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MIAMI — Just when Josh Richardson finally could shoulder the burden, the veteran Miami Heat guard now finds himself on uneven footing.

Having been held out the entire preseason as he recovered from last season’s shoulder surgery, Richardson was cleared just in time to now be sidelined by an inflamed left heel.

“Tweaked it, got some inflammation in it,” Richardson said after Tuesday’s practice at Kaseya Center, ahead of Wednesday’s 7:30 p.m. season opener against the visiting Orlando Magic. “After not running for six months, getting back into it is going to be tough on the lower body, as well.

“So I came back, and it’s kind of like up and down. Now it’s down for the last few days, but hopefully get back up soon.”

Having signed a two-year deal at the NBA veteran minimum in the 2023 offseason to return to the team that selected him in the second round of the 2015 draft out of Tennessee, Richardson in June picked up his player option for this season, unable due to the shoulder surgery to again test the waters in free agency.

Now the waiting game continues, with offseason free-agent acquisition Alec Burks in place to pick up any minutes potentially available in the wing rotation.

“They said it’s just comfort level,” Richardson, 31, said, when asked about a potential return date. “So I’m just working trying to stack good days.”

Still, Richardson said he is heartened with the clearance for the shoulder.

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“Maybe just a little range you got to work on to get out,” he said of residual discomfort, “but it’s pretty much close enough.”

The only other player on the Heat injury report is guard Josh Christopher, who continues to deal with a toe contusion, as he settles in with his two-way contact.

Timing element

Halftime for Wednesday night’s game will be extended by 10 minutes for the ceremony honoring the naming of the Kaseya Center court for Heat president Pat Riley.

“It’s just a really, really cool thing we’re all getting to be a part of,” coach Erik Spoelstra said Tuesday. “We get to make him uncomfortable for a night.

“He doesn’t really like all this attention. He’s pushed us in so many ways out of our comfort zones over the years, we get to flip the tables on him, shine the light on him, celebrate him. I can’t wait for that.”

From the start

Having missed 40 games last season, guard Tyler Herro did not mince words Tuesday about his goal for this season.

“Being healthy,” Herro said. “That’s my main goal for the season, just being healthy and being on the court for my teammates, coaches, the whole organization.

“I owe it to them to be on the court as much as possible. Unless I can’t walk or I can’t do something, I’m gonna be on the court.”

What Herro said he won’t be doing nearly as much, nor will teammates, is shooting as many midrange shots as previously, with the Heat’s increased focus only on shots at the rim or from the 3-point arc.

“Honestly,” Herro said, “I don’t remember the last person who shot a midrange shot in a practice or scrimmage or anything. We haven’t shot those all preseason or training camp.

“There’s been a lot of focus on getting to the rim, putting pressure on the paint, getting open threes, finding ways to create advantages for our attackers, our spacers, guys who can score.”

From the outset

Spoelstra hinted he would not shy from utilizing the three players under two-way contract — Christopher, Keshad Johnson and Dru Smith — early and often, if needed.

“We love our two-way contracts, with their upside, the ability to develop them, but also playable now,” he said. “That just gives us a lot of depth and versatility.”

Players under two-way contracts are limited to 50 games on the active roster over the 82-game regular season, but no more than a combined total of 90 such games as long as the standard roster is at 14 players, one below the NBA regular-season limit, as it is now.

In this Dolphins Deep Dive video, the South Florida Sun Sentinel’s Chris Perkins and David Furones discuss the lack of a passing game in Miami’s ugly loss to the Indianapolis Colts and answer viewer questions concerning the offense with Tua Tagovailoa back.

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In this Dolphins Deep Dive video, the South Florida Sun Sentinel’s Chris Perkins and David Furones discuss if head coach, and offensive play-caller, Mike McDaniel has a handle of Miami’s offense as clear problems have cropped up in Tua Tagovailoa’s absence.

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In 2020, after a devastating roof collapse in a pounding rainstorm, Fort Lauderdale’s landmark supperclub seemed finished. For those who had enjoyed its pleasures over the years, the exotic Polynesian dance revues, the gardens and waterfalls, the South Pacific masks and artifacts, the tropical Asian dishes, the world-renowned Tiki Bar – the question was, would the Mai-Kai ever reopen?

The answer, years in the making, is yes. The return is scheduled for Nov. 1, and by all signs, this special place will be as spectacular as ever. Three years of planning and construction have endowed the tropical retreat with a new and rethatched A-frame roof; a rebuilt Molokai bar; a new entrance way to reduce congestion (running over a wooden bridge to a roundabout); a new outdoor patio bar in a nautical setting; and an interior replicating all of the original bewitching Mai-Kai features. Patrons are likely to find the “new” Mai-Kai both fresh and familiar.

***

Looking back, it’s hard to appreciate what a seismic culinary and atmospheric upgrade the original Mai-Kai was to 1956 Fort Lauderdale. In previous decades here’s what was on diners’ menus:

*At the Hotel Gilbert on Brickell Avenue, circa 1918, the menu featured roast beef or turkey, asparagus on toast and English Plum Pudding with Hard Sauce.

*A decade later barbecue and chili made an appearance at Joe’s Bar-B-Q on Las Olas Boulevard.

*In the early 1930s, a floating restaurant called The Amphitrite, named after a Greek goddess, sailed in and featured broiled lobster dinners going for $2.50.

*Of course there were others, but early movers and shakers downtown lunched at Brown’s Restaurant. Lawyers and businessmen sat at the circular, 20-seat “Pot Roast Table” – reserved for men only. The menu included “fresh-fried Spanish mackerel,” fried oysters and roast pork with fried apples. If the cook fried it, they would eat it.

*And finally, in the 1940s, a New Yorker visiting Gene Harvey at his home on Griffin Road lamented that he couldn’t find a “good steak” in town. Not long after, Harvey converted his rustic house into an 1,800-square-foot restaurant. When it opened in 1949, Tropical Acres Steak House in what was then called Dania had 15 employees and 90 seats and provided premium steaks in a family atmosphere. Today it seats almost 500, has a staff of 70 and boasts seven times the original space.

Then came the Mai-Kai.

It opened famously on what was previously a cow pasture alongside U.S. 1, on Dec. 28, 1956. Dazzled diners discovered Polynesians gardens. Five dining rooms. Garden pathways strewn with orchids and palms. A high-end Tiki Bar featuring exotic rum concoctions. South Asian and Chinese dishes like pupu platters and Peking duck.

Stepping out locally would never be the same.

The Mai-Kai’s stunning A-frame design came from the desk of mid-century modern architect Charles F. McKirahan Sr. Built at a cost of $350,000, it was the most expensive U.S. restaurant constructed that year.

***

Give a nod for all this inspiration to Tropical Acres. A young Californian studying at Stanford came here on a sailing visit, and went out for a steak there. Robert Thornton loved the steak, but more than that he could not believe the long lines he witnessed.

An original neon sign on U.S. Highway 1 points west toward Tropical Acres in Fort Lauderdale. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

A fire was lit. The kindling was gathered earlier as two young boys, Robert and his brother Jack, visited the South Seas-styled Don the Beachcomber franchise in Chicago. Even then the young men dreamed they would open something similar. The place was the vision of an American adventurer and rum connoisseur who later called himself Donn Beach.

Years later, while the Thornton brothers were studying at Stanford, they made frequent visits to another Polynesian inspired restaurant called Trader Vic’s in San Francisco. Vic “The Trader” Bergeron built a cozy little saloon in Oakland called Hinky Dink’s as he explored rums from around the world. He then elevated his game with the far more sophisticated Trader Vic’s.

Not skipping a beat, Robert Thornton incorporated study of every aspect of the Trader Vic’s franchise as part of his undergraduate studies in management. He and Jack even persuaded the San Francisco owners to let them come into their kitchen and take detailed notes.

Now for the Thornton brothers, it would apparently only be a matter of when and where they would make their big move. Military service was ahead – and that fateful visit to Tropical Acres.

Fort Lauderdale was a familiar destination for Robert. He had come down on high school spring break from his native Chicago, and on spring breaks from Stanford. When he was discharged from the Army, he and four buddies came to live here, and invested in a 42-foot fishing boat that they docked at Bahia Mar and rented out for day trips. To make ends meet and save money, they also worked in bars and saloons.

Less than two years later the Thornton brothers, both still under 30, had settled here and picked that cow pasture for their venture.

Their mountain of research worked – and did it. The Mai-Kai made a million dollars in profit in its first year and later notched records as one of the top restaurant destinations in the country, as well as a perennial state and national top seller in rum.

Early lore about the restaurant centers around Robert Thornton’s attention to detail. It carried over into every aspect of the restaurant, including the masterstroke of hiring away a slew of talented folks from Don the Beachcomber in Chicago.

The Mai-Kai hired the number two chef Lin Ark Lee; the number two bartender Mariano Licudine; the maitre d’ Andy Tanato; and purchasing agent Robert Van Dorpe. Van Dorpe became the first general manager of the Mai-Kai.

One of the Mai-Kai’s general managers, Kern Mattei, an employee for 25 years, credits Robert’s business sense and his ability to generate employee loyalty for the restaurant’s long run.

“Certainly everything I learned in business was from him,” Mattei told the South Florida Sun Sentinel. “He was more a businessman than a restaurateur. He had a number of experts in different parts of the restaurant … and he was an expert at keeping people together.”

A prime example comes immediately to mind, one chapter in the Mai-Kai story that is almost cinematic.

Observing a Tahitian dancer named Mireille in the Polynesian Islander Revue – added in the early 1960s – Robert had a conversation with the choreographer.

“She’s very nice,” he said. “But she can’t dance.” She was let go.

Mireille told the story herself to the Sun Sentinel in 2005.

In a photo at the Mai-Kai Restaurant from (from left) Andree, Mireille Thornton (wife of owner Robert Thornton), and Liva.

“When I first started, Bob was in Europe,” Mireille said. “When he came back and saw me a week later he realized I wasn’t a dancer and had me replaced. Fortunately, I had a good friend in town who was a professional dancer in Tahiti. ‘You have potential,’ she said, ‘I’ll train you.’

“In two weeks when he saw me dance he couldn’t believe it was the same person.”

This young Tahitian dancer not only got her job back, but in time would become chief choreographer.

But the story is not over. Eight years later, she became Mrs. Robert Thornton.

Like her husband Robert, who passed away in 1989, Mireille has a reputation for being meticulous. The Mai-Kai dancers come from across the South Pacific – from Tahiti, Samoa, Hawaii and elsewhere. When a new dance is added to the revue’s repertoire, Mireille has already visited the island where the dance originated to verify its authenticity.

Carline Jean/South Florida Sun SentinelA sneak peek of the renovations at Mai-Kai Restaurant and Polynesian Show.

Over the years, the Mai-Kai underwent periodic renovations. When Jack Thornton sold his interest to Robert after suffering an aneurysm in 1970, Robert expanded the restaurant, more than doubling its capacity.

When Bob died in 1989, the Thornton family carried on, with Mireille and her two grown children.

After the 2020 disaster, the Thornton family, reluctantly, was forced to sell. The millions it would take to rebuild – and today that total stands at $17.5 million – did not seem within reach.

But up stepped a partner that would work with the family to resurrect the Mai-Kai to its legendary glory. A new managing partner committed to investing the millions was led by Bill Fuller, cofounder of the Barlington Group (Miami nightclub Ball & Chain).

In 2023, Fuller told New Times that “what everyone remembers about the Mai-Kai is still here, and the new elements only serve to heighten that nostalgia.”

The nostalgia will also be embodied, according to New Times, by Mireille Thornton. Now in her 80s, she will continue her legacy of leadership by directing and choreographing the live dancing. Two nightly 45-minute performances will accompany two reservation-only dinner seatings each night.

Fuller told the South Florida Sun Sentinel on Tuesday that the Mai-Kai’s opening-night Polynesian dinner show is sold out, and most of the upcoming performances are reserved for friends and family, https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2024/10/22/breaking-mai-kai-restaurant-announces-opening-date-after-four-year-closure/ The restaurant’s rebuilt Molokai bar, meanwhile, will be open.

“We want to make the Mai-Kai one of the best and biggest Polynesian venues in the world,” Fuller said. “This is a cultural place we took extreme care to restore, while also honoring the Thornton family and showing great respect to history.”

The Mai-Kai Restaurant and Polynesian Show is located 3599 N. Federal Highway, Oakland Park. Call 954-563-3272 or go to MaiKai.com.

Waste Management’s northern Broward landfill could be a step closer to going taller and wider.

Broward commissioners voted Tuesday to set a future hearing for a vote that would allow the Monarch Hill landfill to grow to as much as 325 feet tall. A second county vote would be on Monarch Hill’s request to turn the former waste-to-energy incinerator’s 24.2-acre site there to become landfill space so it can expand at its base.

Waste Management has previously warned that if its expansion plans don’t go through, it will be forced to truck garbage elsewhere, which will come at a price increase for residents.

“If Waste Management is not allowed to maximize horizontal and vertical capacity at the landfill, in late 2024 we’re going to have to start diverting construction debris and bulk waste to Okeechobee,” a spokeswoman warned earlier this year, which could mean an increased cost to Broward customers of $40 million annually for gas, hauling and cost for tractor-trailers to make the trek.

Nearby cities have previously opposed the plans, citing “great health and safety” concerns.

But county commissioners on Tuesday said they had little choice. “It has to go somewhere,” Broward Mayor Nan Rich said of the garbage. “And that responsibility is ours to determine.”

Growth over the years

The landfill at the Monarch Hill Renewable Energy Park, located at 2700 Wiles Road, is a 1965-era landmark that can be seen from miles away, sitting in an unincorporated part of Broward County near Coconut Creek. It has been given several height variances over the years. It currently stands at 212 feet tall.

The hearing considering further growth could come in November, to address the expansion.

Bill Laystrom, Waste Management’s attorney, said at Tuesday’s meeting that a decision has been put off for long enough already. “You’ve asked me to delay this for the last two and a half to three years,” Laystrom told county commissioners. “It’s time to consider this one.”

“Let’s get this thing going,” he said.

County Commissioner Mark Bogen cast the lone vote against moving the plans to a public hearing.

“Ten years ago, Waste Management promised they would not seek expansion if they would be granted one more expansion,” he said after the hearing. “Here we are 10 years later where they have continued to seek expansion.”

Coconut Creek Commissioner Joshua Rydell, who has long opposed the landfill’s expansion, attended Tuesday’s county discussions. “It’s a two-fer,” Rydell said of Waste Management’s request after the vote. “These two items working together will make a monstrosity of a landfill. And it’s not necessary.”

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Landfill’s configuration

The landfill is constructed like a pyramid with a wide base, and so the maximum height is only at the very top, said Waste Management spokeswoman Dawn McCormick.

Household garbage makes up about 10% of the landfill, the remaining 90% is generally construction debris and bulk waste including “post-recycled concrete.” Storm debris also makes up much of the landfill content, McCormick said.

Miami-Dade’s trash incinerator

The issue of how to manage trash remains a regional one.

Miami-Dade County commissioners could vote on a placement of a new incinerator as early as Nov. 6.

It has drawn the ire of Miramar because one of the sites being considered for the incinerator is less than a mile from the city, the site of a decommissioned airfield, near Krome Avenue and U.S. 27 in Miami-Dade.

The new plant would replace the 1982 site in Doral that was destroyed in a February 2023 fire.

Miramar has urged residents to show up in “full force” to help stop Miami-Dade’s plans. The city has also organized a community meeting scheduled for Wednesday night for a “logistics meeting” to get ready.

Other efforts in Broward

In other Broward business Tuesday, the County Commission:

— Agreed to spend $5 million for a flooding study that will help secure federal funds to pay for drainage improvements. Commissioner Steve Geller called it a “small investment” to help get billions of dollars’ worth of help. “It’s a really, really, really significant issue.”

— Agreed to waive bus fares and paratransit fares on Nov. 2 and Nov. 3, which are the last Saturday and Sunday of early voting for the 2024 presidential election, and on Nov. 5, which is Election Day. The goal: to “encourage voter turnout.”

— Approved a plat application for Mainstreet in Coconut Creek, that would create 2,360 new residences, as well as shops and parks. The new homes would be built on former farmland where tomatoes once grew aplenty.

— Noted how it was recently announced that actor and singer Jack Wagner, known to fans of TV’s “General Hospital,” will be the grand marshal of this year’s Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade. Last year’s parade was canceled because of safety concerns due to gusty, perilous weather.

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

Today is Tuesday, Oct. 22, the 296th day of 2024. There are 70 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Oct. 22, 1968, Apollo 7 returned safely from Earth orbit, splashing down in the Atlantic Ocean.

Also on this date:

In 1836, Sam Houston was inaugurated as the first constitutionally elected president of the Republic of Texas.

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In 1928, Republican presidential nominee Herbert Hoover spoke of the “American system of rugged individualism” in a speech at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

In 1934, bank robber Charles “Pretty Boy” Floyd was shot to death by federal agents and local police at a farm near East Liverpool, Ohio.

In 1962, in a nationally broadcast address, President John F. Kennedy revealed the presence of Soviet-built missile bases under construction in Cuba and announced a naval blockade of all offensive military equipment being shipped to the Communist island nation.

In 1995, the largest gathering of world leaders in history marked the 50th anniversary of the United Nations.

In 2012, cyclist Lance Armstrong was formally stripped of his seven Tour de France victories and received a lifetime ban from Olympic sports after the International Cycling Union chose not to appeal doping charges against Armstrong by the United States Anti-Doping Agency.

In 2014, a gunman shot and killed a soldier standing guard at a war memorial in Ottawa, then stormed the Canadian Parliament building before he himself was shot and killed.

In 2016, the Chicago Cubs won their first pennant since 1945, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series. (The Cubs would go on to beat Cleveland in the World Series in seven games.)

Today’s Birthdays:

• Black Panthers co-founder Bobby Seale is 88.
• Actor Christopher Lloyd is 86.
• Actor Derek Jacobi is 86.
• Actor Tony Roberts is 85.
• Actor Catherine Deneuve is 81.
• Physician and author Deepak Chopra is 78.
• Actor Jeff Goldblum is 72.
• Actor-comedian Bob Odenkirk is 62.
• Olympic gold medal figure skater Brian Boitano is 61.
• Country singer Shelby Lynne is 56.
• Reggae deejay and singer Shaggy is 56.
• Film director Spike Jonze is 55.
• Argentine President Javier Milei is 54.
• Former MLB All-Star Ichiro Suzuki is 51.
• Actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson is 49.
• Actor Corey Hawkins is 36.
• Actor Jonathan Lipnicki is 34.
• Rapper 21 Savage is 32.

General Daily Insight for October 22, 2024

What we say matters. Talkative Mercury harmonizes with mature Saturn, empowering everyone to communicate serious subjects with gravity and make decisions with conviction. The self-focused Sun then shoves chaotic Pluto, leading to obsessive or self-sabotaging impulses, requiring us to pause and think before acting. When the Sun moves into intense Scorpio at 6:15 pm EDT, this magnetic, obsessive effect may feel even stronger, as Pluto co-rules Scorpio. Channel this energy into empathy and fighting for truth — or get swept up in the storm.

Aries

March 21 – April 19

You might be making serious decisions about resources that aren’t solely yours. Whether this involves a cooperative business venture, joint income, a mutual home, or even shared information, you’re meant to treat it with the respect that it needs. Acting rashly or flippantly at this time could result in missteps that affect more people than just you. Who else could this impact? Instead of getting caught up in your head, make sure that you’re listening to the other people in your corner.

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

Someone may bring you a decision that you have to make. While it may seem like you’re being pushed into a corner by a group of people in your life, it could actually be one that you needed to make a while ago. This could be a result of procrastination, avoidance, or inability — regardless, an answer is urgently needed. Instead of running away from this, it’s crucial that you stand and make a choice for yourself. Only you know what you need.

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

You may struggle to make the same positive decision you made before. It might be harder than normal to be consistent — maybe you’re struggling to return to normalcy after a tough time or attempting to continue building a positive new habit. Temptations abound! Exhaustion, in particular, is likely tugging you toward the easy decision, not the best decision. While it might feel impossible to do anything except throw in the towel, hang on, and make a go of it. Baby steps are still steps!

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

No one will propel you out of your comfort zone. While you might have made up your mind that you will break free from comfort to find excitement, that’s definitely easier thought than done. Details might begin to materialize that make it obvious that you need to do a bit more planning. On the other hand, though doing more research won’t hurt, you’ll never be fully prepared. Make a go of it once you’ve got your feet under you, even if it’s imperfect.

Leo

July 23 – August 22

Social connections require even more sincerity than usual. You’re keenly aware that the decisions that you make don’t affect only you, even if you’re only trying to follow your heart. When you make promises to other people, you’re making a pact that you will be there for them and follow through. It’s a good idea to make sure that you’re honest with yourself and your loved ones about how you’re doing, and avoid promising anything you can’t deliver. Otherwise, you risk wounding yourself and others.

Virgo

August 23 – September 22

A heart-to-heart may be in order. Someone close to you, whether a sibling, a cousin, or a friend, might be looking for advice — specifically, your input on a situation in their life. You may not realize right away that some gentle guidance is what they’re searching for, so your honest opinion could be a bit harsher than what they need to hear at this moment. Take some sandpaper to your advice and smooth off the rough edges to be honest, but compassionate.

Libra

September 23 – October 22

Someone you’re at odds with may push your buttons. To an outside viewer, it might seem like you’re overreacting to their behavior, but it’s likely that you and this person both know that they’re trying to get under your skin. You could be drawn to plot revenge against them for the ways they’ve been disrupting your peace, but this will only fuel the fire and possibly give them the explosive reaction that they want. Do your best to put this issue to bed maturely.

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

When was the last time you checked in on your long-term goals? Take a moment to account for any projects that have been in the back of your mind for a long time, waiting for you to have the time and energy necessary to make it a reality. While this project would be satisfying, it’ll require some hard work — the temptation to put it off for another day may be strong. Seize this moment by invigorating your passion to overpower your distraction!

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

Sometimes, it’s about what you don’t say. There may be something on your mind that you’re not sure if you should say — meanwhile, your peers are probably encouraging you to say it. While it’s a good idea to be an open and honest communicator, it’s also important to listen. You might gain a lot more from listening than you would from talking at present. Let someone else lead the conversation, then see if you still want to say what’s on your mind afterward.

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

You may be taking a step back so that someone else can shine. Even if you consistently rise to the occasion and receive praise for your hard work, your results are potentially more independent in a way that doesn’t leave much room in the limelight. Someone might be waiting to prove themselves, or simply to be given an opportunity to try, and you can provide them the space to do so. Plus, their success would mean you won’t keep having to do everything yourself.

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

Your career might require some serious consideration. A fork in the road might be arriving, one that demands you choose a direction to continue on. This deserves some deep thought before you make it happen. One option may be a tedious but valuable path to learn something new, while the other option is less certifiably useful despite moving more quickly. Be respectful of your wants and needs while course-correcting, whichever you choose, and don’t make a snap decision. You owe it to yourself.

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

Pisces is taking point! There may be an adventure that you’ve been waiting for someone to take with you. Here and now, instead of continuing to wait for them to finally show up, you’re ready to take the plunge yourself. There’s nothing wrong with doing things on your own, after all. Plus, there’s so much that you might miss if you keep delaying things in search of a partner. Who knows, your experiences might include finding someone to go on the next adventure with.

Organizers revealed Monday that Boca Raton’s Center for Arts and Innovation — a planned arts-oriented destination featuring many attractions — is millions of dollars behind in fundraising, drawing criticism from city officials.

The center, which is intended to be an extensive performing arts center at the north end of Mizner Park, was supposed to have raised more than $50 million by now, in order to be on track, according to city documents.

But during a public meeting on Monday afternoon, CEO Andrea Virgin told City Council members that about $32 million has been raised in “documented pledges” from donors, with about $8 million of that in “cash-on-hand” funds.

Virgin said “key donors” needed more time, explaining why the fundraising goal hadn’t been met. “This is not a setback, and this is not a result of anyone’s missteps,” she said. “It is merely a reflection on what we have learned from our donors.”

As Virgin has provided period updates on the center — such as the unveiling of the center’s design plans in April and the architect announcement in September of 2023 — discussions of finances have been kept confidential. So Monday’s meeting was a rather rare public discussion of specific finances.

The frustration was palpable. Deputy Mayor Yvette Drucker called out Virgin for telling city officials that the center’s fundraising was “on target.”

“I’m disappointed because I did not have the facts,” Drucker said.

Council member Marc Wigder called the update a “significant departure.”

“There’s been really not a lot of correspondence and not a lot of transparency from the center,” Wigder said.

Virgin said donors don’t appreciate being rushed, and some expressed a desire for further approval before feeling comfortable with giving funds.

“We are doing everything we possibly can to move as fast as we can,” she said. “One thing I cannot control, and they say to ‘control the controllables,’ with the way that donors make their decisions, I simply can only relate the message that they have to share.”

Earlier in the October, Virgin had presented “landlord plans” to city officials, as Boca Raton serves as the center’s landlord. Wary of perceived operational issues with the plans, council members postponed landlord-plan approval and decided to seek an outside consultant to further vet the project.

The Amphitheater at Mizner Park in Boca Raton on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024.  This is in the area where the Center for Arts and Innovation is envisioned to rise. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Despite the center’s hurdles, several people, including state Rep. Mike Caruso and Sen. Tina Polsky, came forward on Monday in support of the center, citing Boca Raton’s need for an arts-focused hub.

“A city without the arts is just a bunch of concrete buildings,” Caruso said during Monday’s meeting.

Though the agreement between the city and the center allows for the city to terminate the center’s use of the land at Mizner Park because it did not meet the fundraising goals, City Council members expressed a desire to move forward with the project. They didn’t want to let the money and time invested into the project go to waste.

Center for Arts and Innovation CEO Andrea Virgin told the Boca Raton City Council on Monday, Oct. 21, 2024, that the Center had not met fundraising goals. (Amy Beth Bennett / South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Council members voted 4-1 to allow the center’s team an extension until Jan. 7 to meet the fundraising goals. If all else goes as planned, Virgin said the plan would be set for the groundbreaking to begin in 2028.

City Manager George Brown called the process “very disturbing.”

“I’m just disturbed by a lack of accountability, a lack of transparency, a lack of forthrightness and, in this circumstance, a lack of humility,” he said.

U.S. Sen Rick Scott, leading his opponent but hovering below 50% in most polls, campaigned with two of his Republican colleagues as he works to close the deal with early voting underway in Florida.

U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and Tom Cotton of Arkansas vouched for Scott’s conservative bona fides, and invoked the name of Florida’s most prominent Republican, former President Donald Trump, to sell Scott’s reelection.

Without a Republican majority including Scott, it would be impossible for Trump to implement his policies if he’s reelected president, they said.

“We know Donald Trump is going to be the next president and we’re gonna help him here in Florida. If he gets to Washington and he doesn’t have a Republican Senate … none of the stuff that Trump wants to do will happen,” Rubio said. “They will not give him a team to get the job done. They will try to paralyze his administration if they don’t try to impeach them again.”

Scott, too, invoked the Republican presidential candidate.

“We will win the state and Donald Trump will be sworn in on January 20th,” Scott said. “So we’re gonna get our votes out. Donald Trump will be the next president. We’re gonna have a majority in the Senate, the majority of the House, and we’re gonna turn this country around.”

A life-size cardboard cutout of the former president was on a table at the front of the venue, as if Trump was looking over the crowd

Vote now

The intentions of close to 200 people who packed The Griddle Restaurant, a Boca Raton breakfast and lunch spot, weren’t in doubt.

But Scott, Rubio and Cotton said intentions aren’t enough. They urged supporters to vote now, and not wait.

“The most important thing is vote,” Scott said.

Early voting started Monday in most of Florida. Scott took his own advice, voting earlier in the day in Naples — accompanied by another celebrity politician, former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich — before heading east for the afternoon event in Boca Raton.

“This election is not on November 5th. The election ends on November 5th. It starts today at the latest,” Cotton said.

“Leave here right now, leave here right now and go vote, go early vote. Bank your vote. Don’t count on everything being fine on Election Day. You may have a flat tire, an emergency or work. You may have a parent who’s sick or a kid who’s sick. Get out and vote today so Rick Scott and Donald Trump and their campaigns can go down to the next person on the list,” Cotton said.

He added some urgency, pointing to the disruptions for people affected by hurricanes Helene and Milton.

People may be occupied with concerns other than voting. Some people may have misplaced their ballots, he said; others may have left the state.

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Nearing an end

It’s the stage of an election when candidates are forced more on making sure supporters actually carry through with their intentions and cast ballots and less on persuasion.

Both sides are campaigning via 30-second TV ads, both to sell themselves and tear down supporters. A Scott ad shows him being pushed in the poll by his grandchildren.

A spot from former U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, the Democratic Senate candidate, shows Scott’s head on a snake slithering around spreading unpopular policies. Scott said he hadn’t seen the ad and didn’t have a response. “Nope. She’s silly.”

State Rep. Mike Caruso, a Palm Beach County Republican, said he thinks Trump and Scott could win the county. That would solidify a major transformation of the once reliably Democratic county, which Gov. Ron DeSantis narrowly won in 2022 when Democratic turnout collapsed.

“It’s been turning redder every day,” Caruso said. “My team has knocked on about 30,000 doors this campaign. We’re still doing it every day. For the last month and a half we’ve been (contacting no party affiliation voters) and soft Democrats. I find them very frustrated with things on a national scale.”

A poll released Monday by the University of North Florida Public Opinion Research Lab showed Scott leading Mucarsel-Powell 49% to 46%. That’s within the margin of error for the poll, plus or minus 4 percentage points. The survey of 977 likely Florida voters was conducted Oct. 7 through Oct. 18 with calls to landlines and cellphone numbers.

That’s typical poll performance for Scott, who often does not break 50% in pre-election polling, but goes on to win narrow election victories, twice for governor and once for U.S. Senate.

In the presidential race in Florida, Trump was ahead of Vice President Kamala Harris, 53% to 43%.

“At just three percentage points, Rick Scott’s lead is significantly narrower than Trump’s, similar to what we saw back in July,” Michael Binder, faculty director of the public opinion lab and a UNF political scientist, said in a statement about the poll results. “Much like the rest of the country, Trump is running notably ahead of Senate candidates in the same state.”

Sen. Rick Scott speaks during a “Get Out the Vote Rally” at The Griddle restaurant in Boca Raton on Monday, Oct. 21, 2024. (Amy Beth Bennett / South Florida Sun Sentinel) Democratic challenger

Rubio said Mucarsel-Powell is radical and a leftist.

“I’m telling you that the differences could not be starker and the stakes could not be higher,” he said.

Cotton, too, said “the choice could not be more stark. You have Rick Scott, who will stand with you, protect your interests and help you and your family and your communities achieve your dreams and your aspirations, and you have a radical left-wing Democrat who voted to impeach Donald Trump.”

Mucarsel-Powell campaign spokesperson Riya Vashi said Cotton wouldn’t help Scott win reelection.

“Rick Scott can invite as many of his extremist friends to come campaign with him as he wants, but nothing will change the fact that Floridians know he’s a thief and are more than ready to put an end to his 14 years of failure. And honestly, who can blame them? At every turn imaginable, self-serving Scott has embraced extremism and prioritized his own political gain over the well-being of the very people he was elected to represent,” she said via email.

Vashi said Florida said voters are supporting Mucarsel-Powell because “Florida needs a senator who will deliver resources, not more talk.”

Sen. Tom Cotton, left, and Sen. Rick Scott greet supporters during a “Get Out the Vote Rally” at The Griddle restaurant in Boca Raton on Monday, Oct. 21, 2024. (Amy Beth Bennett / South Florida Sun Sentinel) Friendly territory

Naheed Khan, who has owned The Griddle for 30 years, closed early Monday so tables could be moved aside and the venue could be readied for the senators.

She said it was “absolutely” worth forgoing the day’s lunch sales. “I am spending my time and money and everything I have to save this country. And I believe Rick Scott is very important to help do that.

“I’m an America first, ultra MAGA,” she said. “President Trump is the only way we can save this world.”

Khan, 68, who emigrated from Pakistan in 1980, said she has Democratic and independent customers, in addition to Republicans, but said she’s lost some customers over her political views. She’s active in Club 47, the big pro-Trump political organization based in Palm Beach County.

She pointed a visitor to what she described as her “ultra MAGA deplorable wall,” which showcased pictures of her with many Republican notables, including Gov. Ron DeSantis and Mike Lindell, the election denier better known as the “My Pillow guy” from his TV ads.

Senator Marco Rubio takes a selfie with supporters during a “Get Out the Vote Rally” at The Griddle restaurant in Boca Raton on Monday, Oct. 21, 2024. (Amy Beth Bennett / South Florida Sun Sentinel) Friendly questions

The senators used the crowd as a backdrop for a live interview segment on Fox, a favorite news source for Republicans.

Though the campaign said the senators would answer questions after the rally from mainstream news reporters, questioning was stopped after one inquiry, about whether any of the senators were concerned about Trump discussing Arnold Palmer’s genitalia and his frequent use of the s-word, an epithet for feces, in his public conversations.

“So we’re, we’re gonna do everything we can to make sure Donald Trump is the next president because we’ve got to change the direction of this country. Thanks everybody for being here,” he said.

Aides said no further questions would be allowed, physically blocking reporters from access to the senators.

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

Florida turned in its most complete performance of the Billy Napier era with a 4-touchdown rout of Kentucky. Led by a pair of true freshmen, QB DJ Lagway and RB Jadan Baugh, the Gators scored their most points under Napier during an SEC game. The defense continued its stellar play in October. Now the hard part: A November schedule featuring four Top 25 SEC teams. During the latest Swamp Things, Edgar and Mark gush about the Gators’ latest win and its impact on Napier’s future.

• Gators top Wildcats (0:00)
• Billy Napier’s job security (3:41)
• Turning point (10:13)
• Thumbs up (13:06)
• Thumbs down (20:44)
• Second guess (24:00)
• Game ball (28:00)
• Biggest concern (30:16)
• On the spot (32:46)
• Billy’s banter (35:38)
• Post game (41:27)
• Jeremy Foley’s Corner (44:19)

Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com

HOUSTON (AP) — Four people aboard a helicopter were killed when it crashed into a radio tower in Houston and burst into flames, officials said.

The helicopter went down just before 8 p.m. Sunday in a neighborhood east of downtown after taking off from Ellington Field, about 15 miles (24 kilometers) away, Mayor John Whitmire said at a news conference. He didn’t know the flight’s destination.

Officials said no one on the ground was injured, and no nearby homes were damaged, though some vehicles were. The crash sparked a fire that burned about 100 to 200 yards (91 to 183 meters) of grass, officials said.

Firefighters at a nearby station heard the crash and responded, Whitmire said. He said it was a “terrible accident scene” and that the tower and helicopter were destroyed. Some area residents lost power, Whitmire said.

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“It is surrounded by residences and that’s where we were very fortunate — that it didn’t topple in one direction or another,” Whitmire said. “And the fireball pretty much was isolated.”

The National Transportation Safety Board said in a statement that it is investigating the crash of the Robinson R44 II helicopter, which preliminary information shows was operating as an air tour flight. The NTSB said the helicopter crashed into a radio tower “under unknown circumstances,” resulting in a fire.

Officials said the four people aboard the helicopter included a child but the identities of the victims and their ages have not yet been released.

Police and fire officials have urged residents near the crash site to call 911 if they find anything on their property that could help in their investigation.

Police officers on Monday were scouring an area of around 4 acres (1.6 hectares) for debris from the crash, said Lt. Jonathan French.

NTSB investigators, who arrived on site Monday, started collecting evidence and will return Tuesday to continue that work, said Brian Rutt, an air safety investigator for the agency. The Federal Aviation Administration is also investigating.

Broward students may have to come back from winter break a day earlier to make up for some of the time missed due to hurricanes Helene and Milton.

If the region gets any more hurricanes, they could be forced to cut their weeklong Thanksgiving break by a day or two.

The Broward School Board plans to hold a special meeting Tuesday to discuss how to manage the impact of losing three days due to the two recent hurricanes. The district was closed for one day for Hurricane Helene and two for Hurricane Milton.

Under the proposal, the first semester would extend a week into January, rather than ending Dec. 20 before winter break. But that doesn’t mean students will actually have to go to school any more days.

Instead, they would return to school on Monday, Jan. 6, which had been designated as a teacher work day and a day off for students. But they’ll get that day back. The semester would end on Jan. 9, and the teacher workday would move to Friday, Jan. 10, which would be a day off for students.

Although the semester ends in January, midterm or final exams would still be held in December before students leave for winter break.

This change would not extend the school year, nor would it affect spring break. That’s because the district has enough hours built into the second semester to lose a few days without having to extend the calendar.

The proposal also has identified three additional days that could be used for makeup days if the district has to close again due to a hurricane or another emergency. These are Monday, Nov. 25, and Tuesday, Nov. 26, which is during Thanksgiving week, and Monday, March 31, which is the last day of Spring Break.

“This plan will allow us to meet the state’s instructional hours requirements while minimizing disruption to students, families, and staff,” a district document attached to the agenda states. “This plan is the most effective way to maintain the quality of education in our district and ensure that students meet the required instructional standards for the academic year.”

Broward is the only South Florida school district that is adjusting its calendar to make up hurricane days, even though Palm Beach County missed four days. Miami-Dade missed two. Officials from those two districts say they have enough hours built into the first semester to meet state instructional requirements.

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State law requires 900 instructional hours per year for students in grades 4 to 12, and 720 for earlier grades. That’s the equivalent of five hours per day for grades 4 to 12 and four hours per day for the younger grades, based on a traditional 180-day calendar. Since Broward school days are longer than that, most schools easily meet that even with three missed days.

The concern is schools that offer high school courses on a block schedule, where students take longer classes but finish up a year’s worth of material in a semester rather than a year. State law says these classes must be at least 60 instructional hours, according to a district document attached to Tuesday’s agenda.

“Due to the loss of three instructional days in the first semester, high school courses in middle schools with block scheduling have a total of 58 instructional hours and will not meet the required instructional hours for credit,” the document said.

The district often has a harder time getting in required hours during the fall semester than the spring. That’s because of the large number of holidays that often come in the fall, including Labor Day, Veteran’s Day, Election Day, up to two Jewish holidays and the weeklong Thanksgiving Break. The fall semester is also the most common time for closures since it’s during hurricane season.

In 2021, the district made a last-minute decision to extend exam days from half-days to full days, because the district wouldn’t have otherwise met the required 60 hours for some classes.

The meeting is scheduled to start Tuesday after a School Board workshop. The approximate time is 2:30 p.m. One of the items on the workshop agenda is the school calendar for 2025-26.

MIAMI GARDENS — This wasn’t the Tua Tagovailoa the football world expected to welcome back Monday.

This was an angry Tua.

“I’m frustrated,” he said. “Do I want to be known for (concussions)? No, I don’t. But these are the cards I’ve been dealt with.”

This was a defiant Tua, dismissing any health risk to his return to practice.

“How much risk do we take when we get up in the morning and to go drive to work?” he said. “You can get in a car crash. Everything takes risk. So, to answer that question, every time we all suit up, we’re all taking a risk that we could potentially get hurt whether it’s a concussion, a broken bone.

“You get up off the bed the wrong way you could potentially sprain your ankle. There’s risk in anything and everything. I’m willing to play the odds. That’s it.”

Let’s agree: He should play if he wants to play. Let’s be clear, too: There are NFL players like Jacksonville center Mitch Morse (six concussions) and Cleveland cornerback Denzel Ward (five concussions) with more medical questions than Tagovailoa (three diagnosed concussions).

But no one gets out of bed and is knocked out like Tua was against Buffalo on Sept. 12 in suffering his latest concussion. No one driving a car to work has a stadium fall silent and players take a prayerful knee after watching his hands go in the “fencing” pose of some concussion victims, a medical term Dolphins fans have learned.

Tagovailoa, like it or not, is the poster child of NFL concussion problem, due to his marquee position and the morbid manner his concussions have played out on national television. And it’s clear he doesn’t like it.

“This is only becoming a thing because of what happened two years ago with myself in the sport,” he said. “I hate that it happened, but we don’t look at boxers the same way. We don’t look at hockey players the same way. But I just think because of what happened and the magnitude that had, it’s becoming more of an issue here.”

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You can appreciate the frustration he has about his situation while understanding this isn’t the way to go. Different sports have different protocols. But Hall of Fame hockey players have stopped careers (see: Eric Lindros) or taken a year off (see: Patrice Bergeron) over the past couple of decades due to concussions. Boxing has disappeared from the landscape in part because of them, too.

So, Tua isn’t special in that regard. He’s just another big name whose career has unfortunately become mixed in a larger storyline that embarrasses the NFL from a public-relations standpoint and exposes them to continued liability issues.

If he doesn’t like it, he’s not alone. No one watching does, either. The Dolphins are a franchise that will have to cross its fingers and rework even more strategy every game for the rest of his career out of his health concern. Fans don’t want to go to a game to potentially see him laid out another time.

And none of us writing, trust me, wants this to be the ongoing story it is. Neurologists don’t seem to know where the line on concussions is between a healthy risk and an improper one, so how are we, whose medical knowledge stops at taking an Advil?

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Yet questions have to be asked, like if he had discussed retirement with his family as he said he had after his concussions in 2022.

“Nope, nope, none of that,” he said.

Will he wear a protective guardian cap over his helmet?

“Nope,” he said.

Why not?

“Personal choice.”

His return to practice and, assuming all goes well, to Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals has been expected for weeks around the Dolphins. From a football standpoint, this sinking season needs him. This offense has scored three touchdowns in 51 possessions in his absence, thanks in good part to the front office’s mismanagement of backup quarterbacks.

As he returns, too, there’s the accompanying story of how this franchise protects itself at the most important position for the future out of fear Tua’s next concussion will come at some point. Next game. Next year. Three years from now. Who knows when?

All you know this will be an ongoing storyline as he’s returned Monday with an emotion that wasn’t expected. He wasn’t thankful to return. He was angry. He wasn’t grateful for the concern about his health. He was dismissive of the questions.

He also was clear why he was returning no matter the risk.

“I love this game — I love it to the death of me,” he said.

Let’s hope not.

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By LARRY NEUMEISTER

NEW YORK (AP) — Seven new lawsuits have been filed against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, including one alleging the rape of a 13-year-old girl. They come as his lawyers tried again Monday to get him freed on bail, and complained that a “fresh wave of publicity” is endangering his right to a fair criminal trial.

In the lawsuits filed Sunday in state and federal courts, four men and three women, all anonymous, allege they were sexually assaulted by Combs at parties over the last two decades.

Combs, 54, has pleaded not guilty to federal sex trafficking charges contained in an indictment unsealed the day after his Sept. 16 arrest. Charges include allegations he coerced and abused women for years, aided by associates and employees, and silenced victims through blackmail and violence, including kidnapping, arson and physical beatings.

He has remained incarcerated pending a May 5 trial after two judges denied bail in rulings being appealed to the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Combs’ lawyers asked a judge Sunday to order potential witnesses and their lawyers to stop making statements that could prevent a fair trial.

“As the Court is aware, Mr. Combs has been the target of an unending stream of allegations by prospective witnesses and their counsel in the press,” they wrote. “These prospective witnesses and their lawyers have made numerous inflammatory extrajudicial statements aimed at assassinating Mr. Combs’s character in the press.”

The latest lawsuits are drawn from what lawyers say are more than 100 accusers who are planning legal action against Combs. Plaintiffs’ lawyer Tony Buzbee announced the planned litigation at an Oct. 1 news conference and posted a 1-800 number for accusers to call.

As before, Combs’ representatives dismissed the latest lawsuits as “clear attempts to garner publicity.” They said Combs and his legal team “have full confidence in the facts, their legal defenses, and the integrity of the judicial process.”

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Combs “has never sexually assaulted anyone — adult or minor, man or woman,” they added.

One of the lawsuits filed Sunday alleges that a 13-year-old girl who was invited to a party by a limousine driver after the Video Music Awards in Manhattan in September 2000 was raped by a “male celebrity” and then by Combs as individuals identified only as “Celebrity A,” a male, and “Celebrity B,” a female, watched.

Another lawsuit alleged that Combs sexually assaulted a 17-year-old male at a Manhattan hotel penthouse party in 2022.

In the lawsuits, it was alleged that the plaintiffs believed they had been fed drinks laced with drugs before they were assaulted.

Meanwhile, lawyers for Combs on Monday told the 2nd Circuit in a filing that he’ll renew his bail application before the lower court based on “significant changed circumstances.” They said the issues include “constitutional concerns stemming from his conditions of confinement and evidence contained in recently produced discovery.”

In a filing last week, prosecutors told the appeals court that judges denied bail after evidence showed Combs “used methodical and sophisticated means to silence and intimidate witnesses throughout the racketeering conspiracy and during the Government’s investigation.”

Lancashire funeral home inspection findings revealed  Central Radio

Today is Monday, Oct. 21, the 295th day of 2024. There are 71 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Oct. 21, 2014, Paralympic runner Oscar Pistorius was convicted of culpable homicide for shooting and killing his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. The conviction was later upgraded to murder; Pistorius was released on parole in January 2024.

Also on this date:

In 1797, the U.S. Navy frigate Constitution, also known as “Old Ironsides,” was christened in Boston’s harbor.

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In 1805, a British fleet commanded by Adm. Horatio Nelson defeated a French-Spanish fleet in the Battle of Trafalgar; Nelson, however, was killed.

In 1940, Ernest Hemingway’s novel “For Whom the Bell Tolls” was first published.

In 1944, U.S. troops captured the German city of Aachen (AH’-kuhn) — the first German city to fall to American forces in World War II.

In 1959, the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Guggenheim Museum opened in New York.

In 1966, 144 people, 116 of them children, were killed when a coal waste landslide engulfed a school and some 20 houses in Aberfan, Wales.

In 2013, a seventh grader at Sparks Middle School in Sparks, Nevada, shot and killed a teacher and wounded two classmates before taking his own life.

In 2021, Actor Alec Baldwin was pointing a gun on a movie set in New Mexico when it went off and killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza. Charges of involuntary manslaughter against Baldwin were dropped in July 2024.

Today’s Birthdays:

• Rock singer Manfred Mann is 84.
• TV’s Judge Judy Sheindlin is 82.
• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is 75.
• Former first daughter Patti Davis is 72.
• Film director Catherine Hardwicke is 69.
• Actor Ken Watanabe (wah-tah-NAH’-bee) is 65.
• Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C., is 53.
• Actor Will Estes is 46.
• Reality TV star Kim Kardashian (kahr-DASH’-ee-uhn) is 44.
• MLB pitcher Zack Greinke is 41.
• Actor Glenn Powell is 36.
• Country singer Kane Brown is 31.
• Singer Doja Cat is 29.

FEMA home inspections underway after Hurricanes Milton, Helene and Debby leave major impacts  FOX 35 Orlando

FEMA home inspections underway after Hurricanes Milton, Helene and Debby leave major impacts  FOX 35 Orlando

FEMA home inspections underway after Hurricanes Milton, Helene and Debby leave major impacts  FOX 35 Orlando

FEMA home inspections underway after Hurricanes Milton, Helene and Debby leave major impacts  FOX 35 Orlando