain boardwalk and observation tower.

A draft conceptual plan depicts where three golf courses could be built at Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Hobe Sound. This is part of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Great Outdoors initiative, which proposes developing golf courses, pickleball courts and more to state parks across Florida. (Florida Department of Environmental Protection)

In a series of posts on X, formerly known as Twitter, the DEP wrote: “We are considering the addition of golf — one of our nation’s most popular sports — in a way that will minimize habitat impacts and leverage already-disturbed areas.”

The park is surrounded by 14 golf courses that either abut the park, or sit within a four mile radius of its boundaries. And Martin County, where the park sits, is home to 28 golf courses, according to LetsGolf.com.

Outcry has rapidly gained traction since the plan was unveiled Monday.

“Destroying some of the last pristine scrub land in Southeast Florida would be a crime,” said Linda Smithe, who is part of the Sierra Club Loxahatchee Group.

Scrub is among some of the most critically endangered plant communities in the state. 

Julie Wraithmell, the executive director of Audubon Florida, the oldest statewide conservation organization, said Florida scrub “is a very rare and declining habitat type in part because it is high and dry and well drained.”

It is also prime habitat for the Florida’s only endemic bird, the scrub-jay, listed as threatened under the federal government’s Endangered Species Act. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the scrub-jay’s largest threats include habitat destruction and environmental degradation from development.

“Oftentimes (their) habitat is developed, and the jays have nowhere else to go,” Wraithmell said.

When Smithe first heard about the initiative, she said she thought it was a “hoax.”

“There might be a problem in that many golf courses are expensive and you have to be a member and all that sort of thing. But you have to balance that with the greater good… protecting our Florida legacy,” she said.

Gopher tortoises, also a threatened species, could also be impacted by development on state parks because the burly reptiles require dry uplands to create the burrows that serve as their homes.

“It feels like a sad day to me that state parks, which is a place where you would expect that imperiled species would be protected, would instead potentially be a place where they’d be applying to relocate imperiled species because of development,” Wraithmell said.

Though some golf courses try to limit chemical use, most fairways and greens are made of monocrop grass, free of weeds and wild grass. This means using pesticides, weed killers and fertilizer, all of which harms ecosystems.

Fertilizer in particular is harmful to South Florida waterways — phosphorus fuels algae blooms. In fresh water, those blooms can produce toxic fumes, in saltwater, algae blooms choke out vital seagrass habitat and can lead to fish kills.

At Mizell-Eula Johnson Park, which sits on a slim, 2.5-mile barrier island in Dania Beach, the DEP is proposing up to four pickleball courts, which would be wedged among the park’s vast mangrove waterways, bird habitats and beachfront.

“Dr. Von. D Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park is in the heart of one of Florida’s busiest regions,” DEP wrote on X. “Converting an underutilized paved area to pickleball courts will benefit both locals & out-of-town visitors.”

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection unveiled a plan dubbed the Great Outdoors initiative that proposes bringing golf courses, pickleball courts and more to state parks across Florida, which has sparked statewide outrage. This conceptual map shows where up to four pickleball courts could be built in Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park in Dania Beach. (Florida Department of Environmental Protection)

Oleta River State Park, which sits on more than 1,000 mostly forested acres in the northern tier of Miami-Dade County, could also get up to four pickleball courts, as well as a disc golf course and up to 10 new cabins or what the DEP called “glamping opportunities,” which is a portmanteau of “glamorous” and “camping.”

The park’s three existing “primitive” campsites can host up to 30 campers each, according to its website. The sites have two tables, a fire circle, a bathroom and a cold-water shower.

Oleta is somewhat of an oasis among its highly congested urban surroundings, offering trails for mountain biking or walking, and openings to Biscayne Bay or the Oleta River for swimming, snorkeling, kayaking or fishing.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection unveiled a plan dubbed the Great Outdoors initiative that proposes bringing golf courses, pickleball courts and more to state parks across Florida, which has sparked statewide outrage. This map indicates where “glamping,” pickleball and disc golf elements could be installed. in Oleta River State Park in northern Miami-Dade County. (Florida Department of Environmental Protection)

New less nature-focused activities could be introduced if the Great Outdoors initiative is implemented, such as pickleball, which is one of the fastest growing sports in the U.S.

DEP’s reasoning for modifying the park, according to a post on X, is to keep up “with increasing demand by adding additional cabins, pickleball courts and disc golf courses.”

South Florida is no stranger to the pickleball trend. A wave of courts has already hit South Florida in the past couple years, with cities including Pompano Beach, Deerfield Beach, Coconut Creek, Palm Beach Gardens, Boca Raton and West Palm Beach either recently launching new pickleball facilities or planning to in the future.

Rep. Peggy Gossett-Seidman, R-Highland Beach, guesses that the motivation for the Great Outdoors plan could be to create more jobs and provide more public recreation opportunities — but she also conceded the initiative seems quite contradictory to DEP’s previous preservation efforts.

Her concerns are similar to many of those outraged on social media: “Find out why this came about, what’s behind it, and who thought of turning our parks into what normally is handled by county and municipalities,” she said.

Gossett-Seidman has previously worked hand-in-hand with the DEP. In June, her legislation, The Safe Waterways Act (House Bill 165), was vetoed by Gov. Ron DeSantis despite overwhelming support from both the state Senate and House. The bill would have increased warnings about potentially hazardous waterway conditions, particularly those that could create health risks.

The DEP “did a great job” in helping Gossett-Seidman with the bill, she said, which is also why the new state park proposals are puzzling, to say the least.

“I’ve not had one letter of support (for the DEP proposal),” she said, rather: “I’ve had several letters of shock and dismay.”

Public meetings for each of the eight affected counties will be held all at the same time from 3 to 4 p.m. on Aug. 27. State law requires “reasonable notice” of public meetings, hearings and workshops at least seven days before the event, a requirement which was just barely met.

A petition titled “Protect Jonathan Dickinson State Park: stop the golf courses!” created Tuesday had more than 60,000 signatures on Thursday afternoon. Audubon Florida created a form that submits letters to DeSantis’ office urging for the abandonment of the Great Outdoors’ proposals.

Lisa Hoffmeyer, who has lived in Hollywood near the Mizell-Eula Johnson Park for more than 25 years, plans to attend the Aug. 27 meeting but has a public comment email drafted if she can’t make it.

“Parks should be left more passive, and I am tired of seeing them pave over our green places,” she said.

The area of Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park across the berm from the Pelican Pavillion where the state plans to build pickleball courts, is seen Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, in. Dania Beach. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

The move “feels like an assault on the remaining pieces of the state that kind of feel like old Florida,” said Allie Hartmann, the communications director for Friends of the Everglades.

“The best tool we have in our toolbox right now is the public outrage,” Hartmann said. “This just massive public response is what’s giving us hope that this proposal can be stopped.”

The other state parks that could be affected are:

— Honeymoon Island State Park in Pinellas County

— Hillsborough River State Park in Hillsborough County

— Anastasia State Park in St. Johns County

— Camp Helen State Park in Bay County

— Topsail Hill Preserve in Walton County

— Grayton Beach State Park in Walton County

“The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat” is the latest straight-to-streaming release from Searchlight Pictures, the adaptation of Edward Kelsey Moore’s best-selling 2013 novel debuting this week on Hulu.

Given its production values, that the film was routed right to home theaters feels appropriate. Oh, they’re fine, to be sure — they just won’t wow you.

That said, the friendship — the deep, heavily tested sisterhood — at the heart of director and co-writer Tina Mabry’s movie is big-screen-worthy.

The bond shared by Black women Odette, Barbara Jean and Clarice is brought to life via two sets of actresses and two timelines. Together — and, unfortunately, at times, alone — they will face racism, disease, addiction, loss and pain. As a viewer, you hope only that they’ll come out stronger for it on the other side.

Although “The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat” briefly introduces us to Odette (an excellent Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor of “King Richard” and “The Color Purple”) late in her life before taking us back to a time shortly before her birth in 1950, the story begins in earnest in 1968. It is then that teen pals Clarice (Abigail Achiri, “The Underground Railroad”) and Odette (Kyanna “KeeKee” Simone, “All American”) befriend Barbara Jean (Tati Gabrielle, “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina”), who has recently lost her mother and faces living alone with her abusive stepfather. (In a fun scene, Odette stands up to him in a way that surprises not only Barbara Jean but close friend Clarice).

Clarice and Odette reach out to all-around good guy Big Earl (Tony Winters, “Queen Sugar”) — owner of the film’s titular diner, where the trio will be given the nickname “The Supremes” — who insists Barbara Jean move into the room vacated by his grown daughter.

At the diner, the young ladies spend time with gentlemen suitors. For Clarisse, there is slick football player Richmond (Xavier Mills, “The Wood”), and for Odette, the quiet-and-shy James (Dijon Means, “P-Valley”).

And while Barbara Jean is pursued by the older Lester (Cleveland Berto, “A Journal for Jordan”), she has her eyes fixed upon new diner hire Ray (Ryan Paynter, “Dopesick”), who the girls agree is very nice-looking for a white boy.

Although Chick doesn’t quite see it, Barbara Jean believes the world isn’t ready for two people like them to be together — and she soon is presented with terrifying evidence to support her theory.

Tati Gabrielle, left, Abigail Achiri and Kyanna “KeeKee” Simone portray friends who will go on to share years of good and not-so-good times in “The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat.” (Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures)

We spend time with the older versions of Barbara Jean (Sanaa Lathan, “Love & Basketball,” “The Best Man”), Clarise (Uzo Aduba, “In Treatment,” “Orange Is the New Black”) and Odette beginning around the turn of the century, as they mourn the loss of someone special with husbands Lester (Vondie Curtis Hall, “Harriet”), Richmond (Russell Hornsby, “Seven Seconds”) and James (Mekhi Phifer, “8 Mile”) by their sides. (Also, know that Chick will resurface, now portrayed by Julian McMahon of “Nip/Tuck” fame.)

Most of the trials and tribulations still lie ahead for the Supremes, who still regularly occupy the same table at Earl’s, where they can talk and share the good and bad of life.

Mabry (“Mississippi Damned”), who shares the writing credit with Cee Marcellus, does a nice job juggling the story’s two timelines, going back and forth a few times smoothly.

More importantly, she shows a deft touch, aided by the actors, with the story’s character-driven moments. The one that hits home the hardest comes when two of the women learn late in the affair that the other has been keeping something highly concerning from them, carrying the burden by herself. The looks they give her, showing both incredible frustration with her and great concern for her, are perfect.

And then there’s a moment we won’t spoil, set back where we encountered Odette in the film’s opening moments as she sits under a tree. It’s, well, it’s just perfect — something sure to put a smile on your face.

That’s true in general of “The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat,” even as it makes the occasional misstep. For example, the long-foreshadowed and almost obligatory near-implosion of their friendship feels forced and unearned based on all we’ve seen to that point.

This story — at least the screen version of it — uses a sycamore tree as a metaphor for the trio’s strength and longevity. It’s an effective bit of symbolism for three women well worth knowing.

‘The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat’

Where: Hulu.

When: Aug. 23.

Rated: PG-13 for thematic content, sexual content, strong language including racial slurs, and violent content.

Runtime: 2 hours, 4 minutes.

Stars (of four): 2.5.

 

By DEEPTI HAJELA Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — It started a couple of years ago when Juliana Pache was doing a crossword puzzle and got stuck.

She was unfamiliar with the reference that the clue made. It made her think about what a crossword puzzle would look like if the clues and answers included more of some subjects that she WAS familiar with, thanks to her own identity and interests — Black history and Black popular culture.

When she couldn’t find such a thing, Pache decided to do it herself. In January 2023, she created blackcrossword.com, a site that offers a free mini-crossword puzzle every day. And Tuesday marked the release of her first book, “Black Crossword: 100 Mini Puzzles Celebrating the African Diaspora.”

It’s a good moment for it, nearly 111 years after the first crossword appeared in a New York newspaper. Recent years have seen an increasing amount of conversation around representation in crossword puzzles, from who’s constructing them to what words can be used for answers and how the clues are framed. There’s been a push to expand the idea of the kinds of “common knowledge” players would have to fill them out.

“I had never made a crossword puzzle before,” Pache, 32, said with a laugh. “But I was like, I can figure it out.”

And she did.

Made ‘with Black people in mind’

Each puzzle on Pache’s site includes at least a few clues and answers connecting to Black culture. The tagline on the site: “If you know, you know.”

The book is brimming with the kinds of puzzles that she estimates about 2,200 people play daily on her site — squares made up of five lines, each with five spaces. She aims for at least three of the clues to be references to aspects of Black cultures from around the world.

Pache, a native of the New York City borough of Queens with family ties to Cuba and the Dominican Republic, had a couple of goals in mind when she started. Primarily, she wanted to create something that Black people would enjoy.

I’m “making it with Black people in mind,” she said. “And then if anyone else enjoys it, they learn things from it, that’s a bonus but it’s not my focus.”

She’s also trying to show the diversity in Black communities and cultures with the clues and words she uses, and to encourage people from different parts of the African diaspora to learn about each other.

“I also want to make it challenging, not just for people who might be interested in Black culture, but people within Black culture who might be interested in other regions,” she said. “Part of my mission with this is to highlight Black people from all over, Black culture from all over. And I think … that keeps us learning about each other.”

What, really, is ‘general knowledge’?

While on the surface if might just seem like a game, the knowledge base required for crosswords does say something about what kind of knowledge is considered “general” and “universal” and what isn’t, said Michelle Pera-McGhee, a data journalist at The Pudding, a site that focuses on data-driven stories.

In 2020, Pera-McGhee undertook a data project analyzing crossword puzzles through the decades from a handful of the most well-known media outlets. The project assessed clues and answers that used the names of real people to determine a breakdown along gender and race categories.

Unsurprisingly, the data indicated that for the most part, men were disproportionately more likely than women to be featured, as well as white people compared to racial and ethnic minorities.

It’s “interesting because it’s supposed to be easy,” Pera-McGhee said. “You want … ideally to reference things that people, everybody knows about because everyone learns about them in school or whatever. … What are the things that we decide we all should know?”

There are efforts to make crosswords more accessible and representative, including the recently started fellowship for puzzle constructors from underrepresented groups at The New York Times, among the most high-profile crossword puzzles around. Puzzle creators have made puzzles aimed at LGBTQ+ communities, at women, using a wider array of references as Pache is doing.

Bottom line, “it is really cool to see our culture reflected in this medium,” Pache said.

And, Pera-McGhee said, it can be cool to learn new things.

“It’s kind of enriching to have things in the puzzle that you don’t know about,” she said. “It’s not that the experience of not knowing is bad. It’s just that it should maybe be spread out along with the experience of knowing. Both are kind of good in the crossword-solving experience.”

Mia Taylor | TravelPulse (TNS)

After years of remaining a reclusive country, North Korea is preparing to allow entry to tourists.

As of December, international visitors will be allowed to explore the northeastern city of Samjiyon, according to a report from Reuters.

The move appears to be just be the first step toward a wider relaxation of tourist visitation rules for North Korea, say tour operators.

“We have received confirmation from our local partner that tourism to Samjiyon and likely the rest of the country will officially resume in December 2024,” Beijing-based Koryo Tours recently announced on its website.

Another travel agency, KTG Tours, has similarly announced that tourists will be able to visit Samjiyon this coming winter.

This development follows the resumption of international flights in and out of North Korea last year. A small group of Russian tourists subsequently visited the country in February. And later, in June, Russian President Vladimir Putin also paid a visit.

Still, North Korea has not been open to mass international tourism since 2020.

“Having waited for over four years to make this announcement, Koryo Tours is very excited for the opening of North Korean tourism once again,” said the tour company, per Reuters.

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Koryo Tours expects its North Korean partner will confirm itineraries and dates over the next few weeks.

As for what tourists can expect to find when they visit, Reuters describes Samjiyon as a “socialist utopia”, and “a model of highly-civilized mountain city” with new apartments, hotels, a ski resort and commercial, cultural and medical facilities.

Separately, CNN has described Samjiyon as a city that straddles the Chinese border and is in close proximity to the highest peak on the Korean Peninsula, Mount Paektu, an active volcano. The volcano area is considered the cradle of the Korean people, per CNN.

©2024 Northstar Travel Media, LLC. Visit at travelpulse.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

This real-estate feature from the South Florida Sun Sentinel highlights the latest plans for new construction as demand rises for more housing, offices and stores across the region. You can submit questions by emailing buildings@sunsentinel.com, if you’re wondering about “what’s being built there?” in your community. Here’s one of the latest projects.

The location? 2000 W. Pembroke Road in Hallandale Beach, which is east of Dixie Highway and west of Federal Highway. It’s immediately next to the Big Easy Casino, on land that the casino once used as part of its parking lot.

What’s planned? Parks at Hallandale will be a 398-unit multifamily development, named because the buildings will be connected by green, open spaces. “It’s a quite beautiful site plan that we’re very proud of,” said Yair Wainberg, the vice president of 13th Floor Investments, which is the project developer.

The 15.5-acre property will include a mix of market-rate and “workforce” apartments across a series of seven, five-story buildings.

Will there be a commercial element? There will be about 6,500 square feet of ground floor retail. “We haven’t nailed down the tenants yet,” Wainberg said, but the commercial features are anticipated to be retail that becomes an “extension of the amenities for the residents … that our residents can walk over and enjoy those retail uses.”

That is likely to include a cafe, or “something along those lines,” and a covered outdoor terrace will be constructed in preparation.

(13th Floor Investments/Courtesy)Artist rendering of Parks at Hallandale, a 398-unit multifamily development now under construction in Hallandale Beach. (13th Floor Investments/Courtesy)

What will the apartments cost to rent and what are the amenities? Apartments at Parks at Hallandale will include studios, one-, two- and three-bedroom units ranging from about 600 to 1,400 square feet in size. Amenities include a clubhouse, fitness center, resort-style pool and deck, an outdoor pavilion and seating areas with barbecue grills, tennis and pickleball courts, two dog parks (one for small dogs and one for large dogs), and a children’s playground.

Wainberg said no rent information is available yet since it will be based on the market at the time the units become available. But 10% of the units, a number set by the city, will be put aside for “workforce” housing, with lower rental rates, based on family size and income.

Broward County, which is not involved in any workforce housing assistance programs, considers workforce housing as households earning 140% of area median income. For a family of four that would mean an income of $134,400, so they would qualify for a rental of $3,360 based on a calculation, said Ralph Stone, Broward County’s director of the Housing Finance Division.

“Workforce” generally applies to households earning a higher wage than the designation of “affordable” housing, which is for low-income households earning $84,000 for a family of four. It’s critical because one out of two employees in Broward County can spend only $1,000 on housing, Stone said, because they earn an average of $40,000 a year.

The average two-bedroom rental countywide in Broward costs $2,800 a month, demanding a salary of $80,000 “or else you are spending more than 30% of your wages on housing which means you are cost-burdened,” Stone said.

(13th Floor Investments/Courtesy)Parks at Hallandale will be a 398-unit multifamily development, named because the buildings will be connected by green, open spaces. (13th Floor Investments/Courtesy)

How long will construction take? Construction is now underway and is slated for completion in 2026.

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What’s being replaced? In addition to the casino parking lot, Wainberg said the area used to be a mix of commercial outlets such as a Marathon gas station, bowling alley, a towing business and storage that ran along Northeast First Avenue. Those buildings have been torn down.

13th Floor first acquired the land in 2021.

(Amy Beth Bennett / South Florida Sun Sentinel)Parks at Hallandale, a multifamily development at 2000 W. Pembroke Road in Hallandale Beach, is under construction. (Amy Beth Bennett / South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Wainberg said his company remains “very bullish” on Hallandale Beach, located in just the perfect sweet spot to accommodate workers who need to get to both Miami-Dade and further north in Broward.

And this spot is considered a “prime location” and land this size is “very hard to find.”

“We feel very good about the location and about the product that we are building here. Most development around this area tends to be in smaller lots and we’re very excited (for) a parcel of this size, (space for) outdoor amenities and green spaces for the enjoyment of the tenants,” he said.

More housing is needed: “We see a big demand for multi-family housing in the tri-county area,” he said.

And there are figures to back that up.

Broward County officials said last week that an estimated new 218,000 homes are needed to help meet the growing population, projected to add another 294,000 people by the year 2050.

The Bureau of Economic and Business Research at the University of Florida also estimates the county’s population could peak as high as nearly  2.7 million by 2050.

And that means the eventual redevelopment of commercial areas, including big box retail, to find the space to create “higher density residential.”

Lisa J. Huriash can be reached at lhuriash@sunsentinel.com. Follow on X, formerly Twitter, @LisaHuriash

I’m not going to lie — while I love the easygoing, local-local vibe that defines Julian Siegel’s trio of Riverside Markets, I did not often frequent the location tucked among the machine shops and car-rental companies north of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. 

Like the original Riverside Market hidden back in that neighborhood I can never remember the name of (Riverside Park, is it?), Riverside South had the relaxed, mismatched-everything look, the welcoming staff, the treasure hunt of offbeat cans inside walls of beer coolers and the Riverside’s signature honor-system payment method (your empties were your “check”). And, of course, it was defiantly out of the way.

And I often forgot it existed. So the closing of Riverside South after a nine-year run fills me with some shame — had I been more focused, I believe I could have single-handedly kept this bar open. I don’t say that with pride. Maybe a little.

On Saturday, Siegel will part with pieces of the bar’s history during the Riverside South Yard Sale, running from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (or whenever the last item sells). If you are looking to legitimize your man cave, this is the place for neon signs, tap handles, kegerators, tin tackers, T-shirts and other bric-a-brac. 

Professionals can also get their hands on a variety of commercial kitchen equipment, from coolers and refrigerators to stools, tables and chairs.

Fittingly, you can get a free draft beer and hot dog with every purchase. The Riverside Market South is at 3218 SE Sixth Ave. Visit Facebook.com/riversidemarket.

Riverside Market South in Fort Lauderdale opened nine years ago with a casual vibe that extended to its honor-system payment method: Your empties were your “check.” (South Florida Sun Sentinel file) THURSDAY

Summer soundtrack: Country-pop duo Dan + Shay bring their Heartbreak on the Map Tour to iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach at 7 p.m. Thursday, sharing music from their most recent album “Bigger Houses.” Openers are Jake Owen and Dylan Marlowe. Tickets are available, starting at $41.30+, at LiveNation.com. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. 

Upstairs downstairs: The Boca Raton Museum of Art’s free Sunset Sounds music series will host The People Upstairs (local funky good-timers) in the courtyard on Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m. Find a spot on the lawn, bring a folding chair or rent one ($5). Food and drinks will be available for purchase. Visit Facebook.com/bocamuseum.

Thursday tribute: Local Cure tribute band LoveCats plays at Crazy Uncle Mike’s in Boca Raton on Thursday at 8 p.m. Admission is free, and a table for four is $40. Visit CrazyUncleMikes.com.

Weekend burger: This is opening weekend for La Birra Bar — its Golden burger won the People’s Choice award at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival in 2022 — in its newest location in Oakland Park (2031 E. Oakland Park Blvd.). The restaurant, which began in Buenos Aires and has locations in North Miami Beach and Wynwood, offers a menu of more than two dozen burgers. Visit LaBirraBarUSA.com.

La Birra Bar / CourtesyNew in Oakland Park, La Birra Bar has more than two dozen burgers on the menu. (La Birra Bar/Courtesy) FRIDAY

Secret concert: Clandestine concert series Sofar Sounds will be in South Florida to host a secret show in downtown Hollywood on Friday night. Per usual with Sofar events, the location will be sent to ticket-holders about 36 hours before the concert and the performer is revealed when you walk in. The Sofar team’s track record across the country is excellent, with acts you know and others you’re happy to be introduced to in a unique environment. Tickets cost $20+. Visit SofarSounds.com.

Are you down? The music of three of the most gifted and popular songwriters and performers working in country music today — Luke Combs, Zach Bryan and Morgan Wallen — will fuel a DJ dance party called Down South on Friday at Revolution Live in downtown Fort Lauderdale. Tickets for the all-ages show start at $13+ at JoinTheRevolution.net. Doors open at 8 p.m. 

Ticket window: As you may have heard, Billy Joel has added a second concert at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood on Friday, Jan. 17, and tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday. Prices will start at $105+. Tickets for his first show at Hard Rock Live on Saturday, Nov. 23, are all but gone. See what’s available at MyHRL.com. 

Women need Mars: Heartthrob actor Jared Leto and brother Shannon bring Thirty Seconds to Mars to iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach on Friday at 6 p.m., joined by AFI, Poppy and KennyHoopla. Tickets start at $35.30+ at LiveNation.com. Gates open at 5 p.m. 

Jared Leto of Thirty Seconds to Mars performs in Nashville on Aug. 3 as part of the tour coming to West Palm Beach on Friday. (Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

Buju is back: Hot off two soldout shows last month at New York’s UBS Arena, his first U.S. performances in 13 years, Grammy-winning dancehall and reggae star Buju Banton will kick off The Overcomer Tour at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Friday at 8 p.m. R&B singer Fridayy opens. Tickets start at $85+ at SeatGeek.com. Visit BujuBanton.com.

‘Sunny’ glasses at night: Garden District Tap Room, the engaging self-pour lounge in downtown West Palm Beach, on Friday will host a trivia night dedicated to the culty comedy “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” (Season 17 currently in the writing stages, according to series star Rob McElhenney’s Instagram). The fun runs from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Visit GardenDistrictWPB.com.

Empanada nights: Bodega Taqueria y Tequila, the late-night, fast-casual restaurant group with locations including West Palm Beach and downtown Fort Lauderdale, has rolled out a new menu that includes a birria section (including a birria-style quesadilla called the Quesabirria) and a new selection of app-exclusive items (available only through the app). But my primary focus is on their new Empanadas by TOMA, a brand cofounded by actor Sofia Vergara and son Manolo Gonzalez Vergara, offering crispy chicken and beef handhelds ($10 for two), as well as chocolate hazelnut for dessert ($10 for three). Reminder: Bodega is open until 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Visit BodegaTaqueria.com.

Happier hour: The outdoor after-work party known as Riverwalk Rhythm & Brews returns to Esplanade Park in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Friday from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. You’ll find food trucks, beer, kids’ activities and live music from Jonny Edwards. Visit GoRiverwalk.com.

SATURDAY

Garnet and gold and green: College football gets an early start on Saturday at noon when the Florida State Seminoles kick off the season against Georgia Tech at Aviva Stadium in Dublin. The one in Ireland. FSU alumni in Palm Beach County and Broward County will be gathering for watch parties in their usual spots  (the latter has added an official watch location at Papa’s Raw Bar in Lighthouse Point this season), but don’t forget about your neighborhood Irish pub. Tim Finnegans in Delray Beach will have the game on while serving its regular 11 a.m.-3 p.m. brunch. That’s unlimited mimosas and bloody Marys for $16 when you purchase brunch. Depending on how the game goes, there may be a lot of Noles turning into ramblin’ wrecks on Saturday. Visit Facebook.com/TimFinnegansDelray.

New Flagler party: In its continuing effort to turn up the energy in its corner of downtown Fort Lauderdale, 511 Bar & Lounge in Flagler Village on Saturday will kick off a monthly series called Blues, Booze, BBQ & Brews. Sponsored by Jack Daniels, the evening begins at 7 p.m. and will include drink specials, live music by Lucian White and Electric Shaman, plates by acclaimed Mistah Lee Smokin’ Good BBQ food truck, drink specials and smokes from nearby cigar and wine shop Ash & Vine Cigars. Visit Instagram.com/511bar_.

Thanks, Beres: Reggae eminence Beres Hammond brings his Forever Giving Thanks Tour to the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale for performances at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Few seats remain for Saturday’s show, with scattered pairs of resale tickets starting at $132+. Sunday’s concert has more availability, starting at $40+. Get there early to peruse the vendors and island ambience of the outdoor Rock Away Village. Visit BrowardCenter.org.

BRK for beer: The third annual West Palm Beach Beer Festival takes place at Clematis Street bar-dog park BRK Republic on Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m. to raise money for nonprofits Life with Reef and Mutty Paws Rescue. The dog-friendly event will include sampling sips from locals Funky Buddha Brewery, Cove Brewery and more than 20 other purveyors of beer, wine and spirits, as well as food trucks, a DJ and more. Tickets cost $50+, or $65+ for VIP at 2024wpbbeerfest.eventbrite.com. 

Jupiter Compass Digital MarketingThe dog-friendly West Palm Beach Beer Festival returns to BRK Republic on Saturday. (Jupiter Compass Digital Marketing/Courtesy)

Louder still: Rock gods Megadeth, joined on the Destroy All Enemies Tour by Mudvayne and All That Remains, will get loud at iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. Tickets start at $41.30+ at LiveNation.com. Gates open at 5 p.m. 

Hannah flashback: Another themed dance party is coming to the Fillmore Miami Beach on Saturday with Bop to the Top Presents: Best of Both Worlds Hannah Montana, featuring sing-along anthems from “Hannah Montana” and other Disney Channel shows. The 18-and-older event begins at 9 p.m. and will include a costume contest, lip-sync competition and more. Tickets start at $31+ at LiveNation.com.

SUNDAY

Sunday in Delray: If you are looking to kick back on Sunday with a few refreshments and a set of homegrown music, downtown Delray Beach has some popular local bands playing in favorite rooms. They include the “Americeltic pubgrass” of Uproot Hootenanny at Deck 84 at 2 p.m. (Facebook.com/deck84delray); the Valerie Tyson Band (classic R&B) at Thrōw Social at 5:30 p.m. (Facebook.com/throwsocialdelray); Grateful Dead tribute Crazy Fingers at  Atlantic Avenue Yacht Club at 7 p.m. (Facebook.com/AAYCdelray); and Miss Dympsey’s Class (upbeat rock covers) at Johnnie Brown’s at 7 p.m. (JohnnieBrowns.com/events).

Made from scratch: The relentlessly chill Rhythm & Vine Beer Garden in downtown Fort Lauderdale will drop the needle at 2 p.m. Sunday for Rhythm + Vinyl Vol. III, with vinyl sets from a series of DJs, record store and label vendors (buy, sell, trade) and the boozy frivolity the Flagler Village gem is known for. Visit Rhythm-Vine.com.

Come on in, neighbor: NSU Art Museum celebrates Fort Lauderdale Neighbor Day on Sunday with free admission for city residents, two-for-one wine in the cafe and 10% off museum-published books in the gift shop.  Hours are noon to 5 p.m. Have a photo ID or utility bill with a Fort Lauderdale address. Visit NSUArtmuseum.org.

Staff writer Ben Crandell can be reached at bcrandell@sunsentinel.com. Follow on Instagram @BenCrandell and Twitter @BenCrandell.

In a small abortion clinic in San Juan, Puerto Rico, the phone rings continuously, women flood the waiting room, and cruise ship staff come looking for care.

Darlington Medical Associates, a 10-minute drive from the island’s airport, is experiencing the impact of Florida’s six-week abortion ban.

“We are the only clinic in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean that provides abortion service up to 24 weeks,” says Johana Molina, social worker/office manager for Darlington Medical Associates. “After Roe v. Wade was overturned, our travel patients increased a lot, but after May 1, when the six-week ban went into effect, we started to receive many more patients from Florida.”

Several times a day, Molina fields phone calls from patient navigators and organizations in Florida called abortion funds, scrambling to help women secure appointments.

“A lot of organizations send women here because it’s cheaper, it’s more friendly,” Molina says.

Florida was once a safe haven for abortion care, even in the year after the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade. But nearly half of the country has abortion restrictions in place now, and as of May 1, Florida has one of the most limiting —  a six-week ban and a 24-hour waiting period between a consent visit and a procedure.

Florida abortion providers say a regular part of their daily routine has become turning away patients too far along in pregnancy to get care in the state and connecting them to resources to travel to end their pregnancies.

In the two months after Florida’s ban went into effect, the state saw a 575% increase in people looking to travel out of state for abortions, according to National Abortion Federation data. Florida women join thousands of others nationwide each month from states with bans or restrictions, desperate for appointments at the same overburdened clinics in less restrictive states like Virginia, Illinois, and North Carolina.

Darlington Medical Associates in Puerto Rico has been seeing more patients from Florida after the six-week abortion ban went into effect on May 1. (Darlington Medical Associates/Courtesy)

In 2023, more than 166,000 U.S. abortion patients traveled to other states to obtain care, double the number who did so in 2020 before multiple state abortion bans went into effect, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a sexual and reproductive health and rights organization.

The demand has created a ripple effect: The cost of abortion care is rising, wait times for out-of-state appointments are longer, and organizations that pitch in to help cover travel costs must divvy their funding among more women.

“Last year, we were able to help with 50% of appointment costs for eligible clients, and now that’s dropped to 30%,” says Kamila Przytuła, executive director of Women’s Emergency Network in Miami. “We have had to cap our support per person at $1,000 max. So now we partner with other funds in our state. One will pay for hotel costs, another for child care or airfare, and another for clinic services. There’s a collective effort in pooling resources.”

How the scramble plays out

Often, abortion seekers can’t afford to pay the travel costs themselves, barely scraping up enough to pay for the actual procedure.  An estimated 73% of abortion seekers in 2022 had incomes under the poverty line, according to a recent Guttmacher Institute study.

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When her birth control method failed, Marie, a fast-food worker, emptied her bank account and then borrowed from a friend to get an abortion. But by the time she collected the $600 fee, she arrived at a Broward abortion clinic too late. A sonogram showed she had surpassed her sixth week of pregnancy by just a few days.

Already struggling to keep her job and take community college classes, she would need to travel to a state where the legal limits extend beyond Florida’s six-week limit, lose a day’s pay and incur travel costs. “I can’t pay for that,” she told a clinic assistant.

The South Florida Sun Sentinel is identifying Marie by only her first name to protect her.

Five Florida-based organizations — and a few national funds — have jumped in to help women like Marie afford travel. They pay for plane tickets, gas money, meals and hotel costs, rides to and from the airport or bus station, and child care when a mother travels. Getting each woman’s costs covered takes much more coordination and cooperation among organizations than it did just a year ago.

State and national abortion funds received an initial outpouring of donations after the Dobbs decision ended federal abortion rights, but contributions have since tapered off while demand is at an all-time high.

“There is not a single organization that’s not strained for resources because of how massive the need is in Florida,” Przytuła said.

Florida women are traveling to Darlington Medical Associates in San Juan, Puerto Rico, for abortion care. (Darlington Medical Associates/Courtesy) The increasing price of an abortion

Meanwhile, the finances of abortion services have become increasingly complicated: The price of an abortion and the risk for complications rise by trimester and number of weeks of pregnancy. With so many people traveling hundreds or thousands of miles to seek abortion care, it can take a week or more to get an appointment at an out-of-state clinic, which means pregnancies may progress to a more advanced stage and the cost balloons further. The total cost to travel for an abortion could be as high as $20,000 for someone in the third trimester.

“Every clinic has its own price structure,” says Elizabeth Londono, a patient navigator for Planned Parenthood of South, East and North Florida . “Some are much more expensive than others.”

The rising cost of airfare, hotel stays, and meals must be considered, too. The Brigid Alliance, which provides logistical support to people seeking abortion care, estimates that the average cost of traveling for care has increased 41% since the first half of 2022, when it was just over $1,000.

At the same time, the price of surgical and medication abortions in Florida, particularly at independent clinics, also has increased as they struggle to pay their bills and stay open. Most Florida clinics charge on average $700 to $800, up from $500. A smaller clinic in West Palm Beach now charges $1,100. “That’s a big financial ask on such a short timeline,” notes McKenna Kelley with the Tampa Bay Abortion Fund.

Shock, frustration, anger, desperation: The real-life toll of Florida’s six-week abortion ban

The barriers are more than money

In the rural and urban areas of Florida, the challenges to getting an abortion are more than just monetary. Life circumstances often put women in a difficult position as they contemplate options.

At a Miami abortion clinic recently, a doctor told Maria that her ultrasound showed she was seven weeks, two days into her pregnancy.

“You are going to need to leave Florida if you want to end the pregnancy,” the doctor explains in Spanish.

Nicaraguan-born, Maria replies that she has no family in the U.S. She has two children, 7 and 14, and lives with a friend. Two months ago, she lost her job. She tells the doctor she is upset and scared. “I need to make this go away as soon as possible,” she says.

The Sun Sentinel agreed to Maria’s request to withhold her last name.

Later that day, Maria spoke with a patient navigator and learned about the lengthy wait list for appointments at out-of-state clinics. The navigator said she would work on getting  Maria an appointment in North Carolina and making travel arrangements, setting in motion the same scramble going on in nearly half the states in the country.

Some women are waiting up to four weeks for an appointment, says Serra Sippel, interim executive director of The Brigid Alliance, a national organization that helps more than 130 clients a month with travel costs for abortion care.  “Delayed care is a serious impact of bans.”

It’s that scramble that has led more Floridians to Puerto Rico. Molina at Darlington Medical Associates said her clinic has become a draw for Florida women, particularly Spanish-speaking ones. It is one of four clinics on the island and the only one that offers services in the second trimester. Molina said Florida women often travel roundtrip to her clinic on the same day.

“Yesterday, we received three patients from Florida,” Molina says. “One was very anxious because she had just started a new job and thought she could lose her job if she missed work. She was desperate to return to Florida, and we counseled her that we strongly recommended that she stay one night after her procedure, but some people can’t take so much time off.”

Molina said Darlington also draws cruise workers who previously may have gone to a Florida clinic while in port. They typically make a telemedicine appointment and then pick up the abortion medication at Darlington when their ship docks in the Puerto Rico port.

Inside Darlington Medical Associates, an abortion clinic in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where Florida women are traveling for abortion care. (Darlington Medical Associates/Courtesy) The fear of travel

In Palm Beach County, Jessica Hatem, executive director of Emergency Medical Assistance, says some of her clients have never flown before or even left the state and are anxious about it.

That makes Puerto Rico an appealing option, Hatem says:   “A direct flight is key so there is not a second airport to navigate. Puerto Rico is only two hours away, and there is no layover,”

Hatem said the amount of coordination required is staggering. “These women don’t work jobs that give paid time off. They don’t have childcare … It’s much more than just the financial piece,” she says.

When thousands of flights were canceled or delayed last month because of a global tech outage, Przytuła worked the phones at the Women’s Emergency Network.

A fear-stricken yet desperate South Florida woman choosing to travel for abortion care had boarded a plane for the first time in her life. Her child care, rideshare, and hotel costs were covered by abortion fund organizations that serve Florida women. The pooled monies were enough for a one-night hotel stay, not two or three. Stuck in Atlanta on a layover, the woman repeatedly asked Pryztula: “Who’s going to stay with my kids?”

Pryztula urged the woman to stay calm, assuring her she was working to get the woman back to Florida. It took her four days to get home.

The woman’s plight illustrates the challenge of requiring women to travel for health care, Prztula said. “If one thing goes wrong for these women, it can create a negative domino effect.”

Pills by phone?

In lieu of travel, some Florida women opt for telemedicine appointments with out-of-state doctors who will prescribe and mail abortion pills. Others will turn to online vendors. Taking pills at home is medically safe, but legally risky in Florida, which explicitly bans abortion by telemedicine.

In November, Floridians will weigh in on whether to amend the state constitution to protect abortion rights, a measure that requires 60% voter approval. If approved, women would have the right to an abortion in Florida up until viability, which is about 24 weeks.

“Fewer people would need to leave the state,” Hatem says. “It would be much less disruption to their lives.”

South Florida Sun Sentinel health reporter Cindy Goodman can be reached at cgoodman@sunsentinel.com.

 

Four Women’s Health Services is a legitimate reproductive health care clinic and abortion provider in Attleboro, Massachusetts. Directly behind the clinic is a larger building bearing the sign “Attleboro Women’s Health Center.”

This second facility advertises free ultrasounds, free pregnancy testing, and “pregnancy counseling.” Their website features the term “abortion” so many times that it’s the first result when one locally Google searches “abortion clinic near me.”

Rebecca Hart Holder is the president of Reproductive Equity Now. (courtesy, OtherWords)

However, Attleboro Women’s Health Center does not provide abortions. It’s an anti-abortion center — or “crisis pregnancy center” — that aims to deceive, delay and dissuade pregnant people from accessing abortion care.

Anti-abortion centers promote themselves as reproductive health care providers, but typically aren’t licensed to provide medical care. Frequently, as in Attleboro, they set up shop next to legitimate care providers and use deceptive advertising and misleading names to trick patients into seeking care there.

These deceptive facilities subject patients to enormous amounts of disinformation to dissuade them from seeking an abortion — or even make them believe they can’t. These centers deliberately target low-income people, communities of color, and non-English speaking communities with deceptive advertising and the promise of “free services” — but it always comes with a catch.

From stigmatizing medical lies to staff practicing out of their scope, patients don’t receive credible health information at these facilities. We saw this up close in Worcester, Massachusetts, when a patient unknowingly visited an anti-abortion center called Clearway Clinic to confirm her pregnancy.

The patient was told by a nurse, allegedly practicing out of her scope, that her pregnancy was healthy and in utero. Weeks later, the patient learned she was actually experiencing an ectopic pregnancy when she was forced to undergo emergency surgery that resulted in the loss of her fallopian tube.

Because most anti-abortion centers aren’t licensed medical institutions, they’re also not subject to regulations on privacy for patient data, such as HIPAA. Patient data is often stored on insecure servers and harbored without the consent of patients. That lets these centers surveil people as they navigate their reproductive health care — an alarming threat in a post-Roe world.

Anti-abortion centers are meant to confuse, deceive and shame patients for making their own informed choices. Even in states with legal protections for abortion access, these centers create barriers to urgent and necessary care.

There are thousands of these anti-abortion centers across the country — more than 100 in Florida alone, which is more than twice the number of actual abortion clinics in the state. Since Dobbs, they’ve been expanding in all 50 states.

Fortunately, we have a powerful tool to fight back.

It begins with public education. States can play a critical role to ensure residents have the tools and resources they need to make informed reproductive health care decisions — and avoid dangerous and deceptive anti-abortion centers.

In Massachusetts, my organization is working with public health authorities to inoculate our communities against the deceptive practices of these facilities. This past June, Massachusetts launched a first-in-the-nation public education campaign to ensure residents are well-informed.

We’re lucky to have support from our state government. But residents in less supportive states can still protect patients through grassroots work. We’ve seen informative, creative grassroots education materials produced by people across the country — even in places like Florida where these centers receive state funding.

Person-to-person conversations with friends, family and neighbors are an excellent place to start. Make sure your loved ones know what anti-abortion centers are, how to avoid them, and where they can access legitimate care.

Patients seeking legitimate abortion care can find clinics near them by visiting www.ineedana.com.

Seeking abortion care in this nation continues to be cumbersome for many patients, even in protected states. However, information is power. That’s why we’re putting power in the hands of our communities by raising awareness about anti-abortion centers.

Rebecca Hart Holder is the president of Reproductive Equity Now. This op-ed was adapted from a longer version at Inequality.org and syndicated by OtherWords.org.

Q: You speculated Kevin Love as the backup center  to start the year, working Kel’el Ware in as the season progresses. I disagree with you there. When Love talks about the Udonis Haslem role he envisions himself taking over, he certainly isn’t referencing the part of Haslem’s career he was contributing on the court in games. You don’t often see top-15 picks having to work their way into lineups; working their way out is another story. If we’re talking about commitment, the scale weighs heavily in Ware’s favor comparing the two. But after the summer Ware just had and the possibilities that exist there, he’s got to be in the first five off the bench on opening night. We all know it’s easy to earn a spot in Erik Spoelstra’s doghouse but rarely does a player of this pedigree start there. – Michael, Atlanta.

A: But Kel’el Ware also is entering a win-now situation, particularly at the beginning of the season. The Heat essentially spent last season attempting to recover from their uneven start. So I would think Erik Spoelstra would go early with his best, win-now rotation. And Kevin Love did not return to play an emeritus role. He re-signed to play. When he wasn’t playing in Cleveland, he requested a buyout. I doubt his attitude has changed in the interim. Tyler Herro was a No. 13 pick and played all but eight of his rookie-season games off the bench. Bam Adebayo was a No. 14 pick and played all but 19 of his rookie games off the bench. Yes, starting and being a rotation reserve are two different things. But it would seem the best way for Kel’el Ware to be a rotation reserve would be to show he could play alongside Bam. When that becomes an option, then anything and everything become possible.

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Q: For me, Terry Rozier has never been a question. You have a guy that is capable of getting you 20 a night regardless if he’s playing the one or the two.  Won’t matter.  Bigger issue is quality size at the so-called  four spot.  Get rid of the 6-foot-5 mentality at power forward. – Douglas.

A: And yet, at the moment, it is difficult to envision a more likely backup at power forward than 6-foot-5 Haywood Highsmith, unless the Heat are willing to go with undrafted rookie Keshad Johnson in such minutes. And even then, he’s just listed at 6-6.

Q: If the Celtics sell for $6 billion and every team gets $400 million from expansion, shouldn’t there be plenty to spend on upgrading the roster? – Alex.

A: This comes from a speculative report about the pending sale of the Celtics and whether Jeff Bezos gets involved (with such denials following). But, yes, there seemingly will be ample money available for NBA owners to spend. But that also is a choice, because it’s also a business.

Q: We purchased our house last year from a lovely couple that had lived there for several decades. Our bank is taking care of our tax and insurance payments. Our lender drastically increased our payment when the new tax roll came out. This higher payment is hard to swallow as we counted on the old amount when making our budget. Can they do this? — Roland

A: Your mortgage lender requires you to escrow your property taxes and homeowner’s insurance payments, enabling the lender to make the annual payments on your behalf. This arrangement is known as an “impound” account. With this setup, the lender collects 1/12 of the annual payment monthly with your principal and interest payments.

Due to fluctuations in these expenses, the account balance may not always be accurate. If it falls too low, your lender will request additional funds either as a lump sum or spread over the upcoming year. Conversely, you will receive a refund if the balance exceeds the necessary amount.

Given that taxes and insurance costs can change, your lender will maintain up to two months’ worth of extra funds as a precaution against potential deficits.

This predicament occurred because your lender initially set up your impound accounts using the property tax assessment the former long-term owners had paid.

Broward Property Appraiser: Your tax notice is in the mail. Here’s what you need to know | Opinion

Where I practice law in Florida, there is a strict limit on how much the valuation of a home for property taxes can rise each year. This can lead to a situation where a long-term owner is paying taxes based on a much lower valuation than the property’s market value.

When the property is sold, it will appraise at its current value, causing the property taxes to drastically increase, which in turn causes a significant shortfall in your impound account.

So, here’s the deal. To balance out your impound, you must pay the new, higher amount for the next year along with the shortage from the first year because not enough was collected when you made your monthly payments last year.

The not-so-great news is that you will need to pay your property taxes at the current rate going forward.

But the silver lining is that your monthly payments should even out next year once the shortfall is recovered and your impound account is properly funded.

Board-certified real estate lawyer Gary Singer writes about industry legal matters and the housing market. To ask him a question, email him at gary@garysingerlaw.com, or go to SunSentinel.com/askpro.